The Klondyke

THE KLONDYKE

GROWING A NEW COMMUNITY

LAKE SMITH BECOMES IMMIGRANTS’ GOLD

Table of Contents

Prayer of Thanksgiving

The Klondyke Project

Klondyke Project Committee

Bev Shipley, MP

Monte McNaughton MPP

Bill Weber, Mayor/Warden

Our Heartfelt Thanks Sponsors

Prologue: How It All Started

Gerard VandenBussche

Dr. Gordon Hagmeier

Adams, Adrian and Anna Backx, Gerard and Angelina

Baltessen, William and Bertha

Collez, Marcel and Yvonne

Creces, Richard and Yvonne

Dalton, James and Madeleine

De Kort, Louis and Riet

Goovaerts, Francis and Marie Grootjen, John and Anne

Kelders, John and Huberdina Kelders, Theo and Adriana

Kester, Adrian and Mary

Maas, Harry and Catherine

Martens, Martin and Magdalena

Mennen, Peter and Mary Mommersteeg, Martin and Antonia

Mylemans, Florent and Julia

Relouw, Mathieu and Elisabeth

Rood, Cornelius and Dora

Smeekens, Jack and Wilma

Smits, Tom and Sien

Stokkermans, Case and Anna van Dijk-Wiendels, Case and Nelly and Ben Van Dongen, Joe and Adrianna Van Leeuwen, Jerry and Tilly Vandenberk, Wilhelmus and Clazina VandenBoomen, Arnold and Coby VandenBygaart, Kees and Anne Vander Burgt, Henricus and Hendrika

Vlemmix, Marinus and Maria

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church

St. Damien School

Klondyke/Grand Bend Soccer

Klondyke Gardens Cooperative Ltd.

Catholic Women’s League of Canada

International Order of the Alhambra

Epilogue: The Dream Realized Commemorative Plaque

Map of the Klondyke Collage of Photos

A Prayer of Thanksgiving & Gratitude

Father in Heaven, Creator of all, and source of all goodness and love, please look kindly upon us and receive our heartfelt gratitude in this time of giving thanks.

Thank you for all the graces and blessings You have bestowed upon us, spiritual and temporal: our faith and religious heritage, our food and shelter, our health, the love we have for one another, our family and friends.

Dear Father, in Your infinite generosity, please grant us continued graces and blessing throughout the coming years.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

By Gretchen Filz

The Klondyke Project

The inspiration behind this project was Lia Vandenberk. She realized that the history of this community would be lost if action was not taken to preserve the stories of the first families who settled the Lake Smith Bog, now, commonly known as the Klondyke Marsh. In order to bring her ambitious plan to life, Lia enlisted the help of former children of the Klondyke. Her call to action was answered by Nette Pachlarz, Marian Atkinson and Nelly Kelders.

Over time, the group was able to gather stories and photographs of most of the first settlers in this farming community. It is not an easy task to capture the exact history and its details as people do not always remember the same events in the same way. Most of the first generation farmers have passed away and their children have scattered throughout the province and beyond. Some families were not able to provide the same amount of detailed information as others. In some cases dates have grown hazy or generalized.

There were people who worked on the Klondyke, such as young men, who emigrated from the Netherlands and were able to work as hired help, whose stories have not been captured in this collection of farming families. Many of them have moved on to other communities, to fulfill their dreams of owning and operating farms. If any first generation families and their stories were omitted, it was unintentional, as the committee made every effort to be inclusive and as accurate as possible, given the resources available to us.

While working on the stories, we did try to do some research on land titles, however, piecing together the threads of land ownership, starting in the 20th century was not easily accomplished, with our limited resources. We do know that there were other property owners in the area, who contributed to the success of the Klondyke Marsh and who sold tracts of land to Mr. VandenBussche and others, to develop the Bog. One of the original owners of land that fronts on Highway 21, today, was Alex Wilde, who married Ida Johnson of Stoney Point. A narrow portion of the land remains today, as Severn Park, just north of Klondyke Road. His son, Wes Wilde, raised his family on land, next to John Kelders, which remains in their family. Members of the Wilde family and other neighbours in the vicinity, were invaluable in their contribution of manual labour to local farmers, as they did the weeding and helped with the harvesting. Everyone in the neighbourhood had a role to play, in the success of the community as a whole.

We sincerely hope that this book becomes a lasting legacy for the generations that have followed, and a reminder, that they have much to be proud of when it comes to their heritage.

The Klondyke Project Committee

Lia (Huiberts) Vandenberk

Lia was also a Dutch immigrant to Canada. She was born on a dairy farm in North Holland, one of fifteen children. She arrived in Canada in 1963, to help her brother Herman Huibert’s family in Thorndale. Lia, eventually went on to work at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London. Here she met many Dutch girls, who introduced her to the social life in the area, including dances. It was at one of these dances that she met Martin Vandenberk from Grand Bend. He was Dutch, Catholic and her age!

In 1969, Lia and Martin were married at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Grand Bend. They moved into a trailer on the farm Martin and his brother Cor worked. In 1971, Martin bought Cor’s shares in the farm and they moved into the farmhouse. Like many young immigrant brides, Lia experienced the loneliness of being in a different culture, having come from a different part of Holland than most of her new relatives and friends, and having none of her immediate family close by.

Living on a farm is not easy. Lia supplemented her family’s income by selling vegetables at the Pinery Flea Market on Highway 21 on weekends, and the annual farmers’ markets in Grand Bend, Lambton Heritage Museum and Thedford. She also started to supply local stores with her produce including cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, potatoes and onions. As busy as she was, Lia still found time to volunteer and be an active member of the Catholic Women’s League (CWL). She served as president twice, 1981 and 1993. This position allowed her to become even more immersed in her parish and community. Lia is very proud of her children: Mike who works in construction; Stephen, their third generation farmer; and Jacqui, a nurse.

In 2000, Stephen bought his parents’ farm, allowing Lia and Martin to slow down and enjoy retirement. They moved to the VanDongen subdivision but Martin continues to help out at the farm. Saddlebag, Florida has been Lia and Martin’s winter home since 1999.

Nette (Mennen) Pachlarz

Nine months after Peter and Mary Mennen immigrated to Canada and settled in the Klondyke, Nette was born. She was spoiled by maternal aunts, uncles, Opoe, and Opa who immigrated to the area before her first birthday. As the oldest in a family of eight, she readily developed a work ethic. She attended St. Damien’s School, Forest District High School, University of Western Ontario, and London Teachers’ College.

In 1973, Nette married Stan Pachlarz and started her career in teaching at St. John Fisher School in Forest. Their son, Daryn, was born in 1985 and became the focus of their attention. After a fulfilling, 35-year teaching career, Nette started to seek out more hobbies, travel, and, volunteer opportunities. She was involved in the CWL and parish council at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. She currently serves on the boards of directors for the Grand Bend Art Centre and the Lambton Shores Phragmites Community Group. Travel has always been a passion and retirement has offered numerous opportunities to experience many parts of the world. Golf, badminton and hiking have provided opportunities to remain active in social settings.

Marian (Backx) Atkinson

Marian is the second child of eight children born to Gerard and Angelina Backx. Working on this project has reminded her of the dedication and perseverance shown by the Dutch and Belgium immigrants. She recalls weeding onions and potatoes, pulling carrots, trimming turnips for the joy of receiving fifty cents for one day’s work, to buy a five cent ice-cream cone and frugally save the rest. She remembers the excitement of moving into her new home in 1960, with indoor plumbing, hot water and no longer having to bathe in a laundry tub or make trips to the outside washroom.

She obtained her nursing degree from the University of Windsor. Marian married David Atkinson in 1975 and they transferred to London where she worked eight years with the Victorian Order of Nurses. Being blessed with four children, Marian had the privilege to be a stay-at-home mom for 17 years. During this time, she was actively involved in school and hospital fundraising committees and Western Area Youth Services. As the nest emptied, she returned to work as a part-time case manager with the Community Care Access Centre at University and St Joseph’s Hospitals, for seven years. Since her retirement in 2013, Marian has been enjoying cycling, golf, tennis, bridge and spending time with her grandchildren.

Nelly Kelders

The fifth of Theo and Adriana Kelders’ ten children, Nelly pursued her dream of a career in education. She was a teacher and principal with the Lambton County Roman Catholic School Board, later, the St. Clair Catholic District School Board. Her first assignment, in September 1979, was at St. John Fisher School in Forest. For the next 23 years she worked in schools in Forest, Sarnia, Corunna, and for a year in Owen Sound.

Nelly was very active in the Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario (CPCO) and in 2002 became the association’s president. She moved to Toronto, where she remained for the next ten years, moving to a staff position following her year as president. As Member Services Co-ordinator she had a variety of experiences in Human Resources, communications, legal issues and professional development. Her responsibilities provided her with opportunities to travel throughout the province and country, igniting a desire to see the world! In August, 2012, Nelly retired and moved to Bright’s Grove, to be closer to family and friends. Today she is very active in the St. Michael CWL and fundraising at St. Patrick’s High School. In retirement, she is enjoying traveling, golfing reading and gardening.

April 12, 2018

On behalf of Lambton Shores and Lambton County Councils, it is my distinct pleasure to recognize the individuals who contributed to this publication about the Klondyke Marsh.

Starting in the late 1940's a large number of Belgian and Dutch families immigrated to the Lake Smith Bog south of Grand Bend and eventually established a flourishing district that produced speciality crops and market gardening. The re-telling of their stories helps to preserve our community's history and documents an important part of our past.

I trust you will enjoy experiencing this fascinating period of days gone by. Please join me in congratulating all involved on this tremendous project.

Sincerely,

Bill Weber Mayor, Lambton Shores and Warden, County of Lambton

Our Heartfelt Thanks

The Klondyke Marsh Project Committee would like to thank the many families and individuals, who have contributed to this project by submitting family stories, institutional information and photos. Without your assistance, this project would not have been possible.

Thank you to The Creative County Committee (CCC), County of Lambton, for recognizing the value of collecting the stories of the Belgium and Dutch immigrant families of the Klondyke Marsh, into a book. Your grant has allowed us to expand the project to provide the recognition these pioneers deserve. To Lambton Heritage Museum, a big thank you for finding and sharing photos of members of the Klondyke Marsh, through newspaper clippings and other resources, in particular, Our First Fifteen Years by the Lake Smith Conservationists. This information has helped us to enhance the information of the families represented in the book.

When deciding on the location of the historical plaque, several discussions took place with the Pinery Cemetery Board Director. We would like to thank the Board for their interest and willingness to consider placing the plaque within the cemetery’s boundaries.

The staff of Lambton Shores was kind enough to assist with the installation of the historical plaque on the road allowance, outside the Cemetery. We would like to thank them for their expertise in ensuring that the plaque was securely anchored in place.

Their faith was important to the pioneers of the Klondyke Marsh. They would be pleased to know that their sacrifices and their commitment to their God has not been forgotten. The committee is truly grateful to the Diocese of London for their assistance in researching our parish priests and providing photos. We thank Father Anthony LaForet, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, for providing a blessing for the first settlers and their descendents on this special occasion.

We are grateful to the Order of Alhambra Caravan, Algarva #168 for providing the facilities and services for the launch party on Sunday, July 22, 2018. This setting is so appropriate for this celebration as the former St. Damien School, as well as the hall where many family celebrations have taken place. We would like to thank the Thedford, Grand Bend Vegetable Growers’ Association for generously donating funds to purchase the refreshments for the Launch Party.

Through the support of our sponsors, David Atkinson, Kelders Family Klondyke Trailer Park, Relouw Family, and Paul and Anita Adrichem, we were able to subsidize the printing of the book. Should a profit be realized at the end of our project, the proceeds will be donated to the Order of Alhambra Caravan, Algarva #168 in memory of the first pioneers.

Finally, we would like to thank all those descendents of the first generation parents, who have continued to fulfill the dream and for being present today. Your support has been a constant source of encouragement to the Committee’s endeavours.

Sponsors of the Klondyke Marsh Project

The Klondyke Marsh Project Committee would like to thank the Creative County Grant Program for their generous support in assisting us to bring this historical document to fruition.

As immigrants to Canada, we would like to thank Tilly & Jerry Van Leeuwen for their guidance, love and support as we established ourselves in this business and community.

Paul and Anita Van Adrichem

A drea m does not become a reality through ma gic. It takes sweat, determination and hard work.

Colin Powell

I am proud to support the Klondyke Marsh Project in memory of my father-in-law, Gerard Backx and his brother-in-law, Case Stokkermans. Their success was due to self-belief and hard work in the Klondyke Marsh.

I am thrilled to see the continuation of the family, farming tradition through Gerard's son, Paul and grandson Gerald.

David Atkinson

The Relouw Family is pleased to support the Klondyke Marsh Project, in memory of their parents and grandparents, Mattieu and Elisabeth Relouw.

We are grateful that they made the decision to move the family to a country where we could begin a new life together. Mattieu and Elisabeth wholeheartedly, embraced Canada and never looked back. Through their work ethic, faith in God, and love of community, they showed their children and grandchildren that there are many ways to tend a garden.

The Relouw Family

From immigrating to Canada, to farming, to creating a spacious and peaceful setting for Klondyke Trailer Park, our parents, John and Dina, followed their dreams, made possible through hard work and determination.

We are pleased to support the Klondyke Marsh Project and the legacy it leaves.

The Kelders Family

How It All Began!

