"First Century of Methodism in Canada" Chap XII

Village at Alderville

"We have come across the following petitions presented to the Legislature on behalf of the Indians in 1829:

To the Great Council Assembled at York: Fathers and brothers; we the undersigned Christian Indians residing in the vicinity of Rice Lake having matters of general concern relating to our tribes, and desiring to lay the same before you, claim your protection. We have appointed five of our brethren to act in our behalf, George Paudash, John Crowe, John Cow, John Coehead, John Canua and Peter Manson. (It will be noted these number six, not five) Chiefs and principal men among us express to you, fathers and brothers, our feelings of friendship, and to present to you our humble petition wherein our grievances are specified. We humbly pray that our brothers may be heard in our behalf and they are hereby authorized to transact our affairs with you as if we ourselves were present.

And we your children as in love and duty bound will ever pray for our Great Father the King and all his British Subjects." The following names signed:

Joseph Soper, Jacob Iron, William Blackross, Nedford Iron, Bowlan Governor, John Salt, Robert Cow, Thomas Nanagishkook, John Kay, John Eatewakin, Wm. Navanakalook, John Tamish, Peter Cow, Joseph Soper Jr, Peter Nahage, Shauny Nehanasick, Martin Quamuhdin. Rice Lake, February 18^th; 1829."

The Petition of the Chiefs and principal men of the Indians residing in the vicinity of Rice Lake, Newcastle District:

"Humbly sheweth: That we and our fathers having been in a long sleep, have lately been roused up by the word of the Great Spirit; our eyes are now open and we see that there is life and truth by Jesus Christ for Indians as well as for our white brothers. That having become Christians, desire to make strong, and keep bright, the chain of Christian friendship. The Christian religion binds up our hearts with our white brothers.

That we believe that our Great Father the King is both wise and strong. He knows what is right and has power to do it. He breaks the hard chains of the black man. It is his glory to defend the weak who look up to him. He is able to defend his red children and to make bad men do them justice. But he is a great way toward the rising sun, and we know not but our words may be lost passing over the Great Water, and so never come to his ear. We speak to our brothers who are called together around this council fire of the King, to hear the words of his people. This council can hear us.

That our hearts are grieved for the abuses that are done to us by some white men; our hearts are true and will speak plainly. White men seize our farms and take them by force, they abuse our women and violently beat our people. That your red brothers look for protection. We pray that the late abuses be inquired into. Some white men tell us we have no right to complain of robberies on our hunters and violence on our women. We believe you know; if white men do not understand that red men have rights, that you will declare what our rights are, that bad men may be made to observe them."

"And that, furthermore, we are poor in lands, and have few places for hunting, much of our hunting grounds are covered by white settlements and the small parts which are left to us are invaded by hunters from Lower Canada. They come upon our hunting grounds and wantonly kill and destroy all the animals, old and young, that come in their way. We have told them of their injustice and urged them to depart; but our words are feeble, and they will not listen to our words. If this Council speak words that are loud and strong, they must obey.

And we, as in love and duty bound, will ever pray for our Great Father the King and all his people."

George Pantansh	John Crowe
John Canua	Peter Nagin
John Cow	Peter Manson

"Christianity and civilization have not done much in elevating the character of the Indians of Alnwick and Rice Lake. They are, it is true, better protected in their rights by the law; they have the advantage of a church and school, but they have not risen in the social scale, nor has their material prosperity been advanced. The civilization of the white brother has encroached around and about the Indian Reserve, which is looked upon with a covetous eye; and the red man's occupation of so many valuable acres as a hindrance to the progress of the Township."

List of Missionaries to Rice Lake Mission, later Hiawatha, supplied by the Board of Home Missions, United Church of Canada

1825	George Bissell
1826-29	United with Cavan
1830	James Evans
1831	-
1832-33	Daniel McMullen
1834-35	Gilbert Miller
1836	Wm. Case, Sylvester Hurlburt and John Sunday
1837-38	Sylvester Hurlburt
1839-42	John Sunday
1843-44	Union with Alderville Mission
1845-46	John Sunday
1847-50	Robert Brooking, John Sunday
1851	Robert Brooking
1852-53	Thomas Hurlburt
1854-56	William Herkimer
1857-59	Wellington Jeffers
1860-63	David B. Madden
1864-66	Thomas Williams
1867-68	Joseph Reynolds
1869-74	Robert Brooking
1875-78	William Andrews
1879-1880	Thomas Woolsey