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 165

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 165
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 165

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very prime of life, and as a man of thorough train- ing. broad knowledge and sympathies, extended experience and eminence in public life. he has been cordially welcomed to the shores of the North Pacific and accorded a befitting position and an opportunity to contribute to the development of Washington as he has contributed to Colorado's welfare.

Governor McIntire was elected a member of the American Bar Association in 1895. While serving as vice president and director of the First National Bank of Alamosa, Colorado, in 1892, he delivered an address before the State Bankers' Association. which was published nationally. He also served as receiver and editor of the Alamosa Journal, Conejos county, for a time, one of the influential country journals of the state of Colorado Fra- ternally, he is affiliated with the Blue Lodge, Roval Arch Chapter, and the Commandery of Knights Templars of Everett, and with the Mystic Shrine of Denver. His political activities now are con- fined to a quiet but discriminating support of the party to which he has given life-long service.

Albert Washington McIntire and Florence, daughter of William Sydney Johnson, of New Ha- ven, Connecticut, were united in marriage, July 16, 1813. To this union two children were born: Joseph Phillips, December 1. 1874; and Elizabeth M., who died January 15, 18ST. Joseph P. Mc- Intire is a resident of Colorado, where he is at present part owner and manager of the old Mc- Intire stock ranch near Alamosa. Two sisters of Governor McIntire are also living: Mrs. J. L. Dillinger, of Pittsburg; and Mrs. J. Dooley, of St. Louis, Missouri. Governor MeIntire was united in marriage January 26, 1899, to Ida Noyes Beaver, M.D., of Denver.

DR. IDA NOYES McINTIRE was born at Providence, Rhode Island, April 28, 1859, and is a daughter of Alfred and Lucina Noyes. Alfred Noyes came of the noted Noyes family, founded in New England in 1634 by Rev. James and Rev. Nicholas Noyes, two brothers, distinguished clergy- men who landed in Newburyport, Massachusetts, in that year, coming over in the ship Mary and John from Wiltshire, England. James Noyes, the progenitor of Alfred, was among the seven founders of Yale College. Both grandfathers of Alfred Noyes, Daniel Noyes, of Pembroke, New Hamp- shire, and John Chamberlain, of Cavendish, Ver- mont, served in the Revolutionary War.

Dr. Ida Noyes McIntire finished her primary education in the High school in Detroit, Michigan, and entered the University of Michigan, class of '81, taking the Latin-Scientific course, intending to prepare herself for journalistic work. It was during this period she became interested in the study of medicine. Her vacations were spent in

the office of the Christian-Herald, in Detroit, get- ting a practical training for journalism. At the close of her work in the university, she engaged in teaching in the public schools of Detroit, and for five years continued teaching, and studying medicine, having matriculated in Michigan Med- ical College, located in Detroit, and being a fre- quent contributor to current literature. During the winter of 1883-4 she traveled through the south, visiting famous battlefields and other places of special interest, and also the West Indies and the Bahama islands, writing sketches of travel which appeared in the Michigan Christian-Herald and the Michigan Farmer.

At the close of this period she was married to Mr. B. N. Beaver, since deceased, and resided for three years in Dayton, Ohio, where she became associate editor of the Dayton Daily Herald for a period of one year. It was while there that she was elected state recording secretary of the Ohio W. C. T. U., and in connection with that work was sent to various parts of the state to deliver public addresses. She was instrumental in found- ing a flourishing home for working women, serv- ing as its secretary and treasurer for two years, and was one of the three women who founded the "Bethany Home," a refuge for repentant and cut- cast women. She was for one year a student at the Union Theological Seminary at Dayton, Ohio. and carried off the highest marks in Greek and Hebrew. In the fall of 1887 she accepted a posi- tion as matron and preceptress at Midland College, Atchison, Kansas, and completed the work so suc- cessfully that the following June she was unani- mously re-elected at an increased salary for the ensuing year. She had determined, however, to become a practising physician so regretfully sev- ered her connection with Midland College and en- tered the Woman's Hospital Medical College in Chicago, a department of Northwestern University, of Evanston, Illinois, where she received the de- gree of M.D. in March, 1891. After serving a few months as interne in the Woman's Hospital, she went west and began the practice of medicine in Denver, Colorado. Here she soon built up a large practice and the following seven years were filled with busy activities, In 1894 she went to New York City for post graduate work for which she received in due course a diploma from the post graduate school, having done special work in sur- gery and diseases of women. In 1895 she went abroad for study and travel in Europe. In the early part of that year she was appointed a mem- ber of the state Board of Charities and Corrections of Colorado and in this connection was sent to inspect state insane hospitals in Ohio and Michi- gan ; and also a member of the state Board of Par- cons, at that time the first and only woman in the world to hold that position. She went as a dele-

