thumb|right|george simpson (manitoba museum) sir george simpson (1786 or 1787dictionary of canadian biography or 1792raffan, page 26 &ndash; 7 september 1860) was the canadian governor of the hudson's bay company during the period of its greatest power. during this period (1820-1860) he was in practice, if not in law, the british viceroy for the whole of western canada. his efficient administration of the west was a precondition for the confederation of western and eastern canada. he was noted for his grasp of administrative detail and his physical stamina in travelling through the wilderness. during his administration the hbc often returned a 10 percent profit. excepting voyageurs and their siberian equivalents few men have spent as much time traveling in the wilderness. he was also the first person to have "circumnavigated" the world by land. ==early life== born circa 1787 at dingwall in scotland, he was the illegitimate son of george simpson (b.1759), writer to the signet, and an unknown mother. he was raised by two aunts and his paternal grandmother isobel (mackenzie) simpson (1731-1821), daughter of george mackenzie, 2nd laird of gruinard (grandson of george mackenzie, 2nd earl of seaforth) and elizabeth, daughter of duncan forbes, lord culloden. simpson's father was a first cousin of sir alexander mackenzie's father-in-law. in 1808 he was sent to london to work in the sugar brokerage business run by his uncle, geddes mackenzie simpson (1775-1848). when his uncle's firm merged with that of andrew colvile in 1812, simpson came into contact with the hudson's bay company since colvile was a director of the hbc and the brother-in-law of thomas douglas, 5th earl of selkirk. he must have shown great ability, for in 1820 colvile appointed him governor-in-chief, locum tenens of rupert's land. ==career== this was at the time of conflict between the hbc and the northwest company. governor william williams, who had been sent out in 1818, had arrested or captured several northwest company men. the nor'westers replied with a quebec warrant for williams' arrest. the london governors were unhappy with williams' clumsy management and both companies were under british pressure to settle their differences. the "locum tenens" in simpson's title meant that if williams had been arrested simpson would take his place he went by ship to new york, by boat and cart to montreal and left by the usual route for york factory on hudson bay. he met williams at rock depot on the hayes river. since williams had not been arrested he was william's subordinate and was sent west to fort wedderburn on lake athabaska. there he spent the winter learning about, and reorganizing, the fur
1860_deaths Canadian_Business_Hall_of_Fame Canadian_fur_traders Canadian_knights Hudson\'s_Bay_Company_people Knights_Bachelor People_from_Dingwall Persons_of_National_Historic_Significance_(Canada) Pre-Confederation_Canadian_businesspeople Scottish_emigrants_to_pre-Confederation_Quebec