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 150

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 150
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 150

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

At the age of ten Wilson M., Jr., was taken by his father to Arkansas, and there attended school, finishing with a course in a business col- lege at Memphis, Tennessee. His first business connection was with Louis Rollage & Company, of Forest City, Arkansas, with whom he remained ten years, becoming toward the last the firm's confiden- tial man. In 1885 he came west, stopping for short periods in New York, California and Oregon, be- fore reaching Spokane. There he spent a year in the cloak department of J. Kellner's establishment, though just previous to this he was employed for a time as timekeeper for the Northern Pacific in the construction of its Coeur d'Alene branch. While in Spokane he was attracted by the gold excite- ment at Chloride, whither he went, only to enter the employ of W. J. Shelton at that place and Hope, Idaho, the mines being a failure. In 1891, he went to Douglas county, took a homestead claim and at the same time commenced work for E. D. Nash in his store at Waterville. A year later Mr.

Aldridge and W. E. Stevens opened a store of their own at Wenatchee, during the construction of the Great Northern railroad, but later they sold ont and the former returned to the service of Mr. Nash at Waterville. Five years later he resigned to enter business for himself at Trinidad, Wash- ington, and in 1900, seeking a better field, he re- moved the establishment to Baker. Skagit county, where most encouraging success has crowned his efforts, keeping pace with the rapid growth of the community. From observation and experience he believes that this section of the state offers excep- tional opportunities to men of energy and will, so rich are the numerous resources.

Although Mr. Aldridge takes a deep interest in everything pertaining to the public welfare, and in Waterville was quite active in public life without holding office, he is a member of no political or- ganization. The condition of his business interests is indicative of the ability and force of the man. The fine southern courtesy and fervor, which are his by right of inheritance and by training, blend- ing with the vigorous, ambitious spirit of the north, have created characteristics at once discernible to all and winning to all.

FRANKLIN J. SPRINGSTEEN, hotel man of Baker, has lived in Skagit county only three vears, but already has acquired a reputation for business ability and attention to commercial de- tails, and is one of the prominent and loyal citizens of the county. Mr. Springsteen was born in Penn- sylvania, May 20, 1868, the son of Charles and Flora J. ( Bassett) Springsteen, both natives of Pennsyl- vania. The father was born in 1838, lived in the Keystone state until 1873, then moved to Wisconsin, where he resided sixteen years, then came to Lewis county, Washington, where he since has been in the lumber business. Mrs. Springsteen, the mother, lived with her parents until marriage and still is living. the mother of the following children: Jen- nie. Charles F., Myra, Leslie, Franklin J. and Mil- ton, the last named having died in recent years. Franklin J. Springsteen attended school in Wiscon- sin and after completing his education remained with his parents until thirty years old. When the family went to Lewis county he entered the milling business there and continued in that line of employ- ment until five and a half years ago, when he moved to Snohomish county. He came to Baker, Skagit county. in 1902 and for two years thereafter man- aged the Baker River Lumber Company's mill, leaving it to enter the hotel business. In August, 1904, the hotel he was in burned and he rented and moved into the building he now occupies.

In 1898 at Chehalis, Lewis county, Washington, Mr. Springsteen married Miss Anna Bernier, whose parents were both natives of the state of Washington, her father, Peter Bermer, having been born in Lewis county in 1847, where he has passed

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

JAMES V. VAN HORN

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BIOGRAPHICAL

all his life as a farmer, and Mrs. Eliza (Marlin) Bernier, the mother, having been born in Walla Walla county, in 1855. Her parents at one time owned the land on which the city of Walla Walla now stands. They died while Mrs. Bernier was quite young. The latter received her education in a convent and was married soon after leaving her studies. Her brothers and sisters are as follows: Helen, Moses, Lewis and Edwin (both deceased), and Winifred. Mrs. Springsteen was born in Lewis county in 1876, and received her education there, remaining with her parents until her mar- riage. One child, Donald W., has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Springsteen. In politics Mr. Springsteen is a Republican, in lodge connection a Woodman of the World and in church membership a Catholic. He is establishing another hotel in the new town of Cement City, where the cement works are being erected.

He believes in and practices what he conceives to be the "square deal" in all the relations of life, and enjoys the standing in his community which is the natural outcome of a straightforward course.

