An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 96

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 96

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He was married in Cincinnati, in 1874, to Miss Elizabeth Placke, of German descent, and in 1875 removed to San Francisco, California, and followed cabinet work until the spring of 1877, when he engaged in an ontside enterprise. Being unfamiliar with the business, loss fol- lowed loss, until after eighteen months' experi- ence he sold out and came to Seattle. The city being but a small hamlet offered little induce- ment to a manufacturer, so Mr. Rohlfs went to Whidby island, purchased 100 acres of land and tried farming. Having no practical knowledge of agriculture the experiment proved disastrons, completely exhausting his small resonrees. lle then decided to resume his trade, of which he was master, and, returning to Seattle, he found employment with the Hall & Paulson Furniture Company, at 83 per day, and after his continned financial losses, he states, "That was one of the happiest days of my life." Continning up to 1886 business became dull, and Mr. Rohlfs went to Victoria for a few months; then, return- ing to Seattle, formed a co-partnership with his old friend, Herman Schoder, and started a small hand repair shop, which after one year was burned out. They then purchased the interest of Hall, in the old firm of Hall & Paulson, and continued that business, employing about forty hands and receiving an extensive patronage

from the Sound distriet, mannfacturing house- hold, bank and office furniture. Continuing until the great fire in June, 1889, their factory and stock were destroyed, thus entailing a heavy financial loss. After the fire Rohlfs & Schoder leased the factory site and with a small capital resumed the business, employing but four hands. Increasing their capacity with the growth of their business, they now employ fifty to sixty hands, in the manufacture of bank and office furniture, interior hardwood finish, and in the building of street cars. The firm supplied and put in place the interior finish of the New York block, Dexter Horton Bank building, the King county courthouse, and many buildings of lesser prominence.

Mr. and Mrs. Rohlfs have two children: Adolph and Otto. Socially Mr. Rohlfs affiliates with the I. O. O. F., the Turn Verein and other German societies. He has long been a citizen of the United States, but gives little attention to polities, devoting his time and energies to the upbuilding of business of the success of which he justly feels very proud.

EWIS D. W. SHELTON, an Oregon pioneer of 1847, now a resident of Seattle, was born in Andrew county, Missouri, October 18, 1841. His father, David Shelton, was a native of North Carolina, but removed to Missouri with his parents about 1819, and was reared to the hardships of pioneer life, in hunt- ing, trapping and fighting Indians. He was married in Missouri to Miss Frances Wilson, native of Kentneky. Mr. Shelton improved a farm, which he worked till the spring of 1847, when he sold out and with an ox team and a " prairie schooner," removed his family to the Northwest Territory, then known as Oregon. The journey was fraught with the usual experi- ences of fighting Indians, the loss of cattle, ete. The train consisted of nine wagons, and was directed by Captain John Bouser. The party reached the vicinity of Walla Walla and met Rev. Marcus Whitman, about six weeks prior to his massacre. The party then continned down the river to the Dalles, and went into camp just below that town. There they whipsawed lumber from which they built a raft. Onto this they loaded their wagons, effects and families and drifted down the river, while the

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stock was all driven across the mountains. At the cascade of the river the people all walked around the portage, while the boat shot the rapids and was picked up below without dam- age, except having shipped some water. Below the cascades Mr. Shelton was met by an Indian canoe sent to his rescue by an old friend and earlier pioneer, Mr. Caples, and in that canoe himself and family were taken to Vanconver, while the other member of the party followed in the flat-boat. Mr. Caples met the family at Vanconver and then Mr. Shelton spent his last dollar for a bucket of black syrup, to use in place of sugar. Then all proceeded to Sanvin's island, where they passed the first winter, living on wild duck and other gaine secured by the rifle. In the spring of 1848 Mr. Shelton put in a crop, and while wait- ing for returns lived on split peas, purchased from the Hudson's Bay Company, and a large sturgeon which was purchased from the Indi- ans, and which was salted and perserved. In the spring of 1849 he removed his family to Yam Hill county, while he went to the Cali- fornia mines, where he found plenty of gold, but, owing to continuons sickness, returned after seven months, with but slight improvement in his financial condition. He then located 320 acres in East Portland, and remained until January, 1852, when he learned of the Puget Sound district, and, in company with several friends purchased a small schooner and started for the Sound. Here the party arrived in February, and while some stopped at Port Townsend Mr. Shelton continued his way to Olympia, and there remained until April, 1853. He then took up a section of land in Mason county, which he subsequently increased by purchase to 1,200 acres, 320 being open prairie.

