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The file consists of the transcript of an oral history interview with Eugene Mercredi and John Evans in Fort Smith. The interviewer was Joanne Overvold.
Interview notes from 1992 Index: Eugene was born in February 1911 in Fort Chipewyan. He was married in February 1933. His wife's name is Rosa Beaulieu. They had two girls (Annie and Maggie) and one boy (Gene}. Eugene's father's name, Isadore Mercredi. He died in June 1966. Eugene's uncles are Philip, Leon, Victor and Stan Mercredi. Father-in-law's name, Maurice Beaulieu. Eugene joined the army in 1940 and was overseas for nearly 6 years. Four men from the Fort Smith area went to Europe during WWII: Eugene Mercredi, Maurice Evans Sr., Frank McLeod (in Fort St. John now), and August Beaulieu· (died in an accident in Fort Resolution).

The file consists of the transcript of an oral history interview with Louis Mercredi and John Evans in Fort Smith. The interviewer was Joanne Overvold.
Interview notes from 1992 Index: Louis was born in 1894 in Fort Smith. His grandfather's name was Joseph Mercredi. Louis's father died in about 1932 at about 62 years old. He's buried in Fort Fitzgerald.

The file consists of the transcript of an oral history interview with Rene Mercredi in Fort Smith on May 5, 1977. The interviewers were Joanne Overvold and Glen ___.
Interview notes from 1992 Index: Rene was born in about 1914. [He said he would be 63 in the spring - interview done on May 5, 1977. His mother was 88 or 89 then - 1977]. Rene's grandmother's name was Marie. He also had an aunt by the name of Calone [Marie Coloumbe] who wanted to be a Sister (nun). at one. time, but she was apparently talked out of it by Rene's grandmother [Marie]. His father's name was Isadore. Rene and Joanne just finished talking about people coming from camps to Fort Resolution to be paid Treaty and Rene describes these camps as being made up of "A family unit more or less." "JO: In these family units, would they have a leader? RENE: I imagine so yes, the oldest, the old grandfather was more or less the leader. JO: You wouldn't know their system they had? Socialist or Communist. RENE: I don't know, I didn't know too much about politics. JO: No, I was thinking more of their camps,. _would there be someone to make all the decisions, or would everyone participate, would the women participate. RENE: I think most of the older men
would get together, talk it over and agree on some plan of some sort. Not the women though. We were not allowed, call us chauvinistic, the women had their place. JO: I bet they had a lot of influence in the home. RENE: Oh yeah, at least in my home my grandmother wasn't Yes, yes, yes, no way my grandmother had mind of her own too. I wouldn't say she was the dominant one but pretty close though. Once in awhile she would retreat." p.10-11 ****Rene speaks about a "rough French patoir-[patois] ." p.20 Could this refer to Michif?

The file consists of notes from an oral history interview with Father Pat Mercredi in Edmonton on December 1, 1977. The interviewer was Ray Price.

Interview notes from 1992 Index: Apparently, the name Mercredi as far as he's concerned comes from his father's father's side of the family who was a McCarthy. A Priest who was a French speaking Priest in Chip couldn't handle the th in that and altered the word to Mercredi. His mother was a McDonald and his father a Mercredi and there are Tourangeau in his family tree as well as McDonald and McCarthy. He states that he is a mixture of French and Cree and Irish and Scottish. "The Priests have failed to really live with the native
people, they have lived among them but have not lived with them. He says, this is the basic failure of the Church. He says, he hears constantly from the Church that what are we going to do we're losing the native people, they're leaving us. We would never have lost them if we went there to evangilize [evangelize] and not civilize. We'd never lose them if we lived with them not just among them." (p.6) "One of the things that came out constantly is that he has been discriminated against all his life, discriminated against by fellow priest, discriminated against by the Brothers in the service of the priesthood, discriminated against in College and in semenary [seminary]. And it was explicitly at one time that he was sent to France for 4 years in order to Frenchify him, to make him a cultured man and to turn him into a Frenchman. They haven't been able to succeed and the older he gets the more he goes back to his roots, and he feels it is in Fort Chipewyan and in the North American Indian culture, a culture that was dependent directly upon the land for survival." (p.l) Father Mercredi has translated over 320 hymns into Cree but he can't get them published.

[Please note that the PDF contains discussion of anti-Indigenous racism and reports some racist comments that Father Mercredi had heard.]

