ALBERTA HISTORY 1910-1917
ALBERTA HISTORY Return to ALBERTA INDEX
Garneau established a stagecoach service between Saint Paul des Metis and Vegreville.
1908
Unknown, Philomena and Chile Garneau with Arthur Poirier
Arthur Poirier, from Ste. Rose de Kildare in Joliette County, Quebec, who worked at St. Boniface, Manitoba in the brick-yard, married 1908 at Strathcona, North West Territories, Agatha (Chile) Garneau, who died of American Flu in 1918, and they moved this year to St. Paul de Metis, he living there until 1920. Arthur Porier remarried and moved to Ashmont, north west of St. Paul. In 1924 he moved to Peace River and later to Roycroft, south west of Peace River.
St. Paul de Metis settlers attempted to obtain their property rights as promised but the area is still under the control of a joint Ecclesiastical and layman Board of Trusties, supposedly acting on behalf of the Metis. Some of the Garneau clan, not completely trusting the Church and Government, had been acquiring land outside the St. Paul de Metis assigned reserve. Those who did this are: Pierre Lacombe (who married Victoria Garneau (1869-1899)), believed to be related to Father Lacombe, Arthur Poirier (married to Chile Garneau (1883-1918)), Louis Garneau b-1872, Edward Garneau (1874-1959) and a friend, Joseph Hamlin. Lawrence Garneau (1840-1921) however held to his commitment to Father Lacombe (1827-1916) and had settled within the Metis Reserve as a matter of principle. These very actions confirm that the Garneau Clan did not entirely trust the Roman Church, as they remembered their conduct in the 1885 resistance movement. The family is fairly quiet about the dark side of the Church's history but would make minor slips over the years to provide direction for investigation. (II)-James Brady (1908-1967) however recalled the events with clarity and much sadness. His defiance of the Church's position on aboriginal rights would last throughout his life.
In the fall of this year, French Catholic Squatters Beaudin, Doucet, Langevin, Fontaine, Joly, Pepin, Racicot and others arrived at St. Paul de Metis. They are acting upon the advice of their Spiritual Advisor, Father Therien, to begin claim jumping Metis land. When confronted, Father Therien lied and said he knew nothing about these French settlers in Saint Paul des Metis. His lie also included Bishop Langevin and Bishop Legal, who were advised that Saint Paul des Metis is to be secretly opened to the French Catholics. As a result, the Metis learned that the Roman Catholic Church had secretly proposed to the Dominion of Canada that St. Paul de Metis be disbanded as a failure. The Metis protested the Church action and a petition is sent to Ottawa with one hundred registered family names. It would appear that the Metis are no longer an accepted flock of the Roman Church which, at this time, is trying to maintain its prestige in the advancing New Protestant Order of things. Archbishop Emile Legal wrote that the Church's position was, since they couldn't stop the tide of French settlers (which Bishop Grandin had created) from descending on St. Paul de Metis, to further immigration by bringing in a select class of (French Roman Catholic) colonists to occupy the magnificent land. Archbishop Emile Legal knew this was a lie as he is well aware of the secret arrangements between Frank Oliver Minister of the interior and the Oblate, Father Thereon. Father Morin, for years, had been carrying out the policies of Bishop Vital Justin Grandin (1829-1902) by diverting the French settlers from Stony Plain to Morinville and other locations. Stony Plain is named after the Stoney Indians who camped there. Let there be no doubt the Oblates were in control and knew exactly what they were doing. The Oblate historians also knew they were covering up these sinful activities, even to present times.
The only things not completely verified at this time are if Father Lacombe (1827-1916) is silenced concerning this matter and how the Church got to Frank Oliver. One report suggests Bishop Legal forced Father Lacombe (1827-1916), on March 28, 1908, to submit to obedience and allow settlers to claim jump Metis lands. Father Lacombe (1827-1916) would have known the evil consequences of his actions when he reportedly said, "I submit." His letter of 1901, titled the "Redemption of the Half Breed Race", surely stood mockingly in his mind. Concerning Saint Paul des Metis he said, "We are bound to remain to our post and persevere in our work, even if the whole world is leagued against us". The major guilt, however, lay with the western Bishops and the French Roman Catholic Church. The Metis of Saint Paul des Metis became those half-breed occupants whose claims needed to be investigated and disposed of in order to allow ordinary settlement. The Roman Catholic Church, however, would be allowed to retain possession of their four sections. Inspector F. A. Bannerman of the North West Mounted Police arrived in late November to evict the French from the Metis colony. He posted notice of eviction to the claim jumpers. Samuel Maber of the Department of Interior is commissioned to look into the Metis claims. Father Therien is on the hot seat but still claims he had no knowledge of the French squatters.
