Learn / People who shaped Canada

James Douglas

Governor of British Columbia · 1803-1877

Born in Demerara to a Creole mother, he founded Victoria and held the Pacific coast for Britain.

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Life story

1. August 15, 1803 · Demerara, British Guiana
   Born in Demerara in British Guiana
2. March 1843 · Victoria, British Columbia
   Founded Fort Victoria for the Hudson's Bay Company
3. 1851 · Victoria
   Became governor of the colony of Vancouver Island
4. August 2, 1858 · Fort Langley and the Fraser
   Proclaimed the mainland colony of British Columbia as miners poured in
5. 1862 · Barkerville, British Columbia
   Pushed through the Cariboo Road to the goldfields
6. August 2, 1877 · Victoria
   Died at Victoria

In the timeline

• 1858 — The Fraser Canyon gold rush
• 1871 — British Columbia joins

Sources

• Wikipedia article: James Douglas (governor)
• Dictionary of Canadian Biography
• The Canadian Encyclopedia