Pages 93 through 142

This section contains pages 93 through 142

PETER TOBIAS UNRUH and EVA DIRKSEN

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Mother's Family:

7th child of 14 of Tobias B Unruh and Katharina Sperling:

Peter Tobias Unruh (1851-1916) Married Eva Dirksen (1856-1928)

Peter Tobias Unruh was born in Hierschau, Molotschna Colony, Russia, on May 26, 1851. He married Eva Dirksen at Parker, South Dakota in 1876. Peter died on November 27, 1916 at Rosthern, Saskatchewan and Eva died June 4, 1928 at Macrorie, Saskatchewan.

Grandmother Eva Dirksen was 19 and in love. There were six in this family of Dutch Mennonites and Eva's romantic feelings were not an item for consideration, for this was the time of the great migration. Her father came home one day from his work in the village of Hierschau, Russia and announced that they were moving across the seas to the new land of America. Along with many other families of like background they sold all their possessions and sailed to America.

According to the ship "Nederland's", passenger list, the Dirksen family landed in Philadelphia on July 26, 1875 and headed for the Dakota Territories where they settled on a homestead in the Parker area.

Eva was depressed and longed for her lover that she had left behind. Her father was annoyed with her and according to family stories; he told her that she was on her own. Eva found work in a household nearby. During this separation from her parents she became very independent and made up her mind to live her life on her terms.

Eva was a petite young lady who soon caught the eye of Peter Unruh, a young immigrant. They were married the following spring and lived on the homestead Peter had obtained. Eva wanted Peter to work hard and get ahead. However he saw things differently, Peter liked to take things easy and socialize with their friends and neighbors.

Very few of the immigrants had any knowledge of the English language when they arrived in America. Peter learned it very quickly and was soon in demand as an interpreter for both business and legal affairs. He was a very sociable person and loved to be with people.

Several times he acted as census taker and this brought in a bit of cash money. He was also very interested in politics and Election Day was a great day for him. Sometimes the polling division would take place at their home and Peter would supply a large barrel of apples to treat the voters.

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For a number of years, grandfather, Peter would reluctantly do all the farm work. Oxen were used to pull wagons and machinery, but during the early years planting seeds was done by hand. The crops consisted chiefly of wheat, corn, oats and flax. The crops were machine cut when ripe, but had to be hand tied into sheaves. This was a job for the older children, boys and girls. They had to make their own "string" for tying the grain straw. They also grew some sugar cane, which was made into syrup at a nearby press.

They were fortunate to have a river running through their property, however it would sometimes flood in the spring and they would have to go to higher ground until the river receded.

When Peter became more established he bought horses and machinery such as a seeder, harrow and mower. They also raised some cows, and chickens. They had as many as eighty-five ducks, which were used for food as well as feathers for their feather beds and pillows. There was a lot of loud "Quack-Quacking" when Eva plucked the ducks once a year. Eva had a large garden and cultivated fruit and berries. They also grew watermelons and sold wagonloads of them.

Since Dakota was open prairie, it was difficult to get fuel. They used slough hay for heating and did their baking in a brick oven also heated with straw. It was difficult for Eva to get all her work done once the children began going to school. She had to do all the sewing by hand; finally they had enough money to buy a sewing machine, which helped out.

Peter's parents, Tobias B. & Katharina lived nearby and before Peter's Father died he told him that he should explore the Canadian Frontier. In 1893 Peter and some other settlers went to Saskatchewan to look for land. They liked the country quite well and filed for land near the present site of Waldheim. They then returned to Dakota.

Eva and Peter lived on their homestead for 22 years, from 1876 to 1898. Eva gave birth to twelve children on this place. My Mother Anna was born June 4, 1882 and was the fifth child in the lineup.

In April of 1898, Peter and Eva sold their farm, loaded the horses, machinery and household goods on a freight car and moved to Saskatchewan. On arrival at the Canadian Border, Eva laid down the law. She said "Peter you were the boss in America, Now, in Canada, I am the boss", and she was.

The Canadian railroad only went as far as Rosthern. The road from there to Waldheim was very bad and it took some time to get their things moved. Peter and Eva stayed on that farm for about three years, but Anna (my Mother) and three of her sisters left to work in Rosthern.

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In 1901, Eva and Peter also moved to Rosthern and bought a board and rooming house in town. Eva now had her own business, she also bought a dress shop for my Mother (Anna)¨∆à‹àáà£ Mother became a very good seamstress and was happy to have her own store.

In 1906, Abe Neufeld, Susan's husband helped remodel the rooming house. First it was cut in two and part of it was turned around and reconnected to conform to better living. Abe Neufeld moved the cut off section with his steam engine.

During the remodeling, mother Eva took my mother Anna and the two young boys, Toby and Willie and went on an extended vacation to see her sister, Anna P. Dirksen (Peter C. Wall's wife) in Missoula, Montana. This is where my Dad met up with mother on his return from California.

Upon returning home, Toby the younger brother started to work in the local drug store

Where he worked for 4 years. His Grandfather Peter worked at Bashford's lumberyard for several years in Rosthern and in later years did odd jobs in the community.

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Peter T. Unruh and Eva Dirksen had 12 children as follows:

1. Cornelius Unruh (1877-1933)

2. Katherine Unruh (1878-1964)

3. Susanna Unruh (1879-1973)

4. Benjamin Unruh (1881-1881) died in infancy

5. Anna Unruh (1882-1945) (Mother)

6. Minnie Unruh (1884-1904)

7. Mary Unruh (1885-1960)

8. Louise Unruh (1887-1964)

9. Rose Unruh (1890-1950)

10. Bertha Unruh (1892-1943)

11. Tobias Unruh (1894-1982)

12. Willie Unruh (1896-1913)

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1st child of 12 of Peter T. Unruh and Eva Dirksen. Cornelius P. Unruh (1877-1933) Married Helena Deckert (1876-1955)

Cornelius P. (CP) Unruh was born at Parker, South Dakota, Helena Deckert born July 1, 1876; they were married at Parker, South Dakota in 1897. The following winter of 1897-1898, they left South Dakota for Saskatchewan as someone had taken out a homestead for them some years before. (This might have been his father, Peter, who was in Saskatchewan in 1894 and had taken up a homestead for himself).

Cornelius was not happy with this homestead so he had it exchanged for another one. So he worked in his Uncle Tobias store for some months and in June 1899 moved to his farm south of Waldheim. Around 1902 he moved to Hague a few miles from Rosthern where he was the "Justice of the Peace" and had a real estate office.

Late in 1920, he sold out and moved to Los Angeles in hope that a warmer climate would help his son Percy. Mot much was known about cerebral palsy at that time. Both Cornelius and Helena died at Norco, California and are buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, California.

Cornelius P. Unruh and

Helena Decker had 6 ___ _____ ____ ___

Children as follows:

1. Bertha Unruh (1898-1978) Married Wm. Hansen (0000-0000)

Bertha Unruh born August 24, 1898 at Waldheim, Saskatchewan, she married William Emanuel Hansen at Los Angeles on July 17,1929. Bertha died in August 1978 at Spokane, Washington.

<A-1> Helen Marie Hansen (0000-1986) was unmarried; she was born handicapped and died on April 4, 1986 at Spokane, Washington

2. Annie Unruh (1899-1986) born October 7, 1899 at Waldheim, Saskatchewan. She was unmarried and died October 26, 1986 at Fontana, California. Ann was engaged to a nice man, but the Germans in World War 1 killed him.

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3. Alma Unruh (1903-1991) Married Edgar Kemp (1904-1984)

Alma Unruh born April 4, 1903 at Hague, Saskatchewan. She married Edgar Charles Kemp on September 3, 1926 in Los Angeles, Calif. Edgar Kemp was born July 15, 1904 at Darby, England, and died September 18, 1984 at Inglewood/ California. Alma died June 5, 1991 at Mira Loma, California.

Alma Unruh and Edgar Kemp had 3 children as follows:

<A-1> William D. Kemp (1927- Married Cecille Taylor (0000-<B-1> William Kemp (0000-<B-2> Michael Kemp (0000-<B-3> David Kemp (0000-<B-4> Laura Kemp (0000-

<A-2> James Charles Kemp (1931- Married Barbara Black (0000-<B-1> Craig Kemp (0000-<B-2> Patricia Kemp (0000-

NOTE: James and John are twins

<A-3> John Stanley Kemp (1931- Married Grace Williams <B-1> Brian Kemp (0000-<B-2> John Kemp (0000-<B-3> Linda Kemp (0000-<B-4> Jennifer Kemp (0000-

4. Algernon (Algie) Unruh (1910- Married Juanita Shadle (1915-

Algie Unruh born February 3, 1910 at Hague, Saskatchewan. Juanita Shadle born April 26, 1915 at Boonville, Texas. They were married February 1, 1934 at Santa Ana, California. They had only 1 child.

