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Upon arriving at the famed Klondike Gold Rush fields, Albert may have suffered the same disappointment that the other early prospectors faced; discovery that all the significant gold claims had been staked the year before. Because he was in the initial wave of prospectors, it is possible that he could have traveled light (hoping to acquire all his supplies in Dawson City) and escaped the early disorganization of the Canadian Mounted Police enforcement of entering the Klondike with a years’ worth of supplies. While this strategy may have saved him multiple trips over the pass, it would have ended with disastrous results.

Because Dawson City received all its supplies via river steamers that traveled up the Yukon River from St. Michaels, they were totally dependent on river conditions and weather to allow the vessels to reach the northern most sections of the Yukon River. The fall of 1897 conspired against Dawson City proprietors when an early winter left the supply boats stranded in the low water of the Yukon Flats. By September 1897 Dawson City was in a panic. Food was rationed and the Canadian authorities urged all the newcomers to leave immediately. The “Dawson City Famine” caused prospectors to flee downriver towards Ft. Yukon and Rampart where they could obtain supplies from the stranded vessels. This may have proved to be a blessing in disguise for Albert as there were many mining opportunities to be found along the lower Yukon River. He undoubtedly prospered because he sent word back to Brookline to have his son George join him in Alaska.

From 1900 through 1901 (and beyond) Albert and George’s mining activities in the Rampart Mining District are well documented. They – along with various mining partners -- worked many claims (and staked many of their own claims) on various tributaries. In addition to their prospecting, during the summer of 1901, Albert – along with son George – would once again be involved with construction.

In previous years, the U.S. Military took up residence within Alaska and constructed many forts. One of the Military goals was to construct a telegraph service that would link Alaska to the lower 48. The System was named the Washington-Alaska Military Cable and Telegraph (WAMCATS) and was scheduled to link various Alaska destinations to Seattle via a combination of above ground telegraph lines and under sea cable to Seattle.

During the summer of 1901 the military was pushing hard to complete the above ground telegraph line between (Fort) St. Michael and Fort Gibbon which was located at Tanana. Albert and George put their mining activities on hold and as reported in the June 6, 1901 edition of the Alaska Forum, departed Rampart for Fort Gibbon. As reported, Albert had been appointed the superintendent of construction.

Working hard during the summer and into early winter, the crews finally connected the telegraph lines between (Fort) St. Michael and Fort Gibbon ( Tanana) on November 18, 1901. Through many transitions, the WAMCATS system ultimately became the original Alaska Communications System (ACS) – the first major telecommunications system in Alaska. Once again, Albert was a participant in history!

In the fall of 1903 Albert took leave of Alaska and traveled back home to Brookline for the winter. Proof of his prosperous mining activities is now held by Cousin Ginny Mucciaccio in the form of two – of the many -- gold nuggets that he took with him to Brookline. The August 3, 1904 edition of the Yukon Valley News reported that Albert had returned, back to Alaska, with son Alfred L. (then 21 years old). The newspaper further reported that “The elder Mr. Wood[s] looked like New England fare agreed with him. The younger man is new to Alaska. They are building next to J. B. Wingate’s residence.” The Woods family officially took up residence in Rampart!

Brothers Alfred and George Woods partook in Rampart’s 1905 Fourth of July celebration! The July 8 th edition of the Alaska Forum reported that the celebration included a “good program of field contests . . . George and Al Woods captured the most of the prizes – something over $80.” And at age of 61, Albert – with son Alfred - continued their mining activities. The November 22 nd, 1905 edition of the Yukon Valley News reported that “A.H. Woods came in from Thanksgiving Creek last night. He, his son Al and John Thompson have four holes . . . two of them will probably be to bedrock by the time he returns.”

The Alaskan Connection Continues...
While Albert and Alfred certainly continued their prospecting, by 1907 Alfred had other things on his mind. Like his brother George who had previously fallen in love and married a woman from “outside,” Alfred had fallen in love as well . . . only Alfred’s new wife was a local (Rampart) Athabaskan Indian named Annie (Tśsedlá) Pitka. Annie was the daughter of Lilly (Eeldaal) Pitka and William (Nodostolneeah) Pitka – both full blooded Athabaskan Indians. It is important to note that when the Episcopal Missionaries first arrived in Alaska, they gave all the Indians “American” names. William was originally given the last name of “Pitgu” but it was later changed to “Pitka.”

