Harry Moffat was a Cariboo pioneer and farmer at Alexandria, B.C. He died in 1947. The records diaries and farm account books of Harry Henry Moffat, Cariboo pioneer, and his descendants (12 volumes).

RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Herb Gardner was interviewed while holding the office of Mayor of Williams Lake. He describes the federal building; the regional board; urban planning; and the electoral process. Before elections, people were appointed to the board. Demographics of the district. Mr. Gardner offers his own personal history; born in Quesnel and lived in Barkerville; stories about old timers; his father came into the country in 1900, and was a shoemaker before becoming a miner; eventually his father ran a stopping house on a ranch; in 1928 the family moved to Quesnel and worked in the saw mill business. He describes what Williams Lake was like back then.

TRACK 2: Mr. Gardner comments about how smaller sawmills were driven out by economics and larger ones took their place; the lumber industry and how it drives the economy of Williams Lake; prospecting and cattle ranching; stampedes; how much he likes living in Williams Lake. He compares living in Quesnel to living in Williams Lake. He discusses the future and the progress of Williams Lake.

The item is a reel of travelogue film showing scenic highlights and points of interest along Highway 97 in the Okanagan and Cariboo. Includes footage of car ferries (the M.V. "David Lloyd-Jones" and M.V. "Lequime") on Okanagan Lake; highlights of Kelowna International Regatta; abandoned mine equipment and shaft; Barkerville (before its restoration); sawmill in Quesnel; a parade and rodeo events at the Williams Lake Stampede.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-07-16 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Ivor Guest recalls his history; he was born in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, in 1886. He first came west in 1908 to Edmonton. He eventually came to Vancouver and saw posters of Fort George, and so he decided to go there. His brother came from New York to join him. Their other brother met up with them and in May 1911, they came to Ashcroft and bought a team of horses to make the journey ;to Fort George. He describes what the journey was like, what the road houses were like, the ferry at Quesnel and how he sold a horse and traded another to an Indian for a canoe which broke in two. H;e describes several characters with whom he rode dog teams and canoed; his job as a fire warden at the Crooked River near Fort McLeod in the summers of 1912 and 1913; a description of Fort McLeod and who lived there; the business of fur; the growth of Fort George and his first impressions; the business of saw mills; Summit Lake prospecting; and the Grand Trunk Railroad. TRACK 2: Mr. Guest continues by describing farming in the Fort George area; the old characters; and differences between central and south Fort George.

CALL NUMBER: T4185:0001 RECORDED: Australian (B.C.), 1984-06-07 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: James Moriss, from Gradna (Grodno?) in Russia, born 1895. His father, a railroad builder, had work in Canada for three years, 1907. Jim, the only son, aged 15, wanted to come to Canada. Left Russia in 1911 with an uncle and several other young men. They were smuggled out of Russia and traveled by boat from Germany to Halifax; then by railway to Cochrane, Ontario, where a Jewish friend of his father's was to look after him. Jim worked on the railroad, and eventually got out to Prince Rupert. Worked on the building of the Grand Trunk Pacific, then on building the Pacific Great Eastern from Prince George south. The war in 1914 stopped all work. Jim and several others walked south past Quesnel, looking for work. Finally, at Australian, were hired by local rancher, Windt, to harvest potato crop. TRACK 2: Next year, 1917, Jim worked for R. Middleton; then for Robert Yorston for 4.5 years. Jim took up a pre-emption, built cabin and later a big house. Married Helen Zschiedrich, 1924. Raised four girls. Worked on building of the PGE after World War I. After World War II, considered returning to Russia, but changed his mind when he realized he couldn't live under Communist rule. CALL NUMBER: T4185:0002 RECORDED: Australian (B.C.), 1984-06-07 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Jim Moriss speaks of many Quesnel area residents, including: Paul Krestinuk (a Russian); Robert Middleton and his wife; George Pickard; Sam Bohanon; Collins; Billy Lyne, John Lyne, Dave Lyne, and the Lyne Roadhouse; Clarence Fuller; Webster; Choates Zscheidrich; Charlie Ross. [TRACK 2: blank?]

