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In this photo is Henry Neis Sr., 81yrs old.With him is his grandson, Henry Neis Jr., 13yrs, and their horse, Cambron, 7 yrs.
Henry Jr. grew up to marry Barbara Harden in 1911. They had three sons, Bill, Doug and Jack.
Their oldest son, Bill Neis still lives and farms on land in the Mirror area today, as does Bill's son, Hal Neis.
Cambron, the horse in this photo was one of the stud horses, Henry Sr. travelled around the countryside with for breeding purposes.
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The Henry Neis Family at the Homestead1922
Near Mirror, Alberta
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This is the homestead house of Henry C. Neis. in 1922.Back row, left to right are:
Henry C. Neis, Sr., Mrs. Phillip (Hattie) Neis, Mrs. Carl (Mary) Neis holding baby Phil, then Miss Nellie Bolch (teacher at George school) and Philip Neis.
In front are:
Nellie, Phyllis and Josephine,
the children of Hattie and Philip Neis.
Once Henry and his family arrived at their homestead near Lamerton, they spent their first winter in a log house on the southeast corner of Valentine's homestead, and the next year Henry built his own house, shown here in this photo.
They ate well that winter, having brought lots of potatoes, butchering a large steer, and having plenty of wild game. And the girls hitched their two huge Newfoundland dogs to a wagon to haul water from Lamerton Creek.
Henry Neis's ambition was to invent a perpetual motion machine, and Henry and Valentine spent many hours building working models and formulating ideas.
Henry did not have any formal education, but he could read and write, learned music, was a Bandmaster and a vetrinarian. He was known to have a home remedy for any known human or animal ailment. Also well versed in the law, people came to him for legal advice.
The Neis family grew large and some of their descendants still live and farm here in the Mirror area.
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George Neis1912
Near Mirror, Alberta
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A photo of George M. Neis looking at his steam tractor. Looks like he drove up in a nice Buick Touring car.George, Henry Neis Sr.'s oldest son, drove a wagon for the family when it came up from Wyoming in 1898.
George took the first homestead in the area that became the George district (named after five Georges who lived there). He built his original home from logs squared at Valentine Neis' sawmill. The patent to the title to his homestead is still in the family.
George worked threshing with his uncle, Valentine Neis, and butchering pigs for his neighbors in the winter time.
The family hauled their wheat to a flour mill in Wetaskiwin, a three day trip, to have their yearly supply of flour and cereals made from their own grain.
He married Bertha Bergner, and they had six children, Thelma, Lavona, Rhoda, Virgil, Henry and George.
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George Neis Family1912
Near Mirror, Alberta
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A photo of George Neis's family in the early days around our area.George and Bertha, with Thelma (standing) and Virgil in the wagon.
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A Larger George Neis Family1915
Near Mirror, Alberta
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And later yet, with more children.Left to Right:
Virgil, Henry, George (father) holding Lavona and Thelma.
Standing is George's wife, Bertha.
Bertha was a daughter of one of the other nearby pioneer familes, the Bergner's.
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A Neis Family Car1918
Near Mirror, Alberta
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Here are some of George and Bertha's children, along with others in the Neis family in 1918.Left to Right:
Annie, Thelma, Lavona, with Henry and Virgil sitting on the hood of the car.
Bertha is sitting on the sidestep.
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Virgil Neis and Children1912
Near Mirror, Alberta
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Virgil all grown up and running a road maintaining machine, sometime in the 20's.24
Young Peter Neis1912
Near Lamerton, Alberta
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