A compilation by Ardrossan Unifarm. (1972)
ISBN 0-919212-16-6
Pages 75-78
MR. AND MRS. CLYDE W. STORMS - as told by their family.
| Mr. and Mrs. Clyde W. Storms and baby son, Lorne, arrived in Strathcona
on April 7, 1900, from Omaha, Nebraska. To make this more informal, from now on we'll refer to them as Mother and Dad. Dad was born in Weaver, Iowa, third child of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Storms. Mother was born in Centreville, Ontario, second of three daughters of Mr. and Mrs. William Widdis. Dad had been employed by Armour's Packing Plant; he was supervisor of the refrigeration plant. They spent their first night in the old Strathcona Hotel, where Mother was frightened by the rough occupants of the adjoining rooms. |
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Their brother-in-law, Clyde Parker, met them the next day in a lumber wagon. On their way home they stopped to rest their horses at the Crummer home. Mrs. Bob Crummer had a baby girl a few days old, but she got out of bed and made a cup of tea to welcome her new neighbors. At the creek by Doug Andrews they had to lead the horses over one at a time and then hitched on to the end of the tongue to get the wagon across.
Travelling a few more miles they arrived at the Parker home where Aunty Bella was overjoyed to see them.
On leaving Omaha they had been given a quantity of oranges by their well wishing relatives. Now - these oranges were really appreciated. Aunty said she hadn't seen an orange since she left Omaha. They spent the first summer and winter with Aunt Bella and Uncle Clyde.
During the winter, Dad got out logs to make their home on the homestead. Uncle had filed on it for him and it was the quarter section we remember as the Burnfield place. The old home stood for many years. It was burned down Hallowe'en 1966 by some pranksters.
Dovetailing, the fitting of the logs together at the corners, was a real art. Dad liked doing that. The neighbors held bees and worked together to make their homes.
Dad worked for Mr. Jack Cinnamon of Agricola district and often would walk back to the homesteadat night so Mother and Lorne wouldn't be alone. One Stormy night he didn't arrive. Mother sat up all night. She had heard there were bears in the vicinity and was sure one had made a meal of him.
Dad did considerable road work those first years. If you wanted a road you had to make it yourself. He never went out with horses without an axe and a chain. In fact, when walking he carried an axe, for often he would have to cut trees to make a footpath over a stream or mud hole. There was so much rain in those early days, one rarely went out without getting wet.
During those early years there was no refrigeration. fresh meat was hard to keep so Dad decided he should do something about it. Here was something right down his alley. Equipped with a saw, knives, a meat grinder and a fly proof box, he was ready to start.
He butchered the animals, cut the meat into proper cuts, and delivered the meat to the homes. During the threshing season he was a very welcome sight to the housewives. For many years Dad helped his neighbors with their butchering.
In 1908 Dad and Mr. W. Garbe contracted to build a mile of grade for the railway. It was the mile west of the Ardrossan townsite, Mile 777 - 778.
Dad was Councillor in 53-21 until he moved to his new home in 1910. He sold his homestead and bought the farm where Lorne and family now reside.
He was caretaker of Fairmount Cemetery - which was named after the Methodist Church that was built there in 1902. The first interment was in 1903. Dad helped with every grave that was dug there as long as he was able.
Always interested in the better things of life, he was steward and elder, first in the Methodist Church and later in the United.
Most of our lives are made up of little day to day duties. Like Dad, Mother did her best in this new pioneer life.
She had taken a dressmaker's course when a teenager in Greenwood, Nebraska, to earn her living. Her father had died suddenly when she and Aunt Bella had first moved to the States. Their mother and older sister had remained in Ontario to finish Martha's schooling.So, now this came in very useful, being so far away from stores. Not only for her own family did she sew, but others as well, if the need arose.
Because we lived close to the school, Mother was often asked to board the teacher, both while on the homestead and later.
Having been raised in a Christian home, it was only natural that she would do her best for the church. She taught Sunday School, was a member of the Ladies Aid - and later the United Workers and W.M.S.
Aunt Bella Parker and Mother sang beautiful duets and I think this meant more to their church and community than anything else. The pioneers had to make their own entertainment and through their singing they gave gladly of themselves. On special occasions they were invited to Clover Bar and Partridge Hill. In those days they travelled by wagon or sleigh and took the children along. And at funerals, their singing deepened the meaning of life and lightened the burden of grief. When Rev. Robert Finlay came to preach at Clover Bar in 1902, he was as surprised as Aunty and Mother. He had been raised in the same district in Ontario and had attended the same school "Rice Lake"
In conclusion, we would like to quote from a little poem, given to Dad and Mother by a neighbor. We think it sums up their lives pretty well. No on was ever turned away from their door. The sick and bereaved were comforted and the hungry traveller fed and sometimes lodged for the night.
Let me live in a house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by,
The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I will not sit in the scorner's seat, nor hurl the cynic's ban,
Let me live in a house by the side of the road, And be a friend to man.
-- by Foss
Dad and Mother celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary in 1948.
Mother passed away in 1950 after a lengthy illness. After her death Dad made two trips to Florida to visit his sisters and to get away from the cold winters. He visited in Iowa, too. That was his home state. He passed away in 1959, after a short illness.
Besides Lorne, Clyde and Mary Storms had three daughters, Mary Jane, Martha Isabelle and Helen Ruth. Their stories appear in the next few pages.
If we may, we would like to add a word of tribute to all of the pioneers. It would be impossible to tell of the hardships they had, especially before the railway went through. There was such a genuine concern for others and a neighborliness in those days.
Once two pioneers were on their way home with a supply of food and stopped at a little homestead to ask of their welfare. The young mother and the children could be heard singing that old hymn "Count Your Blessings". When the song ended they knocked on the door and upon enquiry they found this little family without several of the staple necessities. Of course, these pioneers shared generously with them. This is just one instance, but it was typical of all the pioneers. This young mother was Mrs. George Lackey and the friends who called were Clyde Parker and Clyde Storms.
| Go to the Web Family Card of Clyde and Mary Storms. |  |
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| Created 22 January 2000 by Don Smith |
Last Updated 18 December 2005
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