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.



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