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Lt.-Colonel The Hon. Roderick Mackenzie of Terrebonne (c.1761 − August 15, 1844) was a prominent
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
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, landowner and politician. He was a partner 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 ...
and a member of the Beaver Club
The Beaver Club was a gentleman's dining club founded in 1785 by the predominantly English-speaking men who had gained control of the fur trade of Montreal. According to the club's rules, the object of their meeting was "to bring together, at sta ...
at 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 ...
. He was a lifelong friend and the private confidant
The confidant ( or ; feminine: confidante, same pronunciation) is a character in a story whom a protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing ...
of his first cousin, Sir Alexander Mackenzie
Sir Alexander Mackenzie (or MacKenzie, gd, Alasdair MacCoinnich; – 12 March 1820) was a Scottish explorer known for accomplishing the first crossing of America north of Mexico in 1793. The Mackenzie River is named after him.
Early life
...
. He was an intellectual who established a library
A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...
at Fort Chipewyan
Fort Chipewyan , commonly referred to as Fort Chip, is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada, within the Regional Municipality (RM) of Wood Buffalo. It is located on the western tip of Lake Athabasca, adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park, approx ...
and both wrote and published works on the fur trade. In 1801 he made his home at Terrebonne, Quebec
Terrebonne () is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is located in the North Shore region of the Montreal area, north of Laval across the Rivière des Mille-Îles.
This city is divided in three sectors, namely ...
, purchasing the Seigneury
''Seigneur'' is an originally feudal title in France before the Revolution, in New France and British North America until 1854, and in the Channel Islands to this day. A seigneur refers to the person or collective who owned a ''seigneurie'' (o ...
in 1814, although he was forced by a court action to relinquish his title to the property in 1824. He continued to live there until his death. He held many public appointments, most notably as a member of the Legislative Council of Lower Canada
The Legislative Council of Lower Canada was the upper house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The upper house consisted of appointed councillors who voted on bills passed up by the Legislative Assembly ...
.
Early life
Roderick Mackenzie was born in theScottish Highlands
The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Sco ...
at Achiltibuie
Achiltibuie (; gd, Achd Ille Bhuidhe or ''Field of the yellow-haired boy'') is a long linear village in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, on the Coigach coast of northwestern Scotland, overlooking Badentarbet Bay to the west. Loch Broom and the Summ ...
in about 1761. He was the second son of Alexander Mackenzie (1737−1789) of Achnaclerach, who was killed after falling from his horse following a dinner at Brahan Castle with his cousin, the Chief of Clan Mackenzie
Clan Mackenzie ( gd, Clann Choinnich ) is a Scottish clan, traditionally associated with Kintail and lands in Ross-shire in the Scottish Highlands. Traditional genealogies trace the ancestors of the Mackenzie chiefs to the 12th century. However ...
. Roderick's father was the grandson of James Mackenzie (d.1746) of Keppoch and Kildonan, a first cousin of John Mackenzie (d. 1731), 2nd Earl of Cromartie
Earl of Cromartie () is a title that has been created twice, both for members of the Mackenzie family. It was first created as Earl of Cromarty in the Peerage of Scotland in 1703 for Sir George Mackenzie, 2nd Baronet, but his titles were forfei ...
, and Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Bt. Roderick's mother, Catherine Mackenzie, was the niece of Murdoch Mackenzie, 6th Laird
Laird () is the owner of a large, long-established Scottish estate. In the traditional Scottish order of precedence, a laird ranked below a baron and above a gentleman. This rank was held only by those lairds holding official recognition in ...
of Fairburn. Her brother, Kenneth 'Corc' Mackenzie (1731−1780), of Stornoway
Stornoway (; gd, Steòrnabhagh; sco, Stornowa) is the main town of the Western Isles and the capital of Lewis and Harris in Scotland.
The town's population is around 6,953, making it by far the largest town in the Outer Hebrides, as well a ...
, was the father of Sir Alexander Mackenzie
Sir Alexander Mackenzie (or MacKenzie, gd, Alasdair MacCoinnich; – 12 March 1820) was a Scottish explorer known for accomplishing the first crossing of America north of Mexico in 1793. The Mackenzie River is named after him.
