Fonds 355 Rorem family fonds

Summary information

Repository:	South Peace Regional Archives
Title:	Rorem family fonds
Reference code:	0355
Date:	1910-1962 (date of creation)
Physical description:	60 photographs
Dates of creation, revision and deletion:	Processed July 2009 Added to new database Feb. 2023 – TD

Administrative history / Biographical sketch

Lyman Rorem was born in 1890 in Radcliff, Iowa. and came to the Bardo district in Alberta with his parents. He had three sisters: Ruby, Alice and Adelia. In 1915, he came to the Peace country to homestead and in 1916 filed on SW-10-74-9 W6 in the Valhalla district. He stayed with his uncle, Halvor Ronning and Chester’s place teaching at the Valhalla School. The first winter he got logs out for his house. There was an active community and Lyman fit in well, taking part in the Young People’s Society, taking part in a band and a choir, and many outdoor activities. In 1929, Hilda Solheim, his future wife, came from Nordfjord, Norway to stay with her aunt, Inga Fimrite. She and Lyman were married in 1930. Lyman was the butter maker and manager at the Valhalla Creamery at the time. Hilda was disappointed at having to give up her membership in the “Helping Hands “ girls club when she married. In 1931, their first son, Torgrim (Ted), was born and in 1933, Marvin was born. Hilda was an excellent cook and operated the Valhalla coffee shop. In 1941, the family moved to Peace River town for a time so Lyman could help in the creamery there. The boys took their schooling in Valhalla and Marvin attended Grande Prairie High School for his grade 11-12. Ted married Kristine MacEachern, a nursing aid from Nova Scotia and they have three children: Janet Mooney, Margaret Drysdale, and Thomas. Marvin married a school teacher, Muriel Stewart, and they have four children: Reed, Lindsay, Marnee, and Leah.

Scope and content

The fonds consists of photographs relating to the history of the Rorem, Fimrite and Ronning families, Valhalla Center, Valhalla Lutheran Church, and Valhalla School.

Notes

Title notes

Source of title proper: Title of fonds based on contents.

Location of originals

Some photographs were donated as prints, others as digital copies.

Access points

Graphic material – photograph (documentary form)
Family and personal life* (subject)
Agriculture (subject)
Business (subject)

