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Peace River district (B.C. and Alta.) Frontier and pioneer life--British Columbia--20th century
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Unidentified female near Pouce Coupe ; Ma Murray on the Alaska Highway

CALL NUMBER: T4036:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1953? SUMMARY: An unidentified woman (with an English accent) near Pouce Coupe talks about isolation, local customs, and "moonshine".

CALL NUMBER: T4036:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], [1953 or 1954] SUMMARY: In a 1953 or 1954 speech, "Ma" Murray talks about the "menace" of the Alaska Highway opening the region to Anglo-Saxon settlement.

Father Emile Jungbluth interview

CALL NUMBER: T3991:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): [Moberly Lake missionary] RECORDED: Chetwynd (B.C.), 1982-03 SUMMARY: Father Emile Jungbluth, O.M.I., recalls his experiences as a Roman Catholic missionary among the Indians of the Peace River Region, 1936-1982. TRACK 1: Radio systems; connecting Moberly Lake with Halfway River and Fort St. John. "Barbwire radio" between St. Theresa's Church and Hudson's Bay Company, Moberly Lake. Speakers hanging in trees; tape recording. TRACK 2: Attempts at agriculture on Moberly Lake Reserve. Building of St. Theresa's Church. Father Jungbluth was supported by benefactors from Alsace while living at Moberly Lake. Supported himself by selling projector and films, repairing; watches, radios, etc., and sawing wood.;

CALL NUMBER: T3991:0002 RECORDED: Chetwynd (B.C.), 1982-04 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Description of missionary territory under Grouard - McLennan Diocese (Horse Lake, Wabiti, Pipestone Creek, Kelly Lake, Fort St. John). Stopover at Brainard's between Grande Prairie and Dawson Creek. Following the rodeo circuit to see all the Indians of the area. TRACK 2: Marriage registrations of Indians; baptisms, etc. Trip to the Halfway River Indian Reserve to marry Indians.;

Del Miller interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Del Miller recalls his arrival in BC in 1909 from Ontario; a wide variety of jobs he worked at upon arrival; South Fort George in 1911; Hudson's Hope; trapping; shipping freight on Peace; River; Finlay Rapids; more on trapping; living with his family in Deserters Canyon; trading posts; river transportation and freights; scows; more on Hudson's Hope; living in the region, including other pioneers and supplies and the Beaver Indians; trapping; medical care; and a story about his son who was accidentally shot. TRACK 2: Mr. Miller continues with his story about his son; how airplane;s brought in supplies and mail; how he was a mail carrier for a year; how he got supplies from the Fraser River with barges; an account of river accidents; climate; trails; and family history.

William Blackman interview

CALL NUMBER: T0692:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. William Blackman describes his father, a miner who came from Ohio. William was born in Pennsylvania, and he describes how his father went west to Strathcona, Alberta, as a packer. He describes the family as they traveled across Alberta, including time at the Pocahontas Mine, until settling in Mile 49, which was then the end of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad. He describes the area around Cranberry Lake at that time. He describes the family homestead around 1906. He discusses several of the old timers who surveyed the land around that time. Mr. Blackman describes a winter where the temperature got down to 60 degrees below zero in 1915 and 1916. He continues to describes winters and how the weather was tough and working for a lumber company. He describes the now abandoned town of Lucerne; the activities there; the CPR; and the lumber industry. He describes journeys down the Canoe River including the geography. TRACK 2 Mr. Blackman offers anecdotes about the hot springs off the Canoe River and then describes lakes in the area and more on the Canoe River. He describes Swift Creek and the boating activity there. He describes the river from Mile 49 to Golden and how some of it was impassible. He describes several ways to get into the area, mentioning the towns and geography, including trading routes. He describes Athabasca Pass; the CPR; the Yellowhead and general difficulties of passing through the area. He discusses Indian reservations at Tete Jeune. He tells an anecdote of an Indian, Johnny Moullier, who came through the area who walked from Mil;e 49 to Chu Chua in 1916. More anecdotes about people carrying things along the Canoe River in 1908.

CALL NUMBER: T0692:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Blackman discusses an expedition up north on a survey party to the Peace River Country in great detail, including anecdotes about the experience, people who worked on the survey and the jobs they did, and the geography in detail. TRACK 2: Mrs. E. Blackman describes how her father, Arthur 'Curly' Cochrane, worked as a cook on the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in 1911. She was born near Montreal and she describes her family, their farming practices and the family homestead. She describes Tete Jeune as it was when she was a child. She discusses the produce on the farm and nearby; farms. She discusses the area between Dunster and McBride. She discusses the variety of berries in the area, which they would sell to the railroaders. She discusses the post-WWII boom in the area.

Howard Carson interview

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Howard Carson RECORDED: [location unknown], [1977?] SUMMARY: Howard Carson discusses homesteading in the Peace River region in 1928. Ms. MacDougall: teacher, friends, and boarder with family. School days. Local colour. A posse goes after a wolverine; a forty-pound weasel. Clay Martin or "his place" mentioned several times. Second half of tape has a great deal of interesting information concerning freighting with horses in the winter.

Jesse Starnes interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1977 SUMMARY: An oral history interview with Jesse Starnes about Fort St. John and area. He talks about his childhood in Oklahoma, migrating to Canada in 1905, the native people, his life as a trapper, other settlers, the building of the Alaska highway, conditions in the 1930s, collapse of the Peace River bridge, hydro development, other sources of power, space travel, and the attitudes of east to west and resources.

Harold Fines interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1977 SUMMARY: An oral history interview with Harold Fines, a Saskatchewan school teacher who homesteaded in the Peace in 1934. He talks about the journey to the Peace by car and rail, the mail service, roads, electric power, radio, missionaries, schools, work on co-op, school and hospital boards, comments on modern technology and change.;

Margaret Crook interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1977 SUMMARY: An oral history interview with Mrs. Margaret Crook. She talks about the journey to the Peace from the prairies in 1929, Fort St. John in 1929, homesteading in the Montney area, entertainments, crops, hardships, logging, food and clothing, school, visiting, holidays, berrying, sucker sundays, hockey games and "flipping a coin for a baby".

Robert Ohland interview

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1977 SUMMARY: An oral history interview with Robert Ohland. He talks about his family, his parents decision to go to farm in the Peace River region, the journey to the Peace in 1928, farming, Taylor flats, other settlers, the store, building a house, supplies, garden crops, clothing, berries, neighbours, naming of Baldonnel B.C., missionaries, foot wear, and life during the depression.