SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Agnes Harris : Port Essington recalled PERIOD COVERED: 1860s-1905 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1962-02-08 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: In this interview Agnes Harris remembers Port Essington. Her husband, Arthur George came to B.C. in 1890 and met Robert Cunningham at Port Essington in 1892. She talks about Robert Cunningham; and the establishment of Port Essington, his enterprises and the local coinage. Agnes Harris speaks about her own background, meeting her husband, her trip from Vancouver, her arrival in Port Essington (1905), first impressions and a description of the town, port and buildings. She describes Robert Cunningham, his character, his businesses, his store, sawmill, the tug "Chieftain", his engineer --; Alec McLean (hero of Jack London's The Seawolf) and Captain Bonser. TRACK 2: Agnes Harris continues with recollections about Captain Bonser and riverboats. She describes Port Essington's social life; and customs, New Year's celebrations, Christmas, winter activities, the fire of 1899, Cunningham's Hotel, mock elections, railway construction, an anecdote and Wiggs O'Neill.

CALL NUMBER: T1150:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Early days of Queen Charlottes (mostly Skidegate) 1849-1910 by Grace Stephens and Agnes Russ RECORDED: Skidegate (B.C.), 1962-09-10 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: In these interviews, Grace Stephens translates and speaks for her mother, Agnes Russ. Grace Stephens describes the early life of her mother. Agnes Russ's father was an American (Hubbs) who ma;rried the Chief's daughter, she was raised by her grandparents in Masset (1859), attended Thomas Crosby's Girls' Home, married and returned to Skidegate interpreting for the first Methodist Missionary;. Grace Stephens grew up in Skidegate, married and farmed in Sandspit. She talks about early settlers, the missionaries, schooling, Skidegate and Masset villages, the destruction of totem poles, Bill ;Reid, the visit of Emily Carr, her childhood, the village at Kloo and Gold Harbour, her father (Amos Russ), details about the construction of canoes, the canoe ceremonies and travel to Port Essington.; TRACK 2: Grace Stephens speaks about the Anglican missionaries on the northern and the Methodists on the southern part of the Queen Charlotte Islands, the Tennant family and the dogfish oil refinery; (1880's), Haida hereditary chiefs, land ownership and an elected council. [a long pause in the tape] Grace Stephens translates for her mother, Agnes Russ, who is speaking in Haida. Mrs. Russ speaks a;bout the Haida people's respect for one another and their code of behavior, early memories of Masset, life in her grandfather's house, slaves, a recollection of a total eclipse of the sun, her family';s land ownership, and the Haida stories of the flood.

CALL NUMBER: T1150:0002 track 1 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Early days of Queen Charlottes (mostly Skidegate) 1849-1910 by Grace Stephens and Agnes Russ RECORDED: Skidegate (B.C.), 1962-09-10 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Grace Stephens continues to translate for Agnes Russ. Some of Agnes's family have gone to Alaska and the southern end of the island. She speaks about her marriage, her husband's slaves, and ;the Haida potlatch, and she sings one of her grandfather's songs. [See also AAAB1277.] Agnes Russ speaks about trade, her longevity, Rev. Duncan and Rev. Crosby, the Methodist mission in Masset, Mark MacGregor, Mr. Freeman, Captain Oliver, Bishop Ridley, Rev. William Duncan, and Port Simpson. She recalls the visit of Judge O'Reilly coming to survey the reserves, the amalgamation of other villages ;at the Skidegate reserve, the effects of World War One, and wildlife on the island. [TRACK 2 is a separate interview done by Bob Fortune; see AAAB1276.]

