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Telegraph Creek BC
Originally called Buck's Bar
after Alexandre "Buck" Choquette (see below)
Unincorporated area
Looking down Stikeen River above Telegraph Creek, ca 1897
Credit: George M. Dawson/Library and Archives
Canada/PA-
Latitude- 57º 54' N,
Longitude- 131º 10' W
In Cassiar Land District
Telegraph Creek, May 29, 1887
Credit: Geological Survey of Canada
/ Library and Archives Canada / PA-052701
Photographer- George M. Dawson
Located at the junction of Telegraph Creek
and Stikine River,
SW of Dease Lake BC
Numerous spellings of
Stikine exist.
Stakin, Stikeen, Stickeen, Stikene, etc
Caution- The road near
Telegraph Creek from Dease lake,
is not one to be taken by a large RV, or trailer.
I know semi`s travel in here, but unless you know what you are
doing,
don't do it. In the winter time, it would be worse.
Just before you reach Telegraph Creek there is a steep 20%+-
with a sharp left turn at the bottom over a bridge.
It is a big narrow hill!
at this point the land narrows to what seems to be a point,
with a view of the Stikine Canyon that equals the Grand Canyon in
beauty.
At this point the road makes a sharp right,
and down you go before you know what hits you.
I haven't been on the road for 20 years plus, so maybe it is better
now.
It was all gravel from Dease lake, and I think it still is.
Also remember this is Open Range country.
That means NO fences. You hit an animal here,
it will be claimed by 400 ranchers as a purebred worth mega bucks.
and you will be paying for it, so drive carefully.
Wild animals are another thing!
This area is traditional Tahltan Territory.
News clips as I find them
1874
Cost $10 a head for canoe men to take you from Fort Wrangel
to Buck's Bar.
1877
Business Operators in Telegraph Creek
P. McIntee
D. Soverene
Alexandre "Buck" Choquette
(see below)
J. Hockins
C. Desmoie
Harrison & Elliot
Alexandre "Alex" "Buck"
Choquette has been credited
with finding the First Gold on the Stikine River, in 1861,
in the Cassiar District, and starting the gold rush here.
It was called Buck's Bar, or Choquette's Bar,
and later this area was renamed Telegraph Creek.
b- 1829 in Quebec
d- ca June 17, 1898, at Dawson, Yukon
buried in Wrangel AK
His ads in the papers of the day,
show him as Explorer, Trader, and Interpreter.
1876 he was moving his business to the Hot Springs,
on the Stikeen River, and opposite the glacier.
1878
The head of steamboat
navigation,
Telegraph Creek had 5 stores, and 3 Saloons,
2 restaurants, private Native residences.
Main business was Callbreath, Grant & Cook.
1885
Frank Mark Andrews, Trader
Samuel Brierly, Saloon Keeper
John T. Beardsell, Miner
William Healy, Miner
Hugh Kelly, Miner
Jonathan Merrifield, Packer
Peter McIntyre, Miner
Francis Merritt, Packer
James Quigg, Packer
Owen Ruddy, Packer
David D. Sovereen, Saloon Keeper
Austin Ward, Packer
ca Mar 1897
Robert Hyland store keeper at
Telegraph
1904
Renewal Liquor Licence
Applications in Telegraph Creek
Callbreath Hotel- J. Frank
Callbreath Prop. (see below)
Hyland Hotel- John Hyland Prop. (see below)
1905
Frank Callbreath transferred his licence
to Charles Prosper Reid at the Stikine Hotel, Telegraph
Creek, Lot 1, Block 5
1907
C. R. Reid transferred his licence at the Stikine Hotel, to
Arthur E. Belfry
Arthur E. Belfry
b- Oct 1875 in ON
Hudson's Bay Company Hotel shown here
Aug 1907
Mr. A. Charleston was in charge of the Telegraph
for the
Telegraph Creek District
the Telegraph Creek repair crew arrived at Atlin BC
Foreman- J. Thorne
John Bodell,
b- ca 1875, Norway,
1901 and 1911 he was in Glenora
age 46 in 1921 in Glenora, Quartz Silver Miner
Immigrated in 1897
Mr. Webb
plus 4 Natives, and 7 pack horses
ca 1916
Telegraph Creek was reached via Wrangel AK,
(140 miles NE of Wrangel),
by steamer and river boats in the summer months.
