CAPTAIN JOHN
PALLISER
1817-1887
Explorer
Source - Dictionary
of National Biography
PALLISER, JOHN (1807-1887) geographer and explorer, born on 29 Jan 1807, was eldest
son of Wray Palliser (d 1862) of COMRAGH, co WATERFORD, sometime lieutenant-colonel
of the Waterford artillery militia by Anne, daughter of John
Gledstanes of ANNESGIFT, co TIPPERARY. Sir
William Palliser (q.v.) was his youngest brother.
John was sheriff of WATERFORD
during 1844, and served in the WATERFORD
artillery militia as a captain. In 1847 he set out on a hunting expedition
among the Indians of the western and north-western districts of AMERICA;
and after going through many strange and dangerous adventures, returned to
ENGLAND, and published in 1854 his experiences under the title of Adventures
of a Hunter in the Prairies, of which the eighth thousandth with
illustrations, and the title slightly altered, appeared in 1856.
In the following year, Henry
Labouchere (q.v.) secretary of state for the colonies, on the
recommendation of Sir Roderick Murchison, the president of the Royal
Geographical Society agreed to undertake the exploration of BRITISH NORTH
AMERICA between the parallels of 49º and 50º north latitude and 100º to 115º
west longitude. The treasury subscribed 5,000l for the purpose, and Palliser
was on 31 March 1857
appointed leader of the expedition
to be assisted by Lieutenant Blakiston of the royal artillery as
astronomer, Mr Bourgeau as botanist, and Dr Hector as the
geologist. His instructions were to explore a large part of the far west region
of AMERICA
to the shores of the PACIFIC, and topographically determine the British North
American international boundary line from LAKE SUPERIOR
in CANADA,
across the main chain of the ROCKY MOUNTAINS, and thence to the western
sea-coast.
In 1857 Palliser
explored the WHITE FISH and KAMINISTOQUVIAH
RIVERS, and inspected the
country between the southern branch of the SASKATCHEWAN and the boundary of the UNITED
STATES, besides determining the possibility of establishing means of
communication between the rocky regions of LAKES SUPERIOR and WINNIPEG and the prairie country. On a second
expedition in 1858 he proceeded to approach the ROCKY MOUNTAINS from the
BUFFALO PRAIRIE, between the NORTH and SOUTH SASKATCHEWAN,
and then to explore the passes through the mountains lying within the British
territory. For the results of this journey he was, in May 1859, awarded the
Patron's or Victoria
gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society.
In 1860 he again proceeded
towards the SOUTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER,
following the course of the RED
DEER RIVER.
He went westward to the ROCKY MOUNTAINS, from the point whence he had turned in
his first season's exploration, and thus completed he survey of the hitherto
unknown prairie region.
He also examined the country
to the west of the COLUMBIA RIVER,
establishing the fact of the connection of the SASKATCHEWAN PLAINS east of the
ROCKY MOUNTAINS with a route into the gold-mining regions of BRITISH COLUMBIA. On his return to ENGLAND he was
elected a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and on 30 May 1877 was awarded the
companionship of St Michael and St George.
He died unmarried at
COMRAGH, co WATERFORD,
on 18 Aug 1887.
Men of the Time 1865, p 640
Times, 20 (or 29) Aug 1887 p 6
Parliamentary Papers 1859, session 2 no 2542, 1860 no 2732, 1863 no 3164
Proceedings of the Royal
Geographical Society, London 1857, 1858, 1859
Wrangham's Zouch
Note by TJS: John Palliser was the elder brother of my
great-grandfather, Sir William Palliser. The DNB wrongly gives John Palliser's
year of birth as 1807. It was 1817.
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