From: The Battlefords - A History by Arlean McPherson
In 1882 a large party of farmers arrived from southern Manitoba and settled in what was later called the Bresaylor district. The group included Alexander, David and Herbert Taylor; Charles and James Bremner; Harry, Cleophas and Louis Sayers; George and Edwin Spence; Philip McDonald; Joseph Lambert; Louis Caplette and Alex Setter. The name Bresaylor itself was derived from the surnames of three prominent families in the settlement - Bremner, Sayers and Taylor.
Most of the Bresaylor people had lived all or most of their lives in the North West. Many of them had worked for the HBC prior to the decline of the fur trade. Their practical experience in the country and their knowledge of the land and native people was an invaluable asset to the young Battleford settlement. In 1883 a second large group arrived from southern Manitoba - including William Spence; Edward, Peter and James Fidler; Angus Morrison;Thomas Swayne; Joseph and John G. Tait; Peter Hourie; and William Stevenson.
One of the best known families of Hudson's Bay Company men who settled in Battleford were the Pambruns. Pierre Chrysalogue Pambrun retired from the company after 35 years of service and with his four sons - John, Isadore, Peter and Fred - took up land near the settlement in 1878.
The very existence of the community depended upon yet another group of men who had also been born in the North West and who knew its ways. They were the guides, interpreters, and freighters - and without their services Battleford could not have survived. Born at St. James, now part of Winnipeg, John Todd first came to the settlement in the early summer of 1876 in company with Peter Ballendine. Soon after his arrival he signed a contract with the Government of Canada to carry mail from Battleford to Edmonton. Each return trip took about twenty -one days on the trail and he covered this route some 17 times a year. In summer his "mail coach" was a Red River Cart and in winter a dog sled. In the summer of 1880 he gave up carrying the Queen's mail and took to freighting, establishing something of a record in a 13 day trip from Touchwood Hills to Battleford with loaded carts.
Before and during the Rebellion Riel's emissaries attempted to organize support in the Battleford area, both among the half-breed community and the Indians. They succeeded only to a limited extent. The Stonies, Big Bear's band, and the more excitable element in Poundmaker's band went on the warpath. But the efforts of Poundmaker himself to limit his tribesmen's depredations and of Moosomin to move his band out of the trouble area, meant that even in what is now central Saskatchewan the Indian front was not united. In Battleford most of the half breeds living in and about town, working as freighters, labourers, and interpreters, remained loyal to the government. Only a few openly joined the rebel camp. The large community at Bresaylor, most of whom had migrated to the Saskatchewan from the Red River country in 1882 or 1883, reflected many shades of opinion. They comprised both English-speaking and French-speaking groups. Some were loyal to the Government, a few were sympathetic to Riel, and many were caught in the middle. They wanted to stay uninvolved, to be left alone to look after their farms. In the light of previous experience they were convinced that any rising against Canadian authority was futile; and also that, if the Indians ever took the war path en masse, the handful of Mounted Police at Fort Battleford could afford them little protection. In the end non-involvement proved impossible. Some followed their stolen cattle across to Poundmaker's reserve, some were forced to join the Indians, and many came in to the Fort.
From: Footprints in the Dust by Douglas W. Light
On 12 April 1883, a number of freighters left Battleford under the leadership of Goodwin Marchand to mark out a new trail to the railroad. This caravan included Johnny Prichard, Sam Ballendine, Johnny (Saskatchewan) Longmore, Johnny and Cornelius Pruden, John Todd, Walter Salsbury, W.B. Cameron, Malcom Young and a few others. Before long, mail was carried between these points and the enterprising Peter Ballendine began operating a stage. The charge for passengers was $35.00 one way, and a fast trip could be made in four days as compared to the usual time for carts of five days" ..... "Frank Smart was buried in the new Mounted Police cemetery, beside his friend who had met the same fate, Barney Tremont. Shortly after the Rebellion, Mrs. Smart returned to the East, leaving her two adopted young sons in Battleford where they were brought up by Mr. and Mrs. John Todd.
