Tuesday, May 03, 2005

A Real Treat

I recived a call yesterday from Vicki our City clerk . Asking me if I had some free time that afternoon.
Then she asked if I would like to talk to the Great-Great-Grand daughter of Randolph Holding.......as she was traveling, and happened to stop in Holdingford on her way home. Oh, yes, I was down to City Hall in a flash.
There I met Carmen Holding. A delightful young lady on her way to the family farm and home S.E. of Tompkins, Saskatchewan. Which is located in the south west corner of Saskatchewan.
We were able to talk for several hours. Breaking for lunch to eat with the senior citizens, who have a lunchen at city hall on Tuesdays. That group was vey interested in Ms. Holding's being in holdingford. The only seemingly disappointment came was when some of the seniors found out that Randolph was of Irish ancestery instead of being German.
She had been working in Toronto, Ontario in her field of Agricultrial Marketing. She seemed to share some of her great-great-grandfather's wanderlust as she told us she had been traveling quite abit around the world.
Her great-grandfather William, son of Randolph had moved from Sargent county, North Dakota to the Tompkins, Saskatchewan area. I got the impression she wasn't sure if Randolph sr. also moved. The other two brothers Albert C. and Adelbert E. stayed in North Dakota She said it will be Hundred year farm in 2007. That would make William's homesteading it about 1906-7. Before the 30's depression it was approximently 3,000 acres. Quite a difference from the 160-300 acre dairy farms around Holdingford. Her grandfather, also named William, had a stroke when her father was about 12. So in the 70's her father, Glenn and uncle took over the farm.
I do believe I have this correct. If not hopfully a member of the Holding family will let me know so it can be corrected.