Simpson at Fort Vancouver 1825
Fur trade warehouse at Fort Langley, the same as found in any fur trade fort
Governor George Simpson spent the winter of 1824-25 at Fort George [Astoria]. So what happened while he was there? There are lots of little stories that I picked up in various quarters, and so we will see what I can find that is interesting enough to relate.
Simpson arrived at Fort George on November 8, 1824. Ten days later, on November 18, James McMillan and his party of thirty-nine men began their journey north to the Fraser River. This story is told in this series of posts that begins here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/fraser-river/
In the meantime, however, decisions were made that would directly affect the men who worked at Fort George. Even before the time the men of James McMillan’s expedition returned home, Simpson decided that Fort George would be closed down and abandoned, and a new post would be constructed upriver on good pastureland on the river bank. The relocation of the post on the north bank of the river would reinforce the HBC’s claim that the north bank of the Columbia River should remain British Territory when the boundary line finally came through, while the south bank MIGHT be American territory. In a letter written by the London Committee even before Simpson made his journey west, the Committee encouraged Simpson to build the new fort on the north bank of the river. On July 2, that letter was presented by Governor Simpson at the Annual meeting at York Factory.
So, in fall 1824, Simpson came over the Athabasca Pass and made his way down the Columbia River. The London Committee had, at that time, no real expectations of improvement in the Columbia district, which had never really paid its way. Simpson, however, had different plans for the territory. As soon as he crossed over the mountains, he planned its future improvements. While he was at Fort Okanogan, he sent a letter to John McLeod, Sr. of Kamloops, telling him he was considering closing down that post but that he would make his decision over the winter. (As it happened, he didn’t close the post down.) At the same time, however, he asked McLeod to learn what he could of the Fraser River, and to let him [Simpson] know everything he knew about the general character of the country that surrounded the Kamloops post.
Simpson was also aware of the Russian presence on the northwest coast, and the Americans on the other side of the Rocky Mountains, in what is now Montana, Idaho, and places east. Before Simpson started out on his journey west, the London Committee had recommended that he look into extending the trade of the Snake Country further into American territory. When he visited Spokane House, Simpson noticed that the free trappers went out in the springtime, thus trapping over the summer when the furs were skimpier. The trappers would then return to Flathead House to spend the winter, when the furs that would have been trapped, had the trappers been at work in the Snake River district, remained untrapped. It was a ridiculous way of doing business, in Simpson’s mind, as the furs that were trapped in winter were far better than those trapped over the summer months. While he was at Spokane House, he assigned Peter Skene Ogden (who had arrived at Spokane House in late 1823) the job of taking over the running of the trapping parties, and telling him to lead them into the Snake district over the winter when the furs were good. Ogden immediately set off for the Flathead House, seemingly happy to do anything that Governor Simpson demanded of him.
As far as the Russians on the Northwest Coast were concerned, the London Committee told Simpson that the Russians were attempting to take over the entire coast, although by treaty they were confined to the region of the coast north of 54 degrees latitude. But were they? No, not yet! At this time the subject of the Russians on the coast was being discussed with Russia itself. The London Committee hoped that the HBC would win the northwest coast, and the Russians would be forced northward. And they were. By treaties signed in 1824 with the United States, and in 1825 with Great Britain, Russia was confined to the Pacific Coast north of 54 degrees 40 mins North Latitude. But in 1824, when Simpson spent the winter at Fort George, this was not yet the case! Nevertheless, the London Committee anticipated that Great Britain would win, and they encouraged the building of HBC posts westward from the interior posts in New Caledonia, saying that “the actual occupation by traders will go far to establish the rights of the respective nations, which is an additional inducement to extend the Posts westward toward the Coast from New Caledonia, and if possible to establish upon the Coast as far North as may be practicable.” The London Committee had no real idea of how this would work, and in fact, it wouldn’t. There were no rivers that would take the HBC men in New Caledonia to the coast.
As you will later learn, Simpson sometimes travelled west with a female companion [Brave woman!]. This year he may have bedded the daughter of Chief Concomely–a young woman named Chowie. He was apparently also offered the use of another daughter, not of Concomely, but of a highly placed Chinook woman that he called “Her Ladyship.” Simpson didn’t want to sleep with this young woman, for whatever reason. “I have therefore a difficult card to play,” he said, “and continue to on good terms with the Mother,” who was most pressing and persevering.
Also, to his own surprise, when he left Fort Vancouver Simpson took two of Concomely’s grandsons back with him to be educated in the Red River school. I wonder what happened to them? But my second question was: “Was there a Red River School at that time?” Yes, there was. The first school was the Catholic School at St. Boniface Mission, built in the Red River Settlement in November 1818. Two years later the Anglican Mission School was established by Reverend John West, under the auspices of the Anglican Church Missionary Society. Almost certainly, these children attended the St. Boniface Mission.
So, let’s get on with the story. Governor Simpson spent the winter at Fort George [Astoria], and he began his journey home with a visit to the newly established post of Fort Vancouver. His journal read:
Wednesday March 16th, 1825. The business of the Season being now wound up and the Spring sufficiently advanced to admit of my commencing my return Voyage, I took my departure at 12 o’clock am [pm] today from the Shores of the Pacific for those of the Atlantic, accompanied by Messrs. [Alexander] Kennedy and [James] McMillan, with four Boats, two of them intended to proceed with us to the Mountain and the other Two laden with supplies for the Snake Expedition in case it may not be enabled to come lower down than Fort Nez Perces.
