Fonds 127 Alexander and Agnes Forbes fonds

31 photographs

Date: 1914-1925 (date of creation)

Scope and content:

The series consists of records of the planning for and the construction of the Presbyterian churches at Glen Leslie and Bezanson, including lists of materials, names of subscribers to each project, and minutes from planning meetings. Also included is the letter written by Forbes to Ed Leslie transferring the papers to his care. An interpretive summary of the history of these two churches written in 1961 is also included. Some of the records are photocopies.

Physical description: 1 cm textual records

Access points:

•                Textual record (documentary form)

Date: 1909-[ca. 1915] (date of creation)

Scope and content:

The series consists of an album, presumably created by Agnes Forbes, containing thirty-one photographs. The photographs document the Forbes’ journey to the Peace Country on the Long Trail, building churches and early church societies, the Forbes’ Grande Prairie home, and early pioneers, businesses, and buildings in the Grande Prairie area. The album also includes a 1911 newspaper clipping showing Mrs. Forbes pounding the first spike into the corner of McQueen Presbyterian Church. The album has had a few images removed from it at an earlier date.

Physical description: 31 photographs

Access points:

•                Graphic material – photograph (documentary form)

Members of the Forbes party preparing a raft on the banks of the Simonette River in 1909. The only woman shown is Mrs. Agnes Forbes. The caption next to the photograph reads “Preparing a raft on the banks of the Simonette 1909.”

McQueen Presbyterian Church in Grande Prairie, built in 1911. The caption below the photograph reads “Presb. Church – Grande Prairie.”

A view of Grande Prairie looking northeast from across Bear Creek.

Tom Paul, W. Hadwin (?), and Mr. Walton operating a hay baler. The caption below the photograph reads “Hay Baler – Tom Paul, W. Hadwin, Mr Walton.”

A group of ladies, the first Presbyterian Ladies Aid in Grande Prairie, assembled outside a building. The caption below the photograph reads “First Ladies Aid Grande Prairie.”

The Women’s Missionary Society and Board of Managers of D. G. McQueen Presbyterian Church in Grande Prairie. Back row, left to right: Mrs. Dalbert Peebles, Mrs. James Moore, Mrs. Robert Moore, Mrs. Sproule, Mrs. Cecil Johnstone, Mrs. John Patterson, Mrs. Carveth, Mrs. Maclean, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Perry Peebles, Miss Baird, Mrs. Miller, and Mr. Scott. Middle row, left to right: Mrs. Griffiths, Ritchie Griffiths, Mrs. Scott, Mrs. Forbes, and Mrs. Clarke and baby. Front row, left to right: Mr. McLean, Mr. James Moore, and Mr. John Patterson, The caption beside the photograph reads “Women’s Missionary and Board of Managers of the D.G. McQueen’s Pres. Ch. Grande Prairie.” The individuals in the photograph are numbered, and identified on the back.

A group of ladies, the Ladies Aid in Spirit River, photographed with their children. The caption below the photograph reads “Ladies Aid Spirit River.”

The Spring Creek Ladies Aid shown with their husbands and children at a picnic in the woods. The caption below the photograph reads “Ladies Aid Spring Creek”

Washing day at the Manse in Grande Prairie (possibly the Forbes’ old caboose), showing an Indigenous girl and boy with a washtub. The caption below the photograph reads “Washing day – kitchen. The Manse, Grande Prairie.”

Note:

Content warning: The original caption accompanying this photograph contains additional text using outdated and offensive language.

Ladies’ race at the first Saskatoon Lake sports day. Spectators are gathered at the side of the course. The caption below the photograph reads “First Sports Saskatoon Lake Grande Prairie.”

A man pulling a sled loaded with goods over the Edson Trail. The caption below the photograph reads “Bound for Grande Prairie.”

Mount Rose house, the Grande Prairie Presbyterian Church manse and homestead house of Rev. and Mrs. Alexander Forbes. The caption below the photograph reads “1912 Mount Rose.”

Image shows a man and a woman in a rowboat on a lake, near a forested shore. The caption below the photograph reads “Mr. and Mrs. Bredin rowing on Bear Lake – Grande Prairie.”

Three men standing in a field of oats. The caption next to the photograph reads “First Harvest. Beaverlodge. Grande Prairie.”

The Kathryn Prittie Hospital in Grande Prairie, built in 1914. The caption below the photograph reads “K. P. P. Hospital”

The Spirit River Presbyterian log church and manse. The caption below the photograph reads “Church & Manse Spirit River.”

A group of men and women, Rev. Forbes in the centre, with shovels, laying the cornerstone of the Glen Leslie Presbyterian Church. The subscriptions were taken in 1914 and the church completed in 1915. The caption below the photograph reads “Laying cornerstone of Presb. Ch. Glen Leslie.”

A woman, tentatively identified as Mrs. Forbes, in front of tents, leading two horses, with a dog at her feet.

A group of men gathered outside of the first land office in Grande Prairie. The caption below the photograph reads “First Land Office Grande Prairie.”

A man, dressed in a sweater and cap and strongly resembling Rev. Forbes, on the Edson Trail. The caption below the photograph reads “On the Edson Trail.”

Tom Paul, Agnes Forbes, and Maud Clifford (?) standing outside the building that functioned as a hospital at Flying Shot Lake. Nurse Agnes Baird is visible in the window. The caption beside the photograph reads “Hospital Flying Shot Lake.”

Isaac Nelson and Tom Paul watering two teams of horses at the creek. One of the teams is pulling a wagon-load of barrels. The caption beside the photograph reads “Watering at the creek. Isaac Nelson and Tom Paul.”

Harry Smith behind the counter in the first meat market in Grande Prairie. This image is horizontally reversed from where it should be. The caption below the photograph reads “First meat market, Grande Prairie. Harry Smith.”

Five people, including a child and Rev. Forbes, sit in a sleigh pulled by four horses with three dogs alongside. The caption below the photograph reads “Returning from the first white wedding on Grande Prairie.”

A girl on the hillside above the Peace River. The caption below the photograph reads “Grande Prairie.”

Mrs. Agnes Forbes visiting with another lady outside of the Spirit River manse. The manse later burned down. The caption next to the photograph reads “Manse, Spirit River. Burned down.”

Three men and a team of oxen and sleigh on the trail. The caption below the photograph reads “On the trail.”

A bachelor standing outside his cabin holding a cat with a dog at his feet. The caption beside the photograph reads “Batchelor [sic] with his only comfort – cat & dog.”

The Deep Creek baseball team in uniform, with their bat boy. The caption under the photograph reads “Baseball team. Deep Creek.”

According to the caption, this is the “First Store, Grande Prairie”, identified as that of William Caldwell.

People gathered outside a log home for a wedding in Grande Prairie. Mrs. Forbes is one of the attendees. The caption under the photograph reads “First White Wedding. Grande Prairie.”