Prologue: How It All Started

At the end of World War II in 1945, Holland and Belgium were among the many European countries, devastated and left in disrepair by the German occupation of their homelands. A poor economy and a lack of farmland enticed many young people to leave their families behind, to venture to countries offering hope of a new life, such as Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada.

War ships which returned from India were hastily refurbished as passenger ships for voyages to America. Most immigrants crossed the Atlantic Ocean in nine days, enduring seasickness and loneliness. Husbands were often separated from their wives and children during the passage. They arrived at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia or at the port in Quebec City, Quebec. The immigrants were documented and from those entry points, they moved on, usually by rail, to meet their sponsors in other provinces.

Money was scarce following the war. European governments permitted little currency to leave their respective countries. Hence people sold their properties and purchased furniture and other goods to bring to their new homeland. The Vandenberk family actually moved their entire house to their new country! It was a difficult time, but the decision to leave was made easier for some when faced with the prospect of being enlisted in the army. Others knew they wanted to farm but there simply was not much land available in Europe. Sometimes couples were not able to marry until they could buy or rent a house. The demand for housing was high due to the destruction in most areas caused by wartime bombing and occupation by the Nazis.

Some young women immigrated to Canada in hopes of a better life and often to follow a boyfriend or other family members. Like the men, they were sponsored by families and worked in domestic jobs, factory jobs and as labourers on farms. Other immigrants were fortunate to be sponsored by siblings who had arrived in Canada years earlier and were already established.

Travel was exhausting, especially when there were young children involved, and often wives were pregnant. There were language barriers to overcome, and in some cases anxiety as immigrants waited for sponsors who did not always show up.

The immigrants persevered as they truly believed that this new country of Canada would provide them with opportunities they knew were not available to them back home. For those who heard about and answered the call to come to the Klondyke, there was optimism and determination that their future would be secure in this newly, adopted homeland. There would be no turning back.

Gerard VandenBussche:

A Man with a Plan

Gerard VandenBussche was a young man of 24 when he emigrated from his native country, Belgium to Canada. He landed in Quebec and from there travelled to Chatham. Gerard moved to the Delhi area where he worked on the tobacco farms. Over the next several years, he developed his farms in tobacco. in 1929, he married Seraphina Adam, whom he had met while working for her father, pulling tobacco plants. They would go on to raise seven children: Roger, Glenda, Gabriella, Palmira, Daniel, Ronald and John.

A businessman, as much as a farmer, Gerard continued to invest in land in the Delhi area and to grow tobacco. At the same time, he was helping family members who were emigrating from Belgium to Canada, and supporting projects in the community, that would benefit the Belgium-Canadians living in the area. Gerard was always willing to roll up his sleeves and make things happen, even donating money when necessary. He founded the Belgium Club in Delhi in 1948, and eventually would sit on the Flue-Cured Tobacco Board of Ontario.

In 1946, a friend of his, Joe Couckuyt, made Gerard aware of a tract of land south of Grand Bend that was a bog but the soil was fertile and would be ideal for growing vegetables, if cleared and properly drained. Gerard was aware that there would be more immigrants coming to Canada, following the end of the Second World War. He remembered what it was like for him as a new immigrant, in a new country with a different language and customs. Gerard had a plan to help these new Canadians fulfill their dreams of a new life in Canada.

He investigated the tract of land and decided to put in an offer to the Canada Company for twelve hunderd acres. He was successful and by 1947 owned the land. Over the next three years, the land had to be cleared and the bog drained. He had the Goosemarsh Drain dug to its proper depth so that the land could be adequately drained. Gerard purchased a fifteen thousand gallon per minute pump to do the work. As the drainage became successful, the land became more suitable for other types of crops. Farmers were able to broaden the varieties of vegetables being planted. By 1950, two hundred and fifty acres had been cleared, and of that, two hundred acres had been sold to the immigrants, who cleared the land for farming.

In the spring of 1949, Gerard moved his entire family to the Klondyke for a year and a half so that he could assist the farmers in setting up their farming operations. By 1949, many Belgium and Dutch families were immigrating to Canada and as word spread that land was available in Grand Bend for farming, they made their way to the bog land, south of Grand Bend.

VandenBussche sold the land to the farmers at cost and allowed them to use his equipment to clear land for planting. He also donated land to build a Catholic school for the children of the immigrants, and provided finances to get it started. The school was called St. Damien after the Belgium missionary priest, Father Damien de Veuster who lived among the lepers on the island of Molakai, Hawaii. Gerard also worked with the farmers to establish the Klondyke Gardens Co-operative, in 1955. It would aid in selling their produce and providing farmers with a place to buy their sprays, seeds and other farming needs.

By 1952, the VandenBussche family was back in Delhi and Gerard was working on his next project. In 1954, he established a new company, VandenBussche Irrigation. It would grow to become the largest irrigation company in Canada. Through this company, he continued his connection with the farmers on the

Klondyke Bog as they purchased his irrigation equipment to water their crops, when rain failed to come in the crucial summer months.

Gerard VandenBussche passed away in 1986 at the age of 84, secure in the knowledge that he had helped many immigrants during his lifetime, to start new lives in Canada. His plan to help others through the development of the Klondyke Marsh had not been a waste of money, as so many of his neighbours had thought when he had announced his plan in 1947. It was and is a great success story. Gerard’s final resting place and that of his wife, Seraphina, is in the Delhi Cemetery in Delhi, ON.

Dr. Gordon Hagmeier and The Evolution of Lake Smith

In 1826, the Canada Company purchased the barren, worthless sand dunes on the shores of Lake Huron. The sand dunes prevented the Ausable River from finding an easy outlet to the lake, hence flooding occurred annually, feeding three lakes: Burwell, George and Smith.

In an attempt to improve the land for farming, the Canada Company dug the Cut or canal between 1873 and 1875, through the sand dunes to Lake Huron. This allowed the river to flow to Port Franks, rather than to Grand Bend. The seasonal flooding was abated and Lake Burwell and Lake George were drained. Lake Smith, about one thousand acres in size, of which 314 acres was open water and 678 acres floating bog, did not have an outlet to Lake Huron and was not drained by the Cut.

The original Lake Smith and Lake Smith Lodge were purchased from Addison Outwater by Dr. Gordon Hagmeier of Waterloo in 1928. The hunting lodge was used by Dr. Hagmeir, as a private lodge to entertain his friends. In 1937, he and his brother bought the surrounding seventy-seven hundred acres of wetland from the Canada Company. In 1938, they cleared four hundred acres per week. Once the land was ready, a thousand acres of barley and a thousand acres of white, soya beans and peas were sown. One hundred thousand new trees were also planted. Original farm labourers were brought in from drought-stricken Saskatchewan. Mr. John Schuler, a German immigrant, was the first superintendent.

Dr. Gordon Hagmeier married Elva Moyer of Walter Falls. They had three children; Elizabeth (Betty), Jean and Anne. Jean spent most of her life on the Haig Farm while her sisters moved out of the area. Jean Haigmeier married H.W. (Bill) Schlegal after his return from World War II. They lived on the farm full-time with their children, Gordon and Susan. Bill attended the University of Guelph, where he studied modern farming techniques. In 1953, he was appointed superintendent of the Haig Farm. That year 3000 acres of barley, wheat, and soya beans, and 50 acres of potatoes and sugar beets, were cultivated. A herd of 100 registered Angus cattle also grazed the land. In 1955, New Venice Farms purchased 2500 acres from the Haig Farm for four hundred dollars an acre.

In 1955, the Hagmeier Ditch, just south of the Greenway Road, was dug to the Ausable River, draining Lake Smith and thereby creating very productive land for the growing of vegetables. The drained portion to the north was called the Goosemarsh. It was the deepest part of Lake Smith and provided the best land for market gardening. Some of the land was sold to Gerard VandenBussche who represented many Dutch and Belgian immigrants. This area was called the Klondyke Marsh in recognition of the Flemish origins of the first farmers. Dr. Hagmeier continued to break and improve his lands, selling off various parcels until the last sale of two thousand acres, in October, 1987, to a consortium for 6.75 million dollars.

Dr. Gordon Hagmeier passed away in 1988 at the age of 101. He was predeceased by his wife Elva in 1966. Bill Schlegal died in 1990. Jean sold the house and the remaining acreage to her son and daughter-in- law, Gordon and Susie Schlegal, who lived on the farm with their three children. They were employed with the Lambton County Public School Board. Jean passed away in 2016. The final resting place for the Dr. and Mrs. Hagmeier and Bill and Jean Schlegal is in Exeter. ON.

The area abutting Greenway Road, continues to be an annual spring, waterfowl migration site, as the land floods causing a temporary reappearance of Lake Smith. Thousands of tundra swans, Canada geese and ducks migrate here every March, attracting many tourists to the area.

By 1953, the Canada Company still owned one parcel of land, “the barren sand hills on the shores of Lake Huron.’’ This lakefront property of about 4200 acres of scrub trees was not wanted by anyone, probably because it had no value as farmland. However, private interests were trying to purchase the land, to subdivide the property for private cottages. The subsequent furor, by a circuitous route, forced the provincial government to establish the Pinery Provincial Park; its beaches and eco-system to be enjoyed by all!

Families of the Klondyke Marsh

Adams, Adrian and Anna

Adrian and Anna Adams farmed near Breda, Holland. Anna’s sister and her husband had immigrated to the Parkhill area about 1950. Correspondence with the Kennes family enticed Adrian and Anna to sell their property in Holland and move to Canada in 1954.

Taking their children, Cathy, who was eight and five-year-old Joe, the family boarded The Seven Seas in Rotterdam, bound for a new life across the Atlantic. From Quebec City, they took a train to London, Ontario, where the Kennes awaited their arrival. The Adams family stayed in the Parkhill area for a few years, renting a house from Jim Ross on Bornish Line. Adrian worked on farms nearby and in the Bog.

In 1956, the family moved to the Bog and built a cement block house next to the first Backx farm. Adrian bought 15 acres of land on Highway 21 that extended to the Goosemarsh Ditch. Head lettuce, celery and onions were grown on the land. The basement of the new house on that property was used to store the vegetables. Another six acres was acquired adjacent to this property and later approximately 15 more acres were purchased along Cold Storage Road.

Adrian bought 60 acres of land from Harold Prance, in the Thedford bog, in approximately 1965, and sold his Klondyke holdings. His son, Joe, soon took over the new farm, although he also worked at Ford in Talbotville. Cathy went on to run Ausable Produce with her husband, Stan Kwarciak.

Adrian passed away in 1985 and Anna died in 1999. Their final resting place is in Pinery Cemetery.

Backx, Gerard and Angelina

Gerard Backx and Angelina Janssen were married in their hometown, Alphen, in Nord Brabant, in 1949 and immigrated to Canada six weeks later. With a mere 120 dollars in their pockets and hopes for a better future, they flew to Montreal.

They were welcomed by Anna, Angelina’s sister, and her husband, Case Stokkermans, with whom they shared land and a home. Within a year, Gerard bought his first 19 acres of land by borrowing 4500 dollars from the Van Loocks, in Blenheim.

Life was busy in the white house as six children arrived within nine years; Michael, Marian, Jane, Frank, Peter and Nancy. With no indoor plumbing or hot water for five years, life was not always easy. On laundry days, buckets of dirty water were thrown out of the house, through the basement window, as there were no drains in the basement.

To get a head start on farming, Gerard built a greenhouse adjacent to the house where he planted celery seeds for transplant. Other crops grown were sugar beets, lettuce, onions and potatoes. Peter VanGorp and Martin Martens were among many of the hired hands who assisted on the farm. In the early years, if Angelina worked in the fields, the children were kept safe in celery crates, which doubled as play pens.

In 1958, with the help of Farm Credit, Gerard purchased 107 acres of wilderness for twenty-eight thousand dollars from Dr. Gordon Hagmeier. The land was cleared and farming commenced. With old, discarded wood from a condemned house in Mount Carmel, Gerard and Angelina built their second home, again with no indoor plumbing, on the site of the present farm, Pinery Farm.

Crops were abundant. Bushels of potatoes were brought into the house through the basement window and stored for the winter. Gerard built his first 100 foot barn in 1959, to accommodate increased yields and acreage. This barn still stands and bears the name Pinery Farms. Soon after, a larger family home was built in time to accommodate the addition of the last two family members, Paul and Teresa.

Farming flourished and Gerard bought more land and built more storages and life was good. The older children weeded and hoed the fields during the summer months. Harvesting, and grading of potatoes and onions, was shared with Peter Mennen, their neighbour and adjacent farmer.

Angelina always stressed higher education with her children as she felt life would be easier outside of farming. All eight children attended post-secondary institutions and were successful in professional and other careers.

In 1990, Gerard and Angelina built their retirement home in Huron Woods. Paul, the youngest son was taking over the duties of their farming operation. In 1993, Gerard passed away. Today, Paul and Lynda’s eldest son, Gerald, has joined them as a proud third generation farmer. At the age of 93, Angelina continues to reside in the Huron Woods house, where she is often visited by her eight children, 18 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Baltessen, William (Bill) and Bertha

William (Bill) Baltessen and Bertha Van Stiphout were married on November 28, 1950 in Holland. They immigrated to Canada in August, 1952 with their six-month old daughter, Antoinette, and Bertha pregnant with their second child, Angela. The family settled in Blenheim. Three more children were born: Mary, Betty and Hank.

