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Atlin Pioneer Biographies, 1899-1948


    This page contains a wide variety of biographies and death notices related to people buried at the Pioneer Cemetery in Atlin, which closed in 1948. The information on this page has been copied from newspapers from Atlin, Whitehorse, and other communities.




ABBOTT, William (?-1899)

Nanaimo Free Press (Nanaimo, B.C.), Friday, November 3, 1899:
    William Abbott died in the hospital on the 18th inst., the complaint being apoplexy. Mr. Abbott had intended to go out for the winter when he was stricken with the shock.




ADAMS, George (1869-1938)

The Province (Vancouver, B.C.), Monday, September 26, 1938:
Injuries Are Fatal To Atlin Old-Timer
    ATLIN, Sept. 26. - Old-time resident of Atlin, George Adams, manager and part owner of the McKee Creek Hydraulic Co., died Saturday morning, ten days after he was hit by the stream of a hydraulic monitor. He is survived by his wife.




BLACK, Alexander (1830-1904)

The Atlin Claim, July 9, 1904:
Pioneer Gone.
    Mr. Alexander Black, of Spruce Creek, died on Tuesday morning in his tent on 90 below Discovery.
    Mr. Black has been working for Mr. Queen. Lately he had several attacks of dizziness, and on Monday last he had a severe attack from which he never recovered. He was an old-time miner, and was greatly liked by all who knew him.




BLACK, Conner Mackenzie (1906-1906)

The Atlin Claim, December 15, 1906:
    The funeral of Colin McKenzie, infant son of John Black, of Boulder, took place last Monday. Rev. A. M. Ross officiated at the church and cemetery.




BOUDREAU, Andrew (?-1899)

The Atlin Claim, October 28, 1899:
    Andreu Boudreau, of Alexandria, Que., who had been a sufferer for months past in the hospital here, passed away at 2 o'clock on Thursday morning. His affliction was scurvy, contracted on the Teslin trail. He was buried on Friday in the Discovery street cemetery.




CAMPBELL, James (1852-1900)

The Atlin Claim, May 26, 1900:
SUDDEN DEATH.
    The numerous friends of James Campbell will be pained to hear of his sudden demise, which occurred at an early hour yesterday morning.
    Deceased had been in the employment of Rice and Hastie at the Grand Hotel for quite a time, and retired after enjoying the Queen's Birthday Sports, about 1 a.m., with his friend, Neil Murray, to a cabin they occupied on upper First Street; both parties turned into bed, which was a mattress on the floor.
    When Murray awoke in the morning about 7:30, he found Campbell stiff and cold on the floor. Death had evidently taken place soon after retiring.
    A Coroner's jury, composed of James Brown, foreman; Joseph Tollmire, G. F. Pringle, John Mahrer, Go. M. Shirley and W. J. Smith, viewed the body in the forenoon, and met in the evening at 7.
    Dr. Lewis testified that he had made a post mortem examination of the body during the afternoon and found the liver and other organs much congested; he also found a clot in the heart, which, in his opinion, was sufficient to cause death. The jury, in accordance with these facts, found that the deceased had come to his death by natural causes and that no blame attached to any one. The funeral will take place today.
    Deceased was physically a fine specimen of Canadian manhood, and was well known along the line of the C. P. R. where he was engaged in contracting and other, work for several years before coming north. He was a single man and aged about 48 years.




CHRISTIEN, Thomas "Tommy" (1867-1918)

Whitehorse Star, July 8, 1938:
Atlin Man Killed
    A telegram from Atlin Monday stated that the dead body of a French-Canadian named Tom Christian, employed as a teamster by Louis Shultz, had been found lying alongside the road. It is thought that Christian fell from the top of the load he was hauling, and thus met his death. The dead man leaves a family somewhere in British Columbia.




COULTAS, Dorothy Mildred (Bourne) (1898-1949)

The Vancouver Sun, Thursday, January 13, 1949:
    COULTAS - On January 12, 1949, at Atlin, B.C. Dorothy Mildred Coultas, eldest daughter of Mrs. R. H. S. Bourne and the late Mr. R. H. S. Bourne. Age 50 years. Survived by her mother, Mrs. R. H. S. Bourne and sisters, Margaret and Beckie in Whitehorse, Yukon, and her brother, Ernest W. A. Bourne, North Vancouver. Funeral at Atlin, B.C., Lacombe, Alta., and Armstrong. B.C.

The Province (Vancouver, B.C.), Friday, January 14, 1949:
Atlin Woman Dies Suddenly
    Special to The Daily Province
    ATLIN - Prominent Atlin business woman, Mrs. Dorothy Coultas died suddenly Thursday morning from heart failure.
    She had been associated with Ross Peebler, Atlin merchant, for 20 years.
    She is survived by her mother, Mrs. R. H. Bourne, Vancouver; daughters, Margaret and Becky, at home, and a brother in North Vancouver.




