An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 125

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 125

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

German and Scotch descent, the former being a fariner and trader, who passed his life with his worthy wife in his native town of Winstead.

Mr. Hauser, of this notice, gained his educa- tion principally in the practical walks of life and by self culture in persistent reading and studying at home, when not engaged in the per- formance of farm dnties. He remained at home until he was twenty years of age, when, induced by the liberal opportunities afforded in the West to all men of energy and intelligence, Mr. Hauser went, in 1868, to Fontanelle, Iowa, in which vicinity he engaged in farming. He was married in that State in the following year, and subsequently removed to Carthage, Mis- souri, where he learned the trade of carpenter and builder. In 1871, he returned to Fonta- nelle, where he was engaged in house carpenter- ing for five years. At the end of that time, in 1876, he once more turned his face in the di- rection of the setting sun, coming direct to Se- attle, Washington, where he continued his former ocenpation of carpentry until 1884. He then began work for the Western Mill Com- pany, on Lake Union, and after six months faithful service, was promoted to the position of superintendent of the yard and sales depart- ment, in which responsible capacity he continued to act until April 1, 1888. At that time he assumed charge of the retail yard of Welbon & Company, at the foot of Vine street. On Sep- tember 20 following, Mr. Hanser organized the Pacific Manufacturing Company, of which he was immediately elected General Manager. This company then purchased the stock of Wel- hon & Company and proceeded to ereet a small mill on the same property, for the purpose of manufacturing house finishing materials. They commenced with fifteen employes, but so rapid- ly did the business increase that they soon had fifty men employed in the several departments. Ontgrowing the capacity of their building, they purchased 200 feet frontage on the west side of Lake Union, on which, in October, 1892, they began erecting their new factories and driving piles for their new wharf facilities. These are now perfected in the most improved and con- venient manner, their factories being provided with the latest and best machinery for planing, turning, monlding and the finishing of sash, doors, stairs, store-fittings and all interiors. This prosperity may appear phenomenal, but it is not by any means a matter of chance. With- out the steady persistence and intelligent man-

agement of a master mind and strong hand, these results could never have taken place, and Mr. Hauser is above all entitled to high praise for his energy and perseverance. Besides his regular business, Mr. Hauser owns considerable valuable real-estate about Seattle, but devotes his. best energies to the upbuilding of his im- portant industry.

In January, 1869, Mr. Hauser was married, at Quincy, Iowa, and is the father of six chil- dren: Samnel M .; Bessie, now Mrs. W. C. Praseh; Minnie, Frank, Walter and Blanche.

Fraternally, Mr. Hanser affiliates with the I. O. O. F. and A. O. U. W. As a man and citi- zen, he is upright and progressive, ever ready to aid any worthy object tending to the advance- ment of his community, the resources of which no one has done more to develop.

EWIS SMITII, a veteran of the war of the Rebellion, is a highly respected citi- zen of Pierce county, Washington, and is worthy of being so recorded in this volume. He was born in Hancock county, Ohio, near Fort Findlay, December 19, 1835, a son of Nimrod and Mary (Singer) Smith, natives of Pensylvania; the father was a small boy when his parents removed to Stark county, Ohio, where he grew to manhood. The youth of Lewis Smith was not marked by any unusnal circum- stance until his twelfth year, when he was thrown upon his own resources and started ont to make his own way among strangers.

At the time the Civil war arose between the North and the South he was in the employ of the Illinois Central Railroad Company. Upon receiving the news that his brother had enlisted in the service of his country, his own patriot- ism arose to the occasion, and going to Fort Findlay he was soon enlisted a member of Com- pany K. Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Proceeding to Gallipolis he remained there dnr- ing three months, and then enlisted in the Sixty-fifth Ohio, at Mansfield, under Captain Powell. Going down the Ohio river he stopped at Lonisville for equipment, and went thence to Mill Springs, arriving just after the battle at that point. Ile was afterward in the engage- ment at Fort Donelson, going thence to Shiloh, a member of Crittenden's corps, which is credited with having saved Grant's army. He

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

next participated in the engagements at Corinth, Murfreesborongh and Stone River, remaining six months at the latter place to fortify the position : then came the battle at Chickamauga then that of Chattanooga, where the young pa- triot lost a thumb and received injuries that necessitated his removal to hospital No. 19. During the remainder of his serviee he was on duty in the hospital, becoming ward-master. He was honorably discharged in March, 1865, but continued his service five months afterward.

