George B. Roberts

“ Our title as a Mission to the claims of land, is, in my opinion, just good for nothing at all. Such is the state of public feeling in reference to the Mission having many sections of good land not occupying them themselves, and not suffering others to occupy them. A strong reaction is about meeting us, and the sooner we are freed from these land claims, the better, if I judge right ... ”

“ Settlers who met at Cowlitz in August of 1851 to ask Congress to create a separate Washington Territory north of the Columbia River, embodied their hostility toward the PSA Company's Nisqually establishment, "a large monied institution and a British Fort at That", in their memorial. [3] That the companies were British helped—and the dispute over ex-HBC factor John McLoughlin's claim at Oregon City had 'foreign' overtones—but even those 'vested interests' which were American received an equivalent of the law 'bending' treatment until they became notably less vested. ”

“ A short time ago Sheriff Billings of Olympia a man who has held that office for many, perhaps is years, remarked to the Judge of the Territory here en passant—"here stands a man gentleman who has been outrageously robbed, & the records of your court will show it" but what can I say & I only mention it to show you that in my belief gross injustice is often done the poor indian—as it was to me having surrendered my birthright, I could get no protection & the Company in their reports were careful to note in connection with this matter that Roberts was an American. ”

“ The Cowlitz Farm difficulties George Roberts writes of so feelingly were matched by Dr. William F. Tolmie's troubles at Nisqually, where "squatters" on PSA Company lands, according to company estimate, killed more than 6,000 of the farm's cattle between 1853 and 1856. [1] Like Roberts', Tolmie's verbal protest and written notices were ignored; company officials and Americans who attempted to cooperate in surveying company lands were threatened with bodily harm. ”

“ In dians are merely grown up children, they often have the keenest sense as to right and wrong. The indian agents cant help being influenced by clamour—their all depends upon it. I have known many of your West point military men perfect gentlemen to whom indians would cheerfully submit. Harney from the best accounts I can get was unfortunately not one of them. For information I once asked a poor illiterate Irish man who had been in both the British & American armies Which do you prefer Jimmy the West point officer or the Volunteer officer? ”

“ There were 3 Clerks in the Office Two or three in the stores & the Doctor of the establishment traded with the Indians, in a store for that special purpose, and he also served out the rations to the men on the saturday.
Before the advent of parsons and preachers the Doctor himself read the episcopal service to the inmates of the Fort & such others as choose to attend every sunday. As the American traders on the coast sold liquor to the indians the Company had to do the same. ”

“ Clamour would perhaps say indians had no right that a free born American could respect. Think of the wrongs done me from 59 to 71 at the Cowlitz farm. The old carcase of the Company brought every wolf and vulture to the banquet & the government rewarded the wrong doers by giving them the lands. The voting power did it all. ”

“ The law of the times when not provided by what the local citizens brought with them, was frequently applied by them, and what appeared as a bend or even break by more distant standards, looked straight enough in the community. [7]
Roberts' vicissitudes as resident representative of the PSA Company on the Cowlitz Farm and the controverted PSA and HB Company claims which dragged along through various local, national and finally international proceedings for more than twenty years, came to an end in i 869. ”

“ As I wrote you the Doctors bitterness was increased by Sir Geo Simpson's report in reference to the murder of his son Jno: at Stikine. I dont think there was any great ill feeling against the Dr or the Company till much later. The Officers & Clerks of the Company from 40-42 I think were Dr McL. Mr Douglas, Mr Ogden, Accountant to Depot store keeper Dugald McTavish, two or three Clerks temporarily in the Office, G. B . Roberts in charge of the men as it was then called, that is all the out door & general work of the establishment. Forbes Barclay was Surgeon & Indian trader. ”

“ The poor fellow no sooner got there than J. Q. Thornton traveled over & brought him to Vancr for giving liquor to Indians & another man was in his wake for Coasting—he got off somehow—promising never to return. One of the charges for seizing the Steamer Beaver was for landing my present wife at Nesqually instead of going up to Olympia [19] where there was only two or three huts & no accommodation whatever. ”

“ Ogdens services—he deserved—he was the only man who could have saved those families. I was away from Vancouver then & at the Cowlitz farm. Dr McLoughlin wrote me a letter in 40 while I was where Oregon City now is that Dr [Marcus] Whitman had been grossly insulted at Wailatpu & that there was no help for it—that he had earnestly counciled Whitman to come down to Vancouver & remain till something could be done for his protection. ”

