Tidbits of Alberta

[Red Bullets]

Before the explorers came into this territory....

A common Cree wolf hunting technique was to kill and skin a buffalo. The hunter would make a hole in the snow big enough so that he erect the hide over the hole to resemble a buffalo standing. The hide would freeze in this position and the wolf hunter would then hide in the buffalo 'shelter'.... which wolves would come and surround.

In the 1860's and 70's the wolfers were here killing the thousands of wolves that followed the buffalo herds. When the freeman wolfers came into southern Alberta from the States they would kill a buffalo or other big game animal and taint it with strychnine. The following day or two they would circle the area picking up dead wolves. I'm sure some FN people and many types of wildlife were also poisoned.

Some wolfers were bold enough to slide into a wolf den with a gun and a candle. When they saw the eyes of a wolf reflecting back they would shoot. The shot would blow the candle out and they would have to back out , relight the candle and go back in to hopefully a dead wolf.

*It was wolfers from both sides of the US/Can border that were involved in the Cypress Hills Massacre in 1873. The wolfers were wanting to recover some stolen horses. Some accounts say 13 Assiniboine FN were killed, other accounts say 20. Only one wolfer was killed. Ed Legrace. A french canadian.

[Red Bullets]

Neat... I started this post 10 hours ago and it has had 1300+ views. I know many are repeats but I am glad I started this thread. It's nice to share the interest of our local histories.

I hope more people share their tidbits. So far it has been engaging.

[drhu22]

Good idea for a thread Red Bullets!
John Ware was an interesting figure from S Albertas past...
https://www.glennjlea.ca/canada/john...boy-1845-1905/

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

The name and settlement site "Keg River" has been in use since at least 1828 when Sir George Simpson mentions it on his travels to the Pacific as 'the keg'.
The Cree name is Markak Seepee, which means narrow and deep like a keg.

Both names probably had something to do with the rum flowing in the country.

Great thread Red !

A lot of history has been lost, even more will soon be lost as the last old timers pass from this world. Very few left now. I'm talking my fathers generation.

I grew up at the end of that era, the era of the settlers. I know several of the settlers who helped settle the north peace, people like my dad, Howard Price, Lewis and Vince Armstrong, Peweeno, (John Cardinal, #3) Pasquale (Raymond Houle) and others.

I even lived a bit of it, my very early years.

I was told, (by my dad) that the Keg River was so named because fur traders used to cool their whiskey barrels in the flow.

Dad's trapping buddy in those days was a fellow he worked with on putting in the telegraph line. His friend's name was Gladdy Herrington.

Gladdy became the telegraph operator in Keg River and he started the Keg River Cabins at the site of the telegraph office.
He build several log cabins, one large one to serve as a store/ restaurant and six small ones to rent to weary travelers who needed a place to sleep.

The old store/restaurant was destroyed in a flood around 1980. The last of the cabins burned to the ground the night of December 5 2003. It caught fire when a camp complex next to it was ignited by a faulty electrical circuit. I helped battle the blase.

The store was rebuilt on higher ground and a new hotel building was built.
The site is still in use today. These days it is a service station/convenience store/ bar room and it's renamed, Millennium Cabins.

[Red Bullets]

My father used to tell me....
In the 1920's SW of Edmonton the prairie chicken (the now extinct pinniated grouse) were so abundant that as many as 100 would roost in one tree. The local settlers used to just club or snare the lowest birds first while the rest would still think they were safe in the tree. The 'chicken hunters' would work their way up the tree until they had as many chicken as they needed.

Today, the ruffed grouse still has this trait. When roosting in a tree they feel pretty safe and might not fly. The lower the light they more likely they will not fly.

[Red Bullets]

Keg... I grew up in the same era. My dad was an old horse trader/ collector/pioneer kid that used to take me to visit alot the oldtimers of the district. He would visit and have a 'smigeon' with the old guys while they traded and spun yarn. I remember meeting a few old settlers that were born in the mid 1800's stateside that remembered seeing the buffalo herds when they were kids. Many of them lived in very small one room cabins or board shacks.

When I was about 9 one old fellow Dad visited used to give me his WW1 45 cal. luger and a box of shells and tell me to go 'play' in the bush while him and Dad drank and traded. Those early days of youth were sure memorable.

[HalfBreed]

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[HalfBreed]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

I had a different version. Earlier.

There is a "Rocky Mountain Ranger" infantry unit in the Canadian Military. The original Rocky Mountain Rangers were not associated with today's military unit.

The Rocky Mountain Rangers only existed officially for a little more than three months in the late 1880's. They were also called the "North West Rebellion Cowboy Calvary".

This is why I posted the pic. I was hoping you might know of a photo of what you had. Great historical remembrance indeed.

The kings crown version of the regiment in good condition is still a worthy keepsake for any about to toss them though.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by HalfBreed

This is why I posted the pic. I was hoping you might know of a photo of what you had. Great historical remembrance indeed.

