An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 111

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

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Dr. Lansdale was married at Oregon City, September 12, 1860, to Mary, eldest daughter of Charles Pope, an Oregon pioneer of 1851, who came to the coast from New York city around Cape Horn, on the bark Coloma. Mr. Pope conducted a mercantile business, and was favorably known throughout the State. Fol- lowing are the names of the children of our subject: Mary P., wife of Clayton Aldrich; Charles T .; George H., deceased; and Annie E., wife of Judge M. A. Root.

The Doctor and his genial wife have been members of the Methodist Church since child- hood, and, sweetened by its holy influences, they have borne the burdens of pioneer life, and are worthy types of those strong, resolute characters who did so much toward developing the great Northwest.

ODFREY WELLER is a native of Ger- many, and was born in Wurtemburg, Oberambt, Marbach, town of Hof and Lembach, on December 13, 1838. His parents were George and Dorothea (Falin) Weller, both of whom died in Wurtemburg. Until fourteen years of age Godfrey lived with his parents, receiving his preliminary education and afterward working on his father's farm.

In 1858 he sailed from Liverpool on the ship Meader to Australia, and landed in Melbourne, whence he proceeded to Bendigo, where he learned the butcher's trade from his oldest brother, Henry. In 1864 he went to California and worked on a farm in Alameda county, but soon secured employment at his trade, engaging with James Asburg, at Woodland, Yolo county. He finally came to Steilacoom, Washington, in

January, 1871, by the way of Victoria, and there engaged in the butchering business, in company with his brother George, with whom he con- tinued for a year and a half. He then went to old Tacoma, and was there employed as butcher for Dvoly & Chambers. While thus associated he delivered the first meat into the so-called New Tacoma, the same having been ordered by a Mr. Vinning, who opened the first meat market in the new town. Our subject returned to Steilacoom, where he again engaged in the butchering business in partnership with his brother, and where he remained for five years, when he moved out on to a farm with his brother-in-law, J. Lutiger. HIe then worked for a time at Carbonado, where he carried on a butchering business for the coal company. He finally returned to Tacoma, where he has since resided.

Mr. Weller has been very successful in his investments. Fifteen years ago he purchased real estate in Tacoma, and in 1889 he sold, for a consideration of $1,000, one lot for which he had originally paid only $250.

He was married in Steilacoom, May 2, 1874, to Miss Anna Lutiger, a native of Cam, canton Zug, Switzerland. They have three sons: God- frey, George and Otto.

W H. ROBERTS, the present (1892) Clerk of Thurston county, Washing- ton, was born in Toronto, Canada, in June, 1838. llis parents, John and Helen (John- son) Roberts, were natives of Ireland and Scot- land respectively, immigrating to Toronto about 1835, where Mr. Roberts engaged in the iner- cantile business, which he followed through life. W. H. Roberts remained with his parents until his sixteenth year, improving the educational advantages offered him in that city, and secur- ing a liberal musical education.

In 1851 the subject of our sketch started out in life for himself. He visited the United States, passing his time in many places and in various occupations until 1863, when he receiv- ed direct information regarding the mining prospects of Montana. He was among the first to visit Virginia City, arriving there before any improvements were perfected. He was engaged in placer mining until January, 1864, when he was taken sick and the physicians ordered him

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to California." The long intervening distance he successfully traversed with a mule team, arriving at San Francisco with improved health. There he enlisted in the Second California Volunteer Infantry, was sent to Arizona and took part in the war against the Apaches. In June, 1865, the forces were ordered to return to San Francisco, and were mnstered out at the presidio.

Locating in San Francisco, Mr. Roberts was there engaged as an instructor in instrumental music until 1872. That year he came to Olympia, and, being pleased with the town and surroundings, at once decided to settle here, and here he continued as a music teacher. In 1879, at the urgent request of prominent friends in Port Townsend, he went to that place and tanght a special class in music one year. While there he was appointed chief clerk in the custom- house, continning in-that office nntil a change of administration, when he resigned. At the convening of the Legislature at Olympia, in 1881, he was engaged as special correspondent of the Oregonian and Associated Press in re- porting legislative proceedings. After the ad- journment of the Legislature he was appointed Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue, and dis- charged the duties of that office about two years. Again resuming his profession of music in- structor, he continued the same until 1890. That year he was elected by the Republican party to the office of Clerk of Thurston county, and also a Clerk of the Superior Court, and was re-elected in 1892.

He was married at Olympia, in February, 1891, to Mrs. S. M. F. Jones, a native of Tennessee. They reside on the corner of Water and Capital avenues, where they have recently completed a handsome cottage home.

