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Authority record
Zinovich, Jordan
AR-MS-519 · Person · n.d.

Jordan Zinovich is a history researcher out of New York interested in the fur trade in the Canadian northwest. Hislop and Nagle were prominent traders out of Lesser Slave Lake and Fort Resolution who maintianed a headquarters and outfitters store in Edmonton, Alberta.

Zaychuk Family
AR-MS-607 · Family · 1908 -

Stephen Zaychuk was born in Bruzuchowicze, Poland on February 2, 1908 of Ukrainian parents. The family interrupted Stephen's engineering education in 1927 and emigrated to Canada. Stephen finally settled in the Town of Beverly, Alberta in 1934 and married Mary Kobewka on January 26, 1935. Together they had two sons, David and Allan. Stephen and Mary owned and ran the market farm known locally as Zaychuk Berry Farm, and in 1954 built and ran a multi-cabin Auto-Court motel. In 1955 Stephen was first elected to the Beverly Town Council serving there until 1961 when Beverly officially amalgamated with Edmonton. During his terms as a Beverly Councillor he sat on the Police Commission, attended the Union of Alberta Municipalities Convention, attended the first meeting of the Provisional Committee for the Homes for the Aged, and on June 16, 1960 attended the Official Opening of the Edmonton International Airport . In 1961 Stephen and his son David, who had studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Alberta, became partners in the Zaychuk Nursery, Berry and Vegetable Farms Ltd. Mary was involved with the Beverly Home and School Association, was a prize winner at the food exhibits of the Edmonton Exhibition, took specialized food preparation classes at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and travelled in her later years. The Zaychuks were innovators being the first to commercially grow strawberries and raspberries and later introduced the carrot combine which improved the harvest of root vegetables, and David kept cattle to provide fertilizer and use up excess vegetable feed. Stephen was a member of the Alberta Fresh Vegetable Growers Association, the Canadian and Western Canadian Societies of Horticulture, the Alberta Nursery Trades Association, the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, and the St. John's Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Stephen died tragically on April 4, 1973 at age 65 in a car accident in B.C. The younger son Allan died March 10, 1985 and Mary died August 10, 1994. David continues to run the Zaychuk family enterprise on 400 acres north of Edmonton.

Zander, Don C.
AR-MS-656 · Person · n.d.

Mr. Zander is a resident of Edmonton and a train enthusiast.

AR-MS-677 · Corporate body · 1944 -

The Young Men's Christian Association or YMCA was founded by George Williams in Britain in 1844|the associated group called the Y's Men's Club began in Toledo, Ohio in 1922. Later the wives of the "Y's Men" decided to form an auxiliary group to support the community work of the Y's Men's Club and the YMCA. In 1924 a Vancouver women's group adopted the "Y's Menettes" name. The Y's Menettes association was formally accepted as part of the YMCA group at the Cleveland Convention in 1931. Y's Menettes soon became international. The Edmonton group began December 4, 1944 and was very active throughout the 1950's and 1960's.

Yee, Jim
AR-MS-1261 · Person · 1944, February 11 - current

James “Jim” Yee [囯伩] was born on February 11, 1944 to Joe Mun “George” Yee [桂倫 or 桂侕] and Yuen Yee (nee Lim) [悅园]. Jim was raised in Black Diamond, Alberta on his father’s market garden along with his siblings; Norman Yee [囯中], Dorothy Yee [美玲], Rose Yee, Tom Yee [囯楽], John Yee [囯明], and Darlene Yee. Jim was the second oldest among his siblings.

Jim was a member of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets and took part in a training camp in Millarville, before it moved to Black Diamond. In 1962 Jim served as a Canadian Army Transport Operator in the Royal Canadian Army Cadets. In 1963, Jim moved to Edmonton from Black Diamond and attended a vocational school.

Jim married Jenny “Gin” Wong on August 10, 1969. Together they had two children, Tim (born October 25, 1971) and Sueanne (born June 6, 1974). Throughout his life and career as a mechanic, Jim worked for various companies and organizations including Grosser Parts (1967-1967), Crosstown (1967-1971) Kingsway Toyota (1971-1979), and the City of Edmonton (1979-1999). Jim also received a range of certifications and certificates and was a landlord for an apartment building in Edmonton.