Sternwheeler at Telegraph Creek,
May 1898
(ca 1898-1899)
These 2 sternwheelers, were joining the HBC's, SS Port Simpson,
R. Cunningham and Son's, SS Hazelton, which was chartered to the HBC,
and the Caledonia Trading Company of Victoria and Prince Rupert,
had the SS Caledonia, which they bought from the HBC.
All on the Skeena River.
Strathcona and Stikine Chief were the
2 Sternwheelers
used by the Yukon Field Force, landing at Glenora and Telegraph Creek.
Photographer of this photo was Major Henry Joseph Woodhouse,
a photographer engaged on the trip.
Hudson Bay Co. ran boats up the river to their post at Glenora.
The route from Wrangel to Glenora was in Russian, later American
waters.
glenora would have been the first stop in Canadian Territory.
It was on the Yukon-Ashcroft Dominion Telegraph Line,
and also had a trail connection with Hazelton.
(300 miles N of Hazelton)
It was noted for its big game, and hunting parties were catered to.
It had good stores and hotels.
Hudson Bay Co. Store and Sub-Mining Recording Office
Restaurant and Bakery, ca 1898
1919 Directory
Had a Public school, Population of 50
Provincial Government Agent,
Assessor, Collector Land Commissioner,
Stikine Land Recording District,
Gold Commissioner, and Mining Recorder Stikine and Liard,
and Sub Recorder Atlin Mining Division.
Agent Dominion Department Indian Affairs, Stikine Division.
Residents/ Business ca:1919
Telegraph Creek Hospital
Hudson's Bay Co. General Store, Hotel
John Frank Callbreath
- General Store (see below)
George Dawson Cox
b- Sept 26, 1861, St. Joseph Island, Algoma Dist., ON
d- He might have died May 20, 1939 in Victoria, not verified
- District General Road foreman in 1919 in Telegraph Creek
1921 shown as a salesman, retail general store
His religion is shown as a "Free Thinker" love that one!
son of Richard and Catherine Cox
T. W. Day- Ranching
I believe this should be I. W. Day
Ira Wetzel Day
b- Sept 10, 1876 in David City, Nebraska, USA
d- Dec 25, 1964, Prince Rupert General Hospital, age 88
son of John Day and Mary Spooner
both parents born in Illinois USA
Immigrated in 1891
Hay farmer in 1921
he married Minnie Ball, see below
she was age 28, born in USA in 1921, and Ira's housekeeper.
divorced from George B. Ball
Minnie died, he then married Amy Jackson June 12, 1936 in Telegraph Creek
Harry Ward Dodd
b- July 11, 1870 in Sydney, Cape Breton, NS (age 29 when he
married)
d- Mar 1, 1964 East 46th Ave, Vancouver BC, age 93
1919- Gov't Land Agent, Gold Commissioner,
Prov. Assessor, and Collector, Deputy Recorder Prov. Mines Dept.
1921- shown as Telegrapher, Government Accountant
Retired Municipal Magistrate when he died.
When he married Fanny he was a Hotel Man at Rock Bay
son of John H. Ward and Bridget Dodd
married Fannie (Fanny) Dodd, nee Saunders July 15, 1903 in St.
John's Church, Victoria BC
b- ca 1881, in Victoria, BC (age 24 when she married)
d- bef Harry
daughter of Henry Dobbin Saunders and Martha Jane Saunders
both of her parents born in England
daughter- Doreen Dodd
b- ca 1904, in Victoria, BC (age 24 when she married)
married Joseph Richard Gaskell, Sept 11, 1928 in Prince Rupert BC
daughter- Lottie Dodd
b- ca 1907 in BC
son John Henry Dodd
b- ca 1909 in BC
son- William Daniel Dodd
b- ca 1912 in BC
son- Henry Ward Dodd
b- ca 1917 in BC
Cyril Ardan Elkington (see bio below)
William Foster
b- age 79 in 1921 in ON
d-
Merchant- General Store in 1919 and 1921
both parents born in England
widower in 1921
John "Jack" Hyland
b- Dec 22, 1867 in Eardley Quebec
d- Oct 13, 1914 at his home in Telegraph Creek BC, age 46
buried in Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria
- Hyland Estate General Store
Robert Steele Hyland (1910-1970) was in Telegraph Creek in 1921, (see
below)
1897 John Hyland is shown as a Trader and Outfitter in Telegraph
taking over from his father Robert Hyland (1833-1904).
