John Leonard, a British Columbia Pioneer

JOHN LEONARD

Hudson's Bay Company Servant, 1834-59, Settler at Kamloops in British Columbia

John Lennard; John Linniard; John Linnart; John Linneard; John Lenniard; J. Baptiste Lanor

John Leonard is the fourth child and youngest son of Peter Leonard. He was born on 15 May 1811 and his baptism was registered at Rousay in Orkney, Scotland, on 18 May 1811. At the time of his birth his father was living at Savieskaill in the Wasbister district of Rousay and it seems likely that John was born there. His baptismal record reads as follows: "John, son to Peter Lennard & Janet Lowtit, Savieskaill, was born 15th May, and baptized 18th before witnesses". [National Records of Scotland, Rousay and Egilsay Baptisms, reference OPR.24/1]

John Leonard's father, Peter Leonard, is occasionally noticed as Peter Robertson. For example, in the baptismal record of his daughter Janet dated 4 December 1802, and the baptismal record of his daughter Marion dated 12 March 1804. Robertson was evidently the patronymic of the Leonard family, For example, in an instrument of sasine dated 30 August 1711, James Leonard: "indweller in the island of Rowsey” is identified as the third son of: “the deceased George Robertson and Euphame Isbuster”. [National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Orkney, RS45/7/ff. 299v-300v]

The Hudson's Bay Company

According to Bruce H. Watson, John Leonard entered the service of the Hudson's Bay Company in 1834. He is reported to have signed the company's contract at Birsay in the Orkney parish of the same name. Watson identifies him as John Linniard, a farmer west of the Rockies during the years 1835-61, who probably settled in British Columbia, Canada. Orkneymen with the Hudson's Bay Company The employment record of John Leonard appears to have been conflated with that of another employee of the same name, a French-Canadian named Jean Baptiste Leonard. Hudson's Bay Company Archives: Biographical Sheets

Bruce H. Watson's preliminary identification is supported by John Leonard's absence from the Scottish census returns for 1841, 1851 and 1861. In particular, the census which was enumerated on 30 March 1851, where his first wife, Helen Gibbon, is identified as: "Ellen Leonard wife of a Hudson's Bay labourer". [National Records of Scotland, Scottish Census Return for 1851, registration district 24 (Rousay and Egilsay), enumeration book 2, page 3]

Further proof of Bruce H. Watson's identification seems unnecessary but it is provided by the frenchified record of John Leonard's second christian marriage, to a Secwepemc woman named Marguerite Sllortssa, who belonged to the Kamloops Indian Band.The marriage took place at Kamloops in British Columbia on 28 December 1868, and in the record which it generated John Leonard is identified as "J. Baptiste Lanor" age 55, born "Hockney Island" son of "Peter Lanor", workman. British Columbia Marriage Registrations

Following John Leonard's accidental death in about 1868, the sons of his marriage to Marguerite Sllortssa "were brought up in the Kamloops Band as Indians" [Jean Barman, Sojourning Sisters: The Lives And Letters Of Jessie And Annie McQueen (University of Toronto Press Incorporated, 2003), page 136] but John Leonard, junior, and his younger brother Louis seem to have been well aware of their father's roots, or the census enumerator was, perhaps, for the Canadian Federal Census of 1881 identifies them as Roman Catholics and ethnic Scots 1881 Census Canada John and Louis, together with their brother Joseph, aged 10, were also recorded in the return for the household of Jéróme Hiheilist, where they were identified as indigenous Roman Catholics. 1881 Census of Canada

Fort Alexandria

John Leonard (Otherwise John Linneard, or John Lenniard) served at Fort Alexandria in British Columbia. Nancy Marguerite Anderson published extracts from the Journals of Fort Alexandria for 1842-43 on her website. [Furtrade Family History, by Nancy Marguerite Anderson]

1842: "Monday 21st. Despatched Mr. Donald McLean for Chilcotins on Saturday last, with Linneard & Marineau & sundry goods & prov[ision]s as per Blotter. Horses as per do".

Spring 1843: On Friday: 'Men of the establishment are variously employed. Lenniard, LeFevre, Theriouax & Indian ploughing, harrowing & rolling wheat"

1843: On the 7th of August the men are still covering the boat shed with grass, and "Linneard came down from the hay this evening, the whole being now cut".

1843: Tuesday 5th: "Cutting wheat at barn. Unfortunately one of the wheels of Linneard's cart got broken, through the upsetting of the cart. This about noon, the vehicle was laid by & Marineau continued alone. Montigny & Indians shearing wheat & M. Ogden pulling up pease [vetch?]. Thirouiac & afterwards Linneard reaping. Having finished the barn patch of wheat, they began upon a piece of oats".

The next morning Linneard repaired the wheel. By this time the boathouse held "..38 1/2 loads contained in one side of barn, being full to the summit...49 loads now housed of 70 sheaves or more per load. Continued cutting the evening, Oats, &c." On Friday".

Fort St. James

Saty. 25th -- ...One of Leonard's dogs is returned -- absent without leave doubtless." (I think Leonard has set off with a dog train to McLeod Lake, and allowed one dog to stray.)

"Thurs. 30th -- Fine weather, but rather cold in the shade...Laferte met Lacourse and Soris on Lac a la Carpe, going on well, but Leonard & his companion he found in their encampment at one o'clock, not having yet made a move that day. They were not then (yesterday) more than half-way though it was their 9th day from this. Perrault lays the blame on Leonard, who, he says, will not march, nor exert himself in any way and has suffered the dogs to gnaw the greater part of his load, from laziness to drive them off during the night. Conduct such as this ought surely to meet with some punishment; and indeed, as I believe the fellow too incorrigibly lazy ever to reform, the most prudent method is to get rid of him, if possible, out of the district. "Saty. 1 April -- do weather. Still seeking cattle. In the forenoon Lacourse & Louis Taroutanta arrived from McLeod's Lake, their third day. they met their lazy companions at Lac en Long.. proceeding very leisurely..."Mon. 3rd -- Very mild. Laferte returned from Nautlay, sent Francois & James Boucher with two teams & fresh dogs, having 200 salmon each exclusive of provisions for McLeod's Lake. They are to proceed until they meet Leonard & Perrault, who by way of penalty for their dilatory proceedings will then exchange trains & return to McLeod's Lake...