Bill was never a farmer in the Grand Bend area but he built numerous structures and buildings in the Bog. His first was in 1956-57, when his boss sent him to Grand Bend to build the entrance to the Pinery Provincial Park, which still exists today.

Eventually, Bill decided that it made sense to move his family to the Grand Bend area. They first settled in a house north of Grand Bend. Their next move took them south of Grand Bend, when Bill constructed a new house on Highway 21, in 1958. The family continued to expand over the years with the addition of four more children: Lambert, John, Theresa and William Jr. Bill sold the house to Case and Anne Stokkermans and their five children, in 1966. He built a house just down the road from their former home for his expanded family.

Bill owned a construction business which consisted mostly of constructing septic systems. He had a backhoe and dump truck. As farmers in the area expanded their operations and needed more storage space, Bill saw the opportunity to expand his business too. Many of the cold storages along Highway 21 and on the Klondyke Road were built by Baltessen Construction.

He was also known for his ability to fix problems that farmers encountered and needed repaired. He was the farmer’s handyman. Bill found a way to create the bell tower that Father Morrissey wanted installed at the front of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in the early 1980s. He definitely had solutions for every problem that came his way.

Bertha not only raised their family but also worked in the fields for a number of the local farmers for seven years. She was an active member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Women’s League and enjoyed her life in the community.

Sadly, Bill passed away on May 18, 2004 and is buried in Pinery Cemetery. Bertha remained in the family home until 2015, when she sold the house and moved to the North Lambton Retirement Lodge in Forest, where she presently resides.

By 2017, William and Bertha had been blessed with 20 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

Collez, Marcel and Yvonne

Yvonne, Marcel and their daughter, Noella, arrived in Grand Bend in 1948, from Belgium. They purchased land from Gerard VandenBussche, who was the original owner of the Klondyke Marsh. The land was cleared using a breaker plow. A caterpillar was used to pull the planter for the celery crop. Half-tracks were required on the tractors so they would not sink into the marsh.

Their first house was a renovated storage shed. Marcel and Yvonne’s permanent house was built in 1948, on the curve of what became known as the Klondyke Road. Their second child, Jim, was born in 1950.

Marcel helped to dig the Goosemarsh Drain to Parkhill Creek in 1950. Pumps were used to drain Lake Smith, claiming it for farm land. In Belgium, Marcel had been a butcher by trade. He used these skills to slaughter and butcher livestock for his neighbours. They would pay Marcel by giving him some of their meat.

Marcel also owned a buzz saw. He put it to good use, cutting up logs, brought to him by neighbours, for firewood. This ensured they all had enough firewood to keep them warm, for the winter. During the summer and fall, Yvonne would sell and deliver their beets, carrots, celery, turnips and cabbage, to the stores and restaurants in Grand Bend.

When they retired, Marcel and Yvonne moved to Sarnia to be closer to Noella and her family. Marcel passed away on October 19, 2002 and is buried in Sarnia at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery. Yvonne is still enjoying good health at age 96. Jim was employed by Imperial Oil and stationed in various countries throughout his career. Upon his retirement, he returned to Grand Bend where he currently resides. The farm was sold to a Land Consortium when Marcel and Yvonne left the Klondyke. Today, the corner lot on the Klondyke Road is home to Grand Bend’s soccer field and a playground.

Creces, Richard and Yvonne

Richard and Yvonne Creces arrived in Canada from Belgium in 1953, with their seven children; Joseph, Alphonse, Eugene, Mary, Leo, Gustaaf and Lutgard. When they came to the Klondyke area, they moved onto a property owned by Father deNief. It is located where the Pinery Flea Market is now situated and the property immediately north.

The Creces family lived in the north house for a short period of time before being moved to the red, brick-sided house, which now houses the Pinery Flea Market. They cleared land and grew celery, lettuce, radishes and other garden crops the area was so well known for. These crops were delivered to the cold storage, Klondyke Gardens, where Joseph was eventually employed as a truck driver.

The older children attended, St. Damien´s Catholic School, which is now the Alhambra Hall. Richard and Yvonne would attend the school in the evenings for English lessons. The family lived, worked and worshipped in this area until April, 1956, when they moved to a farm north of Grand Bend, where their eighth child, John was born.

Richard and Yvonne retired from farm life in 1973, when they moved to Zurich.

Dalton, James (Jim) and Madeleine

Jim and Madeleine Dalton’s first business was located in Mount Carmel where they owned a country store, that included locker storage for meat. In the mid-1940s, change was coming. The introduction of the home freezer meant the end of the storage locker business; the shipping of milk would decimate the cream routes; and the opening of supermarkets had a negative impact on country stores such as theirs.

Jim started to look for other opportunities to support his growing family. In 1951, he purchased J. W. Holt’s grocery store in Grand Bend. Jim was politically active, and served as Reeve of Grand Bend for eight years, as well as being elected Warden of Lambton County in 1961.

He worked closely with the Diocese, in the construction of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, which was built in 1952 at a cost of 22,500.00 dollars. This meant that Sunday services no longer had to take place at the Lakeview Casino on the Grand Bend beach.

Before St. Damien’s Catholic School was established on Klondyke Road in 1952, 16 local children attended a small public school near the original Stokkermans’ property. Mr. VandenBussche donated the land for the new school. Trustees had to be Canadian citizens so Mrs. Pritchard, Mrs. Walker, and Jim Dalton as the clerk, formed the first board. Local farmers grew carrots to help pay for the building.

Madeleine was busy raising their family but found time to help organize the Catholic Women’s League at Immaculate Heart of Mary. It served as an opportunity for immigrant wives and English-speaking citizens to work together to help others. She served as the first president. Meetings were held the first Monday of each month at St. Damien School as there was no meeting room in the church.

Although not a farmer on the Bog, Jim was in many ways, the voice for the Bog immigrants. They tapped his political knowledge, to help them navigate political bureaucracy in the building of the church, school and any other areas his expertise was needed, to further the interests of the farmers.

James and Madeleine Dalton’s final resting place is Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery, Mount Carmel.

De Kort, Louis and Riet (Mary)

Louis emigrated from Nord Brabant in 1958. When he first arrived in Canada, he lived with his brother, Adrian. His first job was working for his brother-in-law, Frank Bertens, who was married to his sister. One year later his fiancée, Mary Vanden Bygaart joined him. They were married in 1959 at Sacred Heart Church in Delaware.

After their marriage, they rented a house beside Gerard Backx, on the Klondyke. Louis worked for him, while Mary attended to their two young children, Angela and Wilfred, who were born in 1960 and 1961, respectfully. The young family moved to Staffa in 1962, where Louis rented a beef farm to determine if this type of farming was to be his future. However, within a year, he was drawn back to the Klondyke area. He rented land from the Haig Farm, and rented a house from Martin Martens on the Klondyke Road. Gerard Backx was grateful for his return and Louis and Gerard had a wonderful 12 year working relationship until 1975. Gerard supplied the machinery and storage for the crops and in return Louis worked during the winter months grading potatoes and onions for him. In 1963, the De Kort family expanded with the birth of Eileen. She was followed closely, the following year, by the youngest member of the family, Jeffrey.

In 1975, Louis and his family left the Klondyke to fulfil his life-long dream of owning his own farm. Louis purchased a 125 acre hog farm near Dashwood which he farmed for about 20 years. During this time, Eileen and Jeffrey attended Arc Industries and were also involved in some of the special activities and events offered by the Alhambra. Mary and Louis retired to Exeter in 1995.

Angela married and moved to a farm in the Thamesford area. Wilfred is married and continues to work in the Klondyke area. In 1995 Eileen and Jeffrey moved into a group home in Seaforth as their care was becoming too difficult for Louis and Mary to manage in their home.

Mary passed away in 2010, and Louis in 2013. They are buried in Exeter with their two younger children, Jeffrey, who passed in 2004 and Eileen in 2010.

Goovaerts, Francis and Marie

Before emigrating from Berlaar, Belgium, Francis was a florist. On March 17, 1950, Francis, his wife, Marie, and their three children, thirteen-year-old, Elsa, Alphonse, twelve and Louis age ten, left Belgium, aboard the SS Beaverbrae, bound for Canada. As so many immigrants at the time, they landed at Pier 21, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on March 28, 1950. From there the family travelled to Norwich, Ontario. They were met by Father DeNief and were encouraged to move to the Grand Bend area, which they did.

Francis was able to purchase a fifty acre piece of bog on what is now called the Klondyke Road, across from the current Alhambra Hall. The original farm house is still there. The Goovaerts were ready to start growing vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and celery. The rich muck soil was ideal for these crops. Unfortunately, today the same farm has lost most of its rich soil due to erosion, leaving a sandy, relatively dry field. Irrigation is necessary now to produce early potatoes. Part of their property was never cleared and remains as bush.

The children attended the public school on Klondyke Road until St. Damien’s School was erected, directly across the road from their homestead. Marie took on the role of custodian at the school. As in so many immigrant families, Elsa went to London to work at St. Joseph’s Hospital while Alphonse and Louis worked on the family farm. Eventually, Louis moved to the London area. Alphonse would later work for area farmers as his mother, Marie sold the fifty areas of arable land to Martin Kelders in 1973 for fifteen point five thousand dollars. Kelders would eventually sell the land to a German company.

Francis and Marie are buried in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery, Mount Carmel. Elsa, who was married to Keith Ruston, is also deceased and buried in Mount Carmel. Alphonse lived out his life on the Klondyke Road. When he passed, he was cremated and his ashes are with his daughters, Tracey and Kelly, in London. Louis has a son and a daughter and resides in London, Ontario.

Kelders, John and Huberdina (Dina)

John Kelders left his job as a caterpillar operator in the Polder, the Netherlands in 1949, at the age of 28, to immigrate to Canada. He started his new life, working for a farmer in the Blenheim area. Huberdina (Dina) Hesen came to Canada in 1950. She lived and worked for a lady in Blenheim.

On March 28, 1951 John and Dina married. They moved to Grand Bend in April 1951. John and Dina had four children: Martin, Mary Ella, Bernie and Joe.

In 1952, John and his brother Theo bought a 50 acre farm from Gerard VandenBussche. They farmed together until 1969. It was becoming evident, that in order to survive in farming, there was a need to increase the size of the operations. John saw another opportunity. He sold his farm to his brother, Theo and set out to begin a new business.

In 1969 John and Dina bought 25 acres of bush property on Highway 21 just south of their home. While raising turkeys for Cuddy Farms and working for General Coach Trailer in Hensall, John cleared the bush property to develop Klondyke Goldrush Campgrounds.

The campgrounds opened in 1972 with 65 camping sites. Along with their three sons, they gradually expanded the park to 450 sites. John and Dina retired in 1994. Their sons, Martin, Bernie and Joe purchased the park and continue to operate it today.

John was a long-time member of the Alhambra. Dina was a member of the Catholic Women´s League and she sang in the Church choir.

Dina passed away December 28, 2005 at the age of 81. John passed away August 12, 2015 at the age of 93. They are interred at Pinery Cemetery, Grand Bend.

Kelders, Theo and Adriana

Theo Kelders met his future bride Adriana Grootjen in Kampen, The Netherlands, at a soccer game. They were engaged on August 15, 1942. Their engagement lasted seven years. They wanted to set a wedding date at the end of World War II but housing was in short supply and they were put on a housing wait list. Theo and Adriana wed four years later on May 3rd, 1949 in Kampen. Unable to procure a house, Theo decided they would immigrate to Canada.

Theo had two sisters, living in southwestern Ontario, who offered to sponsor the young couple. On July 23rd they boarded the Tabinta in Rotterdam sailing to Canada, where they landed in Quebec on August 2nd and from there traveled by train to Chatham. They spent several months in Blenheim, ON working in the tobacco fields. In the fall of 1949, Mr. VandenBussche came calling. He had heard that Theo had been a heavy equipment operator in the north of Holland, reclaiming land. Gerard VandenBussche needed help to clear a marsh he had purchased near Grand Bend and wanted to know if Theo was interested in a job. In October 1949, Theo and Adriana traveled to Grand Bend to see if there was a future for them in the area.

After the land was cleared, Theo and his brother, John, bought a tract of land from Mr. VandenBussche that included two houses. They became cash crop farmers and worked together for many years. Theo and Adriana originally lived in the smaller of the two houses but as their family grew and the need for space increased, they moved to the larger house. Theo and Adriana were blessed with ten children: Mia, Martin, Theo, John, Nelly, Jane, Rosemary, Andre, Mary Ann and Francis (Sam). The children worked on the family farm as they grew up and the work ethic instilled in them by their parents, followed them into their careers.

Theo was one of the biggest producers of head lettuce on the Klondyke. It was not uncommon to see the family in the field at 6 o’clock in the morning harvesting the fragile, labour intensive crop. By 1978, he was selling head lettuce, romaine lettuce and early potatoes directly to restaurants, local grocery stores and wholesale operators. Kelders’ Farms was the prelude to a much larger independent operation, Klondyke Farms in the late 1970s.

Throughout their lives, Theo and Adriana were committed to their faith, family and their community. Theo helped with the building of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Grand Bend in the early 1950s and served on the school board that worked to build a Catholic school on the Klondyke. He was also a member of the delegation who petitioned the government in order to create Klondyke Gardens Co-op in the early 1950s. Adriana was a life-long member of the CWL. She loved to bake for the annual bake sales as well as contributing early potatoes, lettuce and beans. In her garden, she always grew gladiolas and looked forward to contributing bouquets to decorate the church altar each August. As a mother of ten, she looked forward to her social time at the monthly CWL meetings, catching up with friends and hearing the local gossip!

