"Chief Magwawidobait", Joseph-Louis Gill /Abenaki

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Elder Joseph-Louis (Chief Magouaouidombaouit) Gill

Also Known As: "Magouaouidombaouit", "Joseph Gill", "Magwawidobait"
Birthdate:
Birthplace: Odanak Reserve, St. Francis, Yamaska, Quebec, Canada
Death: May 05, 1798 (79)
Odanak, Quebec, Canada
Place of Burial: Yamaska, Quebec, Canada
Immediate Family:

Son of Samuel Joseph Gill, Captured Raised Abenaki and Rosalie Gill, Captured Raised Abenaki
Husband of Elder Marie-Jeanne Gill and Suzanne Francoise Gamelin
Father of Elder Sabael Xavier Antoine Gill Benedict; Antoine Marie Gill, Abenaki; Catherine Plamondon, Abenaki; Suzanne Gill, Abenaki; Abenaki White Grand Chief Augustin Gill, Abenaki and 6 others
Brother of Jeanne Madeleine Jeanne Magdeleine Gill; Josephte Gill; Marie Appoline Gill, Abenaki; Joseph Piche Gill; François Louis Gill and 2 others

Occupation: Abenaki chief, Chief St Francois Abenaki
Tribe: Abenaki
Managed by: Gerald O'Bomsawin
Last Updated:

About "Chief Magwawidobait", Joseph-Louis Gill /Abenaki

Volume IV (1771-1800) Dictionnaire biographique du Canada
http://www.biographi.ca/fr/bio/gill_joseph_louis_4E.html

Volume IV (1771-1800) Dictionary of Canadian Biography
http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/gill_joseph_louis_4E.html

Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online - 1771-1800 (Volume IV) [by Google Translate]

JOSEPH-LOUIS GILL, known as Magouaouidombaouit ("the comrade of the Iroquois"), Grand Chief of the Abenaki of Saint-François, born in 1719 in the mission Saint-François-de-Sales (Odanak, Quebec), died at the same place May 5, 1798.

Grand Chief Joseph-Louis Gill is the most remarkable of the children of the marriage of Samuel Gill and Rosalie James, both captured by the Abenaki on the shores of New England. He married, around 1740, the daughter of the Grand Chief of the Abenaki tribe of Saint-François, Marie-Jeanne Nanamaghemet. Shortly before 1749, he was elected grand chief of these Abenakis; that same year he signed, as well as four other great chiefs, the letter to the canons of the cathedral of Chartres. in France. for the renewal of the Abenaki vow to Notre-Dame [V. Atecouando * (Jerome)].

Like his parents, Gill spent his life among the Indians, but he did not adopt their way of life, preferring hunting agriculture and commerce, which gave him a certain ease. Mrs. Susanna Johnson, a captive he had bought and who lived in his home in 1754, wrote: "He had a shop and his way of life was superior to that of the majority of his tribe. The Gill couple had two sons, Xavier and Antoine. the first being identified by Father Joseph-Pierre-Anselme Maurault * with the so-called Sabatis of whom Mrs. Johnson speaks.

     Joseph-Louis Gill escaped the massacre perpetrated by Major Robert Rogers during the destruction of the village of Abenakis in October 1759; but his wife and two children were taken captive, and only Antoine survived. After the Conquest, Gill was, in several circumstances, the spokesman of the tribe to the English authorities. Thus, on November 24, 1763, he went to meet the new military governor of Trois-Rivières, Haldimand, to give him the assurance that the Abenakis of St. Francis had no correspondence with the Indians of the countries of at the top, raised by Pondiac *, and to ask him that the Jesuit John Baptist de La Brosse replace, as a missionary, Father Pierre-Joseph-Antoine Roubaud. In February 1764 he again met with Haldimand to complain about the encroachments of whites on the hunting grounds of the Abenakis.

Gill's loyalty to the British crown was questioned during the American Revolution. During the summer of 1778, five Americans who had escaped from Quebec's prisons were taken over by the Abenaki scouts, ten leagues from the village of Saint-Francois-de-Sales. A map of the Saint Francis River was found on them, which Gill had traced to guide them to New England. Having heard the news of their capture, Gill fled. We do not see him again for two years. In 1780, to win the followers of Gill among the Abenaki, the superintendent of the Department of Indian Affairs in Montreal, John Campbell, proposed to send for him to Cohoes (Newbury, Vermont), where it was learned that he was and to promise him forgiveness. At the end of August, Gill surrendered to Captain Luke Schmid, whom he met at the Saint-Hyacinthe blockhouse on the Yamaska ​​River. Haldimand, who had become governor of the province, granted him his pardon and made him take the oath of allegiance to the king.

