Washington

Biographical Sketch of Charles Carpenter

CHARLES CARPENTER. – Mr. Carpenter was born in Chattendon county, Vermont, February 1, 1838. He was the third son in a family of eight. Orrin and Jane (Basut) Carpenter were his parents. When thirteen years old he went with his parents to Franklin county, New York, and there received his education. In 1859 he came in company with his brothers J.W. and Henry, to California. They came via the Isthmus of Panama, and on the Pacific side took passage in the older steamer John L. Stevens for San Francisco. While in California Mr. Carpenter was engaged in various occupations, according … Read more

Biography of John Carson

John Carson, born January 25, 1828, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, was a quintessential pioneer of the American frontier. Moving to Perry County, Indiana at age 15, Carson later journeyed to Puget Sound, Washington Territory, in 1853. Carson and his family endured arduous travels, eventually settling near Puyallup, Washington. He established a private ferry and was a key figure during the Indian wars, raising a volunteer company for defense. Carson served in the territorial legislature and was instrumental in local infrastructure development. His contributions to Pierce County, including his success in hop-raising and sawmilling, highlight his legacy as a pioneer and community leader.

Biography of Philip F. Castleman

PHILIP F. CASTLEMAN. – Those who now make the trip in the palatial car across the continent from the populous cities and thickly settled districts of the union, and view the Pacific Northwest in its present development, can but faintly realize the dangers and privations the sturdy pioneers experienced in reaching here, nor yet understand the troubles they had with the red man who then roamed its confines at will, and knew no law save what pleased the savage heart the best. They often meet among its residents not a few upon whom the snows of many winters have fallen, … Read more

Biography of Isaac Cathcart

ISAAC CATHCART. – In the gentleman whose name heads this brief memoir, we have a leading and worthy citizen of Snohomish county. He is one of the men whose success in life has been mainly achieved in the county in which he now lives, by the exercise of economy, industry and business integrity, guided by intelligent financial ability. He is now in affluent circumstances, though twenty years ago he was a poor man. What he has came gradually through those years as the result of correct business calculations, and not by chance or the favorable turn of Fortune’s wheel. Mr. … 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 Edward P. Cadwell

EDWARD P. CADWELL. – This substantial capitalist of Washington, and leading member of the legal profession of Tacoma, was born in Independence, Iowa, December 23, 1855, and was the son of Carlos C. and Emily E. (Ross) Cadwell, his mother having been a sister of Chief Justice Ross of Vermont. He resided in his native town, where he attended a public school, and in his seventeenth year entered the Iowa State Agricultural College, graduating as civil engineer in 1875. Returning home, he became principal for one year of the grammar department of the high school at Independence. Upon the completion … Read more

Biography of George B. Calhoun, M.D.

GEORGE B. CALHOUN,M.D. – There are but few men better known or more highly respected in the medical profession on Puget Sound than Doctor Calhoun, an excellent portrait of whom appears in this history. He is a native of New Brunswick, and was born October 19, 1837, his parents being John and Mary (Brewster) Calhoun. When he was but a small boy, he moved with his parents to the sunny South, locating in Maryland. His father, being a shipowner and seafaring man, was stricken, while on a voyage to the Bermudas, with yellow fever, from which he died. Our subject, … Read more

Biography of A. C. Campbell

A.C. CAMPBELL. – The respect Mr. Campbell commands in his community as a man of honesty and integrity, and as one who has acquired a very enviable competency by hard knocks and straightforward dealings, reminds one of Longfellow’s famous blacksmith; but, although Mr. Campbell has for years upon years listened to the “measured beat and slow’ of his hammer on the anvil, he no longer appears with leathern apron and bare, brown arms, because he is now settled down in a comfortable home, and in the midst of his loving family living happily by other and less arduous pursuits than … Read more

Biography of Hon. Hilory Butler

HON. HILORY BUTLER. – Mr. Butler is the son of Roland and Luc Emery Butler. He was born in Culpepper county, Virginia, on March 31, 1819. He resided on his father’s farm, where he was born, until he was twenty-one years of age, when he came to Lexington, Missouri, with a neighbor’s family, and followed farming until 1852. In April of that year he started across the plains in company with his wife, with the train known as the Hays and Cowan train, and arrived in Portland in September of the same year. After spending the first winter in Portland, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hon. Charles N. Byles

HON. CHARLES N. BYLES. – This is one of the town builders of the west. Out of his farm on Mound Prairie he has made Montesano a place of twelve hundred people. His father was a Presbyterian minister of Madisonville, Kentucky. Charles was born in 1844. In 1853 the family crossed the plains, and upon reaching Wallula struck out northwestward to the Sound, crossing the mountains via the Nahchess Pass. Moving down on Mound Prairie, they located a place fourteen miles south of Olympia. Here on these healthful fields the boy grew up to manhood, and, becoming of age, took … Read more

