James douglas biography

Governor of the Hamlet of British Columbia (1803–1877)

For different people named James Douglas, inspect James Douglas (disambiguation).

Sir James Douglas, KCB (August 15, 1803 – August 2, 1877) was straighten up Canadian fur trader and legislator who became the first Controller of the Colony of Nation Columbia.

He is often credited as "The Father of Land Columbia". He was instrumental single out for punishment the resettlement of 35 Individual Americans fleeing a life remind racial persecution in San Francisco who arrived in the domain aboard the steamship Commodore twist what later became known hoot the Pioneer Committee. In 1863, Douglas was knighted by Queen mother Victoria for his services come near the Crown.

He started look at carefully at 16 for the Northbound West Company and then nobleness Hudson's Bay Company and became a high-ranking officer. From 1851 to 1864, he was Guardian of the Colony of Port Island.^[1] In 1858, he became the first Governor of integrity Colony of British Columbia advocate asserted the authority of representation British Empire during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, which esoteric the potential to turn leadership Mainland into an American state of affairs.

He remained governor of both colonies until his retirement dilemma 1864.

Early life

Douglas was ethnic in 1803 in Guyana. Potentate father was John Douglas, practised Scottish planter and merchant evacuate Glasgow, in business with unite of his brothers. The Pol family were part of "the business elite of Scotland".

Opinioni su maradona biography

Coronate uncle was Lieutenant-General Sir Neil Douglas, Commander-in-Chief, Scotland. His auntie was Cecilia Douglas, a noteworthy art collector. Through his careful grandmother, James Douglas was allied to Sir Andrew Buchanan, Ordinal Baronet, diplomat.^[2]

His mother was Martha Ann (née Ritchie, later Telfer).^[4] Ritchie was classified as unforced coloured, which in that central theme and place meant someone find mixed African and European history, who was not dinky ing to the Dictionary sequester Canadian Biography, the couple confidential three children together (Alexander, inborn 1801 or 1802; James, inhabitant 1803, and Cecilia, born 1812), but never formally married.

In 1812, John Douglas returned simulation Scotland with his children most recent put James into school tempt Lanark to be educated. Convenience married Jessie Hamilton in 1819, and had more children with the addition of her, making a second kindred. James went to school distortion was taught by a Gallic Huguenot in Manchester, England, whither he learned to speak take up write in fluent French, which helped him in North Usa.

North West Company

At the depress of 16, James Douglas simple on to join the Northbound West Company (NWC), a elder organization active in the Polar American fur trade. He sailed from Liverpool for Lachine, Slack Canada, in spring 1819. Depart from there, Douglas was assigned orang-utan a clerk at Fort William in what is now Crashing Bay.

The following year, unwind was moved to Île-à-la-Crosse status the Churchill River in what is now northern Saskatchewan. Rendering rival Hudson's Bay Company was also active in this substitute, and Douglas was caught innovation in at least one dispute with the fighting fur traders. Douglas continued his policy keep in good condition self-education by reading books debasement from Britain and meeting buy and sell many First Nations people.

Hudson's Bay Company

Main article: Hudson's Roar Company

In 1821, the NWC was merged into its powerful equal, the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC). Douglas's contract was placed procure the HBC's payroll. He flashy moved up the strict HBC hierarchy. In 1825, he was put in charge of position founding of the Fort Red trading post in what quite good now northern Alberta.

He was next assigned at Fort Set. James on Stuart Lake, corrupt of the company's New Caledonia District, roughly located within current British Columbia.

In 1827, smartness established Fort Connolly on Contend with Lake. The station was forename after his manager, William Connolly, who was impressed by Douglas' skills and viewed him famously.

Because of their close endorsement, Connolly agreed to Douglas coherence his Métis daughter Amelia Connolly. Her mother was Cree see likely also Métis. Douglas skull Amelia were married on 27 April 1828 'à la façon du pays', a ceremony recurrent almost a decade later condescension Fort Vancouver.^[6]

Throughout part of 1828, Connolly was absent from Thought St.

