Index of Doukhobor Settlements in the 1921 Canada Census

by Jonathan J. Kalmakoff

The following geographic finding aid may be used to locate Doukhobors in the 1921 Canada Census. Search by province, district, sub-district and page number to find a comprehensive listing of Doukhobor settlements (villages, work camps, homesteads, households, etc.). Then consult the Library and Archives Canada online images and microfilm copies (once available) of the original census to find specific Doukhobor entries. ***Note: This index is a work in progress. It currently contains Doukhobor entries for the provinces of Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia only; Doukhobor entries for the province of Saskatchewan will be added soon.

Index – Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta –   British Columbia

 

Manitoba

District No. and Name Sub-District No. and Description City, Town, Village, Township Doukhobor Entries Pages Microfilm
26 Brandon 8   Townships 11-12, Range 19, west of Principal Meridian. Independent Doukhobor homesteads. 11. N/A
26 Brandon 13   Townships 9-11, whole or fractional, Range 22, west of Principal Meridian lying south of the Assiniboine River. Independent Doukhobor homestead. 6. N/A
26 Brandon 34 Brandon Brandon City, all that part lying south of the centre line of Victoria Avenue and east of the centre line of Fifth Street. Independent Doukhobor households. 17. N/A
26 Brandon 35 Brandon Brandon City, that portion lying south of the centre line of Victoria Avenue and between the centre line of Fifth and Tenth Streets. Independent Doukhobor households. 11-12, 19, 22, 30. N/A
26 Brandon 37 Brandon Brandon City, that portion lying south of the centre line of Victoria Avenue and west of the centre line of Sixteenth Street, and north of the centre line of Victoria Avenue and west of the centre line of Eighteenth Street. Independent Doukhobor household. 18. N/A
27 Dauphin 2   Townships 24-25, Range 15 west of Principal Meridian within the Municipality of Ste. Rose Independent Doukhobor homestead. 15. N/A
27 Dauphin 19   Townships 27-28, Ranges 28-29, west of Principal Meridian. Independent Doukhobor homesteads. 18, 23. N/A
32 Nelson 7   Townships 33-34, Ranges 24-28, West of Principal Meridian. Independent Doukhobor homesteads. 5-6, 8. N/A
32 Nelson 8   Townships 33-34, Range 29, West of Principal Meridian, including village of Benito. Independent Doukhobor households and homesteads. 3-5, 9-13, 15-16, 18-20, 23. N/A

Saskatchewan

Work-in-progress.

Alberta 

District No. and Name Sub-District No. and Description City, Town, Village, Township Doukhobor Entries Pages Microfilm
1 Battle River 1   Townships 33-35, Range 1 and Township 35, Range 2, West of 4 Meridian. Independent Doukhobor homesteads. 8, 10. N/A
2 Bow River 13   Townships 17-20, Ranges 21-22 lying east of McGregor Lake and the Canal, West of 4 Meridian. Communal Doukhobor settlement. 3. N/A
7 Lethbridge 12   Townships 4-6, Ranges 13-15, West of 4 Meridian, including village of Skiff. Independent Doukhobor homesteads. 6-7. N/A
8 Macleod 4   Townships 3-6, West of 5 Meridian and East of Provincial Boundary. Independent Doukhobor homestead. 9. N/A
8 Macleod 7   Townships 7-8, Ranges 28-29 and Townships 7-9, Range 30, West of 5 Meridian. Independent Doukhobor homestead; Doukhobor labourers. 2, 10. N/A
8 MacLeod 8   Townships 7-9, Range 1, West of 5 Meridian, including Cowley village. Communal Doukhobor settlements. 4-6. N/A
8 MacLeod 9   Townships 7-9, Range 2, West of 5 Meridian, including Lundbreck village. Communal Doukhobor settlements. 5-8. N/A

British Columbia

District No. and Name

Sub-District No. and Description

City, Town, Village, Township

Doukhobor Entries

Pages

Microfilm

18

Kootenay West

6B

Trail

Columbia Gardens

Independent Doukhobor household.

6.

N/A

18

Kootenay West

9

Trail

Birchbank

Doukhobor labourers.

5.

N/A

Blueberry

Independent Doukhobor household.

6.

Kinnaird

Independent Doukhobor household.

7.

18

Kootenay West

10

Trail

Brilliant

Communal Doukhobor settlement of Blagodatnoye, Lugovoye, Utesheniye (Ootischenia).

1-30.

N/A

City of Trail

Communal Doukhobor commercial enterprise.

31.

N/A

18

Kootenay West

10A

Trail

Brilliant

Communal Doukhobor settlement of Brilliant.

1-23.

N/A

Crescent Valley

Communal Doukhobor settlement of Krestova.

24-30.

Glade

Communal Doukhobor settlement of Plodorodnoye.

30-42.

Shoreacres

Communal Doukhobor settlement of Prekrasnoye.

42-44.

Taghum

Communal Doukhobor settlement of Dorogotsennoye.

44.

Quory

Communal Doukhobor settlement of Skalistoye.

44-45.

Koch’s

Communal Doukhobor settlement of Kov.

45-46.

Winlaw

Communal Doukhobor settlement of Veseloye, Kirpichnoye.

47-49.

Perrys

Communal Doukhobor settlement of Persikovoye.

49.

Porto Rico

Communal Doukhobor logging camp.

50.

Rossland

Communal Doukhobor farm.

51-52.

Nelson City

Communal Doukhobor commercial enterprise.

53.

18

Kootenay West

11

Trail

South Slocan

Independent Doukhobor households.

9-10.

N/A

Shoreacres

Independent Doukhobor households.

11-12.

Tarrys

Independent Doukhobor households.

12-13.

Thrums

Independent Doukhobor households.

13-15.

18

Kootenay West

13B

Trail

Shields

Doukhobor labourer.

11.

N/A

18

Kootenay West

21

Nelson City

Nelson City

Independent Doukhobor households.

6-7.

N/A

18

Kootenay West

23

Nelson City

Nelson City

Doukhobor labourer.

11.

N/A

18

Kootenay West

25

Trail City

Trail City

Doukhobor labourers.

3, 14, 18, 23, 32, 33.

N/A

25

Yale

48

Grand Forks

Grand Forks City

Independent Doukhobor households.

2, 29-30.

N/A

25

Yale

49

Grand Forks

Cascade

Independent Doukhobor households.

6-7.

N/A

25

Yale

50

Grand Forks

Deep Creek

Doukhobor labourer.

6.

N/A

25

Yale

51

Grand Forks

Paulson

Doukhobor labourers.

1.

N/A

25

Yale

52

Grand Forks

Carson

Communal Doukhobor settlements of Fruktova, Ubezhishche, Khristovoye.

1-13, 15-25.

N/A

Notes

This finding aid may be used to locate Doukhobor census enumerations both in the original census records and in census transcriptions as they become available. Currently the census is only available through a paid subscription to Ancestry.com. For a description of the 1921 Canada Census, including its historical background, content, usefulness and reliability, availability and published indices, see the Guide to Doukhobor Census Records. If you have any additional information or clarifications with respect to Doukhobor entries in the 1921 Canada Census, please contact Jonathan J. Kalmakoff.

Index of Doukhobor Settlements in the 1911 Canada Census

by Jonathan J. Kalmakoff

The following geographic finding aid may be used to locate Doukhobors in the 1911 Canada Census. Search by province, district, sub-district and page number to find a comprehensive listing of Doukhobor settlements (villages, work camps, homesteads, households, etc.). Then consult the Library and Archives Canada microfilm copies or online images of the original census to find specific Doukhobor entries.

