{"id":1418,"date":"2017-09-14T19:10:41","date_gmt":"2017-09-14T19:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/?page_id=1418"},"modified":"2017-09-20T18:33:52","modified_gmt":"2017-09-20T18:33:52","slug":"sad-ending-to-a-homestead","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/sad-ending-to-a-homestead\/","title":{"rendered":"Sad ending to a homestead"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_1419\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1419\" style=\"width: 604px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/George-Angus-Reid-Mortgaging-of-the-homestead.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1419 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/George-Angus-Reid-Mortgaging-of-the-homestead-1024x637.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"604\" height=\"376\" srcset=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/George-Angus-Reid-Mortgaging-of-the-homestead-1024x637.png 1024w, https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/George-Angus-Reid-Mortgaging-of-the-homestead-300x187.png 300w, https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/George-Angus-Reid-Mortgaging-of-the-homestead-768x478.png 768w, https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/George-Angus-Reid-Mortgaging-of-the-homestead.png 1192w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 604px) 100vw, 604px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1419\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">George Angus Reid &#8211; The Mortgaging of the homestead (National Gallery)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>A sad ending to the homestead years!<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">My first visit to the homestead was in February of 2015 when the land was completely snowbound, leaving me with a strong desire to return in better weather.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I came back in the summer of 2017 to see the land in its \u201cfull glory\u201d.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>A year earlier, I had managed to contact the current owner and was intrigued by his description of a 100 year old maple (not indigenous to the area) near a well on one corner.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Remembering the story of Grampa bringing a maple sapling to his parents in Heathfield during a return visit to England, this seemed to be more than a coincidence.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>(click each photo to enlarge &amp; see caption; use back arrow to return)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-1418 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/sad-ending-to-a-homestead\/homesteadfromthewest\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/HomesteadFromTheWest-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1424\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1424'>\n\t\t\t\tLarge, light brown area above the lake is the homestead \n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/sad-ending-to-a-homestead\/wheatfield\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/wheatfield-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/wheatfield-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/wheatfield-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/wheatfield-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/wheatfield.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1426'>\n\t\t\t\tnow a half section of wheat field\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/sad-ending-to-a-homestead\/mapleinsummer2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/MapleInSummer2-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1425\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1425'>\n\t\t\t\tThe 100 year old maple\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>On that same trip, I visited the Historical Land Titles Office in Edmonton to try to determine how and when the homestead was sold.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The documents revealed a sad story.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The <a href=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/newesthomesteadscan1new.pdf\">certificate of title<\/a>\u00a0dated January 1912, had a stamp on it indicating that it had been cancelled by foreclosure.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Other pages showed <a href=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/foreclosuredoc2.pdf\">\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/newesthomesteadscan4.pdf\">several lenders\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/foreclosuredoc2.pdf\">\u00a0<\/a>who would probably have had to be paid before the final title was granted.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>These included:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\">a court award of $134.83 (J.S.Lewis vs J.A. West) &#8211; March, 1912<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">a mortgage of $900 (@8% per annum) &#8211; August, 1912<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">A debt of $333.49 to the Albert Northern Lumber Company &#8211; October, 1912<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">A debt of $620.05 to the Massey-Harris Co. &#8211; February, 1913 (interestingly, in that year, in Weyburn Saskatchewan, my paternal grandfather William Arthur More was a travelling farm equipment salesman for the Massey-Harris company)<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">A sheriff\u2019s order of foreclosure &#8211; October, 1913<\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\">Foreclosure stamp &#8211; January, 1915<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\">It is hard to imagine the stress that Grampa and Gramma must have been under during those months,<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>losing the land on which they had worked so hard and indeed for which they had come to Canada.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>In May of 1915, Grampa signed up with the 49th battalion (Loyal Eddies), on June 14, his unit sailed to England, and on June 19th the Saskatchewan River overflowed its banks and Gramma with the 5 young children were forced out of their home in the Ross Flats area of Edmonton, along with 2400 others.<\/p>\n<p><em>(click each photo to enlarge &amp; see caption; use back arrow to return)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-1418 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/sad-ending-to-a-homestead\/screen-shot-2017-09-14-at-1-16-39-pm\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/Screen-Shot-2017-09-14-at-1.16.39-PM-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-1432\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-1432'>\n\t\t\t\tRescuing house occupants \n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/sad-ending-to-a-homestead\/screen-shot-2017-09-14-at-1-18-05-pm\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/Screen-Shot-2017-09-14-at-1.18.05-PM-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-1433\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-1433'>\n\t\t\t\tThis house was a block away\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/sad-ending-to-a-homestead\/screen-shot-2017-09-14-at-1-24-52-pm\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/Screen-Shot-2017-09-14-at-1.24.52-PM-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-1435\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-1435'>\n\t\t\t\tThe family&#8217;s house was just beyond the circled building\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>The sad history of homesteading in Saskatchewan and Alberta<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">The early years of the 20th century were a time of huge immigrations from Europe to Canada:<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Ethnic\/Religious groups from continental Europe fleeing persecution (Mennonites, Doukhoubors) to groups simply seeking a better life (Ukrainians, British), all expected a Utopia, which for most never materialized. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>During these years, Canadian Pacific Railway promoters had promised \u201ca fortune for everyone in three years, not to mention glittering promises of practically free land.\u201d<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The reality was most often harsh winters, hot arid summers (especially in the Palliser Triangle, an agricultural area which included Grampa\u2019s homestead).<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>The immigrants who had the most success were those who had strong family connections (i.e. investment capital) or who homesteaded cooperatively (religious groups).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">In actual fact, 40% of homesteads failed from 1871, and after the turn of the century less than half succeeded in completing their bid.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Grampa\u2019s family <span class=\"s1\">did <\/span>succeed in completing all the requirements of the homestead process (required buildings erected, # of hectares of crops planted etc.), but in the end \u201cthe bank\u201d won. \u00a0In our happy, successful family of cousins, stories of the early century homestead were virtually non-existent. \u00a0I now know why. \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/nationalpost.com\/news\/canada\/canada-founded-on-misery\">See article:\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1422\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1422\" style=\"width: 237px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/49OilFields2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1422 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/49OilFields2-237x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"237\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/49OilFields2-237x300.jpg 237w, https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/49OilFields2-768x971.jpg 768w, https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/49OilFields2-810x1024.jpg 810w, https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2017\/09\/49OilFields2.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 237px) 100vw, 237px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1422\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">see # 49<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"p3\">\u00a0 Other than the documentation, the only reference to those years which I have found in family documents is a mid-century newspaper article &amp; map showing oil development areas of the Canadian prairies. \u00a0Its presence in my mom&#8217;s scrapbook with no explanation of why it was there indicates that, at least in my mom&#8217;s generation, there was \u00a0awareness and memory of the farm years, especially since it turns out that the old homestead was in the Lloydminster oil field. \u00a0(see #49) \u00a0Perhaps the presence of the article was a wistful &#8220;this nearly was ours?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><em>(click image to enlarge)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A sad ending to the homestead years! My first visit to the homestead was in February of 2015 when the land was completely snowbound, leaving me with a strong desire to return in better weather.\u00a0 I came back in the summer of 2017 to see the land in its \u201cfull glory\u201d.\u00a0 A year earlier, I &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/sad-ending-to-a-homestead\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Sad ending to a homestead<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1418","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1418"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1486,"href":"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1418\/revisions\/1486"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brucemore.ca\/west\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}