This database contains information taken from the land files of the Canadian Department of the Interior held by the Provincial Archives of Alberta and the British Columbia Archives and Records Service. The files consulted for this database relate to over 6,500 applications for Crown land, and the allotment of homesteads and other public lands, to settlers in the Peace River Country of Alberta and British Columbia up to the end of 1914.

The information was gleaned by Dr. David W. Leonard and was entered onto this database by Beverly Whalen of the Monkman Homestead Preservation Society. It was supplemented by information from various local histories and other sources gleaned by Lynda Boyd of the Society. This database was devised Chris Levoir of the Arts, Commerce & Education Department of Grande Prairie Regional College.

Neither the publisher nor the editors will verify the accuracy of this information, only that it is recorded on documents in the land files or is in local histories or other sources. On the land files, the information was invariably supplied by the land applicants themselves.

This publication was undertaken with a generous grant provided by the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation. The publisher would also like to acknowledge the important assistance of the Heritage Resource Management Branch of the Alberta Department of Community Development.

Scott McAlpine, Managing Editor

How to Use this Database [yet to come]

GlossaryÖ

AbbreviationsÖ

Land Records for the Peace River CountryÖ

Project RationaleÖ

HomesteadingÖ

Initial Land SurveysÖ

Township Subdivision and Land SettlementÖ

The Settlement Wave of 1914Ö

Geographic ScopeÖ

Time ScopeÖ

Information ScopeÖ

Project MethodologyÖ

Project PersonnelÖ

Appendixes [As one link or many?] [from the Monkman grantap booklet]

Information in the recordsÖ

The individual Land Records via Microsoft Access [now done, corrections pending]

Listings of Applicants for Land via Microsoft Excel [now done, corrections pending]

Abandonment. When a homesteader sought to abandon his holding, s/he could file an official statement of abandonment (See Appendix--). If accepted, he or she would be eligible to file for another homestead and could receive credit for improvements that had been made on the first attempt. Identified on the database as "ABN".

Applicant. The individual who officially filed for a parcel of public land. In generic terms, he or she was usually referred to as a "homesteader."

Base Line. When the Dominion Land Survey was begun in western Canada in the 1870’s, lines called "base lines" were surveyed every 24 miles north from the 49^th Parallel, intersecting the vertically surveyed meridians. From these, township and range lines were subsequently plotted.

British Subject. Any citizen from any country which recognized King Edward VII or King George V as its sovereign. All British subjects were eligible to receive title to scrip or homestead land in western Canada. Any citizen of a foreign country, however, was required to become a naturalized Canadian in order to receive title, although foreigners were allowed to apply for public land prior to naturalization. Identified on the database as "Br".

Canadian Northern Railway. A conglomeration of railways controlled by the firm of Mackenzie and Mann. After reaching Edmonton in 1905, it stated its intention to intersect the Peace River Country on its way through the Pine Pass to the Pacific coast. When it began to build its "Peace River Line" towards Sangudo in 1909, with provincial government bond guarantees, the federal government was certain that a railway was finally on its way to the Peace River region. However, bond guarantees offered by the British Columbia government persuaded the Canadian Northern Railwayto concentrate on a line straight west from Edmonton instead, paralleling the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway to Jasper. While the Grand Trunk Pacific went northwest towards Prince Rupert, the Canadian Northern went southwest to Vancouver and never did approach the Peace River Country. Its promise to do so; however, had encouraged the government to establish a Peace River Land Office at Grouard and open the Peace region for homesteading. Identified on the database as "CNO".

Cancellation. Should an applicant fail to fulfill the required duties in order to gain title to a parcel of Crown land, and he or she did not seek an official abandonment, the application could be, and usually was, cancelled by the Department of the Interior. This was usually done on the advice of the local Land Agent. (See Appendix---). Identified on the database as "CAN".

Declaration. See Declaration of Delay or Occupancy Declaration.

Declaration of Delay. Should a homesteader find it difficult to prove up his or her land, an application could be made stating the reasons for an extension in the time required to do so. (See Appendix---).

Died. Means the applicant died while proving up his/her land. In such cases, the occupancy rights usually reverted to the next of kin. With no known next of kin, the land was usually turned over to a trust company to administer.

Disability. If a homesteader was disabled while proving up his or her land, extra time was usually allowed in which to fulfill the duties.

Dominion Land Agency. The jurisdiction covered by a particular Dominion Land Office. In 1910, the entire Peace River Country of Alberta was covered by the Peace River Land Agency, headquartered in Grouard. In 1911, a Grande Prairie Land Agency was created, headquartered in Grande Prairie, which was responsible for the Spirit River area and, in 1912, for the Pouce Coupe Prairie area of British Columbia. The rest of the region was covered by the Land Office in Grouard, including the area around Fort St. John and Hudson’s Hope. In 1915, the Peace River Land Office at Grouard was transferred to Peace River.

Dominion Land Office. See Dominion Land Agency.

Dominion Land Survey. The official government survey headed by the Surveyor General and administered from within the Department of the Interior in Ottawa.

Dominion Lands Act. First passed in 1870, and subject to many amendments over the years, this legislation was administered by the Department of the Interior. It governed the distribution of Crown land in the North West Territories to 1905 and, from 1905 to 1930, in Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Peace River Block of British Columbia. The Act, as amended in 1908, facilitated the land settlement of the Peace River Country covered by this project. (See Appendix---).

Edmonton, Dunvegan & British Columbia Railway. The railway company owned by J.D. McCarthur which, in 1916, was completed from Dunvegan Yards in Edmonton to McLennan, Spirit River and Grande Prairie, with a subsidiary, the Central Canada Railway, extending to Peace River. Identified on the database as "EDBC".

Entry. An official filing for a parcel of Crown land made at a Dominion Land Office.

Extension. Additional time occasionally granted to homesteaders in which to fulfill their homestead duties. (See Appendix---).

Fiat. A statement acknowledging that official title to a parcel of land had been granted to a particular party.

File Number. The seven digit number applied to each file created by the Department of the Interior for each parcel of Crown land in western Canada for which application was made for title by private citizens, usually through the homesteading process. Should an entry be cancelled, the same file was used for the next, or subsequent, applicants for the same parcels of land.

Filing. An official application allowing homesteading to begin on a particular quarter-section of surveyed Crown land, usually made at a Dominion Land Office.

Forest Reserve. See Timber Reserve.

Forfeiture. See Cancellation.

Fractional Purchase. By an amendment to the Dominion Lands Act in 1908, a homesteader had the right to purchase portions of a quarter-section of land adjoining his or her homestead or scrip land at a rate not less than $3 per acre provided that the adjoining quarter did not constitute a full quarter, having been reduced by the presence of an impediment such as a lake or a river. The homesteader had the right of pre-emption over such land, although title would be granted only upon the successful fulfillment of duties on the homestead or scrip quarter. Hence, the term "time sales" applied to such transactions. Other homesteaders on other land adjoining the fractional quarter also had the right of pre-emption over portions of it, in which case the land in question would be surveyed into two or three parcels. These quarters were called fractional quarters. Identified on the database as "FRP".

Free Grant. As per the Dominion Lands Act, anyone who lived on a parcel of land, and had made improvements on it prior to the initial signing of Treaty 8 in 1899, had the right to claim title to the portion he or she had occupied and improved at the time of the signing. Declarations as to occupation and improvement were presented to and verified by the Treaty and Scrip Commissioners in 1899 and 1900 and by subsequent Dominion Land Surveyors upon further verification by neighbors of the claimants. Identified on the database as "FRG".

