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LYMAN'S  HISTORY 

of 

Old  Walla  Walla  County 

Emhracing 

Walla  Walla,  Columbia,  Garfield 
and  Asotin  Counties 


By  W^D.TYMAN,  M.  A.,  Lit.  D. 


ILLUSTRATED 


VOLUME  I 


CHICAGO 

THE  S.  J.  CLARKE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
1918 


CONTENTS 


I 


PART  I 

THE  COUNTY  AND  ITS  EARLIEST  STAGES 

CHAPTER  I 

PHYSICAL    AND    GEOLOGICAL    FEATURES,    SOIL.  CLIMATE,    WATER-COURSES,    AND 
MOUNTAINS      

CHAPTER  n 

THE  NATIVE  RACES    OF   OLD    WALLA    WALLA    COUNTY lO 

CHAPTER  HI 

THE  FIRST  EXPLORERS  AND  THEIR  ROUTES  THROUGH   THE  REGION 32 

CHAPTER  I\' 

THE  FUR-TRADE  AND   FUR-TRADERS 4^ 

CHAPTER  V 

THE   MISSIONARY    PERIOD     57 

CHAPTER  VI 

INDIAN   WARS  AND  OPENING   OF  COUNTRY   TO   SETTLEMENT 83 

PART  II 

SETTLEMENT  AND  DEVELOPMENT 
CHAPTER  I 

THE   PERMANENT   ORGANIZATION    OF    WALLA    WALLA    COUNTY    AND    FOUNDING 

OF    THE    CITY     'OQ 

CHAPTER  IT 

TIMES  OF  COWBOYS,  MINERS  AND  VIGILANTES 1 24 

iii 


•V  CONTENTS 

<  UAPTF.R  III 

■  ■•I. HUM     iiiMiitci     III    IIMK"!    iiJl'NTV   |i|\'l!>IUN'.  .  .  I  ^(j 

iHAI'TER  IV 

IHk  KARLY  TRANSI-URTATIUN    A'  1^:; 

cnAKiKk  \ 

IHKOfe,VELol-MhNT  OK  INUUSTKY  IN  OU>  WALLA  WALLA  lOUNIV  TO  TIIK  I-KRIUU 

OF  COUNTV  DIVISION    AMD  APTKJtWAKDS   IN   THE  PRKSHNT    W\I.I.A   WAIXA..     175 

CHAPTER  \  ! 

INIELLECnUAI.    AND    KELtUIOUS    FORCKS    OF    WAJ.l  a     woi   »    <X)UNTV ;    KI»UCA- 

TIONAL    INSTITUTIONS  OP    WALLA    WALLA.  .  210 

CHAPTER  \li 

rut  I'Rh-SS  UK  WAI.I.A   W'M-I.A  COUNTY    .  .  ...     257 

CHAPTER  VIII 

WITH    THK   LAWYKRS,   JUDGES    AND   IXJCTOR-S _«(i5 

PART  III 

PERIOD  OF  COUNTY  DIVISIONS 

CHAPTER  I 

IXILITICAI.   HISTORY  t)F   WAl.l^    WALLA  COUNTY   SINCK   COUNTY  DI\  I.MON .■S^ 

CM  A  ITER   IF 

DISTINCriVF.   KK.\TUHF^   IN    HISTORY   OK  COLUMBIA    COUNTY..  ^19 

CHAPTER   III 

i:ARKIK1J>   I OUNTV    J58 

iIlAI'lI-.R   IV 


ASOTIN    COUNTY 


BIOORAPHICAL 


V)5 


CHAI'TI-.k   \ 

I*IONF.FJt    RKMINISCENCES  426 


481 


PART  I  ' 

THE  COUNTY  AND  ITS  EARLIEST  STAGES 


Old  Walla  Walla  County 

(Embracing  Walla  Walla,  Columbia,  Garfield  and 
Asotin  Counties.) 


CHAPTER    I 

PHYSICAL   AND   GEOLOGICAL   FEATURES,    SOIL,    CLIMATE, 
WATER-COURSES,   AND  MOUNTAINS 

A  land  of  scenic  charm,  of  physical  interest,  of  fertile  soil  and  ample  resources, 
of  climate  in  which  living  is  a  delight,  of  two  great  rivers  and  many  impetuous 
tributaries,  of  mountain  chains  with  rich  and  varied  hues  and  contours  of  stately 
majesty, — such  is  the  imperial  domain  included  in  that  portion  of  the  State  of 
Washington  lying  east  of  the  Columbia  River  and  south  of  the  Snake.  While 
this  region  has  distinctive  physical  features,  it  yet  has  a  sufficient  family  resem- 
blance to  the  other  parts  of  Eastern  Oregon  and  Eastern  Washington  to  indicate 
a  common  origin.  We  may  therefore  properly  take  first  a  general  view  of  this 
larger  area.  The  greater  part  of  the  vast  Inland  Empire  of  Northeastern  Oregon 
and  Eastern  Washington  consists  of  rolling  prairies,  sometimes  fairly  hilly,  with 
extensive  "flats"  in  various  parts,  and  low-lying,  level  valleys  bordering  the 
numerous  streams.  These  valleys  are  usually  quite  narrow,  the  three  marked 
exceptions  being  the  broad  valleys  of  the  Walla  Walla,  Umatilla,  and  Yakima,  the 
two  latter  being  outside  of  the  scope  of  our  story.  The  Inland  Empire  varies  in 
elevation  above  sea-level  from  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet  on  the  Columbia 
River  to  about  nine  thousand  at  the  highest  summits  of  the  Blue  Mountains.  The 
larger  part  of  the  cultivated  portions  ranges  from  eight  hundred  to  two  thousand 
feet.  The  variations  in  elevation  have  a  remarkable  effect  on  temperature  and 
rainfall,  the  former  decreasing  and  the  latter  increasing  very  rapidly  from  the 
lower  to  the  higher  levels.  The  atmosphere  throughout  this  region  is  ordinarily 
very  clear,  and  the  majestic  sweep  of  the  Blue  Mountains  and  the  wide  expanses 
of  hills  and  dales  and  flats  lie  revealed  in  all  their  imposing  grandeur  with  vivid 
distinctness. 

As  there  is  a  general  physical  similarity  in  the  different  parts  of  this  entire 
Columbia  Basin,  so  has  there  been  a  common  geological  history.  Broadly  speak- 
ing, the  upper  Columbia  Basin  from  near  Spokane  on  the  north  to  Wallowa  on 
the  south  is  volcanic  in  origin.  The  scope  of  this  work  does  not  permit  any 
detailed  discussion  of  the  geology  of  the  region,  but  it  is  of  interest  to  refer  to  the 
fascinating  little  book  of  Prof.  Thomas  Condon,  formerly  of  the  Oregon  State 
University,  on  the  "Two  Islands."  Professor  Condon  was  the  first  systematic 
student  of  the  geology  of  the  Northwest,  and  during  his  active  career,  extending 

Vol.  I— 1 


2  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

from  ahoul  1855  to  i8<)0,he  accumulated  a  large  and  valuable  collection  of  fossil 
remains  as  data  from  which  to  infer  the  stages  in  the  geological  history  of  the 
.Northwest.  One  of  his  working  hypotheses  was  that  there  were  two  islands  as 
the  first  lands  in  what  is  now  the  Northwest.  These  were  the  Blue  Mountain 
Island  and  the  Siskiyou  Mountain  Island.  Later  geologists  have  not  entirely 
accepted  all  the  details  of  Professor  Condon's  hypothesis,  though  they  regard  his 
general  reasoning  as  sound.  It  is  generally  believed  now  that  there  was  a  very 
early  uplift,  possibly  a  third  island,  in  what  is  now  the  Okanogan,  Methow,  and 
Chelan  highlands  and  mountains.  At  any  rate,  there  is  a  general  concurrence  in 
the  opinion  that  the  oldest  land  in  this  part  of  the  continent  was  those  very  regions 
where  the  two  or  perhaps  three  islands  are  supposed  to  have  risen.  The  Chelan 
region  and  thence  a  vast  sweep  northeast  and  then  southeast  toward  Spokane 
is  of  granite,  andesite,  and  prophyry,  the  primeval  crust  of  the  earth.  Again  on 
the  south,  the  core  of  the  Blue  -Mountains,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  Wallowa, 
is  limestone  and  granite.  All  these  formations  are  very  ancient.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  volcanic  regions  are  comparatively  recent,  and  those  compose  prac- 
tically all  the  central  parts.  This  area  between  those  two  ancient  formations,  the 
part  covering  the  four  counties  of  our  present  story  being  in  the  very  heart  of 
it,  seems  to  have  undergone  almost  every  possible  dynamic  influence,  fire,  frost, 
and  flood.  Apparently  it  W'as  a  deep  basin  between  the  earlier  elevations  and 
was  the  scene  of  stupendous  volcanic  and  seismic  energy.  Then  it  was  covered 
with  water  and  for  ages  a  great  lake  extended  over  much  of  what  is  now  the  Walla 
Walla  Valley  and  the  valleys  of  its  tributaries  and  the  lower  courses  of  the  other 
streams,  as  the  Touchet  and  Tucanon.  When  the  water  had  drained  off,  there 
succeeded  an  age  of  ice  and  frost,  with  disintegration  by  cold  and  even  some 
glaciation.  Probably  there  were  several  alternating  eras  of  fire  and  frost  and 
flood.  The  Yakima  Indians  have  a  fantastic  tale  of  the  formation  of  these  lakes 
and  from  them  the  Columbia  River,  which  may  have  some  basis  of  scientific 
fact.  They  say  that  in  the  times  of  the  Watetash  (animal  people,  before  the 
Indians)  a  monstrous  beaver,  Wishpoosh,  inhabited  Lake  Kachees,  now  one  of 
the  sources  of  the  Yakima.  Wishpoosh  had  the  evil  habit  of  chewing  up  and  cut- 
ting to  pieces  all  the  trees  as  well  as  other  animals  in  his  reach.  Speelyi,  the 
chief  God  of  the  Mid-Columbia  Indians,  endeavored  to  make  way  with  this 
destructive  monster,  but  succeeded  only  in  wounding  him  severely  and  making 
him  so  angry  that  he  laid  around  him  with  furious  energy  and  soon  bur.st  _the 
rocky  barriers  of  the  lake.  The  water  flowing  out  streamed  over  the  country 
and  formed  the  Upper  Yakima.  The  deluge  was  checked  by  the  mountain  ram- 
parts of  the  Kittitas  Valley,  as  we  know  it,  and  thus  was  formed  a  great  lake 
over  all  that  valley.  But  the  raging  beaver  finally  tore  out  that  barrier  also  and 
the  flood  passed  on  into  the  Yakima  \'alley,  making  another  lake  over  the  whole 
region  where  Yakima  now  is,  but  it  was  stayed  for  a  time  by  the  ridge  just  below 
the  Atahnimi  of  the  present.  In  like  manner  that  barrier  was  torn  out  and  the 
accumulation  of  waters  swept  on  to  the  vast  level  region  w-here  the  Snake  and 
Columbia,  with  the  lesser  streams  of  the  Yakima  and  Walla  W'alla.  unite.  Thus, 
a  large  part  of  the  region  which  we  shall  describe  in  this  history  was  a  lake.  But 
the  infuriated  Wishpoosh  was  not  yet  content,  and  by  successive  burstings  of 
barriers  the  Walla  \\'alla  lake  was  emptied  through  the  I'matilla  highlands,  then 
the  Cascade  Mountains  themselves  were  parted,  and  the  chain  of  lakes  was  opened 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  3 

to  the  ocean,  the  Columbia  River  itself  being  the  connecting  stream.  Wishpoosh 
having  reached  the  ocean  was  making  havoc  among  the  whales  and  all  other 
objects  of  creation,  when  Speelyi  at  last  pierced  him  to  the  heart  and  his  monstrous 
carcass  was  cast  up  on  Clatsop  Beach.  There  Speelyi  cut  him  into  fragments  and 
of  him  made  the  various  Indian  tribes. 

Whatever  may  be  the  facts  in  regard  to  Wishpoosh,  it  is  quite  obvious  that 
considerable  areas  of  the  lower  level  parts  of  the  Columbia  basin  and  the  tributary 
valleys  are  lake  beds.  While  the  soil  has  all  the  indications  of  having  been  washed 
from  the  hills  and  mountains  and  then  settled  in  the  lakes,  it  is  plain  also  that  it 
was  originally  the  product  of  fire.  For  the  soil  of  this  region  is  essentially  vol- 
canic. In  the  parts  which  have  the  larger  rainfall,  the  decaying  vegetation  of 
ages  upon  ages  has  covered  the  volcanic  ash  with  a  deep,  rich  loam.  In  other 
places  the  action  of  glaciers  grinding  and  dumping  the  triturated  marls  and  clays 
of  the  mountains  has  resulted  in  the  deposit  of  heavy  white  and  blue  clays.  In 
yet  other  parts  erosion  of  the  volcanic  rocks  by  wind  and  rain  and  frost,  together 
with  the  wash  of  the  streams  at  flood  stage,  has  left  great  beds  of  gravel.  Through 
successive  strata  of  these  varying  materials  there  have  burst  at  intervals  new 
volcanic  eruptions.  These  in  turn,  worn  away  by  sun  and  wind  and  frost  and 
stream,  have  been  blown  and  washed  over  the  earlier  strata  and  have  formed  a  new 
blanket  of  the  richest  soil.  This  process  of  successive  stages  of  volcanic  outflow, 
disintegration,  wash  deposit,  glacial  dumping,  dust  drift,  growth  and  decay  of 
vegetation,  has  gone  on  through  the  ages.  The  result  has  been  that  tlie  greater 
part  of  the  Inland  Empire  has  a  soil  of  extraordinary  depth  and  fertility.  Analysis 
has  shown  that  it  possesses  the  ingredients  for  plant  food  to  an  unusual  degree. 
It  is  said  to  have  an  almost  identical  composition  with  the  soil  of  Sicily.  That  fair 
and  fertile  island  was  made  by  the  volcanic  matter  blown  out  of  Mount  Etna, 
covered  by  decayed  vegetation  and  worked  over  by  frost  and  sun  and  rain  until 
it  l)ecame  almost  an  ideal  region  for  grain  production.  Two  thousand  years  ago 
Sicilian  wheat-fields  fed  the  hungry  multitudes  of  Rome,  and  the  same  fields  still 


rv 


roduce  a  generous  quota  of  food  products.    Soil  experts  expect  a  similar  histo 
in  this  country. 

In  no  part  of  the  Columbia  basin  have  the  processes  of  soil  creation  been  more 
active  than  in  the  parts  of  the  Old  Walla  Walla  County  of  this  history.  Begin- 
ning with  the  Columbia  River  on  the  west  we  find  as  soon  as  we  have  passed  the 
margin  of  river  sand,  which  in  a  few  places  has  encroached  upon  the  customary 
volcanic  covering,  that  the  soil,  though  dry,  is  susceptible  of  the  highest  cultiva- 
tion and  with  water  is  capable  of  producing  the  finest  products  in  the  greatest 
profusion.  Almost  every  mile  from  the  river  eastward  towards  the  mountains 
seems  to  increase  the  blanket  of  loam  upon  the  underlying  volcanic  dust,  until 
upon  the  foothills  of  the  Blue  Mountains  there  is  a  soil  hard  to  match  anywhere 
in  the  world,  a  mingling  of  volcanic  dust,  loam,  and  clay,  a  strong  and  heavy  soil, 
not  difficult  to  work,  and  retaining  and  utilizing  moisture  with  remarkable  natural 
economy.  Throughout  this  region  the  soil  is  of  extraordinary  depth  and  there 
seems  to  be  no  limit  to  its  productiveness.  There  is  a  cut  forty  feet  deep  through 
a  hill  near  Walla  Walla,  in  which  the  same  fertile  soil  goes  down  to  the  very  bot- 
tom. It  is  of  lighter  color  when  first  opened  to  the  light,  but  with  exposure  turns 
darker  and  after  a  year  or  two  of  cultivation  possesses  the  same  friability  and 
productiveness  as  the  top  soil.    Wells  have  been  bored  in  the  Eureka  Flat  region 


4  uLD  \\.\Li..\  WALLA  COL'XTV 

wlicrc  over  a  liundrcd  ieci  of  soil  luvc  bwn  pierced  without  the  drilU  even 
iuiichin{;  ruck.  In  such  soils  the  process  of  suh-soiliit);  can  go  on  almost  in- 
Ucliiiilcly  with  cun(inuou>  preservation  aiul  rriirwal  of  iiroductivrness. 

The  cliniatc  of  the  region  covered  in  this  work  has  the  general  cliaractcr  of 
that  of  the  Inland  Knipire  as  a  whole.  .\s  conijwred  with  the  |>ortions  of  Urcgon 
and  Washington  west  of  the  Cascade  Mountains,  the  climate  of  our  section  is 
drier  and  has  the  seasons  more  distinctly  marked,  holler  in  summer  and  colder  in 
winter.  The  average  yearly  tem|>craturc  is,  however,  higher  than  that  of  the  sea- 
coast,  and  much  higher  than  that  of  the  Atlantic  states  of  the  same  latitude,  'llic 
average  of  Walla  Walla  is  about  that  of  Virginia,  though  in  the  latitude  of 
Wisconsin  and  Maine.  On  account  of  lower  altitude  the  climate  of  the  greater 
I>art  of  this  section,  esi<ecially  the  |>ortions  on  the  large  ri\ers,  all  the  way  from 
Asotin  to  Walhila,  is  wanner  than  that  of  the  yarts  of  the  state  north  of  Snake 
River.  The  weather  reports  of  Walla  Walla  ordinarily  run  from  four  to  eight 
dignes  higlur  than  those  of  S|X)kane.  The  spring  season  ojK'ns  from  two  to  four 
weeks  earlier  than  at  SjKjkanc  or  Colfax  and  the  difference  is  even  greater  com- 
pared with  Pullman. 

Perhaps  no  part  of  the  Inland  Empire,  unless  it  be  the  Horse  Heaven  and 
Rattlesnake  Mountain  section  of  Henton  County,  is  so  peculiarly  the  native  home 
of  that  most  dramatic  atnuis])lKTic  phenomenon,  the  Chinook  wind.  Scarcely  can 
anything  more  interesting  he  imagined  than  that  warm  winter  wind.  No  wonder 
that  the  native  red  man,  with  his  sujx-rstitious  awe  of  Nature's  tokens  of  love 
or  wrath,  idealized  this  heavenly  visitant,  oiK?ning  the  gates  of  summer  in  mid- 
winter chill  and  gloom  and  wooing  the  flowers  from  their  dark  aljodes  even 
while  the  heavy  snows  still  crown  the  mountain  peaks  and  pile  the  timlx;red  flanks 
(>{  the  hills  with  their  frozen  burdens.  A  long  wintry  period,  two  or  three  or 
four  weeks  in  January  or  I'ebruary,  may  have  sent  the  great  blocks  of  ice  down 
the  big  rivers,  there  may  be  a  foot  of  snow  ujwn  the  plains  and  much  more  in  the 
mountains  and  the  breath  of  the  north  may  wrap  all  Nature  in  chill  and  gloom, 
when  suddenly  some  afterntKin  the  frozen  fog  will  lift,  a  blue-black  band  will  \>c 
visible  along  the  southern  horizon,  the  white  tops  of  the  mountains  will  Inrgin  to 
be  streaked  with  dark  lines,  there  seems  to  thrill  through  the  atmosphere  a  certain 
rustic  of  ex|>ectancy,  night  droi>s  with  a  rising  tem|Rrature,  during  the  night  the 
snow  begins  to  slip  from  the  trees  and  slide  off  the  roofs,  and  with  the  morning, 
rushing  and  roaring,  here  comes  the  blessed  Cliinook,  fragrant  with  the  bloom  of 
the  south,  turning  the  snow  and  ice  into  singing  streams,  calling  the  robins  from 
their  winter  retreats,  and  bidding  the  buttercups  push  from  their  heads  the  crust 
of  winter  and  oin-n  their  golden  jK-tals  to  greet  the  sun.  The  Klickitat  myth  is  to 
the  effect  that  there  were  originally  two  sets  of  brothers,  one  of  the  Walla  Wallas 
from  the  north,  the  other  the  C"hinooks  from  the  south.  The  fathers  of  the  two 
lived  with  their  resptvtive  sons  ujion  the  shore  of  the  Columbia  near  the  present 
I'matilla.  The  Walla  Wallas  were  the  cfild  wind  brothers,  coming  down  the  river 
from  the  north,  freezing  the  streams  and  whirling  the  dust  in  vast  clouds.  /\t 
one  time  thev  challenge<l  the  Chinook  brothers  to  a  wrestling  match  and  threw 
them  all  and  killed  them.  The  chilly  brothers  had  it  all  their  own  way  for  a 
long  time  after  that,  and  they  made  the  lives  of  the  poor  old  father  and  mother  of 
the  vancjuished  Chinooks  a  burden.  No  sooner  would  the  old  man  go  otii  in  his 
canoe  to  fish  than  the  implaciM.-  Willi  Wall.i  brnthrrs  would  blow  with  their 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  5 

icy  breath,  crusting  the  water  with  ice  and  compelling  the  old  man  to  hurry 
half  frozen  to  the  shore.  But  a  deliverer  was  at  hand,  for  one  of  the  fallen 
Chinooks  had  left  a  son.  His  mother  had  taken  him  to  the  lower  river,  and  there 
he  had  grown  up  with  only  the  one  thought  of  avenging  his  father  and  uncles. 
When  he  had  become  grown  and  so  strong  that  he  could  pull  up  huge  fir  trees  and 
toss  them  around  like  straws,  he  felt  that  his  time  had  come.  Going  up  the  river 
he  slept  one  night  near  the  stream  now  called  the  Satus,  and  a  curious  depression 
in  the  hills  can  be  seen  there  now  which  the  Indians  say  was  his  sleeping  place. 
After  his  night's  rest  he  went  on  to  the  home  of  his  grandparents.  He  found 
them  in  a  most  deplorable  state,  half-starved  and  half-frozen.  Young  Chinook 
washed  the  grime  and  filth  from  the  old  folks  and  from  it  came  all  the  trout 
now  found  in  this  region.  Then  transforming  himself  into  a  little  creature  he 
crawled  into  the  stern  of  his  grandfather's  boat  and  bade  the  old  man  put  forth 
for  fish.  At  once  the  hateful  Walla  Wallas  swept  down  from  the  north  to  blow 
on  the  old  man,  but  for  some  mysterious  reason  could  never  reach  him.  Striving 
desperately  in  vain  they  saw  the  explanation  when  suddenly  Chinook  rose  to 
giant  size  and  challenged  them  to  wrestle.  The  God  Speelyi  now  appeared  to 
judge  the  combat.  One  after  another  the  cold  wind  brothers  were  thrown. 
Chinook,  more  merciful  than  they  had  been,  did  not  kill  them.  But  Speelyei 
declared  that  they  should  henceforth  lose  their  power  and  could  blow  only  at  very 
rare  intervals  and  that  Chinook  should  be  the  lord  of  the  land.  However,  Speelyi 
decreed  that  he  should  blow  on  the  mountain  peaks  first  as  a  token  that  he  was 
coming. 

The  meteorologists  tell  us  that  the  Chinook  wind  is  not,  properly  speaking,  an 
ocean  wind,  though  when  there  is  a  Chinook  in  the  interior  there  is  a  warm  wind 
with  rain  on  the  coast.  They  say  that  the  Chinook  is  due  to  dynamic  heating  or 
atmospheric  friction.  When  there  is  a  low  barometer  on  the  coast  and  a  high  over 
Nevada  and  Utah,  as  is  very  common  in  winter,  the  high  pressure  will  descend 
upon  the  low  and  raise  the  temperature  at  a  regular  rate  of  about  seven  degrees 
to  a  thousand  feet  of  descent.  This  accounts  for  the  fact  that  the  Chinook 
strikes  the  mountains  sooner  than  the  valleys.  During  the  prevalence  of  a 
Chinook,  as  shown  by  the  weather  reports,  the  thermometer  will  usually  be  higher 
at  Walla  Walla  than  at  Portland  or  Astoria.  It  has  been  as  high  as  seventy 
degrees  in  January  during  a  big  Chinook.  As  can  be  imagined,  snow  will  vanish 
like  a  dream  under  a  wind  of  such  temperature,  or  even  one  at  fifty  degrees  or 
fifty-five  degrees,  which  is  more  common. 

A  few  general  statistics  as  to  the  average  records  at  Walla  Walla  may  be  of 
interest.  The  average  annual  temperature  as  shown  by  official  records  during 
thirty-one  years  is  fifty-three  degrees.  The  average  for  January  is  thirty-three 
degrees ;  for  July  and  August,  seventy-four  degrees.  The  lowest  ever  recorded 
was  seventeen  degrees  below  zero,  and  the  highest  was  113  degrees.  The  average 
rainfall  is  17.4  inches.  The  average  date  of  the  last  killing  frost  of  spring  is 
March  30th,  and  the  first  of  autumn  is  Novemljer  7th.  The  average  number  of 
clear  or  mainly  clear  days  is  262,  of  cloudy  is  103.  The  prevailing  wind  is  always 
from  the  south,  and  the  highest  velocity  ever  recorded  was  sixty-five  miles  per 
hour.  There  is  an  average  of  eight  thunder  showers  in  a  year.  The  other  parts 
of  the  four  counties  included  in  this  history  have  essentially  the  same  climate  as 
Walla  Walla.     There  is.  however,  a  regular  decrease  of  temperature  and  an  in- 


6  OLD  \\'ALT..\  WALLA  COUNTY 

crease  of  rainfall  from  the  west  to  east.  Recent  records  of  the  Weather  Observer 
at  Walla  Walla,  giving  a  comparison  of  \arious  stations,  show  extraordinary  dif- 
ferences in  rainfall  according  to  elevation  and  proximity  to  the  mountains.  Thus, 
the  average  precipitation,  including  melted  snow,  for  some  years  past,  has  been 
at  Kennewick,  6.46  inches;  at  Lowden,  11. 18;  at  Eureka,  14.35;  at  Walla  Walla, 
^7-37 '•  at  Milton,  19.50;  at  Dayton,  22.14;  ^"d  at  the  "intake,"  only  fourteen 
miles  from  Walla  Walla,  but  at  an  elevation  of  twenty-five  hundred  feet  (Walla 
Walla  being  nine  hundred  and  twenty),  and  at  the  entrance  to  the  mountains,  it 
was,  in  1916,  47.93.  The  natural  rainfall  is  sufficient  for  all  the  staple  grains 
and  fruits  in  all  parts  except  the  areas  in  the  west  and  north  bordering  the 
Columbia  and  Snake  rivers.  In  those  semi-arid  tracts  irrigation  is  necessary,  and 
the  same  means  of  artificial  moisture  is  practiced  for  a  succession  of  vegetables 
and  small  fruits  and  alfalfa  in  considerable  parts  of  the  other  valley  lands.  One 
of  the  interesting  and  important  features  of  Walla  Walla  is  the  fine  system  of 
spouting  artesian  wells.  There  are  now  over  thirty  of  these  wells  in  the  Walla 
Walla  ^'alley,  the  largest  having  a  flow  of  twenty-five  hundred  gallons  per  minute, 
sufficient  to  irrigate  a  half  section  of  land.  Owing  to  the  immense  snowfall  on 
the  Blue  Mountains,  ranging  from  ten  to  fifty  or  sixty  feet  during  the  season, 
a  large  part  of  the  slopes  and  valleys  below  seems  to  be  sub-irrigated  and  also  to 
be  underlaid  by  a  great  sheet  of  water.  Hence  it  seems  reasonable  to  expect 
that  artesian  w-ater  will  be  found  in  other  places.  In  general  it  may  be  said  that 
the  climate  of  the  sections  considered  in  this  work  is  eminently  conducive  to 
health,  wealth,  and  comfort.  It  is  a  happy  medium  between  the  extreme  dryness 
of  the  Great  Plateau  and  the  extreme  humidity  of  Western  Washington ;  as  also 
between  the  rather  mugg)-  and  enervating  climate  of  the  South  and  the  biting  cold 
of  winter  and  prostrating  heat  of  summer  of  the  belt  of  northern  states  east  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  If  we  may  judge  by  a  comparison  of  the  native  races,  as 
well  as  by  the  "bunch-grass"  horses  and  cattle,  the  "bunch-grass"  boys  and  girls 
will  be  on  the  road  to  becoming  superior  specimens  of  humanity.  Thus  far  there 
is  too  much  of  a  mixture  of  the  human  stock  to  make  scientific  comparisons. 

Old  Walla  Walla  County  shares  with  other  parts  of  Washington,  Oregon, 
Idaho,  Montana,  and  British  Columbia,  the  distinction  of  joint  ownership  of  one 
of  the  sublimest  systems  of  waterways  on  the  globe.  This  system  consists  of  the 
Columbia  and  its  tributaries.  The  Columbia  itself  washes  the  western  verge  of 
Walla  Walla  County  for  a  distance  of  only  about  sixteen  miles.  Yet,  in  this  short 
distance  the  great  stream  sustains  its  reputation  as  belonging  in  the  front  rank  of 
scenic  rivers.  Although  the  region  around  the  junction  of  the  blue,  majestic 
Columbia  and  the  turbid  and  impetuous  Snake  is  regarded  as  a  desert  in  its  native 
condition,  yet  on  one  of  the  bright,  still  days  of  spring  or  autumn  views  of  such 
grandeur  looking  either  up  or  down  can  be  obtained  that  no  appreciative  observer 
would  ever  say  "desert."  The  azure  and  gold  and  russet  and  purple  that  play 
upon  the  mountains  and  islands  looking  up  river,  or  upon  the  Wallula  Gateway 
looking  down,  with  the  mile-wide  majesty  of  the  river  in  the  midst,  must  be  seen 
to  be  understood.    Xo  words  of  description  can  do  justice  to  those  scenes. 

An  inspection  of  the  map  will  show  that  Snake  River  touches  a  much  larger 
rim  than  the  greater  stream.  For  it  borders  each  one  of  the  four  counties,  for  a 
total  distance  of  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  For  this  entire  space  Snake 
River  is  swift  and  turbid,  having  an  average  fall  of  about  three  feet  to  the  mile. 


X 


d 


•y, 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  7 

Nevertheless,  it  is  navigable  the  whole  distance  during  six  or  eight  months  in  the 
year.  The  immense  volume  of  these  two  big  rivers  is  not  generally  understood  by 
strangers.  The  Columbia  is  less  than  half  as  long  as  the  Mississippi,  yet  it  is  but 
slightly  inferior  in  volume  to  the  "Farther  of  Waters,"  and  far  surpasses  any 
other  river  in  the  United  States.  Its  maximum  flood  stage  at  Celilo  in  the  flood 
of  1894,  the  greatest  on  record,  was  estimated  at  one  million  six  hundred  thousand 
second  feet,  while  the  maximum  of  the  Snake,  just  above  its  mouth,  was  about' 
four  hundred  thousand.  We  shall  have  occasion  later  to  speak  of  the  steamer 
traffic  upon  these  rivers  and  the  improvements,  past  and  prospective,  by  the 
Federal  Government.  Suffice  it  to  say  here  that  as  that  phase  of  early  history  was 
among  the  most  important,  so  it  is  plain  that  the  future  will  bring  on  a  new  era 
of  water-borne  traffic,  and  that  with  it  will  come  a  new  era  of  production.  Nearly 
all  the  tributaries  of  the  two  big  rivers  flow  from  the  snow  banks  and  the  canons 
of  the  Blue  Mountains.  Though  conveying  in  the  aggregate  during  the  flood 
season  an  immense  volume,  the  tributaries  are  too  swift  for  navigation.  They 
supply  abundant  water  for  irrigation  where  needed,  and  each  is  a  superb  trout 
stream.  The  largest,  the  Grande  Ronde,  is  in  truth  an  Oregon  river,  for  its  main 
supplies  come  from  the  Grande  Ronde  and  Wallowa  valleys,  but  it  crosses  the 
corner  of  Asotin  County  and  enters  Snake  River  within  that  scenic  country.  The 
Grande  Ronde  is  a  powerful  stream  and  for  varied  scenes  of  wild  grandeur  and 
gentle  beauty,  it  is  not  easily  matched.  The  Wallowa  Basin  (the  "Far  Wayleway" 
of  Longfellow's  Evangeline)  is  sometimes  called  the  Switzerland  of  the  Inland 
Empire.  Of  the  historic  interest  of  that  region  which  thus  finds  its  exit  through 
one  of  the  counties  of  Old  Walla  Walla-,  ■we^'SlTaTTsTpeaic  again.  The  next  affluent 
of  the  Snake  River  below  the  Grande:  Rcmd$.^.Asotip.^Cii¥ek,  a  small  stream  and 
yet  one  of  the  busiest  and  most  usefii!,'  -fof  it'is  the  source  of  the  water  supply 
of  that  fair  and  productive  region  afounji.C-la:rkft"t)K;-and  extending  thence  to 
Asotin  City.  Some  distance  below  Clackst9n'i$JJi«^rAlpo\v'a;also  a  historic  stream. 
Yet  another  stage  and  about  half  way  between  the  Grande  Ronde  and  the  mouth 
of  Snake  River  we  find  one  of  the  most  charming  in  appearance  as  well  as  most 
attractive  to  the  fishermen  of  all  the  Blue  Mountain  streams,  the  Tucanon.  This 
also  is  invested  with  historic  interest,  as  we  shall  see  later.-  Below  the  mouth  of 
the  Tucanon  the  previously  lofty,  almost  mountainous,  shores  of  Snake  River 
rapidly  drop  away  and  the  vast  expanse  of  arid  plain  stretches  away  toward  the 
crests  of  the  Blue  Mountains.  No  more  tributaries  of  the  Snake  River  enter, 
and  with  another  stage  that  most  interesting  point  in  the  history  of  this  turbulent 
and  historic  river  is  reached — its  mouth,  and  its  individuality  is  lost  in  the  mighty 
sweep  of  the  Columbia.  A  few  miles  below  the  junction  the  most  historic  and  in 
some  respects  most  beautiful  of  the  small  tributaries  of  the  Columbia  streams 
in  through  the  verdant  meadow  and  overhanging  willows,  the  Walla  Walla. 
The  events  which  have  made  the  place  of  entrance,  as  well  as  many  other  places 
on  the  course  of  this  stream  famous  in  the  history  of  the  Northwest,  will  become 
manifest  as  our  story  proceeds. 

In  the  great  semicircle  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  which  Snake  River 
borders  our  four  counties,  there  are  frequent  profound  canons  through  which  the 
snow-crested  mountains  from  which  the  streams  issue  can  be  seen.  The  observer 
who  has  made  that  long  journey  and  reaches  the  open  prairie  at  the  mouth  oi 
the   Snake   will  behold   with   wonder  and  delight  the  distant  chain,   all   in  one 


8  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

splendid  picture,  of  which  he  had  before  seen  broken  ghmpses  through  the  rifted 
canon  walls  or  u])  the  sources  of  the  foaming  creeks.  But  whether  in  broken 
glimpses  or  in  their  grand  unity,  the  Blue  Mountains  possess  a  unique  charm  and 
individuality.  While  not  so  bold  and  aiguillated  as  the  Cascades,  and  while  there 
are  no  peaks  standing  in  lonely  sublimity  to  compel  the  vision  of  the  traveller, 
like  Mount  "Takhoma"  or  Mount  Adams  or  Mount  Hood,  the  Blue  Mountains 
are  not  inferior  in  many  of  the  features  of  mountain  charm  to  their  greater 
brothers.  The  marvelous  coloring  is  perhaps  the  most  distinctive  of  these  features. 
While  most  mountains  are  blue,  these  are  blue  blue.  They  are  all  shades  of 
blue,  according  to  the  hour  and  the  month  and  the  season — blue,  indigo,  ultra- 
marine, violet,  purple,  amethyst,  lapis  lazuli,  everything  that  one  can  think  of  to 
denote  variations  of  blueness.  "Blue  Mountain"  is  a  real  name.  The  French 
voyageurs  of  the  fur-traders  were  the  first  to  note  the  characteristic  blue,  and 
according  to  Ross  Cox,  began  at  once  to  say,  "Les  Montagues  Bleiics."  Another 
characteristic  feature  of  these  mountains  is  the  fact  that  they  do  not  so  much  con- 
stitute a  range  or  chain,  like  the  long,  narrow,  regular  Cascade  Range,  as  a  huge 
mass  with  prongs  radiating  from  something  like  a  central  axis  which  might  be 
considered  the  great  granite  and  limestone  knot  of  peaks  about  Wallowa  Lake,  of 
which  Eagle  Cap  is  the  loftiest,  over  nine  thousand  feet  in  elevation.  On  account 
of  this  ganglionic  structure  there  are  many  radiating  canons  from  the  long  ridges 
and  plateaus  to  the  lower  levels.  The  views  from  the  open  ridges  and  rounded 
summits  down  these  canons  constitute  a  scenic  gallery  of  contours  and  colorings 
which  may  challenge  comparison  with  even  the  views  of  the  loftier  and  bolder 
Cascades. 

The  value  of  the  Blue  Mountains  in  condensing  the  moisture  of  the  atmosphere 
and  dropping  it  upon  the  plains  below  in  rain  and  snow  can  hardly  be  conceived 
unless  we  reflect  that  without  this  vast  reservoir  of  salvation  to  all  growing  things 
the  Inland  Empire  would  be  a  desert.  Nor  could  it  even  be  irrigated,  for  in  the 
absence  of  the  Blue  Mountains  there  would  be  no  available  streams  for  distribu- 
tion. Wonderful  indeed  is  it  to  consider  how  the  ardent  sun  of  the  Pacific  lifts 
the  inconceivable  masses  of  invisible  vapor  from  the  ocean  and  the  west  wind 
carries  them  inland.  -The  coast  mountains  constitute  the  first  condenser  of  that 
vapor,  and  almost  constant  rain  during  half  the  year  with  a  predominance  of 
clouds  and  fogs  at  all  times  prevails  along  the  ocean  margin  of  Oregon  and  Wash- 
ington. The  Cascade  Range  lifts  its  stupendous  domes  and  sentinel-like  cliffs 
to  catch  the  vapor  that  still  sweeps  inland  and  to  feed  the  greedy  rootlets  of  their 
interminable  forests  and  to  clothe  the  heights  with  perpetual  snow  and  ice.  But 
those  vast  demands  fail  to  exhaust  the  limitless  resources  of  the  sky,  and  there 
are  yet  remaining  infinite  treasures  of  moisture  floating  eastward.  And  so  the 
next  great  suppliant  for  the  vital  nourishment  of  all  life  stands  with  uplifted, 
appealing  hands,  our  wide-extended  and  clustered  uplift  of  the  Blues.  Nor  do 
they  appeal  in  vain,  as  the  fertile  prairies  and  benches  with  their  millions  of 
bushels  of  grain  and  their  far-reaching  cattle  ranges  and  their  orchard  valleys  and 
their  countless  springs  can  testify. 

Whether  from  the  standpoint  of  the  forester  or  the  farmer  or  the  stockman 
or  the  gardener  or  the  orchardist  or  the  fisherman  or  the  artist  or  the  poet,  the 
Blue  Mountains  constitute  one  of  the  great  vital  working  facts,  the  very  frame- 
work of  the  life  of  Old  Walla  Walla  County.    We  shall  discover  that  they  are  not 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  9 

simply  a  picture  gallery,  but  that  the  history  of  this  region  is  fairly  set  within  this 
stately  frame. 

'  With  these  necessarily  hurried  and  fragmentary  glances  at  the  physical  scene 
of  the  story,  we  shall  be  prepared  to  bring  the  human  characters  upon  the  stage. 


CHAPTER  II 
THE  NATIVE  RACES  OF  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Any  history  of  any  part  of  America  would  be  incomplete  without  some  view 
of  the  aborigines.  Such  a  view  is  due  to  them,  as  well  as  to  the  accuracy  of  state- 
ment and  the  philosophical  perspectives  of  history.  Such  a  view  is  required  also  by 
justice  to  the  natives  themselves.  The  ever  westward  movement  of  American 
settlement  has  been  marked  by  trails  of  blood  and  fire.  Warfare  has  set  its  red 
stains  upon  nearly  every  region  wrested  from  barbarism  to  civilization.  This  has 
been  in  many  cases  due  to  flagrant  wrong,  greed,  and  lust  by  the  civilized  man. 
It  has  been  due  also  to  savage  cruelty  by  the  barbarian.  Perhaps  more  than  to 
wrong  by  either  party,  it  has  been  due  to  that  great,  unexplained  and  unexplain- 
able  tragedy  of  human  history,  the  inability  of  either  party  to  comprehend  the 
viewpoint  of  the  other.  And  yet,  most  of  all,  it  has  been  due  to  that  inevitable 
and  remorseless  evolution  of  all  life  by  which  one  race  of  plants,  animals,  and 
human  beings  progresses  by  the  extermination  of  others.  Perhaps  the  phil- 
osophical mind,  while  viewing  with  pity  the  sufferings  and  with  reprobation  the 
crimes  and  irrational  treatment  forced  upon  the  natives  by  the  civilized  race, 
and  while  viewing  with  equal  horror  the  atrocities  by  which  the  losers  in  the 
inevitable  struggle  sought  to  maintain  themselves — if  to  such  a  philosophical  mind 
comes  the  question  who  was  to  blame  for  all  this  seemingly  needless  woe — must 
answer  that  the  universe  is  mainly  to  blame,  and  we  have  not  yet  reached  the 
point  to  explain  the  universe. 

We  have  found  in  the  preceding  chapter  and  shall  find  in  succeeding  chapters 
frequent  occasion  to  refer  to  events  in  connection  with  Indians.  Our  aim  in  this 
chapter  is  rather  to  give  an  outline  of  locations  of  dififerent  tribes,  to  sketch  briefly 
some  of  their  traits  as  illustrated  in  their  myths  and  customs,  and  to  state  the 
chief  published  sources  of  our  knowledge  in  regard  to  these  myths  and  customs. 
The  history  of  Indian  wars,  which  also  includes  other  incidental  matter  about 
them,  will  be  found  in  the  last  chapter  of  Part  One  of  this  volume. 

The  literature  of  Indian  life  is  \-oluminous.  Practically  all  the  early  explorers 
from  Lewis  and  Clark  down  devoted  large  space  to  the  natives.  The  pioneer 
settlers  knew  them  individually  and  some  of  them  derived  much  matter  of  gen- 
eral value  which  has  been  preserved  in  brief  newspaper  articles  or  handed  down 
in  story  and  tradition.  Out  of  this  vast  mass  a  few  writers  have  formed  groups 
of  topics  which  serve  well  for  those  generalizations  which  a  bird's-eye  view  like 
this  must  be  content  to  take.  Foremost  among  the  writers  dealing  with  the  subject 
in  a  large  way  is  Hubert  Howe  Bancroft.  Although  his  great  work  on  the  history 
of  the  Pacific  Coast  has  been  severely  and  sometimes  justly  censured,  yet  it  must 
be  granted  that,  as  a  vast  compendium  of  matter  dealing  with  the  subject,  it  is 
monumental  and  can  be  turned  to  with  confidence  in  the  authenticity  of  its  sources 

10 


HUMISHUMA.  OR  MORNING  UO\E,  A  WOilAN  OF  THE  OKANOGAN  TRIBE 

Her  deerskin  robe,  decorated  with  beads,  elk  teetli  and  grizzly-bear  claws,  is  worth  over  one 

thousaiul    dollars 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  11 

and  in  the  general  accuracy  of  its  statements  of  fact,  even  if  not  always  in  the 
breadth  of  its  opinions  or  the  reliability  of  its  judgments. 

In  \^olume  One,  Chapter  Three,  of  Bancroft's  "Native  Races,"  there  is  a 
generalized  grouping  of  the  Columbian  native  tribes  which  may  well  be  accepted 
as  a  study  of  ethnology,  derived  from  many  observations  and  records  by  those 
early  explorers  most  worthy  of  credence.  These  general  outlines  by  the  author 
are  supported  by  numerous  citations  from  those  authorities.  The  Columbians 
occupied,  according  to  Bancroft,  all  the  vast  region  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains 
lying  between  the  Hyperboreans  on  the  north  and  the  Californians  on  the  south. 
They  are  divided  into  certain  families  and  these  families  into  nations,  and  the 
nations  into  tribes.  There  is  naturally  much  inter-tribal  mingling,  and  yet  the 
national  and  even  tribal  peculiarities  are  preserved  with  remarkable  distinctness. 
Beginning  on  the  northern  coast  region  around  Queen  Charlotte  Island  are  the 
Haidahs.  South  of  them  on  the  coast  comes  the  family  of  the  Nootkas,  centered 
on  \'ancouver  Island.  Then  comes  the  family  of  the  Sound  Indians,  and  still 
farther  south  that  of  the  Chinooks.  Turning  to  the  east  side  of  the  Cascades, 
which  more  especially  interests  us,  we  find  on  the  north  the  Shushwap  family, 
embracing  all  the  inland  tribes  of  British  Columbia  south  of  lat.  52°,  30'.  This 
group  includes  the  Okanogans,  Kootenais,  and  others  of  the  border  between 
British  Columbia  and  Northeastern  Washington  and  Northern  Idaho  and  North- 
western Montana.  Then  comes  the  Salish  family,  in  which  we  find  the  Spokanes, 
Flatheads,  Pend  Oreilles,  Kalispels,  and  others  as  far  south  as  the  Palouse  region. 
There  we  begin  with  the  family  of  Sahaptins,  the  one  which  particularly  concerns 
us  in  Old  Walla  \\'alla  County.  Numerous  citations  in  Bancroft's  volume  indicate 
that  the  early  explorers  and  ethnologists  did^jiQt..  altogether  agree  on  the  sub- 
divisions of  this  family.  It  would  jSeeMOf-thaS^'fl'tt  'Ijvoups  have  been  somewhat 
arbitrarily  made,  yet  there  was  evid^n-flj^  .<;«»$tderaWe  effort  to  employ  scientific 
methods  by  study  of  affiliations  in  language,  custoi]^  ^treaty  relations,  range,  and 
other  peculiarities.  In  general  terms  it  fnay  be  said '-that- the  different  writers 
pretty  nearly  agree  in  finding  some  six  or  eight  nations,  each  divided  into  several 
tribes.  These  are  the  Nez  Perces  or  Chopunriish,  the  Yakimas,  the  Palouses,  the 
Walla  Wallas,  the  Cayuses,  the  L'matillas,  the  Wascos.  and  the  Klickitats.  The 
tribes  are  variously  grouped.  The  modern  spelling  appears  in  the  above  list,  but 
there  is  a  bewildering  variety  in  the  early  books.  This  is  especially  true  of  Palouse 
and  Walla  Walla.  The  former  appears  under  the  following  forms :  Palouse, 
Paloose,  Palus,  Peloose,  Pelouse,  Pavilion,  Pavion  and  Peluse.  The  word  means 
"Gooseberry,"  according  to  Thomas  Beall  of  Lewiston.  Our  familiar  Walla  Walla, 
meaning,  according  to  "Old  Bones,"  the  Cayuse  chief,  the  place  where  the  four 
creeV-^  meet,  the  Walla  Walla,  Touchet,  Mill  Creek,  and  Dry  Creek,  appears  as 
Ott'llla-Oualla  (French),  Walla  Wallapum,  Wollow  Wollah,  Wollaolla,  Wolla- 
walla,  Wallawaltz,  Walla  Walle,  Wallah  Wallah.  Wallahwallah,  Wala- 
Wala,  and  Wollahwollah.  For  Umatilla  we  find  Umatallow,  Utalla,  Utilla,  and 
Emmatilly.  Cayuse  has  as  variants,  Cailloux,  Kayuse,  Kayouse,  Skyuse,  Cajouse. 
Caagua,  Kyoose,  and  Kyoots.  Doctor  Whitman's  station,  now  known  as  Waiilatpu, 
appears  in  sundrj'  forms,  as  Wyeilat,  Willetpu,  Wailatpui,  and  Wieletpoo.  Some 
odd  names  are  found  in  Hunt,  "Nouvelles  Annales  des  Voyages,"  where  it  is 
stated  that  the  Sciatogas  and  Toustchipas  live  on  Canoe  River  (apparently  the 
Tucanon),  and  the  Euotalla   (perhaps  the  Touchet),  and  the  Akaitchis  "sur  le 


12  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Big-River,"  i.  e.,  the  Columbia.  The  tribe  at  the  junction  of  the  Columbia  and 
Snake  was  the  Sokulks,  apparently  a  branch  of  the  Walla  Wallas.  It  would 
seem  that  the  Cayuses  occupied  mainly  the  middle  Walla  Walla  region  including 
Mill  Creek,  the  Umatilla,  the  upper  Walla  Walla,  and  across  the  high  lands  to  the 
Umatilla  River,  while  the  Walla  \\'allas  were  from  the  vicinity  of  the  junction 
of  Dry  Creek,  the  Touchet,  and  the  Walla  Walla  River  to  its  mouth.  It  appears 
that  the  most  of  the  region  now  composing  Columbia,  Garfield,  and  -Asotin 
counties  was  occupied  by  Nez  Perces.  All  the  tribes  were  more  or  less  on  the 
move  all  the  time,  to  mountains,  plains,  and  rivers,  according  to  the  season  and 
variations  in  the  food  supply.  The  Sahaptin  family  seem  to  have  been  in  general 
of  the  best  grade  of  Indians.  Lewis  and  Clark  found  the  Nez  Perces  a 
noble,  dignified  and  honest  race,  though  they  say  that  they  were  close  and  reserved 
in  bargaining.  Generally  speaking,  the  inland  Indians  were  far  superior  in 
physique  and  in  mental  cajiacity  to  those  of  the  .Sound  or  the  lower  Columbia. 
Townsend  in  his  "Narrative"  goes  so  far  as  to  say  that  the  Nez  Perces  and  Cayuses 
were  almost  universally  fine-looking,  robust  men.  He  compares  one  of  the  latter 
with  the  Apollo  Belvedere.  Gairdner  says  that  the  Walla  Wallas  were  generally 
powerful  men,  at  least  six  feet  high,  and  the  Cayuses  were  still  stouter  and  more 
athletic.  Others  remarked  that  very  handsome  young  girls  were  often  seen  among 
the  Walla  Wallas.  With  them  doubtless,  as  with  other  Indians,  the  drudgery  of 
their  lives  and  their  early  child-bearing  made  them  prematurely  old  and  they  soon 
lost  their  beauty. 

There  seems  to  have  been  much  variation  among  these  natives  as  to  personal 
habits  and  morality.  The  Nez  Perces  and  Cayuses  are  almost  always  described  as 
clean,  both  of  body  and  character.  Palmer  in  his  "Journal,"  says  that  the  Nez 
Perces  were  better  clad  than  any  others,  the  Cayuses  well  clothed,  Walla  Wallas 
naked  and  half-star\'ed.  The  last  statement  seems  not  to  corresp)ond  with  the 
observations  of  Lewis  and  Clark.  Wilkes  says  that  "at  the  Dalles  women  go 
nearly  naked,  for  they  wear  little  else  than  what  may  be  termed  a  breech-cloth,  of 
buckskin,  which  is  black  and  filthy  with  dirt."  About  the  same  seems  to  have 
been  true  of  the  Sokulks.  But  among  the  Tushepaws  and  Nez  Perces  and  Cayuses 
the  men  and  women  often  wore  long  robes  of  buffalo  or  elk-skin  decorated  with 
beads  and  sea-shells.  Famham  speaks  of  the  Cayuses  as  the  "Imperial  tribe  of 
Oregon,  claiming  jurisdiction  over  the  whole  Columbia  region." 

The  chief  wealth  of  the  tribes  of  Old  Walla  Walla  County  was  in  horses. 
Doctor  Tolmie  expressed  the  supposition  that  horses  had  come  from  the  south- 
ward at  no  very  long  time  prior  to  white  discovery.  It  is  w-ell  known  that  a  pre- 
historic horse,  the  hipparion,  not  larger  than  a  deer,  existed  in  Oregon.  Remains 
of  that  creature  have  been  found  in  the  John  Day  Basin.  But  there  is  no  evidence 
that  there  was  a  native  horse  among  the  Indians  of  Oregon.  Their  "Cayuse 
horses,"  to  all  indications,  came  from  the  horses  of  California,  and  they  in  turn 
were  the  ofTspring  of  the  horses  brought  to  Mexico  and  Southern  California  by 
the  Spanish  conquerors.  At  the  time  of  the  advent  of  the  whites,  horses  existed 
in  immense  numbers  all  through  the  Columbia  Valley.  It  was  not  uncommon  for 
a  Walla  Walla,  Umatilla,  Cayuse,  or  Nez  Perce  chief  to  have  bands  of  hundreds, 
even  thousands.  Canoes  were  a  highly  esteemed  possession  of  the  Indians  on  the 
navigable  rivers,  and  they  had  acquirefl  marvelous  skill  in  handling  them.     The 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  13 

lower  Columbia  Indians  spent  so  much  time  curled  up  in  canoes  that  they  were 
distorted  and  inferior  in  physique  to  the  "bunch-grass  Indians." 

Like  all  barbarian  people  the  Indians  of  the  Columbia  Valley  were  next  door 
to  starvation  a  good  part  of  the  time.  They  gorged  themselves  when  food  was 
plentiful,  and  thus  were  in  distress  when  the  bounty  of  Nature  failed,  for  there 
was  no  accumulated  store  as  under  civilized  conditions.  Their  food  consisted  of 
deer,  elk,  and  other  game,  in  which  the  whole  Blue  Mountain  country  with  the 
adjoining  plains  abounded,  and  of  salmon  and  sturgeon  which  they  obtained  in 
the  Columbia  and  Snake  rivers  by  spearing  and  by  ingenious  weirs.  They  also 
obtained  an  abundance  of  vegetable  food  from  the  camas  and  couse  which  were 
common,  and  in  fact  still  are  in  this  region.  Rather  curiously,  considering  the 
fertility  of  this  Walla  Walla  County,  there  are  very  few  wild  berries,  nuts,  or 
fruits.  The  huckleberry  is  practically  the  only  berr)'  in  large  quantities  and  wild 
cherries  the  only  kind  of  wild  fruit. 

Such  were  the  physical  conditions,  hastily  sketched,  of  the  natives  of  Old 
Walla  Walla  County.  Their  mental  and  moral  characteristics  may  be  derived  in  a 
degree  from  the  events  narrated  in  the  pages  which  follow.  In  their  best  estate 
they  were  faithful,  patient,  hospitable,  and  generous.  In  their  worst  estate,  in 
which  the  whites  more  usually  found  them,  they  seemed  vindictive,  suspicious, 
cruel,  and  remorseless.  Too  many  cases  of  the  former  type  occurred  to  justify 
any  sweeping  condemnation.  One  of  the  finest  examples  of  Indian  character  in 
its  better  light  is  shown  by  an  event  in  this  region  narrated  by  Ross  Cox  in  his 
"Adventures  on  the  Columbia  River."  The  party  of  trappers  of  the  North- 
western Fur  Company,  of  which  Cox  was  one,  was  on  its  way  from  Astoria  to 
"Oakinagan,"  as  he  calls  it — a  company  of  sixty-four  in  eight  canoes.  When 
at  a  point  in  the  Columbia  about  equidistant  between  the  mouth  of  the  "Wallah 
Wallah"  and  that  of  the  Lewis  (Snake),  a  number  of  canoes  filled  with  natives 
bore  down  upon  their  squadron,  apparently  without  hostile  design.  But  within 
a  few  minutes  the  Indians  evinced  the  purpose  of  seizing  the  canoes  of  the  whites 
and  plundering  them  by  violence.  It  was  soon  give  and  take,  and  arrows  began 
to  fly.  Pretty  soon  one  of  the  company,  McDonald,  seeing  an  Indian  just  at 
the  point  of  letting  fly  an  arrow  at  him,  fired  and  killed  the  Indian.  A  struggle 
ensued,  but  the  whites  broke  loose  and  defended  themselves  sufficiently  to  reach 
an  island,  which  must  have  been  the  one  nearly  opposite  the  present  Two  Rivers. 
It  was  a  gloomy  prospect.  Cox  says  that  they  had  pretty  nearly  given  up  hope 
of  escaping,  and  had  written  farewell  notes  which  they  hoped  might  reach  their 
friends.  It  was  a  dark,  gloomy  night  in  November,  with  a  drizzling  rain.  Dur- 
ing the  night  the  party  saw  signal  fires  on  the  shore  to  the  northwest,  followed 
by  others  to  east  and  west.  Soon  after  a  large  band  of  ravens  passed  over,  the 
fluttering  of  whose  wings  they  could  hear.  This  had  a  most  depressing  efifect  on 
the  superstitious  Canadians,  and  one  of  them  declared  that  the  appearance  of 
ravens  at  night  was  an  infallible  sign  of  approaching  death.  Mr.  Keith,  one  of 
the  Scotchmen,  seeing  the  gloomy  state  of  their  minds  and  wishing  to  forestall 
the  efifect,  instantly  joined  the  conversation,  declaring  that  while  there  was  such 
a  general  fear  of  a  night  flight  of  ravens,  yet  it  never  worked  disaster  unless 
the  flight  was  accompanied  by  croaking.  But  when  ravens  passed  over  without 
croaking,  they  were  a  harbinger  of  good  news.  Much  relieved,  the  Canadians 
regained  their  nerve  and  shouted  out,  "you  are  right,  you  are  right !     Courage ! 


14  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

There  is  no  danger !''  The  beleaguered  band  on  their  dismal  retreat  waited  for 
the  dawn,  making  all  preparations  for  resistance  to  the  death.  Early  in  the  morn- 
ing the  party  crossed  to  the  north  bank  of  the  river,  and  there  waited  develop- 
ments. A  large  force  of  Indians  soon  appeared,  well  armed,  and  yet  ready  for 
a  parley.  The  whites  sent  forward  their  interpreter,  Michel,  to  indicate  their 
willingness  to  parley.  A  group  of  thirty  or  forty  of  the  relatives  of  the  dead 
Indians  advanced  chanting  a  death  song,  which,  as  tiicy  afterwards  learned,  was 
about  as  follows:  "Rest,  brothers,  rest!  You  will  be  avenged.  The  tears  of 
your  widows  shall  cease  to  flow,  when  they  behold  the  blood  of  your  murderers; 
and  your  young  children  shall  leap  and  sing  with  joy,  on  seeing  their  scalps.  Rest, 
brothers,  in  peace;  we  shall  have  blood." 

The  events  which  followed  this  lugubrious  song  cannot  be  better  told  than  by 
following  the  vivid  narrative  of  Cox: 

.  "They  took  up  their  position  in  the  center;  and  the  whole  party  then  formed 
themselves  into  an  extended  crescent.  Among  them  were  natives  of  the  Chim- 
napum,  Yackaman,  Sokulk,  and  ^^'allah  Wallah  tribes.  Their  language  is  nearly 
the  same ;  but  they  are  under  separate  chiefs,  and  in  time  of  war  always  ttnite 
against  the  Shoshone  or  Snake  Indians,  a  powerful  nation,  who  inhabit  the  plains 
to  the  southward. 

"From  Chili  to  Athabasca,  and  from  Nootka  to  the  Labrador,  there  is  an 
indescribable  coldness  about  an  American  savage  that  checks  familiarity.  He  is 
a  stranger  to  our  hopes,  our  fears,  our  joys,  or  our  sorrows ;  his  eyes  are  seldom 
moistened  by  a  tear,  or  his  features  relaxed  by  a  smile ;  and  whether  he  basks 
beneath  a  vertical  sun  on  the  burning  plains  of  the  Amazonia,  or  freezes  in  eternal 
winter  on  the  ice-bound  shores  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  the  same  piercing  black 
eyes,  and  stern  immobility  of  countenance,  equally  set  at  naught  the  skill  of  the 
physiognomist. 

"On  the  present  occasion,  their  painted  skin,  cut  hair,  and  naked  bodies, 
imparted  to  their  appearance  a  degree  of  ferocity  from  which  we  boded  no  good 
result.  They  remained  stationary  for  some  time  and  preserved  a  profound 
silence. 

"Messrs.  Keith,  Stewart,  LaRocque.  and  the  interpreter,  at  length  advanced 
about  midway  between  both  parties  unarmed,  and  demanded  to  speak  with  them; 
upon  which  two  chiefs,  accompanied  by  six  of  the  mourners,  proceeded  to  join 
them.  Mr.  Keith  offered  them  the  calumet  of  peace,  which  they  refused  to 
accept,  in  a  manner  at  once  cold  and  rejnilsive. 

"Michel  was  thereupon  ordered  to  tell  them  that,  as  we  had  always  been  on 
good  terms  with  them,  we  regretted  much  that  the  late  unfortunate  circumstance 
had  occurred  to  disturb  our  friendly  intercourse;  but  that  as  we  were  anxious 
to  restore  harmony,  and  to  forget  what  had  passed,  we  were  now  willing  to 
compensate  the  relations  of  the  deceased  for  the  loss  they  had  sustained. 

"They  inquired  what  kind  of  compensation  was  intended;  and  on  being  in- 
formed that  it  consisted  of  two  suits  of  chief's  clothes,  with  blankets,  tobacco, 
and  ornaments  for  the  women,  etc.,  it  was  indignantly  refused ;  and  their  spokes- 
man stated  that  no  discussion  cotild  be  entered  into  until  two  white  men  (one 
of  whom  should  be  the  big  red-headed  chief)  were  delivered  to  them  to  be 
sacrificed,  according  to  their  law,  to  the  spirits  of  the  departed  warriors. 

"Every  eye  turned  on  McDonald,  who  on  hearing  the  demand,  'grinned  hor- 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  15 

ribly  a  ghastly  smile' ;  and  who,  but  for  our  interposition,  would  on  the  spot  have 
chastised  the  insolence  of  the  speaker.  The  men  were  horrified,  and  'fear  and 
trembling'  became  visible  in  their  countenances,  until  Mr.  Keith,  who  had  observed 
these  symptoms  of  terror,  promptly  restored  their  confidence,  by  telling  them  that 
such  an  ignominious  demand  should  never  be  complied  with. 

"He  then  addressed  the  Indians  in  a  calm,  firm  voice,  and  told  them  that 
no  consideration  whatever  should  induce  him  to  deliver  a  white  man  to  their 
vengeance;  that  they  had  Ijeen  the  original  aggressors,  and  in  their  unjustifiable 
attempt  to  seize  by  force  our  property,  the  deceased  had  lost  their  lives;  that 
he  was  willing  to  believe  the  attack  was  unpremeditated,  and  under  that  impres- 
sion he  had  made  the  ofifer  of  compensation.  He  assured  them  that  he  preferred 
their  friendship  to  their  enmity ;  but  that,  if  unfortunately  they  were  not  actuated 
by  the  same  feelings,  the  white  men  would  not,  however  deeply  they  might  lament 
it,  shrink  from  the  contest.  At  the  same  time  he  reminded  them  of  our  superiority 
in  arms  and  ammunition;  and  that  for  every  man  belonging  to  our  party  who 
might  fall,  ten  of  their  friends  at  least  would  suffer;  and  concluded  by  request- 
ing them  calmly  to  weigh  and  consider  all  these  matters,  and  tO'  bear  in  recollec- 
tion that  upon  the  result  of  their  deliberation  would  in  a  great  measure  depend 
whether  white  men  would  remain  in  their  country  or  quit  it  forever. 

"The  interpreter  having  repeated  the  above,  a  violent  debate  took  place  among 
the  principal  natives.  One  party  advised  the  demand  for  the  two  white  men  to 
be  withdrawn,  and  to  ask  in  their  place  a  greater  quantity  of  goods  and  ammu- 
nition; while  the  other,  which  was  by  far  the  most  numerous,  and  to  which  all 
the  relatives  of  the  deceased  belonged,  opposed  all  compromise,  unaccompanied 
by  the  delivery  of  the  victims. 

"The  arguments  and  threats  of  the  latter  gradually  thinned  the  ranks  of  the 
more  moderate ;  and  Michel  told  Mr.  Keith  that  he  was  afraid  an  accommodation 
was  impossible.  Orders  were  thereupon  issued  to  prepare  for  action,  and  the 
men  were  told,  when  they  received  from  Mr.  Keith  the  signal,  to  be  certain  that 
each  shot  should  tell. 

"In  the  meantime  a  number  of  the  natives  had  withdrawn  some  distance  from 
the  scene  of  deliberation,  and  from  their  fierce  and  threatening  looks,  joined  to 
occasional  whispers,  we  momentarily  expected  they  would  commence  an  attack. 

"A  few  of  their  speakers  still  lingered,  anxious  for  peace;  but  their  feeble 
efforts  were  unavailing  when  opposed  to  the  more  powerful  influence  of  the 
hostile  party,  who  repeatedly  called  on  them  to  retire,  and  allow  the  white  men 
to  proceed  on  their  journey  as  well  as  they  could.  All  but  two  chiefs  and  an 
elderly  man,  who  had  taken  an  active  part  in  the  debate,  obeyed  the  call,  and 
they  remained  for  some  time  apparently  undecided  what  course  to  adopt. 

"From  this  group  our  eyes  glanced  to  an  extended  line  of  the  enemy  who 
were  forming  behind  them ;  and  from  their  motions  it  became  evident  that  their 
intention  was  to  outflank  us.  We  therefore  changed  our  position,  and  formed  our 
men  into  single  files,  each  man  about  three  feet  from  his  comrade.  The  friendly 
natives  began  to  fall  back  slowly  towards  their  companions,  most  of  whom  had 
already  concealed  themselves  behind  large  stones,  tufts  of  wormwood,  and  furze 
bushes,  from  which  they  could  have  taken  a  more  deadly  aim ;  and  Messrs.  Keith 
and  Stewart,  who  had  now  abandoned  all  hopes  of  an  amicable  termination, 
called  for  their  arms. 


H»  OLD  WAU.A  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

"An  awful  pause  cnsurd,  when  our  attrntiun  was  arrested  by  the  loud  tramp- 
ing of  horses,  and  i:  twelve  ni..untc,i  warriors,  dashed  into  the 
space  between  the  tv.  they  lialtcd  ;iiid  dismounted.  1  hey  were 
headed  by  a  young  chief,  of  fine  hgurc,  who  instantly  ran  up  to  Mr.  Keith,  to 
whom  he  prrsciUcd  '  1  in  the  most  fricixlly  nunncr,  which  example  was 
fulloMcd  by  his  con  lie  then  commanded  our  enemies  to  quit  their 
places  of  concealment,  and  to  appear  before  him.  His  orders  were  promptly 
ol>cyed;  and  having  nude  himself  acquainted  with  the  circumstances  that  led  to 
the  deaths  of  the  two  Indians,  and  our  efforts  towards  effecting  a  reconciliation, 
he  addressed  them  in  a  si)eech  of  considerable  length,  of  which  the  following  is 
a  brief  sketch : 

'■  i-"ricnds  and  relations!  Three  snows  only  have  passed  over  our  heads  since 
we  were  a  i>oor  miserable  people.  Our  enemies,  the  Shoshones.  during  the 
summer  stole  uur  horses,  by  which  we  were  i)rc\ented  from  hunting,  and  drove 
us  from  the  banks  of  the  river,  so  that  we  could  not  get  lish.  In  winter  they 
burned  our  lodges  by  night ;  they  killed  our  relations ;  they  treated  our  wives  and 
daughters  like  dogs,  and  left  us  either  to  die  from  cold  or  starvation,  or  become 
their  slaves. 

"  'They  were  numerous  and  powerful ;  we  were  few,  and  weak.  Our  hearts 
were  as  the  hearts  of  little  children ;  we  could  not  fight  like  warriors,  and  were 
driven  like  deer  about  the  plains.  When  the  thunders  rolled  and  the  rains  jxjured, 
we  had  no  spot  in  which  we  could  seek  a  shelter ;  no  place,  save  the  rocks,  whereon 
we  could  lay  our  heads.  Is  such  the  case  today?  No,  my  relations!  it  is  not. 
We  have  driven  the  Shoshones  from  our  hunting-grounds,  on  which  they  dare 
not  now  appear,  and  have  regained  possession  of  the  bnds  of  our  fathers,  in 
which  they  and  their  fathers'  fathers  lie  buried.  We  have  horses  and  provisions 
in  abundance,  and  can  sleep  unmolested  w  ith  our  wives  and  our  children,  witliout 
dreading  the  midnight  attacks  of  our  enemies.  Our  hearts  are  great  within  us, 
and  we  are  now  a  nation !' 

"'Who  then,  my  friends,  have  produced  this  change?  The  white  men.  In 
exchange  for  our  horses  and  for  our  furs,  they  gave  us  guns  and  ammunition ; 
then  we  became  strong;  we  killed  many  of  our  enemies,  and  forced  them  to 
fly  from  our  lands.  And  are  we  to  treat  those  who  have  been  the  cause  of  this 
happy  change  with  ingratitude?  Never!  Never!  The  white  people  have 
never  roblxrd  us;  and,  I  ask,  why  should  we  attempt  to  rob  them?  It  was  bad, 
very  bad! — and  they  were  right  in  killing  the  robbers.'  Here  symptoms  of 
ini|>afience  and  dissatisfaction  became  manifest  among  a  group  consisting  chiefly 
of  the  relations  of  the  deceased ;  on  observing  which,  he  continued  in  a  louder 
tone:  'Yes!  I  say  they  acted  right  in  killing  the  roblnrrs ;  and  who  among  you 
will  dare  to  contradict  me?' 

"  'You  all  know  well  my  father  was  killed  by  the  enemy,  when  you  all 
deserted  him  like  cowards ;  and.  while  the  Great  Master  of  I.ife  spares  me.  no 
hostile  foot  shall  again  l>e  set  on  our  lands.  I  know  you  all;  and  I  know  that 
those  who  are  afraid  of  their  Ixxiies  in  battle  arc  thieves  when  they  are  out  of 
it :  but  the  warrior  of  the  strong  arm  and  the  great  heart  will  never  rob  a  friend.' 
.•\fter  a  short  pause,  he  resumed:  'My  friends,  the  white  men  are  brave  and 
lielone  to  a  great  nation.  They  are  many  moons  crossing  the  great  lake  in  coming 
from  their  own  conntrv  to  ser\e  us.     If  vou  were  foolish  enough  to  attack  them. 


ttt*lli>i.«.  1 


Hit"''' 


I    Pv*^  ■i^fel. 


wsamUmi^^ 


t     *     • 


il 


..--*> 


-  ^- 


Hotel  Diicres 


Grand  Hotel 
LEADING  HOTELS   OF   ■\\ALLA   WALLA 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  17 

they  would  kill  a  great  many  of  you ;  but  suppose  you  should  succeed  in  destroy- 
ing all  that  are  now  present,  what  would  be  the  consequence  ?  A  greater  number 
would  come  next  year  to  revenge  the  death  of  their  relations,  and  they  would 
annihilate  our  tribe;  or  should  not  that  happen,  their  friends  at  home,  on  hearing 
of  their  deaths,  would  say  we  were  a  bad  and  wicked  people,  and  white  men 
would  never  more  come  among  us.  We  should  then  be  reduced  to  our  former 
state  of  misery  and  persecution;  our  ammunition  would  be  quickly  expended;  our 
guns  would  become  useless,  and  we  should  again  be  driven  from  our  lands,  and 
the  lands  of  our  fathers,  to  wander  like  deer  and  wolves  in  the  midst  of  the  woods 
and  plains.  I  therefore  say  the  white  men  must  not  be  injured !  They  have 
offered  you  compensation  for  the  loss  of  your  friends:  take  it;  but,  if  you  should 
refuse,  I  tell  you  to  your  faces  that  I  will  join  them  with  my  own  band  of 
warriors;  and  should  one  white  man  fall  by  the  arrow  of  an  Indian,  that  Indian, 
if  he  were  my  brother,  with  all  his  family,  shall  become  victims  to  my  vengeance.' 
Then,  raising  his  voice,  he  called  out,  'Let  the  Wallah  Wallahs,  and  all  who  love 
me,  and  are  fond  of  the  white  men,  come  forth  and  smoke  the  pipe  of  peace !' 
Upwards  of  one  hundred  of  our  late  adversaries  obeyed  the  call,  and  separated 
themselves  from  their  allies.  The  harangue  of  the  youthful  chieftain  silenced 
all  opposition.  The  above  is  but  a  faint  outline  of  the  arguments  he  made  use 
of,  for  he  spoke  upwards  of  two  hours;  and  Michel  confessed  himself  unable  to 
translate  a  great  portion  of  his  language,  particularly  when  he  soared  into  the 
wild  flights  of  metaphor,  so  common  among  Indians.  His  delivery  was  generally 
bold,  graceful,  and  energetic.  Our  admiration  at  the  time  knew  no  bounds;  and 
the  orators  of  Greece  or  Rome  when  compared-with  him,  dwindled  in  our  estima- 
tion into  insignificance.  .;       .  _     "  "^  ' 

"Through  this  chief's  mediation,  tlie  viHolii  .'claimants  were  in  a  short  time 
fully  satisfied,  without  the  flaming  scalp  jsf.  our  Higntand  hero ;  after  which  a 
circle  was  formed  by  our  people  and  the  Indians  iri^i^riminately :  the  white  and 
red  chiefs  occupied  the  center,  and  our  return  to  friendship  was  ratified  by  each 
individual  in  rotation  taking  an  amicable  whiiT  from  the  peace-cementing  calumet. 

"The  chieftain  whose  timely  arrival  had  rescued  us  from  impending  destruc- 
tion was  called  'Morning  Star.'  His  age  did  not  exceed  twenty-five  years.  His 
father  had  been  a  chief  of  great  bravery  and  influence,  and  had  been  killed  in 
battle  by  the  Shoshones  a  few  years  before.  He  was  succeeded  by  Morning 
Star,  who,  notwithstanding  his  youth,  had  performed  prodigies  of  valor.  Nineteen 
scalps  decorated  the  neck  of  his  war  horse,  the  owners  of  which  had  been  all 
killed  in  battle  by  himself  to  appease  the  spirit  of  his  deceased  father.  He 
wished  to  increase  the  number  of  his  victims  to  twenty ;  but  the  terror  inspired 
by  his  name,  joined  to  the  superiority  which  his  tribe  derived  by  the  use  of  fire- 
arms, prevented  him  from  making  up  the  desired  complement  by  banishing  the 
enemy  from  the  banks  of  the  Columbia.* 

"His  handsome  features,  eagle  glance,  noble  bearing,  and  majestic  person, 
stamped  him  one  of  Nature's  own  aristocracy;  while  his  bravery  in  the  field, 
joined  to  his  wisdom  in  their  councils,  commanded  alike  the  involuntary  homage 
of  the  young,  and  the  respect  of  the  old. 

"We  gave  the  man  who  had  been  wounded  in  the  shoulder  a  chief's  coat ;  and 

*  The  Indians  consider  the  attainment  of  twenty  scalps  as  the  summit  of  a  warrior's  glory. 

Vol.  I— !l 


18  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

to  the  relations  of  the  men  who  were  kiUed  we  gave  two  coats,  two  blankets,  two 
fathoms  of  cloth,  two  spears,  forty  bullets  and  powder,  with  a  quantity  of 
trinkets,  and  two  small  kettles  for  their  widows.  We  also  distributed  nearly  half 
a  bale  of  tobacco  among  all  present,  and  our  youthful  deliverer  was  presented 
by  Mr.  Keith  with  a  handsome  fowling-piece,  and  some  other  valuable  articles. 

"Four  men  were  then  ordered  to  each  canoe,  and  they  proceeded  on  with 
the  poles;  while  the  remainder,  with  the  passengers,  followed  by  land.  We  were 
mixed  pell-mell  with  the  natives  for  several  miles :  the  ground  was  covered  with 
large  stones,  small  willows,  and  prickly-pears;  and  had  they  been  inclined  to 
break  the  solemn  compact  into  which  they  had  entered,  they  could  have  destroyed 
us  with  the  utmost  facility. 

"At  dusk  we  bade  farewell  to  the  friendly  chieftain  and  his  companions,  and 
crossed  to  the  south  side,  where  we  encamped,  a  few  miles  above  Lewis  River, 
and  spent  the  night  in  tranquillity. 

"It  may  be  imagined  by  some  that  the  part  we  acted  in  the  foregoing  trans- 
action betrayed  too  great  an  anxiety  for  self-preservation ;  but  when  it  is  recol- 
lected that  we  were  several  hundred  miles  from  any  assistance,  with  a  deep  and 
rapid  river  to  ascend  by  the  tedious  and  laborious  process  of  poling,  and  that 
the  desultory  Cossack  mode  of  fighting  in  use  among  the  Indians,  particularly 
the  horsemen,  would  have  cut  us  off  in  piecemeal  ere  we  had  advanced  three 
days,  it  will  be  seen  that,  under  the  circumstances,  we  could  not  have  acted 

otherwise." 

And  now  we  must  turn  to  another  phase  of  Indian  life  and  character  which 
is  most  worthy  of  record,  and  one  in  which  more  than  anywhere  else  they  show 
some  of  those  "touches  of  nature  which  make  the  whole  world  kin."  This  is  that 
phase  exhibited  in  myths  and  superstitions.  Here  we  shall  f^nd,  as  almost 
nowhere  else,  that  Indians  are,  after  all,  very  much  like  other  people.  In  this 
portion  of  this  chapter  the  author  is  incorporating  portions  of  articles  written  by 
himself  for  the  American  Antiquarian. 

Like  all  primitive  men,  the  Oregon  Indians  have  an  extensive  mythology. 
With  childlike  interest  in  the  stars  and  moon  and  sun  and  fire  and  water  and 
forests  as  well  as  plants  and  animal  life  and  their  own  natures,  they  have  sought 
out  and  passed  on  a  wealth  of  legend  and  fancy  which  in  its  best  features  ,s 
worthy  of  a  place  with  the  exquisite  creations  of  Norse  and  Hellenic  fancy, 
even  with  much  of  the  crude  and  grotesque.  Yet  it  is  not  easy  to  secure  these 
legends  just  as  the  Indians  tell  them.  In  the  first  place  few  of  the  early  explorers 
knew  how  or  cared  to  draw  out  the  ideas  of  the  first  uncontaminated  Indians. 
The  early  settlers  generally  had  a  stupid  intolerance  in  dealing  with  Indians 
that  made  them  shut  right  up  like  clams  and  withhold  their  stock  of  ideas.  Later 
the  missionaries  generally  inclined  to  give  them  the  impression  that  their  "heathen" 
legends  and  ideas  were  obstacles  to  their  "salvation,"  and  should  be  extirpated 
from  their  minds.  Still  further  the  few  that  did  really  get  upon  a  sympathetic 
footing  with  them  and  draw  out  some  of  their  myths,  were  likely  to  get  them 
in  fragments  and  piece  them  out  with  Bible  stories  or  other  civilized  concep- 
tions, and  thus  the  native  stories  have  become  adulterated.  It  is  difficult  to  get 
the  Indians  to  talk  freely,  even  with  those  whom  they  like  and  trust.  Educated 
Indians  seem  to  be  ashamed  of  their  native  lore,  and  will  generally  avoid  talking 
about  it  with  whites  at  all,  unless  under  exceptional  conditions.     Christianized 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  19 

Indians  seem  to  consider  the  repetition  of  their  old  myths  a  relapse  into  heathenism, 
and  hence  will  parry  etiorts  to  draw  them  out.  Li  general,  even  when  civilized, 
Lidians  are  proud,  reserved,  suspicious,  and  on  their  guard.  And  with  the  primal 
Indians  few  can  make  much  headway.  The  investigator  must  start  in  indirectly, 
not  manifesting  any  eagerness,  and  simply  suggest  as  if  by  accident  some  peculiar 
appearance  or  incident  in  sky  or  trees  or  water,  and  let  the  Indian  move  on  in 
his  own  way  to  empty  his  own  mind,  never  suspecting  any  effort  by  his  listener 
to  gather  up  and  tell  again  his  story.  And  even  under  the  most  favoring  con- 
ditions, one  may  think  he  is  getting  along  famously,  when  suddenly  the  Indian 
will  pause,  glance  furtively  at  the  listener,  give  a  moody  chuckle,  relapse  into 
stony  and  apathetic  silence — that  is  the  end  of  the  tale. 

Our  stories  have  been  derived  mainly  from  the  reports  of  those  who  have 
lived  much  among  the  Indians,  and  who  have  been  able  to  embrace  the  rare 
occasions  when,  without  self-consciousness  or  even  much  thought  of  outsiders, 
the  natives  could  speak  out  freely.  There  is  usually  no  very  close  way  of  judg- 
ing of  the  accuracy  of  observation  or  correctness  of  report  of  these  investigators, 
except  as  their  statements  are  corroborated  by  others.  These  stories  sometimes 
conflict,  different  tribes  having  quite  different  versions  of  certain  stories.  Then 
again  the  Indians  have  a  peculiar  habit  of  "continued  stories,"  by  which  at  the 
teepee  fire  one  will  take  up  some  well  known  tale  and  add  to  it  and  so  make  a 
new  story  of  it,  or  at  least  a  new  conclusion.  As  with  the  minstrels  and  minne- 
singers of  feudal  Europe  at  the  tournaments,  the  best  fellow  is  the  one  who  tells 
the  most  thrilling  tale. 

One  confusing  condition  that  often  arises  with  Indian  names  and  stories  is 
that  some  Indians  use  a  word  generically  and  others  use  the  same  word  spe- 
cifically. For  instance  the  native  name  for  Mount  Adams,  commonly  given  as 
"Pahtou,"  and  Mount  Rainier  or  Tacoma,  better  spelled  "Takhoma,"  as  sounded 
by  the  Indians,  really  means  any  high  mountain.  A  Wasco  Indian  once  told  the 
author  that  his  tribe  called  Mount  Hood,  "Pahtou,"  meaning  the  big  mountain, 
but  that  the  Indians  on  the  other  side  of  the  Columbia  River  applied  the  same 
name  to  Adams.  A  very  intelligent  Puyallup  Indian  says  that  the  name  of  the 
"Great  White  Mountain"  was  "Takhoma,"  with  accent  and  prolonged  sound  on 
the  second  .syllable,  but  that  any  snow  peak  was  the  same,  with  the  second  syllable 
not  so  prolonged  according  to  height  or  distance  of  the  peak.  Mount  St.  Helens 
was  also  "Takhoma,"  but  with  the  "ho"  not  so  prolonged.  But  among  some 
other  Indians  we  find  Mount  St.  Helens  known  as  "Lawailaclough,"  and  with 
some  Mount  Hood  is  known  as  "Yetsl."  Still  other  names  are  "Loowit"  for 
St.  Helens  and  "Wiyeast"  for  Hood.  Adams  seems  to  be  known  to  some  as 
"Klickitat."  "Koolshan"  for  Baker,  meaning  the  "Great  White  Watcher,"  is 
one  of  the  most  attractive  of  Indian  names  and  should  be  preserved.  There  is 
"Shuksan"  or  "The  place  of  the  Storm  Wind,"  the  only  one  of  the  northwestern 
peaks  which  has  preserved  its  Indian  name.  In  reference  to  "Takhoma,"  a 
Puyallup  woman  told  the  writer  that  among  her  people  the  name  meant  the 
"Breast  that  Feeds,"  or  "The  Breast  of  the  Milk  White  Waters,"  referring  to 
the  glaciers  or  the  white  streams  that  issue  from  them.  On  the  other  hand, 
Winthrop  in  "Canoe  and  Saddle,"  states  that  the  Indians  applied  the  name  "Tak- 
homa" to  any  high  snow  peak.  Mr.  Edwin  Eells  of  Tacoma  has  written  that  he 
derived  from  Rev.  Father  Hylebos  of  the  same  city  the  statement  that  the  name 


20 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 


"Takhonia"  was  compounded  of  '-Tah"  and  "Konia,"  and  that  among  certain 
Indians  the  word  "Koma"  meant  any  snow  peak,  while  "Tah"  is  a  superlative. 
Hence,  "Tahkoma"  means  simply  the  great  peak. 

We  tind  something  of  the  .same  inconsistencies  in  regard  to  the  Indian  names 
of  rivers.  Our  maps  abound  with  supposed  Indian  names  of  rivers  and  yet  an 
educated  Nez  Perce  Indian  named  Luke,  living  at  Kamiah,  Idaho,  says  that  the 
Indians,  at  least  of  that  region,  had  no  names  of  rivers,  but  only  of  localities. 
He  told  the  author  that  "Kooskooskie,"  which  Lewis  and  Clark  understood  to  be 
the  name  of  what  we  now  call  the  Clearwater,  was  in  reality  a  repetition  of 
"Koos,"  their  word  for  water,  and  they  meant  merely  to  say  that  it  was  a  strong 
water.  On  the  other  hand  we  find  many  students  of  Indian  languages  who  have 
understood  that  there  were  names  for  the  large  rivers,  even  for  the  Columbia. 
In  the  beautiful  little  book  by  B.  H.  Barrows,  published  and  distributed  by  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  we  find  the  name  "Shocatilicum"  or  "Friendly 
Water"  given  as  the  Chinook  name  for  the  Columbia.  It  is  interesting  to  notice 
that  this  same  word  for  "friendly  water"  appears  in  Vol.  II,  of  the  Lewis  and 
Clark  Journal,  but  with  different  spelling,  in  one  place  being  "Shocatilcum"  and 
in  another  place  "Chockalilum."  Reverend  Father  Blanchet  is  authority  for 
the  statement  in  "Historical  Magazine,"  II,  335,  that  the  Chinook  Indians  used 
the  name  "Yakaitl  Wimakl"  for  the  Lower  Columbia.  A  Yakima  Indian  called 
William  Charley  gives  "Chewanna"  as  still  another  Indian  name  for  the  Columbia. 

We  have  many  supposed  Indian  names  for  God,  as  "Nekahni,"  or  "Sahale," 
but  Miss  Kate  McBeth,  long  a  missionary  among  the  Nez  Perces,  records  in  her 
book  about  them  that  those  Indians  had  no  native  name  for  the  deity.  Of  these 
Indian  myths  many  deal  with  the  chief  God,  as  "Nekahni,"  "Sahale,"  "Dokidatl," 
"Snoqualm,"  or  "Skomalt,"  while  others  have  to  do  with  the  lesser  grade  of  the 
supernatural  beings,  as  the  Coyote  god,  variously  named  "Tallapus,"  "Speelyi," 
or  "Sinchaleep."  Others  may  treat  of  "Skallalatoots"  (Fairies),  "Toomuck," 
(Devils),  or  the  various  forms  of  "Tomanowas"  (magic).  A  large  number  of 
these  myths  describe  the  supposed  origin  of  strange  features  of  the  natural  world, 
rocks,  lakes,  whirlpools,  winds  and  waterfalls.  Some  describe  the  "animal 
people,"  "Watetash,"  as  the  Klickitats  call  them.  Some  of  the  best  are  fire- 
myths.  These  myths  seem  to  have  been  common  among  all  Indians  of  the 
Columbia  Valley. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  we  have  given  two  of  the  best  Indian  myths,  that  of 
Wishpoosh  and  that  of  the  Chinook  Wind.  We  insert  here  two  stories  of  a 
very  different  nature,  derived  from  the  same  investigator  as  the  two  preceding, 
Dr.  G.  B.  Kuykendall  of  Pomeroy,  Washington. 

There  is  a  legend  among  the  Yakima  Indians  which  seems  to  have  the  same 
root  in  human  nature  as  the  beautiful  Greek  myth  of  Orpheus  and  Eurydice, 
showing  the  instinctive  desire  of  people  on  earth  to  bring  back  the  spirits  of  the 
dead,  and  the  impossibility  of  doing  so.  This  myth  sets  forth  how  Speelyi  and 
Whyama  the  eagle  became  at  one  time  so  grieved  at  the  loss  of  their  loved  ones 
that  they  determined  to  go  to  the  land  of  the  spirits  and  bring  them  back.  The 
two  adventurers  journeyed  for  a  long  distance  over  an  unbroken  plain,  and  came 
at  last  to  a  great  lake,  on  the  farther  side  of  which  they  saw  many  houses.  They 
called  long  and  vainly  for  someone  to  come  with  a  boat  and  ferry  them  over. 
But  there  was  no  sign  of  life  and  at  last  Whyama  said  that  there  could  be  no  one 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  21 

there.  Speelyi  insisted,  liowever,  that  the  people  were  simply  sleeping  the  sleep 
of  the  day  and  would  come  forth  at  night.  Accordingly,  when  the  sun  went  down 
and  darkness  began  to  come  on,  Speelyi  started  to  sing.  In  a  few  minutes  they 
saw  four  spirit  men  come  to  the  bank,  enter  a  boat  and  cross  the  lake  to  meet 
them.  It  seemed  not  necessary  for  them  to  row  the  boat,  for  apparently  it 
skimmed  over  the  water  of  its  own  accord.  The  spirit  men,  having  landed,  took 
Whyama  and  Speelyi  with  them  in  the  boat  and  began  their  return  to  the  island 
of  the  dead.  The  island  seemed  to  be  a  very  sacred  place.  There  was  a  house 
of  mats  upon  the  shore,  where  music  and  dancing  were  in  progress.  Speelyi 
and  Whyama  begged  leave  to  enter,  and  feeling  hungry,  they  asked  for  food. 
The  spirit  land  was  so  much  less  gross  than  the  earth  that  they  were  satisfied 
by  what  was  dipped  with  a  feather  out  of  a  bottle.  The  spirit  people  now  came 
to  meet  them  dressed  in  most  beautiful  costumes,  and  so  filled  with  joy  that 
Speelyi  and  Whyama  felt  a  great  desire  to  share  their  happiness.  By  the  time 
of  the  morning  light,  however,  the  festivities  ceased  and  all  the  spirit  people 
became  wrapped  in  slumber  for  the  day.  Speelyi,  observing  that  the  moon  was 
hung  up  inside  the  great  banquet  hall  and  seemed  to  be  essential  to  the  ongoings 
of  the  evening,  stationed  himself  in  such  a  place  that  he  could  seize  it  during  the 
next  night's  meeting.  As  soon  as  night  came  on  the  spirits  gathered  again  for 
the  music  and  dance.  While  their  festivities  were  in  progress  as  usual,  Speelyi 
suddenly  swallowed  the  moon,  leaving  the  entire  place  in  darkness.  Then  he  and 
Whyama  brought  in  a  box,  which  they  had  previously  provided,  and  Whyama, 
flying  swiftly  about  the  room  caught  a  number  of  the  spirits  and  enclosed  them 
in  the  box.  Then  the  two  proceeded  to  start  for  the  earth,  Speelyi  carrying  the 
box  upon  his  back. 

As  the  two  adventurers  went  upon  their  long  journey  toward  the  earth  with 
the  precious  box,  the  spirits,  which  at  first  were  entirely  imponderable,  began 
to  be  transformed  into  men  and  to  have  weight.  Soon  they  began  to  cry  out 
on  account  of  their  crowded  and  uncomfortable  position.  Then  they  became 
so  heavy  that  Speelyi  could  no  longer  carry  them.  In  spite  of  the  remonstrances 
of  Whyama,  he  opened  the  box.  They  were  astonished  and  overwhelmed  with 
grief  to  see  the  partiallv  transformed  spirits  flit  away  like  autumn  leaves  and  dis- 
appear in  the  direction  from  which  they  had  come.  Whyama  thought  that  per- 
haps even  as  the  buds  grow  in  the  spring,  so  the  dead  would  come  back  with 
the  blooming  of  the  next  flowers.  But  Speelyi  deemed  it  best  after  this  that 
the  dead  should  remain  in  the  land  of  the  dead.  Had  it  not  been  for  this,  as  the 
Indians  think,  the  dead  would  indeed  return  every  spring  with  the  openmg  of 

tllP  lc3.VCS 

The  Klickitat  Indians,  living  along  the  Dalles  of  the  Columbia,  have  another 
legend  of  the  land  of  spirits.  There  was  a  young  chief  and  a  girl  who  were 
devoted  to  each  other  and  seemed  to  be  the  happiest  people  in  the  tribe,  but  sud- 
denly be  sickened  and  died.  The  girl  mourned  for  him  almost  to  the  point  of 
death,  and  he,  having  reached  the  land  of  spirits,  could  find  no  happiness  there 

on  account  of  thinking  of  her.  ,    ,u      ■  ^  u       ■  ut  +»ii 

And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  a  vision  began  to  appear  to  the  girl  by  night,  tell- 
ing her  that  she  must  herself  go  into  the  land  of  the  spirits  in  order  to  console 
her  lover.  Now  there  is  near  that  place  one  of  the  most  weird  and  funereal  of 
all  the  various  "memaloose"  islands,  or  death  islands,  of  the  Columbia.     The 


22  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COLXTY 

writer  himself  has  been  upun  this  island  and  its  spectral  and  volcanic  desolation 
makes  it  a  fitting  location  for  ghostly  tales.  It  lies  just  below  the  "great  chute," 
and  even  yet  has  many  skeletons  upon  it.  In  accordance  with  the  directions  of 
the  vision,  the  girl's  father  made  ready  a  canoe,  placed  her  in  it,  and  rowed  out 
into  the  great  river  by  night  to  the  menialoose  island.  As  the  father  and  his 
child  rowed  across  the  dark  and  forbidding  waters,  they  began  to  hear  the  sound 
of  singing  and  dancing  and  great  joy.  Upon  the  shore  of  the  island  they  were 
met  by  four  spirit  people,  who  took  the  girl  but  bade  the  father  return,  as  it  was 
not  for  him  to  see  into  the  spirit  country.  Accordingly  the  girl  was  conducted 
to  the  great  dance  house  of  the  spirits,  and  there  she  met  her  lover,  far  stronger 
and  more  beautiful  than  when  upon  earth.  That  night  they  spent  in  unspeakable 
bliss,  but  when  the  light  began  to  break  in  the  east  and  the  song  of  the  robins 
began  to  be  heard  from  the  willows  on  the  shore,  the  singers  and  the  dancers 
began  to  fall  asleep. 

The  girl,  too,  had  gone  to  sleep,  but  not  soundly  like  the  spirits.  When  the 
sun  had  reached  the  meridian,  she  woke,  and  now,  to  her  horror,  she  saw  that 
instead  of  being  in  the  midst  of  beautiful  spirits,  she  was  surrounded  by  hideous 
skeletons  and  loathsome,  decaying  bodies.  Around  her  waist  were  the  bony  arms 
and  skeleton  fingers  of  her  lover,  and  his  grinning  teeth  and  gaping  eye-sockets 
seemed  to  be  turned  in  mockery  upon  her.  Screaming  with  horror  she  leaped 
up  and  ran  to  the  edge  of  the  island,  where,  after  hunting  a  long  time,  she  found 
a  boat,  in  which  she  paddled  across  to  the  Indian  village.  Having  presented  her- 
self to  her  astonished  parents,  they  became  fearful  that  some  great  calamity 
would  visit  the  tribe  on  account  of  her  return,  and  accordingly  her  father  took 
her  the  next  night  back  to  the  memaloose  island  as  before.  There  she  met  again 
the  happy  spirits  of  the  blessed  and  there  again  her  lover  and  she  spent  another 
night  in  ecstatic  bliss. 

In  the  course  of  time  a  child  was  born  to  the  girl,  -beautiful  beyond  descrip- 
tion, being  half  spirit  and  half  human.  The  spirit  bridegroom,  being  anxious 
that  his  mother  should  see  the  child,  sent  a  spirit  messenger  to  the  village,  desir- 
ing his  mother  to  come  by  night  to  the  memaloose  island  to  visit  them.  She  was 
told,  however,  that  she  must  not  look  at  the  child  until  ten  days  had  passed. 
But  after  the  old  woman  had  reached  the  island  her  desire  to  see  the  wonderful 
child  was  so  intense  that  she  took  advantage  of  a  moment's  inattention  on  the 
part  of  the  guard,  and,  lifting  the  cloth  from  the  baby  board,  she  stole  a  look  at 
the  sleeping  infant.  And  then,  dreadful  to  relate,  the  baby  died  in  consequence 
of  this  premature  human  look.  Grieved  and  displeased  by  this  foolish  act,  the 
spirit  people  decreed  that  the  dead  should  never  again  return  nor  hold  any  com- 
munication witli  the  living. 

As  showing  still  another  phase  of  Indian  imagination,  the  stories  of  the 
"Tomanowas  Bridge"  of  the  Cascades  may  well  find  a  place  here. 

This  myth  not  only  treats  of  fire,  but  it  also  endeavors  to  account  for  the 
peculiar  formation  of  the  river  and  for  the  great  snow  peaks  in  the  near  vicinity. 
This  myth  has  various  forms,  and  in  order  that  it  may  be  the  better  understood, 
Ave  shall  say  a  word  with  respect  to  the  peculiar  physical  features  in  that  part 
of  the  Columbia.  This  mighty  river,  after  having  traversed  over  a  thousand 
miles  from  its  source  in  the  heart  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  of  Canada,  has  cleft 
the  Cascade  range  asunder  with  the  cafion  3,000  feet  in  depth.    While  generally 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  23 

very  swift,  that  portion  of  the  river  between  The  Dalles  and  the  Cascades,  of 
about  fifty  miles,  is  very  deep  and  sluggish.  There  are  moreover  sunken  forests 
on  both  sides  of  the  river,  visible  at  low  water,  which  seem  plainly  to  indicate 
that  at  that  point  the  river  was  dammed  up  by  some  great  rock  slide  or  volcanic 
convulsion.  Some  of  the  Lidians  affirm  that  their  grandfathers  have  told  them 
there  was  a  time  when  the  river  at  that  point  passed  under  an  immense  natural 
bridge  and  that  there  were  no  obstructions  to  the  passage  of  boats  under  the  bridge. 
At  the  present  time  there  is  a  cascade  of  forty  feet  at  that  point.  This  is  now  over- 
come by  Government  locks.  Among  other  evidences  of  some  such  actual  occur- 
rence as  the  Indians  relate  is  the  fact  that  the  banks  of  the  river  at  that  point 
are  gradually  sliding  into  the  river.  The  prodigious  volume  of  the  Columbia 
which  here  rises  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  feet  during  the  summer  flood  and 
which,  as  shown  by  Government  engineers,  carries  as  much  water  as  the  Missis- 
sippi at  New  Orleans,  is  here  continually  eating  into  the  banks.  The  railroad 
has  slid  several  inches  a  year  at  this  point  toward  the  river  and  requires  frequent 
readjustment.  It  is  obvious  at  a  slight  inspection  that  this  weird  and  sublime 
point  in  the  course  of  this  majestic  river  has  been  the  scene  of  terrific  volcanic 
and  probably  seismic  action.  One  Indian  legend,  probably  the  best  known  of  all 
their  stories,  is  to  the  effect  that  the  downfall  of  the  great  bridge  and  consequent 
damming  of  the  river  was  due  to  a  great  battle  between  Mount  Hood  and  Mount 
Adams,  in  which  Mount  Hood  hurled  a  great  rock  at  his  antagonist,  but  falling 
short  of  the  mark  the  rock  demolished  the  bridge  instead.  This  event  has  been 
made  use  of  by  Frederick  Balch  in  his  beautiful  story,  "The  Bridge  of  the  Gods," 
the  finest  story  yet  produced  in  Oregon. 

But  the  finer,  though  less  known  legend,  which  unites  both  the  physical  con- 
formation of  the  Cascades  and  the  three  great  snow  mountains  of  Hood,  Adams, 
and  St.  Helens,  with  the  origin  of  fire,  is  to  this  efi^ect.  This  story  was  secured 
by  Mr.  Fred  Saylor  of  Portland. 

According  to  the  Klickitats  there  was  once  a  father  and  two  sons  who  came 
from  the  east  down  the  Columbia  to  the  vicinity  of  where  Dalles  City  is  now 
located,  and  there  the  two  sons  quarreled  as  to  who  should  possess  the  land. 
The  father,  to  settle  the  dispute,  shot  two  arrows,  one  to  the  north  and  one  to 
the  west.  ?Ie  told  one  son  to  find  the  arrow  to  the  north  and  the  other  the  one  at 
the  west  and  there  to  settle  and  bring  up  their  families.  The  first  son,  going 
northward,  over  what  was  then  a  beautiful  plain,  became  the  progenitor  of  the 
Klickitat  tribe,  while  the  other  son  was  the  founder  of  the  great  Multnomah 
nation  of  the  Willamette  Valley.  To  separate  the  two  tribes  more  effectively 
Sahale  reared  the  chain  of  the  Cascades,  though  without  any  great  peaks,  and 
for  a  long  time  all  things  went  in  harmony.  But  for  convenience'  sake  Sahale 
had  created  the  great  tomanowas  bridge  under  which  the  waters  of  the  Columbia 
flowed,  and  on  this  bridge  he  had  stationed  a  witch  woman  called  Loowit.  who 
was  to  take  charge  of  the  fire.  This  was  the  only  fire  in  the  world.  As  time 
passed  on  Loowit  observed  the  deplorable  condition  of  the  Indians,  destitute 
of  fire  and  the  conveniences  which  it  might  bring.  She  therefore  besought  Sahale 
to  allow  her  to  bestow  fire  upon  the  Indians.  Sahale,  having  been  greatly  pleased 
by  the  faitli fulness  and  benevolence  of  Loowit,  finally  granted  her  request.  The 
lot  of  the  Indians  was  wonderfully  improved  by  the  acquisition  of  fire.     Thev 


24  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

now  began  to  make  better  lodges  and  clothes  and  had  a  variety  of  food  and 
implements  and,  in  short,  were  marvellously  benefited  by  the  bounteous  gift. 
lUit  Sahale,  in  order  to  show  his  aj)preciation  of  the  care  with  which  Loowit 
had  guarded  the  sacred  tire,  now  determined  to  offer  her  any  gift  she  might  desire 
as  a  reward.  Accordingly,  in  response  to  his  offer,  Loowit  asked  that  she  be 
transformed  into  a  young  and  beautiful  girl.  This  was  effected  and  now,  as 
might  have  been  expected,  all  the  Indian  chiefs  fell  deeply  in  love  with  the 
beautiful  guardian  of  the  tomanowas  bridge.  Loowit  paid  little  heed  to  any 
of  them,  until  finally  there  came  two  magnificent  chiefs,  one  from  the  north 
called  Klickitat,  and  one  from  the  south  called  Wiyeast.  Loowit  was  uncertain 
which  of  these  two  she  most  desired,  and  as  a  result  a  bitter  strife  arose  between 
the  two,  and  this  waxed  hotter  and  hotter,  until  finally,  with  their  respective 
warriors,  they  entered  upon  a  desperate  war.  The  land  was  ravaged,  all  the 
beautiful  things  which  they  had  made  were  marred,  and  misery  and  wretched- 
ness ensued.  Sahale  repented  that  he  had  allowed  Loowit  to  bestow  fire  upon  the 
Indians,  and  determined  to  undo  all  his  work  in  so  far  as  he  could.  Accordingly 
he  broke  down  the  tomanowas  bridge,  which  dammed  up  the  river  with  an 
impassable  reef  and  put  to  death  Loowit,  Klickitat  and  Wiyeast.  But,  he  said, 
inasmuch  as  they  had  been  so  grand  and  beautiful  in  life,  he  would  give  them 
a  fitting  commemoration  after  death.  Therefore  he  reared  over  them  as  monu- 
ments the  great  snow  peaks ;  over  Loowit  what  we  now  call  Mount  St.  Helens, 
over  Wiyeast  the  modern  Mount  Hood,  and  above  Klickitat  the  stupendous  dome 
of  what  we  now  call  Mount  Adams. 

And  now  it  is  a  matter  of  much  interest  to  learn  something  of  the  chief 
original  sources  and  the  most  reliable  investigators  of  these  myths.  This  survey 
is  necessarily  incomplete.  The  endeavor  is  to  name  the  students  and  writers 
of  myths  as  far  as  possible.  This  search  goes  beyond  Old  Walla  Walla  and 
covers  Old  Oregon. 

First  in  the  natural  order  of  the  investigators,  and  records  of  Indian  myths 
come  the  early  explorers  and  writers  of  Old  Oregon.  Most  of  these  give  us 
little  on  the  special  subject  of  myths,  though  they  give  much  on  the  habits, 
customs,  occupations,  and  implements  of  the  natives.  The  earliest  explorer  in 
Oregon,  so  far  as  known  to  the  author,  to  give  any  native  legend,  is  Gabriel 
Franchere,  who  came  to  Astoria  with  the  Astor  Fur  Company  in  1811.  In  his 
narrative,  upon  which  Irving's  "Astoria"  is  largely  based,  we  find  a  fine  story 
of  the  creation  of  men  by  Etalapass,  and  their  subsequent  improvement  by 
Ecannum.  Franchere  says  that  this  legend  was  related  to  him  by  Ellewa,  one 
of  the  sons  of  Concomly,  the  one-eyed  Chinook  chief,  who  figures  conspicuously 
in  Franchere's  narrative.  Of  valuable  books  of  the  same  period  of  Franchere, 
are  Ross  Cox's  "Adventures  on  the  Columbia  River,"  and  Alexander  Ross' 
"Adventures  on  the  Columbia,"  both  of  which  contain  valuable  references  to  the 
customs  and  superstitious  ideas  of  the  natives,  though  not  much  in  the  way  of 
myths.  Ross  gives  an  interesting  myth  of  the  Oakinackens  (Okanogans  as  we 
now  say)  about  the  origin  of  the  Indians  or  Skyloo  on  the  white  man's  island, 
Samahtumawhoolah.  The  Indians  were  then  very  white  and  ruled  by  a  female 
spirit,  or  Great  Mother,  named  Skomalt,  but  their  island  got  loose  and  drifted 
on  the  ocean  for  many  suns,  and  as  a  result  they  became  darkened  to  their 
present  hue.     Ross  gives  also  an  account  of  the  belief  of  the  Oakinackens  in  a 


POSTOFFICE,  WALLA  WALLA 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  25 

good  spirit,  one  of  whose  names  is  Skyappe,  and  a  bad  spirit,  one  of  whose  names 
was  Chacha.  The  chief  deity  of  those  Indians  seems  to  have  been  the  great 
mother  of  Hfe,  Skomalt,  whose  name  also  has  the  addition  of  "Squisses."  Ross 
says  that  those  Indians  change  their  names  constantly  and  doubtless  their  deities 
did  the  same. 

Of  valuable  books  a  few  years  later  than  those  just  named,  one  especially 
deserving  of  mention  is  Dr.  Samuel  Parker's  "Exploring  Tour  Beyond  the 
Rocky  Mountains,"  the  result  of  observations  made  in  1835  and  1836.  This, 
however,  contains  little  in  the  way  of  mythology.  Capt.  Charles  Wilkes,  the 
American  explorer  of  the  early  '40s,  gives  a  very  interesting  account  of  a  Palouse 
myth  of  a  beaver  which  was  cut  up  to  make  the  tribes.  This  is  evidently  another 
version  of  the  Klickitat  story  of  the  great  beaver,  Wishpoosh,  of  Lake  Cleelum. 
One  of  the  most  important  of  the  early  histories  of  Oregon  is  Dunn's,  the 
materials  for  which  were  gathered  in  the  decade  of  the  '40s.  With  other  valuable 
matter  it  contains  accounts  of  the  religious  conceptions  of  the  Indians,  and  here 
we  find  the  legend  of  the  Thunder  Bird  of  the  Tinneh,  a  northern  tribe.  In  this 
same  general  period,  though  a  little  later,  we  find  the  most  brilliant  of  all  writers 
dealing  with  Oregon ;  that  is,  the  gifted  scholar,  poet  and  soldier,  Theodore 
Winthrop.  His  book,  "Canoe  and  Saddle,"  has  no  rival  for  literary  excellence 
and  graphic  power,  among  all  the  books  which  have  dealt  with  the  Northwest.  The 
book  was  first  published  in  1862,  and  republished  fifty  years  later  in  beautiful 
form  by  John  H.  Williams  of  Tacoma.  "Canoe  and  Saddle"  commemorates  a 
journey  from  Puget  Sound  across  the;  niouiifaijis^and  through  the  Yakima  and 
Klickitat  countries  in  1854.  It  cdntein^-seyera-l. fine  Indian  stories,  notably  that 
of  the  Miser  of  Mount  Tacoma,  and  that  of  the  Devil  of  the  Dalles.  Winthrop 
does  not  state  from  whom  directly  he. secured  the  second  of  these  myths,  but 
no  doubt  from  the  Indians  themselves",' thougJi  the' peculiar  rich  imagination  and 
picturesque  language  of  Winthrop  are  in  evidence  throughout  the  narration.  The 
tale  of  the  Miser  of  Mount  Tacoma  is  attributed  by  Winthrop  to  Hamitchou, 
an  Indian  of  the  Squallygamish  tribe. 

At  about  the  same  time  as  Winthrop's,  occurred  the  visit  and  investigations 
of  James  G.  Swan,  whose  book,  "The  Northwest  Coast,"  was  published  in  1857. 
Tn  this  is  found  the  cre.ition  myth  of  the  Ogress  of  Saddle  Mountain,  relating 
the  issuing  forth  of  Indians  from  eggs  cast  down  the  mountain-side  by  the 
Ogress.  Many  years  ago  Rev.  Myron  Eells  told  the  writer  a  variation  of  that 
story,  which  has  appeared  in  sundry  forms  and  publications,  being  the  story  of 
Toulux,  the  South  Wind,  Quootshoi  the  witch,  and  Skamson  the  Thunder  Bird. 
In  addition  to  the  legend  of  the  Thunder  Bird,  Swan  gives  many  items  of  peculiar 
interest.  Among  these  we  find  his  idea  that  certain  customs  of  the  Indians  ally 
them  with  the  Ten  Lost  Tribes  of  Israel.  His  final  impression  seems  to  be, 
however,  that  they  are  autocthonous  in  America.  He  refers  to  the  observation 
of  General  George  Gibbs  of  the  similarity  of  Klickitat  myths  to  those  in  Long- 
fellow's Hiawatha.  He  also  refers  to  the  beeswax  ship  of  the  Nehalem.  In 
connection  with  the  thought  of  Indian  resemblance  to  the  Ten  Lost  Tribes,  it  is 
worth  noticing  that  this  has  come  forth  from  various  directions.  Miss  Kate 
McBeth  has  expressed  the  same  in  connection  with  the  Nez  Perces.  It  was  also 
a  favorite  idea  with  B.  B.  Bishop,  one  of  the  earliest  builders  of  steamboats 
on  the  Columbia,  who  lived  many  years  at   Pendleton,   Oregon.     He  told  the 


26  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

writer  that  the  Indians  at  the  Cascades  had  a  spring  festival  with  the  lirst  run 
of  salmon.  They  would  boil  whole  the  first  large  salmon  caught',  and  have  a 
ceremony  in  which  the  whole  tribe  would  pass  in  procession  around  the  fish, 
each  taking  a  bit.  They  exercised  the  utmost  care  to  leave  the  skeleton  intact, 
so  that  at  the  end  it  had  been  picked  clean  but  with  not  a  bone  broken.  Mr. 
Bishop  thought  that  this  was  a  sunival  of  the  Jewish  idea  of  the  Paschal  Lamb. 

Among  the  great  collectors  of  all  kinds  of  historical  data  in  what  might  be 
called  the  middle  period  of  Northwest  history  and  not  exactly  belonging  to  any 
one  of  the  specific  groups,  is  H.  H.  Bancroft,  already  referred  to  in  the  first 
part  of  this  chapter.  In  his  "Native  Races,"  are  found  many  myths,  with  refer- 
ences given,  but  these  mainly  deal  with  Mexican,  Central  American,  and  Cali- 
fornian  Indians.  He  refers  to  Holmburg's  ethnological  studies  in  German  as 
containing  valuable  matter  in  regard  to  our  Northwestern  Indians.  Harmon's 
Journal,  with  its  reference  to  the  TacuUies  of  British  Columbia  and  their  legend 
of  the  Musk  Rat,  is  also  named.  In  the  same  connection  we  find  reference  to 
Yehl  the  Raven,  an  especial  favorite  of  the  Indians  of  British  Columbia  and  the 
upper  part  of  Puget  Sound. 

From  what  may  be  termed  the  first  group  of  narrators  of  native  tales,  we 
may  turn  to  those  that  may  be  called  the  scientific  ethnologists.  We  are  indebted 
to  Dr.  Franz  Boas,  himself  the  foremost  of  the  group,  for  the  list  of  these  pro- 
fessional students  of  the  subject.  These  men  took  up  the  matter  in  a  more 
scientific  and  methodical  way  than  the  travellers  and  pioneers  and  have  presented 
the  results  of  their  work  in  form  that  appeals  to  the  scholar,  the  work  of  trained 
investigators,  seeking  the  facts  and  giving  them  as  exactly  as  possible,  not  affected 
by  the  distortions  and  exaggerations  common  to  unscientific  observers.  They 
were  all  connected  with  the  Smithsonian  Institute,  and  their  work  was  mainly 
tmder  the  Government. 

The  Bibliography  as  given  by  Doctor  Boas,  is  as  follov/s: 

Edward  Sapir,  Wishram  Texts  (publications  of  the  American  Ethnological 
Society,  Vol.  11). 

Leo  J.  Frachtenberg,  Coos  Texts  (Columbia  University  contributions  to 
Anthropology,  \'ol.   I). 

Leo  J.  Frachtenberg,  Lower  Unipqua  Texts  (Ibid.,  Vol.  IV). 

James  Teit,  Traditions  of  the  Thompson  Indians  (Memoirs  of  the  Amer- 
ican Folk-Lore  Society,  Vol.  VI).  (This  is  not  Washington,  but 
practically  identical  with  material  from  the  interior  of  Washington.) 

James  Teit,  Mythology  of  the  Thompson  Indians  (Jesup  North  Pacific 
Expedition  Publications,  Vol.  VIII). 

James  Teit,  The  Shuswap  (Ibid.,  Vol.  II). 

Franz  Boas,  Indianische  Sagen  von  der  Nord-Pacifischen  Kiiste  Amerikas. 

Franz  Boas,  Mythology  of  the  Indians  of  Washington  and  Oregon 
(Globus,  Yo].  LXIII,  pp.  154-157,  172-175,   igo-193). 

H.  J.  Spinden,  Myths  of  the  Nez  Perce  (Journal  of  American  Folk  Lore, 
Vol.  XXI). 

Louisa  McDermott,  Myths  of  the  Flathead  Indians  (Ibid.,  Vol.  XIV). 

Franz  Boas,  Sagen  der  Kootenay  (Berlin  Society  for  Anthropology, 
Ethnology,  etc.,  \'ol.  XXIII,  pp.   161-172). 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  27 

Livingston    Farrand,    Traditions   of   the    Quinault   Indians    (Publications 
of  the  Jesup  North  Pacific  Expedition,  Vol.  II). 

Franz   Boas,   Chinook  Texts    (Bureau  of   Ethnology,  Government  Print- 
ing Office,  1894). 

Franz  Boas,  Cathlamet  Texts  (Ibid.). 

James   Teit,    Traditions   of    the   Lilloost   Indians    (Journal   of   American 
Folk-Lore,  \'ol.  XXV). 

Jeremiah  Curtin,  Myths  of  the  Modocs  (Little,  Brown  &  Co.). 
To  these  may  be  added,  as  of  special  value,  the  studies  of  Prof.  Albert  S. 
Gatchett  among  the  Modocs,  found  under  the  title,  "Oregonian  Folk-Lore"  in  the 
Journal  of  American  Folk-Lore,  Vol.  IV,  1891,  Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co.  The 
other  volumes  of  the  Journal  of  .luierican  Folk-Lore  from  1888  to  1913  contain 
valuable  matter. 

Doctor  Boas  found  a  treasury  of  information  in  an  old  Indian  named  Charlie 
Cultee,  at  Bay  Center  in  Willapa  Harbor,  Wash.,  and  from  that  source  derived 
the  material  for  the  most  scientific  and  uncolored  study  of  Indian  lore  yet  given 
to  the  public.  These  appear  in  the  Chinook  Texts  of  Doctor  Boas.  In  this  is  a 
fine  story  of  the  first  ship  seen  by  the  Clatsops.  This  is  found  also  in  H.  S. 
Lyman's  History  of  Oregon.  In  Professor  Gatchett's  book  are  found  some  of 
the  finest  fire  myths  and  fish  myths  of  the  Northwest. 

Following  the  groups  of  the  explorers  and  the  professional  ethnologists,  may 
come  the  larger  body  of  miscellaneous  collectors  and  writers,  who,  through  local 
papers  and  magazines  and  published  books,  as  well  as  personal  narration,  have 
rescued  many  quaint  and  curious  gems  of  Indian  mythology  from  oblivion  and 
through  various  channels  have  imparted  them  to  the  slowly  accumulating  stock. 
Those  no  longer  living  may  properly  appear  first.  Of  comparatively  recent 
students  no  longer  living,  Silas  Smith  of  Astoria  was  one  of  the  best.  His 
father  was  Solomon  Smith  of  the  Wyeth  Expedition,  while  his  mother  was 
Celiast,  daughter  of  the  Clatsop  chief  Cobaiway.  Through  his  Indian  mother 
Mr.  Smith  obtained  much  interesting  matter,  much  of  which  was  preserved 
by  H.  S.  Lyman  in  his  history  of  Oregon,  and  in  articles  in  the  Oregonian,  His- 
torical Oiwrtcrly.  and  other  publications.  H.  S.  Lyman  was  also  an  original 
investigator,  deriving  his  data  mainly  from  Silas  Smith  and  from  a  group  of 
Indians  who  formerly  lived  at  the  mouth  of  the  Nekanicum.  These  stories  ap- 
pear in  his  history  of  Oregon  and  in  a  group  contained  in  the  "Tallapus  Stories," 
published  in  the  Oregonian.  Another  intelligent  and  patient  investigator  was 
Rev.  Mvron  Fells,  who  lived  for  many  years  on  Hood's  Canal.  Many  years  ago 
the  author  heard  from  him  legends  from  the  Indians  which  he  derived  directly 
from  the  natives,  such  as  the  Thunder  Bird,  the  Flood  around  Mount  Tacoma 
C which  he  thought  colored  by  the  story  of  Noah  in  the  Bible),  and  others.  In  the 
book  by  Mr.  Hells,  entitled  "Ten  Years'  Missionary  Work  in  Skokomish,"  he  gives 
a  valuable  description  of  the  "Tomanowas."  In  various  numbers  of  the  American 
Antiquarian  Mr.  Eells  has  valuable  articles  as  follows:  "The  Religion  of  the 
Twana  Indians,"  July,  1879;  "Dokidatl,  or  the  God  of  the  Puget  Sound  Indians," 
November,  1884;  "The  Indians  of  Puget  Sound,"  May,  1888,  and  March,  1890. 
Prominent  among  the  scholars  and  lecturers  of  Oregon  is  the  great  name  of 
Thomas  Condon,  for  a  long  time  in  the  State  University,  and  the  earliest  student 
in  a  large  way  of  the  geology  of  the  Northwest.     He  was  interested  in  Indiaii 


28  OLD  WAI.I.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

myths  as  in  almost  everything  that  had  to  do  with  man  and  nature.  The  legend 
of  the  "Bridge  of  the  Clods,"  already  given  in  this  chapter,  particularly  appealed 
to  him.  One  of  the  notable  students  of  both  the  geology  and  anthropology  of  the 
Northwest  was  George  Gibbs,  who  came  to  Oregon  as  a  Government  geologist 
in  1853.  In  his  rejiort  on  the  Pacific  Railroad  in  House  of  Representatives  Docu- 
ments of  1853-4,  he  gives  the  first  published  version,  so  far  as  we  can  discover,  of 
the  "Bridge  of  the  Gods."  He  tells  the  story  thus:  "The  Indians  tell  a  char- 
acteristic tale  of  Mount  Hood  and  Mount  St.  Helens  to  the  effect  that  they  were 
man  and  wife;  that  they  finally  quarreled  and  threw  fire  at  one  another,  and  that 
St.  Helens  was  victor;  since  when  Mount  Hood  has  been  afraid,  while  St.  Helens, 
having  a  stout  heart,  still  burned.  In  some  versions  this  story  is  connected  with 
the  slide  which  formed  the  Cascades  of  the  Columbia."  Mr.  Gibbs  also  gives  some 
\'akima  legends. 

One  of  the  most  distinguished  of  all  the  literary  pioneers  of  Old  Oregon  was 
Samuel  A.  Clark.  In  his  "Pioneer  Days  in  Oregon"  are  several  interesting 
legends  well  told.  In  this  we  find  the  legend  of  the  Nahalem,  with  Ona  and  Sandy 
and  all  their  tribulations.  We  find  here  told  also  the  story  of  the  Bridge  of  the 
Gods,  in  which  Hood  and  Adams  are  represented  as  the  contending  forces,  having 
been  originally  the  abutments  of  the  Bridge  of  the  Gods.  But  the  most  noted  con- 
tribution of  Mr.  Clark  to  this  legend -was  his  poem  called,  "The  Legend  of  the 
Mountains,"  referring  to  the  fabled  bridge,  which  appeared  in  Harper's  Maga::ine 
of  February,  1874.  This  represents  Mount  St.  Helens  as  a  goddess  for  whom 
Hood  and  Adams  contended,  hurling  huge  stones  at  each  other  and  finally  break- 
ing down  the  bridge.  The  story  of  the  bridge  became  the  most  noted  of  all 
native  myths,  being  related  to  practically  every  traveller  that  made  the  steamboat 
trip  down  the  Columbia. 

Let  us  now  turn  to  those  discoverers  and  writers  of  Indian  myths  who  are  still 
living.  The  majority  of  these  are  from  the  nature  of  the  case  adaptors  and  tran- 
scribers, rather  than  original  students.  But  some  among  them  are  entitled  to  the 
place  of  genuine  investigators.  Among  these  a  foremost  place  must  be  accorded 
to  Fred  A.  Saylor  of  Portland.  He  was  for  several  years  editor  of  the  Oregon 
Native  Son,  and  for  it  he  wrote  a  number  of  stories  which  he  derived  directly 
from  the  Indians.  A  student  of  these  stories  from  boyhood,  he  has  accumulated 
the  largest  collection  of  matter  both  published  and  unpublished  of  anyone  in  the 
Northwest.  This  collection  is  preserved  by  him  in  fourteen  large  scrap  books, 
and  constitutes  a  treasury  of  valuable  data  which  it  is  to  be  hoped  may  soon  ap- 
pear in  a  published  form  for  the  delight  and  profit  of  many  readers.  Among  the 
legends  of  which  Mr.  Saylor  is  entitled  to  be  regarded  as  the  discoverer  are  these  : 
"The  Legend  of  Tahoma" ;  "Why  the  Indian  Fears  Golden  Hair,"  or,  "The  Origin 
of  Castle  Rock;"  "Speelyi,  or  the  Origin  of  Latourelle  Falls,  and  the  Pillars  of 
Hercules;"  "Thorns  on  Rosebushes;"  "The  Noah  of  the  Indians;"  "The  Strange 
Story  of  a  Double  Shadow ;"  "The  Legend  of  Snake  River  Valley ;"  "A  Wa])pato 
Account  of  the  Flood ;"  "The  Last  Signal  Fire  of  the  Multnomah ;"  "The  Legend 
of  the  Willamette;"  "The  Love  of  an  Indian  Maid;"  "Enumpthla;"  "Coyote's 
Tomb ;"  "Multnomah."  The  last  named  has  been  presented  by  students  on  the 
campus  of  the  State  University  and  also  at  the  Agricultural  College  of  Oregon. 

Of  investigators  known  to  the  author,  none  seems  more  worthy  of  extended 
and  favorable  mention  than  Dr.  G.  B.  Kuykendall  of  Pomeroy,  Wash.    He  was 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  29 

for  a  number  of  years  the  physician  for  the  Yakima  Reservation  at  Fort  Simcoe. 
He  began  his  work  of  collecting  in  1875,  deriving  his  knowledge  directly  from 
the  Indians.  His  authorities  were  almost  entirely  old  Indians,  for  from  such  only 
could  he  secure  narrations  of  unadulterated  character.  His  first  published  writ- 
ings were  in  the  "West  Shore,"  of  Portland,  in  18S7.  His  most  mature  contribu- 
tion, which  may  indeed  be  considered  the  best  yet  given  to  the  public,  is  found  in 
Vol.  II,  of  the  "History  of  the  Pacific  Northwest,"  published  by  the  North 
Pacific  History  Co.,  of  Portland,  in  1889.  This  is  an  admirable  piece  of  work, 
and  students  of  the  subject  will  find  here  a  treasure  of  native  lore.  The  following 
is  the  list  of  stories  given  by  Dr.  Kuykendall  in  that  work:  "Wishpoosh,  the 
Beaver  God,  and  the  Origin  of  the  Tribes;"  "Speelyi  Fights  Enumtla;"  "Speelyi 
Outwits  the  Beaver  Women;"  "Rock  Myths ;"  "Legend  of  the  Tick;"  "Mountain 
Lake  Myths;"  "The  Origin  of  Fire;"  "Water  Nymphs;"  "Wawa,  the  Mosquito 
God;"  "Origin  of  the  Loon;"  "Castiltah,  the  Crayfish;"  "Wakapoosh,  the  Rattle 
Snake ;"  "The  Tumwater  Luminous  Stone  God ;"  "The  Wooden  Fireman  of  the 
Cascades ;"  "Contest  Between  the  Chinooks  and  Cold  Wind  Brothers ;"  "Speelyi's 
Ascent  to  Heaven ;"  "Coyote  and  Eagle  Attempt  to  Bring  the  Dead  Back  from 
Spirit  Land ;"  "The  Isle  of  the  Dead." 

Another  original  investigator  and  the  author  of  an  unique  and  picturesque 
book  devoted  exclusively  to  Indian  myths,  is  W.  S.  Phillips  of  Seattle,  well  known 
by  his  non-de-plume  of  "EI  Comancho."  The  book  by  Mr.  Phillips  is  "Totem 
Tales."  Mr.  Phillips  says  that  he  gathered  the  matter  for  "Totem  Tales"  from 
the  Puget  Sound  Indians  and  from  Haida  Indians  who  had  come  south.  This 
work  was  mainly  done  about  twenty-five  years  ago.  He  verified  much  of  his 
matter  by  comparing  with  Judge  Swan,  and  by  the  stories  acquired  by  Doctor  Shaw, 
who  was  at  one  time  Indian  agent  at  Port  Madison,  and  whose  wife  was  one  of 
the  daughters  of  old  Chief  Sealth  (Seattle).  He  derived  matter  for  comparison 
also  from  Rev.  Myron  Eells.  The  chief  Indian  authority  of  Mr.  Phillips  was  old 
Chisiahka  (Indian  John  to  the  Whites),  and  it  was  a  big  tree  on  the  shore  of 
Lake  Union  that  suggested  the  idea  of  the  "Talking  Pine,"  which  the  author  wove 
so  picturesquely  into  the  narrative.  Mr.  Phillips  has  also  published  the  "Chinook 
Book,"  the  most  extensive  study  of  the  jargon  language  yet  made.  To  the  others 
he  has  added  a  most  attractive  book  entitled,  "Indian  Tales  for  Little  Folks." 

Another  present  day  investigator,  whose  work  is  especially  worthy  of  mention 
is  Rev.  J.  Neilson  Barry,  an  enthusiastic  and  intelligent  student  of  every  phase 
of  the  history  of  the  Northwest.  In  Chapter  III  of  Volume  I  of  Gaston's  "Cen- 
tennial History  of  Oregon,"  Mr.  Barry  gives  a  valuable  contribution  to  Indian 
legends. 

Yet  another  original  student  is  Miss  Kate  McBeth  of  Lapwai,  Idaho,  who  with 
her  sister  lived  for  years  among  the  Nez  Perces,  performing  a  most  beneficent 
missionary  work  for  them.  In  her  book,  "The  Nez  Perces  Since  Lewis  and 
Clark,"  may  be  found  the  Kamiah  myth,  and  a  few  others  derived  directly  from 
those  Indians.  Mention  may  well  be  made  here  also  of  a  Nez  Perce  Indian  named 
Luke,  previously  referred  to,  living  at  Kamiah,  who  has  a  very  intelligent  knowl- 
edge of  all  kinds  of  Indian  matters.  Miss  McBeth  says  that  the  Nez  Perces  do 
not  like  to  discuss  generally  their  "heathen"  stories  and  customs.  In  connection 
with  the  Nez  Perces  it  may  be  stated  that  Yellow  Wolf  of  Nespilem  is  an  authority 
on  the  myth  of  the  Kamiah  Monster. 


30  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Still  aiiolher  enthusiastic  student  of  Indian  legends  is  Lucullus  V.  Mc- 
Whorter  of  North  Yakima.  He  is  an  adopted  member  of  the  Yakima  tribe,  and 
has  been  of  incalculable  benefit  to  the  Indians  in  instructing  them  as  to  their 
rights,  in  presenting  their  cause  to  the  Government,  and  in  making  known  their 
needs  as  well  as  some  of  their  wrongs  to  the  general  public  through  voice  and 
pen.  He  has  made  a  specialty  in  recent  years  of  organizing  the  Indians  and  taking 
them  to  "Round-Ups"  and  "Frontier  Days."  A  recent  pamphlet  by  him  on  the 
treatment  of  the  Yakimas  in  connection  with  their  water  rights  is  an  "eye-opener," 
on  some  phases  of  Indian  service  and  Indian  problems.  Mr.  McWhorter  has 
gathered  a  large  amount  of  matter  from  the  Indians,  in  which  is  material  for 
three  books  :  "Traditions  of  the  Yakimas ;"  "Hero  Stories  of  the  Yakimas  ;"  "Nez 
Perce  Warriors  in  the  War  of  1877."  Among  the  proteges  of  Mr.  McWhorter 
from  whom  he  tells  me  much  of  interest  could  be  derived,  are  Chief  Yellow 
WoU  of  the  Joseph  Band  of  Nez  Perces,  and  Mrs.  Crystal  ^McLeod,  known  to  her 
people  as  Humishuma,  or  ]\Iorning  Dove,  an  Okanogan  woman  of  unusual  beauty 
and  intelligence  and  well  instructed  in  the  English  language.  Her  picture  appears 
in  this  work  from  photographs  taken  by  Mr.  John  Langdon  of  Walla  Walla. 

