Pacific Fur Company facts for kids
A depiction of North American beaver, the main source of animal pelts collected by the PFC
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| Private | |
| Industry | Fur trade |
| Fate | Sold at a loss |
| Successor | North West Company |
| Founded | New York City, U.S., (1810) |
| Founder | John Jacob Astor |
| Defunct | 1813 |
| Headquarters | |
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Area served
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Pacific Northwest, also referred to as Oregon Country or the Columbia District |
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Key people
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Wilson Price Hunt, Duncan McDougall, Alexander McKay, David Stuart |
| Total assets | $200,000 (1810) |
| Parent | American Fur Company |
The Pacific Fur Company (PFC) was an American fur trading business. It was fully owned and funded by John Jacob Astor. The company operated from 1810 to 1813. Its main base was in the Pacific Northwest. This area was claimed by several countries at the time. These included the British, the Spanish, the Americans, and the Russians.
In late 1810, managers, clerks, and fur trappers traveled to the Pacific Coast. Some went by land, others by sea. The company's main base was built in 1811. It was called Fort Astoria, located at the mouth of the Columbia River. Today, this place is Astoria, Oregon. Later that year, the company's ship, the Tonquin, was destroyed. This happened off Vancouver Island. Most of the year's trading goods were lost with the ship.
Soon after Fort Astoria was founded, a rivalry began. The British-Canadian North West Company (NWC) was their main competitor. The NWC had several trading posts inland. The PFC opened Fort Okanogan in 1811. This was one of their first posts to compete with the NWC. The PFC's Overland Expedition faced many challenges. They had conflicts with Indigenous groups. They also suffered from a severe lack of food. Many men were lost while crossing the Great Plains and the Snake River. However, groups of them arrived at Fort Astoria in early 1812.
The PFC also planned to work with the Russian-American Company. They wanted to supply Russian posts in Russian America. This was meant to stop the NWC from gaining power on the Pacific Coast. Neither the Russians nor Astor wanted the NWC there.
The War of 1812 started, and the PFC lacked military protection. This forced them to sell their assets to the NWC. The deal was not fully finished until 1814. This was because of the long distances between Fort Astoria, Montreal, and New York City. But the company effectively stopped operating by 1813. In 1813, some Astorians returned overland to St. Louis. They discovered the South Pass through the Rocky Mountains. This pass was later used by many settlers. They traveled on the Oregon, California, and Mormon routes. These were part of the Westward Expansion Trails.
Astor's big plan for a trading empire failed for several reasons. Two supply ships were lost. Crossing North America was very difficult. And the NWC was a strong competitor. Historian Arthur S. Morton wrote that the company faced many problems. But these were expected for a new business in a distant land. The challenges were beyond what the traders had experienced before.
Contents
Starting the Company
John Jacob Astor was a wealthy merchant from New York City. He also founded the American Fur Company. Astor wanted to build a network of trading posts. These posts would stretch from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Northwest. So, he created the Pacific Fur Company (PFC) as a part of his American Fur Company. He planned for this business to last twenty years.
Unlike its main rival, the Canadian-owned NWC, the PFC was not a Joint-stock company. Astor fully funded the company with $200,000. This money was divided into 100 shares, each worth $2,000. The American Fur Company held half of these shares. The other half was given to future managers and clerks.
Wilson Price Hunt was Astor's main representative for daily operations. He was a businessman from St. Louis. But he had no experience in the wilderness. He received five shares. Other partners, mostly from the NWC, each got four shares. These partners included Alexander McKay, David Stuart, Duncan McDougall, and Donald Mackenzie. Astor and his partners signed the PFC agreement in New York on June 23, 1810.
Astor's plan to set up posts in the distant Oregon Country was ambitious. He sent large groups of employees. Some went overland, following the route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Others sailed around Cape Horn. The company planned to collect fur pelts using methods from the American Fur Company. Employees, later called "Astorians," would trap furs in different parts of the region. Annual cargo ships from New York City would bring food and supplies to the PFC outposts. They would trade goods like beads, blankets, and copper with local Native Americans for fur pelts.
Astor also saw a chance to get more furs by helping the Russian-American Company. The Russians often had supply problems. So, PFC cargo ships leaving the Columbia River would sail north to Russian America. They would bring needed supplies there. Astor hoped this cooperation would stop the NWC or any other British group from settling on the Pacific Coast. In 1812, Astor signed a deal. His ships would carry furs from Russian America to China. These furs would be sold in Guangzhou for high profits. Then, the ships would buy Chinese goods like porcelain, nankeens, and tea. Finally, they would sail to European and American markets to sell these goods.
