Borefson (Borgeson), Ole

Ole Borufson was born on June 19, 1866 in Evje Parish, District of Evje, Norway. He immigrated to Canada in 1887 (and was naturalized in 1905). He died at the Princeton General Hospital on May 18, 1957. At the time of his death, he was living  on Vermilion Avenue.

In the 1901 Canadian Census he was recorded as being a lodger and working as a roadman. In the 1911 Census, he was recorded as being a farmer and a worker on the government road.  He settled on the north end of Round Lake sometime before 1920. In 1920, he applied to divert water from Borgeson Creek for irrigation purposes.

The Similkameen Star of July 28, 1900 notes that Borgerson was working the “Black Horse” claim at One-Mile.

He never married. He worked as a roadman, farmed, mined, and raised beef cattle. He drove a team to Princeton in summer and would ski in winter. He retired in 1946.

In 1927, he sold to Monty and Audrey Harrison (John and Richard, two sons). He rented or sold to Jim and Dave Archibald from Summers Creek. Harry Borgeson of Chain Lake remembers him probably in the 50’s. In 1913 this was evidently called Blue Lake.

Borgeson Lake was officially named after Ole Borgeson in October 1936. The lake was later changed to “Round Lake” on July 12, 1995.

In 1959, to keep his sons occupied, Jack Munsie purchased the Round Lake Ranch with 150 head of cattle from the Martin family at Borgeson Lake. The 550 acre property, managed by John and Ann Singer, extended from the north shore of Dry Lake to Allison Lake.