Thursday, September 28, 2017

The Lillooet Outlaw - The Story of Francis Gott

Hello Friends,

Recently I received a thank you email concerning the research performed in presenting the case of: "Wild Boys Hunted by Posse for Murder". The blog is about two outlaws, Moses Paul and Paul Spintlum, whom our research uncovered for our "Boot Hill Cemetery Convicts" series. I recommend you give it a read!
A link posted within the account included a tale, as told by a St'át'imc Elder, about another indigenous outlaw of the area, Francis Gott. (Link: Tales of Our Elders.)
A request was made asking if I would consider researching Mr. Gott's case, and write the story from media accounts reported at the time. I decided to take on this challenge, for the true crime story was fascinating and certainly part of the history of the province I call home, British Columbia.
Courtesy Vancouver City Archives - 1900, Lillooet, B.C.
(Mount Chadwick)

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Home Cleansing - A Family Member's Fight...

Hello Friends,

Recently a kind gentleman reached out to the team asking for our assistance in the "cleansing" his family home. After a long conversation, his explanation and need for our help was clear. His family had been undergoing turmoil since before he had been born. It was the type of negativity and abuse passed down through the generations; from parent(s) to children. The cycle just would not stop; until one day this man fell in love with a woman of light and happiness. She helped put an end to passing it on through yet another generation. He expressed to me how truly grateful he is to her, his wife, for he had always feared this would continue through to his death and beyond. He was still fighting the demons of his family's past.. and this is part of the reason why he reached out for our help.

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Ghost Towns & Haunted Hotels - Washington USA

Hello Friends,

Recently, Lesli and I packed our bags and headed south across the Canada - USA border into the green state of Washington, USA. We had our sights on visiting the old town of Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula. I've heard stories of haunted hotels, bordellos from the early 1900s, a small ghost town area with a steel mill which closed leaving behind little evidence of it's existence, and the people.. oh yes, I heard the people are truly warm and welcoming.

I also read/heard about an interesting ghost town in the Cascade Mountains. In 1910 two trains were caught in an avalanche and killed 96 people. We decided to put it on our travel agenda of the two day trip.

It was a blue sky day, the air was crisp as we headed out in the morning to make our trip. The "lineup" (I've heard Americans criticize my use of this word, but that is how we say it here in Canada) at the border was a 10-20 minute wait, which isn't bad at all; and after a short but friendly chat with the border guard, we were on our way. We drove the I-5 to the Anacortes turn off, then followed the signs to Whidbey Island, and there we joined our dearest friend Donna in Coupeville for a ride across the northern point of Puget Sound to the peninsula and it's interesting heritage.


Photo courtesy Kati - on the Port Townsend - Coupeville Ferry