Tape - Jean Christina Kilpatrick nee Grant
Smithers, B, B.C. May 31, 1989

Page 1

WHEN WAS YOUR BIRTHDAY? March 23, 1898, I'm 91 years old. FIRST WE WILL
TALK ABOUT YOUR FATHER. My parents came, but I don't remember if he came
first when we came to Sealy, it was a company place, below Hazelton called
Sealy, it was a town there. BECAUSE THAT WAS THE RAILROAD? Before the
railroad went through, they were building the railroad and my father was
out there to check the cargos from the river boats. SO WHAT YEAR WOULD THAT
BE THAT THEY ARRIVED? 1911, that was the time of the steamboars and the
riverboars on the river. YOUR FATHER YOU SAY WAS A CONTRACTOR? No, he
was not a contractor he had a position with Folly, Welsh and Stewart, the
sub-contractors for the Grand Trun Pacific Railroad and that's why he was
in Sealy, before that we were in Rupert. We arrived in Rupert in 1910,
by father was there before we were. WHAT WAS HIS OCCUPATION LIKE? They
were sent for, this friend he knew yuears ago in Scotland and he were
asked to come up for these positions and he was the first purser on a
riverboat first. DID THE RIVERBOATS GO ALL THE WAY TO HAZELTON? No no the
one he was on, but he was on one of those riverboats that went as far as
Kitsalas, but most of them went on up to Hazelton. Then we moved to this
place Sealy after that. THAT IS THE BIG CONSTRUCTION PLACE FOR THE RAILROAD?
Well, it wasn't big it was just a company town but there was a town there
by the name of Sealy. But this was another kind of a place for the
company's homes, warehouses and offices and all that stuff where the boats
landed. There were five company boats, Folly, Welsh & Stewart, one
independent, the Inlander and two Hudson Bay boats, the "Port Simpson
and the "Hazelton", those are the two I have the photograph, I lent toa
friend their going to have a copy of it. So that was eight boats coming
up the river. AND THEY USED TO STOP THERE? Well all the company boats
didn't stop there only if they had cargo or anything to go, but the
other boats all did. SO THE COMPANY BOATS WOULD HAVE ALL KINDS OF
EQUIPMENT AND ALL KINDS OF STUFF? Well they had the cargos that were taken
off the boat there and put on these big transport things, horses it was in
those days SO IN OTHER WORDS TJHAT WAS SORT OF THE DOCKING PLACE?
Well it was for the company and then they would take that on up to the
camp cause they were building the railroad then. My father was in charge
of the unloading at the big place there. SO YOUR FATHER MUST OF HAD SOME
STORIES ABOUT THE CREWS? Well I could of been there I could tell you
some they were awfully nic, ther were no young people around there or
anything These river boat people they were probably the captains and

PAGE TWO (2)

