David Thompson: The Man Who Looks at Stars

Mapping the West: The North West Company Years
1797 - 1814

In 1797, Thompson decided to move to the North West Company. In 1799, he married a 13-year-old Métis girl, Charlotte Small. They had 13 children and were married 58 years. For the next few years Thompson continued to travel and survey, especially in the Rocky Mountains. His wife and children often travelled with him.

Thompson is credited with mapping a large part of the northwest Copyright/Source

By 1810, he had mapped much of what is now Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. In 1811, he went down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. In 1812, Thompson retired from the North West Company and moved to Montreal. By 1814, he had completed a large map of the northwest from Lake Superior to the Pacific Ocean.

Not Exactly a Midnight Stroll!
On May 23, 1797 at 3:30 in the morning, Thompson left the Hudson's Bay Company's Reindeer Lake post and walked 130 kilometers south to his new employer, the North West Company.

Child Bride
In 1799, Thompson married Charlotte Small. He was 29, she was 13. He first saw the half Irish, half Cree teenager while he was passing through the trading post at Île-à-la-Crosse. He didn't waste time; they were married immediately!

Livesey, Robert and A. G. Smith. The Fur Traders. Toronto: Stoddart, ©1989, p. 21