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- 1903-11-27
- In connection to purchasing more timber land for reserve at Pictou Landing, William Scott's title to land to be sold to Fishers grant reserve.
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- 1904- Annual Report from Indian Agent John D. McLeod
- Annual Report from Pictou County Indian Agent Rev. J.D. McLeod. Report mentions the recent addition of 36 acres to the Reserve, making the total area 200 acres. Details on occupations, health, religion and education are also recorded., MICMACS OF PICTOU COUNTY, NEW GLASGOW, July 23, 1904. The Honourable The Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, Ottawa. SIR, - I have the honour to submit my annual report and statistical statement for the year ended June 30, 1904. Reserves. - There are two reserves in this agency, the Indian Island reserve and the reserve at Fisher's Grant. A piece of land adjoining the Fisher's Grant reserve was bought by the department during the past year, enlarging the reserve by 36 acres. The Fisher's Grant reserve has now an area of 200 acres. This increased land property should prove a boon to the Indians here. Vital Statistics. - The combined population of the two reserves is 155. There were 5 deaths and 5 births during the year. A family of 5 moved to the Fisher's Grant reserve from Cape Breton. Health. - The health of the Indians has been good. A few deaths from consumption occurred during the year. Occupations. - Farming, fishing, coopering and the making of baskets and pick handles are the avocations in which the Indians are employed. Many of the Indians get work at Pictou Landing during the summer months, loading and unloading steamers. Buildings. - The houses of the Indians are fairly large and comfortable. The Indians are ever anxious to improve their houses and their village at Fisher's Grant presents a pretty appearance from the highway. Education. - The school at Fisher's Grant is keeping up the good record it has made. The attendance during the winter months was good, and the children under the tuition of Miss Carrie A. McDonald, have made much progress. The work done in this school has been lately most favourably commented upon by the public press. Religion. - All the Indians of this agency are Roman Catholics and much attached to their faith. Temperance and Morality. - With a few exceptions, the Indians of Pictou county are sober and industrious. In their simple unworldly minds, religion is deeply rooted and it is edifying to observe the honesty and purity of their secluded lives. I have, & c., J.D. McLEOD, Indian Agent., Annual Report of the Department of Indian Affairs for the Year Ended June 30, 1904 (Ottawa: Dominion of Canada, 1905), 75-76.
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- 1904-04-20
- Correspondence for more land for the Fishers Grant (Pictou Landing Reserve) ended with discussion of buying land for the reserve, but this is the next letter in the file (written nearly a year later). Mcleod asked why the land had not been sold to the Fishers Grant Indians. He stated that if the land is to be of use to the indians than they need to start planting. Mcleod also wanted to know how the land would be apportioned.
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- 1904-04-23
- In connection to purchasing more timber land for reserve at Pictou Landing, Mclean stated that the land had been purchased for the Indians use, and asks Mcleod to tell him how it should be apportioned and to whom.
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- 1904-12-17
- In connection to purchasing more timber land for reserve at Pictou Landing, Mcleod reported to DIA that the Indians at Fishers grant "have had no firewood for quite some time." They had been encroaching on white land "to keep themselves warm." Mentions that a settler named Paul Fraser has wooded land for sale nearby, asks for response if they can purchase.
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- 1904-12-23
- Mclean responds to a letter from Mcleod on the 17th of Dec, when Mcleod stated that their was no fire-wood available to cut on Fishers grant and that the Indians were trespassing on white land. Mclean was surprised, and stated that 5 years ago the survey by McKean showed the land was thickly wooded, and reminds Mcleod that on the 23rd of april 1904 the government added 36 acres of wooded land from Scott.