they sometimes would have their wives and they took me up, served me and
treated me just wonderfully well, mind you I missed school that time,
but I had an experience you never have again I don't care what school or
when you went I had that. They all knew me, I knew some of these captains
that Doctor Wiggs wrote about in his book. So that was really a great
experience for me. DID YOU LOOK FORWARD TO THAT? Of coursethe riverboats
were only on from May to September. We were only there one year, father
had other things to do after that. You see when the railroad ran through
these places weren't needed, the riverboats or anything. I don't think
he went ahead of us but anyway Sargent had a big store and he was in charge
of the men's department, cause ha knew all that from Scotland and different
places that he had been. But I think we all came together though in
July 1912, that was my mother and father, myself and my sister Helen,
she was quite young, but my older sister didn't come up to Hazelton she
went back to Rupert and eventually to Vancouver to Pitman College so she
didn't come to Hazelton till some time later. BUT YOU REALLY LIKED THE
ADVENTUOUS LIFE? Sure, and I had a ball in Hazelton, because I was a
teenager by that time, you see, and my mother used to look after the
neighbour's baby and they'd take me to these dances, they were just a young
couple too, and I knew a little bit about dancing and children's parties
and things before we left Portland and I could skate, and my sister missGB
all that the first winter that I was there. They had big dances and
everything, I had a wonderful time, so I never regretted living in a
small town. I came right from Portland Oregon up to Ru~pert. But
my sister is a little bit older uyou see and I don't think all that sort
of life suited her too much, but when she came to Hazelton, this Wiggs O'Neill
the woman he married, Marion Steel, she came up to work in the Union Bank, by
that time my sister finished her course and she came up to Hazelton to work
in the Forestry Department so she and Marian Steel , we all had a really
wonderful; time horse back riding and skating, we had carnivals.
Hazelton is always a wonderful place for entertainment. They had a good
hockey team, baseball team and wonderufl dances, you've seen all that?
AT THE CAMP, WHAT KIND OF SCHOOLING DID YOU HAVE? Don't mention my education:
I missed that when I went to Sealy, when I went to Hazelton there wasn't
too much, but anyway I'd just as soon not mention it. I worked in a bank,
so I had that much education that I could do that. SO YOU WORKED IN A
BANK? Yes, I worked in a bank for almost eight years all together. YOU
WERE MORE DR LESS SELF TAUGHT? Well, that's what I meant to say. YOU ALREADY
KNEW YOUR ELEMENTARY STUFF ANYWAY? They took me in as junior but they

PAGE THREE (3)

generally only had men, I was the first girl junior, cause the 1914 war
was on and I went into the bank in 1915. So I had a little more education
than that but I didn't have the advanced you see. My folks were well
educated and they certainly would let me hav the experience. WELL YOU
HAD A DIFFERENT TYPE OF EDUCATION. Well, I had experience. SO YOU MUST
OF SEEN Hazelton during it's war years? Yes, first of August 1914, and I
started in the bank September 1915, and I was there two years before I came up
here to Smithers and I was here six years in the bank so I couldn't have
done that if I didn't have a little grey matter. I was the first girl teller
here. SO DO YOU RECALL HAZELTON AT ALL DURING THE WAR YEARS? They had
Red Cross, Patr~tic Fund and Soldiers Aid and they all did well, they
all raised moneyu did wondrfull things all kinds of entertainment that't
when I could help out you know I wasn't that talented. And they sent,
every month, I think parcels overseas they raised money for the Red Cross
and they raised money for the Patriotic Fund, and everyone of them had
wonderful success di4 all sort of things sleigh ride partiesor concerts
and all kinds of things. DURING THE WAR? Yes, all those things they did ..
OF COURSE YOU RECALL THE SOLDIERS GOING AWAY AND COMING BACK? Oh yes, but
I was up here when that was over, you see, I was here in 1917 or 1918, but
I used to hear from alot of them. SO DURING THE WAR THERE WERE SLEIGH RIDES,
PARTIES AND SKATING I SUPPOSE? Oh I don't know there were so many thing,
they sent parcels over to the soldiers every month, I can't remember
everything they did. The manager of the bank was treasurer when the Red
Cross was organized and everybody got a card, that was your membership
card. And so he gave me the job of writing out these cards and I had to
mail them. So, that was my first introduction to Red Cross in 1915. SO
WHAT WAS THE BIG BANK MANAGERS NAME? H.H. Little, he's got a granddaughter
right here in the country here, she is a teacher. SO YOU RECALL ANYTHING
ABOUT THE INDIAN PEOPLE HERE? They all had special schools we never mixed
at all, just so much land. YEAH, IT WAS JUST THE LOWER PART? Yeah it
was town side and the Indians they had their part, they had their own hall
and their own school, I think they went to church but I don't think they
mixed at all, I know we never did like they do now, we never mixed at all.
I UNDERSTAND IN THE THEATER THEY SAT ON ONE SIDE AND WHITES SAT ON THE OTHER?
Oh really, we didn't have much of a theater, everything was put on, they
had lots of plays, concerts and everything, but was only white people.
BECAUSE SOMEBODY SAID IN THEHOSPITAL, OF COURSE THE HOSPITAL WASN'T ON
YET WHEN YOU WERE THERE? Oh yes, that started before we were there,

