RICHARD HARDISTY (1790-1865) (Last Updated: June 25, 2014)
Richard HARDISTY was born May 12, 1790 in St Martin's-in-the-Fields, London, Middlesex, England.
In 1817 Richard sailed to Moose Factory aboard the Eddystone, having been hired as a clerk by the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC). ** MORE ABOUT RICHARD HARDISTY in HBC ARCHIVES
Between 1817 and 1833 Richard served as a clerk at various posts around the south end of James Bay, in the Mosse and Ruperts River Districts including Moose Factory, Waswanipi, Eastmain, Misstassinn and Ruperts House.
Marriage to Margaret SUTHERLAND
Around 1820 Richard was married to Margaret SUTHERLAND; daughter Hannah was born around that time. Margaret was a daughter of John SUTHERLAND (1758-1813) from Scotland who died in 1813 when Margaret was only about 10-11 years old. Her father was an HBC trader based in the Albany District the whole of his life but who made frequent trips far inland. He is noted for establishing Fort Ellice on the Qu’Appelle River in 1793-94.
Union of the North West Company with the Hudson’s Bay Company
In 1821 the union of the North West Company (NWC) and the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) occurred, ending the years of bitter rivalry for dominance of the fur trade in Western Canada. George SIMPSON (1786-1860) became the Governor of the Company’s Northern Department.
In 1822 William WILLIAMS (1770-1837) was transferred to Moose Factory as the new Governor of the Southern Department which included the region where Richard HARDISTY was serving his apprenticeship. In 1826 William WILLIAMS was recalled to England, and Alexander CHRISTIE (1792-1872) became the Chief Factor for the Moose District. Richard HARDISTY had previously served under CHRISTIE when he was the Chief Factor of the Kenogamissee District. ** MORE ABOUT ALEXANDER CHRISTIE in DCBO
Chief Trader Temiscamingue District
In 1834 Richard was promoted to the position of a Chief Trader in the Tmiscamingue District.
Photo by Jack Humphrey
During the outfit year 1836-37 Richard was the Chief Trader at Lake Nipissing; and from 1837 to 1848 at Matawagamingue in the Kenogamissee District.
Richard sends his sons to the Red River Boarding School
By 1844 all of Richard’s children had been born; they were Hannah (age 24), William (22), Isabelle (19), Joseph (16), Richard Jr., (14), Mary (10), George (8), Henry(5), Thomas (age 2) and baby Charlotte. That year Richard sent his youngest sons to the Red River Boarding School. These were William, Joseph, Richard and George, and he was planning to send Henry as well.
In 1844 the aforementioned Alexander CHRISITE was the Chief Factor at Upper Fort Garry and the Governor of Assiniboia (Red River). Several years earlier he had purchased the Red River Boarding School for the HBC from Reverend David JONES (1796-1844) and later sold it to his successor, John MACALLUM (1806-1849). The boarding school was also known as the Red River Academy. ** MORE ABOUT REVEREND JOHN MACALLUM in DCBO North West River – Esquimaux Bay District
From 1848 to 1852 Richard was the Chief Trader at North West River in the Esquimaux Bay District (Rigolet on map below). In 1851 daughter Isabella married James GRANT at Rigolet, an apprentice clerk who was a distant cousin (born 1820 in Scotland). Also in 1851 daughter Mary married Joseph Edward McPHERSON at Fort Simpson (NWT), son of Jean SMITH and Murdoch McPHERSON (1796-1863), Chief Factor for the HBC at Fort Simpson.
In 1852 daughter Isabella gave birth to as son (James Hardisty GRANT) at Rigolet, but soon after she and James GRANT separated (the marriage was later annulled) and Isabella moved in with Donald (later Lord Strathcona) SMITH (1820-1914). In 1852-53 Richard appointed Donald SMITH as a Chief Trader, and then took a leave of absence (furlough). From 1853 to 1856 Richard returned to duty as the Chief Factor at Weymontachingue in the St Maurice District (shown on map at the top).
In 1856 Richard was allowed a leave of absence, but in 1857 he returned to duty back on James Bay where he began his career, this time as Chief Trader in charge of the Albany District at Fort Albany until he retired on June 1, 1861.
Chief Trader Richard Hardisty and his wife Margaret Sutherland
Around 1845 eldest daughter Hannah married Walter FARIES from the Kinogamissi District, son of Hugh FARIES (1779-1852), an HBC voyageur.
In 1851 daughter Isabella married James GRANT (an HBC clerk born around 1830 in Scotland). After one child (James, born in 1852), Isabella re-married in 1853 to Donald “Lord Strathcona” SMITH (1820-1914) who at the time was the Post Manager at Rigolet (Esquimauz Bay, Labrador).
Around 1856 eldest son William Lucas married Mary Ann ALLEN at Fort Yukon, daughter of Charlotte SCARBOROUGH and Robert ALLEN (1800-1845), an HBC seaman from England.
Canadian Confederation
On July 1, 1867 the British colonies in North America were united under the British North American Act to become the Dominion of Canada. Sir John A MacDONALD (1815-1891) became the first Prime Minister.William McDOUGALL (1822-1905) became the Minister of Public Works, and he began nnegotiations to acquire Rupert’s Land from the HBC.
In 1869 Richard accompanied his son-in-law Donald SMITH to Upper Fort Garry.
In the 1871 Census Widow Margaret HARDISY was recorded in Lachine as 70 years old. With her was youngest son Thomas (age 29, a clerk).
In 1873 son Joseph (then a clerk at La Cloche, Lake Huron) married Elizabeth Kate DANCE of uncertain origins (said to have been born 1847 in England).
In 1876 Margaret (nee SUTHERLAND) HARDISTY died in Lachine, Quebec.
Comments and queries at this link: FORUM DISCUSSING the RICHARD HARDISTY FAMILY
========================== Family Details ==========================
Children: ** MORE ABOUT WILLIAM LUCAS HARDISTY 3. May 4, 1825 ISABELLA SOPHIA HARDISTY (m1. James GRANT, m2. Donald SMITH)
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