Item T0879:0001 - 0002 - Vaughan Kimpton interview

CALL NUMBER: T0879:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-05 & 07 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Vaughan Kimpton tells the story of his father; Rufus Ashton Kimpton; and how he came to Donald in 1883, and opened up a liquor store. Vaughan was born in Donald and the whole family moved to Windermere when he was five or six. He describes the area; the breakup of the CPR headquarters at Donald; the supreme power exercised by Gold Commissioner E.W. Griffiths; his father setting up a trading store in Windermere; the history of Revelstoke; large hide trade with the Indians; the settling of disputes before the police arrived; lists of various early settlers; how he drove a stage from 1909 to 1911, carrying mail in winter, and a description of the Windermere/Cranbrook run in detail. TRACK 2: Mr. Kimpton relates several incidents on the stage route; mention of several old timers, such as Colin C. McKee, who tried unsuccessfully to compete with Mr. Kimpton's father; mail and newspapers being the only means of outside communication; more on a priest; Wilmer as a boom town in; the early 1900s; and the naming of various towns in the area.

CALL NUMBER: T0879:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-05 & 07 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Kimpton describes the shooting of the Banjo Kid; young easterners thought they had to behave rough in the west; police came shortly after; Colin Cameron was the first constable; many tragic occurrences as a result of winter; fish was a staple food in winter; Mr. Kimpton's parents were instrumental in establishing St. Peter's in Donald; in 1900 his father disassembled the church without permission and moved it to Windermere, but the church bell was stolen in Golden; there was a Presbyterian church in Donald before St. Peter's. TRACK 2: Kimpton continues with anecdotes about the behavior of the old timers in church; more talk about Patty Ryan and Jonas Bob; Baptiste Morigeau and his family; and English remittance men in Windermere.