Collection search - Journal kept by Archibald McDonald recording the history of Fort Langley [textual record]

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1
Journal kept by Archibald McDonald recording the history of Fort Langley [textual record]

Hierarchical level:

Item

Date:

1827-1830.

Reference:

R7909-0-8-E, MG19-D25, Volume number: 1

Type of material:

Textual material

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

102976

Context of this record:

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Journal kept by Archibald McDonald recording the history of Fort Langley
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Record information – Details
Date(s):

1827-1830.

Place of creation:

No place, unknown, or undetermined

Extent:

2.5 cm of textual records.

Language of material:

English

Scope and content:

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Item is a journal kept by Archibald McDonald recording the establishment and early history of Fort Langley, dated from 27 June 1827 to July 1830. Items noted include weather, goods traded, visitors, and relations with the Indians of the area.

Provenance:

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Fort Langley

Biography/Administrative history:

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Fort Langley : Fort Langley was established by Chief Factor James McMillan in 1827 at the mouth of the Fraser River. It was the first fort established on the mainland of lower British Columbia, and served as a depot for provisions produced from Company farms in the area. Destroyed by fire in 1840, it was rebuilt and remained in operation at least until 1885.

The author of the journal, Archibald McDonald (1790-1853) was first engaged as a clerk and agent with Lord Selkirk's settlement at Red River in 1813. He later became Deputy Governor and published, in 1816, two accounts of his experiences. In 1821 he was sent to the Columbia District as an accountant. Four years later he was given command of the Thompson River District.

After travelling to York Factory in 1827 he returned to Fort Langley with Sir George Simpson, keeping a journal of the voyage which was later published as Peace River: A Canoe Voyage from Hudson's Bay to Pacific by the late Sir Simpson (Ottawa: J. Durie and Son, 1872). McDonald was promoted to Chief Trader in 1828 and stationed at Fort Langley. He was transferred to Fort Colvile in 1834 and promoted to Chief Factor in 1842. He retired in 1884 and died at St. Andrew's, Lower Canada.

Finding aid:

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(No finding aid)

Additional information:

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General note:

An official copy of the journal is included in MG 20 B 113, the Hudson's Bay Company Archives, Fort Langley.
Archibald McDonald's two accounts of his experiences, published in 1816, were, Narrative respecting the destruction of the Earl of Selkirk's Settlement upon Red River in the year 1815 (London: J. Bretell, 1816) and A Reply to the letter recently addressed to the Earl of Selkirk by the Hon. and Rev. J. Strachan (Montreal, 1816).

Location of originals note:

Originals held by the University of California, Berkeley, Calif., in the Bancroft Collection.

Dates of creation note:

Copied in 1932.
Subject heading:

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Fort Langley (Post), 1827-1830

Archibald MacDonald - Diaries, 1827-1830

Climate - British Columbia, 1827-1830

Trading posts Canada 19th century

Fur trade Canada 19th century

Indians of North America British Columbia
Source:

Private

Former archival reference no.:

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MG19-D25
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Textual records

[Consultation90 Open]

Volume [MG19 D 25] 1

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Date modified:: 2024-05-10