JAMES V. VAN HORN, merchant, real estate owner, mill man and postmaster of Van Horn, has done much in developing the northwestern counties of the state of Washington, and as a slight token of the honor due him for the great services he has done this section, two towns have been named for him, or at his suggestion, Van Horn in Skagit county and Hartford in Snohomish county. In both of these places as well as in many others Mr. Van Horn has left the imprint of his character and energy. He has been an active factor in every place in which he has resided. He was born in Jones county, Iowa, September 144, 1854, the son of James P. Van Horn, a native of Pennsylvania, who, after marriage, removed to the Hawkeye state and lived the life of a farmer until 1866, when he went to Nebraska. In 1885 he went to Dakota and farmed until he passed away in 1902. Mrs. Mary (Raver) Van Horn, the mother of the pioneer of whom this is written, also was a native of the Keystone state, received her education there and remained until her marriage, after which she followed the fortunes of her husband, dying in 1874, when James V. was twenty years old. She left nine children: George, now deceased ; William A .. Isaiah, James V., Cas- sandra, Ames (deceased), Valdora, Jefferson D. and Milo, now deceased. James attended school until seventeen years old, then bravely started for him- self. Hle first went to Nebraska and worked at farming until 1875, then continued farining in Da- kota until 1892. He was ever alert for any oppor- tunities which nature or the development of a new country might offer. When he left Dakota he came to Snohomish county, Washington, and saw the possibilities in the shingle and mercantile business in the new town, which afterwards was named

Hartford, at his suggestion. He entered these lines of business, and was the first postmaster, a pioneer representative of the United States government in this new community. All parties recognized that no better man could be secured for the postoffice and he retained the position for ten years under Re- publican and Democratic administrations. Again on the lookout for good town locations he came to Skagit county and went into the shingle mill bus- iness on a more extensive scale. He started shingle mills and a settlement sprang into existence, which was called Horn, but which was changed to Van Horn by the postoffice department in recognition of his services. He was again made postmaster. The postoffice receipts at the new office of Van Horn were $4 the first quarter. His first quarter's receipts when he was made postmaster at Hartford were $3.75. At the new town in Skagit county Mr. Van Horn's energy, foresight and executive ability have been of as great value to the new community as they were at Hartford. He is interested in shin- gle mills at both places and also has a sawmill.

In 1879 in Dakota Mr. Van Horn married Miss Catherine Lyons, who was born in Wisconsin De- cember 25, 1859. On the death of her father when she was a little girl, she was taken into the home of Captain W. D. Lucas, a retired officer of the United States army, then residing in Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Van Horn have two children : Ray G. and Cassie Louisa. In fraternal circles Mr. Van Horn is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Or- der of Elks and of the Concatenated Order of Hoo Iloos. His business holdings include two shingle mills, a sawmill, store and stock and a hotel. The shingle mills have a daily capacity of two hundred and fifty thousand shingles and the sawmill twenty thousand feet. He also owns three thou- sand acres of excellent timber land, sixteen valuable lots in the resident district of Seattle and two fine lots in the business part of Everett. Mr. Van Horn is a man wide awake to possibilities, energetic in all that he undertakes, quick to see a point of busi- ness vantage, and a man who stands high among his fellows.

ROBERT FRANEY, farmer and market gar- dener, a mile and a half southeast of Van Horn, is one of the successful men of the Skagit valley and has a firm conviction that the Skagit country is one of the very best in the world for a man with pluck and ability. He was born in Nova Scotia, October 5, 1819, the son of Patrick and Mary (Butler) Fra- ney. The elder Franey was a native of Ireland, but came to this country early in life and settled in Nova Scotia. Mrs. Franey was a native of Nova Scotia, born in Halifax. Eleven children were the fruit of their union, namely: Martin, John (de- ceased), Mary, James, Robert, Agnes (deceased), David, Cassie, Edward, William and Albert. Rob- ert Franey remained at home, attending school and

