Henry Kelsey

Henry Kelsey
Born	c. 1667 England (possibly East Greenwich)
Died	1724-11-02 Church Street, East Greenwich, England
Occupation	Explorer, fur trader, HBC officer
Father	John Kelsey
Partner	Elizabeth Dix

Henry Kelsey (c. 1667 – 2 November 1724) was an English explorer, mariner, and fur trader who served the Hudson's Bay Company for nearly four decades, becoming the first European known to have reached the interior plains of North America and to describe the buffalo and grizzly bear in writing.

Early life and apprenticeship

Kelsey was likely born around 1667, probably in or near East Greenwich, England. His father is believed to have been John Kelsey of East Greenwich, a mariner who died in 1674, though this identification is not certain. On 15 March 1684, Kelsey was apprenticed to the Hudson's Bay Company for four years. He sailed with Captain John Outlaw aboard the vessel Lucy on 6 May 1684, bound for the bay, and was posted to Nelson River fort, later known as York Fort. He was noted by his superiors as "a very active Lad" with an exceptional talent for relations with Indigenous peoples.

Northern coastal expedition (1689)

In the summer of 1689, Kelsey took part in an expedition to the Churchill River area under Captain James Young aboard the Hopewell. Setting out with an Indigenous companion, he attempted an overland coastal exploration, traveling approximately 138 miles inland over 25 days. The party encountered difficult terrain and musk-ox before turning back, but the journey established Kelsey's reputation as a capable and willing traveler in the interior.

Plains journey (1690–1692)

Kelsey's greatest achievement was his journey into the interior of the continent between 1690 and 1692. Dispatched from York Fort by Governor George Geyer on 12 June 1690, his mission was to travel inland, make contact with distant Indigenous nations, and persuade them to bring furs to the bay. He reached a location he named Deerings Point on 10 July 1690, naming it after Sir Edward Dering, a deputy governor of the HBC, and erected a wooden cross marking his presence.

Departing Deerings Point again on 15 July 1691, Kelsey traveled through muskeg country and onto the open grasslands of the interior, ascending the Saskatchewan River drainage. On 20 August 1691 he recorded the first known European written descriptions of the American bison and the grizzly bear. On 25 August he made contact with Assiniboine (Stone) peoples, attempting to broker peace between competing tribal groups as part of his diplomatic mission. He returned to York Fort in the summer of 1692 with a substantial party of Indigenous traders. His journals from this journey, including a preamble written in verse, were rediscovered in the 20th century and published as The Kelsey papers.

Capture and second service (1694–1697)

When the French commander Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville captured York Fort on 4 October 1694, Kelsey was taken prisoner and spent the winter in difficult conditions before being sent to France. He returned to England by late 1695 or early 1696 and re-engaged with the HBC on 18 May 1696. Sailing aboard the Royal Hudson's Bay under Captain Michael Grimington on 2 June 1696, he took part in the English recovery of York Fort.

He was present again when the French besieged York Fort on 31 August 1697. Alongside Governor Henry Baley, Kelsey negotiated the terms of surrender with Iberville on 2 September 1697, after which he was once more sent to France, returning to England before the year was out.

Albany service (1698–1712)

Kelsey signed a new contract on 25 May 1698 and was posted to Albany Fort on James Bay. From 1701 onward he commanded the Knight frigate for the East Main trade, combining the roles of vessel master and trader. He proved a capable merchant, generating over 3,200 made beaver in his best seasons. He was recalled to England in October 1703 due to ill health, re-engaged in November 1705, and was appointed chief trader at Albany in 1706.

The HBC directed Kelsey to instruct younger officers in reading and writing as well as Indigenous languages, and supplied a printed dictionary for the purpose. In 1711 he salvaged cargo from the wrecked vessel Pery while commanding the Knight, departing Albany for the last time in August 1712.

Deputy governor and governor (1714–1722)

Following the Treaty of Utrecht, which returned York Fort to the English, Kelsey was appointed deputy to Governor James Knight. He arrived at York on 11 September 1714, when the French handed the fort back, and found the post in poor condition — "all rotten and ready to fall." When Knight departed to establish a post at Churchill in 1717, Kelsey took command at York, and was appointed governor of all the bay settlements in 1718 when Knight returned permanently to England.

During these years Kelsey conducted three northern voyages seeking copper deposits, whale products, and trade with Inuit peoples. In July 1719 he sailed north in the Prosperous with the Success in company, reaching approximately 62°40'N latitude, and exchanged two HBC captives for Inuit interpreters. In 1721 he sailed again with Richard Norton and learned from Inuit that James Knight's expedition — the Albany and the Discovery — had been lost. A further voyage followed in 1722 under Captain John Scroggs aboard the Whalebone.

Upon completing his term, Kelsey was recalled to England with the arrival of the Mary in 1722, reaching England on 31 October that year. He had served as deputy for four years and governor for four years.

Disputes and final years

On his return, Kelsey faced unspecified complaints lodged by the former governor James Knight, which he deeply resented. Writing to HBC agent Richard Staunton, he stated that the damage to his reputation was worse than any threat to his life. The details of the charges are obscure, as most of the relevant correspondence has been lost. In January 1724 he petitioned the HBC for the captaincy of the Hannah, but the vessel never sailed and the appointment was not made. He died on 2 November 1724 and was buried the same day at Church Street, East Greenwich. His wife Elizabeth survived him and later required financial assistance from the HBC to support their son John.

Personal life

Kelsey married Elizabeth Dix of East Greenwich on 7 April 1698. They had three children: Elizabeth (born 11 July 1704), Mary (born 17 March 1706), and John (born 16 November 1713). He owned two houses in Church Street, East Greenwich. Over his lifetime he earned just under £2,500 from the HBC, beginning at £36 for his four-year apprenticeship and rising to £200 per year as governor. In his will, written in 1723, he identified himself as a "gentleman" rather than a "mariner."

External links

• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography