John Work: An Irishman in the Pacific Northwest
Ruarí Nolan | June 2025
Dear History Writers,
I’m delighted to bring you this week’s guest article, an exploration of the life of one of the key figures in the nineteenth-century Irish diaspora. As a medievalist myself, the emerging social and political structures of British Columbia, Canada are as new to me as they will be to many of our readers. This essay, however, paints a vibrant picture of the dynamism and connectivity of this period, capturing the involvement of Irish individuals further afield. I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
All the best as always,
Holly
Editor,
Hello there! I’m currently studying for a PhD in Archaeology at Oxford, researching the role of women in the social and political developments of 6th- and 7th-century England and France. With a worldwide readership of over 1,500 (plus over 4,400 on my primary newsletter
), I provide a platform for the words of history writers at every stage of their career. Opportunities to contribute open up regularly, so make sure you’re subscribed to hear before anyone else! Our top 3 posts of all time have been an interview exploring the non-existence of medieval feminism, a guest post connecting the tyranny and injustice of Iron Age warrior queen Boudicca to the present day, and a hilarious journey through the myth of Arachne. You can support my work by becoming a paid subscriber at the link below or by making a one-off donation HERE. Thanks!
Ruairí Nolan is an independent Irish historian and author of the Irish history Substack ‘
’, which seeks to highlight Ireland’s role in a broader global context. He has previously been published in history magazines and websites. You can explore his Substack newsletter at the link below.
John Work: An Irishman in the Pacific Northwest
Ruairí Nolan
The history of Ireland and its diaspora is often viewed through the lens of struggle and resistance, but it is equally a history of survival, adaptation, and influence.
The Irish, scattered across the globe, have played pivotal roles in shaping the histories of far-flung places, and the Pacific Northwest of North America is no exception. One of the most remarkable yet often overlooked figures in this story is John Work, an Irishman who carved out a life for himself in the wild frontier of British North America in the early 19th century. As a fur trader, explorer, and administrator for the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC), Work’s contributions were instrumental in the consolidation of British influence in what would become Canada’s westernmost province. His life exemplifies the tenacity, adaptability, and ambition of the Irish diaspora in an era of colonial expansion.
From Ireland to the Fur Trade Frontier
John Work was born around 1792 in Taughboyne, County Donegal, a region that had long felt the effects of British rule. Like many young Irishmen of his time, he sought opportunities abroad, particularly within the expanding British imperial economy. Work, who may have run away from home, joined the HBC as a “writer” on 15 June 1814 at Stromness in the Orkney Islands. He served in two posts on Hudson Bay, as a steward at York Factory during 1814–15, then as second trader at Severn House.
Work’s early assignments took him to the interior of what is now Canada, where he quickly distinguished himself through his diligence, intelligence, and leadership abilities. This was a time when the fur trade was not merely a business but an expansive colonial enterprise requiring negotiation with Indigenous nations and adaptation to extreme environments. Work’s ability to thrive in these conditions set him apart. His Irish origins may have helped in this regard: growing up in Donegal, he would have been familiar with hardship, resilience, and the delicate balance of power within an imperial system.
The Pacific Northwest and the HBC’s Expansion
In the 1820s, Work was sent westward as part of the HBC’s efforts to consolidate its hold over the Columbia District and the Pacific Northwest. This region, still contested between British and American interests, was crucial for the company’s fur trade operations. By the time Work arrived, the HBC was engaged in a strategic consolidation, seeking to maximize profits while minimizing the threat of American encroachment.
Work’s detailed record-keeping and leadership skills saw him rise through the ranks of the company. He played a key role in organizing supply routes, managing trade networks, and maintaining relations with Indigenous nations, whose cooperation was essential to the HBC’s operations. His sixteen journals, covering the period from July 1823 to October 1835 plus one additional trip in 1851, which remain an invaluable resource for historians, detail the complex web of economic, political, and social interactions that defined the Pacific Northwest in the early nineteenth century.
These journals detail Work’s journeys across the territories of the HBC, from York Factory in Hudson’s Bay, to Astoria on the mouth of the Columbia River. From 1823 to 1830, John Work's field of employment was principally at the Posts or Forts of the upper Columbia: Spokane House, Colville, Flathead and Kootenai.
Encounters with Indigenous Nations
One of the most striking aspects of Work’s career is his deep involvement with Indigenous communities. Like many fur traders, he understood that the success of the HBC depended on maintaining stable and mutually beneficial relationships with Indigenous nations. His writings demonstrate a keen awareness of Indigenous customs, trade protocols, and the necessity of diplomacy in a region where European settlers were vastly outnumbered.
