The Life Of

Nicholas Krahn

THE LIFE OF NICHOLAS GEORGE KRAHN (1925-1984)

Nicholas George Krahn was born on November 13, 1925 in Neu York in present day Ukraine. His parents were Gerhard and Helena Krahn. Nicholas was the eldest child and only son with three younger sisters, Elsa, Margaret and Gertrude. When Nicholas was five years old, he left Russia with his parents and his four year old sister Elsa, travelling on the S.S. Melita to Canada where they settled in Essex County, Ontario. His two other sisters, Margaret and Gertrude were born in Canada in 1931 and 1936 respectively. The family lived within various areas of Essex County like Wheatley, Ruthven and Colchester. In Essex County, his parents farmed land growing crops like tomatoes and spinach. During his later years, Nicholas’s father worked within the Real Estate Industry. Nicholas went to school in Wheatley and at the Ruthven Public School in Ruthven. His teachers included Miss Hillman, Miss Crewe, Miss Brown, Miss Watson, Miss Olson and Mr. Brown. He went to school up until the end of Grade 8. As a young man, Nicholas enjoyed travelling to the southern states of Florida, North Carolina and Virginia where he worked in the tobacco fields and on other farms. In North Carolina, he stayed at the home of “Grandma Stayton” who chewed tobacco and used a spittoon. He returned to Canada and in 1955 met Elsie Klassen. After several months of dating and running out of gas on several dates, Nicholas and Elsie became engaged. They were married on January 26, 1957 and travelled to Florida for their honeymoon. Prior to his marriage, Nicholas worked at General Motors and the McCord Corporation. After the wedding, he worked as a farmer until 1959 when he began work at the Imperial Oil Company in Colchester. In the spring of 1961, Imperial Oil transferred him to Port Lambton, Ontario. In 1974, Murphy Oil Company purchased the Imperial Oil Operations in Port Lambton, Ontario. Nicholas worked at Murphy Oil for 10 years. Nicholas, Elsie and family lived at several homes within the Port Lambton and Becher area. These homes were/are located on the Pointe Line and Lambton Line.

Nicholas and Elsie had eight children, four girls and four boys: Virginia Louise (November 2, 1957) Caroline Helen (June 4, 1959) Douglas George (November 12, 1961) Patricia Ruth (May 22, 1963) Judy Dianne (September 28, 1964) Mark Gregory (June 10, 1966) David Nicholas (November 11, 1969) Jason Andrew (August 28, 1975) Nicholas continued to enjoy travelling, taking his family to such places as Niagara Falls, Montreal (Expo’67), Kingsville (owned a cottage there), Sauble Beach, Tobermory, Toronto (CNE), North Bay, Restoule, Sault Ste. Marie, Manitoulin Island, Kentucky, Collingwood, Ottawa and North Carolina. He took a solo trip to Calgary in 1973 for the Calgary Stampede. Nicholas pursued his interests in airplanes, gliders, car races and basically anything that was fast and dangerous. He worked towards his pilot’s licence spending his spare time at the airfield in Petrolia. In 1977, Nicholas was diagnosed with leukemia. He had surgery at Victoria hospital in London, Ontario to remove his spleen. The leukemia was well controlled until the fall of 1984 when it rapidly spread throughout his body. On October 30, 1984 Nicholas passed away at his home in the presence of his family. He would have been 59 years old on November 13, 1984. He is buried within the Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Leamington. His wife Elsie continues to live in the Port Lambton area along the St. Clair Parkway. His children and grandchildren are spread across Southwestern Ontario at the present time. The following photographs and family tree outline the life of Nicholas George Krahn.

