Celia B. File (nee Vandervoort) was born in Belleville ON in 1887, and was raised in Napanee. In 1908, she married Herbert Clifton File, a local farmer also from Napanee. She was a teacher on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Reserve, which led to a lifelong ... »
Celia B. File (nee Vandervoort) was born in Belleville ON in 1887, and was raised in Napanee. In 1908, she married Herbert Clifton File, a local farmer also from Napanee. She was a teacher on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Reserve, which led to a lifelong interest and involvement in aboriginal issues. Celia was granted a native name by the people of Tyendinaga: "Kanoerohnkwa" which means love or loving-hearted. Circa 1934, she participated in a naming ceremony at the Cayuga Longhouse. Celia was a graduate of Queen's in Arts in English and History (1929), was the recipient of the Sir James Aikens Fellowship in Colonial History, and received her MA in History (1931). Her thesis was on Indian Affairs with a focus on Molly Brant. Celia was a longtime teacher and writer, including a gardening column for the Napanee Beaver.
