Urbaine Delorme, I

Historian Lawrence Barkwell on the website Scribd called Urbaine Sr. the 'Richest Man on the Prairies'. He was chosen Captain of the Hunt up to 25 straight years.

http://www.metisresourcecentre.mb.ca/index.php?option=com_content&v...

Urbain Delorme - The Rich Man of the Prairies

Story by Lorraine Freeman

Urbain Delorme, son of Francois Enos dit Delorme and Madeline (Charlotte) Sauteuse (Ojibway), was born around 1802 on the Western Plains.

Urbain at age 4 was taken by his father to Berthierville, PQ to be baptized along with his sister Seraphie. Urbain lived there with his aunts until age 17. His father had come to Montreal in September 1817 to testify at the trials about the events at Red River which were a result of the war between the N.W.C. and H.B.C.

Urbain returned to Red River in a canoe, which was sent twice a year to bring the mail west. This canoe was manned by thirteen Iroquois under the command of a clerk named Jasson. When Urbain arrived at Fort Douglas, one of the individuals showed him a tent near the Fort where his mother was. He went there to speak to her but they did not understand each other being that Urbain only spoke French, so he had to have an interpreter to speak to her. When she realized who he was, she cried out "Mounia Ouinion", "the man from Montreal".

At Red River Urbain proved himself to be a good hunter. He was prudent in all his endeavours, moderate and patient, of a calm character but firm and resolute. He was chosen captain of the camp for 25 consecutive years. These camps numbered approximately 500 carts.

Urbain was an influential man in his St. Francois Xavier parish and in his region. In 1849, he was very involved in the trial of Guillaume Sayer and in the successful efforts of the Metis to break the H.B.C.'s monopoly of trade. By his hard work Urbain managed to amass a small fortune. Judge Prud'homme related that one day, before leaving for the Prairies, Urbain stopped off at the St. Francois Xavier convent and asked one of the Sisters to take care of a small chest. Two hours later Urbain returned to find his chest sitting on the table. He told the Sister, "Sister, in this small box, there is four thousand dollars in gold. It would be better not to leave it on the table." Urbain later asked Bishop Tache to invest 800 pounds sterling for him. Urbain and his family lived on Lot 162 in the parish of St. Francois Xavier, MB. At the time of the 1835 census he owned 5 horses, 10 head of cattle and seven carts.

Urbain's marriage at age 22 to Madeline Vivier at Pembina was blessed by Father Dumoulin. Urbain and Madeline had 12 children from this marriage. Urbain died August 18th, 1886 and was buried on the 20th at St. Francois Xavier, MB.