An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 77

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 77

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Dr. Smith was the first Superintendent of Schools of King county, serving for several years. In 1856-'57 he was a member of the Territorial Legislature: also in 1859-'60. While living on Smith island he represented Snohomish county in the Legislature three times, twice in the Council, the last term of which he was president of that body.

After waiting all these years for a railroad, the Doetor did sell 700 acres in 1886 to the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railroad Com- pany, for terminal purposes, receiving in pay- ment therefor $75,000. This money he invested in Seattle property, feeling the utmost confi- (lence in the future greatness of the city. He built the London Hotel, foot of Pike Street, and extended a wharf to deep water in 1890, and in 1891 built the Smith Block, corner of James and Second streets.

Previons to the Civil war Dr. Smith was a Democrat, but since that time has cast his vote and influence with the Republicans. During his public career he has never sought a nomina- tion, never asked a vote, and never been defeat- ed in office. Personally, he is a man of modest and retiring disposition, and prefers the schol- arly routine of life to that of a public career.

He was married in 1862, to Miss Mary Phelan, a native of Wisconsin, who died in 1880, leaving eight children, namely: Lulu, Luna, Maud, Lorine, Ralph Waldo, May, Ione and Lilian. Luhn is the wife of J. II. Penne- feather.

W BYRON DANIELS, Mayor of Van- couver, was born in Mentor, Lake county, Ohio, December 17, 1848, a son of William B. and Sarah (Hall) Daniels. William B. Daniels, or as better known Governor Daniels, is also a native of Ohio, and his anees- tors were early settlers of New England. He came across the plains to Oregon in 1853, locating in Yam Hill county. He has the proud distinction of being Idaho's first Seere- tary, and later Acting Governor.

W. Byron Daniels, the eldest of four chil- dren, was reared to farm life, and received his education in the public schools of Yam Hill county, Oregon. He was afterward engaged in teaching in Oregon City. In 1869 he began the study of law in this city, with A. G. Cook and H. G. Struve as his preceptors, and was admitted to the bar in 1872, at Olympia. For a time Mr. Daniels was connected with a bank- ing house of that city, also private secretary to Governor Ferry. His health becoming some- what impaired, he next joined a surveying party working in sections of Idaho, Oregon and California. During a residence of eighteen months in San Francisco, he was engaged in abstracting land titles, and after returning to Vancouver, in 1875, became connected with journalism, starting the Vancouver Independ- ent. Our subject sold that paper in 1878, and formed a partnership with N. H. Bloomfield, in the practice of law. This firm existed until the latter was called to the Superior Bench, since which time Mr. Daniels has continued his practice alone. He is a thoroughly conserv- ative man, and has but little liking for parade or sensationalism. He is zealons, industrious, and leaves no stone unturned in a legitimate way to attain success in his profession. Aside from his practice, he is also engaged in fruit culture, owning a one-half interest in a forty- acre prune and peach orchard ten miles east of Vancouver, also eight and one-half acres near town.

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In political matters Mr. Daniels may be con- sidered independent, although he was elected on the Republican ticket to the State Legisla- ture in 1877, and was Secretary of the First Constitutional Convention in the following year. He was appointed by the City Council to fill an unexpired term as Mayor of Van- couver, and later was elected to the same office, receiving in a great degree the support of busi- ness men of both parties. His administration was so acceptable after serving two years that in December, 1890, he was elected for a second term. Mr. Daniels has brought to the position as head of the city government a high standard of ability and experience, and the opinion pre- vails that he is worthy of still higher honors. He has been City Attorney and a member of the Council for several years, was Superintend- ent of county schools, and at the present time is Trustee of the Washington State School for Defective Youths, and a member of the School Board of Clarke county.

Mr. Daniels was married in this city Jannary 18, 1883, to Miss Rosina A. Jaggy, a native of Washington. They have two danghters,- Marguerite and Lucile.

丁 HOMAS JEFFERSON DUFFIELD, a prominent agriculturist of Klickatat coun- ty, Washington, was born in Nicholas county, West Virginia, December 26, 1824, a son of John L. and Ann (Bails) Duf- field. His father was the son of a pioneer set- tler of Kentucky, and was born on the present site of Lexington. The family is of English extraction. The mother was born in Greenbrier county, West Virginia, her father having emi- grated to this continent from England when a boy. Iler mother was of Dutch descent. Our subject was a lad of thirteen when the family removed to McHenry county, Illinois. They located within three miles of Woodstock, and there he grew to manhood. He worked a por- tion of the time in his father's blacksmith shop, but his chief occupation was agriculture. He had charge of the farm from his sixteenth year.

