Ikwesens Pinesi OKijikokwe, daughter of the Grand Chief, Pierre Louis Constant Pinesi and Marie Dubois OKijikokwe

Many genealogists have been researching a woman who was born 244 years ago. Who was she? Many of us sit - using false authority - behind the screen of a computer, writing deemed facts regarding her. Presently, on a popular site called Wiki Tree, its creators have purposed a merge regarding this woman. It's reasons? 

Marie (Ikwessens) Pinesikijikokwe (abt.1779-1844) (Ikwessens-1) and Ikwesens Binisi Okipikokive (Montagnaise) McPherson (abt.1795-1844) (Montagnaise-2) have been proposed as a merge. There is a question as to what her name actually is and if the difference in birth date and name means that (Montagnaise-2) is possibly a second wife to Andrew McPherson. Both profiles agree on the English name of Marie and that she was the wife of Andrew McPherson.  

The comments regarding Marie(Ikwessens) Pinesikijikowe, on Wiki-Tree, reveal a struggling conversation between two people -- not related to Ikwesens or the McPherson line -- concluding they were "Orphaning profile in the hope that another has more time to research it." 

The reality is - there is accurate research on the identity of this woman - born 244 years ago. The writer of this blog is the 3rd great-granddaughter of George McPherson, the son of Ikwesens Pinesi OKijikokwe. As a McPherson ancestor, she is privy to family history, and oral stories, which will be shared, to reveal who her 'nimamma' Ikwesens was. 

Ikwesens' Daughter Speaks

I found the above portrait of the couple while researching my 4th great-grandfather, Andrew McPherson. It was in the profile of a family tree on ancestry.com. When the tree owner was questioned regarding its authenticity, the owner replied she had found it on another tree owner's page and would message the original owner. She never replied. Therefore, the authenticity of the above photo cannot be confirmed, however, it is a possibility it is a photo of the couple. 

Ikwesens Pinesi OKijikokwe

In the baptismal records of the children of Andrew McPherson and his wife, we find record of what her name was: 

In the baptismal and burial record of Ikwesens we learn her surname:

Andrew McPherson

Andrew McPherson was born November 30, 1783, in Three Rivers, Quebec. He was the grandson of Chiefs in Scotland, and in Canada, his family was very well-off. They owned a Public House, Tavern, a considerable amount of land along the St. Lawerence River, and many merchant buildings. 

At the age of 20 years, Andrew signed a contract on May 4, 1803, with McTavish, and entered into a 7 year contract as an apprenticeship with the North West Company. His wages were 100 pounds. He worked near Montreal, Quebec, at either Lachine and or Fort Temiscamingue.

Grand Chief Pierre Louis Constant Pinesi

One of the routes along the way to Fort Temiscamingue was the Ottawa River, Ontario. It was here, Andrew met Ikwesens. According to George McPherson, senior, his mother, Ikwesens was born in Ontario, in Temiscaminge District. She was a part of the Pinesi tribe, and her father was named in her burial record as Pierre Pinesi, the Grand Chief of Canada, and her mother, Marie Dubois. 

Pierre Louis Constant Pinesi is noted in the Oka records for being the husband of two wives. Pierre Pinesi's first wife, Marie Dubois Pinesi-Ikwe, lived in or around Madawaska, Ontario. The two became parents to Ikwesens Pinesi OKijikokwe in 1779. 

Secondly, Pierre Pinesi married Marguerite Nipawikwe, on July 1, 1783, of Oka, Two Mountains, or 2 Montagnaise, Quebec. Please note, Montagnaise is the name Ikwesens was referred to by the above-mentioned Wiki-Tree user. It was also the title bestowed upon her father -- the Grand Chief of the Two Mountains or 2 Montagnais. 

Ikwesens was several years older than Andrew, and they were not married, due to the fact, she refused to convert to Christianity. It was not until four days before her death while lying in a coma, she was baptized by a priest notorious for collecting converts. After being baptised, Ikwesens' beautiful Aboriginal name, deemed savage-like, was removed, and replaced with Marie. 

George McPherson, the first-born

Ikwesens became a mother in the year 1805. Her son, George McPherson, was born near the Ottawa River, in Ontario. Located near the Ottawa River are the Algonquins of Pikawanangan. The Grand Chief Pinesi lived among the Pikawanagan, and hunted along the Ottawa River.  Laura Fraser and Daryna Skybina jointly tell us in the article entitled, "Kichi Sibi Trails: Chie Pinesi's Portage revitalization,"

Not long ago, we took a trip down to Rockcliffe Park and the Rockeries, the start of Grand Chief of the Algonquin Constant Pinesi’s portage route on the Ottawa River. This used to be one of the Grand Chief’s hunting grounds. When you arrive at the park, head towards the water, along the side of the Ottawa River.

George McPherson went on to be a signer of Treaty 3 and is highly esteemed by his modern-day family. Thank you for taking the time to read about the identity of his mother, and stayed tuned for more historical information.

2022