Land File Number. This is the number assigned to each land file created by the Dominion Lands Branch on each parcel of Crown land in western Canada for which an application for entitlement was made, usually through the homesteading process. The file was created as soon as the Branch began to receive documents on the land. The initial documents were sent in by the various Dominion Land Agents scattered throughout the West. Each file pertained to an individual parcel of land, which was usually a quarter-section, but sometimes was a settlement lot. One file, therefore, could contain documents relating to several applicants, depending on abandonments or cancellations. The files were created at random, assigned a seven digit number, and arranged numerically.

Nature of Claim. The applicant could file for the land through homesteading (HSD), as a free grant (FRG), as a fractional purchase (FRP), or with various form of scrip such as South African Scrip (SAS), Half-breed Scrip (HBS) or Military Bounty Scrip (MBS).

Applicant’s Name. The name of the applicant, including first and last names, and middle initials if they were known. Several names were changed over the years, in which case the name used on the application form is used here. The name used is the one provided by the applicant. Therefore, if William Campbell Smith chose to identify himself as "Bill," the name to be entered to access his file(s) is "Smith, Bill C." Should the name you wish to gain information on does not come up, it is best to spell out the last name only and follow this with an asterisk (*), then click. This will give you all individuals with this last name from which you can pick out the one of interest; instead, you can also go to the alphabetical name list.

Quarter(s)*. The quarter-section, either NE, NW, SE or SW, of a particular section of land on which the applicant filed. In some cases, particularly with the use of South African Scrip, the applicant filed for two quarters on one application. Of course, the same applicant may well have filed for other quarters under other terms on different applications. To access these, click on to field 3. When the "Find and Replace" box comes up, click the "Next" field; OR, you can go to the alphabetical name list.

Township. The township containing the quarter-section(s) for which application was made.

Range. The range containing the quarter-section(s) for which application was made.

Meridian. The Meridian west of which was located the range in which application was made.

Number of Quarters Applied For*. This refers only to the number of quarter-sections the applicant filed for with this specific application. If he or she filed for other quarter(s) under other terms, information on these would appear in other files. Check the alphabetical name list.

Number of Quarters Proved Up*. This refers only to the number of quarter-sections the applicant was granted title to on this specific application, if title was indeed granted. For other quarter(s) for which the applicant might have filed for and proved up, check the alphabetical name list.

Female? Whether or not the applicant was a woman. A woman was not allowed to file for a homestead unless she was the head of a household (albeit but one person), and if the husband was alive, he was recognized as the head of the household. Therefore, the number of women applying for land was comparatively small. Married women were, however, allowed to apply for land with the use of scrip, and many did so with the use of South African Scrip to add to the size of the family farm.

First Residence. All applicants were required to indicate the country of their birth and the "subdivision" of this country. Many chose to identify only a county or state within this country, but some also identified a community as well. Various local histories often identified where an individual was born.

Later Residence. Most people lived in various locations before coming to the Peace River Country. This field is used to disclose where else an individual might have lived for a period of time, excluding places where he or she might have just passed through.

Most Recent Residence. This refers to the last place where the applicant lived before coming to the Peace River Country providing it is different from the places indicated in 11 or 12. It can also refer to a locality in the Peace River Country if the applicant lived at this location an appreciable extent of time before filing for the land in question. It excludes, however, places where the applicant may have just passed through on his or her way to the Peace River Country. For example, virtually all of the applicants passed through Edmonton, but only a few of them lived and worked there an appreciable extent of time before traveling to the Peace River Country to take up land.

British Subject by Birth When Applying? Whether or not the applicant was a British Subject (a citizen of any country in the British Empire). An applicant was required to become a British Subject before title could be granted.

British Subject by Birth, Naturalized or Repatriated when Proving Up? If the applicant was not a British Subject when applying, he or she was required to become one through the process of naturalization before title to the land would be granted. In cases of citizens of either Germany or the Austro-Hungarian Empire, who had not been naturalized by the outbreak of World War I, title to their land was withheld during the duration of the war. Some applicant’s had been naturalized before filing for land, some applied for naturalization after they had filed. If the applicant had been born a British Subject but had later become a citizen of another country (usually the United States), he or she was required to become a British Subject again through the process of naturalization before title to the land would be granted. Such individuals were referred to as repatriated Canadians. Identified in this database as either "Br", "Na", or "Re".

Stated Occupation When Applying*. When applying for Crown land, the applicant was required to state his or her occupation or profession at the time. The answers varied extremely and were very subjective. For example, "clerks," "secretaries," and "office workers," often did the same work. "Labourers" could be "farm workers," "railway workers," "factory hands" or "miners," and sometimes they described themselves as such, or simply as "labourers." It is expected that applicants were often inclined to describe themselves as "farmers" to give strength to their applications for homesteads. The occupations indicated on this database are whatever the applicants described them as being.

Date on Land* The year and month in which the applicant moved onto the land as a resident. This had to be within six months of the date of application for homesteading, although more time was granted to foreigners who had to bring in their families. Some applicants indicated a specific day, but many did not. Many also resided next to their homestead with a relative, in which case no date was given.

