USA > Washington > King County > Seattle > A volume of memoirs and genealogy of representative citizens of the city of Seattle and county of King, Washington, including biographies of many of those who have passed away > Part 59
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numbering was revised and established by him. His principal service, how- ever, was rendered in the project for constructing the great Cedar River grav- ity water supply system ; the unique and up to that time unknown method of financing such an enterprise by pledging its future receipts was proposed by Mr. Cotterill. The special election of 1895 to approve this plan was preceded by a warmly contested campaign, in which for the first time he became known as a public speaker and writer, the burden of the defense of the plan being placed upon him as its champion. Its triumphant suecess at the polls and subsequent accomplishment are matters of history. At a later date Mr. Cot- terill's services in matters relating to the tide land and harbor flats have been noteworthy. The present plan of diagonal piers and slips, which during the past five years has revolutionized Seattle's water front facilities, was ac- complished only by the persevering industry of George F. Cotterill.
In February, 1900, the municipal campaign centered around questions arising out of the administration of the laws dealing with vice, and also the granting of private franchises. As the recognized champion of the forces which stood for "law and order" and for public ownership of public utilities. Mr. Cotterill was called upon to make the race for mayor against the Re- publican nominee. At the election in March, though defeated. Mr. Cotterill was a thousand votes ahead of the Democratic ticket which he headed. Im- mediately following that campaign, he resigned from public employ and during the past three years has successfully engaged in the private prac- tice of his profession, in association with Mr. F. H. Whitworth, his old em- ployer of 1885. and Clarence C. White, his partner of 1889-90. In 1902 MIr. Cotterill was unanimously tendered the Democratic nomination for con- gressman-at-large. without any desire or seeking on his part. Though de- feat was certain, in the face of an overwhelming normal Republican ma- jority, Mr. Cotterill made a memorable campaign, covering the entire state, and on November 4th led his ticket by nearly three thousand votes. of which half was in his own county of King. Though now quietly settled down to the remunerative practice of his profession, these efforts have placed him in the front rank of the public men of the state, and men of every po- litical faith are in the habit of speaking of George F. Cotterill as a man who is certain sooner or later to be called into some important station of public life.
Mr. Cotterill has been an active worker and leader in the temperance movement, and particularly in the Independent Order of Good Templars. Both in England and America his father had engaged earnestly in this line of reform, and it came naturally that the son should take up the work. Be-
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coming a member of this order in 1885. he speedily passed through the local lodge offices. and in 1889 became grand secretary of the state jurisdiction. In 1893 he first attended the session of the international supreme lodge at Des Moines, Iowa, and incidentally the World's Fair at Chicago. In 1895 he again represented Washington, at the international session at Boston also at Zwich, Switzerland, in 1897, and at Toronto, Canada, in 1899. His service at these international gatherings was of such efficiency that in 1899 he was recognized and honored by selection to the second highest post in the international organization. In that capacity, during 1902, he attended the session at Stockholm, Sweden, and occupied two months in a tour through Europe, from Scandanavia to Italy, and from Austria to Great Britain. These and other opportunities for American and foreign travel have been the means of a liberal education and a broadening of character and outlook attainable in no other way.
Mr. Cotterill is also a member of the Ancient Order of United Work- men and of the Royal Arcanum, and has taken an active interest in their work as occasion permitted. During the height of the bicycle movement he was an active leader, designing and constructing the twenty-five miles and more of cycle paths which justly made Seattle famous in that line of recre- ation. The "good roads" movement has claimed his attention both as an en- gineer and citizen. In November, 1900, he attended the National Good Roads Convention as a representative of Seattle. During the year 1902 the Pacific Northwest Society of Engineers was organized, and Mr. Cotterill was honored by his professional brethren with election as secretary of the society.