Page Four (4)
they even had girls in training when we went there in 1912. BECAUSE
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE INDIANS USED TO COME IN THE BACK DOOR OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. Well, I think they did have a certain place in
the hospital, they had certain places for all of them, but they were
all treated they weren't mistreated or anything. HELEN CAMPBELL
WAS SAYING THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THEY USED THE BACK DOOR THERE
WAS AN AWFUL LOT OF T.B. Well they had skin diseases it was all
new to me. YEAH ALL THIS IMPATIGO AND EVERYTHING, SO THEN OF
COURSE THAT'S WHY THE~ WERE SENT TO THE BACK DOOR. They went
to the stores and everything and another but otherwise we never
mixed at all. They had a nice band and they'd come down to the
arena and we'd skate to it. They put on a wonderful concert for
the Red Cross and they harl<a wonderful concert. SO YOU'D SKATE
TO THEIR BAND, THAT'S THE KISPIOX BAND? No that was Hazelton.
OH HAZELTON HAD A BAND? Sure! I UNDERSTAND THAT KISPIOX HAD
A WONDERFUL BAND TOO. Well they had orchestras too that played,
haven't danced to a lot of their music, but I don't remember the
names of them or anything. Up here in Smithers they had bands,
I mean dance music orchestras from down that country somewhere.
BUT APPARENTLY THERE WAS A VERY GOOD BAND IN KISPIOX? And in
Glenvowell they had a family they were all very musical, we in
Hazelton we young people were invited out there for the evening.
THIS WAS THE INDIANS? No, they were white they were the missionary
people, who ever was in charge I don't know what church it was
perhaps Salvation Army, but anyway they were the church people.
They were white people. BUT THE BAND IN HAZELTON WAS AN INDIAN
BAND? Oh, that was an Indian band. AND THE ONE IN KISPIOX WAS
AN INDIAN BAND? Some, but one of them was the orchestra I danced
to their music lots of times that's since I came up here, I just
don't know where, but I think it was Kispiox, but I'm not sure,
they are very musical aren't they? But we had lots of fun when
they came to play at the rink, and men would come up and say may
"Ihave this band" and then we used to get a really big: kick and
then we'd go off skating. They were very good. We were skating
when they were playing. Then of course one time I had a ride
on the dog team. I don't think it was very often, but I did have
a husky ride. WELL OF COURSE IN THE WINTER THAT'S WHAT THEY USED
FOR THE MAIL? Oh that's where we got our mail for a long time
not when we went to Hazelton, I think by that time the train was
getting close somewhere. They sent a stage or something "The

Page Five (5)

End of Steel" they called it, but when we first went there we
got our mail by dog team. Some people said why didn't you have
correspondance Education from Victoria? Well, I couldn't do that
we'd never get it there in the winter, I had books at home and
my folks are very good about giving lessons, but you know I'm
not very proud about saying I haven't had any kind of higher education.
OH WELL YOU HAD A DIFFERENT TYPE OF EDUCATION? Well I sure did
and I had what nobody else ever had around here anyway. You know
with skating and ball, and we had hockey and I think they had
other sports there too but my memory remembers we had really good
teams. AND THEY WERE ALL WHITE TEAMS THOUGH? Oh yeah, and they
use to get people up there to play in their teams, get them to
give them work. HOW DO YOU MEAN GIVE THEM WORK? Well, so they
could play on the hockey or they could play on the baseball.
OH SO THEY GIVE THEM WORK LIKE SAY IN THE STORE SOMEWHERE? Well
they got work for the summer or the hockey season, we had quite
a few really good players there. We had quite a few really good
players there, we had three fellows from Seattle, Washiqgconright
in Hazelton in business. I wonder if you ever heard the name
of an Nola Rock Store, that was a gent store. That Rocky, one
of his brothers came up and he had billiard hall, and theother
brother worked in the bank, and they were all more or less professional
ball players, and they were awfully good, but we had several right
in Hazelton. You see, the telegraph office had several in it,
it was the had of Yukon Telegraph, and there is always someone
there~that played ball, hockey or something, and all the stores
had young men, they had very few ladies working that many years
ago. So we had a really good ball team and a really good hockey
team. And lovely dances. SO WHERE DID THEY SKATE? Oh, they
had an outdoor rinks, we had lovely masquerades out in the rink.
ON THE RINK? Oh sure, masquerade skating, and that was wonderful.
I don't think my sister got her prize one time, there was this
Japanese lady dressed her all up. Oh yes, I did get a prize when
I went to Hazelton, they had a masquerade, and my sister was home
that time, and my mother and sister Agnes made her a lovely what
they call winter suit, it was all new stuff and everything. Me,
I wore a Japanese cooley suit that my mother made years ago in

