Downie, William, 1819-1894

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Born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1819, Downie worked as a sailor before joining the Gold Rush in San Francisco in 1849. He mined near Sacramento and along the Yuba River in California, in British Columbia (where he also studied the Canadian Indians and made reports about the topography of the land around the Skeena River), and in Panama. He founded the California town of Downieville. A volume of his reminiscences, Hunting for Gold, was published in 1893, by the California Publishing Company in San Francisco. He died in San Francisco in 1894.

From the description of William Downie writings on gold mining, ca. 1865-1892. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 80581508

From the description of William Downie writings on gold mining, ca. 1865-1892. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 702161294

William Downie was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1819. He worked as sailor before joining the Gold Rush in San Francisco in 1849. He mined near Sacramento and along the Yuba River in California, in British Columbia (where he studied Canadian Indians and made reports to the Canadian government about the topography of the land around the Skeena River and the British Columbia coastline), and in Panama. He founded the California town of Downieville, California's first state capitol. A volume of his reminiscences, Hunting for Gold, was published in 1893 by the California Publishing Company in San Francisco. He died in San Francisco in 1894.

From the guide to the William Downie papers relating to exploration of British Columbia, 1858-[19--?], (Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library)

Born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1819, Downie worked as a sailor before joining the Gold Rush in San Francisco in 1849. He mined near Sacramento and along the Yuba River in California, in British Columbia (where he studied Canadian Indians and made reports about the topography of the land around the Skeena River), and in Panama. He founded the California town of Downieville. A volume of his reminiscences, Hunting for Gold, was published in 1893, by the California Publishing Company in San Francisco. He died in San Francisco in 1894.

From the description of William Downie papers relating to exploration of British Columbia, 1858-[19--?]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 702172200

From the description of William Downie papers relating to exploration of British Columbia, 1859-[19--?]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 78217476

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (1909 : Seattle, Wash.) corporateBody
associatedWith Booth and Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Booth and Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Booth and Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. corporateBody
associatedWith Bulkeley, E. person
associatedWith Bulkeley, E. person
associatedWith Douglas, James, 1803-1877. person
associatedWith Downie, William, 1818-1893. person
associatedWith Duncan, William, 1832-1918. person
associatedWith Galloway, James, fl. 1892. person
correspondedWith Garrison family. family
associatedWith Lippincott, Charles E. person
associatedWith Lippincott, Charles E. person
associatedWith MacDonald, Calvin B. person
associatedWith MacDonald, Calvin B. person
associatedWith McDonald, Alexander. person
associatedWith McDonald, Alexander. person
associatedWith Pioneer Association of B.C. corporateBody
associatedWith Quesnelle Mining Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Robson, John, fl. 1886. person
associatedWith Shuber, Henry. person
associatedWith Shuber, John. person
associatedWith Tevis, Robert. person
associatedWith Tevis, Robert. person
associatedWith Waage, Chris. person
associatedWith Waage, Chris. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Skeena River (B.C.)
Quesnel River (B.C.)
California
Queen Charlotte Islands (B.C.)
Panama
Fort Alexandria (B.C.)
San Francisco (Calif.)
Newcastle (Calif.)
Portland (Or.)
San Francisco (Calif.)
San Francisco (Calif.)
British Columbia
Kootenay Region (B.C.)
California
Port Essington (B.C.)
Haida Gwaii (B.C.)
Okanagan River Valley (B.C. and Wash.)
Washington (State)
Fort Alexandria (B.C.)
Downieville (Calif.)
British Columbia
Downieville (Calif.)
Fort Simpson (N.W.T.)
Kootenay Region (B.C.)
British Columbia
Port Essington (B.C.)
Quesnel River (B.C.)
Fraser River (B.C.)
Fraser River (B.C.)
British Columbia
Newcastle (Calif.)
Okanagan River Valley (B.C. and Wash.)
Port Essington (B.C.)
Skeena River (B.C.)
British Columbia
Portland (Or.)
Washington (State)
Washington (State)
Fraser River (B.C.)
British Columbia
Skeena River (B.C.)
Fort Simpson (N.W.T.)
Fort Alexandria (B.C.)
Panama
Kootenay Region (B.C.)
California
California--Downieville
Okanagan River Valley (B.C. and Wash.)
Portland (Or.)
Newcastle (Calif.)
Subject
British Columbia
California
Chinese
Chinese
Dueling
Dueling
Gold mines and mining
Gold mines and mining
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Maps
Mines and mineral resources
Mines and mineral resources
Occupation
Explorers
Explorers
Gold miners
Activity

Person

Birth 1819

Death 1894

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