Nattrass, Vaughn
  Vaughan  
 

Allen Vaughan’s mother, Edna May Nattrass, grew up in a young and boisterous Golden. Edna’s parents, Frank Nattrass and Bessie Woodley, were married in Ontario in 1890 and responded to the call of the west arriving in Golden in 1894. Frank built a house across the tracks from the CPR station where Edna, one of 9 children, was born in 1904.

With more children on the way, Frank soon moved his family to a new bigger home he had built at 716 9th St. S. Edna’s childhood memories in that house include the flood of 1909 with a

 

canoe tied at the front of the house. She recalled the arrival of the Swiss Guides’ families in 1912, and the huge forest fire that same year that blocked out the sun and drove wild animals across the Columbia and through the streets of town.

Emery Allen Vaughan, Allen’s father, headed west from New Brunswick in 1919 after serving during the war in France and Russia. After a winter in the bush camps, Emery started work at the mill becoming friends with Edna’s brother, Howard. Emery and Edna were married November 12, 1924. By 1927,

 

Emery went to work maintaining the CPR main line until he enlisted with the Canadian Forestry Corps in 1940 and again went oversees.

Allen is cradling a family photo taken in 1956 of (l to r) Emery, sister Vivian, Edna, Allen and brother Delbert. The background image was taken circa 1920 of a westbound passenger train coming through the canyon. In 1981, Edna moved into Durand Manor where the view from her window included the house Frank Nattrass built for his family on 9th St. S. back in 1905.