Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1904

Date Range To

2007

Materials

CERAMIC

No. Pieces

1

Height

18.4

Diameter

15.7

Description

BROWN CERAMIC JUG WITH SPOUT AND HANDLE. GLAZE HAS CHIPPED ALONG RIM. BOTTOM SURFACE OF JUG UNGLAZED.

Subjects

CONTAINER

Historical Association

DOMESTIC

History

JUG WAS ORIGINALLY USED BY DONOR'S GRANDMOTHER, CATHERINE COOK WELLS, TO STORE VINEGAR. IN THE PAST, VINEGAR WAS SOLD IN BULK AND CUSTOMERS PROVIDED THEIR OWN CONTAINERS. DONOR RECALLED HAVING THE JUG FILLED IN ISLAY, ALBERTA, AND THE CHINESE MAN WHO RAN THE STORE WAS EXCITED TO SEE A JUG THAT CLOSELY RESEMBLED THOSE USED IN CHINA. DONOR ESTIMATES THAT THE JUG HAS BEEN IN USE BY HER FAMILY FOR AT LEAST 80 YEARS. DONOR SUSPECTS THAT JUG WAS MADE BY A SKILLED PIONEER, BUT SHE CANNOT TRACE ITS HISTORY BACK FARTHER THAN HER GRANDMOTHER. IN 1904, CATHERINE WELLS AND HER HUSBAND MOVED FROM ONTARIO TO SETTLE 11 MILES SOUTH OF FORT MACLEOD. DURING THE MOVE, MANY ARTICLES WERE BROUGHT OVER FROM ONTARIO TO ESTABLISH A HOME AND FARMSTEAD. THE JUG WAS ONE SUCH ARTICLE. IN 1928, WHEN HER HUSBAND PASSED AWAY, CATHERINE WELLS PURCHASED A FURNISHED HOME IN FORT MACLEOD. SHE MOVED INTO THE HOME, BRINGING THE JUG WITH HER. JEAN WELLS RECALLS HER MOTHER, ISABELLA ROLLINS WELLS (CATHERINE WELLS DAUGHTER), USING THE JUG TO STORE VINEGAR. JEAN WELLS TREATED THE JUG LIKE AN ORNAMENT, STORING IT IN HER CHINA CABINET. ***28 MAY 2014 UPDATE: MERRI-ANN FORD, CATHERINE COOK WELLS’ GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER, PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: ON APRIL 19, 1906 HOMESTEAD ENTRY WAS MADE BY GEORGE WELLS ON THE NE ¼, SECTION 16, RANGE 25, WEST 4TH MERIDIAN. THE LAND IS LOCATED 4.5 MILES (7.24 KM) SOUTH OF HWY 3 ON RANGE ROAD 254. THE ORIGINAL 1/4 SECTION IS LOCATED TO THE SW OF THE GRAVEL ROAD AND EAST WEST FENCE LINE. ON JULY 11, 1908 HIS WIFE CATHERINE WELLS AND THE YOUNGER CHILDREN MOVED ONTO THE HOMESTEAD. MANY ITEMS WERE BROUGHT FROM MARMORA, ONTARIO TO ESTABLISH THE HOME. THE JUG WAS ONE SUCH ARTICLE. GEORGE WELLS PASSED AWAY IN 1927 AND IN 1928 CATHERINE MOVED INTO A FURNISHED HOME IN FORT MACLEOD. THE PARISH HALL, OF HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH, NOW STANDS ON THE SITE OF HER FORMER HOME. ONE OF THE ITEMS SHE BROUGHT WITH HER TO HER NEW HOME WAS THE JUG. AFTER CATHERINE’S DEATH THE JUG CAME INTO THE POSSESSION OF BEATRICE ISABELLA ROLLINS WELLS (CATHERINE’S DAUGHTER). AT THAT TIME ISABELLA’S FAMILY WAS LIVING 4 ½ MILES SOUTH AND ½ MILE EAST OF FORT MACLEOD. THIS LAND WAS SOLD AND ISABELLA’S FAMILY MOVED TO THE AREA AROUND ISLAY, ALBERTA TAKING THE JUG WITH THEM. JEAN WELLS, ISABELLA’S DAUGHTER, RECALLS HER MOTHER USING THE JUG TO STORE VINEGAR. EVENTUALLY THE JUG CAME INTO THE POSSESSION OF JEAN WELLS. SHE TREATED IT LIKE AN ORNAMENT, STORING IT IN HER CHINA CABINET. FOR INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY JUG DONOR JEAN WELLS AND WELLS’ DESCENDANT MERRI-ANN FORD, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT RECORD.

Catalogue Number

P20070009000

Acquisition Date

2007-04

Collection

Museum

Less detail