Letitia MacTavish Hargrave

Who was Letitia MacTavish Hargrave?

Letitia MacTavish Hargrave was the eldest of nine children of Dugald Mactavish and Letitia Lockhart. She married Hudson's Bay Company Chief Trader James Hargrave on 8 January 1840. The Hargraves lived at Hudson's Bay Company's York Factory from 1840 to 1851, when James was transferred to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Letitia died of cholera during an epidemic in 1854. She is best known for her letters, which were saved by her family and compiled as a book in 1947 by Margaret MacLeod. These letters are an important primary account of pioneer women in 19th century Western Canada.