COWPER, Capt. Jesse William (1852-1900)

The Atlin Claim, February 24, 1900:
DEATH OF CAPT. COWPER.
    The news of the sudden and unexpected demise of Captain Jesse William Cowper on Wednesday morning, 21st instant, shocked his many friends in Atlin. The deceased had been camped on the opposite side of the lake for a couple of weeks with Messers. E. J. Thain and W. H. T. Olive and had been suffering for some days with rheumatism and the intention was to bring him over to the Presbyterian hospital for treatment. No immediate danger was apprehended and his partners were assiduous in their attentions.
    About 5 o'clock in the morning Mr. Olive made some remark to the captain, who was in bed, and receiving no answer, went to his couch and found him dead. He had passed away so gently and quietly that Mr. Ole was astounded. Rousing Mr. Thain they did what they could to restore animation, but although the body was still warm, the soul had fled to Him who gave it.
    Mr. Olive at once came to Atlin to notify the authorities, and Constable Heal, accompanied by Dr. Lewis, went over the lake and returned with the body. The cause being evidently heart failure, it is not thought an inquest will be necessary.
    Deceased leaves a wife and three children at Ladner's Landing, B.C., and fortunately for them, carried an insurance of his life. His brother in Victoria has been communicated with and the body wil be kept, pending instructions from his relatives.
    Deceased had been a sea-faring man in his time and was aged about 43. It may be of some comfort to his sorrowing people to know that Captain Cowper in life had the good-will, affection and respect of every one who was privileged to know him.

Victoria Daily Times (Victoria, B.C.), Monday, March 5, 1900:
    News has reached here from Atlin of the death of Capt. Jesse Cowper formerly master of the steamer Bonanza, which did a freighting business around this city, and owner of the steamers Falcon and Phantom, both of which were wrecked in the vicinity of Trial Island some years ago. He left here some time ago to go to Dawson.

    Capt. Cowper died on February 21, 1900. Ancestry.ca has his name as Jesse Meadows Cowper, born in England in 1863, and he often appeared in newspapers as J. M. Cowper.




CRONK, William Jones (1865-1899)

The Atlin Claim, April 29, 1899:
    Wm. Cronk, formerly a section man on the C. P. R. and a resident of Port Moody, died on March 29th of pneumonia, three days after his arrival in town.




CROOK, William (1864-1906)

The Atlin Claim, September 8, 1906:
Wm. Crooks Laid at Rest.
    The death occurred at St. Andrew's hospital on Sunday evening last of Wm. Crooks, fireman on the steamer Gleaner. Mr. Crooks was admitted to the hospital about two weeks previous suffering from a bad attack of typhoid fever and shortly afterwards this became complicated with pneumonia, which was the immediate cause of death, notwithstanding that everything possible was done to relieve the sufferer.
    The deceased, who was 42 years of age, leaves a wife in Vancouver. The funeral took place from the Presbyterian church on Wednesday afternoon to the union cemetery and was conducted by Rev. A. M. Ross, with the following as pall bearers: Capt. Bragg, T. H. Brown, Daniel Sullivan, Robt. Pelton, Jno. Perry and Ed. Hawkins. Many beautiful wreaths were sent by friends.




DAVIES, Bertie L. (1902-1904)

The Daily Evening Star, Friday, July 29, 1904:
Atlin Accident
    Bertie Davies, the 2-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Davies, was drowned in the Brackett ditch near Discovery, in the Atlin district, July 18.
    The boy had been playing at the rear of his parents' house and fell into the Brackett ditch, immediately in the rear of the dwelling. He was only out of his mother's sight a few moments when she missed him, and after looking around, suspected the ditch. Frank Wotsell, who happened to be passing, assisted in the search, and on following the ditch to Thomson's cabin, a distance of about 300 yards, found the body.




DUKE, William J. (1877-1900)

The Atlin Claim, April 21, 1900:

    It is with great regret that we have to chronicle the death of William J. Duke, on Tuesday last, at the early age of 23.
    Mr. Duke arrive din here last September from Burgoyne, Ont., and has been in the employ of the B. A. Co. for some time. He first complained of sickness of Thursday evening, 12th inst., and in spite of every care and attention bestowed on him by the B. A. Co. officials, he grew steadily worse. Dr. Lewis was called in on Friday evening and had him removed to the Presbyterian hospital. Early on Monday morning, the operation for appendicitis was performed and the vermiform appendix removed. The operation proved the correctness of the diagnosis, but the patient never rallied and died at 4:45 p.m.
    The funeral took place on Wednesday from the Episcopal church and was largely attended. Messrs. Shiels, MacPherson, Dickinson, Dyson, Wallace and Blakie officiated as pall-bearers.
    Deceased was a bright, cheerful young man, full of hopes and aspirations, which, like so many more, were never destined to be realized. His untimely taking off has cast quite a gloom over the community.




