Thompson, David

   1) (1770-1857)

   Born in the parish of St. John's, Westminster, England. Educated at the Gray Coat School; and entered the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, 1784. The first of his voluminous journals opens at Fort Churchill in that year. The last is dated 1850. The journals fill forty-five volumes of manuscript, and cover a period of sixty-six years. Remained in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company until 1797, and in that period carried on explorations and surveys of the Nelson, Churchill, and Saskatchewan Rivers, and the intervening territory. In 1797 joined the North West Company, and in the years that followed, explored the upper waters of the Assiniboine; made a journey overland to the Mandan villages on the Missouri; and another to the head waters of the Mississippi; and surveyed portions of the upper waters of the Saskatchewan, Athabaska, and Peace Rivers. From 1807 to 1811, explored the entire system of the Columbia and Kootenay Rivers, from source to mouth. Left the North-West in 1812, and from 1816 to 1826 engaged in surveying and defining the international boundary. Afterwards carried out several minor surveys, in what is now eastern Canada. Died at Longueuil, near Montreal.

   Index: MS Referred to in Mackenzie's letters, 58; his explorations, 103; leaves Hudson's Bay Company, and joins North West Company, 103; visits the Mandan Indians, 104; further explorations, 105; sent to explore the Columbia, 106; crosses the Rocky Mountains, 1806, and builds post on Columbia, 106; descends the Columbia to its mouth, 106-107; builds other posts west of the mountains, 107; leaves service of the North West Company, 107; prepares his great map, 107; Thompson River named after, 109. D Completes his western work, 1811, 58; returns to eastern Canada, 58; ends his days in poverty, 59; astronomer of North West Company, 57; previously in service of Hudson's Bay Company, 57-58; extent of his travels, 58; visits Mandan country, 58; enters Bow River Pass, 1805, 58; discovers Howse Pass, 58; builds Fort Kootenay, 58; first to explore Kootenay district, 58; discoverer of Athabaska Pass, 58; proclaims British sovereignty, at junction of Spokane and Columbia, 58.

   Bib.: Tyrrell, Journeys of David Thompson; Henry-Thompson Journals, ed. by Coues; Laut, Conquest of the Great North-West; Burpee, Search for the Western Sea; Bryce, Hudson's Bay Company.

   2) (1796-1868)

   Born in Scotland. Served in the British army and in the Canadian militia. Taught school in Niagara and acted as a surveyor. In 1832 published History of the late War between Great Britain and the United States of America.