Fred Kanouse built his whiskey fort seven miles up the Elbow in 1872. He was backed up by
Johnny Jerome Healy. Healy was the owner of Fort Whoop-up which was the centre of whiskey
traffic on the Whoop-up trail. This trail led over the border into Montana and often the
Americans, along with their Canadian cohorts, exploited the Indians craving for liquor.
There was a great deal of lawlessness at the time.
Jerry Potts is one of my favourite people. He never was a citizen of Calgary, but he had
to be one of the most interesting people here. Some of his life is fact, and some is
fiction and of course most is legend. He was known for all the things western, his horse
sense, his resourcefulness and his individuality. He was part of the Northwest Mounted
Police trek across the west.
There are many stories of the great hardships suffered by the men. It was so difficult it just about finished off both men and horses. Along comes Jerry Potts hired at a mere $90.00 per month. He knew the Indian language, he knew how to look after the horses and most important he knew his way around the territory.
You have to understand the police were sent here to bring the whiskey traders to law. This was no easy feat and would never have been accomplished if it weren't for Jerry Potts. He advised the young lawmen till they understood the west. He knew where the water was, where it was good to camp and of course he dealt with the dangerous natives.
Jerry Potts was born in 1840 the son of Andrew Potts at Fort McKenzie on the Missouri River and Crooked Back, of the Blood Tribe. After his father was murdered he was adopted by Alexander Harvey. Harvey was less than a suitable father image. he was abandoned by Harvey and adopted by Andrew Dawson. Under Dawson he learned English, the fur trading business, Indian languages and the ways of both the Indian and white In the late 1840's he decided to join his mothers people. There he learned how to drink large amounts of whiskey.
The Blackfoot Indians believed that Jerry Potts had supernatural powers, The story goes that on October 24, 1870 the brother of the Blood chief Red Crow was killed by some Crees and Assiniboines. So Jerry Potts and some others went after them. During the fight a Cree fired point blank into Gerry Potts face. He threw himself on the ground as the gun roared, then he sat up shook himself off and fought on. Later he was checked and he had only powder burns on his face.
Jerry Potts was 37 years old when he was hired by the Police. He managed to impress everyone. His first day on the job he rode out in front of the advance guard. When the troop finally reached Milk River there sat Jerry Potts on the bank of the river with a buffalo he had killed and dressed. This was most impressive. He was asked to guide the caravan to a suitable winter fort and he led them to an island on the Old Man River. This was a great site for Ford Macleod as it had natural water protection, wood for building and for fuel and it was close to a well travelled route. His chores for the Police were locating a suitable site for Police posts, calming worried Indians, weathering blizzards, routing the whiskey traders and interpreting for the force.
I think Jerry Potts was a lover as well as a fighter. His first wife was a Crow woman named Mary. Together they had a son. Jerry's work took him hither and yon so she went back to her people. Then he married two (yes this isn't a typo) sisters Panter Women and Spotted Killer. Daughters of the South Peigen chief Sitting In The Middle. After the two sisters died Jerry married Isum-Its-tsee. Translated this means Long Time Lying Down. Yes I believe the man was a lover as well as a fighter. Jerry Potts died July 14, 1896 and it was announced in the whole of the north west and in England itself. He is remembered to this day for the kind of life he led.