Skeena Crossing BC History

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Portion of 1915 map from Library and Archives Canada, link below
Skeena Crossing Bridge, across the Skeena River,
in bottom left of the map above.
The Bridge was completed July 6, 1912
Height 50 metres, Length 288 metres.
The bridge is set on 3 concrete piers.
It cost $1,000,000 to build the bridge.

GTP steel, reached here from Prince Rupert, morning of Mar 13, 1912.
but it took a few more months before the Skeena was crossed.

The railroad from Prince Rupert to here
is on the North side of the Skeena River.
At Skeena Crossing a huge steel bridge was built
to cross the Skeena, and after that
it runs on the south side of the Skeena

Skeena Crossing under construction
Grand Trunk Pacific Locomotive ca 1912
Photo from a Historical Info stand on Terrace Grand Trunk Pathway
click to enlarge in new window

Canadian Bridge Company Ltd. of Walkerville ON,
built the Skeena Crossing Bridge.
They also built the Cambie St. Bridge in Vancouver
as well as many others in Canada and the US.

There was a cable ferry here before the bridge was completed.
It cost .50 cents to cross.

Some records claim the Grand Trunk built
the "Copper Tavern Hotel" here, at mile 164.
but I believe Byron Robert Jones built and operated the hotel.
Most records show him as B. R. Jones.
It had 23 bedrooms, and opened Sept 1914
It was considered to be a very fine hotel, one of the best
between Winnipeg and Prince Rupert.
Ground floor had an Office, Lobby, with a large Open Fireplace,
and leather upholstered furniture,
Bar-Room, with a large Mahogany Bar, Dining Room,
Sleeping Rooms, Kitchen and Pantry, Store room and Lavatory.
It was located on Lot 2387 N. W., 20 Acres, Group 1, Cassiar District
It had a gravity water supply piped in from a nearby creek
with lots of water pressure, considered to be plenty for fire protection.
M. R. Jamieson was the First Manager.

Melbourne Robert Jamieson
(He shows up on my Stewart page as well)
b- Jan 1866 in Dunoow, Scotland
d- Sept 2, 1928 in Stewart BC, age 64
immigrated in 1896
age 47 when he married, shown as a saloon keeper
son of John Story Jamieson and Mary Cottier Jamieson, nee ?
married Jessie Kilpatrick Jensen, nee Avison, Oct 6, 1913, Prince Rupert
b- NWT, age 26, shown as a divorcee
daughter of Henry Avison and Kate Gray Avison

The cook was Thomas Black.
Robert Kelly, of New Hazelton fame, owned the Hotel at one point,
and when he died, his estate sold it to David Pratt.
ca June 1924- David W. Pratt became Owner and Manager,
and he applied for beer sale licence, Feb 16, 1925
David owned the Hotel in Aug 1939, when it was used to house troops
sent from Vancouver to guard the bridge during the war.
1911 David and family were living at 12 Mile House, shown as a farmer.
He was also Post Master here. see below

Located approx. 1 km from this point,
is the Gitxsan First Nation Village of Gitsegukla
(alt spellings: Kitsegeucla, Gitsegukla, Gitsegukla, Gitsegukla)

John McLeod's Camp for GTP
John McLeod- Contractor
went by Capt. John McLeod
John McLeod
b- Nov 1871 in ON
brother?- Norman McLeod

Skeena Crossing Camp

James H. Halpin- Superintendent
b- Dec 1864 in London, ON
d- June 19, 1932 in Vancouver BC, age 67
age 46 living in Seattle WA, when married
son of James and Ann Halpin
married Emily Lavinia Harmer, July 26, 1909 in Victoria BC
b- Feb 1870 in Croydon, Surrey, England
d- Dec 25, 1940 in Vancouver BC, age 73
immigrated in 1890
age 39, living in Tacoma WA. when married

Post Office History

Name of Office: Skeena Crossing

Federal Electoral District: Skeena (BC)

Office Opened Jan 1, 1914

Postmaster Information:

Name of Postmaster	Date of Appointment	Date of Vacancy	Cause of Vacancy
Byron Robert Jones	1914-01-01	1917-03-06	Resignation
Anthony Martin Ruddy	1917-04-15	1918-10-02	Resignation
Hugh Richmond	1918-12-10	1924-09-23	Resignation
David Wesley Pratt	1924-12-16	1940-05-22	Resignation
John Joseph Fahrenkopf	1941-02-01	Acting	-
" " "	1941-05-12	1944-10-22	Resignation
Charles Reid Donaldson	1944-12-01	Acting	-
" " "	1945-03-01	1947-04-12	Resignation
Peter Mickelow	1947-05-01	Acting	-
" "	1947-08-14	1948-09	Resignation
James Alexander McRae	1948-09-30	1952-02-05	Resignation
Mrs Irene Olga Bowie	1952-03-01	Acting	-
" " "	1952-05-28	1966-07-30	Retirement, Sup'n Cont
Mrs Patricia Vida Braithwaite	1966-08-01	Acting	-
" " "	1966-09-30	-	-

Additional Information:

Closed moved to South Hazelton

This reproduction is NOT represented as an official version of the materials reproduced,
nor as having been made in affiliation with,
or with the endorsement of the National Archives of Canada.
The source of this material is the National Archives of Canada