The kings crown version of the regiment in good condition is still a worthy keepsake for any about to toss them though.

I looked online but didn't see a picture of one. Sure wish I didn't sell it back then.

[Jack Hardin]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Not sure why the stage still operated but this is what I have read. The stage maybe had more mail runs and passengers for settlements missed by the railway. And some oldtimers probably didn't like the train.

Don't forget the stagecoach fare of $25 was in place before the railway. After the train came the rates probably dropped until the stage couldn't operate or compete. That $25 dollar fare also included 100 lbs of gear.

In 1890 the train from Calgary to Edmonton was a 10 dollar fare and took 12 hours. Freight was probably a few cents per pound.

It is possible that the stage deviated off the main route as you suggest, travelling to off route locations.

[catnthehat]

A friend of mine used to own s Wincher 1894 that ax factory stamped
"Rocky Mountain Rangers " and with the old 30 WCF designation .
Pretty cool old carbine
Cat

[mac1983]

I believe there is an old paddlewheeler just downstream from Dunvegan on the north side. Not sure the name of it maybe the steam powered ferry.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Cat .. if you still have interest in researching roots you and your wife might like this site. The Hudson's Bay Company archives are kept in Winnipeg if you are ever going to Winnipeg. You can search on this site, even about employees.

https://hbca.mb.catalogue.libraries....loc=1103&locg=

She had been able to access all kinds of records from there via the Internet ,
Apperently even Roderick Mackenzie is connected to us!
Cat

[Red Bullets]

By the mid to late 1870's the buffalo were wiped out. Until 1905 the dominant political idea was just to perpetuate hunting and not improve it. Hunting was thought of as something that would eventually disappear.

[trophybook]

I have 3 very old Winchesters 1 is stamped with Canadian military markings in 30wcf and 1 with British military markings and 1 very old 1 full of brass studs and some native inscription nicely carved in the wood

[Red Bullets]

At Rocky Mountain House in very early 1800's and old indian arrived to trade. The old indian bought some gunpowder but no lead. When asked if he needed any lead he replied,"No, my own balls are better and heavier."

Showing them to the factor at the fort the factor was surprised that the musket balls were made of solid pure gold. The old indian claimed he knew where there was lots of gold up against the base of the mountains. The factor told the old man not to show his bullets to any whites.

[Red Bullets]

My father had a large collection of old Winchesters. Several from 1869, 1873, 1887 and quite a few 1895 models. There were 131 of them when he passed.
The collection was sold a few years later. My favorite was the Winchester lever action 10 gauge shotgun. The old buffalo calibers with hexagon barrels were sure nice too.

[Redfrog]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

And Manning was originally named Battle River because of that war.

The Notikewin River, the Hotchkiss River and the Miekle River are still known as the first, second and third battle respectively for the same reason.

This was all a side effect of the Cree - Beaver wars. As the Beaver were pushed north they pushed the Deni north in battles at the Notikewin Hotchkiss and Miekle valleys.

Stone arrow heads are still found up river of the Meikle River bridge where the last battle took place.

Interesting stuff and interesting thread.

Wonder what FN did about land claims back in those days?

[mac1983]

The last Buffalo in the Peace Country was reportedly shot near Ft. St. John in 1906. The great buffalo herds of the Peace country were hunted to extinction to supply the Hudson Bay company with pemmican to feed the brigades leaving each spring to Lake Superior.

[nekred]

Originally Posted by mac1983

The last Buffalo in the Peace Country was reportedly shot near Ft. St. John in 1906. The great buffalo herds of the Peace country were hunted to extinction to supply the Hudson Bay company with pemmican to feed the brigades leaving each spring to Lake Superior.

Interesting on buffalo or Mountain Bison is that there were isolated herds north by Pink Mountain which were then augmented with Woodland Buffalo in the 50's and 60's... These were "claimed" by a local crazy who was known for taking potshots at anybody he deemed a trespasser.

now there is a draw season on them.

[Red Bullets]

October 22, 1887, Mr. Harrison S. Young, of the Hudson's Bay Company's post at Edmonton, writes as follows:

"The wood buffalo, when I was on the Peace River in 1875, were confined to the country lying between the Athabasca and Peace Rivers north of latitude 57° 30', or chiefly in the Birch Hills. They were also said to be in some abundance on the Salt and Hay Rivers, running into the Slave River north of Peace River. The herd thirteen years ago [now nineteen] were supposed to number about one thousand, all told. I believe many still exist and the country is much too difficult for white men."

[Red Bullets]

In 1883 the paddlewheeler Northcote got stuck at Victoria Rapids on the NSR 70 miles upstream of Edmonton. Special made scows went and created a low water channel by removing many boulders from 500 lbs to 5 tons so the Northcote could get upstream. The river run to Grand Rapids was stopped shortly after and the Northcote offered services up to Edmonton. In 1899 a flood took the Northcote downstream past Saddle Lake area never to be seen again.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

Interesting stuff and interesting thread.

