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|birth_date = Unknown date, {{circa|1792}}<ref>Raffan 2007, p.26.</ref>
|birth_place = [[Dingwall]], [[Ross-shire]], Scotland
|death_date = {{
|death_place = [[Lachine, Quebec|Lachine]], [[Province of Canada]]
|resting_place = [[Mount Royal Cemetery]]
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[[File:Manoir Simpson, 1888, Sir George Simpson, Lachine.jpg|thumb|260px|Manoir Simpson, built in 1834 in Lachine, Montreal, next to the [[The Fur Trade at Lachine National Historic Site|Fur Trade Depot]], later became part of [[Collège Sainte-Anne]]<ref>[https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3496750 À la découverte de l'ensemble conventuel des Soeurs de Sainte-Anne à Lachine, un lieu de tradition éducative / recherche et rédaction, Marie-Claude Ravary et quatre autres, p. 4-5]</ref>]]
'''Sir George Simpson''' ({{circa|1792}} – 7 September 1860) was a Scottish explorer and colonial governor of the [[Hudson's Bay Company]] during the period of its greatest power. From 1820 to 1860, he was in practice, if not in law, the British [[viceroy]] for the whole of [[Rupert's Land]], an enormous territory of 3.9 millions square
His efficient administration of the west was a precondition for the [[Canadian Confederation|confederation of western and eastern Canada]], which later created the ''Dominion of [[Canada]]''. He was noted for his grasp of administrative detail and his physical stamina in traveling through the wilderness. Excepting [[voyageurs]] and [[Siberian fur trade|their Siberian equivalents]], few men have spent as much time
Simpson was also the first person known to have "circumnavigated" the world by land, and became the most powerful man of the [[North American fur trade]] during his lifetime.<ref>[https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6368924 An Overland Journey round the World during the years 1841 and 1842, SIR GEORGE SIMPSON, 1847], The Private Collection of William S. Reese: Part Two, Christie's.</ref><ref>[https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/kidsgeorge.htm George Stewart Simpson], Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, National Park Service, August 14, 2020</ref>
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After the meeting he returned downstream to take up his duties at York Factory. In December 1821, he set out on snowshoes for [[Cumberland House]] and then the [[Red River Colony]]. By July 1822, he was back at York Factory for the second meeting of the Northern Council, the first that he chaired. After the meeting he went by water to [[Lac Île-à-la-Crosse]] and then by dog sled to [[Fort Chipewyan]] and [[Fort Resolution]] on the [[Tıdeè|Tıdeè Lake]]. He then went south to [[Fort Dunvegan]] on the [[Peace River (Canada)|Peace River]] and then [[Fort Edmonton]] and after the thaw, back to York Factory.
[[File:HS34 1.jpg|260px|thumb|[[York Factory]], Hudson's Bay Company trading post]]
In August 1824, he left [[York Factory]] for the Pacific, taking the unorthodox [[Nelson River|Nelson]]–[[Burntwood River]] route, and ascended the [[Churchill River (Hudson Bay)|Churchill River]] and [[Athabasca River]]s to [[Jasper House]] at the east side of [[Athabasca Pass]]. He crossed the pass on horseback to [[Boat Encampment]] and then down the [[Columbia River]], reaching its mouth on November 8 at [[Fort Astoria|Fort George]], previously named [[Fort Astoria]]. This 80-day journey was 20 days faster than the previous record. He moved the headquarters of the [[Columbia District]] to [[Fort Vancouver]], guessing that the south side of the river might fall to the Americans.
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=== Circumnavigation ===
[[File:Old Fort Garry - Winnipeg, Manitoba.jpg|270px|thumb|Old [[Fort Garry]] - Winnipeg, Manitoba]]
He left London in March 1841, and went by canoe to [[Fort Garry]] (now the site of [[Winnipeg]]). On this part of the trip he was accompanied by [[James Alexander, 3rd Earl of Caledon]], who left to hunt on the prairie and later published a journal.
Guessing that the [[Canada–United States border|49th parallel border]] would be extended to the Pacific and considering the difficulties of the [[Columbia Bar]], he proposed to move the HBC headquarters to what is now [[Victoria, British Columbia]], a suggestion that earned him the enmity of [[John McLoughlin]], who had done much to develop the Columbia district. Simpson took the {{ship|HBC steamship|Beaver||2}} north along the Pacific coast to the Russian post at [[Sitka, Alaska|Sitka]], and then another boat as far south as [[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]], stopping at the HBC post of [[Yerba Buena, California|Yerba Buena]].
