Date Range

1917-2002

Creator

Meisser family

Physical Description

70 cm of textual records; over 1,000 images, predominantly 35 mm slides

History Biographical

The North American genealogy of the Meisser family starts with Michael Meisser, who was born in Switzerland in 1830 and immigrated to Alma, Wisconsin. His son John Lutzi Meisser and his wife Marie Kindschi moved to Warner, Alberta in 1910. Wife Marie died of TB in Salt Lake City in 1912, John died in 1917 in an elevator accident. The left behind four children: Orma 18, Lowell 16, Rome 12 and Marie 12. Lowell and Rome started farming on their own after father's death. From 1929 to 1946 they were registered as Meisser Bros., farming over 4 (quater?)sections of land. During the Great Depression, they lost $50,000 in value of crops, but managed to stay in business and pay down a $17,000 loan. Farming in the late 1930s and 1940s was complicated by the war, crops could not be sold and the Meisser Bros. built more grainneries. In the 1940s, the older generation retired from farming and the land holdings were rented out, sold or subdivided between the family. (based on Rome Meisser "The Meisser's and Other Rambling's") Jerald Lowell Meisser, son of Lowell and Elinor Meisser (nee Tenney) of Warner, was born in Oct. 1929 in Lethbridge. In later years he worked in the United States as actor and director for the Graphic Films Corp. In the 1960s, spent summers in Southern Alberta and Waterton Park.

Custodial History

Donated by Judy Wright in 2012

Scope and Content

Most of the records reflect the life of Jerald Meisser; early records reflect partnership farming enterprise Meisser Bros. 20131013/001 Large birthday card 20131013/002 Wedding announcements, Driftwood Cross Literature, land agreement, resume, certificate, school work; 9 photographs and 10 negatives 20131013/003 Personal correspondence, letter re: film, U.S. Dept. of Defence forms, U.S. Air Force documents, income tax statements, 1953-1955; 1 photograph 20131013/004 School documents, LCI Yearbook 1947 20131013/005 Baby books, 1929 20131013/006 Radio and TV writing course materials, public speaking course materials 20131013/007 Personal scrap books, childhood artwork 20131013/008 Training papers, hospitalization assistance, US citizenship certificate, membership cards, armed forces discharge certificate, various Veterans’ Affairs papers, 39 photographs 20131013/009 Priesthood ordination documents, personal correspondence, 2 photographs 20131013/010 School papers for Jerald Meisser, Boy Scout proficiency badge book, one birthday card, 1 photograph 20131013/011 Gateway Theatre program from New York City 1958 20131013/012 Family photographs, 266 slides 20131013/013 Waterton’s Old Car parade (1962), family and Waterton places, various U.S. locations, Japan, 206 slides 20131013/014 Family photographs, Japanese Garden, Pierre Ellliot Trudeau in Waterton, Warner AB parade, 233 slides 20131013/015 Waterton, friends and farming, 220 slides 20131013/016 Movie filming, Warner, AB, Waterton, wedding, relatives 171 slides 20131013/017 Bank books for Meisser Bros., Rome Meisser, Lowell Meisser; estate papers of J. L. Meisser, various years 1919-1959 20131013/018 Farm labour notes, year book for grain hauled 1940s-1950s 20131013/019 Farm diaries 1930-1957; 1934-1935 20131013/020 Farm income records for Lowell Meisser, Rome Meisser, Jerald Meisser 1932-1961 20131013/021Booklets on farming problems 1930 & 1941 20131013/022 Occidental College Campus Directory 1951-1952 20131013/023 Shares owned by Lowell Meisser 20131013/024 Wheat receipts; tax notices, life insurance correspondence, land sale documents; farm inspection reports various years 1949-1965 20131013/025 Income tax records 1921-1929 20131013/026 Cancelled cheques (selected samples) 1922, 1925 20131013/027 Ogilvie Four Mills receipts 1928-1930 20131013/028 Grain storage tickets 1928 20131013/029 Alberta Pacific Grain Co. Ltd., 1927, 1930 20131013/030 Mortgage documents various years 1917-1925 20131013/031 Land titles 20131013/032 Irrigation documents 1936, 1975 20131013/033 Federal income tax documents for Lowell Meisser 1942-1951 20131013/034 Federal income tax documents for Lowell Meisser 1955-1965 20131013/035 Federal income tax documents for Lowell Meisser 1966-1977 20131013/036 Federal income tax documents for Lowell & Rome Meisser 1930-1940 20131013/037 Federal income tax documents for Rome Meisser 1940-1948 20131013/038 Assorted documents including stock certificates, vehicle registrations, contract, school tax receipts 20131013/039 Estate documents of Marvin (Fritz) Meisser 1986 20131013/040 Assortment of Jerry Meisser's exercise books and notebooks from early 1940s. Part 1. 20131013/041 Assortment of Jerry Meisser's exercise books and notebooks from early 1940s. Part 2. 20131013/042 Assortment of Jerry Meisser's exercise books and notebooks from early 1940s. Part 3. 20131013/043 Diagnostic Reading Book (U.S.); Residential Lighting Catalogue #23 (1938) by Northern Electric Company; Study Plans in Bookkeeping 20221080/001 Set of cancelled/paid cheques 1921-1931 20221080/002 Book of farm income and purchases 1957-1963

Accession No.

20131013

Collection

Archive

Less detail