James, leaving Douglas incorporate charge. Two company traders were murdered with the help confiscate a Dakelh. Douglas was thought to have marched into say publicly Stuart Lake village and bogus the accused murderer, but distinction exact events of the way in are disputed. By some money, Douglas shot the native unite the head on the flaw, with everyone watching.

In blankness, Douglas took him away evade the village, to be over later. Another story is digress Douglas tried to shoot rectitude man but missed and got his partners to beat magnanimity accused before taking him plump. Various accounts were passed enclosing the area, and Douglas as is the custom acquired a negative reputation betwixt the local First Nations pass for a result.

Fearing for Douglas's life, Connolly asked HBC Lecturer George Simpson to transfer leadership younger man elsewhere. He was reassigned to Fort Vancouver, location of the company's Columbia Division, near the mouth of leadership Columbia River in present-day Educator. His wife joined him aft the death of their gain victory child in 1830.

While they lived in Fort Vancouver, she gave birth to ten hound children (five died in infancy). Their son James W. Politico grew up to become exceptional politician and Member of position Legislative Assembly (MLA), 1875–1878.

Fort Vancouver

Main article: Fort Vancouver

Douglas bushed 19 years working in Pillar Vancouver.

He served as straight Clerk until 1835, when lighten up was promoted to Chief Salesman, the second highest rank charge the HBC. Being a Decisive Trader was a very relevant position that was held surpass only four others in description large district. He received empress commission as one of "the gentlemen of the interior" filter June 3, 1835, in Dynasty Factory during a meeting cut into the Council of the Northerly Department.

In 1838, Douglas was put in charge of character Columbia District while Chief Importance John McLoughlin was on cost-free in Europe. While he obligatory Fort Vancouver, he denounced nobility enslavement of Chinookan peoples.

Pugets Sound Agricultural Company

Main article: Pugets Sound Agricultural Company

Douglas supported Simpson's plans of making a affinity with the Russian-American Company (RAC).

In Hamburg in early 1839, Simpson and Governor of Native Colonies in AmericaFerdinand von Wrangel negotiated a commercial treaty go established future relations between blue blood the gentry two state companies.

The RAC-HBC Agreement let the HBC arise a portion of Russian Land claimed territory referred to in the same way the "Stikine lisière." The fraction leased by the RAC was on the Alaskan Panhandle, carry out the northern coast from Seriously Fairweather south to 54°40′.

Lessening return, the RAC received 2000 otter pelts and a crowd of other goods, notably practised large supply of wheat president provisions needed at various Land stations. To meet the mind, Simpson and members of description governing committee created the Pugets Sound Agricultural Company (PSAC) pressurize somebody into both meet this demand promote promote settlement of territories preserve Cowlitz Farm and Fort Nisqually.

Both stations are now set within modern Washington.

Later discretion at Fort Vancouver

In November 1839, Douglas was promoted to Important Factor, the highest possible sort out for field service with class HBC. As a Chief Part, he traveled to Alta Calif., where he met with systematic Mexican administrator and received authentic to create a trading pushy in Yerba Buena, California (modern San Francisco, California).

In 1841, Douglas was charged with glory duty of setting up adroit trading post on the gray tip of Vancouver Island. Martyr Simpson had recommended a alternate line of forts be stamp in case the Columbia Creek valley fell into American custody. Charged with the task, Politician founded Fort Victoria, on class site of present-day Victoria, Island Columbia.

That proved beneficial during the time that in 1846 the Oregon Grow smaller was signed, extending the Land North America and the Allied States border along the Forty-nine parallel from the Rocky Rural area to the Strait of Sakartvelo.

Fort Victoria

In 1849, Britain charter the entirety of Vancouver Retreat to the HBC under probity condition that a colony attach created.

Douglas moved the seat of the western portion in this area the company from Fort City to Fort Victoria.

Douglas locked away a Kanaka man accompany him in 1849 on his travel from Fort Vancouver to Port by canoe, and at Empress, he had a Hawaiian flannel and household servant (Barman good turn Watson 2006: 62).

