CANADA HISTORY

Simon Fraser

Simon Fraser’s life, like so many others shaped by the upheaval of the American Revolution, was one of resilience, ambition, and the drive to carve out a place in the vast, untamed wilderness of North America. Born in Mapletown, New York, in 1776, just as the fires of rebellion were igniting across the colonies, Fraser’s early life was defined by conflict and displacement. His father, a Loyalist soldier fighting for the British Crown, was captured by American forces during the pivotal Battle of Saratoga in 1777. Held as a prisoner of war, his father died in captivity, leaving young Simon and his family to navigate a turbulent and uncertain future.

With the British defeat in the American Revolution, Fraser’s family, like thousands of other Loyalists, faced the grim reality of exile. Loyalists were no longer welcome in the newly formed United States, and many fled north to the remaining British colonies. Fraser’s family found refuge in the rugged wilderness of what would become Quebec, settling at a place called Cadillac, where they began the difficult process of rebuilding their lives. It was here, among the other displaced families, that Simon Fraser’s character was forged, and his future path toward exploration and fur trading began to take shape.

In the aftermath of the Revolution, opportunities for young men in British North America were limited, but one industry was expanding rapidly: the fur trade. Fraser, like many Loyalist youths, found his calling in the wilderness economy, following in the footsteps of two of his uncles who had already ventured westward with the North West Company (NWC), a fur trading enterprise that rivaled the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) for control of the fur-rich interior of Canada. The NWC had become a proving ground for adventurers and entrepreneurs, and Fraser, with his Loyalist background and natural aptitude for hard work, quickly rose through the ranks.

Fraser’s early years with the NWC were spent in the Athabasca Department, a remote and challenging part of the company’s vast trading network. Here, he gained firsthand experience of the harsh realities of the fur trade, learning to navigate the wilderness, build relationships with Indigenous peoples, and survive in the unforgiving conditions of the Canadian interior. It was during these years that Fraser met Alexander Mackenzie, one of the great explorers of the age, whose daring expeditions had opened the doors to the western and northern reaches of the continent. Fraser, inspired by Mackenzie’s achievements, saw the potential for further expansion and development of these newly explored lands.

By 1801, at the age of just 24, Fraser’s hard work and growing reputation earned him a full partnership in the North West Company—a significant achievement for someone so young. Mackenzie’s explorations had pushed the boundaries of the known world, and Fraser was now tasked with the crucial job of exploiting these new lands for the benefit of the company. His assignment was to establish trading posts and create a network of routes that would facilitate the movement of furs from the western regions back to the company’s eastern headquarters.

Fraser’s first major undertaking came in the fall of 1805 when he established Rocky Mountain Portage House on the Peace River, marking the NWC’s push into the land beyond the Rocky Mountains. These lands, which Fraser named New Caledonia in honor of his Scottish heritage, represented the future of the fur trade. Over the next several years, Fraser oversaw the construction of additional trading posts, including Fort McLeod, which he founded after traveling along the Pack River. He was building the infrastructure that would allow the North West Company to dominate the fur trade in these remote areas.

In 1807, Fraser established Fort George, a post that would later become the modern city of Prince George. With a network of trading posts in place, Fraser turned his attention to a more ambitious goal: charting a navigable route to the Pacific Ocean. Like Mackenzie before him, Fraser believed that one of the rivers west of the Rockies could provide the key to accessing the Pacific. By the spring of 1808, Fraser was ready to undertake the journey that would define his place in history.

Fraser’s expedition, which departed Fort George on May 28, 1808, consisted of 24 men, and his goal was to follow the river that now bears his name—the Fraser River—westward to the Pacific Ocean. At the time, Fraser believed that this river was the Columbia, the great river that Mackenzie and others had speculated would provide a natural trade route between the interior and the Pacific coast. As Fraser and his men navigated the upper stretches of the river, they encountered relatively smooth waters and established peaceful relations with the Indigenous peoples they met along the way.

However, the journey became increasingly treacherous as they pressed onward. By the time they reached Lillooet, the character of the river had changed dramatically. The Fraser River, swollen by snowmelt and running through steep canyons, became a raging torrent. Fraser and his men were forced to portage around dangerous rapids, often navigating sheer rock faces to continue their journey downstream. The river was unforgiving, and their progress slowed as they battled the natural obstacles that lay in their path.

On reaching the lower Fraser near present-day Hope, Fraser found the river opening into a wide, fertile valley. From there, the river flowed gently toward the Strait of Georgia, leading Fraser to believe that he was nearing the Pacific. However, as he continued downstream, the expedition encountered hostility from a group of Musqueam people living near what is now Vancouver. Fraser’s relations with most Indigenous groups had been amicable, but the Musqueam were less welcoming and launched an attack on Fraser and his men. The expedition was forced to retreat, narrowly avoiding disaster as they made their way back up the river. Along the way, the tension of the journey spilled over to other Indigenous bands, who had initially been neutral but now viewed the expedition with suspicion.

Despite these setbacks, Fraser and his men made it back to Fort George on August 6, 1808. Exhausted but alive, Fraser had achieved something extraordinary. He had charted a new and formidable river, but he also realized that it was not the Columbia. The Fraser River, with its tumultuous rapids and northern mouth, was too far north to be the great river Fraser had hoped for.

Fraser’s contributions to the North West Company did not end with his explorations. For the next 11 years, he continued to work for the company, establishing trading posts and overseeing operations in the western territories. However, his later years with the NWC were marked by the growing rivalry between the North West Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company. This conflict, which had simmered for decades, came to a head in the violent confrontation known as the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816. Fraser, along with other NWC employees, became embroiled in the struggle, and he was captured by HBC forces and sent back east to stand trial.

Despite the charges against him, Fraser was released and eventually acquitted of all wrongdoing. However, the bitter rivalry between the two companies and the increasingly hostile environment in the fur trade left Fraser disillusioned. In 1818, he left the North West Company and retired from the fur trade, settling in Cornwall, Ontario.

In 1820, Fraser married Catherine McDonnell, and together they raised a family of eight children. Although Fraser had left behind the wilderness and the life of an explorer, his service to the Crown was not yet finished. During the Rebellions of 1837, Fraser briefly returned to military life, serving as a captain in the 1st Regiment to defend against the unrest.

Simon Fraser lived out the rest of his life in Cornwall, enjoying a long and peaceful retirement. He died on August 18, 1862, at the age of 86, one of the last surviving partners of the North West Company and one of the few remaining pioneers of Canada’s early days of exploration.

Fraser’s legacy, like that of his contemporaries Alexander Mackenzie and David Thompson, is woven into the fabric of Canada’s history. He was a man who ventured into the unknown, opening new lands and laying the groundwork for the settlement and development of British Columbia. His explorations, though fraught with danger and difficulty, contributed to the mapping of Canada’s western frontier and solidified his place among the great explorers who helped shape the nation. Fraser’s name lives on in the river he charted, a testament to his courage, determination, and the indomitable spirit of the Loyalists who helped build Canada.