Native Canadian History in the Ottawa Area

As a retired employee of the Dept. of Indian and Northern Affairs I can mention 
the existence of the Indian (membership) Registry at the Dept. HQ in Hull,  
Les Terrases de la Chaudiere complex, north tower).  There you should be able to 
look up, or have a staff member look up, the band membership lists for the Indian 
Reserve at Maniwaki.  If registered, her parents name should be there.  Scan 
the DIAND website for a phone contact and make an appointment to visit.  
Good luck and good hunting.  
... Will Dunlop

Odawa Native Friendship Centre, 12 Stirling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Y 1P8 Tel: (613) 722-3811, Fax: (613) 722-4667, E-mail: info@odawa.on.ca
March 20, 2003: Dear Al: While recently visiting your web site I noted that you may have information that I have been long searching for. My great grandmother was grew up in a town very close to OKA. She was native and I have been desperately searching for information to prove the such. Can you direct me to any sources of information regarding the area surrounding and including OKA that may posses a listing of it's band members. I am searching for the 1800 era. Thank So Much Lisa ________________________ Hi Lisa: Thanks for your e-mail. I'm forwarding it to Ellen Paul who (I think) has transcribed the registers for the RC church at Oka and may be able to help you. ... Al Lewis
April 10, 2004: Susan Sirois is researching her Aboriginal ancestors in the River Desert area near Maniwaki. Her Great Grandparents are Cecile McDOUGAL and John DALE. I believe (somebody correct me if I'm wrong) that Maniwaki was a fur trade post in the 1600s and 1700s and became important in the logging industry in the 1800's. The Algonquin band was indigenous to the area. There was a great influx of settlers around 1850, mostly arranged by the Catholic Church who brought Irish settlers to the area (see the story of Father Deleage around 1850 on our Maniwaki page). About the same time, OKA, which is (I think), a Mohawk reserve, was re-organized and the Algonquin members from OKA went to the River Desert area at Maniwaki and also to the region of Golden Lake, east of Algonquin Park. By the 1970's the population of Maniwaki was about 7,000 -- a mixture of English, French and Algonquin speakers. The last, and most prominent, of the original builders of birchbark canoes were William Commanda and Jocko Carle. William Commanda was the Band Chief until the 1970's. In the 1600's, the Jesuit missionaries worked at translating the Algonkian language into French and English. This dictionary is stored at one of the churches in Maniwaki. Algonkian was also spoken by Native groups other than the Algonquins.
December 21, 2004: I notice you have a number of individuals on your site requesting information on Aboriginal genealogy. They may be interested in the section of the Canadian Genealogy Centre site on this subject under "How to" at http://www.genealogy.gc.ca/07/070702_e.html or click here.
January 14, 2004: I have been looking for a long time for a book about Native Canadian history in the Ottawa / Gatineau area. Eric McGregor has just given me the book I was looking for. His brother, Stephen McGregor, is the principal author. Here's the book: Since Time Immemorial: "Our Story", by Stephen McGregor, The Story of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinàbeg, Kitigan Zibi Education Council, 2004, ISBN 0-9734910-1-9, Research Team: Sandra Diabo Decontie and James Odjick, 344 pages. This is a fascinating book describing the history of the Algonquin Nation in the Ottawa River Valley and it's watershed, mainly in the River Desert region at Maniwaki. As I read through the book, I'll add some material to this web site regarding Algonquin history. The web site until now has begun with the first white settlers in this region, led by Philomen Wright in 1800. Now, we will be able to push the beginning date back further. The Ottawa River was named the Grand River by the French Canadien voyageurs. The river was called Kitchissippi which is how you often see the name of the Ottawa River spelled. As you would have seen in the book, Al, the proper Algonquin spelling would be Kitchi Zibi (which does mean The Great River). (... Eric) January 17, 2005: We are also trying to ascertain the Algonquin name for the Rideau River. Dear Al: This week end I was in Maniwaki and I saw the book that you are talking about. It is a great book, I love history. I am writing a booklet on Merrickville and the business district from Past to present. You will get a copy when I am finished if you would be interested in it. The Algonquin inhabited Montague and Grenville counties where Merrickville is located, so I know they must have had a name for the Rideau river prior to 1600s. I have a partial copy of a newspaper, dated June 5 1856 "Mirickville Chronicle and Weekly Advertiser" @ http://jasonlackie.tripod.com Yes al you do have permission to give my data on your website Regards Ronald Lackie E-mail: lackie@videotron.ca
