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February 4, 2016

Alberta, Canada, Homestead Records, 1870-1930

A new collection launched on Ancestry will be of interest to those with ancestors in Alberta Canada.  

Alberta, Canada, Homestead Records, 1870-1930  is a valuable land record collection that includes the names of approximately 200,000 people who applied for homesteads in Alberta under the Dominion Lands Act - an 1872 law aimed to encourage the settlement of the Canadian Prairies


Compiled during a time where the population was expanding to Western Canada, this collection is a valuable resource for those hoping to learn more about their ancestors who settled in The Princess Province.



Here’s a bit more insight on the collection:
 

Background:
·         In order to encourage migration to the west, settlers were offered the chance to apply for a 160-acre homestead in areas of their choice in Alberta.
·         After paying a $10 filing fee and agreeing to build up their homestead to include items such as a house and barn, fencing, breaking and cropping a portion of the land, the homesteader could apply for the title to the land.  

The Collection:
·         The collection contains 1,622,218 images and 206,457 records showing basic biographical information such applicants’ name, age, place of birth, former place of residence, date of entry on the land and marital status. 

Image: Alberta, Canada, Homestead Records, 1870-1930 for Amy Ellen Brown (Smith)

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