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 at Lapwai, for’ which position he was well fitted, and which he held for a long time. ‘But for his liberality he would have been rich, but he has given away enough to make several fortunes.’ Walla Walla Union, Oct. 23, 1869.
‘He was the comrade in the mountains of Kit Carson, J. L. Meek, Robert Newell, Courtenay Walker, Thompson, Rahboin, and a host of other brave men whose names are linked with the history of the country.’
Walla Walla Statesman, in Portland Oregonian, Oct. 30, 1869.
Here are a few men who settled in Washington at an early period, but who had first resided in Oregon:
Solomon Strong, born in Erie co., N. V., Nov. 11, 1817. At the age of fourteen years removed to Ohio, thence to Iowa, and thence, in 1847, to Or., with an ox-team, with his wife and one child, George W., born in 1S43, in Iowa. Strong settled on a claim seven miles from Portland, residing there until Sept. 17, 1850, when he took a donation claim in Cowlitz co., on which he has resided ever since. Mrs. Strong was the first white woman on the north side of Lewis River. He was elected justice of the peace in 1852 in what was then Clarke co., and appointed co. commissioner by Gov. Stevens, to which office ho was afterwards elected for eleven and a halt years. On the organization of Cowlitz co., was elected to the same office and soon resigned. Ile married, Jan. 5, 1845, Miss Mary A. Bozarth, of Mo.; has ten children.
Squire Bozarth, born in Hardin co., Icy, Jan. 11, 1792, married there, in 1816, Millie H. Willis, a native of Virginia, born 1802. He removed to Missouri and Iowa, and in 1845 came to Oregon overland with his wife and eight children, namely, Owen W., Sarah A., Lorana, Christopher C., Julia A., Squire Jr, Millie W., born in Mo., and Emma C., born in Ia. Three children, Elizabeth Bozarth Lantze, Mrs Mary A. Strong, and John S. Bozarth, came two years later. Mr Bozarth first settled in Washington co., Or., but removed to the Columbia river opp. Vancouver, and again, in 1850, to Lewis river, where he took a donation claim on the North Fork, where he died March 16, 1853.
John S. Bozarth settled on Lewis River in 1852. In 1652 he hail married Arebreth Luelling, a native of Illinois, who came to Orego in 1847. He died in March 1882, leaving seven children, all born on Lewis River.
C. C. Bozarth, born in Marion co., Mo., in 1832, Jan. 1st, married, in 1833, Mrs Rhoda R. Van Bobber, born in Ill., a daughter of Jacob John, who came to Oregon in 1852. He resided on Lewis River and had four children. He was engaged in farming until 1881, when he went to general merchandising at Woodland, Cowlitz County. In 1856 was assessor of Clarke County, and again in 1834 and 1866, and of Cowlitz County from 1875 to 1879. He was justice of the peace fourteen years; was an assemblyman from Clarke County in 1561-2, and held the position of postmaster at Woodland.
F. N. Görig, born in Germany in 1824, came to U. S. in 1848, lived two years in Washington, D. C., went to Illinois, and in 1833 came to Oregon, locating on the Columbia River, near St Helen. In 1865 removed to Cowlitz County, Wash. He married, in 1851, Christine Heitmann of Germany. They bad seven sons and one daughter, their eldest being born upon the journey to Oregon, at Green River. He owns over one thousand acres, and is a wealthy citizen of Cowlitz County.
Ruben Lockwood was born in Springfield, Vermont, in 1822, but reared in Ohio. He came to W. T. in 1852 with his wife and stepdaughter, Miss Anna C. Conway, and settled on the North Fork of Lewis River, in Clarke County. Being a teacher, he was employed in Oregon City, at The Dalles, and in Petaluma, California, still keeping his home in Wash. He was married in 1850 to Mrs Mary C. Conway, of Crawfordsville, Indiana. Their children are S. F. Lockwood, born in Oregon City, and Lillie C. Lockwood. The son married Miss Pauline Brozer, a native of Clarke County.
William A. L. McCorkle, born in Rockbridge co., Virginia, in 1826, reared in Ohio, came to California in 1849, and to Cowlitz Valley in 1850, settling nine miles from its month. Married Diana Saville, a native of that co., and has two sons, John W. and Eugene.