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Arthur Morrow : boyhood memories of Port Essington PERIOD COVERED: 1900-1907 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Arthur Morrow recounts his father's (George W. Morrow) meat business and the start of his store in Port Essington, memories of George Frizzell and the establishment of "Morrow and Frizzell" meat store, his father's role as Indian agent and opening the first meat store in Rupert. Arthur Morrow recalls childhood memories of Port Essington, an excursion to the hot springs up the Ecstall River, the Essington community, "Frenchie", the police force, Wiggs O'Neill and his bakery, the Chinese residents, the bear incident, social activities, Robert Cunningham, tennis and outdoor garden parties and tugboats and the fishing curfew. TRACK 2: Arthur Morrow continues with recollections about the tugboats, fishing boats, the fishing curfew, the fishing regulations, "Wiggy Johnson", A. Ragstad ;and his jewelry store, Dr. Wilson and his wife, sports day, childhood memories and dangers of the river.

CALL NUMBER: T1208:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Bea Williscroft : Hazelton and Telkwa, 1909-1914 PERIOD COVERED: 1909-1914 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1962-03-21 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Beatrice "Bea" Williscroft recalls summer visits to her father (Walter Archer Williscroft) at Hazelton (1909-1912). She talks about childhood memories of Port Essington, the trip up the Skeena River, an incident at Minskinisht, the Skeena riverboats, impressions of their arrival at Hazelton (1909), residents, R.S. Sargent, childhood reminiscences, the Indian cemetery, anecdotes, the atmos;phere of the town, Cataline, an incident with H.H. Little and Hazelton stores. TRACK 2: Bea Williscroft continues speaking about Hazelton, local buildings, hotels and residents. She recalls Bill Wrat;hall -- an area photographer, sports and recreation events, Rev. Field, Mr. Loring, Wiggs O'Neill, practical jokes, roads in the Hazelton area, the Cedar Swamp, her father's responsibilities and road ;work, entertainment and recreation, Telkwa, residents in the Bulkley Valley, Rene Degville, Guy Thorp and the impact of World War I.

CALL NUMBER: T1208:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Bea Williscroft describes the Telkwa area, 1909-1917 PERIOD COVERED: 1909-1917 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1962-03-21 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Beatrice Williscroft continues with her recollections of Rene Degville, the Telkwa area prior to 1917, pack trains and teamsters and cattle drives. She discusses Burns Lake prior to the railway, Francois and Ootsa Lake, Charlie Barrett, roadhouses (20 Mile, 38 Mile, 48 Mile), Michael Shadey, Mooseskin Johnny stories, roadhouses, travelling with her father, entertainment and social life, Telkwa c.1914, Blackjack MacDonell and Hughie McLean. TRACK 2: Bea Williscroft continues with recollections about wildlife, Ernie Moran, Charlie Barrett, Barney Mulvaney, R.S. Sargent, Jim May and social gatherings.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Celina Starr RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-26 SUMMARY: Celina Starr discusses travelling to Terrace for a wedding. The burning of Port Essington in about 1960. Describes Port Essington and three canneries. The evacuation of Japanese people during the War. Cans shipped to Port Essington by steamer. Discusses Port Essington and businesses that were there. Names and discusses different people of the community. Describes the process of canning.

Files kept by J.C. Goodfellow, secretary of the British Columbia Conference Historical Committee ca. 1930 containing correspondence, newspaper clippings and reports relating to the history of the United Church in the Prince Rupert Presbytery of British Columbia.

John C. Goodfellow was a United Church minister and a historian. He wrote many articles on the history of the Similkameen area and on other topics.

This microfilm is a copy of the files Goodfellow kept which relate to the history of the United Church in the Prince Rupert Presbytery. The files contain correspondence, clippings and reports relating to the history of the communities and the churches in the communities. The files are in alphabetical order by place name.

