Page 2 of 2

Re: RODERICK McKENZIE (1772-1859)

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:11 am
by gnstill
Your famous ANDERSON ancestors certainly left us all with a rich legacy of historical information. I am particularly interested in the Arctic Expeditions involving your great-great grandfather, James ANDERSON (1812-1867).

There were numerous personalities from Red River who were involved in these expeditions as boat-men, etc, and I plan to do a narrative in the near future, just to name them.

An Announcement for Everyone: I am in the process of moving all the families who are not direct descendants of Peter FIDLER from this website to my new website: http://www.redriverancestry.ca/

Consequently, discussions regarding McKENZIE families will be redirected to that Forum. I am very sorry for the inconvenience, but this will necessitate users of the Forum there to reset their User-names and Passwords accordingly.

Re: RODERICK McKENZIE (1772-1859)

Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:51 pm
by Aandeg
Hello - I am new to this site, so hope I get this information out correctly. I am writing about Angelique the Nipigon Ojibway wife of Roderick MacKenzie. I am not sure where her last name was obtained from - possibley Dr. Elizabeth Arthur, however I believe it to be incorrect.
Jean Morrison wrote the book Lake Superior to Rainy Lake and included Elizabeth Arthur's work called Angelique and Her Children. She is very clear that Angelique was a Nipigon Ojibway woman. I have a report called "Treaty Research Claim No. 0197-601 Treaty Validity and Distinction of Lake Nipigon Bands submitted by David-Michael Thompson Nov 26, 2001. On page 3 he writes, "Hudson's Bay Company records associated with the post at Lake St. Anne, also known as Lake Nipigon, identify in 1790, Captain Wawauakeeshick. This chief is again reported in the post journal of 1793 as Wew-e-ai-kesick. He is later discussed in this report as Le Grain Chief also known as Way-we-ai-kesick. The name of this Nepigon Chief appears in post records as far away as Rainy Lake. A sister of the Chief married Roderick McKenzie a fur trader with the North West Company."

This is my husbands 4th Great Grandfather. Wayweai Kesick is Round Sky in English. He died in 1829 and in the HBC Post Journal (B.149/a/12 - Aug 10, 1829) It is written "Old Le Grain the Chief departed this life about 4 o'clock pm. He suffered very much during the last few days of his life; in losing him we may truly say that we lost the best Indian at Nipigon, who was remarkable all his life for his steady attachment to the white people." There are many mentions of this chief in the post journals. We know before he died his oldest son did not want to become chief and his sons decided it should go to his youngest son Sahmoo. When Sahmoo was just 20 in 1835 he killed his brother, and wounded two of his other brothers, plus caused a lot of trouble over a number of years. These events are in the Post Journals. Back to the story of Angelique by Elizabeth Arthur - she writes " Also, the knowledge that, in the view of most Hudson's Bay Company officials, the Nipigon Indians were especially violent and unreliable put particular pressure on ambitious young men to dissociate themselves from their uncles and cross cousins (that is children of Angelique's brothers)."

I don't have any photo's of the women but the men descendants were quite tall and all good looking. It would make sense that Roderick MacKenzie would marry a Chief's sister or daughter. Wayweai Kesick was not only the Chief of the Bear Clan he was consisdered the Grand Chief of the Lake Nipigon Bands (I believe that is how the Hudson Bay men came to nick name him La Grain,(They gave names to the other chiefs, like La Medals (to the chief that lead the Nipigon group in the war of 1812) and La Medicine,etc.). By marrying into this famiy he would have a family tie to all the Indians of the Lake. Also when I read the HBC journals it made sense to me that he would speak so highly of his Brother-in-law.

Aandeg

Re: RODERICK McKENZIE (1772-1859)

Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 2:05 pm
by gnstill
Please note that this family page and its related Discussion Topic have been moved to Red River Ancestry at this link:
RODERICK McKENZIE (1772-1859)

Hereafter, please post comments on that website for more timely information.