British Columbia Canada

Biographical Sketch of Charles Carpenter

CHARLES CARPENTER. – Mr. Carpenter was born in Chattendon county, Vermont, February 1, 1838. He was the third son in a family of eight. Orrin and Jane (Basut) Carpenter were his parents. When thirteen years old he went with his parents to Franklin county, New York, and there received his education. In 1859 he came in company with his brothers J.W. and Henry, to California. They came via the Isthmus of Panama, and on the Pacific side took passage in the older steamer John L. Stevens for San Francisco. While in California Mr. Carpenter was engaged in various occupations, according … Read more

Tatlitkutchin Tribe

Tatlitkutchin Indians (‘Peel river people’). A Kutchin tribe, closely allied to the Tukkuthkutchin, living on the east band of Peel river, British Columbia, between lat. 66º and 67º.  For a part of the season they hunt on the mountains, uniting sometimes with parties of the Tukkuthkutchin.  They confine their hunting to the caribou, as they no longer have moose hunters among them.  In 1866 they numbered 30 hunters and 60 men.

Chehalis Tribe

Chehalis Indians. Chehalis actually refers to two distinct peoples. One group of tribes residing on the Chehalis River in Washington, another tribe, a sub-tribe of the Cowichan First Nation residing along the Harrison River in British Columbia. We provide both below.

Chilliwack Tribe

Chilliwack Indians, Chilliwack First Nation, Chilliwack People. A Salish tribe on a river of the same name in British Columbia, now speaking the Cowichan dialect, though anciently Nooksak according to Boas. Pop. 313 in 1902. Their villages, mainly on the authority of Hill-Tout, are: Atselits Chiaktel Kokaia Shlalki Siraialo Skaukel Skway Skwealets Stlep Thaltelich Tsoowahlie Yukweakwioose The Canada Indian Affairs Reports give Koquapilt and Skwah (distinct from Skway), and Boas gives Keles, which are not identifiable with any of the above.

Kitksan Tribe

Kitksan Indians, Kitksan People, Kitksan First Nation (‘people of Seena [Ksian] river’) One of the three dialectic divisions of the Chimmesyan stock, affiliated more closely with the Naska than with the Tsimshian proper.  The people speaking the dialect live along the upper waters of Skeena river, British Columbia.  Dorsey enumerates the following towns; Kauldaw, Kishgagass, Kishpiyeoux, Kitanmaiksh, Kitwingach, Kitwinskole, and Kitzegukla.  To these must be added the modern mission town of Meamskinisht.  A division is known as the Glen-Vowell Band.  Population 1,120 in 1904.

Biography of John B. Tays

John B. Tays is one of the early settlers and enterprising and progressive citizens of Ontario. He is the owner of forty acres of land in that colony and has for years been building up the horticultural industries of his section. His place is located on the south side of Thirteenth Street, east of Euclid Avenue. Mr. Tays purchased this land in 1883 and immediately commenced its improvement, planting trees and vines. He is justly ranked among the pioneer horticulturists of Ontario, and has produced one of the representative places of his section. He now has twenty acres in citrus … Read more

Semiahmoo Indians

Semiahmoo Indians were located about Semiahmoo Bay in northwest Washington and southwest British Columbia.

Biography of John Boyd

John Boyd, a well-known citizen of Riverside, though not a pioneer, has been a resident of the city since 1876, and there are few men who have been more closely identified with the real interest and improvements of the city than John Boyd. He arrived at a time when the first named commodity at least was needed and appreciated. He erected a substantial building on Main Street, and entered into business; and as the demands of the city increased he was ever to the front with his improvements. The present magnificent Boyd block, with its frontage of 111 1/2 feet … Read more

Nootka Tribe

Nootka Indians, Nootka People, Nootka First Nations. A name originally applied to the Mooachaht of Nootka sound, west coast of Vancouver Island, and to their principal town, Yuquot, but subsequently extended to all the tribes speaking a similar language. These extend from Cook Creek to the north to beyond Port San Juan, and include the Makah of Flattery Creek, Washington. Sometimes the term has been used as to exclude the last named tribe. The Nootka form one branch of the great Wakashan family and their relationship to the second or Kwakiutl branch is apparent only on close examination. In 1906 … Read more

Kutenai Tribe

Kutenai Indians (corrupted form, possibly by way of the language of the Siksika, of Kútonâqa, one of their names for themselves). A people forming a distinct linguistic stock, the Kitunahan family of Powell, who inhabit parts of south east British Columbia and north Montana and Idaho, from the lakes near the source of Columbia river to Pend d’Oreille lake. Their legends and traditions indicate that they originally dwelt east of the Rocky mountains, probably in Montana, whence they were driven westward by the Siksika, their hereditary enemies. The two tribes now live on amicable terms, and some intermarriage has taken … Read more

Biography of John M. Silcott

Almost forty years have passed since John M. Silcott took up his residence in Idaho, and he is therefore one of the oldest and most widely known pioneers of the state. He came in the spring of 1860 to establish the government Indian agency at Lapwai, and has since been identified with the growth and development of this section. He is a Virginian, his birth having occurred in Loudoun County, of the Old Dominion, January 14, 1824. His French and Scotch ancestors were early settlers there, and during the Revolution and the war of 18 12 representatives of the family … Read more

Senijextee Tribe

Senijextee Indians. A Salish tribe formerly residing on both sides of Columbia River from Kettle falls to the Canadian boundary; they also occupied the valley of Kettle River; Kootenay River form its mouth to the first falls, and the region of the Arrow Lakes, British Columbia.  In 1909 those in the United States numbered 342 on the Colville Reservation, Washington.

