Norman Kittson
Norman Kittson | |
---|---|
Canadian-American | |
Spouses | Élise Marion (died 1868)
|
Children | 9 |
Occupation | Steamboat operator, Railroad entrepreneur |
Norman Wolfred Kittson (March 6, 1814 – May 10, 1888) was one of early Minnesota's most prominent citizens. He was best known as first a fur trader, then a steamboat-line operator and finally a railway entrepreneur and owner of thoroughbred racehorses. He was part of the original syndicate that went on to create the Canadian Pacific Railway. Kittson County, Minnesota is named for him.[1] Norman County, Minnesota also was named for him.[2]
Early years
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/Norman_Kittson_c._1856.jpg/220px-Norman_Kittson_c._1856.jpg)
Norman Wolfred Kittson was the eighth of ten children born to George Kittson (1779–1832), merchant, Justice of the Peace, clerk of the Commisariat and King's auctioneer at
Norman's grandfather, Thomas Kittson, was in the British Army, probably in the 24th Regiment of Foot[5] and likely was killed or taken prisoner in the fall of 1777 at the Battles of Saratoga. Thomas was married to Julia Calcutt (1756–1835), who has likely travelled with him with the Regiment in April 1776 from Cork, Ireland to Trois-Rivières.[6] By 1779, Julia was living with Alexander Henry in Montreal, with her infant George. Julia and Alexander had four children born out of wedlock, and did marry by licence in 1785, Montreal, likely after the official news that her husband was deceased. They had a fifth child after getting married.[7]
Fur trading
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Casper_wild.jpg/220px-Casper_wild.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/FortPemiba1860.jpg/220px-FortPemiba1860.jpg)
Kittson received a grammar school education at Sorel, and like everyone in his family he was perfectly bilingual. His step-grandfather Alexander Henry and four of his five paternal uncles had all been active in the fur trade, particularly the North West Company. It therefore was no surprise that, seeking adventure, in 1830 he took an apprenticeship with the American Fur Company at Michilimackinac, where Alexander Henry and many others from Sorel had been active.[8][9][10] Kittson served at various posts in what became Minnesota Territory in the United States.
Kittson left the American Fur Company in 1833 to become a clerk to the sutler at Fort Snelling. In 1839, he went into business for himself, setting up as a fur trader and supply merchant at Cold Lake, near Fort Snelling.[11] Henry Hastings Sibley, Kittson's old friend from the American Fur Company had risen to managing agent of the AFC, but left in 1843 to form a partnership with Kittson.[11]
In 1844, maintaining a large degree of independence, Kittson established a permanent post at Pembina, North Dakota, where he made his headquarters.[11] Covering the Red River Valley,[11] he boldly set himself up in direct competition to the Hudson's Bay Company, whose headquarters were only 100 km away in the Red River Colony at Rupert's Land. Kittson's almost immediate success at Pembina threatened the trade monopoly exerted by the HBC.
He served in the Minnesota Territorial Council from 1852 to 1855, while living in Pembina.[12]
Kittson collected furs from
St. Paul, Minnesota
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Kittson_House_at_St._Paul%2C_Minnesota.gif/220px-Kittson_House_at_St._Paul%2C_Minnesota.gif)
In the 1850s, a contemporary described Kittson as a "sprightly, fine-looking man; cleanly and really elegantly dressed; hair just turning gray; eyes bright, with a quiet, pleasant voice; genial in nature and a man of excellent characteristics".
During this period, his business interests extended into the Red River Colony, which he was committed to developing. In 1856, he opened a store at
Steamboat operations
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Steamship_%27International%27.jpg/220px-Steamship_%27International%27.jpg)
The creation of the province of
Railway entrepreneur
In 1879, though in poor health, Kittson embarked on his last major venture. With James Hill, Kittson joined forces with Hudson's Bay Company representative
Thoroughbred racing
Norman Kittson was possessed of "a sartorial elegance and a love of
Family
Norman Kittson had been married three times. His first wife, Élise Marion (1831–1868) a
Kittson died 10 May 1888 in a
Papers
Papers of Norman W. Kittson are available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society. They include fur trade account books (1851–1853, 1863–1866) and miscellaneous papers pertaining to lands, accounts, and other investments.[22]
Notes and references
Footnotes
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Government Printing Office. pp. 177.
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Government Printing Office. pp. 226.
Norman County named after Norman Kittson.
- ^ Archives Canada RG1 L3L page 92907-92922
- ^ Archives Nationales du Quebecm Registre d'État civil non-catholique, district judiciaire de Richelieu ANQ, M-337.
- ^ British National Archives WO121/12/257
- ^ The British Invasion from the North published by Joel, Munsell's Sons, London 1887
- ^ Archives nationales du Quebec Cote CE601, S63. Film #10064
- ^ Interview of Rev. Henry Kittson, son of Norman Wolfred, published in: C. W. Rife, Norman W. Kittson, a fur-trader at Pembina, Minnesota Hist. (St Paul, Minn.), 6 (1925) : 225–252. By Michel Robert
- ISBN 2-89448-146-2
- ^ "Norman W. Kittson – 15 to 20 years old" Census, 1830 Michigan Territory:Michilimackinac County
- ^ a b c d Kittson family fonds, National Archives of Canada, R8013-0-0-E
- ^ Minnesota Legislators Past and Present-Norman Wolfred Kittson
- ^ Norman Kittson, a fur-trader at Pembina
- ^ 'A History of St. Paul, and of the County of Ramsey County, Minnesota,' J. Fletcher Williams, pg. 464
- ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography
- ^ Lord Strathcona: A Biography of Donald Alexander Smith, by Donna McDonald
- ^ "The Erdenheim Sale. Breaking up of a Famous Throroughbred Stock Farm" (PDF). New York Times. November 9, 1888. Retrieved 2015-06-02.
- ^ Lord Strathcona: A Biography of Donald Alexander Smith, by Donna McDonald
- ^ Michel Robert
- ^ Norman Kittson – a fur trader at Pembina
- ^ Kittson Not Married – Margaret Robinson, the Indian's claim for over a million, as his wife, denied, New York Times, March 4, 1896.
- ^ Norman W. Kittson Papers
References
- Minnesota Place Names – People Information. Accessed 2006-07-16.
- Gilman, Rhoda R.; Carolyn Gilman; Deborah M. Stultz (1979). The Red River Trails. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press. ISBN 0-87351-133-6.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)