YUKON #253 THE COUREURS DE BOIS
The “Coureurs de Bois”
The name “coureurs de bois” seems unique in French since all the hardy men who were true “coureurs des bois” were all Francophones especially coming from Quebec and who were headed for the West.
It is possible that the first “coureur des bois” identified as such in the Canadian West was François Beaulieu who arrived around 1760 at Fort Chipewean, Alberta. According to Thomas Maccagno, Lac La Biche historian, he probably came from Detroit, Michigan (according to extracts from the extensive Beaulieu family). In this matter, the historians seem to agree; then François would have followed the trail of Sempbuck up to Lake Athabasca right up to the mouth at Fort Chip.
The “coureurs des bois” who served as “aides-de-camp” (assistants) to Alexander MacKenzi when he navigated the MacKenzie River in 1789 were: ( in alphabetical order)
Barriault, François
Beauchamp, Jacques
Beaulieu, François
Comptois, Jacques
Doucette, Charles
Landry, Joseph
And some First Nations people not identified.
Those who served as “aides-de-camps” ( helpers) to Alexander MacKenzie to navigate from Peace River in northern Alberta to Vancouver; who departed in May 1793 were in alphabetical order:
Beauchamps, Jacques
Beaulieu, François
Bisson, Baptiste
Comptois, François
Doucette, Charles
Landry, Joseph
Lemay, Pierre
Also two unidentified First Nations people
Alexandre MacKenzie was very pleased with his French-Canadian crew and never overlooked a chance to name them when the occasion presented itself.
In 1820-21 and in two other occasions, John Franklin had gathered quite a few French-Canadians to help him in his expeditions to the Arctic. Unfortunately, many French-Canadians perished during the 1820’s due to the lack of vitamin C (scurvy). Many Inuit survived since they ate that which was found in the stomachs of the hunted animals (caribou and others). It is said that that is the reason that they were spared.
Aides-de-camps to John Franklin:
Adam, Jean-Baptiste
Boileau,
Boileau, and his two sons
Beauparlant
Bélanger, Jean-Baptiste
Bélanger, Salomon
Benoit, Joseph
Coté
Félix, François
Pelletier, Joseph
Samandre, François
Vaillant, Régis
Vivier, Alexis
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Those who helped Robert Campbell around the 1840’s to the 1850’s
Baptiste
Dubois
Dubois
Forcier: One of the more interesting “coureurs de bois”; this man must have covered all of the Yukon and possibly much of the North West Territories, but hasn’t left any written information.
Frasier
Gaucher
Hector
Houle, François
Lachaise
Pambrun
Vadnais
I saw a note in the “Empreinte”: “The Hudson Bay Company asked that their employees learn French before they were sent out to be explorers on future expeditions.” The Company acted this way because their employees would have to guide groups composed of a majority of French-Canadians on their trips and in their forts.
“L’Empreinte” and personal notes.
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