List of Chief Factors and chiefs of Fort Albany

This is a list of Chief Factors and chiefs of Fort Albany, including the Chief Factors of the Hudson's Bay Company that governed the fort when it was controlled by HBC, and the chiefs that have led Fort Albany First Nation since the establishment of a reserve on the territory in 1909, as well as their councils.

## Chief Factors of Fort Albany[edit]

Following the Hudson's Bay Company's rigid corporate structure, the original trading post of Fort Albany was run by a man with the title "Chief Factor", who oversaw the business of the fort (and consequently, the district). Some of the Chief Factors are listed below, along with the year of their appointment. The term "Governor" is sometimes used to refer to the employee overseeing the operations of the fort.

Term  | Chief Factor  | Notes  | Ref

|
|
|

1682-1685  | James Knight |  | [1][2]
1686-1692  | \--  | The French controlled the fort at this time.  | [2]
1692-1700  | James Knight  |  | [2]
1700-1705  | John Fullartine |  | [3]
1705-1708  | Anthony Beale | Returned to England in 1708 at his own request.  | [3]
1708-1711  | John Fullartine  |  | [3]
August 1711  | Henry Kelsey | Formerly Deputy Governor (i.e. Second); replaced Fullartine after his departure before Beale arrived the following month.  | [3]
1711-1714  | Anthony Beale  | Recalled in the aftermath of the Treaty of Utrecht as the Company re-oriented itself.

Beginning in 1715, above the governor/chief factor of the fort, there seems to have been the position of "governor-in-chief" overseeing the whole region from York Factory.[4]

| [3]
1714-1715  | Richard Staunton  | Recalled upon his own request in 1715, following the rejection of a pay raise, though he may have been abused by the "unruly men" at the fort.  | [5]
1716-1721  | Thomas McCliesh  | Returned to England in 1721.  | [4]
1721-1723  | Joseph Myatt  | Demoted in 1723 to Deputy Governor (i.e. Second) following a price drop caused by intervention of coureurs des bois and for teaching an indigenous boy to read and write.  | [6]
1723-1726  | Richard Staunton  |  | [5]
1726-1730  | Joseph Myatt  | Served until his death from "gout of the stomach".  | [6]
1730-1737  | Joseph Adams |  | [7]
1735, 1736  | Thomas McCliesh  | Appointed in 1735, and then again in 1736, but was unable to take up his post at Albany both times due to illness, and returned to England.  | [4]
1737-1739  | Thomas Bird | Served until his death, believed to be "hastened by an immoderate use of liquors".  | [8]
1739-1740  | Rowland Waggoner  | Died before the orders for a three-year appointment as Chief Factor could reach Albany.  | [9]
1740-1747  | Joseph Isbister  | Established the first inland HBC post, Henley House. Had to relinquish his post due to illness.  | [10]
1747-1752  | George Spence  |  | [11]
1752-1756  | Joseph Isbister  |  | [10]
1764-1775  | Humphrey Marten  |  | [12]
1775-1781  | Thomas Hutchins |  | [13]
1781-1790  | Edward Jarvis  |  | [14]
1790-1791  | John McNab  |  | [15]
1792  | Edward Jarvis  | Retired due to ill health.  | [14]
1793-1799  | John McNab  |  | [15]
1800-1810  | John Hodgson  | Was in England for the 1807-08 year. Dismissed following much mismanagement of the fort and its subsidiaries.  | [16]
1810-1815  | Thomas Vincent  |  | [17]
1821  | Merger of the Hudson's Bay Company with the North-West Company
1824-1826  | Thomas Vincent  |  | [17]
1826-1829  | Alexander Kennedy  |  | [18]:456
1829-1830  | Alexander McTavish  | Chief Trader, no Chief Factor present  | [18]:456
1830-1837  | Jacob Corrigal  | Chief Trader, no Chief Factor present  | [18]:457
1830  | Alexander Stewart  | Governor George Simpson appointed Stewart to be Chief Factor, but on his journey to the fort he suffered a "slight paralytic affection" and was given leave of absence.  | [18]:461
1837-1855  | Thomas Corcoran  | Chief Trader, no Chief Factor present. Departed in 1851-52 to receive medical attention.  | [18]:458, 461
1855-  | William H. Watt  | Chief Trader, no Chief Factor present  | [18]:461
-1858  | John MacKenzie  |  | [18]:450
1858-1860  | William H. Watt  | Chief Trader, no Chief Factor present. Given leave of absence in 1860.  | [18]:462

## Ontario Justices of the Peace[edit]

Once the settlement was made part of the Dominion of Canada (1869), and later the province of Ontario (awarded by arbitrators in 1878), the province appointed Justices of the Peace to assert its authority in its new northern reaches.[19]

Date of appointment  | Justice of the Peace  | Notes  | Ref

|
|
|

May 20, 1882  | William Broughton  | Former HBC officer, later became Chief Factor at Moose Factory in 1892.  | [19]:88

## Albany Band Council[edit]

### Indian Act (1909–1977)[edit]

A band council was established for the Fort Albany First Nation, following the Indian Act.

