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 127

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 127
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 127

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1850. but since twenty-four years of age has re- sided south of the international boundary line. Hc is one of the pioneers of Skagit county who have prospered with the development of the valley's re- sources. Ilis father, William Ritchford, also a native of Canada, born in 1816, died in Ontario in 1826. Mrs. Elizabeth (Wikie) Ritchford, born in 1826, still is living in the province of Ontario, the mother of eight children, of whom James is the fourth. When twenty-three years old James Ritch- ford left home and worked in the forests and mines of California until 1883, but in that year Mr. Ritch- ford came north to Seattle, and soon moved to Sterling, where he has lived ever since. He brought his family up the river in a row boat, a mode of travel which is in sharp contrast with the present manner of traveling up and down this rich valley. Mr. Ritchford worked seven years in the woods, then took up ninety acres of land and began farm- ing. High water in the spring of 1897 swept away all his improvements; he then went to work for others on the mill at that time being built at Ster- ling. With the beginning of the year 1905, Mr. Ritchford leased this mill, which he now is operat- ing with marked success.

Mr. Ritchford married Miss Addie Findley, a native of California, in 1883. Her father, Joseph Findley, crossed the plains in the early days from Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Ritchford have seven chil- dren, Adelbert, Guy W., Janeta, Royal, Cecil, Flor- ence and Muriel. Mr. and Mrs. Ritchford are members of the Order of Pendo and attend the Presbyterian church. In politics Mr. Ritchford is independent. He owns five acres of land adjoining the mill and keeps a few cows and some poultry. His good memory and early associations have made him the possessor of many interesting reminis- cences of the days when settlers were few and con- veniences meager. He has borne a material share in the development of the country in which he has made his home, enjoys the confidence of friends and associates, and is well entitled to a place of honor among the pioneers of Skagit county.

DAVID M. DONNELLY, a prosperous busi- ness man of Sedro-Woolley and for fifteen years a citizen of Skagit county, was born in St. Clair county, Michigan, May 12, 1864, the son of James C. and Esther T. (Norman) Donnelly ; the parents are now residents of Skagit county. The elder Donnelly was born in 1830 while his parents were crossing the Atlantic to America from the old coun- try home, which was in Queens county, Ireland. He settled with his family in Michigan,-then a territory, and eventually made a home at Port Hu- ron, where he resided until coming to Skagit coun- ty, Washington, in 1895. Esther T. Donnelly is a native of Queens County, Ireland, but was

JAMES RITCHFORD, shingle manufacturer of Sterling, was born in Ontario, Canada, July 23, | brought by relatives to Michigan when a small

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SKAGIT COUNTY

child ; here until the time of her marriage she made her home with an uncle and aunt. She is the mother of six children, of whom David M. is the fourth. It was in St. Clair County, Michigan, that David M. Donnelly received his early education. At the age of thirteen he left the paternal roof and began life in its truest sense, as a self-supporting and responsible individual. Ile found employment in a logging camp of his native state, beginning as a helper in the cook's department, but soon becom- ing himself a skilled cook. For thirteen years he followed the lumbering business in Michigan, leav- ing the state then and coming to Washington. He settled first at Edison, Skagit county, and for one vear worked for the Blanchard Logging Company. He followed this period with a service of one and one-half years in the logging camp of Pat. McCoy, and then opened a butcher's market at Wickersham. Eighteen months later he removed to Woolley and purchased the meat market business of Grethus & Burmaster, managing the establishment successful- Iy until the year 1900. At this time he sold to Phil- lips & Carstens; in 1902 he repurchased the busi- ness, which he again sold out in May, 1904.

The marriage of David M. Donnelly and Miss Mary A. Halloran was solemnized in Skagit county in 1894. Mrs. Donnelly is the daughter of Pat- rick and Bridget ( MeGinty) Halloran, the former a native of New Brunswick, of Irish parentage, and the latter a native of Ireland. The mother came to Canada with a brother when a small .child. Patrick Halloran was elected treasurer of Skagit county at the fall elections of 1904 and took charge of the office January 1, 1905. The biographies of Mr. and Mrs. Halloran will be found elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Donnelly was born in Michi- gan in 1812 and came with her parents to the Puget Sound country when a child. Her education was obtained in the common schools, and in the Sister's Academy at Seattle. Previous to her marriage she taught school for several years and still holds a first grade teacher's certificate. Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly have three children: James N., born in Edison August 25, 1896; Alary E., in Woolley May 12. 1898, and David M., in Sedro-Woolley in 1904. In Mr. Donnelly the fraternal spirit is strong; he is an active member of the following orders: the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Knights of Maccabees, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Woodmen of the World, the Yeo- men, the Catholic Order of Foresters, and the Fra- ternal Order of Eagles. In church membership Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly are Catholics. Mr. Don- nelly owns a one-half interest in 160 acres of land on the Olympia marsh where he has an extensive herd of cattle and hogs, held for the supply of his home market. Here also he makes a specialty of the dairy business. He is proprietor of the city cold storage plant of Sedro-Woolley. He has al- ways been active in the councils of the Republican