<A-1> Tobyann Unruh (1937- Married David Davis (0000-<B-1> Kellee Ann Davis (0000-<B-2> Kimberlee Ann Davis (0000-<B-3> Stacie Ann Davis (0000-

5. Irene Unruh (1915-1963) Married Bruno Norman (0000— Irene Unruh born April 19, 1915 at Hague, Saskatchewan, married Bruno Norman at Santa Monica, California. They had only one child. Irene's 2nd marriage was to Harold Grey (0000-<A-1> Thomas Norman (0000-

6. Percy Unruh (1920-1975) born May 19, 1920 at Hague, Sask. Percy was unmarried and died November 21, 1975 at Riverside, California.

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2nd child of 12 of Peter T. Unruh and Eva Dirksen:

Katherina Unruh (1878-1964) Married Henry Kunkel (1871-1953)

Katherina (Katie, Tena) Unruh was born at Parker, South Dakota on April 28, 1878. She married Heinrich (Henry) Kunkel, son of Tobias Kunkel and Katharine Peters on February 12, 1897 at Parker, South Dakota. Katherina Unruh and Henry Kunkel came to Saskatchewan the year before her parents, (Peter Unruhs) did.

Katharina died January 25,

1964 at Rosthern,

Saskatchewan. Henry Kunkel

Born August 16, 1871 in Crimea and died in 1953.

Henry and his first son Tobias were both bricklayers.

Katherina Unruh and Henry Kunkel had 6 children as follows:

1. Tobias Kunkel (1897-1959)

2. Martha Kunkel (1899-1975)

3. Harry Kunkel (1901-1970)

4. Matilda Kunkel (1902-1997)

5. Theodore Kunkel (1918-1993) (Ted)

6. Vernon Kunkel (1923-1940)

1. Tobias Kunkel (1897-1959) unmarried, born October 1897 and died May 28, 1959 at Waldheim, Saskatchewan.

2. Martha Kunkel (1899-1975) Married Jacob Loewen (0000-1979)

Martha Kunkel born June 1, 1899 at Waldheim, Saskatchewan. She married Jacob (Jake, Jack) Loewen/ (son of Cornelius Loewen and Katharine Dirksen). Martha died December 21, 1975 and Jacob died in 1979, both buried at The Pas, Manitoba, Canada. This Loewen family was very musical; they had their own band and made many recordings.

Martha Kunkel and Jacob Loewen had 2 children as follows:

<A-1> Marvin Loewen (1923-1995) Married Annie Klassen (0000-

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Marvin was born November 5, 1923 at Hepburn, Saskatchewan, married Annie Klassen October 24, 1959 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Marvin died October 27, 1995 at The Pas, Manitoba. They have 1 child as follows:

<B-1> Burnell Loewen (1970- Married Angle ____(0000-

<A-2> Shirley Loewen (0000- Married George Davidson (0000-

<B-1> Dena Davidson (0000- Married Edwin Johnson (0000-<B-2> Dean Davidson (0000- Married Deb________(0000-

<B-3> Don Davidson (0000- Married Cathy______(0000-

3. Harry Kunkel (1901-1970) Married Elsie Friesen (1909-0000)

Harry Kunkel born January 1901 at Rosthern, Saskatchewan married Elsie Friesen on December 26, 1927. Elsie was born in Russia. Harry Kunkel died March 17, 1970 at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Harry Kunkel and Elsie Friesen had only 1 daughter.

<A-1> Audrey Jeanne Kunkel (1946- born January 27, 1946 at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

4. Matilda Kunkel (1902-1997) Married Clifford Pollock (0000-1949)

Matilda Kunkel born October 28, 1902 at Rosthern, Saskatchewan.

She married Clifford Pollock at Waldheim, Saskatchewan in 1941. Clifford Pollock died September 8, 1949. Matilda passed away on October 8, 1997 at the age of 95 years; she was buried in the Waldheim cemetery.

They had only 1 child as follows:

<A-1> Winston R. Pollock (1945- Married Siegrid Janot (1943-

Winston Roger Pollock born October 20, 1945 at Nipawin, Saskatchewan (My home town). Siegrid Martha Janot born December 21, 1943 at Grand Prairie, Alberta. They were married July 26, 1979 at Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They have 2 children as follows:

<A-1> Gordon Henry Pollock (1981-<A-2> Carl Douglas Pollock (1982-

5. Theodore (Ted) Kunkel (1918-1993) Married Enid Campbell (0000-

Ted Kunkel born October 10, 1918 at Rosthern, Saskatchewan. He married Enid Elvira Campbell in 1946. Ted lived in Waldheim in his early years. He moved to Saskatoon in 1936 were he worked and was well known and was a respected machinist for many years. He retired' and" moved' to S'hel'Ibropk, Saskatchewan in 1975 where he operated a small repair shop to keep himself busy. Ted passed away on January 2, 1993 and is buried in the Woodlawn cemetery in Saskatoon.

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Ted and Enid have 3 children as follows:

<A-1> Nancy Mae Kunkel (1947- Married Albert Knoll (0000-<B-1> Kimberly Rosanne Knoll (1968-<B-2> Mary Ann Edith Knoll (1970-<B-3> Koelle Amalia Knoll (1974-<B-4> Sherri-Lynn Knoll (1978-

<A-2> Robert V. T. Kunkel (1948- Married Lorraine ____(0000-<B-1> Colin Kunkel (1975-<B-2> Jamie Kunkel (1980-

<A-3> Jerold Henry Tobias Kunkel (0000- Married Christine Welsh 6. Vernon Kunkel (1923-1940) born at Hepburn, died at Rosthern.

3rd child of 12 of Peter T. Unruh and Eva Dirksen:

Susanna Unruh (1879-1973) Married Abram J. Neufeld (1876-1965)

Susanna Unruh was born near Marion Junction, (Parker) South Dakota on December 2, 1879. She married Abram J. Neufeld on April 30, 1904 at Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Susanna (Susie) passed away on January 8, 1973 at Rosthern, Sask.

Abram J. Neufeld was the son of Johann A. Neufeld and Anna Thiessen. He was born near Mountain Lake, Minnesota on November 18, 1876, and died February 22, 1965 at Rosthern, Saskatchewan.

Their wedding photo

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THE ABRAM J. & SUSANNA (UNRUH) NEUFELD STORY (By Esther (Neufeld) Ramsay, September/ 1996)

Abram J. Neufeld was born 18 November 1876, in Dalton Township, Cottonwood County, Minnesota, on his parents homestead, Sal/2, SE 1/4 34 - 107-35. He usually gave his birthplace as Windom, Minnesota. He was the third living child of Johann and Anna (Thiessen) Neufeld who had come from the village of Sparrau, Molotschna Colony in Southern Russia in August of 1875, and settled in the Mountain Lake area. Since he was one of the older children in a large family, it became necessary for him to leave home at a very early age to earn his own living.

Abram had little or no formal education. Sometimes he said he had been at school for only a day and at other times he said it had been for a month. However, he taught himself to read and write so that he was able to take the examinations for third and second-class stationary steam engineering certificates. He was able to do any mathematics connected with farm work and became an avid reader, remembering facts long afterwards. He could have been a great scholar if he would have had the opportunity to attend school.

After 1890, land for settlement in Minnesota was becoming scarce and farmers and their sons were becoming interested in the homestead lands opening up in Saskatchewan. There is reason to believe that Abe was with a group of men looking for land in the Swift Current area of Saskatchewan in the early 1890's. It was reported to them that in the early 1880's the Saskatchewan River was dry at Swift Current and that around Regina there had been cracks a foot wide in the gumbo.

Abe emigrated to Saskatchewan in 1899, much the same time as his parents did. In February of 1900 he applied for a homestead, SW 1/4 4 - 42 - 5 - W3M. a few miles south of Waldheim. His father had died in 1899 and so he lived with his mother and the rest of her family until May of 1903 when he moved to Rosthern to do carpentry with his brother, John.

On 30 April 1904, Abram Neufeld and Susanna (Susie) Unruh were married by Colin G. Young at "The Manse" of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church in Prince Albert, North West Territories.

Susie was born 2 December 1879 in Brotherfield Township, Turner County, South Dakota. She usually gave her birthplace as Marion Junction, SD. She was the daughter of Peter and Eva (Dirksen) Unruh. She attended school from about the age of seven to fourteen. One of her special tasks was to heat the outdoor oven with twisted grass when her mother was baking bread. The idea was to have the oven so hot that when the bread was ready to go in the oven could be closed up and bake the bread without further attention. This was a very tedious job for a little girl. At harvest time she would help her older brother and sister in the field, tying sheaves and stocking.

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Susie came to Waldheim, Saskatchewan with her parents in the spring of 1898. For a couple of years she worked for Nick and Anna Schmidt in a hotel in Rosthern. Then when her parents opened their boarding house in Rosthern, she cooked for them.

After Abe and Susie were married, Abe continued at carpentry until the fall of 1904 when he went to work as engineer in the Union Supply Flour Mill in Rosthern. He worked here until 1918, but as the mill did not operate the year round he bought a plowing and threshing outfit with which to break land and thresh crops for people in the vicinity in his spare time. At that time many crops were cut and then stacked in the yard to be threshed later on when a threshing machine would be available.