Day book.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Ed Boulton : the lower Skeena River PERIOD COVERED: 1900-1930s RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961 or 1962? SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Ed Boulton begins this interview speaking about Essington, which was located on the site of an Indian trading point, named "Spokeshoot". He describes Indian gambling sticks, lower Skeena navigation, company fishboats and the "Islander" steamer. He recalls Essington during its heyday, social life (1925-1930), a centre for fishing, Indian legends about Split Mountain and Klamsen, Cunningham;'s sawmill, Indian's hand logging and Essington fires. TRACK 2: Ed Boulton continues with his recollections about the last Essington fire (1960), a white bear legend, an Indian wall painting at Tyee, Indian paddle songs, Kitselas, the legend of "Holy Falls", an explosion at "Holy Falls", the Tillicum canoe, Indian canoes and totem pole designs.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Floyd Frank : Kitsumkalum Valley in the early 1900s PERIOD COVERED: 1892-1948 RECORDED: [location unknown], [ca. 1972] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Frank Floyd recounts his birth at Port Essington, his father as a fish warden 1904-1917, Eby's Landing (Terrace), his early life in the Kitsumkalum Valley (1908), Tom Thornhill (1892), pre-emptions, clearing the land, the settlement of Kitsumkalum, George Little, the Floyd family dairy farm, market gardening in the area, floods of 1936 and 1948, childhood memories, riverboats, canoes, dog; sledding along the Skeena and Kitimat Rivers, and more about Eby's Landing (Terrace). [TRACK 2: blank.]

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Francis Bell Chettleburgh : Hazelton and Telkwa regions PERIOD COVERED: 1909-1925 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1962-03-26 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Francis "Chet" Chettleburgh speaks about his trip up the Skeena to Hazelton 1909, travelling on the sternwheeler "Port Simpson" from Port Essington, impressions of Hazelton, the Rev. J. Field;, Sealyville (sp), Indian disturbances at Kispiox and Kitwancool, Hazelton residents, the Two Mile "red light district", Barney Mulvaney and George Birnes' mail route, Rev. Tomlinson and the mission at Minskinisht. He recalls Hazelton's hotels, stores, families, recreation, residents, regular visitors, Indians, social life, the Hazelton of 1911, "Cataline" and "Blackjack McDonald". TRACK 2: Francis Chettleburgh continues with recollections about Hazelton. He recalls Sarah Glassey, her "Rabbit Ranch" and her "dining room", the Hudson's Bay Company warehouse -- "Stonehouse" liquor dispensory, names of local packers, Groundhog Valley description and mines, Dick Sargent and Indian workers. He talks about his move to Telkwa, his stores, Rene Degville, Jack McNeil and his hotel, Mike Touhy, Joe Bourgon and Sarah Bourgon (nee Capewell), Charles Orchard, the feelings of brotherhood for men in the country, Eli Culbertson (sp) and a local incident.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-27 SUMMARY: [No content summary available for this interview.];

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Hilda North remembers her father, Peter Herman, and Port Essington before 1907 PERIOD COVERED: 1870-1907 RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Hilda Theresa North talks about her father, Peter Herman who came from Germany, his adventures, his work in the Chemainus mill and for Robert Cunningham at the sawmill at Port Essington (1885). Her mother and father trapped at Lakelse Lake, then competed with Cunningham for the Indian fur trade. She speaks about her father's business relations with the Cunningham family, a fight between George Cunningham and Peter Herman, his businesses (sawmill, logging and canning) and his cannery operations. Hilda North recalls childhood memories of Port Essington and schooling. She relates more of her father's background, his advice to the G.T.P. officials on the Kaien Island site, his position as a MLA [?], and his involvement in the Gun-an-noot incident. Hilda North recalls more about her early life in Port Essington and her father's death.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Jemima Dobbie : Kitselas, 1895-1910 PERIOD COVERED: 1890s-1910 RECORDED: Copper City (B.C.), [ca. 1960] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Jemima Dobbie (nee Stewart), wife of Simeon W. Dobbie, remembers her father, David Stewart, and his coming from the United States to the Skeena region in the 1890's. He worked in the Inverness Cannery and moved with his family to Kitselas in 1895, he was the first to farm in the area and supplied the riverboats with produce. Jemima Dobbie speaks about changes in the Skeena, the Kitselas t;ownsite, construction of the telegraph line and the railway, Kalum Indian Villages, totem poles and the river canyon. (pause in the tape) Jemima Dobbie speaks about the origins of Copper City, the Kitselas townsite, the wreck of the "Mount Royal", and Port Essington c.1894. [TRACK 2: blank.]

