This sub-series is artificially created and contains records that did not fit into any of the preceding series or sub-series.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
The records in this sub-series concern A.E. McKenzie's personal life. It contains a number of documents created by his father, F. B. McKenzie, including land deeds, financial records, and a grant of probate. The sub-series also includes documents concerning the Ontario Mutual Life Assurance Co., the dissolution of partnership between A.E. McKenzie and George. E. McKenzie, the release of F.B. McKenzie's estate to his son and a copy of A.E. McKenzie's mother's last will and testament.
Also included within the sub-series is a file or correspondence between McKenzie and R.B. Dessert, a former employee of McKenzie Seeds who established his own seed company in California after leaving Brandon. The correspondence is almost entirely personal in nature.
Thank you letters regarding Brandon College and scholarships, as well as minutes from meetings of the Education Advisory Board can also be found within the sub-series.
Albert Edward McKenzie was born in Wilcox Lake, York County, Ontario in 1870 to Francis Bethel McKenzie and Maria (Carley) McKenzie. In 1882 he moved to Brandon, Manitoba with his family, where his father established a Flour, Seed and Grain business. At the age of twenty-six, following his father’s death, A. E. took over the family business and transformed it into a seed institute. As the President of The Brandon Seed House, and, later, A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd., Mr. McKenzie played a central role in the daily operations of his company up until three weeks prior to his death on September 25, 1964.
In 1901, Mr. McKenzie married Laura Bell of Carmen, Manitoba, with whom he had two daughters, Marjorie and Kathleen. Kathleen married Walter C. Roberts and became a member of the Board of Directors of her father's company. Marjorie graduated from Brandon College, and received additional degrees from the Columbia College of Expression, and from Northwestern University. From 1927-1930 she taught at Brandon College, then resigned to do post-graduate work. She returned to Brandon College in 1935 as Instructor of Public Speaking and Dean of Women in Clark Hall. Marjorie resigned as Dean of Women after one year, and eventually relocated to British Columbia. Both Kathleen and Marjorie survived their father. Laura had passed away in 1943. At the time of his death. A.E. McKenzie was also survived by had one grandson: David McKenzie Roberts.
In addition to building his company into one of Canada's foremost seed institutes, McKenzie was also involved with many community projects. He was affiliated with the YMCA, YWCA, Salvation Army, and Community Chest. He was a charter member of the Kiwanis Club, and a long-term officer of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce. However, McKenzie's major interest was Brandon College, for which he served as a governor and as chairman of the board of governors for the College.
A central figure in the fight to save Brandon College, McKenzie was instrumental in the formation of Brandon College Inc., and, in 1945, he established the A. E. McKenzie Foundation, for which the Government of Manitoba was the sole trustee. His gift to the
Foundation was securities valued at $1 million, which ensured the survival and re-establishment of Brandon College and later Brandon University.
In 1941, McKenzie received the degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa from the University of Manitoba. In 1962, he was honored with a certificate of merit for exemplary citizenship in commerce and in every aspect of community life from the City of Brandon.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of correspondence created and received by A.E. McKenzie during his years as President/General Manager dealing with the operation of his company. This includes construction estimates, and correspondence with the company's lawyer, Wm. Johnson. A letter from Gairdner & Company Limited regarding McKenzie's attempt to reacquire ownership of A. E. McKenzie Ltd. from the Province of Manitoba.
The sub-series also contains material relating to legal matters: one file concerns a successful legal action against the A.E. McKenzie Seed Company by the Canadian Alfalfa Association. The action arose following the sale of seed to a seed company located in Berlin, Germany in 1938. A second file deals with the prosecution of the company in Bismarck, North Dakota for mail fraud. The company lost both cases. Patents secured by the company are also included within the sub-series.
Also contained within the legal sub-series are records dealing with A.E. McKenzie's passing. These include correspondence with the National Trust Company and Miss Jean MacKay, and a summary of A.E. McKenzie's will. There are also some documents dealing with McKenzie's stocks and shares in the Company.
