William MacTavish of Dunardry

WILLIAM MACTAVISH OF DUNARDRY

Twenty-first Chief of the Clan McTavish, The Hudson's Bay Company's Clerk/Accountantant at York Factory, 1833-46, The Company's Chief Trader at York Factory, 1846-56, Officer in Charge at Fort Garry, 1857-64, Governor of Assiniboia,1858, Acting Governor of Rupert's Land, 1860-62, President of the Courts of Red River and Rupert's Land,1861-62, and Governor of Rupert's Land, 1864-70

William MacTavish of Dunardry was a Scottish-born representative of the Hudson's Bay Company, who acted as governor of Rupert's Land and Assiniboia prior to the transfer of Rupert's Land to Canada and the creation of the province of Manitoba in 1870 Wikipedia He was the eldest son of Dugald Mactavish of Dunardry, an Edinburgh lawyer, and his wife, Letitia Lockhart. He was born at Edinburgh in Midlothian, Scotland, on 29 March 1815 and died at Liverpool in Lancashire, England, on 3 July 1870 Dictionary of Canadian Biography See also The Manitoba Historical Society: Memorable Manitobans

His Last Will and Testament

The last will and testament of William MacTavish of Dunardry will was proved by his wife Sarah, who was named as executrix. Confirmation was granted by the Principal Registry of Her Majesty’s Court Probate on 18 May 1871. At this time the widow was living at number 29 Lower Phillimore-place, Kensington, Middlesex County. This was the home of her sister-in-law, Florence Mactavish (48 years old), and was a very respectable address, outside of the city of London proper at the time. London Gazette

First Marriage a la facon du pays

William MacTavish of Dunardry married Marian Rendall, according to he custom of the country, at York Factory in Manitoba, Canada. They had a daughter named Harriet McTavish, who was born at York Factory in 1850, or 1851. She died at Stromness in Orkney, Scotland, on 10 January 1873 [Registrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Statutory Register of Death for 1873, registration district number 30 (Stromness), entry number 3] and was buried in Stromness Kirkyard [Orkney Family History Society: Monumental Inscriptions in Stromness Kirkyard, Kirkyard (Section A), Inscription A/107]

Children

William McTavish of Dunardry is certainly known to have had two daughters by his country wife, Marian Rendall (aka Margaret Rendall) but there is good reason for believing that they had four children together before he abandoned her at York Factory. All four children were living in Orkney when their father died They follow:

1. William MacTavish
2. Margaret MacTavish
3. Harriet MacTavish
4. Mary MacTavish

Second Marriage

William MacTavish of Dunardry married, Mary Sarah McDermot. The Hudson's Bay Company Archives: Biographical Sheets Mary Sarah McDermot wasthe daughter of Andrew McDermot and his wife Sarah McNab, the daughter of Thomas McNab and a Salteaux woman named Mary Jane.

Children

1. James William McTavish of Dunardry
2. Mary Letitia MacTavish
3. Andrew Dugald McTavish of Dunardry
4. Florence Anne McTavish

Evidence for MacTavish Children in Orkney

      1

7 April 1861: Manse Lane in Stromness: (1) Stewart Loutit, Head, Single, Female, age 35, Housekeeper, born Stromness (2) Margaret Loutit, Sister, Single, Female, age 32, Music Teacher, born Stromness (3) Catherine Loutit, Sister, Single, Female, age 30, Fancy Crochet Worker, born Stromness (4) William McTavish, Visitor, Single, Male, age 17, Scholar, born Canada: Hudson Bay Territory [Orkney Family History Society: 1861 Census Return for Stromness in Orkney]

       2

7 April 1861: Main Street in Stromness: (1) Margaret Mowat, Head, Widow, Female, Age 51, Housekeeper, born Stromness (2) Thomas Mowat, Son,, Male, Age 17, Baker, born Stromness (3) Euphemia Flett, Mother, Widow, Female, Age 80, born Stenness (4) Margaret McTavish, Boarder, Female, Age 15, Scholar, born Canada: York Factory, Hudson Bay (5) Mary McTavish, Boarder, Female, Age 12, Scholar, born Canada: York Factory, Hudson Bay (6) Harriet McTavish, Boarder, Female, Age 11, Scholar, born Canada: York Factory, Hudson Bay, (7) Margaret Anderson, Boarder, Female, Age15, Scholar, born Canada: York Factory, Hudson Bay [Orkney Family History Society: 1861 Census Return for Stromness in Orkney, Scotland]

      3

Death registration certificate of William McTavish, pupil, boarder (Single), died at the United Presbyterian Manse in the parish of Firth, on 2 February 1863, age 18 years, parents not named, cause of death was Epilepsy. The death was registered on information supplied by Alexander Bain, Procurator Fiscal [Registrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Statutory Register of Death for 1863, registration district number 17 (Firth), entry number 3]

       4

2 April 1871: Alfred Street in Stromness: (1) Margaret Mowat, Head, Widow, Female, Age 62, born Stromness (2) Margaret McTavish, Boarder, Single, Female, Age 26, Dressmaker, born Canada: Hudson Bay (3) Harriet McTavish, Boarder, Single, Female, Age 20, Milliner, born Canada: Hudson Bay [Orkney Family History Society: 1871 Census Return for Stromness in Orkney, Scotland]

       5

Death registration certificate of Harriet McTavish, Mantua Maker (illegitimate), single, died at Stromness, at midnight on 10 January 1873, age 25 years, daughter of William McTavish, Chief Factor, Hudson's Bay Co. (deceased), and Marian Rendall. Harriet’s death was registered by her guardian, George Halcro. [Registrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Statutory Register of Deaths for 1873, registration district number 30 (Stromness), entry number 3] Image of Death Registration

       6

In memory of Harriet McTavish died 10 Jan 1873 aged 82 [Orkney Family History Society: Monumental Inscriptions in Stromness Kirkyard (Section A), inscription A/107]

Note: Harriet McTavish was not 82 years old when she died. Her Guardian, George Halcro, reported her death to the local registrar and gave up her age as 25 years and the census returns for 1861 and 1871 suggest that she was about 22 years of age when she died.

         7

Marriage Registration for Mary McTavish, school teacher, and Angus Malcolm McGillvray, teacher, dated 16 September 1879: Mary McTavish is said to be the daughter of William McTavish, Hudson Bay Governor, and Margaret Rendall. [Reigistrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Statutory Register of Marriage for 1879, registration district number 30 (Stromness), entry number 13] Image of Marriage Registration

Biographical Accounts

1. Wikipedia: William McTavish
2. Dictionary of Canadian Biography: William McTavish
3. Memorable Manitobans: William McTavish
4. Hudson's Bay Company Archives: Biographical Sheet for William McTavish