USA > Washington > Asotin County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 50
USA > Washington > Columbia County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 50
USA > Washington > Garfield County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 50
USA > Washington > Walla Walla County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 50
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In 1857 an Indian reservation was laid out by Perrin Whitman, a nephew of Dr. Marcus Whitman, and for a long time a resident of Lewiston. That reservation included most of Asotin, but it was not permanent. In 1863 the boundary line was moved to a point seven miles east of Lewiston, and hence Asotin became open territory. But not for several years was there any per- manent resident. Sam Smith seems to have "squatted" in 1861 at a point on the Alpowa near Timothy and kept a little store and sort of stopping place for travelers for the mines. Near the same place, though strictly speaking within
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the present limits of Garfield County, was D. S. King. He, too, kept a stopping place for travelers. In 1861 also the ferry between Lewiston and the present Clarkston shore was put in by a union of several of the old-timers, Colonel Craig being a leader in the enterprise. This was afterwards known as Pearcy's Ferry. Several settlers were temporarily located on the flat where Clarkston now stands, Robert Bracken apparently being the first. As quoted in the History of Southeast Washington, Mr. Bracken stated that when he first located there in 1862 his nearest neighbor on the south was in the Grande Ronde Valley, 150 miles distant. His neighbors on the north were at about the same distance. There was, of course, quite a little town growing up at Lewiston right across the river. Mr. Bracken's chief business was stock raising and mining. Like most other stockmen he had been nearly broken up by the hard winter of 1861. Mr. Bracken states also that in 1862 Starr and Atwood of Portland had a little sawmill in the timber at the edge of Anatone prairie, and in the fall of 1862 they erected on what is now the site of Asotin the first frame building in the county. Lumber was hauled from that mill to the Snake River and floated to Lewiston, where it brought eighty-five dollars a thousand. An interesting item is contained in the Asotin Sentinel of June 23, 1900, referring to a visit of Henry Ieland to Asotin. He was at that time connected with the Washington State Historical Society. He made the statement that he had not been there since, as a boy, he had assisted his father, Alonzo Leland, in handling lumber from a mill situated at the edge of the timber on what became the Pinkham Ranch. According to Mr. Leland the lumber was hauled to Asotin by ox teams and there put into the river to float to Lewiston. In the fall of 1862, a cabin was put up on Asotin Creek by two trappers, whose names are not recalled. but whose cabin stood until about 1881. Following the transient occupation of the Clarkston flat by Mr. Bracken came Doctor Simmons with a partner, Ben Jones, both of whom were subsequently murdered in Montana. Simmons had, however, before going, sold his location to John Greenfield, and he maintained a horse ranch there for a number of years. It was because of the horses being there in such numbers and a good many of them leaving their remains that the name "Jaw-bone Flat" became applied to the flat between Clarkston Heights and the present City of Clarkston. Some, however, affirm that that uneuphonious name was derived from the peculiar contour of the shore at that place.
The earliest permanent settler on the Asotin seems to have been Jerry Maguire. His location was on the creek about three miles above its mouth. According to Mr. Boozer, his son-in-law, now living in Asotin, the location was made in 1866. His attention was mainly given to stock raising, though he en- gaged also in the business of packing supplies to the mining camps. A little Inter Thomas Rebusco took up a place on the creek where he raised vegetables, apparently the first in the county, for which there was a great demand in the mines. Another of those earliest settlers on the Asotin was D. M. White, right at the present location of the town. Noble Henry, now living on the reservation in Idaho. took up a residence for a time, beginning in 1868, a "squaw-man." In the early 'zos some addition was made, though seemingly in a somewhat sporadic and experimental manner. The man who might be styled the founder of the Town of Asotin was Theodore M. E. Schank. The Sentinel of October 9, 1885. in giving an obituary notice of Mr. Schank, says: "Mr. T. M. E. Schank was
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born in Christiania, Norway, and emigrated to this country in 1852, and engaged in the harness and saddlery business in New York City. About the year 1854 he, in company with others, left for South America, Mr. Schank locating at Buenaventura, U. S. of Colombia, where he engaged in business. One year after his arrival there he departed for California, where he was successfully engaged in mining for a number of years, from where he drifted to the Puget Sound country, where he engaged in business of various kinds. During the mining excitement of 1860, Mr. Schank went to Lewiston, Idaho, and opened a harness and saddlery shop and did a thriving business." According to the Sentinel Mr. Schank located in 1872 or 1873. His location was on what is now the central part of Asotin, his house still being in existence. It was not till a number of years later that he undertook to start the town, and that is another story. In 1870, Charles Lyon, T. P. Page and George B. Fancher, took claims farther up the creek. Gad Hopwood, William Hopwood, and James Hopwood, Lige Jones and David Mohler, were also among those earliest pioneers. Most of them were bachelors. Mrs. Fanchor is said to have been the first white woman in the district.
