HOLM, Ellen Marie

   Et andet navn for Ellen var HOLMES, Ellen Marie.

  Notater:

Kilde: Ole Damgaard, 2018.
Gift 2 gange, ingen børn.

Source: geni.com (private user).

Ellen Marie Holm
1896 - 1981
by JoEllen (McComb) Vinyard and
Virginia (Holmes) Thomson

Ellen Marie Holm's life began on May 24, 1896 in Soledad, California, the daughter of Jens and Jenny Holm, joining her brother, Ted, who was born there in 1895. At the age of four, Ellen and the family moved to Cape Scott, B.C., Canada. Life there at Cape Scott meant hard work, but a wonderful life, there in that Danish Cooperative Community.

In 1903, two of Jenny's brothers came to Cape Scott for a short visit. One, Johnnie, escorted Jenny, Ted and Ellen on a trip back to Fredsville, Iowa to see Jenny's parents, Johann and Hansine (Sine) Schultz. Ted and Ellen were thrilled at everything they saw - from the funny, to the beautiful, to the entirely unexpected.

Jens batched it while the others were in Iowa, and of course was delighted to see them when they returned on the May 24th supply boat at Cape Scott.

Another daughter joined the Holm family in 1905, when Signa Jonette Holm was born in their log cabin there at Cape Scott. Ellen was delighted with the new baby; that love for each other continued on throughout their lives - even though Ellen was ten years older than Signa.

When Ellen was about 12, the family moved to Seattle, Washington, where her father, Jens participated in the Alaska Yukon Exposition (AYP) both as a winner of the Grand Prize award for his Extension Table, and as a carpenter during the building of the site's buildings - and the removal of the temporary buildings. And, Ellen's second brother, little Arthur Stephen Holm, was born there in 1908. To Ellen's great delight, Art had red hair, just like her.

When Jens, Jenny, Signa and Art moved up to Rivers Inlet in British Columbia, Canada, about 1910, both Ted and Ellen remained in Seattle. Ellen was basically on her own from about the age of 14, she boarded with a series of families while she attended Seattle's Public Schools. Ted went to school and worked at different jobs - one of which was at the Fry Packing Plant. In 1911, Jens began building a home in Campbell River for his family.

During the summer breaks, Ellen would travel by steamship to go home to Campbell River to visit her family and her friends, including the Thulin daughters. I'm sure it was tough to pack up and travel back to Seattle in the fall to continue her education.
In September of 1913, Lily Thulin came down from Campbell River to stay with Ellen and Ted while Lily attended night school. In January of 1914, Lily went to Campbell River for a visit, but returned to Seattle about a week later.

During the summer of 1914, Ellen, on her summer visit home, accompanied a group of friends to a picnic at Elk Falls, including Mr. Ives, Bert Stylas, Dell Edwards, Mrs. Derke and Mrs Renlin (nurses), Thelma Swansen and Vera Swan, Lily Thulin and Elin, Ruth Morrison and Mr. Tucker. In the fall, Ellen returned to Seattle to continue her schooling. In June of 1916, Ellen graduated from Lincoln High School in Seattle, Washington and entered the University of Washington.

During one of Ellen's summer trips to Campbell River, she worked for McDonald Murphy Logging Company on the beach south of Campbell River, where she met Norman Wolfe - and they became engaged. (They were married on October 29, 1921 at the Columbia Coast Mission in Quatiaski Cove, B.C. However, in 1929, the marriage was dissolved in Seattle, Washington.)

Ellen returned to Seattle and began working for the Eastman Kodak Company. In June of 1920, Ellen's grandmother, Sine, came to Seattle and Ellen escorted her up to Campbell River to spend some time with Jens and Jenny. But, on December 24, Sine returned to Seattle and informed Ellen that her father, Jens, was terminally ill. Ellen immediately left for Campbell River to help Jenny take care of Jens. Jens died from Pancreatic Cancer on April 21 [29 ?], 1921, just two days before his 52nd birthday.

Ellen decided to stay in British Columbia and she started a business in Menzies Bay, an Ice Cream Parlor and Post Office. Yes, Ellen became his Majesty's mail carrier between Quatsino and Sea Otter Cove. She was, by the way, the youngest post mistress in Canada. Ellen also raised a small herd of dairy cattle, selling the milk to the Comox Creamery. Ellen loved her cows - even named them and took pictures of them. Their names were: Betty, Spookie, Frolicsome, Barnie, So Boss, Sparkie, Rudy, Patches, Randy and Blacknose. Ellen kept a record af their heritage, their production, and when they produced calves.

