Mary Ann Finley King (1838-1925) was the daughter of Patrick Pichina Finley and Marie Gasper, she married Pierre (dit King) (Roi) Roy on November 13, 1853 at St. Paul Mission, Stevens Co., Washington Territory. They would have at least 11 children. Pierre Roy is commonly called Peter King by most in our family. He was a Hudson’s Bay Company man: Pierre Roi from the parish of Sorel (Quebec) entered the service of the Company in 1840 at the age of about nineteen years (HBCA B.239/g/20,fo.56). His career with the company spanned some seventeen years, during which time he worked in the capacities of Middleman (middle position in a canoe) in the New Caledonia District (present-day British Columbia) 1840-1853 (HBCA B.239/g/9,fo. 10d) and Miller in the Colvile District 1854-1857 in present-day Washington State, (HBCA B.223/g/11-14). He retired from the Company in 1857 (HBCA B.223/g/14, fo.8d). Peter King was a Frenchman, a man of small stature, a very good mechanic, a carpenter and a blacksmith. The old Peter King estate, lying about three miles north of Chewelah, was one of the earliest settled places in the State of Washington. He had one of the largest hewed log houses with a double fireplace, with beautiful moulding adorning it, hand-made. This log house with its unusually large front room was the scene of many a social dance, as those young ladies, his daughters, always drew a large crowd. His other farm buildings were likewise all hewed logs well put up, and as he was a blacksmith, and had the only private blacksmith outfit in the country at that time, he made his own door hinges and hardware. He had all hewed timber for gates and iron hinges, while the rest of the country had only bars. The whole place showed the efforts of an old time skilled craftsman. Acts made at Jaspers House, on the River Athabasca B 121 M. Anne Finlay This 3 October, 1838, we priest undersigned have baptized Rosalie, aged 1 year, born of the natural marriage of Pichina Fenlay, free man, and of Marie Gaspar. Godfather Jean Baptiste Laliberte who has not known how to sign. Mod. Demers, priest, Miss. After the death of her husband Mrs. King continued to reside on the old home place near Chewelah until old age forced her to leave the farm. This place was sold in 1918 to Fred Stern of Davenport, Washington. On the farm at the time was a cabin which had stood there for nearly a century. Mrs. King had managed her place the best she knew how, but always lived within her income. At times it looked like a widows place, but she kept it clear of any encumbrance. Hers was one of the very few farms in the valley on which there never was a mortage recorded. She was an excellent example of that best of Indian character and Indian blood in this country that never had any charity. She had provided for herself, even her funeral expenses, and lived to be one hundred and four years old. Some of the mixed blood in the early days were indolent, but the King family, especially the girls, (they are old women now) were known as hard working and thrifty. Mrs. King in her day was one of the very best of women to tan a deer hide, make moccasins, gloves and when it came to fancy bead work she was second to none. After the railroad was built into the Colville Valley nearly all the Indian settlers were crowded out and lost their lands and were forced to go onto reservations, but Mrs.King stayed. Her self pride tempted her to stay with the whites; and her native shrewdness was sufficient tp protect her property from the covetous and scheming white men who would have possessed her lands. Often she remarked Me not seel, no place, no home. She was a true devoted christian, a strong adherent to the Catholic church. Over forty years she was a widow. Though she had many a chance to get married again, she remained a widow. She had always kept herself clear of any trouble or scandal, and her character was beyond any reproach. She was of mixed blood, far above the average, and very few like her inherited the good traits of both her ancestors. She was slow in choosing friends, but once she established friendship with any one, she was as true as steel. She was free from care or worry. On the other hand she possessed a great self pride, and also an economic thrift, that many a person would envy. She never had any opportunity for education, but her native wit and intelligence lifted her above the average of her contemporaries.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 01:23:00 +0000
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