An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 99

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 99

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

and the East, and thus placed it upon an im- proved financial basis and also increased the attendance to 200 pupils. After the first year the name was changed to Whitman College by special charter granted by the Legislature, and he continued as President for nine years, when his own health became much impaired and he was obliged to retire from active labor.

He was married in Morris, Illinois, in 1857, to Miss Louise M. Phelps, of that State. She died at Walla Walla, September 22, 1889, leaving six children: Charles M., eivil engineer in Seattle; Oliver P., civil engineer, draughts- man and an extensive publisher of maps and blue prints in Seattle; Lonis F .; A. M., pro- fessor of Greek and Latin in Whitman College; Alexander J., Jr., a real-estate and loan agent, who died December 19, 1892; Rev. George P., of the Congregational Church, graduate of Whitman College .and Yale Divinity School; and Helen H.

In July, 1892, Professor Anderson returned to Seattle, and is now engaged as editor of the Northwest Journal of Education, as, after an experience of nearly forty years in educational work, he finds it difficult to retire from that line of labor. His acquaintance is extensive throughont the Northwest, and the graduates from his schools are found in every town and hamlet.

EONARD DILLER, proprietor of the Hotel Diller at Seattle, was born near Dayton, Ohio, October 26, 1839. His parents, Joseph and May Diller, were natives of France and Germany, and emigrated to the United States about 1834, locating in Kentucky. A millwright by trade, he erected the first flour and saw mills at Louisville, and subsequently settled in Ohio. In 1846 he crossed the plains to California, and spent one year in mining in California and southern Oregon; then return- ing to his trade he built gristmills on Rogue and Bear rivers, and in 1853 built the mills at Tumwater, Washington. His family came to the coast in 1854, by the Panama route, and joined Mr. Diller in Oregon, and they then settled in Benton county, where Mr. Diller con- tinned his trade and also engaged in farming.

Leonard Diller received his early education at Ottawa, Illinois, but at the age of thirteen years struck out for self-support, and in the fall

of 1853 he started for the Pacific coast. From New York he embarked by the steamship Illi- nois for Aspinwall, crossed the isthmus to Pan- ama, and thenee by the Golden Gate to San Francisco, with about 1,200 passengers. Jour- neying northward the steamer broke her shaft, and after drifting a number of days repairs were completed and they ran into San Diego, but npon leaving that port they ran ashore and the vessel was partially destroyed, though no lives were lost. "Mr. Diller re-shipped on the Goliah and landed in San Francisco on the 24th of January, 1854, thence on to Portland, Ore- gon, arriving in February.

He began work in the grocery store and bakery of Strong. Pittock & Co., and learned the business, remaining till 1861; then went to the Dalles, Oregon, as manager of the store and bakery of Keagle & Mobous. One year later he went to Oregon City as port steward of the People's Transportation Company, with boats running up the Willamette river.

In 1864 Mr. Diller engaged in the grocery and bakery business in Oregon City, and con- tinued to 1870, then sold out and entered the general merchandise business, which he fol- lowed until January, 1873, when he again sold out, came to Tacoma and ran a hotel at Old- town until March, 1874; then acted as Deputy Sheriff to February, 1875, when he came to Se- attle and entered the employ of Foss & Borst, proprietors of the People's Market.

In 1877 Mr. Diller bought the Sneider Mar- ket, which he operated until October, 1881, then started a small hotel called the Esmond, on the corner of Commercial and Washington streets. In May, 1885, he purchased the stock of the Brunswick Hotel, corner of Commercial and Main streets, a large three-story building con- taining fifty-six rooms, and there continued to the great fire of June 6, 1889, when the entire property was destroyed.

Mr. Diller then began grading and building the Hotel Diller, corner of Front and University streets, having owned the property for a nnmn- ber of years. This hotel is 90 x 120 feet, four stories, brick, and contains ninety-five rooms, fitted up with modern appointments, and was opened for business on the 6th day of June, 1890, and has been continued with a large patronage.

Mr. Diller was married at Portland in 1879, to Miss Minnie Leahy, of Wisconsin. They have two children, Earley B. and Lena P. So-

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cially, Mr. Diller affiliates with the 33d degree, Scottish rite, F. & A. M., and the I. O. O. F. encampment.