In 1971, Jim, along with his brother Tom and with financial support from his parents, bought 40 acres of land. On the acreage Jim and Tom built a duplex with a basement suite for their parents. The acreage was built by Jim and his siblings. In 1973 Jim and his family moved to the acreage. In 1990 Tom sold his part of the acreage to Jim. In 2001 Jim's brother John’s old house was moved onto the acreage and Jim, Jenny and their daughter Sueanne moved into the house.

Jim is a Christian and involved with the Edmonton Chinese Christian Church (ECCC) and was baptized in 1995. Following his retirement in 1999, Jim traveled. In 2006 Jim took part in the Redress of the Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act in Ottawa, Jim's father George was a payee. In the mid to late 2000s Jim and Jenny divorced. Jim continues to travel and enjoy his retirement.

Yee, George
AR-MS-1261 · Person · 1907-1978

Joe Mun “George” Yee was born on November 16, 1907 in Zhong Shan, China. George arrived in Canada from China in 1923 at the age of thirteen after being selected by his village elders to go to Canada to help his family and village. George arrived in Canada only one month before the Head Tax was supplanted by the passing of the Chinese Immigration Act.

Upon arriving in Canada George worked as a farmer and labourer in segregated Chinese communities in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia. In 1936, George finally paid off his $500 head tax debt he received when arriving into the country.

In 1941 George married seventeen year old Yuen (Lorna) Lim, who was a Chinese woman from Cumberland, British Columbia. Yuen was born in Canada but lost her British subject status when she married George and was then considered a Chinese national by the Canadian government.

George and Yuen relocated to Black Diamond, Alberta, located in the Turner Valley, and purchased a three acre plot of land. The couple opened a market garden where they had a greenhouse, some cattle and a small shingle mill. George drove his truck to various communities in the area to sell their produce. George and Yuen had eight children; Norman Yee (born October 20, 1942), James “Jim” Yee (born February 11, 1944), Dorothy Yee (born March 14, 1946), Rose Yee (born January 6, 1948), Tom Yee (born October 10, 1949), John Yee (born January 23, 1954), and Darlene Yee (born September 22, 1957). The family was one of three Chinese families in their town.

In 1958 George became a Canadian citizen. George died on January 27, 1978, almost 30 years before the Canadian government issued an official apology to the victims of the Head Tax and Chinese Immigration Act in 2006. Yuen received a $20,000 payment as the spouse of a payee. Yuen died on July 1, 2008.

Wright, John Sutherland
AR-MS-175 · Person · 1863-1939

Dr. John S. Wright, son of Abel Wright (1827-1911) and Mary Dobie (1828-1914) was born in Ontario, ca. 1863, one of ten children. The family are descendants of Abel Wright (1631-1659) born in Massachusetts, U.S.A, who was a sailor in the New England area, around 1655.

Direct line shown here:
Abel Wright (1631-1725, Mass., USA)

Ensign Abel Wright (1664-1691, Mass., Conn., USA)

Ebenezer Wright (1701-1786., Conn., USA)

Ebenezer Wright (1727-1809, Conn., USA; Cornwall, CA)

Asahel Wright (1754-1813, Conn., USA; Ontario)

Abel Wright (1791-1879, Ontario)

Abel Wright (1827-1911, Ontario)

John Sutherland Wright (ca 1860-1939, Ontario; Edmonton, Alberta).

