Caspar Phair

Caspar Phair (died 1933) was one of Lillooet, British Columbia's first settlers. He came emigrated from Ireland with his wife, Cerise. Caspar Phair was Lillooet's first Gold Commissioner, a position which encompassed the powers and duties of Government Agent, coroner, magistrate, Indian Agent, teacher, and merchant.

He built a residence in Lillooet in the 1870's that he named Longford House, an elegant building that was partially modelled on and named after Mrs. Phair's home in Eyrecourt, of County Galway in Ireland.

Caspar Phair's son, A.W.A. Artie Phair, was a coroner as well as a noted chronicler and photographer of Lillooet's history.

Caspar and Cerise Phair died in 1933, leaving their house to Harold Phair, Artie's son. Longford House was later bought by Dr. Masajiro Miyazaki and is now called the Miyazaki House.

References

*Edwards, Irene "Short Portage to Lillooet, and other Trails and Tales" (Self-published, Lillooet BC, various editions, out of print)
*Harris, Lorraine "Halfway to the Goldfields; A History of Lillooet," J. J. Douglas, North Vancouver, 1977 (out of print)

ee also

*Gold Commissioner
*Cayoosh Gold Rush
*Will Haylmore