andrew mcdermot (1790&ndash;12 october 1881) was a hudson's bay company (hbc) employee who became a prominent independent fur trade merchant and member of the council of assiniboia. ==mcdermot's background and family relations== mcdermot was born in bellangare house, castlerea, county roscommon, ireland in 1790, the eldest son of miles macdermot and catherine (kitty) oâconnor. he was raised a roman catholic and educated at home. in norway house, he married sara mcnab, mixed-blood daughter of another hudson's bay company employee. he and sara had 15 living children, nine daughters and six sons. many of his daughters married prominent gentleman from winnipeg's elite. eldest daughter marie, born in 1816, married richard lane, hbc clerk; ellen married thomas bird; catherine married thomas truthwaite; mary sally married william mctavish, governor of red river and assiniboia; anne married andrew graham ballenden bannatyne, who became a partner with andrew mcdermot and became the second wealthiest man in the settlement; harriet married alexander ralph lillie, an hbc postmaster. though born roman catholic, he was married and buried by the church of england. he is buried at st. john's cathedral, winnipeg. ==hbc career== with few opportunities in ireland, he engaged with the hudson's bay company in sligo and arrived at york factory on the ship robert taylor on august 26, 1812, initially signing on for a three year contract. he was employed as a writer, trader and clerk in various fur trade posts in what is now north-central manitoba. he was described as âsober. honest. ready and willing in the discharge of his duty. obedient & respectful of his superiors. . . . he has a tolerably good knowledge of the indian language.â in 1821, he was allowed to move south to a post in the lower red river colony. unhappy with slow advancement within the hbc, he left the employ of the company when he was permitted to retire in 1824. ==his store and relations with the hbc== right|200px|thumb|andrew mcdermot's store near upper fort garry after leaving the hbc, he started an independent store at fort garry, with the blessing of the hbc. the hbc were often unable to provide enough goods for the growing settlement and mcdermot was able to import his goods on hbc ships through york factory. mcdermot's friendship with governor george simpson proved to be extremely profitable. he was allowed a special license to trade furs to prevent furs from being traded at the american fur trade post at pembina, north dakota, and was granted many contracts from the hbc. in 1839 he was made a member of the council of assiniboia. he was part of a committee on the council which was responsible for the construction of roads and bridges, surveying, the operation of ferries, and public improvements. howeve
1790_births 1881_deaths Anglo-Irish_emigrants_to_pre-Confederation_Canada Canadian_fur_traders Hudson\'s_Bay_Company_people People_from_County_Roscommon People_of_Rupert\'s_Land