“ In reference to Dr [John] McLoughlin it should be borne in mind that Sir Geo Simpson was his bitter enemy and for all purposes of anoyance Sir Geo. was the Company itself What did those old English gentlemen in Fenchurch Street know about matters here? they simply trusted to Simpson. Ermatinger [8] was in the Co's. employ while at Oregon City—from thence he went home to London on a visit & to annoy the Doctor Simpson prevented his return hither where he had left his young wife & ordered him to be stationed at the Red River of the North. ”

“ I hope I am not compromised there too, for really I've often thought that the HBCo has been condemned & villified for everything but what they ought to have been condemned for, that is saddling the country with a lot of ill prepared citizens, some of whom I have seen at the polls that could not tell who was president or whether Washington was an Englishman or an Italian. ”

“ It should have been easily dealt with by 3 or 4 small parties of 30 men each—as for any of the indians of the East Cas cades coming to aid those of the West was not likely—those Indians had families & would not have come this way. ”

“ He afterwards went to Stikine when he left Jno McLoughlin was left in charge—too young & hot headed for such a service. In reference to the Co's letter Books, I was astonished in '65 to find almost every letter received at Vancouver for so many years carefully preserved & were being duplicated at Victoria.
In answer to your 1st Query. I think the wheat business was not very profitable or desirable, except in so far as it enabled the Company to gather in a good deal of old debt—there was but very little money in the Country till 1849 & but little wheat. ”

“ One of these traders had a supply of squeaking wooden Cats & Dogs which took with the indians amazingly against our staple goods. By the time that beautiful toy, Hussars on wheels, could be had from England the Indians had tired of toys. Indians are grown up Children. ”

“ Many a man by a little firmness tact and gentlemanly instincts will rule successfully where others would require an army to back them. Now all this may be offensive to you from me. I remember riding with Judge Strong from Olympia to my house (Cowlitz farm) in 'Sq. ”

“ The Issabella Capt Ryan got aground on Sand Island & was a total loss-the Vancouver with a cargo of ?30,000 was lost after the pilot was on board-a mere nothing was saved.iThe Co didn't like this, & in the fall all the furs were shipped at Nesqually via the Cowlitz port age-this was in '48. I was then at the Cowlitz. Every fall the indians were excited as to what new ill was to come Whooping cough-measles-Typhoid fever &c, & they used to be very anxious to hear from Tolmie at Nesqually the news in my letters. All these things we think so lightly of now scourged the poor indians dreadfully. ”

“ Jno McLoughlin was killed I think in '38 at Ft Stikine.
A Journal was always kept at all and each of the Company postsall of which are or ought to be now at Victoria. I kept the Journal at Vancouver myself for many years—it was the duty of the person in charge of the out door work. We had a very large farm as Farnham & others tell you, at Vancouver. ”

“ We used some times to supplement the wheat by purchasing in California to complete the contract with the Russians. I think the Russians only took about 500 Tons a year. The Islands took but comparatively little flour & the people here were too generally impecunious to buy much.
Dr [Wim. J .] Bailey so well known at Champoeg—the husband of "Ruth Rover" the Miss [Margaret] Smith that came with [David] Leslie & [H. K. W.] Perkins is one of the persons I think alluded to by J K Townsend—I haven't his work.
3rd. I think the Company kept up their post at Vancvr till '61. ”

“ This would never have escaped the lips of either McLoughlin or Douglas. I think this was before the indians were hung at Steilacoom for killing [Leander C.] Wallace [18] at the Co post Nisqually. For that trial they took men all the way fi om Oregon City to make a Jury. ”

“ OHQ, XXIV (June, 1923) , 175-76.
↑ The views of George Roberts, Edward Huggins and W. F. Tolmie about "the hopelessness of obtaining justice in the courts of the Territory" for the companies are stated in testimony taken by the British and American Joint Commission for the final settlement of the claims of the Hudson's Bay and Puget's Sound Agricultural Companies (14 vols., 1865-69) , P. S. A. CO. vs U. S., Vol. ”

“ They appear as very moral persons, respecting religion and moral things, as though well educated and religiously disposed." Mrs. Roberts, Gary noted, was "much out of health" during the voyage to the Columbia River. "Diary of Rev. George Gary," OHQ, XXIV:71, 72. ↑ Mrs. Victor has crossed out "brother," and inserted the correct "nephew" in Roberts' letter. ↑ In his letter of March 3, 1879, Roberts corrects Wool to Scott; perhaps he actually meant General W. S. Harney? ↑ The Vancouver. See Roberts' letter of March 25, 1849, for details. ”