An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 113

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1172

USA > Washington > Skagit County > An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 113
USA > Washington > Snohomish County > An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 113

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Mr. Peth was born in Fond du Lac County, Wis- consin, the oldest of the ten children of Jacob J. and Barbara (Burg) Peth. His father, a native of German Switzerland, was born May 13, 1822, in Canton Basel, became a settler of Wisconsin during its pioneer days, was married there August 19, 1851, and had a part in its early development. In later years he went to Nebraska, where his wife, who was born September 28, 1832, still lives, but he passed away May 8, 1896. Our subject received his educa- tion in the public schools of the Badger state, and when nineteen years old struck out for himself, go- ing first to Michigan, where he was employed as an engineer for over a year. He then returned to Wis- consin, living for a time under the parental roof. 1 it eventually, in 1877, he turned his face resolutely westward, nor paused in his journey until he reached the Nooksack valley, near the northwestern corner of the most northwesterly state. For a number of years after coming to the La Conner country he worked in various parts of the county for John Chil- berg, Samuel Calhoun, Thomas Lindsey and others, making a heroic effort to get a start. In 1881, after having learned the method of farming which gave the best results under the local conditions, and hav- ing saved some means, he began operations for him- self on leased land, and by 1883 was able to pur- chase the hundred and twenty acre tract upon which he now resides. At this time only thirty acres of the land were in cultivation, but Mr. Peth went to work on the balance with characteristic energy and in due time had it cleared and ready for the plow. By the exercise of industry and good judgment he has been enabled to add to his original holdings from time to time, until his home place now consists of four hundred and fifty acres, of which all but twenty are under cultivation. It is supplied with every- thing which goes to make farm life convenient and comfortable, a large, commodious mansion house, fine barns, warehouses, etc., and its owner never overlooks an opportunity to make its operation more profitable. In this he is influenced not so much by the desire of gain as a wish to achieve the best and highest success in his business. He realizes the value of livestock on a farm, so keeps large numbers of cattle, horses and sheep. His entire realty hold-

ings in Skagit county comprise thirteen hundred acres, about half of which is in cultivation. Those who know the value of this land can appreciate more fully thian they can who live where land is cheaper what it means to have acquired all this, with the valuable improvements upon it, by one's own efforts and with no start except such as was gained by working for wages. The fact that he accomplished so much proves Mr. Peth to be a man of unusual energy, combined with rare executive ability.

In Seattle, Washington, on December 14, 1899, Mr. Peth married Miss Mary J., daughter of Isaac and Mary J. (Dove) Black, both natives of Ala- bama. The family went to Texas at an early date, and Mrs. Black died there, but Mr. Black is now a resident of the Samish flats, having come to Wash- ington some years ago. Mrs. Peth was born in Texas, February 22, 1870, and she received her edu- cational training there and in Seattle. She and Mr. Peth are parents of three children, namely, Florence M., born September 17, 1900; John J., Jr., October 30, 1902, and George E., January 16, 1904. While working out his splendid industrial success in Skagit county, Mr. Pethi has not neglected his duties as a man and a citizen, but has taken a reasonable in- terest always in the affairs of his community and county. He has not, however, been in politics for personal preferment, though he is a loyal Republican and interested in its caucuses and conventions and success. The two offices he has consented to fill are such as a man usually accepts from a sense of duty, for the sake of honor or emolument. He belongs to one fraternity, the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

DAVID L. McCORMICK is one of the pioneer farmers of the La Conner section of Skagit county, having first located there in the early seventies. He comes of a family which was well known in the early days of Hocking Valley, Ohio. His father, William McCormick, a Pennsylvania farmer, went to Ohio before railroads had opened up that coun- try, took up government land there and farmed it until his death shortly before the Civil war. Mrs. Elizabeth (Johnson) McCormick, mother of our sub- ject, was born in West Virginia, but her parents moved to Ohio by ox team when she was a small child, and she lived there to the ripe old age of ninety-four years. David McCormick was born in Perry County, Ohio, in 1850, and received his school training in that state. He remained on the home place until he reached the age of nineteen, when he went to live with an uncle in Iowa, and four years later he started for Washington. The trip by rail to San Francisco occupied two weeks. After five days at the Golden Gate he took passage for Victoria, Vancouver Island, and from there went to Seattle. In company with five others he purchased a row boat and rowed it to La Conner, where he met Nelson

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Chilberg, an old friend from Iowa. With him he went up the Nooksack river and located a claim, which, however, he never carried to patent. During the following fall, having returned to La Conner, he took a pre-emption claim four miles north of the city, and upon this he lived at intervals until 1877, when he bought his present place of one hundred and twenty acres northeast of La Conner, paying $10 an acre for the cleared land. Later he sold his pre- emption land.

