Washington Pioneer Dead 1914
The obituaries following are those of
pioneers whose deaths have come to the notice of the biographer.
The information given is chiefly obtained from the newspapers of
the day. For the purposes of this article those only are
considered pioneers who had lived upon the Pacific Coast before
1860, and were residents of the State of Washington.
Barlow, Byron Born at Plymouth,
Michigan, in 1838; died at Tacoma July 5th. He came to Cowlitz
County, Washington, in 1853. In 1862 he went into the gold
mining country of Idaho and adjacent parts. As a lieutenant he
was engaged in the Indian troubles of 865-66. In 1870 he was
member of the Territorial Legislature, and in 1890 of the State
Legislature. He held various other public offices, and also was
identified with a number of commercial enterprises, the chief
one being the building of the first graving dock in the Puget
Sound Navy Yard, by Byron Barlow & Co.
Bernier, Peter. Born in Lewis County,
Washington, in 1848, died at his home in the same county, Dec.
18th. He was a relative of Marcel Isadore Bernier, who was born
at Spokane Nov. 10th, 1819, and who died in Lewis County Dec.
27th, 1889 the first white child born in either Oregon,
Washington or Idaho. The Bernier family were among the first
white people to come here to live, being connected with the fur
traders of a century ago. In 1830 the family went back to
Eastern Canada, but in 1841 returned and located on Newaukum
Prairie about half way between Puget Sound and Columbia River,
where has ever since been the family home.
Bolton, Mary Born in England in 1833;
died at Tacoma April 18th. With her husband, William Bolton, she
came to Puget Sound in 1850, on the ship Norman Morrison. They
took a 640-acre donation claim on the Sound between Steilacoom
and Tacoma. He was the first shipbuilder in this state, three
schooners of 60 tons each being turned out of his yard during
his first three years there. His death preceded that of his wife
several years.
Brannan, Sarah Born at Mount Pleasant,
Iowa, Nov. 24, 1841; died at Okanogan, Jan. 27th. She was the
daughter of Capt. B. F. Henness, a Thurston County pioneer of
1852. During the Indian war of 1855-56 Henness was Captain of a
Company of Volunteers, and a fort at or near Tenino was named
after him, in which his family and others lived for protection
against the savages. Henness was one of the first grist millers
of Washington. Sarah married Joseph Brannan in 1857 and
thereafter for most of the years dwelt in White River Valley,
King County. Joseph Brannan was a brother of W. H. Brannan, who,
with his wife and child, were killed by the Indians near the
town of Auburn, Oct. 28th, 1855.
Burr, Martha R. Born at Wiscasset,
Maine, March 29th, 1840, died at Seattle Dec. 8th, aged 75
years. In 1850 she came to the Columbia River by ship, where her
father, Capt. Nathaniel Crosby, was engaged in trade in
partnership with his brother, Capt. Clawick Crosby. In 1851
Martha married Capt. Samuel C. Woodruff, and for several years
lived at Hong Kong. He died, and she and her two children came
to Olympia, where in 1865 she married Andrew J. Burr. He died in
1890. The last seventeen years she made her home in Seattle. She
left five children.
Cooper, W. B. Died at Centralia, Jan.
23d, aged 71 years. He had lived in Southwestern Washington
since 1852. Five sisters survive him.
Davids, Thomas J. Born in New York Aug.
30, 1834; died near Oregon City, Sept. 26th. He came to
Washington in 1850, and lived in the southwestern part of the
state almost sixty years.
Doughtery, Julia Born in Ireland in
1826; died in Seattle Feb. 23d. She came to California in 1849;
to Oregon in 1863 and to Washington in 1873.
Furth, Jacob Born in Bohemia, Austria,
Nov. 13th, 1840 ; died at Seattle June 2d. He came to America in
1854. In 1858 he was in California, where he lived twenty-five
years, first at Nevada City, then at North San Juan and last at
Colusa. He was a merchant, and by industry, foresight, saving
and care he prospered, accumulated and became well-to-do. In
1883 he removed to Seattle, and started the Puget Sound National
Bank, he being cashier. Under his politic and skillful
management, the bank extended, its capital being repeatedly
increased. Later he was president, but still the head man. When
the Puget Sound was merged in the Seattle National he went with
it, the largest and most influential stockholder. Mr. Furth
joined the Chamber of Commerce soon after coming here, was a
trustee twenty-four consecutive years, and once president. He
was identified with many business enterprises, the leading one
being the electric companies that owned the railways in
Bellingham, Everett, Tacoma, Seattle, the two interurbans, light
and power plants, heating plant, Renton coal mine, etc., one of
the largest establishments of its kind in the world, he being
its president. These things being true, he was necessarily a
citizen of great wealth, usefulness and fame. He was tolerant of
others, in religion, politics and business; was shrewd,
courteous and deservedly popular. A widow and three daughters
survive him.
