SOMETHING FROM NOTHING

Note: Tillie Verigin, daughter-in-law, of Annie Verigin, took these notes from a verbal dictation provided by Annie Verigin and dated May 1992.

“……When I sit alone in the evenings, I often think about how times have changed between the 1920s and the 1990s. Something urged me on that I should write this true story for my family to remember. Perhaps I should have written when I was younger and my memory was better but I will try now.

In the 1920s, very few people had money so they had to stretch every dollar the best way they could.

I remember one interesting happening at our place. I was around eleven or twelve years old.

There were two families living fairly close to each other. The first family consisted of my grandparents, Sam and Marhonnia Morozoff, their blind son George and an orphaned grand-daughter Nora. The second family was my father Sam and Step-mother Ann Morozoff and us six children Annie (me), Polly, Lillian, Alex, Sam and Nick (Elmer note: I am assuming that the 7^th child Florence was not born at this time). Actually these two houses were very close together. Each family slept in their own house but meals were served together at grandparent’s house. The arrangements were alright for awhile but father’s family was growing and it became crowded.

Eventually, father pulled a bigger house over from another farm and set it a little further away from those two houses. We were then able to eat and sleep in the same house.

There was only one stove that bread could be baked in and the grandparents took it (the stove). We had another stove that didn’t have an oven. We were poor and there was no money for a new stove until harvest. So our poor stepmother would start the bread dough at home and take it to granny’s oven to bake. It was hard for both grandma and stepmother in those days, nobody bought bread.

The difficulty created a lot of commotion and father had to do something. So father went out to the bush and brought back some green willows. They were about 36 inches long and 2 inches thick.

Right on the garden, not far from our house, he started to make us a “petch” (a homemade oven for baking). He stuck on end of the stick into the ground and the other about 18 inches opposite to it. Then he took another willow and put it beside the first, the same way. He continued until the “petch” was enough for 8 loaves. Then he brought some clay and put into an old tub. He added some chaff (short straw) and water, mixing it well. Then he plastered it over the willows and started a small fire inside. He kept on mixing the clay and applying it over the willows. He then made a bigger fire so that the clay could dry properly.

I wish I could remember more now. I can’t tell how much clay mixture he put over the willows. The fire was burning inside and we, the children, were so excited and kept running around.

I cannot remember how he closed the end of the “petch” and I cannot remember seeing any bricks lying around. He might have stood up sticks and put on clay mixture too. (Elmer thinks she is talking about the ends). I do remember there were some old steel doors on the other end. When the bread was put into the “petch” it was closed with the steel door.

Now when I think of that day, I feel so proud of my father. He was a great man. He made “something out of nothing” that day. My stepmother had to make bread that day and father started to make the “petch”. By the time stepmother’s bread was ready to bake, the “petch” was ready too.

So that day the bread was baked in the new “petch” and it was especially good bread. Stepmother baked bread in that “petch” all summer long until harvest. Then in the fall, father had enough money to buy a new stove that baked bread.

I was talking to sister Polly about this day and she remembers it too. The rest of the children were too young to remember.

This is a true story and I call it “Something from Nothing”.

Thanks Tillie for helping me write this story down. I didn’t know who I should ask for help.

Transcribed from original notes by Elmer Verigin September 22, 2012

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MY MOTHER’S (ANNIE VERIGIN) VERSION ON HISTORY OF Seuyomma (Sam) Morozoff

(Dated January, 1990)

Note: Elmer Verigin, son of Annie Verigin, transcribed from her personal  writings using her own words  (she was a grade four graduate) with no corrections to keep the authenticity.

“……True life about Seuyomma (Sam) Morozoff. He was my grandfather and your great, great grandfather (Elmer’s note: as written to her son Elmer’s children Nona, Lori, Tamara and Kimbal).                                                                                       I had a lot of respect for him. He was a kind man, he tried to help all he could do, if anybody ask him for help, he would give his last shirt off his back. His life was rough hard life. He was born in 1859 in Russia Republic of Georgia Village of Slavlanka. He was the son of Meisha (Mike) and Poilya (Polly nee Dubosov) Morozoff.

There were four (4) sons besides Seuyomma. Their father Meisha was a drinking man. He kept drinking until his sons grew up and told him to quit.