Mr. Diller resides on the corner of Eighth and Pike streets. His time and attention is given exclusively to his hotel business. He is a care- ful, conservative business man, who, after select- ing his occupation, devoted his time to the one interest, and by economy and perseverance sur- mounted all obstacles and established a reputa- tion and a credit which is withont dispute among the business men of the Northwest.

P ROF. E. S. INGRAHAM, one of the representative educators of Seattle, was born in Albion, Kennebec county, Maine, in April, 1852. His parents, Samuel and Almira (Davenport) Ingraham, were natives of the same State, their ancestors being numbered among the earliest settlers of New England. For many generations the family followed agri- culture, but Samuel Ingraham digressed from that occupation and took to the sea, sailing as master mariner for about twenty-five years. His service was chiefly in packet ships which sailed from the Kennebec river and conducted a general passenger and freight business along the coast to the West Indies. Being a man of domestic habits and fond of his home ties and associations, he retired from the sea about 1840 and engaged in an agricultural life.

Prot. Ingraham, when a boy, attended the public schools of Maine until his fifteenth year, and then entered the Free Press office at Rock- land and learned the printer's trade. With an increasing fondness for a literary life and a higher education, he entered the Eastern Maine State Normal School, and graduated there in 1871. According to the laws of the State re- lating to normal graduates, Mr. Ingraham then began teaching in the public schools, and at the same time pursued a classical course in the Waterville Classical Institute, which he fol- lowed three years, when his eyes failed and he had to stop such incessant study.

In August, 1875, he came to Seattle, where his half-brother, Andrew Ingraham, a pioneer of 1849 to the coast, then resided. Ten days after arriving Prof. Ingraham was offered the position of principal of the central school and

to assume charge of the schools of the city, which then numbered three buildings, six teach- ers and abont 200 pupils. He continued as principal of the central school for thirteen years, and saw the number of teachers of the city schools increase to twenty-nine and the average attendance to 1,700 pupils. He was elected by the Republican party as Superin- tendent of King County Schools in 1876, and re-elected in 1878 and 1880, serving six years continuously. In 1883 he was appointed Su- perintendent of Seattle Public Schools, and held the office five years. After the admission of Washington to Statehood, Prof. Ingraham was a member of the first State Board of Edu- cation, by appointment of Governor Elisha P. Ferry.

Prof. Ingraham materially advanced the edu- cational interests of Washington, was actively connected with State institnte work, and he was among the first to advocate county institutes by organizing one in King county.

In 1888 he retired from educational work and shortly after entered into partnership with G. K. Coryell, and established the printing house of Ingraham & Coryell. They publish the Northwest Journal of Education and the Seattle Guide, a monthly publication of general information connected with the city, besides conducting a general job-printing business.

In February, 1886, during the Chinese riot, Prof. Ingraham, with other prominent citizens of Seattle, was sworn in as Deputy Sheriff to assist in maintaining order through the city. After the disturbance was quelled, these same gentlemen organized under the Territorial law as a company of militia, the membership in- eluding fifty of Seattle's best known citizens. This organization was the nuclens of Company E, National Guards of Washington, which is now the prize company of the First Regiment. In this company Captain Ingraham served two years as private, one year as Corporal, one year as Sergeant, six months as Second Lieutenant, and was elected Captain February 18, 1891, for a period of three years. He is an enthusiastic and magnetic leader, and the company owes much of its present prosperity to his unvarying attention and care. Ile was a member of the Board of Aldermen for the city of Seattle one term, and in March, 1893, he was appointed by Governor John H. MeGraw to the position of Regent of the State Agricultural College and School of Science for a term of four years.

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Captain Ingraham was married in Seattle, in April, 1883, to Miss Myra Carr, a native of Oregon, whose parents were pioneers of the early '50s. Two children have blessed this nnion, Norman and Kenneth. The family re- side on the corner of Second and Leonora streets, where Prof. Ingraham built in 1878. It was then in the country, hedged in by tim- ber and nngraded streets.

The Protessor has been prominent in Masonry for a number of years. He was instrumental in having instituted Seattle Chapter, No. 3, R. A. M., and served as High Priest for a num- ber of terms. He is Past Eminent Commander of Seattle Commandery, No. 2; is a member of the Scottish rite, and a Knight Commander of the Court of Ilonor.