Index – Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta –   British Columbia

 

Manitoba

District No. and Name Sub-District No. and Description Doukhobor Entries Pages Microfilm
15 Brandon 49 Brandon Provincial Polls 1 and 2 City of Brandon; Independent Doukhobor households. 16. T-20340
15 Brandon 53 Brandon Provincial Polls 7 and 8 City of Brandon; Independent Doukhobor households. 20. T-20340
15 Brandon 55 Brandon Provincial Polls 11 and 12 City of Brandon; Independent Doukhobor households; Inmates. 91618192022. T-20340
15 Brandon 56 Brandon Provincial Polls 13 and 14 Completion of Brandon City of Brandon; Independent Doukhobor households. 7. T-20340
16 Dauphin 66 Township 34 in ranges 27, 28, 29 west of the 1st M Village of Benito; Independent Doukhobor households. 10. T-20340
16 Dauphin 67 Township 35 in ranges 27, 28 west of the 1st M Doukhobor work party. 9. T-20340
16 Dauphin 71 Townships 36, 37 in ranges 27, 28 west of the 1st M Town of Swan River; Independent Doukhobor households. 23. T-20340

Saskatchewan

District No. and Name Sub-District No. and Description Doukhobor Entries Pages Microfilm
210 Mackenzie 3 Townships 25, 26 in ranges 2, 3 west of the 2nd M Village of Stornoway; Independent Doukhobor farms. 215. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 9 Townships 27, 28 in ranges 4, 5 west of the 2nd M Village of Ebenezer; Doukhobor work party. 1. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 10 Townships 27, 28 in ranges 2, 3 west of the 2nd M Village of Hamton; Communal Doukhobor farm. 17. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 11 Townships 27, 28 in range 1 west of the 2nd M and townships 27, 28 in ranges 32, 33 west of the 1st M Doukhobor village of Petrovka; Independent Doukhobor farms. 4567891011. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 12 Townships 27, 28 in ranges 30, 31 west of the 1st M Village of Togo; Doukhobor village of Vossianiye; Independent Doukhobor farms. 121314. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 13 Township 29 in ranges 30, 31 west of the 1st M and township 30 in range 31 west of the 1st M Doukhobor villages of Tambovka, Trudolyubovo; Independent Doukhobor farms. 3456781011. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 14 Townships 29, 30 in ranges 32, 33 west of the 1st M, townships 29, 30 in range 1 west of the 2nd M Town of Kamsack, Village of Veregin; Doukhobor villages of Blagodarnoye, Efremovka, Lyubovnoye, Spasovka, Vernoye, Voskreseniye; Independent Doukhobor farms. 12379101112131415161719202122232426272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 15 Townships 29, 30 in ranges 2, 3 west of the 2nd M Doukhobor villages of Sovetnoye, Rodionovka, Terpeniye; Independent Doukhobor farms. 1789101112242526. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 16 Townships 29, 30 in ranges 4, 5 west of the 2nd M Town of Canora; Doukhobor villages of Utesheniye, Goreloye, Blagosklonnoye, Kalmakovo; Independent Doukhobor farms. 2561718192021222324252627. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 17 Townships 29, 30 in ranges 6, 7 west of the 2nd M Independent Doukhobor farms. 161726. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 18 Townships 29, 30 in ranges 8, 9, 10 in the west of the 2nd M Towns of Sheho, Insinger; Communal Doukhobor farms. 7825. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 19 Townships 31, 32, 33 in ranges 7, 8 west of the 2nd M Independent Doukhobor farms. 1718. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 20 Townships 31, 32, 33 in ranges 5, 6 west of the 2nd M Village of Buchanan; Doukhobor villages of Novo-Troitskoe, Moiseyevo; Independent Doukhobor farms. 1234567891011121314151617181920212223. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 21 Townships 31, 32, 33 in range 3 west of the 2nd M Doukhobor villages of Besednoye, Novoye; Independent Doukhobor farms. 123456715. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 22 Townships 31, 32, 33 in ranges 1, 2 west of the 2nd M Doukhobor villages of Kapustino, Nadezhda, Otradnoye, Smireniye, Blagoveshcheniye; Independent Doukhobor farms. 141516171819202122242526272829303133. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 23 Township 33 in ranges 30, 31, 32, 33 west of the 1st M, township 31 in ranges 31, 32 west of the 1st M and township 32 in ranges 31, 32, 33 west of the 1st M Village of Pelly; Doukhobor villages of Tikhomirnoye, Kamenka, Lebedevo; Independent Doukhobor farms. 16151920212223272829. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 24 Townships 34, 35 in ranges 31, 32 west of the 1st M Doukhobor villages of Pavlovo, Perekhodnoye, Arkhangelskoye, Gromovoye, Ozvobozhdeniye, Lyubomirnoye; Khlebodarnoye, Independent Doukhobor farms. 36789101113141516171819202122232425. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 25 Townships 34, 35, 36, 37 in ranges 1, 2 west of the 2nd M Village of Hyas; Independent Doukhobor farms. 6. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 29 Yorkton City of Yorkton; Independent Doukhobor households. 424263335363738394043444546. T-20453
210 Mackenzie 33 Townships 34, 35, 36 in ranges 30, 31 west of the 1st M Doukhobor villages of Uspeniye, Bogomdannoye, Mikhailovo, Pokrovskoye, Semenovka, Vozneseniye; Vera, Troitskoye, Independent Doukhobor farms. 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425. T-20453
212 Prince Albert 1 Townships 44, 45 in ranges 30, 31, 32 west of the 1st M and range 1 west of the 2nd M, townships 44, 45 in ranges 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12 west of the 2nd M, township 44 in range 11 west of the 2nd M, township 45 in ranges 6, 9, 10 west of the 2nd M, township 46 in range 3 west of the 2nd M and township 43 in ranges 11, 12 west of the 2nd M Doukhobor work party. 2122. T-20455
212 Prince Albert 11 Townships 44, 45 in ranges 5, 6 west of the 3rd M Doukhobor villages of Spasovka, Pozirayevka, Slavyanka Uspeniye; Independent Doukhobor farms. 6789101114. T-20455
212 Prince Albert 12 Townships 44, 45 in ranges 7, 8 west of the 3rd M Doukhobor villages of Troitskoye, Large Gorelovka, Small Gorelovka; Independent Doukhobor farms. 12389101115. T-20455
212 Prince Albert 30 Prince Albert City of Prince Albert; Doukhobor work party. 12. T-20456
212 Prince Albert 31 Prince Albert City of Prince Albert; Doukhobor work party. 21. T-20456
214 Regina 80 Regina Doukhobor workers. 4. T-20458
216 Saskatoon 18 Township 39 in ranges 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 west of the 3rd M Town of Langham; Independent Doukhobor farms. 2622. T-20459
216 Saskatoon 20 Townships 39, 40 in ranges 9, 10 west of the 3rd M Village of Borden; Doukhobor villages of Pokrovka; Independent Doukhobor farms. 1819. T-20459
216 Saskatoon 26 Townships 42, 43, 43a in ranges 1, 2, 3 west of the 3rd Town of Rosthern; Independent Doukhobor farms. 525357. T-20459
216 Saskatoon 28 Townships 42, 43 in ranges 6, 7 west of the 3rd M Doukhobor villages of Petrovka, Terpeniye; Independent Doukhobor farms. 78910131415192021. T-20459
216 Saskatoon 31 Saskatoon Ward 2 City of Saskatoon; Independent Doukhobor households. 966. T-20459
216 Saskatoon 33 Saskatoon Ward 3 City of Saskatoon; Independent Doukhobor households. 343536. T-20459
216 Saskatoon 44 Township 39 in range 8 west of the 3rd M Doukhobor villages of Bogdanovka, Kirilovka; Independent Doukhobor farms. 1234. T-20459

Alberta 

District No. and Name Sub-District No. and Description Doukhobor Entries Pages Microfilm
4 Medicine Hat 32 Townships 11, 12, 13, 14 in ranges 9, 10, 11, 12 west of the 4th M Town of Suffield; Doukhobor work party. 7. T-20329
4 Medicine Hat 35 Townships 15, 16, 17, 18 in ranges 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 west of the 4th M Town of Carlstadt; Doukhobor work party. 1920. T-20329
4 Medicine Hat 40 Townships 18, 19 in ranges 19, 20, 21, 22 west of the 4th M Town of Milo; Doukhobor work party. 141516. T-20329

British Columbia

District No. and Name Sub-District No. and Description Doukhobor Entries

Pages

Microfilm

9 Kootenay 35 Ymir Riding Villages of Thrums, Tarrys, Independent Doukhobor farms; Brilliant Communal Doukhobor villages. 231011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738. T-20334
9 Kootenay 39 Nelson City of Nelson; Doukhobor work party. 3940. T-20334
9 Kootenay 53 Grand Forks Riding City of Grand Forks; Doukhobor work party. 5. T-20334
9 Kootenay 54 Grand Forks Riding West Grand Forks; Fruktova Communal Doukhobor villages. 1011121314151617181920. T-20334
9 Kootenay 55 Grand Forks City of Grand Forks; Doukhobor work party. 7. T-20334
9 Kootenay 56 Grand Forks Riding City of Grand Forks; Doukhobor work party. 1. T-20334

Notes

This finding aid may be used to locate Doukhobor census enumerations both in the original census records and in census transcriptions such as those provided online by Ancestry.com or Automated Genealogy. For a description of the 1911 Canada Census, including its historical background, content, usefulness and reliability, availability and published indices, see the Guide to Doukhobor Census Records.