Grazing Lease. As specified by the Dominion Lands Act, tracts of open grassland not considered very suitable for farming were surveyed and set aside as grazing leases for those farmers or ranchers in the area who might want to graze large herds of cattle or horses. These were usually marshy lands near large lakes or occasionally hilly lands along riverbanks.

Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. Chartered in 1904, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (a subsidiary of the Grand Trunk) stated its objective to extend its line northwest from Edmonton and reach the Pacific coast through the Pine River Pass. This, coupled with similarly stated objectives by the Canadian Northern and other railways, generated great interest in the Peace River Country as an agricultural land close to a coastal outlet. This was diminished in 1910 when both the Canadian Northern and Grand Trunk Pacific decided to pass through the Yellowhead Pass instead, with the Canadian Northern heading down to Vancouver and the Grand Trunk Pacific over to Prince Rupert. Identified on the database as "GTP".

Half-breed Scrip. When Treaty 8 was presented in 1899, the government undertook to achieve a settlement not only with the full-blooded Aboriginal people of the Treaty area, but also those people of mixed blood whose ancestors had also occupied the area for generations. As, by this time, so many people in the area did not know whether or not they and any traces of European ancestry, provision was made for all people who could demonstrate some degree of Aboriginal ancestry to claim status as either Treaty Indians or Half-breeds, which were the legal terms used at the time. Those choosing to be identified as Half-breeds were presented with scrip certificates granting them either 240 acres of Crown land (land scrip), or a valuation of $240 (money scrip), which they could later use towards the purchase of Crown land anywhere. Most Native people who chose scrip opted for money scrip, and most of this was soon sold to land speculators. Some of it would later be used to acquire land in the Peace River Country. (See Appendix---). Identified on the database as "HBS".

Homestead. By terms of the Dominion Lands Act, once Crown land in western Canada had been surveyed and subdivided into quarter-sections and advertised as available for settlement, individuals could make application for parcels of it. Each male head of a household, albeit but one person, was eligible for one quarter-section, although, in the absence of a male, a female head of a household was eligible. Once the application was approved, the individual was required to clear at least 10 acres of it, undertake some cultivation, have a habitable dwelling and some farm buildings, and live on the land for six months a year for three years. After three years from the date of application, the applicant could file for title to the land, and indeed, was required to file for title within five years of the date of application. Upon verification by a Homestead Inspector that the duties had been fulfilled, title was invariably granted, although, by this time, the applicant must have become a British Subject. Applications for time extensions could, and often were, made for reasons such as illness or military service. Identified on the database as "HSD".

Homestead Files. See Land Files.

Homestead Inspector. Each Dominion Land Office had a Homestead Inspector who was usually the Land Agent assigned to the district.

Homesteader. More generically, people seeking to acquire land with the use of South African scrip were also referred to as homesteaders as they were also required to perform homestead duties. See South African Scrip.

Hudson’s Bay Company Land. As part of its settlement with the Dominion of Canada in 1870, the Hudson’s Bay Company received vast tracts of land around its various trading posts in the West. Also, in what was Rupert’s Land (all the land from which the rivers drained into Hudson Bay) they received sections 8 and 26 in every fifth surveyed township, while, in all other townships, all of section 8 and three-quarters of section 26 were so designated. Since the Peace River Country did not constitute part of Rupert’s Land, it was not subject to this provision.

Improvements. Activities such as clearing land, cultivating land, sinking wells, erecting dwellings and other buildings, all of which went towards making land habitable and commercially viable for farming, were considered "improvements."

Indian. An individual of Aboriginal ancestry. Those who, or whose parents or ancestors, had agreed to the terms of Treaty 8 in northwestern Canada were considered Treaty Indians, and had access to reserve land surveyed on their behalf. Treaty Indians were not eligible for land as homesteaders.

Indian Reserves. Areas of land surveyed and set aside for the exclusive use of Treaty Indians as per terms of Treaty 8 in northwestern Canada. Some of this land was set apart from large parcels of reserve land as land to be held in severalty. Identified on the database as "IR".

Land Agent. An individual assigned by the Department of the Interior to manage a Dominion Land Office, officially known as a Dominion Land Agent. Land Agents also frequently served as Homestead Inspectors.

Land Files. Also commonly referred to as Homestead Files. Files created by the Department of the Interior to deal with each application for Crown land in the North-West Territories (until 1905), or (after 1905) Alberta, Saskatchewan or the Peace River Block of British Columbia. Each file held all documents relating to a particular parcel of land, which was usually either a quarter-section or a settlement lot. Most documents were received from the various Dominion Land Offices throughout the West, and the files were created as soon as the documents came in. All documents relating to a particular parcel were placed on the same file, regardless of how many applicants there would be for it, until title was eventually granted. The files were arranged sequentially according to a seven-digit file plan and were generated and numbered in chronological order as the applications came in. In 1930, control of Crown land was transferred to Alberta, Saskatchewan and (for the Peace River Block) British Columbia, and so the files were transferred to these provinces. The files are now held by the respective provincial archives in these provinces, and, in Alberta and British Columbia, they have been microfilmed. (For examples of the types of documents in the files, see Appendixes --- to ---).

Land Registers. Registers created by the Department of the Interior containing information on each surveyed quarter-section of Crown land in Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Peace River Block of British Columbia up to 1930. The entries are according to legal land description and indicate the name of the applicant, the nature of the application, the date of the application, and the date on which title was granted. If an applicant was denied title, a line was drawn through the entry. (See Appendix---). In 1930, the registers were transferred to Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia along with the land files. In Alberta and British Columbia, they have been microfilmed.

Legal Subdivision. As a township was subdivided into sections and quarter-sections, so too could a quarter-section be subdivided into 16 subdivisions. This was usually the case with fractional quarters where homesteaders on adjoining quarters sought to purchase portions of land as fractional purchases. Identified on the database as "LSD".

Lot. Portions of land subdivided within a settlement to accommodate the needs of residents who were there in advance of the Dominion Land Survey or who were anticipated to soon arrive. The settlement lots did not conform to the standard grid pattern of the land survey. See Settlements. Identified on the database as "LT".

Meridians. When the Dominion Land Survey was begun in the 1870’s, meridians were surveyed every four degrees west of 97° 28’ Longitude (near Lake Winnipeg). These intersected the horizontal base lines and were used by subsequent Dominion Land Surveyors to determine township and range lines.

Military Bounty Scrip. To encourage recruitment to quell the Riel Rebellion of 1870 in Manitoba, the government offered enlistees scrip certificates for 160 acres of Crown land in the West without the need to perform homestead duties. Similar offers were made to certain enlistees with the North West Mounted Police, and to those volunteering to quell the North West Rebellion of 1885, the latter scrip being for 320 acres. In most cases this scrip could be assigned (sold) to other parties. Identified on the database as "MBS".

Minor. An individual under the age of 18.

Naturalized. The process of becoming a British Subject. Those who were not British Subjects could not receive title to land as homesteaders or scrip holders. Foreigners, therefore, usually set out to apply for naturalization shortly after their applications for homesteads or land with scrip were filed. In some cases, delays in the naturalization process resulted in delays in gaining title to land. Identified on the database as "Na".