Seuyomma never went to school (I don’t think there was school). They just learn from their parents or from who ever knew how to read and write. Seuyomma was a respectable man. He married and had 5 children of his own, and he was mayor of that village in Russia. They called him Deissatnick. I don’t know exactly what year it was, when Russia demanded that they need so many soldiers but Doukhobors won’t let their sons join the army. They burned their guns, who had, and refused to join the army (Elmer note that was before June 29, 1895 when they burned their arms). They were pulling some tickets, and if ticket (Elmer’s note this happened after the burning of arms and was the penalty accessed the Doukhobors in each family) say to be soldiers, he has to join the army and obey their laws. Seuyomma and his two brothers pulled those terrible tickets and they had to go but refused to go, so they were sent to prison (Elmer’s note: they were sent to Yakurst) for life.

Seuyomma had 5 children. His brother Pete, that had to go too, were also married and had one child. Brother Ely, was a young lad, but he had to go too. Two brothers that were lucky that didn’t had to go were Mike and youngest brother, John. Mike was married and had family, I can’t remember how many, but John wasn’t married.

Seuyomma and his two brothers were sent to prison and meanwhile first group of Doukhobors were emigrated to Canada. Seuyomma and Peter’s families were with that group. While brothers were in prison, Pete got sick and died.

Martha (Seuyomma’s wife) and her 5 children, one of them was my father Seuymeon and he used to tell us later, about sailing on the sea. He was 7 years old and he could remember when the weather was rough and the ship used to rock from side to side, old people were scared and they sit and pray but children like him had fun. They would run from side to side.

They were thirty days and nights on the water. They landed in Halifax in 1899. Lot of kind people helped them in many ways, but they had to work hard to survive. For Martha and other women like here, whose husbands were in prison was a hard life.

I really don’t know how long Seuyomma and Ely stayed in prison. When they were transferred them and other men to cold Siberia forever. There Ely met with one young girl and got married, by name of Matroniya and later the son was born to them as Mike.

There were many things happened, I don’t know exactly now and there is nobody living now that could tell us. Finally Seuyomma and Ely and his wife got to Canada the hard way. Seuyomma (grandfather) used to tell us, it was 10 years passed before they got together with his family(Elmer’s note: the approximate 100 prisoners so impressed the local Governor with their trade(s) talent in the work they performed for the Governor that he recommended their sentence be reduced to 10 years and so they used their earnings, that the Governor had decided to pay them. to permit them to travel to Canada in 1905 . Children grew up and his youngest son George burnt his eyes out. Martha (grandma) was living in some village with other Doukhobors all working together. There was Lordly, Peter Verigin, was their leader.

There was some misunderstanding and soon Seuyomma was pushed out of that village. Seuyomma was quite hurt to think he had suffered so much and being away from his family and saving Doukhobors from going to war, now he was no good any more. God helped him or otherwise he wanted to get rid of himself. He said he had three friends who really helped him: one was Patience, second was Reasoning and the third was Meekness and after he talked with them, he could keep on living.

Pretty soon he found job for himself, and after a while, Martha and their family came joined him. She worked hard too, to keep the family fed. She used to tell us later, that she washed some bodys clothes for a bar of soap. Then use to wash her clothes. They used to have dirt floors. There was no money to buy wooden floors and many had roofs made of dirt too.

The life went on and most of the children grew up and got married. Then time came when homesteads were given for five dollars and Seuyomma got homestead 4 ½ miles Northwest of Veregin but lived in village called Pakrovka but farmed on their homesteads. His second son Seuymeon was married and he had his family living together in same house there in that village. Brother Ely was living in that village but across the street. His oldest son Pete and his second wife moved to their own homestead some place North of Canora. Pete’s first wife died, when she was giving birth to a little girl. So that baby was left for Martha to look after. So Seuyomma and Martha had two big burdens, blind son George and granddaughter Nora to look after. So Seuyomma and his family were living in same house and helping them in many ways.

Little by little, everybody started moving to their own farms and so did Seuyomma and his son Seuymeon and his family too. Everything went smoothly for awhile. Then in November 1918, there was terrible Flu went around and lot of people dying and so it did happen to Seuymeon’s wife Masha died (that was my mother), and she was 28 years old leaving us girls motherless. Soon Martha had to look after us also.