In 1854 Mr. Shelton was a member of the first Territorial Legislature, and introduced the bill to organize Sawamish county, which was adopted, bnt, while representing that county at a later session, he introduced a second bill, changing the name to Mason county, in honor of Charles H. Mason, the first Territorial Secre- tary, under Govenor Stevens. Mr. Shelton began improving his place and ultimately cleared eighty acres, which became the town site of Shelton, which he founded about 1885, and which is now a thriving young city of about 1,200 population.

Mr. Shelton has been an official of Mason county almost continuously since the date of

organization, filling almost every important office. Later he became Mayor of the city of Shelton, where he still resides, at the advanced age of eiglity one years. His good wife, the companion of his pioneer days, passed over to the other shore in 1887, aged seventy-one years.

Lewis D. has passed through all the pioneer experiences of his father, remembering distinctly his trip across the plains. llis education has been chiefly by home instruction. At the age of fourteen years he began work with surveying parties, and gained his first knowledge of that profession, which he continued to study from such books as he could gather together at that day. He was an active participant in the In- dian war of 1855 and 1856; was a member of Captain Swindal's company of scouts, and took part in many battles between Snoqualmie falls and the Cowlitz river. After peace was declared he followed such occupation as he could find, always improving every opportunity. In 1862 he began teaching school, which occupation lie followed for several years. In 1875 he took up surveying as a regular business, and in 1878 opened an office at Olympia. In 1879 he was commissioned United States Deputy Surveyor, and has continued in that office to the present time. From 1877 to 1888 he had charge of all the Port Blakely lands, and the six last years superintended all their logging interests between Portland and British Columbia. Since 1883 his office has been located at Seattle. In 1888 he gave up surveying and engaged in real-estate speenlation, buying, improving and selling property. This enterprise he continued until the spring of 1891, when he resumed govern- ment work.

In polities he is a Democrat, and has filled the offices of Connty Surveyor, Sheriff and Auditor.

He was married in Snohomish, in 1887, to Miss Lydia Morris, native of Wisconsin. They have one child, Morris l'.

H ON. JOHN H. BOWMAN, whose name is prominently connected with the his- tory of San Juan island, Washington, is a native of Rutherford county, Tennes- see, born near Nashville, August 16, 1821. lle was the first inhabitant of Friday Harbor. Washington, having come here to survey the town site, and for two years he lived alone on

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

the island, his only mode of communication with the outside world being with a small boat. When the land on which Friday Harbor is sit- nated was selected by the county as the seat of justice he was the one who went to Olympia to make final proof and get a patent from the Government, he having in the meantime resided on the land as County Auditor and held it for the county the required length of time.

Of Mr. Bowman's parents, we record that his father, William Bowman, was born in South Carolina in 1787 and died in Tennessee in 1865; and that his mother, whose maiden name was Elizabethi Wade, was born in Maryland in 1790 and died in Tennessee in 1838. The father was a pioneer in Tennessee, having moved from South Carolina to that State with his parents when he was a boy. There he grew to manhood and was married and reared his family. Of his ten children only four are now living. He was a resident of Tennessee when that State was ad- mitted to the Union, and during the war of 1812 he was an active participant.

John II. Bowman remained on his father's plantation in Tennessee until 1841, when he went to Jackson, Mississippi, to work in a large mercantile establishment. He was there em- ployed when the Mexican war broke out, and he resigned his position to enter the army. As a member of Company E, First, Mississippi Rifles, under Jefferson Davis and General Taylor, he went to the front and participated in all the principal battles of that war. On ac- count of bravery at the battle of Monterey he was promoted from a private to the rank of Corporal. His next principal battle was that of Buena Vista, where he was again promoted for bravery, this time to the position of Fourth Sergeant. He was in Jefferson Davis' com- mand during his entire service. At the close of the war he returned to Jackson, Mississippi, where he was employed in a mercantile estab- lishment until 1851. That year he set sail from New Orleans to Panama, went np the Chagres river, footed it across the isthmus, car- rying his pack, and made the Pacific voyage to San Francisco in the Republic, landing at his destination May 1, 1851. He followed mining for eleven years throughout California, coming from that State to Union county, Oregon, where he continued in the mines eight years. In 1862 he went to Lewiston, Idaho, where he continued his mining operations, being in Idaho when it was organized as a Territory.

