1926 Staff and Student Attendees of the Marieval Indian Residential School

The Marieval Indian Residential School, also known as the Cowessess school, was located in the Qu’Appelle valley, south of Crooked Lake. It opened on December 19, 1898 and closed on June 30, 1997. During its operation, it was managed by the Oblate Fathers of Mary Immaculate, then later the Oblate Indian and Eskimo Commission and finally the Cowessess Board of Education.

You can learn more about the Marieval Indian Residential School, and other recognized schools under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA), by visiting the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s digital archive. I highly recommend reading the School Narrative which outlines important information and major events at the school.

Read more about Marieval here.

The following transcription is from the 1926 Canadian Census of Prairie Provinces which captured the names of staff and students at the Marieval school. You can find copies of the census on the government of Canada’s website. The pages that captured this information are from the Qu’Appelle electoral district, district number 30, sub-district 61, pages 1 and 2.

Search the 1926 Canadian Census here.

For ease of access, I have made these pages available here (page 1) and here (page 2).

A note about the transcription, I’ve transcribed the information as written in the census record. The term “Indian” is outdated and may be considered offensive. The term should only be used when in reference to status persons under the Indian Act.

You can read more about terminologies such as Indigenous, Aboriginal, Indian, Métis, Inuit, etc. here.

1926 Census Marieval Residential School Staff

Name PositionSexAgeTribal OriginMother Tongue
JosephCarriereHeadMale59FrenchFrench
FiebranieBergeronEmployeeFemale36FrenchFrench
JohnChisholmEmployeeMale86ScotchEnglish
LauraCollinsEmployeeFemale44FrenchFrench
DovatFafardEmployeeMale59FrenchFrench
IdaHibotteEmployeeFemale29FrenchFrench
PierreKerouantonEmployeeMale32FrenchFrench
AlexinaKerouantonEmployee’s wifeFemale21FrenchFrench
LouisKerouantonEmployee’s sonMale3FrenchFrench
Joseph PaulKerouantonEmployee’s sonMale2/12FrenchFrench
RoseLangstaffEmployeeFemale45FrenchFrench
AliceLapierreEmployeeFemale36FrenchFrench
GraziellaMaynardEmployeeFemale36FrenchFrench
WilliamMossEmployeeMale38EnglishEnglish
HenryPichonEmployeeMale26FrenchFrench
ClaudiaRochelianEmployeeFemale42FrenchFrench
NoclaTougasEmployeeFemale31FrenchFrench