The gold discovery in California in 1849 cre- ated an excitement that was felt to the farthest parts of the world, and the young men of the United States were especially affected by the wonderful stories that spread from the Pacific

to the Atlantic coast. On March 28, 1850, in company with David Taylor, Charles Walkup, Isaac B. Duffield and C. M. Duffield, Thomas J. Duffield started for the Golden State, making journey overland. The party took the route to Salt Lake City, and entered California by the Carson route. From Salt Lake they traveled on foot; the third of August they ate dinner at Red Lake, six miles east of the summit of the Sierra Nevadas, and that night camped eighteen miles west of the summit. While in the mountains Mr. Duffield paid out his last dollar for a pound of rice. The party now numbered seven, as they had been joined by two other Mellenry county boys, Milt Davey and a young man named Crittenden.

They stopped at Hangtown, and there our subjeet engaged in mining. Ile remained in this vicinity until the first of May, 1851; dur- ing the summer following he ent hay in the Vaca valley, Solano county; but when the season ended he had no money, and to add to his des- pair he was ill. Ile managed to reach Stock- ton, and then took a trip to the southern mines; his stage fare from this point to Mokelumne Hill was $21. Thence he walked to Jackson, and procceded to Volcano, where he remained until 1853. At this time he returned to Solano county and settled ten miles out on the plain between Vacaville and Putah creek. This was his home for a period of seventeen years, at the end of which time he came to Oregon, locating in Linn county. There he resided eight years, and during the time paid out in rent $10,500, coming out the loser in the end, as he lost 750 aeres of wheat by rust during the last three years there. In October, 1879, he came to Klickitat county, Washington, and bought 160 acres of land, on which he now resides, three miles from Goldendale. In addition to this he owns twenty acres in Thurston county.

Mr. Duffield was married in Solano county, California. October 26, 1856, to Miss Sarah Jane Neff, a native of Rush county, Indiana, and a daughter of Orange Hyde and Rachel Marrett (Ryan) Neff. The father was a native of Vermont, and the mother was a Kentuckian by birth. When Sarah Jane Neff was a child of two years her parents removed to Will county, Illinois, and four years later they went to Chicago, where her father followed his trade of carpentry until his death. She was thirteen years old when the family came to California and located in Solano county. There she grew

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to maturity and was married. Her mother re- moved to Klickitat county, Washington, and there passed the remainder of her days. Mr. and Mrs. Duffield have a family of ten children: Rachel Ann, wife of Scott Warwich: Robert D., a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church; Frank M., a resident of Idaho; Fannie Ellen, wife of S. P. Brown; Mary L., the wife of Jo- seph B. Miller; Thomas L., a blacksmith; George, a farmer; Elizabeth Alice, wife of Demster Adams; Daniel Dudley and James Everett. The parents are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and worship with the congregation at Goldendale. Mr. Duf- field has been Class-leader for many years; he first served in this capacity in Illinois when a young man, and has filled the same position in California, in Oregon, and since coming to Wash- ington. Politically, in early times he was iden- tified with the old-line Whigs; upon the organi- zation of the Republican party he gave that body his allegiance, and has since supported it with zealous ardor.

H ERBERT P. TRASK, one of the prosper- ous and progressive tillers of the soil in Klickitat county, was born in New Hamp- shire, February 14, 1854, a son of David and Polly K. (Presby) Trask, who also were na- tives of New Hampshire and descendants of early settlers of New England. Removing to Green Lake county, Wisconsin, in 1868, they resided there until their death.

Our subject, the third in order of birth of their five children, engaged in farming and stock-raising in Allen county, Kansas, abont three years, then lived a year in Wisconsin and finally moved to Klickitat county, Washington, in 1874. Ile now resides nine and a half miles sontheast of Goldendale. In his farm are 200 acres, ninety acres of which are cultivated, besides twelve acres in various kinds of fruit trees and two and a half acres in wine and table grapes. The trees are all bearing and are in good condition. There is scarcely any orchard in the county that is either larger or yielding a better quality of fruit.

Publicly, Mr. Trask has been a Director of School District No. 36, for several years; he is a member of the K. of P. of Goldendale, and of Enterprise Grange, No. 85.

