William Donald Albright
Encyclopedia
William Donald Albright was a Canadian
agriculturalist
and journalist
. In 1954, Albright was named a Person of National Historic Significance
by the Canadian government.
. In 1903, Albright graduated from the Ontario Agricultural College
. That same year he became the assistant editor
of the Maritime Farmer, a farming periodical based in New Brunswick
. Leaving the Farmer in 1905, Albright subsequently became employed as an associate editor at the Farmer's Advocate, another agricultural publication. In 1908 he married Eva Belle Lossing, from Oxford County, Ontario
.
In 1913, Albright and his wife left Ontario to homestead
in the Peace River
area of northwestern Alberta
, near the town of Beaverlodge, in the vicinity of Grande Prairie. Albright quickly became impressed with the agricultural potential of the region, and soon had agricultural experiments set up on his own land, with a contract to work part-time for the Central Experimental Farm
in Ottawa
. In 1917, the government rented 20 acres (8.1 ha) of his land to establish an official experimental substation
and paid him to operate it on a part-time basis. He became superintendent of the substation in 1919. By 1940 his entire farm was designated an experimental substation. In 1941, his Beaverlodge experiment substation was redesignated a full-scale experiment station, the northernmost of its type in Canada
, and Albright became its director. He was to hold that position until 1945.
Albright's professional activities as an agricultural researcher included testing what could potentially be lucrative cereal crop
s as well as new farming practices. Albright was also entrusted with the promotion of animal husbandry
and the planting of ornamental plant
s in the Alberta farming community, and spent much time travelling throughout the region promoting the idea that it was possible to maintain a good standard of living
in the lowlands of the Peace River region. He and his wife, who were the parents of three children, also collected material on the region's history by conducting and compiling interviews.
Albright died on April 29, 1946 at Haney, British Columbia
. In 1954, he was named a Person of National Historic Significance
by the Canadian government.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
agriculturalist
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. In 1954, Albright was named a Person of National Historic Significance
Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada)
Persons of National Historic Significance, , are people designated by the Canadian government as being nationally significant in the history of the country. Designations are made by the Minister of the Environment on the recommendation of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada....
by the Canadian government.
Biography
William Donald Albright was born on August 5, 1881 at South Cayuga, OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. In 1903, Albright graduated from the Ontario Agricultural College
Ontario Agricultural College
The Ontario Agricultural College originated at the agricultural laboratories of the Toronto Normal School, and was officially founded in 1874 as an associate agricultural college of the University of Toronto...
. That same year he became the assistant editor
Editor
The term editor may refer to:As a person who does editing:* Editor in chief, having final responsibility for a publication's operations and policies* Copy editing, making formatting changes and other improvements to text...
of the Maritime Farmer, a farming periodical based in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. Leaving the Farmer in 1905, Albright subsequently became employed as an associate editor at the Farmer's Advocate, another agricultural publication. In 1908 he married Eva Belle Lossing, from Oxford County, Ontario
Oxford County, Ontario
Oxford County is a regional municipality and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the Southern portion of the province. The regional seat is in Woodstock...
.
In 1913, Albright and his wife left Ontario to homestead
Dominion Lands Act
The Dominion Lands Act was an 1872 Canadian law that aimed to encourage the settlement of Canada's Prairie provinces. It was closely based on the United States Homestead Act, setting conditions in which the western lands could be settled and their natural resources developed...
in the Peace River
Peace River (Canada)
The Peace River is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River flows into the Slave River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River. The Mackenzie is the 12th longest river in the world,...
area of northwestern Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, near the town of Beaverlodge, in the vicinity of Grande Prairie. Albright quickly became impressed with the agricultural potential of the region, and soon had agricultural experiments set up on his own land, with a contract to work part-time for the Central Experimental Farm
Central Experimental Farm
The Central Experimental Farm is an agricultural facility, working farm, and research centre of the Research Branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. As the name indicates, this farm is centrally located in and completely surrounded by the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. In 1917, the government rented 20 acres (8.1 ha) of his land to establish an official experimental substation
Agricultural experiment station
An agricultural experiment station is a research center that conducts scientific investigations to solve problems and suggest improvements in the food and agriculture industry...
and paid him to operate it on a part-time basis. He became superintendent of the substation in 1919. By 1940 his entire farm was designated an experimental substation. In 1941, his Beaverlodge experiment substation was redesignated a full-scale experiment station, the northernmost of its type in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Albright became its director. He was to hold that position until 1945.
Albright's professional activities as an agricultural researcher included testing what could potentially be lucrative cereal crop
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
s as well as new farming practices. Albright was also entrusted with the promotion of animal husbandry
Animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.- History :Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years, since the first domestication of animals....
and the planting of ornamental plant
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
s in the Alberta farming community, and spent much time travelling throughout the region promoting the idea that it was possible to maintain a good standard of living
Standard of living
Standard of living is generally measured by standards such as real income per person and poverty rate. Other measures such as access and quality of health care, income growth inequality and educational standards are also used. Examples are access to certain goods , or measures of health such as...
in the lowlands of the Peace River region. He and his wife, who were the parents of three children, also collected material on the region's history by conducting and compiling interviews.
Albright died on April 29, 1946 at Haney, British Columbia
Haney, British Columbia
Haney, British Columbia was historically a town in Southern British Columbia and is now part of the larger district municipality of Maple Ridge, British Columbia.-Features:...
. In 1954, he was named a Person of National Historic Significance
Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada)
Persons of National Historic Significance, , are people designated by the Canadian government as being nationally significant in the history of the country. Designations are made by the Minister of the Environment on the recommendation of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada....
by the Canadian government.