Date of Filing*. The date on which the applicant officially filed for the land in question, usually at the Dominion Land Office in Grouard or Grande Prairie. If the applicant was a squatter, however, the date used here is the date when a Dominion Land Surveyor or other government official confirmed the applicant’s occupancy declaration. Likewise, if a quarter was reserved for a 17-year-old applicant, the date used here is the date on which reservation was made. It might be noted that the date entered for filing on the Dominion Lands Branch’s official land registers is, on occasion, incorrectly indicated as the date on which the application form was received in Ottawa. Also, Dominion Land Agents would occasionally wait a day or two before stamping the application form with the official government stamp before forwarding it to Ottawa.

Patented, Cancelled or Abandoned*. If the application was patented, the applicant was granted title to the land in question. If the applicant did not fulfill the proper duties, his or her application could be, and usually, was cancelled. An applicant could, however, file an official abandonment statement. (See Appendix---), in which case he or she was allowed to file for a different quarter and could claim credit for any improvements that had been made.

Date Patented*. The date on which title to the land was granted.

Months Taken To Gain Title. The time (in months and fractions of months) from when the applicant filed for the land in question (including when occupancy declarations were taken or when land was reserved for minors) to when title was granted to the land. By Section --- of the Dominion Lands Act, a homesteader had to fulfill his or her homestead duties within five years of officially filing. Extensions were granted for various reasons, however, and the time frame indicated here should not be considered as the time required to prove up the land, for many other factors came into play. An applicant, for example, was allowed six months to move onto the land and even more time if s/he had to move his or her family in from a different country. While proving up the land, many applicants would take periods of time off (upwards to six months of a year) from employment. Some applicants undertook military service during World War I, in which case the time served was not charged. Some of those undertaking military service subsequently took their land through the Soldiers Settlement Board, in which case extensive periods of time were allowed before title could be claimed. Also, many foreign homesteaders were late in filing for naturalization, in which cases there were delays in granting title. Citizens of Germany or the Austro-Hungarian Empire had title to their land withheld during the duration of World War I.

Date of Abandonment*. The date on which a homesteader officially abandoned all claim to the homestead quarter by completing an abandonment statement at a Dominion Land Office. (See Appendix---). If approved, the abandonment statement allowed the homesteader to file for a different quarter, and credit was given for any improvements that had been made with the initial application.

Why Abandoned? The reasons why a homestead was being abandoned as stated by the prospective homesteader on the adandonment statement.

Age of Applicant When Filing. An applicant had to be at least 18 years of age in order to file for Crown land. However, by an amendment to the Dominion Lands Act passed in 1908 (See Appendix---,Section ---), an application could be made to have a quarter-section reserved for a 17-year-old provided this was done by a parent.

Married When Filing? All applicants for homestead had to indicate the ages of the adults in their families, in which case marital status was deduced.

Age of Spouse. See 25.

Number of Offspring. All applicants had to indicate the number of people in their families and their ages, in which case the number of offspring was deduced. By the time filing was made, many of the offspring were no longer children.

Married When Land Patented? All applicants for title were required to indicate their marital status. Some indicated that they had been widowed, but, since this was not required, and some chose not to, widowed status has not been indicated here.

29. Family on Land at Outset?* All applicants for title were required to indicate whether or not their families were living with them on the land in question, and when they had moved onto it.

31. First Dwelling. This refers to the nature of the dwelling the applicant lived in when first occupying the land. It should be noted that the applicant was not required to enter this information, but many volunteered it, probably to give strength to their claim that they had, in fact, occupied the land by a particular time. Most who volunteered this information indicated their first dwelling as a tent. However, the applicants were required to indicate the nature of their first actual dwelling. Since this was almost always a small log house, a field was not created for this information.

32. Squatter?* Whether or not the applicant had occupied the land in advance of its legal survey, and this had been verified by a government official (usually a Dominion Land Surveyor) by completing an occupancy declaration. (See Appendix---).

33. Filed by Proxy? As a result of an amendment to the Dominion Lands Act in 1908 (See Appendix---,Section ---), a filing for land at a Dominion Land Office could be made by any adult on behalf of another adult family member, not just a parent, as was previously the case.

36. Otherwise Employed While Proving Up Land? By terms of the Dominion Lands Act (See Appendix---, Section ---), a homesteader was required to reside on his or her holding six months a year for three years while proving up the land. To obtain an income during these years, many homesteaders sought work at places away from their homesteads, especially during winter or harvest time when ample work was available. When undertaking such work, the homesteader was required to inform the Dominion Land Agent and also to report the nature of the work and where it took place on his or her subsequent application for title.

37. How Otherwise Employed While Proving Up Land. See 36.

38. In Military Service While Proving Up Land?* When performing military service during World War I, a homesteader was granted an equal amount of extra time afterwards to fulfill his or her homestead duties. Many who undertook such service were later allowed to take their land through the Soldiers Settlement Board whereby extensive time was allowed before application for title had to be made.