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SKAGIT COUNTY

helping on his father's farm until he was twenty- one years of age, when he went to Boston, Massa- chusetts, to learn the photographer's art. He re- mained there only a year, however. In 1872 he was back in Nova Scotia, and he put in the suc- ceeding four years at work in the woods there, then went to Windsor, and operated a hotel for a year, thereupon coming to Seattle. He worked in the woods and in the lumber business in the vicinity of the Queen City, until 1885, when he came to Skagit county. Here he was employed in the camps along the river until 1893, though he took his present place as early as 1887, with intent to settle ulti- mately upon it. No roads were in existence and what supplies were needed in that part of the coun- try had to be poled in canoes up the river. Deer and fish were plentiful in those days and formed a considerable part of the food eaten. Mr. Franey has lived on the place since 1893, clearing thirty of the one hundred and forty acres in his original tract, and raising vegetables as his principal erop, though he now keeps six head of cattle and two horses. In politics Mr. Franey is a Republican and in church connections a Catholic. As he looks back over the years since he first came to Skagit county, Mr. Franey feels that it is the best thing he ever did when he made up his mind to become a Skagit county farmer. He is prosperous, well liked by his fellows and a man who stands high in the esteem of the people at Van Horn.

JOHN L. BOWEN, postmaster, merchant, millman and prominent citizen of Sauk, came to Skagit county recently but has already by his busi- ness qualities put himself in the van of progress in his home community. That Mr. Bowen is not a man easily discouraged is shown by the will with which he set to work to recoup himself from losses during the financial distress of the early nineties. Mr. Bowen was born in Virginia, November 5, 1859, the son of Lorenzo D. Bowen, a merchant and farmer of the Old Dominion. During the Civil War the elder Bowen was in the commissary de- partment of Lee's army. He passed all his life in Virginia. Mrs. Sarah F. (Hopper) Bowen was likewise a native of the Old Dominion. Both are now dead, leaving six children: John L., Ella, William, Herbert W., Emmett and Elizabeth. John L. Bowen remained with his parents until nineteen, receiving a common school education, then left for Fort Benton, Montana. There he remained two years as clerk in a general store. He then removed to Alberta, Canada, and remained for ten years as manager for a large mercantile firm, receiving a handsome salary and commission on the business transacted. He went to Everett, Washington, in 1891, and engaged in the real estate business, but a year later resumed the mercantile trade and fol- lowed it eleven years. Mr. Bowen had spent some time in Dawson, directly after leaving Alberta.

working for a mercantile house. He made money but later lost it in real estate business in the early days of the boom at Everett. He purchased lots and made the first payment on them, when competi- tion and the general slump in values caused severe losses. In 1903 Mr. Bowen came to Sauk and bought the store of H. E. Hutchins. He joined with Henry W. Sullivan, J. E. Sullivan, Ralph Sul- livan, H. J. Sullivan and C. W. Miley in building the Sullivan Shingle Mill of Sauk, and the store be- came a part of the property of the corporation. Mr. Bowen is secretary and treasurer of the company and the manager of the store. The capacity of the mill is one hundred and twenty-five thousand per day.

In 1883 while living in Alberta Mr. Bowen mar- ried Miss Winifred Thompson at Calgary. She was horn November 7, 1865, in Quebec, the daughter of Abram Thompson, a bookbinder of Glasgow, Scot- land, who came to Quebec and married Miss Caro- line De Tacey, a native of Paris, France. Mrs. Bowen's parents have been dead for many years. She lived with them until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Bowen have five children: Frank, Conrad, Winifred, Olive and Stanfield. Mr. Bowen has a number of lodge affiliations, being a past master of the Masonic lodge and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, a past grand of the Odd Fellows, a member of the Woodmen of the World and of the National Union. In church membership he is an Episcopalian, in politics a Republican. Mr. Bowen still owns property in Everett, consisting of three lots and an eleven-room house. The present busi- ness is prosperous and Mr. Bowen's energy and long experience in mercantile pursuits have contrib- nted to building it up. As a citizen he is highly es- teemed, and as a man is honored and respected by all.

ALBERT VON PRESSENTIN, hotel proprie- tor and store keeper at Rockport, is one of the men who were pioneers in the upper Skagit and who have seen the country fill up with settlers and devel- op into its now attractive and bustling condition. He was born in Germany, June 13, 1858, the son of Bernard von Pressentin, a civil engineer of repute in the old country, one of the constructors of the water works at Calcutta, India, who came to the United States in 1870 and settled in Ohio, conduct- ing a general merchandise store until his death in 1892. Mrs. von Pressentin, also a native of Ger- many, was in maiden life, Miss Amelia Brown. She received her education in a seminary and, after completing it, remained at home until her marriage. She is still living in Ohio, nearly eighty years of age, the mother of six children: Court, Charles, Bernard, Otto, Albert and Agnes, the last named being still in Germany. Albert von Pressentin lived with his parents until twelve years of age, then went to Richmond, Virginia, where he took a three-