Aside from rearing stock and putting up the little sawmills on the edge of the timber, there had as yet been no thought of utilizing the vast upland prairies of the major part of Asotin. As described earlier, those prairies were cut up by the swift descending tributaries of the Asotin, spreading out fan-like and dividing the highland into a series of prairies. There was a luxuriant growth of bunch- grass all over that wide expanse. The decade of the '70s had been a great time for development of wheat raising on the Walla Walla and Touchet. There had been some beginnings on the Pataha and Deadman. The idea had rather sud- denly seized the minds of many men that where bunch-grass would grow so well wheat and barley would also grow. As a result of this sentiment the later '70s witnessed the greatest rush for homesteads as yet seen in the Inland Empire. Not alone south of Snake River, but into Whitman and Spokane counties and in the Big Bend country, the settlers poured in a steady stream. Having for a number of years thought of the high prairies and rolling hills which make up the larger part of Eastern Washington as suited only for pasture, the eager land hunters now suddenly became possessed of a land fever and by hundreds and thousands ran out their lines and set up their homes. It was a great time. Many suffered hardship, having to live in "dug-outs," and being scantily supplied with food and clothes. But it was just simply the great American story over again, and in that rush for land we read the very key to American life and prog- ress, individual freedom and personal ownership of land and the instruments of wealth. There is really no way to cultivate genuine ambition and the qualities of true democracy except by the ownership of land. Where the bulk of the population are hired "hands" or day laborers, economic servitude is inevitable. Either State Socialism or personal ownership of land by the bulk of the people is what we must come to in this country. It looks very much as though we as a nation were at the deciding point. If big corporations, railroad monopolies, Weyerhaeuser timber syndicates, oil trusts, are to acquire the bulk of the land, it is either socialism or serfdom. The American people can take their choice. The rush for land is the evidence of their preference. So long as there is land distribution, as in the decade of the '70s, the American ideal is safe.
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Among other regions which witnessed that land rush were the prairies of Asotin. It is safe to say that the majority of the families that located there (and the same is true of the larger part of Eastern Washington) made their locations in 1876, 1877, 1878 or 1879.
Most of the names now borne by the different sections of the Asotin lands are those of the first settler in each tract. The easternmost of the ridges is known as "Montgomery Ridge," from B. C. Montgomery, who, with Samuel and William Galloway, John Galloway, James T. Maness, and John Bushnell, was the first to locate there. Among other prominent settlers still living are George Sauer, George and William Appleford, the Stones and McMillans, W. J. Boggan, and C. A. Hollenbeck. The next ridge westward was known as "Weis- enfels Ridge," from J. A. Weisenfels. On this ridge also located the Mathenys and the Flocks. One of the marked characters there was J. N. Boggan.
The largest expansion of the prairie is Anatone Flat. Various explanations are given of this fine sounding name, some rather far-fetched and fantastic, as the one that one of the earliest settlers pronounced "any town" with rather a Hibernian accent, from which his neighbors whimsically constructed the name. Mr. Baumeister understands it to be the name of the Indian wife of one of the settlers. Another gives it as the name of a pretty Indian girl who lived there in early times. Mr. A. J. Crowe gives as his opinion that Anatone is the Nez Perce word for cold or clear spring and thinks that it refers to the spring of very cold, pure water which makes its way directly through the Town of Anatone.
