"Logging, 1903-1949":
The album contains reminiscences of Frank Gallinger's logging camp; a photograph of old-growth trees; logging camps (various locations) and group photos; photographs of hand logging with the use of springboards and logging with steam donkeys, tractors, power saws and horses (on the John Manson property); photographs of log booms (various locations), logging on Quadra and "haywire" logging on Hernando Island; and a newspaper clipping about horse logging (1984).
"Logging, 1903-1949":
The album contains reminiscences of Frank Gallinger's logging camp; a photograph of old-growth trees; logging camps (various locations) and group photos; photographs of hand logging with the use of springboards and logging with steam donkeys, tractors, power saws and horses (on the John Manson property); photographs of log booms (various locations), logging on Quadra and "haywire" logging on Hernando Island; and a newspaper clipping about horse logging (1984).
Album Seven: Mike and John Manson families, 1895-1957
Contains: an excerpt from a Victoria Colonist article about Mike Manson's steamship "Thistle" [1907]; log of the "Thistle" [1891; history of Mike Manson's steam tug "Stella"; log of the 'Stella' [1895]; excerpts from the diary of John Manson [1902]; an account of John Manson's funeral by Rev. Alan Greene [1957]; photographs of the Manson family at their home on Cortes Island (McKay, Herrewig, and more...
Album Seven: Mike and John Manson families, 1895-1957
Contains: an excerpt from a Victoria Colonist article about Mike Manson's steamship "Thistle" [1907]; log of the "Thistle" [1891; history of Mike Manson's steam tug "Stella"; log of the 'Stella' [1895]; excerpts from the diary of John Manson [1902]; an account of John Manson's funeral by Rev. Alan Greene [1957]; photographs of the Manson family at their home on Cortes Island (McKay, Herrewig, and more...
Album 8, "Harbours and Marinas on Cortes Island", contains photographs of wharves and their surroundings in Whaletown, Manson's Landing, Cortes Bay, Marina Island, Camp/Subtle Island, and other nearby coastal areas.
Album 8, "Harbours and Marinas on Cortes Island", contains photographs of wharves and their surroundings in Whaletown, Manson's Landing, Cortes Bay, Marina Island, Camp/Subtle Island, and other nearby coastal areas.
Album 9: Hernando Island and Squirrel Cove
a) Hernando Island: contains a hand-drawn map of Hernando Island, and photographs of the pier, the locomotive used to haul logs, the logging crew at Stag Bay, the George Freeman home at Stag Bay, the logging camp on Hernando Island, residents of Hernando, and the Manson family when they lived at the George Freeman house.
b) Squirrel Cove: contains photographs of the church, the First Nations reservation and residents including the Dominic family, the Forrest family and their store, the Cowan family, the boat shed, planer shed and sawmill which belonged to Val Nichols, the wharf, and the Squirrel Cove Community Hall.
Album 9: Hernando Island and Squirrel Cove
a) Hernando Island: contains a hand-drawn map of Hernando Island, and photographs of the pier, the locomotive used to haul logs, the logging crew at Stag Bay, the George Freeman home at Stag Bay, the logging camp on Hernando Island, residents of Hernando, and the Manson family when they lived at the George Freeman house.
b) Squirrel Cove: contains photographs of the church, the First Nations reservation and residents including the Dominic family, the Forrest family and their store, the Cowan family, the boat shed, planer shed and sawmill which belonged to Val Nichols, the wharf, and the Squirrel Cove Community Hall.
This collection consists of ten photograph albums (binders) compiled and annotated by May Ellingsen. The albums contain both original and reproduced photographs of Cortes Island and nearby islands, including Twin Islands and Hernando Island. They are accompanied by captions and additional textual information such as pre-emption records, reminiscences and newspaper clippings. Most of the photographs date from the early decades of the 20th century, depicting homes and buildings, pioneer families, community activities, schools, wharves, boats, logging and marine activity. Fonds consists of two series: Series 1 (The May Ellingsen Historic Photograph Collection, Vol. 1-9, Accession 2004.003) and Series 2 (The Manson Family Album, Accession 2004.002).
Ten photograph albums (binders) containing 152 original photographs and 482 reproductions.
History / Biographical
May Ellingsen was born on March 13, 1914 to George and Robina Freeman. Her maternal grandfather, Michael Manson, was the first person to pre-empt land on Cortes Island, claiming a quarter section on Gunflint Lake in 1886. May spent her childhood on Hernando Island, where her family homesteaded and logged, and on Cortes Island, where she attended the log school at Manson's Landing.
In 1936 May married Elmer Ellingsen. They spent the next ten years in the Loughborough Inlet/Phillips Arm area while Elmer worked for his father's logging operations. During those years their children, Shirley, Bruce and Andy, were born. In 1946 the family moved to Von Donop Creek, where Elmer was logging. In 1950 they moved their float house, built at the time of their marriage, to Manson's Landing Lagoon and two years later, to its present permanent location on Hague Lake.
May and Elmer devoted much time and energy to building their community. Amongst her many community activities, May ran the library at Manson's Hall. She had a strong interest in local history, researching the history of land pre-emptions on the island, collecting and annotating photographs from pioneer families and recording interviews with old timers. She was a founder of the Cortes Island Museum and Archives Society; the archives reading room is named in her honor. Historical materials and artifacts gathered by May formed the kernel of the museum's collections and archives.