His marriage took place August 21, 1881, when he wedded Miss Sarah Bateman, a native of Pennsylvania, and they have six children, namely: George W., Martha W., Mary P., Elizabeth M., Harry W. and Willamena J.

J OSEPH GIBSON, pioneer, farmer and stock- raiser of Washington, now residing on one of the best farms in Thurston county, situated a mile and a quarter from Bucoda, was born in Cass county, Indiana, De- cember 1, 1833. His parents, Joseph and Sarah (McMillan) Gibson, were natives of Vir- ginia and descendants of old and prominent families. His parents conducted a farm in the Old Dominion for many years, on which the subject of this sketch was reared until he was nine years of age. On his ninth birthday his father died, and shortly afterward young Joseph went to Ottawa, Illinois, to live with a man named Sherman. On arriving at sufficient age he was apprenticed to a cabinet-maker, William More by name, with whom Joseph soon learned the trade and continued to work at it one year. He then went to work on a farm for G. W. Crusen, with whom he remained three years, after which he was engaged on various farms throughout the State until he attained the age of seventeen.

Having by this time heard the marvelous reports from California and the entire North- west, he determined to try his fortunes in that far-away country. Accordingly, April 25, 1852, he started by ox team for California, but on the way changed his mind and his course, arriving in November, of the same year, after six months' travel, in Oregon City, Oregon. He was en- gaged near this city for two months in cutting wood, when, in December, 1852, he, in com- pany with J. L. Chamberlain, came to Puget Sound.

In the early spring of 1853 Mr. Gibson com- menced Imbering, working in a sawmill until late in the fall of the same year, when he took a claim on Grand Mound prairie, which he made his home, but at the same time continued his work in a sawmill. He was thus engaged until the outbreak of the Indian war in 1855, when he enlisted in the volunteer service and was mustered in the regulars, with the rank of

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

Orderly Sergeant, under Captain Gilmore Hays; First Lieutenant, Jerard IIurd; and William Martin, Second Lieutenant.

After the close of the war Mr. Gibson went back to farming and stock-raising on Grand Monnd prairie, where he remained a few years, and then sold ont and removed to King county, settling on land on White river, at which place he established a post office, named Slaughter, and was appointed Postmaster. In 1863-'64, before going to White river, he served as Post- master in Thurston county. While at Slaughter he also served as County Commissioner one term. After a residence at that point of eight years Mr. Gibson sold out and removed to Tenino, Thurston county, where he commenced farming and stock-raising in the vicinity of Tenino, which occupation he continued a year and a half, and then exchanged his farm for one on the Skookmmchuck river, situated a mile and a quarter from Bucoda, where he has ever since remained. He also served Thurston county as Commissioner two terms, discharging his duties with his usual efficiency and integrity.

In November, 1856, Mr. Gibson was married to Narcissa J. Henness, a worthy lady, daughter of B. L. and Lueretia (Chandler) Henness, Washington pioneers. Onr subject and his wife have nine children living: B. F., R. O., S. C., J. A., Mary, I. D., F. V., Annie and Fannie.

Mr. Gibson has done much by his energy and enterprise to advance the interests of the com- munities in which he has resided, and deserves the esteem which he so universally enjoys.

M ORRICE J. HEALY, a prominent farmer of Klickitat county, is a native of county Kerry, Ireland, born Jannary 7, 1842. Emigrating to America, he first located at Boston, where he was employed in running a stationary engine for three years. In 1866, taking passage on the steamer City of New York, he came to California, by way of the Isthmus, completing the trip on the Pacific side on the old steamer Constitution. After a resi- dence of about seventeen years in the Golden State,-several years of which time was in Ramon valley, Contra Costa county, one year in

. Santa Clara and three in Sonoma county, -- he came to Klickitat county in 1885. He now

resides some fifteen miles east of Goldendale, where he owns 240 acres of land, 120 acres of which are devoted to grain-growing and the rest to pasture, ete .; but for many years he has also devoted his attention largely to cattle-raising, until lately.

As to public matters he is a steadfast Repub- lican, and is zealously active in educational interests. Ile has been a Director of School District No. 15. For three years he was also Justice of the Peace.

He was married, in Boston, Massachusetts, July 19, 1866, to Miss Ellen Sullivan, a native of Ireland, and they have three children living and one deceased. The living are: Elizabeth, who is now the wife of Albert Courtenay, in Klickitat county; John E. and Lillie, both of whom are at home. The deceased was Mar- garet, who died in July, 1876.

