Life in our first home on the farm near Oak Lake

We started our life together in this 2 room part of this large stone house around the first of Nov
1943. We didn't need much furniture. I believe it was when we got furniture from my parents,
We had the round Oak dining table mother had bought from T Eaton company, they most likely
paid around $20 for it. Max's dad went to a sale & bought 4 chairs painted orange & black. Max was very up set over not given a chance to pick his own furniture. His dad was used to the old German way of handling all the purchases while his son was in his home. Max wasn't given a wage but we were given some chickens & a milk cow. After his father got a few things he wanted us to have, Max & I had a talk, I suggested we have a talk with him as Max wanted to rent so we would have our own income I had made my own living since High School. Max didn't want the orange chairs so I told him I would refinish those chairs so I spent hours chipping that paint off, repainted them a cream with blue trim.

Max's eldest brother was engaged to marry Edith Hart, I think they were married Nov at her parents home. It was a small wedding as just familys members of both sides, I think my brother in law Rev Ernie Siggelkow married them. Max's one brother Charlie was still home also two sisters. Louise & Eileen. We got a second hand bed from My folks. Max sister Louise was engaged to Gilbert Asken. That spring a wedding was planned on the lawn, it was a cool wet spring. His mother had many Tomato plants, flowers also more vegetables to be transplanted when it warmed up. She had those large window seats where we both had plants to put out. Gilbert & Louise were married around the middle of June, a beautiful lawn wedding.
Max's dad could see Max wasn't pleased with his purchases for us. He just wouldn't have a talk with his father. One day my father in law asked me " what was wrong," I told him Max wanted to rent the farm also buy his own thing, make his own decisions. I had this talk with my father in law without any of the family present. I for prayed what to say, I told him Max wanted to get his share(rent) to pay his own bills. He said "I have always handled his money as well as Elmer's." I then told him I had always made & spent the money I earned for my needs and this is what Max and I would like to be able to do." His dad said "Max has never had to handle his own money "I answered as nice as I could "well it is time he learned to do that." This plan worked for us for His father took it in the right spirit so when ever he wanted to talk about money matters he would come to me asking if I would talk to him for he said Max will do it if you ask him.

Now I understood what Max's mother told me when we were married, "Max has one fault he will get sulky & won't talk if he is upset." Only once that I remember Max became silent & wouldn't talk to me. I finally I went out to the barn & asked him what was wrong, I got the silent answer I kept talking asking questions but utter silents was my answer. I kept on talking smiling saying "I will not stop talking to you so if you want me to quit this talking. First," I am sorry if I have done some thing to hurt you, I will never leave you for I love you, so when you get tired of listening to me, please tell me what is wrong." He never said what was wrong but he smiled, so that was the end of it, I just gave a loving remark then quit talking. He never did that again, I guess he had learned how to shut me up.

Yes we did have disagreements during our life together but we were able to talk them out, of course I am a woman of many words & Max is a man of few words. I came from a family of talkers I guess he learned I have to get it off my chest. Because we love one another & really know our Lord, this is the only way to have a good marriage. We started our family devotions
with reading the bible together & having a time of prayer each day. We found out the way to a happy life is to pray together which we did all our life.

New pastor arrived & our wedding, Oct 23 1943

Now came the time for the final preparation for our wedding. Max's, sister Louise told me one day "we as a family want you to have the large room upstairs in this large stone house. "There was a place where a cook stove could connect with a pipe into the large chimney. This large 40 by 40 stone house had a double chimney that came all the way from the full sized basement right through third floor, going out through the roof several feet into the air. There was a widows walk, which was a wooden fence about ten feet square around the chimney. This stone house was built by stone masons from Quebec. There were many houses built this way in that province as the women used to go up there to keep looking for th men to arrive back from fishing in the ocean, for many times they never did arrive back. The first owner who had this house built came west in the early 1900 & when the hard times came Mr Carpentar had to let it go back to the mortgage company. Max's father had bought it from the Carpentar family when they all moved back from northern Sask to get land near where several of his sisters & brothers were living around Oak Lake.

