Yellich, Mike

Matt Yellich was bom in 1914 in Lovinac Croatia. He came to Canada in 1928 and worked on a farm near Yorkton, Saskatchewan. His oldest brother, George had a homestead at Keniston, Saskatchewan. About 1936 Matt decided to strike out on his own and headed for British Columbia. In Kamloops, when he said he was going to Vancouver looking for work the man he was talking to said there was work in Princeton as Copper Mountain was re-opening. Matt knew the Sarich family was in the area. Matt looked the family up and met Annie. John Sr. knew Mr. Kozak the roadmaster for the CPR. Through this contact, Matt got a job on the Copper Mountain line with Jack Fuoco as the section boss. Reverend John Goodfellow married Matt and Annie July 1st, 1937. They lived briefly in a shack on the Sarich property then for a short time in Copper Mountain where Mildred was bom in 1938. They bought a house on the Allison Flats next door to Mike Baties place (Mike was a barber in Princeton). Mike left the CPR in 1939 and joined the Rocky Mountain Rangers. He was discharged in 1940 with bad legs. He went to the Mine first and then back to CPR section crew. Matt bought a house from Bob Schulli for $1,000.00 and moved it to two lots at 429 Similkameen Avenue, where it is still today. Joan was born in 1944.