Biography of Walter A. Bull

WALTER A. BULL.- In the gentleman whose name heads this brief memoir, we find one of the most substantial farmers of the Kittitass valley, and the owner of the beautiful ranch, a view of which finds a place in this work. He is a native of Albany, New York, and was born June 20, 1838, being the son of John and Sarah (Fish) Bull. When our subject was ten years of age, he with his parents moved to Racine, Wisconsin, where his father engaged in the shipping business on the lakes, and where Walter attended school and resided until twenty … Read more

Biography of Mrs. Mary E. Burbank

MRS. MARY E. BURBANK. – The wife of Honorable A.R. Burbank was born near Milford, Delaware, January 14, 1827, and is the daughter of Jesse E. and Ellen Eckles. While but a child of sixteen months, she was bereft of her mother by death, and was intrusted to the care of her sable nurse until three years old. At this date she moved with her father and his family of three daughters and two sons to the far West, crossing the Alleghany Mountains in wagons, and settling at Clarkesburgh, Ohio, in the fall of 1830, residing there five years. As … Read more

Biography of Hon. A. R. Burbank

HON. A.R. BURBANK. – Mr. Burbank, a founder of society and business upon the Pacific coast, was born April 15, 1817, near Cincinnati, Ohio. He is the son of Major Daniel Burbank, an American officer in the war of 1812, who came with his family in an open boat down the Alleghany and Ohio rivers as early as 1814, and made a home on its northern shore near the present metropolis. The Major was from Williamstown, Massachusetts. His wife, Margeret Pinchen, was from Atica, New York. In 1818 a further move was made in the family boat down the Ohio … Read more

Biography of Miss Eva L. Burbank

MISS EVA L. BURBANK. – Miss Burbank, the only child of Honorable A.R. and Mary E. Burbank, whose memory is still cherished with regretful interest by the people of our state, was born in Monticello, Washington Territory, January 22, 1861, where her parents were at that time keeping the Monticello House. At the age of five and a half months she was christened (as an offering) in the Taylor Street Methodist Church, of Portland, by the Reverend T.H. Pearn. At the age of five years she began attendance upon school, and developed unusual quickness and ability of mind. In August, … Read more

Biography of A. M. Brookes

A. M. BROOKES. – A portrait of Mr. Brookes is placed in this work. The present efficient postmaster of the “Queen City” (Seattle) was born in Galena, Illinois, September 2, 1843, and is the son of Samuel M. and Julia B. (Jones) Brookes. His father was one of the early pioneers of Milwaukee. When our subject was but an infant his parents moved to Chicago, and two years later moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where A.M. was educated at the Milwaukee Academy, and where he resided until August, 1862. When, on the call by President Lincoln for three hundred thousand men, … Read more

Biography of Benjamin Brown

BENJAMIN BROWN. – Mr. Brown was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1831, and remained at his native place until 1857, receiving a common-school education. In this year he emigrated to American and settled in Michigan, remaining until March, 1858, when he came to California by way of New York and the Isthmus. From San Francisco he found his way to the Siskiyou mines, and operated until July of 1868, and thence came to the Frazer river mines. In the autumn of that year, he brought his journeyings to a close at Steilacoom, where he remained a year. Being favorably impressed … Read more

Biography of Hon. J. J. Browne

HON. J.J. BROWNE. – The broad-minded citizenship which looks to personal advantage only through the general prosperity, and makes the public weal and growth occupy the first place, is the best guarantee of a great future. This Spokane Falls enjoys. None of her citizens is more fully impressed with this theory of metropolitan attainments than he whose name appears above. Mr. Browne was born at Greenville, Ohio, in 1843, and was educated for the law at the Michigan University. Coming to this coast, he remained four years at Portland, practicing law. He also served as superintendent of public schools. In … Read more

Biography of Archbishop F. N. Blanchet

ARCHBISHOP BLANCHET. – The Most Reverend F.N. Blanchet ranked among the apostolic men who laid the deep foundations of the Catholic faith in this country. He was born at St. Pierre, Riviere-du-Sud, Quebec, Canada, September 5, 1795, was educated in the Petit Seminaire, Quebec, and was ordained July 18, 1819, by Archbishop Plessis. At that time Oregon was simply the name given to a territory extending along the Pacific coast from latitude forty-two degrees to fifty-four degrees, forty minutes north, until finally, in 1846, – the year of the accession of Pius IX. to the see of Peter, – all … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jeremiah W. Borst

JEREMIAH W. BORST. – The subject of this sketch was born in Tyoga county, New York, in 1829. At the age of four years, he removed with his father’s family to Indiana, and was reared on a farm. The days of his youth were spent in Missouri, with a return to the Hoosier State. In 1850, he crossed the plains with ox-teams for the gold fields of California, and dug for the precious metal five years. In 1858, he came north to Washington Territory, finding a home on Snoqualmie Prairie, since famous as the location of the great ranch 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