William Barker (prospector)
Encyclopedia
William Billy Barker was a prospector who was famous for being one of the first to find a large amount of gold
in the Cariboo
of British Columbia
. He also founded Barkerville which is preserved as a historic town.
Barker was born in 1817 in March, Cambridgeshire
, England
. As a child he worked as a waterman on the waterways of England.
He married Jane Lavender in Earith
, Cambridgeshire in 1839 and had one daughter named Emma Eliza. Jane died in the Workhouse
in Doddington, Cambridgeshire
, in 1850. In 1863, Barker married his second wife Elizabeth Collyer but she died in 1865.
Because railways had begun to replace canal transport, Barker was unsure of what to do with his life. During the 1840s, he decided to go to California
, where he would try his luck in the gold rush
there. He made little, but when the gold rush ended, he moved up to British Columbia
with many fellow miners. His party discovered gold in the Williams Creek
area, and his fellow crew member Wihelm Dietz - "Dutch Bill" - was the first to find a good amount of gold in the creek valley area.
Barker decided to search for his gold down river, close to Stouts Gulch. Many people said he was crazy for doing this, but, after a short period of time, they pulled out about 60 ounces of gold at about 52 feet below ground. Barker's claim turned out to be the richest in the area and the settlement of Barkerville was set up around his claim. He pulled out roughly 37,500 oz of gold in his life. It was also said that Billy Barker smoked as much as 30 cigarettes a day, finding it had to deal with the stress of having that much gold, and his Parkinson's disease
progressing.
He died penniless in a Victoria nursing home on July, 11 1894 with symptoms of Parkinson's Disease and/or possible cancer in his jaw. He was buried in an unmarked grave in the Ross Bay Cemetery
, though, recently, there has been contemplation on moving his grave to Barkerville, the town that he founded, which is preserved as a historic town.
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
in the Cariboo
Cariboo
The Cariboo is an intermontane region of British Columbia along a plateau stretching from the Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. The name is a reference to the woodland caribou that were once abundant in the region...
of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. He also founded Barkerville which is preserved as a historic town.
Barker was born in 1817 in March, Cambridgeshire
March, Cambridgeshire
March is a Fenland market town and civil parish in the Isle of Ely area of Cambridgeshire, England. March was the county town of the Isle of Ely, a separate administrative county between 1889 and 1965, and is now the administrative centre of Fenland District Council.The town was an important...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. As a child he worked as a waterman on the waterways of England.
He married Jane Lavender in Earith
Earith
Earith is a village in the Fens of Cambridgeshire, England, south of Chatteris and east of Huntingdon. At Earith, two artificial diversion channels of the River Great Ouse, the Old Bedford River and the New Bedford River, leave the river on a course to Denver Sluice near Downham Market, where they...
, Cambridgeshire in 1839 and had one daughter named Emma Eliza. Jane died in the Workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
in Doddington, Cambridgeshire
Doddington, Cambridgeshire
Doddington is a village in Cambridgeshire, between Chatteris and March. Historically, Doddington was one of the largest parishes in England. Under the Doddington Rectory Division Act of 1856 it was divided into seven rectories, Benwick, Doddington, Wimblington, March Old Town, March St Peter,...
, in 1850. In 1863, Barker married his second wife Elizabeth Collyer but she died in 1865.
Because railways had begun to replace canal transport, Barker was unsure of what to do with his life. During the 1840s, he decided to go to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he would try his luck in the gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
there. He made little, but when the gold rush ended, he moved up to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
with many fellow miners. His party discovered gold in the Williams Creek
Williams Creek
Williams Creek may refer to:United States* Williams Creek, Indiana, a town* Williams Creek, South Dakota, a townshipCanada* Williams Creek , a historically-important gold-bearing creek in British Columbia, Canada...
area, and his fellow crew member Wihelm Dietz - "Dutch Bill" - was the first to find a good amount of gold in the creek valley area.
Barker decided to search for his gold down river, close to Stouts Gulch. Many people said he was crazy for doing this, but, after a short period of time, they pulled out about 60 ounces of gold at about 52 feet below ground. Barker's claim turned out to be the richest in the area and the settlement of Barkerville was set up around his claim. He pulled out roughly 37,500 oz of gold in his life. It was also said that Billy Barker smoked as much as 30 cigarettes a day, finding it had to deal with the stress of having that much gold, and his Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
progressing.
He died penniless in a Victoria nursing home on July, 11 1894 with symptoms of Parkinson's Disease and/or possible cancer in his jaw. He was buried in an unmarked grave in the Ross Bay Cemetery
Ross Bay Cemetery
Ross Bay Cemetery is located at 1516 Fairfield Road in Victoria, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island, Canada.-History:The cemetery was opened in 1873. The 27.5 acre cemetery is part of a public park and its south side faces Ross Bay on the Pacific Ocean...
, though, recently, there has been contemplation on moving his grave to Barkerville, the town that he founded, which is preserved as a historic town.