Outpost: John Mcloughlin And The Far Northwest

by Dorothy Nafus Morrison

Dr. John McLoughlin, chief factor at Fort Vancouver (1824-45) and the strongest arm of the Hudson's Bay Company in a colonial Pacific Northwest, was a man easily mythologized yet poorly known. The man now called "The Father of Oregon," was cast out first by his company and later deserted by the pioneers he had unstintingly aided.

Born in 1784 in a village near Quebec, John McLoughlin found himself between two worlds throughout his life. The son of an illiterate Catholic farmer and a well-born Protestant mother, he had just completed his training as a doctor, when an offense he gave to a British soldier made it prudent for the eighteen-year-old to leave Quebec quickly. He struck out for the fur country as a company doctor and clerk. A skilled leader, he advanced through posts in the North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company. He came to the Pacific Northwest in 1824 with his family, where he established the HBC headquarters at Fort Vancouver. From here he monitered HBC interests from California to Alaska.

Known for his compassion and blistering temper, he kept peace, made money for the company, and defended HBC (British) interests in the region. He assisted starving, exhausted, Oregon Trail settlers, maintaining even relations with them while America and Great Britain decide the prickly question of national bounderies. In 1845, during a year of great personal tragedies, he was maneuvered out of his position by forces within the HBC through a massive business reorganization.

After leaving the company, he built a home on a land claim in Oregon City, became a citizen of the United States, and ran several businesses of his own. Yet, he was painted as a "foreigner" who had profited from the destitution of the first pioneers. A law passed by Congress in 1850 confirmed all claims except McLoughlin's and he lost his estate. Prior to his death in 1857, he said, "I might better have been shot 40 years ago than to have lived here and try to build up a family and estate in this government."

Dorothy Morrison's comprehensive biography takes a fresh view of this complex and passionate man whose personal story illuminates the history of the settlement of the Pacific Northwest. Over 100 illustrations and 6 maps enhance this epic story.

575 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

American author, mainly of children's novels. Born in Iowa. She worked as a music teacher before turning to writing books in the 1960s. Her children's books include three horse stories. She also wrote biographies, including those of historical figures who were important to the Women's and Indian Rights movements.

Reviews

[Kasey Lawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. John McLoughlin was a man easily mythologized yet poorly known. The man now called “The Father of Oregon,” was cast out first by his company and later deserted by the pioneers he unstintingly aided.
Known for his compassion and blistering temper, he kept peace, made copious amounts of money for the Hudson’s Bay Company and defended their interests in what would soon to be Oregon. Meanwhile he was selflessly assisting starving, exhausted, Oregon Trail settlers while America and Britain laboriously settled the prickly question of national boundaries.
Born in Quebec, reared under the auspices of the British throne and it’s far flung business interests, and made a legendary figure in what would eventually be the exploitative pluralism of the United States, McLoughlin was the personification of the frontier entrepreneur. The epitome of a pioneer.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched, but with a strong bias in favor of McLoughlin. It would have been helpful to include maps of the many places referred to.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

McLoughlin is a founding father in these parts, almost legendary. Reading this book, you quickly become immersed in the reality of his life. It is the most engaging book about early Oregon history I've ever read.