An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 88

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

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His little clearing and log cabin on the hill long remained to tell the tale of his early labors and solitary exertions.

In 1853 his home ties were strengthened by his marriage to Miss Anna Hill, a most amiable and intelligent lady who bore to him a family of nine children: Laura A. (deceased), Alfred A., Enoch F., Mary E., Ida M., Alphonso (de- ceased), Frank, Annie Laura, and George,-all persons of marked and elevated character.

Mr. PIummer early engaged with Hastings & Pettygrove in merchandising, and during his long residence was one of the most upright and pub- lic-spirited citizens of the port. During the Indian war of 1856 he was Captain of the Port Townsend Guards, and never shirked a public duty. He was a member of the first Republi- can convention of Washington Territory.

He died May 19, 1883, and the following obituary notice shows the esteem in which he was held by the people of his community : " The people of this city were shocked and sorely grieved to learn of the sudden demise of its honored pioneer citizen. Mr. Plummer was the first white settler in Port Townsend, being followed soon after by Messrs. Pettygrove, Hast- ings, Clinger and others. His little clearing and log hut on the hill long remained to tell a tale of pioneer labor, and a venture into a wild country inhabited by savages. Here the best years of his years of his life were spent; here his entire family of sons and daughters were born aud reared; here the wife of his bosom labored at his side in an honored and useful career: here he saw the fruits of patient effort crowned by a gratifying result-a prosperous town grown up from the small beginning started by his own efforts. Mr. Plummer was not an ostentatious man, but preferred to pursue that even tenor so often crowned with success. His friends and neighbors, who are legion, sincerely mourn his death, and realize that the place has sustained a serious loss."

SRAEL KATZ, proprietor of the largest and general mercantile establishment in Port Townsend, was born in Germany, June 10, 1851. There he was reared, educated, and at an early age entered the store of his father and laid the foundation for his subsequent mercan- tile success. In 1866 he came to the United States, direct to San Francisco, and to the home

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

of his uncle, E. L. Goldstein, with whom he remained two years, attended the schools of the city and learned the English language. In 1868 he came to l'ort Townsend, where his brother, Solomon Q. Katz, was engaged in business with Sigmund Waterman, the firm name being Wa- terman & Katz. Our subject began clerking for this firm, and, in 1871, purchased an interest in the business. They then opened a branch store, on the south end of San Juan island, near the American Fort, and Israel Katz became mana- ger of that department. In 1870 William Katz emigrated from Germany to Port Townsend, and entered the store of Waterman & Katz as elerk, continuing until 1881, when he purchased an interest upon the death of Solomon Q. Katz, August 7, of that year. The Port Townsend and San Juan stores were both continued. On the 7th of April, 1888, William Katz, brother of Israel Katz, and a partner in the business, was drowned in the bay of Port Townsend, while attempting to board a ship, and four months later, in August, the remaining partner, Sigmund Waterman, died in San Francisco, after an illness of several months. The entire business was then purchased by Israel Katz. In 1889 he closed out the store on San Juan island, the same not having proved as profitable after he was compelled to resign his personal management of the enterprise. The business'at Port Townsend is being successfully continned by Mr. Katz, who is sole proprietor, although he still retains the original firm title of Water- man & Katz.

The firm have always transacted a very large business throughont the lower Sound country, carrying a general stock, embracing every arti- cle required for the farm, in the family, or in the shipping business, also dealing in general farm produce. In 1885 the present brick build- ing was erected, on the corner of Water and Quincy streets, adjoining the old frame build- ing, which was formerly occupied. The lot is 110 feet on Water street, and runs to deep water; the store building is 40 x 100 feet, three stories and basement, with three warehouses adjoining, all of which are filled with goods, in the several departments of trade. With a wharf to deep water, the establishment is most per- fectly and conveniently located for water ship- ments, and the supplying of stores to deep sea vessels.

Mr. Katz was married in Wiesbaden, Ger- many, in 1887, to Miss Adele Maas. They

have three children: William, Edwin and Mil- ton. The family reside on the corner of Tyler street and Leonard avenne, where Mr. Katz built his handsome residence in 1889. Ile also possesses other property interests in the city, besides large bodies of timber and farming lands throughout the State.

