The San Francisco call., 1909-09-04
NEWS OF ALAMEDA HAYWARD AND SAN LEANDRO
OF YUKON
DEAD IN BERKELEY
Leroy N. McQuesten, Alaska
Pioneer, Dies at the Age
of 73 Years

BERKELEY, Sept 3.-Leroy n. Nc
Questen, Father of the Yukon and
one of the early pioneers of the Alaska
gold fields, whose name is known to
every seeker after gold in the Klon-
dixie. is dead at his Berkeley home,
1851 Hopkins street, at the age of 73
years A man of adventure, he had
been a frontiersman all his varied
career except the last IL years. which
he had spent in this city with his wife
and eight children.
Jack" McQuesten, the name he was
known by among his associates. was
one Of the first seekers after gold in
Alaska and became associated with
H. Howard Hart the millionaire resi-
dent of the Claremont district of this
city; George w. Cormack, Ernest
Flores, George W. Morgan, +. G.. Nc
Fariand. r. E. Nixon, and host of
others who were in the initial rush
to the icy gold fields, and who COM
prise the Society of Alaskan Pioneers,
of which McQuesten was the organizer.
Jack London, the author, was also a
friend of McQuesten, and one of that
authors novels is said TO have Jack
woven around a prospector who mar
ried an Indian of the north, deserted
her, but rejoined her again. McQuesten
married a Yukon Indian woman, but
never deserted her, and she survives
him.
ON THE FRONTIER
From the days of his youth the well
known miner has been in the van
which has for it's motto Greeley's words.
60 west" McQuesten was born In
Portland, Me, and at IA years Went
with his father TO the wilds of oregon.
This was in 1850, and FIVE years later
he was fighting Indians In the ore
gon war" and had many skirmish
with the wal1a Wallas, who were on
the warpath with the general uprising
of the northern tribes
The governments best soldiers were
employed in quelling the break, and
McQuesten Joined the volunteers in the
company of which Captain Ben Hayden
of Salem was the commander. After
long fighting McQuesten went into the
quartermaster's service In. the SOUND
country.
In March of 1858 he was among the
prospectors who joined the rush to the
Fraser river gold fields. but gold was
scarce and he had but little luck. He
liked the country, however, and there
he made his home, trapping ana TRAD
ing with the Indians in the neighbor-
hood of the Mackenzie river.
SETTLES IN THE YUKON
In 1873 he went prospecting down
the Mackenzie, crossed the Rocky
| mountains by the Pelly and worked
| over to the Porcupine river and to
the outposts of the Alaska commercial
company on the Yukon river. Here a
year later he built Fort Reliance while
| in the employ of the company and used
this as a trading post headquarters
where ne traded with the Indians for
more than IL years.
When gold was struck at Forty Mile
creek 40 miles below the fort, he es-
tablished a post there and kept the
position until 1894. when he built Circle
| City. At this time he discovered gold
on the Stuart river and amassed for
tune, panning out the dit, estimated
at upward of $4,000, 900.
EARLY ON THE KLONDIkE
He was among the earliest of the
prospectors to reach the Klondike and
! the third man to reach Dominion creek
| He is said to have brought a ton OF
! dust to the United States from his
mines.
A widow, Mrs Kate McQuesten
whom he married 80 years ago, and
/ eight children survive: Richard, Henry
Chrystal, Julia, Elizabeth, Leroy and
Walter McQuesten.
The funeral will be held tomorrow
afternoon at 2 o'clock from his resi-
dence, Rev. w. HI H. Hodgkin of AL
Souls church officiating. Interment
will be in Mountain View cemetery