The Sampson Family of Salt Spring Island

Henry Sampson was born in Orpington, Kent on December 25, 1830, and died on Salt Spring Island in 1919. According to historian Bruce Watson, who has compiled information on Henry and William Sampson's involvement with the Hudson's Bay Co., both were with the Columbia Department in 1849-50, and each had received an advance from the HBC in England for a trip on the Norman Morrison to Vancouver Island. Both Henry and William were also labourers at Fort Rupert in 1850-55 (William just to 54). According to family records, Henry worked as a carpenter, building wharves, bridges and railway trestles. In 1855 he was classed as an assistant miner. When his five year contract was up, he worked on his own. By 1856 he had children in school. He had married a native woman, probably in Fort Rupert.

Henry probably arrived on Salt Spring Island in 1859, which is when he is listed in the land records as pre-empting his land in Begg's Settlement. He is mentioned in Ebenezer Robson's diary in 1861. He takes up land on section 13, Begg's Settlement, listed in the Land Register for Salt Spring under this date, July 26, 1859, which he later pre-empted with George Baker of Nanaimo. A Certificate of Improvement dated, Jan 11, 1862 contains a letter declaring : "Henry Sampson, residing at Begg's Settlement for 2 years, improvements consisting of houses, outhouses, and fencing. H. Sampson and George Baker have 12 head of cattle and one horse." He later transfers this land to George Baker, with some of it given to provide land for the Vesuvius Bay School.

The Salt Spring register for 1863 and 1864 notes that Sampson had pre-empted the east half of section 9 [#750], had cancelled, and that James Hewitt had taken over, but this is crossed out. H. Sampson does, however, show up as pre-empting section 10, range 1 north in 1864 in the Land Register, under this pre-emption number. Note: "cancelled abandoned by Mr. Sampson" (no date). Section 10 was apparently taken up by Henry Sampson in 1864, cancelled, taken up by George Hampton in January 1882 and cancelled in 1883, after he had paid for it in full. Mr. Sampson took it up again in 1883 and paid for it. A note over it says "cancelled and repealed", and George Hampton was "re-instated by order of the court of Appeal, dated Nov. 2, 1883, see 1975/85." The Land and Works Dept. Vancouver Island Pre-emption Register for 1863 [and 1864], p. 104, CAA 30.7 4, lists the east half of #9 under this pre-emption number. According to the Land Register, the east half of #9 was taken up by W. Hutson in 1878 (purchase, not pre-emption), and the west half of 9 North and east half of 9 south was taken up in 1863 by James McFadden (PR. #516A) in 1863.

In 1864 Mr. Sampson took on some work as a temporary special constable on the island, and tried to help uncover the first murder on the island. A letter from the Stipendary Magistrate to the Colonial Secretary, October, 1866, notes that Salt Spring Island residents are upset that their cattle and sheep have been frequently shot at by villains, that Mr. Sampson has written a letter noting that his cattle have been shot and carried away, and that they seem to believe that a man named Morgan is responsible. (Const. Sampson, Cattle Rustling).

Also in 1866, Mr. Sampson's wife is accused of helping to poison their neighbour, Mr. McFadden, with the help of his daughter Mary Ann. Although the daughter is acquitted of the crime, by a strange turn of fate, Mrs. Sampson is convicted of aiding and abetting the crime. This sentence is eventually overturned, but not suprisingly, Mrs. Sampson leaves the husband who turned her in, and upon receiving a pardon, she goes off with another man to the interior of the province. Sampson takes up with another Native woman, Lucy, with whom he lives, and has many more children. Emily Ellen Sampson, born in 1864 or 1865 marries William Whims, and a younger Sampson daughter attempts to run off with Clark Whims in 1881. Whims is arrested by Henry Sampson and is tried and convicted of abduction. There is no mention in the family papers of Anne Marie's elopement with Clark Whims, or of the first wife, Anne Marie, who was accused and convicted of poisoning Mr. McFadden.

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Nanaimo, Dec. 28, 1866

Sir,
I have the [honour?] for the information of His Excellency the Governor, that Mr. Stewart Constable of Nanaimo lately arrived from Salt Spring Island, reports great consternation among the settlers of that district, in consequence of their cattle and pigs having been of late frequently shot by villains who get their living by [illegible] along the Road whiskey selling to Indians and hunting.

I have the honour to enclose copy of statement made to Mr. Sampson acting constable at Salt Spring also a letter from [illegible] complaining of a beast belonging to Mr. Sampson shot and just carried away. The man Morgan [illegible] Williams statement, is of notoriously bad character, and was convicted of Whiskey selling at Christmas, and afterwards at Comox (when a riot and loss of life took place) 18 months ago, and sentenced to have six months imprisonment with hard labour.

To my knowledge this practice of shooting cattle that stray [illegible] has been carried on for some time past within [illegible] the perpetrators of the outgrageous behaviour have been discovered, the settlers in the Cedar District have by this means lost considerable number, and since the discontinuance of the Indian Police and my limited allowance for Police purposed, I have been unable to prevent it or bring the criminals to justice.

This man Morgan stole a gun from this place sometime back, I paid a reward for his apprehension and sent it to Salt Spring Island wither I understand he has gone, but did not succeed in arresting him.

Awaiting instructions, I have the honour to be your obedient servant, M. Franklyn, Stipendary Magistrate

Notes:
BC Archives, Colonial Correspondence, Reel 1329, File F602/27, Franklyn to Governor Douglas, Dec. 28, 1866.