CALL NUMBER: T1223:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Captain Joseph Alphonsus Gardner : recollections of a riverboat man, 1895-1950 : part 1 PERIOD COVERED: 1894-1910 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1963-05-28 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Captain Joseph Alphonsus Gardner leaves Dewdney in 1894 to go to Hazelton with his aunt, he describes the trip by steamer to Port Essington and then by Indian canoe on the Skeena to Hazelton,; on the return trip to Port Essington he meets up with his father who was mate for Captain Bonser and he takes a position as a waiter on the "Caledonia" (1895). He recalls the "Old and New Caledonia",; adventures on the "Caledonia", hunting on Finlayson Island, incidents with pack dogs, freight, crew and passengers on the "Caledonia", "Boston Bill" and his deck hand work (1898). TRACK 2: Captain Gardner continues speaking about his work aboard the "Caledonia", "lining", Kitselas Canyon -- hazards and navigation, the Skeena and Stikine Rivers, impressions of Hazelton (1894), Yukon gold and it's; impact: swindlers and mental illness, "drifting" downstream on the Skeena, wreck of the "Mount Royal", the 30 Mile River in the Yukon, river incidents and memories of Captain Bonser.

CALL NUMBER: T1223:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Captain Joseph Alphonsus Gardner : recollections of a riverboat man, 1895-1950 : part 2 PERIOD COVERED: 1894-1935 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1963-05-28 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Captain Joseph Gardner continues with recollections of his life on a riverboat, an incident between a captain and an engineer, crews on the Skeena and Yukon boats, the Copper River explosion ;-- 1908, wreck of the steamer "Sophia", navigating the Copper River, "reading the water", sounding the water, the Skeena River -- Port Essington to Kitselas vs. Kitselas to Hazelton, "jumping the bars;" and his early memories of Dewdney and Hatzic area farmers. TRACK 2: Captain Joseph Gardner speaks about his father, Captain Gardner who was born in Mission, his grandfather George Clinton Gardner an international surveyor and continues with a summary of his father's career. He ends this interview speaking about incidents in the Yukon.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1963-03 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Kelleher recounts the arrival of her father, Joshua Willard Wells, at Hatzic, 1870; the family farm; schooling at Burton School at Dewdney; other schools; childhood; Wade's Landing; passion plays; trips to the Skeena area; incidents at Francois Lake; the Reverend Cunningham at Port Essington; the Bodington family. TRACK 2: Mrs. Kelleher recalls traveling from Victoria to the Skeena with her brother and sister; the Lacroix family; living at Francois Lake for the winter (break in narration); brother, Jim Wells, at Kitselas; SS "Islander"; her family's move from Port Douglas to Hatzic; Wells' Landing; family history; orchards; farming; Thompson Prairie; other settlers.

SUMMARY: "Port Essington", #6 in the series, consists of recollections of the Port Essington community from former residents.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Mrs. Iverson remembers Port Essington RECORDED: Victoria (B.C.), 1984-01-19 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Iverson recalls aspects of Port Essington including her summer visit there in 1917. Information about the Noble family and their residence in Port Essington. Also Reverend Pearse, Methodist church and school. Social life. [TRACK 2: blank.]

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-26 SUMMARY: [No content summary available for this interview.];