Hiring Workers
The Pacific Fur Company needed many workers. They especially needed fur trappers and Voyageurs to staff their locations. Wilson Price Hunt and Donald Mackenzie led the hiring for the overland group. Alexander McKay hired for the naval group. All three men were in Montreal from May to July 1810.
Hunt was chosen to lead the Overland Expedition. This was despite his lack of experience with Indigenous cultures or living in the wilderness. Some suggested he switch places with McKay and travel on the Tonquin. But Hunt remained in charge of the land party.
It was usually hard to find free agents in Montreal in May. This was because most men had already left for the interior. The PFC's hiring was also slowed by the NWC's harsh treatment of workers. Hunt's lack of experience as a fur merchant also caused problems. However, PFC contracts were much better than those offered by their Montreal rivals. They offered a 40% higher yearly salary. They also gave double the cash advance before departure. And the service length was five years, instead of the usual two or three.
McKay's Efforts
In the summer of 1810, Alexander McKay hired thirteen French-Canadians for the Tonquin ship. Most of them stayed in Montreal until late July. Then, they were told to go to New York City. They traveled by canoe down the Richelieu River and Lake Champlain. In Whitehall, more men hired by McKay joined the group. One of them was Ovide de Montigny.
On August 3, they reached New York City. Their "hats decorated with parti-colored ribands and feathers" made some Americans think they were Native Americans. The next day, they reached their lodgings on Long Island. A clerk named Gabriel Franchère described the scene: "We sang as we rowed; which, joined to the unusual sight of a birch bark canoe impelled by nine stout Canadians, dark as Indians, and as gayly adorned, attracted a crowd upon the wharves to gaze at us as we glided along." While waiting to leave for the Pacific, McKay met with a British diplomat. The official promised that if war broke out between the U.S. and the U.K., all British PFC employees would be treated fairly.
Hunt's Efforts
Thirteen men signed contracts in Montreal to join Hunt's overland journey. Only one had worked under a contract longer than a year before. Three men took advantage of the generous cash advances and deserted. This happened before Hunt and the rest left Montreal for Michilimackinac in July. The group reached Mackinac Island on July 28, 1810.
Hunt focused on hiring more men on the island. It was a major center for the Great Lakes fur trade. The experienced fur merchant Ramsay Crooks agreed to join the company. He helped recruit more men. Over sixteen days, seventeen men were hired. Sixteen of them were French-Canadian. Unlike those hired in Montreal, this group had a lot of experience. They had worked as voyageurs and in other fur trade roles. Crooks likely suggested buying contracts from other companies. This allowed interested men to join the PFC.
In early August, Hunt and his party left for St. Louis. They arrived there on September 3. The hired voyageurs and fur trappers made many purchases. They bought goods from merchants in St. Louis and nearby Ste. Genevieve. These purchases were recorded in the company's books. Some believe the men bought goods to trade with Indigenous nations they would visit. Most of the men in the Overland Party were hired as hunters, interpreters, guides, and voyageurs.
Journey by Sea
An advance group was sent to set up the first base. This base was at the mouth of the Columbia River. They carried necessary trade goods and supplies on the same ship. This group would also stop the NWC from building a station there. Astor bought the ship Tonquin in 1810. This was to start trading on the Pacific Ocean. Most of the company partners were on this ship. These included Duncan McDougall, David and Robert Stuart, and Alexander McKay. Clerks Gabriel Franchère and Alexander Ross also joined them.
The Tonquin
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The Tonquin left New York on September 8, 1810. It was commanded by Jonathan Thorn. Thirty-three PFC employees were on board. The ship stopped at the Falkland Islands on December 4. They made repairs and took on water. Captain Thorn tried to abandon eight crew members on shore. These included clerks Gabriel Franchère and Alexander Ross. But Robert Stuart threatened Thorn. So, the stranded men were brought back on board. After this, company workers stopped speaking English. They wanted to keep the captain out of their discussions. Partners spoke in Scottish Gaelic. The laborers used Canadian French. On December 25, the Tonquin sailed around Cape Horn and headed north into the Pacific Ocean.