Date of selection  | Chief  | Councillors  | Notes  | Ref

|
|
|
|

1909  | Andrew Wesley  |  |  | [20]
July 1920  | Moses Wesley  |

* S. Ruben
* J. N. Scott
* J. Spence
* D. Wesley

|  | [20]
July 1923  |

* Patrick Steven[sic]
* Xavier Spence
* David Solomon

|  | [20]
July 26, 1926  |

* Patrick Stephen[sic]
* Xavier Spence
* Xavier Chookomoolin
* David Solomon

|  | [20]
July 16, 1929  | Isiah Nashootaway (Sutherland)  |

* Xavier Scott
* James Sutherland
* Alex Lazarus

|  | [20]
1933  | Moses Wesley  |  | [20]
1938  | Walter Stephen  |  | [20]
July 1947  | Simeon Scott  |

* James Sutherland
* James Wesley
* Willie Stephens

|  | [20]
July 30, 1951  |

* Joel Linklater
* James Sutherland
* Fred Lazarus

|  | [20]
July 29, 1957  | James Wesley  |

* Gaius Wesley
* Simon Koosees
* Alex Lazarus

|  | [20]
June 17, 1960  |

* Simon Koosees
* Gaius Wesley
* Alex Lazarus
* James Sutherland
* Simeon Metatawbin
* Louis Nakochee
* Xavier Sutherland

|  | [20]
August 12, 1964  | Abraham Metatawabin  |

* Willie Stephen
* Gaius Wesley
* Willie Wesley Sr.
* Raphael Wheesk
* Moses Nakogee
* John Wheesk
* Xavier Sutherland

|  | [20][21]
July 28, 1967  | James Wesley  |

* Simon[sic] Friday
* Evadney Friday
* Fred Lazarus
* Labius Reuben
* Mary Solomon
* Willie Stephen
* David Wynne Jr.
* Hosea Wynne
* Joshua Wynne

|  | [20]
August 27, 1969  | William Stephen  |

* Silas Wesley
* John A. Wesley
* Xavier Sutherland
* Sinclair Wynne
* Clifford Wesley
* Alex Goodwin
* Claudius Hughie
* James Solomon
* Lawrence Mark
* Philip Tookata
* Abraham Metatawabin[sic]
* John Nakochee

|  | [20]
June 15, 1971  | William Wesley Sr.  |

* Silas Wesley
* John A. Wesley
* Alex Wesley
* Philip Hughie
* Mathias Wynne
* Fred Lazarus Sr.
* George Wesley
* Simon Friday
* Lawrence Mark
* Philip Tookata
* Moses Nakogee
* Gilbert Solomon

| Lawrence Mark resigned January 17, 1972. Moses Nakogee resigned May 16, 1972.  | [20]
June 15, 1973  | John Nakogee  |

* Simeon Friday
* James Wesley
* Evadney Friday
* Josephine Wesley
* Sinclair Wynne
* Bertie Wynne
* Fred Lazarus Sr.
* Sinclair Williams
* Abraham Wynne
* Abraham Metat[sic]
* Peter Sutherland
* Edmund Metat

|  | [20]
June 24, 1975  | Silas Wesley  |

* Simeon Friday
* Alex Goodwin
* John Wesley
* George Wesley
* Bartholomew Sutherland
* Sinclair Wynne
* Peter Sackanay
* Daisy Sackanay
* Abraham Metatawabin[sic]
* John Kataquabit
* Joseph Kataquabit
* Lawrence Mark

| This was the last band council before the official split between the Fort Albany and Kaschechewan First Nations, from 1977 onwards, each community had its own band council.  | [20]

### Following split with Kashechewan (1977–2022)[edit]

This section needs expansion with: additional information on band council composition from 1994 to present. You can help by adding to it. (July 2022)

|

Kashechewan First Nation began having its own band council in 1977.

