Peter P. and Helene Bartel (submitted by the children)
Our parents
came from the southern area of Russia to Canada to the Dalmeny,
Langham, Sask. district in the fall of 1925. They worked there
as farm laborers. The reason for our parents leaving Russia was
due to the unrest and revolution, where many villages were destroyed
and personal belongings were confiscated.
The C.P.R. made land available further north where Father bought
a quarter of land, located 2 miles east and 1/2 mile north of
Glenbush, NE 27-49-14-W3. We came to this district in the fall
1927 by rail with the few belongings Father had already bought
such as a team of horses, cattle, and a wagon.
Our parent's first home was a log building offered to us by our
neighbors Jim Gilchrist, living across the road from us. Within
a year Father built a three-room lumber house. Hard work for our
parents, consisted of brushing and burning bush, plowing fire
guards and fighting fires. After preparing the land for breaking,
a four horse sulky plow was used. Hard work wasn't the only hardship
for our parents, for within their first year at Glenbush, they
buried their 3 month old daughter, Annie, on Oct. 25, 1928.
In winter Father was away, leaving early in the morning and coming
home late at night, cutting and hauling logs to the lumber mill,
while Mother was home caring for us small children, and looking
after the few cattle we had.
Mixed farming seemed to be the most practical approach for our
parents, so after enough land was cleared by hand for seeding,
they began their adventurous career with great enthusiasm. Our
water supply was adequate seeing there was a lake across the road
for the cattle, horses, pigs, chickens, and even geese. Mother
always had a large garden and depended on it for our winters food
supply. Father was a jack of many trades, including a trade he
had taken up in the old country, leather work. So here in Canada
he made harnesses, shoes and mittens. Mother spent many hours
knitting stockings, socks, mitts and sweaters on the knitting
machine which she was able to bring with her from the old country.
The long, cold winters were never a waste of time.
Other buildings on the farm, included granaries, a cattle and
horse barn, a chicken barn, and also a workshop where Father spent
most of his time during the daylight hours in the winter repairing
and making new wagons, and sleighs, etc.
Everyone living in our community had very little of anything,
and for several years we were so grateful for the help from the
government in supplying us with warm clothing and food.
Our closest neighbor, a bachelor, Jim Gilchrist was the kindest
man, treating us with candy and also giving us rides to and from
school with his prized team of horses. Later on it was in his
touring car that we had our first car ride, what a treat for us
children! Mother often baked bread, and buns, etc. for him and
he spent many hours at our home, being very patient in teaching
our parents and us the English language. Mr. Gilchrist was a very
jolly joking type of a man, attempting to learn the German language
from us but without success.
He owned a cabinet style radio and had me (Erna) fully convinced
that the man who read the news each evening was living inside
the back of that cabinet.
Entertainment for us was of a different nature in those days,
like threshing time, wood cutting days and slaughtering days.
For the older folks it was hard work filled with the excitement
to feel the touch of freshly harvested grain or to see how almost
every part of the slaughtered animal had a useful purpose. For
such days we had the permission to miss school, yet it proved
to be an education away from school.
Our school was at Glenbush 21/2 miles away. In summertime we had
to walk, in winter we drove in a one horse cutter. Christmas was
a very exciting time in our one room school with always a great
concert and good participation. Our teachers ought to be commended
on their patience in trying to keep 30 students in order and,
at the same time, learning their lessons.
Sometimes Mr. Henry Zimmerman would volunteer to let us ride in
the back of his truck to play soft ball against neighboring schools.
The annual sports day was looked forward to for weeks and at the
end of the day all went home satisfied and very tired. On such
days we were impressed to learn that there were many other students
like ourselves learning the same things we were trying to learn.
The highlight of our week was Sunday, when we would dress up and
go to church. When our family was smaller in size, it was possible
for us to all get in a buggy and ride to church the 21/2 miles,
but then we all grew and sometimes two of us would start out walking
hoping someone would come by who would have room for us and let
us ride with them. Then Father decided to build a larger Bennet
wagon -- now we rode in the greatest comfort -- on rubber tires
at that!
Nothing was more heartbreaking for us than having to stay home
on Sunday from church because of snowdrifts or severe cold weather.
That too was overcome by building cabooses on sleighs with small
stoves in them.
Although you could say church meetings were a time of getting
together with our friends and neighbors, it was also a time of
learning about God our Creator. Now when we children look back
on the hardships our parents endured, we are truly thankful for
their many hard labors, love, and concern, on our behalf. Our
parents retired to Saskatoon, Sask. in Feb. 1959. Father passed
away on June 2, 1967 at the age of 73 years. Mother passed away
on Dec. 19, 1971 at the age of 79 years.