He is a stockholder and director of the First National Bank of Port Townsend, and is one of the representative business men of that fair city.

F REDERICK II. WHIT WORTHI was born at New Albany, Indiana, March 25, 1846, being the son of Rev. George F. Whit- worth, D. D., of whose life and labors extended mention is made elsewhere in this volume. Frederick H. was brought by his parents to Olympia, Washington Territory, in 1853, and there he received his preliminary education. He then attended the Oakland College, at Oak- land, California, and graduated at the Univer- sity of California in 1871. Desiring to fit himself for the ministry, he then went East and entered Princeton Theological Seminary, but after one year his health became so impaired that he returned to Washington and engaged in teaching at the Territorial University at Seattle, which occupation he continued about eighteen months, when, because of a weakened constitu- tion, he decided upon an out-of-door life. Form- ing a co-partnership with Philip G. Eastwiek and T. B. Morris, he engaged in eivil engineer- ing. The firm of Eastwick, Morris & Co. made the first established survey of Seattle in 1876, which has continued as the foundation of all subsequent surveys. They were City Engineers for two years, and also conducted a general engineering business in the surveying of coal lands and in railroad work.

The firm dissolved in 1879, and Mr. Whit- worth was continued as City Engineer for a number of years, and was County Surveyor from 1875 until 1883. As engineer he also assisted in opening the New Castle, Talbot and Renton coal mines, and in much preliminary work on the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad as engineer. He was one of the organizers of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railroad, made the preliminary survey and was engineer of construction. In 1888 he became engineer and

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

manager of the Seattle Coal and Iron Company, and opened the mines at Gilman, and continued in charge up to 1889, when he retired from engineering work to engage actively in the real . estate business, in the buying, platting and sale of large tracts, among which are numbered the Canal addition, Fern addition and Cloverdale. After forming a co-partnership, Gould & Whit- worth opened up the addition of 160 acres known as River Park. To develop this property they organized the Alliance Loan and Trust Com- pany, of which Mr. Whitworth is vice- presi- dent. The company .is improving and building in River Park, thus assisting purchasers to pro- enre homes.

Mr. Whitworth was married in Seattle in 1881, to Miss Ada J. Storey, of Maine. One child, Frederick Il., Jr., has blessed this union.

EORGE DONWORTH, Corporation Counsel of the city of Seattle, was born in Washington county, Maine, in Novem- ber, 1861. His father, P. E. Donworth, was a native of Ireland, emigrating to the United States about 1833 and locating in Maine, where he became identified with the lumbering interests as a manufacturer and also engaged in the mercantile business. He was married in Eastport, to Miss Mary E. Baker, a native of that city, descended from Puritan stock.

George Donworth was educated in the com- mon schools of Maine and at Georgetown Col- lege, District of Columbia, where he graduated in 1881. Returning to Houlton, Maine, he engaged in the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in 1883. He then engaged in active practice at Fort Fairfield, Maine, and there re- inained up to January, ISS8, when he decided to improve the greater opportunities offered by a new country, and accordingly removed to Seattle, arriving in the strange city without friends or influence, but with an active mind and a thorough knowledge of his profession. He at once identified himself with the interests of the town and opened an office for the prac- tice of his profession. In September, 1889, he formed a co-partnership with George H. Preston and R. B. Albertson, constituting the firm of Preston, Albertson & Donworth, which has arisen to prominence among the law firms of the city.

The legal acnmen of Mr. Donworth was recognized and brought into prominence in May, 1890, when he was chosen by the people of Seattle as one of fifteen to constitute the charter commission, empowered to draft a new charter for the city, to be submitted to the peo- ple for adoption. The charter drafted was ac- cepted and'approved by the vote of the people at the election in October following. In March, 1892, Mr. Donworth was elected Corporation Counsel by the Democratic party, for a term of two years, and is now engaged in discharging the duties of that office.

He was married in IIoulton, Maine, in Au- gust, 1889, to Miss Emma L. Tenny. They have one child, Charles Tenny. Mr. Donworth has recently erected a handsome home on Brad- ley street, Queen Ann Hill, and by investment in real estate and active interest in wise and judicious management has identified himself closely with the development of the city which he predicts will become the great commercial center of the Northwest.