This article was reproduced by permission in the Bulletin Vol. 40 No. 2 (Regina: Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, June 2009).

Index of Doukhobor Settlements in the 1916 Census of the Northwest Provinces

by Jonathan J. Kalmakoff

The following geographic finding aid may be used to locate Doukhobors in the 1916 Census of the Northwest Provinces. Search by province, district, sub-district and page number to find a comprehensive listing of Doukhobor settlements (villages, work camps, homesteads, households, etc.). Then consult the Library and Archives Canada microfilm copies or online images of the original census to find specific Doukhobor entries.

Index  – Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta 

 

Manitoba

District  No. and Name Sub-District No. and Description Doukhobor Entries Pages Microfilm
1 Brandon 3 City of Brandon Independent Doukhobor households 17, 20, 24, 25, 30. T-21925
1 Brandon 12 City of Brandon Doukhobor workers 6. T-21925
1 Brandon 13 City of Brandon Doukhobor worker 24. T-21925
5 Marquette 20 Russell RM Doukhobor worker 10. T-21927
7 Nelson 3 Swan River RM Independent Doukhobor homesteads; Doukhobor workers 9, 12, 18, 22. T-21928
7 Nelson 4 Swan River RM Independent Doukhobor homestead; Doukhobor workers 5, 10, 14. T-21928

Saskatchewan

District  No. and Name

Sub-District No. and Description

Doukhobor Entries

Pages

Microfilm

21

Mackenzie

02A

City of Yorkton

Independent Doukhobor households

24.

T-21938

21

Mackenzie

02B

City of Yorkton

Independent Doukhobor households

3, 9.

T-21938

21

Mackenzie

08

Wallace RM; Sliding Hills RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

Communal Doukhobor farm

1.

19.

T-21938

21

Mackenzie

09

Cote RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

8, 11, 15, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.

T-21938

Vossianiye

17.

Petrovo

21, 22.

21

Mackenzie

10

Cote RM; Town of Kamsack

Town of Kamsack

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24.

T-21938

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

25, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33.

Efremovka

26, 27.

Lyubovnoye

27.

Voskriseniye

34, 35.

21

Mackenzie

11

Cote RM; St. Phillips RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

1, 4, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22.

T-21938

Trudolyubovoye

2, 3, 4.

Tambovka

9, 10.

21

Mackenzie

12

St. Philips RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 18, 23, 24.

T-21938

21

Mackenzie

13

Livingston RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20.

T-21938

21

Mackenzie

14

Livingston RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16.

T-21938

“Crazy” village (Khlebodarnoye)

2, 3, 4.

21

Mackenzie

15

Livingston RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.

T-21938

21

Mackenzie

18

Keys RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15.

T-21938

Nadezhda

16, 17.

Smireniye

17, 18.

Otradnoye

18, 19.

Blagoveshcheniye

20.

Kapustino

21, 22.

21

Mackenzie

19

Sliding Hills RM; Village of Veregin

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.

T-21938

Blagodarnoye

9, 10.

Lyubovnoye

13.

Village of Veregin

15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.

21

Mackenzie

20

Sliding Hills RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

1, 10, 21, 22.

T-21938

Rodionovo

5, 6.

Sovetnoye

8, 9.

Terpeniye

18, 19, 20, 21.

21

Mackenzie

21

Sliding Hills RM; Keys RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

13, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25.

T-21940

Novoye

22, 23.

21

Mackenzie

22

Keys RM; Village of Hyas

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

9, 10.

T-21940

21

Mackenzie

24

Good Lake RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

T-21940

21

Mackenzie

25

Good Lake RM; Town of Canora

Town of Canora

2, 3, 6, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.

T-21940

Independent Doukhobor homestead

24.

21

Mackenzie

28

Insinger RM

Communal Doukhobor farm

20.

T-21940

21

Mackenzie

29

Buchanan RM; Village of Buchanan

Village of Buchanan

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

T-21940

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19.

21

Mackenzie

30

Invermay RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads.

27, 30.

T-21940

24

North Battleford

01

Great Bend RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

20, 21, 25.

T-21941

24

North Battleford

03

Mayfield RM

Doukhobor worker

10.

T-21941

24

North Battleford

04

North Battleford RM

Saskatchewan Provincial Asylum

13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 23.

T-21941

24

North Battleford

07

Redberry RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

12, 13, 14, 15.

T-21941

24

North Battleford

09

Blaine Lake RM; Town of Blaine Lake

Town of Blaine Lake

1, 2, 4, 5.

T-21941

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33.

Petrovka 30, 31.

24

North Battleford

10

Blaine Lake RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

28, 29, 30, 31, 32.

T-21941

29

Saskatoon

11

Eagle Creek RM

Doukhobor worker

16.

T-21944

29

Saskatoon

12

Park RM

Independent Doukhobor homesteads

2, 3, 4, 13, 19, 24, 27.

T-21944

Pokrovka

19, 20, 21.

Kirilovka

22, 23, 24.

Bogdanovka

25, 26.

29

Saskatoon

14

Park RM; Town of Langham

Doukhobor worker

5.

T-21945

Town of Langham

21.

Alberta

District  No. and Name Sub-District No. and Description Doukhobor Entries Pages Microfilm
32 Battle River 1 Township 35, Range 4, West of 4 Independent Doukhobor homestead 33. T-21946
32 Battle River 9 Village of Provost Doukhobor workers 9. T-21947
38 Lethbridge 11 Town of Raymond Doukhobor work party 15, 18. T-21951
38 Lethbridge 13 Village of Warner Doukhobor work party 8, 10, 11. T-21951
38 Lethbridge 20f City of Lethbridge Doukhobor worker 31. T-21952
39 Macleod 7 Village of Lundbreck Communal Doukhobor settlement 14. T-21952
39 Macleod 8 Village of Cowley Communal Doukhobor settlement 5, 7, 14. T-21952
40 Medicine Hat 19 Village of Bow Island  Doukhobor work party 11-12. T-21953

Notes

This finding aid may be used to locate Doukhobor census enumerations both in the original census records and in census transcriptions such as those provided online by Ancestry.com. For a description of the 1916 Census of the Northwest Provinces, including its historical background, content, usefulness and reliability, availability and published indices, see the Guide to Doukhobor Census Records.

This article was reproduced by permission in the Bulletin Vol. 40 No. 4 (Regina: Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, December 2009).

Index of Doukhobor Settlements in the 1906 Census of the Northwest Provinces

by Jonathan J. Kalmakoff

The following geographic finding aid may be used to locate Doukhobors in the 1906 Census of the Northwest Provinces. Search by province, district, sub-district and page number to find a comprehensive listing of Doukhobor settlements (villages, homesteads, households, etc.). Then consult the Library and Archives Canada microfilm copies or online images of the original census to find specific Doukhobor entries.

Index   – Manitoba Saskatchewan  

Manitoba

District No. and Name Sub-District No. and Description Doukhobor Entries Pages Microfilm
1 Brandon 19A City of Brandon Independent households 5872. T-18354
1 Brandon 19B City of Brandon Independent households 293244. T-18354
1 Brandon 19E City of Brandon Independent households 837. T-18354

Saskatchewan

District No. and Name

Sub-District No. and Description

Doukhobor Entries

Pages

Microfilm

14

Mackenzie

11

Townships 27, 28 in range 32, fractional Townships 27, 28 in range 33 all west of the 1st M, and Townships 27, 28 in range 1 west of the 2nd M

Petrovo

141516171819.

