James McMillan (fur trader)

James McMillan (1783–1858) was a fur trader and explorer for the North West Company and Hudson's Bay Company. He led some of the earliest surveys of the lower Fraser River and founded Fort Langley for the HBC in 1827, and was its first Chief Trader.

Born in August, 1782, McMillan was the fourth son of Allan McMillan, Tacksman of Glenpean, Argyllshire and his wife, Margaret Cameron from Rannoch, Perthshire. With his parents and siblings, he emigrated from Scotland to British North America in 1802, and settled with them initially in what became Glengarry County, Ontario. Not long after arriving, the young James began work as a clerk for the North West Company in what is now Saskatchewan. Notably, he joined David Thompson's 1808 North West Company expedition west across the Rocky Mountains. During 1812 he led operations at Spokane House, competing against the nearby Pacific Fur Company station Fort Spokane. Later, he assisted in purchasing the PFC assets, which besides Fort Spokane included its headquarters of Fort Astoria and Fort Okanogan. These latter two stations would be utilised by the NWC, with Fort Astoria being renamed Fort George in honor of George III of the United Kingdom.

In June 1824, following the merger of the North West Company and the HBC, McMillan accompanied HBC Governor George Simpson from York Factory far west to the lower Columbia River, arriving at Fort George on November 8 of that year. Simpson described McMillan as a “Staunch & Manly Friend and Fellow Traveller”. Ten days later, Simpson assigned McMillan with commanding an expedition to survey the mouth of the Fraser River and assess it for navigability, settlement potential and agricultural suitability. He led an exploration party of 40 men from Fort George to Puget Sound and on to Mud Bay, just east of present-day Point Roberts. On local advice of a shortcut, McMillan's party proceeded east up the Nicomekl River through what is now South Surrey, British Columbia where they then portaged to the Fraser River. The expedition traveled and surveyed up the Fraser River as far as Hatzic Slough, before returning to Fort George.

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