We will not undertake to give a complete enumeration of the early settlers on Anatone Prairie. Most of them came in 1877-8-9. Several families there locating have been represented by members prominent in the official, business. or educational life of the county. In the natural progress of events a number have transfered their homes to the Town of Asotin. Among those early resi- dents and families we note the names of Charles Isecke (the pioneer merchant of Anatone), Pinkham, Shumaker, Woods, Robison, Sangster, McIntosh, Tuttle, Puffer, Carter, Dodson, Farrish, Perciful, Forgey, Whiton, Trescott, Welch, West, Skinner, Wormell, Romaine, and various others.
The "Ayers Ridge" was first settled by Ben Ayers. The "Meyers Ridge" was first settled by Charles Meyers.
The "Cloverland Flat" had for its first settler and builder of the first house Brad Hodges. J. D. Swain, coming in 1878, built the second cabin. Mr. Swain is now living in Asotin. He had a varied and typically pioneer career. Born in New Hampshire he went first to California, thence to Oregon, where he lived ten years on French Prairie near Salem, then settled on the Patit near Dayton in 1874, from which place he went to Cloverland in 1878. He was chosen county commissioner of Garfield County in 1882, and resigned on the movement for the erection of the new county of Asotin, and of that he became one of the first com- missioners. Like several others of his vicinity he lived in three counties, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin, without changing his residence.
Among the other prominent early settlers of Cloverland Flat we find the names of Petty, Wamsley, Fine, Walter, Sergeant, Philips, Johnson, Morrow, Barkly. Trent and Heltorf.
A special point of interest is connected with D. T. Welch, for the reason of his determined effort to locate the county seat at Theon, on Anatone Prairie.
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He had a sightly place and saw a city in his mind's eye growing up there. The old-timers did not always realize that the chief city of any given area must in- evitably seek easy and cheap transportation facilities, either navigable water or railroads. No town on the Flats could compete with one on the river.
One of the most interesting of the old-time achievements was that of William Farrish, who still lives in Asotin and who gave the author his own personal ac- count of it. In 1878 he conveyed a portable sawmill from Asotin to the timber line just beyond Anatone. There was no graded road up the long ridge and he was compelled to push and pull the huge weight right up the rough ridge by "hitching up all the oxen and horses in the country"-as he expressed it-and propelling the mill by sheer power. It was a great task and at several places the mill came very near getting away and starting down hill. But muscle and brain and perseverance triumphed, and the mill reached its destination.
The mill was located just at an exciting time for the settlers. In 1877 the great "Joseph" war of the Nez Perces had occurred. Up to that time there had been friendly relations between the whites and Indians. The old-timers relate many interesting stories of the general good will manifested by the Indians on Anatone. Mrs. Merchant of Asotin, to whom we are indebted for one of the most interesting of our special contributions, a daughter of the Clemans family, relates how, as a little girl, she was accustomed to be on a most friendly footing with the many Indians who would pass through Anatone on their immigrations from river to berry patches and hunting grounds. When the flame of war sud- denly burst forth in '77 over the ownership of Wallowa, a good many of the Asotin branch of the Nez Percés joined the hostiles. The followers of Timothy and Lawyer, true to their traditional friendship for the whites, stood steadfastly by their old policy. Although the hostile Nez Percés did not cross to the west side of the Snake River, the settlers expected them. Some abandoned their homes. The house of Jerry Maguire was transformed into a fort, and the set- tlers on the creek gathered there for defense. But 1877 passed, the expected savage foray did not materialize, and the settlers resumed their locations. Then in 1878 came the even more savage Bannock war. The scene of it was far dis- tant, but the settlers again became fearful of attack by fragments of unfriendly natives roaming around in the Blue Mountains and Wallowa. It was just at that time of trepidation that Mr. Farrish dragged his mill to the timber line. It arrived opportunely. The first work for it was to cut lumber for a stockade for defense against Indian attack. The structure was laid out somewhat less than a mile west of Anatone on the land of John Carter. Fortunately it was not needed, but it has historic interest.
Another of the important settlements was Peola, on the high land between the waters of the Alpowa and the Asotin. It belongs rather to Garfield than to Asotin, but extends into both counties. It is a fertile region, of essentially the same soil, climate, and conditions as the Anatone and other flats. F. G. Mor- rison and John B. Dick were among the leading pioneers of that region.
