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 151

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 151
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 151

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).

In 1902 Mr. Beloit married Miss Mary Hanson, who had obtained a legal separation from her for- mer husband, John Erickson, of Chicago. Mrs. Be- loit was born in 1853, in Sweden, the daughter of Christ and Christina Hanson, who never left their native land. She has two brothers, Christ and An- drew. Mrs. Beloit came to the United States in 1883 when thirty years of age, and lived in Chicago until she came west and married Mr. Beloit. She (lied in the Sedro-Woolley hospital Jannary 15, 1903, leaving six children : Andrew, John and Caro- lina, by her first husband, and Phillida, Millard and Eva. who are also the children of Mr. Beloit. In fraternal circles Mr. Beloit is a Mason, in politics an Independent and a great admirer of President Roosevelt. The Beloit farm consists of seventy-two acres, ten of which are cleared. Mr. Beloit enjoys the reputation of being a man who stands by his obligations and in whose word confidence may be placed. Though not having had many school advan- tages, he is an omnivorous reader and one of the best informed men in the upper valley. For twenty- two years he has shared in the prosperity and ad- versity of the people of the Skagit country, aided .in the development and progress of the section, and identified himself with those who have made its history, thus earning for himself an honorable place in these pages.

PAUL VON PRESSENTIN, merchant and postmaster at Marblemount, although not a native son of Skagit county, was only an infant when he commenced to live here, and is thus in the fullest sense, a product of Skagit county institutions and civilization. He was born in Manistee, Michigan, February 11, 18:4, the son of Charles von Pressen- tin, a native of Berlin, Germany, who came to the United States at the age of eighteen, settling in New York and later becoming bookkeeper and clerk in

819

BIOGRAPHIICAL

sawmills and stores of Wisconsin and Michigan. He came to Skagit county and settled at Birdsview in 1827 and has resided there ever since, serving as probate judge and county commissioner at different times. Mrs. Wilhelmina (May) von Pressentin, the mother, is a native of Germany, born near Berlin, who came to the United States with her parents when a young lady. She was the first white woman on the Skagit river above Mount Vernon, and in the early days suffered many hardships, clothes be- ing scanty and shoes often missing, while she was subjected to frequent annoyances by the Indians. She is the mother of six children: Bernard, Paul, Otto K., Frank, Hans and Charles. Paul von Pres- sentin received his education in the school at Birds- view, and remained with his parents until twenty- four years of age. He then started in business for himself, buying the store of Charles Simpson at Marblemount, which he has since conducted with marked success.

October 17, 1898, at Seattle, Mr. von Pressentin married Miss Bertha Kunde, daughter of Charles and Frederika (Pufahl) Kunde, natives of Ger- many. Her father died near Rockport in 1896; but her mother is still living at Marblemount. She has four children, Mrs. Von Pressentin, and Otto, Aug- ust and Reinhart Kunde. Mrs. Von Pressentin was born in Germany, but educated in the schools of Tacoma. She resided until marriage with her par- ents. She and Mr. Von Pressentin have four chil- dren : Dorothy, Laura, Wilhelmina and Alice. In politics Mr. Von Pressentin is a Republican. At

present he is serving as justice of the peace, also school director and clerk of the board, and postmas- ter. Aside from his store, he owns several acres of land and a number of head of stock cattle, and he has one of the fine residences of Marblemount. He is a reliable young man, prominent in all the affairs of the community, successful in business and beyond question one of Skagit's rising citizens.

BULLER BROTHERS is the name and style under which a large bolt cutting and lumber indus- try is being carried on at Marblemount. The trio compose the firm, Carl 1)., Wade H. and Richard H. L., are all natives of Pennsylvania, children of Henry and Matilda F. (Clark) Buller, both of whom were born in the Keystone state. The, elder Buller enlisted with the Pennsylvania volunteers in the Civil War, serving as a private for three years. Ile died in Seattle in 1903. The mother of the Bul- ler boys is a remarkable woman and one of strong personality, much of her life being spent in the ac- tive management of business. She is a direct de- scendant of Thomas Clark, who came to the Massa- chusetts shore in the Mayflower. Until marriage

