Bancroft Works Collections – Page 2 of 7

University of Washington, 1862

The legislature, in Jan. 1862, re-incorporated the university, which was previously chartered in 1860 while it was located on the Cowlitz prairie, creating a board of regents consisting of Daniel Bagley, Paul K. Hubbs, J. P. Keller, John Webster, E. Carr, Frank Clark, G. A. Meigs, Columbia Lancaster, and C. H. Hale, in whom was vested the government of the institution. Three regents were to be elected each year, the length of the terms of the first nine to be determined by lot. In case of a vacancy the governor might appoint. The regents had power to elect a president … Read more

Tumwater, Vancouver, Port Townsend, Washington

Tumwater, the initial point in the ‘history of the settlement of Puget Sound, was incorporated in Nov. 1869. In time it numbered more manufactories than any other town on the Sound. Vancouver and Early Settlers Vancouver was the fourth town in size in western Washington, having in 1880 about 3,000 inhabitants. It was made the county seat of Clarke County by the first legislative assembly of Washington, in March 1854, its pioneers, both English and American, long retaining their residences. Among the early settlers were James Turnbull, born in England, came to Washington in 1852, and with him William Turnbull, … Read more

The Organization of Montana, 1864-1866

Up to this time the territory later called Montana was still within the limits of Idaho, which embraced the mining country east of the Rocky Mountains. On the 26th of May, 1864, congress passed an act providing a temporary government for a new territory to be called Montana, the boundaries of which embraced 143,776 square miles, or 92,016,640 acres; commencing at a point formed by the intersection of the 27th degree of longitude west from Washington with latitude 45°, thence due west to longitude 34°, thence to latitude 44° 30′, thence west along that line to the summit of the … Read more

Steamboats, Tug Boats and River Craft in Washington

The first charter granted to a steamboat company on the Cowlitz River was to Seth Catlin, John R. Jackson, Fred A. Clarke, Henry N. Peers, George B. Roberts, and their successors, by the legislature of 1854-5. Wash. Stat., 1854, 439. This company failed to make any use of its charter. The legislature of 1858-9 granted to Royal C. Smith and Noyes H. Smith and their associates permission to incorporate the Cowlitz River Steam Navigation Company, for the purpose of improving the bed of the Cowlitz River, and keeping upon it a steamboat or boats suitable for carrying freight and passengers … Read more

Southern Battalion of Washington

The southern battalion consisted of the Washington Mounted Rifles, Capt. H. J. G. Maxon, Company D, Capt. Achilles, who was succeeded by Lieut Powell, and two Oregon companies, one Company, K, under Francis M. P. Goff, of Marion County, and another, Company J, under Bluford Miller of Polk County. Oregon Statesman, March 11 and May 20, 1856. For convenience of reference, they are named here: Company A, organized and commanded by Lieut-Col Edward Lander Walla Walla County, organized out of friendly Chehalis and Cowlitz Indians by Sidney S. Ford, Capt. Clarke County Rangers, organized by Capt. William Kelly Company E, … Read more

Silver City Owyhee Idaho Avalanche

Their names were: Michael Jordan A. J. Miner G. W. Chadwick Cyrus Iba William Phipps Joseph Dorsey Jerome Francisco John Moore J. R. Cain W. Churchill H. R. Wade A. J. Reynolds James Carroll William Duncan Dr A. F. Rudd F. Height W. L. Wade John Gannon M. Conner C. Ward H. W. Prindall D. P. Banes O. H. Purdy J. G. Boone W. T. Carson P. H. Gordon L. G. Gehr and 3 others. In the Silver City Owyhee Avalanche of Jan. 8, 1876, is a notice of the death of Alexander Eddington, an Englishman aged 60, a ‘pioneer … Read more

Silver Bow County, Montana 1870-1888

Silver Bow County, cut off from Deer Lodge in 1881, had a small area, but a population of 14,000, and is richer, in proportion to its size, than any county in Montana, its assessed valuation in 1884 being $7,240,000. It was first settled in June 1804 by placer miners. Ten years of digging and washing exhausted the deposits, or so nearly that only 300 inhabitants remained. Quart-mining was begun in 1875. The county contained in 1885 19 mills, concentrato’s, and furnaces, which give employment to 3,000 miners. Butte, the county seat, was the second town in Montana. It had an … Read more