Documentation relating to the 1918 By-Law Campaign, in which McKenzie tried to secure tax relief for his company in relation to the construction of its new plant, is also included within the sub-series.
The sub-series is divided into six sub sub series, including: (1) Secretary; (2) Legal Matters; (3) Correspondence; (4) Patents; (5) By-Law Campaign 1918; and (6) Miscellaneous.
Notes
* "Tapes" in the Related Material field refers to hard copy written summaries originally provided on tape for typing. Organization by tape number was found to be more efficient than listing these items by title.
Language Note
Within McS 2 1.3, the correspondence sub sub series, there are some documents written in Gregg shorthand. No translation is available.
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 2 Office of the President/General Manager
Related Material
Regarding sub sub series McS 2 2.2 (Legal Matters): The court pocket for the alfalfa case involving McKenzie Seeds at the Court of Queen's Bench in Regina, Saskatchewan may be available through the Saskatchewan Archives Board. John Diefenbaker acted for the Alfalfa Association in this case.
Historical Topics under A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. fonds, Series 2 (Office of the President/GM), sub-series 2 (J. Lasby Lowes) contains some information regarding McKenzie's patents (file 16, Tapes 29 and 30), and a legal case in Bismarck, North Dakota in 1957 regarding the violation of mail fraud statutes involving the sale of seed wheat (file 11, Tape 26)*. Information regarding the sale of Alfalfa seed to a German seed company is available in file 2. There are also a number of files containing information about A. E. McKenzie.
In 1945 the A. E. McKenzie Trust of 1939, which led to the formation of Brandon College Incorporated, was cancelled. As a result A.E., who was still trying to solve the College's financial problems, set about attaining a special act of legislature that would enable him to transfer 90% of his company's stockholdings to the control of the Province of Manitoba to benefit the College.
See fonds level administrative history description.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series includes correspondence regarding the McKenzie Foundation between Brandon College Inc., McKenzie Seeds, William Johnson and the Government of Manitoba. It also contains records dealing with Educational Advisory Board. A substantial amount of this correspondence is in regards to the payment of Brandon College Inc. from the McKenzie Foundation. In addition, there is also correspondence generated by the Comptroller-General and Wm. Johnson regarding Foundation Account, as well as some other financial information.
Various documents are also present within the sub-series, including Bill 87, amendments, an authorization provision for variation in agreement and an agreement between McKenzie, Brandon College Inc. and the National Trust. A collection of prepared statements or briefs, many written by A.E. McKenzie regarding the purpose and future of the Foundation are also included.
Information regarding the A.E. McKenzie Foundation can be found in Series 2 (Office of the President/GM), sub-series 2 (J. Lasby Lowes), Historical Topics file 1 (Tape 9).
Series 5 (Photographs), oversized drawer #4 contains newspaper clippings dealing with the establishment of the McKenzie Foundation.
The scrapbooks in this sub-series are fragile, particularly the product book. They must be handled with great care.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of three scrapbooks. Two of the three contain copies of advertisements for a number of businesses, including McKenzie Seeds, Steele Briggs, Patmore's, Rennie's, and McFayden Seeds. Clippings dealing with a variety of other companies in the seed industry are also included. The third scrapbook contains pictures of various flowers, vegetable, herbs and other seed products in alphabetical order. An inventory is available for the third scrapbook.
Notes
Date(s) of creation, including distribution, publication, etc.:
a) [No title] ad book - 1906-1911
b) "Scrap Book" ad book - 1917-1926
c) [No title] product book - c.1903 - c.1940
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 6 Miscellaneous
This sub-series consists of publications that did not fit into any of the preceding series or sub-series.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series includes one copy each of Manitoba Business Top 100 (June 1985), Trade and Commerce Supplement, Brandon (c. 1963) and Manitoba Business (November 1985).
