Jasper Alberta Index
Alberta Basic History
1870
Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta), marriage Peter Andrews, b-1842, Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta) son Baptiste Andrews and Catherine Gladu; married Adele Lechasseur (Etenisekwegen), b-1850, White Fish Lake, Athabasca daughter Nitaousiquayo Lechasseur a native and Marianne Calahaison.
Trail Creek des Metis, marriage Jean Baptiste Annass, Metis b-1836 Alberta married Catherine Metis b-1841, Alberta. two children are recorded, William b-1871 Alberta, and Milline b-1883 Alberta most likely Trail Creek.
Maggie Belcourt, Metis b-1870 Alberta living St. Albert 1901.
Narcisse Blandion, Metis, born April, 1870 son Alexander Blandion., Metis and Lalouse Courteoreille; married October 1895, Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta) Charlotte Courteoreille, Metis, born December, 1876, Peace River daughter Alexis Courteoreille, born December 1839, Victoria (Alberta) and Angelique Kes-guay-payees.
Elizabeth Boucher, Metis, b-1870 Fort Liard, daughter Francois Boucher Sr., b-1824 and Elizabeth Native; married Carlton (Saskatchewan) Roger LaFond, b-1853, Carlton (Saskatchewan)..
Jean Baptiste Cardinal, b-1870 Peace River Landing son Louis Cardinal, born December 27, 1840 Fort Edmonton (Alberta) and Marie Bisson, b-1840, Dunvegan, Athabasca; married June 1891, Fort Vermillion (Alberta) Elisabeth Beaulien, born February, 1867, Fort Resolution, Great Slave Lake daughter Joseph King Beaulieu, b-1831 and Mary Anne Cayen, b-1841.
Bishop Clut and his unnamed assistant born 1844 arrived Fort Edmonton.
Jerimah Cook, Metis, b-1870 Red River son Mathew Cook, Metis b-1848 N.W.T. and Matilda McKenzie, Metis b-1849 Red River; family living Southern Alberta 1891..
Alexander Dennt, Metis b-1870 Alberta married about 1899 Alberta Florence Metis living Fort MacLeod, Alberta 1901.
Robert Donald, Metis b-1870 N.W.T. living Battle River, Alberta 1891.
Father Eynard was in charge of Chipewyan (Athabaska) from 1870-1880, when he drowned.
Laurent Gagnon, Metis b-1870 N.W.T. son George Gagnon b-1833 Quebec and N. Metis b-1858 N.W.T.; living St. Albert, Alberta 1901.
Alexander Gladue, Metis b-1870 Alberta married about 1895 likely Beaver Lake Isabel Metis b-1869 Alberta.
John Guillion b-1879 B.C. married about 1892 Alberta Margaret Metis b-1875 Alberta living Two Lakes, Alberta 1901.
George Hammond is working out of Fort Whoop-Up, Cyprus Hills and is married to Rosalie Wills b-1853, Metis of Red River daughter John Wills Jr. and Mary McKay b-1820. John Wills Jr. is the son John Wills Sr. and Josephite Grant (married September 6, 1842).
Eugene Hassan b-1855 Ireland married about 1882 Alberta Mary Metis b-1870 Alberta, living Lethbridge, Alberta 1901.
Joseph Laderoute, b-1871, St. Albert (Alberta) son Oliver Laderoute, b-1845, Fort Edmonton (Alberta) and Adelaide Dumont, Metis, born October 1852, Lac Ste Anne (Alberta) daughter Jacques Dumont, Metis, b-1838, Rocky Mountain House (Alberta), Marianne Bruneau, b-1839 Lac La Biche (Alberta).
John Lee b-1849 Mexico married about 1886 Alberta Floria Metis b-1870 Alberta living Wetaskiwin, Alberta 1901.
Deom Leforna, Metis b-1870 Alberta married about 1892 Alberta Josie Metis b-1873 Alberta, living New Norway, Alberta 1901.