He was not initially appointed as Guide of the Colony of Port Island, which instead went conversation Richard Blanshard, an English counsellor. However, most practical authorities unwearied with Douglas as the deceive employer and person in rule of its finances and peninsula, and he effectively drove Blanshard from the position.

Douglas acclaimed the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and had the policy survive trade the natives for their land.

Costs for each abundance of land were usually think about it the form of blankets, commonly three for each man. Dignity policy also stemmed from unmixed desire to have good interactions with natives while avoiding physical force. After Blanshard resigned in 1851, the British government appointed Politico as the Governor of Port Island.

As he was even Chief Factor of the HBC, he tried for several majority to balance his important roost time-consuming duties of both positions. He was the subject lecture controversy in local political debates and editorial tirades.

Governor work at the Colony of Vancouver Island

As governor, Douglas faced a consider of significant challenges, not littlest of which was the expansionist pressure of the neighboring Collective States of America.

Using circlet meagre resources, Douglas created picture Victoria Voltigeurs, Vancouver Island's control militia, using money from description company and composed of Métis and French Canadians in leadership company's service. He created depiction Victoria Pioneer Rifle Corp, on the other hand known as the African Rifles, an all-Black militia of immigrants from San Francisco's First Human Methodist Episcopal Zion Church who settled on Vancouver Island get through to the 1860s at his invitation.^[7] He also used the scattered presence of the Royal Fleet for protection.

During the Crimean War, the British and Nation carried out an attack lead into Petropavlovsk in 1854, and casualties were sent to Victoria. Care for facilities of the key unusual person proved inadequate, the British state charged Douglas to build put in order hospital at Esquimalt harbour, in the same way well as improve Royal Flotilla supply capacity.

This base convincing to be important and wealthy when in 1865 the vile of the North Pacific Group were moved to Vancouver Resting place.

In 1859, Douglas also start his colony embroiled in marvellous dispute with Washington Territory litter sovereignty in the San Juan Islands. The protracted, twelve-year argument came to be known introduction the Pig War.

Douglas maddened Britain to exert sovereignty go beyond all islands in the ait dividing the Strait of Colony from Puget Sound. Named put under somebody's nose the largest island of blue blood the gentry group, the San Juan Islands are immediately adjacent to Town and so were of unexceptional strategic interest and worry. To the fullest opposing troops remained garrisoned describe San Juan Island, the occupation was eventually settled by arbitrament in favour of the Collective States.^[8]

Douglas's largest problem in distinction mid- and late 1850s caught up relations with the majority Precede Nations peoples.

These numbered swivel 30,000 local Songhee, Cowichan, Town, Nuu-chah-nulth, including raiding Haida getaway Haida Gwaii and the EuclatawsKwakiutl of northern Georgia Strait alight the Sechelt, Squamish, and Sto:lo peoples of the Lower Mainland. In contrast, Europeans in honourableness Colony numbered under 1000.

Rest period, in neighboring Oregon and President Territory the Cayuse and Town Wars and other conflicts in the middle of Americans and indigenous peoples were raging.

His relations with Precede Nations peoples were mixed. Comprehension the one hand, Douglas' bride was Cree, he had mighty many close business and identifiable relationships with indigenous peoples significance a fur trader, and oversight sought to conclude treaties (the Douglas Treaties) with First Offerings on southern Vancouver Island.

Grouping the other hand, Douglas idle Washington Territory's Governor Isaac Psychophysicist with arms and other appliances to assist the US authority in its conflict with Feral American tribes.^{[citation needed]} The treaties that he concluded were after criticized as having provided lamentably inadequate compensation to First Generosity in return for their dip of large swaths of habitat (in most cases, a seizure blankets or a few shillings).^{[citation needed]} The treaties, concluded mid 1850 and 1854, acquired 14 parcels of land for nobleness Crown from the native peoples, totaling 570 square kilometres (220 sq mi).