Alfred and Annie’s marriage created what is now viewed as our unique cultural history by blending Alfred’s royal ancestry with the Athabaskan culture. While Annie had previously given birth to daughter Elaine in 1906, she and Alfred’s first child – Alfred Lyman Jr. – was born on November 24, 1908. Alfred Jr. was followed by brothers Walter Edward (July 7, 1911), Harold (November 11, 1912), sister Sally (April 14, 1916) who was named after her aunt in Brookline, brother Frederick (November 20, 1918) and finally sister Bessie Amelia (April 5, 1923) who was also named after her aunt in Brookline. All of Alfred and Annie’s children were born in Rampart.

Alfred not only embraced life in Alaska but also the Athabaskan traditions of hunting, trapping and fishing. No useable part of any animal or bird was ever wasted. To help support his growing family, during the summer months Alfred would cut wood, supplying the Yukon River steamships with the necessary fuel to make their summer runs up and down the river. During the winter months he was a mail carrier using dogsleds to transport his cargo between Rampart, Manley Hot Springs and sometimes Livengood. Meanwhile, Annie and her mother Lilly taught the children all of the old native ways of fishing, hunting, and making clothes. They largely lived a subsistence lifestyle and all family members participated to support the family. It wasn’t an easy life, and the harsh winters could be brutal.

Sally Woods-Evans-Hudson recalled the brutal winter mail route conditions in a story that was published in the 1999 Baan o yeel ko n Corporation Annual Report:

Music played a significant roll in the Woods family. Virtually every member played some type of musical instrument. Self-sufficiency and ingenuity were common traits . . . one of the sons even constructed a stringed instrument from an old macaroni box! Son Harold was an extremely gifted musician and as a young man taught himself how to play the violin. He became one of the most respected Athabaskan “Old Time Fiddlers” in the State and would travel to many villages to provide violin music for various gatherings. In the Ten Years of Interior Music – Athabaskan Old-Time Fiddling Festival published by the Institute of Alaska Native Arts in 1992, Harold recounted the following:

While the Woods children grew and flourished, by the 1930’s both Annie and Alfred developed health problems. Tuberculosis was very common in the interior and Annie had suffered from it for several years. She finally succumbed to the disease on March 21, 1930 and was buried in Rampart. Her youngest child, Bessie was not quite 7 at the time of her death.

By 1932 Alfred’s health started a rapid decline. He was sent to the hospital in Tanana and was suspected of having prostate cancer. He died in Tanana on November 9, 1932 and was buried at Rampart.

It is doubtful that Annie and Alfred could have ever imagined the Woods legacy that their union produced. Their son Walter married Judith Starr and they had 11 children. The total number of Walter’s descendants has yet to be counted! Daughter Sally married Thomas G. Evans and had 4 children. Sally became the matriarch of the Woods family and passed on the Athabaskan language and traditions of hunting, trapping, fishing, making clothes from traditionally tanned moose hide – and the exquisite beadwork designs – and fur sewing to her children, grandchildren and nieces and nephews. At the time of her death in 2004, Sally left behind 23 grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren and 15 great-great grandchildren. At age 84, ( Elizabeth) Bessie Amelia Woods Wiley is the only surviving child of Alfred and Annie Pitka.

While the Alaskan Woods family line owes it's rich heritage to Alfred and Annie Woods, it was actually our ancestor Albert Henry Woods that made it all possible. Albert remained in Alaska until after 1910 but then returned to Brookline where his wife Marie died in 1914. Albert died in Brookline on January 19, 1928 at the age of 83 and is buried at the Walnut Hills Cemetery in Brookline.

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Rampart, Alaska

Albert, George, Alfred & George's wife in Alaska.

Yukon Gold

Steamboat Susie in Rampart

Local Rampart women

Lilly (Eeldaal) Pitka

William (Nodostolneeah) Pitka

Annie (Tśsedlá) Pitka and children of Alfred Lyman Woods, winter of 1918-19. L-R: Walter Edward, Alfred Lyman Jr., Sally, Annie, Frederick, Harold.
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Alfred Lyman Woods in Rampart Alaska

Alfred on mail route between Rampart & Manley, 1923-24

Rampart School with Alfred & Annie's children

Sally Woods-Evans-Hudson in handmade traditional garments.
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Harold Woods

Hand-made by Sally Woods- Hudson in 1930. Worn by Ginny Mucciaccio, Carolyn Romaker and Bob, Jack & Phil Devin.

These slippers were made by Sally Hudson for niece Michele Wiley over 45 years ago. Michele wore them until she outgrew them.

Albert Henry Woods at aged 83 in Brookline, MA