Charles Richard McKay (1808 - 1873)

Born 8 Feb 1808 in Brandon House, Manitoba

Ancestors

Husband of Letitia (Bird) McKay — married 2 Oct 1827 in Red River Settlement, Rupert's Land

Descendants

Died 27 May 1873 at age 65 in North Plains, Glencoe, Washington County, Oregon

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Biography

Charles McKay was a Canadian First Peoples and member of the Metis Nation.

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Charles Richard McKAY was born Feb 8, 1808 at Brandon House, son of Mary FAVEL (Metis) and John McKAY (1758-1810). His parents died when Charles was only two years old. Charles and his sister Mary were taken in by their Uncle John Richards “Little Bearskin” McKAY Charles’ early education was pretty much in the hands of his brother. From John, he derived knowledge of the classics and a deep appreciation for the lore and literature of Scotland

In 1824, Charles was a member of Sir George Simpson’s HBC party that crossed the Rocky Mountains into Snake Country. This party, sent into territory claimed by both Canada and the U.S., was charged with trapping the area bare to create a buffer against the pressure of U.S. occupation. The party encountered the Blackfoot but Charley, serving as interpreter, was able to negotiate with their leader. James Bird, Jr. Bird, Charley’s future brother- in-law.

At the end of this trip, Charles boarded a ship for Scotland, and returned in 1827 to marry Letitia Bird, daughter of the governor and former chief factor of the Hudson’s Bay Company. They lived on a small farm on the Bird estate while Charles continued in the harness business. Charles Richard McKay married Letitia Bird in 1827 In 1841 his family joined the Sinclair expedition to Oregon.

Charles and Letty McKay had the following children:

• 1. Charles Richard “Talo” McKay, Jr., born 16 Jan 1829, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and died 27 Feb 1901, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, and married first, Mary Spence on 16 Sept 1850 at Tualatin, Washington, Oregon. Charles married second, Mary Cook, date and place unknown.
• 2. Maria McKay, was born on 18 March 1832, at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and died August 16 1909, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, and married first, Thomas Hardman Smith, Sr., (the second Portland postmaster), on 25 Dec 1845, Washington County, Oregon. Maria married second George Leon Plumey, 5 Sep 1872 and is buried at Riverview Cemetery, Portland, Oregon.
• 3. Elizabeth McKay, was baptized 26 Jun 1835 at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and died in 1835 at Red River Settlement, Manitoba, Canada.
• 4. Mary Ann McKay, was born 20 Nov 1837 at Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and died 12 Apr 1932 at Hillsboro, Washington, Oregon. Mary Ann married Samuel Hayden Elliott, 2 Sep 1835, Glencoe, Washington, Oregon.
• 5. Isabella McKay, born 6 Apr 1839, at Red River, Manitoba, Canada and died 29 Aug 1865, Washington County, Oregon. She was first married to John Privity Brooks on 14 Feb 1856, Washington/Columbia Co., Oregon, and second to Carlton A. Morse.
• 6. Harriet McKay, born in September of 1841 at Ft. Spokane, Spokane, Washington, and died in 1863 and married first Joseph Spence and second Miles Barston.
• 7. Cecelia McKay, was born in 1842 in Oregon and died 16 May 1865, Washington Co., Oregon. Cecelia married John Clemons Phillips.
• 8. Chloe McKay, was born in 1843 in Oregon, no other information known.
• 9. Nancy Ann McKay, was born on 1843 in Oregon and married first Charles Wilson on 14 August 1862 and second ___ Epler before 28 May 1873.

Charles became an American citizen in 1851. was a member of the Wolf Pack Meeting which often met at his house. These meetings met to form the state of Oregon. He was the founder of Glencoe, Oregon. Charles McKay was proud of his Scottish heritage yet equally honored his mother’s Cree background. As an entrepreneur, McKay was a gold miner, cattleman, real estate investor and harness-maker at various times in his work life as well as a politician.

When he learned that the Americans were forming a government, Charley traveled to Champoeg. There he renounced his British allegiance and gave up his financial support from Britain. He was elected captain of militia. He was in charge of one of three planned companies of mounted riflemen. However, fearing that such a show of force might prove threatening to the Indians, the Legislative Committee abandoned the idea of the three companies, which ended Charley’s military career

When members of the Cayuse tribe killed Marcus and Narcissa Whitman at their mission in eastern Washington, Charley marched with his good friend and noted Indian fighter Tom McKay and his group of French Canadian and Metis volunteers to punish the Indians. According to the McKay family, it was Charley who shot Five Crows, the chief of the Cayuse tribe [1]

Charley prospered in the cattle business and ultimately opened a butcher shop in Portland. He continued to wander, however, going up and down the Columbia River to trade and, in 1855, he took time to serve in the Yakima Indian War.

In his later years he had drifted into alcoholism, but he was fondly remembered in the press and extolled for his contributions to his adopted country. Many noted his success in breaking the stereotype of the Metis by proving himself a leader and one who was never vengeful against those who treated him and his family poorly.

Passed away 27 May 1873, Glencoe OR.

Quality Sources

Parish registers: Manitoba : H-1344, image 341 of his marriage * https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_h1344/341?r=1&s=1

Clark County Genealogical Society, Trail Breakers, volume 38, page 20, outstanding history of the family * https://www.ccgs-wa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ccgs-trail-breakers-vol-38-2012.pdf

A GABRIEL DUMONT INSTITUTE OF NATIVE STUDIES AND APPLIED RESEARCH bio of Charles and family * http://www.metismuseum.ca/media/db/07427

Index to Early Settlers in Oregon, page 26 https://gfo.org/file_download/inline/bb3f298f-20d8-420b-996c-faf558a289c8

Other Sources

Canadian bio version of family + https://www.redriverancestry.ca/McKAY-CHARLES-RICHARD-1808.php

Charles McKay m Letitia Bird https://hoffmantree.blogspot.com/2012/02/charles-mckay-m-letitia-bird-aunt-of.html