ESTABLISHMENT OF ASOTIN COUNTY
Such may be said to have been the beginnings of what became Asotin County. As easily seen, it possessed a unity of its own and within a year of the setting Vol. 1-26
a
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apart of Garfield from Columbia, agitation for similar action for Asotin arose. As the reader will recall from the chapter on Garfield County, Assotin City was a candidate for county-scat of that county. Outrun by Pomeroy in that race, the next logical step was a new county. The first active movement looking to the new county concentrated at Theon. Mr. Welch, as related, had ambitions for that point both as the business and official head of the new county. As a result of a mass meeting at Theon, Jackson O'Keefe of Assotin City was dele- gated to visit the Territorial Legislature in the session of 1883 in the interest of a bill for the erection of a new county. There seems to have been little organ- ized opposition. The minutes of the house show that there was some discussion over the name. Some advocated the name of Lincoln, and in fact the bill first passed in that form. The council on October 18th passed an amendment to use the name of Asotin, and two days later passed the amended bill. On October 27, 1883, the governor, W. A. Newell, signed the bill, and Asotin (spelled with one s) became the fourth of the group produced by the fission of Old Walla Walla.
We find some interesting records and comments on this notable event in the Asotin Spirit. This pioneer paper of the place, it should be noted, had been moved to Asotin from Pataha, where it had been known as the Pataha Spirit. The first number was on Friday, October 25, 1883. The publishers were J. H. Ginder & Co.
In commenting on this notable event the Spirit notes the fact that it is left to the judgment of the appointed commissioners to choose the temporary seat as between Assotin City and Asotin, and that it can be moved at the next general election by a two-thirds vote of the county. The Spirit continues: "Early Wednesday morning a crowd assembled at Mr. Schank's new store building and the flag was brought out. As the national emblem was run up the pole three hearty cheers for Asotin County went up from the hearts as well as the throats of the assembly. And now that the efforts of this people have been crowned with success, so far as division and temporary location of county seat are con- cerned. we should not allow ourselves to be lulled into a masterly inactivity and deceive ourselves with the idea that nothing more is to be done, for as sure as we do what we have done will be undone."
As a matter of historical reference, it is well to preserve the legislative act of the territory establishing the county :
An act to create and organize the County of Asotin :
Section I. Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Washington: That all that portion of Garfield County situated within Wash- ington Territory, and included within the following limits, be, and the same shall be constituted and known as the County of Asotin, viz .: Commencing at a point in the channel of Snake River on the township line between ranges forty-four (44) and forty-five (45); thence running south to the northwest corner of section thirty (30), township eleven (11) north, range forty-five (45), east of the Willamette meridian; thence west six (6) miles; south one (1) mile; west two (2) miles; south one (1) mile; west one (1) mile, to the northwest corner of section three (3), in township ten (10) north, of range forty-three (43), east of the Willamette meridian; thence south eighteen (18) miles; thence west
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ASOTIN COUNTY COURTHOUSE
ASOTIN HIGH SCHOOL
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three (3) miles; thence south to the Oregon line; thence east on said line to the mid-channel of Snake River; thence down Snake River to the place of begin- ning.
Section 2. That J. D. Swain, John Weisenfels and William Critchfield are hereby appointed a board of commissioners, with power to appoint the remain- ing county officers to serve until the next general election or until their successors are elected and qualified. For which purpose the county commissioners herein appointed shall meet at the county seat of Asotin County within thirty (30) days after the approval of this act, and appoint the necessary officers for said county, and perform such other acts and things as are necessary for the com- plete organization of the County of Asotin.
Section 3. That the justices of the peace and constables who are now elected as such in the precincts of the County of Asotin be, and the same are hereby declared justices of the peace and constables of said County of Asotin.
Section 4. That the County of Asotin is hereby united to the County of Garfield for judicial and legislative purposes.
Section 5. That all the laws applicable to the County of Garfield shall be applicable to the County of Asotin.