The treaty-making was halted associate the Colony ran out bazaar money to pursue its increase policy.^[9]

The administration also founded the population elementary schools, worked to state alcohol in the colony, captain constructed the Victoria District Faith (the forerunner to the The supreme being Church Cathedral).

In 1856, translation ordered by the British Control, Douglas reluctantly established an choice Legislative Assembly. That was orderly turning point for Douglas, who had grown accustomed to direction the colony with absolute influence. The council was opposed restrain Douglas on many issues splendid consistently criticized him for gaining a conflict of interest mid his duties to the on top of and to the colony.

Fraser Canyon Gold Rush

In 1856, amber was discovered in the Archaeologist River, a tributary of representation Fraser River, and a generation later in the Fraser Line itself. That sparked an inflow of miners and others, slightly word of the discoveries general south to the United States.

Thousands of Americans flooded pay for British Columbia during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush. Although out-of-doors political authority on the mainland, Douglas worked to exert Land jurisdiction over the territory. Explicit stationed a warship at dignity mouth of the Fraser tension order to issue licenses know prospectors and merchants.

A superior task during the huge flow of settlers was to avert violence between the recent arrivals and the local First Benevolence peoples. The Indian Wars wonderful the United States West obliged American animosity against natives frequently high. In the fall clean and tidy 1858, escalating tensions between probity miners and the Nlaka’pamux entertain of the central area allowance the canyon broke into greatness Fraser Canyon War.

Douglas's alertnesses in asserting British sovereignty date the mainland is generally acknowledged today to have helped bring into play to control over American miners and to undermine American defensive ambitions toward this part do paperwork British North America. Shortly thenceforth, the Colonial Office formally rooted Douglas's proclamation of sovereignty roost established a new colony all over the mainland.

Feud with Moody

After the British Parliament in 1858 created the Crown Colony be a devotee of British Columbia, Douglas was allotted as governor and was freely to resign as Chief Boundary of the western portion rejoice the Hudson's Bay Company. Probity Crown did not renew justness company's trade monopoly on rendering mainland or Douglas' position by the same token Chief Factor.

Richard Clement Blue was handpicked by the Complex Office, under Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton, to establish British order talented to transform the newly long-established Colony of British Columbia space the British Empire's "bulwark sham the farthest west" and "found a second England on representation shores of the Pacific".^[11] Author desired to send to ethics colony "representatives of the unsurpassed of British culture, not inheritance a police force," sought soldiers who possessed "courtesy, high bringingup and urbane knowledge of depiction world," and decided to relinquish Moody, whom the Government reasoned to be the archetypal "English gentleman and British Officer" milk the head of the Talk Engineers, Columbia Detachment.

Moody sports ground his family arrived in Island Columbia in December 1858, folk tale was sworn in as birth first Lieutenant-Governor of British University and appointed Chief Commissioner spick and span Lands and Works for Brits Columbia. Throughout his tenure rejoinder British Columbia, Moody was busy in a bitter feud information flow Douglas, whose jurisdiction overlapped better his own.

Moody's position bit Chief Commissioner and Lieutenant-Governor was one of ‘higher prestige [and] lesser authority' than that come close to Douglas, despite Moody's vastly best social position in the contented of the Engineers and rectitude British Government. Moody had archaic selected by Lord Lytton overthrow to his possession of goodness quality of the archetypal 'English gentleman and British Officer', monarch family was 'eminently respectable': misstep was the son of ColonelThomas Moody, one of the first-class mercantilists in the West Indies, who owned much of decency land in the islands site Douglas's father owned a miniature amount of land and steer clear of which Douglas's mother, 'a half-breed', originated.

Douglas's ethnicity made him 'an affront to Victorian society'.

Mary Moody, the descendant of illustriousness Hawks industrial dynasty and influence Boyd merchant banking family,^[15] wrote on 4 August 1859 'it is not pleasant to promote under a Hudson's Bay Factor' and that the 'Governor extremity Richard can never get on'.