Theo and Adriana lived on the farm until 2006. With Adriana’s declining health, they made the decision to move to North Lambton Lodge in Forest where they lived until Theo passed away in April 2008 and Adriana in November 2010. Their final resting place is Pinery Cemetery on Klondyke Road. Today, Andy and Sandy own the home farm acreage.

Kester, Adrian (Ad) and Mary (Riet)

Ad and Riet were married on May 22, 1954 in Delft, Holland. Three days later, they emigrated. The Holland America ship, Zuikerkrars, took them across the Atlantic Ocean to Quebec City, landing there on Friday, June 4, 1954. Ad and Riet saw Canada as an opportunity to build a new life together and to raise their family. Their immigration was made possible by their sponsors, Peter and Mary Mennen.

The next leg of their journey was by train, travelling first to Toronto and then on to London. At the train station, they were met by Peter Mennen, and Martin and Leny Martens. The journey was complete upon their arrival in Grand Bend, on Saturday, June 5, 1954. Ad and Riet were greeted by Marinus and Mary (Me) Vlemmix, who acted as their hosts for the next two days. For Riet, Me became her surrogate mother as she looked to the older woman for advice as a young wife and mother, so far away from her own. The bond established in those early days were to remain for a lifetime.

Peter Mennen moved them into a house he had for workers, the following Monday, and for the next two summers Ad and Riet worked as farm labourers on the Mennen farm in the Bog. There was no work for them on the farm during their first winter in Canada, so the Kesters went to work on a dairy farm in Paris, Ontario. The second winter, they worked for a farmer in Mount Carmel.

Ad and Riet were able to rent a small house, next to what is today, the Alhambra Hall, in the summer of 1956. They started to grow some vegetables themselves and in 1958 moved again. This time the family rented the property where the Pinery Flea Market is today. It had a house, shed and ten acres of muck. There they farmed and raised their family, which now included seven children: Tilly, Arnold, Jenny (passed in 2015), Joe, Tony, John and Dorothy. In 1964, Ad was able to purchase a hundred acre farm on Blackbush Line, southwest of Dashwood, giving the Kester family a permanent home.

For a number of years they operated it as a dairy farm. The family continued to expand with the arrivals of Andy, Leo, Tom, Gerald and Jim. With a total of twelve children, life was busy in the Kester household. All the children have had successful farming, construction, Information Technology, and professional careers.

The Kester children have spread out across the province, from Windsor to Ottawa. They have blessed their parents with 16 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Ad passed away on February 19, 2005. His final resting place is in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery in Mt. Carmel. Reit, who celebrates her 90th birthday in 2018, still lives on the family farm. Today, the farm remains in the Kester family, as Arnold owns and operates it as a grain farm.

Maas, Harry and Catherine

After the war, it was difficult to find housing and jobs so many Dutch people left Holland. Harry and Catherine Maas immigrated to Canada in June 1951 with two small daughters, Henrietta three, and Johanna (Ann) age two. They arrived in Quebec City and traveled by train to New Brunswick. In September, their third daughter, Henrica (Ria) was born in Fredericton. They stayed in New Brunswick for a year because Harry was sponsored by a farmer there and had to work for him for a year.

When their sponsorship period ended, the family moved to Ontario as they had relatives near Thedford. They settled outside of Thedford, where Harry worked for Willsie’s Farm Equipment for several years. The next move was to a small house located behind what is now the Lambton County Museum on Highway 21. In 1954, Harry and Catherine moved the family to the property in the Klondyke area which was comprised of about ten acres of land.

Over the years, Harry farmed this property in addition to working for Klondyke Gardens Co-op, in Grand Bend. Catherine would sometimes work for Gerard Backx, weeding in the fields in the summer and grading onions and potatoes in the storages in the winter. In January, 1955, Harry and Catherine’s first son, Henry was born. Their second son and last child, Frank was born in 1961. They demolished their small house in 1964, to make way for a new, bigger house. They lived in this house until 1976, at which time they sold the property to Rus-ton Trailer Camp and moved to Exeter.

Harry enjoyed music, playing the tuba, trombone and trumpet. For many years, he was a member of in a local band. Later, he was occasionally joined by his eldest son, Henry, who played the trumpet as well. The band played at local events at the Taxandria Hall in Arkona, at Octoberfest, and Friesburg Days in Dashwood.

Harry worked for Andex in Exeter for a number of years prior to his retirement at age 65. Their family thrived. Henrietta is married with one child and currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio. Ann is married, has two children and resides in Grand Bend. Ria resides in Penticton, B.C. with her husband and three stepchildren. Henry is married, has four children and lives in Sarnia. Frank lives in Exeter with his wife and two children.

In 1990, Harry suffered a massive stroke. He passed away in 2003. Catherine continues to live in her home in Exeter.

Martens, Martin and Magdalena (Leny)

Martin Martens was the first of his family from Brouwhuis, Holland to immigrate to Canada. Martin went to a church meeting in Brouwhuis, where the opportunities available in New Zealand and Canada were discussed. Because it was cheaper, Martin decided to go to Canada. He was sponsored by a farmer in Arnprior near Ottawa. In the spring of 1951, Martin left Holland with ninety dollars in his pocket, in search of new adventure and opportunity.

On the ship, he met the Houvenaarts family who were headed for southern Ontario where other Dutch families had already settled. The Houvenaarts family had an extra ticket so, when they arrived in Halifax, Martin decided to take the train with them and headed to London, Ontario. Father Hendrickx, the brother of Mrs. Houvenaarts took Martin to the farm of Gerard Backx, where he worked as a hired hand for several years.

During the spring, summer and fall, Martin and other Dutch immigrants, including Jerry Van Leeuwen, worked for Gerard. He really appreciated Martin’s efforts, determination and spirit, and did not want to lose Martin to the tobacco farmers, who were paying higher wages. So Gerard paid Martin accordingly and ensured him of winter employment. During the winter months, Martin, Gerard Backx, Case Stokkermans and his hired hand, would work at McDonald’s farm in Thedford, cutting wood.

Jerry Van Leeuwen had told Martin about his girlfriend’s sister, Leny, who lived in Delft, The Netherlands. Jerry encouraged Martin to write to her. So Martin wrote to Leny for some time before finally meeting her. In March, 1953, Martin returned to Holland, to attend his sister, Sien’s wedding and to meet Magdalena Kester known as Leny.

Tom Smits and Sien Martens were married on March 3rd and left for Canada with Martin on March 10, 1953. Martin had made arrangements with Mr. deClerk to meet Tom and Sien and as a result Tom and Sien also had a sponsor to come to Canada. Martin’s brother, Tony, who was still in training in the army, immigrated a few months later.

In 1954, Leny Kester, Marius Martens and Martha Welten came by boat to Canada. Martha stayed with Angelina and Gerald Backx, while Leny lived with Case and Anne Stokkermans for a month, before their double wedding on May 1st, 1954. As married couples, they lived together for one year, in Mr. Van Dongen’s house on the corner of the Klondyke Road, across from Marcel Collez.

Martin bought 25 acres of rich black soil beside deClerk’s farm, later to be owned by Tom and Sien Smits. This land was part of the reclaimed Lake Smith and was bought for approximately two hundred dollars per acre. Martin and Frank Van Dooren built a home on this property where Martin grew lettuce, carrots, onions and celery. Martin was called the lettuce king one year as he was often the first to get his lettuce into the Klondyke Co-op. Martin, like many of the immigrant farmers, was able to supplement his family`s income in the winter, by working in the Pinery Provincial Park, building roads.

Martin and Leny raised six children at their Klondyke home: Henry (Feb. 1955), Mathilda (Sept. 1956), Tina (March, 1958), Marj (Sept. 1959), Jeff (Aug. 1961) and Tim (July 1963). Henry and Mathilda attended St. Damien School. In the spring of 1964, Martin and Leny bought a 125 acre farm from Bill Bierling and moved a few miles north of highway 83, on Highway 21. The last two children, Andrew (April, 1965) and Liz (Aug. 1967) were born after this move. All the children completed their elementary education at Ecole Ste. Marie, north of St. Joseph.

Leny passed away suddenly in 1970. Martin, later married Annastasia Denonmme-Hoffman. Annastasia passed in 2015. Martin passed away at the age of 89 on July 10, 2016 and is interred in St. Peter’s Cemetery in St. Joseph. The Klondyke was an integral part of Martin and Leny’s lives. The people of the Klondyke grew to be a wonderful community that supported and cared for each other. This area holds many rich memories and many strong friendships for the Martens family.

Mennen, Peter and Mary

Peter Mennen, the youngest male in a family of eight children, wanted to have a career as a farmer. Holland had been left in ruins after WW II and land was neither available nor affordable. February, 1951, shortly after marrying Maria (Mary) Vlemmix, Peter and his bride boarded the Volendam, a warship that had returned from India, for a nine-day trip to Canada. Everyone had to work on the ship and Mary, who was seasick herself, was left to care for the unwell women and children on board. From Pier 21 in Halifax they travelled by train to Sarnia where their sponsor, Case Stokkermans, picked them up.

In August of the same year, while living with the Stokkermans, Mary’s youngest brother, Tom, immigrated in order to avoid inscription into the Dutch army. Their first daughter, Antoinette, was born in November. During this year Mary often looked after the Stokkermans’ three children and did housework while Peter worked on the vegetable farm.

The next year they rented land from Mr. deClerk, a nearby landowner, and worked cooperatively with him. That year Mary’s family immigrated from Holland: Marinus and Maria Vlemmix and Mary’s three youngest sisters, Toni, Coby, and Jean. It was a busy time trying to find suitable accommodation for the many immigrants in 1952.

Celery, lettuce, carrots, and other vegetables required a great deal of manual labour. The Klondyke Coop was started in 1953. In 1955, Peter bought approximately 120 acres of virgin bog from Dr. Hagmeier. Gerard Backx, Bill and Joe Vandenberk, and Case Stokkermans, each bought similar strips of land soon after. They also each bought 10-20 acre parcels of land that connected the bog property with Highway 21, where they built new homes.

Land was cleared using huge ploughs and caterpillars. Vegetables such as onions, potatoes, and carrots were soon growing, with the help of new machinery. The products were storable if markets were not immediately available, so basements or large storages were also constructed.

Peter and Mary had eight children who learned to weed fields, drive tractors, grade onions and potatoes, and other jobs as they contributed to the operation of the farm. Antoinette (Stan) Pachlarz spent her career teaching at St. John Fisher School in Forest. Mary (Peter) Thayer worked at Imperial Oil in Sarnia and retired in Forest. Tony (June) Mennen farmed the original Vlemmix farm, as well as the Mennen farm, until semi-retirement. Johnny Mennen died of a heart condition at age 16 months, Dec 23, 1957. John (Carlene) Mennen worked in London before moving to Port Franks where he is still employed at SandHills Golf Course. Donna (Chuck) Haueter moved to Alliston where she is an Early Childhood Education teacher. Bill (Sherry) Mennen spent his engineering career in Guelph. Rob Mennen worked in management at Waste Management and later Bluewater Recycling . Sixteen grandchildren helped to keep everyone engaged in family events.

Peter died in 1978 at age 52 and Mary in 2001 at 76. They and Johnny are interred in Pinery Cemetery. The land was sold to Paul Backx, a good family friend, who farmed next door. The home farm buildings are still owned by Tony and June. The Mennen family continues to gather often and are appreciative of a strong family connection which often includes the aunts and uncles in the area.

Mommersteeg, Martin and Antonia

Martin and Antonia Mommersteeg emigrated from The Netherlands to Canada, in 1952 with their eleven children. When they arrived in Montreal something happened and the family went by train to Alberta, and ended up close to Lethbridge. They worked for a farmer in the area and their house was like a chicken coop. The Mommersteeg family stayed in Alberta for four years.

To avoid going to school, Luke would hide behind a tree, so in the fall of 1956, Martin took Luke on a trip to Ontario. They visited the Vandenberk family, whom they had known in Holland. They learned of land available for purchase in the area, so they could start farming on their own. Martin returned to Alberta to inform the family of this development. Luke stayed behind, worked on the Bog, and boarded with the Pullens family.

The following year, the family travelled to the Grand Bend area. Eddy took all the girls; Antonia, Annie, Cobie, Joann, Bertha, Tina and Toni, in the car. Mike drove the truck, loaded with their belongings, Martin Sr.and Martin Jr. Fred, who was now married, stayed in Alberta. They rented a house on the Mollard Line, outside of Grand Bend, so the children could make the long trek to the Grand Bend public school.

The Mommersteeg family bought land in 1957 and built their house on the Klondyke Road next to the Vlemmix farm. Martin and Antonia moved in with ten of their children, Toni being the youngest at age five. Everyone worked and helped on the farm, to clear the land, plant seeds, weed, harvest and package vegetables. Eventually the girls left home to work at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London. Cobie, Joann and Toni were able to attend school and became nurses. The girls were expected to give their salaries to their parents to supplement the household costs as was the custom with the immigrant families.

Hardworking people, Martin and Antonia had limited expectations, but they did have one goal in mind: to help their sons to start farming. That was very important to them.