That winter Seuymeon got married to a girl 10 years younger than him. Within a year, their son Alec was born to them, but they still living in same house with Seuyomma and Martha and the family. I can’t remember how long they lived like that and it was getting hard so they decided to break the family in two. So Seuyomma, Martha, the blind son and granddaughter, Nora, would live in old house and on same yard, they pulled house from other farm that was for Seuymeon’s family. I was about 13 years old and same with cousin Nora (she was the same age) when our dear hardworking grandma (Martha) died. She was 65 years old and it was 1924. The life sure changed for Nora. She had to cook and look after grandpa and after uncle George. But we lived in same yard, we helped each other a lot. Then after 10 years or so, another bad luck happened….Seuymeon got sick and died of Cancer in October 27, 1929. He was not quite 40 years old and left 7 children fatherless, 3 from his first marriage and 4 from his second wife, Alec, Sam, Nick and Florence.

Then next spring in March I got married to Bill Verigin and in April, Cousin Nora got married to Nick Chernoff. There was grandfather Seuyomma, left with blind son George. So he asked my sisters, his granddaughters (Polly and Lillian) to moved to his place and help him look after George and him. So girls moved to his place. They thought it will be better to to live there with Grandpa then with stepmother. She was young yet. She decided to get married again, and they will be on their way. So they moved to Seuyomma’s (Grandpa) place and look after their grandpa and Uncle George.

I can’t remember how long they lived like that when Lillian got married to John Sookachoff from Buchanan. Then after a year or two, Polly got married to Fred Chernoff. Then Grandpa asked his Granddaughter Nora and her husband Nick Chernoff, to look after him and George. I can’t remember how long they lived like that. When Seuyomma’s health went down and in December 27, 1938, he died. Nick and Nora and their three girls lived there for a while then bought farm of their own and moved there and took Uncle George with them there too.

When they retired, they built house in Canora. Yes, they took Uncle George along too but it wasn’t very good for Uncle George in town cause he likes to be outside but in town they can’t leave him or he might wander away. They use to put him in the hospital, if they go away for a few days and in 1972 they took him to Nursing Home in Canora and there he stayed till he died in December 27, 1978.

It used to bother Nora for giving him to Nursing Home cause she promised Grandpa to look after him to the last. But she often visit him in Nursing Home and bring him something to eat from home. I and my sisters, we would visit him too. Once in a while, he wouldn’t say anything, bet he would smile as if to say that he knew that we are there and he would stretch his hands to us. We always bring him something to eat. Even now, when I think of him, I could see him with his hands stretched to us.

I can’t remember how long Uncle was at Nursing Home. Then he finally died in 1979. (Elmer note, a conflict in a specific death date as December 27, 1978 stated above). He was in his 80s. His funeral was in Canora at Doukhobor Dom, but he was buried in Veregin Cemetery.

There are no old buildings where Seuyomma Morozoff and his son Seuymeon use to live, just good happy memories where we used to slide down the hill, when we were young.

Those were the Days!

(Elmer note: Anne Verigin was the oldest daughter of Seuymeon Morozoff. Anne died on January 17, 2003 and was also buried beside he husband Bill in the Veregin Cemetery with most of her immediate relatives.

Transcribed by Elmer Verigin September 19, 2012

MY MOTHER (ANNIE VERIGIN) VERSION ON HISTORY OF WASYL VERIGIN

(Dated January 04, 1990)

Note: Elmer Verigin, son of Annie Verigin, transcribed from her personal  writings using her own words  (she was a grade four graduate) with no corrections to keep the authenticity.

“……How much I know history of Wasyl Verigin.

He was your great grandfather, Wasyl Verigin.  (as written to Nona, Lori, Tamara and Kimbal, Elmer and Marilyn Verigin’s children)

I don’t think I know everything, but I will try my best. He was born in Russia, Republic of Georgia in the Village of Slavlanka.

He was born to the Slastukin family. He was the youngest of seven children and when he was little over 2 years old, his father was killed by a horse. There was no welfare in Russia, so his poor mother couldn’t look after them all, but it happened in that village, Fediya and Pareniya Verigin had no children so they adopted him. So that is how it happened that he became to be Verigin.

He was about 10 years old (Elmer thinks this must be an error as he was already married ot just got married when the moved to Canada) when his new parents and he moved to Canada with the first group of Doukhobors in 1899, they say.

It was big freight ship. They had to clean it good before they could move in. It was thirty days and 30 nights on the water. Oh, yes, they boarded the ship in Port Batum in December 1898. The ship arrived in Halifax in January 1899. They were allowed to take limited personal belongings.

