William Henry Voght, a native of Germany, who turned from gold hunting to ranching, was one of the oldest and best known of Nicola Valley’s pioneers. He is generally credited with being the father of Merritt.
Voght was one of the original “forty-niners,” people who left their homes in search of gold in North America.
At the tender age of 16, he migrated to California, making the voyage around Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of South America, and up to North America.
Supposedly, he did not take a liking to gold panning there and in 1858 he sailed to Victoria, B.C.
Soon after he moved to the Fraser Canyon on the Mainland, where he met and married a First Nations woman, Theresa Clema.
His first trip to the Nicola Valley was in 1865 on a hunting expedition. Voght was so impressed with the beauty and possibilities of the area that he resolved to return and take up permanent residence.
In 1873, he and his wife moved to the Valley and bought a small ranch on land which has now become part of Merritt.
William and Theresa had five children: William Jr., Sophie (Peterson), Christine (Collett), Matilda (Cleasby) and Lena Felix, an adopted daughter.
Voght’s “V” cattle brand, one of the first to be recorded in Interior B.C., became well known as his ranch expanded. He also grew crops.
Apparently “Old Bill,” as he was known at the time, and his son William Jr. would sit up all night smoking their pipes, talking about their crops and arguing as to who grew the best turnips.
Old Bill would go out and dig up the biggest one he could find, wash it, slice it up and say, “Here, taste this! Bet you can’t grow any with this flavour.” His son was said to retort, “Guess you’ve got the best manure around here.” Or so the story goes.
William Voght helped build what is now known as the Trinity United Church and that Jesus Garcia, another early pioneer, donated the church bell. After his wife passed away, Voght presented the church with a beautiful stained glass window in her memory. He was also one of the church trustees.
Voght helped establish the first school in the Valley and became chairman of the school board from 1875 to 1877. He then was appointed secretary-treasurer.
He was one of several men who worked hard towards incorporating Merritt as a city. In 1893, the Nicola Valley Railway Company called for tenders for the construction of a rail line from Spences Bridge to Nicola Lake. This would pave the way for coal in the area to be transported to Vancouver. The Company found it difficult to get the financial aid it needed and the project was stalled. But Voght, William Merritt and many others wanted the railway line — and the business it would bring to the area.
Colonel Merritt showed his support by providing funding, while Voght sold the coal rights on part of his property to the Railway.
In 1911, Merritt was granted a city charter and business began to grow in the area. Unfortunately, Voght, who was by then 73 years old, did not live to see the fruits of his labour. He died that same year, a few months shy of the event.
His funeral was held at his beloved Trinity Church. More than two thousand people attended the funeral and the solemn procession that followed was almost two kilometres in length.
This was a true testimonial to “the father of Merritt.”
William Henry Voght was an important man who worked hard for the incorporation of Merritt. He contributed much of his time to the town and will always be remembered as a hard-working and industrious pioneer.
For more information on the history of Merritt and the Nicola Valley, call or come and visit the Nicola Valley Museum and Archives, 1675 Tutill Court, (250)-378-4145. You can also visit our website at www.nicolavalleymuseum.org.
