Antoni Wozniak and Maria Parachin were both born in Poland in 1903. They were married in 1922 and by 1930 had four children: Boleslaw (Bill), born July 23, 1923; Mathew, born January 19, 1926; and twins, Merlin and Cecilia, born April 26, 1928. With poor opportunities for the family in Poland and rumors of hostilities amongst nations, the family immigrated to Canada. They had hoped to be able to go to Toronto, where Antoni had two brothers living near Niagara Falls, but ended up on a farm in the Wanham area, arriving June 24, 1930. A cousin's daughter also came with them.
The first few years were very difficult as they were trying to clear the trees on poor land with little money and very little outside work for cash. The children had to work alongside the parents in taking care of livestock, bringing in wood and water, gardening, picking berries and mushrooms, hunting chickens and ducks so the family had enough to eat. They attended South Slope School in Wanham, about four miles away. In 1935 the family moved to the Tansem farm, where Edward was born on December 4, 1936. Here they cleared land enough for a garden and small fields of wheat and oats. The children now went to Fox Creek School, still four miles away. Maria melted snow to feed cattle and to wash clothes for an English family for $2.00 a month. In 1936 on to their own place at Codesa, and the children could now go to Codesa School. Roman was born in 1938, the same year a forest fire destroyed their barn and the logs for their new home. A new house was finally built in 1940, and in 1942 another forest fire destroyed crops and granary.
By 1939, Antoni and Maria finally felt they could afford to bring Antoni’s mother over from Poland, but while she was getting her papers in order, war broke out. Russia occupied their part of Poland, and many of their family members perished in either the war or later exile in Siberia. Antoni’s mother and his sister, along with her husband and three children, were exiled to Siberia. Only one of the children, a girl named Christine, survived and later immigrated to London, England.
The oldest children stayed in farming. Bill joined the Canadian Army in 1942 and was sent overseas. He served in the Italian war campaign, and also in north-west Europe. After the war he returned to farm in the Belloy. Mathew worked on the family farm after he finished school until 1945, when he filed on his own homestead.
After the war, the Wozniak farm prospered and they were able to send the younger children to university. In 1964 Antoni and Maria sold the farm to Mathew and Barbara, and retired to Grande Prairie where they were involved in many aspects of the community. Antoni was president of the Peace River Polish Society for many years. In 1986 they made a trip back to Poland. Maria passed away in 1988 and Antoni in 2002.
Bill married Stephanie Mycek in 1951. They raised two children, Gerald and Deanna. In 1969 they sold the farm and went into the hotel business in High Prairie. Mathew married Barbara Klukas in 1949. They raised two children on the farm: Patrick, born in 1951, and Elizabeth Jean, born in 1953. Cecilia finished high school in Spirit River and Grande Prairie. She married Wyatt Bailey ca. 1950 and moved to Texas where they raised four children. Merlin finished his education at the University of Alberta and the University of Toronto. Edward attended Spirit River High School before he went on to the University of Edmonton and became a geologist in Vancouver. Roman went to Spirit River High School and then on to the University of Alberta and did his final studies in Oklahoma.
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0279
South Peace Regional Archives
Title based on contents of the fonds.
Accession numbers: 2007.011; 2007.34; 2008.03; 2008.48; 2009.59; 2010.06; 2011.01; 2013.001; 2013.044; 2015.065
The fonds consists of a few personal papers belonging to Antoni and Maria Wozniak; the memoirs of Maria (Parachin) Wozniak written in Polish in 1958 and translated by her son, Matthew; Maria’s diary of a trip back to Poland in 1986; letters written home by the six Wozniak children; photographs of the family, the farm, and the community; stories written by Mathew about his life and memories; and a collection of 8 mm film taken by Mathew Wozniak during the 1960s and 70s.
The records were donated to the South Peace Regional Archives in several donations from 2007-2015 by Mathew Wozniak.