It also includes a Christmas Song book, the book "By Gossip and Myth" by Prof. George MacDowell and a document entitled "Background Information re A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd."
The following newspaper clippings have been located in the map case drawer #4 located in the archives reading room:
1. $175,000 Gift Set for College from City Man
2. McKenzie Will Leaves House to Arts Centre
3. The Old Alma Mater is Down on Her Knees
4. How to Help the Alma Mater
5. Good Things are "growing" on at McKenzie Seeds (ad)
6. Fire fails to halt work at McKenzie Seeds
7. McKenzie Seeds: new facilities are first in North America
8. A full-page advertisment for McKenzie Seeds from "The Brandon Sun" (September 24, 1971)
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 6 Miscellaneous
File consists of correspondence, copies of legal documents, a copy of the plan establishing the Foundation, background information on McKenzie Seeds and the McKenzie Seed Foundation, minute excerpts and financial information.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 2: Board of Governors
2.4 Correspondnece and subject files
Box 5
The program for the McKenzie Centennial Exhibit describes the materials in this sub-series as a "visual collection of artifacts, printed materials and photographs, 1883-1996, celebrating the centennial of A.E. McKenzie Co. Inc."
Created by current employees and based on research by Nancy McLennan, Sandra Head and J. Lasby Lowes, the McKenzie Centennial Exhibit opened on April 25, 1996. It remained open to the public on every Thursday between 2 to 4 p.m. to the end of June, 1996. Some of the furnishings used in the display were contributed by the Daly House Museum. Located in the McKenzie Building, the exhibit was assembled along the corridors of the building. It contained a variety of materials, such as invoices, pay envelopes, blueprints, documents, furniture and photographs from the one hundred years of McKenzie Seeds’ history.
Following the close of the exhibit, a smaller permanent installation was to be constructed at the McKenzie Building.
Custodial History
In the course of preparing the exhibit, Nancy McLennan took documents from the collection, but failed to make a record of where the documents came from. As a result, these materials have been left in the Centennial sub-series. It proved impossible to return them to their original place in the fonds.
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series includes the individual descriptions of each exhibit printed on small white envelopes, a guide to the exhibit, a photograph listing for photos used in the various displays and the 1973 Directory of Canadian Chartered Accountants. The sub-series also includes intact files for exhibits 1, 5, 7, 8, 10, 39 and 40, Wholesale Sales Literature, Steele Briggs Seed Co., Scrimping and Spending Big Time, Seed Wagon, Mostly Catalogue Inserts, Letterhead, and For Your Reading Pleasure, respectively.
In addition, a number of booklets made by the creators of the exhibit are also contained within the sub-series. These booklets are primarily a combination of original and reproduced sales literature and catalogues, but also may or may not contain some correspondence, seed packets, clippings and history for McKenzie Seeds, Pike Seeds/Robertson Seeds, Acquisitions (Steele Briggs, Canada Seeds, Brett-Young Seeds), and McFayden/McConnell.
In addition to the above booklets, there are also materials dealing with the catalogues and sales literature of McKenzie Seed Co. suppliers, such as Bodger Seeds, H. Keft from Holland, the Denholm Seed Company, and the Vis Brothers. A number of documents, programs and booklets relating to the seed industry in general, such as the "Black Leaf" Bulletin and a number of documents relating to agriculture in Manitoba are also included.
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 6 Miscellaneous
Related Material
Photographs from the Centennial Exhibition of McKenzie Seeds can be found in Series 5 (Photographs), sub-series 5.9 (Centennial Photos).
Materials were in the possession of Harvey Young until their donation to the McKee Archives in 2008.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of one file containing a copy of the history of the Geology Department and a drawing of its layout when it was located in the H-Huts. Both were created by Harvey Young.
