DOUGLAS, James, fur trader, governor of Vancouver Island 1851–63, of BC 1858–64 (b 15 Aug 1803, Demerara, British Guiana; d 2 Aug 1877, Victoria). He was the most influential person in the history of colonial BC. The son of a Creole woman and a Scottish merchant, he was educated in Scotland and apprenticed to the NORTH WEST CO at age 16. His time as a Nor'wester was spent in eastern Canada. Following the 1821 merger of the NWC with the HBC, he joined the reorganized HBC and came out to NEW CALEDONIA to FORT ST JAMES in 1825. Three years later he married Amelia Connolly, daughter of Chief Factor William CONNOLLY (see Amelia DOUGLAS). Douglas had a strong temper and was not always diplomatic with his FIRST NATIONS customers. On one occasion he ordered the execution of a local DAKELH (Carrier), who had been implicated in the murder of 2 HBC men. A party of angry Dakelh came to the post and threatened Douglas's life; only his wife's quick-witted intervention saved him. As a result of this incident, Douglas was transferred to Fort Vancouver in 1830. He was a chief factor by 1839 and in 1842 he chose the site for FORT VICTORIA at the southern tip of VANCOUVER ISLAND. The following summer he returned to supervise construction of the post and he moved there himself in 1849, when it replaced Fort Vancouver as the headquarters of the trade on the Pacific coast. In 1851 he became governor of the colony of Vancouver Island and then, when the separate mainland colony of British Columbia was created in 1858, he became its governor as well, resigning his position with the HBC. When the discovery of gold (see GOLD RUSH, FRASER RIVER) sparked an influx of American miners, he took decisive steps to secure the area for British rule. He also opened roads to the Interior (see DOUGLAS ROAD, CARIBOO WAGON ROAD) and made treaties with Vancouver Island First Nations (see DOUGLAS TREATIES). Despite a stern, even autocratic manner (he was known as "Old Squaretoes"), he was a capable, energetic administrator. He retired in 1864, the same year he was knighted. See also COLONIAL GOVERNMENT.