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Edward, along with his younger brother, joined the Hudson's Bay Company as apprentice clerks in 1818. Edward's first posting was to Island lake where he stayed for 2 years and learned the fur trade from John Tod. Edward was very good at accounting and was a hard worker. Edward also introduced Tod to a love of music and learning. Edward was a classical scholar, and although John Tod's education was limited, through books he taught himself a lot and was able to share his interests with Edward. He was also a good musician; he played violin and flute and composed his own music. He taught Tod to play the flute and gave him an old one of his. The evenings that the men spent playing music together were some of Tod's favourite memories. Edward was not happy working for the Hudson's Bay Company. He resigned in 1826, but had to stay on until 1828. At this same time, John Tod was languishing at McLeod Lake, sick and depressed. Although Tod was sad that his friend was quitting, he sent him a letter wishing him well, "I sincerely hope things are going on prosperously with You and that you may never have cause to regret leaving this worst of countries," (Tod to
E. Ermatinger, 14 Feb 1829, BC Archives, Victoria) Edward left for England, where he had planned to stay, but then came back to Canada the next year. He spent almost a year looking for the perfect place to live. Edward finally decided on St. Thomas (in Ontario), and opened a General Store in the little town.
After Tod's brief, sad marriage to Eliza and his return to Canada to leave his daughter Emma with relatives in Montreal, Tod was able to visit his old friend Edward. The two men enjoyed each other's company very much. Edward had recently married a young cheerful woman named Achsah (Axie) Burnham. Their house on Walnut Street was full of music and was the social and cultural centre of St. Thomas. (of course, there was no television in those days!) John Tod planned to live near them when he retired, so he arranged for Edward to buy a farm for him. Because of Tod's isolation in remote New Caledonia, he trusted Edward to manage all of his investments, as did many other Hudson's Bay Company officers. It is not surprising that Edward eventually became a banker, real estate agent and insurance broker. When John Tod's family came over to look after his farm, Edward still handled Tod's business and the family bought things they needed at Edward's store on John's account. Between 1843 and 1845, Edward had a few business setbacks and broke off with one of his business partners. The former business partner, as well as a member of John Tod's family, wrote letters to Tod which caused him to be concerned about the safety of his money. He began to doubt his friend, Edward. He revoked Edward's power of attorney (permission to act on someone's behalf) and sent him a letter ending all further business with him. When Tod received a letter from Edward (which took about a year) explaining that the accusations against him had been false, Tod sent an apology which Edward did not accept. The old friends didn't communicate again for about 15 years. Edward was very active politically and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Canada for a few years, but his political career was short. He was a successful business man and well respected in his community. Finally, Edward decided to forgive Tod. He wrote him a letter asking him to take care of one of his nephews, who was heading out west to join the gold rush. They resumed their letters to each other, in which they remembered happy days from the past and shared news of mutual friends (such as Work and Yale). Tod never saw his farm and changed his mind about moving to St. Thomas. He eventually sold his farm to his brother, Sym, and sold his town lot to Edward. This correspondence continued until 1874, when Tod was 80 years old and probably not able to write anymore. We owe Edward Ermatinger a great deal of gratitude for saving all his letters. They give us much information about the fur trade and the interesting people who lived in Canada at that time.
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