The Life, Events, and Players in the North-West is comprised of several smaller collections within Bruce Peel Special Collections that contain materials related to the history and culture of the north-west of what would become Canada.
Place: [Grand River]
From: A. Nelles
To: Townley
Details: 2pp
Notes: Reverend Abraham Nelles of the Mohawk Chapel for the Six Nations on Grand River writes to Reverend Adam Townley, thanking him for offering to give an account of the bishop's recent visit to the Mohawk. Rev. Nelles then relates some details of the visit and names some of the people who participated, including students of the Mohawk Institute school.
The letter is undated, but certain assumptions can be made.
- Reverend Abraham Nelles refers to Reverend Adam Elliot, who took the position of missionary in the Grand River area in 1838.
- Rev. Nelles then refers to the "young man Peter Martin who interpreted some of the speeches . . . & is now studying for ordination" which seems to be a reference to Oronhyatekha, the famous leader of the Independent Order of Foresters, who was baptized Peter Martin and attended the Mohawk Institute industrial school near the Grand River reserve from 1846–54.
- "The chief who first addressed the Bishop is a Mohawk by name Johnson." This may be a reference to Chief John “Smoke” Johnson, who was well known for his oratorial gifts in the English and Mohawk languages. Smoke Johnson's son, George Henry Martin Johnson, served as interpreter for Rev. Elliot and lived with the missionary's family during the 1840s. Given the close relationship George Johnson had with the missionaries, it seems unlikely that he was the chief Rev. Nelles referred to by surname only.
From these references, it appears this letter was written in the late 1840s.
Place: Church Missionary Society [London, England]
From: Church Missionary Society
To: Rev. J. Smithurst
Delivery: Forwarded by the Church Missionary Society to Red River Settlement via Hudson’s Bay Company supply ship and canoe brigade, and then by courier to the Indian Settlement at Netley Creek
Details: One (1) large sheet of paper + integral address face
Notes: An invoice, showing expenses and salary for the period May 31, 1846 to June 1, 1847.
Church Missionary SocietyPlace: Cumberland Station
From: Charles Thomas
To: Revd John Smithurst, Indian Settlement
Details: 1pp and integral address face
Notes: Charles Thomas is one of the baptized Natives living at Cumberland Station. In this letter to Rev. Smithurst, Thomas mentions Rev. Hunter, making it possible to date this letter between 1846 and 1854.