The dry years were worse in Aberdeen Sask so the Gompf family moved all their possessions by train to Oak Lake. Now Max & I would have a place to live as Max was needed to help with the farming. My future mother in law wanted to buy my wedding dress, with money from her cream cheques, we drove into Brandon about thirty miles away, we picked out a nice white long
wedding gown for $14.98. I had asked Rachel to be my bride maid, & Max's sister Louise to be my maid of honor. Max's two brothers were his best men. The date was set for Oct 23, in 1943. We were to be married in the church in Oak Lake where I had pastored. Max asked the pastor of the Gospel church in Brandon we knew to marry us. My parents came from Parry Sask. Ernie & Clara were just settled into the parsonage in town. I now met my first niece Sharon Elsie, when she was 6 months old. It was decided that my brother in law Ernie Sigglekow would walk me down the isle, then at the alter my father would take my arm leading me to stand by my future husband. I still remember that when the question was asked "who gives this woman to be married to this man," my father answered "I do". I could hear my future father in law, just behind us, weep, for this was the first one of his family he had been able to be at their wedding. His eldest daughter Florence was in Ont when she married but no one of the family could afford to go. His son Stan was married in Winnipeg. Only Max had gone to stand up with his brother but the rest had to be home to do the many farm chores. As we finished our vows after being pronounced man and wife, Max & I sealed this promise with a kiss, a pledge that our union was for life. God's word was a witness to that promise. We had a love for each other that lasted for nearly 65 years, then he left for his heavenly home. I still think of this love we had for each other. We went to the parsonage for the reception with a lovely luncheon given by the church & many from the town helped. These friends had given me the first bridal shower of Pyerx dishes. Which lasted for many years. We left by train that evening for Regina to spend the night at the Mc Veity family. Next day my cousins Harry & Cecile Johnson came to drive us to their farm in the Parry district. No one could come to our wedding from there as it was still harvest time for them. They had a wedding shower for us one evening. Harry Johnson used to tell me if I married a farmer he would give me a cow. He & Cecile gave us a cheque to buy a cow. We also recieved many useful gifts from friends and relatives. We returned to Oak Lake by train so we could move into our home in the two rooms in that large stone house with a number of this loving family.

waiting for the new Pastor to arrive.

We continued the services at the church with Rachel helping me out on the weekends. I believe that the Siggelkows were staying in Regina also visiting family. Ernie most likely was ordained at this time. In the mean time that summer we had daily vacation Bible school. I visited some of the seniors in town. One I remember was Grandma Paterson, she needed encouragement to come to church since she had moved from the North country near the town of Kenton. Her daughter in law Barbara and her family of four, Jerry, Beatrice, Harvey & Barbie. I believe it was around this time that their grandpa Paterson had passed away. This family were a great help in the church. Barb later became one of my close friends. She would often pick grandma Paterson up for church. I would later be the one she asked to look after three of her brothers family in a time of their mothers ilness.

The Carin's family were musical for Cecil was our piano player when the Carin's couldn't get in. There were some very cold days he could not always get in due to road conditions. The summer after Max & I were engaged, he didn't have any cash to purchase a ring for me. He was doing most of the farming, as several of the family were still at home. Max often helped his mother and would milk a number of cows. She had many chickens & many other fowl to help bring in cash. All the men folks would help getting the fuel for their furnace, cook stove & heater by going to the bush areas on their farm to cut down trees for the years fuel, so it was a big job to get enough wood cut hauled then sawed ready to dry each summer for the cold winter in that part of Manitoba. All this plus the harvesting of their crop in the fall. Max was the mechanic in the family. I believe it was about this time a John Deer Tractor was bought to work the fields, a lot of the work was still done with horses. I was going to Regina to see my family so Max gave me enough money when I left to pick out a signet ring with MG to AL inscribed on it. That fall I help cook the food when they harvested his brother Elmers crop near Oak Lake which helped his mother who had lots of work at their farm north of Oak Lake.