bhe States, I guess it was a missionary society thing or something,

Page six (6)

but it was from an original copy from an original cooley, and
of course I wasn't too big for it, my sister I forget at what
age. I had to go parade and I won the prize, but ~: knew the Chinese
and took and I skate. OF COURSE THERE WERE ALOT OF CHINESE AND
JAPANESE OR IS IT JUST CHINESE PEOPLE? No, but this was in the
states my mother made the cooley suit but we had and Jean was
going to wear it to the carnival, well my sister was getting this
brand new thing when winter was really swish you know, and me
I couldn't get a mask a Chinese mask, it had the pig tail and
all. There was an Anglican minister there was a Mr. Field, I
don't klnow whatever he was doing, but anyway he was an Anglican
minister. And you know people always mix, and he used to come
to our house, and he said I'll make her a mask, and he made me
a Chinese face with a mask. And anyway I knew enough about Chinese
I took you know these little, anyway I won a prize. At the masquerade,
and I won a prize race from skating I won first. Like we didn't
have a roller rink we learned just roller rink in Portland too,
but when we went there to Ruper, my sister and I both knew how
to roller skate we never let far part. It was new in Rupert you
know, 1910 and 1911. So anyway coming up the river in the riverboats
was something nobody had after that. Polly Sargeant said that
the river boats were last in 1913. Well, I thought when we came
up there in 1912 that it was the end. But then I read another
thing not very long ago that the river boats were off in 14, but
I think somebody is wrong. I think I'm right. THEY WERE FINISHED
IN 1913 THEN? I said 1912 because I thought they never came after
but, Polly a. Sargeant she's the one that goes into all this you
know. She said, I heard her on the radio that it was 1913, but
she could be right, and then I saw it somewhere else they were
talking about riverboats' or something and the Skeena it was 1914
it was through here up at Fort Frazer, it was the Golden Spike
in 1914 when they passed Hazelton before that. NO THE RAILROAD
WAS DEFINITELY IN BY 1914. Why sure the spike was up here way
up here in Fort Frazer in 14 that's where the golden spike was.
IS THAT WHERE THEY JOINED? That's where they joined Eas and
the West. IN FORT FRAZER? Yeah, well I'm not sure it's Fort
Frazer, Frazer Lake I heard it lots of times I got it somewhere
written down. SO THAT"S WHERE THEY JOINED? The Eas and the West,
-- ""'--