T-18359

Independent homesteads 2021.

14

Mackenzie

12

Townships 27, 28, 29 in ranges 30, 31 west of the 1st M, excepting that part of the Indian Reserve numbered 64 in Townships 29, range 31

Trudolyubovoye

1213141516.

T-18359

Tambovka 161718192021.
Vossianiye 2122232425.

14

Mackenzie

13

Townships 29, 30, 31 in range 32 lying west of the Indian Reserves Nos. 64 and 66, fractional Townships 29, 30, 31 in range 33 all west of the 1st M, and Townships 29, 30, 31 in range 1 west of the 2nd M

Vernoye

123456.

T-18359

Blagodarnoye 678910.
Voskriseniye 11121314.
Truzhdeniye 141516.
Staro-Voskriseniye 1617.
Efremovka 17181920.
Lyubovnoye 2021222324.
Spasovka 2425262728.
Nadezhda 2829303132.
Smireniye 3233343536.
Prokuratovo 3637383940.
Village of Veregin 40.
Otradnoye 4041424344.

14

Mackenzie

14

Townships 29, 30, 31 in range 2 west of the 2nd M

Blagoveshcheniye

1234.

T-18359

Sovetnoye 45678.
Kapustino 9101112.
Rodionovka 121314151617.
Terpeniye 1718192021.

14

Mackenzie

15

Townships 29, 30, 31 in ranges 4, 5 west of the 2nd M

Besednoye

19202122.

T-18359

Novoye 22232425.

14

Mackenzie

16

Townships 29, 30, 31 in ranges 4, 5 west of the 2nd M

Staro-Goreloye

1.

T-18359

Utesheniye 23456.

Kalmakovo

678910.
Blagosklonnoye 1011121314.
Town of Canora 181920.

14

Mackenzie

17

Townships 29, 30, 31 in ranges 6, 7, 8 west of the 2nd M

Novo-Troitskoye

1234.

T-18359

Village of Buchanan 45.
Moiseyevo 78.

14

Mackenzie

22

Townships 32 to 37 inclusive in ranges 6, 7, 8 west of the 2nd M

Kirilovo

3456.

T-18359

Novo-Goreloye 678.

14

Mackenzie

24

Those parts of Townships 32, 33 in ranges 32 lying west of the Indian Reserve, fractional Townships 32, 33 in range 33 all west of the 1st M, and Townships 32, 33 in ranges 1, 2 west of the 2nd M, excepting the Indian Reserve No. 65

Slavnoye

1213141516.

T-18359

14

Mackenzie

25

Townships 30, 31, 32, 33 in range 30, Townships 32, 33 in range 31 and those parts of Townships 30, 31, 32 in ranges 31, 32 lying east of the Indian Reserves Nos. 64 and 66, all west of the 1st M

Staro-Lebedevo

12.

T-18359

Lebedevo 2345.
Independent homesteads 5.
Kamenka 56789.
Tikhomirnoye 910111213.

14

Mackenzie

26

Townships 34, 35, 36, 37 in ranges 30, 31, 32, fractional township 34 in range 33, all west of the 1st M, and Townships 34, 35, 36, 37 in range 1 west of the 2nd M

Lyubomirnoye

1234.

T-18359

Semenovo 456789.
Vera 9101112.
Vozneseniye

13141516.

Mikhailovo 17181920.
Bogomdannoye 2021222324.
Uspeniye 2425262728.
Troitskoye 2930313233.
Pokrovskoye 3334353637.
Khlebodarnoye 3738394041.
Osvobozhdeniye 4142434445.
Gromovoye 454647.
Pavlovo 48495051.
Arkhangelskoye 51525354.
Perekhodnoye 545556.
Independent homesteads 57.

14

Mackenzie

27

Townships 34, 35, 36, 37 in ranges 2, 3, 4, 5 west of the 2nd M

Vozvysheniye

12.

T-18359

14

Mackenzie

37

Town of Yorkton

Individuals

129.

T-18359

16

Saskatchewan

2

Townships 35, 36, 37 and 38 inclusive in ranges 7, 8, 9 and that part of township 39 in range 9 south of North Saskatchewan river, all west of the 3rd M

Pokrovka (not enumerated)

46.

16

Saskatchewan

11

Townships 40 to 43 inclusive in ranges 9 and 10, and parts of Townships 39 in ranges 9 and 10, north of the North Saskatchewan river, all west of the 3rd M

Tambovka

2930.

T-18360

16

Saskatchewan

12

Townships 39, 40 in ranges 6, 7, 8 west of the 3rd M

Kirilovka

18192021.

T-18360

Bogdanovka 212223.

16

Saskatchewan

17

Townships 41, 42, 43 in ranges 6, 7, 8 west of the 3rd M

Petrovka

1314151617.

T-18360

Terpeniye 1920212223.

16

Saskatchewan

19

Townships 44, 45 and part of township 46 not included in Muskeg Indian Reserve in range 7, Townships 44, 45, 46 in range 8, all west of the 3rd M

Bolshaya Gorelovka

3456.

T-18360

Malaya Gorelovka 78.

Troitskoye

9101112.

16

Saskatchewan

20

Townships 44, 45, 46 in ranges 4 and 5, Townships 44, 45 in range 5 and that part of township 44 in range 3 not included in Duck Lake Indian Reserve, all west of the 3rd M

Spasovka

242526272829.

T-18360

Pozirayevka 303132.
Uspeniye 333435.
Slavyanka 363738.

Notes

This finding aid may be used to locate Doukhobor census enumerations both in the original census records and in census transcriptions such as those provided online by Ancestry.com or Automated Genealogy. For a description of the 1906 Census of the Northwest Provinces, including its historical background, content, usefulness and reliability, availability and published indices, see the Guide to Doukhobor Census Records.

This article was reproduced by permission in the Bulletin Vol. 40 No. 4 (Regina: Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, December 2009).

1918 Census of Independent Doukhobors

1918 census of independent doukhobors

The 1918 Census of Independent Doukhobors by Jonathan J. Kalmakoff provides family historians and genealogists with an indispensable guide to Independent Doukhobors living in Western Canada during the First World War.

Arranged by locality, the names found in the 1918 Census of Independent Doukhobors were extracted from the original census lists held at the Saskatchewan Archives Board.  This special census was compiled at the request of the Dominion Government of Canada to determine the number of Independent Doukhobors who qualified for military exemption during World War One.

The book contains over 6,600 names taken from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia and includes essential information on the name, family group, age, marital status, number of children and locality of each individual.  The book also includes full bibliographic references and a comprehensive index. View Sample Page.

1918 Census of Independent Doukhobors (ISBN 0-9730337-0-0) is a 187 page soft-cover book.  Price: $25.00 plus applicable postage.  To order copies through cheque, money-order or Paypal, please contact:

Jonathan J. Kalmakoff
135 Poplar Bluff Crescent
Regina, SK. S4Y OB5

Doukhobors in the Boundary

by Vera Novokshonoff, Lucy Reibin & Marion Obedkoff

Woven into the fabric that is Grand Forks are many different nationalities, and, with their personalities, their skills and their culture, they have enhanced “the Boundary” and given to this city a character all its own. Of all these nationalities, the Doukhobors, by their very numbers and distinctive culture have had a more profound effect on the character and life of the community than any other group. The following article by Vera Novokshonoff (Kanigan), Lucy Reibin (Plotnikoff) and Marion Obedkoff (Grummett) outlines the history and settlement of the Doukhobors at Grand Forks in the Boundary region of British Columbia. Reproduced by permission from Boundary Historical Society, Report Nos. 3 and 4, 1964.

Historical Background

The Doukhobors comprise a large percentage of the population in the Boundary District. A religious sect of Russian origin, their history dates back some 300 years. Encyclopedia Britannica has this to say of their religious background:

“The name Doukhobor was given by the Russian Orthodox clergy to a community of non-conformist peasants. The word signifies “spirit-fighters” and was intended by the priesthood to convey that they fight against the Spirit of God, but the Doukhobors themselves accepted it as signifying that they fight, not against, but for and with the Spirit. The foundation of the Doukhobors’ teaching consists in the belief that the Spirit of God is present in the soul of man, and directs him by its word within him. They understand the coming of Christ in the flesh, His works, teaching and sufferings, in a spiritual sense. The whole teaching of the Doukhobors’ is penetrated with the Gospel spirit of love; worshipping God in the spirit, they affirm that the outward Church and all that is performed in it and concerns it has no importance for them; the Church is where two or three are gathered gather, i.e. united in the name of Christ.”