In October, 1872, after an experience of twenty-one years as a miner, he retired from the mines and came to Washington, first locating on Orcas island. This was about one month before the dispute between the British and the United States Governments was settled. In November, 1872, the trouble having been set- tled, he pre-empted the land on which he had been residing under a squatter's right. The next Legislature organized the county of San Juan and located the county seat at Friday HIarbor. He was the first Probate Judge of the county, in which office he served three terms, the first time by appointment and the others by election. He was also the second County Au- ditor; has since been elected Anditor and served for ten years. He assisted in clearing the ground and building the first county courthouse in Friday Harbor, where it still stands. As all his time was required on San Juan island, he in 1877 sold his property on Orcas island to the Newhall Stave Company, now known as the Cascade Mill Company, and after disposing of it he bought property adjoining Friday Harbor. Hle has since disposed of most of his property. At one time he owned nearly the whole of Fri- day Harbor.

Mr. Bowman was made an Odd-Fellow at Jackson, California. He received a demit from the lodge there in 1881, but he has never since joined any other lodge.

J E. MOORE, another one of the representa- tive citizens of Utsaladdy, Island county, Washington, was born June 10, 1860, in Machias, Washington county, Maine. His father, J. E. Moore, Sr., was born in 1820 and died in 1889. His mother, whose maiden name was Ellen Campbell, was born in 1833 and is still living. In their family were ten children, two of whom are deceased, and the others, with the exception of J. E. Moore and Mrs. J. M. Hart, reside in the East.

At an early age the subject of our sketch had aspirations for a sea life, and when he was four- teen years old he embarked on the schooner N. Jones, and after a voyage in it went to sea in the Anita. For seven years he followed the sea in various vessels, and has visited nearly all the important ports of the world; made five trips to Europe. At the age of twenty-one he

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

retired from the sea. having risen to the rank of first mate, and started West via the Union Pa- cific Railroad. From San Francisco he came north to Puget Sound, and at Port Shelton, on the mainland just opposite Camano island, he at once engaged in the logging business. Soon afterward he secured employment of the Puget Mill Company, of Utsaladdy, and for five years was log inspector and had charge of their log booms or rafts. Resigning his position with this company, he on May 17. 1880, organized and was elected president of the Chinook Boom Company, of Utsaladdy, and is still acting as president of the company. He also organized the Pacific Boom Company, in which he is the principal stockholder. He is captain of the tng Alki, of which he is half owner.

Since coming to Washington Mr. Moore has invested largely in real estate. His residence is in Utsaladdy, and he owns several farms; 220 acres on Camano island, a few miles from Utsaladdy ; 320 acres in Skagit county; and 160 acres in Snohomish county. He also owns property in Seattle, and has five gold claims in Okanogan county.

Mr. Moore was married June 28, 1887, to Nellie Rowell, who was born in Holden, Maine, October 20, 1860, and who came West with her parents in 1886, locating in Seattle. She is a daughter of R. F. and Anna (Jackson) Rowell. Mr. and Mrs. Moore have one child, Frances Winnifred. Ralph Edwin and Maud Eleanor are deceased.

Of the following fraternal organizations Mr. Moore is a prominent member: Washington Lodge, No. 16, K. of P., Utsaladdy; Uniform Rank, No. 18, K. of P., Seattle; Camano Lodge, No. 19, F. & A. M., Utsaladdy; Glenwood Lodge, No. 17, I. O. O. F., Coupeville; and Puget Sound llarbor of Masters and Pilots, No. 16.

The subject of the foregoing sketch has a brother in Stanwood, named H. B. Moore.

C HARLES C. REED, of Friday Harbor, Washington, is a native of New Bedford, Massachusetts, born August 2, 1824. His father, Charles L. Reed, was born in 1793, and died in 1854; and his mother, nee Hannah Beetle, born in 1800, died in 1831. Charles L. Reed was a Corporal in the war of 1812, and

after the close of the war he went to sea, and was employed more or less in the whaling busi- ness. Finally retiring from the sea, he learned the trade of a hatter in his youth, and for many years kept a hat store in New Bedford, Massa- chusetts. Before the death of his wife in 1831, his son Charles C. made his home with an aunt until he was sixteen years old, but from the time he was nine he was employed in his father's store when not attending school. Thus early in life he acquired some knowledge of mercantile business.

