Tom Thornhill

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Tom Thornhill
Tom Thornhill.jpg
Tom Thornhill is the namesake of Thornhill, British Columbia.
Born1855
Kent, England
DiedJuly 15, 1910
Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Burial placeOld Prince Rupert Cemetery
MonumentsThornhill Landing, Thornhill, British Columbia
CitizenshipEngland
SpouseEliza Wright (m. 1982)

Tom Thornhill (1855 – July 15, 1910) was an English settler and one of the first non-Indigenous residents in the Skeena River Valley, British Columbia. [1] [2] [3] [4] The unincorporated community of Thornhill located west of Terrace is named after him. [3] [5] [6] He is known for his significant role in early settlement and as a representative of the unique cultural interconnections between European settlers and Indigenous peoples in the late 19th century. [2] [7] [8]

Contents

Early life and background

Tom Thornhill was born in Kent, England, in 1855. [3] He emigrated to Canada with his family at the age of three, settling in Victoria, British Columbia. [3] Thornhill came from a family of some means, and his father was actively involved in church affairs. [3] Tom is believed to have trained as a blacksmith, but a lung disorder, possibly caused by his trade, led him to seek a different way of life. [3] [6]

Marriage to Eliza Wright

While traveling in the Fraser Valley, Thornhill met Eliza Wright, a member of the Kitselas Tsimshian nation and sister to Kitselas Chief Walter Wright. [2] [3] [5] [7] [9] [10] [11] [12] Eliza was considered part of the “royal family” within her community. [3] [9] The couple married and moved to the Skeena River Valley in 1892, settling on land near the Kitselas Canyon. [2] [3] [5] [10] [13] Their marriage represented a rare union at the time between an English settler and a prominent Indigenous woman. [3] [9]

Life on the Skeena

Upon settling near the Skeena River, Thornhill and Eliza established themselves on a prime fishing site granted by Eliza's lineage. [2] [3] The area, known as Thornhill's Landing, became a stopping point for riverboats traveling up the Skeena River. [1] [3] [8] [14] While Eliza hunted, trapped, and traded furs, Tom farmed the land, producing vegetables and flowers for the riverboats. [3] [8] [12] The couple's cabin also served as a host site for travellers. [3] [9] [10]

Death and legacy

Monument to Tom Thornhill, located under the Dudley Little Bridge, at Thornhill Landing, in Thornhill, British Columbia. The Tom and Eliza Thornhill Monument was commemorated on July 30, 1993. Monument to Tom Thornhill.jpg
Monument to Tom Thornhill, located under the Dudley Little Bridge, at Thornhill Landing, in Thornhill, British Columbia. The Tom and Eliza Thornhill Monument was commemorated on July 30, 1993.

Tom Thornhill died in 1910, three years after Eliza's death in 1907. [3] [9] He is buried in the Garden Island Cemetery, near Prince Rupert. [3] Thornhill's 186-acre homestead, claimed under the Homestead Act of 1906, was later sold and contributed to the development of the Skeena River Valley. [3]

Commemoration

Thornhill's contributions are honoured through various memorials and landmarks:

Cultural and historical significance

Tom and Eliza's story highlights the intersection of European settler and Indigenous histories in British Columbia. [3] [8] [9] Their partnership exemplifies early intercultural relationships and their role in shaping local communities. [3] [9] [10] [11] [12] Eliza's significant contributions as a trapper and community member also emphasize the often-overlooked role of Indigenous women in settler history. [8] [12] [15]

The couple's memory continues to be celebrated as a symbol of the historical ties between Indigenous peoples and settlers in the Skeena Valley. [3] [5] [6] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [15] Efforts to rename local landmarks, such as restoring the name of Sockeye Creek to Eliza Creek, further underscore the importance of their legacy. [8] [10] [11] [12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Facilities & Parks". www.rdks.bc.ca. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Thornhill Official Community Plan". www.rdks.bc.ca. 2020-05-22. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Watmough, Les. "Tom Thornhill". www.terracelibrary.ca. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  4. ↑ "Terrace has done plenty of growing since 1892". Prince George Citizen. 1964-03-31. p. 57. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Terrace History". www.terrace.ca. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Speirs, Margaret (2016-12-09). "New 'Welcome to Thornhill' sign being crafted". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  7. 1 2 "Thornhill Fire Lookout Recreation Site: Visitor Map and Guide" (PDF). www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca. 2012. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wiebe, Kelsey (2015-06-17). "There's far more to Terrace's history than white men". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Historic Couple Remembered". www.terracelibrary.ca. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Massey, Josh (2013-03-02). "Push underway to change name of Terrace area creek". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Massey, Josh (2013-04-14). "Creek name change investigated in Terrace, B.C. area". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Massey, Josh (2013-07-18). "More support for creek name change". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  13. ↑ Bogstie, Ben (2020-08-25). "Proposed Eliza's Village development in Thornhill seeking zoning amendments". Terrace Standard. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  14. ↑ Asante, Nadine (1972). The History of Terrace. Terrace Public Library Association.
  15. 1 2 Quezada, Dustin (2006-08-02). "Pioneer women, pioneer play" (PDF). Terrace Standard. p. 17.
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