Occupancy Declaration. A written statement in which the occupant of a parcel of land declared that he or she had lived on and made improvements on the parcel for a given period of time prior to its survey. After testimony by neighbors and verification by a Dominion Land Surveyor, Land Agent or other government official, the occupant was given the right to pre-empt the settlement lot or a quarter-section he or she had occupied for homesteading purposes, provided that he or she still occupied it when land in the district was declared open for settlement, and had filed an official application to homestead within three months of such declaration. If the parcel was occupied and improved prior to the initial signing of Treaty 8 in 1899, and this could be verified, the occupant was eligible to apply for the lot or quarter-section as a free grant, provided that he or she still occupied it, and officially filed for it within three months of when land in the district was declared open for settlement. If granted as a free grant, homestead duties were not required. (See Appendix---, Section---; and also Appendix---).

Original Settlers. When Treaty 8 was concluded during 1899-1900, Reserve land was to be provided to all people who had accepted terms as Treaty Indians. For others having some Aboriginal ancestry, settlement was offered through Half-breed scrip. Euro-Canadians in the Treaty area who had also occupied and improved land prior to the initial Treaty signing could also claim title to such to the extent of 160 acres apiece. These people were known as original settlers.

Outside Employment. By the Dominion Lands Act (See Appendix E, Section 16), all homesteaders had to occupy their quarter-sections, or reside adjacent to them with family members, for six months each year for three years to fulfill their homestead duties. While some remained on or near their land until it was proved up, others had to take occasional outside employment to gain funds to sustain themselves or their families. This was usually during the winter or fall, when harvest crews were needed on the southern prairies, and even in areas of the Peace River Country. It was required that all outside employment be confirmed with the Dominion Land Agent and also reported on the subsequent application for title.

Patent. The official title to a parcel of land. Identified on the database as "PAT".

Peace River Block. A 3,000,000 acre block of land in northeastern British Columbia owned by the Crown in right of the federal government until 1930 when it was transferred to the custody of British Columbia. This was the result of an agreement concluded in the 1870’s, whereby British Columbia had agreed to provide certain arable lands to the proposed Canadian Pacific Railway near the rail line, but later found it was unable to do so because of the mountainous terrain or because such land was in private hands. As a result, the Canadian government agreed to provide the CPR with an extra 3,000,000 acres of Crown land on the southern prairies in addition to what it had already agreed to provide. In return, British Columbia agreed that 3,000,000 acres of arable land in the northeastern portion of the province was owing the federal government. A 3,000,000 acre block was first surveyed in 1906, but this proved inadequate, and it was not until 1912 that an acceptable survey was made. That same year, quarter-sections were subdivided and homesteading begun.

Pre-emption. The right of an individual to have a parcel of land reserved for a period of time in order that s/he could later make an official application to acquire the land by various means such as homesteading or with the use of scrip. Squatters, whose occupancy declarations were verified by Dominion Land Surveyors or other government officials, had the legal right to claim such pre-emption of the land they occupied and had improved.

Proving Up. The process of fulfilling homestead duties such as clearing land, cultivating land, erecting dwellings and farm buildings, and residing on the land, or next to it.

Proxy. An individual given the right to file for a piece of Crown land on behalf of another individual, usually a family member. For homesteading prior to 1908, this could only be done by a parent, but, after 1908, the proxy could be any adult family member. The applicants usually filed a statement indicating the authority of someone else to file on their behalf.

Purchased Homestead. As a result of the amendments to the Dominion Lands Act of 1908, homesteaders occupying land next to a quarter-section which was not a complete quarter-section, due to the presence of a lake, river or some other such impediment, could obtain all or part of this fractional quarter by purchasing it for a fee of not more than $3 per acre. See Fractional Purchase.

Quarter-section. 160 acres, which was the standard size for homesteads in the United States as well as Canada. In the latter part of the nineteenth century, it was considered the right size to maintain a small family. By the early 20^th century, however, when grain prices did not rise at the same rate as inflation, this was recognized to be too small, which resulted in large numbers of foreclosures on original homesteads.

Range. Every six miles west of Longitude 97° 28’ (near Lake Winnipeg) range lines running north and south were marked out, intersecting the east-west township lines. On land earmarked for agricultural settlement, six-mile square townships were surveyed within each range and township line. Identified on the database as "R".

Repatriation. A number of homesteaders had been born as British Subjects but had become citizens of a non-British country, usually the United States. In these cases, to gain title to land as a homesteader or a scrip holder, the individuals had to become naturalized. When naturalized, such individuals were referred to as having been repatriated. Identified on the database as "Re". See Naturalized.

Residency. Among the title requirements of homesteaders to the land they occupied was the provision they reside on the land for six months a year for three years. By an amendment to the Dominion Lands Act in 1908, residency could be performed by residing on an adjacent piece of land occupied by a relative, and not just a parent as before. (See Appendix ---, Section---).

River Lots. The standard pattern of settlement in early Lower Canada, as most "habitants" sought to work land along the St. Lawrence River. This pattern was later adopted by settlers along the Red River in Manitoba. The disruption of the river lot pattern in 1869 by government surveyors, who were intent upon introducing a standard grid pattern of survey, is considered to be one of the contributing factors of the Red River Rebellion of 1870. As a result, when grid surveys were later introduced to the North West Territories, efforts were made first of all, to accommodate squatters already living in spread out communities by having these surveyed into lots encompassing the land the settlers actually occupied. Many of these communities, like Edmonton, were along rivers, and, so, the lots were known as river lots. This was also the case with the Shaftesbury Settlement, although other communities in the Peace River Country such as Spirit River and Fort Vermilion had many of their lots away from the river or creek. Identified on the database as "LT".

Rural Municipality. The form of local rural government prevailing in Alberta prior to World War I. When this was first allowed in the Peace River Country in 1914, the settled areas of the more heavily settled districts of the region were incorporated as the Rural Municipalities of Grande Prairie, Spirit River, Fairview and Peace (river).

School Land. Throughout western Canada, including the Peace River Country, whenever townships were surveyed, Sections 11 and 29 were set aside for the use of future rural governments in order to obtain funds with which to establish and maintain schools. Occasionally, when squatters had inadvertently occupied such land in advance of the survey, other areas within the township were selected instead. Identified on the database as "SL".

Section. When 36-mile square townships were marked out between surveyed range and township lines on land earmarked for agricultural settlement, they were subdivided into 36 sections apiece, each section being further subdivided into four quarter-sections of 160 acres, which was the size of a homestead.

Settlements. Prior to the township survey of the Peace River Country, the government sought to grant land to those people who had already settled in the area and who had not become Treaty Indians. As had been the case with the southern prairies, surveyors were sent out with instructions to negotiate with these people and determine what land they actually occupied and had improved. As a result, where people had congregated in spread-out communities, lots were subdivided to meet the needs of these people and other anticipated settlers. In the Peace River Country, prior to the Dominion Land surveys of 1909, settlements were surveyed at Fort Vermilion, North Vermilion, Boyer River, Shaftesbury, Peace River Crossing, Spirit River and Flyingshot Lake, with small pockets marked out at other locations.

Soldiers Settlement Board. Following World War I, the federal government attempted to place returned war veterans on agricultural land. To facilitate this, the Soldiers Settlement Board was set up. On occasion, when individuals undertaking homestead duties joined the military service, they were allowed subsequently, to take their homestead quarters through the Board. This gave them a longer period of time in which to complete the duties required to gain title. Identified on the database as "SSB".

