Jesse Eugene Sherman was born May 10, 1881, the
second of nine children, on his parents farm at York,
Dane County, near Columbus, Wisconsin. His earlier
travels had him in San Francisco during the great
earthquake and fire April 18, 1906.

Lillian May Leonhardt was also from a large family in
Marshfield, Wisconsin. Being born on May 19, 1881
made her nineteen years old on the 19th of May,
1900 which she was proud of. May worked out as a hired
girl. She was working at the Sherman's farm when
they met.

On June 4, 1907 Jesse and May were married in
Marshfield, Wisconsin. They continued living on the
Sherman farm where Jesse and his brother did the
farming. In 1909 they worked in the woods, Jesse
as a lumber jack and May as the camp cook.

On February 26, 1910, a son was born in Narsonville,
Wisconsin. That summer Jesse, May and son came to
the Cardston area to work for John Nelson. Jesse
became foreman at this ranch.

In 1912 they moved to a farm on the St. Marys River
at Spring Coulee. Their buildings were where the
campground is now, on the flat below the dam. On
January 23, 1915, their second son was born in
Cardston.

In 1924 they bought their farm "The Wheat Ranch"
at S25 T4 R24 W4. This was a mixed farm operation.
Working with the neighbors, they took part in the
haying and thrashing bees. In the winter, having deep
snow and winds, they visited, played cards and enjoyed
other functions that there were. They had a well kept
yard of trees and a big garden with lots of flowers. They
also had pigs, geese, turkeys, chickens, horses (of
course) and raised mostly wheat.

During these years Jesse built a cottage in Waterton for
May to live in when her hay fever got bad. It is next
door to Crandel Lodge and they named it "Mountain
Holm". Many enjoyable summers were spent there by
all.

Jesse and May were very community minded and always
were there to help and take part. One of his last acts of
kindness was taking the lead in building Sunday School
rooms for the children. Baseball was Jesse's greatest
pastime. He was a great player and in later years one of
Spring Coulee's most enthusiastic baseball fans. He
died at a ball game in Spring Coulee of a heart attack
on August 8, 1938. Being an Elder for many years,
there was a Bible presented by the Board of the Spring
Coulee United Church to Jesse's memory.

May, a good neighbor and helper, was one of the original
members of the Women's Institute and Red Cross in
Spring Coulee. After Jesse died she moved to Waterton
and her son and his wife rented her farm.

In the "Mountain Holm" May kept busy in the community
life of afternoon teas, bridge parties and shoveling snow.
At home she kept busy with her flowers outside and
plants inside and chasing the bears out of her back
porch and yard. May was very talented, she knitted
mittens and socks and made baskets out of greeting
cards. Being a "Rag Artist", she made beautiful rugs
and quilts for her sons, their wives and six grandchildren.

In 1957 May sold her "Wheat Ranch". She sold her
"Mountain Holm" to Crandel Lodge and retired to
live with Mrs.H.A. Long in Cardston. In 1960 May went
to live with her son and his wife and their children.

May had a number of strokes and died of one December
5, 1963 in Cardston.

Jesse and May's home was always a place of welcome
for everyone and many shared the hospitality bestowed
to their guests. Both Jess's and May's funerals were
held in the Southminster United Church in Lethbridge
and both were buried in Mountain View Cemetery in
Lethbridge.

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