WHANNELL/Fort Saskatchewan

[cosmac]

The Whannell's were British citizens and Canada was part of the empire so no "paperwork" was required. 

If you read a few of these links and search Empire Settlement Act, immigration to Canada etc. you will find that it is highly unlikely that Mary would have known Paul Kreigel before her voyage to Canada.  The Canadian government wanted British immigrants and established programs that helped to pay passange to Canada.  Britain's economy was in a slump after the war and Canada might have seemed a great opportunity for advancement.
http://www.abheritage.ca/albertans/continuity/int_empiresettlement.html
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/legacy/chap-2.asp

Paul Kreigel had a Western landgrant which you can find the land location and a map by choosing Exploration and Settlement.  This would have been land granted before 1930 and the 2nd link is from the Alberta Homestead Index which shows he had a different parcel of land after 1930.  Both would be around Grimshaw.  These would be farm locations not within the village of Grimshaw.
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/index-e.html
http://www.rootschat.com/links/09ty/

This might help to understand land locations in Alberta
http://www.srd.alberta.ca/RecreationPublicUse/RecreationOnAgriculturalPublicLand/AlbertaTownshipSurveySystem.aspx

Debbie

[Auchencrieff]

Can I thank everyone for the information. I am delighted to see that there is so much available online and look forward to viewing and researching the various suggestions.
It is quite overwhelming the amount of information  and my lack of knowledge of history is something I can improve.
I am just about to begin an online course called Beyond the Internet with Dundee University so I hope it will enhance my skill level and help me fill out my family tree.
This research can become quite addictive  and one never knows what will pop out.

[sammistella]

hi, my grandfather, robert is the nephew of robert and james whannell and the grandson of mary whannell, his mother was helen whannell, who later married william nichol, we still live in wigtownshire where mary, robert and james lived before leaving for canada, if i can be of any assistance to please let me know, or any info you have on them after they arrived in canada would be a big help to me.  we know that james was hung for murder and no-one in the family heard from robert for a long time.

[Auchencrieff]

Hi
It was lovely to read your post. I am afraid I don't have much information re what happened in Canada and would be interested in finding out more. I do know that Robert died in 2000 but don't know if he had any family. Mary was my great aunt and I have a lot of info on her side of the family if you would like a copy pleasesend me a personal message with your email and I  Can
 forward it to you
Looking forward to sharing our family

[polarbear]

Hello folks.

Sammistella needs to make 3 posts before they can use the PM (Private Message) system. Simply saying just 'Hi' on this thread a couple of times would suffice.
 
And welcome to RootsChat, sammistella  .

Polarbear

[junekaatz]

According to this obituary index,  I believe that Mary married the man she went out to house keep for.


This obituary index has been compiled from the actual obituaries in the Peace River Record Gazette. It covers the time period from 1952 to 1971 inclusive.

LAST NAME, First Name (MAIDEN)[OTHER MARRIED]; Age; Place of Birth>Place of Death;Newspaper - RG=Record Gazette; Newspaper date


KRIEGEL, Mary ( ); 78; Mochram SCT>Westlock AB;     RG; 1954-1-28
KRIEGEL, Paul; 75; Grimshaw AB; RG;      1956-8-16

I could not find an obit for Robert in this area.

[bbart]

There is an archived newspaper report on the hanging itself, which states he had a sister in Scotland, and his mother was in Grimshaw, Alberta.

It's in the Leader-Post Feb 20, 1935.

This very long link will take you to that page in the newspaper:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9nhTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ODgNAAAAIBAJ&dq=whannel%201935%20hanging%20alberta&pg=5791%2C942675

Another article here:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VotTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MjgNAAAAIBAJ&dq=murdered%20mathias%20schmidt&pg=4241%2C4995903

And a somewhat related article (about Mathias' estate) here:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1h1kAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NnsNAAAAIBAJ&dq=murdered%20mathias%20schmidt&pg=3288%2C1568739

The "how it happened" here:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JxpkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=G3sNAAAAIBAJ&dq=murder%20mathias%20schmidt&pg=2350%2C5705744

The "how he did it" here:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4RE_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=704MAAAAIBAJ&dq=murder%20mathias%20schmidt&pg=6099%2C1342685

Construction of his gallows (just a short snippet)

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9XhTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ODgNAAAAIBAJ&dq=whannell%20ft%20saskatchewan&pg=1967%2C1252606

I'm sure there's more, but I'll stop now! 

[Auchencrieff]

Thank you so much for the information. I have not been checking roots chat for such a long time so forgive me for not replying sooner. The information is fascinating.

[klp834]

Wow this is amazing.  Matthias Schmidt was my great-grandfather's brother.  He indeed was originally from Ontario, had relocated to SK, and appears then had relocated to Alberta.  Thank-you to the people who found and posted the newspaper clippings.  WOW.

There is a file with Canadian archives that I'm trying to get a copy of, here:

https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/CollectionSearch/Pages/record.aspx?app=FonAndCol&IdNumber=1385912

Not sure if it is restricted or not.  I have been looking for a copy of the court judgment where Whannell was convicted but so far haven't found it in legal case law sources.

Any other information anyone can provide would be very helpful.