Gass Family fonds. — [1880-2014]. — 7.5 cm of textual records. — 139 photographs. — 1 postcards.
Biographical Sketch
Ignatius Gus Gass was born in Rastadt, Russia Feb. 15, 1874 to parents Francis and Katherine (Reinhart), along with siblings Elizabeth, Jacob, Mary, Natelle and Veronica. Ignatz served at some point in the Russian Imperial army with his brother Jacob. In 1896, Ignatz was married to Katherine Schmidt who was b. Aug 3, 1878 to parents Thomas Schmidt and Anastasia Wormsbecker. Katherine’s mother Anastasia was a widow when she married Thomas Schmidt, her previous husband was Frank Lerner. Anastasia had three children with Frank Lerner; Michael, Anna & Joseph and three children with Thomas Schmidt; Dorothy, Jerome and Katherine.
Ignatz and Katherine’s first two children were born in Russia, Jacob in 1897 and Anastasia in 1899. In 1901 the family left Russia traveling on the ship the Frankfurt, their son Frank was born on board Dec. 26, 1901. The family landed in Galveston, Texas and settled in Henrietta. Ignatz went to work as a clerk in a dry goods store and in 1906 became a naturalized American citizen and purchased land. The land was located on the West half of Block 66 in the Western Addition to Henrietta and a part of a 10 acre tract out of the T & N.O.R.R. Co. survey. A daughter Rosemary (1906) and son Anthony (1908) were born in Henrietta. In 1910, Ignatz & Katherine sold their holdings and the family relocated to the Qu ‘Appelle District of Saskatchewan where Ignatz was again working as a clerk in a store. By 1913, the Gass family had settled in the Rastadt area of Saskatchewan where many people they knew from Russia had relocated. Ignatz purchased the NW & SW of 3-18-24-W3 where he farmed with the help of his sons. Ignatz was also acting postmaster from 1913-1920 and a commissioner of oaths. In Rastadt, (also referred to as Fox Valley) five more children were born; Josephine, Katherine, Sophie, Barbara and Thomas.
In 1920 two of their children were married, Jacob married Anna Marie Lerner and Anastasia ‘Annie’ married Mathias Anton. In 1924 Rosemary ‘Rose’ Gass married Jacob Anton, she passed away in 1929 and is buried with her son Victor in Rastadt Holy Trinity R.C. Cemetery. Ignatz and Katherine took over the raising of her young son Tommy who was three years old. The family then made another move leaving Rastadt for the Hythe, Alberta in 1929 where their son Frank had already settled.
Ignatz and his family farmed on N.W. 9-73-11-W6 as well as S1/2 8-73-11-W6 which was originally the Lovatt homestead. In 1930 their son Jake and his family settled in the Annallen district. The family farmed and became involved in the social events in the area. Ignatz passed away suddenly in 1934 and Katherine later in 1959, they are both buried in the Hythe Cemetery. Ignatz and Katherine’s children –
Jacob Gass and his wife Marie had seven children and lived on a farm by Hythe.
Anastasia Gass with her husband Mathias had five children and they settled in Medicine Hat, Alberta.
Anthony Conrad ‘Tony’ Gass married Anna Maria ‘Mary’ Schmidt and they had three children and lived in the Hythe area.
Josephine Gass married Clifford Henderson and they had two children. They farmed for 30 years at Circlebank, later living for a time in the Yukon and then settled in Campbell River, B.C.
Katherine Gass married Andrew Hudec and they had two children. They farmed for a time in Dimsdale and later Clairmont.
Sophia Gass married Fulton Lea Hodgson and with their six children stayed in the Hythe area.
Barbara Gass married Arnold Reid in a double wedding at Circlebank Hall with her sister Sophia. They had six children and moved in 1960 to Whitemud area to farm and then to Sorrento where they retired.
Thomas Gass served as a mechanic in WWII. When he came back he farmed and lived with his mother, Thomas never married.
Tommy Anton grandson to Ignatz and Katherine married Sheila and later Beatrice and had five children. Tommy passed away in 1998.
Notes: Title based on the contents of the fonds.
