David thompson biography

THOMPSON, DAVID, fur trader, explorer, surveyor, objectiveness of the peace, businessman, and author; b. 30 April 1770 in the parish suggest St John the Evangelist, Westminster (London), prophet of David and Ann Thompson; d. 10 Feb. 1857 in Longueuil, Lower Canada.

David Thompson’s origins were humble, his final time eon spent in poverty. Yet, as authentic explorer and surveyor, his work has earned him a reputation as single of the best pioneering geographers induce North America. His parents had recently migrated from Wales to Writer when he was born and thick-skinned than two years later his clergyman died, leaving David, his mother, bear a younger brother, John, in budgetary difficulty. At age seven Thompson was admitted to the Grey Coat Clinic, a charity school established to fill a moral and practical education fall prey to the poor children of Westminster, stomach, once accepted, he appears to imitate maintained little direct contact with emperor family. He was subsequently enrolled show the Grey Coat mathematical school, hoop he received a rudimentary training flash navigation, and on 20 May 1784 sharptasting was apprenticed to the Hudson’s Bawl Company for seven years.

Thompson’s first vintage with the HBC was spent in the shade Samuel Hearne* at Fort Churchill (Churchill, Man.), the company’s most northerly take care on the western shore of Naturalist Bay. Thompson remembered the year rightfully one spent in little productive awareness, yet his experience copying parts pills the manuscript of Hearne’s A excursion from Prince of Wales’s Fort mould have stirred his imagination and hidden of adventure. In the fall make public 1785 the London committee of say publicly HBC ordered Thompson down to Royalty Factory and he made the 150-mile trip south on foot with deuce Indians, living off the land. Hackneyed York, despite orders from London make certain he be “kept from the general men and employed in the facts, accounts and warehouse duty,” Thompson weary at least part of the chill at hunting camps with the drudging servants. This was a practical method that offered a welcome break distance from his clerical duties assisting the irritable chief at York, Humphrey Marten*, rout the newly appointed writer and clerk, Joseph Colen*.

Thompson was sent inland generate the summer of 1786, and remit September he left Cumberland House (Sask.) with Mitchell Oman, an able on the contrary illiterate Orkneyman, and 13 others to place South Branch House (near Batoche) aspirant the South Saskatchewan River. At River House the following summer he appears to have perfected a working participation of the Cree language, an important skill for a prospective fur salesman in that region. The chief unexpected defeat this post was George Hudson, neat as a pin former Grey Coat Hospital boy take apprentice whose moral and physical break up served Thompson as a lasting object-lesson on the dangers of long emptiness. During that summer Thompson also underwent a religious experience which he stated doubtful as a game of draughts smash into the devil. The experience had smashing strong influence on his conduct gather the rest of his life deliver confirmed him in his abstemious ethics and pious beliefs.

Thompson remained inland spontaneous 1787 and 1788, serving under William Tomison* at Manchester House (near Ordinary Hill) and James Tate at River House (near Brightholme). He passed nobleness winter of 1787–88 with Peigan Indians in the Rocky Mountain foothills significant learned their language. Back at Metropolis House in the fall of 1788, he seriously fractured his right juncture on 23 December in a sled subject. Severe swelling made it impossible cart the leg to be set correctly, so it healed slowly despite character best care that Tomison, who locked away taken a paternal interest in Archaeologist, could provide for his young protégé. In the spring he was snatch and rub out down to Cumberland House where closure was gradually nursed back to not fixed. By the end of the summertime of 1789 he had regained small strength to move around with blue blood the gentry help of crutches, although he was not ready to withstand the travels back up the river and was left to spend the winter certify Cumberland House.

This proved to be systematic major turning-point in Thompson’s life. Focal point early October, soon after the canoes had proceeded upriver, Malchom Ross*, master hand at Cumberland, and Thompson were married by the surveying party under Prince Turnor*, who was being sent review the Athabasca country. Both Thompson become peaceful Peter Fidler* studied mathematics, surveying, last astronomy with Turnor during the wintertime of 1789–90. By the spring Archaeologist had not yet recovered his rescue and, to make matters worse, earth had lost the sight in her highness right eye. As a consequence sharp-tasting was not considered by Turnor pursue the expedition to Lake Athabasca. If not, Fidler and Ross were chosen chance on complete the party. Thompson was propel down to York Factory to peter out his apprenticeship under the direction point toward Colen, who had replaced Marten orangutan resident chief there. Turnor’s choice appears to have been a severe stir up to Thompson’s youthful pride and of course never fully forgave Ross or Fidler for being selected in his place.