Fred and Rita, and Martin and Nelly, farmed on independent acreages north of St. Joseph on Highway 21. Mike, who married Corrie worked in construction and trucking for Lorne Becker in Dashwood. He passed away at age 46. Luke married Jean Vlemmix in 1959 and built a house at the corner of Klondyke Road and Cold Storage Road. They farmed forty acres initially, then bought thirty acres from Carl Rood and later, another twenty acres from Gerard VandenBussche. Their main crops were potatoes, onions, carrots, lettuce, and some early turnips. They also raised horses and cattle for 18 years. Luke worked with Eddy, who took over the family farm, when he married Mary Koolen in 1966. Eddy sold the 75 acre family farm to Bill Vandenberk in 1986. He built a house on Highway 21 where he and Mary reside today. Luke and Jean won a new home, in the Merrywood subdivision in Grand Bend, in 1996. They moved from the farm in 1997. In 2001 they grew their last crop. The farm was sold to Albert and Judith Jansen in 2005. Luke held a final farm auction in 2008. For them, retirement meant winters in Haines City, Florida, golf, cards and time for grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Martin Sr. passed away on February 6, 1974. Antonia continued to live in a smaller house beside the family home, until she moved to North Lambton Lodge in Forest. She passed away on November 7, 1994. Martin and Antonia’s final resting place is in Beechwood Cemetery in Forest.

Relouw, Mathieu and Elisabeth

Mathieu Relouw and Elisabeth Huys were married on October 23, 1934 in Baarlo, Holland. They had seven children; Ted, Tony, Nellie, Angie, Chris, John and Jerry. Soon after World War II ended the Relouw family started thinking about immigrating. They considered three options; Canada, Brazil and Australia. Canada became their first choice. In the summer of 1950, they were informed that a person in Pickering, Ontario had offered to sponsor them. The entire family boarded a KLM airplane bound for Toronto, Canada. As happened so often with immigration at that time, their sponsor never showed up. After sitting at the Toronto train station for two days and not knowing the English language, it was difficult to know what to do. Finally, they were able to make contact with a family in Blenheim and were able to stay with them until a house was found to rent.

From there they moved to Jeannettes Creek and then on to the Chatham area for two years. While visiting with friends, they met John Kelders and he suggested Grand Bend was the place to be. There, they could buy some land and grow vegetables which very much appealed to Mathieu. They moved again in 1956 and found a house to rent from Joe Van Dongen. Mathieu and Elisabeth bought 60 acres of low lying land from Dr. Hagmeier, which was not yet workable because it had not been drained. While waiting for this to happen, Elisabeth, Ted, Tony, Nellie and Angie continued to work in the tobacco factory in Chatham during the winter. Meanwhile, Mathieu stayed home and was in charge of the three younger boys Chris, John and Jerry.

The first three years were difficult for the family. The land they had purchased had to be cleared and drained, so they rented 20 acres from Peter Mennen and grew onions, potatoes, carrots and radishes. The first fall there was so much rain, and the ground was so wet, the tractor was useless in the field, so the potatoes had to be dug by hand.

In 1958, their first home was built on Highway 21, which was Tony´s first building project. With assistance from Bill Baltessen, he was able to complete the build, a four bedroom house. Because of financial necessity, some family members worked at other employment during the winter months. In the fall, the onions were stored in the basement of the house in hopes of higher prices in the spring. After years of growing vegetables, continuing to clear land, and the lack of interest by the boys to farm, it was decided to let the land go back to Dr. Hagmeier. For several years afterwards, Mathieu worked at Klondyke Co-op during the winter months and Elisabeth graded onions and potatoes for Case Stokkermans and the Vandenberk brothers.

Mathieu and Elisabeth were never sorry they moved to Canada and Grand Bend in particular. They had made many great friends through neighbours, church and weekly card games. The Relouws were involved in the local Catholic church, Immaculate Heart of Mary, and seldom missed a Sunday mass. Mathieu and Elisabeth continued to live in the house Tony built and spent a good deal of their time tending their flowers, visiting friends and playing cards. In 1985 they sold their house and moved into the seniors apartments in Grand Bend. Mathieu passed away in November 1985 and Elisabeth in December 2002. They were laid to rest in Pinery Cemetery, Grand Bend.

Rood, Cornelius and Dora

Cor (Carl) Rood attended agricultural college at Groetebroek, Netherlands from 1945 to 1949. Upon graduation he immigrated to Canada in the summer of 1949. Over the next four years, Cor worked various jobs on tobacco farms and in construction. The winter of 1950-51 he worked for Hay Plywood and the winter of 1951-52, he worked for the Oxford Fruit Co-op, both in Woodstock, ON. In the spring of 1952 Cor travelled to Grand Bend and worked for Case Pullens.

Meanwhile, in the spring of 1952, Dora Grootjen travelled to Canada with Joe and Jane Van Dongen, to visit and help her sister Adriana Kelders. Cor and Dora met, and after a whirlwind courtship married on Nov. 22, 1952.

Throughout 1953 Cor worked with his brother-in-law Jan Boon, and bought his first 30 acre farm on what is now Cold Storage Road. Cor and Dora had three sons: Gerard born in March 1954, Theo in May 1955, and Paul in June 1956. Around this time Cor purchased 72 more acres from Dr. Hagmeier, just northeast of Greenway Road.

Daughter Diana was born in May 1960. In 1963 Cor and Dora built the red barn/house on Highway 21 where they lived with their family for almost 20 years. Cor and Dora retired from farming in 1979. In 1981, they moved into their dream home which they built a half mile north of their original home.

Dora passed away suddenly, on January 11, 2002. Cor married Joan Monk in 2003. Cor sold the house on Highway 21 and they moved to Strathroy where they lived until Cor’s passing on April 29, 2010. Joan eventually moved to London, ON, where she still resides. Cor and Dora are interred in Pinery Cemetery.

Smeekens, Jack and Wilma

Jack Smeekens and Wilma Van Riel were married in Holland in 1952. On March 21 of that same year, they arrived in Canada, via airplane. Their dream was to start farming.

In 1954, Jack and his brother Case bought a new Super-C tractor and worked the land on Case’s farm in Thedford. Later in 1956, Jack bought land in the Klondyke Bog, which he cleared to build a house and for growing crops. The Smeekens grew sugar beets and dutch sets in Thedford, and later in the Bog, they grew celery, carrots, onions, turnips, lettuce, and potatoes.

Jack and Wilma started to build their house in 1958 and gradually finished it as money became available. Then they built their storages, putting up the first barn in 1962, adding a second in 1968, and a third in 1973. In the years prior to the building of the storages, they stored onions in the basement of the house.

The children, Jane, Frank, Lia, Pete, Elly and Jim, worked on the land, weeding and picking the crops. Pete was very interested in farming and always worked side by side with Jack. In 1980 Pete bought his own farm. Frank returned to the farm in 1981, to work with Jack. Later Pete and Frank farmed together growing the same crops as their father had, but adding peppers.

It was a devastating year in 1986, when all the crops were lost in September due to heavy rains. Frank ventured off the farm but Pete continued farming. Jack built a new house next door, in 1984, to stay close to the farm and slowly retired but helped out as needed. Pete and his wife, Nell moved to the home farm, had four children and slowly took over the operation of the family farm. Pete continued growing head and romaine lettuce, celery, onions, potatoes, and carrots.

Jack and Wilma moved to Forest in 1995. Pete and Nell sold the land In 2002 to Ausable Produce and held an auction for their farm implements. They continue to live on the family farm. Wilma passed away suddenly in 2009 and Jack in August 2017. They are interred in Beechwood Cemetery in Forest.

Smits, Tom and Sien

Tom and Sien Smits were married March 3, 1953 in Holland and a week later boarded the Volendam ship for a ten day journey to Halifax. From there, they travelled by train to London, ON where Gerard Backx met them.

Sien’s brother, Martin Martens, was already working in the Grand Bend area. He told them of work available on the farm of Louis deClerk in the Klondyke Bog. They rented one of the tenant houses on deClerk`s farm and worked for him from March until November, 1953.

For the next five years, the family moved around southwestern Ontario, wherever work would take them. Most years were spent working on Grand Bend area vegetable farms from April until December and then in the winter to dairy farms in the Thamesford and Listowel area.

In 1958, Tom and Sien again moved back to a tenant house on the rented deClerk farm, with two sons, John and Harry. In 1965, they were able to purchase this farm and buildings were added as were necessary. The family grew and three more children were born; Peter, Margaret and Joanne.

In 1979, Tom and Sien’s oldest son, John and his wife Rita bought the farm. Tom and Sien built a house in Dalton Subdivision but continued to work on the vegetable farm. They also ran the newly-built, finishing pig barn on the property, for many more years.

In 2014, Tom and Sien moved to the Grandview Apartments in Grand Bend. John and Rita continued to farm the land on the Klondyke Road. Their main crops were potatoes and onions but at the beginning of their farming life, lettuce was also grown. As the farming industry changed and more farmers retired or left the land, John and Rita purchased and rented more land, as well as adding to their storage facilities.

John was very active in the Grand Bend Vegetable Growers’ Association and for several years was the president. In 2014, John and Rita built a house in Huron Woods, on the outskirts of Grand Bend and slowly transitioned from a life of farming to retirement. Since neither of their children, Michelle nor Mark, was interested in continuing the family farming operation, the properties were sold to neighbouring farmers, including Stephen Vandenberk.

Stokkermans, Case and Anna

Case and Anna Stokkermans arrived in Halifax in May 1948 and everything looked bleak and wintery. Seeing the stark landscape on the train journey to Chatham, they must have wondered whether they had been foolhardy to take so large a step from the security of home in Holland. In Chatham, they stayed with the VanLoock family, who showed them the property on the Klondyke. The Stokkermans worked the land for them.

Until their house was built, Case and Anna stayed at the Colonial Hotel in Grand Bend. One day, as the house was nearing completion, the family belongings arrived from Holland and were stored in the nearly completed house. The next day there was a truck backed up to the house, apparently intending to steal the Stokkermans` belongings. Case and Anna chased the truck for a good distance but were unable to catch the intruders. From that day on Case slept in the house to protect his property.

A year after their arrival, Case and Anna were able to buy the property from the VanLoock’s, and Anna’s sister Angelina and her new husband, Gerard Backx, emigrated from Holland, sharing the land and house with them for a year. That year was a great one for carrot prices and they had an abundant crop. By this time, Corry had arrived and Mary was on the way. There was a bog behind the house that was full of huge mosquitoes, and the family had to run very quickly from the fields to avoid being eaten alive. Marcel Collez butchered an old workhorse for them and they smoked it in a culvert. Peter Van Gorp, a hired farm-hand, joked that the horse was hanging in the barn with the harness still on, and whenever some meat was needed, they would just go to the barn and carve off a piece!

Within a year Gerard and Angelina Backx purchased their own property and moved on, to start their own farm. This made more room in the house which was just as well since Corry and Mary were followed by thirteen-pound Martin and then Frank. In the early days, they grew carrots, corn, celery, lettuce and later turnips, onions and potatoes. In 1956 Case bought 120 acres of wilderness from Dr. Hagmeier, which was cleared with breaking ploughs. That year Case and Anna were also blessed with the birth of twins, John and Jerry. Tragically, Jerry died in 1960 at the age of four and a half.

Over the years the farm and business flourished. Anna and Case moved from a cub tractor, a galvanised bathtub, rabbit for dinner and a wood stove to all the equipment and buildings needed to run a modern farm and a beautiful home. The farm was sold to Martin and Frank in 1977, who farmed for another 29 years. The farm has now been sold to Ausable Farms. Anna passed away in 2007 and Case in 2011. Their final resting place is in Pinery Cemetery. Case and Anna are survived by their five children, 16 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.

van Dijk-Wiendels, Case and Nelly and Ben

Nelly Verschueren was born in Baarle Nassau, and Case van Dijk in Alphen, The Netherlands. They were engaged in Holland and decided to come to Canada because they wanted to farm. They knew that they could only afford two, one-way tickets, or one return ticket, so in April, 1952, Case immigrated to Canada. He arrived in Grand Bend, where he was sponsored by Gerard Backx, who was a neighbour in Alphen.

Nelly arrived in May, 1953. When she left Holland, the tulips were blooming. When she arrived in Montreal there was snow on the ground and a few weeks after arriving in Grand Bend there was a tornado in Thedford. She was ready to turn around and go home, but she stayed.

They were married at Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission in May, 1953. They worked for Marcel Collez who gave them, their own small house, which was part of the barn. The first year they worked at the Collez farm, where the potatoes were planted and harvested manually. Eventually they bought tractors and other equipment to become more efficient. Everyone helped their neighbours and shared any equipment they had.

Joe Couckuyt had the only television in the neighbourhood. On Saturday evenings, everyone would go to his house, watch TV, and buy drinks and snacks from Joe. All the young people came here because it was the only entertainment available for them. Occasionally, they would crowd into a couple of pickup trucks and drive to Strathroy, where the Dutch community would organize dances in an old school house, Craty Hall.

Case and Nelly worked very hard and were able to buy their own 50 acre farm from Dr. Hagmeier in 1954. They had the first farm on that section of the Klondyke Road and the fields were still swampy and wet. A few acres were already drained and they dug ditches by hand, to drain the rest. Marcel Collez helped them build a small house out of cement blocks and a small tarpaper barn. The house was so cold in the winter that they could barely heat it with the wood stove.

Before they had a storage barn, they would dig a large hole in the ground and line it with straw. Any potatoes that did not sell following the harvest, were put in the hole and covered with more straw and sand for the winter. The onions were put in bags, air dried, and had to be sold before winter.

