EARLY PIONEERS OWE HER DEBT OF THANKS
She was vital to Pandosy mission
This is the second of six biographies of Central Okanagan pioneer women.
Oblate missionaries Father Pandosy, Father Richard, and Brother Surel arrived in the Central Okanagan in late 1859, spending the winter at the south end of Duck Lake. Among their fellow settlers were Cyprien and Thérèse Laurence, their young son Joseph, and Cyprien’s unmarried brother Théodore.
Cyprien Laurence was born at St. Sulpice, Que., on Jan. 14, 1808, one of a large family born to Joseph Laurence (born 1771) and Marie Louise Laporte (1785-1815).
Prior to coming to the Central Okanagan in 1859, Cyprien and Théodore Laurence were employed by the Hudson’s Bay Company, in what is now Washington state. In 1859-60, Cyprien and Théodore Laurence preempted land in the Okanagan
Mission district. Cyprien Laurence, pioneer Central Okanagan farmer and rancher, died on Jan. 15, 1868, leaving his widow and four children.
About 1855, at or near Colville, Wash., Cyprien Laurence married Thérèse N’Kwala, who was locally-born about 1837, daughter of the great chief N’Kwala and one of his wives. Information about N’Kwala and his family is in an upcoming article about Maria (nee Houghton) Brent.
Thérèse Laurence accompanied her husband and son Joseph into the Central Okanagan in late 1859. She played a crucial role in allowing them into the valley, when Pandosy’s party of settlers was stopped at present-day Penticton by Chief Capeau Blanc. Banned from entry, Thérèse — Capeau Blanc’s niece — used her family connections to persuade him to allow the settlers to enter the valley.
Thérèse Laurence lived the rest of her life in the Okanagan, dying on Oct. 10, 1892, at the age of 55. She was buried in the second Immaculate Conception Cemetery, one of its first burials.
Father Pierre Richard, who had accompanied the Laurences into the Valley, performed the rites of burial. Thérèse was survived by her son Joseph and daughters Mary and Eleanor and brother-in-law Théodore Laurence (1810-1880), who lived closeby and provided assistance and support.
Cyprien Laurence and Thérèse N’Kwala had five children:
• Joseph Laurence: born circa 1857, possibly at Omak, Wash.; died at Kamloops on Nov. 16, 1917.
• Marie/Mary Laurence: born Feb.16, 1862. Married Dan Nicholson. She died Aug. 21, 1904, having lived all of her life in the Okanagan
• Angelique Laurence: born in the Central Okanagan on April 20, 1864; died early April 1867
• Théodore Laurence: born in the Central Okanagan on June 10, 1866; died young
• Eleanor Laurence: born June 9, 1867. In 1872, Thérèse Laurence had another child, a daughter named Angelique. Thérèse was then a widow, her husband having died in 1868. Currently, I have no other information about Angelique.
Eleanor Laurence was born at Omak, Wash. on June 9, 1867. Eleanor’s mother, Thérèse, had gone to Omak to be with her family and gave birth there. Eleanor and her mother returned to the Central Okanagan about six weeks later.
Eleanor Laurence received her early education from Father Pandosy, who taught her French and Latin and instilled in her a love of music. She also attended Okanagan School, the first public school in the Okanagan Valley, located near present-day Orchard Park mall, where Eleanor and her female classmates became life-long friends. She later attended St. Ann’s Academy (established 1880) in Kamloops.
Eleanor remained close to her maternal relations. About 1874, she and her mother went back to Washington state, to visit Thérèse’s family. The trip, by horseback, and taking several days, allowed Eleanor to know her Indigenous family, better understanding their history and traditions.
About 1875, Eleanor received her first farm animal, a gentle cow willed to her by her recently-deceased maternal uncle.
On June 29, 1891, Eleanor Laurence married Joseph Saucier. Joseph was 24 years old, the son of André Saucier and Hélène Christien. Hélène’s brother, Joseph Christien, settled in what is now Benvoulin in 1861. Eleanor’s wedding dress was given to her by francophone pioneer August Gillard (circa 1823-1898), friend of the Laurence family.
Eleanor and Joseph Saucier settled in South Kelowna, on her brother-in-law (Don Nicholson)’s quarter section of land. They had 10 children, all born in the Central Okanagan:
• Francis Andrew Saucier: born March 27, 1892; died in infancy
• Frank Cyprien Saucier: born Sept. 5, 1894; died at Kelowna, Dec. 7, 1972
• Bertrand Daniel Saucier: born Feb.23, 1896; killed in the First World War, Sept. 27, 1918
• Louis Theodore Saucier: born Oct. 23, 1897; died young
• Mary Catherine Saucier: born Sept. 27, 1899. Married Oswald Burke. She died in Kelowna, April 22, 1985
• Andrew Laurence Saucier: born March 9, 1902; died at Kelowna, Feb. 3, 1955
• Daniel Edmund Saucer: born May 2, 1904; died at Kelowna, March 15, 1971
• Joseph Louis Saucier: born Dec. 21, 1906; died at Kamloops, Feb. 24, 1968
• Mary Eleanor Saucier: born Jan. 24, 1909; died at Kelowna, Jan. 6, 1969
• Ernest Vance Theodore Saucier: born March 7, 1911; died at Kelowna, Sept. 27, 1927
An article on page 2 of the Aug. 17, 1955 edition of the Kelowna Capital News provides insight into Eleanor Saucier’s character: “She was keenly observant of the flowers, birds and landscape and loved the country around the Okanagan Mission — she said you could never be lonely there, there were so many birds and so much game.”
She loved music pictures (?) and embroidery, and still treasured a painting given to her by her old teacher, a nun, who was one of her teachers at St. Ann’s Academy in Kamloops.
Eleanor and Joseph Saucier lived all of their married life in the Central Okanagan.
Joseph, bed-ridden for the last 22 years of his life, died in Kelowna on Oct. 9, 1947 at the age of 81 years. Eleanor remained in Kelowna, living on Laurier Avenue with her daughter Mary Saucier.
Eleanor Saucier’s life came to a peaceful conclusion on Aug. 13, 1955. Eighty-eight years old, she was survived by four of her ten children, 17 grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. She was also survived by three life-long friends, Caroline (Brent) Renshaw, Maria (Houghton) Brent, and Christina (Moore) Haynes, all featured in upcoming articles.
Eleanor Saucier’s life is recounted in her Courier obituary, beginning with the following words: “Another ‘turn of the wheel’ in the history of the Okanagan valley occurred on Saturday, August 13, in the passing of Eleanor Saucier, one of the small group that witnessed the birth of the City of Kelowna . . .”