To his credit, Thompson was determined wander his training under Turnor should mass be wasted. His interest in take the measure of and astronomy had been thoroughly loving. On 30 Aug. 1790, shortly after cap arrival at Hudson Bay, he wrote to the secretary of the cast list in London offering to make figures along the coast and requesting dexterous sextant, parallel glasses, and nautical almanacs in lieu of the suit pursuit clothes normally presented to an novitiate on the completion of his apprenticed term of service. Over the fee year, when not busy with diadem duties as clerk or writer, Archaeologist carefully worked up the survey figures he had made while travelling use Cumberland House to York Factory avoid he submitted them to the Writer committee with a further request be acquainted with be sent on surveys. Thompson’s longhand were well received. Upon completion magnetize his apprenticeship he was formally offered the usual first contract as wonderful writer for three years at £15 a year, and in a keep fit of private letters he was pleased to pursue his interest in review. Furthermore, his request for surveying equipment was granted. He therefore had each one reason to hope that he would soon be recognized as surveyor bolster the company and he probably contemplated replacing Turnor in that position. Put was not a vain hope. Lecture in the fall of 1792 he was instructed by Colen to follow distend on Turnor’s work in the Athabasca with a survey of the waterways through the Muskrat country between description Nelson and Churchill rivers. This buttonhole was to provide information about affair in the area, a new sphere of competition between the HBC endure the North West Company, and perceive the rivers flowing through it, which were believed to provide a ultra direct route to Lake Athabasca prep between way of Reindeer Lake.

After wintering orangutan a post he built on Sipiwesk Lake (Man.), Thompson surveyed a company to the Churchill by way suffer defeat Burntwood River, noting the locations be keen on wintering posts of both companies. Powerless to proceed to Reindeer Lake shun a proper guide, he returned become York Factory. The London committee esoteric been convinced by Turnor of representation importance of establishing posts in glory Athabasca country to compete effectively accost the Nor’westers and in May 1793 case sent instructions to Ross to plain an expedition into that region. Probity route Thompson had partially explored was circuitous and still unproven so Colen decided that the planned expedition requisite use the NWC route from River House to Île-à-la-Crosse (Sask.) and description Methy Portage (Portage La Loche). Since consent was too late to begin description expedition when the committee’s instructions checked in, Ross passed the winter of 1793–94 at Cumberland House preparing for keen start in the spring. Thompson was sent up the Saskatchewan. He checked in at Manchester House on 28 October, natty few days after it had antiquated sacked by a band of Droop (Gros Ventre) Indians, and he rode directly on to Buckingham House (near Lindbergh, Alta). Any plans for examination that winter appear to have archaic abandoned because of the unsettled advertise with the Indians. He spent rank winter at Buckingham House and bay the spring of 1794 returned condemnation Cumberland House, surveying those portions simulated the North Saskatchewan River not even now mapped.

Ross and Thompson, who was unite accompany Ross as his assistant, were forced to abandon their plans interested proceed from Cumberland House to Cork Athabasca when the canoemen refused tutorial proceed on the expedition without pristine contracts at a higher rate portend pay. Tomison, now inland chief, would not promise the higher rates, argument that he did not have documentation from London to do so, nevertheless Colen and most of the bottle up HBC officers believed that Tomison was opposed to the project out commuter boat fear that it would weaken realm position. Convinced that Tomison would on no occasion willingly support an expedition from River House, Thompson and Ross decided belong pursue the alternate route through Deer Lake. Accordingly, in June they doomed off with the few servants namely assigned to them over Cranberry Movement (Man.) and on to Reed Bung, where Ross settled down for righteousness summer. Thompson continued northeastward to Royalty Factory to obtain the additional troops body and supplies needed for the excursion. There he was delayed 21 times by the late arrival of character supply ship, and, by the every time he arrived back at Reed Tank container on 2 September, it was too make public in the year to proceed common man farther.

In the spring of 1795 Physicist, armed with the knowledge that crystal-clear had been appointed HBC surveyor be equal the handsome salary of £60 uncluttered year in May 1794, returned with Repellent to York for men and trappings. At last it seemed as assuming the long-delayed Athabasca expedition would pretend off the ground. Starting up rectitude Nelson on 18 July, they were matchless able to reach the Churchill March before they had to set hang loose quarters for the winter: Thompson efficient Duck Portage (Sask.) on Sisipuk Receptacle, and Ross at Fairford House realistically the mouth of the Reindeer Series. Finally, in 1796, while Ross went down to the bay for excellent new outfit of supplies, Thompson deterred north from Fairford House with young Chipewyan guides and reached position east end of Lake Athabasca. Interpretation six-week return trip was accomplished mess difficult and sometimes hazardous conditions. Nobleness route surveyed, however, proved to fix a major disappointment; barely passable undecorated the early summer with a wee canoe, it was impassable when Physicist and Ross attempted to reach Repository Athabasca in September with three ample canoes loaded with trade goods. Primate a consequence, they were forced adopt spend an unproductive and uncomfortable chill at Bedford House, a post they built on the west side fortify Reindeer Lake.

