An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 104

Author: Hines, Harvey K., 1828-1902
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1056

USA > Washington > An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 104

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bert was born August 28, 1871; Alfred Walter, September 8, 1880. Mr. Peterson left his wife and four small children on the homestead there and worked at New Castle, about thirty miles dis- tant by water, coming home once a month, to visit his family and bring supplies, etc. This business he followed until May, 1882, when he died with small-pox and heart tronble, on the thirteenth of that month. Mrs. Peterson is a faithful mother and respected citizen.

HOMAS M. CALLOWAY, a farmer near Cheney, Washington, was born in Oska- loosa, Iowa, in 1854, a son of Jesse S. and Mary A. (Monteith) Calloway, the former a native of Delaware and the latter of New York. The father was a physician by profes- sion. Thomas M. was educated in the public schools of lowa, and also received a scientific course in the Simpson Seminary at Indianola, that State, graduating there in 1875. The fol- lowing year he located in Oregon, where he taught school three years, and in 1879 settled on a pre-emption claim on which the present town of Cheney, Washington, is now located. Mr. Calloway was engaged in real-estate busi- ness abont five years, but now conducts a large farm near this city. He was State Organizer of the Farmers' Alliance in Washington, and was elected Commissioner of Public Lands at Ellensburg, July 25, 1892.

Mr. Calloway was married in Indiana, in 1885, to Miss Hart, a native of that State. They have two children: Earl, aged six years and Rex, aged seventeen months. Our subject is a prominent agriculturist, an intelligent man, and his thorough knowledge of the needs of the farmers resulted in his nomination for the office above mentioned. Ile is a man of broad views, and well read on all subjects of land.

W ILLIAM HI. THOMPSON .- It is a matter of history that a large propor- tion of the professional and business element of Seattle located in that eity after the great fire of June, 1889; and among those re- cont comers was the subject of this sketch, who left behind him a field honored with his pro-

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

fessional skill and suceesses, and has already attained a position of eminence before the legal profession of Seattle.

Mr. Thompson was born in Calhoun, Georgia, March 10, 1848. His parents, Rev. Grigg M. and Diantha (Jaeggar) Thompson, were natives of Missouri and New York respectively, de- seended from Scotch-Irish and German ancestry, both family emigrating to the United States early in the eighteenth century. As a race the Thompson family for generations had followed the ministry, worthy adherents and expounders of the Baptist faith. Grigg M. Thompson qualified for the bar, under the preceptorship of Hon. "Tom" Corwin, that eminent orator, statesman and Whig leader of Ohio. Mr. Thompson was admitted to the bar and com- menced practice, but was ultimately drawn by his inner consciousness and the traditions of his ancestry into the ministry, which profession he followed through life.

William H. was educated at the Georgia Military institute, and in 1866 began the study of law at Calhoun, Georgia, under the direction of Colonel William II. Dabney, one of most prominent and distinguished lawyers of that State. Having qualified as a civil engineer in the Military Institute, in 1867 young Thomp- son adopted that profession in railroad con- struction and canal work, and in 1868 removed to Indiana, to pursue the same occupation, at the same time continuing his legal studies. He was admitted to the bar in Indiana in 1872, and engaged in the practice of his profession in the city of Frankfort, remaining two years and then removing to Crawfordsville, and forming a co- partnership with his brother, Maurice Thomp- son. The firm conducted a general law prac- tice up to 1881, then dissolved, Maurice with- drawing to engage in literary work. For four years he was State Geologist of Indiana, then engaged in the writing of stories, poems and scientific articles for the Eastern magazines, in which he attained eminence and popularity, and is now literary editor for the New York Inde- pendent. Our subject eontinned an active practice at Crawfordsville up to 1889. His success at the bar of Indiana is freely mentioned in the Supreme Court reports, from volumes 40 to 119, which are thickly studded with his cases.

For many years Mr. Thompson had sup- pressed a desire to locate on the Pacific coast, and on the morning of June 6, 1889, that day

so memorable in the history of Seattle, he started for the Puget Sound district, accom- panied by his old friend and associate, John E. Humphries. Arriving in Seattle about July 1st to find everything in confusion consequent to the fire, they immediately established the law firm of Thompson & Humphries and engaged in practice, continuing until November Ist, when Edward P. Edson became associated there- with, and the copartnership of Thompson, Edson & Humphries was organized, which has attained prominence as one of the representative law firms of the city.

