An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 141

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 141

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Mr. Bash is a Trustee and one of the most active members of the Presbyterian Church of Port Townsend, and it was through his personal efforts and generous liberality that the present handsome edifice was erected and furnished in 1889.

[After forty-eight years of married life Mr. and Mrs. Bash are beantiful examples of ma- ture age, possessing in a high degree those cheerful Christian virtues, which render their home attractive to all privileged to enter there- in and at the same time exert a most powerful, though quiet, influence on others for good and right living.

P AUL P. WALSH was born in Portland, Oregon, on the 4th of December, 1862. His parents were John E. and Bertha (Quinlan) Walsh. The former, a native of Ireland, came to Oregon in 1859, while the latter, a native of Staten Island, New York, and a member of of one of the oldest families of that place, reached Oregon in 1861.

They were married in Portland, where his father died in November, 1889, and where his mother still resides.

Our subject was brought up in Portland and attended the public schools of that city.

Ile learned the trade of harness making and saddlery with J. O. Cougle, now deceased, who was located on Front street, between Stark and Washington streets. He worked there for three years as journeyman and then went to San Fran- cisco, where he worked for two years, and then to Portland, and a month later to Tacoma, where he was employed as foreman in an estab.

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lishment, which position he retained nntil May 1, 1891, when he started in business for himself on Eleventh street, afterward moving, on March 1, 1892, to his present location,-107 South Tenth street.

He was married in Tacoma on March 16, 1887, to Miss Mary Egan, a native of Wash- ington.

Mr. Walsh is a member of the No. 7 Uni- form Rank, Knights of Pythias, and is Captain of the New Division A. O. U. W., No. 32. He joined the North Guard of Oregon in 1877 in Company A, First Regiment, and later was promoted to First Sergeant; and afterward was promoted to Second Lientenant in Company C, First Washington. He held the position of Second Lientenant of the State Regiment under General Curry, which he resigned.

D ARIUS M. ROSS, a resident of Pierce county, Washington, is a man whose early emigration to the Northwest and whose intimate acquaintance with pioneer life entitles him to more than a passing notice in this work. The following facts in regard to his life have been gleaned for publication:

Darius M. Ross was born on a farm between Meadville and Mereer, Mercer county, Pennsyl- vania, August 25, 1825, son of Edward Car- penter and Mary (Axtell) Ross. Edward C. Ross was a native of New Jersey, in which State the Ross family was located prior to the Revo- lutionary war, they having originated in Scot- land. From New Jersey he went to Mercer county, Pennsylvania, where he was the original settler on his land, which lie cleared. He was married there, his wife being a native of Wash- ington county, Pennsylvania, of English extrac- tion. In 1835 they removed from Pennsylvania to Delaware county, Ohio. That was when Delaware county was all covered with timber. There the father died in June, 1837. In 1839 the rest of the family emigrated to Linn county, Iowa, making the journey by wagon and cross- ing the Mississippi at Davenport, and here they again became pioneers. In Linn connty the mother died in September, 1846.

From the above it will be seen that Darins M. Ross grew up in pioneer settlements, being a youth in his 'teens when he removed with his mother to Iowa. In Linn county, that State,

he was married, and in 1851, still imbued with the spirit of emigration and a desire to come still further West, he and his wife started across the plains for the Pacific coast. They outfitted at Marion, having three yoke of oxen and one yoke of cows, and some of their relatives were members of the party. Proceeding westward, they joined what became known as the " Tele- graph Train," which contained between fifty and sixty well-armed men, and which laid by on Sundays. They crossed the Missouri river at Kanesville, when there were twenty-one wagons in the train, which number, however, was after- ward increased, and they had from twenty-three to twenty-eight all the way out. Although they were familiar with pioneer life and frontier scenes, this long and tedious journey across the plains was one fraught with many new experi- ences and not a few dangers, the Indians fre- quently causing them trouble. A full account of the trip, with its many amusing and thrilling incidents, were it written up, would make a long and interesting story. Suffice it to say that they finally reached Portland, September 12, 1851, having been all the time from April 15 on the road.