In later years when Abe and his second cousin, Dietrich D. (D.D.) Neufeld, got together, they would tell story after story of the early days when they worked together, of threshing in January and sleeping in straw stacks to avoid the lice and flees found in so many of the early settler's homes. How I wish now that I had made some effort to remember them. The story I remember best is as follows:

One fall day, Abe and D.D. were taking their threshing outfit from Rosthern across country to Waldheim. Late in the afternoon it became foggy, and since any roads in the district were likely only trails, they soon began to realize that they were lost. There was no point in going on so they shut down the engine and, leaving the outfit they began to walk. To make matters worse, dusk was beginning to fall. Fortunately, after some time, they came across a familiar farmyard.

Now they knew where they were but they had no idea as to what direction they had come from with their outfit. But there was no point in worrying about that at the moment. Going to the house they knocked on the door and explained that they were on their way to Waldheim, but because of the fog and the coming darkness they had left their outfit some distance away and hoped that they could stay overnight.

They were assured that they were welcome to stay. They spent a pleasant evening and had a good night's sleep, but in the morning there was still this problem - where was their outfit? And how could they leave to look for it without their hosts becoming aware that they had been lost.

After breakfast they prepared to leave but with their problem still unsolved. Then as they stepped outside Abe noticed an unusually high windmill in the barnyard.

"You surely must be able to see a great distance from the top of that windmill," said Abe. "Would you mind if I go up and take a look around"?

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Of course they didn't mind, so up he went and taking a look all around the horizon, he spotted their outfit in the distance. After coining down he commented on the splendid view from up "there, thanked the people for their hospitality and left with D.D. to continue on their journey.

It was while Abe and Susie lived in Rosthern that their two children were born - Esther on 15 September 1915 and Edwin on 5 April 1918.

The dust in the flourmill was beginning to affect Abe's health so he decided to take up full time farming. He bought the NW 1/4 7 - 41 - 4- W3, about half way between Hague and Hepburn. The

Family moved there in April 1919.

Abe also did some work for the municipality. For a time he had

¨∆à‹àáà£The job of "dragging" the road between his farm and Hague. Today this would be called maintaining the road. In the book Old Furrows and New z, the Story of Rosthern, "dragging" is described as follows:

"To maintain a road a farmer might receive the municipal drag, an implement pulled by a four horse team, and dragged over the road after a heavy rain to smooth out the ruts. No cash was paid in wages. All earnings were used to reduce a fanner's taxes. Usually a limit was set as to what portion of a farmer's taxes could be "worked off" in this way.

The implement usually was a small platform with a scraper made of angle iron or something similar underneath. The driver would stand on this platform and may also place some stones on it for extra weight.

By the middle of the 1920's, a number of Abe's brothers and sisters had moved to Oregon and there was some pressure for him to do the same. So when the chance came to sell the farm he did so, and on 17 February 1926, one of the coldest days of the winter, there was a sale of machinery, livestock and household effects. The next week and a half was spent visiting relatives, getting passports and visas, etc. This was intended to be a permanent move!

Abe rented a house at 818 Jefferson St., in Dallas, Oregon, with

¨∆à‹àáà£The intention of buying an orchard. Most of the relatives lived on small farms but were working in the sawmill as well. Abe inspected various orchards but he was really more familiar with fields of grain than fruit trees. One day, after visiting a strawberry farm, he said, "Let him pick strawberries who wants to pick strawberries, I am going back to Canada". We packed up and left as soon as school was out for the summer. That fall the bottom fell out of the prune market and the fruit was left on the ground to rot. Most of the orchards in the Dallas Area were prune orchards.

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With no place to call home, it was decided to make the Macrorie area headquarters from which to look for land. But Abe did not find any land he wished to buy that summer so he rented a cottage just outside the campus of Battleford Academy for the 1926-27 School year.

In the meantime he continued to look for land. He was interested in the Nipawin district and also in the Peace River Country, but the roads in both places were too wet to travel on. Finally he ended up buying the S l/2 22 - 26 - 8 - W3, a few miles south of Tichfield, Saskatchewan. Abe went out there in early 1927 to put in the crop, with the rest of the family arriving after school closed in June.

The house was an old rambling T-shaped structure, which needed a lot of work done to make it livable. The church school was four miles away, too far to walk each day in winter. We had no horses and the roads were not passable for cars in winter. (The public school was no better since it was three miles away.)

There was a small one-roomed building, approximately 12 X 15 feet in size, finished inside, in the farmyard. This Abe moved onto a corner of Mike Bodrug's pasture, a short distance from the school. Here we spent the winter months of the next three school years. The following two winters were spent on the farm.

All went well the first years. Then the depression plus a severe drought arrived at about the same time. Abe continued to put in crops but they yielded less and less each year. In time it seemed that all that would grow was wild oats, stinkweed and gophers. Very little money came in from what did grow; land payments came due and could not be met.

Finally, in the fall of 1931, Abe went to look at land, which had been opened up for homesteads in the bush country north of Nipawin. The crop this year had yielded 1/200 bushel and was sold for 30 cents per bushel. The coming winter it was decided to move to the White Fox, Saskatchewan district. Abe was 55 years of age and it meant beginning all over again. A freight car was loaded with the farm machinery, household effects and a couple of cows and shipped to Nipawin. The family traveled with the truck.

Abe had intended to take up one of the homesteads that had opened up about 10 miles north of the Prince Albert - Nipawin highway, but this did not work out. The fall of '32 he had the opportunity to trade in all of his farm machinery for a quarter section of land, SW 1/4 33 - 35- 15 - W2. He worked as engineer in Lamb & Johnson's saw mill in Love until he had earned enough to buy machinery of his own again. Then for some years he broke land for people in the neighborhood. This he did besides clearing off the brush and farming his own land.

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And so the years went by. Times were difficult but gradually improved. But it was not until the winter of 1940 that they made their first trip outside the district. Abe did fairly well, but by the middle of 1940^ age and health did not allow him to continue on the farm. He had been bothered with arthritis and stomach trouble for a good many years and these became worse as time went by. In early June of 1945, he must have had a slight stroke. He awoke one morning unable to move. This lasted only a few hours but ever after he was bothered with severe internal pain.

In April of 1946, they packed up a few things/ sold the rest at a sale and moved to Hague where they lived until 1950 then they moved to Waldheim. Here Susie could attend church regularly and also they would be near a doctor and hospital.

Abe spent three months in the hospital in 1953, after which he was pretty much an invalid. However he was able to remain at home until the fall of 1959 when both he and Susie moved into the Mennonite Nursing Home at Rosthern, Saskatchewan. It was here that Abe died 22 February 1965. Susie had Parkinson's but she lived on until 8 January 1973. She had been bedridden since 1964 but through it all she was reported as having been very patient. She was very lonely after Abe died. When she could do nothing else she spent time repeating Bible verses and passages. John 14 was a favorite. She also spent time praying for her children and grandchildren, mentioning each one of them by name.

5th child of 5 of Esther Neufeld and John Ramsay

Judith Marlene Ramsay (1956-

Judith was born on April 16, 1956

At Carberry, Manitoba. She worked as Secretary for Simlot Chemicals in Brandon for about 10 years. Since then she has been Department Assistant at Brandon University.

Esther Neufeld & John Ramsay

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2nd child of 2 of Susanna Unruh and Abram Neufeld

Edwin Neufeld (1918- Married Irma Drake (1918-

Edwin Neufeld was born on April 5, 1918 at Rosthern, Saskatchewan. Irma Drake, daughter of Henry Milton Drake and Margaret dark, was born on June 8, 1918 at Strasburg Saskatchewan. Edwin is a retired CNR Station Agent and they both retired at Quill Lake, Saskatchewan. Erma is in a nursing home in nearby Watson, Sask., since early 1996.

Edwin Neufeld and Irma Drake have 1 child as follows:

Sharon Neufeld (1955- Married Stanley Hufnagel (1952-

Sharon Neufeld was born on July 5, 1955 at Langley Prairie British Columbia. Stanley Howard Hufnagel, son of Joseph Hufnagel and Mabel Kalmakoff was born August 3, 1952 at Quill Lake Sask. Sharon is a teacher and Stanley does road work for the town of Quill Lake.

Sharon Neufeld and Stanley Hufnagel have 4 children as follows:

<A-1> Kelsey Lynn Hufnagel (1974- born at Saskatoon, Sk. <A-2> Heather Ann Hufnagel (1976- born at Watson, Sask. <A-3> Joseph Abram Hufnagel (1979- born at Watson, Sask. <A-4> Robyn Leigh Hufnagel (1980- born at Watson, Sask.

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THE ESTHER (NEUFELD) RAMSAY STORY (In her own words, September 1996)

I was born in the town of Rosthern, Saskatchewan/ on a snowy 13th day of September 1915, at the home of my parents, Abram and Susanna (Unruh) Neufeld. Apparently my father was so excited by this event that he mislaid some of his good sense. He lit a match to see how much gas there was in a gas barrel and as a result burned his face; I suppose he had reason to be excited. I was born eleven and a half years after he and my mother were married and was the oldest living child in the family.

