An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 123

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 123

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James M. Lively received his education in the public schools, and at the age of seventeen years began school-teaching, but at the same time also continued the higher branches of study by

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personal effort and private instructions, spend- ing his winters in teaching and his summers on the farm. After his marriage he located at Wellston, Jackson county, as Superintendent of Schools. Three years later he became connect- ed with the Milton Furnace & Coal Company, of Wellston. as purchasing agent, also in charge of the coal and iron mines, and continued that ocenpation until the fall of 1884. Mr. Lively was then elected Sheriff of Jackson county, by the Republican party, and was re-elected in 1886, running 800 votes ahead of his ticket. In the early spring of 1887, with others, he organ- ized the Jackson Steel Company, and was a member of the board of managers until the works were sold, in the fall of 1889. In Angust, 1888, he was interested in the purchase of the "Standard and Journal, the two county papers, also organized the Standard-Journal Company, of which he served as acting editor one year, or until the paper was sold. In July, 1889, Mr. Lively removed to Toledo, Ohio, bought an interest in and became superintend- ent of the Toledo Nail Company, which was sold in the spring of 1890. He then served as manager of the New Philadelphia Wire & Nail Company until resigning his position in 1892. He then organized the Port Townsend Steel Wire & Nail Company. Mr. Lively passed the summer of 1892 at Erie, Pennsyl- vania, associated with George Alexander in superintending the building of the machinery for the Port Townsend factory, which was con- structed by the Erie City Iron Works. In the fall of the latter year he moved his family to this city, where they now reside.

In Jackson county, Ohio, December 24, 1873, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Louisa B. Backus, a native of that county, and her parents were among the early pioneers of the State. Mr. and Mrs. Lively have had four children, one now living, Karl V. He is a practical machinist, and is actively engaged in the factory of the Port Townsend Steel Wire & Nail Company, of which he is a stockholder.

T HE PORT TOWNSEND STEEL WIRE AND NAIL COMPANY .- Of all the man- ufacturing interests located at the Key City of Puget Sound, none were com- menced under more favorable anspices or con-

tinued with brighter promise for the future than the enterprise represented by the above title. The investigations which led to the establishing of the business were conducted by James M. Lively, a practical iron manufacturer of Ohio, who, by letter, was offered induce- ments by the citizens of Port Townsend, and pursuant to that letter he visited the Sound dis- triet in December, 1891. After duly investi- gating the resources of the country, the facili- ties for transportation, and the nail consumption of the coast, he agreed that if the citizens of Port Townsend would deed a proper site for the factory and subscribe $50,000 to a capital stock of $100,000, to be fully paid, he would organize a company and erect a suitable plant for the manufacture of steel wire and nails. He then returned to Ohio. In February, 1892, Mr. Lively was notified that the land had been se- cured and the stock subscribed. Meanwhile he had associated with himself Mr. Pugh, A. R. McLanghlin and George Alexander, all practi- cal meu. Together they arranged plans for the factory and location of the necessary ma- chinery.

Messrs. MeLanghlin & Pugh came to Port Townsend March 28, 1892, and engaged at once in erecting the factory and warehouse, 100 x 312 feet, on Jefferson street, between Lincoln and Colfax streets, with a wharf 850 feet long, run- ning to deep water on Port Townsend bay. Meanwhile Messrs. Lively and Alexander had proceeded to Erie, Pennsylvania, and arranged with the Erie City Iron Works to construct the required machinery, under their superintend- ence and direction. The contract amounted to about 860,000, and the entire plant weighed 200 tons. After completing and loading the machinery on fourteen cars, Messrs. Lively and Alexander came to Port Townsend, arriving in October, 1892, and, with building completed, the machinery was put in place as fast as it ar- rived, the entire management being in accord- ance with their preconceived plans. The engines and machinery were set in motion December 25, 1892, and the nail machinery was fully set February 10, 1893, but operation was delayed until about March 15, same year, for want of material. The plant embraces fifty nail ma- chines, conveniently adjusted to economize la- bor, and with a capacity of 400 kegs, of varying size, every ten hours. Steel rods for wire and nails are purchased at Cleveland, Ohio, and also imported direct from Belgium. They also