The file consists of the transcript from an oral history interview with Alex Morin in Hay River on February 9, 1977. The interviewers were Ray Price and Joanne Overvold.
Interview notes from 1992 Index: His mother's name was Bessie Daillon. His father, Dan Morin, was born in Meadow Lake. There was just his sister and he in the family. His brother died. He also has 2 half brothers and 2 half sisters. The Morin's come from Green Lake, Saskatchewan. There are also Morins in Sandy Bay, The Pas and Meadow Lake. Alex was married in 1950 in Saskatchewan. There is a lot of information in this interview about commercial fishing (on nets, quotas on catches, fishing areas around the lake, fishing companies, prices, types of fish including a discussion on "rough fish," accidents, different fishing areas on the lake, water conditions, parasites and working conditions.

The file consists of a partial transcript of a birthday celebration of Chief Jimmy Bruneau's 80th Birthday and Mrs. Murphy's 90th Birthday held in Fort Rae (Behchoko). The transcript includes a letter from federal Minister Ellen Fairclough, greetings from Indian Affairs, and the presentation of gifts.

The file consists of a transcript of an oral history interview with Frank Norn in Hay River on February 9, 1977. The interviewers were Joanne Overvold and Ray Price.

Please note that the interview uses a derogatory term to refer to a person with mixed heritage. We have reproduced this term in the digitized document and quoted interview notes below because it is a part of the original historical record.

Interview notes from 1992 Index: Frank's father, Charlie Norn, was born in Fort Resolution in 1876. He died October 27, 1952 or 1953. He was married to Julia Tapia of Hay River in 1902. Frank's mother, Julia; died November 28, 1963 Frank' s wife' s name was Mary or Marianne Tambour. She was born January 14, 1909 in Hay River. Her father's name was Jamie Tambour. Her mother's name was Marie Ettchedi. Frank was born January 27, 1904 in Hay River. Frank and Mary married in 1930. Frank thinks that his mother's mother had something to do with the fellow that started Hay River (Jean-Claire?)
Manuscript mentioned in interview: "Historical Sketch of the Origin[al?] Work of the Hay River Mission Great Slave Lake, N.W.T. 1893-1956." p,l ****Metis-Indian relations. "RAY: During the time that you've been in Hay River in the earlier days, there was no distinction made between those who were Indian or Metis? FRANK_: No nothing at all. RAY: When did you first notice a distinction? FRANK: ·Oh, just about 2 or 3 yrs back. RAY: You were always fully accepted as one of them? FRANK: Sure. JOANNE: Who do you think started that? FRANK: I couldn't tell you, I think it really started since the Land Claims started there, seems to be the Metis and the Treaty Indians arguing. That's
when it really started. They used to all mix together and I never heard anyone saying you're an Indian and you're a half-breed. Everybody was friendly so about 3 or 4 yrs back, since they started talking about the Land Claims maybe one Metis thinks he's better than a Treaty Indian and I think that's when it came up cause it just spread out, I don't know what your opinion is, Rick Hardy started it when he was President of the Metis Association. They seem to have trouble with the Metis and Treaty."

The file consists of a transcript of an oral history interview with Rosie Norwegian in Fort Norman (Tulita) on March 20, 1977. The interviewer was Joanne Overvold.
Interview notes from 1992 Index: Rosie's grandfather, John Lennie, was born in Quebec City. His parents were born in Scotland and immigrated to Quebec City. John met his wife, an "Indian Chief's daughter of French and Indian [Cree?] parentage" in the late. 1800's. John was an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company and settled in the Milwausin District 40 miles west of Fort Edmonton in about 1895. The Lennie's had 5 boys and 3 girls: Dan, Bill, Albert, Andrew, Adolphus, Claira, Mary and Rosie: John died about 1918. Mrs. [John] Lennie died "in the early years." Rosie's father, Dan Lennie, came north about 1918. He married a woman in Fort Simpson and had 3 children (Dulph, Bella and Celine) but they all died. He came north to Fort Norman and married Adelle Menicho. They had 12 children: Alphonse (died), Johnny, Dulphus, Mary, Rosie (married name Norwegian), Alestine, Archie, Alfred, Morris (died), Phoebe, Joe, and Laura. Adelle (Menicho) Lennie died when Laura was born. [See Harriet Gladue interviews]. Adelle was 35 or 36 when she died. She was married at ·1-4 or 15. Dan Lennie died when he was 82 years old. He worked for the HBC first, then Northern Traders [Northern Trading Company] in Fort Norman. Spent most of his time in the bush, trapping. Rosie was born in 1922. Rosie's children included- Alvin, Rocky, Dougie, Mary, Irene. A book entitled "Hills of Hope," which was put out by the Hills of Hope Historical Committee in Spruce Grove, Alberta,·• contains a partial history of· the Lennie family.

