Donald Mackay's Brandon House Journal from July 1793 to June 1794 here
Brandon House Journal 1794-95 here complete
Brandon House Journal 1795-96 here complete
Brandon House Journal 1796-97 here complete
Brandon House Journal 1797-98 here complete
Brandon House Journal 1798-99 here complete
Brandon House Journal 1799-1800 here complete
Brandon House Journal 1800-1801 here complete
Brandon House Journal 1801-1802 here complete
Brandon House Journal 1806-07 here complete
Brandon House Journal 1807-08 here complete
Brandon House Journal 1810-11 here complete
1811 Mutiny here complete
Brandon House Journal 1811-12 here complete
Brandon House Journal 1815-16 here complete. mostly
Brandon House Journal 1817-18 here complete
Brandon House Journal 1818-19 here virtually complete minus some "Astronomical Geographical Minerological & Meteorological" observations
Brandon House Journal Peter Fidler
July 30 1817
" Magnus Spence & son came here from Brandon House 10 Days ago where all our 3 other Freemen are remaining. he says that 3 Bungees lately stole 3 Horses from the Forks and pafsed Brandon House slyly & when they came near Moose head hill 6 miles from this the oldest Indian said that as he had never been on the top of this hill he would now so all went & when they came very near the top up rose suddenly several Indians supposed Mandan fired off their Guns & killed 2 of the 3 Bungees on the spot the other made his escape wounded on horseback 2 arrows in him one near thro his body & galloped to the House when the French pulled out the arrow but the Iron ? remained behind. the blood had softened the Sinnew it was fixed the Shaft & remained - he is now in a lingering state."...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Journal Peter Fidler
Aug. 12 1817
" our Freemen Lyons 2 Favils & Mag Spense pitched their Tents within our Stockades & gave each 2 feet Tobacco & a Dram each & 1 qt Spirits amongst them. They are also pleased at our return"...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Aug. 22 1817
" got away at 5 AM & put up at the Stinking Water at Sunset. Altho I am alone with 7 such? people? They behave very civilly and kindly to me fetching my Horse & saddling him - and cooking and pitching my Tent. [Cuthbert]Grant [Bonhomme?]Montour & self sleep in my Tent. Grant & I under the same Blanket. after we put up he tells me many things about the Conduct of the NWC and he seems to think that he will be able to clear himself Entirely - I told him if he spoke the whole Truth very probably he might get off"...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Aug. 29 1817
" our Freemen John Lyons, Humprey Favel, Thomas Favel & Magnus Spense came here with 6 Carts from Brandon and brought down the Provisions for our people"...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Oct. 7 1817
" John Flett a Freeman came here, engaged him to make Carts for us during the winter as he means to Settle along with Magnus Spense, John Spense and Peter Corrigal next spring. he has his wife & Child with him also his wifes Sister both from Scotland"
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon house Journal Peter Fidler
Oct. 29 1817
..." John Spense came here from Beaver Creek. I had engaged until Mr McDonald? & more men arrived there, paid him for his Months Services there & he & father & Corrigal moved away to hunt Buffalo for themselves. They are all free - Jn Spense wishes to get his father completely established as a farmer and to return to this service again. he is a very steady young man."...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon house Journal Peter Fidler
Nov. 2 1817
" Magnus Spence came here for us to fetch 3 Buffalo from his Tent he has killed for us."
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon house Journal Peter Fidler
Nov. 7 1817
..." Bonhomme Montour took away the Wife belonging to the late Mr. Longmoors son - Magnus Spenses Daughter one of our freemen - but I understand with his consent"
1M17 B.22/a/20
Nov. 8 1817
..." Longmoors son went away for his Country at the Saskatchewan area? and debauched away the Wife of our Canadian Smith - he has two Horses of his own"...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Dec. 4 1817
..." Spoke to John Flett yesterday as I find he uses a whole joint of an Buffalo daily - which is Double of his Allowance"...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Jan. 26 1818
" Jack Spense had killed 18 Cows in the same time our previously engaged hunter only killed 7"...
Jan. 27 1818
" our Hunter & Jack Spense came here & left off for the present Peltiers son ashamed that Jack Spense should kill 21 in the same time he only killed 7"...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Feb.1 1818
..." Some of the Freemen & all of the Indians near Pembina firmly believe that a Bull Buffalo held a long verbal conversation with a Sateaux this winter which they say augers no good following"...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Feb. 17 1818
" Flett repairing a Cart for Magnus spense & also brot home one cow for himself killed by Jack Spense yesterday"...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Feb. 18 1818
" Got home the last of the 10 Cows lately killed by J Spense. Told old Peltier to kill no more for us as we shall have enough whilst it will keep good tho it will be well buried in a deep cellar mixed & surrounded with Large blocks of Ice & Snow"...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Feb. 26 1818
" John Flett & his family moved to Magnus Spense & our Freemen tents about 2 miles off. the whole of them will pitch away as soon as Jack Spense returns from the Forks. he is to examine the river for a good situation as they have now given up the idea they first had of settling at Portage des Prarie as being to distant from the Colony"...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Peter Fidler
March 1 1818
" Jack Spense & party returned here yesterday from the Forks. only 2 1/2 Days coming up tho above 130 miles - he has fixed on the white Horse Plain a bout 18 miles above the Forks for his party to settle at and they will in a very few Days all move down there."