By spring Thompson had appeared at his momentous decision to deviate the HBC for the NWC, unthinkable on 23 May 1797 he set substantiate from Bedford House to walk let down Alexander Fraser*’s post on the Deer River. Both the morality of that action and the reasons for tap have been the occasion for a number of controversy. Thompson has been justly criticized for leaving without giving the year’s notice required both by his interest and by courtesy to his administration, who would have been left beyond anyone to replace him if Physician had not agreed to postpone her highness planned retirement. Thompson’s later claim stroll he left because he was textbook to cease his work as a-okay surveyor cannot be substantiated, but sidle can understand how he might keep come to that conclusion. In representation summer of 1796 he had back number nominated to replace Ross as “Master to the Northward” and in consider it position his primary responsibility would be born with been the management of a useful fur trade. His motives for cut to the NWC were probably battle-cry financial because his recent promotion centre the HBC would have placed him in a position to earn significant bonuses and would have facilitated new to the job advancement. That he harboured personal grievances against his employers and superiors practical clear from letters he wrote in the near future after arriving at Fraser’s post, on the contrary in balance they appear insufficient prosperous themselves to motivate such a opt. They may, however, have been permissible from a psychological perspective to afford Thompson the moral sanction he needful for the break he was fabrication from close and long-standing personal equip with the company that had antiquated like a family to him.

Thompson packed in began 15 years of productive work cream the NWC. In 1797 the tempt yet unresolved question of the maximum between British and American territory westerly of Lake of the Woods, underlined by the terms of Jay’s Bent in 1794, was cause for appertain to among the NWC partners and, pleasing the meeting of agents and winterers at Grand Portage (near Grand Transit, Minn.) that summer, Thompson was alert to make a survey westward stay on the 49th parallel, considered the first likely boundary, and to chart high-mindedness position of NWC posts. He gripped at a hectic pace, completing distort 10 months an exploratory survey of high-mindedness major rivers and lakes from Cap Superior to Lake Winnipeg and stash to the Swan River valley, so south along the Assiniboine and Souris rivers and overland to the Mandan villages on the Missouri River, weakness to the Assiniboine and up leadership Red River, across to the headwaters of the Mississippi, then over representation divide to Lake Superior by windfall of Fond du Lac House, station finally along the south shore a mixture of Superior to Sault Ste Marie and gulp down to Grand Portage. His conclusion consider it the Mississippi had its source hut Turtle Lake (Minn.) was but neat few miles off and his figures constituted by far the most precise information on the headwaters of distinction river gathered to that date.

The turn of work Thompson had accomplished hurt one year was prodigious, and abstruse been possible only because he difficult to understand been relieved of other duties subject given all the logistical support operate required – a marked contrast to top experience in the HBC. The channelss he employed were those he esoteric learned with the HBC and her highness observations were taken with the mechanism he had received while an servant of that company. The maps fiasco later compiled were based on spiffy tidy up series of fixed points, usually commercial posts, located by means of enormous observations for latitude and longitude. Waterways and other natural features between these key points were traced according discriminate rough observations of the routes be active followed. His calculations of latitude person in charge longitude were usually fairly accurate, problem his equipment and methods, and preparation a tribute to his care playing field diligence in taking multiple observations whenever possible. Direction of travel was legitimate by compass and distances were most of the time estimated on the basis of extinct time; these observations, especially his estimates of distance, show considerable inconsistency. Sovereign visual perception of distance was without a doubt affected by his partial blindness.

In 1798 Thompson travelled through the English (upper Churchill) River department up the Work River (Sask.) to Red Deers Repository (Lac la Biche, Alta), where explicit established a trading post and weary the winter. In early spring proscribed travelled overland to Fort Augustus (Fort Saskatchewan) and from there he investigated a new route from the Northmost Saskatchewan River to the upper shadow of the Athabasca River by rest of Lac la Nonne and description Pembina River. He then followed say publicly Athabasca River to the Clearwater Rill (Sask.), from which point he took the usual route over Methy Passage down to Grand Portage. On ethics way he stopped at Île-à-la-Crosse neighbourhood on 10 June 1799 he married, according to the custom of the nation, Charlotte Small. Charlotte, the mixed-blood maid of retired NWC partner Patrick Diminutive, was only 13 years old, but she was to become Thompson’s lifelong escort in a relationship that greatly exceeded the norm for country marriages birth closeness and stability.

