Document Record

Creator

British American Land Company.

Title

British American Land Company fonds
Fonds de la British American Land Company

Identifier

MIKAN: 100630
Reels/Bobines: C-15685 to C-15687
Archival Reference/Référence Archivistique: MG 24 I 54, R4017-0-X-E
oocihm.lac_mikan_100630
lac_mikan_100630

Subject

Papers
Business and commerce
Genealogy
Papiers
Affaires et commerce
Généalogie

Document source

Library and Archives Canada / Bibliothèque et Archives Canada

Notes

1832/1936

Language

English

Description

The British American Land Company was chartered in March 1834 and was promoted by John Galt (1779 - 1839), who had founded the Canada Company, and Edward Ellice (1793 - 1863), Lower Canada’s largest absentee landowner, among others. It purchased crown land in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, but ran into a slew of problems as settlers found the land holdings fairly inaccessible and land costs too high. Land from the company was ceded to the government in 1841 due to overdue payments, and the company appointed John Galt’s son, Alexander T. Galt (1817 - 1893), as local commissioner (1844 - 1855). He increased land prices, but allowed a longer payment time. General immigration and local land sales increased. Urged by Galt and his successor, R.W. Heneker, the company invested in railways and industrial pursuits to stimulate sales. Although the company operated until the 1950s, most of its land had been sold by 1910.
This collection consists of official records, 1832-1895; correspondence, 1835-1839, 1926-1936; a letterbook, 1834-1886; a commissioner's letterbook, 1880-1888, 1907-1910; register of land deeds issued 1835-1866; land contracts, sales, transfers, leases, 1838-1934; reports on lots owned by the Company, 1886-1904; reports and other material, 1861-1935; and other material including reports, 1850-1905.
Series consists of constitutions, minutes, membership records and correspondence of the organizations which constituted or joined the alliance including the Sons of Poland, 1907-1937; the St. Stanislaw Kostka Society, 1912-1921; the Polish Progressive Union, 1918-1923; the Polish Democratic Council, 1922-1928; the Filarets, 1913-1919.

URL

https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_mikan_100630