Mrs. Ross was sick when they arrived at Portland, and they went to Milwaukee, where they remained two months. Then they went down the Columbia to Rainier and stayed there during the winter, Mr. Ross keeping a wood- yard. In the spring he took up a claim on the Washington side, six miles below there, buying the few improvements which had been made by a former settler. This donation claim of Mr. Ross was abont six and a half miles below the month of the Cowlitz. Three years later he bonght a good ranch in Beaver valley, Oregon, back of Rainier, it being then the finest place in that section. After four and a half years, how- ever, they left that locality on account of its sparse population, the settlers being so few that there were no schools. They then moved down the river, a little above Westport, but on the same slough. Two years and a half later they again changed their location, this time to a place about seven miles from Portland, being determined to get in a community where there were good schools. In September, 1863, they came to Pierce county, Washington, and settled on a prairie. The following year Mr. Ross took claim to the tract of land on which he now re- sides, and in the spring of 1865 moved here. This place was then all a dense forest, and all

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the improvements here have been made by him.

Mr. Ross' marriage in Linn county, Iowa, has already been referred to. This event oc- curred October 9, 1848, the lady of his choice being Miss Eliza Jane Stewart, a native of Bond county, Illinois, born about five miles from Greenville, in 1830, daughter of William M. and Ann (Laughlin) Stewart. Her father was born in Pennsylvania, of Scotch descent, and was a Presbyterian. In 1838 he removed with his family to Johnson county, Iowa, and located near Iowa City; emigrated to Washington in 1873; died here in 1884, aged ninety-one years. The mother of Mrs. Ross was born in South Carolina, and was descended, on the maternal side, from the Dalrymples, one of the oldest families of the Palmetto State, her father, Mr. Laughlin, having left the South on account of his aversion to slavery. She died in Johnson county, Iowa, in 1846. Mr. and Mrs. Ross have had seven children, of whom five are liv- ing, viz .: Charles HI .; Alice M., wife of Will- iam Carey; Stewart; Albert Sumner; Millie, wife of Eibridge Bartlett; and Nellie A. Those deceased are William Edward and Mahlon, the former having died July 9, 1871, aged twenty- one years and eleven months, and the latter June 3, 1878, aged twenty-one years.

Mr. Ross is a stanch Republican, and was a member of the Union League. He is a strong advocate of temperance, and is opposed to license on any terms. He was one of the pioneers in the first court held in Washington, which was in October, 1852, at the Jackson place in Lewis county, when William R. Strong was judge and James Strong was clerk of the court. During the session they organized a meeting to take steps toward making a division of the Territory, and the name of Washington was mentioned in this connection. They did not, however, then get fully organized in this direction, although there was considerable talk on the subject.

H ON. WILLIAM PICKERING .-- The people of Washington will require no introduction to the subject of this sketch, whose name will recall all that is most honorable and capable in an officer and citizen. Indeed, few men are as deserving of their grati- tude, for it is to his wise and timely efforts that the State owes much of her present prosperity.

his goodly counsel having been her guide and his strong arms her support, when she most needed his services.

William Pickering was born in Edwards county, Illinois, September 3, 1824, and was a son of William Pickering, Sr., who was at one time Governor of Washington. When the sub- ject of this sketch was thirteen years of age his mother died and his father removed to St. Louis, at that time a new place, bearing but slight sem- blance to its present flourishing appearance. He resided in that city seven years, prosecuting his studies in the home schools, and learning under his father's careful tuition those lessons of moral worth and habits of industry which contributed to his future prosperity.

In 1852 Mr. Pickering was married to Miss Ellard, of Cincinnati, and they had two children. In 1850 he started for California, at the height of the gold excitement in that State, going via Cape Horn. Great sickness prevailed on board, and Mr. Pickering was one of the few who escaped death. He remained in California two years, at the end of which time he returned to his home in Illinois, and married, as above stated. He now made a trip with his wife to Australia, lived a few years there, where he lost all of his family, after which he traveled exten- sively. September 23, 1877, Mr. Pickering was remarried, his second wife being Sevilla Wilson, a lady of Missouri, well and favorably known for her many estimable qualities of mind and heart. They had three children: William Wil- son, Roy Robert and Ernest Edwin.