He was married with children.
wife- Winnifred (Winifred) Hyland, nee Phillips
b- Dec 1874 in England
d- Oct 11, 1941 in CA, USA
She was from San Francisco when they married
2 daughters, Flora and Helen Hyland
John Hyland made a fortune on a claim on Hunker Creek, Klondike.
In 1900 alone he made $100,000.00 plus.
From Brian Heyland, Mar 3, 2013 this
correction came in.
The original
Hyland who went to TC
was Robert Hyland 1833-1904. (my
g-g-grand uncle)
I believe there are a number of geographical locations
named after him.
Hyland creek, river, range and mountain
Robert had two sons; John (Jack) 1867-1914 and Robert Jr. 1872-1941.
John died at TC and was buried at Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria BC.
His wife Winnifred sent their daughters to the US
and she stayed to continue her work with the school and native
education.
It wasn’t until later that she returned to the US.
Robert Jr. died at TC and I have not been able to locate his or his
wife Elizabeth’s grave.
Robert had one son Robert Steele Hyland 1910-1970 who is buried at
Kinaskan Lake, BC
P Wollaston- receiver
Francis Nichol Jackson
b- ca 1871 in England
d-
Telegrapher in 1919 and 1921,
Immigrated in 1890
wife- Katherine Emma Jackson, nee ?
b- age 50 in 1921 in England
Immigrated in 1895
William George Mennie
b- Oct 31, 1891 in Insch Aberdeenshire, Scotland
d- May 22, 1969 Chilliwack General Hospital, Chilliwack BC, age 77
- Hyland Estate Clerk in 1919
lived at Babine BC when he married in 1916
later occupation Meteorology
50 years in Canada when he died.
son of Peter Mennie and Jane Anne "Ann" Ledingham
both born in Scotland
married Inez Hope Starret, July 5, 1916 in Hazelton BC
b- age 25 in 1916, in Hope BC
d-
daughter of William Andrew Starret and Clara Smith
married later Dorothy Rewson
Webster Scott Simpson
b- (May 1855 in 1911 census), (age 66 in 1921)
in Sault St. Marie, ON (age 44 when he
married)
d- July 1927 on the Dease River, while doing his job.
Granite monument is placed at the HB post overlooking Dease River.
He entered
HBC service in 1872 as an apprentice clerk.
Twenty years later he was a trader at the Dease HBC Post, Cassiar
District.
- Dominion Government Indian Agent in 1919, and until he died in
1927.
shown as a widower when he married Emma below
He was the son of Wemyss Simpson (1823-1894)
and Annie Ironside
Annie`s father, Captain James Symington Ironside, worked with the
Indian Department.
married Emma Margarte Gardner, May 28, 1899 in Dease Lake BC
son- Walter Simpson
b- age 28 in 1921 in BC
Telegraph Operator in 1921
Rev. Frederick Selwyn Pelham (Fred) Thorman
b- July 23, 1887 in Norfolk Islands, South Sea Islands
d- Mar 24, 1962, General Hospital Northampton,
Northamptonshire, England
Church of England Priest- Missionary- 1919 and 1921
Immigrated in 1898
He enlisted in WWI, Apr 5, 1916 in Sandgate, Reg No.- 535507,
Captain, Chaplains Forces
Part of Vicarage of East Haddon when he died.
son of Rev. T. P. Thorman
wife- Elsie Mary Thorman, nee ?
b- 1897 in England
d- 1981
Immigrated in 1918
son- Robert Pelham Thorman
b- 1918 in BC
d- 2006, Somerset England
daughter- Mercia Pelham Thorman
b- 1920 in BC
d- 1967
son- Malcolm Pelham Thorman
b- 1923 in Telegraph Creek BC
d- 1951 in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England
daughter- Rozalia Pelham England
b- 1925
d- 1932
possibly a brother- William Pelham Thorman was post master, (see below)
Jens Jorgen Sorenson
shown as J. Torenson in old directory
b- ca 1860 in Denmark
d-
- Labourer in 1919
Gold Placer Miner in 1921
Immigrated in 1912, naturalized in 1915
Charles William (Charlie) Vance Sr.
b- ca 1880 in Crooksden, MN, USA
d-
- Labourer in 1919 and 1921
Immigrated in 1901, naturalized in 1906
wife- Agnes (Aggie) Vance nee Quock
b- Feb 10, 1889 in Telegraph Creek, BC
d- Oct 30, 1946 in Telegraph Creek BC, age 58
daughter- Elsie Vance
b- age 7 in 1921 in BC
Julia Vance
b- age 5 in 1921 in BC
she married Charlie Callbreath June 8, 1933 in Telegraph Creek
son of John Frank Callbreath
Charles William Vance Jr.
