"The Laxdals"

In my second diary on June 4th. and 6th. 1933, I record the death and funeral of Mrs. E. J. Laxdal.  Her maiden name was Ella Maud Reid and was only 16 years old in the fall of 1915 when she married Egill Jens Laxdal who was 32. The Great War was well under way in Europe and times were tough but Egill was well established after homesteading SW.10.32.18 since 1905 when he was 22 years old.  This quarter section was five miles directly north of my Uncle Jims' farm on 10, and only three miles from Dafoe.  Egill's father Jens had previously arrived and purchased the east adjoining section SE.10.32.18 in 1910 directly beside Elgill's place, so the family were close neighbors the year Ella passed away.  Ellia died prematurely at 34 years of age, but I don't remember whether she died by accident or illness.

Between 1916 and 1929 Ella mothered 4 sons and 4 daughters and was active with the Ladies' Aid Society in the Foote-Copeland school districts. Ella's first child (a girl) was named after Egill's sister Lilja who had passed away in 1912 at age 21. Ella's first boy, Milton was named for her brother-in-law who died of appendicitis the same year she married Egill.

Egill was one of the six founding councilors for the Big Quill Rural Municipality when it was inaugurated on January 1st. 1910.  He was elected Reeve twice, 1913-1917 and 1921/22.  In 1919 he was president of "The Saskatchewan Grain Growers Association" in Dafoe with his friend Sidney R. Evans as manager & secretary.  Laxdals were close friends with Jon B. Josephson family as well as Reykdals. Egill helped Jon's wife Jonina save the family farm from bank foreclosure after Jon had passed away during the depression.  My father David and Egill were fellow members of the Wynyard Masonic Lodge so were very close friends.

Ella's & Egill's second son Rudolph Jens was killed in the 2nd war in 1941, and his name is preserved forever on the Dafoe town cenotaph.  Egill died in 1954, 21 years after Ella.

Twenty-four grandchildren are Ella's and Egill's legacy of their life in Saskatchewan.  Their grandson Glen, farms the homestead today.

Jens Laxdal 1836-    Gkudfridur Laxdal 1857-
Egill Jens Laxdal 1883-1954    Ella Maud Laxdal (nee Reid) 1899-1933