Both brothers were born in Sodervidinge, Sweden.
August (Gust) in 1890, and Moris in 1894. Gust came
to Canada in 192 1, and Moris in 1922, and both made
their way across the country to settle in Alberta. The
Nordblad brothers came to Lethbridge, Alberta in 1924-25.

They first rented 640 acres (section 21-7-20-w4), and in
1927 they purchased 480 acres in sections 20-7-20-w4
and 177-20-w4, mostly virgin prairie grassland that had
never been cultivated. The brothers bought a six bottom
breaking plough with no power lift just big long levers.
To lift it out of the ground it took six men, and a
teamster and 24 horses to pull it.

Jim Thompson, who lived west of White School, rented
them 18 horses to go with their own. These horses were
only green broke, and were wild and hard to handle.
Ernie Young was hired as teamster, but after three days
they had a runaway which did a lot of damage to harness
and hurt some of Moris and Gust's horses. Moris said
"That's enough," and bought a McCormick Deering 15-30
tractor and a three bottom plough. 1928 was a good year,
with bumper crops in this district.

Gust returned to visit Sweden in 1928, and Moris in 1929.
Those years were good with bumper crops, and both
brothers were grateful for their good fortune in the new Land.

While in Sweden, Moris married the girl next door, Anna
Wilhelmina Jonsson, born in Pastraskravlinge, Sweden in
1909. They returned to 21-7-20-w4, and bought 540 acres
close to the Wilson elevators, (27-7-20-w4) where they
built a house and barn. Their three children were all born in
Lethbridge.

The Hickey family, well known in Lethbridge, became life
long friends of Moris and Anna. Tess Hickey, wife of ike,
gave their oldest daughter her first baby dress, a pale
yellow silk, that Anna kept for her many years later.

Gust moved to a farm one mile east and one mile south
of White School. The depression period affected Moris
and Gust like so many others, and Gust moved to Bowden,
Alberta. Moris, Anna and family made their way through
the Rockies by car to British Columbia and moved to
Garibaldi, B.C.

From 1937-1939 Moris was self employed, logging poles
and ties for the railway. Moris had a life long love of
horses and again used horses to bring the logs out of
the forest to the railway crossing. 1939-1941 they
moved to Buntzen Bay, B.C. again self employed as a
logger, then going to work for the B.C. Electric Company
at Lake Buntzen, supplier of electric power to Vancouver, B.C.

In 1943 they moved to Haney, B.C. where their children then
aged 12, 10, and 8 years attended public school for the first
time since moving to B.C., having taken their schooling
through correspondence. During 1943 to 1948 Moris worked
for the British Columbia Electric Company at Stave Falls, B.C.
Here Moris built a general store on the property in 1945, which
is still being operated today. Rationing was still in effect
after the war and people would come in wanting to trade
their sugar coupons for coffee coupons and vice versa.

Moris loved the forest and the mountains and returned to
work in Garibaldi, B.C. from 1948 to 1950 as a partner
in a small lumber mill. While there he contracted to cut the
first right of way from Garibaldi, B.C. to Squamish, B.C.
which is now the internationally well known Whistler Ski
Resort.

Gust had settled in Olds, Alberta and in 1951-1952
Moris returned to Olds and leased 320 acres and
planted wheat and barley. From 1952 to 1967 Moris
and Anna remained in Haney and operated the corner
store and installed gas pumps the first to be located
away from the town core which only had three gas stations.
In 1964 Moris and Anna returned together to visit Sweden,
Anna having made a trip in 1949. In 1954, Gust sold his
farm and moved to Haney, B.C. Gust never married and
died in 1963 at the age of 73.

Moris and Anna were life long Socialists and active in the
C.C.F. party. It was not surprising to find Tommy Douglas
leader of the C.C.F sitting around the kitchen table
talking politics. He was one of the founders of the Rate
Payers Association, bringing about needed improvements
in the community. They wanted their children confirmed
in the Lutheran Faith and were one of several families
that established St. Paul's Lutheran Church now in its
45th year.

Moris passed away February 4, 1967 at the age of 73.
Anna continued to live in Haney, selling the business,
taking up art lessons, and travelling, taking several trips
to Sweden, the United States, and Hawaii. She
passed away in June of 1983 at the age of 73.
Their children all married and reside in parts of B.C.
Their son Morris passed away in January 1995
at the age of 60. Moris and Anna are survived by two
daughters, 12 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

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