George E. Laycock and his wife, Fern, were both from
pioneer stock, having come to Canada in 1902 and 1905
respectively, from the U.S. They grew up in Raymond
and were marricd in 1914. In 1915 they purchased a
half section of land one mile east of the Pot Hole Coulee,
and built their home there.

It was a slow process "breaking" the sod with a small plow
and team of horses, so he eventually hired Claude Duncan
to finish it with his tractor. George used his teams, with
press drills and binders to plant and harvest his wheat, and
hired the threshing for a time. There were dry years and
crop failures, so in the winter of 1918-19 he spent a few
months in Lethbridge playing clarinet in a theatre orchestra.
He contracted the flu during the terrible epidemic and
was fortunate to survive, but was very thin and weak,
so he bought a 'Titan" tractor to help with the farm work.
Gradually his health improved, and crops became better.
He purchased another half section adjoining his other land.

He was a good farmer, always interested in better ways of
doing things, and trying to modify machinery to make it
work better and he was always interested in new inventions.
He had a Model T Ford about 1917, one of the first radios
in 1924, and when he heard of wheat combines, he
travelled to Oregon and Washington in 1928 to see them
in operation. He liked them, and bought a J.1. Case
combine, the first one in the area. He had to let his
wheat ripen standing in the fields, and many thought
he would lose it all, but it was a success -- his wheat
was all harvested long before those who had made
the dire prediction that he would lose his crop.
People came from far and near to watch the combine
at work in the field, and soon everyone had them.

George's cousin John Laycock from Oregon, owned the
next farm directly south and east of the Pot Hole Coulee.
When he sold out and went to California, George first
rented his farm, then bought it. He later bought and
farmed land in the Skiff and Warner areas as well.

Fern was a hard worker -- always had a big garden,
cooked hot meals to take to the hired workers in the
fields, drove to Lethbridge for machinery repairs, and
looked after the family. There were four children
who attended Community School. Fern had to learn the
rules of baseball and listen to the World Series
on the radio so she could give an account of the
games to the hired hands at suppertime.

In 1929, the oldest son had finished grade 9 at
the rural school, we had a good crop, so George bought
a home in Lethbridge so we could attend High School.
They continued to operate the farm, and things went
well until the Depression, then poor crops and poor wheat
prices became a real challenge and a big worry. George's
health deteriorated - - he got diabetes and later a
heart condition. During the war, one son was exempted
from service in order to help out on the farm.

George was a great family man, loved to take his boys to
Fathers and Sons Camps, play baseball with them, and
encourage them at school and with their music, which he
dearly loved. They all learned to play an instrument,
and played at many concerts around Southern Alberta.
Two sons obtained Doctor's Degrees, and
became Professors of Music at B.Y.U. in Provo, Utah.
One son played his violin for years in the Lethbridge
Symphony, and many of the grandchildren are fine
musicians as well.

George passed away in 1946 at the age of 53. Fern
sold the farm to on of her sons, who ran it until
about 1973 when he sold part of it to Dave Maldaner,
and part to George Jarokosky. He still owns a
half section which he farms, and where he trains
people to fly ultra light planes.

Fern lived in Lethbridge near her daughter
until her passing in 1991 at the age of 98.

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