Thurston County WA

Thurston County WA, located in the western part of Washington State, is steeped in rich history and geographical diversity. Established on January 12, 1852, from portions of Lewis County, it was originally named after Samuel R. Thurston, the Oregon Territory‘s first delegate to Congress. The county seat is Olympia, which also serves as the state capital, highlighting the county’s central role in Washington’s political landscape. Thurston County is characterized by its varied topography, ranging from the southern reaches of Puget Sound to dense forests and the fertile Nisqually Valley. It has played a pivotal role in the state’s history, serving as a hub for trade, governance, and cultural exchange. The county’s formation and development were significantly influenced by its strategic location along the Puget Sound, facilitating maritime trade and settlement.

Fix, Clara Jane Harris – Obituary

Mrs. S. E. Fix, 78, former Pierce County resident, died Tuesday in a hospital at Olympia. She was born at Rockford, Ontario, Canada, and came to the United States with her parents in 1884. The family made its home at Auburn, and prior to her marriage, Mrs. Fix taught in Orting schools. She was married January 28, 1903 at Auburn and for many years the couple made its home at Kapowsin, later moving to Olympia. She had been ill the past few years. Mrs. Fix was past matron of the Narcissus Chapter, Order of Eastern Star. Besides her husband, she … Read more

Nichols, Lucia Anabel “Annie” Calhoun Mrs. – Obituary

Lucia Anabel “Annie” Nichols, 79, of Yelm, Wash., died March 9, 2004. Her memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 20, at the Yelm Senior Citizen Center, 201 Yelm Ave. There will be a reception afterward. She was born on Dec. 1, 1924, in West Virginia to Clarence Otto and Fannie Calhoun. In her spare time she took in foster babies and anyone else who needed a hug. She leaves many good, close friends. Annie was a little woman of great determination. She was able to overcome many obstacles that got in her way, including a stroke that … 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

Biography of Charles Biles

Charles Biles was born in Warren County, Tennessee, in Aug. 1809, and reared on a farm in North Carolina, removing when 19 years old to Christian County, Kentucky. In 1832 he married, and in 1835 removed to Illinois, soon returning to Hopkins County, Kentucky, where he resided until 1853, when he emigrated to Washington Territory in company with his brother James, their families, and C. B. Baker, Elijah Baker, and William Downing, and their families, being a part of the first direct immigration to the territory, via the wagon road through the Nachess pass. Mr Biles settled upon Grand Mound … Read more

Biography of Hon. John B. Allen

HON. JOHN B. ALLEN. – “I think Walla Walla is destined to be the central and commercial city of that large area of country in Eastern Washington lying south of the Snake river, and of much of Eastern Oregon. Probably no city of its population in the Northwest equals it in wealth. It is just now emerging from years of transportation extortions, which few other regions could have borne. Competitive systems will infuse new life to every industry, and stimulate the developments of resources heretofore lying dormant.” This is the horoscope of the young city as cast by Mr. Allen; … Read more

Biography of Samuel Coulter

Samuel Coulter was born in Tyler county, Virginia, August 20, 1832, and is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Rodes) Coulter. His father’s parents were natives of Wales and at an early day settled in Virginia, while his maternal ancestors came from England. At the age of four years he lost his father and soon thereafter the family moved to Van Buren county, Iowa. When be reached the age of twelve his mother died, after which he went to live with his half brother, Capt. B. L. Henness, who now resides near Mt. Tabor, Oregon, who kindly offered him a … Read more

Biography of Hon. Isaac Ingalls Stevens

HON. ISAAC INGALLS STEVENS. – Governor Stevens was born at Andover, Massachusetts, March 18, 1818. He graduated from West Point in the class of 1839, of which he stood at the head, and immediately thereafter was commissioned second lieutenant of engineers. In 1840 he was promoted to a first lieutenancy. In the war with Mexico (1846-1848) he served on the staff of General Scott and for gallant and meritorious services at Contreras, Churubusco and Chapultepec earned the brevet rank of major. He was severely wounded in the capture of the City of Mexico from the effect of which he suffered … Read more

Biography of Conrad G. Saylor

CONRAD G. SAYLOR – Among the pioneers to the Pacific Northwest, and especially to the “classic shades” of Yamhill county, Oregon, none enjoyed a greater measure of esteem than the gentleman whose name is the title to this memoir. He was born in Martinsville, Indiana, October 6, 1818, and in that state resided until he was twenty-two years of age, when he came west to Iowa. In the latter state he learned the brickmaking and brick-laying trades, which he followed in various sections, first as employe’, then as contractor and builder. Among the numerous buildings which were constructed under his … Read more

Biography of Theodore C. Van Epps

THEODORE C. VAN EPPS. – Mr. Van Epps, a portrait of whom is placed among the illustrations of this work, is one of the best known men in Washington’s capital city. He was born in New Scotland, eight miles west of Albany, New York, February 15, 1847, and is the son of Charles and Angelica (Vedder) Van Epps, both of whom were born in New York of Holland parentage, his mother being a cousin of ex-President Martin Van Buren. His great-grandfather was from Holland, and founded the town of Amsterdam in New York State. At the age of six Theodore … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Alexander C. McClelland

ALEXANDER C. McCLELLAND. – The present registrar of the United States land-office at La Grande, Oregon, is a native of Indiana, having been born there in 1842. He received his education at the Berlin High School, Wisconsin, and in 1863 came west to Montana as a gold-seeker. He found the employment of his intellectual acquisition more profitable, however, and for a number of years engaged in school-teaching and educational work in the Willamette valley. In 1867 we find him in the mines at Baker City, looking after “lodes” and “leads,” and also in 1870 engaged in the stock business with … Read more