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Peter Fidler
March 7 1818
..." Magnus Spense and party pitched away for the white Horse Plain to settle"...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Peter Fidler
May 20 1818
..." about 1 AM some Stone Indians set fire to the French stockades on purpose to thieve their Horses confined there in the night. but luckily one of the Men wither? went out soon after & discovered it when 4 Pickets was burnt and got it put out. they now keep watch at night & we do the same two men in each of the two Bastions."...
1M17 B.22/a/20
Brandon House Journal Peter Fidler
June 7 1818
" Sunday at 5 PM reach Birsay where Magnus Spence & several others have settled at this spring. - it is a very good situation on the N ? the river. They have got about 4 Bushels of wheat, half as much Barley & some potatos in the Ground & are now hawling wood to make their dwelling Houses. they mean to build 5 Houses for as many families within a picket enclosure to keep their horses from being stolen as the Bungees are much adicted to Horse stealing in the Summer time."...
1M17 B.22/a/21
Brandon house Peter Fidler
Sept. 3 1818
" Went round the greater part of the Colony"..." the Freemen have well supplied all of the People but their price is high 12 lbs of any kind of Dry provisions valued at one Dollar"
1M17 B.22/a/21
Dec 25, 1818
" Gave the men 12 lbs Fat and 10 tongues and one pint of rum each"
1M17 B.22/a/21
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Jan. 24 1819
" Yorstons Guide the french chief & several Indians came in - but have little with them - he is quite dis satisfied with the NW as they only gave him a 2 Gallon Keg rum when he fully expected a big Keg."...
..." salted 450 Tongues in the Big Cask"...
1M17 B.22/a/21
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Feb. 3 1819
..." at night a severe quarrel between the Cree Indian & one of the Freemen - the freeman was much cut with a hatchet & the Cree left for Dead by frequently jumping on him"...
Feb. 4
" The Indian this morning appears as if nothing had happened to him - The Freeman will soon be well"...
1M17 B.22/a/21
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Mar. 19 1819
" 3 Canadians came from the Forks & M. Provencher the high priest accompanied them up. he sleeps at the Canadian House but to get all his victuals here - he soon came over after his arrival & got Dinner - but as this is Lent we luckily had 4 Jackfish in the House - we shall accomodate him in the best manner the place can furnish him"...
1M17 B.22/a/21
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Mar. 21 1819
" Mafs said at the French House. some of us attended, all the freemen nearly with their wives and Children: 25 Children baptised and he said prayers twice afterward. so this was a busy day with him there were upwards of 140 present of all ages & sexes"...
1M17 B.22/a/21
Brandon House Peter Fidler
Apr. 13 1819
" Charles Fidler instead of going down to the Forks with 2 Horses"..." went away to the Indian Tents & James Inksters woman left her Husband & followed him"...
Apr. 18 1819
" Henderson went yesterday to the Indian Tents to bring home James Inksters woman who lately ran away. she says she will never return to him again - tho he has always been very kind to her"
Apr. 27 1819
" Yesterday in the afternoon The Laughing Man & the Tobacco came here & brought back James Inksters woman to him. he gave them for their trouble 1/2 a 10 Gallon Keg of Indian rum besides other things - Charles remains at the Indian Tents they came from this Day"...
1M17 B.22/a/21
Brandon House Journal Peter Fidler
May 6 1819
..." a Freeman lately died at Pembina - he has been badly most of the winter getting much strained in wrestling with a Bear of last spring - before he killed it as he had no weapon nor even a Knife with him"...
1M17 B.22/a/21
A list of Medicines from the Brandon House Accounts 1823
Allum
Blue Vitriol
Brimstone Roll
Camphor
Cloves
Copperas
Harts Horn
Ipecucaanha
Laudanum
Lavender of Spirits
Magnesia Calsined
Nutmegs
Oil Castor
Ointment basilican
Peppermint
Plaister Adhesive
Plaister Blistering
Plaister Strengthening
Purges
Rhubarb
Salt Petre
Salts Epsom
Salts glauber
Salts Sulphur
Squills of Oxymel
Turlingtons Balsam
Vomits
Spirits Sal. Vol.
Wax Bees
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