Jasper Alberta Index
Alberta Basic History
1878
Ambroise Adam, Metis, born November 1856 son Baptiste Adam, Metis b-1820 and Marie Boyer, Metis b-1825; married 1878 Clarisse Paul, Metis born 1857 Fort Edmonton daughter Louison Paul b-1830 and Catherine Gladu, b-1833.
Trail Creek, marriage Jean Baptiste Anass, Metis b-1857, Alberta married Amelia, Metis b-1853 Alberta. Children include Peter b-1879 Alberta, Bella b-1880 Alberta, James b-1882 Alberta, Daniel b-1884 Alberta, Mary b-1885 Alberta, Elizabeth b-1887 Alberta, Sophia b-1890 Alberta, Margret b-1893 Alberta, William J. b-1896 Alberta, all born Alberta likely Trail Creek.
Lucie Louise Arnault, Metis, b-1878, St. Albert (Alberta), daughter, Irenee Arnault, a whiteman and Isabelle Chalifoux dit Labouteille, Metis, b-1847.
Julien Belcourt, b-1878, Lac Ste Anne (Alberta) son Eswin Belcourt, b-1843, Lac Ste Anne (Alberta) and Louise Paul b-1857, Lac Ste Anne (Alberta).
Justin Blandion, Metis, b-1878, St. Albert (Alberta), son Antoine Blandion, b-1833 and Josephte Klyne, b-1855, Red River.
Julienne Bourassa, b-1878, Dunvegan, Athabasca (Alberta) daughter Louis Bourassa and Rosalie Forcier; married Xavier Piche, b-1878 Red River son Francois Piche, b-1835 Red River and Nancy Ross, b-1840 Red River.
Therise Callihoo L'Iroquois, b-1820 d-1878, St. Albert (Alberta) daughter Louis Kwarkwentha Callihoo L'Iroquoise, b-1872, Quebec and Marie Katis of the Sekdnaise tribe, of the Montagnais Nation; married Francois Berland, Metis, son Jean Baptiste Berland and Susanne McLeod a Nepissing
Patrick Courteoreille, Metis born February 15, 1878, Alberta son Louis Courteoreille, Metis born August 16, 1849 Alberta, married about 1877 Alberta most likely Lac Sainte Anne, Sophie Metis born May 19, 1849, Alberta, living La Sainte Anne 1901.
Augustin Deschamps, b-1878, Alberta (Alberta), son Jean Baptiste Rabasca Deschamps, b-1850 and Marguerite Berard, b-1856.
Peter Descheneaux, Metis, b-1878 Red Deer River, beyond Buffalo Lake son Charles Descheneaux, Metis, b-1852, married 1874 St. Albert, Anne Tanner, Metis b-1857.
William Dumont, Metis, b-1878, Calgary, (Alberta) son Jean Baptiste Dumont Jr. Metis, born June, 1852, Slave Lake (Alberta) and Philomene Vanesse Metis born October 1856.
William Gladstone, Metis b-1878 Alberta son Marie Gladstone. Metis b-1858 Alberta, living Fort MacLeod, Alberta 1901.
June: Fort Calgary, birth, (II)-Alfred Glen, Metis, son (I)-John Glenn, born 1833 and Adelaide Belcourt, Metis born August, 1851.
Albert Gray Metis born March 14, 1878 son Magloire Gray, Metis born May 15, 1849, Alberta married about 1877 most likely Lac Ste Anne, Genevieve Metis born April 30, 1850 Alberta, living Lac Sainte Anne (Devils Lake) 1901.
Basile Larance, b-1800 Red River de Metis, 1st married likely Fort Macleod (Alberta) to unknown, 2nd married 1878 Fort Macleod (Alberta), Madeleine Campion, b-1860, St. Alberta (Alberta).
Louise Lavallee b-1837 Red River married about 1877 likely Red River Catherine b-1846 Red River living Alberta 1878 to 1886 and at Lac La Biche, Alberta 1901.
Marie Louise L'Hirondelle, Metis b-1878 Lac La Nun ( Alberta), daughter Augustin L'Hyrondelle, Metis, b-1849, Fort Edmonton (Alberta) and Nancy Bellerose, b-1857.