Gillespie, James. Born June 28th, 1853,
at Winnebago, Wisconsin; died Feb. 9th at Coupeville. He came to
Portland, Oregon, in 1858, and to Whidby Island, Washington, in
1859. He married Keturah, daughter of Capt. Thomas Coupe, after
whom the town of Coupeville was named. She and three sons
survive.
Guild, Emily M. Born in Washington
County, Oregon, in 1854, died at Woodland, Clark County, Dec.
11th. Her maiden name was Larue. In 1871 she married Berick C.
Guild, and in 1882 they removed to Woodland, where they lived
the thirty-two following years. A mother, a sister, three
brothers, a husband, five children and numerous grand children
and other relatives were left.
Harris, George W. Born in Lowell,
Massachusetts, in 1848; died in Seattle Nov. 6th, aged 67 years.
His father died when he and his younger brother were small boys.
The mother came to Seattle in 1859, where she soon after married
Charles Plummer, he being a prominent citizen dating back to
1853, a merchant, wharf owner, town builder and public-spirited
man. The boy, George, went to the town schools, including the
first in connection with the University. His stepfather at one
time took him into partnership in the store. Mr. Harris served
the Port Ludlow Mill Company as bookkeeper for ten years. Upon
his return to Seattle he became agent for Wells, Fargo & Co.,
and at the same time entered the banking business as George W.
Harris & Co. In 1883 he and others organized and started the
First National Bank. With John Leary he owned the Post, one of
the two newspapers of the town. It was consolidated with the
Intelligencer, the result being the Post Intelligencer, of which
for two years he was a one-quarter owner. He was a quiet,
unobtrusive, retiring man and in his later years was not much
seen or known. A wife and two daughters survive him.
Hathaway, Elizabeth Electa. Born in Ohio
May 7, 1827, died at Vancouver Dec. 20th, aged 87 years. She and
J. S. Hathaway were married in 1846, and came to Washington in
1852, spending the remainder of their lives at Vancouver.
Hemenway, Stacey Born in Laporte County,
Indiana, in 1836; died on the Klamath Indian Reservation,
Oregon, Feb. 19th. Came to Oregon in 1853; served in the army
during the civil war, as Surgeon of the Ninth Illinois Regiment.
After the war he came to Washington Territory, and was the first
Superintendent of the Territorial Insane Asylum. For twenty-five
years he was in the Indian service on the Klamath Reservation.
Hopkins, Lucy S. Born in Illinois in
1833; died in Seattle April 11th. She was daughter of Edward D.
Baker, one of the great men of the nation during his time
orator, statesman, soldier and citizen. She came to California
in 1850 and was married in 1854 to Capt. Charles Hopkins.
Thereafter they lived in Vancouver, Olympia and Seattle. Capt.
Hopkins was U. S. marshal in Washington Territory, and his son,
Charles, held the same office in Washington State. Three sons
and a daughter were left by Mrs. Hopkins.
Jacobs, Orange Born at Genesee, N. Y.,
May 2d, 1827; died at Seattle May 21st. He came to Oregon in
1852 and remained there until 1869, in Marion and Jackson
Counties. He taught school, practiced law, edited a newspaper
and did other things in pursuit of a livelihood. Though in the
political minority a Republican he was prominent in the public
affairs of that territory and state. He was appointed by
President Grant associate justice of the Supreme Court in
Washington Territory and still later chief and reappointed the
latter. He served as judge six years, when he was elected
Delegate to Congress and reelected, serving four years ending in
1879. Shortly after his return to the territory he was elected
mayor of Seattle, and when the city became much greater he
served the people as corporation counsel. Some years later 1897
to 1901 he was judge of the Superior Court of King County. He
was a territorial legislator. Between times he practiced law.
Twice he was president of the Washington Pioneers. He was also a
regent of the University. A willing, helpful man, a good talker,
a writer of ability, genial and sympathetic, he was popular,
respected and honored by all. A wife and seven children were
left.
