Fran Moore fonds. — [1912-2011]. — 62 cm of textual records. — 19 photographs.
Biographical Sketch
Fran Moore was born on her grandfather’s homestead in Valleyview, Alberta to parents Eunice & Graham Bodeker. Growing up on a farm southwest of town she attended Smoky Valley, Calais & Sun Valley, and later St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Grande Prairie boarding at Saint Joseph’s Academy. Fran finished grade 12 when staying with her grandparents in Nanimo, BC. In 1957 she graduated from St Joseph’s Business College, and later while working as a book keeper for a service station in Valleyview, she met her future husband Marv.
Marv Moore was born in Grande Prairie to parents Winnie & Charlie Moore. He grew up in DeBolt, attending both Edson Trail & Harper Creek schools. Marv later went to Grande Prairie High School rooming at the Wapiti Lodge during that time.
Marv and Fran were married February 20, 1959 in Valleyview and lived in DeBolt where they built and ran the Esso Service Station. They had three children Kerry, Lonny and Bernice. As well as owning and acquiring land, Marv started a Massey Ferguson franchise called Marv’s Farm Service. Marv soon became involved in politics, it all started when he was on the ID 16 Advisory Board representing the DeBolt/Crooked Creek area. Then when he was elected in 1971, with the Lougheed Government in his first term as MLA he was on the Agriculture Committee. In subsequent elections he served as Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Hospitals and Medical Care as well as a stint as Solicitor General. In 1989 Marv changed his focus from politics back to the farm.
Fran kept herself busy while Marv was away politicking, raising their children and as a ‘secretary’ to Marv, as there was no funding in the early years to have a Constituency Office and hired secretary. With a keen interest in giving back to the community over the years Fran has joined numerous societies and committees as a volunteer. Fran has also spearheaded countless events and created committees when needed.
Fran battled cancer in 1976 and in the early 1980’s she heard of a support program called CanSurmount, and she brought the program to the Peace, to a meeting in Grande Prairie. Fran was asked after that if she would become the Cansurmount Trainer in the Peace. Fran agreed but wanted there to be two people involved and she asked Lou Hrushka to take the training with her. Over the next 8 or 9 years, one or 2 workshops were held somewhere in the Peace each year which was a great support program for cancer patients and families. They would show films and have speakers on three subjects: medical, psycho/social, and communications. Fran even flew to Yellowknife, NWT to do a workshop for Cansurmount there. Fran also served as the Provincial Co-ordinator.
One of Fran’s passions has been the development of the DeBolt & District Pioneer Museum. She has been Curator of the museum since 1975, when it was first incorporated, and has also been chair of the society for the past ten years. In recent years they have been able to apply for grants and have hired staff two days a week as well as a summer student. Before that Fran and other dedicated volunteers did everything gratis. The DeBolt & District Museum, is a surprise to some visitors, for such a small community, but the area represented covers 5 original communities from the Smoky River to Sturgeon Lake. It was through her work with the Museum that Fran became Editor of the following books: Edson to Grande Prairie Trail; Across the Smoky; Bridges to the Past; Edson Trail Centennial Celebrations; DeBolt Country Club & Agricultural Society.
A few of the other places that has benefitted from Fran’s involvement are: Canadian Cancer Society; Brush Bunnies Art Club (started in 1975 with Ellen Nichols); DeBolt U.C.W.; Grande Prairie Genealogy Society, as historian; DeBolt & District Agricultural Society; Dunvegan Advisory Committee; Edson Trail Centennial and creator of Spirit of the Peace to name a few.
When Marv left politics he changed his focus back to the farm and volunteering, annual meetings. He was Provincial Campaign Manager for four elections, working for Ralph Klein. He became Chairman of the Alberta Cancer Board, he was Chairman of the DeBolt & District Agricultural Society, which included his installing grass greens at the DeBolt Golf Course. He was Chairman & Bison Director for the Peace Country Classic. He was Chairman of the Bison Producers of Alberta for a few years, and was a board member of the National Bison Assoc. of U.S.A. representing Canadian interests for a few years and attended their annual meetings in Denver, Colorado. Marv continued on the farmwhere he operated and worked in both field crops and KLB Bison Ranch until 2014, when he sold his field crop equipment to auction. Marv and Fran still have their cow/calf bison operation and hay fields, although they closed down feed lot.
