Easterby, Captain Anthony Y.
b. 1818
d. 1893-06
Easterby was a San Francisco-based merchant who instructed Rooney to explore the Queen Charlotte Islands for trade opportunities; the expedition claimed to have discovered gold and silver in a quartz vein near Una Point in April 1852.1 Easterby unsuccessfully applied for a lease to mine the area. The crew of the Una had previously discovered the vein, however, and mined it in November 1851, before running aground; Rooney, on his journey north, rescued the crew.2 Masset Haida later plundered and burned Rooney's ship, the Susan Sturges, when it returned to the coast against Captain Kuper's as well as the HBC's warnings.3 In 1858-9, Easterby sought reimbursement from the British Government for the expenses of the lost ship and exploration of the island, suggesting he was misled about the lease being granted.4
Easterby set sail from England in 1832 and spent 16 years at sea, visiting Mediterranean, Asian and South American seas. Settling in San Francisco in 1848, Easterby became a successful merchant with businesses in multiple Californian cities, many with business partner Francis Gray.5 After marrying Gray's sister, Emily, they moved to Napa where he became a prominent figure in railroad and irrigation works.6
Mentions of this person in the documents
People in this document

Gray, Francis

Kuper, Augustus L.

Rooney, Matthew

Vessels in this document

Susan Sturges

SS Una, 1849-1851

Places in this document

Haida Gwaii

San Francisco

Una Point