Captain Thomas Gummersall Anderson

  General Notes:

Apparently, from oral history, Thomas married an Indian women, then married his white wife later.

From, Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society, Vol. XV, page 372
Captain Thomas Anderson and Margaret Aird had three children; Mary,
Angus M. (an early Indian trader in Minnesota), and Jane, who married
Andrew Robertson.
Photo of (Andrew Robertson) sent to Wendell Hansen July 2005 by Carol Friemel.
Andrew Robertson
at
Pine Rock Union 1836 or 1837
Grey Cloud Island 1838
Kapiosia, Little Crows Village 1854
Yellow Medicine Agency 1854
Redwood Agency 1848
All in Minnesota
died at Redwood Agency
May 11, 1859.

Margaret Aird was married to Captain Thomas Anderson about 1805 at
Praire du Chien. He was an officer in the British Army, and took part
in the capture of Fort McKay at that place in the war of 1812. He was
born at Cornwall, Canada, in January, 1778, and died at Port Hope,
Canada, in 1874.

Biography
Captain Thomas Gummersall Anderson, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, was born at Sorel, Quebec, on November 12, 1779, the son of Captain Samuel Anderson, of the Royal Regiment of New York. After serving an apprenticeship with a merchant at Kingston, Upper Canada, he went into the fur trade at Michilimackinac; and in 1814 was in command of a party of volunteers that re-took Prairie-du Chien from the Americans. After the War he was appointed as an officer of the Indian Department, with the rank of Captain. He was stationed in turn at Drummond Island, Penetanguishene, Coldwater, and Manitoulin Island. In 1845 he succeeded Colonel S.P. Jarvis as Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Canada West; and he held this post until his retirement in 1858. He died at Port Hope on February 10, 1875.

Thomas Gummersall, eighth child and sixth son of Samuel Anderson, was called after an officer in his father's regiment. Married in 1820 on February 26th, Elizabeth Ann, eldest daughter of Captain James Matthew Hamilton. of H.M. 5th Foot and 7th Dragoons. They were married at Drummond's Island by Dr. David Mitchell, Surgeon-General to the Indian Department, who was a magistrate, there being no ministers of any denomination in that part of the country in those early days.

Captain Thomas Gummersall Anderson died at Port Hope, 16th February, 1875, aged 96 years and 4 months. A shock of corn, fully ripe, gathered into the Heavenly Garner.

From book Ontario History by Ontario Historical Society:

Captain Thomas Gummersall Anderson was for many years a fur trader on the Mississippi River, and had recently arrived at Mackinac (his headquarters), with his packs of furs, having been told that the Americans (Big Knives) had taken Fort Prairie du Chien in his absence. He immediately collected a party of volunteers and left Mackinac about the 20th of June, 1814, reaching Prairie du Chien about the 1st of July, wresting the fort from the Americans, and remaining there until the winter of 1815, when he resigned the command to Capt. Bulger. For his services at this time, Lieut. Col Robert McDonall, recommended Captain Anderson to His Excellency to be placed on the staff of the Indian Department, retaining his rank of Captain. This position affording him more permanent advantages than any other remuneration they had in their power to bestow. On his return to the Mackinac, Captain Anderson found that hte place given up to the Americans.

Thomas married Margaret Mar-pi-ya-ro-to-win or Grey Cloud Woman Aird, daughter of James Aird and Mar-pi-ya-ro-to-win or Grey Cloud Woman, in 1805 in Praire du Chien. (Margaret Mar-pi-ya-ro-to-win or Grey Cloud Woman Aird was born in 1793 in Prairie du Chien and died on 20 Jul 1849 in Black Dog's Village, , Minnesota Terr.)

Thomas next married Living