My recollections of Rosthern are few. My grandfather, Peter Unruh, died about a year after I was born. I of course do not remember him but mother recalled that I had insisted on being on his bed when he was ill. I dimly recall getting on the train with my aunt Rose Unruh for a trip to Hague to visit my uncle, Cornelius Unruh, and his family.

By 1918 we were living in Grandma Eva Unruh's former boarding house and it was here that my brother Edwin, was born in April. Mother was doing her best to bake some schnetke (biscuits) before he made his appearance and I, of course, was trying to help her put them on a pan. I most likely was not much help just then. The influenza epidemic of 1918-19 also occurred at this time. We were very fortunate. My father was the only one in our family to get it, and in spite of being very ill for some time, he recovered.

I was going on five years of age when we moved to the farm some seven or eight miles west of Hague where we lived for the next five years. And here I spent my early childhood, and they were happy years. There was always a dog to play with and kittens in the barn.

We also had two cows, Bess and Queen. At times I used to pester mom to let me help with the milking. Since we had only the two cows and mother wanted all the milk that they would give, she was not too anxious to let me experiment. She did let me milk Bess when she was about to go dry but that did not satisfy me. So one day I decided to take things into my own hands and show mother that I could do the milking. I got the milk pail and stool and confidently sat down beside Queen and started to milk. The next instant Queen gave a kick and milk pail, stool and I went flying in different directions. That was the end of the milking. I picked myself up and stood out behind the barn until certain parts of me stopped hurting. Mother was rather horrified when she learned of this escapade.

Once or twice a year we would take a shopping trip to Saskatoon some thirty miles away. Mother would do her shopping at Eatons but to me the trip meant seeing the wonders of Woolworth's, which truly was a 5 and 10-cent store in those days. All the little trinkets sparkled under the lights. How difficult it was to choose the one thing I really wanted!

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Threshing time was also an interesting time, maybe more so to me ¨∆à‹àáà£than to those who had to do all the work. The table would be lengthened to its fullest extent; dishes would be borrowed from the neighbors and the Kunkel girls/ Martha and Matilda might come over to help. Cooking would be going on all day. Lunches sent out to the field in mid-afternoon were very interesting because there might be something left over for us children.

An interesting incident happened while we were living on the farm. One spring dad saved two nests of wild duck eggs he came across while plowing the field. Mother took the eggs and put them under a couple of broody hens. When the eggs hatched many of the ducklings did not survive. I guess the hen did not know how to take care of them. Some of them did survive but disappeared in the fall. It must have been the following year when grandpa and grandma Born were visiting us that grandpa called our attention to where the hens were feeding in the barnyard. There were two wild ducks feeding with them and we were certain that they were two of the ducklings we had raised the year before. One of them returned for a short period for several years.

I began school after Easter of 1923. Dad had helped me learn the ABC's at home and I also had the first primer. So far we had always spoken Plattdeutch at home but I had enough knowledge of English to get along at school, an advantage over some of the other beginners who came from the nearby Mennonite village. That first day it seemed as if they were all looking at me as though I were a creature from Mars. However we soon became friends.

1926 found us in Oregon for some three months, an adventurous time for a ten year old. Then it was back to Saskatchewan and the Macrorie area were I believe some of my most lasting friendships were formed.

We left Macrorie in 1932 because of the drought and the depression, and moved to the White Fox area. Not long after that I was able to spend two years at Canadian Junior College near Lacombe, Alberta. This was one of the highlights of my life and I was able to finish my high school. But the years that followed seemed like lost years, time that just went by, year after year.

Then in March of 1943 I joined the RCAF WD as a WOG (wireless on ground). I spent seven months in Montreal in training and then was sent to Sea Island at Vancouver. I doubt very much that I benefited any one else except myself during the time I was in the RCAF. I had something to do and saw a few places I might not have had the privilege to see otherwise. Afterward I lived in Saskatoon for a few years working at Crest Craft.

In March of 1949, John Ramsay and I were married at my parent's home at Hague, Saskatchewan. For the next thirty-two years we farmed at Brookdale, Manitoba. These were the busy years as we had a section of land as well as cattle and John did all the work himself most of the time.

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We tried to get in at least one; two if possible, visits each year to my parents during the years they lived at Waldheim, Saskatchewan. It was during those years that our children were born, Phyllis, Patricia, Robert, Bruce and Judith. They were at home until they reached Grade 12 and then they were away to places such as College Heights, Alberta, Lincoln, Nebraska, Denver, Colorado and Edmonton, Alberta.

Phyllis got her B.Sc. in Secretarial Science and spent years as secretary and in accounting, etc, in Vancouver, Calgary, Richmond and Seattle. She married Robert Willauer at Bellevue, Washington in 1990 and they live east of Rocky Mt. House, Alberta. Robert is in construction and due to a leg injury some time ago finds it difficult to work in the cold weather in winter. So they have bought a lot south of Phoenix, Arizona and plan to take their 5th wheeler there for the winter. Robert has duel citizenship so he hopes to find work down there.

Patricia has her B.Sc. In Nursing. She began her career in

Winnipeg but then went to Vancouver in 1974 and has been with Vancouver General Hospital ever since. At present she works in the Clinic three days a week. Jim is in construction and in his spare time they have re-built a number of houses. At present they live in a house they have completely redone on the beach at Tsawwassen. High tide brings the water up to the base of the house. Looking over the water you can see the ferries come and go to the docks.

Robert has his M.Sc in Civil Engineering. For over 18 years he worked for the Transport Dept. of the Alberta government in the Bridge building department. Since the Government has privatized the division. Bob began working for a private company this summer. He and Marty have two children, Carlene and Shaun. Carlene is away to Canadian Union College this year for her grade twelve.

Bruce has his B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering. He has worked for Alberta Power ever since his graduation in 1978. He and Estelle live on acreage east of Sherwood Park and have four children -triplets plus one. Estelle home teaches them.

Judith took secretarial training at Assiniboine Community College and worked for Simplot Chemicals in Brandon for ten years. Then for the last eleven or so years she has worked as Department Assistant in Nursing and Health Studies at Brandon University.

Then fifteen years ago in 1981, John and I retired to Brandon. The years have gone by swiftly and we have definitely slowed down. We have managed to do a fair amount of traveling during these years, maybe out of necessity if we wanted to see the family. Now we are hoping to be around when our fiftieth anniversary rolls around in 1999.

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4th child of 12 of Peter T. Unruh and Eva Dirksen:

Benjamin Unruh (1881-1881) Died in infancy

5th child of 12 of Peter T. Unruh and Eva Dirksen:

Anna Unruh (1882-1945) Married Henry Wall (1884-1959) (See the Henry Peter Wall family for this section

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6th child of 12 of Peter T. Unruh and Eva Dirksen:

Wilhelmina (Minnie) Unruh (1884-1904) was single; she was born at Parker, South Dakota and died of typhoid fever at Rosthern, Saskatchewan.

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7th child of 12 of Peter T. Unruh and Eva Dirksen:

Mary Unruh (1885-1960) Married Gilbert Severson (1883-1957)

Gilbert Severson born February 28, 1883 in Wisconsin. Around 1906 Gilbert arrived in Saskatchewan and filed for a homestead on 2 quarters of land near Macrorie. He first built a sod house to live in as most new settlers had to do.

About early in 1908, Gilbert decided it was time for a wife. He built a new house out of logs and lumber, then proposed to his childhood friend, Hattie Hurburst, who was in Wisconsin. They were married and settled down to raise a family and build up the farm operation.

Gilbert used horses for the farm work, later he was able to purchase a tractor and other farm equipment. On May 13, 1909, their first child was born, Agnes Marion Severson. Times were getting much better and Gilbert was able to obtain a full threshing outfit and did harvest work for other farmers in the area.

Suddenly tragedy worked i.t's way into their home. Wife Hattie became seriously ill and was not able to take care of herself or baby, Agnes. My mother (Anna Unruh Wall) was a very close and good friend with Hattie and Gilbert. My mother arranged for her sister Mary (Unruh) to move in to the Severson household and work as a housekeeper and personal nurse for Hattie.

Aunt, Mary Unruh was born on April 30, 1885 near Parker, South Dakota. Mary lived at home with her parents in the large boarding house in Rosthern. Until she reached the age of 30 or so, Mary had spent most of her life around Rosthern/ doing house work, helping her parents with the boarders and in her spare time, worked with my mother in the dress shop, mother owned in town.

About 1916, during World War 1, Mary went to North Dakota to train as a nurse in a private hospital. But during the influenza epidemic, the doctor became ill and died and the hospital had to close. She returned to Rosthern for a time and then went to Macrorie, Sask., where my mother was now living.

Hattie's health grew steadily worse and she was aware that the end was near. Before Hattie died, she made my mother promise her that she would arrange to have Mary take her place as wife for her husband Gilbert and bring up baby Agnes after she passed away. This arrangement Gilbert also agreed to. Hattie finally passed away 1919.