Mr. Thompson was married in Crawfordsville, in 1874, to Miss Ida, daughter of Hon. Jolın Lee, President of the Logansport, Crawfordsville & Southwestern Railroad. Fonr children have been added to this union: Wycliffe, May, Ches- ter and Osear. Mr. Thompson is a member of no fraternal societies and a seeker of no political emolument. He is a Democrat in polities and quite active in furthering the interests of his party, but aside from that adheres closely to his profession, which is the primal cause of his pronounced success. He has also given some attention to literature, and his poem entitled " The High Tide at Gettysburg," which ap- peared in the Century Magazine in July, 1888, has been translated into many languages and pronounced by the greatest critics as " the noblest battle poem of the Republic." Mr. Thompson has also given some attention to athletic sports, and for five years held the championship of the United States for archery.

D R. ORLANDO G. ROOT, medical prac- titioner of Seattle, was born in Mentor, Lake county, Ohio, June 23, 1830. Ilis father, Erastus Root, was born in Hebron, Connectient, and in 1816 emigrated to Mentor. situated in one of the most beautiful sections of the Buckeye State. Then a lad of thirteen years, he engaged in farm labor. Subsequently pur- chasing land, he engaged in farming and also married Miss Rebecca Tuttle, native of Con- nectient, where both the Root and Tuttle ances- try made an early settlement. At Mentor, Mr. Root became one of the prominent men of the vicinity. He engaged extensively in the prop- agation of peppermint, from which he distilled oil, and from a few strawberry vines he de-

Muri Hall

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

veloped the live until sixteen acres were de- voted to the cultivation of this fruit. He was a man of energy and enthusiasm and possessed the courage of his convictions, and every enter- prise prospered under his management.

Orlando G. was the first born of four chil- dren, and, with limited educational advantages, was reared to the duties of farm life. After the death of his mother, in 1848, he struck out for self-support, and, making his home with an nnele, worked here and there as opportunity offered. In 1856 he went to Crystal Lake, Mc- Ilenry county, Illinois, and engaged in farm- ing. He was married in Marshall, Mich- igan, in 1857, to Miss Harriette E., eldest daughter of William A. Sweet, a painter and cabinet maker. Returning to Crystal Lake, our subject continued farming up to 1859, when, through a defect in title, he lost his farm and went back to Mentor and bought a little place near the old home and there remained until 1868, when they removed to Marshall, Michigan. There Mr. Root met Dr. H. B. Bagley, now of Seattle, and entering his office engaged in the study of medicine, after the homeopathic school. In study and practice he remained with Dr. Bagley until 1874, then moved to Farmington, Michigan, and entered actively into practice. Though not a college graduate, he became a member of the Homeopathic Medical Society of Michigan, and worked up an ex- tended and successful practice. In 1875 his wife died, leaving three children: William Erastus, now a successful druggist in Seattle; Frank F., a telegrapher; and Louise, wife of John C. Dement, a druggist at Astoria, Oregon.

Dr. Root was again married, at Farmington, Michigan, December, 1876, to Mrs. Francis A. Smith (nee Brown), who had one son, Benjamin C. The Doctor continued in practice in Mich- igan until 1878, when he removed to Seattle and joined his old preceptor, Dr. H. B. Bagley. They were associated for two years, after which Dr. Root purchased a home, on the corner of Front and Lenora streets, and opened an inde- pendent office in the Yesler-Leary building, corner of Yesler avenne and Front street. lle was very active in his profession until 1890, when he practically retired, visiting his old pa- trons only, In 1890 he built a residence at 324 Moltke street, and there has since resided. He has served the city one term as Health Officer. and for four years held the office of Coroner of King county. He is an active worker of the

A. O. U. W., being a charter member of Co- lumbia Lodge, No. 2. He has represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge yearly since its in- stitution, March 4, 1879.

Ile is a member of the State and the King County Homeopathic Medical Societies. For some years he was stockholder and director of the Union Water Works Company, which de- veloped the water system in North Seattle. The company subsequently sold their plant and business to the city. The Doctor gave little attention to side issues, as he was an enthusiast in his profession, to which he devoted the best of his time and energies, being rewarded with a full measure of success.