In February, 1889, George F. Cotterill was married to Miss Cora R. Gormley, daughter of Henry and Orra Gormley, of Delavan, Wisconsin, who had removed to Seattle about 1877. Mrs. Cotterill is therefore seven years more of a Washington pioneer than her husband. Since their mar- riage they have constantly resided in their cosy cottage home in North Seat- tle. One child was born of the union. Ruth Eileen, bringing the sunshine for eight happy years, then passing over to the beyond, leaving a beautiful memory to the bereaved parents. During the two years that have followed that sad event they have striven by activities in life and frequent travel and other scenes to keep back the shadow and remember only the sunshine. The youngest brother of the family. Roland W. Cotterill. spent most of his youth and young manhood at the home of George F. Cotterill. He is now married and occupies a responsible position with the Seattle Electric Company. At thirty-seven years of age, George F. Cotterill has by industry, sobriety and
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force of character thus made himself prominent in professional. fraternal and political circles. In all these he has risen to distinction through per- sonal merit, capability and the possession of sterling qualities of manhood. To be true to Scattle, true to his fellow men, true to himself, these are his highest ideals.
EBENEZER SHORROCK.
By reason of his straightforward and conservative business policy and of the success he has achieved thereby, Ebenezer Shorrock occupies a prominent position in Seattle, being well known as president and manager of the North- west Trust & Safe Deposit Company and manager of the Land Mortgage Bank of North-Western America, Limited.
Mr. Shorrock is a native of England, his birth having occurred in Lan- cashire on the 22d of December, 1859. His parents, now deccased, were James and Elizabeth (Brown) Shorrock, both of whom were natives of England and members of the Baptist church. Of his two brothers, one, the Rev. A. G. Shorrock, is a minister of that denomination in China, while the other, E. G. Shorrock, is a professional accountant in Seattle.
Mr. Shorrock was educated in the public schools and won the degrec of Bachelor of Arts in the London University. He then entered upon his business career, in which he has since continued, the greater part of it, prior to his finally settling in this country, being spent in Manchester, Liverpool and London. He made frequent visits to the United States in connection with important financial interests and in 1896 was sent to Seattle by the Land Mortgage Bank of . North-Western America to take charge of that company's extensive investments in the state of Washington. Becoming increasingly impressed with the future lying before the Pacific coast and Seattle especially, he decided upon making it his permanent home and in 1899 established the general financial and safe deposit business which in 1900 was taken over by the Northwest Trust & Safe Deposit Company, which he organized for the purpose. This company has met with very gratifying success, embracing as it does general banking with a savings bank depart- ment, safe deposit, trust, investment and other departments. Mr. Shor- rock has coupled with his own interests those of the city of his adoption and is very active and influential in promoting all enterprises for the general good. He was elected trustee of the chamber of commerce in June, 1901, and is chairman of one of its committees. He is a member of the school board. treasurer of the Charity Organization Society and president of the
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Washington Children's Home Society. His co-operation is heartily given to many movements for public improvement and his worth as a citizen is widely acknowledged.
In 1886 Mr. Shorrock married Miss Frances B. Bower, a native of Der- byshire, England, and to them have been born three sons. Theirs is a beau- tifully situated residence on the corner of Highland Drive and Seventh avenue, west, on Queen Anne Hill. Mr. Shorrock, while a Baptist in prin- ciples, is a prominent and influential member of Westminster Presbyterian church of Seattle, in which he is serving as a trustee and treasurer. He is an able financier, a progressive business man and is a notable addition to the financial circles of Seattle Although he has resided here for a compara- tively brief period his capability is widely acknowledged and his social quali- ties have gained for him many friends.
PATRICK C. HAYES.
The gentleman to a review of whose life we now turn is one of the repre- sentative farmers and well known citizens of King county, whose postoffice address is O'Brien. He was born in county Limerick, Ireland, in February, 1833. His father, Patrick Hayes, Sr., was born in the same county in 1785. During his youth the English government would not allow the Irish of the Catholic faith the advantages of the schools. but in spite of this he succeeded in becoming an accomplished scholar, receiving what is known as a "hedge" education, being taught secretly by persons who were ostensibly engaged in peddling or some other sort of itinerant occupation. As a life occupation . Mr. Hayes chose the tilling of the soil. His wife was also a native of coun- ty Limerick, and to this worthy couple were born ten children.
