Brands of the Doukhobor Stockmen of Alberta, 1904-2009

by Jonathan J. Kalmakoff and the Stockmen's Memorial Foundation

Brands have been used to identify livestock ownership in Alberta for more than 125 years and are an essential part of its ranching heritage. The following database contains over 125 cancelled cattle and horse brands registered by Doukhobor stockmen in Alberta between 1904 and 2009. Compiled from the files of the Stockmen's Memorial Foundation, each entry includes the stockman’s name and town, brand registration date, brand description and reference information. Learn about the brands used by Alberta Doukhobor stockmen along with their history and significance. Last updated April 10, 2009.

Introduction

For almost a century, Doukhobors have played a significant role in the livestock industry of southern Alberta. As early as 1911, the Doukhobor Community supplied 100 oxen and 30 drivers to break land owned by the Canadian Wheatlands Company at Bowell and Carlstadt. From 1911 to 1920, Doukhobor work crews of 100 men and twice as many horse and oxen were hired by the Canadian Land and Irrigation Company to construct the McGregor Lake dam near Milo for the Bow River Irrigation Project. From 1915 to 1937, the Doukhobor “Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood” operated a vast communal farming and ranching enterprise in the Cowley and Lundbreck districts. Another smaller Doukhobor colony was established in the Arrowwood and Shouldice districts from 1926 to 1945. Following the demise of these communal ventures, many Doukhobors remained in the areas as individual farmers and stock growers. At the same time, throughout the Teens and Twenties, hundreds of Doukhobors settled independently on ranches and farms in the Pincher Creek, Mossleigh, Nanton, Crowfoot, Queenstown, Vulcan, Vauxhall, Skiff, Lethbridge, Rosebud and other districts. Many of their descendants continue to live and ranch in these districts today.
 

Doukhobor breaking prairie sod on Canadian Wheatlands project near Bowell, Alberta, c. 1912. Glenbow Archives NA-587-1.

Like other stockmen in Alberta, Doukhobor ranchers and farmers branded their livestock. The brand was a unique, highly visible, permanent mark applied to an animal for identification purposes. It was vital in determining ownership, returning strays or stolen livestock to their rightful owners, and serving as a deterrent to theft. It was a road map of an animal’s history and told a story of its owner. Sometimes, the brand became better known than the individual who used it. Under Alberta law, a brand had to be registered before it could be used, and a rigid set of specifications was followed when issuing a new brand. Only one brand of a particular design, configuration and location could be registered, to avoid potential conflicts in similar brands. The brand registration had to be kept in good standing and renewed on a regular basis. It was an offence to use an unregistered brand or to alter a registered brand.
 

Doukhobor Brands

The following database has been compiled from the cancelled brand files and Brand Books held by the Stockmen’s Memorial Foundation Library and Archives. Arranged alphabetically by surname, each entry includes an image of the brand, the stockman’s name and town, brand registration, brand description and reference information.

Androsoff, William

Androsoff, William S. & John
 

Bartsoff, John
 

Bartsoff, Peter Jr.
 

Bartsoff, Peter Sr.
 

Cabatoff, Peter W.
 

Chernenkoff, Fred
 

Chernoff, Bill
 

Davidoff, John (1)
 

Davidoff, John (2)
 

Davidoff, John (3)
 

Davidoff, Mackifa
 

Davidoff, Matvey N.
 

Davidoff, Nicholas N. (1)
 

Davidoff, Nicholas N. (2)
 

Davidoff, Nick N.
 

Davidoff, Vasilie Nikoleavitch & Bernice Dianna
 

Deakoff, Mike

Derhousoff (Hoover), Joe J.

Derhousoff (Hoover), Lawrence J.

Doukhobor Fraternal Co. (c/o Peter Verigin)

Ewashen, Alex J. Jr.

Ewashen, Jacob

Ewashen, Mike

Ewashen, Nick J.

Ewashen, Peter J.

Ewashen, Walter James

Ewashin, George & John

Faminoff, Joe

Faminow, Bros & Sons (Sam, Mike, Steve)

Faminow, Fred P.

Faminow, Sam & Sons

Fofonoff, John

Fofonoff, Paul

Hlookoff, Mike

Hlookoff, Nick

Hlookoff, Walter & Mary

Hlookoff, Walter

Holoboff, Darbra L.

Holoboff, Elli

Holoboff, Fred

Holoboff, George

Holoboff, Jody

Holoboff, Joseph E.

Holoboff, Joseph J.

Holoboff, Mike

Holoboff, Pete

Holoboff, Peter

Holoboff, Tom J.

Holoboff, William

Holoboff, William W.

Hoobenoff, John

Hoobenoff, N. S.