W ILLIAM LAIR HILL, a resident of Seattle and a distinguished member of the Washington bar, was born on a plantation in MeNairy county, Tennessee, An- gust 20, 1838. Ilis family were among the earliest colonists of the Carolinas. Two of his ancestors were officers in the Revolutionary war, and his mother belongs to the family of Lairs who left France in the days of the relig- ious persecution to find a temporary harbor of refuge in Holland, and thence became exiles for principle in the new land of freedom across the sea.

Dr. Reuben C. Ilill, the father of our sub- ject, was reared among rural scenes and was educated in both medicine and theology, thus being eminently fitted for the pioneer life upon which he subsequently embarked. He was married to Miss Margaret Lair, a native of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and after his marriage preached and practiced medicine throughout Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi, doing good as he had opportunity, until 1850. That year he undertook the dangers and difficulties of crossing the plains to California. Passing the winter in the mining camps, he followed his profession till the spring of 1851. Then he crossed by the old trail to Oregon and passed a year in the Willamette valley, returning to the East on horseback in the summer of 1852. He then closed all business relations, and with his wife and nine children crossed the plains to Oregon in the summer of 1853, making the journey with ox teams. The company with which they traveled numbered about seventy people, with Elbert E. Taylor, an experienced

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

frontiersman, as captain of the train. Their route led across Arkansas by the Cherokee trail, thence up the Arkansas river, crossing near Pueblo, Colorado, and they camped three days upon the present site of the city of Den- ver. They then directed their course northwest, crossing the head-waters of the Platte and Laramie rivers, often entting their way through dense timber, and striking the regular emigrant road at General Bridger's old trading post, east of Salt Lake City. During this long period of travel (four months) they did not see a white man outside of their company except a company of United States soldiers at Fort Atchison. Continning their journey by the emigrant road, they crossed the Cascade mountains south of Mount Hood, and arrived at Albany, Oregon, just six months from the date of their depart- ure. They were several times surrounded by Indians, but by tact, judgment and a little feast- ing, avoided an attack and preserved their good will. Dr. Hill purchased a claim to 640 acres near Albany, and there followed farming and the practice of his profession until 1860, when he moved to Albany, continuing his practice np to 1880. He died December 31, 1890, in his eighty-third year, his wife having passed away in August, 1890, aged eighty-one. They had nine children, all of whom lived to adult years, and six of whom still survive.

William Lair Hill attended the district schools until his nineteenth year, spending his vacations in farm work. In 1857 he entered the MeMinnville College, and by teaching school and working on the farm he defrayed the expenses of a three years' course of study. In the spring of 1860 he began reading law under the direction of Judge George H. Will- iams, of Portland,-ex-Chief Justice of the Territory and afterward Attorney General of the United States, and in the fall entered his office, and was admitted to the bar December 9, 1861, before the Supreme Court of Oregon. He was soon after appointed clerk in the pay de- partment of the army, and during 1862 and 1863 was engaged in that service, visiting all the posts of Oregon, Washington and Idaho. In the summer of 1863 he entered into the practice of law with Addison C. Gibbs, the war Governor of Oregon. In 1864 he associated himself with a syndicate to run a Republican paper in Portland, called the Daily Oregon Union, but after a few months the enterprise was abandoned. In 1864 he was appointed

Judge of Grant county, and held the office for two years. Then he returned to Portland and followed a general practice until 1877. Dur- ing this time he served four years in the Com- inon Council, and in 1872 assumed the editorial charge of the Oregonian, which he continued in addition to his legal dnties up to 1877. At that time, broken in health, he went east of the mountains to recuperate, and, after a summer spent in fishing and hunting, he engaged in the practice of law at The Dalles. While there F. 1'. Mays, a farmer's boy, entered his office as a student, was admitted to the bar in 1880, and is now the United States District Attorney of Oregon. The firm of Hill & Mays existed until 1886. During this period Judge Hill took up the codification and annotation of the Oregon codes, which were adopted by the Legislature as the accepted authority of the State. In 1886 he dissolved partnership with Mr. Mays and went to San Francisco to look after the publi- cation of his work. While there he opened an office in Oakland and enjoyed an extensive practice. In 1889 he came to Seattle to follow his profession. In 1890 he was appointed Code Commissioner of Washington, and prepared a two-volume edition, which shows great wisdom and research. In 1892 he revised his Oregon code, this task also involving a considerable amount of labor.

