Page 134 - Fortier Family History

Nicol’s “wives” & children chronology and note where he was posted (Cree, Oji-Cree or Ojibwa territory) 1st “wife” Nancy Ka-na-ka-shi-waite 1st born, Ann “Nancy” MacKenzie 1819 2nd born, Hector 1820 3rd born, John 1823 4th born Benjamin 1828* (could be s/o Ann Davis) 2nd “wife” Ann “Nancy” Davis abt 1826 1st born to Ann Joseph, 1830 3rd wife Elizabeth “Betsie” Kennedy 1929. 1st born Roderick 1830 2nd born Kenneth 1833 Nicol brings Roderick & Kenneth to Inverness, Scotland in 1836/7 3rd born Mary 1839 Betsie died 1842 at Red River Nicol brings Mary to Scotland 1844-45. Some corrections to the HBC bio: Two country wives not one. Roderick and Kenneth were not twins. Hector was born in 1820 not 1827. Nicol‘s 1st “country wife” was Nancy Ka-na-ka-shi-waite (Cree or Oji-Cree) from abt 1818-26/8. His 2nd “country wife” was Ann “Nancy” Davis from abt 1826-1829. She was a widow, her 1st husband was John Davis (English) who drowned in 1824 in the service of the HBC. Her maiden name was Hodgson, d/o HBC man John Hodgson 1st and his Cree wife Ann. There seems to be some overlap between his 1st “wife” and Ann Davis, was he seeing both at the same time for a while? Nicol had one child with Ann Davis, Joseph b. 1830. Nicol was officially married once, in 1829 to Elizabeth “Betsie” Kennedy (1⁄2 Scot 1⁄2 Cree d/o HBC Chief Factor Alexander Kennedy and his Cree wife Agatha bear). They had 3 children. Roderick 1830-1885, Kenneth 1833-1864? and Mary, 1839-1923. His children from his country marriages are listed above. It appears that he may still have been in his country relationship with Ann Davis after he met and married Betis Kennedy because Ann gave birth to their son Joseph Finlayson in April 1830 and Nicol officially married Betsie Kenney in August the previous year 1829. Blame those cold winter nights in Rupert’s Land I guess.