Any  reference  to  any  phase  of  Oregon  would  be  incomplete  without  mention 
of  John  Minto,  one  of  the  most  honored  of  pioneers,  one  of  the  noblest  of  men, 
and  one  of  the  best  examples  of  those  ambitious,  industrious,  and  high  minded 
state  builders  who  gave  the  Northwest  its  loftiest  ideals.  Mr.  Minto  was  a 
student  of  the  Indians  and  discovered  and  gave  to  the  world  various  Clatsop  and 
Nehalem  legends.  Hon.  E.  L.  Smith  of  Hood  River,  Ore.,  well  known  as  an 
official  and  legislator  of  both  Oregon  and  Washington,  and  a  man  of  such  char- 
acter that  all  who  ever  knew  him  have  the  highest  honor  for  him  in  every 
relation  of  life,  has  made  a  life-long  study  of  the  natives  and  has  a  great  collection 
of  myths  both  in  mind  and  on  paper.  He  is  one  of  the  most  sympathetic,  tolerant, 
and  appreciative  of  investigators,  one  whom  the  Indians  of  the  Mid-Columbia 
trust  implicitly.  He  has  written  little  for  publication  in  comparison  with  what 
he  knows,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  his  stores  of  material  may  be  brought  within 
reach  before  long.  Worthy  of  mention  as  a  general  student  of  the  geography  and 
language  of  the  Indians  is  Mr.  John  Gill  of  Portland.  While  he  has  not  made  a 
specialty  of  myths,  he  has  studied  the  habits  and  language  with  special  attention, 
and  his  dictionary  of  the  Chinook  jargon  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  collections 
of  the  kind. 

It  is  proper  to  mention  here  several  who  are  well  versed  in  native  lore,  yet 
who  have  not  given  their  knowledge  of  legends  or  myths  to  the  public  in  book  or 
magazine  form.  The  most  conspicuous,  indeed,  of  this  group  is  no  longer  living. 
This  was  Dr.  William  C.  McKay,  a  grandson  of  the  McKay  of  the  Astor  Fur 
Company,  who  lost  his  life  on  the  Tonquin.  The  mother  of  Doctor  McKay  was 
a  Chinook  "princess."  He  was  a  man  of  great  ability  and  acquired  a  fine  edu- 
cation. He  lived  for  years  in  Pendleton,  Ore.,  where  he  died  some  time  ago.  In 
the  possession  of  his  children  and  grandchildren  there  is  undoubtedly  valuable 
material  and  if  it  could  be  reduced  to  written  form  it  would  furnish  matter  of 
great  interest.  Certain  others  of  Indian  blood  may  be  properly  added  here  who 
could  give  material  for  interesting  narrations.  Among  these  are  Henry  Sicade 
and  William  Wilton,  living  on  the  Puyallup  Reservation  near  Tacoma,  Samuel 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  31 

McCaw  of  Yakima,  \\'ash.,  and  Charlie  Pitt  of  the  Warm  Springs  Agency  in 
Oregon. 

This  summary  of  Indian  stories  and  their  investigators  is  necessarily  incom- 
plete. One  of  the  hopes  in  including  it  in  this  work  is  that  it  may  lead  to  added 
contributions.  As  we  contemplate  the  beauty  and  grandeur  of  Old  Oregon,  which 
includes  Washington  and  Idaho  and  a  part  of  Montana,  and  the  pathos,  heroism 
and  nobility  of  its  history,  and  as  we  see  the  pitiful  remnant  of  the  Indians,  we 
cannot  fail  to  be  touched  with  the  quaint,  the  pathetic,  and  the  suggestive  myths 
and  legends  that  are  passing  with  them  into  the  twilight.  In  our  proud  days  of 
possession  and  of  progress  we  do  well  to  pause  and  drop  the  tear  of  sympathy  and 
place  the  chaplet  of  commemoration  upon  the  resting  place  of  the  former  lords 
of  the  land,  and  to  recognize  their  contributions  to  the  common  stock  of  human 
thought. 


CHAITER  111 

THE  FIRST  EXPLORERS  AND  THEIR  ROUTES  THROUGH  THE 

REGION 

Of  all  events  in  early  American  history  influential  in  their  bearing  upon  the 
territorial  development  of  the  United  States,  the  Louisiana  I'urchase  in  1803  must 
Iw  accorded  the  foremost  place.  Until  that  event  the  United  States,  in  spite  of  the 
fact  that  it  had  gained  indi|K-ndence,  was  essentially  EurojK-an  in  its  habit  of 
thou(;ht  and  colonial  in  its  aspirations  and  outlook.  A  few  seers  indeed  recognized 
the  possibilities  of  continental  exjKinsion.  The  doctrine  of  "manifest  destiny" 
had  held  the  glowing  vision  of  the  place  in  history  which  might  be  wrought  by 
a  continent,  or  at  least  the  dominating  parts  of  it,  under  the  control  of  the  same 
race  of  men  who  had  redeemed  the  Atlantic  seaboard  from  the  wilderness  and 
successfully  maintained  against  the  greatest  empire  of  the  world  the  proposition 
that  "Governments  derive  their  just  powers  from  the  consent  of  the  governed." 
The  author  of  those  words  had  seen  more  clearly  jK-rhaps  than  any  other  the  world 
vision  of  a  great  American  denuKracy,  indeiK-mlent  of  I'"uroi>e  and  yet  by  reason 
of  geographical  position  as  well  as  political  ideals  and  social  aspirations,  the 
natural  mediator  among  |)eoples  and  the  ultimate  teacher  and  enlightcner  of 
mankind. 

When,  therefore,  as  a  result  of  the  political  revolution  of  1800  and  the  pcr- 
HKiticnt  establishment  of  the  democratic  conception  in  tlic  leadership  of  .American 
l>olitics.  Thomas  JefTer-ion  found  himself  invested  with  the  enormous  responsibil- 
ity of  framing  policies  and  measures  for  the  new  era,  one  of  his  foremost  aims 
was  to  turn  the  face  of  the  nation  westward.  Having  long  entertained  the  idea 
that  the  tnic  policy  was  to  secure  such  posts  of  vantage  beyond  the  .Mlcghenies 
as  would  lead  by  natural  stages  to  the  acquisition  of  the  country  beyond  the 
Mi>.sissippi,  even  to  the  Pacific,  he  was  alert  to  seize  any  opening  for  pursuing  that 
truly  .American  jwlicy.  He  did  not  have  long  to  wait.  At  the  time  of  his  inaugu- 
ration the  stupendous  energies  of  the  French  Revolution  had  liecomc  concentrated 
in  that  overjiowering  iH-rsonality.  Napoleon  Bonaparte.  Holding  then  the  position 
of  first  consul,  but  as  tnily  the  imperial  master  as  when  he  placed  the  iron  crown 
of  the  Lombards  upon  his  own  head,  "the  man  on  horsel)ack"  perceived  that  a 
renewal  of  the  great  war  was  inevitable  and  that  .Austria  on  land  and  England 
at  sea  were  going  to  put  metes  to  his  empire  if  human  power  could  do  if.  Nothing 
was  more  hateful  to  Napoleon  than  to  let  French  America,  or  Ixtuisiana,  slip  from 
his  grasp.  Rut  he  had  not  the  maritime  equipment  to  defend  it.  England  was 
sure  to  take  it  and  that  soon.  Monroe,  the  .American  envoy,  was  in  Paris  fidly 
instructed  by  President  Jefferson  what  to  do.  ,AII  things  were  ready.  The  man 
and  the  occasion  met.  The  Louisiana  Purchase  was  consummated.  For  less  than 
three  rents  .in  acre,  a  region  now  comprising  thirteen  states  or  parts  of  states, 

■\'2 


HKiH  SCHOOL,  WAITSBURG 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  33 

estimated  at  over  five  hundred  and  sixty-five  million  acres,  equal  in  extent  to 
all  Europe  outside  of  Russia  and  Scandinavia,  became  part  of  the  United  States. 

When  that  great  event  was  consummated  and  one  of  the  milestones  in  the 
world's  progress  upon  the  highway  of  universal  democracy  had  been  set  for  good, 
the  next  step  in  the  mind  of  Jefferson  was  to  provide  for  the  exploration  of  the 
vast  new  land.  The  westward  limits  of  Louisiana  were  not  indeed  defined  by  the 
treaty  of  purchase  otherwise  than  as  the  boundaries  by  which  the  territory  had 
been  ceded  by  Spain  to  France,  and  those  boundaries  in  turn  were  defined  only 
as  those  by  which  France  had  in  1763  ceded  to  Spain.  Hence  the  western  bound- 
ary of  Louisiana  was  uncertain.  Although  subsequent  agreements  and  usages 
determined  the  boundary  to  be  the  crest  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  as  far  south  as 
Texas,  Tefl'erson  seems  to  have  thought  that  the  entire  continent  to  the  Pacific 
ought  to  he  included  in  the  exploration,  for  he  saw  also  that  the  destiny  of  his 
country  required  the  ultimate  union  of  Atlantic  and  Pacific  coasts,  as  well  as  the 
great  central  valley.  From  these  conceptions  and  aims  of  Jeflferson  sprang  that 
most  interesting  and  influential  of  all  exploring  expeditions  in  our  history,  the 
Lewis  and  Clark  exploration  from  St.  Louis  up  the  Missouri,  across  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  down  the  Snake  and  Columbia  rivers  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Jef- 
ferson had  contemplated  such  an  expedition  a  long  time.  Even  as  far  back  as 
December  4,  1783,  in  a  letter  to  George  Rogers  Clark,  he  raised  the  question  of 
an  exploration  from  the  Mississippi  to  California.  In  1792  he  took  it  up  with 
the  American  Philosophical  Society,  and  even  then  Meriwether  Lewis  was  eager 
to  head  such  an  expedition.  In  a  message  to  Congress  of  January  18,  1803,  before 
the  Louisiana  Purchase,  Jefferson  developed  the  importance  of  a  thorough  ex- 
ploration of  the  continent  even  to  the  Western  Ocean.  With  his  characteristic 
secrecy,  Jefi'erson  was  disposed  to  mask  the  great  design  of  ultimate  acquisition 
of  the  continent  under  the  appearance  of  scientific  research.  In  a  letter  to  Lewis 
of  April  27,  1803,  he  says :  "The  idea  that  you  are  going  to  explore  the  Mississippi 
has  been  generally  given  out ;  it  satisfies  public  curiosity  and  masks  sufficiently  the 
real  destination."  That  real  destination  was.  of  course,  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and 
the  fundamental  aim  was  the  continental  expansion  of  the  then  crude  and 
"straggling  Republic  of  the  West.  Considering  the  momentous  nature  of  the 
undertaking  and  the  possibilities  of  the  unknown  wilderness  which  it  was  to 
cover,  it  is  curious  and  suggestive  that  Lewis  had  estimated  the  expenses  at  $2,500, 
and  Jefi"erson  called  upon  Congress  for  that  amount  of  appropriation.  An  ex- 
plorer of  the  present  would  hardly  expect  to  go  out  doors  on  that  scale  of  ex- 
pense.    Jeffersonian  simplicity  with  a  vengeance ! 

The  scope  of  our  book  does  not  permit  any  detailed  account  of  the  preparations 
or  of  the  personnel  of  the  party.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  leader.  Meriwether 
Lewis,  and  his  lieutenant,  William  Clark,  were  men  of  energy,  discretion,  courage, 
and  the  other  necessary  qualities  for  such  an  undertaking.  While  not  men  of 
education  or  general  culture  (Clark  could  not  even  spell  or  compose  English  cor- 
rectly) they  both  had  an  abundance  of  common  sense  and  in  preparation  for  their 
mission  gained  a  hurried  preparation  in  the  essentials  of  botany,  zoology,  and 
astronomy  such  as  might  enable  them  to  observe  and  report  intelligently  upon  the 
various  objects  of  discovery  and  the  distances  and  directions  traversed. 

Jefferson's  instructions  to  Captain  Lewis  give  one  an  added  respect  for  the 
intelligence  and  broad  humanity  of  the  great  democrat.    Particularly  did  he  enjoin 


34  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

upon  the  leader  of  the  party  the  wisdom  of  amicable  relations  with  the  natives. 
The  benevolent  spirit  of  the  President  appears  in  his  direction  that  kine-pox  mat- 
ter be  taken  and  that  its  use  for  preventing  small-pox  be  explained  to  the  Indians. 
All  readers  of  American  history  should  read  these  instructions,  both  for  an 
estimate  of  Jefferson  personally,  and  for  light  they  throw  on  the  conditions  and 
viewpoints  of  the  times. 

The  number  in  the  party  leaving  St.  Louis  was  forty-five.  But  one  death 
occurred  upon  the  whole  journey,  which  lasted  from  May  14,  1804,  to  September 
23,  1806.  Never  perhaps  did  so  extended  and  difficult  an  expedition  suffer  so 
little.  And  this  was  the  more  remarkable  from  the  fact  that  there  was  no  physician 
nor  scientific  man  with  the  party  and  that  whatever  was  needed  in  the  way  of 
treating  the  occasional  sicknesses  or  accidents  must  be  done  by  the  captains. 
While  to  their  natural  force  and  intelligence  the  party  owed  a  large  share  of  its 
immunity  from  disaster,  good  fortune  surely  attended  them.  This  seems  the 
more  noticeable  when  we  reflect  that  this  was  the  first  journey  across  a  wilderness 
afterwards  accentuated  with  every  species  of  suft'ering  and  calamity. 

The  members  of  the  party  were  encouraged  to  preserve  journals  and  records 
to  the  fullest  degree,  and  from  this  resulted  a  fullness  of  detail  by  a  number  of 
the  men  as  well  as  the  leaders  which  has  delighted  generations  of  readers  ever 
since.  .\nd  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  none  of  the  writers  had  any  literary  genius, 
these  journals  are  fascinating  on  account  of  the  nature  of  the  undertaking  and  a 
certain  glow  of  enthusiasm  which  invested  with  a  charm  even  the  plain  and  homely 
details  of  the  long  journey. 

The  first  stage  of  the  expedition  was  from  St.  Louis,  May  14.  1804,  to  a  point 
1,600  miles  up  the  Missouri,  reached  November  2.  There  the  party  wintered  in  a 
structure  which  they  called  Fort  Mandan.  The  location  was  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  Missouri,  op]30site  the  present  City  of  Pierre.  The  journey  had  been  made  by 
boats  at  an  average  advance  of  ten  miles  a  day.  The  river,  though  swift  and  with 
frequent  shoals,  offered  no  serious  impediments,  even  for  a  long  distance  above 
Fort  Mandan. 

After  a  long,  cold  winter  in  the  country  of  the  Mandans.  the  expedition  re- 
sumed their  journey  up  the  ]Missouri  on  April  7,  1805.  Of  the  interesting  details 
of  this  part  of  their  course  we  cannot  speak.  Reaching  the  head-waters  of  the 
Missouri  on  August  12,  they  crossed  that  most  significant  spot,  the  Great  Divide. 
A  quotation  from  the  journal  of  Captain  Lewis  indicates  the  lively  sentiments 
with  which  they  passed  from  the  Missouri  waters  to  those  of  the  Columbia:  "As 
they  proceeded,  their  hope  of  seeing  the  waters  of  the  Columbia  rose  to  almost 
painful  anxiety;  when  at  the  distance  of  four  miles  from  the  la.st  abrui)t  turn  of 
the  stream,  they  reached  a  small  gap  formed  by  the  high  mountains  which  recede 
on  either  side,  leaving  room  for  the  Indian  road.  From  the  foot  of  one  of  the 
lowest  of  these  mountains,  which  rises  with  a  gentle  ascent  for  about  half  a  mile, 
issued  the  remotest  water  of  the  Missouri.  They  had  now  reached  the  hidden 
sources  of  that  river  which  had  never  before  been  seen  by  civilized  man ;  and  as 
they  quenched  their  thirst  at  the  chaste  and  icy  fountain — as  they  sat  down  by 
the  brink  of  the  little  rivulet  which  yielded  its  distant  and  modest  tribute  to  the 
parent  ocean — thev  felt  themselves  rewarded  for  all  their  labors  and  difficulties. 
*  *  *  They  found  the  descent  much  steeper  than  on  the  eastern  side,  and  at 
the  distance  of  three-quarters  of  a  mile,  reached  a  handsome,  bold  creek  of  cold. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  35 

clear  water  running  to  the  westward.  They  stopped  to  taste  for  the  first  time  the 
waters  of  the  Columbia." 

After  some  very  harassing  and  toilsome  movements  in  that  vast  cordon  of 
peaks  in  which  lie  the  cradles  of  the  Alissouri,  Yellowstone,  Snake,  Clearwater, 
and  Bitterroot  rivers — more  nearly  reaching  starvation  point  than  at  any  time 
on  the  trip — the  party  emerged  upon  a  lofty  height  from  which  their  vision  swept 
over  a  vast  expanse  of  open  prairie,  in  which  it  became  evident  that  there  were 
many  natives  and,  as  they  judged,  the  near  vicinity  of  the  great  river,  which,  as 
they  thought,  would  carry  them  in  short  order  to  the  Western  Ocean  of  their 
quest.  They  little  realized  that  they  were  yet  more  than  six  hundred  miles  from 
the  edge  of  the  continent.  Descending  upon  the  plain,  they  made  their  way  to  the 
Kooskooskie,  now  known  as  the  Clearwater  River.  As  judged  by  Olin  D. 
Wheeler  in  his  invaluable  book.  "On  The  Trail  of  Lewis  and  Clark,"  the  explorers 
crossed  from  what  is  now  Montana  into  the  present  Idaho  at  the  Lolo  Pass,  and 
proceeded  thence  down  the  broken  country  between  the  north  and  middle  forks 
of  the  Kooskooskie,  reaching  the  junction  on  September  26.  The  camp  at  that 
spot  was  called  Canoe  Camp.  There  they  remained  nearly  two  weeks,  most  of 
them  sick  through  overeating  after  they  had  sustained  so  severe  a  fast  in  the 
savage  defiles  of  the  Bitter  Roots,  and  from  the  effects  of  the  very  great  change 
in  temperature  from  the  snowy  heights  to  the  hot  valley  below.  At  Canoe  Camp 
they  constructed  boats  for  the  further  prosecution  of  their  journey.  They  left 
their  thirty-eight  horses  with  three  Indians  of  the  Chopunnish  or  Pierced-Nose 
tribe,  or  Nez  Perce  as  we  now  know  them. 

With  their  canoes  they  entered  upon  a  new  stage  of  their  journey,  one  easy 
and  pleasant  after  the  hardships  of  the  mountains.  Down  the  beautiful  Koos- 
kooskie, then  low  in  its  autumn  stage,  they  swept  gaily,  finding  frequent  rapids, 
though  none  serious.  The  pleasant-sounding  name  Kooskooskie,  which  ought  to 
be  preserved  (though  Clearwater  is  appropriate  and  sonorous),  was  supposed  by 
the  explorers  to  be  the  name  of  the  river.  This  it  appears  was  a  misapprehension. 
The  author  has  been  told  by  a  very  intelligent  Indian  named  Luke,  living  at 
Kamiah,  that  the  Indians  doubtless  meant  to  tell  the  white  men  that  the  stream 
was  Koos,  koos,  or  zvater,  zvatcr.  Koos  was  and  still  is  the  Nez  Perce  word  for 
water.  Luke  stated  that  the  Indians  did  not  regularly  have  names  for  streams, 
but  only  for  localities,  and  referred  to  rivers  as  the  water  or  koos  belonging  to 
some  certain  locality. 

After  a  prosperous  descent  of  the  beautiful  and  impetuous  stream  for  a  dis- 
tance estimated  by  them  at  fifty-nine  miles  (considerably  overestimated)  the 
party  entered  a  much  larger  stream  coming  from  the  south.  This  they  under- 
stood the  Indians  to  call  the  Kimooenim.  They  named  it  the  Lewis  in  honor  of 
Captain  Lewis.  It  was  the  great  Snake  River  of  our  present  maps.  The  writer 
has  been  told  by  Mr.  Thomas  Beall  of  Lewiston  that  the  true  Indian  name  is 
Twelka.  Still  another  native  name  is  Shahaptin.  The  party  was  now  at  the 
present  location  of  Lewiston  and  Clarkston,  one  of  the  most  notable  regions  in 
the  Northwest  for  beauty,  fertility,  and  all  the  essentials  of  capacity  for  sustain- 
ing a  high  type  of  civilized  existence.  The  land  adjoining  Snake  River  on  the 
west  is  Asotin  County,  one  of  the  components  of  our  history.  The  party  camped 
on  the  right  bank  just  below  the  junction,  and  that  first  camp  of  white  men  was 
nearly  opposite  both  Lewiston  and  Clarkston  of  today.    They  say  that  the  Indians 


36  OLD  WAIJ.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

flocked  frciin  all  directions  to  see  them.  The  scantiness  of  their  fare  had  brought 
them  to  the  stage  of  eating  dog-iiieal,  which  they  say  excited  the  ridicule  of  the 
natives.  The  Indians  gave  them  to  understand  that  the  soutliern  ))ranch  was 
na\igable  up  about  sixty  miles ;  that  not  far  from  its  mouth  it  received  a  branch 
from  the  south,  and  at  two  days'  march  up  a  larger  branch  called  Pawnashte,  on 
which  a  chief  resided  who  had  more  horses  than  he  could  count. 

The  first  of  these  must  be  the  Asotin  Creek,  unless  indeed  they  referred  to  the 
Grande  Ronde,  which  is  the  first  large  stream,  but  is  considerable  distance  from 
the  junction.  The  Pawnashte  must  have  been  the  Salmon,  the  largest  tributary  of 
the  Snake.  The  Snake  at  the  point  of  the  camp  of  the  explorers  was  discovered 
to  be  about  three  hundred  yards  wide.  The  party  noticed  the  greenish  blue  color 
of  the  Snake,  while  the  Kooskooskie  was  as  clear  as  crystal.  The  Indians  at  this 
point  are  described  as  of  the  Chopunnish  or  Pierced-Nose  nations,  the  latter  of 
those  names  translated  by  the  French  voyageurs  into  the  present  Xez  Perce.  Ac- 
cording to  the  obser\ations  of  the  party,  the  men  were  in  person  stout,  fwrtly, 
well-looking  men;  the  women  small,  with  good  features  and  generally  handsome. 
The  chief  article  of  dress  of  the  men  w^as  a  "buffalo  or  elk-skin  robe  decorated 
with  beads,  sea-shells,  chiefly  mother-of-pearl,  attached  to  an  otter-skin  collar 
and  hung  in  the  hair,  which  falls  in  front  in  two  queues;  feathers,  paints  of  dif- 
ferent kinds,  principally  white,  green,  and  light  blue,  all  of  which  they  find  in 
their  own  country.  The  dress  of  the  women  is  more  simple,  consisting  of  a  long 
skirt  of  arg-alia  or  ibex-skin,  reaching  down  to  the  ankles  without  a  girdle;  to  this 
are  tied  little  pieces  of  brass  and  shells  and  other  small  articles."  Further  on  the 
journal  states  again:  "The  Chopunnish  have  few  amusements,  for  their  life  is 
painful  and  laborious;  and  all  their  exertions  are  necessary  to  earn  even  their 
precarious  subsistence.  During  the  summer  and  autumn  they  are  busily  occupied 
in  fishing  for  salmon  and  collecting  their  winter  store  of  roots.  In  the  winter  they 
hunt  the  deer  on  snow-shoes  over  the  plains,  and  towards  spring  cross  the  moun- 
tains to  the  Missouri  for  the  purpose  of  trafficking  for  buffalo  robes."  It  may  be 
remarked  here  parenthetically  that  there  is  every  indication  that  buflfalo  formerly 
inhabited  the  Snake  and  Columbia  plains.  In  fact,  buffalo  bones  ha\e  been  found 
in  recent  years  in  street  excavations  at  Spokane.  What  cataclysm  may  have  led 
to  their  extermination  is  hidden  in  obscurity.  But  at  the  first  coming  of  the 
whites  it  was  discovered  that  one  of  the  regular  occupations  of  the  natives  was 
crossing  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  hunt  or  trade  for  buffalo. 

Soon  after  resuming  the  journey  on  October  ii,  the  explorers  noted  with 
curiosity  one  of  the  vajwr  baths  common  among  those  Indians,  which  they  say 
differed  from  those  on  the  frontiers  of  the  United  States  or  in  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. The  bath-house  was  a  hollow  square  six  or  eight  feet  deep,  formed  in  the 
river  bank  by  damming  up  with  mud  the  other  three  sides  and  covering  the  whole 
completely  except  an  aperture  about  two  feet  wide  at  the  top.  The  bathers 
descended  through  that  hole,  taking  with  them  a  jug  of  water  and  a  number  of 
hot  rocks.  They  would  throw  the  water  on  the  rocks  until  it  steamed  and  in  that 
steam  they  would  sit  until  they  had  perspired  sufficiently,  and  then  they  would 
plunge  into  cold  water.  This  species  of  entertainment  seems  to  have  been  very 
sociable,  for  one  seldom  bathed  alone.  It  was  considered  a  great  affront  to  decline 
an  invitation  to  join  a  bathing  party. 

The  explorers  .seem  to  have  had  a  very  calm  and  uneventful  descent  of  Snake 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  37 

River.  They  describe  the  general  lay  of  the  country  accurately,  noting  that 
beyond  the  steep  ascent  of  200  feet  (it  is  in  reality  a  great  deal  more  in  all  the 
upper  part  of  this  portion  of  Snake  River)  the  cotuitry  becomes  an  open,  level, 
and  fertile  plain,  entirely  destitute  of  timber.  They  note  all  the  rapids  with  suf- 
ficient particularity  to  enable  anyone  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  river  to  identify 
most  of  them.  They  make  special  observation  of  the  long  series  of  rapids  com- 
monly known  now  as  the  Riparia  and  Texas  Rapids,  and  below  these  observe  a 
large  creek  on  the  left  which  they  denominate  as  Kimooenim  Creek.  This  is 
rather  odd,  for  that  had  already  been  noted  as  the  native  name  of  the  main  river. 
A  few  miles  further  down  they  pass  through  a  bad  rapid  but  twenty-five  yards 
wide.  Of  course,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  time  was  October  and  the  river 
was  about  at  its  lowest.  This  was  the  narrow  crack  of  the  Palouse  Rapids, 
which,  however,  is  not  so  narrow  as  they  estimated,  even  at  low  water.  At  the 
end  of  this  rapid  they  discovered  a  large  river  on  the  right,  to  which  they  gave 
the  name  of  Drewyer,  one  of  their  party,  their  mighty  hunter  in  fact.  This  was 
a  many-named  stream,  for  it  was  later  the  Pavion,  the  Pavillion,  and  at  the  last 
the  present  Palouse,  the  equivalent,  we  are  told  again  by  Thomas  Beall,  for  goose- 
berry. The  principal  rapids  below  the  entrance  of  the  Palouse  are  known  at  pres- 
ent as  Fishhook,  Long's  Crossing,  Pine  Tree,  the  Potato  Patch,  and  Five  Mile. 
Five  Mile  looked  so  bad  to  them  that  they  unloaded  the  canoes  and  made  a  port- 
age of  three-quarters  of  a  mile.  At  a  distance  below  this,  which  they  estimated 
as  seven  miles,  they  reached  that  interesting  place  wliere  the  great  northern  and 
southern  branches  of  the  Big  River  unite.  They  were  then  at  the  location  of  the 
present  Village  of  Burbank.  Many  interesting  events  and  observations  are 
chronicled  of  their  stay  at  that  point.  Soon  after  their  arrival  a  regular  procession 
of  200  Indians  from  a  camp  a  short  distance  up  the  Columbia  came  to  visit  them, 
timing  their  approach  with  the  music  of  drums,  accompanied  with  the  voice. 
There  seems  to  have  followed  a  regular  love-feast,  both  parties  taking  whiffs  of 
the  friendly  pipe  and  expressing  as  best  they  could  their  common  joy  at  the 
meeting.  Then  came  a  distribution  of  presents  and  a  mutual  pledging  of  good  will. 
The  captains  measured  the  rivers,  finding  the  Columbia  960  yards  wide  and 
the  Snake  .575.  From  their  point  of  observation  across  the  continued  plain  they 
noted  how  it  rose  into  the  heights  on  the  farther  side  of  the  river.  They  had 
already  taken  into  account  the  far  distant  mountains  to  the  south,  our  own  Blue 
Mountains,  which  they  thought  about  sixty  miles  distant,  just  about  the  right 
estimate.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  it  was  one  of  the  perfect  days  not  infrequent  in 
October  and  that  the  azure  hues  of  those  mountains  which  we  love  today  were 
before  them  in  all  their  rich,  soft  splendor.  They  noted  in  the  clear  water  of  the 
river  the  incredible  number  of  salmon.  The  Indians  gave  them  to  understand 
that  frequently  in  the  absence  of  other  fuel  they  burned  the  fish  that,  having  been 
thrown  upon  the  bank,  became  so  dry  as  to  make  excellent  fuel.  These  Indians 
were  of  a  tribe  known  as  Sokulks.  According  to  the  description  they  were  hardly 
so  good-looking  a  people  as  the  Chopunnish,  but  were  of  mild  and  peaceable  dis- 
position and  seemed  to  live  in  a  state  of  comparative  happiness.  The  men,  like 
those  on  the  Kimooenim,  were  said  to  content  themselves  with  a  single  wife. 
The  explorers  noted  that  the  men  shared  with  their  mates  the  labor  of  procuring 
subsistence  more  than  is  usual  among  savages.  They  were  also  very  kind  to  the 
ao-ed  and  infirm.    Nor  were  they  inclined  to  beggary.    All  things  considered,  these 


38  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Sokulks  at  the  junction  of  the  big  rivers  were  wortliy  of  much  esteem.  Captain 
Clark  made  a  journey  up  the  Cohimbia,  in  the  course  of  which  he  made  sundry 
interesting  observations  on  the  Indian  manner  of  preparing  sahnon  for  pre- 
servation, as  well  as  for  present  use.  At  one  point  he  entered  one  of  the  mat 
houses.  He  was  immediately  pro\ided  with  a  mat  on  which  to  sit  and  his  hosts 
proceeded  at  once  to  cook  a  salmon  for  his  repast.  This  they  did  by  heating 
stones,  and  then,  bringing  in  the  fi.sh  in  a  bucket  of  water,  they  dropped  in  the 
hot  stones  in  succession  till  the  water  boiled.  After  sufficiently  boiling  the 
salmon,  they  placed  it  before  the  captain.  He  found  it  excellent.  He  noticed  that 
many  of  these  Indians  were  blind  in  one  or  both  e)'es  and  had  lost  part  of  their 
teeth.  The  first  of  these  unfortunate  conditions  he  attributed  to  the  glare  of  the 
water  on  their  unshaded  eyes,  and  the  second  to  their  habit  of  eating  roots  without 
cleansing  them  from  the  sandy  soil  in  which  they  grew.  It  would  appear  from 
the  topography  of  the  journal  that  Captain  Clark  went  a  short  distance  above 
the  present  site  of  Kennewick,  for  he  was  near  the  mouth  of  a  large  stream  flow- 
ing from  the  west,  which  the  Indians  called  the  Tapteal,  but  which  later  became 
known  as  the  Yakima,  also  a  native  name.  While  on  land  during  this  trip,  the 
party  got  grouse  (or  what  we  now  call  prairie  chickens)  and  ducks,  and  also  a 
"prairie  cock,  about  the  size  of  a  small  turkey."  This  was  evidently  a  sage  hen. 
It  is  recorded  that  they  saw  none  of  that  bird  except  on  the  Columbia.  While 
camped  at  the  jimction  of  the  rivers,  the  men  were  busily  engaged  in  mending 
their  clothes  and  travelling  outfits  and  anns,  and  otherwise  preparing  for  the  next 
stage  of  the  journey.  One  very  interesting  feature  of  the  stay  here  was  the  fact 
that  one  of  the  chiefs  with  one  of  the  Chimnapum,  a  tribe  further  west,  provided 
the  party  with  a  map  of  the  Columbia  and  the  nations  on  its  banks.  This  was 
drawn  on  a  robe  with  a  piece  of  coal  and  afterwards  transferred  by  some  one  of 
the  explorers  to  a  piece  of  paper.  They  preserved  it  as  a  valuable  specimen  of 
Indian  delineation. 

On  October  i8,  the  party  packed  up  and  pushing  oiif  into  the  majestic  river, 
proceeded  downward  toward  the  highlands,  evidently  what  we  call  the  Wallula 
Gateway.  In  the  general  journal,  called  the  Edition  of  1814,  in  which  the  con- 
tributions of  all  the  party  are  merged,  there  seems  to  be  some  confusion  as  to  the 
mouth  of  the  \\'alla  Walla  River.  The  record  mentions  an  island  near  the  right 
shore  fourteen  and  one-half  miles  from  the  mouth  of  Lewis'  River  and  a  mile  and 
a  half  beyond  that  of  small  brook  under  a  high  hill  on  the  left,  "seeming  to  run  its 
whole  course  through  the  high  country."  This  evidently  must  be  the  Walla  Walla 
River,  though''it  can  hardly  be  called  a  "small  brook,"  even  in  the  low  season,  and 
it  flows  quite  distinctly  in  a  valley,  though  the  highlands  begin  immediately  below. 
They  also  say:  "At  this  place,  too,  we  observed  a  mountain  to  the  southwest, 
the  form  of  which  is  conical,  and  its  top  covered  with  snow."  This  is  obviously 
incorrect,  for  Mount  Hood,  which  is  the  only  snow  mountain  to  the  southwest 
\isible  anywhere  near  that  place,  cannot  be  seen  from  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Walla  Walla,  except  by  climbing  the  highlands.  On  the  next  day,  October  19, 
the  partv  was  visited  by  a  chief  of  whom  they  saw  more  and  tell  more  on  their 
return.  This  was  Yelleppit.  They  describe  him  as  a  "handsome,  well-propor- 
tioned man.  about  five  feet,  eight  inches  high  and  about  thirty-five  years  old,  with 
a  bold  and  dignified  countenance."     His  name  is  preserved  in  a  station  on  the 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  39 

S.  P.  &  S.   Railroad,  located  just  about  at  the  place  where  the  party  met  the 
chieftain. 

After  the  meeting  with  Yelleppit,  the  party  once  more  committed  themselves 
to  the  downward  rushing  current  of  the  Columbia,  and  passed  beyond  the  range 
of  our  story.  Of  the  interesting  details  of  their  continued  journey  down  the 
river  and  the  final  vision  of  the  ocean,  "that  ocean,  the  object  of  all  our  labors, 
the  reward  of  all  our  anxieties,"  we  cannot  speak. 

Having  spent  the  winter  at  Fort  Clatsop,  about  ten  miles  from  the  present 
Astoria  and  nearly  the  same  distance  from  the  present  Seaside,  they  left  Fort 
Clatsop  for  their  long  return  journey,  on  ALarch  23,  1806.  They  saw  many  inter- 
esting and  important  features  of  the  country  on  the  return,  which  they  failed  to 
note  in  going  down.  Among  these,  strange  to  say,  was  the  entrance  of  the  Wil- 
lamette, the  largest  river  below  the  Snake.  The  return  was  made  as  far  as  the^ 
"Long  Narrows"  (The  Dalles)  with  the  canoes,  but  at  that  point  they  procured 
horses  and  proceeded  thence  by  land.  They  passed  the  "Youmalolam"  (Umatilla) 
and  then  entering  the  highlands,  were  again  within  the  area  of  "Old  Walla  Walla 
County."  Reaching  the  country  of  the  "Wallawollahs,"  they  again  came  in  con- 
tact with  their  old  friend,  whose  name  appears  in  that  portion  of  the  journal  as 
Yellept.  They  found  him  more  of  a  gentleman  than  ever.  He  insisted  on  his 
people  making  generous  provision  for  the  needs  of  the  party,  and  gave  them  the 
valuable  information  that  by  going  up  the  Wallawollah  River  and  directly  east 
to  the  junction  of  the  Snake  and  Kooskooskie  they  might  have  a  route  full  of 
grass  and  water  and  game,  and  much  shorter  than  to  follow  the  banks  of  Snake 
River.  Accordingly  crossing  from  the  north  bank  of  the  Columbia,  which  they 
had  been  following,  they  found  themselves  on  the  \^'allawollah.  They  do  not  now 
describe  it  as  before  as  a  "small  brook,"  but  as  a  "handsome  stream,  about  fifty 
yards  wide  and  four  and  a  half  feet  in  depth."  They  got  one  curious  misappre- 
hension here  which  was  held  later  by  explorers  in  general  in  regard  to  the  Mult- 
nomah or  Willamette.  They  understood  from  the  Indians  that  the  Willamette  ran 
south  of  the  Blue  Mountains  and  was  as  large  as  the  Columbia  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Wallawollah,  which  they  say  was  about  a  mile  wide.  They  infer  from  the 
whole  appearance,  as  the  Indians  seem  to  explain  it,  that  the  sources  of  the  Wil- 
lamette must  approach  those  of  the  Missouri  and  Del  Norte.  One  quaint  and 
curious  circumstance  is  mentioned  at  this  stage  of  the  story,  as  it  has  been,  in 
fact,  at  various  times.  And  that  is  the  extravagant  delight  which  the  Indians 
derived  from  the  violin.  They  were  so  fascinated  with  the  sound  of  the  instru- 
ment and  the  dancing  which  accompanied  it  that  they  would  come  in  throngs 
and  sometimes  remain  up  all  night.  In  this  particular  instance,  however,  they 
were  so  considerate  of  the  white  men's  need  of  sleep  that  they  retired  at  ten 
o'clock. 

On  the  last  day  of  April,  1806,  the  party  turned  their  horses'  heads  eastward 
up  the  Wallawollah  River  across  sandy  expanses,  which,  however,  they  soon  dis- 
covered to  improve  in  verdure  and  in  groves  of  trees.  Having  followed  the  main 
stream  fourteen  miles,  they  reached  "a  bold,  deep  stream,  about  ten  yards  wide, 
which  seems  navigable  for  canoes."  They  found  a  profusion  of  trees  along  the 
course  of  this  creek  and  were  delighted  to  see  all  the  evidences  of  increasing  tim- 
ber. This  stream,  which  they  now  followed  for  a  number  of  miles,  was  evidently 
the  Touchet,  and  the  point  where  they  turned  to  follow  it  was  at  the  present  Town 


40  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

of  Touchet.  Their  course  was  up  the  creek  for  about  twelve  miles  to  a  point 
where  the  creek  bottom  widened  into  a  pleasant  country  two  or  three  miles  in 
width.  This  presumably  was  the  fertile  region  beginning  a  mile  or  so  east  of  the 
present  Lamar,  and  extending  thence  onward  to  Prescott  and  beyond.  The  party 
made  a  day's  march  of  twenty-six  miles  and  camped  at  a  point,  which  according 
to  the  figures  of  the  next  day,  would  have  been  near  the  present  Bolles  Junction. 
One  rather  quaint  incident  appears  at  this  point  in  the  narration,  to  the  effect 
that  when  encamped  for  the  night,  three  young  men  of  the  Wollawollahs  came  up 
with  a  steel  trap  which  had  inadvertently  been  left  behind.  The  Indians  had  come 
a  whole  day's  journey  to  restore  this.  This  exhibition  of  honesty  was  so  gratify- 
ing that  the  narration  affirms  that :  "Of  all  the  Indians  whom  we  have  met  since 
leaving  the  United  States,  the  Wollawollahs  were  the  most  hospitable,  honest,  and 
sincere." 

Resuming  the  march  the  ne.xt  day  the  explorers  noted  at  a  distance  of  three 
miles  a  branch  entering  the  creek  from  the  "southeast  mountains,  which,  though 
covered  with  snow,  are  about  twenty-five  miles  distant,  and  do  not  appear  high.'' 
That  branch  must  have  been  our  Coppei,  which  joins  the  main  creek  at  our  pleasant 
little  City  of  Waitsburg.  Having  proceeded  a  total  distance  of  fourteen  miles 
from  the  previous  night's  camp,  the  travellers  found  themselves  at  a  point  where 
the  main  creek  bore  to  the  south  toward  the  mountains  from  which  it  came,  and 
where  a  branch  entered  it  from  the  northeast.  This  spot  was  evidently  the  site  of 
Dayton,  and  the  branch  from  the  northeast  which  they  now  followed  was  the 
Patit.  The  next  day  they  crossed  the  Kimooenim,  which  is  the  same  that  they 
had  designated  the  Kimooenim  Creek  on  their  descent  of  Snake  River  in  the 
fall,  being,  curiously  enough,  as  already  noted,  the  same  name  that  they  had 
already  understood  to  be  the  Indian  name  of  Snake  River.  The  stream  was  evi- 
dently the  Tucannon.  From  the  Tucannon  the  course  led  our  adventurers  over 
the  high,  fertile  plains  near  to  the  "southwest  mountains"  to  a  ravine  "where  was 
the  source  of  a  small  creek,  down  the  hilly  and  rocky  sides  of  which  we  proceeded 
for  eight  miles  to  its  entrance  into  Lewis'  River,  about  seven  miles  and  a  haH 
alx)ve  the  mouth  of  the  Kooskooskie."  This  creek  was  the  Asotin  and  therefore 
the  point  where  they  again  reached  Snake  River  was  that  grand  and  picturesque 
place  where  the  attractive  town  of  Asotin  is  now  located. 

The  explorers  having  crossed  the  ri\^er  were  beyond  the  jurisdiction  of  this 
volume,  and  even  of  the  State  of  Washington,  being  within  that  of  Idaho,  and 
hence  we  cannot  follow  them  further  on  their  return  journey.  We  must  content 
ourselves,  in  this  farewell  glance  at  this  first,  and  in  many  respects,  the  most 
interesting  and  important  of  all  the  early  transcontinental  expeditions,  with  saying 
that  the  effects  were  of  momentous,  even  transcendent  value  to  the  development 
of  our  country.  Without  the  incorporation  of  Old  Oregon  into  the  United  States, 
we  would  in  all  probability  not  have  got  California,  and  without  our  Pacific  Coast 
frontage,  think  what  a  crippled  and  curtailed  Union  this  would  be!  We  would 
surely  have  missed  our  destiny  without  the  Pacific  Coast.  The  Lewis  and  Clark 
expedition  was  one  of  the  essential  links  in  the  chain  of  acquisition.  The  sum- 
mary of  distances  by  the  party  is  a  total  of  3,555  miles  on  the  most  direct  route 
from  the  Mississippi  at  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri,  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  the 
total  distance  descending  the  Columbia  waters  is  placed  at  640  miles. 

President  Jefferson  did  not  exaggerate  the  character  of  this  expedition  in  the 


IS 


En 


'  niiii 


Y.  M.  C.  A  BUILDING,  WALLA  WALLA 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  41 

tribute  which  he  paid  to  Captain  Lewis  in  1813,  when  he  expressed  himself  thus: 
"Never  did  a  similar  event  excite  more  joy  throughout  the  United  States;  the 
humblesi  of  its  citizens  have  taken  a  lively  interest  in  this  journey,  and  looked 
with  impatience  for  the  information  which  it  would  furnish.  Nothing  short  of 
tile  official  journals  of  this  extraordinary  and  interesting  journey  will  exhibit  the 
importance  of  the  service,  the  courage,  the  devotion,  zeal,  and  perseverance, 
under  circumstances  calculated  to  discourage,  which  animated  this  little  band 
of  heroes,  throughout  the  long,  dangerous,  and  tedious  travel." 

Though  many  additional  valuable  discoveries  of  this  land  where  we  live  were 
made  by  later  explorers,  Lewis  and  Clark  and  their  assistants  may  justly  be  re- 
garded as  the  true  first  explorers.  They  were,  moreover,  the  only  party  that  came 
purely  for  exploration.  Later  parties,  though  making  valuable  explorations,  did 
such  work  as  incidental  to  fur  trade.  With  the  completion  of  this  great  expedi- 
tion, therefore,  we  may  regard  the  era  of  the  explorers  completed  and  that  of  the 
fur-hunters  begun. 


CHAPTER  IV 
THE  FUR-TRADE  AND  FUR-TRADERS 

With  the  great  new  land  between  the  Mississippi  and  the  Pacific  Ocean  opened 
to  the  world  by  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition,  the  question  came  at  once  to  the 
active,  pushing,  ambitious  spirits  of  America  and  England,  what  shall  we  do  with 
it,  and  what  can  we  make  of  it  ?  The  rights  of  the  natives  have  usually  had  little 
concern  to  civilized  man.  His  thought  has  been  to  secure  as  rajjidly  and  easily 
as  possible  the  available  resources,  to  skim  the  cream  from  the  wilderness  ahead 
of  all  rivals.  Two  great  quests  have  commonly  followed  discovery  of  a  new 
land ;  that  for  the  precious  metals,  and  that  for  furs.  Gold  and  silver  and  precious 
stones  have  always  had  a  strange  fascination,  and  the  search  for  them  and  the 
wars  of  conflicting  nations  for  possession  of  their  sources  of  supply  have  con- 
stituted the  avenues  of  approach  to  some  of  the  greatest  changes  of  history.  The 
search  for  furs,  while  not  making  so  brilliant  and  showy  a  chapter  in  history  as 
that  for  gold  and  jewels,  has  had  even  profounder  effects  upon  the  march  of 
exploration  and  conquest  and  the  formation  of  states. 

Xow,  it  must  be  remembered  that  though  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition  was 
the  first  to  cross  our  part  of  the  continent  and  to  give  the  world  any  conception 
of  the  interior  and  its  resources  within  the  area  composing  the  western  half  of  the 
L^nited  States,  yet  the  coast  line  had  been  known  for  many  years,  and  the  region 
around  Hudson  Bay  and  thence  northward  to  the  Arctic  Ocean  and  westward  to  the 
Pacific  had  also  been  traversed  some  years  earlier.  Oregon  had  long  been  a  lure 
to  the  explorers  and  fur-hunters  of  all  nations.  There  had  taken  shape  before  the 
discoverers  of  the  age  of  Columbus  the  conception  of  a  Northwest  passage 
through  the  new  continent  to  Asia.  Strange  to  say,  they  did  not  realize  at  first 
the  surpassing  importance  of  a  new  world,  but  thought  of  it  mainly  as  an  im- 
pediment to  the  journey  to  the  land  of  the  "Great  Cham"  and  other  supposed 
magnates  of  the  Orient.  Hence  the  vital  thing  was  to  find  a  way  through  the 
intercepting  land.  Only  eight  years  after  Columbus  landed  on  San  Salvador,  the 
Portuguese,  Caspar  Cortereal,  had  announced  that  sailing  westward  from  Labra- 
dor he  had  discovered  the  connecting  strait  between  the  Atlantic  and  the  waters 
that  bordered  eastern  Asia.  Out  of  that  supposed  discovery  the  idea  of  the  Strait 
of  Anian  grew  and  for  two  centuries  persisted  in  the  minds  of  mariners.  It  was 
while  searching  for  .\nian  that  Juan  de  Fuca,  just  a  century  after  the  first  landing 
of  Columbus,  entered  that  strait  which  now  bears  his  name.  Along  the  western 
edge  of  California  and  Oregon  during  that  same  century,  the  English  flag  was 
borne  by  the  Golden  Hind  of  Francis  Drake.  Later  Spanish  explorers,  Cabrillo 
and  Ferrelo,  and  \'izcaino  and  Aguilar.  had  made  their  way  up  the  Oregon  coast 
and  there  is  some  reason  to  believe  that  the  last-named  had  looked  upon  the 
mouth  of  the  Columbia.    Following  that  earlier  era  of  discovery,  there  was  a  long 

42 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  43 

interval.  Spain,  England,  France,  Holland,  Austria,  Germany,  and  Italy  were 
absorbed  in  the  gigantic  wars  growing  out  of  the  Reformation,  and  their  ships 
almost  entirely  disappeared  from  the  Pacific.  But  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
seventeenth  century  there  was  initiated  that  vast  movement  in  eastern  Europe  and 
northern  Asia  which  shaped  and  will  yet  more  shape  the  policies  and  destinies 
of  the  world.  Peter  the  Great,  one  of  the  world  figures,  started  to  lead  Russia 
out  of  barbarism.  Then  was  began  that  glacier-like  movement  of  the  "Colossus 
of  the  Xorth"  toward  the  open  waters  of  two  continents  which  will  no  doubt  never 
end  until  the  political  world  comes  to  a  condition  of  stable  equilibrium.  The 
successors  of  Peter  pursued  the  same  march  for  warm  water  and  open  ports. 
A  series  of  explorers  made  their  way  across  Siberia.  In  1728  and  1741  Vitus 
Bering,  one  of  the  true  "\'ikings  of  the  Pacific,"  made  his  daring  and  significant 
voyages  with  the  aim  of  realizing  Peter's  great  conception  of  the  Russian 
acquisition  of  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  by  sailing  eastward  from  Asia  to  America. 
In  his  last  voyage,  after  having  gone  as  far  south  as  Oregon,  and  then  turned 
north  along  the  Alaskan  coast,  the  heroic  Bering  was  cast  upon  the  desolate  island 
which  bears  his  name,  and  there  in  the  cold  and  darkness  of  the  Arctic  winter  he 
died.  His  men  found  during  that  winter  that  the  sea-otters  of  the  island  had  most 
beautiful  furs,  and  they  clothed  themselves  with  the  skins  of  those  animals.  Re- 
turning in  the  spring  in  rude  boats  constructed  from  the  fragments  of  their 
wrecked  ship  to  Avatscha  Bay,  these  survivors  of  Bering's  voyage  made  known 
to  the  world  the  possibilities  of  the  use  of  these  treasures  of  the  animal  world. 
That  was  the  beginning  of  the  Russian  fur-trade.  A  new  era  in  history  was  inau- 
gurated. Within  a  few  years  an  enterprising  Pole,  Maurice  de  Benyowski,  con- 
veyed a  cargo  of  furs  from  Kamchatka  to  China.  That  country  was  then  the 
great  market  for  furs,  and  the  success  of  Benyowski's  venture  suggested  to  others 
the  enormous  possibilities  of  the  business.  The  great  girdle  of  volcanic  islands 
beginning  a  little  east  of  Kamtschatka  and  extending  northeast  and  then  south- 
east, known  now  as  the  Aleutian  Islands,  and  the  Alaskan  coast  and  thence  south- 
ward to  Oregon  and  California,  were  found  by  Russians,  Spaniards,  and  English 
to  abound  in  fur-bearing  animals,  of  which  the  sea-otter  was  most  available 
immediately  upon  the  coast,  though  it  was  soon  known  that  the  beaver,  the  fox, 
and  many  others  existed  in  great  numbers  further  inland. 

In  connection  with  the  eager  search  along  the  coast  some  of  the  most  famous 
of  all  explorers  steered  their  course.  Among  them  was  James  Cook,  one  of  the 
most  manly  and  interepid  of  all  that  long  line  of  navigators  who  bore  the  Union 
Jack  around  the  "Seven  Seas."  Cook's  great  series  of  voyages,  beginning  in 
1776  and  lasting  several  years,  and  extending  through  all  parts  of  the  Pacific, 
were  designed  primarily  as  voyages  of  discovery.  But  while  in  Alaskan  waters  his 
men  secured  many  sea-otter  furs.  They  did  not  fully  realize  their  value  until  they 
reached  China  some  time  later  and  saw  the  huge  profit  on  furs  in  that  market. 
Now  there  was  in  Cook's  service  a  certain  very  interesting  American  sailor,  John 
Ledyard.  Ledyard  was  a  genuine  Yankee,  keen,  inquisitive,  and  observing.  He 
noted  the  possibilities  of  the  fur-trade  in  Oregon  and  Aleutian  waters,  and  deter- 
mined that  as  soon  as  he  could  reach  his  own  home  country  he  would  interest 
his  countrymen  in  sending  their  own  ships  upon  the  quest.  That  was  just  when  the 
Revolutionary  war  was  in  progress  and  several  years  elapsed  before  Ledyard  was 
in  America.    When  there  he  lost  no  time  in  getting  into  communication  with  lead- 


U  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

ing  Americans.  Among  others  he  greatly  interested  Thomas  Jefferson.  Here 
then  we  have  a  most  important  chain  of  sequences.  Cook,  Ledyard,  Jefferson, 
Knglish  and  American  rivalries  and  counter  aims  and  claims  on  the  Pacific  coast 
of  America. — a  whole  nexus  of  related  events  out  of  which  tlic  fabric  of  great 
history  became  woven.  Within  a  few  years  the  race  for  jwssession  of  Oretjon  by 
sea  was  on.  l-^nrlier  than  Cook,  Ileceta.  the  Spaniard,  had  sailed  along  thr  ( )ret'on 
coast  and  looked  into  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia.  ISut  after  Cook  came  a  long  line 
of  S|>anish  explorers  whose  names  ap|)ear  u]>on  our  present  day  maps,  Bodega, 
Camano,  Fidalgo,  Galiano,  N'aldez,  and  many  more.  Then  came  another  group  of 
Knglishmcn,  I'ortlock,  Dixon,  Meares.  IJarday.  Douglas.  Colnelt,  and,  most 
prominent  of  all,  X'ancouver.  Hut  to  us,  more  important  than  any  other  of  the 
nations  whose  banners  were  carried  along  the  western  coast,  was  the  new  republic, 
the  L'nited  States  of  .\nierica.  The  .'^tars  and  StrijK-s  were  (lying  on  the  I'acilic. 
Uolnrrt  Gr.iy  in  the  l.ady  Wasbinglon.  and  John  Kendrick  in  the  Columbia  Kedi- 
viva  had  been  jilaced  in  command  of  an  ex|M-dition  by  certain  enterprising  mer- 
chants of  IJoston  in  the  very  same  year  of  the  construction  of  the  American 
constitution.  In  17S8  they  reached  the  coast  of  Oregon.  Tliat  was  the  initiation 
of  the  American  fur-trade.  Those  were  the  great  days  of  that  business.  A  sbij) 
would  be  fitted  out  with  a  cargo  of  trinkets  and  tobacco  and  tixjls  and  blankets, 
and  sail  from  Boston  or  New  Bedford  or  .Marblehead  or  New  York  for  its  three 
years'  round-up  of  the  seas.  The  Indians  had  not  yet  learned  the  value  of  furs. 
On  one  occasion  Gray  secured  for  a  chisel  a  quantity  of  furs  worth  $S,ooo.  The 
cargo  of  trinkets  and  tools  and  blankets  out  and  the  cargo  of  furs  in,  the  next 
stage  of  the  voyage  was  from  Oregon  to  Canton,  in  China,  where  the  cargo  of 
furs  was  displaced  by  one  of  tea  and  nankeen  and  silk,  and  then  the  shij)  would 
square  away  for  her  home  |)ort,  a  three-years'  round-up.  The  glory,  the  fascina- 
tion, and  also  the  danger  of  the  sea  was  in  it.  Fortunes  were  sometimes  made  in 
a  single  voyage. — and  also  sometimes  lost.  For  ships  and  crews  were  sometimes 
lost  by  wreck  or  savages  or  scurvy.  Yet  in  spite  of  disasters  the  game  was  so 
fascinating  that  during  the  period  from  17CX)  to  1818  there  were  108  .American  ves- 
sels. tw«nty-two  Knglish  and  several  French  and  Portuguese  vessels  regularly 
engaged  in  the  business  on  the  Oregon  coast.  Profits  were  s<imetimes  immense. 
Dixon,  an  Fnglish  trader,  says  that  during  the  years  178^1  and  1787  5.800  sea-otter 
skins  were  sold  for  $1^0.700.  Sturgis  states  that  he  knew  a  capital  of  $50,000 
to  yield  a  return  of  $j.'<4,ajo. 

The  fur-trade  on  the  coast  was  naturally  first  in  the  order  of  growth.  But 
exploration  of  the  interior  would  naturally  follow  wlu-n  the  great  results  of  the 
sea-trade  were  known.  Moreover,  it  must  be  reiiunilK.Te(l  that  the  fur  trade 
had  lieen  jnirsued  with  great  assiduity  and  success  in  Canada  .ind  even  I-ouisiana 
long  years  Itefore  Gray  and  X'ancouver  were  contesting  for  the  discovery  of 
the  "River  of  the  West."  or  the  solution  of  the  mystery  of  Juan  de  Fuca.  .\s 
the  S|)aniards  were  the  first  to  try  to  grasp  the  treasure  of  precious  stones 
and  metals  in  the  New  World,  xo  the  I'rench  were  the  pioneers  in  the  attempted 
exj>loitation  of  the  treasure  of  the  furs.  MonojM.ly  by  kingly  favor  was  the  chief 
method  of  driving  out  rivals  and  monopolizing  advantages  in  those  days,  .\t^ 
.\merican  railway  or  iron  master  has  a  feeble  grip  on  the  l)ounty  of  a  state  or 
nation  comjiared  with  the  grip  of  a  Seventeenth  Century  royal  favorite.  Way 
l»ack  in  the  early  part  of  that  century,  l^uis  XIII  and  his  minister.  Richelieu, 


(n,D  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  45 

granted  concessions  to  De  Monts,  Pontgrave,  Champlain,  Radisson,  Crozat,  and 
others.  Later,  La  Salle,  Joliet,  Hennepin,  DTberville,  and  still  later  the  Veren- 
dryes  and  many  more  had  similar  monopolies  from  Louis  XIV  and  Louis  X\^ 
The  regions  of  the  Great  Lakes,  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  Mississippi  were  the 
fields  of  these  great  concessionaires.  But  England  was  not  inactive  all  that  time. 
In  the  desperate  rivalry  of  Gaul  and  Briton  for  supremacy  in  America,  the  Fleur- 
de-lis  was  lowered  before  the  Cross  of  St.  George  and  North  America  became 
British  instead  of  French.  The  fur-trade,  one  of  the  chief  prizes  of  contest,  fell 
to  English  monopolists.  Long  before  the  final  decision  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham 
when  Montcalm  fell  before  Wolf,  Charles  II  had  granted  to  Prince  Rupert  a 
charter  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  That  gigantic  organization,  which  later 
had  so  intimate  a  relation  to  Oregon,  was  established  in  1670  with  a  capital  of 
10,500  pounds.  Besides  the  vast  enterprises  connected  directly  with  the  fur- 
trade,  this  company  carried  on  many  great  geographical  expeditions.  But  this 
great  monopoly  could  not,  even  with  all  its  privileges,  entirely  prevent  rivalry. 
In  1783,  the  French  and  Indian  wars  and  the  American  Revolution  now  being 
past,  a  new  organization  arose,  destined  to  bear  a  vital  part  in  northwest  history. 
This  was  the  Northwestern  Fur  Company.  One  of  its  leading  partners,  Alexander 
Mackenzie,  discovered  in  1789  the  river  which  flows  to  the  Polar  Sea  and  which 
fittingly  bears  his  name.  Four  years  later  he  made  even  a  more  notable  journey 
from  the  upper  Athabasca  waters  across  the  mountains  and  down  the  Pacific 
slope  to  a  point  on  what  was  later  known  as  Cascade  Inlet.  There  he  pro- 
claimed his  journey  by  painting  upon  a  rock  the  inscription :  "Alexander  Mac- 
kenzie, from  Canada  by  land,  the  twenty  second  of  July,  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  ninety-three."  That  was  only  a  year  after  Gray  discovered  the 
Columbia  River  and  \^ancouver  circumnavigated  the  island  which  bears  his  name. 

Thus  we  see  that  from  both  sea  and  land  the  fur-traders  were  converging  upon 
Oregon.  It  was  emerging  from  the  mists  of  myth  and  romance  into  the  light 
of  modern  conditions.  The  rivalry  between  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  and 
the  audacious  Northwesters  who  had  ventured  to  break  into  their  monopoly 
became  keen  and  indeed  sanguinary.  Pitched  battles  were  fought  and  lives  lost. 
The  bold  and  aggressive  Northwesters  pushed  to  the  western  side  of  the  Rockies 
and  in  1807  David  Thompson,  one  of  the  most  admirable  of  all  the  early  explorers 
of  any  of  the  rival  nations  or  companies,  began  to  establish  posts  at  various 
strategic  points  upon  Columbia  waters.  During  several  years  beginning  with 
1807  he  located  trading  stations  on  Lake  Windermere  near  the  head  of  the 
river,  on  the  Spokane  at  the  Junction  with  it  of  the  Little  Spokane,  and  on  the 
Pend  d'  Oreille  and  Coeur  d'Alene  lakes. 

While  the  Northwesters  were  thus  posting  themselves  at  some  of  the  vantage 
points  of  Oregon,  the  Americans  were  not  idle.  The  reader  who  desires  an 
extended  view  of  the  fascinating  theme  of  the  American  fur-trade  should  con- 
sult that  foremost  book  on  the  subject  by  Gen.  H.  M.  Chittenden  of  Seattle,  to 
which  we  here  make  our  acknowledgments.  What  was  to  become  the  American 
trade  began  indeed  with  Frenchmen  and  Spaniards  before  the  independence  of 
the  United  States.  In  1764  Pierre  Liguest  and  Auguste  Chouteau  founded  St. 
Louis,  which  became  the  center  of  all  trading  operations  for  many  years.  The 
Treaty  of  Paris  of  1763  had  as  a  matter  of  fact  already  delivered  all  the  country 
west  of  the  Mississippi  to  Spain,  but  the  Frenchmen  did  not  yet  know  it.    In  1800 


4t;  OLD  WAI.I.A  WAl.l.A  couNr:/ 

the  Louisiana  'riTritory  attain  Ix'canic  l-rcnch,  and  three  years  later,  by  a  happy 
juxtaposition  of  statcsnianslii])  and  good  fortune,  it  passed  from  French  to 
American  control.  Then  immediately  followed,  as  already  narrated,  the  Lewis 
and  Clark  expedition  with  its  momentous  results.  After  St.  Louis  became  an 
American  town  the  fur-trade  was  still  largel)'  in  the  hands  of  h'rench  and  .Spanish 
traders  established  there  during  the  possession  by  their  respective  governments. 
Of  these  the  most  ])rominent  were  Pierre  Chouteau,  Jr.,  a  L'renchnian,  and  Manuel 
Lisa,  a  S])aniar{l.  The  lirst  expedition  to  the  bar  \\'est  was  that  of  Lisa  in 
jiartnership  with  William  Morrison,  an  American  of  Illinois,  and  Pierre  Menard. 
a  Frenchman,  also  living  in  Illinois.  One  interesting  feature  of  this  expedition 
is  that  it  occurred  in  the  same  year  with  the  tirst  of  David  Thom])son.  Another 
is  that  on  the  way  the  party  met  John  Colter  who  had  been  one  of  the  Lewis  and 
Clark  party,  but  on  the  return  had  decided  to  stop  in  the  wilderness  to  trap  and 
explore.  He  w-as  on  his  way  to  the  settlements,  but  was  induced  to  return  to 
the  Rocky  Mountains  with  the  party.  In  connection  with  Colter  we  may  very 
properly  digress  a  little,  for  he  was  one  of  the  typical  adventurers  of  that  period 
and  some  of  the  events  of  his  career  in  the  wilderness  cast  a  vivid  light  upon 
the  conditions  of  those  times.  Lisa  proceeded  with  his  party  to  the  mouth  of 
the  I'lighorn  River  and  there  established  a  fort.  Desiring  to  notify  the  Indians 
of  the  arrival  of  the  party,  Lisa  sent  Colter  all  alone  on  a  journey  of  several 
hundred  miles  to  the  Crows  on  Wind  River  and  to  the  Blackfeet  at  the  Three 
Forks  of  the  Missouri.  On  this  journey  Colter  became  an  unwilling  participant 
in  a  battle  between  those  two  contending  tribes.  lie  was  on  the  side  of  the  Crows, 
and  after  rendering  efficient  aid  to  his  side  in  winnitig  a  victory,  w-as  severely 
wounded  in  the  leg.  Nevertheless,  nothing  daunted,  he  set  forth  across  the 
ranges  of  towering,  snowy  peaks  to  reach  Lisa's  fort.  He  succeeded  in  the  soli- 
tary and  desperate  undertaking,  and  in  the  course  of  it  discovered  Yellowstone 
Lake  and  the  geyser  region  which  now  makes  the  Yellowstone  Park  one  of  the 
wonders  of  the  world.  Returning  to  the  mountains.  Colter  was  captured  by  the 
savage  and  cruel  Blackfeet.  ^^'ishing  to  have  a  little  sport  wath  their  hapless 
victim,  the  Indians  stripped  him  and  asked  him  if  he  was  a  fast  runner.  From 
his  knowledge  of  their  customs  he  understood  that  he  was  to  be  put  up  in  a  race 
for  life  against  several  hundred  Indians.  He  gave  them  to  understand  that  he 
was  a  poor  runner,  though  as  a  matter  of  fact  he  was  very  fast.  Accordingly 
they  gave  him  several  hundred  yards  start  on  the  open  prairie  with  the  Jefferson 
fork  of  the  Missouri  six  miles  distant.  Away  he  sped  with  the  whole  pack 
behind  him  like  a  band  of  wolves,  with  the  war-whoop  ringing  over  the  plain. 
With  his  naked  feet  torn  and  bleeding  from  the  cactus  Colter  soon  outdistanced 
most  of  tiie  pursuers,  but  half  way  across  the  plain,  glancing  over  his  shoulder, 
he  saw  that  one  swift  Indian  armed  with  a  spear  was  gaining  on  hiin.  With  the 
violence  of  Colter's  exertions  the  t>lood  was  streaming  from  his  nostrils  down  the 
front  of  his  body,  and  just  as  the  Indian  was  almost  within  striking  distance 
Colter  suddenly  stopped  and  turned,  a  ghastly  spectacle,  wath  extended  arms. 
The  Indian  was  so  disconcerted  with  the  unexpected  move  that  in  endeavoring 
to  wield  his  spear  he  lost  his  footing  and  fell.  Instantly  picking  up  the  spear 
Colter  pinned  his  assailant  to  the  ground  and  on  he  went  again  toward  the  river. 
The  foremost  of  the  pursuing  Indians,  finding  their  expiring  comrade,  paused 
long  enough  to  set  up  a  hideous  howl  and  then  rushed  on.     But  Colter,  though 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  47 

almost  al  tlic  limit  of  his  strength,  drove  himself  on  to  the  river  ahead  of  the 
band,  and  breaking  through  the  copse  of  cottonwoods  which  skirted  the  stream 
he  plunged  in.  Just  below  was  a  small  island  against  which  drift  had  lodged. 
Diving  beneath  the  drift  Colter  managed  to  find  a  crack  between  the  trees  where 
he  might  get  his  head  in  the  air.  There  he  remained  undiscovered  all  night  while 
the  savages  were  shrieking  around  like  so  many  devils.  In  the  early  morning  he 
let  loose  from  the  drift  and  floated  and  swam  a  long  ways  down  the  stream, 
and  when  day  fairly  broke  had  got  beyond  the  immediate  vicinity  of  his  enemies. 
But  in  what  a  horrid  plight!  Stark  naked,  with  no  food  and  no  weapons  for 
game,  the  soles  of  his  feet  pierced  thick  with  the  cruel  spikes  of  the  cactus !  Yet 
such  is  the  endurance  of  some  men  that  in  seven  days  during  which  his  only 
subsistence  was  roots  dug  with  his  fingers,  Colter  made  his  way  to  Lisa's  fort. 
"Such  was  life  in  the  Far-West."  The  story  was  told  by  Colter  to  Bradbury, 
who  narrated  it  in  his  book,  "Travels  in  North  America."  Irving  used  it  in  his 
"Astoria,"  and  it  also  appears  in  Chittenden's  "American  Fur-trade." 

One  of  the  partners  of  Lisa  in  the  Missouri  Fur  Company,  Andrew  Henry, 
in  1810  built  a  fort  on  the  west  side  of  the  Great  Divide  on  a  stream  afterwards 
known  as  Henry's  Fork,  a  branch  of  Snake  River.  It  was  near  the  present  Egin, 
Idaho,  and  was  the  first  structure  built  by  white  men  upon  Snake  River  or  any 
of  its  tributaries. 

We  have  given  the  extended  narration  thus  far  of  fur-traders  prior  to  any 
actual  entrance  by  any  of  them  into  the  region  treated  in  this  work,  in  order  that 
the  nature  of  the  business  and  the  manner  in  which  all  parts  of  Oregon  were 
involved  might  become  clear.  We  now  bring  upon  the  scene  still  another  enter- 
prise which  came  yet  closer  to  our  own  region.  This  was  the  Pacific  Fur  Com- 
pany of  John  Jacob  Astor.  This  first  of  the  great  business  promoters  of  our 
country  was  born  in  Germany,  and  coming  to  New  York  in  1784  began  his  great 
career  as  a  fur  merchant.  Having  made  a  fortune  in  the  business  almost  entirely 
by  operations  in  Canada,  Astor  conceived  the  project  of  a  vast  emporium  upon 
the  Columbia  to  which  should  converge  the  trade  in  furs  from  all  the  region 
west  of  the  Rocky  Moimtains  and  south  of  the  region  definitely  occupied  by  the 
Northwestern  Fur  Company.  He  contemplated  also  a  lucrative  business  with 
the  Russians  centered  around  Sitka  and  Kodiak  on  the  north,  and  the  Spaniards 
on  the  south.  It  was  a  noble  enterprise  and  worthy  of  all  success.  It  would 
have  had  a  most  important  bearing  upon  the  progress  of  American  enterprise 
and  settlement  in  Oregon  and  might  have  materially  changed  certain  chapters 
in  history.  That  it  failed  of  full  accomplishment  was  due  to  various  untoward 
circumstances,  of  which  the  chief  were:  first,  Astor's  own  error  of  judgment  in 
selecting  the  majority  of  his  partners  and  employees  from  Canadians  and  also 
selecting  captains  for  his  first  two  ships  who  were  not  qualified  for  their  im- 
portant task;  and  second,  the  War  of  1812.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the 
Northwesters  of  Canada  were  thoroughly  located  upon  the  Athabasca  and  had 
crossed  the  Divide  and  as  early  as  1807  had  built  posts  on  the  upper  Columbia 
and  Spokane  and  on  the  lakes  in  what  is  now  Northern  Idaho.  Astor  no  doubt 
anticipated  a  strenuous  contest  with  those  bold,  ambitious  Canadians,  but  his  own 
highly  successful  enterprises  thus  far  had  been  with  Canadians  and  he  knew  them 
well  qualified.  He  reasoned  that  he  could  make  it  well  worth  their  while  to 
be  loyal  to  him  and  to  the  company  to  which  he  admitted  them.     It  is  probable 


48  -  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

thai  all  would  have  worked  as  he  calculated  had  nut  the  war  with  Great  Britain 
defeated  all  his  well-laid  plans. 

The  part  of  the  great  Astoria  enterprise  which  more  especially  comes  within 
the  scope  of  our  story  is  that  of  the  journey  of  the  land  party  across  the  Rocky 
Mountains  and  down  the  Snake  and  Columbia  rivers,  and  the  subsequent  estab- 
lishment of  forts  and  trading  jxjsts.  The  land  division  was  under  Wilson  Price 
Hunt  of  New  Jersey,  the  partner  second  in  command  to  Astor  himself.  He 
was  one  of  the  comparatively  few  Americans  in  the  company  and  seems  to  have 
been  a  man  of  the  highest  type,  brave,  humane,  enterprising,  and  whole-souled, 
worthy  of  a  place  at  the  head  of  those  Jasons  of  the  Nineteenth  Century  who 
sought  the  golden  fleeces  of  the  Far-West.  Both  divisions  got  under  way  in  1810, 
the  land  division  from  Montreal  in  July,  and  the  sea  division  in  September.  The 
latter,  however,  reached  the  promised  land  of  the  Columbia  first,  for  after  a 
tragic  entrance  of  the  mouth  of  the  river,  the  Tonquin  with  the  party  on  board 
brought  to  in  Baker's  Bay  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  on  March  25th.  Astoria 
was  founded  on  April  12,  181 1.  A  few  months  later,  owing  to  the  criminal 
obstinacy  and  bad  judgment  of  Captain  Thorn,  the  Tonquin  with  all  her  crew 
but  one  (from  whom  the  story  is  derived)  was  captured  by  Indians  and  then 
blown  up  at  a  place  presumably  Nootka  Sound  or  near  there  on  the  west  side 
of  Vancouver  Island. 

Hunt,  with  three  other  partners,  McKenzie,  Crooks,  and  Miller,  after  having 
collected  and  fitted  out  a  party  of  such  miscellaneous  material  as  they  could  find 
at  various  places  between  Montreal  and  St.  Louis,  left  the  latter  place  on  October 
21,  1810,  and  reaching  a  stream  called  the  Nadowa,  near  the  present  site  of 
St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  stopped  for  the  winter.  Resuming  the  long  journey  on 
April  2ist  of  the  next  year,  the  party  reached  the  abandoned  Fort  Henry  on 
October  8th.  They  were  now  on  the  headwaters  of  Snake  River.  Down  that 
wild  stream  they  ran  a  losing  race  with  oncoming  winter.  For  before  they 
reached  the  present  vicinity  of  Huntington,  Ore.,  the  December  snows  fell 
thick  upon  them.  McKenzie  and  McLellan  with  seven  of  the  strongest  men 
went  ahead  of  the  main  party,  and  reaching  the  vicinity  of  the  present  Seven 
Devils  country  made  their  way  after  twenty-one  days  of  struggle  and  peril 
through  the  great  canyon  of  Snake  River  to  its  junction  with  the  Clearwater, 
the  site  of  the  present  Lewiston  and  Clarkston.  They  had  a  clear  idea  then 
of  their  location  by  a  knowledge  of  the  experiences  of  Lewis  and  Clark.  They 
were  then  within  the  area  of  our  four  counties  of  this  history  and  had  no  trouble 
in  making  their  way,  though  in  mid- winter,  down  the  Snake,  then  at  its  lowest 
stage  and  not  difificult  to  navigate,  to  that  most  interesting  spot,  the  junction  of 
the  Snake  and  Columbia.  Thus  the  advance  party  on  this  historic  journey,  the 
first  of  the  fur-traders,  though  later  than  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition,  reached 
the  Columbia.  With  their  canoes  floating  U])on  its  broad  waters  they  had  an  easy 
and  pleasant  journey,  after  their  former  desperate  straits,  to  the  rude  stockade 
of  Astoria,  which  they  reached  on  January  18,  1812.  The  main  party  had  a  more 
distressing  time.  After  nearly  starving  and  freezing  they  turned  toward  the 
mountains  from  the  ])resent  Huntington  and  must  have  very  nearly  followed  the 
course  of  the  present  railroad  from  that  point  to  the  Grande  Ronde.  They 
were  at  just  about  the  limit  of  endurance  when  on  December  30th,  looking  down 
from  their  snowy  elevation  they  saw  far  below  them  a  sunny  valley,  looking  to  the 


PUBLIC  SCHOOL  BLILDING.  DlXiE 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  49 

winter-wasted  refugees  like  a  vision  of  paradise.  Thither  hastening  they  found 
several  lodges  of  Indians  who  took  pity  on  their  forlorn  and  destitute  state  and 
provided  them  with  food  and  fuel.  Irving  gives  with  his  graphic  pen  a  brilliant- 
narration  of  the  celebration  of  New  Year's  day  in  this  valley  of  salvation  for 
this  party.  Rested  and  recuperated  by  these  few  days  in  the  Grande  Ronde,  they 
essayed  their  last  tussle  with  the  mountains  by  scaling  the  snowy  heights  between 
their  resting  place  and  the  Umatilla.  Reaching  that  warm  and  beautiful  valley 
they  found  that  their  deliverance  was  at  hand,  for  there  they  took  a  two-weeks' 
rest.  On  January  2ist,  having  started  again,  they  beheld  before  them  a  blue  flood 
nearly  a  mile  wide  hastening  toward  the  sunset,  evidently  the  "Great  River." 
Their  journey  afoot  down  the  river  to  the  Cascades  and  thence  in  canoes  to 
Astoria  was  a  soft  and  gentle  exercise  after  the  arduous  struggles  through  the 
mountains. 

Such  was  the  inauguration  of  the  Pacific  Fur  Company  in  this  country. 
While  amid  such  suffering  the  Americans  were  endeavoring  to  launch  their  great 
enterprise,  the  Northwesters  were  employing  great  energy  and  skill  in  planting 
themselves  upon  the  upper  river.  They,  too,  looked  for  new  fields  to  conquer. 
In  July,  1811,  the  redoubtable  David  Thompson  appeared  at  Astoria  expecting 
to  file  a  claim  on  the  lower  river  for  his  company.  He  was  too  late  by  three 
months,  for  Astoria  had  been  founded  in  April.  The  Scotchmen  of  the  Astoria 
Company  fraternized  with  their  countryman,  but  to  David  Stuart,  one  of  the 
American  partners,  this  was  not  pleasing.  Hastening  his  preparations  he  hurried 
on  his  journey  up  the  river.  At  the  mouth  of  Snake  River  he  found  a  British 
flag  upon  a  pole  and  on  it  a  paper  claiming  the  country  in  the  name  of  Great 
Britain.  It  was  obvious  to  Stuart  that  there  would  be  a  contest  between  his 
company  and  the  Northwesters.  He  wished  to  secure  certain  strategic  points  as 
far  inland  as  possible  and  accordingly  he  pressed  on  up  the  Columbia  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Okanogan,  estimated  to  be  five  hundred  and  forty  miles  above 
Astoria.  There  on  September  2nd,  Stuart  planted  the  American  flag  and  started 
the  construction  of  a  post,  the  first  American  structure  within  the  present  State 
of  Washington. 

Of  the  interesting  and  varied  events  in  the  Okanogan  and  Spokane  countries 
Alexander  Ross  and  Ross  Cox,  clerks  in  the  Astor  Company,  have  given  the 
most  complete  data.  These  events,  important  as  they  were,  are  outside  the  scope 
of  our  story.  We  will  simply  say  that  the  rivalry'  between  the  Astorians  and  the 
Northwesters  came  to  a  sudden  climax  by  the  War  of  1812.  Misfortune  dogged 
the  course  of  the  Astor  Company.  Hunt  had  gone  from  Astoria  to  Sitka  in  the 
second  ship  from  New  York,  the  Beaver,  and  had  started  a  profitable  business 
with  the  Russians,  but  on  the  return  to  the  Columbia,  the  captain  of  the  Beaver, 
finding  his  ship  damaged  by  a  storm,  insisted  on  going  to  Honolulu,  though 
Hunt's  presence  was  sorely  needed  at  Astoria.  At  Honolulu  Hunt  received  the 
evil  tidings  of  the  wreck  of  the  third  ship,  the  Lark.  With  the  cargo  of  the 
Beaver  conveyed  to  Canton,  while  Hunt  was  wasting  his  vitally  important  time 
at  Honolulu,  the  same  timid  captain.  Sowles,  lost  all  the  best  chances  of  the 
market,  both  for  selling  his  furs  and  buying  Canton  goods.  Thus  the  whole 
voyage  was  a  failure.  After  an  intolerable  delay.  Hunt  chartered  a  vessel  with 
which   he   left   the    Sandwich    Islands    and    reached    Astoria    August   20,    1813, 


50  OLD  WALLA  \\\-\LLA  COUNTY 

more  than  a  year  from  the  time  of  liis  departure.     But  his  return  was  too  hite. 
The  Scotch  partners  had  sold  the  company  out  to  the  Northwesters. 

Such  was  the  untoward  end  of  the  vast  undertaking  of  John  Jacob  Astor. 
The  Americans  were  down  and  out.  The  Britishers  were  in  possession  of  the 
fur  territory  of  Oregon.  By  the  Joint  Occupation  Treaty  of  1818,  both  English 
and  Americans  were  privileged  to  carry  on  business  in  Oregon,  but  the  effect 
of  the  downfall  of  the  Astor  Company  was  to  place  the  countrj'  in  the  hands 
of  the  Northwesters.  That  company  had  two  great  aims:  first,  to  get  rid  of 
American  rivalry ;  second,  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany. Having  accomplished  the  first  purpose,  they  set  about  the  second.  The 
upshot  of  that  was  the  final  coalescence  of  the  two  companies  in  182 1  with  the 
name  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  but  with  the  members  of  the  younger 
company  on  equal  terms,  and  as  far  as  Oregon  was  concerned,  with  the  advantage 
of  profit  in  the  hands  of  the  partners  of  that  company.  And  now  for  twenty- 
five  years  the  Hudson's  Bay'  Comjiany,  thus  reorganized,  lorded  it  over  Oregon. 

During  all  the  years  from  the  time  of  the  entrance  of  the  Pacific  Fur  Com- 
pany through  the  struggle  between  it  and  the  Northwesters  and  then  the  united 
fortunes  of  the  Northwesters  and  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  down  to  American 
ownership  in  1846,  Walla  Walla  and  the  rest  of  the  region  which  now  composes 
the  scene  of  our  history  were  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  the  fur-traders.  Per- 
haps the  most  valuable  narrative  by  any  of  the  Astor  Company  of  entrance  into 
the  Walla  Walla  County,  is  that  by  Alexander  Ross,  one  of  the  clerks,  in  a  book 
of  which  the  full  title  is,  "Adventures  of  the  First  Settlers  on  the  Oregon  or 
Columbia  River."  In  this  narrative  Ross  tells  of  their  first  journey  into  the 
interior,  beginning  July  22,  181 1.  Describing  the  passage  of  the  Cascades  and 
the  "Long  Narrows"  (The  Dalles)  and  the  Falls  (Celilo)  he  mentions  a  river 
which  he  calls  the  Lowhum  (Des  Chutes),  then  the  Day  (John  Day),  then  the 
Umatallow  (LTmatilla).  He  describes  here  a  "large  mound  or  hill  of  considerable 
height,"  which  from  its  peculiar  form  they  called  Dumbarton  Castle.  This  was 
doubtless  the  curious  rock  just  east  of  LTmatilla,  noticeable  to  all  tra\ellers  by 
steamer.  Passing  through  the  "colonnade  rocks,"  the  party  soon  found  them- 
selves at  a  bluff  where  there  "issues  the  meandering  Walla  Walla,  a  beautiful 
little  river,  lined  with  weeping  willows."  Here  they  found  a  great  concourse 
of  Indians,  "Walla- Wallas,  Shaw  Haptens,  and  Cajouses,  altogether  1.500  souls." 
Some  were  armed  with  guns  and  some  with  bows  and  arrows.  Their  chiefs 
rejoiced  in  the  names  of  Tummatapam,  Ouill-Ouills-Tuck-a-Pesten,  and  .A.II0W- 
catt.  The  plains  were  literally  covered  with  horses,  of  which  there  could  not 
have  been  less  than  four  thousand  in  sight  of  the  camp.  Passing  beyond  the 
Walla  Walla,  the  party  reached  the  junction  of  the  two  big  rivers,  noting  the 
difference  in  color  of  the  two.  Noting  also  the  fine  salmon  fishing,  where,  how- 
ever, Ross  observed  that  not  so  many  salmon  can  be  captured  in  a  day  as  on  the 
Copper  Mine  River  or  in  Kamtschatka.  They  soon  reach  the  Eyakema  (Yakima), 
and  here  they  note  that  the  landscape  at  the  mouth  of  that  river  surpassed  in  pic- 
turesque beauty  anything  that  they  had  yet  seen.  They  are  surprised  at  being 
overtaken  at  that  point  by  three  Walla  Walla  Indians  on  horseback  who  brought 
to  them  a  bag  of  shot  which  they  had  accidentally  left  at  the  preceding  camp, — 
an  evidence  of  honesty  similar  to  that  experienced  by  Lewis  and  Clark  among 
the  Walla  W'allas.     From  the  "Eyakema"  this  party  proceeded  up  the  river  to 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  51 

Okanogan,  where,  as  already  related,  they  built  the  first  structure  erected  by 
white  men  in  the  present  State  of  Washington. 

It  gives  some  conception  of  the  hardihood  of  the  traders  of  that  time  to  note 
that  Ross  remained  entirely  alone  at  "Oakanacken,"  while  the  rest  of  the  party 
went  northward  350  miles  to  find  a  new  fur  region.  During  their  absence  of  188 
days  Ross  secured  from  the  Indians  1,550  beaver  skins  for  35  pounds,  worth  in 
Canton  (China)  market  2,250  pounds ! 

One  of  the  most  characteristic  incidents  of  the  life  of  that  time  is  found  in  an 
account  given  in  the  narratives  of  Cox,  Ross,  and  Franchere,  about  the  Indian 
wife  of  Pierre  Dorion,  a  hunter  in  one  of  the  parties  which  had  been  located  in 
the  Blue  Mountains  south  of  Walla  Walla.  Following  Franchere's  account  of 
this,  it  appears  that  while  a  party  of  Northwesters  of  which  he  was  one  were  on 
their  way  in  1814  up  the  Columbia  to  cross  the  mountains  into  Canada,  while 
they  were  in  the  river  near  the  mouth  of  the  Walla  Walla,  they  heard  a  child's 
voice  from  a  canoe  call  out:  "Arretez  done,  Arretez  done!"  (Stop!  Stop!) 
The  woman  with  her  two  boys  were  in  a  canoe  trying  to  overtake  the  party. 
Halting,  they  discovered  that  this  pitiful  little  group  were  all  that  remained  of 
the  trappers  that  had  been  located  among  the  Snake  Indians.  According  to 
Madame  Dorion's  story,  while  they  were  engaged  in  trapping  in  January,  the 
trappers  had  been  attacked  one  by  one  by  the  Indians  and  all  murdered.  Secur- 
ing two  horses  the  brave  woman  mounted  her  boys  upon  them  and  started  for  the 
Walla  Walla.  In  the  bitter  cold  they  could  not  proceed  and  having  no  other  food, 
the  woman  killed  the  horses  and  after  spending  the  rest  of  the  winter  in  the 
mountains  made  her  way  with  the  children  to  the  Walla  Walla,  where  the 
Indians  treated  them  with  kindness  and  placed  them  w^here  they  might  find  the 
boats  of  the  white  men.  Think  of  the  endurance  and  faithfulness  of  the  woman 
who  could  win  such  a  fight   for  life   for  her  children. 

Ross  Cox  gives  an  interesting  account  of  his  journey  from  Astoria  to  Spokane 
in  1812.  He  too  commends  the  "Wallah  Wallah"  Indians  for  their  honesty  and 
humanity.  He  describes  the  immense  numbers  of  rattlesnakes  around  the  mouth 
of  the  Wallah  Wallah,  and — a  more  pleasing  theme — the  appearance  of  the 
mountains  which  he  says  the  Canadians  called  from  their  color,  "Les  Montagnes 
Bleues."  From  what  Cox  says  in  this  same  connection,  it  appears  that  the  name 
Nez  Perces  was  a  translation  into  French  from  the  name  Pierced-Nose,  which 
had  already  been  applied  to  the  Indians  up  Snake  River  by  Lewis  and  Clark. 

The  most  important  event  in  this  stage  of  the  history  was  the  founding  of 
Fort  Walla  Walla,  at  first  called  Fort  Nez  Perces.  This  was  founded  in  1818 
by  Donald  McKenzie.  This  efficient  and  ambitious  man  will  be  remembered  as 
one  of  Astor's  partners,  one  who  accompanied  Hunt  on  his  great  journey  and 
had  been  one  of  the  most  active  and  influential  in  the  sale  of  Astoria  to  the  North- 
western Company.  Having  been  for  ten  years  prior  to  his  connection  with 
Astor  a  member  of  the  Northwestern  Company,  he  felt  more  at  home  with  it, 
and  upon  its  establishment  in  practical  possession  of  the  fur  trade  of  Oregon, 
McKenzie  became  one  of  its  most  faithful  and  useful  managers.  McKenzie 
seems  to  have  been  opposed  by  his  associates  in  his  desire  to  establish  a  post  on 
the  Walla  Walla.  But  with  a  keen  eye  for  strategic  places  and  with  a  sagacity 
and  pertinacity  unequalled  by  any  of  them,  he  forced  all  to  his  views.  Orders 
came   from  headquarters  that  he  be  allowed  the  needful   men  and  equipment, 


52  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

and  in  July,  1818,  with  ninety-five  men  and  our  old  friend  Ross  as  his  second 
in  command,  he  set  to  work  in  the  construction  of  the  fort  at  the  point  half  a 
mile  above  the  mouth  of  the  Walla  Walla,  long  known  in  the  annals  of  the 
Columbia  during  both  British  and  American  possession.  At  that  spot  the 
foundation  of  the  fort  may  still  be  seen,  and  just  abreast  of  it  is  the  present 
landing  of  the  Wallula  ferry.  The  structure  consisted  of  a  palisade  of  timbers 
30  inches  wide,  6  inches  thick,  and  20  feet  high.  At  the  top  were  loop-holes 
and  slip-doors.  Two  bastions  and  water  tanks  holding  200  gallons  still  further 
guarded  against  both  attack  from  Indians  and  danger  of  fire.  The  enclosure  was 
100  feet  square,  and  within  it  were  houses  built  of  drift  logs,  though  there 
was  one  of  stone.  Subsequently  adobe  buildings  were  added,  and  some  of  those 
remained  in  some  degree  of  preservation  till  the  great  flood  of  1894. 

From  Fort  Walla  Walla,  as  it  came  to  be  known  within  a  few  years,  McKenzie 
carried  on  a  great  and  profitable  trade  to  the  Snake  country  and  the  Blue  Moun- 
tains. At  one  of  his  encampments  while  having  a  force  of  only  three  men.  and 
with  a  very  valuable  stock  of  furs  and  goods,  a  crowd  of  piratical  Indians  tried 
to  rush  the  camp  and  plunder  the  whole  establishment.  McKenzie  with  his 
usual  nerve  seized  a  match  and  holding  it  over  a  keg  of  powder  declared  that 
if  they  did  not  immediately  clear  out,  he  would  blow  them  all  up.  They  cleared 
out  and  left  him  in  pwssession.  It  is  said  that  Archibald  McKinley  performed 
a  similar  exploit  at  Walla  Walla. 

Many  interesting  things  could  be  told  of  this  historic  fort.  Gardens  were 
started,  cattle  brought  to  feed  on  the  meadow  land  of  the  Walla  Walla,  and  by 
the  time  that  the  missionaries  and  immigrants  began  to  come  in  the  '30s  and 
'40s  the  lower  Walla  Walla  bore  a  homelike  and  civilized  appearance.  Other 
pasture  and  garden  regions  were  added,  one  of  the  most  extensive  being  that 
now  known  as  Hudson's  Bay,  the  location  of  the  "Goodman  Ranch,"  about  fifteen 
miles  southwest  of  the  present  City  of  Walla  Walla. 

Our  limits  forbid  space  for  all  the  other  fur  enterprises  and  companies  aside 
from  the  two  important  companies  already  described.  There  were,  however, 
three  Americans  who  come  within  the  range  of  our  story  whose  careers  were 
so  interesting  and  important  that  we  cannot  omit  mention  of  them.  These  were 
Jedadiah  Smith,  Nathaniel  Wyeth  and  B.  L.  E.  Bonneville.  The  first  named  was 
a  member  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company,  of  which  W.  H.  Ashley  was 
founder.  The  main  operations  of  the  company  were  on  the  Upper  Missouri, 
Green  River,  and  around  Great  Salt  Lake.  Smith,  however,  made  several  remark- 
able journeys  far  beyond  the  earlier  range.  He  was  a  very  unique  character,  a 
devout  Christian  and  yet  one  of  the  boldest  of  traders  and  discoverers.  He 
might  be  said  to  have  carried  the  Bible  in  one  hand  and  his  rifle  in  the  other. 
He  usually  began  the  day  with  devotions  and  expected  his  men  to  be  present. 
Yet  he  pushed  his  business  and  discoveries  to  the  limit.  His  first  great  trip  was 
in  1826.  He  proceeded  from  Great  Salt  Lake  to  the  Colorado,  thence  across 
Arizona  and  Southern  California,  to  San  Diego,  a  route  unknown  to  whites 
before.  After  going  up  and  down  California  hundreds  of  miles  he  crossed  the 
mountains  and  deserts  eastward  the  next  summer,  following  a  more  northern 
route  abounding  in  perils  and  hardships.  In  1827  the  journey  to  California  was 
repeated  almost  immediately  upon  his  return  from  the  first.  In  the  spring  and 
summer  of   1828,  he  struck  out  on  an  entirely  new  course.     This  was  up  the 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  53 

Sacramento  and  northwesterly  across  the  lofty  ranges  of  Southern  Oregon  to  the 
Umpqua  on  the  Oregon  Coast.  There,  with  his  nineteen  men  he  did  successful 
trapping,  but  a  difficulty  with  the  Indians  resulted  in  the  massacre  of  the  whole 
party  except  himself  and  three  others.  Those  three  being  separated  from  the 
leader,  he  made  his  way  in  utter  destitution  and  with  great  suffering  to  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Fort  at  Vancouver.  Dr.  John  McLoughlin,  the  chief  factor,  with 
his  usual  generosity  supplied  the  survivors  of  this  disaster  with  their  vital  neces- 
sities and  sent  a  well-armed  party  to  secure  the  valuable  furs  of  which  the 
Umpquas  had  robbed  them.  Most  of  the  furs  were  brought  to  Vancouver  and 
McLoughlin  paid  Smith  $20,000  for  them.  Remaining  in  Vancouver  till  March, 
1829,  Smith  made  his  way  up  the  Columbia  to  the  Flathead  country  and  thence 
along  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  the  Teton  range  on  the  Upper  Snake  River.  This 
vast  series  of  routes  by  Jedadiah  Smith  through  Utah,  New  Mexico,  Nevada, 
Arizona,  California,  Oregon,  Washington,  Idaho,  Wyoming,  and  Colorado,  was 
the  most  extensive  that  had  yet  been  taken  and  did  more  than  any  other  to  give 
a  comprehensive  view  of  what  became  the  west  third  of  the  United  States.  In 
1 83 1,  lamentable  to  relate,  this  truly  heroic  and  enterprising  master  trapper  was 
killed  by  Comanche  Indians  on  the  Cimarron  desert. 

Nathaniel  Jarvis  Wyeth  and  Benjamin  Louis  Eulalie  de  Bonneville  were 
practically  contemporary,  and  in  their  adventurous  careers  crossed  each  other's 
trails.  Wyeth  was  born  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  and  from  the  traditions  of  the 
family  should  have  been  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College.  He  was,  however, 
so  eager  to  enter  some  active  career  that  he  did  not  complete  a  college  course. 
He  became  quite  fascinated  with  the  Utopian  ideas  about  Oregon  given  to  the 
world  by  Hall  J.  Kelley,  and  in  1832  he  started  upon  a  grand  enterprise  toward 
the  setting  sun.  He  had  conceived  a  general  plan  of  a  vast  emporium  of  Ameri- 
can business  in  furs  and  salmon,  similar  to  that  of  Astor.  With  an  ardent 
imagination  and  yet  great  practical  good  sense,  Wyeth  had  the  material  for  an 
empire  builder.  That  he  failed  to  fulfil  his  grand  design  was  due  partly  to 
sheer  bad  luck,  but  mainly  to  the  invincible  monopoly  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company.  The  work  of  Wyeth  was,  however,  an  essential  link  in  the  great  chain 
which  finally  led  to  American  ownership  of  Oregon.  The  first  trip  of  Wyeth 
was  in  1832.  He  crossed  the  mountains  in  company  with  Sublette,  a  noted 
trapper  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Company,  and  after  some  disasters  with  the 
Indians,  he  traversed  the  Blue  Mountains  and  reached  Fort  Walla  Walla  (the 
present  Wallula)  in  October.  Pierre  Pambrun  was  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
ao-ent  at  Walla  Walla  and  he  received  the  destitute  and  nearly  famished  Ameri- 
cans with  lavish  hospitality.  After  recuperating  a  few  days  at  Walla  Walla, 
Wyeth  descended  the  Columbia,  with  unabated  enthusiasm,  expecting  to  find  the 
ship  which  had  left  Boston  in  the  spring,  well  laden  with  stores  already  waiting 
his  arrival.  But  alas  for  human  hopes !  When  he  reached  Fort  Vancouver  he 
learned  that  his  vessel  had  been  wrecked.  His  men  had  already  suffered  much 
and  lost  faith  in  the  lucky  star  of  their  employer  and  asked  to  be  relieved  from 
further  service.  He  was  compelled  perforce  to  grant  their  request,  for  he  had 
no  money.  Spending  the  winter  in  and  around  Vancouver,  treated  by  McLough- 
lin with  utmost  kindness,  and  acquiring  much  knowledge  and  experience,  but 
no  money,  the  indomitable  Yankee  determined  to  return  and  raise  another  fund 
and  challenge  fate  and  his  rivals  again.     February,  1833,  found  him  again  at 


54  OLD  WAT.T.A  WALT. A  COLXTV 

Walla  Walla.  Thence  he  piiisued  a  devious  course  to  Spokane  and  Colville, 
across  the  Divide,  down  the  luouiilaius  to  the  Tetons  on  the  Upper  Snake,  where 
he  fell  in  with  i!onne\ille.  hirst  jikmning  to  go  with  lionneville  to  California, 
Wyeth  suddenly  decided  to  return  to  Boston  and  make  ready  for  an  immediate 
new  expedition  to  Oregon.  He  made  an  extraordinary  voyage  down  the  Uighorn 
and  hnally  down  the  Missouri  to  St.  Louis  in  a  "bull-boat.'"  Safely  reaching 
Boston  in  November,  he  brought  all  his  contagious  enthusiasm  to  bear  on  certain 
moneyed  men  with  the  result  that  he  organized  a  new  company  known  as  the 
Columbia  River  Fishing  and  Trading  Company.  A  new  vessel,  the  May  Dacre, 
was  outlittcd  for  the  voyage  around  Cape  Horn  to  Oregon. 

Again  with  new  men  and  equipment  and  with  such  experience  from  his  former 
journey  as  made  success  seem  sure,  Wyeth  started  on  his  new  expedition  from 
St.  Louis  on  April  3,  1834.  One  interesting  feature  of  this  journey  was  that 
tw'O  conspicuous  scientists,  Thomas  Nuttall  and  J.  K.  Townsend,  and  the  advance 
guard  of  the  missionaries,  Jason  Lee  and  party  of  the  Methodist  Church,  accom- 
panied the  party.  But  even  though  better  equipped  than  before  and  though 
seemingly  having  the  sanction  of  both  Science  and  the  Church  to  bless  his  aims, 
the  same  old  ill-fortune  seemed  to  travel  with  him.  He  had  brought,  under  a 
contract  made  on  his  return  the  \ear  before,  a  valuable  slock  of  goods  for  the 
Sublettes  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company,  and  now  when  on  reaching 
their  rendezvous  he  made  ready  to  deliver  the  goods  brought  with  so  much 
toil  and  expense,  the  Sublettes  refused  to  receive  them.  Their  company  was, 
in  fact,  at  the  point  of  dissolution.  Though  Wyeth  had  the  forfeit  money  that 
they  had  put  up  with  the  contract,  that  was  small  recompense  for  his  labor  of 
transportation.  But  nothing  daunted,  the  stout-hearted  promoter  declared  to 
the  Sublettes,  'T  will  roll  a  stone  into  your  garden  which  you  will  never  be  able 
to  get  out."  In  fulfillment  of  his  threat  he  prepared  to  invade  their  territory 
by  building  a  fort  in  which  to  store  the  rejected  goods  and  from  which  to  send 
his  trappers  to  all  parts  of  the  upper  Snake.  The  fort  thus  established  was  the 
famous  Fort  Hall,  the  most  notable  fort  on  the  whole  route,  in  the  near  vicinity 
of  the  present  Pocatello.  In  spite  of  delays,  the  party  seems  to  have  travelled 
with  unparalleled  celerity,  for  leaving  Fort  Hall  they  reached  the  Grande  Ronde 
on  August  31st,  a  date  at  which  previous  parties  had  hardly  reached  the  head 
of  Snake  River.  In  the  Grande  Ronde  the  party  again  encountered  Bonneville. 
Three  days  more  saw  them  at  Walla  Walla,  and  on  September  2d,  Wyeth  was 
once  more  at  \'ancouver.  Here  came  misfortune  number  two.  He  had  expected 
to  find  the  May  Dacre  already  in  the  river  with  a  good  haul  of  salmon  which 
they  planned  to  salt  and  take  east  on  the  return  trip.  But  the  vessel  reached 
Vancouver  the  next  day  after  Wyeth's  own  arrival,  too  late  for  any  effective 
fishing  that  year.  She  had  been  struck  by  lightning  and  had  lost  three  months' 
time  in  repairs.  With  indefatigalile  energy,  Wyeth  inaugurated  his  plans.  He 
sent  a  detail  of  men  to  Fort  Hall  with  supplies.  lie  conducted  an  extensive 
trapping  expedition  to  Central  Oregon  up  the  Des  Chutes  River.  He  built  Fort 
William  on  Sauvie's  Island.  If  anyone  ever  deserved  success,  Wyeth  did.  But 
Doctor  McLoughlin,  though  the  kindest  of  men  and  though  personally  wishing 
every  success  to  Wyeth,  could  not  forget  that  he  was  responsible  to  the  Hud- 
.son's  Bay  Company.  He  underbid  Wyeth  for  the  Indian  trade  and  headed  him 
ofif  at  every  turn  in  opening  new  regions.     Nothing  but  a  purse  as  long  as  that 


CO 


2 

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O 
1=] 


O 
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OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  55 

of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  could  have  stood  the  pressure.  Worst  of  all, 
a  pestilence  broke  out  among  the  Indians  from  which  they  died  like  flies  and  from 
which  some  of  Wyeth's  own  men  perished.  The  Indians  attributed  the  scourge 
to  the  evil  "Tomanowas"  of  the  "Bostons"  and  absolutely  boycotted  them.  The 
brave  fight  was  lost.  Bad  luck  and  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  were  too  much 
for  this  all-deserving  Yankee.  Wyeth  threw  up  his  hands,  sold  out  to  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company  for  what  they  would  give,  yielding  to  them  possession  of 
his  cherished  Fort  Hall,  which  became  one  of  their  most  advantageous  posts, 
and  made  his  way,  baffled  but  by  no  means  disheartened,  to  his  New  England 
home.  With  his  downfall  it  became  clear  that  no  ordinary  force  could  dis- 
possess the  great  British  Company  from  its  vantage  ground  in  Oregon. 

But  meanwhile  Bonneville  was  upholding  the  Stars  and  Stripes  as  valorously, 
but  not  more  successfully  than  Wyeth.  Bonneville  was  a  Frenchman  who  came 
to  New  York  in  his  youth,  and  who  had  most  influential  friends,  and  had  also 
the  extreme  good  fortune  of  attracting  the  favorable  notice  of  Washington 
Irving  and  becoming  the  hero  of  one  of  the  most  fascinating  books  of  that  lead- 
ing American  writer,  "Bonneville's  Adventures."  Through  this  introduction  to 
the  reading  public,  greedy  in  those  days  for  tales  of  the  romance  and  adventure 
of  the  Far-West,  Bonneville  acquired  a  fame  and  vogue  and  became  invested 
with  a  certain  glamour  beyond  .fhat't)f-a«y-»f-.tii£  iur-traders  of  Old  Oregon. 
By  the  favor  and  influence  of  TJiomas  Pairie, -Bdnn^ville  became  a  West  Point 
appointee  and  graduated  in  1819.'  '  Wh'e'n  La'-F-aj'istt^  came  to  America  in  1825 
Bonneville  was  detailed  to  accompany- felie' "HfEQ,  of  Two  Continents"  on  his  tour 
of  the  States.  Greatly  pleased- Xvith.iiii'.yr)itnJ;_^e«n'tpktriot,  La  Fayette  took  him 
back  to  France  on  his  return,  and  for  several  years  the  young  French-American 
was  a  member  of  the  household  of  that  great  man.  Returning  to  the  land  of 
his  adoption  and  resuming  his  army  connections,  Bonneville  'oecame  absorbed 
with  the  idea  that  he  might  gratify  both  his  love  of  adventure  and  of  money  by 
entering  the  fur  trade  in  the  Far-West.  Securing  from  the  War  Department 
an  appointment  as  a  special  explorer  of  new  lands,  and  investigator  of  the 
Indian  tribes,  he  was  also  allowed  to  make  a  personal  venture  in  the  fur  trade. 

H.  H.  Bancroft  in  his  "Pacific  Coast  History"  viciously  attacks  Bonneville 
as  well  as  Irving  who  immortalized  him.  General  Chittenden  in  his  "History  of 
the  American  Fur  Trade  in  the  Far-West"  defends  both  in  a  very  spirited  and 
successful  manner. 

The  series  of  expeditions  undertaken  by  Bonneville  extended  over  the  years 
1832-5.  Those  years  were  replete  with  adventure,  hardship,  romance  of  a  sort, 
but  very  little  success  in  the  quest  of  furs.  In  the  course  of  those  years  the 
adventurous  army  officer  traversed  and  retraversed  the  country  covered  by  the 
water-sheds  of  the  Snake  River  and  its  tributaries.  Green  River  and  the  Colo- 
rado, the  Great  Salt  Lake  Basin,  and  down  the  Columbia.  One  of  the  most 
valuable  journeys  of  his  party  was  through  the  Humboldt  Basin,  across  the 
Sierras  and  into  California,  a  new  route  somewhat  similar  to  the  earlier  one  of 
Tedadiah  Smith.  That,  however,  was  commanded  not  by  Bonneville  himself, 
but  by  I.  R.  Walker,  Bonneville's  most  valued  assistant.  The  most  interesting 
part  of  Bonneville's  expedition  to  the  inhabitants  of  Old  Walla  Walla  County 
was  his  winter  trip  from  the  Grande  Ronde  to  the  "Wayleway"  (Wallowa), 
down  the   Snake   to  the  present  vicinity  of   Asotin,   thence  across  the  prairies 


\ 


56  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

of  what  is  now  Garfield  and  Columbia  counties,  to  Walla  Walla.  He  describes 
that  region  as  one  of  rare  beauty  and  apparent  fertility  and  predicts  that  it  will 
sometime  be  the  scene  of  high  cultivation  and  settlement.  Reaching  Fort  Walla 
Walla,  he  was  received  by  Pierre  Pambrun  with  the  same  courtesy  which  that 
commandant  had  bestowed  on  Wyeth,  but  when  he  tried  to  secure  supplies  for 
his  depleted  equipment,  Pambrun  assured  him  that  he  would  have  to  draw  the 
line  at  anything  which  would  foster  the  American  fur-trade.  Like  Wyeth,  Bon- 
neville discovered  to  his  sorrow  and  cost  that  he  was  "up  against"  an  immovable 
wall  of  monopoly  of  the  hugest  and  most  inflexible  aggregation  of  capital  in  the 
western  hemisphere.  He  could  not  compete  at  Walla  Walla.  Descending  the 
Columbia  River  he  found  the  same  iron  barrier  of  monopoly.  He  too  threw  up 
his  hands.  The  American  fur-traders  were  at  the  end  of  their  string.  They 
retired  and  left  the  great  monopoly  in  undisputed  possession. 

Thus  ends,  in  American  defeat,  this  first  combat  for  possession  of  Oregon. 
Another  combat  and  another  champion  for  the  Americans  was  due.  Exit  the 
trapper.  Enter  the  missionary.  Another  chapter — and  we  shall  see  what  the 
new  actor  could  do  and  did  do  on  the  grand  stage  of  Oregon  history. 


CHAPTER  V 
■  THE  MISSIONARY  PERIOD 

In  the  preceding  chapter  we  learned  that  the  various  attempts  of  American 
trappers  and  fur  companies  to  control  the  fur  trade  of  Oregon  failed.  The 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  was  too  tirnily  entrenched  in  its  vast  domain  to  be 
loosened  by  any  business  of  its  own  kind.  Nor  would  there  have  been  any  special 
advantage  to  the  United  States  or  the  world  in  dislodging  the  great  British 
company  and  substituting  an  American  enterprise  of  the  same  sort.  The  aims 
and  policy  of  all  fur  companies  were  the  same :  i.  e.,  to  keep  the  country  a  wilder- 
ness, to  trade  with  the  natives  and  derive  a  fortune  from  the  lavish  bounty  of 
wild  animal  life.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Company  was  as  good  as  any  enterprise  of 
its  type  could  be.  The  unfortunate  fact  was  not  so  much  that  it  was  the  British 
who  were  skimming  the  cream  of  the  wilderness,  as  that  the  regime  of  any  fur 
company  was  necessarily  antagonistic  to  that  incoming  tide  of  settlers  who 
would  bring  with  them  the  home,  the  shop,  the  road,  the  church,  the  school,  in 
short,  civilization.  Hence  the  necessary  policy  of  the  great  fur  company  was 
to  discourage  immigration,  or,  in  fact,  any  form  of  enterprise  which  would 
utilize  the  latent  agricultural,  pastoral,  and  manufacturing  resources  of  Oregon. 
This  policy  existed,  in  spite  of  the  fact  (of  which  we  shall  see  many  illustrations 
later)  that  individual  managers  and  officers  of  the  company  were  often  of  broad 
and  benevolent  character  and  predisposed  to  extending  a  cordial  welcome  to 
the  advance  guard  of  American  immigration.  A  few  stray  Americans  had 
drifted  to  Oregon  and  California  with  the  hope  of  inaugurating  enterprises  that 
would  lead  to  American  occupation.  In  general,  however,  the  land  beyond 
the  Rockies  was  as  dark  a  continent  as  Africa. 

But  in  1832  a  strange  and  interesting  event  occurred  which  unlocked  the 
gates  of  the  western  wilderness  and  led  in  a  train  of  conditions  which  made 
American  settlement  and  ownership  a  logical  result.  In  1832  a  party  of  four 
Indians  from  the  Far- West  appeared  at  St.  Louis  on  a  strange  quest — seeking 
the  "White  R-Ian's  Book  of  Life."  EfTorts  have  been  made  by  certain  recent 
writers  to  belittle  or  discredit  this  event,  for  no  very  apparent  reason  unless  it 
be  that  general  disposition  of  some  of  the  so-called  critical  school  of  investigators 
to  spoil  anything  that  appeals  to  the  gentler  or  nobler  emotions,  and  especially 
to  oppose  the  idea  that  men  are  susceptible  to  any  motives  of  religion  or  human 
sympathy  or  any  other  spirit  than  the  mercenary  and  materialistic.  But  there  can 
be  no  question  about  the  journey  of  these  four  Indians,  nor  can  there  be  any 
reasonable  doubt  that  their  aim  was  to  secure  religious  instruction  for  their 
people.  The  details  of  the  journey  and  the  nature  of  the  expectations  of  the 
tribe  and  of  the  envoys  might  of  course  be  variously  understood  and  stated,  but 
the  general  statements  given  by  reliable  contemporary  authorities  are  not  open  to 
doubt. 

57 


58  OLD  WALL  A  WALLA  COUXTV 

To  what  tribe  ihc  Indians  belonged  seems  uncertain.  It  has  been  stated  by 
some  that  they  were  Flatheads  and  that  tribe,  though  quite  widely  dispersed,  had 
their  principal  habitat  in  what  is  now  Northern  Idaho  and  Northwestern  Mon- 
tana, ^liss  Kate  McBeth,  for  many  years  a  missionary  to  the  Nez  Perce 
Indians,  and  located  at  Kamiah  and  then  at  Lapwai,  near  Lewiston,  thought  that 
three  of  the  Indians  were  Nez  Perces  and  one  a  Flathead.  Nor  is  it  known  how 
those  Indians  got  the  notion  6i  a  "Book  of  Life."  Bonneville  states  in  his 
journal  that  Pierre  Pambrun,  the  agent  at  Fort  Walla  Walla,  taught  the  Indians 
the  rudiments  of  Catholic  worship.  Some  have  conjectured  that  the  American 
trapper,  Jedadiah  Smith,  a  devout  Christian,  may  have  imparted  religious  instruc- 
tion. Miss  McBeth  formed  the  impression  that  their  chief  hope  was  that  they 
might  find  Lewis  and  Clark,  whose  journey  in  1805-6  had  produced  a  profound 
effect  on  the  Nez  Perces.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Clark  was  at  the  very  time 
of  this  visit  of  the  Indians  the  superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  at  St.  Louis. 
He  has  left  no  statement  as  to  the  location  of  these  Indians,  though  he  referred 
to  the  fact  of  their  visit  to  several  passers  who  have  recorded  his  statements. 
The  first  published  account  of  this  visit  appeared  in  the  New  York  Christian 
Advocate,  of  March  i,  1833.  This  was  in  the  form  of  a  letter  from  G.  P.  Dis- 
oway,  who  had  charge  of  the  removal  of  certain  Indians  to  a  reservation  west 
of  St.  Louis.  In  his  letter  Disoway  enclosed  one  from  William  Walker,  an 
interpreter  for  the  \^'yandotte  Indians.  Walker  had  met  the  four  Indians  in 
General  Clark's  office  in  St.  Louis.  He  was  impressed  with  their  appearance,  and 
learned  that  General  Clark  had  given  them  some  account  of  the  origin  and  history 
of  man,  of  the  coming  of  the  Savior,  and  of  his  work  for  the  salvation  of  men. 
-According  to  Walker,  two  of  the  Indians  died  in  St.  Louis.  As  to  whether  the 
others  reached  their  home  he  did  not  know. 

Walker's  account  was  confirmed  in  a  most  valuable  way  by  George  Catlin, 
the  noted  painter  and  student  of  Indian  life.  He  was  making  a  journey  up  the 
Missouri  River  on  one  of  the  first  steamers  to  ascend  that  stream  to  Fort 
Benton.  In  the  Smithsonian  Report  for  1885  can  be  found  Catlin's  account,  as 
follows:  "These  two  men,  when  I  painted  them,  were  in  beautiful  Sioux  dresses 
which  had  been  presented  to  them  in  a  talk  with  the  Sioux,  who  treated  them 
very  kindly,  while  passing  through  the  Sioux  country.  These  two  men  were 
part  of  a  delegation  that  came  across  the  mountains  to  St.  Louis  a  few  years 
since,  to  inquire  for  the  truth  of  the  representations  which  they  said  some  white 
men  liad  made  among  them,  that  our  religion  was  better  than  theirs,  and  that 
they  would  all  be  lost  if  they  did  not  embrace  it.  Two  old  and  venerable  men 
of  this  party  died  in  St.  Louis,  and  I  travelled  2,000  miles,  companion  with 
these  two  fellows,  toward  their  own  country,  and  became  much  pleased  with  their 
manners  and  dispositions.  W'hen  I  first  heard  the  objects  of  their  extraordi- 
nary mission  across  the  mountains,  I  could  scarcely  believe  it;  but  on  conversing 
with  General  Clark  on  a  future  occasion,  I  was  fully  convinced  of  the  fact." 
Rather  curiously  Catlin  speaks  of  these  Indians  as  being  Flatheads  or  Nez  Perces, 
as  though  the  two  tribes  were  identical. 

The  letter  of  Disoway  in  the  Christian  Adt'ocate  was  discussed  in  the  Illinois 
Patriot  of  October,  1833,  together  with  the  statement  that  the  subject  had 
excited  so  much  interest  that  a  committee  of  the  Illinois  Synod  had  been  appointed 
to  report  on  the  duty  of  the  churches.     The  committee  went  to  St.  Louis  and 


DR.   aiARCUS   WHIT.MAX 
From  a  statute  on  the  Witherspooii  Buildings  Philadelphia 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  59 

conferred  with  General  Clark,  receiving  from  him  a  confirmation  of  the  report. 
When  this  pathetic  story,  together  with  the  stirring  appeal  of  the  committee, 
had  reached  the  Christian  people  of  the  country,  it  produced  a  profound  impres- 
sion, although,  quite  curiously,  the  little  book  by  Lee  and  Frost  of  the  first 
Methodist  Mission,  which  passed  through  St.  Louis  in  1834,  and  whose  members 
conferred  with  Gen.  Clark,  refers  rather  slightingly  to  the  event.  The  decades 
of  the  '20s  and  '30s  were  a  time  of  deep  religious  sentiment.  It  was  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Alissionary  movements  of  the  century.  To  the  sensitive  souls  of 
the  time  this  unheralded  call  from  the  Far-West  seemed  a  veritable  Macedonian 
cry.  From  it  sprang  the  Christian  Missions  of  Oregon.  And  the  missionaries 
were  the  advance  guard  of  immigration.  And  the  immigration  decided  that 
the  American  home-builder  and  farmer  should  own  Oregon,  rather  than  that 
the  British  fur-trader  and  the  Indians  should  keep  it  as  a  game  preserve  and 
fur  depot.  It  would  indeed  be  too  much  to  say  that  American  ownership  of 
Oregon  would  not  have  resulted,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  missionaries.  But 
it  may  safely  be  said  that  the  acquisition  would  have  been  delayed  and  that 
there  would  have  been  many  more  chances  of  failure,  if  the  missionaries  had 
not  fitted  into  the  evolution  of  the  drama  just  as  and  just  when  they  did.  The 
missionary  period  was  an  essential  one,  coming  between  that  of  the  fur-traders 
and  that  of  the  immigrants. 

While  the  scope  of  our  undertaking  requires  us  to  confine  our  narration 
mainly  to  the  area  covered  in  this  history,  yet  in  order  to  preserve  the  historical 
continuity  and  to  exhibit  the  forces  which  \kS  to'  subsequent  developments,  we 
must  enlarge  the  picture  enough  to  include  glimpses  of  the  mission  iocntions 
outside  of  Walla  Walla. 

The  first  of  the  Christian  Crusaders  to  respond  to  the  Macedonian  call  from 
Oregon  was  a  party  under  Jason  Lee  of  the  Methodist  Church.  This  party  came 
to  Oregon  in  1834  in  company  with  Nathaniel  Wyeth,  the  American  trader,  of 
whose  bold  and  worthy,  and  yet  unsuccessful  undertakings  we  have  spoken  in 
Chapter  Four.  Reaching  \^ancouver,  the  missionaries  presented  themselves  to 
Doctor  McLoughlin,  the  chief  factor.  He  met  them  with  every  expression  of 
generous  good-will  and  advised  them  to  locate  in  the  Willamette  Valley  rather 
than  among  the  tribes  from  whom  had  proceeded  the  Macedonian  call.  As  a 
result,  Lee  with  his  assistants,  located  at  Chemawa,  near  the  present  Salem, 
Ore.  From  that  mission  sprang  the  first  permanent  American  settlement,  the 
native  name  of  which  was  Chemeketa,  place  of  Council,  or  peace-ground.  The 
missionaries  gave  it  the  Bible  equivalent,  Salem,  a  proceeding  of  more  piety  than 
good  judgment.  The  Willamette  University  of  the  present  is  the  offspring  of 
the  school  started  by  the  missionaries  for  the  Indian  children,  and  within  a  few 
years  modified  so  as  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  white  children.  For  that  earliest 
mission,  like  the  later,  discovered  that  this  great  work,  after  all,  must  be  for  the 
white  race,  not  for  the  Indians. 

The  next  year  after  the  coming  of  the  Lee  party,  another  movement  was 
initiated  which  was  destined  to  have  a  most  intimate  connection  with  Walla 
VValla.  For  in  1835,  the  man  who  became  the  first  white  man,  aside  from  the 
fur  trappers  and  traders,  in  the  Walla  Walla  Valley,  left  his  home  in  New  York 
for  Oregon.  This  was  Dr.  Marcus  Whitman,  who,  more  than  any  other  one 
man,  put  Walla  Walla  on  the  map  of  the  world.     In  1835.  Doctor  Whitman,  in 


tiU  OLD  W  ALI.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

company  with  Dr.  Samuel  I'arker,  set  forth  on  a  reconnaissance  to  determine 
the  advisabiHty  of  locating  a  mission  among  the  Indians  from  whom  had  gone 
the  Macedonian  call.  Reaching  Green  River,  the  outlook  seemed  so  encouraging 
that  it  was  decided  to  part  company;  Doctor  Parker  continuing  westward  with 
Indians  who  had  met  them  at  Green  River,  while  Doctor  Whitman,  the  younger 
and  more  active  of  the  two,  returned  to  his  Iiome  in  Kushville,  N.  Y.,  and  there 
organized  a  missionary  band. 

As  a  result  of  Doctor  Whitman's  return,  a  party  consisting  of  himself  and 
his  bride,  Narcissa  Prentiss,  and  Rev.  IT.  H.  Spalding  and  his  newly  wedded 
bride,  Eliza  Hart,  set  forth  in  1836  for  Oregon.  With  them  was  William  H. 
Gray  as  secular  agent  and  general  manager.  With  the  party  also  were  two 
Indian  boys  who  had  accompanied  Doctor  Whitman  the  year  before  on  his  return 
from  Green  River.  Of  this  bridal  journey  of  4,ocX)  miles,  most  of  it  on  horse- 
back, our  space  permits  only  a  few  hurried  views.  Aside  from  the  momentous 
results  in  the  history  of  Oregon  and  the  United  States,  the  story  is  one  of 
heroism  and  devotion  w'hich  has  few  parallels,  and  the  record  closes  with  a 
martyr's  crown  for  Marcus  and  Narcissa  Whitman. 

Among  the  precious  relics  in  Whitman  College,  is  Mrs.  Whitman's  diary  of 
the  journey,  and  also  that  of  Mrs.  Spalding.  That  of  Mrs.  Whitman  was  made 
by  herself  from  notes  on  the  way  and  was  sent  from  Vancouver  to  her  parents 
upon  the  completion  of  the  journey.    Its  heading  is  as  follows : 

"Narcissa  Whitman's  Diary  of  a  Missionary  Tour  West  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains p>erformed  1836.  Being  the  first  white  female  ever  beyond  the  mountains 
on  the  continent.  '  The  journey  was  performed  on  horseback — a  distance  of  4,000 
miles.  She,  in  company  with  her  husband,  Marcus  Whitman,  M.  D.,  and  H.  H. 
Spalding  and  wife,  left  the  state  of  New  York  for  this  tour  in  February  of  1836 
— travelled  through  a  part  of  Pennsylvania,  Ohio — and  finally  arrived  at  St.  Louis 
in  Missouri.  Here  they  joined  the  Fur  Company  that  crosses  the  mountains 
every  year — and  were  also  joined  by  Messrs.  Suturly  [Saturlee  in  Mrs.  Spald- 
ing's diary]  and  Gray — missionaries  to  the  West.  Matters  thus  arranged  they  all 
left  St.  Louis  in  March — for  the  'far  West.'  The  further  particulars  of  the 
journey  may  be  learned  from  the  following  extracts  from  her  journal  taken  on 
the  way." 

Following  this  heading  is  a  letter  addressed  to  her  parents,  dated  Vancouver, 
October  20,  1836,  in  which  she  says  that  the  journal  covers  the  journey  from 
the  "Rendezvous,"  and  that  while  at  Vancouver  she  had  been  so  situated  that 
she  could  copy  her  notes  taken  on  the  way.  The  party  had  crossed  the  Great 
Divide  on  July  4th,  and  on  that  day  celebrated  the  natal  day  of  the  country,  and 
as  they  looked  down  the  long  vista  westward,  seem  to  have  felt  that  they  would 
clpim  possession  of  that  western  land  in  the  name  of  the  American  Union  and 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  had  reached  the  "Rendezvous"  on  Green 
River  July  6th.  After  several  days  there,  refitting  and  resting  and  conferring 
with  Indians,  they  resumed  the  next  great  stage  of  the  march  with  a  detach- 
ment of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  under  Mr.  McLeod,  bound  for  Walla 
Walla. 

It  was  July  18,  1836,  when  they  set  forth  under  these  new  auspices.  A  com- 
pany of  Flathead  and  Nez  Perce  Indians  also  travelled  with  them.  It  appears 
from  the  diary  of  Mrs.  Spalding  that  the  Nez  Perces  were  very  anxious  that 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  61 

the  party  accompany  them,  but  as  they  apparently  wished  to  hunt  on  the  way 
it  was  manifestly  necessary-  that  the  party  go  with  the  traders.  One  chieftain, 
Mrs.  Spalding  says,  concluded  to  go  with  them,  though  it  would  deprive  him 
of  the  privilege  of  securing  a  supply  of  meat  for  the  winter.  Mrs.  Whitman 
tells  of  the  tedious  time  which  Doctor  Whitman  had  with  his  wagon.  This  was 
one  of  the  notable  features  of  his  journey.  Some  have  asserted  that  he  was 
the  first  to  drive  a  wagon  from  the  Missouri  to  the  Columbia.  This  is  only 
partly  true.  Ashley,  Smith,  Sublette,  Bonneville,  and  other  trappers,  had  driven 
wagons  to  the  Black  Hills,  and  to  other  points,  but  none  of  them  had  gone  so  far 
west  as  Whitman,  with  a  wagon.  But  when  he  reached  "Snake  Fort,"  near 
Boise,  generally  known  as  Fort  Boise,  he  left  his  wagon.  Li  1840  Robert  Newell 
went  clear  through  the  Blue  Mountains  and  reached  Walla  Walla.  However, 
Doctor  Whitman  deserves  all  praise  for  his  energy  and  persistence  in  pushing 
his  "Chick-chick-shaile-kikash,"  as  the  Indians  called  his  wagon,  even  to  Fort 
Boise,  and  he  may  be  very  justly  called  one  of  the  first  wheel-track-makers.  It  is 
interesting  and  pathetic  to  see  how  Mrs.  Whitman  craved  some  of  her  mother's 
bread.  During  part  of  their  journey  they  had  an  exclusive  diet  of  bufTalo  meat. 
Occasionally  they  would  have  berries  and  fish.  They  had  several  cows  with  theiu 
and  from  them  had  some  milk,  which  was  a  great  help.  They  had  to  shoe  their 
cattle  (presumably  with  hide,  though  it  is  not  so  stated)  on  account  of  sore 
feet.  With  the  cows  were  two  sucking  calves,  which,  Mrs.  Whitman  says,  seemed 
to  be  in  excellent  spirits,  and  made  the  journey  with  no  sufifering,  except  sore 
feet.  Soon  after  passing  a  point  on  Snake  River,  where  the  Indians  were  taking 
salmon,  Mrs.  Whitman  bade  good-by  to  her  little  trunk  which  they  had  been  able 
to  carry  thus  far,  but  were  now  compelled  to  leave.  It  is  truly  pathetic  to  read 
the  words  in  her  journal. 

"Dear  H.  (This  was  her  sister  Harriet,  to  whom  she  is  especially  addressing 
the  words)  :  The  little  trunk  you  gave  me  has  come  thus  with  me  so  far  and  now 
I  must  leave  it  here  alone.  Poor  little  trunk!  I  am  sorry  to  leave  thee.  Thou 
must  abide  here  alone  and  no  more  by  thy  presence  remind  me  of  my  dear 
Harriet.  Twenty  miles  below  the  falls  on  Snake  River,  this  shall  be  thy  place 
of  rest.  Farewell,  little  trunk.  I  thank  thee  for  thy  faithful  services,  and  that 
I  have  been  cheered  by  thy  presence  so  long.  Thus  we  scatter  as  we  go  along." 
A  little  later  it  appears  that  Mr.  McKay  rescued  the  trunk.  Mrs.  Whitman 
shows  that  she  had  quite  a  sense  of  humor  by  recording  that  when  she  found 
what  Mr.  McKay  had  done  her  "soliloquizing  about  it  last  night  was  for  naught." 
The  journal  contains  quite  a  glowing  account  of  the  beauties  of  Grande 
Ronde  Valley,  then  of  the  toilsome,  zigzag  trail  out  of  it  into  the  Blue  Mountains 
westward.  On  August  29th,  the  party  stood  upon  the  open  summit,  from  which 
they  saw  the  Valley  of  the  Columbia.  "It  was  beautiful.  Jtist  as  we  gained 
the  highest  elevation  and  began  to  descend  the  sun  was  dipping  his  disk  behind 
the  western  horizon.  Beyond  the  valley  we  could  see  two  distant  mountains. 
Mount  Hood,  and  Mount  St.  Helens."  The  latter  of  those  mountains  was 
Adams,  not  St.  Helens.  Our  missionary  band  were  now  in  sight  of  their  goal. 
It  was  not,  however,  till  September  ist,  that  they  actually  rode  into  Walla  Walla. 
In  fact,  part  of  the  company,  including  the  Spaldings,  did  not  reach  the  fort  till 
September  3d.  It  was  a  thrilling  moment  to  that  devoted  little  band.  It  seemed 
to  them  almost  equal  to  what  it  would  to  one  of  us  moderns  to  enter  Washinj^ton 


62  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

or  Paris  or  London.  Tliink  of  the  journey  of  those  two  women,  those  brides, 
three  thousand  miles  from  St.  Louis  to  Walla  Walla,  five  months  and  mainly  on 
horseback.  As  they  drew  near  the  fort,  both  horses  and  riders  became  so  eager 
to  reach  the  end  of  the  journey  that  they  broke  into  a  gallop.  They  saw  the  first 
appearance  of  civilization  in  a  garden  about  two  miles  from  the  fort.  That 
garden  must  have  been  nearly  upon  the  present  location  of  Wallula.  As  they 
rode  up  to  the  fort,  Mr.  McLeod  (who  had  gone  ahead  to  prepare  for  their 
coming),  Mr.  Pambrun,  the  commandant,  and  others,  came  forth  to  meet  so  new 
and  remarkable  an  addition  to  the  population  of  Walla  Walla.  Mrs.  Whitman 
has  the  enthusiasm  of  a  child  in  describing  the  chickens,  turkeys,  pigeons,  hogs, 
goats,  and  cattle,  which  latter  were  the  fattest  that  she  ever  saw,  and  then  she 
goes  into  ecstasies  over  the  breakfast  of  salmon,  potatoes,  tea,  bread  and  butter, 
and  then  the  room  in  the  fort  with  its  comfort  after  all  their  hardships.  The 
officers  of  the  fur  company  treated  them  with  the  utmost  courtesy  and  consider- 
ation. Such  was  that  momentous  entrance  of  the  missionaries  and  of  the  first 
white  women  into  Fort  Walla  Walla,  September  i,  1836. 

