David Erickson

  Research Notes:

Summary: David Erickson (1872-1918) and Edward Erickson (1866-1942)


David was the youngest son of Jons Ericksson and Kajsa Halstensdotter. He was their only child that was born in MN (1872) and lived to adulthood - his 2 older brothers were born in Östmark parish in Sweden. David lived with his parents on the family farm in Stockholm Twp, Wright Co, MN. Around 1895 or 1896 he moved to Eddy Co, ND and homesteaded about 8 kms south of the town of Sheyenne. Around 1899 (possibly 1898) he traveled with the Alfred J Hanson family (Alfred was a 1st cousin), who had homesteaded in the area around Kennedy, Saskatchewan. Sometime around 1904 or 1905, David along with his brother, Edward, travelled to Terrace BC area. I am not sure of their route. The most direct route was probably by train to Vancouver and then by steamboat up the coast (likely following the route known today as the inland passage) to the area around Prince Rupert. Although there were steamboats to the area around Port Essington and further inland following Skeena River on stearnwheelers through what was known as the Kitselas canyon and on to Hazelton. There were likely trails going west to Prince George and from there west to Terrace. But this is "rugged" country, and not a very likely hiking country. And to get to Prince George, there would have only been trails following the Fraser River [train travel to Prince George wasn't until 1916]. The town of Terrace was first settled around 1905.

Both David and his brother Edward Erickson are recorded in the 1911 Census at the area around Kitselas, but the exact location is not known. Edward was married in 1913 and at that time his address was recorded as "Van Arsdol" post office, also known as Vanarsdol. This area is just a bit east of the junction of the Skeena River and the Copper River. Apparently it was named after the Chief Engineer of the Grand Trunk Railway (the GTR began in Prince Rupert in 1908 and was completed to Hazelton in 1914. Doug Gent on his website (see below) mentions a few people who had land or farms in the Vanarsdol area. One of the names, "E W Erickson, mixed farm" but no other comments. This is likely 'our' Edward Erickson, but I'm not aware the middle initial "W" - this is likely an error or a printing error. [ https://gent-family.com/Terrace/vanarsdol.html ].

David had an earlier BC Crown Grant in the Vanarsdol area north of Terrace. He had Lot 987, however, I can't find the exact location of this land [iMap BC shows lot 987 next to the Kitselas IR, but doesn't give any detail such as the name of any nearby roads]. David paid $80 for 80 acres, with the actual grant papers dated 11 Feb 1911, but it is likely that he arrived in the area and staked the land and made some improvements before this date. Both David and Edward are recorded in the same household in the 1911 Census, but the census does not record a specific address, other than Kitselas. It is likely that David's land was close to Edward's which is located 4-5 kms from the junction of Kitselas Rd and Church Rd, but David's land might be a bit south. Both David and Edward are recorded in the 1911 Canada Census as Ranchers. Edward finalized his land grant of 80 acres on lot 430 on 13 Jan 1919. David likely sold his land grant around 1911 or so. Edward likely sold this land around 1919, since he and his wife moved to the Punchaw area after David died in 1918.

It appears that about 1911 or 1912, David moved the the Punchaw area, south west of Prince George or north west of Quensel, near by or along the Mud River. It is hard to pinpoint exact location. The BC pre-emption registers on FamilySearch record that David had taken a pre-emption on 1 Feb 1913, but on 24 Jun 1913 [Lot 3829 - iMapBC shows the lot is north of the Salmon River and west of the Fraser River; east of Hwy 97 and using Google Maps, along the railway from Prince George, is just north of Salmon Valley Road; 9 Oct 2023]. David later had another pre-emption record on 3 Jul 1915 for Lot 6520, NE¼ - see below and see point 3, below

In Sep 2023 I did done some further and made further notes \endash see David's research page on my Legacy data, point 3. David died on 28 May 1918. Based on the BC death registration certificate, he had some type of fall that resulted in a fracture of his brain. On 12 Jul 2023, I found a newspaper article from the Quesnel Cariboo Observer newspaper, issue 1 Jun 1918. This article is regarding the death of a person only named as "D. Ericksen". A large tree branch had fallen and struck him on the forehead. A group of natives had put him on a sled and pulled him to Blackwater, a distance of about 20 kms. From there a doctor from Quesnel had driven out and started to return to Quesnel, but David died on route [I have made a few more notes from the article on David's research page, point 5; a PDF of the article is located in David's folder on my PC].

