County of Ponoka GenWeb Project: Pioneer Biographies pg 6
Pioneer Biographies Pg6
The Amasa DRIGGS Family The CLINK Family
The John SAUVE Family The William FELDBERG Family
The MASON Family --
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The Amasa DRIGGS
Morningside District
Amasa DRIGGS was a grandson of Serling Driggs who was one of the original settlers to travel into the Salt Lake Valley in Utah, USA with the Mormons, under the leadership of Brigham Young, in the year 1847.
In 1875 Amasa married Catherine FORBES in Salt Lake City. Later, in 1889 Amasa and Catherine, along with their four children - Olive, Asael, Catherine & Appolos - and accompanied by other families, travelled by covered wagon from the Salt Lake Valley to Canada, driving their herd of 300 dairy cattle with them.
The Diggs family then settled in the Fort Macleod area in southern Alberta, and ranched there for five years. There, they had 2 more children, son Samuel was born in 1889, and daughter Louise in 1892.
In 1894 they again moved, this time to the Lacombe area in central Alberta. They drove their cattle with them fording rivers and lakes where there were no bridges. Their first home was a log cabin with a dirt floor.
A few years later, they bought a farm with a large home located near the Edmonton-Calgary Trail, in the Morningside District of Ponoka County. Here 2 more children were born, daughters Laura in 1895 and Sylvia in 1901. The family home was used for church services on Sundays, and for neighborhood dances. Amasa played the violin, and was often accompanied by members of his family playing a variety of instruments. Because of its location close to the Edmonton-Calgary Trail, many travellers on their way to the Klondike gold rush, stopped at the Driggs home to ask for assistance, food or lodging. In all, Catherine and Amasa had 8 children.
Amasa remained in the Lacombe area until his death in 1929. Catherine, returned to Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. where she died in 1941.
The Children ...
Bits & Pieces.... As their home as located close to the Edmonton-Calgary Trail, daughters, Louise and Laura, remember rushing to the roadside to watch a car roar by on its first trip from Calgary to Edmonton.
The younger children in the Driggs family attended Milton School. One teacher stood out in Laura's memory - Mr. Malcolm. He was a teacher who commanded strict discipline and who had the respect of his students. He had a fine understanding of children whose lives had been limited to their home area. He spent many hours aside from regular school subjects telling the students of his travels and of the outside world they would one day see.
Louise (Driggs) Jackson tells of an occasion when there was a new building, probably a school, hauled in. At recess the students all began pushing on one side until it fell over on its side.
Olive - Born in Utah in 1878, Olive came to Canada with her parents and settled in the Lacombe district. She worked on for the Canadian Pacific Railroad (C.P.R.) building cars in the cook cars where she met and married Tom WALSH, Bridge Inspector for the C.P.R. In time Olive and Tom moved back to his family home in Fort Williams, Ontario, Canada. They had no children.In 1936, Olive passed away.
Asael - In the fall of 1914, Asael was working on a threshing machine inthe Symonds district of Ponoka County when he met his future wife, Bessie SKEELS. A few months later they were married, made their home in Morningside that winter, and Asael cut and hauled firewood from near Gull Lake, and sold it to people in town.
In 1915 they returned to Rimbey, and Asael worked for Dave Adams breaking land. Once he completed the work, Bessie wanted to move back to Lewiston, Idaho, USA where 2 of her brothers lived, so they sold their few possessions in an auction in Ponoka before moving to the US, where Asael worked as a labourer. In 1916, their son Eugene was born.
Later, in the fall of 1916, Bessie came home to her parents in Morningside, and Asael went off to Nome, Alaska, USA to try and make a stake. He made good wages working as a longshoreman, so in the fall of 1917 Bessie and Eugene joined him in Nome.
In the spring of 1918, Bessie again wanted to return to her parents, so she brought Eurgene home and Asael stayed in Alaska in order to save up enough money to purchase machinery and horses to farm with. Bessie bought horses from both Ben RIMBEY and E.A. CONNELLY, and rented the SE quarter of 21-41-2-W5 from Mrs. HALL. She also rented the NW quarter of 28-41-2-W5 from Charles LINDAHL, about a mile south of Symonds School, and lived there for 2 years.
In the winter of 1918, daughter Viola Katherine was born and in 1921, another daughter Ruth arrived. Asael farmed for a while, but money shortages caused him to go out to work again. He broke land for various farmers, and worked on a variety of projects until due to living apart and moving around so much, Bessie and Asael decided that a separation was necessary. Bessie moved back to Lewiston, Idaho, USA to be near her brothers, later moving to California where the children married and lived for a time. Bessie passed away in 1975 at the age of 81. Asael moved to Shoshone, Idaho, USA where he lived for several years before he passed away in about 1940.
In the early 1980's, Eugene was living in Los Angeles, California, USA while Viola and Ruth were living in Reno, Nevada, USA.
Appolos - (Paul) - Born in Kaysville, Utah, USA, in 1887, Appolos came with his parents and family to Canada when he was 2 years old. In 1919 he moved to the Ensign district, near Vulcan, Alberta to the farm of his sister Louise. He remained in th earea until 1946, farming and raising purbred horses adn Hereford cattle. He also served as an elevator agent for 13 years. Paul never married. He passed away on 13 February 1971.
Catherine - (Kate) - Born in Utah, USA in 1885, she married Albert TOLMAN in Lacombe, Alberta, and they did missionary work for the Mormon church in the U.S.A . Later they owned an ice cream parlour in Hillspring, Alberta near Cardston. They had one daughter who moved to the USA. Kate passed away in Claresholm in 1938.
Samuel - Born in Fort Macleod in 1889, he met and married Lottie CLINK from Lacombe, Alberta. They later moved to the U.S.A. finally settling at Moses Lake, Washington. They had 6 children in the USA. Sam died in 1959.
Louise - Born at Fort MacLeod in 1892, she attended Milton School and Morningside. She married George JACKSON in Morningside in 1914, and they moved to Ensign near Vulcan, Alberta. George passed away in 1919. Louise remained on the farm for many years, but moved to High River in 1960. They had one daughter, Nettie Johnston who lived in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.
Laura - Born in 1895, Laura attended Milton School, and lived with the Leonard family, helping out after hours and attending school during th day. In 1923, she married Ernest LOXTON of Calgary. Together they owned a shoe store in Claresholm until 1931 when they moved to Vulcan, Alberta where they stayed for some 28 years. Laura passed away in 1960, surviving her husband who died in 1959. They had one daughter, Viola who married Kenneth Reitan of Edmonton.
Sylvia - Born in 1901, Sylvia married Royal BURT in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. They had 3 children. Sylvia passed on in 1953.
Based on excerpts from:
DRIGGS Family RESEARCHER:
DRIGGS Family WEB SITE :
unknown

