Bits and Pieces . . .

• In 1923 these are the teachers listed in some of the area schools:
  
  Christina Smith Anderson at Alexander Manson school Ootsa Lake
  Ruth Stewart at North Bulkley
  Frank Rendle at South Bulkley
  W.W.C. O'Neill at Burns Lake
  G. Atkinson at Decker Lake
  Redmond Johnson at Francois Lake South
  Margarette Johnson at Grassy Plains
  Charles Drennan at South Bank
  Lorna G Libby at Wistaria
  
  A similar list for 1928 shows the following:
  
  Eileen M Lynn at South Bulkley
  Robert Gowan at Burns Lake
  Janet Clark at Decker Lake
  Alice W Pillsbury at Francois Lake
  Clarence W Michiel at Francois Lake South
  Lydia Saunders at Grassy Plains
  Janet Warnock at Houston
  Mildred McDonald at Rose Lake
  Daisy M King at Sheraton
  Eleanor B McLeod at Streatham
  Perry C Richards at Tatalrose
  Loretta Chisholm at Tatalrose
  Edith A David at Tchesinkut Lake
  Harriet L Stone at Tintagel
  S Muraro at Topley
  Eleanor O Ormrod at Uncha Valley
  William Penderleith at Uncha Valley
  Thomas D Herd at Wistaria
  
  (Thanks to Leah Tourond)
  
  
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• Early Days Along Francois Lake:
  
  LaCroix, Gabriel - 1855 - The LaCroixs lived in the Francois Lake Country in the 1880's after their marriage but had returned to the Hatzic/Mission area on the Fraser River where his father Michel had land below St. Mary's Mission. Gabriel LaCroix was born at Fort Babine 13 June 1855, a son of Michel LaCroix, a HBC employee and his Babine wife Catherine Pookrvietak. The LaCroix's returned to the Telkwa area in 1898. There Gabriel had the first dairy cows in the Bulkley Valley.
  There is a marriage record for Gabriel Lacroix married to Sarah Jane Wells on April 12th 1879 in the New Westminster District...the Houston history does mention that his wife was named Sarah. The death index shows Gabriel Lacroix died May 11 1933 aged 77 at Telkwa BC. Sarah Jane Lacroix died February 4th 1949 at Matsqui aged 85. Michel Lacroix died June 26 1873 in the New Westminster District aged 56 ...
  From the BC Vital Statistics Death Registration Index.
  1901 census - birthdate for Gabriel LaCroix's wife of Feb 17 1863. with them in 1901 was a 4 year old neice Emily. Chas Barrett lives "close" by born Aug 30 1866.
  
  
• Jim & Christine Holland:
  
  "Many years ago Mr. Jim and Mrs. Christine Holland came to Houston from the Alexander Indian Reserve at the western end of Francois Lake. Christine Holland, the daughter of Smokey McKenzie and Mary Zenie, had been born in Hagwilget sometime around 1870, although no one is exactly sure of her birthdate. Jim and Christine Holland first lived near the Nadina River, and made their living by trapping together. They had ten children, five of whom they buried near Owen Lake, a silent testimony to the harshness of the times. The Hollands eventually made their home in Houston, where they continued trapping up and down the Morice River, making their rounds on foot, by snowshoe, or with a dog-team for the pelts of beaver, marten, fox, and lynx. In the spring of 1952, Jim Holland, already in failing health, did not return from his rounds along the trapline. He had died along the trail. "Grandma" Holland, as his widow became affectionately known, continued trapping, but devoted most of her time to the raising of the five Seymour."

Bits and Pieces . . .

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• Southbank Residents in 1945
  NOTE: These names were collected from various sources. The list should in no way be considered complete and accurate.
  