Section 6. That the county seat of said County of Asotin is hereby tem- porarily located at Asotin, which in this connection shall mean the Town of Asotin, or Asotin City, at which place it shall remain until located permanently elsewhere in said county by a majority of qualified electors thereof, and for which a vote shall be taken at the next general election, viz .: on the Tuesday next following the first Monday in November ;. A. D. 1884, and the officers of election shall receive said vote and make return thereof to the commissioners, who shall canvass the same and announce the result in like manner as the result of the vote for county officers. Provided, that if there be not a majority vote in favor of such location of county seat at any one place at such election, the qualified electors of the county shall continue to vote on that question at the next and each subsequent general election until some place receives such majority, and the place securing a majority of all the votes cast shall be declared the permanent county seat of said Asotin County.
Section 7. That all the taxes levied and assessed by the board of county commissioners of the County of Garfield for the year 1883, upon personal prop- erty within the boundaries of said County of Asotin, shall be collected and paid into the treasury of said Garfield County for the use of said County of Garfield, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That the said County of Garfield shall pay all the just indebtedness of said Garfield County, and that when such indebtedness shall be wholly paid and discharged, all moneys remaining in the treasury of said Garfield County, and all credits due and to become due said County of Garfield on the assessment roll of said year, shall be divided between said counties of Garfield and Asotin according to the usual valuation of said property of said year: PROVIDED FURTHER, That nothing in this act shall be so construed as to deprive the County of Asotin of its proportion of the tax levied for common school purposes for the above named year.
Section 8. The County of Garfield shall pay to the County of Asotin the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars ($150) over and above the amount pro- vided for in this act, for its interest in the public property and improvements.
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Section 9. The auditor of Asotin County shall have access to the records of Garfield County, without cost, for the purpose of transcribing and indexing such portions of the records of property as belongs to Asotin County, and his certificate of the correctness thereof shall have the same force and effect as if made by the auditor of Garfield County. It is hereby provided, however, that nothing in this act shall permit the record books of Garfield County to be removed from the office of its auditor.
Section 10. The salaries of the county officers of Asotin County shall be as follows, viz .: Auditor four hundred dollars ($400) per annum; treasurer, three hundred dollars ($300) per annum; probate judge, one hundred and fifty dol- lars ($150) per annum; school superintendent, forty dollars ($40) per annum; county commissioners, four dollars ($4) per day each, while at work on their official duties ; and these salaries shall be their full compensation from the county treasury, and be in lieu of all other fees from the county.
Section 11. All acts and parts of acts in conflict with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed.
Section 12. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval.
Approved October 27, 1883.
On November 12, 1882, the commissioners appointed by the Legislature, J. D. Swain, John Weisenfels, and William Critchfield, met at Mr. Schank's store in Asotin and effected a regular organization. Mr. Weisenfels was chosen chair- man, and J. E. Bushel was appointed clerk. Rather curiously there seems to have been much rivalry among the citizens of the town to provide an official meeting place and it seems to have been rather the glory than the pecuniary emoluments which stirred their desires. Probably the motives behind the con- tention were connected with the two rival sites, that of Assotin City above and Asotin lower down the river. Alexander Sumpter was proprietor of the former site, and he offered his store, rent free for a year, together with necessary equip- ment and furniture. Mr. Schank offered his house on the Asotin site, rent free for a year. D. B. Pettyjohn offered his hall on the same terms. S. T. Jones offered to provide fuel gratis. As the rivals bid against each other they increased their offers. Mr. Schank added to the rent-free house the proposition of Mr. Pettyjohn to perform the duties of treasurer for the year for the nominal salary of $300, but to return the amount to the county. W. H. Wood strengthened this offer with a similar one to perform the duties of auditor at a salary of $400, but to refund the same. With these inducements Mr. Schank's offer gained the day. The rival locations were not far apart and the town has practically come to include the two.
The first assessment for the new county, made in 1884, was as follows: Real estate. $137,676; improvements, $40,211 ; personal, $227,021 ; total, $404,- 908. The acreage under cultivation was given at 5,532, and the total of deeded land as 42,918. The county census of 1885 showed a total population of 1,514. In the same year the report of production showed 300,000 bushels of wheat, 100,000 bushels of barley, and 50 tons of fruit.
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