The  next  chapter  in  the  story  of  the  Whitman  party  was  their  journey  to  Van- 
couver, the  emporium  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  Leaving  Walla  Walla  by 
boat  on  the  7th  of  September,  they  reached  the  "New  York  of  the  Pacific,"  as 
Mrs.  Whitman  says  they  had  been  told  to  consider  it,  on  the  14th.  Mrs.  Whit- 
man expresses  in  her  journal  the  admiration  of  the  party  for  the  beauty  of  the 
river,  more  beautiful,  she  says,  than  the  Ohio,  though  the  rugged  clifi:'s  and  shores 
of  drifting  sand  below  Walla  Walla  looked  dismal  and  forbidding.  They  found 
much  to  delight  them  at  \''ancouver, — the  courtesy  and  hospitality  of  Doctor 
McLoughlin  and  his  assistants,  the  bounteous  table,  with  feasts  of  salmon,  roast 
duck,  venison,  grouse  and  quail,  rich  cream  and  delicious  butter,  a  picture  of 
toothsomeness  which  it  makes  one  hungrj'  to  read;  the  ships  from  England 
moored  to  the  river  brink,  and  the  well-kept  farm  with  grain  and  vegetables, 
fruits  of  every  sort,  grapes  and  berries,  a  thousand  head  of  cattle,  and  many 
sheep,  hogs,  and  horses — a  perfect  oasis  of  civilized  delights  to  the  little  com- 
pany of  missionaries,  worn  and  homesick  during  their  months  on  horseback 
across  the  barren  plains  and  through  wild  mountains. 

Doctor  Whitman  and  Mr.  Spalding,  leaving  their  wives  in  the  excellent  keep- 
ing of  the  LIudson's  Bay  people  at  \'ancouver,  returned,  in  company  with  Mr. 
Gray,  to  the  Walla  Walla  country  to  decide  upon  locations.  They  had  expected, 
so  Mrs.  Whitman  says,  to  locate  in  the  Grande  Ronde,  the  beauty  and  fertility 
of  which  had  been  portrayed  in  glowing  colors  by  returning  adventurers  and  fur- 
traders.  But  discovering  as  they  passed  through  that  it  was  so  buried  in  the  moun- 
tains and  so  difficult  of  access  from  the  rivers  and  the  regular  routes  of  travel, 
they  fixed  upon  Waiilatpu  (  Wielitpoo,  Mrs.  \\hitman  spells  it )  for  one  post  and 
Lapwai  for  another.  The  Whitmans  became  established  at  Waiilatpu,  "the  place 
of  rye  grass."  six  miles  west  of  the  present  W'alla  A\^alla :  and  the  Spaldings  at 
Lapwai,  two  miles  up  the  I^apwai  Creek,  and  about  twelve  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Clearwater,  the  present  site  of  Lewiston.  A  few  months  after  the  location  at 
Waiilatpu.  on  March  4,  1837.  a  beam  of  sunshine  lighted  in  the  home  of  the 
Whitmans,  in  the  form  of  a  daughter.  Alice  Clarissa,  the  first  white  child  bom 
west  of  the  Rockies  and  north  of  California.  The  Indians  were  extraordinarily 
pleased  with  the  "little  white  papoose,"  or  "Cayuse  temi"  (Cayuse  girl"),  and  if 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  63 

she  had  hved,  the  tragedy  of  a  httle  later  might  not  have  occurred.  In  a  letter 
preserved  at  Whitman  College,  from  Mrs.  Whitman  to  her  sister  and  husband, 
Rev.  Lyman  P.  Judson  of  ^Angelica,  N.  Y.,  dated  March  15,  1838,  the  mother 
says :  "Our  little  daughter  comes  to  her  mother  every  now  and  then  to  be  cheered 
with  a  smile  and  a  kiss  and  to  be  taken  up  to  rest  for  a  few  moments  and  then 
away  she  goes  running  about  the  room  or  out  of  doors,  diverting  herself  with 
objects  that  attract  her  attention.  A  refreshing  comfort  she  is  to  her  parents  in 
their  solitary  situation."  With  her  parents  so  needing  that  child,  fairly  idolizing 
her  and  their  very  lives  wrought  up  with  hers,  it  is  too  sad  to  relate  that  on  June 
23,  1839,  the  bright,  active  little  creature  wandered  out  of  the  house  while  the 
mother  was  engaged  in  some  household  task,  and  took  her  way  to  the  fatal  river 
that  then  ran  close  to  the  mission  house,  though  it  now  has  a  new  channel  a  quarter 
mile  away.  Missing  little  Alice  Clarissa,  Mrs.  Whitman  hastened  to  the  river, 
with  a  sinking  dread,  and  there  she  saw  the  little  cup  where  the  child  had  dropped 
it.  This  mutely  told  the  heart-breaking  tale.  An  Indian,  diving  in  the  stream, 
found  the  body,  but  the  gentle  and  lovable  life,  the  life  of  the  whole  mission,  was 
gone.  The  faithful  and  devoted  father  and  mother  had  one  less  tie  to  life.  The 
patient  resignation  with  which  the  anguished  parents  endured  this  infinite  sorrow 
shows  vividly  what  strength  may  be  imparted  by  the  real  Christian  spirit. 

Both  Doctor  Whitman  and  Mr.  Spalding  were  indefatigable  workers  and 
quickly  created  civilized  conditions  upon  the  beautiful  places  where  they  had 
planted  their  missions.  That  of  Mr.  Spalding  was  outside  of  the  territory  cov- 
ered by  this  history,  and  we  therefore  devote  our  larger  attention  to  the  mission 
at  Waiilatpu.  It  should,  however,  be  said  that  from  the  standpoint  of  results 
among  the  Indians,  Mr.  Spalding  accomplished  more  than  any  of  the  mission- 
aries. This  may  be  accounted  for  in  some  part  by  the  superior  characters  and 
minds  of  the  Nez  Perces,  among  whom  he  was  so  fortunate  as  to  have  cast  his 
lot.  They  seem  to  have  been  of  the  best  Indian  type,  while  the  Cayuses  in  the 
vicinity  of  Waiilatpu  were  turbulent,  treacherous,  and  unreliable. 

Doctor  Whitman  was  a  man  of  powerful  physique  and  familiar  from  boy- 
hood with  the  practical  duties  of  farm  and  mill.  He  could  turn  his  hand  to 
almost  anything  in  the  way  of  construction.  The  same  was  true  of  Mr.  Gray, 
who  spent  part  of  his  tim.e  at  Waiilatpu  and  part  at  Lapwai,  though  he  returned 
in  1837  to  the  east  in  search  of  new  helpers.  But  within  a  few  months  the  Whit- 
mans were  comfortably  housed,  and  every  year  saw  some  improvement  about  the 
buildings  and  land.  Seed  for  grain,  and  fruit  trees  were  secured  at  \^ancouver, 
and  stock  was  provided  also.  The  Waiilatpu  farm  consisted  of  a  fertile  belt  of 
bottom  land  of  about  three  hundred  acres  between  the  Walla  Walla  River  and 
Mill  Creek,  with  an  unlimited  range  of  low  hill  and  bench  land  covered  with 
bunch-grass,  which  furnished  the  finest  of  stock  feed  almost  the  whole  year 
round.  Doctor  Whitman  was  himself  a  practical  millwright  and  soon  had  a  small 
sawmill  equipped  about  twenty  miles  up  Mill  Creek,  while  adjoining  the  mission 
house  he  laid  out  a  mill  dam,  the  lines  of  which  can  still  be  seen.  The  water  for 
the  mill  pond  was  supplied  from  Mill  Creek  by  a  ditch  which  followed  nearly 
the  course  of  the  ditch  of  the  present  time.  The  mill  was  a  grist  mill  and  located 
at  the  western  side  of  the  pond,  and  within  a  few  steps  of  the  mission  house  and 
the  "mansion,"  as  they  called  the  large  log  building  erected  a  few  years  after 
their  arrival   for  the   accommodation   of   the   frequent  visitors,   especially  after 


64  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

American  immigrants  began  to  come.  Toiling  incessantly,  the  missionary  doctor 
and  hero  was  rewarded  by  seeing  his  mission  Drought  in  a  surprisingly  brief  time 
to  a  condition  of  profitable  cultivation.  T.  J.  Farnham,  who  came  with  the  so- 
called  "Peoria  parly"  in  1839,  says  of  Whitman's  place:  "I  found  250  acres 
enclosed  and  200  acres  in  good  cultivation.  I  found  forty  or  fifty  Indian  children 
between  the  ages  of  seven  and  eighteen  years  in  school,  and  Mrs.  Whitman  an 
indefatigable  instructor.  It  appeared  to  me  quite  remarkable  that  the  doctor 
could  have  made  so  many  improvements  since  the  year  1836;  but  the  industry 
which  crowded  every  hour  of  the  day,  his  untiring  energy  of  character,  and  the 
very  efficient  aid  of  his  wife  in  relieving  him  in  a  great  degree  from  the  labors 
of  the  school,  enabled  him,  without  funds  for  such  purposes,  and  without  other 
aid  than  that  of  a  fellow-missionary  for  short  intervals,  to  fence,  plow,  build, 
plant  an  orchard,  and  do  all  the  other  laborious  acts  of  opening  a  plantation  on 
the  face  of  that  distant  wilderness,  learn  an  Indian  language,  and  do  the  duties, 
meanwhile,  of  a  physician  to  the  associate  stations  on  the  Clearwater  and  Spo- 
kane." Joseph  Drayton  of  the  Wilkes  Exploring  Expedition  of  the  United  States 
Navy,  visited  Waiilatpu  in  1841.  He  says  of  the  mission:  "All  the  premises 
looked  comfortable,  the  garden  especially  fine,  vegetables  and  melons  in  great 
\ariety.  The  wheat  in  the  fields  was  seven  feet  high  and  nearly  ripe,  and  the 
corn  nine  feet  in  the  tassel."  Had  not  Doctor  Whitman  possessed  great  physical 
strength,  as  well  as  determination  and  energ}',  he  could  not  have  endured  the 
excessive  toil  which  was  the  price  of  his  rapid  progress.  Senator  Nesmith,  who 
came  to  Oregon  in  the  immigration  of  1843,  said  in  the  hearing  of  the  author  of 
this  work:  "Whitman  had  a  constitution  like  a  sawmill."  Another  old  timer 
said  of  him  that  he  had  the  energy  of  a  Napoleon.  Some  old  timer  has  said  that 
Whitman  used  to  ride  in  a  day  to  the  present  site  of  Lewiston,  from  Waiilatpu, 
about  ninety  miles.  He  would  do  it  by  changing  horses  several  times.  He  was 
hard  on  horses,  and  when  someone  remonstrated  on  the  ground  of  cruelty,  the 
doctor  replied :    "My  time  is  worth  more  than  the  horse's  comfort." 

As  has  been  stated,  Mr.  W.  H.  Gray  went  east  in  1857  for  reinforcements. 
The  next  year  he  came  again  to  Oregon  with  a  valuable  addition.  Besides  the 
addition  to  his  own  life  of  a  bride,  Mary  Dix  (who  was  one  of  the  choice  spirits 
of  Old  Oregon,  and  during  many  years  a  center  of  life  and  light  in  the  new 
country)  there  were  three  missionaries,  each  also  with  a  newly-wed  wife.  These 
were  Revs.  Elkanah  Walker,  Gushing  Eells,  and  A.  B.  Smith.  Mr.  Cornelius 
Rogers  accompanied  the  party.  Reaching  Walla  Walla,  the  new  arrivals  were 
assigned  to  new  stations,  Messrs.  Eells  and  Walker  to  Tschimakain,  near  the 
present  City  of  Spokane,  while  Mr.  Smith  went  to  Kamiah,  about  sixty  miles 
east  of  the  present  site  of  Lewiston.  Mr.  Rogers  and  the  Grays  went  to  Lapwai. 
There  seem  never  to  have  been  more  faithful  and  devoted  missionaries  than 
were  these  of  the  four  missions  of  Waiilatpu,  Lapwai,  Tschimakain,  and  Kamiah. 
Yet,  it  could  not  be  said  that  they  were  successful  in  turning  any  considerable 
number  of  natives  to  Christianity.  The  Nez  Perces  at  Lapwai  and  other  stations 
established  by  Mr.  Spalding,  notably  the  one  at  Alpowa,  were  most  amenable  to 
Christian  influences,  while  the  Cayuses  in  the  Walla  Walla  Valley  were  least  so. 
In  contemplation  of  the  apparently  scanty  progress,  the  Missionary  Board  at 
Boston  decided  to  discontinue  the  missions  at  Waiilatpu  and  Lapwai,  to  dis- 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  65 

charge  Messrs.  Spalding,  Gray,  Smith,  and  Rogers,  and  to  send  Doctor  Whitman 
to  the  Spokane  country. 

While  these  difficulties  were  harassing  the  missionaries,  very  important  events 
were  taking  place  in  national  life.  The  slavery  and  the  tariff  questions  had  be- 
come firebrands  in  domestic  fKjlitics.  The  questions  of  annexation  of  Texas,  of 
the  occupation  of  Oregon,  of  possible  trouble  with  Mexico  over  the  former,  and 
with  England  over  the  latter,  were  threatening  corresponding  chaos  in  foreign 
affairs.  Doctor  Whitman,  reticent  and  sagacious,  saw  clearly  that  his  chosen  aim 
of  leading  the  natives  to  civilization  and  Christianity  was  rapidly  sinking  in  im- 
portance in  comparison  with  the  question  of  the  white  race  in  the  new  land,  and  of 
the  ownership  of  this  great  region.  In  1842  the  Ashburton  treaty  with  England 
settled  the  Northeastern  boundary  and  the  supposition  was  that  it  would  also 
settle  the  Oregon  question.  But  when  the  treaty  was  signed  on  August  9th,  it 
appeared  that  the  question  of  Oregon  was  left  unsettled.  In  a  message  of  August 
nth.  President  Tyler  explained  to  the  Senate  that  so  little  probability  of  agree- 
ment existed  that  it  was  thought  not  expedient  to  make  that  subject  a  matter  of 
negotiation. 

W'hile  the  Ashburton  treaty  was  pending,  the  first  real  immigration,  though  a 
small  one  of  112  persons,  came  to  Oregon.  In  it,  among  several  of  the  most 
notable  of  the  old  Oregonians,  was  A.  L.  Lovejoy,  a  young  New  England  lawyer, 
a  man  of  energy  and  ambition,  destined  to  play  a  conspicuous  part  in  Oregon 
history.  When  the  party  reached  Whitman's  Station  on  the  Walla  Walla,  they 
delivered  to  him  letters  from  the  United  States' and  discussed  with  him  the  pend- 
ing treaty  and  the  danger  that  it  might  dra\y'  me  fine  so.  as  to  leave  Oregon  to 
Great  Britain,  or  at  least  to  make  the  Columbia  River- the  boundary,  placing  the 
entire  Puget  Sound  Basin  and  the  mountains  and  plains  eastward  to  the  river  in 
possession  of  Great  Britain.  Seeing  the  imminence  of  the  danger.  Whitman 
determined  upon  a  supreme  effort.  He  decided  to  make  a  mid-winter  journey 
East  with  three  aims  in  view :  to  present  to  the  Government  the  situation  and  the 
vital  need  of  preserving  Oregon  for  the  United  States ;  to  try  to  aid  in  forming  and 
guiding  an  immigration  to  Oregon;  and  to  settle  affairs  of  the  mission  with  the 
Board  at  Boston.  He  asked  Lovejoy  to  go  with  him.  It  looked  like  a  desperate 
undertaking,  but  Lovejoy,  an  athletic,  ambitious  young  man,  agreed  to  go. 

At  this  point  comes  in  the  bitterly  disputed  "Whitman  Controversy."  It  is 
not  within  the  scope  of  this  work  to  undertake  an  argumentative  treatment  of  this 
question.  The  question  at  issue,  if  rationally  considered,  is  rather  the  extent  of 
the  services  of  Doctor  Whitman  in  "saving  Oregon  to  the  United  States."  Mrs. 
F.  V.  Victor,  Elwood  Evans,  Prof.  E.  G.  Bourne,  and  Principal  W.  I.  Marshall 
have,  more  than  others,  presented  arguments  in  favor  of  the  contention  that 
Doctor  Whitman  had  no  important  part  to  play  in  the  great  political  drama  of 
Oregon,  while  the  claim  that  he  had  large  political  aims  and  bore  a  conspicuous 
part  in  influencing  the  final  result  has  been  supported  in  books  written  by  Dr.  O. 
W.  Nixon,  Rev.  William  Barrows,  Prof.  William  Mowry,  and  Rev.  Myron  Eells. 
The  final  book  by  the  last  named,  the  "Life  of  Marcus  Whitman,"  is,  in  the  judg- 
ment of  the  writer,  the  final  and  unanswered  and  indeed  unanswerable  word  on 
the  subject.  The  author  of  this  history  has  given  in  the  Washhigton  Historical 
Ouarferly  of  April,  1917,  his  reasons  for  thinking  the  statements  of  Professors 
Bourne  and  Marshall  inaccurate  and  their  arguments   inconclusive.     The   fact 


66  OLD  WALLA  WALL.V  COLXTY 

acknowledged  tiy  all  is  that  Whitman  made  a  ride  during  the  fall  and  winter  of 
1842  and  succeeding  months  of  1843,  which  for  daring,  heroism,  and  fortitude 
has  few  parallels  in  history.  The  question  of  controversy  is,  what  did  he  make 
such  a  journey  for?  His  critics  say  that  it  was  in  consequence  of  the  decision 
of  the  Missionary  Board  to  discontinue  his  mission  on  the  Walla  Walla.  Mrs. 
Victor  and  Principal  Marshall  are  the  only  ones  among  these  critics  who  have 
achieved  the  distinction  of  attributing  base  or  selfish  motives  to  Whitman.  They 
have  held  forth  the  idea  that  he,  foreseeing  the  incoming  of  immigrants,  wanted 
to  maintain  the  station  at  Waiilatpu  in  order  to  raise  vegetables  and  other  supplies 
to  sell  at  a  high  price.  Whether  a  motive  of  that  .sort  would  lead  a  man  of 
Whitman's  type  to  take  that  desperate  ride  in  mid-winter  through  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  at  peril  of  life  a  dozen  times  over  from  Indians,  freezing,  and  starva- 
tion, is  a  question  which  different  people  would  view  differently,  according  to 
their  way  of  estimating  the  motives  which  determine  men's  actions.  Perhaps 
people  whose  estimate  of  human  nature,  based  possibly  on  their  own  inner  con- 
sciousness of  motives,  is  that  selfish  gain  is  the  leading  motive,  would  agree  that 
the  hope  of  cornering  the  vegetable  market  at  Waiilatpu  was  an  adequate  cause 
of  Whitman's  ride.  To  some  people  it  would  seem  likely  that  the  mainspring 
of  his  action  was  some  great  national  and  patriotic  aim  and  that  while  he  wished 
to  maintain  the  mission,  his  great  aim  was  to  convince  the  Government  of  the 
value  of  Oregon  and  to  help  organize  an  immigration  which  would  settle  the 
ownership  of  Oregon  in  favor  of  his  country.  At  any  rate,  he  went.  That  much 
is  undisputed. 

Practically  the  only  account  of  that  memorable  mid-winter  ride  from  Waiilatpu 
to  St.  Louis  is  from  A.  L.  Lovejoy,  the  sole  white  companion  of  Whitman. 
Whitman  himself  was,  like  most  heroes,  a  man  of  few  words.  He  told  various 
friends  something  of  his  experiences  in  Washington  and  Boston,  and  told  to  asso- 
ciates and  wrote  a  few  letters  to  friends  about  the  immigration  of  1843,  but  he 
seems  to  have  been  very  reticent  about  the  "Ride."  Mr.  Lovejoy  wrote  two  let- 
ters about  that  journey,  one  dated  November  6,  1869,  which  is  found  in  W.  H. 
Gray's  History  of  Oregon,  and  one  addressed  to  Dr.  G.  H.  Atkinson  and  used  by 
him  in  an  address  on  February  22,  1876.  This  letter  so  vividly  portrays  the  char- 
acter of  this  undertaking  as  it  comes  from  the  only  witness  besides  Whitman 
himself,  that  we  deem  it  suitable  to  incorporate  it  here. 

"We  left  Waiilatpu  October  3,  1842,  traveled  rapidly,  reached  Fort  Hall  in 
eleven  days,  remained  two  days  to  recruit  and  make  a  few  purchases.  The  doctor 
engaged  a  guide,  and  we  left  the  Fort  Uinte.  We  changed  from  a  direct  route  to 
one  more  southern,  through  the  Spani.sh  country,  via  Salt  Lake,  Taos  and  Santa 
Fe.  On  our  way  from  Fort  Hall  to  Fort  Uinte  we  had  terribly  severe  weather. 
The  snows  retarded  our  progress  and  blinded  the  trail,  so  we  lost  much  time. 
After  arriving  at  Fort  Uintfe,  and  making  some  purchases  for  our  trip,  we  took 
a  new  guide  and  started  for  Fort  Uncumpagra,  situated  on  the  waters  of  Grand 
River,  in  the  Spanish  country.  Here  our  stay  was  very  short.  We  took  a  new 
guide  and  started  for  Taos.  After  being  out  some  four  or  five  days  we  encoun- 
tered a  terrific  snowstorm,  which  forced  us  to  seek  shelter  in  a  deep  ravine,  where 
we  remained  snowed  in  for  four  days,  at  which  time  the  storm  had  somewhat 
abated,  and  we  attempted  to  make  our  way  out  upon  the  highlands,  but  the  .snow 
was  so  deep  and  the  winds  so  piercing  and  cold,  we  were  compelled  to  return  to 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  67 

camp  and  wait  a  few  days  for  a  change  of  weather.  Our  next  effort  to  reach  the 
highlands  was  more  successful;  but,  after  spending  several  days  wandering 
around  in  the  snow  without  making  much  headway,  our  guide  told  us  that  the 
deep  snow  had  so  changed  the  face  of  the  country  that  he  was  completely  lost 
and  could  take  us  no  further.  This  was  a  terrible  blow  to  the  doctor,  but  he  was 
determined  not  to  give  it  up  without  another  effort. 

"We  at  once  agreed  that  the  doctor  should  take  the  guide  and  return  to  Fort 
Uncumpagra  and  get  a  new  guide,  and  I  remain  in  camp  with  the  animals  until 
he  could  return,  which  he  did  in  seven  days  with  our  new  guide,  and  we  were 
now  on  our  route  again.  Nothing  of  much  import  occurred  but  hard  and  slow 
travehng  through  deep  snow  until  we  reached  Grand  River,  which  was  frozen  on 
either  side  about  one-third  across.  Although  so  intensely  cold,  the  current  was 
so  very  rapid  that  about  one-third  of  the  river  in  the  center  was  not  frozen.  Our 
guide  thought  it  would  be  dangerous  to  attempt  to  cross  the  river  in  its  present 
condition,  but  the  doctor,  nothing  daunted,  was  the  first  to  take  the  water.  He 
mounted  his  horse;  the  guide  and  myself  shoved  the  doctor  and  his  horse  off 
the  ice  into  the  foaming  stream.  Away  he  went,  completely  under  water,  horse 
and  all,  but  directly  came  up,  and  after  buffeting  the  rapid  foaming  current,  he 
reached  the  ice  on  the  opposite  shore  a  long  way  down  the  stream.  He  leaped 
from  his  horse  upon  the  ice  and  soon  had  his  noble  animal  by  his  side.  The  guide 
and  myself  forced  in  the  pack  animals,  and  followed  the  doctor's  example,  and 
were  soon  on  the  opposite  shore,  drying  our  frozen  clothes  by  a  comfortable  fire. 
We  reached  Taos  in  about  thirty  days,  having  suffered  greatly  from  cold  and 
scarcity  of  provisions.  We  were  compelled  to  use  mule  meat,  dogs  and  such 
other  animals  as  came  in  our  reach.  We  remained  at  Taos  a  few  days  only,  and 
started  for  Bent's  and  Savery's  Fort,  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Arkansas  River. 
When  we  had  been  out  some  fifteen  or  twenty  days  we  met  George  Bent,  a 
brother  of  Governor  Bent,  on  his  way  to  Taos.  He  told  us  that  a  party  of  moun- 
tain men  would  leave  Bent's  Fort  in  a  few  days  for  St.  Louis,  but  said  we  would 
not  reach  the  fort  with  our  pack  animals  in  time  to  join  the  party.  The  doctor, 
being  very  anxious  to  join  the  party  so  he  could  push  on  as  rapidly  as  possible  to 
Washington,  concluded  to  leave  myself  and  guide  with  the  animals,  and  he  him- 
self, taking  the  best  animal,  with  some  bedding  and  a  small  allowance  of  pro- 
vision, started  alone,  hoping  by  rapid  travel  to  reach  the  fort  in  time  to  join  the 
St.  Louis  party,  but  to  do  so  he  would  have  to  travel  on  the  Sabbath,  something 
we  had  not  done  before.  Myself  and  guide  traveled  on  slowly  and  reached  the 
fort  in  four  days,  but  imagine  our  astonishment  when  on  making  inquiry  about 
the  doctor  we  were  told  that  he  had  not  arrived  nor  had  he  been  heard  of.  I 
learned  that  the  party  for  St.  Louis  was  camped  at  the  Big  Cottonwood,  forty 
miles  from  the  fort,  and  at  my  request  Mr.  Savery  sent  an  express,  telling  the 
party  not  to  proceed  any  farther  until  we  learned  something  of  Doctor  Whitman's 
whereabouts,  as  he  wished  to  accompany  them  to  St.  Louis.  Being  furnished 
by  the  gentleman  of  the  fort  with  a  suitable  guide,  I  started  in  search  of  the 
doctor,  and  traveled  up  the  river  about  one  hundred  miles.  I  learned  from  the 
Indians  that  a  man  had  been  there  who  was  lost  and  was  trying  to  find  Bent's 
Fort.  They  said  they  had  directed  him  to  go  down  the  river  and  how  to  find 
the  fort.    I  knew  from  their  description  it  was  the  doctor.    I  returned  to  the  fort 


68  ULU  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

as  rapidly  as  possible,  bul  the  doctor  had  not  arrived.  We  had  all  become  very 
anxious  about  him. 

"Late  in  the  afternoon  he  came  in  very  much  fatigued  and  desponding;  said 
that  lie  knew  that  (iod  had  bewildered  him  to  punish  him  for  traveling  on  the 
Sabbath.  During  the  whole  trip  he  was  very  regular  in  his  morning  and  evenmg 
devotions,  and  that  was  the  only  time  I  ever  knew  him  to  travel  on  the  Sabbath. 

"The  doctor  remained  all  night  at  the  fort,  starting  only  on  the  following 
morning  to  join  the  St.  Louis  party.  Here  we  parted.  The  doctor  proceeded  to 
Washington.  I  remained  at  Bent's  Fort  until  spring,  and  joined  the  doctor  the 
following  July  near  Fort  Laramie,  on  his  way  to  Oregon,  in  company  with  a  train 
of  emigrants." 

In  the  life  of  Whitman  by  Myron  Hells,  there  is  a  summary  of  the  events 
which  immediately  followed,  so  well  adapted  to  our  purpose  that  we  quote  it  here 
as  resting  upon  the  authority  of  Mr.  Eells,  whom  we  regard  as  a  writer  of  un- 
doubted candor  and  accuracy. 

"When  Doctor  Whitman  arrived  at  St.  Louis  he  made  his  home  at  the  house 
of  Doctor  Edward  Hale,  a  dentist.  In  the  same  house  was  William  Barrows,  then 
a  young  school  teacher,  afterward  a  clergyman  and  author  of  Barrows'  'Oregon.' 

"Reaching  Cincinnati,  he  went  to  the  house  of  Doctor  Weed.  Here,  accord- 
ing to  Professor  Weed,  he  obtained  a  new  suit  of  clothes,  but  whether  he  wore 
them  all  the  time  until  he  left  the  East  or  not  is  a  question.  Some  writers  speak 
of  him  as  appearing  in  buckskins,  or  something  akin  to  them,  afterwards  both  at 
Washington  and  Boston.  Some,  as  Dr.  S.  J.  Parker,  say  he  was  not  so  dressed. 
It  is  just  barely  possible  that  both  may  be  true — that  he  kept  his  buckskins  and 
buffalo  coat  and  occasionally  wore  them.  It  is  quite  certain  that  he  did  not  throw 
them  away,  as  according  to  accounts  he  wore  his  buckskins  in  returning  to  Oregon 
the  next  summer. 

"The  next  visit  on  record  was  at  Ithaca,  New  York,  at  the  home  of  his  old 
missionary  friend  and  fellow  traveler,  Rev.  Samuel  Parker.  Here,  after  the  sur- 
prise of  his  arrival  was  over,  he  said  to  Mr.  Parker :  'I  have  come  on  a  very 
important  errand.  We  must  both  go  at  once  to  Washington,  or  Oregon  is  lost, 
ceded  to  the  English.'  Mr.  Parker,  however,  did  not  think  the  danger  to  be  so 
great,  and  not  for  lack  of  interest  in  the  subject,  but  because  of  other  reasons,  did 
not  go.    Doctor  Whitman  went  alone,  and  reached  Washington. 

"The  doctor,  or  his  brother,  had  been  a  classmate  of  the  Secretary  of  War, 
James  M.  Porter.  Through  him  the  doctor  obtained  an  introduction  to  Daniel 
Webster,  then  Secretary  of  State,  with  whom  he  talked  about  Oregon  and  the 
saving  of  it  to  the  United  States,  but  Mr.  Webster  received  him  very  coolly,  and 
told  him  it  was  too  late,  as  far  as  he  was  concerned,  for  he  had  considered  it, 
decided  it,  and  turned  it  over  to  the  President,  who  could  sign  Oregon  away  or 
refuse  to  do  so.  Accordingly  Doctor  Whitman  went  to  President  Tyler,  and 
for  some  time  they  talked  about  Oregon.  Even  the  Cabinet  were  called  together, 
it  is  said,  and  an  evening  was  spent  on  the  subject.  The  objection  was  made  that 
wagons  could  never  be  taken  to  Oregon  and  that  consequently  the  country  could 
never  be  peopled  overland  by  emigrants,  while  the  distance  around  Cape  Horn 
was  altogether  too  great  to  think  of  taking  settlers  to  the  country  that  way.  In 
reply  to  this.  Doctor  Whitman  told  of  the  great  value  of  the  country  and  of  his 
plans  to  lead  an  emigration  through  with  their  wagons  the  next  summer.     He 


DR.  WHITMAN  LOST  IN  A  SNOW  STORM,  1842 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  69 

stated  that  he  had  taken  a  wagon  into  Oregon  six  years  before  to  Fort  Boise,  that 
others  had  taken  one  from  Fort  Hall  to  Walla  Walla,  and  that  with  his  present 
knowledge,  having  been  over  the  route  twice,  he  was  sure  he  could  take  the 
emigrant  wagons  through  to  the  Columbia.  The  President  then  said  that  he 
would  wait,  before  carrying  the  negotiations  any  further,  luitil  he  could  hear 
whether  Doctor  Whitman  should  succeed,  and  if  he  should  there  would  be  no 
more  thought  of  trading  off  Oregon.    This  satisfied  the  doctor. 

"He  then  went  to  New  York  to  see  Mr.  Horace  Greeley,  who  was  known  to 
be  a  friend  of  Oregon.  He  went  there  dressed  in  his  rough  clothes,  much  the 
same  that  he  wore  across  the  continent.  When  he  knocked  at  the  door  a  lady 
came,  Mrs.  Greeley  or  a  daughter,  who,  on  seeing  such  a  rough-looking  person, 
said  to  his  inquiries  for  Mr.  Greeley,  'Not  at  home.'  Doctor  Whitman  started 
away.  She  went  and  told  Mr.  Greeley  about  him  and  Mr.  Greeley,  who  was  of 
much  the  same  style  and  cared  but  little  for  appearances,  looked  out  of  the  win- 
dow, and  seeing  him  going  away,  said  to  call  him  in.  It  was  done,  and  they  had 
a  long  talk  about  this  Northwest  Coast  and  its  political  relations. 

"From  New  York  Doctor  Whitman  went  to  Boston,  where  the  officers  of  the 
American  Board  at  first  received  him  coldly,  because  he  had  left  his  station  for 
the  East  without  permission  from  them,  on  business  so  foreign  to  that  which  he 
had  been  sent  to  Oregon  to  accomplish.  Afterwards,  however,  they  treated  him 
more  cordially. 

"From  Boston  he  went  to  New  York  State  and_visite.dj:elatives.  Then  taking 
with  him  his  nephew,  Perrin  B.  Whitman,  %;  bade -them,  good-by  and  left  for 
Missouri.  While  there  he  did  all  he  could  teinduc-ei people  to  join  the  emigration 
for  Oregon,  then  went  with  the  emigration,  assisting  the  guide.  Captain  Gantt, 
until  they  reached  Fort  Hall,  and  aiding  the  emigrants -very  materially.  Fort 
Hall  was  as  far  as  Captain  Gantt  had  agreed-  to  ^rde'  them,  and  from  that  place 
Doctor  Whitman  guided  them  or  furnished  an  Indian  guide,  so  that  the  emigrants 
reached  the  Columbia  River  safely  with  their  wagons." 

The  incoming  of  the  immigration  of  1843  was  a  determining  factor  in  the  set- 
tlement of  the  Oregon  question.  There  can  be  no  question  that  Doctor  Whitman 
performed  a  conspicuous  service  in  organizing  and  leading  that  immigration. 
It  is  true,  however,  that  many  influences  combined  to  draw  that  company  of 
frontiersmen  to  the  border  of  civilization  and  to  give  them  the  common  purpose 
of  the  great  march  across  the  wilderness.  The  leading  motives  perhaps  were 
the  desire  first  to  acquire  land  in  what  they  thought  would  prove  a  paradise  and 
second  to  carry  the  American  flag  across  the  continent  and  secure  ownership  of 
the  Pacific  Coast  for  their  country.  Perhaps  no  one  ever  so  well  expressed  the 
mingled  motives  of  that  advance  guard  of  American  possession  as  did  James  W. 
Nesmith,  father  of  Mrs.  Levi  Ankeny  of  Walla  Walla,  who  was  himself  a  mem- 
ber of  the  immigration  and  later  became  one  of  the  conspicuous  builders  of 
Oregon  and  of  the  nation.  Senator  Nesmith's  account  is  as  follows,  given  in  an 
address  at  a  meeting  of  the  Oregon  Pioneer  Association : 

"Without  orders  from  any  quarter,  and  without  preconcert,  promptly  as  the 
grass  began  to  start,  the  emigrants  began  to  assemble  near  Independence,  at  a 
place  called  Fitzhugh's  Mill.  On  the  17th  day  of  May,  1843,  notices  were  circu- 
lated through  the  different  encampments  that  on  the  succeeding  day,  those  who 
contemplated  emigrating  to  Oregon  would  meet  at  a  designated  point  to  organize. 


70  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Promptly  at  the  appointed  hour  the  motley  groups  assembled.  They  consisted  of 
people  from  all  the  States  and  Territories,  and  nearly  all  nationalities;  the  most, 
however,  from  Arkansas,  Illinois,  ^Missouri  and  Iowa,  and  all  strangers  to  one 
another,  but  impressed  with  some  crude  idea  that  there  existed  an  imperative 
necessity  for  some  kind  of  an  organization  for  mutual  protection  against  the 
hostile  Indians  inhabiting  the  great  unknown  wilderness  stretching  away  to  the 
shores  of  the  Pacihc,  and  which  they  were  about  to  traverse  with  their  wives  and 
children,  household  goods,  and  all  their  earthly  possessions. 

"Many  of  the  emigrants  were  from  the  western  tier  of  counties  of  Missouri, 
known  as  the  Platte  Purchase,  and  among  them  was  Peter  H.  Burnett,  a  former 
merchant,  who  had  abandoned  the  yardstick  and  become  a  lawyer  of  some 
celebrity  for  his  ability  as  a  smooth-tongued  advocate.  He  subsequently  emi- 
grated to  California,  and  was  elected  the  first  Governor  of  the  Golden  State,  was 
afterward  Chief  Justice,  and  still  an  honored  resident  of  that  state.  Mr.  Burnett, 
or.  as  he  was  familiarly  designated,  'Pete,'  was  called  upon  for  a  speech.  Mount- 
ing a  log,  the  glib-tongued  orator  delivered  a  glowing,  florid  address.  He  com- 
menced by  showing  his  audience  that  the  then  western  tier  of  states  and  terri- 
tories was  overcrowded  with  a  redundant  population,  who  had  not  sufficient 
elbow  room  for  the  expansion  of  their  enterprise  and  genius,  and  it  was  a  duty 
they  ow-ed  to  themselves  and  posterity  to  strike  out  in  search  of  a  more  expanded 
field  and  more  genial  climate,  where  the  soil  yielded  the  richest  returns  for  the 
slightest  amount  of  cultivation,  where  the  trees  were  loaded  with  perennial  fruit, 
and  where  a  good  substitute  for  bread,  called  'La  Camash,'  grew  in  the  ground, 
salmon  and  other  fish  crowded  the  streams,  and  where  the  principal  labor  of  the 
settler  would  be  confined  to  keeping  their  gardens  free  from  the  inroads  of  buf- 
falo, elk,  deer  and  wild  turkeys.  He  appealed  to  our  patriotism  by  picturing  forth 
the  glorious  empire  we  would  establish  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific.  How,  with 
our  trusty  rifles,  we  would  drive  out  the  British  usurpers  who  claimed  the  soil, 
and  defend  the  country  from  the  avarice  and  pretensions  of  the  British  lion,  and 
how  posterity  would  honor  us  for  placing  the  fairest  portion  of  our  land  under  the 
dominion  of  the  Stars  and  Stripes.  He  concluded  with  a  slight  allusion  to  the 
trials  and  hardships  incident  to  the  trip,  and  dangers  to  be  encountered  from 
hostile  Indians  on  the  route,  and  tliose  inhabiting  the  country  whither  we  w-ere 
bound.  He  furthermore  intimated  a  desire  to  look  upon  the  tribe  of  noble  'red 
men'  that  the  valiant  and  well-armed  crowd  around  him  could  not  vanquish  in  a 
single  encounter. 

"Other  speeches  were  made,  full  of  glowing  descriptions  of  the  fair  land  of 
jjromise,  the  far-away  Oregon,  which  no  one  in  the  assemblage  had  ever  seen, 
and  of  which  not  more  than  half  a  dozen  had  ever  read  any  account.  After  the 
election  of  Mr.  Burnett  as  captain,  and  other  necessary  officers,  the  meeting,  as 
motley  and  primitive  a  one  as  ever  assembled,  adjourned,  w-ith  'three  cheers'  for 
Captain  Burnett  and  Oregon.  On  the  20th  of  Alay,  1843,  after  a  pretty  thorough 
military  organization,  we  took  up  our  line  of  march,  with  Captain  John  Gantt,  an 
old  army  officer,  who  combined  the  character  of  trapper  and  mountaineer,  as  our 
guide.  Gantt  had  in  his  wanderings  been  as  far  as  Green  River,  and  assured  us 
of  the  practicability  of  a  wagon  road  thus  far.  Green  River,  the  extent  of  our 
guide's  knowledge  in  that  direction,  was  not  half-way  to  the  Willamette  Valley, 
then  the  only  inhabited  portion  of  Oregon.    Beyond  that  we  had  not  the  slightest 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  71 

conjecture  of  the  condition  of  the  country.  We  went  forth  trusting  to  the  future, 
and  would  doubtless  have  encountered  more  difficulties  than  we  experienced  had 
not  Doctor  Whitman  overtaken  tis  before  we  reached  the  terminus  of  our  guide's 
knowledge.  He  was  familiar  with  the  whole  route  and  was  confident  that  wagons 
could  pass  through  the  caiions  and  gorges  of  Snake  River  and  over  the  Blue 
Mountains,  which  the  movmtaineers  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Hall  declared  to  be  a 
physical  impossibility. 

"Captain  Grant,  then  in  charge  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  at  Fort  Hall, 
endeavored  to  dissuade  us  from  proceeding  farther  with  our  wagons,  and  showed 
us  the  wagons  that  the  emigrants  of  the  preceding  year  had  abandoned,  as  an 
evidence  of  the  impracticability  of  our  determination.  Doctor  Whitman  was  per- 
sistent in  his  assertions  that  wagons  could  proceed  as  far  as  the  Grand  Dalles  of 
the  Columbia  River,  from  which  point  he  asserted  they  could  be  taken  down  by 
rafts  or  batteaux  to  the  Willamette  Valley,  while  our  stock  could  be  driven  by  an 
Indian  trail  over  the  Cascade  Mountains,  near  Mount  Hood.  Happily  Whitman's 
advice  prevailed,  and  a  large  number  of  the  wagons  with  a  portion  of  the  stock 
did  reach  Walla  Walla  and  The  Dalles,  from  which  points  they  were  taken  to 
the  Willamette  the  following  year.  Had  we  followed  Grant's  advice  and  aban- 
doned the  cattle  and  wagons  at  Fort  Hall,  much  suffering  must  have  ensued,  as 
a  sufficient  number  of  horses  to  carry  the  women  and  children  of  the  party  could 
not  have  been  obtained,  besides  wagons  and  cattle  were  indispensable  to  men 
expecting  to  live  by  farming  in  a  country  destitute  of  such  articles. 

"At  Fort  Hall  we  fell  in  with  some  Cayuse  and  Nez  Perce  Indians  returning 
from  the  buffalo  country,  and  as  it  was  necessary  for  Doctor  Whitman  to  precede 
us  to  Walla  Walla,  he  recommended  to  us  a  guide  in  the  person  of  an  old  Cayuse 
Indian  called  'Sticcus.'  He  was  a  faithful  old  fellow,  perfectly  familiar  with  all 
the  trails  and  topography  of  the  country  from  Fort  Hall  to  The  Dalles,  and, 
although  not  speaking  a  word  of  English,  and  no  one  in  our  party  a  word  of 
Cayuse,  he  succeeded  by  pantomime  in  taking  us  over  the  roughest  wagon  route  I 
ever  saw." 

In  that  immigration  were  nearly  a  thousand  persons,  among  them  several 
families  whose  members  and  descendants  have  borne  honorable  parts  in  building 
the  region  of  Old  Walla  Walla  County  and  the  part  of  Umatilla  County  adjoin- 
ing, in  Oregon.  In  the  belief  that  among  the  readers  of  this  work  may  be  many 
now  living  in  the  counties  covered  by  this  story,  who  can  trace  their  ancestry 
to  the  blood  royal  of  that  great  immigration  and  that  a  list  of  its  names  would 
have  a  permanent  value  in  such  a  record  as  this,  we  incorporate  here  a  list  of 
the  names  of  all  the  male  members  of  the  train  over  sixteen  years  of  age,  as 
secured  by  J.  W.  Nesmith  at  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  train.  His  list 
included  some  who  turned  back  or  went  to  California,  or  died  on  the  way.  We 
quote  from  the  "History  of  the  Willamette  Valley,"  by  H.  B.  Lang: 

"The  following  list  contains  the  names  of  every  male  member  of  that  great 
train  over  the  age  of  sixteen  years.  It  was  prepared  by  J.  W.  Nesmith  when  the 
train  was  organized,  and  was  preserved  among  his  papers  for  a  third  of  a  century 
before  given  for  publication.  All  reached  the  Willamette  Valley,  except  a  few, 
the  exceptions  being  designated  by  marks  and  foot-notes : 


72 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 


Applegate,  Jesse 
Applegate,  Charles 
Applegate,  Lindsay 
Athey,  James 
Athey,  William 
Atkinson,  John  * 
Arthur,  Wm. 
Arthur,  Robert 
Arthur,  David 
Butler,  Amon 
Brooke,  George 
Burnett,  Peter  H. 
Bird,  David 
Brown,  Thomas  A. 
Blevins,  Alexander 
Brooks,  John  P. 
Brown,  Martin 
Brown,  Oris 
Black,  J.  P. 
Bane,  Layton 
Baker,  Andrew 
Baker,  John  G. 
Beagle,  William 
Boyd,  Levy 
Baker,  William 
Biddle,  Nicholas  J 
Beale,  George 
Braidy,  James 
Beadle,  George 
Boardman,  — * 
Baldridge,  Wm. 
Cason,  F.  C. 
Cason,  James 
Chapman,  Wm. 
Cox, John 
Champ,  Jacob 
Cooper,  L.  C. 
Cone,  James 
Childers,  Moses 
Carey,  Miles 
Cochran,  Thomas 
Clymour,  L. 
Copenhaver,  John 
Caton,  J.  H. 
Chappel,  Alfred 


Cronin,  Daniel 
Cozine,  Samuel 
Costable,  Benedict 
Childs,  Joseph  * 
Clark,  Ransom 
Campbell,  John  G. 

Chapman, 

Chase,  James 
Dodd,  Solomon 
Dement,  Wm.  C. 
Dougherty,  W.  P. 
Day,  William  f 
Duncan,  James 
Dorin,  Jacob 
Davis,  Thomas 
Delany,  Daniel 
Delany,  Daniel,  Jr. 
Delany,  William 
Doke,  William 
Davis,  J.  H. 
Davis,  Burrell 
Dailey,  George 
Doherty,  John 

Dawson, * 

Eaton,  Charles 
Eaton,  Nathan 
Etchell,  James 
Emerick,  Solomon 
Eaker,  John  W. 
Edson,  E.  G. 
Eyres,  Miles  f 
East,  John  W. 
Everman,  Niniwon 
Ford,  Nineveh 
Ford,  Ephriam 
Ford,  Nimrod 
Ford,  John 
Francis,  Alexander 
Frazier,  Abner 
Frazier,  Wm. 
Fowler,  Wm. 
Fowler,  Wm.  J. 
Fowler,  Henry 
Fairly.  Stephen 
Fendall,  Charles 


Gantt,  John  * 
Gray,  Chiley  B. 
Garrison,  Enoch 
Garrison,  J.  W. 
Garrison,  W.  J. 
Gardner,  Samuel 
Gardner,  Wm. 
Gilmore,  Mat 
Goodman,  Richard 
Gilpin,  Major 

Gray, 

Haggard,  B. 
Hide,  H.  H. 
Holmes,  Wm. 
Holmes,  Riley  A. 
Hobson,  John 
Hobson,  Wm. 
Hembree,  Andrew 
Hembree,  J.  J. 
Hembree,  James 
Hembree,  A.  J. 
Hall,  Samuel  B. 
Houk,  James 
Hughes,  Wm.  P. 
Hendrick,  Abijah 
Hays,  James 
Hensley,  Thomas  J.  * 
Holley,  B. 
Hunt,  Henry 
Holderness,  S.  M. 
Hutchins,  Isaac 
Husted.  A. 
Hess,  Joseph 
Haun,  Jacob 
Howell,  John 
Howell,  Wm. 
Howell,  Wesley 
Howell,  G.  W. 
Howell,  Thomas  E. 
Hill,  Henry 
Hill,  William 
Hill,  Almoran 
Hewett,  Henry 
Hargrove,  Wm. 
Hoyt,  A. 


*  Turned  off  at  Fort  Hall  and  went  to  California. 

t  Died  on  the  route. 

t  Turned  back  at  the  Platte. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 


73 


Holman,  John 
Holman,  Daniel 
Harrigas,  B. 
James,  Calvin 
Jackson,  John  B. 
Jones,  John 
Johnson,  Overton 
Keyser,  Thomas 
Keyser,  J.  B. 
Keyser,  Plasant 

Kelley, 

Kelsey, 

Lovejoy,  A.  L. 
Lenox,  Edward 
Lenox,  E. 
Layson,  Aaron 
Looney,  Jesse 
Long,  John  E. 
Lee,  H.  A.  G. 
Lugur,  F.  i 
Linebarger,  Lew 
Linebarger,  John 
Laswell,  Isaac 
Loughborough,  J.  i. 
Little,  Milton  * 

Luther. 

Lauderdale,  John 

McGee, * 

Martin,  Wm.  J.* 
Martin,  James 
Martin,  Julius  f 
McClelland. * 


McClelland,  F.* 
Mills,  John  B. 
Mills,  Isaac 
Mills,  Wm.  A. 
Mills,  Owen 
McGarey,  G.  W. 
Mondon,  Gilbert 
Matheny,  Daniel 
Matheny,  Adam 
Matheny,  Josiah 
Matheny,  Henry 
Matheny,  J.  N. 


McHaley,  John 
Myers,  Jacob 
Manning,  John 
Manning,  James 
McCarver,  M.  M. 
McCorcle,  George 
Mays,  William 
Millican,  Elijah 
McDaniel,  William 
McKissic,  D. 
Malone,  Madison 
McClane,  John  B. 
Mauzee,  William 
Mclntire,  John  * 
Moore,  Jackson  f 
Matney,  W.  J. 
Nesmith,  J.  W. 
Newby,  W.  T. 
Newman,  Noah 
Naylor,  Thomas 
Osborn,  Neil 
O'Brien,  Hugh  D. 
O'Brien,  Humphrey 
Owen,  Thomas  A. 
Owen,  Thomas 
Otie,  E.  W. 
Otie,  M.  B. 
O'Neil,  Bennett 
OHnger,  A. 
Parker,  Jesse 
Parker,  William 
Pennington,  J.  B. 
Poe,  R.  H. 
Paynter,  Samuel 
Patterson,  J.  R. 
Pickett,  Charles  E. 
Prigg,  Frederick 
Paine,  Clayborn  f 
Reading,  P.  B.* 
Rodgers,  S.  P. 
Rodgers,  G.  W. 
Russell,  William 
Roberts,  James 
Rice.  G.  W. 
Richardson.  John 


Richardson,  Daniel  f 
Ruby,  Philip 
Ricord,  John 
Reid,  Jacob 
Roe,  John 
Roberts,  Solomon 
Roberts,  Emseley 
Rossin,  Joseph 
Rivers,  Thomas 
Smith,  Thomas  H. 
Smith,  Thomas 
Smith,  Isaac  W. 
Smith,  Anderson 
Smith,  Ahi 
Smith,  Robert 
Smith,  Eli 
Sheldon,  William 
Stewart,  P.  G. 
Sutton,  Dr.  Nathan'l 
Stimmerman,  C. 
Sharp,  C. 
Summers,  W.  C. 
Sewell,  Henry 
Stout,  Henry 
Sterling,  George 

Stout, 

Stevenson, 


Mastire,  A.  J. 

♦Turned  off  at  Fort  Hall  and  went  to  California. 
t  Died  on  the  route. 
{Turned  back  at  the  Platte. 


Story.  James 

Swift, 

Shively,  John  M. 
Shirly,   Samuel 
Stoughton,  Alex 
Spencer,  Chancey 
Strait,  Hiram 
Summers,  George 
Stringer,  Cornelius 
Stringer,  C.  W.f 
Tharp,  Lindsey 
Thompson,  John 
Trainor,  D. 
Teller,  Jeremiah 
Tarbox,  Stephen 
Umnicker,  John 
Vance,  Samuel 
Vaughn,  William 


74 


OLD  W  ALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 


\  enion,  George 
\\  iliiiont,  James 
Wilson,  Win.  LL 
Wair,  J.  W. 
Winkle,  Archibald 
Williams,  Edward 
Wheeler,  H. 
W'asjoner,  John 


Williams,  Benjamin 
W  illiams,  David 
Wilson,  Wm. 
Williams,  John  * 
Williams,  James  * 
Williams,  Squire  * 
Williams,  Isaac  * 
Ward,  T.  B. 


White,  James 
Watson,  John  ( Betty) 
Waters,  James 
Winter,  William 
Waldo,  Daniel 
W^aldo,  David 
Zachary,  Alexander 
Zachary,  John 


"There  were  in  Oregon  at  the  time  the  train  arrived  the  following  in- 
dividuals, a  few  names,  possibly,  having  been  omitted  from  the  list,  and  the  list 
not  including  the  various  missionaries  named  elsewhere : 


Armstrong,  Pleasant 
lUirns,  Hugh 

Brown, 

Brown,  William 

Brown, 

Black,  J.  M. 
Baldro, 


Balis,  James 
Bailey,  Dr. 
Brainard,  — 


Crawford,  Medorem 
Carter,  David 
Campbell,  Samuel 
Campbell,  Jack 
Craig,  Wm. 
Cook,  Amos 
Cook,  Aaron 

Connor, 

Cannon,  William 
Davy,  Allen 
Doty,  William 
Eakin,  Richard 
Ebbetts,  Squire 
Edwards,  John 
Foster,  Philip 
Force,  John 
Force,  James 
Fletcher,  Francis 
Gay,  George 
Gale,  Joseph 


Girtmann, 

Hathaway,  Felix 
Hatch,  Peter  H. 
Hubbard,  Thomas  J 
Hewitt,  Adam 
Horegon.  Jeremiah 
Holman,  Joseph 
Hall,  David 
Hoxhurst,  Weberly 

Hutchinson, 

Johnson,  William 

Kelsey, 

King, 

Lewis,  Reuben 
Le  Breton,  G.  W. 
Larrison,  Jack 
Meek,  Joseph  L. 
Matthieu,  F.  X. 
McClure,  John 
Moss,  S.  W. 
Moore,  Robert 

McFadden, 

McCarty,  William 
McKay,  Charles 
McKay,  Thomas 
McKay,  William  C. 

Morrison, 

Alack,  J.  W. 
Newbanks, 


Newell,  Robert 


O'Neil,  James  A. 
Pettygrove,  F.  W. 
Pomeroy,  Dwight 
Pomeroy,  Walter 

Perry, 

Rimmick, ■ 


Russell,  Osborn 
Robb,  J.  R. 
Shortess,  Robert 
Smith,  Sidney 

Smith, • 

Smith,  Andrew 
Smith,  Andrew,  Jr. 
Smith,  Darling 

Spence, 

Sailor,  Jack 
Turnham,  Joel 
Turner,  John 
Taylor,  Hiram 
Tibbetts,  Calvin 

Trask, 

Walker,  C.  M. 
Warner,  Jack 
Wilson,  A.  E. 
Winslow,  David 
Wilkins,  Caleb 
Wood,  Henry 
Williams,  B. 


The   men   in  these  lists,   with   their   families,   constituted   the  population   of 
Oregon  in  1S43,  aside  from  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  people. 

Doctor   Whitman    himself    wrote    several    valuable    letters    referring   to    the 


*  Turned  off  at  Fort  Hall  and  went  to  California. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  75 

immigration  of  1843.  The  most  important  of  these  was  one  to  the  Secretary  of 
War,  inclosing  a  proposed  bill  for  a  line  of  forts  across  the  plains  to  defend 
immigrations.  This  letter  has  such  an  important  bearing  on  the  whole  story  of 
Whitman  and  his  connection  with  the  immigration  and  the  acquisition  of  Oregon 
that  it  is  incorporated  here.  And  we  would  submit  to  the  reader  the  difficulty 
which  any  candid  critic  would  experience  in  examining  this  letter  and  then  deny- 
ing Whitman's  part  in  "saving  Oregon  to  the  United  States."  Whitman's  letter 
was  found  among  the  files  of  the  War  Department,  with  the  following  endorse- 
ment: 

"Marcus  Whitman  inclosing  synopsis  of  a  bill,  with  his  views  in  reference  to 
importance  of  the  Oregon  Territory,  War.  383 — rec.  June  22,  1844." 

Portions  of  the  letter  follow: 
"To  the  Hon.  James  M.  Porter, 
Secretary  of  War. 

"Sir:  In  compliance  with  the  request  you  did  me  the  honor  to  make  last 
winter,  while  in  Washington,  I  herewith  transmit  to  you  the  synopsis  of  a  bill 
which,  if  it  could  be  adopted,  would,  according  to  my  experience  and  observation, 
prove  highly  conducive  to  the  best  interests  of  the  United  States  generally,  to 
Oregon,  where  I  have  resided  for  more  than  seven  years  as  a  missionary,  and 
to  the  Indian  tribes  that  inhabit  the  immediate  country.  The  Government  will 
now,  doubtless  for  the  first  time,  be  apprised  through  you,  or  by  means  of  this 
communication,  of  the  immense  immigration  of  families  to  Oregon  which  has 
taken  place  this  year.  I  have,  since  our  interview,  been  instrumental  in  piloting 
across  the  route  described  in  the  accompanying  bill,  and  which  is  the  only  eligible 
wagon  road,  no  less  than  three  hundred  families,  consisting  of  one  thousand  per- 
sons of  both  sexes,  with  their  wagons,  amounting  to  120,  694  oxen,  and  ']']2i  loose 
cattle. 

"The  emigrants  are  from  different  states,  but  principally  from  Missouri, 
Arkansas,  Illinois  and  New  York.  The  majority  of  them  are  farmers,  lured  by 
the  prospect  of  bounty  in  lands,  by  the  reported  fertility  of  the  soil,  and  by  the 
desire  to  be  first  among  those  who  are  planting  our  institutions  on  the  Pacific 
Coast.  Among  them  are  artisans  of  every  trade,  comprising,  with  farmers,  the 
very  best  material  for  a  new  colony.  As  pioneers,  these  people  have  undergone 
incredible  hardships,  and  having  now  safely  passed  the  Blue  Mountain  Range 
with  their  wagons  and  efifects,  have  established  a  durable  road  from  Missouri  to 
Oregon,  which  will  serve  to  mark  permanently  the  route  of  larger  numbers  each 
succeeding  year,  while  they  have  practically  demonstrated  that  wagons  drawn  by 
horses  or  oxen  can  cross  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  the  Columbia  River,  contrary 
to  all  the  sinister  assertions  of  all  those  who  pretended  it  to  be  impossible. 

"In  their  slow  progress,  these  persons  have  encountered,  as  in  all  former  in- 
stances, and  as  all  succeeding  emigrants  must,  if  this  or  some  similar  bill  be  not 
passed  by  Congress,  the  continual  fear  of  Indian  aggression,  the  actual  loss 
through  them  of  horses,  cattle  and  other  property,  and  the  great  labor  of  trans- 
porting an  adequate  amount  of  provisions  for  so  long  a  journey.  The  bill  here- 
with proposed  would,  in  a  great  measure,  lessen  these  inconveniences  by  the 
establishment  of  posts,  which,  while  having  the  possessed  power  to  keep  the 
Indians  in  check,  thus  doing  away  with  the  necessity  of  military  vigilance  on  the 


76  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

part  of  the  traveler  by  day  and  night,  would  be  able  to  furnish  them  in  transit 
with  fresh  supplies  of  provisions,  diminishing  the  original  burdens  of  the  emi- 
grants, and  finding  thus  a  ready  and  profitable  market  for  their  produce — a  market 
that  would,  in  my  opinion,  more  than  suffice  to  defray  all  the  current  expenses  of 
such  pKDsts.  The  present  party  is  supposed  to  have  expended  no  less  than  $2,000 
at  Laramie's  and  Bridger's  Forts,  and  as  much  more  at  Fort  Hall  and  Fort  Boise, 
two  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  stations.  These  are  at  present  the  only  stop- 
ping places  in  a  journey  of  2,200  miles,  and  the  only  place  where  additional  su\>- 
plies  can  be  obtained,  even  at  the  enormous  rate  of  charge,  called  mountain 
prices,  i.  e.,  $50  the  hundred  for  flour  and  $50  the  hundred  for  coffee ;  the  same 
for  sugar,  powder,  etc. 

"Many  cases  of  sickness  and  some  deaths  took  place  among  those  who  accom- 
plished the  journey  this  season,  owing,  in  a  great  measure,  to  the  uninterrupted  use' 
of  meat,  salt  and  fresh,  with  flour,  which  constitute  the  chief  articles  of  food 
they  are  able  to  convey  on  their  wagons,  and  this  could  be  obviated  by  the 
vegetable  productions  which  the  posts  in  contemplation  could  very  profitably 
afford  them.  Those  who  rely  on  hunting  as  an  auxiliary  support,  are  at  present 
unable  to  have  their  arms  repaired  when  out  of  order;  horses  and  oxen  become 
tender-footed  and  require  to  be  shod  on  this  long  journey,  sometimes  repeatedly, 
and  the  wagons  repaired  in  a  variety  of  ways.  I  mention  these  as  valuable  in- 
cidents to  the  proposed  measure,  as  it  will  also  be  found  to  tend  in  many  other 
incidental  ways  to  benefit  the  migratory  population  of  the  United  States  choosing 
to  take  this  direction,  and  on  these  accounts,  as  well  as  for  the  immediate  use  of 
the  posts  themselves,  they  ought  to  be  provided  with  the  necessary  shops  and 
mechanics,  which  would  at  the  same  time  exhibit  the  several  branches  of  civilized 
art  to  the  Indians. 

"The  outlay  in  the  first  instance  would  be  but  trifling.  Forts  like  those  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  surrounded  by  walls  enclosing  all  the  buildings,  and 
constructed  almost  entirely  of  adobe,  or  sun-dried  bricks,  with  stone  foundations 
only,  can  be  easily  and  cheaply  erected.     *     *     * 

"Your  familiarity  with  the  Government  policy,  duties  and  interest  render  it 
unnecessary  for  me  to  more  than  hint  at  the  several  objects  intended  by  the  en- 
closed bill,  and  any  enlargement  upon  the  topics  here  suggested  as  inducements 
to  its  adoption  would  be  quite  superfluous,  if  not  impertinent.  The  very  exist- 
ence of  such  a  system  as  the  one  above  recommended  suggests  the  utility  of  post- 
offices  and  mail  arrangements,  which  it  is  the  wish  of  all  who  now  live  in 
Oregon  to  have  granted  them ;  and  I  need  only  add  that  contracts  for  this  purpose 
will  be  readily  taken  at  reasonable  rates  for  transporting  the  mail  across  from 
Missouri  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  in  forty  days,  with  fresh  horses  at  each 
of  the  contemplated  posts.  The  ruling  policy  proposed  regards  the  Indians  as  the 
police  of  the  country,  who  are  to  be  relied  upon  to  keep  the  peace,  not  only  for 
themselves,  but  to  repel  lawless  white  men  and  prevent  banditti,  under  the  solitary 
guidance  of  the  superintendents  of  the  several  posts,  aided  by  a  well-directed 
system  to  induce  the  punishment  of  crime.  It  will  only  be  after  the  failure  of 
these  means  to  procure  the  delivery  or  punishment  of  violent,  lawless  and  savage 
acts  of  aggression,  that  a  band  or  tribe  should  be  regarded  as  conspirators  against 
the  peace,  or  punished  accordingly  by  force  of  arms. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  77 

"Hoping  that  these  suggestions  may  meet  your  approbation,  and  conduce  to 
the  future  interest  of  our  growing  country,  I  have  the  honor  to  be.  Honorable  Sir, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"Marcus  Whitman." 

It  may  be  added  that  Whitman  was  so  thoroughly  interested  in  the  idea  of  the 
line  of  forts  across  the  continent  that  he  wrote  another  communication  to  the 
Secretary  of  War  from  Waiilatpu  in  1847,  October  i6th,  only  about  six  weeks 
before  his  murder,  setting  forth  with  similar  force  and  clearness  the  wisdom  of 
such  a  system. 

During  the  four  years  that  followed  the  coming  of  the  "Great  Immigration," 
the  mission  at  Waiilatpu  was  a  center  of  light  and  help  to  the  incoming  immigra- 
tions. Many  incidents  have  been  preserved  showing  the  industry,  fortitude,  and 
open-handed  philanthropy  of  the  Whitmans.  The  earlier  immigration  usually 
stopped  at  Waiilatpu,  coming  across  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of  the  present 
location  of  Athena  and  Weston  and  down  Pine  Creek  to  the  Walla  Walla.  The 
immigrants  were  always  short  of  provisions  and  generally  had  no  money.  To 
have  a  stock  of  provisions  at  all  equal  to  emergencies  put  a  tremendous  strain  on 
Doctor  Whitman,  and  nobly  did  he  meet  the  needs.  Among  many  instances  of 
the  helping  hand  of  the  missionaries  are  two  given  in  Eells'  life  of  Whitman 
which  we  give  as  illustrative  of  many  that  might  be  given. 

"Among  the  immigrants  of  1844  was  a  man  named  Sager,  who  had  a  family 
consisting  of  his  wife  and  seven  children,  between  the  ages  of  infancy  and  thir- 
teen. The  father  died  of  typhoid  fever  on  Green  River,  and  the  mother  sank 
under  her  burdens  when  she  reached  Snake  River  and  there  died.  The  immigrants 
cared  for  the  children  until  they  reached  Doctor  Whitman's,  but  would  take 
them  no  farther.  The  doctor  and  his  wife  took  the  strangers  in  at  first  for  the 
winter,  but  afterward  adopted  them  and  cared  for  them  as  long  as  they  lived. 

"Mrs.  C.  S.  Pringle,  one  of  these  children,  afterwards  gave  the  following 
account  of  this  event.  It  was  written  in  answer  to  a  charge  made  by  Mrs.  F.  F. 
Victor  that  the  doctor  was  mercenary,  making  money  out  of  the  immigrants: 
'In  April,  1844,  my  parents  started  for  Oregon.  Soon  after  starting  we  were  all 
camped  for  the  night,  and  the  conversation  after  awhile  turned  upon  the  probability 
of  death  before  the  end  of  the  journey  should  be  reached.  All  told  what  they 
would  wish  their  families  to  do  in  case  they  should  fall  by  the  way.  My  father 
said:  'Well,  if  I  should  die,  I  would  want  my  family  to  stop  at  the  station  of 
Doctor  Whitman.'  Ere  long  he  was  taken  sick  and  died,  but  with  his  dying  breath 
he  committed  his  family  to  the  care  of  Captain  Shaw,  with  the  request  that  they 
should  be  left  at  the  station  of  Doctor  Whitman.  Twenty-six  days  after  his  death 
his  wife  died.  She,  too,  requested  the  same.  When  we  were  in  the  Blue  Moun- 
tains, Captain  Shaw  went  ahead  to  see  about  leaving  us  there.  The  doctor  ob- 
jected, as  he  was  afraid  the  board  would  not  recognize  that  as  a  part  of  his  labor. 
After  a  good  deal  of  talk  he  consented  to  have  the  children  brought,  and  he  would 
see  what  could  be  done.  On  the  17th  day  of  October  we  drove  up  to  the  station, 
as  forlorn  a  looking  lot  of  children  as  ever  was.  I  was  a  cripple,  hardly  able  to 
walk,  and  the  babe  of  six  months  was  dangerously  ill.  Mrs.  Whitman  agreed  to 
take  the  five  girls,  but  the  boys  must  go  on  (they  were  the  oldest  of  the  family). 
But  the  'mercenary'  doctor  said,  'All  or  none.'     He  made  arrangements  to  keep 


7S  OLD  WAl.l.A  WAI.l.A  COUNTY 

the  seven  until  spring,  and  then  if  we  did  not  like  to  stay,  and  he  did  not  want 
to  keep  us.  he  would  send  us  below.  An  article  of  agreement  was  drawn  up  in 
writing  between  him  and  Captain  Shaw,  but  not  one  word  of  money  or  pay  was 
in  it.  1  had  it  in  my  possession  for  years  after  I  came  to  the  (Willamette)  Val- 
ley, having  received  it  from  Captain  Shaw.  Before  Captain  Shaw  reached  The 
Dalles  he  was  overtaken  by  Doctor  Whitman,  who  announced  his  intention  of 
adopting  the  seven,  on  his  own  responsibility,  asking  nothing  of  the  Board  for 
maintenance.  The  next  summer  he  went  to  Oregon  City  and  legally  became  our 
guardian,  and  the  action  is  on  the  records  of  Clackamas  County.  Having  done 
this,  he  further  showed  his  mercenary  nature  by  disposing  of  our  father's  estate 
in  such  a  way  that  he  could  not  realize  a  cent  froni  it.  He  exchanged  the  oxen 
and  old  cows  for  young  cows,  and  turned  them  over  to  the  two  boys  to  manage 
until  they  should  grow  to  manhood ;  besides  this,  he  gave  them  each  a  horse  and 
saddle,  which,  of  course,  came  out  of  his  salary,  as  we  were  not  mission  children, 
as  the  three  half-breeds  were  that  were  in  the  family.  After  doing  all  this  he 
allowed  the  boys  opportunities  to  accumulate  stock  by  work  or  trade.  Often  he 
has  said  to  us,  'You  must  all  learn  to  work,  for  father  is  poor  and  can  give  you 
nothing  but  an  education.    This  I  intend  to  do  to  the  best  of  my  ability.' 

"Another  incident  with  an  immigrant  is  here  related,  given  almost  in  the 
w^ords  of  the  narrator,  Joseph  Smith,  who  came  to  the  country  in  1846.  He  says : 
I  was  mighty  sick  crossing  the  Blues,  and  was  so  weak  from  eating  blue  mass 
that  they  had  to  haul  me  in  the  wagon  till  we  got  to  Doctor  Whitman's  place  on 
the  Walla  Walla  River.  Then  Mother  Whitman  came  and  raised  the  wagon  cover 
and  says,  'What  is  the  matter  with  you,  my  brother?'  'I  am  sick,  and  I  don't 
want  to  be  pestered  much,  either.'  'But,  but,  my  young  friend,  my  husband  is 
a  doctor,  and  can  probably  cure  your  ailment;  I'll  go  and  call  him.'  So  off  she 
clattered,  and  purty  soon  Doc.  came,  and  they  packed  me  in  the  cabin,  and  soon 
he  had  me  on  my  feet  again.  I  eat  up  a  whole  band  of  cattle  for  him,  as  I  had 
to  winter  with  him.  I  told  him  I'd  like  to  work  for  him,  to  kinder  pay  part  of  my 
bill,  ^\'all,  Doc.  set  me  to  making  rails,  but  I  only  made  two  hundred  before 
spring,  and  I  got  to  worryin'  'cause  I  hadn't  only  fifty  dollars  and  a  saddle  horse, 
and  I  reckoned  I  owed  the  doctor  four  or  five  hundred  dollars  for  my  life.  Now, 
maybe  I  wasn't  knocked  out  when  I  went  and  told  the  doctor  I  wanted  to  go  on  to 
Webfoot  and  asked  him  how  we  stood ;  and  doctor  p'inted  to  a  Cayuse  pony,  and 
says,  'Money  I  have  not,  but  you  can  take  that  horse  and  call  it  even,  if  you 
will.'  " 

It  is  worth  noticing  that  though  Mr.  Smith  says  "Alother"  W'hitman,  she  was 
only  thirty-eight  at  the  time. 

But  at  that  time,  the  very  year  of  the  final  consummation  of  the  great  work 
of  Whitman,  the  treaty  of  1846,  giving  Oregon  up  to  latitude  49°  to  the  United 
States,  a  consummation  which  must  have  made  the  brave  hearts  of  the  heroic 
pair  thrill  with  joy  and  gratitude,  the  shadow  was  approaching,  the  end  was  near. 
The  crown  of  heroism  and  service  must  be  still  further  crowned  with  martyrdom. 
Even  since  the  death  of  little  Alice,  the  Indians  at  Waiilatpu  had  seemed  to  lose 
in  growing  measure  the  personal  interest  which  they  had  manifested.  With  the 
coming  of  constantly  growing  immigrations  and  the  apparent  eagerness  of  the 
whites  to  secure  land,  the  natives  felt  increasing  suspicion.  The  more  thoughtful 
of  them,  especially  those  who  had  been  in  the  "States"  and  had  seen  the  countless 


OLD  \\'ALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  79 

numbers  of  the  "'Pale-faces,"  began  to  see  that  it  was  only  a  question  of  time  when 
they  would  be  entirely  dispossessed.  Again,  the  unavoidable  policies  of  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company  were  hostile  to  the  American  settler.  While  as  kind  and 
courteous  to  the  missionaries  as  men  well  could  be  and  helpful  to  them  in  their 
religious  labors,  it  was  a  different  matter  when  it  came  to  settlers  swarming  into 
the  country  with  the  Stars  and  Stripes  at  the  head  of  wagon  trains  and  with  the 
implements  of  husbandry  in  their  hands.  The  Indians  were  predisposed  for  many 
reasons  to  side  with  the  company.  With  it  they  did  their  trading.  It  preserved 
the  wild  conditions  of  the  country.  The  French-Canadian  voyageurs  and  cour- 
eurs  des  bois  were  much  kinder  and  more  considerate  of  the  Indians  than  the 
Americans  and  intermarried  with  them.  Besides  those  general  causes  of  hostility 
to  the  Americans,  there  were  certain  specific  events  during  that  period  of  doubt 
and  suspicion  which  brought  affairs  to  a  focus  and  precipitated  the  tragedy  of  the 
Whitman  Massacre.  Some  have  believed  that  the  murder  of  "Elijah"  (as  the 
whites  called  him),  the  son  of  Peupeumoxmox,  the  chief  of  the  Walla  Wallas, 
apparently  a  fine,  manly  young  Indian,  was  a  strong  contributory  cause.  The 
young  brave  had  gone  to  California  in  1844  and  while  near  Sutter's  Fort  had 
become  involved  in  a  dispute  with  some  white  settlers  and  had  been  brutally  mur- 
dered. The  old  chief  Peupeumoxmox  had  brooded  over  this  dastardly  deed,  and 
though  there  is  no  evidence  that  he  had  any  part  in  the  massacre,  there  was  deep 
resentment  among  the  Indians  of  the  Walla  Walla  Valley  and  no  doubt  many  of 
them  were  in  the  mood  to  apply  the  usual  Indian  rule  that  a  life  lost  demanded 
a  life  in  payment.  Apparently  the  most  immediate  influence  leading  to  Ihe  mas- 
sacre was  due  to  an  epidemic  of  measles  which  swept  the  valley  in  1847.  Doctor 
Whitman  was  indefatigable  in  ministering  to  the  sick,  but  many  died.  The  im- 
pression became  prevalent  among  the  Indians  that  they  were  the  victims  of  poison. 
This  idea  was  nurtured  in  their  minds  by  several  renegade  Indians  and  half- 
breeds,  of  whom  Lehai,  Tom  Hill,  and  Jo  Lewis  were  most  prominent. 

Seeing  the  gathering  of  clouds  about  the  mission  and  the  many  warning  indi- 
cations, Doctor  Whitman  had  taken  up  the  project  of  leaving  Walla  Walla  and 
going  to  The  Dalles,  a  point  where  he  had  in  fact  at  first  wished  to  locate,  but  had 
been  dissuaded  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  officials.  The  story  of  the  mas- 
sacre has  been  many  times  told  and  may  be  found  in  many  forms.  We  can  but 
briefly  sketch  its  leading  events.  Mr.  Spalding  of  Lapwai  was  temporarily  at 
Waiilatpu,  and  on  November  27,  1847,  he  and  Doctor  Whitman  went  to  the 
Umatilla  in  response  to  a  request  for  medical  attention.  Feeling  uneasy  about 
affairs  at  home.  Doctor  Whitman  returned  on  the  next  day,  reaching  Waiilatpu 
late  at  night.  On  the  following  day,  the  29th,  while  engaged  with  his  medicine 
chest,  two  Indians,  who  seem  to  have  been  leaders  in  the  plot,  approached  him, 
and  while  one,  Tilaukait,  drew  his  attention  by  talking,  the  other,  Tamahas,  struck 
him  with  a  tomahawk.  He  fell  senseless,  though  not  yet  dead.  Jo  Lewis  seems 
to  have  directed  the  further  execution  of  the  cruel  conspiracy  and  soon  Mrs. 
Whitman,  shot  in  the  breast,  fell  to  the  floor,  though  not  dying  for  some  time. 
She  was  the  only  woman  slain.  There  were  in  all  fourteen  victims  of  this  dread- 
ful attack.  Several  escaped,  Mr.  Spalding,  who  was  on  his  way  back  from  the 
Umatilla,  being  one  of  them.  After  several  days  and  nights  of  harrowing  suffer- 
ing, he  reached  Lapwai.  There  were  forty-six  survivors  of  the  massacre,  nearly 
all  women  and  children.    Many  of  these  are  said  to  have  been  subjected  to  cruelty 


80  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

and  outrage  worse  than  death,  though  it  may  he  noted  that  some  of  the  few  Hving 
survivors  of  the  present  date  deny  the  common  opinion.  They  were  ransomed 
by  Peter  Skeen  Ogden  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  and  transjxirted  to  the 
Willamette  X'alley.  The  full  story  of  the  war  which  follows  belongs  in  the  suc- 
ceeding chapter. 

So  ended  in  darkness,  but  not  in  shame,  the  mission  at  Waiilatpu.  The 
peaceful  spot  six  miles  west  of  Walla  Walla,  in  the  midst  of  the  fair  and  fruit- 
ful valley,  is  marked  with  a  granite  monument  on  the  summit  of  the  hill,  "and  a 
grave  at  the  foot.  There  the  dust  of  the  martyrs  rests  in  a  plain  marble  crypt 
upon  the  surface  of  which  appear  their  names.  It  is  indeed  one  of  the  most 
sacred  spots  in  the  Northwest,  suggestive  of  patriotism,  devotion,  self-sacrifice, 
suffering,  sorrow,  tragedy,  and  final  triumph.  In  November,  1916,  the  remains 
of  W.  H.  Gray  and  Mary  Dix  Gray,  his  wife,  were  removed  from  Astoria  and 
placed  in  the  grave  at  Waiilatpu.  As  associates  from  the  first  of  the  Whitmans, 
and  engaged  in  the  same  arduous  struggle  for  the  establishment  of  civilized  and 
Christian  institutions  in  this  beautiful  wilderness,  they  are  fittingly  joined  with 
them  in  their  final  resting  place. 

By  reason  of  priority  in  time  as  well  as  its  connection  with  immigration  and 
public  affairs,  and  also  its  tragic  end,  and  perhaps,  too,  the  controversies  that 
have  arisen  in  connection  with  it,  the  Whitman  Mission  has  secured  a  place  in 
history  far  more  prominent  than  that  of  any  other,  either  east  or  west  of  the 
Cascade  Mountains.  But  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  within  a  short  time  after 
the  incoming  of  white  settlers,  all  the  leading  churches  sent  missionaries  into  the 
Northwest,  both  for  the  Indians  and  whites.  Next  in  point  of  time  after  the 
Methodist  missions  of  the  Willamette  Valley  and  the  Presbyterian  and  Congre- 
gational missions  of  the  Upper  Columbia  and  Snake  rivers,  came  the  Catholic. 
It  should  be  understood  that  in  speaking  of  that  church  as  third  in  time,  we  speak 
of  the  era  of  the  beginnings  of  settlement.  For  it  should  be  remembered  that 
there  had  been  visiting  Catholic  priests  among  the  Hudson's  Bay  posts  long  prior 
to  the  coming  of  Jason  Lee,  the  first  of  the  Protestants.  The  French-Canadians 
were  almost  universally  of  Catholic  rearing,  and  the  officers  of  the  company  en- 
couraged the  maintenance  of  religious  worship  and  instruction  according  to  the 
customary  methods.  There  were  not,  however,  any  regiilar  permanent  Catholic 
missions  until  a  little  after  the  Protestant  missions  already  described.  The  inau- 
guration of  regular  mission  work  by  the  Catholic  Church  grew  out  of  the  planting 
of  a  settlement  at  Champoeg  on  the  Willamette  by  Doctor  McLoughlin  during 
the  years  from  1829  on.  Quite  a  little  group  of  retired  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
men,  French-Canadians  with  Indian  wives  and  half-breed  children,  became  located 
on  the  fertile  tract  still  known  as  French  Prairie.  So  well  had  the  settlement 
thrived  that  in  1834,  the  year  of  the  arrival  of  Jason  Lee  in  the  same  neighbor- 
hood, an  application  was  made  to  Doctor  Provencher,  Vicar  Apostolic  of  Hudson 
Bay,  to  send  a  clergyman  to  that  point.  Not  till  1837  could  the  request  be  ful- 
filled. In  that  year  Rev.  Modeste  Demers  went  to  the  Red  River,  and  the  follow- 
ing year,  in  company  with  Rev.  Francis  N.  Blanchet,  resumed  the  journey  to 
Oregon.  In  the  progress  of  their  journey  they  stopped  at  Walla  Walla  for  a  day. 
Reaching  Vancouver  on  November  24,  1838.  they  entered  with  zeal  and  devotion 
upon  their  task  of  ministering  both  to  the  whites  and  Indians.  Remaining  at  Van- 
couver till  January,  1839.  Father  Blanchet  started  on  a  regular  course  of  visita- 


WHITMAN    ilOXr.MICXT 


AT    WAIILATI'U, 
WALLA   WALLA 


SL\    MILJ:S    WEST    OF 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  81 

tions,  going  first  to  the  settlement  on  the  Willamette  where  there  were  twenty-six 
Catholic  families  and  where  the  people  had  already  constructed  a  chapel.  Next 
he  visited  Cowlitz  Prairie,  where  there  were  four  families.  These  stations  were,  of 
course,  outside  of  the  scope  of  the  present  work,  but  reference  to  them  indi- 
cates the  time  and  place  and  manner  of  starting  the  great  series  of  Catholic  mis- 
sions which  soon  became  extended  all  over  Oregon.  While  Father  Blanchet  was 
at  Cowlitz,  his  fellow  worker,  Demers,  started  on  an  extended  tour  of  the  upper 
Columbia  region.  In  the  course  of  this  he  visited  Walla  Walla,  Okanogan,  and 
Colville,  starting  work  among  the  Indians  by  baptizing  their  children.  From  that 
time  on  Father  Demers  or  some  one  of  the  Jesuit  priests  made  annual  visits  to 
Walla  Walla,  adding  children  by  baptism  each  year.  In  the  meantime  another  of 
the  most  important  of  the  Catholic  missionaries,  and  the  one  to  whom  the  world 
is  indebted  for  one  of  the  best  histories  of  Oregon  missions,  was  on  his  way. 
This  was  Rev.  Father  Pierre  J.  De  Smet.  In  March,  1840,  he  set  out  for  Oregon 
from  the  St.  Joseph  Mission  at  Council  Bluffs,  journeying  by  the  Platte  River 
route.  On  June  25th  he  reached  Green  River,  long  known  as  a  rendezvous  of 
the  fur-traders.  There  he  held  mass  for  the  trappers  and  Indians.  Referring 
to  this  in  a  subsequent  letter  he  writes  thus :  "On  Sunday,  the  5th  of  July,  I  had 
the  consolation  of  celebrating  the  Holy  Sacrifice  sub  dio.  The  altar  was  placed 
on  an  elevation,  and  surrounded  with  boughs  and  garlands  of  flowers;  I  ad- 
dressed the  congregation  in  French  and  inv  English  and  spoke  also  by  an  inter- 
preter to  the  Flatheads  and  Snake  Indiatis.  It  was  a  spectacle  truly  moving  for 
the  heart  of  a  missionary  to  behold  an  assembly  composed  of  so  many  different 
nations  who  all  assisted  at  our  holy  jmysteries  with  great  satisfaction.  The 
Canadians  sang  hymns  in  French  and  Latfrt.'ahU'the  Indians  in  their  native  tongue. 
It  was  truly  a  Catholic  worship.  The  place  has  been  called  since  that  time  by  the 
French-Canadians,  la  prairie  de  la  Messe." 

After  a  week  at  the  Green  River  rendezvous,  Father  De  Smet  with  his 
Indian  guides  resumed  the  journey  westward  by  way  of  the  Three  Tetons  to  the 
upper  waters  of  Snake  River.  While  at  Henry  Lake  he  climbed  a  lofty  peak 
from  which  he  could  see  in  both  directions  and  while  there  he  carved  on  a  stone 
the  words:  "Sanctus  Ignatius,  Patronus  Montium,  Die  Julii  23,  1840."  That  was 
as  far  west  as  Father  De  Smet  went  at  that  time.  After  two  months  among 
the  Flatheads  about  the  head  of  Snake  River,  he  returned  to  St.  Louis  in  the  last 
part  of  the  year.  One  point  of  interest  in  connection  with  this  return,  as  showing 
the  disposition  of  the  Indians  to  seek  religious  instruction,  is  that  a  certain  Flat- 
head chief  named  Insula  who  accompanied  Father  De  Smet  to  St.  Louis,  had 
gone  to  Green  River  in  1835  to  meet  missionaries.  It  is  stated  by  Rev.  Father  E. 
V.  O'Hara  in  his  valuable  "Catholic  History  of  Oregon"  that  Insula  was  much 
disappointed  to  find,  not  the  "black-gowns"  as  he  had  expected,  but  Doctor 
Whitman  and  Doctor  Parker  on  their  reconnaissance.  It  is  probably  impossible 
to  determine  just  what  distinction  between  different  denominations  of  Christians 
may  have  existed  in  the  Indian  mind,  but  it  may  be  recalled  that  Whitman  and 
Parker  while  at  Green  River  deemed  the  outlook  so  encouraging  that  they  decided 
that  Whitman  should  return  to  the  "States"  for  reinforcements,  while  Parker 
went  on  with  the  Indians  and  made  an  extensive  exploration  of  the  entire  Oregon 
country.  Father  De  Smet  returned  to  the  Flathead  mission  in  1841  and  in  1842 
proceeded  to  Vancouver  by  way  of  the  Spokane.     In  the  course  of  the  journey 


82  OLD  WALLA  W  ALLA  COL'XTY 

he  visited  all  the  principal  Indian  tribes  in  the  Kootenai,  Pend  Oreille,  Coeur  d' 
Alene,  and  Spokane  countries.  In  the  progress  of  this  journey  he  made  a  brief 
visit  at  Walla  Walla.  Returning  to  the  East  after  twenty-five  months  of  mis- 
sionary ser\ice  in  Oregon  and  then  spending  some  time  in  Europe,  he  returned 
with  quite  a  reinforcement  in  the  ship  "L'Infatigable"  in  1844.  The  ship  was 
nearly  wrecked  on  the  Columbia  River  bar,  and  of  the  experience  De  Smet  gives 
a  peculiarly  vivid  description.  He  deemed  the  final  safe  entrance  due  to  special 
interposition  of  Divine  Providence  on  account  of  the  day,  July  31st,  being  sacred 
to  St.  Ignatius.  Father  De  Smet  was  a  vivid  and  interesting  writer  and  a  zealous 
missionan,'.  He  greatly  overestimated  the  number  of  Indians  in  Oregon,  placing 
them  at  a  hundred  and  ten  thousand  and  in  equal  ratio  estimated  the  converts  at 
numbers  hardly  possible  except  by  the  most  sweeping  estimates. 

The  Catholic  missions  were  gradually  extended  until  they  covered  points  in 
the  entire  Xorthwest.  The  bishop  of  Oregon  was  Rev.  Francis  N.  Blanchet  who 
was  located  near  Salem.  In  1845  ^"d  1846  he  made  an  extensive  tour  in  Canada 
and  Europe  for  the  purpose  of  securing  reinforcements.  As  a  result  of  his 
journey  and  the  action  of  the  Holy  See  the  Vicariate  was  erected  into  an  eccle- 
siastical province  with  the  three  Sees  of  Oregon  City,  Walla  Walla,  and  Van- 
couver Island.  Rev.  A.  M.  A.  Blanchet  was  appointed  bishop  of  Walla  Walla, 
and  Father  Demers  bishop  of  Vancouver  Island,  while  Bishop  F.  N.  Blanchet  was 
promoted  to  the  position  of  archbishop  of  Oregon  City.  Bishop  A.  M.  A. 
Blanchet  reached  Fort  Walla  Walla  on  September  4,  1847,  having  come  with  a 
wagon  train  by  the  usual  emigrant  road  from  St.  Louis.  This  might  be  regarded 
as  the  regular  establishment  of  Catholic  missions  in  Walla  Walla.  The  bishop 
was  accompanied  to  Walla  Walla  by  four  oblate  fathers  of  Marseilles  and 
Father  J.  B.  A.  Brouillet  as  vicar  general,  and  also  by  Father  Rousseau  and 
Wm.  Leclaire,  deacon.  Bishop  Blanchet  located  among  the  Umatilla  Indians 
at  the  home  of  Five  Crows.  The  mission  was  fairly  established  only  a  few  days 
prior  to  the  Whitman  Massacre.  Bishop  Blanchet  went  to  Oregon  City  after 
the  massacre  and  by  reason  of  the  Indian  war  he  found  it  impossible  to  return 
to  Walla  Walla.  He  established  St.  Peter's  Mission  at  The  Dalles,  and  there  he 
remained  till  September,  1850.  During  that  year  there  came  instructions  from 
Rome  to  transfer  the  bishop  of  Walla  Walla  to  the  newly  established  diocese 
of  Nesqually.  The  diocese  of  Walla  Walla  was  suppressed  and  its  administra- 
tion merged  with  that  of  Colville  and  Fort  Hall  in  the  control  of  the  archbishop 
of  Oregon  City. 

That  event  might  be  considered  as  closing  the  missionary  stage  of  Catholic 
missions  in  Walla  Walla,  though  Father  Brouillet  remained  into  the  period  of 
settlement  and  in  conjunction  with  Father  Arvidius  junger,  founded  the  Catholic 
Church  at  Walla  Walla  of  what  may  be  called  the  modern  period.  There  was 
during  the  period  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  and  of  the  Indian  wars,  a 
location  at  Frenchtown,  known  as  St.  Rose  Mission.  There  was  a  little  church 
building  there  until  a  few  years  ago. 

With  the  period  of  Indian  wars  it  may  be  said  that  the  missionar)'  era  ended 
and  after  that  sanguinary  interim  the  modern  period  began  in  Walla  Walla. 


Archbishop    Francis    N.    Blanchet,    1838 

Rev.   J.    B.   A.   Brouillet.    1847  Bishop  Morleste  Deniers,  1838 

Bisli(i|)  A.   M.  A.   Blaneliet.   1847 

EARLY    fATHoLIC    MISSIOXARIES 


CHAPTER  VI 
INDIAN  WARS  AND  OPENING  OF  COUNTRY  TO  SETTLEMENT 

In  the  preceding  chapter  we  have  narrated  the  Whitman  Massacre.  It  was 
followed  by  the  first  of  the  succession  of  wars  which  desolated  Old  Oregon  for 
about  eleven  years.  During  that  time  Walla  Walla,  as  well  as  the  other  parts 
east  of  the  mountains,  was  swept  clean  of  white  settlers.  Not  till  the  public 
proclamation  of  opening  Eastern  Oregon  by  General  Clarke  in  1858  and  the 
beginnings  of  immigration  in  the  next  year  can  the  epoch  of  Indian  wars  be  said 
to  have  ended. 

The  war  following  the  Whitman  Massacre  may  be  taken  as  the  starting  point 
of  this  chapter.  Great  praise  must  be  accorded  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company's 
people  for  promptness  and  efficiency  in  meeting  the  immediate  emergency.  Dr. 
John  McLoughlin,  with  whom  we  have  become  acquainted  in  earlier  chapters,  had 
retired  from  the  company  and  made  his  hom€  at  Oregon  City.  This  truly  great 
man,  a  man  for  whom  no  conimendatian,  seems  too'  strong  in  the  minds  of  the 
old-timers,  had  been  deciding  during  the  year's  following  the  advent  of  the  mis- 
sionaries that  American  possession  of-Oregor;  was  infeVrtable  and  that  in  order  to 
ally  himself  with  the  future  he  should' -become 'an' American.  His  humane  and 
liberal  policy  toward  the  American  immigrants  w-as.  disapproved  by  the  company 
in  London,  and  in  1844  James  Douglas  was  appointed  to  succeed  him.  The  good 
doctor  thereby  not  only  lost  what  was  then  and  in  those  conditions  a  princely 
salary,  $12,000  per  year,  but  was  charged  by  the  company  for  the  large  supplies 
which  he  had  advanced  to  the  Americans,  who  in  many  cases  were  unable  to  pay. 
Moving  to  the  Falls  of  the  Willamette  where  he  had  taken  up  a  valuable  claim, 
he  started  the  process  of  naturalization.  But  after  the  Treaty  of  1846,  his  claim 
was  contested  by  the  representative  of  the  Methodist  ^Mission,  Rev.  A.  F.  Waller, 
and  the  first  territorial  delegate  to  Congress,  Samuel  R.  Thurston,  was  chosen 
largely  on  the  platform  of  hostility  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  and  the  British 
in  general,  and  he  secured  a  provision  in  the  Congressional  land  law  debarring 
anyone  who  had  not  acquired  his  final  naturalization  from  holding  a  donation 
claim.  This  law  deprived  Doctor  McLoughlin  of  the  main  part  of  his  property. 
It  was  a  cruel  blow.  He  said  with  grief  and  bitterness  that  he  had  intended  in 
good  faith  to  become  an  American  citizen,  but  found  that  he  was  rejected  by 
the  British  and  not  received  by  the  Americans  and  was  practically  a  man  without 
a  country.  It  may  truthfully  be  said  that  he  died  of  a  broken  heart.  It  is 
gratifying  to  remember  that  the  Oregon  Legislature,  recognizing  the  injustice, 
made  amends  by  restoring  his  land  claim.  But  this  action  came  too  late  to  do 
the  "Old  King  of  Oregon"  any  good.  We  have  digressed  to  make  this  reference 
to  Doctor  McLoughlin,  inasmuch  as  his  change  of  location  and  condition  occurred 
just  prior  to  the  Oregon  Treaty  and  the  \\'hitman  Alassacre.     James  Douglas, 

83 


84  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

the  new  Chief  Factor,  while  not  at  all  equal  in  breadth  and  philanthropy  to  Doctor 
McLoughlin,  was  an  energetic  and  efficient  manager.  Upon  learning  of  the 
tragedy  at  Waiilatpu  he  immediately  dispatched  Peter  Skeen  Ogden  to  rescue  the 
survivors.  As  narrated  in  Chapter  Five,  Ogden  performed  his  duty  with  prompt- 
ness and  success,  and  as  a  result  the  pitiful  little  company,  almost  entirely  women 
and  children,  were  conveyed  to  the  Willamette  Valley,  where  nearly  all  of 
them  made  their  homes.  A  number  of  them  are  still  living  in  different  parts  of 
the  Northwest. 

When  the  tidings  of  the  massacre  reached  the  Willamette  Valley,  then  the 
chief  settlement  in  Oregon,  there  was  an  immediate  response  by  the  brave  men 
who  were  carrying  in  that  trying  time  the  responsibility  of  the  government  of  the 
scattered  little  community.  And  yet  the  situation  was  a  peculiar  and  difficult 
one.  The  formal  treaty  placing  Oregon  within  possession  of  the  United  States 
had  legally  set  aside  the  Provisional  Government.  But  Congress  was  absorbed, 
as  it  frequently  has  been,  in  furthering  the  little  schemes  of  individual  members, 
or  in  promoting  the  progress  of  slaverj-  or  some  other  tyrannical  and  corrupt 
interest,  and  hence  had  done  nothing  to  establish  a  territorial  government.  In 
the  emergency  the  Provisional  Government  assembled  on  December  9th  and 
provided  for  a  force  of  fourteen  companies  of  Oregon  volunteers  to  move  imme- 
diately to  the  hostile  country.  Every  feature  of  equipment  had  to  be  secured 
by  personal  contribution,  and  the  services  of  the  men  were  purely  voluntary.  It 
was  a  characteristic  American  frontiersmen's  army  and  movement.  Several  men 
well  known  in  Walla  Walla  and  vicinity  took  part  in  this  campaign.  The  com- 
mander of  the  force  was  Cornelius  Gilliam,  an  immigrant  of  1845  from  Missouri. 
His  son,  W.  S.  Gilliam,  was  one  of  the  best  known  and  noblest  of  the  pioneers 
of  Walla  Walla  County.  He  was  truly  one  of  the  builders  of  this  region.  Daniel 
Stewart,  Ninevah  Ford,  W^illiam  Martin,  and  W.  W.  Walter  were  among  the 
citizens  of  the  Walla  Walla  country  and  adjoining  region  who  were  in  that  historic 
army  of  the  Cayuse  war.  While  we  shall  not  usually  load  this  work  with  lists  of 
names  or  other  purely  statistical  matter,  yet  in  the  belief  that  the  list  of  volunteers 
in  the  Cayuse  war  may  have  a  permanent  reference  value  to  possessors  of  this 
volume,  we  are  including  here  such  a  list  derived  from  the  "History  of  the 
Pacific  Northwest,"  publised  by  the  North  Pacific  Publishing  Co.  of  Portland 
in  1889: 

First  Company,  Oregon  Rifles :  Captain,  Henry  A.  G.  Lee ;  first  lieutenant, 
Joseph  Magone ;  second  lieutenant,  John  E.  Ross ;  surgeon,  W.  W.  Carpenter ; 
orderly  sergeant,  J.  S.  Rinearson ;  first  duty  sergeant,  J.  H.  McMillan ;  second 
duty  sergeant,  C.  \\'.  Savage;  third  duty  sergeant,  S.  Cummings;  fourth  duty 
sergeant,  William  Berry ;  privates,  John  Little,  Joel  McKee,  J.  W.  Morgan,  Joseph 
B.  Proctor,  Samuel  K.  Barlow,  John  Richardson,  Ed  Marsh,  George  Moore,  Isaac 

Walgamot,  Jacob  Johnson,  John  Lassater,  Edward  Robeson,  B.  B.  Rodgers, 

Shannon,  A.  J.  Thomas,  R.  S.  Tupper,  O.  Tupper,  Joel  Witchey,  G.  W.  Weston, 
George  Wesley,  John  Flemming,  John  G.  Gibson,  Henry  Leralley,  Nathan  Olney, 

Barnes,  J.  H.  Bosworth,  Wm.  Beekman,  Benjamin  Bratton,  John  Balton, 

Henry  W.  Coe,  John  C.  Danford,  C.  H.  Derendorf,  David  Everst,  John  Finner, 

James  Kester, Pugh  (killed  by  Indians  near  the  Dalles  in  a  skirmish), 

Jackson   (killed  in  a  skirmish  near  the  Dalles).  John  Callahan,  Alex  McDonald 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  85 

(killed  by  a  sentry,  who  mistook  him  for  an  Indian  at  the  camp  on  the  east  side  of 
the  Des  Chutes).    Forty-eight  men. 

Second  Company:  Captain,  Lawrence  Hall;  first  lieutenant,  H.  D.  O'Bryant; 
second  lieutenant,  John  Engart;  orderly  sergeant,  William  Sheldon;  duty  ser- 
geants, William  Stokes,  Peter  S.  Engart,  Thos.  R.  Cornelius,  Sherry  Ross ;  Color- 
bearer,  Gilbert  Mondon ;  privates,  A.  Engart,  Thos.  Fleming,  D.  C.  Smith,  W.  R. 
Noland,  Jos.  W.  Scott,  G.  W.  Smith,  A.  Kinsey,  John  N.  Donnie,  A.  C.  Brown, 
F.  H.  Ramsey,  S.  A.  Holcomb,  A.  Stewart,  Wm.  Milbern,  A.  Kennedy,  Oliver 
Lowden,  H.  N.  Stephens,  P.  G.  Northrup,  W.  W.  Walter,  J.  Z.  Zachary,  Sam  Y. 
Cook,  J.  J.  Garrish,  Thos.  Kinsey,  J.  S.  Scoggin,  Noah  Jobe,  D.  Shumake,  J.  N. 
Green,  J.  Elliot,  W.  Williams,  John  Holgate,  R.  Yarborough,  Robert  Walker, 
J.  Butler,  I.  W.  Smith,  J.  W.  Lingenfelter,  J.  H.  Lienberger,  A.  Lienberger,  Sam 
Gethard,  John  Lousingnot,  A.  Williams,  D.  Harper,  S.  C.  Cummings,  S.  Fergu- 
son, Marshall  Martin. 

Third  Company:  Captain,  John  W.  Owen;  first  lieutenant,  Nathaniel  Bow- 
man; second  lieutenant,  Thomas  Shaw;  orderly  sergeant,  J.  C.  Robison;  duty 
sergeants,  Benj.  J.  Burch;  J.  H.  Blankenship,  James  M.  Morris,  Robert  Smith; 
privates,  George  W.  Adams,  William  Athey,  John  Baptiste,  Manly  Curry,  Jesse 
Clayton,  John  Dinsmore,  Nathan  English,  John  Fiester,  Jesse  Gay,  Lester  Hulan, 
Stephen  Jenkins,  J.  Larkin,  Joshua  McDonald,  Thomas  Pollock,  J.  H.  Smith,  S. 

P.  Thornton,  William  Wilson,  Benjamin  Allen,  Ira  Bowman, Currier,  George 

Chapel,  William  Doke, Linnet,  T.  Dufield,  Squire  Elembough,  Henry  Fuller, 

D.  H.  Hartley,  Fleming  R.  Hill,  James  Keller,  D.  M.  McCumber,  E.  AIcDonald, 
Edward  Robinson,  Chris.  Stemermon,  Joseph  Wilbert,  T.  R.  Zumwalt,  Charles 
Zummond. 

Fourth  Company:  Captain,  H.  J.  G.  Maxon;  first  lieutenant,  G.  N.  Gilbert; 
second  lieutenant,  Wm.  P.  Hughes;  orderly  sergeant,  Wm.  R.  Johnson;  duty 
sergeants,  O.  S.  Thomas,  T.  M.  Buckner,  Daniel  Stewart,  Joseph  R.  Ralston ; 
]3rivates,  Andrew  J.  Adams,  John  Beattie,  Charles  Blair,  John  R.  Coatney,  Reuben 
Crowder,  John  W.  Crowel,  Manly  Danforth,  Harvey  Graus,  Albert  H.  Fish, 
John  Feat,  Andrew  Gribble,  Wm.  Hawkins,  Rufus  Johnson,  John  W.  Jackson, 
y.  H.  Loughlin,  Davis  Lator,  John  Miller,  John  Patterson,  Richard  Pollard,  Wm. 
Robison,  Asa  Stone,  Thos.  Allphin,  Wm.  Bunton,  Henry  Blacker,  Wm.  Chapman. 
Samuel  Chase,  Sam  Cornelius,  James  Dickson,  S.  D.  Earl,  Joseph  Earl,  D.  O. 
Garland,  Richmond  Hays,  Coalman  Hubbard,  Isaiah  M.  Johns,  S.  B.  Knox, 
Tames  H.  Lewis,  Horace  Martin,  John  McCoy,  James  Officer,  Henry  Pellet,  Wm. 
Russell,  John  Striethofif,  A.  M.  Baxster,  D.  D.  Burroughs,  Samuel  Clark,  John 
M.  Cantrel,  Asi  Cantrel,  Albert  G.  Davis,  S.  D.  Durbin,  Samuel  Fields,  Rezin 
D.  Foster,  Isaac  M.  Foster,  Horace  Hart,  Wm.  Hock,  Wm.  A.  Jack,  Elias 
Kearney,  James  KiUingsworth,  Isaac  Morgan,  N.  G.  McDonnell,  Madison  McCully, 
Frederick  Paul,  Wm.  M.  Smith,  H.  M.  Smith,  Jason  Wheeler,  John  Vaughn, 
Reuben  Striethofif,  Wm.  \'aughn,  Wm.  Shirley. 

Fifth  Company:  Captain,  Philip  F.  Thompson;  first  lieutenant,  James  A. 
Brown;  second  lieutenant,  Joseph  M.  Garrison;  orderly  sergeant,  George  E. 
Frazer;  duty  sergeants,  A.  Garrison,  A.  S.  Welton,  Jacob  Greer,  D.  D.  Dostins; 
privates,  Martin  P.  Brown,  William  A.  Culberson,  Harrison  Davis,  James  Elec- 
trels,  William  Fads,  Alvin  K.  Fox,  William  J.  Garrison,  William  Hailey,  John 
A.   Johnson,   J.   D.   Richardson,   Martin  Wright,   William   Smith,   E.   T.   Stone, 


86  OLD  W  ALl.A  W  ALLA  COUXTY 

John  'J"lioiiii)son,  H.  C.  Johnson,  Joseph  Kenny,  Henry  Kearney,  Jacob  Leabo, 
Daniel  Malheny,  Wilhani  McKay,  John  Orchard,  John  B.  Rowland,  John  Copen- 
hagen, Bird  Davis.  John  Eldridge,  John  Faron,  C.  B.  Gray,  Robert  Harmon, 
James  O.  Henderson.  Green  Rowland,  William  Rogers,  Thomas  Wilson,  William 
D.  Stillwell,  William  Shepard,  Alfred  Jobe,  T.  J.  Jackson,  Jesse  Cadwallader, 
Andrew  Layson,  J.  C.  Matheny,  Adam  Matheny,  Charles  P.  Matt,  James  Pack- 
wood,  Clark  Rogers. 

McKay's  Company:  Captain,  Thomas  McKay;  first  lieutenant,  Charles 
McKay;  second  lieutenant,  Alexander  McKay;  orderly  sergeant,  Edward  Dupuis; 
duty  sergeants,  George  Montour,  Baptiste  Dorio,  David  Crawford,  Gideon  Pion; 
privates,  John  Spence,  Louis  Laplante,  Augustine  Russie,  Isaac  Gervais,  Louis 
Montour,  Alexis  Vatrais,  Joseph  Paino,  Jno.  Cunningham,  Jno.  Gros,  Louis  Joe 
Lenegratly,  Antoine  Poisier,  Antoine  Plante,  Pierre  Lacourse,  Ashby  Pearce, 
Antoine  Lafaste,  Nathan  English,  Charles  Edwards,  Gideon  Gravelle,  Chas. 
Corveniat,  Antoine  Bonanpaus,  Nicholas  Bird,  Francis  Dupres,  William  Torrie, 
Thomas  Purvis,  A.  J.  Thomas,  J.  H.  Bigler,  Mongo  Antoine  Ansure,  Narcisse 
Montiznie,  Edward  Crete. 

English's  Company :  Captain,  Levin  N.  English ;  first  lieutenant,  William 
Shaw;  second  lieutenant,  F.  ^L  Munkers;  orderly  sergeant,  William  Martin; 
duty  sergeants,  Hiram  English,  George  Shaw,  Thomas  Boggs,  L.  J.  Rector ; 
privates,  Jackson  Adams,  L.  N.  Aljel,  William  Burton,  Joseph  Crauk,  John  Down- 
ing, Thos.  T.  Eyre.  R.  D.  Foster,  Alexander  Gage,  Thomas  Gregory,  G.  W. 
Howell,  Fales  Howard,  J.  H.  Lewis,  N.  G.  McDonald,  James  Officer,  Joseph 
Pearson,  Jackson  Rowell,  William  Simmons,  Lewis  Stewart,  Charles  Roth,  Daniel 
Waldo,  George  Wesley,  William  \'aughn,  L.  N.  English,  Jr.,  Nineveh  Ford, 
Albert  Fish,  A.  Gribble,  Samuel  Senters,  Thomas  Wigger,  Richard  Hays,  Wesley 
Howell,  Richard  Jenkins,  G.  H.  March,  William  Medway,  J.  R.  Payne,  Benjamin 
Simpson,  Alexander  York. 

Martin's  Company:  Captain,  William  Martin;  first  lieutenant,  A.  E.  Gar- 
rison; second  lieutenant,  David  Waldo;  orderly  sergeant,  Ludwell  J.  Rector; 
duty  sergeants,  William  Cosper,  Fales  Howard,  Joseph  Sylvester,  Benjamin 
Wright ;  privates,  J.  Albright,  H.  Burdon,  T.  J.  Blair,  Joseph  Borst,  George  Crab- 
tree,  Joseph  Crauk,  Wesley  Cook,  Samuel  Center,  John  Cox,  John  Eads,  Parnel 
Fowler,  S.  M.  Crover,  John  Kaiser,  Clark  S.  Pringle,  Israel  Wood,  Lewis  Stewart. 
Pleasant  C.  Kaiser,  Thomas  Canby,  Sidney  S.  Ford,  William  Melawers,  A.  N. 
Rainwater,  B.  F.  Shaw,  Wm.  Waldo,  Silas  G.  Pugh,  G.  H.  Vernon,  Isaiah 
Matheny,  Thomas  T.  Eyre,  John  C.  Holgate. 

Shaw's  Company  :  Captain,  William  Shaw  ;  first  lieutenant,  David  Crawford  ; 
second  lieutenant,  Baptiste  C.  Dorio;  orderly  sergeant,  Absalom  M.  Smith;  duty 
sergeants,  George  Laroque,  Vatall  Bergeren.  George  W.  Shaw,  Charles  McKay ; 
privates,  John  H.  Bigler,  O.  Crum,  Joseph  Despont,  William  Felix,  Xavier  Plante, 
Eli  Viliell,  F.  M.  Mankis,  Antonio  Plante,  Charles  Edwards,  Andrew  Heeber, 
Xavier  Gervais,  David  Jones.  John  Pecares,  Samuel  Kinsey,  Joseph  Pearson, 
William  Towie,  Peter  Jackson.  .Alexander  Laborain.  William  McMillen.  B.  F. 
Nichols,  Hiram  Smead.  William  Marill,  Francis  Poiecor.  George  Westley. 

Garrison's  Company:  Captain.  J.  M.  Garrison:  first  lieutenant,  A.  E.  Gar- 
rison; second  lieutenant,  John  C.  Herren ;  orderly  sergeant.  J.  B.  Kaiser:  duty 
sergeants,  George  Crabtree,  George  Laroque,  Joseph  Colester;  privates,  E.  Bier- 


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OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  87 

naisse,  Thomas  R.  Blair,  John  C.  Cox,  Joseph  Despart,  Caleb  M.  Grover,  Isaiah 
Matheny,  John  Picard,  William  Philips,  Henry  Barden,  Silas  P.  Pugh,  Isaac 
Wood,  Penel  Fowler,  Andrew  Hubert,  Daniel  Herren,  Xavier  Plante,  Vitelle 
Bergeron. 

Colonel  Gilliam,  though  having  had  no  military  education,  had  the  American 
pioneer's  capacity  and  fertility  of  resources,  and  conducted  his  midwinter  cam- 
paign with  courage  and  energy.  As  already  noted,  Peter  Skeen  Ogden  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  had  ransomed  the  captives  of  Waiilatpu  long  before 
even  the  scantily  equipped  regiment  of  Oregon  volunteers  could  take  the  field. 
But  even  though  the  first  necessity,  that  of  rescuing  the  captives,  had  been  filled, 
the  command  felt  that  the  situation  compelled  a  definite  campaign  and  the  cap- 
ture and  bringing  to  justice  of  the  murderers.  Hence  Colonel  Gilliam  pressed 
on  his  march  as  rapidly  as  possible.  On  the  last  day  of  February,  1848,  he 
crossed  the  Des  Chutes  River  to  a  ]3oint  where  hostile  Indians  had  already  taken 
a  stand.  A  battle  ensued  the  next  day,  resulting  in  the  defeat  of  the  Indians 
and  a  treaty  of  peace  with  the  Des  Chutes  tribe.  Pressing  on  toward  Walla 
Walla,  the  command  was  checked  at  Sand  Hollows  in  the  Lower  Umatilla  River 
Valley,  by  a  strong  force  of  Indians  in  command  of  Five  Crows,  a  Cayuse  chief. 
This  chieftain  claimed  the  powers  of  a  wizard  and  declared  that  he  could  swallow 
all  the  bullets  fired  at  him  by  the  whites.  Another  brave  called  War  Eagle,  or 
Swallow  Ball,  made  equal  claims  to  invulnerability.  The  two  chiefs  undertook 
to  demonstrate  their  wizard  powers  by  dashing  out  in  front  of  the  volunteers. 
Tom  McKay,  who  was  the  stepson  of  Doctox  .McLoughlin  and  was  then  the 
captain  of  a  company  composed  mainly  of  ,E;i"enGh-C&Baclians,  could  not  withstand 
the  challenge  and  sent  a  bullet  from  his  tnisfy  fifl.e  through  the  head  of  Swallow 
Ball.  At  the  same  time  Charles  McKay  sent  a  companion  ball  into  the  supposedly 
invulnerable  anatomy  of  Five  Crows;' vijounding  him 'so  severely  that  he  was 
out  of  the  war  henceforth.  After  a  desultory  series"  o"f-engagements,  the  Indians 
retreated  and  Colonel  Gilliam's  command  pushed  on  to  Waiilatpu,  which  point 
they  reached  on  March  2d.  At  the  desolate  spot  they  discovered  that  the 
remains  of  the  martyrs  of  the  Whitman  Mission  had  been  hastily  interred  by 
the  Ogden  party,  but  that  in  the  interval  of  time  coyotes  had  partially  exhumed 
them.  They  reverently  replaced  the  sacred  remains  in  one  large  grave,  cover- 
ing them  with  a  wagon  box  found  on  the  ground.  There  in  that  abandoned  place 
the  bones  of  the  martyred  band  remained  unmarked  for  many  years.  As  now 
known  to  all  residents  of  Walla  Walla,  a  monument  was  reared  upon  the  hill 
overlooking  the  scene  of  the  tragedy,  and  the  remains  were  reinterred  and  covered 
with  a  marble  slab  inscribed  with  the  names  of  the  victims  of  the  massacre.  A 
lock  of  long  fair  hair  was  found  near  the  ruined  mission  which  there  is  every 
reason  to  think  was  from  the  head  of  Mrs.  Whitman.  It  is  now  preserved 
among  the  precious  relics  in  the  museum  of  Whitman  College. 

With  the  volunteers  was  Joseph  L.  Meek,  one  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  trappers 
who  had  settled  in  the  Willamette  Valley  and  had  become  prominent  in  estab- 
lishing the  Provisional  Government  of  Oregon  in  1843.  He  now  with  a  few 
companions  was  on  his  way  across  the  continent  to  carry  dispatches  to  Washing- 
ton announcing  the  Whitman  Massacre  and  urging  the  Government  to  make 
immediate  provision  for  a  proper  territorial  government.  Meek  had  come  thus 
far  with  the  troops,  but  now  passed  beyond  them  on  his  difficult  and  dangerous 


88  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

journey.  Jt  may  be  added  lliat  with  nnich  hardship  from  cold  and  near  starva- 
tion he  reached  St.  Louis  in  the  extraordinarily  short  time  of  seventy-two  days. 

I'he  dilatory  and  scheming  Congress  and  administration  was  roused  by  the 
Whitman  Massacre  to  some  sense  of  the  needs  of  far-away  Oregon.  A  great 
struggle  ensued  over  the  slavery  question  in  which  Calhoun,  Davis,  Foote,  and 
other  southern  senators  made  determined  efforts  to  defeat  the  prohibition  of 
slavery  in  Oregon.  They  were  overpowered  by  the  eloquence  of  Corwin,  the 
determination  of  Benton  and  the  statesmanship  of  Webster,  and  on  August  13, 
1848,  the  bill  to  establish  a  territorial  government  for  Oregon  with  slavery  pro- 
hibited passed  Congress.  President  Polk  appointed  Joseph  Lane  governor,  Joseph 
Meek  marshal,  and  William  B.  Bryant  judge  in  the  new  territory.  Not  till  ALirch 
3,  1849,  did  they  reach  their  stations  and  take  up  their  duties.  Of  all  the  history 
of  the  great  congressional  discussion  with  the  momentous  national  questions 
involved,  there  is  a  graphic  account  by  Judge  Thornton,  while  Benton  in  his 
"Thirty  Years  in  Congress"  gives  a  vivid  and  illuminating  view. 

Meanwhile  the  little  army  of  Oregon  volunteers  were  engaged  in  a  long-drawn 
and  harassing  series  of  marches  and  counter  marches  in  search  of  the  guilty 
murderers.  An  adobe  fort,  called  Fort  W^aters,  from  Lieut.  Col.  James  Waters, 
was  built  at  Waiilatpu.  The  Cayuses  had  counted  upon  the  help  of  the  other 
tribes,  but  the  Nez  Perces  and  Spokanes  repudiated  their  murderous  kmdred,  and 
the  Yakimas  took  an  attitude  of  indifference.  Peupeumoxmox  of  the  Walla 
Wallas,  though  having  more  of  a  real  grievance  against  the  whites  than  any 
other  Indian  on  account  of  the  brutal  murder  of  his  son,  as  related  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  did  not  actively  aid  the  hostiles.  He  played  a  wily  game,  and 
was  justly  regarded  with  suspicion  by  the  command. 

In  the  midst  of  the  tangle  and  uncertainty,  and  the  scattering  of  the  guilty 
parties  in  all  directions,  Colonel  Gilliam  decided  to  make  an  expedition  north- 
easterly to  the  Tucanon  and  Snake  rivers  in  the  hope  of  encountering  and 
destroying  the  main  force  of  the  hostiles  and  bringing  the  war  to  a  conclusion 
at  one  blow.  Reaching  the  mouth  of  the  Tucanon,  a  few  miles  below  the  present 
Starbuck,  the  colonel  was  outgeneraled  by  the  wily  Indians  who  gave  him  to 
understand  that  the  Indian  camp  was  that  of  Peupeumoxmox.  Taking  advantage 
of  the  delay  the  Cayuses  drove  their  large  bands  of  stock  into  the  Snake  River 
and  made  them  swim  to  the  north  bank.  The  main  body  of  Indians  succeeded 
in  getting  away  with  their  valuable  stock.  The  Palouses  were  doubtless  aiding 
and  abetting  them.  Disappointed  in  his  aims  Colonel  Gilliam  gave  the  order  to 
return  to  Walla  Walla.  Upon  reaching  the  Touchet  in  the  near  vicinity  of  the 
present  Bolles  Junction,  the  Indians  made  a  rush  for  the  Touchet  River  in  the 
evident  hope  of  entangling  the  troops  at  the  crossing.  A  desperate  encounter 
took  place,  the  hardest,  and  in  fact  the  only  real  battle  of  the  year,  in  which  the 
whites  fought  their  way  through  the  stream  and  made  their  way  to  the  Walla- 
Walla.  Reaching  Fort  Waters  at  Waiilatpu  on  March  i6th,  it  was  determined 
by  a  council  of  war  that  Colonel  Gilliam  should  go  to  The  Dalles  with  160  men 
in  order  to  meet  and  escort  a  supply  train  to  the  Walla  Walla,  while  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Waters  should  take  command  at  the  fort.  On  the  way,  just  having 
crossed  the  Umatilla,  Colonel  Gilliam  while  in  the  act  of  drawing  a  rope  from 
a  wagon  accidentally  caught  it  in  the  trigger  of  a  loaded  gun.  The  weapon  was 
discharged  and  the  commander  was  instantly  killed.    This  was  a  most  lamentable 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  89 

loss,  for  Colonel  Gilliam  was  not  only  an  efficient  commander,  but  was  one  of  the 
best  of  the  Oregon  pioneers,  with  the  capacity  for  a  most  useful  career  in  the 
new  land.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Waters  became  colonel  in  command  upon  the 
announcement  of  the  death  of  Colonel  Gilliam.  He  undertook  at  once  a  march 
to  Lapwai  under  the  belief  that  the  murderers  were  harbored  among  the  Nez 
Perces.  Nothing  definite  was  accomplished  by  this  expedition.  According  to  the 
assertions  of  the  Nez  Perces  Telaukaikt,  one  of  the  supposed  leaders  of  the 
Whitman  Massacre,  had  fled.  The  Nez  Perces  delivered  a  number  of  cattle  and 
horses  which  they  said  belonged  to  the  Cayuses.  The  attempt  to  seize  the  mur- 
derers themselves  being  seemingly  futile,  Colonel  Waters  returned  again  to  the 
fort  at  Waiilatpu.  It  had  now  become  evident  that  the  condition  did  not  justify 
the  retention  of  a  regiment  in  the  Cayuse  country.  Goveror  Abernethy,  still 
acting  as  head  of  the  Provisional  Government  of  Oregon,  decided  to  recall  the 
main  body  of  troops.  A  small  force  under  Major  Magone  was  sent  to  Chima- 
kain,  the  mission  near  Spokane  where  Eells  and  Walker  were  located,  in  order  to 
bring  that  missionary  band  to  a  place  of  safety.  It  was  found  by  Major  Magone 
that  the  Spokane  Indians  had  been  faithful  to  their  teachers  and  had  guarded 
them  from  danger.  Few  things  more  thrilling  have  been  narrated  in  the  hearing 
of  the  author  than  the  accounts  given  by  Mr.  Eells  and  Mr.  Walker,  and  above  all 
by  Edwin  Eells,  oldest  son  of  Father  Eells,  of  the  conditions  under  which  that 
devoted  group  existed  for  some  days  when  it  was  thought  that  the  hostile 
Indians  were  on  the  way  to  Spokane  to  destroy  them.  On  one  evening  hearing 
an  awful  powwow  and  hullaballoo  from  a  crowd  of  mounted  Indians  and  seeing 
them  rapidly  approaching  in  the  dim  light,  Father  Eells  went  out  bravely  to 
meet  them,  thinking  it  likely  was  the  dreaded  marauders,  to  discover  in  a  moment 
that  it  was  their  own  Spokanes,  armed  for  their  defence. 

Escorted  by  the  company  of  volunteers,  the  missionaries  of  Chimakain  went 
to  the  Willamette  Valley  where  the  Walker  family  made  their  permanent  home, 
while  Father  Eells  with  his  family  remained  twelve  years  and  then  returned  to 
the  Walla  Walla  country  to  found  Whitman  College  and  to  make  his  home  for 
a  number  of  years  at  Waiilatpu. 

While  Major  Magone  was  thus  engaged  in  caring  for  the  last  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, Capt.  William  Martin  was  left  at  Fort  Waters  (Waiilatpu)  with  fifty- 
five  men  to  look  out  for  the  interests  of  immigrants  who  might  enter  the  country 
and  to  keep  a  vigilant  eye  upon  the  movements  of  the  savages.  This  Captain 
Martin,  it  may  be  remembered  by  some  readers,  took  up  his  residence  at  Pendle- 
ton in  1880  and  was  long  a  leading  citizen  of  that  city.  One  of  his  sons  now  lives 
at  Touchet  in  Walla  Walla  County  and  one  of  his  grandsons,  of  the  same  name 
as  himself,  became  one  of  the  most  noted  athletes  at  Whitman  College  and  now 
occupies  a  place  as  physical  director  in  a  large  eastern  university.  Another  small 
force  in  command  of  Lieutenant  Rogers  was  stationed  at  Fort  Lee  at  The  Dalles. 
But  as  to  further  operations  in  the  field  they  seemed  to  be  at  an  end.  The  Cayuses 
scattered  in  various  directions,  and  other  Indians,  while  making  no  resistance  to 
the  whites,  gave  them  little  or  no  assistance.  Finally  in  1850  a  band  of  friendly 
Uraatillas  pursued  a  bunch  of  Cayuses  under  Tamsaky  or  Tamsucky  to  the 
headwaters  of  the  John  Day  River  and  after  a  severe  struggle  killed  Tamsaky 
and  captured  the  most  of  his  followers. 

The  last  act  in  the  tragedy  was  the  execution  of  several  Indian  chiefs  who  had 


90  OLD  W.MJ.A  WALJ.A  COUNTY 

voluntarily  gone  to  Oregon  City  and  had  been  seized  and  subjected  to  trial  as 
being  the  murderers  of  the  \\  hitman  party.  There  is  a  very  unsatisfactory  con- 
dition of  testimony  about  the  real  guilt  of  this  group  of  Indians.  The  Cayuse 
Indians  claimed,  and  many  of  the  whites  believed  that  one  only  of  the  five  who 
were  hung  on  June  3,  1850,  was  guilty.  As  a  concluding  glance  at  this  grewsome 
event,  the  reader  may  be  interested  in  the  following  official  declaration  of  inno- 
cence of  those  Indians. 

"Tilokite — I  am  innocent  of  the  crime  of  which  1  am  charged.  Those  who 
committed  it  are  dead,  some  killed,  some  died ;  there  were  ten,  two  were  my  sons ; 
they  were  killed  by  the  Cayuses.  Tumsucky,  before  the  massacre,  came  to  my 
lodge ;  he  told  me  that  they  were  going  to  hold  a  council  to  kill  Doctor  Whitman. 
I  told  him  not  to  do  so,  that  it  was  bad.  One  night  seven  Indians  died  near  the 
house  of  Doctor  Whitman,  to  whom  he  had  given  medicines.  Tumsucky's  family 
were  sick;  he  gave  them  roots  and  leaves;  they  got  well.  Other  Indians  died. 
Tumsucky  came  often.  I  talked  to  him,  but  his  ears  were  shut;  he  would  not 
hear;  he  and  others  went  away.  After  a  while  some  children  came  into  my 
lodge  and  told  me  what  was  going  on.  I  had  told  Tumsucky  over  and  over  to  let 
them  alone;  my  talk  was  nothing;  I  shut  my  mouth.  When  I  left  my  people, 
the  young  chief  told  me  to  come  down  and  talk  with  the  big  white  chief,  and  tell 
him  who  it  was,  that  did  kill  Doctor  Whitman  and  others.  My  heart  was  big; 
'tis  small  now.  The  priest  tells  me  I  must  die  tomorrow.  I  know  not  for  what. 
They  tell  me  that  I  have  made  a  confession  to  the  marshal  that  I  struck  Doctor 
Whitman.  'Tis  false!  You  ask  me  if  the  priests  did  not  encourage  us  to  kill 
Doctor  Whitman?     I  answer  no,  no." 

"Monday,  1 1 :30  o'clock — I  am  innocent,  but  my  heart  is  weak  since  I  have 
been  in  chains,  but  since  I  must  die,  I  forgive  them  all.  Those  who  brought  me 
here  and  take  care  of  me,  I  take  them  all  in  my  arms,  my  heart  is  opened." 

"Quiahmarsum  (skin  or  panther's  coat) — I  was  up  the  river  at  the  time  of 
the  massacre,  and  did  not  arrive  until  the  next  day.  I  was  riding  on  horseback ; 
a  white  woman  came  running  from  the  house.  She  held  out  her  hand  and  told 
me  not  to  kill  her.  I  put  my  hand  upon  her  head  and  told  her  not  to  be  afraid. 
There  were  plenty  of  Indians  all  alx)ut.  She,  with  the  other  women  and  chil- 
dren, went  to  Walla  Walla,  to  Air.  Ogden's.  I  was  not  present  at  the  murder,  nor 
was  I  any  way  concerned  in  it.  I  am  innocent.  It  hurts  me  to  talk  about  dying 
for  nothing.  Our  chief  told  us  to  come  down  and  tell  all  about  it.  Those  who 
committed  the  murder  are  killed  and  dead.  The  priest  says  I  must  die  tomorrow. 
If  they  kill  me,  I  am  innocent." 

"Monday,  1 1 :  30  A.  M. — I  was  sent  here  by  my  chief  to  declare  who  the  guilty 
persons  were;  the  white  chief  would  then  shake  hands  with  me;  the  young  chief 
would  come  after  me ;  we  would  have  a  good  heart.  My  young  chief  told  me  I 
was  to  come  here  to  tell  what  I  know  concerning  the  murderers.  I  did  not  come 
as  one  of  the  murderers,  for  I  am  innocent.  I  never  made  any  declarations  to 
any  one  that  I  was  guilty.     This  is  the  last  time  that  I  may  speak." 

"Kloakamus— I  was  there  at  the  time ;  I  lived  there,  but  I  had  no  hand  in  the 
murder.  I  saw  them  when  they  were  killed,  but  did  not  touch  or  strike  any  one. 
T  looked  on.  There  were  plenty  of  Indians.  My  heart  was  sorry.  Our  chief 
told  us  to  come  down  and  tell  who  the  murderers  were.  There  were  ten ;  they 
are  killed.    They  say  I  am  guilty,  but  it  is  not  so ;  I  am  innocent.    The  people  do 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  91 

not  understand  me.  I  can't  talk  to  them.  They  tell  me  I  must  die  by  being 
hung  by  the  neck.  If  they  do  kill  me,  I  am  innocent,  and  God  will  give  me  a  big 
heart.'' 

"jMonday,  ii  :  30  A.  j\L — I  have  no  reason  to  die  for  things  that  I  did  not  do. 
My  time  is  short.  I  tell  the  truth.  I  know  that  I  am  close  to  the  grave ;  but  my 
heart  is  open  and  I  tell  the  truth.  I  love  every  one  in  this  world.  I  know  that 
God  will  give  me  a  big  heart.  I  never  confessed  to  the  marshal  that  I  was  guilty, 
or  to  any  other  person ;  I  am  innocent.  The  priests  did  not  tell  us  to  do  what 
the  Indians  have  done.     This  is  my  last  talk.'' 

"Siahsaluchus  (or  Wet  Wolf) — I  say  the  same  as  the  others;  the  murderers 
are  killed;  some  by  the  whites,  some  by  the  Cayuses,  and  some  by  others.  They 
were  ten  in  number." 

"Monday,  11 :  30  A.  M. — I  have  nothing  more  to  say;  I  think  of  God.  I  for- 
give all  men ;  I  love  them.    The  priests  did  not  tell  us  to  do  this." 

"Thomahas — I  did  not  know  that  I  came  here  to  die.  Our  chief  told  us  to 
come  and  see  the  white  chief  and  tell  him  all  about  it.  The  white  chief  would 
then  tell  us  all  what  was  right  and  what  was  wrong.  Learn  us  (how)  to  live 
when  we  returned  home.  Why  should  I  have  a  bad  heart — after  I  am  showed 
and  taught  how  to  live  ?  My  eyes  were  shut  when  I  came  here.  I  did  not  see,  but 
now  they  are  opened.  I  have  been  taught ;  I  have  been  showed  what  was  good 
and  what  was  bad.  I  do  not  want  to  die;  I  know  now  that  we  are  all  brothers. 
They  tell  me  the  same  Spirit  made  us  all." 

"Monday,  11  :  30  A.  M. — Thomahas  joined  with  Tilokite.  My  heart  cries  my 
brother  was  guilty,  but  he  is  dead.  I  am  innocent.  I  know  I  am  going  to  die  for 
things  I  am  not  guilty  of,  but  I  forgive  them.  I  love  all  men  now.  My  hope,  the 
priest  tells  me,  is  in  Christ.     My  heart  shall  be 'big  with  good." 

"(Signed) .". 

Henry  H.  Crawford, 

Sergeant,  Co.  D,  R.  M.  R. 
Robert  D.  M.vhon, 

Corporal,  Co.  A,  R.  M.  R." 