As this was all prearranged and agreed to, Mary and Gilbert were married August 4, 1919 at the home of my aunt, Katie Kunkel, on the farm near Hepburn, Sask.

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Mary proved to be a good wife, she adopted baby Agnes, and she always had a large vegetable garden, milked the cows and did the farm chores. Two more daughters came along. Violet born August 4, 1920 and Vivian born May 24, 1924 while the lived near Macrorie.

Gilbert sold the farm in 1943 and moved to the Fraser Valley, near Vancouver, British Columbia. Here he went into building and

Selling houses. On December, 24, 1957, Gilbert passed away at Langley, British Columbia and was buried in the Murrayville

Cemetery.

After Gilbert's death, Mary went to Portland, Oregon to live with her daughter, Vivian. In May of 1959 Mary suffered a bad stroke and was moved to California by air ambulance. She never recovered and died on August 28, 1960 in Azusa, California and was transported back to be buried by Gilbert in the Murrayville cemetery at Langley, British Columbia.

1st child of 3 of Gilbert Severson and 1st with Hattie Hurlburt Agnes Marion Severson (1909-1991) Married Charles Williams (1911-Agnes was born on May 13, 1909 at Macrorie, Saskatchewan.

The Gilbert Severson Family

By: Agnes Severson Williams Written in the 1970's

In 1906 at the age of 23 my father, Gilbert Severson, with his wife, Hattie Hurlburt, came from Wisconsin to homestead south of what is now Macrorie. Grandpa and Grandma Hurlburt and their three sons, (George, Arthur and Leslie) came at the same time and homesteaded on the quarter section just west of Dad's section. Back in those days Macrorie didn't exist. I can recall Dad telling of taking three days to go across the river to Davidson for supplies — by ox team. You can be assured that they did not go often.

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The first home Dad built was a sod house and often you could see the grass growing from the roof. But it was quite warm/ which was good during the cold prairie winters. Later Dad built a two-room log house with a lean-to on the east end for the kitchen. He later added two bedrooms on the north side and one on the south side of the kitchen.

The house was plaster finished on the inside and the outside was covered with thick stucco. Where the doors went to the bedrooms, the walls were about 14 inches thick. Our family lived in this house until they left the farm in 1943. The convenience of running water and electricity were unheard of at that time.

In May of 1909 I (Agnes) joined the family and I have many childhood memories of our home and grandpa and grandma's place across the pasture. Being the only child of my age, I got more than my share of teasing from my three uncles. My uncle George, who had had an injury in childhood that left him retarded, was my main playmate. He taught me to rob the bumblebees of their honey-nectar, and many times we filled jars with dragonflies, and chased butterflies, and other insects and animals. Grandma Hurlburt always made the prettiest dresses for my dolls.

I went to Picadilly School when it was first opened and I spent six years there. I think I read every book that was bought in the traveling library. My favorite teacher was Edith Metcaife who later became Mrs. Redden and lived in Macrorie.

Around 1915 my parents and grandparents joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church along with several Fredeens from Big Valley area, and most of the Bodrug family who lived in the Mount Marie area. Until we moved away, we attended the little white church on the hill.

My mother passed away in 1918, and on August 4, 1919, Dad married Mary Unruh from Rosthern. Her sister, Annie Wall, and her family lived in the Big Valley district among the hills. I then had more children my own age to associate with.

In August of 1920 Violet Elizabeth was born and in the spring of 1925, Vivian Victoria joined the family, and grew up in that area. Since there were no boys, at times we girls had to do some of the farm jobs; but most of the time Dad had hired help on the farm.

Because our parents wanted the girls to attend the school at the church, they moved each winter to what we called "The Shack" by the church. In warm weather, the girls drove to school in an Anderson Cart.

For many years Dad had a threshing outfit and for several weeks each fall, he went from farm to farm threshing grain. My memories are especially vivid of the fall of 1924 when my cousin, Edna Wall (age 16) and I (age 15) cooked in the cook-car for the crew of about 12 to 15 men. And could they eat!! Breakfast was at 5 AM

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Dinner at 11 AM, lunch to be taken to the field at 4 PM and another dinner meal at 7 PM. And everything prepared from scratch!

After finishing my high-school work at the Adventist boarding school at Battleford, Saskatchewan, I taught at a one-room elementary school at Tugaske. Then in 1928 I went to Southern Michigan to Emmanuel Missionary College and worked for most of my expenses while going to school.

After graduating from college in 1932, I taught elementary school for two more years. In 1936 I went to teach at Oshawa Missionary College (now known as Kingsway College) near Toronto, remaining there for ten years.

In 1946 I was married to Charles Williams (originally from Alberta) and we went to work in Montreal for our church organization. Then in 1953 we moved to California for my husband to finish his college work at La Sierra College (60 miles east of Los Angeles). While there I worked as a supervisor in the college cafeteria. In 1957 following his graduation, we moved to Glendale, where Charles worked in the accounting department of the Glendale Medical Center, a 450-bed hospital facility.

In the meantime. Violet finished her high-school work by correspondence, and also at Oshawa Missionary College. Later she took her nurses training at the Florida Sanitarium and Hospital in Orlando, Florida. Subsequently she worked at a hospital in Tacoma Park, Maryland, and later at the white Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles.

Then in 1955 she was married to Jasper Wilson, and they lived in Monterey Park, while Violet continued working at the hospital. Later they moved to Ojai, California where they had a pleasant home with six rental cottages and also a walnut grove. In 1970, after a short illness. Violet passed away.

Dad and Mother and Vivian stayed on the farm at Macrorie until 1943 when they decided to sell the farm. What an auction sale they had!! It being wartime, the Red Cross requested the privilege of serving lunch at the sale. They used a whole barrel of water for the coffee and lemonade, and all the bread to be found in the stores in Macrorie and Tichfield. The place was packed with cars and people. The yard was filled with a lifetime collection of things to sell. That evening you couldn't find even a piece of haywire.

The folks settled in Langley, British Columbia where Dad built several houses. On Christmas Eve of 1957 he passed away after a heavy heart attack. Mother sold their home in 1958 and went to live with Vivian in Portland, Oregon. In May 1959, mother suffered a stroke from which she never regained consciousness. She passed away in August 1960 in Southern California but was buried in the cemetery at Langley, B.C., Canada.

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Vivian had taken a secretarial

Course and has continued in that

Line of work throughout the

Intervening years. She started

In Langley and later came to

Glendale before we did and began

To work for the Voice of

Prophecy radio broadcast

Organization. Later she worked

In Southern and Northern

California areas as well as in

Portland, Oregon. At the present

Time she is working as an

Executive secretary in San Jose,

California.

Agnes Severson Williams (1970)

Glendale, California.

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2nd child of 3 of Gilbert Severson and 1st with Mary Unruh

Violet Elizabeth Severson (1920-1970) Married Jasper Wilson (0000-

Violet was born on August 4, 1920 at Macrorie, Saskatchewan. Violet went to Orlando, Florida for her nurses training after finishing high school. She then worked at Rest Haven Sanitarium at Sidney, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Violet worked at Vancouver General Hospital before going to the White Memorial Hospital at Glendale, California. The next move was to Ojai, California where she was Supervisor of Obstetrics at the Ojai Community Hospital. Violet died suddenly of lung cancer at Ventura, California on August 13, 1970 after less than 30 days notice of her illness.

She had married Jasper Wilson about 1955. They did not have any children.

8th child of 12 of Peter T. Unruh and Eva Dirksen:

Louise Unruh (1887-1964) Married Rowen Prickett (1870-1963)

Louise Unruh born near Parker, South Dakota, January 15, 1887. Louise spent her youth in Rosthern, Saskatchewan, Canada, where she finished her 8th grade. Then she helped her sister Anna (my mother) with dressmaking in the dress shop. Next &he took a Stenographic course in Prince Albert and worked for brother Cornelius in Hague. She then worked for the Adventist Conference office in Regina and later in Saskatoon.

She began her nurses training together with her sister, Mary in North Dakota, continued it at Portland Sanitarium and graduated August 15, 1921 at Glendale Sanitarium and Hospital, California. ________________

She joined her sister. Bertha and her mother at Rest Haven and 2 years later married Rowan Prickett in 1923.

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In 1941, they moved to Marysville, Washington where Louise was very active in the church and Dorcas Society. Louise had been visiting relatives in Arlington, California and suddenly became very ill and died January 13, 1964. She was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Everett, Washington. Louise Unruh and Rowen Prickett had no children of their own. Rowen Prickett and his 1st wife had one son.

Rowen Prickett was born on July 3, 1870 in West Unity, Ohio. The family later lived in a sod house in Nebraska. Rowen stated that he remembered, "seeing the blue of the buffalo's eye". He went to college at Battle Creek, Michigan, and then learned the printing trade at Pacific Press in Oakland, California, followed by nurses training at St. Helena Sanitarium with its first class in 1892.