Education and research have been the funda- mental self-imposed duties of Judge Hill's life, and, wherever located, his influence in those directions has been a tower of strength. While at The Dalles he was instrumental in organizing the Wasco Academy, and was President of its Board of Trustees for nine years. He has been a frequent lecturer at colleges and before classes of young men. The young he delights to honor. He is ever happy in guiding their minds and strengthening their purposes.

Judge Hill is a prominent Mason, being a member of the thirty-second degree, Scottish rite, F. & A. M. In politics he has always been an ardent supporter of Republican princi- ples. Reared a Whig, and amidst the influence of slavery, he learned the evils of the custom in early life and insisted that it ought to be abolished, whether constitutional or not. In later years he was less radical, but was always an uncompromising opponent of slavery. Ile took up the fight before he was twenty-one years of age, and has been active in every cam- | paign since.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

The Judge has said of himself: "I have always had too lively an appreciation of the lit- tleness of all human achievements-have seen too clearly ' what shadows we are and what shadows we pursue'-to have much personal ambition." But the testimony of others eom- petent to judge has assigned to him a place amidst the brightest and grandest characters of his time. Senator George H. Williams, of Portland, has declared him unquestionably the ablest lawyer in that State. Ile would have been marked among scholars, lawyers or states- men anywhere; in the new world of the Pacific Northwest he is one of a peerless few.

In 1865 Judge Hill was married, at McMinn- ville, to Julia, daughter of Rev. George C. Chandler, formerly president of the Baptist College at Franklin, Indiana. They have four children: Edward Coke, Renben Chandler, Margaret and William Lair, Jr. Their oldest son is a promising young lawyer of Seattle.

W ILLIAM R. ANDERSON, an old and highly respected pioneer of Clarke county, is the subject of the following biographieal sketch: A native of Washington county, Virginia, he was born June 22, 1822, and was reared and educated amid. the scenes of his birth. His parents were Jacob and Lucretia (Killinger) Anderson, natives of Virginia, and descendants of old Revolutionary patriots, whose ancestors had been among the colonial settlers of the Republic. William R. is the third of a family of eleven children. In his youth he be- eame accustomed to the hard labor of farm life, but in later life turned his attention to the shoemakers' trade, following this occupation for twelve years. In 1848 he became an employé of the United States Government, and before the end of the year had crossed the plains to Oregon. Ile first, located at a point nine miles below the city of Portland, and did not come to Clarke county until 1855. On the fifth day of November of that year he settled on his present farm, situated three and a half miles north of Vancouver. This tract comprises 163 acres, fifty acres of which are in an advanced state of cultivation, and five acres in an orehard which comprises a general assortment of fruits. The natural resources of the country have ever been an unfailing source of interest and experiment

to Mr. Anderson, and he has verified his faith by his successes. He has been a member of the School Board for a number of years, and in his political opinions voices the sentiments of Democracy.

He was married February 27, 1851, to Miss Sarah J. Sturgess, who was born in the State of New York. They are the parents of fourteen children: Frank; Charles H .; William R., Jr .; Marilla, wife of Edward Gardner; Edward B .; Estella F., wife of Robert Shedd; Lucretia V., wife of George Baxter; George W .; Fannie E., wife of Frederick Pressler, of Vancouver; Asa; Minnie J., wife of George Housch; Nina .; Katie A. and Robert E.

The life of Mrs. Anderson has been, in certain respects, an eventful one, and in her reminis- cences of the early days on the frontier she is most entertaining in her narrations. She was born near Ballston Springs, New York, Sep- tember 3, 1837. When she was about two years of age her father, Moses Sturgess, removed to Illinois, where he remained until 1847, when, with his family, he crossed the plains to the Pacific coast. Their equipment included five yoke of oxen and one yoke of cows. By mak- ing use of Mrs. Anderson's own words we can most readily recount certain of the incidents and episodes so characteristic of this long, weary journey, typical of all that were made at that early period. She says: "We traveled and traveled, at slow and wearisome pace, until we reached the Missouri river, and I shall never forget the boat on which we crossed, nor the fear we all had of the Indians. At the point where we crossed the Missouri we took our last view of white people, save the members of our own party. So we made our start across the wild plains, infested by the crafty red men. We encountered great herds of buffalo, and would sometimes be compelled to halt the train in order to let them pass. It was about this time that we met our first loss. We camped at night and awoke in the morning to find that forty head of our cattle had disappeared, having been either stampeded by buffalo or run off by the Indians. There were left to us only one eow and a calf, standing with two heavily loaded wagons. After an unavailing search for the animals we waited a day, when another train came along, and from this source we were enabled to secure a yoke of oxen and thus to continue the journey. At Snake river came the fatality which deprived me of my father.