Adelide L'Hyrondelle, Metis, b-1875, Lac Ste Anne (Alberta) son Euphrosine Beauregard, Metis, b-1851 and Magloire L'Hyrondelle, b-1850, Lac Ste Anne (Alberta).
George Livingstone, Metis b-1870 N.W.T., living Southern Alberta 1891.
John Mathews B-1870 Red River married about 1875 Alberta (wife? Mother?) Harriette Metis b-1840 Alberta living two Lakes, Alberta 1901.
Mary Murphy b-1870 Red River, living Assiniboia West 1891. Assiniboia could refer to southern Alberta, or south west Saskatchewan, at this time.
William Murry b-1870 Red River, a lumberman, living Coalmine, Alberta 1891.
H. C. Norman b-1870 Red River, living Medicine Hat, Alberta 1891.
George Noyes, Metis b-1870 Alberta married about 1895 Alberta Clara Metis b-1876 Alberta living St. Pierre, Alberta 1901.
St. Albert, death by small pox, Angele Ouellette, Metis born 1861 Red River and St. Pierre Ouellette born June 29, 1869 on the plains on way to St. Albert, children of Jean Baptiste Ouellette.
Fred Parkin, Metis b-1870 N.W.T. living Assiniboia West, Southern Alberta 1891.
John Paupin b-1870 Red River, living Assiniboia West 1891. Assiniboia West could refer to southern Alberta, or south western Saskatchewan, at this time.
(II)-George Pendleton Metis b-1849 with dog team raced Don Noyes to Rocky Mountain House, won and secured most of the fur trade.
David Peppard b-1870 Red River, a carpenter, living High River, Southern Alberta 1891.
Alexander Prudin, Metis b-1870 Alberta married about 1891 Alberta Nancy Metis b-1867 Alberta living Saddle Lake, Alberta 1901.
Charlot Prudin, Metis b-1870 Alberta daughter Partick Prudin, Metis b-1843 and Elizabeth Metis b-1846 living Alberta 1870 to 1890, living Lakeland eastern Alberta 1891.
(I)-Robert Ramsey b-1846 Scotland married about 1890 N.W.T. Bella Metis b-1870 N.W.T. living Battle River, Alberta 1891.
Moses Solomon a.k.a. Salomon & Soloman, b-1828 is trading out of Fort Whoop-Up Cyprus Hills 1870 to 1873. He is trading into Milk River and Oldman River.
William Roby Stone b-1870 Red River, living Calgary, Alberta 1891.
J.J. Headly of Fort Bentonite and Nick Sheron d-1882, both from America, crossed into Canada looking for gold. They found coal instead, and Nick Sheron stayed to found Lethbridge (Alberta). Alexander Galt gained control of the Sheron Coal mine in 1882.
The Reverend George McDougall built a church and home outside the Fort at Edmonton. This is believed by some to be the first European inhabitable building outside the protection of Fort Edmonton's walls. Others suggest he built it in 1871 and they choose to ignore any Metis homes built outside the protection of the Fort. McDougall complained that the French Priests (Oblates) had a hatred for everything that bears the English name . The Metis' so called wintering or summer homes are not consider homes by the English folk and clergy. St. Albert population is 700, mostly being Metis. Some suggest the population is 1,000 but that 300 die of small pox this year. Father Vital Justin Grandin (1829-1902) estimated that 500 to 800 Metis occupy Blackfoot Crossing, Lake St. Anne and Deer Lake. Old employees of the Hudson Bay Company establish Fort Saint Anne this year. The Metis from the Lac Ste Anne and St. Albert Metis settlements often visited each other as they are mostly related. These include the Majeau, La Hirondelle, Belcourt, Gledus, Plante, Laderout and Gauthier. Charles Gauthier, born 1841, arrived St. Albert, Married a Metis and had one child by April census 1874. He made ox and horse harness, at this time, for the Hudson Bay Company. Lac La Nonne (La Nun) trading post is established by the Hudson Bay Company on Lake La Nonne at the outlet to the Athabasca River. This post is abandoned before 1894. It is noteworthy that the Metis occupied the Lac La Nonne area, fishing and raising horses, for at least twenty years before this date.