The CLINK Family
Elkhorn District
The Clinks came from the USA around 1895, homesteaded the NE 1/4-12-42-27, and bought the NW of 7. The Clinks built a large log house; this house was used as a home, schoolhouse and small store. Mr. Clink had the first saw mill in the district, he was operating this mill before 1900. The first settlers worked on the mill for $1.00 per day. About 1908, the Clinks got timber in the Morningside District and moved to that district. Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Morris rented this farm and lived here until they homesteaded in the Crystal Spring District. The Clinks moved back here, and lived a short while. Mr. and Mrs. Clink passed away and the farm was sold to I. Irnisee. The Clinks are related to the Puffers in Lacombe. There were three boys and one girl in this family. Ray, Les Lloyd and Lottie. Lottie married Sam Driggs and moved to Moses Lake, Washington, USA.
Based on excerpt from:
CLINK Family RESEARCHER:
CLINK Family WEB SITE :
unknown

The John SAUVE Family
Wilmot District
John SAUVE was born in Belle River, Ontario, Canada on November 1, 1887, and passed away in July, 1955. In 1904, he came out west and married Eva Eviline MILLER in Lacombe on August 24. Eva was born in Callander, Ontario, Canada on April 19, 1895 and passed away in September, 1967 in Lacombe, Alberta. They settled in Joffre until 1919, at which time they moved to the Wilmot district, where they lived until 1942.
The Children ...
John, Jr. - married Sarah Jean STAWART and had one daughter named Hannah. He passed away in 1967
Henry - married Elsi WALKER, moved to Red Deer, Alberta, and had 4 children
Isabelle - married Glen WHITE, moved to Edmonton, Alberta, and had 3 children.
Lucille - married Leroy MICKEY in 1942, and had 3 children. Leroy passed away in 1965. Lucille then married Al BADRY and stayed in the Ponoka area
Walter - born 13 August 1932, married Eileen SUTHERLAND in 1952 and had 4 children.
Hazel - born 8 August 1931, died 9 days later.
Eugene - married Lois KENNEY and had one daughter, Carolyn.
Lenora - married Patrick CARTER in 1948, moved to Red Deer, Alberta, and had 3 children.
Charlotte - born 14 July 1930, died at birth.
Shirley - born in July, 1926, married Joe WILLIS in 1955, and had 3 children.
Lawrence - married Frieda TITKE in 1938, and had 4 children.
William married Margaret FREEMAN and had one daughter, Marilyn.
Based on excerpt from:
SAUVE Family RESEARCHER:
unknown
SAUVE Family WEB SITE :
unknown

The William FELDBERG Family Glenfalloch District
William FELDBERG moved from the Fertile Forest district to N.E. 30-44-26 in 1962. Mrs. Feldberg was formerly Hilda Schmidt. They had 2 sons, Rolf and Berndt.
Based on excerpt from:
FELDBERG Family RESEARCHER:
unknown
FELDBERG Family WEB SITE :
unknown
(am trying to find a reference to this family in the Fertile Forest district history, and will post if found...)

The MASON Family
Glenfalloch District
(?) Mason homesteaded N.E. 16-42-1-W5 and later sold to the Gales family.
Based on excerpt from:
MASON Family RESEARCHER:
unknown
MASON Family WEB SITE :
unknown
(am trying to find more information about this family , and will post if found...)


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