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0014
SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Martin Starret and Dick Lattie
RECORDED: Hazelton (B.C.), 1966
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret continues with his story about his arrival in Hazelton in October 1909 on the steamboat. He offers a detailed account of what Hazelton was like, including the stores there and their locations. He talks of pack horses and specific mule trains such as that of Cataline and George Burns. Mr. Starret offers his impressions of Hazelton as he and Mr. Orchard look over the town; he compares Hazelton in 1909 to [1966]. Dick Lattie, born 1895, talks about his life in Hazelton, and he and Mr. Starret recall when they first met in the fall of 1912. Mr. Starret and Mr. Lattie recall leading the Bell Mare pack train to Manson Creek with pipe for the miners. Mr. Lattie cooked and served food for the pack train. Mr. Lattie describes the trail from Hazelton along Babine Road, over the hills to Manson Creek where the miners were mining gold. He describes Manson Creek as it was. The miners there including a Chinese man named Packtrain Joe. Ferrying mules across Takla Lake; Ned Charleston's pack trains; and working for Cataline. TRACK 2: Mr. Lattie continues, discussing: pack trains, the Indian village before Hazelton was founded, where the first white settlements were and how the Indians moved to reservations.The first white man in the area was Charlie Humans [sp?] who moved there to start a store. Mr. Starret describes an Indian chief who had a lot of power, the first one who had a pole carved on the Hazelton reserve. Mr. Lattie discusses the towns in the area before Hazelton was founded and the white people came, and Indian chiefs and their homes. Mr. Lattie discusses trade between the people of Babine and Hazelton; instruments used in ceremonial dances; and the songs used in the ceremonies.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0015
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret discusses a 1909 trip on a Union Steamship vessel, the "Camosun", from Vancouver through Alert Bay to Prince Rupert to meet his mother at Metlakatla. The boys waiting at the dock could not read but bought news papers so as to look educated. Mr. Starret discusses boat travel during fall rains. He offers anecdotes about things that happened on the boat, including a story about a man who was looking for the saloon on the boat and the story of his hardships as told to Mr. Starret. Mr. Starret describes his experience upon landing in Prince Rupert, and the process of getting to Metlakatla and reuniting with his mother. Mr. Starret describes his experiences in Metlakatla, including people's names, a description of the town, and a meeting with Captain Irving. He describes the geography. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret discusses another four-day steamboat trip from Port Essington, up the Skeena River to Hazelton. He describes some of the passengers, including Blackjack McDonald, the cargo (70 tons of liquor for a hotel), the boat itself, the Captain's notion of shallow and deeper water, the condition of the boats, the crew, a character named Turley Hambley who established Hambley's Landing, what staterooms and dining saloons were like on board, the steerage accommodations, Captain Jackman, the scenery, Fred Daniels, and more on the passengers.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0016
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret tells the story of his mother; how she came to Hope at age sixteen to teach school and married his father a year and a half later. Eventually the ranch at Hope was not generating enough money to support the family, so she left with the three children (other than Martin) to teach all over the province. In January 1909, she went to Metlakatla to teach. Mr. Starret discusses people in the [northern BC] area, including Simon Gun-an-noot, other Indians and relationships with Indians. He discusses his experience attending South Park School in Victoria, and never feeling comfortable among the city kids there, and other aspects of his education. He describes his mother's physical appearance, ability as a teacher, her relationship with Martin and his brother, her ability as a fur trader (Fort St. James offered more money for fur than Fort Babine), and her retirement back to the ranch in Hope. Mr. Starret describes the location his uncle's home in Hazelton and the old original miners' cabins before the railroad came through. Mr. Starret tells a story about a time he dug potatoes and wheeled them across town for his uncle. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret describes what Hazelton looked like and what kind of place it was when he first arrived. One feature that distinguished it from other frontier towns was that it had warehouses. He describes the surrounding country and his experiences there, gardening techniques attuned to the landscape and climate, Hazelton's place along the Skeena River, a description of the buildings and their construction, the geography of Fort Babine, and salmon as the staple food of the Indians there. Mr. Starret then describes the town of Burns Lake and the people who lived there.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0017
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret describes his uncle Charles Victor Smith's house in Hazelton which was built by Indians. He goes on to discuss the life of C.V. Smith, including several life stories such as how he came to live in Hazelton. C.V. Smith took over his father's tug boat, until his eyesight began to fail him before he was forty years old. Smith decided to go into the fur business. He began by opening a shop and eventually moved to Hazelton in 1904. Mr. Starret discusses Smith's family including his two daughters. Mr. Starret tells a story about a trip to Babine with his uncle with mention to several Babine natives, attitudes of the Indians, interactions with Indians and details of a pack train. Indians based a storekeepers wealth by how much sugar he kept in stock, C.V. Smith had two hundred pounds on the same boat load which carried Blackjack's liquor. The idea was not to compete with Hudson's Bay Company, but to attract trappers. Mr. Starret tells a story about an Indian packer named Alfred Danes. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret describes how his mother was under the impression that Indians in the north were wild. She was worried about her brother until he assured her that the Indians were the easiest people to get along with in British Columbia. Several anecdotes about how Indians are easy to get along with are offered. Mr. Starret describes a saddle horse trip to Babine with his mother and uncle including the supplies they brought, camping equipment, cooking, the weather, the Indians they were with, anecdotes about the trip, and his mother's stiffness on the trail.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0018