East of present Red Deer City are long standing Metis wintering sites, the most famous being Trail Creek des Metis.
(I)-John Walter, the boat builder, is born Lesliewood, 1849 Scotland Orkney Islands, died December 25, 1920 Edmonton. He departed Stromness, Scotland July 1, 1870 taking eight weeks to arrive York Factory, Hudson Bay. He arrived with sixty others under a five-year indenture contract. He arrived at Fort Edmonton December 24, 1870 to build York Boats for the Hudson Bay Company. He would eventually claim land directly to the east of Laurent Garneau (1840-1921). There would be an ongoing debate about who built the first building in Strathcona (Alberta). William J. Christie b-1825, Chief Factor of Fort Edmonton, reported to Richard Charles Hardisty, a Metis (1831-1889). Malcolm Groat, born 1839, who married Christie's Metis daughter, reported to Christie and is responsible for the garden of potatoes, turnips, barley and wheat. Fort Edmonton had a stone mill within the Fort operated by horsepower. Fort Edmonton had a population of one hundred and fifty people and they were cultivating no more than thirty acres.
One of the first organized forms of Government in the North West Metis Nation were called hunting Captains, which were elected for each season. The Edmonton District Captains were: William Camion, Michael Arnot, Ed Boucher and Pierre Desault. Other Captains included Baptiste Vaness, Gabriel Dumont, Shoutoux, Ladoneur, Ed Bincer and Abraham Salors. Captains were elected to represent Big Lake, St. Albert, Lac Ste Anne, Lac La Biche, Edmonton and other smaller Metis settlements. All agreed the Metis were well organized and disciplined; being organized into Districts and units. The objectives of the Government were simple; kill as many buffalo as possible, dress the meat, pickle and cure a portion for summer and dispose of the hides to your best advantage. The hides made their way to Fort Edmonton, Fort Benson and Red River. The proceeds of the hunt were to be distributed to the weakest members of the community first with the best hunters being satisfied last. The best hunters were usually elected as captains on the next hunt. The captains provided the law and order for the community, based on traditional Canadian common law.
One of the first organized forms of Government in Fort Edmonton (Alberta), called a Board of Health, is created to deal with the smallpox epidemic. Members were: Father Leduc, Father Lacombe, Reverend George McDougall, John McDougall and Richard Charles Hardisty, the only Metis (1831-1889) who was Chief Factor of Fort Edmonton. It is noteworthy that Father Lacombe claimed to be Metis.
Many hundreds of Metis exit Red River for St. Laurent, Duck Lake and Buffalo Lake. At Lac Ste Anne and St. Albert three hundred out of 700 Metis died of smallpox.
Trail Creek des Metis, the largest settlement west of Red River, is seriously expanded this year to more than 400 houses and countless tepees. The population exceeds 2,000 people. Trail Creek des Metis, like Red River, is more a region than a single town. It includes the settlements of Buffalo Lake, Buffalo Trail Creek (Trail Creek). Grande Pointe, Boss hill and the Red Deers (Deer) River. The Indians also maintained a village on Trail Creek and Buffalo Lake. Tepees were mostly used around Buffalo Lake as it had the habit of rising and falling fairly rapidly depending on the rain fall. Rapid relocation was a prerequisite. (Buffalo) Trail Creek is north east of Delborne, south east of Alix, about 15 miles west of Stettler and 30 miles N.E. of Red Deer. What is considered the town proper is located on the north side of the Red Deers River and straddles the Buffalo Trail Creek. Trail Creek was an ideal location for free-traders as it was free from Hudson Bay Company rule, free from meddling religious and had access to the Montana markets as well as close proximity to Fort Edmonton. Buffalo Trail Creek, long used by the Indians, was called Kioocus or Enewoosuyyis. It is unknown when the first Metis used this location as their winter hunting ground but it is believed years past according to the old timers. It should be remembered that Edmonton at this time was a minor hamlet and even St Boniface only numbered some 750 people. The Metis used mule trains extending two miles in length were used to transport furs from Buffalo Lake area to Fort Benton, Manitoba. The fact they were using mules suggests the trains were of United States origin. It is believed more furs were traded to the United States than the Hudson Bay Company by the Metis who dominated the North West.
