In Memoriam. Reuben Olson Dec 1910- Nov25th 2010 * Very pic heavy

Nice tribute Noel, there was a book written some years ago titled "Through The Years", abit of history on the area east of Red Deer, its a good read on the early pioneering families.
 
H4831 said:
Noel, we have communicated before, but I had no idea you had done so much for presrving your hisory. It's great, both the history and the way you are preserving it. If all goes well, there is a good chance you will receive another visitor or two next spring, from over the hills from the direction of the setting sun!
What you have written on these threads should be published in, at least, a national magazine. But I haven't a clue as to any Canadian publication that would be the slightest interested in it. Actually, the Backwoodsman Magazine, printed in Texas, has printed three feature length articles of mine. One was on the homesteading era, one on shooting game for survival and one on wilderness camping. I had a lot of good comment from readers on those, but amazingly, every one who contacted me was from the USA! Not one Canadian contacted me, yet the magazine has wide circulation in Canada. One fellow from Alaska wanted information on raising farm chickens!
I'm a great believer in preserving our history, but it is hard to get it out there. As many of you know, I was able to get a book published a few years ago that recorded considerable history of the life and times in the northern areas of BC. This was only from the era of the 1950s, but that area and way of life has changed so much that younger people just have no idea of what it was like. And so little of it has been recorded. Go to your library and see what you can find on that great age of trappers and prospectors in their little log cabins, all over the place, and the now gone, wilderness trading posts they got their supplies from, in a vast area completely devoid of roads.
I personally grew up in the hinterlands of Saskatchewan in bush homestead country on the extreme northern edge of farm land, in the 1930s. Only someone who has been there can completely comprehend just what things were like. Such as the water pail frozen solid in the morning, if Dad didn't get up in the night to keep the fire going. Or walking two or three miles to the log schoolhouse when it was so cold we all had to move our desks close around the huge barrel stove to kep warm, until the building warmed up. So much history and so much drama.
I wrote a book length story on this, actually, before I wrote the book that got published. Many book publishers have read it. The verdict is always the same. We really like your story and would like to publish it, but, we don't think there would be enough reader interest in it to make it worthwhile for us. In other words, not enough Canadians care enough about our history, to buy a book. One publisher told me that by all means it should be published and the Saskatchewan archives should have a copy.
Noel, don't let this discourage you. You have a great story and are good at telling it. You should get it out there.
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Bruce,
If you ever get a chance to stop by it would be an honor to have you!:)
Just give me a heads up!

Gramma often told me of stories growing up. Born in 1915, she went to school barefoot and was scared to death of the Great Grey Owls that would swoop at her on the old trail they used to go to the Eidswold school. I think I might have missed my calling!
I can appreciate the publishers challenge, if it won't make money they won't bother. I know there are a few folks interest, even if it wasn't published in the usual way.

And on that note I still need to get a copy of your book. My Grandpa has been dropping off books for me to read and I am two years behind now!

If you get a chance, watch for the "People and Peaks" book Bruce. It covers the early days of sheep hunting in the Willmore/ Grande Cache area and is very well done. It has Mona and Charlie Matheson in there from Hinton, whom my Grandmother work for in the war years as cook in the oil camps. It also covers Bing Crosby's trip in there, it was all the buzz while Gramma was working there.
 
Noel said:
Rob Erickson of Scalp Creek Outfitters will be taking the casket up to the cemetary by horse and wagon. Just how Reuben would have wanted it.
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That is fantastic! Much better than some old cadillac. Kind of makes my eyes sting a little when I picture it.

My Grandfather passed away 2 years ago, we were thinking of taking his casket to the cemetary in his wood wagon, pulled by his favourite John Deere, but being the middle of winter and long and very slow drive by old john deere we decided not to do it.
Oh well.
 
Thanks Noel, we'll just have to see what next spring brings.
I well remember when Bing Crosby went on that hunt, a 30 day safari. I often refer to the glory days of shooting and huntng and have used that trip to point out that in the years followong WW2, the in thing to do was go on a guided trip in the mountains. Bing Crosby was in no way a hunter, shooter or even outdoor type of person. But he had to keep up to his elite pals and join in their conversations.
When Jack O'Connor mentioned that hunt I think he had the same impression that I have!
 
That is an awesome story, you did your Uncle well by it

I grew up on a farm as well and remember hearing similar stories but we didn't have the mountains
I have a shotgun that belonged to my great grand pa. he bought it in 1910 a nickle plated iver johnson, reminds me of your uncles Stevens

thank you for sharing it and sorry for your loss
 
re Ruebin Olsen

I just stumbled across your posting by accident, My wifes grandparents were Ed Sande and minnie Sande (Nee Ness) and they were born about that same time aprox 1910 Some of your pictures were on the Sande Home stead It must have been their place or one of the brothers, i showed the pictures to my mother in law and she thought one of the rabbit hunters was her uncle Johny Sande. What a coincedence. It is too bad Ed and Minnie are both gone now as they has great memories and I listened to lots of stories about thier life in Bergen and Sundre

Richard Haavik another Norwegian, in Winfield B.C.
 
Duckshoot,
That is great to hear. Not sure but are you related to Olaf Sande too? I have a few pictures of him with my Gramma's brothers. His Grandson's are my wife's step brothers too. Small world! Shoot me a PM if you want I can try to scan the pics for you.

There were Ness' here too, I can check our latest history book for info for you.

Which one of the rabbit hunters do you think was Johny? I'd love to add that to my records. There is a Fossum, maybe Hjalmer(?) Peter Lindquist, and Carl Arneson with Uncle Alvin in the pic where they are laying down.
Fellow with the beard I don't know who he is.
In the other pic with the rabbits being held up, I don't know the chap on the fence with the derby hat, but the Fossum boy and Lindquist boy are there.

The memorial went very well today, not many dry eyes which IMO is a good thing. He touched many lives. A relative of his came across my tribute thread by accident when she heard of his passing and in turn she sent the link to her family, some of them all the way back in Wisconsin I believe. They were very thankful to read the stories and see the pics. I was so happy to hear that., it made my day.

Thanks to everyone for the prayers and kind thoughts. It has been a big help for the family. Reuben is in a better place now, and I bet he is smiling down on us all.

Cheers,
Noel
 
Condolences on your loss.

And thank you for the great old photos. It looks like Uncle Reuben got his money's worth out of life.
 
My condolences as well. Thank you for posting this; I've tried to find out my family's history but with little to no success; it's refreshing to know that not all families have lost theirs. Excellent work and an obvious talent for the telling of it, too.
 
The right section to post in or not ?
I don't know , nor do I care !
That was great ! It makes me think about my late father and the old boys that I hunted with now gone.
They were the best part of hunting trips , those stories of the old days.

I must have something in my eye...it's wet
 
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