Early life
...
.
In 1767, his father and grandmother lost the tack
TACK is a group of archaea acronym for Thaumarchaeota (now Nitrososphaerota), Aigarchaeota, Crenarchaeota (now Thermoproteota), and Korarchaeota, the first groups discovered. They are found in different environments ranging from acidophilic the ...
of Achiltibuie
Achiltibuie (; gd, Achd Ille Bhuidhe or ''Field of the yellow-haired boy'') is a long linear village in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, on the Coigach coast of northwestern Scotland, overlooking Badentarbet Bay to the west. Loch Broom and the Summ ...
. It is widely thought that Roderick was sent to live with his uncle, Kenneth Mackenzie, at Stornoway
Stornoway (; gd, Steòrnabhagh; sco, Stornowa) is the main town of the Western Isles and the capital of Lewis and Harris in Scotland.
The town's population is around 6,953, making it by far the largest town in the Outer Hebrides, as well a ...
, where he developed his lifelong friendship with his first cousin, Sir Alexander Mackenzie
Sir Alexander Mackenzie (or MacKenzie, gd, Alasdair MacCoinnich; – 12 March 1820) was a Scottish explorer known for accomplishing the first crossing of America north of Mexico in 1793. The Mackenzie River is named after him.
Early life
...
. He was educated with his cousin at the same school as Colin Mackenzie
Colonel Colin Mackenzie CB (1754–8 May 1821) was Scottish army officer in the British East India Company who later became the first Surveyor General of India. He was a collector of antiquities and an orientalist. He surveyed southern India, ...
. In 1784, at Alexander's invitation, Roderick came out to 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 ...
.
Fur trade
In 1785, Mackenzie was employed as a clerk and as his cousinAlexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
's assistant in the fur trading firm of Gregory, McLeod & Co., of 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 ...
. Mackenzie spent the winter of 1786/87 at Pinehouse Lake
Pinehouse Lake is a lake in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The northern village of Pinehouse is located on the western shore.
The Churchill River flows in from Sandy Lake into the north-west end of the lake at McDonald Bay and flows out thro ...
, reporting that the rival between their firm and 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 ...
had resulted in the murder of one of their firm's wintering partners. To end the tension, 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 ...
invited Gregory, McLeod & Co., to become part of 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 ...
.
In 1787, Alexander persuaded Roderick not to leave the 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 ...
(viewing his position as a clerk akin to slavery) and he joined Alexander in Athabasca
Athabasca (also Athabaska) is an anglicized version of the Cree name for Lake Athabasca in Canada, āthap-āsk-ā-w (pronounced ), meaning "grass or reeds here and there". Most places named Athabasca are found in Alberta, Canada.
Athabasca may a ...
to establish Fort Chipewyan
Fort Chipewyan , commonly referred to as Fort Chip, is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada, within the Regional Municipality (RM) of Wood Buffalo. It is located on the western tip of Lake Athabasca, adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park, approx ...
as the NWC's headquarters in the region. It was here that Roderick established a library
A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...
(see section 'Private Life'). During Alexander's many absences on his voyages, Roderick was left in charge, eventually succeeding him in 1794 when Alexander returned to 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 ...
. In 1795, Roderick was made a partner of 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 ...
.
Returning to 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 ...
in 1800, Mackenzie was made a partner in the newly organised firm of
McTavish, Frobisher & Co. Other partners included William McGillivray
Lt.-Colonel The Hon. William McGillivray (1764 – 16 October 1825), of Chateau St. Antoine, Montreal, was a Scottish-born fur trader who succeeded his uncle as the last chief partner of the North West Company. He was elected a member of the Leg ...
, Duncan McGillivray
Duncan McGillivray (April 9, 1808), born in Inverness-shire, Scotland, was an explorer and fur trader in the Western Canada.
In the mid 1790s, he served as the North West Company's clerk at Fort George in what is now Alberta, and he later acco ...
and William Hallowell. He agreed to spend one last winter (1800/01) in Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces, Canadian West or the Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West, is a Canadian region that includes the four western provinces just north of the Canada ...
