COGHLAN SETTLERS – Part 2 - From The Place Between Volume 1 pages 507-508
Among a few of the earliest pioneers in the district, was G.I. Blair who came to the area in 1886 and homesteaded 160 acres. John McDonald who came after the Vancouver fire in 1887, located at the southeast corner of Coghlan & Roberts Roads. He was the Reeve of the Municipality for several years.
The City of Vancouver owned property across the road from McDonald. The land was cleared by steam donkey & the trees & roots were left in six huge piles. An offer of $600 was made by the City to anyone who could burn any of these piles. Many people tried without success until finally some Italians came, tore the pile a part in small pieces and succeeded in burning them.
Two other earlier settlers were the Coghlan brothers who came from Alwood ON, in 1882 & homesteaded on opposite sides of the road which was later named after them.
North of the Nathaniel Coghlan property was a quarter-section homesteaded by William Forman. Mr & Mrs Forman 5 children who were left motherless when Mrs. Forman met an untimely death while on a trip to Fort Langley with the horse & rig for supplies with her sister, Mrs. Skea.
It was getting late in the day & on their return they decided to take a short cut. While climbing a steep bank, the wheels of the rig slipped over the edge of the incline, rolling the rig & pinning Mrs. Forman underneath. (see image)
At the northern end of the district John Skea homesteaded 160 acres. He came from Scotland & settled in this area in 1888.
Peter Spence settled by West Creek in 1882. A carpenter by trade, he helped rebuild Vancouver after the 1886 fire. Mr. Spence owned the 1st horse in the area, given him as part payment for building a house.
More information on these original settlers & other later settlers in the district can be found in the family history section of The Place Between 1869-1939. Though we have little to no information (when the books were written) on a few of the settlers, their names & the location of their homesteads, as well as those referred to here, can be found on the chart posted on this page yesterday.