The file consists of an account book kept between 1875 and 1876 by James Reid, a Quesnel merchant. The book is arranged by daily accounts and includes the names of individuals and businesses, their account numbers and amounts charged or paid.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-07-20 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Janet Yorston talks about the Australian Ranch, the stages on the Cariboo Road and various Cariboo people, from 1860 to 1914. Mr. Yorston describes how Andrew Olsen and Steve Downes came to the Cariboo and started the Australian Ranch; farming and activities there; how they sold produce to miners; settlers in the area; Chinese miners; Fort Alexandria; more on the Australian Ranch and how it was purchased by her husband John Yorston; the stopping house; and life on the ranch. TRACK 2: Mrs. Yorston tells stories of two Barkerville old-timers, Harry Jones and the "Duke Of York". She describes details of stagecoaches, travel and places on the Cariboo Road.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1967 SUMMARY: An oral history interview with Jess Higdon. He talks about ranching near Quesnel, the Fraser River ferries, and the big changes in the Cariboo region.;

RECORDED: Alkali Lake (B.C.), 1975-06-25 SUMMARY: An oral history interview with Mrs. Jessie Pigeon of Alkali Lake, who discusses the history of the region, including Soda Creek and Quesnel.;

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Steamships on the Fraser, ca. 1914 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1967 SUMMARY: An oral history interview with Jim Williams, who came to Quesnel to help build the steamship "BX". Earlier career in shipbuilding. Building the "BX". Ship's carpenter. "Bushed" passengers. The "BX" was dismantled and rebuilt elsewhere.;

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1970 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Justus Havelaar and Mrs. Sandy Havelaar discuss living and teaching in Quesnel in 1970. The Havelaars discuss the youth; teaching; the attitudes of the Quesnel people; Prince George; the future; and trade. TRACK 2: The Havelaars discuss the Qualicum school district on Vancouver Island; the nature of Quesnel; and more on the youth centre and youth groups. Finally, they discuss Quesnel winters.

The file consists of an unidentified ledger from a business in Quesnel that covers the period 1867. It is indexed and gives details of various account including wages, freight and cash. Preprinted forms in the back of the book indicate that the business received goods from the goods steamers Enterprise and Victoria.

The file consists of a ledger covering the period 1905 to 1908. It contains cash accounts of Quesnel area individuals.

The file consists of a letterpress book from 1900 to 1902 which documents outgoing correspondence of Hofercamp and Johnson.

The London and Canadian Fire Insurance Company (LCFIC) was incorporated by statute in British Columbia in 1890 as a general fire insurance business. Most of the original investors were shareholders or officials of the British Columbia Land and Investment Agency. The head office of LCFIC was located in Victoria with agencies in various British Columbia centres such as Vancouver, Nanaimo and Vernon. Because of its limited resources the company entered into a number of reinsurance treaties mainly with English and Scottish insurance companies. The LCFIC became inactive in 1898, was wound up in 1905 and liquidated in 1906. Most policies were replaced by Phoenix Assurance Company policies between 1898 and about 1900. Fonds consists of correspondence, financial records, insurance policies, registers and records of reinsurance treaties. For related records see MS-2880, British Columbia Land and Investment Agency fonds, series 23, 25-26, 84-91.

A metal seal embosser for the London and Canadian Fire Insurance Company was transferred to the BC Archives from the City of Victoria Archives in 2021. This is housed in container number 002340-2784.

Personal papers; subject files consisting of newspaper clippings, notes of interviews, drafts of articles, correspondence, and photographs relating to LeBourdais' interest in the history of the Cariboo district. Louis LeBourdais was born in Clinton in 1888 and died in Quesnel in 1947. He was the son of Adalbert LeBourdais, telegrapher and postmaster at Clinton and Eleanore LeBourdais. Louis LeBourdais also became a telegraph operator. He worked in Kootenay and Okanagan districts for the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Dominion Government Telegraph Service, before settling in Quesnel, apparently in the early years of World War I, as telegrapher for the Dominion Government Telegraph Service. In 1937 he became an insurance agent for the Confederation Life Association. He was elected to the provincial Legislature in 1937 as the liberal member for Cariboo district, and was re-elected in 1941 and 1945. LeBourdais was keenly interested in the history of the Cariboo district and the Central Interior in general. He wrote and sold articles on the past history of the region and on current economic trends to a number of magazines and newspapers, and was a correspondent for the Vancouver Daily Province. His topics included gold mining and the "back to the land" movement. The records were accumulated primarily in connection with LeBourdais' historical interests. Records include: papers and newspaper clippings of general interest, and subject files arranged alphabetically. The subject files consist of newspaper clippings, handwritten and typewritten drafts of articles, notes of interviews, correspondence and photographs. The bulk of the records date from the 1930s and are concerned with old timers, mining, particularly the resurgence of gold quartz mining, and the "back to the land" movement. Some subject files contain photographs. Printed material transferred to the North West Library Collection is identified in the finding aid. Approximately 450 black and white photographs, 75 black and white negatives, and nine glass negatives of various subjects, and approximately two hundred lantern slides of the Cariboo-Barkerville area were transferred to Visual Records accession, 198501-11. Mining maps of the Central Interior of British Columbia have been transferred to map registration numbers: 12916-12928. A list of maps is available at the end of the attached finding aid. Related records in MS-0361.