Wonder what FN did about land claims back in those days?

I suspect they were unaware that land claims were possible.
From what I know of governments, I doubt it was advertised.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by mac1983

The last Buffalo in the Peace Country was reportedly shot near Ft. St. John in 1906. The great buffalo herds of the Peace country were hunted to extinction to supply the Hudson Bay company with pemmican to feed the brigades leaving each spring to Lake Superior.

I know that official records do not always reflect reality.
I also know that around about 1964 my dad showed me a Bison skull lying in the bush about a mile from home.
It was old, but not particularly old. It was gray in color, not white like a fresh skull but did not have the eroded appearance of a super old skull and it did not have the moss and lichen growth often seen on really old bones.

If I were to guess, I'd say it was no more then twenty years old when I saw it.

Back then there were well worn paths in certain places that could only have been made by large animals.

These paths were about a foot wide and cut into the soil two or more inches. There was nothing growing in them when I first saw them.
Today the paths can still be found, but now they are completely grown over.

Our cows made paths like that, but these paths were in places no domestic livestock ever frequented.

Dad used to tell about seeing herds of Deer numbering in the hundreds. He never mentioned seeing Bison, I guess they were gone or very very rare when he came into the country, back in 1922.

I can't say that the Deer didn't make those paths, but I find it hard to imagine Deer alone making them.

[Red Bullets]

When you drive west of Leduc about 17 miles highway 39 dips into a creek valley, in and out.

This creek was known as Atcheskapesekwa Seepee in 1847 when George Simpson crossed the creek on his travels to the pacific ocean.

Translated...Smoking Weed Creek. Now the creek is simply known as Weed creek.

Thought some might like that one.

The rim of the creek was a common camping ground that still has stone tools being unearthed in the fields. It's been determined that many of the stone tools date back a few thousand years. In a very close valley there was a whole 6000 year old bison found in the bank in the 1960's too.

[bessiedog]

I read this quite some time ago, but there was a band of Stonies encamped around Yarrow Creek in the late 1800s (1860 I believe), they were unfortunately infected with smallpox or some similar disease that they contacted during their greater winter encampment farther north. The pox spread so terribly fast throughout the camp that those few that were healthy or barely sick couldn't keep pace with the burying of the dead, so they simply dragged to bodies some distance into the bush. Before long in the spring, several sets of grizzlies took to dragging off the free meals. Eventually a few griz got so emboldened that they would take the still living and drag them off to feast on them.
Thus was such a habit established.... and such a rumour spread that many native groups (Stonies in particular) avoided the previously great hunting territory for fear of the beasts that now craved man-flesh.


This account was passed to to the famous Bert Riggal who then retold the tale to none other than Andy Russell.
It is interesting to note that Mr.Riggal was stalked by predatory griz no less than 50 some odd years later... around 1913 I believe.

"The bears are very bad there, they have tasted the meat of men, stay out of that country.".......Stonie chief King Bear's Paw.

Gotta love Mr.Russell's works.

[Bob Wire]

My grandparents and their two kids, and their friend Harry Longstaff came to Alberta from England in 1907 and bought a quarter section farm north of Leslieville, and Harry homesteaded on the NE quarter, their farm was on the SW quarter. Harry sold his quarter to Grandfather in 1914 and returned to go to war. When I was growing up in the 40s and fifties, there was a buffalo trail easily followed through the poplars and still faintly visible in some of the cultivated fields on both quarters, and a couple of buffalo skulls in the bush alongside the section of trail not far from the house. It was kind of a treat to see them there undisturbed after so many years. A couple of my American cousins "discovered" them when visiting and took them home to Idaho, which annoyed me greatly. Some neighbors had arrowhead collections, but I only ever found one and it was a beauty, about 3 1/2" long, cream colour and tapered to a needle point, and I found it on the highest portion of the trail where it crossed the two quarters .

[bb356]

The main part of my Great Grandfather's and Grandmother's home built in the late 1870's in Buttertown ... Across the river from FT Vermilion

[KegRiver]

We have lost is the ability to understand animals communications.
Native peoples had this ability.

Dr. Mary Percy Jackson, OC AOE, wrote in her autobiography about a conversation with a local native trapper where she mentioned that she believed that a rabies plague was imminent to which the trapper replied, it is already here.

When asked how he knew this he simply said, I heard the Fox talking.
It was soon apparent that he was right, the plague had started.
The year was 1952.

Doc. Jackson as we called her, wrote a couple of books about pioneer life in the Peace River region. Very interesting reading.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by bb356

The main part of my Great Grandfather's and Grandmother's home built in the late 1870's in Buttertown ... Across the river from FT Vermilion

Very nice dovetail corners. Bet it feels really homey inside.