Settlers in King County, Washington from Oregon

In the spring of 1853 there arrived from the Willamette, where they had wintered, David Phillips and F. Matthias from Pennsylvania, Dexter Horton and Hannah E., his wife, and Thomas Mercer, from Princetown, Illinois, S. W. Russell, T. S. Russell, Hillery Butler, E. M. Smithers, John Thomas, and H. A. Smith. They came by the way of the Cowlitz and Olympia, whence they were carried down the Sound on board the schooner Sarah Stone, which landed at Alki, where the six last mentioned remained for the summer, removing to Seattle in the autumn. J. R. Williamson, George Buckley, Charles Kennedy, … Read more

Second Regiment of Washington Volunteers

The 2d regiment of Washington volunteers was officered, so far as the official correspondence shows, as follows: Company A, Capt. Edward Lander; 1st Lieut A. A. Denny. Vice H. H. Peixotto resigned; 2d Lieut D. A. Neely; H. A. Smith surgeon; Strength 33 rank and file. Non-com officers, John Henning, C. D. Biven, J. Ross, Jacob Wibbens, James Fielding, Walter Graham, David Manner, Asa Fowler. Company B, Capt. Gilmore Hays, promoted to major by election; 1st Lieut A. B. Rabbeson, elected Capt. Vice Hays; 1st Lieut Van Ogle, vice Rabbeson, and John Brady, vice Van Ogle, commanded lastly by Captain … Read more

Seattle, New Tacoma and Olympia, Washington

Map of the Railroads of Eastern Washington

Seattle, the metropolis of Washington, in 1880 had 7,000 inhabitants, and property valued at something over four millions. Its manufactures comprised three ship-yards, three foundries, two breweries, one tannery, three boiler-shops, six sash and door factories, five machine-shops, six sawmills, three brick yards, three fish packing factories, one fish cannery, one barrel factory, one ice factory, one soda water factory, besides boot and shoe shops, tin shops, and other minor industries. The commerce of Seattle with the coastline of settlements was considerable; but the chief export is coal from the mines cast of Lake Washington. There were few public buildings … Read more

Residents of Bannack City, Montana 1862

Besides the Fisk, Minesota Wagon Train, there were at Bannack City and that vicinity in the winter of 1862-3: John Ault Harry Arnett and brother James M. Arnoux William Babbett Ephraim Bostwick (killed by Crows on Bighorn River 1863), George S. Bachelder William H. Bell (died at Bannack Nov. 12, 1862, the first death in that camp), Henry A. Bell, Samuel W. Bachelder Joseph Bender David A. Bentley William Buchanan, Stewart Buchanan William Beeken Charles Benson John Bertwhistle R. M. Biggs Patrick Bray, Con. Bray George Brown Joseph A. Browne John Bothwell John Burnett (killed by Indians on Salmon River … Read more

Printing and Newspapers of Washington

The first printing done in this section was at the missionary station of Lapwai, in what was then Oregon, and was afterward Washington, and finally Idaho. The printer was Edwin O. Hall of the Honolulu mission, subsequently editor of the Polynesian. Accompanied by his wife, he visited Lapwai in the spring of 1839, bringing with him a small press and material, to the value of $500, a present from the Honolulu converts. With this he instructed Smith and Rogers of Lapwai in the printing art, remaining until 1841, during which time translations of a part of the book of Matthew, … Read more

Pioneer Newspapers of Montana

A history of the pioneer newspapers will not be out of place here. The Montana Post was the first journal started in the territory. In 1864 John Buchanan brought a press and material from St Louis to Fort Benton, with a view to locating at some point in the new commonwealth. He fixed upon Virginia City, where the first number of the Post was issued August 27, 1864. After printing; two numbers Buchanan sold to D. W. Tilton and Benjamin R. Dittes. Dittes was a native of Leipsic, Saxony, born in 18.33. He was for a number of years on … Read more

