Chief William Yellowhead " Musquakie" (1769 - 1864) Inducted 1999

There was an Ojibwa chief called "The Yellow Head, Chief of Lake Simcoe", who is thought to be responsible for keeping his people loyal to the British during the War of 1812. When this chief was wounded in defense of York in 1813, his son, Musquakie, was created chief of the tribe. Four years later, at the desire of his father, Musquakie was appointed principal chief of the Deer Tribe, and was more commonly known as Chief William Yellowhead.

In 1818, the Crown purchased 1,592,000 acres of land in the Georgian Bay-Lake Simcoe area from the First Nations, and one of the signers of this treaty was Chief Yellowhead. He and his followers settled in the vicinity of Orillia, and a house, which stood until recent times, was erected for him. Eventually, white settlers infiltrated the region, and the Ojibwa claimed they spoiled their hunting grounds. The Ojibwa were compelled to relinquish their lands and moved to Rama during 1838 and early 1839. Yellowhead spent the remainder of his life there. A devout Christian, he was highly respected and admired by all that knew him. When he died in 1864, his age was supposed to be upwards of 100 years, although the burial register of St. James' lists his age at 95. A large gathering of whites and First Nation's people attended his funeral out of respect for the British Crown. He is buried in the churchyard of St. James' Anglican Church, Orillia.

A more permanent memorial remains with us today in the name of the Muskoka District of Ontario. It is generally believed that this region was named after him since the area comprised part of his recognized hunting grounds.