Series descriptions

Reference code	Title	Dates	Physical description
2009.082.01	Item – Ivor Wold, Blacksmith	[1920]	1 photograph : b&w; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Ivor Wold, blacksmith, sharpening his first plow share.
2009.082.02	Item – Fencing Valhalla Cemetery	[ca. 1920]	1 photograph : b&w; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Men from the community building a fence around the Valhalla cemetery.
2009.082.03	Item – Swanberg and Rorem Boys	[ca. 1939]	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Ted and Marvin Rorem, Sylvan and Orville Swanberg and Rod Fimrite
2009.082.04	Item – First Valhalla Businesses	1919	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Mr. A. Horte Lumber and Mr. Abdo General Store.
2009.082.05	Item – Torgrim and Marvin Rorem	[1933]	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Marvin as a baby and older brother Torgrim Rorem.
2009.082.06	Item – Hilda, Marvin and Ted Rorem	[1934]	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Hilda Rorem with her two boys, Torgrim as a toddler and older brother Marvin.
2009.082.07	Item – Hilda Rorem and son, Marvin	[1934]	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Hilda Rorem with her son, Marvin.
2009.082.08	Item – Ted’s Sixth Birthday	[ca. 1937]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Ted Rorem holding his birthday cake, taken out in the yard.
2009.082.09	Item – Lutheran Camp, Lake Saskatoon	[1943]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Ted Rorem with a group of other boys at the Lutheran Camp, Lake Saskatoon.
2009.082.10	Item – The Rorems, Valhalla Center	[ca. 1946]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: The Rorem family: Marvin, Hilda, Lyman and Ted in front of their home (built 1939) in Valhalla.
2009.082.11	Item – Valhalla Center Schoo	[1940]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Students of Valhalla Center School: Far Left: Linia Christianson, Matt Olson, Joel Olson, Miss English, Ken Velve, Betty Turner, Johnnie Evjen, Shirley Roberts. Middle Row: Lillian Buckle, Evelyn Hegglund, Henry Christianson, Tobert Velve, Elsie Swanberg, Orville Swanberg. Front standing: Sylvan Swanberg, Ted Rorem, Malcolm Jardie. Boys sitting: Ivor_, Marvin Rorem, Leroy __. (Ivor and Leroy were sons of the minister)
2009.082.12	Item – Valhalla Center School Playground	[1940]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Students of Valhalla Center School playing baseball next to the school.
2009.082.13	Item – Lutheran Girls Camp, Lake Saskatoon	[1940]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: A group of girls attending the Lutheran Bible Camp at Lake Saskatoon.
2009.082.14	Item – Bruce Horte’s Birthday	[1938]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Bruce Horte’s birthday party: Ken Hanson, Marv and Ted Rorem and Bruce Horte by his cake.
2009.082.15	Item – Ted Rorem’s Confirmation	[ca. 1946]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Ted Rorem standing in front of his home on the day of his confirmation at 15 .
2009.082.16	Item – Confirmation Class	[ca. 1946]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Ted Rorem standing far left with the group being confirmed into the Lutheran Church, Valhalla, 1948.
2009.082.17	Item – At the Stickney Farm	1947	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Francis and Dewey Stickney sitting with their dog on the steps of their home.
2009.082.18	Item – David Stickney and the Rorem Boys	[ca. 1946]	1 photograph : b&w; 3 x 5 in.
	Scope and content: David Stickney, Marvin and Ted Rorem
2009.082.19	Item – Valhalla	[ca. 1920]	1 photograph : b&w; 3 x 5 in.
	Scope and content: Valhalla businesses: Melsness General Store and Post Office, Turner’s Grocery Store, Valhalla Café, Hansen’s Hardware.
2009.082.20	Item – Valhalla Co-op	1920	1 photograph : b&w; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Putting up the smoke stack on the Valhalla Co-op in the spring of 1920.
2009.082.21	Item – Valhalla Creamery Yard	1919-1920	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Sawing wood at the Valhalla Creamery yard.
2009.082.22	Item – Building Valhalla Blacksmith Shop	1919-1920	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Building Valhalla Blacksmith Shop. Ivor Wold is the blacksmith.
2009.082.23	Item – Roy Knight Breaking the Land	[1920]	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Roy Knight working down his field after the breaking plow.
2009.082.24	Item – Roy Knight Breaking the Land	[1920]	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Roy Knight breaking the land with horses and oxen.
2009.082.25	Item – Horte’s Sawmill	[1920]	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Skidding logs with oxen at Horte’s Sawmill, Skunk Lake, northwest of Valhalla.
2009.082.26	Item – Nepstad’s Store	[1920]	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Nepstad’s Store in Valhalla. It later burned down.
2009.082.27	Item – Roy Knight Cutting Hay	[1920]	1 photograph : b&w ; 3 x 5 in.
	Scope and content: Roy Knight, a bachelor, seen here cutting his hay crop, using oxen.
2009.082.28	Item – Hauling Ice for the Creamery	ca. 1930	1 photograph : b&w ; 3 x 5 in.
	Scope and content: Two children help haul the ice to the Creamery.
2009.082.29	Item – Sawing Logs for Valhalla Church	1922-1923	1 photograph : b&w ; 3 x 5 in.
	Scope and content: Three people saw logs for the Valhalla Church
2009.082.30	Item – Rorem Farm – Drilling a Well	[1922-1923]	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Horses pull a water drilling outfit for drilling a well on the Rorem farm. Albert Nepsted and Merlin Horneland in charge.
2009.082.31	Item – Bringing the Church Bell	[1923]	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: “Helping Hands” church group bought the bell for the Lutheran Church in Valhalla and here you see it being hauled (probably from the train in Hythe) to the church.
