Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/466

306 Dr. John McLoughlin's father was accidentally drowned in the St. Lawrence river, while the former was a child. He and his brother David were brought up in the home of their maternal grandfather. He was educated in Canada and Scotland, and became a physician while still very young and did not long practice his profession. He joined the Northwest company and his ability soon made him prominent. When the Northwest company and the Hudson 's Bay company coalesced in 1821, he was in charge of Fort William, situated on Lake Superior, the chief depot and factory of the Northwest company. Although he strenuously opposed the coalition of the two companies his abilitj^ was such that he was soon after appointed chief factor of all the Hudson's Bay company's business west of the Rocky mountains. In 1824 he arrived at Fort George (Astoria) near the mouth of the Columbia river, which was then the chief post of the company west of the Rocky mountains. The next year he established the headquarters of the company at Fort Vancouver now in the state of Washington. About the year 1830, he erected a new Fort Vancouver, about one mile distant from its first location. Here is now located the United Statesmilitary post known as Vancouver Barracks. Dr. McLoughlin soon established a farm of about 3,000 acres near Fort Vancouver, on which were gi'own quantities of grain, principally wheat. He gradually developed a large herd of cattle. He constructed saw mills and flour mills near the fort, and yearly shipped lumber to the Hawaiian islands and flour to Sitka. He established and maintained a number of trading forts and posts, and made the part of the Hudson's Bay Company's business under his control the most profitable of all its business in North America.

When he first came to Oregon the number of Indians in the country in which he had command is estimated at about one hundred thousand. At that time it was not safe for white men to travel except in large parties and heavily armed. In a few years there was practically no danger and small parties traveled safely in all parts of the country west of the Rocky mountains. This was due almost wholly to Dr. McLoughlin 's personal qualities and his superb command and influence over men of all kinds. He was the autocrat of the country, yet ever tempered austerity with kindness, justice and mercy. His subordinates and the Indians soon came to know that he was a man of his word whether it was for reward or punishment. He had no police or armed men, except the regular trade officers of the company and its employees and servants. No one ever understood how to manage Indians better than he. Physically he was a man of large frame and fully six feet four inches in height. While comparatively a young man his hair became white. Usually his hair was worn long, reaching nearly to his shoulders. His mental qualities matched his magnificent physical proportions. He was fearless, just and honorable. No one was more approachable than he, for he was a man with a kindly courtesy, yet he was ever true to his company's interest, except where humanity required him to act otherwise.

It was necessary that some one should be in command in what was known as "the Oregon country," being all that part of North American north of latitude 42 degrees north, the present northern boundary of California, and Nevada, then Spanish possessions west of the Rocky mountains, south of latitude 54 degi-ees and 40 minutes the southern boundary of the Russian possessions, and east of