Kabatoff, Bill (1)

Kabatoff, Bill (2)

Kabatoff, Fred S.

Kabatoff, Mike

Kabatoff, Peter

Kalmakoff, Alex J. (1)

Kalmakoff, Alex J. (2)

Kalmakoff, Sam

Konkin, Alex

Konkin, Andrew

Konkin, Mabel

Konkin, William

Kooznetsoff, Sam

Kuftinoff, Nick

Kuznetsoff, P.

Maloff, Fred

Maloff, George

Maloff, George & Son

Mushta, Anthony & Peter M. Saliken

Oglaff, William

Ozeroff, Paul

Parakin, John

Parakin, Pete P.

Pereverziff, John

Planidin, Mrs. Fanny

Planidin, Paul P.

Planidin, S.D.

Podmaroff, Alex

Podmaroff, David

Podmaroff, Marion I. (1)

Podmaroff, Marion I. (2)

Podmaroff, William

Podmoroff, Alec

Podmoroff, Alec (Estate of)

Podmoroff, Alex

Podmoroff, Danny

Podmoroff, Mike

Podmoroff, Paul A.

Podmoroff, Terence

Ponomareff, Alexander

Potapoff, William P. (1)

Potapoff, William P. (2)

Salekin, Alex A.

Saliken, Mike

Saliken, Peter M.

Samaroden, Mike

Samaroden, Peter R.

Samaroden, Sam J.

Semenoff, Joe J.

Semenoff, John

Semenoff, Pete

Sherstabetoff, Nick

Sherstabetoff, Peter (Estate of)

Shkooratoff, Mike

Shkooratoff, Paul

Shkuratoff, W.

Shkurotoff, Nick

Stoocknoff, Tom

Stoopnekoff, John

Sukeroff, Bill

Sukeroff, L.A.

Sukovieff, Mike

Tarasoff, Nick

Tarasoff, Pete

Veregin, George J.

Veregin, Peter

Veregin, William

Vereschagin Bros.

Vishloff, John

Voykin, Bill

Voykin, Fred

Zaytsoff, Bill

Understanding Livestock Brands

Traditionally, branding involved capturing and securing an animal by roping it, laying it over on the ground, tying its legs together, and searing the animal’s flesh with a hot iron to produce a scar – the brand. Modern ranch practice has moved toward use of chutes where animals can be run into a confined area and safely secured while the brand is applied. Today branding is more often done with chemicals, tattooing, paint or tagging.

In Alberta, registered cattle brands could be used in one of six positions on an animal: the shoulder (sh), rib (r), or hip (h) on either the left or right side. Registered horse brands could be used in one of six positions on the animal: the jaw (j), shoulder (sh) or thigh (th) on either the left or right side.
 

Doukhobors using oxen to break land for Canadian Wheatlands near Bowell, Alberta, ca. 1911-1914. Glenbow Archives NA-587-2.

A brand may consist of a character (letter or numeral), symbol (such as a slash, circle, half circle, cross or bar) or any combination thereof. Characters may appear upright, reversed (called ‘crazy’) or turned 90 degrees (called ‘lazy’). Each character or symbol may be distinct from another or else connected (touching), combined (partially overlaid), or hanging (touching, but arranged top to bottom). The possible combinations are endless. Usually a brand signified something unique to its owner – for instance his or her initials.

Note a brand is usually read from left to right, from top to bottom, and finally, from outside to inside where it has a character that encloses another. For instance, the livestock brand “F-P” would be read and defined as “F running bar P”.

For More Information

For more information about Doukhobor stockmen in Alberta and their brands, visit the Stockmen’s Memorial Foundation Library and Archives website. Established by the Stockmen's Memorial Foundation in 1980, the Library and Archives is located in Cochrane, Alberta and houses a vast collection of historical and business information relating to the livestock industry, cowboys and western culture.

The cancelled brand files held at the Stockmen's Memorial Foundation Library and Archives are the original files of brand requests from ranchers, farmers and businesses for a brand for horses, cattle, foxes, sheep and poultry from 1888 to 1980. This information is especially of interest to those tracing family history. Each file contains at least one sheet with information regarding the location of the owner's grazing lands and the possible choices of brands. Many files will have lengthy correspondence relating to the brands.

The Stockmen's Memorial Foundation Library and Archives also has the largest collection of Alberta Brand Books. Brand Books recorded all horse and cattle brands registered in the province for a specified period of years. A typical Brand Book will usually have an image of the brand, the location of the brand on the animal, and the type of animal that was branded, as well as the owner of the brand. The Brand Books contain both cancelled and currently active brands.

Contents of the Doukhobor Genealogy Website Copyright © 1999-2010 Jonathan J. Kalmakoff. All rights reserved.