Lillian Mattson Lampi’s Memories

Back row – Adiel, Emil, Edwin, William.  Front: Lillian, father Oscar and mother Ina in a 1912 family portrait.
Back row – Adiel, Emil, Edwin, William. Front: Lillian, father Oscar and mother Ina in a 1912 family portrait.

Our family, Oscar Mattson’s, moved to the community in March, 1903, from Nanaimo.  I am the oldest from a family of six children.  We bought a place on 15th Road off 17th Ave, called Bosomworth Road at that time, from Hector Ferguson Sr. of Haney.  We still have interest in this property and my brother, William Mattson, lives on the place.

In the year 1903, on our arrival, we attended school in Albion.  Our schoolroom was located in a private home that belonged to the Ritchie family.  The family is still occupying the home.  Then, when more newcomers arrived, the schoolroom was too small to accommodate us, so a new school was built further up on 17th Ave. (Baker Road) near the present 9th Road, which in the meantime has been sold, when changes were made in the school system.

I will mention a few names that were there before we came – Ritchies, Jacksons on 6th Road; Joe Edges on Lougheed near Albion; Bakers.  The Owens arrived about the same time as we did.  I’m sure that George Owen of Albion could give you information and perhaps material for the Society – and no doubt the others could help you too.  There weren’t too many families there before our time – meaning in that part of the municipality.  Mrs. Pearl Zeron of Haney lived on Baker Road back in those years.  Miss May Best (now Mrs. Ernest Hampton) taught school in Albion at one time too.  A Mr. Thomas Bosomworth (deceased) lived next to us on 15th Road – what is now the Nagai Greenhouses, I think.  He was an early timer and what became of his relics I would not know.  He didn’t have a family, so maybe some of it might still be on the place.  A Mr. and Mrs. Kirby also lived on the same road near 17th Ave.  Mrs. Kirby was a registered nurse and was well known in the municipality.  To my  knowledge they had no immediate family.  They had a nice old interesting home, as I remember it during my childhood, but I can’t remember hearing who took care of the place and its contents, library, etc. after the folks passed on.

I was married in June 1917 and have lived in Red Lodge, Montana, U.S.A. since that time.  My mother passed away in 1942.  Brother Edwin Mattson (he’s been on the M.R. Council) died in 1945.  Father, Oscar Mattson, passed away in 1948 at the age of 83.  We lost one brother in 1919 during the flu epidemic.

Written Feb. 14th, 1957, by Mrs. John Lampi (nee Lillian Mattson), Montana, U.S.A.