In 1860 Mr. Pickering's father was appointed, by President Lincoln, as Governor of Washing- ton Territory, and shortly afterward the subject of this sketch also came to this vicinity. The Governor became the owner of 640 acres in the section including Snoqualmie falls, and Mr. Pickering of this notice pre-empted and home- steaded 320 acres adjoining his father's land, and of this the latter's widow still owns 200 acres. Later, Mr. Pickering came to the valley of Squak, settling one mile from that lake, and securing 320 acres, on which Mr. John Reard is now a tenant. He was thus a large land- holder in the Territory, and was naturally deeply interested in her progress and welfare, to which he contributed much by his energy and ability. A man of enterprise, intellect and eloquence, he took a prominent part in the affairs of the Ter- ritory, not alone because of his father's position at the head of affairs, but for the reason that he

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possessed the elements of a leader in a marked degree. It is not surprising, therefore, that he rose to the high office of Territorial represent- ative to the Legislature, and served his fellow- citizens most efficiently in both branches of that body.

Mr. Pickering died March 16, 1883, leaving a widow and three children. llis widow was remarried December 13, 1884, when she was united to her present husband, Mr. Franklin Pierce Farnell, a native of Minnesota, but for a number of years a resident of Washington, where he is known and respected as a man of high moral worth and public spirit, a credit alike to both of the great States which have called him son. Mr. and Mrs. Furnell have one child, Sevilla Mabel. the light of her par- ents' bonse and of the hearts of irany friends.

Although not present to enjoy the fruits of his labors, yet Mr. Pickering had the satisfac- tion of all great men, which assured him that his honest efforts would not be in vain, as is fully realized in the present proud position of Washington among her sister States.

As touching Governor Piekering's great in- terest in the development of Washington, it will be compatible that attention be called to one of his successful efforts. Under his management, and to a large extent at his personal expense, a ship-load of 300 nnmarried women was trans- ported from Boston to Olympia, it being said that all but three of the number had become engaged by correspondence to men in Washing- ton prior to the time the boat set sail. Such being the ease there is no need to say that there must have been much of marrying and giving in marriage when once the ship reached its des- tination. There is no doubt that this rather ex- traordinary enterprise had potent influence upon the early development of the section. In this connection another incident should not fail of notice. As chief executive. Governor Picker- ing sent to President Lincoln the first telegram that ever flashed over the wires from Washing- ton Territory. A copy of this interesting despateh is here appended:

" EXECUTIVE OFFICE, OLYMPIA, WASH- INGTON TERRITORY, Sept. 5, 1864.

"To His Excellency, Abraham Lincoln, Presi- dent of the United States:

"My Dear Sir :- Washington Territory this day sends her first telegraph despatch, greeting yourself, Washington city and the whole United

States, with our sincere prayers to Almighty God that his richest blessings, both spiritual and temporal, may rest upon and perpetuate the union of our beloved country; that His omnipo- tent power may bless, protect and defend the President of the United States, our brave army, our gallant navy, onr Congress and every de- partment of the National Government.

"For and on behalf of Washington Terri- tory.

WILLIAM PICKERING, "Governor Washington Territory."

G HARLES WIMBURN NEEL, one of the most extensive landholders and farmers in the Northwest, residing in King county, Washington, is a typical Sontherner and a good representative of southern manhood transplanted to western soil.

He was born in Coffee county, Tennessee, June 4, 1835, and his parents were William and Mary Ann ( Rogers) Neel. When the subject of this sketeh was twelve years of age, the family re- moved to Texas, where the remaining years of his youth and early manhood were passed. At the age of twenty, he left home and went to Merid- ian, Texas, where he formed a contract with the Government mail service, in whose employ he remained until the ontbreak of the Civil war. He joined the Texas rangers in 1857 and in the spring of 1861 he enlisted in Company A, Texas Cavalry, serving thronghont the entire struggle. He participated in many of the prominent bat- tles of the eivil strife, among which were those of Murfreesborough, Shiloh, Chickamauga and Perryville. Ile experienced severe service and received two slight wounds, one sabre and one bullet.

On the elose of hostilities, he went to Tyler, Texas, where he engaged in the grocery busi- ness, whence, in 1872, he removed to Dallas and embarked in a general trading enterprise, where he remained until 1878. From that year until 1882, he was successfully engaged in the cattle business in western Texas.