To give proof of his loyalty to the government, and at the same time to dissipate the prejudices of the other Abenaki towards him, Joseph-Louis Gill set out in May 1781 on the side of Cohoes to make some prisoner. By some cunning, he managed to seize Major Benjamin Whitcomb. Unfortunately his prisoner escaped him a few leagues from Saint-Francois-de-Sales. Abenakis accused him of letting Whitcomb escape because he promised to save the village if the "Bastonnais" came to Canada. This accusation was probably unjustified, for it was learned the following year that Whitcomb was planning to come and capture Gill and burn his house and the whole village.

At the end of his life, Joseph-Louis Gill was appointed Chief of the Prayer. As such, he held the first place in the church after the missionary, and in the absence of the latter, he presided at the common prayers that were made daily. This function also made him a kind of prefect of religious discipline. He died on May 5, 1798 and was buried in the Abenaki church.

Gill remarried on November 2, 1763, at Baie-du-Febvre (Baieville, Quebec), with Suzanne, daughter of the militia captain Antoine Gamelin, dit Chateauvieux; from this union were born six sons and two daughters from whom the most illustrious representatives of the Gill family descend, notably Ignace * who was deputy of Yamaska ​​under the Union.

Thomas-M. Charland

_________________ Dictionnaire biographique du Canada en ligne - 1771-1800 (Volume IV)

JOSEPH-LOUIS GILL, dit Magouaouidombaouit (« le camarade de l’Iroquois »), grand chef des Abénaquis de Saint-François, né en 1719 dans la mission Saint-François-de-Sales (Odanak, Québec), décédé au même endroit le 5 mai 1798.

      Joseph-Louis Gill est le plus remarquable des enfants issus du mariage de Samuel Gill et de Rosalie James, tous deux capturés par les Abénaquis sur les côtes de la Nouvelle-Angleterre. Il épousa, vers 1740, la fille du grand chef de la tribu des Abénaquis de Saint-François, Marie-Jeanne Nanamaghemet. Peu avant 1749, il fut élu grand chef de ces Abénaquis ; cette même année, il signa, ainsi que quatre autres grands chefs, la lettre aux chanoines de la cathédrale de Chartres. en France. pour le renouvellement du vœu des Abénaquis à Notre-Dame [V.%C2%A0Atecouando* (Jérôme)].

      Comme ses parents, Gill passa sa vie parmi les Indiens, mais il n’adopta toutefois pas leur genre de vie, préférant à la chasse l’agriculture et le commerce, qui lui procurèrent une certaine aisance. Mme Susanna Johnson, une captive qu’il avait achetée et qui vécut chez lui en 1754, écrit :           « Il tenait un magasin et sa manière de vivre était supérieure à celle de la majorité des membres de sa tribu. » Le couple Gill eut deux fils, Xavier et Antoine. le premier étant identifié par l’abbé Joseph-Pierre-Anselme Maurault* avec le dénommé Sabatis dont parle Mme Johnson.

      Joseph-Louis Gill échappa au massacre perpétré par le major Robert Rogers lors de la destruction du village des Abénaquis en octobre 1759 ; mais sa femme et ses deux enfants furent emmenés en captivité, et seul Antoine survécut. Après la Conquête, Gill fut, en plusieurs circonstances, le porte-parole de la tribu auprès des autorités anglaises. C’est ainsi que, le 24 novembre 1763, il alla rencontrer le nouveau gouverneur militaire de Trois-Rivières, Haldimand, pour lui donner l’assurance que les Abénaquis de Saint-François n’entretenaient aucune correspondance avec les Indiens des pays d’en haut, soulevés par Pondiac*, et pour lui demander que le jésuite Jean-Baptiste de La Brosse remplace, comme missionnaire, le père Pierre-Joseph-Antoine Roubaud. En février 1764, il rencontra de nouveau Haldimand pour se plaindre des empiétements des Blancs sur le territoire de chasse des Abénaquis.

