Yukon who is who

Eliza “Shorty” Van Bibber, nee Jackson (1885 – 1983)

Eliza Van Bibber was a Tlingit of the Crow clan. Her maternal grandfather was Chief Konnun, a Taku Tlingit from the Juneau area.¹⁾ Her mother was one of five wives of Chief Jackson from around Juneau. He favoured her mother and the other wives drove her away when she was pregnant with Eliza. Eliza was raised around Aishihik, and Copper Joe took care of them by hunting and trapping. They travelled around and settled at Fort Selkirk where the people there found her mother a husband. She didn’t like him, so she and Eliza ran away to Coffee Creek. Eliza met her future husband, Ira Van Bibber, at Coffee Creek where he was trapping.²⁾

Eliza was less than five-foot-tall and could stand under her husband's outstretched arm without touching it. Ira always called her “Short” and she was a giant in stamina, courage, and patience. J.J. Van Bibber said his parents travelled vast distances by dog packing and walking.³⁾ In their early years together, they trapped all over the country. Baby Leta was born on the trail into the Nahanni River country. Eliza then stayed around Ross River with Little Tommy who was like a brother. Eventually Ira and Eliza settled at Mica Creek near present-day Pelly Crossing. They built a homestead and she bore fourteen children. By the time of her death she was the matriarch of Yukon’s largest family, with thirty-four grandchildren and fifty-one grandchildren.⁴⁾