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By then, Simpson and his wife had a large house on the [[Lachine Canal]] across from the depot from which the fur brigades started west.<ref>[http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/simpson_george_8E.html Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Simpson, Sir George]</ref> He also owned other estates such as a Manor in [[Coteau-du-Lac]] that he sold to the [[Georges-René Saveuse de Beaujeu|Comte de Beaujeu]] and [[Philippe-Joseph Aubert de Gaspé#Family|Adélaïde de Gaspé]], and another estate in [[Dorval]] where he received and entertained Prince [[Edward VII]], of the [[House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]].<ref>[https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2636085 Vieux Manoirs, Vieilles Maisons, Commission des Monuments Historiques de la Province de Quebec]</ref><ref>[https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/va/1981-v26-n105-va1174852/54485ac.pdf A Royal Visit: The Prince of Wales in Montreal in 1860]</ref> The Manor's estate included the [[The Fur Trade at Lachine National Historic Site|Fur Trade Depot]], and was later sold to Senator [[Lawrence Alexander Wilson]] and Lt. Col. W. A. Grant of the [[Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery]].<ref>[https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3496750 À la découverte de l'ensemble conventuel des Soeurs de Sainte-Anne à Lachine, un lieu de tradition éducative / recherche et rédaction, Marie-Claude Ravary et quatre autres, p. 4-5]</ref><ref>[https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2636085 Vieux Manoirs, Vieilles Maisons, Commission des Monuments Historiques de la Province de Quebec]</ref><ref>[https://rca-arc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/RCAA-Annual-Report-1949.pdf RCAA-Annual-Report-1949, p. 7]</ref> Lord [[Donald Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal|Donald Smith]] of [[Knebworth House]], [[Joint Premiers of the Province of Canada|Co-Premier]] of Canada [[Sir Francis Hincks]], and other leading members of Montreal's society would attend Simpson's banquets.<ref>[http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/smith_donald_alexander_14E.html Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Smith, Donald Alexander, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=TqspAAAAYAAJ&q=simpson+donald+smith+lachine&pg=PA157 The Life of Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal, G.C.M.G., G.C.V.0, Volume 1, page 92-93]</ref><ref>[http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/simpson_george_8E.html Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Simpson, Sir George]</ref>
He began investing in banks, railroads, ships, mines and canals.<ref>[http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/46/qualityoffriendship.shtml Manitoba History: The Quality of Friendship: Andrew McDermot and George Simpson]</ref> He became a board director and shareholder of Canada’s first bank, the [[Bank of Montreal]], as well as of the [[Bank of British North America]], the [[Montreal and Lachine Railroad]], the [[Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad]], the [[St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad]], the [[Grand Trunk Railway]], and the [[Allan Line Royal Mail Steamers|Montreal Ocean Steamship Company]].<ref>[https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/kidsgeorge.htm Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, George Stewart Simpson]</ref><ref>
His business partners included Canada's richest man [[Sir Hugh Allan]], [[Sir John Rose, 1st Baronet|Sir John Rose]], [[Alexander Mackenzie (explorer)|Sir Alexander Mackenzie]], President [[David Torrance (banker)|David Torrance]], minister [[Luther Hamilton Holton|Luther H. Holton]], Senator [[George Crawford (Canadian politician)|George Crawford]], Senator [[Thomas Ryan (Quebec politician)|Thomas Ryan]], banker [[John Redpath]], and bankers [[John Molson Jr.|John Molson]] and [[William Molson]].<ref>[https://digital.library.mcgill.ca/images/hrcorpreports/pdfs/B/Bank_of_Montreal_1860.pdf 1860, Bank of Montreal, Annual General Meeting]</ref><ref>[http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/simpson_george_8E.html Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Simpson, Sir George]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=zEo3AAAAMAAJ&dq=sir+george+simpson+william+molson&pg=PA276 The Charter and By-laws of the City of Montreal : Together with Miscellaneous Acts of the Legislature Relating to the City : with an Appendix]</ref>
With Governor [[Gordon Drummond|Drummond]], [[Sir Antoine-Aimé Dorion]], and [[John Young (Canadian politician)|John Young]], they founded the Transmundane Telegraph Company, but the venture later failed.<ref>[https://www-biographi-ca.translate.goog/en/bio/young_john_1811_1878_10F.html?_x_tr_sl=en&_x_tr_tl=fr&_x_tr_hl=fr&_x_tr_pto=sc&_x_tr_sch=http Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Young, John]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=dl89AQAAMAAJ&dq=sir+george+simpson+Telegraph&pg=PA299 Report of the Secretary of States, Transmitting a Statement of ... the Commercial Relations]</ref> In the spring of 1845, he went to [[Washington, D.C.]], to discuss the Oregon boundary with the Americans, which he had already done with [[Sir Robert Peel]]. In 1846, the [[Oregon Treaty]] established the current border. His wife contracted [[tuberculosis]] in 1846 and died in 1853.