Mr. Healy belongs to the A. O. U. W. of Goldendale, and also to Pleasant Valley Grange, No. 86, P. of H. He is a progressive man, always ready and willing to aid in public enter- prises, and is therefore patriotic in times of peace as well as in the days of conflict.

S TANTON H. JONES .- Among the rep- resentative citizens of Klickitat county no one is more worthy of honorable men- tion in this volume than he whose name heads this sketch. His career began in the Buckeye State, where he was born March 23, 1830, a son of Saventon J. and Elizabeth (DeNoon) Jones, natives of Maryland and Ohio, respectively. The father died in 1850, the mother having passed away several years previously, leaving a family of seven children, Stanton H. being the fifth-born. He was reared to the independent life of a farmer, and followed agricultural pur- snits until 1854. Desirons of seeing the great Western country, and verifying the reports of the rich gold fields that lay beyond the plains and the Rocky mountains, he set sail from New York bound for the Isthinus of Panama, from which port he took the John L. Stephens and in due time arrived in San Francisco. Thence he proceeded to Sierra county, where he engaged in the all-absorbing occupation of mining. For three years he sought the yellow dust, meeting with indifferent success. For a time he was interested in a schooner plying the Bay of San

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Francisco, but in 1857 he came to Washington and located on Puget Sound, near Olympia, where he operated a sawmill for a time. *In 1958 he was one of the Frazer river victims. Returning to California he settled np his busi- ness there, and the following year located in Klickitat county. He has resided on his pres- ent farm since 1878, the place consisting of 475 acres, of which 140 acres are nnder culti- vation and annually sown to grain. He also gives some attention to the raising of live stock, and has some fine specimens in his fields. Studying Nature with a keen and sympathetic mind he has learned many of her secrets, and to such earth yields her choicest gifts.

Mr. Jones is a Republican of the pronounced type. He has served as County Assessor, and is now an efficient member of the School Board. He is a Trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his family are members.

He was united in marriage June 2, 1870, to Miss Harriet Boots of Missouri, and to them one son has been born, George W.

D R. JOHN J. SELLWOOD, one of the prominent medical practitioners of Van- conver, was born at Oregon City, Clacka- mas county, Oregon, October 19, 1866, a son of Rer. John W. Sellwood, a native of Illinois. The father was a prominent pioneer of Oregon, was an Episcopal minister, and for many years was Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Oregon City. In 1878 he became Rector of St. David's Church in East Portland, where he remained until his death, in 1889. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Daily, was a native of Sydney, Australia.

John J., the only child of his parents, took a four years' course of study at Bishop Scott's Academy, graduating in that institution in 1884. He then began reading medicine under the su- pervision of the eminent Dr. S. E. Josephi, of Portland, and graduated with high honors at the Willamette University in 1887, and was then engaged in practice one year in East Port- land. On account of ill health, Dr. Sellwood was obliged to give up his practice. Ile accepted a position with the Canadian Steamship Company, as physician on their line plying between Van- couver, British Columbia and Hong Kong, where he was employed one year, and then be-

came physician and surgeon to the Missionary Hospital of the Episcopal Church located at Tokio, Japan. In 1889 our subject took up his residence in Vancouver, since which time he has enjoyed a large and lucrative practice.

Dr. Sellwood has been twice married,-first at Portland, July 3, 1888, to Miss Kate Coburn, a native of Oregon. She afterward died, and in October, 1891, he married Miss Mary Hunder, a native of Washington. The Doctor is a mem- ber of the Oregon State Medical Association, and is health officer of this city. Socially, he affiliates with the Red Men, the O. U. A. M. and the I. O. O. F.

S N. SECRIST, ex-Sheriff of Clarke county, Washington, was born in Marysville, Grant county, Indiana, January 17, 1845, a son of Michael and Mary (MeMahill) Secrist, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Kentucky. The father was born 1813, and was among the early pioneers of Ohio and In- diana. The Secrists are of Swiss origin, the ancestors having settled in settled in Virginia in the latter part of the seventeenth century. Henry Secrist and William Me Mahill, grand- fathers of our subject, were patriot soldiers in the war of 1812.

