When We Both Got to Heaven: James Atkey Among the Anishnabek at Colpoy's Bay

By Mel Atkey and Rev. Maggie McLeod

When We Both Got to Heaven places James Atkey (1805-1868) on the shores of Georgian Bay at the time of treaty negotiations between the First Nations people of the Saugeen, Nawash and Colpoy’s Bay areas, and the Colonial government. A Methodist lay preacher, Atkey leaves the Isle of Wight and arrives at Colpoy’s Bay with his family in 1855. There he takes up the position of teacher for the Anishnaube children of the area.

The great-great-great-grandson of James Atkey, author Mel Atkey engaged in extensive research of both primary and secondary sources. His efforts provide considerable insight into both the influence of Wesleyan Methodism of the time and the background context of the treaty negotiations that ultimately led to the surrender of much of the Saugeen Peninsula for pioneer settlement. People with leadership roles of the past, such as Chief Kegedonce, Kahkewaquonaby (Rev. Peter Jones), Laurence Oliphant and Sir Francis Bond Head, as well as many others, are part of Atkey’s story.

Reverend Maggie McLeod of the Cape Croker United Church provides a thoughtful Foreword. This quite remarkable book is a compelling read for those interested in Ontario history, First Nations history, genealogy and the role of religion at the time of European settlement.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dundurn
• Release date: Oct 8, 2002
• ISBN: 9781459715004

Mel Atkey

Mel Atkey began writing musicals ever since he was in high school in his native Vancouver. His work has been shortlisted for the Vivian Ellis Prize, the Quest for New Musicals, the Ken Hill Prize and Musical Stairs. His first musical, Shikara, was produced on radio in Canada.

Book preview

When We Both Got To Heaven

James Athey

Among the Anishnabek at Colpoy’s Bay

MEL ATKEY

Natural Heritage Books

When We Both Got To Heaven:

James Atkey Among the Anishnabek at Colpoy’s Bay

Copyright © 2002 Mel Atkey

All rights reserved. No portion of this book, with the exception of brief extracts for the purpose of literary or scholarly review, may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the publisher.

Published by Natural Heritage / Natural History Inc.

P.O. Box 95, Station O, Toronto, Ontario M4A 2M8

www.naturalheritagebooks.com

Front Cover: Portrait of James Atkey, artist unknown, courtesy of June Gibbons.

Photography by If Our Walls Could Talk, Kingsville.

Front and Back Cover background detail from photograph by Telfer Wegg.

Back Cover: Colpoys Bay. Photography by Telfer Wegg.

All visuals in text are either courtesy of the Author or in the Public Domain unless otherwise indicated.

National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Atkey, Mel, 1958-

When we both got to Heaven : James Atkey among the Anishnabek at Colpoy’s Bay / Mel Atkey ; foreword by Maggie McLeod.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 1-896219-68-3

1. Atkey, James, 1805-1868. 2. Ojibwa Indians—Missions—Ontario—Colpoy’s Bay. 3. Indian land transfers—Ontario—Bruce Peninsula. 4. Ojibwa Indians— Land tenure—Ontario—Bruce Peninsula. 5. Colpoy’s Bay (Ont.)—History. 6. Bruce Peninsula (Ont.)—History. 7. Missionaries—Ontario—Biography. 8. Methodists—Ontario—Biography. 9. Teachers—Ontario—Biography. I. Title.

BV2813.A85A85 2002   971.3’2102’092   C2002-904160-0

Cover and text design by Steve Eby Production & Design

Edited by Jane Gibson

Printed and bound in Canada by Hignell Printing Limited, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Natural Heritage / Natural History Inc. acknowledges the financial support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council for our publishing program. We also acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP) and the Association for the Export of Canadian Books.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword by Reverend Maggie McLeod

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1   The Puckered Moccasin People

