On December 4th, 1906 Annie was granted Letters of Administration for the estate of Barnard and was thus qualified to apply for the title of the land she and her children were living on. The application required sworn statements made before the Homestead Inspector, James McDiarmid, from herself and two of her neighbours as to the original state of the homestead and the improvements made up to the time of the application. The statements were taken on April 14, 1906, and the recommendation for patent approved by McDiarmid at Edmonton on May 7th, 1906.
All this was sent off to the Department of the Interior in Ottawa where it was accepted as sufficient by May, 20th, 1906. It was approved on March, 12th, 1907 and then sent to the Registrar of the Land Registration District of Northern Alberta, Edmonton, who issued the certificate of title for Homestead No. 101722 in the summer of 1907.
In her statement Annie stated that she was a British subject by birth, that entry for the homestead was made in April, 1902, that the house was built in June of 1902 and they began actual residence on the property in July, 1902.
She claimed that she had resided continuously on the land from that time and that she had five children who did the same.
In 1903 they broke three acres of land and cropped none. In 1904 they broke two more acres and cropped the other three. In 1905 they broke a further ten acres and had crops on the five previous ones. In 1902 they had three horses, one cow and two pigs, in 1903 four horses, five cows and two pigs, in 1904 they had six horses, 5 cows and two pigs. In 1905 there were eight horses, five cows and two pigs. By 1906, when the application was made for patent, they had ten horses, seven cows and no pigs at all. By this time her sons Edwin and Stanley were in the freighting business, which accounted for the large number of horses.
The building improvements were noted as being a 14 foot by 26 foot frame house, valued at $500, and one and one-half miles of wire and rail fencing valued at $150. There were also two stables, a henhouse, a pig pen and a well, all valued at $200. She also stated that there were no indications of minerals or quarries on the place and that it was best suited to agricultural use.
The neighbour's statements were from John Elston who farmed SE18 and Arthur David Percival who was on NW18. They both confirmed the facts about improvements and stated they had known her for about four years.
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The language of the patent deed itself is worth reading for the information about what was given and what was witheld by the Crown.
The words in ITALICS were handwritten.
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CANADA 177
C.J. JONES
DEPUTY GOVERNOR
Edward the Seventh, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, KING, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India.
To all to whom these Presents shall come - Greeting:
Whereas the lands hereinafter described are Dominion Lands within the meaning of "The Dominion Lands Act"
And WHEREAS Annie Woollard, of Wabamun, in the Province of Alberta, in Our Dominion of Canada, Widow
in her capacity of personal representative of the late Bernard Woollard
in his lifetime of Wabamun, in the Province of Alberta aforesaid, who died on or about the
Second day of June, in the year of Our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and three.
And Whereas the claim of the said Annie Woollard
to such grant having been investigated by Us and having been found to be duly titled thereto
Now Know Ye, that by these Presents We do grant, convey and assure, unto the said Annie Woollard
all that Parcel or Tract of Land situate, lying and being in the Fifty-third Township, in the Third Range, West of the Fifth Meridian, in the Province
of Alberta, in Our Dominion of Canada, and being composed of
The North-East quarter of Section Eighteen of the said Township,
containing by admeasurement One hundred and sixty (160) acres, more or less,
SAVING AND RESERVING NEVERTHELESS unto Us, Our Successors and Assigns, the free uses, passage and enjoyment of, in, over and upon all navigable waters that now or may be hereafter found on, or under, or flowing through
or upon any part of the said Parcel or Tract of Land, also reserving thereout and therefrom all rights of fishery and fishing and occupation in connection therewith upon, around and adjacent to said lands and also the privilege of landing from and mooring
boats and vessels upon any part of the said lands and using the said lands in connection with the rights of fishery and fishing hereby reserved, so far as may be reasonably necessary to the exercise of such rights. And also reserving all mines and minerals
which may be found to exist within, upon or under such lands, together with the power to work the same, and for this purpose to enter upon, and use and occupy the said lands or so much thereof and to such an
extent as may be necessary for the effectual working of the said minerals, or the mines, pits, seams and veins containing the mineral.
To have and to hold the said Parcel or Tract of Land unto the said Annie Woollard in her capacity of
personal representative as aforesaid of the said late Bernard Woollard, deceased.
Provided, and in pursuance of Section 9 of The Northwest Irrigation Act, 1898, it is hereby declared that these presents shall not vest in the said Annie Woollard any exclusive or other property or interest in
or any exclusive right or privilege with respect to any lake, river, stream, or other body of water in, or with respect to the water contained or flowing therein, or the land forming the bed or shore thereof.
GIVEN under the Great Seal of Canada - Witness, Charles Jerome Jones, Esquire, a Companion of Our Imperial Service Order, Deputy of
Our Right Trusty and Right Well Beloved Cousin the Right Honourable Sir Albert Henry George, Earl Grey, Viscount Howick,
Baron Grey of Howick, in the County of Northumberland, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, and a Baronet; Knight Grand Cross
of Our Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George &c., &c., Governor General of Canada.
At OTTAWA, this Twelfth day of March, in the year of Our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and seven, and in the seventh year of Our Reign.
BY COMMAND, Joseph POPE, Under-Secretary of State. W.W. OORY, Deputy of the Minister of the Interior.
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The Patent for the second homestead, SW26-53-4-W5