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EDWARD STANLEY : 1874 - 1911 SUPER, ORIGINAL TYPED MANUSCRIPT MEMOIR OF A MAN FROM ARMAGH IRELAND WHO MAKES HIS PLACE IN THE HISTORY OF PIONEERING CANADA'S WEST

Folio - over 12" - 15" tall. On offer is an important, original typed personal memoir and very significant 1874 - 1911 account of one noted pioneer's life in the Saskatchewan and southern border and other Western locales we have encountered. The action begins as Edward Stanley, the author, boards the steamship Manitoban and bids "farewell to the dear old home of my birth, Armagh, Ireland, in the early spring time of 1874." He arrives in North America at Rivierre duLoup, a small French settlement at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. The slow journey from there, by water and rail, is described in detail. For example: "We next came into the small American town of Moorhead. This place was without doubt wild - a man was shot dead on the street at noonday while we were there and I saw the murderer chained to the floor of an old log shack". When Stanley arrives in Canada, he treks 250 miles by foot to Fort Ellice, a Hudson Bay Post. "On this trip we encountered the grasshopper pest. These miserable things filled the sky like a snow storm and the cart trails [Red River carts] were filled to a foot deep, the little 'beggars' simply eat the shirts off our backs." His account also includes a ghostly visit to a lake inhabited by a "Windigo," time spent as a Lieutenant in the volunteer corps, and his brief stint as a "Special Detective" tracking whisky smugglers. Stanley then Joins the Canadian Pacific Railway as an engineer, and later joins a geological survey out of Edmonton. In his final words, Stanley writes: "And since the completion of the railways the country has clothed itself with altogether new features the wild days have gone and I am fully resigned to take life more easy in my advanced years and let some of the young boys if they feel inclined that way - see if they can follow in the tracks of an old Nor West TImer." In total 11 pages of foolscap paper (13 inches by 8 inches) densely filled writings held together with brass studs. The paper is of good heavy quality and the whole document is in very good condition, apart from some age-related discoloration around the edges. Signed in ink by the author. Between 9,000 and 10,000 words. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: "Page 194-5, Annual Report of the Department of Indian Affairs. By Canada Department of Indian Affairs. 1902 Touchwood Agency H. Martineau, Indian agent; J.H. Gooderham, clerk and in charge of Gordon's reserve; Stanislaus Young, interpreter and teamster; Edward Stanley, farmer Poormans and Day Star reserve: J.P. Hamilton, farmer, Muscowequan's reserve; Chas. Favel, farmer, Fishing and Nut Lake reserves. The agency buildings were in good repair, and the surroundings were clean and tidy. Poorman's reserve was the first visited, Mr. Stanley, farmer in charge, every house and stable in the reserve was visited, and all were found to be in good order, houses clean and stables roomy, and water convenient for the cattle at all points. A black-smith-shop had been fitted up with Jim Worm, one of the band, was doing good work and making repairs. The crop put in was thirty-five acres of grain and six of roots, and there were harvested one thousand one hundred and twenty bushels of oats and five hundred and twenty-three bushels of roots. A good deal of new fencing had been put up, thirty-five acres of summer fallow had done. The cattle were looking well, the herd numbered two hundred and seventeen head, six hundred and twenty-five tons of stacked hay. The farm buildings were in perfect order, a new horse stable 29 x 18 having being built during the year by Mr. Stanley, assisted by Indians; hayloft, and a harness-room, stalls, floored with hewn lumber, a new stable also for the bulls for this and Day Star's reserve, six in all, the stable is 20 x 20. The Indians were in good spirits and were preparing to put in a larger crop in 1901. The English Church mission is conducted by the Rev. Mr. Bassing, who visits the Indians regularly in their own houses. Signs of progress were to be seen on this reserve, and Mr. Stanley was leaving no stone unturned in order to help the Indians to become self-supporting, and to be independent of outside relief in the way of food supplies. Day Star, No. 87, also under the charge of Mr. Stanley, was next reached. Houses here were found neat and cleanly kept, stables in fair order, but some of them required renewing. The crop here was only four acres of oats and six of roots, results were one hundred and sixty bushels of oats and four hundred and sixty bushels of roots. The herd numbered two hundred and twenty-two head, and cattle looking fairly well. Kinequan, a leading Indian, promised to put in a crop of oats this year, if he could get seed, and others would follow. The Indian had some fine bob-sleighs made by himself, ready for ironing. He sells them to other Indians. This reserve was in a position to make in crops and in cattle. The hay put up was scarcely considered sufficient, and probably a few would be short before winter was over. ". Illustr.: /. Typed Manuscript. Book Condition: Good +

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