The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Kelsey, Henry
(kl´s) (KEY) , c.16701729, English fur trader and explorer in Canada. He entered the service of the Hudsons Bay Company in 1684. He was sent (1689) inland to secure Native American trade and later (169192) made his much disputed journey into W Canada; some say he went southwest, but evidence points to his being west of Churchill in the region of Reindeer Lake. He was present when York Factory was surrendered to the sieur dIberville in 1694 and in 1697. He then served the company in a number of different posts. He returned to the Hudsons Bay region (1714) and served as second in command (171417), as governor of York (171718), and as governor of all the companys forts in the region (171822). He was replaced as governor in 1722 and returned to England. In 1719 he commanded an expedition to explore the northwest coast of Hudson Bay.