MARY'S GENEALOGY TREASURES
The Hutterite Bretheren of Wilson arrived from South Dakota
by train, on June 18, 1918, with seven carloads of goods
and livestock. There were 45 people, "Souls", belonging to
four families: Wurtz, Walter, Hofer, and Tschetter. Later on
they were joined by members of the Stahl family.
By 1952 the colony had grown to 140 people, so there was a
division of the colony, with the Walters and Tschetters going
to Westlock (Pibroch). Another division took place in 1962 to
form the Waterton Colony. Most recently, the Keho Lake
Colony was established in 1981, beginning with three sections
of land. The Wilson Colony now farms twelve sections or more.
Schooling for the children begins with kindergarten from the age
of three years to six years, when they learn German. This is
followed by regular "Provincial" eduction at a school on the
Colony property, from grade one through nine, and terminates
when the student reaches fifteen years of age.
In the first school there were 35 students including the outside
families of Wocknitz, Tracht, Stanko, Hydechuck, Bishop, and
Bob Murdock. This was called the Allenby School. The first
teacher was Mrs. Robinson who came from Oyen which is
east of Calgary. She taught at the Wilson Colony for sixteen
years, living in the teacherage on site. She was succeeded
by Mr.Rycroft who taught there until 1947. In the early 1930's
all of the non-Hutterite students, except the Stankos left in
order to attend the Wilson School.
The Hutterites began farming with horses and then supplemented
that power with J. I. Case steam engines, and then John Deere
tractors with lugs and also D-6 Caterpillar tractors
As a matter of interest, the Bawlf and Ogilvie elevators were in
place at Wilson Siding in 1918-1919. Later when the dust storms
began, the Bawlf engine house filled with drift soil, from time to time
and the Hutterites were enlisted (paid) to clean out the sand.
Allenby School is still in use on the Wilson Hutterite ,Colony
as of summer 1995.
Miscellaneous Histories