Alice Bay Maloney

“ An excursion to the American River resulted in Work's determination to spend the winter at the Buttes. Here he was joined by another band of Hudson's Bay men who had come south along the Oregon and California coastline by the trail of Jedediah Smith. Michel LaFramboise headed this party of sixty-five people, many of whom were Oregon Indians. They left Fort Vancouver in April 1832 and penetrated the great valley of California as far as French Camp, near what is now Stockton. John Work, as was fitting his rank as gentleman of the company, became leader of the joint party. ”

“ While residing in Victoria, John Work nevertheless seems to have retained for several years supervision of Fort Simpson, and while so engaged made two or more voyages to the northward in connection with the discovery of gold on Queen Charlotte Island. He was accompanied on one of these trips by "Old Pierre," that is, Pierre Legace, his father-in-law, always a reliable companion on the trail and a veteran of the California expedition. [29]
John and Josette took with them to Victoria their large family and built for their first home a log residence. ”

“ From these sparks can be caught brief pictures of the fierce competition engaged in by the various groups in their desire to be first to trap the streams for their rich harvest of beaver and otter pelts. ”

“ This chief is sometimes referred to as a Spokane, but Josette herself told a grandson that he was a Nez Perce. Legace (as did Finan McDonald) took a daughter of this chief as mate, and Josette was the child of this union. She became a young woman of great beauty and outstanding character. The historian, Hubert Howe Bancroft, meeting her in 1884, was impressed with her dignity and worth, remarking, "The Indian wife in body and mind was strong and elastic as steel." [16] None but an Indian woman could endure the perils and hardships of a fur trader's life of this period. ”

“ There is no evidence that any close friendship developed between Work and Ogden whose trails were to cross and recross for twenty-five years as they journeyed from company posts in the Columbia and New Caledonia districts. John Work, in his correspondence, always referred to "Mr. Ogden" and betrayed no warmth of feeling as he did when he mentioned his particular friends, Edward Ermatinger, Archibald McDonald, John McLeod, Samuel Black, the irrepressible Frank Ermatinger, and the devoted John Tod.
In the intervals between fur-gathering expeditions. Work took up residence at Fort Colville. ”

“ Work had always expressed a fond intention of spending the evening of his days in his native land, the north of Ireland, but the prospect of a civilized home on this Island under British institutions induced him to settle here where he acquired considerable property and became one of the earliest and most enterprising farmers in Victoria District. ”

“ Poor Work is always complaining and I doubt not he has some cause, but bating [barring?] his delicate state of health which gives me much anxiety at times, I am inclined to believe that not a few of the evils of which he complains are merely imaginary. ”

“ The route of the southern brigade of the Hudson's Bay Company of 1832 followed the Columbia River by water to Fort Nez Perce, later called Fort Walla Walla, where horses awaited the party. The band of trappers, which numbered one hundred men, women and children, then turned southward over the mountains until they reached the headwaters of Silvies River, which stream they followed to its mouth at Malheur Lake in central Oregon. ”

“ Headquarters were removed from Fort George to a more advantageous site on the north bank of the Columbia River, 112 miles upstream. The new post. Fort Vancouver, was the fur capital of the region. The brigades of trappers were increased in size and number, and each year saw the fur hunters ranging farther afield in an effort to secure the harvest before American rivals should arrive at the trapping grounds. The two nationalities clashed first in 1824, when Peter Skene Ogden and his Snake brigade encountered American trappers in the Rocky Mountains. ”

“ His travels by canoe and horseback through numerous friendly and hostile Indian tribes gave him an intimate knowledge of a vast terrain and schooled him in the rough diplomacy which characterized the dealings of a great fur company with savage peoples drawn by the fur trade into the international network of world commerce. ”

“ Several direct and indirect references appear in Work's correspondence, both from Red River and Fort Colville, regarding Indian housekeepers employed by him during his early years in Canada and in the Oregon Country. They were an indispensible adjunct to life in the fur trade in which care for shelter, food and clothing was essential to maintain existence. It was at Fort Colville (in what is now northern Washington) , however, that John Work met his life's companion. She was Josette Legace, daughter of Pierre Legace [14] who had crossed the Rocky Mountains with Finan McDonald about 1807. ”

“ Bending to the southwest they passed Alkali Lake, Abert Lake and Abert Rim, reaching at last Goose Lake on the 42nd parallel, the boundary between the Oregon Country, jointly held by England and the United States, and the Mexican province of California.
Goose Lake was traced along its eastern shore until Pit River was reached. The trail followed down this stream, crossing and recrossing Pit River several times, until a stream now called Hat Creek was attained. The brigade ascended Hat Creek to a point now known as Doyle's Corners. ”

“ Two years later, from his station at Thompson's River in New Caledonia, Tod sent Ermatinger another bit of news of John Work. "Poor dear Work is still in the usual way and as undecided as ever about going out while every letter I get announces the birth of another child." [27]
In 1849 John Work was transferred to Fort Victoria as one of the managers of the Hudson's Bay Company affairs west of the Rocky Mountains, and in 1853 he was appointed by Chief Factor James Douglas a member of the Legislative Council of Vancouver Island. ”

“ From Cow Creek the trappers traveled south along the banks of the Sacramento River to the Sutter Buttes where there was a campsite already well known from previous visits to the region. From the Buttes the men attempted to proceed farther south along the slopes of the Sierra foothills to the eastward but were prevented by torrential rains and high water. ”

“ John Work returned from the expedition mentioned by Tod on July 27, 1832. [20] He was informed that he was to start on another expedition almost at once. His reaction to the prospect is seen in a letter he wrote to Edward Ermatinger:
I am going to start with my ragamuffin freemen to the southward towards the Spanish settlements but with what success I cannot say. ”