Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

LEG HOLD TRAPS

Date Range From

1900

Date Range To

1940

Materials

STEEL, WOOD

No. Pieces

19

Description

1. 10 PIECES: STEEL TRAPS WITH WOODEN STAKES. 90CM (L FROM TRAP TO END OF STAKE) X 17.8CM (W) X 9CM (H). LEG HOLD TRAPS WITH WIRE CHAIN AND WOODEN STAKE TWO SEMI-CIRCULAR HINGED BARS ATTACHED TO ARCHED BASE. HINGED DISC RESTS IN CENTER OF TRAP, 7.7CM IN DIAMETER, WITH "ONEIDA JUMP PAT. NOV 15.04 MAY 27.07 FEB 16.09 MADE IN U.S.A. ONEIDA COMMUNITY N.Y." STAMPED INTO TOP. "V" CUT INTO CENTER OF DISC, WITH "3" STAMPED ABOVE ON 8 OF THE TRAPS, AND "4" ON OTHER TWO. SMALL LEVER TO THE RIGHT OF DISC WHICH LOCKS DISC INTO PLACE. ONE WOODEN STAKE IS BROKEN AT END, AND ONE IS MADE FROM A DIFFERENT TYPE OF WOOD THAN OTHERS. LENGTHS OF STAKES VARY. ALL TRAPS ARE VERY BADLY CORRODED THROUGHOUT AND WOOD IS ROTTING AND CRUMBLING. 2. 4 PIECES: STEEL LEG HOLD TRAPS OF THE SAME TYPE AS ABOVE, EXCEPT WITH STEEL STAKES IN PLACE OF WOOD. STAKES ARE 34.5CM IN LENGTH, WITH SMALL HEAD AT TOP FOR HOLDING WIRE. ONE STAKE HAS EYE AT TOP, AND IS THREADED. ALSO BADLY CORRODED. 3. 1 PIECE: STEEL LEG HOLD TRAP OF SAME TYPE AS ABOVE, WITHOUT STAKE. CHAIN INCLUDED. 4. 2 PIECES: STEEL LEG HOLD TRAPS WITHOUT STAKES: 68CM (L INCLUDING CHAIN) X 11.4CM (W) X 6CM (H). TWO SEMI-CIRCULAR BARS JOINED TO BASE BAR, WHICH FOLD DOWN TO TRAP. HINGED DISC RESTS IN CENTER, ENGRAVED WITH "DIAMOND BRAND MADE IN U.S.A. NO. 21 LONG SPRING PATENTED MAY 18, 1936 NORWICH WIRE......N.Y." (SOME PRINT ILLEGIBLE). FOLDED BAR EXTENDS FROM ONE SIDE OF TRAP, TO WHICH IS CONNECTED LOOPED WIRE CHAIN. RING AT THE END OF CHAIN, WITH TAPERED TAB AT END 5CM IN LENGTH. SEVERE CORROSION THROUGHOUT. DIAMOND CUT IN CENTER DISC. 5. 1 PIECE: STEEL LEG HOLD TRAP OF SAME TYPE AS .4, BUT DISC READS "SUPER-GRI....AUG. 28.17....PD FOR...." (REST IS ILLEGIBLE). "U 3 7" SHAPES FORMED INTO BOTTOM BY DOTS. ALSO SEVERELY CORRODED. 6. 1 PIECE: STEEL LEG HOLD TRAP OF SAME TYPE AS .4, BUT DISC READS "ONEIDA VICTOR REG. TRADE MARK 1 MADE IN CANADA". PRINT AT BOTTOM ILLEGIBLE. "V" CUT INTO CENTRE OF DISC. MISSING TAB AT END OF CHAIN.

Subjects

FISHING & TRAPPING T&E

Historical Association

TRADES

History

TRAPS WERE USED BY LEVI MCDONALD, HUSBAND OF ESTELLA AGNES CHAMBERS MCDONALD, WHO TRAPPED ANIMALS AROUND CHIN COULEE. HE WAS LATER INVOLVED IN TABER FISH AND GAME. SEE P19950049001-GA FOR MORE HISTORY. *UPDATE* IN 2016 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT RUTHANN LABLANCE CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF CLOTHING, INCLUDING PARTS OF SEVERAL ITEMS DONATED BY CLAIRE DAHLQUIST. THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION WAS COMPILED USING FROM THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD. LEVI MACDONALD PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 88 ON OCTOBER 6, 1977. HE WAS BORN IN WEST TILBURY TOWNSHIP, ESSEX COUNTY, ON ON JULY 30, 1889, THE SON OF HIRAM AND ALICE (MAIDEN NAME UNKNOWN) MACDONALD. IN 1914, LEVI MARRIED ESTELLA AGNES CHALMERS. IN 1918, THEY LIVED IN BURDETT AND THEN IN TABER IN 1921. ACCORDING TO HIS OBITUARY, “HE WAS ACTIVE IN THE ALBERTA FISH AND GAME ASSOCIATION FOR MANY YEARS AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE MASONIC LODGE, THE MOOSE LODGE, THE CANADIAN LEGION, AND THE ELKS. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE REORGANIZED CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS. ESTELLA AGNES MACDONALD (NEE CHALMERS) WAS BORN AND RAISED IN ONTARIO. ESTELLA PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 84 ON MAY 11, 1981. LEA HIRAM MACDONALD WAS BORN IN LOWBANKS, ON ON MARCH 11, 1928 AND GREW UP ON THE FAMILY FARM IN TABER. HE MARRIED BEVERLY AYERS IN GREAT FALLS, MT ON MARCH 10, 1958. HE PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 79 ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2007. SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR COPIES OF THE ARTICLES FROM THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD. *UPDATE* IN 2018, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF BOXED TEXTILE ARTIFACTS AND ACCESSORIES, INCLUDING FIFTEEN ARTIFACTS DONATED BY CLAIRE DAHLQUIST. ATTEMPTS MADE TO CONTACT THE DONOR TO SPEAK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC ARTIFACTS AND THEIR USE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.

Catalogue Number

P19950049014

Acquisition Date

1995-08

Collection

Museum

Less detail