Michaud Brothers

Michaud Brothers

Early Settlers in the Thornhill-Terrace area. ca 1904
Not only famous for Strawberry culture here, as well as prospecting and mine operators,
Frank and Albert Michaud were famous in their birth country, in the USA.

They took out the first claim on the “Jewel Cave”, in SD, USA
now a US National Monument in the Black Hills.
Filed the “Jewel Tunnel Lode” claim in Custer SD, Oct 31, 1900
Sold their claim to the Parks Service ca 1908 for about $750.00

per one of Frank Michaud's Granddaughters, they didn't sell the cave, it was taken from them by the US Government.
The US govt. took it from Frank's widow, after Frank's death.
President Theodore Roosevelt declared it a National Monument in 1908
(sounds like a long and interesting story on that one.)

Edward & Alfred left the US together and arrived in the now Terrace Area circa 1904.

Grandparents- Joseph Michaud
and Marie Louise Roy nee Desjardins

Father- Félix Michaud,
b- Mar 6, 1835 at l'Isle Verte, Kamouraski, Quebec
d- 1906 in Terrace BC

Mother- Margaret Jane Blundell
b- 1840 in Platteville, Wisconsin.
d- 1873 in Ft. Collins, Larimer Co, Colorado
daughter of James Blundell, and Mary Laura Gillham

They had 4 sons and a daughter:

son- Edward Felix Michaud
b- Feb 5, 1864, Arapaho County, Colorado Territory, on the Platte River, where Brighton, Co, Colorado is now located.
d- June 21, 1928 in Usk, BC

Edward shows in 1911 census in Lakelse Valley
shown as a farmer, immigrating in 1904, naturalized in 1908

daughter- Annie Laurie “Anna” Michaud
b- Mar 7, 1866, Arapaho County, Colorado Territory, on the Platte River, where Brighton, Co, Colorado is now located.
(Denver in 2nd marriage cert)
d- Oct 22, 1935, in Vancouver BC, age 69
married first time (to Wilson, see below)
married 2nd time to a Richard Firestone,
b- Apr 1866, in Indiana
d- aft 1900
They had a daughter-
Edna Firestone
Edna did take the name of her step father, Firestone.
b- July 1883 in Colorado
all living in Flathead, Libby, Montana in 1900
Anna married 2nd time, (3rd, see below) shown as a widow
Thomas John Kirkpatrick, Dec 1, 1914, at Crescent Ranch, Lakelse Lake BC
He was a Carpenter, age 43 when he married
b- Wellington Co. ON
son of William Kirkpatrick and Mary Shields

Here is corrected info from Frank's granddaughter- re: Annie
About Annie. She was ,of course, Felix and Jane's daughter. We know of her 1 st marriage , when she was very young. She ended up marrying two times more after the first one( named Wilson) the father of Edna Elizabeth, the second was Firestone —not sure where they were married & we need this information. We know she married Fitzpatrick in Terrace, her third marriage.

son- Francis “Frank” William Michaud
some sources show Wesley, this is wrong.
b- Aug 9, 1868, in Arapaho County, Colorado Territory, on the Platte River, where Brighton, Co, Colorado is now located.
d- Feb 16, 1927 at his brother Alfred's farm in Lakelse Valley, at Terrace BC, age 57
Frank's funeral was held in the Lakelse Valley School House
service by W. A. Robinson
buried in Kallum Cemetery
His home was Custer, SD—not Prerigate, (as listed in his obituary.)
brothers and sister lived in Terrace when he died.
Married Mammie “Mamie” Michaud, nee Riley, Feb 12, 1905 in SD, USA
b- Iowa
3 sons and 2 daughters all born in SD

More info from one of Frank's Grandaughters-
I also need to clarify that he was not a farmer at Terrace
—he went there as a very sick brother and lived only a short time
—thus being buried there, as are Edward, Alfred & Annie—not Albert.

son- James “Alfred” “Fred” Michaud
b- Oct 30, 1870, (Smith Settlement for baptism), Ft. Collins, Larimer Co, Colorado
d- Nov 11, 1945 in Terrace BC, age 74
pre-emption L 1099 3 miles up from the Kitsumgallum River, (Kalum River today)

