James Murray Yale
Encyclopedia
James Murray Yale was a clerk, and later, a chief trader for the Hudson's Bay Company
(HBC) at Fort Langley
.
Yale was born in Lachine
, Lower Canada
in 1796. He joined the HBC in 1815, and served first at Fort Wedderburn on Lake Athabasca
. In April 1817, he was kidnapped by North West Company
men and taken to Great Slave Lake
for five months. In 1821, Yale was moved to New Caledonia
and put in charge of Fort George
until 1824. He then served at Fort Alexandria and Fort St. James. In 1827, he accompanied George Simpson
on his exploratory trip down the Fraser River
. At the end of the journey, Yale remained in Fort Langley, where he worked as a clerk until he replaced Archibald McDonald
as chief trader on February 20, 1833. He continued there until his retirement in 1859.
When Fort Yale was built in 1848, it was named for him.
Yale was distantly related to Elihu Yale
.
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
(HBC) at Fort Langley
Fort Langley National Historic Site
Fort Langley is a former trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company, now located in the village of Fort Langley, British Columbia. Commonly referred to as "the birthplace of British Columbia", it is designated a National Historic Site of Canada and administered by Parks Canada.-A new fort:After John...
.
Yale was born in Lachine
Lachine, Quebec
Lachine was a city on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is now a borough within the city of Montreal.-History:...
, Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
in 1796. He joined the HBC in 1815, and served first at Fort Wedderburn on Lake Athabasca
Lake Athabasca
Lake Athabasca is located in the northwest corner of Saskatchewan and the northeast corner of Alberta between 58° and 60° N.-History:The name in the Dene language originally referred only to the large delta formed by the confluence the Athabasca River at the southwest corner of the lake...
. In April 1817, he was kidnapped by North West Company
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 was to become Western Canada...
men and taken to Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake is the second-largest lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada , the deepest lake in North America at , and the ninth-largest lake in the world. It is long and wide. It covers an area of in the southern part of the territory. Its given volume ranges from to and up to ...
for five months. In 1821, Yale was moved to New Caledonia
New Caledonia (Canada)
New Caledonia was the name given to a district of the Hudson's Bay Company that comprised the territory largely coterminous with the present-day province of British Columbia, Canada. Though not a British colony, New Caledonia was part of the British claim to North America. Its administrative...
and put in charge of Fort George
South Fort George
South Fort George is a suburb of Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.Before the arrival of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in 1914, the Prince George area was known as Fort George and was a Lheidli T'enneh village and Hudson's Bay Company store....
until 1824. He then served at Fort Alexandria and Fort St. James. In 1827, he accompanied George Simpson
George Simpson (administrator)
Sir George Simpson was a Scots-Quebecer and employee of the Hudson's Bay Company . His title was Governor-in-Chief of Rupert's Land and administrator over the Northwest Territories and Columbia Department in British North America from 1821 to 1860.-Early years:George Simpson was born in Dingwall,...
on his exploratory trip down the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
. At the end of the journey, Yale remained in Fort Langley, where he worked as a clerk until he replaced Archibald McDonald
Archibald McDonald
Archibald McDonald was Chief Trader for the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Langley, Fort Nisqually and Fort Colville and one-time deputy governor of the Red River Settlement.-Early life:...
as chief trader on February 20, 1833. He continued there until his retirement in 1859.
When Fort Yale was built in 1848, it was named for him.
Yale was distantly related to Elihu Yale
Elihu Yale
Elihu Yale was a Welsh merchant and philanthropist, governor of the East India Company, and a benefactor of the Collegiate School of Connecticut, which in 1718 was named Yale College in his honour.- Life :...
.