The William Pearce Fonds consists of records documenting the three phases of his professional life: federal surveyor and administrator (1874-1884); federal advisor for western development policy (1884-1904); and western consultant for the Canadian Pacific Railway (post-1904). Most of the records in the Pearce fonds were created in the region that was the focus of his career: the territory fomerly known as Rupert's Land and the North-West Territory, later to become the prairie provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. A small portion of the records document Pearce's activites during his retirment
Sans titrePersonal and career papers
Sans titreMacdonald comments positively on Pearce's manuscript, encourges him to have it printed
Sans titreInformation for narrative history of railway line in Western Canada
Sans titreCorrespondence sent to Steele related to his duties in the Yukon from Fred White, Yukon Commissioner James. M. Walsh, A.B. Perry, and William Pearce, Superintendent of Mines; includes a completed Chilkoot Pass duty form and instructions for Steele's transfer to Dawson.
Sans titrePersonal letters sent to SBS from William Pearce, Chief Inspector of Surveys for the Canadian Government; his letters are long and newsy and provide much detail about crops, land use and development, etc. in Western Canada
Sans titreGeneral Correspondence – Letters from family and friends, re: various matters; includes a letter from the parent seeking further information about a son killed in South Africa. Handwritten.
Sans titreInvitation from Western Canadian Irrigation Association for Pearce to speak on the topic of the North West Saskatchewan Irrigation Project.
Sans titreLetter sent by Pearce to several government officials requesting data on irrigation and settlement. Pearce collected the information for the purposes of presenting a paper to the Calgary Branch of the Engineering Society on the benefits of irrigation.
Sans titreManuscript describes the early navigation of the river systems of the North and South Saskatchewan beginning with the Hudson's Bay Company efforts in 1874. In addition to commerce the vessels listed were used for public purposes such as transporting military resources until the 1885 Riel Rebellion. Rail development supplanted river navigation shortly thereafter.
Sans titreSapir tells Pearce the Royal Society will not likely publish his manuscript next year.
Sans titrePearce asks Hewitt Bostock to read his manuscript and comment
Sans titrePearce's presentation to the Alberta Military Institute delivered in Edmonton on the 6th of October 1923.
Sans titrePearce's essay concerning settlement of land title on the prairie provinces.
Sans titrePearce describes the mid-nineteenth century narrative of European settlement surrounding the region currently known as St. Albert. The manuscript is predominantly a quote of a letter Pearce wrote to A. Walsh, Commissioner of Dominion Lands, describing the Catholic Church's efforts to acquire land in the area known as "Big Lake," an enlargement of the Sturgeon River near contemporary St. Albert
Sans titrePearce asks Howard to read his manuscript and comment.
Sans titrePearce thanks Mavor for his help in brining his manuscript to the attention of Royal Geographical Society.
Sans titrePearce explains to Burpee that with Mavor's support his manuscript could be published by the Royal Society of Canada. He
Sans titrePearce requests Wallace to read his manuscript
Sans titreMcKay acknowledges receipt of Pearce's manuscript and promises to read and criticise the work.
Sans titreMavor informs Pearce his manuscript is scheduled to be discussed at an upcoming Royal Society of Canada meeting.
Sans titrePearce acknowledges the Royal Society will not publish his manuscript and inquires if it might consider publishing it the next year.
Sans titrePearce requests Haultain read his manuscript
Sans titrePearce sends his manuscript to Prof. James Mavor for comment. Inquires into the possibility of the Royal Geographical Society covering the cost of printing.
Sans titrePearce asks Judge Mckay, of the Court of the King's Bench, to read and comment on his historical manuscript. He includes the letter he sent to Prof. James. Mavor of the Royal Society of Canada (formerly Professor of Political Economy at the University of Toronto) to inform his comments.
Sans titreStead advises Pearce he has received his manuscript but will not have time to read it carefully for some time.
Sans titrePearce sends a copy of his manuscript to R.J.C. Stead of the Department of Immigration. He wants Stead's advice to publish his work.
Sans titrePearce informs Prof. Fay he will pay for printing his own manuscript and is looking for a good price.
Sans titreGrual sends Pearce a quote for the cost of printing his narrative.
Sans titreMacdonald agrees to send Pearce his manuscript and pay for express postage, suggests again the C.P.R. or a government office to cover the cost of publication.
