Washington

First Senators and Representatives of Washington

These are the names of the first state senators, with their counties: Adams, Franklin, and Okanagan County, F. H. Luce Asotin and Garfield County, C. G. Austin Chehalis County, C. T. Wooding Clallam County, Jefferson, and San Juan, Henry Landes Clarke County, L. B. Clough Columbia County, H. H. Wolfe Cowlitz County, C. E. Forsythe Douglas and Yakima County, J. M. Snow Island and Skagit County, Thomas Paine King County, W. D. Wood, J. H. Jones, 0. D. Gilfoil, John R. Kinnear, W. V. Rinehart Kitsap and Mason County, W. H. Kneeland Kittitas County, E. T. Wilson Klickitat and Skamania … Read more

Delegates of Washington Convention, July 4, 1889

The several counties were represented as follows in the convention: Adams County, D. Buchanan Garfield, S. G. Cosgrove Franklin, W. B. Gray Columbia, M. M. Goodman, R. F. Sturvedant Chehalis County, A. J. West Clarke County, Louis Johns, A. A. Lindsley Cowlitz County, Jesse Van Name Island County, J. C. Kellogg Jefferson County, Allen Weir, George H. Jones, H. C. Willison King County, R. Jeff’s, T. T. Minor, T. P. Dyer, D. E. Durie, John R. Kinnear, John P. Hoyt, M. J. McElroy, Morgan Morgans County, George W. Tibbetts, W. L. Newton Kitsap County, S. A. Dickey Kittetas County, J. … Read more

Washington Pioneers and Solders in the Indian War

David Shelton, son of Lewis Shelton and Nancy Gladdin, his wife, and grandson of Roderick Shelton and Usley Willard, his wife, of Virginia, was born in Buncombe County, Virginia, Sept. 15, 1812, migrating with his parents to Missouri territory in 1819. He married Frances Willson, born in Kentucky, May 30, 1837, and removed in 1838 to the Platte Purchase, settling near St Joseph, where he lived until 1847, when he emigrated to Oregon, taking up a claim on Sauvé Island, which he sold in 1848, and went to the California gold mines, returning to Portland in 1849, where he remained … 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

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

Washington Settlers from Oregon

William Craig was born in Greenbriar County, Virginia, in 1810. He entered the service of the American Fur Company in 1830, and for ten years led the life of a trapper. When the fur companies broke up, about 1810, he came to Oregon, and settled not long after at Lapwai, near Spalding’s mission, to which he rendered valuable assistance in controlling the Indians. He also was of much service to Gov. Stevens in making treaties with the Indians of eastern Washington. Stevens appointed him on his staff, with the rank of Lieutenant colonel, and he was afterward appointed Indian agent … Read more

Washington Council Members, 1854

The members of the council elected to fill the places left vacant by the expiration of the short term and other causes were: Jefferson Huff and Ira Patterson from Clarke and Skamania County C. C. Terry and W. A. Strickler from Pierce and King County A. M. Poe from Island County, Clallam, Jefferson, and Whatcom County. Catlin, of the former council, was chosen president Butler P. Anderson, Chief Clerk A. J. Moses, Assistant Clerk J. L. Mitchell, Sergeant-at-Arms William Cullison, Doorkeeper The Lower House was composed of: William McCool, of Skamania, County; C. C. Stiles, Chas S. Irby, William Hendrickson, … Read more

Hudson’s Bay Company Forts in Washington

In Stevens’ report is found a list of all the forts of the H. B. Co., with their rank and value, and the amount of cultivated laud, making the whole foot up no more than $300,000, whereas they received twenty years later more than double that amount. The other information contained in the report relates to the segregation of the land claimed by the companies into donation lots, with the names of the squatters, and is of interest in the history of the early settlement of the country. The following are the names of the so-called trespassers: At Fort Vancouver, … Read more

Washington Petitions for Land Law separate from Oregon

The most important matter to which the attention of the national legislature was called was a change in the land law, to effect which congress was memorialized to grant them a surveyor-general of their own, and a land system “separate from, and wholly disconnected with, that of Oregon territory.” To be relieved from the prohibition preventing the holders of donation certificates from selling any portion of their claims before they received a patent; their certificates to be prima facie evidence of title. Suggestions were given as to the manner of establishing a claim by witnesses before the surveyor-general. That persons … Read more

