USA > Washington > History of Washington; the rise and progress of an American state, Vol. III > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
50
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
the territory, in taking his census, found Dr. Roundtree and his family living alone at Gray's Harbor, their nearest neighbors, except one single man who had taken a claim on the harbor, being at Shoalwater Bay. When Van Asselt and Maple took their claims in the Duwamish Valley, near Georgetown, a present suburb of Seattle, their nearest neighbors were at Steilacoom, about forty miles away; and when Connell and Porter settled on the little prairies that still bear their names, there were no other settlers much nearer them.
When therefore the wives of the settlers and their children were left alone in their cabins they were alone indeed. But for the occasional visits of the Indians they would not see a single human face but those of their own family for days together, and sometimes for a much longer time. The Indian visits were usually more annoying than alarming. "They never could be taught," says Mrs. Hartman, "to knock before opening the door. They walked in without ceremony and made themselves quite at home, helping themselves to any food they saw, and sometimes taking it off the fire where it was cooking." But they were rarely troublesome in other ways. They made no threatening demonstrations, and committed no depredations, except in petty ways, until the beginning of the war in 1855.
The settlers in Washington, at least after the earliest years, probably found less difficulty in procuring food and clothing than was experienced in the early history of the older States. Game and fish were abundant, and the shellfish partic- ularly were easily obtained. Beef, bacon, dried salmon, flour, such as it was, and potatoes could always be had at Fort Nisqually, and were furnished at not unreasonable prices. If at times the pioneers found their supply of flour
EDWARD HUGGINS.
The last chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company in Washington. He came to the coast in 1850, from England, and was stationed at Fort Nisqually until the company's interests were purchased by the govern- ment and its business removed out of the country. He then took a claim, which included the site and buildings at the fort, where he resided during the remainder of his life.
50
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
2MIODUH GAAWAS
vaisqmo) ved e nowbut ant to motort toinblad dr. Roundtree
fitas VILsupein JOH Is benoitste esw bas basigna
. VitANOS odt to tuo bavomer zasnieud ati DathemenVan Asselt bas stie odt bebuloni doidw mielo s Hoot nodt 9H Valley, near odt grimub bobiest od stodw trot ont is aghibliud .stil aid to Tobnismistir nearest lw away; and Wow mairies that bor unli much
fem and their children Wy were alone indeed. But Imliuns they would not see - of their own family for days * much longer time. The y wore annoying than alarming. mehr," says Mn. Hwronan, "to Leor. They walbei in without lves quite te home, helping saw, and immetimes taking it waking." But they were rarely They made no threatening ported no depredations, except oming of the war in 1855.
, at least after the earliest years, y in procuring food and clothing early history of the older States. dant, and the shellfish partic- Beef, bacon, dried salmon, tatoes could always be had at furnished at not unreasonable - found their supply of flour
51
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
was short, and their pockets empty, they ate boiled wheat with their salmon and venison, and found it very acceptable. The Indians taught them that various roots were fairly good substitutes for potatoes and turnips, when they knew how to cook them, and huckleberries were always abundant until late in December. Clothing was sometimes hard to pro- cure, but buckskin was less generally worn here than in other new States. Shoes were harder to get than almost anything else in the way of wearing apparel, and it was harder to get the material to make them from. They were often made, and almost always mended, at the family fireside. Sometimes they were mere shoepacks-a piece of rawhide folded over the foot and tied with a thong about the ankle, with an extra piece stitched on the part that came under the foot for a sole; but they were roomy and comfortable. Neither the tailor's, the dressmaker's nor the shoemaker's bills were large in these early times, nor were those of the doctor.
