DCB/DBC Mobile beta
+

As part of the funding agreement between the Dictionary of Canadian Biography and the Canadian Museum of History, we invite readers to take part in a short survey.

I’ll take the survey now.

Remind me later.

Don’t show me this message again.

I have already taken the questionnaire

DCB/DBC News

New Biographies

Minor Corrections

Biography of the Day

Confederation

Responsible Government

Sir John A. Macdonald

From the Red River Settlement to Manitoba (1812–70)

Sir Wilfrid Laurier

Sir George-Étienne Cartier

Sports

The Fenians

Women in the DCB/DBC

The Charlottetown and Quebec Conferences of 1864

Introductory Essays of the DCB/DBC

The Acadians

For Educators

The War of 1812 

Canada’s Wartime Prime Ministers

The First World War

MISCOMOTE (Miscamote), a Maskegon Cree, son of Noah (captain of the Moose River Indians); d. 1721.

Miscomote is first mentioned as a Moose River Indian in the Albany account books for 1694. A few years later he must have decided to settle at Albany where he became captain of the Home Indians. He hunted for the factory and was hired by Governor Beale as a look-out at Cockispenny Point to give warning of French raiders.

He had four children: one son of about 13 died 29 Nov. 1712 and was buried in English fashion in Albany graveyard. A little black dog was killed by Miscomote and laid on the coffin. Another son died 19 May 1713. Miscomote and his wife were pensioners on the factory from 1711 to 12 Sept. 1721 when Miscomote died, badly “afflicted with gout.” He was interred near the fort “that he might be buried nigh the Englishmen.” His wife was a pensioner until at least 1728–29. Miscomote’s other children evidently had been killed or had died before 8 Oct. 1715 since there is a reference at that date to the fact that he had no children to support him.

Miscomote’s career illustrates the mutual respect that developed between the company and some of the leading Indians, and the responsibility accepted by the company for the maintenance of faithful old servants.

G. E. Thorman

HBC Arch. B.3/a/1–5, 9–10 (Albany journals between 1705 and 1722); B.3/d/2, 4–5, 7, 11, 13–15, 17–29, 32–33, 37 (Albany account books between 1693 and 1729).

General Bibliography

Cite This Article

G. E. Thorman, “MISCOMOTE,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 2, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed March 29, 2024, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/miscomote_2E.html.

The citation above shows the format for footnotes and endnotes according to the Chicago manual of style (16th edition). Information to be used in other citation formats:


Permalink:   http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/miscomote_2E.html
Author of Article:   G. E. Thorman
Title of Article:   MISCOMOTE
Publication Name:   Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 2
Publisher:   University of Toronto/Université Laval
Year of publication:   1969
Year of revision:   1982
Access Date:   March 29, 2024