FREEMAN, James Lloyd (1866-1899)

The Atlin Claim, April 29, 1899:

    A short time before THE CLAIM went to press news was brought from Discovery that a man named James Freeman had committed suicide by shooting himself through the heart. The deed occurred at 12:30. No details are at hand as to the motive that inspired the rash act. Deceased was a married man and lived with his wife at Discovery.




GUSTIN, Sam (?-1899)

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 4, 1899:
HOW SAM GUSTIN DIED.
Expired Very Suddenty in His Bed
of Acute Pneumonia.

    VICTORIA. B. C. April 3. - The steamer Amur, which arrived here last night, brings the following:
    A sad incident happened on the trail at the Golden Gate hotel, about twenty-five miles from Atlin City, and situated at the entrance of Taku river, last Saturday, the 1st instant. A man named Sam Gustin, hailing from the state of Washington, and bound for Atlin, was found dead in his bed in the hotel. He had been complaining for two days, and owing to cold and exposure he had undergone, pneumonia had set in, quite unknown to himself or to the proprietor of the hotel. He had been in bed all forenoon, when Charles Walker, of Victoria, Who was coming in at the same time, went to inquire for him, and was shocked to find that life was extinct.




HARVEY, Henry Thomas, Jr. (1867-1905)

The Atlin Claim, March 11, 1905:
Death of Henry T. Harvey.
    We regret to announce the death of Mr. Henry T. Harvey, who died suddeniy last Sunday in the hospital, of heart failure. Mr. Harvey was hydraulic foreman for the North Columbia Hydraulic Co., and only arrived in the Camp ten days ago. He came to Atlin first in 1902 along with Mr. Loveridge.
    He was born in Trinity County, Cal., 35 years ago. The sympathy of the community is with the relatives and friends in his home in California. The funeral took place from E. L. Pillman's undertaking parlors at 2 p.m. yesterday and was attended by many of the deceased's friends.




KENNEDY, James "Jimmy" (1881-1905)

The Atlin Claim, January 28, 1905:
A Fatal Accident.
    The saddest accident in the history of Spruce Creek occurred last Saturday morning, when James Kennedy, a miner on Spruce Creek, was crushed to death by the falling of a set of timbers. In an effort to locate the bedrock beneath where his timbers were supported, he loosened the set, causing it to give way and, the entre set coming down, caught him as he was almos out of harm's way, killing him almost instantly.
    Jimmie has many friends in the Camp and especially on Spruce Creek, where perhaps he is best known, who will miss him for many days to come. He was about 24 years of age, a native of Ireland, and had been in this Camp about two years.
    The funeral took place from Pillman's Undertaking Parlors, on Thursday afternoon, to the Atlin Cemetery, and was attended by a large number of miners from the creeks and business men from town. The pall bearers were: John Malloy, John Gorman, Wm. Conroy, -- Bryan, Nat McEwen, Z. Burke.




KENT, William Francis (1861-1933)

The Province, November 29, 1933:
William F. Kent, One Of First Merchants Here, Dies at Atlin
    ATLIN, Nov. 29. - William F. Kent died in Atlin hospital Monday night from a heart attack. He was a well known Vancouver resident and spent most of his time there since 1886. He was one of Vancouver's first store and hotel proprietors.
    Mr. Kent was spending the winter in Atlin with his half-brother, Dick Dunlop.

    William F. Kent was 72 years old when he died. He was survived by his widow, one son, George William, in Vancouver, and two daughters, Mrs. L. G. Tyler of Los Angeles and Mrs. M. A. Grimmett of Revelstoke.




KINNEY, P. J. "Pat" (1860-1902)

The Atlin Claim, June 28, 1902:
A Sudden Death.
    P. J. Kinney arrived in Atlin on Thursday, 12th inst., and died on Monday, 16th inst.
    The following was held over from last week:
    In the list of arrivals published last week was the name of P. J. Kinney. He came here to look for work from Ketchikan, where he had been prospecting for the last two years. Fred Wrong of Spruce creek was an old friend of his, and at Mr. Wrong's camp he arrived on Sunday morning last. On Monday afternoon a message was sent to Dr. Lazier to come up immediately, Pat Kinney was dying. Life was extinct when the doctor reached Mr. Wrong's camp. The cause of death, according to the doctor's certificate, is "heart failure."
    The deceased was about 42 years of age, and was an American by birth, but has lived about twenty years in Canada. He was well known in the North West and was one of the pioneers of Alberta. He is said to have taken the first drove of cattle into Alberta. At one time Mr. Kinney was a wealthy man. It is not known whether or not he has any relatives, or if he was married or single. His remains will be laid in the Atlin cemetery.