      La loyauté de Gill envers la couronne britannique fut mise en doute lors de la Révolution américaine. Au cours de l’été de 1778, cinq Américains qui s’étaient échappés des prisons de Québec furent repris par les éclaireurs abénaquis, à dix lieues du village de Saint-François-de-Sales. On trouva sur eux un plan de la rivière Saint-François que leur avait tracé Gill pour les guider jusqu’en Nouvelle-Angleterre. Ayant appris la nouvelle de leur capture, Gill prit la fuite. On ne le revit pas pendant deux ans. En 1780, pour gagner les partisans que Gill avait parmi les Abénaquis, le surintendant du département des Affaires indiennes à Montréal, John Campbell, proposa de l’envoyer chercher à Cohoes (Newbury, Vermont), où on avait appris qu’il se trouvait, et de lui promettre le pardon. À la fin du mois d’août, Gill se livra au capitaine Luke Schmid, qu’il rencontra au blockhaus de Saint-Hyacinthe, sur la rivière Yamaska. Haldimand, devenu gouverneur de la province, lui accorda son pardon et lui fit prêter le serment d’allégeance au roi. Pour donner une preuve de sa loyauté envers le gouvernement, et en même temps pour dissiper les préventions des autres Abénaquis à son endroit, Joseph-Louis Gill partit, en mai 1781, du côté de Cohoes pour faire quelque prisonnier. Par on ne sait quelle ruse, il réussit à s’emparer du major Benjamin Whitcomb. Malheureusement son prisonnier lui échappa à quelques lieues de Saint-François-de-Sales. Des Abénaquis l’accusèrent d’avoir laissé échapper Whitcomb parce que celui-ci lui aurait promis d’épargner le village si les « Bastonnais » venaient à prendre le Canada. Cette accusation était probablement injustifiée, car on apprit, l’année suivante, que Whitcomb projetait de venir capturer Gill et de brûler sa maison, ainsi que tout le village.

      Sur la fin de sa vie, Joseph-Louis Gill fut nommé chef de la prière. À ce titre, il occupait le premier rang dans l’église après le missionnaire, et, en l’absence de ce dernier, il présidait aux prières communes qui s’y faisaient quotidiennement. Cette fonction faisait aussi de lui une espèce de préfet de discipline religieuse. Il mourut le 5 mai 1798 et fut inhumé dans l’église des Abénaquis.

      Gill s’était remarié, le 2 novembre 1763, à Baie-du-Febvre (Baieville, Québec), avec Suzanne, fille du capitaine de milice Antoine Gamelin, dit Châteauvieux ; de cette union naquirent six fils et deux filles dont descendent les représentants les plus illustres de la famille Gill, notamment Ignace* qui fut député d’Yamaska sous l’Union.

Thomas-M. Charland



About English (default) edit | history Dictionnaire biographique du Canada en ligne - 1771-1800 (Volume IV)

GILL, JOSEPH-LOUIS, dit Magouaouidombaouit (« le camarade de l’Iroquois »), grand chef des Abénaquis de Saint-François, né en 1719 dans la mission Saint-François-de-Sales (Odanak, Québec), décédé au même endroit le 5 mai 1798.

     Joseph-Louis Gill est le plus remarquable des enfants issus du mariage de Samuel Gill et de Rosalie James, tous deux capturés par les Abénaquis sur les côtes de la Nouvelle-Angleterre. Il épousa, vers 1740, la fille du grand chef de la tribu des Abénaquis de Saint-François, Marie-Jeanne Nanamaghemet. Peu avant 1749, il fut élu grand chef de ces Abénaquis ; cette même année, il signa, ainsi que quatre autres grands chefs, la lettre aux chanoines de la cathédrale de Chartres. en France. pour le renouvellement du vœu des Abénaquis à Notre-Dame [V. Atecouando* (Jérôme)].