Patrick C. Hayes gained his first education in private schools, the na- tional or public schools not having been established till he was ten years old, or in 1843, thirteen years after the Catholic emancipation bill had been passed. The great Daniel O'Connell was the advocate of this measure, who was the only Catholic member of the House of Commons at the time, and Mr. Hayes recalls having seen him before his death, which occurred in 1847. After his arrival in America, in January, 1851, young Hayes completed his education in the schools of New York city. During the first seventeen months after his arrival in this country he was engaged in driving mules on the Lehigh & Delaware canal, and for five years thereafter he worked in the copper mines of Lake Superior. At the time of his arrival at the mines
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there were but two small vessels plying on the waters of the lake, one the side-wheel steamer Michigan and the schooner Miner, fifty-six tons bur- den. In 1856, via the Isthmus of Panama, Mr. Hayes made the journey to the Golden state, where for two years he was engaged in chopping cord wood in Nevada and Stanislaus counties, while at the same time he was prospecting and mining to a considerable extent in those localities. Leav- ing California in January, 1859, he arrived at Port Gamble, Washington, on the 10th of February of that year, but after a residence there of six months he returned to the California mines, where he spent a similar period. His next occupation was logging on the Puget Sound, near Port Gamble, and in 1860 he made a trip to Engle creek, east of the Rocky mountains, in search of gold, but his search proved unsuccessful, and in the fall of that year he came to the White river valley of Washing- ton. In the following year he leased a tract of two acres from John Crum, on which he raised on the shares a large crop of onions, finding a ready sale for this commodity at an exceedingly high price, and with the proceeds hie purchased his present farm, located near the village of Orillia, on the North- ern Pacific Railroad. His farm was originally the property of James Ash- well, who had secured it as a squatter's claim in an early day. At the time of the purchase his place consisted of one hundred and fifty-two acres, for which he paid fifty dollars an acre, and later, in 1892. he became the owner of an adjoining tract of one hundred and fifty acres of school land, the pur- chase price being one hundred and ten dollars an acre. Of the original tract only ten acres had been cleared, and it required many years of arduous and persistent labor to remove the dense growth of trees and underbrush and bring it to its present high state of cultivation. The place is now one of the valuable ones of the White river valley, with its well kept fences, handsome and commodious buildings and highly improved fields.
In 1876 Mr. Hayes planted the second crop of hops in King county, and from that time until 1892 he was one of the principal hop-raisers in the county, handling on an average one hundred thousand pounds a year. Dur- ing all this time, covering a period of eighteen years, he has also been en- gaged in the dairy business, now milking about one hundred cows. His farming operations are also conducted on an extensive scale : he raises each year large quantities of beets, hay and other commodities for winter feed, while his potato crop yields an average of four hundred bushels to the acre, and lie devotes a large area to the production of the prolific tubers. Through- out his entire business career Mr. Hayes has labored faithfully and intelli- gently, and he justly merits the high degree of success which is to-day his.
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His political support is given to the Democracy, and he is a strong advocate of all movements and measures that are calculated to advance morality.
He was married first in Seattle, in February, 1865, to Bridget Burns, who was born in county Clare. Ireland, and who died in 1880, leaving five children, namely: John, a resident of Skagit county, Washington; Mary, the wife of Frank C. Owens, an attorney of Olympia; Ella, who married Lieutenant Edwin L. Rains; Agnes, the wife of Frank E. Webb; and Anis- tatia, who resides at home. In 1882, at San Jose, California, Mr. Hayes was united in marriage to Margaret Stewart, who was born in county Lim- erick, Ireland, in 1857, and came to this country in 1875. Throughout his long and useful life Mr. Hayes has been guided by principles of right and justice, and he has ever held the respect and esteem of all who know him.
FREDERICK KIRSCHNER.
To know Frederick Kirschner was to like him, to esteem him and to entertain for him high regard, and his was an acquaintance that wore well, his oldest friends being his best friends. This fact alone indicated that he possessed many sterling traits of character and the proof of this was also found in his business life, where he bore a reputation for enterprise and reli- ability that was very enviable. He passed away June 29, 1897, his death being deeply regretted by those to whom he had endeared himself by his sunny nature, genial disposition and many kindly acts.
