USA > Washington > Thurston County > Early history of Thurston County, Washington : together with biographies and reminiscences of those identified with pioneer days > Part 19
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"I am asked if we had happy times around the camp fire at night. I answer 'no.' We were too tired and worn after the day's weary march. What we wanted was sleep.
"One day we saw a man sitting alone besides the trail. He gave the Masonic sign of distress, and Mr. Bonsell at once invited him to join our party. His name was O'Hare, but we never knew the reason of his being left besides the roadside.
"Another friend I made on this trip was Wm. Sherwood. disinherited son of a rich Englishman, who had chosen a fron- tier life in preference to one of luxury in England. He was very musical and taught me 'The Mistletoe Bough,' and 'Bon- nie Sweet Bessie.' At this time I had a little trouble with Mr. Bonsell and left his employ, although later, when we were all in Olympia, Mrs. Bonsell treated me like a son. I then
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secured a position of driver of one of Uncle Johnnie Slocum's wagons, a position which suited me exactly, for I was assigned to drive the wagon in which rode that charming girl. Miss Nancy Slocum, and her young cousin, Ruby Slocum.
"A gruesome sight, when we reached Fort Laramie, was an Indian grave yard. At a distance they looked like scaffolds, while on the ground white buffalo skulls were arranged in a circle, whether as a decoration or some mystic sign, I never knew.
"We were now in the country of the hostile Indian and ie men had to keep watch with great vigilance. We were fortunate in not losing a single member of our party by death during the long journey. but we passed by many freshly-made graves, the sight of which was very depressing to our tired little band.
"Although the scenery became very beautiful, I felt as if I enjoyed a good slice of corn bread and bacon more than all the beauties around us.
"Uncle Johnnie Slocum proved to be a hard task master and one morning he most unjustly attacked me with an ox yoke. I drew a knife to defend myself. Of course, he dis- charged me on the spot, but sold me supplies enough to last me the rest of the trip. I paid him well for them, however.
"My supplies were piled out beside the road, and the train moved on, leaving me sitting alone beside the Oregon trail, but another party came along and picked me up the same day.
"When near Fort Hall we had our first experience with Indians stampeding our cattle. It was one of their favorite tricks to give the emigrants a big scare. They came down the hillside with painted faces, feathers flying, and uttering most terrible war whoops while pounding on their skin drums. Our cattle ran away, scattering people and baggage in all directions. Fortunately no one was hurt, but some of the wagons were broken, so we had to go back to the fort to pick up scraps of iron to mend them with.
"Mr. Landers, one of our party, now became very ill and we had to drive very slowly. Our cattle were almost starving and when we reached Salmon Falls, on Snake River. we were obliged to make the most dangerous crossing on the trip, so
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we could reach the grassy meadows, which we could see in the distance.
"Fort Boise was another historie spot. It was built in 1834, but the only object of interest I can recall was the thous- ands of jack rabbits running about in every direction.
"As we descended the Blue Mountains, the view was sur- passingly grand. Before us lay the great valley of the Co- lumbia, ninety miles away rose the lofty ranges of the Cas- cade Mountains, with the towering peaks of Mt. Hood, Mt Rainier and Mt. Adams, which have become so familiar to me during my sixty years of life in the Northwest. At The Dalles I secured employment on a large rowboat, which was carrying passengers to the Cascades. I made several trips up and down the Columbia River and then, having some money. decided to go on to Portland. So I joined a party of young men who were to drive their fathers' cattle to that settlement. One of the youngsters was Brad Davis' brother. On this trip I became so desperately ill that I was obliged to lie down by the roadside and let the rest go on.
"An Indian came riding by on a pony and I offered him every cent I possessed if he would sell the pony, but not till I had added every article of clothing I could spare from my person did he consent to the bargain. I rode the pony into Vancouver, and there the horse was claimed by a man. who said it had been stolen from him. By the laws of Oregon I had to give the horse up and was to receive one-half the cost of the animal. The man promised to pay, but to this good day is still owing me that money.
"I determined not to go into Portland dressed in my shabby clothes, so I remained in Vancouver, digging potatoes for $2 a day till I had earned forty big Mexican dollars. I then bought a suit of clothes and went on to Portland.
