Simon Fraser (explorer)

Simon Fraser
Pre-1825 portrait of Fraser
Born	20 May 1776 Hoosick, Province of New York, British America
Died	August 18, 1862(1862-08-18) (aged 86) St. Andrews West, Canada
Occupations	Wintering Partner in the North West Company explorer fur trader
Spouse	Catherine McDonell
Children	Nine altogether, one died at infancy
Parent(s)	Isabella Grant and Simon Fraser II

Simon Fraser (20 May 1776 – 18 August 1862) was a Canadian explorer and fur trader who charted much of what is now the Canadian province of British Columbia. He also built the first European settlement in British Columbia.

Employed by the Montreal-based North West Company, he had been by 1805 put in charge of all of the company's operations west of the Rocky Mountains. He was responsible for building that area's first trading posts, and in 1808, he explored what is now known as the Fraser River, which bears his name. Fraser's exploratory efforts were partly responsible for Canada's boundary later being established at the 49th parallel (after the War of 1812) since he, as a British subject, was the first European to establish permanent settlements in the area. According to the historian Alexander Begg, Fraser "was offered a knighthood but declined the title due to his limited wealth."^[1]