W ILLIAM H. WHITE, one of the lead- ing attorneys of the Seattle bar, was born in Wellsburg, Brooke county, West Virginia, May 28, 1842, and was the eldest son of Thompson and Sarah (Fulton) White, natives of Pennsylvania and descendants of pioneer settlers of that State. Thompson White was a miller by trade and occupation, owning and operating both flour and saw mills at Wells- burg, where he passed his life. He was a Whig in early life, but with the breaking out of the war he became a Unionist and a stanch Repub- lican, thoughi being of a retiring disposition he never was very active in political life.

William H. received his early instruction from the private schools of the State, and then entered Vermillion Institute at Hagersville, Ohio, and was there engaged when the war broke out. In May, 1862, he enlisted at Ash- land, in Company B, One Hundred and Second Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, but after three months in the field was promoted as First Sergeant. Their service was in the Army of the Cumberland, under Generals Buell, Rose- crans and Thomas. After passing through a number of battles, Mr. White was seriously

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wounded at Athens, Alabama, in the fall of 1864, and was discharged at the close of the war.

Returning to his home in Wellsburg, he entered upon the study of law in the office of Hon. Joseph H. Pendleton, an eminent lawyer of West Virginia, and was admitted to the bar before the Supreme Court of West Virginia in 1868. Shortly afterward he was elected Pro- bate Judge of Brooke county, on the Demo- cratic ticket, and re-elected to the same office in 1870, which he resigned in 1871, after deciding to remove to the Territory of Washington.

He arrived in Seattle in 1871, without an acquaintance in the Northwest. The popula- tion of Seattle then numbered about 1,200, the leading practitioners of law being Hon. Jolm J. McGilvra, James MeNaught and Colonel Charles H. Larrabee. Soon after arrival Mr. White entered into co-partnership with Colonel Larrabee, which association continued up to 1873, when, with the failure of Jay Cooke and the general stagnation of business, Mr. White decided to go to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. HIe soon became dissatisfied with the East, and in 1874 returned to Seattle and resumed his part- nership interest with Colonel Larrabee, which continued until 1877, when the Colonel with- drew to go to California. Mr. White then con- tinned alone up to 1881, when a co-partnership was formed with his present associate, Charles F. Munday. This partnership has continued without change, and to-day the law firm of White & Munday is recognized as the oldest legal firm in the State. In 1876 Mr. White was elected by the Democratic party as Prose- cuting Attorney for the Third Judicial District, which then embraced the counties of Pierce, King, Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Jefferson, Clallam and Kitsap. Un- der bis administration the only white person legally executed in the Territory west of the Cascade mountains, up to the admission to Statehood, was convicted and sentenced in King county.

In 1878 Mr. White was elected a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory, and served as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. In 1884 he was sent by the citizens of Seattle to Washington, District of Columbia, to urge upon Congress the forfeiture of the nnearned land grant of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, and argued the case before the Com- mittee on Public Lands, both of the Senate and Ilonse of Representatives. The effect of the

movement was to hurry forward the construc- tion of the Cascade branch of the Northern Pa- cific Railroad.

In 1884 the nomination of Mr. White by the Democratic convention as Delegate to Congress was strongly urged by the people of western Washington, and he was defeated by only a few votes. In July, 1885, he was appointed United States Attorney by President Cleveland, and remained in that office until the admission of the Territory to Statehood, in November, 1889. During the anti-Chinese riot in February, 1886, Mr. White took an active part in the defense of the city and the conviction of the instigators of the uprising. He also prosecuted offenders for similar offenses at Olympia, and succeeded in convicting six individuals and sending them to the penitentiary, which had a salutary effect upon the final solution of the question. Mr. White has always taken a decisive stand on the school question and has advocated progression in buildings and facilities to elevate the stand- ard of the public schools. The firm have been attorneys for the Board of Education of the city for a number of years, besides representing a number of corporations and conducting a large general practice.

Mr. White has not neglected his opportuni- ties for investment. He owns, near Redmond, a valuable farm of 320 acres, which is being highly improved, and also a handsome cottage home on the corner of Stevens and Mina streets, bordering on Lake Washington, where he re- sides. Mr. White is not married. Socially, he is Past Grand Master of St. John's Lodge, No. 9, F. & A. M., and Past Commander of Stevens Post, G. A. R.