"Tues. 4th -- ... Francois & James returned having met the other at Lac Porteur."

"Thurs. 13th [April] -- ...In the evening Perrault & Leonard arrived from McLeods Lake."

Fort George (Afterwards Prince George)

John Leonard had a daughter named Mary Jane Leonard, who is reported to have been born at Fort George in British Columbia on 16 April 1845 British Columbia Death Registrations although it is not yet clear if John Leonard actually served there. Mary Jane Leonard's mother was named Alkoh, and it might be supposed, from her association with Fort George, that she belonged to the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation.

Fort Kamloops

John Leonard was employed at Fort Kamloops. Following his retirement from the Hudson's Bay Company he pre-empted 360 acres of land in the South Thompson district, which he afterwards sold to his son-in-law, Lewis Campbell Wikipedia: Lewis Campbell For mention of John Leonard and other ranchers in the South Thompson district see Kamloops Museum

Death

John Leonard is reported to have drowned while hunting ducks in Campbell Creek but the date of his death is uncertain. He was alive on 28 December 1868, the date upon which he was married to Margueritte Sllortssa British Columbia Marriage Registrations Image of Marriage Registration but he died before 17 March 1879, when his widow, married Patrick Baboone British Columbia Marriage Registrations

First Marriage

John Leonard (Otherwise John Linnart) married Helen Gibbon (Otherwise Helen Gibson) in 1831. The date of the marriage is not known but the request for proclamation was booked at St Andrews Parish in Orkney on 13 February 1831 and they were probably married soon afterwards. [National Records of Scotland, Marriage Proclamations for the Orkney Parish of St Andrews, 1819-54, OPR.25/2]

Helen Gibbon and her eldest son are noticed in the Orkney census return for 1841. At this time she was living at Kirkgate in the Savieskaill district of the island of Rousay. Her husband's parents, Peter Leonard, and his wife, Janet Louttit, were living in the same household, or the neighbouring one. She is noticed on her own at Upper Kirkgate when the census was enumerated on 1851 and she was still alive on 7 April 1861, although on this last occassion she is identified as Helen Gibbon, a visitor in the household of sisters named Janet Craigie and Barbara Craigie, who lived at Quoyfaro on Rousay Rousay Roots

Helen Gibbon: "married to John Leonard, farm servant" died at Upper Kirkgate on the Orkney island of Rousay on 16 May 1868. Her neighbour, Mary Louttit, reported her death to the local registrar, and gave up her age as 60 years of age. [National Records of Scotland, Statutory Register of Death for 1868, registration district 24 (Rousay and Egilsay), entry number 8] Image of Death Registration

Children

John Leonard and his first wife, Helen Gibbon, had two children whose names have been identified from their baptismal records. They follow:

1. John Leonard, younger
2. Peter Leonard

Second Marriage

John Leonard married a First Nation woman named Alkoh. They were married after the custom of the country: à la façon du pays.

Children of the Second Marriage

John Leonard and his wife Alkoh had four children:

1. Mary Jane Leonard
2. ? Leonard
3. ? Leonard
4. ? Leonard

Third Marriage

John Leonard's third wife was Marguerite Sllortssa, a Secwepemc woman who belonged to the Kamloops Indian Band. She was the daughter of Jacques Houoko. They were undoubtedly married after the custom of the country, but, following the death of his Orkney wife on 16 May 1868, John was received into the Roman Catholic Church, no doubt baptised, confirmed (Having adopted the name of Saint John the Baptist for his confirmation), and married on the same day. They married at Kamloops in British Columbia, Canada, on 28 December 1868. The marriage was recorded in the register of the Okanagan Mission, where the French speaking Catholic priest described him thus: "J. Baptist Lanor" (age) 55, farmer (born in) "Hockney Island" (son of) "Peter Lanor, workman".

Children of the Third Marriage

John Leonard, and his third wife,Marguerite Sllortssa, had five children. Their names follow:

1. John Leonard, younger
2. Jane Katherine Leonard
3. Louis Leonard
4. Joseph Leonard
5. Marshell Leonard

Biographical Account by Bruce McIntyre Watson

Linniard, John [variation: Linneard, Lennard] fl. 1834-1861 (British: Orcadian Scot) Birth: probably near Kirkgate, Orkney. Death: drowned in South Thompson River, B.C. HBC Middle, Fort Vancouver 1835-1836; Middleman, New Caledonia, 1836-1838; Farmer, New Caledonia, 1838-1856; Labourer, Thompson river, 1856-1860 John Linniard joined the HBC on April 17, 1834, in Orkney as a labourer and appears to have spent his entire career at interior posts. Most of this time, until 1856, was spent at Fort Alexandria doing farming duties, tending crops, making fences, etc. There he took a wife and raised his first family. He appears. after his contract ended in 1859, to have retired around 1861, for in 1862 he pre-empted 160 acres on the south side of the Thompson River, eight miles east of Fort Kamloops. His name was still carried on HBC books until 1869. Some time later, John Linniard drowned in the South Thompson River while trying to retrieve a duck. [Bruce McIntyre Watson, Lives Lived West of the Divide: A Biographical Dictionary of Fur Traders Working West of the Rockies, 1793-1858]