The file consists of notes on an oral history interview with Sieg Phillip by Ray Price.
Interview notes from 1992 Index: Notes are primarily on Sig Phillips and growing tomatoes in his greenhouse. He uses a unique heating
system for his home, motel and greenhouse. He uses the exhaust from his diesel generator. He owns a motel, handicraft shop, cocktail lounge, cafe and a greenhouse [in Fort Providence. Siegfried Philipp came to Canada from Germany in 1956.]

The file consists of an oral history interview with Eleanor McNeill and Henry Geisbrecht on January 14, 1977 in Fort Smith. The interviewers were Ray Price and Joanne Overvold.
Interview notes from 1992 Index: Mother's name, Cayen. Father's name, Alexie Jeremy. Her paternal grandfather's last name was Gerald. There were 8 children in her family but she is the only one still alive. Eleanor was born in Fort Fitzgerald in 1902. She was married at the age of 18, on December 27, 1924, in Fort Smith.

The file consists of an oral history interview with Cliff Mabbitt & John Evans in January 1977 in Fort Smith. The interviewer was Joanne Overvold.
Interview notes from 1992 Index: Cliff was born in Manitoba in 1898. His father was· from England and his mother was from Scotland. They settled in Newdale in Saskatchewan in the 1800's. His mother died in 1904. Cliff had 5 brothers. Cliff married Ernestine (Babe) Tourangeau. They have 10 children. Cliff owned a restaurant for about a year in Fort Smith.

Please note that this interview contains an outdated and derogatory term historically used to refer to persons of Chinese ancestry.

The file consists of stories by Mod Mandeville and the transcript of oral history interview conducted by Ray Price and Joanne Overvold, likely in early 1977.
Interview notes from 1992 Index: His mother's name was Mary Rose Boucher. His father's name was Francois Mandeville. Mod was born in Fort Smith in May of 1908. He has 3 sisters and a brother Archie who is actually a cousin (his father's sister's son), but they call each other brothers.
Page 4 in the interview transcript is missing. "When my father died, all his traps and guns and his belongings went to this uncle of mine, Michel, and I used to trap with the old man. Whatever, I caught was all his though, I never got nothing out of it." p.10 Mod was 15 years old when he shot his first moose. [Hanging of murderer Albert Lebeau](*****REALLY GRUESOME DETAILS ABOUT MRS. NORN'S DEATH ~ AND THAT OF HER TWO CHILDREN BY VICTOR BEAULIEU.)

The file consists of transcripts of oral history interviews with Philip X. Mandeville at Fort Smith. The first page is undated and gives some biographical details. The first interview was conducted by Angus Lennie. The second interview was conducted by Ray Price and Joanne Overvold on January 13, 1977 and also includes Philip's wife.
Interview notes from 1992 Index: Philip was born in Fort Resolution in 1902. His mother was a Lafferty from Fort Rae, and her mother was a Bouvier. His maternal grandfather was Henry Lafferty. Philip's father, Francois Mandeville, was born in Fort Resolution. His grandfather [Jean Baptiste Mandeville?] came in from Winnipeg. His son was Michel Mandeville. His wife was a Wiber.
Philip was born in Fort Resolution in 1902. His mother, Margaret Lafferty was from Fort Rae. His father, Francois Mandeville, was also from Fort Resolution. He died at the age of about 74 in 1951 or 1952. Philip's paternal grandfather, Michele Mandeville died in 1910. His first wife was a Fabien and his second was a Bouvier. Philip's maternal grandparents were Harry Lafferty and Catherine Bouvier from Fort Rae. Philip Lafferty in Yellowknife is his uncle. Philip said that the Mandeville's came from Normandy, France over to New France, Quebec where· they married Indian girls and moved out west with the Northwest Trading Company as voyageurs. Helen Mandeville's maiden name was Villebrun. Philip and Helen were married in 1931.

