Homestead

[Jflem1983]

Just curious how many on here have roots in the homesteads of western Canada.

With all the crown land out there doing nothing. All the homeless people in the cities.

Why is Canada not looking into this as a viable option for Canadians today. My uncle still lives on land my great grand dad homesteaded in 1904.

Great grand dad walked from Oklahoma to get some land of his own !

[TreeGuy]

I know, the government can buy my house and give me some land and I will move there. Then they can fill my house with homeless people.

[Jflem1983]

Id be quick to leave the city as well.
Absolutely hate city life. Just need to stack enough cash to get some farm land and get the heck out.

[Queen K]

Just curious how many on here have roots in the homesteads of western Canada.

With all the crown land out there doing nothing. All the homeless people in the cities.

Why is Canada not looking into this as a viable option for Canadians today. My uncle still lives on land my great grand dad homesteaded in 1904.

Great grand dad walked from Oklahoma to get some land of his own !

There's some historical context to go with your great grand dad's actions. The Canadian government wanted vast lands to be settled by Americans willing to be Canadian citizens in exchange for creating settlements. So a bounty of sorts was issued, $3 for men, $2 for women, $1 for children. And land.

There's no mention of the financial offer in this article, but I'll bet like me, there are a lot of people here on castanet whose ancesters are from this great settlement period.

https://www.pier21.ca/research/immigrat ... 67-to-1914


Jflem, when I do my many road trips though rural areas in BC I see "For Sale" signs everywhere. Oh god, the further East in the Kootenays you go, the more signs there are. I have a bit of a theory as to why. I figure people did exactly what you're talking about from Vancouver say even 20 years ago when they sold when they thought the market was "high". So if they were 50 plus years old when they bought for cheap in the Kootenays 20 years ago, they are in their 70s plus now, slowing down, needing more services, hence more properties are for sale.

Just a theory. Or else they inherited the properties but their own kids don't want to live so isolated from everything and don't want to grapple with six siblings over inheritance issues, taxes, etc. so mom and dad selling now is in fact a good tax move for everybody.

Or it's a bit of both ^^. I wonder how many are selling because they need medical appts all the time now and it's no longer practical to live so isolated. A lot service signs are out there, people who set up small businesses doing all kinds of private services because unless you are self employed, you are jobless.

Not trying to be discouraging, just going on what we've observed.

[Jflem1983]

Just curious how many on here have roots in the homesteads of western Canada.

With all the crown land out there doing nothing. All the homeless people in the cities.

Why is Canada not looking into this as a viable option for Canadians today. My uncle still lives on land my great grand dad homesteaded in 1904.

Great grand dad walked from Oklahoma to get some land of his own !

There's some historical context to go with your great grand dad's actions. The Canadian government wanted vast lands to be settled by Americans willing to be Canadian citizens in exchange for creating settlements. So a bounty of sorts was issued, $3 for men, $2 for women, $1 for children. And land.

So does canada owe all those women all dollar. Gasp

[Queen K]

Yes, a dollar, plus interest and monies for the insult. Because women back then quite literally worked themselves to death, what with looking after the 19 kids and all.

[TreeGuy]

So does canada owe all those women all dollar. Gasp

And a tearful apology from the PM.

[Queen K]

I like the way you think Treeguy. Preferably lots of tears and the cheque. But I didn't intend to turn Jflem's thread into a political commentary.

[TreeGuy]

I like the way you think Treeguy. Preferably lots of tears and the cheque. But I didn't intend to turn Jflem's thread into a political commentary.

No, but there seems to be such a political climate these days it can’t be helped.

[OldIslander]

It's a cool question, Jflem -- I'm surprised there have not been posts from folks whose ancestors did this.

I'm proud to say that my grandfathers -- on both my mother's and father's side -- came to the Okanagan in the late 1800's, and early 1900's, and pre-empted land. One was from England; the other Scotland. Among my most cherished family photos, are their log cabins surrounded by forest, where they eked out a living for a few years. But along came WW1 and with their strong British roots, they and all their brothers joined up at Vernon, and were sent off to Europe.

Both of my Grandfathers survived the war, and returned to the Okanagan -- mostly unscathed (although a couple of their brothers were lost on French battlefields...), and for reasons unknown, decided not to return to their pre-emptions. They took jobs down in the valley, met their wives, and raised their families. A son of one of those families and the daughter of another, met in the late 1940's, and your's truly was the result.

It was the lure of free land, that brought them here, and got them all started on wonderful long, productive lives.

[Jflem1983]

It's a cool question, Jflem -- I'm surprised there have not been posts from folks whose ancestors did this.

I'm proud to say that my grandfathers -- on both my mother's and father's side -- came to the Okanagan in the late 1800's, and early 1900's, and pre-empted land. One was from England; the other Scotland. Among my most cherished family photos, are their log cabins surrounded by forest, where they eked out a living for a few years. But along came WW1 and with their strong British roots, they and all their brothers joined up at Vernon, and were sent off to Europe.

Both of my Grandfathers survived the war, and returned to the Okanagan -- mostly unscathed (although a couple of their brothers were lost on French battlefields...), and for reasons unknown, decided not to return to their pre-emptions. They took jobs down in the valley, met their wives, and raised their families. A son of one of those families and the daughter of another, met in the late 1940's, and your's truly was the result.

It was the lure of free land, that brought them here, and got them all started on wonderful long, productive lives.

This is more like what i thought i would get for responses.

[Jflem1983]

Both sides of my family were german /russian. From way back. They had been in the states for some time. Came uo into southern sask. To homestead around Kindersley.

My dads family were quite successful farmers.

Moms family were dirt poor farmers. They farmed really really good land at Dodsland Sask. Moms father was an organic farmer back in the 50s. He never made much money. He was an awesome guy though .


Homesteading was a cool thing. On dads side my great grandpa he was good at breaking land. He turned his qtr section into a 5 section spread. Then it mostly got pieced off by later generations. My dad sold a prime quarter that is now being drilled out. Missed the boat on millions.

[Boda]

After emigrating from England my Grandfather homesteaded a quarter section near Viking Alberta in 1905.
He married the daughter of another farmer (that family is/was still there in 2003).
They had imigrated to the states earlier and moved north to homestead in the same area around the same time.

It's my understanding the Government gave huge swathes of land to CN as part of the compensation package to build the railroad coast to coast. CN either sold the land in later years or granted settlers chunks if they developed and stayed for a designated time frame.
In 2003 I saw the shack they raised their 7 kids in. Some other guy had been using it for a barn.
It had to be a tough go pulling stumps with Oxen to groom the fields.

[maryjane48]

The govt awarded cn land from my family in manitoba. I have the scripts .should be good nest egg for my granddaughter in future settlements .ty cn and colonial. Robbers

[Jflem1983]

I appreciate the few ppl who told their family stories on here. Thats awesome.