Inspired by Norquay’s find Moira Setter talks about found documents
A few weeks ago, the Record covered the story of the discovery of a historical document found by the Norquay family. Having seen this story, Moira Setter wants residents to know that they absolutely should look behind their old picture frames as she had a similar experience.
In the 1970s Setter found two deeds that were from 1886. The documents were behind two pictures and, like the Norquay family, she had no idea these documents were there.
“I moved the picture that was there because I wanted the frame,” she explained.
Since this was about 50 years ago now, she can’t remember what the pictures that were in front of the deeds were exactly but she believes that they were flowers or something like that.
She says that she knew pretty quickly that they were historically significant because, being deeds, they were dated and she decided to keep them in the original frames.
The deeds had been passed down in her ex-husband’s family but by the time they were rediscovered, he didn’t know the original owners as they were several generations removed from the original owners.
The land that both deeds describe is in what was in “the Parish of St. Andrews in the Province of Manitoba” and they were originally owned by Frances Setter and Mary Flett.
“I put them in the storage room, and just forgot about with them, until lately,” said Setter.
She did do a little bit of research and was able to, with some help from the RM of St. Andrews staff, discover that the properties were eventually sold but the mystery of why and how the deeds ended up behind the picture frames ended there.
Setter also confirmed what Scott Norquay said about people of the past seeming to hide important papers in old picture frames or the pages of books. Residents should make sure to give everything that they are throwing away a good once over for hidden treasure.
“I would (recommend you check out your old picture frames). Look what happened to me,” said Setter.
