Jasper Alberta Index
Alberta Basic History
1800
James Bird, b-1800, Prince Albert at Sturgeon River, son James Curtis Bird and Mary a Swampy Cree; married 1825, Belly River N.W.T., Sally Sarah a Piegan Native.
A man named Cardinal married Angelique Robillard, b-1800 Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta), died October 1870, St. Albert (Alberta) daughter Robillard a French Canadian and Iroquois woman. Angelique 2nd marriage 1853, Lac La Biche, Charles Beauregard.
Joseph Cardinal who married Rose Grise (Cree) has been in Alberta since about this time and is an early resident of the Lac La Biche des Metis settlement (Alberta). Their son is Alexis Cardinal born 1820's Lac La Biche des Metis (Alberta) who married about 1846 Nancy Quintal also of Lac La Biche des Metis (Alberta). Alexis is Father Lacombe's guide.
Josephte Suzette Cardinal, b-1800, Lac La Biche (Alberta), daughter Joseph Cardinal, b-1756 Quebec and Lizette Maskegan a Native married Joseph Desjarlais, b-1782 son Joseph Desjarlais, b-1754, Quebec and Okemakwe.
Josephte (Suzette) Cardinal, b1800, Lac La Biche des Metis (Alberta) daughter Joseph Cardinal, soldat, b-1756, St Laurent, Quebec, died September 1, 1854, Lac La Biche (Alberta) and (married 1798) Lizette Maskegan (1st married 1794, Rose Cree); marriage 1809 Joseph Ladouceur. who married Joseph Desjarlais. Josephte would be age nine when married, it is more likely she was born between 1794 to 1797, her father was married to two women same time, maybe more: married 1794 Rose Cree, married 1798 Lizette Maskegan and a 3rd marriage is also known.
Marie Catherine Cardinal, b-1800, Fort Edmonton (Alberta) daughter Joseph Cardinal, b-1756, St Laurent, Quebec, died September 1, 1854, Lac La Biche (Alberta) and (married 1798) Lizette Maskegan (1st married 1794, Rose Cree); married 1818 Moose Hills, Pierre Eiaiowew, her father was married to two women same time, maybe more.
Francois Decoigne of the NWC, re-built Fort de I'lsle 20 miles upstream from Fort George on the Saskatchewan River.
Cecile Dumont, born 1800, likely Saskatchewan River (Alberta) daughter Jean Baptiste Dumont and Josette Sarcee, married before 1815, Fort Edmonton, (Alberta) Jacques Berger
(I)-Peter Fiddler (1769-1822), who established a post and wintered on the mouth of the Red Deer River, (Alberta) reported that many Ojibwa, Nipissing and Iroquois were working the Alberta fur trade, especially in the Peace River country and along the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains. "XY' Company quickly established a post next to Fiddler's Hudson Bay post called Chesterfield House. A large band is at Chesterfield House and Jack Pine Mountain (Cypress Hills) but refuse to trade with 'XY' or Hudson Bay people.
A French/Canadian trader named the 'Beautiful Highlands' (named by the Cree) as the Cypress Hills. He had mistaken the lodge pole pines for cypress or Jack Pines of Quebec.
Jacques Raphael (Jacko) Finlay, Metis (1768-1828) and Lagasse and Lablanc are believed by some to have reached the Columbia River and possibly the Pacific Ocean by this time or earlier.
Angelique Robillard, b-1800, Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta), died October 1870, St. Albert (Alberta) daughter Robillard a French Canadian and Iroquois Woman; 1st married 1815 a Cardinal; 2nd married 1853, Lac La Biche, Charles Beauregard, d-1885..
Nancy Ward, Metis b-1810 N.W.T., son John Ward Sr. and Native woman.
It is highly unlikely all three of these children are from Jacques Raphael (Jacko) Finlay, Metis (1768-1828) and Indian woman. One is likely the child of Xavier Finlay (1779-1859), one or more could be, one of the four adopted Lussier children, or a second wife??