Sans titreProf Fay explains he cannot find a publisher for Pearce and inquires if the C.P.R. might be interested in publishing it.
Sans titreLasoie offers editorial comments on Pearce's historical manuscript, questions Pearce's depiction of aborignal script.
Sans titrePearce responds to Tassie's editorial comments concerning his historical manuscript.
Sans titrePearce consults Prof. Fay concerning the editorial comments of Gilbert Tassie.
Sans titreProfessor Fay explains he cannot find a publisher for Pearce's manuscript. He recommends trying to publish it in Calgary as a local history.
Sans titreMacdonald tells Pearce he is still reading his manuscript, recommends "Pearce Papers" as the title.
Sans titrePearce thanks Coyne for his positive comments on his historical narrative.
Sans titrePearce discusses the development of Livingstone.
Sans titrePearce apologizes to King for blaming the Department of Pubilc Works for his inability to locate records relating to the construction of Government buildings in Livingstone.
Sans titrePearce requests information regarding the settlement of Livingstone.
Sans titrePearce sends Mr. Naismith a copy of his findings regarding the settlement of Livingstone.
Sans titrePearce sends Mr. Naismith a copy of his findings regarding the settlement of Livingstone.
Sans titrePearce sends Coleman information regarding the settlement of Livingstone, and an excerpt from his Historical Manuscript.
Sans titreJ.H. King explains why Pearce could not locate information regarding construction of government buildings from the Deparment of Public Works.
Sans titrePearce sends information regarding the settlement of Livingstone, Department of Indian Affairs, construction of government buildings, C.P.R. lines, and Lt. Governors
Sans titrePearce sends information regarding the settlement of Livingstone to Coutts and McCleod. He also requests additional information on Livingstone.
Sans titreBedford provides Peace with information regarding the Postal Service in the West.
Sans titreMeyer provides Pearce with information regarding Postal Routes in British Columbia.
Sans titrePearce asks for information regarding the development of the North West Territories and the appointment of David Laird.
Sans titrePearce requests information regarding the Postal Service in British Columbia.
Sans titreBedford provides Pearce with information regarding Postal Routes in the West.
Sans titrePearce provides Meyer with a copy of his narrative on the development of the Postal Service in the West.
Sans titrePearce discusses the development of the North West Territories, the NWMP, and the development of the C.P.R line.
Sans titreMacdowell provides Pearce with information regarding telegraphs.
Sans titrePearce provides Frank Oliver with several copies of questions regarding the development of telegraph lines and asks Oliver to distribute the questions to informed parties.
Sans titrePearce provides Hume with a list of questions regarding the development of telegraph lines in the West.
Sans titrePearce requests information regarding the development of the Postal Service in the West.
Sans titrePearce asks for information regarding the development of telegraph lines in the West.
Sans titrePearce requests information regarding the relationship between the Hudson's Bay company and the development of telegraph lines.
Sans titrePearce requests information regarding telegraphs from C.N. Bell.
Sans titreStarnes provides Pearce with information regarding the settlement of Livingstone and military forts.
Sans titreG.G. Ommanney provides Pearce with information regarding telegraphs.
Sans titrePearce requests information regarding telegraphs from McCaig.
Sans titreMcDonald provides Pearce with information regarding the development of telegraph lines in the West.
Sans titrePearce requests information on the C.P.R and telegraph lines from Ommanney.
Sans titreFrank Oliver provides Pearce with information regarding telegraphs and the formation of the Edmonton Bulletin.
Sans titrePearce requests information regarding telegraph liines from Macdowell.
Sans titrePayne replies to an inquiry from Pearce and informs Pearce that he cannot answer his inquiry regarding telegraph development, but states that he will send him a copy of Railway Statistics from 1908.
Sans titrePearce sends L.J. Reycraft a copy of his memorandum on the establishment of Ft. Livingstone as the first capital of the North-West Territories. Pearce also attaches a photo of a "monolith" erected by the Saskatchewan Historical Society to commemorate the location of Ft. Livingstone.
Sans titrePearce sends Dennis a copy of address to the Alberta Military Institute. He also offers to locate a copy of his "Detailed Report upon All Claims to Land and Right to Participate in the Northwest Half-Breed Grant."
