In 1889 Far Guys Maternal Grandpa Curt Abbott was one year old, he and his family lived in Wellington County Ontario, Canada. His parents were unhappy living in Canada ( they did not like the crowns taxes). They decided to move to Minnesota.
Their next door neighbors in Canada were the Nunns. They had a young boy, JW Nunn who was sickly. The Doctors in Canada told them that he wouldn’t live long in the Canadian climate. When they heard that the Abbotts were coming to Minnesota..they decided to go too. They all ended up in Lake Eunice Township over by Detroit, which later became known as Detroit Lakes.
Exactly what year they homesteaded in Carsonville Township is in my records someplace..for now I will just say in the mid 1890’s .
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Back to JW Nunn and his story as told to me by his Grandson Jim : My Grandpa JW was so little all his life, even as an adult he never weighed more than 100 pounds. One winter he went into a logging camp with a tote team, you had to make your own bed from spruce boughs, he borrowed a blanket. He felt better after sleeping on those boughs. He felt so much better that he went back and asked for a job at the logging camp. The boss said “Well what can you do here? You don’t even weigh a hundred pounds?” JW replied, “I can keep a good set of books.” The boss gave him two weeks to prove himself, the team would be back in two weeks. He felt stronger than he had in his whole life. He said the the Spruce and Pine Trees saved his life. He did see a Doctor again..just two weeks before he died, when he was 96 years and six months old.
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I am reminded again that this area that we live in now was big timber before it became farm land. A friend of mine shared a few old photos that she got from the Nunn family..thanks Shirley!
** Note this is just one interesting story that was shared with us recently during a visit with Jim and Irene. Neighbors that were born and raised in this area:)
WONDERFUL! I love this post. TO JUST think about how everything came to be is amazing. Thanks, Connie!
ReplyDeleteLinda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
This truly makes one aware of all the tall timber this country was once made of before we paved paradise an put up a parkin' lot!
ReplyDeleteI so enjoyed seein' the old pics of day gone by. Thanks Connie.
Have a most wonderful day! :o)
I'm with JWN - I'm just a little squirt (a wee bit more than 100lbs) but I keep a mean set of books. I don't enjoy sleeping outside tho, which would have scuppered my chances of success! Jo
ReplyDeleteWonderful to see these photos and hear these stories.
ReplyDeleteI like to hear of the great people that made this America for us. Great photo's
ReplyDeleteIsn't it fun talking to Jim and Irene and getting more stories like this. We need to pass more of these pictures and stories on. You do a great job at it.
ReplyDeleteThose logs are HUGE!
Wow! I wouldn't have thought moving to Minnesota would be considered weather for a sickly person. But apparently it is, what do I know? Great story!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome history of your family and photos! To bad Canada wasnt for them. Our little village ,Vienna here in Ontario Canada not to far from Wellington was also known for its lush logging and timber mills in the 18oos but sadly all was lost due to fires and floods! Have a great day !
ReplyDeleteThose pictures are amazing - so much history!
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh though at the thought of these people moving to Minnesota for the warm weather? My goodness, Canada must have been arctic!
Phenomenal photos! They represent hard and dangerous work done by ordinary heros. Thanks for sharing them and the story.
ReplyDeleteJW's sublime cure. There is nothing that does my heart and head a good deal than a hard brush on fir boughs. Reminds me of the story Stewart Little and the sachet pillow that was stitched with the words, "For you I pine, for you I balsam."