Comme ses parents, Gill passa sa vie parmi les Indiens, mais il n’adopta toutefois pas leur genre de vie, préférant à la chasse l’agriculture et le commerce, qui lui procurèrent une certaine aisance. Mme Susanna Johnson, une captive qu’il avait achetée et qui vécut chez lui en 1754, écrit : « Il tenait un magasin et sa manière de vivre était supérieure à celle de la majorité des membres de sa tribu. » Le couple Gill eut deux fils, Xavier et Antoine. le premier étant identifié par l’abbé Joseph-Pierre-Anselme Maurault* avec le dénommé Sabatis dont parle Mme Johnson.
Joseph-Louis Gill échappa au massacre perpétré par le major Robert Rogers lors de la destruction du village des Abénaquis en octobre 1759 ; mais sa femme et ses deux enfants furent emmenés en captivité, et seul Antoine survécut. Après la Conquête, Gill fut, en plusieurs circonstances, le porte-parole de la tribu auprès des autorités anglaises. C’est ainsi que, le 24 novembre 1763, il alla rencontrer le nouveau gouverneur militaire de Trois-Rivières, Haldimand, pour lui donner l’assurance que les Abénaquis de Saint-François n’entretenaient aucune correspondance avec les Indiens des pays d’en haut, soulevés par Pondiac*, et pour lui demander que le jésuite Jean-Baptiste de La Brosse remplace, comme missionnaire, le père Pierre-Joseph-Antoine Roubaud. En février 1764, il rencontra de nouveau Haldimand pour se plaindre des empiétements des Blancs sur le territoire de chasse des Abénaquis.
La loyauté de Gill envers la couronne britannique fut mise en doute lors de la Révolution américaine. Au cours de l’été de 1778, cinq Américains qui s’étaient échappés des prisons de Québec furent repris par les éclaireurs abénaquis, à dix lieues du village de Saint-François-de-Sales. On trouva sur eux un plan de la rivière Saint-François que leur avait tracé Gill pour les guider jusqu’en Nouvelle-Angleterre. Ayant appris la nouvelle de leur capture, Gill prit la fuite. On ne le revit pas pendant deux ans. En 1780, pour gagner les partisans que Gill avait parmi les Abénaquis, le surintendant du département des Affaires indiennes à Montréal, John Campbell, proposa de l’envoyer chercher à Cohoes (Newbury, Vermont), où on avait appris qu’il se trouvait, et de lui promettre le pardon. À la fin du mois d’août, Gill se livra au capitaine Luke Schmid, qu’il rencontra au blockhaus de Saint-Hyacinthe, sur la rivière Yamaska. Haldimand, devenu gouverneur de la province, lui accorda son pardon et lui fit prêter le serment d’allégeance au roi. Pour donner une preuve de sa loyauté envers le gouvernement, et en même temps pour dissiper les préventions des autres Abénaquis à son endroit, Joseph-Louis Gill partit, en mai 1781, du côté de Cohoes pour faire quelque prisonnier. Par on ne sait quelle ruse, il réussit à s’emparer du major Benjamin Whitcomb. Malheureusement son prisonnier lui échappa à quelques lieues de Saint-François-de-Sales. Des Abénaquis l’accusèrent d’avoir laissé échapper Whitcomb parce que celui-ci lui aurait promis d’épargner le village si les « Bastonnais » venaient à prendre le Canada. Cette accusation était probablement injustifiée, car on apprit, l’année suivante, que Whitcomb projetait de venir capturer Gill et de brûler sa maison, ainsi que tout le village.
Sur la fin de sa vie, Joseph-Louis Gill fut nommé chef de la prière. À ce titre, il occupait le premier rang dans l’église après le missionnaire, et, en l’absence de ce dernier, il présidait aux prières communes qui s’y faisaient quotidiennement. Cette fonction faisait aussi de lui une espèce de préfet de discipline religieuse. Il mourut le 5 mai 1798 et fut inhumé dans l’église des Abénaquis.
Gill s’était remarié, le 2 novembre 1763, à Baie-du-Febvre (Baieville, Québec), avec Suzanne, fille du capitaine de milice Antoine Gamelin, dit Châteauvieux ; de cette union naquirent six fils et deux filles dont descendent les représentants les plus illustres de la famille Gill, notamment Ignace* qui fut député d’Yamaska sous l’Union.



Magwawidobait is my husband's 6th generation great grand uncle.

He was Chief of the Abenaki Odanak Village in the mid to late 18th century. Being a good negotiator between the British and other Indian Tribes who aligned with the British, he avoided much trouble regarding raids the British initiated.

He is said to be buried in the Church at Odanak, PQue, Canada.

Elder Joseph Louis (Magwawidobait-K'toleque) "His Majesty Chief Joseph Orono" Gill-St Castin-Madockawando Gill∼In order to be able to serve with the United States, he had to create an Alternate Persona. This was accomplished through Penobscot. He became Joseph Orono, a mysterious figure out of nowhere, already old and disappeared just as mysteriously... After his daughters death in 1801, his death was announced in Old Town, where great Ceremony was held to Honor him. Afterward, many stories arose about this mysterious figure. Many people claimed to know when and where he died, making up outlandish claims to make themselves seem important... His father was among the many Rescues of his time, and was Adopted into the House of St Castin and Madockawando. His first wife "Theresa Marie" or "Marie Theresa" was a daughter of St Castin, who died at her father's side during an Attack from the Colonies. He later remarried another Rescue named Rosalie James and had many other children. Joseph Louis is his only "Known" child from his first wife.* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: May 1 2020, 2:37:14 UTC


