TURGEON, CHARLES BLAISE-A JOYFUL MAN
Charles Blaise Turgeon was born in 1856 at St. Isidore in the Province of Quebec. He left his native province in 1880 and went to Wisconsin, US, and set up a business in wood and in hotels. In 1893, he went North going through the Chilkoot Pass. Accompanying him was John Tremblay, a Klondike pioneer who was going to the Yukon for the second or third time. While on his trip North, Turgeon spent a bit of time in Circle City, Alaska before settling in Dawson City where he worked in the hotel business.
He kept a personal journal in which he wrote about daily events. On one of the pages there is a note concerning a loan of $1000 dollars to Tex Richard, a world celebrity in sports.
When the Gold Rush started in the Klondike, Turgeon was in Ogilvie, a small village on the right shore of the Yukon River about 50 miles (80 km) above Dawson city. He arrived there a bit late, but if we believe what he wrote in his journals, he was able to obtain quite a few mining stakes on the richest streams of the Klondike. Among these mining concessions, was no. 8 Bonanza which he re-sold a bit later for $65,000. He also owned interests in the no. 35 Eldorado with "Swifter Bill" Gates, a well-known wealthy man in the Klondike. In other words, his financial methods enabled him to purchase what he wanted, especially land. On June 19, 1898 he bought lot no. 8 of block H in Dawson City. In 1920, he was the owner of 160 acres (65 hectares) in the Yukon. Furthermore, between 1920 and 1926 he obtained lands located in the Mayo region.
His businesses were not always that prosperous. One day he bought a steam-boat , the Golden Star, and started to transport merchandise between Whitehorse and Dawson City. During his second trip the Golden Star sank. The steamboat was about the size of the Keno boat and had merchandise valued at $100,000. After having left Dawson City Turgeon prospected in the region of the McQuesten River during six or second years. In 1908, he took part in the small gold rush on Dublin Creek, in the Mayo district. During the following years, he was very busy in various jobs. For example he did carpentry, and trapping. Charles Blais Turgeon was a trapper until the age of 77.
In August 1915, he was a trapper when he married a Native woman, Maisie, from Mayo who had three daughters: Ellen, Julia, and Suzanne. During the 1930's the family lived in the Mayo region on a large lot and had a wonderful garden. Charles and Maisie raised their grand-daughters: Rose (Wood), Mary (McDiarmid), and Ruth (McDonald).
Warm and always joyful, Charles B. Turgeon was well known and respected by everyone. He was described as a man who conversed pleasantly, who never spoke meanly about anyone and who had a good sense of humor. He adored the Yukon so much so that he never left it even when he had repeated invitations from his niece in San Francisco, Mrs. Alexine Chadborn.
He died in Mayo on October 21, 1938 aged 82, quite a few years after his wife had died.
Ref: Empreinte, vol.11, pages 94-95-96
Charles Blaise Turgeon was born in 1856 at St. Isidore in the Province of Quebec. He left his native province in 1880 and went to Wisconsin, US, and set up a business in wood and in hotels. In 1893, he went North going through the Chilkoot Pass. Accompanying him was John Tremblay, a Klondike pioneer who was going to the Yukon for the second or third time. While on his trip North, Turgeon spent a bit of time in Circle City, Alaska before settling in Dawson City where he worked in the hotel business.
He kept a personal journal in which he wrote about daily events. On one of the pages there is a note concerning a loan of $1000 dollars to Tex Richard, a world celebrity in sports.
When the Gold Rush started in the Klondike, Turgeon was in Ogilvie, a small village on the right shore of the Yukon River about 50 miles (80 km) above Dawson city. He arrived there a bit late, but if we believe what he wrote in his journals, he was able to obtain quite a few mining stakes on the richest streams of the Klondike. Among these mining concessions, was no. 8 Bonanza which he re-sold a bit later for $65,000. He also owned interests in the no. 35 Eldorado with "Swifter Bill" Gates, a well-known wealthy man in the Klondike. In other words, his financial methods enabled him to purchase what he wanted, especially land. On June 19, 1898 he bought lot no. 8 of block H in Dawson City. In 1920, he was the owner of 160 acres (65 hectares) in the Yukon. Furthermore, between 1920 and 1926 he obtained lands located in the Mayo region.
His businesses were not always that prosperous. One day he bought a steam-boat , the Golden Star, and started to transport merchandise between Whitehorse and Dawson City. During his second trip the Golden Star sank. The steamboat was about the size of the Keno boat and had merchandise valued at $100,000. After having left Dawson City Turgeon prospected in the region of the McQuesten River during six or second years. In 1908, he took part in the small gold rush on Dublin Creek, in the Mayo district. During the following years, he was very busy in various jobs. For example he did carpentry, and trapping. Charles Blais Turgeon was a trapper until the age of 77.
In August 1915, he was a trapper when he married a Native woman, Maisie, from Mayo who had three daughters: Ellen, Julia, and Suzanne. During the 1930's the family lived in the Mayo region on a large lot and had a wonderful garden. Charles and Maisie raised their grand-daughters: Rose (Wood), Mary (McDiarmid), and Ruth (McDonald).
Warm and always joyful, Charles B. Turgeon was well known and respected by everyone. He was described as a man who conversed pleasantly, who never spoke meanly about anyone and who had a good sense of humor. He adored the Yukon so much so that he never left it even when he had repeated invitations from his niece in San Francisco, Mrs. Alexine Chadborn.
He died in Mayo on October 21, 1938 aged 82, quite a few years after his wife had died.
Ref: Empreinte, vol.11, pages 94-95-96
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