William Mactavish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Mactavish
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Mactavish around 1865
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| Governor of Assiniboia | |
| In office 9 December 1858 – 15 January 1870 |
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| Preceded by | Francis Godschall Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 March 1815 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 23 July 1870 (aged 55) Liverpool, England |
| Spouse | Mary Sarah MacDermot |
| Children | 4 |
William Mactavish (born March 29, 1815 – died July 23, 1870) was an important Scottish leader. He worked for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), a famous fur trading company. Mactavish was known for being the Governor of both Assiniboia and Rupert's Land. These areas are now part of Western Canada. He played a big part in how these lands developed. However, some people criticize him for his actions during the Red River Rebellion.
Contents
About William Mactavish
His Early Life
William Mactavish was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on March 29, 1815. His parents were Dugald and Letitia Mactavish. He grew up with five brothers and three sisters. People said he had a lot of energy and a big personality.
His sister, Letitia Mactavish Hargrave, said William loved being outdoors. He spent his early years hunting, trapping, fishing, and exploring nature. He truly enjoyed fishing and hunting.
Letitia also described him as funny and a "dreamer." She wrote that William wanted to make the world better. He wished to help people who needed it. His sister thought he was the hardest worker in the family. She also said he was the smartest. People saw him as intelligent, well-educated, and honest. One of his uncles said he was "well-educated." But he wondered how Scottish schooling would prepare William for life in Canada.
His Family Life
For a long time, William Mactavish planned to stay single. He even said, "I intend to remain as I am, single." He had three children in Scotland before he was married.
However, his mind changed when he met Mary Sarah McDermot. People often called her Sarah. William and Sarah had four children together in Canada. They had two boys, James and Andrew, and two twin girls, Mary and Florence.
His marriage to Sarah was important for several reasons. First, it ended his plan to stay single. Second, Sarah was a Métis woman, meaning she had mixed Indigenous and European heritage. She was also Catholic. William was a Scottish Protestant. Sarah was also much younger than William, born between 1828 and 1841. Not much is known about Sarah's past. William rarely talked about his marriage. He didn't even share the news of his wedding quickly.
Later in his life, William became very sick with tuberculosis. In May 1870, he left Canada hoping to return to Scotland. Sadly, he died in Liverpool, England, on July 23, 1870. He never made it home.
His Early Career
William Mactavish started working for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) in 1833. He began as a clerk at the Norway House trading post. Soon after, he moved to the York Factory trading post. As a clerk, he handled accounting, inventory, and shipping. He worked long hours, often from 4:30 AM until 8 PM.
He worked as a clerk for 11 years. Then, in 1845, he was promoted to accountant. In 1846, he became a Chief Trader. The next year, in 1847, he moved to the Fort Garry trading post as Chief Trader. From 1848 to 1850, he was in charge of the Sault Ste. Marie trading post. In 1851, he was put in charge of York Factory.
His uncle, John George Mactavish, was also a chief trader at the HBC. His uncle helped him get his first job as a clerk. John George had William moved to York Factory to work under James Hargrave. Hargrave was the Chief Trader there. Hargrave wanted William to take his place when he left. So, Hargrave and John George often talked about William with Governor George Simpson (HBC administrator). They hoped to convince Simpson to support William.
While Hargrave was away, Simpson made Mactavish in charge of York Factory. The next year, he was put in charge of Sault Ste. Marie. William felt worried about his future in the company. He didn't like politics. However, John George, Hargrave, and Simpson all had high hopes for him. Mactavish thought the HBC didn't have a bright future. He believed the government would eventually end the fur trade monopoly. Because of this, he saw little reason to advance in the company.
His Political Role
Becoming a Leader
On December 9, 1858, William Mactavish was chosen as the Governor of Assiniboia. When he arrived in Red River, people said he had energy and determination. He also had a good mind. Mactavish felt he would not be good at the political side of his job. He even said that being a "stoker in hell" would be more fun than being Governor of Assiniboia. Mactavish found political life unpleasant. He was "anxious" for his time as governor to end. He was very open about how unhappy he was with the job.
Because his wife was Métis and he worked in the fur trade, Mactavish felt sympathy for the Métis people. At that time, supporting the Métis could cause problems. Also, the HBC was not very popular. Many people wanted Red River to join Canada. Mactavish simply didn't want to deal with these issues. Even though he disliked his job, Mactavish did well. He brought many good changes to the settlement. He started a semi-weekly mail service. He also made Fort Garry a main business center. This made the settlement more important.
After George Simpson died, William was also made Governor of Rupert's Land. He was not as hesitant to take on this new role. This was because he sympathized with the Métis. He also enjoyed and was good at the fur trade. This new role was less about politics. So, Mactavish became the governor of both Assiniboia and Rupert's Land. This created some conflicts in his beliefs.
During his time as Governor of Assiniboia, he faced two challenges. He could not build a British military force for Assiniboia. He also could not turn the small support for the HBC into wider support. However, he was still well-respected, especially as Governor of Rupert's Land.
His Political Beliefs
Being the governor of both Assiniboia and Rupert's Land caused a problem for Mactavish. He believed that the fur trade and the settlement should not be under the same political control. He also thought one person should not lead both. He often put the needs of the people of Assiniboia first. He didn't always think about the bigger political picture.
Mactavish believed the Métis had a right to their own land. He also criticized the Canadian government. They did not talk to the local people about transferring Rupert's Land to Canada. He later objected to this discussion. Mactavish disliked politics so much that he refused to get involved in that part of his job. He once said he didn't want his words misunderstood. He said he "declines to say anything whatever on political matters."
The Red River Rebellion
On November 16, 1869, Mactavish made a statement about the coming Red River Rebellion. He told the people of Red River and Assiniboia what was happening. Mactavish listed six main problems that were part of the rebellion:
- There was a blockade on the road into the settlement.
- Goods and merchandise were stolen from the settlement.
- The mail in the settlement was tampered with.
- There was a forced entry into the settlement.
- The conflict made HBC men flee to American land.
- The goal was to stop Rupert's Land from being transferred to Canada.
Mactavish asked the people of Red River to protest the rebellion. He hoped to reduce the conflict. He also asked the rebels to leave peacefully. He warned that the conflict could lead to "incalculable good or immeasurable evil." This statement was almost all Mactavish did about the Red River Rebellion. This is why he is often criticized. He did very little to use his power. Red River depended mostly on the HBC for its economy. It was created as a fur trading settlement. This caused conflict between his two roles as Governor of Assiniboia and Rupert's Land.
Mactavish was afraid to act on his Métis sympathies. He feared it would cause more trouble. Instead of using his power as Governor, he focused on small details. This led to his downfall. As governor of both Assiniboia and Rupert's Land, he had great power. He could have done a lot to stop the Red River Rebellion. It is said that he suspected a political uprising. But he chose not to tell Ottawa. His lack of action and dislike for politics were major reasons why the Red River Rebellion continued. Many chief traders and other high-ranking HBC men openly disliked how Mactavish handled the situation.
During the height of the Rebellion, Louis Riel took Mactavish prisoner. Mactavish was physically held captive. He was also very sick in bed with advanced tuberculosis. Even while imprisoned, Mactavish still showed his Métis sympathies. He tried his best to govern the land. He even approved loans to the Métis. He believed that rest would bring him back to his "old robustness of constitution."
See also
