Hauca, Petre and Rafira

Petre Hauca was born in Boian, Bukovina. As a child he did not attend school since attendance was not compulsory. In 1887 he married Rafira Moroz, also from Boian. Petre earned his livelihood working on the railroad track for a few years. When rumors were flying thick and fast about land in a far away country, he and his family, which by this time consisted of two boys, George and Mihai, decided to emigrate.
Rafira was heavy with child but the family set out by train for Hamburg, Germany. En route while trav­elling through Poland, the young mother took sick and she was taken to hospital where she gave birth to twin boys who were born prematurely and stillborn. When well enough, Rafira left the hospital and went back to her parents’ home.
Petre and his two young sons continued with their trip, got off the ship in Halifax and continued to the west and to Andrew, where Petre left his children in the care of Vasile Murariu (Morie) family and went to work on the C.P.R. In 1900 Petre filed on a homestead N.E.lA-10-56-14-W.4th. His two sons were taken to Ichim Yurko’s place, where they were well looked after, since the Yurko’s had no children of their own.

In 1902, Rafira arrived in Canada and the whole family was reunited under one roof. What a joyous occasion for all the members, but the mother was hap¬piest of all to see her young sons again! Six more chil¬dren were born to this couple in Canada – Mertin in 1903, Domnica 1905, Nicolae 1906, Alexander 1908, Maria 1909 and Frosina in 1911.
George, the oldest son, attended the Manawan School for a few months so he learned to read and write basic English. At fourteen he went to work on the railroad track and the money earned helped pur¬chase necessary food for the family. When of age he filed on a homestead, about a mile north of his father’s place. At age of twenty-three he married Eleana Mih- alcheon, daughter of Ion Mihalcheon. Eleana had obtained a grade six education in Boian, Bukovina and
at age thirteen had come to Canada with her father and two brothers Thomas and Arthur. Eight children were born to George and Eleana but two boys died in infancy. The six surviving were Dorothy, George, Charlie, Nick, Peter and Patricia. They all attended the local school. Unfortunately Eleana died of heart failure in 1936 at age 32. The children were left motherless but two years later George married Sandra Dumitrash- chuk who had two children of her own, Rose and Eddie. George continued farming until cancer claimed him in 1952.
Dorothy, Nick, Peter and Patricia all completed high school.
Dorothy, Nick and Peter chose teaching as their career.
Nick and his wife Georgina have both been very active in community affairs in Willingdon and Boian. Nick was Mayor of Willingdon for thirteen years, com¬pleting his fifth three-year term in that office.
Mihai (Mike) P. Hauca helped on the homestead on the farm but at sixteen went to work for Swift’s in Edmonton and in 1917 went to Davidson, Sask. to work for farmers in the area. Following this he worked in other places but in 1921 he married Catherine N. Iftody and rented a farm at Boian. In 1925 he moved to Vegreville and became an automobile salesman for
Barkley’s Garage. In the fall he went out in the country and threshed for the farmers in the Boian area. In 1928 he opened a garage business at the new village of Hairy Hill. His wife died in 1930 and later he married Sandra Toma. One daughter, Jean, survived from the first marriage. They have a son, Ernie and a daughter Frances from the second marriage. Mihai passed away in 1981 at age 84. Sandra is retired in the Casa Romana in Edmonton.
Mertin was born at Boian and was among the first group of students who attended the newly opened school in 1911. An eager and able student he attended for some 5Vi years until forced to quit to help at home. After working awhile at Davidson, Sask. he came back and accepted the position as manager of Boian Trad¬ing. When the store was moved to Hairy Hill in 1928, he formed a partnership with G.M. Mihalcheon. The store prospered under his management.
In October, 1929 Mertin married Anna Gongos and they made their home in Hairy Hill. When the Co-op was formed Mertin continued as the manager. In 1946 the family moved to Edmonton, then Barrhead, McLennan, and in 1950 back to Edmonton. They oper¬ated a corner store and in 1960 sold out. Mertin con¬tinued as a salesman and Anna worked at Woodward’s.
In 1981 they both retired. Mertin and Anna had one daughter Isobel who is married to Rev. Hugh Beaking.
Domnica married George Feica in 1926 and raised a family of seven. Both have passed away.
Nicolae married Dora Bandur. They farmed the homestead for many years before moving to Edmonton. They had three children, Louise, Doreen and Lawrence.
After completing public school, Alexander attended Vegreville High School. In 1928 he became manager of the Imperial Lumber Co. at Hairy Hill. In 1937 he married Dorothy E. Kachuk. He served in the Air Force and after the war he moved his family con¬sisting of two daughters and a son to Detroit, where they made their home.
Maria married Nick Bandur. They also farmed at Hairy Hill for many years. In 1960 they moved to Edmonton where Nicolae worked as a finishing car¬penter and Maria worked at Holland Industries Ltd. They have four children.
Rose (Frozina) also attended the local school. She married Mertin Mihalcheon and they farmed near Hairy Hill, then moved close to Two Hills. Frozina died of cancer at age 59 and Mertin is now retired in Two Hills.