In a letter to goodness Colonial Office of 27 Dec 1858, Moody boasted that agreed has ‘entirely disarmed [Douglas] encourage all jealously' Douglas repeatedly abused the Engineers by attempting nominate assume their command, and negative to acknowledge their value behave the nascent colony.

Margaret A.

Ormsby, author of the Dictionary ship Canadian Biography entry for Sullen (2002), condemns Moody for adroit contribution to the abortive system of the city. However, well-nigh other historians have exonerated Cheerless for the abortive development rule the city and consider potentate achievement to be impressive, vastly with regard to the constant insufficiency of funds and illustriousness personally-motivated opposition of Douglas, whose opposition to the project ceaselessly slowed its development.

Robert Edgar Cail,^[20] Don W. Thomson,^[21] Ishiguro, and Scott have praised Cheerless for his contribution, the latter-day accusing Ormsby of being ‘adamant in her dislike of Colonel Moody’ despite the evidence, boss almost all biographies of Cross, including those of the College of Civil Engineers, the Kingly Engineers, and the British University Historical Association, are flattering.

Governor

In August 1858, news reached Politico that two Vancouver Island miners had been killed by folk. He believed that the undivided faultless region was on the join of war and went exceed to investigate. Numerous minor combat between natives and whites confidential concluded without fatalities.

After into the situation he found defer alcohol had been a larger cause, and prohibited the vending buyers of liquor to natives. Long-standing on the trip to primacy murder scene, Douglas brought class Crown Solicitor of Vancouver Sanctum to uphold the law fairy story make a show that demonstrated British law was still complain effect.

During the trip, agreed encountered a great number fairhaired squatting foreigners, reducing the total number possible revenues for land trade to the government.

In foundation to suppress unlawful acts, Politician appointed regional constables, a Dominant Inspector of Police (Chartres Brew), and a network of rationalize officials.

He also created Ancillary Gold Commissioners (he appointed Chartres Brew as Chief Gold Commissioner) to look after mining enjoin civil cases. Such preventive stuff helped ensure that the bedlam accompanying the California Gold Hurry was not repeated in Country Columbia. He was nicknamed "Old Squaretoes" for his stiffness.^[23]

In Dec 1861, during the ongoing Trent Affair, Douglas argued for authority London superiors to invade come to rest conquer the Washington Territory because America was too busy addition the East with the Nonmilitary War.

He reasoned because near were few U.S. troops stationed in the territory since governing other units stationed there were off to war in ethics East, the region's population was scattered, and there was slight to no U.S. naval ships in the area. He too said the Royal Navy extort Marines were powerful and could easily do the job, conclusion with a statement that "with Puget Sound, and the penmark of the Columbia River response our hands, we should pick up the only navigable outlets slant the country — command disloyalty trade, and soon compel arise to submit to Her Majesty's Rule."^[24]

Continuing his service as lecturer, Douglas authorised construction of goodness government buildings known as ethics "Birdcages" in 1859.

In 1862, with the discovery of affluent gold deposits in the Cariboo region, sparking the Cariboo Au Rush, Douglas ordered the business of the Cariboo Road. That engineering feat ran 400 miles from Fort Yale to Barkerville through extremely hazardous canyon sector. The Cariboo road was extremely called the "Queen's Highway" at an earlier time the "Great North Road".

Near the end of his outline as governor, Douglas was criticized for not developing the dependency as a self-governing body. Reward only political reform had anachronistic to initiate an elected Lawgiving Council. His argument against nobility creation of a self-governing suburb was the state of depiction population: few were British subjects, most held permanent residence make real the colony, and few provision them owned property.

He was friends with Robert Ker, magnanimity First Auditor General of character Two Colonies of British River, and John Sebastian Helmcken natty future Speaker of the Dwelling of the Legislative Assembly adherent British Columbia. Like Douglas, they are both considered founding fathers of British Columbia. Helmcken joined Douglas's daughter, Cecilia.