Edmonton is incorporated as a city with a population of 8,350.
The Edmonton Radical Railway (street car service) began operations. Houses are appearing in the Garneau District, and they are connected by streets for traversing in wet weather. Some say the good old horse and buggy is better than the motor car.
The University of Alberta is established in Strathcona, Alberta after much debate between the Calgary and Edmonton site options. The University acquired 258 acres of land for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. This included ,for the most part, the homestead of A. Patton at its current value of three hundred thousand dollars. Some suggest the first University class were conducted in the Duggan Street School built in 1906 to replace the Niblock Street School
March 11: Lake St. Vincent (near St. Paul des Metis), birth, (II)-James Patrick Brady, Metis, died 1967 son (I)-James Brady born 1875/77 Ireland and Philomena Archange Garneau Metis (1876-1918). (II)-James Jr., a Metis champion, disappeared near Foster Lakes, Saskatchewan after June 7, 1967.
March 31: The Provincial Government bought the Bell Telephone Company for six hundred and seventy five thousand dollars because, in their opinion, they had failed to serve rural areas.
June 8: Strathcona, 6 miners died when (I)-John Walters (1849-1920) coal mine burned.
June 29: Dr. McIntyre, Liberal for Strathcona, made a motion to set aside land for Universities in the two new provinces that would effectively expropriate the Garneau homestead. Frank Oliver, Minister of the Interior, opposed the motion and inquired as to who would benefit from improvements; the Government or Homesteader? And what about squatters? Some contend Lawrence Garneau Metis (1840-1921), put his estate on the market at this time, not trusting the Church (or State?). This however is not true. The University, however, would continue to try and take over the Garneau District and rename it. This would continue into the twenty first century.
August: A post office was established at Myrnam, Alberta and a small settlement formed around it. It was comprised largely of Ukraininian settlers. Myrnam means 'peace to us'.
Lawson Caseley claim's his grandparents arrived Edmonton in the early 1900's and built a house at 10119 - 88 Avenue in Garneau District and the family was born and raised there until 1958 when the moved to B.C. Lawson has fond memories of the Garneau School, the Good Deed Club and adjoining cafe and the Garneau Theater which the lobby was believed furnished from the Royal Suite at the MacDonald Hotel. The Garneau Theater had offered life time pass for the Garneau Portraits but they were donated to the Edmonton archives.
Gauthier family home in Strathcona, (Edmonton), Alberta.
On the front porch
are Mrs Stanislaus Gauther (1850 - 1919), Unknown Gauthier girl and Mrs Lawrence Taylor Garneau
Metis (1852 - 1912).
This is a visit before the pending marriage between the families.
1908 EDMONTON, ALBERTA
John (Jean) Marie Garneau, Metis, born December 30, 1885, Edmonton, District of Alberta, died September 1949, New West Minister, B.C., son of Lawrence Garneau, Metis, (1840-1921) and (IV)-Eleanor Thomas, Metis, (1851-1912); married, April 28, 1908, St. Anthony, Edmonton, Alberta to Mary Alexazina Gauthier, born, June 20, 1888, Aurora, South Dakota, U.S.A., died 1980 New West Minister, B.C. daughter Stanislaus Gauthier born 1850 and Lea Ouimette born 1850.
SEVEN CHILDREN WERE RECORDED:
Robert (Elphage) Garneau, born April 12, 1909, Strathcona, Alberta, died September 9, 1997 Edmonton, Alberta, married October 9, 1933, Edmonton, Alberta to Marion Elizabeth Salzl, born December 23, 1910, Edmonton, Alberta, died December 8, 2009 Edmonton.
Leo Garneau, born August 13, 1910, St. Paul des Metis, Alberta, married Iris James.
Mildred Garneau, born April 13, 1913, St. Paul des Metis, Alberta, married, May 2, 1940 to Tommy Hogg, they had two children Gary, born January 5, 1942, and Gale, born August 5, 1945.
Alma Garneau, born 1915, St. Paul des Metis, Alberta, married Gilbert Pearce.
Bertha Garneau, born July 12, 1917, Portland, Oregon, U.S.A., never married.
Edward Garneau, is born 1919, St. Paul des Metis, Alberta, and died young.
Gladys Garneau, born August 12, 1921, St. Paul des Metis, Alberta, married June 12, 1943, to Donald Riggin.