He is buried at the Quensel Pioneer Cemetery, although there isn't a grave marker, and the location of his burial plot is not known.



Edward was born in Sweden and along with his parents and siblings emigrated to the US in 1867. His family settled in Stockholm Twp, Wright Co, MN. As indicated above sometime in 1904 or 1905, Edward along with his brother traveled to the Skeena River area, east of current town on Terrace, BC. It is possible that Edward had gone first and then Edward came, but that is not known. As indicated above, Edward had 80 acres of land in this area [Lot 430, coast land division], but likely sold this land around 1919, when he moved to the land that his brother David had.

It is likely that Edward and his wife Julia moved to the Punchaw area around 1919 or 1920. Most likely Edward completed the paper work for the David's land [Lot 6520, Cariboo], as part of David's estate. Edward and Juli continued to ranch and trap in the Punchaw area of BC after David's death. As indicated, Edward had to move to Quesnel around 1939 due to illness. He died in 1942 in Quesnel and is buried at the Old Pioneer Cemetery in Quesnel. His wife Julia continued to live in Quesnel. Julia died in 1960.

The BC Pre-emption records note that Edward has taken a pre-emption on Lot 8427 on 21 Feb 1918 but abandoned this on 9 May 1918 [David died 28 May 1918]. This Lot is about 10 kms north west of the junction of the Chilako River and Nechako River or about 10-15 km straight west of Prince George, taking a direct line. On 21 May 1919, just a few days before his brother David died, Edward had also taken a pre-emption on the SE¼ of Lot 6520. With the land from David's estate, Edward had 320 acres of land, some it being farmed or used to graze some cattle.

As far as I have been able to determine, neither David or Edward had any children.

[written by Rueben D Grue, Revised 25 Sep 2023; original version 27 Jul 2020.
Copywrite 2023. All rights reserved. ]


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on the BC Crown Lands Grant search for David Erickson
https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/gator/crowngrantsearch.do

includes David's Land Grant north of Terrace
and then 2 lines: "Erickson, David (Estate), date 20 Oct 1919, Grant No 1809"
- click on details: "names, Edward Erickson, Ida Olson and Karolina Rundquist", Lot 6520 NE - 160 acres

British Columbia Pre-emption Registers, 1860-1971; Cariboo, Fort George ; Family Search
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-994S-NWDD?i=24&wc=MHJS-4WG%3A351127701%2C351127702&cc=2053657 ; See David/Edward's file folder for a short document on searching the BC Pre-emption Registers....

David Erickson: image 62, number 3624 - NE¼ Lot 6520; date of record: 3 Jul 1915

Around 1915, David came to the Mud River area. The newspaper article [1 June 1918, about his death] notes that he had a pre-emption. He started to live on the land, farm, hunt and trap. Without seeing the actual paper file, he likely staked the land, but didn't do the final paperwork before he died. My understanding is that his brother came to that area and went to David's cabin and at some point Edward and his wife Julia decided to move to the cabin. It appears that Edward and his two sisters "inherited" the land lot 6520 from David and the BC Crown lands website is recording David's estate, that is, his heirs - Edward, Ida and Karolina.

Note: 8 Jun 1918 paper - M. Erickson from Terrace came to Quesnel ...brother of the deceased man
...... note: the initial M is likely an error or misprint error.
.....

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--------------- 13 May 2023 --- see BC Crown Land Grants -----

Sharons Tree FT, https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/82652950/person/30464114421/facts
- this links to Kajsa Hallensdotter, b 1827


1.