party and was a member of the first town council of Sedro-Woolley. In political, fraternal and com- mercial cireles he is a man of acknowledged influ- enee. His business ability is of the highest order ; he is popular with his fellow citizens and holds their confidence and esteem.

HENRY H. DREYER, one of the prosper- ous farmers of Skagit county, has lived a life of more than the usual experiences, embracing Ger- man farm life, travel as a sailor to nearly every country of the globe, logging and "roughing it" on the Pacific coast, and the attainment of pros- perity on a Skagit county farm. He was born Oc- tober 22. 1848, at Hanover, Germany, the son of Harms Dreyer, a farmer, born in 1816. His mother Treante (Hines) Dreyer, born in 1812, is still liv- ing in the old country, the mother of six children of whom Henry is the third. At the age of sev- enteen Henry H. Dreyer left the fatherland with a determination to see the world, so went to Eng- land and shipped as a sailor, following the sea for six years thereafter during which time he touched at ports of nearly every civilized nation of the earth. In 18:3, while in the harbor of San Francisco, he decided to give up a sea-faring life and become a farmer. He worked for others seven years. In 1875 he married, came to what was then Whatcom county and began working in a logging camip near where Mount Vernon now stands. After a year of .this work he went to the Willamette valley, Oregon, and remained nine months, return- ing then to Skagit county. In later years, speaking of this trip to Oregon, of herself and husband, Mrs. Dreyer jocularly gave as the reason: "Mos- quitos drove us from Skagit county, and Willa- mette flies drove us back." After eight months of work in the woods Mr. Dreyer preempted some land and later sold it, in the meantime having taken a homestead on which he still lives. His new home was in a deep forest and it was with dif- ficulty that he cleared enough ground for the erection of a shack, twelve by sixteen feet. He still holds the one hundred and sixty acres he took at that time and has cleared forty of them. His house is large and commodious, with ten rooms and the conveniences of a modern home. His barn also is a large building, its ground dimensions being fifty-two by sixty feet.

May 5, 1815, Mr. Dreyer married Miss Alma Nash, a Massachusetts girl, who went to California when sixteen years old. She is the daughter of Terry von H. Nash, a German, born in 1825, who came to this country and died in the Bay state in 1866. Mrs. Dreyer's mother was Sarah (Rumrell) Nash, a native of England, who died in 1899 at the age of eighty years. Mrs. Nash was the mother of eight children, Mrs. Dreyer being the sixth. To Mr. and Mrs. Dreyer have been born six children,

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR. IFM.V. TILDE :. .

HENRY H. DREYER

MRS. HENRY H. DREYER

JOHN KIENS

DAVID BATEY

MRS. DAVID BATEY

JOSEPHI HART

JOSEPHI WILSON

WILLIAM A. DUNLOP

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BIOGRAPHICAL

one of whom died in infancy. The living are: Ernest H. T., born in Santa Clara, California, March 26, 1826, now living in Alaska; Mrs. Wa- neta T. Osborne, born in Napa County, California. February 10, 1879; Mrs. Maud T. Southermark, born May 21, 1881, near Sterling, and now a resi- dent of Dawson; Mrs. Elizabeth A. Averill, born in Sterling August 27. 1883, and Wetzel H. Dreyer. born September 17, 1887, now living with his par- ents. Mrs. Dreyer has a brother and sister living in Massachusetts. Mr. Dreyer is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which or- ganization he has taken the encampment degree ; and with his wife he is a member of the Rebekahs. In religious persuasion they are Methodists, in politics Mr. Dreyer is a Republican. He has served as road-master and member of the school board. A believer in varied farming, he keeps fowls of several varieties, cattle of mixed breeds, and other live stock of unusual strains. Mr. Dreyer has lived a busy life, and so closely has he applied himself to his work that it was not until recently that he found time to visit the land of his nativity, which he had not seen for thirty-three years. He con- ducts his business with intelligence and is one of the successful and public spirited citizens of Skagit county, a man always ready to assist any needed improvement.