The family of John’s great-grandfather, Asahel Wright (1754-1813), was caught in the American Revolution. The loyalties were divided in the family. Asahel and some sons sided with the British and went to Canada, where they received some land grants in return for their loyalty. Asahel’s other sons remained in the New England, U.S.A. area.
John is a descendant of the branch of the family that went to Ontario and became farmers in the Township of Sullivan area, Grey County, Ontario.
In 1891, John lived in Manitoulin, Ontario and worked as a school teacher. He married Matilda Dawson on November 16, 1891 in Little Current, Ontario. Their daughter, Helen Walker Wright, was born October 10, 1895, in Toronto, Ontario while John was a medical student.
John, Matilda and Helen moved to the United States in 1897, settling in the town of Lysander, New York. Sometime between 1901 and 1910, Matilda died and, John and Helen returned to Canada.
In 1910, John opened a practice in Edmonton, Alberta on Jasper Avenue. In 1911, he moved his practice to the Stovel Block, at 423 Namayo Avenue (later known as 10329 - 97th Street).
John married Marion Georgina Weatherston, from Hayesland, Ontario, on August 31, 1910 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. John’s practice remained at the Stovel Block and the family, John, Marion and Helen, lived in the same building. By 1916, Helen Walker Wright was a teacher at McCauley School and still lived with her father and stepmother at 10329 – 97th Street.
In 1924, John moved his practice to the Tegler building at 10189 – 101 Street, and the family moved to 10152 – 115 Street. His practice remained in the Tegler building until he retired in 1938.
Helen Walker Wright married Wilmer Gerald Grothier, a bank clerk, on May 5, 1921 in Toronto. They had two children. Helen Walker (Wright) Grotheir died December 3, 1931 in Woodstock, Ontario.
Marion Georgina (Weatherston) Wright died ca. 1929.
Dr. Wright died In Edmonton June 5, 1939 and is buried in the family plot in Perry, New York, U.S.A.

Worthington, W.
AR-MS-803 · Person · [?] ] [19-?]

W. [Willard?] Worthington was a resident of Edmonton. He worked as a coal mine pit boss and later became owner of a mine.

Womonspace
AR-MS-1214 · Corporate body · 1981 - 2018

Womonspace was a lesbian social and recreational group founded in Edmonton in 1981. Operating in Edmonton for over 30 years, Womonspace became the city's longest-running lesbian organization. Womonspace was vital to Edmonton’s LGBTQ+ community and organized dances, sporting events, movie nights, concerts, family picnics, and other activities specifically for queer women. Womonspace published a newsletter from 1981 - 2011 covering local and national events important to the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, they housed a resource library where women could access literature by and about queer women.

Womonspace was established in 1981 after numerous requests were made to Gay Alliance Towards Equality Edmonton (G.A.T.E.) for a women’s-only dance. While G.A.T.E. refused to host a women’s-only dance because of their mandate as a mixed group, they did provide funding to a group of volunteers to host the first women’s-only dance. Subsequent dances were quite profitable, and the women volunteers were able to pay back G.A.T.E. and use the profits to fund their new organization, Womonspace.
Womonspace dances were held at various locations throughout Edmonton, usually in community halls. Womonspace often faced rejection when seeking out venues to hold their dances, and were frequently unable to rent the same space twice once it was clear that Womonspace was a lesbian group. The monthly dances Womonspace hosted were their most popular events, with attendance often reaching 150 - 200 women.

All Womonspace activities were run by a group of dedicated volunteers. The volunteers wrote and distributed the newsletter every month, worked at the dances, and maintained the office space. The first Womonspace office was located in Every Woman’s Place, an old house that had been converted to office space and housed several women’s groups. It was in the office that women could access the resource library, as well as attend drop-in social events.

Womonspace was integral to early Pride events in Edmonton, by assisting in the organization of Pride, hosting events, and holding open houses. However, Womonspace’s general approach was to stay as closeted as possible. Womonspace advertisements did not use the word “lesbian,” instead relying on their logo of two entwined woman symbols to find the lesbian community. Womonspace board members often debated how political and openly lesbian the group could be without jeopardizing the ability of the organization to remain an incorporated society or risking the safety and privacy of their members. Contributors to the newsletter often went by their first names only, and many members recall the general sense of fear of what may happen to them if they were found to be involved in a lesbian organization. On some occasions, women who were more openly lesbian or active in political activism were viewed as a threat to Womonspace’s discreteness, and their membership was revoked.

