| HISTORY/BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | Clayton Hillgardner (the original family name was changed from Hilgartner) was born September 22, 1891 in May City, Osceola County, Iowa, the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (nee Wolfey) Hillgardner. The family came to Canada when he was a child and settled in Wetaskiwin.
Magdalena (Lena) Sophia Hillgardner (nee Altwater/Altvater), was born November 4, 1900, in Sargent, Missouri, daughter of William and Anne Louise (nee Framell) Altvater. In 1901 the Altvater family settled in the Bittern Lake area. William was active in local politics and served as the Overseer in the village of Rosenroll.
Clayton served in the Canadian army between 1916 and 1918 as a private in the infantry, and served with Bill Altwater, Lena's brother. Clayton and Lena were married on October 2, 1918, in Wetaskiwin. Clayton and Lena lived in Kitchener, ON, briefly before moving back to Alberta, and Clayton worked for Gainers Meat Packers in Edmonton before buying farmland in the Wetaskiwin area. Clayton and Lena had 12 children, including Audrey Bell-Hiller, Shirley, Dorothy, Betty, Inez Maksymic, Benjamin, and Gordon. Magdalena died on July 4, 1976 in Calgary and Clayton died on March 26, 1990 in Edmonton.
Audrey Bell-Hiller worked at the University of Alberta before retiring in 2000, and currently teaches Hatha Yoga. She lives in Edmonton.
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