Born Miyo Nipiy c. 1788 in the Rat River area of Quebec, Canada, to a respected Cree Chieftain whose band's territory was on the Elk or Athabaska River, near a lake of the same name, located about 300 miles from the Rocky Mountains. She was later baptized in 1831 as, "Suzanne," in Montreal, Canada. The names of her parents are not known, as they were not recorded at the time of her marriage.
She married William Connolly, a clerk with the North-West Company, in 1803 in the Rabaskan or Athabaska country, known as the Hudson's Bay Company Territory. He was 17 and she was around 15. They were married in the custom of the land, meaning the couple desired to be married, permission was given by the bride's family, a bride-price was given to her father and the couple proceeded to live together as husband and wife and have children. The territory was situated over 1200 miles from the Red River Settlement and, being so remote, there were no clergymen in the area to solemnize marriages at that time. In the absence of a clergyman, it was the custom of European men to form common-law marriages with indigenous women in the manner that William and Miyo did. They were married from 1803 to 1832 and had from nine to twelve children, six of whom survived into adulthood.
In 1825, after the amalgamation of the North-West and Hudson's Bay Companies, William became a chief factor and a member of council of the Hudson Bay Company. In the early part of 1831, William decided he wanted to move back to his hometown of Montreal and convinced Suzanne to move with him; she was not happy with the prospect of leaving the area and her family to move to a city, but William convinced her it would be advantageous for their children. Their first move was to St. Eustache, where Miyo was introduced to and known by the community as William's lawful wife and where two of his daughters were baptized by a Catholic priest. Four or five months later, the family moved again to Montreal. Once there, Miyo and their youngest daughter, Marguerite (eight-months-old), boarded at William's sister's house, while the boys were sent to boarding school and the girls were placed in the care of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame. On the 16th of May, 1832, without Miyo's knowledge and while she was still living with his sister, William married his second cousin, Julia Woolrich, in a church ceremony, having first received a special dispensation from the Catholic church to marry his cousin.
Despite having openly lived with and acknowledged Miyo as his wife for 28 years - in addition to baptizing several of their children with his last name, - William asserted that his first marriage was not legal, as it had not been performed by a priest. At that time, it wasn't uncommon for men, upon leaving employment with the Company and moving back home, to abandon the indigenous women they had married, as well as any children they may have had with them; however, when William moved back home to Montreal, he took Suzanne and his children with him and acknowledged the validity of his first marriage up until the day he married Julia.
After being abandoned, Suzanne continued living in Montreal with Marguerite and her health began to decline. In 1840, William suggested she take a trip to visit their daughter, Amelia, in Vancouver, BC. Suzanne agreed to go as long as she could take Marguerite with her. William agreed and arranged for a party to accompany them to Vancouver. They left in April and some time later were held up at Nelson River when the boat they were supposed to take didn't show up. With winter approaching, they decided to hold up at Norway House, in the vicinity of St. Boniface Mission. Upon hearing about the hold up, William arranged lodging for them, with Marguerite going to stay with the housekeeper at the Bishop's house and Suzanne lodging elsewhere nearby. Suzanne and Marguerite continued their attempt to travel to Vancouver for four years before finally settling permanently at St. Boniface in 1844, at which time she and Marguerite were taken in by the Grey Nuns. In 1845, the nuns opened their first novitiate at St. Boniface; Marguerite became their first pupil and Suzanne their first boarder. Suzanne continued on there as a boarder, and Marguerite went on to become the first Metis woman to join the Order of the Grey Nuns.
In 1862, while Marguerite was away visiting a school, Suzanne suddenly passed away. She was laid to rest in August, 1862, in the St. Boniface Cemetery. A request was made to St. Boniface for a photo of her marker, but the wooden cross that was placed at the time of her burial has long since decomposed and her exact resting place is no longer marked.
In May, 1864, following her passing, Suzanne's son, John, filed suit in Montreal Superior Court against Julia Woolrich - who had inherited the entirety of his father's estate in 1849. John's aim was to get a judgement from the court that his parents' marriage had been legally binding and their resulting children were legitimate. John waited until after his mother's passing to file the suit, so she would not have to go through the trial.