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mannfacture copper and steel wires of merchant- able sizes. They have facilities for galvanizing pipe, sheet iron and nails, also a brass foundry of 4,000 pounds capacity, and an iron foundry with all modern improvements and a capacity of fifteen tons daily. The machine shop is sup. plied with the latest improved lathes, planers, drills and forging hammers, and the keg fac- tory embraces modern saws and planers for the rapid completion of work. They have experi- enced machinists in every department; the corps including assistants, numbers eighty hands. The managers, consisting of James M. Lively, President; A. R. MeLaughlin, Secretary and Treasurer; George Alexander, Superintendent, give personal supervision to all matters of de- tail, and, being efficient, energetic men, can not but carry the enterprise to a glorious con- clusion.

R EV. JOHN RODDICK THOMPSON, D. D., is one of the best known clergy - men and philanthropists of Washington. His' ancestors were active among the stirring events on the Scottish border five hun- dred years ago. The family traditions give one of them the honor of being dubbed a Knight, by King Robert Bruce, for distinguished skill and courage on the bloody field of Bannock- burn. That prince of pulpit orators, Rev. Ed- ward Irving, the friend of Thomas Carlyle, had a place on the family tree. The father and both grandfathers of our subject were Scottish Presbyterian Ruling Elders.

The subject of this sketch, was born in En- gland, while his parents were on their way to Prince Edward Island, half a century ago. Wrecked upon the shores of his new home, he grew to manhood, and was inured to the trials and hardships incident to early settlement in a rigorous climate. At the age of twelve years duty called him to constant manual labor on the farm and in the grain and woolen mills, owned by his father, who gave ten children to the world's population. He early manifested a love for reading, and at twenty-one years of age was almost as well acquainted with current literature, British history and Scottish theology, as the majority of college graduates. The knowledge that it was possible for him to obtain a uni- versity education was reached too late it life, to

secure the full preparation for an undergraduate, but industry was pressed into the source of de- ficiency, and he graduated at Queen's Univer- sity, in Ontario, Canada, in 1865, with honor, being the only graduate of bis class who that year secured two first prizes. His classmates nominated him to deliver the valedictory ora- tion, and the University Alma-mater Society, elected him the senior of its six Vice-Presi- dents. In that society were many distinguished Canadians, including the late Right Honorable Sir John A. McDonald.

Dr. Thompson took his full three years' theo- logical curriculum in the same University, com- pleting his studies and taking his degree of Master of Arts in 1858. In June, of that year, he was licensed to preach, although he had been doing the work of an evangelist in connection with his college studies for five years before this time. He took his first charge in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he was ordained as a minis- ter in connection with the Scottish established kirk in the autumn of the same year. His de- sire to become a missionary on the frontier, or in a foreign field, where preachers of the Gospel were more needed than in his old home, was gratified in 1870 by a call to the pastorate of the little Presbyterian Church of Olympia, Washington Territory. The journey at that ime was not the palace-car arrangement of to- day, but after traveling about a month on rail- roads, steamboats, stages, and on foot, he ar- rived in that city July 8, 1870. He found awaiting his occupation a plain little house of worship, owned by a small company of earnest Christian people. This pastorate lasted without interruption for over thirteen years, and during that time a number of men, holding prominent positions, (some of them men of national repo- tation) were attendants upon the Presbyterian services. Dr. Thompson won for himself the reputation of being one of the ripest scholars, ablest preachers and most energetic missionaries in the Territory of Washington. The biennial meetings of the Legislature, and the sessions of the Supreme Court, in the capital city, brought him into contact with many leading citizens of the Territory, nearly all of whom became his warm personal friends, even when they did not assent to his ideas upon temperance, religion and other subjects.