KRUMBIEGEL, Arno Paul (1885-1946)

The Whitehorse Star, Friday, January 17, 1947:

    Atlin, B. C., recently lost one of its real OldTimers in the passing of Arno Paul Krumbiegel on December 26, 1946, in his 62nd year.
    Krumbiegel arrived in Atlin 1910 and for many years was in the employ of the late Louis Schulz. In more recent years he was in the service of the Columbia Development Ltd., on Spruce Creek.
    Funeral services were held in the Anglican Church on Sunday, December 29th, and aitended by a large number of friends by whom the deceased was held in the highest regard.




MARSHALL, Henry George "Harry" (1864-1943)

The Whitehorse Star, Friday, March 5, 1943:
ANOTHER OLD ATLINITE PASSES GREAT DIVIDE.
    We report the death of Harry Marshall (of Blue Canyon fame) at St. Andrew's Hospital, Atlin, after being a patient for the past four years or more. The deceased froze his feet while working at Blue Canyon and had to have one leg amputated years ago, from which time he was an invalid. Around ten days ago he had a stroke and a few days after passed peacefully away.
    Deceased came to this camp some forty-three years ago. He had been a sailor in his early days and had seen every part of the world, his home town being Liverpool, England. He was a man of great integrity and lived a very christian life and was liked by all whom came in contact with him. He was in his eighties.




MORAN, John Eaton (1874-1933)

The Calgary Herald, October 31, 1933:
KILLED BY SLIDE
    ATLIN, B.C., Oct. 31 (C.P.) - John E. Moran, manager and superintendent on Otter Creek for Compagnie Francaise, Paris, was killed Monday when caught by a slide of rocks and gravel in the mine which he and his son, Morley, were inspecting. Morley was taken out uninjured by a rescue party.




MORRISON, Allen McGill Avery (1880-1947)

Whitehorse Star, October 31, 1947:
ATLIN PIONEER DIES IN LOCAL HOSPITAL
    Allen McGill Avery Morrison who was flown here last week from Atlin, B. C., died in the Whitehorse General Hospital at the age of 67 years following a paralytic stroke.
    Mr. Morrison moved to Atlin 47 years ago and also mined at Dawson and at the Dunwell mine, Stewart, B. C. He returned to Atlin after World War 1 in which he served for four years.
    He leaves his widow and a stepson, Hugh Molneaux of Duncan. His only son, Allen, was killed while serving as dispatch rider with Canadian Army in Belgium just before the close of World War 2.




ROBERTSON, Daniel (?-1899)

The Atlin Claim, April 29, 1899:
    Daniel Robertson, a man who spent six years in the Klondike and had acquired a large fortune there, arrived here April 1st and died the same night. He had just been on a visit to his home in the east to recover his health and was on his return to Dawson. The trail being good he concluded to come in and visit this camp. While on his way he took sick, and arrived here in a state of collape. He has one brother in Dawson, and another one passed him on the trail on his way out.




SINCLAIR, ? (?-1898)

The Atlin Claim, April 29, 1899:
    About three miles from the city and on the road to Discovery lies the silent city of the dead. At present it contains the remains of five persons. A man by the name of Sinclair while skating on the lake last winter, was drowned and was interred there.




TURNER, Mrs. (?-1899)

The Atlin Claim, April 29, 1899:
    Another sad event was the death of Mrs. Turner, wife of Dr. Turner, dentist. The lady was taken sick with pneumonia between Log Cabin and here. She arrived here on the 4th and expired on the 5th. It is said Mrs. Turner was the first white woman to visit Atlin, having come here with her husband last August and staked a claim on Pine near Discovery. Among those who knew her she was very highly respected.




WOLTERS, John (1857-1905)

The Douglas Island News (Douglas City, Alaska), Wednesday, October 18, 1905:
    John Wolters, an Atlin miner operating on Pine creek, near Discovery, was accidently killed last week on his claim. George Martin, his partner, was also injured. The two men were working on the south bank of Pine, just above Discovery and were placing sluice boxes in position in an open cut when one of the walls fell and threw them with great force against the opposite wall. Martin, who remained in an upright position, escaped with a few bruises and scratches, but Wolters was caught under a heavier portion of the falling earth and completely covered. Martin hastily extricated himself and, obtaining assistance, the entombed man was soon recovered, but life was extinct.