A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname
Harry was born in 1902 at Cardston Alberta, and moved with his family to Lethbridge in 1904 - 1905, where he attended school. Harry worked in his father's livery stable in his early years, doing various jobs and becoming quite a competent cowboy. He once fell from a Hay wagon and was dragged, losing the top of one ear and damaging an eardrum. He was deaf in that ear and had trouble with ear aches for the remainder of his life. At the age of about 14 he began to ride in horse races at local rodeos around the area and continued to do so until he became to heavy to compete. He could also be found during these years participating in roundups at various ranches in the area. He spoke of the romance of this of this prairie event. But stated that this was nothing like the real thing, which was in fact sometimes boring, dirty and at times dangerous. For the most part, it was very uncomfortable having only a blanket and a saddle for a pillow at night. In 1919 when he was 17 he travelled to Vancouver, British Columbia, to take an apprenticeship in Pharmacology. He found it impossible to complete as he was only making $10.00 a month, with no apparent help from home. I found this strange as his father at this time was quite well to do. Harry met Grace Little at this time. She was 15, and was later to become his wife. About 1920, he returned home to Lethbridge to sell some of his saddle horses which he had left on his father's ranch. He used the returns to travel to France aboard a passenger ship, along with his brothers Fulton and Percy. Harry left France six months later and signed aboard a freighter as a deck hand this trip home must have taken considerable time because six months after leaving France he became an able bodied seaman. The ship travelled via South America on the journey home. He finally landed in New York and proceeded home to Lethbridge, supposedly by train. In 1922 he reappeared in Grace's life, and they were never separated, for a span that covered 43 years, excluding a three year period in the Second World War. Harry and Grace left sometime after this for Bellingham. Here he worked for about one year as a longshoreman, and during this period a daughter was born prematurely. The baby lived only a few hours as the birth had occurred at home. In 1923, out of work, they began to walk to California, accepting rides whenever possible. Their first stop was Portland Oregon, where they stayed for one week. Leaving they again set out and walked over the mountains to Fresno, where they were able to get a ride by a young man, in a small coupe, to the out skirts of Los Angeles. During this trip the driver noticed his passengers condition and hunger and stopped by the road side for a pail of oranges, which they gladly shared. After being dropped off in Los Angeles, they found they did not have enough money left for carfare, so they walked across the city to his sister Sophronia's home in Hollywood. They stayed with her until got a job as a Ice delivery salesman. They moved into a small house, which today would be the equivalent of row housing. As the ice route was not 3 doing too well, they moved to Culver city, where Harry got a job driving a Milk route. During this time Grace's mother came down with Grace's younger brother Donald, who was suffering from asthma and stayed with them. They left her in California when they returned by rail to Vancouver. Although the milk route had seemed a success, the people were not paying so Harry couldn't keep going. In 1925 after returning home they made a trip down to Lethbridge to visit Harry's father. As this was harvest time Harry and Grace were called upon to work on the Ranch. Grace was recruited to fill in, as the ranch cook chose this time to take two weeks holidays, obviously, she knew what she was doing even if Grace didn't. The stories of the city girl cooking for a harvesting crew had been an ongoing entertainment for many years. One of these stories was Grace trying her hand at baking bread. Which among other things she left the salt out of and it didn't rise. So trying to hide her failure, she took the dough out and buried it by the barn in a manure pile. As the hands were coming in that evening they noticed little erruptions from the manure pile and found where the bread had been buried. During this time the Great Depression was at it's height and families did everything to keep bread on the table and a roof over their heads. Things were no different in Harry and Grace's case. They sold farm produce from door to door and picked up any job that was available. They were on relief which was common during these times, and also stood in food and clothing lines. Harry went out at night and collected fuel (coal and wood) where he could. This relief was not like the welfare available today. Peoples feelings and well being were not considered and the person in the line up was made to feed worthless. Friends would have Rent parties, where everyone would give what they could, to make up the rent for the next month. Everyone was out of work so people looked out for each other. It should be realized that most working class people were in similar circumstances and travelling from one area to the other in search of work is well documented in History. This Depression did not end until the start of World War II, and was worldwide. Upon return to Vancouver Ruby was born. Harry took a job at 40 cents an hour, working 10 to 12 hours a day, driving Ice truck in the summer and carrying coal in the winter. During this period he met Fred and Ma Johnson who remained friends for the remainder of his life. Fred and Harry carried coal together in 100 to 