Life while in Oak Lake

We kept busy that winter keeping warm & getting more kids in Sunday School. Then on a few Friday nights we had a get together with the younger folk there we some times had bible reading & prayer times at these gatherings. Other times we would have a game night to interact with each other. Rachel & I were often were invited out for a time at some of the family's of the church people for meals. We had no way of travel but some one of the family would pick us up & bring us back but we couldn't go in very cold weather as we had to keep the fires going so things wouldn't freeze.

I learned that the Gompf youth were competitive when it came to their choice of women. Max was dropping by for a visit when he was in town, his older brother was coming some evenings to bring us milk, he got to visiting longer each time. So we, Rachel & I decided one night we would sit in the dark , letting on we weren't home. As he was to leave it by the door if we were out. But Charlie who was the youngest son was quit a joker, so he came and told us that Elmer was sure we were home but wouldn't let him in. He also told me how when their brother Stan, who had been away to college & came home, had played a trick on Max once. He said Max had taken this neighbor girl out so Stan had gone the next week end & asked her out, so the brothers were teasing him about this, anyway Charlie said Max left home for a week or so and his mother was quit upset about this, but their father kept singing " where is my wandering boy to night" which really worried his wife.

Charlie was quite a teaser often with a motive, but I never caught on for a while. Max came in different times to visit me when Rachel was helping another member of the church. Charlie had been using a neighbors team of Shetland ponies. One day unannounced he called at the parsonage during the week asking me to come out to the farm for a few days, so I went. He keep up with his jokes then acted serious & asked me rather seriously " Would you marry me?" I wasn't interested in him that way for I was much fonder of his brother Max. I responded by saying,"Charlie, you joker I can never know when to believe you, of course not." I never thought too much about it as he talked of many other things, I just passed it off as a joke not guessing why he had done this. I spent a few days there and I asked his young sister Clara if she would like to come back & spend the week end with me. We were driven back to town in the sleigh driven by this team of Shetland ponies, a novelty for both Clara & I. That week end Max came in and knocked on the door, as I let him in he had different look on his face. Clara, left the room as Max said" You better practise what you preach" then walked out I had no idea what or why he said or thought that. Clara quickly left the room as I broke into tears. Needless to say it wasn't easy for me to take the service, but my prayer of repentance must have helped. I learned after that this was a set up thing by his brothers a way of teasing. I only remember that the next time I was out at the farm Max asked me to go for a walk down the lane to their pasture he asked me if I would like to go out with him again, I said yes. We seemed closer after this & I believe it was after this that Charlie told me of how Max had reacted after when his brother Stan had taken his other date. I did lots of praying over this as I wanted to be a good example before the other people. Once Max's cousin Cecil Cairns had me come out with him for a meal at his parents, on the way home asked if I was interested in the Gompf boys not sure what my responce was. I had always been a very shy girl and not used to so much attention from young men.

I was hearing from my sister Clara who was expecting her first child, Sharon, who was born April 21 in Vernon B.C. that Ernie had been ill as during the winter months in his training he had to sleep on cold ground at higher altitudes than he was used to causing him to get a very painful back so he could not continue training & was in the hospital. I believe he had to wait for several months before he was discharged from the army. That spring, Rachel took a job with the Carin's family as we were short of money to live on. I had ordered 25 chicks & was feeding them in the back kitchen as the Gompf's would take them after they were older. One day when I was cleaning the chickens Max appeared at the doorway. He said " lets talk, for I have some thing I want to ask you". He put his arm around me said "Will you marry me". I didn't know if I should trust these Gompf fellows, I said "on one condition (as it is leap year) never say I asked you?" We both had a good laugh, as he took me in his arms said "I promise you I won't" so I said "I will marry you" & we sealed it with a kiss.