Augustin (Yoostah) Finlay, (1800-1883) born Rocky Mountain House, aka Poste de la Montagne de Roches, Alberta son Jacques Raphael (Jacko) Finlay, (1768-1828) and Indian woman.
John Baptiste (Siwash) (3 gun) Finlay, b-1800 Rocky Mountain House, aka Poste de la Montagne de Roches, son Jacques Raphael (Jacko) Finlay, (1768-1828) and Indian woman.
Josette Finlay, b-1800 Alberta daughter Jacques Raphael (Jacko) Finlay, (1768-1828) and Indian woman.
The North West Company constructed Fort Dunvegan on the Peace River with 45 men and officers under command of Archibald Norman McLeod a stern and uncompromising man.
THE LEATHER PASS
The Leather Pass through the Rocky Mountains was first used last century by the Iroquois and Metis traders of the North West Company. It was later named Tete Jaune (Yellowhead) Cache Pass after Pierre Hatsinaton, a Metis because he built a Cashe House in the pass. We now know it as the Yellowhead Pass, Alberta .
(I)-David Thompson (1770-1857) wintered Fort Terra Blanche in Edmonton in 1800, 1802, 1806 and 1807, then set out from here for the Columbia River. The Piegan People would not allow the North West Company use of the pass to the Columbia. They expressed concern that the French Metis would arms trade with their enemy, the Kootenay (Water People). The murder of two Piegan, by Lewis of the United States, drew the Piegan to the Missouri to revenge their death and thus cleared the way for (I)-David Thompson, (1770-1857), (II)-Fenian (Finan or Finnan?) McDonald (1782-1851) and the group of Metis to make the dash for the Columbia River. Thompson's wife, Charlotte Small, had a Metis baby strapped to her back. Others suggest (I)-David Thompson (1770-1857) wintered on the Kutenai (Kootenay) Plains in 1806. They killed and ate wild horses. The Stony People taught Thompson how to make moss bread.
The Blackfoot Confederacy (Blackfoot, Blood and Piegan) conducted raiding parties beyond Yellowstone River, Standpoint, Idaho and Tobacco plains, west of the Rocky Mountains. The chiefs had limited power beyond influence and are careful not to arrogate or show superiority over others. Shooting a man from ambush brought little glory, however, touching an enemy with hand or stick, or subduing him in personal encounter, snatching a gun, bow or horse was a high achievement. Scalp taking, a European introduced custom, is some times practiced, but ranked very low in honors. Both companies built forts at Chesterfield house near Empress on the Red River.
The Kutenai who live west of the Rocky Mountains came to trade at Rocky Mountain House, aka Poste de la Montagne de Roches, Alberta . Charles Lagrasse, Pierre Leblanc and his wife went to the Kutenai Country, Oregon Territory.
A tradition persists that a free trader wintered at Pine Lake this year.
The Iroquois traders are using the Leather Pass (Yellowhead Pass) to harvest furs on the Pacific Slope. The H.B.C. later called the pass the Tete Jaune Cache after Piere Hatsinaton, a Metis with yellow hair and because he built a storage shelter. They also used the Athabasca Pass to the Columbia River Area.
From 1800 to 1815 the Hudson Bay Company virtually ignored the Athabasca Region. William Tomison, Inland Chief, was only interested in developing the Saskatchewan (River).
The Assiniboia Region was considered to be all territories in southern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta but mostly referred to those areas adjacent to the Assiniboia River system. Eventually it referred to all southern lands of Saskatchewan and Alberta .
April 24: Fort Dunvegan, Peace River, Martineau is accused of stealing some meat and Archibald Norman McLeod as punishment took away his wife and gave her to Cardeau. Just previous to this he had hunted down and returned two squaw (iskwao) slaves who had run away. (Squaw is a very insulting English word.)
April 28: The Owl War Chief who was living with the Slave Indians told of a fort near the sea, inhabited by people quite different to the Fort Dunvegan folks in many respects, likely the Russians. Archibald Norman McLeod, the ignorant, severely reprimanded the chief for telling lies.