Gabriola settlers family trees

Silva Family Tree

Story of John Silva caming to Gabriola Island

Change of Name

At the age of sixteen Jacque was Press ganged onto a Spanish galleon. Jacque was a young and inexperienced sailor who longed for a friend and sea companion. When the captain had difficulties in comprehending Jacque's name, it was Joe Silvey who called out the name of John Silva. A name to be passed down to his family forever and a new found friend for life, when Silvey had befriended a nervous young sailor.

Canada

John now seventeen, jumped ship in 1854 with Jeo Silvey and other crew members in Victoria. A that time only about 800 white inhabitants lived on Vancouver Island.

Victoria Store

In 1863, John gave up his life as a sailor and opened a store at 27 Johnson Street in Victoria shere he sold fruit and vegetables. The Klondyke Saloon stood next door and faced Weddington Alley.

Meeting of John and Louisa

Marelee came to Victoria and cooked for one of the colony families. Dances on board the sailing ships were frequent and Louisa remembered the town criers, John Butts, pacing though the streets ringing the bell to announce the coming events. Either through the dances or through the store. Marelee met John and it was he who endowed her with the name of Louisa, probably after her own heritage.

Married

John and Louisa were married when she was 15 years old in Victoria in 1873 (no record, ? First Nation Marrage). Church marrage record in 1881 At ST. Anns Church in Duncan.

Mayne Island

To puchase Land you had to been A Citizen, John took an oath before the judge at the County Court in Victoria June 27 1876. (25 cents for certificate and 50 cents for registration) John continued to sell his vegetables but at the same time on November 20, 1875, he purchased homestead land on Mayne Island. He purchased all the property surrounding Village Bay at Active Pass.(He bought 237 acres at $1.00 per Acre. Map ) Active Pass at this time was called Plumper Pass.On July 5 1881 William and Isobella Silva were boating in Plumper Pass when their canoe overturned and the two children were losted. They sold their property to John Deacon in 1883.

Lulu Island

The Fraser river area was familiar to John and they decided to try farming at Lulu Island, where John also fished the Fraser river. The mosquitoes were thick and they bothered Louisa, one problem led to another and they decided Lulu Island was not for them.

Gabriola Island

John again applied for homestead land and found that a Mr. Henry Peterson had abandoned property on Gabriola Island, September 14 1880, which he had applied for but did not occupy or work. John bought this adondoned land along with several adjoining portions of land on April 23 1883. (Area later became Silva Bay) Map John purchased 133 acres, cleaned it, farmed it and paid for it in four years.($33.25 April 1884, $33.25 May 1885, $33.50 April 1886, and final payment #33.00 June 1887) John and Louisa were issued Homeowers Land Grant in 1887

Gabriola Island

John himself was a small man but a hard and earnest worker. By now he had built his own fishing vessel the,"Corliss Queen". He fished the local waters and the Fraser, coming home only on weekends during the fishing season. When he was home, he brough up a family, cleared his land and farmed.

Louisa was a hard working, easy-going women. They built their home situated between what is now Silva Day Resort and the Silva Bay Shipyard. Homestead

Catholic Churh

John Silva donated part of his land to the Catholic Church in 1920. Abe Crocker along with Dan and William McConvey, hauled the logs by horse from the beach and worked on building the Church. John also leased part of the land to a Japanese fellow by the name of Tanaka, who built the sawmill, "Sunrise Lumber Company".

East Gabriola School

Abe Crocker obtained permission for the building of a school and John Silva donated yet another section of land to place it on. Abe brought the logs from the beach and had the logs cut at the Sunrise Mill and helped with the building of the East Gabriola School in 1921.

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