While the Professor is a devotee to business, he finds occasional recreation in scaling the snow peaks and in prospecting the mountains for minerals. He was a member of the third party that undertook the dangerous ascent of Mount Rainier, and spent one night in the mouth of the crater. Ile has also aseended Mount Baker, and has secured profitable mining interests in the mountains. Being a lover of geology and an admirer of the grandeur of the mountain peaks, he finds every gratification to his taste in the surroundings of Seattle.

M RS. MARGARET J. POWER, nee Caldwell, Whidby island, Washington, furnishes yet another instance of the self-reliance of woman and her capa- city for those occupations and commercial transactions hitherto relegated entirely to man. Since the death of her husband she has had the immediate supervision of a large stock and grain farm, and has managed with an intelligence and judgment that would do any of her brother farmers credit. Mrs. Power is not a native of the United States, but was born at St. John, New Brunswick, February 16, 1820, a daughter of Joseph and Jane (Clark) Caldwell. Her parents were born, reared and married in Ire- land, and then emigrated to America, settling first in New Brunswick; thence they removed to Flemingsburg, Kentucky, and afterward to Burlington, Iowa. there on the frontier Margaret J. grew to womanhood, and was united in mar- riage, May 22, 1844, to Isaac B. Power.

Mr. Power was born in Kentucky, April 24, 1812, bnt in an early day crossed the plains of Indiana and Illinois to Iowa, where he resided until 1850. After his marriage he lived in Burlington until their removal to the Pacific coast; he was engaged in civil engineering and was considered very proficient in this calling. Joining three other families he and his wife set out on the long and weary journey across the plains and after seven months of travel arrived at the Dalles in September, 1850. They ehaneed to meet some United States Government officers from Vancouver, who hired the new settlers to assist in the erection of some buildings at Van- couver; the party eame down the Columbia river in Government bateaux to Vancouver, where the men were employed during the winter. In the spring Mr. Power removed with his family to the Willamette valley, where he left his wife and children and went to the Rogue river mines; there he spent the summer, and in the fall moved to Bush prairie, where he resided until 1853. Ile was engaged in farming, lum- bering and making shingles. His next journey was made upon a raft and skiff of his own eon- struction. With his family he set sail for Whidby island, and arriving there took a do- nation claim of 640 aeres on the west side of l'enn's Cove; one night they camped near the present site of Seattle, when one log cabin was the only evidence of civilization. This was oe- eupied by Dr. C. H. Maynard; Government troops were encamped on the present site of Port Townsend.

During the first few years of his residence there Mr. Power was engaged in the great in- dustry of lumbering, and also began to place his land under cultivation; it was not long before he bad those portions best adapted to grazing well stocked with excellent grades of cattle, and the balance was yielding abundant havests of grain. He was one of the first County Commis- sioners and held the office until his death, which ocenrred April 30, 1859. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, No. 1, of Olympia, and as- sisted in its organization.

Mr. and Mrs. Power had six children : Joseph C., Josephine, Isaac N. (a physician of Ellens- burg, Washington), Maria A., IIenry C. and Martha S. With the exception of the two elder the children were born and reared upon the old donation claim.

Henry C. Power was born April 10, 1857, on Whidby island, and there grew to maturity.

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He was married April 3, 1889, to Fidelia New- berry, a native of Michigan, born in 1862; she survived but eleven months after her marriage, and died leaving twin children, Margaret and Marion, who have been tenderly cared for by their grandmother and annt. Henry C. Power is his mother's able assistant, giving her the support and comfort of a dutiful and capable son.

J OHN M. IZETT, of Oak Harbor, Island county, Washington, was born December 5, 1831, being a native of Limekilns, Fifeshire, Scotland, and the son of George and Harriet (May) Izett, who also were natives of the land of Brnce and Burns. George Izett was born in 1797, and she who became his wife was born in 1799. They lived the most of their life. time in Fifeshire, but removed to Granton, within five miles of Edinburgh, while our sub. ject was in this country. To them eleven chil- dren were born, and all lived to maturity. Six of the number are still living in Scotland, Jolin M. being the only one of the family in America. When he attained the age of thirteen years he commeneed an apprenticeship as ship carpenter, under the direction of his father, who was a master mechanic and foreman ship builder, and in the employ of one firm in Scotland for a pe- riod of twenty-five years. John M. worked for this firm until he was eighteen years of age, and then shipped as carpenter on the Orbona, bound for India. For abont twenty months he crnised about the Indian ocean, the boat putting in at various mainland and island ports. After an absence of two years he returned to London, England, and in January, 1852, he again went to sea as carpenter on the bark Moulton. After being out for five months, he landed in San Francisco, in 1852. Here he left the ship and for two years followed his trade in California.