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret describes in great detail the pack trail near Hazelton which was laid out by ex-Governor Dewdney from the goldfields of Babine Lake, through Fort St. James to Manson Creek; including reasons why the trail follows the course it does. Mr. Starret discusses the details surrounding C.V. Smith's trading post at Babine Village including details about local Indians and living conditions. He describes the log house in which the trading post was located and its furniture. Mr. Starret tells a story of the mail carrier Jim Williams who worked at the Babine Hatchery, whose wife lived in Babine Village; and a gift he bought her of a musical clock, and a story of her giving birth to a child which died two days later. Mr. Starret discusses Williams' reaction and the reaction of others in the community. Mr. Starret continues with more on his uncle's trading post and a night when an Indian spent the night with Smith and Mr. Starret's Aunt Agnes. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret discusses Carrier Indians in the Hazelton/Babine region and their church attendance. A church bell would ring and wherever anyone was, they would take off their hats and pray, and then resume work. Mr. Starret discusses the hygiene of the Indians and their living conditions. Mr. Starret describes C.V. Smith including his character and habits with the use of anecdotes. Mr. Starret believes that Smith's stubbornness was what made him successful; and he was a religious man who attended church. Mr. Starret discusses his own reasons for not attending church. Mr. Starret describes Smith's physical appearance including his posture, he always wore a Stetson hat and he would never drink. Mr. Starret describes his aunt Agnes Smith whose father was a coal miner also named Smith. Mr. Starret describes his cousin Clara Smith who was born at Moodyville and offers some stories about her. More on his uncle and how children did not like him. Mr. Starret offers his first impressions of Father Nicholas.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0019
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret offers his impressions of the Carrier Indians as he knew them in the early 1900s: their concentration skills and the ways in which they were brought up, Father Coccola sermonizing; about pre-marital relations, eating in church, religion and superstition. Mr. Starret offers several anecdotes about Father Coccola's interactions with Indians and a story about Father Dominic of Babine Lake who was an Indian that learned commerce from white men. Mr. Starret tells a story about the Father asking Indians "what hell is". Mr. Starret tells a story of Coccola as a young man who never thought he would be a priest, and stories about his old age. The Indian congregations at church in Babine and Stuart Lakes, the men and women sat separately. The Babine tribe consisted of two hundred and twenty-five people at that time and he discusses his feelings about Babine and Fort Connolly. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret describes his daily life at Babine Post: he begins with someone coming into the store to buy sugar and daily chores before getting into specifics such as an interaction with an Indian who tried to cheat him, another story about an Indian woman who came into the store with Hudson's Bay coupons, trading posts, Fort Thompson and the three families there. Mr. Starret relates tall stories as told to him by Eli Ferguson, who was an old timer who had several jobs and skills: an amusing tale about a time before horses were used, when people used oxen to pull yokes. There was a man plowing one morning with a side hill plow but the story is cut short.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0020
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret describes Fort St. James upon his arrival by canoe: the riverbank, the Hudson's Bay post, the layout of the town, a description of the houses and a few characters there, where the Indians lived in a place called the Rancherie, there was always one priest there. Mr. Starret discusses Father Coccola and his journeys all over the province. Mr. Starret describes his first trip into the Bulkley Valley to Round Lake in April 1911, to survey property for his uncle; including the landscape and characters he encountered. Mr. Starret describes his journey to Ootsa Lake in 1917 to buy fur at the time when Indians were bringing in beaver, including traveling with Father Coccola and having to borrow $2,000.00 from his uncle. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret tells the story of his uncle who wan;ted Martin to acquire Indian artifacts, one such artifact was Qua's dagger. Mr. Starret describes who Qua was. Mr. Starret tells the story of Sir James Douglas and his relations with the native people. The natives were upset about how he treated them. Douglas was sent to Stuart Lake to be an apprentice to the factor from an eastern post. During the factor's absence, there was trouble between the Indians and white people over the apprehension of a murderer. Eventually Douglas became Sir James Douglas, Governor of British Columbia. The natives became upset with the prices of goods which the Hudson's Bay Post supplied once the goods were shipped by steamboat. Mr. Starret discusses the value and quality of a variety of Hudson's Bay goods and trade with the Indians.