The file consists of the transcript of an oral history interview with Victor Mandeville at Fort Resolution. The interviewer was Mod Mandeville.
Interview notes from 1992 Index: Victor was born on July 1, 1912 in Fort Resolution. His mother's name was Helen. She died when he was four years old. His father's name was Moise. He died in 1929, the year of the flu. There were 11 children in the family, 9 of whom died, leaving only himself and his sister. His grandfather "came from somewhere south." He did carpentry work. His wife's name was Albina Bouvier.

The file consists of the transcript of an oral history interview with Father Menez at Fort Resolution on January 20, 1977. The interviewer was Ray Price.

Please note that the interview uses a derogatory term to refer to a person with mixed heritage. We have reproduced this term in the digitized document because it is a part of the original historical record.

Interview notes from 1992 Index: Short note of how the Courieur de Bois and the Metis came north. " ... when the English took over after General Wolfe's exercise in Quebec there, the fur traders, the French fur traders were sort of moved out but they left behind the little guys, the guys that were running around in the woods getting the fur. And when the English moved, well, who did they use but those who were already in the fur trade." p.2-3. Father Menez mentions that a vaccine was used by Doctor Diess [?] in 18371 [For smallpox??] Re: use of alcohol in fur trade: In 1800 there were 10,000 gallons of booze but by 1803, "·· .really the war between the Hudson’s Bay and the Northwest was at the peak, it went up to 20,000 [gallons]." p.5 Sir John Franklin was talking to Francois Beaulieu about travelling to the Arctic Ocean in 1820, and Francois Beaulieu drew him a map of the Arctic coast from Coppermine to Bathurst. The Burnside River has a Chipewyan name which means the river of the enemy. "Contwoyto Lake is a Chipewyan name meaning, the English used to call it Rum Lake because Samuel Hearne opened a keg of rum there. But the first part of the suffix, I mean the prefix means alcohol, and the suffix is lake." p.8 **Petitot writings and Back's journal mentioned in relation to the Mandevilles and Beaulieu and his 'gang' and where they met them i.e. Salt River, Fort Reliance, Fort Providence, Arctic Red River p.8-9. *****Books mentioned in text: "Le Metis Canadien" by Marcel Giraud. "Dix-huit-ans Chez les Sauvages" by Bishop Thoreau [?]. "Narrative of the Arctic Land Expedition to the Mouth of the Great Fish River, and Along the Shores of the Arctic Ocean, in the
Years 1833, 1834, and 1835" by Sir George Back. "Soixante quinze ans Le Postulate" by Father Broullard(?). "History of Fort Resolution" by David Smith; "Fur Trade Posts of the Northwest Territories, 1870- 1970" by Peter Usher." "Explorations in the Far North" by Frank Russell. "The Nearing North" by Freeman Lewis. Includes stories about Francois Beaulieu (Old King Beaulieu). The following books were available through the Manitoba Metis Federation Press: "Famous Manitoba Metis," "Six Metis Communities," "A Social History of the Manitoba Metis," "Stories of the Metis," Questions and Answers Concerning the Metis," "The Metis: Canada's Forgotten People." Letter from A.G. MacKay on letterhead of MacKay, Hanley & Boyd [lawyers] to Frank Pedley the Deputy Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, Ottawa, dated March 28, 1914 that informs the department that "the Indians around Fort Smith, Smith Landing, Chipewyan and Fond du Lac, are being told that the government is about to put them onto Reserves and deprive them absolutely of their right to hunt and in other respects are agitating them. He says that the half-breeds, particularly of the Boldeau [Ray comments that it should be Beaulieu] family ... are busy stirring up trouble with the Indians. And he thinks the feeling is such now that it is not safe for a white man to be engaged in prospectors work etc. in that district ... " p.13-14 ****Various R.C.M.P. reports (1897, 1909, 1912, 1915) are discussed.

