Thomas Simpson (explorer)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Simpson Hudson's Bay Company
agent and personal secretary for Hudson Bay governor (and cousin) Sir George Simpson
, and arctic explorer
.
, Scotland
the son of magistrate
Alexander Simpson (1751–1821) by his second wife Mary. He was a sickly and timid youth, avoiding rough sport. He was educated with a view to his becoming a clergyman, and was sent to King's College, Aberdeen
at the age of seventeen. Sir George Simpson offered him a position in the Hudson's Bay Company in 1826, which he declined in order to complete his studies. He graduated in 1828, at the age of 20, with a Master of Arts
. He enrolled in a divinity class that winter with the goal of becoming a clergyman, when the offer of a position in the Hudson's Bay Company was again extended, and this time he accepted. In 1829 he arrived in Norway House to join the Hudson's Bay Company as George Simpson's secretary.
Simpson was stationed at the Red River Colony
in the 1830s, serving as second officer to chief factor Christie.
, the purpose of which was to fill in information gaps left by other expeditions
in search of the Northwest Passage
. The expedition consisted of 12 men. Peter Warren Dease
, chief factor
of the New Caledonia district
of the Hudson's Bay Company was appointed head of the expedition, with Thomas as junior officer, however Dease ceded most of the responsibility for the expedition to Simpson.
The directors of the Hudson's Bay Company left detailed instructions for the expedition. The party was to leave immediately for the Lake Athabaska region and to winter at Fort Chipewyan
or Great Slave Lake
. At the opening of navigation in June, they were to proceed down the Mackenzie River
to Fort Norman. From there, four of the party were to proceed east to Great Bear Lake
to erect buildings and collect provisions for the following winter, while the remainder of the party were to head west, surveying
the coast to the point at which Frederick Beechey
's barge had turned back on John Franklin
's second arctic expedition. At the most westerly point of their exploration, they were to leave a pillar or mound, at the base of which was to be a sealed bottle containing a brief description of the expedition to that point. The following season they were to depart from Great Bear Lake, this time eastward to survey the coast from Franklin's Point Turnagain
to the Back River
to a point that could be ascertained as having been reached by George Back
. They were to keep a journal of their travels, a map of their surveys, a collection of new or interesting plants, minerals or objects, and to take possession of the land explored in the name of Great Britain.
Dease gathered supplies and hired men for the expedition and set of from Norway House on July 21 and reached Fort Chipewyan on September 8. Thomas spent the autumn preparing at the Red River Colony.
The party left on June 1, 1837, and arrived at Point Barrow
on August 4. They wintered at Fort Confidence on Great Bear Lake
and set out next spring, managing to map 100 miles of coastline, and naming Victoria Land, Cape Alexander and Cape Pelly. They again wintered at Fort Confidence, and in the spring of 1839 explored eastward. On August 16 they reached Montreal Island and discovered a cache left by George Back
.
By 1839 the expedition had nearly completed the full exploration of the Northwest Passage
. The party returned to Great Slave Lake
in September of that year, and from there Thomas drew up a letter to the directors of the Hudson's Bay Company describing the results of the expedition, which was published in many newspapers of the day. He also transmitted a plan for an expedition to complete further exploration of the coast between the straits of the Fury and Hecla
and the eastern limits of his previous explorations. To attend to preparations for this new expedition, he immediately left for the Red River Settlement, making the entire 1910 mi (3,073.8 km) journey in 61 days, arriving on February 2, 1840. The annual canoes from Canada
to the settlement in June of that year brought no word of the reception of his exploits, or authorization to continue exploration, as word had not reached England in time to reply at that opportunity. Without authorization from the Directors, Thomas had no authority to arrange another expedition. Instead of waiting for an entire year for word, he decided to return to England in person.
. He initially set out with a group of settlers and half-breed
s, but soon left the main party with four half-breed
travelling companions in order to make better time. On June 14, 1840, he and two of his travelling companions died in a shoot-out. According to the two survivors, Simpson had become increasingly anxious and even deranged during the journey, finally accusing two of the party of plotting to kill him. He shot them, and the witnesses fled, returning to the larger party, a portion of which then went to Simpson's encampment. They found him dead of gunshot wounds, his rifle beside him. The authorities ruled it a murder-suicide
.
In the mean time, the company's directors in London had sent permission for him to continue with his explorations. He had also been awarded the Royal Geographical Society
’s gold medal, and the British government had announced its intention of granting him a pension of £100 a year. Instead, being accused of murder and suicide, and being disgraced in the eyes of the church, Thomas was buried in an unmarked grave in Canada.
Thomas' brother, Alexander Simpson, published Thomas' Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America, effected by the Officers of the Hudson’s Bay Company, during the years 1836—39 in 1843, and later wrote The Life and Times of Thomas Simpson, the Arctic Explorer (London, 1845), in which he examine's the possibility that the travelling companions were planning to steal his notes and maps which they could have sold to the Hudson's Bay Company’s American rivals.