, before settling down to live at Terrebonne
Terrebonne, meaning ''good earth'' in French, is a name of several places in North America:
;Canada
*Terrebonne, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal
** Terrebonne station, a commuter railway station in Terrebonne, Quebec
**Terrebonne City Council, the go ...
. Having retired as a wintering partner of the NWC, he surrendered one of his two shares, and gave up the other when the NWC absorbed the XY Company
The XY Company also known as the New North West Company was a joint-stock fur trading enterprise based in Montreal that conducted business chiefly in the Canadian Northwest between 1798 and 1804. Fort William until 1808.
In 1806, McTavish, Frobisher & Co. became McTavish, McGillivrays & Co., and Mackenzie retired from the firm in 1813. His one fifteenth share was bought out by the other partners for £10,000. From about 1805 until 1825, he had entered into a business partnership with his brother, Henry, in the firm of Mackenzie, Oldham & Co., whose partners included the Hallowells and several other prominent
/ref> While wintering in the North West he not only had books sent for him on a regular basis, but also established a
Roderick Mackenzie's home in Terrebonne
was one of the best-known in the area, with a six-stepped porch and four white columns supporting a second floor balcony. Mackenzie's brother-in-law,
While in the North West, Mackenzie took a country wife, by whom he had four children. In 1803, at
Roderick Mackenzie's home at TerrebonneRoderic Mackenzie: Forts and Fur
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackenzie, Roderick 1761 births 1844 deaths Scottish emigrants to Canada North West Company people Businesspeople from Quebec Pre-Confederation Quebec people People from Ross and Cromarty Members of the Council of Assiniboia 19th-century Canadian businesspeople
fur trader
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 ...
s. He had retained a financial connection with McTavish & McGillivrays which went bankrupt in 1825. Mackenzie successfully sued the partners (that included his brother Henry) for £7,308 plus interest. He was unable to collect on the debt and in 1832 sold his claim to Samuel Gerrard
Samuel Gerrard (1767 – March 24, 1857) was a Canadian fur trader, businessman, militia officer, justice of the peace, politician, and seigneur. He was the second president of the Bank of Montreal. From 1838 to 1841, he was a member of the ...
for £6,500.
Public appointments
In 1812, Mackenzie was commissioned Lt.-Colonel of the Terrebonnemilitia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
. From 1804 to 1816, he was Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
for the Indian Territory, and from 1821 to 1839 he was the same for the districts of 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 ...
, Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières (, – 'Three Rivers') is a city in the Mauricie administrative region of Quebec, Canada, at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice River, Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence River, Saint Lawrence rivers, on the north shore of the Sain ...
, Gaspé, and Saint-François. He was Commissioner of Roads and Bridges for Effingham County in 1817 and promoted improvements to the Rivière des Prairies
The Rivière des Prairies (; ), called the Back River in English, is a delta channel of the Ottawa River in southwestern Quebec, Canada. The Kanien'kehá:ka called it ''Skowanoti'', meaning "River behind the island". The river separates the citi ...
in 1819. He was also Commissioner for free schools at Terrebonne–Effingham in 1809, and on a commission to study the best means of building a bridge between 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 ...
and the mainland in 1832.
His most important appointment came in 1817, when he was placed on the Legislative Council of Lower Canada
The Legislative Council of Lower Canada was the upper house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The upper house consisted of appointed councillors who voted on bills passed up by the Legislative Assembly ...
, solidifying his standing as one of the most important men in Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada (french: province du Bas-Canada) was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence (1791–1841). It covered the southern portion of the current Province of Quebec an ...
. He was very active in the 1820s and enjoyed a close relationship with the Governor, George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie
General George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie, (23 October 1770 – 21 March 1838), styled Lord Ramsay until 1787, and Baron Dalhousie from 1815, was a Scottish soldier and colonial administrator. He was Governor of Nova Scotia from 1816 to 182 ...
. He supported the joining of Lower
Lower may refer to:
*Lower (surname)
*Lower Township, New Jersey
*Lower Receiver (firearms)
*Lower Wick
Lower Wick is a small hamlet located in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is situated about five miles south west of Dursley, eight ...
and Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the ...