South African Scrip. In 1908, through the Military Bounty Act, each Canadian veteran of the Boer War was offered two quarter-sections of Crown land in the West provided that s/he performed regular homestead duties on it. Although few of these veterans chose to take up this offer, provision was made for them to sell their entitlement to others who did through registered land agents. This added to the appeal of the Peace River Country, for, after the surveys of 1909-10, there was more room here to establish enlarged farms than in any other area of the southern prairies. An individual could not use more than two scrip allocations (giving him/her four quarters) although they could be supplemented by an additional quarter through homesteading. A homesteader’s spouse, however, could also purchase and apply up to two scrip applications, making the family farm as large as nine quarters or more if a fractional purchase was involved. Identified on the database as "SAS".

Squatter. An individual who occupied and had made improvements on a portion of Crown land in advance of its survey. If an official Occupancy Declaration was completed by the squatter, verified by neighbors, and confirmed by a Dominion Land Surveyor or other government official, the squatter had the right to pre-empt the land so occupied for homesteading purposes, provided that he or she continued to occupy the land, and an official application to homestead was completed within three months of the district being declared open for settlement. (See Appendix---).

Substitute. By the Dominion Lands Act, an individual could appoint a substitute, usually an adult family member, to file for land on his or her behalf as a proxy at a Dominion Land Office. See Proxy.

Survey. See Dominion Land Survey

Timber Birth. See Timber Reserve

Timber Reserve. Land set aside when surveyed to be used exclusively to allow the forests on it to remain intact for subsequent settlers who required lumber to erect dwellings or other buildings or for the use of lumber companies. Identified on the database as "TR".

Time Sale. By an amendment to the Dominion Lands Act in 1908, a homesteader could acquire part of an adjacent quarter that was not a complete quarter by purchasing it at a rate not less than $3 per acre. In order for this fractional purchase to be completed; however, the homesteader was required to fulfill his or her homestead duties, in which case these sales were called time sales. See Fractional Purchase. (See also Appendix---, Section---).

Township. A six mile square portion of land surveyed between vertical range lines and horizontal township lines containing 36 sections with each section subdivided into four quarters of 160 acres apiece. Identified on the database as "TP".

Townsite. Although colonization companies were not allowed in the Peace River Country after 1907, individuals or corporations could acquire, through homesteading, free grant, scrip or purchase from private owners, land to be subdivided into townsites for future urban development. During 1910-14, unsuccessful townsites were subdivided at Dunvegan and Bezanson, while successful townsites were subdivided at Grande Prairie, Lake Saskatoon, Spirit River, Waterhole and Peace River.

Transfer. Occasionally an applicant for land at a particular location could have his or her application transferred to a different location if compelling reasons warranted this. This occurred when the Edmonton, Dunvegan & British Columbia Railway entered the area and chose land being worked by various homesteaders. Also, a number of settlers who had earlier filed for land in what would become the Cypress Hills Forest Reserve were given quarters in the Peace River Country as compensation.

Treaty 8. That Treaty, initially signed in 1899 and made valid by further adhesions in 1900, which included all the land in the Peace River Country. With its signing, the government concluded that all Crown land in the treaty area could be made available for settlement by any individual having government authorization, apart from that land that had been set aside as Reserves for the First Nations in the region.

Volunteer Bounty Act. See South African Scrip.

AB = Alberta

ABN = Abandonment

ACR = Acre

ADA = Anglican Diocese of Athabasca

BC = British Columbia

BCARS = British Columbia Archives and Records Service

BCH = Baptist Church of Canada

BR = Boyer River Settlement

Br = British Subject by Birth

CA = Canada

CAN = Cancellation

CNO = Canadian Northern Railway

CU = Carcajou

DLS = Dominion Land Survey

DU = Dunvegan

E = East

EDBC = Edmonton, Dunvegan & British Columbia Railway

F = File Number

FL = Flyingshot Lake Settlement

FRG = Free Grant

FRP = Fractional Purchase

FV = Fort Vermilion Settlement

GL = Grazing Lease

GTP = Grand Trunk Pacific Railway

HBC = Hudson’s Bay Company

HBS = Half-breed Scrip

HSD = Homestead

IR = Indian Reserve

LSD = Legal Subdivision

LT = Lot or River Lot

M = Meridian

MA = Manitoba

MBS = Military Bounty Scrip

MCH = Methodist Church of Canada

MI = Minor

N = North

n = No

Na = Naturalized Canadian

NE = Northeast

NB = New Brunswick

NF = Newfoundland

NS = Nova Scotia

NT = Northwest Territories

NV = North Vermilion Settlement

NW = Northwest

NWT = North West Territories

ON = Ontario

PA = Paddle River

PAA = Provincial Archives of Alberta

PAT = Patent

PI = Prince Edward Island

PQ = Quebec

PR = Peace River Landing Settlement

PRCH = Presbyterian Church of Canada

PRE = Pre-emption

PT = Part of a Lot or Quarter-section

QS = Quarters-section

R = Range

RCDA = Roman Catholic Diocese of Athabasca

Re = Repatriated Canadian

RY = Railway

S = South

SA = Saskatchewan

SAS = South African Scrip

SAV = South African Volunteer

SE = Southeast

SEC = Section

SH = Shaftesbury Settlement

SL = School Land

SQ = Squatter

SR = Spirit River Settlement

SSB = Soldiers Settlement Board

ST = Sturgeon Lake

SW = Southwest

TP = Township

TR = Timber Reserve

TR8 = Treaty 8

TS = Time Sale

UK = United Kingdom

W = West

WW1 = World War I

US = United States

X = Cancelled or Abandoned

x = No

y = Yes

YK = Yukon Territory

Abandonment = X or ABN

Acre = ACR

Alberta = AB

Anglican Diocese of Athabasca = ADA

Baptist Church of Canada = BCH

Boyer River Settlement = BR

British Columbia = BC

British Columbia Archives & Records Service = BCARS

British Subject by Birth = Br

Canada = CA

Canadian Northern Railway = CNO

Cancellation = X or CAN

Carcajou = CU

Dominion Land Survey = DLS

Dunvegan = DU

East = E

Edmonton, Dunvegan & British Columbia Railway = EDBC

File # = F

Flyingshot Lake Settlement = FL

Forest Reserve. See Timber Reserve

Fort Vermilion Settlement = FV

Fractional Purchase = FRP

Free Grant = FRG

Grand Trunk Pacific Railway = GTP

Grazing Lease = GL

Half-breed Scrip = HBS

Homestead = HSD

Hudson’s Bay Company = HBC

Indian Reserve = IR

Legal Subdivision = LSD

Lot or River Lot = LT

Methodist Church of Canada = MCH

Military Bounty Scrip = MBS

Minor = MI

Naturalized Canadian = Na

New Brunswick = NB

Newfoundland = NF

No = n

North = N

North Vermilion Settlement = NV

North West Territories = NWT

Northeast = NE

Northwest = NW

Northwest Territories = NT

Nova Scotia = NS

Ontario = ON

Paddle River = PA

Part of a Lot or Quarter-section = PT

Patent = PAT

Peace River Landing Settlement = PR

Pre-emption = PRE

Presbyterian Church of Canada = PRCH

Prince Edward Island = PI

Provincial Archives of Alberta = PAA

Quarter-section = QS

Quebec = PQ

Railway = RY

Range = R

Repatriated Canadian = Re

Roman Catholic Diosese of Athabasca = RCDA

Saskatchewan = SA

School Land = SL

Section = SEC

Shaftesbury Settlement = SH

Soldiers Settlement Board = SSB

South = S

South African Scrip = SAS

South African Volunteer = SAV

Southeast = SE

Southwest = SW

Spirit River Settlement = SR

Squatter = SQ

Sturgeon Lake = ST

Timber Reserve = TR

Time Sale = TS

Township = TP

Treaty 8 = TR8

United Kingdom = UK

Wales = WA

West = W

World War I = WW1

United States = US

Yes = y

Yukon Territory = YK

The Peace River Country is considered by many to be an appendage of the great central plain of North America. It is also the last region on the continent to have been thrown open for agricultural settlement on a broad scale. Between May 1910 and December 1914, over 6,750 applications for land were taken at the Dominion Land Offices at Grouard and Grande Prairie. During these years, the farming frontier of North America was extended to its most northerly extremity. The files in this database deal with these and earlier non-First Nation settlers who attempted to establish farms in the region in advance of the arrival of the railway, which occurred in 1916.