Margaret Klassen (nee Kowslowsky) and daughter Helena Gerhard Krahn (Nicholas Krahn’s maternal grandmother and mother) (Nicholas Krahn’s paternal grandfather)

Gerhard and Helena Krahn (Nicholas Krahn’s parents)

Nicholas Krahn, Helena Krahn and Elsa Krahn

Back row: Elsa Krahn, Nicholas Krahn, Margaret Wieler (nee Krahn), Gertrude Krahn

Front Row: Helena and Gerhard Krahn

THE JOURNEY FROM THE UKRAINE TO ESSEX COUNTY

S.S. MELITA

Back Row: (Left to Right) Peter Thiessen, Harry Thiessen, Nick Krahn (Dad), John Krahn, Peter Hamm, Peter Thiessen, Jacob Founk, Jacob Krahn, Walter Unger, Dietrich Brown, Peter Riediger, Jacob Thiessen, George Krahn (Dad’s father) Middle Row: (Left to Right) Elsie Brown, Annie Brown, Karen Thiessen, Agatha Krahn, Vera Hamm, Mrs. Hamm, Johanna Thiessen, Mrs. Founk, Mary Krahn, Mrs. Unger, Annie Unger, Anna Brown, Maria Thiessen, Helena Krahn (Dad’s mother) Row of Standing Children: Nettie Unger, Mary Brown, Mary Thiessen, Gertrude Krahn (Aunt Gertie) Front Row of Sitting Children: Victor Thiessen, Rudy Thiessen, Eddie Thiessen, Elsa Krahn (Aunt Elsa), Margaret Krahn (Aunt Margaret), Ruth Thiessen, Anita Unger

Nicholas Krahn- 18 years old Nicholas Krahn- 27 years old Nicholas Krahn- 30 years old

Elsie and Nicholas Krahn Wedding Day

January 26, 1957

NICHOLAS AND ELSIE KRAHN

WEDDING DAY JANUARY 26, 1957

Krahn Girls Krahn Boys

Virginia Louise Douglas George

Caroline Helen Mark Gregory

Patricia Ruth David Nicholas

Judy Dianne Jason Andrew

Elsie and Nicholas Krahn and baby Virginia

Nicholas Krahn and children: Doug, Caroline, Virginia, Judy, Mark and Patty

Nicholas Krahn and three sons: Mark, David and Doug

Nicholas Krahn and infant son Jason

FAMILY PHOTOS 1977 & 1993

Elsie and Nicholas Krahn, 1977

Nicholas and Elsie Krahn, 1982

PHOTO GALLERY

KRAHN FAMILY TREE

PETER DYCK (1796-1872) & GERTRUDA WALL (1802-1858)

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GERTRUDE DYCK (1821-1897) & BERNARD KRAHN (1813-1891)

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GERHARD KRAHN (1864-1919) & KATHARINA ENNS (1877-1930)

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GERHARD KRAHN (1900-1968) & LENA KLASSEN (1901-1960)

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NICHOLAS KRAHN (1925-1984) & ELSIE KLASSEN (1933-

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VIRGINIA CAROLINE DOUGLAS PATRICIA JUDY MARK DAVID JASON LOUISE HELEN GEORGE RUTH DIANNE GREGORY NICHOLAS ANDREW (1957- (1959- (1961- (1963- (1964- (1966- (1969- (1975-

& & & & & JOHN CLAYTON ULF KENNETH TRUDY RICHARD DAVID GORGE JOSEPH MARLENE PETTIPIECE WATTERS PETERSEN JESSOME PASSCHIER (1952- (1956- (1955- (1951- (1967- | | | | | MARISSA CARLY CASSANDRA JENNIFER LIAM LINDSAY JESSICA ELISE JULIE NICHOLAS (1985- (1987- (1993- (1974- ANTHONY (1997- MEGHAN CHELSEY SAMUEL LAUREN ALEXANDRA SARA NICHOLAS BRIANNE MYLES (1989- (1990- (1996- (1990- MARCUS

GREGORY MATTHEW NATHANIEL (1999- RICHARD ISAAC (1989- (1999- ROWAN

BRENT SHELDON

(2001-