Trail Creek des Metis, birth Bella MacFadden, Metis b-1878 Alberta married before 1898 and this is likely her married name. One child is recorded William b-1898 Alberta most likely Trail Creek.
Trail Creek (Alberta) east of Red Deer is a major settlement and focus point for the buffalo hunts. The Metis gathered from St. Albert, Lac Ste Anne, Fort Edmonton, Lac la Biche and other Metis centers and the town swelled to 1,000 people, in some four hundred cabins. Most considered the Metis as unorganized and carefree by nature but during their spring and fall buffalo hunt they were better organized than any army. The hunt was governed by the strictest rule and ritual. After the hunt and processing of hides and meat the dancing and partying continued all night to the Red River fiddle. This would be the last major buffalo hunt..
J.B. McDougall, Metis b-1878 Alberta living Morley, Alberta 1901.
Emma Quintal, b-1878, Lac La Biche (Alberta), daughter, Etienne Quintal, b-1851, Lac La Biche (Alberta) and Marie Cardinal, b-1853, Lac La Biche; 1st married constance Cardinal, born December 16, 1877; 2nd married, 1901 Louis Pruden, b-1879, Lac La Biche.
Harriet Rhan, Metis b-1878 Alberta granddaughter (I)-William Gonan b-1823 Orkney Island and Sara Metis b-1833 Red River, living Lakeland, Alberta 1891.
William Scullen (Whiteman) Sr., married 1878 Calgary, Marguerite Ward b-1859 Red River.
Trail Creek des Metis, marriage Donald Whitford b-1843 Red River married Margret Metis b-1853 Alberta. Five children are recorded, Ann b-1879 Alberta, Elizabeth b-1883 Alberta, Catherine E. b-1885 Alberta, George b-1888 Alberta, Samuel b-1890 Alberta most likely all Trail Creek. Also living with them are grand children Margaret b-1898 Alberta and William b-1901 Alberta. Also living with them are two unidentified children Ellen b-1893 Alberta and Nancey b-1895 Alberta.
(II)-James Gibbons (1839-1928), the Metis, made formal entry of the homestead, in Edmonton, Laurier Park area, which he had lived on for a few years. He registered with Mr. Gauvreau, who represented the Government at Fort Edmonton. James had been in and out of Edmonton since 1865: gold mining, free trading and freighting. George Emerson and Tom Lynch introduced 200 head of Montana cattle stock into the Fort MacLeod area. Fire swept through the town of Trail Creek and only one building in four hundred survived, eventually being carried into Stettler as a reminder of this ghost town. The NWT passed an ordnance, establishing the branding of sheep, horses and cattle.
The Salois or Laboucane Metis settlement is established this year. It was also called Duhamel settlement or Battle River settlement. The six Laboucane brother's- Elzear, Jean Baptiste, Gabriel, Pierre, Guilliam and Jerome- arrived at the Duhamel settlement from White Horse Plains.
The Metis town of Trail Creek, with 2,000 people and 400 permanent buildings, is destroyed by fire in 1898? (others suggest 1878), leaving only one building without damage. It is noteworthy the the largest town west of Red River is destroyed, but little exists in the history books to mark its passing. It is known that the Church, Hudson Bay Company and Mounted Police were not happy with its existence; each for their own reasons. The Metis had a Red River Cart train transportation monopoly and could trade anywhere. They were self reliant with their own government and religious culture. The Mounted Police discontinued their sub-post at Trail Creek, owing to a shortage of Med in A Division.
A new gristmill was built 24 km down river from St. Albert. A dam was built on the Sturgeon river to power the mill. Besides grinding wheat the Metis adapted it to saw timber, planning lumber and making shingles. It burnt down in 1890, was rebuilt and operated until 1899.
John Alexander Mitchel arrived Strathcona (Edmonton, Alberta) via ox-cart with Frank Oliver. Mitchel acquired 200 acres of land in Strathcona (Alberta) which he sold later for $1.00 per acre.
The steamer Northcote was grounded for the season due to low water on the Saskatchewan. Cart brigades were organized to handle the freight.
January 18: Victoria, Alberta, located 90 km NE Fort Edmonton, birth Margaret Jane Spence, daughter, Andrew Spence Sr., b-1842 and Nancy Whitford, b-1850.
