History of the Pacific Northwest Oregon and Washington 1889 Collections

Biography of Z. C. Mills

Z.C. MILLS. – Z.C. Mills of Seattle, Washington is a native of the Empire state, and was born in 1834. While yet in his boyhood, his parents moved to Illinois, where he grew to manhood and received his education. After he had reached his majority, he engaged in business with his father. He was successful; but, when an American has once felt the excitement of moving, it is almost impossible for him to be contented, so long as there are new countries to be found beyond the Western horizon. Accordingly, in 1859, when the Pike’s Peak gold excitement reached his … Read more

Biography of William Wilson

WILLIAM WILSON. – Mr. Wilson was born of Irish parents in 1835. “His father and mother were Irish; and he is Irish still.” His parents secured to him a common-school education; and his father, falling a victim of the cholera in New York in 1848, William assumed the management of his affairs and conducted the business until 1852, when he left home and started for California. On the Isthmus he was stricken with Panama fever and laid three weeks among strangers, convalescing only to realize the fact that his money and ticket were missing. He finally shipped, as he supposed, … Read more

Biography of William Sargent Ladd

WILLIAM SARGENT LADD. – Of the gentlemen who came to Oregon with the purpose of forming here not only a settled social and political, but also a determinate business order, there is none to-day more prominent than W.S. Ladd. Our state has often invited comparison between her leading men and those of other parts of the nation, not at all fearing that she should suffer even if the investigation and analysis were carried to the extreme. But, in the case of the gentleman before us, such a comparison would never be thought of, since he has long been reckoned among … Read more

Biography of William Rice Dunbar

W.R. DUNBAR. – The mold in which a place is first cast is a great determining force in its future development. A quarter of a city which begins with mean buildings invites a class of neglectful or impecunious residents, and seldom outgrows its tendency towards squalor. The new settlers which come into a thriftless community sink more easily to the habits of their neighbors before them than they succeed in inciting those lax individuals to more industrious methods. On the other hand, also, thrift, vigor, a high level of public spirit and morality, leave a stamp which sets the tone … Read more

Biography of William Ranck

WILLIAM RANCK. – This representative citizen of Clarke county was born at East Waterford, Pennsylvania, in 1829. At the age of five years his parents moved to Huntington county in the same state, one and one-half miles from Shade Gap postoffice, where he received the common-school education of that early time which consisted chiefly of the “three R’s.” At the age of seventeen he went to Shirleysburg to learn the trade of a wagon and carriage maker. After some years of employment at Germantown, and at other points in Pennsylvania and Virginia, on the 1st day of April, 1852,he left … Read more

Biography of William R. Anderson

WM. R. ANDERSON. – This well-known pioneer of Clarke county was born in West Virginia in 1822, and there received his education and was apprenticed to learn the working of leather and the manufacture of boots and shoes. Being possessed of a roving disposition, he went out to Missouri in 1848, and the year following took the final step to reach the Pacific. His trip across the mountains was brought about by his hiring to drive a government wagon to Fort Hall. Reaching this point too late to return that season, the commander proposed to the squad of thirty-six men … Read more

Biography of William Penn Watson

WM. PENN WATSON. – Of those who came to the Pacific Northwest in pioneer days and settled within its boundaries, and closely identified themselves with its material, social and political welfare, the exemplary citizen named above took a very active and foremost part. He was born December 18, 1828, in Morgan county, Illinois. When he was only three weeks old, his mother closed her eyes in death; and the infant left behind was confided to the care of foster parents, Allen Q. Lindsey and wife, who gave the orphan boy the best of attention and one of the best of … Read more

Biography of William P. Boyd

WILLIAM P. BOYD. – The subject of this sketch is the senior member of the well-known dry-goods house of W.P. Boyd & Co., of Seattle. Mr. Boyd was born in Belfast, Ireland, April 2, 1849, and is of the hardy Scotch-Irish race that believe in themselves, and through their own exertions have done much towards the building up of the Pacific Northwest. Our subject, when but fifteen years of age, was apprenticed with a large dry-goods, mercantile firm in his native city, and served four years, afterwards being a salesman with the same firm. In the fall of 1869, Mr. … Read more

Biography of William Munks

WILLIAM MUNKS. – Mr. Munks, an excellent portrait of whom is placed in this history, is a veteran of several wars, as well as a pioneer, trapper and scout in the early days of the Pacific coast. He is to-day one of the most widely known men on Puget Sound, being often called “king of the Fidalgo Island” as he was the first white man to locate on its shores. It was then a part of Whatcom County, Washington Territory, but is now included in the boundary of Skagit. Mr. Munk was the first white man that lived within the … Read more

Biography of William M. Chandler

WM. M. CHANDLER. – It is a lamentable fact that quite a large percentage of the young men born in Oregon within the last thirty years have not taken advantage of the opportunities by which their early life has been surrounded. The defects of education or character have made them idlers, or have caused them to waste in dissipation or distraction the time which might have been employed in fitting themselves for our great future. Mr. Chandler, of whom we present a portrait in this history, is not one of these. He belongs to that other class which is not … Read more

Biography of William Henry Watkins, M.D.

