In loving memory of Esther Edgar born on April 12, 1905 to April 27th 1975 at Balmoral cannery to Jane Brown of Kispiox and Mr Dudoward of Port Simpson.
Esther’s mother Jane died when she was 16 years old leaving her and her two brothers orphans. Peter Brown of Two Mile joined the army in United States, George Wilson from Port Edward was placed in Jane’s sister Maggie Hudson’s home, and Esther was placed in Jane’s cousin Alice Brown’s home. Esther also had 3 foster sisters and one foster brother. Esther and her two brothers attended Sardis residential school.
Esther ‘s greatest love of her life which was an arranged marriage was Sylvester Edgar from Metlakatla Alaska. They had 11 children seven born at Kispiox reservation, one on Gitzagukla reservation, only one in the Hazelton hospital.
Of their 11 children only Martha went to residential school. When the Indian agent came to their home in Kispiox to take their kids to residential school, Sylvester threw them out of their house. The Indian agent came back and evicted Sylvester, Esther and their eight children off the reservation. Esther lost her status for being married to a “white” man. They bought a log house on eight acres of land in South Hazelton where they had two more boys and 6 adopted grandchildren.
Esther and Sylvester fit right in and enjoyed playing crib at the hall with the towns people. Esther joined the Women’s institute. She loved to garden. One of my fondest memories is all of us sitting at the table sewing quilts with our mother.
Sylvester loved to take Esther back to his hometown in Metlakatla every year after the fishing season was over. Some years they went to Vancouver. Their happiest trip was to Seattle Worlds Fair where they saw jazz singer – Louis Armstrong. They met a lot of relatives from Metlakatla there.
Another time that made them really happy was when they were in South Hazelton bar and a stranger came in looked around and came to their table and asked them, “Would you like to come with me and have a beer and meet Chief Dan George?” They went out to the car with him and had a beer and a good visit with Chief Dan George. Esther also met Premier McKenzie King when he visited Hazelton, she cooked for him.
Esther was really talented with sewing, embroidery, crocheting, and cooking, she made all her children’s clothes coats, mittens, socks, and toques.
Esther and Edith McDougall were cannery workers who left their families for the summer to work in the Namu Cannery in 1957. Namu and Balmoral canneries are no longer running.
Don’t remember me with sadness.
Don’t remember me with tears.
Remember all the laughter and singing.
We’ve shared through out the years.
Your loving daughter Mavis Jane Krause
and granddaughter Cheryl Watts Krause