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BIOGRAPHICAL

year general course of study in the St. James school. He then went to Manistee, Michigan, and worked in a saw mill and as log scaler until 1878, when he removed to Muskegon and took charge of a saw- mill for four years. Mr. von Pressentin spent the year 1882 in Gadsden, Alabama, where he had charge of a mill, returning then to Michigan. In 1884 he came to Skagit county and located at Ham- ilton, remaining there and at Birdsview for four years, thereupon going to Sauk, where he conduct- ed a general merchandise business for five years. He has been at Rockport for the past twelve years in the hotel and mercantile business. During his life up the river Mr. von Pressentin has made and lost much money. He burned out at Sauk and esti- mates his losses at more than $10,000. His store there had been built of lumber taken up the river from Birdsview in canoes by Indians who charged roundly for their work. That was the first store at Sauk. His hotel at Rockport is a twenty-room building valued at $5,500 and his store is worth $5,000. Mr. von Pressentin estimates his annual business at about $25,000, the largest mercantile commodity being groceries. In addition to this property he owns a large farm near Rockport and three hundred acres of fine timber land, considered very valuable.

In 1884, at Muskegon, Michigan, Mr. von Pres- sentin married Miss Christina Koehler, daughter of Christian and Dora T. (Ceigler) Koehler, natives of Germany who came to the United States in 1852 and were pioneer farmers of the Peninsula state. Mrs. Koehler is still living there, the mother of six other children : August, Christian, Hunts, John, Frederick and Dora. Mrs. von Pressentin was born in Michigan, June 21, 1867, and lived with her par- ents, attending school, until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. von Pressentin have six children : Agnes, William, Edward, Walter, Olga and Bert. In poli- tics Mr. von Pressentin is a Republican. At present he is serving as justice of the peace. In fraternal affiliations he is a member of the Knights of Pyth- ias and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In spite of large losses Mr. von Pressentin has been very successful and he ranks among the leading and influential citizens of Rockport.

THOMAS F. PORTER, a farmer three miles east of Sauk and across the river, one of the pio- neers of the upper Skagit valley, has lived on his present place nearly twenty years. He is a native of Pennsylvania, born June 10, 1852. His parents, Robert and Mary Porter, were born in Ireland, came to the United States directly after their mar- riage in the Emerald Isle and settled in the Key- stone state. where Mrs. Porter is still living. They had nine children, of whom the living are: Robert, Ann, Thomas, Mary A., Ellen E., Margaret and Joseph, all in Pennsylvania. Thomas F. Porter re- ceived his education in the schools of his native

state, and at the age of fifteen left home to face the world. Between 1867 and 1875 he worked at va- rious occupations in his native state, principally lumbering and carpentering. Two years were then spent in the woods of Wisconsin when, in 1877, Mr. Porter came to Oregon. After remaining there a short time, he came on to King county, Washing- ton, where he secured work as constructor of rail- way trestles. He continued at this work until 1884, when he came to Skagit county. He took up his present place in 1887. His first visit to the place was made by canoe, the only means of transporta- tion until many years later. The return from his wedding with his bride was made in that species of craft. Mr. Porter, since locating near Sank, has done considerable logging and lumbering, in addi- tion to clearing his place and bringing it to its pres- ent status as a farm.

In 1891, at Lyman, Mr. Porter married Miss Mima S. Kerr, daughter of Robert and Catherine (Getty) Kerr, natives of Ireland and Canada, re- spectively, who passed all their married lives in Canada. They were the parents of twelve children, in order as follows: Thomas, Elizabeth, Henry, Andrew. Isabel, Sarah, Margaret, Alexander, Mary, John and Robert. Mrs. Porter also has a half sis- ter Ellen. Mrs. Porter was born in Canada Decem- ber 29, 1863, and lived with a sister after the death of her parents until coming to Skagit county, in 1889, to live with her brother, near Marble Mount. She remained with him until her marriage. She passed away March 24, 1904, leaving six children : Robert H., William A., Bessie E., Lillian V., Theo- dore F. and Mima S. The Porter farm consists of 160 acres of land, of which fifteen are cleared. In politics Mr. Porter is a Republican, in fraternal con- nection a Knight of Pythias. He is a school direct- or at the present time, taking a deep interest in the school and the education of his children. Aside from a general farming business, Mr. Porter is in live stock raising to a certain extent, having at pres- ent twelve head of good cattle. He is a hard work- er. a man respected by the community. Since the death of Mrs. Porter he has had the care of his children, and he takes a deep interest in their wel- fare. His commendable traits of character and the active part he has taken in the development and general advancement of this section entitle him to. special mention in the history of his home county.

