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Orkney
Post journals recording Alexander Kennedy's activities
Although Kennedy was at York Factory from the time of his arrival, he is not specifically mentioned in the post journals until July 1800. Kennedy’s duties included writing journals, correspondence and accounts on behalf of Chief Factor John Ballenden, as well as performing other necessary tasks around the post. It seems he spent much of his time hunting with Thomas Colen, a fellow writer who had arrived in 1795.
John Ballenden, the man who had hired Kennedy, returned to England on the company ship in the fall of 1802, turning over command of the post to John McNab. Unlike Ballenden, McNab was not much of a writer. His entries were relatively short, to-the-point, and contain few mentions of Kennedy. Though he was still at York Factory, Kennedy’s name does not appear at all in the 1804-1805 post journal. We do know that Kennedy met his wife, Aggathas, during his time at the post and their first child, John, was born in January 1805.
July 1800, waiting and preparing for the annual ship
August 1800, hunting with Colen
September 1800, departure of inland canoes
October 1800, hunting at French Creek
October 1801, hunting at French Creek
December 1801, home for Christmas
October, December 1802, Kennedy hunting with "companion"
Find out more… search York Factory post journals in the Keystone Archives Descriptive Database.
