James Grant:
James was probably the son of Alexander Grant
& Jean Stuart, baptized at Inveravon, Banffshire, Scotland on 8 October
1749. He had a cousin (John Stuart) who in 1805 was with Fraser on the
Peace River in his expedition west & in 1812 was sent by Alexander
Henry from Ft.Chipewyan to the Columbia River posts with news of the British/American
War.
By 1777 James was in North America trading at Ft.Timiskaming
and in 1780 he was licensed at Temiscaminque for John Porteous. Grant continued
at the Timiskaming post until the North West Co. bought him out in December
of 1795 when James retired from the fur-trade.
James Grant:
From 1800 to 1804 James is the NWCo. trader
at the outlet of Rainy Lake post until replaced by Hugh Faries. He is transfered
to the Fond du Lac Dept. as a clerk & interpreter in 1804 for Hugh
McGillis (NWCo. chief agent of the Dept.). In January of 1806 Grant
meets the U.S. expedition led by Z.Pike on his way to the source of the
Mississippi (his other mission was to make an appearance as a representitive
of the U.S. government in the areas control by British fur-traders). He
took Pike, later that month to the NWCo.'s, Fond du Lac Dept. headquarters
at Leech Lake where Hugh McGillis wintered. Pike on his return south found
Grant again at his wintering post on Lower Red Cedar Lake with the Ojibwe
Chief at Sandy Lake, De Breche. In 1812 (the beginnings of the British/American
war) McGillis is transferred to the Michipicoten post and James Grant becomes
chief agent of the Fond du Lac Dept. He as given the task in the summer
of that year to get the winters fur packs at Fond du Lac through the Great
Lakes & past the Americans.
In 1815 Grant is wintering at his Leech Lake headquarters,
with William Morrison wintering at the Sandy
Lake post when the NWCo./Hudson Bay Co. (Selkirk) War begins. Grant receives
a letter from Duncan Cameron requesting assistance in his conflict with
Colin Robertson & the Selkirk
Colony. In June of 1816 Grant sends Morrison & Eustace Roussain
at the head of assembled Ojibwe warriors & voyageurs to Rainy Lake
and the Red River against the Selkirk Colonists (as was ordered by NWCo's
McLeod, Henry & McLoughlin).
On 19 June 1816 Duncan Cameron (of the NWCo.) approach the Red River (Selkirk)
Colony with a force of Metis and when met by the leaders of the Colony,
shot and killed 21 including the Governor Semple. Lord
Selkirk organized a force in the east and taking his main force toward
the NWCo's headquarters at Ft. William, sent P.C.Pambrun & Michel McDonnel
with a smaller force through the Fond du Lac Dept. On 9 September 1816
Selkirk's brigade captured Grant, his clerks (including Morrison &
Roussain) & voyageurs at the Sandy Lake sub-post. Grant, Roussain
& Morrison are taken to Ft.William (where Lord Selkirk had already
taken the NWCo. headquarters) as prisoners. In October they leave Ft.William
with an escort for the east but at Sault Ste.Marie escape into U.S. territory.
Grant goes to Washington to complain to the U.S. government of Lord
Selkirks presents on U.S. soil and Morrison & Roussain arrive back
in Fond du Lac on 6 December 1816, Morrison taking charge of the Fond du
Lac Dept.
William Grant: (1743 - 1810)
He was the son of John
Grant & Genevieve Forbes and married Marguerite Fatard dit Laframboise
(daughter of Jean Bte.Fafard dit Laframboise & Marguerite Chastelain)
at Trois-Rivières, Quebec in 1787.
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