Related records: Hodgson family fonds 630, South Peace Regional Archives
Sources: Cemetery Listing for Rastadt Cemetery – http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cansacem/rastadt.html
Book – Pioneer Round-Up
Custodial History
The recods were collected by Sophia Hodgson and then passed on to her daughter Edna and donated by Edna Greber’s children.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of records relating to the Gass family. They are divided into ffive series: Ignatz and Katherine Gass, Thomas Gass, Gass family miscellaneous papers, Gass family photographs and Gass family book.. There was no discernable order when the records arrived and an order was created by the archivist.
Table of Contents
| Series 631.01 | Ignatz and Katherine Gass |
| Series 631.02 | Thomas Gass |
| Series 631.03 | Gass Family Miscellaneous Papers |
| Series 631.04 | Gass Family Photographs |
| Series 631.05 | Gass Family Book |
| Series 631.01 | Ignatz and Katherine Gass. — [1906-1990]. — 2.5 cm of textual records. The series consists of records of Ignatz Gass’ U.S. naturalization (1906); write up from St. Michael’s Church in Henrietta, Texas; record of land purchase (1906) and sale (1910) from Henrietta, Texas; Ignatz Gass postmaster at Rastadt, Saskatchewan (1913-1920); Ignatz Gass being appointed as commissioner of oaths in Rastadt, Saskatchewan (1917); an indenture between Ignatz and son Frank for the purchase of seven horses, cattle, a car, harness, plow, wagon and mill (1934); Ignatz’s last letter to daughter Anastasia in German with an English translation (1934); telegram sent to Anastasia informing her of her father Ignatz’s passing; information from Ignatz’s funeral; poor copy of Katherine Gass’ National Registration (1940). Notes: Title based on the contents of the series. The papers in the series are copies. |
| Series 631.02 | Thomas Gass. — [1939-1957]. — 1.5 cm of textual records. — 8 photographs. Thomas Gass was born July 30, 1921 in Fox Valley, Saskatchewan. He grew up there until the age of nine when his family relocated to the Hythe area. Thomas attended West Hythe school with his siblings and worked on the family farm. In 1941 Tom joined up for the second world war. He did his training in Camrose and served as a mechanic during the war. When Thomas returned he lived with his mother Katherine, and after she passed away he lived on his own. Thomas died December 6, 1981 and is buried in the Hythe Cemetery. The series consists of personal and financial papers of Thomas Gass. The papers include Public High School Leaving Diploma (1935); news clipping about WWII recruits leaving for Edmonton (1941); a book from the National Grain Co., Ltd. with shopping lists and doodles; Reinforcement Training Record for unit R.C.A.S.C. 22nd (1942); farming & tax receipts, financial correspondence records (1951-1953); income tax return (1957); blank form from the Veterans’ land Act. Notes: Title based on the contents of the series. |
| Series 631.03 | Gass Family Papers. –1 cm of textual records. [1917-2014]. News clipping, obituaries, and memorial cards for various members of the Gass family. Carmen Clifford Henderson’s WWI attestation paper (1917); Jospehine Gass’ wedding announcement(1934); Ignatz Gass’ obituary and funeral information (1934); Joseph Gass’ obituary (1947); Jacob Gass’ obituary (1965); Murray Gass’ obituary (1968); Rochus Lerner’s obituary (1970); Thomas Gass’ obituary (1981); Barbara (Gass) Reid’s memorial card (1982); Katherine (Gass) Hudec’s obituary (1983); Anthony Conrad Gass’s memorial card (1992); Anastasia (Gass) Anton’s obituary (1994); George Robertson’s memorial card (1994); Darlene Gass’ wedding announcement (1998); Marie Rose (Robertson) Wiebe’s obituary (1998); Laurent Lucien Forseille’s memorial card (1999); Eileen Carol (Robertson) Dyck’s obituary (1999); Frank Edmund Gass’ obituary (2000); Magdelen Helen (Schmidt) (Gass) Hegel (2002); John Gass’ obituary (2007); Melvin Gass’ obituary (2014). Notes: Title based on the contents of the series. |
| Series 631.04 | Gass Family Photographs. — [1880-2002]. — 131 photographs. — 1 postcards. Various photographs of Gass family and friends. There is also a photograph scrapbook that belonged to Sophia Gass with 33 photographs. Notes: Title based on the contents of the series. |
| Series 631.05 | Gass Family Book. — [ca.2002]. — 3 cm of textual records. A family history book of the Gass family. The book begins with Francis Gass to more current generations and it includes stories, photographs as well as the family genealogy. |