Fonds consists of 49 original photographs from the Michael Manson family, mostly from the early 20th century (1898-1928). The photographs depict the Manson family, logging and farming on Hernando and Cortes Islands, Michael and Jane Manson's Golden Wedding anniversary, and Florence McKay's 90th birthday celebration. The photographs were originally in an album with handwritten captions along with newspaper articles about Michael Manson, Jane Manson and Florence McKay.
Florence Manson McKay was born Jan. 21, 1900 to Michael and Jane Manson. Michael Manson was the first person to pre-empt land on Cortes Island, a quarter section on Gunflint Lake (present-day Linnaea Farm). Florence married Ervin McKay in 1918. They moved to Hernando Island in 1921 and Ervin worked with extended family members logging there and on Cortes Island. Florence and Ervin had two children: Etta (b. 1918) and Hazel (b. 1920). In 1929 the McKays took over Michael Manson's original pre-emption on Gunflint Lake, where they farmed until retiring in 1950. They moved to Courtenay, turning the farm over to daughter Hazel and her husband Ken Hansen. Florence was widowed in 1978 and returned to Cortes to live with Ken and Hazel, who had sold the farm but kept 16 acres to live on. Florence passed away in 1995.
Custodial History
Florence McKay gathered the photographs and her daughter, Hazel Hansen, compiled the album and wrote the captions. The album was donated to CIMAS by Hazel's son, Albert Hansen, in 2004.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of 49 original photographs from the Michael Manson family, mostly from the early 20th century (1898-1928). The photographs depict the Manson family, logging and farming on Hernando and Cortes Islands, Michael and Jane Manson's Golden Wedding anniversary, and Florence McKay's 90th birthday celebration. The photographs were originally in an album with handwritten captions along with newspaper articles about Michael Manson, Jane Manson and Florence McKay.
Collection comprises nine large maps of Cortes Island with handwritten family trees on the back sides, created when Marg Sullivan handed out the maps at a gathering and asked everyone present to write their family trees down. Families documented include: Sullivan, Marg and Sully; Smith, Marion; Jeffery, Baron and Nellie Smith; Ringwood, Gail and Stephen; Campbell, Duane and Florence; Hansen, Hazel and Ken; Rogers, Art and Hendon, Del; McDevitt, Lottie; Borden, Vern (Borden homestead is marked on the map); Froud family; Petznick family; Beesley family; Hayes family; Mike Manson family; John Manson family; Morrison, David Reekie; Lambert family; Padgett family; Tiber (Teuber) family; Henry Hague family.
Margaret (Marg) Sullivan (1934-2017) was born in Flin Flon, Manitoba. She married Clarence “Sully” Sullivan in 1955, and they moved to Cortes Island in the early 1980s, taking an active part in community affairs. Marg was a stained-glass artist, and she created the windows for St. Saviour-By-The-Sea Church overlooking Cortes Bay. Each personalized window commemorates a long-time Cortes resident and there is a fascinating story behind the creation of each window. Marg also custom designed the circular stained glass window above the entrance door of St. Michael’s Catholic Church in the Klahoose village of Tork in Squirrel Cove. This window is imbued with symbolism meaningful to the Klahoose First Nation and tells a story all its own. The Band Administrator in 1998 arranged for Marg to meet with Klahoose elders and artists to consider design elements the Band wished to have her incorporate in the window. She made research trips to the First Nations Museum at Alert Bay and to the Klahoose traditional lands in Toba Inlet before designing the window. Marg’s personal stories about each of these windows were recorded for preservation in the Museum’s Archives at a tea in 2015.
Custodial History
Donated to CIMAS by Marg Sullivan in 2016.
Scope and Content
Collection comprises nine large maps of Cortes Island with handwritten family trees on the back sides, created when Marg Sullivan handed out the maps at a gathering and asked everyone present to write their family trees down. Families documented include: Sullivan, Marg and Sully; Smith, Marion; Jeffery, Baron and Nellie Smith; Ringwood, Gail and Stephen; Campbell, Duane and Florence; Hansen, Hazel and Ken; Rogers, Art and Hendon, Del; McDevitt, Lottie; Borden, Vern (Borden homestead is marked on the map); Froud family; Petznick family; Beesley family; Hayes family; Mike Manson family; John Manson family; Morrison, David Reekie; Lambert family; Padgett family; Tiber (Teuber) family; Henry Hague family.
