Lewis Solomon: A Seasoned Storyteller

Lewis Solomon was a prominent figure throughout the Upper Great Lakes Métis community, known for his extensive travels as a Métis guide throughout the region. His numerous adventures ensured he had a remarkable collection of stories, a direct result of his life of constant movement and connection-making.

Solomon offered insights into his lifetime of memorable experiences in A.C. Osborne’s, The Migration of Voyageurs from Drummond Island to Penetanguishene in 1828. Lewis’ narrative, along with those of other members of his Métis community, is “presented almost, or as nearly as possible, in [his] own words.” 

With the smooth wit of a seasoned storyteller, Lewis’s narrative begins with the proper spelling of his name, so as to emphasize its proper English pronunciation, jokingly noting that most people in his predominantly French-speaking community call him “Louie”.

One of Lewis’s notable stories involves a treasure-seeking trip to Beausoleil Island with a Jesuit priest. He recounted, "Once I took a Jesuit priest to Beausoleil Island to look for a Eucharist said to be buried there, with French and Spanish silver coins, guns, axes, etc.” 

Drawing on his deep knowledge of the land and skills honed over decades of travel, Solomon knew exactly where the priest wanted to search. So, too, did Lewis know that the treasure hunter’s efforts would ultimately be in vain, just like those of many others before and after, joking that, “Many pits have been dug on Beausoleil Island.”

Lewis’s other stories shared with A.C. Osborne include his family’s relocation from Drummond Island to Penetanguishene following the War of 1812, as well as his renowned career as a Métis guide in the Upper Great Lakes. 

Crucially, Lewis Solomon’s narratives underscore his Georgian Bay Métis Community as a distinct, proud and closely-knit collective, who maintained deep connections with each other and to other Métis communities across the Métis Homeland.

See Our Sources

• The Migration of Voyageurs from Drummond Island to Penetanguishene in 1828

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