Seager Wheeler,

MBE Mbe may refer to: * Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo * Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria * Mbe language, a language of Nigeria * Mbe' language, language of Cameroon * ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language Molal ...

(1868 – December 15, 1961) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

agronomist An agriculturist, agriculturalist, agrologist, or agronomist (abbreviated as agr.), is a professional in the science, practice, and management of agriculture and agribusiness. It is a regulated profession in Canada, India, the Philippines, the ...

. Wheeler produced viable economic wheat and fruit strains for a short prairie growing season with harsh winters. Known as the "Wheat King of the prairies" or "The Wheat Wizard of Rosthern" he owned and operated the

Seager Wheeler's Maple Grove Farm Seager Wheeler's Maple Grove Farm is a National Historic Site of Canada. Seager Wheeler's Maple Grove Farm was a farm owned and operated by agronomist Seager Wheeler (1868–1961) "Wheat King of the Prairies" or "The Wheat Wizard of Rosthern" ...

. He was designated as a person of national historic significance in 1988 by the

Canadian federal government The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown ...

and inducted into the

Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...

. Seager came to Canada in 1885 and applied for his own homestead in 1890. His original homestead was located at NE Section 16 Township 38 Range 4 West of the 3rd Meridian, and he was aided by a loan from the Temperance Colonization Society Limited - Toronto Whereas the nearest present day town of

Rosthern Rosthern is a town at the juncture of Highway 11 and Highway 312 in the central area of Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located roughly halfway between the cities of Prince Albert and Saskatoon. History Mennonite settlers, led by Gerhard Ens, beg ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...

is located at Sec.35, Twp.42, R.3, W3. To get to the restored Seager Wheeler Maple Grove Farm travel 7 km east of Rosthern. Five separate entries of wheat which were grown at this farm location during 1911 to 1918 won World Wheat Championships.

Morris Bodnar Morris P. Bodnar (born 4 September 1948) was a member of the House of Commons of Canada at the Saskatoon—Dundurn electoral district from 1993 to 1997. Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Bodnar is a lawyer by career. Bodnar won election to the 35 ...

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

for

Saskatoon—Dundurn Saskatoon—Dundurn was a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1988 to 1997. This riding was created in 1987 from parts of Humboldt—Lake Centre, Saskatoon East and Sask ...

, commemorated Seager Wheeler's Maple Grove Farm as a

National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada (french: Lieux historiques nationaux du Canada) are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), as being ...

on August 3, 1996. The site is honoured as the location where hardy wheat and fruit strains were developed which were well suited to the prairie climate and growing season.

Life

Born on the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a Counties of England, county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the List of islands of England#Largest islands, largest and List of islands of England#Mo ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

in 1868, Wheeler emigrated to the Canadian prairies in 1885, the year of the North-West Rebellion. He worked on various farms for five years before applying for his own homestead near

Rosthern, Saskatchewan Rosthern is a town at the juncture of Highway 11 and Highway 312 in the central area of Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located roughly halfway between the cities of Prince Albert and Saskatoon. History Mennonite settlers, led by Gerhard Ens, beg ...

. He died in

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

and is interred with his family in the Bergthal cemetery, near Rosthern, where he homesteaded. He co-authored a book with Herbert Joseph (Hopkins) Moorhouse called “Seager Wheeler’s Profitable Grain Growing”. His life story by Jim Shilliday was published in 2007 by the Canadian Plains Research Center.

History

Seager Wheeler developed many dryland farming techniques, invented equipment as well as winning numerous awards for developing wheat strains and fruits which would grow in the short prairie season, seeds which would survive over winter and many other practices which helped develop a sustainable agricultural economy in

Awards

*1911 New York Land Show International Award for Wheat entry. *1911 Canadian Pacific Railway first prize of $1000 in gold coins for best North American hard spring wheat. *1915 Denver Competition Prize. *1916 El Paso Competition Prize. *1918 International Soil Products Exposition in Kansas City Prize. *1919 honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Queen's University *1945 Member of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

*1972 Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame *1988 designated by the Canadian Government as a person of National Significance.

Legacy

* Seager Wheeler Hall at the residences of

University of Saskatchewan A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...

is named in his honour. * Seager Wheeler Lake Area named in his honour. * Dr. Seager Wheeler Park, located in

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway, and has served as th ...

's Westview neighborhood is named in his honour.

Published works

* '' Grain Growers' Guide – articles * Seager Wheeler's book on profitable grain growing / by Seager Wheeler. With biographical sketch by Herbert Joseph (Hopkins) Moorhouse. Publisher: Winnipeg : The Grain growers' guide, 1919. * Seager Wheeler's book on profitable grain growing Publisher: Winnipeg, Grain Growers' Guide, ltd, 1919. * Special prices on Seager Wheeler's selected seeds and northern grown nursery stockPublisher: osthern? Sask. : S. Wheeler 1930. * Seager Wheeler's book on profitable grain growing 2nd ed. / by Seager Wheeler ; with biographical sketch by Herbert Joseph (Hopkins) Moorhouse. Publisher Winnipeg : Grain Growers' Guide, 1919. * Special prices on Seager Wheeler's 1927 selected seeds Publisher: osthern? Sask. : S. Wheeler, 1926?ref> * ''Profitable Grain Growing'' published by Grain Growers Guide in 1919 by Herbert Joseph Moorhouse and Seager Wheeler.

External links

National Parks and National Historic Sites of Canada in Saskatchewan
* ttp://www.sasktourism.com/default.asp?page=63 Attractions & Events Fact Sheetbr>News Releases/June 1996/SEAGER WHEELER HISTORIC FARM ATTRACTION OPENSWheeler, SeagerSeager Wheeler Lake Representative Area -- Concept Management Plan --Canada's Wheat King: The Life and Times of Seager Wheeler

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wheeler, Seager English emigrants to Canada 1868 births 1961 deaths Canadian Members of the Order of the British Empire Canadian agronomists Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada) People from Rosthern, Saskatchewan