John George (MacTavish) McTavish (abt. 1778 - 1847)

Born about 1778 in Dunardry, Knapdale, Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 20 Jul 1847 at about age 69 in Lac-des-Deux-Montagnes, Lower Canada

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Biography

• John George was b. abt. 1778 at Dunardry, Argyll, Scotland, and died 20 Jul 1847 in Canada.
• He was the son of Lachlan MacTavish, and Mary Loch, only daughter of William Loch of Halkshaw.
• Second son of the impoverished last chief of Clan Tavish. Adopted the spelling 'McTavish' when he came to work in Canada.

• Joined the North West Company in 1798 as a clerk ^[1]
• 1811-1812 Traveled with David Thompson in the West
• 1812-1816 Stationed at Fort Astoria/Fort George, Columbia District
• 1816-1818 stationed in Athabaska District
• 1821-1828 Chief Factor at York Factory for Hudson Bay Company
• 1830-1935 Chief Factor at Moose Factory
• 1836-1846 Chief Factor at Lake of the Two Mountains
• 1847 Retired, and died soon thereafter

• First 'country wife' from abt. 1802, Charlotte Thomas, daughter of John Thomas, the HBC Chief, whom he abandoned at Moose Factory in late 1806. Children:
  • Isabella MacTavis
  • John MacTavis
  • Anne MacTavis

• Second 'country wife' from abt. 1813, Nancy McKenzie, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, whom he abandoned at York Factory abt. 1828. Children:
  • Mary (1817-1887)
  • Flora (1822-1888)
  • Margaret (1823-)
  • Ann (1826-1899)
  • Grace (1828-1881)

• First 'legitimate' wife, Catherine Turner, m. 22 Feb 1830 while McTavish was on furlough in Scotland, d. Oct 1841. Children:
  • Elizabeth
  • Frances

• Second 'legitimate' wife, Elizabeth Cameron - m. March 1843 d. 1855. ^[2] Children:
  • Georgina
  • Alexandria

Sources

1. ↑ He would have been only a very distant relative of Simon McTavish, the founder of the North West Company
2. ↑ (A.36/A) HBCA Biographical Sheet, Archives of the Hudson's Bay Company

• Bradford, EF. Mactavish of Dunardry. (1991)
• Sylvia Van Kirk, “McTAVISH, JOHN GEORGE,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 7, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003
  • http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/mctavish_john_george_7E.html
• Genealogy of the Clan MacTavish Chiefs
• Wives, according to HBCA Biographical Sheet:
  • Charlotte Thomas (daughter of John Thomas)
  • Nancy McKenzie (daughter of Roderick Mackenzie), children: Mary (b. 1817), Flora (bt. 1822), Margaret (bt. 1823), Ann (bt. 1826), Grace (bt. 1826)
  • Catherine Turner - m. 22 Feb 1830 d. Oct 1841, children: Elizabeth, Frances (Morin, Metis Families)
  • Elizabeth Cameron - m. March 1843 d. 1855, children: Georgina, Alexandria (A.36/A)