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©Keeseekoowenin 1998
Page 5
Thomas Hart Presbyterian Church
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The church was built after Chief George Bone in 1910 journeyed west to visit some relatives on other reserves, probably, for example, O'Soups. He returned to describe what he found -- there was worship everywhere, but none at Okanase. They drew up a sketch. Heavy spruce timber was cut from the land at Clear Lake, floated down to Alex Kippen's mill, sawn, and hauled to the building site. Sam Havelin, a stonemason, did the foundation. Women prepared meals on the spot. Chief George Bone, Solomon and David Burns, Bill Bone, Joe Boyer and younger men did the work. They got $300 from Toronto for flooring and siding. All funds for other material was raised and contributed by the Okanase people.
In 1911, the Christmas Tree Concert was held in the new church. George Bone put up his horse as security to buy the embossed steel for the walls and ceiling, but he lost the horse when the loan was not paid. The Ladies Aid paid him $50 to help with the loss. The church was finished in the spring of 1912 and was named the Thomas Hart Church in memory of the Rev. Dr. Thomas Hart who had been connected with the Foreign Missions Committee. Miss McGregor from Birtle tried to organize a Women's Mission Society, but when the Okanase women found their collections would go to headquarters, they became a "Ladies Aid" and kept their money at Okanase.
Seating in the church was to be provided for each family. They sent in an order to Eaton's for fifty kitchen chairs at fifty cents each. Eaton's contributed an additional ten chairs. Lamp and gas oil was bought with money gained from sale of used clothing at the mission or quilts. The church was opened on November 17, 1912, in a ceremony conducted by the Rev. A. B. Baird of Manitoba College. (15) The widow of Thomas Hart contributed a tablet in memory of her husband, with the unveiling by Lydia Cook, Chief Keeseekoowenin's granddaughter. (16)A crafts sale of very fine bead and silk work on tanned skins was conducted to raise additional money -- $150 in one hour to the white guests.(17)
A baptismal registry for the Hart church kept by Rev. James A. Donaghy shows three baptisms in 1910, six in 1911, two in 1912, three in 1913, three in 1914, four in 1915. [Donaghy apparently returned in 1943-44.]
Until 1919, the Presbyterian baptismal records listed as place of birth "Okanase" or "Okanase Reserve". In 1919, however, the entry was "Keeseekoowenin's" for place of birth, but strangely, the residence remained "Okanase Reserve".
After Donaghy's departure to Swan Lake, the Rev. Cunningham Moore took over the church in from April 1917 to September 1918. From 1 November 1918 through 1931, the Rev. F. Bingley Willson was in charge.(18)
In the summer of 1928, the Rev. F.B. Willson, resident missionary on the Keeseekoowenin Reserve -- and also secretary-treasurer of the Elphinstone School Board -- asked Indian Agent P.G. Lazenby for permission to take gravel off the reserve for cement work on the basement of the new Elphinstone School. Lazenby received permission from Commissioner Graham at Regina. $19.20 was paid into the band's trust fund for 192 cubic yards of gravel. At a meeting of "the Councillor and members" of the Keeseekoowenin Band in the presence of the Indian Agent, it was decided to use the money to repair and paint the Mission Church on the reserve. In favour were Joseph Boyer, Councillor, David Burns, Henry Bone, Wm. Blackbird, Stewart Bone, Jos. Blackbird, John Bone, John L. Bone, Solomon Burns, Donald Blackbird, James Bone, Albert Blackbird, McKay Flett.
Agent Lazenby wrote Ottawa:
"The Rev. F.B. Wilson . . . and the Indians themselves inform me that the church property belongs to the band. . . I would recommend that the expenditure be made as the church very much needs fixing up."
Lazenby requested and received authority from Ottawa to use the money for that purpose. In September, the $19.20 was taken from band trust funds for "5 gallons paint for Mission Church on Keeseekoowenin Reserve."
Minister of the Okanase Presbyterian Church in 1931 was a Mr. Hill. The Rev. Robert Paterson followed him in 1931-34, then Mr. H.T. White in October 1934-1942. The Rev. J.A. Donaghy came back after a 27 year absence to serve in 1942-43.
Ministers who followed were:
•Oct 15 1943-Sep 1 1945 H. Campbell
•Sep 1 1945-1947 The Rev. F.B. Willson (see 1918-1931)
•1947-1948 Howard Neable
•1948-1950 Rev. J.D. Marnoch
•1950 Howard Reson
•1951 Walter Donovan
•1952 James A. Macartney
•1953 David Heslip
•1954-1958
•1958-1964 The Rev. I.L. Jackson/the Rev. J.M. Laurenson
•1964-1965
•1966-1969 The Rev. W. Donovan
•1970-1971 Rev. W. Chenn and Rick Glass
•1972-1975
•1976-1978 James L. Codling
•1978-1980 William Morrow
Sadly, the church burned down in 1974.
Footnotes
15. Baird had travelled with George Flett and Thomas Hart to inspect Indian missions. He reports that Flett would always have a bag of pemmican ready for the trip. He was an expert at setting up the camp and was a first-class cook, knowing many ways of making pemmican into a tasty dish. He acted as guide, driver, camp boss, cook and interpreter.(back)
16. This must have been a daughter of Elizabeth Burns and John Henry Cook of Dog Creek, Emma Cook's brother. Emma Cook was married to George Flett Burns, Keeseekoowenin's eldest son.(back)
17. One sour note: the old mission bell that had called the band to meetings had been removed from the derrick beside the school to the new church tower. On the opening day, it was to be rung for the first time -- the rope was pulled, and a dull "clack" sound was all that came out. It seems the man who moved it had let it fall on some stones, and it was cracked.(back)
18. Wilson was also an entrepreneur, having bought the Oscar Finch lumber company, adding groceries. The store later became the Elphinstone Consumers Co-op.(back)