In 1854 he came to Puget Sound and engaged as foreman in getting out piles, square timbers and spars for the firm of Thompson, Campbell & Grennan, of Utsaladdy. However, prior to this, he had started for the firm mentioned a logging camp where Utsaladdy now stands, and another on the long point of Whidby island, the former being the first camp on Camano island. The firm underwent a change in mem- bership in 1855, the title becoming Grennan & Cranney. They contracted with French govern-

ment officials to get out spars for vessels, the same being eight- square and ready for finishing. Mr. Izett was placed in charge of this work, being first required, however, to pass an exami- nation as spar inspector, said examination being conducted before the government officials sta- tioned at San Francisco.

He was thus employed until 1857, when he went to San Francisco with L. Grennan, who purchased expensive machinery for the Utsa- laddy mills. In coming up with the machinery; on board the steamship Constitution (IFunt & Scranton owners and mail contractors), the ves- sel sprung a leak, and in order to save the pas- sengers, all the cargo, including Mr. Izett's stock of goods and Grennan & Cranney's ma- chinery, was thrown overboard. The pumps finally refused to work and Mr. Izett manu- factured one from an eight-inch copper. This provision kept the vessel afloat. The unfortunate trip left Mr. Izett with no financial resources, as he had invested his entire capital in this venture in dry goods. He had arranged to transfer the stock to Shroder Suttler, of the post at Port Townsend, for a consideration representing nearly double the amount invested. Ile held no insurance indemity on the stock, which entailed an entire loss of the property. After arriving in the port the vessel was repaired and came to the Sound in charge of Captain Hunt and the well-known John Scranton as purser, carrying the mail from Olympia to Victoria. There were on board, including passengers and crew, eighty individuals. Of this entire number there sur- vive, so far as Mr. Izett is able to learn, only two, the second being Dr. N. D. Hill, of Port Townsend.

Mr. Izett took an express contract and went to Portland, Oregon. His return trip was made overland and by canoes along the inland water- courses. He rode from Monticello to Olympia, thence to Steilacoom in canoes, and then hired Indians to bring him to Seattle, and thenee to Skagit Head, on Whidby island. Here he met friends, John Gould and Mr. Hall, from Tulalip, who had been driven from their homes by the Puyallup Indians. He remained in this place until the trouble with the Indians had abated, and then went to Penn's Cove. On this journey, which represented his first and only experience as express carrier, he carried $5,200 in gold coin for C. C. Ferry; $2,500 for Yesler and Dr. Will- iamson, of Seattle; $1,500 for Lonison & Co., of Olympia, and $1,200 for Mr. Cranney, to whom

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referenee has hitherto been inade. Ile secured a contraet and joined with Grennan & Cranney in loading the bark Palmetto with spars, which were thus transported to China.

In 1859, Mr. Izett modeled a miniature ves- sel (which model he still retains) and built a sixty-four-ton register schooner, known as the Growler, for Captain Ed. Barrington ; also spar- red the schooner Leah, for Captain John Rob- ertson, and assisted in ship-building for a number of years. In the meanwhile he had retained possession of his farm on Whidby island, near Crescent Harbor, and, in 1857, he took up his residence there. He laid out two steamers for the Columbia river trade, finished one, the Cas- cade, complete. The boat has been re-christened and is now known as the Dixie Thompson. The other vessel was framed and carried to Portland on the Cascade, and was put together there. He also contracted for and eaulked the steamer J. B. Libbey, and sparred the schooner Alaska, and did the work on several other boats, in the line of sparring, eaulking and putting in pumps. He finally resigned his work at ship-building and devoted his time to his farm until 1873, when, just after completing his harvest he had the misfortune of having his barn and granary, with all of his grain and hay (a two-years crop), and all his tools and machinery, totally destroyed by fire. He then left a man in charge at the farm, where his wife and family also remained, and accepted a position as Government Customs In- spector, to succeed A. B. Young, of San Juan island, just after it had been acquired from the British.

