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.
Photograph postcard of the Whaletown Church. Originally from the collection of Gilean Douglas.
Note - There is a digital enlargement of this postcard in the oversize box. This same postcard is found in other fonds (Items 2003.002.024 and 2019.023.013).
Photograph postcard of the Whaletown Church. Originally from the collection of Gilean Douglas.
Note - There is a digital enlargement of this postcard in the oversize box. This same postcard is found in other fonds (Items 2003.002.024 and 2019.023.013).
The post office was built in this location (on the property of 315 Whaletown Rd) in 1947. In 1981 it was moved across the road next to the parking area of the Whaletown store.
Likely originally from the collection of the Weiler family.
The post office was built in this location (on the property of 315 Whaletown Rd) in 1947. In 1981 it was moved across the road next to the parking area of the Whaletown store.
Likely originally from the collection of the Weiler family.
Series consists of minutes, receipts, correspondence, maps and administrative paperwork of the Cortez Grapevine Telephone Association, which was formed to create a local telephone network in the Manson's Landing area.
Series consists of minutes, receipts, correspondence, maps and administrative paperwork of the Cortez Grapevine Telephone Association, which was formed to create a local telephone network in the Manson's Landing area.
File contains a notice to subscribers, a list of members, a sheet with signatures acknowledging receipt of a telephone from the SCCA, a list of ring-tones, and an application for permission to construct works on Crown lands.
File contains a notice to subscribers, a list of members, a sheet with signatures acknowledging receipt of a telephone from the SCCA, a list of ring-tones, and an application for permission to construct works on Crown lands.
Series consists of records relating to logging on Cortes Island. It includes correspondence, account sheets, Forest Service scale sheets, timber sale maps of Von Donop Creek and Carrington Bay, and copies of Forestry regulations.
Series consists of records relating to logging on Cortes Island. It includes correspondence, account sheets, Forest Service scale sheets, timber sale maps of Von Donop Creek and Carrington Bay, and copies of Forestry regulations.
Contains records relating to logging done by Wilfred Freeman and William Mathews including: correspondence; accounts; timber sale maps of Von Donop Creek; Forest Service Scale and Royalty Account sheets; specifications for a Flat Boom; and Peeler Grading rules.
This group of records was donated to CIMAS in June, 2001 (see Accession 2001.001) by Wilfred Freeman.
Scope and Content
Contains records relating to logging done by Wilfred Freeman and William Mathews including: correspondence; accounts; timber sale maps of Von Donop Creek; Forest Service Scale and Royalty Account sheets; specifications for a Flat Boom; and Peeler Grading rules.
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