John Meares

John Meares was an English sea captain and entrepreneur remembered as promoter of British political and economic interests in North America.

After he built a career in the Royal Navy, Meares decided to leave the navy in 1783 and became involved in the lucrative fur trade. He even established a company for trading furs on the Northwest coast.

His first voyage to Prince William's Sound, Alaska, ended tragically as many sailors died from scurvy. His second voyage to Nootka in 1788 was more successful and he succeeded to build a temporary trading post. He even brought Chinese smiths and carpenters from Macao and Guangzhou (Canton) because they were hard workers and sought less money that Europeans. The ship North West American is remembered as the first non-native vessel ever built on the Northwest Coast.

The following year he formed a partnership with other English entrepreneurs and sent three ships to Nootka with the aim to build a permanent trading post and to establish and enhance trade on the Northwest Coast. Unfortunately, the expedition found Nootka already occupied by a Spanish naval force.

Meares was, however, remembered as an effective propagandist in promoting British political and economic interests on the Northwest Coast.