Letter from Thomas Quinn to George G. Mann

A photocopy of a letter sent by Indian agent Thomas Quinn of Frog Lake to farm instructor George G. Mann of Onion Lake on 31 March 1885. It reads: "Dear Mann - Messenger [that] hand you this letter is sent by me to tell some of your Indians to come here to have a talk and try and keep all quiet here. If any wish to come give them grub enough to come with to here. All quiet here and no danger. I will be down on the 2nd. Faithfully T. T. Quinn." Written on the side of the note: "If messenger want rations kindly give him some." Quinn was killed the morning of 2 April 1885 in the so-called Frog Lake massacre. Mann reported increased unrest in Onion Lake on 2 April 1885 when Quinn did not arrive as promised in this letter.

Historical note:

George Gwynne Mann was born in Darlington, Upper Canada on November 24, 1843. He spent most of his youth and young adult life in Bowmanville, Ontario where he tended his father's farm. In the mid to late 1860s he was a member of the 45th West Durham Battalion of Infantry and saw action in the Fenian raids. In 1878 he sold his property and moved west as a Government farm instructor, first at Fort Pitt and then Onion Lake North-West Territories. He was joined there by his wife Sarah and their three children, Blanche, Charlotte and George Junior in 1883. The evening of 2 April 1885 after the so-called Frog Lake massacre they were helped to escape to Fort Pitt by the family of treaty Chief Seekascootch (Cutarm). Two weeks later they were taken prisoner and held for two months by Plains Cree warriors under the leadership of Wandering Spirit. In the winter of 1885 Mann was promoted to Indian agent and he and his family remained in Onion Lake until 1900 when he was transferred to Saddle Lake, NWT. In 1905 he was transferred to Hobbema, Alberta where he remained until his death in 1916. He is buried in the Wetaskiwin cemetery.