News Letter Excerpts Jean Louis Riel and Julie Lagimodere were married 21 January 1844 in St Boniface, Red River Settlement. The first born to this marriage was Louis, 22 October 1844. Nine more children were born to this couple in the ensuing years. Sara born 1848, Marie 1850, Octavie 1852, Eulalie 1853, Charles 4 November 1854, Joseph 1857, Henriette 1861, Alexandre 1863. There were two other children that died in infancy. Without the trade of pemmican by the Metis the fur trade would not have been what it was. By 1840 the HBC was purchasing 100,000 pounds a year for its workers, and this had doubled by 1870. Dec. 4, 1867, Wm. McDongall, Canadian Minister of Public Works, introduced a motion into the House of Commons in Ottawa "to expand the Dominion westward, adding Rupertsland to the Dominion so that the whole expanse from Atlantic to Pacific would be people with a race the same as ourselves". Place names in Alberta Akasu lake - Formerly called "Lac de l'homme malade" (Sickman's Lake) by the Metis and early pioneers; now reverted to its Cree name, meaning "sick". Lac la Biche - Literal translation, "Lake of the Red Doe"; so called by early explorers from about 1790. Lac la Biche was on an important trading route. Cache Percotte creek - Athabasca River; from the Indian ne-kas pe-kwat, which was corrupted to "Cache Percotte". The meaning is uncertain although one version is that it means "smallpox camp", referring to an epidemic that swept westward across the mountains in 1870 wiping out whole camps of Indians. Calahoo Hamlet - Named after William Calahoo, a Metis or of Iroquoian origin (1915). Father Albert Lacombe's nick-name was "Good Heart": a name given to him by the Blackfoot people after Father Lacombe helped them by administering to the dying and nursing their people back to health during an outbreak of scarlet fever. Father Lacombe was instrumental in building the first bridge at St. Albert and for a time the St. Albert Bridge was the only bridge west of Red river. The native people were so enthralled with the bridge that they would cross over and re-cross over the bridge many times. One of the natives decided to camp and make his campfire on the bridge and nearly burned the bridge down. When the first CPR train arrived in Calgary, Father Lacombe was invited to lunch with the president of the company and for one hour he was made president of the CPR and the President of the CPR, George Stephen was made Rector of the Parish of Ste. Mary by Father Lacombe. Winnipeg's first mayor F.E. Cornish was elected on January 5, 1874. One of his first acts as chief magistrate was to lay charges against himself, for disorderly conduct. He pleaded guilty to the charge, fined himself $5.00 and paid the fine. There were 308 names on the voters' list, and 331 ballots cast and counted. The Luxton Museum in Banff, featuring Aboriginal Artifacts and history, was named after Norman Luxton, born in Winnipeg on November 2, 1876. Norman Luxton was an admirer of Louis Riel and his determination to improve the lot of his Metis people. Jeremiah Potts was born at Fort Benton in 1844. He was the son of Andrew Potts "Scotchman" and an "Indian woman of the Blackfoot tribe" according to scrip documents. Jerry Potts the buckskin-clad frontiersman was the guide to the North West Mounted Police for over 22 years. Jerry Potts was able to speak several different native languages and was an excellent hunter and tracker. Potts never got lost, only once was there some doubt: he was searching for a landmark, composed of a pile of stones, but he was having difficulty finding it. "What's the matter?" someone asked "are you lost?" Potts was a little annoyed that anyone could think such a thing. His quick reply "No! Stones lost." Out of the 11,963 inhabitants in Manitoba's first census 9,848 were "half-breeds." Metis women were essential to the buffalo hunts, they would follow in the carts and once the hunter took down the buffalo he would leave a 'glove as a token' and the women would take the carcasses and prepare them into pemmican. Captain William Kennedy a true metis man was the first to bring mail to the Red River in 1859. Potash Making: Potash is a honey-like treat squares. The metis were the first to introduce potash and potash making in the west. Gabriel Dumont at the age of 12 was already active in the buffalo hunts and surpassing many men in marksmanship. "R.E. Lamb in 'Thunder in the North' describes the metis as: "...a people who formed a race apart and a civilization of their own." Red River Settlement: In the 1835 census there was only one blacksmith shop. In the census of 1849 it shows 11 carpenter shops, 8 blacksmith shops, 3 coopers shops and 30 merchant shops of all kinds. To help the newly wed couple, the bride's moccasins were auctioned at the wedding party. Average age of