"The settlement of Portland in '52 was a big mud hole; no sidewalks. few wagon roads, and often one would see a wagon mired to the hub in the sticky mud. I spent two or three days working in the Abrams mill and one of the men employed there was young William Billings, afterwards for many years Sheriff of Thurston County. One day another man and myself were set at work cutting down one of the biggest trees I had ever seen. It was in the middle of one of
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the main streets. I never worked harder in my life, but it. took us the whole day to cut down that tree. We were paid off and discharged that first night.
"In company with Mr. O'Hare and Mr. Sherwood, I then started for Puget Sound. We built a flat-bottomed boat and poled down the Columbia to the Cowlitz River. We stopped at 'Hard Bread's' hotel. It was run by a man who fed his customers hard tack three times a day.
"Reaching Cowlitz Landing, we abandoned our boat and tramped the remaining fifty miles to the Sound. The trail passed near where Chehalis now stands. We were entertained by George Bush, who had squatted on a claim seven miles from Olympia in 1845. He had an abundance of farm produce and was exceedingly generous to all emigrants. We then walked to Tumwater, where an Indian agreed to paddle us to Olympia. where we arrived the winter of 1852.
"I had then completed a journey over the Oregon trail. which was about 2,000 miles, beginning at Gardiner, Kansas, and ending at Olympia, Washington. I had passed through the country now called Kansas. Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, and when I reached the shores of Puget Sound, I felt this country to be the El Dorado of my dreams and I have been contented to live here ever since.
"I do not remember that there was a white woman in Olympia when I first arrived, but there were two living in Newmarket-Tumwater-Mrs. Crosby and Mrs. Simmons. It seemed a forlorn place and I never was so homesick in my life. I went back to Mr. Bush, but he laughed at me and set me to work making some sash and door frames for a new house he was about to build. I stayed with Mr. Bush two or three months. We sometimes rode over to Black Lake to go in swimming. Mr. Bush made me presents of several articles which could not be bought at that time-a whip saw, etc.
"I wanted to get a claim on Bush Prairie. but the good land was all taken. There was plenty of land to be had for the taking around Olympia, but the timber was so thick that I was afraid of it. It did not seem as if a man would live long enough to ever see a garden grow, so I heard of some good prairie land out at Black Lake. I had been much pleased with that lake, it was so picturesque and looked, to me. like the
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shape of a violin nestled down in the green; the slender place in the middle, about sixty rods wide, seemed as beautiful to me as a lady's picture.
"I found a prairie one-half mile long and eighty to 100 rods wide, bordered with oak trees and a little fringe of fir around the lake. A beautiful little trout stream ran across one end of the prairie and into the lake. There were smelt in the creek at the last of the rainy season. Salmon would come up the creek to spawn and often, when I would go down to get a bueket of water, I would knock a salmon on the head with my ax, for my dinner. There were also mountain trout in the stream and the lake was full of white suckers. The Indians would come with a sieve and take a wagon-load of suckers away at a time.
"I selected a site for my eabin and went to Dr. Tolmie's to get my hoe, blankets and frying pan.
"One day I was returning from a trip to the Hudson Bay trading post, near Steilacoom. The trail crossed the Nesqually, near McAllister Creek, and some Indians were living there. They refused to ferry me aeross, although I asked them to do so in English, Chinook and sign languages, and offered them fifty cents, while the usual price was but twenty-five cents, but they paid no attention to me. A young Tyee Indian was lying on the ground. I shook him by the hair of his head and commanded him to ferry me across the river, which he then did. The Indians then went up to McAllister and wanted to know if I was a military officer or big chief, that I had dared to whip their Tyee. They must have been disgusted when McAllister told them that I was only a cultus Boston man.
"I eut out the trail between Bush Prairie and Black Lake and made a scow to ferry people and cattle across the lake from the Olympia trail, for the convenience of settlers who were going to Miami Prairie, Gate City and Grand Mound."
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DR. NATHANIEL OSTRANDER
"He was ever strong for the right," are the words that come most readily to the compiler's pencil when an attempt was made to draw a pen picture of that veteran war horse in the medical profession, Dr. Nathaniel Ostrander.