During the winter months, Case trimmed turnips in Mt. Carmel and in the late 1950s, when the Pinery Provincial Park was being developed, he worked there, clearing trees for roadways and planting pine trees.

By 1961 their little house was very crowded with only a small kitchen, a living room/dining room and two small bedrooms, shared between themselves, four children and two hired hands. They decided to build a larger brick house and a storage barn. By this time they had five children, Will (1954), Ed (1956), Anne (1958), Francine (1960) and John (1963).

In 1963, Case died tragically. Nelly was left to look after the farm and children. Hired hands did the field work for her and that is how she came to know Ben Wiendels. Ben immigrated to Canada from Zeddam in Gelderland, in approximately 1959. His sponsor was Jerry van Leeuwen. Ben and Nelly were married in 1966. Ben adopted the children and worked the farm with Nelly. Ben passed away on August 30, 1992 and is interred in Pinery Cemetery. Nelly sold the farm to her youngest son, John and moved to Forest, where she still resides.

Van Dongen, Joe and Adrianna

Joe and Adrianna (Jane Vermeulen) Van Dongen married in Holland, in 1938. Following the war, they lived with their children, in a World War II German barracks, on their farm in North Brabant. Their house had been destroyed during the war.

After much consideration, Joe and Jane decided to immigrate to Canada. In June, 1947 they boarded the Veendam in Rotterdam, bound for Canada. They were joined by Bert and Anna (Joe’s sister) Segeren and their seven children. They traveled in steerage and arrived in Blenheim, ON via New York. The Dutch government had arranged for them to be sponsored by the Campbell family. Joe completed the terms of his sponsorship and then with the help of a Dutch priest, Father Ladislaus, and Gerard VandenBussche, moved to the Grand Bend area.

Joe bought land in the bog area and a short time later acquired 75 acres from Ira Stebbins. He increased his holdings by purchasing another 100 acres from Emery Stebbins. Joe grew cash crops on the Bog and did mixed farming on the other 175 acres. He raised cattle, pigs, and chickens, and grew mostly grain and corn. He sponsored two other Dutch immigrants, Jan Vandewell and Kees Vanwouder, to assist him with the farming operations, in particular with the cash crops.

Later, Joe opened a gravel pit on the farm and subdivided a portion of the land into what is now known as the VanDongen subdivision. A parcel of fifty acres of arable land, fronting the Klondyke Road, was sold to Martin Kelders in 1978/79. He, in turn, sold it to a German company in 1981.

Joe’s sister, Jackie Van Dongen, also joined the family. Once she learned English, Jackie moved to London, where she became a nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital. Joe also helped John Segeren, no relation, to immigrate to Canada. John married Jane’s niece Corrie.

Several families were helped by Joe to immigrate to the area, including Dora Grootjen, who came over on a visitor’s visa to spend time with her sister, Adriana Kelders and her family. Dora met and married Cor Rood and stayed in Canada. The immigrants became a close knit community, often getting together to visit and play cards.

Joe helped to organize and build St. Damien’s School and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. He and Jane had four children; Corrie who married Jim Dalton Jr., Ria, Willie and Lee. Lee farmed with his father for several years before turning his attention to developing the VanDongen subdivision.

Over the years, Joe and Adrianna made numerous trips back to Holland to visit relatives. They enjoyed watching their loving family grow. There are 13 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren, and three great, great grandchildren. Canada provided them with a wonderful life.

Joe passed away in 1993 and Jane in 2010, just weeks before her 99th birthday. They are interred in Pinery Cemetery.

Van Leeuwen, Jerry and Tilly

Jerry Van Leeuwen left his home in the Netherlands in July 1951, travelling to Canada aboard the frigate, Zuiderkruis. He started his new life on a vegetable farm owned by Gerard Backx, in Grand Bend. Once the harvest was completed in the fall, there would be no more work until the spring. Jerry and his friends found work in a lumber camp north of Sault Ste. Marie but that only lasted a few weeks before they found themselves back in the Grand Bend area. A variety of short term assignments were found but none permanent.

Finally in April, 1952, Jerry was fortunate to be hired by the Ball Brothers of Kitchener, to help build a three storey school on the Air Force Base in Clinton. Each weekend, he would drive to Grand Bend to help any farmers needing extra labourers. While he was there, he started looking for a piece of property that he could buy to begin his own farm operation. By the summer he had found the right property, 67 acres on the south side of Highway 21, owned by Pete Eisenbach. He purchased it for five thousand dollars, in November and began the task of clearing the land.

By December 1954, Jerry had 14 acres of cleared land, a make-shift greenhouse and a shed for his tractors. It was time to return to Holland to visit Tilly Kester, whom he had been corresponding with for several years. They married in February 1955. For their honeymoon, Jerry and Tilly travelled to Canada and their home in Grand Bend. They rented a room in the Klondyke Motel for the summer while their house was being built. They moved into the house in October, although it was not completely finished and would not be for some years to come.

The Van Leeuwen family continued to clear land and to build storage sheds to winter their crops, in hopes of getting higher prices for their produce in the spring. This strategy worked well and they were able to take advantage of the higher prices to reduce their debts and to expand their farming operation. In 1960 the first greenhouse was built, followed by three more in 1961. Their original purpose was to plant seeds in early spring so that they could be transplanted into the fields when the weather permitted: lettuce, Spanish onions, and turnips were the first crops. These greenhouses were replaced in 1979 with more durable aluminum-framed structures. Tilly had started to sell flowers and plants and their nursery business flourished.

Jerry and Tilly had five children: Nick, Mathilde, Ellen, Andy and John. They all completed post-secondary educations and have careers in a variety of genres,: computers, veterinarian science, medicine, travel and photography. With the children gone, Jerry decided in 1982 to retire from farming and rented out his muck land. He and Tilly built a new house on a five acre lot which also contained the greenhouses. By 1988 they had settled into semi-retirement, keeping only the greenhouse business.

Inspired by landscaping he first saw on a trip to Disney World in Florida, Jerry started his new hobby topiary, in 1990. The topiary adorned their front lawn and a few pieces were sold to Oak Wood Inn Golf Course in Grand Bend. Gerry passed away in 2006, and Tilly in 2008. Their final resting place is in Pinery Cemetery.

The Van Leeuwens sold their property to Dutch immigrants, Paul and Anita Van Adrichem. They, in turn, have expanded the green house business called Westland. The Van Adrichem family will be forever grateful to Jerry and Tilly for their support and guidance during the formative years of their new lives in Canada.

Vandenberk, Wilhelmus (Willem) and Clazina

Wilhelmus and Clazina Vandenberk owned a successful vegetable gardening operation in Holland. They grew strawberries, raspberries, brussel sprouts, kale and numerous other vegetables, under glass. The glass would be removed as the plants became well established. This operation included the whole family and proved to be more profitable than keeping cows.

Following World War II, it became clear that there would be little opportunity for all the young men wishing to farm, to be able to do so. Willem’s eldest son, Joe, went to Canada in 1951 to explore opportunities there, as well as to avoid mandatory army duty. He worked at a dairy farm in Woodstock and while there, met Carl Rood at a church function. Carl introduced him to the Van Dongen family and soon he was in Grand Bend purchasing 40 acres of land from Gerard VandenBussche, at one hundred dollars an acre, for his family.

Back in Holland, his parents sold the farm and prepared for the move to Canada. Since there was a limit on the amount of currency emigrants could leave the country with, Willem bought a prefabricated home for 28,000 gilders and shipped it to the Klondyke. As well, money was concealed in two upholstered chairs, that were shipped with the rest of their personal possessions. The family, Willem, Clazina and their remaining children, Bill (20), Martin (14), Ted (12), Cor (11), Mary (9) and Jane(5) boarded the Zuiderkruis and set sail for Canada, arriving at Pier 21 in Halifax, eight days later. From there they journeyed by train to Toronto and finally arrived in Watford, where they were greeted by Joe Van Dongen.

The family stayed in the VandenBussche house at the corner of Klondyke Road and Highway 21 until their prefab house arrived and was built. Not an easy chore, as the Canadian carpenters hired to put the house together, had to deal with instructions written in Dutch, Dutch-speaking owners and the metric system. After much frustration, the family was finally able to move into their house at the end of May, 1952.

Once settled, they worked hard producing vegetables. The younger children attended St. Damien School and the family was active in Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. Twice a month the young people gathered at Craty Hall near Parkhill to socialize. Encouraged to mingle with other young Catholic people by the local parish priests, the Vandenberk children soon found life-long partners.

Bill married Toni Vlemmix in 1957. They bought property on the Klondyke Road, from Dr. Hagmeier, and raised four children: Bill, John, Nick and Rosemary. Joe and Jean married in 1957. They farmed beside Bill until 1963, when they moved to Monkton, where they raised their five daughters: Sandra, Wendy, Diane, Tracy and Terry. Ted who married Wilha in 1963, bought a farm near Joe. They had four children: Dave, Don, Debbie and Janet. Cor married Louise in 1963, and moved to the home farm where they raised their children, Cindy and Richard. Martin and Cor farmed together until 1971. Martin married Lia in 1969 and moved into a trailer on the farm. Martin bought Cor’s share of the family farm in 1971 and continued to farm it with Lia and their children: Mike, Stephen and Jacqui, until 2000 when Stephen bought the farm.

Willem and Clazina retired to Joe and Jean’s house on Highway 21, near the Backx farm, in 1963. Willem passed away in 1987 and Clazina in 1991. They are interred in Pinery Cemetery.

VandenBoomen, Arnold and Coby

Arnold VandenBoomen’s mother died at an early age and he was raised by his father, who paid for Arnold’s trip to Canada. Walter Horn sponsored Arnold’s immigration and in the summer of 1952, he arrived at Pier 21 in Halifax. From there he travelled to Saskatchewan by train, where he worked on a grain farm.

Arnold’s cousin, Joe Verberne of Watford, invited Arnold to come to Ontario. Once there, he found work on farms in the area. In Thedford, he lived with John VanderVelde, whom he met at English classes. Later, he boarded with Case and Jack Smeekens, and finally, he moved to John Kelders’ farmhouse.

Arnold was there at the inception of the Klondyke Co-op, where he became a good friend of the manager, Bill Blewett, who lived across Highway 21, from the co-op. The cooperative operated on the Joe Ruston property from 1954 until 1960. Harry Maas, Louis Goovaerts, and Joe Creces worked as labourers and in the office, Shirley Prance and Joyce Jamieson did the paperwork. One of Arnold’s jobs was as a truck driver and on his route he met the love of his life, Coby Vlemmix.

In 1957, the first wedding at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church took place. Arnold and Coby were married in the presence of Father Smith, who suggested that he would travel to Grand Bend from St. Christopher’s, rather than asking all the wedding guests to travel to Forest.

When Tom and Grada Vlemmix moved to Oakville from 1960 to 1963, Arnold and Coby farmed the Vlemmix home farm. The farming endeavour was a success, so when Tom and Grada returned to Grand Bend, the VandenBoomens set out to purchase their own farm. That is when they moved from the Klondyke and grew potatoes and cash crops just outside of Zurich, Ontario.

In 2000, the VandenBoomens returned to Grand Bend where they built a new home in Merrywood Subdivision. The four VandenBoomen children: Trudy, Mary, Tony and Maureen, had all married but, along with their spouses and children, often visit their parents in Grand Bend. Coby was happy to be living near her sisters, Toni Vandenberk and Jean Mommersteeg, and her brother, Tom Vlemmix, as the extended family continues to be very closely-knit.

VandenBygaart, Kees and Anne

Kees (William) VandenBygaart, from Oisterwijk, Noord Brabant, the Netherlands, came to Canada for the first time in 1954. He worked for Case Stokkermans but returned to Holland in the fall of 1955. He proposed to Joanne (Annie) DeJong, from Udenhout, Nord Brabant, on Christmas Day and they married in February, 1956.

In March, 1956 the newlyweds journeyed by ship to Canada and have remained there ever since. For many years Kees farmed in the Grand Bend Bog. With Annie´s help they also grew their own strawberries, raised laying hens and rabbits, and grew and cultivated Christmas trees. In 1967, Kees started work as a naturalist at Pinery Provincial Park, a job he truly loved. He worked there for 27 years. Annie worked hard as a stay-at-home mom and helped to operate the family businesses.

Kees and Annie had six children: Harriet, Ellen, William, Trish, Bob and Bert. They now have 18 grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

In 2010 Kees and Annie moved to London to be closer to their children. Kees passed away in December 2016 and is interred in Pinery Cemetery, Grand Bend.

vander Burgt, Henricus (Henry) and Hendrika

Hendrika Rutten was born in Holland and lived in the village of Overasselt. Her fiancé, Henricus (Henry) vander Burgt, had moved to Canada in 1952. For two years they exchanged letters, until Hendrika finally immigrated to Canada. Their families rented a bus and took her to Rotterdam, where Hendrika boarded a boat destined for Canada, arriving in Halifax, NS, on June 14, 1954. From there, she travelled by rail to Stratford, where Henry waited, with his little blue truck.

From June until September, they stayed with John and Dina Kelders in Grand Bend. On September 25, 1954 they married and moved into a small house on Highway 21. Shortly after she arrived in Grand Bend, Hendrika found work cleaning and ironing at Oakwood Inn, for two seasons, until her first child, John was born. During her first winter in Canada, Hendrika and Henry moved to Toronto to live with friends. They found work cleaning and building houses. One of their employers was Maple Leaf hockey player, Syl Apps.

