American Trading Company of Borneo

American Trading Company of Borneo
Company typeChartered company
IndustryTrade and colonization
Founded1865 (1865) in Brunei
FounderJoseph William Torrey, Thomas Bradley Harris, Chinese investors
Defunct1881 (1881)
FateConcession sold to Baron von Overbeck
Headquarters,
present-day Malaysia
Area served
North Borneo

The American Trading Company of Borneo was a chartered company formed by Joseph William Torrey, Thomas Bradley Harris and several Chinese investors shortly after the acquisition over a parcel of land in northern Borneo from the Sultanate of Brunei. The first American settlement in the area soon was named 'Ellena', although it was abandoned later due to financial difficulties, diseases and riots among the workers.