Prior to the first Rebellion, a number of Metis and Half-Breed families began to form permanent settlements along the Saskatchewan River system. The Half-Breeds tended to settle at Prince Albert, White Fish Lake, and Victoria (Pakan); the Metis concentrated around the Roman Catholic missions of Saint-Albert, Notre Dame De Victoires du Lac La Biche and Lac Sainte-Anne. In addition, many families settled close to the Hudson's Bay Posts at Cumberland House, Fort Carlton, Battleford, Fort Pitt and Fort Edmonton. By 1868, a few Metis families were also wintering around Duck Lake. After the collapse of Riel's Rebellion in 1870, a large number of Metis families left Red River to get away from the continual harassment of the Ontario Orangemen; to be closer to the fast disappearing buffalo herds; and to start a new life in the North-West.
From: Two Months in the Camp of Big Bear by T. Delaney & T. Gowanlock
A settlement of Metis and non-Aboriginal people emerged at Frog Lake in the early 1880s when John Delaney constructed a house, warehouse and shed. By 1885 the village consisted of an HBC post, the buildings of the Indian agency, a Roman Catholic mission, a store operated by George Dill, and a six-man NWMP detachment. Thomas Quinn was the Indian subagent at Frog Lake. He was part Dakota ancestry and he was married to a Cree Woman named Owl Sitting (also known as Jane Quinn after her marriage). Just before the violent outbreak of April 2, and for reasons that remain obscure the NWMP evacuated Frog Lake and went to Fort Pitt. One explanation is that Quinn sent them away, as he was confident that he could command the respect of his charges, and he was concerned that the NWMP could become a target following the events at Duck Lake...Edward Francois Dufresne, Indian Department cook, was another white survivor of that day, and his wife Marguerite Mondion was also brought into the camp. Dufresne was from Quebec and had worked for the HBC for over fifty years. Louis Goulet, Adolphus Nolin, Andre Nault, Pierre Blondin and other Metis were also part of the Plains Cree camp.
From: Saint. Paul de Metis 1909 - St. Paul 1979 by Oliver Noel and Family
.....Another group knew that if left to the authorities it might be a long time before St. Paul would have a railroad. The Chamber of Commerce and other organizations recruited a workforce to repair the eroded grades and lay the track to the townsite. October 1920 saw the first locomotive on construction enter the town limits. The first passenger train made its debut on October 21, 1920. The following is partial list of the known volunteers who worked to finish the railway.
Louis Todd, Farmer
Ed. Dufresne,
Farmer
From: Public Archives, February 1, 1961
Name: Todd Island
Province/Territory : Nunavut
Feature type: Island
Approval date (dd/mm/yy): 05/07/61
Latitude: 68° 27' 00" N
Longitude: 96° 18' 00" W
Map sheet number: 67A
NTS Map : 067A00
Origin/History:
"Named by Simpson, 1839, probably after John Tod or William Todd, or both. John and William signed the Hudson's Bay Company's 'deed poll' of 1834, as Chief Traders." Ninth Report of the Geographic Board of Canada.
Dr. William Todd spelled his name with two d's, while John Tod spelt his with only one d.
Information from: Public Archives,
February 1, 1961.
CGNDB Unique Identifier :
OAQQK
From: NATIONAL ARCHIVES DATABASE:
Reference: RG84
, Canadian Parks Service , Series A-2-a , Volume 1432 , Reel T-14257
File : HS10-243 , Access code: 32
Parts: 1
File Title: Historic Sites - Western Canada - Todd Islands
Outside Dates: 1962
Finding Aid number: 84-2
Page A1 / Front, Saturday August 26, 2000:
By M. Howell, Vancouver Sun
Sat Aug 26, 2000
A B.C. expedition searching in the Arctic for the lost ships of Sir John Franklin has revealed the discovery of what it believes are the graves and remains of five of the British explorer's crew nearly 150 years after they disappeared. Project leader Jim Delgado is calling it an important discovery, and one that adds more pieces to the mysterious disappearance of Franklin, his 128 men and the ships Erebus and Terror. ``We did hit paydirt,'' said Delgado, after leaving the Arctic Tuesday, a day before the graves were revealed. The discovery was made on one of the tiny Todd Islands, called Keeuna. It's just below King William Island, the spot where the drama of the Franklin's search for the Northwest Passage began and ended.
The papers of the Palliser expedition, 1857-1860
Spry, Irene M.
http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/bibliography/56.html
Matching pages: 174 340 396 398 400 402
473 688.
Diary of Nicholas Garry, Deputy-Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company from 1822-1835: a detailed narrative of his travels
in the Northwest Territories of British North America in 1821
Garry, Nicholas, 1781?-1856.