In 1895, he accepted a call as a missionary to the islands in the South Pacific and would sail there on the ship "Pitcairn". The "Pitcairn" was a rugged, two masted, square rigger sailing vessel powered by ten sails, the mast 80 feet long. After months of sailing they landed at Bounty Bay at Pitcairn Island, a dangerous place to land a ship that size. Only a small boat could get anywhere near that rocky shore. Some people had to be carried on backs of other passengers. Uncle Rowen spent quite some time on the Island as a missionary.

Some time was also spent in Tahiti. He also served in Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Back in California, Rowen helped open the first vegetarian restaurant in Los Angeles. He assisted in the establishment of two sanitariums. Paradise Valley, near San Diego and Rest Haven near Victoria, British Columbia. Rowen passed away on September 24, 1963 at the age of 93. Internment was at Evergreen Cemetery in Everett, Washington.

9th child of 12 of Peter T. Unruh and Eva Dirksen:

Rose Unruh (1890-1950) Married Arno Getzlaff (1880-1959)

Rose Unruh born near Parker, South Dakota on March 23, 1890. After joining the SDA church, Rose accepted the position of Secretary to the Alberta Conference President.

In 1923, she graduated from the nurse's training course at the

_ Glendale Sanitarium, Glendale, California, and came to College

Place to nurse in the Walla Walla, Washington Sanitarium.

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In 1927 Rose married Arno Getzlaff and lived at College Place, Washington, to the time of her death on February 13, 1950. Rose was buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery at College Place, Washington. Rose Unruh and Arno Getzlaff had no children.

10th child of 12 of Peter T. Unruh and Eva Dirksen:

Bertha Unruh (1892-1943) Married Albion Cooley (0000-0000)

Bertha Unruh born near Parker, South Dakota on May 20, 1892. When she was 6 years of age her parents moved with their family to Rosthern, Saskatchewan, Canada. In 1914 Bertha and several members of the family became members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. She was working as a stenographer in a lawyer's office.

Later she joined the SDA conference staff at Regina, Saskatchewan. Later she served in Manitoba and Alberta. Subsequently she spent a number of years in secretarial work in the California field. In 1933, ___

She married Albion S. Cooley and moved to Walla Walla, Washington. Bertha had cancer and passed away on February 18, 1943, she was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery,

College Place, Washington. Bertha Unruh and Albion Cooley had no children:

child of 12 of Peter T. Unruh and Eva Dirksen:

Tobias Unruh (1894-1982) Married Margaret Schwartz (1897-1994)

Tobias "Toby" Unruh was , born on July 15, 1894 at Parker, South Dakota and died June 10, 1982 at Loma Linda, California.

Tobias, known as th famous T. E. Unruh, had his big interest in Education. He served as

principal of Hinsdale Academy, Illinois; Dean of

Cedar Lake Academy, Michigan.

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Secretary of the Michigan Conference of SDAs; then Educational Secretary of the Lake Union Conference at Berrien Springs, Michigan. He also was President of three local Conferences -Wisconsin Conference, 1940^s; East Pennsylvania Conference 1947-1960; and the Indiana Conference in 1960. He retired soon after in 1963.

He had accomplished so many things that one would need a separate book to record his works. He lived in later life in Loma Linda California, where he died and his wife also passed away later on. Toby Unruh and Margaret Schwartz had no children.

12th child of 12 of Peter T. Unruh and Eva Dirksen:

Willie Unruh (1896-1913) single

Willie Unruh was born near Parker, South Dakota and died at

Rosthern, Saskatchewan of spinal meningitis.

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Now go back to the 8th child of 14 of Tobias B. Unruh and Katharina Sperling:

Katharine Unruh (1854-1915) Married Johan Engbrecht (1848-1894)

Katharine Unruh born on August 18, 1854, she and John Engbrecht were both born in Hierschau, Molotschna, Colony, Russia and both died at Parker, South Dakota.

Katharine Unruh and John Engbrecht had 11 children as follows and all were born near Parker, South Dakota.

1. John Engbrecht (1879-0000)

2. Peter Engbrecht (1880-0000)

3. Anna Engbrecht (1882-1973)

4. Katharina Engbrecht (1883-0000)

5. Mary Engbrecht (1886-0000)

6. Cornelius Engbrecht (1887-0000)

7. Jacob Engbrecht (1890-1948)

NOTE: 4 other children died in infancy

1. John Engbrecht (1879-0000) Married Anna Kunkel (0000-0000) John Engbrecht was born on April 11, 1879 at Parker, South Dakota

[Went to Washington]

<A-1> Syvia Engbrecht (0000- Married ____ McConnell (0000-

<A-2> Florence Engbrecht (0000-

<A-3> Walter Engbrecht (0000-

<A-4> ______ Engbrecht (0000-

<A-5>. -———— Engbrecht (0000-

2. Peter Engbrecht (1880-1917) - single, lived in California Peter Engbrecht was born on November 20, 1880 at Parker, South Dakota.

3. Anna Engbrecht (1882-1973) Married Cornelius Kunkel (1879-1958) Anna Engbrecht was born on May 23, 1882 at Parker, South Dakota.

<A-1> Matilda Kunkel (1901-0000) Married Ernest Farr (0000-0000) [no family]

<A-2> Lily Kunkel (1903-1966) Married Leilan Benny (1897-1963)

Lily Kunkel born at Parker, South Dakota, Lily and Leilan Benny have 4 children.

<B-1> Arlen(r) Benny (1928- Married Leiand Kasten (0000-

Arlene Benny born February 24, 1930 at Parker, South Dakota, Married Leiand Kasten May 29, 1947 they have 3 children as follows:

<C-1> Phillip Kasten (0000-

<C-2> Marjorie Kasten (0000-

<C-3> Carol Noel Kasten (0000-

<B-2> Jeanine E, Benny (1930- Married Ray Stoles (0000-

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<B-3> Lenora Ann Benny (1934- Married H. Hansen (0000-1975) <C-1> Bruce Lynn Hansen (0000-

<B-4> Ardith Marie Benny (1939- Married James Otten (0000-(they have 2 children)

<A-3> Clarence Kunkel (1904-1960) Married Luella Wirt (0000-Clarence Kunkel born June 1, 1904 and died April 11, 1960.

<B-1> Nila J. Kunkel (0000- Married Gerald Rezac (0000-<B-2> Rodney Kunkel (0000- Married Ruth _____ (0000-

<B-3> Russell Kunkel (0000-

<B-4> Beverly Kunkel (0000- Married _____Niland (0000-(the above may not be in order of birth)

<A-4> Ernest Kunkel (1910-1931) <A-5> Hazel Kunkel (0000-0000)

4. Katharina Engbrecht (1883-0000) Married George Peterson (0000-Katharina Engbrecht was born on September 25, 1883 at Parker, South Dakota.

<A-1> Martin Peterson (0000-<A-2> Marvin Peterson (0000-<A-3> Dorothy Peterson (0000-<A-4> Esther Peterson (0000-<A-5> Carl Peterson (0000-<A-6> _____ Peterson (0000-

5. Mary Engbrecht (1886-0000) Married Kerkar Kalayjian (0000-0000) Mary Engbrecht was born on January 30, 1886 at Parker, South Dakota.

<A-1> Lucille Kalayjian (0000- Married ___Cyraki (0000-0000)

<A-2> Ronald Kalayjian (0000-

<A-3> Richard Kalayjian (0000-

<A-4> Kathryn Kalayjian (0000- Married ___Tucker (0000-0000)

<A-5> Dwain Kalayjian (0000-

6. Cornelius (Dirk) Engbrecht (1887-0000) single

Cornelius (Dirk) Engbrecht was also known as "Irish" because of his red hair. He lived in Montana most of his life and worked as a ranch hand. He died at Dillon, Montana.

Page133

7. Jacob Engbrecht (1890-1948) Married Lulu ____

Jacob Engbrecht was born on April 6, 1890 at Los Angeles and died

On November 15, 1948 also at Los Angeles, California.

Jacob Engbrecht and Lulu had 2 daughters. During his life he was a bandleader, a photographer and a world's sharp shooter. He also served with the Los Angeles Police Force. They had 3 children,

9th child of 14 of Tobias B. Unruh and Katharina Sperling:

Cornelius T. Unruh (1857-1944) Married Maria Loewen (1856-1938)

Cornelius T. Unruh and Maria Loewen were both born in Hierschau, Molotschna Colony and both died near Parker, South Dakota.

Cornelius T. Unruh and Maria Loewen had 6 children as follows all born in Parker South Dakota:

<A-1> Cornelius J. (Jim) Unruh (1880-0000)

Married Louise Brandt (0000-0000) <A-2> Tobias Unruh (1882-1952) <A-3> Jacob Unruh (1884-0000) <A-4> Mary Unruh (1887-1957)

Married Henry Peters (1900-1992) <B-1> Bernice Peters (0000-1974) <B-2> Emmet Peters (0000-<B-3> Marvin Peters (0000-

<A-5> Henry (Ole) Unruh (1892-1983)

Married Alice Wepking (1900-1992)

Henry (Ole) Unruh died at White Lake, South Dakota (they had no children)

<A-6> Florintina Unruh (1896-1932) Married Dave Goertz (0000-Florintina (Tena) Unruh died at Hillsboro, Kansas.

