Letter from J. Swanston to George Simpson
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Letter from J. Swanston to George Simpson
Name of document:
Letter from J. Swanson to George Simpson
Type of document:
Primary documentation, letter, Hudson's Bay Company Records
Summary of the data:
This letter, authored by John Swanston, Postmaster at Michipicoten (now Wawa), Ontario on August 21, 1850, to George Simpson , Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company at Lachine, discusses general business regarding the Hudson's Bay Company. Swanston wonders "whether the Government will acknowledge the rights and claims of the half breeds, to share of the payments to be made for the lands about to be ceded by the Indians of Lake Superior, but I would hope they would, as many of them have much juster claims then [sic] the Indians, they having been born and brought up on these lands, which is not the case with many of the Indians, particularly the Sault Chiefs Shin gwa konse and Neh bai ni co ching, whose lands are situated on American territory" (Gale 1).
Generally, Swanston discusses the whereabouts and health of some Company servants. He mentions the names of Joseph Boucher, Edward Heron and a Mr. Laronde (likely Louis V. Denis DelaRonde), all of who are heads of founding families. Specifically, Swanston states that "Joseph Boucher we also secured for another term as canoe maker...and as he is a very serviceable man at Fort William we may consider ourselves fortunate in securing him for another period of two years" (2).
Finally, Swanston mentions the upcoming treaty negotiations and preparations for the arrival of William Benjamin Robinson to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Important dates mentioned in the document:
August 21, 1850: Date letter was sent
Important people discussed in the document:
John Swanston
Sir George Simpson
Edward Heron
Joseph Boucher
Mr. Laronde (likely Louis V. Denis DelaRonde)
William Benjamin Robinson
Specific location(s) mentioned in the document (if applicable):
Michipicoten (now Wawa), Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Fort William, Ontario
Nipigon, Ontario
Non-specific location(s) mentioned in the document (if applicable):
Lake Superior, Ontario-Minnesota-Wisconsin-Michigan
Lake Huron, Ontario-Michigan
Lake Michigan, Ontario-Illinois-Wisconsin-Indiana-Michigan
Specific event(s) identified in the document (if applicable):
Upcoming Robinson-Superior Treaty, 1850 negotiations (September 1850)
Relevant citations:
Gale, Alison. "Robinson Treaty Métis: Historical Report." Claims Research and Assessment Directorate Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. (1998). Print.
Hudson's Bay Company Archives, Archives of Manitoba, Letter from J. Swanston to George Simpson, J. Swanston, 21 August 1850, D. 5/28, fos. 465-466, reel 3M92.
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