Martin Gallagher was a gold miner from California and a close associate of Edward
“Ned” McGowan, who attempted to take control of the
Fraser River mines in 1859. Before coming to
British Columbia, Gallagher had been arrested by the
San Francisco Vigilance Committee in May 1856 for political manipulation and ballot-box stuffing
during city elections and was subsequently sent off to the
Sandwich Islands.
He arrived at
the Fraser gold fields in July 1858; in September, at
Hills Bar, he reportedly took out seventeen pounds of gold on a single day and thirteen pounds
two days later, (
Gazette, 15 September 1858), and the
British Colonist reported on 16 September 1859 that
a man named Gallagher struck pay dirt, three cents to the pan, about four miles above
Boston Bar.He calls the new diggings Gallagher's Flat.
In late 1858 or early 1859, Gallagher launched a suit against the sea captain of the
ship that had conveyed him to
Honolulu and was awarded $3,000 damages, but the case was subsequently appealed to the USSupreme
Court.
San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin, 27 May, 5 and 6 June 1856; Victoria Gazette, 28 July 1858, 8 February, 29 April 1859. BCDES 7.6.