Following  the  close  of  the  Cayuse  war  there  was  a  lull  in  hostilities  during 
which  several  white  men  came  to  the  Walla  Walla  country  or  near  it,  with  a  view 
to  locating.  In  Col.  F.  T.  Gilbert's  valuable  history  of  Walla  Walla  and  adjoin- 
ing counties,  pubhshed  in  1882,  we  find  the  data  for  a  summary  of  the  earliest 
settlers  as  follows: 

The  first  settlers  of  all  were  ivilliam  C.  ^McKay,  son  of  Thomas  McKay  (who 
himself  was  the  step-son  of  Dr.  John  McLoughlin)  and  Henry  M.  Chase.  These 
men  were  located  on  the  Umatilla  River  in  1851  at  a  point  near  the  present  Town 
of  Echo.  Doctor  McKay  later  became  a  resident  of  Pendleton  where  he  was 
well  known  for  many  years.  In  1852  Mr.  Chase  went  with  Wm.  Craig  to  the 
Nez  Perce  country  near  Lewiston  where  he  entered  the  cattle  business.  In 
1855  he  went  to  the  region  of  the  present  Dayton  and  a  short  time  later  to  Walla 
Walla.  He  lived  in  Walla  Walla  a  number  of  years  and  was  well  known  to  all 
old-timers.  He  lived  upon  the  property  now  the  site  of  St.  Paul's  School.  Louis 
Raboin,  a  Frenchman,  though  an  American  citizen,  was  in  the  Walla  Walla 
country  a  number  of  years  beginning  in  1851.    In  1855  he  located  at  what  is  now 


92  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

the  Town  of  Marengo  on  the  Titcanon.  V.  M.  Lafontain  came  to  the  region  in 
1852  and  located  a  claim  adjoining  that  of  Mr.  Chase,  near  the  present  Dayton, 
in  1855.  Lloyd  Brooke,  George  C.  Bumford,  and  John  F.  Noble  came  to  Waiilatpu 
in  1852,  and  in  the  following  year  established  themselves  there  in  the  cattle 
business.  There  they  remained  till  driven  out  by  the  War  of  1855.  A.  P.  Wood- 
ward was  a  resident  of  the  Walla  Walla  country  during  the  same  period.  It  is 
proper  to  name  here  Wm.  Craig  who  had  been  a  mountain  man  a  number  of 
years  and  became  located  among  the  Nez  Perce  Indians  at  Lapwai  in  1845. 
From  him  Craig  Mountains  took  their  name.  He  was  an  important  personage 
as  interpreter  and  peace-maker  among  the  Nez  Perces  during  the  great  war  later. 
There  were  several  men  drifting  through  the  country  employed  as  laborers  by 
Mr.  Chase  and  by  the  cattle-men  at  Waiilatpu. 

There  was  at  that  time  quite  a  settlement  on  the  Walla  Walla  around  what 
is  now  known  as  Frenchtown,  about  ten  miles  from  the  present  city.  These  were 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  men.  We  find  in  the  list  of  names  several  whose 
descendants  lived  subsequently  in  that  region,  though  they  mainly  left  during 
the  Indian  Wars  and  did  not  return.  There  were  two  priests  among  them. 
Fathers  Chirouse  and  Pondosa,  and  they  were  assisted  by  two  brothers.  James 
Sinclair  had  at  that  time  charge  of  Fort  Walla  Walla  on  the  Columbia.  Though 
the  region  was  then  in  possession  of  the  United  States,  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany had  not  yet  delivered  up  its  locations. 

During  this  lull  a  very  important  event  occurred.  On  March  3,  1853,  the 
Territory  of  Washington  was  created  and  Isaac  I.  Stevens  was  appointed  governor. 
The  first  Territorial  Legislature  laid  out  sixteen  counties.  Among  them  was 
Walla  Walla  County.  That  was  the  first  "Old  Walla  Walla  County."  That  it 
was  much  more  extensive  than  the  area  especially  covered  by  this  work  will 
apf>ear  when  the  boundaries  are  given,  thus :  "Beginning  its  line  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  Columbia  at  a  point  opposite  the  mouth  of  Des  Chutes  River,  it  ran 
thence  north  to  the  forty-ninth  parallel."  It  therefore  embraced  all  of  what 
was  then  Washington  Territory  east  of  that  line,  which  included  all  of  present 
Idaho,  about  a  fourth  of  present  Montana,  and  about  half  of  what  is  now  Wash- 
ington. That  was  the  first  attempt  at  organized  government  in  Eastern  Wash- 
ington. The  county  seat  was  located  "on  the  land  of  Lloyd  Brooke,"  which  was 
at  Waiilatpu.  The  Legislature  further  decreed :  "That  George  C.  Bumford, 
John  Owens,  and  A.  Dominique  Pambrun  be,  and  they  are  hereby  constituted 
and  appointed  the  Board  of  County  Commissioners;  and  that  Narcises  Remond 
be,  and  hereby  is  appointed  sherifif ;  and  that  Lloyd  Brooke  be,  and  is  hereby 
appointed  judge  of  probate,  and  shall  have  jurisdiction  as  justice  of  the  peace;  all 
in  and  for  the  County  of  Walla  Walla."  These  appointees  with  the  exception  of 
Mr.  Owens  (who  lived  near  the  present  Missoula),  were  residents  of  the  region 
of  Waiilatpu  and  Frenchtown.  That  county  organization  was  never  inaugurated, 
and  it  remains  as  simply  an  interesting  historical  reminiscence. 

In  March,  1855,  another  most  notable  event  occurred,  the  first  in  a  series 
that  made  much  history  in  the  Northwest.  This  was  the  discovery  of  gold  at 
the  junction  of  the  Pend  Oreille  River  with  the  Columbia.  The  discoverer  was 
a  French  half-breed  who  had  previously  lived  at  French  Prairie,  Ore.  The 
announcement  of  the  discovery  caused  a  stampede  to  the  east  of  the  mountains 
and  inaugurated  a  series  of  momentous  changes. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  93 

Governor  Stevens  had  entered  upon  his  great  task  of  organizing  the  newly 
created  territory  by  undertaking  the  establishment  of  a  number  of  Indian  reserva- 
tions. The  necessities  of  the  case — both  justice  to  the  Indians  and  the  whites, 
as  well  as  the  proper  development  of  the  country  whose  vast  possibilities  were 
beginning  to  be  seen  by  the  far-sighted  ones — seemed  to  compel  the  segregation 
of  the  natives  into  comparatively  small  reservations.  The  history  of  the  laying 
out  of  these  reservations  is  an  entire  history  by  itself.  There  has  been  contro- 
versy as  to  the  rights  and  wrongs  of  the  case  which  has  been  best  treated  by 
Hazard  Stevens  in  his  "Life  of  Governor  Stevens"  (his  father)  in  defence,  and 
by  Ezra  Meeker  in  his  "Tragedy  of  Leschi"  in  condemnation.  Suffice  it  to  say 
that  the  reservation  policy  was  but  faintly  understood  by  the  Indians  and  occur- 
ring in  connection  with  the  gold  discoveries  and  the  entrance  of  whites,  eager  for 
wealth  and  opportunity,  it  furnished  all  the  conditions  requisite  for  a  first-class 
Indian  war.  Doubtless  the  great  underlying  cause  was,  as  usual  in  Indian  wars, 
the  perception  by  Indians  that  their  lands  were  steadily  and  surely  passing  out  of 
their  hands. 

In  1854  and  1855  a  general  flame  of  war  burst  forth  in  widely  separated 
regions.  There  can  be  no  question  that  there  was  an  attempt  at  co-operation  by 
the  tribes  over  the  whole  of  Oregon  and  Washington.  But  so  wide  and  so  scat- 
tered was  the  field  and  so  incapable  were  the  Indians  of  intelligent  unity  of  action 
that  the  white  settlements  were  spared  a  war  of  extermination.  The  centers  of 
warfare  were  the  Rogue  River  in  Southern  Oregon,  a  number  of  points  on  Puget 
Sound,  especially  Seattle  and  vicinity,  and  White  River  Valley. 

In  May,  1855,  Governor  Stevens  with  a  force  of  about  fifty  men  reached  Walla 
Walla  for  a  conference  with  the  tribes.  The  best  authorities  on  the  conference  are 
Hazard  Stevens,  then  a  boy  of  fourteen,  who  accompanied  his  father,  and  I-ieu- 
tenant  Kip  of  the  United  States  Army.  This  meeting  at  Walla  Walla  was  one 
of  the  most  interesting  and  important  in  the  annals  of  Indian  relationships  with 
the  United  States  Government.  There  seems  some  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the 
exact  location  of  the  conference.  It  has  generally  been  thought  that  Stevens'  camp 
was  at  what  is  now  known  as  "Council  Grove  Addition,"  near  the  residence  of 
ex-Senator  Ankeny.  When  General  Hazard  Stevens  was  in  Walla  Walla  some 
years  ago  he  gave  his  opinion  that  it  was  in  the  near  vicinity  of  the  residence  of 
Mrs.  Clara  Ouinn.  William  McBean,  a  son  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
agent  at  Fort  Walla  Walla  during  the  Cayuse  war,  who  was  himself  in  Stevens' 
force,  as  a  young  boy,  told  the  author  nearly  thirty  years  ago  that  he  believed  the 
chief  point  of  the  conference  was  almost  exactly  on  the  present  site  of  Whitman 
College.  It  appears  from  the  testimony  of  old-timers  that  Mill  Creek  has  changed 
its  course  at  intervals  in  these  years,  and  that  as  a  result  the  exact  identification 
is  difficult.  It  seems  plain,  however,  that  the  Indians  were  camped  at  various 
places  along  the  two  spring  branches,  "College  Creek"  and  "Tannery  Creek." 

With  his  little  force,  Governor  Stevens  might  well  have  been  startled,  if  he 
had  been  a  man  sensible  of  fear,  when  there  came  tearing  across  the  plain  to  the 
northeast  of  the  council  ground  an  army  of  twenty-five  hundred  Nez  Perces, 
headed  by  Halhaltlossot,  known  to  the  whites  as  Lawryer.  After  the  Indian  cus- 
tom they  were  whooping  and  firing  their  guns  and  making  their  horses  prance  and 
cavort  in  the  clouds  of  dust  stirred  by  hundreds  of  hoofs.  But  as  it  proved,  these 
spectacular  performers  were  the  real  friends  of  the  Governor  and  his  party  and 


9i  OLD  WAI.l.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

later  on  their  salvation.  Two  days  after,  three  hundred  Cayuses,  those  worst  of 
the  Columbia  River  Indians,  surly  and  scowling,  made  their  appearance,  led  by 
Five  Crows  and  Young  Chief.  Within  two  days  again  there  arrived  a  force  of 
two  thousand  Yakimas,  Umatillas,  and  Walla  Wallas.  The  'A'alley  of  Waters" 
must  have  been  at  that  time  a  genuine  Indian  paradise.  The  broad  flats  of  Mill 
Creek  and  the  Walla  \\'alla  were  covered  with  grass  and  spangled  with  flowers. 
Numerous  clear  cold  steains,  gushing  in  springs  from  the  ground  and  overhung 
by  birches  and  cottonwoods,  with  the  wild  roses  drooping  over  them,  made  their 
gurgling  w-ay  to  a  junction  with  the  creek.  Countless  horses  grazed  on  the  l)unch- 
grass  hills  and  farther  back  in  the  foothills  there  was  an  abundance  of  game.  No 
wonder  that  the  Indians,  accustomed  to  gather  for  councils  and  horse-races,  and 
all  the  other  delights  of  savage  life,  should  have  scanned  with  jealous  eyes  the 
manifest  desire  of  the  whites  for  locations  in  a  spot  "where  every  prospect  pleases 
and  man  alone  is  vile." 

It  became  e\ident  to  Governor  Stevens  that  a  conspiracy  was  burrowing  be- 
neath his  feet.  Peupeumoxmox  of  the  Walla  Wallas  and  Kahmiakin  of  the 
Yakimas  were  the  leaders.  The  former  was  now  an  old  man,  embittered  by  the 
murder  of  his  son  Elijah,  and  regarded  by  many  as  having  been  the  real  fomenter 
of  the  Whitman  Massacre.  Kahmiakin  was  a  remarkable  Indian.  Winthrop.  in 
his  "Canoe  and  Saddle,"  gives  a  vivid  description  of  him  as  being  a  man  of 
extraordinary  force  and  dignity.  Governor  Stevens  said  of  him :  "He  is  a  pe- 
culiar man,  reminding  me  of  the  panther  and  the  grizzly  bear.  His  countenance 
has  an  extraordinary  play,  one  moment  in  frowns,  the  next  in  smiles,  flashing  with 
light  and  black  as  Erebus  the  same  instant.  His  pantomime  is  great,  and  his  ges- 
ticulations many  and  characteristic.  He  talks  mostly  in  his  face  and  with  his 
hands  and  arms."  He  was  a  man  of  lofty  stature  and  splendid  physique,  a  typical 
Indian  of  the  best  type.  This  great  Yakima  chief  saw  that  his  race  was  doomed 
unless  they  could  check  White  occupancy  at  its  very  beginning.  Restrained  by  no 
scruples  (as  indeed  his  civilized  opponents  seldom  were)  he  seems  to  have  con- 
spired with  the  Walla  Wallas  and  Cayuses  to  wipe  out  Stevens  and  his  band,  then 
rush  to  The  Dalles  and  exterminate  the  garrison  there ;  then  with  united  forces 
of  all  the  Eastern  Oregon  Indians  sweep  on  into  the  principal  settlements  of  the 
whites,  those  of  the  Willamette  \'alley,  and  wipe  them  out.  Meanwhile  their 
allies  on  the  Sound  were  to  seize  the  pivotal  points  there.  Thus  Indian  victory 
would  be  comprehensive  and  final.  Preposterous  as  such  an  expectation  appears 
now  to  us,  it  was  not,  after  all,  so  remote  as  we  might  think.  Six  or  seven  thou- 
sand of  these  powerful  warriors,  splendidly  mounted  and  well  armed,  if  well 
directed,  crossing  the  mountains  into  the  scattered  settlements  of  Western  Oregon 
and  Washington  might  well  have  cleaned  up  the  country,  with  the  exception  of 
Portland,  which  v^'as  then  quite  a  little  city  and  in  a  position  which  would  have 
made  any  successful  attack  by  Indians  hopeless. 

But  the  Nez  Perces  saved  the  day.  Halhaltlossot  perceived  that  the  only  hope 
for  his  people  was  in  peace  and  as  favorable  reservation  assignments  as  could  be 
secured.  lie  nipped  the  conspiracy  in  the  bud.  Hazard  Stevens  gives  a  thrilling 
account  of  how  the  Nez  Perce  chief  went  by  night  to  the  Governor's  camp  and 
revealed  the  conspiracy.  He  moved  his  own  camp  to  a  point  adjoining  the  whites 
and  made  it  clear  that  the  hostiles  could  accomplish  their  aims  only  in  the  face  of 
Nez  Perce  opposition.     This  situation  made  the  conspiracy  impotent. 


Lewis  MeMorris 


,1.   J.   Kuliii 


Dr.  .Tdliii   Tcin[]aiiy 


Michael   Kenny  jDsi-pli   ilcKvuy 

COMRADES  AT   FORT   WALLA  WALLA  IX   ISST 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  95 

Not  all,  however,  of  the  Nez  Perces  approved  the  tactics  of  Lawyer.  There 
was  a  powerful  faction  that  favored  the  Yakimas,  Cayuses,  and  Walla  Wallas. 
While  Governor  Stevens  had  been  gradually  bringing  the  main  body  of  the  Nez 
Perces  to  consent  to  a  treaty  assigning  certain  reservations  to  them,  and  was 
flattering'  himself  that  with  the  aid  of  Lawyer  he  was  just  about  to  clinch  the 
deal,  there  was  a  sudden  commotion  in  the  council,  and  into  the  midst  there  burst 
the  old  chief  Apashwayhayikt  (Looking  Glass).  He  had  just  been  on  a  raid 
against  the  Blackfeet,  and  hearing  of  the  probable  outcome  of  the  Walla  Walla 
Council,  had  made  a  ride  of  300  miles  in  seven  days.  With  his  little  band  of  at- 
tendants he  came  racing  over  the  "bench"  on  which  "Garden  City  Heights"  is  now 
located,  and  with  scalps  of  several  slaughtered  Blackfeet  dangling  from  his  belt 
he  rushed  to  the  front,  and  fixing  his  angry  and  reproachful  eyes  upon  his  tribes- 
men he  broke  forth  into  a  harangue  which  Hazard  Stevens  was  told  by  some 
Indians  began  about  thus:  "My  people,  what  have  you  done?  While  I  was  gone 
you  sold  my  country.  I  have  come  home  and  there  is  not  left  me  a  place  on  which 
to  pitch  my  lodge.  Go  home  to  your  lodges.  I  will  talk  with  you."  Lieutenant 
Kip  declares  that  though  he  could  not  understand  the  words,  the  effect  was 
tremendous  and  the  speech  was  equal  to  the  greatest  bursts  of  oratory  that  he  had 
ever  heard.    The  council  broke  up  and  the  nearly  accepted  treaty  went  to  naught. 

With  great  patience  and  skill  Stevens  and  Lawyer  rallied  their  defeated  forces 
and,  in  spite  of  the  opposition  of  Looking  Glass;  they  secured  the  acquiescence  of 
the  main  body  of  the  Indians  to  three  .i-egervations.  These  were  essentially  the 
same  as  now  known:  the  Yakima,  theUmatilfe, 'ah^-  die  Nez  Perce.  In  case  of 
the  last,  however,  there  was  a  lamentabk- and  distressing  miscarriage  of  agree- 
ment and  perhaps  of  justice.  William.  McBean;,  -already  mentioned  as  a  half- 
breed  boy  employed  by  Governor  Stevens,  stated  to  the  author  many  years  ago 
that  he  discovered  that  the  general  impression  among  the  Nez  Perce  Indians 
was  that  by  accepting  the  treaty  and  surrendering  their  lands  in  the  Touchet, 
Tucanon,  and  Alpowa  countries,  they  would  be  assured  of  the  permanent  posses- 
sion of  the  Wallowa.  Now,  if  there  was  any  region  more  suitable  to  Indians  and 
more  loved  by  them  than  another,  it  was  that  same  Wallowa,  with  its  snowy 
peaks,  its  lakes  and  streams  filled  with  fish,  its  grassy  upland  with  deer  and  elk, 
its  thickets  and  groves  with  grouse  and  pheasants.  The  understanding  of  the 
"Joseph  band"  of  Nez  Perces  was,  according  to  McBean,  that  the  loved  Wallowa 
was  to  be  their  special  range.  Upon  that  supposition  they  voted  with  Lawyer 
for  the  treaty  and  that  was  the  determining  influence  that  secured  its  passage. 
But  twenty  years  later,  white  men  began  to  perceive  that  the  Wallowa  was  also 
suitable  to  them.  With  that  lack  of  continuity  in  dealing  with  natives  in  face  of 
a  demand  for  land  by  whites  which  has  made  most  of  our  Indian  treaties  mere 
"scraps  of  paper,"  the  administration  (that  of  Grant)  forgot  the  understanding, 
the  Indians  were  dispossessed,  and  the  Nez  Perce  war  with  the  very  people  who 
had  saved  Stevens  in  1855  was  precipitated  in  1877.  Young  Joseph  (Hallakalla- 
keen)  led  his  warriors  in  the  most  spectacular  Indian  war  in  the  history  of  this 
country,  as  a  result  of  which  his  band  was  finally  overpowered  and  located  on  the 
Nespilem,  a  part  of  the  Colville  reservation.  Kamiakin  had  seemed  to  agree  to 
the  treaty  at  Walla  Walla.  But  he  was  only  biding  his  time.  Governor  Stevens, 
having,  as  he  thought,  pacified  the  tribes  by  that  group  of  treaties,  proceeded  on  a 
similar  mission  to  the  Flatheads  in  Northern  Idaho.    There,  after  long  discussion, 


1>G  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

a  treaty  was  negotiated  by  which  a  milUon  and  a  quarter  acres  was  set  aside  for 
a  reservation.  The  next  move  of  the  Governor  was  across  the  Rocky  Mountains 
to  Fort  Benton. 

But  what  was  happening  on  the  Walla  Walla?  No  sooner  was  the  Governor 
fairly  out  of  sight  across  the  flower-bespangled  plains,  which  extended  200  miles 
northeast  from  \\'alla  Walla,  than  the  wily  Kamiakin  began  to  resume  his  plots. 
So  successful  was  he,  with  the  valuable  assistance  of  Peupeumoxmox,  Young 
Chief,  and  Five  Crows,  that  the  treaties,  just  ratified,  were  torn  to  shreds  and 
the  flame  of  savage  warfare  burst  forth  across  the  entire  Columbia  Valley. 

Hazard  Stevens,  in  his  invaluable  history  of  his  father,  gives  a  vivid  picture  of 
how  the  news  reached  them  in  their  camp,  thirty-five  miles  up  the  Missouri  from 
Fort  Benton.  Summer  had  now  passed  into  autumn.  A  favorable  treaty  had 
been  made  with  the  Blackfeet.  On  October  29th  the  little  party  were  gathered 
around  their  campfire  in  the  frosty  air  of  fall  in  that  high  altitude  when  they 
discerned  a  solitary  rider  making  his  way  slowly  toward  them.  As  he  drew  near 
they  soon  saw  that  it  was  Pearson,  the  express  rider.  Pearson  was  one  of  the 
best  examples  of  those  scouts  whose  lives  were  spent  in  conveying  messages  from 
forts  to  parties  in  the  field.  He  usually  traveled  alone,  and  his  life  was  always 
in  his  hand.  He  seemed  to  be  made  of  steel  springs,  and  it  had  been  thought  that 
he  could  endure  anything.  "He  could  ride  anything  that  wore  hair."  He  rode 
1,750  miles  in  twenty-eight  days  at  one  time,  one  stage  of  260  miles  having  been 
made  in  three  days.  But  as  he  slowly  drew  up  to  the  party  in  the  cold  evening 
light,  it  was  seen  that  even  Pearson  was  "done."  His  horse  staggered  and  fell, 
and  he  himself  could  not  stand  or  speak  for  some  time.  After  he  had  been  revived 
he  told  his  story,  and  a  story  of  disaster  and  foreboding  it  was,  sure  enough. 

All  the  great  tribes  of  the  Columbia  plains  west  of  the  Nez  Perces  had  broken 
out,  the  Cayuses,  Yakimas,  Palouses,  Walla  Wallas,  Umatillas,  and  Klickitats. 
They  had  swept  the  country  clean  of  whites.  The  ride  of  Pearson  from  The  Dalles 
to  the  point  where  he  reached  Governor  Stevens  is  one  of  the  most  thrilling  in 
our  annals.  By  riding  all  day  and  night,  he  reached  a  horse  ranch  on  the  Umatilla 
belonging  to  William  McKay,  but  he  found  the  place  deserted.  Seeing  a  splendid 
horse  in  the  bunch  near  by,  he  lassoed  and  saddled  him.  Though  the  horse  was 
as  wild  as  air,  Pearson  managed  to  mount  and  start  on.  Just  then  there  swept 
into  view  a  force  of  Indians  who,  instantly  divining  what  Pearson  was  trying  to 
do,  gave  chase.  Up  and  down  hill,  through  vale,  and  across  the  rim-rock,  they 
followed,  sending  frequent  bullets  after  him,  and  yelling  like  demons.  "Whupsiah 
si-ah-poo,  Whup-si-ah!"  ("Kill  the  white  man!")  But  the  wild  horse  which  the 
intrepid  rider  bestrode  proved  his  salvation,  for  he  gradually  outran  all  his  pur- 
suers. Traveling  through  the  Walla  Walla  at  night  Pearson  reached  the  camp  of 
friendly  Nez  Perce  Red  Wolf  on  the  Alpowa  the  next  day,  having  ridden  200 
miles  from  The  Dalles  without  stopping  except  the  brief  time  changing  horses. 
Snow  and  hunger  now  impeded  his  course.  Part  of  the  way  he  had  to  go  on 
snowshoes  without  a  horse.  But  with  unflinching  resolution  he  passed  on,  and  so 
now  here  he  was  with  his  dismal  tidings. 

The  dispatches  warned  Governor  Stevens  that  Kamiakin  with  a  thousand  war- 
riors was  in  the  Walla  Walla  \^alley  and  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to 
get  through  by  that  route,  and  that  he  must  therefore  return  to  the  East  by  the 
Missouri  and  come  back  to  his  territory  by  the  steamer  route  of  Panama.     That 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  97 

meant  six  months'  delay.  With  characteristic  boldness,  Governor  Stevens  at 
once  rejected  the  more  cautious  course  and  went  right  back  to  Spokane  by  Coeur 
d'Alene  Pass,  deep  already  with  vi'inter  snows,  suffering  intensely  with  cold  and 
hunger,  but  avoiding  by  that  route  the  Indians  sent  out  to  intercept  him.  With 
extraordinary  address,  he  succeeding  in  turning  the  Spokane  Indians  to  his  side. 
The  Nez  Perces,  thanks  to  Lawyer's  fidelity,  were  still  friendly,  and  with  these 
two  powerful  tribes  arrayed  against  the  Yakimas,  there  was  still  hope  of  holding 
the  Columbia  Valley. 

After  many  adventures,  Governor  Stevens  reached  Olympia  in  safety.  Gov- 
orner  Curry  of  Oregon  had  already  called  a  force  of  volunteers  into  the  field. 
The  Oregon  volunteers  were  divided  into  two  divisions,  one  under  Col.  T.  W. 
Nesmith,  which  went  into  the  Yakima  country,  and  the  other  under  Lieut.-Col. 
J.  K.  Kelly,  which  went  to  Walla  Walla.  The  latter  force  fought  the  decisive 
battle  of  the  campaign  on  the  7th,  8th,  9th  and  lOth  of  December,  1855.  It  was 
a  series  of  engagements  occurring  in  the  heart  of  the  Walla  Walla  Valley,  a 
"running  fight"  culminating  at  what  is  now  called  Frenchtown,  ten  miles  west  of 
the  present  City  of  Walla  Walla. 

The  famous  battle  of  the  Walla  Walla,  being  so  conspicuous  and  so  near  the 
present  city,  is  worthy  of  some  detail.  The  report  of  Col.  J.  K.  Kelley  is  as 
follows : 

"On  the  evening  of  the  8th  inst.,  I  gave  you  a  hasty  report  of  our  battle  with 
Indians  up  to  the  close  of  the  second  day's  fight,  and  then  stated  that  at  a  future 
time  I  would  give  a  more  detailed  account  of  all  transactions  that  occurred  since 
the  march  from  the  Umatilla  River.  Owing  to  active  engagements  in  the  field, 
and  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians,  I  have  not  hitherto  had  leisure  to  make  that  reportf 

"As  soon  as  it  was  dark  on  the  evening  of  the  second,  I  proceeded  with  my 
command  from  Fort  Henrietta  to  Walla  Walla,  having  left  a  detachment  of 
twenty-five  men,  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Sword,  to  protect  the  former 
post.  On  the  morning  of  the  third  we  encamped  on  the  bank  of  the  Walla  Walla 
River  about  four  miles  from  the  fort;  and,  proceeding  to  the  latter  place,  I  found 
it  had  been  pillaged  by  the  Indians,  the  buildings  much  defaced  and  the  furniture 
destroyed. 

"On  the  morning  of  the  fourth,  a  body  of  Indians  was  observed  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  Columbia,  apparently  making  preparations  to  cross  the  river  with  a 
large  amount  of  baggage.  Seeing  us  in  possession  of  the  fort,  they  were  deterred 
from  making  the  attempt,  when  I  sent  a  small  detachment  down  to  a  bar  making 
into  the  Columbia  immediately  below  the  mouth  of  the  Walla  Walla,  and  opposite 
to  where  the  Indians  were,  with  directions  to  fire  upon  them  and  prevent  the 
removal  of  their  packs  of  provisions.  The  width  of  the  river  at  this  place  is 
about  250  yards ;  and  a  brisk  fire  was  at  once  opened  upon  the  Indians,  which 
was  returned  by  them  from  behind  the  rocks  on  the  opposite  shore.  No  boats 
could  be  procured  to  cross  the  river  in  order  to  secure  the  provisions  or  to  attack 
the  body  of  Indians,  numbering  about  fifty,  who  had  made  their  appearance  on 
the  hill  north  of  Walla  Walla,  who,  after  surveying  our  encampment,  started  off 
in  a  northeasterly  direction.  I  at  once  determined  to  follow  in  pursuit  of  them  on 
the  following  day. 

"Early  on  the  morning  of  the  fifth  I  dispatched  Second  Major  Chinn,  with 
150  men,  to  escort  the  baggage  and  packtrains  to  the  mouth  of  the  Touchet,  there 


98  OLD  WALLA  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

to  await  ni)-  icliiin  with  thu  ix-niainder  uf  the  forces  under  my  command.  On 
the  same  morning  1  marched  with  about  two  hundred  men  to  a  point  on  the 
Tuuchet  l\i\er  about  twelve  miles  from  its  mouth,  with  the  view  of  attacking 
the  Walla  Walla  Indians,  who  were  supposed  to  be  encamped  there.  When  I  was 
near  to  and  making  towards  the  village,  Peupeumoxmox,  the  chief  of  the  tribe, 
with  six  other  Indians,  made  their  appearance  under  a  flag  of  truce.  He  stated 
that  he  did  not  wish  to  fight ;  that  his  people  did  not  wish  to  fight ;  and  that  on  the 
follow-ing  day  he  would  come  and  have  a  talk  and  make  a  treaty  of  peace.  On 
consultation  w'ith  Hon.  Nathan  Olney,  Indian  agent,  we  concluded  that  this  was 
simply  a  ruse  to  gain  time  for  removing  his  village  and  preparing  for  battle.  I 
stated  to  him  that  we  had  come  to  chastise  him  for  the  wrongs  he  had  done  to 
our  people,  and  that  we  would  not  defer  making  an  attack  on  his  people  unless 
he  and  his  five  followers  would  consent  to  accompany  and  remain  wdth  us  until 
all  difficulties  were  settled.  I  told  him  that  he  might  go  away  under  his  flag  of 
truce  if  he  chose;  but,  if  he  did  so,  we  would  forthwith  attack  his  village.  The 
alternative  was  distinctly  made  known  to  him ;  and,  to  save  his  people,  he  chose 
to  remain  with  us  as  a  hostage  for  the  fulfillment  of  his  promise,  as  did  also  those 
who  accompanied  him.  He  at  the  same  time  said  that  on  the  following  day  he 
would  accompany  us  to  his  village;  that  he  would  then  assemble  his  people  and 
make  them  deliver  up  all  their  arms  and  ammunition,  restore  the  property  which 
had  been  taken  from  the  white  settlers,  or  pay  the  full  value  of  that  which  could 
not  be  restored ;  and  that  he  would  furnish  fresh  horses  to  remount  my  command, 
and  cattle  to  supply  them  with  provisions,  to  enable  us  to  wage  war  against  other 
hostile  tribes  who  were  leagued  with  him.  Having  made  these  promises,  we  re- 
frained from  making  the  attack,  thinking  we  had  him  in  our  power,  and  that  on 
the  next  dav  his  promises  w^ould  be  fulfilled.  I  also  permitted  him  to  send  one 
of  the  men  who  accompanied  him  to  his  village  to  apprise  the  tribes  of  the  terms 
of  the  expected  treaty,  so  that  they  might  be  perpared  to  fufill  it. 

"On  the  sixth,  we  marched  to  the  village  and  found  it  entirely  deserted,  but 
saw  the  Indians  in  considerable  force  on  the  distant  hills,  and  watching  our  move- 
ments. I  sent  out  a  messenger  to  induce  them  to  come  in,  but  could  not  do  so. 
And  I  will  here  observe  that  I  have  since  learned  from  a  Nez  Perce  boy  who  was 
taken  at  the  same  time  w'ith  Peupeumoxmox,  that  instead  of  sending  word  to  his 
people  to  make  a  treaty  of  peace,  he  sent  an  order  for  them  to  remove  their 
women  and  children  and  prepare  for  battle.  From  all  I  have  since  learned.  I  am 
well  persuaded  that  he  was  acting  with  du])licity,  and  that  he  expected  to  entrap 
my  command  in  the  deep  ravine  in  which  his  camp  was  situated,  and  make  his 
escape  from  us.  We  remained  at  the  deserted  village  until  about  one  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon ;  and  seeing  no  hope  of  coming  to  any  terms  we  proceeded  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Touchet  with  a  view  of  going  from  thence  to  some  spot  near  Whit- 
man's Station,  where  I  had  intended  to  form  a  permanent  camp  for  the  winter. 

"On  the  morning  of  the  seventh.  Companies  H  and  K  crossed  the  Touchet, 
leading  the  column  on  the  route  to  Whitman's  A'alley,  and  when  formed  on  the 
plain,  were  joined  by  Company  P..  A  few  persons  in  front  were  driving  our  cattle : 
and  a  few  were  on  the  flanks  of  the  companies  and  near  the  foot  of  the  hills  that 
extended  along  the  river.  These  persons,  as  well  as  I  can  ascertain,  were  fired  on 
by  the  Indians.  Immediately  all  the  companies  except  A  and  F  fwho  were  or- 
dered to  remain  with  the  baggage)  commenced  an  eager  chase  of  the  Indians  in 


FORT  WALLA  WALLA 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  99 

sight.  A  running  fight  was  the  consequence,  the  force  of  the  Indians  increasing 
with  every  mile.  Several  of  the  enemy  were  killed  in  the  chase  before  reaching 
the  farm  of  La  Rocque,  which  is  about  twelve  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Touchet.  At  this  point  they  made  a  stand,  their  left  resting  on  the  river  covered 
with  trees  and  underbrush,  their  center  occupying  the  fiat,  as  this  place  was  cov- 
ered with  clumps  of  sagebrush  and  small  sand  knolls,  their  right  on  the  high  ridge 
of  hills  which  skirt  the  river  bottom. 

"When  the  volunteers  reached  this  point,  they  were  not  more  than  forty  or 
fifty  men,  being  those  mounted  on  the  fleetest  horses.  Upon  these  the  Indians 
poured  a  murderous  fire  from  the  brushwood  and  willows  along  the  river,  and 
from  the  sage  bushes  along  the  plain,  wounding  a  number  of  the  volunteers.  The 
men  fell  back.  The  moment  was  critical.  They  were  commanded  to  cross  the 
fence  which  surrounds  La  Rocque's  field,  and  charge  upon  the  Indians  in  the 
brush.  In  executing  this  order.  Lieutenant  Burrows  of  Company  H  was  killed; 
and  Captain  Munson  of  Company  I,  Isaac  Miller,  sergeant-major,  and  G.  W. 
Smith  of  Company  B,  were  wounded.  A  dispatch  having  been  sent  to  Captain 
Wilson  of  Company  A  to  come  forward,  he  and  his  company  came  up  on  the 
gallop,  dismounted  at  a  slough,  and  with  fixed  bayonets  pushed  on  through  the 
brush.  In  the  course  of  half  an  hour  Captain  Bennett  was  on  the  ground  with 
Company  F ;  and,  with  this  accession,  the  enemy  was  steadily  driven  forward  for 
two  miles,  when  they  took  possession  of  a  farm  house  and  close  fence,  in  attempt- 
ing to  carry  which  Captain  Bennett  of  Company  F  and  Private  Kelso  of  Company 
A  were  killed.  .-/I.'.'V  w  ;.•   •;••" 

"A  howitzer  found  at  Fort;  ^^R^ilAjallasjunciftr  ?harge  of  Captain  Wilson,  by 
this  time  was  brought  to  bear  lipon  the  enemy.  Fouf  rounds  were  fired,  when  the 
piece  bursted,  wounding  Captain  %V:if/on.'':The  Indians  then  gave  way  at  all 
points;  and  the  house  and  fence"  NVFrE-seized-artd  held  by  the  volunteers  and  the 
bodies  of  our  men  recovered.  These  positions  were  held  by  us  until  nightfall, 
when  the  volunteers  fell  slowly  back  and  returned  unmolested  to  camp. 

"Early  on  the  morning  of  the  8th  the  Indians  appeared  with  increased  forces, 
amounting  to  fully  six  hundred  warriors.  They  were  posted  as  usual  in  the 
thick  brush  by  the  river,  among  the  sage  bushes  and  sand  knolls,  and  on  the  sur- 
rounding hills.  This  day  Lieutenant  Pillow  with  Company  A  and  Lieutenant 
Hannah  with  Company  H  were  ordered  to  take  and  hold  the  brush  skirting  the 
river  and  the  sage  bushes  on  the  plain.  Lieutenant  Fellows,  with  Company  F, 
was  directed  to  take  and  keep  the  possession  of  the  point  at  the  foot  of  the  hill. 
Lieutenant  Jeffries  with  Company  B,  Lieutenant  Hand  with  Company  I,  and 
Captain  Cornoyer  with  Company  K,  were  posted  on  three  several  points  on  the 
hills,  with  orders  to  maintain  them  and  to  assail  the  enemy  on  other  points  of  the 
same  hills.  As  usual,  the  Indians  were  driven  from  their  position,  although  they 
fought  with  skill  and  braven,'. 

"On  the  ninth,  they  did  not  make  their  appearance  until  about  ten  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  and  then  in  somewhat  diminished  numbers.  As  I  had  sent  to  Fort 
Henrietta  for  Companies  D  and  E,  and  expected  them  on  the  tenth,  I  thought 
it  best  to  act  on  the  defensive  and  hold  our  positions,  which  were  the  same  as  on 
the  eighth,  until  we  could  get  an  accession  to  our  forces  sufficient  to  enable  us 
to  assail  their  rear  and  cut  ofT  their  retreat.  An  attack  was  made  during  the  day 
on  Companies  A  and  H  in  the  brushwood,  and  upon  B  on  the  hill,  both  of  which 


100  OLD  \\  ALLA  \\ALLA  COUNTY 

were  repulsed  with  great  gallantry  by  those  companies,  and  with  considerable  loss 
to  the  enemy.  Companies  F,  I,  and  K  also  did  honor  to  themselves  in  repelling 
all  approaches  to  their  positions,  although  in  doing  so  one  man  in  Company  F 
and  one  in  Company  I  were  severely  wounded.  Darkness  as  usual  closed  the 
combat,  by  the  enemy  withdrawing  from  the  field.  Owing  to  the  inclemency  of 
the  night,  the  companies  on  the  hill  were  withdrawn  from  their  several  positions, 
Company  Li  abandoning  the  rifle  pits  which  were  made  by  the  men  for  its  pro- 
tection. At  early  dawn  on  the  next  day,  the  Indians  were  observed  from  our 
camp  to  be  in  possession  of  all  points  held  by  us  on  the  preceding  day.  Upon 
seeing  them.  Lieutenant  McAuliffe  of  Company  B  gallantly  observed  that  his 
company  had  dug  those  holes,  and  that  after  breakfast  they  would  have  them 
again.  And  well  was  his  declaration  fulfilled;  for  in  less  than  half  an  hour  the 
enemy  were  driven  from  the  rifle  pits,  and  had  fled  to  an  adjoining  hill  which 
they  had  occupied  the  day  before.  This  position  was  at  once  assailed.  Captain 
Cornoyer  with  Company  K  and  a  portion  of  Company  I,  being  mounted,  gallantly 
charged  the  enemy  on  his  right  flank,  while  Lieutenant  McAuliffe  with  Company 
B,  dismounted,  rushed  up  the  hill  in  face  of  a  heavy  fire,  and  scattered  them  in  all 
directions.  They  at  once  fled  in  all  directions  to  return  to  this  battlefield  no  more; 
and  thus  ended  our  long-contested  fight. 

"I  have  already  given  you  a  list  of  the  killed  and  wounded  on  the  first  two 
days  of  the  battle.  On  the  last  two  days,  we  had  only  three  wounded,  whose 
names  you  will  find  subjoined  to  this  report.  J.  Fleming  of  Company  A,  before 
reported  as  mortally  wounded,  has  since  died.  I  am  happy  to  state,  however,  that 
Private  Jasper  Snook  of  Company  H,  reported  by  me  as  mortally  wounded,  is  in 
a  fair  way  to  recover.  The  surgeon  informs  me  that  all  the  wounded  in  the  hos- 
pital are  now  doing  well.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  in  killed,  during  the  four  days, 
I  estimate  at  about  seventy-five.  Thirty-nine  dead  bodies  have  already  been  found 
by  the  volunteers;  and  many  were  carried  oiT  the  field  by  their  friends  and  com- 
rades. So  that  I  think  that  my  estimate  is  about  correct.  The  number  of  their 
wounded  must,  of  course,  be  great.  In  making  my  report,  I  cannot  say  too  much 
in  the  praise  of  the  conduct  of  the  officers  of  the  several  companies  and  most  of 
the  soldiers  under  my  command.  They  did  their  duty  bravely  and  well  during 
those  four  trying  days  of  battle.  To  Second  Major  Chinn,  who  took  charge  of 
the  companies  in  the  bush  by  the  river,  credit  is  due  for  his  bravery  and  skill, 
also  to  Assistant  Adjutant  Monroe  Atkinson  for  his  efficiency  and  zeal  as  well  in 
the  field  as  in  the  camp.  And  here,  while  giving  to  the  officers  and  men  of  the 
regiment  the  praise  that  is  justly  due,  I  cannot  omit  the  name  of  Hon.  Nathan 
Olney,  although  he  is  not  one  of  the  volunteers.  Having  accompanied  me  in  the 
capacity  of  Indian  agent,  I  requested  him  to  act  as  my  aid,  on  account  of  his 
admitted  skill  in  Indian  warfare  ;  and,  to  his  wisdom  in  council  and  daring  courage 
on  the  field  of  l)attle.  I  am  much  indebted  and  shall  never  cease  to  appreciate  his 
worth. 

"Companies  D  and  E  having  arrived  from  Fort  Henrietta  on  the  evening  of 
the  tenth,  the  next  morning  I  followed  with  all  the  available  troops  along  the 
Nez  Perces'  trail  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians.  On  Mill  Creek,  about  twelve  miles 
from  here,  we  passed  through  their  village,  numbering  196  fires,  which  had  been 
deserted  the  night  before.  Much  of  their  provisions  were  scattered  along  the 
wayside,  indicating  that  they  had  fled  in  great  haste  to  the  north.  We  pursued 
them  until  it  was  too  dark  to  follow  the  track  of  their  horses,  when  we  camped 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  101 

on  Coppei  Creek.  On  the  twelfth  we  continued  the  pursuit  until  we  passed  some 
distance  beyond  the  station  of  Brooke,  Noble  and  Bumford  on  the  Touchet,  when 
we  found  the  chase  was  in  vain,  as  many  of  our  horses  were  completely  broken 
down  and  the  men  on  foot.  We  therefore  returned  and  arrived  in  camp  on  yes- 
terday evening  with  about  one  hundred  head  of  cattle  which  the  Indians  left  scat- 
tered along  the  trail  in  their  flight. 

"On  the  eleventh,  while  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  I  received  a  letter  from 
Narcisse  Raymond  by  the  hands  of  Tintinmetzy,  a  friendly  chief  (which  I  en- 
close), asking  our  protection  of  the  French  and  friendly  Indians  under  his  charge. 

"On  the  morning  of  the  twelfth,  I  dispatched  Captain  Cornoyer  with  his  com- 
pany to  their  relief.  Mr.  Olney,  who  accompanied  them,  returned  to  camp  this 
evening,  and  reports  that  Captain  Cornoyer  will  return  tomorrow  with  Mr.  Ray- 
mond and  his  people,  who  nbw  feel  greatly  relieved  from  their  critical  situation. 
Mr.  Olney  learned  from  these  friendly  Indians  what  we  before  strongly  believed, 
that  the  Palouses,  Walla  Wallas,  Umatillas,  Cayuses,  and  Stock  Whitley's  band 
of  Des  Chutes  Indians  were  all  engaged  in  the  battle  on  the  Walla  Walla.  These 
Indians  also  informed  Mr.  Olney  that,  after  the  battle,  the  Palouses,  Walla  Wallas, 
and  Umatillas  had  gone  partly  to-the  Grande  Ronde  and  partly  to  the  country  of 
the  Nez  Perces,  and  that  Stock  Whitley,  disgusted  with  the  manner  in  which  the 
Cayuses  fought  in  the  battle,  has  abandoned  them  and  gone  to  the  Yakima  coun- 
try to  join  his  forces  with  those  of  Kamiakin.  We  have  now  the  undisputed  pos- 
session of  the  country  south  of  the  Snake  River;  and  I  would  suggest  the  pro- 
priety of  retaining  this  possession  until  such  time  as  it  can  be  occupied  by  the 
regular  troops.  The  Indians  have  left  much  of  their  stock  behind,  which  will 
doubtless  be  lost  to  us  if  we  go  away.  The  troops  here  will  not  be  in  a  situation 
for  some  time  to  go  to  the  Palouse  country,  as  our  horses  at  present  are  too  much 
jaded  to  endure  the  journey ;  and  we  have  no  boats  to  cross  Snake  River  and  no 
timber  to  make  them  nearer  than  this  place.  But  I  would  suggest  the  propriety 
of  following  up  the  Indians  with  all  possible  speed,  now  that  their  hopes  are 
blighted  and  their  spirits  broken.  Unless  this  be  done,  they  will  perhaps  rally 
again. 

"Today  I  received  a  letter  from  Governor  Stevens,  dated  yesterday,  which  I 
enclose.  You  will  perceive  that  he  is  in  favor  of  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the 
war.     With  his  views  I  fully  concur. 

"I  must  earnestly  ask  that  supplies  be  sent  forward  to  us  without  delay.  For 
the  last  three  days  none  of  the  volunteers,  except  the  two  companies  from  Fort 
Henrietta,  have  had  any  flour.  There  is  none  here,  and  but  little  at  that  post. 
We  are  now  living  on  beef  and  potatoes  which  are  found  en  cache;  and  the  men 
are  becoming  much  discontented  with  this  mode  of  living.  Clothing  for  the  men 
is  much  needed  as  the  winter  approaches.  Tomorrow  we  will  remove  to  a  more 
suitable  point,  where  grass  can  be  obtained  in  greater  abundance  for  our  worn- 
out  horses.  A  place  has  been  selected  about  two  miles  above  Whitman's  Station, 
on  the  same  (north)  side  of  the  Walla  Walla;  consequently  I  will  abandon  this 
fort,  named  in  honor  of  Captain  Bennett  of  Company  F,  who  now  sleeps  beneath 
its  stockade,  and  whose  career  of  usefulness  and  bravery  was  here  so  sadly  but 
nobly  closed. 

"Very  respectfully,  your  ob't  serv't, 

"James  K.  Kelly, 
"Lieut.-Col.,  Com'g  Left  Col." 


102  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

A  most  bitterly  disputed  feature  of  this  battle  was  the  killing  of  Peupeuiiiox- 
niox.  It  has  been  esteemed  by  many  as  nothing  short  of  murder.  The  author 
of  this  work  found  difference  of  opinion  among  the  old-timers  formerly  resident 
in  Walla  Walla,  as  Lewis  McMorris  and  James  McAuliffe,  as  to  the  rights  and 
wrongs  of  the  case.  The  former  narrated  a  ghastly  story  as  follows :  The  Indian 
chief  having  been  taken  prisoner  with  several  followers  was  under  guard.  In 
the  hottest  of  the  fight  they  undertook  to  escape.  The  guards  shot  them  down. 
The  body  of  the  old  chieftain  was  mutilated.  His  ears  were  cut  ofif  and  put  in  a 
jar  of  whiskey  in  order  to  preserve  them,  and  subsequently  they  were  nailed  to 
the  State  House  at  Salem.  But,  according  to  McMorris,  the  whiskey  in  the  jar 
disappeared.  It  was  believed  by  the  soldiers  that  a  certain  lieutenant  had  taken 
it  for  beverage  purposes,  and  it  was  common  for  someone  in  camp  to  bawl  out  at 
night  when  he  could  not  be  identified,  "Who  drank*  the  whiskey  off  of  Peupeu- 
moxmox's  ears  ?"  This  event,  while  so  repulsive,  casts  a  certain  light  on  the  con- 
ditions. Perhaps  a  fuller  view  can  be  obtained  by  quoting  the  official  superin- 
tendent, Joel  Palmer,  as  follows: 

"We  arrived  near  the  camp  (Walla  Wallas)  just  before  night  (the  5th  of 
December),  and  were  met  by  Peupeumoxmox  and  about  fifty  of  his  men  with  a 
white  flag.  They  asked  for  a  talk.  We  halted  (Colonel  Kelly's  command)  and 
demanded  what  he  wanted.  He  said  peace.  We  told  him  to  come  with  us  and 
we  would  talk.  He  said  no.  We  then  told  him  to  take  back  his  flag  and  we 
would  fight.  He  said  no.  We  then  told  him  to  take  his  choice — go  back  and  fight 
or  come  and  stop  with  us.  He  chose  the  latter.  We  retained  him  until  the  next 
day.  We  tried  to  come  to  an  understanding,  but  could  not.  We  still  retained 
him  as  a  prisoner,  with  four  of  his  men  who  came  along  with  him.  The  next 
morning,  the  seventh,  a  large  force  attacked  us  as  we  left  camp.  In  tr)'ing  to 
escape  from  their  guard  during  the  seventh,  they  w'ere  killed." 

As  presenting  the  other  view  of  the  subject,  we  quote  from  Colonel. Gilbert  as 
follows : 

"An  important  event  transpired  that  day  which  it  would  be  more  proper  to 
designate  as  a  disgraceful  tragedy  enacted,  that  is  omitted  from  this  oflicial 
report.  The  following  is  an  account  of  it,  as  given  to  the  writer  by  Lewis  Mc- 
Morris, who  was  present  at  the  time  and  saw  what  he  narrated.  *  *  *  The 
combatants  had  passed  on  up  the  valley,  and  the  distant  detonation  of  their  guns 
could  be  heard.  The  flag  of  truce  prisoners  were  there  under  guard,  and  every- 
one seemed  electrified  with  suppressed  excitement.  A  wounded  man  came  in  with 
his  shattered  arm  dangling  at  his  side,  and  reported  Captain  Bennett  killed  at  the 
front.  This  added  to  the  excitement,  and  the  attention  of  all  was  more  or  less 
attracted  to  the  wounded  man,  when  some  one  said,  'Look  out,  or  the  Indians  will 
get  away  !'  At  this,  seemingly,  every  one  yelled,  'Shoot  'em !  Shoot  'em !'  and  on 
the  instant  there  was  a  rattle  of  musketry  on  all  sides. 

"What  followed  was  so  quick,  and  there  were  so  many  acting  that  McMorris 
could  not  see  it  in  detail,  though  all  was  transpiring  within  a  few  yards  of,  and 
around  him.  It  was  over  in  a  minute,  and  three  of  the  five  prisoners  were  dead; 
another  was  wounded,  knocked  senseless  and  supposed  to  be  dead,  who  after- 
wards recovered  consciousness,  and  was  shot  to  put  him  out  of  misery,  while  the 
fifth  was  spared  because  he  was  a  Nez  Perce.  *  *  *  .A.11  were  scalped  in  a  few 
minutes,  and  later  the  body  of  Yellow  Bird,  the  great  Walla  Walla  chief,  was 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  103 

mutilated  in  a  way  that  should  entitle  those  who  did  it  to  a  prominent  niche  in 
the  ghoulish  temple  erected  to  commemorate  the  infamous  acts  of  soulless  men. 
Let  us  draw  a  screen  upon  this  affair  that  has  cast  a  shadow  over  the  otherwise 
bright  record  of  Oregon  volunteers  in  that  \TOr,  remembering,  when  we  do  so, 
that  but  few  of  them  were  responsible  for  its  occurrence." 

Following  this  decisive  victory  of  Colonel  Kelly  and  his  command,  in  Decem- 
ber, 185s,  on  the  Walla  Walla,  a  second  regiment  of  Washington  volunteers  was 
despatched  for  Walla  Walla  in  the  smnmer  of  1856  in  command  of  Col.  B.  F. 
Shaw.  On  July  17,  1856,  Colonel  Shaw  gained  a  brilliant  victory  over  the  allied 
forces  of  the  savages  in  the  Grande  Ronde.  While  this  important  campaign  was 
in  progress,  Governor  Stevens  had  his  hands  full  in  Western  Washington.  The 
little  settlement  at  Seattle  had  been  nearly  destroyed.  Many  of  the  settlers  in  the 
scattered  settlements  on  the  sound  had  lost  their  lives,  their  homes  were  destroyed 
and  their  stock  driven  off.  In  the  spring  the  Klickitat  Indians  had  made  a  sudden 
dash  upon  the  settlements  on  the  Columbia  River  between  the  White  Salmon  and 
the  Cascades.  A  certain  young  lieutenant,  afterwards  somewhat  distinguished, 
fought  his  first  battle  at  the  latter  point.  It  was  Phil  Sheridan.  In  spite  of  these 
absorbing  events  in  Western  Washington  and  at  the  Cascades,  Governor  Stevens, 
realizing  the  vital  importance  of  holding  the  allegiance  of  the  Nez  Perces,  pro- 
ceeded to  Walla  Walla  for  another  council.  His  location  was  about  two  miles 
above  the  camp  of  1855.  Shortly  after  his  arrival,  Col.  E.  J.  Steptoe  of  the 
regular  army  made  camp  at  the  location  of  the  present  fort. 

And  now  came  on  the  second  great  Walla  Walla  council.  The  tribes  were 
fathered  as  before,  and  were  aligned  as  before.  The  division  of  Nez  Perces  under 
Lawyer  stood  firmly  by  Stevens  and  the  treaty.  The  others  did  not.  The  most 
unfortunate  feature  of  the  entire  matter  Was  that  Colonel  Steptoe,  acting  under 
General  Wool's  instructions,  thus  far  kept  secret,  refused  to  grant  Stevens  ade- 
quate support  and  subjected  him  to  humiliations  which  galled  the  fiery  Governor 
to  the  limit.  In  fact,  had  it  not  been  for  the  vigilance  of  the  faithful  Nez  Perces 
of  Lawyer's  band,  Stevens  and  his  force  would  surely  have  met  the  doom  pre- 
pared for  them  at  the  first  council.  The  debt  of  gratitude  due  Lawyer  is  incal- 
culable. Spotted  Eagle  ought  to  be  recorded,  too,  as  of  similar  devotion  and 
watchfulness.  Governor  Stevens  afterward  declared  that  a  speech  by  him  in 
favor  of  the  whites  was  equal  in  feeling,  truth,  and  courage  to  any  speech  that  he 
ever  heard  from  any  orator  whatever. 

Rut  in  spite  of  oratory,  zeal,  and  argument,  nothing  could  overcome  the  influ- 
ence of  Kamiakin,  Owhi,  Ouelchen,  Five  Crows  and  others  of  the  Yakimas  and 
Cayuses.  Nothing  was  gained.  They  stood  just  where  they  were  a  year  before. 
The  fatal  results  of  divided  counsels  between  regulars  and  volunteers  were  ap- 
parent. 

The  baffled  Governor  now  started  on  his  way  down  the  river,  but  not  without 
another  battle.  For,  as  he  was  marching  a  short  distance  south  of  what  is  now 
Walla  Walla  City,  the  Indians  burst  upon  his  small  force  with  the  evident  inten- 
tion of  ending  all  scores  then  and  there.  But  Colonel  Steptoe  established  a  rude 
stockade  fort  on  Mill  Creek  in  what  is  now  the  heart  of  the  present  Walla  Walla 
City,  and  went  into  winter  quarters  there  in  1856-57.  Governor  Stevens  returned 
to  Olympia  and  launched  forth  a  bitter  arraignment  against  Wool.  The  latter, 
however,  was  in  a  position  of  vantage  and  issued  a  proclamation  commanding  all 


KU  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

whites  in  the  upper  country  to  go  down  the  river  and  leave  the  Cascade  Moun- 
tains as  the  eastern  hmit  of  the  white  settlement.  Thus  ended  for  a  time  this 
unsatisfactory  and  distressing  war.  'Jo  all  appearances  Kamiakin  and  his  adher- 
ents had  accomplished  all  they  wanted. 

But  this  was  not  the  end.  Gold  had  been  discovered  in  Eastern  Washington. 
Vast  j)ossihilities  of  cattle  raising  were  evident  on  those  endless  bunch-grass  hills. 
Although  there  was  as  yet  little  conception  of  the  future  developments  of  the 
Inland  Empire  in  agriculture  and  gardening,  yet  the  keen-eyed  immigrants  and 
volunteers  had  scanned  the  pleasant  vales  and  abounding  streams  of  the  Walla 
Walla  and  Umatilla  and  Palouse,  and  had  decided  in  their  own  minds  that, 
Wool  or  no  Wool,  this  land  must  be  opened.  In  1857  the  Government,  as  already 
noted,  decided  on  a  change  of  policy  and  sent  Gen.  N.  S.  Clarke  to  take  Wool's 
place.  General  Clarke  opened  the  gates,  and  the  impatient  army  of  land  hunters 
and  gold  hunters  began  to  move  in.  Meanwhile,  Colonel  Wright  and  Colonel 
Steptoe,  though  formerly  they  had  closely  followed  Wool's  policy,  now  began 
to  experience  a  change  of  heart.  Out  of  these  conditions  the  third  Indian  war, 
in  1858,  quickly  succeeded  the  second,  being  indeed  its  inevitable  sequence. 

Three  campaigns  marked  this  third  war.  The  first  was  conducted  by  Colonel 
Steptoe  against  the  Spokanes  and  Coeur  d'Alenes,  and  ended  in  his  humiliating 
and  disastrous  defeat.  The  second  was  directed  by  Major  Garnett  against  the 
Yakimas,  resulting  in  their  permanent  overthrow.  The  third  was  conducted  by 
Colonel  Wright  against  the  Spokanes  and  other  northern  tribes  who  had  defeated 
Steptoe.  This  was  the  Waterloo  of  the  Indians,  and  it  ushered  in  the  occupation 
and  settlement  of  the  upper  Columbia  country. 

The  Steptoe  expedition,  the  first  of  that  series  of  campaigns,  was  one  of  the 
most  disastrous  in  the  history  of  Indian  warfare.  When  the  command  had  reached 
a  point  near  Four  Lakes,  probably  the  group  of  which  Silver  Lake  is  largest,  a 
formidable  array  of  Indians  met  them,  all  the  hosts  of  the  Spokanes,  Pend 
Oreilles.  and  allied  tribes.  Seeing  the  dangerous  situation  into  which  they  were 
running,  Steptoe  gave  the  word  to  retreat. 

The  force  turned  back  and  that  night  all  seemed  well.  But  at  9  o'clock  the 
next  morning,  while  the  soldiers  were  descending  a  canon  to  Pine  Creek,  near  the 
present  site  of  Rosalia,  a  large  force  of  Indians  burst  upon  them  like  a  cyclone. 
As  the  battle  began  to  wax  hot  the  terrible  consequences  of  the  error  of  lack  of 
ammunition  began  to  become  manifest.  Man  after  man  had  to  cease  firing. 
Capt.  O.  H.  P.  Taylor  and  Lieutenant  Gaston  commanded  the  rear-guard.  With 
extraordinar}'  skill  and  devotion  they  held  the  line  intact  and  foiled  the  efforts  of 
the  savages  to  burst  through.  Meanwhile  the  whole  force  was  moving  as  rapidly 
as  consistent  with  formation  on  their  way  southward.  Taylor  and  Gaston  sent  a 
messenger  forward,  begging  Steptoe  to  halt  the  line  and  give  them  a  chance  to 
load.  But  the  commander  felt  that  the  safety  of  the  whole  force  depended  on 
pressing  on.  Soon  a  fierce  rush  of  Indians  followed,  and,  when  the  surge  had 
passed,  the  gallant  rear-guard  was  buried  under  it.  One  notable  figure  in  the 
death-grapple  was  De  May,  a  Frenchman,  trained  in  the  Crimea  and  Algeria,  and 
an  expert  fencer.  For  some  time  he  used  his  gun  barrel  as  a  sword  and  swept 
the  Indians  down  by  dozens  with  his  terrific  sweeps.  But  at  last  he  fell  before 
numbers  and  one  of  his  surviving  comrades  relates  that  he  heard  him  shouting 
his  last  words,  "O  my  God,  my  God,  for  a  sabre !" 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  105 

Ikit  the  lost  rear-guard  saved  the  rest.  For  they  managed  to  hold  back  the 
swarm  of  foes  until  nightfall,  when  they  reached  a  somewhat  defensible  position 
a  few  miles  from  the  towering  cone  of  what  is  now  known  as  Steptoe  Butte. 
There  they  spent  part  of  a  dark,  rainy,  and  dismal  night,  anticipating  a  savage 
attack.  But  the  Indians,  sure  of  their  prey,  waited  till  morning.  Surely  the  first 
light  would  have  revealed  a  massacre  equal  to  the  Custer  massacre  of  later  date, 
had  not  the  unexpected  happened.  And  the  unexpected  was  that  old  Timothy, 
the  Nez  Perce  guide,  knew  a  trail  through  a  rough  canon,  the  only  possible  exit 
without  discovery.  In  the  darkness  of  midnight  the  shattered  command  mounted 
and  followed  at  a  gallop  the  faithful  Timothy,  on  whose  keen  eyes  and  mind  their 
salvation  rested.  The  wounded  and  a  few  footmen  were  dropped  at  intervals 
along  the  trail.  After  an  eighty-mile  gallop  during  the  day  and  night  following, 
the  yellow  flood  of  Snake  River  suddenly  broke  before  them  between  its  desolate 
banks.  Saved !  The  unwearied  Timothy  threw  out  his  own  warriors  as  a  screen 
against  the  pursuing  foe,  and  set  his  women  to  ferrying  the  soldiers  across  the 
turbulent  stream. 

Thus  the  larger  part  of  the  command  reached  Fort  Walla  Walla  alive. 

With  the  defeat  of  Steptoe,  the  Indians  may  well  have  felt  that  they  were  in- 
vincible. But  their  exultation  was  short-lived.  As  already  noted,  Garnett  crushed 
the  Yakimas  at  one  blow,  and  Wright  a  little  later  repeated  Steptoe's  march  to 
Spokane,  but  did  not  repeat  his  retreat.  For  in  the  battle  of  Four  Lakes,  on 
September  ist,  and  that  of  Spokane  Plains  on  September  5th,  Wright  broke 
forever  the  power  and  spirits  of  the  northern  Indians. 

The  treaties  were  thus  established  at  last  by  war.  The  reservations,  embracing 
the  finest  parts  of  the  Umatilla,  Yakima,  Clearwater,  and  Coeur  d'Alene  regions, 
were  set  apart,  and  to  them  after  considerable  delay  and  difficulty  the  tribes  were 
gathered. 

With  the  end  of  this  third  great  Indian  war  and  the  public  announcement  by 
General  Clarke  that  the  country  might  now  be  considered  open  to  settlement, 
immigration  began  to  pour  in,  and  on  ranch  and  river,  in  mine  and  forest,  the 
well-known  labors  of  the  American  state-builders  and  home-builders  were  dis- 
played. The  ever-new  West  was  repeating  itself.  Almost  immediately  upon  the 
tidings  of  General  Clarke's  proclamation,  a  motley  throng  of  prospective  miners, 
cowboys,  pioneer  merchants,  promoters  and  adventurers  of  all  kinds  began  to 
pour  into  the  "Upper  Country."  The  fur-traders,  foreign  missionaries,  scouts, 
and  advance  guard  of  pioneers  were  passing  off  the  stage  and  the  modern  build- 
ers were  coming.  The  varied  activities  and  enterprises  of  these  builders  of  the 
foundations  during  the  decades  of  the  '60s  and  '70s,  which  may  be  styled  the  first 
division  of  the  era  of  modern  times  will  compose  Part  Two  of  this  volume. 


PART  II 

SETTLEMENT  AND  DEVELOPMENT 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  PERMANENT  ORGANIZATION  OF  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 
AND  FOUNDING  OF  THE  CITY 

In  an  earlier  chapter  we  have  narrated  the  first  attempts  by  the  first  Legis- 
lature of  Washington  Territory,  in  1854,  to  establish  Walla  Walla  County.  It 
consisted  of  the  entire  territory  east  of  a  line  running  north  from  a  point  on  the 
Columbia  River  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Des  Chutes  River,  practically  at  the 
present  Fallbridge.  Thus  the  county  included  all  of  the  present  Eastern  Wash- 
ington, with  the  entire  present  State  of  Idaho  and  about  a  fourth  of  Montana. 
The  only  settlement  in  that  vast  area  was  around  Waiilatpu  and  Frenchtown. 
Though  officers  for  the  proposed  county  w'ere  appointed,  they  did  not  qualify 
and  the  proposed  county  never  completed  its  organization.  Then  came  on  the 
Indian  wars,  lasting  till  Colonel  Wright's  decisive  victory  at  Spokane  in  August 
and  September,  1858,  closed  that  era.  Following  that  event  General  Clarke's 
proclamation  opened  the  "Upper  Country"  to  settlement.  Not  till  the  spring  of 
1859,  however,  did  Congress  ratify  the  treaties  for  the  three  reservations,  Nez 
Perce,  Umatilla,  and  Yakima.  But  almost  immediately  upon  General  Clarke's 
proclamation  the  impatient  immigration  began  to  enter  the  Walla  Walla  Valley. 
We  may  consider  the  immigrants  of  1858  and  1859  as  the  vanguard  of  permanent 
settlement.  Yet,  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  several  names  of  permanent  im- 
portance are  found  in  the  annals  of  1851-55.  during  the  period  between  the 
Cayuse  war  and  the  Great  War  of  1855-58.  Those  names  appeared  in  the  chap- 
ter on  the  Indian  Wars. 

A  number  of  the  pioneers  of  1858-59  had  been  connected  with  those  wars, 
either  as  members  of  the  United  States  army  or  as  volunteers.  Others  came  from 
Oregon  and  California,  full  of  the  restless  spirit  of  the  country  and  time,  eager 
for  the  possibilities  of  a  new  land.  Those  first  locations  were  mainly  in  the  near 
vicinity  of  the  present  City  of  Walla  Walla,  with  a  few  on  the  Touchet.  While 
it  is  hardly  possible  to  avoid  some  omissions,  we  will  endeavor  to  present  a  list 
of  those  who,  most  of  them  with  families,  settled  in  the  years  named,  a  few  com- 
ing even  prior  to  1858.  Some  of  them,  it  may  be  stated,  came  and  "looked"  and 
then  returned  for  family  or  equipment  and  came  back  in  a  year  for  a  permanence. 
A  few  here  given  left  the  country  after  a  few  years,  and  others  were  simply 
transients.  But  in  general  they  with  their  families  became  essential  factors  in 
the  upbuilding  life  of  the  region.  Among  them  were  business  men  and  profes- 
sional men,  but  the  majority  were  stockmen.  It  was  not  realized  that  the  gen- 
eral body  of  upland  was  adapted  to  grain  production.  The  first  settlers  generally 
sought  locations  convenient  to  water,  with  bottom  land  where  they  thought  grain 
and  vegetables  might  flourish,  but  with  the  range  of  luxuriant  bunch-grass  as 
the  essential  consideration.     Apparently  the  first  to  become  actually  established 

109 


HO  OLD  W  Al.I.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

in  periiiaiiciit  locations  weru  Thomas  Tage,  James  Foster,  Charles  Russell,  J.  C. 
Smith.  Christian  Maier,  John  Singleton,  and  Joseph  McEvoy,  all  in  the  near 
vicinity  of  Fort  Walla  Walla.  That  fort,  it  should  be  understood,  was  the  one 
of  the  present  location,  laid  out  in  1857,  following  the  fust  American  fort  of 
the  name  in  the  city  limits  of  W'alla  W'alla  on  Mill  Creek  near  the  American 
Theater  of  today.  Among  the  pioneer  business  men  of  the  same  time  were  three 
worthy  of  special  note  whose  coming  inaugurated  the  business  history  of  Walla 
Walla.  These  were  Dorsey  S.  Baker,  Almos  H.  Reynolds,  and  William  Stephens. 
Worthy  of  special  mention  in  this  connection  is  Mrs.  Almos  H.  Reynolds,  the 
first  white  woman  to  reside  in  the  Walla  \\alla  Valley,  after  the  period  of  the 
Whitman  Mission.  Mrs.  Reynolds,  nee  Lettice  Millican,  was  a  member  of  the 
immigration  of  1843,  lived  during  childhood  and  youth  in  Oregon,  was  married  to 
Ransom  Clark  and  came  with  him  in  1855  to  a  donation  land  claim  on  Yellow- 
hawk  Creek.  Driven  from  their  home  by  the  Indian  War  of  1855,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Clark  returned  to  Oregon,  and  there  Mr.  Clark  died  in  1859.  With  remarkable 
fortitude  and  courage,  Mrs.  Clark  returned  at  once  to  complete  residence  and 
make  proof  on  the  valuable  claim,  the  Government  having  cancelled  the  lapse  of 
time  covered  by  the  wars.  In  1861  Mrs.  Clark  was  married  to  Mr.  Reynolds  and 
the  remainder  of  the  lives  of  both  was  spent  in  the  city  which  they  did  so  much 
to  advance. 

In  connection  with  the  reference  to  the  Ransom  Clark  donation  land  claim,  it 
is  of  interest  to  record  the  fact  that  there  were  five  such  claims  established  in 
the  Walla  Walla  Valley.  To  those  not  familiar  with  the  early  history  of  Oregon 
it  may  be  well  to  explain  that  the  Provisional  Government  in  1843  provided  that 
each  American  citizen  in  Oregon  might  locate  320  acres  of  land,  or  each  married 
couple  might  have  double  that  amount.  That  offer  was  one  of  the  great  in- 
centives to  immigration,  though  it  would,  of  course,  have  been  nugatory  if  the 
United  States  had  not  got  the  country.  When  Oregon  was  acquired  by  the  United 
States  that  law  was  confirmed  by  Congress.  The  law  lasted  but  ten  years  after  the 
acquisition  of  Oregon,  and  almost  all  the  locations  under  it  were  in  the  Willamette 
and  Umpqua  valleys.  There  were  a  few,  however,  in  the  Cowlitz  Valley  and  on 
the  north  side  of  the  Columbia  and  on  streams  entering  Puget  Sound.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Clark  were  the  only  locators  who  came  here  from  the  Willamette  Valley 
jiurposely  to  locate  a  donation  claim.  There  were,  however,  three  former  mem- 
bers of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  who  located  donation  claims  in  the  vicinity  of 
Frenchtown.  These  Were  Louis  Dauney,  Narcisse  Remond  (or  Raymond  it  ap- 
pears on  the  Land  Office  map),  and  William  McBean.  In  addition  to  those  four 
donation  claims,  the  United  States  Government  allowed  the  American  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  a  square  mile  of  land  at  the  Whitman  Mission,  and  in  1859 
Gushing  Fells  purchased  their  right  and  established  himself  upon  the  claim.  The 
St.  Rose  Mission  also  had  a  filing  at  Frenchtown,  but  did  not  complete  proof. 

A  number  of  names  of  the  "advance  guard"  will  be  found  in  this  chapter 
under  the  heads  of  county  and  city  officials.  In  order,  however,  to  present  all  in 
one  view,  we  are  giving  here  as  complete  a  list  as  possible  of  the  settlers  of  1857- 
58-59.  It  is  derived  in  part  from  the  record  in  "Historic  Sketches"  by  Col.  F.  F. 
Gilbert,  and  in  part  from  the  records  of  the  Inland  Empire  Pioneer  Association, 
supplemented  by  personal  inquiry  by  the  author.    It  is  inevitable  that  a  name  here 


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-T- 

OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 


111 


and  there  should  be  omitted  and  the  author  and  publishers  will  appreciate  any 
further  information  from  pioneer  sources. 

PIONEERS  PRIOR  TO  1860 


John  F.  Abbott 
H.  C.  Actor 
Charles  Albright 
Milton  Aldrich 
Newton  Aldrich 

C.  R.  Allen 
F.  M.  Archer 
Wm.  H.  Babcock 
Chester  N.  Babcock 

D.  S.  Baker 

S.  D.  Baldwin 
W.  A.  Ball 
Joseph  Bauer 
Charles  Bellman 
Wm.  Bingham 
A.  A.  Blanchard 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  J.  Blanch- 
ard 
P.  J.  Boltrie 

E.  Bonner 

D.  D.  Brannan 

E.  H.  Brown 
H.  N.  Bruning 
James  Buckley- 
John  Bush 
John  Cain 

J.  M.  Canaday 

C.  H.  Case 

J.  Clark 

Ransom  Clark  and  sons 

Charles  and  William 
Mrs.  Ransom  Clark 
George  E.  Cole 
J.  M.  Craigie 
Louis  Dauney 
George  Delaney 
W.  S.  Davis 
N.  B.  Denny 
J.  M.  Dewar 
James  Dobson 
Jesse  Drumheller 
N.  B.  Dutro 
N.  Eastman 


R.  A.  Eddy 
Gushing  Eells 
!W.  L.  Elroy 
S.  H.  Erwin 
'Edward  Evarts 
Ij.  H.  Fairchild 
jWm.  Fink 
tj.  Foresythe 
Ijames  W.  Foster 
J.  Freedman 
Ijames  Fudge 
I  James  Galbreath 
S.  S.  Gilbreath 
Thomas  Gilkerson 
W.  S.  Gilliam 
Braziel  Grounds 
Ralph  Guichard 
|W.  R.  Hammond 
Joseph  W.  Harbert 
Solomon  Hardman 
Martin  H.  Hauber 
Daniel  Hayes 
Samuel  E.  Heam 
Joseph  Hellmuth 
H.  H.  Hill 
Henry  Howard 
Thomas  Hughes 
Lycurgus  Jackson 
Samuel  Johnson 
James  Johnston 
Wm.  B.  Kelly 
Robert  Kennedy 
]\Iichael  Kenny 
James  Kibler 
L.  L.  Kinney 
Wm.   Kohlhauff 
J.  M.  Lamb 
Samuel  Legart 
A.  G.  Lloyd 
J.  C.  Lloyd 
Francis  F.  Loehr 
James  McAuliffe 
Wm.  McBean 


M.  C.  McBride 
Robert  McCool 
Thomas  McCoy 
Joseph  McEvoy 
j.  W.  McGhee 
Neil  McGlinchy 
Wm.  McKinney 
Lewis  McMorris 
Wm.  McWhirk 
Christian  Maier 
John  Mahan 
John  Makin 
John  Manion 
Pat  Markey 
S.  R.  Maxson 
John  May 
Wm.  Millican 
R.  G.  Moffit 
Louis  A.  Mullan 
Lewis  Neace 
James  O'Donnell 
John  O'Donnell 
Robert  Oldham 
Frank  Orselli 
Thomas  P.  Page 
A.  D.  Pambrun 
Edward  D.  Pearce 
Jonathan  Pettyjohn 
John  Picard 
Francis  Pierrie 
George  T.  Pollard 
P.  Powel 
I.  T.  Reese 
Mrs.  C.  Regan 
R.  H.  Reighart 
A.  H.  Reynolds 
R.  A.  Rice 
Thomas  Riley 
A.  B.  Roberts 
A.  H.  Robie 
J.  J.  Rohn 
Charles  Russell 
Mrs.  Louisa  Saunders 


112  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Louis  Scholl  S.  D.  Smith  W.  W.  Walter 

-Mrs.  Elizabeth  Fulton  II.  IT.  Spalding  A.  G.  P.  Wardle 

Scholl  Wm.  Stephens  R.  Warmack 

Marshall  Seeke  B.  F.  Stone  John  Welch 

J.  M.  Sickler  Frank  Stone  E.  I!.  Whitman 

John  M.  Silcott  Christian  Sturm  Jonas  Whitney 

J.  A.  Sims  T.  J.  Sweazea  Mrs.  M.  A.  Wightnian 

Charles  Silverman  W.  J.  Terry  W.  W.  Wiseman 

John  Singleton  John  Tempany  Thomas  Wolf 

J.  C.  Smith  Augustus  Von  Hinkle  F.  L.  Worden 

As  it  was  becoming  e\  ident  that  Walla  Walla  possessed  the  resources  and 
attractions  for  drawing  and  sustaining  a  large  population  of  the  best  American 
citizenship,  the  Legislature  of  the  territory  passed  an  act  on  January  19,  1859,  to 
provide  a  government  for  A\'alla  Walla  County.  Meanwhile,  however,  the  limits 
of  the  county  had  been  greatly  reduced,  for  in  1858  Spokane  County  had  been  laid 
out  and  this  embraced  the  larger  part  of  the  vast  area  covered  by  the  first  Walla 
Walla  County.  In  1859,  Klickitat  County  (spelled  Clikatat  in  the  Act),  embracing 
the  area  between  the  Columbia  River  and  the  Cascades,  was  erected.  By  these 
two  acts  Walla  Walla  County  was  reduced  to  the  area  south  of  Snake  River  and 
east  of  the  Columbia.  Or  it  would  have  been  so  reduced,  if  the  organization  of 
Spokane  County  had  been  practically  accomplished.  But  it  was  not,  and  in 
T863,  the  new  Territorj'  of  Idaho  was  established  by  act  of  Congress,  and  at 
about  the  same  time  Stevens  County  in  Washington  was  laid  out,  covering 
Eastern  Washington  east  of  the  Columbia  and  north  of  Snake  River,  and  includ- 
ing the  abortive  County  of  Spokane.  Not  till  1879  did  Spokane  become  a  sep- 
arate county.  It  is  interesting  to  note  also  that  with  Stevens  the  County  of 
Ferguson  was  created,  including  what  now  composes  the  counties  of  Kittitas, 
Yakima,  and  Benton.  In  the  general  shuffle  of  time  and  fate  the  name  of  Fergu- 
son has  disappeared,  but  Stevens  still  remains  to  perpetuate  geographically  (there 
is  little  need  historically)  the  name  of  the  doughty  and  invincible  first  Governor 
of  Washington  Territory,  though  the  land  area  covered  by  the  name  has  been 
greatly  reduced  by  the  successive  subtractions  of  Whitman,  Spokane,  Adams, 
Franklin,  Grant,  Lincoln,  Okanogan,  Chelan,  and  Ferry  counties. 

By  the  act  of  1859  referred  to,  the  necessary  officers  of  Old  Walla  Walla 
County  were' established  as  follows:  County  Commissioners,  John  Mahan,  Walter 
R.  Davis,  and  John  C.  Smith  (better  known  as  Sergeant  Smith)  ;  Sherifif,  Edward 

D.  Pearce;  Auditor,  R.  H.  Reighart ;  Probate  Judge,  Samuel  D.  Smith;  Justice 
of  the  Peace,  J.  A.  Sims.  Commissioners  Mahan  and  Davis  met  at  Walla  Walla 
on  March  15,  1859,  and  to  fill  vacancies  left  by  the  non-acceptance  of  the  auditor 
and  sheriff,  appointed  James  Galbreath  for  the  former  and  Lycurgus  Jackson 
for  the  latter  position.  At  a  meeting  of  the  commissioners  on  March  26,  1859, 
they  found  it  necessary  to  make  changes  again  in  the  personnel  of  county 
officers.     As  a  result  the   following  assumed   office  in   their  respective  places: 

E.  H.  Brown,  probate  judge;  Lycurgus  Jackson,  assessor;  Neil  McGlinchy 
county  treasurer;  and  William  B.  Kelly,  superintendent  of  schools. 

The  next  stage  in  the  political  evolution  of  the  county  was  the  appointment 
of  a  date  for  general  election.    This  was  set  for  the  following  July.     The  county 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  113 

was  divided  into  two  voting  precincts,  Steptoeville,  and  Dry  Creelc.  The  former 
seems  to  have  included  the  region  centering  around  the  United  States  Fort  Walla 
Walla,  and  thence  down  Mill  Creek  to  the  Walla  Walla.  There  was  a  general 
habit  of  designating  the  region  around  the  fort  as  Steptoeville,  a  clumsy  and 
illogical  name,  for  it  is  not  euphonious  nor  would  it  seem  that  it  would  have 
been  popular,  for  certainly  the  officer  who  met  such  disastrous  defeat  at  the  hands 
of  the  Spokane  Indians  did  not  bring  great  glory  to  the  Stars  and  Stripes  nor 
great  security  to  possible  settlement.  Fortunately  the  name  was  not  preserved. 
The  election  place  in  "Steptoeville"  was  appointed  at  the  house  of  W.  J.  Terry 
but  that  was  subsequently  changed  to  "The  Church  at  Steptoeville."  The  only 
church  here  at  that  time  seems  to  have  been  a  Catholic  church  built  at  some  time 
in  1859  on  the  location  of  the  subsec^uent  McGillivray  house,  afterward  occupied 
by  Jacob  Betz,  near  the  present  home  of  George  Welch.  The  "church,"  we  may 
say  in  passing,  consisted  of  poles  stuck  in  the  ground  and  covered  with  shakes. 
It  had  no  floor  and  its  only  seating  facilities  consisted  of  one  bench.  J.  A.  Sims, 
Wm.  B.  Kelly,  and  Wm.  McWhirk  were  the  judges  and  Thomas  Hughes  the 
clerk  for  the  election  in  "Steptoeville"  precinct.  In  Dry  Creek  precinct,  which 
seems  to  have  included  all  the  rest  of  the  county  to  the  east  and  north,  the  elec- 
tion board  consisted  of  E.  Bonner,  J.  M.  Craigie,  and  Wm.  Fink.  The  clerk  was 
W.  W.  Wiseman.  The  polling  place  was  at  the  residence  of  J.  C.  Smith.  That 
was  the  first  real  election  in  Walla  Walla  County  or  anywhere  in  Eastern  Wash- 
ington, though  there  had  been  "kind  of"  an  election  in  1855  among  the  few 
settlers  around  Waiilatpu  and  Frenchtown.  It  is  worth  noting  that  the  retiring 
board  of  commissioners  had  two  meetings  prior  to  the  election.  One  of  these  was 
on  June  6th,  and  at  that  meeting  it  was  voted  to  pay  $20.00  per  month  for  the 
rent  of  a  building  for  a  courthouse  and  to  impose  a  tax  of  seven  mills.  At  a 
meeting  on  July  2d  the  resignation  of  James  Galbreath  was  presented  and  Augustus 
Von  Hinkle  was  appointed  for  the  vacancy.  At  the  same  meeting  the  name  of 
Waiilatpu  was  substituted  for  Steptoeville. 

The  election  of  July  seems  to  have  duly  occurred,  but  apparently  the  records 
have  been  lost.  That  officers  were  duly  chosen  appears  from  the  fact  that 
on  September  5th  the  new  board  of  commissioners  met  and  determined  their 
terms  of  service:  Charles  Russell,  one  year;  John  Mahan  two  years  and  Wm. 
McWhirk  three  years.  The  following  incumbents  of  county  offices  were  elected : 
I.  T.  Reese,  auditor;  Lycurgus  Jackson,  sheriff;  Neil  McGlinchy,  treasurer; 
Thomas  P.  Page,  assessor;  C.  H.  Case,  surveyor;  J.  M.  Canaday,  justice  of  the 
peace.  I.  T.  Reese  was  granted  $40.00  per  month  for  the  building  used  as  the 
courthouse,  and  that  building  was  nearly  opposite  the  present  courthouse.  The 
county  hired  the  upper  story,  the  lower  being  a  saloon.  On  November  17,  1859, 
the  board  of  commissioners  voted  to  locate  the  county  seat  at  the  point  first 
named  "Steptoeville,"  then  Waiilatpu,  but  now  by  their  vote  duly  christened 
Walla  Walla.  Thus,  on  November  17,  1859,  the  "Garden  City"  officially  entered 
the  world  under  the  name  by  which  the  Indians  at  the  junction  of  the  Big  Rivers 
introduced  themselves  to  Lewis  and  Clark,  the  first  white  explorers,  and  pre- 
served, though  with  many  changes  of  spelling,  through  the  era  of  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company,  and  by  that  company  applied  to  the  fort  on  the  Columbia.  Now 
by  the  action  of  the  first  elected  board  of  county  commissioners  the  musical 
name  was  attached  to  the  newly  established  town  of  1859.    I*^  '^  worthy  of  notice 

Vol.  1—8 


114  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COLXTY 

that  the  name  is  commonly  supposed  to  mean  tlic  'A'alley  of  Waters,"'  referring 
to  the  numerous  sjirings  in  the  vicinity  of  the  city.  The  author  has  been  told 
by  "Old  Bones,"  an  Indian  of  the  Cayuse  tribe  who  lived  for  many  years  near 
Lyons'  Ferry  on  Snake  River  and  was  known  to  all  old-timers,  that  the  name  was 
understood  by  the  natives  to  signify  that  section  of  country  below  Waiilatpu, 
"where  the  four  creeks  meet;"  viz.,  the  Walla  Walla,  Touchet,  Mill  Creek,  and 
Dry  Creek.  The  Walla  Walla  above  that  point  was  commonly  known  to  the 
Indians  as  "Tum-a-lum."  The  sound  "Wall"  is  common  in  Indian  words  all  over 
the  Northwest  as  \\'illamette,  Wallula,  Wallowa,  Waiilatpu,  or,  as  some  got  it, 
vV'allatpu.  Many  poetical  and  some  prosaic  accounts  have  been  given  of  the  origin 
of  the  name.  Among  others,  Joaquin  Miller,  "Poet  of  the  Sierras,"  insisted  that 
when  the  French  voyageurs  first  looked  down  from  the  Blue  Mountains  ("Les 
Montagnes  Bleues"  in  their  Gallic  speech)  upon  the  fair  fertile  valley,  they  ex- 
claimed :  "Voila,  Voila !"  (Behold,  behold  !)  and  thus  the  name  became  fixed.  This 
fantastic  idea  is,  however,  easily  disproved  by  the  fact  that  Lewis  and  Clark,  who 
entered  the  countr}'  by  Snake  River,  got  the  name  from  the  Indians  on  the 
Columbia  near  the  mouth  of  the  Walla  Walla.  In  the  same  connection,  while 
speaking  of  the  local  names  used  by  the  aborigines,  it  is  of  interest  to  observe  that 
the  commonplace  appellation  of  Mill  Creek  for  the  beautiful  stream  which  flows 
through  Walla  W'alla  City  has  supplanted  a  far  more  fit  and  attractive  native 
name.  It  is  somewhat  variously  pronounced  and  hence  spelled.  Rev.  Henry 
Spalding  gives  it  as  Pasha.  Thomas  Beall  of  Lewiston  gives  it  as  Pashki.  Others 
have  gotten  the  sound  as  Paskau,  or  Pashkee.  It  seems  to  signify  "sunflower." 
Mr.  Beall  regards  the  name  as  applying  rather  to  the  tract  of  land  extending 
a  mile  or  two  above  Walla  Walla  where  the  sunflower  is  very  frequent  than  to  the 
creek  itself.  Another  mellifluous  name  said  to  be  used  by  some  of  the  natives  is 
"Imchaha."  It  is  truly  regrettable  that  so  common  a  name  as  Mill  Creek  should 
have  become  fastened  upon  so  attractive  a  feature  of  the  city. 

As  indicated  above,  the  location  of  the  United  States  Fort  Walla  Walla  was 
largely  determinative  of  the  location  of  the  city.  The  first  business  of  the  region 
arose  for  the  purpose  of  providing  supplies  for  the  fort.  Several  of  those  whom 
we  have  named  in  the  "Advance  Guard"  were  directly  connected  with  that  busi- 
ness. .An  example  is  found  in  Charles  Russell  who  was  connected  with  the 
quartermaster's  department  of  the  fort,  and  seeing  the  heavy  burden  of  trans- 
porting supplies  from  the  Willamette  \'alley  determined  to  test  the  valley 
land.  Accordingly  he  sowed  eighty  acres  to  barley  at  a  point  north  of  the  fort 
on  what  later  became  the  Drumheller  place.  It  yielded  fifty  bushels  to  the  acre. 
In  the  same  season  Mr.  Russell  raised  a  hundred  acres  of  oats  on  the  place  which 
he  soon  after  took  up  on  the  creek  which  bears  his  name.  That  might  be  regarded 
as  the  inauguration  of  agriculture  in  this  vicinity  though  it  should  be  remembered 
that  Dr.  Whitman  twenty  years  before  had  raised  prolific  crops  of  all  kinds  at 
Waiilatpu.  Wm.  McWhirk  was  the  first  merchant  in  Walla  Walla.  He  erected 
a  tent  for  a  store  in  the  spring  of  1857  at  a  point  near  what  is  now  the  comer 
of  Main  and  Second  streets.  During  the  fall  of  the  same  year,  Charles  Bellman 
set  up  another  tent  store  at  the  point  occupied  by  the  Jack  Daniels  saloon  for 
many  years  at  the  site  of  the  present  "Togs."  Apparently  the  old-timers  are  at 
variance  as  to  the  builder  and  location  of  the  first  actual  building.  Some  have  as- 
serted that  Wm.  McWhirk  erected,  in  the  summer  of  1857,  a  cabin  on  the  north 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  115 

side  of  ^lain  Street,  nearly  where  the  Farmers'  Savings  Bank  now  stands,  and 
that  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  Charles  Bellman  put  up  a  structure  a  little  east 
of  that  at  about  the  point  of  the  Young  and  Lester  florist  location.  In  April, 
1858,  Lewis  McMorris  erected  a  slab  and  shakes  structure  for  Neil  McGlinchy 
on  about  the  present  southwest  corner  of  Main  and  Third.  \'arious  rude  buildings 
appeared  in  1858,  some  for  residences,  some  for  saloons  (which  we  regret  to 
record  seems  to  "have  been  a  very  active  line  of  business  at  that  time).  These 
were  constructed  by  James  Galbreath,  W.  A.  Ball,  Harry  Howard,  Michael 
Kenny,  William  Terry,  John  Mahan,  James  Buckley,  and  Thomas  Riley.  The 
first  building  with  floor,  doors,  and  glass  windows  was  erected  by  Ralph  Guichard 
and  Wm.  Kohlhauff  at  the  point  now  occupied  by  the  White  House  Clothing 
Store  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Main  and  Third. 

.\t  that  time  there  were  two  rival  locations :  one  at  the  point  started  by  Mc- 
Whirk,  McGlinchy,  and  Bellman,  and  the  other  at  a  cabin  built  by  Henry  Howard, 
known  as  the  "half-way  house  ;"  i.  e.,  half-way  to  the  fort.  Spirituous  refreshment 
seems  to  have  been  much  appreciated  by  the  gallant  defenders  of  their  country  at 
the  Fort  Walla  Walla  of  that  time,  and  a  half-way  house  was  quite  a  desirable 
accessory  of  a  trip  to  "town."  As  we  have  already  noted,  there  was  a  difference 
of  opinion  as  to  the  name  of  the  town,  but  that  of  Walla  Walla  finally  prevailed 
over  all  rivals.  On  November  17,  1859,  the  commissioners  laid  out  the  town  with 
the  following  boundaries :  Commencing  in  the  center  of  Main  Street  at  Mill 
Creek,  thence  running  north  440  yards,  thence  running  west  one-half  mile  to  a 
stake,  thence  running  south  one-half  mile  to  a  stake,  thence  running  east  one-half 
mile  to  a  stake,  thence  running  north  to  the  place  of  commencement;  160  acres 
in  all. 

The  town  government  was  organized  by  the  appointment  of  a  recorder,  L  T. 
Reese,  and  three  trustees,  F.  C.  Worden,  Samuel  Baldwin,  and  Neil  McGlinchy. 
The  town  was  surveyed  by  C.  H.  Case,  providing  streets  eighty  feet  wide  running 
north  and  south,  and  one  hundred  feet  wide  running  east  and  west.  The  lots  were 
laid  out  with  a  sixty-foot  front  and  a  depth  of  120  feet.  They  were  to  be  sold  for 
S5.00  each,  with  the  addition  of  $1.00  for  recording,  and  no  one  person  could  buy 
more  than  two  of  them.  Ten  acres  also  were  set  aside  for  a  town  square  and  the 
erection  of  public  buildings,  but  this  was  reduced  to  one  acre. 

The  first  lots  sold  were  those  taken  by  L  T.  Reese  and  Edward  Evarts,  both  in 
block  13,  the  sale  being  recorded  November  30,  1859.  On  December  22d,  of  the 
same  vear,  150  acres  of  land  was  surveyed  into  town  property  for  Thomas  Wolf 
and  L.  C.  Kinney,  the  former  soon  selling  his  interest  to  the  latter. 

The  original  plat  of  the  town  is  not  now  in  existence,  having  been  destroyed, 
probably  by  the  fire  of  1865.  The  earliest  survey  on  record  is  a  plat  made  in 
October,  1861,  by  W.  W.  Johnson,  which  purports  to  be  a  correction  of  the  work 
of  C.  H.  Case. 

On  November  5,  1861,  the  board  declared  the  survey  made  by  W.  W.  Johnson 
to  be  official,  and  W.  A.  George  was  employed  as  an  attorney  to  secure  for  the 
county  a  pre-emption  title  to  the  land  on  which  Walla  Walla  was  built.  W.  W. 
Johnson  was  appointed  to  take  steps  to  secure  the  title  at  the  \'ancouver  land 
office,  but  he  did  not  do  so,  and  thus  the  effort  of  the  county  to  secure  the  site 
failed.  This  ended  what  might  be  called  the  embryonic  stage  in  the  municipal  life 
of  Walla  Walla,  and  we  find  the  next  stage  to  be  actual  incorporation. 


116  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

The  Lit}'  of  Walla  Walla  was  originally  incorporated  by  an  act  of  the  Terri- 
torial Legislature,  ])asscd  on  January  ii,  1862.  By  the  provisions  of  said  act  the 
city  embraced  within  its  limits  the  south  half  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  20, 
township  7  north,  range  36  east,  of  the  Willamette  meridian.  The  charter  made 
provision  also  for  the  election,  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  April  of  each  year,  of  a 
mayor,  recorder,  five  councilmen,  marshal,  assessor,  treasurer  and  surveyor,  all 
vacancies,  save  in  the  offices  of  mayor  and  recorder,  to  be  filled  by  appointment  by 
the  council,  which  was  also  given  the  power  of  appointing  a  clerk  and  city  attor- 
ney. No  salary  was  to  attach  to  the  offices  of  mayor  or  councilman  until  the  popu- 
lation of  the  city  had  reached  one  thousand  individuals,  when  the  stipend  awarded 
these  officers  was  to  be  fixed  by  an  ordinance  enacted  by  the  council.  The  charter 
designated  the  following  officers  to  serve  until  the  first  regular  election  under  said 
charter :  Mayor,  B.  P.  Standef  er ;  recorder,  James  Galbreath  ;  councilmen,  H.  C. 
Coulson,  B.  F.  Stone,  E.  B.  Whitman,  D.  S.  Baker,  and  M.  Schwabacher ;  marshal, 
George  H.  Porter.  The  council  assembled  on  the  ist  of  March  to  perfect  its  organ- 
ization, when  it  developed  that  Mr.  Schwabacher  was  ineligible  for  office,  as  was 
also  Mr.  Coulson,  who  proved  to  be  a  non-resident.  Mr.  Stone  presiding,  the 
council  proceeded  to  fill  the  two  vacancies  by  balloting,  and  James  McAuliflf  and 
George  E.  Cole  thus  became  members  of  the  council,  S.  F.  Ledyard  being  appointed 
clerk.  The  council  again  met,  pursuant  to  adjournment,  on  the  4th  of  the  same 
month,  when  Mr.  Cole  was  chosen  chairman;  Edward  Nugent,  city  attorney; 
and  Messrs.  McAuliff,  Whitman  and  Stone  were  appointed  to  prepare  a  code  of 
rules  for  the  government  of  the  council. 

Four  hundred  and  twenty-two  votes  were  cast  at  the  first  election,  held  April  i, 
1862,  the  following  being  the  result:  Mayor,  E.  B.  Whitman;  councilmen,  J.  F. 
Abbott,  R.  Jacobs,  L  T.  Reese,  B.  F.  Stone  and  B.  Sheideman;  recorder,  W.  P. 
Horton ;  marshal,  George  H.  Porter ;  attorney,  Edward  Nugent ;  assessor,  L.  W. 
Greenwell ;  treasurer,  E.  E.  Kelly  ;  surveyor,  A.  L  Chapman  ;  clerk,  S.  F.  Ledyard. 
On  the  nth  of  April,  W.  Phillips  was  appointed  councilman  in  place  of  J.  F. 
Abbott,  while  in  the  succeeding  year  it  appears  that  H.  Hellmuth  had  been  ap- 
pointed in  the  place  of  B.  F.  Stone.  The  recorder  resigned  in  January,  1863,  his 
successor,  J.  W.  Barry,  being  chosen  at  a  special  election  held  on  the  last  day  of 
that  month.  H.  B.  Lane  succeeded  Mr.  Greenwell  as  assessor;  on  April  11,  1862. 
Henry  Howard  was  appointed  treasurer,  and  W.  W.  DeLacy,  surveyor,  while  in 
January,  1863,  H.  B.  Lane  was  noted  as  clerk.  The  city  revenue  for  the  first  six 
months  aggregated  $4,283.25,  of  which  sum  liquor  and  gaming  licenses  con- 
tributed $1,875.  When  it  is  remembered  that  this  was  at  the  height  of  the  gold 
excitement,  this  last  item  may  be  well  understood. 

During  the  last  quarter  of  the  year  the  revenue  of  the  new  city  was  $2,714.19, 
but  so  large  were  the  expenditures  that  the  opening  of  the  year  1863  found  in  the 
treasury  a  balance  of  less  than  five  dollars.  The  value  of  property  in  the  city 
was  assessed  in  1862  at  $300,000,  the  succeeding  year  witnessing  the  increase  of 
the  same  to  $500,000. 

Such  may  be  regarded  as  the  establishment  of  Walla  Walla  City  up  to  the  time 
of  incorporation.  During  the  period  from  January  19,  1859,  the  appointment  by 
the  Legislature  of  the  Territory  of  officers  for  the  county,  down  to  the  date  of  the 
incorporation  of  the  city,  the  county  organization  had  been  launched  after  the 
typical  .American  fashion.     The  two  only  absolutely  sure  things  in  this  world — 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  117 

death  and  taxes- — were  established.  It  is  certain  that  there  were  deaths  in  that 
time,  and  at  the  meeting  of  the  county  commissioners  on  May  7,  i860,  a  tax  levy 
of  seven  mills  was  voted.  At  the  same  meeting  the  county  was  redivided  into 
voting  precincts  for  the  coming  election  in  July.  It  gives  some  conception  of  the 
points  of  the  beginnings  of  settlements  to  note  that  the  precincts  were  as  follows: 
Walla  Walla,  Dry  Creek,  .Snake  River,  East  Touchet,  and  West  Touchet.  Coppei 
Creek  was  the  dividing  line  between  the  two  last-named  precincts.  The  following 
extract  from  Colonel  Gilbert's  "Historic  Sketches"  will  give  a  view  of  conditions : 
"At  this  election  the  question  of  whether  a  tax  for  building  a  courthouse 
and  jail  should  be  levied,  was  submitted  to  the  people,  and  though,  as  before 
stated,  no  returns  are  on  file,  a  negative  vote  is  indicated  from  the  fact  that  neither 
were  built  at  that  time,  prisoners  being  sent  to  Fort  Vancouver  for  incarceration. 
From  their  official  bonds  it  appears  that  the  following  named  were  the  successful 
aspirants  for  office  at  the  election  of  July,  i860: 

Auditor  and  Recorder — James  Galbreath. 

Sheriff — James  A.  Buckley. 

Surveyor — M.  J.  Noyse. 

Assessor — C.  Langley. 

Coroner — Almiron  Dagget. 

Justice  of  Peace,  Walla  Walla — William  J.  Horton. 

Justice  of  Peace,  Dry  Creek — John  Sheets. 

Justice  of  Peace,  East  Touchet — Horace  Strong. 

Justice  of  Peace,  West  Touchet — Elisha  Everetts. 

Justice  of  Peace, William  B.  Kelly. 

"No  footprint  of  transactions  coming  under  supervision  of  the  board  while 
this  set  of  officers  were  acting,  prior  to  October  12,  1861,  remains,  and  we  are 
forced  to  skip  the  intervening  time,  and  commence  again  with  the  latter  date.  A 
county  election  had  occurred  in  July,  1861,  and  W.  H.  Patton,  S.  Maxson  and 
John  Sheets  appear  at  this  time  as  the  board  of  commissioners.  November  5th, 
Sheriff  James  Buckley,  who  was  ex  officio  tax  collector,  w'as  appointed  county 
assessor  in  place  of  S.  Owens,  who,  having  been  elected  in  1861,  failed  to  qualify. 
On  the  8th  of  the  same  month  a  contract  was  given  Charles  Russell  to  build  a 
county  jail  at  a  cost  of  $3,350.  He  finished  the  work  in  1862,  was  paid  $6,700  in 
script  for  it,  and  in  1881  re-purchased  the  same  building  from  the  county  for 
$120,  and,  tearing  it  down,  moved  it  out  to  his  ranch. 

CONDITION  OF  THE  COUNTY  IN   1860 

"Up  to  1 86 1,  there  had  been  nothing  of  special  moment,  calculated  for  inducing 
emigration  to  settle  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Blue  Mountains.  There  was  unoccupied 
land  enough  in  various  parts  of  the  United  States  to  prevent  its  soil  from  being 
much  of  an  inducement,  and,  at  that  time  the  agricultural  portion  of  Eastern 
Washington  was  supposed  to  exist  in  limited  quantities.  There  was,  practically, 
no  market  for  farm  products,  as  they  would  not  pay  the  expense  of  shipment, 
and,  outside  of  the  garrison,  its  employes  and  dependents,  there  was  no  one  to 
purchase  them;  still  a  few  people  had  found  their  way  into  the  country  from 


118  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUXTY 

( )rcgoii.  ill  1859  and  i860,  with  stock,  and  had  taken  up  ranches  along  the  various 
streams.  \'ery  few  came  to  locate  with  a  view  of  establishing  a  home  here,  their 
l)urpose  being  to  graze  stock  for  a  few  years  and  then  abandon  the  country,  rais- 
ing some  grain  in  the  meantime  for  their  own  use,  and  possibly  a  little  to  sell,  if 
anybody  should  wish  to  buy.  Had  the  military  post  been  abandoned  in  i860,  but 
few  whites  would  have  remained  east  of  the  Cascades,  and  stock  raising  would 
have  been  the  only  inducement  for  any  one  to  remain  there." 

Perhaps  in  no  other  way  can  we  give  so  perfect  a  view  of  the  Walla  Walla  of 
1861  as  by  extracts  from  the  first  issue  of  the  IVasliiiigton  Statesman.  The  be- 
ginning of  the  paper  was  itself  one  of  the  most  notable  events  of  the  time.  It 
was  not  only  the  first  newspaper  in  Walla  Walla,  but  the  first  in  the  whole  vast 
region  between  the  Missouri  and  the  Cascade  Mountains.  We  are  indebted  to 
Dr.  Frank  Rees  for  the  opportunity  to  use  the  priceless  treasure  of  a  complete 
file  of  the  paper  for  the  period  from  the  first  number.  November  29,  1861, 
through  the  remainder  of  that  year  and  those  following.  We  find  at  the  heading 
of  this  paper  that  it  was  issued  every  Friday  morning  and  that  N.  Northrop, 
R.  D.  Smith  and  R.  R.  Rees  were  the  editors  and  proprietors,  and  that  the  office 
was  on  Main  Street,  Walla  Walla,  W.  T.  The  rates  of  subscription  were  $5.00 
per  year,  $2.50  for  six  months,  and  25  cents  for  a  single  copy. 

We  quote  here  several  paragraphs  from  the  opening  editorial : 

"We  send  forth  this  morning,  with  our  congratulations,  the  first  number  of  the 
Washington  Statesman,  and  respectfully  solicit  the  attention  of  the  people  of 
Walla  Walla  and  county  to  its  pages.  From  a  careful  consideration  of  the  de- 
mands of  the  people  to  whom  we  shall  look  for  support  in  sustaining  a  weekly 
newspaper  at  this  point,  we  feel  warranted  in  the  conviction  that  we  are  inau- 
gurating an  enterprise  which  will  be  a  means  of  vastly  enhancing  the  develop- 
ment, prosperity,  and  permanent  interests  of  this  most  favorable  section  of  the 
upper  country,  and  which,  conducted  with  prudence  and  economy,  will  be  reason- 
ably remunerative  to  its  projectors.     *     *     * 

"That  a  weekly  publication,  devoted  to  the  various  interests  of  the  country, 
containing  all  the  news  v\'hich  may  be  gathered  from  different  quarters,  is  essen- 
tially needed  in  the  Walla  Walla  \'alley,  we  premise  no  permanent  resident  will 
deny ;  this  admitted,  we  have  no  misgivings  as  to  the  disposition  of  the  people  to 
come  forward  and  promptly  sustain  an  enterprise  so  materially  calculated  to 
further  their  own  interests  as  a  community.  Hence,  we  expect  at  least  that  every 
man  who  is  fortunate  enough  to  possess  a  home  in  this  beautiful  valley  will  at 
once  subscribe  for  the  Statesman,  and  pay  for  it  in  advance.  Flome  pride  will 
])rompt  every  man  to  do  thus  much  for  the  benefit  of  the  vicinity  in  which  he  has 
chosen  his  residence,  even  if  he  already  has  more  papers  than  he  finds  time  to 
read." 

Following  this  introduction  the  editorial  jjoints  out  the  special  need  of  the 
farmer,  the  stockraiser,  the  merchant,  and  the  mechanic  in  the  existence  and  sup- 
port of  such  a  jjaper. 

The  editorial  then  proceeds  to  indicate  its  policy  as  follows : 

"As  indicated  in  our  prospectus,  the  Statesman  will  be  independent  on  all  sub- 
jects. By  independent  we  do  not  mean  neutral:  Ijut,  when  occasion  requires,  we 
shall  express  our  views  fearlessly  upon  all  subjects  legitimate  for  newspaper  dis- 
cussion ;  and  in  doing  this,  we  shall  be  our  own  advisers  and  regulate  our  own 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  119 

business  in  our  own  way.  The  Stutcsinan  will  not  be  devoted  to  the  interests  or 
claims  of  any  political  party ;  but  ignoring  partisan  measures,  will  adhere  to 
and  support  those  measures  which  in  our  judgment  are  best  calculated  to  preserve 
and  perpetuate  the  bonds  of  our  national  union,  under  whose  yet  waving  and 
revered  flag  alone  we  hope  for  success.  *  *  *  Arrangements  will  soon  be  com- 
pleted for  obtaining  all  the  items  of  news  from  the  different  leading  points  in 
the  mines,  and  from  various  places  within  this  territory  and  Oregon  bearing  rela- 
tions to  us  commercially  or  otherwise.     *     *     * 

"The  coming  season  with  us  at  home  will  be  an  auspicious  one.  Adding  to  the 
importance  of  the  developments  which  must  immediately  follow  in  the  train  of' 
an  immigration  to  the  upper  country  in  extent  unparalleled,  the  course  and  prog- 
ress of  which  our  people  should  all  be  made  aware  of — adding  to  this  the  mighty 
results  developing  in  the  East,  it  can  readily  be  seen  that  material  is  afforded  for 
making  up  a  paper  which  will  be  indispensable  to  the  people  of  this  section,  as 
well  as  those  of  the  territory  at  large. 

"We  shall  liberally  distribute  copies  of  this  number  in  the  different  sections 
where  we  desire  the  paper  to  circulate ;  and  we  take  the  present  occasion  to  request 
the  people  generally  of  this  valley  and  the  upper  country  to  call  and  furnish 
themselves  with  copies  for  distribution  in  their  several  neighborhoods,  thereby 
lending  us  a  hand  in  obtaining  a  subscription  list  as  early  as  possible." 

We  find  most  of  the  news  items  in  this  first  number  of  the  Statesman  to  per- 
tain to  the  mines  in  Idaho.  There  is  a  correspondence  between  Henry  M.  Chase 
and  Capt.  E.  D.  Pearce  in  regard  to  certain  captive  children  in  the  hands  of  the 
Indians.  The  tone  of  this  correspondence  shows  something  of  the  strenuous  con- 
ditions of  those  days  of  war  and  pioneer  settlement. 

The  most  notable  local  event  apparently  was  the  Firemen's  ball,  given  by  the 
members  of  the  Union  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  at  the  Walla  Walla  Hotel. 
This  news  item  declares  that  the  ball  was  a  successful  and  brilliant  affair  and 
that  the  smiling  faces  and  social  congratulations  of  the  large  number  of  ladies  and 
gentlemen  present  well  attested  how  eminently  successful  had  been  the  efforts  of 
the  firemen  to  render  the  occasion  in  every  respect  a  pleasant  one.  The  mottoes 
displayed  in  the  room  were  quite  interesting  as  showing  what  the  ambitious  fire- 
men of  that  first  period  wanted  to  set  forth  as  guiding  them.  The  motto  of  the 
Union  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  was  "We  Destroy  to  Save."  There  were 
several  mottoes  from  Portland  and  The  Dalles  fire  companies,  as  follows :  "Wil- 
lamette No.  I,  Conquer  We  Must;"  "Multnomah  No.  2,  On  Hand;"  "Columbian 
No.  3,  Always  Willing;"  "Young  America  No.  4,  Small,  but  Around;"  "Vigilance 
Hook  and  Ladder  Company,  We  Climb;"  "Dalles  Hook  and  Ladder  Company, 
We  Raze  to  Save." 

Another  local  item  of  some  interest  is  to  the  effect  that  the  Robinson  The- 
atrical Troupe  had  been  performing  in  the  city  for  several  weeks,  almost  every 
night  having  crowded  houses  and  appreciative  audiences.  A  little  description  is 
given  of  the  new  theater,  which  it  states  is  situated  in  the  lower  part  of  town,  but 
a  short  walk  from  the  business  part  of  the  city.  The  city  editor  exhorts  all  the 
people  in  town  to  patronize  this  theater   for  the  sake  of   spending  a  pleasant 

evening. 

Another  item  of  historic  interest  is  the  statement  that  orders  have  been  for- 
warded to   Lieutenant  Mullan  instructing  him  to  send  back  his  escort  of  one 


12U  OLD  WAl.l.A   WALl.A  COUNTY 

Inindred  United  States  soldiers,  who  had  been  laying  out  the  great  road  known 
as  the  "Alullan  Road."  The  party  at  that  time  was  in  the  Hitter  Root  Mountains, 
and  it  was  considered  impracticable  for  them  to  cross  those  mountains  in  the 
winter  season. 

Although,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  date  of  this  paper,  the  time  was  the 
opening  of  the  Civil  war,  yet  it  is  noticeable  that  there  was  a  great  scarcity  of 
information  in  regard  to  that  great  event.  The  latest  news  of  any  kind  from  the 
East  is  dated  November  15th,  just  two  weeks  before  the  date  of  publication  of  the 
paper. 

Another  news  item  is  to  the  effect  that  on  account  of  an  unpardonable  delay 
in  the  arrival  of  material,  press,  and  fixtures,  from  The  Dalles,  the  publication  of 
the  first  issue  was  delayed  beyond  expectation.  The  proprietors  seem  to  feel  very 
bad  over  this  delay. 

The  advertisements  in  this  first  number  of  the  Statesman  are  of  great  interest. 
Among  a  number  beyond  our  space  to  quote  here  we  find  an  entire  column  devoted 
to  the  wholesale  and  retail  business  of  Kyger  &  Reese.  They  seem  to  have  been 
prepared  to  deal  in  almost  every  conceivable  object  of  need  in  the  way  of  clothing, 
groceries,  hardware,  crockery,  drugs,  medicines,  books  and  stationery,  as  well 
as  some  supply  of  the  spirituous  refreshments  which  were  so  much  desired  at  that 
time.  We  find  several  advertisements  of  stage  companies ;  among  others  the 
Walla  Walla  and  Dalles  Stage  Company,  which  advertises  to  make  the  run  be- 
tween the  two  places  in  two  days.  Miller  and  Blackmore  were  the  proprietors. 
We  find  also  the  advertisement  of  Abbott's  Livery,  Sale  and  Exchange  Stables  on 
Main  Street.  The  Oregon  Steam  Navigation  Company  advertises  the  steamers 
Julia,  Idaho,  and  Tenino,  running  between  Portland  and  the  Nez  Perce  mines 
with  portages  at  the  Cascades  and  The  Dalles.  The  fare  from  Portland  to  The 
Dalles  was  $8.00,  with  an  extra  charge  for  portage  at  the  Cascades.  Animals  from 
Portland  to  The  Dalles  were  $5.00.  The  fare  from  Des  Chutes  to  Wallula  was 
$15.00.  A  number  of  names  prominent  later  on  in  the  legal  and  medical  history 
of  Walla  Walla,  appear  in  the  advertising  columns.  Among  the  physicians 
we  find  I^.  C.  Kinney,  L.  Terry,  R.  Bernhard,  J.  A.  Mullan,  L.  Danforth,  and  I.  H. 
Harris.  Among  the  lawyers  we  find  W.  A.  George  and  I.  N.  Smith.  We  find  a 
very  small  advertisement  by  D.  S.  Baker,  in  which  the  strong  point  is  of  a  fire- 
proof, brick  building.  That  was  the  only  fire-proof,  brick  building  in  Walla 
Walla  at  that  time. 

By  way  of  comparison  with  the  present  cost  of  living,  it  is  of  some  interest 
to  give  the  Walla  Walla  prices  current  as  appearing  in  that  issue  of  the  Statesman. 
The  following  are  the  items: 

Bacon — Per  lb.,  25c. 
Flour — Per  hundred,  $5  to  $6. 
Beans — Per  lb.,  12c  to  15c. 

Sugar — China,  18c  to  20c;  New  Orleans,  23c  to  25c;  Island  20c  to  22c; 
crushed,  26c. 

Rice — Per  lb.,  i8c  to  20c. 
Dried  Apples — Per  lb.,  20c  to  25c. 
Yeast  Powders— Per  doz.,  $4  to  $6. 
Candles — Per  lb.,  60c. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  121 

Soap — Hill's,  per  lb.  i7^c;  Fay's,  i6c. 

Tobacco — Per  lb.,  6oc  to  $i. 

Nails — Per  lb.,  i6  2/2c. 

Butter — Fresh  Rolls,   per   lb.,   jsc ;   Oregon,   50c. 

Eggs — Per  doz.,  $1. 

Oats — Per  lb.,  2yic  to  3c. 

Wheat — Per  bushel,  $1.25  to  $1.50. 

The  reader  of  that  tirst  issue  of  the  Statesman  would  readily  arrive  at  the 
conclusion  that  business  was  booming  in  Walla  Walla  and  that  there  was  a 
demand  for  almost  all  of  the  commodities  common  in  any  new  and  active  com- 
munity. The  philanthropist  is  somewhat  pained  indeed  to  observe  the  large 
amount  of  attention  paid  to  the  liquor  business  in  its  various  forms.  The  Nez 
Perce  mines  and  the  various  stage  lines  seemed  to  demand  a  large  share  of  at- 
tention, both  in  advertising  and  in  news  items.  After  all,  people  are  very  much 
the  same  from  generation  to  generation  and  we  can  readily  infer  that  what  the 
people  of  Walla  Walla  were  in  the  '60s,  their  children  and  grandchildren  are 
largely  the  same  in  this  year  of  grace,  1917. 

In  the  early  history  of  the  territory  before  government  was  organized  to 
protect  life  and  punish  criminals,  the  miners  organized  courts  of  their  own  to  try 
those  who  committed  any  crime  within  the  camp,  but  there  were  no  courts  to  try 
the  criminals  whose  work  was  outside  of  the  miner's  camp.  As  a  result  crime 
flourished  in  the  towns  that  supplied  the  camps  and  on  the  road  between  the 
town  and  the  camp. 

There  were  organized  bands  of  criminals  who  plundered  the  merchant  in 
the  town,  the  packer  and  the  stage  on  the  road,  and  the  miners  to  and  from  the 
different  camps.  The  members  of  these  organizations  had  pass  words  by  which 
they  could  make  themselves  known  to  each  other,  routes  along  which  they 
operated,  stations  where  members  on  the  gang  were  located.  They  also  had 
members  in  every  camp  and  town  engaged  in  various  occupations,  trades  and 
callings.  Stage  stand  tenders  and  sometimes  the  drivers  themselves  were  mem- 
bers of  the  gang,  and  when  organized  government  was  established  they  succeeded 
in  getting  themselves  elected  to  the  office  of  sheriff,  marshal,  etc.  These  men 
knew  when  every  pack  train  started,  what  it  had,  where  it  went  and  how  much 
gold  dust  it  brought  back  on  its  return ;  watched  every  stranger  and  learned  his 
business;  took  notice  of  every  good  horse;  knew  of  the  departure  of  every  stage, 
the  number  of  passengers  and  the  probable  treasure  carried.  The  lone  traveler 
was  robbed  of  his  horse  by  a  false  bill  of  sale.  The  returning  packers  were  held 
up,  robbed  and  sometimes  murdered.  The  stage  was  stopped,  the  passengers 
ordered  out  and  relieved  of  all  their  money  and  other  valuables.  Frequently  the 
Wells  Fargo  box  containing  thousands  of  dollars  would  be  among  the  prizes 
taken  from  the  stage. 

One  of  the  most  noted  of  these  road  agents  was  Henry  Plummer.  He  came 
of  a  good  family,  was  gentlemanly  in  bearing,  dignified  in  deportment,  of  strong 
executive  ability  and  a  fine  judge  of  human  nature.  While  a  young  man  he 
drifted  west,  became  a  successful  gambler  and  acquainted  with  various  phases 
of  a  criminal's  life.  In  the  spring  of  1861  he  came  to  Lewiston,  Idaho.  This 
town  was  then  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Snake  River,  had  a  population  of 


122  OLD  WAIJ.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

several  hundred,  among  whom  were  thieves,  gamblers,  escaped  convicts  and 
criminals  of  all  kinds.  'J'hese  he  organized  into  a  band  of  highwaymen,  to 
operate  on  the  road  between  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  and  Orofino,  Idaho, 
directing  the  operations  from  Lewiston  which  was  a  midway  ground.  Two  sub- 
stations were  located,  one  at  the  foot  of  Craig  Mountain,  east  of  Lewiston,  and 
the  other  w-est,  at  the  junction  of  Alpowai  and  Pataha  creeks.  These  were  called 
"shebangs"  and  were  the  rendezvous  of  a  band  of  robbers.  Soon  robberies  and 
murders  on  this  road  were  common,  but  the  respectable,  law  abiding  citizens 
were  in  the  majority  and  they  soon  organized  themselves  into  a  law^  and  order 
body,  which  made  the  operations  of  the  robber  gang  dangerous  and  unprofitable. 

The  mines  at  Orofino  were  soon  worked  out.  This,  together  with  the 
citizen's  organizations  and  the  fear  on  the  part  of  Plummer  of  being  exposed  for 
crimes  committed  by  him  while  in  California,  caused  him  to  flee  from  Idaho 
and  go  to  Alontana.  Upon  his  arrival  there  he  apparently  desired  to  reform  and 
live  the  life  of  a  law-  abiding  citizen.  He  married  a  nice  young  woman  and 
entered  upon  an  honorable  means  of  earning  a  living.  But  he  was  a  criminal  by 
nature,  environment  and  practice  and  not  strong  enough,  had  he  desired  it,  to 
break  with  his  old  associates  and  habits  and  like  all  criminals  was  haunted  by 
fear  of  detection. 

When  he  left  Idaho  a  companion  by  the  name  of  Cleveland  went  with  him. 
They  were  together  when  Plummer  was  married  near  Fort  Benton  and  they  both 
a  little  later  went  to  Bannack.  He  and  Cleveland  had  a  bitter  c]uarrel  over  the 
young  lady  who  married  Plummer.  This,  together  with  his  fear  of  his  associates 
in  crime,  made  him  suspicious  and  in  a  saloon  brawl  a  short  time  later  he  shot 
Cleveland.  This  started  him  again  on  a  carnival  of  crime  that  has  no  parallel 
in  the  history  of  the  Northwest,  and  just  as  he  had  organized  the  criminals  when 
in  Idaho,  he  again  organized  them  in  Montana  on  a  much  larger  scale.  These 
men  were  bound  by  an  oath  to  be  true  to  each  other  and  were  required  to  per- 
form such  service  as  came  within  the  defitied  meaning  of  their  separate  positions 
in  the  band.  The  penalty  of  disobedience  was  death.  If  any  one  of  them,  under 
any  circumstances,  divulged  any  of  the  secrets  or  gxiilty  purposes  of  the  band, 
he  was  to  be  followed  and  shot  down  at  sight.  The  same  doom  w'as  prescribed 
foranv  outsider  who  attempted  an  exposure  of  their  criminal  designs,  or  arrested 
any  of  them.  Their  great  object  was  declared  to  be  plunder  in  all  cases,  without 
taking  life  if  possible,  but  if  murder  was  necessary,  it  was  to  be  committed. 
Their  password  was  "'innocent.''  Their  neckties  were  fastened  with  a  sailor's 
knot,  and  they  wore  mustaches  and  chin  whiskers.  Plummer  himself  was  a 
member  of  the  band. 

The  duties  of  these  men  may  be  gained  from  the  work  assigned  them  as 
revealed  by  one  of  their  number.  Henry  Plummer  was  chief  of  the  band ;  Bill 
liurton,  stool  pigeon  and  second  in  command;  George  Brown,  secretary;  Sam 
Burton,  roadster;  Cyrus  Skinner,  fence,  spy  and  roadster;  George  Shears,  horse- 
thief  and  roadster;  Frank  Parrish,  horse-thief  and  roadster;  Hayes  Lyons,  tele- 
graph man  and  roadster;  Bill  Hunter,  telegraph  man  and  roadster;  Ned  Ray, 
council-room  keeper  at  Bannock  City;  George  Ives,  Stephen  Marshland,  Dutch 
John  (Wagner),  Alex  Carter,  Johnny  Cooper,  Buck  Stinson,  Mexican  Frank, 
Bob  Zachary,  Boone  Helm,  Oubfoot  George  (Lane),  Billy  Terwiliger,  Gad 
Moore,  roadsters. 


OLD  WALLA  \\\\LLA  COUNTY  123 

But  Plunimer  soon  ran  his  course.  He  was  captured  and  had  to  pay  the 
penalty  for  his  crimes.  "Red"  Yager,  a  member  of  Plummer's  gang,  was  hanged 
by  a  vigilance  committee.  Before  his  execution  he  made  a  confession,  giving 
the  names  of  all  the  members  of  the  band  and  stating  that  Plummer  was  the 
leader.  Plummer,  with  two  others  of  the  organization,  were  at  Bannock.  No 
trouble  was  experienced  in  arresting  the  other  two,  one  being  captured  in  a 
cabin,  the  other  stretched  out  on  a  gambling  table  in  a  saloon.  But  great  care 
had  to  be  exercised  in  the  arrest  of  the  leader  of  the  band,  who  was  cool-headed 
and  a  quick  shot.  Those  detailed  to  capture  him  went  to  his  cabin  and  found  him 
in  the  act  of  washing  his  face.  When  informed  that  he  was  wanted  he  mani- 
fested no  concern  but  quietly  wiped  his  face  and  hands.  He  announced  that  he 
would  be  ready  to  go  within  a  short  time,  threw  down  the  towel  and  smoothed 
out  his  shirt  sleeves,  then  advanced  toward  a  chair  to  get  his  coat,  but  one  of 
the  party,  by  great  good  fortune,  saw  a  pistol  in  the  pocket  and  replied,  "I  will 
hand  you  your  coat,"  at  the  same  time  taking  posession  of  the  pistol.  Otherwise 
Plummer  would  likely  have  killed  one  or  all  of  those  attempting  to  capture  him. 
He,  with  the  other  two  criminals  arrested  were  escorted  in  the  bright  moonlight 
night  to  the  gallows  which  Plummer  himself  had  erected  the  year  before  and 
used  in  the  hanging  of  a  man,  he  being  at  that  time  sheriff.  As  they  appeared 
in  sight  of  the  gallows  the  other  criminals  cursed  and  swore,  but  Plummer  was 
begging  for  his  life.  "It  is  useless,"  said  one  of  the  vigilantes,  "for  you  to 
request  us  to  spare  your  life,  for  it  has  already  been  settled  that  you  are  to  be 
hung."  Plummer  then  replied,  "Cut  off  my  ears,  cut  out  my  tongue,  strip  me 
naked,  let  me  go.  I  beg  you  to  spare  my  life.  I  want  to  live  for  my  wife,  my 
poor  absent  wife.  I  want  to  settle  my  business  affairs.  Oh,  God."  Then  falling 
upon  his  knees,  the  tears  streaming  from  his  eyes,  and  with  his  utterance  choked 
with  sobs,  he  continued:  "I  am  too  wicked  to  die.  I  cannot  go  bloodstained  and 
unforgiven  into  the  presence  of  the  Eternal.  Only  spare  me  and  I  will  leave 
the  country."  But  all  this  was  to  no  purpose.  His  time  had  come  and  the 
leader's  stern  order,  "Bring  him  up,"  was  obeyed.  Plummer,  standing  under 
the  gallows,  took  off  his  necktie,  threw  it  to  a  young  man  who  had  boarded  with 
him,  saying,  "Keep  that  to  remember  me  by,"  and  then  turning  to  the  vigilantes, 
he  said,  "Now,  men,  as  a  last  favor,  let  me  beg  that  you  will  give  me  a  good 
drop."  The  favor  was  granted  and  Plummer,  one  of  the  most  noted  outlaws 
ever  known  to  the  Northwest,  was  no  more. 


CHAPTER  II 
TIMES  OF  COWBOYS,  MINERS,  AND   VIGILANTES 

The  two  essentials  of  a  city  seem  to  be :  first,  a  location  in  a  region  of  such 
resources  as  to  attract  and  provide  industries  for  the  maintenance  of  an  in- 
coming and  ever  increasing  population;  and,  second,  such  a  location  as  will  be 
a  natural  point  of  exchange  of  commodities  with  more  or  less  distant  centers  of 
production,  and  as  a  corollary  of  this,  feasible  facilities  of  transportation. 
Four  towns  were  started  in  the  "Upper  Country"  in  the  early  sixties,  which 
were  to  stand  these  tests  of  a  city  location.  They  were :  Walla  Walla,  Umatilla, 
Wallula,  and  Lewiston.  The  obvious  disadvantage  of  the  first  was  that  it  was 
not  on  navigable  water,  and  water  carriage  was  then  the  cheap  and  convenient 
way  of  conveying  any  large  amounts  of  freight  or  passengers.  Its  countervailing 
advantage,  and  the  reason  why  by  common  consent  settlers  sought  it  in  preference 
to  the  river  towns  was  that  it  was  right  in  the  center  of  resources.  While  the 
first  settlers  had  no  conception  of  the  future  of  agriculture  and  horticulture, 
it  was  clear  that  a  region  near  enough  the  mountains  to  be  easily  accessible 
to  timber,  and  abounding  in  streams  of  the  purest  water,  with  infinite  grazing 
resources,  was  a  paradise  to  the  stockman.  And  while  with  the  first  influx  of 
settlers  in  1858,  1859,  and  i860,  there  was  not  yet  any  knowledge  of  the  event 
which  within  a  few  months  was  to  transform  the  entire  history  of  the  Inland 
Empire,  i.  e.,  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Idaho,  yet  the  minds  of  the  people  of  the 
time  were  quivering  with  the  feverish  anticipations  of  fortune  engendered  by 
the  California  mining  history.  Hence  the  settlers  in  Walla  Walla  in  i860  were 
right  on  the  qui  vive  for  "big  things."  Such  reasons,  together  with  the  very 
important  fact  that  the  United  States  Fort  Walla  Walla  was  located  there  (for 
the  same  reasons  of  grass,  water,  and  timber)  were  potent  in  detennining  the 
growth  of  the  largest  town.  Umatilla  and  Wallula  had  the  very  marked  ad- 
vantage of  water  transportation  to  a  limitless  degree,  but  on  the  other  hand, 
the  arid  climate  and  the  barren  soil  (barren  without  irrigation,  of  which  nothing 
was  conceived  at  that  time),  and  distance  from  the  timber  counter-balanced  the 
advantage.  If  it  had  then  been  fully  realized,  what  we  now  know,  that  Lewis- 
ton  combined  nearly  all  advantages,  with  no  disadvantages,  the  site  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Snake  and  Clearwater  would  have  seemed  to  possess  unequalled  at- 
tractions. But  Lewiston  was  at  that  time  so  far  up  Snake  River  and  so  remote 
from  general  apprehension  as  a  center  of  production  that  Walla  Walla  had  an 
easy  lead  in  attracting  incoming  settlers. 

In  1850  and  i860  the  chief  lines  of  business,  as  already  indicated,  were  cattle- 
raising  and  supplying  the  Fort.  The  suitability  of  this  country  to  stock-raising 
was  obvious  to  the  fur-traders  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  regime,  and  they 
had  quite  a  number  of  cattle  at  Fort  Walla  Walla  (Wallula),  at  "Hudson's  Bay," 

124 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  125 

near  the  present  Umapine,  and  at  the  near  vicinity  of  what  is  now  Touchet. 
Doctor  Whitman  brought  with  him  several  head  of  cattle  and  even  two  calves 
across  the  plains  in  1836  and  afterwards  secured  more  from  Doctor  McLoughlin  at 
Vancouver.  In  the  early  '50s,  Messrs.  Brooke,  Bumford,  and  Noble  located  at 
Waiilatpu  for  the  same  business,  while  H.  M.  Chase  and  W.  C.  McKay  on  the 
Umatilla  in  1851  started  in  tlie  same  kind  of  enterprise.  From  these  various 
sources  the  idea  had  become  disseminated  that  Walla  Walla  was  the  place  for 
the  cowboy.  Thus  was  inaugurated  the  first  movement  which,  interrupted  for 
a  period  by  gold  excitement,  was  resumed  with  even  greater  energy  as  the 
demands  of  the  mines  for  provisions  became  known,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
was  the  dominating  interest  of  Old  Walla  Walla  Coimty. 

The  stock  business  was,  however,  interwoven  in  a  curious  and  interesting 
way  with  all  the  other  lines  of  enterprise.  Especially  was  this  true  of  the  mining 
and  transportation  interests.  The  three  were  dovetailed  together  by  reason  of 
the  fact  that  food  and  pack  trains  were  vital  necessities  of  the  mines. 