The ship reached the Kingdom of Hawaii in February 1811. Captain Thorn gathered everyone. He wanted to make sure no one would leave the ship to live on the islands. The crew traded with Hawaiians. They bought vegetables, fruits, hogs, and poultry. In return, they gave "glass beads, iron rings, needles, cotton cloth." In Honolulu, the crew met Isaac Davis and Francisco de Paula Marín. Marín helped them talk with Kamehameha I and a government official. Twenty-four Native Hawaiian Kanakas were hired. King Kamehameha I approved this. He appointed Naukane to look after their interests.
The ship reached the Columbia River in March 1811. The weather was stormy. But Thorn ordered two boats to find a safe path over the dangerous Columbia Bar. Both boats capsized, and eight men died. Finally, on March 24, the Tonquin crossed the bar. It entered the Columbia’s estuary and anchored in Baker’s Bay. Captain Thorn wanted the Tonquin to start trading further north. This was Astor's instruction.
After 65 days on the Columbia River, the Tonquin left. It had a crew of 23 men. McKay was on board as the supercargo (in charge of cargo). At Vancouver Island, the ship was boarded by the Tla-o-qui-aht people. Captain Thorn angered them by hitting a Tla-o-qui-aht noble with a fur pelt. In the fight that followed, all the men on the Tonquin were killed. Only an interpreter from the Quinault nation survived. The ship was destroyed. This left Fort Astoria in a difficult spot. They had no way to get supplies by sea until the next year.
Fort Astoria
Building Fort Astoria began in mid-April 1811. It was meant to be a major trading center. It was built on Point George, about 5 miles from the Lewis and Clark Expedition's winter camp. The land was difficult to clear. It had thick forests and many fallen trees. In late April, McDougall reported slow progress. He said the place was "full of half decayed trunks, large fallen timber & thick brush." No one in the group had logging experience. Many had never even used an axe. The trees were huge and had hard resin. Four men worked together on platforms to cut a single tree. It usually took two days.
Medical problems quickly became a big issue. There was no doctor among the Tonquin passengers. So, treatments were very basic. In the first few months, up to half of the expedition was too sick to work.
Fort Okanogan
On June 15, 1811, Kaúxuma Núpika, a Two-Spirit from the Ktunaxa people, arrived at Fort Astoria. They brought a letter from John Stuart. Kaúxuma shared information about the inland areas. They suggested opening a station where the Columbia and "the Okannaakken River" met. This would be among the Syilx peoples. So, it was decided that David Stuart would go with Kaúxuma to the Syilx. Before they left, David Thompson arrived on July 15. Thompson said his group was exploring the Columbia River. They wanted to find a way for inland trade to reach the Pacific Ocean. The competing fur traders were welcomed at Astoria.
On July 22, a group of eight men led by David Stuart left for the Syilx territories. This group included Alexander Ross, François Benjamin Pillet, Ovide de Montigny, and Naukane. They traveled up the Columbia with David Thompson's group. They stayed together until the Dalles. When they entered Watlala Chinookan territory, Stuart failed to make good relations. Watlala men showed military displays and stole some goods. Naukane agreed to join the NWC soon after this. The two parties then separated. Stuart managed to get protection from Wasco-Wishram leaders in early August. Chinookan workers helped them carry goods across the Columbia's portages.
Stuart's party soon traveled through the Sahaptin nations. On August 12, Walla Walla, Cayuse, and Nez Perce people welcomed the fur traders. After the welcome, the PFC men continued up the Columbia. They passed the future site of Fort Nez Percés. By late August, the party faced problems with Western Rattlesnakes and rapids. They almost lost a canoe and the men in it to strong currents. Wenatchi leaders greeted Stuart and his men at the Wenatchee River. They gave two horses as a gift, and more were bought. The PFC continued trading for food as they passed through other Indigenous lands. Chelan nation members traded "some salmon, roots, and berries." Later, Methows offered "abundance of salmon" and "many horses" for sale.
At the meeting point of the Columbia and Okanogan River, they met a large camp of Syilx people. Important members of the nation asked the fur traders to stay with them. They promised to be friends, to provide beavers, food, and protection. On September 1, the canoe cargo was brought ashore. Work soon began on Fort Okanogan. A residence was built from driftwood from the Okanogan River. While the post was being built, four men, including Pillet, were sent to report on the inland trade. The party returned to the company headquarters on October 11. They gave a good report.