Date of Selection  | Chief  | Councillors  | Notes  | Ref

|
|
|
|

June 21, 1977  | John Nakogee  |

* Edmond Edwards
* Michel Nakochee
* Harry Loone
* Louis Nakogee
* Antoine Koostachin
* Gilbert Solomon

|  | [22]
June 21, 1979  | Alex Metatawabin  |

* Lawrence Mark
* John Scott
* Harry Loone
* John Edwards
* Joseph Kataquapit
* Peter Sackanay

| Chief Alex Metatawabin was removed February 24, 1980, and replaced in a by-election.  | [22]
March 3, 1980  | Louie[sic] Nakogee
June 2, 1981  | Alex Metatawabin  |

* Daniel Edwards
* Xavier Sutherland
* Louis Nakogee Jr.
* Edmund Edwards
* Joseph Sutherland
* Micheline Edwards

|  | [22]
July 16, 1983  | Louie[sic] Nakogee Sr.  |

* Daniel Edwards
* Louis Nakogee Jr.
* Abraham Matatawabin[sic]
* Harry Loone
* Joseph Wheesk
* Marius Spence

|  | [22]
February 27, 1985  | Simeon Solomon  |

* William Sutherland
* Peter Sutherland
* John Paul Nakochee
* Gabriel Loone
* Ignace Kataquapit
* Marius Spence

| Gabriel Loone and Marius Spence resigned in September 1985, and were replaced by Peter Nakogee and David Sutherland in a by-election on September 11, 1985. Peter Nakogee then resigned on May 13, 1986.  | [22]
August 13, 1986  | Louie Nakogee Jr.  |

* Antoine Koostachin
* Joseph Wheesk
* Annabella Solomon
* Marius Spence
* Ignace Kataquapit
* Joseph Sutherland
* Peter Nakogee

|  | [22]
July 6, 1988  | Edmund Metatawabin |

* William Sutherland
* Peter Sutherland
* Gilbert Solomon
* Gisele Kataquapit
* Lucie Solomon
* Rita Scott
* Patricia Edwards

| William Sutherland and Rita Scott resigned during their time on Council, and were replaced by David Sutherland and George Sackanay in a by-election on May 21, 1989.  | [22]
July 6, 1990  |

* Peter Sutherland
* Leo Loon
* Gabriel Sutherland
* Joseph Sutherland
* George Scott
* Ernest Edwards
* Michel Solomon

|  | [22]
July 13, 1992  | Edward Metatawabin  |

* Joseph Wheesk
* Gabriel Sutherland
* Leo Loon
* Bernard Sutherland
* Emile Sutherland
* Marius Spence
* Annabella Solomon

|  | [22]
1994  | Edmund Metatawabin  |  | Edmund Metatawabin was still chief in 1994 and 1995.  | [23][24][25]
July 2, 1996  | Arthur Scott  |  | Within a few months of Scott's election, a petition calling for his removal as chief was signed by 186 people. On September 5, 1996, some members of the band held a "custom election", according to The Nation, "a show of hands to select a new chief." 95 people voted in the "custom election" and elected Bernard Sutherland as chief. Scott refused to step down, and did not recognize the "custom election".  | [26]
1998  | Mike Metatawabin  |  |  | [27][28]
Date of Selection  | Chief  | Deputy Chief  | Councillors  | Notes  | Ref
2010  |  |  |

* Robert Nakogee

|  | [29]
July 28, 2012  | Rex Knapaysweet  |  |

* Robert Nakogee

|  | [29][30]
2014  |  | Robert Nakogee  |  |  | [29]
2016  |  | Robert Nakogee  |  |  | [29]
August 13, 2018  | Leo Metatawabin  | Robert Nakogee  |

* Edmond Sackaney (Head Councillor)
* Joseph Scott
* Joseph Sutherland
* Margaret Edwards
* Yvonne Metatawabin
* Jackie Kataquapit
* Ruby Edwards-Wheesk

|  | [31]
August 23, 2020  | Robert Nakogee  | Charlotte Nakoochee  |

* Joseph Scott
* Joseph Sutherland
* Edmond Edwards
* Xavier Inishinapay
* Joseph Pascal Spence
* Angela Diane Lagasse
* Arthur Nakogee

|  | [32]

### Custom Election Code (2022–present)[edit]

A referendum of the First Nation's members on June 13, 2022 approved a Custom Election Code, with 22 of 39 votes cast in favour of the code.[33] This Custom Election Code replaces the electoral process laid out in the Indian Act. The 2022 election was the first election in Fort Albany held under the custom code.[34]