We didn't set a date then but farm weddings were always in the fall after the harvest is finished. Later we set it for October 23, 1943. After Ernie was discharged from the Army either the church contacted him or the other way around. I don't remember the date they returned to take over the Oak Lake Pastorate but the harvest had to be finished but plans were being made, so this will be told later.

Pastoring at Oak Lake

I don't remember much about the first church service, but there was only 2 youth in that first service, they were Cecil Cairn & Clara Gompf. I could see that I must visit many homes to get in touch with the children and the youth. There were the Fred Cairns family, the Harry Gompf family, the Kennedy family, Mrs Minnie Daum, Grandma Paterson also a few others. A family of the Dueks were there for the summer months as they had Bee hives near Oak Lake with an extracting building for their honey in town. They had a family of 6 children. We were not very long in Oak Lake until Ernie got a letter in the mail which was a call for him to enlist in the Army. This was quit a shock to all. He tried to get ordained but Rev McVeity found out it was to late as according to the government he should have been ordained before he took his pastorate. After much prayer he decided to join up as a conscious objector. He was to be stationed in Vernon BC. Ernie & Clara had to pack up their things to head for BC. The church board asked me if I would take the pastorate of the church. There was a real shortage of men to minister in many Church's. I was given a church worker licence to take this pastorate for The Grace Gospel Churches in Western Canada. I believe I wrote Rachel to see if she would come to help me set up a Sunday school. Rachel was living with her mother near Parry Sask. I had to go to Regina to get my worker papers through Pastor Rev Hugh McVeity, who was the head of this movement for this area. I believe Rachel met me in Regina so we could take the bus to Oak Lake Manitoba to start our first ministry with children & others, with Gods help. We planted a garden, after we were settled in to pastor our first church. We found out there were a number of veteran wives with their family's living in the town as there were several homes for rent in Oak Lake. We started by visiting homes where these children lived, we also called on seniors in the town, I sent away for flannel graft material from a gospel publishing house in the States. Rachel would visit people one day, while I visited another day. Some days we went together until we got to know a number of family's & business's in the town. Many of the church people brought us food, off their farm produce like some meat, beef, pork or chicken. We took the chickens both dead or alive as we both knew how to clean & cut up the meat. Elmer Gompf had his farm next to the town. He often brought us milk or even cream. We were getting to know the church folks & some of the town business. Different men of the church would chop wood for our stoves, being women we were looked after in many ways. The Sunday school started to grow. The children love the Bible story's with the flannel board figures put on as we told each Bible story. We were only given a small amount of cash each Sunday I believe we received $4 a service each week. We would some times receive a money order in the mail from relatives or friends for both of us. We had a jar in the cabinet were we put our tithe money which we sent to other ministry's. We always had enough to live on. That summer we had the first daily vacation Bible school in the Church for children. We sent away for material. We had many Children come in from the country. Some times one of us would go to bring the smaller children to hear the stories. Rachel & I did all the Bible stories. That summer was the start of having a larger Sunday school. We had a programme put on by the children on the last day of the school. We had many of the parents come as well. This was the beginning of a yearly programme for the children which was well supported by all in the town of Oak Lake Manitoba.

Ministry in Oak Lake Manitoba.

