Famous and Infamous Albertans - L
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If you have a mini biography you would like to add please email Annette Bame Peebles with the information.
| LACOMBE, Father Albert | Father Albert Lacombe was a party to most major historical events in Alberta's
history during the last half of the nineteenth century. He was born
in Quebec and ordained in 1849. That same year he was sent to the Canadian
west to minister to the Metis people, Cree and Blackfoot Indians. His first
few years were spent fravelling by horseback and Red River Cart as the
Metis made their annual treks for the buffalo hunt. In 1852 he was sent
to the Lac Ste. Anne mission. Father Lacombe founded new missions at St.
Albert, St. Paul des Metis, Dunbar, Pincher Creek, Midnapore and Calgary.
His mission field extended from Pincher Creek to St. Albert, a distance
of 300 miles north to south. He died in 1916 at the age of 89 and is buried
on Mission Hill in St. Albert. The Indians called him an Indian name meaning
'Noble Soul'.
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| LAPOINTE, Jean Baptiste - PEOCUS |
There are numerous history books that have mentioned Peocus in one form or another, be it a direct quote from him, or the history that he'd passed on . Peocus was considered to be an honest man , with very good moral standards, as well as a religious man in his latter 50 years or so, and became well known as a long time resident of Camrose. Although Peocus had a colourful beginning in life as a paigan in the Cree band, his latter years were very active in the church , and he befriended many settlers in the Camrose area , who knew of him only as "Pe-O-Kis". Peocus was born south of Fort Pitt, at Yellow Hill, about 2 miles north of the Battle River. His son, Louis Lapointe, was born on the west side of Salt Lake, about 26 miles north - east of Camrose. There are a number of Lapointe family members listed on the interment list of Duhamel, that date back as early as 1886. The old Indian was a freighter as well as a hunter. The last buffalo killed by him was while on a freighting trip from Edmonton to Winnipeg. On the twentieth day out of Edmonton they were camped along the trail to the south and east of Nose Hill, about thirty miles east of where Coronation now stands. In the morning they spied some buffalo in a coulee east of them. The party including Jack Norrish, Don McLeod, Joe McDonald, Ed McPherson and Peocus, taking after them killing four old bulls and a two year old calf. The group camped on the spot for several days, ate their fill of fresh meat and dried the balance to serve them on their long trek to Winnipeg. Some of the meat they traded at the forks (the junction of the Red Deer and South Saskatchewan Rivers), to Metis' who lived there, for flour , tea, sugar and other things needed for the trip. Peocus made four such trips to Winnipeg with freight, leaving Edmonton with the disappearance of snow in the spring and returning with the snow in the fall. In an interview with Frank Farley just prior to Peocus' death, using Louis Lapointe as an interpreter, Peocus mentions an occasion during his youth where he was included along with a party of thirteen Metis' left their camp near Nose Hill and started south on a horse raiding expedition. Passing about ten miles west of Hand Hills and proceeding in a southerly direction they crossed the Red Deer River, the entire party on foot. Finding a shallow fording place and using a pole to support them in the swiftly flowing stream , they successfully navigated the river and went on south living on berries and the occasional antelope. All wore moccasins and they carried no blankets. After crossing several streams they came to a large coulee where on the flats below they detected a number of teepees but with no sign of life- no men, no dogs and no horses. Staking out the flat for two days they eventually got up sufficient courage to enter the camp. When they entered the camp they were startled to discover men, women and children lying dead in their blankets. They quickly rolled the dead off the blankets, folded the latter and took off in a haste pleased that they would at least have something to show for their endeavors. Making camp that night at some distance from the deserted camp, one of the group suggested that the deaths of the band might have been caused by that dreaded disease , Smallpox. Immediately the would be raiders tossed away their blankets and took off in a haste for home. Nearing a camp east of Nose Hill, the raiders were welcomed by members of their own group who were about to take off in search of the missing party. When informed that they may have been subjected to the disease, the band treated the group with well deserved respect. Unfortunately, eleven of the thirteen succumbed to the fatal disease but Peocus who had become ill, recovered. It has been mentioned that after recovering, Peocus had checked both the Pretty Hill Camp, and the Lake Demay , finding both camps almost totally wiped out from smallpox. Shortly after this tragic episode, Peocus, along with twenty of the band journeyed to Brousseau on the North Saskatchewan River where they met Father Lacombe and all were baptized. Peocus was baptized with the name "Jean-Baptiste Lapointe" about 75 years before his death. Peocus lived at one time in his life in a hut just north and west of the St. Thomas Church of Duhamel, along the south bank of Battle River. He was a good friend and a faithful follower of Father Bellevaire and lived in the small hut adjacent to the one occupied by the Reverand Father when he first came to the Laboucane Settlement. Their friendship is noted in many documents. Peocus lived out his long life, of which is reported to be more than 125 years, in a small cabin north of the C.P.R. tracks in Camrose. Peocus' son, Louis Lapointe, at the time of Louis's applying for his old age pension, received a copy of his birth certificate, stating " Louis Lapointe, born 1872, out on the prairie". Apparently Peocus and his family were camped near Salt Lake at the time of Louis's birth. In the article written at the time of Peocus's passing, his sister, Marie- Rose Ladoux of Vermillion, is mentioned as still being alive. Peocus passed away April 28, 1936 in his cabin in Camrose at the age of 125 years old. |
| LEITCH, Marian | Baby Marian Leitch was one of the most miraculous survivals of the Frank
Slide disaster. She was thrown from the top story of her home when the
side of Turtle Mountain crushed the Frank community on April 29, 1903.
A neighbor heard her cries and found her in a hay pile several yards from
the home where her parents and four brothers were killed. Two of her sisters
had been rescued in the hours after the slide.
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