Simon McGillivray, Jr.

Simon was the twin brother of Joseph. He became a partner in the North West Company shortly before their merger with the Hudson Bay Company in 1821. He inherited from his father half of his lands at Plantagenet, Upper Canada. He married Therese Roy in Minnesota and they were the parents of nine children.

Simon was the first born and oldest of the twins. He was named after his uncle, Simon McGillivray.

According to, Marjorie Campbell in McGillivray, Lord of the Northwest -

He was the twin brother of Joseph and was born at Ile a la Crosse at the North West Company post in the Churchill River basin, where their father was stationed. He was baptized at Christ Church (later Cathedral) in Montreal. The church register records

"Simon and Joseph, twins, sons of William McGillivray, in the Indian country. Born on March 1, 1791. Baptised October 3, 1796. Godfathers Joseph Frobisher and Alexander Mackenzie."

He served with the Canadian Chasseurs in 1812 and entered the service of the North West Company as a clerk in 1813. He was stationed in the Columbia district for some years and then served for a number of years in the Athabaska department and was still there in 1820-1821. He was made a partner of the North West Company before the union of 1821. During 1821-1822 he was granted a leave of absence on account of indifferent health. After spending the summer of 1822 at Fort William, he was appointed to the Lac la Pluie (Rainy Lake) district, where he remained during the next three years. From 1825 to 1827 he was in charge of the Severn district and was then transferred to Fort Resolution, Great Slave Lake, where he remained until 1830. During 1831 and 1832 he took charge at Fort Nez Perces, and later he was stationed in the New Caledonia district until his retirement in 1834. In June 1833 he undertook a voyage by land from Fort St. James in a north-west direction to Simpson's River.

At times he was felt to be heavy handed. During his three years on the Pacific Slopes, George Simpson felt him to be so and had him transferred north after he assaulted a native in 1832. He retired in 1834.

He re-entered the Hudson Bay Company's service in the capacity of a clerk in 1836, when he was appointed to establish the Esquimaux Bay district at Hamilton Inlet, on the Labrador coast, where he remained until 1838. He again became a Chief Trader in 1837 and was later in charge of Chicoutimi on the Saguenay River. In 1839, however, he was ordered to return to the Athabaska district; and he died, on his way hither, in the summer of 1840. His will is on file at Somerset House, in London. ... Documents Relating to the North West Company

Charles Denney's papers say he died one day from Bois dans la Riviere and was buried at the Red River.

According to a copy of Simon's will now preserved in Montreal the bequests were :

(1) to son Edward MacGillivray £200 Cy (2) to son Montrose MacGillivray £200 Cy (3) to son Napoleon Bonaparte MacGillivray £200 Cy (4) to son Frederick MacGillivray £500 Cy (5) to daughter Cecilia MacGillivray, now married to Mr. William Fletcher Lane, HBC clerk, £300 Cy (6) to daughter Mary MacGillivray, married to Mr. James Isbister, "an interpreter or postmaster" with the HBC, £100. She has already upwards of £200 in London in Isbister's name as a marriage portion. (7) to daughter Anne Auldjo MacGillivray £300 [marginal note in another hand, "now married to St. Germain at Red River"] (8) to daughter Susan MacGillivray £300 Cy (9) to daughter Theresa Frances MacGillivray £300 Cy (10) to Therese Roy, "the mother of my aforesaid Children" £25 Cy per annum (11) to natural son John MacGillivray "now living with Joseph Garreaux at Berthier", £50 Cy (12) to "my Sister Elizabeth Jourdain of Berthier", £50 Cy (13) to "Mrs. Francoise Boucher Widow of the late Jos. Macgillivray Esq." £25 Cy (14) to "my revered friend Miss Mary Macgillivray the sister of my lamented Father" £50 Cy (15) to uncle Simon Macgillivray Esq. of London a rifle, hanger and other weapons "all these articles were given to me by my said Uncle and by my late Father" (16) residue to be distributed among the children by the executors, George Simpson and John George Mactavish.

John McLean says he died on the way to the McKenzie River district.

Simon had a natural son, named John who lived at Berthier, Lower Canada.

Simon was the first born and oldest of the twins.

According to, Marjorie Campbell in McGillivray, Lord of the Northwe

He was the twin brother of Joseph and was born at Ile a la Crosse at the North West Company post in the Churchill River basin, where their father was stationed. He was baptized at Christ Church (later Cathedral) in Montreal. The church register records

"Simon and Joseph, twins, sons of William McGillivray, in the Indian country. Born on March 1, 1791. Baptised October 3, 1796. Godfathers Joseph Frobisher and Alexander Mackenzie."

He served with the Canadian Chasseurs in 1812 and entered the service of the North West Company as a clerk in 1813. He was stationed in the Columbia district for some years and then served for a number of years in the Athabaska department and was still there in 1820-1821. He was made a partner of the North West Company before the union of 1821. During 1821-1822 he was granted a leave of absence on account of indifferent health. After spending the summer of 1822 at Fort William, he was appointed to the Lac la Pluie (Rainy Lake) district, where he remained during the next three years.

He is mentioned in Morgan's diary of 1822 as being in the Rainy Lake district. He told Morgan's men not to trade there but when they ran out of provisions in mid December Simon sold them some flour, corn flour and rice flour.

From 1825 to 1827 he was in charge of the Severn district and was then transferred to Fort Resolution, Great Slave Lake, where he remained until 1830. During 1831 and 1832 he took charge at Fort Nez Perces, and later he was stationed in the New Caledonia district until his retirement in 1834. In June 1833 he undertook a voyage by land from Fort St. James in a north-west direction to Simpson's River.

He re-entered the Hudson Bay Company's service in the capacity of a clerk in 1836, when he was appointed to establish the Esquimaux Bay district at Hamilton Inlet, on the Labrador coast, where he remained until 1838. He again became a Chief Trader in 1837 and was later in charge of Chicoutimi on the Saguenay River. In 1839, however, he was ordered to return to the Athabaska district; and he died, on his way hither, in the summer of 1840. His will is on file at Somerset House, in London. ... Documents Relating to the North West Company