It is dated at York Colony, August 1, 1882
The content:
The York Farmers’ Colonization Company (Limited) hereby appoint C.J. McFarline as agent of the Company to take homestead and preemption entries in accordance with the Dominion Lands Act for Townships 26, Ranges 4 and 5 West of the 2nd Principal Meridian.
It is signed by James Armstrong, Managing Director and John J. Cook, Director.
The letterhead names officials of the company: N. Clarke Wallace, M.P., James Armstrong, Managing Director, A.G. Lightbourne, Secretary, with Head Office at #1 Victoria St. Toronto, Ont. In the spring of 1882, the Company had signed an agreement with the Dominion Government to settle 6 Townships in this region, adding 2 more in 1883 for a total of 8.
The Company had 5 years to complete their settlement plan with the Dominion Government. Their settlers came from Ontario, the British Isles, English Townships of Québec, Manitoba, and the United States. The company itself was not advertising for settlers in Western or Eastern Europe, although the Dominion Government was looking for settlers in some Western European countries in the mid 1880s.
Cosmo J. McFarline filed on a homestead, later moved into Yorkton and opened an auctioneering business. He died in 1944 at age 95 and is interred in the Yorkton cemetery.
Contact Terri Lefebvre Prince, Heritage Researcher,
City of Yorkton Archives,
Box 400, 37 Third Avenue North
Yorkton, Sask. S3N 2W3
306-786-1722
heritage@yorkton.ca
