Wilfred Sampson
Wilfred Sampson
October 10, 1910 – December 9, 1988
Wilfred Sampson was a respected Elder and Knowledge Keeper from Shell Beach. He was a member of the Stz’uminus First Nation. Sampson was a fluent speaker of the Hul’q’umi’num’ language and generously shared his knowledge of the language, history, culture and traditions of his people with linguists and scholars. He was an important informant for linguist Thomas Hukari at the University of Victoria.
Sampson was born to Eli Sampson and Elizabeth “Ma” Sampson (née Tommy) on October 10, 1910. His grandparents were Tommy Dick (mother’s father) of Nanaimo and Sampson Peall and Susan Sidney (father’s parents). He had several siblings, including brothers Stephen Sampson (1912-2008), Scotty Sampson, Elmer Sampson, Eli Sampson and Manny Sampson and sisters Agnes Sampson, Maggie Fraser, Nora Sampson, Sara Thomas, and Edna Stogan.
Like many men living on Southern Vancouver Island at the time, he worked in the fishing and logging industries. He worked as both a fisherman and a boom man, using a pole to position logs in the water for transport. In addition, Wilfred was a well-known canoe puller who actively participated in canoe races in the region.
He married Annie Bob from the Nanoose Reserve on December 16, 1940. Her parents were Jimmy Bob and Clara David of Nanoose Bay. Prior to their marriage, Annie had been working as a housekeeper. Sadly, Annie died of tuberculosis on April 18, 1955 at the age of 36 after a six month struggle with the disease. The couple had at least two children together, daughters Janet Rose Sampson and Linda R. Louie (née Sampson).
Wilfred married a second time to Rose Lucy Alec1 from Chemainus. They lived together at Kulleet Bay until her death from cardiac arrest on July 16, 1988 at age 50. Five months after Rose’s death Wilfred passed away. He died December 9, 1988 at the age of 78 and was buried at Kulleet Bay Cemetery.
During his lifetime, Wilfred Sampson generously shared his knowledge of the Hul’q’umi’num’ language, culture, stories and traditions with linguists and other researchers. We are grateful for the significant work he carried out and the knowledge repository his sharing created.
- Also written Aleck. ↩︎