Elizabeth Turner was baptized at Moose Factory on June 30, 1822, alongside her brothers, Joseph Jr. and Philip.
Elizabeth grew up immersed in the rich and dynamic world of the fur trade. Her father, Joseph Turner Sr., was a lifelong and dedicated servant of the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC). Her mother, Emma, was a skilled Métis woman who raised her children within her Métis traditions on the western shores of James Bay.
As the Turner siblings entered adulthood, Elizabeth’s brothers, Joseph Jr. and Philip, pursued HBC careers and traveled widely across the Métis Homeland.
Elizabeth also ventured west, establishing herself in the prominent Métis community at Sault Ste. Marie. She married Charles Roussain, a fellow Métis, and settled into the life and relationship networks of her new Métis community.
Elizabeth’s family later settled at Roussainville, a nearby fishing village named after Charles’ family. Not long after, her niece, Josephine Undgarden, joined her in Roussainville after moving from Moose Factory. Josephine’s presence, alongside that of her husband, further strengthened their family’s ties between the Sault Ste. Marie Métis Community and Moose Factory.
Elizabeth’s life, centered in Moose Factory, Sault Ste. Marie, and Roussainville, ultimately demonstrates her enduring dedication to her Métis family and community, which—alongside her brothers—helped to form a lasting Turner family legacy across the Métis Nation Homeland.