Frederick Kirschner was born on the 2Ist of May, 1856, in Cincinnati. Ohio, and was of German descent. In a family of six children, four sons and two daughters, he was the eldest. His brothers. Gustave. John and George, are all living in Seattle. His sister, Mrs. Lizzie Phillips, is a resi- dent of Barnesville, Minnesota, while Mrs. Mary Kinsey is living in Ar- cadia, Wisconsin. During his early boyhood Frederick Kirschner accom- panied his parents on their removal to Alma, Wisconsin, where his youth was passed in the acquirement of a good education. He remained a resident of that state until 1884, when, recognizing the excellent business opportuni- ties of the rapidly developing northwest, he came to Seattle, where he made his home until called to his final rest. Here in company with his father-in- law and his brother-in-law he founded the Bay View brewery, the pioneer lager beer brewery in Washington. This was conducted with a constantly increasing patronage until 1893, when it was consolidated with the Claussen- Sweeney Brewing Company and the Albert Braun Brewing Association un- der the name of the Seattle Brewing & Malting Company. Upon the or-
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ganization of the new company Mr. Kirschner was unanimously elected treas- urer, which position he continued to fill up to the time of his death, and his ability as a financier, his keen business discernment and his enterprise were po- tent factors in the prosperous conduct of the new concern.
Before leaving Wisconsin Mr. Kirschner was united in marriage to Miss Emma Hemrich, and to them were born three children, who with their mother survive. Emily, the daughter, is the wife of O. E. Maurer of the Bay View Bottling Works; William H. is also connected with the Bay View Bottling Works; and Andrew F., the younger son, is still in school. Mr. Kirschner erected a fine residence at Bay View in 1892. It stands upon a splendid building site, overlooking the lake, and a beautiful view is thus always afforded. Mr. Kirschner was connected with a number of fraternal and social organizations, including the Sons of Hermann and the Turnverein, and was very popular among his associates of those organizations. He was progressive and public spirited and freely gave to many movements for the adornment of the city or for the promotion of enterprises for the public good. In his family he was a devoted husband and father and extremely fond of his home. There with his wife and children he delighted to dispense a cordial hospitality to their many friends. In manner he was genial and social, and his cordiality and freedom from ostentation won him the warm- est regard of those with whom he came in contact. He possessed, too, ex- cellent business ability and had a genius for devising and executing the right thing at the right time. Thus in the cultivation of those qualities which tend to success in business and which win respect in private life, Frederick Kirsch- ner so lived that his death was a matter of profound regret to those who had known him.
JOHN C. PETERSON.
John C. Peterson, residing at 1632 Tenth avenue west, is one of the important factors in the business circles of Seattle, where he is now suc- cessfully engaged in the building of fine gasoline launches. The possibili- ties that America offers to her citizens he has utilized, and though he came to this country in limited circumstances he has steadily and perseveringly worked his way upward, leaving the ranks of the many to stand among the successful few.
Mr. Peterson was born in central Norway on the 17th of April, 1843. a son of Peter Johnson and Sarah (Christianson ) Peterson, in whose family were six children. By occupation the father was a farmer, and on the home
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place our subject was reared, remainng there until 1869, which year wit- nessed his emigration to the United States. Landing in New York city he proceeded at once to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he spent five years. In 1874 he came to the Pacific coast and for nine years made his home in Port- land. Oregon, where he was engaged in contract building. While there he was united in marriage to Miss Annie E. Oleson, also a native of Norway. where he had first known her, keeping up the acquaintance during his resi- dence in St. Paul. To them were born two children: Tilda; and Elliott, who is a graduate of the Seattle high school and business college and is now a machinist in the employ of the Seattle Electrical Company. They also have an adopted daughter. Lina, who has made her home with them since the age of ten years.