she lived with her parents in Philadelphia and taught school for five years, having obtained a first grade certificate entitling her to be called a "pro- fessor," rather than teacher. She came up the Skagit river with her sons in 1889, established the first ho- tel at Marblemount and continued to manage it for three years. She moved to the place where her sons now live in 1893, after passing two years in Seattle. Three years were spent on the home place, then she went to Burlington and conducted a hotel for part of a year, ultimately taking up her resi- dence in Seattle, where she still lives. In 1899, ac- companied by her sons, Carl and Richard, she went to Alaska, and she passed two years at Nome. Though a resident of Seattle, she frequently visits her sons at Marblemount and mentally contrasts transportation facilities of the present day with those when she made her first trip up the Skagit, coming by boat to Sauk and by canoe the remainder of the distance to Marblemount. Mrs. Clark-Bul- ler is the author of "Road House Tales," a compila- tion of stories she heard in the days when she was keeping hotel, also is a lecturer on Socialism, Men- tal Science and Theosophy. In her early days up the Skagit she held a private school, at which her younger sons were educated and which was also at- tended by a number of Indians living in the vicinity of Marblemount.

The lives of the three brothers have been so in- timately associated with that of their mother that a review of her life is almost a review of the lives of her sons. Wade and Richard Buller were the two first white boys on the upper Skagit, and all three brothers later became experts in the open life of the early days in and around Marblemount. For three years they followed canoeing as an occupa- tion. They have prospected in the Ruby Creek dis- trict and all through the upper Cascade mountains, also have done a great deal of trapping, the woods being full of all kinds of game and the waters abounding in fish in the early days. The boys are second cousins of Sir Redvers Buller of South Af- rican fame. They own 800 acres of land, forty of which are cleared and the rest in valuable timber which they are converting in their mill to commer- cial uses. Wade and Richard Buller attended the Seattle Seminary for four years, the former gradu- ating from the institution. The influence of the mentality of the mother is seen in the intellectual life of the sons. Poltically they are all three Social- ists, and in church matters are not bound by creed or the formalities of denominational organization, leaning rather toward "free thinking." They are ambitious in business and hard workers, successful in their management and prominent in the town. They make their homes together, as none has mar- ried.

SNOHOMISH COUNTY BIOGRAPHY

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, EINAR TILDEN SOU NT : TIONS

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES SNOHOMISH COUNTY

EMORY C. FERGUSON is the grand old man of the city of Snohomish, the proprietor of its town site at one time, its mayor, a member of its coun- cil, its representative in the territorial legislature and one of its citizens who have been honored by election to county offices. Mr. Ferguson was born in Westchester county, New York, March 5, 1833, the fourth of seven children of Samual S. and Maria ( Haight) Ferguson, both of whom were na- tives of the Empire state. The elder Ferguson's father and grand father were also natives of the Empire state, one of the old-time families in the country between the Hudson and the Connecticut state line which was famous during the Revolut- tionary times as "the neutral ground," in which J. Fenimore Cooper laid many of the incidents con- nected with the exploits of Harvey Birch in his novel, "The Spy." Emory C. Ferguson received his education in the schools of Westchester county, and at sixteen years of age started to learn the trade of carpenter. He remained with his first employer for two years and completed a four years' appren- ticeship with a second man. After working at his trade as journeyman for one year, young Ferguson sailed from New York for San Francisco, via the Panama route, reaching his destination in May of 1851. His first two years in the Golden state were occupied in mining. Mr. Ferguson then opened a store in the Greenwood valley, (gen. mdse. ) con- tinuing there in that business until near the close of 1856. At that time he built a saw mill. operat- ing the venture until the Fraser river mining ex- citement attracted his attention to the Canadian gold fields. In common with many other Califor- nians Mr. Ferguson drifted to the northland and in July of 1858 found himself at Whatcom. In com- pany with a number of other gold seekers he out- fitted a canoe and went up the Fraser, but returned to Whatcom that fall. later going to Steilacoom and passing the winter working at his trade. In 1800 Mr. Ferguson took a pack train loaded with mer- chandise into British Columbia and returned to Snohomish. He had previously been on the site of the present town of Snohomish, then a part of Island county. In 1860 he took a squatter's right to the land, as it was unsurveyed. A number of the settlers raised a fund of $500 and paid for sur-

veying this part of the county, in addition to (Gov.) survey, As soon as possible Mr. Ferguson filed a preemption claim to the land where Snohomish now is, the papers being filed in February of that year. The property consisted of 160 acres. Mr. Ferguson commenced to clear the land at once, and in 1812 had a portion of his holding surveyed and platted as a town site. In 1867 he opened a store here for trade with the Indians and the early set- tlers, continuing in the mercantile business until 1884, when he sold out. During these intervening years Mr. Ferguson operated a logging camp, re- moving the timber from the present site of the town. In his later years Mr. Ferguson has been in the real estate, loan and insurance business.

