Almost eighty years ago, when the west was still chiefly an unbroken expanse of grassy plains an expedition was organizing in Minneapolis, Minnesota for a venture into virgin territory.
The year of departure was 1905. Arriving by train in Battleford were Joe Shommer, Andrew Shommer, and Henry Thielges (Mrs. Joe Schommer's brother). They had come from a suburban area on the west side of Minneapolis called Medina. That name is still used in that region.
Details of equipment they brought I do not know, as the sun had not shone upon me at that time. I do know that they had brought with them complete cases of carpenter tools, which were used extensively in those early years in Canada.
The original Medina School, built with the aid of other pioneer workers, was one of the early building projects for which they were responsible. Another prominent building for which Joe Schommer acted as Baumeister (building supervisor) was the original, no longer-existing Carmelheim Church. I refer here to the smaller of the two churches, the one nearer to the graveyard. When Joe and Andrew weren't farming they were building.
The Schommer-Thielges used oxen in their early breaking of the prairie soil. But, by the time Peter Schommer joined the colony with his brothers, bringing a steam engine, grain separator, cookcar, bunk car, water tank, and all accessories, the conversion from oxen to horse power had been completed. It was about 1909 or 1910 when this intriguing setup arrived. I used to play beside, inside, and above those machines long before I knew their purpose. I believe that a portion of that threshing outfit was later sold to Mr. August Schwebius, after my uncles, Peter Schommer and Henry Thielges had both gone back to Minneapolis. Some of those who had ventured into the New Land threw up their hands and escaped from the mosquitoes while others decided they were going to stay and win.
It was on October 2, 1912, before my Uncle Peter had gone from Canada, that tragedy struck. My father, Joe Schommer, died as a result of an accident involving a team of horses and a wagon. A tombstone at Carmeiheim marks the grave.
Somewhere in the succeeding year or two my father's brother, Andrew, married my mother with her six children, and the Schommer Family was once again an integrated unit.
Aunt Florence Thielges of Jamestown, North Dakota told me this interesting anecdote on one occasion when I stopped to see her. She told me about one of Mother's visits to her at some time after the total of children on the Schommer farm had reached twelve. Aunt Florence quoted my Mother as saying, "I've always tried to be very fair with everyone in all of my dealings, and in the matter of family building I could do no different. I gave each of those two brothers six children."
I remember the shivaree at my mother's second wedding.
In any case, from this time forward life became more routine while the farm grew and flourished. Today the home farm has passed from Alfred Schommer to his son Ralph, who, we hope, will persist in an established tradition of thoroughness which, as all know, cannot do otherwise but terminate in success.
Twelve children were in the Joe and Andrew Schommer Family. Josephine who has died. Henry, living in Victoria, British Columbia. Agnes living in Victoria and her husband Maurice Connor (who has died) had five children. Joseph and his wife Marie Lange (both deceased) lived in Edmonton, Alberta. They had three children.
Mary married Bill Francis in Scotland (both deceased and had one son. Anne and her husband, Doug Squires live at Watrous. They have four children. Andrew and Sue (Rohs) have eight children and live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Ella and her husband Joe Schermann (now deceased) had eight children. Ella lives in Saskatoon. Alfred and Hilda (Schwebius) had twelve children on the farm at Handel and are now retired in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Rita married Ernest Engel (deceased). They had nine children and Rita lives in Quinton, Saskatchewan. Rose and her husband Harry Verkirk reside at Oshawa, Ontario. Sister Doreen is stationed at Viscount, Saskatchewan where she is doing parish work.