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.
Fonds consists of one scrapbook with 20 pages of photographs depicting Cortes Island people and places. Photographs, with penciled captions, are pasted onto the pages. Pages have been interleaved for conservation.
There are also nine loose photographs of relatives from a later accrual, and a file of textual records from a third accrual.
Eleanor (Christensen) Milne is a third generation Cortes Islander. Her parents are Mabel (Lowe) and Buster Christensen; her grandparents are Henry and Lydia (Heay) Hague. The Christensen/Hague families lived in the Manson's Lagoon area.
Custodial History
Album was donated to CIMAS by Eleanor Milne in 2004, and an accrual of nine photographs was donated in 2019.
Textual records were donated anonymously to the Museum in 2021 and have been described as part of this fonds as they are Milne/Hague family records.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of one scrapbook with 20 pages of photographs depicting Cortes Island people and places. Photographs, with penciled captions, are pasted onto the pages. Pages have been interleaved for conservation.
There are also nine loose photographs of relatives from a later accrual, and a file of textual records from a third accrual.