Besides caring for the church of Olympia, Dr. Thompson pushed into various parts of the Territory, often traveling hundreds of miles by

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canoe and saddle, in his missionary tours. He rode on horse-back through the Cascade monn- tains four times; and over much of eastern Washington and northern Idaho before the advent of the railroads. Many of these trips were in times of danger from savages on the war path. On one occasion his life was saved only by the prompt intervention of an old and friendly Indian chief. An iron constitution, which never seemed to know fatigue, made a horse- back ride of forty or fifty miles, on rongh roads and trails, with a sermon or lecture at the close of it, only a mild day's work. He estab- tablished more than a score of Presbyterian churches in the counties of Lewis, Chehalis, Thurston, Pierce, King, Snohomish, Skamania, Whatcom, Cowlitz, Clarke, Pacific, Kittitass, Yakima, Klickitat. etc. One leading newspaper of Pnget Sound published the idea that his zeal, industry and ability would soon make him a Cardinal, if he were in the Roman Catholic Church. In the Presbyterian Church, it gave him the privilege of preaching the opening sermons, and presiding at the birth of the two Columbian and Washington synods; of being several times Moderator; of being twice elected Synodical missionary; and filling the office of chairman of the important committee on Home Missions for over seventeen consecutive years. He has recently been elected pastor at large by Olympia Presbytery. He has four times rep- resented his Presbytery in the General As- sembly. In many other ways, his bretheren have shown their confidence in his wisdom and ability, and their gratitude for the work he has done, as a pioneer missionary of the Gospel. The Territorial (now State) University conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Di- vinity in 1886. He was a Director of the San Francisco Theological Seminary, when the di- vision of the synod of the Columbia disquali- fied him for further service in that capacity.

Dr. Thompson was one of the founders of the Academy of Sciences, of Washington Ter- ritory, of which he was Senior Vice-President, and for a time acting President. He served a number of sessions as Chaplain of the Terri- torial Legislature, and exerted a strong " third house " influence in favor of legislation to pro- mote temperance morality. He also assisted with tongue, pen, and personal influence in se- curing the abolition by the Territorial Legisla- ture, of that relic of barbarism, the contract system, of caring for the insane. In the early

days of Territorial history, the school law was little better than no law at all. Dr. Thompson entered the educational field, and for six con- seentive years was School Superintendent of Thurston connty. He was also appointed by Governor W. A. Newell a member of the Ter- ritorial Board of Education, and was one of the committee who drafted the excellent school law, which, in spite of many attempted amendments still forms the foundation of the Washington School for Defective Youth, and was appointed by Governor (now United States Senator) Wat- son C. Squire a member of the first Board of Trustees. He was subsequently re-appointed by Governor Ferry to this same office. His neighbors give him credit for having been the means of seenring the permanent location of this institution in Clarke county, and otherwise doing influential work, toward the erection of the magnificent buildings, which now stand upon the north bank of the Columbia, a monu- ment of public philanthropy, and of the wisdom which directed it into this particular channel. Nearly one hundred deaf, mute, blind and feeble-minded children were pupils of this in- stitution last year (1892).

An early convert to the principle of woman's right to an equal share in the government un- der which she lives, and always a Prohibition- ist in principle Dr. Thompson was, contrary to his own protest, nominated by the Republican advocates of these principles, and in due time elected to represent the counties of Clarke, Cow- litz and Lewis, in the upper chamber of the last Legislature of the old Territorial regime, which mnet in December, 1887, and adjourned in February, 1888. Of this body he became President, after an exciting contest and " dead lock," by the unanimons choice of both the old political parties. As President of the Legisla- tive Council, he was noted for the moderation and firmness with which he opposed extremes in legislation. The woman's suffrage and local option laws, previously enacted, were de- clared unconstitutional by the Territorial Su- preme Court. Under Dr. Thompson's leader- ship these laws were re-enacted, with some changes in the direction of greater security, not- withstanding the opposition of imported judges who were determined that such laws could not and should not be constitutional, no matter how carefully framed. The discussions upon these and other questions, in which the Presi- dent of the upper house took a prominent

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part, made that last Legislature of the old Washington Territorial regime, the most noted of all the pioneer assemblies of the people's representatives.

