George McBeath (c. 1740 – December 3, 1812) was a

fur trade The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...

r, businessman and political figure in Lower Canada. He was born in Scotland around 1740 and came to Quebec around 1760. McBeath entered the fur trade in 1765, travelling to the Lake Superior region. In 1772, he became part of a company based at Michilimackinac. He became partners with

Simon McTavish Simon McTavish may refer to * Simon McTavish (kayaker) (born 1996), Canadian sprint kayaker * Simon McTavish (fur trader) Simon McTavish (1750 – 6 July 1804), of Montreal was a Scottish-born fur trader and the chief founding partner ...

and then went into business on his own. With Peter Pond and others, McBeath purchased shares in the

North West Company The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what is present-day Western Canada and Northwestern Ontario. With great weal ...

, which he held until 1787. He settled at L'Assomption in 1785. He was one of the founders of the Beaver Club at Montreal. McBeath was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada in a 1793 by-election held after the death of François-Antoine Larocque. He was named justice of the peace for Montreal district in 1795 and, in 1799, he was appointed customs collector for the port of St Johns (later

Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu () is a city in eastern Montérégie in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec, about southeast of Montreal. It is situated on the west bank of the Richelieu River at the northernmost naviga ...

). McBeath also served as lieutenant-colonel in the militia and was reportedly a

Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

. He died at Montreal in 1812.

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:McBeath, George 1812 deaths Members of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada Canadian fur traders North West Company people Scottish emigrants to pre-Confederation Quebec Year of birth uncertain Immigrants to New France