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- 1905- Annual Report from Indian Agent Rev. John D. McLeod
- Annual Report from Rev. John D. McLeod, Indian Agent for Pictou County. Report contains information on work, health, housing, education, and where Mi’kmaq families lived throughout the year., MICMACS OF PICTOU COUNTY, NEW GLASGOW, July 15, 1905. FRANK PEDLEY, Esq., Deputy Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, Ottawa. SIR, - I have the honour to submit my annual report and statistical statement for the year ended June 30, 1905. Reserves. - There are two reserves in this agency, the Indian Island reserve and the reserve at Fisher's Grant. The greater number live on the Fisher's Grant reserve. Forty-six Indians live on the Indian island during the summer months. These Indians live in shanties on the adjacent mainland during the winter months. All the other Indians live on the Fisher's Grant reserve, which contains 200 acres of land. Population. - The Indian population of this agency now numbers 170. Health. - The general health of the Indians during the past year has been good. There has been no epidemic or contagious disease. Four of the deaths recorded were of infants. Tuberculosis claimed its annual tribute. The physical energy of the Indians is inferior, due no doubt, in large measure, to lack of nourishing food. Occupations. - The Indians of this agency make a living by farming, fishing, coopering, making moccasins, hunting, making pick-handles and occasionally hiring out as labourers. Buildings. - The Indians are improving their dwellings from year to year. Many have sufficiently large frame buildings, comfortably furnished within. In the majority of cases, however, their houses are too small for health or comfort. Education. - There is a school continually in operation at the Fisher's Grant reserve, which is fairly well attended. An efficient teacher is kept in charge and the children are making good progress. Temperance and Morality. - There are three or four Indians who get drunk from time to time. All the rest are of sober habits, and in a large number of cases keep the pledge of total abstinence from intoxicating drinks. They live in peace in their sequestered communities and are a God-fearing class of people. I have, & c., JOHN D. MacLEOD, Indian Agent., Annual Report of the Department of Indian Affairs for the Year Ended June 30, 1905 (Ottawa: Dominion of Canada, 1906), 68.
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- 1905-01-04
- In connection to purchasing more timber land for reserve at Pictou Landing, Mcleod explained that the wood was unsuitable for firewood as it was mostly softwood. He then stated the 10 acres for sale should keep them warm for "some years" as it is all hardwood., "Although portions of the Indian Reserve at Fishers Grant are thickly wooded, the said wood cannot be used for firewood - for fuel - as it is of the soft variety, chiefly spruce. To keep themselves warm during the winter the Indians have to steal the firewood, which they have been doing much to the chagrin of the proprieters. The wood on the reserve is valuable for fencing and will be usefull for that purpose for many years...The purchase of it would contribute towards the comfort and material welfare of the wards of the nation."
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- 1905-01-10
- In connection to purchasing more timber land for reserve at Pictou Landing, Chitty recommended that Mcleod's advice be followed and the government purchase the 10 acres of hardwood for the Indians.
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- 1905-01-11
- In connection to purchasing more timber land for reserve at Pictou Landing, a letter from DIA accountant (signature unreadable) reported that these Indians had no "trust fund" of their own, and that if to be purchased "it will be necessary to place a sum in estimates" (?). The author again questioned how there can be no wood left given the Mckean survey and the recent purchase of wooded land. Stated that either the wood had been sold or used extravagently.
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- 1905-01-31
- In connection to purchasing more timber land for reserve at Pictou Landing, an accountant from DIA explains that he thinks that there should be no more expenditures on land for the Indians of Nova Scotia. He stated that the land was very cultivatable and they should be able to make a living for themselves. He argued that the recent land purchases have not lessened conflict with settlers., "They should be looked upon as already civilized ordinary citizens and if they commit trespass they should be prosecuted... By making that point the conspicuous and important one I think we are looking through the wrong end of the glass. Our policy is to provide relief to obly those who are in needy circumstances, and it would be better for us to buy a little wood for old widows and dependent orphans than to buy wooded land that may be plundered by able-bodied Indians who should earn enough to supply them with wood."
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- 1905-02-11
- In connection to purchasing more timber land for reserve at Pictou Landing, Mcleod had seemingly been out of loop of recent conversations, and he stated that he had not heard back about purchase of 10 acres of wooded land for the Fishers Grant Indians. He stated that he hoped the government would buy it as it was a small price to pay to bring the Indians comfort., "The Indians have been taking wood for fuel from neighbours- if they could keep themselves from freezing otherwise they would be stealing it, but God had given man the paramount right to live. The neighbours who suffer are repelling them from taking the wood, so violently that an Indian told me today that he was afraid they would be murdered."