Hi,
A good place to search for placenames is
http://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/index_e.phpYou'll see there that Minnedosa is a little town of about 1,500 about 30 miles N of Brandon and 100 miles W of Winnipeg. Minnedosa is located at 15-18-W1
I take it that the John McDonald/Mary McCormick family who emigrated earlier and started Iona Farms is this family from the 1901 census. All born Scotland rural, except the youngest. Census says they emigrated in 1880.
1 14 3 McDonald John M Head M Aug 15 1833 68, Presby, farmer
1 15 3 McDonald Mary F Wife M Jan 5 1849 52
1 16 3 McDonald Dougald M Son S Oct 22 1873 26
1 17 3 McDonald Donald M Son S May 27 1876 24
1 18 3 McDonald Mary F Daughter S Jan 22 1880 20
1 19 3 McDonald Maggie F Daughter S Jun 5 1882 18
1 20 3 McDonald Jessie F Daughter S Nov 12 1884 16
1 21 3 McDonald Neil M Son S Nov 19 1887 13
1 22 3 McDonald Lachlan M Son S Sep 22 1890 10, b. MB
1901 Census of Canada
Subdistrict: Harrison, MARQUETTE, MANITOBA
District Number: 9
Subdistrict Number: j-2
Archives Microfilm: T-6434
Harrison appears to be an unincorporated area somewhere near Minnedosa but again, unfortunately, I don't know exactly where. It's the first time I've heard of it.
1906 Census; In this census it says that John emig 1890 and that some of the younger ones didn't come untll 1893. But it does put them at Township 16- Section 16- Range 19-W1 so one might imagine that that is where Iona Farm is/was. In 1906 they owned 12 horses, 30 cows, 70 cattle, 35 sheep and 5 hogs. (they must have been considered pretty rich farmers)
13 24 MacDonald John Head M M 73
14 24 MacDonald Mary Wife F M 56
15 24 MacDonald Dugal Son M S 32
16 24 MacDonald Donald Son M S 30
17 24 MacDonald Mary Ann Daughter F S 26
18 24 MacDonald Maggie Daughter F S 24
19 24 MacDonald Jessie F. Daughter F S 21
20 24 MacDonald Neil Son M S 18
21 24 MacDonald Laughlan Son M S 15
District: MB Marquette District (#5)
Subdistrict: 11 (Townships 16, 17, 18 in ranges 19, 20 west) Page 3
Details: Schedule 1 Microfilm T-18355
Birth: Mother is Mary McCormick
LAST NAME: MCDONALD
FIRST NAME: LACHLAN
DATE OF BIRTH: 09/22/1890
PLACE OF BIRTH: R.M. OF HARRISON
SEX: M
REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1890,002690
Marriage:
GROOM'S LAST NAME: MCDONALD
GROOM'S GIVEN NAMES: NEIL
BRIDE'S LAST NAME: BELL
BRIDE'S GIVEN NAMES: JESSIE MARGARET
DATE OF MARRIAGE: 06/28/1916
PLACE OF MARRIAGE: RM HARRISON
REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1916,034038
Death;
LAST NAME: MCDONALD
GIVEN NAMES: MARY
DATE OF DEATH: 05/26/1923
AGE: 74
UNITS OF AGE: YEARS
SEX: F
PLACE OF DEATH: RM HARRISON
REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1923,020338
LAST NAME: MCDONALD
GIVEN NAMES: JOHN
DATE OF DEATH: 12/27/1909
AGE: 76
UNITS OF AGE: YEARS
SEX: M
PLACE OF DEATH: HARRISON
REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1910,001153
This looks like John McDonald's western land grant - you can order these records through Manitoba Archives for the price of photocopying I understand. Maybe the papers will mention Iona Farm! Although can download the front page from the Internet. From what I can see the document is dated 19 Oct 1895. see;
http://www.collectionscanada.ca/archivianet/02011102_e.htmlSE 16 16 19 W1
Reference:
Liber: 101
Folio: 349
File reel number: C-6015
Names: John Macdonald
If you check out the census district map (Marquette) on this page from the 1901 census
http://www.collectionscanada.ca/archivianet/02012202_e.htmYou can pinpoint 16-16-19 (Harrison) as being where the word HARRISON is printed on this map - just NE of Minnedosa and Clanwilliam.
I hope that helps a little.
Bette