Although Womonspace was not a political organization, they undoubtedly had an instrumental impact in creating safe social spaces for Edmonton’s lesbians from the 1980s onward. Womonspace provided the opportunity for queer women to connect over shared experiences and be themselves. Womonspace gatherings generated a sense of community that supported women on their own journeys and created a space distinct from the gay male culture that tended to dominate other LGBTQ+ organizations at the time. Womonspace is no longer an active society but continued to host dances and publish its newsletter until the 2010’s. The group remains semi-active on social media and continues to advertise social and recreational events hosted by other organizations in Edmonton’s LGBTQ+ community.

AR-MS-1220 · Corporate body · 1943 - current

The Women’s Society of The Edmonton Art Gallery was founded in the winter of 1943 by a small group of women who were interested in art and wanted to help the struggling Edmonton Art Gallery. The Society members at the first meeting included; Mrs. R.B. Wells (President), Mrs. R.P. Malone, Mrs. E.E. Poole, Mrs. O.J. Walker, Mrs. G.F. Chapelle, and Mrs. Bradshaw.The purpose of the Society was to promote the City of Edmonton and cultivate an active interest in the maintenance and progression of the Edmonton Art Gallery (EAG). The Society aimed to achieve their goals through increasing gallery membership and organizing cultural, social, and business events and projects to assist the EAG financially.

The first event the Society organized was a membership tea which displayed watercolours by Alberta Society of Artists and attended by five hundred people. The event was held in the Empire Room of The Hudsons Bay store and opened by Mrs. J.C. Bowen, wife of Alberta's Lieutenant Governor.

The Women’s Society continued to host fund-raising events and activities including social events, entertainment and exhibition openings. In 1945 the Society opened Museum Shop, an outlet for craft makers in Edmonton and operated by volunteers from the Women’s Society. The shop would also be known as The Pink Shop and Gallery Shop.
In 1963 the Society started Art Mart, which would later be known as Art Fair. It would go on to become one of Edmonton’s most popular arts and crafts sales. In the following year the Women’s Society took over the Art Rental and Sales Gallery from the Junior League. In 1964 the Society also established Derby Day or Daisy Day. The event involved selling daisies at the Canadian Derby. Other events held by the Society included Tour of Edmonton Homes, The Art Game, and Antique Auction.

In 1987 the Society held a contest to change its name to better reflect their efforts and encourage new membership among both men and women. The Society changed its name to Art Associates of The Edmonton Art Gallery Society in the following year. Years later the Society changed to The Art Gallery of Alberta Society.

Presidents
Mrs. R.B. Wells 1943-1944
Mrs. Norton Hall 1945
Mrs. R.P. Malone 1946
Mrs. E.W.S. Kane 1947-48
Mrs. G.E. Swallow 1948-1949
Mrs. P.J.A. Fleming 1949-1950
Mrs. E.S. Brett 1950-1952
Mrs. Cecil Rutherford 1952-1953
Mrs. H.C. Gourlay 1953-1954
Mrs.J.W.S. Chappelle 1954-1955
Mrs. Donald Ramsay 1955-1957
Mrs. A.E. Shelmerdine 1957-1959
Mrs. Otto Greiner 1959-1960
Mrs. Ivan Gouin 1960-1962
Mrs. J.J. Lynch 1962-1963
Mrs. D.G. Bittorf 1963-1965
Mrs. Harvey Hebb 1965-1967
Mrs. M.L. Van Vliet 1967-1968
Mrs. G.R. Shipley 1968-1969
Mrs. J.E. Young 1969-1970
Mrs. Sieghart Schmidt 1970-1971
Mrs. G.T. Campbell 1971-1972
Mrs. D.D. Bentley 1972-1973
Mrs. D.A. Mathieson 1973-1974
Mrs. H.G. Thomson 1974-1975
Mrs. H.J. Shimizu (Joan) 1975-1976
Mrs. A.S. Olson (Fran) 1976-1977
Mrs. K.A. Byford (Elaine) 1977-1978
Mrs. P. Tuckwell (Lynda) 1977-1978
Mrs. Darlene Forrester 1978-1980
Mrs. Mary Lansky 1980-1981
Mrs. Maureen Hemingway 1981-1982
Mrs. J.M. Hope (Helen) 1982-1983
Mrs. A. Bryan (Wendy) 1983-1984