The Lee Boys, 1897

From "The Founding of Quatsino Colony" by Kenneth O. Bjork in Norwegian-American Studies Vol 25 Page 80 

But farming, blended with fishing, logging, and even sailing, was the more normal activity in British Columbia, as elsewhere on the Pacific slope. Wharnock on the Fraser River experienced new life in 1897, when a number of Norwegians normally bought 30 acres of land each and set to work at once clearing it. One writer described the enormous spruce and cedar trees, the hemlock, birch, and other stands of timber found in the area. When one sought to clear enough trees to support a cow and a hen, he said, one wished he had claws like a bear and the strength of a Samson. "Farming here," he added, "is still in its childhood; a number have cleared a few acres; some have done almost nothing." All who lived at Wharnock engaged in salmon fishing in the summer. He concluded that there were altogether too many bachelors in the area going about in groups of ten to twenty and living two and three to a cabin in the settlement. {20}
Eleven canneries were planned for the Fraser River in 1897, and the "Lee boys" of Wharnock bought shares in the most northerly one, paying for them by bringing piling and lumber for building and operating the cannery. The people in the settlement were from Trøndelag in Norway, and they were getting along well by 1899 but were still cutting down giant trees. One writer thought salmon fishing on the Fraser the most important occupation, but conceded that the soil was very fertile. He thought that, with a little capital, one could do quite well at farming. It was hard going with no money, but there was no evidence of real need or suffering among the settlers. Good land for sale at reasonable prices was available, some of it partially worked up and owned by people of British origin. Wharnock was visited by three steamers daily, and one could travel to New Westminster, 21 miles distant, and back [103] the same day at a cost of $1.00 for the round trip. Trains of the Canadian Pacific Railway also ran nearby. {21}

{20} Pacific Herold (Parkland, Washington), January 11, 1897; Skandinaven, February 3, 1897.
{21} Pacific Herold, March 1, 1897; Skandinaven, February 3, 1899.

So far I've only been able to get more than an unreadable copy from a microfilm of the Skandinaven of February, 1897.

The Watsons

Little information but I put a chart together and hope it will help find out who is who when visiting the Whonnock cemetery. Click on the image to enlarge.

Skyacres

Going through the photographs Jim Spilsbury entrusted to the UBC Rare Books and Special Collections I found this image of the interior of "Skyacres," the 1909 Boulanger home. 

Whetham -- Click to enlarge

Work in progress

I added a group "Work in progress" to the Whonnock & Ruskin History Web site. The following documents are in the new group.

• Defining the Whonnock Reserve
• Keaho Ohia
• Residents of Whonnock IR1
• Stave River Reserves 

Charles Miller

Thanks to Val Patenaude (Maple Ridge Museum and Archives) who contributed this newspaper cutting from the The Gazette of 17 January 1963. Today Charles Miller  is remembered most as Ruskin's historian. He published two books: The Golden Mountains in 1973 and the Valley of the Stave in 1981 (Hancock House). The Golden Mountains is still much thought after by treasure hunters and many (most) of the mines have been rediscovered. The Valley of the Stave is equally valuable for those interested in regional history.

Church and Cemetery on Whonnock IR 1

A recent “Ancestry” information exchange showed some confusion about Whonnock's First Nations cemetery and the church that stood on the Whonnock reserve.

Valerie: “There is a small "First Nations” graveyard on the side of the highway at a place just East of Maple Ridge called Whonnock”


Roree: “.... this is indeed the Whonnock area. My cousins and I are descended from these people and this church and this graveyard contain some of the older records that are difficult for us to find since it requires some travel....One of my cousins a very astute genealogist found this church and the graveyard some years ago, but sadly had run out of time to record any of the information from the church or the graveyard.”

There are two First Nations cemeteries in this eastern part of Maple Ridge. The one Valerie Walton mentions is on the south side of Lougheed Highway and on Langley Indian Reserve No. 5. The other one is on Whonnock Indian Reserve No. 1 and that is the one Roree refers to. There are no plans of either cemetery.

There was a Roman Catholic Church on Whonnock IR 1 built by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) around 1860 (?). It was demolish more than half a century ago. It is unlikely that there were any records kept at that church. The OMI fathers at Mission kept the records of baptism, marriage and death of all in their care in the area, including the Whonnock IR. Those researching First Nations/Kanaka roots are familiar with those records.

The little First Nations cemetery on Whonnock Reserve No. 1 is just east of the municipal Whonnock cemetery. In 1997, when I recorded the grave markers, I found a few iron so-called “OMI” crosses. They had been removed from the graves where they stood originally and are now no longer at the cemetery. These crosses were marked “Cathrine Feb 1888,” “Patrick Feb 1889,” Alick Mar 1892.”

There are remnants of some wooden crosses without any wording left.

The only surviving markers were the following:

• Willie D. / Cheer / Born / June 15, 1879 / Died / Oct. 30 1908 / Rest in piece [up- right column, text on east side]
• Roxley H. Cheer / Born May 21, 1907 / Died Aug. 9, 1912 / Gone but not forgotten [stone cross, information on base]

• In loving memory of / Johnny Louie / Died June 23, 1937 / Aged 13 years / Save in the arms of Jesus [marble cross. broken from base]

Reference: Whonnock Notes No. 2 – Cemeteries in Whonnock