Socially Mr. Roberts affiliates with the I. O. O. F., K. of P., R. S. G. F. and G. A. R., being also a member of the Episcopal Church.

A B. COWLES, of Olympia, Washington, was born in Bellona, Yates county. New York, in December, 1842. His ancestry came from the north of England. John Cowles, the first representative of the family in America, emigrated to the New World about 1630, and settled in Connecticut. From him

have descended men who attained prominence in the professions of law, medicine and the ministry.

The father of our subject, Zalmon J. Cowles, was born in Connecticut and learned the trade of cabinetmaker. He was married in Geneva, New York, to Miss Sarah Iluber, a native of Pennsylvania and of German descent. They resided in Bellona till 1855, when they moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. There Mr. Cowles purchased a sawmill and engaged in the manu- facture of shingles and lumber. In 1857 he re- moved to Rochester, Minnesota, and established a furniture manufactory, which he continued to operate np to the time of his death in 1884.

A. B. Cowles was educated in the Grand Rapids high school and took a business conrse at Bryant & Stratton's commercial college at Chicago. With the breaking out of the war in 1861, he, with his father and brother, T. Z. Cowles, enlisted in the Second Minnesota Regi- ment, and all were assigned to the regimental band. The regiment served in the Western Department, under General George H. Thomas, their first battle being at Mill Springs, Ken- tucky. In April, 1862, after the battle of Pittsburg Landing, all regimental bands were mustered out by order of General Bnell, and Mr. Cowles and sons returned home. The sub- ject of our sketch was then appointed Deputy Postmaster at Rochester, and continued as such till the fall of 1863, when he went to Chatta- nooga and was in the Post Quartermaster's De- partment, being there during the battle of Mis- sion Ridge. January 1, 1864, he went to Bowl- ing Green, Kentucky, into an office of a similar department, and in December, 1864, he went to the field at Nashville, Tennessee, to the head- quarters of the First Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, General A. J. Smith in command. After the battle of Nashville the army went up the Tennesce river to Eastport, Mississippi, and in January. 1865, to New Orleans; thence to Mobile bay, where he was stationed during the capture of Spanish Fort and Mobile. In April, 1865, the command moved to Selma, Alabama, and Mr. Cowles continned in the Commissary Department till January, 1866.

He was married at Selma, Alabama, May 5, 1866, to Miss Kate, daughter of James I). Monk, a prominent planter and wholesale grocer of that city. Mr. Cowles and wife returned to Roch- ester, Minnesota. He engaged in the furni- ture business with his father until December,

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1869, when he went to Chicago and accepted the appointment of Deputy Recorder of Cook county. In June, 1873, he came to Olympia with Captain William McMicken, Surveyor- General of Washington Territory, as chief clerk, and continued in that position up to the Cleve- land administration, being with General Mc- Micken, then serving under J. C. Breckinridge until 1887, when he resigned. Ile then filled the office of Deputy County Auditor tillAugust, 1889, when he again entered the office of the · Surveyor General under T. H. Cavanaugh, con- tinning with him and his successor, Amos F. Shaw, to the present date.

Mr. and Mrs. Cowles have four children: Annie, Harry D., Helen A. and J. Tod. Annie is the wife of Colonel Charles E. Claypool, a prominent attorney of Tacoma.

During the sessions of the last Territorial Legislature of Washington, Mr. Cowles was elected Clerk of the Council. He is a promi- nent Mason, is Past High Priest of Olympia Royal Arch Chapter, No. 7, and was a charter member of the Olympia Commandery, No. 7, Knights Templar, of which he was elected the first Recorder, and is still discharging the duties of that office. IIe is Past Post Commander of George H. Thomas Post, No. 5, G. A. R. In every sense he is a representative man of the city of Olympia.

H ON. RICHARD A. BALLINGER, Judge of the Superior Court of Jefferson county, Washington, was born in Boones- boro, Iowa, July 9, 1858. His parents, Richard H. and Mary E. (Norton) Ballinger, of Welsh-Scotch descent, were natives of Kentucky and New York, respectively. The Ballinger ancestry were of Revolutionary fame, while Colonel Richard Ballinger, and son, grandfather and uncle respectively of the subject of this sketch, filled in turn the office of Clerk of Knox county, Kentucky, for upward of fifty consecu- tive years. William Pitt Ballinger, a distin- guished lawyer of Galveston, Texas, belong to the same family.