b- ca 1918 in BC
William Ware
- Postmaster, Manager Hudson's Bay Co's Store (see Bio below)
Joseph Williams
b- age 52 in 1921, in USA
d-
- Labourer
Gold Miner in 1921
Immigrated in 1902, naturalized in 1909
Yukon Field Force, ca June 1898
Post Office History
Name of Office: Telegraph Creek
Office opened July 1, 1899
| Name of Postmaster | Date of Birth |
Date of
Appointment |
Date of Vacancy |
Cause of Vacancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Frank Callbreath (see below) | 1899-07-01 | 1905 | Resignation | |
| Farquhar Alexander Matheson (see below) | 1905-09-01 | 1906-03-07 | Resignation | |
| Louis Dixon | 1906-07-01 | 1909-05-24 | Death | |
| William Ware (see below) | 1909-08-01 | 1912-10-30 | Resignation | |
| John Charles Boyd (see below) | 1912-12-01 | 1917-07-14 | Resignation | |
| William Ware (see below) | 1917-08-15 | 1919-08-05 | Resignation | |
| George H. Graham | 1919-09-29 | 1920-04-29 | Resignation | |
| Cyril Ardan Elkington (see below) | 1921-02-02 | 1922-04-24 | Resignation | |
| John Charles Boyd (see below) | 1922-09-29 | 1929-09-24 | Resignation | |
| Fred Stevenson | 1929-11-13 | 1930-03-21 | Resignation | |
| William Henry Thomas Tipton (see below) | 1892-08-23 | 1930-05-20 | 1936-07-28 | Resignation |
| John Gregg (see below) | 1891-07-19 | 1936-10-08 | Acting | - |
| William Pelham Thorman | 1886-01-17 | 1936-11-25 | 1937-01-09 | Resignation |
| George Robbins | 1937-05-16 | 1938-08-07 | Resignation | |
| William Henry Thomas Tipton (see below) | 1892-08-23 | 1938-05-01 | Acting | - |
| " | " | 1938-06-02 | 1943-07-31 | Resignation |
| Mrs Margaret Hunter | 1943-10-08 | Acting | - | |
| " | 1944-01-24 | 1944-01-27 | Resignation | |
| Mrs Dorothy Evelyn Sampson | 1944-07-01 | Acting | - | |
| " | 1944-07-12 | 1946-01-15 | Resignation | |
| Mrs Lucy Elizabeth
Hyland, nee Hunt (see below) |
1946-04-15 | Acting | - | |
| " | 1946-08-01 | 1948-01-03 | Resignation | |
| Mrs Mary Kathleen Bird | 1948-06-05 | 1950-09-01 | Resignation | |
| Mrs Edith Harriet Florence Wriglesworth | 1950-09-30 | Acting | - | |
| Mrs Margaret Hunter | 1951-02-28 | 1956-06-06 | Resignation | |
| Mrs Edith Harriet Florence Wriglesworth | 1956-08-01 | Acting | - | |
| " | 1956-12-12 | 1959-02-28 | Resignation | |
| Mrs Lucy Elizabeth
Hyland, nee Hunt (see below) |
1959-06-01 | Acting | * | |
| " | 1959-10-08 | 1962-09-17 | Resignation | |
| Rev. Robert Frank Wheeler | 1962-10-01 | Acting | - | |
| " | 1963-02-07 | 1965-04-01 | Resignation | |
| Norman Graham Simpson | 1965-08-12 | 1968-03-01 | Change in PM only | |
| William Osborne | 1968-03-01 | - | - |
Nature of premises - H. B. Co Store - Dwelling
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
First Postmaster
John Francis (Frank) Callbreath (Calbreath?)
b- Aug 5, 1873 in Quesnel BC (Lillooet in one source)
d- Feb 4, 1930 in Telegraph Creek BC, age 67
shows as J. F. Culbraith in 1901 census
General Merchant, Cassiar, Stikine
1921- Freight Packing Contractor
First Government Agent and
acting Indian Agent in Telegraph Creek
He married a Catherine ?
and they had a daughter Jean "Jenny" Callbreath
b- age 7 in 1921 in BC
He also had a son John Roy Callbreath
b- age 14 in 1921 in BC
and Charles "Charlie" Callbreath, mother Kittie ?
b- age 9 in 1921 in BC
John Frank was the son of John C. Calbreath
who was at Wrangell AK, ca: Mar 1897
May 1895, J.C. Calbreath was at Telegraph
Creek
and his son was going to join him
May 1897- J. C. Calbreath was looking for a
new route to the Yukon gold fields
from Telegraph Creek, for the Provincial Government.