marriage at St. Francois Xavier up to 1840, males 26, females 22 "At each hunt Gabriel would make at least one free run through the herd, dedicating the beasts he then slaughtered to the old and the sick who could not hunt for themselves, it was an example he expected of other good hunters." Source: Gabriel Dumont by Woodcock "Society of the Generous" This society, consisted of the best hunters, took it upon them selves to see that the aged; the sick and crippled received a share of the buffalo hunt. Source: D. McLean "Home from the Hill." "Louis Goulet, born 6 Oct. 1859 along the banks of the Gratias River, it flows east into the Red River a few miles north of the U.S. border." "Louis Goulet, once beat John L. Sullivan (boxing champ) in a barroom brawl in Helena, Montana." October 8th. 1971- Some 300 to 400 Metis soldiers led by Louis Riel and A.D. Lepine were formed from St. Boniface, White Horse Plains, Point des Chenes, St. Agathe, Point Coupee, St. Norbert and St. Vital to aid the Government against a Fenian invasion that were concentrating their forces at St. Joseph. "Gratias River derives its name from the type of weed that grows along its banks, now called the Morris River." "Gratias is a French word meaning scratching. The English called it the Scratching River." March 26, 1885- Battle of Duck Lake April 24, 1885- Battle of Fish Creek May 2, 1885- Battle of Cut Knife Hill May 9-12, 1885- Battle of Batoche 800 CanadianTroops against 300 Metis andFirst Nations Historical Fact: In the spring of 1858 Bishop Tache announced that four Metis boys had been chosen to go to Canada to study (hoping to find potential priests). Louis Riel, Daniel McDougall, Louis Schmidt and Joseph Nolin. Nolin's parents did not allow their son to leave the Settlement. Holiday Fast Fact: December 29, 1807 Isobella Gunn and an Orkney girl (who disguised herself as a boy and signed on as a cabin boy in pursuit of a lover) gave birth to a son at Henry's post at Pembina. This child was actually the first white child born in the Canadian or American Northwest. *Marie Ann Gaurboury's first child Reine, was born Jan. 6, 1808 eight days later at the same post. -Mother and child were sent back home on the next ship leaving Hudson Bay. Metis disable the Northcote four Expeditionary troops were killed, several others were wounded including Lieutenant Macdonald, son of Prime Minister: Sir John A. Macdonald. April 20, 1885 February 1871, Riel elected as Member of Parliament for Provencher Parish. Parish (votes cast) Riel Hamelin St. Vital 29 3 St. Norbert, nord 46 9 St. Norbert, sud 47 20 Ste. Agathe 20 25 Ste. Anne 53 11 195 68 Riel Fast Fact: After Riel's death, his Grandmother brought up his son Jean, as Jean Monet. He received an education in Montreal, married Laure Cazeau and worked with the Grand Trunk railway and Jean died July 30, 1908 Hivernant: In the colloquial language of the voyageur, this was the term used to denote those who had wintered in the interior fur country, or the pays d'en haut. Babiche was rawhide cut up into thongs usually for snaring animals. Snare was either of babiche or sinews. In 1878 Gabriel Dumont receives a license for his ferry at "Gabriels Crossing". On Sundays Gabriel is to provide free crossing between 9 am till 2 pm for those going to and from church, otherwise a passenger on foot was charged 10 cents. Exposed as they are on the plains, are always preceded by scouts, for the purpose of reconnoitering either for enemies or buffalos. If they see the latter, they give signal of such being the case, by throwing up handfuls of dust and if the former, by running their horses to and from. Paul Kane - June 13, 1846 Moose Factory was one of H.B.C.'s earliest settlements, dating back to 1673. Voyageurs averaged 50 strokes per minute, all day long. The day started at 3 a.m., then 8 a.m., was time to stop for breakfast. Lunch was at noon, and then the paddling continued until 9 p.m., although they took breaks throughout the day. Red River residents resorted to kidnapping to retain a favoured resident. When in April 1859, it came time for a popular nun, Sister Ste. Therese, a sister of charity, to return to her order in Bytown, several individuals sprang into action. They swept down upon her traveling party near Scratching River (Morris), scooped her from the oxcart, and returned her to St. Boniface. She stayed on permanently. Grants Old Mill, located by Sturgeon Creek, was originally built in 1829 by the famous Metis Leader Cuthbert Grant. It was the first use of hydro power in Manitoba and the first of its kind built in the Western Prairies. It was reconstructed in 1975. The Burning Glass. This was used as an early trade item. The Hudson's Bay posts had these burning glasses on invoices as early as the 1750's. This item was used to light fires as well as the pipes of