He retained this position for a short time and was then given charge of the sloop Messenger, and acted as cruising Inspector, doing cutter duty about the Sound untif 1876, when he re- signed and once more returned to his farm home, devoting himself to agricultural pursuits until 1879, when he was offered and accepted his old position on San Juan island, as Inspector, with inereased salary. In 1882 he was made Deputy Collector and opened the sub-port of entry at Friday Harbor; the office was eventually moved to Roche Harbor, on San Juan, the original selection made by Congress. He held this po- sition until the 1st of March, 1887, when he again resigned and returned to his home and commeneed farming, on an extensive scale, with his second son, W. F. Izett. In addition to his own farm of 160 acres, they have rented two others, Jolın Gonld's farm of 320 acres, and has

at the present time the largest grain and stoek farm on the island. They have a number of imported cattle, sheep and hogs, and take great pride in raising fine trotting horses. They have the only dairy on the island, have their own separator and other improved equipments, and eondnet the flourishing enterprise under the firm name of John M. Izett & Son, the dairy being designated as the Crescent Creamery of Island County.

Mr. Izett has served as County Commissioner for one term of three years, and as Justice of the Peace for many years, and a Notary Public ten years. He is a member of of Mount Baker Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Port Townsend; a charter member of Glenwood Lodge, No. 27, I. O. O. F., of Coupeville, being Past Grand Master. Ile is also a member of the Pioneer Association.

Mr. Izett was married July 4, 1858, on Whidby Island, to Nancy M. Findley, born January 22, 1837, in Henderson county, Illi- nois, daughter of David Finley, who was born in 1807 and died in 1880. Her mother, whose maiden name was Jane Ritchie, is a native of Indiana, where she was born in 1813. Mr. and Mrs. Findley were married in Illinois in 1830, and, in 1847, crossed the plains to Oregon and located on a elaim five miles from Oregon City, where they lived until the death of Mr. Findley. The mother then sold the farm and now resides with her daughter, Mrs. Izett. Althongh well advanced in years, Mrs. Findley is still quite aetive, and has made several trips to Oregon and California within the past few years. She and her husband were with Dr. Whitman the day previous to his massacre. Her parents were James and Elizabeth (Macon) Ritchie, the for- mer being born in 1790, and the latter in 1793. They were married in Pennsylvania, in 1821, and removed to Indiana, and in .1829 to Illinois, where they died.

Mr. and Mrs. Izett had five children : Jean E. Izett died at the age of twenty-one years; George M. is married and a resident of Seattle; William F .; Henrietta and James are at home on the farm.

H ON. ROBERT F. STURDEVANT, one of the prominent and progressive citizens of Dayton, Columbia county, is especially worthy of mention in this work. He was born in Warren county, Pennsylvania, November 18, 1841, his ancestry being trace-

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able back to Peter Sturdevant, of New Am- sterdam, now the city of New York. The maternal ancestors of our subject were also of old, influential New England stock. James W. Sturdevant, the father of the subject of this sketch, is also a native of Pennsylvania, and is still living. in the enjoyment of good health. The Judge's mother, nee Mary A. French, was a native of Vermont and is now deceased. Her grandfather French was a patriot soldier during the Revolutionary war and participated in the battle of Bunker Hill. James W. Sturdevant, in emigrating westward, first settled in Jeffer- son county, lowa, in 1843; in 1854 he removed to Clarke county, Wisconsin.

Judge Sturdevant, the eldest of the five ehil- dren in his father's family, was reared to farm life until he was eighteen years of age, when he began his professional studies. October 7, 1861, he enlisted in Company I, Fourteenth Wiscon- sin Infantry, and served four years and two days, during which time he was promoted to the rank of Color Sergeant. Ile passed safely through many of the noted engagements of the war; as Shiloh, Corinth, Inka, Tupelo, etc.

At the close of the war he returned to Wis- consin and completed his professional studies in the office of his maternal uncle, B. F. French, an eminent practitioner of Neillsville, and was admitted to practice at the bar in 1868. He continued his praetice in Wisconsin until 1873, when he removed to Columbia county, Wash- ington. Here he became the first Probate Judge of the county. He was elected Prose- enting Attorney for the First Judicial District in 1878, and served two years, when he resumed private practice until 1884, and was then again elected Prosecuting Attorney. The district comprised Columbia, Garfield and Asotin con- ties. In 1889 he was a member of the Consti- tutional Convention preparing for the admission of Washington as a State in the Union. In 1889 he was elected Superior Judge, and re- elected in the antumn of 1892.

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 99

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