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gate to the International W. C. T. U. convention held in London, June, 1895, and to the International Prison Congress, held in Paris the same year. In 1896-97 she served as president of the medical board of the State Industrial School and was also on the staff of the Deaconess Hospital. Failing health compelled her to leave Denver in 1898 and seek a lower altitude. The following year she was married to Ex-Governor McIntire of Colorado, and for nearly two years resided in Cleveland, Ohio, but finding the climate unfriendly, in 1901, she came to Everett, Washington, where she has re- sided ever since. Dr. McIntire has continued in active practice of medicine and in 1905 again went to Europe to travel and study and a much needed rest. For some time she conducted a private hos- pital which she built in Everett, but now devotes her entire time to taking care of the practice her skill has established. Dr. MeIntire makes a spe- cialty of diseases of women and surgery, and owing to her long residence in Colorado, famous as a health resort, and also to the fact that she has trav- eled extensively, she now numbers her patients in every quarter of the globe. She is a woman of tin- usual force of character, highly gifted, and a close student, to whom success has come almost wholly by reason of sheer merit and iron tenacity of pur- pose, yet withal a woman of the broadest views and sympathies, known for her innumerable chari- ties. Marked culture, generous hospitality and a democratic spirit make the MeIntire home on South Colby avenue a favorite gathering place for friends and associates to whom such privileges are extended by Governor McIntire and his most estimable wifc.

NICHOLAS RUDEBECK, one of the most successful mining and real estate brokers on Puget sound, has been identified with the upbuilding of Snohomish county for the past decade and a half, though during that period his field of operations has by no means been confined to this particular district. Coming here at a time when the sound country was just entering upon its present remark- able era of development, he ably and zealously grasped the opportunities afforded men of his pe- culiar qualifications and has made the most of them.

Mr. Rudebeck is of German descent and was born November 6, 1855, in the state of Schleswig- Holstein at Christianfelt, Germany, to the union of Claus Rudebeck and Christiana Klipliff. The father, too, was a native of Schleswig-Holstein, and was a starch manufacturer of prominence. He was born in 1813 and died at the age of fifty-one with- out ever leaving Germany. Mrs. Rudebeck claimed Holland as her birthplace. the year of her birth being 1817. In the spring of 1812, Nicholas Rude- beck, the subject of this article, crossed the Atlantic to seek his fortune in the great republic, locating

at Maquoketa, Iowa, after having obtained a fair education in the public schools of his native coun- try. He immediately engaged in railroading at Maquoketa, following this line of activity six years, or until 1828, when he went to Kansas and took up farming in Rooks county, having taken a home- stcad. He also opened a general mercantile store and real estate office at Plainville, meeting with good success in both lines. Kansas was his home until the spring of 1891. At that time he took up his residence at Snohomish, Washington, entering the real estate business, to which he has since de- voted most of his attention. He served as state executive commissioner at the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition at Omaha and in 1901 was appointed superintendent of Washington's mining exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo. The next year Mr. Rudebeck removed to Cleveland, Ohio, where he opened offices for the purpose of promoting the mining interests of Snohomish county. For three years he maintained these offices with excellent success, then returned to Snohomish county, re-opening his present real estate and mining offices in the city of Everett.