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Mr. Peterson purchased property in Portland and built a comfortable home. continuing his residence there until the fall of 1883, when he came to Seattle. In partnership with two other gentlemen he purchased forty acres of land on what is now known as West Queen Anne Hill, and on the divison of the property he received ten acres, on which he erected a house. He be- gan clearing the place and getting it ready for platting. Later with his brother, N. B. Peterson, and N. Brason, he platted the Crown addition to the city of Seattle and subsequently the Crown supplemental addition, which was rapidly sold out. In 1891 he built the First Norwegian Methodist Episcopal church at the corner of Olive and Fifth streets at an expense of seven thous- and dollars, giving the congregation six years to pay for it, which resulted in financial loss to him. He also built the Swedish Methodist Episcopal church on Fifth avenue between Pike and Pine streets, donating his services. For several years he followed contracting and building, erecting a great many residences in various parts of the city, but for the past four years has given his attention principally to the building of high class gasoline launches, constructing nothing but the best that good material and superior workman- ship can produce.
Mr. Peterson still retains fifteen lots of his original tract. In 1892 he erected his present fine residence, which is a two story structure with a basement. and the home is noted for its hospitality. the many friends of the family always being sure of a hearty welcome within its doors. In poli- tics he is a Republican, but at local elections he votes independently of party lines, and is very liberal in his views on public questions. He is a prominent and influential member of Trinity Methodist church and has served on its official board for a number of years. Coming to this country a poor boy, indebted to his friends for funds to secure his passage. he deserves great
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credit for what he has accomplished in life, his success being che entirely to his own well directed efforts. Upright and honorable in all things, he com- mands the respect and confidence of all with whom he is brought in contact either in business or social life.
WILLIAM FARRAND PROSSER.
William Farrand Prosser, the late president of the Historical Society of the state of Washington and the editor of the Washington Historian, which is a very interesting and instructive monthly publication, filled with papers, documents and biographical sketches concerning the history of the state and relating to its progress and development as one of the states of the American Union. The Colonel is a pioneer upon the Pacific, having taken up his abode in California in 1854. He is also one of the early settlers of Washington and one of its best informed citizens. He has a very wide ac- quaintance and has made an honorable record as a soldier, as a public officer and as a Christian gentleman.
Colone! William F. Prosser is a native of Williamsport. Pennsylvania, his birth having occurred March 16, 1834, and he is of Welsh lineage. Ilis parents were David and Rachel ( Williams) Prosser, both of whom were born in Wales and in 1832 emigrated to the United States, settling in Cambria county. Pennsylvania. The father was a miner, actively connected with the industrial interests of the Keystone state. He not only operated largely in coal but was chiefly instrumental in securing the establishing of the Cambria Iron Works at Johnstown. His wife died in that place in 1842, leaving him with four children. He afterward married again and by the second union had six children. The second wife, a daughter and four grandchildren were lost in the great Johnstown flood, one of the most terrible disasters which has ever occurred in the history of the country. Colonel Prosser's brother, Major .\. Sidney Prosser, died at Knoxville, Tennessee. He was a valiant soldier in the Union army, serving in the Second Tennessee Cavalry. and was a successful and distinguished practitioner of law at Knoxville at the time of his death. John G. Prosser, another brother 'of the Colonel. is a railroad man of Nebraska.
In taking up the personal history of our subject we present to our readers the life record of one highly esteemed in the northwest. He was educated in the public schools of his native state and in the Johnstown Academy. For two years he engaged in teaching school in Cambria county, Pennsylvania, and because of ill health he sought a change of climate, crossing the plains in
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1854. On the Ist of May of that year he left Independence, Missouri, with a party of twelve young men, all from Pennsylvania. They made the journey with ox teams and on the way the Colonel stood guard every night from half past ten until half past one. The journey was a long and arduous one and they experienced some trouble with the Indians. In California they stopped first at Dutch Flat in Placer county, where the Colonel ate his first good meal after leaving Missouri. From that place he proceeded to the Middle Fork . of the American river and was engaged in placer mining during the re- mainder of the year, but met with very moderate success. He then went to Sacramento and afterward to San Francisco and in the spring of 1855 he made his way to Trinity county to try his luck at placer mining, taking up his abode near Weaverville. He there secured in one day gold to the amount of one hundred and twenty dollars, but on the whole his mining experiences were not as profitable as he had expected and he removed to Shasta county, California. There he engaged in mining on the Middle Fork of the Cotton- wood, but in 1857 returned to Trinity county and lived at Indian Creek, turn- ing his attention to the work of carrying express from Weaverville to Indian Creek. He was also engaged in mining to some extent.
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