James Isbister
Encyclopedia
James Isbister was a Canadian Métis
leader of the 19th-century. Prominent among the Anglo-Métis
of the area, he is considered by some to be the founder of the city of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
.
for many years, Isbister was talented linguistically, speaking English
, Gaelic
, Cree
, Dene
and Michif.
Isbister began farming in the summer of 1862 one mile east of the present day federal
penitentiary
at Prince Albert.The area he farmed is close to present day 17 Avenue and 14 Street West. By 1866, when Isbister moved away, several families were living in the district, which was known as Isbister's Settlement. Isbister was probably the first man in what is now known as Saskatchewan
to grow wheat
on his own farm. He also worked on the John Smith Reserve (currently the Muskoday First Nation
) as a farm instructor.
By 1884, both settler and Métis discontent was growing rapidly due to poor agricultural conditions and unresolved land issues in the Saskatchewan Valley
region. As a community leader, Isbister was selected as one of the four delegates (along with Gabriel Dumont) sent to recall Louis Riel
from Montana
to represent the people. Riel's return and continuing political agitation would culminate in the Northwest Rebellion of the following year (1885).
Like most other Anglo-Métis of the area, Isbister disassociated himself from the movement led by Riel when tensions ultimately erupted into violence. Despite this, he was denounced by the Conservative press in Prince Albert.
Following the Northwest Rebellion, Isbister was active in the Anglican Church of Canada
in the Prince Albert area, and lived out his last days in that community. He is buried in the Anglican St. Mary's Cemetery just west of the Penitentiary not far from where he farmed initially.
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Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
leader of the 19th-century. Prominent among the Anglo-Métis
Anglo-Métis
A 19th-century community of the Métis people of Canada, the Anglo-Métis, more commonly known as Countryborn, were children of fur traders; they typically had Orcadian, Scottish, or English fathers and Aboriginal mothers. Their first languages were generally those of their mothers: Cree, Saulteaux,...
of the area, he is considered by some to be the founder of the city of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Prince Albert is the third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is situated in the centre of the province on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. The city is known as the "Gateway to the North" because it is the last major centre along the route to the resources of northern Saskatchewan...
.
Life
An interpreter for the Hudson's Bay CompanyHudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
for many years, Isbister was talented linguistically, speaking English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
, Cree
Cree language
Cree is an Algonquian language spoken by approximately 117,000 people across Canada, from the Northwest Territories and Alberta to Labrador, making it the aboriginal language with the highest number of speakers in Canada. It is also spoken in the U.S. state of Montana...
, Dene
Northern Athabaskan languages
Northern Athabaskan is a geographic sub-grouping of the Athabaskan language family spoken in the northern part of North America, particularly in Alaska and the Yukon...
and Michif.
Isbister began farming in the summer of 1862 one mile east of the present day federal
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
penitentiary
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
at Prince Albert.The area he farmed is close to present day 17 Avenue and 14 Street West. By 1866, when Isbister moved away, several families were living in the district, which was known as Isbister's Settlement. Isbister was probably the first man in what is now known as Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
to grow wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
on his own farm. He also worked on the John Smith Reserve (currently the Muskoday First Nation
Muskoday First Nation
The Muskoday First Nation is a First Nation in Saskatchewan, Canada, composed of Cree and Saulteaux peoples. The First Nation has a registered population of 1552 people as of December 2007, of which approximately 560 members of the First Nation live on-reserve, and approximately 980 live...
) as a farm instructor.
By 1884, both settler and Métis discontent was growing rapidly due to poor agricultural conditions and unresolved land issues in the Saskatchewan Valley
Saskatchewan Valley
The name of a geographic area in Saskatchewan, Canada encompassing generally a triangle from North Battleford, to Saskatoon, north to the Saskatchewan River Forks east of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan...
region. As a community leader, Isbister was selected as one of the four delegates (along with Gabriel Dumont) sent to recall Louis Riel
Louis Riel
Louis David Riel was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political and spiritual leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government and its first post-Confederation Prime Minister, Sir John A....
from Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
to represent the people. Riel's return and continuing political agitation would culminate in the Northwest Rebellion of the following year (1885).
Like most other Anglo-Métis of the area, Isbister disassociated himself from the movement led by Riel when tensions ultimately erupted into violence. Despite this, he was denounced by the Conservative press in Prince Albert.
Following the Northwest Rebellion, Isbister was active in the Anglican Church of Canada
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
in the Prince Albert area, and lived out his last days in that community. He is buried in the Anglican St. Mary's Cemetery just west of the Penitentiary not far from where he farmed initially.
See also
- Gabriel Dumont (Métis leader)
- James NisbetJames NisbetJames Nisbet was a Scottish born missionary to Canada.-Early life:He was born near Glasgow in Scotland, the youngest of 10 children. In 1840, he had travelled with his older brother, Henry, to London both seeking to serve as missionaries with the London Mission Society. Henry was accepted, and...
- Lawrence ClarkeLawrence ClarkeLawrence Clarke was the Chief Factor of the District of Saskatchewan for the Hudson's Bay Company. He resided at Fort Carlton in Canada. He later became a magistrate...
- Thomas McKay (N.W.T. politician)Thomas McKay (N.W.T. politician)Thomas McKay was a farmer and political figure in Saskatchewan, Canada. He represented Prince Albert in the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories from 1891 to 1894 and from 1898 to 1905. McKay was the brother-in-law of Lawrence Clarke, and like Clarke was connected to the Conservative...
- Louis RielLouis RielLouis David Riel was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political and spiritual leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government and its first post-Confederation Prime Minister, Sir John A....
- Prince Albert, SaskatchewanPrince Albert, SaskatchewanPrince Albert is the third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is situated in the centre of the province on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. The city is known as the "Gateway to the North" because it is the last major centre along the route to the resources of northern Saskatchewan...
- North-West RebellionNorth-West RebellionThe North-West Rebellion of 1885 was a brief and unsuccessful uprising by the Métis people of the District of Saskatchewan under Louis Riel against the Dominion of Canada...
- Prince Albert: The First Century, Gary W. D. Abrams, 1966, Modern Press Saskatoon
- The Voice of the People: Reminiscences of the Prince Albert Settlement’s Early Citizens 1866-1895, Manon Lamontagne, Monique Lamontagne, Verna Redhead, Bob Serjeant & Bill Smiley, 1984, Marion Press Ltd Battleford Saskatchewan.