The records were donated to the South Peace Regional Archives in several donations from 2007-2015 by Mathew Wozniak. The family film collection was donated in 2011, also by Mathew Wozniak.
Polonia in Alberta 1895-1995, 2013.001 SPRA Library
There are no restrictions on access.
A finding aid is available at http://southpeacearchives.org/wozniak-family-fonds/
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The series consists of a published account of the family’s history from 1922 to 2014; the memoirs of Maria, written in Polish and translated into English by her son Mathew; letters written to Maria and Antoni by their children Bill, Mathew, Merlin, Cecile, Edward and Roman; and correspondence from friends and extended family in Poland, the United States, and Canada.
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The series consists of family photographs of Antoni and Barbara Wozniak, of Katrina Wozniak, the Klukas family, some of Eaglesham's buildings and their ball team, and photographs of Barbara's quilts and handicrafts.
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Marie and Antonio Wozniak in their retirement years.
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Marie and Antonio Wozniak seated in the middle of their grandchildren.
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Marie and Antonio Wozniak seated with their grandchildren. Back row: Roman Wozniak holding Richard, Diana Wozniak (Bill's daughter), Mathew Wozniak, Barbara Wozniak, J.W. Bailey, Jean Wozniak, PatrickWozniak, Cecelia Bailey, Merlin Wozniak, Staffy Wozniak (Bill's first wife), Bill Wozniak, Paul Wozniak (Merlin's son), Murray Wozniak (Merlin's son), Alair Wozniak (Merlin's wife), Edward Wozniak holding Tony. Middle Row: Maria and Antony Wozniak (grandparents), Bonny Wozniak (Roman's wife) holding Lizibeth, Sharon Wozniak (Edward's wife) holding Genevive, Steven Bailey. Front Row: Richard Bailey, Murray Wozniak?, Patricia Bailey, Susan Bailey, Roberty Bailey, Cathy Bailey, Steven Bailey.
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Teacher J.P. LeBlanc, from Codesa School, with Claudette and Father Girard.
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The Fox Creek homemade school van was pulled by a tractor driven by Joe Bilinski. His route was down what is now Highway 49 about seven miles. If it rained and was too muddy for the tractor, he hitched his horses to the van.
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Unidentified Catholic Father with five children dressed for first communion beside Our Lady of Czestochowa Catholic Church in the Fox Creek district west of Eaglesham.
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Two photographs of the wedding party for Cecilia Wozniak and James Wyatt Bailey beside the Antoni Wozniak farmhouse, one of the extended wedding party and the other of the bridal party. From left to right: Antoni, Maria, Wyatt Bailey, Cecilia, Mathew, Josie Balinski, and Bill Wozniak.
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Copy of a photograph of Antoni & Maria Wozniak with their two oldest children, Boleslaw (Bill) and Mathew, at the time of their immigration to Canada in 1930. Twins Marian and Cecilia were infants at the time and are not in the photograph.
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Mrs. Lucas was the first teacher at Codesa School which was held in the Catholic Church at Codesa.
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The series consists of land records, income records (cattle and grain), and expense records for the Wozniak farm when it was under the care of Antoni and Maria Wozniak; a 1981 appraisal report for the Wozniak farm, then called Barnaby Farms, when it was under the care of Mathew and Barbara Wozniak; a map showing the extent of Barnaby Farm when it was sold in 1999; and a story written by Mathew Wozniak about farming from the time he filed on his homestead in 1945, until 1998 when they decided to sell the farm. There are also 16 photographs of Barnaby Farm ca. 1990, and 20 photographs of the farm machinery being cleared out for auction after the farm was sold in 1999.
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The series consists of 26 reels of 8 mm film and digital copies of the film, originally on 3 DVD discs, taken by Mathew Wozniak to document family activities and trips.
The films show Eaglesham and Wozniak family events, and includes travel footage on the digital copies.
The digital copies also include transfers of films (particularly vacation films) not accessioned by the Archives.