Andrew Peterson was eighteen years old when
he left Manti, Utah. He came to Alberta because
there was no work in that area for young people and
he had friends in Spring Coulee. He lived in the
community for ten years from 1898 to 1908.

When Andrew arrived in 1898 there was nothing
between Cardston and Lethbridge except tall grass
and wagon trail. He stayed with his friends, the
Shoemakers and when they started to break their
farmland he worked for them. He helped break the land
on the east side of Ken Long's farm using a two bottom
breaking plough and horses.

His brother and sister-in-law, Amos and Estelle Peterson
came in 1903 or 1904. Andrew and Amos farmed together
then but I am not sure where.

In the winter of 1906 when they got the bad storm, the
only way they could get to Magrath was to go on the
narrow gauge rail road tracks as the snow was three
feet deep on the level.

Dad said the prairie hay was so good that one fall after
freeze up he was able to go out and mow enough hay
that filled the haymow.

One year there was a flood in Spring Coulee. Dad and
others went to a dance in the evening and when they
went home they couldn't cross the creek.

In 1908 Andrew Peterson bought a farm in Magrath
community and married Ina Finlayson in 1914. Ina,
my mother was from Utah as well.

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