FRED D. CLEAVES. – Although among the young men, Mr. Cleaves has for a number of years held responsible public positions. He was born in Stockbridge, Wisconsin, in 1852, residing in that village and at Fond du Lac until ten years of age, and coming in 1864 to this coast with his father’s family. Here is one of the few cases in which we find one of the early settlers returning to the East. After a year’s residence at Whidby Island, and two years at Albany, Oregon, the elder Cleaves recrossed the plains to his old home in Wisconsin. The change gave young Fred a better opportunity for education; but upon reaching man’s estate he still remembered the Pacific coast, and gradually drifted hither. Two years he stopped in Colorado.
Finally coming up to Puget Sound, he began professional work, as teacher of penmanship at White River, and in 1880 made his home at La Conner, teaching there a few years. He found more agreeable employment, however, as clerk in the store of B.L. Martin, and afterwards for L.L. Andrews. While in the latter position, he was elected on the Democratic ticket as county treasurer of Skagit county one year, and re-elected in1884. He was also appointed clerk of the district court by Judge Greene, and was continued in this position by Judges Jones, Boyle, Burke and Hanford. He has also operated a real estate office, handling much property. He has the reputation of being an upright man in both public and private life, and enjoys the confidence of the community.