Frederick Seymour

Frederick Seymour was born in Belfast in 1820. Poor family fortunes deprived Seymour of a good education but family connections secured him a junior position in the colonial service. In 1864, Seymour was offered the governorship of British Columbia, succeeding long time governor James Douglas.

The new governor arrived in the mainland colony on April 20, 1864, two weeks before the Bute Inlet incident. Seymour acted quickly upon receiving news of the attack, dispatching two military forces to the Tsilhqot'in area. He decided to personally accompany Chartres Brew's expedition and, in his colonial dispatches to London, wrote extensively about the group's activities.

Seymour's term as governor was marked by financial difficulties in the colony and poor health personally. Seymour unsuccessfully opposed the union of the colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver Island and the establishment of Victoria as the capital city. In 1869, while still in office, Seymour died of dysentery during his voyage home from the north coast.

Secondary Sources

Ormsby, Margaret. "Frederick Seymour." In Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. IX. Toronto: University of Toronto, 1976.