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He was the white chief of the Abenakis


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<p style="text-align: left;" dir="ltr"> </p>
<p id="paragraph_314113" class="FirstParagraph">GILL, JOSEPH-LOUIS, known also as Magouaouidombaouit, meaning friend of the Iroquois, a principal chief of the Abenakis of Saint-François; b. 1719 at the Saint-François-de-Sales mission (Odanak, Que.); d. there 5 May 1798.</p>
<p id="paragraph_314114" class="NormalParagraph">Joseph-Louis Gill was the most notable of the children of Samuel Gill and his wife Rosalie (née James?), who had both been captured by Abenakis on the New England coast. Around 1740 he married Marie-Jeanne Nanamaghemet, daughter of a principal chief of the Abenakis of Saint-François. Some time before 1749 Gill was elected a principal chief; in that year he and the four other principal chiefs signed the letter to the canons of the cathedral of Chartres, France, renewing the Abenakis’ vow to Our Lady of Chartres [see <a href="http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/atecouando_1749_57_3E.html" hreflang="en">Atecouando*</a> (Jérôme)].</p>
<p id="paragraph_314112" class="NormalParagraph">Although Gill spent his life among the Indians as had his parents, he did not totally adopt the Abenaki way of life, preferring farming and business, which brought him a comfortable living, to hunting. Mrs Susanna Johnson, a captive whomhe had bought and who was living in his home in 1754, wrote: “He kept a store of goods and lived in a style far above the majority of his tribe.” The Gills had two sons, Xavier and Antoine; the latter has been identified by Abbé Joseph-Pierre-Anselme <a href="http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/maurault_joseph_pierre_anselme_9E.html" hreflang="en">Maurault*</a> as the Sabatis mentioned by Mrs Johnson. Gill escaped the massacre perpetrated by Major Robert <a href="http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/rogers_robert_4E.html" hreflang="en">Rogers</a>, who destroyed the Abenakis’ village in October 1759, but his wife and two children were taken captive and only Antoine survived.</p>
<p id="paragraph_314115" class="NormalParagraph">On several occasions after the conquest Gill was the tribe’s spokesman to the British authorities. Thus on 24 Nov. 1763 he went to meetthe new military governor of Trois-Rivières, Frederick <a href="http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/haldimand_frederick_5E.html" hreflang="en">Haldimand</a>, to assure him that the Indians of Saint-François had no dealings with those in the pays den haut who had been incited to revolt by <a href="http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/pontiac_3E.html" hreflang="en">Pontiac*</a> and to request that the Jesuit Jean-Baptiste de <a href="http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/la_brosse_jean_baptiste_de_4E.html" hreflang="en">La Brosse</a> replace Father Pierre-Joseph-Antoine <a href="http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/roubaud_pierre_joseph_antoine_4E.html" hreflang="en">Roubaud</a> as missionary. In February 1764 he met Haldimand again, to complain of encroachments by the whites on Abenaki hunting grounds.</p>
<p id="paragraph_314116" class="NormalParagraph">Gill’s loyalty to the British crown was questioned during the American revolution. In the summer of 1778 five Americans who had escaped from prison in Quebec were recaptured by Abenaki scouts ten leagues from the village of Saint-François-de-Sales. They had in their possession a map of the Rivière Saint-François which Gillhad drawn to guide them to New England. Upon learning of their capture, Gill fled and was not seen again for two years. In 1780, to win over his supporters in the tribe, the superintendent of Indian affairs in Montreal, Lieutenant-Colonel John <a href="http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/campbell_john_1731_95_4E.html" hreflang="en">Campbell</a>, proposed sending to Cohoes (Newbury, Vt) for him, since he was known to be living there, and promising him a pardon. At the end of August Gill gave himself up to Captain Luke Schmid, whom he met at the blockhouse atSaint-Hyacinthe on the Yamaska River. Haldimand, now governor of the province, granted him a pardon and administered the oath of allegiance. To prove his loyalty to the government and to dispel the other Abenakis’ prejudices against him, Gill went off towards Cohoes in May 1781 to take a prisoner. Through a trick he succeeded in capturing Major Benjamin Whitcomb, but his prisoner escaped when they were a few leagues from Saint-François-de-Sales. Some Abenakis accused Gill of having let him escape because Whitcomb was supposed to have promised him that he would spare thevillage if the Bostonnais succeeded in taking Canada. This charge was probably unjustified, for it was learned the following year that Whitcomb was planning to come to capture Gill and burn his houseas well as the rest of the village.</p>
<p id="paragraph_314117" class="NormalParagraph">Towards the end of his life Gill was made prayer leader. In this capacity he was the most important person in the church after the missionary, and in the latter’s absence he led the daily communal prayers. This role also made him a sort of prefect responsible for religious discipline. He died on 5 May 1798 and was buried in the Abenaki church.</p>
<p id="paragraph_314118" class="NormalParagraph">On 2 Nov. 1763, at Baie-du-Febvre (Baieville, Que.), he had remarried; he and his wife Suzanne, daughter of the militia captain Antoine Gamelin, dit Châteauvieux, had six sons and two daughters. 