Mr. Edward Huggins, who was first a clerk, and then Dr. Tolmie's successor as chief factor or manager of affairs at Fort Nisqually, has left a manuscript in which he expresses the belief that the winters were colder in the '50's than in later years. There were no thermometers at Fort Nis- qually in those days, and no record of the temperature was taken or kept, although the weather conditions were always carefully noted in the daily journal kept there. "I well recollect the winters we experienced in the '50's and '60's," Mr. Huggins says. "I had in my charge bands of cattle, horses, and sheep, belonging to the Puget Sound Agricul- tural Company, especially in the '50's. The winters were invariably very cold. The creeks and lakes were nearly always frozen over, so that we had to break the ice to get water for the stock. From 1855 to 1860 I lived at Muck
52
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
House, on Muck Creek, and I recollect that every winter during that period Muck Creek was frozen so hard that heavily loaded wagons crossed it in safety on the ice. This ice would remain for several days. The winter of 1857, I think it was, was particularly severe, and the cold con- tinued for some time. Snow was on the ground before the extreme cold began, and we lost a whole drove of hogs that were running wild in the woods, and that were frozen or smothered in the snow. Old Fort Lake, as it is called, a small shallow pond not far from Fort Nisqually, had ice on it from seven to ten inches thick."* Ice would hardly be formed unless the temperature fell below zero and continued at or about that point for some time, and zero weather has not been seen in the Sound country for many years past.
Such weather would require heavier clothing than is now usually worn, and those who could not procure it would suffer greatly. Doubtless many did suffer.
Eastern Washington, where the winters are usually colder than in the western part, had but few settlers until after 1860. After the Whitman massacre all the protestant mis- sionaries, and all the Americans who were with them left it, and some of them never returned. Those who did return went back only after the lapse of several years. Rev. Cushing Eells, the most enterprising and devoted of them all, after Whitman's death did not go back until 1860. A few daring goldhunters ventured into it in 1855, when gold was discovered in small quantities near Fort Colvile, but the temper of the Indians was such as to make
* In the fort journal for 1853 there is this entry under date of November 18th: "Weather very cold. Ice formed in our water casks, even in the kitchen where we had a fire all day."
53
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
their explorations very hazardous, and few of them tarried very long. The Indian wars still further delayed settle- ment, and it was not until Col. Wright's victorious cam- paign in 1858, and the issuance of General Harney's order on October 31st of that year, that settlers were permitted to go into it again.
Among the first to take claims east of the Cascades was Merill Short, who has left this account of a winter adven- ture in Klickitat County :
"We removed to Klickitat County before the severe winter of 1861-2, the severest winter that has ever been known in this western country, to white or red man. The ground was covered with snow from one to three feet deep for fifty days, and forty-two days of that time the mercury was 32 degrees below zero. There was a crust of sleet on top of the snow from two to four inches thick. A great many men perished in the snow, although the country was then but sparsely settled. A party of eleven men started from the John Day's River, where the old emigrant road crosses that stream, for the Dalles, all being on foot and the snow nearly three feet deep. It was thirty-nine miles to the nearest house, or place of refuge. Nine out of the eleven died-four died on the way, and five after reaching their destination. Some of them had both hands and feet amputated. My brother-in-law, M. L. Alphin, had a brother in the company, Marion Alphin, who died in the snow in a canyon near the John Day's River. My brother-in-law lived at the Dalles, twenty-two miles from Columbus, which was near my place. He started to look for his brother, and reached my house, but the weather being so bitterly cold and the snow so deep he could go no further.
54
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
"He insisted on my going back with him, and as my wood was nearly gone, and my flour was fast disap- pearing, and the weather still getting colder, I determined to do so. I had one horse that had got along pretty well, considering the scarcity of food and the terrible weather, so we made ready to start on our perilous journey. We had then but one child, aged 22 months. We breakfasted before day-light, and put my wife and child on the horse, and strapped as many blankets around them as they could manage, and started for the Dalles. The snow being deep and the trail bad, we traveled very slow. We had a hard day's journey, and when night came upon us we had not made over twelve miles of the twenty-two, but had to stop. We had reached an old shack, one end of which had been torn away, but poor as it was it was undoubtedly the means of keeping us alive; for we surely should have perished had we not found shelter of some kind, and wood to make a fire. We soon had a roaring fire, which we made from the floor of the building. We wrapped my wife and the child in the blankets and they managed to get a little sleep. My brother-in-law and myself stayed up all night keeping the fire going. That night was one of the coldest of all that winter, and the coldest, I think, ever known in Washington. Early the next morning we resumed our journey and traveled hard all day, and reached the Dalles late that evening, having eaten nothing since our early breakfast before starting out from our home. I had no overcoat, and my brother-in-law wore only as an extra wrap a sort of cloak, and that he used to wrap the child in before the journey was completed."*
* June 15, 1893.
