Some Reminiscences of old Victoria Part 15

Dr. N. M. Clerjon; died Feb. 25, 1861; age 53 years.

To the memory of my darling little Eva, who died July 14, 1863, age 7 years and 5 months; also her infant brother, age 3 days. J. S.

Drummond (on a large flat stone.)

Charles H. Blenkinsop, H. B. Co.; died March 22, 1864.

Sacred to the memory of John Wood, from his wife--1864. Note--This is one of the best preserved headstones and enclosures in the cemetery, the latter being of iron, and 43 years old. My friend, Mr. Higgins, in his book "The Mystic Spring," gives the story of this clever actor, and his wife also, so I will not enlarge on it.

John Sparks, age 28 years; killed by the explosion of steamer _Cariboo_, Aug. 2, 1861.

Smith Baird Jamieson, killed by the explosion of steamer _Yale_--April, 1861; Archibald Jamieson, and James Baird Jamieson, killed by the explosion of steamer _Cariboo_ in Victoria harbor, Aug. 2, 1861, three brothers, sons of Robert Jamieson, Brod.i.c.k, Isle of Arran, Scotland.--I refer my readers to Mr. Higgins' book for the story of these brothers also. I remember the morning of the explosion of the _Cariboo_. It woke up the whole town. I think her bones lie in the mud alongside Turpel's ways in Songhees reserve.

William Alexander Mouat, chief trader H. B. Co.; died April 11, 1871, aged 50 years; also Clarissa Elizabeth, daughter of the above, age 8 years. (Father of Mrs. Richard Jones.)

Eleanor M. Johnston; died Feb. 27, 1872.

Elizabeth A. Kennedy; born at Fort Simpson, Nov. 1835, died at Fort Victoria, February, 1850; also Dr. John Kennedy, chief trader, H. B.

Co., died 1859, age 52 years; also f.a.n.n.y Kennedy, age 25 years; James B. Ogilvy, died Dec. 23, 1860, aged 5 years; John D. B. Ogilvy, Victoria Lodge, No. 783, F. & A. M., age 30 years; died May 12, 1865.

(Father, mother, daughter and nephew, and Dr. Kennedy had two sons, one master of the Colonial school in 1859, and one clerk in H. B.

Co.'s store.)

William Wright; died July --, 1870, age 53 years.

John Hender Wood, master of ship _Ellen_; died May 12, 1868, age 41 years.

George H. Booth; died Sept. 1, 1867, age 1 year 8 months.

(Wood headboard is in good state of preservation.)

Henry Francis Lee; died June 22, 1872, age 36 years.

Mary Ann Dougherty; died Sept. 5, 1863.

Paul Medana; died Nov. 14, 1868.

James Webster; died Sept. 15, 1862, age 37 years 8 months.

Millicent Page, wife of Wm. Page; died Feb. 19, 1864, age 55 years.

Kenneth Nicholson; died Nov. 10, 1863, age 35 years.

Charles Dodd (Chief Factor H. B. Co.); died June 2, 1860, age 52 years.

Eleanor M. Johnston; died June 2, 1860.

Victoria's First Cemetery.

The finding of the skeletons in the excavation of Johnson Street this week, recalls the last find nearby, a few years ago, in laying waterpipes on Douglas Street, and I find, in referring to an article I wrote five years ago on clippings from the _Victoria Gazette_, Victoria's first newspaper, that "the Council have ordered the removal of the bodies from the cemetery on Johnson Street to the new cemetery on Quadra." I can well remember seeing this removal; the bones where the bodies were not entire being thrown into carts, and taken to the Quadra Street Cemetery. I might state that with the exception of a few Hudson's Bay Company's employees, those buried there were men from Her Majesty's fleet at Esquimalt. This may seem a long time ago for vessels of war to be at Esquimalt, but by the tombstones in Quadra Street Cemetery, I find there were some of the seamen from H. M. S. _Cormorant_ buried in 1846. One of these was Benjamin Topp, and also John Miller, of H. M. S. _Thetis_, who were drowned in Esquimalt harbor; also W. R. Plummer, James Smith, and Charles Parsons, all drowned between Esquimalt and Victoria, August 22, 1852; also James D. Trewin and George Williams, February 4th, 1858. These were all removed to Quadra Street the following year.

CHAPTER XVI.

PIONEER SOCIETY'S BANQUET.

Some Reminiscences.

On the 28th April, 1871, or forty-one years ago, a meeting was held in Smith's Hall, which was situated in the building now occupied by Hall and Gospel on Government Street. The meeting was called to organize a society of the pioneers of British Columbia, and especially of Victoria. Among those present, and one who took a prominent part in its work, was William P. Sayward. By the death of this pioneer I am the sole remaining member of those who founded the society. By Mr. Sayward's death this city and province loses a man whom any city would be proud of. Knowing him as I had from boyhood, I can speak feelingly. He was one of the kindest-hearted men, a man who had no enemies that I ever heard of, but hosts of friends. Who ever went to him for charity and was refused? Who ever asked forgiveness of a debt and was repulsed? Although he was victimized many times, in his case virtue was its own reward. From small beginnings, when the lumber business was first started on Humboldt Street, on the sh.o.r.es of James Bay, to the present time, the Sayward business has gone on prospering, having been built on a firm foundation by a kindly and honest man, who in February, 1905, pa.s.sed from our sight to a better life. The society elected as its first officers the following: President, John d.i.c.kson; vice-president, Jules Rueff; treasurer, E. Grancini; secretary, Edgar Fawcett; directors, W. P. Sayward, H. E. Wilby, Alexander Young, and Sosthenes Driard. Long may the society continue. Mr. Sayward's son, Joseph, has since his father's death disposed of the business, of which he became the owner, to a large corporation, and has retired from business, one of our wealthy men.