Apr 1889- Company name- Calbreath, Grant & Cook, Cassiar
July 1894- Calbreath & Cook was the name
and John Calbreath was heading from Fort Wrangel (Wrangell)
to Victoria on the steamship Topeka
1862 his father J. C. Calbreath was in
partnership
with a Joseph Taylor and David Leatherman
at Seaton Lake until Jan 1, 1862
He first set up his store at
Glenora Landing,
a boat landing a few miles downstream from Telegraph Creek
during the Cassiar Gold Rush, when the Klondike Gold Rush started,
he moved it to Telegraph Creek
Callbreath Genealogy link below
A community on SW shore of Teslin lake was
named after J. F. Callbreath
but it used the spelling of Calbraith for some strange reason.
J. F. Callbreath owned the Diamond B Ranch,
480 acres.
10 miles below Telegraph Creek, opposite the old Glenora landing.
Glenora Landing was on North side of the Stikine river, as far as I
can figure out.
Lat- 57°50'37''N, Long- 131°23'19''W
This became the famous Glenora Guest Ranch,
owned by Bobby Ball and his wife Nancy Ball.
They separated, and Nancy operated this ranch until Sept 2012
This ranch was featured in many TV shows and Movies.
ca 1897- The CPR were going to build a
narrow gauge railroad
from Glenora to Teslin. It never happened.
June- 1898- Cassiar Central Railway Co. bought all the land at
Glenora
and laid out a new Townsite, and offered lots for sale.
Robert Edmund Allen "Bobby" Ball is sadly
deceased.
d- Apr 7, 2002 from cancer
He could really play a mean fiddle!
I was lucky enough to enjoy his company and entertainment for one
evening in Terrace.
His father and mother were old settlers in the area.
George Ball and Agnes Ball, nee Smith.
George Beresford Ball
b- Feb 12,1885, Woodstock, Argyle, NB
d- Jan 16, 1955 Telegraph Creek, age 69
buried in Telegraph Creek
Guide, Big Game Outfitter
He came to the Pacific Coast from New Brunswick when he was 16 years
old.
Went to the Yukon first, then settled in Telegraph Creek in 1912.
He was a Yukon Telegraph Line Operator
He operated a mail route from Atlin to Telegraph Creek ca 1920's
The Telegraph Creek Guiding concession is the oldest guide area in
BC,
having been first hunted in 1884 by pioneer outfitter J. C. Gallbreath
and later by George B. Ball for more than 30 years.
married Minnie Borch Oct 15, 1914, at
Telegraph Creek
b- Ketchican, age 21 in 1914
daughter of Charlie Borch and Jennie ? (Native)
Charlie was a saloon keeper
George was age 29 when he married her.
He divorced Minnie and married Agnes
George B. Ball's father- Alfred Ball,
b- at sea, Atlantic ocean
mother- Rosylphia Jamieson,
b- New Brunswick
brother- George Alfred Ball was born Feb
27, 1919 in Telegraph Creek, BC
d- Oct 30, 1976 in Stewart, age 57.
son of George Ball and Mini (Minnie) Borch
sister- Georgina Ball wrote a book about
the history of this area.
I haven't read it yet, and I am sure most of all on this page would
be in her book.
sister- Agnes Ball
I am not sure of Georgina and Agnes's
mother.
Minnie or Agnes?
also found reference to a
Alexander S. Brindle
the mail carrier and postmaster at Telegraph Creek
in May 1899, with Andrew McGregor, Surveyor,
came down the Stikine with sled dogs, risking their lives.
to report 200 miners were trapped ands starving in
the Dease Lake and Liard Post area.
Miners had eaten all their horses, and were starting on the pack
mules.
Farquhar Alexander Matheson
b- Jan 19, 1891 in ON
d- May 16, 1990 Orion Care Home, Vancouver BC, age 99
Matheson Creek probably named after him
He built a boat "Big Chief" used to haul supplies to Telegraph Creek
he was a retired carpenter when he died.
