Francis "Frank" Work Beaton, the last Hudson's Bay Factor in Fort St. John, died in January 1945 at the age of 79. He had spent 45 years in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, at the main posts of Trout Lake, Dunvegan, and Hudson's Hope before settling with his family in Fort St. John in 1899. While there he also opened outposts at such places as Fontas, Sikanni, Beatton River, and Nig Creek. After he was pensioned off from the Company in 1928, Mr. Beaton worked as the local sub-mining recorder and as a Justice of the Peace. Says Frank Beaton of the early days as factor "There were no dollars and cents in this country at that time," he recalled. "If a man wanted to buy a coat or had at the store, he paid the price in pelts. I had to teach the Indians to count. I would take 100 bullets and show them how to count in tens. If I owed a man for 100 skins I would give him 100 bullets and show him how to spend the bullets (or skins) for a hat. It was long before I could get them to understand dollars and cents."

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