Petitioners for Territory of Columbia

The following were petitioners to the United States Government for the creation of the Territory of Columbia. G. N. McConaha president R. J. White secretary. Commettee: Quincy A. Brooks, D. S. Maynard, William W. Plumb, Alfred Cook, J. R. Jackson, E. L. Finch, A. F. Scott, F. A. Clarke, C. S. Hathaway, E. A. Allen, E. H. Winslow, Seth Catlin, and N. Stone. Petitioners G. N. McConaha, Seth Catlin, R. J. White, J. N. Law, Q. A. Brooks, C. C. Terry, C. S. Hathaway, A. J. Simmons, E. H. Winslow, S. Plomondon, A. Cook, H. A. Goldsborongh, A. F. Scott, G. … Read more

Owyhee, Idaho Mines previous to 1865

They were: Whiskey Gulch Oro Fino Morning Star Ida Elmore (Bannack) Golden Chariot War Eagle Minnesota Silver Bullion Hidden Treasure General Grant Noonday Centurion Golden Eagle Allison Blazing Star Montana Homo Ticket Floreta Silver Legion Eureka Calaveras Caledonia Empire Dashaway Red Jacket Poorman was discovered a little later than these.

Owyhee, Idaho Mines 1865-1880

Mine Discoveries: Mahogany Stormy Hill South Chariot Illinois Central North Extension Illinois Central Belle Peck North Extension Poorman South Poorman Lucky Poorman Big Fish Boycott Glenbrook Clearbrook Idlewild North Empire South Empire San Juan Dubuque Silver Cloud Louisiana Ruby Jackson Silver City Ruth Sinker By Chance Potosi Rattling Jack St James South Extension Morning Star Northern Light Trook & Jennings Whiskey Brannan Home Resort Savage Piute Miami Lone Tree Home Stake Little Fish Silver Cord Golden Cord Standard Ruby and Horn Silver Lode Philox Webfoot Wilson Idaho Gentle Emma Stoddard Ohio Henrietta Tremont Crown Point Redemption Boonville Empire State Florida … Read more

Overland Travel to Idaho

On the 16th of March the first saddle train for a month arrived at Placerville, bringing a party of twelve, one of whom was a woman. They were eleven days on the road. On the 1st of April the pioneer coach, belonging to the Oregon and Idaho Stage Company, which was to run its stages from Umatilla landing to Boise, arrived at Placerville with a full load of passengers at $100 each. But this coach had come from Shasta, California, and had taken the California and Oregon stage-road to Portland, going thence to The Dalles by steamer, and there taking … Read more

Other Resources and Industries of Washington

Of manufactures from native resources, flour is one of the most important. The first flouring mill in the territory was erected at Vancouver in 1830 by the H. B. Co., and was a set of ordinary millstones run by ox power. In 1832 a mill was erected seven miles above Vancouver, on Mill Creek, to run by waterpower. Whitman built a small flouring mill at Waiilatpu, which was in use about 1840. The first American colony on Puget Sound erected a rude gristmill at the falls of the Des Chutes, in the village of Tumwater, in 1846. This sufficed to … Read more

Nez Percé and Shoshone Indian Lands in Idaho

The Native Races of Idaho were divided by the Salmon River Range of mountains, the Nez Percé being the representative nation of the northern division, and the Shoshones of the southern. The condition and character of the former were relatively higher than those of the latter. During the five years’ war from 1863 to 1868, the history of which I have given, the Nez Percé remained quiescent, taking no part in the hostilities, although they were not without their grievances, which might have tempted other savages to revolt. The troubles to which I here refer began in 1855, with the treaties … Read more

Mounted Volunteer Companies engaged in the Indian War

Mounted Volunteer Companies engaged in the Indian War, Mason’s administration. See: Washington Indian Wars, 1855-1856 for context of this list. Volunteer Companies Companies A, Capt. William Strong, and B, Capt. Gilmore Hays, were mustered into the regular service and furnished their own horses Company B, Capt. Isaac Hays Company F, Capt. B. S. Henness Company K, Capt. John R. Jackson Cowlitz Rangers, Capt. H. W. Peers Lewis River Rangers, Capt. William Bratton, in the service of the territory, furnished their own horses Stevens Guards. Capt. Higgins, were furnished horses by Gov. Spokane Invincibles, Capt. Yantis, horses partly furnished by Gov. … Read more