Sarah See-Lee-ah Hallett

SARAH FIDLER (aka SALLY FIDLER otherwise SEE-LEE-AH)

Sarah “Sally” FIDLER was born Nov 26, 1802 at the HBC’s Nottingham House (Fort Chipewyan), the eldest daughter of Mary MACKAGONNE (Cree) and Peter FIDLER of Bolsover, surveyor, explorer, fur trader. Her Cree name was See-Lee-ah.

Sally was 10 years old in 1812 when her father (Peter) took charge of Brandon House and began surveying lots for the Selkirk Settlers.

In 1818 Sally was only 16 years old, when she became the wife of William WILLIAMS, recently appointed Governor of the Southern Department of the HBC, a man old enough to be her father.

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Apr 2 2017, 17:01:30 UTC

  ---

  
  

From the book “Many Tender Ties” by Sylvia Van Kirk, pg 160: Two children (perhaps three) were born to Sally, but WILLIAMS abruptly severed his connection with his native dependents when he was transferred to the Southern Department and his wife came out to join him in 1822. The classic practitioner of this new exploitive attitude toward native women was WILLIAMS’ successor, George SIMPSON, the most important personage in the nineteenth century fur trade.
  WILLIAMS was transferred to Moose Factory, where his wife and children from England joined him.

By 1828 Sally was living with James HALLETT 1800-1885), son of Catherine (Cree woman) and Henry HALLETT (1773-1844). In 1830 they were listed with three children and a house at Point Douglas (Winnipeg). These would have been Matilda & William WILLIAMS, and her first child with HALLETT (James HALLETT JR).