William Irving (steamship captain) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Irving
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William Irving
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| Born | 1816 |
| Died | August 28, 1872 (aged 55–56) |
| Occupation | steamship captain |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Dixon |
| Children | Mary, John 1854, Susan, Elizabeth, Nellie |
William Irving was a famous steamship captain and businessman. He lived and worked in Oregon, USA, and British Columbia, Canada. He was one of the first people to use steamships for travel and trade in the Pacific Northwest. Many people remember him as a very successful and well-liked captain.
In Portland, Oregon, a neighborhood called Irvington is named after him. Also, his old home in New Westminster, British Columbia, called "Irving House", is now a special historic place.
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William Irving's Early Life
William Irving was born in 1816 in a place called Annan, Scotland. When he was 15 years old, in 1831, he traveled to Boston, Massachusetts in the United States. By the time he was 25, he had become a licensed steamship captain. This meant he was officially allowed to command steamships.
Life and Business in Oregon
In 1849, William Irving moved to Oregon. On his way, he stopped in Sacramento, California. There, he helped unload cargo during the exciting time of the California Gold Rush. After that, he continued his journey to Portland.
In Portland, he bought a piece of land and started a transportation business. He used his steamships to carry lumber from California up to Portland.
Family Life in Portland
In 1851, William married Elizabeth Dixon. She was 18 years old and had just moved to Oregon from Indiana. William built a large house for his new wife right by the river. They lived there for nine years and had five children: Mary, John, Susan, Elizabeth, and Nellie.
When the family moved to British Columbia in 1859, Elizabeth's sister and her husband, George Shaver, moved into their Portland home. It became known as the "Shaver House."
After William died in 1872, his wife Elizabeth returned to Portland. She continued to manage the family's properties. Their daughter Elizabeth also built a home in the neighborhood in 1884. This house, called the "Spencer House," is still standing today and is the oldest house in that area.
Adventures in British Columbia
In 1859, William Irving and his family moved to Victoria, British Columbia. He became a partner in a company called the Victoria Steam Navigation Company. He built two new sternwheelers, which are special types of steamships. These boats were named the Governor Douglas and the Colonel Moody. They traveled between New Westminster and Victoria.
River Rivalries and Gold Rushes
William Irving faced competition on the river. Other captains, like Captain William Moore, also ran their boats on the same routes. This led to "rate wars," where prices for shipping goods and passengers dropped very low. For example, freight prices fell from $12 a ton to just 50 cents a ton!
By 1860, during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, many sternwheelers were working on the Fraser River. To stop the price wars, the boat owners decided to work together and raise their rates.
In 1862, news of more gold strikes during the Cariboo Gold Rush brought many miners to the area. This caused the rate wars to start again. Irving sold his boats, and then immediately had a new sternwheeler built. This new boat was called the Reliance. He was very busy shipping miners and supplies to Yale. From Yale, people could travel on the new Cariboo Wagon Road to the goldfields at Barkerville.
Even with new rivals, Irving managed to keep most of his customers.
Irving House and Later Years
On August 5, 1865, Captain William Irving moved his family into their new house in New Westminster. This house, located at 302 Royal Avenue, is now known as Irving House. It is the oldest house in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia that is still in its original condition.
By 1865, there were only four sternwheelers left on the lower Fraser River. Two belonged to Irving (the Reliance and Onward), and two belonged to Captain Fleming (the Lillooet and Hope). The two captains made an agreement to take turns running their boats each year and share the money they earned.
In 1871, British Columbia became a province of Canada. This agreement included a promise to build a railway to the coast. The construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway would bring new life and business to the area. Sadly, William Irving did not live long enough to see this new period of success.
He passed away on August 28, 1872, in New Westminster. On the day of his funeral, all the flags in town were lowered halfway, and all the stores were closed. He is buried at the Fraser Cemetery in New Westminster.
Even though he was only 18, William's son, John Irving, took over his father's business. John became just as successful in the river trade in British Columbia in the years that followed.
Images for kids
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William Irving
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Irving's Reliance at Yale (1880)
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Captain William Irving