Stuart led Montigny and two others to follow the Okanogan River. Only Ross was left at the post. As promised, the Syilx protected the station. They often warned Ross when intruders came near. Stuart planned to explore the Okanogan area for a month. But he and his three men did not return until March 22, 1812. After reaching the Okanogan headwaters, the party went to the Thompson River. Heavy snow in mountain passes made travel very hard. Stuart stayed with the Secwepemc people. He developed good relations with them. He found their areas rich in beaver. He promised to return later that year to build a trading post.
Relations with Chinookan Peoples
Good relations with the Chinookan villages near the Columbia River were very important for Fort Astoria. Experts say the American company's "economic success depended on mutually beneficial economic exchanges with Indian groups... who controlled trade." Many villages near the station were led by a headman named Comcomly.
Help with Exploration
Chinookans were very important in helping the company explore the Pacific Coast. They were especially helpful in finding a good spot for Fort Astoria. In early April 1811, McDougall and David Stuart visited Comcomly. He told them not to return to the Columbia River because it was very rough. The two men did not listen. Soon after, their canoe capsized in the river. Comcomly and his villagers quickly helped. They saved the partners from drowning. After resting for three days, the men returned to the PFC camp.
The Chinookans also shared information from distant peoples with the Astorians. In late April 1811, they reported a trade post run by white men inland. PFC employees correctly guessed this was their NWC rivals, later found to be Spokane House. On May 2, McKay led Robert Stuart, Franchère, Ovide de Montigny, and several voyageurs up the Columbia. Clatsop noble Coalpo was their guide and interpreter. The next day, they explored the Cowlitz River. They soon met a large group of Cowlitz warriors in canoes. McKay managed to talk with them. The Cowlitz said they were armed to fight the nearby Skilloot Chinookan village. On May 10, they reached the Dalles. No trade station was found there. Coalpo feared revenge from his enemies, the Wasco and Wishram. So, the group went back to Fort Astoria, arriving on May 14.
Even though they didn't find the NWC post, Fort Astoria's managers wanted to learn more about the area. They wanted to know about trade opportunities. On June 6, 1811, Robert Stuart went north. He toured the western Olympic Peninsula with Coalpo as his guide. He returned on June 24. Stuart reported that the Quinault and nearby Quileute nations hunted Sea otters. They traded their pelts for valuable Dentalium shells from the Nuu-chah-nulth on Vancouver Island. Stuart thought a company trade post in Grays Harbor would be best for getting these furs. He also suggested hiring Alutiiq people from Russian America to hunt fur animals at a possible trading post.
However, Chinookans were not always willing to help Astorians visit distant places. This was a way to stop the Astorians from making direct trade connections with Indigenous peoples on the Upper Columbia. Historian Robert F. Jones described one incident. He said it was "an effort to keep Comcomly's Chinooks as middlemen between the natives of the upper Columbia and the Astorians." François Benjamin Pillet was ordered to make a trading trip along the Columbia. He left Fort Astoria in late June 1811 with a Chinook headman. They made small trades with Skilloots near modern Oak Point. Afterward, the headman said the seasonal flooding made the Columbia too dangerous to travel further. This forced Pillet to return to Astoria with the furs he had bought.
Trade Connections
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Fort Astoria often had low food supplies. This meant they needed to trade frequently with the Chinookans for food. Seasonal fish runs were the main food source for the Native people living along the Columbia River. After special ceremonies for each major fish run, trading for fish with the Astorians would begin. Hawaiians often worked as fishermen for the company. Major fish in the Columbia included Candlefish smelt, White sturgeon, Sockeye salmon, and Chinook salmon. This reliance on fish made it the main food source for the Astorians. This caused some workers to be unhappy, as they wanted a more familiar diet.
Land animals like Roosevelt elk and black-tailed deer were not common near Fort Astoria. So, these animals were another important trade item from the Chinookans. The Wapato root was often sold in winter when fish supplies were low. Wapato was a common source of food for Chinookans and other nations. The Astorians described the root as "a good substitute for potatoes." They bought so much Wapato that a small cellar had to be built just to store it.
Other common purchases from Chinookans were manufactured goods. Woven hats were often bought to protect against the seasonal rains. These hats were tightly woven and almost waterproof. They were also wide enough to cover the shoulders. Ross described the artwork on them as "chequered" with animal designs. These designs were "not painted, but ingeniously interwoven."