In 1889 Mr. McCormick returned to Ohio, and there, in June, married Miss Margaret Case, daugh- ter of Honorable Oakley Case, one of the well- known citizens of Hocking county. Mr. Case was at one time editor of the Hocking Sentinel. He was elected probate judge of Hocking county in 1860, and served two terms in that capacity, afterwards becoming mayor of the town of Logan. For a term of years he was an influential member of the Ohio legislature ; he also served as chief clerk under Secretary of State William Bell, Jr., in 1876 and 1871. Mrs. Margaret (James) Case, mother of Mrs. McCormick, was a Virginian by birth, but was taken by her parents when a child to the famous Buckeye state. Mrs. McCormick was born in Logan, Ohio, in 1857, and received her education in the schools of that city, graduating from its High school. For six years she served as toll collector on the Hocking Valley canal. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McCormick, all during their residence in Skagit county, namely, William F., in 1892: David O., in 1894; Margaret E., in 1895; George D, and Charles A. (twins), in 1898, and Helen E., in 1900. Mr. McCormick is a member of the Methodist church and in politics is a Republican, while in fraternal connection he is an Odd Fellow. Mrs. McCormick is a Rebekah and a member of the Order of Eastern Star. Inheriting the qualities which made his forefathers forceful in the pioneer days of Pennsylvania, Mr. McCormick has proven himself one of the sturdy and substantial men of Skagit county. Though thoroughly public spirited. he has manifested no special ambition for leadership or political preferment, but has been content withi membership in the producing class, the men who, without ostentation, go to work with energy and ac- complish something. the men who form the real strength of any community. That he has been an active, carnest worker is evinced by the fact that two hundred acres of his fine farm land have been well cleared and brought to a high state of cultiva- tion. He has also gathered around his home the comforts and conveniences which add so greatly to the pleasures of rural life. It is no longer neces- sary to bring water for house use in a wheel-bar- row, as it was when he began the struggle with pio- neer conditions, any more than it is now necessary to navigate the sound in a row boat. With plenty of cattle, horses and other livestock, sufficient farm machinery and an abundance of fertile land, lic is

now in a position to carry on his agricultural oper- ations with satisfaction and profit.

WILLIAM ARMSTRONG. Among the sturdy sons of the Emerald Isle who have won success be- cause they had the spirit and force to emigrate to the newest part of the new world and to take ad- vantage of the opportunities there offered, the man whose life record is here to be outlined in brief is deserving of an especially honored place. Neither should be denied to his worthy helpmeet, a daughter of the sunny South, her meed of praise for faithful- ness in toiling by the side of her husband until they had conquered poverty and won for themselves the priceless boon of independence. Affluent and re- spected, they doubtless enjoy their wealth the more from the consciousness that they secured it by their own unaided efforts, conquering in life's struggle with weapons of which none need be ashamed.

Mr. Armstrong was born in County Armagh, Ireland, in 1840, the youngest of the nineteen chil- dren of Matthew and Elizabeth (Norton) Arm- strong. When William was ten years of age the family came to the United States, settling first in Wisconsin, though they later moved to Iowa, be- coming one of the pioneer families of Fayette coun- ty, that state. Both parents lived to a ripe old age, the father being ninety years old when he died and the mother seventy-two. William Armstrong ob- tained the rudiments of an education in his native land, but finished his schooling in Iowa. Evidentiv desiring to do the right thing by his parents, he re- mained at home until twenty-three, when he de- cided to embark in farming on his own account, so purchased eighty acres of land. The ensuing half decade was devoted to the improvement and cultiva- tion of this, his first home. Coming to the La Con- ner country in 1812, Mr. Armstrong and his wife began there a determined struggle to win a foot- hold in the richest part of the rich state of Wash- ington, and finding that the best way open to them was to avail themselves of the excellent wages that were being paid, they entered the service of John J. Miller on the Samish flats, by whom they were em- ployed for the ensuing nine years. Then they worked three years for R. E. Whitney, on the Swin- omish flats. The thrifty hire of this long period of labor was invested in land, or at least a large part of it. At one time Mr. Armstrong took a claim on the Samish flats, which, however, he subsequently abandoned. In 1882, he purchased one hundred and twenty acres near La Conner, which he has brought to a high state of cultivation, and which is now a very valuable property. In 1888 he increased his holdings in this vicinity by the purchase of two hundred acres more. This tract, which adjoined the original home on the south, had been taken up by James Harrison in 1868, so is one of the oldest farms in the county. It is the land upon which, in

