Dease, Peter Warren

  • DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN BIOGRAPHY ARTICLE: William R. Sampson, “DEASE, PETER WARREN,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 9, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/dease_peter_warren_9E.html
  • DCB profile notes:
    • HBC officer and Arctic explorer; b. 1 Jan. 1788 at Mackinac (Mackinac Island, Mich.), son of Dr John B. Dease, captain and deputy superintendent of the Indian Department, and Jane French, possibly a Roman Catholic Caughnawaga Mohawk; d. 17 Jan. 1863 at côte Sainte-Catherine (Montreal), Canada East.
    • Peter Warren Dease was named after Admiral Sir Peter Warren, the captor of Louisbourg, Île Royale (Cape Breton Island) in 1745 and a paternal relative. Raised in Montreal, Dease at age 13 was engaged to the XY Company on 11 April 1801 at a salary of £75 plus food, lodging, and clothing for a six-year term in the “Indian or North West Country.” 
    • With union of the two companies in 1821, Peter Warren Dease and his brother John Warren were appointed chief traders in the HBC; Peter Warren attended the first meeting of the Council of the Northern Department at Norway House in August where he was appointed to the Athabasca District. In the spring of 1831 Dease assumed sole charge of the New Caledonia District from William Connolly, and he transferred his station to Fort St James on Stuart Lake.
    • In three summers Dease and Simpson had explored the Arctic coast through 60 degrees of latitude at a cost to the HBC of £1,000 and, except for the transit of the Boothia Peninsula, they had completed the long-sought survey of the northwest passage. That Simpson was the more daring is beyond doubt, but Dease’s logistical abilities in organizing supplies, recruiting and maintaining discipline among his men, keeping peace among the natives, and managing the swift movement with a simplicity of equipment while living off the land in so far as possible assured the success of these arduous expeditions despite the disappointments of 1838. Governor George Simpson had been more than justified in refusing to give his erratic and self-seeking cousin independent command.
    • George Simpson’s perceptive remarks in his famous “Character Book” of 1832 remain the best commentary on Peter Warren Dease: “Very steady in business, an excellent Indian Trader, speaks several of the Languages well and is a man of very correct conduct and character. Strong vigorous and capable of going through a great deal of Severe Service but rather indolent, wanting in ambition to distinguish himself in any measure out of the usual course …. His judgement is sound, his manners are more pleasing and easy than those of many of his colleagues, and altho’ not calculated to make a shining figure, may be considered a very respectable member of the concern.”
  • Son of Proven Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory –https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=2130
  • Find a GRAVE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/108912323/peter_warren-dease