The McLoughlin Empire and Its Rulers

"The McLoughlin Empire and Its Rulers reveals an amazing record of a lower Canada family of Scotch Protestant and Irish Catholic descent, which produced three remarkably astute and successful persons to guide the family destiny to a high point. Dr. John McLoughlin, trained as a physician, became the Chief Factor in the Columbia District of the Hudson's Bay Company, where he ruled a vast empire in the Northwest. Dr. David McLoughlin, his brother, also educated for a medical career, became a highly successful doctor in Paris, and personal physician to King Louis Philippe. Their sister, Marie Louise, as Sister St. Henry, found her success as the leading teacher and Mother Superior of the great Ursuline Monastery in Quebec, where she remained alert to the affairs of her family, educated her nieces, and aided in solving family problems. The story comes to light for the first time, through the discovery of a fascinating file of family correspondence, preserved by the Fraser family, relatives of the McLoughlins on their maternal side. It discloses a hitherto unknown side of the John McLoughlin saga - his personal finances, his children, his land holdings in the lower St. Lawrence River valley, and his prominent kin, both McLoughlin and Fraser. A carefully researched and well documented account is presented by Dr. Barker."--Publisher's description.