1926 Census Marieval Residential School Students

Name SexAgeTribal OriginMother Tongue
Agnes BellaAcooseFemale14Saulteaux IndianSaulteaux
Joseph GabrielAcooseMale15Saulteaux IndianSaulteaux
Joseph RielAcooseMale13Saulteaux IndianSaulteaux
Mary JimamiaAcooseFemale14Saulteaux IndianSaulteaux
May LucyAcooseFemale11Saulteaux IndianSaulteaux
RosalieAcooseFemale11Saulteaux IndianSaulteaux
EdwardAgecoutayMale9Cree IndianCree
EmmaAgecoutayFemale7Cree IndianCree
EvaAgecoutayFemale14Cree IndianCree
IsidoreAgecoutayMale7Cree IndianCree
AgnesAisaicanFemale14Cree IndianCree
AlbertAisaicanMale12Cree IndianCree
AndrewAisaicanMale10Cree IndianCree
EmanuelAisaicanMale16Cree IndianCree
IsadoreAisaicanMale17Cree IndianCree
JeremieAisaicanMale14Cree IndianCree
Joseph VictorAisaicanMale9Cree IndianCree
LeonAisaicanMale8Cree IndianCree
Marie LouiseAisaicanFemale8Cree IndianCree
OliviaAisaicanFemale10Cree IndianCree
DelvinaBellehumeurFemale10French Half-Breed1French
EstherBellehumeurFemale13French Half-BreedFrench
Mary CatherineBellehumeurFemale15French Half-BreedFrench
AgnesBordenFemale6Cree Indian2Saulteaux
JosephineBordenFemale10Saulteaux IndianSaulteaux
AliceDelormeFemale11Indian3Cree
AmableDelormeMale7Cree IndianCree
AmbroseDelormeMale8Cree IndianCree
Ambrose CharlesDelormeMale12Cree IndianCree
ClaraDelormeFemale10Cree IndianCree
ClementDelormeMale10Cree IndianCree
FlorenceDelormeFemale13Cree IndianCree
FrancisDelormeMale8Cree IndianCree
FrancoiseDelormeFemale17Cree IndianCree
HeleneDelormeFemale11IndianCree
IsabellaDelormeFemale12Cree IndianCree
JamesDelormeMale14Cree IndianCree
RosalieDelormeFemale8Cree IndianCree
PhillippeHenryMale16French Half-BreedCree
GilbertLafontaineMale16French Half-BreedFrench
MarieLafontaineFemale12French Half-BreedFrench
NormanLafontaineMale10French Half-BreedFrench
PeterLafontaineMale8French Half-BreedFrench
AgnesLavalleeFemale17Cree IndianCree
CelinaLavalleeFemale15Cree IndianCree
FlorestineLavalleeFemale15French Half-BreedFrench
VirginieLavalleeFemale13Cree IndianCree
EmilieLeratFemale11Cree IndianCree
FlorenceLeratFemale10Cree IndianCree
GeorgeLeratMale16Cree IndianCree
GeorgeLeratMale11Cree IndianCree
HenriettaLeratFemale16Cree IndianCree
AliceLouisonFemale6Cree IndianCree
MosesNorthwindMale8Saulteaux IndianSaulteaux
ElizaNowekeseswapeFemale15Saulteaux IndianSaulteaux
ClementinePelletierFemale11IndianCree
DovatPelletierMale14Cree IndianCree
EdwardPelletierMale10Cree IndianCree
ElizabethPelletierFemale14Cree IndianCree
RobertPelletierMale11Cree IndianCree
SampsonPelletierMale15Cree IndianCree
TheresaPelletierFemale9Cree IndianCree
John BaptisteRedwoodMale13Cree IndianCree
JosephRedwoodMale15Cree IndianCree
GeorginaSmokerFemale9Cree IndianCree
AdelineSparvierFemale10Cree IndianCree
Lily JaneStillFemale10Cree IndianCree
Rose AliceTrottierFemale9Cree IndianCree
AliceTwo VoiceFemale16Cree IndianCree
Marie AnneTwo VoiceFemale15IndianCree
Joseph PaulWapamooseMale16Cree IndianCree
JosephWilliamsMale14Saulteaux IndianSaulteaux
Joseph CleophasYoungMale10Cree IndianCree

1 Outdated and insensitive term for Métis of French and Indigenous ancestry.

2 I believe this is an error, and Agnes should be listed as from the Saulteaux Tribe.

3 For some students the enumerator did not list their tribe of origin, however, this information can likely be assumed based on information found in this table.

Today in the Dauphin Herald – Oct 5 – 1911, 1916

1911 Oct 5 – Fork River

Mrs. C. Clark is visiting her son Harold, who is in the Dauphin Hospital with fever.
Mr. T. Shannon has purchased an up-to-date Sawyer & Massey separator.
Mr. J.G. Littler is visiting Sifton this week.
Mr. F. Wilson of Humphrey & Wilson, is up on a trip to his home.
Miss B Johnston who was visiting Mrs. D. Kennedy has returned to Dauphin to resume her duties at the hospital there.
We have not seen anything of our friend Joe, Liberal financier, since the 21st. We sincerely hope he is in good health.
The Liberal Conservative ball in the Orange Hall Friday night was a success. Dancing was kept up to about daylight. Premier Borden was ably assisted by Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Fielding, Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Pugsley, Judge Wilson, Hon. T.N. Briggs, Senator Kennedy and other Honourables of all shades of politics and religion.
Harvest Festival in All Saints’ Anglican Church at three o’clock Sunday afternoon.

1916 Oct 5 – The Week’s Casualty List

Pte. S.F. Ferguson, of Melton, has been wounded. (Samuel Fremon Ferguson, 1894, 424783)
Lieut. Percy Willson is reported wounded. (Major Percy Willson, 1883)
Pte. Bert Blakely, Grandview, killed. (Albert Edward Blakely, 1897, 151543)
Pte. Wm. Gilbert, late of the Bank of Commerce staff, wounded. (William Alexander Gilbert, 1895, 150929)

1916 Oct 5 – Fork River

Mr. Shuckutt has returned after having spent the Jewish New Year in Dauphin with friends. Zack brothers merchants have removed their stock to the boarding house building on Main Street and are open for biz. Private Herman Godkin spent a few days visiting Mrs. Williams’ sister. His company expects to leave for overseas shortly. We wish him a safe return. W. King has received a letter from his son Private Maxwell King who is in the 14th general hospital with a shrapnel wound in the knee. He expects soon to be able to return to his company. The day before he went in the drive 5th September he had a talk with Lieutenant Worsey and Pete McCarty of Dauphin telephone man. Both had come through alright up to that time and wished to be remembered to all acquaintances at home.