Jamieson, Winfield Scott Born in Maine
August 5th, 1833; died at Port Gamble Oct. 29th. He came to
California in 1854 and on to Washington the same year. He
entered the Puget Sound lumber business, and at that was chiefly
occupied the remainder of his days. For a couple of years he was
in the British Columbia gold mines. He left a wife, two sons and
two daughters.
Karr, James A. Born in Indiana in 1834;
died at North Yakima Nov. 5th. He came to California in 1855 and
to Washington in 1858. In 1862 he settled on Gray's Harbor
before any town was there begun, and there he remained forty-two
years, when he and his family removed to Yakima. His wife was
the daughter of Ekanah Walker, one of the missionaries at
Spokane in 1838, where she was born. Mrs. Karr is said to be the
oldest native born white person living in the State. Their
daughter, Mrs. Ruth Karr McKee, is now President of the State
Federation of Women's Clubs. Besides his wife, Mr. Karr left
five daughters and three sons.
Kees, Samuel M. Died at Walla Walla Jan.
23d, aged 78 years. He came by ox team to Oregon in 1848,
settling at Lebanon. In 1861 he removed to Walla Walla, where he
was a cattle farmer. A widow and two children survive him.
Landers, L. O. Died at Lisabeula, King
County, June 6th, 86 years of age. He came to California in
1851, and a few years later to Oregon and Washington. In 1880 he
settled on Vashon Island, where he spent the remainder of his
days.
Littlejohn, James K. Died in Seattle
June 28th, aged 65 years. He crossed the continent with the
family in 1852, they settling at Olympia and being well known in
the district of country thereabout. Three brothers and three
sisters survive him, residents of Tacoma, Olympia, Grand Mound
and Centralia.
Longmire, Ellen Born in Oregon in 1856;
died at Tacoma June 6th. She was a member of the Thornton family
of Thurston County. Her husband, John A., was of the pioneer
Longmire family of the same county. Eleven children were born to
them, ten of whom are now living.
Maddocks, Henry C. Born in Herman,
Maine, in 1830; died at Seattle Sept. 13th. He came to San
Francisco in 1851 and to Washington in 1880. He was a contractor
and builder.
Martin, Harvey A. Born in Danville,
Illinois, Dec. 18th, 1840, died in Kelso Dec. 8th, aged 74
years. He came to the Territory when a boy. In 1856 he joined
Capt. Hamilton J. G. Maxon's Company of Mounted Volunteers. At
Vancouver to fight the Indians, serving from Feb. 13th until the
company was disbanded in April, though at the time he was but 15
years of age.
Monohon, Martin Born in Madison County,
Ohio, Oct. 26th, 1820; died at Seattle Sept. 8th, aged 94 years.
He moved on to Indiana in 1821, to Iowa in 1844, to Oregon in
1853, and to Washington in 1871. He never went to school, but
learned to read and write after attaining maturity. He was a
talker, and strong of mind and will. In 1861 he was elected to
the Oregon Legislature. He was twice married, in 1841 and 1851,
and he had two daughters and three sons.
Morris, Moses. Born in 1829, died in
Seattle Dec. 24th, aged 85 years. He came to California in 1851
and to Washington Territory in 1854. He lived forty-four years
at Tolt. The last year he was with his daughter in Seattle. He
was buried at Snohomish.
Mustard, John Born in Lee County,
Virginia, Sept. 30, 1835; died at Dayton Feb. 13th. He came to
Golo County, Cal., in 1854, and to Columbia County, W. T., in
1866, He was a farmer. In 1880 he was sheriff. A widow and six
children were left.
Ostrander, John Y. Born in Cowlitz
County, W. T., April 26, 1857; died at Olympia March 1st. He was
member of one of the best known pioneer families, after whom the
town of Ostrander, in Cowlitz County, was named. He studied law
under William Strong, one of Oregon's first judges. He held
several offices in Olympia, Seattle, and Juneau. Eleven years he
lived in Alaska. His wife was Fanny S. Crosby, they being
married in 1880. He had seven sisters, who survived him.
Page, Thomas Percival. Born in Galway
County, Ireland, in 1832, died at Kent Dec. 11th, aged 82 years.
He came to Washington Territory in 1853 and during most of the
years since he was a resident of Walla Walla, where he served
the people as Commissioner, Auditor, Postmaster and Legislator.
In 1877 he raised a company of volunteers to fight the Indians
in the Bannock war. A widow and six children survive him.
