Person

Keith, George, 1779-1859

1779-1859

George Keith was born on December 29, 1779, in Netherthird, Scotland, and died on January 22, 1859, in Aberdeen, Scotland. His parents were James Keith and Isabella Bruce. With his younger brother James, Keith travelled to North America in 1799 as an apprentice for Forsyth, Richardson and Company, a partner in the New North West Company (sometimes called the XY Company). Keith married an Indigenous woman named Nanette, the daughter of James Sutherland, a clerk for the North West Company. Between 1807 and 1838, they had six daughters and three sons, and in 1844, before sailing for Scotland, he formalized his marriage by Christian rite to protect the interests of his family. He served in the Athabasca country until 1806, where he joined the North West Company after its merge with the New North West Company. From 1806 to 1815, Keith was stationed in the Mackenzie River department, where he worked under John George McTavish and then under Simon McTavish, becoming a partner in the North West Company in 1813. In letters addressed to Roderick McKenzie (1761-1844, fur trader), Keith described in detail the geography around his post on the Liard River, and after 1810, the geography of the west end of Great Bear Lake and the Mackenzie River. He also recorded his observations on the Athapaskan peoples. From 1816 to 1821, Keith served at Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, on Lake Athabasca, assuming charge of the Athabasca department in 1817. Following the coalition between the North West Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1821, Keith was named chief factor and given charge of the English (upper Churchill) River district, based in Île-à-la-Crosse (Saskatchewan). After his leave of absence in 1826 and 1827, he was placed in command of the Lake Superior district, based in Michipicoten (now known as Michipicoten River, Ontario). Except for another furlough in 1832 to 1833, he remained at his post until 1835, when he was transferred to Moose Factory (Ontario). Keith returned to Michipicoten for a period between 1839 and 1843, before taking a two-year leave of absence and then retiring to Scotland in 1845.

Revised on June 10, 2024, by Leah Louttit-Bunker

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