Mr. Rudebeck and Miss Rachel Amelia Moon were united in marriage in Rooks County, Kansas, August 18, 1878. She is the daughter of Thomas Moon, a native of Devonshire, England, born in 1823. He came to America when only eleven years old, taking up his home in Guelph, Canada, where as a young man he engaged in farming. Subse- quently he removed to New Jersey, where his death occurred in 1865. He was a soldier in the Civil War, serving in the Union army, and was confined in the famous Confederate prison at An- dersonville nine months. In all he served three years under the colors. Mrs. Moon bore the maiden name of Anna Eliza Stecle and was born in the Quaker City, in 1839, the older of the two children of James and Rachel (Hight) Steelc, Pennsylvanians. James Steele was a shipbuilder. Mrs. Rudebeck was born at Everton, Canada, August, 1861. Eight children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Rudebeck, namely: Anna Eliza, born June 18, 1829 ; Minnie May, February 1, 1882 ; Nellie Viola, February 12, 1884; Thomas Henry, November 6, 1886; Christiana, June 6, 1888 ; Rachel Amelia, May 3, 1890 ; Florence Elva, March 13, 1892; Nicholas Alvin, July 1, 1894; all are living. Mr. Rudebeck is affiliated with the Lutheran church, while his wife is a Methodist. Politically he is a lifelong Republican who has been content to cast his ballot without hope of party reward.

The business interests of Mr. Rudebeck are varied and not confined to any one section. He is the owner of one of Everett's fine business blocks in which tract are ten lots, a handsome residence on Summit avenue, the townsite of the celebrated

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town of Monte Cristo, the famous Sauk lode prop- erty adjoining the O. & B. mine in that camp and a controlling interest in the Nonpareil group, join- ing the Sunset Copper Company's claims on the east. He was one of the incorporators of that com- pany. Upon the Nonpareil property he has spent about twenty thousand dollars to date in extensive development work. Recently he assisted in the in- corporation of the Monarch Realty & Investment Company, of Tacoma, of which he is the general manager at the present time. Thus it will be seen that Mr. Rudebeck is among the most aggressive and enthusiastic business inen of this section of the state, filled with unfaltering confidence in its resources and backing up his opinions in a most substantial way. Others may have blazed the path- way into Snohomish county, but to the few pioneer business men of the type to which Mr. Rudebeck belongs who have sought out and promoted the de- velopment of the resources opened by those hardy frontiersmen are due unqualified praise and re- spect, a debt of gratitude by a prosperous, con- tented people.

HARRY L. OLDFIELD, president and man- ager of the Snohomish County AAbstract Co., with offices at 2925 Wetmore avenue, Everett, has been identified with the city's commercial interests for the past twelve years. During this time he has progressed step by step to his present position of stability and influence among his associates, mod- estly yet generously contributing his share toward the upbuilding of a great county and a great city. Of English descent, he was born in England in 1868, the son of Charles and Susan ( Little) Old- field. The senior Oldfield was born in 1838 and during his life followed agricultural pursuits in the old country. Mrs. Oldfield, the mother of Harry L., a year younger than her husband, survives him and still resides in England. The subject of this review was educated in English private schools. In 1882, while still a boy, he crossed the Atlantic to seek his fortunes in the new world and located first in Tennessee. Thence he turned westward to Missouri, Colorado and Idaho, following different lines of work, until eventually in 1892, he reached Seattle. There lie was employed as a stenographer, in law and railroad offices for two years, coming to Everett in 1894 to accept a position with the Ev- erett Land Company. This concern was the orig- inal promoter of Everett and to be associated with it in a business way meant to be thoroughly con- versant with the early history of the sturdy young city springing up on Port Gardner bay in those early years. Mr. Oldfield later resigned to accept work in the general offices of the Everett & Monte Cristo Railroad Company, organized and operated by the same interests which launched Everett into the world. In 1899 he entered business for him-

self, purchasing the abstract business of S. S. Gar- diner, and conducting it alone for a year. At the end of that time he associated himself with E. A. Strong in purchasing the business of the Snohomish County Abstract Company, and under their man- agement the new enterprise flourished, and grew to its present large proportions. Recently Mr. Old- field acquired his partner's interests, so that now he is sole owner. Ile has built up a reputation for reliability that is not only a most valuable commer- cial asset of such a profession but also a source of intense satisfaction to those who have followed his successful career.

Mr. Oldfield and Miss Emma Melvin were united in marriage at Everett in 1897. She, too, is a na- tive of England, and is the daughter of W. T. and Isabelle (Willis) Melvin. Mr. and Mrs. Melvin are now residents of Everett, the former having retired from his life occupation, that of a farmer. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Oldfield, two chil- dren have been born. Charles Willis in 1903, and Frances Elizabeth in 1905, both of whom are living.