Jeffries, B. F. Mrs. – Obituary

Mrs. B. F. Jeffers, formerly Mrs. Lydia Reeves, died in Olympia, Washington, Monday of this week, and interment took place in Union Thursday from the Undertaking Parlor. Mrs. Jeffers was a former resident of Union, at which time she was known as Mrs. Lydia Reeves, wife of Vincent Reeves. Mr. and Mrs. Reeves removed to La Grande from Union thence to Haines, where they resided up to the time of Mr. Reeves’ death, which was seven years ago. She was married to Mr. Jeffers, who survives her. After her marriage, the deceased was a resident of Olympia. She leaves no … Read more

Biography of Elisha H. Lewis

ELISHA H. LEWIS. – This well-known gentlemen was born in New York in 1824. He was raised on a farm, and received a common-school education at his home on the slopes of the Catskill Mountains. In 1845 he went to Chicago and thence to Wisconsin, where he worked as millwright until 1849. Coming in that year by the Isthmus to California, he was mining in several camps with the usual checkered luck of those days, making a return to the “States” for a visit. In the spring of 1852 he returned by water to California, and in the fall of … Read more

Carper, Joseph K. – Obituary

Services Held For Joe Carper Funeral Services were held at Centralia, Washington, Saturday, March 13, for Joseph K. Carper, former resident of Promise for many years. Mr. Carper passed away at the Swedish hospital in Seattle March 10, where he had been confined for a month. Mr. Carper was born in Raleigh County, West Virginia, on September 21, 1865, the son of George Washington and Delilah Carper. His father was a minister and came west in the 90’s moving into the La Grande and John Day country. Joe Carper was married when he was 17 years old and came west … Read more

Champ, William – Obituary

Large funeral state pioneer-William champ dies at Winlock and funeral held on Sunday-Baptist church would not hold nearly all the mourners-organized many Masonic lodges in the west. Sunday afternoon from the Baptist Church at Winlock were held the funeral services of William Champ of that city who died Saturday. The church would not begin to hold the people who were present to pay their respects to the memory of this old pioneer who came west and who first located in Olympia in 1860. Born in Kentucky in 1825-he would have been 88 year old in about one month-Mr. Champ joined … Read more

Biography of Hon. William F. Keady

HON. WM. F. KEADY. – “The pen is mightier than the sword;” and the editor is greater than the captain. He is not simply a gossip and talker, but a thinker. The man who has grown up in a newspaper office can make his way in the world wherever a way is possible, and becomes a pillar in society. This is the case with Mr. Keady, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1821. He learned the printer’s trade, and entered the printing office of the Iroquois Journal at Middleport, Illinois, in 1852. Within six months he was half … Read more

Biography of Esdras N. Ouimette

Explore the remarkable life of Esdras N. Ouimette (1838-), from his roots in St. Eustache, Quebec, to becoming a cornerstone of Tacoma, Washington’s early business community. This biography highlights Ouimette’s journey westward, his transformative contributions to Tacoma’s development, including the construction of the city’s first three-story brick building, and his success in real estate. Ouimette’s story is a testament to the enduring impact one individual can have on a city’s economic and social fabric, inviting readers to uncover the details of his legacy and Tacoma’s ascent as the City of Destiny.

Biography of Joseph Brannan

JOSEPH BRANNAN. – Mr. Brannan was born in Union county, Ohio, near Marysville, September 13,1825, is the ninth child of a family of twelve children, and the son of Joseph and Jane Huls Brannan. On his nineteenth birthday he left his father’s farm and came west to Winnebago county, Illinois, where he resided for six years and followed farming, when he went to Iowa, but soon returned to Illinois. On April 1, 1854, he started for Washington Territory, with Seattle as the objective point, to join his brother William H., who was killed by Indians in the fall of 1855 … Read more

Ormsby, George William – Obituary

Services for George W. Ormsby, 85, formerly of Nampa, who died Tuesday, June 10 [1986], in Olympia, Wash., will be held Friday at 1 p.m. at the Fissel Chapel of the Brown Mortuary Service, Chehalis, Wash. Burial will follow at the Claquato Cemetery, Chehalis. Mr. Ormsby was born Sept. 30, 1900, at Sams Springs, Iowa. He married Edith Roberts Oct. 8, 1924, in Mountain Home. They moved to Nampa, where he worked for the Pacific Fruit Express, retiring after 20 years service in 1945. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Railroad Engineers in Idaho. He then operated a … Read more

Brown, Alyce J. Mrs. – Obituary

Richland, Baker County, Oregon Alyce J. Brown, 92, of Lacey, Wash., who with her husband, Henry, were founders of Boulder Park in the Wallowa Mountains, died Nov. 6, 2005, at the Panorama City retirement center at Lacey. At her request, there will be no funeral. She will be interred next to her late husband, Henry L. Brown, at Mount Hope Cemetery on Thursday. Alyce was born on June 14, 1913, at Oakland, Calif. She married Henry L. Brown on May 23, 1934. The couple moved to Baker City in 1952 and together they built Boulder Park, which they operated until … Read more

Nisqualli Tribe

Nisqualli Indians. A Salish tribe on and about the river of the same name flowing into the south extension of Puget Sound, Washington.  The Nisqualli Reservation is on the Nisqualli river between Pierce and Thurston counties.  The name has also been extended to apply to those tribes on the east side of Puget Sound, speaking the same dialect as the above.  Such are the Puyallup, Skagit, Snohomish, Snokwalmu and Stilakwamish.  Mitsukwick was a former Nisqualli village.  The Nisqualli made a treaty with the United States at Medicine creek, Washington, December 26, 1854, ceding certain lands and reserving others.  The Executive … Read more