20 Comments

Mabel Guhl was my great-grandmother. She married Albert Johnston in 1906 and my grandfather, Dorrance, was born in 1907. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/178098966/mable_g_johnston

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Yes! I spent some time talking with Marg Marvin and learned a lot about Dorrance Johnston and commercial fishing operations. I mentioned I'd found these records and she mentioned Mabel Guhl married Albert Johnston. So glad she helps with the Warroad Heritage Center.

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So much to discover in original research. And then interpret and question.

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The past three weeks I immersed myself in the local archives from the late 1890s to the 1920s and I’m beginning to “see” this period of time come back to life. Making sense of what I see is still a work in progress; history never ends.

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I’m amazed such old records exist. Curious what year did boarding schools open in the area? Thank you for your ongoing questions Jill.

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The one at White Earth Reservation, 120 miles southeast, had opened in 1871 and St. Mary’s Mission on Red Lake Reservation, 100 miles south, opened their boarding school in 1900. The Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School opened in 1899.

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You have done a lot of researching for this project. It's amazing how history still has a way of speaking up even after decades of being buried or hidden. You're doing a great job, and nice ending for the next post!

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I think it was the old folk singer Utah Phillips who said, the past doesn’t go anywhere. It’s right here if we care to look at it.

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What a mystery you are beginning to unravel. I wonder if you will be able to uncover the stories of why the Indian students stopped attending. And for me the questions would be: Did they stop attending or were the stopped from attending??

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Did they stop attending because they were prohibited? I can find no public policy or statements of prohibition by the school district. I hope to piece together some possible clues in the coming weeks.

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Jul 7
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Thanks Brian.

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It’s both fascinating and disturbing to read these accounts. Thank you for your perseverence.

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The deeper I dig the more complicated history reveals itself to be. Thanks for reading and persevering with me on this journey.

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Your research is so impressive and so significant especially to find unanswered questions regarding the indigenous people, who have a valuable part of history. Thank you so much for sharing. 💕🍂

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Thanks for reading and what impresses me is how much is revealed by primary documents that gets lost in the making of local legend.

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It is so true and so very sad. Your resilience to get into this history is commendable and it also shows that you take pride in your work. 💜

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It made me sad to read that the indigenous population of students dwindled so quickly to become nothing. I'm also curious about what made them leave school. You're obviously wondering that, too. Thanks for sharing the fruit of your research.

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Yes, I'm curious and continue to put together the clues I found during my research in the archives.

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Interesting research Jill. Look forward to the next instalment!

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Thanks, Leanne

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