When hostilities had ceased and the war ended, Mr. Smith repaired to St. Joseph county, Indiana, where he resided for a term of three years. Ile then removed to Ohio, but at the end of one year went to Illinois. Here the summer was spent, and Nebraska was the scene of his operations for the four years following, where he withstood two sieges of grasshoppers, and then surrendered, sacrificing property valued at $2.000 for $400. In 1875 he came to the coast, and since that time has been a resi- dent of Washington. He has a claim of 160 acres in Snohomish county, seven miles from the county seat, on which he has resided three years, making many valuable improvements. One week before the great fire he went to Se- attle and remained there two years; thenee he removed to Orting, and was connected with the Soldiers' Home there for seven months. In the spring of 1891 he went to Puyallup, and after- ward to Stuck valley. During the past year he has been associated with Cyrus Cotton, also a veteran of the Civil war; they have seventeen acres of land, sixteen acres of which are planted to onions, the product finding a ready market in Portland, Seattle, Taeoma and other cities on the Sound.

Mr. Smith was at one time a member of the G. A. R., Post No. 10, at Snohomish, but is now associated with the Post at Sumner. He is a man of sterling qualities, deserving of the high esteem in which he is held.

A WEINBERG is a native of Germany, and was born in Prussia, at Tohrn, March 9, 1857. His parents were Julius and Caroline (Cohn) Weinberg, the tor- mer being a prominent brewer of that country. At the age ot thirteen the subject of this sketch left school and began to learn the distilling and

rectifying business in his native place. In 1875 he came to the United States, locating first at San Francisco, where he went with Lang & Co .. liquor dealers, with whom he remained five months, and then went with S. Lochmann & Co., and was with them three years and nine months, at the expiration of which time he opened a business of his own, which he con- ducted till 1882, when he came to Tacoma and engaged in the wholesale liquor business. This l:e maintained till 1888, when he traveled for two years abroad; he then returned to Tacoma and became a stoekholder and secretary and treasurer of the Milwaukee Brewing Company. in which business he is now engaged.

Mr. Weinberg was married in Indiana, to Miss Mattie Loeb. He is a member of the B'nai B'rith. Oakland, California.

H ENRY BECKETT is a native of England. and was born in Tiberton, near Glonces- ter, on the 15th day of August, 1833. His parents were John and Ann ( Knight) Beckett. When eighteen years of age he sailed from Liverpool on the ship Ashburton, and in due time landed at New York. He remained six years with the firm of Humbert & Kinney, of Brooklyn, learning the trade of furniture workman. In the fall of 1857, during the time of the great financial panic, he went to Cleve- land, Ohio, where he worked for one year with D. A. Shepherd & Co. in the furniture busi- ness, which he followed until the Fraser river "gold fever" broke out, and its violent and irresistible contagion took possession of him. He resigned his position there and took passage on one of the lake steamers for Buffalo, thence to New York, and there took the steamship Ilerman for the golden shores of the Pacific. via Cape Horn. On reaching his destination he worked for Joseph Pierce in the furniture busi- ness, and after visiting Peteluma, Santa Rosa, Ilealdsburg, Cloverdale and other places, con- suming nearly six years, he decided to try the fortunes northward, and took passage on the brig Josephine, with his wife and four children, for Victoria, British Columbia. From there, after stopping briefly at Port Angeles and Port Townsend, he reached Steilacoom in 1864, where he took up a elaim about one mile from the town of Orting, on which place he now resides. He

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

went into the hop-raising business in 1880, and has now abont twenty acres in that enltivation.

Mr. Beckett was married in New York city, August 21, 1857, to Miss Hannah Edmundson, a native of England. They have eight children living, viz .: John Henry. born in Cleveland, Ohio; George W., Charles W., Oliver L., Agnes (., Annie, and Ella and Amey, who are twins. The one dead was named Henry.

Mr. Beckett is a Republican politically, and has held office under his party locally for many years. He is an old pioneer of Washington, and has seen the section of which he is an hon ored resident grow from woodland to a village, a town, and lastly a prosperous and growing city

J JOHN A. GIBSON, a highly respected citizen of Cowlitz county, Washington, has been engaged in farming at his present location since 1884.

Mr. Gibson was born in Clay county, Ken- tueky, in 1829, and that same year was taken by his parents to Illinois, where he remained until 1852. That year he came West and landed in Portland, Oregon, and the following spring went to the mines to try his fortune. For six years he was engaged in mining, meeting with the usual miner's luck, sometimes being success- fnl and at other times earning little. Return- ing to Portland, he then spent some time in traveling, visiting various portions of the Sound district. Ten years later he settled in Cowlitz county, where he has since resided.