Page Seven (7)
you might see some of those •. thlngs in the museum you know, I know people
here have had them or not but they gave them to museums, I edo't
know, I haven't got any myself, cause I came it was 1917, but
your know have you ever read Mr. Burgon's book, the one she wrote
not really all together by herself, it was called, I haven't got
one to show you I never got it back. She came here in 1914, and
she went to Talc Algemier that was the place years ago, and all
her stocies I think if she was a peoneer in year 1914 coming on
the railroad I was a peoneer in 1914 coming on the riverboats
in 1911 and up to Hazelton in 1912, say we had to come to Hazelton
on our riverboat. SO YOU REMEMBER YOUR TRIP ON THE RIVERBOAT
I GUESS? Oh heavens yes I got one snap with me on the riverboat.
SO HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO COM FROM RUPERT? Well, ¥~u see
at that time I left Rupert on one riverboat and that riverboat
was going up to Hazelton, no, it was going to Sealy that's where
we were going, when it got to Kitsalas the river was so high they
couldn't get throught the canyon, so we were there for a couple
of days waiting for the boat to come down. FROM THE OTHER PLACE?
Well what ever direction it is. so you would be transferred
to the place/ Yes and we had a transfer genterso we were there
for two days and then we waited for that boat and you could either
alk on this path from Kitsalas over to where the boats landed
or you could go over to this cable thing where they unloaded all
the cargo and the bags and everything but my mother and we just
walked, you know it was a ndce walk so then went on this other
riverboat up to Sealy, and we left Sealy it was on another riverboat
so I was on three different ones. So, I knew all the crews.
Yes, because that's I was a tomboy maybe. BUT OF COURSE YOU STAYED
AT SEALY FOR AWHILE? One Year. GNE YEAR, AND THEN YOU WENT BY
RIVERBOAT? Yes from Sealy. SEALY TO HAZELTON? Well I guess you
could of gone by horses or wagon or something. Oh the riverboats
were still on you see, that was 1912 by that time. SO HOW DID
YOUR MOTHER LIKE THE WHOLE BUSINESS? Well of course we came from
a city one thing or another and of course we lived in the states
for quiee awhile. They were married in Oregon after she came
from Scotland, and of course you didn't have all the things we
had in the city, and we didn't bring all our furniture or anything
all the way with us you see in the winter in Hazelton, it was
awfully cold there and Sealy too.

PAGE EIGHT (8)
But mind you the house was a company house, and it was built well,
and we had lots of wood and we had lots of food so we never went
without food or anything. SO WHAT WAS YOUR MOTHERS MAIDEN NAME?
Jean Angus. ~HxSHXxWASxAx&XANxAN~MS2xxX2X~xxk2xixThat man from
Kispiox Angus, is he an Angus? YES HE IS. He is president of
the B.C. Conference, cause it's in the paper, but my mother wasn't
Indian, but that was her maiden name Jean Angus. YES, THAT IS
A SCOTTISH NAME. I thought I'd recognized that, being my own
mother's name, but I thought he must of been an Indian. YES,
THERE WERE TWO FAMILIES ANGUS I DO NOT KNOW WHERE THEY GET ALL
THEIR NAMES. Well, is he educated well enough to take on being
president of the conference .. HE BELONGED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD
ON THE TERRACE SCHOOL BOARD FOR A LONG TIME. I saw in the paper,
I guess I haven't seen the Terrace paper and the lady that was
a delegate from here hasn't given her report yet, but then I haven't
been going to church. But anyway, they said he made a wonderful
speech at theis B.C. thing it wasn't just district you know it
was all B.C. Conference. Well not maybe the first ballot but
said all he has to do know he has to make speeches and do this,
well he must be well educated. WELL A LOT OF THE INDIANS ARE
VERY WELL SPOKEN. Oh, yes he is. THEY ARE WELL EDUCATED SPEAKING
IN THEIR TRIBE AND THEIR BANDS. WELL, THEY MUST HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED.
Well, sure I'm not prejudice or anything like that, they just
make me awfully mad when they want everything, if they want my
home there not going to get it. But anyway Smithers used to be
muskeg, and if I ever gone to any of those meeting I would of
said well why didn't you have a railroad and why didn't you have
a paved road and why the ski hill, they even want to own that,
and I said I know this town was muskeg whose done all the strain
and everything who did, they midn't. You know that sort of thing
makes me so mad. WELL THAT IS ALL POLITICS. And that Ryan man,
was the head and he's got a lovley wife they used to live here.
SHEILA RYAN? Sheila Ryan, she taught school at Kispiox and Moricetown,
her family used to live. here, now they moved to Oliver or something.
SO(SHE IS WHITE THEN I GUESS? Oh yes, very pretty redhead girl.
VERY PRETTY. X~MX~XMXXMRXHXRXXNXSXX~XXMX~HXXXEXS You came up
here was it in the 40'sJ (1963) So, you wouldn't even know the
man that taught school here years ago at four mile, did you ever
hear of a man named Kennedy that taught school there? NO BUT
TELL ME ABOUT IT, KENNEDY, WHAT'S HIS FIRST NAME, DO YOU REMEMBER?

