born May, 20, 1776, Mapletown, N.Y.
died Aug. 18?, 1862, St. Andrews West, Canada West
Canadian explorer and fur trader.
In 1784 he moved to Canada, where he became a clerk (1791) and later a partner (1801) in the North West Co. In 1805 he set out to find more suitable trade routes for the fur company. He discovered a river (later Fraser River ) that he mistook for the Columbia River, realizing his error only after having followed its course for more than a year. In 1817, as head of the company's Red River Valley department, he was arrested for his alleged participation in the Seven Oaks Massacre . After his acquittal, he retired to Ontario. Simon Fraser University is named for him.