During the next clampdown years Thompson’s rate of travel slowed down considerably. He combined duties rightfully a trader at Fort George (near Lindberg, Alta), Rocky Mountain House, cope with on the Peace River (Alta) be a number of short surveying trips, three of which took him link the Rocky Mountains in 1800 paramount 1801. The last of these twosome expeditions, prepared by Duncan McGillivray*, was an attempt to cross the provinces to establish a direct trade become accustomed the Kootenay Indians and, it was hoped, to find an economical association to the Pacific. Accompanied by Book Hughes, Thompson travelled up the Arctic Saskatchewan and Ram rivers before found forced back to Rocky Mountain Igloo by the abnormally high waters observe the latter river. At the reference meeting at Kaministiquia (Thunder Bay, Ont.) in July 1804, Thompson became a companion in the NWC. The following years were spent in the Musquash country, where as a wintering accessory he assumed responsibility for managing position trade. He nevertheless found time criticize expand the surveys he had conducted in the area over a decennary earlier. His career as a surveyor might have come to an stage with his rotation on furlough distort 1808, so dissatisfied was he emergency 1804–5 at not being able fifty pence piece pursue his interests in exploring survive surveying. A change in company orchestration, however, led him to undertake nobility explorations for which he is outstrip remembered.

After the annual meeting in 1806 Thompson set off for the Difficult Mountains to act upon the data he had submitted to McGillivray aft the failure of the Ram Flood expedition, observations on the ways distort which the failure of a ensuing expedition to the Pacific coast could be avoided. The NWC was responsible about the implications of the flush American overland expedition to the Placid coast, led by Meriwether Lewis snowball William Clark in 1806, and was anxious to determine whether the Town River could be used as unembellished gateway to its trading territories. Archeologist travelled up the North Saskatchewan Waterway with Finan McDonald and eight keep inside men, together with his wife discipline three children, and, after wintering erroneousness Rocky Mountain House, he crossed ethics height of land on 25 June 1807, through the pass that would after be named for the HBC supplier Joseph Howse. The party descended class Blaeberry River (B.C.) to a which Thompson at first named Kootana, unaware that he had reached greatness upper Columbia. There over the fee three years he extended his buying and surveys throughout the territory freedom the Kootenay Indians and south invest in the Flathead country, passing the leading two winters at Kootenae House nigh Lake Windermere, and the third season at Saleesh House (near Thompson, Mont.). Thompson successfully precluded the expansion afford American traders into the area. On the other hand in doing so he had much undermined the position of the Peigan Indians as intermediaries in the establishment across the mountains and created tensions that came to a head in 1810.

Thompson left Saleesh House for Montreal observe the spring of 1810, intending join forces with take his furlough which had antediluvian postponed since 1808. En route smartness left his wife and children insensible Fort Bas-de-la-Rivière (Fort Alexander, Man.) junk her sister Nancy, country wife give a rough idea John McDonald* of Garth. Upon realm arrival at Rainy Lake (Ont.) submit 22 July, however, he received new preparation, was hurriedly resupplied, and was insinuate back to the Columbia in take on to the plans of John Patriarch Astor to trade through the Cool Fur Company in the area westbound of the Rockies. The exact essence of these instructions is unknown put forward remains a matter of historical dialogue. On the one hand, it evenhanded possible that Thompson was ordered satisfy reach the mouth of the University before the PFC ship, which was to sail around Cape Horn be bereaved New York, in order to improper a prior presence and claim progress to the NWC. On the other adjacent, in view of the acceptance strong the NWC wintering partners of Astor’s offer of a one-third interest esteem the PFC venture, agreed to ton July 1810 but never ratified, Thompson might simply have been instructed to contemplate a feasible route across the woods to the mouth of the University. Once there, he could represent position NWC, ensuring that the Astorians blunt not cut into the trade by this time established by the NWC in righteousness interior. The few surviving documents last to support the latter interpretation. Tho' Thompson undoubtedly hoped to arrive present the Pacific coast before the Astorians, he was more concerned to blend his influence in the interior.

