04/16/2024
Every life has a story, which is why we believe every grave deserves to be marked.
Thank you to the Lethbridge Historical Society for continuing to share some interesting history from our local cemeteries.
A Brother’s 20-Year Search Ended in Lethbridge’s Mountain View Cemetery
In June 1941, Samuel J. Claman, an employee of the Crescent Shows touring here in southern Alberta, died unexpectedly here in Lethbridge after a short illness. Being not from the area and with no one knowing if he had family and, if he did, where they were, he was buried in an unmarked grave in the Jewish Cemetery.
However, for twenty years, Ken Claman had wondered where his brother was and finally found that he had died, and was buried, here in Lethbridge.
“Finds Brother’s Grave
After Twenty Years of Searching, native of Ottawa Finds Clue Which Leads Him to Lethbridge Burial Plot
By John Dafoe (Herald Staff Writer)
A 20-year search for a brother he hardly remembered ended in Lethbridge this week for Ken Claman, concession operator with the Gold Medal Shows.
He found his brother here Tuesday, in a neatly-kept but unmarked grave in Lethbridge’s Jewish Cemetery.
Like his brother, Samuel J. Claman was in the carnival business. He left home in Ottawa some 20 years ago and spent his time travelling around the continent with carnivals, seldom getting in touch with his family.
Buried in 1941
In Lethbridge, on June 17, 1941, he died. All that was known of him was his name. No One knew who his family was or even if he had a family.
The Jewish benevolent society, which looks after burials, made arrangements for the funeral and he was buried in the Jewish cemetery.
Meanwhile, Ken Claman had been constantly making enquiries about his brother as he travelled with his concession. Finally, in 1942, he heard that he had died somewhere in Canada.
It was only a vague rumor and there was no way of checking it. War service intervened and Mr. Claman could not resume the search for his brother’s grave until after the war.
First accurate lead came about two years ago, when Mr. Claman, who was in the southern United States at the time, met a man who had known his brother. He told him he had died in Lethbridge. ‘This country sounded like the middle of nowhere down there,’ Mr. Claman said, but shortly afterward he learned that Gold Medal Shows were making a western Canadian tour and signed on with them.
Enquiries in Lethbridge led him to Jack Klinger, head of the benevolent society, who immediately recalled the incident and the exact location of the grave.
Well Cared For
The grave was in perfect condition, Mr. Claman said, and perfectly cared for. It lacked a stone though, so he purchased one to mark his brother’s resting place. Next September, a service will be held at the cemetery and the stone placed on the grave. Samuel Shuler will represent Mr. Claman at the service.
Last piece of unfinished business was an unpaid portion of a bill at Christensen Bros. funeral home. The bill had long ago been written off but Mr. Claman insisted on paying it. ‘I just told them to mark ‘paid’ on the bill and keep the money in case some poor guy should die here without the money for a decent burial,’ he said.
Mr. Claman was full of praise for the many members of Lethbridge’s Jewish community who had helped him in town. ‘They are the most wonderful people I have ever met anywhere,’ he said.
He had originally intended to rebury his brother where he could keep a close watch on the grave but has now decided not to. ‘He’s among some fine people here,’ Mr. Claman said. ‘I wouldn’t want to move him.’” (1954 August 12, Lethbridge Herald)