10th child of 14 of Tobias B. Unruh and Katharina Sperling:

Anna Unruh (1859-0000) Married Cornelius Loewen (1852-0000)

Anna Unruh and Cornelius Loewen were born in Hierschau, Molotschna, Colony and both died near Parker, South Dakota

Anna Unruh and Cornelius Loewen had 4 children as follows:

<A-1> Cornelius Loewen (1878-0000) <A-2> Anna Loewen (1879-0000) <A-3> Katharine Loewen (0000-0000) <A-4> Mary Loewen (0000-0000)

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11th child of 14 of Tobias B. Unruh and Katharina Sperling:

Henry T. Unruh (1861-1888) Married Katharine Vogt (0000-1941)

They had only 1 child: Henry G. was born after his father's death. 1. Henry G. Unruh (1889-0000) Married Hattie Halsey (0000-0000)-<A-1> Jeanette Unruh (0000- Married Ray Horn (0000-

<B-1> Susan Horn (0000-

<B-2> Ray Jr. Horn (0000-

12th child of 14 of Tobias B. Unruh and Katharina Sperling:

Tobias T. Unruh (1863-1947) Married Aganetha Gossen (1866-1927)

Tobias T. Unruh was born on May 23, 1863 in Brudersfeld, Crimea. Came to America with parents on the "S3 Hammonia". He married Aganetha Gossen on March 11, 1884 in Parker, South Dakota. They moved to Hepburn, Saskatchewan on August 24, 1894. He acquired homestead in the area where the town of Hepburn now stands.

The following excerpt is taken from the book "Old & New Furrows", The Story of Rosthern^ Published by Rosthern Historical Society, pages 587-589.

Unruh had the desire to be a general store merchant. He joined Gerhard Enns in a partnership in his store, in that year, 1897, but after only a few months of this association. Enns decided to sell out to McIntyre Brothers. When the new owners took over, Unruh entered into a second partnership. This one with John Boese. The store was located on the corner lot on which the Imperial Bank of Canada was built several years later.

The highlight for the folks in Rosthern in 1897 was the celebration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. This was the day everyone congregated at ________ ___________ Rosthern to do honor to the

Queen of the British Commonwealth, and to show their respect to the Crown, the symbol of freedom, from fear, freedom of religion and choice of worship as they desired, not available to them in the lands from which many of them had come.

Page135

For this gala day the street facing the Railway was decorated with green poplar trees placed in holes in the ground, and a large open fronted shed with a platform in it, under a canopy of green boughs, was constructed with lumber borrowed from the Peter Neufeld lumber yard. To serve for the one day celebration. Speakers for the occasion mounted the platform with the musicians.

Musically inclined Unruh owned the only organ in the area. He brought it by horse and wagon from his farm 30 miles distant and provided the music of the day and the following night accompanied by Seager Wheeler on his English concertina and by his brother, Percy on his banjo.

Speech making and various sporting events filled the day. When the train arrived from Saskatoon bearing the "Regal Party" many of the Saskatoon residents were on it on their way to Prince Albert. The train was held over for several hours at Rosthern to permit its passenger (The Prince of Wales) to share in the jubilation before moving on.

That night Unruh and his friend, Mr. Gossen, put on a "nigger" play that night on the platform that caused considerable merriment. Unruh, the barber, with a foot-long razor was shaving his friend's heavily lathered "black face". The dull razor blade raised many agonized complaints by the paining Gossen in the chair. This simple entertainment in those early days was all received in the friendly spirit in which it was presented. The celebration carried on till early in the next morning when it broke up to leave a lasting memory of a gala day spent in honoring our Queen."

End of article.

After the death of Aganetha on August 11, 1927, and the loss of his store by fire, he married Margaretha (Engbrecht) Gossen on October 7, 1927. Tobias spent his last years in Waldheim, Saskatchewan and died January 25, 1947 and is buried at Rosthern, Saskatchewan.

Tobias T. Unruh and Aganetha Gossen had 8 children as follows;

1. Tobias T. T. Unruh (1885-1939)

2. William Unruh (1886-1951)

3. Maria Unruh (1887-1969)

4. Louise Unruh (1891-1955)

5 Herman Unruh (1895-1899) died young

6. Martha Unruh (1898-1967)

7. Hilda Unruh (1904-1966)

8. Walter Unruh (1907-0000)

Page136

1. Tobias T. T. Unruh (1885-1939) Married Maria Berg (1885-1974)

Tobias T. T. Unruh was born in Parker S. D. and died suddenly one night while "Curling" at the ice rink in Hague, Saskatchewan. Wife, Maria Berg was born in Manitoba, and moved the family to Burnaby, B. C. where she passed away.

<A-1> Wilmut Unruh (1910-1985) born in Hague, Saskatchewan remained single, and died at Burnaby, British Columbia

<A-2> Menno Unruh (1912-1987) Married Nancy Stupka (1914—

Menno Unruh was born in Hague, Saskatchewan and died at Coquitlam, British Columbia. Menno Unruh and Nancy Stupka have 3 children all born at Mission, British Columbia as follows:

<B-1> Margaret Ann Unruh (1940-

<B-2> Karen Unruh (1942- Married Neil Bonnell (0000-<B-3> Diana Unruh (1943-1980) Married Gary King (0000-<C-1> Natasha King (1971- raised by aunt Karen <C-2> Shannon King (1972- raised by aunt Karen

<A-3> Ruth M. Unruh (1914- Married Peter Katch (1911-1962)

2nd Marriage Curtis Fletcher (1908-1980) Ruth M. Unruh was born at Hague, Saskatchewan

<B-1> Nacelle J. Katch (1943- Married Kenneth Green (0000-2nd Marriage Douglas Heuslin (0000-

<C-1> Nacella Green (1972-<C-2> Michael Green (1973-

<A-4> Erma Unruh (1919- Married Harold (Harry) Klassen (1917-Erma Unruh was born at Hague, Saskatchewan Harold Klassen born at Hague, Saskatchewan

Harold (Harry) Klassen married Erma Unruh, my 2nd cousin. Erma's parents are Tobias T. T. Unruh and Mary Berg. Who came from another Tobias T. Unruh (1863-1947) and Aganetha Gossen (1866-1927) whose parents again were still another Tobias B. Unruh (1822-1875) and Katharina Sperling (1825-1919)?

Page137

Harry and Erma live in Victoria, Vancouver Island, and B. C. and have 3 children as follows:

<B-1> Charles W. Klassen (1945-Married Betty Quesnel (1950-Charles Warren Klassen was born on June 7, 1945 in Vancouver, B.C. Betty Quesnel born on September 5, 1950. They now live in Saskatoon, Sask.

<C-1> Alien J. Klassen born November 3, 1971

<C-2> Angela Klassen born

October 18, 1975

(Both born at Saskatoon, Sask.

B-2> Barbara Marie Klassen (1949-, Barbara was born on October 9,

1949 — divers, Manitoba and now

lives in Victoria B.. C. She has

Her own business.

Harry Klassen & Erma Unruh

<B-3> Gerald Abram Klassen (1956-Married June Reay (1949-

Gerald was born on July 23, 1956 at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and is now living in Victoria, B. C.

<A-5> Frieda Unrm, 1924- Married Hugh Caldwell (1915-1988) Frieda Unruh was born at Hague, Saskatchewan

<B-1> William Caldwell (1951- Married Cathy Johnston (0000-

(William born on July 24, 1951 at New Westminister, B. C. <C-1> Sean Caldwell (1979-<C-2> Erin Caldwell (1981-<C-3> Megan Caldwell (1983-

<A-6> Annabelle Unruh (1926- Married Roy Maunderell (192<+ _L: 91)

Annabelle Unruh was born at Hague, Saskatchewan <B-1> Robert Roy Maunderell (1952-<B-2> David M. Maunderell (1954-

<C-1> Jennifer Laurel Maunderell (1977-<C-2> David Scott Tobias Maunderell (1979-

<B-3> Christopher Maunderell (1956-

(All above born at Vancouver, B. C.)

Page138

2. William (Bill) Unruh (1886-1951) served in the Canadian Army in World War 1. He spent his post war life in the Canadian Northland.