Lorelei Cederstrom (nee Sajeck) was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 16, 1938. She obtained her B.A. from Valparaiso University in 1959 with majors in English and Music, and her M.A. in English from Carleton University in 1969. She was employed by the University of Manitoba as a teaching assistant in the English Department and Lecturer in the Evening and Extension Division from 1971 - c. 1979. In 1980, she began her career at Brandon University as an Assistant English Professor with BUNTEP/Impacte.
With James C. Cederstrom she had two children, a son and a daughter. Lorelei Cederstrom passed away in Brandon, Manitoba on July 27, 2002.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains course materials, course outlines, grades, notebooks, correspondence, memos, minutes for various University committees, English Department records, publications and research. The latter includes material on Doris Lessing and Walt Whitman.
Henri Georges Francq was born September 11, 1904 in Charleroi, Belgium. He was educated at Licencie L.S.C. in Antwerp (1924) before joining he father's import/export firm. He lived in France, Algeria and Spain before emigrating to Canada in the early 1960s. Francq obtained Canadian citizenship in 1975.
In 1963-1964, Francq taught French at Swan River Collegiate, before joining the faculty of Brandon University in 1964. For the next ten years Francq taught French, Linguistics and French Literature, and from 1970-1972 he was Acting Head of the Department of French. Francq also organized serveral French festivals in Brandon and lectures of visiting professors from France and the University of Alberta, and introduced the program of Voix et Images de France at Brandon Univeristy. After his retirement in 1974, he was accorded the status of Professor Emeritus (French).
During his career Francq was also the head of the Department of French at the Banff Summer School of Fine Arts (1968), and invited to give lectures and poetry recitals (in French) at: St. Boniface College; the University of Calgary; the University of Regina; the University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon); Simon Fraser University; the University of Victoria; and the University of Western Ontario. In addition to these activities, Francq was also a prolific writer; he is the author of approximately fourteen fiction and non-fiction books in both English and French, as well as numerous articles. His wide interests included satire and history, as well as ficition.
Henri Francq, who was survived by his wife Yvonne, died in Brandon on May 5, 1991.
Custodial History
The records in accession 12-1999 were donated to the McKee Archives in May 1990.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of correspondence, original manuscripts and published versions of fiction, non-fiction works and research materials.
Repro Restriction
Copyright for this material remains with the Francq estate.
Storage Location
MG 3 Brandon University Teaching and Administration
1.8 Henri Franq
Related Material
RG 6, Series 7, Sub-series 7.1 (Dean of Arts) contains a file on Henri Franq.
21 pages of textual records; approximately 4500 slides
Physical Condition
Excellent
History / Biographical
John Welsted was born in Norwich, England on December 6, 1935. In 1958, he received his B.Sc. from the University of Bristol. He obtained his M.Sc. from McGill University in 1960, and his post-graduate certificate in Eduction from the University of Bristol in 1961. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Bristol in 1971.
In the early 1960s, Welsted taught at high schools in Midenhead, England and in Oromocto, New Brunswick. In 1964-1965, he was an Instructor in the Geography Department at the University of Bristol, and in the summers of 1965-1967, he completed fieldwork in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Welsted joined the faculty of Brandon College/University in 1965, as a member of the Geography Department. There he taught courses and served as Acting Head in 1968. John Welsted retired from Brandon University in 1997.
With his wife June, Welsted had two children: Alison and Ian. He later married Kathleen Georgison and became stepfather to Kjirsten, Paul, Peter and Hayley. John Welsted died in Victoria, BC on September 21, 2009.
Custodial History
The document was donated to the Archives on November 5, 2001 by Dr. John Welsted of the Geography Department. The slides were donated by Welsted in August 2006.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of a paper, 21 pages in length, titled "Geography at Brandon University: 1962-2001."
It also contains human and physical geography slides of Manitoba and areas other than Manitoba. The slides were created by John Welsted as visual aids for use in his teaching and for use in publications by himself and the Geography Department. They constitute a unique record of the geography of southwestern Manitoba in the later half of the twentieth century.