For many years, while living on his homestead on the Cowlitz River, he was the only doctor to minister to the distress of the people for many miles. His daughters can still re- member their father hurrying out, sometimes in the dead of night, saddling his faithful nag, filling his saddle bags with drugs. medicines, and frequently. surgical instruments. and starting on a trip of perhaps twenty or even fifty miles. in response to a summons for medical aid. Many of the men and women today living in Cowlitz County, with heads white with the hoar of age, were ushered into this world by the genial doctor, whose proud boast it was that no mother died while under his care when professional skill was possible to save the lives of her and her baby. Brusk, sometimes gruff in his manners, all who best knew this grand old man, knew his heart was of pure gold, his moral life beyond reproach and his family relations loving and pure, a staunch friend, loyal to his political and fraternal affiliations. Dr. Ostrander's memory is still fondly cherished by his former friends and he is mourned by his daughters to this late day.
A native of New York, Nathaniel Ostrander grew to man- hood in that state, received his medical education, and in 1836 was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Jane Yantis, of Lexington, Kentucky. After marriage, the Ostranders lived in Saline County, Missouri. but in 1852 decided to join an ox train and came West, as many from their neighborhood were contemplating such a move.
The emigrants suffered even more than the customary hardships and terrors attendant upon the trip at that period. Weeks before the train arrived at The Dalles, black measles
DR. N. OSTRANDER AND FAMILY
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THE NEW YORK PUBLICLIBRARY
ARTER, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.
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broke out among the emigrants and many deaths ensued. The services of the Doctor were in constant demand, and for two or three weeks there was but little rest or sleep for him. When Snake River was reached, in Idaho, one of the Ostrander children, Susan Charlotte, died, and was buried in a lonely grave beside this river. Here, too, Mrs. Ostrander gave birth to a girl baby. At the time of the baby's arrival the mother and her four daughters were deathly sick with the measles and for a time the outcome looked very doubtful.
Arriving at The Dalles, the Ostrander family took boats for the voyage down the Columbia to Portland. Here a short stop was made, but the children were still weak from the ex- periences on the plains, and malaria was so prevalent, that Dr. Ostrander decided to go on up to the Cowlitz country and take up a homestead.
The Doctor and his brave wife at once set to work to carve a home from the wilderness and succeeded so well that within a few years their homestead became the finest and most valu- able in that section. Owing to a native force of character and natural ability, Dr. Ostrander soon became a leader in every enterprise among the pioneers. He was the first Probate Judge of Cowlitz County, having been appointed by Governor I. I. Stevens, soon after the organization of Washington Ter- ritory. 'Always a loyal Democrat, he was elected to the Ter- ritorial Legislature for several terms. Dr. Ostrander was a prominent member of the Odd Fellows, and took a keen in- terest in this fraternal organization to the day of his death. The town and river of Ostrander, in Cowlitz County, are named in honor of the Doctor.
In 1872 the Ostranders decided to remove to Tumwater. Here the doctor opened a drug store in connection with the practise of his profession, and here the family lived for the ensuing fifteen years, the children in the meantime, growing up and receiving their education in the schools of that place.
In 1887 the family selected Olympia as their home, and the Doctor built the large house on the block bounded by Franklin and Adams, Eighth and Ninth streets, which became the Ostrander home the remaining days of Doctor and Mrs. Ostrander.
Mrs. Ostrander was the first to go, passing from this life
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on February 22. 1899, after a well spent life of 68 years. A faithful wife, loving mother, consistent and ardent Christian and true friend, all who knew her realized that a good woman was gone with her passing.
Dr. "Nat," as he was lovingly called by his familiars, joined his wife in the better land on February 7, 1902.
Ten daughters and one son were born to Dr. and Mrs. Ostrander : Priscilla Catherine, now Mrs. Montague, of Forest Grove, Oregon, but whose first husband was James Redpath, and whose son is Dr. N. J. Redpath of Olympia; Mary Anne, now Mrs. Thomas Roe, of Forest Grove, Oregon : Susan Char- lotte, the little girl who died and was buried on the plains; Sarah Teresa, widow of Charles Catlin, a pioneer of Cowlitz County, and whom the town of Catlin is named after. Mrs. Catlin now makes her home in Portland, Oregon. Margaret Jane, now Mrs. M. O'Conner, of Olympia; Maria Evelyn, who later became Mrs. W. W. Work of Olympia. but who died in 1888; Isabella May, afterwards Mrs. E. E. Eastman, of Olym- pia; John Yantis, who became an Alaska capitalist. but who died in Olympia in the Spring of 1914; Florence Eliza, after- wards Mrs. Walter Crosby, of Olympia; Fannie Lee, after- wards Mrs. C. M. Moore, now of Oakland. California. and Minnie Augusta, who died in infancy.