Fran and Marv still volunteer for many organizations and are well-known for their community service.
Custodial History
The records were collected by Fran Moore who donated them to the archives February 27, 2013.
Scope and Content
The fonds consist of records of the Fort Dunvegan Advisory Committee, the Edson Trail Celebrations and Peace Country stories.
Notes
This fonds has been identified as having Indigenous related content. Researchers may encounter language that is outdated and offensive. To learn more about Indigenous records at the South Peace Regional Archives please see our guide.
Table of Contents
| Series 646.01 | Dunvegan Advisory Board |
| Series 646.02 | Edson Trail Centennial Celebrations |
| Series 646.03 | Research and Stories on the Peace Country |
| Series 646.01 | Dunvegan Advisory Board. — [1974-1993]. — 8 cm of textual records. — 9 photographs.
The Fort Dunvegan Historical Society was formed January 29, 1965 with the purpose to restore, preserve and promote the Historical Site of Dunvegan one of Alberta’s earliest trading posts. The first members of the society resided across the Peace region including Fairview, Spirit River, Grande Prairie, Peace River, Rycroft and Wanham. The initial executive consisted of Dr. John Powlovich President, J. Glameck Vice-President, Harold Nicholson Treasurer and Peter Weston Secretary. The society was given a donation by Bea Bailey in memory of her husband Bert, which was used to help purchase land located on the south side of the Peace belonging to the Sorely family. This land contained a gravel pit which helped to provide the society with funds. After a few years the society disbanded due to disappointments and waning interest. People were still intersted in continuing to develop this site and the society reformed on August 12, 1970. The new board consisted of Stan Ollis. H.R. Nicholson, Otto Boytinck, Jack McIntosh, Leon Martin, Steve Lazoruk, Fred White, Hon. A.O. Fimrite and Lloyd Rosser. In 1982 Fran Moore joined the Advisory Board for Historic Dunvegan and their first meeting was held March 9, 1983 as well that year discovery digging was begun at Dunvegan to find where other buildings had stood. With the governments help the board had the factors house stabilized for future restoration. In 1984 the society committed to donate money in order to refurbish the Factors House and shortly thereafter the Alberta Government purchased the Marusiak land consisting of 27.72 acres on NE 7-80-4 W6 and 22.46 acres on NE 7-80-4 W6. A historic resource development booklet was completed by the Historic Dunvegan Advisory Board with a proposal for three phases of development. The first phase included the restoration of St. Charles Church, the rectory and factor’s house. Phase two was for the reconstruction of the Hudson Bay Company Post to the 1890s time period and the third phase was for the construction of a visitors centre. Included in the quest of getting the buildings to period the society pursed acquiring artefacts pertaining to Dunvegan. Fran attended many meetings along-side the Fort Dunvegan Historical Society in the planning stages of restoring the buildings. Fran also had a personal interest in Fort Dunvegan, her grandparents Mr. & Mrs. Ben Bodeker were the last Factors to run the Hudsons Bay Company store until its closing in 1918. In December 1990 Fran’s term on the board ended, and much of what was planned by the society had been accomplished. Dunvegan Provincial Park is now a very popular tourist location running school programs, tours, a garden shop and a busy campground. Website – http://www.albertaparks.ca/dunvegan/ It is thanks to the hard work of the Historical Society and the Advisory Board that Dunvegan stands as a tourist destination for people locally and further afield. Source: Dunvegan Provincial Park website – Website – http://www.albertaparks.ca/dunvegan/ The series consists of meeting minutes, discussion of land to be purchased by the government from the Marusiak family, news clippings, Dunvegan Resource Proposal, and a paper called The Spirit & Terms of Treat 8 by Richard Daniels, nine photographs and three posters. |
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| 646.01.01 | Minutes, Correspondence, Photographs 1982-1988
This file consists of minutes, correspondence, and photographs created by the Historic Dunvegan Advisory Board from 1982 to 1988. |
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| 646.01.02 | Research Collection 1974-1993
This file consists of correspondence, reviews, newspaper clippings, maps, meeting minutes, etc., related to research projects about Dunvegan. |
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| 646.01.03 | Development Proposal 1985 and 1988
This file includes two development proposals: one for 1985 and one for 1988. |
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| 646.01.04 | The Spirit and Terms of Treaty 8 1975
This file consists of a 1975 paper written by Richard Daniels. |
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| Series 646.02 | Edson Trail Centennial Celebrations. — 1912, [ca.1976-2013]. — 25 cm of textual records. — 10 photographs.