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1900, Mr. Armstrong built his magnificent mansion, one of the finest in a section noted for its fine homes, with its large, roomy halls, its commodious and numerous rooms and its bath and other modern con- veniences. In 1890 Mr. Armstrong bought another piece of land, the l'earson place, containing one hundred and sixty acres, at a cost of $20,000. At the present time he is farming two hundred and forty acres in all, and every foot of this land is in an excellent state of cultivation, while fine stock barns (one of which, built from plans elaborated by himself, has no superior for convenience in the Northwest), warehouses and other buildings permit of its operation in a highly satisfactory way, at the same time furnishing Mr. Armstrong excellent means for indulging his fancy for high-grade Dur- ham cattle and draft horses. The latter are his special delight, and his interest in them has made him one of the best judges of horseflesh in Skagit county.

In 1864, in the state of Iowa, Mr. Armstrong married Miss Mary I. Douglass, daughter of Wil- liam Douglass, a native of Scotland, and Sophia (King) Douglass, a native of Virginia. Her father was at one time a large landowner in Old Dominion, but in 1864 he went to Jefferson County, Iowa, where he died in 1881. Her mother, who now lives in Iowa, has the distinction of being one of the few ladies in the United States who still draw a pension on account of Revolutionary war service. Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong have had five children, namely, Annie, the oldest, who died when fourteen years of age; Thomas, drowned at the age of thirteen months ; William J., born in Iowa in 1870, and Guy and Scott (twins), born in Skagit county in 1883.

GEORGE F. JENNE (deceased). Of the pio- neers of Skagit county none has manifested a keener desire for the highest and best things in life than has George F. Jenne, and perhaps none has better merited the esteem and respect of the community in which he lived. Born in Germany, he passed there the initial fourteen years of his life, enjoying the benefits of the public schoot sys- tem which has made his fatherland famous the world over. He received all the education in his native land that it is customary to give to German youths who are not to be prepared for professional life, but was not satisfied, and after coming to the United States took a course in the schools of Illinois. Being of a studious turn he continued his battle with books long after his school days were over and the battle of life was begun, and as a natural conse- quence he in time became an unusually well educated and well informed man. The date of Mr. Jenne's birth was May 19, 1854. In 1868, he landed in Cal- houn County, Illinois, and he resided there and in Green county until 1876, when he decided to heed Horace Grecley's advice and try his fortune in the

West. His first home in Washington territory was on Whidby Island, where he farmed on land held by leaschold for eight years, at the end of which time he had accumulated sufficient means to justify pur- chasing a place of his own. Accordingly, in 1884, he came to the Swinomish flats and bought one hun- dred and eighty acres of land, situated six miles west and a little north of Mount Vernon, to the int- provement and cultivation of which he devoted him- self assiduously until his death, which occurred June 3, 1902. He was a very active man in his business, public spirited, broad minded, liberal, just and 1111- selfish, hence one who was naturally respected and looked upon with favor by his fellow citizens.

In 1873, in the state of Illinois, Mr. Jenne mar- ried Mary, daughter of Leonard and Catherine (Mowery) Halfrick, both natives of Ohio. The father was a tailor by trade, but in early life de- serted his needle and goose for farming, which oc- cupation he followed for a number of years in Illi- nois. He was a pioneer of that state, and his widow, now seventy-seven years old, still lives there, and has since she was a child of four. Mrs. Jenne was born in Illinois, September 14, 1854, and received her educational discipline there, then married at the age of nineteen. Her children are: Jane, at home ; Lizzie, wife of Fred Kalso; John at home; Mrs. Tillie Callahan, in Fredonia ; Ida and Hazel, at home. Of these John, who, with his mother, manages the place, is a graduate not only of the public schools of La Conner, but also of Wilson's Modern Business college, of Seattle. He cultivates the entire one hundred and eighty acres in such a way as to make it yield an excellent profit, giving the major portion of his attention to cereal crops, though he keeps a few head of cattle and abundance of horses for all the purposes of the farm. The family are Presby- terians, and during his life time Mr. Jenne was an Odd Fellow.