H ON. CHARLES EISENBEIS .- To no one man is greater eredit due for the de- velopment of Port Townsend than to the subject of this sketch, who came to the town site in poverty, and by persevering in- dustry accumulated small savings which he in- vested in real estate and which by careful and judicious manipulation have evolved into a handsome fortune. Mr. Eisenbeis was born in July, 1832, in Prussia, where his ancestry had long been resident. Of his father he learned the trade of a baker, and was prepared upon his arrival in the United States in 1856, to earn

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

thereby an independent livelihood. In company with his brother he began operations at Rochester, New York. In 1858, via the Pan- ama route, he came to San Francisco, thence to Port Townsend, arriving February 24th of the same year. Without financial means he there began work for wages, which were carefully saved, and a few months later he opened a small shop and prepared for market the first bakers' goods manufactured in the town, the same con- sisting chiefly of crackers and ship bread. With him was associated as partner Mr. J. F. Bloom- burg, now a stock-broker of San Francisco. The site of the store was the same as that now oc- cupied by his fine building at 314-316 Water street. Two years later he removed to Steila- coom, and after a successful engagement of five years in the same business he returned to Port Townsend and purchased the site of his first enterprise and there continned the bakery, grocery and provision business up to January, 1891. Upon that site, in 1873, he erected the first stone buikling in the town, the original structure being one story 273 x 70 feet, to which he subsequently added, making the present fine building.

With the accumulation of means the improve- ment of real estate has been the policy of Mr. Eisenbeis' life. In 1878 he erected a frame building, corner of Water and Tyler streets, which for twelve years was occupied by the Government officers as a custom house. In im- proving the water front, associated with Hon. Joseph A. Kuhn, he erected 1,320 feet of sea wall between Taylor and Van Buren streets, which improvement added materially to the ap- pearance of the town, and reclaimed valuable property for business purposes. In 1884 be erected a two-story stone building, corner Quincy and Water streets; in 1890, the Mt. Baker block, corner Water and Taylor streets, one of the most imposing business blocks in the city, and besides these has erected numerous smaller buildings in various parts of the city, for business and residence purposes. In 1889 he started a brick-yard, thus supplying the town with building material. He was connected with building the Tyler street wharf, Union wharf, Commercial and Harrison street docks, and the wharf in the Eisenbeis addition. He has been interested in the organization and management of the Port Townsend lumber mill, the Port Townsend Southern Railroad, First National Bank, Merchants Bank and Port Town-

send Steel Wire and Nail Company. IIe or- ganized the Eisenbeis syndicate, which pur- chased 800 acres of land east of the city, which they have cleared and platted, and erected thereon the elegant Eisenbeis Hotel. After spending years in developing the city, through these various channels, in 1892, Mr. Eisenbies began the erection of a spacious and elegant home, in the Eisenbeis addition, the same be. ing of brick and stone, three stories high, slate roof, and all modern improvements. To this magnificient home he can retire after a busy life and enjoy the comforts which art and science have produced, in marked contrast to his pion- eer surroundings of thirty-five years ago. He has served the city three terms as Mayor, being the first to hold that office, and served as City Treasurer and two terms as a member of the Board of IIealth.

He was married in San Francisco in 1865, to Miss Elizabeth Berghanser, a native of Prussia. She died in 1880, leaving four children: Sophia, Charles, Jr., Frederick W. and Louisa H. In 1882 he was married, at Port Townsend, to Miss Kate E. Marsh, a native of England. They have four children: Lillian, Otto, Hilda and Joseph- ine.

Thus briefly have we recounted the experi- ences of one of Port Townsend's representative citizens, one who, through frugality, perseve- rance and close attention to business, overcame the obstacle of poverty and built for himself a substantial fortnne and an honored name.