W.H. WATKINS, M.D. – William Henry Watkins was born in Yorkshire, Cattaraugus county, New York, on the 16th of April, 1827. He graduated as Doctor of Medicine from the Buffalo Medicine College in 1849; and after his graduation as doctor his thoughts turned to the Pacific coast and to Oregon as a field of his life-work, whither he removed in 1852. He settled first in Josephine county, but in 1861 removed with his family to Portland. In December of that year he tendered his services to the government in view of the impending crisis brought on by the Rebellion, and … Read more

Biography of William H. Whittlesey

WM. H. WHITTLESEY.- This popular young gentleman, who has brought to our coast a business capacity and enthusiasm of progress which augers well for the city in which he has made his home, was born in Virginia August 8, 1858, and is a son of the gallant Major Joseph H. Whittlesey of the United States Army. The mother, Kate K. Fauntleroy, belonged to one of the first families of the Old Dominion. The son William, of whom we write, remained in the south while his father, the major, was transferred to the Department of the Columbia, having command of Fort … Read more

Biography of William H. Peterson

WILLIAM H. PETERSON. – Mr. Peterson, an excellent portrait of whom is placed in this history, was born in West Virginia, August 31, 1836, and removed to Missouri in 1868. He became a teacher of schools and a collector of taxes in the latter state, and was so efficient in the position last-named as to remain in office three terms. In 1876 he put behind him the vast plains of the Mississippi, and even the more expanded region of the Rocky Mountains, and made his home by the Western sea in California. Over the northern part of that state he … Read more

Biography of William H. McDonald

WM. H. McDONALD – Mr. McDonald, long known as purser on the old Oregon Steam navigation Company’s steamers, and now cashier of the La Grande National Bank, is one of the Oregon educated men who are a credit to the state. He is the son of Mr. H. McDonald, the well-known architect and pioneer, and was born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1848, coming around Cape Horn on the clipper Hurricane in 1851. His education was gained at the Portland Academy at the Pacific University of Forest Grove, and the Willamette University of Salem. While still young, he entered the … Read more

Biography of William H. Gray

WILLIAM H. GRAY. – This pioneer of pioneers, and historian of events in which he took so conspicuous a part, was born in 1810 at Fairfield, New York, of Scotch descent. While but a lad of fourteen, he lost his father and was apprenticed to learn the cabinetmaker’s trade, and even before finishing his time became foreman of the shop. Upon attaining his majority he studied medicine, and being a member of the Presbyterian church, and known as a promising young man, he was sought and intrusted by the American board with the work of going as missionary in company … Read more

Biography of William H. Fife

WILLIAM H. FIFE. – This gentleman is a native of Otonabee, Petersburg county, Ontario, and is the third child of William and Mary Beckett Fife. He was born on the first of October, 1833. His father was a native of Kincardine, and came to Canada in 1820, following farming in that country. His mother was born January 20, 1811, in Ayrshire, Scotland, and came with her parents to Canada about 1820, and is still living with her youngest son on the old homestead in Petersburg county. Our subject resided on his father’s farm until he became sixteen years of age, … Read more

Biography of William H. Dillon

WILLIAM H. DILLON. – Mr. Dillon, a pioneer of four states of our union, and a perfect example of the frontiersman, whose life story has been recounted in other pages also, was born in Kent county, Delaware, July 4, 1818. His parents were of English and Irish descent, and in 1823 moved west across the Alleghany Mountains to Ohio, then upon the very outposts of civilization. Eight years later they came on to Indiana, locating in Tippecanoe county on the Wabash. The desire, however, of owning and farming his own lands took possession of the elder Dillon, and he pulled … Read more

Biography of William H. Chapman

WILLIAM H. CHAPMAN. – Upon entering this city and examining the business houses, one will not only note the handsome buildings devoted to the drug business of Allen & Chapman, but be deeply impressed with, and almost astonished at, the indications of the immense business of this firm, which speaks eloquently of the large and growing community with whom they do business, and proves the frequent assertions which one hears that they conduct the largest trade in heir line in Yakima county. We give a view of the interior of their store; and, to those who may think that North … Read more

Biography of William Elliott

WILLIAM ELLIOTT. – This now venerable citizen of our state, whose form and character are familiar to many in Western Oregon, was born in Knox county, Indiana, September 14, 1815. Losing his mother by death when but a child of five years, he was received by an uncle, and remained in his family, removing with him to Missouri in 1820, and not leaving his kind relatives until he had attained his majority. In 1836 he became a volunteer soldier under A.J. Morgan, of Fort Leavenworth, to prosecute the war in Florida, and in this service experienced many sharp encounters. After … Read more

Biography of William D. Stillwell

WILLIAM D. STILLWELL. – William D. Stillwell was born in Logan county, Ohio, on the 16th of November, 1823. While he was still quite young his parents moved to Michigan, and to Iowa in1838. After living there five years, he concluded in 1843 to emigrate to Oregon. Finding it too late to join the emigration trains, he stopped in Missouri until the following year, when he was among the first to camp at the starting point near Independence. The emigration company were slow in their preparations for starting, and, as Mr. Stillwell was eager to be off, he started out … Read more