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Heirlines
An archive page of Prince Albert Branch Saskatchewan Genealogical Society http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/carsn/GENE Box 1464 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan S6V 5T1 |
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In
this Archive May~Jun~Jul~Aug
2004 |
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I. Marno's January
program was thoroughly prepared and well delivered with lively discussion among
presenter, members and the-person-who-brought-the-dainties. It covered genealogical
program timelines and Saskatchewan early land titles system.
Using her Family
Tree Maker v. 8, Marno had printed off an example of a 15 page timeline for
her Luc Tourigny, her great-grandfather. The timeline is based on United States
history though, not Canadian. One member asked if there exists a genealogical
program that does a Canadian timeline. If you know of one, please write or email
us at heirlines@carswells.com. If it were Marno's grandfather's timeline, it
might show Emile Tourigny and his brother, David, driving supply wagons for
General Middleton in the North West Rebellion which would be on a Canadian timeline.
Marno also had
an extensive collection of maps from the Cummins Rural Directory. Her search
for Luc Tourigny's homestead has been confusing. He homesteaded somewhere near
Qu'Appelle and his homestead file is 12 pages long. The Dominion Lands Act of
1872 offered the tempting opportunity of 160 acres of land for a homestead for
a $10 registration fee and meeting the requirements of cultivating 30 acres,
building a house and doing some fencing within 3 years. Once "proved"
the applicant received a patent that officially certified ownership.
The application
form for a homestead has the name, date, signature of applicant and the land
location. Forms changed over time and some have the nationality, country of
birth and/or former occupation. Later forms included ages, but unfortunately,
not names of family members. Also, form information varies depending on whether
it was an application for homestead, pre-emption (purchasing 160 acres of land
adjoining a homestead for $3 per acre) or a soldier grant.
The sworn statement
in support of the application for a homestead patent potentially provides a
wealth of information. This list is from http://www.hamiota.com/history.html:
1. What is your name in full, age, and Post Office Address?
2. Are you a British subject by birth or naturalization? If naturalized, state
when and where.
3. What is your trade, profession, or calling?
4. When did you obtain entry for this homestead?
5. When did you build your house thereon?
6. When did you perfect your entry to your homestead by taking in your own person
possession of the land and beginning continuous residence thereon and cultivation
thereof?
7. What portion each year since that date have you resided thereon? State each
month.
8. When absent from the homestead where you have resided, and what has been
your occupation?
9. Of whom does your family consist; when did they first commence residence
upon this homestead, and for what portion of the each year since that date have
they resided upon it?
10. How much breaking have you done upon your homestead in each year since you
obtained entry and how many acres have you cultivated each year?
11. How many horned cattle, horses, sheep, and pigs have you had on your homestead
each year since date of perfecting? Give number in each year.
12. What is the size of your house on your homestead, and what is the present
cash value?
13. What extent of fencing have you made upon your homestead, and what is the
present cash value thereof?
14. What other buildings have you erected on your homestead? What other improvements
have you made thereon, and what is the cash value of the same?
15. Are there any indications of minerals or quarries on your homestead? If
so, state nature of same, and whether the land is more valuable for agriculture
than any other purpose.
16. Have you any other homestead entry? If so, when and where, and what became
of it?
17. Have you mortgaged, assigned or transferred, or agreed to mortgage, assign
or transfer your homestead or pre-emption right or any part thereof? If so,
when and to whom?
The homesteader
was also required to furnish the sworn statements of two witnesses to verify
his claim. The witnesses, usually two neigbours, had to answer the same questions
concerning the homesteader's progress and right to claim patent. Although this
was the usual procedure in applying for the patent to your land, there was another
alternative. Sometimes the homesteader was visited by an agent of the government
who inspected the homesteader's claims and filled in the necessary information
on the patent application."
This final letter
appears to be saying that whatever confusion happened to Luc's application has
been resolved.
July 8, 1897
Sir,
I have the honour to enclose herewith the declaration of abandonment filed by
Mr. J. Luc Tourigny in connection with his pre-emption of the NE 1/4 32-16-10,
W 2nd M and to inform you that the enry has been cancelled and re-entry granted
to Mr. Tourigny, as a second homestead.
Department of the Interior
The Saskatchewan
Land Registration Office is now online at www.isc.ca and the Prince Albert office
is located at 2-2860 2nd Avenue West.
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V. Knudsen, our
April guest speaker, has written and published five family history books. Her
talk was a wonderful mixture of the practical and the poetic. Her first family
history book was for her eight children. Knudsen was born in Hungary and wanted
her children to know their roots. Because her family spread out after WWII,
her children did not have the opportunity to know their grandparents, aunts
and uncles. Not only have her children appreciated the book, but also, on a
visit to Hungary her relatives would immediately and eagerly display their pages
and declare they were so happy that she wrote it. This book in particular has
given Knudsen enormous satisfaction. It is an enormous undertaking but it is
worth doing.
Knudsen said she set out to be objective but after visiting, questioning and collecting letters, she saw herself as a participant. Through her writing she learned one cannot judge people from another era and that the givers in life live far more contentedly than the takers.
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| V. Knudsen February 2004 | V. Fekete 1931 |
Her
husband's family hardcover history book cost $4,036 dollars for 200 copies in
1984. Knudsen shared a painfully funny anecdote connected with it. She proudly
delivered it to her mother-in-law around Christmas time. The next time Knudsen
saw her, her mother-in-law said, "I won't sue you but you made my father
into a murderer." Somehow her mother-in-law objected to Knudsen's characterization
of the mother-in-law's father. Knudsen was shocked and perplexed. She did write
that the father carried a rifle to shoot small game but doesn't understand her
mother-in-law's objection.
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| V. with grandparents Jozoef Schwetzand Paula Schwetz 1932 | Ica our maid 1934 |
"No More
Doughnuts" is Knudsen's perspective as a 9-year-old at the beginning of
WWII to the end of her stay in a refugee camp. She spent 4 years in Germany
before coming to Canada around age 18. Shortly after her arrival, Knudsen, who
grew up with a maid and gardener, was mucking out barns. She valued this experience
as she learned a lot. She had little English beside "Good-bye" which
she used as a greeting as well as a farewell and "I'm Hungary" which
meant she was from Hungary but people probably interpreted her pronouncement
as a request for food.
Another of her books was camera ready and in another she drew in cartoons. She is very pleased with Staples, especially for the St. Michael's church history, and expressed gratitude to her daughter for doing all the word processing.
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| Refugee camp with father Dr. Josef Fekete | V. in 1952 before marriage |
Her current
project is on behalf of the Prince Albert Centennial Committee. She has been
interviewing seniors. She mentioned in particular how rewarding it was to talk
with people who have lived a century, give or take a couple of years. She introduces
herself, explains why she is interviewing them and then starts with a standard
list of questions like where and when born, school, parents, siblings, first
job, marriage, and children. Her questions about the saddest day, the happiest
day, or advice for young people usually leads to other stories. To read her
interviews visit www.citypa.ca/centennial.
Knudsen ended by stressing that although publishing a history book may impoverish your pocketbook, it does enrich your life. This truth was seconded by her friend, our member V. LaRose. LaRose said that the history we are preserving is important and appreciated.
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Our
sponsor, Digitell Legacy Productions,
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