John Palmer Bourke: (b.Jan.1791, Sligo, Lightford,
County Mayo, Ireland & d.1851 St.James, near Winnepeg)
John married Nancy Cambell (b.abt.1800, Sault Ste.Marie & d.8 jul.1887
St.James) at St.John's, Sault Ste.Marie on 11 jun.1821. Nancy was 1/2 Wahpeton
(sister to Mrs.Hercules Dousman, Colin, Duncan & Scott Campbell) and
her father was John A.Campbell(b.1775). Together they had 8 children, some
of who were: John(b.abt.1822 RRS, m.Elizabeth Fidler); Walter(b.abt.1825,
m.Flora Hallet); Nancy(b.abt.1827); Collin(b.abt.1829); Andrew(b.abt.1830)
& William(b.abt.1831).
John arrived at the Red River Colony from Hudson Bay on 27 Oct.1812
and from 1812 to 1816 was a store keeper at the Colony. On 19 Jun.1816
he was present at the Battle of Seven Oaks, wounded he took refuge at the
Norway House post. He was taken prisoner by the Northwest Co. and taken
to Ft.Alexander & Ft.William. 1819 to 1821 he was at Lac Traverse (the
Hudson Bay Sioux District headquarters), first as Hudson Bay Co. clerk
for Trader Duncan Graham than himself trader representing HBC. When HBC
& NWC united in 1821 John was replaced by Joseph Renville & Joseph
Jeffries at Lac Traverse. In 1835 John purchased the HBC experimental farm
at St.James. In 1846 he traveled from Pembina to Ft.Snelling with
R.Clouston on a mission to obtain supplies for British troops. John became
ill at Ft.Snelling and remained there while Clouston proceeded to St.Louis
and returned to Ft.Snelling with the needed supplies.
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