Vermilion Ohio

Biography of Capt. Henry Roeder

Capt. Henry Roeder, born in Germany on July 4, 1824, immigrated to America at age seven. He began his nautical career on Lake Erie, later venturing to California during the gold rush. After various failed business attempts, he shifted to lumbering in the Puget Sound area, establishing a mill and coal mine. Roeder was politically active, serving in the territorial council and county commissioner roles. He married Elizabeth Austin, settling in Whatcom, where they raised two children and became prominent community figures.

Biographical Sketch of Hon. Melancthon Z. Goodell

Hon. Melancthon Z. Goodell, born in 1837 in Ohio, moved west with his family in 1850, settling initially in Oregon before relocating to Washington Territory. A participant in the Indian War, he later farmed near Elma for over twenty years before becoming a lumber and real estate dealer in Montesano. Goodell’s public service includes two terms as sheriff, two as assessor of Chehalis County, and two terms in the legislature. He married Rebecca Byles in 1858 and has eight children.