“They hold all people equal and brethren. Obedience to Government authorities they do not consider binding upon them in those cases when the demands of the authorities are in conflict with their conscience; while in all that not infringe what they regard as the will of God they willingly fulfill. They consider killing, violence and in general all relations to living beings not based on love as opposed to their conscience and to the will of God. They are industrious and abstemious in their lives, and living up to the standard of their faith present one of the nearest approaches to the realization of the Christian ideal which has been attained. In many ways they have a close resemblance to the Quakers.”

Their renunciation of rituals of the Russian Orthodox Church, as worshipping man-made images or ikons brought upon them persecution by Church and state in Tsarist Russia. This was intensified by their refusal of military service. Influential humanitarians, particularly the famous writer Tolstoy and the Society of Friends in England interceded in their behalf, and arrangements were finally made and some 7500 Doukhobor immigrants came to Canada in 1899, settling in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Group of Doukhobor immigrants aboard the SS Lake Superior, 1899. British Columbia Archives E-07233.

Subsequently, a majority of them refused to comply with the swearing of the oath of allegiance under the Homestead Act, and lost their lands which they had worked on. These were taken away from them. They then decided to move to move to British Columbia, where by purchasing land, instead of accepting grants, they avoided the necessity of swearing to swear the oath of allegiance. They settled predominantly in the West Kootenay and Boundary Districts.

Arrival in Grand Forks

Land was purchased in 1909 by their leader Peter Lordly Verigin. John Sherbinin, Sr., who in later years established Boundary Sawmills Ltd., was his interpreter at the time. John Sherbinin learned the English language in Swan River, Manitoba where he worked in a store the year these people came into Canada. Another associate during the purchasing was Nick S. Zeboroff.

The purchases consisted of the Coryell Ranch (the site of the Brick Yard) from the Coryell family; Murray Creek (presently Outlook) which was open range; the Vaughan Ranch (at the foot of Spencer Hill) from the Vaughans; 4th of July Creek (Spencer) from Hoffman; and the Collins place from H. W. Collins. This involved a total of 4,182 acres.

In March 1909, 12 men came over to Grand Forks by train, with two women accompanying to cook for them. These people amongst the Doukhobors were known as postniki, ones who wished to be abstemious to the point of not eating butter to eliminate the necessity of keeping cows, which would lead to having to sell calves for butchering.

The first group managed to house themselves in rough dwellings that were on the property. Until the warm weather opened up, they were occupied cleaning things up on the place. Another group of 14 came in April.

Industries

They put up a small sawmill just below the site of the present Doukhobor cemetery, and started to produce rough lumber (there was no planer) for the construction of their communal dwellings. Later, when a factory was established a brick siding was put on these buildings.

Logs were cut in the vicinity and were brought to the mill on horse-drawn dollies. In the winter sleighs replaced the dollies. Soon as the supply of logs was exhausted on the place, the sawmill would be moved to another suitable location. William Fofonoff was the sawyer; Alex A. Wishloff, the engineer and Philip P. Stoochnoff, the fireman.

Orchards

The same year, spring of 1909, they planted fruit trees – apples, pears, Italian prunes, cherries, and other plants, such as currants, gooseberries, raspberries, etc. George C. Zebroff and Andrew J. Gritchen were in charge of the orchards. The wives and families of the men-folk came over in the summer of 1909, to join in the communal effort.

Brick Plant

Production of bricks began the same year (1909) beside the clay pit where the Coryells had run a small plant. The same crude machinery was used. Horses supplied the power to turn the clay mixer. Bricks one at a time, were taken by hand and put in rows to dry, which took two weeks. They were put in a pile leaving air space between each brick, old bricks piled around them and covered with clay so there would be no air space. A big fire was built on both sides to burn until the bricks got red hot. Air was let in from the top to make the fire burn stronger. This went on for about a month and had to be under constant watch to make sure the fire did not get too hot for the bricks to melt, nor too cold for them to turn black. After this process, the bricks were put under a roof for further drying.

Doukhobor community brick factory at Grand Forks, BC, circa 1920. British Columbia Archives C-01714.

As early as 1910, the workers produced 22 to 24 thousand bricks a day. Even at that slow pace, 2 million bricks were produced during the summer. William Razinkin was the original man in charge. Later on, Mike Demoskoff and John Gritchen were prominent in the making of bricks. In time, machinery replaced horse-power, and the operation was put on a more efficient and productive basis. Bricks from the plant were widely sold. Their good quality established a wide and well known reputation.

Flour Mill

The Flour Mill was put up in 1910, with two men handling its operation. Wheat, grown in the valley, was brought to the mill and milled by grinding on a large stone without refining or discarding anything in the process. Bread made of this flour was dark, but very healthy. William Fofonoff (the original sawyer) was the miller, later replaced by his brother Peter. In 1917-18 production of linseed oil was started at the flour mill. This became a favourite product with the Doukhobor people. They were and still are particularly fond of using it with sauerkraut.

Development

The work of the first settlers that came in 1909-10 was to prepare living quarters and other primary facilities for those that were to follow. The lumber produced by the first sawmill was used in building communal dwellings, the first of which was built in 1910 near the site of the Flour Mill just below the present Doukhobor cemetery at Sion, formerly known as Fruktova.

Also in 1909, work was started on building an irrigation pipeline. A trench 2 to 3 feet deep was dug from First of July Creek to Sion following a line above the roadbed of the Great Northern Railway, and pipes were laid extending for about 2 miles to bring water to the newly planted orchards and gardens. A few years later when the Great Northern dismantled the railway track, the pipes were relocated to follow the road bed and enlarged to 6 inches in diameter to carry more water. Later another pipeline was built to supply homes with drinking water, taken from a creek running halfway up the mountain at Sion. Water was also piped at the Outlook settlement for drinking as well as for irrigation purposes.

In 1911-12 there followed more Doukhobor settlers with their families, so that by 1913 there were approximately 1000 souls living in the vicinity of Grand Forks.

With more people, the work of development progressed more rapidly. In those years there were built approximately 24 large communal dwellings by the newcomers. At the same time, the planted trees started to bear fruit, so that besides supplying the local needs, fruit was also shipped to other markets. A fruit packing plant was built in 1920. In those years a total of 120 to 130 carloads of fruit – apples, pears, prunes, etc. were shipped annually to outside markets, as well as some berries such as strawberries, black currants, raspberries, etc.

Doukhobor community blacksmith, Grand Forks, BC, circa 1920. British Columbia Archives C-01735.

The lumbering industry also expanded, sawmill operations were extended, tracts of timber stands taken and worked, so that about half of the men were employed in the lumbering industry. At that time most of the heavy work such as plowing and cultivating the land was done by horses, for which purpose every communal village had a team of excellent work horses, hay and feed for which were grown on communal lands.

Altogether the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood Ltd., to which the first Doukhobor settlers belonged, notwithstanding the fact that they lost their lands in Saskatchewan and had to go heavily into debt to buy land and other necessities, by dint of hard work and frugal living had built a thriving economy in the first two score years of life in Grand Forks, which continued to grow and increase in value.

It was still growing when in 1935 a canning factory was built to process tomatoes and other small fruits such as strawberries and raspberries. Unfortunately, this factory was burned down in the same year. Then came years of economic depression, starting in 1929 and continuing for a decade which had a serious effect on the economy and which was one of the reasons that brought the foreclosure on the mortgages held by financial companies, The Sun Life Assurance Co. and The National Trust Co. and the subsequent buying of the land by the Government of British Columbia to prevent mass evictions.

We deem it proper to return back and look on some other facets of Doukhobor life.