PAGE NINE (9)
Well, he taught, he knows all the Kispiox people I met him since,
and then when the war broke out the last great war, he must of
been enlisted and then he went and took a refresher courses, and
the first school he got was New Hazelton. I guess the 1940's.
THIS IS AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR? Second world war, well he
was in Kispiox I guess he must of enlisted from there, I didn't
know him by then cause I was up here then you see. But their
neighbours and my son and his wife in Port Alberny and that's
how I met himr.and I've been sending alot of these things from
the paper you know, and there is a lot of Kispiox news and Hazelton,
I think about that beautiful High School they're going to get
in Hazelton, they already have a nice one. Well, he didn't teach
in Hazelton, but he's been up there once a few years ago. THEY
HAD A BIG REUNION WE NEED TO DO ANOTHER HOME-COMING. Oh, I could
do two of them I've got the prize another man and I we came in
Twelve and0they-.chm. in Thirteen, the Goddard's they came to the
Hospital, he's part Indian too he's gone up to Ottawa. OH, NEIL
STERRIT? Neil Sterrit he was master of ceromonies and we had
to go up and I still got quite a few of the snaps they gave us,
Jessie Gould was telling her daughter she has one of me and I
said oh I'd love to see it and I'd love to have one. When I was
down to get my eye done she was away visiting relatives and Jessie.
But I knew her as a baby in Rupert the family my mother knew the
mother and the family although she knew the mothers family in
Scotland, so that's how long I've known Jes$ie. So, when they
came to New Hazelton with the same company, but my father didn't
come to Hazelton, the companies were allover, and then they moved
I guess, but they lived in New Hazelton for years, but she lives
at the hospital and her husband was there for years. I have seen
her~ but I have been to the two home-comings, one was called School
thing and one was called a home thing, I've been to both of them
anyway so if they have another one I'll have to go that one.
CAUSE THE LAST ONE WAS IN 1979, AND I THOUGHT GEE, THERE SHOULD
OF BEEN ONE THIS YEAR, BUT WE DID'NT GET ORGANIZED. It is funny
because we had a lot of visitors up there, for what kind of fish?
STEELHEAD. Steelhead, what I was looking for, I don't really
get the sports magazine, but I got it somewhere, I was looking
at it, and here the man that won the biggest steelhead in Kispiox
was from where I was born in Oregon, LaGrand Oregon. I don't

PAGE TEN (10)
know how many years ago that was. YOU MEAN MOUSER CARL OR ARE
YOU THINKING OF CHUCH HENDERSON? I don;'t remember his name just
the article and the man and the town I was born, well the biggest
steelhead in Kispiox where they had that big whatever. OH, I
SEE THIS WAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO? Well, I don't know if you been
there or not, I don't remember his name that's been many years
ago. FROM PORTLAND? No, from LaGrand Oregon. LAG RAND , OREGON?
No, I didn't know he name for awhile, but I don't remember him
in particular. But I got quite a surprise when I saw a man from
Oregon, in Kispiox winning the biggest steelhead. I'm not sure
what year that was. SO YOU KNEW JESSIE, WELL THE BANK YOU WERE
WORKING AT I GUESS WAS IN NEW TOWN? No, in Hazelton. OLD TOWN?
Old Town, oh yes, I havn't been there for umpteen years. OH WO
WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE BANK? Union. OH UNION BANK? That was
up here until 1925, and they had one in Telkwa. BUT THERE WAS
ALSO A BANK IN NEW HAZELTON AFTERWARDS. Oh yes, that's where
that big robbery was, oh yes, they had one in both places after.
WAS THERE BOTH UNION BANK. Oh yes there were both Union Banks.
And now I think one goes to New Hazelton. Don't they go over from
Hazelton? NO THEY JUST GO TO OLD TOWN. Yes in Hazelton, they
have a nice new bank there. I don't know when I use to work in
there it was a rooming house and they turned it into a bank, and
the boys and it was quite a big staff there one time before the
war, and then we had three banks in Hazelton. THREE BANKS IN
HAZELTON? When I went there in 1912. SO THAT WOULD BE OLD TOWN,
NEW HAZELTON AND WHERE ELSE? No, just Hazelton that is. THREE
BANDKS IN OLD TOWN? Don't call is Old Townpeople don't like it
called Old Town, it's Hazelton. WELL OF COURSE NEW HAZELTON IS
GETTING SO BIG, THAT GETS TO BE CALLED OLD TOWN. Oh sure, I'm
just kidding, so they told me that one time when I called it Old
Town, they said no it's Hazelton. SO, THREE BANKS IN HAZELTON?
Union, Royal and Bank of Vancouver. ~nd I guess of course the
workmen I guess they couldn't get, that's why I had a chance as
junior of the Union, cause there were no young fellows around,
I was available, I was going to wait for business cours cause
both my sister had business courses. My younger one she had a
really good after, because I didn't get here because they asked
my parents if I would start in the bank, you know you really get
paid to learn it's really that kind of thing I don't suppose i've