After a month long journey, they were glad to be on ground again. There were a lot of kind people helped them but they worked hard to survive.

They spent the rest of the winter in the Selkirk, Winnipeg area. In the spring they were brought by train to Saskatchewan (Elmer note, this was actually North West Territories, then)

I don’t know where the Verigins lived in early days here in Canada. Wasyl grew up, he married girl by name of Malasha. I heard her last name but forgot. They had 2 children, boy and girl. The boys name was Pete but the girl died when she was just an infant. The Malasha died and his second wife was Auxyuta, her maiden name was Chursinoff and the had 7 children, 5 sons and 2 daughters.

The oldest son William (Bill), then daughter Polly, then son John, Then Sam, then fourth son George, the fifth son Alex and youngest daughter Anne, she married Pete Popoff.

I don’t know where they lived at first but I heard they lived in Village by name of Pockrovka about 5 miles North of Veregin town on Ely Morozoff homestead N.E. quarter section 28, township 30.

There were 7 or 8 families were living in that village, 2 families Haleshoffs, Kazakoff, Chursinoff and Verigins. Each family had their own homesteads around but they lived in village and worked their land and started building on the homestead.

Fediya’s and Wasyl’s homestead was not far from the village. It was about 2 miles North of village and ir was near Whitesand River.

Wasyl build beautiful 3 storey high  house. Very few people had that kind of houses in those days. I can’t remember how many rooms this house had but I guess they had to have a lot of rooms for big family like that, Wasyl and his family, Fediya and Paraniya. Peter got married to Nastiya (Elmer’s note, nee Savinkoff) and they had also 2 children at that time and so a lot of space was needed.

I don’t remember how long they lived together in that big beautiful house. When things started to change. Pete and Nastiya and their family moved to their own farm. It was sometimes in the twenties. Mother Paraniya died, the crisis started more than ever. The beautiful house burned down and Pete and his family decided to move to Russia and they did.

His other sons build a cheap house on that place where the beautiful house used to stand and life went on. Bur Wasyl’s health started to fail. His third son Sam got married to Mary Wasenlinkoff and they had 2 children Mildred and Mike. That’s when I, Anne Morozoff got married his oldest son William (Bill) in March 6, 1930 and in 1931 May 9^th our oldest son Lawrence was born and in June that summer Wasyl Verigin died at home.

I don’t know exactly how long Fediya lived afterward. Maybe a year or two then he also died. We all keep on living together. Next John got married to Vera Sookoroff, year later they had son Pete. Bill and I had second son Russel and Sam and Mary had their son Sam. Yet we kept on living together.

Polly got married to Mike Ratushny. Sometimes they lived with us and sometimes not. They had son Fred.

When Russel was little over 2 years old, when Bill and I and our 2 little boys moved to different farm to live and about a year or so John and his family moved to different place to live too. I can’t remember exactly when Sam and Mary and their family moved away from that place too.

Then just 4 of them left there, Auxyuta (mother), George, Alex and Anne. The Auxyuta died in October 03, 1953. Anne soon got married to Pete Popoff in Pelly. (Elmer note: this marriage happened previous to this date)  Then George and Alex lived there for awhile. I guess it was hard and lonely for two of them to live by themselves. George decided to finish himself. He came to town of Veregin and right on main street he shot himself. Alex lived for a while with his sister Anne Popoff in Arran, then bought a house in Kamsack. He lived there for awhile and got sick and was in Kamsack hospital for awhile. He died on 29^th of March 1976.

That house on Verigin homestead, near river still there with lot of memories. Nobody couldn’t believe then that it could’ve happened like that. When there were so many going on that yard. So there was so many people, so many cows and horses, chickens, geese and pigs. Now just old house and few old barns and many, many memories of hardship and also happy days too.

Transcribed by Elmer Verigin September 18, 2012

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NOTATION LOG DATED: Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 1035 hours

LOCATION:  Panchos Restaurant,  Mazatlan, Mexico

“……I am having a cup of coffee in view of the beach. The setting includes many families enjoying breakfast overlooking this sheltered cove. There are protruding rock reefs, rising some 200 feet out of the water. Rolling waves continue to wash the sandy beach. Obviously a private area with some condos competing with businesses.

The truck taxi (Mexican Limo) , dumped us off at this upscale row of shops with Panchos at the end. Granny, Nona, Sean, Kayla, Allie, Kara and Garrett and are already doing their shopping and Gramps is immersed in the atmosphere of this obviously very popular restaurant.