H ON. ANDREW WASSON, President of the Commercial Bank of Port Town- send, and one of the representative citi- zens of that city, was born in Schenec- tady, New York, December 25, 1839, son of James T. and Ann (Coombs) Wasson, of Scotch English ancestry and natives of the same city. Up to his fourteenth year young Wasson at- tended the public schools of Schenectady; then, being ambitious for adventure, he went to the East Indies and in 1855 rounding the Horn for San Francisco, where he arrived on March 4, of that year. Imagining that the source of great wealth lay in mining, he then visited the mines of Camptonville, Shaw's Flat, and Table mount- ain, and from one year's experience realized abont $8,000. Ile then invested in a standing

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crop of grain and potatoes in the Pajan valley, Monterey county, and lost nearly all of his laboriously earned savings. In the fall of 1857 he was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Monterey county and served two years, and rendered heroic and valuable assistance in capturing a desperado who was tried, and sentenced and who was the first man hanged by law in Mont- erey county. In 1859 Mr. Wasson engaged in the stock business and in 1861 was appointed lighthouse-keeper at Point Pinos, one of the first appointments made by President Lincoln on the Pacific coast. Our subject held that of- fice for ten years, then resigned and was elected Sheriff and Tax Collector of Monterey county and served two years. At this time Vasquez and his notorious gang of desperadoes were ter- rorizing southern California, and Mr. Wasson, with a carefully selected corps of deputies tracked and pursued Vasquez's gang for fourteen consecutive days, capturing Moreno and break- ing up the organization. For this heroic ser- vice, the State of California, by special act of Legislature, awarded him $3,600, and the county of Monterey $2,600. Completing his term of service he then purchased 1,000 acres of land in the Salinas valley and followed farming for about two years. During the session of 1879- '80-81 he was Sergeant-at-Arms of the Cali- fornia State Senate. He then engaged in min- ing speculations in Mexico, where he operated very successfully for about five years. In 1887 he came to southern Oregon, bought 2,266 acres of land and planted 10,000 prune trees, then one of the largest orchards in the State. He sub- sequently sold this property, and in 1888 came to Port Townsend, deeming the same an excel- lent locality for profitable investment.

Mr. Wasson was Representative from Jeffer- son county in the State Legislature of 1891, serving on many important committees, and in- troducing the so called " Wasson bill " for reg- ulating tariffs on railroads in the State, which was voted by Acting Governor Laughton.

On September 19, 1891, Mr. Wasson was ap- pointed by President Harrison, Collector of Customs for the Puget Sound District, which embraces eleven sub-ports along the coast and British line. This is one of the most import- ant customs districts of the country as regards the enforcement of the Chinese restriction act, and by reason of the facilities for the evasion of the revenue afforded by the natural features of the country, and by the proximity to the Cana-

dian border, the collector has the most difficult duty to perform of any similar official in the Union. New questions have constantly arisen, making the duties of office onerous and burden- some; but without fear or favor Mr. Wasson has pursued a line of justice, and held the office above reproach or scandal. Ile has been actively engaged in city development, and is a large holder in real estate and improved residence and business property. He is president of the Com- mercial Bank; and as stockholder is interested in the nail works and other business enterprises.

He was married in Sacramento, California, April 7, 1882, to Miss Minnie Snook, native of New York. Socially, Mr. Wasson affiliates with the F. & A. M. and I. O. O. F.

H ON. JAMES G. SWAN, one of the most distinguished pioneers of the North- west, was born in Medford, Massachu- setts, January 11, 1818. The American progenitor of the name of Swan emigrated from England to New England about 1680 and pur- chased a large tract of land in the vicinity of Charlestown and Boston, where the name has been honorably represented in the development of that section. The battle of Bunker Hill was fought upon their possessions, and Major Samuel Swan was one of the heroes of Ticonderoga, oc- copying positions of trust and responsibility. Governor Bowdoin of Massachusetts, in approv- ing of Major Swan's support, said : " The several expeditions in which you have been engaged re- flect, credit upon the parties who compose them." As Quartermaster General, Major Swan was con- nected with the State militia up to 1806, and very prominent in the city, county and State Government. In 1795 he was appointed by General George Washington as Deputy Col- lector of Revenue for the county of Middlesex. The Swan family were prominently connected with the mercantile, shipping and interior af- fairs of Massachusetts. The parents of our subject were Captain Samuel and Margaret (Tufts) Swan. Captain Swan was a seafaring man and lost his life in a wreck off Minot's Ledge, Boston harbor, in 1823. The mother was a native of Medford, Massachusetts, and was of ancient and honored lineage.

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 88

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