Work’s marriage to Josette Legacé, a woman of Spokane Métis descent, was both a personal and strategic alliance. The children of such unions often occupied a crucial space in fur trade society, bridging the cultural divide between Indigenous and European worlds. Work’s descendants would go on to become influential figures in the Pacific Northwest, further entrenching the Irish presence in the region’s history.
Establishing British Columbia’s Foundations
In December 1834, Work succeeded Peter Skene Ogden, taking charge of the coastal trade at Fort Simpson on McLoughlin Bay. He sailed north on the HBC brig Lama that month, and during the next ten months supervised the construction of Fort Simpson, which had been relocated from the Nass River in 1833. His leadership was instrumental in the establishment and management of several key forts in addition to Fort Simpson – Fort Colville and Fort Rupert. The latter, founded in 1843, would become the nucleus of the modern city of Victoria, British Columbia’s capital where practically nothing remains of the original structure. Work’s meticulous planning and administration helped ensure the fort’s success, reinforcing British claims to the region in the face of American expansionist ambitions.
His career continued to flourish through the 1840s and 1850s, as he became one of three chief factors managing the Columbia region. His responsibility was the management of all trade along the coast and between Vancouver Island and the mainland - including Forts Simpson, Fort Stikine, and Fort Langley. From 1835 he left behind very little in the way of journals like his previous expeditions. We have bits and pieces from other sources, newspapers, correspondence, company documentation – but little from the man himself.
Work's wife accompanied him on many of his trading expeditions. In addition, she and their younger children lived with him at Fort Simpson from 1836 until 1849, while their older children attended school at Fort Vancouver and then at the Methodist mission school on the Willamette River near what is now Salem, Oregon. After finishing their schooling in 1841, the older girls joined the family at Fort Simpson.
By 1849 Work made the decision to relocate himself and his family to Fort Victoria on Vancouver Island so His younger children could get an education. Here the family settled on a large farm of 823 acres, where a family mansion was built – he called the property Hillside. By the time of his death in 1862, Work was the largest landowner on the entirety of Vancouver Island, owning nearly 2,000 acres.
The Irish Legacy in the Pacific Northwest
John Work’s contributions to the Pacific Northwest extend beyond his personal achievements. His story exemplifies the broader narrative of Irish migration and influence in the British Empire. Like many Irishmen in the service of British imperial enterprises, Work navigated a complex identity—neither fully British nor entirely separate from the colonial structures that shaped his world.
His meticulous documentation of life in the fur trade has provided historians with a detailed account of early British Columbia, while his role in establishing key settlements laid the groundwork for future development. Today, his descendants remain part of the fabric of the region, a living testament to the enduring presence of the Irish in North America’s westernmost frontier.
His life is a reminder that the Irish experience in the 19th century was not confined to rebellion and hardship within Ireland itself. The diaspora played crucial roles in shaping the emerging world order, whether through trade, governance, or exploration. Work’s story, situated at the intersection of empire, commerce, and Indigenous relations, offers a compelling portrait of the Irish in the Pacific Northwest—a history that deserves greater recognition.
As we continue to explore Ireland’s global past, figures like John Work serve as powerful examples of the adaptability and influence of the Irish abroad. His legacy is one of perseverance, strategic acumen, and the ability to navigate the shifting tides of a rapidly changing world.
For those interested in delving deeper into the life and times of John Work, his journals remain an essential resource, offering firsthand insight into a world on the edge of empire, where Irish ambition and resilience helped shape the course of history. His career spanned the history of the Pacific northwest from the land and coastal fur trade to the gold rush and settlement, and in that history, Work had an important, if not commanding, role.
Further Reading:
The journal of John Work, a chief-trader of the Hudson’s Bay Co., during his expedition from Vancouver to the Flatheads and Blackfeet of the Pacific northwest, ed. W. S. Lewis and P. C. Phillips (Cleveland, Ohio, 1923)
The journal of John Work, January to October, 1835, ed. H. D. Dee (Victoria, 1945)
Stephen R. Bown, The Company: The Rise and Fall of the Hudson's Bay Empire (Anchor Canada, 2021)
Thank you Ruairí for sharing this article with readers of the Society of History Writers.
💬 How has this exploration of John Work’s life shaped your understanding of the role of the Irish diaspora in the formation of world order and nineteenth-century society? Are there other individuals from your own reading and research who moved in similar circles, or who perhaps engaged in similar activities in different times and/or places?
Thank you for reading this post by the Society of History Writers! You can support my work by becoming a paid subscriber at the link below or by making a one-off donation HERE. Thanks!
 | A guest post by
|
Making good use of your time on our west coast, I see. Thanks for this introduction. I'd never heard of John Work before and knew little of B.C.'s origins.
Given the crucial role the HBC played in the creation of the nation of Canada, it tends to be rather mythologized in our history; I am pleased to read an account from an outside perspective.