The Leonard S. Johnson Family
as told by Florence Johnson
Leonard Stanley Johnson was born in London (Layton
Stone) England, in 1903. He came to Canada with his parents, two
brothers and one sister, in 1913 to a homestead at Totzke, east
of Saskatoon. They stayed with an aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs.
Tucker until a home was built. My father being the eldest son,
was hired out to neighboring farmers at the age of fourteen.
He left home with a cattleman Dave Bonner, at an early age and
went to Drumheller, Alberta, with the years of the 'flu'(which
came after the war) at those who were sick. He returned home for
a year to help his dad with his farming. He left again to go to
the States.
He talked of Oregon, where he furthered his education, taking
a four-year course to obtain a diploma in Electrical Engineering.
On his way home in the year of 1927, he met the seventeen year
old beautiful, talented, Clara May Wason in Miller's Store in
Fiske. On November 2 1928, my dad married Clara, a farmer's daughter,
from Bickleigh district.
Father bought a quarter of C.P.R. bush land in the Cater district
and brought his bride by wagon over two hundred miles to set up
a home in late November. They spent a month in a tent, while neighbors
like Mop Mawson, Bill Osborn, Chris Parker, Bert and Stan Haynes,
and others helped erect the little log shack. The nearest neighbors,
Mr. and Mrs. Haynes, gave logs; and Mr. and Mrs. Bill Oxley had
the newly weds over Christmas, traveling with Chris Parker in
a wagon, as no snow came in the year of 1928 until after Christmas.
In the spring, Father took his dad's horse home and worked until
fall earning enough to bring his seven head of cattle, his Ford
car, odds and ends of machinery, plus Nellie, a large purebred
Alsatian dog, all back to his homestead. He took the cattle to
Derrymans from the box car. He borrowed Derryman's horses, and
broke ten acres of bush land, and seven acres for Derrymans for
the use of the horses. One year later, the Ford car was made into
a Bennett wagon, as there was no money for gas.
The only post office was at Cater, with Postmistress, Mrs. Starling,
a gem of the early days, with always a welcome cup of tea, a book
to borrow, or a chat with her daughter, Kathleen. This was five
miles from Dad's homestead, so Mother traveled by horseback. The
nearest store was Medstead, twelve miles away, where Dad hauled
railroad ties, going into the bush , about three or four miles
north one day to get them, and the next day to haul them to town.
In those depression years my mother sold bread, made in a mudded
up oven, to the men working in the bush, and she washed clothes
for the men when the railroad went through.
Birch lake was one and a half miles from our farm and the fish
were plentiful in those early years. Each family, at the time,
were given a blanket, apples, cheese, and some codfish. Dad also
tanned leather and mad the harness for his horses and some for
the neighbors. It was very durable and serviceable.
In January of 1930, Henry Leonard arrived, born in the Rabbit
Lake Hospital. In 1931 Florence May was born at home with Dr.
Storey coming by cutter on the first day of February, all the
way from Rabbit Lake. Mrs. Haynes assisted him with the delivery.
The years of the depression brought families from the cities to
take up homes on land nearby. Mr. and Mrs. Coats started a little
store and post office in one of those years, as the railroad had
come through in the year 1929. This was named Birch Lake Siding.
In 1936, Pine View School was erected. My dad drew up the plans
and all the neighbors worked together until it was completed.
The first teacher was Miss Lena Swaystun, who boarded with Mr.
and Mrs. Hayes, paying 15.00 dollars per month, from her salary
of about 350.00 a year, which is 35.00 a month. This school was
the community center, where Dad freely offered his musical talents.
Birch Lake was the centre for the annual picnic.
Dad moved from his first home to the other corner of the quarter in
order to have water for his cattle. The water there was plentiful
and still is. Here he built a square log house. My dad worked
hard clearing and breaking the bush by hand with an ax, and walking
behind a breaking plow. He grew two acres of potatoes that were
sold to buy windows and shingles for the new home.
In 1937, George Arthur, was born at home with midwife Laybourne,
assisting. In 1939, James Frederick was born in Medstead at the
Wickwire Nursing Home, and Dr. Storey again assisted. In 1947
Margaret Ann was born in Spiritwood.
In 1939, war came, and with it came ration books for sugar, butter,
tea, and of course, gas.
Henry left home at age eighteen and went to Ontario and worked
in Sudbury in the nickel mines for some twenty years. Then he
started his own construction business, which is in operation at
this time in Ontario.
I, Florence, left home to study nursing in the Holy Family Hospital,
Prince Albert. However, I never finished the course. I married
Holger Johnson of Belbutte. We had three children, Susan (Kirkham),
now the proud parents of my first grandchild, Darcey: Leonard,
and Joyce(Lockhart).
George worked various places in Canada and married Muriel Watson
and had three children, Gena, Brad, and Wade, and two stepsons,
Randy and Ronnie.
James lived at home, married Wilma Burdett of Bapaume, and they
had five children,--Christine, Jerry, Dennis, Richard and Aron.
Margaret took a business course in Saskatoon and married Luther
Liick of Belbutte, and they have two girls, Carla and Sherry,
and live in Fernie B.C.
Father was active on the School Board, as a Pool member, and as
Co-op member. Mother belonged to the Cater Homemakers' Club. Father
loved fishing and went as often an he could, for he loved to hear
the call of the loon in the evening.
My grandma, Matilda Wason, stayed with mother for several years,
then she married Andy Osler and lived at Birch Lake Siding until
Andy's passing in 1965. She moved her home beside mother's and
lived there until her passing in 1967.
In 1967, my dad and mother retired from the farm to Batleford.
Dad passed away in July, 1977 at the age of seventy four, still
active in the community and on the farm.