55
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
It is well to recall, thus particularly, how the early pioneers lived in this, and in other States. What they endured and what they accomplished furnishes an ample answer to all the complaints of those who are dissatisfied with the world as they now find it, whether they be pessimists or anarchists. They opened and leveled the way that others might walk in it, or ride over it in luxury; they subdued the forests and replaced them with fruitful fields, and others are reaping bountifully of their sowing; they enlarged the borders of their country to its natural boundary, the ocean, and made possible a future that even we of this prosperous age can as yet see but dimly. Of the fruits of their labors, they themselves tasted but sparingly. As Moses saw the promised land from the top of Pisgah, which is over against Jericho, so they perhaps saw, though dimly, something of the mighty changes they were helping to produce, and of the amazing future that was but so little in advance of them, though with the vision was the same stern mandate for them, as for him, "Thou shalt not go over thither." They rest from their labors, but the work they did is only beginning to show its greatest results. Their work is done forever. The last fruitful corner of the earth has been explored. The pioneer has carried civilization across a continent. There are no more worlds for him to conquer. We who eat of his vine and fig tree; who enjoy the comfortable homes that were. denied him, though he made them possible; who are in daily, almost hourly touch with all the world, through the railroads and the telegraph-whose shelves are filled with choice books, and whose tables are always loaded with plenty, while he was shut out from all the world and often hungry, will do well to turn back the page of time and look in upon his floorless cabin, with its naked walls and scanty
56
RISE AND PROGRESS OF AN AMERICAN STATE
furniture, and view what he did and suffered, while he builded more wisely than he knew. It will help us to remem- ber that we have not ourselves created all the good things we enjoy, and that if we are occasionally denied some luxury we would like to have, we have perhaps already got as much as really belongs to us.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
GOVERNMENT GETS STARTED.
I N NEW and widely scattered communities, such as the settlers in Washington had now established, the complex machinery of government is built up and put in operation very slowly, even where the people realize that they are themselves the sole source of authority. Their habits are simple and their occupations few. Each is so busy with his own affairs, that he has no time to meddle with those of his neighbors. Their business engagements with each other have few details, and these are easily and clearly understood. Legal forms and written contracts are but rarely needed. Each transaction is begun and closed at a single conference, and there is little opportunity for misunderstandings to occur. As no one has acquired title to real property, no transfer can be made and there are no public records to keep. There are no paupers to feed and few criminals to punish. Matters of personal trespass and similar grievances are adjusted by the parties themselves, by wager of battle, as in ancient times; though without sword or spear, a black eye or a bloody nose being the severest penalty inflicted, and quite as often on the wronged party as the other. But the result, whatever it be, is accepted and matters proceed as usual. The peace and dignity of the community are not disturbed or greatly shocked. There is need for roads, for schools and for all the other con- veniences and advantages that organized government provides, but all realize that these must be waited for with patience until there are more to help provide them. So clearly did all this appear that it is doubtful if the little settlement at the head of Budd's Inlet ever felt any really urgent need for constituted authority until Daniel F. Kinsey and Ruth Brock began to seek a way to get married.
60
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
In 1845, when Simmons and his party arrived on the Sound, all of Oregon lying north and west of the Columbia River was known as the Vancouver district. It had been created in the year they arrived, after the Hudson's Bay authorities had concluded to give their countenance to the provisional government, and unite with it to establish order; but it was not organized until the year following. In all the vast region, extending as far north, it was claimed, as fifty-four degrees and forty minutes, the authority of the Hudson's Bay people was still as absolute as it ever had been. By the new order of things the governing power was vested in three commissioners who had the power of judges, and a sheriff. These officers were all appointed by the pro- visional government, which designated James Douglass, M. J. Simmons and Charles Forrest* as the judges, and John R. Jackson as sheriff. Douglass was to serve for three years, Simmons for two, and Forrest for one. By a later act, of December in the same year, the judge holding for three years was made the presiding officer of the district court.
