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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01-121: Treaty Records of British Columbia – The Peace River Indian Bands

[Courtesy of the Indian and Northern Affairs Department, November 1972]
On July 6, 1899, a band of Beaver Indians met at Dunvegan and signed under Treaty 8. Signing this treaty were J. H. Ross and J. A. J. McKenna as Commissioners and representing the Indians, “Natooses” as Headman. They were first paid treaty at Dunvegan on July 6, 1899. Thirteen families were listed on the original annuity paylists. A total of thirty four (34) persons were paid, including the headman, “Natooses”.

On June 1, 1900, the paylist shows an increase in members of this band. A total of one hundred and eighteen were paid, including one (1) Chief and one (1) Headman. The chief is listed as “Nepee” or “L’Eau” and the Headman as “Natooses”.

This Band is shown as the Beavers of Dunvegan (also the Beavers of Dunvegan and Grande Prairie) and is presently listed as Beavers of Horse Lakes and Clear Hills Band, coming under the Lesser Slave Lake Agency. The population count as of September 30, 1972 is one hundred and twenty-two (122). The present Chief is Alfred Chatelaine, who was elected on June 7, 1971, for a two-year term. The Band has two elected Councillors, Mrs. Jane Horseman and Mrs. Margaret Napesis.

Another Band of Beaver Indians was paid treaty on July 8, 1899, under the name of Ambroise Tete Noir Band. The Treaty 8 was signed by their Chief, Ambroise Tete Noir and Headman, Pierrot Fournier.

A total of one hundred and fifty (150) people were paid on the original paylists of the same date. This band is presently called the Boyer River Band and comes under the Fort Vermilion Agency. The population count as of September 30, 1972, is two hundred and seventy-five (275).

On May 29, 1900, a band of Indians met at Fort St. John and signed treaty under Treaty 8. These are referred to as the Beaver Indians of the Upper Peace River. Signing were J. A. MacRae, Commissioner, Muckithay, Aginaa, Dislisici, Tachea, Appan, Attachie, Allalie and Yatsoose, representing the Beaver Indians. The annuity paylists show this band as Beavers of Fort St. John, and the band was paid treaty on May 29, 1900. A total of forty-six (46) persons appeared on the paylist. No Chief or Headman was listed. This band did not have a Chief or Headman until 1912 when Montenay was elected as Chief and Dislisici as Headman.

At present (1972) this band is called the Fort St. John Band and comes under the Fort St. John Agency. Two Councillors, Thomas Attachie and Rudolph Appan were also elected in 1972.

There are sixteen persons registered on the General Membership lists under the name “Pouce-Coupe” all appearing at the Fort St. John Band. The first time this name appears on the annuity paylist is for the year of 1911. One Thomas Pouce-Coupe joined treaty and was paid for the first time on July 5, 1911. He appears with his wife, two sons and two daughters, on No. 58 Beavers of Dunvegan Band. Two families with the surname of “Pouce-Coupe” transferred in 1949 to the Fort St. John Band. No family by that surname is listed on the Beavers of Dunvegan Band.

With reference to “Charlie Yahey”, we have one Charles Yahey listed on the General Membership list. There are thirteen (13) other persons listed under the name “Yahey”. All appear to be with the Fort St. John Band.

Charles Yahey (or Wolf) appeared for the first time on the annuity paylists in 1912. According to the paylists he was married in 1914. The 1952 paylists show Charles’ date of birth as 1880. The Registered Indian Record shows his date of birth as September 1, 1880. According to the Register, Charles is still a member of the Fort St. John Band.

There are no headmen as such for the Doig, Halfway and Blueberry Reserves north of Fort St. John. The Indians of the Doig and Blueberry River Reserves belong to the Fort St. John Indian Band and their chief is Chief Rene Dominic. The Indians of the Halfway River Reserve belong to the Hudson’s Hope Indian Band. The chief of this group is Harry Jackson.

Additional information about the Beavers of the Fort St. John Indian Band: our main sources of information in this Department for conducting a search of this nature are the annuity or interest distribution paylists. When a child is born to an Indian who is entitled to membership in the band, he is registered under his family number. It was the custom in the early years to record births, deaths, marriages and other pertinent information on the paylists, many families were listed under their Indian names and or the English translation of the Indian name.

Many appear under Christian names only, therefore, it is difficult to trace family histories.

For the Beavers of Fort St. John Band, at the time of treaty, there were no families listed under the surname “Wolf”. In 1912, one family appeared under “She Wolf”, joining treaty for the first time. Sons that left this number appear in the later paylists under the names of Dan Wolf, Jack Wolf, Charlie Wolf and Yahhoy Wolf. There is no indication of a definite relationship between Charles Yahey, No. 56 and the above “Wolf” family. Charles Yahey and “She Wolf” both appeared on the paylists for the first time in 1912.

In 1911, the Siccanni (Sikkanni) Band was paid treaty for the first time at Fort Nelson. This band was later paid at Prophet River and a few were paid at Fort St. John as well as Fort Nelson. The Chief from 1911 to 1930 is listed under the name of Bigfoot, No. 6 Siccanni Bands. In 1933, his son, Bigfoot, No. 22 Siccanni Band, was elected Chief. This man is later listed on the paylists as “Chief Billy Bigfoot”. On the 1943 paylist he is shown as Willian Bigfoot (Bellyfull). Willian died on February 3, 1944.

« 01-120: The Last Treaty Signing Day in the Peace

01-122: THe “Sicanni” Chief’s Viewpoint on Taking Treaty, 1912 »

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