Below you’ll find a series of 16 tables of Indexes for reels C-7135 to C-7139 and C-7145 to C-7155 digitized on the Canadiana Héritage database. I skipped reel T-7139 because there doesn’t appear to be an index for its content which is Letterbooks from Fort Saskatchewan (1888-1896).
Eventually, I would like to do a full linked index but that’s quite a bit of work. Until then, here are the indexes of Annuity Paylists from 1871 to 1914 for bands in Treaty 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10.
In February of this year I wrote about the use of Treaty Annuity Lists in researching my Indigenous ancestors. I had linked to a blog post on dibaajimowin.com where the writer identified what was on each reel hosted on heritage.canadiana.ca but the post has since been deleted or moved.
I’ve created an index of indexes on reels C-7136 to C-7139 from 1871 to 1909 when the lists end. Reel T-7139 are scans of Letterbooks from Fort Saskatchewan from 1888-1896. The information I’ve recorded are of the reel number, the image number, the date, and the Treaty information that can be found. I’ve also taken the step to link directly to the index’s permalink.
I wish such a list had been around when I first started using the annuity lists. It would have beat the man hours I put in scrolling through the thousands of pages looking for the communities of interest I wanted to read.
I have created an index of Kahkewistahaw’s Treaty Annuity Lists from 1874 to 1909 found on reels C-7145 to C-7153.
The information below is of the reel number, the image number, the name of the Band, where the annuity was paid, the date, the Treaty numbers recorded, the page number in the book, and any notes about the list. I would like to revisit the list at a later date to include a permalink for each year.
Although these lists often only included the name of the person taking the annuity payment, I found it very helpful in my research.
I have created an index of Cowessess’ Treaty Annuity Lists from 1874 to 1909 found on reels C-7145 to C-7153.
The information below is of the reel number, the image number, the name of the Band, where the annuity was paid, the date, the Treaty numbers recorded, the page number in the book, and any notes about the list. I would like to revisit the list at a later date to include a permalink for each year.
Although these lists often only included the name of the person taking the annuity payment, I found it very helpful in my research.
I have created an index of Chacachas’ Treaty Annuity Lists from 1874 to 1884 found on reels C-7145 to C-7146.
The information below is of the reel number, the image number, the name of the Band, where the annuity was paid, the date, the Treaty numbers recorded, the page number in the book, and any notes about the list. I would like to revisit the list at a later date to include a permalink for each year.
Although these lists often only included the name of the person taking the annuity payment, I found it very helpful in my research.
2 The bands of Chakachas and Kahkeesheway although paid separately up to 1882, are paid together in that year, separately in 1883, and together 1884 on. Chief Chakachas resigned as chief of his band in 1882, and the band was paid under the Chief Kahkeesheway until 1884, when he died and his son Ochowpowace was elected in his place.
I have created an index of Ochapowace’s Treaty Annuity Lists from 1874 to 1909 found on reels C-7145 to C-7153.
The information below is of the reel number, the image number, the name of the Band, where the annuity was paid, the date, the Treaty numbers recorded, the page number in the book, and any notes about the list. I would like to revisit the list at a later date to include a permalink for each year.
Although these lists often only included the name of the person taking the annuity payment, I found it very helpful in my research.
1 The bands of Chakachas and Kahkeesheway although paid separately up to 1882, are paid together in that year, separately in 1883, and together 1884 on. Chief Chakachas resigned as chief of his band in 1882, and the band was paid under the Chief Kahkeesheway until 1884, when he died and his son Ochowpowace was elected in his place.
In February of this year I wrote about the use of Treaty Annuity Lists in researching my Indigenous ancestors. I had linked to a blog post on dibaajimowin.com where the writer identified what was on each reel hosted on heritage.canadiana.ca but the post has since been deleted.
I have created an index of the indexes on reels C-7145 to C-7153 from 1874 to 1909 when the lists end. The information below is of the reel number, the image number, the date, and the Treaty information that can be found. I’ve also taken the step to link directly to the index’s permalink.
I’m unfamiliar with reels C-7135 to C-7139 and T-7139 but if I remember the post correctly they were related to Treaties 1 to 3. I’d like to create an index for these as well as I continue research on my relatives from those areas.
In addition to this index, I’ve created 3 others in Excel which outlines Treaty Annuity List details for four Treaty 4 communities from the Crooked Lake Agency from 1874 to 1909. They are Chacachas, Cowessess, Kahkewistahaw, and Ochapowace. I find the details about Chacachas to be particularly interesting given its illegal amalgamation with Kakisheway which was later renamed after his son, Ochapowace, after Chief Kakisheway/Kakisiwew (Loud Voice) died in 1884.
Edited January 23, 2022, with updated information provided to me by a Lerat cousin.
Conducting research on my Indigenous ancestors has always posed a challenge for me. Limits to records—their availability, ease of access, and even their existence has made research much slower.
I’ve had very little success with Saskatchewan’s vital statistics records and hit or miss success with census records which have aided me the most in my research. Knowing very little about my Indigenous ancestors at the start of my genealogy journey meant I had to rely on what I could find but that means there are inaccuracies and mysteries abound.
This past year I decided to try searching Treaty annuity records to see if I can find more information on this part of my family. What a treasure trove! Although limited in their capacity, I discovered so much which hadn’t known before 2019.
Only a portion of Treaty annuity records have been digitized, from 1974 to 1909, and there is still leg-work required to go through the microfilm to locate the right reserve. As of January 23rd, 2022, I have created indexes to make less work for researchers.
It was by browsing through these records that I discovered Marie Adele Lerat (1888-1918) was not my grandfather’s biological mother, but his step-mother.
