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ALEXANDER McCORRISTER (1756-)

NATIVE WOMAN

(Last Updated: March 20, 2015)

 

Alexander McCORRISTER was born around 1756 in St Mary’s, Whitechapel, England. (HBC Archives)
Other surname variations: McCOREST, McCORIST, McCORREST, McCHORISTER, McCHORRISTER, McCORRESTER, McCARRISTER

 

Wikipedia: St Mary Matfelon church, popularly known as St Mary’s, Whitechapel, was an Anglican Church in Whitechapel, London. It was located on Whitechapel Road. Whitechapel is a district in East London, England, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

 

Three-year Contract with the Hudson’s Bay Company
York Fort
1779

 

According to the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives (HBC, HBCA), on May 19, 1779 Alex signed a three-year contract with the HBC as an “armourer”, giving his age as “about 23 years”. He was posted to York Fort on Hudson Bay. In 1871 he was described as “a good Worker, but Shifty”.
Wikipedia: In modern terms, an armourer is a member of a military or police force who works in an armoury and maintains and repairs small arms and weapons systems, with some duties resembling those of a civilian gunsmith.

 

Early HBC Forts

 

Capture of York Fort by LAPEROUSE
1782

 

On Aug 24, 1782 Alex was taken prisoner when York Fort was captured by the French Navigator, Jean-Francois LAPEROUSE (1741-1788). ** MORE ABOUT LAPEROUSE in WIKIPEDIA

 

LAPEROUSE allowed the surviving prisoners, including Governor Samuel Hearne (1745-1792) of Prince of Wales Fort, to sail off to England in exchange for a promise to release French prisoners held in England.

 

March 24, 1783 was the last recorded payment in the HBC ledger for Alexander McCORRISTER.

 

Birth of Alexander McCORRISTER JR.

 

During his term at York Fort, Alexander conceived an only child, Alexander McCORRISTER Jr. with a Native Woman. Alexander Jr. is believed to be the sole ancestor of the McCORRISTER families of Red River.

 

Around 1810 son Alexander Jr. began a connubial relationship with a Metis woman named Catherine JONES at York Factory. On Nov 27, 1827 they were church-wed at St Johns in Red River.

 

Comments and queries at this link: FORUM DISCUSSING the McCORRISTER ANCESTORS of RED RIVER

 

========================== Family Details ==========================

 

Child:
1. c1784 ALEXANDER McCORRISTER JR (m. Catherine JONES)

** MORE ABOUT ALEXANDER McCORRISTER JR

 

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