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[[File:Rosemount, 1872, rear view, Golden Square Mile2.jpg|thumb|Rosemount House, McGregor Street, built by [[Sir John Rose, 1st Baronet|Sir John Rose]] on the land of Gov. Simpson in the [[Golden Square Mile]]]]
In August 1860, he entertained the [[Edward VII|Prince of Wales]] at Lachine, who came for the inauguration of [[Victoria Bridge (Montreal)|Victoria Bridge]], in
[[File:George Caverhill House.JPG|thumb|Galt House, Simpson Street, built by [[Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt]] on the land of
A street was named in his honor, called Simpson Street, next to Parc Percy-Walters, McGregor Street, and [[:fr:Maison John-Wilson-McConnell|Maison John-Wilson-McConnell]].<ref>[https://imtl.org/rue_montreal.php?rue=Simpson Imtl.org, Rue Simpson, Montreal]</ref> The park was previously occupied by one of his houses, and was part of his 15 acre estate on [[Mount Royal]].<ref>[http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/simpson_george_8E.html Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Simpson, Sir George]</ref> It was then occupied by Rosemount House, which was built on the land of Governor Simpson and was the home of [[Sir John Rose, 1st Baronet]], and later [[William Watson Ogilvie]]. Galt House was also built on Simpson Street by Canadian Founding Father [[Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt]]. The entrance of Simpson Street is now occupied by [[Sir George Simpson (condominiums)|Sir George Simpson Tower]].
Both Simpson Street and Prince of Wales Terrace were
Shortly after the Princes of Wales's visit, Governor Simpson suffered a massive stroke and died six days later in Lachine.
James Raffan, author of ''Emperor of the North'', was of the view that
Simpson also had
== Children ==
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Simpson sired at least eleven children by at least seven women, only one of whom was his wife.<ref>Raffan 2007, p.432.</ref> While in London he produced two daughters by two unknown women. When he left for Canada they were sent to Scotland to be cared for by his relatives. The eldest, Mary Louisa Simpson, was given a £500 dowry on her marriage and moved to Canada. She has at least 111 descendants. The other daughter died early.
In 1817, he produced a daughter by [[Anglo-Métis|half-Cree]] [[washerwoman]] Betsy Sinclair. Betsy Sinclair was soon passed to an accountant whom he promoted. The daughter married an English botanist and died in a canoe accident on her honeymoon.
James Keith Simpson (1823–1901) is poorly documented. Ann Simpson, born in Montreal in 1828, is known only from her baptismal record. Simpson fathered two sons, George Stewart (1827) and John Mackenzie (1829), with Margaret (Marguerite) Taylor.<ref>[https://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/_docs/hbca/biographical/s/simpson_george-stewart.pdf Simpson, George Stewart (Junior) (
Soon after the birth of John Mackenzie, Simpson left Margaret to [[cousin marriage|marry his cousin]]. Simpson shocked his peers by neglecting to notify Margaret of his marriage or make any arrangements for the future of his two sons.<ref>Van Kirk, Sylvia. ''Many Tender Ties: Women in Fur-Trade Society, 1670–1870''. University of Oklahoma Press, 1983. pp. 186–187.<!--ISSN/ISBN needed--></ref>
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* {{cite book|title=Sir George Simpson: overseas governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, a pen picture of a man of action|author=Arthur Silver Morton|orig-year=1944|publisher=Kessinger Publishing|year=2008|isbn=9781436706650|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h4ACAAAAMAAJ}}
* {{cite book|title=The little emperor: Governor Simpson of the Hudson's Bay company|author=John S. Galbraith|author-link = John Semple Galbraith|publisher=Macmillan of Canada|year=1976|isbn=9780770513894|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hoACAAAAMAAJ}}
* Peter C. Newman (2010). Mavericks: Canadian Rebels, Renegades and Antiheroes. HarperCollins Publishers, pp. 45–78; {{ISBN|9781-554684205}}
* Lahey, D. T. (2011). George Simpson: Blaze of Glory. Publishers: Dundurn Press Ltd; {{ISBN|9781554887736}}
* {{cite book|editor-last = Oliver|editor-first = E. H.|editor-link = Edmund H. Oliver|date = 1914|title = The Canadian North-West|title-link = :IArchive:canadiannorthwes01oliv|location = Ottawa|publisher = Printing Bureau|volume = 1|oclc = 212627069}}
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