Red River Colony
Also known as the Red River Settlement; Selkirk
Colony; Assiniboia, etc. Founded by the Earl of Selkirk (q.v.), in
1811. The first party of colonists from Scotland reached York Factory
that year, under the leadership of Miles Macdonell, and arrived at the
Red River in 1812. A second party was sent out in 1812, reaching Red
River in 1813. In that same year a third party sailed from the Orkneys,
reaching their destinatio
in 1814; and in 1815 a still larger party, in
charge of Robert Semple, sailed for Hudson Bay and reached Red River the
same year. The colonists suffered great privations for the first few
years, and were constantly harassed by the fur traders of the North West
Company. This petty warfare culminated in the Seven Oaks affair, in
which Governor Semple lost his life. After the union of the two fur
Companies, in 1821, the colony entered upon a period of comparative
peace and prosperity; and eventually became, in 1870, part of the
province of Manitoba. =Index=: (Mackenzie / Selkirk / Simpson era) The settlers sail from Stornoway, in
the Hebrides, 151; the voyage to Hudson Bay, 152; settlers land at York
Factory, 153; and winter there, 154; set out for Red River, June 1,
1812, 155; the first winter on the Red River, 157; the encampment at
Pembina, 158; return to the Forks, 158; buildings erected a mile north
of Fort Gibraltar, 159; second party of colonists sail from Stornoway,
159; ship-fever breaks out, 159; reach Red River, 1813, 159; first
attempts at agriculture, 160; opposition of North West Company, 161-164;
winter again at Pembina, 161-162; third party of settlers arrive, 1814,
163; a number of colonists abandon the Red River and settle in Upper
Canada, 163; the remainder are driven north by the half-breeds and
settle at Jack River, 163; brought back by Colin Robertson, 165; Robert
Semple brings out party of Highlanders, 164; beginnings of education and
religion, 165-166; Miles Macdonell's proclamation, 169; retaliatory
measures of North West Company, 172-176; again winter at Fort Daer
(Pembina), 178; Fort Gibraltar captured and dismantled, 178-179; Seven
Oaks affair, 180-181; surrender of Fort Douglas, 182; Selkirk comes to
the rescue, 191; brings back the settlers, 191; surveys ordered, roads
and bridges built, 192; Commissioner Coltman sent to Red River, 195; his
investigation, 196; Coltman returns to Quebec, 196; his report, 196;
trial of Charles Rimhart, 197; Hudson's Bay Company relieves Selkirk's
heirs of the responsibility of maintaining the colony, 222; agricultural
experiments, 222; Adam Thorn appointed recorder, 245; stirs up trouble,
246-247; local governor appointed, 247; arrival of Bishop Anderson,
1849, 270; Simpson's evidence on conditions in the colony, 273-278;
population, 1870, 286. (George Brown Era) Isbister's work on behalf of, 212; deputation
from, in England, 212; George Brown's interest in, 212-213. (Sir John A Macdonald era) Plague
of grasshoppers in, in 1868, 155; had population of about ten thousand
persons at Confederation, 157. See also Selkirk; Assiniboia. =Bib.=:
Bryce, Romantic History of Lord Selkirk's Colonists; Begg, Creation
of Manitoba; Hargrave, Red River; Ross, Red River Settlement; Bell,
The Selkirk Settlement; MacBeth, The Selkirk Settlers in Real Life;
Selkirk, Statement Respecting the Settlement upon the Red River;
Narrative of Occurrences in the Indian Countries.