James Isbister (1833 - 1915)

Born 29 Nov 1833 in Oxford House, Northwest Territories

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Bear) Isbister — married 1 Jan 1859 in Fort a la Corne, Northwest Territories

Descendants

Died 16 Oct 1915 at age 81 in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada

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James Isbister is Notable.

James Isbister was a Canadian First Peoples and member of the Metis Nation.

Biography

• Baptized July 17, 1842

• The founder of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, this fur trader and farmer was born November 29, 1833 at Oxford House. He was the son of John Isbister, an Orkneyman employed with HBC, and Francis Sinclair an English Métisse. James Isbister married Margaret Bear on January 1, 1859, at Fort à la Corne. Margaret Bear was the daughter of William Bear and Marguerite Tait.

• An interpreter for the Hudson's Bay Company 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. 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 1866, when Isbister moved a short distance away, several families were living in the district, which was known as Isbister's Settlement.

• 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 lead the people in seeking government action to address the situation. Local settlers' perception of government inaction culminated 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.

• Father John A Isbister Birth: ABT 1794 in Orkney Islands, Scotland. Death: 1884
• Mother Fannie SinclairBirth: 1 Mar 1818 in Oxford House. Death: 13 Dec 1879 in St. Paul, Manitoba, Canada

• Marriage Margaret Bear on 1855 at Fort A la Corne, Saskatchewan, Canada. Birth: ABT 1842.

• Children:
• Mary Fanny Isbister: Birth: 18 Aug 1859.
• Richard Hardisty Isbister: Birth: 14 Jan 1862 in St. Peters, Manitoba, Canada.
• Mary Jane Isbister: Birth: 10 Jan 1866 in Prince Albert, Alberta, Canada.
• Christine Anderson Isbister: Birth: 2 Aug 1867.
• Edward Charles Isbister: Birth: 26 Jul 1870 in Cumberland House.
• Nancy Saundrie Isbister: Birth: 10 Feb 1874 in Prince Albert, Alberta, Canada.
• Eliza Pruden Isbister: Birth: 23 Apr 1876 in Prince Albert, Alberta, Canada.
• Joseph Isbister: Birth: 23 May 1878 in South Branch.
• George * Isbister: Birth: 16 Sep 1879 in Prince Albert, Alberta, Canada. Death: 20 Sep 1882 in Prince Albert, Alberta, Canada
• Minnie Isbister: Birth: 28 Jul 1881 in South Branch.

• Metis Scrip

• Isbister, James - Concerning his claim as a head of family - Address, Prince Albert - Born, November 29, 1833 - Father, John Isbister, (Scot) - Mother, Fanny Sinclair, (Métis) - Married, 1859 at Fort a la Corne to Margaret Bear - Children living, eight (names on declaration) - Children deceased, seven - Scrip for $160 - Claim 1370 = Isbister, James - concernant sa réclamation à titre de chef de famille - résidence, Prince Albert - né, le 29 novembre, 1833 - père, John Isbister, (Ecossais) - mère, Fanny Sinclair, (Métisse) - marié, en 1859 à Fort à la Corne à Margaret Bear - enfants vivants, huit (noms inscrits sur la demande) - enfants décédés, sept - certificat au montant de 160$ - no de réclamation 1370

• https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?app=fonandcol&IdNumber=1497960&new=-8585558386096916101

Sources

• scribd

• wikipedia

• biographi.ca

• rootsweb

• Manitoba archives

• "Canada Census, 1901," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHR2-MM5 : 16 December 2019), James Isbister, Saskatchewan, The Territories, Canada; citing p. 1, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa.

• "Canada, Northwest Provinces Census, 1906," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHV4-G21 : 1 April 2016), James Isbister, 22, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Canada; Public Archives, Ottawa, Ontario.

• "Recensement du Canada de 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9P-FWPZ : 16 March 2018), James Isbistes, 1911; citing Census, Prince Albert Sub-Districts 1-24, Saskatchewan, Canada, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 2,418,577.

• findagrave

Acknowledgments

• Brenda Faulkner