Roderick Finlayson

Gravesite of Roderick Finlayson - Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria BC. Photo by Rachel Perkins

Roderick Finlayson, born March 16, 1818 in the parish of Lochalsh, in the county of Ross, Scotland, was the second son and fourth child of Alexander Finlayson and Mary Morison. He attended parochial schools and loved reading Anson’s, Cook’s and Drakes voyages around the world.  By age 16 he understood the principals of the rise and progress of the East India Company and other adventurers and longed to go abroad to do something for himself.

In July 1837 he left Scotland with his mother, siblings and maternal grandfather and headed to New York.  While in New York he met his paternal uncle, Chief Factor Duncan Finlayson and Sir George Simpson who were returning to England.  Through the kindness of his uncle he secured a position as apprentice clerk with the Hudson’s Bay Company.

He left New York and proceeded to Lachine where he worked for a short time then moved to Fort Coulonge.  Here he learned to negotiate with Native American hunters and lumber men working on the Ottawa River.  Not having any knowledge of the French language he taught himself the principals of the language and eventually spoke French fluently.

In 1839 he was transferred to the Columbia District.  His journey west was uneventful other than being caught in the middle of a stampede of 500 buffalo that were crossing the Saskatchewan River.  At Fort Vancouver, Finlayson was placed in charge of the new saw and grist mill; he supervised 32 men and reported weekly to Chief Factor Dr. John McLoughlin.

In the spring of 1840 he was transferred to Fort Stikine on the northwest coast.  He traveled from Fort Vancouver via the Cowlitz Plain and learned from a Native American messenger that Fort Langley had burned to the ground.  Once at Cowlitz he proceeded to Fort Nisqually and boarded the steamer Beaver under the direction of Chief Trader James Douglas.  The steamer proceeded to Fort Langley and he helped rebuild the post.  With Fort Langley rebuilt Finlayson one again boarded the Beaver with Douglas and proceeded north and stopped at Fort McLoughlin and Fort Simpson.  At the latter post he met Sarah, the second eldest daughter of Chief Trader John Work.

By 1843 some northern HBC posts were abandoned and Finlayson was ordered transferred to the southern tip of Vancouver Island to help establish Fort Victoria.  Chief Trader Charles Ross supervised the construction of the new post with Finlayson as his second in command.  Less than one year after Fort Victoria was established Chief Trader Ross became violently ill and died.  Upon Ross’s death Finlayson was placed in charge of Fort Victoria.

Roderick was an excellent supervisor.  In a letter written to Governor George Simpson on April 6, 1846, Chief Factor James Douglas noted:

“Roderick Finlayson has managed the affairs of Ft. Victoria, remarkably well, since his accession to the charge of the Post and I assure you it will not be an easy matter to find a better man for the place.  He is not a man of display, but there is a degree of energy, perseverance, method and sound judgment in all his arrangements, which from what I had seen of him in a subordinate situation, I was not prepared to expect.  He is, besides a young man of great probability and high moral worth, this, in justice, to the young man, should have been represented before.”

In 1849 Chief Factor James Douglas moved from Fort Vancouver and took control of Fort Victoria.  Finlayson was reassigned as Fort Victoria’s head accountant.

On Dec 14, 1849 Roderick Finlayson married Sarah Work the second daughter of Chief Factor John Work and his Métis wife Suzette Legace.  One month after their marriage Finlayson received his commission as Chief Trader and ten years in 1859 he was promoted Chief Factor.

In 1861 Finlayson took a one year furlough to visit family and when he returned to Victoria he was appointed Superintendant of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s interior affairs.  He continued in this capacity until 1872 when he retired and devoted the remainder of his life to farming and managing his business ventures.

Always interested in Victoria’s civil affairs Finlayson was elected Mayor of Victoria by acclamation in 1878 and was instrumental in pushing forward the construction of the first section of Victoria City Hall.

Historian Hubert H. Bancroft visited Victoria and wrote the following about Finlayson:

“He was well preserved in mind and in body, clear-headed, courteous, intelligent and public spirited.  He was tall, well proportioned, and erect and crowned with gray, with fine full features, expressive at once of benevolence and intelligence.  He was a shrewd, practical, clear-headed Scotchman, who meddles little with his neighbor’s affairs, but attends to his own business.  He is kind, benevolent, honorable, and exceedingly courteous and a true gentleman in the highest sense.”

Roderick Finlayson died on January 20^th 1892 at age 74.   The flag situated on the top of Victoria’s City Hall hung at half mast indicating one of the leading and most honored residents of Victoria had passed away.

Submitted by Pamela E. Pike Gaudio,

great granddaughter of Chief Factor Roderick Finlayson and

3 x great granddaughter of Honorable Chief Factor John Work and Suzette Legace.