In April of 1925, though, Ellen sold her cows and moved back to Seattle, and to work at the Eastman Kodak company. In 1931, she wrote to Jenny (who was in Portland, Oregon visiting her friend Lone Johnson) that she was worried about the economy - it didn't seem to be getting any better, but was getting worse. She told Jenny that the store may cut another 10% of their salaries and institute a 5-day week, so all the of employees were holding their breath and hoping they wouldn't be the next to be fired. She said she would rather work fewer days than take bad cuts or enforced vacation.

In March 1936, Ellen's brother Ted was killed in an auto accident in Seattle's north end. This loss was a terrible blow to the entire family. Ted's wife, Esther, and their two children, Jerry and Charlotte were left to carry on. They missed Ted greatly, for he was a loving father and husband to them.

Ellen met Peter Albert Hansen in the late 1930s. They had a beautiful home built on Beacon Hill in Seattle, and when they were married in St. John's Danish Lutheran Church in Seattle, Washington on March 16, 1940, a lovely reception was held in that home, with a string quartet from the nearby Franklin High School playing in the background.

During their life there, they planted lovely gardens that were the envy of everyone who saw their beautiful yards. Albert passed away in the 1960s, and Ellen continued on in their home, maintaining the house and garden in beautiful condition.
Grandma Jenny came to stay with Ellen and she lived with her for many years. The two enjoyed each other and found pleasure in the daily routines. Ellen was an excellent cook. She enjoyed gardening and flower arranging - she even took lessons in Ikebana (a Japanese style of flower arranging that emphasized colour, line, simplicity). Ellen was also an active Judge for formal flower arrangements and garden shows.

Although Ellen did not have children of her own, she thoroughly enjoyed the children of her brothers, Ted and Art, and her sister, Signa, as well as those of her friends and neighbours. Whenever possible, she delighted in passing on information about everything from gardening, to cooking, to playing chess - she enjoyed teaching important life skills.

All four of Jens and Jenny's children spoke of the easy, free, unrestricted childhood of Campbell River. So much to do and so little that was off limits. However, Grandma Jenny specified that no one was to ever go on to the log booms that were just off on Campbell River's shores. Because of the logging industry, there was always a log boom or two waiting to be hauled away.
One day Ellen and Ted decided to see how far out they could get on one of the booms, and probably forgot this was a restricted, forbidden arena. Even city folks know that logs tied into a log boom, roll and roll.

So, the trick is to hop from one to another before it rolls and you lose your balance. Trouble is, if you end up in the water, you may well be under the log boom which contained quite large logs.

Jenny hadn't seen Ellen or Ted in a few hours so she went down to the beach where a Senior First Nation Man was sitting, wrapped in his blanket and in a contemplative manner. She asked him if he had seen her children and he nodded toward the boom. Way, way out she could see these little figures - one very blond and one with very red hair. She knew that if she shouted at them they would panic and probably fall in. So she sat and waited. Finally they began to make their way to shore and of course spotted their Mother sitting quietly on the beach; and still she said nothing. They jumped off the boom into the ankle deep water. They hesitantly approached her realizing they were caught in a forbidden act, and began to beg forgiveness and said that they would never do it again. She said nothing, but took each one firmly by an ear and marched them up to the First Nation elder. He of course, knew exactly what was happening. And so did Ellen and Ted. "HOW MUCH?" asked Jenny.

Oh please, please, Mama, don't sell us to the Indians, we will never do it again, we promise, etc., etc ..... Jenny asked them to hush.

After a wait of time, the elder said "TWO BITS," which of course is 25 cents apiece. Again the wailing and crying commenced, oh, please, don't do it Mama, we won't ever do this again, we will be so good. At last, with a wink from the elder to Jenny and her wink back to him, she marched her children home, reminding them that blond and especially red headed children would be quite unique and valuable to the Indians. (Now, First Nation People.) As far as we know, they never got onto a log boom again.

This story reflects the early days - but should not be interpreted as indicating that the Holm family was prejudiced. Far from it. Jens and Jenny instilled in their children the importance of always remembering that all people are equal - that is, unless an individual proves himself or herself as untrustworthy.

We all remember Ellen with great fondness.

Religion: Lutheran
Ellen : Altmulig-kvinde. Gift med Norman Wolfe i 1921. Flyttede senere til Seattle til arbejde som bogholder hos Eastman Kodak. Igen til B.C. som postmester og malkekvæg-opdrætter. I 1925 igen til Seattle og Kodak, og skilt i 1929. Gift igen i 1940 med Peter Albert Hansen. Ingen børn.