"Dr. Thompson has persistently declined dur- ing the last six years, to become a candidate for any political office alleging that he was too busy preaching the gospel, etc., to become a candidate for any political office, except that of Chaplain of the State Constitutional Conven- tion, to which he was elected. But during the summer of 1892, he received the unanimous indorsement of the Republicans of the three connties of Skamania, Clarke and Cowlitz for Lieutenant Governor. The nomination of a Governor from Seattle, sent the Lientenant Governorship over the mountains, by the force of geographical politics. Dr. Thompson would not, under the circumstances, permit his friends to present his name to the convention. It has not been the privilege of many men to com- press into less than half a century, so much, and such a variety of work, as has been done by the subject of this sketch. He is still in the prime of life and may have much more and greater work yet to perform. A detailed his- tory of his experience during the old pioneer days would furnish very interesting reading for the boys and girls of the Evergreen State, fifty years hence; and such a history he has planned and partly prepared.

E LIHU L. WOOD whose enterprise has been very material in developing the live- stock industry in the Northwest, was born at Jacksonville, Illinois, in August, 1840. His parents, Milo and Elizabeth A. (Telford) Wood, were natives of North Carolina and Tennesse, respectively, and of English and Scotch ancestry, Milo Wood was reared upon the farm, and abont 1824 moved to Vandalia, Illinois, when the Indians and buffaloes were running wild upon the plains. St. Louis was the nearest trading post: consequently the set- tlers relied chiefly upon wild game for subsist- ence. Mr. Wood, although a saddler by trade, engaged in farming, and in a short time removed to Jacksonville, and there conducted his saddlery business and acquired large landed interests, remaining till 1845, then removed to Peters- burg, and there passed the remainder of his life,

Elihu L., next to the youngest of the ten children in the above family, was educated in the public schools of Petersburg and at Asbury University at Greencastle, Indiana. Being a delicate lad, the confinement of study was too severe, and in 1856 he joined his brother, Whitfield T., and with a herd of cattle started for California; but because of Indian troubles they stopped in Nebraska, and there sold their stock and passed about two years. During the Pike's Peak mining excitement they spent two years in the mining district, but withont knowledge or experience their efforts proved a failure, and in 1860 they went to Omaha and secured a prairie outfit, and in 1861 completed their journey to California, duly arriving at Stockton. They then followed wheat farming and the rearing of live-stock in Sonoma county until 1866, when the subject of this sketch started for British Columbia to the Big Bend on the Columbia river, to investigate the mining interests, which proving a failure, he boarded the little steamer " 49" and came to Colville, bought ponies there and proceeded to Walla Walla, where he engaged in the live-stock busi- ness, and was among the pioneer drovers to take herds of cattle and sheep to the mining camps of Montana and Nevada, supplying Government posts and private parties.

In 1876 Mr. Wood met Mr. Edward Bluctt at Elko, Nevada, a drover of extended experi- ence with Texas cattle, became connected in business, and, with him, they began an exten- sive business in the purchase of cattle and horses in the region from Utah to the Pacific ocean and throughont the Northwest, buying annually from 2,500 to 12,000 head, which they sold in Eastern markets. The cattle busi- ness became somewhat depressed in 1880, and in 1881 Mr. William Evans entered the firm, which became Blnett, Wood & Evans, and they were pioneers in promoting the industry of purchasing mutton sheep in Oregon and Wash- ington, driving to Nebraska, there fattening and thence shipping to Chicago for market. In 1881 they handled 20,000 head, and, finding the occupation so profitable, they increased their annual purchases until 1886, in which year they handled 110,000 head, which was the acme of the enterprise, as thereafter the trade changed, and in 1888 they closed the business, but con- tinned their partnership interests.

Messrs. Bluett and Wood then came to Se- attle, where they have engaged extensively it

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real estate, their first purchase being the Denny & Hoyt addition of 217 acres, now known as Fremont, which was built up and developed through their enterprise in subsidizing street railroads and milling interests. They have also other property interests about the city of Se- attle; and the Bluett Gold Mining Company in Kittitass county, with a forty-stamp mill in operation, is evidenee of their public spirit and enterprise in developing the mineral interests of the Northwest.

P AUL PAULSON, one of the pioneer fur- niture manufacturers of Seattle, was born in Norway, in April, 1843. In 1856 he emigrated with his parents to the United States, settling at LaCrosse, Wisconsin, where the father homesteaded a farm, and spent the remainder of his life in agricultural pursuits. Our subjeet improved the educational advan- tages of the country until 1863, when he started in life for self-support, and, going to New York, secured passage by the Panama route for California.

