Fonds 355 Rorem family fonds - South Peace Regional Archives

[1911-1960]. — 65 photographs.

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 activites. 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.

Custodial History

The records were donated to the South Peace Regional Archives by Ted Rorem in 2009.

Scope and Content

The fonds consists of 65 photographs relating to the history of the Rorem, Fimrite and Ronning families, Valhalla Center, Valhalla Luthern Church, and Valhalla School and newspaper articles relating to the same. Also included is a copy of Lyman’s Teaching Cetificate, 1911 and a copy of 1915 Rules for Teachers

Notes

Ivor Wold, Blacksmith, [1920]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Ivor Wold, blacksmith, sharpening his first plow share.
Location: 2009.82.01

Fencing Valhalla Cemetery,
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Men from the community building a fence around the Valhalla cemetery.
Location: 2009.82.02

Swanberg and Rorem Boys, [1942]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Ted and Marvin Rorem, Sylvan and Orville Swanberg and Rod Fimrite
Location: 2009.82.03

First Valhalla Businesses, 1919
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Mr. A. Horte Lumber and Mr. Abdo General Store.
Location: 2009.82.04

Torgrim and Marvin Rorem, [1933]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Torgrim as a baby and older brother Marvin Rorem.
Location: 2009.82.05

Hilda, Marvin and Ted Rorem, [1934]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Hilda Rorem with her two boys, Torgrim as a toddler and older brother Marvin.
Location: 2009.82.06

Hilda Rorem and son, Marvin, [1934]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Hilda Rorem with her son, Marvin.
Location: 2009.82.07

Ted’s Sixth Birthday, [1939]
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
Ted Rorem holding his birthday cake, taken out in the yard.
Location: 2009.82.08

Lutheran Camp, Lake Saskatoon, [1943]
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
Ted Rorem with a group of other boys at the Lutheran Camp, Lake Saskatoon.
Location: 2009.82.09

The Rorems, Valhalla Center, [1945]
photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
The Rorem family: Marvin, Hilda, Lyman and Ted in front of their home (built 1939) in Valhalla.
Location: 2009.82.10

Valhalla Center School, [1940]
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
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)
Location: 2009.82.11

Valhalla Center School Playground, [1940]
1 photogrpaph; b & w; 4 x 6
Students of Valhalla Center School playing baseball next to the school
Location: 2009.82.12

Lutheran Girls Camp, Lake Saskatoon, [1940]
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
A group of girls attending the Lutheran Bible Camp at Lake Saskatoon.
Location: 2009.82.13

Bruce Horte’s Birthday, [1938]
1 photograph scan; b & w; 4 x 6
Bruce Horte’s birthday party: Ken Hanson, Marv and Ted Rorem and Bruce Horte by his cake.
Location: 2009.82.14

Ted Rorem’s Confirmation, [1946]
1 photograph scan; b & w; 4 x 6
Ted Rorem standing in front of his home on the day of his confirmation at 15 .
Location: 2009.82.15

Confirmation Class, [1946]
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
Ted Rorem standing far left with the group being confirmed into the Lutheran Church, Valhalla, 1948.
Location: 2009.82.16

At the Stickney Farm, 1947
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
Francis and Dewey Stickney sitting with their dog on the steps of their home.
Location: 2009.82.17

David Stickney and the Rorem Boys, [1948]
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
David Stickney, Marvin and Ted Rorem
Location: 2009.82.18

Valhalla,
1 photograph; b & w; 3 x 5
Valhalla businesses: Melsness General Store and Post Office, Turner’s Grocery Store, Valhalla Café, Hansen’s Hardware.
Location: 2009.82.19

Valhalla Co-op, 1920
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Putting up the smoke stack on the Valhalla Co-op in the spring of 1920.
Location: 2009.82.20

Valhalla Creamery Yard, 1919-1920
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Sawing wood at the Valhalla Creamery yard.
Location: 2009.82.21

Building Valhalla Blacksmith Shop, 1919-1920
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Building Valhalla Blacksmith Shop. Ivor Wold is the blacksmith.
Location: 2009.82.22

Roy Knight Working the Breaking, [1920]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Roy Knight working down his field after the breaking plow.
Location: 2009.82.23

Roy Knight Breaking the Land, [1920]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Roy Knight breaking the land with horses and oxen.
Location: 2009.82.24

Horte’s Sawmill, [1920]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Skidding logs withoxen at Horte’s Sawmill, Skunk Lake, northwest of Valhalla.
Location: 2009.82.25

Nepstad’s Store, [1920]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Nepstad’s Store in Valhalla. It later burned down.
Location: 2009.82.26

Roy Knight Cutting Hay, [1920]
1 photograph; b & w; 3 x 5
Roy Knight, a bachelor, seen here cutting his hay crop, using oxen.
Location: 2009.82.27

Hauling Ice for the Creamery,
1 photograph; b & w; 3 x 5
Two children help haul the ice to the Creamery.
Location: 2009.82.28

Sawing Logs for Valhalla Church, 1922-1923
1 photograph; b & w; 3 x 5
Three people saw logs for the Valhalla Church
Location: 2009.82.29

Rorem Farm – Drilling a Well, [1922-1923]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Horses pull a water drilling outfit for drilling a well on the Rorem farm. Albert Nepsted and Merlin Horneland in charge.
Location: 2009.82.30

Bringing the Church Bell, [1923]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
“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.
Location: 2009.82.31

Skunk Lake Sawmill Band, [1923]
1 photographs; b & w; 2 x 4
Skunk Lake Sawmill Band. Lyman Rorem is in the middle of the group with the big drum.
Location: 2009.82.32