S. N. Secrist, the subject of this sketch, lo- cated with his parents in the southern portion of Iowa when he was quite young. At the age of sixteen years he began the battle of life on his own account; crossed the plains to Idaho, where he engaged in mining two years, and thence to Denver. At the latter place he en- listed as a private in the First Colorado C'av- alry, and served on the frontier until 1866. Mr. Secrist then visited the haunts of his boyhood home, where he was engaged in mining and farming until 1872, and in that year located in Vancouver, Washington. He immediately took up a homestead of 160 acres adjoining the city, of which he still owns about eighty acres, and fifteen acres of the latter is devoted to fruit trees, which are in a healthy and thriving con- dition, giving good returns of fruit. He also owns residence property in the city. Asa Inni- ber merchant Mr. Secrist is considered an ex- pert; was United States Inspector for the dis- triet from 1887 to 1889; was one of the organ- izers of the Fruit Valley Grange, but resigned

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the management of their co-operative store to assume the duties of County Sheriff.

Politically, he is a stanch and active Democrat, was the choice of his party for his present office in 1887, and was re elected in 1890. He has always taken an active interest in school work, and has been a member of the Board of Direc- tors for over twelve years.

March 22. 1868, in lowa, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Odem, a native of Indiana. To this union have been born thirteen children, eight now living, namely : James M., John T., Mary, Frederick, George W., William II., Fanny M., and Grace M. In his social relations, Mr. Secrist affiliates with the K. of P., the I. O. O. F., also the Encamp- ment degree of the latter order, and the P. of H.

J OIIN D. GEOGHEGAN, Register of the United States Land Office of Vancouver, was born in Galway, Ireland, December 25, 1842, a son of Michael and Mary (Suther- land) Geoghegan, also natives of that country. The parents came to America in 1846, but re- turned to their native isle the same year. In 1851 they again came to this country, locating in New York city.

John D. Geoghegan, the subject of this sketch, and the seventeenth in a family of twenty-one children, was reared and educated in New York. In 1862 he enlisted in the Eighteenth Regiment, United States Infantry, and served with distinction until the close of the war. In 1866 he received a First Lieuten- ant's commission in the regular army, but re- signed his position in 1869, and for the follow- ing four years followed the sea, having previously studied navigation. In 1872 Mr. Geoghegan came West and again entered the regular army, but after the expiration of his terin of service, in 1877, engaged in farming in Washington county, Oregon, until 1879. In that year he became transportation master in the Quarter- master's department, United States Army, at V .nconver, where he remained until 1885, and from that time was engaged in mereantile pur. suits until appointed Register of the United States Land office, in 1890.

In 1880 our subject was united in marriage with Mrs. Elizabeth Grubb, nee MeMullen, a native of Arkansas. She has one daughter by

a former marriage, Mary Grubb. Mr. and Mrs. Geoghegan have three children: Margaret M., Bessie and Ethel. Mr. Geoghegan is a stanch and steadfast Republican, and has always taken an active interest in politieil matters. Ile was elected to the State Legislature in 1889, has served as Justice of the Peace, and has been a member of the City Council. Socially, he af- filiates with the F. & A. M., the A. O. U. W., of which he is now Grand Master of the State of Washington, and is a prominent member of and Past Post Commander of the G. A. R.

P ROF. I. N. LAFFERTY, ex-Superintend- ent of the Public Schools of Clarke county, was born in Clarke county, Illinois, Au- gust 16, 1847, a son of Marshall and Elizabeth (Criss) Lafferty. His mother was a native of Pennsylvania, and descende i from one of the early and influential families of that State. She died on this coast in 1878. The Lafferty family trace their ancestors on this continent beyond the date of the Revolutionary war. The great-great-grandfather of our sub- ject, Joseph Lafferty, was a member of a com- pany of minute men at the battle of King's Mountain, North Carolina. Marshall Lafferty was born in that State, but was raised in Ken- tucky. Ile was a soldier in the Black Hawk war, and crossed the plains to California in 1850, where he followed mining on the Ameri- can and Feather rivers, meeting with fair sue- cess. In 1854 he returned to his former home, but in 1857 brought his family to California, spending the following two years in Vallejo. He then resided in Sonoma county until his · death, in 1892.

I. N. Lafferty, the subject of this sketeh, re- ceived his education in the publie schools of Sonoma county, California, and at the Petaluma Institute. In 1865 he began teaching school in the former county, and also followed the same occupation five years in Mendocino county. In 1882 he came to Vancouver, Washington, where he was constantly engaged in teaching until 1888, and in that year was elected County Superintendent of schools. IIe retired from that position in 1893. Prof. Lafferty received a life diploma in California, a Territorial certi- tificate in this State in 1883, a life diploma the following year, in 1892 received a State life di-

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 77

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