Edward Umfreville
Encyclopedia
Edward Umfreville came to Canada in 1771 to work as a writer for the Hudson's Bay Company
. He came to York Factory and almost immediately was transferred to Fort Severn
. There, he and Andrew Graham
designed a comprehensive plan listing long term requirements for the inland posts that the company proposed to establish. While at Fort Severn in 1774 Umfreville assisted Samuel Hearne
with the requirements for a proposed post at Cumberland House, Saskatchewan
.
In 1775, Umfreville was transferred back to York Factory where he became second in command until 1782 when the fort was captured by the French led by Jean-François de Galaup
. The personnel and the staff of the fort were sent back to France as prisoners.
The Treaty of Paris
in 1783 freed Umfreville and he arrived in London. Disputes between him and the HBC ended his tenure there and he left for Quebec
. By May 1784 he was employed by the North West Company
and was searching for an alternate route from Lake Superior
to Lake Winnipeg
. Although Umfreville succeeded, the Nor’Westers continued to use the route via the Grand Portage since the Americans were not enforcing their rights under the treaty of Paris.
In 1784, Umfreville was in Saskatchewan at a fort near Frenchman Butte
and, although in the employ of the NWC, advising the HBC to pursue inland forts such as those the Nor’Westers were operating out of Fort Kaministiquia
. In 1788 he quit the NWC and tried to re-sign with the Hudson's Bay Company. This was unsuccessful and the publishing of his book, The present state of Hudson’s Bay . . . in 1790 was widely critical of the Company. His whereabouts from this point in time are unknown.
The book’s ill nature reflected the author’s disappointment over not obtaining a command at the HBC but also did provide knowledge of parts of Canada that was lacking at that point in time.
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. He came to York Factory and almost immediately was transferred to Fort Severn
Fort Severn
For the trading post in Canada see Fort Severn First Nation Fort Severn, in present-day Annapolis, Maryland, was built in 1808 on the same site as an earlier American Revolutionary War fort of 1776. Although intended to guard Annapolis harbor from British attack, it never saw action during the War...
. There, he and Andrew Graham
Andrew Graham (naturalist)
Andrew Graham was a Scottish naturalist.He emigrated to Canada and worked for the Hudson's Bay Company from 1749 to 1775 when he retired...
designed a comprehensive plan listing long term requirements for the inland posts that the company proposed to establish. While at Fort Severn in 1774 Umfreville assisted Samuel Hearne
Samuel Hearne
Samuel Hearne was a an English explorer, fur-trader, author, and naturalist. He was the first European to make an overland excursion across northern Canada to the Arctic Ocean, actually Coronation Gulf, via the Coppermine River...
with the requirements for a proposed post at Cumberland House, Saskatchewan
Cumberland House, Saskatchewan
Cumberland House is a village in Census Division No. 18 in north-eastern Saskatchewan, Canada on the Saskatchewan River. It is the oldest community in Saskatchewan and has a population of about 2000 people...
.
In 1775, Umfreville was transferred back to York Factory where he became second in command until 1782 when the fort was captured by the French led by Jean-François de Galaup
Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse
Jean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse was a French Navy officer and explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania.-Early career:...
. The personnel and the staff of the fort were sent back to France as prisoners.
The Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on the one hand and the United States of America and its allies on the other. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements; for details of...
in 1783 freed Umfreville and he arrived in London. Disputes between him and the HBC ended his tenure there and he left for Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. By May 1784 he was employed by the North West Company
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
and was searching for an alternate route from Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
to Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg...
. Although Umfreville succeeded, the Nor’Westers continued to use the route via the Grand Portage since the Americans were not enforcing their rights under the treaty of Paris.
In 1784, Umfreville was in Saskatchewan at a fort near Frenchman Butte
Battle of Frenchman's Butte
The Battle of Frenchman's Butte, fought on May 28, 1885, occurred when a force of Cree, dug in on a hillside near Frenchman's Butte, was unsuccessfully attacked by the Alberta Field Force.-Background:...
and, although in the employ of the NWC, advising the HBC to pursue inland forts such as those the Nor’Westers were operating out of Fort Kaministiquia
Fort Kaministiquia
Fort Camanistigoyan, now standardized as Fort Kaministiquia, located at the mouth of the Kaministiquia River on Lake Superior in what is now northwestern Ontario, Canada, was established in 1717 by Zacharie Robutel de la Noue following the restoration of the system of trading permits by...
. In 1788 he quit the NWC and tried to re-sign with the Hudson's Bay Company. This was unsuccessful and the publishing of his book, The present state of Hudson’s Bay . . . in 1790 was widely critical of the Company. His whereabouts from this point in time are unknown.
The book’s ill nature reflected the author’s disappointment over not obtaining a command at the HBC but also did provide knowledge of parts of Canada that was lacking at that point in time.