1895 MN State Hennipen Co (part 4), Minneapolis (ward 4-5), page 5 and 6; fam 45; address 1813 Clinton Ave

then, ** David Erickson: age 25 [maybe 23] b in MN; in MN 23 yrs, 1 month; in this jurisdiction: 1 month; labor
living with his sister Mary b 1856 and her husband Andrew Bergstrom


1901 Canadian Census (The Terrorites, Assiniboia East District, sub district 55, Fletwode (SK), page 2 line 44,
David Erickson is living on the farm with Alfred J Hanson (Halstensson), and family dw and fam 21 [starting with line 37]; Alfred J Hanson, born in 1869 in US and em 1899
- line 44, David Erickson, age 29 1871 in US and em 1899; recorded as a lodger

David and Alfred would be 1st cousins. Note that starting with line 34 is the William [John William] Hedman family, a 1st cousin once removed - he also had a homesteaded



1911 Canada Census: District: Comox Atlin, sub - 4; Kitselas, page 6, line 32 and 33
[Kitselas, 10+ kms northeast of Terrace, and currently First Nation]
Name as: Edward Ericson, b Oct 1866 in Sweden age 44, emigrated 1904; both recorded as a "rancher"
and on the next line is David Ericson, b Oct 1872 in the US age 36; emigrated 1898
[automated genealogy: http://automatedgenealogy.com/census11/SplitView.jsp?id=17269 ]


2.
SK Homestead: David Erickson, SW Sec 18, twp 12, Range 3, W2 [file 721992 ; patent issued 8 Jun 1905, letters patent - from Library and Archives Canada ]. I can't prove that this is 'our' David Erickson since the homestead file images are not on-line. However, this is likely him, since in the 1901 Canada census he is recorded with his first cousin, Alfred J [John Alfred] Hanson and nearby is another cousin William Hedman and William's father, John Peterson Hedman

*** see word doc, "Twp 12, Rge 12-13, W2 - west-east of Kennedy, SK" z-folder - Kaisa Halsten .... -- 16 Jul 2023


** Note: David Erickson or his brother Edward are NOT recorded in the 1906 Canada Prairie Provinces in Sask - automated or ancestry pages. David likely left the Saskatchewan 1904 or 1905 and went to the Skeena River area, just north of city of Terrace. The 1911 Canada Census notes that Edward emigrated in 1904 and so I think David had gone to this area earlier or it is just as likely that they traveled together around 1904. BUT of course, it is also possible that Edward came to David's homestead west of Kennedy, Sk, and then he and David travelled to the Terrace BC area in 1905.


North Dakota homestead. Letters Patent isssued 7 Dec 1899 (same date as John William Hedman)
N½ of NW¼, SE¼ of NW¼ and SW¼ of NW¼ of Sec 34, Twp 150 N, Range 66 West, Eddy Co, ND
[abt 8 kms south of Sheyenne on 25 St NE off of Hwy 218.]
US Track Books: Vol 73, image 85; entry fee of $10.00 paid on 21 Aug 1896 (receipt 8295) with final of $200 on 17 Apr 1899




3. Death and Punchaw area research

.. BC Death Registration: 1918-09-242536 , David Erickson [no image on website; but see z-folder - photo from Sharon Knapp, Aug 2015 on ancestry]
died 28 May 1918; Blackwater


.. a copy of a newspaper death notice of the death of Edward Erickson in 1942 and a copy of David's BC death registration is posted on Brodin Ostlund FT - I have downloaded this and saved as a PDF [ currently in z folder, Kaisa Halstensdotter; 26 Jul 2020 ]
= also on Sharons Tree FT, she had posted on 12 Aug 2015 a page showing a photo of David taken in Minneapolis and also a photo of partial inside of David's cabin after his death (1918) with the caption, "David Erickson's cabin as Edward found it shortly after his death" [ saved under z-folder, Kaisa ... as of 26 Jul 2020]


Punchaw area

There are 2 other place names that are found in information on Edward and David Erickson. One is Blackwater mentioned as the location for David Erickson's death - this is closer to David's cabin, but still is a distance to the east. The other is Punchaw where he had a cabin. Punchaw is closer to the location of his cabin. Google maps [and Mapcarta] shows the Punchaw area alongside Chilako River and close to the Telegraph Trail Road. Unfortunately, versions of goolge maps changes - viewing the map of the area in Sep 2023 is somewhat different than in 2020.