Custodial History
May Ellingsen created the albums in the 1980s, and kept adding to them throughout the 1990s. She kept them at the Manson's Landing library and then at the museum from 1999. She officially donated them to CIMAS in 2004.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of ten photograph albums (binders) compiled and annotated by May Ellingsen. The albums contain both original and reproduced photographs of Cortes Island and nearby islands, including Twin Islands and Hernando Island. They are accompanied by captions and additional textual information such as pre-emption records, reminiscences and newspaper clippings. Most of the photographs date from the early decades of the 20th century, depicting homes and buildings, pioneer families, community activities, schools, wharves, boats, logging and marine activity. Fonds consists of two series: Series 1 (The May Ellingsen Historic Photograph Collection, Vol. 1-9, Accession 2004.003) and Series 2 (The Manson Family Album, Accession 2004.002).
File contains a photocopy image of the Peter Police homestead at Carrington Lagoon, handwritten stories by Bud Dewar, an article about Ned Breeze, a photocopy of Gary and Velma Bergman at the Whaletown store, and a list of Seaford School.
File contains a photocopy image of the Peter Police homestead at Carrington Lagoon, handwritten stories by Bud Dewar, an article about Ned Breeze, a photocopy of Gary and Velma Bergman at the Whaletown store, and a list of Seaford School.
File contains photocopies of the original Crown Grants and subsequent title changes with plan maps.
To Moses Ireland: 1893, Crown Grant for the W 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 35 and the fractional SE 1/4 of Section 35 (161 acres around Whaletown Bay
To George Alderson: 1961, Crown Grant for Lot 3 of Section 34
File contains photocopies of the original Crown Grants and subsequent title changes with plan maps.
To Moses Ireland: 1893, Crown Grant for the W 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 35 and the fractional SE 1/4 of Section 35 (161 acres around Whaletown Bay
To George Alderson: 1961, Crown Grant for Lot 3 of Section 34
File contains a photocopied part of a map showing the locations of researched property in the Whaletown Lagoon and Whaletown Harbour area. The map is glued to an envelope which has a list of Crown grants and other conveyances on the back.
It contains photocopies of original land grants and other conveyances for the following:
Moses Ireland: 1893, Crown Grant for the W 1/2 of SW 1/4 of Sec 35 and W 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 34
Joseph Youart: 1900, Crown Grant for Fractional NE 1/4 of Sec 35 (sold to Alice Robertson in 1908; "Burnside" is still in the Robertson family).
Nicholas Thompson: 1920, Crown Grant for the Fractional SW 1/4 of Sec 35
Charles Strange: 1914, Crown Grant for the NW 1/4 of Sec 35
File contains a photocopied part of a map showing the locations of researched property in the Whaletown Lagoon and Whaletown Harbour area. The map is glued to an envelope which has a list of Crown grants and other conveyances on the back.
It contains photocopies of original land grants and other conveyances for the following:
Moses Ireland: 1893, Crown Grant for the W 1/2 of SW 1/4 of Sec 35 and W 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 34
Joseph Youart: 1900, Crown Grant for Fractional NE 1/4 of Sec 35 (sold to Alice Robertson in 1908; "Burnside" is still in the Robertson family).
Nicholas Thompson: 1920, Crown Grant for the Fractional SW 1/4 of Sec 35
Charles Strange: 1914, Crown Grant for the NW 1/4 of Sec 35
File contains information on subdivision and title changes, and a photocopy of the original Crown grant, in the Whaletown Lagoon area, to:
Samuel Thompson: 1894, Crown Grant for SW 1/4 of Section 35 and NW 1/4 of Section 34, 160 acres
File also contains four maps (stored in the Map Cabinet):
1) Subdivision map of part of NE 1/4 of Sec. 34 and part of NE 1/4 of Sec. 34, 1995
2) Subdivision Plan of NW 1/4 of Sec. 34 and NE 1/4 of Sec. 34 and part of E 1/2 of SE 1/2 of Sec. 34, 1995
3) Subdivision Plan of Lot A, NW 1/4 of Sec. 34, 1976
4) Subdivision Plan of part of NW 1/4 of Section 34, 1994
(Files 9 and 10 are from the same envelope.)
File contains information on subdivision and title changes, and a photocopy of the original Crown grant, in the Whaletown Lagoon area, to:
Samuel Thompson: 1894, Crown Grant for SW 1/4 of Section 35 and NW 1/4 of Section 34, 160 acres
File also contains four maps (stored in the Map Cabinet):
1) Subdivision map of part of NE 1/4 of Sec. 34 and part of NE 1/4 of Sec. 34, 1995
2) Subdivision Plan of NW 1/4 of Sec. 34 and NE 1/4 of Sec. 34 and part of E 1/2 of SE 1/2 of Sec. 34, 1995
3) Subdivision Plan of Lot A, NW 1/4 of Sec. 34, 1976
4) Subdivision Plan of part of NW 1/4 of Section 34, 1994
(Files 9 and 10 are from the same envelope.)
File contains title information to 1991 and a photocopy of the original Crown Grant to:
Nicholas Thompson: 1920, Crown Grant of Fractional SW 1/4 of Section 35; 54 acres on the southwest of Whaletown Bay
File contains a small explanatory map if a 5.5 acre portion of fractional SW 1/4 of Sec. 35, 1949, and a Subdivision Plan map of part of fractional SW 1/4 of Sec. 35, 1957 (stored in the Map Cabinet).
(Files 9 and 10 are from the same envelope.)
File contains title information to 1991 and a photocopy of the original Crown Grant to:
Nicholas Thompson: 1920, Crown Grant of Fractional SW 1/4 of Section 35; 54 acres on the southwest of Whaletown Bay
File contains a small explanatory map if a 5.5 acre portion of fractional SW 1/4 of Sec. 35, 1949, and a Subdivision Plan map of part of fractional SW 1/4 of Sec. 35, 1957 (stored in the Map Cabinet).
(Files 9 and 10 are from the same envelope.)