Individual Details
John Edgar Vance
(June 17, 1867 - March 2, 1942)
"John Edgar Vance lived with his stepfather, W. R. Landers in Duncan, Webster County, Missouri for a number of years.
"In March 1905, John Edgar and Mellisa Didema Vance moved from Webster County, Missouri to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They lived in the Edmonton area for five years, and he farmed a year or so nine miles east of Edmonton on the William Conley farm. In 1908, they took up a homestead of 160 acres of fertile brush land on the Athabasco River in the Pine Creek District, now called Waskatenau District. The homestead is fifty miles northeast of Edmonton, and there are no roads in that vicinity. In January 1909, John Edgar built a "shack" on the homestead to cook in, but he slept in the sleigh box during the time required to build a one room log house. The log cabin was heated by a wood burning pot belly space heater. He began removing the brush and trees from the land near the log house before the family joined him in their new home. The brush had to be grubbed out by hand. Dynamite was used to uproot the trees. The virgin soil was loose, fertile and easily cultivated. Wheat and oats were the principal grain crops grown for market. Other crops were grown for home consumption. John Edgar was appointed municipal councilor for the area, and he helped to build the first roads in the vicinity of the homestead. He was responsible for organizing the first school in the area. Bread, fish, wild berries and wild game provided their food. After a few years, another room was added to the log cabin. During the early homestead days, John Edgar won first prize for oats at the fair in Chicago. Sometime later, he bought 250 acres of land joining the homestead.
"In 1929, John Edgar built a local trade for the British American Oil Company, and within a year or so, he was branch manager in the village of Waskatenau. When the village was incorporated, he was appointed Secretary - Treasurer of the village, and he retained that position until a short time before his death on March 2, 1942. In the 1930's, John Edgar and Melissa Didema built a large house in Waskatenau and moved from the homestead. Melissa lived in this house until 1946, then lived with her daughter in Edmonton. She died April 17, 1950, and was buried beside her husband in Waskatenau." (CANTRELL-CANTRILL by Horace Elbert Cantrell, 1972, page 69-70)
"In March 1905, John Edgar and Mellisa Didema Vance moved from Webster County, Missouri to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They lived in the Edmonton area for five years, and he farmed a year or so nine miles east of Edmonton on the William Conley farm. In 1908, they took up a homestead of 160 acres of fertile brush land on the Athabasco River in the Pine Creek District, now called Waskatenau District. The homestead is fifty miles northeast of Edmonton, and there are no roads in that vicinity. In January 1909, John Edgar built a "shack" on the homestead to cook in, but he slept in the sleigh box during the time required to build a one room log house. The log cabin was heated by a wood burning pot belly space heater. He began removing the brush and trees from the land near the log house before the family joined him in their new home. The brush had to be grubbed out by hand. Dynamite was used to uproot the trees. The virgin soil was loose, fertile and easily cultivated. Wheat and oats were the principal grain crops grown for market. Other crops were grown for home consumption. John Edgar was appointed municipal councilor for the area, and he helped to build the first roads in the vicinity of the homestead. He was responsible for organizing the first school in the area. Bread, fish, wild berries and wild game provided their food. After a few years, another room was added to the log cabin. During the early homestead days, John Edgar won first prize for oats at the fair in Chicago. Sometime later, he bought 250 acres of land joining the homestead.
"In 1929, John Edgar built a local trade for the British American Oil Company, and within a year or so, he was branch manager in the village of Waskatenau. When the village was incorporated, he was appointed Secretary - Treasurer of the village, and he retained that position until a short time before his death on March 2, 1942. In the 1930's, John Edgar and Melissa Didema built a large house in Waskatenau and moved from the homestead. Melissa lived in this house until 1946, then lived with her daughter in Edmonton. She died April 17, 1950, and was buried beside her husband in Waskatenau." (CANTRELL-CANTRILL by Horace Elbert Cantrell, 1972, page 69-70)
Events
| Birth | June 17, 1867 | Kentucky | |||
| Marriage | April 2, 1896 | Melissa Didema Cantrell | |||
| Death | March 2, 1942 | Waskatenau, Alberta, Canada | |||
| Burial | Waskatenau Cemetery, Alberta, Canada |
Families
| Spouse | Melissa Didema Cantrell (1876 - 1950) |
| Child | Edgar Festus Vance (1897 - ) |
| Child | Maria Theresa Vance (1901 - ) |
| Child | Everett Delacy Vance (1903 - ) |
| Child | Freddie Alberta Vance (1910 - ) |