On 9 July 1867, the court ruled in John's favor and awarded him 1/12th of his father's estate. For a full reading of the case and the court's findings, refer to, "John Connolly, plaintiff vs. Julia Woolrich, defendant and Thomas R. Johnson, et al., executors and defendants par reprise d'instance," which can be found on archive.org
She married William Connolly, a clerk with the North-West Company, in 1803 in the Rabaskan or Athabaska country, known as the Hudson's Bay Company Territory. He was 17 and she was around 15. They were married in the custom of the land, meaning the couple desired to be married, permission was given by the bride's family, a bride-price was given to her father and the couple proceeded to live together as husband and wife and have children. The territory was situated over 1200 miles from the Red River Settlement and, being so remote, there were no clergymen in the area to solemnize marriages at that time. In the absence of a clergyman, it was the custom of European men to form common-law marriages with indigenous women in the manner that William and Miyo did. They were married from 1803 to 1832 and had from nine to twelve children, six of whom survived into adulthood.
In 1825, after the amalgamation of the North-West and Hudson's Bay Companies, William became a chief factor and a member of council of the Hudson Bay Company. In the early part of 1831, William decided he wanted to move back to his hometown of Montreal and convinced Suzanne to move with him; she was not happy with the prospect of leaving the area and her family to move to a city, but William convinced her it would be advantageous for their children. Their first move was to St. Eustache, where Miyo was introduced to and known by the community as William's lawful wife and where two of his daughters were baptized by a Catholic priest. Four or five months later, the family moved again to Montreal. Once there, Miyo and their youngest daughter, Marguerite (eight-months-old), boarded at William's sister's house, while the boys were sent to boarding school and the girls were placed in the care of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame. On the 16th of May, 1832, without Miyo's knowledge and while she was still living with his sister, William married his second cousin, Julia Woolrich, in a church ceremony, having first received a special dispensation from the Catholic church to marry his cousin.
Despite having openly lived with and acknowledged Miyo as his wife for 28 years - in addition to baptizing several of their children with his last name, - William asserted that his first marriage was not legal, as it had not been performed by a priest. At that time, it wasn't uncommon for men, upon leaving employment with the Company and moving back home, to abandon the indigenous women they had married, as well as any children they may have had with them; however, when William moved back home to Montreal, he took Suzanne and his children with him and acknowledged the validity of his first marriage up until the day he married Julia.
After being abandoned, Suzanne continued living in Montreal with Marguerite and her health began to decline. In 1840, William suggested she take a trip to visit their daughter, Amelia, in Vancouver, BC. Suzanne agreed to go as long as she could take Marguerite with her. William agreed and arranged for a party to accompany them to Vancouver. They left in April and some time later were held up at Nelson River when the boat they were supposed to take didn't show up. With winter approaching, they decided to hold up at Norway House, in the vicinity of St. Boniface Mission. Upon hearing about the hold up, William arranged lodging for them, with Marguerite going to stay with the housekeeper at the Bishop's house and Suzanne lodging elsewhere nearby. Suzanne and Marguerite continued their attempt to travel to Vancouver for four years before finally settling permanently at St. Boniface in 1844, at which time she and Marguerite were taken in by the Grey Nuns. In 1845, the nuns opened their first novitiate at St. Boniface; Marguerite became their first pupil and Suzanne their first boarder. Suzanne continued on there as a boarder, and Marguerite went on to become the first Metis woman to join the Order of the Grey Nuns.
In 1862, while Marguerite was away visiting a school, Suzanne suddenly passed away. She was laid to rest in August, 1862, in the St. Boniface Cemetery. A request was made to St. Boniface for a photo of her marker, but the wooden cross that was placed at the time of her burial has long since decomposed and her exact resting place is no longer marked.
In May, 1864, following her passing, Suzanne's son, John, filed suit in Montreal Superior Court against Julia Woolrich - who had inherited the entirety of his father's estate in 1849. John's aim was to get a judgement from the court that his parents' marriage had been legally binding and their resulting children were legitimate. John waited until after his mother's passing to file the suit, so she would not have to go through the trial.
