For immediate assistance for those who may need it, the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day at 1-866-925-4419.
The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba has records of 202 deaths of students at residential schools on Vancouver Island. Here are their names and the dates of their deaths, if known.
Ahousaht
Originally a Presbyterian-run day school, the Ahousaht school received federal government funding starting in 1904. It was taken over by the United Church in 1925. When the school was destroyed by fire in 1940, it was replaced with a day school.
• Arthur — July 1913
• Bella Peter — May 30, 1910
• Carrie George — April 6, 1916
• Dora Noshkepy — March 13, 1908
• Edward Arnold — June 28, 1909
• Emil Howard — Not known
• Frank Ubaldus — Not known
• George Quisot — Jan. 28, 1906
• Katie Manulth — Aug. 10, 1910
• May Harris — March 4, 1910
• Sophie Noothlenu — Sept. 3, 1910
• Tillian Mckay — June 15, 1908
• William Maquina — Nov. 11, 1906
Alberni
In 1893, the Presbyterian Church built the Alberni Girls Home near Port Alberni. It was taken over by the United Church in 1925 and closed in 1973. In 1995, a former supervisor was convicted of 18 counts of indecent assault against students and sentenced to 11 years in jail.
• Annie Jack — Not known
• Bertha Fred — Feb. 14, 1937
• Cyril Mussel — Oct. 4, 1946
• Dalton Silver — June 13, 1941
• David Thomas — Nov. 11, 1972
• Edward Thompson, Jan. 1, 1946
• Gary Hopkins — May 13, 1973
• Gary James Hopkins — March 31, 1981
• Gary Ross — Sept. 5, 1962
• Gerald Wilson — July 9, 1970
• Herb Robert Green — Jan. 1, 1951
• Ivan Wilson — Nov. 10, 1973
• Jack Williams — Nov. 19, 1905
• Katie Taylor — Dec. 12, 1908
• Lily Peal Smith — Dec. 3, 1945
• Maisie Shaw — Dec. 26, 1946
• Mary Bob — Feb. 14, 1937
• Mary Elaine George — Oct. 5, 1964
• Mary Taylor — Oct. 1, 1908
• Maud Jackson — November 1908
• Mitchell Joseph — May 26, 1969
• Nellie Kiutesi — Not known
• Norman Bob — April 7, 1942
• Ramona Taylor — Oct. 13, 1949
• Shirley Leslie Williams — May 17, 1963
• Taylor Santo — Aug. 13, 1906
• Theodore McKay — May 22, 1941
• Violet McKay — Feb. 14, 1937
• Virginia Moses — March 15, 1946
• Yinnito Taylor — July 1899
Christie school, Meares Island / Tofino
Overcrowding was common throughout much of the Christie Roman Catholic school’s history, which opened in 1900. In 1971, the school was closed and students moved to the Christie Student Residence in Tofino. The residence was transferred to the West Coast District Council of Indian Chiefs in 1974 and closed in 1983.
• Adolph Maurus — Dec. 15, 1936
• Agnes Amos — Dec. 20 1952
• Alice George — Oct. 18 or 19, 1939
• Anderson Sye — Jan. 1, 1934
• Andrew Tom — Sept. 8, 1939
• Catherine Marshall — Jan. 1, 1941
• Cecil Williams — Sept. 14, 1939
• Clara Andrew — May 5, 1935
• Dolores George — June 24, 1955
• George Johnson — Oct. 24, 1939
• James Louie George — May 28, 1937
• Jessie Lucas — Jan. 1, 1940
• Joan Manson — Jan. 3, 1952
• Joseph Ignace — Feb. 16, 1937
• Lawrence Thompson — Jan. 1, 1937
• Lorena Thomas — Nov. 24, 1944
• Mary Vincent — Aug. 10, 1948
• Pearl Michael — Sept. 24, 1958
• Rose Johnson — Jan. 1, 1941
• Samson Mclean — March 21, 1949
• Stanley Joseph — June 6, 1939
• Thomas Campbell — Aug. 8, 1958
Penelakut (Kuper) Island
The Kuper Island School opened in 1889 and was run by the Catholic Church. Two sisters drowned while trying to escape in 1959 and another student died by suicide in 1966. The federal government took over administration in 1969, closing the school in 1975. In 1995, a former employee admitted three charges of indecent assault and gross indecency.