The history of the Edson Trail is the history of early white settlers arriving into the peace country area. Many books and stories have been written about the experiences, hardships and wonder of people traveling over the trail which was the only means to arrive at the grand prairie, other than the ‘long trail’, via Lesser Slave Lake and Grouard. DeBolt & District Pioneer Museum Society undertook the collection and printing stories and printed a book on the ‘Edson to Grande Prairie Trail’, that they published in 1988. Researched, collected, typed, edited by Fran Moore. 2011 would mark one hunderd years and the start of the arrival and with that in mind meetings were held to organize a celebration. The first official meeting was January 10, 2010 and attended by Fran Moore, Garry Peterson, Don Gourlay, Wanda Zenner, Irene Gitzel, Mary Head, Henry Morgan, Bruce McDonald, Pat Wearmouth, Ray Boyer, Campbell Ross, Janet L. Peterson, Don Logson and Trenton Perrott at the Grande Prairie Museum. Fran Moore ended up as chairperson, and Irene Gitzel as treasurer. The Edson Trail Historical Society in Valleyview, who produced and filmed the Edson Trail Video, was approached with the hopes of forming a partnership between the two groups. The Historical Society agreed to allow the Centennial Committee to operate under them in order to apply for grants as well they gave some funding to help them get started. The new Edson Trail Centennial Celebration Committee went to work and did five different projects over the next two years. 1) an exhibit at H.D.C. (involved were Shirley Fredrickson, Wanda Zenner and Irene Gitzel). 2) Edson Trail Rock Cairn built at Kleskun Hills Park, (Henry Morgan, Irene Gitzel & Wands Zenner involved) 3) Edson to Grande Prairie Trail Ride (involved – Doug Spry, Maxine Maxwell, Mavis Breitkreutz), 4) Edson Trail Centennial Celebration at the Tec Centre, Evergreen Park and 5) Collection and Research of new book on the trail called, “Edson Trail Centennial Celebration, 1911 – 2011” The series consists of meeting minutes, financial records, book orders, grants, a guest book, photographs, posters, advertising, news clippings, incorportation and bylaws of the Edson Trail Historical Society, Edson Trail Book material documentary, and Edson Trail Stories. |
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| 646.02.01 | Edson Trail Historic Society [1/2] 2009 – 2010
This file consists of the Society’s mmeting minutes for 2009 and 2010. |
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| 646.02.02 | Edson Trail Historic Society [2/2] 2011
This file consists of the Society’s meeting minutes for 2011. |
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| 646.02.03 | Edson Trail Book Material 1976 – 2011
This file consists of copies of newspaper clippings, homestead lists, essays, correspondence, and other material related to the Edson Trail book. |
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| 646.02.04 | Edson Trail Book Stories [1/3] 1985 ca. – 2011
This file consists of copies of newspaper clippings and hand-written personal stories from people who traveled the Edson Trail. |
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| 646.02.05 | Edson Trail Book Stories [2/3] 1985 ca. – 2011
This file consists of copies of newspaper clippings and hand-written personal stories from people who traveled the Edson Trail. |
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| 646.02.06 | Edson Trail Book Stories [3/3] 1985 ca. – 2011
This file consists of copies of newspaper clippings and hand-written personal stories from people who traveled the Edson Trail. |
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| 646.02.07 | Chapter 1 2011
This file consists of an annotated draft copy of chapter one with notes. |
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| 646.02.08 | Chapter 2 2011
This file consists of an annotated draft copy of chapter two with notes. |
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| 646.02.09 | Chapter 3 2011
This file consists of an annotated draft copy of chapter three with notes. |
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| 646.02.10 | Edson Trail Book Draft 2011
This file consists of a draft of the Edson Trail Book. |
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| 646.02.11 | Edson Trail Book Photos c. 1912 – 2010
This file consists of several photographs. |