PAGE ELEVEN (11)
could of done if I wasn't at home anyway it was experience and
I was getting paid to learn like a junior and I could work up
to teller accountant rQght here in Smithers. IT WAS STILL CALLED
UNION? And they did right up to 1925. They amalgamated the Union
and the Royal. So I never really worked for the Royal cause I
was married in 1923 and they did them all till 1925 the Royal
and the Union. But they had one in Telkwa during construction
days a Union Bank. IN TELKWA? In Telkwa, and it closed when
the one here opened in 1913. And then the Heatherington boy's
father was the first manager here. IN TOWN HERE? In here. AND
THAT WAS ALSO THE UNION?' That was Union, because that was before
the war and everything, and then Telkwa had a Union Bank, before
that and after years a Royal opened in Telkwa but wasn't Royal
here until 1925. This union was all the way up the line, Rupert,
Hazelton and they had one at one time in Vanderhoff and I don't
know where they went after that, but of course it's all Royal
anyway. So any time that had anything about the Royal they had
me participate, I've been on floats twice, and anything they had
special going on at the bank they calIon me to be there, and
I really never worked for them, but there was Union. Bill said
he saw one day on something that he was looking at, but he was
standing where he could see it anyway. THAT"S YOUR HUSBAND?
They had me down there as the first teller at the Royal, and the
bank it was Union, but anyway the Royal still claimed me, on to
their staff, I guess. So I don't know the new manager up here
I never even seen him, but I've known all the managers and everything
ever since. But I have no reason how I deal there, but somebody
else does my banking. SO 1915 is when you got married, no 1923
on April 28, 1923 to Norman Kilpatrick. WAS HE A POSTMAN THEN
No, he didn't get home from the war till 1919, he was a lieutenant
in air forces. But his father was superintendent here. SO THIS
IS HERE AND YOU WERE ALREADY IN SMITHERS? Oh yes, I came in 1917.
OH, YOU CAME HERE IN 1917? I've been here 72 years the other
day, they should have painted the town red. THAT"S WHEN I WAS
BORN, 1917. WERE YOU? That's the day I came here. SO DID YOU
COME HERE ON YOUR OWN? Oh they transferred me here from the bank.
So I had no say in the matter, if I wanted to still work in the
bank I had to come to where I was sent, and that's why I been

