Inscription: Olympic Explorer & Naturalist
Bernard Joseph Bretherton was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England on January 26, 1861 to Edward and Alice Bretherton. He was the youngest on 11 children. He attended private Catholic schools before finishing his formal education at Ushaw College near Durham, England.
Bernard emigrated to the United States about 1885 and lived in Portland with the family of his older brother, Walter Welles Bretherton from 1885 until about 1888. During that time he worked for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Co. as a baggage man, a baggage agent, and finally as a Tax and Claim agent.
In 1888, Bernard first advertized himself as a taxidermist under the name Bern J. Bretherton. He became the curator of the Oregon Alpine Club, collecting and preparing zoological specimens for museums and other taxidermists.
In 1890, sponsored by the US Army, and acting as naturalist for The Oregon Alpine Club, Bernard Bretherton became a member of an expedition led by Lieutenant Joseph O'Neil to climb Mt. Olympus in Washington, for the "purpose of passing through the Olympics from east to west, climbing Mr. Olympus en route, and making abundant side trips." On September 22, 1890, Bernard Bretherton, along with two other members of the expedition, reached the summit of one of the three Mt. Olympus peaks. Near the peak in a grouping of rocks, the three men planted a copper box belonging to The Alpine Club containing a notebook in which future climbers were to record their names and observations of Mr. Olympus. That box has never been found to this day.
On the heels of his triumphant Mt. Olympus climb, on January 24, 1891, Bernard became a US citizen.
Shortly after he obtained his citizenship, he set off for Alaska where he would spend the next three years collecting examples of the flora, fauna and fishes for the British Museum, the Smithsonian Institute and the US Department of Agriculture. While there, he met and married Mabel Edna Hatch in Sitka, Alaska, April 30, 1892. He and Mabel had three children, two daughters and a son.
Bretherton and his family returned to Oregon in 1894 and that summer he led an expedition into the Olympic Mountains once again to collect specimens, but also to map their geographic distribution for the US Department of Agriculture. Upon his return home to Oregon, Bernard Bretherton also collected bird specimens native to the state of Oregon for the State Agricultural College.
In the mid 1890's, Bretherton, who was now living in Newport, Oregon, was once again commissioned by the British Museum to collect and study the habits of the fishes or Oregon, which he did for the next two years.
At just around the turn of the century, Bretherton turned his talents to lighthouse keeping, becoming an assistant lighthouse keeper for the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse in Newport, Oregon. Sometime after June 5, 1900, when he and his family are listed in the Newport, Oregon census, Bernard Bretherton moved his family down to Bandon, Oregon, where he became the keeper for the Coquille Lighthouse.
Mr. Bernard Joseph Bretherton passed away February 10, 1903 from tuberculosis. He is now buried in the Averill Pioneer Cemetery, which ironically sits upon a bluff overlooking the Coquille Lighthouse where he last served.
Bernard Joseph Bretherton was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England on January 26, 1861 to Edward and Alice Bretherton. He was the youngest on 11 children. He attended private Catholic schools before finishing his formal education at Ushaw College near Durham, England.
Bernard emigrated to the United States about 1885 and lived in Portland with the family of his older brother, Walter Welles Bretherton from 1885 until about 1888. During that time he worked for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Co. as a baggage man, a baggage agent, and finally as a Tax and Claim agent.
In 1888, Bernard first advertized himself as a taxidermist under the name Bern J. Bretherton. He became the curator of the Oregon Alpine Club, collecting and preparing zoological specimens for museums and other taxidermists.
In 1890, sponsored by the US Army, and acting as naturalist for The Oregon Alpine Club, Bernard Bretherton became a member of an expedition led by Lieutenant Joseph O'Neil to climb Mt. Olympus in Washington, for the "purpose of passing through the Olympics from east to west, climbing Mr. Olympus en route, and making abundant side trips." On September 22, 1890, Bernard Bretherton, along with two other members of the expedition, reached the summit of one of the three Mt. Olympus peaks. Near the peak in a grouping of rocks, the three men planted a copper box belonging to The Alpine Club containing a notebook in which future climbers were to record their names and observations of Mr. Olympus. That box has never been found to this day.
On the heels of his triumphant Mt. Olympus climb, on January 24, 1891, Bernard became a US citizen.
Shortly after he obtained his citizenship, he set off for Alaska where he would spend the next three years collecting examples of the flora, fauna and fishes for the British Museum, the Smithsonian Institute and the US Department of Agriculture. While there, he met and married Mabel Edna Hatch in Sitka, Alaska, April 30, 1892. He and Mabel had three children, two daughters and a son.
Bretherton and his family returned to Oregon in 1894 and that summer he led an expedition into the Olympic Mountains once again to collect specimens, but also to map their geographic distribution for the US Department of Agriculture. Upon his return home to Oregon, Bernard Bretherton also collected bird specimens native to the state of Oregon for the State Agricultural College.
In the mid 1890's, Bretherton, who was now living in Newport, Oregon, was once again commissioned by the British Museum to collect and study the habits of the fishes or Oregon, which he did for the next two years.
At just around the turn of the century, Bretherton turned his talents to lighthouse keeping, becoming an assistant lighthouse keeper for the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse in Newport, Oregon. Sometime after June 5, 1900, when he and his family are listed in the Newport, Oregon census, Bernard Bretherton moved his family down to Bandon, Oregon, where he became the keeper for the Coquille Lighthouse.
Mr. Bernard Joseph Bretherton passed away February 10, 1903 from tuberculosis. He is now buried in the Averill Pioneer Cemetery, which ironically sits upon a bluff overlooking the Coquille Lighthouse where he last served.