The first dispensations of Crown land in the region had been made by Treaty 8 and Half-breed Scrip Commissioners in the summer of 1899. As well as concluding Treaty with the First Nations and distributing scrip to other people of Aboriginal descent, the Commissioners verified the declarations of those Euro-Canadians who had, by this time, occupied and improved parcels of land. Provided that they remained on the land, these early settlers would subsequently be given title to their holdings as free grants to the extent of 160 acres apiece. Following the Treaty signing, reserves were surveyed for the First Nations, while certain holders of land scrip staked their claims to the extent of 240 acres apiece. When the Dominion Land Surveyors began to subdivide settlements and mark out quarter-sections, they, too, verified the declarations of people who were then occupying and had improved parcels of land as squatters. These squatters were given the right of pre-emption of the quarter-sections or settlement lots they occupied provided that they filed for title within three months of the land being declared open for settlement. Finally, in the spring of 1910, 20 full and 15 partial townships recently surveyed on the Grande Prairie were declared open for settlement by homesteaders or scrip holders.

When filing for Crown land, the homesteaders or scrip holders (or their surrogates) filled out application forms at the Dominion Land Offices at Grouard, or, after June 1911, Grande Prairie. (See Appendix---). There was also a Sub-agency at Shaftesbury. Occasional occupancy declarations continued to be taken by Dominion Land Surveyors in the field as more land was subdivided. (See Appendix---). These application forms and subsequent documents were then forwarded to the Dominion Lands Branch of the Department of the Interior in Ottawa. Here, they were collated and filed according to land location. As the process of determining entitlement continued, other documents were added to the files until a land patent was either granted to the applicant or denied.

To gain title, an official application for title was made by the applicant. (See Appendix---). Upon approval of this by the Dominion Land Agent in the area and the Dominion Lands Branch, title would be confirmed. If it was denied for some reason, the applicant was either instructed to fulfill the homestead duties by a certain date or advised that the application was canceled. If it was canceled, another applicant could then file for the same quarter-section or settlement lot. If this was done, the same procedure would be followed, and similar documentation would be added to the same file. In 1930, when Alberta and Saskatchewan gained control of their Crown land, and British Columbia was given jurisdiction over its Peace River Block, the files were split into three groups and transferred to the custody of these provinces. Those files pertaining to the Peace River Country are now held by the Provincial Archives of Alberta and the British Columbia Archives & Records Service. Here, they are available for consultation on microfilm. Each record in this database contains the land file number at the top which should be used as reference when consulting the files.

The first agricultural settlers in the Peace River Country were unique in that they traveled to the region in such large numbers with all the equipment and supplies needed to start a farm, and they did so without the benefit of a railway. Instead, they undertook a 400-600km trek northwest from Edmonton over primitive trails that often took over a month to traverse. In the spring of 1909, a railway had seemed an immediate certainty, yet neither the Canadian Northern nor the Grand Trunk Pacific chose to follow through on their much publicized intent to intersect the Pine Pass. Not until the spring of 1916 would the Edmonton, Dunvegan & British Columbia Railway finally reach Grande Prairie, and its counterpart, the Canada Central, Peace River. In the meantime, the open parklands of the Peace River Country were essentially "settled" by farmers. (See Appendix---). By understanding the settlement patterns of these people at this time, greater understanding can be achieved about northern Alberta overall, and also the process of Crown land disposition in early twentieth century Alberta. Furthermore, many people will be able to access personal information on their ancestors they might not have known about. Likewise, anyone interested in a particular quarter-section of land on which a claim was made prior to 1915 will be able to discover information on all individuals who had filed for it.

Most of the applications for land in the Peace River Country were for homesteads under the Dominion Lands Act. (See Appendix---). By this Act, once areas of Crown land had been surveyed and officially declared available for settlement, individuals could apply for a quarter-section of their choice but no more than one as a homestead. (See Appendix---, Section 9, and Appendix ---). Applicants had to be the male heads of households (albeit but one person) and at least 18 years of age. In the absence of an adult male, an adult female could become eligible. After a successful filing, the homesteader was required to occupy his or her quarter within six months, clear and break five acres of it, undertake some cultivation, construct a habitable dwelling, and live on the land for six months a year for at least three years. (See Appendix---, Sections 9, 13 and 16). Once this was completed to the satisfaction of a Homestead Inspector, and verified by three witnesses, the homesteader could apply for a patent (legal title) to this quarter, provided that he or she had become a Canadian citizen. (See Appendix---). The application for patent had to be made within five years of the acceptance of the application to homestead, unless the homesteader could justify a time extension for reasons such as illness. (See Appendix---, Sections 20 and 21; and Appendix---). Once the application for patent was accepted, legal title was invariably granted. (See Appendix---). This was, for the most part, how the Canadian West had been settled since the Dominion Lands Act had first come into effect in 1873.

With no evidence of compliance with the provisions, homestead entries could be, and usually were, canceled; or, if the homesteader found it too difficult to meet the conditions, he or she could declare an official abandonment and receive credit for any improvements that had been made. (See Appendix---). The homesteader was then eligible to file for a different quarter. In actuality, the government appeared to be relatively lenient with its rules and willing to allow lengthy time extensions, as long as the homesteader appeared to be making progress. Nonetheless, as this database reveals, approximately 50% of the homestead applications made in the Peace River Country between 1910 and 1914 were either canceled or abandoned for various reasons. This was in keeping with the general pattern in western Canada.

One of the reasons the Peace River Country was so attractive at this time was the fact that, with so much land thrown open for settlement at once, there was plenty of room in which to develop expanded farms. At the time, it was recognized throughout North America that the traditional 160-acre homestead was no longer large enough to accommodate a family of any size. In 1908, therefore, several amendments were passed to the Dominion Lands Act, which encouraged the development of larger family farms. The amended Act stipulated that homesteaders could now undertake their residency requirements on land adjoining the homesteads which was occupied by any other family member, and not just a parent, as was previously the case. (See Appendix---, Section 18). It was also now possible for a homesteader to file for land as a proxy on behalf of another adult family member (and not just a son as before) and to reserve land for a 17-year-old family member. (See Appendix---, Section 9.3). In addition, a homesteader could now abandon an entry in favor of a family member. (See Appendix---, Section 13.3). If their homestead quarters were obstructed by rivers, sloughs or other such impediments, farmers could now expand their holdings by having added "from adjoining land, a sufficient area to make up, but not exceed, one hundred and sixty acres." (Appendix---, Section 9.1). It was also now possible for homesteaders to purchase fractional quarters (portions of land that were not complete quarters) at a price not less than $3 per acre, provided that such land was available and adjacent to their homesteads. (See Appendix---, Section 32).