<span style="font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-transform: none; float: none; font-weight: 400; color: #222222; font-style: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; display: inline !important; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: #f1f1f1; text-indent: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"> "Joseph-Louis Gill se maria à la fille du grand Chef des Abénakis. Il était le plus remarquable des fils de Samuel Gill. Tous ceux qui se sont les plus distingués dans la famille Gill, descendent de lui, par son mariage en secondes noces avec Suzanne Gamelin. Il avait des talents remarquables. Ainsi, pendant toute sa vie, il tint la première place au milieu des <em style="font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-transform: none; font-weight: 400; color: #222222; font-style: italic; orphans: 2; widows: 2; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: #f1f1f1; text-indent: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">sauvages</em><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-transform: none; float: none; font-weight: 400; color: #222222; font-style: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; display: inline !important; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: #f1f1f1; text-indent: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">. Il gagnait sa vie, par le moyen d'un petit négoce qu'il exerçait dans le village de Saint-François. Il fut grand Chef des Abénakis pendant plus de cinquante ans. Cependant, comme il montrait quelquefois des sympathies pour les anglais et les Iroquois, les indiens se défiaient de lui et l'appellèrent, pour cette raison, "Mag8a8idôba8it", le camarade ou l'ami de l'Iroquois. Quelques uns même, croyant voir en lui en ennemi caché, résolurent un jour de le tuer, et allèrent dans ce but se mettre en embuscade dans la forêt, située près du village. Mais heureusement qu'il ne tomba pas dans cette embuscade. sur la fin de ses jours, il était vénéré par les indiens. Alors il fut nommé <em style="font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-transform: none; font-weight: 400; color:#222222; font-style: italic; orphans: 2; widows: 2; letter-spacing: normal; background-color: #f1f1f1; text-indent: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Chef de la priére</em><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-transform: none; float: none; font-weight: 400; color: #222222; font-style: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; display: inline !important; letter-spacing:normal; background-color: #f1f1f1; text-indent: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">. Il tenait dans l'église la première place après le missionnaire."
Translated: Joseph-Louis Gill was married to the daughter ofthe high chief of the Abenakis. He was the most notable of the sons of Samuel Gill. All of the most notable descendents of the Gill family are his descendents from his second marriage to Suzanne Gamelin. He had some remarkable talents. Also, throught his life, he maintained the top place in the midst of the <<savages>>. He made his living from a small commercial outlet that he ran in the village of St. François. He was the high chief of the Abenaki for more than fifty years. He often showed sympathy towards the English and the Iroquois peoples, some of the Indians defied him and called him, for that reason, Magwawidobait, which means the friend of the Iroquois. Some amongst them, seeing in him the possibility of a hidden enemy, resolved to one day kill him, and went to ambush him in the woods with this goal. Towards the end of his life, he was venerated by the other Indians. And he was then named prayer leader in the church, holding the highest position after the missionary himself. </p>

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"Chief Magwawidobait", Joseph-Louis Gill /Abenaki's Timeline

1719
May 5, 1719
Odanak Reserve, St. Francis, Yamaska, Quebec, Canada
1747
1747
Penobscot County, Maine, USA
1763
April 1763
St.-Francois-du-Lac, Yamaska, Quebec, Canada
1764
April 4, 1764
Saint-François-du-Lac, Nicolet-Yamaska, Québec, Canada
1765
1765
St. Francois du Lac.Gamaska, Quebec, Canada
1768
August 24, 1768
St Francois du Lac, Yamaska, Quebec, Can
1770
1770
Ste Francois Du Lac Yamaska Quebec Canada
1772
August 17, 1772
St Francois du Lac, Yamaska, Quebec, Can