South Peace Historical Society

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  • Table of Contents

    • Part 1: First Nations of the Peace River Region
    • Part 2: The Fur Trade Era
    • Part 3: Transportation and Communication
    • Part 4: Old Timers and the Price of Land
    • Part 5: Dawson Creek: The Story of the Community
    • Part 6: Mysteries, Adventures and Indian Legends
    • Part 7: Arts, Crafts and Recreation
    • Part 8: Agriculture
    • Part 9: Church Histories
    • Part 10: Schools
    • Part 11: Health Care
    • Part 12: Industries and Enterprises
    • Part 13: Policing the Peace
    • Part 14: Pouce Coupe, Rolla, and Other South Peace Communities
    • Part 15: Chetwynd and the Fort St. John Area
    • Part 16: The Alberta Peace
    • Part 17: Natural History of the Peace River Region
    • Part 18: Interviews with Old Timers
    • Part 19: Remembering Our Veterans

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04-014: Mr. and Mrs. Philip Davis

Interviewed March 21, 1973 by Lee J. Phillips. 
Philip Davis was born 78 years ago at Lake Saskatoon and belonged to the Beaver Band but was transferred later to the Saulteaux and was eighteen years old when he came to live in this area. So this is 60 years ago. He must have been in this area in about 1913.

Mrs. Davis is 67 years old and was born at Arras. Her father was John Desjarlais. Her mother was born at Sturgeon Lake.

Mr. and Mrs. Davis remember Chief Wabi. They only remember he died a long time ago. He lived by himself. He wasn’t Treaty and his name was Wabi Calahasen. They also remember other old timers: Sam and Baptiste Lalonde, “Old Bond”, at Bond siding and George Miskaneo. They said, “Old Napoleon”, who was Fred and Felin Napoleon’s dad, lived at Arras.

They knew Mr. Twidwell and where he trapped. They bought food at Fort St. John and carried it by pack horse or pack dogs. They made rafts to cross the rivers and sometimes had to share their food with others when they got back if there was a shortage.

Dinner Creek was named a stopping place as people left East Pine in the morning and could only make it that far by dinnertime with the wagons.

Mr. Davis played drums for the Indian dances in the Centennial year. The road from East Pine via Dinner Creek on to Hudson Hope and Fort St. John was the first pack Trail.

Grave-yard Creek — there’s a grave farther down from the present road crossing — it originally was marked by a big cross, but markings are all gone now.

Mr. and Mrs. Davis had 18 children of which 4 boys and 3 girls died. At this time there were no doctors or Hospitals. She had some of her children while alone in a lean-to or teepee, with no one to help her.

Mr. and Mrs. Davis both enjoyed trapping and hunting and when I called she was beading hides she had tanned to make mukluks. Over the years I have known her she is very proud of her work and ability to hunt and trap, but says this year there are lots of wolves and no deer.

 

Script taken from taped interviews.

« 04-013: Interview with S.E. Cushway, Fort St. John, BC

04-015: Dr. George Mercer Dawson, First Explorer to see “Dawson’s Brook” »

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