, and vigorously opposed the Patriote
The patriotes movement was a political movement that existed in Lower Canada (present-day Quebec) from the turn of the 19th century to the Patriote Rebellion of 1837 and 1838 and the subsequent Act of Union of 1840. The partisan embodiment of ...
majority in the Legislative Assembly.
Private life
Mackenzie was a tough and resourceful man, but he was also an intellectual and fluentlybilingual
Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. More than half of all E ...
.Roderick Mackenzie - ABC Bookworld/ref> While wintering in the North West he not only had books sent for him on a regular basis, but also established a
library
A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...
for 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 ...
employees at Fort Chipewyan
Fort Chipewyan , commonly referred to as Fort Chip, is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada, within the Regional Municipality (RM) of Wood Buffalo. It is located on the western tip of Lake Athabasca, adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park, approx ...
in Athabasca
Athabasca (also Athabaska) is an anglicized version of the Cree name for Lake Athabasca in Canada, āthap-āsk-ā-w (pronounced ), meaning "grass or reeds here and there". Most places named Athabasca are found in Alberta, Canada.
Athabasca may a ...
, which led them to refer to the Fort as "the little Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
of the Arctic
The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...
regions". On settling at Terrebonne
Terrebonne, meaning ''good earth'' in French, is a name of several places in North America:
;Canada
*Terrebonne, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal
** Terrebonne station, a commuter railway station in Terrebonne, Quebec
**Terrebonne City Council, the go ...
he spent much of his time collecting information on the Canadian 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 ...
, native Indians and the natural history of Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces, Canadian West or the Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West, is a Canadian region that includes the four western provinces just north of the Canada ...
. Much of the information that he gathered was collected and published as ''Les Bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest'', by his granddaughter's husband, The Hon. Louis-Rodrigue Masson
Louis-Rodrigue Masson, (baptized Louis-François-Roderick Masson) (6 November 1833 – 8 November 1903) was a Canadian Member of Parliament, Senator, and the fifth Lieutenant Governor of Quebec. He represented Terrebonne in the House of Co ...
. Mackenzie collected and posthumously published a copy of Simon Fraser's journal relating to his voyage from the Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...
to the Pacific coast
Pacific coast may be used to reference any coastline that borders the Pacific Ocean.
Geography Americas
Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western or southwestern border, except for Panama, where the Pac ...
in 1808. He is also credited as the author of the introduction to his cousin, Sir Alexander Mackenzie
Sir Alexander Mackenzie (or MacKenzie, gd, Alasdair MacCoinnich; – 12 March 1820) was a Scottish explorer known for accomplishing the first crossing of America north of Mexico in 1793. The Mackenzie River is named after him.
Early life
...
's, book ''Voyages from Montreal'', which gives an overall history of the fur trade at that time. Roderick Mackenzie was a member of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec
The Literary and Historical Society of Quebec (LHSQ) was the first historical society, and one of the first learned societies, in Canada. It was founded in 1824 by George Ramsay, Earl of Dalhousie, governor of British North America. Its headquar ...
and of the American Antiquarian Society
The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a learned society and a national research library of pre-twentieth-century American history and culture. Founded in 1812, it is the oldest historical society in ...
. He was also a fellow of the "Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries" at Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
, Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
.
Roderick Mackenzie, though less of a maverick, was a great deal more diplomatic than his better known cousin, Sir Alexander. The two were close friends and Roderick publicly supported his cousin throughout his many ventures, while being Alexander's private confidant
The confidant ( or ; feminine: confidante, same pronunciation) is a character in a story whom a protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing ...
. When Alexander quarrelled 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 left 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 ...
, Roderick reluctantly filled the vacancy offered to him by McTavish. This incident resulted in Alexander ceasing his correspondence with Roderick from 1800 to 1805. However, from 1805 they resumed their close friendship uninterrupted until their deaths.