Communal Way of Life

At the head was the central administration under the leadership of Peter Lordly Verigin. The people were split up into villages represented by the large apartment-like houses, where from about 35 to 40 members resided. Each village operated separately, with particular tasks assigned to its members. Where necessary, the men were sent out to earn money outside the community, while the rest including the older folk, women and children had to do the work at home. In charge of each village was an appointed “Elder.” All the members contributed to the community according to their capacity, and were doled out equal portions according to their needs. In other words, you put into the community what you earned or produced, and received in equal measure with the rest of the members, what you required. Concentration was on a pure and simple life, without luxuries.

A policy of austerity was in effect both for spiritual and economic reasons. During the wartime in 1914, children were not fed any bread and ate a thick noodle soup instead. The rest of the folk were on a frugal diet of mamalyha made of beans, peas and wheat cooked together. At the time the Community had food in abundance, but it was not indulged in out of compassion for the suffering by the rest of the world.

Housing

A regular .pattern persisted in the building of homes. The main floor of the two storey brick houses contained the large communal kitchen and social centre or living room; the bedrooms were upstairs. In the kitchen, a long table or two stood alongside the windows with a special table for the children. The stove was in about the centre of the room, and there would also be a brick Dutch oven. The living room was used for occasions like a marriage, prayer meetings, singing group, a funeral or for visitors. Adjacent to the large brick house, there was a U-shaped unit of one floor rooms. These provided room for the older folk to sleep in, as well as washing and storage facilities.

Doukhobor community home, Grand Forks, BC. British Columbia Archives C-01729.

Meals

For each large communal house, two women, interchanging weekly had to do the cooking, and the baking of the large round loaves of bread in the Dutch oven. Children ate at a separate table from the adults. Four persons ate out of the same bowl using wooden spoons. This may sound unsanitary, but the fact remains that in those years there were few illnesses among the people and they were very healthy.

After everyone sat down at the table, a hymn would be sung. After saying grace, everyone would eat quietly, without making a racket with the utensils or idle chatter.

The most well-known Doukhobor dish is borshch – a type of vegetable soup. Other dishes were rice soup; cereal made from wheat; cooked halooshki, (dumplings in soup); blintsi (a sort of pancake); vinigret (a salad of beets, apples, beans, dilled cucumbers and sauerkraut); kvas (grated cucumbers and green onions thinned with water); vegetables and fruit. Tomatoes and cucumbers (as well as cabbage for sauerkraut) were salted in big crocks for winter use. Bread was dried, (like crumpets) for eating with rice soup. The main beverage was a fruit juice made from dried apples, prunes and other fruit.

Prayer Meetings

Prayer meetings in the early years were held early in the morning (before breakfast) on Sundays, as well as on some other days. It was the custom then to attend prayer meetings attired in homemade linen clothes, and in the summer months barefoot. Persons entering the meeting greeted the congregation with the words: “Glory to God!” To which those gathered replied: “We glorify and thank God for His grace!” At the meeting the women stood on the right side and the men on the left; in the center between them stood a table on which bread, salt and water was placed. Each person recited a psalm standing before the table. After recitations three psalms were sung and the Lord’s Prayer was said, the end of which all present bowed touching the ground, and said that they bow to God, His Son, Christ and the Holy Ghost. There followed the singing of hymns and discussion on any important matter that happened to come up.

In later years with the coming of Peter P. Chistiakov Verigin, the form of the prayer meeting reverted back to that practiced by Doukhobors in Russia in times past, as follows: On entering the meeting hall, a person greeted those present with the words “Glorious God is praised”, and the congregation answered: “Great is the name of the Lord and His glory is throughout the world.” Some of the men, women as well as children recited psalms, after which the congregation sang psalms at which time the second man in the first row came up to the first man, they clasped each other’s hand and bowed to each other two times, then kissed each other and bowed once more, then the second man turned and bowed to the women and they bowed in reply. After a number of men performed this ritual, which denoted their reverence for the spirit of the divine life that is part of man, their forgiveness and love for each other, the women performed the same ritual of reverent bowing. This being accomplished, a man stepped out near the table and recited the Lord’s Prayer, at the conclusion of which he said: “Here we kneel in reverence to Father, Son and the Holy Ghost,” and the congregation bowed to the ground. The reciter then said: “Christ has arisen,” and the congregation answered: “In Truth He has arisen.” The second time they bowed to the ground they said: “Eternal memory to Witnesses of Truth.” The third time they bowed saying: “God grant the living good health, forgive us and strengthen us in Your ways.” After this a few hymns were sung and time was devoted to discussions on matters of social and spiritual significance.

Weddings

When a young couple decided to get married, the boy, along with his parents, went to the girl’s house to ask her parents for the hand of their daughter.

In the ceremony that followed, everyone read prayers and then someone would read the Lord’s Prayer. The parents gave the couple their blessing and wished them luck. Then the couple kissed both his and her parents and bowed to their feet.

Doukhobor women haying on community land, Grand Forks, BC, circa 1920. British Columbia Archives C-01721.

The wedding took place two or three days later, for there were no engagement parties or rings given. The bride gathered her belongings together with the bedding and tied them up in a bundle (there were no hope chests at that time).

On the wedding day, the groom, along with his parents, went on a horse and buggy after the bride and her parents. When they arrived at the groom’s place, everyone exchanged greetings and wished the couple luck. Only the 30 to 40 members who lived in the big house, where the lived, attended the wedding. The food served was the same as a Sunday dinner. There was borshchplove, and atvar (a beverage made out of fruit). The clothes which the bride and groom wore were their best Sunday clothes.

Funerals

The dead were not taken to a mortician but were bathed and dressed at home. The coffin was also made at home. People came during the daytime as well as in the evening to share the grief with the mourning family. Prayers and psalms were sung in honour of the dead person. There were no dinner lunches served as there are now.

The dead were buried two and a half days after they died. On the next day the family and close relatives went to the grave to pay their respects to the dead. They sang hymns and other songs.

After a period of six weeks, the friends and relatives gathered once more at the grave in memory of the dead person. Once again they read prayers sang hymns. This ritual was repeated after a year was up.

Education

No special outfits were worn by the children when they went to school. Both boys and girls up to twelve years of age wore a dress-like garment. They wore no shoes and had nothing on their heads. The school age was limited to the age of 12 years, so very few children went to school; mostly boys.

Each district had a school to which the children had to walk. During the winter months, the children were taken on sledges pulled by horses.

The children were taught reading, writing, grammar and some arithmetic. They only went as far as grade five or six. Due to the fact that the children were always speaking Russian, and often had to stay away from school in order to help at home, their progress in English school was quite slow.

One of the first schools called “Carson School” was built close to where the Hill View Store is presently located. Later there was a school built at Fruktova.

At home the children were taught to read and write in Russian.

Skills and Crafts: The Process of Making Linen Cloth from Flax

The flax seeds were planted very closely together, in the Spring time. When the seeds were ripe, the whole plant was pulled out and tied into bundles. These bundles were set upright, in the sunny fields, so that they would dry thoroughly. Wooden clubs were used to thresh the flax so that all the seeds fell out.

Doukhobor children in flax field, Grand Forks, BC, circa 1920. British Columbia Archives C-01745.

The stocks were then soaked in water for about two weeks. When the stocks were saturated with water, they were put into bundles and once again dried in the sun. Then, the stocks were put into a block of wood (that had been hollowed out), and were threshed by a large wooden hammer to soften the cellulose. They were then put through home-made combs dividing the stock into thin fibres (by now, all the waste materials had fallen off). The thin fibres were put through a spinning wheel and put tightly on a wooden roll. After the yarn was taken off the wooden roll, it was put into a solution of hot water and flax seed in order to make the yarn slippery. It was wrung, pounded and hung out to dry. When it was dry, the yarns were separated and put on a home-made machine for weaving. There were about 30 yards in one weaving. The cloth was then ready for bleaching.

White ash (taken from burnt weeds and sunflower stems) was gathered and put into boiling water. After this solution stood for a while, it was strained through a canvas sheet. The cloth was placed in that solution and stayed there for two days. A thorough washing was given to the cloth after it was taken out of the solution; and it was placed in the sun to dry. When the cloth had dried, it was placed on a wooden roller used for ironing, and pounded with a flat stick which resembled a scrub board. Then the cloth was ready to be used for sewing.

