Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-03-30

and 30 pounds of dried meat, and now
thank God enjoyed a good meal"
Perhaps 1t was in gratitude for this
food after a period OF starvation that
Thompson named Jocko river In
Jacques Finlay's honor. 1t is one of
the few Thompson place-names that
were left when ThompSon's maps were
later copied.
Built Spokane House
In the spring of the year 1910, Finlay
located and built Spokane House, a
trading post near the present site OF
the city of Spokane, Wash. 1t was un-
usual that clerk was allowed to have
complete charge of such an important
task, but Finlay completed the build
ing successfully and remained In full
charge there until 1872. Officials who
inspected the post during that time re-
corded that the half-blood was doing
a firSt-rate job.
David Thompson, who had dis
patched jacques to the west to locate
Spokane House, made his first visit to
the post in 1911 He arrived there on
June IA, and made the following note
of the visit, I'VE arrived at the Spo-
kane House on the River of that name,
where I left a small assortment Of
goods to continue the trade, with
Jaco, a halfbreed, a clerk" Later
Thompson records an instance when
he visited Spokane House and Jacques
had started to meet him with horses
The two missed each other on the trail
and Thompson waited at the post,
while Jacques camped in the wilder
ness waiting and wondering what had
become Of the Welchman.
Again, on Jan. 4, 1914, Jacques Fin
lay played the hero in Indian troubles
Just as he had In 1893. This instance Is
recorded in Alexander Ross Fur Hunt
ters of the Far West" Stuart, another
trader, was attacked by Indians, and
was about to be killed because rain had
wet his gun. The gun missed fire sew
eral times before Jacques arrived to
save the day. Ross says, His gun had
lust fallen from his hands when a half
breed named Finlay came up and shot
his aSsailant dead"
BY 1926 they were beginning to call
Jacques "Old Ftnlay," for he was the
father of several grown sons who were
also engaged in the fur trade. He was
an authority on the trails Of the north
west. David Douglas, the botantst, who
Travelled through the northwest IN 1875
to study the flora of the country, made
the following mention OF jacques FIN
lay, 81 had for my guides Two young
men sons of MIR. Jacques F1nlay, a
Canadian Sauteur, who at present re-
sides in the abandoned establishment
of Spokane. in which direction / was
going. Mr. Finlay being man OF ex-
tensive information as TO the appear
ance of the country, animals, and so on,
MIR. Dease kindly gave me a note 70
him requesting him to show me any
thing that he deemed curious IN the
way of plants, etc. reached the ola
at Spokane at IL O'Clock, I
where I was kindly received by MI. /
Finlay AS the principal object OF my /
Journey was to get my firelock ar
ranged by him, being the only person
in the space of 300 miles VINO coulq
do it, and being an item OF utfn 1ot
to have done soon, l lOSO
no time in informing him OF my re-
quest. Unfortunately he did not SPEAK
the English language, and my very
partial knowledge of French prevenCeo
me from acquiring Information WHICH
I should have recorded.
At another time Douglas mentions
Taco1pes in reference to git OF !lnS
salmon the old man gave. Jacques nau
taken over Spokane House as resl
dence after the fur company apanoon L9;S
~ sons and daughters. There seems to
ne no information about F1nlays VIE
MT in ali probability she was an In
Jiay, woman and q member OF elCner
he Flathead or Kootenai tribes, among
which Finlay had spent much time;
]. A. Meyers says Finlsys sons sons s sl,e
iarghters were NOTED for their ins
and that many mao ngnC
,i,;e ewes. THE men, said Meyers, were
con and trustworthy" the
women ts sfine wives and mothers" Old
Tecn,1es lived at Spokane House unth
his death about 1850. Many OF the pho.
1eers'' of western Montana did noC
arrive until long after his passing.
Tanv of his descendants live today IN
he northwest, some OF them resloe sIit
Il the Flathead country. FRANCOIS I'll
With III the discovery of gold in Montana