Paris Carter, grocer.
Augustus Travers, porter.
[*] Footnote: White.
_"Victoria District._
"Richard Jackson, gardener.
Patrick Jerome Addison, farmer."
The names will be familiar to many of our old-timers, but, strange to
say, of this list only seven families are represented to-day: That of
F. Spotts, farmer; Nathan Pointer, M. W. Gibbs, William Grant, Samuel
J. Booth, Paris Carter and Gus Travers.
As they were promised equal rights with the whites by Governor
Douglas, they proceeded to claim these rights in various ways, which
was resisted by the American residents, who formed a large majority
of the residents of Victoria then. It has been told by Mr. Higgins of
the colored people who had reserved seats in the dress circle of the
theatre, and of the indignation of the Americans who had seats next
to them; several colored men went into Joe Lovett's saloon and called
for drink. Joe Lovett refused to serve them. The colored men brought
the matter before Judge Pemberton, who decided that Lovett was in the
wrong, and must serve them; but that he might charge them $2.50 a
drink if he wished. An American and his family occupied a pew in
Victoria District Church, and one hot Sunday the sexton showed a
colored man into the pew. The American left the church and wrote a
very indignant letter to the _Gazette_ on the insult offered to
the American people by such a proceeding. This called for a reply
from the Rev. Mr. Cridge in defence of his sexton. Also Mr. Gibbs
wrote a very caustic letter, in which he handled the gentleman
without gloves. This Mr. Gibbs, after leaving Victoria, rose to a
high position in the United States, having been appointed minister to
Hayti. He kept a grocery here on lower Yates Street in connection
with Peter Lester. Many of these colored people returned to the
United States after the Civil War was ended. The fire department
was modelled after the San Francisco department, and was composed
principally of Americans. On the formation of the hook and ladder
company several colored men sent in their names for membership. All
were black-balled. As they saw by this that there was a dead-set
made against them, they then decided to form a volunteer military
company. In this they were encouraged by the Hudson's Bay Company,
who lent them muskets. This move on the part of the Hudson's Bay
Company was supposed to have been made on the promise of the support
of the colored military in case they were required to maintain
order.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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