[ERMATINGER] YORK FACTORY EXPRESS JOURNAL 69 
His brother remained between 30 and 40 years, the larger part of 
the time on the Pacific side of the mountains. 
Though Edward Ermatinger, after visiting his father in England 
(who died the following year) and spending a year with his uncle 
Charles Oakes Ermatinger at Montreal, was induced to re-consider his 
determination not to enter the Hudson’s Bay Company’s service again, 
he in fact never did so. He settled at St. Thomas in the Upper Province 
in 1830 where for many years he carried on the business of a merchant, 
a banker and postmaster of the town, in which he spent the remainder 
of his days. During one Parliament he represented the then vast 
county of Middlesex in the Parliament of the United Provinces. To 
the last almost he wielded the pen of a ready and thoughtful writer, as 
his many contributions to the Press, during many years, as well as some 
pamphlets and a biography of Colonel Talbot, in whose settlement he 
lived, testify. He married in the early 30’s a sister of the rector of St. 
Thomas’ Church, and daughter of the Hon. Zaccheus Burnham of 
Cobourg. Unlike many of the Nor’Westers he had formed no previous 
alliance in the West. His brother Frank married a daughter of William 
Sinclair of the Hudson’s Bay Co. (Chief Factor, 1850) and niece of Mrs. 
McLoughlin, wife of the noted Dr. John McLoughlin the head of the 
Company on the Pacific side. Frank died in 1857, Edward in 1876. 
The earthly remains of both rest in the old churchyard in St. Thomas, 
Ont. 
As railway routes across the continent, and to Hudson bay as 
well, are now being much studied and discussed, it is thought that these 
Journals of early voyages over corresponding routes may be of some 
interest and possibly of value. The trip from York Factory to the 
Pacific coast, which consumed more than three months of the year in 
the early days, will, ere long, be accomplished in less than a week. 
I wish to acknowledge with thanks information supplied me by 
Mr. T. C. Elliott of Walla Walla, Washington, relative to various places 
now within that state referred to in my father’s Journal. 
C. O. ERMATINGER. 
St. Thomas, Ont. 
May, 1912. 
