A Rose Among the Overlanders

Catherine Schubert had the choice - stay in Fort Garry at home or join her husband and 149 other members of the Overlanders group to travel across the country in search of gold. She chose the latter and, at 5 months pregnant, packed up their three little children to travel in a covered wagon to gold country.

After a long trek, they arrived in B.C., and at the North Thompson River, where they would raft down to Kamloops . At this point of the journey, food was scarce and legend has it the group ate local vegetation, including rose hips as they were a good source of Vitamin C.

After the intense journey down the North Thompson River , they arrived October 14, 1862 late at night and set up camp. Catherine Schubert went into labour with her fourth child with no fire for heat or a doctor in sight. That night, the very first Caucasian woman was born in Kamloops . The First Nations people of the area hoped for her to be named ‘Kumloops’ as she was born at the meeting of the waters. Instead, Catherine decided to name her ‘Rose’, perhaps in tribute to the local rose hips that could have kept her healthy through such a stressful time.

Rose Schubert grew up and got married, becoming Rose Swanson, and had 13 children of her own. At the age of 80, Rose Swanson passed away in Armstrong, B.C. January 13, 1942.

Information

Howard Grieve, Manager Marketing & Communications

Tourism Kamloops

1-866-372-8081

howard@tourismkamloops.com

Special thanks for research assistance to the Kamloops Museum & Archives