William McGillivray
Encyclopedia
William McGillivray was a Scotland
-born fur trade
r 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
. He was assigned as a clerk to the Rainy River
department in 1785 and then travelled west to what is now Saskatchewan
to set up a trading post. In 1790, he became a partner in the company, buying the share of Peter Pond
, who had retired two years earlier. Sometime around 1790, he married a Métis
woman named Susan. He was put in charge of the English River (Churchill River
) department and then, in 1791, the Athabasca department. In 1793, he became a partner in McTavish, Frobisher
and Company which controlled the North West Company at the time. He became a member of the Beaver Club at Montreal in 1795. In 1800, he married Magdalen McDonald in London
. After McTavish died in 1804, McGillivray became head of the North West Company. He was named a justice of the peace for the Indian territories in the same year. He arranged the union with the competing XY Company. In 1806, he set up a new company McTavish, McGillivrays and Company to replace McTavish, Frobisher and Company in North America; the new company included his brother Duncan
and his brother-in-law Angus Shaw
. His other brother, Simon McGillivray
became a partner in 1813.
In 1808, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Montreal West. McGillivray served as a lieutenant-colonel in the Corps of Canadian Voyageurs during the War of 1812
. In 1814, he became a member of the Legislative Council
. He was arrested by Lord Selkirk
in 1816 following the massacre at Seven Oaks
but was released at Montreal. In 1821, the Hudson's Bay Company
and the North West Company merged, ending a long and bitter rivalry between the two companies.
He died in London in 1825, during a visit to England
. His other famous uncle was Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet
, Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in the First Anglo-Burmese War.
In 1808 David Thompson gave what is now called the Kootenay River
the name McGillivray's River, in honour of William and Duncan McGillivray.
Fur Co., and one of the heroes of the War of 1812, married a daughter of Macdonald of Garth, late 84th Regiment, a sister of Lady Campbell of Ava. The couple had two daughters.
One daughter married Thomas Richardson Auldjo, Esquire, of Montreal. She died at Noel House,
Kensington, London, September 2, 1856.
The other daughter, Magdalen Julia McGillivray married, 1842, W. C. C. Brackenbury, son of Sir John Macpherson Brackenbury, K.H., of Raithby Hall, Lincolnshire, then British Vice-Consul at Cadiz, and afterwards British Consul at Madrid, Vigo and Corunna, in Spain. The couple had two sons: Vice-Admiral John William Brackenbury, Colonel M. C. Brackenbury, R.E., C.S.I.. The couple had two daughters: Magdalen Brackenbury married General Manuel Delgado and Wilhelmina Brackenbury was unmarried.
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...
-born 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 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 Dunlichity, Scotland in 1764. In 1784, he travelled to 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...
with his uncle 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 began work with 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...
. He was assigned as a clerk to the Rainy River
Rainy River, Ontario
The Canadian town of Rainy River is situated on the Ontario-Minnesota border, along the Rainy River opposite Baudette, Minnesota, USA, and southeast of the Lake of the Woods...
department in 1785 and then travelled west to what is now Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
to set up a trading post. In 1790, he became a partner in the company, buying the share of 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:...
, who had retired two years earlier. Sometime around 1790, he married a Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
woman named Susan. He was put in charge of the English River (Churchill 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 and then, in 1791, the Athabasca department. In 1793, he became a partner in McTavish, Frobisher
Joseph Frobisher
Joseph Frobisher was a fur trader and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Halifax, England in 1740 and came to Quebec with his brother Benjamin around 1763; their brother Thomas joined them around 1769...
and Company which controlled the North West Company at the time. He became a member of the Beaver Club at Montreal in 1795. In 1800, he married Magdalen McDonald in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. After McTavish died in 1804, McGillivray became head of the North West Company. He was named a justice of the peace for the Indian territories in the same year. He arranged the union with the competing XY Company. In 1806, he set up a new company McTavish, McGillivrays and Company to replace McTavish, Frobisher and Company in North America; the new company included his brother Duncan
Duncan McGillivray
Duncan McGillivray , born in Inverness-shire, Scotland, was an explorer and fur trader who accompanied David Thompson on explorations of the North-West Territory and the Canadian Rockies. In 1800, they reached what is now Banff National Park...
and his brother-in-law Angus Shaw
Angus Shaw
Angus Shaw was a fur trader and political figure in Lower Canada.-Life:He was probably born in Scotland and came to North America some time before 1786, when he is found at Montreal. With the help of the Indian agent Colonel John Campbell of Glendaruel, he entered a partnership with an...
. His other brother, Simon McGillivray
Simon McGillivray
Simon McGillivray was the younger brother of William McGillivray and Duncan McGillivray. Born in Scotland, he was lame and slightly blind....
became a partner in 1813.
In 1808, he 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...
for Montreal West. McGillivray served as a lieutenant-colonel in the Corps of Canadian Voyageurs during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. In 1814, he became a member of the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Lower Canada
The Legislative Council of Lower Canada was the upper house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The upper house consisted of appointed councillors who voted on bills passed up by the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. The legislative council was...
. He was arrested 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...
in 1816 following the massacre at Seven Oaks
Battle of Seven Oaks (1816)
The Battle of Seven Oaks took place on June 19, 1816, during the long dispute between the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company, rival fur-trading companies in western Canada.-Background:Miles Macdonell had issued the Pemmican Proclamation...
but was released at Montreal. In 1821, 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...
and the North West Company merged, ending a long and bitter rivalry between the two companies.
He died in London in 1825, during a visit to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. His other famous uncle was Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet
Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet
General Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet GCB was an officer of the British Army, and from 1831 to 1837, the administrator of the colony of New Brunswick. From 1824 to 1826, Gen...
, Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in the First Anglo-Burmese War.
In 1808 David Thompson gave what is now called the Kootenay River
Kootenay River
The Kootenay is a major river in southeastern British Columbia, Canada and the northern part of the U.S. states of Montana and Idaho. It is one of the uppermost major tributaries of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
the name McGillivray's River, in honour of William and Duncan McGillivray.
Family
Hon. William McGillivray, M.L.C., of Chateau St. Antoine, Montreal, a director of the N. W.Fur Co., and one of the heroes of the War of 1812, married a daughter of Macdonald of Garth, late 84th Regiment, a sister of Lady Campbell of Ava. The couple had two daughters.
One daughter married Thomas Richardson Auldjo, Esquire, of Montreal. She died at Noel House,
Kensington, London, September 2, 1856.
The other daughter, Magdalen Julia McGillivray married, 1842, W. C. C. Brackenbury, son of Sir John Macpherson Brackenbury, K.H., of Raithby Hall, Lincolnshire, then British Vice-Consul at Cadiz, and afterwards British Consul at Madrid, Vigo and Corunna, in Spain. The couple had two sons: Vice-Admiral John William Brackenbury, Colonel M. C. Brackenbury, R.E., C.S.I.. The couple had two daughters: Magdalen Brackenbury married General Manuel Delgado and Wilhelmina Brackenbury was unmarried.