In addition to the amendments to the Dominion Lands Act, 1908 also saw the passing of the Volunteer Bounty Act. By it, every Canadian veteran of the Boer War was offered two quarters of Crown land in western Canada provided that they performed the regular homestead duties on them. (See Appendixes--- and---). Although few such veterans wished to take up this offer, they were allowed to sell their entitlement to others who did through registered land agents. (See Appendix---). Many of the first settlers in the Peace River Country, therefore, were able to begin their farms on the basis of two quarters, and, in some cases, even more, as their spouses could also purchase scrip. These scrip holdings could be supplemented by regular homesteads on adjoining quarters. Half-breed money scrip was also still available for farmers to purchase and expand their holdings, along with some Military Bounty scrip that had been presented to veterans of the Rebellions of 1870 and 1885 in Manitoba and the North West Territories. On the southern prairies, where most of the arable land was taken up, it was not as easy to find several good quarters adjoining each other to create expanded farms as it was in the Peace River Country.

The first settlement wave in the Peace River Country had been delayed for several reasons, primarily because of the remoteness of the region and the difficulty farmers would encounter in trying to locate there. This was why the government had been hesitant about subdividing townships and throwing the land open for homesteading in the first place. However, in the spring of 1909, the Canadian Northern Railway began pushing its "Peace River Line" towards Onoway and in the direction of Grande Prairie. It was, therefore, decided to subdivide the open grasslands of this prairie into quarter-sections and open a land office at Grouard. When 20 full and 15 partial townships were completed by the fall, the stage was set for the first land rush, which began the following spring.

These first homesteaders were not the first farmers in the Peace River Country, for pockets of agricultural settlement had evolved years earlier along the banks of the Peace River. Anticipating further settlement inland, the government had begun base line surveys of the region as early as 1882, but, with no serious railway proposals then afloat, the surveys were curtailed. It was not until the Klondike gold rush that the first genuine prospect of a settlement wave began to loom. Shortly after Treaty 8 was concluded during 1899-1900, Reserve land for the region’s First Nations was plotted east of Peace River Crossing, north of Dunvegan, and at Sturgeon Lake. In 1901-02, C.C. Fairchild marked out a 38km sq concession southwest of the Crossing for a colonization scheme initiated by the ill-fated and fraudulent Peace River Colonization & Land Development Company. With the demise of this company, the government decided that, henceforth, Crown land in the region would not be turned over to such initiatives, but instead, set aside exclusively for individual settlers, with certain tracts earmarked for timber and grazing leases.

During 1904-06, the 6^th Meridian was corrected, and the 19^th to 23^rd Base Lines completed by Arthur St. Cyr, James Wallace and Henry Selby. During 1906-08, settlements at Fort Vermilion, North Vermilion, Boyer River, Shaftesbury, Peace River Crossing, Spirit River and Flyingshot Lake were marked out by Selby, Jean-Baptiste St. Cyr and Herbert Holcroft. These were to accommodate the squatters who had already taken up land at these locations. Jean-Baptiste St. Cyr and Holcroft also made a start at township subdivision in the vicinity of Dunvegan, Spirit River, Flyingshot Lake, Griffin Creek and present day Reno. Finally, in the spring of 1909, Walter MacFarlane was contracted to subdivide Grande Prairie. When the first land rush ensued the following spring, more township surveys quickly followed, including those on the Pouce Coupe, Spirit River and Fairview prairies, and west of Lake Kimiwan. By the end of 1910, the grid outline of what would effectively become the settled areas of the Alberta portion of the Peace River Country was in place. The British Columbia portion would be undertaken in 1912. (See Appendix---)

As was standard practice in western Canada, once the base lines and meridians had been established in the Peace River Country, and settlements surveyed where warranted, townships and quarter-sections were then plotted. This was begun in 1908 by Jean-Baptiste St. Cyr, and continued in earnest by Walter MacFarlane the following year. In this process, each six mile square township was surveyed into 36 sections, with each section subdivided into four quarters of 160 acres apiece. (See Appendix C). Between each section westerly and two sections northerly, 66’ allowances were allocated so that each quarter would have access to a public road. Sections 11 and 29 of each township were then set aside as "school lands," meaning that future rural governments would be able to dispose of these and redirect the profits towards the establishment and maintenance of schools in the township. Unlike on the southern prairies, however, in what had been known as Rupert’s Land, Sections 8 and 26 were not set aside for the Hudson’s Bay Company. Nor was any land set aside for the Canadian Pacific Railway or any other railway companies.

The first applications for land in the Peace River Country were in the form of occupancy declarations made by parties who had lived in the region prior to the initial signing of Treaty 8 in June, 1899. Such people could later claim title to their holdings as free grants of upward to 160 acres apiece, provided that they continued to reside on this land. Those people of Aboriginal ancestry who had accepted Half-breed land scrip rather than money scrip or reserve land as Treaty Indians could claim 240 acres. Later, occupancy declarations would be made by squatters occupying and improving land prior to its survey. By virtue of this, such people had the right of pre-emption of the quarter-section or settlement plots on which they dwelled (see Appendix---, Section 10; and Appendix---). Beginning in the spring of 1906, their declarations were taken by the Dominion Land Surveyors working in their districts and forwarded to Ottawa.

When homesteading proper was begun in the spring of 1910, the Land Agent at Grouard, Peter Tomkins, began to accept previously verified occupancy declarations along with regular homestead applications. He also took claims by those seeking to apply Half-breed, Military or South African scrip, and also those who sought to purchase land on fractional quarters adjacent to their homestead or scrip land. This included land in the surveyed settlements of the region as well as the quarter-sections in the surveyed townships. In May 1910, due to a veritable land rush on Grande Prairie, Tomkins made an excursion through the region, taking applications and adjudicating cases where more than one party had applied for a particular quarter-section or settlement plot. Subsequent applications, however, were to be made at Grouard. Then, in July 1911, the government opened a Dominion Land Office at Grande Prairie, which handled applications for land south of Dunvegan, including, in the spring of 1912, land on the Pouce Coupe Prairie of British Columbia. Land north of the Peace River continued to be administered from Grouard with a sub-agency opened at Shaftesbury in 1912. This included the area around Fort St. John and Hudson’s Hope in British Columbia. In early 1915, the Dominion Land Office at Grouard was transferred to Peace River. Shortly thereafter, sub-agencies were opened at Pouce Coupe and Fort St. John.

The settlers who came to the Peace River Country during 1910-14 did so for a variety of reasons. One was the excessive publicity about the fertility of the region ever since government explorers had portrayed it as a "veritable garden of Eden" during the 1870’s. Another was the apparent probability that a railroad would shortly be extended there. In the spring of 1909, Premier Rutherford of Alberta announced a program of lucrative bond guarantees to major railway companies. With this in place, it seemed certain that two or more lines would soon enter the region. Without one, a market economy would have been impossible. A special appeal was the prospect that at least one line would intersect the Pine Pass and extend straight west to the Pacific Ocean. This would have put the Peace River Country closer to a coastal outlet than any other wheat growing region in western Canada.

Another attraction was the fact that, with so much land surveyed and thrown open for homesteading at once, group settlement was possible. Thus, members of a particular ethnic or religious community could take up holdings in the same area, an undertaking which, by now, was more difficult on the more densely occupied southern prairies. The settlement of groups, or even large families, was given further encouragement by a new provision in the Dominion Lands Act which allowed homesteaders to undertake their residency requirements on land occupied by other family members, and not just their parents, near their homesteads. (See Appendix E, Section 18). It was also now possible for a homesteader to file for land as a proxy on behalf of a family member and to reserve a quarter-section on behalf of a seventeen year old family member. (See Appendix---, Section 9.3). In addition, a homesteader could now officially abandon an entry in favor of a family member. (See Appendix E, Section 13.3).