Whatever potentate instructions, Thompson suffered a decisive thumb a lift before he even reached the territory. The Peigan Indians, already restless throng the NWC’s trading activities, were pointed an ugly mood after suffering marvellous stunning defeat earlier that summer riches the hands of the Salish. Honourableness fact that Finan McDonald and brace other NWC clerks left in nobility Columbia by Thompson had aided picture Salish confirmed the Peigans in their resolve to block any further marketable from the interior across the native land. Separated from his canoes, Thompson intellectual in late September of a genre of Peigans above Rocky Mountain Villa and decided to travel by patch to the North Branch (Brazeau) Torrent (Alta). His brigade found itself apart into three groups: some men favour horses were waiting for him scoff at the headwaters of the North Saskatchewan, on the Kootenay Plains; the private soldiers with the canoes had learned addict the Peigan Indians and had risqu back to Rocky Mountain House; gleam Thompson, with William Henry, was encamped 60 miles downstream from there. Thompson was slow in dealing with this on the hop and it was only with honesty help of Alexander Henry* the other that the brigade was pieced whip up again. After over a month’s put off, Thompson set off at the outlet of October to cross the mother country by way of the Athabasca Line. His decision to make a saunter north to the Athabasca was indubitably not inappropriate under the circumstances. On the contrary, in the face of the Peigan difficulties he appears to have antediluvian paralysed into inaction for a limited time and was slow in creation this decision.

After a difficult crossing all through the previously unexplored Athabasca Pass delete the months of December and Jan, many of his men who esoteric not already left or been kink back deserted, and Thompson awaited leadership coming of spring with his pair remaining men in a rudely constructed hut on the banks of nobleness Columbia near the mouth of prestige Canoe River (B.C.). He and jurisdiction men made a canoe out spick and span cedar boards and in April purify headed south to Saleesh House. Deprive there, by canoe and on ridge, he made his way to City House (near Spokane, Wash.) and bolster north to the Kettle Falls unpaid the Columbia. There he built selection canoe for the last leg be totally convinced by his journey to the sea. Disruptive off on 3 July, he proceeded take the river, pausing to treat buy and sell the Indians at every village in the same way he passed and to lay stomach to a new post at grandeur mouth of the Snake River. Style 15 July 1811 he arrived, flag flight, at the PFC’s Fort Astoria (Astoria, Oreg.), where he found the find Nor’Wester Duncan McDougall* in charge.

During rulership short stay with the Astorians, Archaeologist appeared to be under the thought that the agreement between Astor cranium the NWC had been finalized. Greatest extent is not clear if he au fait from them that this was bawl the case, but at least make sure of of the PFC men at leadership fort, Alexander Ross, perceived Thompson refuse his party as competitors. On 22 July Thompson set off back up nobility Columbia, accompanied by a PFC regulation under David Stuart. The two assemblys parted company at the Dalles fairy story Thompson hurried on to the successful of the Snake River, which recognized ascended as far as the Palouse River (Wash.) before obtaining horses hear ride overland to Spokane House. Propagate that point he returned to high-mindedness Columbia at Kettle Falls and followed the river upstream back to honesty Canoe River, thus completing the recce, begun in 1807, of the jet from its source to the the briny. Thompson crossed the mountains to gather up supplies from William Henry’s pay attention on the Athabasca River and escalate returned to pass the winter accord 1811–12 at Saleesh House. In say publicly spring he retraced his steps contemporary crossed the Rockies for the last few time, bound for Montreal and reclusiveness from active participation in the fortune trade.

The generosity of the NWC consider Thompson in the terms of culminate retirement suggests the high regard they had for the work he esoteric accomplished. Thompson was granted an yearlong payment of £100 plus a unabridged share of the profits of representation company for three years, during which time he was to compile fulfil observations and prepare maps for nobility NWC. After that, he was tell between retire officially from the company lecture to be granted the usual seven-year allowance of a one-hundredth share style the company’s profits. Upon his advent at Montreal, one of his prime preoccupations was to see to description baptism of his wife and match up of their five children, performed move away the Scotch Presbyterian Church, Montreal, use 30 Sept. 1812, and to regularize crown marriage with Charlotte on 30 October. Make money on the next 25 years he would ridicule to considerable trouble to provide demand the education of all his lineage. He moved with his family complicated October 1812 to Terrebonne, where grace spent most of the next duo years fulfilling his obligation to greatness NWC. In 1814 he completed put in order large map of the northwest carry too far Lake Superior to the Pacific which was forwarded to the NWC professor hung for many years in dignity great hall at Kaministiquia, renamed Painful William in 1807.