Before these officers could have qualified, or at least before they could have proceeded very far with the work they had to do, the provisional legislature, by the act of December 19, 1845, created Lewis County out of all that territory lying north of the Columbia and west of the Cowlitz, up to fifty-four degrees and forty minutes north, and by a resolution, adopted about the same time, provided that the electors therein should choose the same officers as other counties were entitled to, except that the sheriff of the Vancouver district should assess and collect the revenue in Lewis County as well as in Vancouver for the year 1846.
* Forrest was superintendent of the H. B. Co.'s farm on the Cowlitz.
61
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
This it is presumed it was not very difficult to do, since most of the taxable property was owned by the Hudson's Bay and Puget Sound Agricultural companies. Sheriff Jack- son's report shows that there had been grown in the two counties that year 9,250 bushels of oats, 4,475 bushels of peas, and 5,760 bushels of potatoes. Five years earlier Sir George Simpson, after visiting the coast, reported to the main office of his Company in London, that there had been grown that year (1841) on the Company's farms on the Cowlitz and at Nisqually, "eight or nine thousand bushels of wheat, four thousand of oats, with a due pro- portion of barley and potatoes." It therefore appears that Sheriff Jackson did not find much more, if indeed he found as much, farm produce to report for taxation in 1846, as Sir George found in 1841. It would also seem that Judge Michael T. Simmons was not a judge in the county in which he lived and assumed to exercise judicial functions, when he joined Ruth Brock in marriage with Daniel F. Kinsey. But as no one has ever yet raised the question of his juris- diction in the matter, it is probably of no consequence.
The electors of the new county failed to choose judges at the election held in 1846, but for what reason is not known. Dugald McTavish, Richard Covington and Richard Lane, all Hudson's Bay Company men, were appointed for Van- couver, but, at the session of the provisional legislature held that year, a new law was enacted providing that judges, or justices, should be elected by the people for a term of two years. Under this law Richard Lane, R. R. Thompson, and John White, one of whom was a Hudson's Bay man, and the other two Americans, were elected for Vancouver, and Jacob Wooley, S. B. Crockett and John R. Jackson were chosen for Lewis County. In Vancouver County William
62
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
Bryan was elected sheriff, assessor and collector, Adolphus Lee Lewis treasurer, and R. Covington county clerk. In Lewis County R. Brock was chosen sheriff, assessor and collector, James Birnie treasurer, and Alonzo N. Poe clerk.
More interest seems to have been taken, by the people of the Hudson's Bay Company at least, in the choice of representatives in the legislature, than in all the rest of the ticket. There is in the files of the Puget Sound Agricultural Company a letter written by Peter Skeen Ogden and James Douglas to Dr. Tolmie, which shows how keen their interest was in that part of the ticket, and also that they were well aware of the advantages of their position, and had attended to all the details of the campaign with the skill of practised politicians. The election was held early in June, as it is today in Oregon, and this letter was dated May 22d. In it they say that they have just learned from Mr. Jackson, the sheriff, that the doctor had been over to New Market, where he had announced his intention to become a candidate for the legislature, and that this was to them "a most satis- factory piece of intelligence." "We are informed," they say, "that all the Americans of New Market are disposed to give their suffrages in favor of Mr. Jackson, whom we firmly believe a good worthy man, and were it not for other considerations, we should have no objections to their choice. But you know it would not be proper or appear right to the world, that we, who possess a prevailing influence, and hold so large a share of the property of the county, should allow a fragment of the population to represent and legislate for the interest of the whole.
"The election is to take place on Monday the first day of June, and the polls to be opened by the judges of election,
63
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
at the several precincts, as stated in the letter of the Clerk of Court, which Mr. Jackson will forward; say, one at Mr. Forrest's house, Cowlitz, one at Mr. Simmon's house, New Market, and one at Mr. Tolmie's house, Nisqually. The poll is merely a register of the voters' names, to be kept by the Judge of Election, to which office I have appointed Mr. Heath of your precinct.
"The poll-book should be returned to this place under seal, as pointed out in the 'Election Notice' on the fourth page of the 7th number of the Oregon Spectator herewith.
