The Schuberts — Kamloops, BC - British Columbia Heritage Markers on Waymarking.com

The Schuberts were a family of five that travelled from Fort Garry, what is now known as Winnipeg, to British Columbia looking for wealth through gold mining.

Catherine's (1835-1918) story is one both typical and unique of pioneering women in the 19th century to western North America. Born Catherine O'Hare in Ireland, the youngest of nine children, at age sixteen she sailed to the United States. There she worked as a maid in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Three years later she met her future husband, Augustus Schubert. He was immigrant from German whose trade was carpentry. After being married they moved to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1858. When a economic depression hit the region they moved to Fort Garry, Rupert's Land.

When gold was discovered along the Fraser River in 1858 there was a mad rush of people seeking fortune. Most people arrived in British Columbia via ships through Victoria. However a group of about 150 settlers from Ontario opted to travel across North America. This group is known as the Overlanders of 1862.

The Overlanders arrived in Fort Garry in May 1862 Augustus and Catherine decided to join the party. However, Catherine was four months pregnant. She joined Augustus and took care of her three children - ages five, three, and one - on this incredible trek across the Canadian Prairies and through the Rocky Mountains.

Having gone through Yellowhead Pass they reached the upper reaches of the North Thompson River - the river seen behind the plaque in the photos - at which point they put their possessions on rafts and floated down the river. While on the raft Catherine went into labour and gave birth to another daughter, Rose.

As the winter of 1862/63 was settling in when they arrived at Fort Kamloops the Schuberts opted to stay and cooked for the Hudson's Bay Company employees.

In the spring of 1863 they went west to Lillooet and then north to Quesnel. By 1881 they finally settled down by purchasing a farm in the Okanagan Valley. After her husband's death in 1908 Catherine moved to Armstrong and died in July 1918.

Type of Marker: Cultural Type of Sign: Historic Site or Building Marker Describe the parking that is available nearby: On Schubert Drive What Agency placed the marker?: City of Kamloops Parks & Recreation Dept. | Kamloops Heritage Committee

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