"LAND OF WHICH THE SAVAGES STOOD IN NO PARTICULAR NEED" : DISPOSSESSING THE ALGONQUINS OF SOUTH- EASTERN ONTARIO OF THEIR LANDS, 1760-1930 MARIEE. HUITEMA A thesis submitted to the Department of Geography in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Queen's University Kingston, Ontario, Canada 2000 copyright O Maqke E. Huiterna, 0 11 200 1 Nationai Library 6iblioîMque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Senrices services bibliographiques The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format electronique. The author retaias ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in tbis thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels rnay be printed or othexwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT Contemporary thought and current üterature have estabüshed links between unethical colonial appropriation of Native lands and the seemingly unproblematic dispossession of Native people from those lands. The principles of justification utiiized by the colonking powers were condoned by the belief that they were commandeci by God to subdue the earth and had a mandate to conquer the wildemess. The assumption that "savages" were on the lower deof humanity and must first be taught to use the land productively before they could daim rights to ownership funher enabled the alienation of their land. The myth that Native culture would not suMve the onslaught of civilization and would die out over time provided a rationale for Euro-Canadian settlement of Native lands. Dispossession of Native lands was frequently accomplished through discriminatory legislation and policies ofien intentionally designed to achieve assimilation and marginalization of Indian people. This legislation dealt almost exclusively with "statusw Indians or with the assumption that al1 Indians would eventually migrate to a reserve area set aside for them by government. Indians who chose to remain on land that was their traditional territory, but not specifically designated for their use by govemment were alienated through subtle application of discriminatory laws and indifference to their existence as occupants of the land. The Algonquins of South-Eastern Ontario negotiated unsuccessfully with govemment officiais for over two centuries without resolution of their land daims and petitions for protection. By the late 1800s the Algonquin people had been forced to "abandon their wandering ways," and some relocated to the Golden Lake reserve in Algona Township. Many other "bands" or groups of families remained dispersed throughout the Ottawa Valley and attempted to maintain a subsistence based on hunting and trapping. These Natives were not registered with the Indian Department and remained non-status. With the depletion of land and rexwirces, they eventualiy integrated with the saler population, yet managed to retain a connection with their cultural identity. The stoy of the Joseph Whiteduck Jr. nuclear and extended farnily in Ardoch, Ontario, portrays the circumstances surrounding the eventual dispossession of the family's traditional territory and their marginalization to the fnnges of society. 1 am deeply gratetil to the members of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation and AUies (MA)for allowing me to intnide into their lives and especially to Harold Peny for sharing his home, bis beliefs, and his family histoty over the many years it has taken me to complete this dissertation. 1also wish to thank Joan Holmes for giving me the opportunity to gain insight and information about the history of the Algonquin people and especially the experience of the Ardoch Algonquins. The stafFat the former Clarendon Township Office and the Kingston Land Registry Office granted me access to valuable information, and staEat the Documents Library of Queen's University were always helpfùl and knowledgable. My special thanks to my supenisor, Dr. Evelyn Peters, for encouraging me to continue, offering me hours of constructive criticism, and patiently awaiting the next chapter. Thank you to Dr. Brian Osborne for sharing his library, his time, and hi storical expertise. Without the patience, guidance, tolerance and suppori of Evelyn and Bnan, this work might never have been completed. 1 must also thank the Geography Department at Queen's University for allowing me the tirne to broaden my leaming and pursue my goals. A thank you to the Geography office raR and especially to Sheila for being a fnend and seeing me through al1 the never-ending administrative necessities. 1 would also like to acknowledge the editing help of Mauteen Garvie and the contribution of Susan ziugibbon for produchg the maps, more than once! And to Susan Delide, thanks for aii the hours of listening and encouragement. Thank you to Pierre and Betts for believing in me and offering encouragement and iv help. A very special thank you to my daughter, Sarah, who has Iived with my fnistrations, my endless rhetoric, my ups and downs and my illness for the last six years while attempting to produce work that 1 hope may be of value to society in general and to the Algonquin people in particular. TABLE OF CONTENTS ... List of Figures ........................................................................................................ .wu ... List of Tables.......................................................................................................... mu Chapter One: INTRODUCTION ......................................................................... -1 Chapter Two: CONCEPTS OF iNDIAN LAND OWNERSHIP AND THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK OF DISPOSSESSION: 1750-1930 ...................... 12 2: 1 Indian Relationships of Land Use and ûwnership................................... 13 2:2 Legislative Framework: 1750.1930 ............*.... ..... ..........*..-.............23 Legislative Framework: 1750- 1830.................................................. 24 The Royal Proclamation and the Niagara Treaty : 1763 -64 .... 25 Legislative Framework: 1830-1 860................................................. -32 Indian Policy and Administration: 1830-1 840........................ 32 Indian Policy and Administration: 1840- 1850 ....................... 36 Indian Policy and Administration: The Question of Status: 1850-1860 ............................................................................ 41 Public Lands Policy: 1830- 1860 ........................................... -48 Legislative Frarnework: 1860-1 930.................................................. -52 Indian Policy and Adrninstration: 1860- 1870 ........................ -52 Public Lands Policy: 1860-1 870................... ... ............... 36 Indian Policy and Administration: 1870-1 930...................... 38 2:3 Conclusion ............................................................................................. 61 Chapter Tbree: COLLECTIVE PETITIONS AND CLAIMS OF THE ALGONQUIN NATION IN THE OTTAWA VALLEY: 1700s- 1900...................... 63 3 :1 Early Algonquin Hiaory: 1600s and 1700s............................................. 65 3:2 Algonquh and Nipissing Claims and Petitions: 1772-1 850. and the Mississauga Land Cessions of 1783 and 18 19. 1822 .................. -72 The Crawford Purchase of 1783........................................................ 73 Algonquin Petitions: 1787-1798 ............................................. ... .. -74 The Rideau Purchase: 18 19-1822 .................................................... -79 Algonquin Petitions and Humuig Territory Disputes: 1820- 1830..... -82 Algonquin Petitions: 1830-1850 ...................................................... -87 3 :3 Conclusion ............................................................................................. % Chapter Font: CLAMS AND PEnnONS FROM ALGONQUIN GROUPS IN THE OTTAWA VALLEY: 1842- 1900.................... ... .........................................98 4: 1 Algonquin Group Petitions: 1842-1 900................................................. 103 Petitions from Sebastopol Township................................................. 105 Petitions fiom Algona Township ...................................................... -105 Petitions fiom Lawrence, Nghtingaie and Sabine Townships............ 106 Petitions fkom Bedford, Oso, and South Sherbrooke Townships..... -117 4:2 Conclusion ............................................................................................. 129 Chapter Five: THE JOSEPH WHITEDUCK JR. FAMILY: A CASE STUDY. 1810-1930 ................................................................................. 131 for 5: 1 A Base. Sunival: Interaction Zones of the Algonquins and Mississaugas. 1810-1840................................................................. 133 Earl y Origins of the WhiteduckFamily............................................. -133 The Bedford Comection, 1810-1 840................................................ 141 5:2 Settlement and Lumbering: The Algonquh Families Become Marginalued. 1840-1870............................................................................................