Archive Record

Metadata

Item

Album, photograph

Title

"A Trip To Paradise"

Collection

Marie Weeden collection

Catalog Number

2016.052.045

Year Range from

1925

Year Range to

1992

Scope & Content

This file pertains to Liumchin Mountain, a favorite area of the Wells family. Edwin Wells led a group of volunteers to establish the Liumchin Trail, with Chief Billy Sepass and Ed Thornton acting as engineers. The trail led to the beautiful area south of the Chilliwack River Valley, at an elevation approximately between four and five thousand feet. (Wells, Oliver, "Edenbank", [Madeira Park: Harbour Publishing Co. Ltd., 2003.], p. 90.); (Wells, Oliver, "Edwin A Wells, "'Trail Blazer'", ca.1966, p. 2, in "A Trip to Paradise", 2016.052.045, Marie Weeden collection.)

The file documents the activities of the Wells family and friends pertaining to Liumchin, and includes colour and black and white photographs, illustrations, documentation of artwork, black and white photocopies of photographs, typed notes, letters of correspondence, newspaper articles, handwritten notes, a wedding invitation on tree bark, and hand drawn maps.

Of particular note is "A Trip to Paradise", a travel diary that recounts a summer trip for a group of young people into the Liumchin range. The group consisted of Ernest Farrow (chaperone), Gordon Wells and Joy Rickaby (they were married in 1929), Ada Currie, and Christie (Irwin) Harris. Ada contributed illustrations for the diary and Christie wrote poetry. The diary was accompanied by a photo album of the adventure, "a copy of which was presented to Edwin and Margaret Wells, who were hosts to the party during the preparations for the trip." ("Edenbank", p. 106.)

Note: see "A Trip to Paradise" found in "Liumchin Data (Original)" (2016.052.053), which appears to be an early draft of the journal, with editting and what is possibly the original illustrations.

The file also includes records documenting Edwin Wells' efforts to establish the Liumchin area as a Park Reserve. These records include articles in the Progress newspaper and correspondence with provincial and federal government representatives as well as a story of Edwin Wells and the Liumchin area, "Edwin A. Wells, 'Trail Blazer'", written by Oliver Wells. In this account, Oliver states that by 1931 a Liumchin Park Reserve Area was showing on maps published by the Department of Lands ("'Trail Blazer'" p.5.)

Additionally of note are four hand drawn maps of the Liumchin area. One map reads "Map by E.A. Wells drawn by O.N. Wells."

Liumchen Ecological Reserve was established by BC Parks in 1998, and incorporates 2161 ha. of land, 16 km south of Chilliwack. "Thee reserve consists of the three south/north-draining valleys and headwaters of Liumchen Creek, between the international border and their confluence." The purpose of the reserve is "(t)o protect an area of montane and subalpine flora and fauna representative for the North West Cascade Ecosection and protect rare species and special karst habitat." ("Liumchin", BC Parks, n.d., .)

Creator

Wells, Family

Admin/Biographical History

Allen Casey Wells (1837-1922) was born in Napanee, Ontario in 1837, the sixth of ten children born to Allen and Martha (Casey) Wells. On May 17, 1859 A.C. Wells married Sarah Manetta Hodge (1835-1921) of Denmark, New York, and made their home at Newberg for three years, where A.C. was engaged in a harness making business with his brother.

Wells came west in 1862 to the gold fields of British Columbia. Leaving the Caribou in 1863, he opened a harness making business in Yale, but moved to Chilliwack in 1866 to manage the large land holdings of his brother-in-law, Charles Evans. In June 1866, Wells purchased District Lot 38, a 150 acre block of land west of the Chilliwack River, alongside a stream called kwa-kwa-LEET-sah (Coqualeetza), and now referred to as Luckakuck Creek (luhk-ah-kukh). The farm became well known for its enterprising and progressive practices.

A.C. and Sarah Wells had two children: Lillie Jane (1865-1919, m. William Townsley,) and Edwin Allen (1870-1942, m. Gertrude Kipp). An adopted daughter, Mildred (Mrs. A.E.J. Farrow) may have been a cousin. Family legend holds that the name Edenbank was chosen for the farm by Lillie Wells, sometime in the 1880s.

Eden Bank (or Edenbank) prospered as a producer of hay, root crops, and dairy products. In 1885, A.C. Wells established the first creamery and cheese factory in the Chilliwack area, in 1891 he built the first upright silo in western Canada, in 1892 he established a herd of Ayrshire cattle which became famous for its quality, and in 1894 a barn with capacity for 100 head of cattle was built. In 1907 the Edenbank Trading Co. was established.

In 1912 A.C. Wells' son Edwin assumed active management of the farm. He married Gertrude Eliza Kipp (1871-1918) in 1892. They had seven sons: Ray Edwin Wells (1894-1992), Allen Victor Wells (1896-1902), Carman Willard Wells (1898-1902), Clarence Casey Wells (1902-1976), Gordon Earnest Wells (1905-1972), Oliver Nelson Wells (1907-1970), and Ronald Gladstone Wells (1911-2006). In 1920, Edwin Wells married Margaret Smith (1870-1954).

Edwin Wells was an outdoorsman and conservationist, who established the Liumchin area as a popular recreational destination and created the Luckakuck Bird Sanctuary on a portion of Edenbank Farm. He was Reeve of the Township of Chilliwhack in 1931.

In 1939 Edwin's son Oliver became the proprietor of the farm. In 1966 it became a family owned company, Edenbank Farms Ltd. Oliver Wells married Sara McKeil (1901-1986) in 1931. They had two daughters: Sara Elizabeth (Betty) Wells (1933-, m. Robert Thomas Purkis,) and Margaret Marie Wells (1940-, m. Donald Richard Peter [Dick] Weeden).

Oliver was an amateur historian and ethnologist. He was President of the Chilliwack Historical Society from 1957 until his death in 1970. He was also the author of several articles and pamphlets, as well as two books, which were published posthumously: "The Chilliwacks and Their Neighbors", a collection of Oliver's transcribed conversations with friends from the Stó:lo First Nation, an "Edenbank", a historical account of the family's pioneer farm. Oliver was also instrumental in reviving traditional First Nation crafts as an economic enterprise. His death in an automobile accident in Scotland left much of his work unfinished.

Following Oliver's death, his widow Sara and daughter Marie lived on the farm with their family. By then Edenbank was almost surrounded by urban development, and was no longer viable as an agricultural operation. The farm was sold for residential development in 1981.

Extent of Description

3.25 cm of textual and photographic records.