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					Colonial Settlers : Thomas and William Shannon
			The Land Colonial Settlers Community of Villages Pre-emptions Agriculture Timelines Image Gallery		William (1843-1928) and Thomas Shannon (1843-1909) arrived in British Columbia by way of Ireland and Ontario. In 1862, they headed west to the gold producing Cariboo area. While Thomas worked a gold claim, William operated a successful freight business. In 1865, the brothers left the Cariboo, taking up a tract of land just east of the town site of Chilliwack, on land adjacent to a small hill that today bears their name. In 1872, a third brother, Joe, arrived. William became a member of the first Council of the Municipality of Chilliwack in 1872. In 1874, Joe bought land closer to New Westminster in an area that became the community of Cloverdale. Thomas and William followed in 1875. William became a successful Vancouver businessman while Joe and Thomas remained in Cloverdale. Thomas married Mary Robertson and the couple had four sons and one daughter. Thomas was the first Warden of the Municipality of Surrey and an influential member of the Surrey farming community.
								P457- Portrait of Thomas Shannon, 1864
								P301- Portrait of William Shannon

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