Martin McLeod (April 13, 1813 – November 20, 1860) was an American fur trader, pioneer, and territorial legislator in

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

. McLeod was born in

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, Canada and had Scottish ancestry. He worked as a clerk in

and then traveled to

Fort Snelling Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The military site was initially named Fort Saint Anth ...

Wisconsin Territory The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin. Belmont was ...

in 1837. He worked as a trader for the

American Fur Company The American Fur Company (AFC) was founded in 1808, by John Jacob Astor, a German immigrant to the United States. During the 18th century, furs had become a major commodity in Europe, and North America became a major supplier. Several British co ...

, overseeing trade with the

Sisseton Sisseton is a city in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,479 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Roberts County. Sisseton is the home to a number of tourist attractions, including the Nicollet Tower, and ...

and Wahpeton bands. McLeod served in the Minnesota Territorial Council from 1849 to 1851 and from 1852 to 1853. McLeod served as president of the territorial council. He also served as chairman of the town of Bloomington,

Minnesota Territory The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Minnesota and wester ...

and as a commissioner for

Hennepin County, Minnesota Hennepin County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Its county seat is Minneapolis, the state's most populous city. The county is named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. The county extends from Minneapol ...

Family

McLeod married Mary Elizabeth Ortley in 1837 or 1838. The couple had five children, Walter Scott (b. 1841), John (b. 1843), Mary Elizabeth (b. 1844), Janet (b. 1848), and Isabella (b. 1851).The McLeods, an Anglo-Dakota Family in Early Minnesota, Minnesota History, Summer 2007

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McLeod, Martin 1813 births 1860 deaths Pre-Confederation Canadian emigrants to the United States People from Bloomington, Minnesota Politicians from Montreal Members of the Minnesota Territorial Legislature 19th-century American politicians American fur traders American Fur Company people