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| 646.02.12 | Edson Trail Book Orders 2011, 2013
This file consists of book orders for the Edson Trail book. |
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| 646.02.13 | Guest Book 2011
This file consists of loose sheets guests used to sign in for the celebrations. |
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| 646.02.14 | Edson Trail Ride 2011
This file consists of reflections on creating and riding the ride, written by several people involved. |
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| 646.02.15 | Edson Trail Documentary 2003 – 2010
This file consists of documents related to filiming the documentary. |
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| 646.02.16 | Cairn Dedication n.d.
This file consists of a write-up of the pioneers listed and not listed on Homestead Cairn located at Kleskun Hills. |
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| 646.02.17 | Edson 100th Ann. Newspaper 2011
A copy of the town of Edson’s 100th Anniversary newspaper. |
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| 646.02.18 | Edson Trail Advertising 2009 – 2011
This file consists of copies of newspaper clippings and a copy of the 2011 Edson and District Chanber of Commerce publication, “Celebrating Edson’s 100th Anniversary.” |
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| 646.02.19 | Financial Records 2010 – 2012
This file consists of statements and spreadsheets documenting the finances for the celebration. |
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| 646.02.20 | Grants 2010
This file consists of correspondence and forms related to grant applications for the celebration. |
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| Series 646.03 | Research and Stories on the Peace Country. — ca.1980s. — 28.75 cm of textual records.
The series consists of copies of diaries, memoirs, stories, and a thesis collected by Fran Moore in researching the various projects that she is a part of in the peace region. The stories include: A Lumberjack Remebers, by Phil Nilsson; The Edson to Grande Prairie Trail, a copy of a diary written by W. Gilmour PAA Accession 82.38/1 & Pioneer’s of the Peace by Mary Moschenross PAA Access. 91.437 File SE; Land of the Weitgo, By Dave T. Williamson; Teepee Fires Burn Brightly Still, By Dave T. Willliamson; Mary Walters Story, memories of her childhood under pen name Mary Wapiti; Wesakechka Legends – Native American Legends; Through the Mackenzie Basin by Charles Mair; Edson Train Stories; The Ramstad Story – Norm worked for Town of Valleyview and was the son of early homesteader; Williamson Story; Stories and letters by A. H. McQuarrie; Melsness Story; Loberg Story; Baldy Red Yeoman, Valleyview’s First Settlers, Growing Old Together, The Fulfillment of “Old Sunshine’s” Prophecy, The Nightingale of Red Willow Creek, The Scots Family Williamson, by Dave T. Williamson; Report on the Peace River Region; History of the Canadian North – a course attended by Fran Moore; Sources on the History of Northern Alberta – by D.G. Wetherell and Associates, 1994; The Emergence of Regional Identity: The Peace River Country 1910-1946, by Robert Scott Irwin, as well as stories about the following families: Jennie Crocken (Tomshak), Lena Blonski, Walter Spry, Fred & Bill Boyd, David Alexander Johnston, William Innes, Foy family and Mary Louise Johnson. |
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| 646.03.01 | Memoirs of A. H. McQuarrie 1954-1968
The file consists of the typed and bound memoirs of A. H. McQuarrie. |
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| 646.03.02 | Peace Country Memoirs. Williamson Family [1973]
The file consists of the typed Peace Country Memoirs of the Williamson family. |
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| 646.03.03 | Stories by Dave T. Williamson ca. 1980s
The file consists of a copy of a newspaper clipping and typed stories by Williamson. |
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| 646.03.04 | Teepee Fires Burn Brightly Still [1/2] ca. 1980
The file consists of a David Williamson’s essay [thesis?] about the history of and then current situation of Indigenous people in Canada. |
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| 646.03.05 | Teepee Fires Burn Brightly Still [2/2] ca. 1980