On 9 July 1867, the court ruled in John's favor and awarded him 1/12th of his father's estate. For a full reading of the case and the court's findings, refer to, "John Connolly, plaintiff vs. Julia Woolrich, defendant and Thomas R. Johnson, et al., executors and defendants par reprise d'instance," which can be found on archive.org
Born Miyo Nipiy c. 1788 in the Rat River area of Quebec, Canada, to a respected Cree Chieftain whose band's territory was on the Elk or Athabaska River, near a lake of the same name, located about 300 miles from the Rocky Mountains. She was later baptized in 1831 as, "Suzanne," in Montreal, Canada. The names of her parents are not known, as they were not recorded at the time of her marriage.
She married William Connolly, a clerk with the North-West Company, in 1803 in the Rabaskan or Athabaska country, known as the Hudson's Bay Company Territory. He was 17 and she was around 15. They were married in the custom of the land, meaning the couple desired to be married, permission was given by the bride's family, a bride-price was given to her father and the couple proceeded to live together as husband and wife and have children. The territory was situated over 1200 miles from the Red River Settlement and, being so remote, there were no clergymen in the area to solemnize marriages at that time. In the absence of a clergyman, it was the custom of European men to form common-law marriages with indigenous women in the manner that William and Miyo did. They were married from 1803 to 1832 and had from nine to twelve children, six of whom survived into adulthood.
In 1825, after the amalgamation of the North-West and Hudson's Bay Companies, William became a chief factor and a member of council of the Hudson Bay Company. In the early part of 1831, William decided he wanted to move back to his hometown of Montreal and convinced Suzanne to move with him; she was not happy with the prospect of leaving the area and her family to move to a city, but William convinced her it would be advantageous for their children. Their first move was to St. Eustache, where Miyo was introduced to and known by the community as William's lawful wife and where two of his daughters were baptized by a Catholic priest. Four or five months later, the family moved again to Montreal. Once there, Miyo and their youngest daughter, Marguerite (eight-months-old), boarded at William's sister's house, while the boys were sent to boarding school and the girls were placed in the care of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame. On the 16th of May, 1832, without Miyo's knowledge and while she was still living with his sister, William married his second cousin, Julia Woolrich, in a church ceremony, having first received a special dispensation from the Catholic church to marry his cousin.
Despite having openly lived with and acknowledged Miyo as his wife for 28 years - in addition to baptizing several of their children with his last name, - William asserted that his first marriage was not legal, as it had not been performed by a priest. At that time, it wasn't uncommon for men, upon leaving employment with the Company and moving back home, to abandon the indigenous women they had married, as well as any children they may have had with them; however, when William moved back home to Montreal, he took Suzanne and his children with him and acknowledged the validity of his first marriage up until the day he married Julia.
After being abandoned, Suzanne continued living in Montreal with Marguerite and her health began to decline. In 1840, William suggested she take a trip to visit their daughter, Amelia, in Vancouver, BC. Suzanne agreed to go as long as she could take Marguerite with her. William agreed and arranged for a party to accompany them to Vancouver. They left in April and some time later were held up at Nelson River when the boat they were supposed to take didn't show up. With winter approaching, they decided to hold up at Norway House, in the vicinity of St. Boniface Mission. Upon hearing about the hold up, William arranged lodging for them, with Marguerite going to stay with the housekeeper at the Bishop's house and Suzanne lodging elsewhere nearby. Suzanne and Marguerite continued their attempt to travel to Vancouver for four years before finally settling permanently at St. Boniface in 1844, at which time she and Marguerite were taken in by the Grey Nuns. In 1845, the nuns opened their first novitiate at St. Boniface; Marguerite became their first pupil and Suzanne their first boarder. Suzanne continued on there as a boarder, and Marguerite went on to become the first Metis woman to join the Order of the Grey Nuns.
In 1862, while Marguerite was away visiting a school, Suzanne suddenly passed away. She was laid to rest in August, 1862, in the St. Boniface Cemetery. A request was made to St. Boniface for a photo of her marker, but the wooden cross that was placed at the time of her burial has long since decomposed and her exact resting place is no longer marked.
In May, 1864, following her passing, Suzanne's son, John, filed suit in Montreal Superior Court against Julia Woolrich - who had inherited the entirety of his father's estate in 1849. John's aim was to get a judgement from the court that his parents' marriage had been legally binding and their resulting children were legitimate. John waited until after his mother's passing to file the suit, so she would not have to go through the trial.