Washington Counties Organized

Sawamish County, first organized March 13, 1854, had its name changed to Mason Jan. 3, 1864, in honor of Charles H. Mason, first secretary of the territory. The county officers appointed on its organization were: Commissioners, Wesley Gosnell, Charles Graham, Lee Hancock Sheriff, Finis K. Simmons Judge of Probate, Alfred Hall Auditor, V. P. Morrow Treasurer, Orrington Cushman Justice of the Peace, Aaron M. Collins Olympia Pioneer and Dem., May 27, 1854. Commissioners appointed for Whatcom County were Commissioners, William Cullen, H. C. Page, R. V. Peabody Sheriff, Ellis Barnes Auditor, A. M. Poe. Commissioners appointed for Walla Walla County … Read more

Washington First Legislative Assembly

The first legislative assembly was composed of nine councilmen, as follows: Clarke County, Daniel F. Bradford and William H. Tappan; Island and Jefferson County, William T. Sayward; Lewis and Pacific County, Seth Catlin and Henry Miles; Pierce and King County, Lafayette V. Balch and G. N. McConaha; Thurston, D. R. Bigelow and B. F. Yantis. H. M. Frost of Pierce County was elected chief clerk, and U. E. Hicks of Thurston County, assistant clerk. Hicks was County Clerk of Thurston. He figured a good deal in polities, served in the Indian war of 1855-6, and afterward edited one or more … 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

Washington Insane Asylum

The legislative assembly of 1861-2 authorized the governor and auditor to contract for the care of the insane, the contract being let to the St John lunatic asylum at Vancouver, in charge of the Sisters of Charity. A fund was set aside out of the general fund of the territory to pay for their keeping, and they were kindly cared for. A memorial was forwarded to congress, asking that an appropriation might be made to erect a building somewhere on the Sound which should serve both for a marine hospital, which was needed, and an asylum for the insane. But … Read more

Washington Councilmen, 1879

The New Tacoma Herald, Oct. 30, 1879, is my authority for the following condensed biographies: President of the counsel, Francis H. Cook, born in Ohio; age 28; came to the territory in 1871; publisher of the Herald. Elliot Cline, born in Pennsylvania, age 60; immigrated in 1852; farmer by occupation; residence New Dungeness. J. H. Day, born in Virginia, age 60, immigrated in 1862, druggist, residence Walla Walla. S. G. Dudley, born in New York, age 45, immigrated in 1874, farmer, residence Seattle. R. O. Dunbar, born in Illinois, age 45, immigrated in 1846, lawyer, residence Goldendale. J. B. La … Read more

Leading Citizens of Spokane Falls Washington

Among the leading citizens of Washington, in addition to those mentioned elsewhere in this volume, the following residents of Spokane Falls are worthy of note: J. N. Glover, a Missourian by birth, and, it may he said, the founder of the city, settling there, or rather on its site, in 1873, and purchasing from two squatters named Downing and Scranton the tract of land on which their shanties were then the only buildings. First as the owner of a saw-mill, next as a contractor, then as the leading organizer and president of the First National Bank, and finally as mayor … Read more

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

Biography of Bezaleel Freeman Kendall

Bezaleel Freeman Kendall, like Elwood Evans, crossed the continent in 1853 with Stevens. He was a native of Oxford, Maine, and a graduate of Bowdoin College. His talents are highly praised by all his biographers. Evans, who knew him well, says that he possessed a grand physique, was a fine scholar, able writer, powerful speaker, hard student, and of thorough integrity, but ambitions, aristocratic in his feelings, bitter in his prejudices, and indiscreet in his utterances. The newspapers cannot too highly paint his contempt for the opinions of others, his bitterness of expression, his unqualified style of assault upon any … Read more

Biographical Sketch of I. L. Scammon

Another Chehalis County pioneer is I. L. Scammon, who was born in Maine in 1822, came to California in 1849-50, making the voyage on the 63-ton schooner Little Traveler. In the autumn of 1850 he took passage for the Columbia River, which was passed by mistake, the vessel making Shoalwater bay. Making his way overland to the Columbia, he went to Salem, Oregon, and to the southern mines, but returning to Washington Territory took a donation claim on the Chehalis River, where the old town of Montesano, now known as Wynoochee, grew up about him. He married Miss Lorinda Hopkins … 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

Washington Blockhouses or Stockades erected during Indian War

There were 22 block-houses or stockades erected by the settlers during the war, as follows : at Davis’ Skookum Chuck Henness, near Mound prairie on Tenalcut prairie, at Nathan Eaton’s #1 on Chambers’ prairie #2 on Chambers’ prairie at Bush’s Goodell’s Ruddell’s Rutledge’s #1 at Tumwater #2 at Tumwater one at Dofflemeyer’s one on Whidbey Island one at Port Gamble one on the Cowlitz (Fort Arkansas) one on Mime prairie, one at Port Ludlow, one at Meigs’ Mill, #1 at the Cascades #2 at the Cascades one at Boisford prairie. Others were subsequently erected by the volunteers and troops, to … Read more