Home | Ancestor Index | History | Forum |

JOHN INKSTER (1806-1864)

Please feel free to post your questions or exchange information.
SLang1148
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2014 7:38 pm
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Re: JOHN INKSTER (1806-1864)

Post by SLang1148 » Tue Oct 31, 2017 9:02 am

I've uploaded most of the stories and pictures into my public tree on Ancestry.com, Lang Family Tree. I recommend you take a look.
I have a picture taken in 1884 of Fort Edmonton, where Robert James Inkster is said to have been born in 1880. The family story is that he was born inside the fort but I believe he was likely born in a tent just outside.
I have a picture of Rev Robert Inkster. He was well loved by the native population and during the Rebellion of 1885, he and his wife felt very safe living right in the middle of the mess. One of the great native leaders of the cree population during the rebellion was Big Bear. To me he sounded like a reasonable guy but thru bad translation, the government thought he was trouble. The Eastern papers made him sound like a wild man. Anyway, he innocently said he wanted to marry Mrs Inkster. I think she would have be honoured by him saying that.
There is a story that during the rebellion a warrior was sent from far away (maybe southern Alberta) to kill Rev Robert Inkster at Saddle Lake Reserve. A local native stepped in and stopped the warrior. I'm not sure how much to believe this story. Rev Robert Inkster did have trouble with the Sarcee of Southern Alberta but they were not part of the Rebellion. Most of the trouble was at Frog Lake Reserve, next to Saddle Lake Reserve. I think that more likely a warrior from Big Bear's tribe came to Saddle Lake to ask them to join the rebellion but was turned down. I'm sure the Warriors were really after the Indian Agents at Saddle Lake but Rev Robert Inkster had already sent them back to Fort Edmonton. They got lucky.

Post Reply