Richard H. Ballinger, father of the subject of this sketch, was, in early manhood, brought to Greene county, Illinois, by Justice Miller. and he studied law in the office of Abraham Lincoln. After his admission to the bar, he en-

tered into practice at Des Moines, lowa, and later at Boonesboro. During the late Civil war, he enlisted in Company A of the Third Illinois Cavalry, in which he became Sergeant and by subsequent promotion rose to the rank of Captain. He then organized the Fifty-third United States Infantry of colored troops, of which regiment he was Colonel. He partici- pated actively in the Vieksburg and Curtis campaigns and also that of the Mississippi river, under General Grant. After his final dis- charge, Col. Ballinger settled in Nilwood, Illi- nois, and engaged in the sheep business. After President Grant's inauguration, he was ap- pointed Postmaster at Virden, Illinois, which office he held for six years. He then removed to Pawnee county, Kansas, where be engaged in the cattle business, becoming one of the found- ers of the town of Larned, and for several years editing the Chronoscope. He was very active in Republican polities, by which party he was elected Journal Clerk of the State Legislature, serving in that position as in every other, with honor and ability. In 1884 he removed to Chicago and thence, in 1888, to Decatur, Ala- bama, and engaged in the industrial develop- inent of the town. In 1890 he followed the Star of Empire to Port Townsend, Washington, which has ever since been his home and where he is engaged in the law and collection busi- ness, in the enjoyment of prosperity and nui- versal esteem.

Hon. Richard A. Ballinger, a chip of the granite block, was primarily educated in the schools of Illinois, after which he prepared for college at the State University of Kansas and Washburn College, at Topeka. Then, acting on the advice of Senator Ingalls, in 1880 he en- tered Williams College, at Williamstown, Mas- saehnsetts, at which he graduated, in 1884, with the degree of B. A., being one of the orators of his class. Following this, he entered the office of Messrs. Judd & Whitehouse, of Chicago, where he engaged in the study of law, and was admitted to the bar at Springfield, Illinois, in January, 1886. Succeeding this, he settled in Kankakee, Illinois, and entered on the active practice of his profession, shortly afterward be- ing elected City Attorney, which office he held until 1888. He then resigned that position to go to Decatur, Alabama, and was shortly after- ward elected City Attorney of New Decatur, where he followed a general law practice. In January, 1890, he came to Port Townsend,

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where for the first year he was a member of the law firm of Scott & Ballinger, later continuing his practice alone. He has been active in the courts of the State and his efforts have been at- tended with a high degree of success. Indeed, his experience here has been a series of honor- able appointments and elections to responsible offices. He was appointed United States Com- missioner of the Federal Court, by Judge Han- ford, which position he subsequently resigned. In the fall of 1892 he became the nominee of the Republican party for Judge of the Superior Conrt of Jefferson county, to which office he was duly elected for a term of four years, and is now in the active discharge of his duties, his services being characterized by judicial skill, impartial- ity and honor.

The Judge was married at Lee, Massachusetts, in 1887, to Miss Julia A. Bradley, and they have one child, Edward B.

It has been wisely said that a State cannot rise higher than the component parts of its civ- ilization, hence the cause of Washington's phe- nomenal strides in commerce, education, gov- ernment and morality, may be attributed to the character of her homes and private indviduals. Of the latter, Judge Ballinger is a representa- tive of whom all may justly feel proud, as com- bining in himself high ability and incontrovert- ible honor.

N. FORD, a resident of Olympia, Wash- ington, was born in Marion county, Ore- gon, on a farm four miles north of Salem, December 22, 1844. His parents, John F. and Beda A. (Kaiser) Ford, were natives of North Carolina and Tennessee respectively, and were numbered among the Oregon pioneers of 1843, having been members of the first train of emigrants who brought their wagons across the mountains beyond Fort Hall, and landed them safely at the Dalles. The wagons were then shipped upon flat-boats down the Columbia river to Vancouver, while the animals were driven across the mountains by the Barlow trail. Mr. Ford being in the front ranks of emigration, he was the first to drive a four-wheel wagon into the Willamette valley. He located a donation claim of 640 acres four miles north of Salem, near the Willamette river, and de- veloped a tine farm; but the flood of 1861 which

swept down the river, overflowing the country, destroying fences and buildings, and carrying away and destroying the stock, completely ruined the homestead and impoverished thie family. Mr. Ford then sold his remaining in- terests and with his two elder sons went to the mines of Idaho to rebuild his lost fortune. Meeting with some success, they returned in 1863 and purpchased a farm south of Salem, and once more engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1867 Mr. Ford removed to Salem, where he passed the closing years of his life. Though he lived the quiet life of a farmer, he was deeply interested in the development of the State, and as early as 1850 built, at Salem, the Marion Hotel, which for years was the leading hotel of that city. He was also interested in building the old Salem woolen mills, one of the early manufactories of the Willamette valley.

