The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-12-08
ANOTHER PIONEER
CALLED BY DEATH
Col. Robert Stevenson, One of the
Oldest Old Timers, Answers the
Dread Summons.

Col. Robert Stevenson passed away
at st, Pauls hospital, Vancouver, b.
c., Tuesday afternoon 0t last week,
and In ais death picturesque figure
Is removed from the sadly depleted
ranks of the pioneers 0f the north
west. Col. Stevenson was one of the
very Oldest OF the old settlers along
the border not only in point of resi-
dence but in point OF years, as he had
reached the advanced age of "a. He
was In the gold rush at the time of
the big placer strike at Rich Bar, on
the Similkameen river, only few
miles west OF Oroville, and that was
over 80 years ago. Spending the great
er part of his life on the frontier,
among the mining districts Of the
northwest, his history. II it could be
written up would be more interesting
than the most exciting novel. Col.
Bobby" Stevenson was well known
among the older residents of Oroville,
where formerly he was not an infre-
quent visitor and it was always a
pleasure to meet the genial old boy.
Those who had the privilege and
pleasure of knowing Col Stevenson
will read Of his death with feelings
of keen regret The Princeton Star
contains a long obituary notice of the
deceased from which we take the fol-
lowing extracts:
One of the last survivors Of those
hardy men who Joined in the rush
for the newly discovered gold dig
gings on the Fraser River, Bob"
Stevenson was link between the ro-
mantle past of British Columbia and
the commercial present. He was one
of those who brought into being an
empire of vast natural wealth which
until the discovery Of gold. had only
been exploited by the fur trader.
Born at Williamstowh, Glengarry
County, Ontario, on July %. 1888, Col.
Stevenson was only twenty years of
age when ne joined In the rush to the
newly found Eldoraro of the west.
He reached the lowerA Fraser river
in 1859. but finding that the first fever
Of excitement in respect to the wealth
of tae bars in that stream having sub
sided, he adventured into the little
known Similkameen River district.
Gold had been discovered ON Rich
Bar on the Similkameen River by a
party Of surveyors. At the time that
the news reached outside" Col. Ste
venson was living near the site of the
City of Seattle, which only boasted a
population Of 200 whites in the vic
unity. He joined an expedition organ
lied by a Captain Collins, which heav-
lily armed, started for the new find. 1t
took two months for the party to
reach the gold camp, making the first
trip overland from the waters of Pug
ct Sound to the interior. Thirty-four
men took part in that trail blazing
adventure. With the death Of Col.
Stevenson, the last Of the party has
passed on.
After working in the Similkameen
district for some months with varying
success, Col. Stevenson Joined the
rush to the Rock Creek discovery in
the Kettle River district. Here he
prospected for some time until in 1860
he was appointed by Sir James Doug
las as the first customs officer along
tae international boundary. The in
rush Of prospectors and miners from
the depleted California diggings of
trappers and miners from Oregon, and
adventurers from the wild, unsettled
American plains, all bound for the
newly found discoveries of New Cale>
donia. as British Columbia was then
known, made 1t imperative that some
method of collecting revenue for the
crown should be initiated on the bor-
der. Col Stevenson was the young
man selected for this difficult task.
The lure of the gold fields was too
strong to permit Bob" Stevenson to
remain long in the service Of the gov
ernment. The news Of the discovery
Of the gold bearing creeks Of the Carl
| boo was followed almost Immediately
| by the resignation Of the pioneer GUS
toms officer. His pack train was one
of the first to reach the tented colony
on Antler Creek, In the Cariboo, In
1851. He secured claim on this
rich stream and during the succeeding
three months engaged in the dual oc-
cupation of miner and storekeeper. He
cleared 81 900 on the sale Of the mer-
lchandise ne had brought in on his
pack train, and then sold out his claim
lat a profit and following the prospect
lors to Williams Creek.
| He stayed In the Cariboo country
lfor seventeen years, owing in that
period interests in seventy different
placer claims, as we'll as the first
three quartz claims located In the
hills of the Cariboo.
It was the year after he went into
the williams Creek district that Col
stevenson took part In one Of the
most remarkable journey ever under
taken. It was a feat Of daring and en-
durance that won renown at a time
and among men who were themselves
lin daily contact with death and priva
tion. To this day It stands out in the
story of the province as a wondefu
example Of the devotion OF friendship
Mrs. Cameron. wife of "Cariboo'