Parker, Isaac Born at Waltham,
Massachusetts, March 4, 1829 ; died in Seattle Oct. r3th. He
came to California in 1851 and to Washington in 1853. His first
occupation was as a machinist in putting up a sawmill at
Appletree Cove for San Francisco capitalists. It was no more
than completed before it was found to be in the wrong place. It
was taken down and again set up at Port Madison, where it passed
into the ownership of George A. Meigs. Parker went with it, and
stayed by it a long term of years. He knew Chief Seattle quite
well, their places being so close that the chief's home was then
known as the Port Madison reservation. Mr. Parker invested his
spare money in Seattle, where he later made his home, at one
time was city treasurer, erected two brick buildings, and
otherwise did what he could. A wife and two sons were left.
Peterson, Clara D. Born at Steilacoom,
July 13th, 1856; died at Tacoma March 5th. She was one of the
three daughters of Capt. Warren Gove, who, coming from Boston,
made his home in Pierce County in 1853. She married Capt. John
T. Cormick in 1876, who died in 1882; her second husband being
Charles E. Peterson, married in 1886, Mrs. Peterson belonged to
several different societies, but was greatly attached to the
Pierce County Pioneers, of which she was one of the organizers
and treasurer to the time of her death, A husband, son and
daughter and two sisters survive her.
Peterson, Margaret Chambers Born at
Steilacoom June 29th, 1856; died at Seattle July 20th. She was
the daughter of Judge Thomas M. Chambers, who crossed the plains
to Oregon in 1845, and who soon after settled upon a land claim
in what is now Pierce County. Margaret married Oliff Peterson,
and was the mother of three sons. She belonged to six different
societies, in all of which she took interested, active parts.
She was secretary of the Pierce County Pioneer Association from
its beginning in 1903 to the end of her life.
Pontius, Albert Born in King County in
1859; died at Seattle May 3d. He was a son of Resin W. and
Margaret Pontius. His father, a brother and a sister survive.
Rhoades, Mrs. F. M. Died at Santa Cruz,
California, Nov. 25th. With her parents, named Mounts, she came
to Washington Territory nearly sixty years ago. Mr. Rhoades was
Indian agent at Chehalis, and also Territorial legislator. They
were farmers in Thurston County. She was 77 years of age.
Richards, Mary Elizabeth Died in
Portland, Oregon, June 26th, aged 64 years. With her parents she
came to Oregon and Washington in 1852. Her father, Thompson B.
Speake, was a chair maker, the first in this country. He made
chairs to stay, and they have stayed in thoroughly good
condition for fifty and sixty years. They lived in Chehalis and
Thurston Counties. Mary was postmistress at Fulton, Oregon, for
twenty years, prior to which she had been postmistress at
Tualatin.
Rowland, Susan. (Died at Roy Dec. 3d,
aged 95 years. She was born in Canada, and was married to
William Rowland. She came to Oregon in 1853, and later to
Washington.
Sackman, Elizabeth Ware. Born in
Philadelphia Feb. 28th, 1834, died at Seattle Dec. 21st, aged 81
years. Her father, named Sylvia, died when she was small, and
her mother, Sarah M., subsequently married Capt. William Renton.
In 1847 he took his family to Ireland, his ship being loaded
with foods for the famine stricken people there given by the
charitable men and women of the United States. In 1849 he sailed
for California, again accompanied by the family. He had the
machinery of a saw mill in his vessel, which he brought to Puget
Sound in 1853, and left in working motion at Alki Point. In 1854
he moved it to Port Orchard, where after some years he sold it
to Colman & Glidden, and put up a new mill at Port Blakeley. The
family came to Puget Sound in 1858. Here the daughter, Elizabeth
W., spent most of her remaining days, being twice married to
Joseph W. Phillips and Daniel J. Sackman. In 1889, then a widow,
she removed to Seattle, and interested herself in the religious,
charitable, fraternal and social life of the city. She left two
children, seven grand children and other relatives.
Sanborn, Homer D. Born in Merrimac
County, N. H., in 1833; died at Tacoma, April 7th. He came to
Oregon in 1857, and for most of the years since lived in
Portland.
Sanderson, John H. Born in Boston, June
27, 1832; died in Seattle March 22d, He came to California in
1850 and to Washington in 1869. He was a merchant in Seattle for
many years. He and his wife were largely instrumental in the
organization of the Plymouth Congregational Church. She was also
one of the organizing members of the Ladies' Relief Society.
Both belonged to the Pioneers. The wife and daughter were left.