The boyhood of T. N. Ford was passed in the varied pursuits of farming and stock-raising, and he received only the limited advantages of the district schools of pioneer days. He accom- panied his father and brother to the Idaho mines in 1862, and remained upon the farm till 1865, when he entered the Willamette University for a collegiate course and the study of law. Ile was assistant enrolling clerk in the Oregon Legislature of 1866. Failing health compelled him to withdraw from the University in the winter of 1867. In 1868 he successfully taught a six months' school in the village of Monmouth, Polk county, and there laid the crude foundation of what was later the Mon- month College. The latter part of the same year he was engaged as business manager of the mercantile firm of Bell & Brown, of Dallas, Oregon, which position he held until the fall of 1870, when he resigned for the purpose of making a tour of the great inland sea of Wash- ington Territory. After fully satisfying him- self of the future greatness of the Puget Sound country, he settled in Olympia and entered the store of Captain S. W. Percival, who, at that time, was one of the leading merchants and business men of Puget Sound. In 1877 he succeeded Captain Percival and established the firm of T. N. Ford & Company, in the general merchandise business, at the old stand at the corner of Second and Main streets, and contin- ued the business till 1886, when he retired from mercantile lite and engaged in the real- estate, loan and insurance business, which he is still pursuing at 115 West Fourth street.

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Mr. Ford is prominently connected with the I. O. O. F., being a member of the first lodge (Olympia, No. 1) and first Encampment (Alpha, No. 1) established within the jurisdiction of Washington Territory. In 1879 he was elected Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Wash- ington, and in 1881 was elected Grand Repre- sentative for the term of two years, and attended the sessions of the Sovereign Grand Lodge in Cincinnati the same year, and the following year the session in Baltimore, Maryland. He was appointed and confirmed as Territorial Treasurer in 1882, which position he held until April 21, 1886. During said term the funds of the Territory were increased from comparatively nothing to the magnificent sum of $118,980.62. In 1887 he was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Thurston county, and served four years, his par- ticular duty being the collection of delinquent taxes, in which he was very successful.

Mr. Ford was married, August 15, 1876, to Miss Georgiana S., only daughter of Captain S. W. Percival.

G ENERAL ROSSELL G. O'BRIEN, Ad- jutant General of the State of Washing- ton, and in 1892 Mayor of Olympia, a widely known and popular public man and progressive citizen, was born in Dublin, Ireland, November 27, 1846. He dates his paternal ancestry baek to Brian Borough, who figured prominently in the earliest history of beautiful, but ill-fated Erin, the General, how- ever, being more directly descended from the Earl of Inchquin branch of his family. His maternal ancestry traces back to the Stuarts of Scotland, who entered Ireland upon their ex- pulsion from their native Highlands. Exper- iencing financial reverses, the father of the sub- ject of this sketch emigrated with his family to the United States in 1850, hoping to retrieve, in its broader field of opportunities, his shattered fortunes. He proceeded from New Orleans to Cincinnati, but subsequently purchased several thousand acres of land in Jersey county, Illi- nois. Not being a practical farmer, he after- ward sold his landed possessions, and removed to Jerseyville, where, in 1852, he paid the debt of nature, leaving his widow and four children in a strange land in redneed circumstances. The two sons were then placed with farmers,

and Mrs. O'Brien supported the daughters by teaching school at Carlinville and Springfield. The farm life of the subject of this sketch, who was then but six years of age, was exceed- ingly irksome, and after three years he returned to his mother and attended the publie sehool for two years. He then again tried farm life in Sangamon county, working for his board and clothes, and, the farmer being very poor, the elothes were commensurately thin. This work to a child of his tender years seemed endless and excessively laborious, and after about eigli- teen months young Rossell again returned to his mother, with whom he removed to Chicago about 1860. He there secured a position in a prominent retail dry-goods store, where he remained about two years, when he was swept with thousands of others into the vortex of civil war.

Previous to his enlistment, he had become a member of the celebrated Ellsworth Zonaves of Chicago, and there received that training which fitted him for a lieutenancy in Company D, One Hundred and Thirthy-fourth Ilinois Vol- unteer Infantry, which he recruited, and of which he should, by right of that service, have been elected Captain. Hle served with his regi- ment in the district of west Tennessee, Depart- ment of the Tennessee; district of western Kentucky, Department of the Ohio, and in the campaign against the rebel General Price in his famous raid, in the Department of the Missouri in 1864. Returning to Chicago with the regi- ment, he was mustered out October 25, 1864, at Camp Fry.

