MARY'S GENEALOGY TREASURES
Venerable Archdeacon S. H. Middleton
Without fear of contradiction, it can be stated that
Venerable Archdeacon Middleton did more to lift up,
civilize, educate and understand the local native popula-
tion and to cultivate a good relationship between Indians
and Whites in this vicinity than any man in our history.
The St. Paul's Anglican Church, which he headed in
this parish, began its work with the Blood Indian Band in
1880 under Rev. S. Trivett. At that time a ration dis-
tribution point was established by the government on the
river north of Belly Buttes. Hundreds of angry, hungry
Indians had abandoned their Treaty 7 reservation north
of the Bow River and returned to Fort Macleod after the
last buffalo were gone.
At first Rev. Trivett lived in a sod shanty with a dirt
floor, but when it became apparent that Red Crow and
his band would be staying, a church-school was built on
the opposite side of the river from the large Indian en-
campment and Lower Agency.
Thirteen years later the Roman Catholic Church,
which had started their mission in 1889, got a similar
school built at Standoff, and also a government hospital
there to be administered by the Grey Nuns.
Not far from the Anglican school, which was by then
under the direction of Bishop Pinkham, the Methodists
also got a church-school established in connection with
their mission. The latter did not stay long or even return,
for reasons best explained years later by Canon
Middleton as follows:
"During the early 1890's John McDougall
(Methodist), Father Lacombe (Roman Catholic) and
Bishop Pinkham (Anglican) all unwittingly met with
each other when they paid a visit to their respective mis-
sions on the Blood Reserve.
The old Macleod Hotel formed the rendezvous for
these three prelates, awaiting the stagecoach to Calgary.
Each began discussing his recent itinerary-and John
McDougall expressed much dissatisfaction with the con-
dition of his Methodist mission. Bishop Pinkham listened
patiently, as was his manner, to the criticism made by his
colleague. Turning to the Rev. John, he exclaimed;
"Judging from your statements, you are by no means
satisfied with the results from your own mission station
amongst the Bloods. Your headquarters are too close to
ours. I would suggest that you vacate your present posi-
tion, and I will buy you out-lock, stock and barrel-
for a thousand dollars." Mr. McDougall offered his hand
and said: "Bishop, I accept your offer."
Then the godly triumvirate of missionary pioneers
made a solemn pact, that on the southern reserves the
Methodists would no longer pursue their energies, but
would confine their ministrations to the north, and leave
the south entirely to the Anglicans and Roman Catholics.
Those three stalwart gentlemen of the old school
shook hands on the covenant made which, to this day has
never been broken. A short time later they departed on
the stagecoach for Calgary, little dreaming that their
chance meeting had made history."
Though the Anglicans got established with their In-
dian Mission School well ahead of the others, little real
progress was made under Rev. Trivett's first three
successors. But after the arrival of Rev. S. H. Middleton
in 1909, things began to change. Being a great athlete and
fine physical specimen, he quickly won the admiration of
the Indians. More important, he set out at once to learn
the Blackfoot language-not just a working knowledge
but the ability to speak it as fluently and well as any
Blood Indians. To do this he set aside all other duties for
months to mingle in the camps and sit in the teepees
listening to the old people tell stories of the past. It was a
complete immersion course and with a brilliant, trained
mind the project was a complete success. He also became
a widely recognized authority on native history and
culture, and won worshipful admiration from many, both
Indians and Whites.
Anglican mission headquarters for the reserve, where
Rev. Middleton came to begin his ministry, had in 1885
been moved up-stream about five miles to the Big Island
in the Belly River. Here a school for Indian girls had also
been established, with an attractive young lady mis-
sionary teacher in charge since 1905. Her name was
Catherine Underwood until changed in 1912 to Mrs.
Middleton. To this union four children were born:
Charlie (now deceased), Sophie (Mrs. Doug Allison of
Waterton), Verdun (presently in Pennsvlvania) and
Madeline (died in infancy). Catherine, who had learned
the Blackfoot language before her husband, would be of
great help to him as they travelled among the Indian
camps. At three of the main camps, Bullshields, Red
Crow, and Bull Horn regular church services were held.
By 1920 Rev. Middleton had organized a school cadet
corps which would long be famous for its efficiency.
After the opening of the large St. Paul's residential
school in 1924, he closed the one room schools at the
camps and presided over this new institution. There was
an enrollment of about 150 students, from which came
much of the leadership on the reserve in later years. In
1924 he was made Honorary Canon of the Cathedral,
and twenty years later was appointed to the position of
Archdeacon. His energy and versatility amazed all who
knew him. When the writer was with a party that climbed
Mt. Cleveland in 1923 there were then but 14 names
registered at the summit. Rev. S. H. Middleton was one
of them.
He personally supervised construction of a beautiful
little church near the St. Paul's school. That church was
in recent years moved to its present location east of the
Blood Indian Hospital. His Indian brass bands thrilled
many an audience and often participated in parades, par-
ticularly in Cardston and Lethbridge. The numerous
sports events he continuously organized at the school
produced a fine crop of athletes. Busy as he was with his
job as principal of the school and head of the church, he
gave a tremendous amount of public service to the com-
munity and district. In 1929 he helped organize the
Cardston Rotary Club, and was a charter member of it.
He became its president in 1931 and later, through that
organization, he and J. S. Low promoted the establish-
ment of the now famous Waterton-Glacier International
Peace Park, and published a small booklet about it.
His more famous publications include "History and
Legends of Indians", "Lives of Indian Chiefs", "History
of the Sun Dance", and "Kootenai Brown and Waterton
Park." His reputation as writer, teacher and speaker was
widespread. Among the papers now in possession of
Sophie Middleton Allison are letters offering him high
and lucrative positions, which he quietly turned down
without mentioning the matter even to his immediate
family. Confident that his calling from God was to help
the Indians, he devoted his life to the cause until his
health broke after forty years in that mission. His
scholarly works as a journalist and author are still
recognized as among the best of the reference materials
available for native studies. His greatest loves were his
church, the Indian people, athletics, and the beauties of
nature.
Though a staunch and learned defender of his faith
who held a very high position, he kept "the common
touch" and never at any time would display a "holier-
than-thou" attitude. In fact, the Venerable S. H.
Middleton, though a dedicated missionary, would have
defended with his last breath the right of any man to
worship God according to the dictates of his own con
sclence.
Thus he won the love and respect of all who knew him
regardless of creed or color. A cherished heirloom Sophie
would not part with is a letter from President Edward J
Wood, dated July 18, 1935 in which he offers his long
time close friend Canon Middleton free use of the L.D.S
Tabernacle "whenever you wish" and adds "It is a good
thing to dwell together in peace and good fellowship."
That year, too, the Canon received an award from
King George V. But even above that he always prized the
honor bestowed and the name chosen for him by th
Bloods when they made him an honorary chieftain. The
name was an ultimate superlative reserved for only the
highest, be it mountain or man: "Nin Nase Tok Que."
His retirement in 1951, due to ill health, was truly, a
great loss for the community at large as well as for his
church and family.
He lies buried beside his wife in Waterton, where one
of the three beautiful little churches he built still stands as
a monument to his memory.
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Mary Tollestrup