Sargent, Elijah Nelson Born in Indiana
Dec. 8th, 1827; died at his home near Rochester, Thurston
County, Aug. 24th. He came to California in 1849, and in 1850 to
Washington, taking a donation land claim at Grand Mound, where
he had his home for sixty-four years. He was a member of the
unfortunate gold mining expedition to Queen Charlotte Islands in
1852, their schooner being wrecked and the white men all held by
the Indians for ransom. The Sargent family was a noted one, the
father, three sons and two daughters E. N. Sargent, Francis
Marion, Wilson, Mrs. Matilda Saylor and Mrs. Rebecca Kellett.
Shephard A. F. Mrs. Born in Racine
County, Wisconsin, Aug. 27, 1848; died in Seattle, Jan. 2d,
1914. She came to Oregon in 1850 and to Washington in 1860. She
lived in Snohomish and Chehalis Counties, but in 1894 settled in
King. In 1873 she became the wife of Charles Shephard.
Slocum, Laura. Born Jan 1st, 1838, died
at Long Beach, California, Dec. 24th, aged 76 years. With her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Riggs, she came from Iowa in 1852.
The following nine years they lived at Washougal. In 1861 she
moved to Vancouver, which was her home the following fifty-three
years. Her husband was Charles W. Slocum, deceased.
Slater, John F. Born in Maryland; died
in Seattle June 25th, aged 73 years. He came to California in
1850 and to Washington in 1903.
Sweazea, James William Died in Seattle
March 31st, aged 66 years. He came from Missouri in 1859. He
lived thirty years in Walla Walla before 1890. Three sons and a
daughter were left.
Taylor, Harriet E. Born in Massachusetts
in 1833; died at Seattle Oct. 11th. She and her husband, William
H. Taylor, came to California in 1859 and to Washington in 1861.
They lived at Port Townsend, Freeport, Kalama, Olympia and
Seattle during the remainder of their lives. He was in the
customs service, the lumber and coal trades, railroad and
steamboat traffic and insurance business. She was of kind
disposition, helpful to her friends and neighbors in the church,
in society and in private life. Being a widow and without
children, Mrs. Taylor left a considerable estate to helpless
children, needy friends and other worthy individuals.
Thompson, Edward H. Born in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, in 1827, died at Fall City, King County, Dec. 2d,
aged 87 years. In 1848 he came to the Pacific Coast. After a
long residence in Washington Territory he went to Illinois,
lived for a number of years, married, and in 1882 returned to
Washington. Two daughters survive him.
Thompson, Susannah. Born in 1840, died
at Fern Hill, Pierce County, Dec. 27th, aged 74 years. She was
the daughter of William M. Kincaid, pioneers of 1853. She
married Levant Frederick Thompson, a leading citizen during his
long life in that county, where he built the Segwaletchew
Sawmill sixty years ago, was a general farmer and extensive hop
grower, a member of the first Legislature of Washington
Territory, in 1854, and also member of the first Legislature of
the State of Washington, in 1889-1890. Mrs. Thompson lived
sixty-one years in Pierce County. She was the mother of four
children.
Vanderpool, James Born in Missouri in
1835; died in Linn County, Oregon, Sept. 27th. He was an Oregon
immigrant of 1846. While he lived most of the years in Oregon,
he had dwelt parts of the time at Port Townsend and Walla Walla.
Waddell, Susan S. Born in Lawrence
County, Illinois, Aug. 6th, 1835; died in Seattle March 7th. She
belonged to the Lewis family, which came to Clark County in 1852
and to Thurston County the year after. She left six children and
a number of grandchildren.
Webb, Amanda, Jane Born May 7, 1673, at
Frankfort, Illinois; died at Tacoma Aug. 7th. In 1853 she came
to California and in 1862 to Washington, her father being John
T. Knox, Indian agent at Skokomish. She married Thomas Webb in
1866, and they lived on Hood's Canal until 1908, when they
removed to Tacoma. He died in 1910.
Winchester, Frances E. Died in Seattle
Nov. 20th. He came to California in 1852, and ten years later to
Walla Walla, Washington Territory, where he is said to have
opened the first photograph gallery. His surviving descendants
were two sons.
Wood, Mrs. Solomon Born in Polk County,
Oregon, Sept. 1 2th, 1846; died at Walla Walla May 15th. She was
the daughter of John Waymire. All her 68 years of life were
spent in Oregon and Washington. To her husband, a stock farmer,
she was married in 1862.
Back to
Washington AHGP

Source: The Washington Historical
Quarterly, Volume III., October 1908 to 1912
|