A unique group of settlers to come to the Bell Farm stated that they arrived before Major Bell and his entourage arrived in June 1882. Known as squatters, they staked out land claims to areas that they hoped to homestead themselves. Between 1882 and 1883 their dispute was arbitrated among several representatives for both sides. The matter was finally resolved on Nov. 20, 1884. Some of the squatters identified to date include:
• John Boyd
• Charles Braithwaite
• Edwin J. Brooks
• Robert R. Coleman
• J.D. Jewitt
• Hugh S. McLeod
• William McLeod
• John Stevenson
• Stephen S. Stiles
• George Thompson
In addition to the squatters, others who visited the Bell Farm to deal with this matter included the two federally-appointed Arbitrators: John Fisher Wood [M.P. for Brockville] representing Major Bell and George Taylor [M.P. for South Leeds] representing the Squatters; as well as W.H. Stevenson, the Dominion Lands Agent in Regina, who was assigned by the federal government to document the squatters issue. Moreover, Thomas C. Johnstone, a Regina lawyer, also represented the squatters during these negotiations.
As well, several survey parties were involved in marking out the various squatter's land claims and improvements. Zepherin C. Dupuis, Dominion Land Surveyor was there from August 16-22, 1882, along with his crew:
- Elzear Laberge, Chainman
- Emile Martineau, Chainman
- Derilas Laberge, Cook
- Alphonse Michel, Moundman
- ________ Turcotte, Moundman
- Michel Pattenaude, Flagman
SOURCES:
List of Squatters: http://books.google.ca/books?id=OKQgAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA205&dq=%22+woods+MP%22+%22brockville%22+%22major+Bell%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=JKz6TtqTIOTy0gGL48iaAg&sqi=2&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22%20woods%20MP%22%20%22brockville%22%20%22major%20Bell%22&f=false
Surveyor's Note Book, Zepherin C. Dupuis, August 1882
Thomas C. Johnstone - "Regina Leader": 21 Feb. 1884, p. 4
RESEARCH BY:
As with the Visitors' Register album, most of the information and photos for the entries in this album have been located and provided by Michelle Cabana, of Saskatoon, with assistance from Linda Kort, Indian Head, and Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Sask.
• John Boyd
• Charles Braithwaite
• Edwin J. Brooks
• Robert R. Coleman
• J.D. Jewitt
• Hugh S. McLeod
• William McLeod
• John Stevenson
• Stephen S. Stiles
• George Thompson
In addition to the squatters, others who visited the Bell Farm to deal with this matter included the two federally-appointed Arbitrators: John Fisher Wood [M.P. for Brockville] representing Major Bell and George Taylor [M.P. for South Leeds] representing the Squatters; as well as W.H. Stevenson, the Dominion Lands Agent in Regina, who was assigned by the federal government to document the squatters issue. Moreover, Thomas C. Johnstone, a Regina lawyer, also represented the squatters during these negotiations.
As well, several survey parties were involved in marking out the various squatter's land claims and improvements. Zepherin C. Dupuis, Dominion Land Surveyor was there from August 16-22, 1882, along with his crew:
- Elzear Laberge, Chainman
- Emile Martineau, Chainman
- Derilas Laberge, Cook
- Alphonse Michel, Moundman
- ________ Turcotte, Moundman
- Michel Pattenaude, Flagman
SOURCES:
List of Squatters: http://books.google.ca/books?id=OKQgAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA205&dq=%22+woods+MP%22+%22brockville%22+%22major+Bell%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=JKz6TtqTIOTy0gGL48iaAg&sqi=2&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22%20woods%20MP%22%20%22brockville%22%20%22major%20Bell%22&f=false
Surveyor's Note Book, Zepherin C. Dupuis, August 1882
Thomas C. Johnstone - "Regina Leader": 21 Feb. 1884, p. 4
RESEARCH BY:
As with the Visitors' Register album, most of the information and photos for the entries in this album have been located and provided by Michelle Cabana, of Saskatoon, with assistance from Linda Kort, Indian Head, and Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Sask.
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1882 - Boyd, John - Bell Farm Squatter's surveyed land
John Boyd married Eliza Jane Thompson in Brandon, Manitoba in 1881. The couple moved to Indian Head in 1882, where John was first a squatter, and later an employee at the Bell Farm Bell. After the Bell Farm purchased their farm in 1885, they moved to the Abernethy area, where they farmed for many years. Later they returned to Indian Head, and lived on the Sunbeam Farm established by Lord Brassey in the 1890s. Their only daughter, Annie, was drowned in an accident in 1908.
SOURCES:
"Regina Leader" May 8, 1930, pg. 13/E.John Boyd/obituary "First White Woman to Reach Indian Head Dies" - "Regina Leader" May 8, 1930, pg 13 "Regina Leader" May 5, 1908, pg 1 Margaret Ann "Annie"/obituary born May 13, 1884 http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1891&op=img&id=30953_148228-00261 - 1891 Census/John, Eliza Jane and Margaret Ann
RESEARCH BY:
Michelle Cabana, Saskatoon, Sask. -
Braithwaite, Charles - Bell Farm Squatter
Charles Braithwaite (1850-1910) was born in England and became a key player in the Patrons of Industry. He briefly lived on or near the Bell Farm in 1882, "but" in his own words "like dozens of other good settlers was crowded out by the Bell Farm". He then returned to Portage la Prairie, where he had settled the previous year. For a while he was a provincial weed inspector, and ultimately moved to British Columbia, where he died.
