‘WILD GOOSE’ BILL A TRUE ‘CHARACTER’
Valley’s history filled with them
When I first discovered references to William “Wild Goose Bill” McLaughlin, my immediate reaction was to affix to him the appellation “character”, defined by “The Oxford Modern English Dictionary” (1992) as “an eccentric or outstanding individual.”
I have seen the label “character” applied to local historic figures, some whose lives I have researched and whose stories have appeared in this column. These “characters” include:
William “Scotty” Donaldson (circa 18221882): volatile Scottish-born, Cariboo roadhouse owner, who settled in Ellison about 1872, and is commemorated by a nearby waterway — Scotty Creek;
Max Major (1850-1930): Newfoundland-born pioneer who owned land in present-day Lake Country, who believed that clothing and personal hygiene were unnecessary options;
Loftus Beard (1860-1939): English-born miner who came to the Okanagan in the late 1890s and promptly changed his name to Harry Mills, having served time in an English jail in the 1880s;
Hugh “Turkey” Turner (1874-1956): Ontario-born coach builder who lived in a shack on Knox Mountain, his turkeys as constant companions as he waged war with the City of Kelowna because of alleged flooding from its nearby reservoir:
Margaret “Maggie” Smith (nee Currie; 18751959): English-born Kelowna resident and “proud possessor of a scintillating vocabulary of profanity, a volatile temper and a propensity for alcoholic beverages.”(from the Okanagan Historical Society “Thirty-third Report,” 1969, page 81);
Earl Russell “Pinky” Raymer (1901-65): Manitoba-born Kelowna taxi driver, remembered as the producer, purveyor, and distributor of alcoholic beverages — a bootlegger;
Barbara Keller (nee Allan; 1907-86): American-born, salty-tongued antiques maven who, for many years, held court at “Jester’s Antiques”, in the historic Surtees Barn on Lakeshore Road;
Paul “Nature Boy” Desnoyers (1912-1985): well-known in Lake Country, for his toned senior’s body and love of walking, no distance too great or challenging.
By no means, is this list complete. Other names — William Pion, Mary Postill, Coutts Marjoribanks or Dan Gallagher — might be included as “characters.” Application of this label is subjective, there being no set criteria for its use.
A cursory glance at the names on my list provides insight about “characters.” They are predominantly white males, with few women or people of colour. Some of these men — Scotty Donaldson, Loftus Beard, Turkey Turner, Max Major, Pinky Raymer and Dan Gallagher — lived on their own, although they may have been married. With wives and families living elsewhere.
Non-whites — including Indigenous, Chinese, Japanese, and Southeast Asians – while not generally labelled as “characters,” have not escaped the scrutiny of the public. These individuals have often been treated judgmentally, racist names sometimes applied to them and their actions looked upon with scorn and disdain — with little sense of acceptance or compassion.
While white male “characters” might be looked upon with humour or gentle reprobation — perhaps evoking a smile or chuckle — non-white “characters” were looked down on, isolated, and judged severely. It was not a level playing field.
The “character” label has been applied for various reasons: lifestyle, interactions with other people, strong character traits (such as volatile tempers) or perhaps an addiction, usually to alcohol.
The characteristics which caused certain individuals to become “characters” were upfront and clear, separating them from the general population, possibly heightening their particular idiosyncrasies and further alienating them from the general public.
I have difficulty applying the descriptor “character” to an individual, knowing that it is often based upon a singular character trait or lifestyle factor, and was not applied to people on an equal basis, serving as another opportunity to rate and rank people because of their ethnicity, religion, and beliefs.
I now return to my discovery of “Wild Goose Bill” McLaughlin and my unfortunate automatic reaction to label him as another Okanagan “character.” I withdraw this label, believing it too narrow in its focus. Instead, I will attempt to chronicle the life of this Okanagan pioneer, accepting there are rocky — possibly even disturbing — patches along the way.
On page 38 of “A Bit of Okanagan History”, historian Dorothy Hewlett Gellatly provides an introduction to Wild Goose Bill, subject of this week’s article:
“Such a pseudonym as “Wild Goose Bill.”however, was not to be lost in oblivion by his (Bill Perkins, the original “Wild Goose Bill”) disappearance, as one William McLaughlin, apparently envious of either the reputation or the title, or perhaps both, promptly stepped into his predecessor’s shoes, claiming the title as his own.
“So we, by reason of some twenty odd years of residence, call ourselves old-timers, yet laying no claim to being pioneers, became acquainted with “Wild Goose Bill” the second, not being aware that he was but an imitation — that sincerest form of flattery — of the original. He proved, however, to be an excellent imitator, and was at one time arrested (and) promptly marched to the magistrate, who gave Bill a sentence of two years.”
I can find no reference to Bill Perkins — the original Wild Goose Bill — in Okanagan Historical Society “Reports”. Nor can I find him in the 1881, 1891 or 1901 Canada Census.
On page 37 of “A Bit of Okanagan History,” Dorothy Hewlett Gellatly records that Bill Perkins operated a ferry that crossed the Columbia River in what is now Washington state. She adds that: “On one occasion, at the (international) boundary, a man with whom Wild Goose Bill (Bill Perkins) had had several altercations, threatened him, and trouble ensued, which terminated in a fight, during which Bill shot and killed his opponent in self-defence.
“Bill apparently was quick tempered, and very handy with a gun, a rather dangerous combination … What became of him is unknown, but he was never seen in this part of the country again.”
The life of William McLaughlin — the second Wild Goose Bill and this article’s raison d’être — including his frequent run-ins with the law, will be recounted in next week’s column.