Robert Garneau my father the Metis is born April 12, 1909 at the Gauthier home on 106 street and 83 avenue, Strathcona, Alberta, and died 1997 son John Garneau, Metis (1885-1949) and Mary Alexazina Gauthier (1888.-1980)
Frank Oliver and Father Thereon, the Oblate, had to defend their credibility and contended the community of St. Paul de Metis wasn't viable. They published a history of participating families as follows:
1895 - 3 families on site
1896 - 30 families on site
1897 - 32 families on site
1898 - 40 families on site
1901 - 52 families on site
1903 - 70 families on site
1904 - 80 families on site representing six hundred
people
1908 - 36 families on site after the fire, clearly
showing the decline and failure
1909 - 66 families on site indicating someone is
being less than honest in 1908? The fire was in 1905
It is noteworthy that Father Lacombe (1827-1916) reported that one hundred
families are resident at St. Paul de Metis in 1905 after the fire.
He also stated that an additional one hundred families are on their way
from Montana. Father Lacombe (1827-1916) has an impeccable record
for honesty, not so the other Oblates. The petition to Ottawa supports
the one hundred family’s claims of Father Lacombe (1827-1916) and places
Frank Oliver and Father Thereon as conspirators to defraud and defame the
Metis people. This doubling in size must have horrified the other
Oblate fathers who are opposed to the St. Paul de Metis venture.
It is interesting that the years 1905, 1906 and 1907 are conveniently missing.
It is also interesting to note the number of Metis people who voted in
the November 3, 1904 elections;
Location
Metis French
English
St. Paul de Metis 134
Lac La Biche
91
St. Albert
69
69
69
Lake St. Anne
67
Morinville/Egg lake 22
162
Pakan
51
Sion
30
Onion Lake
34
Brazeau
14
Lobstick
13
These figures are horrifying to the Oblates on two counts. St. Paul de Metis had replaced St. Albert as the potential center of Metis power. It clearly indicated that this is truly a successful experiment. The other item of concern is the displacement of Metis from St. Albert. Their major strong hold is not by the French Catholic but the Protestant English. The next order of business of the Oblate is to clear as many Metis off the land as possible to make room for the French Catholics. Father Thereon, using Mr. Oliver, sent Samuel Maber, a Commissioner to discredit the alleged sixty six Metis families. They would discredit nineteen because they had other land or had received script previously that they had lost by swindle. The forty-seven remaining, including the five French, claim jumpers are given the rights to one hundred and sixty acres each. It is interesting to note that the Oblate expected the Metis to exist on 80 acres but the French required 160 acres. This double standard is also applied to the Indians in this Province. Among the inhabitants, the Holy Fathers only considered a half dozen families, the Garneaus, Beauregards, Poitras, Ridsdales, Laboucanes, and Valettes, as being progressive. It should be noted that the Garneau's on Reserve land claimed no cultivation. Progressive must mean those who are rich and make large donations to the Church. Yet even they concentrated primarily upon horse and cattle raising. If one does not have the rights to the land or faith in verbal agreements, why would one put it into cultivation only to have it expropriated.
Three hundred years of broken European promises, claim jumping and unfair legal, political and business practice leaves the Metis and Indian very skeptical. If this policy is equitably applied to Europeans then most prominent families of Calgary and southern Alberta would have been eliminated from the Provincial History. There is no family record of Lawrence Garneau (1840-1921) losing his Metis claim, although he held much land outside the reserve including a district in Edmonton. He stayed on in his beloved St. Paul de Metis until his death in 1921. Some Metis would claim he sold his soul to the devil by not condemning his beloved Roman Catholic Church and not using his extensive resources to remove these evil men from their unholy offices.
April 15, 1909, Garry R. Barrette, age 55, took an axe and nearly severed the head of Deputy Warden Richard Stedman. The killing took place in the Edmonton Prison carpentry shop, being witnessed by (III)-Mathias Salzl, a shoemaker instructor at the prison. Barrette calmly wiped the axe saying, "I wouldn't have done it if he had let me see a doctor." As a result of this incident Mathias Salzl quit the prison saying there must be a better way of making a living. He operated a grocery store on Jasper Avenue for a number of years.
December 19: Stony Plain officially became a town.
