Glacier County chief., 1940-03-29
Nv GLADYS MAYO

Travellers on highway 8, west OF
Missoula, find that for a consider
able distance west of the town Of
Arlee their route follows the course
Of the Jocko river, a tributary Of
the Clark Fork. Not many who
pass that way know that this river
was named in honor of one Of the
first traders TO pass through this
area. His name was Jacques Ra-
phael Finlay, and some reputable
historians are of the opinion that
he was in western Montana as
early as 1900, four years before
Lewis and Clark passed this way.
jacques Finlay was an illiterate half
blood, but he was man OF character
and independence, builder and a
pathfinder. His name is closely asso-
ciated with the establishment Of sew
eral important early day posts in the
northwest, but he Is not the type of
empire builder who is honored when
history books are written. In reference
to Jacques Finlay, one writer has
quoted Kiplings famous lines on
Pioneers"
We'll I know who'll take the credit;
all the clever chaps that followed,
Came a dozen men together, caring
naught for any desert fears,
Tracked me by the camps I'd quilted
used the waterholes I'd followed,
Clever chaps that did the writing;
They'll be called the Pioneers"
Kipling's lines were written about
the pioneers who braved the African
BUSH but they might have been writ
ten for Jacques Finlay; he was lone
traveller, and the honor did go to
clever chaps who did the writing"
Fortunately. the clever chaps who
did the writing have given US con-
siderable information about Jacques
Finlay, although they called him ev-
"a, IT,, 1,a dc
of David Thompson. Alexander Ross,
and others who left journals of north
western travels, Jacques is called vari-
ously Jacquot Jacko, Jocco, Jaccot-
but seldom Jacques.
Son Of a First Family"
Jacques Finlay was a member, on
his fathers side, of one of the first
families to engage in fur trade in the
far northwest. James Finlay ST., was
Northwest company Of Montreal.
Jacques Finlays brother. James Jr.,
followed his father into the official
dom Of the fur companies: but in
Jacques the Indian blood prevailed and
he went into the wilderness as free
trapper. Sometimes he was under
commission from one OF the big fur
companies, but more often he trapped
and traded on his own. Those of his
contemporaries who have mentioned
Jacques in their writings have praised
his abilities.
Little is known Of Finlay;s early life
He was born somewhere in the north
west in 1853, probably of a Chippewa
mother He is sometimes spoken Of as
"Sauteur," misspelling Of "Salteur,"
the French name for the Chippewas.
Jacques Finlay's first appearance on
history's stage occurred in 1913. when
he was 80 years old. factor in charge
of a fort in Saskatchewan. John Nc
Donald Of Garth, famous ancestor Of
Montana's Angus Mcdonald of Salish
House, mentions Jacques in his rem
iniscences Of that year. Mcdonald
wrote:
THE settlement upon the Bow river
having been attacked by the Missouri
Indians. they killed all the men, pill
LACED all the goods in the Hudson's
Bay fort. excepting one person. clerk
who hid himself in the cellar amongst
some rubbish; and then attacked our
fort. They were beaten off and several
killed. Our fort was in charge of one
Jaccot Finlay, man Of courage"
This same incident was recorded by
another writer, who said:
THE Hudsons Bay Co. had a fort
in the same neighborhood, which was
first attacked by about $50 Indians
on horseback; and the few people who