A letter written to his friend Donald Ross

Archives of British Columbia

AER73T56 Donald Ross Collection

M967

Foss Cottage

2nd June 1851

Dear Ross

…

I have made the following proposals to Gov. Colville which he promises to lay before the Council vis three years leave of absence at the expiration of which time to retire on the usual terms of commissioned gentleman, he intends holding the Council at Y (York Factory) how he will form one there I am yet to learn unless he takes your votes

individually, … …Hargrave (Chief Factor James Hargrave York Factory) will be off, Rowand (Chief Factor John Rowand Edmonton House) is reported to be on his way here, you will of course remain at N.H., this is rather unfavorable for me three of my principal supporters absent, (Lewis?) talked last year of Van Diemans Land Barnston may be sent to Athabaska, friend Nicol & Harriot are the only two that I can depend on, I wish however it was settled one way or other as my winter health has greatly suffered the last two years, Colville has been candid and I think has taken a favorable view of my case.

…

ever sincerely yours

Wm Todd

JOURNAL OF SEAN THOMPS

Trip from York Factory to Edmonton

July 15, 1840.

At last our vessel ?Good Hope? rode gently on its anchor chains at Five Fathom Hole, the sandy-bottomed holding ground, 7 miles from the depot. I could see people standing on the hexagonal cupola of the depot-building vantage point.

Wife of a post’s leading officer vivacious Letitia Hargrave came with us from England. She brought with her a Viennese piano of six and a half octaves. I am sure it will create a sensation at York Factory. It is called Factory not because something is manufactured here, but because this is where the factor (company’s agent) lives.

The vessel brought cargo of guns, brandy, textiles, axes, knives and other supplies. All this will be exchanged for the bundles of furs at the trading posts.

Hudson’s Bay Company?s inspector Mr. James, who actually offered me to come with him on this trip, is going to spend a few days at the Factory.

Supper at chief factor’s house is an amply supplied table. Mr.Hargrave, a chief factor, assigned one of the inferior officers, interpreter Jean-Baptiste Wilkie, to accompany us around York Factory.

Hargrave Street, Winnipeg

New bibliography and price guide

540. Hargrave, Joseph James. RED RIVER. Montreal. John Lovell. 1871. 21cm.

xvi, [17]-506pp. Lists. Green cloth. A history drawn from an extensive

collection of books, letters, official documents and other papers collected

by the author’s father, a longtime Hudson’s Bay Company employee. His

uncle, HBC Governor William Mactavish, was his editor, resulting in one of

the best books ever written on the settlement. To capitalize on the

interest generated by the 1870 rebellion, the book was released early – so

early that on page 174 there are blanks where population statistics should

be. Peel, 328. $175

UM Libraries – Archives – Margaret Arnett Macleod

MacLeod, Margaret Arnett, 1877-1966

Margaret Arnett Macleod fonds, 1947

0.9 m of textual records (7 boxes)

Mss 15, Pc13

Margaret Arentt MacLeod was born in 1877 in London, Ontario, and later moved to Manitoba with her family. Her father, Lewis Arnett, an Englishman, came to the Red River with the Ontario volunteers in the Wolseley Expedition of 1870. She was educated in Brandon and Winnipeg and taught in Stonewall, Manitoba, before marrying Dr. A.N. Macleod. In 1935 she wrote The Frozen Priest of Pembina, and in 1937 Bells of Red River. In 1947 she compiled her most famous work The Letters of Letitia Hargrave. She also wrote Red River Festive Season (1962) and Grantown, the story of Cuthbert Grant, which she compiled in collaboration with Dr. W.L. Morton in 1963.

The collection consists of voluminous research notes produced by the author for her publication Letters of Letitia Hargrave. They provide biographical data on Letitia Hargrave, her husband James Hargrave, several other senior and junior employees of the Hudson’s Bay Company between 1837 and 1865, and the Hargrave family up to 1947. Research material about the Red River Settlement and some original letters of the era are also included. Nineteen photographs are held separately.

Open to all researchers

Finding aid available