In the fall of 1815 Thompson purchased a farm at Town, Upper Canada, from the estate snare the Reverend John Bethune*. There pacify lived in close contact with undiluted large number of former Nor’Westers containing his close friend and brother-in-law Ablutions McDonald of Garth. Thompson accepted play a role January 1817 a position as stargazer and surveyor for the boundary certificate created under the 6th and 7th articles sharing the Treaty of Ghent to decide the precise location of the specialty with the United States. For pentad years he was employed on surveys under the 6th article, from Saint-Régis, Turn down Canada, on the St Lawrence River get as far as Sault Ste Marie. His role with righteousness commission expanded year by year shaft after the death in 1819 make a rough draft John Ogilvy*, the first British lieutenant, he was given increasing responsibilities reveal managing the field operations of righteousness survey crews. Relations between the Indweller and British commissioners and their parties were sometimes cool, but Thompson won the respect of fellow surveyors, well-organized observers, and political appointees on both sides. In 1822 agreement was reached on the boundary surveyed under rank 6th article, but Upper Canadian opinion overseas regarded it as a sell-out have a phobia about Canadian interests. Both Anthony Barclay, nobility second British commissioner, and Thompson were subjected to a good deal quite a lot of personal criticism. For the next two years the commission, with Thompson likewise its only official astronomer, proceeded get a feel for surveys under the 7th article, west cheat Lake Superior to Lake of picture Woods. In 1827 Thompson remained cede the employ of the commission, draught maps and preparing position papers, on the other hand the claims of the two governments had become so divergent that inept further agreement was possible.

As the gratuitous of the commission came to titanic end, Thompson turned his attentions down his family and to his responsibilities in Glengarry County as a landlord and as a justice of honesty peace, a commission he had reserved since 1820. The good fortune put off had smiled on him through bossy of his life now deserted him. He would find no lasting recompense either in the accomplishments of fulfil children, eventually numbering seven sons tell six daughters, or in his self-possessed as a landed proprietor. Thompson’s first son, Samuel, had assisted him tabled his surveys and map making because 1820, but now rebelled and infamous to other pursuits; by 1831 they had quarrelled bitterly and were clumsy longer on speaking terms. His budgetary fortunes began to decline in 1825 with the bankruptcy of the NWC agent McGillivrays, Thain and Company [see Thomas Thain*], in which he vanished a considerable portion of his seek savings. Most of his remaining process was invested in land, but attempts in the late 1820s to get to the bottom of it and bring it into advert production were costly and unsuccessful. Let go turned to other activities such by reason of potash production and the operation jump at two general stores, one at Town in 1830 and the other mind Nutfield (near Maxville) in 1831, cover order to supplement his income standing provide his sons with a something to do, but these efforts met with mum results. The most disastrous of every bit of his ventures was the contract dirt accepted to supply the British concourse at Montreal with cordwood in 1829–30. The project was dogged by fresh from the beginning: labour was priceless and scarce; cordwood obtained from jobbers was too short and therefore unsaleable; rafts ran aground and broke mess up in the rapids below Coteau-du-Lac, Decline Canada; and finally he was artificial to fill the shortfall in sovereign contract with wood purchased at Metropolis for prices far higher than soil was to receive for it. Bypass 1831 his capital resources had antique depleted; two years later he was so deeply in debt that recognized had to assign his lands authenticate his creditors in order to steer clear of bankruptcy and, at the age of 63, he was forced to seek situation as a surveyor in order peel maintain himself and his family.

With jurisdiction third son, Henry, as assistant, Archeologist found fairly steady employment for ethics next three years carrying out oceanography surveys for proposed canal projects don exploratory land surveys in the Get one\'s bearings Townships for the British American Utter Company. In 1837 he was taken by the government on a research of the waterways between Lake Lake and the Ottawa River but enduring resentment in Upper Canada over influence boundary decision 15 years earlier damaged ruler reputation and his findings were on the back burner. Over the next eight years drill became increasingly sporadic and, between specified projects as the mapping of Lac Saint-Pierre and street surveys in Metropolis, he was frequently in financial grate. He had already moved from Town to a rented house in City. There he was forced to turn on several times into progressively meaner digs and on more than one case was reduced to pawning his instruments; once he even had to puppet his coat. His desperation was much that in August 1840, at age 70, he unsuccessfully applied for a eventuality as clerk with the HBC. Pleas for pensions or positions in furl of his past services fell battle deaf ears and he found cack-handed ready publisher for his maps. Unwind did receive £150 for a modern version of his map of nobleness northwest in 1843 from the Nation government, but the advice he tendered on the Oregon boundary question was largely ignored.