March: Dunvegan, Athabasca, birth Prudent D'Amours, son, Theophile D'Amours, b-1842, Quebec and Margueite Bourassa, b-1852; married November 22, 1898, Fort Vermillion (Alberta), Marie Louise Beaulien, born January 24, 1880, Fort Chipewyan daughter Francois Beaulieu, died November 23, 1895 and Rose Lamoureux, born July 6, 1863, Fort St. John..
March 6: Fort Calgary, birth Marie Josephine Deschamps daughter Jean Baptiste Deschamps, Metis, b-1849 and Catherine Vandel, Metis b-1846.
April 14: Victoria, Alberta, located 90 km NE Fort Edmonton, birth William Whitford, Metis, son Simon Whiteford, Metis b-1849 Alberta and Elizabeth Anderson, Metis b-1859 Alberta, living Pakan, Alberta 1901, daughter John Anderson Jr. b-1827 and Christie Whitford, b-1833.
April 18: St. Albert (Alberta), birth Pierre Blandion, son John Blandion and Olive L'Hyrondelle, b-1855 Lac Ste Anne (Alberta).
May 11: Fort Calgary, birth, Daniel Belcourt, son Alexis Belcourt, born October 26, 1847 and Catherine (Caroline) Smith.
June 6: Lac La Biche (Alberta), birth Mary (Nancy) Johnson, daughter Charles Johnson, b-1829 Red River and Agathe Anger, b-1848, Fort Vermilion, Peace River District (Alberta) daughter Baptiste Auger, b-1827 and Josephte Chalioux,
June 20: Caroline, Bird, Metis, b-1878, Strathcona (Edmonton, Alberta), died 1886, daughter, William Robert Bird, Metis, b-1826 and Fanny Shirt, Metis, b-1856.
October 28: Egg Lake (Alberta), birth Justine Beaudry son Narcisse Beaudry, b-1845 and Lucie Breland, born February 22, 1848 Red River
1879
Ambroise Adam, Metis, b-1779, St Albert, (Alberta), son Clarisse Paul, Metis, b-1857 and Ambroise Adam aka Fagnant b-1856.
Vitaline Blandion, Metis, b-1879 St. Albert (Alberta), son Antoine Blandion, b-1833 and Josephte Klyne, b-1855, Red River.
John Brazeau, b-1850, Fort Assiniboine, son, Joseph Edward Brazeau and Marguerite Brabant alias Salois, Metis b-1815, Fort Edmonton, daughter Augustin Brabant and Anmgelique Lucir b-1800; married 1879 Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Adelaide Ward.
Joseph Dumas b-1879 N.W.T. living Mountain Mill, Alberta 1901.
Nellie Gladstone, b-1879 likely Fort McLeod (Alberta), son William Gladstone (1845-1891) and Marie Samat Vandal, b-1855.
Joseph Gervais b-1879 N.W.T. son Culbert Gervais b-1846 and Mary Metis b-1836 N.W.T., all living Mountain Mill, Alberta 1901.
Ambroise Gray Metis born May 1, 1879 son Magloire Gray, Metis born May 15, 1849, Alberta married about 1877 most likely Lac Ste Anne, Genevieve Metis born April 30, 1850 Alberta, living Lac Sainte Anne (Devils Lake) 1901.
William D.P. Hardisty, Metis b-1879 N.W.T. son Elizabeth Hardisty, Metis b-1850 N.W.T., living Fort Edmonton 1891.
Harriet Johnstone, Metis b-1879 N.W.T. living Southern Alberta 1891.
Boniface Laferte, b-1851 Red River, married 1879 Fort Providence (Alberta) Madeline Bouvier, b-1862, fort Simpson daughter Joseph Bouvier, b-1830 and Catherine Beaulieu.
Henri Laferte-Lanaix, b-1879, Fort Providence (Alberta) son Henri Laferte-Lanaix, Metis, b-1849, Fort Chipewyan (Alberta) and Catherine Bouvier, Fort Simpson, b-1856.
Samuel L'Hirondelle, Metis b-1879 Lac La Nun ( Alberta), son Augustin L'Hyrondelle, Metis, b-1849, Fort Edmonton (Alberta) and Nancy Bellerose, b-1857.