Sans titreT. Shanks, Assistant Director of General Surveys, thanks Pearce for sending him the Annual Report of the Alberta Land Surveyors Association for 1921 and a newspaper copy of his October 1920 address before the Alberta Military Institute.
Sans titreJ.H.King provides Pearce with information regarding the construction of buildings in the West.
Sans titrePearce tells Coleman he found several copies of his "Detailed Report upon All Claims to Land and Right to Participate in the Northwest Half-Breed Grant" and sends Coleman a copy.
Sans titrePope provides Pearce with information regarding the appointment of David Laird, and a history of Lt. Govenor's in the West.
Sans titrePearce acknowledges Macdonald's receipt of the historical manuscript and asks for comment on the presentation and layout of the material
Sans titrePearce requests information regarding an early map of the C.P.R. land holdings from Montreal to the Pacific.
Sans titreBurpee offers a critique of Pearce's paper "Titles to Land in the Three Prairie Provinces."
Sans titreThompson addresses the question of "Hudson's Bay Reserve Lands." Pearce has made several inquiries into this issue for the purpose of researching his essay, "Titles to Land."
Sans titreStephenson provides Pearce with information regarding the appointment of Mr. Sabine to agent of the Dominion Lands.
Sans titreMayor Webster returns Pearce's manuscript concerning settlement of land claims in Calgary and vicinity.
Sans titrePearce informs Stephenson of his desire to publish his paper "Titles to Land in the Three Prairie Provinces" and requests information regarding the Department of the Interior.
Sans titreR.F. Clarke requests information on land settlement in the West for the Dominion Land Surveyors Historical and Biographical Committee.
Sans titrePearce asks McCaig to comment on H.H. Smith's, former Commissioner of Dominion Lands and Pearce's superior, critique of Pearce's paper, "Titles to Land in the Three Prairie Provinces."
Sans titrePearce discusses a section of his paper regarding the Hudson's Bay Company in his paper "Titles to Land in the Three Prairie Provinces" and requests a critique from Cote.
Sans titrePearce requests information regarding land holdings in the prairies.
Sans titrePearce asks for advice on his paper "Land Titles in the Three Prairie Provinces" and inquires about the possibility of pubilcation by the Royal Society.
Sans titreH.H. Smith, former Commissioner of Dominion Lands and Pearce's superior, critiques Pearce's paper "Titles to Land in the Three Prairie Provinces."
Sans titreNanton responds to a letter H.H. Smith, former Commissioner of Dominion Lands and Pearce's superior, wrote to Pearce regarding a critque of his paper "Titles to Land in Three Prairie Provinces."
Sans titrePearce writes to Dr. Deville to obtain information regarding surveying on the South Saskatchewan and Bow River.
Sans titreSmith comments on the "Wild Land Tax Act." This Act direcly affected the Hudson's Bay Company.
Sans titrePearce asks Nanton to forward his paper "Titles to Land in the Three Prairie Provinces" to H.H. Smith, former Commissioner of Dominion Lands and Pearce's superior.
Sans titrePearce asks Smith to provide him with a copy of the "Wild Land Tax Act." This act directly affected the Hudson's Bay Company.
Sans titrePearce comments on the causes of the 1885 Rebellion and proposes to write an exculpatory essay on the opening of the West.
Sans titrePearce asks H.H. Smith, former Commissioner of Dominion Lands and Pearce's superior, to critique of his paper "Titles to Land in the Three Prairie Provinces. "
Sans titrePearce asks White to prepare and send him copies of his paper "Titles to Land in the Three Prairie Provinces."
Sans titreNanton thanks Pearce for the opportunity to read his paper "Titles to Land in the Three Prairie Provinces."
Sans titrePearce comments on the Hudson's Bay Company .
Sans titreLynch sends Pearce 12 photostat copies of the "Detailed Report on the North-West Half-Breed Grant" in response to Pearce's request. He also thanks Pearce for sending him a copy the paper he delivered before the Alberta Military Institute.
Sans titreDennis acknowledges receipt of Pearce's paper, intended for the Dominion Association of Chartered Accountants, and notes its "extreme value."
Sans titreM. Ommaney of the C.P.R. wrrties to Pearce explaining he cannot locate a map from 1885 documenting the proposed location of the C.P.R.
Sans titre