Fraternally, Mr. Oldfield is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, and the Royal Arcanum ; Mrs. Oldfield is prominent in city club work, belonging to the Women's Book club, of which she served as president two years. Politically, he is a Repub- lican. Both Mr. and Mrs. Oldfield are esteemed residents of the community, while in business cir- cles he is regarded as one of the county's forceful men to whom success has justly come.

JOIIN FINLEY BENDER (deceased). Many of the Northwest's early pioneers and leaders to whom credit is dne for establishing its present sub- stantial, prosperous industries have passed away. A grateful people cheerfully acknowledge their in- debtedness to these pathfinders and state builders ; the appreciative, truth seeking historian will write their names and deeds upon imperishable records ; but the highest reward must come from the bourne beyond, the true abiding place of justice in all things. The subject of this biographical review, whose death occurred in March, 1905, was among these pioneer leaders. He was born at Fort Wayne, Indiana, September 4, 1841, one of the children of David and Lydia (Tanney) Bender. David Bender was a Pennsylvanian, and by occupation, a farmer most of his life. He was born in 1803 and died at Walla Walla, Washington, in 1881, being one of the early settlers of Washington Territory. 1Iis wife, whose death occurred in Minnesota in 1853 at the age of forty-five. was born in Balti- more, Maryland, in 1808. She was related to Thomas Edison, the great inventor, and also to Miller and Aultman. John Finley Bender was edu- cated in the common schools of Indiana and re- mained on the farm until nineteen years of age. At the outbreak of the Civil War he joined the

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Union forces, enlisting in the fall of 1861 in an Indiana regiment. Upon the expiration of his three years' term, he re-enlisted this time identify- ing himself with the First Nebraska Cavalry and with this command remained until the close of the war. Throughout the long, bloody struggle he fought valiantly on many famous battlefields, sacri- ficing his all that the Stars and Stripes might float over a united, invincible nation, and many a camp- fire he entertained with stories of his varied war experiences. After peace had been declared and the troops mustered out, he engaged in farming and stock raising in Montana, Washington and Oregon, settling in the last named state in 1812 after his removal from Montana Territory. Thus he became one of the early settlers of the Pacific coast and during the succeeding thirty-three years of his residence here contributed much toward the subjugation of the wilderness and the development of its rich resources. In 1890 he became interested in mining in the Cascade and Olympic mountains, left the old home in Oregon and located, in 1891. at Silverton, Snohomish county, a newly estab- lished camp on the headwaters of the Stillaguamish river. He was actively identified with the promo- tion of this well known district and was among the locators of the now noted Bonanza Queen group of copper properties, which was sold in 1901 for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Mr. Bender made a close and scientific study of miner- alogy, absorbing his knowledge thoroughly, and in his quiet, unostentatious way won the confidence and esteem of all who knew him in either a busi- ness or a social way. Mr. Bender was united in marriage in 1874, while residing in Oregon, to Mrs. Charlotte C. Anderson, of Knappa. She had a son and a daughter, born to her former mar- riage.

One child, William Emmett, born January 19, 1875, in Oregon, came to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Bender. He is now a resident of Everett, one of the city's well-known business men, and is the sole executor and principal heir of his father's estate. Mr. Bender is the owner of many valuable pieces of Everett property and possesses a beauti- ful home on North Rucker avenne. October 19, 1896, he was married to Miss Norene W. Colvin, at Knappa, Oregon. She is a native daughter of Oregon, born at Portland in 1876, and in that state was reared and educated. One child has blessed the marriage, Roy Locke Bender, a sturdy little chap, the pride of the household.

Fraternally, John F. Bender was prominent in the Masonic order and was also affiliated with the Knights of Pythias. William Emmett Bender is a Woodman of the World. The most valuable her- itage left by the immediate founder of this family to his son and grandson is the influences of a strong, brave, honorable character, a wholesome

life, and the memory of one who gave generously and unselfishly to the perpetuation and the upbuild- ing of his country.

JOHN H. HILTON, among the city of Ever- ett's foremost citizens, has to his credit a long ca- reer of usefulness and profit in their broadest sense, so much of which has been lived on the shores of Puget sound that his name must be per- manently engraved upon the historical records of this section. He is a pioneer among pioneers, in- timately concerned in the growth of Northwestern Washington in general and particularly identified with the upbuilding of Snohomish county.