Valhalla’s First School, [1923]
1 photograph; b & w; 3 x 5
Valhalla’s first school.
Location: 2009.82.33

Picnic at Valhalla School, [1923]
1 photograph; b & w; 3 x 5
A large group of people gather for a picnic at Valhalla’s first school.
Location: 2009.82.34

Valhalla Lutheran Congregation, [1937]
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 8
A large group of the Valhalla Lutheran congregation gather for a summer photo.
Location: 2009.82.35

Ronning Place at Valhalla Center,
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 7
A community gathering at the Ronning home at Valhalla.
Location: 2009.82.36

Valhalla Lutheran Group, [1940]
1 photograph; b &w; 3 x 5
A gathering of the Valhalla Lutheran group.
Location: 2009.82.37

Lutheran Youth Group, [1920]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
A Lutheran youth group.
Location: 2009.82.38

Lutheran Group in Bardo, Alberta,
1 photograph; b & w; 5 x 7
A Lutheran group in Bardo, Alberta.On the far right, Chester Ronning and next to him Lymen Rorem. Third on left is Tom Rorem and fourth on left is Alma Ronning.
Location: 2009.82.39

Sir Henry Thorton, C.P.R., [1930]
1 photograph; b & w; 3 x 5
Sir Henry Thorton, C.P.R. on a visit to the Peace country, standing on the steps of the old school house in Valhalla.
Location: 2009.82.40

Valhalla Children, [1941]
1 photograph; b & w; 3 x 5
Valhalla children line up with their bikes for a photo: Ruth Floen, Ted Rorem, Sylvan _, Orville _, Ken Hanson, Marvin Rorem and Toby the dog.
Location: 2009.82.41

Rorem Children, [1954]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Marvin and Ted Rorem lean against their new truck. On the left is the café run by their mother, Hilda.
Location: 2009.82.42

Grandmother Fimrite, 1962
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
Grandmother Fimrite holding her grandaughter, Janet Rorem.
Location: 2009.82.43

Inga Fimrite, [1930]
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
Inga Fimrite ready for doing chores, holding a bucket.
Location: 2009.82.44

Mrs.Inga Fimrite and Hilda Rorem, [1950]
1 photograph; b & w; 3 x 4
Mrs.Inga Fimrite and Hilda Rorem stand near the entrance to a building in Valhalla.
Location: 2009.82.45

Hilda and Lyman Rorem – 25th Anniversary, [1955]
1 photograph; b & w; 3 x 3
Hilda and Lyman Rorem celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.
Location: 2009.82.46

Lyman and Chester Ronning, [1925]
1 photograph postcard; b & w; 4x 6
Lyman and Chester Ronning, students studying in their dorm room.
Location: 2009.82.47

Valhalla Girls Basketball Team, n.d.
1 photograph; b & w; 3 x 4
Valhalla Girls Basketball Team: Nepstad sisters, Agnes Melsness, Petra Hegland, Olga Melsness
Location: 2009.82.48

Building the Creamery, [1918]
1 photograph; b & w; 2 x 3
Building the Creamery in Valhalla.
Location: 2009.82.49-.50

Valhalla School Girls in Costume, [1918]
1 photograph; b & w; 3 x 4
Valhalla school girls in costume ready for a school performance: Audrey Hanson, Sonia Lee, Hardus Hegglund, Muriel Hegglund, Doreen Loberg.
Location: 2009.82.51

Rorem Home in Grande Prairie, [1960]
1 slide; colour; 2 x 2
Ted Rorem’s home in the VLA area.
Location: 2009.82.52

VLA Area of Grande Prairie, [1950]
1 photograph; colour; 5 x 7
A view of the VLA housing area of Grande Prairie taken from the Nurses’ Residence (looking to the corner of 98 St. and 108 Ave.)
Location: 2009.82.53

Grande Prairie Hospital, [1958]]
1 photograph; colour; 8 x 10
The Grande Prairie Hospital with the building of the surgical wing.
Location: 2009.82.54

Grande Prairie Hospital & Nurses’ Residence, [1958]]
1 photograph; colour; 8 x 10
The Grande Prairie Hospital and nurses’ residence.
Location: 2009.82.55

Khristine (MacEachern) Rorem, Nurse, [1958]]
1 photograph scan; colour; 5 x 7
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.
Location: 2009.82.56

The Rorem Boys Cutting Barley, [1954]
1 photograph; b & w; 3 x 5
Ted and Marvin Rorem cutting a field of barley with tractor and binder.
Location: 2009.82.57

Crossing the Ferry at the Smoky River, [1936]
1 photograph scan; b & w; 4 x 6
Ted and Marvin Rorem stand beside their father, Lyman, and behind their car as they cross the Smoky river on the ferry.
Location: 2009.82.58

Ruby Alice Rorem, [1920]
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
Ruby Alice Rorem, born April 19, 1900.
Location: 2009.82.59

Lyman Theodore Rorem, [1910]
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
Lyman Theodore Rorem, born September 13, 1890.
Location: 2009.82.60

Lyman Rorem & Nelius Ronning, [1910]
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
Lyman Rorem and Nelius Ronning
Location: 2009.82.61

Adelia Myrtle Rorem, [1910]
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
Adelia Myrtle Rorem
Location: 2009.82.62

Chester Alvin Ronning, [1910]
photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
Chester Alvin Ronning, born 1894 in Fincheng, Hupeh, China.
Location: 2009.82.63

Nelius Ronning, 1910
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
Nelius Ronning, born 1893 in Fincheug, Hupeh, China, as a college student in 1910.
Location: 2009.82.64

Almah Teressa Ronning, [1910]
1 photograph; b & w; 4 x 6
Almah Teressa Ronning, born November 26, 1896,
Location: 2009.82.65