Browse Fur Trade Fonds

Reference code

CA RBD MSG 406

Source of title

Title based on creator of the collection.

Level of description

Fonds

Repository

Rare Books and Special Collections

Physical description

11 cm including three albums.

Provenance

This material was acquired from Archibald Chaussegros de Léry Macdonald in 1922 at the cost of $150.00 (Order 5888). See: De Léry Macdonald Papers / MSG 439 for the letter to Dr. Lomer describing his collecting of historical documents.

The third volume of autobiographical notes (file MSG 406-11) was purchased March 2014 from Greenfield Booksellers 217 Academy Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3M 0E3.

Content summary

Born in Scotland, John McDonald of Garth entered the service of the North West Company in 1791. In 1799 he built Rocky Mountain House on the North Saskatchewan River. In 1800 he became a partner in the company. McDonald established Fort Gibraltar at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers in 1807. Later, in 1811, he moved to the Columbia district where in 1813 he took over Fort Astoria from Astor's Pacific Fur Co. McDonald retired in 1815 and settled in Glengarry, Upper Canada.

McDonald's correspondence, 1791-1860, mostly concerns business and property matters, but also includes personal correspondence. There are statements of account with McTavish, Frobisher & Co., 1799; with McTavish, Fraser & Co., 1803-1804; with McTavish, McGillivray & Co., 1808-1809. There are two volumes of autobiographical notes assembled in 1859 and covering the period 1791-1816.

There is a second copy of the autobiography, probably transcribed in the late 19th century. Written on the front fly leaf is the name: A.E. MacDonald. It has 63 leaves, and there are minor textual variants.

Language

English

Name access points

McDonald, John, 1771 or 1772-1866 | North West Company | McTavish, Fraser and Company | Hudson's Bay Company

Genre

Correspondence. | Account books. | Contracts. | Autobiography.

Date

1791-1866 | 1921-1922 | 1791-1872