The  mining  history  of  the  "Upper  Country"  began  in  the  spectacular  way 
usual  with  discoveries  of  the  precious  metals.  Colonel  Gilbert  tells  a  fantastic 
tale  of  the  train  of  circumstances  which  led  to  the  first  prospecting  tour  into  what 
became  the  great  gold  field  of  Central  Idaho.  This  tale  involves  E.  D.  Pearce, 
who,  as  we  have  seen,  was  one  of  the  early  office-holders  of  Walla  Walla  County. 
He  is  described  as  a  man  of  somewhat  imaginative  and  enthusiastic  character, 
quick  to  respond  to  the  calls  of  opportunity.  He  had  been  in  the  gold  mines 
of  California  before  coming  to  Walla  Walla,  and  while  there  had  become  ac- 
quainted with  a  Nez  Perce  Indian  who  in  some  way  had  drifted  into  that  region. 
This  Indian  impressed  Mr.  Pearce  with  his  dignity  and  intelligence  and  excited 
his  interest  in  a  romantic  story  of  his  home  in  the  mountan  fastnesses  of  Idaho. 
He  declared  that  he,  with  two  companions,  while  encamped  in  the  mountains  had 
seen  in  the  night  a  light  of  surpassing  brilliance,  like  a  refulgent  star.  The 
Indians  regarded  the  distant  glow  with  awe,  deeming  it  the  eye  of  the  Great 
Spirit.  In  the  morning,  however,  plucking  up  sufficient  courage  to  investigate, 
they  discovered  a  glittering  ball  like  glass  embedded  in  the  rock.  They  could 
not  dislodge  it  from  its  setting  and  left  it,  thinking  it  a  "great  tomanowas." 
Pearce  became  impressed  with  the  thought  that  the  Indians  had  found  an  enor- 
mous diamond  of  incalculable  value,  and  he  determined  that,  if  ever  the  oppor- 
tunity was  afiforded,  he  would  seek  its  hiding  place.  Accordingly,  having  reached 
Walla  Walla  after  many  wanderings,  he  bethought  himself  of  the  diamond  and 
organized  a  company  of  seven  men,  whose  names  with  the  exception  of  that  of 
W.  F.  Bassett,  do  not  seem  to  be  recorded  in  the  account.  They  made  their  way 
in  i860  into  the  wild  tangle  of  mountains  on  the  sources  of  the  Clearwater.  The 
party  were  looking  for  gold,  but  Pearce  had  the  diamond  in  mind.  Indians  com- 
ing in  contact  with  the  party  became  suspicious  and  ordered  them  out.  Pearce, 
however,  pretending  to  obey  orders,  induced  a  Nez  Perce  squaw  to  guide  the 
party  into  the  heart  of  the  mountains  of  the  north  fork  of  the  Clearwater. 
There,  Bassett,  while  prodding  around  in  the  soil  of  a  small  creek,  discovered 
shining  particles.  Gold!  It  was  only  a  few  cents  worth,  but  it  was  enough. 
That  was  the  first  discovery  of  gold  in  Idaho.  The  place  was  the  site  of  the 
Oro  Fino  mines.  Extracts  from  a  former  account  written  by  the  author,  in 
which  are  incorporated  items  from  the  Washington  Statesman  will  indicate  the 


126  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

progress  of  the  discovery  and  the  effects  on  the  newly-started  town  of  Walla 
Walla. 

"After  washing  out  about  eighty  dollars  in  gold,  the  party  returned  to  Walla 
Walla,  making  Iheir  headquarters  at  the  home  of  J.  C.  Smith  on  Dry  Creek,  and 
finally  so  thoroughly  enlisting  his  interest  and  cooperation  that  he  fitted  out  a 
party  of  about  fifteen  men,  largely  at  his  own  expense,  to  return  to  the  new 
gold  fields  for  the  winter.  Sergeant  Smith's  party  reached  the  mines  in  Novem- 
ber, i860,  arousing  the  antipathy  and  distrust  of  the  Indians,  who  appealed  to 
the  Government  officers  for  the  protection  of  their  reserve  from  such  encroach- 
ments. A  body  of  soldiers  from  Fort  Walla  Walla  started  out  for  the  mines, 
with  the  intention  of  removing  the  interlopers,  but  the  heavy  snowfall  in  the 
mountains  rendered  the  little  party  of  miners  inaccessible,  so  they  were  not  mo- 
lested. During  the  winter  the  isolated  miners  devoted  their  time  to  building  five 
log  cabins,  the  first  habitations  erected  in  Oro  Fino,  sawing  the  lumber  by  hand. 
They  also  continued  to  work  for  gold  under  the  snow,  and  about  the  first  of 
January,  186 1,  two  of  the  men  made  a  successful  trip  to  the  settlements, 
by  the  utilizing  of  snow-shoes,  while  in  ]\Iarch  .Sergeant  Smith  made  a 
similar  trip,  taking  with  him  $800  in  gold  dust.  From  this  reserve  he  was 
able  to  pay  Kyger  &  Reese  of  Walla  Walla  the  balance  due  them  on  the  prospect- 
ing outfit  which  had  been  supplied  to  the  adventurous  little  party  in  the  snowy 
mountains.  The  gold  dust  was  sent  to  Portland.  Ore.,  and  soon  the  new 
mines  were  the  subject  of  maximum  interest,  the  ultimate  result  being  a  "gold 
excitement"  quite  equal  to  that  of  California  in  1849,  and  within  a  few  months 
the  rush  to  the  new  diggings  was  on  in  earnest,  thousands  starting  forth  for  the 
favored  region. 

The  budding  City  of  Walla  Walla  profited  materially  by  the  influx  of  gold- 
seekers,  who  made  their  way  up  the  Columbia  River  and  thence  moved  forward 
to  Walla  Walla,  which  became  the  great  outfitting  headquarters  for  those  en 
route  to  the  gold  country.  .\t  this  point  were  purchased  provisions,  tools,  camp 
accoutrements  and  the  horses  or  mules  required  to  pack  the  outfits  to  the  mines. 
Through  this  unforeseen  circumstance  there  was  now  a  distinctive  local  market 
afforded  for  the  products  of  the  Walla  Walla  country,  and  the  farmer  who  had 
produce  of  any  sort  to  sell  might  esteem  himself  fortunate,  for  good  prices  were 
freely  oft'ered.  Nearly  all  the  grain  that  had  been  produced  in  the  country  was 
held,  in  the  spring  of  1861,  in  the  mill  owned  and  operated  by  Simms,  Reynolds 
&  Dent,  the  total  amount  being  less  than  twenty  thousand  bushels.  This  surplus 
commanded  a  high  price,  the  farmers  receiving  $2.50  per  bushel  for  their  wheat, 
while  at  the  mines  the  operators  were  compelled  to  pay  Si  a  pound  for  flour 
manufactured  therefrom.  The  inadequacy  of  the  local  supply  of  food  products 
was  such  that,  had  not  additional  pro\ender  been  transported  from  Oregon,  starva- 
tion would  have  stared  the  miners  in  the  face.  This  fact  gave  rise  to  the  almost 
unprecedented  prices  demanded  for  the  products  essential  to  the  maintenance  of 
life.  New  mining  districts  were  discovered  by  the  eager  prospectors  and  all  was 
hustle  and  activity  in  the  mining  region  until  the  fall  of  1861.  In  November 
of  that  year  many  of  the  miners  came  to  W'alla  \\'alla  for  the  winter,  bringing 
their  hard-earned  treasure  with  them  and  often  spending  it  with  the  prodigality 
so  typical  of  the  mining  fraternity  in  the  early  days. 

Although  many  of  the  diggings  yielded  from  six  to  ten  dollars  per  day,  many 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  127 

of  the  operators  feared  the  ravages  of  a  severe  winter  and  fully  reahzed  the 
animus  of  the  merchants  at  Oro  Fino,  who  refused  to  sell  their  goods,  believing 
that  starvation  would  ultimately  face  the  miners  and  that  they  could  then  secure 
any  price  they  might  see  fit  to  demand.  In  November  of  the  year  noted,  the 
prices  at  Oro  Fino  were  quoted  as  follows  on  certain  of  the  necessaries  of  life : 
flour,  $25  per  100  pounds ;  beef,  30  cents  per  pound ;  coffee,  not  to  be  had ; 
candles,  not  for  sale;  and  bacon  and  beans,  exceedingly  scarce.  That  the  pros- 
pectors and  miners  should  seek  to  hibernate  nearer  civilization  and  take  refuge  in 
Walla  Walla  was  but  natural  under  the  circumstances. 

During  the  rush  to  the  mining  districts,  both  in  1861  and  1862,  Walla  Walla 
was  the  scene  of  the  greatest  activity;  streets  were  crowded;  the  merchants 
were  doing  a  thriving  business,  and  pack  trains  moved  in  a  seemingly  endless 
procession  toward  the  gold  fields.  The  excitement  was  fed  by  the  glowing  reports 
that  came  from  the  mining  districts,  and  the  natural  result  was  to  augment  the 
flood  of  gold-seekers  pouring  into  the  mining  districts  in  the  spring  of  1862,  as 
will  be  noted  later  on.  As  an  example  of  the  alluring  reports  circulated  in  the 
latter  part  of  1861,  we  may  appropriately  quote  from  the  IVashington  Statesman 
of  that  period.  From  an  editorial  in  said  publication  we  make  the  following 
extract : 

"S.  F.  Ledyard  arrived  last  evening  from  the  Salmon  River  mines,  and  from 
him  it  is  learned  that  some  six  hundred  miners  would  winter  there ;  that  some 
two  hundred  had  gone  to  the  south  side  of  the  river,  where  two  streams  head 
that  empty  into  the  Salmon,  some  thirty  miles  southeast  of  present  mining  camp. 
Coarse  gold  is  found,  and  as  high  as  one  hundred  dollars  per  day  to  the  man  has 
been  taken  out.  The  big  mining  claim  of  the  old  locality  belongs  to  Mr.  Weiser. 
of  Oregon,  from  where  $2,680  were  taken  on  the  20th,  with  two  rockers.  On 
the  2 1  St.  $3,360  were  taken  out  with  the  same  machines.  Other  claims  were 
paying  from  two  to  five  pounds  per  day.  Flour  has  fallen  to  50  cents  per  pound, 
and  beef,  at  from  15  to  25  cents,  is  to  be  had  in  abundance.  Most  of  the  mines 
supplied  until  first  of  June.  Mr.  L.  met  between  Slate  Creek  and  \\'alla  Walla, 
en  route  for  the  mines,  394  packs  and  250  head  of  beef  cattle." 

In  the  issue  of  the  Statesman  for  December  13,  1861,  appears  the  following 
interesting  information  concerning  the  mines  and  the  inducements  there  offered : 

"The  tide  of  emigration  to  Salmon  River  flows  steadily  onward.  During  the 
week  past,  not  less  than  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  pack  animals,  heavily  laden 
with  provisions,  have  left  this  city  for  the  mines.  If  the  mines  are  one-half  so 
rich  as  they  are  said  to  be,  we  may  safely  calculate  that  many  of  these  trains 
will  return  as  heavily  laden  with  gold  dust  as  they  now  are  with  provisions. 

"The  late  news  from  Salmon  River  seems  to  have  given  the  gold  fever  to 
everybody  in  this  immediate  neighborhood.  A  number  of  persons  from  Florence 
City  have  arrived  in  this  place  during  the  week,  and  all  bring  the  most  extrava- 
gant reports  as  to  the  richness  of  the  mines.  A  report,  in  relation  to  a  rich 
strike  made  by  Mr.  Bridges  of  Oregon  City,  seems  to  come  well  authenticated. 
The  first  day  he  worked  on  his  claim  (near  Baboon  gulch)  he  took  out  fifty-seven 
onuces ;  the  second  day  he  took  out  157  ounces:  third  day,  214  ounces,  and  the 
fourth  day,  200  ounces  in  two  hours.  One  gentleman  informs  us  that  diggings 
have  been  found  on  the  bars  of  Salmon  River  which  yield  from  twenty-five  cents 
to  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  to  the  pan,  and  that  on  claims  in  the  Salmon  River, 


128  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

c''g&''''oS  have  been  fouml  where  "ounces"  won't  describe  them,  and  where  they 
say  the  gulches  arc  full  of  gold.  The  discoverer  of  Baboon  giilch  arrived  in  this 
city  yesterday,  bringing  with  him  sixty  pounds  of  gold  dust,  and  Mr.  Jacob  Weiser 
is  on  his  way  with  a  mule  loaded  with  gold  dust." 

Within  the  year  more  than  one  and  one-half  millions  of  dollars  in  gold  dust 
had  been  shipped  from  the  mining  districts — a  circumstance  w-hich  of  itself  was 
enough  to  create  a  wide-spread  and  infectious  gold-fever.  Anticipating  the  rush 
for  the  mines  in  the  year  1862,  a  great  deal  of  livestock  had  been  brought  to  the 
Walla  Walla  country  in  the  latter  part  of  1861,  while  the  demands  for  food 
products  led  many  ranchers  to  make  provisions  for  raising  greatly  increased  crops 
of  grain  and  other  produce  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  coming  season. 

The  winter  of  1861-2  was  one  of  utmost  severity,  and  its  rigors  entailed  a 
gigantic  loss  to  residents  throughout  the  eastern  portion  of  Washington  Territory 
— a  section  practically  isolated  from  all  other  portions  of  the  world  for  many 
weeks.  It  has  been  said  that  this  "was  the  severest  winter  known  to  the  whites 
on  the  Pacific  Coast."  The  stock  in  the  Walla  Walla  country  perished  by  the 
thousands,  the  animals  being  unable  to  secure  feed  and  thus  absolutely  starving 
to  death.  From  December  to  March  the  entire  country  here  was  effectually 
hedged  in  by  the  vast  quantities  of  snow  and  the  severely  cold  weather.  Not  until 
March  22d  do  we  find  the  statement  in  the  local  newspaper  that  warm  rains 
had  set  in  and  that  the  snow  had  commenced  to  disappear.  One  result  is  shown 
in  the  further  remark  that  "Occasionally  the  sun  shines  out,  when  the  sunny  side 
of  the  street  is  lined  with  men."  The  loss  of  stock  in  this  section  during  that 
memorable  winter  was  estimated  at  fully  one  million  dollars,  hay  having  reached 
the  phenomenal  price  of  $125  per  ton,  while  flour  commanded  $25  per  barrel  in 
Walla  Walla.  It  may  not  be  malapropos  to  quote  a  list  of  prices  which  obtained 
in  the  Oro  Fino  mining  region  in  December,  1861  :  bacon,  fifty  to  sixty  cents 
per  pound;  flour,  twenty-five  to  thirty  dollars  per  100  weight;  beans,  twenty-five 
to  thirty  cents  per  pound;  rice,  forty  to  fifty  cents  per  pound;  butter,  seventy- 
five  cents  to  one  dollar;  sugar,  forty  to  fifty  cents;  candles,  eighty  cents  to  one 
dollar  per  pound ;  tea,  one  dollar  and  a  quarter  to  one  and  a  half  per  pound ; 
tobacco,  one  dollar  to  one  and  a  half ;  coffee,  50  cents. 

In  view  of  subsequent  gold  excitements  in  Alaska,  how  familiarly  will  read 
the  following  statements  from  the  IVasliington  Statesman  of  March  22,  1862: 
"From  persons  who  have  arrived  here  from  The  Dalles  during  the  week,  we 
learn  that  there  were  some  four  thousand  miners  in  Portland  fifteen  days  ago, 
awaiting  the  opening  of  navigation  to  the  upper  country.  Hundreds  were  arriv- 
ing by  every  steamer,  and  the  town  was  literally  filled  to  overflowing."  Under 
date  of  April  5th,  the  same  paper  gives  the  following  pertinent  information: 
"From  one  hundred  and  thirty  to  one  hundred  and  forty  passengers,  on  their 
way  to  the  mines,  come  up  to  Wallula  on  every  steamer,  and  the  majority  of 
them  foot  it  through  to  this  place  (Walla  Walla)."  By  the  last  of  May  it  was 
estimated  by  some  that  between  twenty-five  and  thirty  thousand  persons  had 
reached  or  were  en  route  to  the  mining  regions  east  of  the  Cascades,  but  con- 
servative men  now  in  Walla  Walla  regard  that  a  great  overestimate.  The  mer- 
chants of  Walla  Walla  profited  largely  through  the  patronage  of  the  ever  advanc- 
ing column  of  prospectors  and  miners,  but  the  farmers  did  not  fare  so  well,  owing 
to  the  extreme  devastations  of  the  severe  winter  just  passed.     Enough  has  been 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  129 

said  to  indicate  the  causes  which  led  to  the  rapid  settlement  and  development  of 
Eastern  Washington  and  Oregon — an  advancement  that  might  have  taken  many 
years  to  accomplish  had  it  not  been  for  the  discovery  of  gold  in  so  romantic  a 
manner.  The  yield  of  gold  reported  through  regular  channels  for  the  year  1862 
aggregated  fully  seven  million  dollars,  and  it  is  certain  that  several  millions 
were  also  sent  out  through  mediums  which  gave  no  record. 

In  February,  1S62,  food  products  and  merchandise  commanded  the  following 
prices  at  Florence:  flour,  $1  per  pound;  bacon,  $1.25;  butter,  $3;  cheese,  $1.50; 
lard,  $1.25;  sugar,  $1.25;  coffee,  $2.00;  tea,  $2.50;  gum  boots  per  pair,  $30; 
shovels,  from  twelve  to  sixteen  dollars. 

That  year  of  1861  was  a  great  year  in  the  annals  of  Walla  Walla  County. 
Cattle  drives,  gold  discovery,  hard  winter.  Civil  war !  The  last  named  stupendous 
event  was  shared  by  the  pioneer  communities  on  the  Walla  Walla  and  its  tribu- 
tary streams,  but  it  afi^ected  them  in  a  unique  manner.  This  was  nothing  less 
than  the  period  of  the  Vigilantes.  While  this  organization  was  due  to  a  variety 
of  conditions,  the  state  of  affairs  which  led  to  its  existence  grew  out  of  the  con- 
flict of  opinions  about  the  war.  Yet  it  must  be  said  that  the  character  of  popula- 
tion that  flowed  into  Walla  Walla  after  the  gold  discoveries  and  the  establishment 
of  the  town  as  the  leading  outfitting  place  for  the  mines  was  a  suitable  seed-bed 
for  the  growth  of  conditions  which  at  sundry  times  and  places  in  the  West  have 
produced  vigilance  committees.  This  peaceful  and  law-abiding  "Garden  City" 
of  1917,  a  center  of  homes  and  educational  institutions,  conspicuous  for  morality, 
intelligence,  and  comfort,  was  in  the  'Goa  about  as  "tough"  a  collection  of  human 
beings  as  could  be  found.  It  was  indeed. a- -motley 4h.r.ong  that  poured  in  as  the 
mining  excitement  grew  and  spread.  The/^l^t  ati^  Worst  jostled  each  other  on 
the  dusty  and  unsightly  streets  with  their  shackV  aft'A 'tents  and  saloons  and  dance 
halls.  Philanthropists  and  missionaries  anH';eHti(Hrtors  were  represented  by  Revs. 
Eells,  Spalding,  Chamberlain,  Berry  and  Flinn_,'  Father  Wilbur,  Bishop  Scott, 
Father  Yunger,  and  Bishop  Brouillet.  Some  of  the  noblest  and  most  liberal- 
minded  and  honest  of  business  men,  some  of  whom  continue  to  this  day,  gave 
character  and  standing  to  the  commnuity  and  laid  foundations  upon  which  the 
goodly  superstructure  of  the  present  has  been  reared.  We  have  but  to  call  up  the 
names  of  Baker,  Rees.  Moore,  Paine,  O'Donnell,  Whitman,  Guichard,  Reynolds, 
Stone,  Jacobs,  Johnson,  Isaacs,  Sharpstein,  Abbott,  Reese,  Boyer,  McMorris, 
Stine,  Thomas,  Drumheller,  Painter,  Ritz,  Kyger,  Cole,  and  others  too  numerous 
to  mention,  among  the  business  men  of  that  time,  to  know  that  the  best  was  then 
in  existence.  Old  timers  delight  to  tell  how  John  F.  Boyer  was  intrusted  by 
miners  with  sacks  of  gold-dust  while  they  were  gathering  supplies  and  packing 
for  new  ventures,  with  never  a  receipt  or  stroke  of  pen  to  bind  him,  yet  never  a 
dream  that  he  would  fail  to  restore  every  ounce  just  as  he  received  it.  But  the 
men  of  this  type,  some  with  wives  of  the  same  high  type  (though  most  of  them 
were  young  men  without  families),  were  daily  and  nightly  jostled  by  the  mis- 
cellaneous throng  of  gamblers,  pickpockets,  highway  robbers,  hold-ups,  and  pros- 
titutes who  ordinarily  fatten  on  the  gold-dust  bags  and  belts  of  the  miners 
assembled  at  their  yearly  supply  stations.  Strange  stories  are  told  about  the 
number  and  variety  and  unique  names  and  characters  of  the  various  "joints"  in 
the  Walla  Walla  of  the  decade  of  the  '60s.  In  some  newspaper  a  few  years  ago 
appeared  an  alleged  reminiscence  of  a  visitor  to  Walla  Walla,  in  which  he  tells 


130  OLD  W  ALLA  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

of  going  to  a  saloon,  in  which  the  floor  was  covered  with  sawdust.  That  was 
usual  enough,  but  the  odd  thing  was  that  each  patron  received  with  his  drink  a 
whiskbroom.  Puzzled  as  to  the  jjurpose  of  the  latter,  the  visitor  waited  for 
developments.  He  soon  discovered  that  the  whiskey  was  so  strenuous  as  to  be 
pretty  sure  to  induce  a  fit,  and  the  use  of  the  broom  was  to  sweep  off  a  place 
on  the  dirty  floor  to  ha\e  a  lit  on,  after  which  the  refreshed  and  enlightened 
(  ?)  patron  of  the  place  would  return  the  broom  and  proceed  on  his  way. 

Such  were  the  mongrel  conditions  of  life  during  the  first  years  of  the  Civil 
war.  It  is  not  surprising  therefore,  that  such  a  ju.xtaposition  of  forces  should 
have  caused  a  perfect  carnival  of  crime,  and  that  out  of  it  as  a  defence  by  the 
decent  elements  of  the  community  should  have  arisen  the  organization  of  the 
\'igilance  Committee. 

Two  incidents  prior  to  the  formation  of  the  \'igilantes  indicate  the  uneasy 
condition  induced  by  the  presence  of  the  soldiers  at  the  fort  and  the  considerable 
number  of  southern  sympathizers  in  the  community.  In  the  JVashington  States- 
man of  April  19,  1862,  we  find  an  account  of  a  riot  at  the  theater  out  of  which 
a  correspondence  arose  between  Mayor  E.  D.  Whitman  of  Walla  \Valla  and 
Col.  Henry  Lee,  commander  of  the  post.  This  is  also  made  the  subject  of 
editorial  comment  and  from  this  comment  we  glean  the  following  paragraphs 
as  showing  the  state  of  mind  at  that  time. 

"We  publish  today  an  interesting  correspondence  between  Mayor  Whitman 
and  Lieut.  Colonel  Lee,  growing  out  of  the  recent  unfortunate  afifray  at  the 
theater  and  the  conduct  of  some  of  the  soldiery  since  that  event  *  *  *  On  the 
part  of  the  citizens  who  were  engaged  in  the  afifray,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
officers  of  the  law  had  been  sufl'ered  to  be  stricken  down  and  their  authority  con- 
temned and  boldly  set  at  defiance,  we  are  satisfied  they  cherished  no  disposition 
to  aggravate  the  difficulty  either  by  word  or  deed.  Remaining  within  the  limits 
of  the  city,  they  have  peaceably  and  quietly  pursued  their  accustomed  business. 
Not  so  the  soldiers.  Cherishing  unjustifiably  an  excited  and  hostile  disposition, 
they  imitated  the  unwarrantable  conduct  of  their  fellows  on  the  night  in  ques- 
tion, by  parading  our  .streets  with  an  armed  force,  thus  exhibiting  a  total  and 
wanton  disregard  for  law  and  civil  authorities.  The  mildest  terms  that  can 
be  applied  to  this  procedure  must  characterize  it  as  a  high-handed  outrage  upon 
the  rights  of  the  people  of  this  city,  and  a  gross  insult  to  the  dignity  and 
authority  of  their  laws." 

The  editorial  proceeds  to  score  Colonel  Lee  severely  for  his  answer  to  the 
protestations  of  Mayor  Whitman.  It  appears  in  brief  that  a  group  of  soldiers 
had  gone  to  the  theater  and  made  so  much  disturbance  as  to  nearly  break  up  the 
program  and  in  an  attempt  to  put  them  out  one  of  the  soldiers  was  killed.  The 
next  morning  a  band  of  from  seventy-five  to  one  hundred  soldiers  came  armed 
into  the  town  and  seized  the  .sheriff  and  took  possession  of  the  street.  Colonel 
Lee,  in  his  statement  of  the  case,  disclaimed  all  responsibility  and  declared  that 
the  man  who  killed  the  soldier  was  a  notorious  criminal  named  "Cherokee  Bob." 
The  colonel  sarcastically  expresses  surprise  that  the  citizens  of  Walla  Walla  did 
not  take  interest  enough  in  the  matter  to  have  Cherokee  Bob  arrested,  and  he 
states  that  he  himself  would  heartily  co-operate  in  any  attempt  to  enforce  law 
and  order.  He  says  that  he  will  answer  for  the  good  conduct  of  the  men  under 
his  command  if  the  mayor  will  do  the  same  for  the  citizens  of  the  town.     He 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  131 

declares  that  his  men  will  not  disturb  the  citizens  if  they  are  let  alone.  Alayor 
Whitman,  in  responding  to  this,  declares  that  the  soldiers  initiated  all  the  trouble 
by  their  incivility  at  the  theater  and  that  when  an  attempt  was  made  by  the 
proper  peace  officers  to  enforce  order  the  fracas  ensued  in  which  three  citizens, 
including  two  peace  officers,  were  wounded,  one  mortally,  and  one  soldier  was 
killed  and  one  wounded.  This  seems  to  have  been  the  most  serious  afifray  in  that 
part  of  the  history  of  the  old  town.  It,  like  other  events  of  the  kind,  seems  to 
have  been  mixed  up  somewhat  with  the  war  conditions  of  the  country,  a  good 
many  of  the  people  of  the  town  being  southern  sympathizers  and  regarding  the 
soldiers  as  representatives  of  the  National  Government. 

About  a  month  later,  another  afifray  took  place  which  is  described  as  follows 
in  the  columns  of  the  Statesman: 

"On  last  Saturday  afternoon,  while  the  convention  for  the  nomination  for 
county  officers  was  in  session  in  this  city,  an  afifray  occurred  between  a  soldier 
belonging  to  the  garrison  and  a  citizen  named  Anderson  residing  some  miles  from 
this  place  in  Oregon.  Ofifensive  words  were  passed  between  them,  when  Ander- 
son seized  a  stone  and  threw  it  violently  at  the  soldier,  striking  him  on  the  head 
and  felling  him  prostrate  to  the  ground.  Citizens  who  witnessed  the  act  denounce 
it  as  unjustifiable  and  cowardly.  The  city  marshal  was  present  but  for  reasons 
best  known  to  himself  did  not  arrest  the  offender.  Anderson  was  intoxicated 
and  quarrelsome  and  should  have  been  arrested.  Another  officer  of  the  law 
immediately  issued  a  warrant,  but  in  the  meantime  Anderson  had  escaped.  There 
was  quite  a  gathering  of  soldiers  present  who  were  aware  of  the  above  facts, 
some  of  whom  even  saw  and  read  the  warrant.  On  the  same  evening  an  armed 
company  of  soldiers  marched  through  our  streets,  took  possession  of  our  city, 
and  surrounded  the  jail  building  in  which  the  marshal  was  at  the  time  attending 
to  his  duties.  They  demanded  his  arrest  and  threatened  to  effect  it  before  they 
left  the  city.  Shouts  of  "hang  him,"  "He's  a  damn  secessionist"  and  other  mob- 
like expressions  were  used.  It  was  to  all  intents  and  purposes  a  mob  and  the 
crowd  were  becoming  excited  and  boisterous,  when  Captain  Curry  approached 
the  spot  and  succeeded,  after  a  short  controversy,  in  getting  them  into  line  and 
marched  them  back  to  their  quarters.  We  understand  Anderson  has  left  for 
Salmon  River.  On  Monday  morning  the  marshal  tendered  his  resignation  to  the 
council,  a  meeting  of  which  body  was  immediately  held  and  another  officer 
appointed." 

The  editor  proceeds  to  comment  upon  the  fact  that  while  the  marshal  seems 
to  have  been  grossly  derelict  in  his  duty,  there  was  no  reason  to  charge  the 
officers  or  the  citizens  of  the  town  with  being  secessionists  and  that  the  idea  of 
conspiring  against  the  garrison  was  "all  bosh."  He  charges  that  the  soldiers 
were  frequently  drunk  and  objects  of  danger  to  the  people  of  the  town. 

It  is  interesting  to  notice  that  in  the  same  issue  of  the  Statesman,  June  28th. 
the  regular  Union  ticket  for  the  election  to  take  place  on  July  14th  appears  and 
has  for  its  motto,  "The  Union  Must  and  Shall  be  Preserved." 

It  is  evident  from  the  Statesman  as  well  as  from  the  recollections  of  old- 
timers  that  there  was  a  very  strong  secessionist  influence  in  Walla  Walla  at  that 
time.  The  general  attitude  of  the  Statesman  is  interesting  to  the  historian  because 
it  represents  so  large  a  class  of  the  citizens  of  the  LInited  States  at  that  time. 
While  the  paper  is  uncompromisingly  for  the  Union,  it  is  mortally  afraid  of  the 


132  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

question  of  emancipation  and  of  anything  like  "nigger  equality."  Its  tone  toward 
President  Lincoln  is  rather  critical  and  in  several  cases  it  charges  him  with  being 
swayed  by  abolitionists.  As  time  went  on  the  Union  sentiment  became  more 
and  more  pronounced.  Mr.  F.  W.  Paine  gives  us  an  anecdote  which  shows  the 
tension  in  the  year  1863,  as  follows : 

In  1863  Delazon  Smith  and  Dave  Logan  were  candidates  respectively  on  the 
democratic  and  republican  tickets  in  Oregon  for  representative  to  Congress. 
They  met  to  speak  in  the  vicinity  of  Milton,  a  commnuity  which  at  that  time 
was  intensely  democratic.  A  number  of  Walla  Walla  republicans,  among  whom 
were  Mr.  J'aine  and  Charles  Painter  (and  all  who  knew  Mr.  Painter  will  recall 
that  although  one  of  the  kindest  of  men  and  best  of  neighbors,  he  was  an  intense 
republican  and  not  at  all  averse  to  fighting  for  his  opinions)  went  to  Milton  to 
lend  their  encouragement  to  the  republican  side.  Reaching  a  sort  of  public  house 
in  the  vicinity,  they  waved  a  flag  which  they  had  taken  along  and  finally  put 
it  up  on  a  corner  of  the  building.  The  proprietor  coming  out  and  discovering 
it,  inquired  of  Mr.  Paine  if  it  were  his,  to  which  Mr.  Paine  made  answer  that 
although  the  flag  was  not  his,  it  had  come  with  the  company  of  which  he  was  a 
member,  and  he  presumed  it  was  the  intention  to  let  it  remain  where  they  had 
put  it  until  they  were  ready  to  take  it  down  themselves.  The  proprietor  then 
demanded  that  it  should  be  taken  down.  The  republicans  replied  that  that  flag 
would  not  go  down  as  long  as  there  was  a  man  left  who  had  put  it  there.  A 
fracas  seemed  imminent  and  in  fact  began  when  the  proprietor  of  the  house, 
whose  valor  seems  to  have  been  considerably  of  a  spirituous  nature,  backed  out 
and  the  flag  remained. 

Besides  the  influence  of  divided  politics,  and  the  friction  between  the  soldiers 
and  the  citizens,  besides  all  the  general  lawlessness  of  that  period  of  miners, 
cowboys,  and  Indians,  there  was  a  special  feature  of  the  times  which  aided 
in  leading  to  the  formation  of  the  Vigilance  Committee.  This  was  the  existence 
of  organized  bands  of  thieves  and  cattle-rustlers  all  over  the  Northwest.  The 
ramifications  of  these  groups  of  law-breakers  extended  from  California  to 
Montana  and  Idaho.  The  recently  published  book  by  Ex-Governor  W.  J.  McCon- 
nell  of  Idaho,  in  regard  to  early  times  in  the  mines  of  Northern  Idaho  and  the 
Boise  Basin,  the  Magruder  murder,  and  the  operations  of  the  Vigilantes  in  those 
sections,  with  many  other  similar  incidents,  gives  a  vivid  picture  of  the  times 
of  horse-thieves,  cattle-thieves,  and  gold-dust  thieves.  In  fact,  as  it  was  an  era 
of  thieves  and  highwaymen  of  all  sorts,  so  it  was  also  an  era  of  vigilance  com- 
mittees over  the  same  era  as  a  necessary  defense  against  desperadoes.  Judge 
Thomas  H.  Brents,  as  his  friends  well  knew,  had  a  fund  of  hair-raising  stories 
of  his  own  experiences  as  an  express  rider  during  that  period.  Another  man 
well  known  around  Walla  Walla  and  throughout  Eastern  Oregon  as  an  express 
rider  during  the  same  time  was  no  less  a  person  than  Joaquin  Miller,  "The  Poet 
of  the  Sierras." 

A  number  of  incidents  scattered  through  the  columns  of  the  Statesman  in 
1863,  1864,  1865,  indicate  the  kind  of  events  which  led  directly  to  the  formation 
of  the  Vigilantes.  For  instance,  in  the  issue  of  May  2,  1863,  is  an  account  of  the 
discover}'  of  about  a  hundred  horses  which  were  cached  away  in  a  mountain 
\alley  at  the  head  of  the  Grande  Ronde  River.  It  was  believed  by  those  who 
discovered  them  that  they  had  been  driven  there  by  a  bunch  of  "road  agents" 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  133 

who  had  been  hung  at  Lewiston  a  few  months  before.  Li  the  issue  of  the  States- 
man of  June  20th  of  the  same  year,  there  is  an  item  about  the  recovery  of  seven- 
teen stolen  horses  on  Coppei  Creek  near  Waitsburg  by  a  vigilance  committee. 
In  the  next  number  is  an  item  to  the  effect  that  the  same  men  that  had  stolen 
the  seventeen  horses  came  back  and  ran  away  six  more,  and  sent  word  back  that 
they  had  the  horses  on  the  north  side  of  Snake  River  and  they  dared  the  owners 
to  come  over  for  them.  They  said  that  there  were  seven  of  them  and  they  had 
three  revolvers  each  and  they  would  be  glad  to  see  company.  The  farmers  of 
Coppei  organized  a  well  armed  force  and  crossed  the  river.  They  discovered  the 
horses  and  took  possession  of  them,  but  the  vainglorious  road  agents  were 
nowhere  in  sight. 

In  the  Statesman  of  April  14,  1865,  we  find  the  first  definite  account  of  the 
operations  of  the  Vigilantes.  It  appears  that  a  certain  individual  called  "Dutch 
Louie"  had  been  taken,  according  to  his  account,  from  his  bed  by  Vigilantes 
at  the  hour  of  midnight,  and  hanged  until  he  was  nearly  dead,  in  order  to  make 
him  testify  against  someone  whom  he  did  not  want  to  name.  It  appears  at 
the- same  time  that  there  was  an  anti-Vigilantes  organization  which  took  posses- 
sion of  another  man  who  was  in  the  habit  of  coming  to  town  and  getting  "d.  d.," 
and  tried  to  compel  him  to  give  evidence  against  the  Vigilantes.  In  the  next  issue 
of  the  Statesman  there  is  an  account  of  the  pursuit  of  cattle  thieves  who  had 
run  away  sixty  cattle  from  the  Wild  Horse  Creek,  and  had  come  to  a  halt  on 
Mill  Creek  three  miles  above  Walla  Walla.  Mr.  Jeffries  followed  them  with 
a  posse  of  citizens  and  fomid  some  of  the  cattle,  and  according  to  the  story  one 
of  the  thieves  was  hung  by  the  Vigilantes,  although  the  paper  intimates  that  the 
story  of  the  hanging  was  without  foundation.  In  the  same  issue  there  is  an 
account  of  Mr.  Samuel  Johnson  (and  he  was  well  known  for  many  years  as 
one  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  the  Walla  Walla  country)  having  lost  sixty  head 
of  cattle  out  of  his  band  and  following  them  by  a  trail  from  the  Touchet  to  a 
point  on  the  Columbia  River  sixty  miles  above  Priest  Rapids.  The  same  paper 
also  has  an  item  about  the  "skeedaddling"  of  thieves,  and  it  gives  a  suggestion 
that  there  is  a  point  beyond  which  endurance  ceases  to  be  a  virtue,  and  that 
the  farther  these  worthies  "skeedaddle"  the  less  chance  there  will  be  of  their 
being  found  some  morning  dangling  at  a  rope's  end. 

The  Statesman  of  April  21,  1865,  contains  an  account  of  some  regular  "hang- 
ings" by  the  vigilance  committee.  It  seems  that  on  the  Sunday  morning  previous, 
a  man  named  McKenzie  was  found  hanging  to  a  limb  near  the  racetrack,  which 
at  that  time  was  a  short  distance  below  town.  It  appeared  from  reliable  tes- 
timony that  he  was  implicated  in  the  theft  of  the  cattle  stolen  from  Mr.  Jeffries. 
During  the  same  week,  two  men  named  Isaac  Reed  and  William  Wills,  were 
caught  at  Wallula,  charged  with  stealing  horses,  and  they  traveled  the  same  road 
as  McKenzie.  Before  taking  their  final  jump-off,  they  acknowledged  that  they 
were  members  of  a  regular  band  who  had  a  large  number  of  stolen  horses  on 
the  Columbia  somewhere  above  Wallula,  and  that  there  had  just  been  a  fight 
among  the  members  of  the  band,  in  which  one  had  been  killed.  During  the  same 
week  the  famous  hanging  of  "Slim  Jim"  was  consummated  from  a  tree  which 
still  stands  in  the  southern  part  of  town.  He  was  charged  with  having  assisted 
"Six-toed  Pete"  and  Waddingham  to  escape  from  the  county  jail.  The  author 
of  this  work  derived  much  of  his  information  in  regard  to  the  period  of  the 


134  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

\'igilantes  from  Richard  IJogle  and  Marshall  Seeke,  both  well  known  for  many 
years  in  \\'alla  Walla,  now  deceased,  but  all  who  were  residents  of  the  town 
during  1864  and  1865  are  sufficiently  familiar  with  the  events  of  the  time.  They 
do  not,  however,  seem  to  be  inclined  to  talk  very  much  about  it.  The  general 
supjx)sition  is  that  the  most  prominent  citizens  of  Walla  ^^'alla  were  either 
actively  or  by  their  support  concerned  in  the  organization.  They  had  secret 
meetings  and  passed  upon  cases  brought  before  them  with  great  promptness,  but 
with  e\ery  attempt  to  get  at  the  essential  facts.  In  case  they  decided  that  the 
community  would  be  better  without  some  given  individual,  that  individual  would 
receive  an  intimation  to  that  effect.  In  case  he  failed  to  act  upon  the  suggestion 
within  a  few  hours,  he  was  likely  to  be  found  adorning  some  tree  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  town  the  next  morning.  Although  to  modern  ideas  the  Vigilantes  seem 
rather  frightful  members  of  the  judiciary,  yet  it  is  doubtless  true  that  that  swift 
and  summary  method  of  disposing  of  criminals  was  necessary  at  that  time  and 
that  as  a  result  of  it  there  was  a  new  reign  of  law  and  order. 

The  most  famous  of  all  the  cases  during  that  period,  was  that  of  Ferd  Patter- 
son. This  famous  "bad  man'"  had  begun  his  career  in  Portland  by  killing  a 
captain  in  the  Union  army,  as  a  result  of  an  encounter  which  took  place  in  one 
of  the  principal  saloons  of  that  city.  This  man,  Captain  Staple,  lifted  his  glass 
and  cried  out,  "I  drink  to  the  success  of  the  Union  and  the  flag!"  Patterson 
was  a  southerner  and  when  all  the  men  about  him  lifted  their  glasses  he  threw 
his  down  exclaiming,  "The  Union  and  the  flag  be  damned !"  The  other  men 
cried  out  to  Captain  Staple,  "Bring  him  back  and  make  him  drink !"  The  cap- 
tain turned  to  follow  Patterson,  who  Was  upon  the  stairs,  and  at  the  instant  a 
revolver  shot  rang  out  and  the  captain  fell  with  a  bullet  in  his  heart.  Patterson, 
however,  was  acquitted  on  the  ground  of  self-defense. _  In  fact,  like  other  pro- 
fessional "bad  men,"  he  was  skilled  in  getting  his  opponent  to  draw  first  and 
then  with  his  great  quickness  he  would  send  a  deadly  shot  before  the  opponent 
could  pull  his  trigger.  After  several  similar  instances,  Patterson  came  to  \\'alla 
Walla  and  was  located  for  a  time  at  what  is  now  called  Bingham  Springs.  It  was 
a  station  at  that  time  on  the  main  stage  line  between  The  Dalles  and  Boise, 
and  had  a  good  hotel,  bath-house,  and  other  conveniences  for  travelers.  On  a 
certain  day  there  app)eared  at  Bingham  Springs  the  sheriff  of  Boise,  whose  name 
was  Pinkham.  Pinkham  was  a  strong  Union  man  and  Patterson,  as  we  have 
seen,  just  the  reverse;  and  the  two  parties  at  that  time  were  so  well  balanced 
that  it  was  just  a  turn  of  the  hand  which  would  hold  supremacy.  Meeting 
Patterson  one  day,  as  he  was  just  emerging  from  the  bathing  pool,  Pinkham 
slapped  him  in  the  face.  Patterson  said,  "I  am  alone  today  without  my  gun,  but 
one  of  these  days  I  will  be  fixed  for  you  and  settle  this  matter."  Pinkham  replied, 
"The  sooner  the  better."  A  few  days  after  this,  Patterson  walked  up  and 
slapped  Pinkham.  Both  men  drew  their  revolvers,  but  Patterson's  shot  took 
effect  first,  and  another  man  was  added  to  his  long  score.  The  brief  item  in 
respect  to  this  Pinkham  affray  appears  in  the  Walla  Walla  Statesman  of  July 
28,  1865. 

Some  weeks  passed  by  and  Patterson  came  to  Walla  Walla  where  he  was 
supported  mainly  by  various  light-fingered  arts  and  gambling  games  in  which 
he  was  an  adept.  It  was  considered  by  many  that  he  was  too  dangerous  a  man 
to  have  in  the  community,  but  it  was  a  very  difficult  matter  to  get  any  evidence 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  135 

against  him.  \'ery  few  dared  to  incur  his  enmity.  Finally,  a  man  named  Don- 
nehue,  who  w'as  a  night  watchman  in  the  town,  took  upon  himself  to  try,  convict, 
and  execute  the  famous  gambler  all  in  one  set  of  operations.  It  appears  from 
the  account  given  by  Richard  Bogle  that  between  eight  and  nine  o'clock  on  Febru- 
ary 15,  1866,  Patterson  had  entered  his  barber  shop,  which  was  then  situated 
on  Main  Street,  between  Third  and  Fourth,  as  it  would  be  at  the  present  time. 
While  the  barber  was  engaged  upon  the  countenance  of  the  gambler,  Dohnehue 
entered  and  stood  for  some  little  time  watching  the  operation,  and  just  at  the 
moment  of  completion  of  the  combing  of  his  hair,  about  which  the  gambler  was 
very  particular,  Donnehue  suddenly  stepped  up  and  shouted,  "You  kill  me  or  I'll 
kill  you."  And  at  the  same  moment  he  let  fly  a  bullet  from  his  revolver.  Patter- 
son, who  was  a  man  of  magnificent  physique,  although  mortally  wounded,  did  not 
fall  but  endeavored  to  reach  his  own  gun ;  and  while  doing  so,  and  in  fact  having 
gotten  out  upon  the  street,  Donnehue  emptied  the  revolver  into  the  staggering 
form  of  his  antagonist.  Patterson  died  within  a  few  minutes  and  Donnehue 
was  arrested  at  once  without  resistance  upon  his  part,  and  taken  to  jail.  He  was 
never  tried,  but  soon  after  left  town,  with  his  pockets  lined  with  gold  dust,  accord- 
ing to  reports.  It  was  generally  supposed  for  many  years  that  the  Vigilantes  had 
passed  upon  Patterson's  case  and  had  appointed  Donnehue  to  execute  their  sen- 
tence in  the  only  way  that  could  be  done  without  loss  of  somebody  else's  life. 
We  are  informed,  however,  by  one  of  the  most  reliable  old-timers  in  Walla  Walla, 
a  man  still  living,  that  the  Vigilantes  did  not  pass  upon  Patterson's  case  and  that 
his  death  was  pure  murder  on  the  part  of  Donnehue.  However  that  may  be, 
there  is  no  question  but  that  the  community  drew  a  long  sigh  of  relief  when  it 
was  known  that  Ferd  Patterson  had  been  retired  from  active  participation  in  its 
affairs.  With  the  death  of  Patterson,  and  the  close  of  the  Civil  war,  and  still 
more  as  a  result  of  the  beginnings  of  farming,  it  may  be  said  that  the  era  of  the 
Vigilantes  came  to  an  end.  They  gradually  disbanded  without  anyone  knowing 
exactly  how  or  why,  and  by  degrees  there  came  to  be  established  an  ever-growing 
reign  of  law  and  order  in  Old  Walla  Walla. 

As  constituting  a  vivid  narrative  in  the  history  of  the  Vigilantes,  we  include 
here  a  historic  sketch  by  Prof.  Henry  L.  Tolkington  of  the  State  Normal  School  of 
Idaho.  It  appeared  in  the  Lezmston  Tribune  of  August  19,  1917.  It  will  consti- 
tute a  part  of  a  book  now  in  preparation  by  Professor  Tolkington  entitled  "Heroes 
and  Heroic  Deeds  of  the  Pacific  Northwest." 

While  the  conclusion  does  not  occur  within  the  limits  of  Old  Walla  Walla 
County,  it  is  a  part  of  the  same  story  and  is  intensely  characteristic  of  those  times. 


CHAPTER   III 
POLITICAL  HISTORY  TO  TIME  OF  COUNTY  DIVISION 

In  previous  chapters  we  have  presented  the  facts  in  relation  to  the  first  attempt 
at  organization  of  Walla  Walla  County  in  1854,  prior  to  the  period  of  great 
Indian  wars.  We  took  up  again  the  reorganization  and  development  in  1859  with 
the  incoming  of  permanent  population.  We  also  mentioned  the  first  charter  and 
the  inauguration  of  permanent  city  government.  In  the  chapter  dealing  with  the 
beginnings  of  industries  we  showed  the  first  locations  at  the  different  points  which 
have  become  the  centers  of  population  in  the  four  counties. 

It  remains  in  this  chapter  to  take  up  the  thread  with  the  growing  communities 
and  the  government  over  them  which  composed  the  old  county  down  to  1875,  when 
Columbia  County  was  created,  embracing  what  are  now  the  three  counties  of 
Columbia,  Garfield  and  Asotin,  and  thus  reducing  Walla  Walla  County  to  its 
present  limits.  After  that  we  shall  trace  the  story  of  the  successive  subtractions 
of  Garfield  from  Columbia  and  then  Asotin  from  Garfield. 

The  authorities  to  which  we  have  had  recourse  are  first  the  county  records, 
so  far  as  available ;  second,  the  files  of  the  newspapers  covering  the  periods ; 
third,  Col.  F.  F.  Gilbert's  Historic  Sketches,  published  in  1882,  to  which  frequent 
reference  has  been  made  and  which  seems  in  general  to  be  very  reliable;  and 
fourth,  the  memory  of  pioneers  still  living  or  from  whom  data  were  secured  prior 
to  their  death.  In  respect  to  the  public  records  it  may  be  said  that  a  destructive 
fire  on  August  3,  1865,  of  which  an  account  is  given  in  the  Statesman  of  the  4th, 
destroyed  the  records,  though  the  more  important  ordinances  and  other  acts  of 
city  and  county  government  had  appeared  in  the  Statesman  and  from  that  source 
were  replaced. 

The  most  important  events  in  the  political  history  were  connected  with,  first, 
the  county,  its  legislative  and  local  officers,  and  the  chain  of  circumstances  going 
on  to  county  divisions ;  second,  the  city  government  and  the  movement  of  laws 
and  policies  through  various  reorganizations  to  the  present;  and  third,  the  place 
occupied  by  the  old  county  in  relation  to  state  and  national  affairs. 

In  the  way  of  a  general  view  of  political  conditions  in  the  period  from  the 
creation  of  county  offices  by  the  Legislature  of  the  Territory  on  January  19, 
1859,  through  the  period  of  war,  it  may  be  said  that  the  prevailing  sentiment  was 
at  first  strongly  democratic.  The  majority  of  the  settlers  in  Old  Oregon,  from 
which  had  come  a  large  proportion  of  the  earlier  comers  to  Walla  Walla,  were 
from  Missouri,  Illinois,  Iowa,  with  quite  a  sprinkling  from  Tennessee  and  Ken- 
tucky and  democratic  views  preponderated  in  the  sections  from  which  the  majority 
came.  With  that  strange  inconsistency  which  has  made  American  political  his- 
tory a  chaos  for  the  philosopher  and  historian,  that  early  democratic  element  here 
and  elsewhere  was  in  general  bitterly  opposed  to  "abolitionists  and  black  repub- 

136 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  137 

licans."  While  a  great  majority  of  them  did  not  favor  slavery  and  to  a  consider- 
able extent  had  left  slave  states  to  get  rid  of  it,  yet  they  were  mortally  afraid  of 
"nigger  equality."  When  the  war  broke  out  there  was  a  considerable  element 
that  were  carried  so  far  by  their  hatred  of  abolitionists  that  they  even  became 
rank  "Secesh."  That,  however,  was  a  temporary  sentiment.  The  feeling  of 
union  and  the  preservation  of  an  undivided  nation  gradually  asserted  itself,  and 
by  the  time  the  war  was  half  through  democrats  as  well  as  republicans  stood 
firmly  on  the  platform  of  the  maintenance  of  the  Union.  One  of  the  best  ex- 
pressions of  that  sentiment  is  found  in  the  resolutions  of  the  democratic  conven- 
tion on  May  23,  1863,  reported  in  the  Statesman  of  the  30th.  We  find  these  ex- 
pressions :  "That  the  democracy  are  unalterably  attached  to  the  union  of  these 
states."  "That  the  right  of  secession  is  not  reserved  to  the  States."  "That  the 
Federal  Government  has  a  right  to  maintain  the  constitution  and  enforce  the  laws, 
if  need  be,  by  force  of  arms,  and  so  far  as  the  acts  of  the  present  administration 
tend  to  these  desirable  ends,  it  has  our  cordial  support  and  no  further." 
Then  as  an  olifset,  the  fourth  resolution  declares :  "That  the  democracy  of  Wash- 
ington Territory  view  the  declared  intention  of  such  men  as  Horace  Greeley  and 
Charles  Sumner — who  desire  the  prosecution  of  the  present  civil  war  for  the 
abolition  of  slavery,  and  who  utterly  scout  the  idea  of  any  peace  which  is  not 
founded  on  the  condition  that  the  social  fabric  of  the  insurgent  states  is  to  be 
totally  uprooted — with  abhorrence." 

A  good  evidence  of  this  is  the  inability  of  men  brought  up  with  certain  views 
and  prejudices  to  grasp  the  logic  of  events.  Then  as  since,  "there  are  none  so 
blind  as  those  that  won't  see."  That  sentiment  was  also  well  shown  in  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  campaign  of  1863,  in  which  Geo.  E.  Cole  of  Walla  Walla  was 
democratic  candidate  for  Territorial  Delegate.  An  editorial  in  the  Statesman  of 
June  5,  1863,  commends  Mr.  Cole  as  a  Union  man  and  a  democrat.  In  the  same 
issue  appears  the  resolutions  of  the  Clarke  County  Democratic  Convention  which 
had  been  adopted  in  substance  by  the  territorial  convention  which  nominated  Mr. 
Cole,  and  to  which  the  democrats  of  Walla  Walla  pledged  themselves  at  a  rati- 
fication meeting  on  July  nth.  As  showing  the  stamp  "of  thought  prevailing  at 
that  time  in  the  party,  it  is  of  interest  to  read  these  resolutions : 

"Resolved,  That  the  democracy  (of  Clarke  County)  are  for  the  Union,  and 
the  whole  Union,  and  in  favor  of  the  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  efforts  of  the 
Government  in  crushing  the  present  unholy  and  wicked  rebellion,  when  such 
efforts  are  not  actuated  by  any  other  motives  than  a  single  desire  to  maintain  the 
honor  and  dignity  of  the  nation  and  enforcement  of  the  laws.  That  we  are  op- 
posed to  the  conclusion  of  any  peace  involving  in  its  terms  the  acknowledgment 
of  the  so-called  Southern  Confederacy,  and  that  we  hereby  pledge  ourselves, 
come  weal  or  woe,  in  life  and  death,  now  and  forever,  to  stand  by  and  defend 
the  flag  of  our  country  in  its  hour  of  peril." 

It  is  indeed  one  of  the  most  significant  evolutions  in  American  history ;  that 
of  the  gradual  passing  over  from  a  support  of  slavery  by  the  larger  part  of  the 
democratic  party  to  a  stage  where  they  no  longer  supported  that  "sum  of  all 
villainies"  and  yet  had  a  profound  hatred  of  "abolitionists,"  to  the  point  where 
they  perceived  that  the  maintenance  of  the  Union  was  the  great  essential,  whether 
slavery  was  lost  or  saved,  and  yet  further  to  the  point,  which  many  reached,  of 
an  unflinching  support  of  Abraham  Lincoln  in  his  abolition  as  well  as  Union 


138  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

policies.  It  is  all  an  exhibition  of  the  c\olution  of  nationalism,  to  which  free 
labor  is  essential.  And  in  tliat  evolution,  the  West  has  borne  the  larger  part. 
The  sentiment  of  state  pride,  the  local  prejudices  and  narrow  vision  conmion  in 
the  older  states  and  which  in  the  South  became  intertwined  with  slavery  and  pro- 
duced economic  and  political  deformity  and  arrested  development,  was  shuffled 
of^"  when  people  of  East  and  North  and  South  and  Europe  all  joined  to  lay  the 
foundations  of  genuine  American  states  in  new  regions  unhampered  and  undis- 
torted  by  caste  and  prejudice.  This  state  of  affairs  in  the  West  prepared  the  way 
for  a  new  democracy,  a  national  democracy,  a  genuine  democracy  for  all  men. 
The  transformation  of  Walla  A\'alla  politics  was  simply  a  sample  of  a  movement 
taking  place  all  over  the  country.  As  a  result,  during  the  decades  of  the  sixties 
and  seventies,  many  former  democrats,  notably  some  who  had  been  brought  up 
in  Missouri  and  other  slave  states,  finding  the  democratic  party,  as  they  thought, 
still  a  laggard  on  progressive  issues  developed  by  the  war  and  reconstruction,  left 
the  party  and  joined  the  republicans.  Doubtless  the  Statesman  may  be  taken  as 
a  good  exponent  of  the  pre\ailing  democratic  views  in  Walla  Walla.  It  was 
strong  for  the  L'nion,  but  was  horribly  afraid  of  "abolitionists."  When  W.  H. 
Newell  acquired  the  paper  in  November,  1865,  he  adopted  the  policy  of  support- 
ing President  Johnson  against  Congress.  The  republican  party  steadily  gained, 
and  in  subsequent  decades  Walla  Walla  County,  as  all  other  parts  of  the  states 
of  Washington  and  Oregon,  became  overwhelmingly  republican.  By  the  progress 
of  the  same  evolution,  progressive  politics  have  had  a  powerful  hold  upon  the 
people  of  these  states,  as  well  as  of  the  entire  Pacific  Coast,  and  the  support  given 
to  democratic  candidates,  state  and  national,  in  1916,  is  a  thoroughly  logical  de- 
velopment.   The  people  have  been  consistent,  though  party  names  have  not. 

One  of  the  interesting  facts  not  generally  realized  is  that  Walla  Walla 
County  in  the  sixties  contained  so  large  a  part  of  the  population  of  the  territory. 
In  the  Statesman  of  December  30,  1864,  we  find  a  report  from  Edwin  Eells, 
enrolling  officer  of  the  county,  in  which  it  appears  that  the  draft  enrollment  in 
\\'alla  Walla  County  was  1,133,  while  in  the  entire  territory  it  was  4,143. 

A  few  figures  at  various  times  in  the  sixties  will  be  found  of  interest. 

The  vote  for  Territorial  Delegate  in  1863  by  counties  was  as  follows,  as 
given  in  the  Statesman  of  August  22: 

George  E.  Cole,  J.  O.  R.wnor, 
Democrat  Republican 

Chehalis    22  21 

Clallam    45  27 

Clarke   173  100 

Clickitat    25  37 

Cowlitz    39  57 

Island    72  31 

Jefferson   148  120 

King    68  93 

Kitsap    130  99 

Lewis    63  77 

Pacific    II  90 

Pierce   95  106 

Sawamish   36  19 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  139 

George  E.  Cole,  J.  O.  Ravnor, 

Democrat  Republican 

Skamania    48  35 

Snohomish    35  30 

Spokane    56  12 

Thurston    132  171 

Wakiakum    12 

Walla  Walla 398  140 

Whatcom    32  56 

Total    1,628  1,333 

A  few  figures  at  various  times  in  the  sixties  will  be  found  of  interest.  In  the 
county  election  of  June,  1864,  we  find  the  following  vote  by  precincts: 

Precinct  Democratic  Republican 

Walla  Walla 287  149 

Lower  Touchet  1 1  33 

LTpper  Touchet 41  49 

Snake  River 2  7 

Wallula    I  12 

Palaha 2  10 

Total    344  260 

The  Statesman  of  September  9,  1864,  says  that  nine-tenths  of  the  immigrants 
coming  in  at  that  time  were  Democrats. 

That  claim  was  not  quite  realized,  however,  in  the  election  of  June  5,  1865,  for 
the  republican  candidate  for  Territorial  Delegate,  Arthur  A.  Denny,  received  336. 
while  the  democrat,  James  Tilton,  had  406. 

Though  the  population  was  small  and  scattered  there  were  many  intricacies 
involving  county  and  city  politics.  Into  those  details  we  cannot  go.  Doubtless 
some  of  them  would  best  rest  in  oblivion. 

We  incorporate  here,  as  valuable  for  reference,  the  list  of  legislative  choices 
and  of  the  chief  county  officers  beginning  with  1863  and  extending  through  all 
elections  prior  to  county  division  in  1875. 

1863 

Daniel  Stewart,  joint  councilman ;  S.  W.  Babcock,  F.  P.  Dugan,  L.  S.  Rogers, 
representatives;  W.  S.  Gilliam,  sheriff;  L.  J.  Rector,  auditor;  C.  Leyde,  assessor. 

1864 

J.  H.  Lasater,  attorney;  Alvin  Flanders,  joint  representative;  A.  L.  Brown, 
F.  P.  Dugan,  E.  L.  Bridges,  representatives ;  W.  G.  Langf  ord,  councilman ;  J.  H. 
Blewett.  probate  judge ;  James  McAuliff,  treasurer ;  W.  H.  Patton,  assessor ; 
Charles  White,  surveyor;  H.  D.  O'Bryant,  commissioner;  A.  J.  Theboda,  coroner. 


140  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

1866 

B.  L.  Sharpstein,  councilman ;  D.  M.  Jessee,  R.  Jacobs,  R.  R.  Rees,  H.  D. 
O'Bryant,  T.  P.  Page,  representatives;  James  McAuliff,  treasurer;  H.  M.  Hodgis, 
assessor;  W.  G.  Langford,  superintendent  of  schools;  T.  G.  Lee  and  H.  A.  Liv- 
ingston, commissioners. 

1868 

W.  H.  Newell,  councilman;  J.  M.  Vansycle,  joint  councilman;  W.  P.  Horton, 
E.  Ping,  J.  M.  Lamb,  P.  B.  Johnson,  B.  F.  Regan,  representatives;  H.  M.  Chase, 
probate  judge;  A.  Seitel,  sheriff;  J.  H.  Blewett,  auditor;  J.  D.  Cook,  treasurer; 
C.  Ireland,  assessor;  C.  Eells,  superintendent  of  schools;  S.  'M.  Wait,  W.  T. 
Barnes,  and  A.  H.  Reynolds,  commissioners. 

1870 

Daniel  Stewart,  councilman;  N.  T.  Bryant,  joint  councilman;  D.  Ashpaugh, 
J.  H.  Lasater,  John  Scott,  A.  G.  Lloyd,  E.  Ping,  T.  W.  Whetstone,  representa- 
tives; N.  T.  Caton,  attorney;  R.  Guichard,  probate  judge;  James  McAuliff, 
sheriff;  H.  M.  Chase,  auditor;  A.  Kyger,  treasurer;  A.  C.  Wellman,  assessor; 
J.  L.  Reser,  superintendent  of  schools;  C.  C.  Cram,  Francis  Lowden,  1.  T.  Reese, 
commissioners. 

1872 

Fred  Stine,  councilman;  C.  H.  Montgomery,  joint  councilman;  N.  T.  Caton, 
O.  P.  Lacy,  E.  Ping,  C.  L.  Bush,  John  Bryant,  and  H.  M.  Hodgis,  representatives; 
L  Hargrove,  probate  judge;  B.  W.  Griffin,  sheriff;  R.  Jacobs,  auditor;  R.  R. 
Rees,  treasurer;  W.  F.  Gwynn,  assessor;  A.  W.  Sweeney,  superintendent  of 
schools;  D.  M.  Jessee,  W.  P.  Bruce,  and  S.  L.  King,  commissioners. 

1874 

E.  Ping,  councilman;  W.  W.  Boon,  joint  councilman;  R.  G.  Newland,  J.  B. 
Shrum,  P.  M.  Lynch,  John  Scott,  A.  G.  Lloyd,  and  H.  M.  Hodgis,  representa- 
tives; T.  J.  Anders,  attorney;  R.  Guichard,  probate  judge;  G.  F.  Thomas,  sheriff; 
R.  Jacobs,  auditor;  R.  R.  Rees,  treasurer;  S.  Jacobs,  assessor;  A.  W.  Sweeney, 
superintendent  of  schools ;  Charles  White,  C.  S.  Bush,  C.  C.  Cram,  commissioners. 

This  was  the  last  election  prior  to  county  division.  The  elections  after  that 
event  will  appear  in  chapter  one  of  part  three. 

In  the  early  times  they  seem  to  have  had  a  frank  and  outspoken  and  energetic 
manner  of  writing  about  each  other,  and  the  inference  is  plain  that  they  talked  in 
a  similar  way.  Each  man  had  ready  access  to  his  hip  pocket,  and  was  commonly 
qualified  to  support  his  views  by  force  of  arms  when  necessary.  We  find  as  a 
sample  a  discussion  between  Sheriff  E.  B.  Whitman  and  certain  critics  in  the 
Statesman  of  May  30  and  June  13.  1863.  It  pertains  to  the  arrest  of  one  Bunton. 
An  address  signed  by  sixty-nine  residents  of  the  Coppei  appears  in  the  earlier 
issue.    In  it  is  charged  that  a  flagrant  and  wilful  murder  had  been  committed  by 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  141 

William  Bunton  on  the  person  of  Daniel  S.  Cogsdill  and  that  Sheriff  Whitman 
made  no  effort  to  arrest  Bunton,  and  when,  at  the  instance  of  citizens,  Deputy 
Hodgis  arrested  Bunton,  and  delivered  him  to  Whitman  that  the  latter  was  too 
merciful  to  the  prisoner  to  put  him  in  jail;  "but  at  the  request  of  Bunton  put  him 
in  charge  of  a  lame  or  a  crippled  man,  with,  as  we  believe,  the  intention  of  his 
escape."  Tliey  therefore  declare  that  they  have  no  protection  when  the  high  and 
responsible  office  of  sheriff  is  filled  by  the  friends  of  murderers  and  thieves.  They 
therefore  recommend  that  the  commissioners  should  remove  said  Whitman  and 
appoint  ''Deputy  Hodgis  or  some  other  good  man." 

Sheriff  Whitman  makes  in  reply  a  lengthy  and  moderate  explanation,  the  main 
point  of  which  was  that  the  county  jail  was  so  insecure  that  by  the  advice  of 
Judge  Wyche  he  put  Bunton  in  the  hands  of  J.  O.  Putman,  one  of  the  signers  of 
the  above  statement,  and  that  after  some  trouble  Bunton  got  away.  In  the  issue 
of  June  13,  the  citizens  returned  to  the  attack  with  renewed  energy,  and  this 
brought  from  Mr.  Whitman  a  vitriolic  response.  He  begins:  "Editor  Statesman: 
As  your  columns  seem  to  be  at  the  disposal  of  parties  who  may  wish  to  belch 
forth  personal  slander,  persecution,  malignity,  and  falsehood,  it  is  but  just  that 
the  party  vilified  should  have  the  opportunity  of  replying  through  the  same  me- 
dium. Upon  reading  the  article,  dated  at  Coppei,  I  thought  I  would  let  the  matter 
rest  upon  its  own  merits,  as  the  style  and  manner  in  which  it  is  written  shows 
that  it  originated  from  a  vindictive,  mischievous,  and  depraved  appetite  for 
notoriety,  which  at  times  controls  men  of  depraved  tastes."  Among  the  sixty- 
nine  signers  of  the  document  were  some  who  were,  as  also  Sheriff  Whitman  him- 
self was,  among  the  most  worthy  of  the  foundation  builders,  and  who  now  all 
rest  in  honored  graves.  We  are  giving  the  incidents  here  as  a  historical  curiosity, 
and  as  showing  how  men's  minds  were  keyed  up  in  those  days  of  war  and  vigi- 
lantes to  a  high  pitch. 

EFFORT  TO  ANNEX   WALL.\    WALLA    COUNTY   TO   OREGON 

One  of  the  most  exciting  political  questions  of  the  sixties  was  that  of  an- 
nexation of  Walla  Walla  County  to  Oregon.  We  find  in  the  Statesman  of  Octo- 
ber 20,  1865,  a  report  of  a  mass  meeting  of  October  18,  at  which  resolutions  were 
passed  advocating  the  annexation  and  inviting  the  people  of  Oregon,  through 
their  Legislature,  to  unite  in  the  movement,  and  also  calling  on  the  representatives 
and  senators  from  Oregon  and  the  Territorial  Delegate,  A.  A.  Denny,  to  use  all 
honorable  means  to  induce  Congress  to  take  that  action.  They  mention,  which  is 
historically  interesting,  that  the  people  of  Oregon  in  accepting  their  Constitution 
had  done  so  with  the  understanding  that  the  line  should  follow  the  natural  boun- 
dary of  the  Columbia  and  Snake  rivers.  The  convention  also  censured  Judge 
J.  E.  Wyche,  judge  of  the  First  Judicial  District  of  Washington  Territory,  located 
at  Walla  Walla.  The  committee  composing  the  resolutions  consisted  of  J.  H. 
Lasater,  A.  Kyger,  and  Drury  Davis.  J.  H.  Blewett  introduced  a  resolution  call- 
ing on  President  Johnson  to  remove  Judge  Wyche.  The  resolution  was  lost.  A 
committee  consisting  of  A.  J.  Cain,  A.  L.  Brown,  and  H.  P.  Isaacs  was  appointed 
to  draft  petitions,  one  to  Congress  and  the  other  to  the  Oregon  Legislature,  look- 
ing to  the  execution  of  the  plan. 

In  the  same  issue  of  the  Statesman  a  call  appears  for  a  meeting  to  "take  such 


142  OLD  W.M.I.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

steps  as  they  may  deem  proper  to  frustrate  the  designs  of  those  who  would  saddle 
upon  the  people  of  this  county  a  proportion  of  the  debt  of  the  bankrupt  State  of 
Oregon,  with  her  j)eculiar  institutions." 

It  is  asserted  that  Anderson  Cox  was  the  prime  nio\er  in  the  annexation 
project,  though  his  name  does  not  appear  in  the  rejjort  in  the  Statesman.  The 
Oregon  Legislature  was  nothing  loth  to  add  this  desirable  section  to  the  limits 
of  the  inothcr  state  and  duly  memorialized  Congress  to  that  effect.  Years  passed 
by,  and  in  1875,  just  after  county  division  had  been  effected.  Senator  J.  K.  Kelly 
of  Oregon  introduced  a  bill  providing  for  the  submission  of  the  question  to  the 
people  of  Walla  Walla  and  Columbia  counties.  This  bill  failed,  as  did  also  one 
to  the  same  effect  in  the  House  by  Representative  LaFayette  Lane  of  Oregon. 
The  failure  of  the  annexation  plan  produced  additional  activity  in  projects  look- 
ing to  statehood.  There  was  during  that  period  (and  it  has  not  entirely  ceased 
to  this  day)  a  good  deal  of  friction  between  the  Walla  Walla  section  and  the 
Puget  Sound  section.  The  former  had  early  commercial  and  political  relations 
with  Portland  of  a  far  more  intimate  nature  than  with  the  Sound.  The  ma- 
jority of  the  leading  business  men  were  from  Oregon.  The  common  feeling  was 
that  the  Sound  was  very  selfish  and  narrow  in  its  dealings  with  the  eastern  section, 
desiring  its  connection  mainly  for  taxation  purposes.  It  was  largely  from  that 
feeling  that  annexation  projects  arose.  The  Sound,  on  the  other  hand,  had  accused 
the  Walla  Walla  section  of  being  disloyal  to  the  state  and  seeking  local  advantage. 
Opposition  in  the  territory  therefore  delayed  action.  According  to  statements 
made  by  Hollon  Parker  to  the  author  a  number  of  years  ago,  he  himself  made 
a  special  trip  to  Washington  to  head  oft'  the  movement.  At  any  rate,  it  was  never 
carried.  Walla  Walla  County  had  at  the  time  of  the  presidential  election  of 
1876  a  sufficient  majority  of  Democrats  to  have  toppled  the  slight  scale  by  which 
Hayes  held  the  presidency  over  Tilden,  and  if  the  county  had  been  in  Oregon 
Tilden  would  have  had  a  majority  and  the  Electoral  Commission  would  never 
have  been  created,  and  quite  a  section  of  national  history  would  have  had  another 
version. 

In  1865  the  Territorial  Delegate  was  Arthur  Denny  of  Seattle.  The  States- 
man refers  to  him  as  the  "Abolition  Candidate."  Passing  on  to  1867  we  find 
national,  state,  and  local  affairs  of  a  very  strenuous  nature.  Perhaps  the  inser- 
tion here  of  extracts  from  a  book  written  by  the  author  sometime  ago  will  con- 
vey a  clear  view  of  the  course  of  events  in  the  elections  of  1867  and  1869. 

POLITICAL  REVIEW 

A  review  of  the  political  situation  in  1867  shows  that  there  was  an  extraordi- 
nary interest  and  activity  in  the  ranks  of  both  the  democrats  and  the  republicans. 
The  principal  point  of  contest  and  interest  was  in  the  selection  of  a  delegate  to 
Congress,  each  party  having  a  number  of  aspirants  for  the  important  office. 
The  people  east  of  the  Cascades  felt  that  they  were  entitled  to  have  a  candidate 
selected  from  their  section  of  the  territory,  inasmuch  as  the  honor  had  hitherto 
gone  to  a  resident  of  the  .Sound  country.  From  the  eastern  section  of  the  ter- 
ritorv  were  five  democrats  and  two  republicans  whose  names  were  prominently 
mentioned  in  this  connection,  and  while  the  republican  convention  for  \\'alla  Walla 
Countv   sent  an   uninstructed   delegate   to  the  territorial   convention,  a  vigorous 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  143 

effort  had  been  made  in  favor  of  I  he  candidacy  of  Judge  J.  E.  Wyche.  At  the 
county  democratic  convention  the  delegates  chosen  were  instructed  to  give  their 
support  to  W.  G.  Langford,  of  Walla  Walla,  so  long  as  seemed  expedient.  They 
were  also  instructed  to  deny  their  support  to  any  candidate  who  endorsed  in  any 
degree  the  project  of  annexing  Walla  Walla  County  to  Oregon.  In  the  territorial 
convention  Frank  Clark  of  Pierce  County  received  the  nomination  of  the  de- 
mocracy for  the  office  of  congressional  delegate,  the  balloting  in  the  convention 
having  been  close  and  spirited.  The  republican  territorial  convention  succeeded 
in  running  in  the  proverbial  "dark  horse,"  in  the  person  of  Alvin  Flanders,  a 
Walla  Walla  merchant,  who  was  made  the  nominee,  defeating  three  very  strong 
candidates. 

Owing  to  the  agitation  of  the  Vigilance  question,  referring  to  diverging 
opinions  of  the  citizens  as  to  the  proper  method  of  administering  justice,  the 
politics  of  the  county  were  in  a  peculiarly  disrupted  and  disorganized  condition, 
and  the  Vigilance  issue  had  an  unmistakable  influence  on  the  election,  as  was 
shown  by  the  many  peculiarities  which  were  brought  to  light  when  the  returns 
were  fully  in.  The  democrats  of  the  county  were  particularly  desirous  of  elect- 
ing certain  of  their  county  candidates,  and  it  is  stated  that  the  republicans  were 
able  to  divert  many  democratic  votes  to  their  candidate  for  delegate  to  Congress 
by  trading  votes  with  democrats  and  pledging  their  support  to  local  democratic 
candidates.  The  fact  that  such  bartering  took  place  is  assured,  for  while  the 
returns  gave  a  democratic  majority  of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  in  Walla  Walla 
County  for  all  other  officers,  the  delegate  received  a  majority  of  only  124.  This 
action  on  the  part  of  the  Walla  Walla  democrats  secured  the  election  of  the  repub- 
lican candidate,  whose  majority  in  the  territory  was  only  ninety-six. 

Tlie  result  of  the  election  in  the  county,  held  on  the  3d  of  June,  was  as  fol- 
lows :  Frank  Clark,  the  democratic  candidate  for  delegate,  received  606  votes, 
and  Alvin  Flanders,  republican,  482  votes.  The  other  officers  elected  were  as 
follows :  Prosecuting  attorney,  F.  P.  Dugan ;  councilman,  W.  H.  Newell ;  joint 
councilman  (Walla  Walla  and  Stevens  counties),  J.  M.  Vansycle;  representatives, 
W.  P.  Horton,  E.  Ping,  J.  M.  Lamb,  P.  B  Johnson  and  B.  F.  Regan;  probate 
judge,  H.  M.  Chase;  sherifl",  A.  Seitel ;  auditor,  J.  H.  Blewett;  treasurer,  J.  D. 
Cook;  assessor,  C.  Ireland;  surveyor,  W.  L.  Gaston;  superintendent  of  schools, 
C.  Eells;  coroner,  L.  H.  Goodwin;  county  commissioners,  S.  M.  Wait,  D.  M. 
Jessee  (evidently  an  error  in  returns,  as  W.  T.  Barnes,  a  democrat,  was  elected), 
and  A.  H.  Reynolds. 

The  sheriff  resigned  on  November  7,  1868,  and  on  the  same  day  James  Mc- 
Auliff  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy.  A.  H.  Reynolds  resigned  as  commis- 
sioner, in  May,  1869,  Dr.  D.  S.  Baker  being  appointed  as  his  successor.  Of  the 
.successful  candidates  noted  in  the  above  list,  all  were  democrats  except  P.  B. 
Johnson,  J.  D.  Cook,  C.  Eells,  S.  M.  Wait  and  A.  FI.  Reynolds. 

Again  in  this  year  was  there  to  be  chosen  a  delegate  to  Congress,  and  the 
democracy  of  Walla  Walla  County  instructed  their  delegates  to  the  territorial 
convention  to  insist  upon  the  nomination  of  a  candidate  resident  east  of  the  Cas- 
cade Range — the  same  desideratum  that  had  been  sought  at  the  last  preceding 
election.  In  the  convention  F.  P.  Dugan,  J.  D.  Mix,  B.  L.  Sharsptein  and  W.  H. 
Newell,  of  Walla  Walla,  were  balloted  for,  but  the  nomination  went  to  Marshall 
F.  Moore,  ex-governor  of  the  territory. 


144  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Tlie  republican  iioniinalion  was  secured  by  Selucius  Garfielde,  surveyor-gen- 
eral of  the  territory.  The  names  of  two  of  Walla  Walla  County's  citizens  were 
presented  before  the  convention,  Dr.  D.  S.  Baker  and  Anderson  Cox.  The  nomi- 
nation of  Garfielde  proved  unsatisfactory  to  many  of  the  party  adherents  and  dis- 
sention  was  rampant.  The  disaffection  became  so  intense  in  nature  that  a  number 
of  the  most  prominent  men  in  the  party  ranks  did  not  hesitate  to  append  their 
signatures  to  a  circular  addressed  to  the  "downfallen  republican  party,"  said  docu- 
ment bearing  fifty  signatures  in  all.  On  the  list  appeared  the  name  of  the  dele- 
gate in  Congress  and  the  chief  justice  of  the  territory.  The  circular  called  for  a 
radical  reorganization  of  the  party,  charged  fraudulent  action  in  the  convention 
and  made  many  sweeping  assertions.  This  action  provoked  a  strong  protest,  and 
the  disaffected  contingent  did  not  nominate  a  ticket  of  their  own,  and  Mr.  Gar- 
fielde was  elected  by  a  majority  of  132.  He  received  in  Walla  Walla  County  384 
votes,  while  his  opponent,  Mr.  Moore,  received  740. 

According  to  all  data  available,  the  political  pot  boiled  furiously  throughout 
the  territory  as  the  hour  of  election  approached.  Lack  of  harmony  was  manifest 
in  both  parties,  and,  as  before,  the  chief  interest  centered  in  the  election  of  a  dele- 
gate to  represent  the  territory  in  the  Federal  Congress.  Those  office-holders  who 
were  most  vigorously  protestant  and  visibly  disaffected  were  summarily  removed 
from  office  in  January  of  this  year  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  this 
action  having  been  recommended  by  the  congressional  delegate,  Mr.  Garfielde, 
who  thus  drew  upon  himself  still  greater  dislike  and  opposition.  A  change  in  the 
existing  laws  made  it  necessary  to  elect  a  delegate  again  this  year,  and  a  strong 
attempt  was  made  to  defeat  Mr.  Garfielde,  who  was  confident  of  being  returned 
to  office.  There  could  be  no  reconciliation  of  the  warring  elements  in  the  repub- 
lican party.  The  republican  territorial  convention  of  1869  had  appointed  an  ex- 
ecutive committee,  whose  personnel  was  as  follows :  Edward  Eldridge,  M.  S. 
Drew,  L.  Famsworth,  P.  D.  Moore,  B.  F.  Stone,  Henry  Cook  and  J.  D.  Cook. 
In  February  a  circular  was  issued  by  Messrs.  S.  D.  Howe,  A.  A.  Manning,  Ezra 
Meeker,  G.  A.  Meigs,  A.  A.  Denny  and  John  E.  Bums,  who  claimed  to  have  con- 
stituted the  executive  committee.  The  convention  as  called  by  the  regular  com- 
mittee met  in  April  and  renominated  Mr.  Garfielde.  The  recalcitrant  faction 
presented  the  name  of  Marshall  Blinn  in  the  convention,  the  bolters  not  being 
strong  enough  to  hold  a  separate  convention,  but  hoping  to  gain  sufficient  votes 
to  prevent  the  nomination  of  Garfielde. 

The  democratic  convention  was  far  more  harmonious,  the  nomination  going 
to  Judge  J.  D.  Mix,  one  of  the  most  honored  citizens  of  Walla  Walla,  and  one 
enjoying  a  wide  acquaintance  throughout  the  territory.  The  campaign  developed 
considerable  acrimony  between  the  factions  of  the  republican  party,  but  the  re- 
sults of  the  election  showed  that  the  disaffected  wing  gained  but  slight  popular 
endorsement.  Six  thousand  three  hundred  and  fifty-seven  votes  were  cast  in  this 
election,  representing  a  gain  of  1,300  over  the  preceding  year.  Garfielde  was 
elected,  securing  a  majority  of  736  over  Mix,  the  total  vote  for  Blinn  being  only 
155.  Upon  the  question  of  holding  a  constitutional  convention  there  were  1,109 
votes  cast  in  opposition,  and  974  in  favor. 

By  reason  of  the  change  in  the  law  the  county  election  also  was  held  a  year 
earlier  than  usual,  occurring  June  6,  1870.  The  democracy  was  victorious  in 
the  county,  electing  their  entire  ticket  with  the  exception  of  superintendent  of 


RESIDEKCE    OF    FATHER    \AX    DE    ^'EX,    WAI.LA    \\ALLA 


ST.  JNIARY'S  HOSPITAL.  \\'Arj.A  WAI.LA 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  145 

schools.  For  delegate  James  D.  Mix  received  in  his  home  county  670  votes,  while 
Selucius  Garfielde  had  527.  The  officers  elected  in  the  county  were  as  follows: 
Prosecuting  attorney,  N.  T.  Caton;  councilman,  Daniel  Stewart;  joint  council- 
man (Walla  Walla,  Stevens  and  Yakima  counties),  N.  T.  Bryant;  representatives, 
David  Aspaugh,  James  H.  Lasater,  John  Scott,  A.  G.  Lloyd,  Elisha  Ping  and 
T.  W.  Whetstone;  probate  judge.  R.  Guichard  ;  sheriff,  James  McAuliff;  auditor, 
H.  M.  Chase ;  treasurer,  A.  Kyger ;  assessor,  A.  C.  Wellman ;  surveyor,  A.  H. 
Simmons  (he  was  succeeded  by  Charles  A.  White,  who  was  appointed  to  the 
office  May  i,  1871)  ;  school  superintendent,  J.  L.  Reser ;  coroner,  L.  H.  Goodwin; 
county  commissioners,  C.  C.  Cram,  F.  Louden  and  L  T.  Rees. 

The  officials  elected  in  the  county  this  year  did  not  assume  their  respective 
positions  until  the  succeeding  year.  The  officers  elected  in  the  preceding  year 
had  been  chosen  for  a  term  of  two  years,  and  they  contended  that  the  change  in 
the  law  of  the  territory  which  made  it  necessary  to  hold  the  election  in  1870,  in- 
stead of  1871,  did  not  invalidate  their  right  to  hold  office  until  the  expiration  of 
their  regular  term.  The  matter  was  brought  into  the  courts  for  adjudication,  in 
a  test  case,  the  prosecuting  attorney-elect  against  the  incumbent  of  the  office  at 
the  time  of  the  last  election.  In  July  James  W.  Kennedy,  judge  of  the  first  dis- 
trict, rendered  a  decision  in  favor  of  the  defendant,  holding  that  officers  elected 
in  1S69  retained  their  positions  until  1871,  thus  reducing  the  term  of  the  officials 
last  elected  to  one  year. 

COUNTY  COURTHOUSE 

One  of  the  burning  questions  at  all  times  in  political  life  has  been  the  County 
Courthouse.  As  the  county  dedicated  its  first  courthouse  in  the  year  1867,  it  is 
incumbent  that  we  make  a  brief  reference  to  the  same  at  this  juncture.  As  early 
as  1864,  the  grand  jury  had  made  a  report  on  this  matter,  and  from  said  document 
we  make  the  following  pertinent  extracts :  "We,  the  grand  jury,  find  that  it  is 
the  duty  of  the  county  commissioners  to  furnish  offices  for  the  different  county 
officers.  This  we  find  they  have  not  done.  Today  the  offices  of  the  officers  are 
in  one  place,  tomorrow  in  another,  and  we  hope  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  board 
of  county  commissioners  that  they  will,  for  the  sake  of  the  integrity  of  Walla 
Walla  County,  furnish  the  different  county  officers  with  good  offices."  Notwith- 
standing this  merited  reproof,  no  action  of  a  definite  character  was  taken  by  the 
board  of  commissioners  until  a  meeting  of  March  11,  1867,  when  it  was  voted  to 
purchase  of  S.  Linkton  a  building  on  the  corner  of  Alder  and  Third  streets,  the 
same  to  be  paid  for  in  thirty  monthly  installments  of  $100  each.  A  further  ex- 
penditure of  $500  was  made  in  fitting  up  the  building  for  the  use  of  the  county, 
and  thus  Walla  Walla  County  was  able  to  hold  up  a  dignified  head  and  note  with 
approval  her  first  courthouse.  That  the  structure  was  altogether  unpretentious 
and  devoid  of  all  architectural  beauty  it  is  perhaps  needless  to  say.  The  executives 
of  the  county  were  at  least  provided  with  a  local  habitation. 

Though  the  housing  of  the  county  was  a  lame  affair  a  number  of  years 
passed  before  there  w'as  any  permanent  action.  During  nearly  all  elections  from 
1869  on  we  find  a  vote  on  two  general  questions :  a  constitutional  convention  and 
a  courthouse.  In  1869  there  was  a  vote  of  24  for,  and  286  against  a  constitutional 
convention. 

Vol.    I— 10 


14(i  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Tlie  interval  of  elections  was  changed  following  the  election  of  1869,  so  that 
the  next  occurred  on  June  6,  1870.    That  of  1872  took  place  on  November  5th. 

In  August,  1870,  the  City  Council  deeded  to  the  county  the  block  of  land  on 
■Main  Street  on  which  the  permanent  courthouse  was  built.  In  the  election  of 
1872  the  vote  in  favor  of  building  a  courthouse  was  815  to  603.  A  vote,  as  usual, 
was  taken  on  constitutional  convention,  with  the  result  of  57  aiifirmative  and  809 
negative. 

Since  the  majority  had  expressed  their  desire  for  a  courthouse  the  commis- 
sioners in  February,  1873,  set  on  foot  the  arrangements  for  plans,  and  those  pre- 
sented by  T.  P.  Allen  were  accepted.  These  called  for  a  brick  structure  with 
stone  foundation,  two  stories,  dome,  main  part  with  an  ell.  Meanwhile  various 
schemes  for  inducing  the  commissioners  to  locate  farther  from  the  center  of 
town  by  offering  land,  with  a  view  to  enhancing  the  values  of  land  adjoining,  were 
under  consideration.  After  having  turned  down  several  such  plans  and  pro- 
nounced in  favor  of  the  block  donated  by  the  city,  the  commissioners  rather 
suddenly  changed  their  decision  and  accepted  four  blocks  between  Second  and 
Fourth  streets,  a  quarter  mile  north  of  Main  Street.  A  first-class  ruction  arose 
over  this  decision.  Changes  were  made  in  the  plans  also,  by  which  the  building 
was  reduced  in  size  and  dignity.  Finally,  as  Gilbert  says,  with  some  degree  of 
keenness,  '"the  last  act,  and  under  the  circumstances,  the  most  judicious  one,  was 
not  to  erect  the  building  at  all." 

After  this  the  courthouse  plans  rested  awhile,  and  no  action  was  taken  until 
after  county  division.  The  question  of  constitutional  convention,  however,  kept 
pegging  away,  and  in  the  election  of  1874,  the  result  was  similar  to  that  of  previous 
elections,  24  for,  and  236  against. 

It  will  be  found  of  value  to  incorporate  here  the  list  of  Territorial  Delegates 
and  Governors.  Walla  Walla  was  well  represented  in  the  list,  both  before  and 
after  county  division,  as  also  both  before  and  after  statehood. 

TERRITORIAL  DELEG.ATES 

1857 — I.  I.  Stevens,  democrat. 

1859 — I.  I.  Stevens,  democrat. 

1861 — W.  H.  Wallace,  republican. 

1863 — George  E.  Cole,  democrat — from  Walla  Walla. 

1865 — A.  A.  Denny,  union. 

1867- — Alvin  Flanders,  union — from  Walla  Walla. 

1869 — Selucius  Garfielde,  republican;  J.  D.  Mix,  of  Walla  Walla,  democratic 
candidate. 

1870 — -Selucius  Garfielde,  republican. 

1872 — O.  B.  McFadden,  democrat. 

1874 — Orange  Jacobs,  republican;  B.  L.  Sharpstein,  democratic  candidate, 
Walla  Walla. 

The  next  election  came  in  1876  and  there  was  a  considerable  falling  off  in 
the  vote  on  account  of  county  division  in  the  previous  year.  It  may  be  worth 
noting  that  the  total  vote  of  Walla  Walla  County  in  each  election  was  as  follows : 
1857,  39;  1859,  164;  1861,  361;  1863,  590;  1865,  742;  1867,  1,088;  1869,  1,124; 
1870,  1,201;  1872,  1,555;  1874,  1,549. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  147 

In  the  election  of  1876,  the  total  vote  was  938.  It  is  also  interesting  to  note 
that  in  every  single  election  up  to  the  time  of  county  division  and  in  fact  to  1878, 
when  T.  H.  Brents  of  Walla  Walla  was  the  candidate,  the  county  went  demo- 
cratic, and  that,  as  we  shall  see  later,  the  republicans  carried  most  elections 
after  that  date  to  the  present  time. 

TERRITORIAL  GOVERNORS 

1853-6 — I.  I.  Stevens. 

1857-8 — Fayette  McMullan. 

1859-60— W.  H.  Wallace. 

1862-5 — William  Pickering. 

1866-7 — George  E.  Cole. 

1867-8 — Marshall  F.  Moore. 

1869-70 — Alvin  Flanders. 

1870-2 — E.  S.  Salamon. 

1873-9 — E.  P.  Ferry. 

Three  of  the  above  incumbents  of  the  gubernatorial  chair  were  Walla  Walla 
men :  Cole,  Flanders,  and  Salamon. 

In  1869  Philip  Ritz  of  Walla  Walla  was  United  States  Marshal.  S.  C.  Win- 
gard,  for  many  years  one  of  the  most  honored  of  the  citizens  of  Walla  Walla,  was 
United  States  attorney  in  1873,  and  associate  justice  in  1875-82.  After  his  long 
service  under  the  Federal  Government  he  made  his  home  in  Walla  Walla  until 
his  death  at  an  advanced  age. 

W.ALLA   WALLA   CITY 

Turning  now  from  the  county  and  its  relations  to  the  territorial  and  national 
Government,  to  Walla  Walla  City,  we  may  for  the  sake  of  topical  clearness  repeat 
a  little  of  what  was  given  in  earlier  chapters. 

By  act  of  the  Legislature  of  January  11,  1862,  Walla  Walla  became  an  in- 
corporated city,  with  the  limits  of  the  south  half  of  the  southwest  quarter  of 
section  20,  township  7  north,  range  36  east.  The  charter  provided  for  the  elec- 
tion, on  the  first  Tuesday  of  each  April,  of  a  mayor,  recorder,  five  councilmen, 
marshal,  assessor,  treasurer  and  surveyor.  All  vacancies  were  to  be  filled  by  ap- 
pointment of  councilmen,  except  mayor  and  recorder.  The  council  also  had  the 
power  to  appoint  a  clerk  and  attorney. 

The  first  election  vmder  the  charter  occurred  on  the  first  day  of  April,  1862, 
at  which  election  the  total  vote  was  422.  In  the  Sfatcsnian  of  April  5  there  is  a 
criticism  in  rather  mild  and  apologetic  terms  for  the  loose  and  careless  manner  in 
which  the  judges  allov/ed  voting.  The  assertion  is  made  that  men  who  were  well 
known  to  reside  miles  out  of  the  city  were  allowed  to  vote.  Not  over  three  hun- 
dred voters,  according  to  the  paper,  were  bona  fide  residents.  A  well  considered 
warning  is  made  that  such  a  beginning  of  city  elections  will  result  in  a  general 
illegal  voting  and  ballot-box  stuffing.  In  the  Statesman  of  April  12  is  a  report 
of  the  first  council  meeting  on  April  4.  At  this  first  meeting  the  votes  of  the 
election  of  the  first  were  canvassed,  .showing  that  out  of  the  422  votes,  E.  B. 
Whitman  had  received  416.    The  recorder  chosen  was  W.  P.  Horton,  whose  vote 


148  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

was  239  against  173  for  W.  W.  Lacy.  The  councilniun  chosen,  whose  votes  ran 
from  400  to  415,  were  L  T.  Rees,  J.  F.  Abbott,  R.  Jacobs,  B.  F.  Stone  and  B. 
Sheidenian. 

(jeorge  II.  Porter  was  chosen  marshal  by  a  vote  of  269,  with  136  for  A.  Seitel 
and  17  for  A.  J.  Miner.  E.  E.  Kelly  was  the  choice  for  treasurer  by  the  small 
margin  of  219  to  200  for  D.  S.  Baker.  The  assessor  was  L.  W.  Greenwell  by  413 
votes.  A.  L.  Chapman  was  chosen  surveyor  by  305  against  119  for  W.  W.  John- 
son. S.  F.  Ledyard  was  appointed  clerk  by  the  council,  B.  F.  Stone  was  chosen 
president  of  the  coimcil  at  the  meeting  of  April  10. 

One  of  the  tirst  questions  which  the  council  had  to  wrestle  with,  as  it  has  been 
most  of  the  time  since,  was  revenue  and  the  sources  thereof.  The  saloon  busi- 
ness being  apparently  the  most  active  of  any  at  that  time  became  very  naturally 
the  foundation  of  the  revenue  system.  People  supposed  then,  as  many  have 
since,  that  they  could  lift  themselves  by  their  boot  straps  and  that  a  traffic  which 
cost  a  dollar  for  every  dime  that  it  brought  into  the  treasury  was  essential  to  the 
life  of  the  town.  However,  a  "drj'  town"  at  that  day  and  age  and  in  a  place  whose 
chief  business  was  outfitting  for  the  mines  and  serving  as  a  home  for  miners  oft' 
duty,  would  have  been  so  amazing  that  the  very  thought  would  have  been  suf- 
ficient to  warrant  an  immediate  commitment  for  lunacy.  If  the  spirits  of  the 
city  authorities  and  citizens  of  that  date  could  return  and  see  the  Walla  Walla  of 
1917,  with  not  a  legal  drop  of  intoxicating  fluid,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  "amaze- 
ment" would  but  feebly  express  their  mental  state.  According  to  the  revenue 
ordinance  of  that  first  council,  a  tax  was  to  produce  about  a  third,  and  licenses 
and  fines  the  remainder  of  the  city  income.  During  the  first  six  months  the  total 
revenue  was  $4,283.25,  and  the  licensing  of  liquor  sales  and  gambling  tables 
amounted  to  $1,875.  Taxes  amounted  to  about  $1,430.  The  rest  of  the  revenue 
was  from  fines.  We  may  note  here  by  way  of  comparison  that  in  1866  the  city 
revenue  was  $15,358.97,  of  which  $9,135.13  was  from  licenses. 

The  year  of  1862  was  one  of  great  activity.  A.  J.  Cain  laid  out  his  addition, 
though  the  plat  was  not  recorded  till  the  next  year.  The  Statesman  of  October 
i8th  gives  a  glowing  account  of  the  improvements,  stating  that  fifty  buildings  had 
been  completed  during  the  summer  and  that  thirty  more  were  in  progress  of  con- 
struction. Most  of  these  were  no  doubt  flimsy  wooden  structures,  but  it  is  men- 
tioned that  the  buildings  of  Schwabacher  Brothers  and  Brown  Brothers  &  Co. 
had  been  nearly  completed.  At  the  head  of  Second  Street  A.  J.  Miner  was  erect- 
ing a  planing  mill,  and  a  sash  and  door  factory.  Beyond  the  city  limits  Mr. 
Meyer  had  put  up  a  brewerj-  (this  afterwards  developed  into  the  Stahl  brewery 
on  Second  Street).  In  Cain's  addition,  where  there  had  been  only  eight  houses, 
the  numl>er  was  more  than  doubled.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  though  there  was 
much  improvement  at  that  time,  our  fair  City  of  Walla  Walla  of  the  present, 
with  its  elegant  homes  and  trees  and  flowers  and  broad  verdant  lawns,  with 
paved  streets  and  bountiful  water  supply,  would  not  recognize  the  ragged,  dusty, 
dirty,  little  shack  of  a  town  of  which  the  Statesman  was  so  proud  in  1862. 
The  ease  with  which  the  people  of  that  time  have  adjusted  themselves  to  all  the 
conveniences  and  elegancies  of  the  present  day,  shows  something  of  the  infinite 
adaptability  of  human  nature,  and  still  more  it  shows  that  the  foundation  build- 
ers of  the  pioneer  days  had  it  in  them  to  create  all  the  improvements  of  later  days 
Raw  as  Walla  Walla  must  have  looked  in  the  '60s,  the  essential  conditions  were 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  149 

there  which  have  made  our  later  age;  rich  soil,  water,  good  surrounding  country, 
industry,  taste,  brains,  home  spirit,  good  citizenship — and  a  certain  reasonable 
amount  of  time.  There  we  have  all  the  elements  that  wrought  between  the  Walla 
Walla  of  1862  and  that  of  1917. 

Early  Walla  Walla  had  the  usual  experience  with  tires,  such  occurrnig  on 
June  II,  1862 ;  May  8,  1864;  August  3,  1865  ;  and  July  4,  1866.  As  a  result  of  the 
first,  Joseph  Hellmuth  undertook  to  organize  a  fire  department.  His  public 
spirit  was  not  very  cordially  supported,  but  subscriptions  to  the  amount  of  $1,600 
were  received,  and  by  advancing  $500  himself,  he  secured  an  old  Hunneman  ''tub" 
engine. 

The  most  destructive  of  these  early  fires  was  that  of  August  3,  1865.  The 
Statesman  of  August  4th  gives  a  full  account  of  it,  estimating  the  loss  so  far  as 
obtained  at  that  time  at  $164,500.  The  paper  adds  $20,000  for  loss  not  then  re- 
ported. The  heaviest  losses  were  sustained  by  the  Dry  Goods  Company  of  S. 
Elias  &  Brother,  by  the  store  and  warehouse  of  C.  Jacobs  &  Co.,  and  by  the 
Bank  Exchange  Saloon  and  dwelling  house  of  W.  J.  Ferry.  The  building  used 
for  courthouse,  with  the  county  and  city  records,  was  destroyed.  In  1863,  a  fire 
company  was  organized,  Fred  Stine  being  the  leader  in  the  enterprise. 

Perhaps  the  most  vital  feature  of  a  growing  city  is  pure  and  abundant  water 
supply.  Walla  Walla  was  fortunate  in  early  days  in  the  presence  of  a  number 
of  springs  of  pure  cold  water.  But  though  that  supply  was  abundant  for  a  small 
place,  increasing  demands  made  some  system  of  distribution  imperative.  There 
was  also  need  for  sufficient  pressure  for  fire  defense. 

While  the  water  system  was  at  first  a  private  enterprise,  it  became  public 
property  in  due  course  of  time,  andhence  it  is  siiitable  to  begin  the  story  in  this 
chapter. 

In  1S66  and  1867  four  of  the  most  energetic  citizens  of  the  town  took  the 
initial  steps  in  providing  a  system  of  water  distribution.  H.  P.  Isaacs,  J.  C.  Isaacs, 
A.  Kyger  and  T-  D.  Cook  obtained  a  charter  in  1866  and  the  next  year  established 
at  a  point  near  the  present  Armory  Hall  a  plant  consisting  of  a  pump,  a  large 
tank,  and  a  supply  of  wooden  pipe.  It  almost  makes  one's  bones  ache  in  these 
eiifete  days  to  think  of  the  amount  of  labor  which  the  pipes  for  that  pioneer 
water  system  demanded.  The  pipe  consisted  of  logs  bored  lengthwise  with 
augurs  by  hand.  It  would  not  comport  with  the  dignity  of  a  historical  work  to 
stiggest  that  the  whole  proceeding  was  a  "great  bore,"  but  it  was  duly  accomplished 
and  the  pipes  laid.  Water  was  derived  from  Mill  Creek,  but  the  system  seems 
to  have  been  somewhat  unsatisfactory  to  the  projectors,  and  Mr.  Isaacs  entered 
upon  a  much  larger  undertaking,  that  of  establishing  reservoirs  in  the  upper  part 
of  town.  It  was  not  until  after  the  date  of  county  division  that  the  reservoir 
system  was  fully  installed.  In  1877  the  reservoirs  were  built  on  both  sides 
of  Mill  Creek,  one  on  what  is  now  the  property  of  the  Odd  Fellows  Home  and 
the  other  in  the  City  Park.  These  reservoirs  were  filled  from  the  large  springs 
and  for  some  years  supplied  the  needs  of  the  town.  Mr.  Isaacs  is  deserving  of 
great  praise  for  his  unflagging  energy  in  endeavoring  to  meet  that  primary  need 
of  the  town.  The  corporate  name  of  Mr.  Isaacs'  enterprise  was  the  Walla  Walla 
Water  Company.  The  controlling  ownership  was  ultimately  acquired  by  the  inter- 
ests represented  by  the  Baker-Boyer  Bank,  and  Mr.  H.  H.  Turner  became  secre- 


150  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

laiy  and  manager.  That,  however,  was  long  subsequent  to  county  division  and 
the  further  history  of  the  water  system  belongs  to  another  chapter. 

We  perhaps  should  interject  at  this  point  the  explanation  that  although 
chapters  preceding  this  have  been  carried  to  the  present  date,  we  are  bringing  the 
political  history  of  the  city  to  the  stage  of  county  division  only  in  order  to  har- 
monize with  that  of  the  county,  and  tliat  point  in  case  of  the  county  constitutes 
a  natural  stage  by  reason  of  the  marked  change  in  all  political  connections  occa- 
sioned by  the  division. 

Among  miscellaneous  events  having  political  connections  may  be  mentioned 
that  omnipresent  and  usually  disturbing  question  of  the  fort.  We  have  earlier 
spoken  of  its  first  location  at  the  point  nowr  occupied  by  the  American  Theater, 
right  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  and  its  removal  in  1857  to  the  present  location. 
It  was  maintained  at  full  strength  until  the  close  of  the  Indian  wars  and  then 
during  the  period  of  the  Civil  war  there  was  a  full  supply  of  men  and  equip- 
ment. At  times,  as  already  narrated  in  an  earlier  chapter,  there  was  much  fric- 
tion between  civilians  and  the  military.  The  merchants  and  saloon-keepers, 
however,  considered  the  presence  of  the  Fort  very  desirable  from  a  pecimiary 
standpoint.  There  were  in  those  early  days,  as  there  have  been  more  recently, 
an  element  in  the  city  that  attached  an  exaggerated  importance  to  the  presence 
of  the  soldiers  as  a  business  matter,  while  there  was  also  another  sentiment  which 
became  the  most  persistent  and  inherited  one  in  the  history  of  the  town ;  that  is, 
the  sentiment  that  while  the  officers  and  their  families  composed  the  social  elite, 
the  common  soldiers  were  taboo.  This  was  perhaps  the  nearest  to  a  caste  system 
ever  known  in  the  free  and  unconventional  society  of  Old  Walla  Walla.  Between 
those  tW'O  viewpoints,  the  business  and  the  social,  there  was  the  larger  body  of 
citizens  who  shrugged  their  shoulders  over  the  whole  question,  deeming  it  un- 
important either  way.  But  when  by  order  of  Colonel  Curry  the  Fort  was 
abandoned,  save  for  a  small  detachment,  in  the  winter  of  1865-6,  there  went 
up  a  great  protest,  and  all  the  machinery,  congressional  and  otherwise,  was  set  in 
motion,  as  has  been  so  familiar  since  down  to  the  present  date,  to  secure  orders 
for  the  maintenance  of  the  post. 

No  results  were  attained,  however,  and  the  Fort  remained  abandoned,  until 

1873- 

Congress  had,  in  fact,  passed  a  law  in  1872,  for  the  sale  of  the  military  res- 
ervation, authorizing  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  to  cut  it  up  into  blocks  and 
lots  and  dispose  of  it  as  his  judgment  warranted.  The  tract  was  surveyed  and 
laid  out  by  instructions  from  Washington.  But  as  a  result  of  the  famous  Modoc 
war  in  Southern  Oregon,  the  view  prevailed  at  headquarters  that  the  rehabilita- 
tion and  reoccupation  of  Fort  Walla  Walla  would  be  wise.  Accordingly,  in 
-August,  1873,  six  companies  w^ere  established  at  the  Fort,  and  from  that  date 
for  nearly  forty  years  the  military  was  a  constant  factor  in  the  life  of  this 
section. 

The  expenditures  were  very  considerable.  It  is  estimated  in  Gilbert's  His- 
toric Sketches  of  1882  that  the  Fort  was  then  purchasing  annually  about  10,000 
bushels  of  oats,  5.000  bushels  of  barley.  500  tons  of  hay,  200  tons  of  straw, 
500  barrels  of  flour,  besides  large  quantities  of  meat,  wood,  and  other  supplies. 
Perhaps  the  most  excited  and  acrimonious  discussions,  public  and  private,  in 
newspapers  and  otherwise,  have  dealt  with  the  retention  of  the  Fort,  or  with 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  151 

some  phase  of  its  life.  Most  of  the  features  of  the  story  came  at  a  date  long 
after  county  division. 

Another  event  of  that  period,  not  strictly  political,  yet  belonging  to  the  public 
life  of  the  community,  was  the  completion  on  June  i,  1870,  of  the  telegraph  line 
between  Portland  and  Walla  Walla,  via  Wallula.  This  line  was  built  by  the 
O.  S.  N.  Company.  The  office  was  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Third  and  Main 
streets,  and  James  Henderson  was  first  operator.  Mayor  Stone  sent  this  message 
to  Mayor  Goldsmith :  "To  the  Mayor  of  Portland : — Greeting.  Allow  me  to 
congratulate  you  upon  the  completion  of  the  telegraph  that  places  the  first  city 
of  Washington  Territory  in  direct  communication  with  the  first  city  of  Oregon, 
and  to  express  the  hope  that  it  is  but  the  precursor  of  the  iron  rail  that  is  to  unite 
us  still  more  indissolubly  in  the  bonds  of  interest  and  affection." 

A  prompt  response  in  like  spirit  came  from  Mayor  Goldsmith  of  Portland. 

Another  event  of  importance,  which  also  prepared  the  way  for  infinite 
political  maneuvers  and  back-room  deals  was  the  establishment  in  1871  of  the 
Walla  Walla  Land  District.  As  first  constituted,  the  district  embraced  all  of  the 
territory  east  of  the  Cascade  Mountains.  Some  appointees  came  from  the  East 
to  fill  the  various  positions,  though  the  majority  of  them  were  local  men,  usually 
of  the  highest  character.  In  this,  as  in  other  departments  of  government  depend- 
ing to  some  degree  on  the  favor  or  otherwise  of  members  of  Congress,  there  has 
been  a  certain  proportion  of  pie-counter  politicians  who  have  kept  up  a  regular 
procession  toward  the  land  office. 

William  Stephens,  registrar,  and  Anderson  Cox,  receiver,  were  the  first  in  the 
office,  opening  the  doors  on  July  17,  1871.  P.  B.  Johnson  followed  Mr.  Stephens 
in  1875  and  J.  F.  Boyer  became  receiver  in  1872.  Better  men  could  not  have  been 
found  in  the  Inland  Empire. 

Such  may  be  regarded  as  the  essential  events  to  the  limits  of  our  space  in 
the  history  of  Walla  Walla  County  and  City  to  the  time  of  county  division.  We 
have  already  given  the  tabulation  of  county  officials,  as  well  as  that  of  those  of 
the  Territorial  Delegates  and  Governors,  together  with  such  others  as  especially 
belonged  to  this  region.  We  incorporate  here  a  list  of  city  officials  to  the  same 
date. 

CITY  OFFICERS  AND  COUNCIL  OF  WALI.A  WALLA 
1865 

Mayor — George  Thomas. 

Council— W.  A.  Ball.  I.  T.  Rees,  Fred  Stine,  B.  Sheideman,  Wm.  Kohl- 
hauff,  O.  P.  Lacy. 

City  Clerk — A.  L.  Brown. 

1866 

Mayor — C.  B.  Whiteman. 
Recorder — W.  P.  Horton. 
Marshal — W.  J.  Tompkins. 
Treasurer — H.  E.  Johnson. 
Assessor — O.  P.  Lacy. 

Council— Fred  Stine.  I.  W.  McKee,  Cal  P.  Winesett,  Geo.  Baggs,  John  J. 
Ryan. 


152  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

1867 

Mayor — James  McAuliff. 

Recorder — O.  P.  Lacy. 

Marshal— E.  Delaney. 

Assessor — M.  Leider. 

Treasurer — H.  E.  Johnson. 

Surveyor — W.  L.  Gaston. 

Council— C.  P.  Winesett,  1   T.  Rees,  Wm.  Kohlhauff,  J.  F.  Abbott,  W.  Brown. 

1868 

Mayor — James  McAuliff. 

Recorder — Lewis  Day. 

Treasurer — H.  M.  Chase. 

Council — J.  F.  Abbott,  Fred  Stine,  H.  Howard,  Wm.  Kohlhauff,  A.  Kyger. 

1869 

Mayor — Frank  Stone. 
Recorder — O.  P.  Lacy. 
Marshal — E.  Delaney. 
Treasurer — H.  E.  Johnson. 
Assessor — J.  E.  Brown. 
Surveyor — A.  H.  Simmons. 

Council — James  Jones,  W.   S.   Miner,   Thos.   Tierney,   P.    M.   Lynch,   Thos. 
Quinn. 

1870 

Mayor — Dr.  E.  Shiel. 

Recorder — W.  P.  Horton. 

Marshal — E.  Delaney. 

Treasurer — H.  E.  Johnson. 

Assessor — J.  M.  Rittenhouse. 

Surveyor — A.  H.  Simmons. 

Council— J.  F.  Abbott,  H.  M.  Chase,  G.  P.  Poor,  Wm.  Kohlhauff,  N.  T.  Caton. 

187 1 

Mayor — E.  B.  Whitman. 

Recorder — W.  P.  Horton. 

Marshal — E.  Delaney. 

Treasurer — H.  E.  Johnson. 

Assessor — M.  W.  Davis. 

Surveyor — A.  L.  Knowlton. 

Council— R.  Jacobs,  P.  M.  Lynch,  N.  T.  Caton,  G.  P.  Poor,  Frank  Orselli. 


1872 


Mayor — E.  B.  Whitman. 
Recorder — O.  P.  Lacy. 


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Cl>'i.i-%|f  III  (.;;;-. 


(JLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  153 

Marshal — John  P.  Justice. 
Treasurer — H.  E.  Johnson. 
Assessor — M.  W.  Davis. 
Surveyor — A.  L.  Knowlton. 

Council — Sig.  Schwabacher,  N.  T.  Caton,  AL  C.  Moore,  L  H.  Foster,  John 
Stahl. 

1873 
Mayor — E.  B.  Whitman. 
Recorder — L   D.   Sarman. 
Marshal — John  P.  Justice. 
Treasurer — H.  E.  Johnson. 
Assessor — M.  W.  Davis. 
Surveyor — A.  L.  Knowlton. 
Council— M.  C.  Moore,  N.  T.  Caton,  L  H.  Foster,  Wm.  Neal,  John  Fall. 

1874 
Mayor — James  McAuliff. 
Marshal — John  P.  Justice. 
Recorder — O.  P.  Lacy. 
Treasurer — C.  T.  Thompson. 
Assessor — J.  B.  Thompson. 
Council— F.  G.  Allen,  Z.  K.  Straight,  Wm.  Kohlhauff,  Ed  C.  Ross. 

•         1875 
Mayor — James  McAuliff. 
Marshal — John  P.  Justice. 
Recorder — J.  D.  Laman. 
Treasurer — F.  Kennedy. 
Assessor — S.  Jacobs. 
Council— O.  P.  Lacy,  Ed  C.  Ross,  M.  Belcher,  J.  D.  Laman,  Wm.  Kohlhauff. 

1876 

Mayor — Jas.  McAuliff'. 

Marshal — John  P.  Justice. 

Treasurer — H.  E.  Holmes. 

Assessor — S.  Jacobs. 

Council— G.  P.  Poor,  Wm.  Kohlhauff,  A.  H.  Reynolds,  O.  P.  Lacy,  M. 
Belcher. 

It  remains  in  this  chapter  to  speak  of  the  events  leading  to  the  division  of 
Old  Walla  Walla  County.  The  first  movement  in  that  direction  originated  at 
Waitsburg.  That  active  place,  in  the  center  of  one  of  the  fairest  and  most 
fertile  tracts  in  all  this  fertile  region,  had  come  into  existence  in  1865.  We 
find  an  item  in  the  Statesman  of  June  30,  1865,  to  this  effect:  "Waitsburg  is  the 
name  of  a  town  just  beginning  to  grow  up  at  Wait's  Mill  on  the  Touchet. 
The  people  of  that  vicinity  have  resolved  to  celebrate  the  coming  4th,  and  are 
making  arrangements  accordingly.     W.  S.  Langford  of  this  city  has  accepted  an 


15-4  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

invitation  to  deliver  the  oration."'  In  1869  a  senlinient  developed  that  the  large 
area  south  of  Snake  River,  3,^20  square  miles,  was  too  large  for  a  single  county, 
and  that  it  was  only  a  question  of  time  when  there  must  be  another  county. 
Not  seeming  to  realize  that  if  such  event  occurred  the  natural  center  must  be 
farther  east  than  W'aitsburg,  the  citizens  of  the  "Mill  Town"  pushed  vigorously 
for  tlieir  project  of  division,  with  their  own  town  as  the  seat  of  a  new  county. 
A  petition  signed  by  150  citizens  was  conveyed  to  Olympia  by  a  delegation  who 
presented  it  to  the  Legislature.  Though  their  effort  failed  it  served  to  keep 
the  plan  of  division  alive,  and  with  a  rapid  flow  of  immigration  into  the  high 
region  of  the  Upper  Touchet,  the  movement  for  a  new  county  constantly  grew. 
We  have  already  spoken  of  the  early  locations  on  the  Touchet  and  Patit.  In 
1871  and  1872,  there  became  a  concentration  of  interests  which  made  it  clear 
that  a  town  would  develop.  It  became  known  as  Dayton  from  Jesse  N.  Day. 
1  lere  was  a  location  more  suitable  geographically  than  W'aitsburg,  and  sentiment 
rapidly  gathered  around  Dayton  as  the  natural  vantage  point  for  a  new  county. 
Elisha  Ping  was  chosen  to  the  Territorial  Council  in  1874  to  represent  Walla 
W'alla  County,  and  as  a  citizen  and  prominent  land  owner  of  Dayton  he  became 
the   center   of   the  movement. 

The  first  boundary  proposed  called  for  a  line  running  directly  south  from  the 
Palouse  ferry  on  Snake  River  to  the  state  line,  thus  putting  W'aitsburg  just 
within  the  new  county.  This  was  not  acceptable  to  that  place.  If  it  could  not 
be  the  county  seat,  it  preferred  to  play  second  fiddle  to  Walla  Walla  rather 
than  to  Dayton.  Mr.  Preston  went  to  Walla  \Valla  to  represent  the  Waitsburg 
sentiment.  As  a  result  a  remonstrance  against  county  division  was  prepared  and 
forwarded  to  the  Legislature.  Representatives  Hodgis,  Lloyd,  Lynch  and  Scott 
took  positions  in  opposition  to  division.  A.  J.  Cain  and  Elisha  Ping  condticted 
the  campaign  from  the  standpoint  of  Dayton.  It  became  a  three  cornered  com- 
bat in  the  Legislature.  The  Walla  Walla  people,  as  almost  always  is  the  case  in 
a  growing  county,  though  it  is  very  poor  and  selfish  policy,  opposed  any  divi- 
sion. The  Waitsburg  influence  was  for  division  provided  it  could  ha\e  the 
county  seat  but  otherwise  opposed,  and  the  Dayton  influence  was  entirely  for 
division  with  the  expectation  that  Dayton  would  become  the  county  seat.  Like 
most  county  division  and  county  seat  fights,  this  was  based  mainly  on  motives 
of  transient  local  gain  and  personal  advantage,  rather  than  on  broad  public  policy 
for  the  future.  Piut  so  long  as  human  nature  is  at  such  a  rudimentary  stage 
of  evolution  it  would  be  too  idealistic  to  expect  otherwise.  But  whether  with 
large  motives  or  small,  the  final  outcome,  as  well  as  the  subsequent  divisions  by 
which  Garfield  and  Asotin  were  laid  out,  was  for  progress  and  eflSciency.  Walla 
Walla  interests  were  overpowered  in  the  Legislature  and  a  bill  creating  Ping 
County  was  duly  passed.  This,  however,  encountered  a  snag,  for  Governor 
Ferry  vetoed  it.  Another  bill,  avoiding  his  objections,  naming  the  new  county 
Columbia,  was  finally  pas.sed  and  on  Nov.  11.  1875.  Columbia  County  duly  came 
into  existence,  embracing  about  two-thirds  of  Old  Walla  Walla  County,  being 
bounded  by  Snake  River  and  the  state  line  on  the  north,  east  and  south,  and 
by  Walla  Walla  County  on  the  west. 

The  hi.story  of  the  erection  of  Garfield  and  Asotin  counties  will  belong  prop- 
erly to  a  later  chapter,  and  with  this  final  view  of  old  Walla  Walla  County  as 
it  had  existed  from  1859  to  1875,  we  pass  on. 


CHAPTER  IV 
THE  EARLY  TRANSPORTATION  AGE 

It  is  but  trite  and  commonplace  to  say  (yet  these  commonplace  sayings 
embody  the  accumulated  experience  of  tlie  human  race)  that  transportation  is 
the  very  A.  B.  C.  of  economic  science.  There  can  be  no  wealth  without  exchange. 
There  is  no  assignable  value  either  to  commodities  or  labor  without  markets. 

New  communities  have  always  had  to  struggle  with  these  fundamental  prob- 
lems of  transportation.  Until  there  can  be  at  least  some  exchange  of  products 
there  can  be  no  real  commercial  life  and  men's  labor  is  spent  simply  on  pro- 
ducing the  articles  needful  for  daily  bread,  clothing  and  shelter.  Most  of  the 
successive  "Wests"  of  America  have  gone  through  that  stage  of  simple  existence. 
Some  have  gotten  out  of  it  very  rapidly,  usually  by  the  discovery  of  the  precious 
metals  or  the  production  of  some  great  staple  like  furs  so  much  in  demand  and 
so  scarce  in  distant  countries  as  to  justify  expensive  and  even  dangerous  expedi- 
tions and  costly  transportation  systems.  During  nearly  all  the  first  half  of  the 
nineteenth  century  the  fur  trade  was  that  agency  which  created  exchange  and 
compelled  transportation. 

After  the  acquisition  of  Oregon  and  California  by  the  United  States  there 
was  a  lull,  during  which  there  was  scarcely  any  commercial  life  because  there 
was  nothing  exchangeable  or  transportable. 

Then  suddenly  came  the  dramatic  discovery  of  gold  in  California  which 
inaugurated  there  a  new  era  of  commercial  life  and  hence  demanded  extensive 
transportation,  and  that  was  for  many  years  necessarily  by  the  ocean.  The 
similar  discovery  in  Oregon  came  ten  years  later.  As  we  saw  in  Chapter  Twd 
of  this  part  there  came  on  suddenly  in  the  early  '60s  a  rushing  together  in  old 
Walla  Walla  of  a  confused  mass  of  eager  seekers  for  gold,  cattle  ranges,  and 
every  species  of  the  opportunities  which  were  thought  to  exist  in  the  '"upper 
country."  As  men  began  to  get  the  measure  of  the  country  and  each  other 
and  to  see  something  of  what  this  land  was  going  to  become,  the  demand  for 
some  regular  system  of  transportation  became  imperative. 

The  first  resource  was  naturally  by  the  water.  It  was  obvious  that  teaming 
from  the  Willamette  Valley  (the  only  productive  region  in  the  '50s  and  the 
first  vear  or  two  of  the  '60s)  was  too  limited  a  means  to  amount  to  anything. 
Bateaux  after  the  fashion  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  would  not  do  for  the 
new  era.  Men  could  indeed  drive  stock  over  the  mountains  and  across  the  plains 
and  did  so  to  considerable  degree.  But  as  the  full  measure  of  the  problem  was 
taken  it  became  clear  to  the  active  ambitious  men  who  flocked  into  the  Walla 
Walla  country  in  1858,  1859,  and  i860,  and  particularly  when  the  discovery  of 
gold  became  known  in  1861.  that  nothing  but  the  establishment  of  steamboats 

155 


156  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

on  the  Columbia  and  Snake  rivers  would  answer  the  demand  for  a  real  system 
of  transi)ortation  commensurate  with  the  situation. 

I'o  fully  appreciate  the  era  of  steamboating  and  to  revive  the  memories  of 
the  pioneers  of  this  region  in  those  halcyon  days  of  river  traffic,  it  is  fitting  that 
we  trace  briefly  the  essential  stages  from  the  first  api)earance  of  steamers  on 
the  Columbia  River  and  its  tributaries.  To  accomplish  this  section  of  the  story 
we  are  incorporating  here  several  paragraphs  from  "The  Columbia  River,"  by 
the  author:  The  first  river  steamer  of  any  size  to  ply  upon  the  Willamette 
and  Columbia  was  the  Lot  Whitcomb.  This  steamer  was  built  by  W'hitcomb 
and  Jennings.  J.  C.  Ainsworth  was  the  first  captain,  and  Jacob  Kamm  was  the 
lirst  engineer.  Both  of  these  men  became  leaders  in  every  species  of  steam- 
boating  enterprise.  In  1851  Dan  Bradford  and  B.  B.  Bishop  inaugurated  a 
movement  to  connect  the  up-river  region  with  the  lower  river  by  getting  a  small 
iron  propeller  called  the  Jason  P.  Flint  from  the  East  and  putting  her  together 
at  the  Cascades,  whence  she  made  the  run  to  Portland.  The  Flint  has  been 
named  as  first  to  run  above  the  Cascades,  but  the  author  has  the  authority  of 
Mr.  Bishop  for  stating  that  the  first  steamer  to  run  above  the  Cascades  was 
the  Eagle.  That  steamer  was  brought  in  sections  by  Allen  McKinley  to  the 
Upper  Cascades  in  1853,  there  put  together,  and  set  to  plying  on  the  part  of 
the  river  between  the  Cascades  and  The  Dalles.  In  1854  the  Mary  was  built 
and  launched  above  the  Cascades,  the  next  year  the  Wasco  followed,  and  in  1856 
the  Hassalo  began  to  toot  her  jubilant  horn  at  the  precipices  of  the  mid-Columbia. 
In  1859  R.  R.  Thompson  and  Lawrence  Coe  built  the  Colonel  Wright,  the  first 
steamer  on  the  upper  section  of  the  river.  In  the  same  year  the  same  men 
built  at  the  Upper  Cascades  a  steamer  called  the  Venture.  This  craft  met  with 
a  curious  catastrophe.  For  on  her  very  first  trip  she  swung  too  far  into  the 
channel  and  was  carried  over  the  Upper  Cascades,  at  the  point  where  the  Cas- 
cade Locks  are  now  located.  She  was  subsequently  raised  and  rebuilt,  and 
rechristened  the  Umatilla. 

This  part  of  the  period  of  steamboat  building  was  contemporary  with  the 
Indian  wars  of  1855  and  1856.  The  steamers  Wasco,  Mary,  and  Eagle  were  of 
much  service  in  rescuing  \ictims  of  the  murderous  assault  on  the  Cascades  by 
the  Klickitats. 

While  the  enterprising  steamboat  builders  were  thus  making  their  way  up- 
river  in  the  very  teeth  of  Indian  warfare  steamboats  were  in  course  of  con- 
struction on  the  Willamette.  The  Jennie  Clark  in  1854  and  the  Carrie  Ladd 
in  1858  were  built  for  the  firm  of  Abernethy,  Clark  and  Company.  These 
both,  the  latter  especially,  were  really  elegant  steamers  for  the  time. 

The  close  of  the  Indian  wars  in  1859  saw  a  quite  well-organized  steamer 
service  between  Portland  and  The  Dalles,  and  the  great  rush  into  the  upper 
country  was  just  beginning.  The  Senorita,  the  Belle,  and  the  Multnomah,  under 
the  management  of  Benjamin  Stark,  were  on  the  run  from  Portland  to  the  Cas- 
cades. A  rival  steamer,  the  Mountain  Buck,  owned  by  Ruckle  and  Olmstead, 
was  on  the  same  route.  These  steamers  connected  with  boats  on  the  Cascades- 
Dalles  section  by  means  of  portages  five  miles  long  around  the  rapids.  There 
was  a  portage  on  each  side  of  the  river.  That  on  the  north  side  was  operated 
by  Bradford  &  Company,  and  their  steamers  were  the  Hassalo  and  the  Mary. 
Ruckle  and  Olmstead  owned  the  portage  on  the  south   side  of  the  river,  and 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  157 

their  steamer  was  the  Wasco.  Sharp  competition  arose  between  the  Bradford 
and  Stark  interests  on  one  side  and  Ruckle  and  Olmstead  on  the  other.  The 
Stark  Company  was  known  as  the  Columbia  River  Navigation  Company,  and  the 
rival  was  the  Oregon  Transportation  Company.  J.  C.  Ainsworth  now  joined 
the  Stark  party  with  the  Carrie  Ladd.  So  efficient  did  this  reinforcement  prove 
to  be  that  the  transportation  company  proposed  to  them  a  combination.  This 
was  effected  in  April,  1859,  and  the  new  organization  became  known  as  the  Union 
Transportation  Company.  This  was  soon  found  to  be  too  loose  a  consolidation 
to  accomplish  the  desired  ends,  and  the  parties  interested  set  about  a  new  com- 
bination to  embrace  all  the  steam  boat  men  from  Celilo  to  Astoria.  The  result 
was  the  formation  of  the  Oregon  Steam  Navigation  Company,  which  came  into 
legal  existence  on  December  20,  i860.  Its  stock  in  steamboats,  sailboats,  wharf- 
boats,  and  miscellaneous  property  was  stated  at  $172,500. 

Such  was  the  genesis  of  the  "O.  S.  N.  Co."  In  a  valuable  article  by 
Irene  Lincoln  Poppleton  in  the  Oregon  Historical  Quarterly  for  September, 
1908,  to  which  we  here  make  acknowledgments,  it  is  said  that  no  assessment 
was  ever  levied  on  the  stock  of  this  company,  but  that  from  the  proceeds  of  the 
business  the  management  expended  in  gold  nearly  three  million  dollars  in 
developing  their  property,  besides  paying  to  the  stockholders  in  dividends  over 
two  million  and  a  half  dollars.  Never  perhaps  was  there  such  a  record  of 
money-making  on  such  capitalization. 

The  source  of  the  enormous  business  of  the  Oregon  Steam  Navigation  Com- 
pany was  the  rush  into  Idaho,  Montana,  and  Eastern  Oregon  and  Washington  by 
the  miners,  cowboys,  speculators,  and  adventurers  of  the  early  '60s.  The  up-river 
country,  as  described  more  at  length  in  another  chapter,  wakened  suddenly 
from  the  lethargy  of  centuries,  and  the  wildness  teemed  with  life.  That  was  the 
great  .steamboat  age.  Money  flowed  in  streams.  Fortunes  were  made  and  lost 
in  a  day. 

When  first  organized  in  i860,  the  Oregon  Steam  Navigation  Company  had 
a  nondescript  lot  of  steamers,  mainly  small  and  weak.  The  two  portages,  one  of 
five  miles  around  the  Cascades  and  the  other  of  fourteen  miles  from  The  Dalles 
to  Celilo  Falls,  were  unequal  to  their  task.  The  portages  at  the  Cascades  on 
both  sides  of  the  river  were  made  by  very  inadequate  wooden  tramways.  That 
at  The  Dalles  was  made  by  teams.  Such  quantities  of  freight  were  discharged 
from  the  steamers  that  sometimes  the  whole  portage  was  lined  with  freight  from 
end  to  end.  The  portages  were  not  acquired  by  the  company  with  the  steam- 
boat property,  and  as  a  result  the  portage  owners  reaped  the  larger  share  of  the 
profits.  During  high  water  the  portage  on  the  Oregon  side  at  the  Cascades 
had  a  monopoly  of  the  business  and  it  took  one-half  the  freight  income 
from  Portland  to  The  Dalles.  This  was  holding  the  whip-hand  with  a  vengeance, 
and  the  vigorous  directors  of  the  steamboat  company  could  not  endure  it.  Accord- 
ingly, they  absorbed  the  rights  of  the  portage  owners,  built  a  railroad  from  Celilo 
to  The  Dalles  on  the  Oregon  side,  and  one  around  the  Cascades  on  the  Washington 
side.  The  company  was  reorganized  under  the  laws  of  Oregon  in  October,  1863, 
with  a  declared  capitalization  of  $2,000,000. 

Business  on  the  river  in  1863  was  something  enormous.  Hardly  ever  did  a 
steamer  make  a  trip  with  less  than  two  hundred  passengers.  Freight  was  offered 
in  such  quantities  at  Portland  that  trucks  had  to  stand  in  line  for  blocks,  waiting 


158  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

tu  deliver  and  receive  their  loads.  New  boats  were  built  of  a  much  better  class. 
Two  rival  companies,  the  Independent  Line  and  the  People's  Transportation  Line, 
made  a  vigorous  struggle  to  secure  a  share  of  the  business,  but  they  were  eventually 
overpowered.  Some  conception  of  the  amount  of  business  may  be  gained  from 
the  fact  that  the  steamers  transported  passengers  to  an  amount  of  fares  run- 
ning from  $i,ooo  to  $6,000  a  trip.  On  April  29,  1862,  the  Tenino,  leaving  Celilo 
for  the  Lewiston  trip,  had  a  load  amounting  to  $10,945  for  freight,  passengers, 
meals,  and  berths.  The  steamships  sailing  from  Portland  to  San  Francisco 
showed  equally  remarkable  records.  On  June  25,  1861,  the  Sierra  Nevada  con- 
veyed a  treasure  shipment  of  $228,000;  July  14th,  $110,000;  August  24th, 
$195,558;  December  5th,  $750,000.  The  number  of  passengers  carried  on  The 
Dalles-Lewiston  route  in  1864  was  36,000  and  the  tons  of  freight  were  21,834. 