Of Colonial American and Scotch descent, John H. Hilton was born at St. Albans, Somerset County, Maine, September 1, 1845, the son of Na- thaniel Hilton, a prominent lumberman and land- holder of that section. The elder Hilton was a native of the Pine Tree state also, born in 1814 in Skowhegan county to pioneers of that northern commonwealth. When a young man he crossed the border into Canada and made a fortune lum- bering in the heavy forests of Nova Scotia. While so engaged he and Miss Jane Doak of that prov- ince were united in marriage. She was born at Mariamache, Nova Scotia, in 1817, the daughter of Scotch parents. Her life, which terminated in 1857, was marked by a most devout Christian spirit, endearing her to all with whom she was as- sociated. Nathaniel Hilton passed away in 1849, while residing in his native state. The boyhood of John H., the subject of this review, was marked by severe misfortunes and a hard, grinding strug- gle for existence. Losing his father when only four years old and his mother seven years later, the family scattered and being forced to win his own way, the mettle of the lad was indeed tried. But he proved equal to the occasion, thus demonstrat- ing the inherent powers and qualities that later in life became so noticeable. He worked his way through the public schools and in 1861, when Lin- coln's call for troops came, enlisted first in the Fourteenth Maine and later in the Twenty-second but each time was unable to get his guardian's con- sent to enter the army. Finally, in 1863, he left home, or rather Maine, and went by the Nicaragua route to seek his fortune in California. After a year spent in the redwood forests, the indomitable youth came to Puget sound and located on Whidby island. A brother, R. D. Hilton, was logging there with oxen at the time (there being no horses in the country ) and John H. endeavored to secure work with him in the camp. He was advised to go to Port Gamble and secure employment in the mills, being told that he would only be in the way in the camp. His experience in the mills on the Penobscot river, however, led him to avoid such employment. For a time he met only with dis-

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couragement, no one being inclined to be of real assistance to him. His strong nature then asserted itself and he ceased to ask favors of any one. . \ little later he entered the employ of Brown & Fos- ter, on Brown's bay, just below Mukilteo, one of the county's oldest camps, and soon became one of the most efficient woodsmen in the country. In 1865 he went up the Snohomish river to Foster's slough, where he heard the news of Lincoln's as- sassination. In the fall of 1865 camp was moved midway between Mukilteo and Everett and there hc celebrated his twenty-first birthday with a for- tune of one thousand and four hundred dollars to his credit. Shortly afterward he decided to go to Frisco and made the trip by canoe, stage and steamer, via Seattle, Olympia and Portland. For a year he mined in Plumas County, California, then spent another year in Sonoma county redwood for- ests. The year 1869 saw him stranded at Frisco, but undismayed by his reverses. At Pope & Tab- bot's old dock he engaged passage on the old bark Miland for Port Gamble. As soon as he could he made his way back to Snohomish county and ob- tained work with Charlie Mclain at his camp on the Pilchuck, for whom he worked until . early spring.

Then he drove logs on the Pilchuck river with Alex Ross, George Robinson, and a man named Pullen,-all expert loggers. As an incident of this season Mr. Hilton relates that after breaking a jam in the river, the four mounted the tangled raft and rode it to the next jam, his three com- panions each in their turn being dumped into the river for a cold bath, while he escaped. Finding that the financial condition of the camp was not what he had supposed it to be Mr. Hilton gathered together his "crowtracks," tied his belongings into a bundle and went to Cadyville. Here he was en- tertained by Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Ferguson pre- paratory to his departure for Port Gamble. After purchasing $100 worth of supplies from Mr. Fergu- son (which did not include "silk stockings," paper collars or kid gloves) he went to the E. D. Smith camp near Port Gamble, where Marysville is now built. After a scason spent here he located at Lowell. He was successful in all his ventures and soon had one thousand dollars to his credit. With a portion of this he invested in what afterwards became valuable tide lands, in Seattle.

However, in 1820 he had taken a pre-emption claim on Holmes' Harbor, which it was at that time thought would be the terminus of the North- ern Pacific railroad, engineers being actually at work on the plats. In 1822 he took a homestead on the Everett peninsula, coming down the river in a canoe with a frying pan and coffee pot as his housekeeping equipment. At that time his only neighbor was a man named King, who was men- tally deranged. Keen foresight was demonstrated

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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 165

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