1909
Lawrence Garneau Metis (1840-1921) operated a land office, a machinery agency and Telegraph office north of the later Smyl Motors at St. Paul des Metis. He operated a store, three saw mills and a stage coach service to Vegreville. Lawrence Garneau (1840-1921), the Metis held and farmed over 3,000 acres of land in and around Saint Paul des Metis, including a trashing machine. The real motivation was that the Roman Church wanted to replace the Metis with the more obedient and racially acceptable French Catholic settlers from Quebec. The Church, using Father Joseph Adeodat Therein an Oblate at St. Paul from 1896 to 1918, had been conducting a systematic process to defraud the Metis of their lands and rights. In 1911 James Bannerman, who conducted investigations for the Federal Government, concluded that the spiritual advisers of the colony (Oblate Order) had pressured the French squatters into land irregularities. The only spiritual advisors at St. Paul are the Oblates: Joseph Adeodat Therein, 1896 to 1918, Henri Grandin, 1901 to 1902 and Gustave Simonin ,1905 to 1907. Clovis Therien (1882-1965) is invited by his brother, Father Therien, to claim jump on St. Paul des Metis land and he filed April 10, 1909 with the other claim jumping French. (I)-James Brady (1875-1948) and Lawrence Garneau Metis (1840-1921) helped expose this illegal syndicate of the Church. Some key players are a Dominion Land Surveyor, a local trader agent, and a Land Company agent from Massachusetts. Some of its members fled the area when their actions were uncovered. Father Therein returned and remained on until 1918, standing above the law. The Church has never accepted blame and therefore no repentance or restitution. Historically the Roman Catholic Church, because of its European Dark Ages philosophy, seldom repents even when proven well beyond any reasonable doubt to have grievously sinned before God and man.
This year the post office was moved from Garneau village to St. Paul Des Metis town site.
Denny Goulet and Denny Gauthier
Denny Goulet and Denny Gauthier b-1891 worked in 1909 Strathcona Brewery and Malting Company. He is the son of Michel Gauthier (1850-1934) and Maria Lea Ouimette (1850-1919)
STRATHCONA BREWERY EDMONTON, ALBERTA
The employees of the Strathcona Brewery and Malting Company in Edmonton, Alberta. Denny Gauthier b-1891 is located front row left hand side. His sister married John Garneau Metis (1885-1949)
John Lewis Monroe was born November 1, 1909, son John W. Monroe born 1884 and Olive McClellan born 1884. The family, including Olive McClellan, believes her husband John is a descendant of President Monroe. However, President James Monroe only had two girls and one son who died at two years of age in 1801. One of the girls married in the White House. The possibility of an illegitimate son by the father or daughter could be explored or they could be related to one of James Monroe's brothers, Andrew, Spense or Joseph which could account for this family tradition. Hopefully, during research, the lineage will be resolved.
Strathcona (Edmonton) Premier (1905-1910) (II)-Alexander Cameron Rutherford (1857-1941) bought lot 12, block 183 in Garneau District. It was reported that Garneau District was sold piece by piece from 1909 to 1913.
"A conflict over land ownership with (I)-John Walters (1849-1920) took Lawrence Garneau Metis (1840-1921) to the Privy Council of London, where he lost his case" Source is Heritage Community Foundation*. I have not verified this claim but if true it likely centers around difference between French vs. English land rights. The French and Metis drew property lines 'strait lined' to river fronts. The English drew property lines that often followed physical features. Lawrence Garneau's Metis (1840-1921) land fronted on a drop off to a river flat (flood plain). (I)-John Walter (1849-1920) homesteaded the flood plain, so from an English perspective the land would logically go to (I)-John Walters (1849-1920). The flood plain in question is the historical Metis river crossing before bridges or ferries. The Metis continued using this historic crossing to avoid paying ferry fees. This is likely the basis of the dispute. The above noted web site * suggest this soured Garneau on Edmonton and this is the reason he moved to Saint Paul des Metis. This suggestion has no basis in family history or known facts. This web site also contains other obvious errors!
The Royal Commission recommended the lands be restored to the Metis by Order in Council during those dying days of the Laurier Administration (1896-1911). Mr. Luke O'Conner and James Bannerman had conducted the investigation for the Crown. On April 10 James Bannerman of the Department of the Interior, accompanied by the Mounted Police, attempted to remove the French Roman Catholic Squatters from St. Paul de Metis but because they had the backing of the Roman Catholic Church they would not move.
As a result the activity at St. Paul des Metis the Pelican Lake Metis were convinced the Oblates wanted to replace the Metis land claims with more compliant French Canadian people.
A carpenter named Reg Hunt built a aeroplane and had flown it in the west end of Edmonton. It only had one flight and he could never get it airborne again but was the first aeroplane in Edmonton.
Some say the first automobile arrived in Castor, Alberta this year.
Eight Sisters of Charity of Notre Dame d'Evon, France came to Trochu, Alberta, and set up a hospital, convent and school.
