The Quest for a New Life in the New World: Part 3
Story Teller: Barbara Johnson Gullickson
Jakob was the only child of Jaan and Mari Erdman. This family was one of the group who left Estonia in 1861 to go to Crimea to obtain FREE LAND! Shortly after they arrived in Targhan, Jaan and Mari ate some bad meat and died. There was also a possibility that they died from the plague.
Jakob was raised by his aunt Madly and her husband, Otto Sesler. Jakob and his cousin, Simm Erdman, found Otto to be a hard taskmaster, demanding long hours of hard work; ‘to pay for their keep’ he said. They worked 7 long years for their uncle.
With much hard work and dedication, Jakob prospered, and on May 1, 1873, he and Mary Tint were married. Mari and her parents were among the families who made the trek from Estonia. Jakob and Mari enjoyed their life, gained the respect of their countrymen, and were prolific, bringing 9 children into the world.
When Gustav and Robert were reaching the age 18 years, Mari determined that a change had to be made. In Russia, at that time, there was enforced military service for all men of that age, and Mari was not going to have her sons take the risk of being killed in the army!
Also, there was not enough good land near Targhan for the sons.
Mari and Jakob had received letters from friends who had moved to South Dakota, telling them of the good land and good crops there. Mari, who was more spirited than Jakob, decided they would go to South Dakota – the whole family! However, one daughter, Emilia, her husband, Jaan Salman, stayed in Crimea.
Early in 1901, Jakob sold their land – for $25,000 in gold (is the story) – and they were ready to leave. The gold was kept in a metal box, which was in the care of daughter, Helena, Mrs. Johannes Watman (later Mrs. Jaan Kotkas). Helena was a healthy and strong woman. (‘They say’ Helena had the gold
sewn in the hem of her cloak!) They took a train to Estonia and a boat to England. In England, Gustav
persuaded his father to exchange the gold for a bank draft. Jakob was very worried and was quite sure they would never see the money again. However, at New York the bank draft was exchanged for money again and all was well.
They arrived in New York July 4, 1901, amid all the Fourth of July celebrations, and Natalie, the youngest thought all the festivity was for the arrival of their ship.
The family took a train to Fort Pierre, South Dakota, where they lived for a year and a half.
Gustav, Liisa, Charlotte, Robert, Natalie (Erdmans) and Gus Kulpas went to school here till they moved to the Barons district.
Unhappy with poor crop conditions in South Dakota and the severe weather, Jakob, his son Gustav, friends John Kiwi, Mr. Lentsman, son-in-law Anton Kulpas, and others traveled to Oregon, looking for land more like Crimea. However, the land was too expensive, but they heard of good land in Alberta available and cheap.
It must have been a good year in 1903. The land looked lush and green; grass was up to the horses bellies. The Estonians were pleased and filed on homesteads.
In 1904, Jakob and Mari moved to the Barons district to live on the homestead land Jakob had filed on in 1903 – SE-17-12-23 W4. Liisa, Robert, Charlotte and Natalie lived with them. Liisa and Charlotte soon obtained jobs in Lethbridge as live-in maids for $15.00 a month! Helena, Miina and Anton Kulpas, and Gustav had filed on their own quarters of land, and lived on them to ‘prove them up’ as required by the government.
Jakob and Mari built a sod house and barn the first year. Sod made good insulation, keeping the house cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Later, in 1906, a wood house was built, with straw in the walls for insulation. Glenda and Carole Erdman (great grandchildren of Jakob and Mari) lived there as children and they said this house, also, was warm in winter and cool in summer. (Their story follows 100 Years of Sheltering Families.)
In 1905, Jakob gifted 2 acres of land (SE corner of SE quarter of 8-12-23-W4) to the Estonians for a burial ground. All plots were free to Estonians. This is where Jakob and Mari, Gustav and Magda, and others of our family are buried. Since this now is not an ‘active’ cemetery, family members who have passed away in the last 15 or so years and who wanted to be in this cemetery, have had their ashes buried or scattered here.
Jakob transferred this property to the Village of Barons in 1923 and it was used by the community until internment records were lost.
Jakob and Mari and their family prospered and acquired more land.
When Miina Kulpas became ill, she and her husband, Anton, and the younger children moved to Oregon, believing the milder weather would be beneficial for her health. Jakob and Mari moved, too, to be close to her.
When Miina died in 1928, Jakob and Mari returned to Barons. Gustav, Charlotte, Ellen, Ralph and Oscar drove to Salem to bring their parents back to Alberta. (I don’t know who took the photo!)
Jakob was heavy-set, short, a quick thinker and very clever mathematically. He was good-natured, friendly, cheerful and kind. He did not drink or smoke, lead church services and read sermons.
He died in 1934 and is buried in the Barons Cemetery.
Mari lived some years longer and was the Erdman family matriarch. She was stout, hard working, very pleasant, a good talker and a strong woman (the ‘boss’ of the family). She enjoyed handiwork, such as crocheting and knitting. During World War 1, she knit 100 pair of socks for the soldiers and received a medal for her achievement. In Crimea, she would sleep on the cold floor of the kitchen to prevent her from over-sleeping – she had to get up early to make bread.
She died in 1939 and is buried in the Barons Cemetery.
