Summary information
| Repository: | South Peace Regional Archives |
| Title: | J. R. Connell fonds |
| Reference code: | 0370 |
| Date: | [1920-1956] (date of creation) |
| Physical description: | 25 cm textual records
1 photograph |
| Dates of creation, revision and deletion: | Processed by Leslie Gordon, September 2009 Added to new database April 2025 – TD |
Administrative history / Biographical sketch
John Robert “Jack” Connell was born in Peterborough, Ontario in 1884, to Alexander and Jane Connell. The family was a large one of Scottish heritage and Jack had at least ten siblings (Jane, Margret, Mary, Elizabeth, George, Thomas, David, Lewis, Barbara, and J. Henry). The family moved from Peterborough to Bobcaygeon, Ontario when Jack was a child.
Sometime before 1920, Jack moved to southern Alberta where he joined his brothers, Tom and David, and farmed. About 1920 the brothers moved north and in 1922 Jack homesteaded near Bezanson on NE 2-73-3 W6. He later bought NE 36-72-3 W6th. Around 1925 Jack moved to Grande Prairie and was employed as a blacksmith for Bob Barley. Jack had been instructed in the blacksmith trade by his father. Jack bought a lot from Bob Barley in the fall of 1927 and started his own welding and machine shop at 4th Avenue South, Grande Prairie.
On November 30, 1937, Jack married Grace Moody in the Manse of Forbes Presbyterian Church. Grace, the daughter of George Lindsay, had previously been married to Elmer Moody with whom she had seven children, Blanche, Mae, Norma, Florence, Vayne, Forest, and Orton. In November 1938 Jack quit the Grande Prairie business, moved back to Bezanson, and established another blacksmith, welding, and machine shop there. When T. L. McEwan purchased the shop around 1948, Jack retired out to his farm. Jack died in October 1960 at the age of 76 and Grace died in 1961 at the age of 69. Both Jack and Grace Connell are buried in the Glen Leslie Cemetery.
Custodial history
The records were donated to South Peace Regional Archives by the Nelson and Blanche McLaughlin family after the old Connell house in Bezanson was cleaned out. Blanche (Moody) McLaughlin was the step-daughter of J. R. Connell.
An accrual was added to this collection on August 13, 2012. The donor was Lorena Snydmiller on behalf of Jack McLaughlin of Bezanson. The accrual consisted of financial papers 1930-1950, a letter, and papers relating to the birth records of John Connell.
Scope and content
The fonds consists of records relating to Jack Connell’s business activities as a blacksmith and farm owner and to his personal life. The contents of the fonds deal primarily with his life and activities after moving to the Grande Prairie area in the 1920s. The records include various account books, receipts, invoices, and statements, legal agreements, census returns, permits, correspondence, and a photograph.
Notes
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title of fonds based on contents.
Physical condition
Some of the records smell musty and may have previously been affected by mould.
Arrangement
Since the original order had been disrupted, the archivist imposed an order, dividing the records by type into files and then arranging them chronologically within the files. The fonds is arranged in three series: Financial records, Other business records, and Personal records.
Access points
- Textual record (documentary form)
- Graphic material – photograph (documentary form)
- Industries (subject)
- Business (subject)
- Settlement and Immigration (subject)
Table of contents
0370.01, Financial records, 1926-1956
0370.02, Other business records, [1920-1956]
0370.03, Personal records, [1920-1956]
Series descriptions
| Series 0370.01: Financial records
Date: 1926-1956 (date of creation) Scope and content: The series consists of financial records dating from 1926 to 1956 related primarily to the operation of Jack Connell’s blacksmith and machine shops in Grande Prairie and Bezanson. His personal financial records and those related to his farm are also present. The records include shop accounts books, sales slips (bound and unbound), Income and Expenses book, shop operating statement, tax records including assessment notices, tax notices and receipts, personal Statement of Net Worth, cheque record sheets, cancelled cheques, and cheque stubs, receipts and invoices of products purchased, moving permit, delivery stubs and bills of lading, stock certificates, correspondence, and other miscellaneous documents. Physical description: 23 cm textual records Access points: • Textual record (documentary form) Physical condition: Some of the records in the “Miscellaneous financial and correspondence” file may have been previously affected by mould. Arrangement: Many loose sales slips and some receipts and invoices were originally interfiled between the pages of the accounts book. These were removed by the archivist and the loose sales slips which had corresponding entries in the account books were discarded. The other removed records were placed in the “Sales slips” file and “Miscellaneous financial and correspondence” file. Publication status: Published |
|||
| Series 0370.02: Other business records
Date: [1920-1956] (date of creation) Scope and content: The series consists of records relating primarily to Jack Connell’s activities as a blacksmith and farm owner dating from approximately 1920 to 1956, predominantly the late 1930s. The records include Bills of Sale and payment records, a land rental agreement, machine shop census returns, and a notebook containing branding information and telephone numbers. Physical description: 1 cm textual records Access points: • Textual record (documentary form) Publication status: Published |
|||
| Series 0370.03: Personal records
Date: [1920-1956] (date of creation) Scope and content: The series consists of records from Jack Connell’s personal life dating from approximately 1924 to 1956. The records include correspondence relating to John’s application for a birth certificate including his brother Joseph Henry Connell’s declaration to his birth, his 1938 Driver’s License, 1939 vehicle registration, 1938 Certificate of Proficiency in Gas Welding, a memorial card for his father, correspondence with family members, and a photograph. Physical description: 1 cm textual records Access points: • Technical drawing (documentary form) • Graphic material – photograph (documentary form) Publication status: Published |
|||
| File / item list | |||
| Reference code | Title | Dates | Physical description |
| 0370.03.01 | Item – Connell family (?), Ontario | [ca. 1920] | 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.5 x 4.5 in. |
| Scope and content:
Photograph of three older adults, possibly members of the Connell family, and a dog. Developed by the Stanton Studio in Fenelon Falls, Ontario. |
|||