The Roman Catholic Church's attack on the Metis people of St. Paul de Metis had a devastating impact on the Metis morale. The Church claimed no wrong doing and left Father Joseph Therein in command until 1918 and many lost their faith, gave up the fight and sold their lands. Within a few years the French would dominate the town and begin driving out the Metis.
William Cardinal would later say that he had seen St. Paul de Metis at its best with good homes, some nice farms, beautiful horses and carriages. When everyone had plenty to eat and good clothes to wear. He would witness the degeneration of the Metis. The infamous Bishop Vital Grandin's legacy of "we instill in them a pronounced distaste for the native life so that they will be humiliated when reminded of their origin" should have been rewritten to: Even if they are more successful than the white men we will instill in them a profound distaste for having the nerve to call themselves Metis. The holy Oblates knew exactly what they had done and it would be several decades later before the Metis would again unite to present a single voice demanding action to alleviate their largely Roman Church driven plight. (II)-James Brady (1908-1967) would never forget this French Roman Church atrocity and this incident would be instrumental in pushing his thinking towards socialism, communism and the Metis and Native rights movement. Other members of the Garneau clan would suppress deep-seated anger that would only surface during the traditional story telling times.
Edmonton dragline crew
Dragline crew in region of Edmonton, Alberta
Center person is Artem (Art) Joseph Gauthier (February 11, 1883 - June 1958)
son Michel Gauthier (1850-1934) and Maria Lea Ouimette (1850-1919)
The Alberta Farmers Association and the Canadian Society for equity merged to become the United Farmers of Alberta made-up of about 5,000 farmers. It's purpose was to be a government lobby group promoting the interest of farmers in the province.
Eugene Coste discovered gas at Bow Island (Alberta) on what he thought was CPR land. It turned out that it was not CPR land, so the CPR had to trade other lands with the Crown to get possession of the discovery land.
Retlaw a hamlet one mile west highway 864, 3 miles west of Vauxhall, Alberta was established about this time or earlier. The irrigation canal bypassed Retlaw for Vauxhall and the hamlet dried up..
January 13: The Calgary Electric Street Car Railway started up with 12 streetcars using 19 miles of track.
April 10: The colony of St. Paul de Metis is officially disbanded and its lands open to general homesteading. The Roman Church had filed claim that the settlement had failed to adapt to agricultural life. However, the following short list of current activity, developed by (I)-James Brady, (1875-1948) and his son (II)-James Brady (1908-1967) suggested other motivations:
Dion Laboucane, twelve hundred head of cattle,
Elzear Poitras, four hundred head cattle, three
hundred head horses, chain of trading posts,
Lawrence Garneau Metis (1840-1921), four hundred head cattle, one
hundred head horses, chain of trading posts, timber birth, saw mill and thrashing machine.
Louis Laframboise 160 head cattle, threshing machine.
Louis Lariviere, one hundred acres cultivated land,
John Ross, one hundred and twenty five head cattle
and the lists go on and on.
Edward Garneau Metis (1874-1959), Alexander Garneau Metis (1880-1918) and John Garneau Metis (1185-1949) are listed as property owners in the town of Saint Paul des Metis.
Many of the inhabitants of the reserve held land outside the reserve. The other interesting question is; what are they doing with two threshing machines if they are not farming? Family photos suggest they are farming. The Roman Catholic Church its Bishops and priests were liars for their own purposes.
The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway reached Tofield, Alberta, 41 miles from Edmonton.
Jerome (Sam) Drumheller who arrived 1907 began construction of the first coal mine in the area called Newcastle. By 1921 Drumheller boasted 27 operating mines including the Atlas Coal Co. Ltd which opened 1917.
May of this year (II)-Alexander Cameron Rutherford (1857-1941) purchased a triangular 1.3 acre lot from Lawrence Garneau's (1840-1921), Metis estate adjoining the University of Alberta site and overlooking the future legislature building.
The Edmonton penitentiary that later became the warehouse for Big Four Van Lines tried to be self sufficient with its vegetable gardens where the Clarke Stadium is now, and had its own coal operation called Penn Mine that tunneled under the stadium property.
May 29: Austin & Palmer listed a number of sound bargains in "The Garneau District" because the High Level Bridge is now a certainty.
October 19: Calgary, Calgary Power Company Limited, created October 19, 1909, would dam the Bow River at Horseshoe Falls, forty-five miles west of Calgary by 1911.
November 24: Strathcona (Edmonton) Dr. Henry Marshall Tory bought lots 1 & 2 block 183 in Garneau District.
ALBERTA HISTORY
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