My sister Clara had a job working in the Hospital in Regina & stayed with the Grace Gospel pastor where she worked for her board & room for the McVeity's. Both Clara & I worked for Mc Veity family who had 4 children. Clara attended the small church there. It was at this Church Clara met Ernie, her husband to be. Ernie had attended a Bible school there & at the coast, but had not been ordained as a minister with any organization yet. This was the way it was done in those early years with new church organizations just starting up after the depression. We left Regina for this small church in Manitoba. Howard Gay was a good piano player who had been helping out with services here. He went with us to direct us to the Gompf farm (7 miles)north east of the town. The Souis valley Reservation was just east of the Gompf farm. We had been invited for supper to the Gompfs. Upon arrival Howard introduced the new Pastor & his wife Ernie & Clara Siggelkow. He took me to a line up of 3 of the Gompf's sons. As he introduced me to them separately, each one keep holding my hand, saying "so good to meet you," I would have to slowly pull my hand away to meet the next smiling son. I was rather taken back by such attention. I believe Howard had put them up to this prank as he knew me from camp, Howard was the piano player for the Trossach camp when I attend there. After having a good farm cooked meal, I believe Howard stayed at the Gompf's while we went back get settled in to the parsonage for their first Pastorate. The house had 4 rooms, a bedroom, living room & dinning room as well as a lean to summer kitchen. The house had enough furniture for us to be comfortable. I had a couch to sleep on in the dinning room, Ernie & Clara's bedroom was furnished. I must have had a place for my things. There was wood burning stove in the front room & also in the summer kitchen. There was a wood pile out back with a axe to chop the large blocks of fire wood. There was a garden spot at the back of the lot. Here is where many gardens were grown, as the dark black soil in this part of Manitoba would grow good garden vegetables. There was also wild fruit in most of the groves of trees, especially near the river. The Assinaboine river valley ran though this area between the town & the Gompf farm. The Church was across town, not far from the shopping area. We settled in & got ready for the first church service & to meet the rest of the congregation.

Weddings & other memories.

While in Vancouver Connie Fletcher & her church used to take some of us to a down town rescue mission for a service. I believe it was near or on Granville street. This was for homeless men who I think lived on the streets. Several of us either lead the singing of hymns, asked for testimonies & another gave a message from the Bible. Some of these men had come to know the Lord as their saviour. These men still lived in the area & would come & tell how they had fallen into a sinful life & after coming to these meetings were now helping other men to come & be delivered from a life of drunkenness, stealing & many other sinful ways of life which only caused their life deep pain. Many had loss family, friends & jobs. After each service the mission gave them all a good meal, most likely their first & only meal of the day. Some missions had a place to sleep for the night. There was always a altar call for anyone who wanted to take Jesus as their Lord & Savior. I believe a older man & his wife lived at this mission & prepared the meals for these men who were supported by other churches in the city. Those years were still in the depression times.

After coming back to Parry where my family were I continued to work for relatives. I was there when Cecile's daughter married Arnold Pritchard & also when my sister Clara married Ernie Siggelkow. I helped with cooking the meals for the receptions. I was my sister Clara's bridesmaid. These weddings were held in the area around Pangman with guests mostly from those of the Grace Gospel Church. Ernie & Clara's reception was held at my Aunt & Uncles home, with guests from their relatives. Their honey moon was a trip to Regina to spend the night in the home of friends from camp Laura Powers. My school chum Isabelle (Keith) Haase came for the wedding. Ernie & Clara were leaving by car for to attend the Bible school at the west coast where I had attended. Isabelle had asked me come home with her. We both went with the newly wed couple Ernie & Clara on their way west. We were to help with the gas but Ernie was planing to stop to see his relatives at Corrnach Sask. We met several of his Aunts & Uncle, we must have spent the night with some of them. I think Isabelle was already married to Paul Haase & that I stayed some time with them. I visited many more of my friends in Hazenmore before I went back to my folks at Parry. There were special services in Kincaid church so I went to them & as the speaker was going to the Regina area I got a ride home. This is the way many folks got around in those days, it was people helping people. I worked that winter for my Uncle & Aunt, the Lincolns, by spring Ernie & Clara returned from Bible school. They had applied for a church through the Grace Gospel Missions. Rev Hugh Mc Vety was head of that movement & they had a radio broadcast from Regina. Max's relatives in Oak Lake listened to these services & as they wanted a pastor for a church in Oak lake, they had written to see if they could get one from the Grace Gospel group. Brother Mc Vety gave this offer to my sister & husband. They also needed a children's worker so I was asked to go with them to this church in Oak Lake in Manitoba. We all left by car that fall for Manitoba. I was on my way to be a help in my sister & brother in law's first church in another part of Canada. God had many changes a head for me.