Chinookans near Fort Astoria used different ways to keep their important role. They were middlemen between other Indigenous peoples and the PFC. They also tried to change how neighboring Natives viewed the American company. In August 1811, a small group of Chehalis visited Fort Astoria. McDougall asked them why they rarely traded directly with the PFC. The Chehalis traders said that Chinooks linked to Comcomly claimed the Astorians were "very inveterate against their nation." McDougall believed Comcomly used this story to keep his control over trade in the area.
Fear of Attacks
It was not always that the Astorians, especially McDougall, trusted Comcomly or Chinookans. Even though he later married Comcomly's daughter, McDougall often thought they were ready to attack the fort. Historian Jones noted that McDougall "seems to place implicit faith in any possible hostile actions by the natives."
In June 1812, the number of men at Fort Astoria dropped. There were only 11 Hawaiians and 39 people of European descent. Fear of attack by Chinookans was high. McDougall often led military drills. On July 2, a group of Chinookans visited Fort Astoria. They quickly left after seeing these drills. This fear among the natives convinced the Astorians that "they are not friendly disposed towards us..." and had "a desire to harm us." According to Jones, this "latent distrust" of Chinookans was likely wrong. They probably came to the post "for an innocent purpose" and were scared by the drills.
Fears of attack continued. Astorians remained cautious when dealing with natives. After the Beaver left for Russian America, rumors spread. People said an attack on Astoria was coming in August 1812. Many Chinookans and Chehalis were near Comcomly's village then. This sped up the building of two bastions. The fort was "put in readiness for an attack." Jones has pointed out that these movements of Indigenous people were likely for seasonal fishing. They were probably not a hostile gathering.
Overland Expedition
Wilson Price Hunt led the Overland Expedition. He made several bad decisions. His group's journey was described as "a company of traders forging westward in [a] haphazard fashion." Hunt ordered the expedition to leave St. Louis just before winter. This was to save money on supporting employees. The group left on October 21, 1810, for Fort Osage. They traveled 450 miles up the Missouri River. Then, they set up winter camp on Nodaway Island. This was at the mouth of the Nodaway River in Andrew County, Missouri.
French-Canadian employees often bought items from the company store during winter. This was especially true for those hired at Michilimackinac. They bought small things like blue beads, vermilion, brass rings, tobacco, and small axes. These were used to trade with the Missouria people living near the camp.
In January 1811, Hunt sailed down the Missouri River. He needed to finish some deals in St. Louis. During this time, he hired Pierre Dorion Jr.. Dorion was the only person in St. Louis who spoke Sioux languages well. He owed money to Manuel Lisa and the Missouri Fur Company (MFC). This later caused problems between the fur companies. Hunt finally got Dorion to join. But Dorion's wife, Marie, and their two children had to come along. Once the deal was done, Hunt took British naturalists John Bradbury and Thomas Nuttall to the Nodaway camp. They had agreed to this earlier. The party left St. Louis on March 12. They reached Fort Osage on April 8. Ramsay Crooks was waiting for them there. The group rested for two days.
On April 10, the group left Fort Osage. That day, Dorion "severely beat his squaw." Marie wanted to stay with new Osage friends instead of continuing the journey. The group reached the winter camp on April 17. At this point, the overland group had almost sixty men. Forty of them were French-Canadian voyageurs.
Following the Missouri River
Hunt's expedition left the Nodaway winter camp on April 21. The Astorians reached a large Omaha village in early May. They traded actively there. Omaha merchants offered "jerked buffalo meat, tallow, corn, and marrow." In return, they wanted vermilion, beads, and tobacco. Bradbury noted that the Omaha village had fields of tobacco, melons, beans, squashes, and corn. While at the Omaha settlement, Hunt learned something important. Visiting Yankton Sioux told him that a group of Sioux was gathering further up the river. They planned to stop the expedition.
The expedition continued up the Missouri River. On May 31, they met the Sioux party. This group was made up of Yankton and Lakota Sioux. There were about six hundred armed men. Tensions quickly rose. Both sides took positions by the Missouri River. The company's two howitzers and one Swivel gun were loaded with powder. They were fired to scare the Sioux. Then, the artillery was loaded with live ammunition. But the Sioux across the river began to "spread their buffalo robes before them, and moved them side to side." Dorion stopped the firing a second time. He understood this meant the Sioux wanted to talk.
