Donaldson family collection. — 1930-1993. — 5 cm of textual records.
Biographical Sketch
Gordon and Anne Donaldson came to the Peace Country under the Soldiers Settlement Board Lassiter Project after serving in the Armed Forces during World War II. The Lassiter Project was a land clearing scheme north of Wanham and Eaglesham, and near Belloy and Codesa, designed to create farms for veterans returning to civilian life after World War II. O.B. Lassiter’s Company agreed to clear 100,000 acres of land “ready for the seed drill” and in return receive a 1/3 share of the crops raised on the land for seven years. The government would collect an additional 3.5% of the crops instead of taxes. Hundreds of would-be farmers responded to the glowing descriptions advertising the project homesteads. Unfortunately, the project was much more costly than expected and did not achieve the hoped-for production.
The Donaldsons arrived in the spring of 1952, with high hopes of farming. After seven years of hard work, their land was re-assessed and declared unfit for farming. The family then moved to Eaglesham where Gordon trained as a mechanic and purchased Reuben Larson’s Garage, later building a new Donaldson’s Garage.
Anne was active in the community of Eaglesham in various organizations, as a census taker and enumerator, and as a writer. She edited a community history of the Eaglesham, Tangent, Watino and Codesa areas titled Smoky Peace Triangle, as well as several booklets of her own memories.
The Donaldsons had four children: David, born in 1948; Donna, 1949; Gregory, 1953 and Irma, 1959. Another son died shortly after his birth in 1958.
Custodial History
The original deposit of records was made by Morris Burroughs on Anne Donaldson’s behalf in 2000. In 2012, Greg Donaldson deposited three videotapes containing interviews of teachers from the Eaglesham Schools, and in 2014, an accrual of personal papers.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of personal papers from Gordon and Anne Donaldson; a year book and interviews regarding Eaglesham School; election records relating to Eaglesham; and material from the Peace Valley Conservation, Recreation and Tourism Society.
Notes
Title based on the contents of the fonds.
Related Records: The Post Newspaper, fonds 606; Larson’s Garage Eaglesham, fonds 608; Eaglesham History Book Committee, fonds 612
Table of Contents
| Series 137.01 | Gordon Donaldson Personal Papers |
| Series 137.02 | Anne Donaldson Personal Papers |
| Series 137.03 | Eaglesham Community Records |
| Series 137.04 | Peace Valley Conservation, Recreation and Tourism Society |
| Series 137.01 | Gordon Donaldson Personal Papers. — 1944-[1960]. — 1 cm of textual records.
The series consists of a World War II pay book for Stanley Gordon Donaldson from January 1944 to October 1945, and a Statement of War Service Gratuity dated October 15, 1945. There is also a small pocket ledger recording mileage on trips from Edmonton to Tangent. |
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| Series 137.02 | Anne Donaldson Personal Papers. — 1975-1980. — 1 cm of textual records.
The series consists of some letters from Eaglesham settlers written to Anne for the Eaglesham Reunion in 1980; and two booklets written by Anne Donaldson: As We Remember the Early Days on the North Eaglesham Project, written in 1976, and Homestead Memories, written in 1985. |
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| Series 137.03 | Eaglesham Community Records. — 1930-[1995]. — 2 cm of textual records. — 3 video recordings.
The series consists of a copy of the 1962 Eaglesham Echoes yearbook, two videotapes about teachers and the Eaglesham School, and the records from two elections: the 1930 Alberta Election, the 1968 Federal Election and the 1984 Federal Election. The 1930 election papers include an Election Proclamation Poster, an enumeration booklet for Subdivisions 50 and 97 of the Constituency of Grande Prairie. The 1968 election papers consists of a List of Electors poster. The 1984 election papers include appointment and oath forms for Anne Donaldson, description of polling station boundaries, preliminary list of electors, poll statements and tally sheet, and handbooks for the Rural Enumerator and the Deputy Returning Officer. The videotapes contain interviews of Peggy Ulland and Alfred Pelletier, and give a tour of Eaglesham School ca. 1995. |
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| Series 137.04 | Peace Valley Conservation, Recreation and Tourism Society. — 1993. — 1 cm of textual records.
The series consists of the 1993 Events Calendar for the Peace Valley Conservation, Recreation and Tourism Society, and pamphlets for some of the Upper Peace Valley Recreation Areas between the Town of Peace River and the British Columbia border. The pamphlets include Cotillion Park, Kieyho Park & Elk Island Park, Many Islands Recreation Area, Pratt’s Landing & Carter Camp, Strong Creek Park and Historic Sites along the Shaftesbury Trail, Tangent Park, and The Maples Dunvegan Provincial Park & Historic Site. |
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