In the meantime, hearing favorable reports of the fertile and prosperous Northwest, Mr. Neel left Texas, in 1882, for the flourishing Territory of Washington. He crossed the plains with an ox team, entering Washington by the

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Snoqualmie Pass, and settled on a ranch of 160 aeres, situated four miles below Snoqualmie falls, on the river of the same name, to which land he secured title under the homestead law. He afterward pre-empted another 160 acres and later bouglit 160 more from the Northern Paci- fic Railroad Company, now owning 480 acres of the choicest land in the State. His energetic and careful management is evinced in the thrifty condition of his property from the cultivation of which he derives a comfortable income.

February 13, 1866, Mr. Neel was married to Eugenia Moore, a native, like himself, of Ten- nessee, and a lady of marked culture and refine- ment. They have had nine children: Beulah A., decea-ed at eighteen years. in promising young womanhood; Charles D., William Ros- coe, Emma L., James Franklin, Henry C., John, Mary Avis and Lucy L.

Mr. Neel is a member of the Masonic order. HIe takes a deep interest in all local matters and has been honored by his constituents with sev- eral prominent offices of trust and responsibility, being now School Director. As a private eiti- zen and public official, he has been distinguished by integrity and ability, and through his devo- tion and energy has greatly contributed to the advancement of his community and to the wel- fare of the State.

0 RSON MONROE ANNIS, a prosperous merchant of Alderton, Pierce county, Washington, dates his birth in Ellery, Chantanqua county, New York, Angust 2, 1828. His parents, Phineas and Belvery (Putman) Annis, were both natives of Vermont, but his father was a resident of New York State from the year 1812.

In his native eounty the subject of our sketch was reared, but in 1841 he removed to the town of Carroll. In 1853 we find him en route from Frewsburg, New York, to Momence, Illinois, where he spent the winter. In the following spring he went from there to Fillmore county, Minnesota, and three years later, went to Ro- chester, Olmsted county, same State. Having moved abont from place to place for several years, he finally decided to seek a home in the far West, and accordingly on April 24, 1864, he started across the plains for Oregon. At Skunk river, Iowa, he camped two weeks; proceeded to

Council Bluffs, crossed over to Omaha, went to Loupe Fork, and during this part of the journey had several spats with the Indians; proceeded thence to Boise City without further diffeulty. and remained there two weeks; continned on to the Grand Ronde valley, and upon his arrival in that valley he took claim to a tract of land. and bade adien to the last wagon-load of people with whom he had crossed the plains. At the foot of the Blue mountains a man tried to in- duce Mr. Annis and his wife to remain and take charge of the Stage house, offering them $150 a month, and at the same time telling them that the snow was thirteen feet deep on the moun- tains and that it would be dangerous for them to procee 1; Mr. Annis, however, determined to push on, paid $10 for 100 pounds of hay with which to feed his two yoke of cattle, and con- tinned his journey, reaching Walla Walla in due time, and remaining there two weeks. He then went to Portlan 1, and at that place found it almost impossible to get a bed for his wife and children, as every place was crowded. Fi- nally he found the American House, where all the landlord could do was to supply them with blankets and let them sleep on the floor; but by the payment of 85 to two young men Mr. An- nis and his wife secured their room in the hotel for that night. They remained two days in Portland, one at Oregon City, and at that point gave a man $20 to take them by team to Salem. At French prairie they staid over night at the house of a man named Brown, where the lux- uries of a feather bed and good fare seemed like a paradise to them after the many hardships they had endured.

Mr. Annis remained in Salem four years and a half, and in that time was variously employed, working in a machine shop, running a black- smith shop, working at the carpenter's trade, etc., and, indeed, accepting whatever honorable employment he could get that offered the best returns.

In 1869 he first came to Tacoma. Having hired ont to build a woolen mill at Steilacoom, but not liking the prospects there, he came to old Tacoma and secured employment on a mill at this place. In this work he was ocenpied for several months. After that he located iu Puyallup valley and turned his attention to farming. About 1878 he started a mercantile business, with which he has ever since been identified. To his energy and enterprise the town of Alderton owes much. He put in the

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side track here, built the warehouses, hotel and various other buildings- indeed, nearly all the buildings in town-and he not only built up the town but he also gave it its name. He was railroad agent for four or five years and has been Postmaster for ten or twelve years. March 28, 1869, he took claim to the land on which he now lives and which he has since been operat- ing. He has twenty-two acres in hops, and an orchard of 2,000 trees, comprising plums, cher- ries, prunes, apples, pears, butternuts, etc.

