Alexander McKenzie
| Alexander McKenzie | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1767 Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland |
| Died | 1830-07-23 Montreal, Quebec |
| Occupation | Fur trader; militia officer |
Alexander McKenzie (c. 1767 – 23 July 1830) was a Scottish-born fur trader and militia officer who served as a wintering partner and agent for the North West Company during the height of the Canadian fur trade, including a posting as the company's agent at Fort William (Thunder Bay).
Early life
McKenzie was born around 1767, likely at Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland.[1] He was a nephew of the explorer Alexander Mackenzie. He may have emigrated with the wider Mackenzie family during the movement from Lewis in the 1770s.[1]
Fur trade career
By 1790, McKenzie was trading in the Detroit region under the firm Forsyth, Richardson and Company.[1] Following the British surrender of the western posts around 1796, he moved northward into the interior.
In November 1798 he became a founding wintering partner of the New North West Company (also known as the XY Company), the short-lived rival of the North West Company.[1] The explorer David Thompson recorded an encounter with McKenzie on the North Saskatchewan River in September 1799.[2]
From 1804 to 1808, McKenzie managed the Athabasca department for the NWC, a posting that evidently earned him the nicknames "the Emperor" and "the Baron" among his colleagues.[1] He was admitted to the Beaver Club in 1808.[1]
In 1811, McKenzie became the NWC's agent at Fort William (Thunder Bay), serving there on behalf of McTavish, McGillivrays and Company.[1]
Red River conflict and arrest
During the Red River Settlement conflict of 1815–1816, McKenzie acted as NWC agent and played a direct role in negotiating the surrender of Miles Macdonell, the governor of Assiniboia.[1]
On 12 August 1816, McKenzie was arrested at Fort William by Lord Selkirk, together with John McDonald, Simon Fraser, and John McLoughlin.[1][3] He was tried at York (present-day Toronto) in October 1818 on charges that included alleged complicity in the death of Robert Semple at the Battle of Seven Oaks, and was acquitted.[1][4]
Later life
Following his acquittal, McKenzie remained connected to Montreal commercial and fur-trade circles. He died in Montreal on 23 July 1830.[1][5]
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 George Woodcock."George Woodcock, "McKENZIE, ALEXANDER," Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 6."[website].Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 6 (University of Toronto/Université Laval).1987.University of Toronto/Université Laval.Link.(Rights: copyrighted | Access: open)
- ↑ New light on the early history of the greater northwest: the manuscript journals of Alexander Henry and of David Thompson, ed. Elliott Coues (3 vols., New York, 1897; repr. Minneapolis, Minn., [1965]), vol. 2.
- ↑ HBRS, 26, ed. E.E. Rich (London, 1948).
- ↑ Documents relating to the North West Company, ed. W.S. Wallace (Toronto, 1934).
- ↑ Canadian Courant (Montreal), 28 July 1830.
- ↑ L.R. Masson."Les bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest."[book].1889.(Rights: unknown | Access: open)
- ↑ W. Kaye Lamb."The Journals and Letters of Sir Alexander Mackenzie."[book].1970.(Rights: unknown | Access: open)
- ↑ Arthur S. Morton."A History of the Canadian West to 1870–71."[book].1973.(Rights: unknown | Access: open)
- ↑ Arthur Kittson."Berthier, yesterday and today."[book].1953.Berthier, Quebec.(Rights: unknown | Access: open)