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THE JAMES FAMILY
Samuel James and his wife, Anna Maria, with their family of eight sturdy sons and daughters, were the original settlers on Grand Mound Prairie. Of English birth, the couple came to America with their sons, Samuel, William, Thomas and John R. The first home in the land of their adoption was made in Wisconsin, Mr. and Mrs. James living in that state d'or several years, and here were born to them their daughters, Eliza and Mary, and their sons, Richard Oregon and Allen. While the children were still small and the younger ones but little more than babes, Mr. James became infected with the western fever. The home place was sold and the purchase price devoted to ontfitting for the perilous journey across the plains to the new country of Oregon.
The incidents of that journey cannot be preserved in his- tory, for the father, mother and children who were old enough to remember the experiences, are all gone, but the surviving son, John, who is still hale and clear-minded, relates that there were three yoke of cattle to each wagon and that five months were passed in steady travelling before the promised land was reached.
Milwaukee, Oregon, was the first stopping place of the adventurers. Here Mr. James rented a farm and put in his crops. But this vicinity did not satisfy them and they de- cided that Puget Sound was the land of golden opportunities. so after spending a year at Milwaukee, Mr. and Mrs. James decided to pull stakes and away.
The trip was made in the manner customary in those days, hiring bateaus from the Hudson Bay people, up the Willamette and Cowlitz Rivers to .Cowlitz Landing. The cattle were driven along the Indian trail paralleling the river. by the three brothers, Samuel, William and Thomas. When the Cowlitz Landing was reached, the wagons were unloaded
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from the bateaus, fitted up and loaded with the furnishings and equipment of the James family.
Arriving at Grand Mound in 1852, Mr. James took up a donation claim of 320 acres on the Chehalis River, built a cabin home and started to improve what afterwards became one of the finest farms in Thurston County. The prairie land was broken up and put in grain fields. Mr. James was a very progressive pioneer and among his first work was starting a ten-acre orchard, the little trees for the planting being brought with almost incredible difficulties from Oregon. The land was rich and the farm prospered almost from the be- ginning. As there were no other settlers on the prairie for a while, Mr. James had the run of the fine ranges for his cattle and later a band of sheep, which he possessed. Soon after locating, he bought a small band of forty sheep from James McAllister, the Nesqually pioneer. This flock increased to a band of 500 head and was a source of considerable profit to the James family.
It was a good three days' journey from the Grand Mound ranch and return, to Tumwater, with the wagons heavily loaded with grain to be ground into flour. This town and the little settlement which had sprung up on the Sound, called Smithfield-now Olympia. was the nearest market.
Mr. John James, the only surviving son out of the stalwart band, relates some very interesting experiences of the family in the troublesome time preceding the Indian war, one of the incidents, which is here given, showing that the natives were sometimes responsive to humane treatment.
"It was in berry picking time in the Summer of 1853," said Mr. James, "and a considerable band of Indians went into camp near our place, to gather their annual supply of the wild berries which grew in great profusion in the vicinity. Scon after their arrival the chief of the band, several members of his family, and a number of the tribe, were taken down with small pox-the scourge of the frontier in those days. Now it so happened that father, mother and one of my brothers were Immune, owing to their having recovered from the dread dis- ease at an earlier period. Besides being one of the most pro- gressive men, father was also one of the kindest hearted I ever knew. Consequently he, with the assistance of mother
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and brother Thomas, nursed the sick Indians, administering the simple remedies which he had knowledge of, and. undoubt- edly saved the lives of many.
"When the disease had run its course and all were well again, the chief and head men called upon father and entered into a solemn treaty with him that all claims to the section of land on which was the James homestead were forever re- linquished by the Indians, and should remain in the undis- turbed possession of the family for all time, as far as the In- dians were concerned. The chief further made a treaty of good will that Mr. James and his family would ever be pro- tected by the Indians in the event of trouble arising between them and the settlers, who by this time had begun to arrive in considerable numbers.
"This good-will treaty was all that prevented Grand Mound Prairie from being selected as an Indian reservation a few years later, when Governor Stevens made the allot- ments of territory to the natives, instead of Black River."