CALL NUMBER: T0399:0021
RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-]
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Starret discusses his belief that Carrier Indians always trusted the priests. Mr. Starret never heard anything negative said by the Carrier Indians about the Church until World War I, when there was a disagreement about discipline. Mr. Starret offers some anecdotes which offer insight into the relationship between the Indians and priests. Mr. Starret discusses and sings a song by A.J. Hamilton which came about around the time of WWI about home-brewed alcohol. Mr. Starret offers his final feelings about the country including the way he would like to remember it such as paddling along in a canoe at night and hearing a loon call. Mr. Starret discusses the attitude of the Indians that all white men are rich. Mr. Starret discusses the attitudes of people in the past as compared to people at the time of the interview. Mr. Starret tells a story of an Indian who was unjustly punished named Francis Prince who was ostracized by the community. There were no white men who were Catholics in the area but Indians were. Mr. Starret believes that priests were fair legal advisors who did not necessarily give favour to white men over Indians. TRACK 2: Mr. Starret offers his opinions on British Columbia and how it is not really a part of Canada. He feels that there is a division at the Rockies and that Americans are like cousins as their money has helped develop Canada. Mr. Starret discusses free trade and his view that British Columbia's way of doing things is the best and he thinks that the Government in BC is the best at the date of this taping. Mr. Orchard and Mr. Starret discuss politics. Mr. Starret prefers working outdoors and he always recognized himself as a Canadian, yet when he first took up land, he had to do it as a British subject, people were not recognized as Canadians in those days. Mrs. Starret, born 1904, describes her life as her father moved from Ontario in 1918 to Burns Lake. She describes her views of Canada and BC as a part of Canada.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Mette "Mattie" Frank : the Kitsumkalum Valley, 1908-1934 PERIOD COVERED: 1883-1934 RECORDED: Terrace (B.C.), [ca. 1972] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mette "Mattie" Frank was born in Norway (1883), emigrated to B.C. with her family in 1891, her father was a boat builder. She spent two years (1895-97) at Metlakatla, Port Essington, married ;Henry Lewis Frank (1900) and they moved to Kitsumkalum Valley in 1908. She describes Port Essington, the social life, her husband's pre-emption in the Kitsumkalum Valley, the family house and farm, other settlers in the area, life on the homestead, the hotel at Eby's Landing, problems with wildlife and insects. TRACK 2: Mattie Frank talks about learning to be a pioneer, area residents, wood for t;he steamboats, work camps for the railroad, Terrace ca.1910, George Little, the school, the railway station at Terrace, the first teachers, winter amusements, farm chores, the Marsh family, Christmas celebrations, churches, Indian village at Kitsumkalum, steamboats, and Wiggs O'Neill.

The item is a photocopy of "My Life Story" by Belle Delia Watt of Calgary, a machine operator and real estate agent. It is an account of Watt's family and early days in Terrace, along with brief reminiscences of Port Essington and Prince Rupert.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-25 SUMMARY: [No content summary available for this interview.];

SUMMARY: A visit to Port Essington at the mouth of the Skeena River, and a discussion of its days as a cannery town and a port, where people would transfer from the coastal boats to canoes or sternwheelers for the trip up the Skeena. Voices heard are: Agnes Harris, Veroca Godfrey, Vicky Simms, Arthur Morrow, Captain Don Peck, and Walter Wicks.