It  was  a  magnificent  steamboat  ride  in  those  days  from  Portland  to  Lewiston 
The  fare  was  $60;  meals  and  berths,  $1  each.  A  traveler  would  lea\e  Portland 
at  5  A.  M.  on,  perhaps,  the  Wilson  G.  Hunt,  reach  the  Cascades  sixty-five  miles 
distant  at  11  A.  M.,  proceed  by  rail  five  miles  to  the  Upper  Cascades,  there 
transfer  to  the  Oneonta  or  Idaho  for  The  Dalles,  passing  in  that  run  from  the 
humid,  low-lying,  heavily  timbered  West-of-the-mountains,  to  the  dry,  breezy, 
hilly  East-of-the-mountains.  Reaching  The  Dalles,  fifty  miles  farther  east,  he 
would  be  conveyed  by  another  portage  railroad,  fourteen  miles  more,  to  Celilo 
There  the  Tenino,  Yakima,  Nez  Perce  Chief,  or  Owyhee  was  waiting.  With  the 
earliest  light  of  the  morning  the  steamer  would  head  right  into  the  impetuous 
current  of  the  river,  bound  for  Lewiston,  280  miles  farther  yet,  taking  two  days, 
sometimes  three,  though  only  one  to  return.  Those  steamers  were  mainly  of 
light-draught,  stern-wheel  structure,  which  still  characterizes  the  Columbia  River 
boats.  They  were  swift  and  roomy  and  well  adapted  to  the  turbulent  waters  of 
the  upper  river. 

The  captains,  pilots,  and  pursers  of  that  period  were  as  fine  a  set  of  men  as 
ever  turned  a  wheel.  Bold,  blufi^,  genial,  hearty,  and  obliging  they  were,  even 
though  given  to  occasional  outbursts  of  expletives  and  possessing  voluminous 
repertoires  of  "cusswords"  such  as  would  startle  the  efifete  East.  Any  old 
Oregonian  who  may  chance  to  cast  his  eyes  upon  these  pages  will  recall,  as  with 
the  pangs  of  childhood  homesickness,  the  forms  and  features  of  steamboat  men 
of  that  day ;  the  polite  yet  determined  Ainsworth,  the  brusque  and  rotund  Reed, 
the  bluff  and  hearty  Knaggs,  the  frolicsome  and  never  disconcerted  Ingalls,  the 
dark,  powerful,  and  nonchalant  Coe,  the  partriarchal  beard  of  Stump,  the  loqua- 
cious "Commodore"  Wolf,  who  used  to  point  out  to  astonished  tourists  the  "dia- 
bolical strata"  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  the  massive  and  good-natured  Strang, 
the  genial  and  elegant  O'Neil,  the  suave  and  witty  Snow,  the  tall  and  handsome 
Sampson,  the  rich  Scotch  brogue  of  McNulty,  and  dozens  of  others,  whose  com- 
bined adventures  would  fill  a  volume.  One  of  the  most  experienced  pilots  of 
the  upper  river  was  Captain  "Eph"  Baughman,  who  ran  steamers  on  the  Snake 
and  Columbia  rivers  over  fifty  years,  and  is  yet  living  at  the  date  of  this 
publication.  W.  H.  Gray,  who  came  to  Waiilatpu  with  Whitman  as  secular 
agent  of  the  mission,  became  a  river  man  of  much  skill.  He  .gave  four  sons, 
John,  William.  Alfred,  and  James,  to  the  service  of  the  river,  all  four  of  them 
being  skilled  captains.  A  story  narrated  to  the  author  by  Capt.  William  Gray, 
now  of  Pasco,  Wash.,  well  illustrates  the  character  of  the  old  Columbia  River 


STEAMERS    ASOTIN,   SPOKAKE   AND   LEWISTON   IN    PORT  AT   LEWISTON 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  159 

navigators.  W.  H.  Gray  was  the  first  man  to  run  a  sailboat  of  much  size 
with  regular  freight  up  Snake  River.  That  was  in  i860  before  any  steamers 
were  running  on  that  stream.  Mr.  Gray  built  his  boat,  a  fifty  ton  sloop,  on 
Oosooyoos  Lake  on  the  Okanogan  River.  In  it  he  descended  that  river  to  its 
entrance  into  the  Columbia.  Thence  he  descended  the  Columbia,  running  down 
the  Entiat,  Rock  Island,  Cabinet,  and  Priest  Rapids,  no  mean  undertaking  of 
itself.  Reaching  the  mouth  of  the  Snake  he  took  on  a  load  of  freight  and 
started  up  the  swift  stream.  At  Five-mile  Rapids  he  found  that  his  sail  was 
insufficient  to  carry  the  sloop  up.  Men  had  said  that  it  was  impossible.  The 
crew  all  prophesied  disaster.  The  stubborn  captain  merely  declared,  "There  is 
no  such  word  as  fail  in  my  dictionary."  He  directed  his  son  and  another  of  the 
crew  to  take  the  small  boat,  load  her  with  a  long  coil  of  rope,  make  their  way 
up  the  stream  until  they  got  above  the  rapid,  there  to  land  on  an  islet  of  rock, 
fasten  the  rope  to  that  rock,  then  pay  it  out  till  it  was  swept  down  the  rapid. 
They  were  then  to  descend  the  rapid  in  the  small  boat.  "Very  likely  you  may  be 
upset,"  added  the  skipper  encouragingly,  "but  if  you  are,  you  know  how  to 
swim."  They  were  upset,  sure  enough,  but  they  did  know  how  to  swim.  They 
righted  their  boat,  picked  up  the  end  of  the  floating  rope,  and  reached  the  sloop 
with  it.  The  rope  was  attached  to  the  capstan,  and  the  sloop  was  wound  up 
by  it  above  the  swiftest  part  of  the  rapid  to  a  point  where  the  sail  was  suffi- 
cient to  carry,  and  on  they  went  rejoicing.  Any  account  of  steamboating  on 
the  Columbia  would  be  incomplete  without  reference  to  Capt.  James  Troup,  who 
was  born  on  the  Columbia,  and  almost,  froipjearly  boyhood  ran  steamers  upon  it 
and  its  tributaries.  He  made  a  ^pecialj^?^  pf  running.  Steamers  down  The  Dalles 
and  the  Cascades,  an  undertaking  sometimes  rendered  necessary  by  the  fact  that 
more  boats  were  built  in  proportion  tcJ  demand' on  the  upper  than  the  lower  river. 
These  were  taken  down  The  DaHes;-and  sometiiTies:  down  the  Cascades.  Once 
down,  they  could  not  return.  The  first  steamer  to  run  down  the  Tumwater 
Falls  was  the  Okanogan,  on  May  22,  1866,  piloted  by  Capt.  T.  J.  Stump. 

The  author  enjoyed  the  great  privilege  of  descending  The  Dalles  in  the  D.  S. 
Baker  in  the  year  1888,  Captain  Troup  being  in  command.  At  that  strange  point 
in  the  river,  the  whole  vast  volume  is  compressed  into  a  channel  but  160  feet 
wide  at  low  water  and  much  deeper  than  wide.  Like  a  huge  mill-race  this 
channel  continues  nearly  straight  for  two  miles,  when  it  is  hurled  with  frightful 
force  against  a  massive  bluff.  Deflected  from  the  blufif,  it  turns  at  a  sharp  angle 
to  be  split  in  sunder  by  a  low  reef  of  rock.  When  the  Baker  was  drawn  into 
the  current  at  the  head  of  the  "chute"  she  swept  down  the  channel,  which  was 
almost  black,  with  streaks  of  foam,  to  the  blufif,  two  miles  in  four  minutes. 
There  feeling  the  tremendous  refluent  wave,  she  went  careening  over  and  over 
toward  the  sunken  reef.  The  skilled  captain  had  her  perfectly  in  hand,  and 
precisely  at  the  right  moment,  rang  the  signal  bell,  "Ahead,  full  speed,"  and  ahead 
she  went,  just  barely  scratching  her  side  on  the  rock.  Thus  close  was  it  neces- 
sary to  calculate  distance.  If  the  steamer  had  struck  the  tooth-like  point  of 
the  reef  broadside  on,  she  would  have  been  broken  in  two  and  carried  in  frag- 
ments on  either  side.  Having  passed  this  danger  point,  she  glided  into  the 
beautiful  calm  bay  below  and  the  feat  was  accomplished.  Capt.  J.  C.  Ainsworth 
and  Capt.  James  Troup  were  the  two  captains  above  all  others  to  whom  the 
company  entrusted  the  critical  task  of  running  steamers  over  the  rapids. 


160  Ol.l)  WALI.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

In  the  Overland  Monthly  of  June,  1886,  there  is  a  valuable  account  by  Capt. 
Lawrence  Coe  of  the  maiden  journey  of  the  Colonel  Wright  from  Celilo  up  what 
they  then  termed  the  up])er  Columbia. 

Tliis  tirst  journey  on  tliat  section  of  the  river  was  made  in  April,  1859.  The 
pilot  was  Capt.  Lew  White.  The  highest  point  reached  was  Wallula,  the  site 
of  the  old  Hudson's  Bay  Fort.  The  current  was  a  powerful  one  to  withstand, 
no  soundings  had  ever  been  made,  and  no  boats  except  canoes,  bateaus,  flatboats, 
and  a  few  small  sailboats,  had  ever  made  the  trip.  No  one  had  any  conception 
of  the  location  of  a  channel  adapted  to  a  steamboat.  No  difficulty  was  expe- 
rienced, however,  except  at  the  Umatilla  Rapids.  This  is  a  most  singular  obstruc- 
tion. Three  separate  reefs,  at  intervals  of  half  a  mile,  extend  right  across  the 
river.  There  are  narrow  breaks  in  these  reefs,  but  not  in  line  with  each  other. 
Through  them  the  water  pours  with  tremendous  velocity,  and  on  account  of  their 
irregular  locations  a  steamer  must  zigzag  across  the  river  at  imminent  risk  of 
being  borne  broadside  on  to  the  reef.  The  passage  of  the  Umatilla  Rapids  is 
not  difficult  at  high  water,  for  then  the  steamer  glides  over  the  rocks  in  a  straight 
course. 

In  the  August  Overland  of  the  same  year,  Captain  Coe  narrates  the  first  steam- 
boat trip  up  Snake  River.  This  was  in  June,  i860,  just  at  the  time  of  the  begin- 
ning of  the  gold  excitement.  The  Colonel  Wright  was  loaded  with  picks,  rockers, 
and  other  mining  implements,  as  well  as  provisions  and  passengers.  Most  of  the 
freight  and  passengers  were  put  off  at  Wallula,  to  go  thence  overland.  Part 
continued  on  to  test  the  experiment  of  making  way  against  the  wicked-looking 
current  of  Snake  River.  After  three  days  and  a  half  from  the  starting  point  a 
few  miles  above  Celilo,  the  Colonel  Wright  halted  at  a  place  which  was  called 
Slaterville,  thirty-seven  miles  up  the  Clearwater  from  its  junction  with  the  Snake. 
There  the  remainder  of  the  cargo  was  discharged,  to  be  hauled  in  wagons  to  the 
Oro  Fino  mines.  The  steamer  Okanogan  followed  the  Colonel  Wright  within 
a  few  weeks,  and  navigation  on  the  Snake  may  be  said  to  have  fairly  begun. 
During  that  same  time  the  City  of  Lewiston,  named  in  honor  of  Meriwether 
Lewis,  the  explorer,  was  founded  at  the  junction  of  the  .Snake  and  Clearwater 
rivers. 

THE  PIONEER  ST.AGE  LINES 

While  the  river  traffic  under  the  ordinary  control  of  the  O.  S.  N.  Company, 
though  with  frequent  periods  of  opposition  boats,  was  thus  promoting  the  move- 
ments of  commercial  life  along  the  great  central  artery,  the  need  of  reaching 
interior  points  was  vital.  The  only  way  of  doing  this  and  providing  feeders  for 
the  boats  was  by  stage  lines  and  prairie  schooners.  As  a  result  of  this  need  there 
developed  along  with  the  steamboats  a  system  of  roads  from  certain  points  on  the 
Columbia  and  Snake  rivers.  Umatilla,  Wallula,  and  Lewiston  became  the  chief 
of  these.  And  in  the  stage  lines  we  have  another  era  of  utmost  interest  and 
importance  in  the  old  time  days. 

J.  F.  Abbott  was  the  pioneer  stage  manager  of  old  Walla  \\^alla.  It  is  very 
interesting  to  note  his  advertisements  as  they  appear  in  the  earliest  issues  of  the 
IVashington  Slatesman.  But  he  began  before  there  was  any  Statesman  or  paper 
of  any  kind  between  the  Cascade  Mountains  and  the  Missouri  River.    For  in  1859 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  161 

he  started  the  first  stages  between  Wallula  and  Walla  Walla.  In  i860  he  entered 
a  partnership  with  Rickey  and  Thatcher  on  the  same  route.  In  1861  a  new  line 
was  laid  out  by  Aliller  and  Blackmore  from  The  Dalles  to  Walla  Walla.  The 
stage  business  went  right  on  by  leaps  and  bounds.  In  1862  two  companies  started 
new  lines,  Rickey  and  Thatcher  from  Walla  Walla  to  Lewiston  through  the  present 
Walla  Walla,  Columbia,  Garfield  and  Asotin  counties,  and  Blackmore  and  Chase 
between  Wallula  and  Walla  Walla.  During  the  next  two  decades  the  stage  busi- 
ness became  one  of  the  great  factors  in  the  growth  of  the  whole  vast  region  from 
Umatilla  eastward  into  the  mining  regions  of  Oro  Fino,  Florence,  Boise  Basin, 
and  ultimately  into  Wyoming  and  Utah. 

The  most  prominent  manager  on  the  longer  routes  and  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent and  useful  of  all  the  business  men  of  early  Walla  Walla,  was  George  F. 
Thomas.  He  laid  out  a  route  from  Wallula  to  Boise  by  way  of  Walla  Walla  and 
the  Woodward  Toll  Gate  Road  over  the  Blue  Mountains. 

In  1864  there  came  into  operation  the  first  of  the  great  stage  systems  having 
transcontinental  aims  and  policies.  This  was  the  Holladay  system.  That  period 
was  the  palmy  time  for  hold-ups,  Indians,  prairie-schooners,  and  all  the  other 
interesting  and  extravagant  features  of  life,  ordinarily  supposed  to  be  typical  of 
the  Far- West  and  so  dominating  in  their  effect  on  the  imagination  as  to  furnish 
the  seed-bed  for  a  genuine  literature  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  most  prominent  in 
California  with  the  illustrious  names  of  Bret  Harte  and  Mark  Twain  in  the 
van,  and  with  Jack  London,  Rex  Beach,  and  many  more  in  later  times  pursuing 
the  same  general  tenor  of  delineation.  The  Northwest  has  not  yet  had  a  litera- 
ture comparable  with  California's,  but  the  material  is  here  and  there  will  yet  be 
in  due  sequence  a  line  of  story  writers,  poets  and  artists  of  the  incomparable 
scenery  and  the  tragic,  humorous  and  pathetic  human  associations  of  the  Columbia 
and  its  tributaries,  which  will  place  this  northern  region  of  the  Pacific  in  the 
same  rank  as  the  more  forward  southern  sister.  Indeed  we  may  remark  inci- 
dentally that  the  two  most  prominent  California  poets,  Joaquin  Miller  and  Edwin 
Markham,  belonged  to  Oregon,  the  latter  being  a  native  of  the  "Web-foot  State." 

The  amount  of  business  done  by  those  pioneer  stage  lines  was  surprising.  In 
the  issue  of  the  Statesman  of  December  20,  1862,  it  is  estimated  that  the  amount 
of  freight  landed  by  the  steamers  at  Wallula  to  be  distributed  thence  by  wheel 
averaged  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  tons  weekly,  and  that  the  number  of  pas- 
sengers, very  variable,  ran  from  fifty  to  six  hundred  weekly.  As  time  went  on 
rival  lines  became  more  and  more  active  and  rates  were  lowered  as  competition 
grew  more  keen.  The  author  recalls  vividly  his  first  trip  from  Wallula  to  Walla 
Walla  in  his  boyhood  in  the  summer  of  1870. 

The  steamer  was  jammed  with  passengers  who  disembarked  and  made  a  rush 
for  something  to  eat  in  the  old  adobe  hotel  on  the  river  bank  at  the  site  of  the 
old  Fort  Walla  Walla.  There  were  a  dozen  or  so  stages,  the  driver  of  each 
vociferating  that  on  that  day  passengers  were  carried  free  to  Walla  Walla.  It  is 
asserted  that  on  some  occasions  competition  became  so  hot  that  the  rival  stage 
managers  ofifered  not  only  free  transportation,  but  free  meals  as  a  bonus.  When- 
ever one  line  succeeded  in  running  off  competitors  the  rates  were  plumped  right 
back  to  the  ordinary  figure.  In  view  of  the  wagon  traffic  of  that  period  it  is 
not  surprising  that  sections  of  the  road  are  yet  worn  several  feet  deep  and  that 
for  years  there  were  four  or  five  tracks.     They  never  worked  the  roads,  but 

Vol.  I— 11 


I(i2  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

depended  purely  on  naluie,  rrovidence,  and  the  movement  of  teams  to  effect  any 
changes.  With  the  somewhat  strenuous  west  winds  which  even  yet  are  sometimes 
noticed  to  prevail  on  the  lower  Walla  Walla  it  is  not  wonderful  that  a  good 
part  of  the  top  dressing  of  that  country  has  been  distributed  at  various  points 
around  Walla  Walla,  Waitsburg,  Dayton,  "and  all  points  east."  How  regular 
teamsters  got  enough  air  to  maintain  life  out  of  the  clouds  of  dust  w^hich  enveloped 
most  of  their  active  moments  is  one  of  the  unexplained  mysteries  of  human 
existence. 

The  closing  scene  of  the  stage  line  drama  may  be  said  to  have  been  the 
establishment  in  1871  of  the  Northwestern  Stage  Company.  It  connected  the 
Central  Pacific  Railroad  at  Kelton,  Utah,  with  The  Dalles,  Pendleton,  Walla 
Walla,  Colfax,  Dayton,  Lewiston,  Pomeroy,  and  "all  points  north  and  west." 
During  the  decade  of  the  '70s  that  ftage  line  was  a  connecting  link  not  only 
between  the  railroads  and  the  regions  as  yet  without  them,  but  was  also  a  link 
between  two  epochs,  that  of  the  stage  and  that  of  the  railroad. 

Tt  did  an  extensive  passenger  business,  employing  regularly  twenty-two  stages 
and  300  horses,  which  used  annually  365  tons  of  grain  and  412  tons  of  hay.  There 
were  150  drivers  and  hostlers  regularly  employed  for  that  branch  of  the  business. 

THE   R.MLROAD   AGE 

•  But  a  new-  order  was  coming  rapidly-  As  the  decades  of  the  '60s  and  '70s 
belonged  especially  to  the  steamboat  and  the  stage,  so  the  decade  of  the  '80s 
belonged  to  the  railroad.  It  is  one  of  the  most  curious  and  interesting  facts  in 
American  history  that  during  the  period  between  about  1835,  the  coming  of  the 
missionaries  and  the  period  of  the  discoveries  of  gold  in  Idaho  in  1861  and  onward, 
there  was  an  obstinate  insistence  in  Congress,  especially  the  Senate — a  great  body 
indeed,  but  at  times  the  very  apotheosis  of  conservative  imbecility — that  Oregon 
could  never  be  practically  connected  with  the  older  parts  of  the  country,  but 
must  remain  a  wilderness.  But  there  were  some  Progressives.  When  Isaac  I. 
Stevens  was  appointed  governor  of  Washington  Territory  in  1853  he  had  charge 
of  a  survey  with  a  view  of  determining  a  practical  route  for  a  northern  railroad. 
It  is  very  interesting  to  read  his  instructions  to  George  B.  McClellan,  then 
one  of  his  assistants.  "The  route  is  from  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  to  Puget  Sound  by  the 
great  bend  of  the  ]\lississippi  River,  through  a  pass  in  the  mountains  near  the 
forty-ninth  parallel.  A  .strong  party  will  operate  westward  from  St.  Paul :  a 
second  but  smaller  party  will  go  up  the  Missouri  to  the  Yellowstone,  and  there 
make  arrangements,  reconnoiter  the  country,  etc.,  and  on  the  junction  of  the  main 
party  they  will  push  through  the  Blackfoot  country,  and  reaching  the  Rocky 
Mountains  will  keep  at  work  there  during  the  summer  months.  The  third  party, 
under  your  command,  will  be  organized  in  the  Puget  Sound  region,  you  and  your 
scientific  corps  going  over  the  Isthmus,  and  will  operate  in  the  Cascade  range 
and  meet  the  party  coming  from  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  amount  of  work 
in  the  Cascade  range  and  eastward,  say  to  the  probable  junction  of  the  parties  at 
the  great  bend  of  the  north  fork  of  the  Columbia  River,  will  be  immense.  Recol- 
lect, the  main  object  is  a  railroad  survey  from  the  headwaters  of  the  Mississippi 
River  to  Puget  Sound.  We  must  not  be  frightened  by  long  tunnels  or  enormous 
snows,  but  must  set  ourselves  to  work  to  overcome  them." 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  163 

Growing  out  of  the  abundant  agitation  going  on  for  twenty  years  after  the 
start  given  it  by  Governor  Stevens,  the  movement  for  a  Northern  Pacific  Railroad 
focahzed  in  1870  by  a  contract  made  between  the  promoters  and  Jay  Cooke  & 
Company  to  sell  bonds.  It  is  interesting  to  recall  that  Philip  Ritz  of  Walla  Walla, 
one  of  the  noblest  of  men  and  most  useful  of  pioneers,  was  one  of  the  strong 
forces  in  conveying  information  about  the  field  and  inducing  the  promoters  to 
turn  their  attention  to  it.  In  fact  Messrs.  Ogden  and  Cass,  two  of  the  strongest 
men  connected  with  the  enterprise,  afterwards  stated  that  it  was  a  letter  from  Mr. 
Ritz  that  drew  their  favorable  attention  to  the  possibilities  of  this  country.  Work 
was  begun  on  the  section  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  between  Kalama  on 
the  Columbia  and  Puget  Sound  in  1870,  but  the  financial  panic  of  1873  crippled 
and  even  ruined  many  great  business  houses,  among  others  Jay  Cooke  &  Co.,  and 
for  several  years  construction  was  at  a  stand  still.  In  1879  the  Northern  Pacific 
Railroad  Co.  was  reorganized,  work  was  resumed  and  never  ceased  till  the  iron 
horse  had  drunk  both  out  of  Lake  Superior  and  the  Columbia  River. 

One  of  the  most  spectacular  chapters  in  the  history  of  railroading  in  the 
Northwest  was  that  of  the  "blind  pool"  by  which  Henry  Villard,  president  of  the 
Oregon  Railway  and  Navigation  Co.,  obtained  in  1881  the  control  of  a  majority 
of  the  stock  of  the  N.  P.  and  became  its  president.  The  essential  aim  of  this 
series  of  occult  finances  was  to  divert  the  northern  road  from  its  proposed 
terminus  on  Puget  Sound  and  annex  it  to  the  interests  centering  in  Portland. 

In  1883  the  road  was  pushed  on  from  Duluth  to  Wallula  and  thence  by  union 
with  the  O.  R.  &  N.  was  carried  on  down  the  Columbia.  The  feverish  haste, 
reckless  outlay,  and  in  places  dangerous  construction  of  that  section  along  the 
crags  and  through  shaded  glens  and  in  front  of  the  waterfalls  on  the  banks  of 
the  great  river,  constitute  one  of  the  dramas  of  building.  Even  more  spectacularly 
came  the  gorgeous  pageantry  of  the  Villard  excursion  in  October,  1883,  in  which 
Grant,  Evarts,  and  others  of  the  most  distinguished  of  Americans  participated, 
and  in  which  Oregon  and  the  Northwest  in  general  were  entertained  in  Portland 
with  lavish  hospitality,  and  in  which  Villard  rode  upon  the  crest  of  the  greatest 
wave  of  power  and  popularity  that  had  been  seen  in  the  history  of  the  North- 
west. But  in  the  very  moment  of  his  tritunph  he  fell  with  a  "dull,  sickening 
thud."  In  fact  even  while  being  lauded  and  feted  as  the  great  railroad  builder 
he  must  have  known  of  the  impending  crash.  For  skillful  manipulations  of  the 
stock  market  by  the  Wright  interests  had  dispossessed  Villard  of  his  majority 
control,  a  general  collapse  in  Portland  followed,  and  the  Puget  Sound  terminal 
was  established  at  the  "City  of  Destiny,"  Tacoma.  Not  till  1888,  however,  was 
the  o-reat  tunnel  at  Stampede  pass  completed  and  the  Northern  Pacific  fairly 
established  upon  its  great  route. 

Since  the  completion  of  the  main  line  of  the  N.  P.  R.  R.  it  has  sprouted  out 
feeders  in  manv  directions.  The  most  interesting  and  important  of  these  to  the 
Walla  Walla  Valley  is  the  Washington  and  Columbia  River  Railroad,  commonly 
known  in  earlier  times  as  the  Hunt  Road.  That  road  was  started  as  the  Oregon 
and  Washington  Territory  R.  R.  by  Pendleton  interests  in  1887.  Mr.  G.  W. 
Hunt,  a  man  of  great  energy  and  ability,  and  possessed  of  many  peculiar  and 
orio'inal  views  on  religion  and  social  conditions  as  well  as  railroads,  came  to  the 
Inland  Empire  at  that  time  and  perceiving  the  great  possibilities  in  this  region, 
made  a  contract  to  construct  the  line.     Finding  within  a  year  that  the  projectors 


164  OLD  VVALl.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

were  not  succeeding  in  raising  funds  Mr.  Hunt  took  over  the  enterprise.  In 
i888-yo  he  carried  out  a  series  of  Hues  from  Hunt's  Junction,  a  short  distance 
from  Wallula,  to  Ilehx  and  Athena  and  finally  to  Pendleton  in  Umatilla  County, 
Ore.,  and  to  Walla  Walla,  Waitsburg  and  Dayton,  with  a  separate  branch  up 
Eureka  Flat,  that  great  wheat  belt  of  Northern  Walla  Walla  County.  The  hard 
times  of  the  next  year  so  affected  Mr.  Hunt's  resources  that  he  felt  obliged  to 
place  his  fine  enterprise  in  the  hands  of  N.  P.  R.  R.  interests.  But  it  still  retained 
the  name  of  Washington  and  Columbia  River  Railroad  and  was  operated  as  a 
distinct  road.  The  first  president  following  Mr.  Hunt  was  W.  D.  Tyler,  a  man  of 
so  genial  nature  and  brilliant  mind  as  to  be  one  of  the  conspicuous  figures  in 
Walla  Walla  circles  during  his  residence  in  this  region  and  to  be  remembered 
with  warm  friendship  by  people  in  all  sorts  of  connections,  afterward  living  in 
Taconia  until  his  lamented  death.  He  was  followed  by  Joseph  McCabe  who  was 
a  railroad  builder  and  manager  of  conspicuous  ability  and  who  continued  at  the 
head  of  the  line  until  he  was  drawn  to  important  railroad  work  in  New  England. 
The  third  president  of  the  road  was  J.  G.  Cutler  who  ably  continued  the  work 
so  well  begun.  In  1907  the  line  was  absorbed  by  the  Northern  Pacific  and  has 
since  that  date  been  managed  as  a  section  of  that  line.  Mr.  Cutler  continued 
for  a  time  as  the  general  manager  until  failing  health  compelled  his  retirement 
and  to  the  deep  regret  of  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  business  associates  he  died 
within  a  few  months  of  his  retirement.  S.  B.  Calderhead,  who  had  been  during 
the  presidencies  of  Mr.  McCabe  and  Mr.  Cutler  the  traffic  manager  of  the  original 
road,  became  the  general  freight  and  passenger  agent  of  the  division  in  1907  and 
continues  to  hold  the  position  at  this  time.  The  road  has  been  extended  to  Turner 
in  the  heart  of  the  barley  belt  of  Columbia  County.  It  does  an  extraordinary 
business  for  the  amount  of  mileage  and  population.  Within  the  year  of  the  com- 
pletion of  the  lines  to  Dayton,  Pendleton,  and  the  Eureka  Flat  branch,  a  total 
mileage  of  162.73  miles  and  with  a  scanty  population  at  that  date  of  1890,  the  road 
conveyed  about  forty  thousand  tons  of  freight  into  the  regions  covered  and 
carried  out  about  a  hundred  and  thirty  thousand  tons  of  grain  and  20,000  tons 
of  other  freight. 

The  other  transcontinental  line  in  which  the  Walla  Walla  country  is  especially 
interested  is  the  Oregon  Railroad  and  Navigation  Company's  line.  This  acquired 
the  Walla  Walla  and  Columbia  River  line  in  1878  and  the  property  of  the  O.  S. 
N.  Co.  in  1879.  Henry  Villard  was  the  great  organizer  of  the  O.  R.  and  N. 
line,  which  was  a  portion  of  the  Union  Pacific  system,  covering  the  territory 
between  Huntington  and  Portland.  Of  Villard's  operations  in  this  connection 
with  the  N.  P.  R.  R.  we  have  already  spoken.  Although  the  attempt  to  divert 
that  system  down  the  Columbia  proved  a  failure,  the  O.  R.  and  N.  R.  R.  has 
become  one  of  the  great  systems  of  the  United  States,  and  as  a  part  of  the  present 
Oregon  and  Washington  system  it  performs  a  vast  commercial  service  in  the 
regions  covered  by  its  lines.  By  the  acquisition  of  the  Walla  Walla  and  Columbia 
River  R.  R.  (Dr.  Baker's  road)  and  the  O.  S.  N.  Co.  lines  and  steamboats  (for 
that  was  mainly  a  river  system)  the  O.  R.  and  N.  R.  R.  succeeded  practically 
to  the  whole  pioneer  system  of  steamboats  and  stage  lines  of  the  previous  era. 
It  has  become  a  vast  factor  in  the  commercial  life  of  the  Columbia  River  region 
and  by  its  branches  north  and  west  has  become  a  competitor  with  the  Northern 
Pacific  and  Great  Northern  systems  throughout  the  state.     Its  chief  lines  in  the 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  165 

counties  covered  by  this  work  are  that  from  Pendleton  to  Spokane,  going  right 
through  the  heart  of  the  region,  with  branches  from  Bolles  Junction  to  Dayton 
and  Starbuck  to  Pomeroy.  It  joins  with  the  N.  P.  R.  R.  in  a  hne  from  Riparia 
on  the  north  side  of  the  Snake  River  to  Lewiston,  by  which  the  splendid  country 
centering  around  that  city  is  reached  and  by  which  the  equally  beautiful  and 
productive  region  of  Asotin  and  Garfield  counties  on  the  west  and  south  of 
Snake  River  are  indirectly  touched.  To  reach  that  highly  productive  region 
the  company  maintains  several  steamers  which  ply  during  the  proper  stage  of 
water  and  convey  millions  of  bushels  of  grain  from  Asotin  and  other  points  down 
the  river  to  railroad  connections.  One  of  the  important  developments  of  the  line 
is  the  Yakima  branch,  extending  from  Walla  Walla  to  that  city  and  projected, 
as  is  supposed,  to  ultimate  connections  on  Puget  Sound  and  possibly  through 
the  Klickitat  country  about  the  base  of  Mount  Adams  to  Portland,  tapping  an 
entirely  new  country  of  great  and  varied  resources.  In  1914  the  main  line 
between  Portland  and  Spokane  was  constructed  down  the  Snake  from  Riparia 
to  Wallula. 

The  Northern  Pacific  and  Oregon-Washington  railroads  have  not  far  from 
the  same  mileage  in  these  counties,  the  latter  somewhat  larger,  and  do  approxi- 
mately the  same  amount  of  local  business.  A  general  estimate  by  one  of  the 
best  informed  railroad  men  of  Walla  Walla  is  that  the  combined  receipts  for 
freight  in  Walla  Walla  County  alone — the  present  county — for  the  last  year  was 
about  one  million  dollars  for  outgoing  and  about  six  hundred  thousand  dollars  for 
incoming  freight. 

W.\LL.\  WALL.\  AND  COLUMBIA  KIVER  RAILROAD 

We  have  reserved  for  special  consideration  the  most  interesting  and  from 
the  historical  standpoint  the  most  important  of  all  the  railroads  of  Walla  Walla, 
the  Walla  Walla  and  Columbia  River,  Doctor  Baker's  road.  The  history  of  this 
enterprise  is  most  intimately  connected  with  the  development  of  this  region.  It 
is  not  only  a  rare  example  of  the  growth  of  a  local  demand  and  need,  but  con- 
stitutes a  tribute  to  the  genius  of  its  builder,  one  of  the  most  unique  and  power- 
ful of  all  the  capable  and  original  builders  of  the  "Upper  Country." 

To  trace  the  movements  leading  to  the  creation  of  this  vital  step  in  the  com- 
mercial evolution  of  Walla  Walla,  we  must  turn  to  the  files  of  the  Washington 
Statesman.  In  the  issue  of  May  3,  1862,  we  find  the  leading  editorial  devoted  to 
urging  the  need  of  a  railroad.  It  notes  the  fact  that  Lewiston  and  Wallula  are 
endeavoring  to  divert  the  trade  from  Walla  Walla  and  that  with  $500,000 
invested  in  the  city,  as  much  more  in  the  country,  and  with  crops  yielding 
$250,000,  besides  stock,  the  people  of  Walla  Walla  cannot  rest  content  with  the 
exorbitant  expense  of  freighting  by  teams  to  and  from  the  river.  It  says 
bitterly  that  those  engaged  in  freighting  have  thought  it  a  fine  thing  to  get 
from  twenty  dollars  to  one  hundred  dollars  per  ton  for  carrying  freight  in  from 
Wallula.  It  urges  people  to  bestir  themselves  and  provide  a  railroad,  which,  it 
declares,  if  it  cost  $750,000  or  even  $1,000,000  to  build,  will  save  that  amount  in 
the  next  ten  years. 

The  issue  of  June  7  returns  to  the  charge,  dealing  in  more  specific  figures, 
estimating   the    probable   expense   of    the    thirty    miles    of   road   not   to    e.-cceed 


lt)6  OLD  WAIJ.A  W.WA.A  COUNTY 

$600,000.  It  appeared  from  this  article  that  the  Legislature  of  the  previous  year 
had  granted  a  charter  for  the  purpose,  and  as  the  editor  urges,  the  people  have  but 
to  take  advantage  of  the  opportunity  open  to  them  to  secure  the  results. 

The  Statesinan  of  August  23,  1862,  gives  the  provisions  of  that  charter  with 
the  list  of  those  named  in  it.  The  names  of  these  men  are  worthy  of  preserva- 
tion, as  .showing  the  personnel  of  the  most  active  business  forces  of  that  date. 
They  are  as  follows :  A.  J.  Cain,  E.  B.  Whitman,  L.  A.  Mullan,  W.  J.  Terry,  C. 
H.  Armstrong,  J.  F.  Abbott,  L  T.  Reese,  S.  M.  Baldwin,  E.  L.  Bonner,  W.  A.  Mix, 
Charles  Russell,  J.  A.  Sims,  Jesse  Drumheller,  James  Reynolds,  D.  S.  Baker,  G. 
E.  Cole,  S.  D.  Smith,  J.  J."  Goodwin,  Neil  McGlinchy,  J.  S.  Sparks,  W.  A. 
George,  J.  AL  \ansycle,  W.  W.  DeLacy,  A.  Seitel,  W.  A.  Ball,  B.  F.  Stone.  J. 
Schwabacher,  B.  P.  Standifer,  S.  W.  Tatem,  W.  W.  Johnson  and  "such  others  as 
they  shall  associate  with  them  in  the  project." 

It  is  worth  noting  that  in  the  issue  of  September  6th,  an  item  is  made  of  the 
fact  that  fares  to  The  Dalles  have  been  lowered,  being  $10  to  The  Dalles  and 
only  50  cents  from  there  to  Portland.     It  is  declared  in  the  item  that  that  is  a 
scheme  of  the  Navigation  Company  to  crush  out  opposition.    The  opposition  line 
of  that  year  was  in  control  of  Doctor  Baker,  who  was  associated  in  the  enter- 
prise  with    Captain   Ankeny,   H.   W.    Corbett,   and   Captain  Baughman.     Their 
steamer  on  the  lower  river  was  the  E.  D.  Baker  and  on  the  upper  river  the 
Spray.      Doctor    Baker   had   previously    undertaken   a   portage    railroad   at    the 
Cascades,  but  had  been  compelled  to  retire  before  the  O.  S.  N.  Co.     So  for  the 
new  undertaking  they  were  obliged  to  use  stages  over  the  five  miles  of  portage 
between  the  lower  and  the  upper  Cascades.     The  Spray  and  the  Baker,  it  may 
be  said,  carried  on  a  lively  opposition  but  in  the  Statcsiiian  of  March  21,  1863. 
we  find  that  the  O.  S.  N.  Co.  had  bought  out  the  line  and  once  more  monopolized 
the  traffic.     Affairs  and  time  were  both  moving  on  and  we  find  valuable  data 
in  three   successive   issues  of  the  Statesman,  December  20  and  27,    1862,  and 
January  3,  1863.    That  of  December  20th  repeats  the  names  given  in  the  charter 
and  some  further  provisions  of  that  document.     Among  other  requirements  was 
that   forbidding  the   railroad   to   charge  passengers   over    10  cents   per  mile   or 
over  40  cents  per  ton  per  mile  for  freight.     Comparison  shows  how  the  world 
has  changed.     Railroads  in  this  state  at  present  cannot  charge  more  than  three 
cents  a  mile   for  passengers,  and  as  for  freight,  when  we  remember  how  we 
"kick"  now  at  exorbitant  freight  rates,  and  yet  remind  ourselves  that  the  rate 
on  wheat  from  Walla  W'alla  to  Portland  is  $2.85  per  ton,  or  less  than  twelve  mills 
per  ton  mile,  we  realize  the  change.     But  it  must  be  remembered  that  building  a 
railroad  in   1863  in  the  Walla  Walla  country  was  a  very  different  proposition 
from  the  present.     The  Statesman  figures  that  even  if  traffic  did  not  increase 
there  would  be  a  weekly  income  for  the  road  of  $2,400  or  about  one  hundred  and 
thirty  thousand  dollars  a  year.     Allowing  the  cost  to  be  $700,000,  with  interest 
:it  10  per  cent  or  $70,000  a  year,  there  would  be  a  margin  of  $65,000  per  annum 
for    operating   and    contingencies.      "Who    is    there,"    demands   the   Statesman, 
"amongst  our  settled  residents  that  cannot  afford  to  subscribe  for  from  one  to 
ten  shares  of  stock  at  $100  per  share?" 

In  the  paper  of  December  27th.  another  editorial  urges  citizens  to  attend  a 
meeting  the  next  week  to  consider  the  vital  subject. 

The  meeting  duly  occurred  on  the  last  day  of  December,  1862,  and  is  reported 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  167 

in  the  Statesman  of  January  3,  1863.  The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  E.  B. 
Whitman  and  W.  W.  Johnson  acted  as  secretary.  Mention  is  made  of  a  letter 
from  Capt.  John  Mullan  stating  that  there  was  a  prospect  of  securing  from  two 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  to  three  hundred  thousand  dollars  worth  of 
stock  in  New  York.  A  group  of  men  at  money  centers  was  appointed  to  act  as 
commissioners  for  receiving  subscriptions  for  stock.  A  committee  consisting  of 
W.  W.  Johnson,  W.  A.  Mix,  and  R.  R.  Rees  was  appointed  to  draw  up  articles 
of  association  and  by-laws  for  the  company.  On  March  14th  a  meeting  was 
held  to  listen  to  the  report  of  the  committee. 

It  appears  from  the  issue  of  April  11,  1863,  that  a  new  opposition  steamer, 
the  Kius,  had  made  her  first  trip  from  Celilo  to  Wallula,  beating  the  Spray  by  an 
hour.  Fares  had  been  cut  again,  being  only  $3.50  from  Celilo  to  Wallula.  The 
following  number  of  the  Statesman  notes  the  interesting  item  that  the  Kius  had 
made  a  trip  the  previous  week  to  the  mouth  of  the  Salmon  River  on  the  Snake, 
and  proposed  to  continue  investigations  with  a  view  to  determining  the  prac- 
ticability of  a  regular  route.  In  the  paper  of  April  25th  is  an  editorial  deprecat- 
ing the  "cut-throat  competition"  on  the  river,  pointing  out  the  fact  that  heavy 
stocks  of  goods  had  been  imported  under  previous  rates  and  that  tiie  carrying 
in  of  freight  at  ruinous  rates  will  embarrass  the  regular  merchants  under  the  old 
rates.  In  the  same  issue  announcement  is  made  of  the  important  fact  that  the 
railroad  portages  of  the  O.  S.  N.  Co.  at  both  the  Cascades  and  The  Dalles  had 
just  come  into  operation.  By  Alay  9th,  it  appeared  that  another  rapid  change 
in  freight  rates  had  taken  place,  both  lines  receipting  freight  from  Portland 
to  Lewiston  at  $25  per  ton.  For  some  time  the  rate  from  The  Dalles  to  Wallula 
had  been  $3  per  ton.  But  a  little  time  passed  and  the  omnipresent  O.  S.  N.  Co. 
bought  out  the  opposition  boats  Iris  and  Kius,  and  up  the  rates  went  with 
another  jump.     The  figures  were: 

Freight — Portland    to   The   Dalles $15.00  per  ton 

Portland    to    Wallula 50.00  per  ton 

Portland    to    Lewiston 90.00  per  ton 

Passage — Portland  to  The  Dalles 6.00 

Portland  to  Wallula 18.00 

Portland  to  Lewiston 28.00 

Meanwhile  development  in  the  mines  and  on  the  stock  ranges  and  farms  and 
even  in  horticulture  was  going  on  apace.  But  the  railroad  enterprise  hung  fire 
and  several  years  passed  by  without  results.  The  community  seems  to  have  been 
waiting  for  the  man  with  the  brains,  nerve,  resolution,  and  resources  to  lead  and 
take  the  risk.  The  man  was  there  and  he  had  all  the  requisites  from  his  first 
entrance  to  Walla  Walla  in  1839  except  the  resources.  This  was  no  less  a  man 
than  Dr.  D.  S.  Baker.  During  the  years  of  agitation  he  had  been  prospering  in 
business  and  by  1868  was  coming  into  a  position  where  he  could  see  his  way  to 
take  the  initiative  in  what  he  had  recognized  all  the  time  as  the  great  next  step  in 
the  growth  of  the  Walla  Walla  country,  as  well  as  one  in  the  advancement  of  his 
own  personal  fortunes.  The  thought  of  a  sort  of  community  ownership  had 
never  left  the  minds  of  the  original  promoters  although  they  had  failed  to  come 
to  a  focus.    On  March  23,  1868,  there  was  a  meeting  which  was  the  outcome  of 


168  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

a  second  era  of  popular  discussion.  That  meeting  eventuated  in  the  actual  incor- 
poration of  the  Walla  W'alla  and  Columbia  River  Railroad.  The  incorporators 
were  D.  S.  Baker,  A.  H.  Reynolds,  L  'i\  Reese,  A.  Kyger,  J.  H.  Lasater,  J.  D. 
Mix,  B.  Scheideman,  and  W.  H.  Newell.  They  planned  to  place  $50,000  of  stock 
in  the  city,  .$200,000  in  the  county,  and  $100,000  with  the  O.  S.  N.  Co.  An  act  of 
Congress  of  March  3,  1869,  granted  a  right  of  way  and  authorized  the  county 
commissioners  to  grant  $300,000  in  aid  of  the  road,  subject  to  approval  of  the 
people  by  .special  election.  The  election  was  set  for  June  21,  1871.  Expressions 
of  public  opinion  made  it  so  clear  that  the  proposal  would  be  defeated  at  the 
polls  that  the  order  for  election  was  revoked.  The  incorporators  of  the  road 
now  made  a  proposition  that  in  case  the  people  of  the  county  would  authorize 
an  issue  of  $300,000  in  bonds,  they  would  build  a  strap-iron  road  within  a 
year,  would  place  the  money  from  down  freights  in  the  hands  of  the  county  com- 
missioners as  a  sinking  fund,  allow  the  commissioners  to  fix  freight  rates,  pro- 
vided they  were  not  less  than  $2  per  ton  nor  so  high  as  to  discourage  shipping, 
and  secure  the  county  by  first  mortgage  on  the  road.  An  election  was  held 
on  September  18,  1871.  A  two-thirds  majority  was  required  out  of  a  total 
vote  of  935,  and  the  proposition  was  lost  by  eighteen.  Thus  the  second  attempt 
at  a  publicly  promoted  railroad  for  Walla  Walla  went  glimmering. 

Doctor  Baker  now  felt  that  the  time  had  arrived  for  pushing  the  enterprise  to 
a  conclusion  by  private  capital.  A  new  organization  with  the  same  name  was 
effected,  of  which  the  directors  were  D.  S.  Baker,  Wm.  Stephens,  L  T.  Reese, 
Lewis  McMorris,  H.  M.  Chase,  H.  P.  Isaacs,  B.  L.  Sharpstein,  Orley  Hull,  and 
J.  F.  Boyer.    Grading  was  begun  at  Wallula  in  March,  1872. 

Meanwhile  many  rumors  and  proposals  as  to  railroad  building  were  in  the 
air.  In  1872  the  Grande  Ronde  and  Walla  Walla  R.  R.  Co.  was  incorporated,  and 
a  survey  made  thirty-six  miles  to  the  Umatilla  River.  But  there  the  movement 
ceased.  A  very  interesting  project  came  into  existence  in  1873  for  the  Seattle 
and  Walla  Walla  R.  R.,  and  in  the  prosecution  of  plans  for  this,  A.  A.  Denny 
and  T-  J-  McGilvra  visited  this  region  and  held  public  meetings  in  Walla  Walla, 
Waitsburg,  and  Dayton.  Five  directors,  S.  Schwabacher,  W.  F.  Kimball,  Jesse 
N.  Day,  W.  P.  Bruce,  and  W.  M.  Shelton  were  appointed  to  represent  this  sec- 
tion. Great  enthusiasm  was  created,  but  the  project,  feasible  though  it  seemed 
and  backed  though  it  was  by  reliable  men,  never  got  beyond  the  stage  of  agita- 
tion. Another  enterprise  which  occasioned  great  public  interest  was  the  Port- 
land, Dalles,  and  Salt  Lake  R.  R.  designed  as  a  rival  to  the  O.  R.  &  N.  system. 
That  never  got  beyond  the  promotion  era.  The  most  interesting  locally  of  these 
incipient  railroads  was  the  Dayton  and  Columbia  River  R.  R.  incorporated  in 
August.  1874.  Its  proposal  was  to  build  a  narrow  gauge  from  Dayton  to  Wallula 
via  Waitsburg  and  Walla  Walla.  The  plans  contemplated  a  boat  line  to  Astoria 
with  railroad  ]X)rtages  at  Celilo  and  the  Cascades.  That  would  have  been  a  great 
enterprise,  but  it  was  beyond  the  resources  of  its  promoters,  and  it  died 
"a-bornin'." 

While  these  gauzy  visions  were  flitting  before  the  minds  of  the  people  of 
old  Walla  Walla  County,  Doctor  Baker  was  going  right  on  with  his  own  road, 
in  the  peculiarly  taciturn,  quiet  and  unremitting  manner  characteristic  of  him. 
In  March,  1874,  the  road  was  completed  from  Wallula  to  the  Touchet,  the  first 
eight  miles  with  wooden  rails,  capped  with  strap-iron.     Maj.  Sewall  Truax  was 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  169 

the  engineer  in  charge.  Strap-iron  rails  were  laid  on  the  ''straightaway"  sec- 
tions as  far  as  Touchet,  with  T-iron  on  the  curves  and  heavier  grades.  The 
expense  of  getting  ties  and  iron  was  very  great  and  the  execution  of  the  work 
was  costly  and  harassing.  Nothing  but  Doctor  Baker's  pertinacity  in  the  face 
of  many  obstacles  carried  the  work  to  a  successful  conclusion.  An  attempt  to 
run  tie  timber  down  the  Grande  Ronde  River  to  the  Snake  and  thence  to  Wallula 
proving  unsuccessful,  the  doctor  turned  to  the  Yakima.  That  effort  proved  the 
winning  card,  but  the  cost  was  great.  The  ties  cost  over  a  dollar  apiece  at 
Wallula. 

But  from  the  first  the  road  justified  its  cost  and  demonstrated  its  utility. 
In  the  year  that  it  was  completed  to  Touchet  over  four  thousand  tons  of  wheat 
was  carried  out  and  1,126  tons  of  merchandise  was  brought  in.  In  January, 
1875,  Doctor  Baker  proposed  to  the  people  of  the  county  that  he  would  com.- 
plete  the  road  to  the  city  if  $75,000  were  subscribed  to  the  capital  stock.  A 
meeting  was  held  at  which  it  was  decided  impossible  to  raise  that  sum.  The 
company  returned  with  another  proposition;  i.  e.,  that  they  would  complete  the 
road  if  the  people  would  secure  a  tract  of  three  acres  for  depot  grounds  and 
right  of  way  for  nine  miles  west  of  town,  and  subscribe  $25,000  as  a  subsidy. 
After  much  wrestling  and  striving  this  proposal  was  accepted.  On  October  23, 
1875,  the  rails  were  laid  into  Walla  Walla  and  during  the  remainder  of  that 
year  9,155  tons  of  wheat  were  hauled  over  them  to  the  river. 

Thus  that  monumental  work  (monumental  considering  the  times  and  resources 
available,  though  of  course  of  small  extent  compared  with  the  railways  of  the 
present)   was  brought  to  a  triumphant  conclusion. 

A  peculiar  condition  arose  in  the  next  year  after  completion  which  has  his- 
torical bearings  of  much  interest.  According  to  the  account  as  given  by  Col.  F. 
T.  Gilbert  the  advance  of  rates  from  $5  per  ton  to  Wallula  to  $5.50  caused  a 
revolt  on  the  part  of  shippers,  although  the  haul  by  team  before  was  more  than 
twice  as  much.  Shippers  urged  the  county  commissioners  to  put  the  wagon 
road  in  good  condition  as  a  weapon  to  curb  railway  monopoly.  As  the  directors 
of  the  road  did  not  reduce  rates,  a  movement  ensued  in  the  Grange  Council 
looking  to  boycotting  the  railroad.  The  feasibility  of  a  canal  from  Waiilatpu  to 
Wallula  was  considered.  Some  wheat  and  some  merchandise  were  transported 
by  teams  at  $5  per  ton.  A  movement  was  started  at  Dayton  to  haul  freight  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Tucanon,  where  the  O.  S.  N.  steamers  might  pick  it  up  and 
carry  to  Portland  for  $8  per  ton.  It  cost  $4.50  to  reach  the  boats.  That  was 
the  state  of  affair?  which  produced  Grange  City  at  the  point  v.diere  the  Walla 
Walla-Pendleton  branch  of  the  O.  W.  R.  R.  now  leaves  the  main  line  betweeen 
Spokane  and  Portland.  It  was  thought  at  one  time  that  Grange  City  might 
become  quite  a  place.  One  interesting  feature  of  that  period  was  the  con- 
struction of  a  steamer  named  the  Northwest  at  Columbus  by  the  firm  of  Paine 
Brothers  and  Moore  and  its  operation  on  the  Snake  River  for  about  two  years. 
The  Northwest  did  a  fine  business,  but  like  its  predecessors  was  absorbed  by 
the  O.  S.  N.  Co. 

It  was  discovered  after  sufficient  experience  that  teams  could  not  compete 
with  the  railroad  and  the  attempts  at  that  method  of  transportation  were  aban- 
doned. 

In  the  year  1876,  the  O.  S.  N.  Co.  received  at  Wallula  16,766  tons  of  freight. 


170  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

of  wliich  15,266  came  by  rail  and  1,500  by  teams.  It  delivered  for  conveyance 
to  Walla  Walla  4,054  tons,  of  which  all  but  513  was  conveyed  by  rail.  Doctor 
Baker's  ownership  and  management  of  the  Walla  Walla  and  Columbia  River 
R.  R.  was  brief  but  profitable,  for  in  1878  he  sold  out  a  six-seventh  interest  to 
the  O.  R.  &  N.  Co.  The  remaining  seventh  was  sold  to  Villard  when  he  bought 
the  O.  R.  and  N.  properties. 

The  pioneer  chapter  of  railroading  in  Walla  Walla  was  ended.  Whatever  the 
personal  idiosyncracies  of  Doctor  Baker  and  whatever  may  have  been  thought 
;>s  to  his  aggressiveness  in  business,  it  becomes  evident  with  the  retrospect  of 
history  that  he  was  a  far  seeing,  sagacious,  energetic,  and  successful  business 
man  and  that  his  career  in  Walla  Walla  was  one  of  its  greatest  constructive 
forces. 

NEW    ERA  OF    WATER  TRAXSPORT.XTIGN 

It  remains  in  this  chapter  only  to  take  a  glance  at  the  next  great  stage  in  trans- 
portation. We  have  spoken  of  the  old  steamer  lines  as  composing  the  first  of 
those  .stages,  the  stage  lines  the  second,  and  the  railroads  the  third.  The  fourth 
may  be  called  the  new  era  of  water  transportation.  This  era  is  as  yet  only  dawn- 
ing, but  it  is  obvious  that  the  opening  of  the  Columbia  and  Snake  rivers  to  traffic 
by  means  of  canals  and  locks  and  improvement  of  channels  will  create  a  new 
development  of  production  and  commerce.  As  far  back  as  1872  Senator  Mitchell 
of  Oregon  brought  before  Congress  the  subject  of  canal  and  locks  at  the  Cas- 
cades. The  matter  was  urged  in  Congress  and  in  the  press,  and  as  a  result  of 
ceaseless  efforts  the  people  of  the  Northwest  were  rewarded  in  1896  with  the 
completion  of  the  canal  at  the  Cascades.  While  that  was  indeed  a  great  work, 
it  did  not,  after  all,  affect  the  greater  part  of  the  Inland  Empire. 

Its  benefits  were  felt  only  as  far  as  The  Dalles.  The  much  greater  obstruc- 
tions between  that  city  and  the  upper  river  forbade  continuous  traffic  above  The 
Dalles.  Hence  the  next  great  endeavor  was  to  secure  a  canal  between  navigable 
water  at  Big  Eddy,  four  miles  above  The  Dalles,  and  Celilo,  eight  and  a  half  miles 
above  Big  Eddy.  It  is  of  great  historic  interest  to  call  up  in  this  connection 
the  unceasing  efforts  of  Dr.  N.  G.  Blalock  of  Walla  Walla  to  promote  public 
interest  in  this  vast  undertaking  and  to  so  focalize  that  interest  backed  by  insist- 
ent demands  of  the  people  upon  Congress  as  to  secure  appropriations  and  to 
direct  the  speedy  accomplishment  of  the  engineering  work  necessary  to  the  result. 
Like  all  such  important  public  matters,  this  had  its  alternating  advances  and  re- 
treats, its  encouragements  and  its  reverses,  but  patience  and  perseverance  and 
the  strong  force  of  genuine  public  benefit  triumphed  at  last  over  all  obstacles.  It 
is  indeed  melancholy  to  remember  that  Doctor  Blalock,  of  whose  good  deeds  and 
public  benefactions  this  was  but  one,  passed  on  before  the  improvements  were 
completed.  But  it  is  a  satisfaction  to  remember,  too,  that  before  his  death,  in 
April,  1913,  he  knew  that  the  appropriations  and  instructions  necessary  to  insure 
the  work  had  been  made.  In  fact,  the  work  continued  from  that  time  with  no 
pause  or  loss. 

The  Celilo  Canal  was  completed  and  thrown  open  to  navigation  in  April, 
191 5.  In  the  early  part  of  May  the  entire  river  region  joined  m  a  week's 
demonstration  which  began  at  Lewiston,  Idaho,  and  ended  at  Astoria,  Oregon. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  171 

Nearly  all  the  senators,  representatives  and  governors  in  the  northwest  attended. 
Schools  and  colleges  had  a  holiday,  business  was  largely  suspended,  and  the  entire 
river  region  joined  a  great  jubilee.  A  fleet  of  steamers  traversed  the  entire 
course  from  Lewiston  down,  500  miles.  Lewiston,  Asotin,  and  Clarkston  were 
hostesses  on  May  3;  Pasco,  Kenewick,  Wallula  and  Umatilla  on  May  4;  Celilo, 
where  the  formal  ceremonies  of  dedication  occurred,  and  The  Dalles,  May  5 ; 
Vancouver  and  Portland  May  6 ;  Kalama  and  Kelso  May  7 ;  and  Astoria  May  8, 
and  there  the  pageant  ended  with  a  great  excursion  to  the  Ocean  Beach. 

As  expressing  better  in  the  judgment  of  the  author  than  he  could  otherwise 
do,  the  profound  significance  of  that  great  step  in  the  history  of  the  commercial 
development  of  this  section  and  as  giving  a  view  of  the  historic  sequences  of  old 
Walla  Walla  County,  he  is  venturing  to  incorporate  here  an  address  delivered 
by  himself  on  Alay  4  at  Wallula  in  connection  with  that  celebration: 

Officials  and  Representatives  of  the  National  and  State  Governments,  and  Fellow 

Citizens  of  the  Northwest: 

It  is  my  honor  to  welcome  you  to  this  historic  spot  in  the  name  of  the  people 
of  the  Walla  Walla  \^alley;  the  valley  of  many  waters,  the  location  of  the  first 
American  home  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the  mother  of  all  the  com- 
munities of  the  Inland  Empire.  On  the  spot  where  we  stand  the  past,  the  present 
and  the  future  join  hands.  Here  passed  unknown  generations  of  aborigines  on 
the  way  from  the  Walla  W'alla  Valley  to  ascend  or  descend  the  Great  River,  to 
pass  in  to  the  Yakima  country,  or  to  move  in  either  direction  to  the  berry  patches 
or  hunting  grounds  of  the  great  mountains ;  here  the  exploring  expedition  of 
Lewis  and  Clark  paused  to  view  the  vast  expanse  of  prairie  before  committing 
themselves  to  what  they  supposed  to  be  the  lower  river;  here  flotillas  of  trappers 
made  their  rendezvous  for  scattering  into  their  trapping  fields  and  for  making 
up  their  bateau  loads  of  furs  for  sending  down  the  river.  On  this  very  spot 
was  built  the  old  Hudson's  Bay  fort,  first  known  as  Nez  Perce,  then  as  Walla 
Walla ;  here  immigrants  of  '43  gathered  to  build  their  rude  boats  on  which  a 
part  of  them  cast  themselves  loose  upon  the  impetuous  current  of  the  Columbia, 
while  others  re-equipped  their  wagon  trains  to  drive  along  the  banks  to  The 
Dalles.  Each  age  that  followed,  the  mining  period,  the  cowboy  period,  the  farm- 
ing period,  entered  or  left  the  Walla  Walla  Valley  at  this  very  point.  Here  the 
first  steamboats  blew  their  jubilant  blasts  to  echo  from  these  basaltic  ramparts, 
and  here  the  toot  of  the  first  railway  in  the  Inland  Empire  started  the  coyotes  and 
jackrabbits  from  their  coverts  of  sagebrush,  \\heresoever  we  turn  history  sits 
enthroned.  Every  piece  of  rock  from  yonder  cliflis  to  the  pebbles  on  the  beach, 
fairly  quivers  with  the  breath  of  the  past,  and  even  the  sagebrush  moved  by  the 
gentle  Wallula  zephyr,  exhales  the  fragrance  of  the  dead  leaves  of  history. 

But  if  the  past  is  in  evidence  here,  much  more  the  present  stalks  triumphant. 
Look  at  the  cities  by  which  this  series  of  celebrations  will  be  marshalled  and  the 
welcome  that  will  be  given  to  the  flotilla  of  steamers  all  the  way  from  Lewiston 
to  Astoria.  Consider  the  population  of  the  lands  upon  the  river  and  its  affluents, 
nearly  a  million  people,  where  during  the  days  of  old  Fort  Walla  Walla  the  only 
white  people  were  the  officers  and  trappers  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company. 

But  if  the  present  reigns  here  proudly  triumphant  over  the  past,  what  must 
we  say  of  the  future?    How  does  that  future  tower!     Where  now  are  the  hun- 


172  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

dreds,  there  will  be  thousands.  Where  now  are  the  villages,  will  be  stately  cities. 
We  would  not  for  a  moment  speak  disrespectfully  of  the  splendid  steamers  that 
will  compose  this  fleet  by  the  time  it  reaches  Portland ;  but  we  may  expect  that 
after  all  they  will  be  a  mere  bunch  of  scows  in  comparison  with  the  floating 
palaces  that  will  move  in  the  future  up  and  down  the  majestic  stream. 

Therefore,  fellow  citizens  of  the  Northwest  and  representatives  of  the  Na- 
tional Government,  I  bid  you  a  threefold  welcome  in  the  name  of  the  past,  present 
and  future.  And  I  welcome  you  also  in  the  name  of  the  commingling  of  waters 
now  passing  by  us.  While  this  is  indeed  Washington  land  on  either  side  of  the 
river,  this  is  not  Washington's  river.  This  shore  on  which  we  stand  is  washed 
by  the  turbid  water  of  Snake  River,  rising  in  Wyoming  and  flowing  hundreds 
of  miles  through  Idaho  and  then  forming  the  boundary  between  Idaho  and 
Oregon  before  it  surrenders  itself  to  the  State  of  Washington.  And,  as  many  of 
you  have  seen,  half  way  across  this  flood  of  waters  we  pass  from  the  turbid 
coloring  of  the  Snake  to  the  clear  blue  of  the  great  northern  branch,  issuing  from 
the  glaciers  of  the  Selkirks  and  the  Canadian  Rockies  nearly  a  thousand  miles 
away,  augmented  by  the  torrents  of  the  Kootenai,  the  Pend  Oreille,  the  Coeur 
d'Alene  and  Spokane,  draining  the  lakes,  the  snow  banks,  the  valleys  and  the 
mountains  of  Montana  and  Idaho.  And  two  or  three  miles  below  us  this  edge  of 
river  touches  the  soil  of  Oregon,  to  follow  it  henceforth  to  the  Pacific.  This  is 
surely  a  joint  ownership  proposition.  And,  moreover,  this  very  occasion  which 
draws  us  together,  this  great  event  of  the  opening  of  the  Celilo  Canal,  is  made 
possible  because  Uncle  Sam  devoted  five  millions  of  dollars  to  blasting  a  channel 
through  those  rocky  barriers  down  there  on  the  river  bank.  It  is  a  national,  not 
simply  a  Northwest  aflfair. 

But  while  we  are  thus  welcoming  and  celebrating  and  felicitating  and  an- 
ticipating we  may  well  ask  ourselves  what  is,  after  all,  the  large  and  permanent 
significance  of  this  event.  I  find  two  special  meanings  in  it:  one  commercial  and 
industrial,  the  other  patriotic  and  political.  First,  it  is  the  establishment  of 
water  transportation  and  water  power  in  the  Columbia  Basin  on  a  scale  never 
before  known.  Do  we  yet  comprehend  what  this  may  mean  to  us  and  our  descend- 
ants in  this  vast  and  productive  land?  It  has  been  proved  over  and  over  again 
in  both  Europe  and  the  United  States  that  the  cost  of  freightage  by  water  is  but 
a  fraction,  a  fifth,  a  tenth,  or  sometimes  even  a  fifteenth  of  that  by  land — but, 
note  this  is  under  certain  conditions.  What  are  those  conditions?  They  are  that 
the  waterways  be  deep  enough  for  a  large  boat  and  long  enough  for  continuous 
long  runs.  The  average  freight  rate  by  rail  in  the  United  States  is  7.32  mills  per 
ton  mile.  By  the  Great  Lakes  or  the  Mississippi  River  it  is  but  one-tenth  as 
much.  Freight  has  in  fact  been  transported  from  Pittsburgh  to  New  Orleans  for 
half  a  mill  a  ton  a  mile,  or  only  a  fifteenth.  Hitherto,  on  account  of  the  break  in 
continuity  in  the  Columbia  at  Celilo,  we  have  not  been  able  to  realize  the  benefits 
of  waterway  transportation.  The  great  event  which  we  are  now  celebrating  con- 
fers upon  us  at  one  stroke  those  benefits.  Not  only  are  the  possibilities  of  trans- 
portation tremendous  upon  our  river,  but  parallel  with  them  run  the  possibilities 
of  water  power.  It  has  been  estimated  that  a  fourth  of  all  the  water  power  of 
the  United  States  is  found  upon  the  Columbia  and  its  tributaries.  By  one  stroke 
the  canalization  of  rivers  creates  the  potentialities  of  navigation,  irrigation  and 
mechanical  power  to  a  degree  beyond  computation.    Our  next  great  step  must  be 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  173 

the  canalization  of  Snake  River,  and  that  process  at  another  great  stroke  will 
open  the  river  to  continuous  navigation  from  a  point  a  hundred  miles  above 
Lewiston  to  the  ocean,  over  five  hundred  miles  away.  Then  in  logical  sequence 
will  follow  the  opening  of  the  Columbia  to  the  British  line,  and  the  Canadian 
Government  stands  ready  to  complete  that  work  above  the  boundary  until  we  may 
anticipate  a  thousand  miles  of  unbroken  navigation  down  our  "Achilles  of  rivers" 
to  the  Pacific.  Until  this  great  work  at  Celilo  was  accomplished  we  could  not  feel 
confidence  that  the  ultimate  end  of  continuous  navigation  was  in  sight.  Now 
we  feel  that  it  is  assured,  the  most  necessary  stage  is  accomplished.  It  is  only 
a  question  of  time  now  till  the  river  will  be  completely  opened  from  Windemere 
to  the  ocean.  We  welcome  you,  therefore,  again  on  this  occasion  in  the  name  of  an 
assured  accomplishment. 

The  second  phase  of  this  great  accomplishment  which  especially  appeals  to  me 
now  is  the  character  of  nationality  which  belongs  to  it.  While  this  is  a  work  that 
peculiarly  interests  us  of  the  Northwestern  States,  yet  it  has  been  performed  by 
the  National  Government.  Uncle  Sam  is  the  owner  of  the  Celilo  Canal.  It 
belongs  to  the  American  people.  Each  of  us  owns  about  a  ninety  millionth  of  it 
and  has  the  same  right  to  use  it  that  every  other  has.  This  suggests  the  unity, 
the  interstate  sympathy  and  interdependence,  which  is  one  of  the  great  growing 
facts  of  our  American  system.  In  this  time  of  crime  and  insanity  in  Europe,  due 
primarily  to  the  mutual  petty  jealousies  of  races  and  boundaries,  it  is  con- 
solation to  see  vision  and  rationality  enough  in  our  own  country  to  disregard 
petty  lines  and  join  in  enterprises  which  encourage  us  in  the  hope  of  a  rational 
future  for  humanity.  It  is  a  lesson  in  the  get-together  spirit.  Every  farm,  every 
community,  every  town,  every  city  from  the  top  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  from 
the  northern  boundary  to  Astoria  shakes  hands  with  every  other  this  day.  And 
not  only  so  but  every  state  in  the  Union  joins  in  the  glad  tribute  to  something 
of  common  national  interest.  But  while  we  recognize  the  significance  of  this 
event  in  connection  with  interstate  unity  we  must  note  also  that  the  Columbia  is  an 
international  river.  It  is,  in  fact,  the  only  river  of  large  size  which  we  possess  in 
common  with  our  sister  country,  Canada.  About  half  of  it  is  in  each  country. 
Its  navigability  through  the  Canadian  section  has  already  been  taken  up  energet- 
ically by  the  Canadian  Government.  Think  of  the  unique  and  splendid  scenic 
route  that  will  sometime  be  offered  when  great  steamboats  go  from  Revelstoke 
to  Astoria,  a  thousand  miles.  Scenically  and  commercially  our  river  will  be  in  a 
class  by  itself. 

Such  are  some  of  the  glowing  visions  which  rise  before  our  eyes  in  the  wel- 
come with  which  we  of  the  Walla  Walla  Valley  greet  you.  I  began  by  a  three- 
fold welcome  in  the  name  of  the  past,  present  and  future.  I  venture  to  close  in 
the  name  of  the  native  sons  and  daughters  of  Old  Oregon.  There  are  many  of 
these  within  the  sound  of  my  voice.  Perhaps  to  such  sons  and  daughters  a  few 
lines  of  "Our  Mother  Oregon"  may  come  with  the  touch  of  sacred  memory. 
Let  me  explain  that  Old  Oregon  includes  Washington  and  Idaho,  and  in  com- 
posing these  lines  I  used  the  name  "Our  Mother  Oregon"  to  include  our  entire 
Northwest : 

Where  is  the  land  of  rivers  and  fountains, 
Of  deep-shadowed  valleys  and  sky-scaling  mountains? 
'Tis  Oregon,  our  Oregon. 


174  OLD  WALI.A  WAl.l.A  COUNTY 

Where  is  the  home  of  ihe  aijple  and  rose, 

Where  the  wild  currant  blooms  and  the  hazel-nut  grows? 

'Tis  Oregon,  bright  Oregon. 
Where  are  the  crags  whence  the  glaciers  flow. 
And  the  forests  of  hr  where  the  south  winds  blow  ? 

In  Oregon,  grand  Oregon. 
Where  sleep  the  old  heroes  who  liberty  sought. 
And  where  live  their  free  sons  whom  they  liberty  taught? 

In  Oregon,  free  Oregon. 
What  is  the  lure  of  this  far  western  land. 
When  she  beckons  to  all  with  her  welcoming  hand? 

It  is  the  hand  of  Oregon. 
Oh,  Oregon,  blest  Oregon, 
Dear  Mother  of  the  heart ; 
At  touch  of  thee  all  troubles  flee 
And  tears  of  gladness  start. 
Take  thou  thy  children  to  thy  breast. 
True  keeper  of  our  ways. 
And  let  thy  starry  eyes  still  shine 
On  all  our  coming  days. 

Our  Mother  Oregon. 

ERA  OF  GOOD  RO.VDS 

In  closing  this  chapter  we  may  express  the  conviction  that  while  this  fourth 
era  of  transportation — a  new  period  of  steamboat  traffic — is  surely  coming,  though 
yet  but  in  its  dawn,  there  is  now  taking  shape  still  a  fifth  era  of  transportation. 
This  is  to  be  nothing  less  than  an  era  of  good  roads  and  transportation  by  auto 
trucks  as  feeders  to  steamboat  lines.  The  most  conspicuous  fact  at  the  time  of 
publication  of  this  work  in  this  section  as  in  the  covmtry  at  large  is  the  movement 
in  the  direction  of  good  roads  as  the  logical  sequence  of  the  development  of  auto- 
mobiles. This  movement  will  inevitably  become  coupled  with  that  of  impro\ement 
of  rivers  as  a  means  of  cheap  water  transportation.  With  this  improvement  of 
rivers  will  be  another  sequence,  that  is,  the  creation  of  cheap  electric  power. 

We  are  at  the  dawn  of  a  day  in  which  the  two  most  vital  needs  of  mankind, 
after  production,  that  is,  transportation  and  power,  are  to  be  provided  at  a  low 
degree  of  cost  not  hitherto  conceived  of.  As  a  backward  glance  in  our  own  section 
it  is  well  nigh  incredible  to  call  up  that  the  cost  of  transporting  a  ton  of  freight 
by  steamer  with  portages  at  certain  points  from  Portland  to  Wallula  has  run  from 
$10.00  to  $60.00,  and  from  Wallula  to  Walla  Walla,  by  wagon,  from  $8.00  to 
$20.00  or  $30.00,  and  by  the  first  railroad  from  $4.00  to  $5.50,  while  at  the  present 
time  the  railroad  rate  (which  we  think  is  high)  on  wheat  from  Walla  Walla  to 
Portland  is  $2.85  per  ton,  and  only  $1.65  by  steamer  from  ^^^allula  to  Portland. 
Our  imaginations  are  strained  almost  to  the  breaking  point  when  we  recall  that 
experience  on  improved  rivers  in  Europe  and  the  older  America  shows  that  by 
continuous  improved  rivers,  supplemented  by  good  roads,  it  may  cost  not  to  exceed 
a  dollar,  possibly  not  more  than  half  a  dollar  from  Walla  W'alla  to  Portland.  That 
new  era  is  near  at  hand. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  INDUSTRY  IN  OLD  WALLA  WALLA 

COUNTY  TO  THE  PERIOD  OF  COUNTY  DIVISION  AND 

AFTERWARDS  IN  THE  PRESENT  WALLA  WALLA 

We  have  given  in  the  first  chapter  of  this  volume  a  view  of  the  physical 
features,  geological  formation,  and  climate  of  this  region.  It  was  obvious  from 
that  description  that  the  Walla  Walla  country,  like  most  of  Eastern  Washing- 
ton, Northeastern  Oregon,  and  even  Northwestern  Idaho,  would  be  thought  of 
at  first  inspection  as  a  stock  country.  The  army  of  early  immigrants  that 
passed  through  on  their  way  to  the  Willamette  Valley  saw  the  upper  country 
only  at  the  end  of  the  long,  hot,  dry  summers,  when  everything  was  parched 
and  wilted.  It  did  not  seem  to  them  that  any  part  would  be  adapted  to  agricul- 
ture except  the  small  creek  bottoms.  They  could,  however,  see  in  the  oceans 
of  bunch  grass,  withered  though  it  was  by  drought,  ample  indications  that  stock 
to  almost  limitless  extent  could  find  subsistence. 

Hence  with  the  opening  of  the  country  in  1859  the  first  thought  of  incoming 
settlers  was  to  find  locations  along  the  creeks  where  a  few  acres  for  garden  and 
home  purposes  might  be  found,  and  thea  a  wide  expanse  of  grazing  land  adjoin- 
ing where  the  real  business  migiit  be  conducted.  The  first  locations  from  1859 
and  until  about  1870  denote,  tire  ^.(^ftijiance  of  that  idea.  We  have  already  noted 
the  beginnings  of  stock  raising  during  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  regime  and 
the  period  of  the  Whitman  mission.  We-  have  .seen  that  Messrs.  Brooke,  Bum- 
ford  and  Noble  started  the  same  industry  at  Waiilatpu  in  1851  and  later  on  the 
Touchet  and  maintained  it  until  expelled  by  Indians  in  1855.  H.  M.  Chase  laid 
the  foundations  of  the  same  on  the  Umatilla  in  185 1  in  conjunction  with  W.  C. 
McKay,  and  later  upon  the  Touchet  near  where  Dayton  is  now  located.  J.  C. 
Smith  on  Dry  Creek  in  1857  had  the  same  plans. 

The  incoming  of  settlers  in  1859  and  i860  and  the  location  of  the  Fort  in- 
duced a  mercantile  class  to  gather  in  the  vicinity  of  that  market.  When  gold 
discoveries  set  every  one  agog  with  excitement,  the  first  effect  was  to  create 
a  line  of  business  almost  entirely  adapted  to  supply  miners'  needs.  The 
second  eiTect  speedily  following  was  to  lead  thoughtful  men  to  consider  the 
region  as  a  suitable  location  for  producing  first  hand  the  objects  of  demand. 
Stock  was  foremost  among  those  demands.  The  Indians  already  had  immense 
droves  of  "cayuse"  horses,  and  considerable  herds  of  cattle.  Many  cattle 
were  driven  in  in  1861.  The  hard  winter  of  1861-2  caused  severe  loss  to  cattle 
raisers,  but  so  well  were  the  losses  repaired  that  it  was  reported  in  1863  that 
there  were  in  the  valley,  including  the  Touchet  region,  1,455  horses,  438  mules, 
'1,864  sheep,  3,957  cattle,  and  712  hogs.  According  to  the  Statesman  15,000 
pounds  of  wool  were  shipped  out  in  that  year.     Sheep  increased  with  extraordi- 

175 


176  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

nary  rapidity.  'J"hc  valley  became  a  winter  feeding  ground  and  the  sheep  were 
driven  in  from  the  entire  Inland  Empire.  The  Statesman  asserts  that  in  the 
winter  of  1855-6  there  were  2oo,ocK)  head  in  the  valley.  They  were  worth  at 
that  time  only  a  dollar  a  head.  From  that  time  on  the  stock  business  in  its 
various  branches  became  more  definitely  organized  and  shipments  to  the  East 
and  to  California  went  on  apace.  It  was  not,  however,  for  some  years  that  the 
importation  of  blooded  stock  for  scientific  betterment  was  carried  on  to  any 
considerable  degree.  It  would  be  impossible  within  our  limits  to  give  any  com- 
plete view  of  the  leading  promoters  in  the  different  lines.  Practically  every 
settler  in  the  country  had  some  stock.  Those  who  may  be  said  to  have  been 
leaders  during  the  decade  of  the  '60s  in  introducing  stock  into  the  various 
pivotal  points  of  the  old  county  may  be  grouped  under  some  half  dozen  ter- 
ritories, which  have  later  become  the  centers  of  farming  sections  and  in  several 
instances  the  sites  of  the  existing  towns. 

This  list  cannot  in  the  nature  of  the  case  be  exhaustive,  for,  as  already  noted, 
every  settler  had  more  or  less  stock.  In  naming  some  rather  than  others,  we 
would  not  wish  to  be  making  any  invidious  comparisons,  but  rather  selecting  a 
few  in  each  pivotal  place,  who  came  in  earliest  and  had  the  greatest  continuity 
of  residence  and  the  most  constructive  connection  with  the  business.  Naturally 
first  in  order  may  be  named  the  vicinity  of  Walla  Walla  City  as  it  has  become, 
and  the  region  adjoining  it  on  the  south  into  Oregon. 

Perhaps  typical  of  the  larger  stockmen  of  the  earliest  period  were  Jesse 
Drumheller  and  Daniel  M.  Drumheller.  The  former  of  the  brothers  came  first 
to  Walla  Walla  from  The  Dalles  with  the  United  States  troops  in  the  War  of 
1855-6,  as  manager  of  transportation.  When  the  wars  were  ended  he  settled 
on  the  place  now  owned  by  Charles  Whitney.  Subsequently  he  made  his  home 
for  many  years  on  the  place  west  of  town  known  to  all  inhabitants  of  the  region. 
The  younger  brother  came  to  the  region  in  1861  and  located  at  what  is  still 
known  as  Hudson's  Bay,  and  from  that  time  on  the  two  were  among  the  fore- 
most in  driving  stock  in  from  the  Willamette  Valley  and  in  extending  their 
ranges  in  all  directions.  Like  so  many  others  they  were  wiped  out  in  the  hard 
winter  of  1861-2,  but  nothing  daunted,  recognizing  the  superior  adaptability 
of  the  region  they  renewed  their  drives  and  within  a  few  years  had  stock,  at 
first  horses  and  cattle  and  then  sheep,  ranging  from  Couse  Creek  in  Umatilla 
County  to  the  Snake  River.  One  of  their  greatest  ranges  was  just  north  of 
the  present  Freewater  and  westward  to  the  present  Umapine  and  Hudson's  Bay. 
Resides  the  Drumhellers  some  of  the  most  prominent  stockmen  in  that  region 
ranging  along  the  state  line  were  John  Bigham,  W.  S.  Goodman,  the  Fruits, 
Girards,  Shumways,  Ingalls,  and  Fords.  Ninevah  Ford  was  one  of  the  most 
noted  of  early  Oregon  pioneers  and  coming  in  that  early  day  into  the  upper 
country  became  one  of  the  permanent  builders  of  Umatilla  County.  The  Berry 
and  Cummings  families  were  a  little  farther  north.  Among  the  leaders  in  intro- 
ducing a  high  grade  of  horses  and  cattle  and  later  on  in  farming  on  a  large  scale, 
as  well  as  connected  with  every  public  interest  of  importance,  were  the  Resers, 
of  whom  the  second  and  third  generations  are  present-day  leaders  in  all  phases 
of  the  life  of  their  communities.  Their  places  were  in  the  fertile  foothill  belt 
southeast  of  Walla  Walla.  In  the  same  general  section  were  many  others  whose 
main  dependence  at  first  was  cattle,  but  who  entered  into  the  raising  of  grain 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  177 

earlier  than  those  in  other  sections,  by  reason  of  the  manifest  advantages  in 
soil  and  rainfall.  Among  such  may  be  named  Daniel  Stewart,  Christian  Meier, 
Stephen  Maxson,  Thomas  McCoy,  S.  W.  Swezea,  Orley  Hull,  Philip  Yenney, 
Brewster  Ferrel,  James  M.  Dewar,  the  McGuires,  Sheltons,  Copelands,  Barnetts, 
and  Fergusons.  Two  of  the  prominent  business  men  living  in  town  might  be 
mentioned  as  interested  in  stock  raising  and  doing  much  to  promote  it,  Dr.  D.  S. 
Baker  and  John  Green.  Among  the  most  prominent  pioneers  in  the  section  on 
Mill  Creek,  who  afterwards  were  leaders  in  grain  raising,  but  like  all  others 
turned  their  first  attention  to  stock,  were  Robert  Kennedy,  W.  S.  Gilliam,  James 
Cornwell,  J.  M.  Lamb,  Joseph  Harbert,  E.  G.  Riffle,  W.  J.  Cantonwine,  David 
Wooten,  Thomas  Gilkerson,  J.  Kibler  and  a  little  later  several  leading  families, 
those  of  Evans,  Thomas,  Kershaw,  Lyons,  and  Aldrich. 

Another  great  section  of  the  cattle  ranges  was  on  Dry  Creek  and  northward 
over  the  hills  to  and  beyond  the  Touchet.  Among  the  earliest  settlers  in  that 
region  whose  first  business  was  stock  raising,  but  who  afterward  became  pioneers 
a  second  time  by  entering  into  grain  raising  were  Jonathan  Pettyjohn,  W.  W. 
Walter,  John  Marion,  J.  C.  Smith,  S.  H.  Erwin,  A.  A.  Blanchard  and  the  Lamars. 
At  a  somewhat  later  date,  but  among  the  most  important  of  all  the  cattle  men 
of  the  valley,  now  known  and  honored  by  all  in  his  advanced  age,  is  Francis 
Lowden,  whose  ranges  were  in  the  middle  and  lower  valley,  and  whose  son, 
Francis,  Jr.,  has  become  one  of  the  leading  meat  market  men  in  the  Inland 
Empire.  Mr.  Lowden  imported  the  first  high-grade  cattle,  Shorthorns,  and  that 
was  in  1864.  Another  growing  center,  at  first  for  stock,  then  for  farming,  then 
for  fruit,  and  finally  for  towns,  was  the  upper  Touchet,  of  which  Waitsburg, 
Dayton,  and  Huntsville  have  become  centers.  As  we  have  stated  earlier,  some  of 
the  first  locations  were  made  on  the  Touchet.  The  first  settler  at  the  junction  of 
the  Touchet  and  Coppei  was  Robert  Kennedy  in  1859,  but  the  next  year  he  moved 
to  his  permanent  place  near  Walla  Walla.  During  1859  and  the  few  years 
following  there  were  located,  at  first  engaged  in  cattle  raising,  but  soon  to  branch 
out  into  farming,  A.  T.  Lloyd,  J.  C.  Lloyd,  A.  G.  Lloyd,  G.  W.  Loundagin, 
George  Pollard,  James  Woodruff,  Isaac  Levens,  Joseph  Starr,  Luke  Henshaw, 
Martin  Hober,  Jefferson  Paine,  Philip  Cox,  W.  P.  Bruce  and  Dennis  Willard. 

Farther  up  the  Touchet,  going  on  to  the  Patit  and  beyond  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  present  Dayton,  Henri  M.  Chase  and  P.  M.  La  Fontain  had  located  before 
the  great  Indian  wars,  as  already  related.  In  the  second  stage  of  settlement, 
beginning  in  1859,  F.  D.  Schneble  and  Richard  Learn  upon  the  present  location 
of  Dayton,  and  near  by  Elisha  Ping,  J.  C.  Wells,  Thomas  and  Israel  Davis,  S.  L. 
Gilbreath  (Mrs.  Gilbreath  was  the  first  white  woman  to  live  in  Columbia  County), 
Jesse  N.  Day,  Joseph  Ruark,  Joseph  Boise,  G.  W.  Miller,  John  and  James  Fudge, 
and  John  and  Garrett  Long,  may  be  regarded  as  most  distinctively  the  pioneers 
in  the  stock  business,  proceeding  on  within  a  few  years  to  the  usual  evolution  into 
farming  and  other  branches  of  growing  communities. 

The  region  of  what  is  now  Garfield  and  Asotin  counties  had  an  early  history 

similar  to  that  of   the  Walla   Walla,   Mill   Creek,   Touchet,   Coppei,  and   Patit 

regions,  though  not  so  complete.     Settlers  entered  during  that  same  stage  of  the 

'60s  and  sought  stations  on  the  creeks  from  which  desirable  cattle  ranges  extended. 

One  of  the  earliest  of  all  settlers  of  the  old  Walla  Walla  County  was  Louis 

Raboin  at  the  point  on  the  Tucanon  now  known  as  Marengo.    Raboin  might  justly 
Vol.    r— 12 


178  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

be  called  a  pioneer  of  the  pioneers,  not  only  in  stock  raising,  but  in  everything. 
Governor  L  L  Stevens,  in  his  report  of  railroad  explorations,  mentions  him  as 
located  with  his  Indian  wife  and  six  children  on  the  Tucanon,  and  the  possessor 
of  fifty  horses  and  many  cattle,  and  as  having  four  acres  of  land  in  which 
potatoes  and  wheat  were  growing.  The  governor  calls  him  Louis  "Moragne'." 
According  to  Gilbert  that  name,  from  which  Marengo  was  derived,  had  a  curious 
origin.  It  seems  that  Raboin  had  been,  like  almost  all  the  early  French  settlers 
of  the  Inland  Empire,  engaged  in  the  trapping  business.  He  was  of  a  lively, 
active  disposition  and  known  by  his  comrades  as  "Maringouin"  (mosquito). 
This  cognomen  became  corrupted  by  the  English-speaking  people  and  finally 
became  "Marengo." 

Incoming  settlers,  seeking  water  courses  for  homes  and  bunch-grass  hills  and 
prairies  for  stock  ranges  after  the  usual  fashion,  were  not  long  in  discovering  the 
best  locations  on  the  Pataha,  Tucanon,  Alpowa,  and  Asotin,  and  small  spring 
branches,  and  cabins  and  cattle  began  to  diversify  that  broad  expanse  through 
which  Lewis  and  Clark  had  wandered  in  1806,  and  with  which  Bonneville  and 
other  fur  hunters  of  the  '30s  were  delighted. 

It  was  fully  equal  to  the  Touchet,  Walla  Walla,  and  Umatilla,  with  their 
tributaries  toward  the  west.  The  advance  guard  upon  the  Pataha  and  the  vicinity 
where  Pomeroy  now  stands  were  Thomas  Riley,  James  Rafiferty,  James  Bowers, 
Parson  Quinn,  J.  M.  Pomeroy,  from  whom  the  town  was  named,  Daniel  Mc- 
Greevy,  and  the  brothers  James  and  Walter  Rigsby,  Joseph  S.  Milan,  Henry 
Owsley,  Charles  Ward,  and  Newton  Estes. 

Among  the  streams  on  which  early  settlements  were  made  was  the  Alpowa, 
the  pleasant  sounding  name  of  which  signified  in  Nez  Perce  "Spring  Creek." 
H.  M.  Spalding,  the  missionary,  made  a  station  there  among  the  natives  of  the 
band  of  Red  Wolf  and  in  1837  or  1838  planted  apple  seeds  from  which  some 
trees  still  exist.  Timothy,  famous  in  the  Steptoe  campaign,  in  which  he  saved- 
the  command  from  destruction  and  was  afterwards  rewarded  after  the  usual 
fashion  of  the  white  race  in  dealing  with  Indians  by  being  deprived  of  a  country, 
was  located  on  the  Alpowa.  His  daughter  was  the  wife  of  John  Silcott  of  Lewis- 
ton,  one  of  the  most  noted  of  early  settlers. 

Asotin  Creek,  with  its  tributaries,  at  the  eastern  limit  of  the  region  of 
which  this  history  treats,  is  another  section  with  a  distinctive  life  of  its  own.  It 
is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  productive  sections  of  this  entire  area,  but  being 
a  little  to  one  side  of  the  sweep  of  travel  and  settlement,  having  no  railroads  to 
this  day,  was  later  of  settlement  than  the  other  sections.  Jerry  McGuire  is  named 
as  the  first  permanent  settler  on  the  Asotin,  though  there  were  several  transients 
whom  we  will  name  later. 

We  will  emphasize  again  that  we  are  not  trying  here  to  name  all  the  settlers 
of  the.se  sections,  but  rather  those  who  from  continuity  of  residence  and  subse- 
quent connections  become  most  illustrative  of  that  first  stage  of  settlement. 

A  great  impetus  was  given  to  the  systematic  development  of  the  various 
branches  of  the  stock  business  by  the  entrance  of  certain  firms  of  dealers  during 
the  decade  of  the  '70s.  In  Colonel  Gilbert's  history  of  Walla  Walla  and  other 
counties  he  presents  valuable  data  secured  from  the  foremost  of  these  dealers, 
as  also  one  of  the  foremost  of  all  the  citizens  of  Walla  Walla,  William  K.  Kirk- 
man.    After  having  been  engaged  in  Idaho  and  California  in  the  cattle  business. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  179 

in  the  course  of  which  time  he  operated  more  or  less  in  and  out  of  Walla  Walla, 
Mr.  Kirkman  took  up  his  permanent  residence  here  in  1871.  He  formed  a  part- 
nership with  John  Dooley  and  from  that  time  until  the  lamented  death  of  the 
two  members  of  the  firm  they  were  one  of  the  great  forces  in  the  organization 
of  the  industry  of  marketing  both  livestock  and  dressed  meat.  From  the  valuable 
data  secured  by  Colonel  Gilbert  from  Mr.  Kirkman  and  from  Mr.  M.  Ryan,  Jr., 
another  prominent  dealer,  we  gather  the  estimate  of  259,500  cattle  driven  out  of 
the  Inland  Empire  during  the  period  from  1875  to  1880.  Prices  were  variable, 
ranging  from  $9  to  $25  per  head,  usually  $10.  W.  H.  Kirkman,  son  of  W.  K., 
relates  this  interesting  incident.  He  was,  as  a  boy,  riding  with  his  father  on  the 
range,  when  they  encountered  a  number  of  extra  fine  fat  cattle,  and  the  father, 
looking  over  them  with  delight  said,  "Look  there,  my  boy,  every  one  of  them  is  a 
$20  gold  piece !"  It  might  be  added  that  those  same  cattle  now  would  be  wortli 
$100  apiece.  It  is  surprising  to  see  from  the  exhibit  given  in  the  figures  the  large 
number  of  dealers  operating  in  the  country  at  that  time.  There  were  no  less  than 
forty-five  firms  or  individuals  engaged  in  shipping,  mainly  to  Eastern  markets, 
though  a  considerable  amount  went  to  California,  Portland,  or  Puget  Sound. 

It  is  of  interest  to  see  the  enumeration  by  the  assessor  of  the  quantity  of  stock 
given  at  two  different  dates  following  1863,  for  which  the  figures  have  already 
been  given.  In  1870  the  assessment  rolls  show  the  following:  Horses,  5.787; 
mules,  1,727;  cattle,  14,114;  sheep,  8,767;  hogs,  5,067.  In  1875  a  great  change 
occurred  of  which  we  shall  speak  at  length,  that  is  the  division  of  the  county,  by 
which  Walla  Walla  County  was  reduced  to  its  present  limits.  We  may,  therefore, 
take  that  year  as  the  proper  one  f 91;.  fi_riaL figures  on  the  old  county.  The  year 
1875,  according  to  the  assesson;\haid  iVe'f allowing  livestock  population:  Horses, 
8,862;  mules,  401  ;  cattle,  17,756  (there  were'  22.960  the  previous  year)  ;  sheep, 
32,986;  hogs,  8,150.  ■      "      ■•     •• 

We  find  various  local  items  strewn,  through  the  files  of  the  Statesman  dealing 
with  stock  which  are  worthy  of  preservation.  In  issue  of  January  10,  1862,  men- 
tion is  made  of  a  steer  handled  by  Lazarus  and  brother,  which  weighed,  dressed, 
1,700  pounds. 

A  few  weeks  later  it  is  stated  that  a  cow  and  calf  were  sold  for  $100.  That 
will  be  remembered  as  the  winter  of  the  extreme  cold  weather.  There  are  numer- 
ous items  speaking  of  a.ififering  and  loss  of  stock.  It  was  well  nigh  exterminated 
in  some  quarters.  But  it  did  not  take  long  to  change  appearances,  at  least  in  the 
cattle  that  lived  through  the  winter,  for  an  item  in  the  number  of  June  14  speaks 
of  the  fattest  cattle  and  best  beef  that  the  editor  had  ever  seen,  and  of  the  fact 
that  large  herds  of  cattle  were  going  to  the  mining  regions  of  Salmon  River  and 
South  Fork.  It  is  estimated  in  the  issue  of  October  25,  1862,  that  40,000  head  of 
cattle  had  been  brought  into  the  East-of-the-mountain  country  during  the  year. 

PIONEER  R.\CE  TRACK 

It  appears  that  during  the  summer  of  1862  a  race  track  was  laid  out  by  Mr. 
Porter  at  a  point  on  the  Wallula  Road  three  miles  west  of  town,  known  as  the 
Pioneer  Race  Course.  A  race  is  reported  in  the  Statesman  of  September  27,  in 
which  a  roan  mare  won  a  purse  of  $100  from  a  cream  horse.  That  perhaps 
may  be  considered  the  beginning  of  the  Walla  Walla  Fair. 


180  .        OLD  W.M.l.A  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

The  sheep  bu>ines!>  serins  to  have  moved  on  apace  during  those  early  years, 
for  in  the  |>a|jcr  o(  May  23,  i8<»3.  we  learn  that  A.  I'rank  &  Co.  Iiad  just  shipped 
lu.ooo  |KJUiids  of  wool  to  I'ortland,  and  expected  to  ship  7,000  more  in  a  short 
time.  Anjonjj  the  most  prominent  sheep  men  wliose  o[>eratioiis  have  covered  a 
field  in  numy  directions  from  Walla  Walla  is  Nathaniel  Webb,  one  of  the  honored 
pioneers.  In  recent  times,  o|)cratin({  cs|>ccially  in  the  Snake  River  region,  leading 
sheep  raisers  have  been  Davin  Brothers,  Adrian  \fagallon.  and  Leon  Jaussaud. 
all  Frenchmen. 

THE  FARMING  INDISTBY 

I'ron)  stock  we  turn  to  farming  as  the  next  great  fundamental  industry  to  take 
sha{)c.  We  have  already  noted  the  fact  that  there  was  little  comprehension  of 
the  threat  upland  region,  rolling  prairies  and  swelling  hills,  as  adapted  to  raising 
grain,  ^■et  we  know  that  Doctor  W  liitman  had  demonstrated  the  practicability 
of  producing  all  standard  crops  during  the  ten  years  of  his  residence  at  Waiilatpu. 
loscjih  Drayton  of  the  Wilkes  KxjH-dition  sjK-aks  with  surprise  of  his  observations 
there  in  1S41,  seeing  "wiieat  in  the  lield  seven  feet  high  and  nearly  ri|»e,  and  corn 
nine  feet  in  the  tassel."  He  also  saw  vegetables  and  melons  in  great  variety. 
The  Iluilson's  I5ay  i>eo])!e  had  line  gar<lens  near  Wallula,  at  the  time  of  the 
arrival  of  the  Whitmans  in  1^3(1,  and  later  on  at  the  Touchet  and  on  Hudson's 
Bay,  as  it  is  now  known,  southeast  of  Walla  Walla.  They  had  abundant  pro- 
vision also  for  dairy  and  poultry  purpo.ses. 

Hence  farming  and  gardening  and  fruit  raising  had  been  abundantly  tested 
in  the  more  favorably  situated  locations  long  prior  to  the  founding  of  Walla 
Walla.  With  the  establishment  of  the  Fort  at  its  present  location.  Capt.  W.  R. 
Kirkwood  laid  out  a  garden,  the  success  of  which  showed  the  utility  of  that 
location.  The  next  year  Charles  Russell,  then  the  wagon  master  at  the  fort, 
tested  the  land  north  of  the  post,  afterwards  owned  by  Mr.  Drumhellcr,  with 
eighty  acres  of  barley,  securing  a  yield  of  fifty  bushels  to  the  acre.  He  raised 
100  acres  of  oats  on  the  place  which  he  afterwards  took  up  on  Russell  Creek. 
The  location  must  have  been  on  the  land  now  owned  by  O.  M.  Richmond,  and 
there  is  remarkable  evidence  of  the  productiveness  of  that  land  in  that  it  has 
produce<l  nearly  every  year  to  the  present.  It  is  worth  relating  that  after  Mr. 
Russell  had  sowed  the  oats  the  Indians  were  so  threatening  that  he  abandoned 
the  place,  and  cattle  ate  the  growing  grain  so  closely  that  there  seemed  no  hope 
of  a  crop.  But  in  June,  the  Indians  having  withdrawn.  Mr.  Russell  went  out 
ind  fenced  the  field,  the  oats  sprung  up  anew  and  yielded  fifty  bushels  to  the  acre. 
In  the  same  year  of  1858.  Walter  Davis  seeded  150  acres  to  oats  at  a  place  on 
Dry  Creek.  The  Indians  warned  him  to  leave,  but  a  scjuad  of  soldiers  went  out 
and  cut  the  oats  for  hay.  In  i860  Stephen  Maxson  raised  a  fine  crop  of  wheat 
on  the  place  on  Russell  Creek  still  owned  by  his  descendants. 

Perhaps  the  oi)erations  of  Messrs.  Russell,  Davis,  and  Maxson  may  be  con- 
sidered the  initiation  of  the  grain  production  in  the  Inland  Fmpire.  Probably 
there  would  have  l>een  but  a  slow  development  had  not  the  discovery  of  gold 
stimulated  the  demand  for  all  sorts  of  agricultural  products. 

In  1863  a  few  experiments  on  the  higher  land  began.  Milton  Evans  has  told 
the  author  that  in  that  year  he  tried  a  small  piece  of  wheat  a  few  miles  northeast 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  181 

of  Walla  Walla,  but  that  it  was  a  complete  failure,  and  hence  the  impression 
already  common  was  confirmed  that  the  upland  was  useless,  except  for  grazing. 
In  1867,  however,  John  Montague  raised  a  crop  of  oats,  over  fifty  bushels  to  the 
acre,  on  land  apparently  afterwards  part  of  the  Delaney  place  northeast  of  town. 
Even  that  was  not  generally  accepted  as  any  proof  of  the  use  of  the  uplands. 
Some  of  the  old-timers  have  said  to  the  author  that  they  seemed  determined  that 
grain  should  not  grow  on  those  lands. 

But  with  the  rapid  influx  of  settlers  and  the  flattering  returns  from  the 
trade  in  provisions  with  the  mines,  the  more  desirable  places  in  the  foothill  belt, 
and  then  on  the  benches  and  plains  and  then  on  the  hills,  were  taken  up,  and  by 
1875  it  was  generally  understood  that  a  great  wheat  belt  extended  along  the 
flanks  of  the  Blue  Mountains  all  the  way  from  Pendleton  to  Lewiston,  with  a 
somewhat  variable  width  upon  the  plains.  Not  imtil  another  decade  was  it 
understood  that  the  grain  belt  covered  the  major  part  of  what  now  composes  the 
four  counties  of  our  story. 

We  find  in  the  valuable  history  of  Colonel  Gilbert,  to  which  we  have  made 
frequent  reference,  so  good  a  summary  of  certain  essential  data  in  respect  to  the 
development  to  date  of  publication  in  1882  of  that  great  fundamental  business  of 
wheat  raising,  in  which  are  included  also  certain  alHed  data  of  importance,  that 
we  insert  it  at  this  point  in  our  narrative. 

"An  agricultural  society  was  organized  in  July  of  this  year,  1866,  by  an 
assemblage  of  citizens  at  the  courthouse,  on  the  9th  of  that  month,  when  laws 
and  regulations  were  adopted,  and  the  following  officers  chosen :  H.  P.  Isaacs, 
president;  A.  Cox  and  W.  H.  Newell,  vice  presidents;  J.  D.  Cook,  treasurer; 
E.  E.  Rees,  secretary;  and  Charles  Russell,  T.  G.  Lee,  A.  A.  Blanchard,  executive 
committee.  For  the  fair  to  be  held  on  the  4th  ,  5th  and  6th  of  the  ensuing  October, 
the  last  three  gentlemen  became  managers,  and  the  following  executive  committee  : 
H.  P.  Isaacs,  J.  D.  Cook,  J.  H.  Blewett  and  W.  H.  Newell. 

In  1867  the  grain  yield  of  the  Blue  Mountain  region  exceeded  the  demand,  and 
prices  that  had  been  falling  for  several  years  left  that  crop  a  drug.  It  was  sought 
to  prevent  an  entire  stagnation  of  agricultural  industries,  by  shipping  the  surplus 
down  the  Columbia  River  to  the  seaboard.  Freights  on  flour  at  that  time  were : 
From  Wallula  per  ton  to  Lewiston,  $15;  to  The  Dalles,  $6;  to  Portland,  $6;  and 
the  following  amounts  were  shipped : 

To  Portland,  between  May  27  and  June  13,  4,156  barrels;  to  The  Dalles,  be- 
tween April  19  and  June  2,  578  barrels ;  to  Lewiston,  between  April  18  and  May 
14,   577  barrels;  total  to  June  13  by  O.  S.  N.  Company,  5,311  barrels. 

The  same  year  Frank  &  Wertheimer  shipped  from  Walla  Walla  15,000 
bushels  of  wheat  down  the  Columbia,  thus  starting  the  great  outflow  of  bread 
products  from  the  interior. 

In  1868  Philip  Ritz  shipped  fifty  barrels  of  flour  from  the  Phoenix  mills  in 
Walla  Walla  to  New  York,  with  the  following  result;  (It  was  the  first  of  Wash- 
ington Territory  products  seen  in  the  East.) 

First  cost  of  flour,  $187.50;  sacks  for  same,  $27.00;  transportation  to  San 
Francisco,  $100.00;  freight  thence  to  New  York,  $107.80;  total  cost  in  gold, 
$422.30;  profit  realized  on  the  transaction,  $77.46,  or  $1.55  per  barrel. 

Wheat  had  fallen  to  40  cents  per  bushel  in  Walla  Walla  because  of  the  follow- 
ino-  scale  of  expenses  of  shipping  to  San  Francisco : 


1S2  OLD  WAI.I.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

Freight  per  ton  to  Wallula,  $6.00 ;  thence  to  I'ortland,  $6.00;  thence  to  San 
Francisco,  $7.00;  drayage,  ?i.50;  commission,  $2.00,  $3.50;  primage  and  leak- 
age, $1.00;  bagging,  $4.50,  $5.50;  total  expense  to  San  Francisco,  $28.00. 

In  1869  there  was  a  short  crop,  due  to  the  drought  and  want  of  encouragement 
for  farmers  to  raise  grain.  June  14,  a  storm  occurred  of  tropical  fierceness,  dur- 
ing which  a  waterspout  burst  in  the  mountains,  and  sent  a  flood  down  Cottonwood 
Canon  that  washed  away  houses  in  the  valley.  In  consequence  of  the  short  crop, 
wheat  rose  to  80  cents  per  bushel  in  Walla  Walla,  and  flour  to  $5.50  per  barrel. 
In  November  hay  brought  $17  per  ton,  oats  and  barley  2  cents  per  pound,  and 
butter  37>^  cents. 

Having  traced  agricultural  development  from  its  start  and  through  its  years 
of  encouragement,  till  quantity  exceeding  the  home  demand  had  rendered  it  a 
profitless  industry  in  1868  and  1869,  let  us  glance  at  the  causes  leading  to  a  re- 
vival of  inducements  for  tilling  the  soil  in  the  Walla  Walla  country.  It  should 
be  borne  in  mind  that  the  farmers  in  the  valley  and  along  creeks  nearer  the  mines 
than  this  locality,  were  supplying  the  principal  mountain  demand,  and  the  only 
hope  left  was  to  send  produce  to  tide  water  and  thus  to  the  world's  market. 
What  it  cost  to  do  this  had  been  tried  with  practical  failure  as  a  result.  This 
shipping  to  the  seaboard  was  an  experimental  enterprise,  and  there  was  not  suf- 
ficient assurance  of  its  paying  to  justify  farmers  in  producing  quantities  for  that 
purpose,  consequently  not  freight  enough  of  this  kind  to  warrant  the  Oregon 
Steam  Navigation  Company  in  putting  extra  steamers  or  facilities  on  the  river 
to  encourage  it.  The  outlook  was,  therefore,  gloomy.  This  was  a  state  of  things 
which  caused  an  agitation  of  the  railway  question,  resulting  in  the  construction 
of  what  is  more  familiarly  known  as  Baker's  Railroad,  connecting  Walla  Walla 
with  navigable  waters.  The  building  of  this  road  encouraged  the  farmers  to  raise 
a  surplus,  it  encouraged  the  Oregon  Steam  Navigation  Company  to  increase  the 
facilities  for  grain  shipment,  it  caused  a  reduction  of  freight  tarifl^s  all  along  the 
line  and  made  it  possible  for  a  farmer  to  cultivate  the  soil  at  a  profit.  Something 
of  an  idea  of  the  result  may  be  gathered  from  an  inspection  of  the  following 
exhibit  of  increase  from  year  to  year,  of  freights  shipped  on  Baker's  Road  to 
Wallula  en  route  for  Portland.  Between  1870  and  1874,  down  freights  shipped 
yearly  at  Wallula  did  not  exceed  2,500  tons.  In  1874  Baker's  Road  had  been  com- 
pleted to  the  Touchet,  and  carried  freight  from  that  point  to  Wallula  at  $1.50  per 
ton.  In  1875  it  was  completed  to  Frenchtown  and  charged  $2.50.  Walla  Walla 
rates  averaged  $4.50. 

Freight  tonnage  from  Touchet  in  1874  to  Wallula  aggregated  4,021  tons; 
in  back  freight,  1,126  tons;  from  Frenchtown  in  1875  to  Wallula,  9,155  tons; 
back  freight,  2,192  tons;  from  Walla  Walla  in  1876  to  Wallula,  15,266;  back 
freight,  4,043 ;  from  Walla  Walla  in  1877  to  Wallula,  28,806  tons ;  back  freight, 
8,368  tons;  from  Walla  Walla  in  1878  to  Wallula,  35,014  tons;  back  freight, 
10,454."     Such  are  Colonel  Gilbert's  statements. 

The  estimated  wheat  production  in  the  entire  upper  country  in  1866  was  half 
a  million  bushels,  of  which  half  was  credited  to  the  Walla  Walla  Valley.  From 
that  time  on  to  the  present  there  has  been  a  steady  development  of  wheat  raising 
throughout  the  region  south  of  Snake  River,  as  well  as  north  and  throughout  the 
Inland  Fmpire. 

In  the  decade  of  the  '70s  there  came  to  Walla  Walla  a  man  destined  to  leave 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  183 

upon  the  entire  region  the  impress  of  one  of  the  most  remarkable  characters  in 
far  vision,  noble  aims,  and  philanthropic  disposition  that  ever  lived  within  the 
State  of  Washington.  We  refer  to  Dr.  N.  G.  Blalock.  Eminent  in  his  profession, 
his  ceaseless  industry  and  progressive  aims  did  more  perhaps  than  any  other 
single  life  to  broaden  and  advance  all  phases  of  the  section  in  which  he  lived  and 
wrought.  He  was  the  pioneer  in  wheat  raising  on  a  large  scale,  as  well  as  in 
many  other  lines  of  activity  and  experiment.  Making,  though  not  retaining,  sev- 
eral fortunes,  his  life  work  was  to  mark  out  the  way  for  others  less  venturesome, 
to  follow  to  success  not  alone  in  the  acquirement  of  wealth,  but  in  the  nobler  and 
more  enduring  products  of  education,  philanthropy,  patriotism,  public  service, 
and  genuine  piety.  Coming  to  Walla  Walla  in  1872  and  entering  at  once  upon  an 
extensive  medical  practice,  Doctor  Blalock  had  a  vision  of  the  future  as  well  as 
the  capacity  to  utilize  at  once  the  varied  opportunities  offered  by  the  soil,  the 
climate,  and  the  location.  He  saw  the  splendid  wild  acres  of  land  by  the  thousands 
lying  in  all  directions  and  determined  to  make  a  thorough  test  of  its  adaptability 
to  raise  wheat  on  a  large  scale.  He  made  a  bargain  for  a  tract  of  2,2CX)  acres  six 
miles  south  of  Walla  Walla  for  a  price  of  ten  bushels  of  wheat  per  acre,  to  be 
paid  from  the  first  crop.  The  expense  of  breaking  so  large  a  body  of  land  was 
great,  but  the  first  crop  yielded  thirty-one  bushels  per  acre,  a  sufficient  demon- 
stration of  the  capacity  of  the  land. 

In  1 88 1  the  crop  on  the  tract  averaged  thirty-five  and  one-fourth  bushels, 
while  1,000  acres  of  it  yielded  51,000  bushels.  The  acreage  and  the  yield,  very 
carefully  ascertained,  was  reported  to  the  Government  and  stood  then,  and  prob- 
ably does  yet,  as  the  largest  yield  from  that  amount  of  land  ever  reported.  Even 
more  remarkable  yields,  but  on  smaller  areas,  have  been  known.  Milton  Aldrich 
produced  on  his  Dry  Creek  ranch,  on  400  acres,  an  average  of  sixty-six  bushels 
of  wheat  and  the  next  year  there  was  a  volunteer  crop  of  forty  bushels.  Re- 
cently in  the  same  vicinity  Arthur  Cornwell  obtained  an  average  of  seventy-three 
bushels  per  acre.  A  hundred  and  ten  bushels  of  barley  per  acre  have  been  grown 
on  the  Gilkerson  ranch  on  Mill  Creek. 

An  item  of  historic  interest  may  be  found  in  an  estimate  of  cost  made  for  a 
special  number  of  the  Union  during  the  first  years  of  the  industry  by  Joseph 
Harbert,  one  of  the  most  prominent  pioneers  and  successful  farmers  in  the  valley. 
The  crop  was  on  400  acres,  which  yielded  10,000  bushels  of  blue-stem  wheat.  At 
fifty  cents  per  bushel  for  the  crop,  this  will  be  seen  to  represent  a  profit  of  about 
two  thousand  three  hundred  dollars  from  land  worth  $12,000,  or  nearly  twenty 
per  cent,  from  which,  however,  should  come  wages  of  management. 

The  land  was  summer  fallowed  in  1894  and  valued  at  thirty  dollars  per  acre. 
The  estimate  is  in  a  locality  where  water  and  material  to  work  with  are  reason- 
ably convenient.  The  land  is  not  very  hilly  and  comparatively  easy  to  work  The 
report  is  as  follows : 

Mos. 
Itemized  Expenses  Crop         In.  Pd.       Inst.  Total 

Planting,  90c  per  acre $    360.00         20         $60.00         $    420.00 

Harrowing,  lie  per  acre 44.00         ..  7.83  5^-^3 

Plowing,  second  time,  June,  1894 360.00         18  54.00  414.00 

Harrowing  before  sowing 44.00         16  5.87  49-87 

500  bu.  seed  wheat,  highest  market  price      250.00         . .  250.00 


Cro|) 

In   IM 

Inst. 

Total 

<>oo 

15 

1.13 

10.12 

750 

94 

8.44 

8.00 

1.00 

9.00 

6oxK> 

'4 

7.00 

67 .00 

44.00 

S'4 

49"  4 

400.00 

4 

iiii 

41333 

215.(0 

7.18 

222.78 

10.00 

33 

"0.33 

450.00 

1500 

465.00 

110.00 

3.66 

113.6^, 

120.00 



120.00 

184  OUi  U  .\Ll-.\  \S'.\LLA  COUNTY 

Mos 
Itemized  Ivx|iensc!» 
Graniiig  seed  wheat 
125  lbs.  vitriol  at  (k 

Using  vitriol  on  \vhe;it 

Sowing,  October,  1894,  15c  per  acre. . 
Harrowing  after  sowing,  iic. 

Cutting,   $1.00   [>er   acre 400.00 

4,400  sacks,  $49.00  per  M 215.(0 

Thirty  |>ounds  of  twine,  ^3  1-3C. . 

Throliing  10.000  bushels,  4'  ..c 

Hauling  to  railro^id,  2).ic  per  sack. , 

Warehouse  charges  to  Jan.  I,  1896 I20.00 

Total  cost    $2492.10  $182.40        $2,074.50 

It  may  be  added  that  estimates  of  cost  by  a  number  of  prominent  farmers 
in  the  jn-riod  of  iiStjo  and  thercalKiuts,  indicated  that  the  e.\|<cnse  of  sowing,  seed- 
ing, harvesting,  and  putting  into  the  warehouse,  ran  from  twenty-one  to  forty 
cents  a  bushel,  varying  according  to  locality,  yield,  and  other  conditions. 

M  a  usual  [)rice  of  fifty  or  sixty  cents  a  bushel,  there  was  not  a  large  margin 
above  the  interest  on  investment,  maintenance  of  stock,  machinery,  imi)rovements, 
and  ta.xes.  Nevertheless  the  farmers  of  this  section  felt  every  encouragement 
to  continue,  unless  it  were  in  the  evil  harvest  year  of  ifkjy^,  when  the  |)rice  ran 
about  twenty-five  to  thirty-five  cents  a  bushel,  and  when  rains,  floods,  strikes,  and 
general  calamity  llircatined  to  engulf,  and  did  actually  engulf  some  of  the  best 
farms.  It  is  a  historical  fact  that  had  it  not  been  for  the  liberality  of  the 
banks  in  the  four  counties  south  of  Snake  River,  which  held  obligations  from  a 
large  numln-r  of  the  best-known  farmers,  there  Wf>uld  have  Ix-en  widespread  dis- 
aster. Thanks  to  the  Iwnks,  as  well  as  to  the  j)ersistence  an»l  fortitude  of  the 
farmers  and  the  solid  resources  of  the  country,  these  counties  emerged  from 
those  years  of  dqiression  with  less  injury  and  rejxiired  their  losses  more  quickly 
than  any  other  section  of  the  entire  Northwest,  or  |)erha|>s  of  the  whole  country 

It  may  be  added  in  connection  with  cost  of  wheat  raising,  that  within  the  years 
since  the  o[»ening  of  the  j)rescnt  century  there  has  been  an  enormous  outlay  by 
farmers  in  all  kinds  of  farm  machinery,  the  itjmbines  having  l)ecoine  the  usual 
means  of  har\csting,  and  traction  engines  for  the  combines  and  to  some  degree 
for  plowing  having  superseded  horse  i>ower.  Ilut  cost  of  labor  and  general  rise  of 
prices  have  pushed  up  ex|K'nses,  until  now  the  most  of  farmers  would  estimate 
the  cost  of  a  bushel  of  wheat  at  fifty  cents  or  more,  some  say  even  a  dollar.  .Xs  an 
ofTset  to  this  there  has  come  a  great  advance  in  price,  insonnich  that  the  farmers 
of  Walla  Walla  and  its  sister  counties  have  Ijccome  the  lords  of  the  land.  One  of 
the  most  pleasing  results  of  this  new  order  of  things  is  that  the  farmers,  being 
almost  entirely  free  from  debt,  have  In-gtin  to  build  comfortable  and  even  elegant 
homes.  With  on  the  farms  and  in  the  cities  and  to  surround  themselves  with  the 
conveniences  of  life,  as  automobiles,  and  to  spend  money  in  travel  and  luxuries 
which  make  some  of  the  old-timers,  accustomed  to  the  deprivations  of  pioneer 
days,  ojx-n  their  eyes  with  wonder,  and  possibly  even  disapprov.il      Ii  i*.  not  ob 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  185 

servable,  however,  that  the  young  folks  on  the  farms  have  any  backwardness  in 
utilizing  the  good  things  of  life  which  are  the  logical  consummation  of  the  fore- 
sight and  industry  of  parents  and  grandparents.  It  is  probable  that  no  people  in 
the  United  States  have  more  reliable  and  steady  incomes  and  greater  sources  for 
all  the  needs  and  enjoyments  of  life  than  do  the  farmers  of  old  Walla  Walla 
County. 

The  experience  of  other  sections  was  similar  to  that  of  the  region  immediately 
around  Walla  Walla.  The  first  thought  was  of  stock  ranges,  with  such  small 
patches  of  farming  land  adjacent  to  the  creeks  as  might  supply  the  family  needs. 
It  is  stated  that  Elisha  Ping  and  G.  W.  Miller  raised  crops  of  wheat  and  oats 
on  the  present  site  of  Dayton  in  i860.  For  the  oats  they  received  seven  cents  a 
pound  and  for  the  wheat  two  dollars  a  bushel.  The  location  of  the  subsequent 
Dayton  became  a  regular  station  on  the  stage  line  from  Walla  Walla  to  Lewiston, 
and  that  fact  led  J.  M.  Pomeroy,  a  little  later  the  founder  of  the  town  named 
for  him,  to  raise  a  crop  of  barley  for  horse  feed.  That  was  in  1863.  As  time 
passed  on,  and  especially  after  the  founding  of  flouring  mills  by  S.  M.  Wait,  there 
came  a  general  movement  to  raise  grain  crops  on  the  hills  and  plains  and  it  was 
discovered,  as  a  little  earlier  around  Walla  Walla,  that  the  entire  region  was  the 
very  home  land  for  grain.  Within  a  few  years  it  was  found  that  barley  of  espe- 
cially fine  quality  and  heavy  yield  was  one  of  the  best  crops,  and  Columbia 
County  has  become  the  center  of  barley  production.  Almost  the  entire  county, 
with  the  exception  of  the  timbered  mountain  belt,  has  become  a  grain  field. 
Within  recent  years  the  region  around  and  particularly  east  of  Dayton  has  become 
the  leading  center  of  corn  production. 

Garfield  and  Asotin  counties  repeated  the  experience  of  Walla  Walla  and 
Columbia ;  first  stock  ranges,  then  a  few  acres  along  the  creeks  as  an  experiment, 
soon  the  breaking  up  of  the  rich  sod  on  the  high  plains  and  flats;  and  within  a 
few  years,  a  perfect  ocean  of  waving  grain  over  the  greater  part  of  the  area. 
The  first  settlers  already  named  in  the  section  of  this  chapter  on  stock  raising 
were  the  pioneers  also  in  the  wheat  business,  as  the  Rigsby  brothers,  J.  M.  Pom- 
eroy, James  Bowers,  Parson  Quinn,  and  others.  Garfield  and  Asotin  counties 
are  in  general  more  elevated  than  Walla  Walla  and  Columbia,  and  their  frontage 
on  Snake  River  is  more  abrupt.  This  has  given  rise,  first  to  a  margin  of  ideal 
fruit  and  garden  land  between  the  river  and  the  bluff's,  which  in  case  of  Asotin 
is  of  considerable  breadth,  and  in  case  of  both  of  them  has  raised  the  question 
of  conveying  grain  from  the  high  plateaus  to  the  river.  In  some  places  this  has 
given  rise  to  contrivances  which  are  a  great  curiosity  to  strangers,  the  "grain- 
chutes"  and  "bucket  lines,"  as  devices  to  lower  the  grain  from  warehouses  on 
the  precipitous  bank,  sometimes  eighteen  hundred  feet  above  the  steamer  land- 
ing. There  is  not  yet  a  railroad  on  the  south  bank  of  Snake  River,  and  water 
transportation  is  the  only  available  means  of  getting  the  vast  quantities  of  grain 
from  those  high  prairies  near  the  river  to  market. 

Items  appear  in  the  various  issues  of  the  Statesman  during  the  first  years 
of  its  existence  in  regard  to  grain  raising  which  possess  great  historical  interest. 
An  editorial  appears  in  the  issue  of  February  i,  1862,  urging  farmers  to  go  into 
grain  raising  extensively  and  declaring  that  all  the  indications  point  to  a  demand 
from  the  mines  for  all  kinds  of  farm  products. 

An  advertisement  for  supplies  at  the  Fort  on  July  19  calls  for  375  tons  of 


18U  OLD  WALLA  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

oats,  lOO  tons  of  oat  straw,  and  1,200  cords  of  wood.  Alention  is  also  made 
in  the  paper  of  the  farm  of  J.  W.  Shoemaker  a  short  distance  below  the  garrison, 
where  grain  to  the  value  of  S3,0oo,  and  garden  produce  to  the  value  of  $1,500, 
was  raised. 

FLOUR  MILLING 

One  of  the  most  important  features  of  industry  allied  to  grain  production 
was  flour  milling.  The  first  flour  mill  was  erected  in  1859  by  A.  H.  Reynolds  in 
jiartnership  with  J.  A.  Sims  and  Capt.  F.  T.  Dent,  the  latter  being  a  brother 
of  Mrs.  U.  S.  Grant.  It  was  located  on  the  land  then  owned  by  Jesse  Drum- 
heller,  now  part  of  the  Whitney  place.  In  the  issue  of  March  29,  1862,  is  an 
advertisement  of  the  Pasca  2\Iills  by  Sims  and  Mix,  which  must  have  been  the 
same  mill  built  by  Mr.  Reynolds.  In  1862  Mr.  Reynolds  built  another  mill, 
known  as  the  Star  Mill,  on  the  Yellowhawk,  near  the  present  residence  of  his 
son,  H.  A.  Reynolds.  This  was  subsequently  acquired  by  W.  H.  Gilbert.  Mention 
is  made  in  the  Statesman  of  August  2,  1862,  of  the  flour  mill  of  J.  C.  Isaacs. 
Apparently  this  is  a  confusion  in  name  of  the  brothers,  as  the  author  is  credibly 
informed  that  the  mill  opened  at  that  time  was  the  Excelsior  mill  built  by  H.  P. 
Isaacs,  subsequently  the  leading  mill  man  of  the  Walla  Walla  country  and  one 
of  the  leaders  in  all  forms  of  enterprise.  The  name  Excelsior  was  later  replaced 
by  North  Pacific.  It  was  located  on  the  mill  race,  whose  remains  still  cross 
Division  Street  and  was  actively  employed  until  about  1895.  There  is  an  adver- 
tisement in  the  Statesman  of  March  21,  1863,  to  the  efifect  that  Graham  flour  and 
corn  meal  were  being  turned  out  at  Mr.  Reynolds'  mill.  In  the  number  of  March 
31,  1865,  is  the  announcement  that  Kyger  and  Reese,  who  were  among  the  most 
extensive  general  merchants  in  Walla  Walla,  had  leased  the  water  power  and 
site  of  E.  H.  Barron  just  below  town  on  Mill  Creek  and  were  making  ready  to 
install  a  first-class  mill,  having  three  run  of  four-foot  burrs  and  a  capacity  of 
150  barrels  a  day.  The  firm  were  also  establishing  a  distillery.  It  would  seem 
that  the  latter  manufactory  was  in  larger  demand  than  the  former,  for  it  was 
completed  sooner.  The  mill,  however,  began  grinding  in  October  of  that  year, 
^hat  mill  became  the  property  of  Andrew  McCalley  in  1873,  and  after  his  death 
in  1891  was  maintained  by  his  sons  until  the  property  was  lost  by  fire  in  1897. 
One  of  the  most  important  mills  of  the  valley  was  that  built  by  Messrs.  Ritz  and 
Schnebly  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  below  the  McCalley  mill,  known  first  as  the 
Agate  and  then  as  the  Eureka,  conducted  for  some  time  by  W.  C.  Painter,  then 
sold  to  Welch  and  Schwabacher,  and  in  turn  disposed  of  by  them  in  1880  to 
Dement  Brothers,  and  managed  up  to  the  present  time  by  F.  S.  Dement.  The 
mill  is  now  known  as  Dement  Brothers'  mill  and  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  in 
the  Inland  Empire,  making  a  specialty  of  choice  breakfast  cereals  and  through 
them  as  well  as  its  high-grade  flour  carrying  the  name  of  Walla  Walla,  Wash., 
around  the  globe. 

The  mills  on  the  Touchet  speedily  followed  those  on  Mill  Creek.  S.  M.  Wait, 
from  whom  the  beautiful  little  city  at  the  junction  of  the  Touchet  and  the  Coppei 
took  its  name,  was  the  pioneer  mill  man  as  well  as  the  founder  of  the  town.  The 
Statesninn  of  June  2,  1865,  mentions  the  fact  that  Mr.  Wait's  mill  was  just  open 
and  that  it  was  one  of  the  best  equipped  in  the  country  and  produced  a  grade 


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OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  187 

of  flour  equal  to  the  best  from  Oregon.  A  town  soon  began  to  grow  at  the  location 
of  the  mill.  Mr.  Wait  sold  the  mill  to  Preston  Brothers  and  the  stock  to  Paine 
Brothers  and  ^loore  of  Walla  Walla.  The  latter  firm  acquired  an  interest  in  the 
mill,  but  .subsequently  disposed  of  all  their  holdings  to  Preston  Brothers,  under 
whom  the  mill  became  one  of  the  largest  mill  properties  in  the  Northwest,  being 
connected  with  large  mills  at  Athena,  Ore.,  and  elsewhere,  and  under  the  more 
recent  management  of  ^lessrs.  Shaffer,  Harper,  and  Leonard,  conducting  one  of 
the  most  extensive  milling  lines  in  the  country. 

Mr.  Wait  inaugurated  also  the  milling  business  in  what  is  now  Columbia 
County.  Going  to  that  region  in  1871  where  Jesse  N.  Day,  from  whom  Dayton 
was  named,  had  been  endeavoring  since  1864  to  launch  a  town  with  but  scanty 
success,  Mr.  Wait  proposed  to  build  a  mill,  provided  inducements  were  oflfered. 
Mr.  Day  accordingly  agreed  to  give  five  acres  of  land  as  a  site,  with  a  block  of 
land  for  residences,  and  upon  that  Mr.  Wait  and  William  Metzger  proceeded  to 
launch  the  milling  business  at  Dayton.  In  building  that  mill,  with  a  brick  building 
for  a  store  and  a  planing  mill,  Messrs.  Wait  and  Metzger  laid  out  about  $25,000, 
a  large  amomit  for  those  days.  At  the  same  time  the  Dayton  Woolen  Mill  was 
undertaken,  A.  H.  Reynolds  being  chief  owner,  F.  S.  Frary  the  secretary  and 
manager  and  Mr.  Wait  the  president  of  the  company.  The  woolen  mill  had  a 
land  site  of  seven  acres  donated  by  John  Mustard  and  a  building  was  erected  at  a 
cost  of  $40,000.  The  new  town  of  Dayton  was  booming  in  consequence  of  these 
investments.  The  flour  mill  proved  a  great  success  and  with  various  changes  of 
ownership  is  now  one  of  the  great  mill  prcjpertics  of- tli€-G»tHit*y,  but  the  woolen 
mill,  from  which  so  much  was  expected,  di(i.,n^t'"^ypvV'^'fiTiartciali success  and  was 
closed  in  1880.  It  is  rather  a  curious  fact?  mat  iTo'^drie  xk'ihe  '■vvpolen  enterprises 
in  the  Inland  Empire  has  met  with  large  ^ucces6ive!XiC8pt!tbat  ati  Pendleton,  Ore., 
the  success  of  which  has  been  so  great  thal4tis_a_puzzle;^M26tliers  have  mainly 
failed. 

The  great  development  of  wheat  raising  in  what  is  now  Garfield  County  led, 
as  elsewhere  in  the  region,  to  flouring  mills.  The  pioneer  mill  at  Pomeroy  was 
started  in  1877  by  W.  C.  Potter  and  completed  the  following  year  by  Mr.  Pom- 
eroy.   , 

Three  miles  above  Pomeroy  and  for  some  years  a  rival  to  the  lower  town  was 
Pataha  City.  It  was  on  land  taken  up  at  first  by  James  Bowers  in  1861  and 
acquired  in  1868  by  A.  J.  Favor,  who  undertook  a  few  years  later  to  start  a  town. 
In  pursuance  of  his  plans  he  oft'ered  land  for  mill  sites,  and  as  a  result  J.  N. 
Bowman  and  George  Snyder  constructed  a  mill  in  1878.  Subsequently  John 
Houser  became  the  great  mill  man  of  that  entire  section  and  his  mill  became 
one  of  the  most  widely  known  in  the  Inland  Empire.  He  made  a  specialty  of 
shipping  flour  to  San  Francisco  for  the  manufacture  of  macaroni,  the  large  per- 
centage of  gluten  in  the  wheat  of  that  region  fitting  it  especially  for  that  use. 
The  son  of  Mr.  Houser,  Max  Houser,  going  to  Portland  in  about  1908,  has  become 
known  the  world  over  as  the  most  daring  and  extensive  wheat  buyer  on  the  Pacific 
Coast  and  has  acquired  a  fortune  estimated  at  six  millions.  The  pioneer  flouring 
mill  of  Asotin  was  built  in  1881  at  the  town  of  that  name  by  Frank  Curtis  and 
L.  A.  Stimson.  The  town  itself  upon  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  locations  on 
Snake  River,  with  the  magnificent  wheat  fields  of  the  Anatone  flats  on  the  high 


188  OLD  W  ALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

lands  to  the  south  and  west,  and  a  superb  bek  of  fruit  land  extending  down  the 
river  and  broadening  out  at  Clarkston,  was  laid  out  in  1878. 

Other  mills  were  established  at  later  dates,  of  which  the  most  extensive  were 
the  mill  at  Prescott,  erected  by  H.  P.  Isaacs  in  1883,  the  City  mill  on  Palouse 
Street  in  W'alla  Walla,  built  in  1898  by  Scholl  Brothers;  Long's  mill,  a  few  miles 
below  Dayton;  the  Corbett  mill  at  Huntsville. 

In  summarizing  grain  raising  as  the  leading  industry  of  old  Walla  Walla 
County  it  may  be  said  that  for  several  years  past  the  total  production  for  the 
four  counties  has  been  about  12,000,000  bushels  per  year.  The  value  has,  of 
course,  varied  much  according  to  price.  It  is  conservatively  estimated  that  the 
value  of  the  grain  crops,  including  flour  and  feed  in  various  manufactured  forms 
for  1916,  was  approximately  $15,000,000. 