"The number of qualified voters at Nisqually is 16, as per statement herewith. Besides their votes for the return of a member of the legislature, you will also submit the pro- posed amendment in the land law; and take the sense of the people as to the manner of electing Judges of County Courts, whether by the people or by the House of Repre- sentatives. On the first point, we intend to oppose the amendment of the land law, as it is, in all circumstances, dangerous to tamper with and make inroads on funda- mental institutions, and more so in a new country, where things have not assumed a settled form, nor had time to take hold on the affections of the people. The law in its present state is certainly not perfect, neither is the amend- ment calculated to improve it.
"On the second point, the sense of this county is decidedly in favour of the Judges being elected by the people, in their several counties. These things we mention for your infor- mation, trusting that the feeling in your county will be found akin to that of ours.
"We think that a majority of the suffrages of the people at the Cowlitz will be given in your favor, as we intend to lend you all our influence."
64
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
As the result of this election Dr. Tolmie was chosen for Lewis County and Henry N. Peers, another Hudson's Bay man, for Vancouver. At the election in the following year Simon Plomondon was chosen for Lewis County and Peers was reelected. A general territorial election was held this year in which Lewis County became a center of special interest, for its vote determined the reëlection of Governor Abernethy. The returns from it were the last to be received, and were awaited for a considerable time with great interest. The other counties had given Governor Abernethy 477, and General Lovejoy 518. But Lewis County gave Aber- nethy 61, and Lovejoy 2.
In 1848 Levi Lathrop Smith, who was Sylvester's partner, was chosen to represent Lewis County, and Antonio B. Rabbeson was elected sheriff. A Lee Lewis was chosen representative from Vancouver. But Smith died before the legislature assembled, and the county was not represented in this the last legislature under the provisional government. But little was accomplished or attempted at that session. Public attention was absorbed in the news from the Cali- fornia gold fields, and so many people had gone or were going thither, that the legislature was left without a quorum, for a time. A special election was called to fill the places of those who had resigned, and an adjournment was had until the first Monday in February 1849. On that day the legislators reappeared at the capital city, but only for a brief session. In his message Governor Abernethy announced that the law establishing a territorial govern- ment for Oregon had passed Congress and been approved by the president. The new territorial officers had been appointed, and were now on the way west to assume the government. There was little left for the provisional
EDMUND SYLVESTER
One of the two earliest settlers on the townsite of Olympia, of which he subsequently became the pro- prietor. He laid out the town and gave it its name. He also donated ten acres of his claim to the territory as a site for its capitol.
64
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
the result of this Ele non ? Tilmie was chosen for Lovis ofy Sus stood thisupsadne on notawothersibludson's Bay war hammer this basemot add to binh the following year ewis. County and Peers Iotiqso ¿fr To1 9112 -6 26
Erd owo il elechon was held this P & Till leme Come Summe « center of special .... . . do the renn of Governor HasThe ts them ifi were the last to be received, - btn what interest. The salir ciones Aol o Goverour Abernethy 477,
No Lem County gave Aber-
nethy 01 on L
6. whu wa Sylvester's partner, Commy, and Antonio B. A Lee Lewis was chosen But smith died before
Rabbesm . le- L
the love Account was not represented the provaional government. attempted at that session. Pub --- in the news from the Cali- forni près bóng trở people had gone or were going this: đại đơn for - nme Aopel was left without a quorum, called to fill the places an adjsurument was had md de- Moty ty ty On that day --- Tayin only for --- - w Abernethy - -- a trial govern- yes had jarse Congrou and been approved The mes oorial officers had been MYE now on the way west to assume the Who was lith lot for the provisional
65
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
legislature to do but to adjust the expenses of the Cayuse war, now nearly at an end, and these expenses, he felt sure, the government would assume and pay. They would also be expected to pass upon the amendments to the organic law which had been sanctioned by the people. To these they gave some hasty attention but accom- plished no result, as Governor Abernethy vetoed their action, giving as his reason that the United States laws would soon be in force and would regulate the matters referred to. The provisional legislature then adjourned forever.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.