Peace talks were held. The Sioux explained they had gathered to stop the PFC from trading with their enemies. These enemies were the Arikara, Mandan, and Gros Ventre. Hunt explained that the expedition was going to the Pacific Ocean. They had no interest in the neighboring Indigenous groups. The Sioux leaders accepted this. The PFC was allowed to continue north.
On June 3, they met employees of the Missouri Fur Company. They were led by Manuel Lisa. Lisa reminded Dorion of his debt to the company. A fight between the two men was almost avoided by Bradbury and Henry Marie Brackenridge. After this, the rival fur companies stayed apart. They camped on opposite sides of the Missouri River. Despite this, Lisa and Hunt led their groups north to an Arikara village. They reached it on June 12. In a meeting with local leaders, Lisa said that if any of Hunt's party were harmed, he would take it as an attack on him too. When setting prices for horses, "carbines, powder, ball, tomahawks knives" were in high demand. The Arikara were planning an attack on the Sioux. Lisa and Hunt made a deal. Hunt's boats would be exchanged for more horses. These horses were kept at Fort Lisa further up the Missouri River. Crooks was sent with a small group to get the horses. They reached Fort Lisa on the 23rd. But they had to wait until the 25th for Lisa to arrive to finish the deal. The party left the next day and returned south to Hunt's camp.
The Rocky Mountains
At the Arikara village, Hunt hired several American trappers. They had worked for the MFC in modern Idaho. These men strongly advised against going into the Piikáni homelands in modern Montana. The Piikáni and other Niitsitapi nations usually did not welcome outsiders. They had even shown military force against the Lewis and Clark Expedition. This made Hunt change his plans. He decided it was best to avoid the Niitsitapi peoples.
The expedition left their Arikara hosts in late July. They went to the nearby Grand River. After following the Little Missouri River, the party rested for several days. They traded with a band of Cheyenne. In total, they bought 36 horses from the Cheyenne. The expedition left camp on August 6. Hunt ordered six men to hunt Bison. Hunt's party continued southwest through modern Wyoming. The hunting party rejoined them on August 18, having killed 8 Bison.
On August 30, at the base of Cloud Peak, a scouting party of Apsáalooke visited the camp. The next day, Apsáalooke on horseback invited them to their nearby village. Hunt remembered the importance of trading with the Apsáalooke. He said: "We spent the first day of September buying some robes and belts and trading our tired, maimed horses for fresh ones... thereby augmenting the number of our horses to about 121, most of which were well-trained and able to cross the mountains." The PFC party continued westward. They followed the Wind River, crossed the Continental Divide of the Americas, and followed the Gros Ventre River.
Snake River Challenges
The expedition reached Fort Henry on September 8. This fort was built by MFC employee Andrew Henry the year before. It was near present-day St. Anthony. The party made a camp there. The post was later abandoned. At this location, they started building canoes. They needed enough canoes to travel down Henry's Fork and then the Snake River. This river was also called "Mad River." They planned to go to the Columbia. They thought they no longer needed pack horses. This decision later caused more problems.
On the 10th, four men and two Natives, led by Joseph Miller, left to trap furs. The PFC had seventy-seven horses left. These were left with "two young Snakes." The party left Fort Henry on September 19 in their new canoes.
Traveling down the Snake River was very hard. There were many rapids, like Caldron Linn. The party had to carry their canoes and goods around these strong currents many times. From late September to early November, four canoes capsized. One man died, and they lost many trade goods and food supplies. Besides the difficulties of the Snake River, they also faced dwindling food. By October 31, they only had enough food for five days. In early November, there were not many animals to hunt. The few caught by hunting parties were beaver. The traveling partners agreed to stop using canoes. They found it too difficult. Hunt ordered several groups to go in different directions. They were to contact nearby Indigenous people for help. Meanwhile, the PFC expedition began to hide their trade goods in small caches. This was to lighten the men's load.
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The Columbia River east of the Cascade Range.
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Ramsay Crooks suggested dividing the expedition into two groups of nineteen men each. Each man received 5¼ pounds of dried meat. A third small group, led by Donald MacKenzie, went ahead to reach Fort Astoria. All that was left in the company stores was "forty pounds of corn, twenty of fat, and nearly five pounds of bouillon tablets." On November 9, the two groups started traveling on either side of the Snake River. Soon, the cliffs became too steep to easily reach the river for water. Sources of water became very limited. Even after meeting several Indigenous groups, the situation did not improve. Water was collected on November 20 after it rained the night before.