March 17, 2005: I'm Stephen McGregor, writer of Since Time Immemorial: Our Story. The Story of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg. Eric McGregor is my brother. He mentioned that you were trying to determine the original Algonquin name for the Rideau River. It's original name was "Pasapkedjiwanong," which means, "the river that passes between the rocks." Stephen McGregor e-mail: stephen.mcgregor@kza.qc.ca
April 6, 2005: The Algonkin Tribe: The Algonkins of the Ottawa Valley, An Historical Outline, by Peter Hessel, Kichesippi Books, Arnprior, ISBN 0-921082-01-0 This is another excellent book regarding the local history of the Algonquin nation. It covers both sides of the Ottawa River and includes the Maniwaki and Golden Lake areas. ... Al
May 18, 2005: Constance Bay is on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River in Torbolton Township. Today it is within the limits of the City of Ottawa. The bay and nearby Constance Lake is named after Simon Constant who was a member of the Algonquin nation and who was in the area before the white settlers arrived. If you are driving towards Calabogie Lake in Renfrew County, you'll cross Constant Creek which flows between Constant Lake and Calabogie Lake. These were also named after Simon Constant who moved to Renfrew County from Torbolton. Source: Carol Bennett, People of St. Patrick's, Mount St. Patrick Parish, 1843-1993. Mr. Jocko was a gentleman who lived near Calabogie Lake. He was also of native descent and told me many stories of the Calabogie area when I knew him in the 1970's. ... Al
March 16, 2006: Deb Armstrong is researching her GGGrandparents, Francis Chabot and Mary LaChapelle.
October 20, 2007: Daniel Bernard's ancestors, Jean-Baptiste BERNARD and Angelique SIMON were at the Petite Nation (Buckingham area, including Lac Simon), later moving to Pembroke (Renfrew County) in the 1880's.
November 26, 2007: HI again everyone.... So many things have been coming to light for us in a lot of ways. I am currently pulling military records for as many variations of the Sharbot spelling as we have available so far. There are so many things that I have been working on for so many years, and now all the pieces seem to be going together. As part of the history from many year ago, it shows when the British were losing in WW1, that they recruited the Natives in the IROQUOIS Territory of Tyendiga and Montreal area and so on. I will share any info we receive in this matter when it arrives. I am hoping that the Brothers of the Chief may have possibly served, which I am sure they did. I remember Cecil speaking of this because he was too young to go to the WW1 because his father had passed away, Thomas Sr, and he had to stay at home with his mom and work to raise the family. This is when he worked on the River Drive and Lumber Camps. He enlisted in WW2 with all his brothers. ... Cathie Duchene
December 3, 2007:
More about Oka / Lake of Two Rivers / Lac des deux montagnes
Thanks to Jean-Claude Dubé for the following (also pertaining to the Chabot / Sharbot page referred to in the previous posting ... Al) Hello Cathie I have no idea which First Nation that Francis Sharbot belonged to. He could have come from the Lake of Two Mountains Mission because there were three groups living there around the Catholic mission. Mohawk, Nipissing and Algonquin. The Mohawks (Kanesatake) and the Algonquians were kept at opposite ends of the mission. Apparently, most of the Mohawks moved out in the mid-19th century and went mostly in central Ontario to live with other Iroquoian-speaking people. Francis Sharbot could also have come from two other Mohawks societies: Kanahwake on Lake St. Louis south of Montreal (30-45 minutes by canoe to Kanesatake) and Akwasasne, a bit upstream on the St.Lawrence, south of Cornwall, Ont. (St.Regis). If Chief Fransway was a Mohawk, he could have come from any one of those places. If we can find out where he came from, most of our questions will be answered. Kathy (my spouse) and I go to Sharbot Lake every few years to attend the Blue Skies Folk Festival in Clarendon, 10 miles north of Sharbot Lake. We also spent a day canoeing on Sharbot Lake. The lake is actually two lakes connected a narrow stream over which the highway passes over. The east lake have very few cottages, except in the south end. There are osprey nests on one of the islands in the North and we enjoy bird watching also. Some time ago, in the North-east end, we went down a small stream which connected to a beautiful but small lake having a vintage cottage hidden in the pines. Then we went down a narrow and shallow but very pristine river that we did