Notes
All commercially produced slides were culled. An inventory by subject and by box is available.
See RG 6, series 4, sub-series 4.2 (Office of the Vice-President (Administration & Finance)) for biographical information on D.R. MacKay.
Custodial History
Records were accessioned by the McKee Archives in 2000. Previous custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of personal correspondence and financial records of D.R. MacKay.
Access Restriction
Personal correspondence is restricted. Consult the Archivist for access.
Related Material
Additional records relating to D.R. MacKay are located in RG 6, series 4, sub-series 4.2 (Office of the Vice-President (Administration & Finance)); and RG 6, series 10 (Office of Development).
Donald N. Wheeler taught Economics at Brandon University between 1970-1980. He received his B.A. from Reed College in 1935 and two years later graduated with a B.A. First Class in the Final Honour School of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Oxford. From 1937-1938, he pursued studies as a Candidate for Doctorat en Droit in the Faculty of Law at the University of Paris. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. (1975) from Oxford University.
Upon his return to the United States in 1933, Wheeler became an Insturctor of Government at Yale University. From 1939 through 1941, he was a research economist for the U.S. Treasury department and the Senate Banking and Currency Committee. With the outbreak of World War Two, Wheeler was assigned to the State Department, where he worked as a section chief in the Research and Analysis Branch of the OSS until 1946. Following the war, Wheeler became a casualty of McCarthyism and spent the majority of the next twenty years farming in Washington State.
Wheeler returned to academic life in 1965, as a professor of Economics at Franconia College; he resigned from the position in 1968 and returned to Oxford University as a Candidate for a Doctorate in Philosophy.
While at Brandon University, Wheeler was a member of the Senate, and served on committees of BUFA, the Faculty of Arts and the Board of Governors. He taught courses in economic development, ecnoomic history, the history of economic thought and agricultural economics. Wheeler was named Professor Emeritus of Brandon University in 1986.
Donald Wheeler died in Seattle on November 8, 2002.
Custodial History
Following the death of Professor Wheeler, his daughter put together a collection of his writings. A copy was given to Errol Black, who then donated it to the Archives on March 31, 2006.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of "The Collected Writings of Donald Niven Wheeler" edited by Honeybee Wheeler Burns, transcribed by Susan E. Wheeler and published by Linda M. Elias. Fonds also includes a draft of Imperialism and Revolution in Afganistan prepared by Wheeler and dated April 1, 1986.
Notes
Some of the biographical information on Donald Wheeler was taken from an article in "The Quill" (December 11, 1986).
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
MG 3 Brandon University Teaching and Administration
1.13 Donald Wheeler
Related Material
Wheeler’s papers are in the Archives of the University of Washington and his library will be donated to the George A. Meyers Collection at Frostburg University in Maryland.
There is a great deal of correspondence between Wheeler and Errol Black in the Errol Black fonds (MG 3 1.1).
Dale Lakevold lives in Minnedosa, Manitoba. His work has been produced primarily in Manitoba, including the North. He was a finalist for the John Hirsch Award in 1999. Alder and Ringe published his play Misty Lake, written with Darrell Racine, in 2001 and by Kingfisher in the anthology Voice of the Drum in 2000. Loon Books (MB) will publish Misty Lake in a new edition in 2005. Dale's play Track Records won the Du Maurier National Playwriting Competition for One-Act Play in 1996. He has been a member of the Manitoba Association of Playwrights since 1993. Dale teaches English and creative writing part-time at Brandon University and is a member of the Manitoba Association of Playwrights and the Playwrights’ Guild of Canada.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of a copy of "Tales from Brandon University 1899-1999," a script for a performance during the 1999 Brandon University Foundation dinner.
Notes
Information in the History/Bio field was taken from the Brandon University website at http://www.brandonu.ca/News/article.asp?A_ID=631 (February 16, 2006).