200 lb sacks. Fred was crippled, and had clubfeet, but was able to somehow keep up. Both Ruby and Louis retain many memories of Fred and Ma. Harry then got a chance to work for a Cartage Company called Holmes and Wilson. He took a jump in wages to SO cents an hour. At some period after this he got a job with the Capaliano Brewery and was to work there until returning to Lethbridge in 1937. During the transfer from the Brewery in Vancouver to Sick's Capaliano Brewery in Lethbridge the family travelled by car and reportedly spent $20.00 including gas, oil and food for the entire trip. He was to remain here until the outbreak of the Second World War. Many Westerners will remember the famous beer label, the "House of Lethbridge ", that exists to this day. In 1937/38 Harry suffered an injury at the Brewery, and spent a month or two recuperating, on a Ranch run by his Uncle, Nelson Bonnell (a half brother of his fathers) The Ranch was at Piapot, Saskatchewan. In 1940 Harry joined the 2nd Light Anti Aircraft Battalion, and became a driver. This unit was put together in Calgary Alberta. He left from Calgary for Brandon, Manitoba and spent six weeks in training. From there he went to Fort Gary, Manitoba and was selected to cook until he left for overseas. The Brewery had made a commitment to pay their employees full wages during their period in the Army. This was to prove important during the war years for the families left behind. Pictures sent home and ones returned with will show that at the time he arrived in England the only weapons available were bayonets welded to steel pipes. It would seem Hitler made his mistake by not invading at this time. He mentioned seeing a house cut in two by a bomb, and a person still sitting in a bathtub, with only the arm showing. During the Invasion of Dieppe, he was aboard a ships awaiting embarkation, but was among the lucky that weren't allowed to land, due to the heavy losses incurred during the battle. He was present in England when Grace's younger brother Donald Little, married an English girl. Donald was killed in the South of Italy shortly after. It is doubtful if he ever saw his daughter Carol except in a picture. In 1943 Harry returned to Canada as a guard aboard the Queen Mary, a luxury Liner of the times, which had been converted into a prisoner of war and troop ship. while in England, he had a acquired a medical problem and was declared unfit for further duty. In 1944 he took his release in Calgary. While awaiting his discharge Dad and I often hunted ducks on the outskirts of Calgary, by riding the street car to the end of the line and walking the irrigation ditches hunting ducks and pheasant. One of the memories of those days was a dog who used to meet us as we got off the street car, and would hunt all day with us as long as Dad never missed more than two shots. Shortly after his discharge the family returned to Lethbridge and his job at the Brewery, which had been held for his. In 1945 the family returned to Vancouver and Harry worked for a short time at the Capaliano Brewery, but left therefor a truck driving job with a Company he had worked for years before, "Holmes and Wilsons ". He joined the Teamsters Union Local 213 while working there, and became Shop Stewart. During this time Donald's wife, Audrey with her daughter Carol, came to Canada. She stayed with the family until finally returning to England. In early 1946, Grace's mother Laura, came to live with the family, following the death of her husband Arthur. About the same time, Fulton and his family which included Marie his wife and daughters Andre, Mimi and Rosie arrived from France. All were welcomed and stayed with the family, until moving to their own apartment in Vancouver. In 1947/48, Harry ran for the full time position of Organizer/Business Agent of Local 213, and was successful in his bid. At the time the entire membership was about 150. He eventually became Secretary Treasurer and was instrumental in building this Local to one of the largest in the Western Provinces. He later was promoted to the top leading Teamster organizer in Canada. He worked both in Vancouver and Edmonton as an International Representative to the Teamsters Union for a total of 14 years. After leaving the Union Harry and Grace lived in Edmonton and leaving there tried living in Los Angeles once again, but returned to Canada within a year. He passed away from Cancer August 2nd. 1965 and his ashes are interred at the Veteran Memorial Park, White Rock, municipality of Surrey. Previous to this Louis with his family returned from Kingston, Ontario and his father had a brief time to get to know his Grandchildren once again. Mark and Dorothy were old friends but his namesake Harry Irwin Bonnell II was a new acquaintance that stole his heart at two years of age. During his lifetime Harry saw many changes in the world, passing through the era of the Horse and buggy and Indians living in teepees on the Prairie, to cattle roundups. He lived through a Great Depression and took part in a World's war. On my first visit to my father's grave, I glanced up on the hill behind the cemetery and saw a deer looking down on the scene. I like to think that my father had picked this way to say good-bye to me. We had spent many enjoyable hours together travelling as well as hunting in both Alberta and British Columbia together. He was much loved by his family, and is ever in their thoughts. Harry was initiated in Kilswinning Masonic Lodge #59 on November 20, 1953, passed February 5, 1954; and raised to Master Mason on March 19, 1954
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
AncientFaces - Family History Photos
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