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Introduction My name is Gary Still. I was born in December, 1939, and raised in Mapleton (south of Selkirk, Manitoba) I developed an interest in genealogy at a young age. I was intrigued with all the stories my parents told, about the hardships and adventures of our pioneer ancestors. I always wanted to know more about them. The more I learned the more curious and interested I became. Genealogy became a life-long hobby that began with tracing my own personal family roots. After I married and had children, naturally I wanted to trace my wife's ancestors, so my sons would have as much information about their maternal ancestors as well. My own paternal (STILL) ancestors came from Scotland. My first STILL ancestor to arrive in Canada was John STILL who was born around 1788 in Aberdeen, Scotland. In 1836 John STILL sailed to America with his wife (Margaret nee YOUNG) and family (as well as about 5 siblings). They first settled in Ontario and my branch of the family moved to Manitoba in 1878. Tracing my wife's ancestors was very difficult at first, mainly because both of her parents had been born out of wedlock and were raised from a young age by adoptive parents. Their knowledge of their natural parents was fairly limited. It took a lot of detective work to finally establish their true blood-lines. Some of you may be uncomfortable with exposing details about your personal lives, so we must try to confine our discussions to people already deceased, and to information already made public, i.e. factual information from obituaries, vital statistics, census records, newspaper stories, etc, etc. (Private exchanges of information might be desirable in some cases) Eldred's father was Ventrice (FIDLER) THOMAS (1893-1985) and her mother was Irene/ Tena (DICKINSON) MOAR/ MOORE (1910-1991). Yes, they were both born out-of wedlock! Their blood-ancestors include famous explorers and fur-traders, voyageurs, clergymen, Indian chiefs, and yes, a few outlaws as well! Some were here in Canada long before the white man came, and their history runs parallel to the history of Canada. Ventrice (FIDLER) THOMAS was, on his mother's side (Caroline SAYER), a descendant of John SAYER (1750-1818), also an Englishman, and OBEMAU-UNOQUA, daughter of a famous Ojibway War Chief, MAMONGAZEDA, better known as Chief "Big Foot". John SAYER was at first a free trader, and later an employee (and shareholding partner) in the North West Fur Company. Perhaps the best source for the story of Peter FIDLER's life is the book Peter Fidler, Canada's Forgotten Explorer 1769-1822, by J. G. McGregor
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