GARDENS  AND  ORCHARDS 

As  grain  raising  put  a  'finer  point  upon  industry  than  its  predecessor,  stock 
raising,  so  in  turn  the  gardens  and  orchards  have  yet  more  refined  and  differ- 
entiated the  forms  of  industry  and  the  developments  of  life  in  the  growing  com- 
munities of  our  story.  As  already  related  these  lines  of  production  had  been 
tested  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  and  by  the  missionaries.  Whitman  and 
Spalding.  It  was,  therefore,  to  be  expected  that  even  in  the  first  years  of  settle- 
ment some  attempts  would  be  made  to  start  orchards  and  gardens.  The  first 
nursery  in  Walla  Walla  seems  to  have  been  laid  out  in  1859  on  the  Ransom  Clark 
donation  claim  on  the  Yellowhawk.  In  1859  trees  were  set  out  on  the  J.  W.  Foster 
place.  It  is  said  that  Mr.  Foster  brought  his  trees  here  on  muleback  over  the 
Cascade  Mountains.  We  are  informed  by  Charles  Clark  of  \\'alla  Walla  that 
most  of  Mr.  Foster's  trees  were  secured  from  Ransom  Clark.  In  i860  A.  B. 
Roberts  set  out  an  orchard  within  the  present  city  limits  of  Walla  Walla  on  what 
later  became  the  Ward  place.  In  1861  a  notable  step  in  fruit  raising  was  taken 
by  the  coming  of  one  of  the  most  important  of  all  the  great  pioneers  of  the  Inland 
Empire.  This  was  Philip  Ritz.  We  find  in  the  Statcsiuan  of  December  5,  1861, 
announcement  that  Mr.  Ritz  had  arrived  with  a  supply  of  trees  from  his  nursery 
at  Glen  Dale  near  Corvallis,  Ore.,  and  that  the  trees  were  for  sale  at  the  store 
of  John  Wright.  Subsequent  items  in  the  Statcsiuan  furnish  an  interesting  ex- 
position of  the  progress  of  both  gardens  and  orchards.  The  Statcsmairwas  wide 
awake  as  usual  to  the  needs  of  the  country  and  did  not  fail  to  exhort  the  citizens 
of  Walla  Walla  to  prepare  for  the  demand  which  it  was  sure  would  come.  On 
March  29,  1862,  mention  was  made  of  the  fact  that  green  fruit,  presumably  apples, 
from  the  Willamette  Valley,  was  selling  for  from  twenty  to  fifty  cents  per  pound. 
The  paper  expresses  surprise  that  farmers  are  so  slow  about  setting  out  trees. 
On  June  21,  1862,  it  was  announced  with  much  satisfaction  that  scarcely  had  the 
snow  from  that  extremely  cold  winter  melted  before  there  were  radishes,  lettuce, 
onions,  and  rutabagas  brought  in  from  foot  hill  gardens,  and  that  there  were  new- 
potatoes  in  the  market  by  June  14th.  The  issue  of  July  26th  notes  the  fact  of 
green  corn  in  abundance  and  that  of  August  2d  declares  that  the  corn  was  equal 
to  that  of  the  Middle  Western  States,  and  that  fine  watermelons  were  in  the  mar- 
ket. August  1 6th  is  marked  by  thanks  to  G.  W.  Shoemaker  for  a  fine  watermelon 
and  the  statement  that  there  were  others  to  come  that  would  weigh  forty  pounds. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  189 

In  the  number  of  August  30th  it  appears  that  Mr.  Shoemaker  brought  to  the 
office  a  muskmelon  weighing  eighteen  pounds,  and  in  the  same  issue  is  an  item 
about  a  103-pound  squash  raised  by  S.  D.  Smith.  John  Hancock  is  credited  on 
September  6th  with  a  watermelon  of  thirty-three  pounds.  Complaint  is  made, 
however,  in  the  same  number,  of  the  fact  that  there  is  a  meager  supply  of  apples, 
plums  and  pears  from  the  Willamette,  and  that  the  apples  sell  for  twenty-five 
cents  apiece,  or  fifty  cents  a  pound.  The  Statesman  of  September  27th  has  the 
story  of  Walter  Davis  of  Dry  Creek  sending  a  squash  of  a  weight  of  134}^ 
pounds  and  twelve  potatoes  of  a  weight  of  twenty-nine  pounds  to  the  Oregon  State 
Fair  at  Salem.  Lamentable  to  narrate  it  appears  later  that  these  specimens  of 
Walla  Walla  gardening  disappeared.  The  Statesman  indulges  in  some  bitter 
scorn  over  the  kind  of  people  on  the  other  side  who  would  steal  such  objects. 
In  an  October  number  mention  is  made  that  James  Fudge  of  Touchet  had  brought 
in  three  potatoes  weighing  eight  pounds.  In  the  Statesman  of  December  20th  is 
an  item  to  the  effect  that  Philip  Ritz  has  a  large  assortment  of  trees  and  shrubs 
at  the  late  residence  of  J.  S.  Sparks.  It  is  also  stated  that  Mr.  Ritz  is  going  to 
try  sweet  potatoes.  In  the  issue  of  January  17,  1863,  is  the  statement  that  Mr. 
Ritz  had  purchased  land  of  Mr.  Roberts  for  a  nursery.  In  successive  numbers, 
beginning  February  28th,  is  Mr.  Ritz's  advertisement  of  the  Columbia  Valley 
nursery,  the  value  of  the  stock  of  which  is  stated  at  $10,000.  It  seems  to  have 
been  an  extraordinary  stock  for  the  times,  and  the  enterprise  and  industry  of  Mr. 
Ritz  became  a  great  factor  in  the  development  of  the  fruit  business  as  well  as 
many  other  things.  There  are  several  interesting  items  later  on  in  1863,  showing 
that  gardening,  particularly  the  raising  of  onions,  was  advancing  rapidly.  In  the 
spring  of  1865  A.  Frank  &  Co.  shipped  40,000  pounds  of  onions  to  Portland.  In 
the  Statesman  of  July  4,  1863,  it  is  stated  that  John  Hancock  had  corn  fifteen 
feet  high.  During  1863  and  1864  there  was  much  experimenting  with  sorghum. 
T.  P.  Denny  is  mentioned  as  having  brought  a  bottle  of  fine  sorghum  syrup,  and  it 
is  stated  that  Mr.  Ritz  was  experimenting  with  Chinese  and  Imphee  sugar  cane. 
Mr.  Ritz  was  succeeding  well  with  sweet  potatoes,  and  a  fine  quality  of  tobacco 
was  being  produced.  The  biggest  potato  story  was  of  a  Mechannock  potato  from 
Mr.  Kimball's  garden  on  Dry  Creek,  which  weighed  four  and  one-half  pounds. 
In  several  numbers  in  September,  1863,  mention  is  made  of  delicious  peaches 
brought  in  by  A.  H.  Reynolds. 

In  short,  it  was  well  demonstrated  that  conditions  were  such  that  it  might  be 
expected  that  Walla  Walla  would  become,  and  it  has  for  some  years  been  known 
as,  the  "Garden  City." 

In  the  '60s  and  '70s  a  considerable  amount  of  land  south  and  west  of  Walla 
Walla  was  brought  into  use  for  gardening,  and  in  various  directions  orchards 
were  set  out.  One  of  the  finest  was  that  of  W.  S.  Gilliam  on  Dry  Creek. 
Everything  looked  encouraging  for  fruit  raising  at  that  early  day,  but  in  1883 
there  came  a  bitter  cold  day,  twenty-nine  degrees  below  zero,  far  colder  than  ever 
known  at  any  other  time  in  Walla  Walla,  a  most  disastrous  dispensation  of  nature, 
for  many  orchards,  especially  peaches  and  apricots,  perished. 

FIVE   REGIONS 

Broadly  speaking,  it  may  be  said  that  there  are  five  regions  in  Old  Walla 
Walla  County  which  have  become  important  centers  of  fruit  raising  and  intensive 


190  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

farming  in  general,  since  fruit  raising,  gardening,  dairying,  and  poultry  raising 
have  to  varying  degrees  gone  right  along  together.  The  first  in  age  and  extent 
is  the  region  immediately  around  Walla  Walla ;  the  second  that  of  Clarkston  and 
down  the  Snake  River  to  Burbank ;  the  third  that  on  the  Touchet  from  Dayton  to 
I'rescott;  the  fourth  the  long  narrow  valley  of  the  Tucanon;  and  the  lifth  that 
on  the  lower  Walla  Walla  from  Touchet  and  Gardena  to  the  Columbia  and  thence 
through  Attalia  and  Two  Rivers  to  P.urbank  at  the  mouth  of  Snake  River. 
There  are,  of  course,  some  excellent  orchards  and  gardens  in  portions  not  covered 
in  this  enumeration,  and  it  is  also  proper  to  say  that  the  most  productive  and 
compact  single  body  of  country  is  that  j5ortion  of  the  Walla  Walla  \'alley  south 
of  the  state  line  extending  to  Milton,  Ore. 

It  is  impossible  within  our  limits  to  describe  these  different  areas  in  detail. 
Each  has  some  distinctive  features.  The  youngest  and  least  developed  is  that 
of  the  lower  Walla  Walla  and  the  Columbia  River.  By  reason  of  great  heat 
and  aridity  and  long  growing  season,  that  region  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  grape 
culture  and  melon  raising.  Alfalfa  produces  four  and  five  cuttings  and  the 
prospect  for  successful  dairying  is  flattering.  The  expense  of  reclaiming  the  land 
and  maintaining  irrigating  systems  is  high,  but  when  fairly  established  it  may  be 
expected  to  be  one  of  the  most  attractive  and  productive  sections. 

The  Walla  Walla  section  has  had  the  advantage  of  time  and  population  and 
in  the  nature  of  the  case  has  become  most  highly  developed.  In  garden  products 
Walla  Walla  asparagus,  onions,  and  rhubarb  may  be  said  to  be  champions  in  the 
markets  of  the  country.  One  of  the  important  features  of  Walla  Walla  garden- 
ing is  the  Walla  Walla  hothouse  vegetable  enterprise  on  the  river,  five  miles 
west  of  the  city,  conducted  by  F.  E.  Mojonnier.  This  is  the  largest  hothouse  in 
the  Inland  Empire  and,  with  one  exception,  in  the  entire  Northwest.  It  has  two 
and  a  half  acres  under  glass  and  does  a  business  of  thousands  of  dollars  with  the 
chief  markets  north  and  east. 

In  orchards  Walla  \\'alla,  while  not  in  general  in  the  same  class  for  quantity 
with  Yakima  and  Wenatchee,  has  the  distinction  of  possessing  two  of  the  largest 
and  perhaps  most  scientifically  planted  and  cultivated  orchards  in  the  entire  state; 
the  Blalock  and  the  Baker-Langdon  orchards.  The  latter  contains  6So  acres  of 
a])]>les,  is  on  sub-irrigated  land  of  the  best  quality,  and  may  be  considered  the 
last  word  in  orchard  culture.  The  manager,  John  Langdon,  reports  for  1917, 
200,000  boxes,  or  about  three  hundred  car  loads,  worth  on  cars  at  Walla  Walla, 
at  present  prices,  about  three  hundred  thousand  dollars.  It  is  anticipated  that 
when  in  full  bearing  at  the  age  of  twelve  to  fourteen  years,  the  yield  will  be 
1.000,000  boxes.  Doctor  Blalock  was  the  great  pioneer  in  fruit  raising,  as  in 
grain-raising,  on  a  large  scale.  The  story  of  his  carrying  on  the  gigantic  enter- 
prise with  inadequate  resources  to  a  triumphant  conclusion,  though  not  himself 
being  able  to  retain  possession,  is  one  of  the  greatest  stories  in  the  Inland 
Empire. 

The  Touchet  belt  may  be  said  to  be  distinguished  by  its  special  adaptability 
to  high  grade  apples  of  the  Rome  Beauty  and  Spitzenljerg  varieties  as  well  as 
by  the  extraordinary  and  profitable  production.  In  that  belt  are  two  orchards 
which  while  not  remarkable  for  size  have  had  about  the  most  remarkable  history 
of  any  in  the  state.  These  are  the  Pomona  orchard  of  J-  L.  Dumas  and  that 
of  J.  D.  Taggard  between  Waitsburg  and  Dayton.    There  are  a  number  of  other 


\li:\\    111-    A    WAIJ.A   WALLA  ((ll'XTV  ORCHARD 


PICIiINC4  FRUIT  IN  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUXTY 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  191 

orchards  of  high  grade  in  the  Touchet  \'alley,  and  it  may  be  anticipated  that 
within  a  few  years  that  rich  and  beautiful  expanse  will  be  a  continuous  orchard. 
Conditions  of  soil  and  climate  make  it  ideal  for  apple-raising. 

The  valley  of  the  Tucanon,  a  ribbon  of  fertile  soil  deep  down  in  the  tim- 
bered heights  of  the  Blue  Mountains  and  lower  down  its  course  surrounded  by 
the  wide  flats  and  benches  of  Garfield  and  Columbia  counties,  is  the  natural  home 
for  berries  and  "truck"  of  all  sorts.  The  strawberries  and  melons  are  of  the 
finest.  The  sparkling  stream — one  of  the  finest  fishing  streams  by  the  way — 
affords  limitless  opportunity  for  easy  and  economical  irrigating  and  the  soil  is 
of  the  best,  even  in  a  region  where  good  soil  is  no  curiosity. 

The  Snake  River  section,  extending  down  the  western  and  southern  bank  of 
the  river  from  Asotin,  with  frequent  breaks  on  account  of  the  bluft'y  shores, 
its  largest  expansion  being  at  Clarkston,  with  considerable  areas  at  Alpowa, 
Kelly's  Bar,  Ilia  and  other  points,  is  a  unique  region.  We  shall  speak  at 
greater  length  of  the  Clarkston  and  Asotin  regions,  but  it  may  be  said  in  general 
terms  that  the  long  narrow  belt  of  land  bordering  the  river,  having  its  counter- 
part on  the  opposite  side  in  Whitman  County,  has  long  been  recognized  as  the 
very  homeland  of  the  peach,  apricot,  nectarine,  grape,  berries  of  all  sorts,  and 
melons.  It  is  of  low  elevation,  from  seven  hundred  and  fifty  feet  at  Asotin 
to  about  four  hundred  at  Page.  It  is  almost  semitropical  in  climate,  its  products 
getting  into  market  nearly  as  early  as  those  from  Central  California.  Injurious 
frosts  in  blossom  time  are  almost  unknown.  The  soil  is  a  soft  warm  friable 
volcanic  ash  with  loam  surface.  Though  there  is  no  railroad  and  not  even 
continuous  wagon  roads  on  the  river  hai&,  t^^Vie.a^^SQB'ierotiSj points  of  approach 
down  the  valleys  and  coulees  enteringf  tbe' xi^^er^  .aiid  ,tile(.3tream  itself  affords 
water  navigation  for  large  steamers  ali>ut  half  the  year!  aric{  for  small  boats  at 
all  times.  With  the  system  of  canalization  ri'tiw'ih  ct)n-templa|ion  by  the  Govern- 
ment the  river  will  become  continuously  •navigable.-tliEOi^giio^t  the  year  and  will 
possess  infinite  possibilities  both  for  power  and  navigation.  It  should  also  be 
stated  here  that  Asotin  County  has  a  larger  acreage  in  fruit  trees  than  any 
other  of  the  four  counties. 

SUMM.ARV    OF   RECENT   PRODUCTION 

While  we  shall  speak  of  certain  special  features  of  each  section  in  our 
descriptive  chapter  covering  the  present  time,  we  may  properly  give  here  a  sum- 
mary of  recent  production  for  the  four  counties. 

The  reader  is  asked  to  recall  the  earlier  figures  in  order  that  he  may  form 
a  proper  conception  of  the  change  wrought.  We  present  here  the  figures  pre- 
served in  the  office  of  the  Commercial  Club  of  Walla  Walla  for  the  year  1916. 
They  are  given  in  roimd  numbers,  but  may  be  considered  reliable  and  con- 
servative. 

Production,    1916  Value  to  Growers 

Wheat — 1 1,000,000  bushels    $12,100,000 

Barley — 1,300,000  bushels  910,000 

Corn — 250,000  bushels    200,000 

Alfalfa — 140,000  tons   1,800,000 

Apples — 1 ,000,000   boxes    1,000,000 


1<.»-J  CJI.IJ   WAl.l.A  WALLA  COL'NTY 

Production.  iyl6  \aluc  to  Growers 

Pruri.        ■    •  m    rons                                          :»o,ooo 

thci ;            -  '<   Ions    .                                           to,ooo 

Onions— 2tx>.ooo  sacks   .  .                              32-2.500 

-        •          50.000 

iig  hay  other  than  alfalfa,  vege- 
tables other  than  onions  and  as|>aragus 600.000 

Livestock,  dairy  prcxiucts.  |>oultry,  wool,  flour  and  chop    8,000000 

Total   agricultural,   horticultural,  and  stock   products.  .   25.262,500 

The  L'nited  States  census  re|K>rt  for  1910  gives  a  population  for  the  four 
counties  of  4i).oo.V  If  we  allow  for  lo  jH-r  cent  increase  in  I'>i6.  we  shall  have 
approximately  lifty-four  thous;ind  |)copli-  in  Old  Walla  Walla  County.  The  year 
1916  represents,  therefore,  a  gross  income  of  nearly  $4^>S  for  each  man.  woman, 
and  child  in  the  area.  Tliis,  it  must  of  course  he  observed,  is  the  income  from 
tht  soil,  and  takes  no  account  of  the  earnings  of  the  manufacturing,  mercantile, 
professional,  and  laboring  classes.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  few  regions  in  the  United 
States  or  the  worhl  can  match  such  an  income  reprtstnting  the  absolute  increase 
in  wealth  taken  right  from  the  earth.  It  is  no  wonder  that  the  farmers  of  our 
four  counties  have  automobiles  and  household  luxuries  galore,  and  when  harvest 
time  is  over  take  trips  to  California.  Honolulu,  or  "back  East."  or.  before  the  war. 
to  Kurope.  It  is  of  interest  to  add  here  the  approximate  areas  in  cultivation 
in  the  four  counties.    It  was  reported  in  1016  as  follows : 

(irain  lands,  in  bearing  and  in  summer-fallow — 

Walla    Willa    County 500,000  acres 

The  other  counties 500,000  acres 

Fruit  lands — 

Asotin   County    .  .^Soo  acres 

(Note:  An  underestimate  of  Asotin  County.) 

Walla    Walla    County ^.f^rp  acres 

Columbia    County    '.045  acres 

Garfield  County    ...  525  acres 

MANt'FACTURINC 

We  have  contmed  our  attention  thus  far  to  what  might  l>e  regarded  as  the 
natural  fundamental  industries  of  stock  raising,  farming,  and  horticulture. 

But  along  with  those  essential  industries  to  which  the  country  was  naturally 
a<lapte<l.  there  went  of  necessity  some  mcrvantile  and  manuf.icturing  enterprises. 
I-ater  on  the  professional  classes  liecame  interrelated  to  all  the  others.  While 
the  region  covered  by  our  four  counties  is  not  naturally  a  manufacturing 
country,  yet  from  the  first  there  have  l»een  those  whose  tastes  and  interests  have 
lead  them  to  mechanical  pursuits.  In  a  growing  community  where  the  founda- 
tion prrKJucls  are  those  of  the  soil  and  yet  where  the  building  arts  arc  in  constant 
demand  there  must  necessarily  U-  some  manufacturing.  Most  of  the  enter- 
prises of  that  nature  in  this  section  have  liccn  connected  either  with  buildmg 
tnaterials  or  with  agricultural  implements.     Saw-mills  came  in  almost  with  the 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  193 

dawn  of  civilized  life.  Hence  we  are  not  surprised  to  find  that  the  first  pioneer 
in  Walla  Walla,  Dr.  Marcus  Whitman,  built  a  saw-mill.  That  mill  was  on  Mill 
Creek,  apparently  nearly  where  the  present  Shemwell  place  is  located.  As  is  not 
known  to  many  there  was  a  small  saw-mill  on  the  grounds  of  the  United  States 
Fort.  The  flume  ran  nearly  along  the  present  course  of  Main  Street  and  the 
mill  was  on  the  northern  edge  of  the  military  reservation  opposite  Jesse  Drum- 
heller's  residence.  Doubtless  it  was  those  mills  which  gave  our  beautiful 
creek  its  unfortunate  name,  in  place  of  the  more  attractive  native  name  of  Pasca 
or  Pashki,  "sunflower." 

The  Statesman  of  December  13,  1861,  notices  the  building  of  a  -saw-mill  on 
the  Coppei  by  Anderson  Cox,  one  of  the  foremost  of  the  early  citizens  of  Walla 
Walla,  who  also  had  large  interests  in  and  around  Waitsburg.  Another  promi- 
nent old-timer,  W.  H.  Babcock,  is  reported  in  the  issue  of  June  2,  1865,  as 
having  purchased  a  saw-mill  on  the  Walla  Walla.  One  of  the  earliest  saw- 
mills, built  at  the  close  of  1862,  was  on  Mill  Creek  in  Asotin.  There  were 
various  little  mills  in  the  timber  land  of  the  Blue  Mountains.  In  the  '80s  Dr. 
N.  G.  Blalock  and  a  little  later  Dr.  D.  S.  Baker  inaugurated  the  business  of 
fluming  from  the  mountains  to  Walla  Walla.  In  the  case  of  the  former  this  was 
a  calamitous  business  venture,  but  the  latter  with  his  usual  sound  judgment 
made  a  great  success  of  the  enterprise. 

The  most  extensive  lumbering  business  of  Walla  Walla  in  the  earlier  days 
was  that  still  known  by  the  corporate  name  of  the  Whitehouse-Crawford  Co. 
This  company  was  founded  in  1880  by  Messrs.  Cooper  and  Smuck.  In  1888  G. 
W.  Whitehouse  and  D.  J.  Crimmins  became  chief  owners,  though  Mr.  Cooper 
retained  his  connection  with  the  business.  In  1905  J.  M.  Crawford  acquired 
the  business,  being  joined  by  his  brother  J.  T.  Crawford,  in  1909.  The  business 
has  become  very  extensive,  having  numerous  branches,  with  the  general  name 
Tum-a-Lum  Lumbering  Co.  There  have  been  established  in  more  recent  years 
the  Walla  Walla  Lumber  Co.,  the  Oregon  Lumber  Co.,  and  the  Bridal  Veil 
Lumber  Co.,  all  doing  large  lines  of  business. 

A  large  amount  of  capital  has  been  invested  in  the  manufacturing  of  agricul- 
tural machinery.  The  most  extensive  establishment  in  these  lines  in  Walla  Walla 
was  the  Hunt  Threshing  Factory  founded  in  1888  by  Gilbert  Hunt  and  Chris- 
topher Ennis,  who  purchased  the  machine  shop  of  Byron  Jackson,  which  became 
the  property  of  Mr.  Hunt  in  1891.  The  special  output  of  the  factory  was  the 
"Pride  of  Washington  Separator,"  but  subsequently  iron  work  and  belting  and 
wind  mills  and  other  lines  were  added.  Owing  to  financial  difficulties  precipitated 
by  the  hard  times  beginning  in  1907  this  great  establishment,  which  employed 
from  seventy-five  to  a  hundred  men,  was  obliged  to  close  its  doors. 

For  a  number  of  years  the  northwestern  branch  of  the  Holt  Harvester 
Works,  of  which  Benjamin  Holt  was  manager,  was  located  in  Walla  Walla. 
It  conducted  an  immense  business,  particularly  in  the  "side-hill"  harvester  and 
in  tractors.  The  main  northern  house  is  now  located  in  Spokane,  while  the 
Walla  Walla  branch  is  managed  by  E.  L.  Smith  and  Co. 

Among  the  other  manufacturing  enterprises  worthy  of  larger  notice  than  our 
space  permits  may  be  named  the  Brown-Lewis  Corporation,  the  RinghofTer 
Brothers  Saddle-tree  Factory,  the  Webber  Tannery,  the  Washington  Weeder 
Works,  the  Walla  Walla  Iron  Works,  and  the  Cox-Bailey  Manufacturing  Co., 


194  OLD  WALLA  \\AL1,A  COUNTY 

now  succeeded  by  separate  enterprises  of  the  two  partners.  From  a  historical 
point  of  view  the  iron  foundry  conducted  by  J.  L.  Roberts  during  the  decade 
of  the  '90s  was  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  industries.  The  foundry  business 
was  later  conducted  by  the  Hunt  Company. 

It  will  give  a  view  of  the  distribution  of  business  houses  and  industries  to 
insert  here  the  tabulation  of  these  on  file  in  the  Commercial  Club  office. 

TR.ADES,    PROFESSIONS    AND    MISCELL.\NEOUS    C.\LLINGS 

Accountants  (public)   4 

Apartment  houses 8 

Architects 3 

Banks 5 

Bakeries 6 

Barber  shops 20 

Bowling  alleys 2 

Blacksmith  shops    10 

Bottling  works 2 

Coal  and  wood  yards 7 

Contractors  and  builders  (all  kinds) 33 

Dentists 20 

Doctors — a — physicians  and  surgeons 27 

b — Osteopaths   6 

c — Chiropractors 3 

Dressmakers   and   fitters 24 

Electricians 5 

Electric  light  plants i 

Garages 14 

Gas  plants   i 

Hospitals  and  sanatoriums 3 

Hotels  4 

Lawyers    24 

Liveries — a — -horse   3 

b — Auto    3 

Machine  shops 5 

Moving  picture  theaters   4 

Newspapers   4 

Painter  and  paper  hangers 4 

Plumbing  shops , 4 

Pool  and  billiard  halls 6 

Photograph  galleries 4 

Printing  offices    4 

Real  estate  dealers 31 

Restaurants    22 

Rooming  houses    

Shoe  repair  shops 6 

Tailor   shops    12 


KING  DA\IU  TREES.  THREE  YEARS  OLD,  TRAVIS 


196  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

l)t'])artniciit    t 

Drug    8 

Dry  goods    8 

Electrical    supply    o 

Flour  and  feed ^ 

Furniture    4 

General   2 

Grocery    35 

Hardware  6 

Harness  and  saddlery 6 

Implement    5 

Jewelry   5 

Meat    5 

Millinery    8 

Shoe 8 

Variety — 5  and  10  cent 2 

Ladies'  suits  and  cloaks 2 

Perhaps  no  one  business  fact  is  so  good  a  commentary  on  the  financial  con- 
dition of  a  community  as  the  bank  deposits. 

The  banks  of  Walla  Walla  have  had  during  the  year  191 7  an  average  of 
seven  million  dollars  deposits.  On  January  i,  1918,  deposits  exceeded  eight 
millions. 

As  we  shall  see,  the  banks  of  the  other  cities  of  the  district  have  similar  or 
even  greater  amounts  in  proportion  to  population.  It  would  doubtless  be  safe 
to  estimate  the  bank  deposits  of  the  four  counties  at  eleven  million  dollars,  or 
over  two  hundred  dollars  per  capita. 

As  a  means  of  indicating  the  financial  status  of  Walla  Walla,  with  Garfield 
and  Columbia  counties,  the  following  clipping  from  a  local  paper  of  October 
16,  1917,  will  be  of  permanent  value: 

"Announcement  of  the  official  allotment  of  Liberty  loan  bonds  to  each  bank 
in  the  Walla  Walla  district  comprising  Garfield,  Columbia  and  Walla  Walla 
counties,  was  made  for  the  first  time  last  evening  by  P.  M.  Winans,  chairman  of 
the  executive  committee,  following  receipt  of  a  telegram  from  the  Federal  Reserve 
P>ank  at  San  Francisco,  giving  the  total  minimum  and  maximum  allotments  for 
this  district.  As  soon  as  these  figures  were  learned  the  allotments  for  each  of 
the  fourteen  banks  in  the  district  were  figured  on  a  basis  of  deposits  at  the  last' 
federal  call. 

"The  minimum  allotment  for  the  district  was  placed  by  the  Federal  Reserve 
Bank  at  $1,483,000  and  the  maximum  allotment  at  $2,457,842.  From  the  way 
the  campaign  has  been  going  it  will  require  every  energy  to  raise  the  minimum, 
which  is  50  per  cent  more  than  the  allotment  for  the  district  for  the  first  Liberty 
bond  issue. 

"This  time  Walla  Walla  County  alone  must  subscribe  $1,044,000  or  as  much 
as  the  entire  district  subscribed  for  the  first  loan.  The  City  of  Walla  Walla 
must  subscribe  $874,000  to  report  the  minimum  desired.  Columbia  County 
must  subscribe  $240,000  and  Garfield  County  $199,000." 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  197 

BANK   ALLOTMENTS 

The  official  allotment  which  each  of  the  fourteen  banks  of  the  district  was 
expected  to  subscribe  among  its  customers,  follows : 
Walla  Walla- 
First  National  Bank $235,000 

Baker-Boyer  National  Bank  243,000 

Third  National  Bank 109,000 

Peoples  State  Bank 135,000 

Farmers  Savings  Bank 152,000 

Touchet  State  Bank,  Touchet 7,000 

First  State  Bank,  Prescott 12,000 

First  National  Bank,  Waitsburg 121,000 

Exchange  Bank,  Waitsburg 30,000 

Columbia  National  Bank,  Dayton 146,000 

Broughton  National  Bank,  Dayton 85,000 

Bank  of  Starbuck,  Starbuck 9,000 

Pomeroy  State  Bank,  Pomeroy 132,000 

Knettle  State  Bank,  Pomeroy 67,000 


$1,483,000 


It  may  be  added  that  the  amount  actually  subscribed  exceeded  the  maximum, 
being  $2,647,000. 

ANNUAL   COUNTY    FAIR 

One  feature  of  constant  interest  in  any  growing  American  community  is  the 
annual  county  fair.  As  a  yearly  jubilee,  a  display  of  products,  and  a  general 
"get-together"  agency,  this  characteristic  feature  of  American  rural  life  is 
entitled  to  a  large  place.  It  co-ordinates  industries,  creates  enterprise,  kindles 
ambition,  and  promotes  the  spirit  of  mutual  helpfulness  in  pre-eminent  degree. 
The  Walla  Walla  fairs  have  had  essentially  the  familiar  features  of  all  such 
institutions ;  i.  e.,  the  exposition  of  agricultural,  horticultural,  and  other  products. 
Since  the  fairs  have  been  held  at  the  present  grounds  south  of  the  city,  the 
exhibition  of  live-stock  and  the  horse  racing  features,  and  in  the  three  prior 
years  to  the  date  of  this  work,  the  "Pioneer  Days,"  have  become  leading  events 
and  have  drawn  thousands  of  visitors  from  all  parts  of  the  country. 

The  first  fairs  were  somewhat  broken  and  irregular. 

Apparently  the  germ  of  our  county  fairs  was  the  establishment  of  a  race 
course  on  the  flat  west  of  town  running  around  the  hill  adjoining  what  is  now  the 
Coyle  place,  by  George  H.  Porter.  In  the  Statesman  of  October  18,  1862,  is 
quite  a  flaming  advertisement  of  the  races'.  They  were  to  last  four  days,  October 
30th  to  November  2d.  There  were  to  be  purses  of  $100.  $50  and  $150  for  win- 
ners, with  20  per  cent  for  entries.  Buckley's  Saloon  was  to  be  headquarters  for 
making  entries.  Admission  was  to  be  50  cents.  The  proprietor  seems  to  have 
been  somewhat  on  the  order  of  a  "bad  man,"  as  he  later  became  involved  in  a 
murder  case. 


198  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

On  July  9,  1866,  an  agricultural  society  was  organized,  of  which  the  officers 
were:  President,  H.  P.  Isaacs;  vice  presidents,  Anderson  Cox,  and  W.  H. 
Newell;  treasurer,  J.  D.  Cook;  secretary,  R.  R.  Rees;  executive  committee, 
Charles  Russell,  T.  S.  Lee  and  A.  A.  Blanchard.  Under  the  management  of  this 
society  the  first  county  fair  was  held  on  October  4,  5  and  6,  1866. 

Another  organization,  known  as  the  Washington  Territory  AgricuUural,  Min- 
ing, and  Art  Fostering  Society,  undertook  the  maintenance  of  fairs  in  1870. 
In  September  of  that  year  the  first  of  a  series  was  held  until  1873.  Finding  that 
the  grounds  were  loo  far  from  the  city  they  were  sold  and  the  fairs  discon- 
tinued. 

In  1875  C.  S.  Cush  laid  out  a  race-track  at  the  place  where  Watertown  now 
exists,  and  there  a  fair  was  held  in  October  of  that  year.  That  place  was  for 
many  years  the  location  of  races  and  fairs  and  public  gatherings  of  all  sorts. 

During  that  same  year  of  1875  the  first  definite  organization  looking  to  pro- 
moting immigration  was  organized,  and  a  thirty-page  pamphlet  was  published 
setting  forth  the  attractions  of  the  Walla  Walla  Valley  for  business  and  residence. 

As  years  passed  increasing  interest  in  the  annual  meets  led  to  an  attempt 
to  give  them  a  permanent  character,  and  in  1897  the  Fruit  Growers  Association, 
of  which  Dr.  N.  G.  Blalock  was  president,  undertook  to  finance  and  manage  the 
fairs  with  a  degree  of  system  which  had  not  hitherto  prevailed.  The  first  fair 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Fruit  Growers  was  held  in  the  courthouse.  The  two 
succeeding  were  held  in  Armory  hall.  In  1900  a  pavilion  was  erected  on  Second 
Street  and  for  several  years  the  annual  fairs  were  held  at  that  place.  As  an 
illustration  of  the  character  of  the  fairs  of  that  stage  of  history  we  are-  incor- 
porating here  an  account  of  the  fair  of  1900,  taken  from  the  October  number  of 
the  Inland  Empire  magazine: 

"The  Fourth  Annual  Fniit  Fair  of  the  Walla  Walla  Valley  was  held  in  the 
City  of  Walla  Walla  October  i  to  7  inclusive,  and  was  in  every  way  the  most 
successful  and  satisfactory  exposition  ever  attempted  in  Southeastern  Washing- 
ton. This  was  true  as  to  the  financial  aspect  of  the  fair,  as  to  the  attendance  and 
as  to  the  quality  of  fruit  on  display. 

"Nature  was  responsible  for  the  latter  feature  of  the  success  of  the  fair,  as 
she  is  responsible  for  much  that  goes  to  make  up  the  category  of  the  virtues 
of  the  Walla  Walla  Valley.  Give  our  agriculturists  and  horticulturists  a  year 
with  a  well  regulated  rainfall,  and  frost  which  considerately  stays  away  when 
not  wanted,  and  they  will  with  diligence  and  careful  culture  produce  grapes, 
pears,  apples  and  most  every  kind  of  fruits  and  vegetables  of  such  quality  and 
size  as  are  seen  in  no  other  part  of  the  Union. 

"In  1899  the  fair  continued  six  days,  but  this  year  a  full  week  was  given, 
and  the  attendance  exceeded  that  of  previous  years  by  over  three  thousand  paid 
admissions.  The  visitors  were  not  restricted  to  Walla  Walla  and  the  imme- 
diate vicinity ;  fully  one  thousand  came  from  Waitsburg,  Dayton  and  other 
neighboring  towns,  and  500  from  Pendleton,  Milton,  Athena,  and  various  points 
in  our  sister  state.  The  scope  of  the  fruit  fair  is  broadening  and  exhibits  are 
received  from  an  ever  increasing  extent  of  territory. 

"From  a  financial  point  of  view,  the  officers  of  the  exposition  have  every 
reason  to  be  congratulated.  The  gross  proceeds  of  the  fair  were  something 
over  seven  thousand  dollars,  and  about  eleven  hundred  dollars  of  this  is  profit. 


HEAVILY  LOADED  LIMB  OF  JONATHAX  APPLES,  CLARKSTON 


Al'PLE  TREE  ON  THE  PROPERTY  OF  WHITE  BROTHERS  AM)  LKL  M, 
WAWAWAI,  SNAKE  RIVER 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  199 

and  is  deposited  as  a  nestegg  for  the  fair  of  1901.  This  is  the  first  year  in  the 
history  of  the  fairs  that  any  material  profit  has  resulted  in  dollars  and  cents. 
Last  year  $80  was  taken  in  over  and  above  expenses,  and  the  year  before  nothing. 
Better  management  is  responsible  for  this  result,  and  a  more  thorough  appre- 
ciation of  the  requirements  of  the  fair. 

"T.  H.  Wagner's  military  band,  of  Seattle,  furnished  music  for  the  fair,  giv- 
ing concerts  every  afternoon  and  evening. 

"Mrs.  Jennie  Houghton  Edmunds  was  the  vocal  soloist,  and  Herr  Roden- 
kirchen,  who  is  known  to  fame  in  the  East  and  West,  was  their  cornet  soloist. 

"One  of  the  special  features  of  the  programme  of  the  fair  was  an  Indian 
war  dance.  A  score  of  bucks  and  half  dozen  squaws  from  the  Umatilla  Reserva- 
tion were  the  performers,  and  their  presence  recalled  to  many  of  the  visitors 
the  days  when  the  proximity  of  redskins  was  a  consummation  devoutly  to  be 
dreaded. 

"The  woman's  department  was  this  year  under  the  direction  of  Mrs.  John 
B.  Catron,  and  formed  the  most  interesting  and  tasteful  display  at  the  fair.  A 
part  was  devoted  to  collections  of  Indian  curios  and  relics,  and  this  department 
was  always  crowded  with  visitors.  Lee  Moorehouse  of  Pendleton  has  on  exhibi- 
tion many  of  his  photographs  of  Indians  and  scenes  on  the  Umatilla  Reserva- 
tion, pictures  which  even  now  are  of  interest,  and  which  fifty  years  hence,  when 
the  development  of  the  country  has  crowded  the  redskins  further  to  the  wall, 
will  be  of  great  historical  value. 

"More  than  ever  before  have  the  people  Bf.thi^"  valley  appreciated  the  value 
of  fruit  fairs  and  industrial  expositions.  ;  Her£  tfae  farJJiejs.i^nH  those  interested 
in  the  various  lines  of  agriculture  and  j^orticulture  have  an' (Opportunity  to  see 
the  results  of  each  others'  labors  and  profit  by  their  '^xpehence.  They  are 
encouraged  by  the  success  of  others,  and  obtlin- suggestions. vvhich  are  invaluable 
in  their  work.  They  learn  in  what  direction  the  efforts  of  theif  neighbors  are 
being  exerted,  and  keep  in  touch  with  the  development  of  the  various  agricul- 
tural pursuits. 

"The  Belgian  hare  exhibit,  prepared  by  S.  C.  Wingard  and  E.  A.  Coull,  was  a 
feature  not  before  seen  at  these  fairs.  This  exhibition,  with  its  hundreds  of 
dollars'  worth  of  valuable  imported  specimens  of  Belgian  hares  and  fancy  stock, 
was  perhaps  the  most  valuable  at  the  fair,  and  of  the  greatest  interest  because 
of  its  novelty.  Belgian  hare  culture  is  yet  in  its  infancy,  and  the  gentle  long- 
eared  creature  was  the  center  of  attraction  for  those  who  wished  to  know  more 
of  these  animals  which  are  monopolizing  so  much  attention  among  breeders  of  pet 
stock. 

"The  railroads  doing  business  in  Walla  Walla  took  a  most  active  interest  in 
the  fair.  Two  pretty  and  unique  booths  were  erected  and  they  proved  among 
the  attractive  features  of  the  event. 

"The  Northern  Pacific  and  Washington  &  Columbia  River  railways  took 
the  cue  of  the  Boxers  and  a  pretty  pagoda  was  designed.  The  structure  was 
erected  near  the  band  pavilion  and  was  provided  with  seats  and  accommoda- 
tions for  the  ladies  and  children.  The  pagoda  was  built  of  native  woods  and 
finished  with  moss  brought  from  Tacoma  for  the  purpose.  The  work  was  artis- 
tically done.    At  night  a  number  of  colored  electric  lights  gave  a  finishing  touch 


•M)  OLD  W  ALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

to  the  scene.  The  design  was  largely  the  idea  of  Niaiuger  McCabe  and  Pas- 
senger Agent  L'alderhcad,  of  the  W'asliinglon  &  Columbia  River  Railway 

"The  booth  of  the  Oregon  Railway  &  Navigation  Company  was  IcKatcd  near 
the  nuin  entrance  and  it  was  neatly  planned.  A  commodious  square  l>oo(h  was 
finished  and  trimmed  with  grains  and  fruits  taken  from  the  company's  cxperi- 
111'  tiial  farm  near  the  city.  The  ceiling  wa-;  niadc  of  a  variety  of  handsomely 
Lulnrcd  wools  in  the  unwoven  state,  blended  together  with  artistic  effect.  The 
walls  of  the  booth  were  hung  with  pictures,  and  chairs  and  reading  offered  rest 
and  entertainment  to  all.  The  booth  was  in  charge  of  General  Agent  Hums  and 
C.  K.  \'an  Ue  Water." 

The  officers  of  the  association  for  1900  were  as  follows:  W.  A.  Kitz.  presi- 
dent; C.  F.  \'an  De  Water,  secretary;  O.  R.  Hallou,  superintendent;  Mrs.  J.  B. 
I'atron,  superintendent  of  the  woman's  department. 

VARIED  ASPECTS  OF  THE  FAIR 

The  I*"air  assumed  different  aspects  in  different  years,  sometimes  taking  on 
as  the  predominant  interest  the  exhibition  of  fruit  and  vegetables,  and  at  other 
times  stock  and  machinery.  At  still  other  times  the  "horse  race"  was  the  domi- 
nant feature. 

In  1903  a  new  organization  was  effected  known  as  the  Walla  Walla  Race 
Track  Association.  At  a  meeting  of  a  number  of  the  leading  men  of  the  city 
.and  county,  of  which  Judge  T.  H.  Brents  was  chairman,  the  following  were 
elected  trustees  of  the  association :  W.  S.  Offner,  Joseph  McCabe,  R.  B.  Caswell, 
James  Kidwell,  Wm.  Hopotoom,  John  McFceley,  Chris  Ennis,  W.  G.  Preston 
and  Frank  Singleton.  Under  the  auspices  of  the  association  the  first  of  a  new 
series  of  fairs  was  held  in  the  autumn  of  1903  at  the  present  location  upon  the 
land  known  as  the  "Henderson"  tract,  purchased  by  the  association.  The  name 
of  the  association  became  changed  to  the  Walla  Walla  County  F'air  Associa- 
tion. In  1906  the  fnvilion  still  used  was  erected.  In  1907  the  dominant  interest 
was  the  "Harvest  Festival,"  the  chief  features  of  which  were  carried  out  within 
the  city.  This  will  Ik:  rememl)crcd  as  quite  a  gorgeous  pageant.  J.  J.  Kauffman 
was  duly  crowned  as  King  Rex,  and  Hattie  Stine  became  queen  of  the  carnival 
as  Queen  Harriet.  Both  coronations  were  signalized  by  s[)ectacular  f)ara<lcs  and 
general  hilarity  which  made  that  celebration  the  most  memorable  of  the  scries 
In  1908,  August  8th.  a  great  disaster  occurred  at  the  Race  Track,  the  destruc- 
tion by  fire  of  the  barns,  together  with  several  valuable  horses,  entailing  severe 
loss  both  to  the  association  and  to  several  individuals,  especially  Wm.  Hogoboom. 
In  the  same  year  the  street  railway  line  was  extended  from  the  city  to  the 
grotmds.  As  indicating  the  [>ersonnel  of  the  association  of  that  period,  it  will  be 
valuable  to  present  here  the  names  of  the  officers  and  trustees:  T.  11.  Brents, 
president;  Grant  Copeland,  vice  president;  R.  E.  Guichard,  secretary;  trustees, 
F.  Tausick,  M.  Toner.  W.  A.  Ritz.  Sam  Drumhcller,  Mordo  McDonald.  J.  H. 
Morrow,  J.  G.  Kidwell,  Frank  Singleton,  Wm.  Hogolxxim.  C.  I..  Whitney,  B.  F. 
Simpson,  Ben  C.  Holt.  J.  P.  Kent,  J.  Smith,  .and  Wm.  Kirkman.  Throughout 
the  period  to  the  present  the  association  has  l)een  an  incorporated  organization, 
with  the  stock  distributed  widely  among  the  farmers  and  business  men  of  the 
community.     Judge   Brents  continued  as  president  until   1914,  when  bodily  in- 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  201 

firmity  forbade  further  continuance,  and  his  lamented  death  soon  followed. 
Robert  Johnson  became  secretary  in  1907  and  in  1909  W.  A.  Ritz  became  man- 
ager, being  chosen  president  in  19 14  upon  retirement  of  Judge  Brents.  Messrs. 
Ritz  and  Johnson  became  so  closely  identified  from  that  time  on  as  to  be  asso- 
ciated with  every  feature  of  the  history  of  the  Fair.  The  woman's  department 
was  conducted  with  equal  efficiency  during  the  same  period  by  Mesdames  J.  B. 
Catron,  W.  A.  Ritz,  and  W.  D.  Lyman. 

FRONTIER  DAYS 

In  1913,  feeling  that  the  common  routine  had  rather  palled,  the  managers 
decided  to  inaugurate  a  new  order  of  things,  and  as  a  result  the  "Frontier  Days" 
came  into  existence,  with  its  spectacular  displays  of  "bull-dogging,"  relay  races, 
stage-coach  races,  cow-boys,  cow-girls,  Indians,  etc.,  one  of  the  last  stands  of  the 
Wild  West.  In  spite  of  the  great  success  of  these  exhibitions  as  a  means  of 
drawing  crowds  and  creating  interest,  the  frontier  days  were  not  a  financial  suc- 
cess. After  the  meeting  of  1915,  the  Fair  Association  decided  not  to  continue, 
and  hence  there  was  no  fair  of  any  kind  upon  the  grounds  in  1916.  There  was 
conducted,  however,  a  Merchants'  Carnival  upon  the  streets  which  while  per- 
haps tame  in  comparison  with  its  predecessors  served  to  signalize  the  autumn 
season  and  to  create  a  period  of  good  fellowship  and  community  enjoyment. 
During  191 5  and  1916  the  question  of  purchase  of  the  Fair  Grounds  by  the 
county  became  one  of  the  especial  subjects  of  local  politics.  A  general  spirit 
of  caution  and  economy  prevailed,  and  the  proposition  failed  of  a  sufficient  vote 
in  the  election  of  1916.  The  grounds  remain,  therefore,  in  possession  of  the 
County  Fair  Association,  and  it  is  just  to  the  members  of  the  association  to  say 
that  the  thanks  of  the  entire  community  are  due  them  for  their  patriotism  and 
genuine  life  in  maintaining  at  a  financial  loss  this  important  feature  of  com- 
munity progress. 

With  the  cessation  of  the  regular  Fair  there  was  a  lively  demand  in  every 
direction  for  something  that  would  keep  the  Queen  Mother  of  the  Inland  Empire 
upon  the  map  as  an  autumn  amusement  center.  In  response  to  this  public  call, 
George  Drumheller,  the  greatest  wheat  farmer  of  the  Inland  Empire  (and  for 
that  matter  doubtless  the  greatest  individual  wheat  farmer  in  the  world,  having 
about  twenty  thousand  acres  of  wheat  land),  rose  to  the  occasion  and  prepared 
a  program  for  a  new  exhibition,  "The  Pioneer  Pow-wow."  The  personnel 
of  the  management  was  as  follows :  George  Drumheller,  managing  director ;  O. 
C.  Soots,  secretary ;  Tom  Drumheller,  arena  director ;  Bill  Switzler,  assistant 
arena  director;  John  Neace,  Jim  McManamon,  and  George  Marckum,  judges: 
A.  G.  Busbee,  chief  announcer;  Ben  Corbett,  assistant  announcer. 

As  a  permanent  record  of  the  Pow-wow  we  are  incorporating  here  the  sum- 
mary of  it  as  given  in  the  Walla  Walla  Bulletin  at  the  close  of  the  events : 

"After  three  days  of  some  of  the  finest  riding,  roping  and  feature  cowboy  work 
ever  seen  in  the  West,  the  first  annual  Pioneer  Pow-wow  came  to  a  close  last 
night.  The  Pow-wow  was  a  success  from  every  standpoint;  so  successful,  in 
fact,  that  plans  will  be  made  for  a  second  and  greater  Pow-wow  next  year,  prob- 
ably to  be  put  on  under  management  of  a  new  county  fair  association,  for  which 
the  event  this  year  was  a  benefit. 


202  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

"Yesterday's  great  sliow  in  the  arena  and  uii  the  track  at  the  fair  grounds 
eclipsed,  if  possible  the  performances  of  the  two  preceding  days,  and  the  large 
crowd  which  lilled  the  grand  stand  until  there  was  not  a  reserved  seat  left  and 
overflowed  the  north  bleachers  was  brought  to  its  feet  time  and  again  with 
excitement. 

"All  in  all  the  I'ow-wow  program  for  the  three  days  was  voted  by  nearly  all 
who  saw  it  the  finest  Wild  West  show  ever  staged  here,  and  the  success  of  the 
enterprise  reflects  great  credit  upon  George  Drumheller,  well  known  farmer  and 
stock-raiser  of  the  valley,  who  managed  the  show,  and  upon  Sec.  O.  C.  Soots, ' 
secretary  of  the  Commercial  Club,  who  acted  as  secretary  for  the  enterprise,  as 
well  as  upon  each  one  of  the  other  officials. 

"A  feature  of  the  program  yesterday  afternoon  was  the  cowboys'  relay  race, 
in  which  the  crowd  was  probably  more  interested  than  in  any  other  event.  Nep 
Lynch  was  the  winner  and  by  defeating  Drumheller  can  lay  claim  to  the  cham- 
pionship of  the  world  in  this  event. 

"When  Drumheller's  horse  got  away  from  him  for  an  instant  on  the  second 
change  yesterday  the  race  was  changed  from  a  neck  and  neck  contest  between 
Drumheller  and  Lynch  to  an  easy  victory  for  the  latter.  On  Friday  Lynch  was 
also  victor,  while  on  Thursday  Drumheller  came  in  ahead  by  a  length. 

"The  cowboys'  bucking  contest  for  the  Pow-wow.  went  to  Yakima  Canute,  and 
the  choice  of  the  judges  after  the  finals  yesterday  proved  popular  with  the  crowd 
who  gave  the  clever  rider  a  big  hand.  The  prize  $250  saddle  and  $2.50  cash  goes 
to  the  winner  of  this  event. 

"The  three  riders  who  were  chosen  for  the  finals  yesterday  were  Leonard 
Stroud,  Yakima  Canute  and  Dave  White,  and  they  drew  as  mounts  for  the  final 
bucking  events  Sundance,  Culdesac  and  Speedball,  respectively.  The  three  ani- 
mals are  probably  the  toughest  buckers  in  the  world.  Sundance  tossed  a  rider 
over  his  head  Thursday,  while  Culdesac  had  a  record  of  two  down  for  the  Pow- 
wow. Speedball  also  had  proved  one  of  the  hardest  to  ride.  All  three  riders 
showed  great  skill,  although  White  was  forced  to  pull  leather  when  the  halter 
rope  was  jerked  out  of  his  hand. 

"Another  relay  feature  that  was  popular  with  the  crowd  during  the  entire 
Pow-wow  was  the  cow-girls'  relay  race.  Mabel  De  Long  was  the  winner,  with 
Donna  Card  and  Josephine  Sherry  second  and  third.  Miss  De  Long  proved 
unusually  skillful  on  the  change  and  frequently  jumped  from  one  horse  to  another 
without  touching  the  ground. 

"Both  the  steer-roping  and  bulldogging  was  the  greatest  ever  seen  here. 
Tommy  Grimes  was  the  first  with  a  total  time  of  63^  seconds  for  two  throws, 
while  Jim  Lynch  took  the  bulldogging  contest  with  a  total  time  of  63^  seconds 
for  two  throws.  Lynch's  time  yesterday  afternoon,  twenty-one  seconds,  is  one  of 
the  fastest  records  ever  made  for  this  event. 

"One  pleasing  feature  of  the  Pow-wow  this  year  was  that  not  a  single  cow- 
boy or  animal  was  seriously  hurt  during  the  entire  three  days.  This  was  not 
because  the  show  was  more  tame  than  before,  because  such  was  not  the  case, 
but  was  due  partly  to  good  fortune  and  more  to  the  skillful  management 
throughout. 

"A  feature  of  yesterday's  program  was  the  drill  given  by  Maj.  Paul  H.  Wey- 
rauch's  battalion  of  field  artillery.     The  battalion,  about  three  hundred  strong. 


-f. 


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o 


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7i 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  203 

executed  a  review  in  tlie  arena,  passing  in  front  of  Major  Weyraucli,  reviewing 
ofificer.  The  boys  made  a  great  showing  for  the  short  time  that  they  have  been 
in  training,  going  through  their  maneuvers  hke  clock  work.  Major  Weyrauch 
and  his  men  were  given  a  great  hand  by  the  audience  and  the  most  impressive 
moment  of  the  day  came  during  the  drill,  when  the  band  played  "The  Star 
Spangled  Banner,"  the  soldiers  stood  at  attention,  and  the  great  crowd  rose  to 
its  feet  as  one  man,  with  the  men  standing  bare-headed  until  the  last  strains  of 
the  national  anthem  had  died  away. 

"A.  G.  Busbee,  who  had  been  the  efficient  chief  announcer  at  the  Pow-wow 
for  the  three  days,  gave  the  spectators  yesterday  a  thrilling  exhibition  of  bull- 
dogging  at  the  close  of  yesterday  afternoon's  bulldogging  contest.  Busbee,  clad 
in  his  full  Indian  regalia,  downed  one  of  the  steers  in  front  of  the  grandstand. 
He  declared  afterwards  that  he  could  have  won  the  event  if  he  had  been  allowed 
to  enter.  Officials  of  the  Pow-wow  needed  Busbee  as  announcer  and  refused 
to  run  any  risks  of  his  being  laid  out. 

"George  Drumheller,  managing  director  of  the  Pow-wow,  said  last  night  that 
he  was  not  yet  in  a  position  to  say  how  successful  the  Pow-wow  had  been  finan- 
cially, but  that  he  hoped  to  at  least  break  even,  and  possibly  clear  a  little  for 
the  benefit  of  the  fair  association. 

"  'It's  play  with  us,'  he  said.  'The  boys  like  it  and  it  gives  them  something 
to  talk  about  during  the  winter.  The  people  supportad.^the  show  well,  and  I  hope 
something  of  the  kind  can  be  arranged  again  ne^cfeyfe^r. ";'•■;  ;•■   : 

One  of  the  most  pleasing  features  of  the  Pioneer  Pow-wow,  is  well  as  of  the 
Frontier  Days  preceding  was  the  prominence  gfven  to  the  pioneers.  In  1915  a 
log-cabin  was  erected  on  the  fair  grounds  as  a  typtcal  pioneer  rest  home  durmg 
the  period  of  the  fairs.  This  was  the  rallying  place  of  the  gray  haired  sires  and 
mothers  of  the  valley,  and  significant  and  beautiful  were  the  reunions  of  the 
"Builders"  of  old  Walla  Walla  at  that  point.  At  the  Pioneer  Pow-wow  the 
address  to  the  pioneers  was  given  by  Governor  M.  C.  Moore,  last  territorial 
governor  and  one  of  the  most  honored  of  the  pioneers.  His  address  at  the 
gathering  of  1917  was  so  fitting  and  constitutes  so  complete  a  retrospect  of  the 
history  of  the  region  that  we  believe  it  will  be  seen  with  deep  regard  by  the 
pioneers  in  this  history. 

We  therefore  take  from  the  columns  of  the  Jl^alla  ]]'alla  Union  the  report, 
as  follows : 

"These  pioneer  meetings  are  significant  events ;  they  aftord  opportunity  for 
meeting  old  friends.  They  are  occasions  for  retrospection  and  reminiscence. 
We  live  over  again  in  memory,  'the  brave  days  of  old.'  We  recount  the  courage, 
the  lofty  purpose,  the  sacrifices  of  the  early  settlers,  not  only  of  those  still  living, 
but  of  those  who  have  crossed  the  Great  Divide." 

These  words,  taken  from  the  speech  of  ex-Governor  Miles  C.  Moore,  delivered 
at  the  Pioneers'  barbecue  meeting  at  the  fair  grounds  yesterday  noon,  explain 
the  significance  of  the  Pioneer  Pow-wow  to  the  early  settlers  of  this  country, 
to  whose  memory  the  big  fall  celebration  is  dedicated.  That  the  sturdy  old 
plainsmen  appreciated  the  honor  was  evident  by  their  numbers  and  the  hearty 
manner  in  which  they  participated  in  this  event.  Hundreds  of  them  were  present 
and  all  pronounced  the  juicy  beefsteaks  served  by  the  Royal  Chef  Harry  Kidwell, 
to  be  near-perfect. 


204  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

The  pioneers'  program  was  short  but  filled  with  interest  and  the  social  time 
that  followed  was  hugely  enjoyed.  Judge  E.  C.  Mills  made  a  short  address 
and  vocal  solos  were  rendered  by  Mrs.  F.  B.  Thompson  and  A.  R.  Slimmons  and 
a  reading  by  Mrs.  Thomas  Duff.  Mrs.  A.  G.  Baumeister  was  chairman  of  the 
committees  in  charge. 

Ex-Governor  Moore's  address,  coming  from  one  of  the  most  prominent  north- 
west pioneers,  was  the  feature  of  the  program,  and  was  most  interesting  to  the 
early  settlers.    It  is  given  in  full  as  follows : 

"Walla  Walla  is  proud  to  act  as  host  today  to  the  pioneers  and  feels  she  is 
entertaining  old  friends. 

"Many  of  you  came  here  long  years  ago  and  saw  the  city  in  its  earliest  begin- 
nings; saw  it  when  it  was  only  a  frontier  trading  post — an  outfiting  point  for 
miners  bound  to  the  mines  of  Pierce  City,  Orofino  and  Florence  in  Northern 
Idaho  and  to  Boise  in  Southern  Idaho — all  new  camps.  A  little  later  Kootenai 
in  British  Columbia,  and  the  mining  camps  of  Western  Montana  became  the 
Mecca  of  the  gold  seeker. 

"Many  of  them  outfitted  here  and  were  followed  by  pack  trains  laden  with 
supplies.  Many  of  you  will  remember  the  tinkle  of  the  mule  bell  which  the 
pack  mules  followed  in  blind  obedience. 

"All  day  long  these  pack  trains  filed  in  constant  procession  through  the  streets 
of  the  busy  little  city,  bound  on  long  journeys  through  the  mountains  to  the 
various  mining  camps. 

"Indians,  gaudy  with  paint  and  feathers,  rode  their  spotted,  picturesque  cayuse 
in  gay  cavalcades  along  the  trails  leading  to  town  to  trade  for  fire  water  and 
other  less  important  articles  of  barter. 

"Covered  ox  wagons  laden  with  dust  begrimed  children  and  household  goods 
'all  the  way  from  old  Missouri,'  ranchmen,  and  cow-boys  in  all  their  pristine 
swagger  and  splendor  helped  to  make  up  the  motley  throng  that  filled  the  streets 
The  cow-girl  who  rides  a  horse  astride  had  not  then  materialized. 

"The  packers  and  many  of  the  miners  came  here  to  'winter'  as  they  expressed 
it  in  those  days.  They  spent  their  money  prodigally  and  unstintingly  in  the 
saloons,  in  the  gambling  and  hurdy-gurdy  houses,  and  in  the  spring  would  return 
to  the  source  for  fresh  supplies  of  gold. 

"Some  of  the  more  successful  would  return  to  the  States  and  all  expected 
to  when  they  had  'made  their  pile.'  None  of  us  had  any  idea  of  making  this 
a  permanent  place  of  residence  or  of  being  found  here  fifty  years  later.  As 
youngsters  we  sang  with  lusty  voices: 

'We'll  all  go  home  in  the  spring,  boys, 
W't'W  all  go  home  in  the  spring.' 

Later  as  the  years  went  by  and  we  did  not  go,  there  was  added  by  the  unsenti- 
mental, this  refrain: 

'Yes,  in  a  horn; 

Yes,  in  a  horn.' 

"This  describes  conditions  existing  in  old  Walla  Walla  fifty  years  ago,  or  in 
the  decade  between  i860  and  1870,  and  are  some  of  the  moving  pictures  painted 
on  the  film  of  my  brain  when  in  the   fall  of   1863  I  wandered,  a   forlorn  and 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  205 

homesick  lad,  into  this  beautiful  valley.     Friends  and  acquaintances  I  had  none, 
except  the  two  young  men  who  came  with  me  from  Montana. 

"My  resources  were  exceedingly  slender,  and  the  question  of  how  meal  tickets 
were  to  be  obtained  was  much  on  my  mind.  That  was  fifty-four  years  ago — 
and  like  many  of  you  present  here  today  I  watched  the  years  go  by  with 
gradually  increasing  faith  in  the  country's  resources ;  a  faith  that  ripened  into 
love  for  the  beautiful  valley,  its  people  and  its  magnificent  surroundings.  Walla 
Walla  all  these  years  has  been  my  home,  her  people  became  my  people,  her 
interests  were  my  interests.  It  is  hoped  you  will  pardon  these  personal  allusions 
but  after  all  history  is  defined  as  'the  essence  of  innumerable  biographies.' 

"It  is  a  goodly  land — a  fit  abode  for  a  superior  race  of  people,  a  race  to 
match  its  mountains,  worthy  of  its  magnificent  surroundings. 

"Along  in  the  early  '60s,  stockmen  from  the  Willamette  Valley,  attracted 
by  the  bunch  grass  that  grew  in  wild  luxuriance  over  all  the  hills  and  valleys 
of  this  inter-mountain  region,  brought  horses  and  cattle  and  established  stock 
ranches  along  the  streams.  Later  it  was  discovered  that  grain  would  grow  on 
the  foothills,  and  that  the  yield  was  surprisingly  large.  The  wheat  area  was 
gradually  widened  and  land  supposed  worthless  grew  enormous  crops.  Now 
wheat  has  everywhere  supplanted  the  bunch  grass  and  the  Inland  Empire  sends 
annually  about  sixty-five  million  bushels  to  feed  a  hungry  world. 

"Walla  Walla  in  the  early  '60s  was  a  town  of  about  two  thousand  inhabitants 
and  the  only  town  between  The  Dalles  and  Lewiston.  Now  this  region  is  filled 
with  cities  and  towns  and  villages,  dotted  all  over  with  the  happy  homes  of  a 
brave,  enterprising,  peace-loving,  law-abiding  people. 

"Many  of  us  have  seen  the  country  in  its  making,  have  helped  to  lay  the 
foundations  of  the  commonwealth,  have  seen  the  territory  'put  on  the  robes  of 
state  sovereignty,'  have  seen  it  become  an  important  unit  in  the  great  federation 
of  states,  have  recently  seen  its  young  men  pour  forth  by  thousands  to  engage  in 
a  war  not  of  our  making  but  in  the  language  of  President  Wilson,  'that  the  world 
may  be  made  safe  for  democracy.' 

"These  pioneer  meetings  are  significant  events ;  they  afford  opportunity  for 
meeting  old  friends.  They  are  occasions  for  retrospection  and  reminiscence.  We 
live  over  again  in  memory  'the  brave  days  of  old.'  We  recount  the  courage,  the 
lofty  purpose,  the  sacrifices  of  the  early  settlers  not  only  of  those  still  living,  but 
of  those  who  have  crossed  the  Great  Divide. 

"They  were  a  sturdy  race;  they  braved  the  perils  of  pioneer  life,  and  'pushed 
back  the  frontiers  in  the  teeth  of  savage  foes.'  We  are  old  enough  now  to  begin 
to  have  a  history.  In  fact,  this  Walla  Walla  country  is  rich  in  historic  interest, 
and  inspiring  history  it  is.  Lewis  and  Clark  passed  through  it  on  their  way  to 
and  from  the  coast.  Whitman  established  his  mission  here  in  1836  and  eleven 
years  later  gave  up  his  life  as  the  last  full  measure  of  his  devotion  to  the  cause 
he  loved  so  well.  Other  missionaries  and  explorers  saw  it  and  were  impressed 
with  its  fertility  and  the  mildness  of  its  climate.  Indian  wars  raged  here,  and 
it  was  here,  almost  on  this  spot,  that  Governor  Stevens  held  the  council  and  made 
treaties  with  5,500  Indians. 

"No  other  part  of  the  northwest  has  such  a  historic  background.  All  this 
will  continue  to  be  an  inspiration  to  the  people  who  are  to  reside  here. 

"Wherever  the  early  settler  built  his  cabin,  or  took  his  claim,  he  left  the 


206  OLD  W  Al.l.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

impress  of  his  jxisonality.  Tliese  personal  exjx;riences  should  be  woven  into 
history  and  it  is  hoped  that  Professor  Lyman  in  his  forthcoming  history  of  old 
\\  alia  Walla  County  will  include  many  of  these  personal  memorials. 

"The  restless  impulse,  the  wanderlust  implanted  in  the  race,  the  impulse 
that  carried  the  first  wave  of  emigration  over ~  Cumberland  Gap  in  the  Alle- 
ghenies  and  down  the  Ohio  to  Kentucky,  'the  dark  and  bloody  ground,'  swept 
over  the  prairies  of  Illinois  and  Iowa,  across  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri.  Here 
it  halted  on  the  edge  of  the  Great  American  Desert,  until  the  gold  discovery  in 
California  in  '49  gave  it  new  impetus  and  it  swept  on  again.  These  indefatigable 
Americans  crossed  the  Great  Plains,  they  climbed  the  Rocky  Mountains,  they 
opened  mines,  they  felled  forests,  tilled  the  land,  developed  water  powers,  built 
mills  and  manufactories,  filling  all  the  wide  domain  with  'the  shining  towers  of 
civilization.' 

"The  liberal  land  laws  of  the  Government — giving  a  homestead  to  each 
man  brave  enough  and  enterprising  enough  to  go  out  and  occupy  it,  the  mines  it 
ofi'ered  to  the  prospectors  were  the  powerful  factors  that  gave  us  population  and 
led  to  the  development  of  the  country. 

"All  honor  to  the  pioneers — 
"They  have  made  this  beautiful  land  of  ours 
To  blossom  in  grain  and  fruit  and  flowers.' 

Many  of  them  have  passed  to  a  well  earned  rest.  May  the  living  long  remain 
to  enjoy  the  fruit  of  their  labors. 

"Walla  Walla  has  been  pleased  to  have  you  here  today  and  hopes  to  see  you 
all  again  at  future  Pow-wows.  Her  good  wishes  go  with  you  wherever  you 
may  be." 

There  have  been  various  interesting  and  valuable  exhibitions  in  Walla  Walla 
in  recent  years  which  are  entitled  to  extended  mention,  but  the  limits  of  our 
space  compel  us  to  forego  details.  One  of  the  most  conspicuous  of  these  has 
been  the  "corn-show,"  maintained  by  the  O.-W.  R.  R.  management.  "Farmer" 
Smith  has  been  conspicuous  in  these  shows,  other  experts  in  corn  production,  as 
well  as  in  the  allied  arts  of  the  use  of  corn  in  cookery  and  otherwise,  have  been 
in  attendance,  banquets  have  been  held  attended  by  some  of  the  chief  officials 
of  the  railroad  company,  and  a  public  interest  has  been  created  already  bearing 
fruit,  and  sure  to  be  a  great  factor  in  agriculture  in  the  future.  A  hearty 
tribute  is  due  the  O.-W.  R.  R.  for  the  broad  and  intelligent  policy  which  has 
led  to  this  contribution  to  the  productive  energies  of  this  region. 

W.\LLA    WALL.\    P.\GE.ANT 

To  those  who  were  in  Walla  Walla  at  the  "Pageant  of  May"  in  1914,  that 
spectacle  must  ever  remain  as  incomparably  the  most  beautiful  and  poetical 
exhibition  ever  given  in  Walla  Walla.  Indeed  it  may  well  claim  precedence  over 
any  spectable  ever  presented  in  the  Inland  Empire.  It  was  in  all  respects  in  a 
class  by  itself.  It  was  conducted  under  the  auspices  of  the  Woman's  Park  Club. 
The  Pageant  consisted  of  two  movements,  diverse  in  their  origin  and  nature  and 
yet  interwoven  with  such  artistic  skill  as  to  demonstrate  rare  poetical  ability  and" 
inventive  genius  on  the  part  of  the  author,  Mr.  Porter  Garnett  of  Berkeley,  Cal. 


GATHERING    TOKAY    GRAPES,    CLARKSTON 


PICKING   PEACHES,   ADAMS'    PLACE,    CLARKSTON 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  207 

This  event  was  of  such  entirely  exceptional  character  and  so  well  set  a 
pattern  for  po5;3ible  future  occasions  and  created  such  interest  in  the  minds  of 
all  who  witnessed  its  beautiful  scenes  in  the  park,  that  the  author  feels  con- 
fident that  the  readers  of  this  volume  will  be  glad  to  read  the  Foreword  and  the 
Introduction  as  given  in  the  book  prepared  by  Mr.  Garnett  and  inscribed  by  him 
with  this  graceful  dedication : 

TO  THE  WOMEN  OF 

THE  WOMAN'S  PARK  CLUB 

WHOSE 

CIVIC  PRIDE 

AND 

CONSTRUCTIVE  IDEALISM 

HAVE  ENABLED  THEM 
TO  DARE  AND  TO  ACHIEVE 

The  foreword  is  as  follows  : 

FOREWORD 

The  history  of  "A  Pageant  of  May"  is  briefly  told. 

In  November,  1913,  the  Woman's  Parle  Club,  which,  in  191 1.  inaugurated  an  annual 
May  Festival,  conceived  the  idea  of  holding  a  pageant  in  our  city. 

Correspondence  with  the  American  Pageant  Assocjiation  ij^j^to  Ih'e  .ihViting  of  Mr.  Porter 
Garnett  of  Berkeley,  California  (one  of  the  directS'ns  ef.the  assqciation),.  to  come  to  Walla 
Walla  for  a  conference.  Mr.  Garnett  arrived  on  ^lar'ch  26th.  '-On' the  30th,  having  in  the 
meantime  selected  City  Park  as  the  most  suitable -site,  he  suJbmittejl.  the  outline  of  "A  Pageant 
of  May."  It  was  officially  approved  on  March  3lsf,  and  the  work  ol  prpparation  was  begun. 
Since  the  construction  of  a  pageant  is  usually  a  matTeifb'f'rtiany-months  it  seems  proper, 
in  this  case,  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  within  a  period  of  seven  weeks  Mr.  Garnett 
has  written  the  text  of  "A  Pageant  of  May,"  designed  the  costumes  and  properties,  invented 
the  dances,  selected  the  music  and  rehearsed  a  cast  of  over  three  hundred. 

Grateful  acknowledgment  is  made  of  the  assistance  of  the  Commercial  Club  and  of  the 
many  citizens  of  Walla  Walla  who  have  given  so  generously  of  their  time  and  talent,  insuring 
the  success  of  the  "introduction  of  pageantry  in  the  Northwest." 

Grace  G.  Isaacs, 
Mabel  Baker  Anderson, 
Lydia  P.  Sutherland, 
Mary  Shipman  Penrose, 
Marie  A.  Catron, 
Executive  Committee  for  the  Pageant, 
Woman's  Park  Club. 

Mr.   Garnett's   Introduction,  interpreting  the  Pageant,  is  presented  in  these 
words : 

INTRODUCTION 

Although  May  festivals  are  held  in  almost  every  community,  it  is  in  the  agricultural 
community,  such  as  this  of  Walla  Walla  with  its  vicinage  of  fertile  acres,  that  the  celebration 
of  spring — the  season  of  renewal — is  most  appropriate. 

A  Pageant  of  May  is  a  May  festival  and  something  more.  In  it,  instead  of  restricting 
the  ceremonies  of  the  more  or  less  hackneyed  forms,  an  eflfort  has  been  made  to  utilize 
the  traditional  material  and  to  import  into  it  certain  elements  of  freshness  and  fancy. 


208  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Tlie  inti'iition  lias  been  not  so  much  to  give  an  cxliibition  as  to  afford  the  community 
an  opportunity  for  self-expression.  The  real  purpose  of  the  pageant  is  to  remind  the 
people  of  Walla  Walla  that  since  they  owe  their  existence  to  the  soil,  spring  should  be 
for  them  a  season  of  sincere  and  spontaneous  rejoicing.  It  should  not  be  necessary  to 
cajole  them  into  celebrating  this  season  which  brings  in  bud  and  blossom  an  earnest  of 
tlic  harvest  to  come.  They  should  not  only  be  willing  but  eager  to  make  merry  on  the 
Green  and  to  dance  around  the  May-poles.  They  should  remember  tlial  the  earth  which 
gives  them  sustenance  is  not  their  servant  but  their  mistress  and  that  without  her  gen- 
erous gifts  they  would  be  poor  indeed.  A  pageant  of  May  offers  them  an  opportunity 
to  pay  their  homage  to  Earth  the  Giver  whom  the  Greeks  personified  and  worshipped 
as  the  goddess  Demeter   (Ceres). 

In  the  Masque  of  Proserpine,  which  forms  the  first  part  of  the  pageant,  the  return 
of  spring  is  treated  symbolically.  The  myth  upon  which  the  masque  is  built  has,  on  account 
of  its  peculiar  appropriateness,  been  used  at  various  times  and  in  various  ways  to  cele- 
brate the  season  of  rebirth,  but  the  present  adaptation  with  its  free  use  of  comedy  is 
entirely  original.  It  has  been  necessary,  of  course,  to  take  many  liberties  with  the  accepted 
versions,  notably  the  e.xcision  of  that  part  of  the  myth  which  deals  with  Ceres'  wanderings 
in  search  of  Proserpine.  Those  who  may  be  desirous  of  reading  the  myth  in  its  most 
charming  form  are  referred  to  the  translation  of  an  Homeric  hymn  which  Walter  Pater 
incorporated  in  his  essay,  Demeter  and  Persephone,  contained  in  his  volume  "The  Greek 
Spirit." 

The  second  part  of  the  pageant  is  based  upon  the  traditional  English  May  Day  cele- 
brations. The  traditions,  however,  are  by  no  means  strictly  followed  for  there  seems 
to  be  no  justification  for  a  rigid  adherence  in  America  to  customs  which  are  essentially 
English.  I  have  used  Robin  Hood  and  his  Merrie  Men  because,  through  literature,  they 
have  been  made  the  heritage  of  all  English-speaking  people;  I  have,  however,  omitted  the 
Morris-dance  because,  in  America,  it  has  no  significance  whatever. 

Since  it  is  hoped  that  the  pageant  will  be  interpreted  throughout  in  a  spirit  of  gaiety; 
since  the  participants  will  be  expected  to  forget  (as  far  as  possible)  that  there  are  any 
spectators,  the  spontaniety  which  is  difficult  to  attain  rather  than  the  expertness  which  is 
comparatively  easy,  will  be  looked  for  in  the  May-pole  and  other  dances.  To  Mrs.  E.  R. 
Ormsbee's  able  direction  is  due  whatever  measure  of  success  may  be  achieved  in  this 
regard.  The  Dance  of  the  Seeds  and  the  Dance  of  the  Fruits  and  Flowers  owe  the  charm 
of  their   form  and   detail  to  the  inventive   fancy  and  skill  of   Miss  Rachel   Drum. 

In  both  the  Masque  and  the  Revels  realism  has  been  scrupulously  avoided  because 
in  the  author's  opinion  realism  on  the  stage  is  inartistic  and  futile.  There  is  no  reason 
why  a  pageant — whether  of  the  historical  or  festival  type — should  not  be  consistently 
expressed  in  terms  of  beauty. 

To  this  end  the  masque  feature  has  been  employed  as  affording  the  best  possible  means 
by  which  the  note  of  beauty  may  be  introduced.  I  believe  that  the  introduction  of  the 
masque  feature  in  all  pageants,  by  increasing  the  gap  which  already  exists  between  formal 
and  creative  pageantry  and  the  familiar  tawdriness  of  the  street-fair  and  carnival,  would 
do  more  to  raise  the  standard  of  pageantry  than  any  other  single  thing. 

The  text  of  A  Pageant  of  May  has  been  reduced  to  the  simplest  possible  terms.  It 
contains  no  more  lines  than  were  necessary  to  unfold  the  plot  and  deliver  the  message. 
The  lines,  moreover,  have  been  uniformly  written  with  the  fact  in  view  that  they  were 
to  be  delivered  and  delivered  in  the  open  air.  Syllables  that  open  the  mouth  have  been 
more  important  therefore  than  poetic  embellishments.  As  far  as  possible  pantomime  has 
been  used  to  reveal  the  story.  A  Pageant  of  May  is  not  intended  for  closet  reading,  and 
if  the  reader  who  did  not  see  its  realizement  in  action  on  the  four-acre  stage  in  Walla 
W'alla's  city  park   finds  it  somewhat  jejune  he  is  asked  to  bear  that  fact  in  mind. 

I  cannot  leave  unexpressed  mj'  grateful  acknowledgments  to  the  members  of  the 
Costume  Committee  who  have  worked  most  efficiently  under  the  direction  of  Mrs.  A.  J. 
Gillis,  the  designing  of  the  children's  costumes  being  admirably  done  by  Miss  Helen  Burr 
and  Mrs.  W.  E.  Most.  To  the  chairman  and  members  of  the  other  committees,  and  to 
the  organizers  and  chaperones  of  the  various  groups  I  am  indebted  for  the  invaluable 
assistance   which   they  have   rendered.     Finally,   I   would   take  this   opportunity  to  express 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  209 

my  gratitude  to  the  women  of  the  Executive  Committee  who,  putting  aside  every  con- 
sideration of  personal  convenience,  have  labored  indefatigably  for  the  success  of  the 
pageant  and   the  benefit  of   the  community. 

P.  G. 
Walla  Walla,  Washington. 
May    14,    1914. 


CHAPTER  VI 

IN'Tin.I.KCTL'AL  AX!)   RKLIGIOUS   FORCKS  OF  WALLA   WALLA 
COUNTY;  FDUCATIONAL  LNSTITUTIONS  OF  WALLA  WALLA 

While  the  eastern  jKirts  of  tlic  United  States  and  pre-eminently  New  F-ng- 
laml.  alK>vc  all  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  have  assumed,  and  to  considerable 
<if{;rff  justly,  that  tliey  hohl  priority  in  education,  yet  the  pcoj)le  of  the  Far- 
West  may  rifjht  fully  claim  that  within  the  past  dozen  or  twenty  years  they  have 
tiLidf  such  pains  in  educational  ]•■  ;in<l   results  as  to  place  them  in  the 

irniit  rank.     The  ri|)ort  of  the  Ku-  ■    F^oundation  a  few  years  ago  that  for 

all  'round  efficiency  the  schools  of  Washington  State  were  entitled  to  first  place 
in  the  I'nited  States,  was  not  surj>risinjj,  ihouph  pratifyinp  to  those  familiar  with 
the  extraordinary  growth  in  equijHnent  and  teaching  force  during  the  last  decade. 
As  is  well  known,  several  western  and  Pacific  Coast  states  outrun  all  others  in 
freedom  from  illiteracy,  having  practically  no  jK-rmanent  residents  of  proper 
age  and  normal  faculties  unahle  to  read  and  write.  It  is  one  of  the  glories  of 
American  democracy,  and  in  fact  the  logical  consequence  of  self-government  in 
this  or  in  any  country,  that  the  craving  for  knowledge  and  power  and  advance- 
ment exists  in  the  masses.  Thus  and  thus  only  can  democracy  justify  its 
existence.  In  the  West,  and  perhaps  even  most  intensely  in  the  Pacific  Coast 
states,  the  ambition  to  succeed,  the  spirit  of  personal  initiative,  the  feelings  of 
indeiK-ndence  and  equality,  were  the  legitimate  product  of  the  pioneer  era. 

The  state  builder.',  the  offspring  of  the  immigrant  train,  the  homesteaders 
of  the  Walla  Walh  country,  were,  like  other  westerners,  anxious  to  In-queath  to 
their  children  In-tter  opportunities  for  education  than  they  in  their  primitive  sur- 
roundings could  command.  Hence  they  had  hardly  more  than  satisfied  the 
fundamental  necessities  of  location,  shelter,  and  some  means  of  income  than 
ibey  K-gan  to  raise  the  (|ucstion  of  schcKils.  In  the  earliest  numlnrrs  of  the 
H'ashitKjIon  Slalcsmati  the  pioneer  newspaper  of  tlu-  Inland  Empire.  Ix-ginning 
in  1861,  we  fmd  the  question  of  suitable  school  buildings  raised.  liut  that  was 
not  the  iK-ginning.  It  is  interesting  to  recall  that  IV>ctor  and  Mrs.  Whitman  were 
constantly  active  in  maintaining  a  sch<Kil  .-it  Waiilatjni.  not  only  as  a  missionary 
enterprise  for  the  Indians,  but,  as  time  went  on,  for  the  children  of  the  immi- 
grants, who  gradually  formed  a  little  group  arouncl  tlie  mission.  Then  after  the 
long  period  of  Indian  wars  and  the  establishment  of  the  United  States  garrisfin 
in  its  present  location,  there  was  provision  made  in  1857  for  teaching  the  children 
of  the  garrison  together  with  a  few  stray  children  in  the  community.  The 
teacher  of  that  little  group  was  Harry  Freeman  of  the  first  dragoons,  Troup  E. 
Tlie  building  used  was  on  the  garrison  grounds.  Among  the  children  were 
several   well  known  later  in  Walla   Walla  and  the  state,  as  James  and   Hugh 

210 


Green    Park    Scliool 
Washington  School 


Jefferson    School 


Lincoln    School 
Sharpstein  School 


SCHOOLS  OF  WALLA  WALLA 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  211 

McCool  and  their  sister  Maggie,  afterwards  Mrs.  James  Monaghan,  mother  of 
the  gallant  Lieutenant  Monaghan,  who  lost  his  life  heriocally  in  the  Samoan 
Islands  and  for  whom  a  commemorative  monument  stands  at  the  southern  end  of 
the  AJonroe  Street  bridge  in  Spokane.  In  that  first  little  company  of  school 
children  were  Robert  Smith,  Mrs.  Michael  Kenny,  and  the  Sickler  girls,  one 
of  whom  is  now  Mrs.  Kyger.  The  first  school  within  the  limits  of  Walla  Walla 
was  conducted  in  1861-2  by  Mrs.  A.  J.  Miner  in  a  private  house  at  about  what 
would  now  be  Alder  and  Palouse  streets.  Another  pioneer  teacher  was  J.  H. 
Blewett. 

PUBLIC  SCHOOLS 

Prior  to  1862  there  had  been  no  public  school  organization.  The  scholastic 
needs  of  the  children  had  been  recognized,  however,  in  the  first  permanent 
organization  of  the  county  on  March  26,  1859,  by  the  appointment  of  Wm.  B. 
Kelly  as  superintendent  of  schools.  At  the  election  of  July  14,  1862,  J.  F.  Wood 
was  chosen  superintendent,  and  District  Number  i  was  organized,  a  room  rented, 
and  a  teacher  appointed.  Progress  seems  to  have  lagged,  however,  until  the  fall 
of  1864,  in  which  year  the  census  showed  a  school  population  of  203,  though 
of  that  number  only  ninety-three  were  enrolled.  A  meeting  on  December  12th  of 
that  year  voted  to  levy  a  tax  of  23^^  mills  for  the  erection  of  a  building.  Dr.  D.  S. 
Baker  donated  the  land  now  occupied  by  the  ^Bilker.  ..Sxiaol  and  a  building  was 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $2,000,  the  first  public  scfobbl  bti3dirig:rn  the  Inland  Empire. 
In  1868  a  second  district  numbered  34  was  orgfefzfed'lri'^e'  Southwestern  part 
of  town  at  the  corner  of  Willow  and  Eighth  .stents,  ,.,T|iat  building  with  some 
additions  served  its  purpose  till  1879,  and  Sn  that  year  the  Park  Street  building,  in 
use  for  a  number  of  years,  was  put  up  at  a  cost  of  $2,000.  Districts  number 
I  and  34  were  consolidated  by  the  Legislature  in  1881  and  the  board  of  directors 
consisted  of  the  directors  of  the  two  districts.  As  a  matter  of  record  it  is  worth 
while  to  preserve  the  names  of  that  board:  H.  E.  Johnson,  D.  M.  Jessee,  B.  L. 
Sharpstein,  N.  T.  Caton,  Wm.  O'Donnell,  and  F.  W.  Paine.  E.  B.  Whitman  was 
clerk. 

By  vote  of  the  district  on  April  29,  1882,  a  much  more  ambitious  plan  of 
building  was  adopted,  one  commensurate  with  the  progress  of  the  intervening 
years,  and  a  tax  of  $17,000  was  levied  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  brick 
building.  That  building  accordingly  was  realized  on  the  Baker  School  ground, 
in  which  many  of  the  present  "grave  and  reverend  seigniors"  of  Walla  Walla  had 
their  first  schooling.  Not  until  1889  was  there  any  high  school  work  in  Walla 
Walla.  In  that  year  Prof.  R.  C.  Kerr,  who  was  city  superintendent,  met  the 
few  pupils  of  high  school  grade  in  the  Baker  School  building.  In  the  following 
year  those  pupils  were  transferred  to  the  Paine  School,  now  known  as  the  Lincoln 
School,  which  had  been  erected  in  1888. 

FIR.ST   HIGH   SCHOOL   CLASS 

The  first  high  school  class  was  graduated  in  1893.  Up  to  1900  there  was  a 
total   number  of   high   school   graduates   of   eighty.     New  buildings  have  been 


_•!.'  OLD  WALLA  W'Al-LA  COUNTY 

added  from  tinic  to  time  and  new  courses  esublished,  with  suitable  equii^mcnt 
and  tcaihinK  force.  Perhaps  we  can  in  no  way  bcttrr  indicate  the  growth  of  tlic 
scliools  of  Walb  Walla  County  and  city,  than  by  incorporating  here  a  rcj»ort 
prepared  by  County  Supt.  G.  S.  Bond  in  1900  for  a  history  of  Walla  U'alla  by 
the  author  of  this  work,  and  contrast  with  it  the  last  report  of  City  SujH.  W.  M. 
Kern.  While  Walla  Walla  and  adjoining  communities  have  not  been  considered 
as  of  rapid  growth,  compared  with  some  other  parts  of  the  state,  a  perusal  of 
th<  sc  reiiorts,  seventeen  years  a|>art,  will  give  the  present  citizen  some  conce|Mion 
of  the  changes  in  that  short  period. 

Professor  Bond's  rejwrt  follows:  "It  is  the  primary  object  of  the  writer,  in 
pre|>aring  this  statement,  to  present  to  the  public  a  brief  recital  of  the  present 
condition  of  the  educational  facilities  of  Walla  Walla  County,  rather  than  attempt 
to  give  any  account  of  the  history  and  growth  of  those  facilities.  Were  it  even 
desirable  to  do  so,  it  would,  for  two  reasons,  prove  a  somewhat  difficult  undertak- 
ing. The  records  compiled  by  the  earlier  school  officers  are  quite  incomplete,  if 
compared  with  present  requirements,  and  the  subdivision  of  the  original  county 
into  the  present  counties  of  Columbia,  Garfield,  Asotin  and  Walla  Walla,  occa- 
sioned many  changes  in  the  various  school  districts,  and  led  to  a  complete  rc-dis- 
tricting  and  re-numbering.  This,  the  records  in  the  county  superintendent's  office 
show,  was  done  between  the  years  1879  and  1886. 

"In  i8<^i.  the  county  suix-rintendent.  by  order  of  the  county  commissioners, 
brought  together  in  one  bcjok  the  i)lats  and  boundaries  of  the  \arious  districts, 
numbered  consecutively  from  one  to  fifty-three.  Since  that  date,  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  the  constant  increase  in  i»o|)ulation,  many  changes  in  boundaries 
have  been  made  and  thirteen  new  districts  have  l)een  formed,  making  a  total 
of  sixty-six.    Six  of  these  are  joint  with  Columbia  County. 

"The  subdivision  of  the  county  into  sixty-six  school  districts  brings  nearly 
every  section  within  easy  range  of  school  facilities.  Especially  is  this  true  of 
the  eastern  and  southern  portions  where  the  county  is  most  densely  populated. 
With  but  few  exceptions  these  districts  have  good,  comfortable  schoolhouses.  fur- 
nished with  modern  jatent  desks,  and  fairly  well  supplied  with  apparatus.  Six 
new  schoolhouses  were  built,  and  a  considerable  amount  of  furniture  was  pur- 
chased last  year. 

"A  movement  which  is  receiving  considerable  attention  and  which  is  proving 
of  great  service  to  the  county  is  the  establishment  by  private  enterprise,  enter- 
tainment or  subscription  of  district  libraries.  About  twenty  have  received  their 
l>ooks  which  arc  eagerly  read  by  l)oth  pupils  and  parents.  Others  arc  preparing 
entirtaiiunents  to  raise  a  library  fund.  It  is  greatly  to  be  hoped  that  our  Legis- 
lature may  pass  some  law  at  this  session  to  encourage  the  district  library.  It  is 
one  of  the  measures  most  needed  to  improve  our  rural  schools. 

"Another  feature  that  is  proving  of  l>enefit  to  the  country  schools  is  common 
school  graduation.  An  opportunity  to  take  an  examination  for  graduation  is 
given  at  various  times,  to  eighth  grade  pupils  in  any  of  the  schools.  The  diplomas 
admit  to  high  school  without  further  examination.  Many  take  pride  in  having 
finished  the  common  school  course,  and  are  induced  to  remain  in  school  much 
longer  than  they  otherwise  would. 

"Eight  <listrirt<:  are  at  present  maintaining  graded  schools.     There  seems  to 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  213 

be  a  growing  sentiment  in  some  of  the  more  densely  populated  sections  to  gather 
together  their  pupils  for  the  superior  advantages  of  the  graded  schools.  Walla 
Walla  (No.  i)  provides  an  excellent  four-year  high  school  course.  No.  3  (Waits- 
burg),  also  has  a  high  school  department. 

"Were  all  the  schools  in  session  at  the  same  time  there  would  be  required 
a  force  of  116  teachers.  The  districts  employing  more  than  one  teacher  are: 
Walla  Walla — 30,  Waitsburg — 7,  Prescott — 3,  Seeber — 3  and  Dixie,  Wallula, 
Harrer  and  Touchet — 2  each.  Of  those  employed  at  this  time,  7  hold  life 
diplomas  or  state  certificates,  18  normal  diplomas,  25  first  grade  certificates,  21 
second  grade,  and  15  third  grade.  Twenty  applicants  failed  last  year.  If  the 
present  crowded  condition  of  the  Walla  Walla  and  Waitsburg  schools  continues 
next  year  it  will  necessitate  an  increase  in  the  teaching  force  of  five  or  six  at 
the  former  place  and  of  one  at  the  latter. 

The  Teachers'  Reading  Circle  was  reorganized  in  January,  and  meetings  have 
been  arranged  for  the  more  central  points  throughout  the  county.  The  sessions 
are  well  attended,  the  exercises  carefully  prepared.  About  fifty  teachers  have 
purchased  one  or  more  of  the  books  and  enrolled  as  members.  All  teachers  have 
free  access  to  a  library  of  about  seventy-five  volumes,  treating  principally  on 
theory  and  practice,  or  the  history  and  philosophy  of  education. 

Our  school  districts  never  began  a  year  on  a  more  solid  financial  basis  than 
they  did  the  present  one.  Fifty-one  of  the  sixty-six  had  a  good  balance  to  their 
credit  in  the  hands  of  the  county  treasurer.  A  comparison  of  the  last  financial 
statement  with  that  of  previous  years  is  given  to  mark  the  increase. 

Receipts                                                         1897  1898  1900 

Balance  in  hands  of  county  treasurer $  9,521.43  $  9.279.24  $  25,838.81 

Amount  apportioned  to  districts  by  county 

supt 32,104.54  56,210.31  58.574-66 

Amount  received  from  special  tax 11,761.62  26,346.81  26,503.99 

Amount  from  sale  of  school  bonds 500.00  1,410.00  500.00 

Amount  transferred  from  other  districts 

Amounts  from  other  sources I3I-54  82.69  2,212.15 

Total   $54,019.13    $93>34705    $113,629.61 

Expenditures                                                 1897  1898  1900 

Amount  paid  for  teachers' wages $47,278.95  $38,691.71 

Amount  paid  for  rents,  fuel,  etc $38,027.39  10,697.78  13,65306 

Amount  paid  for  interest  on  bonds 2,578.00  2,645.55  4.301. 00 

Amount  paid  for  sites,  buildings,  etc 2,902.68  32,152-61 

Amount  paid  for  interest  on  warrants 4,i  13-75  5.649-78  1.650.94 

Amount  reverting  to  general  school  fund 2.75  

Amount  for  other  districts 12.86 

Total    $44,721.89    $69,173.94      $90,962.18 

Balance  on  hand   9-297-24      24,173.11         22,667.43 


214  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

"The  hard  times  experienced  two  or  three  years  ago  materially  affected 
teachers'  wages  in  this  county.  The  average  amount  paid  male  teachers,  accord- 
ing to  the  annual  report  of  the  county  superintendent  in  1898,  was  $56.57;  for 
female  teachers,  $39.54.  For  1900,  male  teachers,  $62.50;  female  teachers, 
$52.40.  There  seems  however,  to  be  dawning  a  brighter  future  for  the  con- 
scientious teacher.  Rigid  examinations  for  two  years  have  lessened  the  competi- 
tion from  those  who  entered  the  work  only  because  they  had  no  other  employ- 
ment; the  districts  are  able  to  hold  longer  terms  and  pay  larger  salaries  now. 
The  minimum  salary  this  year  is  $40,  other  rural  districts  pay  $45  and  $50. 
Salaries  in  the  graded  schools  are  from  fifty-five  to  one  hundred  dollars  per 
month.  The  average  length  of  term  in  1898  was  6j^  months;  the  average  from 
1900  is  /J4  months. 

"The  estimate  in  the  county  superintendent's  annual  report  for  1898  places 
the  total  value  of  schoolhouses  and  grounds  at  $162,080;  of  school  furniture, 
$15,317;  of  apparatus,  etc.,  $3,871;  of  libraries,  $1,690.  Amount  of  insurance 
on  school  property,  $79,605;  of  bonds  outstanding,  $45,300;  warrants  outstand- 
ing, $41,274.  The  last  enumeration  of  children  of  school  age  shows  4,275  resided 
in  the  county  on  Jime  1st;  of  these  3,621  were  enrolled  in  the  public  schools,  and 
made  an  average  daily  attendance  of  2,076. 

"For  1900,  schoolhouses  and  grounds,  $194,060;  furniture,  $16,350;  apparatus, 
$4,000;  libraries,  $2,450;  insurance,  $100,650;  bonds  outstanding,  $75,300;  war- 
rants outstanding,  $82,721.16;  children  of  school  age,  4,767;  children  enrolled, 
4,102;  average  daily  attendance,  2,322.  Such  was  the  report  of  the  county 
superintendent  in  1900.  Now  we  present  the  report  of  city  superintendent,  W. 
M.  Kern,  for  year  ending  in  1917: 

Enrollment                                                                   Boys  Girls  Total 

Elementary    schools    1,280  1,234  2,514 

High  school    428  393  821 

Night    school    46  81  127 

Total    1,754         1,708        3.462 

Transfers  to   high  school 17  26  43 

Total  actual  enrollment i,737         1,682         3,419 

Deduct    night    school 46  81  127 

Actual  enrollment,  grade  and  high  school 1,691  i,6or         3,292 

Teachers  in  city  schools,  loi  ;  valuation  of  property  of  city  schools,  grounds 
and  buildings,  $790,000;  equipment,  $72,000. 

"Over  seven  thousand  children  of  school  age  reside  in  Walla  Walla  County, 
according  to  the  1917  school  census,  completed  yesterday.  The  census  shows  a 
total  population  of  school  children  of  7,331.  Of  this  number  3,928  live  in  the 
city  school  districts  and  the  rest  in  the  other  districts  of  the  county. 

"The  number  of  children  in  the  county  this  year  is  almost  identical  with 
that  of  last  year,   191 7  showing  a  decline  of  two.     Last  year's  figures  showed 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  215 

7,333,  as  against  7,331  this  year.  In  the  city  there  was  a  dedine  in  the  number  of 
children,  the  census  this  year  being  3,982  as  against  4,000  last  year.  The  county 
districts,  however,  showed  a  gain  of  sixteen. 

"The  city  school  census  of  1917  shows  the  following: 

Number  of  pupils  receiving  diplomas — 

Boys  Girls  Total 

Green    Park    21  12  33 

Baker 12  11  23 

Sharpstein 17  40  57 

JeiTerson    17  17  34 

Washington    8  6  14 

Total,  grades 75  86  161 

High  school  44  55  99 

Per  cent  of  attendance — 

Grades   98.17 

High  school 98.10" 

As  will  have  been  seen,  Professor  Kern's  report  fives  a  view  of  the  buildings 
and  other  successive  additions  to  the  facilitieig>''^6f!' the  "public  schools  of  Walla 
Walla  City.  Similar  development  has  takert  'pfece:  In  Wai'tsburg;,  Prescott  and 
Touchet,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following.  It  may  be. added  jhat  the  smaller 
places,  and  the  country  districts  also,  have  eixperienced  a  like- irapf ovement. 

WAITSBURG 

Waitsburg  has  maintained  excellent  schools  for  many  years.  We  have  pre- 
sented some  facts  in  regard  to  the  earlier  schools  of  the  place,  and  are  giving  here 
a  view  of  present  organization  and  equipment. 

At  this  date  the  board  of  education  consists  of  Messrs.  N.  B.  Atkinson,  J.  A. 
Danielson,  and  W.  J.  Taylor.  Miss  Mary  Dixon  is  clerk.  The  faculty  consists 
of  the  following :  Superintendent,  James  H.  Adams ;  high  school,  principal  and 
instructor  in  science  and  athletics,  B.  B.  Brown ;  instructor  in  English,  Edna 
McCroskey ;  instructor  in  Latin  and  German,  Freda  Paulson-;  instructor  in  mathe- 
matics, lone  Fenton;  instructor  in  history,  Elizabeth  Nelson;  instructor  in 
domestic  science  and  art,  Gladys  Persels ;  instructor  in  manual  training  and 
mechanical  drawing,  Earl  Frazier. 

The  Central  School  contains  the  grades,  eight  in  number,  Anna  GofF  being 
principal. 

Waitsburg  is  provided  with  three  excellent  buildings  valued  as  follows :  high 
school,  $20,000;  Central  School,  $25,000;  Preston  Hall,  $35,000.  The  last  named 
is  the  pride  of  the  Waitsburg  School  system.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  structure  and  an 
instrumentality  of  unique  interest.  It  was  the  gift  of  W.  G.  Preston,  one  of  the 
most  conspicuous  of  the  pioneers  of  Walla  Walla  County.  It  was  the  result 
of  the  philanthropic  impulse  as  well  as  the  practical  good  judgment  of  its  donor, 
for  Mr.  Preston  had  formed  the  impression  during  his  busy  and  successful  career 


210  OLD  \\'ALL.\  WALLA  COUNTY 

that  a  ktiowlcd^  uf  the  nuiuutl  arts  was  viul  to  the  average  boy  and  girl.  The 
building  was  completed  in  11^13  and  was  provided  with  the  must  perfect  equip- 
ment for  manual  in!.truciic)n  which  the  space  would  allow.  During  the  jiast 
)ear  there  were  enrolled  in  the  manual  training  course,  thirty-four  boys,  in  the 
sewing  course  thirty-live  girls,  and  in  the  cooking  course,  thirteen  girls,  llicre 
is  also  a  wcll-e(iuip|)cd  gymnasium  in  the  building.  The  campus  on  which  the 
IukIi  school  and  I'reston  Hall  stand  contains  live  acres  of  bnd,  about  half  of 
which  is  covered  with  a  grove,  while  the  athletic  field  occupies  the  remainder  of 
the  0(>cn  space. 

Some  other  valuable  data  we  derive  from  the  information  kindly  supplied 
by  Su|)crintendent  Adanjs.  Wc  find,  as  an  interesting  point  worthy  of  preserva- 
tion for  future  comparison,  that  the  average  salary  during  the  past  year  paid  the 
male  teachers  was  ^i.^oS.j^,  and  that  of  the  female  teachers  was  $74<».J5.  In- 
cluded in  these  averages  arc  the  superintendent  and  principals.  The  total  enroll- 
ment during  1916-17  was:  boys,  216.  girls,  208.  rerccntage  of  daily  attendance 
was  95.1  for  the  boys  and  95.3  for  the  girls.  The  number  in  the  high  school  was: 
First  year,  48;  second  year,  30;  third  year,  28;  fourth  year,  18;  a  total  of  124. 
The  school  library  contains  the  following  number  of  volumes:  high  school,  700; 
grades.  400. 

PRESCOTT 

Prcscott,  while  not  a  large  town,  is  an  ideal  home  town  in  the  midst  of  a 
inagnilicent  and  extensive  farming  country,  and  conducts  an  amount  of  business 
quite  beyond  the  ordinary  volume  for  its  population.  The  county  tributary  to 
I'rescott  produces  about  seven  hundred  thousand  bushels  of  grain  annually,  and 
here  is  grown  the  famous  blue-stem  wheat,  the  higlicst  grade  milling  wheat  pro- 
duced in  the  Northwest.  The  land  here  yields  from  twenty-five  to  forty  bushels 
of  wheat  per  acre.  Crop  failures  arc  quite  unknown.  The  laudable  pride 
and  ambition  of  the  people  has  led  them  to  the  construction  of  so  fine  a 
school  building  as  to  be  a  source  of  wonder  and  admiration  to  all  visitors.  In 
this  elegant  building  there  is  sustained  a  high  school  department  of  four  years 
curriculum,  with  four  teachers  and,  during  the  past  year,  forty  pupils.  Part  of 
the  building  is  occupied  by  the  grades.  The  value  of  the  school  jiroix-rty  is  esti- 
mated at  fifty- ffiur  thousand  dollars,  the  most  of  which  is  included  in  the  high 
school  building.  Situated  upon  a  slight  eminence  overlooking  the  fertile  and 
beautiful  Touclut  \allcy.  with  the  vast  sweep  «if  the  wheat  covered  hills  closing 
it  in.  this  I'rescott  school  building  presents  an  ap|)earance  which  many  large  towns 
might  envy.  Dtiring  a  numlxrr  of  years  past  a  succession  of  peculiarly  well  quali- 
fie<l  teachers  have  devoted  iheniM-lves  to  the  |)rogress  of  the  Prcscott  schools,  and 
as  a  rcstilt  have  lifted  them  to  a  status  which  has  l)een  indicated  in  the  high 
grades  which  the  pupils  have  attained  in  higher  institutions  and  the  efficiency 
whiih  thev  have  shown  in  business  engagements  up<in  which  they  may  have 
entered.  Prcscott  obtains  its  water  supply  from  the  snow-capped  Blue  Moun- 
tains, lying  twenty  miles  to  the  east.  Tlius  Ix-ing  assured  of  a  perpetual  su|)ply  of 
pure  water.     Prcscott  is  nofe<l   for  its  health ftilncss. 

Descending  the  Touchet  about  twenty  miles  we  reach  its  junction  with  the 


MAIN  STREET,  PRES(X)TT 


■vs»^ 


KNIGHTS   OF   rYTIIIAS    BUILDING.   PRESCOTT 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  217 

Walla  Walla,  and  there  we  find  another  of  the  tine  little  towns  which  border 
that  beautiful  and  historic  stream. 

TOUCHET 

The  Town  of  Touchet  is  at  a  lower  level,  only  450  feet  above  sea  level,  and 
by  reason  of  that  and  of  its  more  westerly  situation  it  has  higher  temperature  and 
less  rainfall  than  any  other  of  the  Touchet  towns.  It  is  consequently  an  irrigated 
fruit  and  alfalfa  section.  The  splendid  Gardena  District  on  the  south  and  the 
productive  lands  in  the  Touchet  and  Walla  Walla  bottoms  north  and  east  and  at 
their  junction,  give  the  town  a  commanding  location.  It  is  accordingly  an  active 
business  center,  with  several  well  stocked  stores,  a  bank,  an  attractive  church  of 
the  Congregational  order,  and  a  number  of  pleasant  homes. 

The  pride  of  the  place,  however,  like  that  of  Prescott  is  the  school  building. 
This  is  a  singtilarly  attractive  building,  built  for  the  future,  though  well  utilized 
in  the  present.  The  valuation  of  school  property  in  the  Touchet  District  is 
$27,500,  practically  all  represented  in  the  high  school  building  with  its  equipment. 
There  is  a  total  enrollment  of  203  pupils  with  eight  teachers.  There  are  forty 
pupils  in  the  high  school,  and  a  four  year  course  is  provided. 

GENERAL  SCHOOL  STATISTICS-   •-'- - 

;-i-^;;"  Wii;  ,:(;;t       ; 

The  following  statistics  from  the  report  Of  the'  itate'  stlpeintlfeildent  for  1917 
will  indicate  the  general  condition  of  the  schools  o-f:  Walla  Walla  County.  These 
figures  are  for  the  school  year  1915-16. 

Male 

Number  of  census  children,  June   i,   1916 3.646 

Number  of  pupils  enrolled  in  public  schools 3,122 

Average   daily  attendance 2,466 

Total  number  of  teachers  employed 218 

Average  salary  paid  high  school  teachers $  990.10 

Average  salary  paid  grade  teachers 788.45 

Average  salary  of  superintendents,  principals,  and  supervisors 1,328.00 

Number  of  children  over  six  years  of  age  not  attending  school 600 

Number  of  children  between  the  ages  of  five  and  fifteen  years  not  attend- 
ing school   32 

From  every  point  of  view  it  may  be  said  that  the  schools  of  Walla  Walla 
County  (as  will  be  seen  in  later  chapters  the  same  is  true  of  Columbia,  Garfield, 
and  Asotin  counties)  have  kept  pace  with  the  general  progress  of  the  regions  in 
which  they  are  located. 

PRIVATE  INSTITUTIONS 

From  the  public  schools  we  turn  to  the  various  private  institutions.  Fore- 
most of  these,  and  indeed   in  many  respects  the   most  unique   and   distinctive 


V    ■ 

Female 

Total 

3.706 
2,838 

7.352 
5.960 

2,237 

4.703 

218  OLD  W  ALi.A  WALI.A  COUNTY 

feature  of  Southeastern  Washington,  hoth  from  a  historical  and  existing  view- 
IX)int,  is  Whitman  College.  This  institution  grew  out  of  the  mission  at  Waiilatpu, 
with  its  brave  and  patriotic  life  and  tragic  end.  After  the  period  of  Indian 
wars,  beginning  with  the  Whitman  Massacre  in  1847  and  continuing,  with  some 
interruptions,  till  1858,  there  occurred  a  return  to  Waiilatpu,  one  of  the  con- 
structive events  in  our  history.  In  1859  Father  Cushing  Eells  came  from  Forest 
Grove,  Ore.,  where  he  had  spent  some  years  as  a  teacher,  to  the  Walla  Walla 
country,  with  a  view  to  a  new  enterprise  of  a  very  different  sort  from  that  which 
had  led  Whitman,  Spalding,  and  Gray  in  1836,  and  Eells,  Walker,  Smith,  and 
Rogers  in  1838  to  come  to  Oregon.  The  first  aim  was  purely  missionary.  The 
twenty  and  more  following  years  had  demonstrated  the  fact  that  this  country 
was  to  be  a  home  missionary  field,  instead  of  foreign.  It  was  clear  to  Father 
Fells  that  the  educational  needs  of  the  boys  and  girls  of  the  new  era  must 
be  regarded  as  of  first  importance.  Standing  on  the  little  hill  at  Waiilatpu  and 
viewing  the  seemingly  forsaken  grave  where  Whitman  and  his  associates  had  been 
hurriedly  interred  twelve  years  before.  Father  Eells  made  a  vow  to  himself  and 
his  God,  feeling  as  he  afterwards  said,  "The  spirit  of  the  Lord  upon  him,"  to 
found  a  school  of  higher  learning  for  both  'sexes,  a  memorial  which  he  was 
sure  the  martyrs  of  Waiilatpu,  if  they  could  speak,  would  prefer  to  any  other. 
That  vow  was  the  germination  of  Whitman  Seminary,  which  grew  into  Whitman 
College. 

In  pursuance  of  his  plans,  Father  Eells  acquired  from  the  foreign  missionary 
board  the  square  mile  of  land  at  Waiilatpu  allowed  them  as  a  donation  claim  and 
there  he  made  his  home  for  several  years.  It  was  his  first  intention  to  locate  the 
seminary  at  the  mission  ground,  but  as  it  became  obvious  that  the  "city"  would 
grow  up  near  the  fort  six  miles  east,  he  decided  that  there  was  the  proper  place 
for  his  cherished  enterprise.  The  years  that  followed  were  years  of  heroic  self- 
denial  and  unflagging  labor  by  Father  and  Mrs.  Eells  and  their  two  sons,  Edwin 
and  Myron.  They  cut  wood,  raised  chickens,  made  butter,  sold  vegetables,  exer- 
cised the  most  rigid  economy,  and  by  thus  raking  and  scraping  and  turning  every 
energy  and  resource  to  the  one  aim,  they  slowly  accumulated  about  four  thousand 
dollars  for  their  unselfish  purpose.  On  October  13,  1866,  the  first  building  was 
dedicated.  It  was  on  the  location  of  the  present  Whitman  Conservatory  of 
Music.  The  building  was  removed  to  make  way  for  the  conservatory  and  now 
composes  part  of  Prentiss  Hall,  a  dormitory  for  young  men.  The  land  on  which 
Whitman  Seminary  and  subsequently  the  college  was  located  was  the  gift  of 
Dr.  D.  S.  Baker. 

Space  does  not  allow  us  to  enter  into  the  history  of  the  seminary,  but  the 
names  of  those  longest  and  most  efficient  in  its  service  should  be  recorded  here. 
Aside  from  Father  Eells  and  his  family,  Rev.  P.  B.  Chamberlain,  first  pastor  of 
the  Congregational  Church,  with  Mrs.  Chamberlain  and  Miss  Mary  A.  Hodgden, 
were  the  chief  teachers  during  the  time  of  beginning.  Later  Prof.  Wm.  Marriner 
and  Capt.  W.  K.  Grim  were  the  chief  principals.  Associated  with  the  latter  was 
Mr.  Samuel  Sweeney,  still  well  known  as  a  business  man  and  farmer,  and  the 
only  one  of  the  seminary  teachers  still  living  in  Walla  Walla,  aside  from  the 
author  of  this  work,  who  was  for  a  short  time  in  charge  of  it  in  1878-g.  In 
1883  the  second  great  step  was  taken  by  the  coming  of  Dr.  A.  J.  Anderson,  who 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  219 

had  been  for  several  years  president  of  the  State  University  at  Seattle.  The 
history  of  Doctor  Anderson's  connection  with  Whitman  College  and  the  general 
educational  interests  of  Walla  Walla  and  surrounding  country  constitutes  a 
history  by  itself  worthy  of  extended  notice.  He  was  ably  assisted  by  his  wife, 
one  of  the  finest  spirits  of  early  days  in  Walla  Walla,  and  by  his  sons  Louis  and 
George,  the  former  of  whom  became  later  one  of  the  foremost  teachers  in  the 
expanded  college  and  is  now  its  vice  president.  With  the  coming  of  Doctor 
Anderson  the  seminary  was  raised  to  college  rank  with  new  courses  and  added 
teaching  force.  In  the  same  year  of  1883  a  new  building  was  erected  which 
served  as  the  main  building  for  nearly  twenty  years.  For  the  purpose  of  raising 
money  for  furtlier  development  Father  Eells  made  a  journey  to  the  East  at 
that  time.  Although  he  was  becoming  advanced  in  years  and  the  work  was 
trying  and  laborious,  he  succeeded  nobly  in  his  aims,  securing  $16,000  and  lay- 
ing the  foundations  of  friendships  which  resulted  later  in  largely  added  amounts. 
During  the  eight  years  of  Doctor  Anderson's  presidency  Whitman  College, 
though  cramped  for  funds  and  inadequately  provided  with  needed  equipment, 
performed  a  noble  service  for  the  region,  laying  broad  and  deep  the  foundations 
upon  which  the  enlarged  structure  of  later  years  was  reared.  Some  of  the  men 
and  women  now  holding  foremost  places  in  every  branch  of  life  in  the  North- 
west, as  well  as  in  distant  regions,  were  students  at  the  Whitman  College  of 
that  period. 

After  the  resignation  of  Doctor  Anderson  in  1891  there  was  a  period  of  loss 
and  uncertainty  which  was  happily  ended  in  1894  by  what  might  be  considered 
the  third  great  step  in  the  history  of  the  college.  This  was  the  election  to  the 
presidency  of  Rev.  S.  B.  L.  Penrose,  a  member  of  the  "Yale  Band"  of  1890  and 
during  the  three  years  after  his  arrival  the  pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church 
at  Dayton.  Of  the  monumental  work  accomplished  by  Doctor  Penrose  during 
the  twenty-three  years  of  his  presidency,  we  cannot  here  speak  adequately.  Suf- 
fice it  to  say  that  while  Whitman  is  still  a  small  college  in  comparison  with  the 
state  institutions  of  the  Northwest,  the  increase  in  buildings,  endowment,  equip- 
ment, courses  and  instructors  has  been  stich  as  to  constitute  a  chapter  of  achieve- 
ments hard  to  match  among  the  privately  endowed  colleges  of  the  United  States. 
We  have  spoken  of  three  great  events  in  the  history  of  the  college,  the  founding 
of  the  seminary  by  Father  Eells,  the  establishment  of  the  college  by  Doctor 
Anderson,  and  the  assumption  of  the  presidency  by  Doctor  Penrose.  It  remains 
to  add  a  fourth  of  the  great  events.  This  was  the  raising  by  Walla  Walla  and 
vicinity  of  the  accumulated  debts  of  a  series  of  years  caused  by  the  heroic 
eflforts  to  keep  pace  with  necessary  improvements  while  resources  were  still 
scanty.  Due  to  those  conditions  the  college  was  heavily  encumbered  and  much 
handicapped  as  a  result.  In  191 1  an  oflFer  of  large  additions  to  the  endowment 
was  made  by  the  General  Education  Society  of  New  York,  on  condition  that  all 
debts  be  raised.  This  led  to  a  campaign  in  1912  for  the  funds  needed  for  that 
purpose.  This  may  truly  be  called  a  monumental  event,  both  for  the  permanent 
establishment  of  the  college  upon  a  secure  foundation,  as  well  as  a  remarkable 
achievement  for  Walla  Walla.  For  though  the  city  and  county  are  wealthy  and 
productive,  yet  to  lay  right  down  on  the  counter  the  sum  of  $213,140.30  was 
notable  and  the  gift  was  rendered  more  remarkable  in  view  of  the  fact  that  about 


220  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

eighty  thousand  dollars  had  just  been  raised  for  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association,  that  churches  were  raising  contributions  for  expensive  buildings, 
that  costly  school  buildings  had  just  been  erected,  and  that  the  need  of  a  new 
high  school  and  a  new  courthouse  building  was  becoming  agitated.  It  may  be 
added  that  within  a  year  the  burning  of  St.  Mary's  Hospital  precipitated  a  call 
for  large  contributions  to  replace  it.  This  was  duly  accomplished  in  the  erection 
of  one  of  the  best  hospitals  in  the  Northwest.  It  is  probably  safe  to  say  that 
the  amount  put  into  public  buildings,  together  with  contributions  to  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  the  college,  and  the  hospital,  during  a  period  of 
about  three  years,  exceeded  a  million  dollars — a  noteworthy  achievement  even 
for  a  wealthy  community,  and  one  demonstrating  both  the  liberality  and  resources 
of  Walla  Walla.  From  the  standpoint  of  Whitman  College  it  may  be  said  that 
aside  from  the  indispensable  aid  which  this  large  contribution  afforded,  there  was 
another  result  of  the  campaign  equally  valuable.  This  was  the  commensurate 
interest  felt  by  the  community  in  the  college  and  all  its  works.  Up  to  that  debt- 
raising  campaign  there  had  been  an  indifference  and  in  some  quarters  even  a 
certain  prejudice  which  crippled  the  efforts  of  the  college  management.  With 
the  raising  of  the  debt  there  was  a  new  sense  of  harmony  and  community  interest 
which  will  bring  immeasurable  advantage  to  the  future  both  of  the  college  and 
the  community. 

As  a  matter  of  permanent  historic  interest  it  is  well  to  incorporate  here  the 
names  of  trustees  and  faculty,  as  given  in  the  catalog  for  1917. 

THE  BO.\RD  OF  TRUSTEES 

The  president  of  the  college,  ex-officio,  William  Hutchinson  Cowles,  A.  B., 
Spokane,  1919;  Allen  Holbrook  Reynolds,  A.  M.,  Walla  Walla,  1919;  Louis 
Francis  Anderson,  A.  M.,  Walla  Walla,  1918;  Park  Weed  Willis,  M.  D.,  Seattle, 
1920;  John  Warren  Langdon,  Walla  Walla,  191 7;  Miles  Conway  Moore,  LL.  D., 
Walla  Walla,  1918;  Oscar  Drumheller,  B.  S.,  Walla  Walla,  1917;  Edwin  Alonzo 
Reser,  Walla  Walla,  1920. 

Numbers  indicate  the  years  in  which  terms  of  trustees  expire.  The  election 
takes  place  at  the  annual  meeting  in  June. 

OFFICERS   OF  THE   BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES 

President,  Miles  Conway  Moore,  LL.  D. ;  treasurer,  Allen  Holbrook  Reynolds, 
A.  M. ;  secretary,  Dorsey  Marion  Hill,  Ph.  B. 

FACULTY 

Stephen  Beasley  Linnard  Penrose,  D.  D.,  president  and  Cushing  Eells  pro- 
fessor of  philosophy;  Louis  Francis  Anderson,  A.  M.,  vice  president  and  profes- 
sor of  Greek;  William  Denison  Lyman,  A.  M.,  Nelson  Gales  Blalock  professor  of 
histoPi':  Helen  Abby  Pepoon,  A.  B.,  professor  of  Latin;  Benjamin  Harrison 
Brown.  A.  M.,  Nathaniel  Shipman  professor  of  physics;  Walter  Andrew  Brat- 
ton,  A.  B.,  dean  of  the  science  group  and  Alexander  Jay  Anderson  professor  of 


Billinijs  Hall,  Dei)aitment  of  Science  Tlie  Gymnasium 

Whitman  Memorial  Building 
Reynold's    Hall.    Young   Ladies   Dormitory  McDowell  Hall,  Conservatory  of  Music 

GROUP  OF   WHITMAN  COLLE(iE  BllLDlNGS.  WALLA  WALLA 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  221 

mathematics ;  James  Walton  Cooper,  A.  M.,  professor  of  Romance  languages ; 
Howard  Stidham  Erode,  Ph.  D.,  Spencer  F.  Baird  professor  of  biology;  Edward 
Ernest  Ruby,  A.  M.,  dean  of  the  language  group  and  Clement  Biddle  Penrose  pro- 
fessor of  Latin;  Helen  Louise  Burr,  A.  B.,  dean  of  women;  Elias  Blum,  professor 
of  the  theory  of  music;  William  Hudson  Bleakney,  Ph.  D.,  professor  of  Greek; 
William  Rees  Davis,  A.  M.,  Mary  A.  Denny  professor  of  English ;  Walter 
Crosby  Eells,  A.  M.,  professor  of  applied  mathematics  and  drawing;  Raymond 
Vincent  Borleske,  A.  B.,  director  of  physical  education ;  Charles  Gourlay  Good- 
rich, M.  S.,  professor  of  German;  Frank  Loyal  Haigh,  Ph.  D.,  professor  of 
chemistry;  Arthur  Chester  Millspaugh,  Ph.  D.,  professor  of  political  science; 
Thomas  Franklin  Day,  Ph.  D.,  acting  dean  of  the  philosophy  group  and  acting 
professor  of  philosophy;  Frances  Rebecca  Gardner,  A.  B.,  acting  dean  of  women; 
William  Ezekiel  Leonard,  A.  M.,  acting  professor  of  economics  and  business ; 
Walter  Cooke  Lee,  A.  B.,  associate  librarian;  Milton  Simpson,  A.  M.,  acting 
associate  professor  of  English ;  Harriet  Lulu  Carstensen,  A.  M.,  assistant  librarian ; 
Alice  Popper,  instructor  in  French  and  German;  Margaret  Lucille  Leyda,  A.  B., 
instructor  in  English  and  physical  training  for  women. 

The  catalog  shows  also  that  at  the  present  date  the  college  owns  equipment, 
buildings,  and  grounds  to  the  value  of  $466,091.40  and  endowment  funds  to  the 
amount  of  $684,247.  The  expenses  for  the  session  of  191 5-16  were  $88,892.92. 
The  enrollment  of  students  in  the  literary  departments  for  1916-17  was  312, 
and  in  the  conservatory  of  music  289.  ;       >.'-;-:  '  v.~5 ;■•-•;..•••" 

The  graduates  of  the  college  who  have  .rec.eised.  bachelor's  degrees  during 
the  years  1886-1917  aggregate  about  four  hiindred  and  twenty-five.  The  large 
majority  of  these  have  received  their  degrees  during  the  seven  years  ending 
with  the  latter  date.  Classes  were  very  small  u^'t'o  abouf  igror  -'Since  that  time 
the  number  of  seniors  has  been  from  twenty-five  to  forty.  Besides  those  who 
have  graduated  with  the  regular  college  literary  and  scientific  degrees,  a  large 
number  have  graduated  from  academic,  normal  and  conservatory  courses. 

We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  W.  L.  Stirling  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  St.  Paul's 
.School  for  Girls  for  the  sketch  here  subjoined. 

HISTORY  OF  SAINT   PAUL's   SCHOOL,    WALLA    WALLA 

Saint  Paul's  School  was  opened  in  September,  1872,  as  a  day  school  for  girls 
by  the  Rev.  Lemuel  H.  Wells,  a  missionary  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 
who  had  come  to  Walla  Walla  the  previous  year  and  organized  Saint  Paul's 
Church. 

Seeing  the  need  of  a  girls'  school,  a  board  of  trustees  was  selected  consisting 
of  the  Rev.  Lemuel  H.  Wells,  John  S.  Boyer,  Philip  Ritz,  B.  L.  Sharpstein,  A.  B. 
Elmer,  Judge  J.  D.  Mix  and  John  Abbott.  Funds  were  obtained  in  the  East  and 
a  frame  building  was  erected  near  the  corner  of  Third  and  Poplar  streets. 

The  school  prospered,  and  it  was  decided  to  make  it  a  boarding  school.  More 
money  was  raised  in  the  East  and  in  Walla  Walla,  more  land  was  purchased  and 
a  dormitory  was  built. 

In  September,  1873,  it  was  opened  as  Saint  Paul's  Boarding  and  Day  School 
for  Girls,  with  Mrs.  George  Browne  as  principal.     Mrs;  Browne  was  succeeded 


222  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  ^w,    ^IV 

llciirictla  B.  Garrction  (who  laler  became  Mrs.  Lemuel  IL  Wells)  and 

J.  D.  Lathrop,  U.  D. 

In  the  earlier  days  of  the  school,  pupils  {rom  Idaho,  Montana  and  Eastern 
L>re);on  frequently  ]>aid  their  tuitions  in  gold  du>t,  and  there  were  a  few  cases 
where  |>ayment  was  even  made  in  produce,  such  as  flour,  and  jwtatoes.  One 
parent  jiaid  in  cattle,  which  remained  on  the  ranch  and  miiltij>licd  until  tliey  iwid 
for  an  addition  to  one  of  the  school  buildings. 

The  school  was  successfully  maintained  until  lin  m.h  1885,  when  it  u.i- 
closed.  It  was  reojKrncd  in  1S97  under  Miss  Imogen  lioycr,  as  principal,  it  was 
incorporated  September  14,  1897,  by  E.  B.  Whitman,  Kev.  Francis  L.  Palmer, 
B.  L.  Sharpstcin,  W.  11.  I'pton,  and  J.  II.  Marshall,  Rev.  V.  L.  Palmer  being 
chosen  its  first  president. 

In  1899  a  new  site  was  purchased  on  Catherine  Street,  and  a  new  tliree  story 
building  erected  named  ".\ppleton  Hall."  The  trustees  at  that  time  were  Bishop 
Wells,  The  Kev.  Andreas  Bard,  IS.  L.  Sliari>stein,  Levi  .\nkeny,  K.  1*.  Smitten 
and  W.  II.  Upton.  Miss  Imogen  Boycr  was  princi|xil,  and  so  continued  until  her 
resignation  in  KjO^.  L'nder  Miss  I'.oyer's  administration  the  school  increased 
substantially  in  prestige  and  in  the  nmnbcr  of  pupils  in  attendance. 

In  1903  Miss  Caroline  !■'.  Buck  was  elected  principal,  and  by  formal  agree- 
ment Ix-tween  Bishop  Wells  and  the  board  of  trustees  the  school  was  thence- 
forth to  be  conducted  as  a  diocesan  school  of  the  Protestant  Episcc)|>al  Cimrch. 
In  it/xj  Miss  Buck  was  succeeded  by  Kev.  Andreas  Bard,  as  principal. 
In  HjOi)  funds  were  .secured  by  Bishop  Wells  for  the  erection  of  a  new  three 
story  brick  dormitory  named  "Ewing  Hall"  which  greatly  increased  the  accom- 
modations for  bojirders  and  njaterially  assisted  in  the  growth  of  the  school. 

In  1907  Rev.  Andreas  Bard  resigned  and  was  succeeded  by  Miss  Anna  E. 
Plympton,  who  remained  until  1910.  Miss  Nettie  M.  (jalbraith  was  then  elected 
princi|>;il.  and  under  her  able  administration,  assisted  by  Miss  Mary  E.  Atkinson, 
as  vice  principal,  the  school  has  grown  rapidly  year  by  year  until  it  is  now  the 
largest,  as  well  as  the  oldest  school  for  girls  in  the  .^tatc  of  Washington,  and 
prol>ably  in  the  entire  Northwest. 

In  n>i  I  Bishoj)  Wells  secured  additional  fun<ls  for  the  jnirchasc  of  the  Sharp- 
stein  j)n»|KTty  adjoining  the  school  grounds  to  allow  for  ex|)ansion  in  the  near 
future.  The  acquisition  of  this  line  |)ro]Kriy  Joo  feel  by  2C»  feet  gave  the  scIhkiI 
a  frontage  of  543  feet  on  Catherine  Street,  one  of  the  linest  pieces  of  \m)\>cTiy  in 
the  city. 

In  1910  Bishop  Herman  Page,  of  Spokane,  succeeded  Bishop  Wells  as  presi- 
dent of  the  board  of  trustees;  the  other  memliers  of  the  l)oard  at  that  time  being 
Rev.  C.  E.  Tuke.  George  .\.  Evans.  W.  .\.  Kilz.  Dr.  K.  W  Rees.  H.  (i.  Thompson, 
Dr.  H.  K.  Keylor.  }.  W.  l-ingdon  and  W.  L.  Stirling. 

The  need  of  increased  accommodation  for  boarders  Inring  imi)erativc.  Bishop 
Page  un<lertook  to  raise  the  -^um  of  $10,000  to  Sij.fKW  for  a  new  building  pro- 
vided $5,000  .-idditional  should  \tc  subscriljcd  by  the  jjcople  of  Walla  Walla.  This 
was  done  and  a  new  fire  proof  brick  building  was  erected  in  1917.  containing 
assembly  hall,  g^•mnasium  and  dormitories.  an<l  named  "Wells  Hall"  in  honor  of 
Bishop  Wells,  who  had  foundeil  the  school  in  1R72  and  had  ever  since  l>ccn  its 
most  constant  and  devoted  supporter.     Even  with  its  new  equipment  the  school 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  223 

at  once  became  crowded  to  its  capacity,  there  being  tifty  boarders,  as  well  as  a 
large  number  of  day  scholars,  and  plans  are  being  considered  for  another  new 
building. 

Although  the  school  now  has  an  annual  budget  of  nearly  twenty  thousand  dol- 
lars, it  has  never  been  -entirely  self-supporting,  being  without  endowment,  and 
always  having  given  the  greatest  possible  service  at  a  very  moderate  charge.  The 
raising  of  an  adequate  endowment  fund  is  contemplated  as  soon  as  circumstances 
will  permit. 

The  school  offers  a  systematic  and  liberal  course  of  study,  maintaining  kinder- 
garten, primary,  intermediate,  grammar,  grade,  academic  and  music  departments, 
also  special  post  graduate,  business,  and  finishing  courses.  The  course  includes 
eight  years  in  the  elementary  school,  completed  in  six  or  seven  years  when  possible, 
and  four  years  in  the  academic  department.  There  is  also  an  advanced  course 
offered  for  irregular  students  and  for  those  graduated  from  the  high  schools  and 
academies. 

The  instructors  are  Christian  women,  and  it  is  the  aim  of  the  school  to 
administer  to  the  individual  needs  of  girls ;  to  aid  in  their  moral,  intellectual  and 
physical  development  by  offering  them  the  advantages  of  a  well  ordered  school 
and  the  wholesome  influence  of  a  refined  home.  The  scholarship  of  Saint  Paul's 
is  attested  by  the  fact  that  Eastern  and  Western  examiners  of  leading  educa- 
tional institutions  have  expressed  their  willingness  to  accept  its  graduates  without 
examination.  Saint  Paul's  covers  a  wide  field,  having  had  among  its  boarders  in 
recent  years  scholars  from  Washington,  Oregon,  Idaho,  Montana,  Wyoming, 
Panama  and  Alaska. 

The  location  of  the  school  is  exceptionally  fine,  the  grounds  extensive,  well 
laid  out  and  shaded,  and  the  buildings,  four  in  number,  are  spacious,  well  con- 
structed and  conveniently  arranged  and  equipped. 