135 pages.
https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.06955/2?r=0&s=1
Mentions Mr. Todd on pages 147 164 165.
Certain correspondence of the Foreign Office and of the Hudson's Bay Company: copied from original documents, London 1898.
Klotz, Otto, 1852-1923.
244 pages.
https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.15105/115?r=0&s=1
Matching pages: 10 70 74.
The letters of Letitia Hargrave
MacLeod, Margaret Arnett, 1877-1966.
488 pages.
http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/bibliography/288.html
Matching pages: xci ci cxxvii cxlvii 135
143 166 200 310.
Todd Lake: Section 36 Township 32 Range 7 Meridian w5 or 51 Longitute 114 Latitude (Clearwater County, near Sundre Alberta at Sarcee Junction)
Lac Dufresne: Section 5 Township 57 Range 6 Meridian w4 or 53 Longitude and 110 Latitude (St. Paul County)
Books by Gail Morin :
- Company Men Vol. 20 - The Laframboise Family
- Lac La Biche Register - Baptism, Marriages and Burials 1853 - 1884 (Cardinal, Desjarlais, etc.)
- Hudson Bay Company Marriages 1820 - 1851 (Todd, Dennet, Favel, Hourie, Inkster, Johnstone, etc.)
- Metis Families Vol. 11 - Sutherland - Zace (Todd)
Local History Books to Research:
TODD; Beautiful Fields; Camrose
TODD; South of the North Saskatchewan; Strathcona
TODD ; 103; Shadows Of The Neutrals; Paintearth
TODD Bros.; Akokiniskway; Mountainview
TODD Family; A History of Champion; Vulcan
TODD FAMILY , ; Pioneer Pathways; Wetaskiwin
TODD, ; Footprints on Mi-Chig-Wun; Kneehill
TODD, ; Prairie Sod and Golden Rod; Rockyview
TODD, Alexander & Alice; Our Treasured Roots;
Sturgeon
TODD, Andy; Trails of Winterburn; Parkland
TODD, Beltram 'Bud'; Gleanings After Pioneers &
Progress; Lacombe
TODD, Billy; Early Furrows; Provost
TODD, Brian & Margaret (Anderson); Wheat Country II; Vulcan
TODD, Clifford; Wheat Country I; Vulcan
TODD, Corporal; Leaves of the Medicine Tree; Foothills
TODD, Cyrus ; 110; Shadows Of The Neutrals; Paintearth
TODD, Daniel; Ten Dollars and a Dream; Northern Lights
TODD, Dave & Shari; Echoes Along the Ribstone; Provost
TODD, Donald; The Battle River Valley; Province
TODD, Dr. William; Paddle Wheels to Bucket-Wheels; Athabasca
TODD, E.; A History of the People of Michichi; Starland
TODD, Frank A.; The Delia Craigmyle Sage; Starland
TODD, Fred, George & William; Wheat Country I; Vulcan
TODD, G B; From Frontier Days in Leduc and District; Leduc
TODD, George; Snake Valley; Vulcan
TODD, George; Trails to Highways; Vulcan
TODD, George Hill; Sons of Wind and Soil; Lethbridge
TODD, George M; Sons of Wind and Soil; Lethbridge
TODD, Henry; Wheat Country I; Vulcan
TODD, Henry Pete; Trails of Winterburn; Parkland
TODD, Heslop & Margaret; Rolling Hills and Whispering Pines; Westlock
TODD, Howard; Land of the Lakes; Lacombe
TODD, Isobel; The Bend; Lethbridge
TODD, J.; Ponoka Panorama; Ponoka
TODD, Jack; Wagon Trails to Hardtop; Lacombe
TODD, Jack; Where Friends and Rivers Meet; Lesser Slave River
TODD, Jack & J. Murray; Prairie Rose Country; Paintearth
TODD, James ; Sons of Wind and Soil; Lethbridge
TODD, James; Wagon Trails to Hardtop; Lacombe
TODD, James and Mary; The Pathfinders; Lac Ste Anne
TODD, Janet (Hope); Echoes Along the Ribstone; Provost
TODD, Jim; Echoes Along the Ribstone; Provost
TODD, Jim & Ida; Echoes Along the Ribstone; Provost
TODD, Jim (See Elevator Saga ; Viking in Progress; Beaver
