Herbert and Ella

BOHNHARDT FAMILY HISTORY

Herbert Karl Bohnhardt was born in Germany on April 30, 1904. At the age of 24 (1928) Herb left his home in Berka, Germany to start a new life. His options were to immigrate to Canada or Argentina. After many weeks, sailing aboard the WESTPHALIA, Herb arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He traveled west to Winnipeg, Manitoba and Yorkton, Sask. Herb’s first employment was on the Fandry farm near Ebenezer, Sask. He then moved back to Winnipeg where he met Ella Erna Schlag, the daughter of Carl and Emma Schlag. Ella was born September 07, 1911 in the village of Gross-Schoenbruck near Lessen, Districk Graudens, in the Province of West Prussia, Germany. They immigrated to Canada in 1912 while Ella was a baby. On April 01, 1934 Herb and Ella were married in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

When Herb returned to Winnipeg, he attended trade school, and dug basements by hand for $0.25 per hour. He later began his trucking career, which spanned two decades. Herb purchased his first truck, a Mapleleaf Chevy, in 1929. His career took him to Ontario, hauling gold ore; Manitoba, hauling ice for Artic Ice; hauling coal in Winnipeg, and to Norquay, Sask. in 1940; hauling lumber from Swan Plain, Sask. to Norquay, Sask. While in Norquay, Mom and Dad stayed in a boarding house with Mr. & Mrs. Tom Tweed (They talked about how horrible the water was there).

Herb & Ella have a son Herbert Charles born February 12, 1946 and a daughter Noreen, born June 17, 1947 (both born in Winnipeg, Manitoba).

Herb didn’t like trucking anymore and they had just been through the 1948 flood in Winnipeg. Ella remembers hanging clothes from a canoe at their home located the end of South Drive in Fort Garry (Mom & Dad lived on George St., Alexander St. & Bowman Ave. before moving to their home in Fort Garry). So--- in 1949 Herb and Ella purchased a farm Northeast of Birch River, Manitoba (district of Golden Acres). Herb and family first lived at the Moffat Camp in “The Project”. Herb helped construct the road to Steeprock Lake with his Oliver Cleetrack Cat. This job helped to supplement the farm income. There were no roads in this area.

The first bumper crop of wheat was snowed under, only to be harvested in the spring of 1950 (wheat so tall you couldn’t see Herb or Noreen standing there).

Meanwhile back in Fort Garry the house we lived in went through another flood (1950), with only the peak of the roof sticking out. Herb, Ella, Herb Jr. and Noreen lived at this yard site NW 19-41-24 using as their home a garage (Herb hauled from Winnipeg in 1949) and converted into a house. This garage is still used on Herby’s farm for storage. During these years Herb Jr. attended Gr2-Gr3 at Golden Acres (situated NE 19-41-24) and Noreen attended Gr 1 & 2 at Golden Acres School. In the fall of 1954 our family moved to the Edgar Bauder farm (moved due to not enough kids to keep the school open). We lived there over the winter then moved to the Dave Almas farm (sec29-40-25). We lived here and farmed this land along with our own land of Sec 19-41-24. Herby and Noreen attended Gr 3-8 at Pasedena School and Gr 9-12 at Birch River Collegiate. Noreen went on to receive her Psychiatric Nursing in Selkirk, Manitoba.

Herb Jr. married Bernice Adams on Nov. 12, 1966. They built their home on the SE 19-41-24 (where they still reside today). Herb and Bernice have five daughters, four son-in-laws, seven granddaughters and four grandsons.

Linette married Mike Lanski, Dec. 31, 1994 and had Brad, Justin, Caitlin, and Nicole.

Lori married Brent Watts, Dec. 21, 1991 and had Melissa, Kyle, and Daria.

Lana married Derek Sagert, July 13, 1991 and had Aaron and Bailey.

Lesley married Derek Campbell Aug. 12, 1995 and had Jordyn, Jenna, and Lindsey.

Noreen married on May 30, 1970. Noreen and Isaac had two daughters; Arlene Lorna born June 15, 1971 and Eloise Christine born Dec. 14, 1973.

Arlene married Jeff Morrison, June 17, 1995. They have two sons - Keagan Herbert and Tanner Jeffery. Eloise married Robert Ternovetsky, March 29, 1997. They have two daughters - Keeley Christina and Mikhaila Robbi.

Noreen remarried to Don Boyd of Runnymede, Sask. April 24, 1999.

Herb and Ella lived on this farm of Almas’ for 20 yrs. In 1974 they built a new home in Birch River.

Herb and Ella also traveled south to become Snowbirds in Texas and Arizona for 17 years.

Herb Bohnhardt Sr. passed away June 1, 1990, and Ella moved into the Birchwood Place in Birch River the fall of 1998 and in September 2000 on her 89 birthday she moved to the Benito Health Centre where she resides to this day.