Chapter 2   Poor, Plain Artless Society

Chapter 3   The Gentle Craft

Chapter 4   Called of by God

Chapter 5   From the Woods of Canada

Chapter 6   The Men Who Wear Hats

Chapter 7   Doing Good on a Grand Scale

Chapter 8   Conduct Partial

Chapter 9   A Leap in the Dark

Chapter 10 The Land Before Your Sight

Chapter 11 Salvation Corners

Chapter 12 Bay of Muskrats

Chapter 13 Father Atkey

Chapter 14 Paternal Care

Chapter 15 The Purchased Possession

Chapter 16 Ointment Poured Forth

Appendix I—Time Line

Appendix II Atkey Family Tree

A. Family of Isaac Atkey (1770-1859)

B. Family of James Atkey (1805-1868)

C. Five Generations: From James Atkey (1805-1868) to Louis Melville Atkey

Notes

Bibliography

Index

About the Author

Dedicated to Dora Fern (Roblee) Atkey

1895-1997

FOREWORD

One of my teachers at the theological school that I attended as I prepared for ministry within the United Church of Canada once asked me to do some research into the early missionaries of this land. After such research I was to assume the person of one of these missionaries and write a letter home to the family that I had left. I was to describe to them my work in this new land and the situation of the Native Peoples. I considered this for a time and felt the need to return to him and clearly state my objection to this assignment. I did go back to this teacher and asked him if he really understood what it was he was really asking of me. He asked, Why? My response was: I do not believe I will be able to write the letter reporting good works of any kind to the people back home. His reply was quick: You need to know the history. He was right. And it is indeed a challenging responsibility. As one reflects on the past we see the pain and struggle and joys of those who have gone before us.

What Mel Atkey has done in reaching back to his ancestry is important. He discovers and accepts the ambiguity that comes with such a task. And I congratulate him on his good work.

In as much as I have looked at the historical realities, still it causes me to wonder: How is it that the church was unable to respond more effectively at the time to the events that took place around the land surrenders and other injustices towards the First Peoples of this land?

But of course we need to be mindful that as we turn back the pages to our past we see things through the lens of 21st century peoples. Our pedagogy evolves from generation to generation, indeed decade to decade and year to year. I have come to the understanding that our ancestors did what they could with the knowledge they had and the circumstances of their time. And as we have inherited and enjoy the benefits and blessings of them, so must we carry the burdens and mistakes. Today, I feel I can say with some confidence that diversity in people and culture is held with more respect. What we do with this newfound knowledge and understanding is crucial to our time.

I am grateful to be asked to write this foreword, if perhaps even to share a little of my response to Mel Atkey’s book through the eyes of a First Nations woman, whose recent ancestors laid the foundation for the honouring of my original heritage as well as the Christian tradition.

I believe strongly that the First Peoples’ worldview needs to be shared in the world. To share the wisdom of looking seven generations behind, and seven generations ahead in all that we do could only be of great benefit to us today. Doing things on a grand scale needs careful discernment, discussion and dialogue.

Although this book, as is clearly stated by the author, is not to address the impact of what the residential school has done to indigenous peoples, it is, however, a resource that would aid in bringing further understanding for the reconciliation process that is being sought by government and churches in Canada. It is impossible to look with great hope and expectation to any of our futures, without acknowledging and addressing our past.

Mel Atkey lays out his book with a very broad view. He provides excellent quotations and background that gives us a snapshot of influences and issues of the time. He writes with an objectivity that allows us to arrive at our own feelings and conclusions. He really has done his research!

History is what history is. At its best it is simple truths told, stories that are full of joy, full of grief, failure and successes. When We Both Got to Heaven is a refreshing look, told without romanticizing, without a view of conquering, very much unlike the way history was taught to me in my public school days. If not for my children, I hope that it is my children’s children who will see history displayed in the manner and style put forth by the book.

James Atkey came to this land, Turtle Island, truly believing that he would take part in a process of helping a nation of people. And yet, he himself was perhaps experiencing an exile of sorts from his own society. Possibly it was this that enabled him to connect with the lives of those to whom he shared his ministry.

In 1986, with words of acknowledgement and repentance the United Church of Canada issued a written apology to First Nations people which ends: We ask you to forgive us and to walk together with us in the Spirit of Christ so that our peoples may be blessed and God’s creation healed. A vision of hope that is not far from that held of Peter Jones (Kahkewaquonaby) shortly before his death.