1916 Oct 5 – Winnipegosis

We have been having a good deal of wind and there is snow in the air. The lake presents a very turbulent and unattractive aspect. Traveling by water just now is not very pleasant.
The “Manitou” is in and has brought down the summer fishermen with their boats and outfits. Preparations for winter fishing are rapidly going forward. If this weather continues we are likely to have and early closing of navigation. The 20th of October is considered as the safe limit.
The Red Cross Society held their regular monthly meeting on the evening of the 2nd. Mr. White finds it necessary to resign from the presidency but accepted the office of vice-president. Names were suggested for the office of the president and the matter of election is to be left in the hands of the executive committee. It is a marvel that so few come out to Red Cross business meetings. Every one claims to be interested in Red Cross work, and well they may be when over one hundred young men from this district have gone over to fight for us, while we sit securely at home beside a warm fire and a big lamp and read of their brass doings in Flanders and France. Come out to the monthly meetings on the first Monday of every month and then you will know what is being done and have a better chance to have a hand in it. The executive cannot get around and invite you personally and besides this is a public affair as much as the governing of your village, so come out and help; both men and women.
Miss Dolly Geekie has returned from Dauphin for a visit. Her many friends are pleased to see her.
Mrs. Frank Hechter had a cable that the 107th Battalion, in which her husband is an officer, had safely reached England.

Today in the Dauphin Herald – Jul 13 – 1911

1911 Jul 13 – Four Fingers Taken Off

At the farm of D.E. Collison, Ochre River, on Monday, a young Galician lad had four fingers of his right hand taken off by a crushing machine. He was brought to town for medical treatment.

1911 Jul 13 – Fork River

Mrs. George Shannon was a visitor to Dauphin this week on business.
The annual meeting of the ratepayers of Mossey River School, 999, was held Tuesday the 4th, to elect a trustee, Mr. D.F. Wilson, retiring, Mr. A. Hunt was elected to fill the vacancy. The motion for moving the school house to Fork River was lost by the chairman giving the resting vote in favour of the present site; t is a pity as most of the scholars have 1 1/2 miles to walk to school.
Several famers here and Winnipegosis took a trip to Dauphin to hear R.L. Borden the great Conservative Leader speak. The Borden express passed through here on Friday morning with the ambulance car on behind in charge of Dr. Medd and a live Whale.
A large number of people from here took in the English Church Excursion from Gilbert Plains to Winnipegosis, among them the members of the Board of Trade who chartered a Winnipegosis liner for a sail and report the time of their lives.
In looking over the items published of the minutes of Mossey River Council it states they have taken over the Fork River Cemetery; and engaged Dr. Medd as health officer. As these two items are coupled together your correspondent would suggest our health officer get our cemetery committee together and confine them to their last resting place as the pigs and cattle are running over everything and half the summer gone and no fence to fit to keep stock out.
A heavy rain and hail storm passed through here on Friday evening, doing considerable damage.
Miss Finch and miss Hill ex-school teachers of the Mossey River School are spending their holidays at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Bailey.
Miss Pearl Wilson returned from a visit to Mr. Humphreys of Dauphin.
Mr. A. Hodgson stayed over to help the boys out with the Orange Picnic on the 11th.
Miss Alice and Ethel Finch of Carman are visiting friends at Fork River.

1911 Jul 13 – Sifton

Mrs. Wm. Riler and family left on Tuesday week for Netherhill, Sask., where they are intending to reside.
Miss Scott, who was a visitor at the mission for a few days, returned to Neepawa on Thursday. Miss Scott intents leaving for eastern Ontario shortly where she will spend the balance of the summer visiting with friends.
An electric storm passed over the village on Friday. Mr. Felix Marantz lost three valuable horses having been struck by lightening and the fourth one received a severe shock.
The wild strawberry season has about closed for this year. The strawberries seem to have been in much demand, much more than could be procured to supply.
Mr. Wm. Barrie is leaving on a business trip to Victoria B.C. and other coast points.
Mr. D.R. Barlow, contract of building the R.C. Mission Church here.