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George Raymond Ray
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Fur trader, novelist, MLA (1914-1915).
Born at Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England on 30 November 1869, son of George Holman Ray and Hanna Ray, he worked as an accountant in London and Africa, then served in the Royal Navy from 1888 to 1891. He immigrated to Canada in 1899 and settled at Winnipeg where he was Secretary to former Lieutenant Governor James Colebrooke Patterson.
In 1901, he began working for the Hudson’s Bay Company and served as its Post Manager at Berens River (1901-1903), Fort Churchill (1903-1906), York Factory (1906-1908), Norway House (1908-?), and Fort Alexander (?-1911). Around 1909, he also was part-owner and manager of a coal mine at Pinto, Saskatchewan. In June 1911, he became District Manager based at York Factory. He wrote the play Just Craft and Skill (1911) and two novels based on his northern experiences: Kasba (White Partridge): A Story of Hudson Bay (1915) and The Land of Silence: A Novel of the Great Northland that was serialized in The Beaver (1921-1923).
He served with the Hudson’s Bay Company until August 1914 when he was acclaimed to the Manitoba Legislature, for the newly created constituency of Churchill and Nelson, although there was controversy over procedural irregularities. A backbench supporter of the Rodmond Roblin government, he announced an intention to seek re-election in the 1915 general election. However, his constituency, deemed too small to warrant representation in the Legislative Assembly, was merged into a new one of Ruperts Land and he was replaced by John Morrison. In 1916, he announced plans to establish a trading company on Hudson Bay and James Bay in competition with the Hudson’s Bay Company but they apparently never came to fruition.
In 1920, he rejoined the Hudson’s Bay Company and was an Inspector in the Fur Trade Commissioner’s office at Winnipeg, becoming District Manager for James Bay in June 1921 until retirement in October 1927. He then worked as an agent for the Northern Traders’ Company. For the last seven years of his life, he lived at Fort Good Hope, North West Territories.
On 9 March 1900, he married English immigrant Maude Williams (1869-1953) at Winnipeg and they had six children: George Holman Ray (1901-1960), Charles Holman Ray (1902-1902), Marjory Holman Ray (1903-1915), Kasba Winnifred Ray (1905-1970, wife of Howard Irwin Smith), Maude Ethel Ray (1908-1995, wife of Walter Owen “Johnny” Markham), and Albert Charles “Bert” Ray (1910-2000). While living at Fort Good Hope, he had a seventh child, Dene leader Charlie Barnaby (1932-2022), with Elizabeth Barnaby (?-?).
Ray developed pneumonia at Fort Good Hope and was transported by airplane to Edmonton, Alberta where he died on 13 October 1935. He is believed to be buried at Edmonton.
Birth registrations [George Holman Ray, Marjory Holeman Ray, Kasba Winnifred Ray, Maud Ethel Ray], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Long trip to Winnipeg, Mrs. Ray makes journey from York Factory,” Lethbridge Herald, 29 January 1908, page 3.
“Spent five years among the Indians and Eskimos,” Brandon Weekly Sun, 19 August 1909, page 6.
1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.
The Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1915.
“Will shorten distance York Factory to Nelson,” The Pas Herald and Mining News, 16 April 1915, page 1.
“City briefs,” Winnipeg Tribune, 8 September 1915, page 5.
“New trading posts will test power of Hudson’s Bay Co. over natives,” The Pas Herald and Mining News, 28 April 1916, page 1.
1916 Canada census, Library and Archives Canada.
Marriage registration [Albert Charles Ray], British Columbia Vital Statistics.
“No word on progress of mercy flight to north trading post,” Winnipeg Tribune, 11 October 1935, page 21.
“George R. Ray, former M.L.A., dies in west,” Winnipeg Tribune, 15 October 1935, page 17.
“Lived 25 years in trading posts, Mrs. M. Ray dies,” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 November 1953, page 32.
Obituary [George H. Ray], Winnipeg Tribune, 3 January 1961, page 52.
Obituary [Kasba Winnifred Smith], Winnipeg Free Press, 12 January 1970, page 31.
Obituary [Walter Owen Markham], Winnipeg Free Press, 7 August 1973, page 21.
Obituary [Maude Ethel Markham], British Columbia Vital Statistics.
George Raymond Ray, Hudson's Bay Company Biographical Sheet.
George R. Ray, Wikipedia.
“‘A big presence’: Remembering Charlie Barnaby, founding member of the Dene Nation,” CBC News, 14 April 2022.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
We thank Oliver Bernuetz (Legislative Library of Manitoba) and Tracie McNeely for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 14 September 2023
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