  Anderson Henry - Farmer
  Anderson Mrs. M -
  Angley Lucy -
  Beatty Charles - Active Service
  Braaten Edwin - Farmer
  Campbell William H - Miner
  Christie David - Farmer
  Corner William - Mechanic
  Dupuis Paul - Farmer
  Ellis Christie - Laborer
  Hammerberg Helmer - Farmer
  Hamre Caspar W - Farmer
  Hanek Harry - Farmer
  Hankey Earl - Farmer
  Hankey Henry - Farmer
  Haven Charles D - Farmer
  Hawley Fred - farmer
  Hendricks A H - Farmer
  Hickey C - Forest Ranger
  Howlett Ernest - Farmer
  Johnson Andrew - Farmer
  Lougheed J L - Farmer
  Lougheed Joseph - Farmer
  Loveseth Edwin C - Farmer
  Loveseth Seymour - Farmer
  Loveseth William - Farmer
  MacDonald N A - Carpenter
  MacKinnon Archie - Master Mariner
  Moggy H - Farmer
  Mollander Hugo - Farmer
  Mollire J - Trapper
  Mollire K - Trapper
  Mollire Stephen - Trapper
  Murray David G - Farmer
  Olson Axel - Farmer
  Olson Colle - Sawmill Operator
  Peterson C H - Farmer
  Peterson R - Farmer
  Sjodin Alfred - Farmer
  Stevens E W - Farmer
  Stone E - Widow
  Stone Edward - Farmer
  Stone Miss M -
  Strimbold S T - Forest Ranger
  Sunlin H - Logger
  Svenkinson Ellen - Widow
  Tetreau Francis - Farmer
  Turnquist Andrew - Farmer
  Turnquist T - Farmer
  Watson Mrs. M -
  Watt L - Active Service
  Weldon Waymore H - Farmer
  Westberg Gus - Farmer
  Wiggins Fred - General Store & PM
  Wiley Robert W - Farmer
  Wiley W W - Farmer
  
  

Some Tatalrose residents in 1937

NOTE: These names were collected from various sources. The list should in no way be considered complete and accurate.



Bauman Jos ranching
Beekwith Mrs A
Beckwith Boland ranching
Bigney Forrester lab
B Hougen
Bostrom Carl ranching and pole and tie contr Canadian Government­
Postmaster C Grasser
Coombes Mrs F M
Coombes Fred ranching
Coombes Jesse farming and mgr Francois Lake Tbr
De Bell Jas ranching
Fleming John farming
J Coombes mgr Francois Lake Tbr Products
Gebbardt Max ranching
Gillies A ranching
Grasser Chas farming and PM
Grasser Herbt logr
Hougen Berent farming
Hnugen Thelmer tie contr
Jobnson Anton farming
Jobnson Arth farming
Johnson Raymond logr
Kirshner Frank ranching
Melntosh Andrew genl store
Mcln~osh Mrs M L sch tchr
Moore Wm ranching
Nysven K ranching
O'Brien E ranching
Oknianski Alex ranching
Oknianski Kane farming
Oknianski Michl farming
Oreskovic Joe farming
Prebble Arth farming
Prebble Mr. E
Prebble Norman farming
Schreiber Collingwood farming and tie contr
Stephenson Albt ranching
Swanson OIar ranching
Tatalrose School K B Woodward trustee
Thomson, Alexander (Sandy).
Thomson Mrs Agnes.
Thomson Edw logr
Thomson John logr
Touhy Mike farming
Thomson Sandy farming
Watt Ernest logr
Watt Wm farming
Weidner Adam ranching

Some Tatalrose residents in 1945

NOTE: These names were collected from various sources. The list should in no way be considered complete and accurate.

Bauman Joseph - Farmer
Bigney Forrester - Farmer
Bostrum Carl - Farmer
Coombes Fredrick - Farmer
Coombes Jesse - Farmer
Fleming John - Farmer
Fleming Kenneth - Farmer
Grasser William - Farmer
Hamre Claus - Farmer
Hamre Hans - Farmer
Hamre Peter - Farmer
Hougen Berent - Farmer
Hougen Odin - General Store
Kirschner Frank - Farmer
McNeil Wilson - Farmer
Moore Robert - Farmer
Moore William - Farmer
Nysven Knute - Farmer
Oknianski Kajeton - Farmer
Oknianski Micheal - Farmer
Prebble Arthur - Farmer
Thomson John - Farmer
Vinek John - Rancher
Waale Nels - Farmer
Watt A - Active Service
Watt Mrs. Ralph - Postmistress
Watt Ralph - Farmer
Watt William - Retired

Bits and Pieces . . .