The greatest attraction, however, may have stemmed from the fact that, by 1910, in the United States as well as Canada, the traditional quarter-section homestead was no longer large enough to sustain a family of any size. Due to overproduction, grain prices had not risen appreciably in recent years, so farmers on the southern prairies were either foreclosing or selling out to land companies or equally cramped neighbors. Many of these small farmers now sought new holdings in areas where they would be able to build bigger farms. One of the vehicles making this possible in western Canada was South African scrip. By the Volunteer Bounty Act of 1908, all Canadian volunteers of the Boer War were given the right to two quarter-sections of Crown land in the West provided that they performed the regular homestead duties on them. (See Appendixes--- and---). Few such veterans wished to take up this offer, but they were allowed to sell their entitlement to others who did through registered land agents. (See Appendix---). Many of the first settlers in the Peace River region, therefore, were able to begin their new farms on the basis of two quarters, and, in some cases, even more, as their spouses could also purchase scrip. These scrip holdings could be supplemented by regular homesteads on adjoining quarters.

The settlers of 1910-14 could enlarge their farms in other ways as well. For example, if the homestead quarter was obstructed by a lake, slough, or other such impediment, the homesteader could "have added to his homestead, from adjoining land, a sufficient area to make up, but not exceed, one hundred and sixty acres." (Appendix---, Section 9.1). It was also now possible for a homesteader to purchase fractional quarters (portions of land which were not complete quarters) at a price not less than three dollars per acre if such were available and adjacent to their homesteads. (See Appendix E, Section 32). Half-breed money scrip was still available for settlers, along with some Military Bounty scrip that had earlier been presented to veterans of the Manitoba and North West Rebellions of 1870 and 1885. Up to the end of 1912, over half of the farms begun in the Peace River region would be in excess of one quarter-section, and, in some cases, they would be as large as eight.

This project covers all land settled between townships 70 and 85, from Range 18 west of the 5^th Meridian to Range 25 west of the 6^th Meridian – or – all the land which flowed into the Peace River and was settled up to 1915 by farmers. This includes the region from as far south as the Goose Lake to as far north as Fort St. John and Peace River (Town) and from as far east as Lake Winagami to as far west as Hudson’s Hope (see map on inside front cover). This is, in effect, the upper Peace River Country, which is bordered by the Wapiti River to the south, the Rocky Mountains to the west, the Clear and Whitemud Hills to the north, and the Athabasca drainage system to the east. The project, however, also includes the pre-survey squatters and the few homestead entries that were made at this time for land in the vicinity of Fort Vermilion.

This project discloses information on individuals who filed for land between June 1899, when occupancy declarations were first accepted, and 31 December 1914, which was just after the Edmonton, Dunvegan & British Columbia Railway had reached the site of High Prairie. Because travel to the region, with all the equipment and supplies needed to start a farm, was becoming much easier than before, the end of 1914 can be seen as something of a watershed. It was also during this time that the earlier unforeseen scope of World War I was becoming apparent. Also, during this time, the earlier unforeseen scope of World War I was becoming apparent. This began to draw many people of military age throughout Canada, Great Britain and the British Empire into military service and possibly away from thoughts of a new life on a northern Canadian prairie homestead.

More important, however, is the fact that, with the homestead entries of 1914, the basic pattern of agricultural settlement in the Peace River region was established. (See Appendix---). From this point on, further settlement would build out from the frontiers already in place or fill in gaps within the existing framework. A slight degree of urbanization had now begun as both Peace River and Grande Prairie were incorporated as villages in 1914 with both having active boards of trade. Hamlets with 20 or more families also existed at Lake Saskatoon, Spirit River and Waterhole, while the surrounding countryside was dotted with a number of stores, post offices, schools and churches. Rural government had also just been implemented in the form of the Rural Municipalities of Grande Prairie, Bear Lake, Spirit River, Fairview and Peace (river), while several local agricultural societies had been incorporated.

By the end of 1914, North-west Mounted Police barracks were in place at Grande Prairie, Sturgeon Lake, Lake Saskatoon, Spirit River, Peace River and Fort St. John, while several Justices-of-the-Peace had been appointed, and Supreme Court Justices Noel and Dubuc had begun to make regular excursions to the region. Communications had improved to such a degree that the telegraph stretched as far west as Lake Saskatoon, and both Grande Prairie and Peace River were publishing newspapers. In short, by the end of 1914, the Peace River Country was much like the rest of the Canadian prairies and a vastly different place than it had been the previous year.

Altogether, up to the end of 1914, there were approximately 6,750 applications for land in the Peace River Country. The files generated to deal with these by the Dominion Lands Branch include documents such as those attached as Appendices--------- and---. For the pre-survey occupants, the information on file is somewhat sparse, for these applicants were required to prove little beyond the fact that they had already occupied and made improvements upon the land. Information is also sparse in the files for those purchasing fractional quarters and those utilizing Half-breed scrip. Here again, no homesteading duties were necessary. For the homesteaders proper, however, and those wishing to apply Military Bounty or South African scrip, the government required much more personal information. In these cases (about 96% of the whole), the documents disclose some of the following details:

-The name and gender of the applicant

-Whether the applicant filed him/herself or through a proxy

-The location of the land applied for, including all quarter-sections involved

-Whether the applicant used Half-breed, Military Bounty or South African scrip, and, if so, the

identity of the original scrip holder

-Where the applicant was born

-Whether the applicant was a British subject or became a naturalized Canadian

-The stated location of the applicant’s residence before filing was made

-The stated occupation or profession of the applicant before filing was made

-The age of the applicant when filing was made

-Whether or not the applicant was married when filing was made

-If the applicant was married when filing was made, the age of the spouse

-Whether the applicant had any children when filing was made, and, if so, how many

-The date of filing

-When, and if, the applicant first occupied the land, or if s/he lived on adjacent land

-Whether or not the land was eventually proven up

-At what point in time the land was either proven up, canceled or abandoned

-If the land was officially abandoned, when and why

-The age of the applicant when application was made for patent

-Whether the applicant was married when application was made for patent

-Whether the applicant had any children when application was made for patent, and, if so, how many and what their ages were

-Whether or not the applicant’s family was with him/her when the land was first occupied

-Whether or not the applicant’s family joined him/her while the land was being proven up

-The nature of the applicant’s first dwelling on the land (tent, caboose, cabin, barn, lean-to….)

-At what point in time clearing and the construction of other buildings was undertaken

-Whether or not the applicant took other employment while proving up the land, and, if so, the nature of this employment and where it was undertaken

-Whether the applicant enlisted for service in World War I as the land was being proven up

-Whether the applicant died, became ill, or went insane while the land was being proven up

-The identity of the beneficiary of the land if it was proven up but the applicant was deceased

-Other recorded information on file.

Of course, not all of the above details are included with each application for land. Where included, however, the details appear in the database with the following exceptions:

Should anyone wish to check into such details, they may do so by consulting the land files themselves at the Provincial Archives of Alberta or the British Columbia Archives and Records Service. Specific points of information may be requested from the reference services of these institutions, or photocopies of documents may be obtained at a fee. In all cases, the relevant file numbers should be cited. These are included at the top of each record in this database

The land files for this project are held by the Provincial Archives of Alberta (PAA) and the British Columbia Archives and Records Service (BCARS). Research of them was conducted at these institutions. The analysis of the files held by BCARS proved relatively easy as all of these were in hard copy (they have since been microfilmed) and held together in one series (GR 436-Series I). There are about 800 of these files, and, in general, they are in chronological order and have now been microfilmed. On the other hand, those files held by PAA (Accession# 70.313) total about 5,900, and are on 16mm microfilm, some of these are of poor quality as the records were filmed in 1957 by the Alberta Department of Lands and Forests with apparent undue care. Also, the Alberta files (nearly 85% of the whole) are not held together as one series but are interspersed with the rest of the land files for the entire province.

