Homestead grants

[flower fairy]

Hello you lovely people.

After discovering who my unknown great grandfather was via DNA about 2 years ago, I have been trying to find out his history. I know he left England in 1904 aboard the Sicilan for Halifax. He was 19. There are then various records I have found and one in particular I am interested in is the homestead grants register.  In the register is the date April 1915 but I would like to know if this was the date he  officially then owned the land or if he then had to work it for a few years before it became his.
    If the former, is there a way to find out when it was actually registered and any paperwork/records to the effect.
His name was Matthew E Guest and he was born in Barrow Upon Furness in 1884  I hope all this makes sense.

Thank you 

[jorose]

Anyone who got a homestead had to work the land / build on it and live there to keep it permanently ("prove out")

In this case it does appear he proved out (looks like 1913, not 1915?)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89CK-Z27S?view=fullText&keywords=Matthew%20Ernest%20Guest&lang=en&groupId=TH-1961-35680-11657-43

However later he appears to have abandoned this land, which he had a mortgage on, and it went through civil court around 1920 as the person who had lent him the money was reclaiming the land to sell.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9XM-KWBG?view=fullText&keywords=Matthew%20Ernest%20Guest&lang=en&groupId=TH-1942-39619-5742-6


Unfortunately the reality for most was that it was very difficult to make a economic go of it off the size/type of land provided by a homestead grant.

[flower fairy]

Jorose, this is amazing thank you so much for finding this. It appears he did disappear for a while but I do know he was in the Royal Naval volunteer reserve during WW1 and was stationed here in England.  Maybe the war got in the way of his plans. I may never know.

Thank you again,
Nicky

[flower fairy]

Hello again.
I'm not sure if I just being stupid, but I am unable to find any records on familysearch for more homestead records. I have several people from the same family and would like to see theirs too.
   Is it possible you could attach just the link so I can search them for myself. I have tried several search terms and not getting very far

Thank you for your time.

[J.J.]

The homestead index has changed layout...but you can start your search here then look for images.
https://search.saskarchives.com
 
You may already have this...
He's on the 1911 (June 14/15) census, (imm. 1901 or badly written 1904 - enumerators only had to write.. Don't think they often checked if they wrote WELL?)
https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=census&IdNumber=16004022&ecopy=e002094356

His WW1 CEF files aren't available online for some reason?...
GUEST, Matthew Ernest  #7577-M-7 Imperial Gratuities - No digital files
http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=pffww&id=644921&lang=eng

An award 1914 - in the Royal Naval Reserve...Says awarded posthumously?
Matthew Ernest Guest Chief Motor Mechanic
Military Service Branch Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:682N-M9DW

His return in 1921 to Winnipeg to visit his father:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3WB-YFJ
If you need any information from Winnipeg, let me know.

[flower fairy]

Thank you so much. Just had a quick look at the homestead index but can't find his father and siblings who I know from ancestry had some. Will look again when I have more time.

   No I didn't have that census return so thank you. Struggling to find him in 1906 although I know he arrived in 1904.

The imperial gratuities may be the same that I have from ancestry. He died in 1972 so not sure why it says posthumously?

Ans yes I have his return journey although he soon came back to Canada without his wife who I can only assume missed her family.

 He migrated in 1904 and served as a motor boat mechanic in WW1. Part of this time, he was stationed in Falmouth and it was here I think that he met my great gran who was only 17 at the time. He was then stationed in Southampton where he married Winifred in 1918, not my great gran but also a lady from Falmouth.
   They migrated soon after and had 2 children. My gran was born in 1918 and I can only assume Matthew never knew about her.
He returned to Canada on his own.

 

[flower fairy]

And many thanks for your offer to help if I need anymore info from Winnipeg. I will certainly keep that in mind 

[J.J.]

I see you already have a few posts for Matthew. Although a new question, you can always add further queries about the same subject to the same posts without starting a new one. You can use the search above (brown panel below the header/at top of page) Just type your username and the name you're researching to find & add to an established thread.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=873350.0

adding I mistakenly thought his father was at the address on Alexander. (missing a number)
Directory has: Matthew E motor mech h 1519 Alexander
1921 census M.E. Guest - rooming 1519 Alexander (still says married though)
 https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=census&IdNumber=67376270&ecopy=e002889310

[J.J.]

Here are the Manitoba land grants.  Hope it works as their new databases suck wind and they have made the older reliable ones unstable. Ezra is easy to find
https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/land/land-grants-western-canada-1870-1930/Pages/search.aspx
You can find his father's death -  May 24,1935 West St. Paul - with birth March 11, 1857
https://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/DetailView.php
Sibling's marriages should also be in there...