Alfred shows in 1911 census in Lakelse Valley
shown as a farmer, immigrating in 1904, naturalized in 1908

son- Albert Lerock “Bert” Michaud
b- Feb 1873, Ft. Collins, Larimer Co, Colorado
(b- Fort Colburn Colorado in one source?)
d- Friday Nov 17, 1933 in Terrace BC, age 60 (59?)
he came to BC in 1911
Nov 29, 1933 they were still searching the Copper river for his body
He fell off of a raft he was using to cross the river in high water.
He was trying to resupply his trap line cabins for the winter with a friend, Bill Elders, who survived.
Fred Michaud and Joe Felber, searched for his body.
He came to the district in 1911 from Custer, SD.
He followed his brothers, who came in before that time. Bert was shown to be a keen prospector and trapper.

Nov 1923
Fred and Bert left Lakelse area, trapping.
Their trap line was on the North fork of the Copper River
They had recently brought in samples of gold ore from their St. Paul Group of Mineral Claims on Thornhill Mountain
It came from a 18“ to 2ft in width, ledge and assays on sample give $502 or 25.20 oz/ton

May 1925
Michaud Bros were selling currant bushes from their Crescent Hill Ranch, Terrace BC
(Crescent View Ranch in another article)

July 1925
Michaud Experimental farm had Fruit, Trees, Flowers, etc.
see 1926 ad below

July 1925
Fred Michaud with G. A. Clothier, resident mining Engineer, left on July 2nd to check out the “St. Paul” Group Claim on Thornhill Mountain

Oct 1926
Michaud brothers were developing a nursery 3 miles south of Terrace
They had small fruits, Ornamental trees, and Shrubs, and rose bushes.
the Skeena Wonder Strawberry was the big hit.
Hardy plant and heavy producer, great flavour, colour and size.
It was a little later producer.

Jan 1927
They developed and introduced the “Banana Spud”
It was a white spud in the shape of a banana
they were gaining prominence in Nursery circles.
they had already introduced the “Skeena Wonder Strawberry” before this.

1928
Michaud Brothers owned the Climax and St. Paul Mining Claims.
Climax was a Molybdenum mine.

May 1928
H. F. S. Woolverton representing the General Exploration Co. of Vancouver,
had taken an option on the Michaud Bros. properties on Thornhill Mountain.
the property had gold, silver, tungsten, and copper.

Aug 1931
Fred Michaud was at the Forestry Lookout on Thornhill Mountain

Mining reports show F. and H. Michaud, and J. A. Michaud

Michaud Creek is named after these brothers
It flows down the hill into the area of their homestead, near present day Timberland Trailer Park

list of Nursery stock advertized for sale

• Black Currant, 4 yr old- 10 cents ea
• Red Currants, 4 yr old- 10 cents ea
• White Currants, 4 yr old- 10 cents ea
• Thornless Blackberry, 1 yr old- 10 cents ea
• Gooseberry, 2 year old, 20 cents ea
• Skeena Wonder Strawberry Plants- 4 cents ea
• Lilacs, 1,2,3 and 4 yr old from 25 cents to $1.00 ea
• Siberian Pea Tree, 1, 2, 3, and 4 year old- 25 cents to $1.00
• Bush Honey-Suckle, 4 yr old- $1.00
• Virginia Creeper, 1 year old- 25 cents
• Perennial and Biennial Flowering Plants,

Prices on application
Rose Bushes and Ramblers (Hardy) 1 and 2 yr old, 50 cents to $1.00
Correspondence solicited
This stock is all grown on our own grounds 3 miles south of Terrace BC.
It pays to plant northern grown stock that is already acclimated.
Our prices are CASH, F.O.B. Terrace BC
signed- Michaud Bros.
Terrace. B.C.

Supposedly there is some of these strawberries in the Heritage Park Museum Heritage garden.

wished I could buy at this price today!

Skeena Wonder Strawberry ad ca 1921

The brothers are all buried at the Kitsumgallum Cemetery, off of Kalum Lake Dr (the Nishga Highway now) at the edge of the bench.

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