Mr. Gibson is a widower, his wife and their one child both being deceased.

R OBERT FROST, a prominent hardware merchant of Olympia, Washington, was born in Tunbridge Wells, England, Oc- tober 15, 1825, sou of Thomas and Mary (Taylor) Frost, natives of the same locality. Thomas Frost was a contractor and builder. Ile removed to the West End of London in 1837, and there continued his occupation.

The subject of our sketch was primarily edu- cated in the schools of London. At the age of fourteen he began clerking in a grocery store,

and one year later was apprenticed to the trades of plasterer and brick mason. With an increas- ing desire to see the world, he left home in 1858 and went to sea, first shipping on a coal brig running along the English coast, later on a fruit schooner bound for the Mediterranean ports, and still later being on deep sea vessels. He visited many of the Atlantic and Pacific ports, landing at San Francisco in 1855. He then reshipped on the old brig Susan Abigail for Portland, Oregon, crossing the Columbia river bar January 1, 1856, and leaving the brig at Portland, he retired from sea life. He then resumed work at his trade, being employed at Portland, Oregon City and The Dalles until the breaking out of the mining excitement on Fra- ser river, when he started overland with the Dave MeLouchlan party of 100 men. Their journey was fraught with great adventure, as from Walla Walla through the Indian country they had fre- quent skirmishes with the natives of the land. Ultimately arriving at the mines, the prospects seemed very limited and they only made average wages. Flour and food being one dollar per pound, Mr. Frost finally starved out and re- turned to Olympia, arriving " flat broke." At this time he began work in a printing office. Ile followed that business for three years, then re- turned to his trade, and once more secured a financial start. He continued working at his trade until 1870, when he purchased an inter- est in the hardware store of F. A. Iloffman. Under the firm name of lloffman & Frost they did business three years, at the end of which time they divided the stock and dissolved part- nership, Mr. Frost continuing business at the same location, 418 Main street. His stock em- braces heavy and shelf hardware, agricultural implements, glass, crockery and builders' sup- plies.

Mr. Frost was one of the original stockhold- ers of the first gas works and electric plant in the city, and upon its consolidation with the Olympia Light and Power Company he was elected vice-president. He is a stockholder and director of the Capital National Bank. He owns a half interest in the lower falls at Tumwater, and also has valuable improved and unimproved property in the city of Olympia. Ile is also interested in valuable mining claims in the Okanogan district, which are partially developed, showing rich prospects.

Mr. Frost was married in Olympia in 1862 to Miss Louisa Holmes, a native of Wisconsin.

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They have four children; Nellie, Carrie, Flor- ence and Annie. Florence is the wife of Charles D. Garfield.

For a number of years Mr. Frost has been prominently connected with the Masonic fra- ternity, having taken the higher degrees of the order. He served eight years as Coroner under the Territorial government, and for several terms was a member of the City Council of Olympia.

D EL CARY SMITH, an able lawyer and progressive citizen of Port Townsend, Washington, was born near Troy, New York, March 30, 1866. His parents, Tompkins and Helen (Thompson) Smith, were also natives of the Empire State, in which their ancestors settled prior to the Revolution, and took a prominent part in that struggle for independ- ence. The father of the subject of this sketch followed agricultural pursuits until 1867, when he removed with his family to Illinois and en- gaged in the cattle business, driving his stock to eastern markets. In 1876, he went to Blanchard, Iowa, where he has ever since fol- lowed farming and the stock business.

Del Cary Smith was primarily educated at the schools of Blanchard and completed his studies at Amity College, College Springs, lowa. In 1887, he began the study of law at Shenandoah, Iowa, and, in 1888, removed to Port Townsend, where he continued his legal studies in the office of Calhonn & Coleman. Ide was admitted to the bar in September, 1889, by Hon. Cornelius H. Hanford, United States District Judge of Washington. Mr. Smith at once engaged in practice at Port Townsend, and in 1890 formed the present co-partnership of Smith & Folger. These gentlemen, by close at- tention to business and upright principles, have gained the confidence and respect of the people, and number among their clientele the leading inen of the city, their patronage being large and constantly increasing.

Politically, Mr. Smith is a Democrat, and in July, 1889, was elected by his party to the office of City Clerk of Port Townsend, to which he was re-elected in 1890 and '91. Shortly af- ter the completion of his last terin, he was ap- pointed City Attorney, of which office he is the present able incumbent, discharging his duties

with that efficiency and honor which have always characterized his actions in the various walks of life.