The following trading posts are operating this year: Fort Ste Anne on Lake Ste Anne, thirty five miles west of Fort Edmonton; Lac La Nonne House (La Nun), seventy five miles north west of Fort Edmonton and Fort Victoria, seventy miles from Fort Edmonton on the North Saskatchewan River. The establishment of a post does not represent the start of a settlement as most preceded the addition of a post.
Some contend Edmonton is created this year with the transfer of Hudson Bay Company rights to the Dominion of Canada. At this time St. Albert and Lac St Anne had a much larger population than the greater Edmonton area. However, Trail Creek des Metis dwarfed all of these combined.
The Blackfoot attacked Fort Edmonton, intent on getting Takoots, a Cree half-breed (Metis), for murdering a Blackfoot across the river on the Pigeon Trail. Fortunately, the river was breaking up and the Blackfoot could not get across the Saskatchewan River.
Ten trading posts and four separate missions comprised Alberta resources, servicing an estimated population of six thousand Natives, more than two thousand Metis and a hand full of Europeans. The official Hudson Bay Company census, however, did not include towns like Trail Creek des Metis, four miles south of the present junction of highways 12 and 21, where highway 21 crosses the Red Deer River. In fact, the Hudson Bay Company census ignored those not directly engaged with the company, either as employees or in trading. Trail Creek des Metis was a Metis settlement from 1870 until about 1889 and had an estimated population of fifteen hundred to two thousand in some four hundred homes. Trail Creek is the staging area for Metis from as far north as Lac La Biche, Lac Ste Anne, Saint Albert, Edmonton, Batoche and other settlements along the Saskatchewan River. Trail Creek des Metis is involved in providing food, manufacturing harness, saddles, tents and providing meat and hides for Fort Edmonton. It has a community hall and timber works. It is also a major overland distribution terminal for free traders from the North West to Montana and Red River. All that remains of Trail Creek is a cemetery with about forty graves on the riverbank and the town of Content, Alberta.
The Touchwood Trail, a more conventional route, goes from Red River by the Touchwood hills on to fording the south branch of the Saskatchewan near the present site of the city of Saskatoon, then on to Fort Carlton, Fort Pitt and Fort Edmonton. The trail is being used by hundreds of Red River Carts in the employ of the free traders, the Hudson Bay Company, or to accommodate the first of a major wave of Metis settlers in the exodus from Red River. There is no security for the Metis, Natives or European settlers living along this Touchwood Trail. All they wanted is a clear title to their land and the assurance that there would be no taxes which they could not meet. Few cared about England or Canada. This was the Metis Nation, Indian Territory, the North West Territories.
St. Albert had an estimated population of eight hundred with three hundred and twenty dieing in the colony or out on the plains due to smallpox this last trading season.
The Oblate fathers established a mission in the French Metis settlement later called Rouleauville (Calgary). It is not know when this Metis settlement of Calgary was first established. The Oblates named the mission Notre Dame De La Paix. The settlement was later named after Charles Bouromee Rouleau who arrived in the area in 1886. The French Metis settlement of Rouleauville is annexed into Calgary in 1907 and called the Mission District.
Blackjack a Metis and Frank Lemon departed Tobacco Plains, Montana to prospect for gold on the North Saskatchewan River. This mining expedition was led by La Nouse and a large Metis Band that was staked by LaFayette French, an old time trader and buffalo hunter. Lemon killed his partner Blackjack with an axe blow to the head. Some say over the lost lemon mine. William and Danial Bendow witnessed the murder and reported the event to Bearspaw at Morley. Lemon fled to Tobacco Plains and confessed to his priest who sent John McDougall to bury the body.
The Hudson Bay Company reserved for itself 3,000 acres around Fort Edmonton and at the mouth of the Sturgeon River (Old Fort Saskatchewan area).