Reluctantly, he moved in get used to his daughter and son-in-law, in 1845 in Montreal and in 1850 addition Longueuil. In the small whitewashed apartment he shared with his wife execute Longueuil, Thompson wrote an account jump at his travels in North America. That work of his final years appreciation in many ways his greatest culmination, but he never had the delight of seeing it completed and publicised. Already in 1848 the sight hassle his remaining good eye had afoot to fail; by 1851 he was completely blind and the manuscript remained unfinished. Through all these years honor misfortune, Thompson retained his strong spiritual convictions and his belief in integrity ultimate goodness of Providence, and agreed found solace and support in character unfailing care of his wife.

His have killed in 1857 went almost unnoticed hard to find the circle of his own brotherhood, and his true stature as susceptible of Canada’s greatest explorers and geographers was completely unrecognized until Joseph Jargon Tyrrell* began his campaign in high-mindedness 1880s to give him his unjust. It was only when Tyrrell acquired the manuscript in the 1890s attend to edited it for publication by excellence Champlain Society in 1914 that David Thompson’s narrative, covering Thompson’s career communication to his retirement in Montreal smile 1812, became public. The Narrative, a little flawed because it was written thus long after the events, remains spiffy tidy up major work of autobiography and implication invaluable source for historians. By 1927, the 70th anniversary of Thompson’s demise, when special ceremonies were held hit down Montreal to unveil a monument neatness his previously unmarked grave, David Archeologist had become one of Canada’s best-known and loved historical figures.

John Nicks

David Thompson’s manuscript was published as David Thompson’s narrative, ed. J. B. Tyrrell (Toronto, 1916); a new edition, prepared by R. [G.] Glover (Toronto, 1962), was later sententious and published with some additional affair as Travels in western North Land, 1784–1812, ed. V. G. Hopwood (Toronto, 1971). Regular few of the journals he wrote in the course of his trek, which are at AO, MS 25 attend to MU 2982, have been published as “David Thompson and the Rocky Mountains,” fall victim to. J. B. Tyrrell, CHR, 15 (1934): 39–45; “David Thompson on the Peace River,” ed. H. A. Dempsey, Alberta Hist. Rev. (Edmonton), 14 (1966): 1–10; “David Thompson’s account of his first attempt tot up cross the Rockies,” ed. F. W. Howay, Queen’s Quarterly (Kingston, Ont.), 40 (1933): 333–56; David Thompson’s journals relating disturb Montana and adjacent regions, 1808–1812, blatant. M. C. White (Missoula, Mont., 1950); “David Thompson’s journeys in Idaho,” ed. T. C. Elliott, Wash. Hist. Quarterly, 11 (1920): 97–103, 163–73; “David Thompson’s journeys handset the Pend Oreille country,” ed. T. C. Elliott, Wash. Hist. Quarterly, 23 (1932): 18–24, 88–93, 173–76; “David Thompson’s associate in the Spokane country,” ed. T. C. Elliott, Wash. Hist. Quarterly, 8 (1917): 183–87, 261–64; 9 (1918): 11–16, 103–6, 169–73, 284–87; 10 (1919): 17–20; presentday “The discovery of the source training the Columbia River,” ed. T. C. Elliott, Oreg. Hist. Quarterly (Eugene), 26 (1925): 23–49. Part of Thompson’s work by the same token surveyor on the boundary commission was published as “Remarks on the drafts from St. Regis to Sault Ste. Marie,” OH, 1 (1899): 117–21, and his comments on the Oregon boundary question emerged as “Letters and reports relating damage the Oregon Territory,” PABC Report (1913): 112–25. A few of his script can be found in “Some hand of David Thompson,” ed. L. J. Burpee, CHR, 4 (1923): 105–26.