In 1868, near Olympia, Mr. Ferguson married Miss Lucetta G. Morgan, daughter of Hiram D. and Mary Morgan. Mr. Morgan is a native of the Buckeye state who crossed the plains by ox team to Olympia in 1852, and is now living in Snohomish. Mrs. Morgan died in this city. Mrs. Ferguson was born in Iowa. She came to Washington when quite young and received her education in the schools at Olympia. To Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson have been born four children: Mrs. Sylvia Lenfest, now liv- ing in Snohomish: Ethel, who died when quite young : Iva, now in the office of Secretary of State Nicholls at the state capitol, and Emory Cecil, who is living at home. In politics Mr. Ferguson is a Republican, and he has been prominent in the pub- lic affairs of his home city and county. In 1884 Mr. Ferguson was selected and appointed the terri- torial commissioner for the world's exposition at New Orleans for the Terr. of Washington, and after his return turned his attention to farming. He was called to public life by the legislature in 1861, which named him as one of the county commis- sioners when Snohomish was erected out of Island county. At the first election of the new county Mr. Ferguson was chosen auditor and has served in that capacity for several years. Ile was also pro- bate judge for a number of years and has served as justice of the peace. Seven terms he served in the territorial legislature and during one session was speaker of the house. To return to the part he has played in the affairs of the city of Snohomish, Mr. Ferguson was the first postmaster, serving a num-

825

S26

SNOHOMISH COUNTY

ber of years from the date of his appointment in March of 1863. He was a member of the first city council, serving as its president and becoming acting mayor. He has also been mayor of the city for several terms. In fraternal circles Mr. Ferguson is a Mason, and in religious affiliations attends the Congregational church. In addition to his business in town he operates thirty acres of cultivated land. From the time of his opening the first store, oper- ating his first logging camp and running his first saw mill in Snohomish to the present time, Mr. Fer- guson has been an influential factor in Snohomish.

CHARLES S. LA FORGE, lumberman of Snohomish and mayor of that city, is one of the energetic business men of the county and. though he has been a resident here but a comparatively short time, has made himself a place of prominence, commanding the highest respect of the entire com- munity because of his many admirable qualities. Mr. La Forge was born in Rockford, Illinois, early in the year 1864, the son of Cornelius and Grace (Taylor) La Forge. The elder La Forge was a native of Staten Island, New York, who went to Illinois when a young man and followed the trade of plasterer there for a time. Mrs. La Forge was a native of Vermont. Charles S. La Forge received his education in the common schools of Rockford, Illinois. He then completed a course in the busi- ness college of his native town, and at the age of twenty entered the employ of a retail lumber com- pany in his home town as one of the vard men. Four years later he was promoted to the position of bookkeeper for the establishment, which position he held for four years. In 1892 the firm was in- corporated and Mr. La Forge secured a quarter interest in the business, which then became known as the Woodruff & Maguire Company, Mr. La Forge becoming secretary. In 1894 the company engaged in the wholesale lumber business in Wis- consin and opened a manufacturing plant at Rhine- lander. Three years later the company built a manufacturing plant at Three Lakes, Wisconsin, at the same time incorporating in the Badger state under the name of the Woodruff & Maguire Lum- ber Company. In 1899 the company acquired a two- thirds interest in the plant of Parker Bros. at Big Lake, Skagit county, Washington, and a year later Mr. La Forge came to Washington to assist in the management of the Skagit county plant, which has been entirely in the hands of J. D. Day. Three years later the Woodruff & Maguire Company's interests were purchased by Wickson & Bronson, formerly of Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Mr. La Forge moved to Everett, but in 1903 when the Woodruff & Maguire Company purchased the Sterling Mill Company and all of its interests in Snohomish coun- ty, Mr. La Forge was called to the management.

He removed his family to Snohomish and has ever since made this city his home. The Snohomish in- terests of the old company are known under the name of the Three Lakes Lumber Company. Mr. La Forge sold his interest in both companies in 1905 and became the manager of the Cascade Lum- ber & Shingle Company of Snohomish, the saw mill of which has a daily capacity of 100,000 feet and the shingle mill of 150,000 shingles per day.