not know existed. We turned around we got close to highway 7 and could hear the cars going by. I did not know then but I know now that was the Fall River that Francis Sharbot took to go to Sharbot Lake. If you look on a topographical map, Fall River would eventually connect to the Mississippi River West which flows into Mississippi Lake and then eastward to the Ottawa River near Arnprior. Of course, Kanesatake, Kanahwake and Akwasasne are downstream from there. So, Francis Sharbot did not from Fall River but rather by Fall River. Could you explain to me what is meant by "the Sharbots brought the Antoine here to Ontario when they came for a second time" I do not understand. Speaking of Antoine: when Peter Sharbot passed away at age 79 in Sharbot Lake on Dec 18th, 1925, his brother-in-law, Leslie Antoine, said that Peter Sharbot's parents were Francis Sharbot and Mary Susan Guigue. Do you know who she may be and where she came from? There were 3 Antoines living with Francis and Mary Susan and children in 1861. I have turn of the century map of OSO County with Concession lines etc and we can locate where Francis Sharbot and everybody else lived in Sharbot Lake. That will be my next mailing on this subject. Probably in a few days. Bye ... Jean-Claude _______________________ I used to spend some time in the Ardoch, Ontario area, northwest of Sharbot Lake. We used to canoe on the Mississippi River, from below the bridge near where the wild rice is harvested in the fall, down to fish for pickerel in Crotch Lake. Does anyone know if the village of Ardoch is part of the area of the Shabot Mishigama First Nation ? ... Al _______________________ Hello Al The Mattawa-North Bay Algonquins' website www.madadjiwan.com state in their history section that the Sharbot (sic) Mishigama First Nation is based in Sharbot Lake and that the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation is also based in Sharbot Lake . Gordon M. Day has written a Glossary of Indian Tribal Names. I'll look at it when I go to the National Library next week. ... Jean-Claude
December 4, 2007: (The following refers to an e-mail among researchers of the Sharbot / Chabot family): Hello Cathie There is another Mohawk reserve in Eastern Ontario. It is Tyendinaga, between Napanee and Belleville, on the Bay of Quinte, east of Kingston. It would be just a few days' canoe trip up to Sharbot Lake via a combination of a few rivers and lakes including the Rideau Lakes which is part of the Rideau Canal. Three of the clans, Turtle, Wolf, and Bear were Mohawk and the other two, Snipe and Deer were Onondaga (Fingers Lakes, New York State). From the 37,000+ hectares that they had in early 19th Century, after the War of 1812 with the U.S.A., it was wittled down to half as much within 30 years and then wittled down more to about 6,000 hectares in mid-20th Century. Elizabeth Simcoe, the wife on the lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada, wrote, in 1793, that the Mohawks of Akwesasne "speak French, are much civilized, and have a good deal of the manners of Frenchmen". Many of the Iroquois that formerly lived around the French settlements on the Island of Montreal were moved to Lake of Two Mountains (Oka) (ethnic cleansing?). They and the Algonquins and Nipissing staying at that Mission, had free use of vast woodlands for hunting and fishing in what we now call the Lower Laurentians. Later on, in early to mid 19th Century, these hunting grounds were encroached upon by french-speaking settlers coming mostly from the north St.Lawrence River shore downstream of Montreal. A lot of the Iroquois packed up their bags and went westward to a reserve near Lake Simcoe, Ontario and other such areas. The Algonquin left en masse to Maniwaki (River Desert Reserve). So, Francis Sharbot (Fransway Shabotte) could have been a Mohawk and Mary Sue Guigue could have been an Algonquin. The same goes for the housemates Antoine. Until we figure that out and have proof that we can't refute, we will never know. If your uncle can help you out with that, it would be greatly appreciated. But don't forget that oral history, while very useful, is not absolutely true. Some things are glorified and exagerated and other things are not said or even not known. Don't forget also that traditonally, sons and daughters of Indian heritage, did not carry the names of their father and mother. This makes it most difficult to establish a paternal or maternal lineage. ... Jean-Claude
February 12, 2008: Here's a link to a very interesting article by Bill Allen called "Nineteenth Century Aboriginal Farmers of the Madawaska River". This link was sent in by Jean-Claude. http://www.ottawaoas.ca/Symposium/Allen.pdf
E-mail Lisa, Ellen Paul, Susan Sirois, Stephen McGregor, Cathie Duchene, Jean-Claude Dubé and Al Lewis

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