Terrebonne
In 1814, Mackenzie purchased theSeigneury
''Seigneur'' is an originally feudal title in France before the Revolution, in New France and British North America until 1854, and in the Channel Islands to this day. A seigneur refers to the person or collective who owned a ''seigneurie'' (o ...
of Terrebonne
Terrebonne, meaning ''good earth'' in French, is a name of several places in North America:
;Canada
*Terrebonne, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal
** Terrebonne station, a commuter railway station in Terrebonne, Quebec
**Terrebonne City Council, the go ...
from the estate of his deceased brother-in-law, 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 ...
. He paid an initial £8,000 and agreed to pay a further £1,200 a year until the total of £28,000 was settled. Mackenzie intended to continue McTavish's developments and had made plans to raise the annual revenue from £1,000 to £3,000. However, his sister-in-law, Marie-Marguerite (Chaboillez) McTavish, disagreed with the sale stating that the executors of her late husband's will had exceeded their authority in allowing it to be sold. A court action was brought against Mackenzie and in 1824 he was forced to relinquish his title to the property.Roderick Mackenzie's home in Terrebonne
was one of the best-known in the area, with a six-stepped porch and four white columns supporting a second floor balcony. Mackenzie's brother-in-law,
Joseph Bouchette
Lt.-Colonel Joseph Bouchette (May 14, 1774 – April 8, 1841) was the Canadian Surveyor-General of British North America. His book, ''Topographical Description of the Province of Lower Canada'' was published at London in 1815 and also translated in ...
, visited Terrebonne in 1815 and remarked, "...the mansion of Roderick Mackenzie, which is worthy of remark for the elegance of its construction; indeed there are several houses in a very superior style to be found in this village, it being a favoured spot, where many gentlemen, who have realised large fortunes 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 ...
fur trade retire to enjoy the comforts and luxuries of private life".Les Écossais: The Pioneer Scots of Lower Canada, 1763-1855 (2006) By Lucille H. Campey Mackenzie lived there with his family from 1801 until his death at the house in 1844.
Family
While in the North West, Mackenzie took a country wife, by whom he had four children. In 1803, at 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 ...
, he married Marie-Louise-Rachel Chaboillez, daughter of Charles Chaboillez. Through this marriage he became the brother-in-law of 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 connected to Joseph Frobisher
The Hon. Joseph Frobisher (April 15, 1748 – September 12, 1810) M.P., J.P., was one of Montreal's most important fur traders. He was elected to the 1st Parliament of Lower Canada and was a seigneur with estates totalling 57,000 acres. ...
, who was married to his wife's first cousin. They were the parents of two sons and three daughters who survived infancy. Roderick Mackenzie's nine surviving children were:
*Nancy Mackenzie (c. 1790−1851), was the country wife of John George McTavish, partner of 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 ...
and member of the Beaver Club
The Beaver Club was a gentleman's dining club founded in 1785 by the predominantly English-speaking men who had gained control of the fur trade of Montreal. According to the club's rules, the object of their meeting was "to bring together, at sta ...
, through his kinsman 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 ...
. He was the second son of the Chief of Clan MacTavish
Clan MacTavish is an Ancient Highland Scottish clan.
History
Origins
Notwithstanding several and varied origin traditions, the MacTavishes may have come from Ireland to Scotland during the years of the Scoto-Irish settlement era. Very old Iri ...
, Dugald MacTavish (1782−1855), of Kilchrist Castle; Sheriff of Campbeltown
Campbeltown (; gd, Ceann Loch Chille Chiarain or ) is a town and former royal burgh in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies by Campbeltown Loch on the Kintyre peninsula. Campbeltown became an important centre for Scotch whisky, and a busy fishing ...
. They were the parents of five children.
*Anne Louisa Mackenzie (c. 1793−1833), married Angus Bethune Angus Bethune may refer to:
* Angus Bethune (fur trader) (1783–1858), Canadian fur trader
* Angus Bethune (politician)
Sir Walter Angus Bethune (10 September 1908 – 22 August 2004) was an Australian politician and member of the Tasmanian Ho ...
, the eldest of the several distinguished sons of the Rev. John Bethune. Anne Louisa Mackenzie is great-grandmother to Norman Bethune
Henry Norman Bethune (; March 4, 1890 – November 12, 1939; zh, t=亨利·諾爾曼·白求恩, p=Hēnglì Nuò'ěrmàn Báiqiú'ēn) was a Canadian thoracic surgeon, early advocate of socialized medicine, and member of the Communist Party ...
