Anna ESSE

Martin Orlando Arnesen and his wife Anna (Esse) came from South Dakota to Saskatchewan in 1910. Martin’s brother Arne came up to Saskatchewan the year before Martin did, and homesteaded NW 12 51 18 W3. However, his wife Rachel didn't like it - homesteading was too rough, so Arne and Rachel moved back fairly soon thereafter.

Martin and Anna homesteaded at Stoney Lake, SK, proving two quarters of land. The family had to live on each quarter for six months at a time in order to meet the homestead requirements. They built two houses side by side - each house on the edge of the quarter. For three years they moved from side to side every six months. Then, once the requirements had been met, they built the center of the house to join the two portions, and that is why they had such a long house!

Martin and Anna were blessed with seven children, six of whom where born in Fairholme and the youngest born in Edam. Idella had the distinction of being the first white girl born north of North Battleford. Sadly, their second son Leon succumbed to scarlet fever at the age of four. As a rule, the Arnesen family was filled to the brim with good humour, laughter and music.

As a young woman, Idella helped her parents with family duties and also helped at the Gunderson home. As well, she worked for George and Effie Wildman, baking bread in the store, prior to her marriage.

Idella married Clement Wildman, from Midnight Lake and on the same day Maud married Charlie Nelson. Clement and Idella nurtured a profitable grain farm and a prize-winning herd of Shorthorn cattle, as well as a huge garden that could have fed half the neighborhood. She was an avid sewer, quilter, baker, booklover and gardener and she passed many of these passions down to her grandchildren.

Maud and Charlie farmed on the old Arnesen place. After they went their separate ways, Charlie worked for Clement for a couple years, then for Roy in North Battleford.

Marlin married Bea Walker and they ran the store & garage six miles north of North Battleford until their children were all on their own. They then moved to Cochin and then Meadow Lake. After Marlin retired from the mechanic business, he finished his high schooling, and went on to take his Chiropractic courses in the US. He practiced as a chiropractor for several years.

Mabel married Roy McMillan. Soon after their marriage, they went to the US, where Roy worked on the Hover Dam. He returned to start a sand and gravel and road construction business in North Battleford.

Edna married Leo Clutchey and they farmed six miles west of Dorintosh. They moved to Vancouver around 1948. Pearl married Harry Zimmel in Strome, AB. They then moved to Barhead and subsequently to Edmonton. Harry was a Chartered Accountant.

Idella passed away in 1985, Edna in 1987, Marlin in 1996, and Maud in 1997. Mabel still lives in North Battleford and Pearl in Edmonton.