Joseph Adams (businessman)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Adams was a British-born Canadian chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company
.
. His parish bound him on 1 June 1705, to serve the Hudson's Bay Company until he was 24. Around this time, Adams was sent to Fort Albany
, where he received training and learned the Cree language
. In 1722, Adams' pay was increased to £16 per year, retroactive to 11 September 1721. He spent the 1723–24 season in England due to health issues.
When Adams returned to Fort Albany to continue working at the Hudson's Bay Company, he became Joseph Myatt's deputy from 1727 to Myatt's death on 9 June 1730, after when Adams took over Myatt's position as chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company based at Fort Albany. Adams surveyed Moose River
in July 1728, with the help of William Bevan
, and he also located the original site of Moose Factory
, Ontario
. The company's London committee told Adams to establish a factory at Moose in 1730, and despite reservations about their capabilities, he sent Thomas Render and John Jewer to build the post. He was later proven correct when the men at Moose refused to work under Render, forcing Adams to personally visit Moose in October 1731, to resolve the issue.
The Hudson's Bay Company eventually hired Thomas McCliesh to replace Adams on two separate occasions, in 1735 and 1736. During both times, however, McCliesh was "sore afflicted with ailments" when he arrived, and had to return to England. On 26 December 1735, the Moose factory was destroyed by fire, to which Adams responded in a written note to the company's committee: "We have strained ourselves to the utmost to assist them." In 1737, Adams retired and was replaced at Albany by Thomas Bird. Adams died on 29 September 1737, shortly after returning to England with his three-year-old daughter Mary, whose mother was a Native Canadian. His will instructed that most of his estate be given to Mary in trust
.
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...
.
Biography
Adams was born to William, a labourer, and Katherine Adams. He was baptized on 4 May 1700, in Woodford, EssexEssex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. His parish bound him on 1 June 1705, to serve the Hudson's Bay Company until he was 24. Around this time, Adams was sent to Fort Albany
Fort Albany, Ontario
Fort Albany First Nation is a community in within the Cochrane District of Northern Ontario, Canada. Situated on the southern shore of the Albany River, Fort Albany First Nation is only accessible by air or by winter road....
, where he received training and learned the Cree language
Cree language
Cree is an Algonquian language spoken by approximately 117,000 people across Canada, from the Northwest Territories and Alberta to Labrador, making it the aboriginal language with the highest number of speakers in Canada. It is also spoken in the U.S. state of Montana...
. In 1722, Adams' pay was increased to £16 per year, retroactive to 11 September 1721. He spent the 1723–24 season in England due to health issues.
When Adams returned to Fort Albany to continue working at the Hudson's Bay Company, he became Joseph Myatt's deputy from 1727 to Myatt's death on 9 June 1730, after when Adams took over Myatt's position as chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company based at Fort Albany. Adams surveyed Moose River
Moose River (Ontario)
The Moose River is a Canadian river in the Hudson Plains ecozone of northern Ontario which flows 100 km northeast from the junction of the Mattagami and Missinaibi Rivers into James Bay. Its drainage basin is 108,500 km² and it has a mean discharge rate of 1370 m³/s. Its full length...
in July 1728, with the help of William Bevan
William Bevan (sloopmaster)
William Bevan fl. , was an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company and came to the Canadian bay area's Fort Albany in 1723 as mate of the Beaversloop. He became chief trader and factor there four years later....
, and he also located the original site of Moose Factory
Moose Factory, Ontario
Moose Factory is a community in the Cochrane District, Ontario, Canada. It is on Moose Factory Island, near the mouth of the Moose River, which is at the southern end of James Bay. It was the first English-speaking settlement in Ontario and the second Hudson's Bay Company post to be set up in North...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. The company's London committee told Adams to establish a factory at Moose in 1730, and despite reservations about their capabilities, he sent Thomas Render and John Jewer to build the post. He was later proven correct when the men at Moose refused to work under Render, forcing Adams to personally visit Moose in October 1731, to resolve the issue.
The Hudson's Bay Company eventually hired Thomas McCliesh to replace Adams on two separate occasions, in 1735 and 1736. During both times, however, McCliesh was "sore afflicted with ailments" when he arrived, and had to return to England. On 26 December 1735, the Moose factory was destroyed by fire, to which Adams responded in a written note to the company's committee: "We have strained ourselves to the utmost to assist them." In 1737, Adams retired and was replaced at Albany by Thomas Bird. Adams died on 29 September 1737, shortly after returning to England with his three-year-old daughter Mary, whose mother was a Native Canadian. His will instructed that most of his estate be given to Mary in trust
Trust law
In common law legal systems, a trust is a relationship whereby property is held by one party for the benefit of another...
.