Unfortunately the name of the Hawaiian ancestor of the Cheer (or Chier)family is still unknown. At one point I felt that it could be Keea (also Keea, Kia or Kea) or perhaps also Ohier. But that is all just guessing. I thought Keea, because the ancestor of the Whonnock Cheers and perhaps all Cheer descendants is mentioned as named: "Keaho" Cheer; he was married to Catherine or Katherine Cheer (1831-1888).
Many Cheers lived on the Whonnock Reserve and on the reserves at the Stave River, a few miles east from here. Charles Miller writes extensively about Harry and "Rose" Cheer.
My notes show three sons of Keaho and Katherine Cheer: Daniel (b.1851-1929), Joseph (b. Abt 1858) and Thomas (b. 1863). Of course there may have been other children, including daughters.
I think that the settling of Cheers on the Whonnock Reserve started with son Daniel, who was enumerated in 1891 at the Whonnock Reserve with his wife Mary Samiate and their children: William, Henry (Harry), John, Alex and Ida. Absent according to one informant was perhaps another son called Jack, but he could also be the same as John.
In the 1901 Census Daniel and Mary are still listed with all the children mentioned in 1891 with the exception of Alex. John, William and Henry were then married: William with two children: William and Phillip.
Henry (alias Harry) Cheer married Anny Harry from Nooksack WA in 1898. She died in 1930. Cheers at Whonnock Reserve in 1930 shown in a Census Book of the Indian Agent are Edith, Ray, Clarence, Katherine, Johnny, Peter and Angeline -- all children of Henry. Since the 1950s none of the Cheer descendants lives on the Whonnock Reserve.
Unravelling the Cheer family is not easy. The 1911 Census enumeration of the Whonnock Reserve shows more complexities and confusion with yet other Cheers.
2 comments:
it is my obligation to fill you in on the history of the cheer family.a quick note here. the cheer people are actual decedents of the fort langley indian villiage from the mcmillen island reserve.this was during the time of nikameus and wattlkainum.during this time Hawaiian workers intermarried to the ladies from the local mcmillen island ladies.some were of high status of their people. many confrontations arose among the ladies,so the hawaiiaan men took their ladies to kanaka creek and eventually moved over to xwewenaqwe reserve,)(whonnock).here is where they settled with the original people of this area.the sqiak people today known as the whonnock.very vague,but i have the history of the cheers and fidels.
today the fidels are known and recognized as the thomas's. i am the current hereditary chief of the xwewenaqwe people.for the blood of my people of sqiaks runs through my vains and my heart.i will be happy to share with anyone who wishes to understand more of the original people of xwewenaqwe (whonnock)tribe
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