52 Ancestors No.4: Foreman Homestead Records (Alberta)

This is the fourth of 52 blog posts for the 2015 edition of the 52 Ancestors challenge. I have been blogging my family history for the #52Ancestors challenge since it began in 2014.

#52Ancestors asks bloggers to "have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.”


This week's blog post is about Alberta Homestead Records of the Foreman family. In particular William H. Foreman and Frederick Dixon Foreman.

Foreman Homesteads: Section 36 Township 39 Range 5 Meridian W5

I have done genealogical research in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Ontario and the states of Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania and New York.

The Foreman research is taking me to province of Alberta and the state of Wisconsin.

I was happy to locate land records in Alberta for both Frederick Dixon Foreman and William H. Foreman by using the search engine at the Library and Archives Canada: Land Grants of Western Canada 1870-1930 (above).

Frederick Dixon Foreman

Homestead Records

Reel 2959

Reel 2750

Fred D. Foreman Homestead Record
Reel 2959 (page 2601/2902)

Fred D. Foreman Homestead Record

William H Foreman

Homestead Records

Reel 2967

William H. Foreman Homestead Record
Reel 2967

From this record we can see that William H. Foreman was a squatter (in tent) beginning in September 1906 staying on the land most months (starting in April 1906, 1907 and February 1908). He was a farmer (Leslieville, Alberta)

William H. Foreman Homestead Record
Reel 2967

From this record we learn that when William H. Foreman is away from his land, that he resides with his son Frederick Dixon Foreman who lives on NW-36-39-5-W5.

We also learn that he, his wife and 6 children resided with him on the property and in 1910 we get an idea of what that looked like: a log home (17' x 21'), a stable and cattle (11) and horses (2) and 15 acres of crops.

This is potentially the evidence I need to prove the relationship with this man (William H. Foreman) who I was fortunate to learn about from another genealogist.

The pictures below are of William H. Foreman and I believe that he is Frederick Dixon Foreman's father.

William H. Foreman (far left) next to daughter Beatrice
and wife Martha (Moore) Foreman in the middle with dark hair.

William H. Foreman

There is more research required to establish this direct link to William H. Foreman, but I feel we are very close indeed.

Links:

Alberta Homestead Records Online
Alberta Genealogical Resources
Alberta Gazeteers and Directories
The little village that grew : a history of North Red Deer
The Park Country : a history of Red Deer and district