In the Fall of 1853 a goodly number of emigrants came into the country, having arrived over the terrible Natchez Pass. With cattle worn out, supplies exhausted, and men and women fatigued to the limit of human endurance, the fine ranges, bountiful supply of wood, land easily put under cul- tivation, springs of delicious water, the prospect was alluring, so they decided to settle on Grand Mound, and from that time on there was no lack of good neighbors for the pioneer family.
Among the early settlers of Mr. John James was: B. F. Yantis and family; Alexander Yantis and family; James and Charles Biles; J. W. Goodell and large family ; Holden Judson. Josephine Axtel. Patterson Luark. Abraham Tilley. Arthur Sergeant and sons, while on Miami Prairie early settlers were : The Bryans, with their sons and daughters, Esther, Mary. Preston and Edgar; Camby brothers, four in number: John Laws; the Waddells, with their children, Robert and Susan : the Dodge family, consisting of father and mother and children Robert, Bruce, Marion and Samuel. Other pioneers of the neighborhood were Lawton Case, Wm. Mills and family, Henry
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Hale and family, Paron Quinn, Elijah Baker and wife, Olive, with their boys, James and William; Jacob Croll, S. H. French, Andrew McCormack and family; L. D. Durgan and wife; Augustus Gangloff, Thomas and William Cooper. Robert Barge, and the Northcraft brothers.
The most of these people made their headquarters for over a year at Fort Henness, during the troublous Indian outbreak.
James Biles built the first tannery on Scatter Creek, north of the Columbia River. L. D. Durgan and A. Gangloff started the first fruit nursery; John Guynnup, a Mexican war veteran, started the first brick kiln at Grand Mound, and in 1853 a Mr. Armstrong built the first sawmill on the Chehalis River, locating a little below the present town of Oakville.
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ALBERT A. PHILLIPS
In presenting a brief sketch of the late Albert A. Phillips, it becomes a duty, as well as a pleasure, to give prominence to the well known reputation he enjoyed for absolute business integrity. After having been President for twenty years of the First National Bank, and upon the failure of that institu- tion being appointed receiver, with the universal consent of the stockholders, is in itself an eloquent testimonial of the confidence in and regard for Mr. Phillips by his business associates.
Albert A. Phillips was born in a small town in Ohio, in 1839, and graduated from the high school of Sandusky, when eighteen years of age. Ile then taught school for a few years, but at the age of 21 bade farewell to his boyhood friends and home and started West over the old Oregon Trail.
An elder brother, E. C. Phillips, had preceded him, and was located on Whidby Island, where he was conducting a general merchandise store. The young man clerked in this store for a year and then, hearing of rich strikes in the Idaho gold fields, decided to try his fortuno there. Here he was unusually successful, and soon made a considerable stake from dealing in mining properties. Investing his modest fortune in Boise City, Idaho, he was, within a few months. completely stranded by a fire which destroyed the buildings in which he had invested. He then returned to Whidby Island. but came later to Olympia, where he was enrolling clerk with the first session of the territorial legislature. Liking the capital of the new Territory, Mr. Phillips decided to locate here, his first employment after the session being that of clerk in Capt. Percival's store.
Within a few years he was elected Auditor and Recorder of Thurston County, and enjoyed the distinction of being re-elected for seven consecutive two-year terms.
The first State bank in the Territory was founded by
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the late George A. Barnes, and when Mr. Phillips was finally succeeded as a county officer, in company with Judge Hoyt. this bank was purchased. The venture was so successful that the partners. Phillips & Hoyt, started the First National Bank and Phillips was elected President, continuing in this position until, owing to the deflation of real estate values. the bank was forced to close its doors. Mr. Phillips was then appointed receiver, and how judiciously and wisely he closed up the af- fairs of the institution, and how satisfied were the investors and depositors, is a matter of financial history.
Mr. Phillips was elected Mayor of the City of Olympia on the Republican ticket, was at one time a trustee of the Asylum for the Insane at Steilacoom, and was appointed a regent of the State University by Governor Ferry. After closing up the affairs of the First National, he was elected County Treasurer for two terms and was then appointed Assistant State Bank Examiner by Governor Meade, which position he was filling at the time of his death, on August 15, 1910.
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