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Natives of Riding Mountain
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Campbell's son Glenlyon and his son's friend, Walter Scott, actively managed the ranch. They wintered livestock on Lake Audy Plain and on the prairies around Kennis' Creek. Kennis' Creek was a popular stopping place in the early days when the trail across the mountain was starting to be used by the white settlers, and people made their homes were made there. Among the people who lived there were Kennis and Atkinson. Okanase's sister married an Atkinson who lived there. Kennis married a relative of Okanase.
There was a family of Mentuck living at the crossing of the Dauphin Trail over Kennis' Creek. Mrs. Mentuck was a very capable woman and a fine person. She was an excellent midwife and a great help to anyone injured or sick. Billy Bone Okanese lived on Kennis' Plains for a while looking after Campbell's livestock.
Campbell and Keeseekoowenin became great friends. Campbell was a staunch Presbyterian, and when in 1874, the Rev. George Flett, Keeseekoowenin's first cousin, established a Presbyterian mission and church school near today's Elphinstone, it was not long before Keeseekoowenin's family was well involved with the church. The church was used by the first settlers of the area, and the Presbyterian Church for the Elphinstone District was a joint effort until about 1912. Keeseekoowenin never abandoned his belief in the Great Spirit who created our world and its creatures, but as a Presbyterian, he gave up going to powwows and other ceremonies.
Campbell had imported sheep from Pennsylvania, Clyde horses for work, the hardy Highland cattle from Scotland, and some big black cattle with large horns. These strains did well for the reserve people, and Chief Keeseekoowenin built up a good herd, as did his son-in-law, John Henry Cook, Elizabeth's husband. Every autumn, cattle buyers would arrive to purchase the prize animals. James R. Muir of Elphinstone and Smith Russell of Strathclair were the principal buyers. Muir was favoured, often obtaining eight head from the Burns and Cook families.
Glen Campbell and Walter Scott joined Bolton's Scouts who played an important role in the Rebellion in 1885. Afterwards, each married daughters of Chief Keeseekoowenin, and took up homesteads. Their wives, having married non-Treaty men, each took scrip for a quarter-section of land. They took this land on the north side of the Mountain near Big Grass. Lizette, later to become Mrs. Leo Lauder, was Walter Scott's first child. She was born at Big Grass. Walter Scott had to ride over to Kennis' Creek to get Mrs. Mentuck, and it was this lady who looked after Mrs. Scott when Mrs. Leo Lauder was born.
There were several other bands of Saulteaux who lived around Riding Mountain. The Hunting Hawk Band lived in the Rolling River valley, the Waywayseecappo Band in the Birdtail River valley at Rossburn, the Coté Band to the west, and a band which now has its reserve near Shortdale.
After the North West Rebellion, several Métis families took up their scrip land at the top of the Little Saskatchewan Valley. There were several families of Berciers, the Thorns, the Pauls and the Flammond. Some of these people moved north to St. Clara and Boggy Creek, some to Pine Creek. Two sons of Keecheemaymay -- Pat Bone and Long John Bone -- also left Treaty and took scrip. Pat was married to Baptiste Bone's daughter, Shemaymah. They later moved to Clear Lake. Pat Bone lived to be 104 and is buried in the Clear Lake cemetery. Long John Bone settled at Pine Creek.
Riding Mountain provided a good livelihood to these Natives when the country was first settled. At Treaty, it was understood by the Okanase Band the land along the west shore of Wasagaming be reserved for the Natives to fish. Another small reserve for hay and feed was to be at Bottle Lake. Some people, including families of Bateese Bone and Pat Bone, had lived their entire lives when land was to be reserved at the west end of Wasagaming. There was a McBeth, better known to the Natives as Geewish (some of the younger generation live at the Rolling River Reserve). David Burns and family lived on this reserve, also John L. Bone.
David Burns, Chief Keeseekoowenin's second son, did not take up farming like his brothers George and Solomon. He preferred to remain in the Mountain, trapping, hunting and guiding. He was one of the most highly thought of moose hunters that lived on the little reserve, and he kept reserve families well-supplied. He had a great admiration for the moose. His close friend Geewish was also noted for being a trapper and hunter of high calibre. Both these men were great conservationists. They used to guide white hunters and government men through the Riding Mountain. They knew every foot of this land. Geewish had only one eye, but was a very good shot. David Burns and one of Pat Bone's son's, Sam, were deadly shots. Their rifles were very ordinary 30-30, .303, Winchesters. They would go hunting with one or two rounds of ammunition and get their elk or moose.
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