Simon Fraser (explorer)
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| Simon Fraser | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1776 Mapletown, near Bennington, Vermont |
| Died | 1862-08-18 near St Andrews, Stormont County, Canada West |
| Occupation | Fur trader and explorer |
| Father | |
| Mother | |
| Partner | |
| Siblings | |
Simon Fraser (1776 – 18 August 1862 (aged 86)) was a fur trader and explorer with the North West Company who explored the river later named for him and who was among the partners arrested at Fort William in 1816.[1]
Early life
- Born in 1776 at Mapletown, near Bennington, Vermont, to Scottish parents.[1]
- Son of Simon Fraser and Isabella Grant, daughter of the laird of Daldregan.[1]
Fur-trade career
- Apprenticed to the North West Company in 1792 and served as a clerk in the Athabasca department by 1799.[1]
- Became a partner in the company on 30 June 1801.[1]
- Assigned in 1805 to extend the company's operations west of the Rocky Mountains.[1]
Exploration
- Built Rocky Mountain Portage House at the eastern end of the Peace River Canyon in the autumn of 1805.[1]
- Established Fort McLeod in 1806, the first permanent settlement west of the Rockies in present-day Canada, along with Fort St James at Stuart Lake.[1]
- Led a 24-man expedition down the Fraser River to its mouth between 28 May and 6 August 1808.[1]
Red River conflict
- Arrested at Fort William in September 1816 by Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk, and released on bail at Montreal.[1]
- Tried at York in 1818 on charges of treason, conspiracy, and being an accessory to murder, and acquitted.[1]
Family
- Married Catherine Macdonell, daughter of Captain Allan Macdonell, on 7 June 1820.[1]
- Five sons and three daughters reached maturity.[1]
Later life and death
- Settled near St Andrews, where he operated a sawmill and a grist mill.[1]
- Died 18 August 1862 on his farm near St Andrews, Stormont County, Canada West.[1]