Stephen Adolph Magnacca was born December 10, 1902 in Winnipeg, MB. He joined the Winnipeg Highland Cadets in 1914, and at the age of 15, he added two years to his age and joined the Winnipeg Light Infantry. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant on June 15, 1923. In 1933, he was promoted to the rank of Major. In 1956, he was made an honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the 26th Field Artillery Regiment; he was made a Colonel in 1967.
Magnacca married Grace Rosina Jones in 1927 and together they had two children: Patricia and Allan. Grace Jones was born in Cardiff, Wales on November 22, 1901. She came to Winnipeg as a child. For a few years before her marriage she worked as the circulation manager of The Nor'West Farmer. Members of St. Matthew's Church, Grace Magnacca was active in the Anglican Church Women of Canada (ACW). Following her husband's death she moved to Winnipeg. Grace Magnacca died in Winnipeg, MB on December 20, 2004.
The Maganacca family lived in Winnipeg until Magnacca's military career took him to Brandon in 1940; his family followed in 1942. The Magnacca's ran an Officer's Kit Shop and then in 1947, opened a real estate business named Magnacca Agencies.
Magnacca served two terms as Mayor of Brandon (1961-1969). He was also President of the Assiniboine Historical Society. For meritorious community service, Magnacca was given a Manitoba Golden Boy Award (1969) and a Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.
Stephen Magnacca died on August 4, 1980 in Brandon, MB. He is commemmorated by Magnacca Crescent in Brandon and the Magnacca Research Centre at the Daly House Museum. He was elected a Life member of the Union of Manitoba Municipalities and in 1973, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada.
Scope and Content
Item is a photograph of Mayor Stephen Magnacca and his wife Grace Magnacca dressed in period costumes for Canada's Centennial in 1967.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the Manitoba Historical Society website (http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/magnacca_sa.shtml) and the December 31, 1969 Brandon Sun article Experience of being the wife of the mayor has brought satisfaction to Mrs. Magnacca.
Item is a photograph of the City of Brandon's "See you in '82" float advertising Brandon's upcoming Centennial in 1982. The float is a steamboat and features a number of posters.
Gustave Bellegro “Gus” Yaeger was born on July 10, 1878 at Genoa, Italy. The son of Swiss parents, he immigrated to the United States, working in West Virginia then North Dakota before arriving in Brandon, MB in 1910. He worked at various jobs before opening Yaeger's Furs, a fur-coat factory and retail store at 602 Rosser Avenue, in 1919.
Yaeger married Sarah Ellen Williams (1883-1966) of Big Rock, Idaho in 1907. They had two children: Karl Williams Yaeger (1908-1975) and Barbara Yaeger (m. H.H. Ricketts).
Gus Yaeger died on March 25, 1942 in Brandon, MB. His son carried on the business after his death before selling it to one of the managers in 1969.
The Dionne quintuplets, born May 28, 1934, were the first quintuplets known to have survived their infancy. They were born just outside Callandar, ON.
Scope and Content
Item is a photograph of the Yaeger's Furs Dionne quintuplets Christmas window display. The display features five dolls dressed in fur coats and bonnets, a framed photo of Gus Yaeger, a Christmas tree and a cardboard Santa.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the Manitoba Historical Society website (http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/yaeger_gb.shtml)
