Trois-Rivières: unceded land of the Algonquin Nation

Posted on by Abitawiskwe

There are unresolved land claims linked to particular long-ago ancestors in the region where I live. The land was stolen by the government with no Treaty, agreement, arrangement, or compensation exchanged for the land.

In 1648, Algonquin leader Tchi8ant8, baptized as Charles Pachirini, was granted land for him and his clan at Three Rivers.

1650 Minutes of possession of land located at Trois-Rivières and registration of its titles by Louis d’Ailleboust, Governor of New France, which land belonged to Charles Pachiriny (Pachirini), Indian of the Three Rivers Source: Procès-verbal de mise en possession d’une terre sise aux Trois-Rivières et d’enregistrement de ses titres par Louis d’Ailleboust, gouverneur de la Nouvelle-France, laquelle terre appartenant à Charles Pachiriny (Pachirini), Sauvage (Amérindien) des Trois-Rivières
Source:
PY – 31 mai 1650 – 26 avril 1719
Y2 – 2022/03/23
AV – BAnQ Québec
M2 – Fonds Intendants
CN – 03Q,E1,S4,SS2,P288-4
UR – https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3314986

However, from 1656, the Jesuits granted lots to French settlers. By 1663, Pachirni & family had hardly any land left.

Framed: 1650 Algonquin land grant;
Shaded: Algonquin land by 1663

A few years after Pachirini’s passing, the Governor of France gave to the Jesuits whatever was left of the Algonquin parcel of land at the Three Rivers, without consent nor negotiation with the Algonquin Nation.
Here’s the 1699 contract, transcribed and translated.

Despite this acknowledgement and agreement, no further action was undertaken to return land nor compensate the Algonquins of the Three Rivers.

In 1795, Nicholas Montour, great-grandson of Pachirini’s clan member Marie Mite8agami8k8e, began to purchase the rights the two first of four Seigneuries: Tonnancourt, also known as Pointe-du-Lac, situated just East of Three Rivers on the shores of Lac St-Pierre and the adjoining Seigneurie of Gastineau, where the towns of Louiseville and Yamachiche, as well as the small Seigneuries of Pierreville, where is today the town of Pierreville and Deguise (Saint-David), today Drummondville, on the South shore of the Saint-Lawrence river.

Narratives of the time show Montour spent considerable money – Settlers qualified foolishly – to build houses for “errant Savages”

Translation of highlighted text: “the said Sieur de Tonnancour told me that it was he who had them built at his expense and on land belonging to him, to take refuge there for wandering and vagabond Indians, among others the Algonquins who, for assassinations committed, abandoned the village of their nation or moved away.” “he also counts on attracting others, such as Têtes-de-Boule and Montagnais. The former are named such for having round-headed, they are nowhere envilaged, are fairly numerous and usually live between the north bank of the river and Labrador, frequented by the Eskimos… The Indians deal with the Sieur de Tonnancour. As he speaks the language, as he is understood in this trade and in a condition to make advances to them, he attracts the preference, and it is with a view to increasing this trade that he constitutes himself in expenses for the establishment of this new village, which will be part of the parish of Tonnancour.”

Fast forward to 1829, the Algonquin Nation was still trying to claim land to feed its citizens, as shown by a series of correspondences with the Indian Department of Québec.

Letter: reporting that the Algonquins of Three Rivers claim the southwesterly half of River St.Anne Laperade as their east boundary and Masquinongé as their westerly boundary. The St. Lawrence on the south and the depth of about fifty leagues on the north, ascending the River St. Maurice to a place called Cococachechinque at which place they join the Kings posts/La
Tuque/limits of hunting grounds belonging to the Têtes de Boules.
Source: NAC RG 8 I.A. Vol. 268 PP- 529-32.

In the next correspondence by Duchesnay, Superintendant of Indian Departmenr of Quebec, to Lt. Colonel Couper, Military Secretary, dated October 30, 1829, The Indian Department acknowledged that the neighboring Abenaki and Huron-Wendat were in agreement with the Algonquin land claim.

It appears obvious from these records and as well as by research into 20th century literature, that despite the loss of the land, the Algonquin Nation, who prefer to be called Metabenutin Uininis, remain in the vicinity of Three Rivers, despite non-recognition by either federal or provincial governments.

Many descendants of Metabenutin Uininis today identify as Magoua or Métis, following Nicholas Montour’s example. In fact, Nicholas Montour’s son, also named Nicolas, was christened in the nearby parish of Sainte-Geneviève de Berthier, under the surname of Mitif:

NICOLAS MITIF
On the third of October, seventeen eighty-four, by me, the undersigned priest, was baptized NICOLAS, born in Pays d’en Haut of CANADIAN father and SAUVAGESSE mother belonging to NICOLAS MONTOUR residing in the said Pays d’en Haut, already three years old and presented by Joseph FAGNAN. The godfather was Antoine DESROSIERS, and the godmother Elizabeth PAGÉ who, with the presenter, declared that they did not know how to sign.

The descendants of Nicolas Montour, son, continued in the fur trade and later established themselves out West along with many of descendants of the Algonquin Nation, where they are today members of the many Métis communities in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Further reading:

The Montour Family of Red river https://www.metismuseum.ca › …PDF

C’est qui papa, les Sauvages? Rémi Savard https://www.erudit.org/fr/revues/raq/2010-v40-n1-2-raq5005322/1007503ar/

La mémoire orale contemporaine des Metabenutins Uininis (Algonquins de Trois-Rivières) Denys Delâge et Claude Hubert https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/raq/1900-v1-n1-raq5005322/1007500ar/

University of Quebec
https://oraprdnt.uqtr.uquebec.ca › …PDF
D’AUTREFOIS

Histoire de Trois-Rivières https://www.v3r.net/culture/histoire-et-patrimoine/histoire-de-trois-rivieres

Magouas et fiers de l’être, René Hardy: https://gazettemauricie.com/magouas-et-fiers-de-letre-2/

ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net › 2425…
(PDF) Les créolismes syntaxiques du français magoua parlé aux Trois …

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