Donald Gagnon

   Another name for Donald was Daniel Gagnon.

  Research Notes:

A brief summary: Donald Anthony Gagnon was also known as Daniel Gagnon. It is not clear how the use of the given Daniel originated - it's possible that his birth name was the French name of Daniel with a French pronounciation, but in English became known as Donald. It is also not clear where he was born. Most records record his birth in Manitoba in the Red River Settlement. From a couple of Family Trees note his ancestors and that he comes from a family (likely on his great-grandmother's side) were Metis. His obit says he was born in Montreal, but I'm not sure if this is accurate (it is likely some early ancestors were from Montreal.

Donald/Daniel Gagnon was married 3 times. His first marriage was in 1884 to Jane White (b about 1862 and likely died prior to 1901), likely at the Red River Settlement [later known as Selkirk, MB] and that he likely had at least 3 children. His second marriage was to 'our' Carrie Anderson (her first marriage to Palmer Olson) around 1906. Carrie died in 1914. Donald/Daniel and Carrie did not have any children. His third marriage in 1917 in England. Donald/Daniel Gagnon served overseas during WW 1. He died in 1945 at Chillwack BC and records show that he had 3 children from his third marriage.

Donald/Daniel Gagnon likely came to Alberta sometime before Feb 1901, possibly as early as 1897 with his parents [note homestead pages]

Note that I have not added any of his children - none would have had any substantial involement with Carrie Anderson






1901 Canada Census, The Terriorities, Alberta; district Central Alberta [as of 31 Mar 1901]
sub-dis, Lamerton, polling district 81, page 2; enumeration 13 Apr 1901; dw/fam 11
Donald Gagnon, b 13 Mar 1864 in MB, age 37; rancher [a wife is NOT Recorded]
daughter Olive, b 30 Mar 1885 in MB, age 16
son Allan, b 20 Jun 1886 in MB, age 15

then, on line 4; dw/fam 12
Louis Gagnon, b 17 Oct 1835 in MB, age 62, Rancher
wife Mary, b 5 Jun 1829 b in ON, age 71 [nationality Scotish]


Western Canada Land Grants [AB homestead index
GAGNONDanielSW 1440224; File 834375 and same land file 724647 [patent 20 May 1904, 160 acres - name Daniel Gagnon]; film 2716
GAGNONLouisPt NE1440224; File 626632 [no image on patent page]; film 2071

Daniel Gagnon; homestead file on ancestry (image 1726 on reels 2700-2724, reel # 2716)
- entry 18 Feb 1901
- resident on homestead since entry
- 2 children reside on homestead [children not named, but likely daughter Olive and son Allan; wife is not noted]

Louis Gagnon; homesteard file on ancestry (image 1161)
- homestead entry on May 1901; but he declares that he built a house in the summer of 1897 and he had his wife have lived continuously on the homestead since the summer of 1898 [declaration dated 9 Feb 1904]
image 1163 - page 2 of sworen statement of 7 Feb 1904 - my wife and I are getting old...and cannot do much work ... I have to rely on my son, Daniel Gagnon to give me help when needed - he resides on the next quarter section ... my wife had a severe fall last winter and has not yet entirely recovered - she is 73 yrs old ...
- but then there is a second or admended sworn statement dated 13 Dec 1906]
- and image 1168 - a letter that notes a patent is obtained as of 8 Aug 1907, with a date stamp of 23 Aug 1907 [department of interior, Ottawa]


---------------------------------------- 25 Aug 2021


*** Donald A Gagnon; OBIT The Chilliwack Progress (Chilliwack, BC) 5 Sep 1945 page 7
- died at his home on 28 Aug 1945 at age 81. Born in Montreal
- served overseas with the Royal Canadain Engineers in WW 1 and in 1919 took up residence here (Chilliwack)
- survived by his wife (Katherine) and 4 daughters, Mrs A MacInnes, Mrs J W Enns both from Chilliwack;
Margaret and Carol at home; 2 sons Don at home and Pte Ian serving with the active army overseas (WW 2)

There are 2 Family Trees on Ancestry, specific to Donald Gagnon, both showing that he was married 3 times:
[1] Jane Maria White, 1862-bef 1901, likely in Winnipeg, and with 3 children, Olive Marie Gagnon (1885 in St Francois Xavirer, Red River Settlement, MB and died Jul 1949 in Lloyminster, AB; Allan Thomas Gagnon, b 1886, Red River Settlement, MB
and died 15 Feb 1952, Seattle, King Co; and, Sarah Gagnon, b 1890, Red River Settlement, MB and death unknown
[2] Carrie Anderson, 1857-1914; no children are noted
[3] Katherine Jenkins Grant, 1888 in Scotland and died 1977 in Chilliwack; with 3 children, Kathleen M
b 1918 in England, died unknown; Donald W b 1920 in Chilliwack and died 24 May 1955, Port Alberni, BC; and
Claire Florence Gagnon, b 1923 in Chilliwack and died 2002 in Chilliwack

1908; US, Border Crossings form Canada to US
Daniel A Gagnon, age 45 a Farmer
wife Carrie Olson Gagnon, age 51; last permamant residence - Victoria BC; designation - Seattle

Ancestry FTs
Anderson FT [Bryan Anderson]; access 25 Aug 2021
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/103172984/person/282238318813/facts
- records name as Donald Anthony Daniel Gagnon, b 1865 in Montreal; his father as Louis Napoleon Gagnon Jr
born 1839 in Red River Settlement, MB and that his father was Louison "Louis" Gagnon Sr b 1813
in the Red River Settlement and married to Mair Josdphte Meunier dit LaPierre
- but then notes a Census Index card for 1870 in MB
Louison Gagnon; 30, Headlingley [MB, just east of Winnipeg]; French Metis; b Manitoba
s. Louis Gagnon m. Mary McKenzie (Catholic); then, Donald 7, Mary Mathilda 5
[ and then a birth/baptism record for Louis Gagnon, b 17 Oct 1839 and with his father Louis Gagnon and
Josephte Minit - this record is in French handwriting and hard to make out details
BUT, this Loius Gagnon, b 1839 likely refers to the 1870 MB census card for Louison Gagnon age 30 who had a son
also named Loius and then a grandson, Donald age 7 or b 1863 ]


NOTE: BC Death Registration, 1945-09-666830; but no image on BC death website

FT: Leonard Robinson FT [Leonard Robinson]; access 25 Aug 2021
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/50498493/person/372239824535/facts
- records name as Daniel Gagnon - Daniel and Donald seem to be interchanged on some records, but appears to
be the same
- much of this information is the same as the FT above


NOTE: neither of the above 2 FTs record the 1911 Canada Census for Donald/Daniel Gagnon and Carrie Anderson


*** try to look further in the Vancouver City directories - even Victoria in 1908

Donald married Karin Svensdotter Andersson, daughter of Sven Andersson and Marit Nilsdotter, before 24 Jun 1906 in Alberta, Canada. (Karin Svensdotter Andersson was born on 13 Jan 1857 in Östmark, Värmland län, Sweden,⁵⁷⁶³ died on 18 Apr 1914 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and was buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.)