HARVEY SMITH, a well-known pioneer of La Conner, is a native of New Brunswick, born in Al- bert county, January 9, 1862, the son of Calvin Smith, a farmer, who spent his entire life in New Brunswick, the place of his nativity. His mother is Sarah (Sterrett) Smith, born in New Brunswick in 1825, and is residing near Puyellup, Pearce coun- ty. Harvey Smith spent his early life at home, se- curing his education in the schools of that country, and meanwhile assisting his father in the work of the farm, thus becoming familiar with the business that has claimed his entire attention for many years. Leaving home at the age of twenty-one to seek his fortune in the West, he came direct to La Conner, where he took up one hundred and sixty acres on the Olympia Marsh, remaining nine years. He then lo- cated in British Columbia, working on a ranch for some eighteen months, after which he came to Mount Vernon and was employed in the same way for the

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following eight years. He now owns a fine farm of twenty-two acres, giving evidence of his skilful man- agement. Dairying and fruit raising are the two features of farming to which he gives special atten- tion, having cleven head of cattle and about an acre in apples, cherries, prunes and pears. He also de- votes some time to poultry raising. Thrifty and energetic, he is making a success of farming, add- ing year by year to his possessions.

Mr. Smith was married in December, 1902, to Margaret Eubanks, born in California. In carly childhood she became a resident of Skagit county, here receiving her education. Her parents are Win- ton and Sarah E. ( Pritchard) Hobson. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one child, Mildred, born October 12. 1903. Mr. Smith votes an independent ticket, believing that to be the surest way of securing capable men for the offices of the government. He has never had any political aspirations. Witnessing vast changes in this country since he came to it in 1883, when he experienced the trials and hardships incident to pioneer life, he is prepared to enjoy the comforts and advantages of to-day.

S. FRED JOHNSON is a native of Sweden, a country that has given to the United States so many citizens distinguished in every walk of life because of their thrift and industry. Born in Dalsland, Jan- uary 29, 1860, his father was John Anderson, a farmer, born in 1814. Annie (Person) Anderson, his mother, was born December 25, 1827, in Sweden, and is still living. His father having died in 1860, S. Fred Johnson early took up the responsibilities of life, assisting in the work of the farm until he was fifteen years of age, when he left for America, the land of his dreams. He spent four years in Water- ville, Quebec, learning the cabinet-making trade. re- ceiving fifty dollars for his work the first year, and seventy-five dollars the second year. One summer he was employed on a farm, nine dollars a month being the price then paid for farm labor. Locating in Contra Costa. California, he began working at his trade, but soon fell ill with typhoid fever. Upon his recovery he accepted a position as carpenter on the Southern Pacific railroad, his work giving such excellent satisfaction that he was retained for four years, at the end of which time he went to San Francisco and opened a furniture store. A year later he sold it, coming to La Conner and here fol- lowing his trade for five years. In 1886 he took up eighty acres where he now lives, all swamp and timber land at that date. In the succeeding five years he spent fifteen hundred dollars in improve- ments, making it his home after he gave up car- penter work. He now has forty acres in cultiva- tion ; the balance of the farm, some of it leased to the North Avon Lumber Company, is in pasture. He has a fine dairy of Jersey and Holstein cattle ; and is also raising Berkshire and Poland-China hogs.

An elegant home, lighted with acetylene gas, and equipped with all the modern conveniences and lux- uries, gives evidence of his care for the welfare and happiness of his family. He has a brother, A. J. Jolinson, living on Beaver Marsh.