The file consists of the transcript of an oral history interview with Adolph Mercredi in Yellowknife on February 4, 1977. The interviewer was Joanne Overvold.
Interview notes from 1992 Index: Adolph's father, Victor Mercredi, was born on January 20, 1885 in Fort Chipewyan. Adolph's mother, Elizabeth Mandeville, was born in 1887 in Fort Resolution. There were 9 children born to Victor and Elizabeth. Twin brothers born in 1909 or 1910, Therese born in 1912, Adolph born in 1914 in Fort Chipewyan, Norbert born in 1916, Angelina born in 1918, Agnes born in 1921, Xavier born in 1922 and another brother born in 1930 (who only lived for 1 year). Adolph's paternal grandfather, Pierre Mercredi died in 1947. His paternal grandmother died in about 1952. His maternal grandfather was Michel Mandeville. His grandmother's name was Marie Fabien Mandeville. Adolph's paternal great. grandfather was Joseph McCarthy (the Mercredi name was originally McCarty or McCarthy). His paternal great grandmother was Mary Charlotte Laliberte, from Ile.-a-la-Crosse. She spoke Cree and Chipewyan. She died from the
Spanish Flu in 1922. Adolph married Martha Mcswain. Her parents names were Louise Cardinal and Johnny Mcswain. Adolph and Martha have 5 children: Louise, Josey, Evy, Bill and Nicolas. All were born in Fort Chipewyan except Evy was born in Fort Smith.

The file consists of the transcript of an oral history interview with Elizabeth Mercredi in Fort Smith. The interviewer is not identified.

Interview notes from 1992 Index: Elizabeth was born in St. Albert on November 24, 1888 or 1889. Her mother died when she was about 6 years old. She married Isadore Mercredi in 1908. They had 7 children including Eugene, Rene, James, Mary and a daughter married to John Gratrix. The following note was written on the transcript: "Not quotable, but has content of tape." I take this to mean that the tape has not been transcribed verbatim but has the gist of the interview.

Please note that the interview uses a derogatory term to refer to a person with mixed heritage. We have reproduced this term in the digitized document because it is a part of the original historical record.

The file consists of a transcript of an oral history interview with Ed Plante in Hay River on February 11, 1977. The interviewers were Joanne Overvold and Ray Price.

Please note that the interview uses a derogatory term to refer to a person with mixed heritage. We have reproduced this term in the digitized document and interview notes below because it is a part of the original historical record.

Interview notes from 1992 Index: Ed was born in 1918 in Grouard, Alberta. His father, Michel Plante was born in Manuch [?]. He was a half-.breed,· half French and half Cree. He died when Ed was about 6 years old. His mother, Marie Ferguson was born in Grouard. Marie and Michel had 4 boys and 4 girls. Ed thinks that his maternal grandfather might have come from Manitoba. He died during the 1918 Flu. His maternal grandmother was about 103 years old when she died, about 50 years ago (She died in 1927). She went through the Riel Rebellion. She was married twice. Her second marriage happened when she was in her 50's or 60's. She had 8 boys and 1 girl with her first husband (Ferguson.) Her married name after her second marriage was Giroux . She married a Chief from Kinuso, Alberta.
"There was one story she [Ed's grandmother Ferguson] always told me, the Metis was winning the battle and this Father Lacombe they trusted him quite well, the Metis did, and they were getting short of ammunition and Father Lacombe came over that evening and found out about this. The next morning the Mounted Police attacked, as a matter a fact that they figured now is the time to do it, they got no ammunition."

The file consists of the transcripts from an oral history interview with Victory Lafferty in Fort Providence on April 1972. Victor was the interpreter for Treaty 11 signed at Fort Providence in 1921. The interview was conducted by Liz Petrovitch, Father Lusson, and Robert Ross.

Please note that the interview uses a derogatory term to refer to a person with mixed heritage. We have reproduced this term in the digitized document and interview notes below because it is a part of the original historical record.

Interview notes from 1992 Index: "Victor Lafferty ... was the interpreter for the treaty [Treaty 11] signed at Providence in 1921. 11 He discussed what he understood the Treaty meant. Discussion also about scrip. McKinna [?] was a half breed Commissioner. Walko [?] & Corty [?] also mentioned. Discussion about first plane in Fort Simpson. All the skis broke on landing. " ... Walter Johnson made the skies [skis] for them with old boards and mooseskin glue. Made the two skies [skis] for them and one of them flew to Peace River to get parts for the other." [Imperial Oil's Vic and Remy Junkers airplanes]

The file consists of what appears to be the narrative version of an oral history interview with Francis Tand'che. Because the text starts and ends in the middle of pages, some information for Lucy McPherson and another unidentified woman are also included. Keith Crowe is identified as the source of the material.
Interview notes from 1992 Index: Francis Tand'che wife's name is Mary Katherine. She is from Liard Rapids and must be more than 65 years old because she is getting her pension. Her parents were from Simpson. Francis is from Fort Wrigley, and is 71 years old now [1974]. His grandparents and parents were from Fort Norman.