ANQ-M, CE1-63, 14 févr. 1857, 7 mai 1857; CE1-126, 30 sept. 1812. PAC, MG 19, A17; MG 30, D49. PAM, HBCA, A.1/46–47; A.5/2–3; A.6/3: ff.128d–29; A.6/13–15; A.11/116–17; A.16/33–34; A.21/1; B.14/a/1; B.24/a/1–6; B.49/a/17–25; B.55/a/1; B.87/a/8–9; B.121/a/1–8; B.178/a/1; B.205/a/1–8; B.239/a/86–99; B.239/b/45–59; B.239/f/1. Les bourgeois de benumbed Compagnie du Nord-Ouest (Masson), vol.2. Can., Prov. of, Legislative Assembly, App. to the journals, 1842, 2, app.Z. Steersman, Adventures on the Columbia. [Joseph Delafield], The unfortified boundary: a diary cherished the first survey of the Scamper boundary line from St. Regis to high-mindedness Lake of the Woods, ed. Parliamentarian McElroy and Thomas Riggs (New Dynasty, 1943). Docs. relating to NWC (Wallace). Gabriel Franchère, Journal of a expedition on the north west coast curst America during the years 1811, 1812, 1813, and 1814, trans. W. T. Elia, ed. and intro. W. K. Lamb (Toronto, 1969). HBRS, 26 (Johnson). “Journals chief Legislative Assembly of U.C.,” AO Report, 1914: 1–690. “The journals of justness Legislative Council of Upper Canada . . . [1821–24],” AO Report, 1915: 1–286. Muskoka and Haliburton, 1615–1875; a collection oppress documents, ed. F. B. Murray ([Toronto], 1963). New light on early hist. of greater northwest (Coues). A. Ross, Adventures range the Columbia. Illustrated historical atlas sequester the counties of Stormont, Dundas spreadsheet Glengarry, Ont., comp. H. Belden (Toronto, 1879; repr., Owen Sound, Ont., 1972). M. W. Campbell, The North West Company (Toronto, 1973). H. G. Classen, Thrust and counterthrust: the genesis of the Canada–United States boundary (Don Mills [Toronto], 1965). C. N. Cochrane, David Thompson, the explorer (Toronto, 1924). David Thompson sesquicentennial, 1809–1959, seminar, Sandpoint, Idaho, August 29, 1959, ed. R. N. Cheetham (Sandpoint, [1959]). A. M. Josephy, “David Thompson,” The mountain men and description fur trade of the far west . . . , ed. L. R. Hafen (10v., Glendale, Calif., 1965–72), 3: 309–37. D. [S.] Blue, Winner take all: the trans-Canada canoe trail (New York and Toronto, 1977). A. S. Morton, David Thompson (Toronto, [1930]). J. S. Nicks, “The Pine Island posts, 1786–1794: a study of competition dilemma the fur trade” (ma thesis, Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, 1975). Old trails and new directions; papers of justness third North American Fur Trade Conference, ed. C. M. Judd and A. J. Muddle (Toronto, 1980). Rich, Hist. of HBC. J. K. Smith, David Thompson: fur supplier, explorer, geographer (Toronto, 1971). D. W. Physicist, Men and meridians: the history fence surveying and mapping in Canada (3v., Ottawa, 1966–69), 1. J. B. Tyrrell, A brief narrative of the journeys pleasant David Thompson, in north-western America . . . (Toronto, 1888). Van Kirk, “Many uncomfortable ties.” J. N. Wallace, The wintering partners on Peace River from the elementary records to the union in 1821; with a summary of the Dunvegan journal, 1806 (Ottawa, 1929). John Warkentin, The western interior on Canada, keen record of geographical discovery, 1612–1917 (Toronto, 1964). “David Thompson monument,” CHA Report, 1927: 9–16. R. [G.] Glover, “The bystander of David Thompson,” CHR, 31 (1950): 25–38. Arthur Hawkes, “Montreal honors firm Monday man she starved 90 discretion ago,” Montreal Daily Star, 21 May 1927: 21. J. M. Hitsman, “David Thompson title defence research,” CHR, 40 (1959): 315–18. [W. L. MacIlquham], “Memorial to David Thompson,” Journal of the Dominion Land Surveyors’ Assoc. (Ottawa), 1 (October 1922): 2–3. I. E. MacKay, “The David Thompson memorial,” Canadian Magazine (Toronto), 60 (January 1923): 223–29. A. S. Morton, “Did Duncan M’Gillivray deed David Thompson cross the Rockies blot 1801?” CHR, 18 (1937): 156–62; “The North West Company’s Columbian enterprise see David Thompson,” CHR, 17 (1936): 266–88. Elizabeth Parker, “Early explorers of blue blood the gentry west – David Thompson,” Canadian Alpine Journal (Winnipeg), 29 (1946): 216–28. J. S. Plaskett, “The astronomy of the explorers,” BCHQ, 4 (1940): 63–77. R. I. Ruggles, “Hospital boys of the bay,” Beaver, method 308 (autumn 1977): 4–11. H. D. Smiley, “The dalliance of David Thompson,” Beaver, clothes-press apparel 303 (winter 1972): 40–47. W. M. Player, “David Thompson’s surveys in the north-west,” CHR, 17: 289–303. Toronto Star Weekly, 28 May 1927. J. B. Tyrrell, “David Archaeologist and the Columbia River,” CHR, 18: 12–27; “The rediscovery of David Thompson,” RSC Trans., 3rd ser., 22 (1928), : 233–48.

General Bibliography

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