Fort Vancouver Historic Structures Report

At the request of National Park Service archeologists who desire the information in order to help date remnants of "country made" blacksmith tools marked with initials, there follows a list of all employees identified as blacksmiths on the Fort Vancouver rolls from 1828 to 1852 examined by the writer. Prior to Outfit 1837 the district statements (or rolls) seen by the writer did not note the occupations of tradesmen except under special circumstances, such as the granting of a "gratuity" or extra pay when, say, an ordinary laborer served as a blacksmith, baker, etc. Before Outfit 1837, therefore, the annual lists given below are largely fragmentary and constructed from scattered miscellaneous sources. But lists of employees are to be found in more than one place in the Company's records, and probably rolls exist that will permit the naming of the blacksmiths for all the years from 1825 to 1852. After the latter date there does not seem to have been a blacksmith at Fort Vancouver.

Outfit 1828 (men not identified by trade)

Francois Bouvet. Ten pounds extra wages for blacksmith's service.

William Canning (William Cannon). Not identified as a blacksmith, but had been on Fort Vancouver roll since at least 1825; known from other sources to have been a millwright and blacksmith; remained on Fort Vancouver roll through Outfit 1835, at which time he was earning £45 per annum; during Outfit 1833, at least, he was at the Fort Vancouver sawmill.

André Lachapelle. His wages at this time were £22 per annum, more than those of an ordinary laborer. He may not have been a blacksmith at this time, as he was not identified as such until Outfit 1837.

Outfit 1829 (men not identified by trade)

André Lachapple [sic]. £22

Outfit 1830 (men not identified by trade)

George Folster. Listed under "General Charges." André Lachapelle. £25

Outfit 1831 (men not identified by trade)

George Folster. £30

André Lachapelle. £25

Outfit 1832 (men not identified by trade)

George Folster. £30

André Lachapelle. £25

Outfit 1833 (the following men listed as blacksmiths)

Jean Racine dit Noyer.

John Alexander Saunders (assisting)

Greely Sargent

Isaac Thibault [or Thibeault]

Outfit 1834 (men not identified by trade)

André Lachapelle. £30

Jean Racine de Noyer. £30

John Alexander Saunders. £17

Greely Sargent. Served only 6 months; sent to Oahu 12/1/34.

Isaac Thebault [sic]. £40

Outfit 1835 (men not identified by trade)

William Canning. £45. Possibly still at mill.

George Folster (b). £30

André Lachapelle. £30

John Alexander Saunders. £17

Outfit 1836 (men not identified by trade)

William Canning. Drew only £8.0.3 in wages, so probably retired during the year.

George Folster (b). £30

André LaChapelle. £30

John Alexander Saunders. £17

Outfit 1837

James Dickson. £30

George Folster (b). £30

André LaChapelle. £30

John Alexander Saunders. £17. Listed as "middleman."

Outfit 1838

James Dickson. £30

George Folster. £40

André LaChapelle. £30. Listed as a middleman, but this description probably was an error.

Jean Baptiste Roi. £30

John Alexander Saunders. £22. Listed as middleman.

Allan Morrison. £25. Listed under "general charges. "

Outfit 1839

James Baker. £22

James Dickson. £30

George Folster (b). £40

André Lachapelle. £30

Allan Morrison. £25

John Alexander Saunders. £22. Listed as a middleman.

John Flett. £25. Listed under "general charges," perhaps not at Fort Vancouver.

Outfit 1840

James Dickson. £30

John Flett. £25. Transferred to steamer Beaver after seven months.

George Folster. £40

André Lachapelle. £30

Allan Morrison. £25

André Louttit. £30. Listed under "Columbia Charges," perhaps not at Fort Vancouver.

Outfit 1841

James Dickson. £30

George Folster. £40

André Louttit. £30

Allan Morrison. £25

George Aitkin. £35. Listed under "Columbia Charges."

Kenneth Campbell. £28. Listed under "Columbia Charges. "

Outfit 1842

James Dickson. £30

George Folster B. (sic). £20

André Louttit. £30

Joseph Plouffe. £22

Kenneth Campbell. £28. Listed under "Columbia Charges."

Outfit 1843

Joseph Ovide Beauchamp. £30. Listed under "Columbia Charges."

Kenneth Campbell. £30.

James Dickson. £12.10.0. Returned to England, 10/31/43.

John Flett (c). £30.

George Folster (b). £20

André Louttit. £30

Joseph Plouffe. £22. Listed as a "boute" in H.B.C.A., 8.239/l/14, MS, p. 63.

Outfit 1844

George Aitken. £35

Joseph Beauchamp. £30

Kenneth Campbell. £30

George Folster. £25

André Louttit. £8.15.0. Went "home" from York Factory on the Prince Rupert, fall 1844.

Thomas Scott. £30. Listed under "Columbia Charges."

Outfit 1845

George Aitken. £35

Joseph Ovide Beauchamp. £30

George Folster (b). £30

Thomas Scott. £30

Outfit 1846

George Aitken. £35

Joseph Ovide Beauchamp. £30

George Folster (b). £30

Thomas Scott. £30

Outfit 1847

George Aitken. £35

George Folster (b). £30. Does not appear on rolls after 1847.

Joseph O. Beauchamp. £30 Outfit 1848

George Aitken. £30. Went to California; wages to March 1, 1849.

Outfit 1849

Kaihé. £25

Outfit 1850

Kaihé. £8.6.8. Wages to March 1, 1851.

Jonathan Moar, Jr. £25. Listed under "General Charges."

Outfit 1851

(No blacksmiths listed.)

Outfit 1852

David Smith. £48

Outfit 1853

(No blacksmiths listed at Fort Vancouver, but one page of the departmental personnel list for that year does not give the posts at which the men were stationed; thus there is a slight chance that there actually was a smith at the old Columbia depot.)

Outfit 1854

(No blacksmiths listed at Fort Vancouver.)