JOHN KIENS is one of the pioneer farmers of the section of Skagit county just north of the thriving city of Sedro-Woolley, and since 1884 has prospered on land he took up in that year and con- verted into a home farm from its native state as a part of the heavy forest of the Puget Sound coun- try. Mr. Kiens is a native of Germany, born November 15, 1851, the son of Fred Kiens, a German miner who passed his entire life in the land of his nativity. John Kiens received his edu- cation in the German schools before coming to the United States and on reaching Ilinois in 18:2 learned the trade of blacksmith, finishing what he commenced while still in his native land. He then went to work on a farm and remained in agricul- tural pursuits eleven years. In 1884 he came to Skagit County, Washington, and took up his pres- ent farmstead of one hundred and sixty acres, of which he has about twenty acres under cultivation. part of it in orchard. Mr. Kiens is one of three children. Theresa Kiens, his sister, who was a Sister of Charity, died in Iowa some years ago, and his brother. Fred Kiens, is a farmer, living near him. Mr. Kiens has six head of cattle at the present time. As a farmer he is recognized as one of the conservative kind, preferring the ordinary lines rather than the speculative and unusual. He is highly respected in his community, as a man of sterling manhood, and it is with pleasure that we accord him a place in this work as one of those

who, during his residence of over twenty years in the county, has aided materially in its development and progress.

DAVID BATEY is one of the men who know from experience what pioneer life in Skagit county was, for he and his wife and family have seen the country developed from a road'ess forest with scarcely a human habitation into its present state of civilization and advancement, contribut- ing not a little to the change. Interwoven in the history of the county are the lives of this noble man and woman and their vigorous, brave sons and daughter. They suffered privations and hardships. enjoyed the pleasures and romances of frontier life, shared their own scanty stores with those who had still less, ministered to the sick and distressed. laid the foundation for their future prosperity and were the means of bringing many other sturdy sett'ers to the community.

Xlr. Batey was born in Carlise. Cumberland County, England. May 21. 1849. He cannot re- call the name of his father. because the latter (Fed when he was very young and his mother. Mrs. Ann Batey, remarried, so the memory of the elder Batey faded from the child's mind. The lad attended school until twelve years of age, then went to work on a farm. remaining at farm work a year and a half, when he became apprenticed to the carpenter's trade. He stood the abuse he re- ceived here for a year, then ran away and for the next two years worked at making pickhandles. At Newcastle he completed his training as a carpenter and he worked at the bench until 18 ;? when he left England for the United States. Ile was in Svra- ense, New York, one year and in Omaha, Ne- braska, another, then went to San Francisco, where for the ensuing half decade he was engaged in carpenter work. He was accompanied from Omaha to the West. by William Dunlop, whom he had known as a boy in England, and at San Francisco the two rejoined Joseph Hart. another boyhood friend. The three became interested in the sound country, and in August, 18:8. Hart and Batey came to what has since been organized into Skagit county. Mr. Batey took up the land where he now resides. There were no permanent settlers in his neighborhood, though a couple of miles down the river was Ball's logging camp. William Dunlop came a little later and took land adjoining Mr. Batey's. Mrs. Batey came two years later. Be- fore her arrival the men had many bitter ex- periences, Potatoes were scarce and had to be brought down the river thirty miles from Amasa Everett's place, while other supplies were brought from Seattle by the steamer Gem, which sometimes did not arrive when expected, causing distress to the isolated men. Sometimes they could catch fish, which were a great help, but often they could not.

690

SKAGIT COUNTY

On one occasion Mr. Hart became exhausted from lack of food. To add to their distress at that time fire destroyed their shack, blankets and other sup- plies including a part of their weapons, but Mr. Batey managed to shoot a duck and some pheas- ants, thereby replenishing the larder. He also treed three animals which he afterwards learned were coons.

When the men were ready to stock their places they had to go to the White river country for their cattle which were brought up the Skagit by vessel to Frank Buck's place, below where Mount Ver- non now stands, but it took longer to get the ani- mals from the landing to the new ranches, than to make with them all the rest of the journey from White river. Mrs. Batey and her two sons came in 1880 and brought sunshine to the com- munity, but this was not the end of their hard- ships. At one time one sack of flour had to last the entire family three months. During these years Mr. Batey worked some at carpentering, building the first store in Sedro. for Mortimer Cook, who was determined to call the new town, Bug. There was much bantering over the name. Mrs. Batey was appealed to and she suggested the word "Se- dro," the Spanish for "Cedar" which grew so plen- tifully in the woods. Her discussion of the appro- priateness of the word was published in the Skagit News and was sent to several eastern states by Mrs. Batey's friends. Mr. Batey painted a large sign "Sedro" and nailed it up on one of the build- ings. These circumstances finally induced Mr. Cook to accept the name "Sedro." One man brought from Seattle a large sign reading "Charlotte," in honor of his daughter, but the other name was chosen.

