George McBeath
Encyclopedia
George McBeath was a fur trade
r, businessman and political figure in Lower Canada
.
He was born in Scotland
around 1740 and came to Quebec
around 1760. McBeath entered the fur trade in 1765, travelling to the Lake Superior
region. In 1772, he became part of a company based at Michilimackinac
. He became partners with Simon McTavish
and then went into business on his own. With Peter Pond
and others, McBeath purchased shares in the North West Company
, which he held until 1787. He settled at L'Assomption
in 1785.
He was one of the founders of the Beaver Club at Montreal
. McBeath was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
in a 1793 by-election held after the death of François-Antoine Larocque
.
He was named justice of the peace for Montreal district in 1795 and, in 1799, he was appointed customs collector for the port of St Johns (later Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu). McBeath also served as lieutenant-colonel in the militia and was reportedly a Freemason.
He died at Montreal in 1812.
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
r, businessman and political figure in Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
.
He was born in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
around 1740 and came to Quebec
Province of Quebec (1763-1791)
The Province of Quebec was a colony in North America created by Great Britain after the Seven Years' War. Great Britain acquired Canada by the Treaty of Paris when King Louis XV of France and his advisors chose to keep the territory of Guadeloupe for its valuable sugar crops instead of New France...
around 1760. McBeath entered the fur trade in 1765, travelling to the 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...
region. In 1772, he became part of a company based at Michilimackinac
Michilimackinac
Michilimackinac is a name for the region around the Straits of Mackinac between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. Early settlers of North America applied the term to the entire region along Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Superior. Today it is mostly within the boundaries of Michigan, in the United States...
. He became partners with Simon McTavish
Simon McTavish
Simon McTavish was a Scots-Quebecer entrepreneur and the pre-eminent businessman in Canada during the second half of the 18th century.-Biography:...
and then went into business on his own. With Peter Pond
Peter Pond
Peter Pond was born in Milford, Connecticut. He was a soldier with a Connecticut regiment, a fur trader, a founding member of the North West Company, an explorer and a cartographer.-Biography:...
and others, McBeath purchased shares in 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...
, which he held until 1787. He settled at L'Assomption
L'Assomption, Quebec
L'Assomption is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada on the L'Assomption River. It is the seat of the Regional County Municipality of L'Assomption. It is located on the outer fringes of the Montreal urban area....
in 1785.
He was one of the founders of the Beaver Club at Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. McBeath was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was the lower house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The legislative assembly was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791...
in a 1793 by-election held after the death of François-Antoine Larocque
François-Antoine Larocque, Sr.
François-Antoine Larocque was a businessman and political figure in Lower Canada. The surname was also spelled La Roque....
.
He was named justice of the peace for Montreal district in 1795 and, in 1799, he was appointed customs collector for the port of St Johns (later Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu). McBeath also served as lieutenant-colonel in the militia and was reportedly a Freemason.
He died at Montreal in 1812.