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Authority record
Agriculture

Spence, George Leslie

  • Ath 18.23
  • Person
  • 1907 - 1997

Leslie Spence was born in 1907 and came west with his parents, Percy and Dorothea Spence, in 1909. Percy homesteaded SE 28-66-23 W4 and worked for the HBCo. transporting freight scows on the Athabasca River. Leslie had five brothers and three sisters. Leslie attended school at West Athabasca School after 1914 when it was opened. He helped his father freighting, including driving a freight team to Wabasca when he was 12 with brother Earl, Dave Wilson, Pete Jacobsen, Art Cullins and others. They freighted fish from Calling Lake for J. Macintosh in the 1920s. Leslie bought SW 25-66-22 W4 in 1950 and farmed hay and oats, and had cattle and horses. The 1975, Athabasca Legion Branch 103 honored Leslie by bestowing on him their Citizen of the Year Award.

United Farmers of Alberta

  • UF
  • Corporate body
  • 1909 - 1948

The United Farmers of Alberta (U.F.A.) was formed in 1909 from the amalgamation of the Canadian Society of Equity and the Alberta Farmers Association. It was incorporated by an act of the Province of Alberta in 1918. U.F.A. was a self-help and advocacy organization which encouraged economic power for farmers through the development of co-operatives. It also functioned as a political party from 1919 to 1939, and was the governing party in Alberta from 1921 to 1935. Past presidents include James Bower (1909-1911), W.J. Tregillus (1912-1914), James Speakman (1915), Henry Wise Wood (1916-1930), Robert Gardiner (1930-1945), and George E. Church (1945-1949). In 1914 a Women's Section was formed, and in 1916 was reorganized as the United Farm Women of Alberta (U.F.W.A.). In 1919 a Junior Branch of the U.F.A. was organized to support the activities of young members of farm families. The U.F.A. Provincial Political Association was formed as a vehicle for organizing political campaigns, and existed from 1919 to 1939. The U.F.A. Limited, incorporated from 1928 to 1949, published the organization's newspaper. The Co-operative Committee of the U.F.A was formed in 1930, and it was incorporated as the U.F.A. Central Co-operative Association Ltd. in 1932, to serve local consumer co-ops as a wholesaler and distributor. At its 40th annual convention in December 1948 the U.F.A. changed its name to United Farmers of Alberta Co-operative Ltd. (known as U.F.A. Co-op and later branded as UFA), and amended its Bylaws to allow it to take over most of the functions of the U.F.A. Central Co-operative Association Ltd. In January 1949 the U.F.A. advocacy function amalgamated with the Alberta Farmers' Union to form the Farmers' Union of Alberta.

Wolanuk, Victor

  • ath 20.18
  • Person
  • 1928 - 2016

Victor Wolanuk was one years old when his parents Wasyl (Bill) and Annie Wolanuk immigrated from Poland with their three children (Xannie and Antonette) in 1929. Bill (1892 – 1945) homesteaded at NW 10-68-21-W4, Richmond Park, Alberta and two more children were born in 1930 (Mary) and 1937 (John). Annie and the children kept the farm running after Bill’s death in 1945; Victor eventually taking over the homestead. He married Anne Popwich in 1955. Victor became an Athabasca School District No. 42 trustee in 1950, was a member of the Farmers’ Union of Alberta (subsequently the United Farmer’s of Alberta), a director of the Richmond Park Mutual Telephone Company, and a member of the “Reflections from Across the River,” 1994 history book committee. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 88 years. His grandson now farms the family homestead.