TODD, John; A Century of Memories, 1883-1983; Foothills
TODD, John; Prairie Rose Country; Paintearth
TODD, John; The Battle River Valley; Province
TODD, John; The Land of Twelve Foot Davis; North West Province
TODD, John; Where Friends and Rivers Meet; Lesser Slave River
TODD, John Oscar; Pioneers and Progress; Lacombe
TODD, John Payne; Sodbusting to Subdivision; Foothills
TODD, Joseph; Pioneers and Progress; Lacombe
TODD, Joseph; Wheat Heart of the West; Lethbridge
TODD, Josephus; Fort Macleod, Our Colorful Past; Willow Creek
TODD, Joshua; Wheat Country I; Vulcan
TODD, Lillian ; 32; Wind, Willows and Prairie Wool; Special Area #3
TODD, Martin & Suzanne; Trails of Winterburn; Parkland
TODD, O. S; Country Crossroads; Barrhead
TODD, R.E.; Echoes Along the Ribstone; Provost
TODD, Robert; Big Hill Country; Rockyview
TODD, Robert; Wheat Country I; Vulcan
TODD, Robert ; 174,267; Oh, The Coal Branch; Yellowhead
TODD, Robert Mann; Sons of Wind and Soil; Lethbridge
TODD, Ronald; Oxen Tales to Jet Trails; Vermilion River
TODD, Sadie; The Prairie Hub; Wheatland
TODD, W H ; 36,37; The Hussar Heritage; Wheatland
TODD, W.H.; Looking Back; Edmonton
TODD, W.H.; The Prairie Hub; Wheatland
TODD, William; A Century of Memories, 1883-1983; Foothills
TODD, William; Leaves of the Medicine Tree; Foothills
TODD, William ; Sons of Wind and Soil; Lethbridge
TODD, Wm.; Life and Legends; Foothills
DUFRENE, Michel; Memoirs Of Father Anthony Sylle; Camrose
DUFRESNE, Malvina; Du Passe Au Present and Past; St Paul
DUFRESNE, Phillip & Jessie; From Out Of The Wilderness;
Athabasca
DUFRESNE, Rev. Fr.; Pioneers of the Peace; Northwest
Province
LAFRAMBOISE, Leopold; Our Crossing, Rivers to Roads; Two Hills
LAFRAMBOISE, Louis-Paul; Dreams Become Realities; St. Paul
LAFRAMBOISE, Michel; Dreams Become Realities; St. Paul
LAFRAMBOISE, Michel; Our Crossing, Rivers to Roads; Two Hills
LABOUCAINE ; 42; Vermilion Memories; Vermilion River
LABOUCAINE, Adlard ; 42; Vermilion Memories; Vermilion River
LABOUCAN (LAFOURNAISE), Gabrielle; The Bitter 'n Sweet; Camrose
LABOUCAN (LAFOURNAISE), Joe; The Bitter 'n Sweet; Camrose
LABOUCAN, Ann (AUGER); Fort Vermilion People; Mackenzie
LABOUCAN, David; Turning the Pages of Time; East Peace
LABOUCAN, Jerome; As The Wheels Turn; Camrose
LABOUCAN, John; The Peacemakers of North Peace; Northwest Province
LABOUCAN, Larone; Fort Vermilion People; Mackenzie
LABOUCAN, Moise; Turning the Pages of Time; East Peace
LABOUCAN, S/Const. NWMP; Pioneers of the Peace; Northwest Province
LABOUCANE Family; Battle River Country; Camrose
LABOUCANE, ; Lure of the Homestead; Camrose
LABOUCANE, ; The Battle River Valley; Province
LABOUCANE, ; The Peacemakers of North Peace; Northwest Province
LABOUCANE, A ; 184; Vermilion Memories; Vermilion River
LABOUCANE, Adaloid ; 36; Vermilion Memories; Vermilion River
LABOUCANE, Adaloyd ; 75; Vermilion Memories; Vermilion River
LABOUCANE, Alfred; Du Passe Au Present and Past; St Paul
LABOUCANE, Catherine; Oxen Tales to Jet Trails; Vermilion River
LABOUCANE, Emily; Du Passe Au Present and Past; St Paul
LABOUCANE, Joe; The Peacemakers of North Peace; Northwest Province
LABOUCANE, Laura; Du Passe Au Present and Past; St Paul
LABOUCANE, Lucy; The Peacemakers of North Peace; Northwest
Province
WHITFORD, Helen Todd; Donalda's Roots and Branches; Stettler