Bethune, Angus

  • DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN BIOGRAPHY ARTICLE: Hilary Russell, “BETHUNE, ANGUS,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 8, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/bethune_angus_8E.html
  • DCB profile notes:
    • Fur trader and politician; b. 9 Sept. 1783 on Carleton Island (N.Y.) in Lake Ontario, son of the Reverend John Bethune and Véronique Waddens, daughter of Jean-Étienne Waddens; m. Louisa McKenzie, mixed-blood daughter of Roderick McKenzie, and they had six children; also fathered at least two children by Indian women; d. 13 Nov. 1858 in Toronto.
    • As a child he moved with his family from Carleton Island to Montreal, and then in 1787 to Williamstown (Ont.). At an early age he joined the North West Company. In 1804–5 he served at the post on the Whitemud River, near the south end of Lake Manitoba, and the following year he was listed as a clerk at Lake Winnipeg. Attached to the brigade of Alexander Henry the younger in September 1810, Bethune accompanied Henry to Rocky Mountain House (Alta). Late in the fall of 1810 David Thompson arrived at this post and Bethune helped him to set off on his expedition across the Rocky Mountains.
    • In the fall of 1813 he arrived with John George McTavish at Fort Astoria (Astoria, Oreg.), where he acted as a witness in the sale of the post by the PFC to the NWC. He became a partner in the NWC in July 1814 and later that month embarked with a cargo of Columbia furs on the company vessel Isaac Todd for Canton (People’s Republic of China).
    • His first appointment as chief factor was to Moose Factory (Ont.) in the Southern Department. In the summer of 1822 he became superintendent at Fort Albany and in 1824 was placed in charge of the provision depot at Sault Ste Marie.
    • Having lapsed into senility towards the end of his life, Bethune died in Toronto at the age of 75. His estate was valued at more than $56,000 and included two houses, stocks, mortgages, and 1,500 acres left to him by his father. His son, Dr Norman Bethune, served as executor. In spite of the prominent positions Angus Bethune attained during his many years in the fur trade, his long career, which was full of adventure, turbulence, and controversy, was not crowned by many personal successes.
  • Son of Proven United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=565
  • Find A Grave: Cannot Locate.