John Pritchard + Marie Sauvage

by Barbara Doduk

My 5th Great Grandfather John Pritchard was born in 1777 in Shrewsbury, Salop, England.

He was the son of Samuel Pritchard and Mary Harries.

John Pritchard died October 16th, 1855 in St. Johns, RRS = MB, Canada.

He married my 5th Great Grandmother Marie “Native” Sauvage born about 1790 in Quebec area.

William Peter Favell + Marie Pritchard

From The Lord Selkirk Association of Rupert’s Land:

John Pritchard was born January 7, 1777 to Samuel and Mary (Harries) Pritchard in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.

In 1803 he was in the service of the XY Company in Montreal, and was then employed by The North West Company until 1814. 

Lord Selkirk Association has ignored his first native wife Marie and their son William.

In 1815 he joined Lord Selkirk in Montreal, and came west to Red River where , on March 23, 1815, he was appointed as acting Councillor of Assiniboia. 

On May 10, 1815 he married Catherine McGillivary McLean (his second wife), born 1792, widow of Hector McLean, who had arrived from Argyll, Scotland, with the first group of settlers on October 27, 1812. 

John Pritchard was with Govenor Sample at the Battle of Seven Oaks on June 19, 1816. Captured by the Nor’westers, he was released to act as mediator, and was a witness at the Nor’wester trial in Montreal in 1818. 

His name is included in a list of the settlers of Red River, August, 1818, with a household of four. 

On May 29, 1822 he was appointed a full Councillor of Assiniboia.  He was one of the principals of the unsuccessful Buffalo Wool Company. 

In 1826 he opened a boarding school in his home, “The Elms”, situated where present day Whellams Lane intersects with Henderson Highway.  It merged with St. John’s College in 1866. 

On June 29, 1845 he was appointed to the Committee of the Economy, becoming its secretary on June 28, 1847. Pritchard received a life annuity of £20 for his contribution to religion and education in the colony. 

John Pritchard died October 16, 1856 and is buried in St. John’s Cemetery, Winnipeg.

Child of John Pritchard and Marie Sauvage is:

  • William (Guillaime) Pritchard, born June 14, 1800 in Quebec; died March 25, 1890 in St. Lazare, MB, CAN; married Marie Fleury February 25, 1840 in St Francois Xavier, RRS = MB, CAN.

My 4th Great Grandfather is William Pritchard.

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