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Notes for ILA HENRY LAKE:
Ila moved from Fairmont, West Virginia to Cripple Creek, Alberta, Canada and died near there in 1956. He was a patient for two years in a hospital in Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada prior to his death.
Emmet Lake told of seeing Ila on his many return visits to Fairmont. Ila always asked him to go back to Canada with him, where he raised cattle and horses. He always traveled in tattered old clothes for fear someone would try to rob him if he looked prosperous. Once, he brought a shipment of cattle to chicago on his way to Fairmont. After selling his stock, he asked that the money be wired to the Fairmont bank. When he arrived he found that his money had been delayed and he was without funds. He opened charge accounts at several local stores for clothing and other things he needed until his money arrived. He was surprised at the ease in which he received credit, but found later that he had been mistaken for my (the author's) grandfather, Ila (Little Ila) Lake.
He was quite a fancy dresser while home on visits, but always donned his old shabby clothes for the trip home to Canada. Emmet Lake explained the nickname "Big Ila". He was about 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighed approximately 250 pounds.
A letter received from Ken Scott of Crooked Creek, Alberta, Canada is very descriptive of Ila Lake:
"I knew this man very well as I lived about 1/4th mile from him for about 15 years. We also farmed his land for a number of years. Right now my brother John farms the land as he bought it shortly after Mr. Lake died. He was quite tall, over 6 feet and very athletic as he continued to exercise well into his 80's. He could always put the flat of his hands on the floor without bending his knees. In the picture I sent you, you will notice one of his eyes is different from the other. He lost one eye and wore a glass one. I don't know how this happened, as it was when he was much younger.
He was a great talker, could talk for hours about anything. He never married, but hired different housekeepers when he was younger. He liked cattle very much and always had from 15 to 25 when he lived here, although when he first came to southern Alberta, near Maneyberries, he had a ranch with several hundred head. People around here used to get him to guess the weight of their cattle when they were going to sell them and he could usually guess right on. When he would have to move the cattle, he would go ahead of them and call them in a high pitched voice and cattle would follow him for miles. In the early days he used to take them to the railroad this way. This was about 75 miles and it might take him two weeks. They usually arrived in very good shape.
He only farmed 1/4th section and just had about 60 acres under cultivation. This farm is very hilly and probably was similar to the farm he lived on as a boy. When I was a boy, he taught me how to tie a bundle, scythe, and how to use a spade to plow new land. I will relate how he fared the last winter he was home. This was a very cold winter, temperature down to below 60 below zero at one time. I would go down there in the morning and would not be sure he was still alive in his bed as the wood stove would be out and house very cold. He would not move or make a sound. I would get the fire going and warm up the room. All of a sudden, he would sit straight up in bed. He still would not say a word until I gave him a quarter cup of brandy, the he would start to talk. He always said he was quite comfortable during the night. When he got up, he would cook some bannock and eat it with jam.
About the only outings he seemed to enjoy were funerals or auction sales. He never kept any machinery as he hired all the farming done. His first house was of logs and built in the early 1930's. It is still used as a chicken house. He moved a frame house on the place about 1950. Both of these houses have since been moved as my brother built a new house on the same site. The rest of the farm looks pretty much the same as when he had it. There is a very good road past it now, but when Mr. Lake had it, he traveled on a winding trail.
You asked about his stay in the hospital. This was because of old age and feebleness and not due to any sickness."
The following was sent to me (Lawrence Rex Lake) by Kathryn Daly Quackenbush from an article she found in her mothers things. It came from the funeral director in Crooked Creek, Alberta, Canada:
"Funeral held at Rosedale Church, Crooked Creek, Alberta, Canada. Large crowd of friends and neighbors. Three hymns were sung by a male quartet. Mr. Deveer, the Mennonite Minister, preached the sermon. All the attendents paid their respects by marching by the open casket. Numbers (many) remarked of how natural he appeared. High tribute was paid by the minister for his many kind acts of neighborliness, kindness and generosity. He was always on for helping along in community affairs. His daily use and study of the scripture was referred to by Mr. Deveer who visited him while he was in the hospital. Mr Patterson, who is the executor of his estate, arranged the funeral and all was nicely arranged." Signed by J. B. Oliver
This also solved the rumor of his middle name. Everything I could find showed him as Ila H. Lake. The funeral notice gave his full name, Ila Henry Lake. (L. Rex Lake)
(1) Letter from Kenneth I. Scott, Route 1, Crooked Creek,
Alberta, Canada dated January 26, 1976.
(2) Fairmont Times, Fairmont, West Virginia, death notice dated
December 19, 1956.
(3) Interview with Emmet Lake.
(3 ) Many letters from friends of Ila Lake in Cripple Creek,
Alberta, Canada.
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