Mr. Annis was married December 28, 1852, in Carroll, Chautauqua county, New York, to Miss Adaline Myers, a native of that place, daughter of John and Katie (Van Valkenburgh) Myers. Her parents were both natives of Herkimer county, that State, their ancestors being among the early settlers of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Annis have six children living, namely: Phineas Monroe; George Fremont; John Q .; Nettie E., wife of George Lock, of Roy, Washington; Renie, wife of Alonzo Jef- frey, also of Roy; and Eva E., wife of Fred M. Williams, of Bucoda, Washington. They lost two children: Clara, who died at Rochester, Minnesota, aged nine years and ten months, and Addie, who died at the same place, aged two years and seven months.

R OBERT C. WEAR, a prominent mem- ber of the medical fraternity of south- western Washington, was born in Me- Donongh county, Illinois, Angust 18, 1859, a son of Andrew D. and Mary L. (Fugate) Wear, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Virginia. The paternal ancestors are of Scotch-Irish descent, and emigrated to America in the early portion of the eighteenth century. On both sides the family were early and influential settlers of North Carolina.

Robert C. Wear, the ninth in the family of eleven children, was reared and educated in his . native State. At the age of ninteen years he began the study of medicine which his uncle, D. J. Fngate, and received his lectures at the University of Kansas City. He graduated in medicine and surgery in March, 1885, and for the following three years the Doctor had clini- cal experience in the hospitals of Fort Worth, Sedalia and Kansas City. He was then engaged in practice at Paldwin City, Douglas county,

Kansas, three years, followed his profession at Industry, Illinois, until 1889, and since that time has been a resident of Chehalis. The Doc- tor has a lucrative practice, and is also engaged in the drug business. Since 1892 he has held the position of Health Officer. In his social relations, Mr. Wear is a member of the A. O. U. W., of which he is now filling the Master's chair, and has also been Medical Examiner of the order for the past two years.

J OHN GALVIN, Treasurer of Lewis county, Washington, was born in Chiten- den county, Vermont, May 1, 1858, a son of John and Catherine (Duffy) Galvin, of Irish birth. The parents emigranted to America in 1843, where the father followed agricultural pursuits. Johu Galvin, our subject, was early innred to that calling, and received his edneation in the public schools. At the age of sixteen years he moved to Illinois, where he worked on a farm near Chicago four years. He then came to the Pacific Coast, immediately locating in Lewis county, near Centralia, resumed agrienl- tural pursuits, and to him is dne the credit of being the first to engage in the raising of hops in this county. His first experience in this enterprise was near Centralia, where he set out six acres of vines, and two years later increased it to twenty-two acres. Selling his farm, Mr. Galvin next engaged in mercantile pursnits at Centralia, in which he is still interested, and also owns 200 acres of land near the city. He was the choice of the Democratic party for County Treasurer, and was elected to that im- portant and responsible position in the fall of 1892.

June 5, 1891, Mr. Galvin was united in mar- riage with Miss Rose Slack, a native of Pennsyl- vania. They have one child, Jay G.

H ARRY GABEL, a member of the City Council in Chehalis, was born in Preble county, Ohio, June 16, 1856, a son of James and Priscilla (Eidson) Gabel, natives also of Ohio. The Gable family are of German extraction, and were among the early and influential settlers of Virginia.

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Harry Gabel, the oldest of his parents' seven children, was reared to mechanical pursuits, as his father was a manufacturer of sash, doors and blinds. After becoming of age, however, he drifted into other occupations, and also for a time followed farming. In 1877 he proceeded to Ottawa county, Kansas, where he was en- gaged in stock-raising until 1886, in that year he removed to Portland, Oregon, and later to Salem, that State. His residence in the latter place was of short duration, however, as he came the same year to Chehalis, Washington. After locating in this city, Mr. Gibel engaged in real-estate and other occupations for a time, after which he turned his attention to buying and selling horses east of the mountains one season. After his return to the city he em- barked in his present enterprise, following a general wood, coal, livery and draying business. Mr. Gabel also follows agricultural pursuits ou 125 acres of leased land adjacent to the city.

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 141

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