Peter Fidler (1769 - 1822)

Born 16 Aug 1769 in Bolsover, Derbyshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Methwewin (Mackegonne) Fidler — married 1794 in Norway House, Rupert's Land

Descendants

Died 17 Dec 1822 at age 53 in Ft. Dauphin, Swan River, Manitoba, Canada

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Biography

Peter Fidler was born in Derbyshire, England.

Notable as a British surveyor, map-maker, fur trader and explorer who had a long career in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC).

• Father James Fidler: Birth: 1734 in Duckmanton, Derby, England. Death: 16 May 1809 in Sutton, Scarsdale, Derby, England
• Mother Mary Glossup: Birth: 25 Mar 1747 in Duckmanton, Derby, England. Death: ABT 1827 in Bolsover, Derby, England

• Marriage Mary Cree on 1794 at York Factory. Birth: ABT 1771 in York Factory, Rupert's Land. Death: 20 Jun 1826 in Red River Settlement

• Children:
• Thomas Fidler: Birth: 20 Jun 1795 in Cumberland House or York Factory. Death: 1 Mar 1875
• Charles Fidler: Birth: 10 Oct 1798 in Cumberland House, Rupert's Land.
• George Fidler: Birth: 10 Nov 1800 in Cumberland House.
• Sally Sara Fidler: Birth: 26 Nov 1802.
• Decusroggan * Fidler: Birth: 12 Oct 1804 in Nottingham House. Death: 8 Mar 1814 in Brandon House
• Andrew Fidler: Birth: 29 Nov 1806 in Nottingham House.
• Alban Fidler: Birth: 17 Jun 1809 in Holy Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada.
• Mary Fidler: Birth: 27 Jun 1811 in Charlton Portage, Manitoba, Canada.
• Faith Fidler: Birth: 26 Aug 1813. Death: 6 Oct 1813 in Brandon House
• Clement Fidler: Birth: 24 Nov 1814 in Brandon House.
• Colette or Polly Fidler: Birth: 5 Mar 1817 in Brandon House. Death: 1842
• Marguerite Fidler: Birth: 18 Jun 1819 in Brandon House. Death: 21 Jul 1819 in Brandon House
• Peter Fidler: Birth: 2 Jul 1820 in Fort Dauphin, Swan River District.
• Harriet Fidler: Birth: 9 Jul 1822 in Fort Dauphin, Swan River District.

• The Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) explorer and surveyor Peter Fidler was the first European to write about Alberta’s coal riches. Born in Bolsover, England, in 1769, Fidler contributed thirty-four years of strenuous service to the fur trade company that sponsored much of the early European exploration of Canada.

• Peter Fidler was a native of the parish of St. Mary Aldermanbury on Addle Steet, Cheapside and was born at Sutton Mill, Bolsover, Derbyshire.^[1][2][3]

• According to Allen 1987, Peter Fidler:^[1]
• Was identified as fur trader, surveyor, explorer, and cartographer.
• Was born on 16 Aug. 1769 in Bolsover, England, son of James Fidler and Mary.
• He married in autumn 1794 according to the custom of the country and formally on 14 Aug. 1821 at Norway House, Mary, a Swampy Cree, and they had 14 children.
• He died on 17 Dec. 1822 at Manitobah (Fort Dauphin) in what is now Manitoba.

• Peter Fidler was born in Bolsover, England in 1769. At the age of nineteen, he signed on with the Hudson's Bay Company and came to Rupert's Land by ship. He was trained as a surveyor and trader at Fort Carlton and Cumberland House. In 1792 he was dispatched with 7 canoes, 26 men and their families to build Buckingham House. Later that year he journeyed south to the Old Man River area. Peter Fidler was made a factor at Buckingham House in 1797. He had the first river boats built on the Saskatchewan River system. During his career he made some 35 invaluable maps of the prairie region. In 1800 Peter Fidler built a fort at the confluence of the south Saskatchewan and Red Deer rivers. by the spring of 1802, Chesterfield House as it was called was abandoned due to raids by hostile Indians. It was reopened in 1805 by Joseph Howse.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Allen 1987
2. ↑ HBCA, Peter Fidler
3. ↑ St. Mary Aldermanbury

• Manitoba Historical Society

• Fidler Peter Allen, Robert S. (1987). in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 6, U of Toronto/U Laval, accessed February 17, 2018

• Family Search. Peter Fidler & Henry Hallett family newsletter - family history & genealogical research

• FamilySearch.St. Mary Aldermanbury, London Genealogy

• Manitoba Historical Society Peter Fidler (1769-1822)

• HBC Archives: Peter Fidler

• Peter Fidler.com web site about his life

• http://www.pioneersalberta.org/profiles/f.html

• https://www.uleth.ca/lib/digitized_collections/ourheritage/index_page_stuff/Following_Trails/Fidler/Fidler_hbc_source.html

• https://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/trees/183970/I39379/peter-fidler/individual
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Fidler

Acknowledgements

• First hand info from Allan Johnson.

Connubial Marriage Autumn 1794. Formal Marriage 14 Aug 1821, Norway House, Rupert's Land. Reference - Robert S Allen, "Fidler, Peter", Dictionary of Canadian Biography Volume VI 1821 to 1835 (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1987) 249.