On 9 July 1867, the court ruled in John's favor and awarded him 1/12th of his father's estate. For a full reading of the case and the court's findings, refer to, "John Connolly, plaintiff vs. Julia Woolrich, defendant and Thomas R. Johnson, et al., executors and defendants par reprise d'instance," which can be found on archive.org
She married William Connolly, a clerk with the North-West Company, in 1803 in the Rabaskan or Athabaska country, known as the Hudson's Bay Company Territory. He was 17 and she was around 15. They were married in the custom of the land, meaning the couple desired to be married, permission was given by the bride's family, a bride-price was given to her father and the couple proceeded to live together as husband and wife and have children. The territory was situated over 1200 miles from the Red River Settlement and, being so remote, there were no clergymen in the area to solemnize marriages at that time. In the absence of a clergyman, it was the custom of European men to form common-law marriages with indigenous women in the manner that William and Miyo did. They were married from 1803 to 1832 and had from nine to twelve children, six of whom survived into adulthood.
In 1825, after the amalgamation of the North-West and Hudson's Bay Companies, William became a chief factor and a member of council of the Hudson Bay Company. In the early part of 1831, William decided he wanted to move back to his hometown of Montreal and convinced Suzanne to move with him; she was not happy with the prospect of leaving the area and her family to move to a city, but William convinced her it would be advantageous for their children. Their first move was to St. Eustache, where Miyo was introduced to and known by the community as William's lawful wife and where two of his daughters were baptized by a Catholic priest. Four or five months later, the family moved again to Montreal. Once there, Miyo and their youngest daughter, Marguerite (eight-months-old), boarded at William's sister's house, while the boys were sent to boarding school and the girls were placed in the care of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame. On the 16th of May, 1832, without Miyo's knowledge and while she was still living with his sister, William married his second cousin, Julia Woolrich, in a church ceremony, having first received a special dispensation from the Catholic church to marry his cousin.
Despite having openly lived with and acknowledged Miyo as his wife for 28 years - in addition to baptizing several of their children with his last name, - William asserted that his first marriage was not legal, as it had not been performed by a priest. At that time, it wasn't uncommon for men, upon leaving employment with the Company and moving back home, to abandon the indigenous women they had married, as well as any children they may have had with them; however, when William moved back home to Montreal, he took Suzanne and his children with him and acknowledged the validity of his first marriage up until the day he married Julia.
After being abandoned, Suzanne continued living in Montreal with Marguerite and her health began to decline. In 1840, William suggested she take a trip to visit their daughter, Amelia, in Vancouver, BC. Suzanne agreed to go as long as she could take Marguerite with her. William agreed and arranged for a party to accompany them to Vancouver. They left in April and some time later were held up at Nelson River when the boat they were supposed to take didn't show up. With winter approaching, they decided to hold up at Norway House, in the vicinity of St. Boniface Mission. Upon hearing about the hold up, William arranged lodging for them, with Marguerite going to stay with the housekeeper at the Bishop's house and Suzanne lodging elsewhere nearby. Suzanne and Marguerite continued their attempt to travel to Vancouver for four years before finally settling permanently at St. Boniface in 1844, at which time she and Marguerite were taken in by the Grey Nuns. In 1845, the nuns opened their first novitiate at St. Boniface; Marguerite became their first pupil and Suzanne their first boarder. Suzanne continued on there as a boarder, and Marguerite went on to become the first Metis woman to join the Order of the Grey Nuns.
In 1862, while Marguerite was away visiting a school, Suzanne suddenly passed away. She was laid to rest in August, 1862, in the St. Boniface Cemetery. A request was made to St. Boniface for a photo of her marker, but the wooden cross that was placed at the time of her burial has long since decomposed and her exact resting place is no longer marked.
In May, 1864, following her passing, Suzanne's son, John, filed suit in Montreal Superior Court against Julia Woolrich - who had inherited the entirety of his father's estate in 1849. John's aim was to get a judgement from the court that his parents' marriage had been legally binding and their resulting children were legitimate. John waited until after his mother's passing to file the suit, so she would not have to go through the trial.
On 9 July 1867, the court ruled in John's favor and awarded him 1/12th of his father's estate. For a full reading of the case and the court's findings, refer to, "John Connolly, plaintiff vs. Julia Woolrich, defendant and Thomas R. Johnson, et al., executors and defendants par reprise d'instance," which can be found on archive.org
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