Our Story:

Birth Date: May 15, 1872

Burial Date: July 16, 1965

Eliza R. Pond came from the state of Connecticut where he had completed training as a steam engineer. His 8-year-old son Ralph accompanied him. He set up the first steam laundry in Battleford. He filed for a homestead on North West quarter. Section 8, Township 52, Range 17, west Third Meridian (NW-8-52-17-3) on June 18th, 1907.

In 1907 Mr. Pond and son went to homestead and build a small house (which later became his blacksmith shop). After proving up the homestead, on June 25th, 1912 he purchased a Cross Mounted Case 527 Tractor and a threshing machine about 1920. Also during this time a little larger one-room house was built. During the 1920’s Ralph and his Dad had ambitious plans starting a new yard site and building a large hip roofed barn and a foundation for a larger house. They also made a purchase agreement with the Canadian Pacific Railway for the W 1/2 – 52 – 17 – 3.. The purchasing of a Wallace Tractor Breaking plough and new threshing machine required that the “Homestead” be mortgaged.

They spent an entire summer breaking up a narrow strip (about 16 rods) the full mile in length on east side of W Vi – 5. By the early 1930’s Mr. Pond was in financial difficulty, the machinery was repossessed and Ralph left the area. In the mid 1930’s Mr. Pond moved in with the Wells family since he had no resources to live on the Homestead. At that time the Wells started farming the land on a share basis with Mr. Pond’s share being applied to the mortgage.

In 1938 Mr. Pond was seriously injured in a farm accident. He was in a rack on a steel wheeled wagon loaded with several hundred pounds of potatoes. He was putting on his coat when the horse began to run and he reached for line wrapped around a stake at the front of the rack. He slipped and fell in front of the wagon and was dragged about a quarter of a mile and then both the front and back wheels passed over his chest. At the hospital it was determined that all his ribs were shattered and mashed into his lungs. Doctors consulted felt he would die and they could do nothing to help. Mr. Pond was in hospital for a long time but eventually was well enough to come back to the Wells farm. He had the equivalent of half a lung.

After some time he returned to his homestead because he now had the Old Age Pension to live on.

Mr. Pond subscribed to many papers and magazines, which he shared with the Wells family. He walked “across country” a couple of times a week to get a bit of milk, cream, eggs and a cup of tea. He was a regular at Sunday dinner and had his place at the table. Sunday was also the day he brought the “funny papers”. He missed very few of these visits, winter or summer and was always present for Christmas.

In the late 1940’s Mr. Pond made a trip to Connecticut but was gone only two weeks or so. On about 1950 as he grew older and his health was not too good he moved into a small house in the Wells’ yard. He lived independently but there were people to get his wood, water and groceries. He passed his time reading, doing crossword puzzles and playing solitaire.

Mr. Pond was a large, raw bone man who thought ahead of his time. He was one of the first to have radio and was forever getting a newer model. He had a windmill to recharge the batteries and liked new ideas of all kind. Mr. Pond had interests in many things like history, philosophy, future developments that caused him to be somewhat impractical and not a good manager.

Sometime in the late 1950’s Mr. Pond spent more time in hospital but once again returned his little house in the Wells’ yard.

At some point the his mortgage was paid off and Mr. Pond took great pleasure in this.

Sometime in early 1965 he was hospitalized and then moved to a nursing home where he died in July 1965 and was buried in the Fairholme cemetery.

Mr. Pond left his homestead to Austin Wells who passed it to his son Edwin who paid $2600.00 in old loans and caveats to get a clear title. He died at the age of 93.

Mr. Pond was a reserved, intelligent, honest man who talked of future developments that have come true.