Fonds comprises material created or collected by Wilfred (Wilf) Freeman in the course of his work as a logger and during his community activities. It includes correspondence, logging records, maps, minutes of committee meetings, financial records, ephemera and clippings. It is arranged in four series: Logging; Centennial Committee; Ephemera; and Cortez Grapevine Telephone Association.
Wilfred (Wilf) Michael Freeman was born October 21, 1917 in Vancouver B.C. and died December 23, 2012. He was the son of William George Freeman and Robina Steel (Manson) Freeman and brother to Elizabeth Jane May (Freeman) Ellingsen (born March 13, 1914). His grandparents were Michael and Jane Manson. Wilf grew up on Hernando Island until 1926 when the family moved to Vancouver. One of his first jobs in the early 1930s was in Powell River where, among other things, he was hand digging basements under some of the original Powell River townsite homes.
He gravitated to the logging industry, working for Sigurd Ellingsen and Eric Flescher in Phillips Arm through the late ’30’s and into the 1950’s. He was an excellent worker; strong, resourceful, thoughtful, humorous and thorough, and, as well, he enjoyed hunting and fishing.
Wilf and his wife, May (Spence; died 1970) moved down to Smelt Bay on Cortes in the early 1950s from Phillips Arm. He logged with Bill Mathews between 1954 and 1965 in the Von Donop Creek areas. As well, they both crewed on the seine boat “Courtenay Maid” with Pat Andrews for a few summers.
When the ferry came to Cortes Island, both Wilf and Bill worked as deckhands, always cheerful and busy throughout the trips, often chipping and repainting rust spots on the ship.
Wilf was active in many community affairs over all the years living on Cortes: among them the Ratepayers Association, the 1958 Centennial Committee, the Cortes Grapevine Telephone Assoc. (a local telephone system, 1959 - 1966), Cortes Days summer celebrations, Cortes Island Firefighters Assoc., Cortes Rod and Gun Club.
Wilf and his second wife, Nora, lived on in Smelt Bay until they moved to Willow Point, South of Campbell River, in 2002. There they lived until, on December 23, 2102, he passed away while shovelling snow in their back yard.
Custodial History
Accession 2001.001 was donated to CIMAS by Wilfred Freeman on June 16, 2001. Accession 2002.002 was gathered at Wilf Freeman's garage sale by Bonnie MacDonald and donated to the museum in June of 2002. Accession 2017.006 was donated to CIMAS by Bruce Ellingsen, Freeman's nephew, in July of 2017.
Scope and Content
Fonds comprises material created or collected by Wilfred (Wilf) Freeman in the course of his work as a logger and during his community activities. It includes correspondence, logging records, maps, minutes of committee meetings, financial records, ephemera and clippings. It is arranged in four series: Logging; Centennial Committee; Ephemera; and Cortez Grapevine Telephone Association.
File contains a legal form conveying 115 acres of Section 4 to John Manson from Jane Manson, wife of Michael Manson (1913) and a legal form, "Certification for Married Women."
File contains a legal form conveying 115 acres of Section 4 to John Manson from Jane Manson, wife of Michael Manson (1913) and a legal form, "Certification for Married Women."
File contains ephemera relating to John Manson: a timber sale paper from the Forestry Branch, 1934; a travel receipt, 1961; and a cryptic letter with a stamp from the SS Cheakamus, 1937.
File contains ephemera relating to John Manson: a timber sale paper from the Forestry Branch, 1934; a travel receipt, 1961; and a cryptic letter with a stamp from the SS Cheakamus, 1937.
File contains correspondence about a school teacher; the sheep business, including the pedigree of a ewe; the sale of lots in Vancouver; and the post office salary.
File contains correspondence about a school teacher; the sheep business, including the pedigree of a ewe; the sale of lots in Vancouver; and the post office salary.
John Manson (1868-1959) was born in the Shetland Islands and migrated to British Columbia in 1887, where he joined his brother Michael Manson on Cortes Island. He married Margaret Ellen Smith in 1894 and they had four children: Jack (born 1896), Anna (1898), Rose (1900) and Nicol (1906). The family lived at Sunny Brae Farm, on the south-east side of Cortes, across from Twin Islands.
Custodial History
Most of the files in this series were in an old wooden box when transferred to the archives, suggesting that they were collected from John Manson's house as a unit.
Scope and Content
Series consists of records created by John Manson of Sunny Brae farm, including legal documents, financial records, correspondence and ephemera.
File contains correspondence, receipts, tax notices, blank crown land application forms, and B & K Feeds newsletters and price list that belonged to John Manson.
File contains correspondence, receipts, tax notices, blank crown land application forms, and B & K Feeds newsletters and price list that belonged to John Manson.
File contains a photocopy of the Manson family tree; sketches from the life of Michael Manson (typescript, pp 1-13); an article by Alan Greene published in "The Log", 1957; "John Manson of Sunny Brae" by Rose Manson McKay (4 pp.); and the History of the Dingwall Family (7 pp.)
File contains a photocopy of the Manson family tree; sketches from the life of Michael Manson (typescript, pp 1-13); an article by Alan Greene published in "The Log", 1957; "John Manson of Sunny Brae" by Rose Manson McKay (4 pp.); and the History of the Dingwall Family (7 pp.)
