Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-03-21
Marriage of Indian Women and White Traders
Unsuitable Result of Eary-Day Frontier Conditions

Before civilization had reached the
northwest, 1t was frequently the Gus
tom, especially among the fur traders,
to take Indian wives. This was true
in Montana as in other states but
with the advent Of the pioneers, these
men were In disfavor, not so much
among the white men, as with their
women. they generally having the
stronger race prejudice Yet men had
it in no small degree, as in the case
Of Harmon, the trader, who was
shocked to find white men with In
dian wives, and so expressed himself.
A little later this same Harmon, IN
fluenced, as he confesSes, by a mer-
cenary motive, married a Cree woman
because it would help him gain the
Cree trade. If a staunch Vermont
Puritan like Harmon could form such
an alliance, it is not surprising that
others with more flexible conScienceS
should have done so.
Whatever prejudice existed against
so-called "squaw men," was the out
growth of ignorance lack Of under
standing of the position in which these
men were placed. Most Of them were
eXileS In the wilderness; self-exiled, to
be sure but nonethelesS temporarily
or permanently banished from civiliza-
ton. They were daily exposed to hard
ships and dangers they could never
ask a woman of their own race to
share. They craVed family life, and
were constantly brought in contact
with Indian women, many of whom
were very attractive. Many were fair
of skin and might readily have been
mistaken for Spanish or Italians, with
their liquid brown eyes, small hands
and feet, and soft, musical voices.
French Less Prejudiced
Most of the Hudson's Bay officers
and men had Indian wives, and many
of our own fur traders. The French
voyaguers, as a matter of course, lived
with squaws. Being of the Latin race
they naturally had less prejudice |
against mixed marriages than was the
case with the Anglo-Saxons. Then, too, |
they had themselves become like the |
Indians, although they lacked the |
Indian courage. They |
were illiterate, superstitious and of |
tickle temperament; but Hght-hearted. |
and good workers. Without their aid, |
the northwest must have waited many |
years longer before 1t was explored.
The officials of the fur companies !
were necessarily, most Of them men Of I
and not q few Of them be-
longed to old and influential families
resident either on this continent or
IN Europe. DR.. Mclaughlin, whose wife
was an educated half-breed and the
widow OF Thomas Mckay, through his
mother was related to the Fraser clan,
and was educated by his grandfather,
Colonel Fraser, in Canada and abroad.
Bis birthplace was about 80 miles
north of the American border. James,
later Sir James Douglas, who also
married a mixed blood, and was the
'irst governor of British Columbia
vas a descendant Of Black Douglas Of
Scottish history.
Peter Skene Ogden married the
laughter Of a Flathead chief and
rave so horses for her. Ogden came
# Tory family that went to Canada
Turing the American Revolution. His
ather was chief justice Of Montreal,
md Peter had been destined to the
var. His high, falsetto voice, generally
described as "squeaky," operated
gainSt his entering the profession Of
aw.
The first wife of Alexander Mac |
Sende, the famous explorer, was an {
indian woman. Andrew Dawson, factor {
+ the American Fur Co. at Fort Ben S
on, was educated in his native coun- {
~, Scotland, and was allied to Lord
,rskine. His wife belonged to the eros ,
CENTRES. Alexander CulbertSon, while !
{ Scotch descent, was born in Ameri- :
a and educated here. He married a 4
alive woman. Malcolm Clark, the son =
( an army officer, who superintendent ;
he building of Fort Smelling, studied !
t West Point. His wife was a Piegan J
oman. +
Besides these may be mentioned
theirs who married squaws, like the
Wo Stuarts, James and Granville, and
Ieorge Steele From this category of !
lustrious names it will be seen that
was the men of honor who took ,
alive wives, preferring to assume the y
urden of their support and the edu- :
alton of their children, rather than :
ldulge in the promiscuity that was
ossible and all too common among =
'ontiersmen. y
lean and Industrious =
The character of the man having +,
cen established, it Is natural to Won /,
sr what kind Of women those were, n
ley chose, in most instances as life h
That they were attractive T
as already been stated; and their u
iaptability to the new code Of man u
srs demanded Of them was remark n
Die considering that their schooling 4
ID not begin In childhood. They might p,
Jt learn to read or write, or even to q
'eak English fluently; but they could, ii
Id did learn cleanliness and habits
industry had already been acquired. d
For the rest, their Indian knowledge q
as invaluable, as was the fact OF d,
letr efficiency. Injured to hardships I,
W white women could have endured; .
If helpful to a degree unknown to q
leir civilized sisters, they met the II
nergencies of frontier life with re- r,
urcefulness and courage. II
In those far-outlying posts, where p
our, sugar and the like we're luxuries W
be INDUCED in but occasionally dur h
g the year, they knew the best way Il
preparing and preserving meats, Il
Id how to vary the monotonous meat
Of NTH Wild fr1Iitq and edible roots | r.