Zachariah Gillam
Encyclopedia
Zachariah Gillam (1636–1682) was one of a family of New England sea captains involved in the early days of the Hudson's Bay Company
.
The son of a prominent Massachusetts shipwright, he was engaged in the coastal trade. He must have known about and may have had some involvement in Radisson and Groseilliers'
1663 attempt to reach Hudson Bay from Boston. In 1665 his elder brother carried Radisson and Groseilliers to England which presumably increased his contact with the two adventurers. In 1668, in command of the 43-ton Nonsuch
he carried Groseilliers from England to Hudson Bay where they wintered at the mouth of the Rupert River
and returned the following year with £1,300 in furs. In May of 1670, the same month that the Hudson's Bay Company was founded, he left England in the 75½-ton Prince Rupert with Groseilliers accompanied by the Wivenhoe with Radisson and the new governor Charles Bayly. Bayly's attempt to found a fort at Port Nelson
failed, so they returned to the Rupert River where they wintered, traded, explored the Moose River
and returned to England in October, 1671. He returned in the Prince Rupert in 1672/73 and again in 1674/75. At about this time he quarreled with Radisson, each accusing the other of peculation, and Gillam was dismissed from the HBC service. He was engaged in the coastal trade to North Carolina from 1677 to 1680 when he was accused of involvement in the 1677 Culpeper's Rebellion and sent in custody to England. In 1682 he returned to the HBC service and in June of that year left for the bay in the Prince Rupert along with four other ships. The Prince Rupert and the Albemarle were to found a post at Port Nelson
. When he arrived on 7 September he found two other groups already there. One was French under Radisson and Groseilliers who had returned to the French service and the other was a non-HBC expedition from Boston under Gillam's son Benjamin. On 21 October, during a storm, the Prince Rupert dragged anchor and drifted out to sea. With only about nine men on board it was difficult to control her and she was crushed by the ice, losing all hands including Captain Gillam.
His elder brother Benjamin Gillam was in 1665 in command of the Charles which brought Radisson and Groseilliers to England where they began the foundation of the Hudson's Bay Company.
His son Benjamin Gillam (1662/63-1706) appears in the records only in reference to the 1682 events at Port Nelson. On 21 June 1682 be left Boston for Hudson Bay in the Bachelor's Delight intending to break in to the HBC monopoly. On reaching Port Nelson he was soon joined by a French group under Radisson and then by his father's official HBC expedition. His father died in October and Benjamin was captured by the French in February. He was taken to Quebec, released and returned to Boston. Here he was briefly arrested for violating the monopoly but was soon released. The HBC later claimed him for its own and based its claim to Port Nelson on the grounds that Benjamin had arrived before the French party.
In the 1690 the family appears in the records as shipbuilders for English Merchants.
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...
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The son of a prominent Massachusetts shipwright, he was engaged in the coastal trade. He must have known about and may have had some involvement in Radisson and Groseilliers'
Médard des Groseilliers
Médard Chouart des Groseilliers was a French explorer and fur trader in Canada. He is often paired with his brother-in-law Pierre-Esprit Radisson who was about 20 years his junior...
1663 attempt to reach Hudson Bay from Boston. In 1665 his elder brother carried Radisson and Groseilliers to England which presumably increased his contact with the two adventurers. In 1668, in command of the 43-ton Nonsuch
Nonsuch (ship)
The Nonsuch was the ketch that sailed into Hudson Bay in 1668-1669 under Zachariah Gillam, in the first trading voyage for what was to become the Hudson's Bay Company two years later. Originally built as a merchant ship in 1650, and later the Royal Navy ketch HMS Nonsuch, the vessel was sold to Sir...
he carried Groseilliers from England to Hudson Bay where they wintered at the mouth of the Rupert River
Rupert River
The Rupert River is one of the largest rivers in Quebec, Canada. From its headwaters in Lake Mistassini, the largest natural lake in Québec, it flows west into Rupert Bay on James Bay. The Rupert drains an area of . There is some extremely large whitewater on the river, but paddlers can avoid...
and returned the following year with £1,300 in furs. In May of 1670, the same month that the Hudson's Bay Company was founded, he left England in the 75½-ton Prince Rupert with Groseilliers accompanied by the Wivenhoe with Radisson and the new governor Charles Bayly. Bayly's attempt to found a fort at Port Nelson
Port Nelson
Port Nelson may refer to:* Port Nelson, Manitoba* Port Nelson, Newfoundland and Labrador* Port Nelson, Australia* Port Nelson, New Zealand...
failed, so they returned to the Rupert River where they wintered, traded, explored the Moose River
Moose River
Moose River may refer to:Rivers:*Moose River *Moose River *Moose River *Moose River *Moose River *Moose River *Moose River Places:*Moose River, Maine...
and returned to England in October, 1671. He returned in the Prince Rupert in 1672/73 and again in 1674/75. At about this time he quarreled with Radisson, each accusing the other of peculation, and Gillam was dismissed from the HBC service. He was engaged in the coastal trade to North Carolina from 1677 to 1680 when he was accused of involvement in the 1677 Culpeper's Rebellion and sent in custody to England. In 1682 he returned to the HBC service and in June of that year left for the bay in the Prince Rupert along with four other ships. The Prince Rupert and the Albemarle were to found a post at Port Nelson
Port Nelson
Port Nelson may refer to:* Port Nelson, Manitoba* Port Nelson, Newfoundland and Labrador* Port Nelson, Australia* Port Nelson, New Zealand...
. When he arrived on 7 September he found two other groups already there. One was French under Radisson and Groseilliers who had returned to the French service and the other was a non-HBC expedition from Boston under Gillam's son Benjamin. On 21 October, during a storm, the Prince Rupert dragged anchor and drifted out to sea. With only about nine men on board it was difficult to control her and she was crushed by the ice, losing all hands including Captain Gillam.
His elder brother Benjamin Gillam was in 1665 in command of the Charles which brought Radisson and Groseilliers to England where they began the foundation of the Hudson's Bay Company.
His son Benjamin Gillam (1662/63-1706) appears in the records only in reference to the 1682 events at Port Nelson. On 21 June 1682 be left Boston for Hudson Bay in the Bachelor's Delight intending to break in to the HBC monopoly. On reaching Port Nelson he was soon joined by a French group under Radisson and then by his father's official HBC expedition. His father died in October and Benjamin was captured by the French in February. He was taken to Quebec, released and returned to Boston. Here he was briefly arrested for violating the monopoly but was soon released. The HBC later claimed him for its own and based its claim to Port Nelson on the grounds that Benjamin had arrived before the French party.
In the 1690 the family appears in the records as shipbuilders for English Merchants.