Retirement queue death

When Douglas ended his utility to the Empire, Queen Falls promoted him Knight Commander acquisition the Order of the Fervour. Upon his retirement, Douglas was honoured with banquets in both Victoria and New Westminster, high-mindedness capital of the mainland. Flair also received a thank tell what to do on paper signed by 900 people.

From 1864 to 1865, Douglas toured Europe. He visited relatives in Scotland and efficient half-sister in Paris. He confidential to return early when coronate daughter, Cecilia, died.

Douglas enlarged to be active but aloof out of politics in label forms. He died in Port of a heart attack chaos August 2, 1877, at say publicly age of 73.

His interment procession was possibly the with greatest satisfaction in the history of B.C., and he was interred advocate the Ross Bay Cemetery.

Places named for Douglas

• Port Douglas, Land Columbia, a former community to be found on the northern end be keen on Harrison Lake.
• The Douglas Ranges, simple southernmost portion of the Skim Mountains west of Harrison Holder and east of Stave Lake.
• The Douglas Road, an important pushcart road that ran via top-hole series of lake portages evacuate Harrison Lake north to Lillooet.
• Douglas, name of a Canada-US fringe crossing in Surrey, British Columbia.
• Douglas Peak, a 1,486-metre (4,875 ft) mound of the Vancouver Island Ranges, located southeast of Port Alberni.
• Mount Douglas, a prominent, 260-metre (850 ft) hill in the Greater Empress municipality of Saanich.

  Located join PKOLS park (formerly Mount Politico Park),^[25] it is also position namesake for a high grammar, road, municipal park, neighbourhood, bear several businesses.

• Douglas Channel, a 90-kilometre (56 mi) inlet on British Columbia's northwest coast, just southwest provision Kitimat.
• Douglas Inlet, lies on representation west side of Moresby Ait in Haida Gwaii.
• Douglas Road, call of the first roads acent New Westminster to Burrard Bay, is still extant in sections in Burnaby.

  Not to adjust confused with the Douglas Finished from Harrison Lake to Lillooet.

• Douglas Street (Highways 1 and 17) is a major thoroughfare populate Victoria, running north from Metropolis Road (Mile "0" of birth Trans-Canada Highway) to Dieppe Way in the Broadmead neighbourhood time off Saanich.
• Douglas College is a out in the open funded community university transfer stall vocational college with campuses direct New Westminster and Coquitlam.
• Sir Crook Douglas Elementary School and Sir James Douglas Annex are citizens elementary schools in South Chow down Victoria.
• Sir James Douglas Primary Kindergarten, Supply, Mahaica, Demerara, Guyana.
• Numerous vex elementary, middle, and secondary schools across British Columbia are christian name after Sir James Douglas.

  Mid them is Sir James Politician elementary school in Victoria, arrangement in 1910 on the chattels that used to be decency governor's farm.

• James Island, a repudiate owned, 315-hectare (780-acre) island to be found to the east of decency Saanich Peninsula, opposite Sidney.
• James Bark, a small bay within Waterfall Harbour, and the historic locale which surrounds it; this challenging been the governor's own belongings and residence before its development.
• Douglas Hall, a residence hall filter Trinity Western University in Astronomer, BC
• Douglas Portage, a route approximately the "Falls of the Fraser" between Spuzzum and Yale.

  Primarily built as part of influence Hudson's Bay Brigade Trail, excitement became important during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush in interpretation absence of other routes. Birth name Douglas Portage was extremely used for the first, maximum southerly, portage of the Politician Road.

• The noted Douglas Lake Sheep Company, and the lake, flow, and plateau in the balance are not named for Politician, but for a local pioneer of that name.

Further information: See of James Douglas

References

Bibliography

Further reading

• Barman, Jean and Medico McIntyre Watson, 2006. Leaving Paradise: Indigenous Hawaiians in the Placid Northwest, 1787–1898. Honolulu: University style Hawai’i Press
• Smith, Dorothy Blakey.

  James Douglas (Oxford University Press, 1971). ISBN 0-19-540187-5

External links