John McDonald (le Borgne)
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| John McDonald | |
|---|---|
| le Borgne | |
| Born | 1770 Loch Hourn, Scotland |
| Died | 1828-02-27 Kempenfeldt Bay, Upper Canada |
| Occupation | Fur trader |
| Father | |
| Mother | |
| Partner | |
| Siblings | |
John McDonald (1770 – 27 February 1828 (aged 58)), nicknamed le Borgne ("the one-eyed"), was a Scottish fur trader and wintering partner in the North West Company who was arrested at Fort William during Lord Selkirk's seizure of the post in 1816.[1]
Early life
- Born in 1770 at Munial Farm on Loch Hourn, Scotland.
- Son of Angus Ban McDonald and Nelly McDonell.
Fur-trade career
- By 1798 was a wintering partner in the New North West Company, also called the XY Company.
- When the XY Company merged into the North West Company in November 1804, was one of six XY wintering partners represented in the agreement by Sir Alexander Mackenzie.
- Managed the Fort Dauphin department from 1808 to 1810 and the Swan River department from 1810 to 1813.
Fort William
- Arrested at Fort William in August 1816 during Lord Selkirk's seizure of the post, alongside Simon Fraser, Alexander McKenzie and John McLoughlin.
- Charged with treason, conspiracy, and being an accessory to the murder of Governor Robert Semple, who had been killed at the Battle of Seven Oaks in June 1816.
- Acquitted at York (Toronto) in February 1818.
Later life
- Became a chief factor in the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821 when the North West Company merged with its rival.
Family
- Married Marie Poitras, a Métis woman, according to the custom of the country; the couple had at least six children.
Death
- Died 27 February 1828 near Kempenfeldt Bay, Upper Canada.