One of the more popular posts of this website has been the story of the Espagnols. You can see this from the number of comments and inquiries I have received under the post on Louis Espagnol. I realized I had several photos that have not appeared on this website or my book so here is the collection I found from the Donald Smith Collection in the Archives of Ontario. If anyone has additional photos of the family I would be pleased to add them to the collection.
If only photos appear and you want the captions, either click on the first photo, or follow the instructions that say “click here to go back to Picasa web albums”.
Since a few people have reported being unable to open my album I have inserted most of the photos here.
Louis Espagnol, manager of Hudson’s Bay post on Pogamasing taken by Jane Espaniel McKee
Alex Espaniel (anglicized spelling) with Annie Nootchai with children Billy (I believe he died quite young and is buried in the Bisco cemetery as I saw a grave with the marker ‘Billy Spaniel’), Jane (the historian of the family who left key information about the first Espagnol from the Spanish area of the south-west) and Mary.
John Spaniel (a third variation on the spelling of their family name) served in WW I with the 159th O/S Battalion. He enlisted at Frood, Ontario, in 1916 and saw action in France, was wounded, and then discharged in 1920 due to health issues.
Maggie, Sarah (Louis’ second wife) and John Espagnol, possibly the same man as above. (from the Jim Espaniel collection)
Sarah, Louis’ third wife with Maggie and John Espagnol. The main island on Pog was named ‘Maggie’s Island’ in her honour as she lived her when she was being courted by Harold, or Earl Kingston whose father Tom looked after the Pog dam. After Louis died in 1907, Sarah lived on Pog with her two step children.
This iconic photo was taken in 1905 in front of the Hudson’s Bay Company store in Bisco, probably by Duncan Campbell Scott who was on his way to negotiate Treaty Nine. His buckskin suit was made by Sarah and he displays the two medals awarded to his father for his support for the British in the War of 1812.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Dear Andy,
Cannot view the pictures. Link does not work. Do I need to be a Picassa member to see them?
Debra,
I think anyone can open the album. Someone else replied with the same issue and I checked it so I don’t know what is the matter. Are you an apple user? I just opened it again so it must be some other issue, maybe your browser?: sorry I’m not that good at these technical issues.Try it again and I’ll check with my web man and see what he says.
Andy
I tried to open the photo album but the message was ‘page not found’ and I’m wondering what I’m not understanding. My husband is a descendant of the Lafreniere- StOnge Letard lineage (Drummond Island to Penetanguishene/Lafontaine Ontario) who followed the military. We wonder if there is a possibility that his grgrgrandmother Madeleine had a child enroute while perhaps wintering at Fort LaCloche. Did such a thing happen at times?
Have you been able to open the album yet? Someone else has the same problem and I was wondering if you were able to open it.
Andy
I hope you have been able to see the photos.
I am not an expert in the military history so I shouldn’t offer an opinion. Please look at the comments following my the Louis Espagnol blog to find names and places where you might inquire.