h.~~

PAGE TWELVE
here ever since, oh I suppose I could of been transferred, but
I worked here six years and I worked two years in Hazelton, so
that was eight years all together. And after you get married
you are out of the bank and other firms as well, I remember years
ago, but I did relief both here and Hazelton after I was married,
but you couldn't have a permament position. Not just me but any
girl. SO THEN YOU RAISED YOUR FAMILY OF COURSE, FOUR?
Four children. Norman was a post master, he worked for they went
out testing soil and things for the farmers that were coming over
here from overseas, you know from the old country from different
places .. SORT OF LIKE SILVACULTURE OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT? No,
he had gone to agriculture college, but he hadn't finished when
he was enlisted. TESTING SOILFOR FARMERS? There is a name for
it because it was quite popular they had an office and everything
around. SO THAT"S THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE? Yeah, there
was a land settlement board, that's what it was called. OH YES,
EVERYBODY IS COMING HOME. Well, They were looking for farms for
other people after tje war you see, and you worked here in the
summer and Victoria for the winter and then he worked for the
C.N. that was C.T.P. in those days. and different jobs there not
running staff the office and one thing and another and different
ones asked this post office was up for to get a new post master
and they wanted a return man and somebody asked Norman, and we
were to call Washington when he got word that he was the new post
master in Smithers. So that was 1928 and he was 35 years he retired
in 1963. 1963 HE RETIRED? Isn't that 35 years? YES IT IS 35
YEARS. iI got a little thing to show for it a medal. They were
after him for a part time job, and he was in charge of the golf
course in the summer you know for awhile, he died after five years,
so he was only 72. So my family were all born in Smithers, our
oldest boy died of a heart attack in 1980, and had been in India
during the second great war, he was a lieutenant, and he was married
and all. So, I think all that was a strain of war must of given
him heart trouble. But I don't know nobody has ever told me that
or anything. SO WHAT WAS HIS NAME? Norman. OH HE WAS CALLED
NORMAN TOO? Norman Grant. Born November 7, 1924, died in Vancouver
Sept. 8, 1980. OF COURSE HIS FAMILY MUST BE ALL OVER THE PLACE?
You see these little boys up here, that's his daughter's grandchildren,
and the boy isn't married yet, so they had two, but the wife died

PAGE THIRTEEN (13)
a few months after, so they both died in their 50's, here is the
mother and the mother-in-law the mighty one and still. THEY WERE
BOTH IN THEIR 50's? Yes, it was too bad because they didn't have
any grandchildren they had the daughter that was married but she
didn't have any family then. She fraduated from UBC. AND SO
THEN THAT WAS YOUR SON AND THEN YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER HERE? Yes
the second boy he was in the peace time airforce as a navigator,
and after 29 years he was retired as lieutenant colonial, and
now they live in Port Alberni, and he's a regional administrator
in Port Alberny, but they have a home in Comox and they have a
home in Port Alberny. I think they intend to retire in Comox,
because his wife is a teacher and she used to teach in Victoria,
Comox & Courtenay. but she was born in Cumberland, her folks lived
in Cumberland but she is really an island gal. WHAT"S YOUR SECOND
SON"S NAME? Allen, he was named after his grandfather, do you
need his second name? Allen Erle, and Bill is here, we all call
him Bill, but his name is William George. They were all born
here, and J~an Rachelle Kilpatrick and is now a Maskiewich and
they been married 30 years and they have three sons. AND BILL
OF COURSE LIVES HERE AT THE Hill Top. They call him the manager
I guess he owns part of it. He is married and has four children.
AND JEAN IS THE YOUNGEST? Yes. OH, YOU MUST HAVE BEEN HAPPY
TO HAVE A LITTTLE GIRL FINALLY, THREE BOYS AND ONE GIRL, AND THEY
WERE ALL BORN IN SMITHERS? Yes, in Smithers, different hospitals,
two were born in the first hospital downtown here. Somebod¥ is
going to come see me about hospitals too cause they haven't arrived
yet. And the other two were born in the first new Hospitals on
the hill. They were all born in Smithers, but Norman died in
Vancouver. They were home for my birthday, he's coming up for
my grandsons wedding and he'll be married the oldest boy, he works
at McKenzie Travel Agency, and he's marrying a girl. THAT"S BILL?
No, the oldest boy my daughters boy the Maskiewich. They went
to get me something, they did my shopping. YOU MEAN TODAY? They
come right in they have my key, I didn't lock my door. The oldest
boy is getting married to a local girl, but she's been taking
this dentist course, there's a name for it. DENTAL HYGENIST?
Yes, I think so.

INTERVIEW ENDS.