Mr. Johnson was married in 1895 to Mary Hol- ingberg, a native of Sweden, who came to Skagit county to visit a brother and here met her husband. Three children have made happy the home of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, as follows: Harold, born Feb- ruary 12, 1896; Abbie Maria, born October 26, 1898 ; Ruby, born June 1. 1904. The family are ad- herents to the Lutheran church. Mr. Johnson is an honored member of the Modern Woodmen. He is a loyal Republican, who has never sought or de- sired political prominence, choosing rather to serve the country of his adoption in the quiet walks of life. Mr. Johnson has not always enjoyed the suc- cess and prosperity that are his to-day, having suf- fered reverses of fortune like the majority of men. Unlike many, however, these have but spurred him to greater diligence and activity, have but developed the sturdy manhood which was his birthright. In- telligent and upright, a man whose word is as good as his bond, he is one of North Avon's most re- spected citizens.

JAMES CALLAHAN is a man whose excellent business judgment and active energy have placed him in the class of esteemed citizens of Skagit coun- ty, and he now enjoys the confidence of a large community. Mr. Callahan is a native of Ireland. but accompanied his parents to this country and to Indiana when but a small lad. His father, James Callahan, was a cooper by trade and a first class ar- tisan. His mother, Margaret ( Hartigan) Callahan, was also a native of the Emerald Isle and died in Ohio, being the mother of eleven children of whom James is the youngest. After attending school and learning the cooper's trade under the instruction of his father, Mr. Callahan went to Louisville, Ken- tucky, when nineteen years of age and engaged in coopering ; later going to work at his trade at Harri- son, Ohio. He was here at the outbreak of the Civil War and responded to Lincoln's first call for troops by enlisting for a short term in the Seventh Indiana Infantry. On the expiration of his enlistment, Mr. Callahan immediately reentered the army, this time choosing Company G of the One Hundred and Eighty-First Ohio Volunteers. On being mustered out he returned to his occupation of cooper at Au- rora, Indiana, and other points in the state. Mr. Callahan served also as city marshal of Aurora and at one time engaged as traveling agent in the sewing machine business. In 1876 he came to Washington, via San Francisco, taking the steamer to Port Townsend and thence by small boat to Whatcom, where he found his brother-in-law, Al. D. Smith, who owned a farm in conjunction with a Mr. Mc-

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Clellen on the Swinomish flats. Mr. Callahan ar- ranged to operate that place, and did so for a num- ber of years, during which he filed on a preemption of seventy-six acres near Padilla. By degrees he prepared this place for cultivation, erected build- ings and in 1878 commenced to live on and cultivate it. He continued thus in prosperous condition for nine years, when he sold out to his son, James. In 1887 Mr. Callahan purchased his present place of one hundred acres, five miles northwest of Mount Vernon, and has resided here ever since.

In 1862, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Mr. Callahan mar- ried Miss Harriet Ball, daughter of Samuel Ball, an English mechanic, who came to the United States in 1833 and settled in Hamilton County, Ohio, following his trade there and in Indiana. The mother, Mrs. Mary (Wyatt) Ball, was also a native of England, and died in Ohio in 1846, the mother of nine children. Mrs. Callahan was born in Ham- ilton County, Ohio, in 1842, there receiving her edu- cation and residing there to the time of her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Callahan have nine children: Mrs. Hannah Eyre, living near Mount Vernon; Mrs. Henrietta Ovenell, on the Olympia marsh ; Richard, also on the Olympia marsh ; John, living on his fath- er's first farm in Skagit county ; Edward, in the vi- cinity of the home farm; James, residing near his parents ; and Albert, Anna and Margaret, at home. Mr. Callahan is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is a communicant of the Catholic' church. In politics he is a Democrat, though not always tied to party lines. Mr. Callahan's land holdings comprise some three hundred acres, by far the greater part of which is under cultivation. The house is a commodious one, with large barns and outbuildings, to say nothing of warehouses. He has thirty head of cattle and eight horses. Mr. Callahan is justice of the peace, and one of the honored citi- zens of his home community as well as of the county.

SAMUEL L. BELL. for many years a promi- nent contractor in the Northwest, now resides on his fine farm located three miles north of Burling- ton. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, De- cember 29, 1838, his parents being Archibald and Harriet L. (Baker) Bell. His father, a druggist, born April 29, 1814, was a native of Lexington, Kentucky. He moved to Oregon in 1852, later be- coming a well-known pioneer of Skagit County, Washington. He died near Oregon City, April 30, 1890. The mother was born in Tennessee, January 11, 1814, grew to womanhood in Virginia, and was married November 4, 1834. IIer death occurred in Louisville, Kentucky, June 27, 1851.

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An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 113

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1906 Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1172

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1172