In 1890 Mr. Batey and Mr. Hart started a saw-mill plant under the name "Sedro Saw & Planing Mill." To this plant later was added a shingle mill and the business was continued by Messrs. Batey and Hart as a stock company. Just as they were beginning to see some substantial profits in the business and when the plant was running twenty hours out of every twenty-four, it was destroyed by fire, a severe financial blow to the owners. At this time, also Mr. Batey was un- fortunate enough to be stricken with sciatic rheumatism which kept him confined for sixteen months. On his recovery in 1898 he began the manufacture of vinegar. in which industry he has continued up to the present time.

Mrs. Batey, whose maiden name was Georgiana Farrar, was born in Southwestern Wisconsin, not far from Dubuque, Iowa, October 2, 1838, the daughter of Rev. Edward Y. Williams and Mrs. Naomi ( Jones) Williams. Mr. Williams was a native of Manchester, England, who came to the United States when a young man. Both he and Mrs. Williams have been dead many years. As a young woman Mrs. Batey, in 1852, commenced to

study medicine with an uncle, Dr. Steele, and she finished her medical education in IInghes & San- ford's Medical College in Keokuk, Iowa. She was one of the pioneer practitioners of this part of the country, and is today registered at Olympia and at Mount Vernon. She was the only physician in the vicinity of Sedro in the early days, the near- est one beside her being Dr. Calhoun at La Con- ner, and she rendered invaluable service to the early settlers. traveling day and night by horseback and by boat, wherever called. She continued in active practice until about six years ago. In those days Mrs. Batey was as active in religious matters as in the practice of her profession, and it was she who was chiefly instrumental in securing the first clergyman for Sedro, giving her personal guar- antee of his salary. This man was Rev. McMillan, under whose leadership the first church in the vi- cinity was organized. Mrs. Batey was the first superintendent of the Sunday school, appointed by Presiding Elder Atwood of Seattle. Three chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Batey: John Henry, living in New Mexico; Robert Bruce, a traveling insurance man; Mrs. Susanna Fuller, the first white child born in the Sedro community, now living at Santa Rosa, New Mexico, where her hus- band is a merchant. Mr. Batey is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which fra- ternity he is a past grand, also belongs to the En- campment and Mrs. Batey is a Rebekah. They are members of the First Presbyterian church of Sedro-Woolley, and both are prominent in the Ska- git County Pioneers' Association, of which Mr. Batey is president and Mrs. Batey vice-president. In politics Mr. Batey is an ardent Republican and in former years he was active in all the councils of his party. Though at one time he operated a dairy farm, he now is devoting his attention prin- cipally to the manufacture of apple vinegar, his factory being on the south border of Sedro-Wool- lev. He has a large orchard and is building up a fine business. Formerly he owned three hundred and twenty acres of land, but in the days of financial distress following the destruction of his lumber and shingle mill, he disposed of all but sixty-five acres, but be also owns an addition to the city of Sedro- Woolley and considerable other town property. A public spirited citizen, he donated to the railroad company its entire right of way through his lands, and in numerous other ways he has manifested an interest in the general progress. He is one of the most energetic citizens of the county and has done more than most others for its development.

Mrs. Batey's sister, Mrs. Isabella Marean, of Ocala, Florida, is also a woman of high intellec- tual attainments. She is an author of note and has written. under the nom de plume of Beatrice Marean, many works, one of the most popular being "The Tragedies of Oakurst," which has had wide circulation.