In Sep 2023, I used 'iMapBC' to locate Lot 6520, the land that David's brother and sisters 'inherited' after David died in 1918. Using 'iMapBC', Google Maps, David's land is west from the Punchaw Lake Recreation Site. David's land is close to 80 kms north west of Quensel, BC. In the next paragraph, I have outlined the route of travel from Quesnel to the area of David's land. Keep in mind, that today most of the roads are gravel and what roads there are travel through forests, and bypass creeks and small lakes. The area likely is very sparsely populated.

From the west side of Quensel, travel north on North Fraser Road [turning to the right just after crossing the river going towards "west Quensel"]. After traveling about 5-6 kms, the North Fraser Road turns into Blackwater Road. Blackwater Road travels north then west and then north again. After about another 5-6 kms, the Blackwater Road turns to the north at a rural community area known as Bouchie Lake. The Blackwater Road turns north at a junction with Nazko Road. The Blackwater Road weaves north and west for about 50 kms when it crosses the West Road River, also known as Blackwater River. At this crossing google maps record, "Blackwater River Crossing Recreation Site". Near here the area is known as Blackwater settlement, but with Google street view and satelite view from 2023, there are a couple of farms/ranches in this area, as well as, a couple of native reserves. Interestly, just north of the crossing is "Alexander MacKenzie Recreation Trail".* Continuing north for about 15 kms, the Blackwater Road passes the Punchaw Lake Recreation site. At this point, there is a junction with Punchaw Road and the Blackwater Road. At this junction, turn west. Of course the Blackwater Road continues north until it reaches the Yellowhead Highway [Hwy 16], west of Prince George. Travelling west from the junction of Blackwater Rd and Punchaw Road, the road crosses a Forestry Road after about 10kms. Continue west for another 4-5 kms the road changes to Telegraph Trail Rd and after 2-3 kms the Telegraph Trail crosses the Chilako River. But less than a km before the river crossing, the land just to the west is the eastern boundary of Lot 6520, and the David's land.

According to BC Geographical names [https://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/bcgnws/names/5848.html], the Chilako River flows into the Nechakow River just west of Prince George. The Chilako River was named in 1917 from the Indigenous name Tsalakhoh, 'the river in the hands of the beaver'. The bridge built over this river was dubbed the "Mud River Bridge" because the banks in the vicinity of the bridge are 200 feet of soft mud; the nickname for the bridge probably resulted in the early misunderstanding of the meaning of the name Chilako.

I think that in the the late 1910s and into the 1920s and later, the place names of "Mud River country", Blackwater, or Punchaw" were place names that covered a very large geographic area. And I think, that 1920s and later the Chilako River was locally known as or called the Mud River. And so even David's cabin's location and the surrounding may have been known as the Mud River area. Even as late as the 1940s, Edvard's death notice in the Quesnel papers is noted as a "Mud River Rancher." The address noted on David's BC death certificate is recorded as "Blackwater".

The 1921 Census records Edward was living at Upper Mud River on Lot 6520, but the census doesn't list land location. Edward's newspaper death notice, states that he ranched and trapped at Mud River country. Remember that at this time in 1918, it is unlikely there were very many roads, but there was likely some walking trails or horse trails, and mostly likely following the Chilako River valley - note that the Chilako River is not a big river and thus there is no much of a valley; there are higher hills or ridges. Looking at current google maps, there are a number of homes/ranches with cleared land close to the river. The hills are forested, but with many forested clear cuts. In 1918, much of the area around Punchaw would have been mostly wilderness with a few scattered cabins. Most of the area was likely forested with small rivers, creeks and lakes. The area did not have higher mountains, but would have been on a high plateau. The closest major river is the Fraser River that does carve a wide valley. About 200 kms to the east is the highest mountains in the Bowron Lake area west of Barkerville, and to the west about 200 kms (cross-country) to the start of the Coast Mountains.