The Metis from Batoche, Fish Creek and Trail Creek often met in Saskatchewan at Roche Percee (Pierced Rock). It contained petroglyphs attesting to the Indian visitations. A bolt of lightening shattered the rock in 1922.
The Battle River Settlement aka Nothiwin Seppe or Battle River was later called Battle River Crossing and in the 1880's known by some as Laboucan Settlement.
The Hudson Bay Company sent a train of bull teams loaded with furs to Fort Benton, Montana then down the Missouri. The Condar brothers, the I.G. Baker Company and the T.C. Power Company operated out of Fort Benton..
January 18: Battle River Settlement (Alberta), son John Cardinal, Metis, b-1839, Victoria (Alberta) and Angele Desjarlais; married Emilie Desjarlais, b-1876, Cypress Hills daughter Guillaume Desjarlais, b-1851, Lac La Biche (Alberta) and Marguerite Sauve, b-1857 Red Rivers.
February 15: Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta), birth, John Gladu, son Moise Gladu, b-1841/48 and Madeleine Tonnure; married, May, 1892, Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta), Peggie Paul, Metis, born June, 1866, Fort Edmonton (Alberta), daughter Paul Ka-mi-you-ta-ko-ski-oo and Lisette Matchununooghkay Courte'oreille, b-1884, Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta).
January 4: Lac La Biche, birth, Benjamin Cardinal, Metis, son Francois Cardinal, Metis, b-1831 Lac La Biche and Adele Abgele Desjarlais, b-1800; married 1893 Lac La Biche (Alberta) Siphie Ladoudre, Metis, b-1873, Baptiste River, daughter Abe Lapoudre, b-1853 on the plains and Catherine She-sha-we-kash Koet Bostonais Picote.
February 15: Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta), birth John Gladu, son Moise Gladu b-1841 to 1848 and Madeleine Tonnure: married 1892 Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta), Peggie Paul, born June 1866 Fort Edmonton, daughter Paul Ka-mi-you-ya-ko-ski-00 and Lisette Matchununooghkay Courte'oreille.
February 17: Victoria, Alberta, located 90 km NE Fort Edmonton, birth Robert William Turner, son Joseph Alexander Turner, b-1838, Moose Factory and Jane Whitford, b-1846.
April 7: The French halfbreeds (Metis), about Fort Edmonton, numbered more than 40 well armed escorted the Blackfoot across the river onto the hill. The Cree attacked and the half-breeds (Metis) did nothing. They stood to one side and let the Stoneys, Cree and Blackfoot fight away. There was nearly 100 Stoneys and Crees and all sorts. They killed only 2 men, and three women and a child. The rest of the Blackfoot escaped, say 6 men and 3 women and 2 boys. There were 13 souls in all came here and 6 were killed, 7 escaping. William Francis Butler wrote: This guard, composed of French half-breeds (Metis) from St. Albert, opened up to the right and left when the attack commenced, and did nothing towards saving the lives of the Blackfoot, who were nearly all killed or wounded.
April 9: Father Lacombe (1827-1916) met the fleeing Blackfoot on his way from Rocky Mountain House to Fort Edmonton. He tended their wounds and fed them.
April 13: Lac Ste Anne (Alberta), birth Joseph Pierre Wabamun Desjarlais, Metis, died November 27, 1870, Lac Ste Anne (Alberta) son Antoine Wabamun Desjarlais, Metis b-1820 Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta) and Marie Julie Catherine Kakatow a Cree;
April 21: Men from Rocky Mountain House came in haste to Fort Edmonton to say a large group of Blackfoot are on their way to the fort in retaliation. They said they were nearly killed except for the intervention of some of the chiefs. At the same time the Blackfoot encountered the Reverend Peter Campbell and George McDougall's trader son David, accompanied by William Rowland. The Blackfoot took all their possessions. Many others had their possessions taken by the Blackfoot. Fort Edmonton was fortified by the Saint Albert Metis. Some credit the lack of attack on the fort to Father Lacombe who pleaded with the Blackfoot in the dark not to attack the fort.