After the sheep had been sheared, the wool was washed, dried and combed with home-made combs. It was then spun into a yarn on a spinning wheel. The yarn was placed in a paste made out of hot water and flour. After the yarn was dried, it was put on a home-made weaving machine. The cloth was washed with soap and water in a process of preshrinking. It could be dyed with different colours. The woolen yarn was also used to knit stockings, mittens and sweaters.

Other Skills and Handicrafts

The women busied themselves with other handicrafts such as embroidering, and crocheting various pieces. The men carved wooden spoons, salt and pepper shakers and various pieces of furniture. They also made spinning wheels as well as different of machines for weaving cloth. Harnesses were made out of leather, which was bought in bulk. There were shoemakers who made fine quality shoe of leather.

Conclusion

It seems proper to note that in October of 1924 the Doukhobor Community was bereaved by the tragic loss of Peter Lordly Verigin, who was killed in a deliberately set explosion of a passenger car in a C.P.R. train while on his way from Brilliant to Grand Forks. The explosion occurred just after the train left the station at Farron, B.C. He was an outstanding personality and gave leadership in the spiritual as well as the economic life of the Community, which deeply felt the loss of their revered leader. His place as the leader of the Doukhobors was taken by his son, Peter P. Chistiakov Verigin, who came to Canada in October, 1927 and who died in February, 1939.

Doukhobor farm near Grand Forks, BC, circa 1930. British Columbia Archives C-02659.

After it became evident that the lands and property of the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood would be foreclosed by the companies holding mortgages, he re-organized the Community under the new name of the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ, to which belong most of the Doukhobors living at present in Grand Forks. The name of Peter Petrovich Chistiakov Verigin is still revered by his followers.

The members of the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ, while living on an individual basis are still favour of establishing a communal or co-operative way of life. At the present time, they have in Grand Forks a large cooperative store and a service garage under the name of Sunshine Valley Co-op Society.

This brings to a close this short summary of the history of the Doukhobor people in the Grand Forks and Boundary area.

View Grand Forks, British Columbia Doukhobor Villages, 1909-1939 in a larger map

Pacifism and Anastasia’s Doukhobor Village

by John W. Friesen

Following the death of Peter “Lordly” Verigin in 1924, his companion Anastasia F. Holuboff (1885-1965) was recognized by several hundred Doukhobors as his successor. The majority of Community Doukhobors, however, proclaimed Verigin’s son Peter “Chistiakov” Verigin as their leader. Disappointed, Anastasia and her followers broke away from the Community and in 1926 moved to the Shouldice district of Alberta where they established a break-away village. The following article by John W. Friesen, reproduced by permission from Alberta History (41(1) 1993), recounts Anastasia’s communal experiment in social, geographical and economic isolation. A combination of factors, including leadership style, internal dissension, land shortages and crop failures led to the eventual dissolution of the village in 1943.

The Doukhobor belief in pacifism originates from a conviction that every creature of God has a right to life. Doukhobors are fundamentally Russian in origin, and their beginnings were formalized in 1785 when a Russian Orthodox Archbishop named Ambrosius, called them “Doukhobortsi” or “Spirit Wrestlers.” He argued that their protestations against the state church were tantamount to fighting against the Spirit of God. The Doukhobors adopted the name, insisting that their interpretation of a living faith required a constant “wrestling in the Spirit.” Their orally-perpetuated belief system evolved, rather than being formally articulated, and consisted of communalism, pacifism to the extent of being vegetarians, an hereditary system of selecting leadership, a complete rejection of the written word, and a rejection of all forms of institutionalized religion including the priesthood. Doukhobors believe that each individual has a “Divine Spark” within them which entitles them to equality in the community and a right to life.

Doukhobor origins in Canada go back to 1899 when 7,500 souls immigrated from Russia and settled on the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border west of Winnipeg. During this time Canada was actively recruiting immigrants through the office of Clifford Sifton, Minister of the Interior, and from 1890 to 1914, settlers from many parts of Europe and the United States took advantage of the generous invitation to receive title to free land. The Doukhobors established their first homes in the Kamsack-Yorkton district of Saskatchewan and built a series of 61 communal villages under one managing body. Four of the villages were temporary sites and 57 became functional. For a few years all went well, but the Canadian government became uneasy about the communal governance of the settlements and took steps to dismantle the organization.

Anastasia Holoboff (1885-1965). Photo courtesy Koozma J. Tarasoff.

After attacks by the Federal government and strong local community opposition to their communalism, the Doukhobors relocated to British Columbia in 1907. Their refusal to register communal property individually meant that their Saskatchewan lands were confiscated and assigned to incoming settlers. Their refusal cost them a total of 258,880 acres, of which 49,429 were cultivated. It was a boon for new immigrants to occupy lands already tilled, and in the frenzy of settlement no one paid much attention to Doukhobors.

As a token concession, the government made some of the lands available to the Doukhobors as a reserve, on the basis of fifteen acres per person. A total of 236 Doukhobors opted for individual land registration and thus became known as “Independent Doukhobors.” A smaller, more aggressive faction objected to their treatment and staged a public protest against the “militarism” of the government in the form of a march. Thereafter, they became known as the “Sons of Freedom.”

In British Columbia, Doukhobor life took on an entirely different format. Grain farming and cattle-raising were replaced by fruit-growing and the operation of sawmills, a brick factory and two jam factories. Some of the men worked for non-Doukhobor neighbours and contributed their earnings to the community – the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood (CCUB) – through their leader, Peter V. Verigin. New homes were built comprising a total of 90 villages, each containing one or two large houses, each accommodating 30 to 50 people.

In 1915, an Alberta base was added to the CCUB. Verigin saw the advantage of establishing an Alberta “depot” to provide grain and flour to British Columbia members who in turn would furnish garden produce and other supplies to the Alberta farmers. He purchased 12,000 acres of farmland in the Cowley-Lundbreck area and placed three hundred people on the land. Verigin also supervised the building of a flour mill and two elevators.

The Alberta connection functioned effectively until the dissolution of the CCUB. There were occasional incidents of protest against the Alberta Doukhobors during the years following the First World War because of their pacifism, but for the most part there was little disruption of life in the community over such matters.

The CCUB was dismantled in 1938 due to a sudden and unprovoked bank foreclosure on the organization. Although the community had nearly $8 million worth of property, two business firms – National Trust and the Sun Life Assurance Company – held a series of demand notes worth four per cent of their total worth, or $319,276. The notes were called and the British Columbia Supreme Court allowed foreclosure action to commence. The way was then clear for the British Columbia government to take title to Doukhobor lands and properties. When the CCUB was dismantled, some lands were sold to Doukhobor adherents on a crop-share basis and the rest were liquidated to pay off the bank debt. The story of the foreclosure is a blot on Canadian history.

Residents of Anastasia’s village: Polly Verigin, Dunya Anutooshkin (seated) and Nastya Verigin, c. 1927.

On October 24, 1924, the revered leader of the CCUB, Peter the Lordly, died in a mysterious train explosion when he was travelling to Grand Forks. A much respected man, Peter the Lordly virtually ran the CCUB single-handedly, even though a board of trustees legally existed.

It is a Doukhobor custom that when a leader dies there is a six-week period of mourning. When the mourning is over the community reconvenes and a new leader is elected. After Peter the Lordly’s death, his longtime female companion, Anastasia Holuboff, wanted to be the next leader but she was defeated. Instead, the congregation chose Peter’s son, Peter Petrovich Verigin, who was living in Russia. He was subsequently contacted and moved to Canada to take over the CCUB. Anastasia was deeply offended; after all, it was she who had lived and travelled with Peter the Lordly for twenty years and she knew all of his teachings.

She reacted to the rejection by forming a breakaway group called “The Lordly Christian Community of Christian Brotherhood” and in 1926 she moved to Alberta. Anastasia purchased 1,120 acres of land near Shouldice and subsequently supervised the building of the first homes. From a small beginning, the village population eventually peaked at 165 souls with twenty-six separate homes on site.