* Alexander Mackenzie was a Scottish explorer and fur trader known for accomplishing the first crossing of North America in 1793. Alexander Mackenszie's group [along with native, Nuxalk and Carrier guides] took the Parsnip River, crossed the continental divide, and eventually canoed down the Fraser River to Alexandria just south of Quesnel
[close to 40 kms south of Quesnel. On the advice of local First Nations people, who guided Mackenzie and his party to the Pacific Ocean, they gave up the river route for an overland one.

The overland journey started just above the mouth of the Blackwater River at the West Road River west of Quesnel, taking them through the Upper Blackwater, along the Kluskus Lake, Eliguk Lake and Gatcho Lake, [these lakes are east and a bit south of the Blackwater River Crossing, the location noted above] through parts of what is now Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, over the Rainbow Mountains, into the Bella Coola Valley and "Friendly Village". He arrived at the Pacific Ocean on 20 Jul 1793.

Alexander MacKenzie Heritage Trail (also Nuxalk-Carrier Route, Blackwater Trail, or simply The Grease Trail) covers total distance is about 420 kms. Experienced hikers can expect the route to take about 18 days, whereas intermediate hikers may require at least 24 days. Only a few hiking or horse riding parties, plus a few ATVs or trucks, pass along the trail each year. [much of the above was from wikipedia]

*** I have a few screen shots from Google Maps and satellite view of the general area between Quesnel and David's cabin. [z-folder, Kaisa ... then, David and Edvard, 26 Sep 2023]


4.

According to the death certificate [posted on Sharon's FT - see above]

David's cause of death was a fractured skull - fracture of the parietal bone with lacerations of the brain.
The death cert: [registration #, 1918-09-242536 ]
- born in Aug 1872 in MN
- been in this area about 7 years [about 1911] and in Canada 22 years or about 1896
- former residence - Skeena River
- father John Erickson born in Sweden and mother Carrie Alstanse..? [Carrie Halstensson or Kaisa Halstensdotter], born in Sweden
- informant: Edward Erickson; address Vanarsdol

NO indication that he was married or had children.


5. newspaper article: The Quesnel Cariboo Observer, 1 Jun 1918, page A1 [see downloaded PDF - his folder in 'z'

- he was sitting under a tree with a group of natives; a large branch that became loose when another falling tree had struck against, with a branch falling
- he looked up and the large branch struck him on the forehead
- the natives could resuscitate him and so they placed him on a sled and pulled over the ground to Blackwater
[13 miles away; 21 kms]
- at Blackwater, a telegraph was sent; Dr Baker came on Tuesday along with Police constable Harris by car [likely driving similar route as current Blackwater Road]
- the doctor said he had a fractured skull and immediately set off to return to Quesnel.
- after about 3 miles, he died; the car also had an accident [but the article isn't clear if David died before or because of the accident] accident was about 3 miles [close to 5 kms] "this side of Swan Lake" - likely meaning about 3 miles past Swan Lake towards Quesnel [can't find a map showing 'Swan Lake']
- Con Harris walked to Blackwater and a telegraphed for another car to be sent; returned to Quesnel 11 PM on Wednesday

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Move, 1904 or 1905, 1904 or 1905, Terrace, British Columbia, Canada. It is most likely that David and his brother, Edvard, left the Kennedy, SK area in 1904 or possibly in 1905. Neither David or Edvard are recorded in the Canada 1906 of AB, SK, MB in the area around Kennedy. They likely took and train to Vancouver and then a boat to Prince Rupert and then to Terrace. They did have land in the Vanarsdol area just north/east if Terrace. [see research notes and summary]

2. Burial, 1918, May 1918, Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada. Quesnel and District Cemetery, Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada. The Quesnel Musuem has a binder that records most of the burial plots in the cemetery [staff use only]. I understand that the list was developed by volunteers from a variety of sources - funeral, burial, newspaper notices, BC death certificates and so forth. The museum staff note that the location of a number of individuals are not known, including David's. There is a record of a plot for Edward Erickson and his wife - plot number 1225 and 1227.