• Français
  • Home
  • News
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
Dictionary of Canadian Biography
  •  Browse
  •  Advanced Search
  •  Reader Mode
  •  Printer-friendly
mobile
    • Outline
    facebook sharing button Share
    twitter sharing button Tweet
    • New Biographies
    • Minor Corrections
    • Biography of the Day
      See previous
    • Themes, Essays, and Guides
      • The War of 1812
      • The First World War
      • Confederation
      • Women in the DCB/DBC
      • See complete list
    facebook sharing button Share
    twitter sharing button Tweet

Red River settlement

According to the terms of a royal charter issued in 1670, the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) enjoyed exclusive commercial and settlement rights over Rupert’s Land, a vast territory that included the Red River region. The idea of establishing a community there was discussed by the company’s authorities in 1810, and the plan gained support. In 1811 Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk, along with two partners, acquired large interests in the HBC. Selkirk undertook to establish an agricultural settlement while respecting certain conditions. For instance, retired HBC agents and their First Nations or Métis wives would obtain a piece of land in the colony. The settlement was able, with great difficulty, to take root and grow until it became part of Canada. In 1870, after a turbulent transition, the colony became Manitoba, the fifth Canadian province.

Related Biographies

ANDERSON, DAVID
AULD, WILLIAM
BIRD, JAMES (James Curtis) (d. 1856)
BIRD, JAMES (Jimmy Jock) (d. 1892)
BUDD, HENRY
BULGER, ANDREW H.
CLARKE, JOHN
COWLEY, ABRAHAM
DICKSON, ROBERT
DOUGLAS, THOMAS, Baron DAER and SHORTCLEUCH, 5th Earl of SELKIRK
DUMOULIN, SÉVÈRE (baptized Sévère-Joseph-Nicolas) (1793-1853)
FIDLER, PETER
FROBISHER, BENJAMIN JOSEPH
GALE, SAMUEL (1783-1865)
GARRY, NICHOLAS
GUIBOCHE (Gibotte), LOUIS (Nemisses (Minissis), Little Pigeon (Petit Pigeon))
HARGRAVE, JAMES
HOERNER, OLYMPE (Tanner)
HOWSE, JOSEPH
ISHAM, CHARLES THOMAS (Charles Price, Charles Price Isham)
LAGIMONIÈRE (Lagimodière, Lajimonière, Lavimaudier, Lavimodière), JEAN-BAPTISTE
LÉPINE, MAXIME (Maxime-Pierre-Théodore)
MACDONELL (Greenfield), ALEXANDER
MACHRAY, ROBERT
McKENZIE, DONALD
McKENZIE, RODERICK (Roderick McKenzie Sr)
McLEOD, JOHN
McMILLAN, JAMES
PEGUIS (Be-gou-ais, Be-gwa-is, Pegeois, Pegouisse, Pegowis, Pegqas, Pigewis, Pigwys), baptized William King (Destroyer, Little Chip, The Cut-Nosed Chief)
PLESSIS, JOSEPH-OCTAVE (baptized Joseph)
PROVENCHER, JOSEPH-NORBERT (baptized Joseph)
RIEL, LOUIS (1817-64)
RITCHOT, NOËL-JOSEPH (baptized Joseph-Noël)
ROBERTSON, COLIN
ROSS, ALEXANDER
ROSS, SALLY (Sarah)
ROWAND, JOHN
SCHULTZ, Sir JOHN CHRISTIAN
SIMPSON, Sir GEORGE
TACHÉ, ALEXANDRE-ANTONIN
THIBAULT (Thibaud, Thebo), JEAN-BAPTISTE
THOMAS, THOMAS
WEST, JOHN

Other Resources

AMHS - History, Key Events, Selkirk Settlement. Content archived on 5 Dec. 2022 (original link)
Birth of Manitoba : Digital Resources on Manitoba History
Canada's History - Canada's History
From the Red River Settlement to Manitoba (1812—70) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography
Governance at Red River Settlement to 1869: What is Proprietary Government? | Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia. Content archived on 25 Sept. 2022
Group
Lord Selkirk’s Settlers
Parks Canada - Arrival of the Selkirk Settlers National Historic Event
Red River Colony - Wikipedia
Red River Rebellion - Wikipedia
Red River Settlement | Library and Archives Canada Blog
Red River Settlement | colony, Canada | Britannica.com
Rivers of Canada - Red River: Red River Colony : Can Geo Education
The Selkirk Settlers
The Settlers | The Lord Selkirk Association of Rupert's Land
The Virtual Museum of Métis History and Culture

Image Gallery

We acknowledge the financial support of the Canadian Museum of History through the Online Works of Reference Program funded by the Government of Canada.
Nous reconnaissons l'aide financière du Musée canadien de l'histoire à travers les œuvres du programme de référence en ligne financés par le gouvernement du Canada.

We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada.


Nous reconnaissons l’appui du gouvernement du Canada.

© 2003-2025 University of Toronto/Université Laval

Suggest corrections or additions

Important Notices

Websites of Interest

 
OK Cancel
OK