• Adelina Paul — Oct. 10, 1900
• Adeline Celestine Jones — Oct. 13, 1917
• Alfred William — Sept. 7, 1909
• Allen Jameson — ca. 1941
• Aloysius Daniel — May 15, 1922
• Aloysius Wilson — July 10, 1920
• Amanda Frenchie — December 1892
• Amanda James — Dec. 1, 1909
• Amos Johnson — Jan. 27, 1906
• Andrew Joseph — May 22, 1938
• Angus Crocker — 1902 or 1903
• Anna Amie — Oct. 19, 1918
• Annie Pappenburger — January 1910
• Annie Tommy — June 23, 1917
• August Jimmy — March 30, 1894
• August Tseleokanum — Feb. 4, 1894
• Belinda Marie Jack — Nov. 17, 1966
• Bernadette Thomas — ca. Jan. 1, 1948
• Beverly Joseph — Jan. 1, 1959
• Bob Pierre — Not known
• Caroline Felix — June 2, 1966
• Caroline Jacob — December 1892
• Caroline Williams — April 20, 1920
• Catherine Jacob — December 1892
• Catherine Johnny — ca. 1915
• Catherine Tom — Jan. 14, 1911
• Celina Thomas — March 1900
• Charlie Bob — Not known
• Christine Harry — Not known
• Clothilda Willie — 1901 or 1902
• Cosmas Ya-Epoutle — Aug. 25, 1891
• Delphina Theoqualt — Jan. 1, 1920
• Donalda Philip — March 14, 1933
• Eddie Bob — Not known
• Edgar Basil — Aug. 1, 1909
• Eline Frenchie — Oct. 18, 1892
• Eliza Louis — Jan. 1, 1902
• Eliza Page — June 27, 1900
• Elizabeth Smith — Jan. 1, 1937
• Ellen Casimir — April 23, 1908
• Ellen Moses — ca. 1897
• Elmer Hardy — Feb. 29, 1928
• Emile Keith — April 16, 1908
• Emily Peter — Not known
• Emma Williams — Jan. 5, 1928
• Etienne Harry — July 1909
• Eva Hall — May 5, 1922
• Everest Alex George — May 15 to June 5, 1940
• Felix Antoine — May 1892
• Francois Johnny — Jan. 13, 1894
• Frank Johnny — Sept. 23, 1898
• George Baptist — 1896 or 1897
• George George — March 6, 1897
• George Moses — Feb. 1 to 10, 1938
• Harold Araneda — Feb. 14, 1924
• Harry Johnny — Not known
• Henry Johnny — Not known
• Henry Willie — Aug. 25, 1917
• Herbert Gabourie — Dec. 29, 1898
• Ida Tom — June 18, 1901
• Jasper Mitchell — March 18, 1924
• Jeannen Joe — Not known
• Jim Baptist — Not known
• Joe Edwards — Not known
• John Baptist Jim — March 1, 1909
• Johnny Jack — Feb. 7, 1898
• Joseph Basil — Not known
• Joseph Jacob — ca. July 1, 1922
• Josephine Jacob — Jan. 30, 1895
• Josephine Norris — ca. 1897
• Jules Tseleskampten — October 1895
• Lena Ruben — Jan. 1, 1919
• Lilly Leo Charlie — Oct. 16, 1936
• Lizzie Johnny — March 27, 1924
• Lizzie Joseph Edward — June 6, 1935
• Louisa Williams — Not known
• Lucy O’Sheam — June 29, 1910
• Lucy Peter Norris — Jan. 1, 1920
• Mabel Moses — Oct. 31, 1924
• Maggie Bob — Not known
• Margaret Louis — Dec. 30, 1907
• Maria Mclean — Oct. 28, 1924
• Marie Thorne — Dec. 2, 1950
• Martha Phillip — May 23, 1934
• Mary Agnes Johnston — ca. Jan. 1, 1907
• Mary Josie Siah — Sept. 3, 1922
• Mildred James — Oct. 11, 1935
• Modest Kosteinagant — Aug. 6, 1894
• Moise Jim — Not known
• Nelson Sophy — Jan. 1, 1959
• Norma Pauline Frank — June 1948
• Norman Clarence Aleck — June 24, 1980
• P. Williams — Not known
• Patricia Marilyn Joseph — Jan. 17, 1959
• Patrick Joe — Jan. 30, 1917
• Peter Siah — Jan. 1, 1934
• Philip Jack — April 1910
• Pierre Bob — Not known
• Raymond A. Brown — Dec. 29, 1940
• Richard Thomas — June 2, 1966
• Rosalie Moses — April 30 to May 5, 1923
• Rosalina Johnny — Jan. 1, 1920
• Rosy Michael David — Jan. 1, 1942
• Samuel Anghame — May 22, 1893
• Samuel Whonock — Sept. 25, 1894
• Simon Gontek — ca. Jan. 1, 1894
• Simon Tom — 1894 or 1895
• Sophie Baptist — Not known
• Sophie Casimir — Not known
• Sophie Joseph — May 13, 1916
• Stanley Frank — March 20, 1938
• Stanley Paul — Dec. 31, 1947
• Theophane Johnny — December 1894
• Thomas Jim — Sept. 22, 1906
• Tommy Aleck — Not known
• Vera Underwood — Not known
• Verneda David — 1938 or 1939
• Veronica Classetow Canute — Oct. 15, 1917
• William Jones — Jan. 28, 1928
• William Peter — Not known
• Willie Henry — Not known
St. Michael’s, Alert Bay
The Anglican Church established a day school in Alert Bay in 1878. It opened a small boarding school there in 1882 and an industrial school in 1894. In 1929, a new building was constructed. In 1947, two dozen children ran away from the school; an investigation into conditions led to the resignation of the principal and the vice-principal. The school closed in 1974.
• Andrea Helen Alfred — June 4, 1965
• Alfred McKay — Jan. 1, 1932
• Douglas Benson — Not known
• Eva George — ca. 1944
• George L. Humchitt — Aug. 30, 1944
• Jackie Archie James — Not known
• Lucy Gordon — ca. Jan. 1, 1933
• Molly Irene Moon — Aug. 23, 1961
• Mona — 1902 or 1903
• Reggie Allan — May 20, 1948
• Samson Edgar — May 1 to Sept. 30, 1939
• Samson Harris — Jan. 12, 1923
• Sophia Edgar — May 1939
• Thomas Mason — Sept. 19, 1925
• May Nysok — April 9, 1932