• This is a picture of Eleanor Grainger taken in 1942. She was an "Air Warden" attached to the Aircraft Detection Corps during WW2. She had a book of air craft profiles and one of the only telephones in the area and reported on any aircraft that flew over the area to a central comand post. Pilots in those days used Nadina Mountain as a navigational aid just they do today, it is such a prominent feature in the area.
  
  
  
• Laura Henson at age 15 with Joe Hendrix in the yard at the back of Gale's store at Nadina. The log building in the back is Gale's store.
  
  
  
• Looking east towards Francois Lake.
  
  
  
• Looking west towards Nadina Mountain.
  
  
  
• The old Government Wharf at Nadina.
  
  
  
• The Nadina River Bridge today.
  
  
  
• The Nadina Rink.
  
  
  
  
• Railroad Ties stacked alongside Nadina River waiting for shipment down Francois Lake. Picture taken in the spring of 1957.
  
  
  
• Nadina River Post Office: opened December 1, 1925 and closed August 9, 1940.
  Franklin Gale and Earl Osborne were the postmasters.
  
  
• Here's some photographs taken at Nadina, compliments of the Gale family. I would say this photo was taken after the forest fire that burned through the area in 1928-29 judging by the trees in the background. I don't know when the photo of the store on the hill was taken . . . Leah :
  
  • Frank Gale in canoe, Franklin Gale on bow, Elsie Gale on the wharf.
    
  • Boat named "Nadina" with Gale Store on hill in background.
    
  • Gale General Store overlooking Francois Lake.
    
  • Gale General Store at Nadina.
    
  • Frank, Elsie, Eileen, Jim, Corene, Gale family with first car in front of store at Nadina River B.C. 1928
    
  • Nadina River School 1936.
    
  • This photo says Joe Van Lear in Atakokan, Ontario 1911 ... apparently he was a family friend of the Gales. Van Lear Creek on the north shore near the west end of Francois Lake is named for him.
    
  • Neil Finch Gale, father of Frank, Roy and George Gale. Gale Lake is named for him. He is buried in the Burns Lake Cemetery. He died in 1945. His wife's name was Elsie Van Bushkirk. The family was associated with the settlement of Nadina River for three decades through the late 1920's the 1930's and the first half of the 1940's.
    

• Named after Nora & Lee Newgard, the first postmasters of Noralee.
  
  
• Road along the north shore of Francois Lake as it runs past Paradise Lodge this is a late 40's or early 1950's photo. Passed along by Leah Tourond:
  
  
  
• This is the "old" Store and Gas Station at Nora Lee (Francois Lake). In foreground is Forrest Moore, owner & proprieter.
  Passed along by Leah Tourond:
  
  
  
• Noralee School children in spring 1956. Doris Carleton was the school teacher.
  
  
  
• Noralee School children in late 1950's.
  

Bits and Pieces . . .

• Named after Nora & Lee Newgard, the first postmasters of Noralee.
  
• During the early years Grainger Bros supplied logs and railroad ties to the Nicholson Sawmill located three miles west of the ferry landing. Contract For Ties.
  
  
  
• Noralee Residents in 1945
  NOTE: These names were collected from various sources. The list should in no way be considered complete and accurate.
  
  Antilla Aale A - Active Service
  Antilla Evelyn L M -
  Antilla John - Farmer
  Antilla Wallace A - Active Service
  Brewer James M - Farmer
  Granger Barry - Active Service
  Granger James - Farmer
  Granger Martin - Farmer
  Johnson Mrs. Blanche - Postmistress
  Johnson Ralph A - General Store
  Larsen Helmer - Farmer
  Matthew Sam - Trapper
  Mitchell Alec - Trapper
  Nelson Einer - Trapper
  Osborne Earle - General Store
  Robinson Walter - Farmer
  Rosso T - Logger
  Short Fay S - Farmer
  Short Inis - Farmer
  Tolhurst Fred J - Farmer
  
  
• Noralee Post Office: office opened July 16, 1937 and closed August 3, 1967. Over the years there were 9 postmasters.
  • Annie Leonora Newgard
  • Lee Martin Newgard b January 23, 1881
  • Edith Blanche Johnson
  • Mabel Witherington Brewer
  • Joseph Archie Merriman
  • Margaret Grace Schreiber
  • William Henry Mutas
  • Fredrick J Tolhurst b September 7, 1898
  • Barbara Tourond