, famous Canadian physician.
*Lieut. John Mackenzie (1794−1871), a wealthy merchant, entrepreneur and Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...
of Terrebonne
Terrebonne, meaning ''good earth'' in French, is a name of several places in North America:
;Canada
*Terrebonne, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal
** Terrebonne station, a commuter railway station in Terrebonne, Quebec
**Terrebonne City Council, the go ...
. At 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 ...
, he married Mary Catherine Oldham, daughter of The Hon. Jacob Oldham (1768−1824), nephew of The Hon. Jacob Jordan
Jacob Jordan (September 19, 1741 – February 23, 1796) was a seigneur, businessman and political figure in Quebec and Lower Canada.
He was born in England in 1741 and came to Canada in 1761 or earlier. He was an agent at Montreal for a Lo ...
, and his wife Madeleine Campion. They were the parents of six children.
*Catherine Margaret Mackenzie (b. 1800), married Robert Lester Morrogh, formerly of Quebec City
Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...
, nephew of The Hon. Robert Lester. Their eldest daughter, Susan, married Sir Charles Boucher de Boucherville, Prime Minister of Quebec
The premier of Quebec ( French: ''premier ministre du Québec'' (masculine) or ''première ministre du Québec'' (feminine)) is the head of government of the Canadian province of Quebec. The current premier of Quebec is François Legault of the ...
.
*Rachel Mackenzie. In 1843, she married Jean-Baptiste Bruyère (1809-1859), of Châteauguay
Châteauguay ( , , ) is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, located both on the Chateauguay River and Lac St-Louis, which is a section of the St. Lawrence River. The population of the city of Châteauguay at the 2021 Cens ...
.
*Lt.-Colonel Alexander Mackenzie (1805−1862), was an officer in the British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
and a partner 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 ...
. In 1833, at 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 ...
, he married Marie-Louise Trottier DesRivières (1812−1890), youngest daughter of François-Amable DesRivières (1764−1830) and a niece of The Hon. James McGill
James McGill (October 6, 1744 – December 19, 1813) was a Scottish Canadian businessman and philanthropist best known for being the founder of McGill University, Montreal. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada for Montreal ...
. They were the parents of fourteen children. Their eldest daughter, Louise, married The Hon. Louis-Rodrigue Masson
Louis-Rodrigue Masson, (baptized Louis-François-Roderick Masson) (6 November 1833 – 8 November 1903) was a Canadian Member of Parliament, Senator, and the fifth Lieutenant Governor of Quebec. He represented Terrebonne in the House of Co ...
, Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
The lieutenant governor of Quebec (; French (masculine): ''Lieutenant-gouverneur du Québec'', or (feminine): ''Lieutenante-gouverneure du Québec'') is the viceregal representative in Quebec of the , who operates distinctly within the province ...
.
*Charles Roderick Mackenzie (b. 1816), became a lawyer at 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 ...
.
*Anne Caroline Mackenzie (1822−1867), married Joseph Wilfrid Antoine Raymond Masson, a brother of the previously mentioned Louis-Rodrigue Masson
Louis-Rodrigue Masson, (baptized Louis-François-Roderick Masson) (6 November 1833 – 8 November 1903) was a Canadian Member of Parliament, Senator, and the fifth Lieutenant Governor of Quebec. He represented Terrebonne in the House of Co ...
- two of the sons of The Hon. Joseph Masson
Joseph Masson (January 5, 1791 – May 15, 1847) was a Canadian businessman, who is considered the first French Canadian millionaire.
Seigneur of Terrebonne, Quebec, president of Masson societies, president of the City Gas, he was also vice-p ...
, of Terrebonne.
*Henry Oldham Mackenzie (1825−1879), of 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 ...
.
References
External links
Roderick Mackenzie's home at Terrebonne
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackenzie, Roderick 1761 births 1844 deaths Scottish emigrants to Canada North West Company people Businesspeople from Quebec Pre-Confederation Quebec people People from Ross and Cromarty Members of the Council of Assiniboia 19th-century Canadian businesspeople