The file consists of a David Williamson’s essay [thesis?] about the history of and then current situation of Indigenous people in Canada. |
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| 646.03.06 | Land of the Wetigo [1/2] ca. 1980
The file consists of a David Williamson’s essay about the Wetigao phenomena. |
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| 646.03.07 | Land of the Wetigo [2/2] ca. 1980
The file consists of a David Williamson’s essay about the Wetigao phenomena. |
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| 646.03.08 | Ramstad family [1/2} ca. 1970
The file consists of copies of the handwritten Peace Country Memoirs for the Ramstad family between 1928 and 1990, maps of the Ramstad trails, and other maps belonging to the Ramstad family. |
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| 646.03.09 | Ramstad family [2/2} ca. 1970
The file consists of copies of the handwritten Peace Country Memoirs for the Ramstad family between 1928 and 1990, maps of the Ramstad trails, and other maps belonging to the Ramstad family. |
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| 646.03.10 | Diary – The Edson to Grande Prairie Trail ca. 1912
The file consists of a bound compilation of several copies diaries, some of which are hand-written. They include the memoirs of Mary Moschen Ross, A. H. McQuarrie, and several copies of maps for Sturgeon Lake. |
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| 646.03.11 | Melsness Story 2011
The file consists of several copies of handwritten and typed diaries of O. H. Melsness about his trip to Grande Prairie in 1912. |
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| 646.03.12 | Loberg Story 1953
The file consists of a copy of a hand written English essay written by Doreen Loberg while she was a student at Camrose Lutheron College. The essay is about her grandparents move from the United States to Grande Prairie. |
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| 646.03.13 | Mary Walter’s Story ca. 1970
The file consists of a copy of the story of Mary’s Walter’s family written under her pen name, Marisa Wapiti. A brief biography of the family written by Fran Moore is included. |
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| 646.03.14 | A Lumberjack Remembers [1900s – 1970s.]
The file consists of a copy of the typed biography of Phil Nilsson. The biography includes information about his family in Swedon dating back to the early 1900s. |
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| 646.03.15 | Emergence of Regional Identity. The Peace River Country 1995
The file consists of a copy of Robert Scott Irwin’s Phd thesis. It covers the history of the Peace River Country between 191-1946. |
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| 646.03.16 | History of the Peace Country 1997
The file consists of a copies of newspaper articles, essays, and maps related to the history of the Peace Country. |
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| 646.03.17 | Through the Mackenzie Basin [1908] 1999
The file consists of a copy of Charles Mair’s book, Through the Mackenzie Basin, written in 1912. |
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| 646.03.18 | Wesakechak Legends c. 1980s
The file consists of a handout detailing some local Indigenous stories. |
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| 646.03.19 | Historical Reference Bibliography 1977
The file consists of a copy of a listing of materials relevant to the history of the Peace River region of Alberta, which was prepared for the Peace River Regional Planning Commission in 1977. |
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| 646.03.20 | Report on The Peace River Region [1903?]
The file consists of a photocopy of a typed report written about the region sometime around 1903. |
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| 646.03.21 | Sources on the History of Northern Alberta 1994
The file consists of a copy of an annotated bibliography prepared by D. G. Wetherell and Associated Ltd. |
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| 646.03.22 | History of the Canadian North 1997
The file consists of class notes, essays, and a test for a course Fran complete at Grande Prairie Regional College in 1997. The course was called “History of the Canadian North” and was taught by Dr. Campbell Ross. |
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