Page 59 - Fortier Family History

Finlayson Family Tree – HBC & Native Origins Nicol Finlayson entered the service of the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1815 with his brother Duncan. His first “country wife” (domestic partner really) was Nancy Ka-na- ka-shi-waite. She was probably Cree or Oji- Cree, born around 1800 and probably died around 1829 when Nicol was already in his second “country marriage with Anne (Nancy) Davis, a widow of HBC Trader John Davis who was Nicol’s HBC superior. Nicol had at least three children with Ka-na-ka- shi-waite, Hector b. 1820, John b. 1823 and a daughter named Anne, also known as Nancy. It’s unclear if she was born before the boys or after. Another son, Benjamin, was born in 1828 and died near Red River in 1835. Benjamin was likely born at Ungava’s Fort Chimo which Nicol established. By this time though he was in his relationship with Anne “Nancy” Davis so I suspect Benjamin’s mother was Anne Davis. John’s full brother Hector wrote their mother’s name “Nancy Ka-na-ka-shi- waite” on his Métis Scrip Application after the 1885 Louis Riel Métis Rebellion in Sask. John Finlayson was born while Nicol was stationed at Martin Falls in 1823 and likely was raised by his Cree or Oji-Cree mother Nancy Ka-na-ka-shi-waite in the settlements around Longlac and Fort William. He must have received some education there because he eventually was a Post Master for the HBC, having entered the service of the HBC at age 16 in 1839. His name pops up in several old Fort William HBC Post Journals and other historical documents related to Fort William and the Treaty Annuities after the 1850 Robinson-Superior Treaty. His wife (no marriage cert has been found) was full blood Cree or Oji-Cree named Angelique Shebagijig from Rat Portage (Kenora), ONT. Nothing is known of her life before this. They are both buried at Mobert with HBC supplied headstones.