Richard Dobie: (abt.1731-1805)
     He was in Montreal as early as 1761 and soon after establishing himself, entered into the fur trade. In the 1760's Richard was acting as a trader in partnerships with Lawrence Ermatinger, Pierre Montbrun & Benjamin Frobisher at times, trading at Fort Timiskaming, Green Bay & Michilimackiac. During the 1770's and 1780's he was acting as a outfitter & financier of trading ventures primarily to the Great Lakes with traders like Etienne Campion, William Grant, Jean Bte.Tabeau, John Grant, Robert Griffin & James Grant and to a lesser extent backed trade expeditions beyond Grand Portage as in the case of Etienne Wadden & Venance Lemaire dit St.Germain. Richard became a man of political influence in Canada and was a member of the Montreal militia, holding the rank of captain (1788-97) and major (1798-1805).
     Richard accumulated a fortune, beginning shortly after the British conquest of Canada and acquiring much of his wealth before the formation of the North West Company. He lived a comfortable life in Montreal after his retirement from the trade in about 1790 and died in Montreal on 23 March 1805.
 

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