Thomas Simpson | |
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Born | Dingwall, Ross-shire, Scotland | 2 July 1808
Died | 14 June 1840 | (aged 31)
Education | King's College, Aberdeen |
Occupation(s) | Arctic explorer, fur trader |
Years active | 1829–1840 |
Employer | Hudson's Bay Company |
Relatives | Sir George Simpson (cousin) |
Awards |
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Thomas Simpson (2 July 1808 – 14 June 1840) was a Scottish Arctic explorer, Hudson's Bay Company fur trader, and cousin of Company Governor Sir George Simpson. He helped chart the northern coasts of Canada. He died by violence near the Turtle River while traveling through the wilderness in what is now the U.S. state of North Dakota but was then part of the Territory of Iowa. The circumstances of his final hours—in which he allegedly killed himself after gunning down two companions—have long been a subject of controversy.