4 Nations Coleman Township, 1931
Recently, after the 1931 Canadian Census was released, I learned that there was a location known as “4 Nations” out by Clear Lake, in West Cobalt. At the time, I assumed the name referred to a mine site. After all, that was how the rest of Coleman Township was parcelled up by the enumerator who grouped the families by the mine site they lived on, or near.
I’ve been unable to find any documentation regarding the Coleman Township mine. I don’t believe there’s a connection with the Four Nations Mine in Kenogami.
Or is there?
Further North
Regarding the names of the people involved with the Four Nations property near Kirkland Lake, locally, it is well known that the mine is so named because of the four nationalities of the partners.
From online chats, we learned some of the names: Richard “Dick” Elliott of the US, Martin Rogick, Yugoslavia, and another, Nick, whose last name gave people such difficulty, they called him Smith.
He was probably Niccolas Saccocia who lived with Martin and his wife Annie. Nick was Italian, Martin was from Yugoslavia.
In fact, Richard Elliott was native to Belize, or the British Honduras as it was then known. He was not from the United States. However, it was reported as such in 1919 when the Edmonton Journal listed the nations involved: French-Canadian, Scottish, Negro [sic] from the US, and Russian. Typically, the press did not include the names of the men. That would have been helpful!
Let’s Recap
So far, in Kenogami, we have Elliott, Rogick, and Saccocia from Belize, Yugoslavia, and Italy. According to the news, we should have a French Canadian and a Scotsman. (I know- that makes five. But who’s counting?)
About a year after the gold discovery, the news reported that A. E. Campbell of Cobalt purchased a quarter interest in the property from A. Kriesler. This time, the news lists the names of the other three partners, confirming Elliott and Rogich, but adding a new name to the mix: A.G. MacDonald – is MacDonald the Scotsman? Does that mean Kriesler was the French Canadian?
What is that now, seven names?
But where is the Italian representative, Nick “Smith” Saccoia?
Consider the logo for the Four Nations Consolidated Mine, found in a 1934 promotion of a later iteration of the property.
From left to right we have the Union Jack which would represent the commonwealth country of Scotland (MacDonald?) an unknown nation (Rogick?) the stars and stripes (Elliott?) and quite possibly, the Italian flag (Saccocia).
Back to Coleman Township
In 1931, the Steele, St. Denis, and Stewart families lived adjacent to the so called “4 Nations” location near Clear Lake, as did James Piché.
Could it be that these four names represent four nationalities? And that this portion of the Clear Lake Road was locally referred to 4 Nations? So much so, in 1931 it was recorded as such by the enumerator?
More importantly, there never was a connection to the Kenogami mine of the same name?
Still confused? Join the club. What I’m trying to say is, I think I may have muddied the waters by looking for connections that don’t exist.
Getting closer
The outcome of this research exercise makes me think that the Coleman Township reference is a dead end.
AND!
We are closer to knowing the exact names and nationalities of the four men who discovered the Four Nations Claim in Kenogami.
In the grand scheme of things, knowing this precise detail matters only to people like me. But it’s the kind of puzzle that drives me to learn more.
I remember Nick. We all knew him around Kenogami as Old Nick and he had a log cabin on the river, just upstream (west) of the 4 N. mine site. I had no idea he was Italian. He used to occasionally walk out to the Kenogami Hotel (now Kenogami Bridge Inn) and sit with Eno Merila. Eno was Estonian and VERY load after a jug of draft. Nick said little. I have a painting of Nick’s cabin that was done in the winter of 1975. It was abandoned by then. I’ll send you a picture for your records.
Thanks for this detail, Ian!