[Portrait: William P. Sayward.]

Nothing better ill.u.s.trates what I feel to-day, as the last of the charter members who met together at Smith's Hall, on Government Street, over Hall & Gospel's office, on the 28th April, 1871, than the following lines from my favorite poet, Thomas Moore:

"Oft in the stilly night, Ere slumber's chain has bound me, Fond memory brings the light Of other days around me.

"When I remember all The friends so linked together I've seen around me fall, Like leaves in wintry weather.

"I feel like one who treads alone Some banquet hall deserted; Whose lights are fled, whose garlands dead-- And all but he departed."

I have applied this to my visit to Smith's Hall, of which I shall tell you. Since the death of my old friend, William P. Sayward, some months ago, I have reflected often on the fact that I was the last of that little band. The other night I woke up, and remained awake for some time; and my thoughts wandered to pioneer days, and from that to the gathering of pioneers this year, which, I understood, was to be a more extended gathering than usual. I thought I should like to be there for the sake of old times, but could not make up my mind to brave the disagreeable weather at this time of year.

After considering the matter, I decided to write, if I did not go; and, further, I decided to pay a visit to Smith's Hall first. So next morning I called on Mr. Kinsman, who kindly showed me upstairs, and over the old place. I might well say, "the old place," for it looked old and deserted, like the banquet hall spoken of by Moore.

With my mind's eye I pictured the scene of thirty-five years ago--I was at the hall early, being enthusiastic on the subject, and noted each well-known face as the guests came up the stairs and took their seats, until about forty had collected.

There was Thomas Harris, who had been the first mayor of the city. He was very stout, and complained of the exertion in climbing up the stairs, which was pa.s.sed off as a joke, of course.

There was Major McDonell, a retired army officer; Robert H. Austen, a pioneer of San Francisco, whose uncle, Judge Austen (an early resident), had been a prominent member of the "vigilance committee"

of San Francisco in the early fifties, when men were tried by that committee, condemned to death, and hanged, as I myself was a witness to on two occasions.

There was William P. Sayward, the father of Joseph Sayward, and one of the best men Victoria ever produced; Patrick McTiernan, a well-known business man; Captain Gardner, one of Victoria's pilots; Henry E. Wilby, father of the Messrs. Wilby of Douglas Street, who was Portuguese Consul, and a resident of Esquimalt; Jules Rueff and E. Grancini, both Wharf Street merchants; Andrew C. Elliott, a barrister, and afterwards premier of the province; Honore Pa.s.serard, a Frenchman and property holder of Johnson Street; Robert Ridley, who claimed he was the original "Old Bob Ridley" who crossed the plains to San Francisco in '49; Felix Leslonis, the Hudson's Bay Company's cooper, who was a Frenchman, and used to sing a song called "Beau Nicolas" at charity concerts, and usually brought down the house.

There was S. Driard, another Frenchman, and proprietor of the Driard House, and who being, like Mayor Harris, very corpulent and asthmatic, complained, like him, of the "upper room"; James Wilc.o.x, the proprietor of Royal Hotel, now proved to have been the "second"

brick hotel built in Victoria; William Spence, a contractor, and after whom Spence's Rock was named; John d.i.c.kson, the tinsmith and hardware man of Yates Street--a quiet, goodhearted man, an American; James Lowe, a Wharf Street merchant, of Lowe Bros.; Frank Campbell, of "Campbell's Corner"--genial, goodhearted Frank, a man without an enemy; Thomas L. Stahlschmidt, of Henderson & Burnaby, Wharf Street merchants, and father of Mr. Stahlschmidt, of R. Ward & Co.

There were Robert Burnaby, already mentioned; J. B. Timmerman, accountant and real estate agent, a Frenchman; Benjamin P. Griffin, mine host of the Boomerang, who had been a friend of my father's in Sydney, Australia, and was accountant in a bank there; and lastly, your humble servant, who was secretary of the meeting. There were others present, but they did not see fit to become members, among them being Ben Griffin.

As I said before, they pa.s.sed in review before me as I stood there thinking; and to-day I think no one lives to tell the tale of that gathering.

I am fully in accord with the suggestion that there be a reunion of all pioneers of early Victoria; but I think it should be in the summer, when as many as possible could be there, and it might be made very interesting by a recital of the personal recollections of those present. I should like to hear Mr. Higgins, for I am sure he has not yet told all he knows of the early history of Victoria.

CHAPTER XVII.

VICTORIA DISTRICT CHURCH.