John McGillivray
Encyclopedia
John McGillivray was a Canadian
fur trade
r and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born at Strathnairn
, Inverness-shire
, Scotland
around 1770. He came to Canada with a distant cousin, William McGillivray
, who was a partner in the North West Company
, and became a clerk for the company in the Lower English River
department. He was transferred to the Athabasca River
department in 1801 as a wintering partner and then became the head of the Athabasca department in 1810 where competition with the Hudson's Bay Company
was fierce. In August 1816, he was arrested at Fort William
by Lord Selkirk
, although he claimed he was not involved in the Battle of Seven Oaks. He was not prosecuted and returned to the Rainy Lake region in 1817. In 1818, plagued by rheumatism
, he retired and settled near Williamstown.
He was appointed to the Legislative Council
of the province in 1839. He also served as a justice of the peace. In 1852, he was recognized as the chief of the McGillivary clan in Scotland.
He died near Williamstown in 1855.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
fur trade
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 and political figure in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
.
He was born at Strathnairn
Strathnairn
Strathnairn lies 8 miles South West of Inverness and borders the Monadhliath Mountains. The Strath's borders reach to the north where Clava cairn and the Culloden Battlefield lie, following the River Nairn south through Daviot, Farr, Brin, Croachy, and finally ending near Dunmaglass....
, Inverness-shire
Inverness-shire
The County of Inverness or Inverness-shire was a general purpose county of Scotland, with the burgh of Inverness as the county town, until 1975, when, under the Local Government Act 1973, the county area was divided between the two-tier Highland region and the unitary Western Isles. The Highland...
, 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 1770. He came to Canada with a distant cousin, William McGillivray
William McGillivray
William McGillivray was a Scotland-born fur trader and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Dunlichity, Scotland in 1764. In 1784, he travelled to Montreal with his uncle Simon McTavish and began work with the North West Company...
, who was a partner 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...
, and became a clerk for the company in the Lower English River
Churchill River (Hudson Bay)
The Churchill River is a major river in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada. From the head of the Churchill Lake it is 1,609 km long. It was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and governor of the Hudson's Bay Company from 1685 to 1691...
department. He was transferred to the Athabasca River
Athabasca River
The Athabasca River originates from the Columbia Glacier of the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada...
department in 1801 as a wintering partner and then became the head of the Athabasca department in 1810 where competition with the Hudson's Bay Company
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...
was fierce. In August 1816, he was arrested at Fort William
Fort William, Ontario
Fort William was a city in Northern Ontario, located on the Kaministiquia River, at its entrance to Lake Superior. It amalgamated with Port Arthur and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Ever since then it has been the largest city in Northwestern...
by Lord Selkirk
Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk
Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk was a Scottish peer. He was born at Saint Mary's Isle, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. He was noteworthy as a Scottish philanthropist who sponsored immigrant settlements in Canada at the Red River Colony.- Early background :Douglas was the seventh son of Dunbar...
, although he claimed he was not involved in the Battle of Seven Oaks. He was not prosecuted and returned to the Rainy Lake region in 1817. In 1818, plagued by rheumatism
Rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
, he retired and settled near Williamstown.
He was appointed to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Upper Canada
The Legislative Council of Upper Canada was the upper house governing the province of Upper Canada. Modelled after the British House of Lords, it was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was specified that the council should consist of at least seven members. Members were appointed for...
of the province in 1839. He also served as a justice of the peace. In 1852, he was recognized as the chief of the McGillivary clan in Scotland.
He died near Williamstown in 1855.