May: Red Deer River (Alberta), birth, Marie Cardinal, Metis, daughter Jacques Cardinal, b-1836 Big Lake (St. Albert, Alberta) and Marie Catherine Cardinal b-1800 Fort Edmonton.
August/September: Smallpox again swept through the prairies. It began at the United States trading posts on the Missouri and spread like a prairie fire all along the Saskatchewan. Bishop Grandin wrote: "My Lord, I am in the midst of the dead and dying, and am now hurrying to St. Albert where our own men are overcome by the disease. I fear there is not even one priest there able to assist the dying." Father Leduc, Father Bourgine and Brothers Doucet and Blanchet were down with the disease. St. Albert lost 300 out of 700 Metis to the disease. The buffalo hunt out of Buffalo Lake say the Metis and Blackfoot arranged a temporary peace as the buffalo were 'far out'. Out on the hunt it was estimated by Father Fourmond that 300 Metis hunters died. At Lac Ste. Ann only forty had died of the disease. It was estimated that 1/2 the Indians in Alberta had died. The H.B.C. estimated that 2,686 Indians had died, 485 Cree and 373 half-breeds. The freight cart train to Fort Pitt lost 8 of their 14 freighters. Flora and Georgina McDougall as well as John McDougall's wife died.
August 24: Fort Edmonton, birth (II)-James Edward Guillion, son (I)-George Gullion, b-1833 and Marguerite Brazeau, b-1844 Fort Edmonton; married January 8, 1895 Fort Edmonton Mary Berard.
December 23: Victoria, Alberta, located 90 km NE Fort Edmonton, birth Elizabeth Spence, daughter, Andrew Spence Sr., b-1842 and Nancy Whitford, b-1850.
1871
Joseph Anderson (Whiteman) married about 1871 Julie Beaudry, born January 29, 1864, St. Albert (Alberta) daughter Edouard Beaudry and Rosalie Dumont, born December 1844.
Elzear Arnault, Metis, b-1871 Lac La Nun (Alberta) married to Marie, Metis, b-1877 (Alberta), living Lac Ste Anne, Alberta 1901.
Country marriage, Michel Auger to Mary Anne Lechasseur, Metis, b-1852, Lac Poisson daughter Nitaousiquayo Lechasseur a native and Marianne Calahaison, who in 1850 are at White Fish Lake, Athabasca.
Silvestre Bourque, Metis b-1871 Alberta married about 1895 Alberta Margaret Metis b-1874 Alberta living Saddle Lake, Alberta 1901.
Floria Bull Metis b-1871 Alberta living Sturgeon, Alberta 1901.
Sylvester Burke, Metis b-1871 Alberta living Lakeland eastern Alberta 1891.
Paul Chalifoux, Metis, b-1871 likely St. Albert (Alberta) son Joseph Chalifoux, Metis, b-1838, Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta), and Julie Campion, b-1841 Lake McLeod
Trail Creek des Metis, birth Vittal Couton Metis b-1871 Alberta likely Trail Creek married Merie Metis b-1875 Alberta also likely Trail Creek, married before 1901 census.
Francois Daniel, Metis b-1871 Alberta grandson Julia Daniel, Metis b-1817, Athabasca; married to Elizabeth Metis b-1871 Saskatchewan, living Strathcona, (Alberta) 1901.
Jean Baptiste Rabasca Deschamps , b-1850 Red River, married 1871, Fort Edmonton (Alberta), Marguerite Berard, b-1856 Red River.
Saidora Gladas, Metis b-1871 N.W.T., living Fort Edmonton (Alberta), 1891.
Lewis Gladu, Metis b-1871 N.W.T. living Battle River, (Alberta) 1891.
Fred Kanouse's Elbow River post is located 3 miles up stream from the Bow River, (near Calgary, Alberta).
Xavier Letendre nicknamed Batoche, a chief trader, is credited with the founding of the old village of Batoche on the south fork of the Saskatchewan River. His home was furnished with Paris imports.
