The marriage of George Norman Allan and Margaret Belleau on February 20, 1919, reflects the enduring kinship networks that connected Métis families from the Upper Great Lakes and Northwestern Ontario.  Their union was witnessed by fellow Métis community members Laura Cecilia Allan, George’s sister, and Richard Charles Lyons, the great-grandson of Nicholas Chatelaine, underscoring the continued role of family and community presence in Métis marriages. Margaret Belleau was born

On September 23, 1908, John B. Boissonneau and Elisabeth Finlayson were married in Thunder Bay, a union that brought together Métis families with ties to Sault Ste. Marie, Fort William, and Northwestern Ontario. These Métis marriages were more than personal unions; they served as community bridges, strengthening shared identity across generations by extending kinship ties. John B. was born to Francois Boissonneau and Marie Corbiere in 1888 in the Sault Ste. Marie region and r

For generations, Métis across the Homeland, including the Georgian Bay Métis Community in the Upper Great Lakes, have relied on fishing to provide sustenance. Ice fishing was a common and important way to keep Métis families and communities fed in the winter months.    An article in the Ann Arbour Register from October 12, 1893, for example, highlights the distinctive and effective ice fishing methods used by Métis in the Upper Great Lakes: “I visited Georgian bay, a part of

James (Jake) Begg was one of many Métis men to serve in the First World War, enlisting in the 94th Battalion, which included recruits from throughout Northern Ontario including Port Arthur, Fort William, Kenora, Rainy River, Fort Frances, and Dryden. James voluntarily enlisted on February 29, 1916, and spent the spring training before departing Canada in early summer. Upon arriving in England in July 1916, James was transferred to the 17th Reserve Battalion and, shortly after

Known affectionately as “Jake” to his family and friends, James Begg was the third of eleven Métis children born to James Sr. and Jemima Begg in Kenora on April 19, 1895. James’ father, James Begg Sr., had relocated to Rat Portage–now known as Kenora–from Manitoba in 1888. He first worked as a bookkeeper for the Hudson's Bay Company at Northwest Angle before joining Murphy Brothers, a Kenora cartage business. He later turned to farming in the nearby township of Melick. In 189

Despite a considerable age difference and being one of eleven siblings, James Young maintained a close relationship with his younger brother, Lawrence, throughout his life. The strong ties of their Métis family extended beyond their home community of Kenora, as both brothers served in the Canadian military during the First World War. Before his service, James was a teamster, living in Kenora next to his extended family and his brother Lawrence through the early 1910s.  James,