Sharon Fisher from the Native Daughters addressed  the November 19th Douglas Day Banquet — an annual gathering of Langley’s pioneers. This year Alice Johnson (a LHS member) was made a Freewoman of Langley Township for all of her volunteer efforts in the community; the area’s heritage homes were also highlighted. Here are Sharon’s remarks:

“Greetings to everyone here and a special greeting to our pioneers, my fellow Native Daughters who are all descendants of pioneer families and special mention for my friend Alice Johnston on her honor today.

For all of us “Home” is where our stories begin!

For our earlier pioneer families, they mostly came from someplace else either working on the railway, or attracted by the lure of the gold discovery and other jobs that would earn enough money to enable a stake in a homestead grant.  First the land had to be cleared and typically the wood used to build your starter home from the logs.  Many had to work elsewhere part of every year until they could create their livelihood from farming.  Once the buildings were complete and planting was underway many offered their time to help in building a school, a church and a community hall and so creating the Langley communities we enjoy today.  Time was spent working the land, raising a family, and making a home and it is often called the good old days!

Unlike today, it was never about how big or modern the house was, for it was the place you called home and provided shelter and a place to raise a family.  It is ironic that Home for later generations was a place you grew up wanting to leave and then as you grow older want to find your way back.  Life seemed simple in spite of the hard work and lack of conveniences.

Houses needed to serve many purposes during the building of our communities.  I know my Uncle’s family home at Otter acted as the post office for almost 25 years or at least the front door did.  A box on the front door would find letters coming and going enabling local people to mail a letter and also receive one.

However, the most important room in the house was the kitchen.  Families gathered at the kitchen table at the same time each day for family meals.  Kitchens were used to preserve food to last the winter and kitchen stoves were used to heat water for a bath or do the laundry.  You greeted company at the kitchen door.  It all happened in the kitchen.

Today it is very special to know that many of these heritage homes have been preserved for future generations.

I will close with some words written for the 1958 Langley Centennial Book.  Words from 61 years ago said: Those of us who live in the lap of luxury and comfort today can scarcely measure the hardships endured by those who came here to settle in the early days.  What a sturdy race they were.  There were few, if any, roads then as we know them today.  Schooling for the most part was done in the home.  There were no comfortable school buses and the little red school-house was not yet the centre of community life it came to be later on. There were no railways yet and there was no electric light.  Homemade candles at first provided a meagre light and later coal oil lamps improved things a little but there were few complaints.  The river and the forest supplied no small part of their meagre wants.  There was a fine community spirit then and new settlers were welcomed and assisted and many a building bee gave a fine start to the one who was willing to work but who was a little short of funds.  For enduring the burdens of this pioneer life we say to them-well done!  And now we will introduce our 2019 pioneers.”

  • Sharon Fisher (nee McLaren)