He then entered the employ of the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company as receiving clerk in the freight department, which position he filled two years, when he engaged with George and C. W. Sherwood, publishers of school books, and manufacturers of school furniture. He remained in their employ until 1870, at which time he came to Olympia with Governor Edward S. Salomon, and was appointed Assistant Asses- sor of Internal Revenue, and afterward Deputy Collector of the same for the Territory, which latter office he held until 1875, when the Col- lector was succeeded. In 1876, he was appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court of the Territory and of the District Court of the Second Judicial District, and United States Commissioner, which positions he held for twelve years, or until the change of administration, when he resigned and entered the real-estate and insurance business,

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under the name of the Olympia Real-estate, Loan and Insurance Agency. In this he was subsequently associated with S. C. Woodruff, which partnership still continues. In 1878, he was elected Quartermaster-General, and in 1881 became Adjutant-General, to which latter office he has been re-elected every subsequent term. Ile was elected Councilman from the second ward of Olympia in 1883, in which eapaeity he served until 1891, when he was elected Mayor, which office he filled with honor. The General organized the first company of the present National Guard of Washington in 1882, and commanded it personally until a suitable cap- tain was installed, and continued the organiza- tion of the National Guard of this State until it has reached its present cflieient condition, and is justly styled "The Father of the National Gnard of Washington."

General ()'Brien was married in Olympia in 1878, to Miss Fanny Steel, a native of Oregon City, daughter of Dr. A. II. Steel, a respected pioneer of 1850. They have two children: Ilelen Steel, and Rossell Lloyd, who bid fair to reflect credit on their ancient lineage and the modern commonwealthi.

Fraternally, the General is an active member of the G. A. R., and the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, and very prominent in Masonry, being Past Master of Olympia Lodge, No. 1, F. & A. M .; Venerable Master of Olympia Lodge of Perfection No. 2, A. A. S. R .; Wise Master of Robert Bruce Chapter Rose Croix, No. 2; Eminent Com- mander of De Molai Council of Kadosh, No. 2, having taken the highest, the thirty-third degree, in Masonry.

Thus is briefly outlined the busy and useful career of one of Washington's representative citizens, who by his worth and ability has cou- tributed to the material and moral advancement of his eommnnity and to that of the State at large.

F REDERICK R. BROWN, president of the West Side Mill Company, of Olympia, was born in Bucksport, Maine, in 1849, son of Cyrenins and Abbie A. (Stover) Brown, natives of the same locality, and descended from Puritan ancestors.

Cyrenius Brown was a sea captain for upward of forty years, sailing his own vessels in the

coast trade between Maine and New Orleans. Retiring from the sea, he engaged in mercantile pursuits at Bucksport, and there passed the elosing years of his life.

Frederick R. was educated in the schools of his native town, and there clerked until 1866, when he went to Boston and followed the same ocenpation until January, 1870. Then he started for California. He passed one year at Chico in ranch life, after which he came north to Kalama, with the building of the Northern Pacific rail- road. He first entered the employ of the rail- road company, but subsequently engaged as elerk for Ingalls, Sohus & Company, general merchants. With the progress of the railroad toward Tenino, Mr. Brown managed for Ingalls, Sohus & Company, a branch store, which was kept in a tent, and moved from time to time to keep up with the construction of the road. They carried a full stock of general merchan- dise and railroad supplies, valued at $10,000. In the fall of 1872 Mr. Brown purchased the entire outfit, having saved $600 from his monthly earnings, and possessing a good credit. IIe then continned along the road until they reached Tenino in the fall of 1872, and there he made permanent settlement, continuing the same busi- ness. He was also appointed Postmaster and a Notary Public, performing the duties of those offices for several years. In 1867 he bought a one-half interest in the Winlock sawmill, which he operated for two years. He also became interested in the Thurston Coal Company. In 1880 he was one of a small syndicate to pur- chase the Olympia & Chehalis railroad, which had been built by the people of Olympia and Thurston county. In 1882, Mr. Brown sold his mercantile interests at Tenino, and removed to Olympia to look after railroad matters, the syndicate operating this road until 1889, when they sold out. In 1883, Mr. Brown organized the Seatco Manufacturing Company, and built two sawmills, and a large sash and door factory at Seatco, now called Bueoda. He operated this plant until 1888, and then sold out. In 1890 he bought the mill and machinery of the Olympia Manufacturing Company, located on the west siee, and after putting the property in perfect repair he organized and incorporated the West Side Mill Company, of which he was elected president. The property embraced the West Side saw and plaining mill, sash and door fac- tory, and dock property on Fourth street, 250 x 150 feet, with office, store-room and yards,

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 111

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