These are very important words to me not only as an indigenous woman but also as one who ministers and represents a mainline church. Hopefully our walk would be one that holds respect and integrity as its highest values. Thus, enabling us to truly share our stories, our hopes and vision of life for the future. This book in providing the education that it does and that which is needed for this process, is indeed a stepping stone.

Not unlike James Atkey, a preacher of the Word that he was, I feel compelled to close with the words of the prophet Micah: He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God. (6:8 NRSV)

In unity,

REVEREND MAGGIE MCLEOD

Cape Croker United Church

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Tracing James Atkey’s story has been no easy task. My work began with the discovery of Ludwick Kribs’ obituary for him in the Canadian Independent, which gave a brief biography, including his relationship to the book entitled The Dairyman’s Daughter. He left behind few personal papers (although the late Richmond Secord Atkey, a relative doing earlier genealogical research into the family tree, fumed in one of his letters over the discovery that one of James’ grand-daughters had burned his journals.) What I have relied on are the missionary reports found in the archives of the United Church of Canada (as successor to both the Methodist and Congregational churches) and in the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, a few letters to the Indian Department found in the National Archives of Canada, newspaper articles and personal anecdotes passed down through his descendants. Some of these are inevitably more reliable than others; in some cases, attempts to romanticise the story, combined with the prejudices of the time, have served to distort the facts. Where this occurs, I have struck an informed judgement call, giving whatever evidence I have to substantiate my claim. I supplemented these with rare books and documents found in the British Library, the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich and the Public Record Office at Kew. I have also used other contemporary accounts of the places where James lived and worked to construct an approximate account of his life in the Isle of Wight, his voyage to Montreal and his journey from there to Owen Sound, Canada West.

In researching the personal history of James Atkey and his family, I am indebted to a number of people, including Fred Atkey who has prepared a complete genealogy dating from the beginning of the 14th century, and the late Mrs. Isabelle Pletsch and her son Murray. Jane Atkey allowed access to the files of her late uncle Richmond Secord Atkey and the late Mrs. Eleanor Preston (a descendant on both sides of her family) allowed me to copy several photographs (including the cover painting of James Atkey) in addition to the local histories she has written. The late Marcus Brewster of Manning, South Carolina, sent a copy of his grandfather Mark’s letter describing Isaac Atkey. The Honourable Ronald G. Atkey, P.C., Q.C., of Toronto provided information on the family Bible.

Thanks to H.J. Ryan, Registrar of Indian Lands and David Kirchmayer, Deputy Registrar General of Canada, for help in researching land titles. Many thanks to Mary Munk, Nancy McMahon, R.D. Hume and Linda Mclntyre-Putz of the National Archives of Canada for their patient work on my behalf, and to Bruce Morland of the National Postal Museum, Canada Post Corporation, and Michael Hughes of Rhodes House Library at Oxford University for information on the Society for Propagating the Gospel Among the Indians and Others in North America (SPG). He referred me to the Phillips Library of the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Mass., USA where Maria Gearhart patiently copied extracts from the SPG’s collection there, including additional missionary reports. Sandy Leach of Columbia College library helped with background on the The Dairyman’s Daughter. Ann Barrett of Newport, Isle of Wight kindly sent me Isaac Atkey’s burial notice. Richard Smout and Christine Dowland of the Isle of Wight County Record Office sent me listings from the Isle of Wight Circuit Account Book which showed James Atkey’s attendance at circuit meetings, Jan. 1845 to Sept. 1848. Brian Narhi searched the Archives of Ontario on my behalf for records of Charles Rankin’s surveys and for the 1861 census returns. Andrew Proctor of the Canadian High Commission, London, arranged a special loan of the Owen Sound Comet from the Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library. Walter Lewis of the World Ship Society provided information on the Royal Mail Line. For background on Methodist missions, Louise Ray, assistant archivist in the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, patiently guided me through their Methodist Missionary Society records, which Joy Fox, archivist for the Methodist Church overseas division allowed me to consult. Thanks to Stephanie McMullen for her translation from Lettres Des Nouvelles Missions du Canada. I would further like to thank the Bruce-Grey Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society for their support and