THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY DiSunity and Dispossession: Nawash Ojibwa and Potawatomi in the Saugeen Territory, 1836-1865 by Stephanie McMden A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQWIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY CALGARY, ALBERTA JLME, 1997 @ Stephanie McMullen 1997 National Library Biblbthéque nationale 191 ofCanada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. nie Wellington OttawaON KiA ON4 ûttawa ON KIA ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliothéque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or selI reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis ui microfonn, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la fonne de mïcrofiche/iilm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownershp of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copy~@t in thts thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts f?om it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT This study explores the dual themes of factionalisrn and dispossession arnong the Ojibwa and Potawatomi in the Saugeen Tenitory between 1836 and 1865. Chapter 1 lays the foundation of the study by briefïy examining the evolution of Native-non-Native relations in southem Ontario to 1836- Chapter II focuses on the development of Ojibwa- Potawatomi factionalism in the Saugeen Territory, between 1836 and 1850. The third chapter presents the resdts of this division by examining the three Saugeen tteaties of the 1850s. The final chapter discusses the removal of the Nawash band to Cape Croker, and the endurance of factionalism at the new reserve. This thesis offers the proposition that the ciifferences between the Ojibwa hosts and the Potawatomi immigrants from the United States created divisions at the Newash village. The Indian Department then exploited this discord to secure the treaties required by a pwing settler population. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I could not have completed this project without the encouragement and support of many people. Top marks have to go to my supervisor, Dr. Donald B. Smith. Your enthusiasm, support, and patience with this project enabled me to make some sense of the chaos. Nahnee would have approved of your endurance! 1 must also thank Darlene Johnston, Land Claims Research Co-Ordinator for the Chippewas of Nawash and the Chippewas of Saugeen, for her invaluable encouragement and generosity. Our "gossip" sessions afforded me the precious opportunity to understand my "charac;kisn~s the nid people they were. Finally, 1 owe a geat debt to Dr. Jan Grabowski. By encouraging me to look at an old family story in a new way, you provided the impetus to this thesis. Without you, 1 may never have written this paper. My friends, both in Ontario and in Aiberta, helped me through the difEcuit and fmtrating times. Thanks for your listening ears, and readiness for distraction! Leann Johnston and Kiran Bhatnagar kindly offered their hospitality during my research trips to Toronto and Onawa, respectively. and consequently had to endure rny daily "discovery" reports. I'd be happy to reciprocate anytime (if you can find me!). Lesley Erickson deserves special attention for her patience and bravery. You have not only listened to my latest theones on this corner of the universe, but kindly proof-read this thesis several times. Y our insights, suggestions, and yes, even criticisms, made this thesis far better than I could have ever envisioned. Finally, 1 must acknowledge my family's essential mie in this thesis. You have encouraged and supported my plans and endured my schernes with the patience of saints. Special thanks to rny parents, whose love, encouragement, patience and stories carried me through the tough times, and accompanied me through the good. This thesis is dedicated to them. and to my nieces, Cheyanne and Alexa, the next generation. Table of Contents .. Approval Page .......................................................................................11 ... Abstract ............................................................................................... 111 Ackaowledgements ................................................................................. iv Table of Contents.................................................................................... v List of Maps ......................................................................................... vi .. List of Appendices .................................................................................. VII INTRODUCTION ................................................... 1 Chapter One: BACKGROUND ON ABORIGINAL UPPER CANADA ..................... 8 Chapter Two: FROM ISOLATION TO CONSTERNATION ................................. 2û Chapter Three: MORE FORCED SURRENDERS........................................... 54 Chapter Four: THE SOLITUDES OF CAPE CROKER ....................................... 82 CONCLUSION..................................................................................... 96 BIBLIOGRAPHY .................... .......................................................... IO0 List of Maps Map 1: Treaty 45 112 (1836).................................................................. 34 Map 2: Treaty 72 (1854)....................................................................... 66 List of Appendices Appendix A: Royal Prociamation of 1763 ............... ... ............................ 108 Appendix B: Treaty 45 1/2 (1û36)............................................................. Il0 Appendix C: Deed of Declaration ( 1847).................................................... 1 11 Appendix D: Treaty 72 (1854).................................................................. 1 13 Appendix E: Treaty 82 (1857)..................... .... ....-..-..-..-.-----.......115 Appendix F: Treaty 93 (1861).................................................................. 118 Introduction Today's quiet fardand and nistic cottages of Ontario's Grey and Bruce Counties suggest to many a cah, orderiy history in which pioneen came, tamed the wildemess and created a better life for themselves and their descendants. In this "tranquil land"few non- Natives have any knowledge of the historic divisions, disputes and dispossession of the areals Native peoples. This thesis explores the hidden chapter of the Twin Counties' history. Many Native peoples have called this area home over the centuries. On the eve of European settlernent in the earfy nineteenth century, the Ojibwa (Chippewa) inhabited the western shore of Georgian Bay and the eastem shore of Lake Huron. The people at Georgian Bay, the Nawash, furmed a winter encampment at Owen Sound, and called the site Newash.1 The Saugeen, their neighbours on Lake Huron, named their encampment after themselves. A third senlement at Colpoy's Bay, created immediately north of Newash in the late 1830s by migrants from Coldwater, completed the Saugeen bands. Together. these Saugeen peoples prepared to face the rapid changes taking place in Upper Canada. At Newash, the arriva1 of hundreds of Potawatomi from the United States exacerbateci the tension and confusion. Their settlement generated intense shife in the Native community. Although a few Potawatomi moved to Saugeen, the newcomers' impact at Newash proved much greater and fa.more dramatic. This thesis focuses on the development and results of factionalisrn at Newash. The Ojibwa and Potawatomi. although long-standing allies who shared many cultuml similarities, were not identical nations. This became abundantly evident at Newash, where the two communities reacted differently to the demands and pressures created by increasing contact with the settier society. l~1thoug.hthe origins of this merentiation between Newash and Nawash are -cuit to ascertain, the Chippewas of Nawash at Cape Croker maintain a distinction between themselves and their former village site. The Ojibwa and John Thomas Wahbahdick, their traditional chief, believed well into the 1850s that tûey still had a choice as to their relationship with the non-Native authorities. They refused to cwperate in any meaningful way with the Indian Department and its officiais. In contrast, the Potawatomi, also British allies in the War of 1812, had experienced on-going, horrifïc düZcuIties after the war. The Americans wanted to expel hem from their traditional hunting tenitories to the lands West of the Mississippi. They knew how limited their options could hwhen settlers wanted their lands. Assisted by Charles Keeshig, a weli-educated Potawatomi who served the band as official interpreter in the 18%, they generally CO-operatedwith the British authorities. The confiict between the Ojibwa and Potawatomi, compiicated by the culture shock caused by direct contact with the immigrant society, created a situation ripe for discord- Rivalry between the ûjibwa and the Potawatomi ultimately left both factions open to exploitation and dispossession by a provincial governinent concerned with the demands of its non-Native electorate. In a study of this nature, the question of terminolog is an important and thorny issue. Semantics in Native