3. Maria Unruh (1887-1969) Married Richard Mavor (1885-0000) <A-1> Kathleen Mavor (1924-<A-2> Elspeth Mavor (1924-

4. Louise Unruh (1891-1955) Married J E Willoughby (1884-0000) <A-1> Mervin Willoughby (1910-1979) <A-2> Irene Willoughby (1915- Married Ellis Wilson (1915-1963) <B-1> Penny Louise Wilson (1939- Married Ronald Thibeault

<B-2> Richard Willoughby Wilson (1942- Married Joan Kerr <C-1> Tracy Lee Wilson (1972-<C-2> Christi Jo Wilson (1975-

<B-3> Cara Gay Wilson (1946- Married Ronald J. Driscoll <C-1> Rhondalene Gay Driscoll (1962-<C-2> Bradley James Driscoll (1963-

<B-4> Trevor Kells Wilson (1949- Married Terry Lynn Wilson <C-1> Joanna Leah Wilson (1973-<C-2> Jennifer Lynne Wilson (1975-

5. Herman Unruh (1895-1899) died young and is buried in same grave as Tobias and Aganeths Unruh in Rosthern cemetery.

6. Martha Unruh (1898-1967) Married Cedric Fawcett (1890-0000) <A-1> Russel Fawcett born October 1, 1921 <A-2> Rodney Fawcett born February 16, 1926 <A-3> Donald Fawcett born October 21, 1930

7. Hilda Unruh (1904-1966) Married Jack Kovach (0000-

<A-1> Muriel Kovach (1929- Married Norman Halstead (0000-

<A-2> Geraldine Kovach (0000-

<A-3> Audrey Kovach (1937- Married Robert Alspath (1' <B-1> Sandra Kirn Alspath born May 31, 1966 <B-2> Daniel Lee Alspath born June 26, 1968 <B-3> Roberta Lynn Alspath born April 8, 1970

<A-4> Clifford Kovach (0000-

<A-5> Carol Kovach (1942- Married Wilfred Adrian (1939-

<B-1> Colleen Michelle Susan Adrian born April 27, 1961 <B-2> Randal (Randy) Richard Adrian born June 21, 1963

8. Walter H Unruh (1907-0000)

Walter Herman Unruh - a musician, went to Montreal where he had an orchestra. Popular known a "Buster" he may have changed his name to "Munro".

Page139

13th child of 14 of Tobias B. Unruh and Katharina Sperling:

Maria Unruh (1865-1916) Married Jacob E. Penner (0000-0000)

Maria Unruh was born on October 15, 1865 at Brudersfeld, Crimea and came to America with the rest of the family. She married Jacob E. Penner in Parker, South Dakota where they farmed and the first 9 children where born. About 1898 they moved to Saskatchewan and settled in the bush country of the Carson school district, between Hepburn and Waldheim. This pinned the name of "Bush Penners" on them.

The following paragraph (supplied by Esther Neufeld Ramsay) is taken from the book. Turner County Pioneer History Page61: "In February, 1885, there was a sale at Kaufman's. There was a heavy wind and it was snowing, which made it a terrible day. Jacob Penner bought a horse. After he had gotten home he took his wife to the barn to see it. When they came back they found the house on fire and his two little children burned to death.

My aunt, Susanna (Unruh) Neufeld told a similar story. She also said that the weather had been bad when Jacob came home, so Maria went out to help him unharness the horses, leaving the baby in the crib and the little girl in the high chair. The next thing they were aware of was that the house was on fire. It was believed that the little girl had been able to reach the tablecloth and had pulled both it and the lamp off the table.

Maria Unruh and Jacob E. Penner had 12 children as follows:

(Their children are my mother's first cousins)

1. Maria Penner (1883-1885) died in a house fire

2. Johan Penner (1884-1885) died in a house fire

3. Jacob J. E. Penner (1885-0000) Married Anna Voth (0000-0000)

4. John J. Penner (1887-1938) Max Helen Fehr (0000-1918)

John J. Penner married twice his 9 children are my 2nd cousins as follows:

<A-1> Clarence Penner (1914-

<A-2> Mabel Penner (1915-

John J. Penner 2nd Marriage Catherine Dyck (0000-<A-3> Pearl Penner (0000-<A-4> Rueben Penner (0000-<A-5> Irvin Penner (0000-<A-6> Ernest Penner (0000-<A-7> Alien Penner (0000-<A-8> Delia Penner (0000-<A-9> Earl Penner (0000-

Page140

5c Karl Penner (1889-0000) Married Sarah Fischer (0000-0000)

6. Gerhard Penner (1891-1918) Married Lydia Peters (0000-000)

7. Peter J Penner (1893-1918) Married Mary Dirksen (0000-000)

8. Tobias Penner (1895-0000) Married Martha Boese (0000-0000)

9. Henry Penner (1897-0000) Married Helen Dyck (0000-0000)

10. Cornelius Penner (1899) died in infancy

11. William Penner (1901) died in infancy

12. Cornelius Penner 11 (1903-1916)

14th child of 14 of Tobias B. Unruh and Katharina Sperling:

Aganetha Unruh (1868-1955) Married Heinrich Peters (1866-1935)

Aganetha Unruh was my grandfather's youngest sister on my mother's side of the family.

Aganetha Unruh was born on March 24, 1868 in Brudersfeld, Crimea. Came to America with her family on the "S3 Hammonia". On January 18, 1886, she married Heinrich Peters at Parker, South Dakota. Around 1901 they moved with their first 5 children to Waldheim, Saskatchewan. Heinrich Peters, son of Aaron Peters and Helena Warkentin, was born in Russia on Feb 14, 1866 and died at Portland, Oregon in October of 1935. Aganetha Unruh died at Langley, Washington in 1955.

Aganetha Unruh and Heinrich Peters had 8 children as follows:

(Their children are my mother's 1st cousins)

1. Nettie Peters (1887-1964) Married Jacob Friesen (0000-000

Nettie Peters was born near Parker, South Dakota and died at Whittier, Washington.

2. Emma Peters (1889-1975) Married John Peters (0000-0000)

Emma Peters was born near Parker/ South Dakota and died at Bay view, Washington.

3. Harry Peters (1892-0000) born at Parker, South Dakota

4. David Peters (0000-0000) born at Parker, South Dakota

5. Fred Peters (0000-0000) born at Parker, South Dakota and died at Whittier, Washington.

Page141

6. Katherina Peters (1902-1955) Married Harry Young (1904-

Katherina Peters born on September 26, 1902 at Waldheim, Saskatchewan and died on May 18, 1955 at Wenatchee, Washington.

<A-1> Leroy Young (1927- Married Clarice Auvil (1928-Leroy born May 23, 1927 at Seattle, Washington/

<B-1> Do""^ Young (1949- Married Richard Keefer (0000-

Young born October 13, 1949 at Renton, Washington)

<B-2> Ronald H. Young (1952- Married Karen Thrasher (0000-

(Ronald H. Young born July 24, 1952 at Everett, Wash.)

<C-1>Ian Victor Young -r (1972-<C-2> Colin Lee Roy Young (1974-<C-3> Shane Jessie Young (1983-

<B-3> Laura Lee Young (1958- born July 23, at Renton, Wash.

Leroy Young (1927-) has the original portrait of Tobias B. Unruh and Katharina Sperling. Lee Roy and sister Joyce are my 2nd cousins.

<A-2> Joyce Young (1929- Married Duane Kollars (1928-

<B-1> Karen Kollars (1945- Married Richard Eaton (0000-

<C-1> Todd Eaton (1968-

<C-2> Jeffery Eaton (1970-

<C-3> Ryan Eaton (1972-

<B-2> Kathy Kollars (1949- Married Ron Guttormsen (0000-<B-3; I Kollars (1954- Married Carrie MeCandles (0000-<B-4> Kevin Kollars (1957- carried Julie Shipp (0000-

<C-1> Christina Kollars (1973-

7. Albert Peters (1903-0000) born at Waldheim, Saskatchewan

8. William Peters (1905-1947) born at Waldheim, Saskatchewan and died on November 17, 1947 at Langley, Washington.

Page142

The Peters Connection:

Heinrich J. Peters born October 24, 1845 at Ekatrina Lav So Vemi, South Russia. Heinrich married Katharina Wall. According to family accounts, Katharina Wall, was born on November 16, 1846 in the Crimea, South Russia. She was a cousin of our grandpa, Peter Wall (1840-1884).

Heinrich and Katharina and their first 3 children came to America aboard the "Ethiopa" sailing from Glasgow and arriving in New York on June 22, 1876. They had 9 children as follows:

1. Anna Peters (1871-0000) died young in America.

2. Henry H. Peters born October 27, 1872 Nevendorf Village, South Russia.

3. Wilhelm Peters (1874-0000) died young in America.

4. Helena Peters born February 25, 1877.

5. Jake Peters born October 28, 1881.

6. Dan Peters born December 6, 1883.

7. John Peters born January 20, 1885.

8. Franz Peters born November 22, 1887.

9. Solomon Peters born March 23, 1890.

7th child of 9 of Heinrich J. Peters and Katharina Wall

John Peters (1885-1953) married Justina Giesbrecht (-1954)

And raised the following 4 children:

1. Cornelius (Cornie) H. Peters born April 13, 1913. He married Ida Raisan (1913- on January 3, 1939. They have 3 children;

Juanita, Vance & Elwin

2. Jake Peters (1915-1986) married Katie Funk They has 3 girls & 2 boys

3. Agnes Peters (1918-1979) 1st Married Ralph Munn. Agnes and Ralph Munn had 1 boy. Agnes's 2nd marriage was to Alex Brown and they had another boy.

4. Dave Peters (1921-1979) Married Dorothy Wilks and they had 2 boys.