Fonds 0121 - Elmer Hagglund fonds

Elmer Hagglund was born in Minnesota, U.S.A. in 1899 where his father was section foreman for the Great Northern Railway. Elmer began his railroad career working for his father on the section, but later hired on as a breakman for the same railway. He immigrated to Canada in 1920, and in 1922 was hired on as part of a four-man crew for Northern Alberta Railways at Webster, north of Sexsmith. When he arrived at Webster with his wife Anna and daughter Beulah, there was nothing but bush and railroad tracks, so they took a homestead near the Webster Trestle bridge on which to built a log cabin. Anna cooked for the railroad crew. There were no roads and the only way to get in or out was by rail. In 1924, Mr. Hegglund was promoted to conductor at Sexsmith, and the family moved to another homestead at S.E. 12-75-4 W6th. Their second child, Gordon, was born there. After working as a conductor at Sexsmith for about 10 years, Elmer was promoted to extra gang formean and built the railway from Whitelaw to Fairview, with approximately 150 men working under him. Later he transferred to running trade and hired out as brakeman, working his way up to conductor. He had a regular run on passenger trains from McLennan to Dawson Creek. After 42 years of service, Mr. Hegglund retired from the railroad in February 1964.