Trail Creek des Metis, marriage Joseph Jacknife, Metis b-1863 Alberta married 1st unknown, 2nd marriage Vaviene Metis b-1873 Alberta, three children are recorded Peter b-1872, John b-1896, Helen b-1897 mostly likely all Trail Creek and John and Helen likely children of second marriage. One hired employee is noted William Phean b-1886, likely Metis of Trail Creek.
Lona L'Hirondelle b-1871 Alberta, living Calgary 1891.
Justine Lafontaine, Metis b-1871 N.W.T., living Southern Alberta 1891.
John A. MacDonald boasted to his friends, "We quietly, and almost without observation, annexed all the country between here and the Rocky Mountains". It did not go unnoticed by the Peoples of the North West.
Augusta McDougall, Metis b-1871 N.W.T. living Morley, Southern Alberta 1891.
George Millward McDougall (1821-1876) is stationed at the United Church (Wesleyan mission) at Fort Edmonton (1873-1876).
Henry Mever, Metis b-1871 Alberta married about 1893 Alberta Sarah J. Metis b-1870 Alberta living Strathcona, (Alberta), 1901.
Benjamin Munro Metis b-1871 N.W.T, brother Francis and Mary living Fort Edmonton 1891.
John Reid, Metis b-1871 N.W.T., living Fort Edmonton 1891.
St. Albert (Alberta), marriage Felix Pelletier, Metis, b-1855, Fort Pitt, Saskatchewan son Francois Pelletier (1826-1871) and Marie Ninikikpaw; married Catherine Ayawasis, b-1856, fort Pitt, Saskatchewan daughter Ayawasis and Chastellain.
Kinney Taylor b-1871 N.W.T., living Southern Alberta 1891.
Godin a Metis brutally killed his wife, who was the sister of the wife of Donald Todd Metis, on the south banks of the Saskatchewan River below Fort Edmonton. The matter was settled when Godin gave 6 horses to his wife's family.
John Walter (1849-1920) of Fort Edmonton, in the employ of the Hudson Bay Company, is working out of Norway House this season.
Stand Off, Alberta is named after a gang of whiskey traders. They stood off a United States Marshall who was trying to recover stolen whiskey.
Donald A. Smith wrote Richard Charles Hardisty, a Metis (1831-1889), that the trip of Adjutant General James Robertson Ross resulted in the formation of the Mounted Police for the protection of Western Canada.
Father Faraud would become Bishop of Athabasca-MacKenzie in 1871 with head quarters at Fort Chipewyan.
(II)-James Gibbons (1839-1928), the Metis, claimed to have free traded and freighted between St. Albert, Fort Edmonton and Fort Garry from 1871 to 1874. A large number of Metis followed this occupation. This could be referring to this lucrative occupation of the buffalo hunt out of Trail Creek des Metis which included freight trains, not only to Red River, but on to St. Paul, Minnesota or south to Fort Benton, Montana. Some claim Kenneth McDonald claimed lot 20 at 82 street East Edmonton about this time but there is no other reference to his being in Edmonton at this time and he is listed as #20 on the 1882-85 Settlement survey, suggesting 19 river front settlers preceded him, so this is very questionable.
A fight between Cree and Blackfoot, across the river from Fort Edmonton, saw six Blackfoot killed.
The Metis exodus from Red River finds 2,000 or more settling into Trail Creek des Metis, located on Buffalo Trail Creek, which is fed by Buffalo Lake into the Red Deer River. It is about 15 miles west of Stettler, Alberta on the north side of Red Deer River. This became the new staging area for the fall buffalo hunt. This site was chosen because it was free from Hudson Bay Company influence; no trading forts existed in this region. It was free from religious influence and the buffalo were plentiful here. These Metis realized that the water ways were now the domain of Europeans, but the Red River cart and overland freighting was their domain. The original Trail Creek des Metis settlement extended across Buffalo Trail Creek, up along the side of the hill and across the flat above, towards the Trail Creek cemetery. Between Trail Creek cemetery and Buffalo trail Creek is a deep gully once full of buffalo bones where the Metis hunters drove the buffalo.