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...
agent and personal secretary for Hudson Bay governor (and cousin) Sir George Simpson
George Simpson (administrator)
Sir George Simpson was a Scots-Quebecer and employee of the Hudson's Bay Company . His title was Governor-in-Chief of Rupert's Land and administrator over the Northwest Territories and Columbia Department in British North America from 1821 to 1860.-Early years:George Simpson was born in Dingwall,...
, and arctic explorer
Arctic exploration
Arctic exploration is the physical exploration of the Arctic region of the Earth. The region that surrounds the North Pole. It refers to the historical period during which mankind has explored the region north of the Arctic Circle...
.
Early life
Simpson was born in DingwallDingwall
Dingwall is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,026. It was formerly an east-coast harbor but now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle, parts...
, 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...
the son of magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
Alexander Simpson (1751–1821) by his second wife Mary. He was a sickly and timid youth, avoiding rough sport. He was educated with a view to his becoming a clergyman, and was sent to King's College, Aberdeen
King's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and an integral part of the University of Aberdeen...
at the age of seventeen. Sir George Simpson offered him a position in the Hudson's Bay Company in 1826, which he declined in order to complete his studies. He graduated in 1828, at the age of 20, with a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
. He enrolled in a divinity class that winter with the goal of becoming a clergyman, when the offer of a position in the Hudson's Bay Company was again extended, and this time he accepted. In 1829 he arrived in Norway House to join the Hudson's Bay Company as George Simpson's secretary.
Simpson was stationed at the Red River Colony
Red River Colony
The Red River Colony was a colonization project set up by Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk in 1811 on of land granted to him by the Hudson's Bay Company under what is referred to as the Selkirk Concession. The colony along the Red River of the North was never very successful...
in the 1830s, serving as second officer to chief factor Christie.
Arctic Expedition
From 1836 to 1839, Thomas Simpson was involved in an expedition to chart the Arctic coast of CanadaCanada
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...
, the purpose of which was to fill in information gaps left by other expeditions
Arctic exploration
Arctic exploration is the physical exploration of the Arctic region of the Earth. The region that surrounds the North Pole. It refers to the historical period during which mankind has explored the region north of the Arctic Circle...
in search of the Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
. The expedition consisted of 12 men. Peter Warren Dease
Peter Warren Dease
Peter Warren Dease was a Canadian fur trader and arctic explorer.-Early life:Peter Warren Dease was born at Michilimackinac on January 1, 1788, the fourth son of Dr. John Dease, captain and deputy agent of Indian Affairs, and Jane French, Catholic Mohawk from Caughnawaga...
, chief factor
Factor (agent)
A factor, from the Latin "he who does" , is a person who professionally acts as the representative of another individual or other legal entity, historically with his seat at a factory , notably in the following contexts:-Mercantile factor:In a relatively large company, there could be a hierarchy,...
of the New Caledonia district
New Caledonia (Canada)
New Caledonia was the name given to a district of the Hudson's Bay Company that comprised the territory largely coterminous with the present-day province of British Columbia, Canada. Though not a British colony, New Caledonia was part of the British claim to North America. Its administrative...
of the Hudson's Bay Company was appointed head of the expedition, with Thomas as junior officer, however Dease ceded most of the responsibility for the expedition to Simpson.
The directors of the Hudson's Bay Company left detailed instructions for the expedition. The party was to leave immediately for the Lake Athabaska region and to winter at Fort Chipewyan
Fort Chipewyan, Alberta
Fort Chipewyan, commonly referred to as Fort Chip, is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. It is located on the western tip of Lake Athabasca, adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park, approximately north of Fort McMurray.Fort Chipewyan is one of...
or Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake is the second-largest lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada , the deepest lake in North America at , and the ninth-largest lake in the world. It is long and wide. It covers an area of in the southern part of the territory. Its given volume ranges from to and up to ...
. At the opening of navigation in June, they were to proceed down the Mackenzie River
Mackenzie River
The Mackenzie River is the largest river system in Canada. It flows through a vast, isolated region of forest and tundra entirely within the country's Northwest Territories, although its many tributaries reach into four other Canadian provinces and territories...
to Fort Norman. From there, four of the party were to proceed east to Great Bear Lake
Great Bear Lake
Great Bear Lake is the largest lake entirely within Canada , the third or fourth largest in North America, and the seventh or eighth largest in the world...
to erect buildings and collect provisions for the following winter, while the remainder of the party were to head west, surveying
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
the coast to the point at which Frederick Beechey
Frederick William Beechey
Frederick William Beechey was an English naval officer and geographer. He was the son of Sir William Beechey, RA., and was born in London.-Career:...
's barge had turned back on John Franklin
John Franklin
Rear-Admiral Sir John Franklin KCH FRGS RN was a British Royal Navy officer and Arctic explorer. Franklin also served as governor of Tasmania for several years. In his last expedition, he disappeared while attempting to chart and navigate a section of the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic...
