Material Type

Recording

Date Range

1979

Fonds

Pioneer Researchers Association Oral History Project

Creator

Pioneer Researchers Association

Physical Description

1 cassette tape; digital copy

Physical Condition

Excellent

Acquisition Source

Pioneer Researchers

Scope and Content

Tape 1 Side A (30 min) - the Morden's are River Junction district farmers (sa P19871190000 - River Junction School). - Biographical information: Father - Bruce Morden came west from Ontario, settling first in Medicine Hat where he worked in a grocery store, and in 1909 came to Lethbridge. Here he opened his own store at 524 13th Street North. At that time north and south Lethbridge were very separate, and those on the south (called them "Money men") did not associate much with the working class on the north. - Buster was born in Medicine Hat in 1907. He attended Westminster School and names some of his teachers. - Worked after school delivering groceries for his dad until he quit school at age 12 and moved to the farm. - The store went bankrupt in 1921 and his father moved out to the farm. His mother died in 1920. - There were 5 children in the family: 2 boys, 3 girls. - Information about the farm. - Names some of the neighbors. - Depression: they never had a failed crop (lower yield), but they could not sell the grain. - Ives Holdings. The Morden's had it for 5 years, but lost it in the 30's. - River Junction School: 1st teacher was Eva Maclean. - River Junction is bounded by Pot Hole and Six Mile Coulees and has about 8 families in it. - Coal mines in the area. There were 5 mines. Rollingson's had the first mine. In all there were about 35 miners working and the coal was shipped to Cardston. - Information about the Rollingson's: sons Albert and Henry - one still farms. - Hutterites bought the Felger Farm around 1925. They named if the Felger Colony. - Sheep ranching in the area. SideB - Continue with sheep ranching. - Cattle breeds. - The airport area was used as a community pasture, and those in the area ran cattle on it. Airport was built c. 1938. - Old highway - Lethbridge to Cardston. - Relates a story about Ted ? operating a still in the coulee. - Removing rocks from the land. - Mrs. Sarah Morden: Both parents were orphans. She was born in 1908 in Colorado, the youngest of 14 children. They came to southern Alberta in 1911, settling in the Taber area. Between 1916-1923 they homesteaded near Manyberries, then moved to Raymond where her father hauled gravel for the sugar beet factory, and her mother took in borders. She met her first husband, Fred, while he was boarding with them. She married him at age 17, and they lived in various places before settling near Picture Butte. It was here that her husband died leaving her a widow with 4 children. She married Buster in 1938 and they had 2 children. She is a member of the Fort Whoop-up Ladies Club. Hobbies include handicrafts and gardening.

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

19921008035

Collection

Archive

Less detail