Dorion | Cree, Iroquois, Metis, Mixed-heritage| Surname Anchor Post

Index: Indigenous, Metis & Mixed-Heritage Surname Anchor Posts

Each of these posts is dedicated to one surname that is carried by someone connected to indigenous, Metis or mixed-heritage people in Canada.

SURNAME NOTES | DORION

Regions:
- Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Quebec
Ethnicity:
- Cree, Iroquois, Metis, Mixed heritage – Cree/French
Associated surnames:
- Archie, Atkinson, Ballendine / Rocheblanc, Bellehumeur
- Carriere, Charleau, Chartier, Chretien, Constant, Cook, Dubois (Upd. 2023), Dusome, Duquette
- Flett, Fontaine, Gladu (poss. 1st name), Harty / Hearty
- Laliberte, Lamirande, Lapensee / Lapensie, Loway
- Mailloux, Madore, Maracle, Martel, McCracken, McDonald, McKay, Mooswap, Morin
- Robert, Rowand, Thomas.
Misc.:
- 1. In 1804, Fur trader Pierre Dorion, who had “lived with the Yankton Sioux for twenty years, and … proved to be a gifted interpreter and knowledgeable diplomat” encountered the Lewis and Clark Expedition on the Missouri River. Pierre Dorion was engaged by the Expedition ““to act with a flag & some Cloathes & Provisions & instructions to bring about a peace with the Scioux Mahars, Panies, Ponceries, Ottoes & Missouries— and to employ any trader to take Some of the Cheifs of each or as many of those nations as he Could Perticularly the Sceiouex.” [Source: Pierre Dorion, Sr., Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation]
- 2. Jean-Baptiste Dorion (son of Metis Pierre Dorion and a Shoshoni woman Marie of Iowa) married another Metis Therese Constant at The Pas Mission. Jean-Baptiste Dorion had been born on the Missouri River , and in 1820/1821 became a North West Company voyageur north of Lake Superior, and then a Hudson’s Bay Company steersman. From 1838 he had a fur trade contract and and plied his trade in the Great Lakes, then the Red River and the Mackenzie, and finally settled at Cumberland House. In 1858, Jean-Baptiste Dorion was listed in the Grand Rapids post accounts. [Source: Jean Baptist Dorion Fur Trade Contract, Leah Dorion & Lawrence Barkwell, Louis Riel Institute].
- 3. The Dorion line that is recognized by the Metis Nation of Ontario descends through the offspring of the children of Narcisse Pierre Dorion and Marie Cecile McDonnell (dite Mawiskak): Alexander Dorion (m. Emilie Martel), Caroline Dorion (m. Joseph Lapensee), Narcisse Dorion (m. Unknown surname, Eliza), Julia Dorion (m. Moise Robert), Louisa Dorion (m. William Wright), Mary Dorion (m. John McCracken, Jean Savois), Sophia Dorion (m. Antoine Colton).