George Pappenberger, a Bavarian man, and a Cowichan woman had John and Thomas Pappenverger. George was born in 1832 in Marktheidenfeld, Bavaria. He left for America in 1857, then was drawn to the gold rush in the Fraser River. He ended up in Victoria as a “fish man”, at least that's how it was known in the 19871 census. He was recorded to be living in a house with three males, four females, and two children. It is thought that one of the women in the house was his wife Mary Peatson.

Mary was an Indigenous woman. Her father was Captain Pierre Hulkalutkstun, but he also went by the surname Pielle or Pierre. Her mother was Polly Capilano. Possible namesake of the Capilano River, thus making her the daughter of Chief Joe Capilano and Homulcheson. Mary had two sisters. Lucy Peatson (wife of Henry Sampson) and Sarah Annie Koltenalt (wife of George Purser), born on Kuper Island in 1868, now known as Penelakut Island.

George and Mary had six children, two of which died shortly after childbirth. The two remaining daughters Annie and Kate were sent to an orphanage. Whereas Thomas and John were sent to live in a house with two other families in the Comox/Courtney area. The two boys, Thomas and John, moved to Salt Spring in the 1880s.

In 1886, Thomas Pappenberger bought the land next to Henry Ruckle after purchasing it from Abel Douglas. Thomas and Emma Purser had a son together named Arthur. They had no more children after that, this is to suggest they were not a couple. In 1891, Thomas gave the land to his brother John for $1800. 1n 1904, Thomas and several other Salt Spring men boarded and set sail on a sealing boat. There was a massive storm off the coast of Uculet and Thomas passed away without ever really settling on Salt Spring.

John preempted land southwest of the Ruckle’s farm. In 1889, he married Mary Ann Pielle, of the Penelakut Tribe of Kuper Island. They raised eight children. John was the first mail carrier at Beaver Point and later picked up milk for the Ganges Creamery. John and his wife Mary Ann had traditional names for Penelakut. John was named Siinus-uts-tun and Mary Ann was named Q’ut’qiit. They had eight children.