's second arctic expedition. At the most westerly point of their exploration, they were to leave a pillar or mound, at the base of which was to be a sealed bottle containing a brief description of the expedition to that point. The following season they were to depart from Great Bear Lake, this time eastward to survey the coast from Franklin's Point Turnagain
Coppermine Expedition of 1819–1822
The Coppermine Expedition of 1819–1822 had as its goal the exploration of the northern coast of Canada, which was accessed by way of the Coppermine River. The British expedition was organised by the Royal Navy as part of its attempt to discover and map the Northwest Passage...
to the Back River
Back River
The Back River , is a river in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut in Canada...
to a point that could be ascertained as having been reached by George Back
George Back
Admiral Sir George Back FRS was a British naval officer, explorer of the Canadian Arctic , naturalist and artist.-Career:...
. They were to keep a journal of their travels, a map of their surveys, a collection of new or interesting plants, minerals or objects, and to take possession of the land explored in the name of Great Britain.
Dease gathered supplies and hired men for the expedition and set of from Norway House on July 21 and reached Fort Chipewyan on September 8. Thomas spent the autumn preparing at the Red River Colony.
The party left on June 1, 1837, and arrived at Point Barrow
Point Barrow
Point Barrow or Nuvuk is a headland on the Arctic coast in the U.S. state of Alaska, northeast of Barrow. It is the northernmost point of all the territory of the United States, at...
on August 4. They wintered at Fort Confidence on Great Bear Lake
Great Bear Lake
Great Bear Lake is the largest lake entirely within Canada , the third or fourth largest in North America, and the seventh or eighth largest in the world...
and set out next spring, managing to map 100 miles of coastline, and naming Victoria Land, Cape Alexander and Cape Pelly. They again wintered at Fort Confidence, and in the spring of 1839 explored eastward. On August 16 they reached Montreal Island and discovered a cache left by George Back
George Back
Admiral Sir George Back FRS was a British naval officer, explorer of the Canadian Arctic , naturalist and artist.-Career:...
.
By 1839 the expedition had nearly completed the full exploration of the Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
. The party returned to Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake is the second-largest lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada , the deepest lake in North America at , and the ninth-largest lake in the world. It is long and wide. It covers an area of in the southern part of the territory. Its given volume ranges from to and up to ...
in September of that year, and from there Thomas drew up a letter to the directors of the Hudson's Bay Company describing the results of the expedition, which was published in many newspapers of the day. He also transmitted a plan for an expedition to complete further exploration of the coast between the straits of the Fury and Hecla
Fury and Hecla Strait
Fury and Hecla Strait is a narrow channel of water located in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. Situated between Baffin Island and Melville Peninsula it connects Foxe Basin, to the east, with the Gulf of Boothia, to the west....
and the eastern limits of his previous explorations. To attend to preparations for this new expedition, he immediately left for the Red River Settlement, making the entire 1910 mi (3,073.8 km) journey in 61 days, arriving on February 2, 1840. The annual canoes from Canada
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...
to the settlement in June of that year brought no word of the reception of his exploits, or authorization to continue exploration, as word had not reached England in time to reply at that opportunity. Without authorization from the Directors, Thomas had no authority to arrange another expedition. Instead of waiting for an entire year for word, he decided to return to England in person.
Death
Thomas left the Red River Settlement on the June 6, 1840, intending to travel to England by way of the Minnesota RiverMinnesota River
The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of nearly , in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa....
. He initially set out with a group of settlers and half-breed
Half-breed
Half-breed is an historic term used to describe anyone who is mixed Native American and white European parentage...
s, but soon left the main party with four half-breed
Half-breed
Half-breed is an historic term used to describe anyone who is mixed Native American and white European parentage...
travelling companions in order to make better time. On June 14, 1840, he and two of his travelling companions died in a shoot-out. According to the two survivors, Simpson had become increasingly anxious and even deranged during the journey, finally accusing two of the party of plotting to kill him. He shot them, and the witnesses fled, returning to the larger party, a portion of which then went to Simpson's encampment. They found him dead of gunshot wounds, his rifle beside him. The authorities ruled it a murder-suicide
Murder-suicide
A murder–suicide is an act in which an individual kills one or more other persons before or at the same time as killing himself or herself. The combination of murder and suicide can take various forms, including:...
.
In the mean time, the company's directors in London had sent permission for him to continue with his explorations. He had also been awarded the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
’s gold medal, and the British government had announced its intention of granting him a pension of £100 a year. Instead, being accused of murder and suicide, and being disgraced in the eyes of the church, Thomas was buried in an unmarked grave in Canada.
Thomas' brother, Alexander Simpson, published Thomas' Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America, effected by the Officers of the Hudson’s Bay Company, during the years 1836—39 in 1843, and later wrote The Life and Times of Thomas Simpson, the Arctic Explorer (London, 1845), in which he examine's the possibility that the travelling companions were planning to steal his notes and maps which they could have sold to the Hudson's Bay Company’s American rivals.