William James McLean

Photograph of Chief Factor at Fort Pitt in 1885; taken in a photo studio. Caption: "W.J. McLean, the HBC factor, realized that Pitt was indefensible and agreed to surrender voluntarily to Wandering Spirit." From the book Loyal till Death: Indians and the North-West Rebellion by Blair Stonechild and Bill Waiser. William James McLean (1841-1929) was in command of the Hudson's Bay Company trading posts at Fort Qu'Appelle, Ile a la Crosse and Fort Pitt. It was at Fort Pitt in 1885 that McLean distinguished himself during the Northwest Resistance, allowing himself and his family to be taken hostage by Big Bear's band, in order that the North West Mounted Police detachment might escape. The McLean family remained prisoners for many weeks before they were able to escape. McLean later served as an inspector for the Department of Indian Affairs.