All the valuable property having been transported to the new Establishment at Belle Vue Point [Fort Vancouver], Dr. [John] McLoughlin accompanied us to take charge thereof, leaving Mr. [Alexander] McKenzie, Cartie & Eight men at Fort George when they are to remain for two or three weeks until the few remaining articles are removed.
“Cartie” was likely Joseph Cartier, a Canadien. Ignace Cartier, Iroquois, was not yet in the territory.
The poor Chinooks appeared in great distress at being deserted by us, and my old Friend, his Majesty Concomely, actually shed tears when I shook hands with him at the Water side; the fair Princess “Chowie” I have reason to believe was not less affected… Incessant rain throughout the Day, we however pushed on to “McKenzie’s Encampment” near Oak Point, where we put up for the Night.
On Thursday they continued their journey and stopped for the night at the westernmost branch of the Willamette River, where it flows between Sauvie Island and the south shore of the Columbia River. Then, on Friday, March 18:
Continued our route before Sun rise and got to Belle Vue Point at 11 o’Clock am. The Establishment is beautifully situated on the top of a bank about 1 1/2 Miles from the Water side, commanding an extensive view of the River, the surrounding Country and the fine plain below, which is watered by two very pretty small Lakes and studded, as if artificially, by clumps of Fine Timber. The Fort is well picketed, covering a space of about 3/4th of an Acre, and the buildings already completed are a Dwelling House, two good Stores, an Indian Hall, and temporary quarters for the people. It will in Two Years hence be the finest place in North America, indeed I have rarely seen a Gentleman’s Seat in England possessing so many natural advantages…In the evening had an interview with the Willamette Freemen and sounded them about joining our Expedition to the Umpqua….
So at the same time Peter Skene Ogden was scouring the Snake River basin for furs, Alexander Roderick McLeod travelled south from Fort Vancouver, leading trapping expeditions along the Oregon coast and as far as the California border. McLeod was also to discover whether a river called the Buenaventura, rumoured to flow from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific, actually existed. It didn’t, as it happened, but this is certainly not the only time that HBC men were sent out to find a non-existent river! Simpson’s journal continues:
Determined on bringing Thomas McKay along with us to Walla Walla for the purpose of taking down about Forty Horses for the use of the Expedition. Sat up all Night making various arrangements.
Saturday, March 19th. At Sun rise mustered all the people to hoist the Flag Staff of the new Establishment and in presence of the Gentlemen, Servants, Chiefs & Indians, I Baptised it by breaking a Bottle of Rum on the Flag Staff and repeating the following words in a loud voice, “In behalf of the Honourable Hudson’s Bay Company I hereby name this Establishment Fort Vancouver God Save King George the 4th” with three cheers. Gave a couple of drams to the people and Indians on the occasion. The object of naming it after that distinguished navigator is to identify our claim to the Soil and Trade with his discovery of the River and Coast on behalf of Great Britain.
In his article on Captain George Vancouver, in Oregon Encyclopedia online at https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/vancouver_george/ William L Lang says that “the role George Vancouver played in Oregon history is tangential, yet it is foundational to the developments that radically changed the region during the early nineteenth century. In 1791-1795, Vancouver led the most thorough scientific maritime exploration of the Northwest Coast of North America, which included the creation and publication of detailed maps of the coastlines of present-day Oregon and Washington and the complex waterways of Puget Sound. Vancouver and his officers laid down dozens of place-names in the region, including Mount Rainier, for. British Rear Admiral Peter Rainier, and Mount Hood, for Lord Samuel Hood of the British Admiralty Board. Most important, in October 1792, Vancouver sent two longboats under Lt. William Broughton one hundred miles up the Columbia River, an expedition that produced a detailed map of the lower river. When published in 1798 in Vancouver’s A Voyage of Discovery, Broughton’s map became the first to accurately represent the lower Columbia River. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark used the map to orient themselves on the river in 1805… Today, Vancouver is recognized as one of Britain’s greatest mariners.” No wonder the HBC believed the Columbia River was theirs! Simpson’s journal continues:
At 9 o’clock am took leave of our Friend the Dr., embarked and continued our Voyage. Put up for the night about 20 Miles below the Cascade Portage.
Sunday, March 20th. Started before Day break, got to the Cascade Portage about 10 o’Clock am, found about 100 Indians there but they were very friendly. Occupied in making the Portage until Sun Set and Encamped a few Miles above; kept watch, but had no visitors.
Monday, March 21st. Raised Camp before Day break, saw a number of Natives and gave a pipe of Tobacco to the Principal Men, they all seemed well disposed. Put up close to an Indian Village about two Miles below the Dalles and were visited by about 70 to 80 Natives at our encampment. Kept watch altho’ scarcely necessary.
They were stopping in the area where the Wascopam Mission was later established in 1838. As some of you may know, when he went up the Columbia River in 1829, he had a confrontation with the Indigenous people who lived in the region where the Wascopam Mission was later built. Obviously, I am not going to tell you that story now, but I do think that Simpson was quite frightened by what happened then, and was a little more careful in the future.
But this is 1825, and when I continue this journey to the east, it will be posted here: https://nancymargueriteanderson.com/simpson-spokane-river/
Copyright, Nancy Marguerite Anderson, 2025. All rights reserved.