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The Métis son of James Curtis Bird Sr., “Jemmy Jock” was born around 1798 at Sturgeon River north of Prince Albert. His father was a Chief Factor for the Hudson’s Bay Company and his mother, Oomenahowish, was Cree. James began a five-year apprenticeship in 1809 and started his education at the York Factory School of the Hudson’s Bay Company. He spent his early years at Edmonton House, Rocky Mountain House and posts on the upper North Saskatchewan. Fluent in both Cree (from his mother) Michif, French and English from his stepmother as well as Blackfoot, he ranked as an interpreter by the time he left the company in 1821. He is reputed to have been fluent in eight languages. Bird died at Two Medicine, Montana in 1892. |
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