Crooks reunited with Hunt's party in early December, but he was alone. Crooks was so weak from starvation that his slow pace would have held back the expedition. Hunt left two men to care for Crooks while the main group moved forward. They visited several Northern Shoshone villages. They bought much-needed food, like horses. They also bought "some dried fish, a few roots, and some pounded dried cherries." A Shoshone agreed to guide the PFC group to the Umatilla River. On December 23, they met thirteen men from Crooks's party. They shared the sad news that they had not seen Crooks since he left Hunt's group.
Reaching the Columbia River
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Donald Stuart and his group continued ahead of the two main PFC groups. This group included Robert McClellan, John Reed, Étienne Lucier, and seven other men. While crossing the lands of the Niimíipu, they found a stranded PFC employee, Archibald Pelton. They brought him along. They finally arrived at Fort Astoria on January 18, 1812. The party was described as wearing "nothing but fluttering rags." While waiting for Hunt's main group, these men shared news about the overland journey from St. Louis.
Hunt's group found a band of Liksiyu on January 8. The Liksiyu hosted the tired expedition for a week. They provided meals of dried mule deer meat and loaves of pounded Camas bulbs. While exploring the area, Hunt learned from some Liksiyu that there was an active white fur trader nearby. This turned out to be Jacques Raphael Finlay, at the NWC's Spokane House. On January 21, the expedition finally reached the banks of the Columbia River. Hunt soon talked with the Wasco-Wishram when entering their villages. It was here he learned that the Tonquin had been destroyed the year before. The party's last three horses were used to buy two canoes from Wasco traders. Several portages were needed on the Columbia, especially at the Cascade Rapids. The main part of the expedition reached Fort Astoria on February 15. They were met with great excitement. Besides Hunt, there were thirty men, along with Marie Aioe Dorion and her two children, on six canoes. McDougall was worried about feeding all these extra people. Franchère shared this concern. The post had recently faced food shortages. However, seasonal salmon runs harvested by various Chinookans meant there was a good food supply at Fort Astoria.
Company Activities in 1812
Attempted Inland Expedition
In late March, three clerks leading fourteen men were ordered to go inland. Robert Stuart was to take needed trade goods to Fort Okanogan. John Reed was to take food supplies to the stranded Crooks and Day. He would also take messages for Astor to St. Louis. Russel Farnham was to get the hidden supplies left by Hunt near Fort Henry.
To cross the portages at the Dalles, Wascos were hired to help carry the trade goods. However, two bales of trade goods and some personal items were stolen. Stuart ordered his men to cross the portages at night. At sunrise, a fight broke out between arriving Wascos and Reed. Reed was defending several bales of goods with one man. Reed was badly hurt and lost the box with Astor's messages. More PFC men arrived, and two natives were reportedly killed. The Chinookans returned in larger numbers and armed several hours later. To avoid more fighting, Stuart negotiated a deal with the upset families. In exchange for six blankets and tobacco, the Astorians could continue their journey up the Columbia.
This conflict raised safety concerns about traveling into other Indigenous nations. This forced the three parties to all travel to Fort Okanogan. They arrived there on April 24. The clerks, voyageurs, and trappers left for Fort Astoria on April 29. They left Alexander Ross and two men at the station. They also took about 2,500 fur pelts that had been collected there. Near the mouth of the Umatilla River, the party was surprised. They heard English shouted loudly among a group of Indigenous people, perhaps Umatilla. Ramsay Crooks and John Day were there. They were exhausted from several months of hardship. They had wandered over a large area. At one point, they received help from an Umatilla noble, Yeck-a-tap-am, who "in particular treated us like a father." After being robbed by another group of Natives, Crooks and Day found the Umatilla again. Taking the two worn men with them, the party reached Fort Astoria on May 11.