Mazatlan means “Deer Place” as was named by the original natives. Apparently fishing was the original economic attraction but now tourism and vacationing has probably surpassed that original purpose.

I just met a Ukrainian / German couple from Edmonton that is on the same Sun Wings tour as us. She is an RN and he was originally a farmer, somewhere East of Vegreville, AB. Apparently his health started to deteriorate and they were able to sell their farm some 15 years ago. She is now retired as a Care Nurse so it looks like they are enjoying their retirement. 

Canadians are well respected here. The exchange is higher for a Cdn dollar that the US dollar. No matter where we go there are smiles in abundance.

If there would be any complaint, it would be to suggest that the weather could be hotter but certainly the sun is out although obscured by the light cloud cover, just scattered enough to shade the sun so that a jacket would be preferred attire for most Mexicans. The Canadians and Americans are not to be denied the absence of snow and below zero weather to celebrate by wearing wearing short sleeved shirts and shorts.

My hearing aids appear to have succumbed to the humidity and my right aid has given up the ghost but my left aid is desperately trying to maintain some reception. Oops, I just tried to test whether I am getting better than nothing out of the left aid by pulling it out. Bonzai! The damn thing started to receive normally. So there you go, faith has prevailed over depredation (not the best word here but I could not find a word opposite of faith right now).

I note the place is filling up and many patrons are waiting for a table. I am using up space and I gave up my place in respect for the premises.

I am now sitting on a concrete handrail at the street entrance to this “shopping centre”  On the way here I passed a place selling “Ponchos”. Everyone seems to have purchased one in our group and Marilyn wanted to buy one from the Beach Vendors at the Rui. The prices ranged from a high of $25 down to $15 depending on the ability to bargain. I decided that nothing more than $10 will satisfy me.

The hapless merchant that I had passed in this Mall tried Mex $150 and I offered Mex $100 (about 11 Mex $ to the Cdn $1). He countered with Mex $120 and I would not budge. He then laid on $Mex $110, suggesting that he was only making Mex $10 on the deal. I continued past him on to my location now. It will be interesting to see what happens as I have time is on my side and a definite lack of interest in the product. It’s like hunting game, it is wise to stop hiking around in the bush but stop and stay in one spot. Sooner or later the game, that knew you were there, will come out to see what you are up to and walk by.

The merchant knows I am here and he is planning his next move on me.

Who will be the winner? Actually Mex $110 is about Cdn $9 and a good deal.

I see him discussing it with his neighbor, I am sure. I will give him some more rope!

I am trying to get the name of this fronting street but they are “chinsey” on the signage posts for some reason here. Maybe it’s just a long street as I do not see an intersection anywhere.

Across the street is the “Sea Shell City Museum”. This is exactly where we are to meet the infamous Taxi Driver that Nona had engaged in a contract for Mex $150 return trip from the Rui. A good rate since the posted rate at the Rui is Mex $180 one way. It is 1130 hours now and the appointed time to meet is 1300 hours.

People watching is a great past time for me. I find it so interesting to study all the various shapes, sizes, demeanor, dress, color and preoccupation. Nothing more interesting than people.

Some are in a hurry, obviously with purpose. Others just stroll, enjoying the moment, perhaps shopping.

1235 hours

I decided to walk around. Across the street was a narrow opening that turned out to be the entrance to an entire array of shops with similar “junk” as everywhere else.

So I was checking out the “panchos” and an aggressive sales lady,who must have envisoned a potential sale where otherwise there was nothing happening. She started at US$18 “but for you US$15”. I was a fool to respond that US$10 was my top offer. She went down to US$14 but I was unmmovable.

She slipped away with “un momento, senor” to check with her boss and came back with US$12, “two for me and two for you, plastic handbag included!”

I started for the exit when she uttered another “un momento” and came back with the “boss lady” who decided that I could have my pick of color for US $10. I was stuck because I really didn’t need a pancho but the girl did a premium class sales negotiation and I could not refuse.

So I got myself a poncho!  I am now like everyone else in the family group.

The original merchant was a bit cheaper at Mex$110 but I couldn’t go back after all the waiting and scheming.

So I had an interesting experience in Mazatlan. Especially when Marilyn arrived with a purchased poncho for me which she bragged was US $12. Well okay!..……….”

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