In 1883 at Rockford, Illinois, Mr. La Forge married Miss Maud E. Barnes, who died five years later, leaving no issue. Mr. La Forge was married the second time at Janesville, Wisconsin, to Mrs. Mary E. Simmons. Mr. and Mrs. La Forge have three children, Florence, Harry and Ruth. In poli- tics Mr. La Forge is a Republican. He was elected mayor of Snohomish in December of 1904. In church circles he is affiliated with the Methodist church. In fraternal circles he is a Mason and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. La Forge's career has been very successful, one of progress during the different stages of the lumber business to a position of prominence in the trade in two states of the union. His career is the best com- mentary on the character of the man.

JOHN F. STRETCH, one of the board of coun- ty commissioners and a resident of the city of Snohomish, is one of the pioneers of the county. He is a man of broad and liberal views and of ex- perience with men and measures. Coming here in 1883 Mr. Stretch has been a participant in the up- building of the county and has borne his share of the rough work of the early days. He was born in Wayne county, New York, in 1852, the son of Joseph and Caroline (Snyder) Stretch, both of whom were born in the Empire state. Joseph Stretch removed his family to Coldwater, Michigan, in 1854, and became superintendent of bridge con- struction for the Lake Shore railroad. He is still living there, but Mrs. Stretch is dead. John F. Stretch has one sister, Mrs. Grace Jacobs, wife of the traveling auditor of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railway company. Young Stretch received his education in the schools of Coldwater and be- gan life as clerk in a store. Several years later he engaged in the hotel business at Greenville, Michi- gan, but in 1880 went to Leadville, Colorado, where he followed mining for three years. He came to Snohomish county three years later and took up land on which the town of Monroe now stands. The settlement was small and no one entertained the idea that there would some day be a hustling town on the spot. Mr. Stretch did work at logging for two years. In 1889 he went to Wallace, now Startup, and opened a store and hotel, continuing for three years. In the interim the Great Northern railway had been pushing itself into the country

CHARLES S LA FORGE

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOK TILDEN FOUNDATIONS

829

BIOGRAPHICAL

and its appearance at Monroe with a station on Mr. Stretch's land determined him to return and oversee the development of matters at Monroe. As the result of investigation he sold his interest at Wallace and with John Van Asdlen as partner platted the town of Tie City. The railway station was Wales and the postoffice Park Place, but the latter was soon changed to Monroe. Mr. Stretch prevailed upon the railway authorities to change the name of its station so that the names of the place might be uniform. Mr. Stretch engaged in the hotel and real estate business at Monroe for a number of years and is to-day one of the active real estate men of the county. In 1900 he was elected county commissioner for the term of two years and reelected for the long term of four years. It was the second time in the history of the county that a commissioner had been reelected. and while the reelection was a matter of pride and congratula- tion to Mr. Stretch, the fact of reelection was not viewed by him with so much satisfaction as the emphatic endorsement given him for his stand in favor of good roads and the policies he had advo- cated during his first term. During his first term he had adopted a progressive policy and favored the establishment of county trunk roads leading from Everett to Granite Falls, Arlington, Snoho- mish, Monroc, Skykomish Valley and other princi- pal centers. Main bridges were rebuilt and large expense incurred for public improvements. There was much protest on the part of the parsimonious taxpayers, but in the end the policies of Mr. Stretch have been shown to be beneficial.

In 1876 at Saginaw, Michigan, Mr. Stretch mar- ried Miss Sarah Hagen, a native of Canada and daughter of Charles Hagen, later one of the pioneers of the Peninsula state. To Mr. and Mrs. Stretch have been born four children: Robert. now a resi- dent of Monroe and an employe of Bruhn & Henry ; Bert, Jack and Claude. In politics Mr. Stretch is a Republican and active in the councils of his party. At the time Populism was rampant in Snohomish county Mr. Stretch was one of two Republican candidates elected, both being chosen justice of the peace. He is a member of the B. P. O. E. and of the F. O. E. Mr. Stretch is a man who firmly be- lieves in the future of Snohomish county. When he reached the city of Snohomish there were but three teams in the city. He drove the first team through between Snohomish and Monroe, traffic theretofore having been carried up the river by Indian freighters with canoes. He predicts that the chief industries of the county in the future will be farming, raising of garden produce and dairy- ing. Mr. Stretch is one of the active men of the county, thoroughly understands its necessities and has high hopes for its future.

