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George Simpson (administrator)
Sir George Simpson (c.1787-1860) was a Scots-Quebecer governor of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) in British North America (now Canada) from 1820 to 1860.
George Simpson was born in Lochbroom , Scotland out of wedlock to an unknown mother and George Simpson, Sr. He was raised by his father's sister in Dingwall in Ross-shire. The precise year of his birth is unknown, however his biographer, John S. Galbraith, concluded that 1787 was the most likely date.
At age fourteen, he went to London and was trained in business at his uncle Geddes Mackenzie Simpson's sugar company, Graham and Simpson. His skills interested partner Andrew Colvile (also known as Andrew Wedderburn), who was also a high ranking HBC executive. Colvile encouraged Simpson to join the London office of the HBC, and by 1820, Simpson became the Governor-in-Chief of the Hudson's Bay Company. Simpson oversaw the merging of the HBC and the North West Company in 1821, and sought to streamline the company by closing competing fur trade posts. Not willing to remain in London to oversee operations, he maintained homes during his tenure in Montreal and the Red River Settlement. He was an avid traveller and visited fur trade posts across North America. A stern taskmaster, he pushed his travelling crewmen to extremes in order to travel as quickly as possible from post to post.
In recognition of his tireless work with the HBC, Simpson was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1841.
Simpson married Geddes Mackenzie Simpson's daughter, Frances in London in 1829. They had one living child, (George Geddes), who was born in January 1832, but who died near Easter of the same year. Before and during his marriage to Frances, Simpson had several 'country wives', a common practice among many high ranking HBC officials. A common story recounted regarding the building of the "Big House" at Lower Fort Garry in the Red River Settlement in 1832 was that Simpson built this home in order to shield new bride Frances away from his 'country wives' at his old residence, Upper Fort Garry. Simpson never had a chance to live at his new residence - after the death of their son, he moved himself and his wife to Montreal.
Simpson died in Montreal in 1860 and is buried at Mount Royal Cemetery.
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