Margaret Jacobson
Margaret Jacobson, nee Jones
A Brief History – Written for publication in the Golden Star, October 15, 1975.
Margaret Jacobson (1887-1975), in her 89th year, passed away in the Golden General Hospital on Sunday, September 28, 1975. Mrs. Jacobson was well known, not only in the immediate area, but by many people whose work, etc. brought them to Golden from time to time. Many became lifelong friends.
Born Margaret Jones in Whixall, Shropshire, in England on April 11, 1887, she spent her childhood and early adulthood in England. She had many different jobs in England, the last of which was looking after American cousins in Wales for some time after their mother died, returning with them to North Dakota in 1913. The time she spent in Wales, where most of her relatives lived, was a very happy period of her life, and the stories she told of that time were very interesting, as well as very informative. Mrs. Jacobson remained very close to her American cousins and their families, now living throughout the United States.
Mrs. Jacobson came to Golden in 1913 to be near her brother, Bill Jones, and his wife, homesteading at Forde. Many happy days were spent visiting them in her early years in Golden. After working for a number of years at the Russell Hotel or “Russell House” as she called it, she married Klas Edwin Jacobson, one of the partners and manager of the hotel. They were married on March 25, 1916 in Vancouver. The story she told was that she chased him to tidewater, and since he couldn’t swim he had to marry her. A ‘likely story’, since Mr. Jacobson always said he had been a very fortunate Scandinavian immigrant to find a wife in this new country. Their marriage was a 50-50 contract all the way.
In 1920, her husband Edwin took her and their son Ted to meet his family in Sweden. The high standard of living and the cleanliness of the Swedish people astounded her, and she always said she could never return the hospitality they showed her. This trip took them to Denmark, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, England and Wales.
In 1928-29, Klas Edwin and Margaret Jacobson built the Hotel Fridhem, which they ran until 1945, when they retired, and the business was taken over by Mr. and Mrs. Syd Feuz (daughter Beda Jacobson). Syd and Beda ran the hotel until 1971, when they closed the hotel and put in apartments. Many people express interest in the origin of the name Fridhem. Although the word in Scandinavian meaning ‘peaceful home’, the name was suggested by a pioneer resident, Mrs. Bessie Shaw, who was of Polish origin.
Mrs. Jacobson would have fared well in these days of “women’s lib.” She held many liberated ideas which were not considered the norm for the society of her generation. She played both piano and violin, and took painting lessons in England from a member of the Slade family (The Slade School of Fine Arts, London). Many of her paintings are precious possessions of her family today, and some paintings remain in England. She was known for her dexterity in handwork; knitting, crocheting, embroidery, sewing and tatting. The tatting especially fascinated guests frequenting the Hotel Fridhem. She has a way with plants and the Hotel was known for its ‘Sun Room,” where Mrs. Jacobson grew many beautiful house plants. Many guests brought her plants as gifts to add to her collection.
Mrs. Jacobson loved to travel, having been back to her homeland several times. She had an extended trip with her daughter to the United States in 1939 visiting both World Fairs, in San Francisco and New York. She and her husband made several trips later in life, including the Alaska Cruise. Her last trip to Europe was in 1961, a year after her husband died. She went through the Panama Canal on a tramp steamer. On this trip, she flew to Switzerland and visited the late Rudolph Aemmer, one of the original Swiss Guides, and several members of the Feuz family. She also visited Ireland and Scotland for the first time. Since then, she limited her travelling to short visits with family.
Mrs. Jacobson, known to many both your and old as “Granny Jake”, will be sadly missed by her son Ted (R.E. Jacobson) and daughter Beda (Mrs. Syd Feuz) and niece Margaret Jones (Mrs. John Smith) of West Vancouver; her grandchildren – Mrs. Gordon Murray (Margaret Ann Jacobson) of Edmontn, Mrs Hub Henderson (Beda Jean Jacobson) of Golden, Mrs. Walter Jacobson of Pincher Creek, Paul Edqin Feuz of Golden, Karen Feuz of Vancouver, and Analisa Feuz of Golden; her great-grandchildren; Mark, Leigh Anne and Scott Murray; Darcy, Tammy and Murray Henderson; Ronnie, Melanie and Amy Jacobson; Tyson Feuz.