Inscription: Olympic Explorer & Naturalist
Bernard Joseph Bretherton was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England on January 26, 1861 to Edward and Alice Bretherton. He was the youngest on 11 children. He attended private Catholic schools before finishing his formal education at Ushaw College near Durham, England.
Bernard emigrated to the United States about 1885 and lived in Portland with the family of his older brother, Walter Welles Bretherton from 1885 until about 1888. During that time he worked for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Co. as a baggage man, a baggage agent, and finally as a Tax and Claim agent.
In 1888, Bernard first advertized himself as a taxidermist under the name Bern J. Bretherton. He became the curator of the Oregon Alpine Club, collecting and preparing zoological specimens for museums and other taxidermists.
In 1890, sponsored by the US Army, and acting as naturalist for The Oregon Alpine Club, Bernard Bretherton became a member of an expedition led by Lieutenant Joseph O'Neil to climb Mt. Olympus in Washington, for the "purpose of passing through the Olympics from east to west, climbing Mr. Olympus en route, and making abundant side trips." On September 22, 1890, Bernard Bretherton, along with two other members of the expedition, reached the summit of one of the three Mt. Olympus peaks. Near the peak in a grouping of rocks, the three men planted a copper box belonging to The Alpine Club containing a notebook in which future climbers were to record their names and observations of Mr. Olympus. That box has never been found to this day.
On the heels of his triumphant Mt. Olympus climb, on January 24, 1891, Bernard became a US citizen.
Shortly after he obtained his citizenship, he set off for Alaska where he would spend the next three years collecting examples of the flora, fauna and fishes for the British Museum, the Smithsonian Institute and the US Department of Agriculture. While there, he met and married Mabel Edna Hatch in Sitka, Alaska, April 30, 1892. He and Mabel had three children, two daughters and a son.
Bretherton and his family returned to Oregon in 1894 and that summer he led an expedition into the Olympic Mountains once again to collect specimens, but also to map their geographic distribution for the US Department of Agriculture. Upon his return home to Oregon, Bernard Bretherton also collected bird specimens native to the state of Oregon for the State Agricultural College.
In the mid 1890's, Bretherton, who was now living in Newport, Oregon, was once again commissioned by the British Museum to collect and study the habits of the fishes or Oregon, which he did for the next two years.
At just around the turn of the century, Bretherton turned his talents to lighthouse keeping, becoming an assistant lighthouse keeper for the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse in Newport, Oregon. Sometime after June 5, 1900, when he and his family are listed in the Newport, Oregon census, Bernard Bretherton moved his family down to Bandon, Oregon, where he became the keeper for the Coquille Lighthouse.
Mr. Bernard Joseph Bretherton passed away February 10, 1903 from tuberculosis. He is now buried in the Averill Pioneer Cemetery, which ironically sits upon a bluff overlooking the Coquille Lighthouse where he last served.
Bernard Joseph Bretherton was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England on January 26, 1861 to Edward and Alice Bretherton. He was the youngest on 11 children. He attended private Catholic schools before finishing his formal education at Ushaw College near Durham, England.
Bernard emigrated to the United States about 1885 and lived in Portland with the family of his older brother, Walter Welles Bretherton from 1885 until about 1888. During that time he worked for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Co. as a baggage man, a baggage agent, and finally as a Tax and Claim agent.
In 1888, Bernard first advertized himself as a taxidermist under the name Bern J. Bretherton. He became the curator of the Oregon Alpine Club, collecting and preparing zoological specimens for museums and other taxidermists.
In 1890, sponsored by the US Army, and acting as naturalist for The Oregon Alpine Club, Bernard Bretherton became a member of an expedition led by Lieutenant Joseph O'Neil to climb Mt. Olympus in Washington, for the "purpose of passing through the Olympics from east to west, climbing Mr. Olympus en route, and making abundant side trips." On September 22, 1890, Bernard Bretherton, along with two other members of the expedition, reached the summit of one of the three Mt. Olympus peaks. Near the peak in a grouping of rocks, the three men planted a copper box belonging to The Alpine Club containing a notebook in which future climbers were to record their names and observations of Mr. Olympus. That box has never been found to this day.
On the heels of his triumphant Mt. Olympus climb, on January 24, 1891, Bernard became a US citizen.
Shortly after he obtained his citizenship, he set off for Alaska where he would spend the next three years collecting examples of the flora, fauna and fishes for the British Museum, the Smithsonian Institute and the US Department of Agriculture. While there, he met and married Mabel Edna Hatch in Sitka, Alaska, April 30, 1892. He and Mabel had three children, two daughters and a son.
Bretherton and his family returned to Oregon in 1894 and that summer he led an expedition into the Olympic Mountains once again to collect specimens, but also to map their geographic distribution for the US Department of Agriculture. Upon his return home to Oregon, Bernard Bretherton also collected bird specimens native to the state of Oregon for the State Agricultural College.
In the mid 1890's, Bretherton, who was now living in Newport, Oregon, was once again commissioned by the British Museum to collect and study the habits of the fishes or Oregon, which he did for the next two years.
At just around the turn of the century, Bretherton turned his talents to lighthouse keeping, becoming an assistant lighthouse keeper for the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse in Newport, Oregon. Sometime after June 5, 1900, when he and his family are listed in the Newport, Oregon census, Bernard Bretherton moved his family down to Bandon, Oregon, where he became the keeper for the Coquille Lighthouse.
Mr. Bernard Joseph Bretherton passed away February 10, 1903 from tuberculosis. He is now buried in the Averill Pioneer Cemetery, which ironically sits upon a bluff overlooking the Coquille Lighthouse where he last served.