From the very beginning, Anastasia’s village functioned quite differently from other Doukhobor settlements. Always there was an element of uncertainty about its stability and an atmosphere of mistrust prevailed. Administratively, Anastasia was never Peter Verigin’s equal, so she was constantly working to keep the community together. She lacked the dignity with which Verigin had carried himself, and she never gained the measure of respect that he had commanded.

Anastasia’s method of governance was to insist on respect from her villagers. On moving into the village, each resident was asked to sign a membership form with the following rules called, “Principal Points of the Doukhobor Religion”: Doukhobors do not have mortiferous firearms; do not kill animals for food; do not use intoxicating liquors; and do not smoke or chew tobacco.

Anastasia’s governance style revealed itself in numerous other day-to-day affairs as well. One former village resident suggested that when the first garden produce of the season was brought in, Anastasia insisted that she be the first to partake of it. She also saw herself as the principal spiritual resource for the village and personally took to teaching Doukhobor philosophy and community regulations to the children. She gathered her young charges together in the early hours of the morning and taught them to sing Doukhobor psalms and memorize the main tenets of Doukhobor ideology. Herself once a member of Peter Verigin’s travelling choirs, she placed considerable stress on music. She also decried materialism and militarism and originated a series of strict regulations in this regard.

This large barn served the whole community at Anastasia’s village. It was built in 1927 and is still in use.  Photo by Jonathan J. Kalmakoff.

She was known to mete out lengthy sermons to offenders who often escaped her diatribes simply by leaving the scene.

Following Peter the Lordly’s example, Anastasia originally purchased the farmlands for her settlement in her own name. Verigin said he would do this for the protection of the community when they first migrated to British Columbia, and true to his word, he did set up a board of directors for the CCUB and eventually turned all properties over to the organization. Anastasia also established a board of directors (consisting of three members) but she never signed the lands over to her community. Thus at her death there was a legal question about ownership. The actual village site and surrounding farmland were willed to her niece (recently deceased) who, along with her husband, maintained the village buildings and grounds to the present. Although resident in British Columbia, they spent summers at the village site to undertake maintenance work.

Anastasia’s board of directors was elected for one year terms and were primarily charged with looking after agricultural activities. Despite many attempts to live according to the spirit of brotherly love extolled by Doukhobors, there were frequent disputes (even fist-fights) among members of the village and Anastasia was not always able to successfully intervene. As a result there were frequent departures as people moved to more desirable places. When this happened, in most cases they forfeited their goods to the village and left with only the clothes on their backs. Some demanded a share of the goods and argued until some kind of settlement was made. This constant turmoil reflected badly on Anastasia’s abilities as leader and did little to maintain the morale of the membership or attract other Orthodox Doukhobors to the settlement. It also reflected poorly on a community allegedly bound by the principles of rationality which was to result in respect for one another by living in harmony. Despite this, the community became skilled at growing garden produce and contracted with members of the nearby Blackfoot Indian Reserve to trade these for coal supplies. They also obtained permission to do berry-picking on the reserve.

Doukhobor pacifism was internally put to the test when Anastasia appointed a close friend of hers, Wasyl (William) Androsoff, to run the village farm. The irritation caused by the appointment increased when Androsoff refused to move to the village. In addition, he and his brother, Ivan, also used community machinery to farm their own land. At William’s death, Ivan (also called John), took over farming operations until Anastasia’s passing. Her brother Michael is also reported to have helped with farming operations and as a reward Anastasia signed a quarter section of land over to him.

In some ways, Anastasia’s village was a communal experiment in isolation. It was an isolation from social interchange, and an isolation of economics and belief. In the first instance, village members were encouraged to have little to do with outsiders even though a certain amount of trade went on with neighbours. Also, when times were tough, Anastasia assigned certain men to work for neighbouring farmers. When work was done a strict reporting of activities away from the village to Anastasia was required. The philosophy of “them and us” was adhered to, which meant that everyone outside the village was considered an outsider – including other Doukhobors. Since Anastasia’s group was considered a renegade faction by mainline orthodoxy, there was an unspoken regulation about having too much to do with them. There were exchange visits between Anastasia’s people and those in the Alberta settlements near Lundbreck, but these were intermittent and basically social in nature.

Non-Doukhobor neighbours who still reside near the former village tell of sitting listening to Doukhobor singing emanating from the village. It was a beautiful and haunting sound, but carried a message of social distance in philosophy and practice. It was certainly difficult to operationalize the principle of loving one’s brother if social isolation was awarded such prime billing.

There is no indication that members of Anastasia’s village experienced public censure because of their pacifism during the period of the Second World War. On a national scale there were many Doukhobors who resisted participation in any alternative service program such as that yielded to by the Mennonites and Hutterites. Although some Doukhobor leaders in Saskatchewan tried to cooperate with the government push for alternative service, many young men resisted and at one time nearly 100 of them spent four months in prison in Prince Albert. In British Columbia, resistance was much more pronounced and the Sons of Freedom particularly gained press for staging public demonstrations. Inexperienced with this kind of upheaval, government officials tried to downplay the problem. Countless meetings were held and finally it was agreed that the Doukhobors should be disfranchised. On November 2, 1944, a form of taxation for Doukhobors was devised with monies derived therefrom going to the Red Cross. With the war nearly over, the proposal received endorsation by the majority of Doukhobors and additional conflict was defused. In evaluating the entire episode, one would have to praise government officials for their patience, dedication and long suffering in trying to accommodate Doukhobor beliefs.

Besides the question of the quality of administration in Anastasia’s village was the matter of institutional connection. With only limited social and economic ties to the local community, residents of the village also functioned with memories of having been forced to leave the membership of mainline orthodoxy when they sided with Anastasia after Peter the Lordly’s death. Combined with Anastasia’s inability to run a tight ship, this lack of institutional affiliation created an island community in an alien society and its demise was almost certain from the beginning. After all, who in Alberta, in a period of wartime, could really become concerned about the inner struggles of a remote pacifist, communal, renegade, Russian-derived group of people? Without vital connections, the experiment could not last.

When the Doukhobors first came to Canada they were seen as a very appealing kind of immigrant. They knew how to farm, they promised not to engage in any acts of civil disobedience, and they asked for little from the Canadian people. As time went on, however, a very negative image of Doukhobors evolved, partially brought on by the “leave us alone” philosophy of the Doukhobors themselves and Canadian suspicions of their pacifist, communal lifestyle. It did not help that the militant Sons of Freedom faction which originated after the seizure of Saskatchewan lands received so much publicity. In their zeal to discourage a growing materialism among their orthodox counterparts they sometimes engaged in acts of civil disobedience and violence to make a point. They set fire to buildings to illustrate the fleeting security of material goods. They burned schools in order to express their disdain for public education which they saw as part of the process of yielding to the Canadian value system of materialism, consumerism and militarism.

Undoubtedly the apparent inconsistency between what was promulgated as pacifist ideology, and demonstrated in acts of aggression (even if only against one’s own colleagues), drew little public support for the Doukhobor cause. An even more isolated and eccentric experiment (such as Anastasia’s village), would almost certainly be bypassed or stretch Canadian tolerance to its very limits.

Sources contend that the village never formally died; instead it simply dwindled away. By 1945, only Anastasia and her companion, Fedosia Verigin, remained on site. They lived alone there until 1960 when they moved to Calgary and spent their summers at the site. Anastasia died on November 24, 1965, and Fedosia on October 26, 1981. They are buried side by side in the cemetery located at the north end of the village.

Anastasia’s original house (and attached bath house). The structure is still standing.  Photo by Jonathan J. Kalmakoff.

Physical reminders of the former village structure are numerous and include Anastasia’s original house (and attached bath-house), her newer home (built in the 1950s), a big barn and grain bin, the prayer home, and a several other buildings. Memories of life in the village also remain, locked in the inner recesses of the hearts of older Doukhobors who were once a part of this experience.

About the Author

John W. Friesen is an ordained clergyman of the United Church of Canada. He is Minister of Morley United Church near Calgary, Alberta. He also holds a joint appointment as Professor in the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Communication and Culture at the University of Calgary. He has published several articles on the Doukhobors. His book with Michael M. Verigin, The Community Doukhobors, A People in Transition (Borealis Press, 1996) is a detailed examination of the history of the Doukhobors in Alberta.