Tiring of indoor life, October 6, 1840, young Reed went aboard the whaling vessel China, and for five years remained on the same ship. He made two voyages to the Southern Pacific ocean and the islands about New Zealand. After his return to Massachusetts on his second voy- age, he left the China and went on board the Congress, remaining on the latter vessel two years and eight months; was in the Indian Ocean in the vicinity of the East India islands and Australia, and spent two summers near the Croset islands. From these voyages he re- turned to Massachusetts in November, 1848. He remained in his native State until August of the following year, when he started for Cali- fornia, via Cape Horn, on the Olive Branch, under command of Captain Place. Arriving in San Francisco January 27, 1850, he went direct to the mines, but after a fruitless experi- ence of eight months he returned to San Fran- cisco " broke." He then secured employment on the ship St. Lawrence, which was engaged to carry passengers, and their voyage south took 200 disheartened miners as far as Nic- aragua, they being homeward bound. The vessel went on to Valparaiso, Chili, and from there he returned to San Francisco. He went into the California bay trade, in schooners, until he got money enough to buy a part of a schooner of his own, which he ran for fifteen years. He was also Captain of a steamer on the Sacramento river until 1871, when the Central Pacific Railroad Company bought np all boats, and he continued with the railroad company until 1873. He then quit the busi- ness, having served over thirty years on the water.

That same year, 1873, Mr. Reed came to Puget Sound. Here he homesteaded 160 acres of land on Shaw's island, in San Juan county, and on it he lived until 1878, when he aban- doned it and returned East. Stopping at Prior

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lake, Minnesota, he secured work in a mer- chandise store, soon afterward bought a half interest in the establishment, and for four years conducted business under the firm name of Ilull & Reed. At the end of that time they disposed of their business, and he returned to Washington, settling in Friday Ilarbor, San Juan county, as clerk with Joseph Sweeney, in a mereantile business, in which he was engaged nearly three years. He afterward received the appointment of County Treasurer. He was afterward elected Treasurer, and altogether has served seven years. He owns a comfortable home in Friday Harbor.

Mr. Reed is unmarried.

G ILDEROY HOLDERMAN, deceased, was one of the pioneers of Columbia county, Washington, and did a noble part in advancing her interests and for- warding her development. He was a native of the State of Ohio, born in Wyandotte county, January 24, 1833, a son of Jacob and Caroline (Loveland) Holderman; they were also natives of the Buckeye State, and the Holderman fam- ily were among the early settlers of Ohio. When Gilderoy Ilolderman was a youth of fif- teen years the family removed to Knoxville, Illinois, and there he grew to man's estate. In 1858 he went to Linn county, Kansas, and in 1881 he came to the Pacific coast, locating in Washington; he settled on 160 acres of land in Bundy Hollow, Columbia county, having made a purchase of the traet in 1879.

He was united in marriage, in Bates county, Missouri, May 5, 1859, to Miss Sarah J. Fran- eis, who was born in Will county, Illinois, a daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Ilageman) Francis. Thomas Francis was a native of Ire- land, but was brought to America in his ehild- hood and grew to maturity in Ohio. His wife was born in Indiana, and was reared near Crawfordsville, Montgomery county. He was one of the pioneers of Will county, Illinois, settling there as early as 1832; he returned to Indiana in 1835, was married and returned with his bride to their home or the frontier. They removed to Missouri in 1856, and there Mr. Francis died August 8, 1858; the wife survived until August 5, 1881. Mrs. Holder- man is the only one of their children who

settled iu Washington, excepting Mrs. Hannah Louise Newton, wife of John HI. Newton, of Stevens county. Mr. and Mrs. Holderman had ten children, four of whom are living: Louisa, wife of John Danielson; Adalı; Nettie; and Arthur; Frank died at the age of twenty-one years; Ilettie was fourteen, and Charles was the same age when he died; three children died in childhood.

Mr. Ilolderman departed this life Oet. 28, 1883. Ile was a veteran of the war of the Rebellion, having enlisted in Kansas, August 17, 1861; he was a member of Company D, Sixth Kansas Cavalry, Colonel Judson, and participated in some important engagements and many skirmishes of the war. He was severely wounded July 17, 1863, in the Choc- taw Nation, and was disabled quite a while at Tahlequah. He was also confined to the hos- pital at Fort Smith and Fort Gibson, and dur- ing this time acted as hospital steward. He never fully recovered from the injuries re- ceived, and his death finally resulted. Ile was honorably discharged in 1865. He adhered to the principles of the Republican party, but he was not an active politician. He was a man of many excellent traits and had the respect of all with whom he mingled.

