Originals were unfolded, flattened, given acid-free envelopes and returned to donor.
Acquisition Source
Mrs. Gail Manson of White Lake
Custodial History
According to Peter Hessel's book, 'McNab: The Township', Violet Box inherited the collection from her mother, Rebecca nee Buffam. Rebecca was married to the Laird's son Allan. After Allan's death, Rebecca married John Alston, and Violet was their daughter. When Violet Box died, her son John Box inherited the papers. Upon John's death in 1975, they came under the care of his executor, Owen Black and his wife, Verna, who were their neighbours and friends for many years. Gail Manson, daughter of Verna Black, was given the papers, and the originals remain in her care.
Scope and Content
This fonds consists of a valuable collection of material that the Box family kept pertaining to the life and times of Chief McNab and McNab's family. Inluded are 102 documents and 37 photographs.
While most of the documents are personal letters, there are also examples of business accounts, bonds, deeds, mortgage, a gaelic verse, gaelic article, etc. Several letters were written by Archibald McNab to his son Allan and his housekeeper and common-law wife Catherine Fisher. The letters were written in various locations such as Edinburgh, Government House, Kingston, Montreal etc. Some of the letters were transcribed by AMBA volunteers and others were summarized in Hessel's 'McNab: The Township'. These are described at the item level.
In addition to the letters, there are 37 photographs of White Lake and other miscellaneous items such as Christmas cards and memorial cards.