2009.082.32	Item – Skunk Lake Sawmill Band	[1923]	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 4 in.
	Scope and content: Skunk Lake Sawmill Band. Lyman Rorem is in the middle of the group with the big drum.
2009.082.33	Item – Valhalla’s First School	[1923]	1 photograph : b&w ; 3 x 5 in.
	Scope and content: Valhalla’s first school.
2009.082.34	Item – Picnic at Valhalla School	[1923]	1 photograph : b&w ; 3 x 5 in.
	Scope and content: A large group of people gather for a picnic at Valhalla’s first school.
2009.082.35	Item – Valhalla Lutheran Congregation	[1937]	1 photograph : b&w ; 4 x 8 in.
	Scope and content: A large group of the Valhalla Lutheran congregation gather for a summer photo.
2009.082.36	Item – Ronning Place at Valhalla Center	ca. 1940	1 photograph : b&w ; 4 x 7 in.
	Scope and content: A community gathering at the Ronning home at Valhalla.
2009.082.37	Item – Valhalla Lutheran Group	[1940]	1 photograph : b&w ; 3 x 5 in.
	Scope and content: A gathering of the Valhalla Lutheran group.
2009.082.38	Item – Lutheran Youth Group	[1920]	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: A Lutheran youth group.
2009.082.39	Item – Lutheran Group in Bardo, Alberta	1920	1 photograph : b&w ; 4 x 7 in.
	Scope and content: A Lutheran group in Bardo, Alberta. On the far right, Chester Ronning and next to him Lyman Rorem. Third on left is Tom Rorem and fourth on left is Alma Ronning.
2009.082.40	Item – Sir Henry Thornton, C.P.R.	[1930]	1 photograph : b&w ; 3 x 5 in.
	Scope and content: Sir Henry Thornton, C.P.R. on a visit to the Peace country, standing on the steps of the old school house in Valhalla.
2009.082.41	Item – Valhalla Children	[1944]	1 photograph : b&w ; 4 x 6 in.
	Scope and content: Copy of a photograph showing Valhalla children lined up with their bikes: Ruth Floen, Ted Rorem, Sylvan Swanberg, Orville Swanberg, Ken Hanson, Marvin Rorem and Toby the dog. Conditions governing use: Not available for reproduction.
2009.082.42	Item – Marvin and Ted Rorem	[1954]	1 photograph : b&w ; 2 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Marvin and Ted Rorem lean against their new truck. On the left is the café run by their mother, Hilda.
2009.082.43	Item – Grandmother Fimrite	1962	1 photograph : b&w ; 4 x 6 in.
	Scope and content: Copy of a photograph of Grandmother Fimrite holding her granddaughter, Janet Rorem. Conditions governing use: Not available for reproduction.
2009.082.44	Item – Inga Fimrite	[1930]	1 photograph : b&w ; 4 x 6 in.
	Scope and content: Inga Fimrite ready for doing chores, holding a bucket. Conditions governing use: Not available for reproduction.
2009.082.45	Item – Mrs. Inga Fimrite and Hilda Rorem	[1950]	1 photograph : b&w ; 3 x 4.5 in.
	Scope and content: Mrs. Inga Fimrite and Hilda Rorem stand near the entrance to a building in Valhalla.
2009.082.46	Item – Hilda and Lyman Rorem – 25th Anniversary	1955	1 photograph : b&w ; 3 x 3 in.
	Scope and content: Hilda and Lyman Rorem celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.
2009.082.47	Item – Lyman Rorem and Chester Ronning	[1925]	1 photograph : b&w ; 3.5 x 5 in.
	Scope and content: Lyman Rorem and Chester Ronning, students studying in their dorm room.
2009.082.48	Item – Valhalla Girls Basketball Team	[ca. 1920]	1 photograph : b&w ; 3 x 4 in.
	Scope and content: Valhalla Girls Basketball Team: Nepstad sisters, Agnes Melsness, Petra Hegland, Olga Melsness
2009.082.49	Item – Reproductions of Creamery, School Girls, & Unidentified Buildings	n.d.	1 sheet : b&w ; 8 x 10 in.
	Scope and content: Single sheet of photograph paper with reproductions of five negatives. The first and third (from top) images show the Valhalla Creamery as it was being built. The image on the right shows Valhalla school girls in costume ready for a school performance: Audrey Hanson, Sonia Lee, Hardus Hegglund, Muriel Hegglund, Doreen Loberg. Conditions governing use: Not available for reproduction.
2009.082.52	Item – Rorem Home in Grande Prairie	[1960]	1 slide : colour ; 2 x 2 in.
	Scope and content: Ted Rorem’s home in the VLA area.
2009.082.56	Item – Khristine (MacEachern) Rorem, Nurse	[1958]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Khristine (MacEachern) Rorem, worked on the night shift as a nurse at Grande Prairie Hospital, seen here with Ed Legace on the First Medical ward.
2009.082.57	Item – The Rorem Boys Cutting Barley	[1954]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Ted and Marvin Rorem cutting a field of barley with tractor and binder.
2009.082.58	Item – Crossing the Ferry at the Smoky River	[1936]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Ted and Marvin Rorem stand beside their father, Lyman, and behind their car as they cross the Smoky river on the ferry.
2009.082.59	Item – Ruby Alice Rorem	[1920]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Ruby Alice Rorem, born April 19, 1900.
2009.082.60	Item – Lyman Theodore Rorem	[1910]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Lyman Theodore Rorem, born September 13, 1890.
2009.082.61	Item – Lyman Rorem & Nelius Ronning	[1910]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Lyman Rorem and Nelius Ronning
2009.082.62	Item – Adelia Myrtle Rorem	[1910]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Adelia Myrtle Rorem
2009.082.63	Item – Chester Alvin Ronning	[1910]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Chester Alvin Ronning, born 1894 in Fincheng, Hupeh, China.
2009.082.64	Item – Nelius Ronning	1910	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Nelius Ronning, born 1893 in Fincheug, Hupeh, China, as a college student in 1910.
2009.082.65	Item – Almah Teressa Ronning	[1910]	1 TIFF
	Scope and content: Almah Teressa Ronning, born November 26, 1896,

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