Nicholas Plain
Nicholas Plain (Osarskodawa) was born in 1876 to Nicholas and Jemima Plain. He was a third generation descendent of Chief Animikeence.
Prior to 1901, he married Susan George. Susan passed in 1926 at the age of 46 with a cause of death attributed to pneumonia.
Nicholas remarried 32-year-old widow Eleanor Root Shields, in 1928. Eleanor was daughter to Mary and Michael Shields. Her first husband, Private Joseph Root of Chippewa Hill was a veteran of WWI who enlisted with the 160th Battalion and served with the 18th Battalion in Arras, France. He was injured in battle and passed in July of 1925.
Among his many honors, Nicholas had a remarkable track record as champion plowman in Lambton in the 1920s and 1930s. This included but was not limited to a trophy finish at the County Plowing Match in October of 1921. While he gave up the trophy for a brief time in 1922 to Archie McMillan, Nicholas remained a key figure at the Banquet held in that year and received a standing ovation when invited to speak.
Nicholas emphasized the need for Indigenous voting rights in his address.
Nicholas Plain served as Chief of Aamjiwnaang First Nation from 1934-1940. In 1951, he wrote The History of Chippewas of Sarnia and The History of Sarnia Reserve.
Nicholas passed in December of 1960 as is buried at the Aamjiwnaang First Nations Cemetery.