691

BIOGRAPHICAL

JOSEPH HART, a well known and well-to-do lumberman, and one of the honored pioneers of Sedro-Woolley, was born in Durham, England. July 4, 1852, the son of' Robert and Barbara ( Franklin) Hart. His father, a native of York- shire, England, followed railroading until his death in 1883, and his mother, who was born in Durham, died in 1899. Joseph Hart left home when four- teen years old and spent two years in the iron works learning the trade of machinist, but finally abandoning this. spent three years at work in a saw-mill in Yorkshire and two in another mill at his own home. He then came to America. After a stay of eighteen months in Lyons, Iowa ; he reached San Francisco in August, 18:4, where he secured employment as saw filer in a large factory. He worked until the spring of 1816, then moved to Se- attle and the White river district, but in 1828, re- turned to San Francisco and met David Batey. whom he had known in England. The two came together to Sedro, Washington, which then was a wild and desolate country with only four white set- tlers on the river. Two months later they were joined by William Dunlop and the following year by William Woods. The four brave pioneers took adjoining land and laid the foundation for the pres- ent beautiful town of Sedro-Woolley. Mr. Hart went to Seattle some years later, but continued to make yearly trips to the little settlement until 1890. when he became a permanent resident here. He and Mr. Batey built a saw-mill that year, and to- gether they operated it two years, thereupon forniing the Sedro Lumber & Shingle Company. When the mill was burned in 1896, Mr. Hart re- sumed work in other mills, making his home on his original farm of 160 acres, which he still owns with the exception of three acres sold.

Mr. Hart was married December 21, 1887, the lady being Emma L. Anderson, a native of Swe- den, born in 1863. Her father, Nels P. Anderson, now lives with his son-in-law, Mr. Ilart. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Ilart has been brightened by the advent of two children, Emma F., born Janu- arv 20, 1890, and Dolly B., August 10, 1896. Mr. Hart is a member of the Pioneer Association and he and Mrs. Hart are identified with the Order of Pendo. In political belief Mr. Ilart is a Socialist. In addition to his valuable ranch he is interested in city property in Everett, also owns considerable live stock. During his long residence here he has wit- nessed a marvelous transformation, in which cities and towns have taken the place of the dense forests. fulfilling his own prophecies of what the future held for this peculiarly favored region. Ile is rec- ognized as a broad-minded, public-spirited citizen, one of the progressive, substantial men of the county.

JOSEPH WILSON. Well at the top of the roster of pioneers of Skagit county is to be found

the name of Joseph Wilson, the subject of this bio- graphical article, who first made his advent into Fidalgo Island in 1868, came to the mouth of the Skagit river in 1869 and became a land holder in 1st0, at that date taking up a pre-emption on the lower Skagit river. Here he was living and im- proving his land at the time of the murder of Bar- ker, the trader, by the Indians, and the summary execution of the murderers by the whites. He it was who took what there was remaining of Bar- ker's goods up to Whatcom, the then county seat of the present Skagit and Whatcom counties, in a canoe, and delivered them to the authorities. Born in Sweden in 1839, the son of Sven Monson and Charlotte Hagland Monson, born respectively in 1806 and 1812, in the fatherland, where they lived until the close of life on their own farm land. Jo- seph was there reared to the age of seventeen on the farm, and was instructed in the traditions of a long line of Swedish ancestors as well as in the ru- diments of book learning. However, the former seemed to make the stronger impression, the blood of the Viking forebears coursed hot in his veins, untempered by age and the lessons of experience, and called him to the sea. Hither he went at the age of seventeen, securing the consent of his father by agreeing to pay for the services of an assistant on the farm, and for years he followed the life of the sailor before the mast on the coast vessels, final- ly becoming owner of a vessel himself, which he ran until he came to the United States in 1863, shipping before the mast from France to Boston on an American vessel. For five years he followed the sca, shipping from the United States to the leading ports of the world, first reaching San Francisco in April, 1865, just at the time of the death of Presi- dent Lincoln. In a trip to Shanghai, China, he was taken with the smallpox and left by his vessel, which he was later enabled to join in Japan through the good offices of the resident United States consul at Shanghai, returning to Port Townsend in 1868. The transition from sailor to logger and lumber- man was readily made by Mr. Wilson and a few short weeks found him in the logging camps of Fi- dalgo, applying himself diligently and tactfully to the mastery of the new calling: while only a few months later he was settled on his own pre-emption claim on Dry slough, near the mouth of the Skagit. now known as the Good place, clearing, diking and wrestling energetically with all the combined ob- stacles, so familiar to the sturdy frontiersman of all ages and sections of this recently vast wilder- ness. At the end of six years the claim was traded for lots in the city of Seattle, and Mr. Wilson be- came connected with an enterprise that forever as- sociates his name with the benefactors of Skagit county in a most creditable manner. After dispos- ing of his ranch he removed to Mount Vernon, and there in connection with MeDonald, Hines and Minnick, he conceived the idea of removing the his-

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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 127

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