Category: Document

Map of British Columbia Gold Fields and Related Places

The map highlights • McDame Creek in Northern BC named after Henry McDame (circa 1859) • Giscome Portage Trail named after John Robert Giscome (circa 1863) • Barkerville […]

Map of North America showing Black migrations

Black migrations to Canada from the United States took place largely between 1780 and 1863. A provision in Canada’s 1793 Act to Limit Slavery stated that any enslaved […]

The Oath of Allegiance

Only British subjects were eligible to vote in Legislative Assembly elections. This excluded the majority of Blacks who were neither British subjects, nor had become naturalized in another […]

Public Meeting. Mr. Willis Bond will lecture

The topics for this one lecture include “borrowing money for the immediate use of the City, the importance of consolidating the office of Mayor with that of the […]

Public Meeting! The Free Port Question

This announcement states: “This Evening (Friday) at the Athenaeum  Hall, Quadra Street, (Opposite the Pioneer Rifle Co’s Hall).  The Free Port Question!  Will be discussed. Gentlemen wishing to […]

Willis Bond, General Contractor

 W. Bond, General Contractor, Is prepared to contract for and execute in the best manner, any of the under mentioned work. Raising or removing buildings, making roads, blasting […]

Willis Bond, Auctioneer

Bond placed this ad on November 16th, 1858 and continued as an Auctioneer for at least 3 years. At one auction April 26th, 1859 Bond was auctioning the […]

Letter to Hannibal Hamlin, Vice President of the United States

Victoria, April 13, 1863 Sir: By order of the Committee of Colored Ladies of the British Colony of Victoria (V.I), please find enclosed a draft for £86 14s […]

Sydna Francis takes matters into her own hands

Life in Victoria began in 1860 with some sense of normalcy; but this was short-lived.  Sydna’s parents were John and Charlotte Dandridge. Charlotte died in March 1863; her […]

Business advertisements

This “mock” flyer features ads as they appeared in the newspaper of the day. Willis Bond – Auctioneer and General Contractor Paris Carter – Real Estate Agent and […]

Deed of Emancipation for the Estes family: November 10, 1852

Deed of Emancipation submitted by Howard Estes to the Clay County, Missouri Circuit Court on 10th of November 1852, freeing from slavery his wife Hannah aged about 48 […]

Mifflin Wistar Gibbs: Achievements, Contributions, and Canadian Recognition