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From the Smoky Lake Signal, July 9, 1980. Volume 3, Number 10. Waskatenau News by M. Forbes Visiting Mrs. Cotton recently was her sister, Ethel - Mrs. Harry Spiess of Hinton. Mr. and Mrs Spiess with their family went to live in Hinton nearly twenty years ago. Now widowed and the family grown, Mrs. Spiess still maintains her home in the town. During her visit here Mrs. Spiess accompanied Mrs. Cotton to the wedding of a niece Miss Leanne Marie Lilge who was married at St. Paul on June 21 to Terence Donald Southern of Edmonton. The reception took place at Mailaig where Mrs. Cotton, with her late husband and their family had lived for a number of years. * * * * * * * * * * * * On the evening of June 24, Mrs. R. Phillips presented her pupils in a piano recital. Parents and friends enjoyed the variety of tunes by Sherry, Sandy and Shannon Fowler, Becky and Joan Shwetz, Cindy Caron and Sharon Wall. Mrs. Phillips entertained pupils and audiences with two numbers invention in F and Arabesque, and to complete the occasion song sheets were distributed and all joined in singing familiar favorites. Tea and cakes were served. The young musicians presented gifts chosen by themselves and were pleased when Mrs. Phillips opened the packages for all to admire. * * * * * * * * * * * * On the afternoon of June 25, 1980 about fifty friends and relatives joined Horace and May Parham at their farm home in Warspite dirstrict to celebrate with them the 55th anniversary of the couples marriage. Among those coming from a distance were their daughter, Violet and her husband Burton Templeman from Wetaskawin, a granddaughter Joan and her husband Rick Shortt from Prince George B.C., Mrs. Anton Krahulec, Doge City, Minn. U.S., Mrs. Ed Dry Airdrie, Mrs. Dorothy Evans, Tail B.C., Miss Carol Dean and fiance Larry Franklin, Delta B.C., Raymond and Marge Dry, Airdrie. Among former schoolmates and neighbors of Mrs. Parham were Hazel cotton, Mildred Rogers, Ivan and Frances Clarke, Joe and Selma Krahulec. Horace Parham was born in Plumstead, England and came to Canada with his parents and older brother Earnest in 1907. The family travelled with a group of relatives, twenty-one in all, who left England for Canada together. The Parhams farmed east of Edmonton for a few years but upon learning that good land was open to homesteaders only 70 miles down the Saskatchewan River, Horace's father filed on S.W. 25-58-18-4. The quarter section was 2.5 miles north of the river. It was covered with large trees and there were three small lakes on it. The only road in the area was the cart track that wound along beside the river - the Victoria Trail. A log house was quickly built, an uncle built a similar one on the adjoining quarter and by 1914 every quarter section in the area was occupied. That year World War I broke out. Earnst volunteered for services and lost his life on a battlefield in France. Horace grew up on the farm and one evening at a dance in Warspite's old hall met a Miss May Gwaltny. They were married in June 1925. May was born in Boise, Idaho, USA and came to Alberta with her parents in 1910. After spending a few years on rented land near Edmonton the Gwaltney's also filed on a homestead and came to live in the Brighton district, six miles N.W. of Warspite. Horace took his bride to live on the family farm which he worked in partnership with his father. The present comfortable home is built on the site of the first homestead house. A son Earnest, now operates the farm and is bringing up his family in a home near that of his parents. Throughout their lives Horace and May Parham have taken an active part in community life. They were members of the pioneer Warpite Ag Society. Horace being a director for twelve years, a faithful church worker he was chairman of Warspite United Church and is a founding member of Alberta Wheat Pool, formed in 1923. He was also Sec.-Treas. of Northbank Telephone Co. for several years, he helped form the Northbank R.E.A in 1952 and was its president for ten years. He was also president of the local U.F.A. for many years. Mr. Parham well remembers working on the first graded road in the Warspite district in 1919. That section of road four miles south and three miles east from Warspite to the Parham home where Mr. Parham (Sr) was the Northbank postmaster for 20 years. On the roadwork the large grader was pulled by eight horses, Horace drove one four-horse team and Fred Hanson drove the other. The pioneers chopped out the trees and made the first roads. The tax on a quarter section was six dollars a year. Half the amount must be paid in cash and roadwork paid the remainder. It took two 10 hour days with a team to pay $3.00. That meant rising at 4:30 a.m. to feed the horses and be on the work site at 7:30 a.m. Like other families in the "thirties" the Parhams have vivid memories of the depression with eggs selling for five cents a dozen, a fat hog at $2.50 and wheat at 19 cents a bushel. However that too faded into the past and prosperity returned. Now retired the Parhams enjoy their modernized home, in its beautiful setting of wide lawns, trees, shrubs and flowers. In good health, in familiar surroundings and the ability to travel when they wish, life is pleasant. In April of this year, they motored to B.C. and two years ago went to Prince Rupert to attend their sons silver wedding. They plan another visit this summer. Their many friends wish them well and hope to help them celebrate their Diamond Anniversary in June 1985.
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