Yukon who is who

Marie Malvina “Mina” Starnes, nee Sicotte (b. 1868)

Marie Sicotte was born in Quebec, the daughter of Judge Louis-Victor Sicotte and Margaret Amelia Starnes. Margaret was the daughter of Benjamin Starnes, Cortlandt Starnes’ grandfather. Mina and Cortlandt were married in 1891 and they had a son, Cortlandt Starnes Jr.¹⁾ Marie came to the Yukon to join her husband who was posted to Dawson during the Klondike gold rush. She travelled with the Yukon Field Force in 1898.²⁾ She arrived in Dawson on the steamer Anglian in July 1898.³⁾

In 1898, the Jesuit hospital was the only refuge for sick miners in Dawson. It incurred a huge debt and a bazaar was organized to raise some money. A meeting was held at the barracks and Mrs. Captain Starnes was chosen to lead the women and Jeremiah Lynch was chosen to lead the men. Lynch described Mrs. Starnes as a vivacious, piquant little French Canadian of the most attractive type. Quick, witty and charming, she was also energetic and inventive. The committee called her ‘la petite Caporal.’⁴⁾