Rude-Rottenfusser part one
February 11th 2021
From “Rude-Rottenfusser – by Mrs. Jenny Rottenfusser” part 1
Pioneers and Progress, Alix-Clive Historical Club, 1974
My parents, Olaf and Irene Rude, were visiting at the home of his brother, John, and Lena Rude when I was born. John had homesteaded the quarter south of Jim Blades in the Delburne district. At that time, 1917, they lived in a log house on the bank of the Red Deer River. In the spring Dad obtained work at Cadogan until a cyclone wiped out the farmer for whom he was working.
We moved to the Millet-Wetaskiwin area and lived there until I started school at Larch Tree. Our family included Olga, Ivan, and Nels by now. Dad always wanted to return to the lumber camps in B.C. where he had first worked after coming from Norway. In the spring of 1925, my parents loaded everything in two hay-racks, one wagon and a buggy, and started south. They had twelve horses. Another fellow drove one outfit. One hay-rack had a canvas over it, and we lived in that, travelling like early pioneers. It took two weeks to reach Midnapore. I remember Mom waking Olga and me to give us our first sight of Calgary, a row of lights on the horizon. Going through Calgary, under the railroad track, barefoot ragged kids stood, yelling and throwing things and calling us gypsies.
Dad and his friend obtained work hauling pipe to Turner Valley. They unloaded the hay-rack beside Sheep River and there we camped for some time. There were a lot of other people camped also. Towards fall we lived in a house in Okotoks. I went to Pine Creek School. Just before Christmas Dad sold the horses and wagons, and we took the train to Nevis and hired a car to take us to Uncle John’s. My brother, Carl, was born in March. In the spring Dad went farming for Arthur Chaffin. We lived in the district for many years. Gordon and Stuart were born later. We all obtained our schooling at the Great Bend School.
A farmer could work out his taxes by driving the school van, usually at the rate of of thirteen days to a quarter of land. When I was in High School I drove the van for thirty-five cents a day. When I first started to work out I received eight dollars a month.
I moved to Alix in October, 1942, and opened Jenny’s Beauty Shoppe. There had not been one since Nancy Drushka had closed hers. Perms were $2.50, $3.50, and $5.00. When cold waves came in I charged $6.50. A set was 50 cents, a shampoo and set, 75 cents. For 10 cents they could get it combed out when it was dry. I sold out to Jean Cosentino in 1947.
Pioneers and Progress, Alix-Clive Historical Club, 1974
My parents, Olaf and Irene Rude, were visiting at the home of his brother, John, and Lena Rude when I was born. John had homesteaded the quarter south of Jim Blades in the Delburne district. At that time, 1917, they lived in a log house on the bank of the Red Deer River. In the spring Dad obtained work at Cadogan until a cyclone wiped out the farmer for whom he was working.
We moved to the Millet-Wetaskiwin area and lived there until I started school at Larch Tree. Our family included Olga, Ivan, and Nels by now. Dad always wanted to return to the lumber camps in B.C. where he had first worked after coming from Norway. In the spring of 1925, my parents loaded everything in two hay-racks, one wagon and a buggy, and started south. They had twelve horses. Another fellow drove one outfit. One hay-rack had a canvas over it, and we lived in that, travelling like early pioneers. It took two weeks to reach Midnapore. I remember Mom waking Olga and me to give us our first sight of Calgary, a row of lights on the horizon. Going through Calgary, under the railroad track, barefoot ragged kids stood, yelling and throwing things and calling us gypsies.
Dad and his friend obtained work hauling pipe to Turner Valley. They unloaded the hay-rack beside Sheep River and there we camped for some time. There were a lot of other people camped also. Towards fall we lived in a house in Okotoks. I went to Pine Creek School. Just before Christmas Dad sold the horses and wagons, and we took the train to Nevis and hired a car to take us to Uncle John’s. My brother, Carl, was born in March. In the spring Dad went farming for Arthur Chaffin. We lived in the district for many years. Gordon and Stuart were born later. We all obtained our schooling at the Great Bend School.
A farmer could work out his taxes by driving the school van, usually at the rate of of thirteen days to a quarter of land. When I was in High School I drove the van for thirty-five cents a day. When I first started to work out I received eight dollars a month.
I moved to Alix in October, 1942, and opened Jenny’s Beauty Shoppe. There had not been one since Nancy Drushka had closed hers. Perms were $2.50, $3.50, and $5.00. When cold waves came in I charged $6.50. A set was 50 cents, a shampoo and set, 75 cents. For 10 cents they could get it combed out when it was dry. I sold out to Jean Cosentino in 1947.