Edmonton, birth (II)-James Ross son (I)-Donald Ross (1840-1915) and (II)-Olive Blewitt born 1850
James Russell, Metis b-1879 Alberta married to Rosa Metis b-1877 Alberta living Lethbridge, Alberta 1901.
St. Albert, (Alberta) Julien Ward, Metis, b-1879, son, Peter Ward, b-1840 and Rosalie Bisson, b-1843.
William Scullen Jr., b-1879, Calgary, d-1879William Scullen (Whiteman) Sr.
Trail Creek des Metis, marriage John Tanner, Metis b-1854 Alberta married Rosealley Metis b-1864 Alberta. Two children are recorded Jean Baptiste b-1880 Alberta and Gilbert b-1883 Alberta most likely Trail Creek.
A large fire on Cyprus Hills drove the game from this region, and by 1880 the Metis also departed.
John Muir traveled the lower Stikine River, British Columbia, calling it the Yosemite, a hundred miles long. Someone said its a land where Canada could hide England, and the English would never find it.
Canadian scientist Sandford Fleming in Toronto announced his idea of dividing the world into twenty-four time zones, each with its own standard time. By 1900 the world had converted to his proposed system..
Shipment of buffalo hides to Fort Benton (Montana) from Alberta dropped from an average of 70,000 hides a year to 14,000 hides a year.
It is reported that 5 different Metis settlements exist in Cypress Hills (Alberta/Saskatchewan) this year.
January 7, Buffalo Lake, birth Mary Whitford, daughter Francois Whitford Sr., b-1835 and Jane Anderson, b-1845.
March: Forks of the Red Deer River, (Alberta), birth/death Joseph Bird, son Philip Bird and Mary Kipling.
March 20: Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta), birth Nancy Gladu, daughter Edward Gladu, born August 1847, Lac La Biche and Betsy Constant, Metis, b-1845; married, William Alexander Gairdner, born July 24, 1876, Fort Chipewyan, son William Fred Gairdner, b-1839 and Flora Flett, b-1857.
May: Fort McLeod (Alberta), marriage Peter McEwen and Mary Gladstone, born July 2, 1864, Fort Brenton, Montana, daughter William J. Shanks Gladstone, b-1824, Quebec and Harret LeBlanc, b-1835, Fort Edmonton (Alberta).
October 7: St. Albert (Alberta), birth, Antoine L'Hyrondelle, Metis, son Jean Baptiste L'Hrondelle, Metis b-1854 and Elizabeth Beaudry, b-1861; married Lusie Page, born February, 1884, St. Albert (Alberta).
October 14: Ottawa made the decision to run the railway through to Edmonton. The first agricultural society in Edmonton is formed this year. Malcolm Norris established a saw and grist mill east of Edmonton. Mr. William Bird's mill on Mill Creek didn't always operate, due to lack of sufficient water. Monsieur Alexander Tache of Saint Boniface suggested to J.S. Dennis Deputy Minister of the Interior that a special area be set aside for the Metis.
November 17: Fort Walsh (Alberta), The North West Mounted Police required a large number of horses to support their activities. These were pastured at various points around the fort. To guard the herds against maurauders, guard camps were established with three to four men. There had been a great deal of opposition from the Blood Indians to the setting up of a camp ten miles north of Fort Walsh, that was manned by five men and a cook. Constable Marmaduke Graham a recent recruit had left this camp to check on some horses when he was shot in the back. Louison Leveille, a scout tracked the movement of the horses and Robert McCutcheon actually discovered the body. Graham became the first North West Mounted Policeman to lose his life in the line of duty. Jerry Potts and others attempted to track the killer but lost the trail. Star Child, a Blood Indian and an unidentified person is believed responsible for the murder. Star Child was eventually captured, tried and acquitted. He later became a scout for the NWMP. The Mounties never got their man.
Nobember 18: Mrs Robert Belcher wife of an RCMP man says the hamlet of Fort Edmonton on the north side of the Saskatchewan River consisted of 14 men and 6 women. She says John A. McDougall, Frank Oliver, Kenneth MacDonald and Donald Ross were early residents.