Reminiscing – Excerpts of Letters from Ruth Richardson

Reminiscing – Excerpts of Letters from Ruth Richardson

Believed to be Moses Smith and his family
orig: Ruth Richardson collection;copy C Vance

In a letters dated 6 Sep 1988, 22 Oct 1988, and 8 Dec 1989,  to Charlie Vance, Ruth says:

I have been writing my life’s memories and that has taken a lot of time. I grew up with the open country.  Horses were used for transportation. We used wagons, buggies, carts or rode horseback. Homes were mud huts or shanties or log construction, with only the occasional lumber shanty.  It was not unusual for families to live in a sod and pole building with their livestock.  Not enough of the past has been preserved and the memory of the early settlers has been lost.  My parents came west in 1900 when I was five and half years old.

 Alex Voysey told my son Gordon he was talking to you (Charlie Vance) when you were here in Spy Hill.  He is the same age as you and went to the same school.  If you had stayed around longer you would have met many old friends and acquaintances of years gone by.  But there are many changes in the country and people.  Some have moved away and some passed away to their last rest.

 I remember Mr and Mrs Voysey when I went to school in 1901 and 1902 and their old house is falling down now.  Their new home was built about the mid twenties and the old house was rented out to teachers and others.  I knew the old folks well. Young Johnny married Mable Brown and a couple of years ago, in 1961 I believe, he passed away in Winnipeg.

My doctor says I stand a chance of seeing a hundred years.  I will be 95 next month if God willing.

 Rabbits are slow this year in changing the coat of hair from grey to white.  I think some have a mixture of the colors. – The green house effect, so it’s claimed.

 …I am home keeping house for two sons (Gordon and Arnold) and myself.
Best wishes to all. Ruth Richardson

Charlie had this picture copied from her collection, but it is not identified. I assume that this is Moses Smith and his wife (Margaret, called Maggie), and son Stanley behind with Dolly on horseback and Ruth petting the other horse.

 

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