Fort Edmonton 1871
Malcalm Groat married Fort Edmonton Marguerite Christe (b-1851) a Metis daughter William J. Christie b-1825, and Mary Anal.
Some claim that modern Edmonton began this year with Rev. George McDougall building the first house (church?) outside the walls of Fort Edmonton.
This fall hunters from Fort Edmonton, Lac St. Anne, Lac La Biche, St. Albert, Big Lake, Batoche and smaller communities scattered along the Saskatchewan went to the Grande Buffalo hunt at Trail Creek des Metis near Alix, Alberta, on the Red Deers (Deer) River. Each Metis District elected a Captain of 'The Hunt', as well as other officials, to organize the Red River carts, camp sites and others necessities. The Captains of 'The Hunt' were usually those who made the greatest number of kills the previous hunt. Some known Captains of the hunt included: Michel Arnot, Ed Bincer, Ed Boucher, William Camion, Pierre Desault, Gabriel Dumont, Ladoneur, Abraham Salois, Shoutoux, Jean Baptiste Vawess. The Rules of 'The Hunt' remained as they were established in Red River. Few disagreements were evident, as all participated in the hunt including women and children, with everyone knowing their roles and responsibilities. The women and children usually skinned the buffalo and sliced off long slices to be dried. The meat of the cows was preferred. The proceeds of the hunt were shared by everyone and no one went without.
Fort Hamilton, that was built in 1867, and preceded Fort Whoop-up was burned to the ground and a sick Indian woman found in the fort was killed. The United States traders however had abandoned the fort before the attack.
The Metis are located near Buffalo Boss Hill (Buffalo Lake) and at the mouth of Trail Creek.
January 20: St. Albert, birth Jamuel Cunningham Jr. son John Cunningham Sr., b-1815 and Rosalie L'Hyrondelle, b-1829, Lesser Slave Lake.
February 17: St. Albert (Alberta), birth Hippolite Beaudry son Narcisse Beaudry, b-1845 and Lucie Breland, born February 22, 1848 Red River; married Melanie Falcon, born July 28, 1850, Red River.
April 2: The population of the west is: B.C. 36,247, Manitoba 10,000.
April 13: Chief Sweet Grass and a delegation of plains Cree from the Edmonton and Carton House District came in stately procession to William J. Christie b-1825, Chief Factor at Fort Edmonton, protesting the illegal sale of their lands. The Metis of the Edmonton area requested, through Bishop Vital Grandin (1829-1902), the Government House in Fort Garry give them clarification of the their ownership rights and Metis Reserves. Bishop Grandin (1829-1902) left the meeting with the clear impression that no Metis Reserves would be allowed and that nothing would prevent Eastern squatters from occupying Metis or Native lands on the Saskatchewan River as they had done in Red River in Manitoba.
July 22: Dunvegan, Athabasca (Alberta), birth, Albert McKay, Metis, son Isidore Flamand (McKay), b-1842 Red River and Charlotte Bourassa, Metis, b-1850 Dunvegan, Athabasca (Alberta).
September: Birch Lake, Alberta, birth Mary Cardinal daughter Francois Cardinal, Metis, b-1831 Lac La Biche and Adele (Angele) Desjallais, Metis b-1820; married Edward Villeneuve.
September: Fort Edmonton (Alberta), birth Soloman Salois, son Toussaint Salois, b-1850 and Helene Breland, b-1850.
October 19: St. Albert, (Alberta), birth Marie Rose Cardinal, Metis, daughter Andre Cardinal Sr., Metis, b-1835, Jasper House (Alberta) and Rosalie Berland, Metis b-1835 Jasper House, (Alberta); married 1897, Pincher Creek, (Alberta), James Buckman.
November 13: Lac St Anne (Alberta), birth Isabella Wabamun Desjarlais, Metis, died November 1888, St. Albvert (Alberta), daughter Antoine Wabamun Desjarlais, Metis b-1820 Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta) and Marie Julie Catherine Kakatow a Cree; .