SOURCES:
http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/braithwaite_c.shtml CharlesBraithwaite.jpeg source: The "Winnipeg Daily Tribune" pg 5 - April 21, 1894
RESEARCH BY:
Michelle Cabana, Saskatoon, Sask. -
Coleman, Robert R. - Bell Farm Squatter
Robert Richardson Coleman (1854-1926) was born at Seeley’s Bay, Leeds County, Ontario and attended Belville Business College. Like many others, he was drawn to opportunities in the developing West, and moved to Manitoba, then to Indian Head, where to laid claim to a homestead. In doing so, he became one of the squatters who laid claim to part of the Bell Farm lands that were surveyed by Henry Carre in 1881-82. The dispute over who had prior rights took two years to settle, and most of the squatters were paid for their claim late in 1884, and were offered new land locations by the federal government. A few fought to keep their land, and won. After Coleman left the Indian Head region, he first moved to southern Alberta, where he homesteaded and, after meeting the necessary improvement conditions, was given free title to a Land Grant of 160 acres in 1887 at: SW12-22-3-w5m (SW of Calgary). Coleman later moved to Edmonton, and ultimately to Washington State, where he opened a large mercantile business at Meteor. In 1906 he was elected Commissioner for Ferry County. He continued to excel in business and to seek public office and became a member of the State's House of Representatives in 1919, coming in 2nd in the 1918 and 1920 elections. Apparently he never married or had children. He passed away April 28th 1926.
SOURCES:
Photo source: http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Record/View/BB024957AA5AAE56B2336C8F932AB477 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Coleman&GSfn=Robert&GSmn=R+&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=41616900&df=all& - gravestone http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Record/View/5A42CE04DC443DFB4EBD69BBD9E39EF3 - Death Record http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Record/View/9A98551F468A4DB78D3C732F39C4B111 - 1910 Census NOTE: Some records suggest Coleman was born in 1855; however, his tombstone lists 1854.
RESEARCH BY:
Michelle Cabana, Saskatoon and Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Saskatchewan. -
JOHNSTONE, Thomas C. - Lawyer for the Bell Farm Squatters
Thomas C. Johnstone (1850-1917) was born in Brant County, Ontario, and moved West in 1882. He was a lawyer and represented the interests of the squatters on the Bell Farm in 1882-84. he was also one of the lawyers representing Louis Riel in 1885. Johnstone later partnered with Ford Jones, who had business dealing with Major Bell. In 1907 he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Saskatchewan.
SOURCES:
https://sasklawcourts.ca/index.php/thomas-c-johnstone - biography "The History of Regina", by John Weston Powers, p. 36 and 60. "Regina Leader" - 21 Feb. 1884, p., 4 - report on resolution of Bell Farm squatters claims
RESEARCH BY:
Michelle Cabana, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Sask. -
McLeod, Hugh S. - Bell Farm Squatter
Hugh S. McLeod (c.1861-1913) was one of the squatters on the Bell Farm, arriving about the same time in 1882 as Major Bell. The "Weekly Herald" (Calgary) of Aug 27, 1884 reported that "Mr. McLeod of the Grand Central, held a squatter's claim to quarter section on the Bell Farm. His claim was settled a fortnight since." The W.H. Donaldson document identifies one of the squatters as David McLeod but Hugh is not mentioned. After his squatter's rights were settled in 1884, Hugh left Indian Head and went directly to Calgary, where he took over the ownership of the Grand Central Hotel. He later opened the New Grand Central Hotel. McLeod died in 1913, about six months after the death of Major Bell.
SOURCES:
"Weekly Herald" (Calgary) - Aug 27, 1884 - Bell Farm squatter "Calgary Herald" Aug 30, 1913 - Hugh McLeod obituary "Calgary Herald" Sept 13, 1913 - Hugh McLeod photo source http://ww2.glenbow.org/dbimages/arcpa/1/z/pa-3318-12.jpg - photo source for the Grand Central Hotel
RESEARCH BY::
Michelle Cabana, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan -
McLeod, William - Bell Farm Squatter
William McLeod was one of the men who claimed "Squatter's Rights" when Major Bell arrived at Indian Head in 1882. He is listed among the squatters who settled their claim in 1884. William McLeod's land improvements are shown on the surveyor's plan for August 18, 1882.
SOURCES:
List of Squatters: http://books.google.ca/books?id=OKQgAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA205&dq=%22+woods+MP%22+%22brockville%22+%22major+Bell%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=JKz6TtqTIOTy0gGL48iaAg&sqi=2&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22%20woods%20MP%22%20%22brockville%22%20%22major%20Bell%22&f=false Surveyor's Field Notes for Zepherin C. Dupuis, Aug. 1882
RESEARCH BY:
Michelle Cabana, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan -
Thompson, George - Bell Farm Squatter
George Thompson (c.1857-1933) came from Durham County, Ontario in the spring of 1882 and claimed a homestead on land that was designated to be part of the Bell Farm. Consequently, he was referred to as a "squatter", along with about a dozen others. The resolution of the Indian Head squatters' rights took considerable time, about two years, and not necessarily to everyone's satisfaction. That issue also resulted in the irregular eastern boundary of the Bell Farm. While many of the squatters relocated elsewhere, George stayed at Indian Head, and participated in many community organizations. Thompson served as the first mayor of the Town of Indian Head (1902-1905), and sat on both the Rural Municipality and Town councils, as well as the nearby Wide Awake School Board, and the Indian Head Board of Trade. He likewise helped establish and operate the Wide Awake Rural Telephone Company.
SOURCES:
History of Indian Head and District, p. 6,9,23,30,107,133, 136,141,401,592,707,708,783,792 List of Squatters: http://books.google.ca/books?id=OKQgAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA205&dq=%22+woods+MP%22+%22brockville%22+%22major+Bell%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=JKz6TtqTIOTy0gGL48iaAg&sqi=2&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22%20woods%20MP%22%20%22brockville%22%20%22major%20Bell%22&f=false
RESEARCH BY:
Michelle Cabana, Saskatoon, Sask. and Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Sask.