Nicklom Family

Gustav Nicklom, together with his wife Maria and their four sons, August, John, Joe and Jaan, came to Canada from Estonia in 1908. He purchased a homestead near Stettler, Alberta. For the first few years, Gus and his sons August and John worked on the railroads and in logging camps. Joe and Jaan stayed behind to plow the prairie soil and prepare for crops the following year. Working the land was completed using a walking plough with one person leading the horse and the other guiding the plough. Since Gustav served as a Rector at his church in Estonia, it was only natural for people to ask him to officiate at Christmas and funeral services. Gustav was also an experienced blacksmith.

Gustav's oldest son, August, later homesteaded in the Wooded Hills country. He married and raised a family of seven sons and four daughters. John homesteaded near his brother's residence. He later took care of the farm and worked on the railroad section crew. In March 1939 he married Cecil Glen Pooley. Together they had two boys and one daughter: Norman of Drumheller, Willard of Leduc and Barbara of Red Deer.

John passed away in 1980 and Cecil Glen followed six years later. Joe Nicklom homesteaded by Ewing Lake. Joe sold his farm when World War II broke out and soon enlisted in the army. After the war, he found employment as a grader operator for the County of Stettler. Jaan the youngest son, attended school for a short while and worked for local area farmers. Later he found work on the railroads as a "call boy" and "engine wiper." He was promoted to engineer and worked as one until his retirement. He married Martha Wagenstein and they had one daughter named Dorothy. Gustav and his wife Maria are buried in the Estonian Cemetery. Gustav was 84 and Maria was 71 years old when they passed away.

Otto and Gladys Nicklom lived and farmed for 46 years on their farm located eight miles west of Big Valley. Otto was born 28 May 1920 to Gustav and Pauline Nicklom, the third oldest in a family of eleven children (three daughters died in infancy). During his younger years he attended school and worked on his grandfather's farm. Gladys was born 30 October 1927 to Alexander and Elvine Soop. She graduated from Stettler High School in 1946 and worked at the Royal Bank in Stettler. Otto and Gladys were married in 1949 and began a life of farming.

Otto and Gladys have two daughters, Dianne and Melodie. Dianne and her family reside in Spruce Grove, Alberta. Melodie and her family reside in Red Deer. Otto and Gladys retired from farming in 1995.

Rudolph Nicklom married Sharon Annable on 23 October 1959. They lived on the August Nicklom homestead along with Rudoplh's parents. Rudolph's mother, Pauline, passed away in 1960 and her husband, Gustav, followed one year later. Rudolph and Sharon have two children named Lori Rose and Rudoplh Richard, known to everyone as Rick. Aside from farming, Rudoplh drove the school bus for the County of Stettler. Lori married Albert Reule of Lethbridge in 1984. Ten years later she obtained a law degree and moved back to the Nicklom farm with her family. Lori's brother Rick stayed in the area farming and working on oilrigs.