William Henry McNeill
Encyclopedia
William Henry McNeill was best known for his 1830 expedition as the captain of the brig Llama, which sailed from Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 12,000 miles around Cape Horn
, to the Pacific Northwest
on a fur trading expedition.
Boston merchants owned the brig
whose cargo consisted of trading merchandise. The Chief Factor of the Hudson's Bay Company
for the region, Roderick Finlayson
, purchased the Llama and its cargo in Honolulu in 1832 and retained McNeill as captain. In order to work for the company, it made an exception to its policy of requiring that all of its employees be British subject
s. McNeill was an American, born in Boston. He provided the company for the first time with a ship commanded by a man who knew the north west coast well.
In 1836, the Hudson's Bay Company vessel, S.S. Beaver
, the first steamship on the Pacific Northwest
Coast, arrived at Fort Vancouver
. McNeill took over as the second captain of the Beaver in 1837 and remained so until 1851.
In 1837, the company was concerned that a site be found to replace Fort Vancouver
in case they were ever driven out of that area, and directed McNeill aboard the Beaver to explore for a suitable location for the operations of the company with a safe harbour and land suitable for cultivation. On August 10 that year, he located, according to his log, " . . an excellent harbour and a fine open country along the sea shore, apparently well adapted for both tillage and pasturage . . ." The location he found became Fort Victoria
.
On May 11, 1841, along with Alexander Caulfield Anderson
, McNeill greeted U.S. Navy Lt. Charles Wilkes
of the United States Exploring Expedition
when Wilkes anchored his sailing ship, USS Porpoise
in southern Puget Sound near Fort Nisqually
, a Hudson's Bay Company trading post near the present town of Dupont, Washington
.
On 14 March 1843 Captain McNeill anchored off Vancouver Island in McNeill Bay
to scout the location for Fort Victoria
.
He resigned command of the Beaver in 1843 following which, in 1849, he established Fort Rupert
, near modern-day Port Hardy
. McNeill was promoted to Chief Factor at Fort Simpson in 1856 and retired from the Hudson's Bay Company from that post in 1863. He retired to his farm on Vancouver Island
near Victoria, British Columbia
. He died there of pneumonia in 1875.
Port McNeill, British Columbia
is named for Captain McNeill.
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
, to the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
on a fur trading expedition.
Boston merchants owned the brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
whose cargo consisted of trading merchandise. The Chief Factor of the Hudson's Bay Company
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...
for the region, Roderick Finlayson
Roderick Finlayson
Roderick Finlayson was a Canadian Hudson's Bay Company officer, farmer, businessman, and politician.Born in Loch Alsh , Scotland, Finlayson came to North America in 1837...
, purchased the Llama and its cargo in Honolulu in 1832 and retained McNeill as captain. In order to work for the company, it made an exception to its policy of requiring that all of its employees be British subject
British subject
In British nationality law, the term British subject has at different times had different meanings. The current definition of the term British subject is contained in the British Nationality Act 1981.- Prior to 1949 :...
s. McNeill was an American, born in Boston. He provided the company for the first time with a ship commanded by a man who knew the north west coast well.
In 1836, the Hudson's Bay Company vessel, S.S. Beaver
Beaver (steamship)
Beaver was the first steamship to operate in the Pacific Northwest of North America. She made remote parts of the west coast of Canada accessible for maritime fur trading and was chartered by the Royal Navy for surveying the coastline of British Columbia....
, the first steamship on the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
Coast, arrived at Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost along the Columbia River that served as the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company in the company's Columbia District...
. McNeill took over as the second captain of the Beaver in 1837 and remained so until 1851.
In 1837, the company was concerned that a site be found to replace Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost along the Columbia River that served as the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company in the company's Columbia District...
in case they were ever driven out of that area, and directed McNeill aboard the Beaver to explore for a suitable location for the operations of the company with a safe harbour and land suitable for cultivation. On August 10 that year, he located, according to his log, " . . an excellent harbour and a fine open country along the sea shore, apparently well adapted for both tillage and pasturage . . ." The location he found became Fort Victoria
Fort Victoria (British Columbia)
Fort Victoria was a fur trading post of the Hudson’s Bay Company, the headquarters of HBC operations in British Columbia. The fort was the beginnings of a settlement that eventually grew into the modern Victoria, British Columbia, the capital city of British Columbia.The headquarters of HBC...
.
On May 11, 1841, along with Alexander Caulfield Anderson
Alexander Caulfield Anderson
Alexander Caulfield Anderson was a Hudson's Bay Company fur-trader, explorer of British Columbia and civil servant....
, McNeill greeted U.S. Navy Lt. Charles Wilkes
Charles Wilkes
Charles Wilkes was an American naval officer and explorer. He led the United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842 and commanded the ship in the Trent Affair during the American Civil War...
of the United States Exploring Expedition
United States Exploring Expedition
The United States Exploring Expedition was an exploring and surveying expedition of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding lands conducted by the United States from 1838 to 1842. The original appointed commanding officer was Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones. The voyage was authorized by Congress in...
when Wilkes anchored his sailing ship, USS Porpoise
USS Porpoise (1836)
The second USS Porpoise was a 224-ton Dolphin class brigantine The USS Porpoise was later rerigged as a brig...
in southern Puget Sound near Fort Nisqually
Fort Nisqually
Fort Nisqually was an important fur trading and farming post of the Hudson's Bay Company in the Puget Sound area of what is now DuPont, Washington and was part of the Hudson's Bay Company's Columbia Department. Today it is a living history museum located in Tacoma, Washington, USA, within the...
, a Hudson's Bay Company trading post near the present town of Dupont, Washington
DuPont, Washington
DuPont is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 8,199 at the 2010 census.-History:The Nisqually tribe arrived in the area at least 5700 years ago, subsisting on shellfish from the beaches and salmon from Sequalitchew Creek...
.
On 14 March 1843 Captain McNeill anchored off Vancouver Island in McNeill Bay
McNeill Bay (British Columbia)
McNeill Bay lies within the boundaries of Oak Bay, British Columbia along the coast of Vancouver Island. It was named after Captain William Henry McNeill, master of the Hudson's Bay Company steamer SS Beaver, and one of the five original landowners of Oak Bay.On 14 March 1843 the SS Beaver...
to scout the location for Fort Victoria
Fort Victoria (British Columbia)
Fort Victoria was a fur trading post of the Hudson’s Bay Company, the headquarters of HBC operations in British Columbia. The fort was the beginnings of a settlement that eventually grew into the modern Victoria, British Columbia, the capital city of British Columbia.The headquarters of HBC...
.
He resigned command of the Beaver in 1843 following which, in 1849, he established Fort Rupert
Fort Rupert, British Columbia
Fort Rupert is the site of a former Hudson's Bay Company fort which was built and first commanded by William Henry McNeill in 1849 and later by John Work. It is located near present-day Port Hardy, British Columbia on Vancouver Island....
, near modern-day Port Hardy
Port Hardy, British Columbia
Port Hardy is a district municipality in British Columbia, Canada located on the north-eastern coast of Vancouver Island. Port Hardy has a population of 3822 at last census...
. McNeill was promoted to Chief Factor at Fort Simpson in 1856 and retired from the Hudson's Bay Company from that post in 1863. He retired to his farm on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
near Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
. He died there of pneumonia in 1875.
Port McNeill, British Columbia
Port McNeill, British Columbia
Port McNeill is a town in the North Island region of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada with a population of 2,623 . Located on Vancouver Island's north-east shore on Queen Charlotte Strait, it was originally a base camp for loggers, Port McNeill became a settlement in 1936...
is named for Captain McNeill.