Archives West Finding Aid

Dr. John McLoughlin, Chief Factor of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) and "Father of Oregon" was born to John and Angelique (Fraser) McLoughlin on October 19, 1784 in Riviere du Loup in Lower Canada near Quebec. His son, Joseph, was born to his first wife, a Chippewa woman. In about 1812 he married his second wife, Marguerite (Wadin) McKay by whom he had four children. After briefly practicing medicine in Montreal, he joined the fur trade, becoming a partner in the North West Company which united with the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821. In 1824 he was made Chief Factor of the Columbia District which moved its headquarters from Fort George (Astoria), constructing Fort Vancouver in 1825. There McLoughlin was a leading figure in the development of the Oregon Country.

McLoughlin dealt profitably and successfully with the native people as well as generously providing seeds and other needs to white missionaries and settlers on credit, against the wishes of the HBC. In the 1840s furs started to become scarce and settlers began to arrive in larger numbers. In 1846 McLoughlin retired under criticism from the Company and moved to Oregon City, where he built a two story house, now a museum, and ran a store for a time. But, due to an act of Congress, he was forced to give up much of his land claim. He became an American citizen in 1849 and died in Oregon City on September 3, 1857. A portion of the land claim was returned to his heirs after his death, but he died feeling betrayed by both the British and the Americans.

John and Marguerite McLoughlin's daughter Eloisa was born February 13, 1817, moving to Fort Vancouver with her parents in 1825. In 1838 she married HBC employee William Glen Rae, a clerk and trader by whom she had three children. In 1845 Rae committed suicide in San Francisco and Eloisa returned with her children to Fort Vancouver, subsequently moving to Oregon City with her parents. There in 1850 she married Daniel Harvey who ran flour mills and sawmills. They had three children together and moved to Portland in 1867. Eloisa died in 1884.

Margaret Glen Rae was a daughter by Eloisa's first marriage. She married Theodore Wygant in 1858. They had four children. Wygant was born in New York November 22, 1831, the son of William and Amelia (Fowler) Wygant. He came to Oregon City in 1850, worked on the Canemah and later was Captain of the Surprise. He was an agent for several Oregon City steamboats for ten years and later moved to Portland where he became the Secretary-Treasurer of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company and later ran a real estate business.

Theodore and Margaret Wygant's eldest daughter, Alice, married Portland architect William Widden. Their second daughter, Maria Louise, never married. Their third daughter Nellie Amelia married Martin Winch. Winch was born December 15, 1858 and came to Portland in 1871 with his mother and brother to live with his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Simeon G. Reed. His education ended at the age of sixteen when he went to work as an office boy for Oregon Steam Navigation Company. Later he worked for the Oregon Rail Road and Navigation Company and conducted a printing business on the side. His uncle also engaged him to look after his financial affairs. After the deaths of his aunt and uncle he succeeded in carrying out his aunt's will by establishing and endowing Reed College to benefit Portland, where the Reeds had started their fortune. Amelia and Martin had one son, Simeon Reed Winch.