Henry worked ten acres of land in the muck between Grand Bend and Thedford. There, they grew celery, potatoes, and lettuce. In 1964 they purchased a farm near St. Joseph. On that farm they grew mixed crops and after a time they started to raise pigs.

Hendrika and Henry raised six children: John, Peter, Leo, Ed, Joanne and Henry. Today, three of their children continue to work in the Grand Bend area. Henry passed away in 1999 and was interred in Pinery Cemetery. Hendrika married Fred Willert in August, 2002. They reside in the family home on Highway 21 across from Westland Greenhouses.

Their eldest child, John, graduated in agronomy from the University of Guelph, returned to the area in 1989 and formed Blue Water Cropcare Consulting Ltd. He was to play an important role on the Klondyke, as farmers came to rely on his services, which included scouting for all vegetable crops, soil testing, pest management, and crop production recommendations, as well as crop protection materials. He also established a buying group for small seeds, as he wanted to ensure no one was disadvantaged due to the size of their operation.

As a member of the Thedford-Grand Bend Vegetable Growers’ Association, John served on many committees. He was instrumental in organizing a grower education day and annual grower golf tournament. John represented the growers at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, the Muck Crop Research Services Committee and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. He organized trips to the Research Station in Bradford, the Great Lakes’ Seminar in Michigan and seminars in New York state.

Tragically, in November, 2016, John was killed in a car accident only kilometres from home. His death was deeply felt by the farming community as well as his family. Aside from John’s professional career in the marsh, he also provided a personal touch to many growers. When issues emerged in the field or in storage, John always had the farmer’s best interest in mind. John was a good friend. He knew where he came from, cherished traditions and stood up for what he believed in. Above all he gave of his time to mentor others who dedicated their work to things they believe in. Many of the world’s problems were solved over cups of coffee. If asked, he would help with many different aspects of farming operations, whether computer or bookkeeping issues or taking a turn on the tractor.

He loved his family: wife Harriet; children: Natalie, Nick and Josh, their spouses, his grandchildren and his siblings. Within the Bog’s agricultural community, he will be greatly missed. His really big diesel truck, so familiar to his friends and clients, travels no more.

Vlemmix, Marinus and Maria

Marinus and Maria Vlemmix and their children lived in North Brabant where Marinus was a horse trader. He had no urge to leave his country and his trade, but a series of events were to change that.

In 1951, the Vlemmix family waved goodbye to their eldest daughter, Mary and her husband, Peter Mennen, as they set sail from Rotterdam for Canada. Mary´s brother, 19-year-old, Tom joined them in August of that year, as he wanted to avoid service in the Dutch army. He was sponsored by the Stokkermans family. In February 1952, Martin and Jean Vlemmix followed with their infant daughter, and newlyweds: John and Lisa Vlemmix, and Anna and Peter Kurstjens.

Maria recognized what was happening to her family as her older children emigrated. The family was about to be separated forever by an ocean. So in June 1952, Maria and Marinus Vlemmix sold their farm in Holland and moved to Canada with their youngest children: Toni age 22, Coby 18, and Jean 15. Toni sewed a new wardrobe of dresses, in anticipation of the family’s move, and furniture was shipped to Canada. Each of the immigrating Vlemmix family members was allowed to take one hundred dollars in cash from Holland.

Peter Mennen worked with Armand deClerk, so he could have a house for the Vlemmix family upon their arrival. Everyone had a job soon after arriving in Grand Bend, on June 24, 1952. The girls made 40 cents an hour and worked 14-hour days but all the money was turned over to their parents. Sometimes they washed potatoes in the ditch so Armand deClerk could sell nice-looking potatoes at the market. Maria would help by babysitting and Marinus was the go-to person if something was needed. In the winter, Toni, Coby, and Jean worked for several families, especially when babies were born and mothers required assistance. Tom found work at a farm in Mount Brydges.

Marinus and Maria believed they were very lucky because they arrived in the summer and soon knew their neighbours. They would visit and play cards with the Vandenberks, the Van Dongens, and the Mommersteegs. They were able to move from the deClerk property within five years of their arrival. In 1956, they bought farmland and built their own house the following year, on Klondyke Road. Tom ran the farm and everyone helped.

Toni married Bill Vandenberk in 1956 and moved to a farm further down the Klondyke Road. The next year, Coby married Arnold VandenBoomen and they moved to what would later be the VandenBygaart house. They operated the Vlemmix farm from 1960 to 1963. In 1959, Jean married another recent immigrant to the area, Luke Mommersteeg. They farmed along Cold Storage Road and built their home on the corner of Klondyke and Cold Storage Roads. Tom Vlemmix and Grada VanGeffen married in 1960. Tom ran the home farm, except for the three years when he worked in construction in Oakville, where Grada had relatives.

In 1964, Maria and Marinus moved to Ingersoll to live with John and Lisa and there, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with their eight children and their spouses, and some 40 grandchildren. Marinus passed away in 1973 and Maria in 1991 at the age of 97. Their final resting place is in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Ingersoll. Maria and Marinus never travelled back to Holland - they simply never looked back!

The family farm was sold to nephew, Tony Mennen, when Tom and Grada retired from farming.

Pioneers Develop Their Community

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church

The road to Grand Bend’s Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church has as colourful a history as the pioneers who settled the marsh south of the village in the early 1950s. The request for a church for the resort town came in 1939, when a delegation of Grand Bend residents and summer tourists approached Bishop Kidd with their need. Ironically, it was a non-Catholic, Peter Eisenbach, a local entrepreneur, who recognized the need, not only for the local residents but the influx of summer tourists. Bishop Kidd suggested to the pastor of St. Christopher’s in Forest, Father Leo J. Kelly that he might take on this request as it would bring considerable revenue.

The first masses in Grand Bend took place in a private home but eventually moved to the local public school and in 1940 permission was granted to hold mass in The Hub dance hall, known as the Casino, on the beach in Grand Bend. In 1949, permission was withdrawn by the owner. The parishioners were relegated to the main beach, where mass was celebrated in an open-air pavilion. This was not ideal, as the congregation had to share this space with beach goers.

In 1949, parishioners once again, started discussions to erect a permanent church in the village. Also, during this time Father DeNief, a recent immigrant from Belgium had settled on the property, now known as The Pinery Flea Market. He agreed to say mass every Sunday until he was tragically killed on April 8, 1952, when a wall he was building on his Goosemarsh property fell on him.

A group of parishioners, headed by Jim Dalton Sr. approached the Bishop to begin building a church. Father Kelly had purchased a lot on Highway 21, 500 feet north of the intersection with Main Street. It was deemed too small and adjacent land was not available for purchase so the lot was sold. The proceeds were used to buy two 80 foot lots on Highway 21, approximately one mile (1.6 km) south of the main intersection in Grand Bend for nineteen hundred dollars. Mr. Eisenbach, who continued to show an interest in the development of a Catholic parish, gave the committee a third lot free so that the site would have a frontage of 240 feet on Highway 21.

The original church was designed to be a 70’ x 40’ frame building. Before construction began it was decided to increase the size of the structure to 120’ x 40’ to accommodate the influx of summer visitors. Harold Webb Construction was awarded the contract and construction started in 1950. Some of the area farmers helped with the building of the church which cost fifteen thousand dollars. It was completed in time for the 1951 summer season. In August, 1951, the church was blessed by Monsignor Andrew P. Mahoney and dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church remained a mission church to St. Christopher Parish, in Forest, until 1982. The parish pastor alternated weekends in the parishes and on the off weekend, visiting priests, usually from St. Peter’s Seminary in London would arrive to say mass. As Grand Bend and the surrounding area continued to grow, so did the parish and its needs. Its pastor, Father Douglas Boyer worked with the local parish council in Grand Bend to request a change in the status from mission to parish.

On May 21, 1982, Immaculate Heart of Mary Church was finally elevated to parish status. Father Robert J. Morrissey became its first, full-time pastor. Father Paul Beck succeeded him in June 1986 until his death in May, 2003. The parish was then clustered with St. Peter in St. Joseph, English Martyrs, Bayfield and St. Boniface in Zurich, under the pastorate of Father Francis Thekkumkattil, CST.

Further restructuring saw the clustering of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish with Sacred Heart Parish in Parkhill in January 2009. Father Anthony LaForet was appointed the pastor of this new cluster and continues to serves its congregation.

Pastors who served the combined parishes of Forest and Grand Bend:

Father Fallon 1949 - 1956

Father Zimney 1956 - May 1957

Father Glavin May - June, 1957

Father W. Smith July 1957 - 1965

Father Graham 1965 - 1969

Father D. Boyer 1969 - May 1982

St. Damien School

St. Damien School was built in 1952 on land donated by Gerard VandenBussche, on what is now known as the Klondyke Road. It was a one-room school with grades one to eight taught by one teacher who also acted as the principal.

Mrs. Frances Walker, Mrs. Pritchar and Mr. Jim Dalton, who acted as secretary/treasurer, made up the first school board. Once the immigrants in the area obtained their Canadian citizenship, the board was elected from among the local families.

To finance the cost of the school, Mr. VandenBussche supplied land to grow carrots on, so that the proceeds could be used to build the school. The local farmers supplied their labour, thus ensuring all the revenue would go to the school.

St. Damien School is named after a Belgian priest who was dedicated to children. Father Damien was a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He was known for his work with the people of the Kingdom of Hawaii, where he cared for people in the leper colony.

Mrs. Agnes Carbert was the teacher of the one-room school from 1956 to 1961. She resided in a small room at the back of the staffroom from Monday till Friday.

Children who arrived in the one-room school house spoke mostly Dutch as they were from immigrant Dutch families in the Bog. The teachers told the parents that they needed to speak English at home, not Dutch, or the children would never learn the English language. By the time the second classroom was added, all children were speaking the English language and Dutch was heard only at home.

In 1961, an addition was built onto the school to accommodate the growing population. Grades one to four occupied the new room and grades five to eight the old room. There was a staff room and kitchen and a coat room in the new area, as well as boys’ and girls’ washrooms. With the expansion of the school to two rooms, Mrs. Ester Rau was appointed the principal and teacher of grades five to eight. She remained at the school until its closing in 1968. Mrs. Bette Bedard was the first teacher of the grade one to four classroom.

By 1968, the school was bursting at the seams. Either another classroom had to be built or an alternative solution provided. Things were changing in education too. The provincial government was beginning to bring in county school boards and independent schools were soon to be a thing of the past. Sadly, St. Damien School closed its doors in June, 1968 and the children were transferred to Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Mount Carmel, in Huron County. The decision to move the children to another county was based on the availability of space at the Mount Carmel school.

During the 1960s, children who attended St. Damien’s or Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, were invited to attend two weeks of summer Bible School, taught by two Sisters of St. Joseph. The nuns would stay at the convent house in St. Joseph and each morning a different parent would pick them up and transport them to St. Damien’s to teach religion for the morning. The nuns handed out holy pictures and medals as part of the lessons. The last day of Bible School, the children received ice cream as a reward for their attendance.

Some interesting facts:

• No teachers on yard duty

• Playground equipment was a bat and ball or whatever kids brought from home.

• No fences to keep us in - played as far back into the field as we wanted

• Mrs. Carbert insisted on cleanliness - brush teeth, clean finger nails

• Arbour Day - cleaning the windows, standing on ladders, cleaning the yard, even the brush

• Parish priest would visit weekly

• Confessions took place once a month in the teachers` staffroom

• Mrs. Goovaerts was the custodian. She lived across the road from the school.

• Mrs. Carbert’s cheque arrived via pupils

• In the fall, several of the older boys missed school because they had to help with the harvest

• Corporal punishment existed - the strap! ear pinching!

• To go to the bathroom, you raised one or two fingers, depending on the bodily function in question.

• The library was a closet - the book mobile came once a month

• Christmas concerts were social events for the school. Stage curtains were bed sheets. We did plays, square dances, sang Christmas carols, recited poems. Santa came. Parents provided the gifts.

• One of our fundraisers, was to sell Christmas cards door to door, to family and friends.

• Every year we had a beach day (end of year trip) in late June. Each family brought sandwiches or cookies to share.

• We had one bus. Bill Davidson and Arnold Stebbins were the bus drivers.

• Mrs. Demmings taught grades 1-4 in 1963-64

• Miss Holmes taught grades 1-4 in 1964-65

• Mr. Mersey taught grades 3,4,5, & 6 in 1966-67

• Mrs. Reed taught grades 1 - 4 in 1967-68

• Remember practicing how to march and yelling the St. Damien School Cheer at the Thedford Fall Fair Parade, each year?

Come on, cheer for the purple and gold

Klondyke/Grand Bend Soccer

A game played with skill, determination and spirit was engaged in by the early Dutch immigrants. Known as football in Europe, the game of soccer soon became a mainstay in the community’s sports. Facilities were informal to say the least, since the field was a pasture on the river side of the Klondyke Road. It proved to be a wonderful way to develop camaraderie among the young men on a Sunday afternoon. Some had played on teams in Europe, while others had never played organized soccer. it was not unusual for some of the men to continue to play soccer every year, well into their 40s.

In 1953, a group of 11 men formed the first structured team for the Klondyke, and played their first game against Watford. By 1978 many of the team members had changed, but Grand Bend Minor Soccer was well established. Tom Vlemmix took the helm of the organization until the mid-80s, when Tony Mennen took over and continues to this day. The first girls’ soccer teams were established in 1976. Donna Mennen was the first female coach. At the age of 16, she was too old to play in the league but wanted to stay connected to the sport. Coaching was the perfect solution.