To access the Alberta files, it was necessary to first examine the microfilmed land location registers for the area to determine which quarter-sections in the region were filed on before 1915 (Accession# 74.32/241, 284-388 – see Appendix--- for a sample page). With all of these quarter-sections listed, the file number registers for the area then had to be consulted to discover the seven digit reference numbers for each of these files (Accession# 74.32/24 and 82.170/206 & 207 – see Appendixes--- and--- for sample pages). Each file number was then recorded onto a specifically designed data input form on which all of the other information would be entered. (See Appendixes--- and---). As a check, every quarter-section in these file number registers was reviewed to ensure that all the land applied for prior to 1915 (every file up to #3300000) was covered. The approximately 5,900 input forms were then sorted according to file number. The Peace River Country files on microfilm were then examined one-by-one in numerical order with all of the non-Peace River Country files in between bypassed.

As the files were examined, the relevant data in them was recorded onto the data input forms. (See Appendixes--- and---). Each file pertains to one quarter-section of land. Due to cancellations and abandonments, therefore, many of the files hold information on more than one applicant. Also, as many applicants wound up filing more than once, information on such people is frequently held in two or more files. Each completed form (and each record in this database), however, contains information on one separate application for land, whether proven up, canceled or abandoned. Since what constituted a single farm often encompassed several quarter-sections, the details with respect to individual farms will have to be calculated by reviewing all of the entries filed by a particular applicant, and, in some cases, those of his wife and children and possibly other family members. For statistical purposes, an abandonment and a re-filing for a different quarter (or, indeed the same quarter) are considered as two separate applications. However, if, as sometimes happened, an applicant filed for a quarter-section as a homesteader, and then chose to officially abandon it in order to obtain it with scrip, this was not recorded as an abandonment.

Approximately 4% of the files were found to be either missing or misidentified or documents in them lost, not completed, damaged, or had deteriorated. In a few cases, the recorded information was obliterated because of the inferior microfilming process in 1957. Therefore, after the input forms were filled out, local histories and other information sources in various libraries and archives were checked to verify data and gain information that was missing or not included on the files. Ultimately, however, a small portion of the information sought (perhaps 3%) could not be recovered. In almost all of these cases, this applied to abandoned or canceled applications and not to those that were eventually proven up.

When all the data was recorded, calculations were made on each form concerning the length of time from when each successful applicant filed for his or her land to when title was granted. This should NOT be seen as the length of time an applicant took to prove up his or her land, for many other factors affected this. Some applicants, for example, undertook military service in World War I, and were given time off to do this. Other applicants from Germany or the Austro-Hungarian Empire, who had not yet become Canadian citizens, were not allowed land entitlement during the duration of the war. Still others, who were not British subjects, ended up filing late for naturalization and so had to wait until they were naturalized until they could gain title. Many applicants had to take employment away from their land to finance their homesteads and were allowed to do so for six months in every year until title was granted.

With the completion of the data entry forms, local histories and other information sources were consulted to verify certain details and provide additional information that had not been included on the land files. For example, a homesteader might have indicated that s/he came from Indiana but did not indicate which community. Local histories often disclose this. Unfortunately, however, information on only about 15% of the successful land settlers up to 1914 is included in the local histories and not all of this information is trustworthy, for it was often taken from distant memory. Whenever information in the local histories conflicted with that in the land files, reliance was made on the land files, the documents filled out by the land agents in direct contact with the applicants.

Further verification was made from other primary sources, such as the Grande Prairie Herald, a detailed index which is held by the Grande Prairie Public Library, and the Loggie collection of Peace River Country biographies held by the Glenbow-Alberta Archives. Use was also made of the 1901 national and 1906 western prairie census, as well as the Western Land Grants database held by the National Archives. It was discovered that personal names often had varying spellings, particularly with immigrants from eastern Europe. In cases such as this, reliance was made on the land file, for here the applicants were required to sign their names, even though some did so with an "x". Also, it should be noted that, among the pre-1910 applicants for land, many indicated different ages for themselves when applying for land than they did when speaking to the census takers in 1901 or 1906.

After as much verification as possible, information from the data entry forms was entered onto the database which was specifically designed by the Grande Prairie Regional College to run on Microsoft Access. When this was completed, each database record was checked against the original data entry form, and information was reviewed by two professional historians of the Peace River region. Following this verification, information on the database was migrated to Microsoft Excel, with both versions copied onto CD-ROMs. The program has also been published on the Lobstick website where individual records can be consulted, although the overall database cannot be manipulated. Online access to the records is by the name of the applicant or by the legal description of the land. Researchers should remember that the information on individuals in these database records pertains only to details disclosed up to the time when land title was either granted or denied.

The information from the land files was retrieved by Dr. David Leonard, who gleaned and reviewed it between 1996 and 2003. He made his data entry forms available to the Monkman Homestead Preservation Society in 2002 in order that the Society might enter the data onto a database especially devised by Chris Levoir of Grande Prairie Regional College. With a generous grant from the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation, the information was entered onto the database during 2002-03. As this was being done, Lynda Boyd of the Society checked the information against biographies in the various local histories of the region, while Dr. Leonard checked various archival sources, all of which resulted in additional information being entered onto a number of the records. Dr. Leonard also checked certain entries against the 1901 national and the 1906 prairie census, as well as the National Archives’ Western Land Grants database. When data entry was completed in February 2003, verification was undertaken by Dr. Leonard and Dr. Campbell Ross of Grande Prairie Regional College. After corrections were made, the whole was presented to Lobstick for publication in both on-line and CD-ROM format. After a review by the editor, Dr. Scott McAlpine, publication proceeded.

The information contained on this database was gathered primarily from the Land Files held by the Provincial Archives of Alberta and the British Columbia Archives and Records Service. It was supplemented by information gathered from various local histories and other primary sources. Checks were also made against the national census of 1901, the prairie census of 1906, and the National Archives’ database on Western Land Grants, all of which are available online via the National Archives’ website. If any points of detail were found to contradict information in the Land Files, reliance was usually made on the Land Files, information which was obtained directly from the applicants for land.

When verifying information, it was found that several personal names had changed spelling over the years, and that the ages of people in the Peace River Country presented to the census takers of 1901 and 1906 were often different than those presented to the surveyors or the land agents. All researchers of this database, therefore, should recognize that the information contained in it is not necessarily accurate information but only what was recorded on documents in the Land Files, and, to a lesser extent, the supplementary sources.

The records in this database contain 55 fields, only some of which were used by each applicant for land. These fields are:

* Indicates that additional comments may be contained in a supplementary field.

Townships surveyed in the Peace River Country to 1912

The settled areas of the Peace River Country in 1914

Tp. – R. – W of the – Meridian as surveyed in 1912

The Dominion Lands Act with Amendments to 1908

The Volunteer Bounty Act, 1908

A standard Declaration of Occupancy

A standard Homestead Application Form

A standard Application for a Land Patent

A standard Acknowledgement of Acceptance for Patent

A standard Land Patent

A standard Declaration of Abandonment

Data Entry Form

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