The Beaver Ship
The Beaver was the second supply ship Astor sent to the Pacific Coast. Cornelius Sowle was its captain. It sailed from New York City in October 1811. It reached Fort Astoria on May 9, 1812. While stopping at the Kingdom of Hawaii, more men were hired as Kanakas for the company. After unloading supplies at the Fort, the Beaver sailed to Russian America. Hunt joined the crew to negotiate with RAC governor Alexander Andreyevich Baranov at New Archangel. The Russians bought cargo worth ₽124,000. They paid with seal skins from Saint Paul Island. Astor had ordered the ship to return to the Columbia. But the Beaver was in poor condition. So, it sailed to the Kingdom of Hawaii instead. Hunt was left there as the Beaver went west to Guangzhou. News of the War of 1812 kept the ship in port for the rest of the conflict. The Beaver then went to New York City, arriving in 1816.
Second Inland Expedition
The Astorians were not discouraged by earlier failures in the inland areas. The supplies and extra workers from the Beaver made them think of "grander schemes" for the summer. They planned to build new trading posts. They also wanted to trade with various Indigenous nations across the region. Almost 60 men were sent to areas from the Willamette Valley of Oregon to the Bitterroot Valley of Montana. Others went to the area near modern Kamloops in British Columbia. Workers started moving to their assigned places in late June.
Robert Stuart led a group heading to St. Louis. They wanted to send information to Astor, as Reed had tried earlier. His group had two French-Canadians and four Americans. John Day became mentally unwell. Stuart paid some Multnomah men from Cathlapotle village to take him back to Fort Astoria. Stuart's group made an important discovery: the South Pass. This pass was very important for the later westward movement of many American settlers.
Company Ends
John Jacob Astor's money helped set up several major trading posts in the Pacific Northwest. He wanted to control the fur trade in the region. But the Pacific Fur Company ultimately failed. Many problems led to this. The difficult relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States was a big factor.
The destruction of the Tonquin left Fort Astoria without enough supplies. They had to rely heavily on the nearby Chinookans for food. Competition from the inland North West Company also threatened to take over important fur-producing areas. The Overland Expedition arrived many months later than Astor planned. Wilson Price Hunt's lack of experience in the wilderness, along with dwindling supplies, left most of the expedition facing starvation.
The arrival of the Beaver brought much-needed trading goods, food, and more employees. But events soon led to the end of the PFC. News of the War of 1812 reached the Astorians at Fort Spokane. Donald McKenzie brought this news to Fort Astoria in January 1813. As Franchère remembered, a meeting of clerks and managers took place. They noted that "almost to a man British subjects" worked for the Astorians. This forced them to agree to "abandon the establishment" of Fort Astoria and its other posts.
They learned from NWC clerks that a British warship was coming to capture the station. The PFC management agreed to sell its assets across the Oregon Country. This was made official on October 23, 1813, when the Union Jack (British flag) was raised. On November 30, HMS Racoon arrived at the Columbia River. In honor of King George III, Fort Astoria was renamed Fort George. John MacDonald of Garth was on board the Racoon. He oversaw the official takeover of PFC properties. Later, in March 1814, the NWC's ship Isaac Todd arrived on the Columbia. It delivered much-needed supplies to Fort George. It then sailed to China and England. It carried some PFC personnel, many of whom used to work for the NWC, back to England. From there, they returned to Montreal.
Legacy
In July 1814, at an NWC shareholder meeting, the partners said the sale "greatly facilitated the getting out of the [Pacific] Country our competitors the American Fur Company." They also concluded that selling Astoria and other PFC properties gave "considerable" advantages to their company. They considered using the stations in the same way Astor had planned, for trade with China. The Columbia River also offered a cheaper way to supply the NWC posts inland.
The Treaty of 1818 set up "joint occupancy" of the Pacific Northwest. This meant the United States and the United Kingdom agreed not to stop each other's citizens from doing business there. In 1821, the British Government ordered the NWC to merge with their long-time rivals, the Hudson's Bay Company. Soon, the HBC controlled most of the fur trade across the Pacific Northwest. This meant that "the Americans were forced to acknowledge that Astor's dream" of a global economic network "had been realized... by his enterprising and far-sighted competitors."
The PFC also had some smaller, but important, impacts on the region. The book Astoria was written by Washington Irving in 1836. He interviewed some people connected to the company and used Astor's documents. Two surviving Astorians, Étienne Lucier and Joseph Gervais, later became farmers on the French Prairie. They also took part in the Champoeg Meetings, which were important for Oregon's early history.
See also
In Spanish: Pacific Fur Company para niños
- Maritime Fur Trade
- North West Company
- Astoria (book)
