JANUARY
Peter O’Reilly purchases ticket to New York for £18 – requests transfer of pension – visits childhood home of Ballybeg – visits with friends, trains horses, and returns to Faccary one last time to see the Ellis family.
FEBRUARY
“Busy Packing” – travels to Galway to catch New York bound ship – boards the Prince Albert in the “Saloon” (First Class) section – “Very ill nearly all on board sea sick” – “sea running mountains high” – “a hurricane rough all night” – icebergs and field ice seen – arrival in St Johns, then New York.
MARCH
Peter attends the theatre in New York City – posts letters to Mrs Louisa “Mamsey” Ellis in Ireland – arranges $125 passage to San Francisco via Panama – arrives in Aspinwall (Panama) in one week – travels by train to Pacific coast to board San Francisco-bound ship – observes rough weather, sharks, whales, porpoises – stops in Acapulco – attends two plays in San Francisco.
APRIL
Departs for Victoria aboard the Brother Jonathan with stops in Astoria and Portland – “Beautiful wooded senery all the way” – arrival at Esquimalt – unable to obtain meeting with Governor James Douglas for a few days – appointed “Resident Magistrate” for Langley – temporarily lodges at Langley courthouse – takes charge of post office.
MAY
Receives trading licences for Fort Langley – settles disputes – holds trial for Indians accused of assault, another trial involving robbery of Indians – establishes permanent lodging and starts garden – travels to Queensborough (New Westminster) for Queen’s Birthday celebrations – dinner with Royal Engineers.
JUNE
Meets with Gov Douglas – attends church services by Reverend Crickmer – writes to friends in Ireland including Mamsey – dines with Dr Pears and Rev Crickmer – grand jury in court.
JULY
“American Independence – Firing off guns all night.” – four cases heard at Fort Langley – “musketoes in millions – remained in house all day” – Fort Langley village destroyed by fire – prepares fire report for Gov Douglas.
AUGUST
Tensions rise over the boundary dispute between the US and Britain in San Juan Islands – prepares list of all British subjects – “Queensborough” name changes to “New Westminster” as promoted by Queen Victoria – receives appointment as “assistant Register” – travels to Victoria to meet with Gov Douglas – becomes High Sheriff of BC at increased salary of £300 per year.
SEPTEMBER
“Felt very lonely all day – cannot help thinking of my old & dear friends” – travels to Hope and encounters two “Yankees” who think Peter intends to arrest them – travels to interior via Hudson’s Bay trail – “fearful hard work – at every turn a dead horse or mule”.
OCTOBER
Holds court in Hope – issues miner’s certificates – travels to Port Douglas to hold court – convicts Indian of murdering Frenchman and sentences the man to death – travels to Fort Langley – worries about Mamsey and Charlotte, “I wonder if I shall ever be with them – It is what I wish most for in this world”.
NOVEMBER
Winter sets in at Hope – holds court and issues mining certificates – ice skating – Steamer Colonel Moody runs aground causing all mail deliveries to stop – “If I were back at home once more it would take a deal to induce me to leave it”.
DECEMBER
Suffers bad headaches – purchases a 5-acre lot in Yale – holds court – disapproves of new Methodist clergyman Robson and prefers Anglican minister
Back to Peter O’Reilly’s 1859 Diary
Peter O’Reilly’s 1859 diary has been transcribed by volunteers and staff of the Vancouver Island Local History Society and is for informational purposes only. Researchers interested in this diary are advised to consult the original document housed at the Royal British Columbia Museum & Archives, found in MS-2894, the O’Reilly family fonds.