After arriving in San Francisco Mr. Paulson passed one year at ranching near Vallejo, next followed lumbering in Lake county three years, and then, with two associates, built a flonr mill at Lower Lake, Lake county, which was sne- cessfully operated for two years. He then sold his interest in the mill, returned on a visit to his parents, but, soon becoming dissatisfied with the country, again came to California. In 1870 he came to Seattle, Washington, but business being dull there he found little to occupy his time during the first year, and then received employment as commissary for surveying par- ties of the Northern Pacific Railroad.

Two years later Mr. Paulson returned to Seattle, spent one year in teaming about the city, and in the fall of 1874 purchased an inter- est with George W. Ilall in the manufacture of furniture and house furnishing materials. With the growth of the city the business of the fac- tory increased, and, to meet the necessity of in- creasing facilities, in 1882 they incorporated as the Hall & Paulson Furniture Company, with a capital stock of $100,000. They then improved their factory, and built a small mill at the head of the bay, where all lumber could be sawed from the logs, previous to that time it having

produced at extravagant prices. The business rapidly increased to the employment of seventy hands. At that time the failure of llenry Vil- lard brought on a period of depression, and dull times followed until confidence was again re- stored. Prosperity again attended the factory until the great fire of June, 1889, when every- thing was burned, suffering a loss of about $55,000. The factory was located on Com- inercial street, between King and Charles streets, and after the fire the property, be- ing tide land, was re-piled and planked, and then leased for manufacturing and other pur- poses. The company held the title to the property, and have since purchased inany of the buildings erected thereon. After the fire Mr. Paulson did not re-enter business, as his health was seriously shattered by his previous life of labor and hardships. His time has since been employed in looking after the property which he had acquired. He built his present home at 1012 Main street in 1884, when the forests bordered his property on the east, and at that time there was no residence be- tween his property and Lake Washington.

Mr. Paulson was married in Seattle, in 1876, to Miss Sarah E. Hutchinson, a native of Illi- nois. They have three children,-Gilbert H., Ida M. and Harry I).,-all actively engaged in aeqniring an education, as stepping-stones to positions of trust and influence.

E DWARD B. BARTHROP, the success ful and popular druggist of Port Town- send, was born in this city, July 15, 1868, a son of George and Eliza (Batting) Barthrop, natives of London, England. The father emi- grated to the United States in 1847, landing at New York eity, and while there enlisted for the Mexican war. In 1856, by the Panama route, he came to California, immediately pro- ceeded to the mines, and in 1856 started for the Fraser river country, but after a short ex- perience there returned and located in Port Townsend. Mr. Barthrop was married in San Francisco, in 1859, to Miss Eliza Batting. After returning to this city he engaged in mer- eantile pursuits, which he continued until his death, in June, 1884, at the age of sixty-three years, He left a widow and seven children, all of whom still survive. Mr. Barthrop was an

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enterprising developer of real estate, having erected the Maples and other business houses, and also several tenement houses. Ile was a man of good judgement and strict integrity, and through his successful investments accumu- lated a competeney.

Edward B. Barthrop, the fourth in the order of birth of his parents' seven children, was edu- cated in the schools of Port Townsend and at the University of California. In 1884 he en- tered the drug store of R. K. Latimer, of this city, where he spent five years in the study of pharmacy. In 1889 he began a course of study in the California College of Pharmacy, at San Francisco, passed the examinations, and entered into the employ of Ruffin & Turpin, of Port Townsend, who had succeeded Mr. Latimer. After six months there Mr. Barthrop purchased a half interest in the store, and the firm became Ruffin & Barthrop. One year later he sue- ceeded to the entire business, which he lias since continued alone. Mr. Barthropalso owns 200 acres of land in the Chineum valley, which embraces Lake Surprise, a lake well stocked with trout and a pleasant resort for camping parties. Abont forty aeres of the traet is nnder a fine state of cultivation, and he is developing a large orchard of mixed fruits. Mr. Barthrop also owns property in the city of Port Town- send. In his social relations he affiliates with the Independent Order of Foresters, but he finds his greatest amusement with the rod and gun, in the handling of which he is quite an expert.

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 123

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