Date of Selection  | Chief  | Deputy Chief  | Councillors  | Notes  | Ref

|
|
|
|
|

October 1, 2022  | Elizabeth Kataquapit  | Terry Metatawabin  |

* Brenda Scott
* Pascal Spence
* Joseph Scott
* Ruby Edward-Wheesk
* Madeline Scott
* Christopher Metatawabin
* Madeline Nakogee

| Elizabeth Kataquapit was the First Nation's first elected female chief.  | [35]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "James Knight". HBC Heritage. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
2. ^ a b c Dodge, Ernest S. (1969). "KNIGHT, JAMES". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
3. ^ a b c d e "BEALE, ANTHONY". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. 1969. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
4. ^ a b c Johnson, Alice M. (1969). "McCLIESH, THOMAS". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
5. ^ a b Rich, E. E. (1969). "STAUNTON, RICHARD". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
6. ^ a b Thorman, G.E. (1969). "MYATT, JOSEPH". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
7. ^ Thorman, G.E. (1969). "ADAMS, JOSEPH". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
8. ^ Johnson, Alice M. (1969). "BIRD, THOMAS". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
9. ^ Thorman, G.E. (1969). "WAGGONER, ROWLAND". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
10. ^ a b Van Kirk, Sylvia (1969). "ISBISTER, JOSEPH". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
11. ^ Thorman, George E. (1974). "WAPPISIS". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
12. ^ Pannekoek, F. (1979). "MARTEN, HUMPHREY". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
13. ^ Williams, Glyndwr (1979). "HUTCHINS, THOMAS". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
14. ^ a b Pannekoek, F. (1979). "JARVIS, EDWARD". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
15. ^ a b "M’Nab, John (Dr.) (ca. 1755-ca. 1820) (fl.1779-1812) January 1987 (MGM:wg based on research by MF); REV. June 1992, 99/07 JHB". Hudson's Bay Company Archives. Archives Winnipeg.
16. ^ Brown, Jennifer S. H. (1987). "HODGSON, JOHN". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
17. ^ a b Brown, Jennifer S. H. (1987). "VINCENT, THOMAS". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
18. ^ a b c d e f g h Anick, Norman (1976). "The Fur Trade in Eastern Canada Until 1870" (PDF). Parks Canada. II.
19. ^ a b Reimer, Gwen; Chartrand, Jean-Philippe (March 14, 2005). "A HISTORICAL PROFILE OF THE JAMES BAY AREA'S MIXED EUROPEAN-INDIAN OR MIXED EUROPEAN-INUIT COMMUNITY" (PDF). Prepared for Department of Justice Canada.
20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Chiefs and Councillors - Ontario Region" (PDF). Government of Canada Publications. 1: 3–5. November 11, 1993.
21. ^ Kay, Jonathan (January 19, 2013). "For modern reserves, success is in balancing tradition and capitalism". National Post. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
22. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Chiefs and Councillors - Ontario Region" (PDF). Government of Canada Publications. 1: 6–8. November 11, 1993.
23. ^ Roslin, Alex (September 9, 1994). "MoCreebec expelled from Mushkegowuk Council". The Nation. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
24. ^ The Nation (November 18, 1994). "RANGERS EXPAND IN NORTH". The Nation. Archived from the original on August 4, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
25. ^ Rickard, Paul M. (April 28, 1995). "CHIEF DECRIES DOUBLE-STANDARD". The Nation. Archived from the original on August 4, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
26. ^ Roslin, Alex (October 25, 1996). "ONE CHIEF TOO MANY IN FORT ALBANY". The Nation. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
27. ^ Nicholls, Will (July 16, 1999). "St. Anne's Anna Wesley found guilty". The Nation. Archived from the original on July 2, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
28. ^ The Nation (June 16, 2000). "Uproar Over Racist Comments". The Nation. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
29. ^ a b c d Baiguzhiyeva, Dariya (August 24, 2020). "Fort Albany elects new chief and council". Timmins Today. Retrieved July 10, 2022. "He [Robert Nakogee] [has] been on council for 10 consecutive years. Nakogee started off as a councillor and then served as a deputy chief for six years."
30. ^ "New chief quizzed by Fort Albany youth". Wawatay News. August 16, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
31. ^ "Chief and Council | Fafn". Fort Albany First Nation. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
32. ^ "Governance". Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. June 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
33. ^ "Revised REFERENDUM RESULTS NOTICE" (Press release). Fort Albany, ON: Fort Albany First Nation. June 13, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
34. ^ "NOTICE OF GENERAL ELECTION" (Press release). Fort Albany, ON: Fort Albany First Nation. June 17, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
35. ^ Rabski-McColl, Amanda (October 4, 2022). "Fort Albany elects first woman chief". Timmins Today. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.