Nahane Tribe

Nahane Indians, Nahane People, Nahane First Nation (‘people of the west.’). An Athapascan division occupying the region of British Columbia and Yukon Territory between the Coast range and the Rocky mountains, from the north border of the Sekani, about 57° north, to that of the Kutchin tribes, about 65° north. It comprises the Tahltan and Takutine tribes forming the Taliltan division, the Titshotina and Etagottine tribes forming the Kaska division, and the Esbataottine and Abbatotine (considered by Petitot to be the same tribe), Sazeutina, Ettchaottine, Etagottine, Kraylongottine, Klokegottine, and perhaps Lakuyip and Tsetsant. They correspond with Petitot’s Montagnard group, except … Read more

Seechelt Tribe

Seechelt Indians, Seechelt First Nation, Seechelt People (Si-‘ciatl). A Salish tribe on Jervis and Seecheltinlets, Nelson island, and the south part of Texada island, British Columbia. They speak a distinct dialect and are thought by Hill-Tout on physical grounds to be related to the Lillooet. Anciently there were 4 divisions or septs – Kunechin, Tsonai, Tuwanek, and Skaiakos – but at present all live in one town, called Chatelech, around the mission founded by Bishop Durieu, who converted them to Roman Catholicism. The Kunechin and Tsonai are said to be of Kwakiutl lineage. Pop. 236 in 1902, according to the Canadian Department … Read more

Sekani Tribe

Sekani Indians, Sekani First Nation, Sekani People (‘dwellers on the rocks’). A group of Athapascan tribes living in the valleys of upper Peace river and its tributaries and on the west slope of the Rocky mountains, British Columbia. Morice says they were formerly united into one large tribe, but on account of their nomadic habits have gradnally separated into smaller distinct tribes having no affiliation with one an other. Harmon said that they came front east of the Rocky Mountains, where they formed a part of the Tsattine. Gallattin gave their habitat as the headwaters of Peace river. Dunn located them in … Read more

Cowichan Tribe

Cowichan Indians. A group of Salish tribes speaking a single dialect and occupying the SE coast of Vancouver island between Nonoos bay and Sanitch inlet.

Semiahmoo Tribe

Semiahmoo Indians. A Salish tribe living about the bay of the same in north west Washington and south west British Columbia.  In 1843 they numbered about 300 and in 1909 there were 38 of the tribe on the Canadian side.

Nanaimo Tribe

Nanaimo Indians, Nanaimo People, Nanaimo First Nation (contraction of Snanaímux). A Salish tribe, speaking the Cowichan dialect, living about Nanaimo Harbor, on the east coast of Vancouver Island and on Nanaimo Lake, British Columbia.  Population 161 in 1906. Their gentes are Anuenes, Koltsiowotl, Ksalokul, Tewethen, and Yesheken.

Tsimshian Tribe

Tsimshian Indians, Tsimshian  People, Tsimshian First Nation (‘people of Skeena river’). The most important of the three main divisions of the Chimmesyan linguistic family, and that which gives it its name. In the strictest sense it designates the following closely related tribes or divisions living between Nass and Skeena rivers, north British Columbia: Kilutsai, Kinagingeeg, Kinuhtoiah, Kishpachlaots, Kitlani, Kitsalthlal, Kitunto, Kitwilgioks, Kitwilksheba, and Kitzeesh. To these are sometimes added the Kitzilas and Kitzimgaylum, who live farther up Skeena river, near the canyon, but speak the same dialect. The appellation has also been extended to cover all other tribes speaking this … Read more

Kwakiutl Tribe

Kwakiutl Indians, Kwakiutl People, Kwakiutl First Nation (according to their own folk etymology the name signifies ‘smoke of the world’, but with more probability it means ‘beach at the north side of the river’). In its original and most restricted sense this term is applied to a group of closely related tribes or septs living in the neighborhood of Ft Rupert, British Columbia. These septs are the Guetela, Komkutis, Komoyue, and Walaskwakiutl, and their principal village Tsahis, surrounding Ft Rupert. Other former towns were Kalokwis, Kliksiwi, Noohtamuh, Tsaite, and Whulk, of which the last two were summer villages shared with the Nimkish … Read more