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In fording the river on horseback he was drowned in a whirlpool or ' suck,' a Mr. Green, of the party, having met his death in the same way the day previous. A sad-hearted and jaded party was ours, but we finally reached Portland, Oregon, where we lived two months, there being but seven houses in the town at the time. We then removed to Oregon City, and there stayed until spring (1848), when we went to Vancouver and lived there about three years. There were only three American families in the town, the inhabitants being mainly Canadian French, Indians and Kanakas (natives of the Sandwich islands), all being employés of the Hudson's Bay Company. I talked so much with the Indians that I forgot a considerable portion of my own language, finally almost abandoning my native tongue for a time. I was married to Mr. Anderson in February, 1851. He was also a pioneer, having crossed the plains in 1849. We lived opposite St. Johns, below Portland, for about two years, then moved down to the mouth of the Willam- ette, and subsequently located the donation claim where we now live."

Mrs. Anderson gave to the publishers of this volume excellent evidences of her command of the Indian dialects, and only lack of space pre- vents us from utilizing certain of her transcrip- tions. An incident worthy of note in this con- nection is that Mrs. Anderson assisted in sawing the lumber utilized in the construction of the first steamboat that ever plied the Columbia river.

W ILLIAM P. BOYD, one of the pioneer and present prominent merchants in the city of Seattle, was born at Belfast, Ireland, in April, 1849. He was educated in the schools of his district, and at the age of fif- teen years was apprenticed for four years with the prominent dry-goods firm of John Robb & Company, to be taught the business of a dry- goods merchant. This apprenticeship was with- ont salary, subject even paying thirty pounds for his course of instruction, and supplying his own board, lodging and wearing apparel. Com- pleting his term of service, he remained with the same firm for a short time, then spent six months in a similar store at Lurgan, at the end of which time he came to the United States, to improve the opportunities offered to all ambi-

tious young men. After one week passed in New York city, he crossed the continent to California, arriving in San Francisco in 1868, without a friend upon the Pacific Coast. He soon secured employment as salesman in the dry-goods store of J. W. Davidson & Company, then the finest retail store in the city, and now known as the "White House." After one year he was employed by J. J. O'Brien & Company, and remained two years. Ile then came to Seattle, under engagement with Schwabacher Brothers, as manager of their dry-goods depart- ment. In that capacity he was employed up to 1876, when he organized the co-partnership of Boyd, l'oncin & Young, and engaged in the dry-goods and clothing business, with a stock representing an outlay of about $15,000. Dur- ing the same year five other similar stores were opened, and competition became very active, but the above firm, being composed of young, practical men, received encouraging patronage, and success was established at the start, while three of the other firms subsequently retired from business. Through the death of Mr. Young in 1878, his interest was bought by Boyd & Poncin, and the firm continued until December, 1883, when Mr. Boyd purchased the Poncin interest, and continued the business under the firm name of W. P. Boyd & Company. He then discontinued the clothing department, and devoted his store to a general stock of dry goods and gentlemen's furnishing goods, carrying an average stock of $75,000. This business had its original headquarters on what is now Pioneer Square, at about 615 Front street, and at that time this was the only store north of Mill street, now Yesler avenue. Fail- ure was predicted, because the store was so far out of town, which then centered about Com- mercial and Washington streets. In 1581 the firm paid $10,500 for the present site, 35 x 130 feet-a price then considered out of all reason as touching the probable increase of real estate valnes. In 1882, they erected, at a cost of $20,000, a brick building, 35 x 90 feet, two stories and basement, which was the first brick building on Front street. This they occupied for store purposes up to the great fire of June, 1889, when the entire property was destroyed, at a net loss of about $85,000. The ruins had barely ceased smoking, when Mr. Boyd had a large force of men cleaning away the debris, and he was the first to commence laying brick in the burned district, thus testifying to his

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 104

Author: Hines, Harvey K., 1828-1902 Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 1056

Author: Hines, Harvey K., 1828-1902
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1056