Olof and Marta Olson
Olof Olsson and Margta (Margareta) Ersdotter were both born in Delsbo Parish, Gävleborg District Sweden. They were married 6 June 1884. Their first two children died in their infancy. Children Gustaf, Kristina, Axel and Anna survived to adulthood. Olof and Margta lived in Slättäng until 1885 when they moved to Södra Sannäs where Olof is listed as a "worker'. In 1891 they moved to a farm in the same area.
We can't know why they decided to emigrate, but Canada and the Province of Saskatchewan were advertising in Great Britain and the European countries for families to move to Canada, promising free land, and offering assistance. (Read a copy of a brochure extolling the virtues of a move to Canada over one to the USA here.) In 1904, Olof, Marta and their four children left their home in Delsbo for the long trip to the new world. The trip usually was by cart or rail to the port city of Goteburg, Steamship to England, railroad to the port of Liverpool and steamship to Canada. Records show they sailed on the SS Vancouver from Liverpool, England on the 11 August 1904 and arrived in Montreal on 20 August 1904. From there they would travel by rail to Estevan. They built a sod house on their homestead near the town of Torquay 30 kms west of Estevan.
My Grandfather Axel gave the following account of life in those days; "The snow storms in 1906-7 and 1908, the snow was four feet on the level. The snow was so hard in the spring that a small horse could go on top. Some places the drifts were 19 ft. high."
"One time when they hauled coal from Estevan as far away as Tribune, a storm came up. Three men froze to death on the sleigh. One froze by Outram and two further west. It was cold! That same time three teams got as far as Marine school and pulled into it. This was 4 o'clock in the afternoon and they remained until the third day at 10 am. They lived on crackers and water and kept themselves warm, but they were unable to get to the barn so the horses had nothing to eat."
The first of the children to leave the homestead was the oldest daughter Kristina(Christina) who married Peter Hultgren in 1910. Peter was born in Sweden and came to Canada with his parents in 1903. In their brief married life they had five children before Christina died in the influenza epidemic of 1918. A daughter Myrtle had contracted polio and died from the 'flu' just three days after her mother, and another daughter Gladys died six months later.
Gustaf married Signe Hultgren, a sister of Peter. They also had five children. They lived on a farm just north of the town of Midale.
Anna married Fred Berndt. They had three children.
Axel married Marta(Martha) Olofsdotter in 1913. Their story continues here. Axel and Martha
More research is necessary to construct the next years of the life of Olof and Marta. Olof died in 1941 and is buried in Torquay Community Cemetery. Marta died in 1949 and is buried in Midale's Westphalia Cemetery.