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.

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