Mrs. Holderman superintends the cultivation of the ranch, which has grown from 150 acres to 480 acres; with the exception of eighty aeres of natural timber the place is under eultiva- tion, and is one of the best improved and most desirable farms in the county. She is a woman of rare force of character, is progressive in lier ideas, and with her family takes an active in- terest in the welfare of the county and the de- velopment of the many resources of the State.

B EN E. SNIPES, one of the enterprising and successful pioneers of Washington, was born in Chatham county, North Carolina, in July, 1835. Ilis parents, Elam and Asenath (Rawson) Snipes, were natives of the same State. Elain Snipes was reared upon a farm and continued in agricultural pursuits, removing to Jefferson county, lowa, in 1847. In 1864 he erossed the plains to Washington, loeating in Klickitat county, where he still re- sides, at the age of eighty-two years, in the happy companionship of the wife of his early manhood, now eighty years of age.

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Ben E. Snipes was educated in the old log schoolhouse in Iowa, without desks, the benches being made from split logs set upon pins. The schools were kept only in the winter and con- tinued about three months. Yet, with a desire for education, he would walk two and three miles to improve these limited facilities. Thus by summers of labor npon the farin and winters of study he spent his early life until 1852, when, at the age of seventeen years, he struck out for self-support.

Desiring the opportunities of a new country, and as the tide of emigration was turning toward Oregon, he found opportunity to cross the plains as assistant to George Humphrey, who had several teams and a considerable body of loose cattle. Ben took charge of one of the ox teams and drove the entire distance, and also rendered assistance as second cook to the party. They were five months in crossing, but by can- tious and wise management they experienced no unusual difficulties, and entered the Willam- ette valley at the south end, continuing to Salem, where our subject began " rustling " for self-support.

His first occupation was digging potatoes, but shortly afterward hired to work with a pack train bound for California with a load of apples, and was put in charge of the " bell mare," the train numbering forty-five mules. Arriving at Yreka, the apples were sold at $1 per pound, fresh fruit being more rare than gold in those days. At Yreka young Snipes secured a mi- ner's pick and pan and began prospecting for gold. His first claim indicated some richness, but without experience he did not realize how great until he sold out for $500 and then worked for the party at $7 per day. The result of working this claim to the purchaser was abont $75.000, while Mr. Snipes became so disgusted with himself for selling that he quit the " dig- gings." Ile then bought a " drifting claim " for $1,500 at Yreka Flats, worked all winter, and in the spring had not sufficient money to pay his beef bill and had to work it out.

Thus becoming familiar with the butchering business, he subsequently bought the shop and continued it very profitably for one year,-on the credit basis,-until suddenly the town stampeded for richer diggings and young Snipes was left with a number of uncollectible bills, which represented his profits, again reducing him to that condition termed "dead broke." He then went to a mining camp on Scott's

river and engaged in the livery business, which he continued very successfully to the fall of 1855, when he returned to Oregon and joined his brother, George R. Snipes, then located at The Dalles. Our subject remained with him npon his farm until 1858, when, with the open- ing of the eastern part of Washington Territory for settlement, he located 160 acres at the mouth of the Klickitat river and engaged in the cattle business. After one year he sold his claim, invested the money in cattle, and with his little band of ninety-seven head started for Yakima county, the first stockman to take cattle into that county, in which the Indians were then very numerous. Young Snipes, with great judgment and foresight, hired an Indian to stay with him, thus allying himself with the people of the country,

In the spring of 1860 he drove his cattle to Rock creek in the Okanogan mining district and sold ont, with a handsome profit. He con- tinned this system of buying, fattening and selling until 1865, when he engaged in cattle- raising, having purchased lands bordering upon the Yakima river, which he stocked with a con- siderable herd. His land purchase covered 6,000 acres, bordering upon water-courses, with a vast grazing district contiguous. His herd then in- creased to vast proportions, and in 1880 num- bered 35,000 head. That was a season of drought, and disaster, as the severe winter of 1880-'81, which succeeded a summer of short feed, found the cattle in reduced flesh and unable to resist the more rigorous weather, and they died in scores, fully 28,000 head perishing in the snow and storms. Though the loss was great, Mr. Snipes re-stocked and continned suc- cessfully to the winter of 1886-'87, when an- other severe winter destroyed 10,000 head, but still his range is well stocked, numbering thon- sands of head. He has also been an extensive breeder of horses of the Clyde and Percheron strains, his band numbering about 2,000 head. These interests were continued to 1892, when Mr. Snipes decided to retire from the stock business.

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 96

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