I’ve had a suspicion that this was the case but had no proof to confirm. It does account for the name changes in census records as well as for the gap between my grandfather Napoleon Pelletier (1905-1985) and his brother Robert Louis Pelletier (1915-2001).
In the 1895, band member #46 of Cowessess, Hyacinth Pelletier (1849-1906) had a son who married the daughter of band member #13. At this time, Hyacinth and his wife drew an annuity payment. It also states that one grandson died sometime after the previous year’s payment.
1895. Treaty Annuity List.
The newly married couple would draw from #157. Here we see Joseph Pelletier (1876-1943) and an ‘unnamed’ wife. It’s unfortunate that many of the records at this time only record the name of the person collecting annuity on behalf of their family. The unnamed wife was Marie Caroline Aisaican (1878-1909).
1895. Treaty Annuity List.
Caroline’s (1878-1909) father was Aisaican (English=Clarified Maple Sugar) (1830-???) and her mother was Julie Sparvier (1848-???). In the 1905 census records I found the Aisaican family listed as Sparvier as well. Sparvier is also the surname used for Caroline in some of the Baptisms records.
In 1895, Aisaican (1830-???) had a wife, a son, and two daughters living on reserve with him. One of his sons, William Aisaican (1876-???), married the daughter of #126 and he also had one son who was living at Turtle Mountain. There were also a number of Pelletiers who traveled back and forth to Turtle Mountain.
1895. Treaty Annuity List.
In the 1901 census, Joseph (1876-1943) and Caroline (1878-1909) can be found living with two daughters: Marie Sarah (1897-???) and Marie Josephine (1899-1984). The family had already suffered the loss of two children, an unnamed boy who was born and died in 1896 and Mary Jane who was born and died in 1901.
It’s interesting to note that Caroline (1878-1909) is listed as Saulteaux while Joseph (1876-1843) is listed as French. In other records he’s listed as a ‘French-Breed’ and ‘Cree’. Further research informed me he is a descendent of a Red River Métis family, but that is a post for another day.
1901 Census.
The family is found again in the 1906 records. This is the first record my grandfather is recorded in. It also lists his sisters Marie Sarah (1897-???), Marie Josephine (1899-1984), and Marie Louise (1903-1980). Too bad there is not much else recorded in this census.
1906 Census.
Caroline’s death is recorded in the 1909 Treaty annuity list and in further research I found she died on January 25th, 1909. In this record, we see Joseph has one son and three daughters living on reserve with him. Additionally, there is a mark at the opposite end of the document which shows one woman died between the last annuity payment and this one.
1909 Treaty Annuity List.
Interestingly enough, Joseph (1876-1943) married Philomène Daniel (1888-1911) on July 20th, 1909, less than six months after Caroline’s death. There were four children who needed looking after, I imagine this played a part in the hasty marriage.
I learned the pair had a son on August 23rd, 1910, named J. Albert who died before his first birthday, on January 10th, 1911. Sadly, Philomène died only a few months later on June 28th, 1911. She lived long enough to be recorded in the 1911 census but I don’t have much information Philomène and must conduct more research.
The family can be found in the 1911 census records. All of Joseph’s children from his previous marriage can be found: Marie Sarah, Marie Josephine, Marie Louise, and Napoleon. Additionally, although the document states Hyacinth (1949-1906) is living with them, this is incorrect. Hyacinth died in 1906, this is recorded in the 1906 Treaty annuity payment list. Thus it is Julienne LaVallee (1853-???), his mother!
1911 Census.
On April 22nd, 1912, after Philomène’s death, Joseph (1876-1911) married Marie Adele Lerat (1888-1918). I’ve identified four children by Adele: John (1913-1913), Robert Louis (1915-2001), Theresa Elizabeth (1916-2005), and J. Silvestre (1918-1918).
Adele (1888-1918) and family can be found in the 1916 census where only Robert (1915-2001) is listed with his mother and father. The other children are either at residential school or have married.
1916 Census.
In 1918, Joseph lost both his son and his third wife on November 7th and November 10th, 1918, respectively. There are quite a number of individuals within my family living on Cowessess and Ochapowace who died during the height of the influenza pandemic. In fact, there are Indian Affairs reports which talk about the high number of deaths in the Crooked Lake Agency.
In the 1921 census, Joseph Pelletier (1876-1943) is listed with his children Marie Josephine (1899-1984), Marie Louise (1903-1980), Napoleon (1905-1985), Robert (1915-2001), and a new child born after the death of Adele (1888-1918). Her name was Marie Anne (1920-1999) and it appears she was the daughter of Marie Josephine (1899-1894) and James Atcikate (???-???). I must do further research on Marie’s father James as I have only found him in one document provided to me recently.
1921 Census.
In the 1926 census, Joseph (1876-1942) and his new wife, Ernestina Chaboyer (1880-???) whom he married on December 16th, 1925, are living together. Also living with them is Napoleon (1905-1985) and Joseph’s mother, Julienne LaVallee (1853-???). The other children Robert (1915-2001) and Theresa (1916-2005) can be found at the Cowessess residential school. There is no mention of Marie Anne (1920-1999) who must also be at the residential school but as of January 2022 I have not found yet.
1926 Census.
In a recent document that was provided to me, it appears Joseph (1876-1943) and Ernestina (1880-???) adopted a girl named Eva Patricia Ward (1930-???) who married Andrew Sparvier (???-???). This is new information as of January 2022 and which requires further research.
Joseph (1876-1943) passed away on September 23rd, 1943, in Broadview, Saskatchewan, and that is where my research ends for now.
In any case, this is just some of the information I have been able to unearth in the last year alone thanks to the Treaty annuity list as well as most recently with communications with other family members.
From Mowat and Beyond 