In 1891, Mr. Smith was married at Port Townsend, to Miss Frances E. Warren, of Iowa, and they have one child, Mildred Helen. Mr. Smith built his cottage home in Mountain View Addition, in 1891, where surrounded by many comforts and some of the luxuries of life he is enjoying the fruits of upright living and persistent labor. He owns other real estate in the city which is valuable, and he might greatly add to his possessions, were he of a speculative character, but he prefers to devote his time and energies to the study and practice of his favor- ite profession, of which he is such a distin- guished exponent.

W ILLIS EUGENE EVERETTE, was born in Brooklyn, New York, on Feb- roary 6, 1854. His parents were George and Agnes (Carson) Everette. His father was a native of Spain, of Moorish an- cestry, and was by profession a naturalist. The father came to this country when thirteen years of age, but later returned to England, where he was educated and lived most of his life. Onr subject's mother was born in England, and died when she was twenty-six years old in New York city.

Willis Engene Everette spent his early life in New York State and Massachusetts, where he received his early education, but finished it in other parts of the world. He received a thorough technical and scientific education at various colleges, noted especially for instruction in sciences pertaining to geology and ethnology. Ile has devoted considerable time to scientific work and in the study of languages, manners and customs of the North America aborigines, and has written twenty-four volumes, in as many different tribal dialects, of the Indians of the continent of North America, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic ocean; also including a chain of languages, manners and customs of the native aborigines on the Pacific coast of North America from San Diego, California, to the Behring straits, including the Aleutian islands. This also includes a chain of languages from the headwaters of the Yukon river in British America directly through the entire peninsula

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of Alaska, via the entire Yukon river to Behr- ing sea. His is the largest individual collection touching Indian languages, manners and customs in North America. On his return ten years ago from Alaska, he ceased his scientifie research in this direction, and returned to the practice of his profession of mining-geologist and mining attorney and now has the only mining-geolo- gist's office and mining law office on the Pa- cific northwest eoast, combining a technical study of mineralogy and geology with that of mining law.

Dr. Everette is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; tho American Microscopical Society; the Ameri- can Academy of Political Science; the Ameri- can Society of Philadelphia; the Geographical Society of the Pacific; and the Washington State Pharmaceutical Society, and various other societies. He at present is residing at Tacoma, State of Washington.

A NTHONY W. LAUGHLIN, a resident of Olympia, and a venerable pioneer of 1852, was born in Caldwell county, Ken- tueky, in 1814.

His parents, Jolin L. and Charlotte (Durley) Laughlin, were natives of North and South Carolina respectively, but were married in Ken- tucky. In 1818 they removed from Kentucky to Washington county, Illinois, where they continned agricultural pursuits for four years, then removed to Sangamon county, Illinois, where they passed honorable and useful lives.

Anthony W. was reared on the farm and re- ceived such educational advantages as the country then afforded. He took an active part in the Black Hawk war, after which he settled mn Grant county, Wisconsin, and engaged in farming. Subsequently he followed lead mining and smelting for three years. Then he learned the blacksmith trade, in which occupation he was engaged in connection with farming until 1852. That year he crossed the plains to Wash- ington, paying $80 for transporting his clothes and provisions, while he actively as- sisted the train. He landed in Olympia $7 in debt, and at that time flour was selling for $40 per barrel. He soon found employment at $2 per day and board, and so got a start. He then located a claim on the Nesqually river; but,

with the Indian outbreak in 1855, he left it and went to southern Oregon and volunteered his services in the Rogne River war. After the treaty of peace was made he took a claim in Lane county, bordering on the Willamette river, and there remained until 1861, engaged in farming and blacksmithing. When the war of the Rebellion eame on, his principles were too loyal to be in sympathy with the views of his neighbors, and, being advised by his friends to leave the county or suffer death, he surrendered his elaim and returned to Thurstom county. Ilere he bought 407 acres of land bordering on South bay, built a home and cleared thirty acres, and on this property he resided until 1890, when he sold 297 acres, retaining his home and ten aeres. He then purchased prop- erty in Olympia and built a cottage on the east side of Budd's inlet, where he now resides, giv- ing his attention to his property interests.

Mr. Laughlin has been deeply interested in political matters. but has declined every prof- fered office. His kind heart and benevolent dis- position have prompted him to many acts of charity, and by those who know him best he is most highly respected-an honorable member of society, a true friend, a worthy citizen. Mr. Langhlin in unmarried.

