(Thomas Douglas, Fifth Earl of Selkirk)
Thomas Douglas, commonly referred to as Lord Selkirk, was the founder of the Red River Settlement, known today as Winnipeg. Lord Selkirk was born in 1773 and was educated as a lawyer. He realized that many Scottish peasants, or 'Crofters', were loosing their homes because land owners found it more profitable to raise sheep on their land, rather than rent it to tenants. Unlike most other wealthy noblemen, he took an interest in them and felt that he could help them. He decided to settle the poor people in British North America to improve the situation in the British Isles as well as life for these peasants. To acquire the land needed to colonize in B.N.A. (British North America), Lord Selkirk bought enough shares from the Hudson's Bay Company. In doing that, he was granted 160 000 square miles of land called Assiniboia. He sent poor Irish and Highland Scots from the British Isles to B.N.A. to start colonizing the Red River Valley.
The colony was under constant attack from the hostile North West Company and their Metis allies. Eventually, the Nor'Westers were successful in destroying Fort Douglas and driving the Selkirk settlers out of the colony. In order to regain control of his colony, Lord Selkirk hired 100 disbanded Swiss soldiers. They captured Fort William, the North West Company headquarters, hen proceeded to Assiniboia to restore the settlement.
Meanwhile, the Nor' Westers issued a warrant for his arrest. Lord Selkirk was fined 2000 pounds for his actions at Fort William. Disillusioned and in poor health, Lord Selkirk returned to France where, in 1820, he died. His settlement had a huge impact on our area.
Polson, John Henderson, John Pritchard, Munroe, Angus McKay, and Neil Campbell Schools were all named for Selkirk settlers.