Douglas, Sir James

born Aug. 15, 1803, Demerara, British Guiana

died Aug. 2, 1877, Victoria, B.C., Can.

Canadian statesman, known as "the father of British Columbia.

" He joined the Hudson's Bay Co. in 1821 and became a senior member in charge of operations west of the Rocky Mountains. In 1849 he moved the company's headquarters from Oregon to Vancouver Island. He served as governor of Vancouver from 1851 to 1864. When gold was discovered on the Fraser River in 1858, he extended his authority to the mainland to preserve Britain's Pacific foothold. When Britain created the colony of British Columbia, Douglas was appointed governor (1858–64).

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▪ Canadian statesman

born Aug. 15, 1803, Demerara, British Guiana

died Aug. 2, 1877, Victoria, B.C., Can.

      Canadian statesman known as “the father of British Columbia.” He became its first governor when it was a newly formed wilderness colony.

      Douglas joined the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821 and rose to become senior member of the board, in charge of operations west of the Rocky Mountains. After the establishment of the southwestern boundary with the United States, he moved the company's headquarters from Oregon to Vancouver Island in 1849. As governor (1851–64) of Vancouver Island when gold was discovered on the Fraser River in 1858, he extended his authority to the mainland in order to preserve Britain's foothold on the Pacific in the face of an influx of settlers from the United States. His action was approved by the British government, which then created the colony of British Columbia. Douglas became its governor in 1858 after severing his connection with the Hudson's Bay Company. He was knighted in 1863 and retired in 1864.

▪ Scottish noble

byname  Black Douglas  

born c. 1286

died Aug. 25, 1330, Spain

      lord of the Douglas family and champion of Robert de Bruce (King Robert I of Scotland).

      Son of Sir William Douglas (d. c. 1298), who was captured by the English and died in the Tower of London, Sir James was educated in Paris and returned home to find an Englishman, Robert de Clifford, in possession of his estates. He joined Robert de Bruce, attending his coronation at Scone (March 1306) and sharing his wanderings in the Highlands after their defeat at the Battle of Methven (June 1306). The following year they separated, Sir James returning to the south of Scotland, when he three times attacked his own castle at Douglas, finally destroying it. His assault made on Palm Sunday, March 19, 1307, is known as the “Douglas Larder.” His many successful raids on the English won him the dreaded name of the “Black Douglas.” Through the capture of Roxburgh Castle (1313) by the stratagem of disguising his men as black oxen, he secured Teviotdale; and at the Battle of Bannockburn (June 1314) he commanded the left wing with Walter the Steward. He invaded Yorkshire (1319) with Thomas Randolph, earl of Moray, defeating an English army assembled at Myton-upon-Swale. Shortly before peace was finally concluded, he nearly captured Edward III in a daring night attack on the English camp in Weardale (August 1327).

      Before his death (1329) Bruce asked Sir James to carry his heart to the Holy Land in redemption of his unfulfilled crusading vow; Sir James set out (1330), bearing the embalmed heart in a silver casket, but he fell that year fighting against the Moors in Spain.

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