Robert Dickson (fur trader)
Encyclopedia
Robert Dickson was a fur trader, and later an agent for the Indian Department in Upper Canada
, who played a prominent part in the War of 1812
.
He was born in Dumfries
, Scotland
where his father was a merchant. When his father's business failed, Robert and his brothers, William
and Thomas
, travelled to Canada to work for their cousin Robert Hamilton
. While Robert's brothers made careers for themselves in Newark
and the Niagara peninsula, Robert found routine office work tedious, and was sent to Mackinac Island
in 1786 to trade on his own.
He spent many years trading among Indian tribes to the west. In 1797, he married Ista Towin or Totowin (Helen Elizabeth), the daughter of chief Red Thunder of the Wahpeton Isanti (Santee) Dakota.
During the years preceding the War of 1812, Dickson and other British and Canadian traders were angered by American encroachments into the area where they previously enjoyed a monopoly. As war appeared imminent, Dickson recruited over 100 warriors from the "Western Indians" (from the present-day states of Wisconsin
, Michigan
and Illinois
) and gathered them at the British military outpost at Fort St. Joseph
.
When news of the outbreak of war arrived, Dickson led a total of 400 Indians in an expedition led by Captain Charles Roberts, which captured Mackinac Island
from its unwary American garrison. He subsequently led the Western Indians south to join the British army at Amherstburg
, where they took part in the Siege of Detroit
, which caused the surrender of an American army. In the autumn following these victories, Dickson travelled to Montreal, where he was appointed to the Indian Department as Agent and Superintendent for the Western Indian tribes.
During 1813, he led contingents of Indians at the unsuccessful Siege of Fort Meigs
and Battle of Fort Stephenson
. In 1814, he recruited fresh contingents of the Western Indians and led them at the successful defence of Mackinac Island
and the Engagement on Lake Huron
. He ended the war at the captured post of Prairie du Chien, where he quarreled with Andrew Bulger
, the post's commandant.
After the war, he retired from the Indian Department although, while on a visit to Scotland in 1816, he applied unsuccessfully to be the Indian Department agent at Amherstburg.
The war had ruined Dickson's fur trading business. He nevertheless resumed trading, but died unexpectedly at Drummond Island
in 1823.
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, who played a prominent part in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
He was born in Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
where his father was a merchant. When his father's business failed, Robert and his brothers, William
William Dickson (Upper Canada)
William Dickson was a businessman, lawyer and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Dumfries, Scotland in 1769. In 1785, he emigrated to the Niagara peninsula, where he managed mills and a store for Robert Hamilton, his cousin...
and Thomas
Thomas Dickson (Upper Canada politician)
Thomas Dickson was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Dumfries, Scotland around 1775. When his father's business encountered financial hardship, Thomas and his brothers travelled to Upper Canada to seek work with their cousin Robert Hamilton...
, travelled to Canada to work for their cousin Robert Hamilton
Robert Hamilton (judge)
Robert Hamilton was a businessman, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Bolton, East Lothian, Scotland in 1753, the son of John Hamilton and Jane Wright. He came to Canada as part of a contract with a fur trading company operating west of the Great Lakes...
. While Robert's brothers made careers for themselves in Newark
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
and the Niagara peninsula, Robert found routine office work tedious, and was sent to Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is an island and resort area covering in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European...
in 1786 to trade on his own.
He spent many years trading among Indian tribes to the west. In 1797, he married Ista Towin or Totowin (Helen Elizabeth), the daughter of chief Red Thunder of the Wahpeton Isanti (Santee) Dakota.
During the years preceding the War of 1812, Dickson and other British and Canadian traders were angered by American encroachments into the area where they previously enjoyed a monopoly. As war appeared imminent, Dickson recruited over 100 warriors from the "Western Indians" (from the present-day states of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
) and gathered them at the British military outpost at Fort St. Joseph
Fort St. Joseph (Ontario)
Fort St. Joseph is a former British outpost on the southernmost point of St. Joseph Island in Ontario, Canada, on Lake Huron. Situated on approximately 325 hectares along the St. Mary's River, Fort St. Joseph was the staging ground for the initial attack in the War of 1812...
.
When news of the outbreak of war arrived, Dickson led a total of 400 Indians in an expedition led by Captain Charles Roberts, which captured Mackinac Island
Battle of Mackinac Island (1812)
The Siege of Fort of Mackinac was one of the first engagements of the War of 1812. A British and Native American force captured the island soon after the outbreak of war between Britain and the United States. Encouraged by the easy British victory, more Native Americans subsequently rallied to...
from its unwary American garrison. He subsequently led the Western Indians south to join the British army at Amherstburg
Amherstburg, Ontario
Amherstburg is a Canadian town near the mouth of the Detroit River in Essex County, Ontario. It is approximately south of the U.S...
, where they took part in the Siege of Detroit
Siege of Detroit
The Siege of Detroit, also known as the Surrender of Detroit, or the Battle of Fort Detroit, was an early engagement in the Anglo-American War of 1812...
, which caused the surrender of an American army. In the autumn following these victories, Dickson travelled to Montreal, where he was appointed to the Indian Department as Agent and Superintendent for the Western Indian tribes.
During 1813, he led contingents of Indians at the unsuccessful Siege of Fort Meigs
Siege of Fort Meigs
The Siege of Fort Meigs took place during the War of 1812, in northwestern Ohio. A small British army with support from Indians attempted to capture the recently-constructed fort to forestall an American offensive against Detroit, which the British had captured the previous year...
and Battle of Fort Stephenson
Battle of Fort Stephenson
The Battle of Fort Stephenson was an American victory during the War of 1812.-Background:After failing to defeat American forces in the siege of Fort Meigs, the British under Henry Procter withdrew. Procter attempted to take Fort Meigs again in July by staging a mock battle to lure the defenders...
. In 1814, he recruited fresh contingents of the Western Indians and led them at the successful defence of Mackinac Island
Battle of Mackinac Island
The Battle of Mackinac Island was a British victory in the War of 1812. Before the war, Fort Mackinac had been an important American trading post in the straits between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron...
and the Engagement on Lake Huron
Engagement on Lake Huron
The series of minor Engagements on Lake Huron left the British in control of the lake and thus of the Old Northwest for the latter stages of the War of 1812.-Background:...
. He ended the war at the captured post of Prairie du Chien, where he quarreled with Andrew Bulger
Andrew Bulger
Andrew Bulger was a soldier and administrator, born in Newfoundland.In 1804 he joined the Royal Newfoundland Fencibles as Ensign. On the outbreak of the War of 1812, a substantial detachment from the regiment was sent to Upper Canada to serve as marines on armed vessels on the Great Lakes...
, the post's commandant.
After the war, he retired from the Indian Department although, while on a visit to Scotland in 1816, he applied unsuccessfully to be the Indian Department agent at Amherstburg.
The war had ruined Dickson's fur trading business. He nevertheless resumed trading, but died unexpectedly at Drummond Island
Drummond Township, Michigan
Drummond Township is a civil township of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 992 at the 2000 census.The township consists of Drummond Island, one of the largest islands in Lake Huron. M-134 runs through the western portion of the island...
in 1823.