The series consists of Mechanics' Liens and Woodmen's Liens from 1913-1915, 1920-1921, 1923-1926, 1931, 1933-1935, 1938, 1940-1953, 1942, 1945, 1953-1956. The register covering 1940-1953 includes an index.

Account book listing goods received and shipped.

The series consists of one volume of the naturalization register created at the County Court of Quesnel. Records date to between 1914 and 1977. The ledger is arranged alphabetically and entries provide information on the full name of applicant, their occupation, former place of residence, current place of residence, the date notice and papers were filed, the date naturalization certificate was issued, the date it was delivered and to whom it was delivered. Places of residence include Quesnel, Cottonwood, Moose Heights, Wells, Hixon, Barkerville, and Van Winkle. The register also includes a “declaration of intent” list tucked into the front cover.

CALL NUMBER: T0376:0001 RECORDED: Quesnel (B.C.), 1964-07-19 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Nellie Baker talks about her experiences in the Cache Creek, Ashcroft and Quesnel area, 1890 to 1910. Mrs. Baker speaks about her father coming to BC in 1864 and the story of her father and mother coming to Chilcotin in 1884 before buying Bonaparte Ranch near Cache Creek, where Nelly was born. She describes activity along the Cariboo Road; wagons, stages, stopping places and drivers. She speaks about life at the Cache Creek boarding school and her relations with the native children.

TRACK 2: She moved to a ranch between Spences Bridge and Ashcroft where she used to capture wild horses. She discusses the Little Mountain slide at Spences Bridge as well as the sheep and cattle on her father's ranch. She discusses her life after she was married in Ashcroft, as well as pack trains, memories of the famous packer Jean Caux ("Cataline"), Quesnel in 1910, and activity in the area. She mentions that her husband was a doctor.

CALL NUMBER: T0376:0002 RECORDED: Quesnel (B.C.), 1964-07-19 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Baker discusses her traveling and her experiences working with her husband in the area west of Quesnel. She describes the social life and recreation of Wells and Barkerville; working outdoors, a story about eating wild parsnips, and rattlesnakes. She comments on bars and liquor and her upbringing and adventures on her father's ranch near Ashcroft. She talks about her marriage in 1907, the Mormons in Salt Lake City, more experiences with her husband, and horse racing. [TRACK 2: blank.]

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1970 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: This tape features is a discussion of Canadian identity with various young people in Quesnel in 1970. Imbert Orchard asks them to describe their personal reaction to being part of Canada. Includes discussion of the relationships and differences between BC and Canada and between Canada and the U.S. [TRACK 2: blank.]

The item is identified as a copy.

CALL NUMBER: T1148:0001 [and T2747:0001]
RECORDED: [location unknown], 1972
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Pearl DeBolt (formerly Pearl Whitmer) discusses how she came to the Quesnel Forks area in 1947, and the people in the area then (most of whom were miners). She describes the history of Quesnel Forks, which had a population of 8,000 in 1922, when the Cedar Creek boom hit; hunting; ranching; the gold commissioner, Mr. [William] Stephenson; how many white people moved to Barkerville and Chinese miners moved into Quesnel. Martin George discusses his life as a miner in Quesnel Forks after arriving in 1943. Both then discuss what they liked about living in Quesnel Forks, including the weather, geography, and hopes of finding gold. Mr. George describes the process of mining for gold and the value of gold back then (thirty dollars an ounce). Mr. George only made enough to survive; he never was able to accumulate wealth as a gold miner. Mrs. DeBolt discusses more about the geography and history of Quesnel Forks, including some people whose name became place names thanks to Simon Fraser. She recalls moving away from Quesnel Forks in 1965; she claims she was the last person to leave. She describes why the government would not save Quesnel Forks; she says it had to do with hydro power. She describes the roads in and around Quesnel Forks. All the Chinese miners moved north when Quesnel Forks closed down in the 1920s. It became a true ghost town in the mid-1960s. She offers details about the Chinese people in the area, including a ritual where, seven years after a Chinese person died, their bones were exhumed, cleaned and sent back to China. The remains of just three Chinese are left in the cemetery. A grave outside of the cemetery gate may be Mr. Stephenson's, but it may also belong to Mr. Winkley, for whom Winkley Creek is named.
TRACK 2: Mr. Dennis McConnel is interviewed on site in the abandoned Cariboo town of Quesnel Forks. He discusses the buildings in the area; the meeting of the two rivers; the buildings on the banks of the river, which are likely to collapse; tourists digging for relics, such as brass tokens and whisky bottles from the gambling hall; the erosion of the town. A story about moving Mrs. DeBolt's grand piano. Inside an abandoned house, Mr. McConnel and Jurgen Hesse discuss the condition of the house, vandalism, and the Chinese writing on the walls. McConnel discusses mining on the banks of the river; gold panning; artifacts he has found; and the old General Store at Quesnel Forks. [End of interviews]