Macgillivray William
Born in Scotland. Came to Canada, and entered
the service of the North West Company. In 1786-1787 had charge of the
North West Company post at Lac des Serpents, in opposition to Roderick
McKenzie of the rival Company. In the spring, the two traders with their
men set out together for their respective headquarters at Grand Portage,
and arrived there side by side, the crews singing in chorus, to the no
small amazement of
the Grand Portage people. MacGillivray and McKenzie
were ever after firm friends. The former became a partner of the North
West Company in 1790; signed the agreement of 1804; and was one of the
most influential of the bourgeois. Fort William was named after him in
1807. Made a legislative councillor of Lower Canada in 1814, in
recognition of his services to the government during the War of 1812.
Returned to Scotland before the fusion of the Hudson's Bay Company and
North West Company; bought an estate in Argyllshire, and died there
about 1825. =Index=: (Mackenzie / Selkirk / Simpson era) Friendly rivalry with Roderick Mackenzie, of
the X Y Company, 15; buys Pond's share in North West Company, 58; Fort
William named after, 100. =Bib.=: Bryce, Hudson's Bay Company; Masson,
Bourgeois de la Compagnie Nord-Ouest.