Page 1 - Newsletter Spring 2023

South Whidbey Historical Society

Now &TheN Spring 2023 www.SouthWhidbeyHistory.org

map from the 1792 Vancouver Expedition

Joseph Whidbey’s will: a journey back in time

by Bill Haroldson, SWHS President purposes; claim land for Great Brit-
Last September, I received an email ain, accurately chart the waters of the
from a man in Illinois who said that Northwest, and find the western en-
he had Joseph Whidbey’s will and was trance to the Northwest Passage.
looking for an appropriate place to do- Using the research of William Lamb
nate it. I responded by telling him that I and John Naish, the voyage of George
have studied Whidbey’s life and would Vancouver came to life. Their books
also like to see the will end up in an provided copies of logs, letters, and de-
appropriate place. tails of the expedition.
A few days later the will was mailed The finest British men were cho-
to our South Whidbey Historical Mu- sen for this trip. Vancouver was made
seum in Langley. It is a handwritten 14- Captain because he was with explorer
page document with Whidbey’s signa- Captain James Cook on his voyage to
ture. It was penned May 13, 1833, five the Northwest. Joseph Whidbey was
months before his death. to prepare and maintain the two ships
The will is another piece of a puzzle Discovery and Chatham for the four-
that began 20 years ago when I visited year voyage. Whidbey was the Sailing
Greenwich, England. At the Greenwich Master and acted as astronomer and
Library, I asked if they had any docu- charted the waters from long boats. His
ments on Vancouver’s voyage. role became more important following
The librarian replied, “Would you the voyage.
like to see Vancouver’s original charts When the two ships returned to Great
that were published in 1797?” Britain in 1795, England was at war
These were the first charts accurate- with France. Prime Minister William
ly showing the waters between Puget SWHS President Bill Haroldson holds a Pitt said that coastal navigators were of
Sound and Cook Inlet in Alaska. photocopy of Joseph Whidbey’s will in low priority, and it appeared the work
Carefully going page by page front of a portrait of Joseph Whidbey. of the voyage was going to be lost.
through this 200-year-old document (Photo by David Welton) Vancouver was too ill to go to sea
I knew I wanted to know more about I contacted the Office of Civil Engi- and spent the rest of his life preparing
this voyage and Joseph Whidbey. The neering in London and purchased a the expeditionary charts and voyage
librarian provided additional published print of the Joseph Whidbey painting accounts for publication. When he died
materials and found that a painting of for 30 pounds sterling. When the print in 1798 at the age of 40, he received lit-
Joseph Whidbey was in the office of arrived, a high-quality copy was made tle recognition.
Civil Engineering in London. for our museum in Langley. This was Influential leaders in Britain became
This began a journey of discovery to the only public display of his image on concerned that the work of the voyage
know the people, incidents, and foot- our island. was being ignored. They sought Joseph
print that they left on Pacific North- Next began a detailed study of Van- Whidbey for help.
west history. couver’s voyage from 1791 to 1795. It
Upon returning to Whidbey Island, was commissioned with three main (Continued next page)
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