For years, the playing fields were located in Grand Bend near the Legion, and at the back of the Klondyke Campgrounds property. Then, in the 1990s, the former Collez property became the new home for the Grand Bend Soccer Association. Twenty acres were donated by the neighbouring subdivision, and the Municipality of Lambton Shores purchased the remaining acres to complete the complex.

Over the last 40 years the number of participants has ranged from 50 to 300, age four and up, male and female. That is considered a success story by any standard!

Klondyke Gardens Cooperative Ltd.

Klondyke Gardens Cooperative was opened in 1955. The new fifty thousand dollar cold storage plant was located on Highway 21, four miles south of Grand Bend. Its original purpose included the storage of lettuce in the summer, celery and carrots in the fall and winter, and potatoes throughout the year. Gerard VandenBussche purchased the land for the Klondyke Gardens in 1947 from the Canada Company. William Blewett was the first secretary-manager and Arnold VandenBoomen was in charge of the warehouse. C.E. James M.P.P. for East Lambton officially opened the new facility.

The co-operative would continue to run as an independent until 1970 when it finally joined the United Co-operatives of Ontario. The co-operative had 60 members but only 21 were participating growers, controlling approximately half the acreage in the marsh. The produce was sold wholesale to distributors, who then marketed the vegetables under their own brands. By the mid-70s the Klondyke started to package potatoes in ten pound bags with their own brand, a smiling, old prospector.

The Klondyke’s main competition for a share of the produce market was the Holland Marsh in Bradford. It is four times the size of the Klondyke and was settled in the early 1930s. Klondyke potatoes were marketed in Ontario as was iceberg lettuce. Onions were shipped mostly to the Quebec market. Turnips, a crop introduced into the marsh later, were shipped to Newfoundland.

The Ministry of Agriculture was also interested in the development of the marsh and assisting farmers in finding the best varieties of vegetables to grow in the muck and the best types of sprays to use for the healthy production of the crops and managing weed and insect control. Arnold Truax, one of the Ministry’s inspectors, spent more than two decades working with the cooperative and its farmers to improve crop yields and broaden the range of vegetables conducive to the muck.

Roger Farley became the second manager of the Klondyke Gardens Cooperative. He was followed by Irvin Ford in 1961. During Ford´s tenure of almost 24 years, he worked with fourteen farmers on a regular basis, marketing their produce, and providing some farm supplies. He had two full-time employees, Gary Welten and Ken Morton, who transported the produce from Grand Bend to wholesalers in London and Toronto. Seasonal workers were hired as needed during the harvesting season.

Kevin Delbridge was the last manager of Klondyke Gardens, before it ceased to exist, as there was dwindling demand in the 1980s for its services. More farmers were beginning to sell their produce directly to wholesalers, cutting out the middleman, which Klondyke Gardens was.

By the end of the 1970s, the Klondyke Gardens ceased to exist. In 1981, the property was purchased by Klondyke Farms Ltd. who produced and sold potatoes. That business was sold in the late 1990s to a Swiss company, managed by Marcus Kohn. The current owner of the property, Stewart Webb, runs a landscape business on the premise.

The Catholic Women’s League of Canada (CWL)

Immaculate Heart of Mary Council

The ladies of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish received their Catholic Women’s League Charter on November 25, 1956, with Madeleine Dalton serving as their first president. This national organization of Catholic women was rooted in gospel values, calling its members to holiness through service to the people of God and was formed in 1920.

The first members were a mixture of English, Belgian and Dutch women. They were mothers, homemakers and farmers. Although not all the ladies had a firm grasp of the English language, they were able to find a way to communicate and to find common ground in their purpose. They looked forward to that first Monday of each month, when they attended the CWL meetings at St. Damien School. It was an opportunity to discuss and plan how their Council could help those in need: in their parish, community, Ontario, Canada and the world.

Yvonne Collez, the second CWL president, was instrumental as an interpreter for many of the Dutch ladies. For these immigrant women, CWL gatherings not only provided them with an opportunity to improve their English language skills and to take on leadership roles but was also an important social occasion for them. As the years progressed and their confidence grew as Canadian citizens, they volunteered and/or were elected to the CWL executive council at Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Proceeds from bazaars, bake and vegetable sales, quilt raffles and bingos enabled the Council to give flowers to the sick, provide gifts to those receiving sacraments and reward graduating students at St. Damien’s School. They used their time and talents to assist needy families in the community; make outfits for the altar boys, altar linens and drapes for the church. Other activities included catering Alhambra dances, adopting a family in India, taking part in local Ecumenical services, holding pancake breakfasts, ham & strawberry suppers, coffee socials and preparing funeral luncheons. Immaculate Heart of Mary CWL members continue to add their voices in opposition to human trafficking, pornography, abortion and euthanasia.

At the fiftieth anniversary celebration of the Council, seven of the original Charter members were still on the Grand Bend CWL membership roster! Adrianna Van Dongen, Anna Stokkermans, Adriana Kelders, Angelina Backx, Hendrika vanderBurgt-Willert, Toni Vandenberk and Tillie Van Leeuwen were recognized for their five decades of service. Sadly, Adrianna, Anna, Adriana and Tillie passed away prior to the sixtieth anniversary in 2016.

The Catholic Women’s League at Immaculate Heart of Mary is grateful for their contributions, for God and Canada, made by immigrant women since 1956!

The following women served as president of the Council:

1956 Madelaine Dalton 1989 Roberta Walker

1959 Yvonne Collez 1991 Cathy Vrolyk

1961 Jenny Masse 1993 Lia Vandenberk

1963 Adriana Smeekens 1995 Gera Peters

1965 Jean Mommersteeg 1997 Josy Britton

1967 Wilma Smeekens 1999 Nancy Stokkermans

1969 Toni Vandenberk 2001 Rita Smits

1971 Adriana Smeekens 2003 Joan Rosehart

1973 Gera Peters 2005 Joanne Vandenberk

1975 Grada Vlemmix 2007 Cathy Vrolyk

1977 Anne Grootjen 2009 Gera Peters

1979 Roberta Walker 2011 Cathy Vrolyk

1981 Lia Vandenberk 2013 Joanne Vandenberk

1983 Antoinette Pachlarz 2015 Maureen Grinther & Joan Brewer

1985 Thea Stokkermans 2017 Cathy Vrolyk

1987 Rose VanBruaene

International Order of Alhambra

Algarva #168

The Order of Alhambra was founded in Brooklyn, New York in 1904. It is a Catholic association for men and women, dedicated to assisting individuals who are intellectually challenged, God’s special people.

Algarva #168 is the local Order of Alhambra Caravan, based in Grand Bend, Ontario, and was established in 1967 with 18 men listed as founding members. James H. Dalton was the first Grand Commander and later, was followed by Grand Commanders who had emigrated from Europe in the late 1940s and in the 1950s. Subsequent Grand Commanders have been the sons of the founding members. The majority of members hail from parishes in Grand Bend, Forest, Watford and Parkhill and most have European roots. St. Damien School on the Klondyke Road, where some current Algarva members attended school, closed in 1968 and was purchased by the Caravan for one dollar. It has been the Alcazar clubhouse ever since. In 2011, women were invited to join the Order of the Alhambra, for the first time. Currently Algrava #168 has 62 members of which four are women.

Major fundraisers, to assist God’s special people, have included elimination dances, where the grand prize was a car. These dances continue today but the top prize is now two thousand dollars. In the late 1980s, the first annual golf tournament was held and continues to this day. It is now the top fundraiser for the Algarva Caravan thanks to an army of volunteers, numerous sponsors and over two hundred golfers each year.

For decades, the Grand Bend Caravan hosted a June Weekend, where members and their spouses, from Ontario and the United States, stayed in local motels or camped at the Alcazar. It was a casual, fun event where life-long friendships were made. Christmas parties for members and their families were also held each year.

Today, the Christmas party is for God’s special people and is held at the Legacy Centre in Thedford. The participants love to sing and dance, play games, have lunch, and receive a gift from Santa. In August, they have the opportunity to enjoy a cruise onboard the Duc d’Orleans, on the St. Clair River, in Sarnia. A hayride, initiated by Phil Walker and his wife, Roberta, in the late 1970s, is still held each March. In 2003, the first Alhambra Fun Day was held behind the Grand Bend Legion. Today, its excellent reputation draws hundreds to a new location at the Legacy Centre in Thedford. Games, created by Lambton County Developmental Services staff, are fun and challenging. The karaoke dance is wildly popular and the threecourse supper, made by volunteers, is a highlight each year.

Algarva #168 raises approximately forty to fifty thousand dollars annually. The money is distributed to the children and their caregivers through local organizations such as Lambton County Deveolpmental Services, Pathways, Community Living and St Francis Advocates. From its inception, Algarva #168 has been community minded, and has continued to maintain a strong connection with Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.

All the effort put into these endeavours is worth it! The smiles and hugs given by God’s special people are priceless!

The following men served as Grand Commander of Algrava #168:

1966 Jim Dalton Sr. 1991 Casey Bax

1968 Jerry Arnold

Todd Desaulniers

1970 Peter DeJong 1995 Steve Van Bree

1972 Tony Relouw 1997 John Smits

1974 Jim Dalton Sr. 1999 Martin Stokkermans

1975 Charlie Srokosz 2001 Frank Devet

1976 Tony Van Bree 2003 Jim De Zorzi

1977 Gene Creces 2005 Bill M. Vandenberk

1979 Gerry Backx 2007 Frank Backx

1982 Phillip Walker 2009 Pete DeVet

1984 William C. Vandenberk 2011 Gerald Forster

1986 Cor Vandenberk 2013 Jack Van Hasstert

1987 Marty Kelders 2015 Louis Hendrickx

1989 Ron Van Bree 2017 Doug Willsie

Epilogue: The Dream Realized

From the time the land was cleared on the Klondyke, it was obvious that this was indeed prime market gardening land. Many of the crops were labour intensive. Farmers relied on their children to help in the fields and/or hired workers to help with the planting, weeding and harvesting of the crops. Farm life was not without its strife as crops were always vulnerable to weather conditions. A perfect crop of head lettuce could be destroyed instantly by a hail storm, excessive rain could delay planting or ruin crops in the fields, waiting to be harvested. A good growing season could mean bumper crops of potatoes and onions but then a glut in the markets as an over abundance meant lower prices for farmers. Pesticides and herbicides might work one season but not another. There were a few farming accidents as machinery became more complex and safety a greater concern but families survived these tragedies and continued to move forward.

In 1951, the St. Willibrord Credit Union was established in Arkona, ON. A satellite office was opened on the Klondyke, in order to provide services for the farmers in the area. John Strybosch could be found there every Wednesday afternoon, to provide assistance. Since this was a credit union, the farmers all bought shares in the institution. The St. Willibrord continued to grow and evolve and eventually became part of the Libro Credit Union.

The immigrants wanted a better life for their offspring. Children were encouraged to go to school and learn so that they could find careers beyond the farm. By the end of the 1960s it had become obvious that farmers would have to either expand their operations or leave farming. There would not be room on most farms for all the children to continue the farming legacy of their parents. Most students from the Klondyke traveled to Forest to attend North Lambton Secondary School. The twenty-minute direct drive, down Highway 21, was in reality for most students a 45 minute or longer bus ride. Following graduation, they found careers in the trades, service industry, professional careers and in a few instances returned home to take over or work with parents on the family farms. While the majority of the second generation children can still be found residing within Ontario, a few have ventured further afield to other provinces and countries.

By the mid-1970s, the smaller farmers were selling their farmland as it became clear that to survive economically more land was needed. Tractors, farming implements and harvesters were becoming bigger and much more expensive. The business of farming was changing and so was the Klondyke. More and more of the land was being planted with onions and potatoes and less was given to the more labour intensive crops such as lettuce and turnips. For the next several decades the trend continued. As a farmer retired, he sold his land to another established farmer. The number of farming families continued to shrink and the crops changed to be less labour intensive and more amendable to machinery doing the work. The main crops, on the Klondyke now, are potatoes, onions, corn and beans.

Currently, there are only three original families farming the majority of the land on the Klondyke. Bill and John Vandenberk, sons of Bill and Toni continue to work the original family farm as well as the land acquired from their neighbours. John’s son, Jack, has joined the family business and is the fourth generation Vandenberk farmer. Paul Backx, son of Gerry and Angelina, took over his parents’ farm, fronting on Highway 21, as well as purchasing the adjacent farmland owned by Tony Mennen. His eldest son, Gerald, is the third generation Backx to work the land. The third farmer is Stephen Vandenberk, son of Martin and Lia. His latest expansion was made possible with the retirement of John Smits, who sold Stephen a parcel of his land. Stephen is the third generation farmer in his family and whether any of his children will follow in his footsteps still remains to be seen.

The descendants of those first generation farmers of the Klondyke have much to be thankful for. These men and women made the brave decision to leave families, countries, languages and cultures they were familiar with to forge ahead into a new land and really, a new frontier, as they accepted the challenge to change a bog outside Grand Bend, into one of the best market gardening areas in Ontario. They overcame language barriers, learned new farming techniques, raised families, built a school, a church and a co-op. They demonstrated for their children and the community a strong work ethic and a strong belief in faith. Their children and their successful lives as contributing members of Canadian society are truly the greatest testimony to their parents’ dreams for a better life in Canada.

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