ARTHUR M. BLACKMAN. postmaster of Snohomish, and a pioncer of the county from the days of 1885, has had a long career as a merchant in his home town and is one of the influential men of the county. He was born in Penobscot county, Maine. in 1864, the son of George V. and Frances (Eddy) Blackman. The elder Blackman sprang from an old-line Dutch pioneer family of the Pine Tree state, and followed the lumber business in Maine until he took up the same line in Michigan, and later came to Snohomish county. Both Mr. and Mrs. Blackman are living in Snohomish. They have a daughter here, Mrs. Nina I. Bakeman. Arthur M. Blackman left Maine with his parents for Michigan when he was but eight years of age. The family resided in Bay City for four years and then went to Oakland, California. In the last named city the subject of this biography obtained the larger part of his education and grew to man- hood's estate. He had worked in a hardware store for four years before coming to Snohomish in 1888, and soon after his arrival here he entered the em- play of Blackman Bros., in their general store. He remained there two years and in 1887 engaged in the grocery business on his own account. His business was the largest in the city and he was prosperous until the financial distress of 1894 forced him to the wall by reason of his extension of credit to men who were unable to meet their obligations with him. He was doing a tremendous business in both the retail and wholesale line and he gave extensive credits, a fact which caused his financial downfall. Mr. Blackman, however, managed all his own liabilities, but the effort cost him his en- tire competence. Two years later he was appoint- ed postmaster in a contest in which men of more than ordinary influence and capability were candi- dates. He has since been reappointed and without opposition. a fact which indicates that his services as postmaster are giving his people complete satis- faction.

In 1887 in Seattle Mr. Blackman married Miss AAdeliza Elwell, daughter of John and Eliza A. ( Crosby) Elwell, pioneers in Snohomish county in the early seventics. Mrs. Blackman is a native of Maine. In politics Mr. Blackman is a Republican and active in the councils of that party organiza- tion. In fraternal cireles he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and of the Elks. Mrs. Blackman is a consistent member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, of Snohomish. Mr. Blackman is a man who stands well in the community, a man of strict integrity and honor, popular with the public and individually of genial disposition.

HION. CHARLES W. GORHAM, though pass- ing the greater part of his time at Olympia where

830

SNOHOMISH COUNTY

his appointment and work as state printer calls him, is one of the leading citizens of Snohomish. As editor and proprietor of the Snohomish County Tribune and Index Miner, he is prominent in all local affairs. On locating in Snohomish, twelve years ago, he at once became an influential factor in local matters and this influence has extended from local to state affairs.

MIr. Gorham was born in New York city in 1865, the only child of I. S. C. and Mary E. (Craft) Gorham. The elder Gorham is a direct descendant of Miles Standish of Plymouth colony fame, the initial "S." being for the family name of the fam- ous old knight of colonial fame.

In middle life Mr. Gorham removed to Wa- verly, lowa, where he followed his trade as a painter ; he afterwards went to South Dakota and farmed until his removal to the coast. I. S. C. Gorham was engaged in fruit raising near San Jose, California, until 1904; he then returned to Morganhill, where his death occurred May 15, 1906. Mrs. Gorham is a native of New York, of Huguenot stock. Charles W. Gorham received his education in Cornell College, Iowa, from which he was graduated in 1892. Soon after receiving his diploma he came to Snohomish, and in 1893 pur- chased the Tribune, continuing its policy as a Re- publican paper though altering its publication from a tri-weekly to a weekly. His activity and energy soon attracted attention and he speedily became recognized as a substantial factor in municipal and county affairs. He was chosen police judge and has also served as justice of the peace. In 1900 Mr. Gorham was elected representative in the state legislature, and soon after taking his seat appeared as the champion of good roads legislation which had as its essence a uniform system to be applied throughout the entire state. He became the author of the measure of that session which became a law, but which was declared by the courts to be technic- ally unconstitutional. By the subsequent session the distinctive features of the Gorham bill were re- enacted. During his career in the legislature Mr. Gorham was recognized as the leading authority on road law matters. In just recognition of his services to the party, Mr. Gorham was made assist- ant clerk of the house of representatives at the last session of the legislature, and soon after ad- journment was appointed to the responsible posi- tion of state printer, receiving his commission on the Sth of April, 1905, since which date he has passed the greater part of his time in the state capital.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 151

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