the Hudson's Bay Co. workers. List of Metis rights was officially published on December 1, 1869. The Ontario government offered a $5000.00 reward for the capture of Riel. Hudson Bay Point Blanket: The point blanket was firstmanufactured in 1779, by Thomas Empson of Oxfordshire. Other manufacturers werealso in the communities of Leeds and Manchester. "Points" are theshort dark lines about 4 ½ inches long. The "Points" were originally intendedto make known the price in "made beaver", (a unit price of 1 good sized beaverpelt, ie: 3 points = 3 full sized beaver pelts). These marks also stated sizeand weight. By 1929, thestandard blanket was white with single board stripes at each end; other colourswere red and green. The American Fur Trade Company was importing colours ofindigo, blue, sky blue, bright green, and scarlet. "Chief Blankets" had multi-coloured stripes at each end. Voyageur Cups- these cups were skillfully carved from wood approximately 5 inches long and 3 inches wide with a 6-inch long thong with an ornamental button at the end. It was hung from the voyageur's sash and was used to help the voyageurs from kneeling or lying in the mud or water to get a drink. In 1863, the Hudson Bay Company wrote that the old time HBC fur bales weighed 90 lbs. About 1866, the weight was reduced by general order to 80 lbs. St. Joseph and St. Anne are the Patron Saints of the Metis. A man by the name of Jack Henderson was Louis Riel's executioner. He was paid an $80.00 honorarium. Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald in an interview in Ottawa said of Riel "He shall hang, though every dog in Quebec bark in his favor." McCorry- Stainthorp- Nattrass were the three Millbrook Orangemen who stole the Bell of Batoche in 1885. Holiday Facts - In 1869 Riel's Provisional Government had imprisoned the Canadian Party supporters. On Christmas Eve, the Metis allowed the prisoners to send out for a fiddle so they could have a "stag dance" in which their Metis guards joined in. On Christmas Day they danced again and ate roast beef, plum pudding cakes. New Years Blessing - Father Fourmond wrote this about paternal blessingin 1878: These good people have a very touching custom: as soon as they comein, they kneel down before their priest and ask him for his blessing.Similarly, when they get up on the morning of that day, children customarilyask their father to bless them. Mr. Regnier Sr. sold Red River Carts to men in the spring for $15.00. When they returned in the fall he would buy them back for $10.00. The carts could hold up to 1000 lbs. Baie St. Paul was first a Saulteaux Indian Mission established by Father G.A. Belcourt- located west of St. Francois Xavier on the Assiniboine. A Red River Hunt was made up of three parties: Pembina - Forks - White Horse Plain May 12, 1870 - Manitoba Act incorporates the Metis List of Rights - Royal Assent given. May 9, 1885 - Battle of Batoche begins. July 6, 1885 - A charge of Treason is laid against Louis Riel. July 20, 1885 - Riel's Trial begins. August 1, 1885 - Riel's Trial ends, Riel sentenced to death. Provincial Archives has recently purchased a letter Riel wrote from his Regina jail cell in 1885. The letter was written on Mexican paper. It reads Molino Mexicano/Papel De Hilo. During the Battle of Batoche women were melting lead from tea chests for bullets, which they poured into molds. In trading a four Point Hudson Bay Blanket equaled four beaver pelts. Portage Avenue - Red River carts made this trial. On occasion there were 20 carts abreast. The Hudson's Bay Company's five shilling note was so large it was referred to as the Hudson Bay Blanket. It measured 5 inches in width and 8 inches across, almost half the size of this entire page. The Provincial Archives of Manitoba has Census returns for the years 1832-33, 1838, 1840, 1843, 1846-47, 1849, 1856, and 1870. The 1870 Red River Census Card Index, and the 1881 and 1891 Canada Census-Manitoba. Red River Settlement Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials from 1820-1851. Red River Settlement Census returns for 1827-33, 1835, 1838, 1840 and 1843. Red River Settlement Land Registers and other land records for 1811-1871. Red River Settlement Account Books for 1811-1871. Arctic Expeditions for 1824-1866. 1779 Northwest Company was established by a group of Montreal Fur Traders. 1670 the Hudson's Bay company owned much of Rupertsland (Manitoba) Bungee was a language spoken at Red River at the end of the 19th century. It was a combination of Gaelic French, Saulteaux, Cree and Michif 1843 when scarlet fever first appeared at Red River there was a high mortality rate amongst the aboriginal population. The Dominion of Canada passed the North West Territories Act effectively excluding Indian and Metis as Canadians.

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