Aldridge Family

Anna Rolphe married William Aldridge in Utah. Later, they moved to southern Alberta with several of their children, and the rest of the family was born there. The Aldridge family was one of the first to live in what is now Waterton Lake Park. Their next door neighbour was Kootenay Brown. . In 1888 Bill Aldridge heard of the prairies in Canada and having a number of outstanding livestock, decided to move to the new country. With his wife and four small children, they made the trip in about three months.

They lived at various places in Southern Alberta before moving to the Waterton Lakes area in 1896. Here he discovered oil floating on a stream ,which eventually resulted in an oil well being built there, thus the need for wood cutters. They couldn't use the water from one of the ponds near them as it was covered with oil. Bill Aldridge used to to put gunny sacks on the pond and soak up the oil. He would later wring out the sacks and sell the oil in town as axle grease. One of the children fell into the water and almost drowned, and Anna, heavily pregnant, went in and saved the child. However, she lost the baby she was carrying. The Aldridge's weren't well off, and their home was a small log cabin with a dirt floor. Anna Aldridge had fifteen children, looking after them all in these circumstances. Thirteen of the fifteen survived to adulthood.

Mary Sophia Aldridge was born in Garden City, Rich Co. Utah. on Feb 5, 1884, daughter of William Aldridge and Anna Rolphe.

It was at the Aldridge home that Orville M Cox found a place to board, cutting wood for the oil wells that were being built. At that time Mary was a charming young lady about seventeen years old. In 1904 the Aldridges moved back to Cardston, with their family of twelve children.

David		Born August 14, 1882	Died 1956

Mary Sophia	*	Born February 5, 1884 in Garden City, Utah	Died July 5, 1959. Married Orville M Cox V Children Ida, Birdella, Myron, Orville, Melvin, John, Pat, unnamed girl

Oliver		Born September 24, 1885	Died 1960

Charles		Born October 17, 1886	Died 1959

Albert		Born September 4, 1888	Died 1967

Girl		no name - died at birth

Amy		Born October 12, 1891	Died 1960

Herman		Born July 14, 1893	Died 1963

Frank		Born March 21, 1895	Died 1972

Annie		Born March 5, 1897	Died ?

John		Born August 28, 1898	Died 1977

Stirling		Born February 26, 1901	Died 1972

Boy		Born June 1902	Died at Birth

Alta		Born July 11, 1903	Died ?

Lettie		Born 1905	Died at age 21 in 1926

Bill Aldridge was one of the first people to drill for oil in southern Alberta, in what was later known as "Oiltown". He lost all the money that he had invested when the other people involved pulled a "stock split" on him. He didn't have the "business understanding" to survive in the cutthroat oil business. Later in life, he and Anna. Aldridge ran the first movie theatre in Cardston, Alberta.


		Anna Aldridge, her daughter Mary Cox, and Mary's daughter Ida Pilling Approximately 1920

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