Sir George Simpson - Rationale for Profiles Inclusion in Metis in Canada

You may be interested in reading this piece on George Simpson - not the first I've heard of this man's character.

(I)-George Simpson (1787/92-1860) an illegitimate Scot, son George Simpson d-1860 Lachine near Montreal. He likely had an inferiority complex because of the nature of his birth and lack of stature. This might also account for his distain of women. Joined HBC (1817-1860) sent men he didn't like to New Caledonia (British Columbia) He established policy that his officers make alliances (country marriages) with important Indian families to improve trade. In exchange for their daughters, the Indians would have access to supplies from the forts. Other accounts suggest he forbid his lower ranking men from marrying Indians or Metis unless it was his cast offs of which 6 were known. The Hudson Bay Company policy was that a man was not legally bound to these relationships when he moved to another post, as there was no longer an economic advantage. He was however expected to maintain the woman and her Metis children until she was "under the protection of another" or in a new relationship with another man. The agreement from a H.B.C. perspective was that of a mistress, concubine not as a wife.

(I)-Sir George Simpson (1787/92-1860) an illegitimate Scot, was a vile man when it came to country women. He referred to them as bits of brown, commodities and brown jugs when he referred to them at all. He disrespected the customs of the country. He abandoned his own women with no concern for their feelings and showed only minor concern for his Metis children. By modern standards he would be considered as a psychopath. Most of the Men of the North West Company did not endorse this uncivilized H.B.C. policy however many Scottish and English traders followed the example of Simpson. Some considered him as 'quite mad'. Others suggest he had an inferiority complex because of his short stature.

He was described as cold hearted. The people called him "the Little Emperor". He wore a top hat and long black coat and had a piper, pipe him into posts. He took a hard line with the Indian people, their character and nature demanded "a proper state of subordination". Bottom line he was a repugnant man with morals of an alley cat. He was a serious bigamist who abandoned wives and children. That he was knighted speaks loudly about British values concerning authoritarian dictatorship at this time.
He arrived Quebec 1820 and proceeded directly to Athabasca (Alberta).

He became Governor of Rupert's Land and Columbia District for HBC. He maintained homes in Red River and Lachine, Montreal, Quebec.

He married at least 7 times; He paradoxically, opposed marriages between other fur traders and Indian or Metis women.

Wife #1 is unrecorded, in Scotland but known abandoned children are:
(II)-Marie Louisa Simpson b-1815 Scotland married Donald McTavish
(II)-Isabella Simpson b-1817 Scotland married James Cook Gordon

Wife #2 is (II)-Elizabeth Betsy Sinclair daughter (I)-William Sinclair and Margaret (Nahoway Cree) she was passed off to (I)-Robert Seaborn Miles Sr. (1795-1870) in 1822, wife and daughter was abandoned.
(II)-Maria Simpson Miles Metis (1822-1838), daughter (II)-Elizabeth; she married Robert Wallace

Wife #3 goes unrecorded and were also abandoned;
(II)-James Keith Simpson Metis b-1823
(II)-Unamed Simpson Metis

Wife #4 is (II)-Maria ( Betsey) Miles Metis d-1838 daughter (I)-Robert Seaborn Miles (1795-1870) and Elizabeth Betsay Sinclair Metis (1805-1822), this wife and children were also adandoned.
(II)-Mary Keith Simpson Metis
(II)-Ann Foster Simpson Metis(II)-Margaret Simpson Metis

Wife #5 about 1826 Margaret Taylor (1810-1816), wife and children were abandoned and he didn't have the common courtesy of telling her he had remarried.
(II)-George Stewart Simpson Metis (1827-1894)
(II)-John Simpson Metis b-1829

Married his 6th wife about 1830 Cousin Frances Ramsey Simpson (1812-1853) daughter Feddes MacKenzie Simpson and they came to New York, then on to Montreal, then on to Red River (1830-1833).

Non white wives were not welcome in the Simpson household. This caused great consternation in the Red River des Metis community.

Frances would discover her husband was not a very warm and loving personality. She likely discovered he had many wives and she was no different. They were forced to relocate to Lachine in 1834, due to harassment by the Metis community. She soon retreated to England 1840 but returned to Lachine Quebec in 1845 and died there 1853.
(II)-George Geddes Simpson (1831-1832)
(II)-Francois Webster Fanny Simpson b-1833
(II)-Augusta D'Este Gussy Simpson b-1841
(II)-Margaret Mackenzie (Maggie) b-1843

Married his 7th wife a Lachine girl
(II)-John Henry Pelly Simpson Metis? b-1850

http://www.agt.net/public/dgarneau/french42.htm (1820)

Further to @Sir George Simpson I will not dispute that he was a questionable character, so thanks for the information. What are your thoughts of having such non-Metis, included in a project called 'Metis in Canada. I believe I likely need to ask the managers of @Sir George Simpson this question?

@i think Sir George Simpson was very prejudice and treated women like dirt to be honest i think he was a disgusting person sure glad i didnot know him Judy Rice

@my grandfather Israel Tekarihoken was a fur trapper and so was my father Arthur Rice they sold their pelts to hbc to think this is how he made his fortune so upsetting Judy Rice

Thanks Judy, for your input, just talking about the impact of individuals on Metis history for me helps with my frustration.

I Know how you feel my dad was sent to resedential school when he was 7 yrs old he was taken from Kahnawake Que and sent to Spanish Ont he was mentally and pyhsically abused he did not tell us about are native blood until we were 22 years old i was lucky to know are last name as his parents had died before he got married Judy Rice

Thanks Judy, for your story of resiliency, my own ancestral resiliency sustains my feelings around colonization of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada.

@I think he should be in the project just to show how prejudice he was and his true colours towards the native people i also blame the government of Canada for taking children away from their parents and not growing up in a loving family no body took the parents into consideration and their feeling what a tragety all to wipe out a nation Judy Rice

Okay, I see your wisdom, we have to know of those figures from history that have impacted upon Metis Nation!

I agree that he should be included so people will know that George Simpson was responsible for creating much of the prejudice against the Metis. Prior to his marriage to his cousin from England, the Metis were very much a part of the society of Red River. Then they were made to feel like outcasts, no longer welcome and that was the beginning of the shame that many Metis have shared since. I too didn't know of my heritage until I was an adult and it was accidental that I did find out. I feel great sadness that many people have felt it necessary to deny or feel ashamed of who they were and recognizing the cause may be healing.

Thanks Vada, the learning process is for me is special, in that I would not have ever thought of such a maligned figure as Simpson being so real in a discussion of present-day Metis identity. There''s a saying I identify with recently, is 'you can't know what you don't know.'