Seager Wheeler, MBE (1868 – December 15, 1961) was a

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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 Uni ...

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

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and inducted into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame. 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,

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

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 3 ...

, Member of Parliament for Saskatoon—Dundurn, commemorated Seager Wheeler's Maple Grove Farm as a

National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Sites of 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 of national historic significance. Parks C ...

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

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in 1868, Wheeler emigrated to the Canadian prairies in 1885, the year of the

North-West Rebellion The North-West Rebellion (), was an armed rebellion of Métis under Louis Riel and an associated uprising of Cree and Assiniboine mostly in the District of Saskatchewan, against the Government of Canada, Canadian government. Important events i ...

. 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 central Saskatchewan, Canada. It is roughly halfway between the cities of Prince Albert and Saskatoon. History Mennonite settlers, led by Gerhard Ens, began arriving in ...

. He died in Victoria 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 valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two 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 The University of Saskatchewan (U of S, or USask) is a Universities in Canada, Canadian public university, public research university, founded on March 19, 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatch ...

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 Provinces and territories of Canada, 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 Hig ...

'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