H ENRY A. DURR, proprietor of the Cas- cade Steam Laundry, Tacoma, Washing- ton, was born near Berlin in Winnebago county, Wisconsin, on the 14th day of January, 1858. His parents were John C. and Rosina (Schlof) Durr, both from Buffalo county, New York. When Henry was eighteen years old they removed to Minnesota near Amboy, where he lived until manhood. He followed farming in early life, devoting his spare time to the trade of cooper. His farming prospects were destroyed by a hailstorm, which ruined 150 acres of small grain.

In 1881 he came to Washington by way of San Francisco, and located in old Tacoma. The first work he seenred paid him only $36 per month, and he was compelled to labor eleven and one-half hours per day. This he continued until February, 1882, when he secured work on the wharves in New Tacoma. During the year he bought a couple of lots and removed per- manently to New Tacoma, where he worked

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until 1886, and where, on the expulsion of the Chinamen, he started the Cascade Laundry Company, in partnership with a man named Purdy. When they began they had only one washing machine, and now the laundry is the largest one in Tacoma, and does as good work as any institution of the kind in the East. Purdy remained in the firm only about a year. Mr. Durr owns the building in which the laundry plant is located and runs five wagons, more than any other similar establishment in the city. The building is 38 x 90 feet and three stories. Mr. Durr intends to make his permanent home where he has a large orchard, four miles east of the center of Tacoma.

Mr. Durr was married to Miss Emma Stolko, of Council Bluffs, Iowa. IIe is a member of the Commereial Club of Tacoma and a citizen highly respected by the community.

C HARLES L. FORBES was born at Algo- nac, Michigan, on the St. Clair river, on September 23, 1847. His parents were Charles P. and Hannah A. (Daniels) Forbes; the former was a native of Addison county, Vermont, his family being old New Englanders of Scotch descent.

When Charles L. was two years old his par- ents removed to Vermont where they lived until he was seven years old, when they went to Dodge county, Wisconsin, where he received his education in the common schools, meantime following farming principally. He also learned the printer's trade in the office of the Wanpun (Wisconsin) Times. In 1874 he left Wisconsin and went to Nebraska, where he remained for one year and then in 1875 went to Portland, Oregon. In 1876 he located at Pekin, Cowlitz county, and followed steamboating as engineer on the " Hydra." After three years at this oc- cupation, he bought 160 acres of land where he now resides, situated three and one-half miles from La Center, Washington. He has forty acres eleared on which he raises hay, grain, po- tatoes, etc., besides having 300 apple and prune trees.

Mr. Forbes was married in Cowlitz county, on September 12, 1875, to Miss Adelaide Weir, a daughter of Captain Weir, of La Center. They have four children, viz .: Bertrand, Myrtle, William and Bertha.

He is a member of La Center Grange No. 48, and was one of the organizers in 1890, of the Patrons of Husbandry and has held office in the order ever since its organization. Ile is a Democrat politically, but is a slave to no one party, being decidedly independent in his ten- dencies.

W ILLIAM F. GERBER, one of the rep- resentative men of Clarke county, Waslı- ington, has taken a leading part in de- veloping the resources of Chelachie prairie, and is entitled to the following space in this history. He is a citizen of the United States by adoption, his native country being Switzerland. He was born at Biel or Bienne, in the canton of Berne, within eighteen miles of the city of Berne, Feb- ruary 5, 1851, a son of Jacob and Adele (An- franc) Gerber, his father having been a carpen- ter by trade. William F. was reared and edn- cated in his own country, attending the common schools and gymnasium until sixteen years of age. In 1867 he emigrated with his parents to America, sailing from Rotterdam on the Malta, and landing in New York city on the 20th of September. They continued their journey to Michigan, and located in the heart of the forests of Kalkaska county; after six years in the wil- derness they removed to Randolph county, West Virginia. In 1876 they went to Missouri and settled at Belvoir, in Vernon county, William F. and his brother, Frank, making the trip overland by team and wagon. The mother of our subject died in 1879, and two years later the father, accompanied by two brothers, emi- grated to Clarke county, Washington; Jacob Gerber soon afterward returned to the East. William F. Gerber crossed the plains to the Pa- citic coast in 1883, making the journey by team, in company with J. D., G. E., A. G., Mrs. E. and Miss Mattie McKee. Ile purchased a set- tler's right which had been settled forty years before, probably by Captain Pope; he was told that it was a foolish thing to locate on this land, as it would produce nothing but fern, and frost all the year round. His experience has proven the fallacy of this statement, as he has harvested some of the heaviest crops ever grown in the county; from one favored spot, covering a little more than a quarter of an acre, a ton and a half of hay was cut. A. G. MeKee is still Mr. Ger- ber's partner; they carry on a general agricult-

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 125

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