PETER LARSEN. a farmer, three miles south- west of Sauk postoffice, during the sixteen years of his residence in Skagit county, has had many of the trying experiences incident to settlement in a new country, without roads, without markets, and with- out modern facilities for transforming the wilder- ness by which he was originally surrounded into a valuable producing farm, and for the building of a commodious and comfortable home. He was born in Denmark December 17, 1853, the son of Lars

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SKAGIT COUNTY

and Mary (Larsen) Nissen. Lars Nissen was a blacksmith by trade ; he and his wife never left Den- mark. Peter Larsen received his education in the old country, and lived with his parents until the age of twenty-five. Ile learned the blacksmith trade from his father and for three or four years before coming to the United States ran a shop of his own. On coming to this country in 1882, he located in New Jersey, where he was engaged in blacksmith- ing for a year and a half, then went to Pullman, Il- linois, and passed four years in the big car shops at that place. In 1888 he came to Tacoma, where he worked in a blacksmith shop for a year, but in 1889, on account of his health. Mr. Larsen decided to get into the country, so he came to Skagit county, and located on his present place. For a while he worked out to obtain a livelihood, putting in his spare time only on his own place in fitting it for cultivation. This period of his life was a hard one, but the re- ward came surely if slowly.

In 1879 Mr. Larsen married Miss Christina Hansen, daughter of Hans and Elsie Nelson, na- tives of Denmark, who spent all their lives there. Mrs. Larsen was born in the old country, June 18, 1859, and lived at home until marriage, receiving her education there. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Larsen, two of whom, Hans and Mary, are dead. The living are Hans L., Lottis, Morris, Elmer, Harry, Nels and Peter. In church relations the Larsens are Lutherans ; in politics Mr. Larsen is a Democrat. He has been road super- visor and has served twelve years on the school board, thereby manifesting his willingness to con- tribute his share toward the public good. He has seventy-five acres of land, fifteen of which are now cleared. In live stock he has thirteen head of cat- tle, five horses, etc. A fine house is on the place, which in every way is in sharp contrast to the wil- derness which Mr. and Mrs. Larsen found there when they came, for there were no roads ; they built the house entirely by hand. One of the keynotes of Mr. Larsen's character is his firm belief in the effica- cy of education, which his long service as a member of the school board attests. He further is desirous of giving his sons a collegiate education. Mr. Larsen is one of the sterling citizens of Skagit county and a leader in the upper section of the valley.

EUGENE BELOIT, residing two and a half miles northeast of Sauk, was one of the early set- tlers up the river in the Sauk section of Skagit county. It is related that in the early days the In- dians resident in that part of the country had many dogs, and that the animals were a great source of worry and aggravation to the settlers. Mr. Beloit and another man are credited with having taken ad- vantage of the absence of the Indians in the hop fields to rid the community of the annoying ani- mals, and fortunately the incident passed without any complications with the red men. Mr. Beloit

was born in Michigan, February 19, 1844, the son of Joseph M. Beloit, a native of New York, who became architect and millwright and moved to St. Joseph county, Michigan, as a young man, dying there thirty years ago. His wife was Mary Elmore, a native of Pennsylvania, who died in Chicago more than a score of years ago, the mother of seven chil- dren : Elmer, Hollis, Laura, Eugene, James M., Jarvis J. and Florence, the last three being now dead. Eugene Beloit lived with his parents until he was fourteen years of age, attending the com- mon schools. Later he went to Pennsylvania and worked in various lines, eventually learning the trade of millwright, after which he worked in the sawmills of the Keystone state. In 1873 he went to Michigan, and for ten years thereafter he con- tinned at his trade in the mills, but in 1883 he came to Skagit county, Washington, and located on a farm below Sauk. After five years he removed to the place he now owns and where he has ever since lived.

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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 150

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