Post Master Bios and Genealogy

Byron Robert Jones
b- ca 1870, Henderson Co, Texas
d- can't find a clue where he died
he might have died July 18, 1921 in Fort Worth Texas
and he might be buried in Burnaby BC
1898 in San Francisco, age 28
Merchant at Skeena Crossing
1913- member of New Hazelton Mine Owners Association
He was one of the Principal promoters of the Delta Group, on Roche DeBoule Mtn.
He built the first hotel at Skeena Crossing, the Copper Tavern (see above)
he married 1st? Lottie Mamie Vaughn, nee Fuller, Mar 10, 1914 in Vancouver.
b- Kansas, USA, age 35 when married, a widow
2nd wife?- Jennie Shannon
b- Kaufman Co. Texas
d-
Had a son, Shannon Jones, living in Kaufman Texas in 1916
b- Feb 17, 1893 in Texas
d- Nov 3, 1948, Kaufman City, Kaufman Co, Texas
possibly remarried again to a Helen Nicholson, but not verified if same guy.

Anthony Martin Ruddy
b- Inman Nebraska, USA
d- Sept 20, 1944 in Burns Lake BC, age 61
shown as a Merchant transfer when married at age 35
son of Anthony Ruddy and Mary O'Connor
married Isabella McLeod Sept 16, 1918, in Vancouver BC
b- Scotland, age 34 when married
d- July 20, 1949 in burns Lake BC, age 66
daughter of John McLeod and Bella McLeod.

Hugh Richmond
b- ca 1877 in Scotland, age 44 in 1921
d-
immigrated in 1911
Storekeeper, General Store in 1921 in Skeena Crossing

David Wesley Pratt
b- Mar 27,1866, St. Mary's, Perth South, ON
d- Oct 7, 1941 in Hazelton BC, age 75
Owned General Store here in 1925
He was married to Bessie May Zapotocki,
b- Oct 1881 in Bohemia
Immigrated in 1903
son- David Simpson Pratt,
b- May 29, 1907 in Port Simpson BC
daughter- Frances May Pratt,
b- Aug 1910 in Hazelton BC
daughter- Helen Pratt
b- ca 1914, in New Hazelton, BC,
(age 20 when she married in 1934)

John Joseph Fahrenkopf
b- Sept 8, 1875 in Formosa, Bruce Co, ON
d- 1953 in Hazelton BC
CNR Section Foreman here in 1925
married Olivia Skotoll
b- 1872
d- 1949
father- Peter M. Fahrenkopf
b- 1849
d- 1918
mother- Bridget E. Quinn
b- 1854
d- 1923

Sister- Anna Catherine Fahrenkopf- 1873-1873
Sister- Mary Elizabeth Fahrenkopf- 1877-1931
Brother- George James Fahrenkopf -1880-1947
Sister- Josephine Florine "Veenie" Fahrenkopf- 1882-1954

Charles Reid Donaldson
b- Dec 21, 1892 Forfar, Crieff, Scotland
d- Dec 15, 1982 Royal Jubilee Hospital Victoria BC, age 89
Single, Store Keeper.
He enlisted in WWI, Aug 2, 1916 in Vernon BC
reg # 524921
his next of kin was his brother John Reid Donaldson in Victoria
He was shown as a Grocery Clerk in Victoria BC, single.
shown as born in 1893 in enlistment form.

Rest are entering Privacy Issues, and will not be researched

1916 Residents

G. Boe- Farmer
J. Bursinger- Miner
P. Christiensen- Farmer
Thomas Forrest- Axeman
B. R. Jones- Hotel Keeper
F. M. O'Brien
J. P. Petrie- Labourer
Robert Starck- Restaurant
H. Walters- Miner
J. Young- Miner

1922 Residents

A. Elliott- Rancher
Thomas Forrest- Farmer
Arthur Lindquist- Mining
Ed McLaren- Rancher
J. Meager- Mixed farming
Earnest Orchard- School Master- Reserve
J. H. Perkins- Rancher
Hugh Richmond- General Store and PO
George Robertson- Rancher
James W. Robertson- Rancher
J. H. Young- Minister
Roche deBoule Mining Co

W. C. C. Mehan
William Charles Clyde Mehan
b- Oct 16, 1866 in Quebec, Canada (June 1918 he was 51 years old)
Death Registration shows he was born in St. Albans Vermont
d- Aug 4, 1939 in Saint Albans, Vermont, age 67
buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Saint Albans, Franklin Co, Vermont, USA
lived at 170 Shelburne Rd when he died

1868 to 1899 he was in the US
Sept 1906 he left Ottawa.
He was the Train Master for the Canada Atlantic
Jan 30, 1910 he was promoted from Superintendent
of the Grand Trunk Pacific at Melville, SK,
to General Superintendent of the Mountain Division
with his headquarters in Prince Rupert.
June 24, 1918 he was heading to port of St. Albans, Vermont, from Prince Rupert.

Heading to join his niece J. Chamberlain.
so now we know he was related to E. J. Chamberlain.

1930 William and Abbie in Burlington, Chittenden, Vermont
he is shown as a railroad contractor
son of Edward Mehan and Elizabeth nee ?
William married Abbie Jane Graves (Abbie Clara Graves?) in 1889 St. Albans Vermont
b- Apr 4, 1856 in Sheldon, Vermont USA (June 1918 she is shown age 58)
d- Jan 24, 1939, Vermont, USA, age 82

buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Saint Albans, Franklin Co, Vermont, USA
She was the daughter of Buell Graves, b- Sheldon VT
and Jane Ann Morrill, b- Sheldon VT

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