THE  CATHOLIC  ACADEMIES 

The  Catholic  Church  has  maintained  two  academies,  one  for  boys  and  one 
for  girls,  for  a  number  of  years.  These  were  founded  early  in  the  history  of 
Walla  Walla.  In  1864  the  Sisters  of  Providence  opened  the  doors  of  a  school 
for  girls  on  the  location  where  St.  Mary's  Hospital  now  stands.  Rev.  J.  B.  A. 
Brouillet  was  at  that  time  at  the  head  of  the  local  church  and  the  school  was 
officially  under  his  oversight.  In  1865  St.  Patrick's  Academy  for  boys  was 
opened.  This  was  on  the  site  of  the  present  Catholic  Church,  and  the  first  teacher 
was  H.  H.  Lamarche.  He  acted  as  principal  for  fifteen  years.  In  1899  notable 
changes  occurred  in  the  academy.  In  that  year  fine  and  noteworthy  exercises 
in  its  dedication  occurred  under  charge  of  Rev.  Father  M.  Flohr.  The  presence 
of  Bishop  E.  J.  O'Dea  added  to  the  interest  of  the  occasion.  In  August  follow- 
ing three  brothers  from  San  Francisco  arrived  to  take  charge  of  the  academy. 
In  honor  of  St.  J-  B.  De  La  Salle,  founder  of  the  congregation  to  which  those 
brothers  belonged,  the  name  of  the  academy  was  changed  to  De  La  Salle  Insti- 
tute. It  opened  in  September,  1899,  with  100  pupils.  The  numbers  and  influence 
of  this  institute  have  steadily  increased.    The  teachers  at  the  present  are :   Brother 


2-->4  OLD  W  ALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Luke,  director;  Brothers  Daniien  and  Daniel,  teachers.  The  number  o(  boys 
cnrulird  is  eighty. 

llie  sciioul  for  girls,  founded  in  1K64,  as  slated,  developed  into  St.  Vincent 
Academy,  and  as  such  it  has  occupied  a  position  of  great  influence  and  usefulness 
ever  since  its  fuuiularion.  K\ery  facility  for  academic  study,  with  sj«ecial  atten- 
tion to  the  varied  accuni|)li>hiiirnts  of  music,  drawing,  painting,  and  decorative 
work,  as  well  as  the  practical  branches  in  needle  work,  in  stenography,  and  in 
lypev^riting,  is  afl^ordcd  by  St.  \'incent's  Academy.  Kxtracts  from  the  current 
re|)orts  indicate  the  present  conditions. 

The  Sister  Sujierior  in  charge  of  the  academy  is  Sister  Mary  Mount  Carmel. 
There  are  six  teachers  eni|)loyed  at  the  present  time.  The  enrollment  consists  of 
1(14  girls  and  fourteen  small  boys. 

WALLA  WALLA  COLLEGE 

Walla  Walla  has  become  known  as  an  educational  center,  and  in  addition  to 
the  public  schools,  and  private  institutions  within  the  city,  there  is  still  another 
outside  the  city  limits  entitled  to  interest.  This  is  Walla  W^•^lla  College  at 
College  Place,  a  flourishing  suburb  of  the  city.  The  college  is  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Seventh  Day  Adventists.  It  was  founded  by  that  denomination  in 
iS«v  upon  land  donated  by  Dr.  X.  G.  lUalfK-k  and  has  iK-en  maintained  by  con- 
tributions from  the  membership  of  the  church  and  tuitions  from  the  students. 
In  connection  with  it  there  is  a  well  conducted  hospital.  There  is  a  beautiful 
and  commodious  main  buildinp,  l)esi<les  the  other  buildings  needful  to  provide 
for  the  large  number  of  students  who  come  from  elsewhere  and  make  their  home 
at  the  college.  From  the  current  catalog  we  derive  the  following  exhibit  of  the 
managers  and    faculty. 

PRESIDENTS  OF    WALLA   WALI^   COU.EGE 

William  W.  Prescott.  1892-04:  Edward  A.  Sutherland.  1894-97;  Emmett  J. 
Hil)l>ard.  iH<;7-98;  Walter  H.  Sutherland,  1898-1900;  E.  L.  Stewart,  n/X>-02: 
Charles  C.  Lewis,  1902-04;  Joseph  L.  Kay.  1904-05;  M.  E.  Cady,  1905-11 ;  Emest 
(■    Kellogg.  1011-17;  Walter  I.  Smith,  1017-. 

BOARD   OF  TRUSTEES 

C.  W.  Flaiz,  College  Place,  Wash.;  11.  W.  Decker.  College  Place,  Wash.;  F. 
S  Bunch.  College  Place,  Wash.;  H.  W.  Cottrell.  Portland.  Ore.;  J.  J.  Ncthcry, 
College  Place,  Wash  ;  J.  F.  Piper.  Seattle.  Wash.;  G.  F.  Watson,  Bozeman. 
Mont.;  F.  W.  Peterson.  Collree  Place.  Wash  :  E.  C.  KcIIocir.  College  Place. 
Wash. 

OKHCKm  OF  TIIF   l!f)\Bn 

C.  W.  Flaiz.  chairman:  E    C    Kellogg,  .secretary;  I"    W    Peterson,  treasurer. 


PRESTOX  HALL.   WAITSBIKC 


PUBLIC   SCHOOL.   WAITSBURG 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  225 

FACULTY 

Walter  Irvine  Smith,  president,  mathematics  and  astronomy  5  Elder  O.  A. 
Johnson,  Bible  and  ecclesiastical  history;  Elder  F.  S.  Bunch,  Bible  and  pastoral 
training;  George  W.  Rine,  history  and  public  speaking;  Winifred  Lucile  Holmden, 
ancient  and  modern  languages  ;  J.  Alvin  Renninger,  English  and  Biblical  literature ; 
Clara  Edna  Rogers,  rhetoric ;  Bert  Bryan  Davis,  normal  director,  psychology 
and  education ;  William  Miller  Heidenreich,  German ;  Arthur  C.  Christensen, 
chemistry  and  biology ;  George  Kretschmar,  physics  and  mathematics ;  A.  Wilmar 
Oakes,  director  of  music,  violin,  orchestra  and  chorus;  Grace  Wood-Reith,  piano- 
forte  and   voice ;   Estella   Winona   Kiehnhoff,   pianoforte,  voice   and   harmony ; 

,  stenography  and  typewriting;  William  Carey  Raley,  bookkeeping  and 

accountancy;  Win  S.  Osborne,  art. 

NORiMAL   CRITIC   TEACHERS 

Charles  Oscar  Smith,  grades  seven  and  eight;  Grace  Robison-Rine,  grades 
five  and  six,  intermediate  methods ;  Rosella  A.  Snyder-Davis,  grades  three  and 
four,  manual  arts;  Anna  Aurelia  Pierce,  grades  one  and  two,  primary  methods. 

INDUSTRIAL  DEPARTMENTS^,, ^^^.. ■• 

.'[■'"f    '■'•'.•^'^   '&''•  ■ 

Frank  W.  Peterson,  superintendent;  Gl6n-.R,:. 'J^lderty  printing ;  Wm.  B. 
Ammundsen,  carpentry;  Philip  A.  Bothwell,  baking;  Mrs.^.  R,  D-  Bolter,  dress- 
making; Mrs.  F.  W.  Vesey,  cooking.  ■    "  ''li'.-t' 

The  catalog  shows  an  enrollment  of  293  pupils.    ' 

From  a  historical  and  educational  standpoint  there  is  no  more  interesting 
institution  under  private  control  than  the 

FORMER    WAITSBURG    ACADEMY 

That  community  of  beautiful  homes  and  intelligent  citizens,  of  which  much 
more  will  be  said  in  other  parts  of  this  work,  has  always  recognized  the  value 
of  education,  and  it  is  not  surprising  to  find  a  demand  in  the  early  days  for 
a  more  advanced  type  of  education  than  that  afforded  by  the  common  schools. 
During  the  first  part  of  the  decade  of  the  '80s  that  demand  eventuated  in  the 
appointment  by  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  of  Rev.  Joseph  Alter  in  1884  to 
go  to  Eastern  Washington  as  a  general  organizer  of  home  missionary  and  educa- 
tional work.  The  church  founded  by  Mr.  Alter  secured  Rev.  W.  G.  M.  Hays 
as  its  pastor  in  1886.  Being  filled  with  the  spirit  of  the  need  of  higher  education 
and  encouraged  by  ample  evidence  of  probable  support  of  a  first-class  academy. 
Doctor  Hays  became  a  steadfast  advocate  of  such  an  undertaking  and  on  Septem- 
ber 14.  1886,  the  church  building  was  opened  for  the  meeting  of  the  first  classes. 
Prof.  T-  G.  Thompson  being  placed  in  charge  of  the  work.  At  that  time  the 
academy  had  no  corporate  existence  and  no  board  of  trustees.  But  in  1887 
the   infant   institution  was  adopted  by  the   synod  of   Columbia   of   the   United 


2-Jt,  ui.lJ  WALi.A  WALi-A  COUNTY 

I'resbylcrian  Church  of  North  America  and  became  regularly  incoriMrated  with 
its  first  board  of  trustco  lOiisistinj.  of  ihc  Kiv>.  llujjh  I".  Wallace,  W.  G.  Irvine, 
W.  A.  S|«ilding,  W  .  t..  M.  Hays,  and  J.  11  Nililock,  and  Messrs.  A.  \V.  llulips, 
David  Roberts.  E.  F.  Cox.  T.  J.  Hollowell,  and  J.  E.  Vans.  In  May,  18K7,  in 
imrsnance  of  llic  plans  of  the  board,  a  joint  stock  conijiany  was  ori^anizcd  to 
conducl  (lie  academy.  Six  thousand  dollars  was  raised,  of  which  $4,000  was 
devoted  to  a  building  and  the  remainder  to  sup|ilementing  tuition  as  a  means  of 
maintenance.  Uurin{;  the  ten  years  following  the  founding,  Doctor  Mays,  Rev. 
\\  .  R.  Stevenson,  and  Miss  Ina  I'.  Robertson  made  journeys  cast  for  the  puqwsc 
of  securing  funds  for  building  and  endowment.  As  a  result  of  the  last  aimjiaigii 
of  Miss  Robertson,  funds  were  secured  for  an  excellent  building  which  was 
erected  in  i8y6.  During  the  entire  term  of  its  existence  Waitsburg  .\cadcmy 
received  the  resjjcct  and  supixirt  of  the  community,  and  its  teachers  were  men 
and  women  of  the  highest  tyjK-. 

The  princii)als  with  their  terms  of  service  wen  ilu^e:  |.  C.  Thon]j)sciii, 
1886^;  T.  M.  McKinney.  iK,S<hX>;  W.  G.  M.  Hays.  i8.x)-i;  Ina  F.  RolK-rtson. 
|S<^I.4 ;  and  Rev.  J.  A.  Keener.  iftj4.  to  the  termination  of  the  life  of  the  institu- 
tion. I'or  rather  sad  to  relate  Waitsburg  .\cademy.  in  spite  of  all  its  excellent 
work  and  a  growing  Imdy  of  alunuii  enthusiastic  in  its  supiHjrt,  foun<l  itself  in 
the  situation  which  has  confronted  practically  all  such  educational  institutions  in 
the  West.  When  high  school  instruction  was  undertaken  at  Waitsburg  it  was 
found  that  the  inlrrest  and  desire  to  sui)|)tirt  that  public  systenj  was  so  general 
that  the  support  of  the  academy  fell  off.  and  though  the  jx-oplc  of  the  community 
Ii.k!  no  sentiment  other  than  of  connn<-ndatioii,  yet  their  first  interest  was  in  the 
public  siliool  system.  As  an  inevitable  secpience  the  academy  found  it  wise  to 
disband.  Its  building  was  sold  to  the  district  and  there  the  public  school  work  of 
part  of  the  city  is  conducted.  The  aca<lcmy.  though  disbanded,  had  jjerformed 
a  great  mission,  and  the  present  excellent  high  school,  as  well  as  the  general 
culture  and  intelligence  a|)parent  in  the  l)eautiful  little  City  of  Waitsburg.  ma\ 
lie  attributed  in  large  degree  to  the  noble  work  of  the  academy. 

We  have  elsewhere  given  a  general  view  of  the  public  school  systems  of  the 
county,  and  in  that  the  schools  of  W'aitsburg  apfx-ar.  But  there  is  one  feature 
of  the  schools  of  Waitsburg  already  named  so  unique  and  interesting  as  to  call 
for  further  s|H:cial  mention.  This  is  I'reston  Hall,  connected  with  the  high 
school.  This  beautiful  and  well-e(|uip|Kd  building  was  the  gift  of  one  of  the 
noblest  and  most  philanthropic  citizens  of  the  Inland  iMnpire.  a  man  of  whom 
old  Walla  Walla  County,  and  [wrticularly  Waitsburg.  may  well  be  jiroud.  This 
was  W.  (1.  Preston.  This  big-souled  and  big-brained  buibler  of  the  large  affairs 
of  his  community,  had  a  deep  sense  of  the  value  of  practical  industrial  training 
for  the  growing  youth  of  the  lan<l.  Carrying  out  his  favorite  idea  he  gave  alKiut 
twentv-'.ix  thousand  <lollars  for  the  creation  of  a  building,  with  suitable  equip- 
ment for  the  liest  type  of  industrial  education,  as  well  as  gymnastic  training. 
While  this  was  but  one  of  the  many  contributions  to  the  advancement  of  the 
rommunitv  in  which  the  Preston  family  lived  so  long  ancl  so  well,  it  is  perhaps 
the  one  which  will  be  most  wide-reaching  in  influence  and  the  one  which  will 
perTK'tuate  most  effectively  the  influence  of  its  donor. 

n.  fnrr   Ic.nvint:   the   subject    of    the    schools   it    may   Ik?   suitable   to  note   the 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  227 

fact  that  the  schools  in  what  was  old  Walla  Walla  County,  as  well  as  the 
narrower  limits  which  now  retain  the  name,  have  during  the  past  ten  or 
fifteen  years  shown  a  great  tendency  to  build  more  beautiful  and  better  equipped 
houses.  This  has  been  due  partly  to  the  increase  in  wealth  and  culture  and 
to  the  general  recognition  that  the  old  bare  unlovely  and  forsaken-looking  school- 
houses  of  the  earlier  times  are  an  affront  to  the  progressive  spirit  of  a  time 
which  is  demanding  the  best  for  the  boys  and  girls,  but  much  of  the  motive  power 
of  this  great  improvement  must  be  attributed,  in  Walla  Walla  County,  to  the  last 
two  superintendents  of  schools,  Mrs.  Josephine  Preston  and  Paul  Johnson.  Dur- 
ing the  eight  years  of  service  of  these  two  efficient  public  officials  the  idea  of 
the  rural  school  as  a  community  center  and  a  focus  of  social  life  has  gained 
a  hold  on  public  interest  and  support  truly  wonderful.  A  debt  of  gratitude  is 
due  these  and  other  incumbents  of  the  same  office  in  the  other  counties  covered 
by  this  work  in  inaugurating  a  new  era  in  school  architecture  and  beautification 
of  grounds.  The  influence  of  this  on  coming  generations  for  character,  patriotism, 
and  efficiency,  as  well  as  artistic  taste  and  general  culture,  will  be  incalculable. 
It  is  fitting  that  special  note  be  made  here  of  the  fact  that  in  the  smaller  towns 
of  Walla  Walla  County,  Prescott,  Touchet,  Dixie  and  Attalia,  the  school  build- 
ings represent  large  outlay  and  contain  the  best  modern  features.  If  there  is  one 
thing  more  than  another  in  which  the  people  of  this  section  may  take  satisfac- 
tion, it  is  the  school  system,  both  town  and  rural. 

There  is  another  institution  in  Walla  Walla  of  rare  interest,  which  while  not 
educational  is  allied  with  that  branch  of  social  progress.  We  refer  to  the 
Stubblefield  Home.  From  Mr.  C.  M.  Rader,  one  of  the  trustees,  we  derive  the 
following  account  of  this  noble  institution. 

STUBBLEFIELD  HOME 

To  Joseph  Loney  Stubblefield  and  his  good  wife  Anna,  are  indebted  the  chil- 
dren and  widows  who  in  the  past  have  been,  or  in  the  future  may  become  members 
of  this  home.  In  early  life  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stubblefield  experienced  the  hardships 
incident  to  poverty.  They  emigrated  from  Missouri  in  the  early  '60s  and  settled 
about  seven  miles  southeast  of  Walla  Walla,  where  by  most  frugal  habits  and 
great  industry  they  accumulated,  for  the  early  days,  a  considerable  fortune. 
The  wife  died  in  1874  without  issue.  She  and  her  husband  often  talked  of  the 
great  need  of  a  home  for  caring  for  aged  widows  and  orphan  children  and  the 
wife  said  she  wanted  her  money  to  be  used  for  such  purpose.  She  left  no  will, 
except  as  it  was  impressed  in  the  heart  of  her  husband. 

On  November  16,  1902,  six  months  after  making  his  will,  Joseph  L.  Stubble- 
field died  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years.  By  the  thirty-first  clause  of  this  will 
he  left  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  thousand  dollars,  the  bulk  of  his  accumula- 
tions, for  the  purpose  of  establishing  and  maintaining  a  home  for  "fatherless  or 
motherless  and  indigent  children,  and  worthy  elderly  indigent  widows,  residents 
of  Washington  and  Oregon."  This  fund  was  willed  to  R.  M.  Dorothy,  E.  A. 
Reser  and  Cary  M.  Rader,  who  were  named  as  trustees  to  manage  the  fund  and 
the  home  to  be  established.  These  trustees  were  appointed  to  serve  for  life, 
unless  any  should  resign  or  be  removed.    The  successors  of  these  trustees  under 


228  OLD  WALL  A  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

jhc  icnii>  of  ilic  will  arc  to  be  a|>|wintc<l  by  tlie  cuunty  conmiissioncrs  of  Walla 
NS'alla  ami  L'liiatilla  cuiintics,  acting  juiiilly  but  by  and  with  the  consent  u(  the 
two  'ruslccs  remaining  on  the  bo;ird.  A  second  wife,  wliom  Mr.  Stubblctield  liad 
amply  jirovidid  for,  attempted  to  break  tlic  will  by  proceedings  in  court,  but  the 
will  was  fully  sustained  both  in  the  Su|>erior  and  Supreme  courts  of  Wash- 
ington. 

Numerous  citizens  interested  themselves  in  an  attempt  to  secure  the  location 
of  the  home  mar  Walla  Walla  and  raised  a  donation  of  something  more  than  ten 
thousand  dollars  to  assist  in  |)urchasing  a  suitable  site.  The  trustees  purchased 
the  present  grounds  consisting  of  forty  acres  al>out  one  mile  southeast  of  the  City 
of  Walla  Walla  and  there  on  November  i6,  1904,  exactly  two  years  after  the 
death  of  Mr.  Stubblcheld,  with  appropriate  ceremonies,  the  home  was  formally 
opened  with  .Mphonso  K.  Olds  as  sii|(tTiiilen(lem  and  his  wife  Mtta  I".  Olds 
as  matron. 

The  home  remained  under  the  very  cfTicitiii  iii.iii;igemcnt  of  these  good  people 
for  eight  years.  On  tlu-ir  resignation,  occasioned  by  ill  lu-alth,  Luther  J.  Campbell 
and  wife  Maggie  were  appointed  respectively  as  superintendent  and  nutron, 
and  have  since  been  in  charge  of  the  institution.  R.  M.  Dorothy,  in  1912.  resigned 
as  trustee  and  was  succeeded  on  the  l>oard  by  Francis  M.  Stubblefield,  a  nephew 
of  Joseph  L.  Stubblefield.  These  are  the  only  changes  of  officials  connected  with 
the   institution. 

The  home  rapidly  tilled  after  the  opening  and  there  has  since  rarely  Inren  a 
vacancy  for  any  considerable  time.  The  number  of  memlx-rs  in  the  home  is 
usually  cIom-  to  twenty-live  and  of  these  most  are  children.  There  have  never 
lieen  more  than  three  widows  in  the  home  at  one  time.  The  children  are  taught 
to  work  and  soon  become  quite  expert  for  children — the  boys  as  gardeners  and 
the  girls  at  hr)useht)ld  duties.  In  11)15  •''  team  of  three  girls  from  the  home  won 
a  i)rize  at  the  Walla  Walla  County  I'air  and  also  at  the  State  I-air  as  exiK-rts  in 
canning  fruits  and  vegetables.  The  children  attend  school  at  the  Bcrney  Graded 
."school. 

The  fund  left  by  Mr.  Stubblefield,  by  judicious  handling,  has  about  doubled 
and  is  at  present  mostly  invested  in  wheat  lands,  which  furnish  sufficient  income 
to  defray  all  exjKnscs. 

THK  rlll'KC'iil-:S  OK  WAI.I..\  WAIX.\  COfNTV 

.\s  elsewhere  in  this  work  we  speak  first  of  the  institutions  lix-ated  in  Walla 
Walla  City  itself.  By  reason  of  priority  of  settlement  the  institutions  of  all  sorts 
grr)wing  around  that  jxiint  were  representative  of  the  entire  region  and  hence 
iK-long  as  truly  to  the  jKirls  which  subse<|»iently  were  set  aside  for  other  counties. 
We  shall  elsewhere  endeavor  to  give  similar  brief  views  of  the  churches  of  the 
other  parts  of  the  region  covered  by  our  story.  .\s  will  Ik-  obvious  to  the  reader, 
the  liniitatifins  of  space  com|K-l  us  to  consider  the  churches  as  a  whole,  iin|)ortant 
as  they  arc  in  the  life  of  the  community,  without  dwelling  u|)on  details,  significant 
and  inspiring  as  they  often  are.  Practically  all  the  learliiig  ("hrislian  denomina- 
tions have  In-en  represented  in  Old  Walla  Walla.  The  Methodist  seems  to  have 
l>ecn  the  |)ioneer  among  the  Protestant  denominations,  though  the  Catholic  was 
first  to  provide  a  place  of  worship.     It   was  in    1X50  that  a  structure  of  piles 


White    Ti'inplr    Baptist    Church 


Presbjterian   Chinch 
CHURCHES   OF    WALLA    WALLA 


Central    Christian    (  luinli 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  229 

driven  into  the  ground  and  covered  with  shakes  was  prepared  for  worship  by  the 
Catholics  of  the  Httle  community  on  Mill  Creek.  The  location  was  near  the 
present  lumber  yard  on  Third  Street  and  Poplar.  In  i860  the  Methodists  built 
the  first  regular  building  on  the  corner  of  the  present  Fifth  and  Alder.  That 
church  had  various  vicissitudes,  for  it  subsequently  moved  to  Second  and 
Alder  and  was  used  for  a  time  as  a  house  for  the  hosecart  of  the  fire  department. 
Later  on  it  received  a  second  story  and  became  the  "Blue  Front,"  still  later  burned. 

We  give  here  a  sketch  of  the  early  history  of  the  Methodist  Church,  not  with 
the  desire  to  overemphasize  that  denomination  at  the  expense  of  others,  but  that 
by  reason  of  its  pioneer  nature  it  was  peculiarly  typical  of  the  first  days.  We 
take  this  from  a  historical  report  prepared  by  J.  M.  Hill  and  E.  Smith  and  pre- 
sented at  the  conference  at  Walla  Walla  on  February  7,  1900.  This  report  con- 
tains so  much  interlocking  matter  of  different  kinds  as  to  give  it  a  permanent 
value : 

"On  page  seventy-four  of  Rev.  H.  K.  Hines'  Missionary  History  of  the 
Pacific  Northwest,  we  find  that  the  first  sermon  preached  west  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains was  delivered  by  Rev.  Jason  Lee  at  Fort  Hall,  on  Sunday,  July  27,  1834.  And 
in  a  book  entitled  Wild  Life  in  Oregon,  on  pages  176-7,  we  will  find  that  the  first 
A'lethodist  sennon  preached  at  or  near  Walla  Walla  was  by  the  Rev.  Gustavus 
Hines,  on  May  21,  1843,  at  Doctor  Whitman's  mission,  six  miles  west  of  this  city. 
Rev.  Gustavus  Hines  also  preached  at  Rev.  H.  H.  Spalding's  Lapwai  mission,  on 
Sunday,  May  14,  1843. 

We  find  that  the  first  Methodist  Episcopal  Chjifc^  tjf^ahlzafibh  that  was  per- 
fected in  Walla  Walla,  or  in  that  part  of  the;  country^ {cn&wn  as  Eastern  Oregon 
or  Eastern  Washington,  was  in  1859,  and  at  that  time  the'Walla  Walla  Valley 
was  just  commencing  to  be  settled  up  with  stock  raisers  and  traders.  The  Town 
of  Walla  Walla  was  the  principal  or  most  impoxtant  pointy  the*United  States 
military  post  being  located  here,  and  this  place  having  become  the  wintering  place 
for  miners,  packers  and  freighters  from  the  mines  north  and  east  of  this  country. 

The  Oregon  conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  having  jurisdiction 
over  the  church  work  in  this  section,  took  up  the  matter  of  supplying  it  with  the 
gospel,  and  at  the  annual  conference  held  at  Albany  in  August,  1859,  appointed 
Rev.  J.  H.  Wilber  as  presiding  elder  of  this  field,  calling  it  the  Walla  Walla 
circuit,  which  took  in  most  of  that  part  of  the  country  east  of  The  Dalles,  Oregon, 
comprising  the  Grande  Ronde,  Walla  Walla,  Snake  River  and  Columbia  River 
valleys  as  far  north  as  the  British  line  and  east  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  ap- 
pointed Rev.  G.  M.  Berry  as  pastor  for  Walla  Walla  circuit. 

Brother  Wilber  and  Brother  Berry  at  once  started  for  their  field  of  labor. 
They  came  to  Walla  Walla  and  commenced  the  work  by  holding  meetings  at 
dififerent  places,  at  the  homes  of  some  of  the  people  and  at  times  in  the  old  log 
courthouse  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Fifth  streets.  Soon  after  taking  up  the 
work  Brother  Wilber  and  Brother  Berry  decided  to  organize  a  class  at  Walla 
Walla,  and  on  Monday,  October  11,  1859,  met  and  organized  the  first  class  in  the 
district;  also  held  their  first  quarterly  conference.  The  quarterly  conference  was 
called  to  order  by  the  presiding  elder.  Rev.  J.  H.  Wilber,  and  opened  with  singing 
and  prayer.  The  pastor,  Rev.  G.  I\L  Berry,  was  appointed  secretary  of  the  meet- 
ing.    The  following  named  brothers  were  elected  as  the  first  board  of  stewards : 


230  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

S.  M.  Tiujs.  W  illiam  U.  Kelly.  John  Moar,  A.  B.  Roberts  and  T.  P.  Dcnney.    A   B. 
Rolnrrts  was  riccicd  as  the  rrcdrding  steward. 

In  January,  iK<jO.  tlic  ila>s  dnidcd  to  build  a  churclj  in  the  Town  of  Walla 
Walla,  and  np|>ointcd  a  building;  connnitlee  to  undertake  the  work,  consisting 
of  the  |xistor.  Rev.  ti.  M.  Merry,  iSrotlicr  Thomas  Martin  and  Brother  John  Moar. 
At  a  nteeting  held  in  A|)ril,  iWio.  the  committee  reported  that  they  luid  selected 
for  a  church  site  lots  (>  and  7,  block  10.  at  the  corner  of  .Mder  and  Fifth  streets, 
and  that  Rev.  tl.  M.  Berry  had  nia<le  application  to  the  Board  of  County  Commis- 
sioners asking;  them  to  donate  the  lots  to  the  church.  .\t  a  meeting  held  on  May 
.ii,  18/10,  the  (irst  iKKird  of  trustees  of  the  church  of  Walla  Walla  was  ap|>ointed, 
l)einf;  Brothers  T.  P.  Dcnncy,  S.  M.  Titus.  John  Moar.  Thomas  Martin  an<l  Wil- 
liam B.  Kelly,  and  on  May  22,  iWo,  lots  6  and  7  of  block  10  of  the  original  Town 
tif  Walla  Walla  were  transferred  to  the  alwvc  named  trustees  for  the  church  by 
the  Board  of  County  Commissioners  of  Walla  Walla  County. 

The  building  committee — the  pastor.  Rev.  G.  M.  Berry,  as  its  chairman — with 
the  few  nu-mbcrs.  at  once  took  up  the  work  of  building  the  church,  which  was 
complete*!  in  the  fall  f)f  iSTo.  It  was  the  first  church  of  any  denomination  built 
in  Walla  Walla,  and  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $1,046.52,  with  un|).-iid  bills  to  the 
amount  of  $131.02.  These  items  are  taken  from  the  re|»ort  of  the  auditor  of 
accounts  of  the  building  committee  as  reported  at  the  third  quarterly  conference, 
held  at  Walla  Walla  on  June  24.  iS^)i,  by  Andrew  Keys,  auditor.  The  jwstor. 
Rev.  G.  M.  Berry,  bad  jjractically  been  Sunday-school  suin-rintendent  as  well  as 
pastor  ever  since  the  organization  of  the  class  until  the  church  was  completed  We 
fail  to  find  any  record  of  the  <ledication  of  this  church. 

The  (  >regiin  annual  conference  of  \f^>i  created  the  Walla  Walla  district  and 
appointed  Rev.  John  IHinn  as  presiding  elder  and  jjastor  of  Walla  Walla.  .\t  the 
Dregon  annual  conference,  held  in  iSr>7,  the  Walla  Walla  district  was  divided  into 
one  station  and  four  circuits,  viz.:  Walla  Walla  Station.  Walla  Walla.  Waits- 
burg,  Grande  Rondc  and  Umatilla  circuits. 

In  ifViS.  the  class  having  become  strong,  and  desiring  a  new  l(K-ation  for  their 
church  building,  the  board  of  trustees  prmured  lots  on  the  corner  of  Poplar  and 
Second  streets,  bought  on  May  30,  iW)8,  from  W.  J.  and  .Mh-II  Arncr  for  $250.00, 
and  deeded  to  the  following  named  trustees:  H.  Parker,  T.  P.  Deiiney,  J.  L. 
Rcser.  Joseph  Paul  and  John  W.  McGhee.  The  old  church  was  moved  to  the 
new  location,  repaired  and  enlarged,  and  a  parsonage  was  fitted  up  just  cast  of  the 
church,  facing  on  Popular  Street. 

.\t  the  Oregon  annual  conference,  held  at  luigrne.  .XugU'^t  5  to  0.  \F/'»).  all 
of  the  meml>ership  and  apfwintments  formally  denotninaled  Walla  Walla  Station, 
Walla  Walla  Circuit  and  Dry  Creek  were  formed  a>.  one  charge  and  called  Walla 
Walla  Circuit,  to  whidi  Rev.  John  T.  W..lf,-  wn-  appointed  .1-  i>..sinr  .tikI  Rev 
Cliarles  11.  Iloxic  as  assistant  pastor. 

Rev.  Tames  P..  Calloway  was  presiding  iMi-r  of  the  district.  ,iml  on  .S»-|)iiniUT 
18,  1869.  called  together  at  Walla  Walla  all  of  the  official  mcmliers  of  the  new 
circuit  and  organized  the  first  quarterly  conference,  electing  the  following  board 
of  trustees:  diaries  Moore.  T.  P.  PKnney,  !>.  M.  Jessee.  M.  Emerick.  Benjamin 
Wayward,  .\.  II.  Simmons,  M.  McKverly,  William  llolbrook  and  Oliver  Gal- 
lahcr.    .At  the  Oregon  annual  conference,  held  at  \"ancouvcr.  on  .August  25,  1870. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  231 

Walla  Walla  City  was  again  made  a  station,  separating  it  from  the  Walla  Walla 
Circuit,  and  Rev.  H.  C.  Jenkins  was  appointed  as  pastor. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1878,  under  the  leadership  of  the  pastor,  Rev.  D.  G. 
Strong,  the  class  undertook  the  erection  of  a  new  church  building.  The  old  church 
was  sold  to  Mr.  J.  F.  Abbott  for  $250.00  and  moved  ofi'  the  lots,  and  through 
the  efforts  of  the  pastor  and  his  board  of  trustees,  consisting  of  B.  F.  Burch,  J.  E. 
Berryman,  M.  Middaugh,  John  Berry  and  O.  P.  Lacy,  together  with  the  faithful 
members  and  friends,  the  new  church  was  completed  at  a  cost  of  about  $10,000, 
receiving  from  the  church  extension  society  of  the  church  a  donation  of  $1,000 
and  a  loan  of  $500.  The  loan  in  due  time  was  paid  back.  After  the  completion 
of  the  new  church.  Rev.  W.  G.  Simpson  was  the  first  pastor  and  Brother  E.  Smith 
was  the  first  Sunday-school  superintendent.  For  some  reason  not  on  record  the 
church  was  not  dedicated  until  August,  1879.  The  collection  and  services  at  the 
dedication  were  in  charge  of  Bishop  Haven,  he  being  the  bishop  of  the  annual 
conference  held  at  Walla  Walla  August  7  to  12,  1879. 

It  having  been  discovered  in  1883  that  the  board  of  trustees  had  never  been 
incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  Territory  of  Washington,  the  quarterly  con- 
ference directed  that  articles  of  incorporation  should  be  prepared.  B.  L.  and  J.  L. 
Sharpstein,  attorneys,  were  employed  to  prepare  incorporation  papers,  and  on 
February  9,  1883,  they  were  signed  and  acknowledged  by  the  following  board  of 
trustees:  Donald  Ross,  C.  P.  Headley,  S.  F.  Henderson,  J.  M.  Hill,  H.  C.  Sniff, 
H.  C.  Chew,  E.  Smith  and  G.  H.  Randall,  and  filed  with  the  territorial  auditor 
and  the  auditor  of  Walla  Walla  County.  At  the  first  meeting  of  this  board  of 
trustees  they  elected  the  following  officers :  J.  M.  Hill,  president ;  Donald  Ross, 
secretary;  C.  P.  Headley,  treasurer. 

During  the  summer  of  1887,  the  class,  under  the  leadership  of  the  pastor.  Rev. 
Henry  Brown,  with  the  ladies  of  the  church  and  the  trustees,  consisting  of  J.  H. 
Parker,  C.  P.  Headley,  S.  F.  Henderson,  J.  M.  Hill,  H.  C.  Sniff,  H.  C.  Chew. 
G.  H.  Randall  and  E.  Smith,  undertook  the  building  of  a  new  parsonage,  and 
with  the  bequest  of  $500  from  the  estate  of  our  departed  brother,  E.  Sherman, 
designated  by  him  to  be  used  for  a  new  parsonage,  and  $596.47  raised  principally 
by.  the  efforts  of  the  ladies'  parsonage  committee,  a  two-story,  seven-room  par- 
sonage was  erected  on  the  grounds  of  the  old  parsonage,  facing  Poplar  Street,  and 
this  was  turned  over  to  the  board  of  trustees  free  of  debt  and  fairly  well  fur- 
nished. 

During  1887,  through  the  efforts  of  Rev.  J.  H.  Wilber,  a  small  church  was 
built  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city  and  called  Wilber  Chapel.  Brother  W.  J. 
White  donated  a  lot  for  that  purpose,  $300  being  received  from  the  Church  Exten- 
sion Society,  part  of  the  balance  being  subscriptions  from  friends,  but  the  greater 
part  being  given  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Wilber  himself.  The  church  cost  $1,500  and  was 
deeded  to  the  trustees  of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Walla  Walla, 
viz. :  J.  H.  Parker,  J.  M.  Hill,  C.  P.  Headley,  S.  F.  Henderson,  H.  C.  Sniff,  H.  C. 
Chew,  G.  H.  Randall  and  E.  Smith.  The  church  was  sold  to  the  German  Lutheran 
Society  for  the  sum  of  $1,600  on  September  5,  1892.  returning  to  the  board  of 
the  church  extension  about  $400  due  them  in  principal  and  interest.  The  dedica- 
tion of  Wilber  Chapel  was  by  Rev.  N.  E.  Parsons,  presiding  elder,  assisted  by 
Rev.  J.  H.  Wilber  and  Rev.  Henry  Brown.  During  1894  the  church,  under  the 
leadership  of  Rev.  V.  C.  Evers,  the  pastor,  with  the  trustees,  enlarged  the  present 


il2  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

church  by  extending  il  to  the  north  line  of  tlic  property,  increasing  tlic  seating 
capacity  of  the  church  with  lecture  room  to  5^5  persons. 

(Jur  church  property  at  this  time  is  free  from  debt  and  consists  of : 

One  church  building  :ii)d  lot,  value  $11,50000;  one  jxirsonage  and  fraction  of 
lot,  value  $j,000j00;  total  $13,500.00. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  ^J.l^llll>  uf  Walla  Walla  and  time  of  serv- 
ice: 1859  to  1861.  Rev.  (ieorgc  M.  Berry;  iWm  to  1W.3.  Rev.  John  l-'linn ;  1863 
to  !W)5.  Rev.  William  Franklin;  1865  to  i8^/j.  Rev.  James  Deardoff ;  1866  to  1867, 
Rev.  John  I-  Reser ;  18^.;  to  1869,  Rev.  John  T.  Wolfe ;  liVx)  to  1870,  Rev.  C.  H. 
Uo.xie;  1870  to  187,'.  Rev.  11.  C.  Jenkins;  1872  to  1873,  Rev.  J.  W.  Miller;  1873 
to  1874,  Rev.  S.  G.  Havemiale;  1874  to  1875,  Rev.  G.  W.  Grannis;  1875  to  1876, 
Riv.  S.  H.  Uurrtll;  1876  to  1878.  Rev.  D.  (].  Strong:  1878  to  1880,  Rev.  W.  G. 
.Simi>son;  1880  to  1882,  Rev.  G.  M.  Irwin;  1882  to  18S3,  Rev.  A.  J.  Joslyn;  1883 
to  1884,  Rev.  W.  C.  Gray;  1884  to  1885,  Rev.  J.  D.  Henner;  1885  to  1886,  Rev. 
P.  (;.  Strong:  i88r.  to  1889.  Rev.  Henry  Hrowti;  1880  to  1892,  Rev.  W.  W.  Van 
fhisen;  i8.,j  to  i8</>.  Rev.  V.  C.  Kvers ;  i8<>6  to  i8f^>.  Rev.  W.  C.  Reuter :  i8o<< 
to  1900,  Rev.  I^e  A.  Johnson. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  presiding  ciders  of  Walia  Walla  district 
and  time  of  service:  1859  to  iSfn,  Rev.  J.  11.  Willier;  i8<^>i  to  i8<>4.  Rev.  John 
Flinn;  l8r^  to  1866,  Rev.  Isaac  Dillon;  1866  to  1869.  Rev.  J.  B.  Calloway;  i86fi 
to  1870,  Rev.  W.  H.  Lewis;  1870  to  1874.  Rev.  IL  K.  Mines;  1874  to  1878,  Rev. 
S.  G.  llavcrmalc;  1878  to  1882.  Rev.  D.  G.  Strong;  1882  to  1885,  Rev.  W.  S. 
Turner;  1885  to  1886,  Rev.  I^vi  L.  Tart;  1886  to  1888,  Rev.  N.  E.  Parsons; 
1888  to  i8<,2.  Rev.  D.  G.  Strong;  1892  to  1898.  Rev.  T.  A.  Towner;  1898  to  1900. 
Rev.  M.  II    Marvin."* 

CATHOLIC    CHURCH 

In  1861  the  Catholics  built  their  first  permanent  house  near  the  present  site  of 
St.  \incent's  Academy.  Bishop  Blanche!  was  pre.sent  during  that  period  and 
Father  Yunger  became  pastor.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Brouillet,  who 
lirst  came  to  the  \\  alia  Walla  country  as  a  missionary  to  the  Indians  in  1847. 

Connected  with  the  Catholic  Church  are  St.  \incent's  Academy  and  De  La 
Salle  Institute,  descrilK-d  elsewhere,  lKsi<les  St.  Mary's  Hospital,  founded  in  1870 
and  now  e>tablished  in  one  of  the  most  |>erfect  buildings  in  the  Northwest. 

While  our  limits  do  not  in-rmit  details  in  regard  to  each  of  the  churches  of 
Walla  Walla,  we  wish  to  incorporate  a  sketch  of  the  early  Episcopal  Oiurch, 
for  the  rea'ion  that  it  casts  such  a  vivid  light  upon  the  early  days  as  to  give  it  a 
sjK-cial  historic  value.  This  sketch  was  pre|Kjred  by  F-dgar  Johnson,  one  of  the 
Whitman  College  class  of  1917,  as  a  research  study  in  his  history  course  and  in 
the  judgment  of  the  author  is  worthy  of  a  place  in  this  volume. 

TIIK   K.NKI.Y    HI.STORV   OF  ST.    PAfl.'S   KPLS*  OPAI,  (  III  KCII 

.\ccording  to  the  old  adage,  "Well  l>egun  is  half  done,"  this  thurch  conii)leted 
half  its  work  in  its  earliest  jicriod.  The  history  of  all  churches  when  tinally 
established  in  a  civili/xd  community  is  much  the  same.  But  what  was  the  history 
of  this  church  before  Walla  Walla  became  civilized' 


•  In  aniclf  quoted  the  name  Will)cr  appears  a  numl)cr  of  time*  hut  it  should  Ix-  noted 
that  the  correct  spelling  is  Wilbur. 


pa 
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^^ 

S  ^ 
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OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  233 

This  is  the  atmosphere  I  have  to  picture ;  the  condition  of  the  times  as  it 
reflected  on  the  growth  of  the  church,  and  the  condition  of  the  church  as  it  re- 
flected on  the  growth  of  civihzation  in  this  city. 

From  the  historical  data  accompanying  this  review,  it  will  seem  that  St.  Paul's 
Church  was  first  begun  by  services  held  by  a  traveling  missionary,  Bishop  Morris. 
The  church  did  not  take  on  definite  unity,  however,  until  1871,  when  it  was  placed 
under  the  care  of  Rev.  L.  H.  Wells,  a  comparatively  young  missionary  from  the 
East.  In  September,  1871,  the  first  services  were  held  in  the  building  (now  gone) 
on  Third  Street,  between  Poplar  and  Alder  streets.  This  building  served  as  a 
combined  courthouse,  hall,  church ;  and  the  basement  housed  Stahl's  Brewery. 

At  the  time  of  Bishop  Wells'  arrival  in  Walla  Walla,  this  city  boasted  of 
one  thousand  inhabitants,  while  Eastern  Washington  had  seven  thousand  settlers. 
At  this  date,  it  would  strike  us  that  the  little  city  of  one  thousand  would  band 
itself  together  to  protect  themselves  from  the  Indians.  But  fifteen  years  or  more 
had  passed  since  the  last  of  the  Indian  wars,  and  the  wealth  of  the  mines  of  Idaho 
and  Washington  found  its  way  into  the  city  and  aided  in  the  carousals  of  its 
"short-time"  owners.  For  the  uninitiated,  the  center  of  the  street,  or  open  door- 
ways were  the  safest  stops  in  the  city.  The  Vigilantes  ruled  as  a  secret  power 
behind  the  throne.  Suspicion  was  fixed  upon  every  law-abiding  citizen  by  those 
who  lived  to  break  the  law,  as  a  member  of  this  band. 

The  wives  of  several  saloon-keepers  were  members  of  the  church ;  and  one 
wife  succeeded  in  converting  her  husband.  But  inability  or  lack  of  desire  to 
learn  a  new  trade,  always  drove  the  new  convert  back  itlto  his  old  business. 
After  efficiently  illustrating  back-sliding  methods  thrice  over,  this  particular  saloon 
man  never  appeared  upon  the  church  rolls  iagain.'  He  furnished,  however,  the 
material  for  a  story  which  emphasizes  the  uhcouthne&s  of  the  times.  He  main- 
tained a  flourishing  saloon  on  the  corner  of  Third  and  Main  streets,  and  one 
evening  a  miner  from  the  Florence  District  showed  up  with  his  nuggets  and  gold 
dust.  After  treating  the  house  several  times,  he  began  searching  for  more  amuse- 
ment. Finally,  thinking  that  the  mirror  behind  the  bar  might  prove  a  worthy 
object  at  which  to  pelt  gold  nuggets,  he  began  firing.  Needless  to  say,  he  smashed 
it  into  bits  and  then  careening  up  to  the  bar,  he  simply  asked :  "How  much  do  I 
owe?"  The  saloon-keeper  recovered  several  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  nuggets 
from  the  floor  and  after  removing  the  board  floor  from  the  saloon  succeeded  in 
washing  out  $200  more  from  the  gold  dust  which  had  been  lost  throughout  the 
previous  period.  This  became  an  annual  event  and  never  failed  in  bringing 
a  hundred  dollars  or  so. 

In  1S72  the  bishop  started  his  day  school,  following  this  in  1873  with  a 
boarding  school  for  girls.  In  this  year  a  fire  burned  them  out  entirely  and  a 
larger  building  was  constructed.  The  life  of  the  bishop  was  not  an  easy  one.  He 
lived  in  his  little  cabin  next  to  the  church  and  whenever  a  new  girl  came  to  the 
boarding  school,  he  would  be  forced  to  give  up  some  of  his  furniture  for  the  new 
girl.  He  was  finally  reduced  to  sleeping  on  a  cot,  with  his  overcoat  for  a  cover- 
let. It  was  very  difficult  to  keep  the  coat  from  falling  away  during  the  night ; 
and  when  another  girl  came  and  the  couch  was  needed  for  her  room,  the  bishop 
having  received  no  new  furniture,  built  himself  a  box  and  filled  it  with  straw,  in 
which  he  slept  and  in  which  he  had  no  difficulty  in  retaining  his  overcoat  as  a  com- 
forter. 


Zli  OLU  WALLA  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

Liold  dust  and  iuit;f;c-ts  were  llic  incdiuin  uf  exchange  and  the  chunrh  and 
>cl)ool  both  had  gold-wcigliing  scales.  Many  pco|>lc  carried  httle  scales  with  them 
in  niorix-co  case>.  (itild  dusi  was  generally  carried  in  buckskin  sack>  alMiut  a  foot 
in  de|>(h  and  alnjut  three  indies  wide,  and  many  |>eu]ile  left  iliem  lyin^;  aUait  the 
front  porch  in  disguised  covering,  as  the  safest  pbcc  to  keep  them  from  thieves 
and  rcneg:ide  Indians.  Three  grades  of  gold  found  its  way  into  Walla  Walla. 
riu'SC  Were  the  LIdorado,  l-loreiice  and  I'liigle  Creek,  so  named  fron>  the  district 
in  which  they  were  mined.  Merchants  kept  on  hand  small  round  stones  with 
streaks  of  all  three  KT'''<'fs  in  them,  hy  which  to  measure  the  dust,  as  the  three 
f;railcs  were  worth  dilUrciit  amounts  of  nioney. 

It  was  in  this  atmosphere  that  the  church  began,  truly,  in  a  missionary  dis- 
trict. Net  it  grew,  and  mainly  through  the  spirit  of  co-o|K-ration  of  the  other 
churches  in  the  territory.  At  this  time  there  were  also  the  Mithodist,  Congrega- 
tiotud,  I'resbyterian  and  the  United  Brethren  churches.  Hishop  W'clls  recently 
told  me  of  the  kindness  of  the  L'nited  Hrethren  minister.     One  ■'  '   K-  walk- 

ing down  the  street,  he  was  hailed  hy  this  minister  who  was  on  i  iv.     The 

old  minister  ojK-ned  the  conversation:  "Young  man.  \'\v  iK-en  watching  you,  and 
so  have  my  congregation.  It  strikes  us  that  you've  seen  city  life  ami  I'm  only  a 
country  preacher.  If  you  will  take  care  of  my  congregation,  you  may  have  the 
church  and  I'll  go  into  the  country,  where  I  can  do  some  good."  Naturally,  the 
ofTer  was  accepted. 

In  1R77  the  new  church  was  erected,  and  it  still  stands.  This  was  built  on 
the  corner  of  Third  and  Pojjlar  streets.  The  lumber  for  it  was  hauled  from 
Touchet.  where  then-  was  a  mill.  One  difficulty  presented  itself,  however,  and 
that  was  that  the  lumber  obtainable  from  there  was  very  short.  IJut  the  long 
haul  from  W'allula  made  In-tter  lumlK-r  altnost  prohibitive,  and  the  church  was 
built  from  lumlier  cut  in  this  vicinity  and  planed  at  Touchet. 

Even  at  this  date,  forty  years  ago,  Walla  Walla  was  little  more  than  a  frontier 
town.  The  Joseph  wars  broke  out  as  a  result  of  the  white  man's  raid  on  their 
land.  .\  few  years  previous  to  this  the  ricivernmcnt  had  sent  out  men  to  see  what 
could  be  done  for  the  Indians.  The  white  men  were  o[xrn  in  their  statements 
that  they  intended  to  get  the  Indians'  lands.  The  Joseph  war  was  followed  by 
the  llann(Kk  war.  In  the  latter.  Walla  Walla  was  seriously  threatened,  the  Indians 
coming  up  through  Pendleton  and  striking  near  the  foothills  of  this  city.  A 
very  pretty  tale  is  told  regarding  a  Pendleton  sheep  man  and  his  dog  Hob.  Tlic 
Indians  murdered  the  herders,  killed  many  of  the  shc-ep  and  went  on  their  way. 
The  owner  stayed  in  Pendleton  fearing  to  go  to  his  flocks,  and  did  not  go  near 
them  until  a  week  or  two  had  elapsed.  When  he  did  find  them,  he  discovered  that 
the  <log  Hob  had  not  onlv  gathered  all  his  own  sheep  into  the  flock,  but  had 
collected  more  stray  sheep  froni  other  fl<Kks  that  had  l>ccome  lost,  than  the  Indians 
themselves  had  killed  I'lirthermore.  he  had  only  killed  two  small  lambs  for  his 
own  sustenance. 

Recitation  of  early  events,  and  incidents,  couUI  g<i  on  forever.  And  also  it  is 
hard  to  shape  a  series  of  stories,  and  a  few  simple  historical  facts,  into  an  inter- 
esting history.  I'ut  the  foregoing  gives  the  reader  an  idea  of  the  times  into 
which  the  missionary  was  forced  to  introduce  the  Giristian  teachings.  A  glance 
at  Walla  Walla  today,  called  often  the  City  of  Churches,  and  then  the  retrospective 
glance  into  the  '705.  shows  the  results  of  the  influence  which  liegan  work  at  that 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  235 

early  date  and  by  its  everwidening  influence  succeeded  in  civilizing  this  North- 
west. 

WORTHY  AND  POWERFUL  PREACHERS 

Of  the  many  worthy  and  powerful  preachers  of  early  Walla  Walla  it  may  be 
said  that  four  seem  to  stand  out  beyond  all  others  in  the  minds  of  pioneers. 
These  are  Gushing  Eells,  missionary,  educator,  school  builder,  and  all-round 
saint ;  John  Flinn,  a  man  of  somewhat  similar  type,  patient,  tireless  in  good  deeds, 
saintly  and  unselfish ;  J.  H.  Wilbur,  one  of  the  big  figures  of  early  days ;  and  P.  B. 
Chamberlain,  first  pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church  and  first  principal  of 
Whitman  Seminary.  Each  of  these  men  had  his  peculiarities,  some  amusing, 
some  pathetic,  all  interesting  and  inspiring.  Old-timers,  even  those  not  at  all 
given  to  walking  the  straight  and  narrow  way,  had  profound  regard  for  those 
militant  exponents  of  the  gospel.  Father  Wilbur  had  worked  at  the  blacksmith's 
trade  before  entering  the  ministry  and  had  muscles  of  iron  around  a  heart  as 
tender  and  gentle  as  ever  beat.  He  was  of  giant  strength  and  not  at  all  times  a 
non-resistent.  It  is  related  that  once  in  Oregon  before  he  came  to  Walla  Walla, 
some  rowdies  persisted  in  disturbing  a  camp  meeting  which  he  was  conducting. 
After  warning  them  a  time  or  two  in  vain  he  suddenly  descended  from  the  plat- 
form, keeping  right  on  with  the  hymn  in  stentorian  voice,  swooped  down  on  the 
two  rowdies,  seized  them  in  his  brawny  hands,  knocked  their  heads  together  a  few 
times  and  almost  shook  the  breath  out  of  them,  singing  all  the  time,  until  it  was 
plain  that  they  would  interrupt  no  more  services,  then  returned  to  the  pulpit, 
going  right  on  as  though  nothing  had  happened. 

Mr.  Chamberlain  was  a  man  of  very  different  appearance,  small,  delicate, 
refined  in  tone  and  speech.  At  first  meeting  one  had  little  conception  of  his 
tremendous  energy  and  iron  will.  He  was  a  man  of  electric  oratory  and  swayed 
pioneer  audiences  in  his  little  church  or  in  the  groves  at  public  gatherings  as  few 
men  in  Walla  Walla  ever  have.  He  was,  however,  a  genuine  Calvinist  in  his 
theology,  an  intense  Sabbatarian,  and  felt  called  on  to  attack  secret  societies  and 
supposedly  unorthodox  churches  with  conscientious  severity.  Thus,  though  he 
was  admired  and  respected  by  all,  he  could  not  maintain  a  working  church.  As 
showing  something  of  the  character  of  the  man,  we  include  brief  extracts  from 
entries  made  by  him  in  the  records  of  his  church,  pertaining  to  his  first  church 
building.  The  building  was  completed  in  1866  at  a  cost  of  $3,500,  most  of  which 
was  Air.  Chamberlain's  own  money.  Of  it  he  says:  "So  it  now  stands  consecrated 
to  God,  as  all  property  should  be.  I  leave  it  with  Him,  to  be  refunded  or  not  as 
He  may,  at  some  future  time,  move  the  hearts  of  the  children  of  men  to  desire 
to  do."  On  July  13,  1868,  two  days  after  the  fire,  he  writes:  "God  has  put  His 
own  final  construction  upon  the  last  part  of  the  foregoing  record.  Last  Saturday, 
between  twelve  and  two,  our  pleasant  church  was  entirely  destroyed  by  fire,  the 
fire  originating  in  a  neighbor's  barn,  situated  within  a  few  feet  of  the  church. 
Thy  will,  not  mine,  be  done."  It  is  gratifying  to  record  that  the  Methodists  at 
once  offered  to  share  their  house  with  their  stricken  neighbors  and  that  within  a 
few  months  the  generous  contributions  of  the  people  of  Walla  Walla  enabled  Mr. 
Chamberlain  to  gather  his  congregation  again  on  the  same  place,  corner  of  Second 
and  Rose,  and  there  the  Congreg^tionalists  continued  to  worship  under  several 


•£H6  OLU  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

)>a»(uratcs  until  during  that  of  Kcv.  Au!>tin  Rice  in  k/X)  the  present  builciin);  on 
I'alouiie  and  Alder  streets  was  erected. 

Uurnig    the   past    '■  : -•   a   nuinltci    ui    iiiii'   (.miuii   bu)lJin(;s    li.isc    t>crn 

erected,  of  whicli  the  i  .  the  I'rcbbytcrian,  the  l5ai>ti»t,  tlic  Marvin  Method- 

ist, and  the  First  Methodist,  may  be  e$|)ccially  named. 

A  distniuuishinj;  feature-  of  jireseiit  cliureli  hfe  may  \k  said  to  be  the  dejjrce 
to  which  it  has  taken  li<>I<l  <>l  niunitijial  and  jHjhlical  que>lions,  reforms,  and  jirob- 
Icms  of  practical  life.  In  that  respect  the  present  churches  of  Walla  Walla  arc 
essentially  modern.  I'.esidcs  the  churches  named  altove,  the  United  Hrethren, 
Lutheran,  Gcmun  Methodist,  German  Congregational  and  Giristian  Science 
Churches,  maintain  influential  organizations,  and  the  Salvation  Army  is  active 
and  useful. 

FK.\TEKNAL  URDKRj 

Somewhat  similar  to  the  churches  in  philanthro|)ic  aims  and  to  considerable 
degree  composed  of  the  same  type  of  members  are  the  fraternal  orders. 

If  Walla  Walla  and  its  kindred  communities  may  be  regarded  as  the  homes 
of  schools  and  churches,  they  may  in  equal  degree  be  regarded  as  the  hon»ts  of 
lodges.  Almost  all  the  fraternal  orders  usual  in  American  cities  are  found  here. 
As  in  case  of  the  churches  \vc  find  ourselves  compelled  by  the  limitations  of  s|iace 
to  accord  too  brief  attention  to  these  imjx)rtant  and  ixjjmlar  organizations. 

The  Masonic  order  has  been  for  many  years  represented  by  an  active  mem- 
l)ership,  having  two  lodges,  one  chapter,  a  comman<lery,  and  a  chapter  of  the 
(Vdcr  of  the  I'astcm  Star.  The  first  lodge  was  Walla  Walb  No.  7,  which  came 
into  iK'ing  October  IQ,  1R59.  At  that  date  a  disjiensation  was  granted  to  C.  R. 
Allen.  Hraziel  Grounds,  A.  B.  Rol)crts,  H.  N.  Hruning.  T.  V.  Page.  Jonas  Whit- 
ney, diaries  Silverman,  J.  Frecdman,  and  R.  H.  Reigert.  Not  till  Septemlx-r  3. 
iSfjo,  was  the  lodge  organized.  A.  B.  Roberts  was  the  first  Worshipful  Master; 
I.  M,  Kennedy,  senior  warden;  B.  .Schcideman,  junior  warden;  T.  P.  Page, 
treasurer;  W.  B.  Kelly,  secretary;  C.  A.  Brooks,  senior  deacon;  J.  Caughran, 
junior  deacon;  W.  H.  Babcock,  tylcr.  In  the  summer  of  1864  the  lodge  built 
a  home  at  the  comer  of  Third  and  .Mder  streets.  But  this  building  was  destroyed 
by  fire  in  ifW>.  and  for  many  years  following  the  lodge  held  its  .sessions  in  the 
Knights  Templar  hall  in  the  Doolcy  Block.  For  several  years  past  the  u|)j)er 
story  of  the  Motett  Building  on  .Mder  Street  has  been  used  as  a  Mastmic  lodge 
room. 

The  Odd  Fellows  have  l>een  represented  in  Walla  W'alla  since  iJV)^.  and  it  is 
a  matter  of  historic  interest  to  record  that  the  first  dispensation  to  organize  a 
loflge  of  Odd  Fellows  in  Walla  W^alla  was  granted  in  that  year  to  A.  U.  Purdy, 
lames  McAulifT,  W.  B.  Kelly,  L.  A.  Burthy.  and  Meyer  l^izanis.  With  addi- 
tions from  time  to  time  there  have  come  into  existence  three  Uxlges,  one  encamp- 
ment, one  canton,  and  two  lodges  of  the  Daughters  of  Rcl)ekah.  One  of  the 
notable  institutions  of  the  Odd  F-VIIows  is  the  Home  on  Boyer  Avenue.  This  is 
an  institution  covering  the  state  and  now  is  housed  in  two  commodious  and  at- 
tractive buildings  with  accommodations  for  a  large  numl>er  of  old  people  and 
orphan  children.  The  home  is  located  upon  five  acres  of  fertile  and  wholesome 
land  secured  from  H.  P    Isaacs.    The  first  building  of  wood  was  constructed  in 


REV.  GUSHING  EELLS 

The  "St.  Paul  of  the  jSTorthwest."     Missionary  to  the  Indians,  1838-47. 
Afterward  teacher  and  preacher,  and  founder  of  Whitman  College. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  237 

1897  and  opened  for  use  in  December  of  that  year.  The  second  building  of  brick 
was  constructed  in  1914.  There  are  many  shade  and  fruit  trees  upon  the  grounds 
of  the  home,  and  it  is  truly  an  attractive  and  beneficent  place.  The  order  has  also 
a  fine  hall  on  Alder  Street. 

Perhaps  most  rapid  in  growth  of  all  the  orders  in  Walla  Walla  has  been  the 
Elks.  The  Walla  Walla  lodge  of  Elks  No.  287  was  organized  August  10,  1894, 
with  fifteen  members.  The  first  member  to  fill  the  place  of  Exalted  Ruler  was 
Judge  W.  H.  Upton,  known  for  many  years  as  one  of  the  most  scholarly,  intel- 
lectual and  capable  of  the  lawyers  and  jurists  of  the  Inland  Empire.  His  death 
in  1906  was  a  great  loss,  deeply  deplored  by  many  circles,  not  alone  in  fraternity 
organizations,  in  which  he  was  conspicuous,  but  in  all  lines  of  social  and  profes- 
sional life.  After  a  slow  growth  of  a  number  of  years  the  fraternity  took  on 
a  swift  development  and  at  the  date  of  this  publication  the  membership  exceeds 
six  hundred.  The  lodge  possesses  one  of  the  most  beautiful  buildings  in  the  city, 
dedicated  with  a  series  of  appropriate  ceremonies  and  entertainments  on  May  23, 
24,  and  25,  1913.  The  Elks  have  led  many  movements  for  public  betterment,  as 
the  municipal  Christmas  trees,  park  benefits  and  other  benefits,  Red  Cross  cam- 
paigns, and  other  endeavors  of  philanthropic  and  patriotic  service.  One  of  the 
recent  enterprises  of  the  lodge  was  the  establishment  in  1916  of  Kooskooskie  Park 
on  Mill  Creek,  fourteen  miles  above  Walla  Walla.  There  in  the  beautiful  shade 
along  the  flashing  crystal  waters  of  our  creek  (Pashki  the  stream  ought  to  be 
called),  the  Elks  and  their  friends  are  wont  to  disport,  themselyes, at  intervals  in 
the  hot  season,  as  their  four-footed  prototypesj  thelf'totejii,"  ■of 'prehistoric  times, 
were  accustomed  to  do.  The  present  Exalted  :Ruier  isC.  S,!  Walter's.  There  is  a 
regular  publication  called  The  Lariat,  issued; everj  new  moon  by  ithe  secretary, 
Fred  S.  Hull.  '-■  ■     :,"'  -:-;. 

Of  what  may  be  called  the  great  standard  fraternities  the  next  to  be  noted  is 
the  Knights  of  Pythias.  It  is  an  interesting  historical  fact  that  Walla  Walla 
was  the  first  location  of  a  lodge  of  that  order  on  the  Pacific  Coast  north  of  San 
Francisco.  That  pioneer  lodge  was  known  as  Ivanhoe  Lodge  No.  i.  Its  early 
records  are  not  available,  but  it  continued  in  existence  till  1882,  in  which  year  it 
surrendered  its  charter  and  went  out  of  existence,  to  be  succeeded  by  Columbia 
Lodge  No.  8,  instituted  on  October  23d  of  that  year.  Of  the  new  lodge  the  first 
Past  Chancellor  was  S.  A.  Deckard,  and  Chancellor  Commander  W.  N.  Gedders. 
The  lodge  has  been  maintained  with  vigor  and  success  to  the  present  date. 

Of  what  may  be  considered  the  more  specialized  and  limited  organizations 
there  have  been  and  are  a  number:  The  Young  Men's  Institute  and  Knights  of 
Columbus,  Catholic  organizations ;  Woodmen  of  the  World,  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  Royal  Arcanum,  Women  of  Woodcraft,  and  National  Union,  insurance 
fraternities ;  and  of  more  miscellaneous  character  the  United  Artisans,  the 
Pioneers  of  the  Pacific,  the  Degree  of  Honor,  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians, 
American  Yeomen,  the  Foresters  of  America,  the  Rathbone  Sisters,  Ladies  of  the 
Maccabees,  Ancient  Order  United  Workmen,  Loyal  Order  of  Moose,  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  Degree  of  Pocahontas,  Good  Templars,  Sons  of  Hermann, 
Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles,  and  Order  of  Washington. 

Here  as  elsewhere  throughout  our  country,  and  worthy  here  as  everywhere 
of  profound  respect,  is  a  post  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  This  was 
chartered  March  T2,  t88i,  and  the  names  appearing  upon  the  charter  are  these: 


238  OLD  W  ALl.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

John  11.  Smith,  J.  F.  .McLean,  1'.  B.  Johnson,  J.  M.  Coolidge,  R.  P.  Reynolds, 
Abram  Ellis,  James  Howe,  J.  A.  Neill,  O.  1'".  Wilson,  IL  (J.  Simonds,  Samuel 
Xulph,  Charles  llcim,  Isaac  Chilberg,  A.  D.  Rockafellow,  William  Leislie,  F.  F. 
Adams,  I'".  B.  Morse,  R.  M.  Comstock,  and  Ambrose  Oldaker.  The  first  com- 
mander of  the  post,  known  as  Abraham  Lincoln  Post,  No.  4,  G.  A.  R.,  was  John  H. 
Smith.  In  April,  1886,  the  A.  Lincoln  Relief  Corps,  No.  5,  was  established, 
with  twenty-hve  charter  membt-rs,  ^Irs.  Jane  Erickson  being  president.  Filtmgly 
included  with  the  two  previously  named  posts  are  the  United  Spanish  War 
Veterans  and  the  Sons  of  Veterans. 

There  are  found  in  Walla  Walla  also,  of  more  recent  date,  the  Park  Associa- 
tion, one  of  the  most  important  and  influential  of  all  in  the  beautirication  and 
sanitation  of  the  city,  the  Gun  Club,  Isaac  Walton  Club,  Golf  Club,  Anti-Tuber- 
culosis League,  and  several  Reading  and  Art  clubs  which  have  played  important 
parts  in  ministering  to  the  recreation,  the  health,  the  intellectual  life,  and  the 
artistic  taste  of  the  people  of  \\'a]]a  Walla  and  the  region  adjoining.  It  is  to  be 
regretted  that  the  limitations  of  space  forbid  including  here  the  many  interesting 
details  of  these  various  organizations. 

The  Walla  Walla  Commercial  Club  occupies  so  commanding  a  place  in  the 
business  life  of  this  entire  region  and  has  such  connections  with  similar  organ- 
izations throughout  the  entire  Northwest  and  even  in  the  nation  at  large  as  to  be 
worthy  of  a  history  of  its  own. 

COMMERCIAL   CLU13 

The  Commercial  Club  came  into  existence  in  1885.  It  was  represented  in  that 
year  by  delegates  to  an  Open  River  meeting  in  The  Dalles.  For  a  number  of 
years  it  was  suggestive  and  mutually  stimulating  to  its  small  membership,  rather 
than  possessing  any  regular  organization.  It  met  irregularly  both  in  time  and 
place.  In  1904  John  H.  McDonald  became  secretary,  but  the  organization  was 
not  such -as  to  provide  for  a  secretary  who  could  devote  his  entire  time  to  it,  and 
hence  there  was  not  then  a  real  commercial  club  in  the  modern  sense.  But  a  new 
era  began  with  the  appointment  in  1906  of  A.  C.  Moore  as  the  first  regular  and 
exclusive  secretary.  Mr.  Moore  had  come  to  Walla  Walla  in  1888  and  had  been 
up  to  1906  engaged  in  the  O.  R.  &  N.  R.  R.  office.  With  his  entrance  into  the 
secretaryship  of  the  club  new  and  broader  plans  for  publicity  and  expansion 
by  new  member.ships  were  begun.  In  1908  the  first  of  a  series  of  regular  pub- 
licity campaigns  was  begun.  That  was  a  time  signalized  by  the  seaboard  cities  of 
California,  Oregon,  and  Washington — Los  Angeles,  San  Diego,  San  Francisco, 
Portland,  Seattle,  Tacoma,  Astoria,  Everett  and  Bellingham — with  special  efforts 
to  attract  immigration  and  new  enterprise.    It  was  the  publicity  era  par  excellence. 

Tom  Richardson  and  C.  C.  Chapman  of  Portland  accomplished  wonderful 
things  in  that  city  and  in  Oregon.  Both  became  well  known  in  Walla  Walla, 
where  they  were  greatly  admired  and  where  their  enthusiasm  imparted  such  an 
impulse  to  the  Commercial  Club  as  to  lead  to  a  new  organization  with  the  special 
aim  of  advertisement  and  general  pviblicity.  It  may  be  said  that  the  real  history 
of  the  club  as  a  definite  organization  begins  at  that  time,  1908. 

The  articles  of  incorporation  are  as  follows: 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  239 

ARTICLES  OF  INCORPORATION 

ARTICLE  I 

The  name  of  this  corporation,  and  by  which  it  shall  be  known,  is  "Walla  Walla  Com- 
mercial  Club." 

ARTICLE  II 

The  time  of  existence  of  this  corporation  shall  be  fifty  years  from  the  date  hereof. 

ARTICLE  III 

The  purposes  for  which  this  corporation  is  formed  shall  be  to  establish,  equip,  acquire, 
keep  and  maintain  club  rooms  with  the  usual  and  convenient  appliances  of  a  social  club ; 
to  engage  in  literary,  educational  and  social  pursuits  and  to  provide  ways  and  means 
therefor,  and  for  the  development  of  the  physical  and  mental  capacities  of  its  members, 
and  others,  and  for  their  social  advantage,  improvement  and  enjoyment  in  connection 
therewith;  to  advance  the  prosperity  and  growth  of  the  City  of  Walla  Walla  and  of  the 
State  of  Washington ;  to  ejicourage  the  establishment  of  manufactories  and  other  indus- 
tries ;  to  seek  remunerative  markets  for  home  products,  and  to  foster  capital  and  protect 
labor  mutually  interested  in  each  others  welfare;  to  collect  and  disseminate  valuable  agri- 
cultural, manufacturing  and  commercial  information;  to  extend  and  develop  trade  agricul- 
ture, merchandise,  banking  and  other  lawful  business  pursuits,  and  to  do  any  and  all 
things  necessary  for  the  accomplishment  of  these  purposes. 

ARTICLE  IV 

The  principal  place  of  business  of  said  corporation  shall  be  at  Walla  Walla,  Walla  Walla 
County,  State  of  Washington. 

ARTICLE  V 

The  members  of  this  corporation  may  be  individuals,  co-partnerships  or  corporations. 
It  shall  have  no  capital  stock,  and  shares  therein  shall  not  be  issued.  The  interest  of 
each  ijiember  shall  be  equal  to  that  of  any  other,  and  no  member  can  acquire  any  interest 
which  will  entitle  him  to  any  greater  voice,  vote,  authority  or  interest  in  the  corporation 
than  any  other  member.  The  corporation  may  issue  membership  certificates,  which  cer- 
tificates shall  be  assignable  under  such  provisions,  rules  and  regulations  as  may  be  prescribed 
by  the  by-laws  of  the  corporation.  Memberships  in  the  corporation  may  be  terminated 
by  voluntary  withdrawal,  by  expulsion  and  by  death,  and  the  loss  of  membership  through 
any  such  causes  and  the  incidents  thereto  shall  be  governed  by  the  by-laws  of  the  cor- 
poration. 

ARTICLE  VI 

The  number  of  trustees  of  this  corporation  shall  be  nine,  and  the  names  of  tlie  trustees 
who  shall  manage  the  affairs  of  the  corporation  until  the  second  Thursday  in  April,  1909, 
are  F.  W.  Kaser,  H.  H.  Turner,  F.  S.  Dement,  W.  H.  Kirkman,  J.  M.  Crawford,  B.  C. 
Holt,  J.  C.  Scott.  C.  F.  Nosier  and  J.  P.  Kent,  all  of  whom  reside  at  Walla  Walla, 
Washington. 

The  first  election  provided  for  in  the  foregoing  articles  occurred  on  the  second 
Thursday  of  April,  1909,  and  resulted  in  the  election  of  the  following  officers  and 
trustees.;  J-  C.  Scott,  president;  J.  H.  Morrow,  vice  president;  George  E.  Kel- 
lough.  treasurer;  A.  C.  Moore,  secretary;  L.  M.  Brown,  assistant  secretary  (pub- 
licity). Trustees:  J.  C.  Scott,  J-  H.  Morrow,  George  E.  Kellough;  O.  Druin- 
heller,  J.  M.  Crawford,  F.  S.  Dement,  R.  H.  Johnson.  F.  W.  Kaser  and  E.  C. 
Burlingame. 


-MO  OLD  WALLA  \\  .\IA..\  LL>L.\l\ 

Staiidiiic  Luiiiiiiittccs:  Frciglit  and  'IraiisjKirtation — B.  C.  Uoli,  H.  B.  Strong, 
Oscar  Drumlirllrr,  I-'rcd  (ilafkc  ami  Julin  Sniitli. 

House  Committee;  T.  M.  MiKiiinty.  ( ir<>  Stniihcrs,  H.  A.  Gardner,  F.  S. 
Dement  and  J.  1*.  Kent. 

Membership:  W.  H.  Meyer,  A.  C.  \  .m  l><w.it.r,  J.  M.  Crawford,  \\  .  H. 
Paxton  and  U.  M.  Beatty. 

Kece|>tion  and  Kntcrtainment :  T.  M.  Manger,  1*.  M.  W'inans,  H  II  Turner, 
R.  !•:.  Allen  and  W.  A.  Kit/.. 

.Auditing:    C.  S.  ISulTum,  J.  G.  Anderson,  R.  11.  Johnson,  K.  C.  Mills. 

Library  and  IVopcrty :  J.  W.  Langdon,  J.  J.  KaulTman,  J.  H.  Morrow,  J.  G. 
l-'ninkland  ami  (".  M.  Rader. 

Manufactories  and  New  Industries:  F.  \V.  Kascr,  11.  II  I  urntr,  J.  M.  Craw- 
ford, W.  H.  l-"oshay  and  L.  M.  Brown. 

The  memlx-rship  given  in  the  handbook  of  1910-11  includes  ^jj  individuals 
and  firms.  The  club  had  been,  up  to  iyo8.  housed  in  the  Ransom  Building,  now 
the  (irand  Hotel,  but  in  that  year  of  reorganization,  madi-  arrangements  with  the 
city  for  the  present  (juarters  in  the  City  Hall.  I-argc  sums  of  money  were  raised 
during  the  "I'ublicity  Fra,"  alxiut  $JO,ooo  each  year.  Mr.  A.  C.  Moore  continued 
to  act  as  secretary  until  1912,  but  in  1908  L.  F.  Meacham  In-came  publicity  man- 
ager, which  i>ost  he  retained  until  IQIO,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  L.  M.  Brown. 
Mr.  I'rown  became  secretary  in  1912,  u|)on  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Moore,  and  he 
in  turn  was  succeeded  in  1Q14  by  Mr.  O.  C.  Soots,  the  present  secretary. 

The  next  epoch  of  the  history  of  the  Commercial  Club  may  be  said  to  have 
Inrgun  with  the  adoption  of  the  bureau  system  at  a  special  election  in  .-Xpril  8. 
H)I5.  The  essential  provisions  of  the  new  system  may  be  found  in  excerpts  which 
follow  from  the  amended  by-laws  of  the  club: 

BURI'-AU  ORGANIZATION 

Section  I  The  membership  of  this  organization  shall  be  also  formed  into  three  main 
ilivi'ions.  accordinR  to  the  cxi>rr<;<o(I  preference  of  each  mcml>rr,  for  the  purpose  of 
dividing  the  work  of  the  orf^nizatinn  into  departments  or  hurcaiK.  the<c  bureau*  to  he 
dcsiiniated  as  follows : 

1.  Civic  and   Publicity. 

2.  Commercial  and   Industrial. 

J.     Horticultural  and  .Ai;rirultural. 

All  mrmlvr*  who  fail  or  nrRlcci,  within  a  reasonable  time,  to  express  their  preference 
as  to  bureau  afhliation,  shall  he  assiimed  to  the  several  bureaus  by  the  President  in  such 
proportion   as   may   most   nearly   njuatize   the   total   member»hip   of  the   several   bureaus. 

Section  2.  After  a  member  of  the  Club  shall  have  expressed  his  preference  as  to 
I'ureau  affili.-ition.  or  shall  have  been  astiftned  to  bureau  alTiIiation  by  the  President,  hit 
afTdiation  shall  be  conditional  tipon  his  election  to  such  bureau  by  an  aflfirmative  vote 
of  a  maiorily  of  those  present  at  any  meeting  of  the  Bureau  Committee. 

Section  3.  Subject  to  these  Ry-Ijiw(.  each  bureau  shall  have  ireneraJ  charge  of  all 
matters  relating  to  the  general  lines  of  work  included  in  such  bureau. 

.Section  4  The  work  of  each  bureau  »ha!l  t>e  under  the  immediate  direction  of  a 
Itureau  Committee  of  not  less  Mian  five.  rnnsistinK  of  the  Chairman,  who  shall  have 
l>een  desiimated  Vice-President  in  rharfre  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  not  less  than  four 
others  selected  from  the  membership  represented  in  that  bureau  by  him  in  conjunction 
with  the  President  and  from  nominees  of  double  the  refjiiired  number  made  by  the 
membership  of   ttie  bureau. 

Section   '      ''■'"   -'T^dinK  and  special  committees  of  the  Club  shall  l>e  classified  under 


WAITSBURG'S  FIFTH  AKN^UL  HORSE  SHOW,  MAY   1,  1901) 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  241 

the  several  bureaus  according  to  the  nature  of  their  duties  by  the  Board  of  Trustees 
upon  the  advice  of  the  President  and  Secretary.  Until  other  assignments  are  made  by 
the  Board  of  Trustees,  the  cotnmittees  shall  be  classified  under  the  several  bureaus  as 
follows : 

Civic  and  Publicity  Bureau — Municipal  and  County  Affairs ;  Publicity ;  Conventions ; 
Expositions. 

Commercial  and  Industrial  Bureau — Entertainment;  Good  Roads;  Investigation  and 
Endorsement ;    Manufacturers ;   Frontier    Days ;    Freight   and   Transportation. 

Horticultural  and  Agricultural  Bureau — Horticulture ;  Agriculture ;  Live  Stock ;  By- 
products;    General   Farming;   Fruit  Growers. 

Section  6.  The  President,  with  the  advice  of  the  Vice-Presidents  of  the  respective 
bureaus,  shall  appoint  annually  the  standing  committees  of  the  Club  included  within  the 
several  bureaus.  He  shall  appoint  standing  committees  on  Membership,  Finance,  House, 
and  such  special  committees  as  may  be  found  necessary.  Each  bureau  shall  have  at 
least  one  member  on  the  Finance  Committee. 

ARTICLE  VI 
BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES 

Section  i.  The  authority  of  tliis  organization  shall  be  vested  in  a  Board  of  Trustees 
numbering  nine    (9). 

Section  2.  There  shall  be  elected  in  every  year  of  even  numbers  four  Trustees,  one 
from  each  bureau  and  one  from  the  Membership  Council.  There  shall  be  elected  in 
every  year  of  odd  numbers  five  Trustees,  one  from  each  Bureaa  and  two  from  the  Mem- 
bership Council,  these  Trustees  to  serve  for  two  years- each.  Provided,  that  at  the  first 
election  there  shall  be  elected  nine  Trustees,  two  from  each  Bureau  and  three  from  the 
Membership  Council,  of  whom  five,  three  from  the  Bureaus  and  two  from  the  Mem- 
bership Council  receiving  the  highest  votes  shall  serve,  until  the  election  in  1917  and 
four,  one  from  each  bureau  and  one  from  the  Membership  Council  receiving  the  next 
highest  vote  shall  serve  until  the  annual  meeting  of  1916.  All  of  the  provisions  of  Article 
VI  shall  apply  to  the  special  election  held  on  the  8th  day  of  April,  1915,  to  be  known 
as  the   first  annual  meeting  under  these   By-Laws. 

The  first  president  under  the  bureau  system  was  a  man  whom  all  people  of 
the  city  delight  to  honor  and  whose  appointment  as  commander,  with  rank  of 
Major  of  the  First  Battalion  of  Field  Artillery,  N.  G.  W.,  is  recognized  by  hosts 
of  friends  throughout  the  state  as  an  eminently  fit  employment  of  ability,  patriot- 
ism and  energy.  This  first  president  was  Maj.  Paul  H.  Weyrauch.  Mr.  O.  C. 
Soots  has  continued  to  fulfill  his  functions  as  secretary  with  conspicuous  ability. 

The  present  personnel  of  officers  and  trustees  is  thus :  E.  L.  Smalley,  presi- 
dent ;  K.  Falkenberg,  vice  president,  Civic  and  Publicity  Bureau ;  O.  M.  Beatty, 
vice  president.  Commercial  and  Industrial  Bureau ;  John  W.  Langdon,  vice  presi- 
dent, Agricultural  and  Horticultural  Bureau ;  F.  S.  Dement,  treasurer ;  O.  C. 
Soots,  managing  secretary.  Directors :  E.  L.  Smalley,  F.  S.  Dement,  J.  A.  Mc- 
Lean, J.  W.  Langdon,  O.  M.  Beatty,  K.  Falkenberg,  Fred  Glafke,  Louis  Suther- 
land, O.  T.  Cornwell. 

WALL.\    W.^LLA    LABOR    UNION 

This  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  influential  organizations  in  the  city.  As 
compared  with  its  brother  organizations  in  the  seaboard  cities  or  in  Spokane,  it 
was  late  in  formation.    A  community  like  Walla  Walla,  a  rich  agricultural  region, 


IMJ  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

docs  iiut  sccni  tu  Ijc  (lie  natural  home  for  lalior  unions.  The  conuiicrcial  and 
niaiiufacturini;  and  mining  cities  arc  the  natural  locations  for  these  orf^anizations. 
Uui  in  process  of  time  the  skilled  laborers  of  Walla  \\'alla  were  drawn  \>y  luitural 
evolulion  into  the  great  circle  of  or^janized  labor. 

The  t'i(;ar-niakers',  the  Carpenters'  and  the  Painters'  unions  were  the  first  in 
the  field.     They  came  into  existence  in  ifxx>. 

Other  Kfoi'I"*  rajjidly  followed  and  at  the  present  time  there  arc  seventeen 
unions.  The  mceiinfj  places  and  times  and  the  officers  of  each  union  are  indicated 
by  their  |>ublished  directory  : 


L.MIOU  UNION   IJIRF.CTORV 

Trades  and  I.jbor  Council — Meets  every  Friday  evening  in  I^bor  Temple. 
S.  S.  Stovall,  president ;  L.  F.  Garkc.  secretary. 

CarjK-nters  &  Joiners.  Local  1214 — Meets  in  Labor  Temple  every  Wednesday 
night.     .\.  \'.  Mur|)hy,  i)residcnt ;  O.  D.  Keen,  financial  secretary;  C.  R.  Nelson, 

rrconlinc  secretary:  C,  .\.  I'ompkins,  treasurer. 

rrintiiij;  I'res.siiien,  Local  J17 — Meets  second  \\  ediiesday  of  each  month  m 
I-alx)r  Temple.     William  I'otgetlu-r.  president:  A.  1..  .\ngcr.  secretary. 

loiirneymeii  I'liimbers — Meets  in  l-al)or  Temple  every  second  and  fourth 
Thursday  of  each  month.  Marry  Hartcr,  president;  W.  G.  Collins,  recording 
secretary ;  Fred  Bowman,  financial  secretary. 

Painters,  Paperhangers  and  Decorators — Meet  first  and  third  Monday  evening 
of  each  month  at  Labor  Temple.  H.  R.  McCoy,  president;  O.  K.  Sweeney, 
recording  secretary;  H.  J.  Hurke,  fmancial  secretary;  Charles  Hazlewood,  treas- 
urer. 

Bricklayers*  I'nion — Meets  in  I^bor  Temple  first  and  third  Tuesdays  of  each 
month.  Louis  Hcrmish,  president;  Wm.  V.  Taylor,  fmancial  secretary;  Russell 
Taylor,  corr«-«;]K>nding  secret.iry :  George  Root,  treasurer. 

Meat  <  niier--  l.iHai  .Meet-,  iir^t  Monday  of  month  in  I-abor  Temple  H.  N. 
Kettleson,  vice  president;  .\.  Mcl-eod.  financial  secretary;  Theodore  Maskcyleny, 
treasurer. 

Musicians'  Protective  L'nion — Meets  in  Germania  Hall  second  Sunday  of  each 
month.     M.  A.  Power,  president;  H.  S.  BufTum,  secretary 

Teamsters — Meets  at  I^lior  Temple  second  and  fourth  Mondays.  Walter 
Klliott.  president;  Frank  Dunnigan,  financial  secretary;  Frank  Lansing,  corre- 
sjKjnding  secretary. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  243 

Building  Trades  Council — Meets  every  Friday  night  at  Labor  Temple.  F.  J. 
Myers,  president;  James  Grindle,  secretary. 

Allied  Printing  Trades  Council — Meets  in  Labor  Temple  second  Wednesday 
of  each  month.    R.  C.  McCracken,  president ;  Charles  Francke,  secretary. 

Typographical  Union  No.  388 — Meets  last  Sunday  of  each  month  in  Labor 
Temple.  H.  F.  Heimenz,  president ;  J.  M.  Baldwin,  financial  secretary ;  Al  Berg, 
recording  secretary. 

Electrical  Workers — Meets  first  and  third  Wednesdays  at  Labor  Temple.  E. 
M.  Cruzen,  president;  Mitchell  Anderson,  secretary-treasurer. 

Journeymen  Barbers — Meets  first  Thursday  of  every  month  in  Labor  Temple. 
N.  J.  Nicholson,  president;  H.  S.  Graves,  secretary. 

Woman's  Union  Card  and  Label  League — Meets  in  Labor  Temple  the  first 
Tuesday  of  each  month,  at  2.30  P.  M.  Mrs.  L.  F.  Clarke,  president ;  Mrs.  J.  A. 
Lyons,  secretary;  Mrs.  O.  K.  Sweeney,  treasurer. 

^ulinary  Alliance,  Local  626 — Meet  first  and  third  Wednesdays  in  Labor 
Temple.  Will  Williams,  president;  Charles  Miller,  financial  secretary;  Fred  Ken- 
worthy,  recording  secretary;  William  Bowden,  treasurer. 

Theatrical  Stage  Employes  and  Moving  Picture  Operators — Meets  at  Labor 
Temple  first  and  third  Sundays.  J.  A.  Duggar,  president ;  Frank  Wright,  vice 
president ;  Carl  Crews,  secretary ;  Blain  Geer,  treasurer. 

Sheet  Metal  Workers — Meets  at  Labor  Temple  second  and  fourth  Mondays 
each  month.     O.  L.  Demory,  president;  C.  C.  Shafer,  secretary. 

Hod  Carriers,  Building  Laborers — Meets  at  Labor  Temple  every  Thursday. 
Conrad  Knopp,  president;  Fred  Breit,  financial  secretary. 

Cigarmakers'  Union — C.  M.  Golden,  president;  George  Surbeck,  secretary. 

The  general  management  of  these  unions  is  delegated  to  the  Trades  and 
Labor  council,  in  which  each  union  is  entitled  to  three  representatives.  The  com- 
paratively quiet  and  comfortable  conditions  in  Walla  Walla  have  not  induced 
radical  action  by  the  unions  and  they  have  been  a  regularizing  and  balancing  force 
of  efficacy  in  their  own  lines  and  usually  an  influence  for  harmony  in  industrial 
Hfe. 

The  organ  of  the  unions  is  the  Garden  City  Monitor,  published  by  L.  F.  Clarke 
and  Jesse  Ferney.  A  special  number  of  the  Monitor  appears  annually  on  each 
Labor  Day.  It  is  worthy  of  all  praise,  both  from  the  editorial  and  the  typo- 
graphical standpoints. 

The  membership  of  the  Walla  Walla  unions  now  is  about  five  hundred. 


244  OLD  WALl.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

KAHMCk.s'    I'MoX 

llic  l;ir{;c>t  and  in  in.my  rt>|><rci!.  iiuot  iin|Mjriant  nrKanizaiioii  in  the  four 
counties  is  tlic  Karniirs'  Union.  This  great  organization  is  national  in  its  aims 
and  nienibcrshi|).  Washington  and  Northern  Idaho  constitute  one  unit  of  the 
N'.itidnal.  and  in  turn  it  is  divided  into  county  units,  either  single  counties,  as 
ilic  large  ones  of  the  stale  like  \'akinia  or  U  hitman,  or  by  grouping,  as  in  the 
smaller.  Our  counties  belong  in  the  latter  category,  and  we  lind  the  Tri-County 
Union  of  Wall;i  Walla,  Cijlumbia,  and  (iarticld.  ( )f  this  union  G.  M.  Thompson 
of  Dayton  is  at  this  date  president,  and  A.  L'.  .Moore  of  Walla  Walla  is  secretary. 
In  the  Tri-Uounty  Union  there  arc  eight  local  unions.  They  ap|>ear,  with  the 
secretary  of  each  in  this  enumeration:  Waitslnirg  No.  t,  W.  D.  Wallace;  I'res- 
cott,  .\'o.  2.  O.  V.  Crow;  Dayton,  .\o.  3,  Roy  Ream;  Mayview,  No.  4,  C.  W.  Cot- 
ton; Pomcroy.  No.  10,  W.  J.  Schmidt;  Walla  Walla.  No.  27,  W.  J.  .McUan ;  .Star- 
Inick,  .No.  119,  E.  W.  Powers;  Central,  No.  145,  J.  E.  Tuclh.  .As  will  be  seen, 
Waitsburg  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  premier  union  in  point  of  time.  It 
was  organized  in  May,  ujOJ,  the  first  president  being  N.  H.  .Atkinson,  and  the 
lirst  secretary,  J.  A.  i!nochs. 

The  total  membership  of  the  Tri-State  Union  is  about  six  hundred.  That  of 
the  Walla  Walla  Local  is  about  one  hundred  and  lifty. 

intinuitily  related  to  the  Farmers'  Union  is  the  Farmers'  .Agency.  While 
the  officers  are  entirely  distinct,  the  membership  is  practically  identical,  since  the 
provisions  of  membership  require  any  who  own  stock  in  the  agency  to  belong  to 
the  anion.  .Any  farmer,  however,  may  market  his  grain  with  the  agency.  At  the 
present  day  Hon.  Oliver  Comwcll  is  president  of  the  .Agency,  and  the  secretary 
is  Eugene  Kelly.  As  first  organized  and  conducted  for  several  years  under  the 
presidency  of  Hector  McLean,  the  Agency  was  an  information  bureau  only.  Hut 
when  Mr.  Comwcll  became  president  he  entered  upon  the  large  task  of  creating 
out  of  it  a  genuine  co-operative  grain  buying  organization.  After  some  years  of 
experiment  and  adjusting,  at  times  with  very  strenuous  conditions,  the  effort  was 
wholly  successful  and  the  .Agency  iK'came  a  coherent  organization,  backed  by  the 
united  force  of  the  l-"arniers'  I'nion  and  by  the  inain  weight  of  the  farming  com- 
munity of  Walla  Walla.  The  primary  object  of  the  .Agency  is  to  co-opieratc  to 
advantage  in  the  marketing  of  crops.  The  local  Walla  Walla  .Agency  has  come  to 
Ik?  a  tremendous  factor  in  the  wheat  market.  Its  existence  has  In-en  abiiiulantly 
justified  by  its  success  during  these  recent  years  in  maintaining  steady  markets 
.ind  in  securing  to  its  memlxTS  all  |>o<;sible  advantages. 

Aside  from  the  immediate  business  aim  of  marketing  crops  through  the  Agency, 
the  I'armers'  Unions.  l)oth  in  their  local  capacity  and  in  the  Tri-County  organ- 
ization, have  come  to  Ik-  one  of  the  great  forces  in  the  j»olitical  and  social  life  of 
the  region.  Questions  of  roads  and  bridges,  taxes,  public  buildings,  state  educa- 
tional and  penal  institutions,  problems  aflTccting  transjiortation  and  the  labor  mar 
ket  anfl  lalK>r  union  questions,^  have  In-en  subjects  of  discussion  and  recommen- 
dation at  the  regular  weekly  meetings.  Lectures  from  time  to  time  by  recognized 
ex|)crts  in  the  various  problems  involved  have  l)ccn  presented  and  public  men  in 
state  and  county  jKisitions  have  been  glad  to  consider  with  the  unions  the  subjects 
relating  to  their  functions. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  any  measures  agreed  upon  by  the  Farmers'  Unions  are 


PUBLIC  SCHOOL.   PRE8COTT 


FRONTIER  DAY  IX  WALLA   WALLA- 8CEXE  OX  MAIX  STREET 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  245 

pretty  certain  to  become  the  action  of  the  body  politic  in  the  different  counties. 
Once  each  quarter,  and  sometimes  oftener,  there  axe  meetings  of  the  Tri-County 
Union,  at  which  the  larger  problems  of  farm  life  are  considered,  and  in  connec- 
tion with  which  appetizing  banquets  prepared  by  the  skillful  hands  and  fine  artistic 
taste  of  the  wives  and  daughters  bring  joy  and  gayety  and  good  fellowship  to  all 
concerned. 

To  many  of  the  readers  of  this  volume,  and  in  years  to  come  to  their  chil- 
dren and  grandchildren,  the  most  significant  of  all  the  organized  associations  of 
their  home  country  is  the 

INLAND  EMPIRE  PIONEER  ASSOCIATION 

This  association  was  formed  in  1900,  largely  under  the  initiative  of  Dr.  N.  G. 
Blalock.  While  there  has  been  little  machinery  or  formality  about  it,  its  yearly 
meetings  for  renewing  the  old  ties  have  been  among  the  most  anticipated  and 
cherished  of  all  in  the  minds  of  many  of  the  builders,  the  fathers  and  mothers 
of  the  Inland  Empire.  While  the  main  membership  has  been  in  Walla  Walla 
County  or  her  daughter  counties,  it  is  not  confined  to  that  county,  and  a  number 
of  members  live  in  Umatilla  County,  Oregon,  and  in  Whitman,  Adams  and 
Franklin  counties  on  the  north  side  of  Snake  River. 

The  ofificers  of  the  association  chosen  at  the  fitstmeeting  were:  Dr.  N.  G. 
Blalock,  president ;  W.  P.  Winans,  A.  G.  Lloyd  and  Ben  Burgunder,  vice  presi- 
dents ;  Marvin  Evans,  secretary ;  Levi  Ankeny,  treasurer ;  W.  D.  Lyman,  his- 
torian. These  officers  were  almost  constantly  i-e-elected.  Until  the  lamented  deaths 
of  Doctor  Blalock,  Mr.  Winans,  and  Mr.  Lloyd.  Ben  Burgunder  was  chosen 
president  to  succeed  Doctor  Blalock,  and  at  the  present  time  F.  M.  Lowden, 
Joseph  Harbert  and  W.  D.  Wallace  are  vice  presidents. 

With  the  feeling  that  the  members  of  the  association  and  many  others  will  be 
glad  to  read  some  of  the  proceedings  and  to  see  the  list  of  members  as  a  matter  of 
permanent  reference,  we  close  this  chapter  with  the  excellent  accounts  given  in  the 
IValla  IValla  Union  of  October  15,  1904,  and  June  2,  1911,  of  the  annual  meet- 
ings of  those  years. 

ANNUAL  PIONEER  MEETING  OF   I9O4 

About  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  pioneers  of  Southeastern  Washington 
and  Northeastern  Oregon,  sturdy  men  and  women,  who  have  seen  the  country 
grow  from  a  desolate  looking  waste  of  sagebrush  and  sand  to  one  of  the  beauty 
spots  of  the  Northwest — men  and  women  who  had  not  only  seen  this  take  place, 
but  had  helped,  and  are  still,  many  of  them,  helping  in  this  wonderful  evolution — 
people  who  thirty  or  forty  years  ago  were  neighbors,  though  living  many  miles 
apart,  met  yesterday  and  sat  down  to  the  festive  board  loaded  with  the  good  cheer 
provided  by  the  devoted  pioneer  women  of  this  city  in  honor  of  the  occasion. 

OLD   NEIGHBORS   MEET 

The  crowd  assembled  in  the  Goodman  Building  and  there  registered  and  re- 
ceived their  badges,  after  which  they  marched  to  the  banqueting  rooms.     There 


•-'4G  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

were  many  licarty  handshakes  as  these  old  nciylibors  met,  and  the  scene  was  one 
uf  i'\.n\  rt-tmiun.  Tlirrc  were  tlu-  more  elderly  wlio  had  come  here  in  the  prime 
iif  life  and  whose  gray  hairs  and  wrinkled  cheeks  recalled  the  energy  and  vitality 
that  had  l>een  spent  in  building  up  a  new  country.  There  were  the  younger  men, 
those  whose  memories  of  older  lands  are  hut  indistinct  visions,  and  who  have 
Ijrowii  up  with  the  country.  Hut  all  had  the  common  bond  of  acquaintance  dating 
far  back,  a  friendship  tried  and  found  worthy  in  the  strife  of  many  years. 

v    Kl.  si  \i     i:ri.\KD 

Mowers  in  profusion  in  the  iiaiuiuti  hall  told  of  th*  interest  and  devoted 
preparation  of  the  pioneer  ladies  for  this  great  annual  event.  The  long  tables  in 
the  room  were  ladcned  with  an  ai)undance  of  every  delicacy  of  the  season.  Be- 
fore beginning  the  feast  all  stood  with  bowed  heads  while  Rev.  J.  W.  .\lcGhcc 
returned  thanks,  after  which  the  edibles  were  enjoyed  by  the  hapi>y  throng, 
reminiscences  adding  much  pleasure  to  the  occasion. 

I)r.  X.  G.  I'.Ialock.  as  toastmastcr,  at  the  close  of  the  banquet,  made  a  short 
address  of  welcome  to  the  pioneers  and  spoke  with  much  feeling  in  commemora- 
tion of  |x'oplc  who  had  blazed  the  way  to  the  present  civilization  and  ofTered  a 
tribute  to  their  noble  heroism  and  the  deeds  of  courage  and  self-sacrifice. 

'      ■  It.MlDSHIPS  OF  INDIAN   WARS 

The  toastmaster  introduced  as  the  "Pioneer  Indian  War  X'etcran"  oi  lin- 
association,  Hon.  A.  C.  Lloyd  of  Waitsburg.  Mr.  Lloyd  gave  a  brief  account  of 
campaigning  in  1855  in  the  Yakima  Indian  war.  In  one  instance  the  volunteers 
were  caught  in  a  snowstorm  •and  were  cut  off  from  supplies  at  The  Dalles  and 
were  rc<luced  to  a  small  amount  of  flour  and  some  tobacco.  They  furnished  their 
own  clothes  and  horses  and  could  not  draw  on  the  Government  supplies  as  there 
were  none  to  draw  on.  Mr.  Lloyd  closed  with  the  patriotic  remark,  "I*ut  we 
only  did  our  duty  and  no  more." 

1  IRST    NKWSr.M'KR 

Capt.  P.  B.  Johnson  responded  to  "The  Pioneer  Newspaper  Business."  He 
relntcfl  the  anecdote  of  the  adopted  child  which  replied  to  the  iKtasts  of  other 
children  that  it  had  no  (>,-i|>a  and  mamma,  that  "^'our  papa  and  mamma  are 
yours  because  they  have  to  l>e,  mine  are  mine  because  they  want  to  Ik."  He 
referred  to  the  younger  pioneers  iK-ing  pioneers  l)ecause  they  had  to  l)e. 

Captain  Johnson  said  that  when  he  had  an  opjiortunity  to  come  here  from 
.\rizona  he  looked  up  the  location  on  the  map  and  expected  to  find  fruits  and 
fields  similar  to  those  in  the  same  latitude  east,  but  when  in  ifVi4  he  arrived  at 
\\  allula,  by  steamer,  he  saw  a  vast  extent  of  sagebrush  ancl  nothing  more.  He 
then  reacl  from  Bancroft's  history  some  interesting  items  showing  the  contrast  of 
forty  vears.  .\  weekly  mail  had  l>cen  est.nblished  In-tween  Walla  Walla  and 
P<»rtland.  The  town  contained  800  inhabitants.  The  only  reference  to  the  agri- 
cultural possibilities  of  this  valley  was  the  fact  that  some  man  had  succeeded 
in  raising  a  fine  quality  of  sorghum  which  produced  an  excellent  quality  of  syrup. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  247 

Of  the  county  officers  that  year  the  following  are  still  alive  and  citizens  of 
this  city:  Councilman,  Daniel  Stewart;  sheriff,  W.  S.  Gilliam;  treasurer,  James 
McAuliffe. 

A  COMPARISON    WITH   THE  PRESENT 

Captain  Johnson  compared  the  advanced  conditions  of  the  present  civil- 
ization, with  the  start  of  the  country  newspaper  and  the  paper  of  today.  "The 
news  item  at  the  early  stage  was  the  local  news,  births,  marriages,  deaths  and  the 
few  other  happenings;  the  editorials  were  devoted  to  national  and  territorial 
affairs  and  to  my  contemporary,  the  Statesman,  across  the  street.  I  am  out  of 
the  business,  but  I  believe  that  the  little  four-page  paper  of  those  days  had  more 
influence  than  the  large  papers  of  today.  My  happiest  days  were  when  I  was 
running  a  little  country  newspaper." 

PIONEERS    IN    BUSINESS 

"The  Pioneer  Business  Man,"  was  responded  to  by  Benjamin  Burgunder,  a 
retired  merchant  of  Colfax.  "The  work  of  the  pioneer  merchant  was  not  all 
glory.  Our  patrons  all  claimed  that  we  sold  our  goods  too  high.  In  the  early 
days  we  had  to  go  to  San  Francisco  to  buy  our  goods,  then  they  came  by  water 
to  Portland,  by  steamer  from  Portland  to  the  lower  Cascades,  thence  to  the 
upper  Cascades  by  rail,  then  again  by  steamer  to  The  Dalles,  from  The  Dalles  to 
Celilo  by  rail  and  again  by  steamer  to  Wallula.  From  there  they  were  brought 
by  ox  teams  and  pack  horses  to  the  interior.  In  some  instances  in  the  mines 
goods  were  carried  on  the  backs  of  men.  In  one  case  it  cost  me  just  60  cents 
per  pound  to  deliver  my  goods  at  their  destination.  But  those  were  times  when 
we  got  dollar  prices.  I  lost  $25,000  once  in  developing  the  interests  of  the 
Northwest  by  trusting  mining  men." 

Mr.  Burgunder  paid  a  high  tribute  to  Rev.  H.  H.  Spalding,  pioneer  mission- 
ary, as  one  who  had  done  more  than  any  other  for  the  development  of  the  North- 
west. 

PIONEER    FARMING 

J.  F.  Brewer  responded  to  "Pioneer  Farming."  "Farming  in  the  Willamette 
Valley  was  first  done  by  the  crudest  methods.  I  remember  raking  the  grain  that 
my  father  cradled.  Later  the  mowers  and  reapers  came  and  the  header  evolved 
from  these.  I  came  to  Walla  Walla  in  1862.  All  south  of  the  place  was  a  barren 
sagebrush  plain,  and  only  one  house,  a  stage  station,  in  this  region  as  far  as  I 
knew.  In  other  parts  of  the  valley  there  were  a  few  farmers,  all  on  the  creeks. 
I  remember  the  remark  of  Mr.  Swezea,  a  prominent  pioneer  farmer,  'Your  sons 
and  mine  may  see  railroads  here  but  we  never  shall.'  " 

Miss  Nettie  Galbreath  recited  "The  Pioneers,"  a  poem,  which  was  received 
with  hearty  applause. 

PIONEER   RELIGION 

Rev.  Henry  Brown  responded  to  the  "Pioneer  Minister."  "I  came  to  Walla 
Walla  in  1886,  by  way  of  Pasco.    There  had  been  a  fire  and  about  all  there  was 


248  ULD  WAl.l.A   WALLA  CCJUNTY 

left  was  a  safe  which  I  was  told  belonged  to  the  county,  Pasco  being  a  county 
seat.  Several  men  with  loaded  guns  were  guarding  the  safe.  At  night  I  rented 
a  wood  shed,  put  my  family  in  it  and  loaded  two  guns  that  I  had  and  prepared 
to  guard  my  family,  thinking  1  had  reached  a  land  of  ruffians  and  toughs.  Father 
Wilbur,  the  pioneer  missionary  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  happened 
to  be  there;  he  asked  what  I  was  doing  with  my  guns." 

IN   THE   COLVILLE   V.^LLEY 

"Colville  Reminiscences,"  was  responded  to  by  W.  P.  Winans.  "One  of  the 
interesting  features  of  that  time  was  the  social  courtesies.  A  dance  was  given 
at  the  cantonment,  to  which  every  person  in  the  valley,  at  least  400,  was  in- 
vited. The  large  hall  was  decorated  with  flags,  banners  and  sabers.  Immense 
chandeliers  were  formed  of  sabers,  a  candle  being  placed  on  the  point  of  each 
saber.  The  effect  was  very  unique.  The  guests  were  refreshed  with  all  they 
could  eat  and  drink.  On  New  Year's  Day  we  Americans  drove  to  Angus  Mc- 
Donald's to  make  a  call.  He  insisted  on  us  staying  to  dinner.  He  entertained 
at  that  time  in  all  130  persons.    We  had  no  salads,  but  we  had  a  good  dinner. 

"In  1870  I  heard  the  first  Protestant  sermon;  it  was  preached  by  Rev. 
Gushing  Eells.  I  took  up  the  first  collection  in  the  Colville  Valley,  with  which 
Father  Eells  bought  a  Bible,  which  is  now  in  the  Congregational  Church  at 
Chewelah." 

WOMEN    OF   EARLY  DAYS 

Harry  Reynolds  responded  to  the  "Pioneer  Women."  "The  sublime  sacrifice 
on  the  part  of  woman  made  by  the  pioneer  women  is  unique  in  history.  Those 
women  were  not  fleeing  from  persecution  or  punishment,  but  were  sacrificing 
the  comforts  of  civilization  for  their  devotion  to  duty  and  home.  They  rep- 
resent the  purest  home  life  of  America;  the  best  womanhood.  The  pioneer 
women  are  the  builders  of  the  Inland  Empire." 

PIONEERS   BECAUSE  THEY   HAD  TO   BE 

"If  we  are  not  pioneers  because  we  wanted  to  be  and  wear  different  colored 
ribbons,  we  have  one  advantage,  we  came  at  a  tender  age,"  said  W.  H.  Kirk- 
man,  responding  to  "Pioneer  Sons."  "I  came  when  I  was  two  years  old  and 
brought  my  father  and  mother  along  with  me.  This  valley  was  a  barren  waste 
of  land  then ;  now  it  is  the  finest  valley  the  sun  shines  on ;  all  honor  to  the 
pioneers. 

"I  remember  when  the  \'illage  of  Seattle  boasted  of  being  as  large  as  Walla 
Walla ;  now,  Seattle  is  the  third  city  of  the  coast.  Again  all  honor  to  the  pioneers 
who  have  wrought  such  changes." 

EARLY    SCHOOL    WORK 

"Pioneer  Education"  was  responded  to  by  Professor  Lyman.  "I  could  draw 
contrasting  pictures  of  the  privations,  rude  homes  and  dangers  on  one  side  and 


BIRD'S-EYE  VIEW  OF  WALLA  WALLA 


THE  CITY  HALL,  WALLA  WALLA 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  249 

the  triumph  of  civilization  on  the  other  side  of  the  line  of  pioneers,  the  log 
schoolhouse  with  the  puncheon  floor  of  the  early  days,  with  the  well-equipped 
buildings  of  today.     But  is  there  more  heart,  soul  and  energy  now  than  then?" 

TWENTY-SEVEN   OFFICERS   RE-ELECTED 

The  old  officers  were  re-elected  to  serve  for  1904-05 :  President,  Dr.  N.  G. 
Blalock;  first  vice  president,  James  McAulifife;  second  vice  president,  Milton 
Evans ;  third  vice  president,  A.  G.  Lloyd ;  secretary,  Marvin  Evans ;  treasurer. 
Senator  Levi  Ankeny;  historian,  Prof.  W.  D.  Lyman. 

A  committee  on  necrology  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Professor  Lyman 
and  Marvin  Evans. 

The  third  Thursday  of  September  was  appointed  as  the  permanent  day  for 
holding  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Inland  Empire  Pioneer  Association.  The 
limit  of  eligibility  was  extended  from  1875  to  1880. 

The  following  were  among  those  present: 

Pioneers   of    1843 — Daniel   Stewart. 

1845— Mrs.  N.  A.  Jacobs,  George  Delaney,  A.  C.  Lloyd,  W.  W.  Walker. 

1846 — Charles  Clark. 

1847— Mrs.  W.  C.  Painter,  Elizabeth  J.  Scholl. 

1849 — J.  Pettyjohn,  F.  M.  Lowden,  J.  M.  Gose. 

1850 — Samuel  Kees,  Lizzie  Kees,  Mark  ?i.  Eivans,  Jolin.-McGhee. 

1851— E.  T.  McNall.  ,  •'-;  ■;        ■ .;        : 

1852 — Eva  Coston,  Charles  Lampman,  Mrs.  Jackson  Nelson,  C-  C.  Cram, 
Solomon  Gumming^,  Hollon  Parker,  Peter  Meads,  Rebecca  J.  Meads,  Nat  Webb, 
John  F.  Kirby,  Jennie  Lasater,  A.  Wooton,  Mrs.  A.  J.  Colvin;  Mrs.  S.  M.  Cram. 

1853 — J.  N.  McCaw,  Angehne  Merchant,  W.  D.  Lyman,  Mrs.  Catherine 
Ritz,  J.  F.  Brewer,  A.  McAlister,  Catherine  McAlister,  Evaly  Fleetch,  Jacob 
Kibler,  Mrs.  M.  H.  Kirby,  C.  R.  Frazier  and  wife. 

1854— Nellie  Gilliam  Day,  James  McEvoy,  Mrs.  Nat  Webb,  D.  Wooton. 

1855 — Alice  E.  Chamberlain,  L.  L.  Hunt,  John  Rohn. 

1857 — William  Clark,  Clare  E.   Cantonwine. 

1858 George  W.  Brown,  E.  H.  Massam,  William  Coston. 

1859— W.  P.  Winans. 

j86o — Philip  Yenney,  H.  C.  Chew,  Thomas  Gilkerson,  C.  F.  Buck. 

1861 Charles   H.   Gregory,   Mrs.   N.   E.  Rice,  A.  J.  Evans,   Mrs.  Araminta 

J.  Evans,  M.  Evans,  J.  L.  Hawley,  Mrs.  Mary  Ernest. 

1862 Mrs.  E.  E.  Kellogg,  Christine  Winans,  William  Glasford,  Ben  Bur- 

gunder. 

1863 — H.  A.  Reynolds,  Isabella  Kirkman,  W.  J.  Cantonwine. 

1864 Anna    Stanfield,   P.    B.   Johnson,    William   Stanfield,    Sallie   Stanfield, 

Hettie  Malone,  W.  D.  Paul,  M.  A.  Caris  and  wife,  George  Dehaven,  Caroline 

Ferrel. 

1865— Daniel  Garrecht,  James  Mclnroe,  S.  F.  Bucholz,  J.  A.  Beard,  Mrs. 

George  Dehaven,  John  Sanders. 
1867 — Louis  Scholl. 

1868— Maggie  Clark,  W.  H.  Kirkman,  J.  W.  Frazier,  Marvin  Evans. 
i86g — Charles  Painter,  Mrs.  W.  C.  Prather,  D.  C.  Ingraham,  Mina  Evans. 


250  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

1870 — Joseph  MeiThant,  F.  A.  Garrecht,  Z.  K.  Straight  and  wife. 

1871— Alice  McEvans,  George  H.  Starrett,  Mrs.  S.  J.  Pettyjohn,  B.  A.  Her- 
rold. 

1872— N.  G.  nialock. 

1873 — F-  -^-  Gowan,  Mrs.  F.  S.  Gowan. 

1874 — Julia  Brown,  Mrs.  N.  W.  Dunnington. 

1875 — D.  D.  Earp,  Chris  Seibert,  Victor  Schaffer. 

1876 — J.  F.  Bucholz,  George  Whitehouse. 

1880— M.  G.   Parr. 

Unknown  date — Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  P.  Nuttall,  G.  W.  Loundagin  and  wife, 
Theodore  Wolf  and  wife,  Joseph  Braden. 

riONEER    MEETING   OF    I9II 

(From  Walla  Walla  Union  of  June  2,  1911). 

Though  Father  Time's  blade  has  cut  with  remorseless  sweep,  and  though 
the  pioneers  of  the  Walla  Walla  Valley  have  fallen  before  its  swing,  the 
attendance  at  the  annual  reunion  of  the  pioneers  yesterday  was  greater  than  has 
ever  been  known. 

More  than  two  hundred  people  who  came  to  the  Northwest  before  railroads 
were  built  attended  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Inland  Empire  Pioneer  Associa- 
tion at  Whitman  College  yesterday. 

Honoring  for  the  twelfth  time  Dr.  N.  G.  Blalock,  the  Pioneer  Association 
yesterday  re-elected  him  its  president.  Marvin  Evans  was  also  chosen  to  fill 
the  office  of  secretary  for  the  twelfth  successive  time.  Doctor  Blalock  and  Mr. 
Evans  both  sought  to  refuse,  but  the  overwhelming  sentiment  forced  them  to 
accept  the  positions. 

"I  feel  that  I  shall  not  be  with  you  again,"  said  Doctor  Blalock,  "but  if  I 
can  do  any  good  w'hile  I  am  living,  I  am  willing  to  do  so.  My  health  is  such 
that  I  can  do  but  little;  but  while  life  lasts  I  am  ready  to  serve  you,  if  you 
desire  it.  I  had  hoped  to  retire,  but  being  an  American,  I  must  sacrifice  my  per- 
sonal desires  to  the  will  of  the  majority." 

Hotly  scoring  the  features  of  the  meeting  a  year  ago,  Solomon  Rader  made 
the  first  address  of  the  day. 

"Political  whitewash,  the  seeking  of  coal  mines  and  the  passing  of  two- 
gallon  demijohns  are  out  of  place  at  a  pioneers'  reunion.  Last  year  we  had  all 
three,  this  year  I  trust  we  will  have  none.  I  believed  last  year,  when  I  made 
my  farewell  address,  that  I  would  not  live  to  be  present  at  this  meeting,  but  I 
am  here,  and  I  feel  twenty  years  younger  than  a  year  ago." 

Mr.  Rader  carried  his  remarks  into  a  prohibition  talk,  and  reviewed  the  local 
situation,  stating  he  believed  that  the  votes  of  women  might  change  affairs, 
r^octor  Blalock  then  stated  that  he  believed  it  the  duty  of  all  women  to  vote 
and  that  the  pioneer  woman  should  be  first  of  all  to  cast  her  ballot.  He  intro- 
duced Mrs.  Lulu  Crandall  of  The  Dalles,  who  spoke  on  "How  We  Preserve 
History  at  The  Dalles." 

She  told  of  the  acquisition  of  the  old  surgeons'  quarters  of  the  old  Fort 
Dalles,  how  they  had  been  furnished,  and  how  the  relics  of  pioneer  days  were 
preserved  there.     An  historical  society  has  been  organized,  w^hich  is  supported 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY        .  251 

by  three  classes  of  members:  Active,  who  are  members  of  the  state  historical 
society;  associate,  who  are  not  members  of  the  state  organization;  and  honorary, 
those  who  made  history  in  early  days.  The  first  two  classes  of  members  pay 
annual  dues  of  $2.    The  plan,  stated  Mrs.  Crandall,  is  working  nicely. 

C.  R.  Frazier  of  Dixie  was  called  upon,  and  his  address,  read  by  the  secre- 
tary, follows : 

"Fellow  members  and  friends  of  the  Walla  Walla  County  Pioneer  Asso- 
ciation : 

"As  a  member  of  the  Walla  Walla  Pioneer  Association  I  appreciate  very 
much  the  fact  that  I  again  have  the  privilege  to  attend  another  one  of  this 
society's  annual  meetings  and  to  meet  with  fellow  members  and  friends  of  our 
association.  To  meet  old  pioneer  friends  and  to  talk  over  old  times  with  them 
is  something  that  affords  me  genuine  pleasure.  Certainly  as  long  as  I  am  able 
to  get  about  you'll  always  find  me  in  attendance  at  the  annual  meetings  of  this 
association. 

"The  few  brief  things  I  wish  to  say  at  this  gathering  I  have  had  written 
out  for  when  I  attempt  to  talk  at  such  gatherings  as  this  one  I  find  that  my 
memory  is  not  as  good  as  it  used  to  be  and  it  is  hard  for  me  to  say  anything  in 
a  connected  way. 

"For  forty-seven  years  I  have  been  a  resident  of  the  Walla  Walla  Valley. 
As  1  have  expressed  myself  many  times  before  I  think  our  valley,  its  climate 
and  resources  considered,  is  one  of  the  greatest  countries  in  the  world.  For  years 
on  my  farm  at  Dixie  I  have  been  a  producer  of  a  varied  line  of  farm  products, 
not  the  least  of  which  was  much  choice  fruit  and  also  several  varieties  of  nuts. 
My  orchards  were  not  purchased  ready  made  and  I  might  say  that  I  was  the 
original  planter  of  every  tree  on  my  place.  During  late  years  a  picture  of  one 
of  my  apple  trees  has  appeared  in  many  newspapers  and  magazines  throughout 
the  world  because  it  is  a  tree  that  holds  a  record  for  producing  in  one  season 
as  much  as  126  boxes  of  fine  apples.  I  will  admit  that  I  am  proud  of  that 
old  apple  tree. 

"While  I  have  always  been  a  hard  worker  I  feel  that  the  Walla  Walla 
Valley  has  been  kind  to  me  and  mine.  I  first  made  the  trip  across  the  plains 
from  the  east  in  1853.  This  time,  as  a  boy  driving  cattle,  I  made  California. 
After  spending  a  short  time  in  California  I  returned  east  to  my  old  home  in 
Sullivan  County,  Mo.  In  1863,  with  my  earthly  possessions  consisting  of  my 
young  wife  and  two  children,  a  team  of  oxen  and  a  somewhat  delapidated  vehicle 
that  might  be  called  a  wagon  I  left  Nebraska  for  the  old  Oregon  country. 
Travelling  over  the  old  well  known  trails  it  was  a  long'  journey  before  we 
reached  the  Walla  Walla  Valley.  On  the  trip  across  one  of  my  children  was 
born ;  other  mishaps,  more  or  less  the  result  of  fording  streams  and  hitting  the 
rough  spots  on  the  trail,  also  fell  to  our  lot,  but  with  us  all  such  accidents  were 
accepted  as  a  matter  of  course  and  we  didn't  waste  much  time  grieving  about 
them.  Our  little  caravan  on  its  journey  west  was  headed  for  Vancouver,  but 
when  it  hit  Meacham  Mountains  one  fine  fall  day  in  the  year  1864  and  we  had 
an  opportunity  to  see  the  beautiful  Walla  Walla  Valley  I  decided  right  there  and 
then  that  I  would  travel  no  farther  and  that  the  Walla  Walla  Valley  would  be 
quite  good   enough    for   me. 

"Reaching  Walla  Walla  we  found  a  town  of  some  eight  hundred  people ; 


252  OIJ)  W  AI.I.A  WALl.A  COUNTY 

I  ninvtd  on  up  to  the  Dayton  country  and  soon  had  located  a  chum  near  Dixie. 
I'll  never  forget  such  famiHes  as  Longs,  Lambs  and  Locks  whom  we  came  up 
with  in  our  new  home.  Right  from  the  start  they  were  kind  to  us  and  helped 
us  to  get  started  in  a  country  that  was  new  to  us.  After  we  once  got  a  start 
with  a  cow  and  some  chickens  the  rest  was  comparatively  easy.  In  the  old 
])ioncer  days  in  this  valley  neighbors  were  very  kind  to  one  another. 

"liut  perhaps  I  have  said  enough.  I  do  not  wish  to  tire  you.  In  concluding 
I  will  say  that  this  gathering  is  one  that  I  esteem  a  great  occasion ;  as  it  affords 
me  an  opportunity  to  meet  many  of  my  old  friends  and  a  chance  to-  talk  over 
old  times  with  them  it  is  a  gathering  I  would  not  miss  for  anything.  Thanking 
you  very  kindly  for  listening  to  my  few  brief  remarks,  I  remain, 

"Yours  truly, 

"C.  R.  Frazier." 

•       LYMAN    MAKES   TALK 

In  an  interesting  and  instructive  talk.  Prof.  W.  D.  Lyman  told  of  the  intro- 
duction of  apples  and  cattle  into  the  Northwest.  He  stated  that  the  first  apple 
trees  known  to  have  been  planted  in  the  Northwest  were  grown  from  the  seeds 
planted  by  Doctor  Whitman  and  Reverend  Spalding  at  Waiilatpu  and  .Alpovva. 
"The  first  trees  of  any  consequence,  however,  were  planted  in  the  Willamette 
Valley  in  1847  ''y  Henderson  Llewellan,  who  brought  700  small  trees  from  Ohio 
in  a  crude  wagon  that  had  been  fitted  out  to  carry  the  trees.  The  wagon  in 
which  the  trees  were  packed,  in  boxes,  was  heavy  and  time  and  again  Llewellan 
was  urged  by  his  comrades  to  abandon  the  wagon,  but  he  had  an  idea  that 
fruit  would  grow  well  in  the  new  Northwest  country  and  he  would  not  give 
up  his  travelling  nursery.  The  trees,  which  were  apple,  pear,  peach  and  cherry, 
were  planted  and  it  is  recorded  that  most  of  them  grew,  and  from  this  first 
small  orchard  grew  the  great  fruit  industry  of  the  Northwest. 

"The  introduction  of  cattle  into  the  Inland  Empire,  while  as  important  in  the 
results  created,  is  more  picturesque  historically.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
had  a  few  cattle  here  as  early  as  1830,  but  they  were  very  scarce,  so  scarce 
that  Doctor  McLoughlin  made  a  rule  against  killing  them.  Marcus  Whitman 
brought  sixteen  head  of  cattle  with  him  when  he  first  came  to  this  country, 
while  in  1838  Doctor  Eells  brought  in  fourteen  head.  These  were  only  the  small 
beginnings  and  were  confined  mostly  to  this  immediate  vicinity. 

"The  general  cattle  business  of  the  Northwest  was  developed  largely  by 
the  efforts  of  W.  A.  Slacum,  who  was  sent  to  this  country  in  1836  by  the 
United  States  Government  to  ascertain  some  of  its  resources  and  size  it  up 
generally.  While  in  this  country  Mr.  Slacum  talked  with  the  different  American 
settlers  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  introduction  of  cattle  would  do  more 
toward  securing  a  foothold  for  the  United  States  than  anything  else.  The  hard 
part  of  it  was  to  secure  cattle.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Company  would  not  sell 
their  stock,  even  to  their  own  people,  but  rented  it  out.  In  1843  Ewing  Young 
came  to  the  Northwest  from  California,  where  he  was  known  as  a  cattle  rustler, 
and  finding  that  his  reputation  had  come  along  with  him,  settled  in  the  Chehalem 
Valley,  where  it  was  his  intention  to  make  liquor  and  sell  it  to  the  Indians  and 
wandering  white   men.     He  was,   however,  persuaded  by    Slacum   and    Doctor 


THE  BAKER-BOYER  NATIONAL  BANK  IN   llilO 


THE    BAKER-BOYER    NATIONAL    BANK,    WALLA    WALLA,    IN    ISUO 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  253 

McLoughlin,  who  also  saw  the  importance  of  securing  cattle  for  this  country, 
to  go  to  CaUfornia  and  bring  a  drove  of  cattle  to  Oregon.  This  drive  took 
place  in  the  years  of  1S37  and  1838.  Young  started  from  California  with  joo 
head  of  cattle  and  arrived  in  the  Willamette  Valley  with  Bcxd  head. 

"The  second  great  cattle  drive  started  in  1839  with  a  group  of  Americans, 
eager  to  develop  their  own  interests  and  the  interests  of  the  United  States  in 
this  section  of  the  country.  Under  the  leadership  of  John  Gale  they  built  a 
small  schooner  called  "The  Star  of  Oregon,"  in  which  after  many  difficulties, 
they  arrived  where  San  Francisco  is  now  located  and  after  trading  their 
schooner  for  300  cows,  took  what  money  they  had  and  purchased  i,2CX)  cattle, 
3,000  sheep  and  600  horses.  The  sheep  were  purchased  by  the  dozen,  while  the 
horses  brought  from  three  to  six  dollars  a  head.  Consider  the  hardship  these 
few  men  went  through,  bringing  these  animals  that  long  distance  under  those 
conditions. 

"The  introduction  of  fruit  and  cattle  into  the  Inland  Empire  meant  much 
to  the  early  settlers  and  meant  vastly  much  more  to  the  present  generation." 

liURGUNDER  SPEAKS 

Following  this  address.  Vice  President  Ben  Btirgundei;;  c^T^S- attention  to  the 
fact  that  Kettle  Falls,  on  June  23d,  would  celqbrate'"'tiie.ahniver5a*yj  of  its  dis- 
covery by  David  Thompson.  Delegates  from  the  association  were  ksked ;  and 
Pres.  N.  G.  Blalock  was  authorized  to  appoint  whoever  he'skSj^-.fit..!  Ben  Bur- 
gunder  volunteered  to  act  as  a  delegate,  and  any  .otliiers.  .who  ean'go,  will  be 
made  delegates. 

Election  of  officers  was  then  taken  up,  and  despite  his  protests,  Doctor 
Blalock  was  re-elected.  The  other  officers  elected  are :  first  vice  president,  Ben 
Burgunder  of  Colfax;  second  vice  president,  A.  G.  Lloyd  of  Waitsburg;  third 
vice  president,  Natt  Webb ;  secretary,  Marvin  Evans ;  treasurer,  Levi  Ankeny ; 
historian,  W.  D.  Lyman. 

The  association  then  adjourned  to  Reynolds  Hall,  where  a  dinner  was  served 
by  Miss  Burr,  and  the  tables  were  presided  over  by  young  ladies  of  the  dormi- 
tory. The  banquet  was  most  successful,  about  two  hundred  sitting  down  to  the 
repast. 

'    A  number  of  short  talks  then  followed.  President  Blalock  calling  upon  the 
members  of  the  association  for  brief  addresses. 

"I  came  here  thirty-two  years  ago,"  said  Rev.  John  LeCornu,  "and  at  that 
time  I  knew  nearly  evervone.  Now  I  know  hardly  anyone.  I  used  to  go  where 
I  pleased  across  corners,  but  it's  all  fenced  now.  Where  there  were  formerly 
stables  on  Main  and  Alder  streets,  are  now  big  buildings ;  and  where  we  then 
drove  through  dust  or  mud,  we  now  have  pavements.  Schoolhouses,  everything, 
have  grown  in  numbers.     We  have  grown,  and  we  will  continue  to  grow." 

A.  G.  Lloyd  of  Waitsburg,  second  vice  president  of  the  association,  expressed 
his  pleasure  of  being  present.  He  had  been  in  the  valley  for  more  than  fifty 
years. 

W.  P.  Winans,  who  has  been  in  the  northwest  for  fifty-two  years,  made  a 
brief  talk,  stating  that  fifty-two  years  ago  yesterday  he  was  on  the  Arkansas 
River,  headed  for  this  country. 


254  OLD  \\-ALLA  \\ALLA  COUNTY 

"These  reunions  are  the  pleasantest  times  in  Hfe.  Not  only  for  the  present, 
but  the  future  reminiscences  of  them,  bring  us  pleasure,  and  I  trust  they  will 
continue  as  long  as  we  have  pioneers." 

ACCEPT    INVITATION 

Pres.  S.  B.  L.  Penrose  of  Whitman  College,  was  then  called  upon  for  an 
address,  and  extended  an  invitation  for  the  association  to  make  its  permanent 
meeting  place  at  Whitman  College.     By  rising  vote,  this  was  accepted. 

"The  college  is  a  pioneer,  it  was  founded  by  pioneers,  and  its  existence  will 
be  fresh  a  thousand  years  hence,  when  we  are  all  forgotten.  The  association  can- 
not, I  think,  do  better  than  to  link  its  existence  with  this  institution,  whose  life 
will  be  endless;  and  I  extend  to  you  an  invitation  to  hold  your  future  meetings 
at  the  college." 

Cal  Lloyd  was  the  next  speaker,  and  he  expressed  his  pleasure  at  being 
present,  and  his  hope  that  he  would  see  every  member  at  the  next  meeting. 

H.  A.  Reynolds  expressed  a  desire  to  have  the  word  pioneer  defined,  and 
to  have  an  organization,  separate  from  the  present  one,  for  the  sons  and  the 
daughters  of  pioneers. 

"You  cannot  make  a  man  a  pioneer  by  legislation,  any  more  than  you  can 
make  a  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  man.  I  was  born  here,  but  do  not  claim 
to  be  a  true  pioneer." 

"I  am  not  that  kind  of  a  pioneer,"  stated  W-  H.  Kirkman,  "for  when  I  was 
two  years  old,  without  a  quaver  or  misgiving,  I  took  my  father  by  one  hand 
and  my  mother  by  the  other,  and  faced  boldly  to  the  west,  leading  them  to  Walla 
Walla. 

"The  pioneers  have  laid  here  the  foundation  for  the  greatest  civilization  the 
world  has  ever  known;  and  it  is  for  them  to  enjoy,  as  fully  as  possible,  the  fruits 
of  their  labors." 

"I  too,  used  to  know  the  country  and  every  man  in  it,"  said  William  Rine- 
hart,  formerly  of  Union,  Oregon,  but  now  of  Walla  Walla.  "At  Union  I  was 
secretary  of  the  Pioneers'  Association :  and  we  had  enjoyable  reunions,  much 
like  this  one.     I  enjoy  them,  and  trust  I  will  be  able  to  attend  many  yet.'.' 

Following  the  reading  of  the  resolutions,  which  were  unanimously  adopted, 
members  of  the  association  were  given  an  hour's  ride  about  the  city  in  auto- 
mobiles. 

The  attendance  was  more  than  two  hundred,  the  largest  in  the  history  of 
the  organization,  according  to  old  timers  who  have  been  in  constant  attendance. 

RESOLUTIONS 

Following  is  the  report  of  the  resolutions  committee,  composed  of  Prof.  W. 
D.  Lyman,  A.  G.  Lloyd  and  W.  S.  Clarke: 

"Resolutions  of  the  Inland  Empire  Pioneer  Association,  June  I,  191 1. 

"Resolved :  That  we  recognize  with  deep  gratitude  to  Providence  this  oppor- 
tunity which  our  gathering  gives  us  for  renewing  the  old  friendships  and  making 
new  ones. 

"Resolved :    That  the  heartv  thanks  of  the  association  be  extended  to  Presi- 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  255 

dent  Penrose  and  to  the  officers  of  Whitman  College  for  the  use  of  Memorial 
Hall;  and  to  Miss  Burr,  manager  of  Reynolds  Hall,  for  the  delicious  banquet 
provided;  and  to  the  young  ladies  for  their  service  upon  the  tables. 

"Resolved:  That  we  heartily  thank  the  members  of  the  Whitman  College 
Glee  Club  for  the  beautiful  vocal  selections  which  added  so  pleasant  a  feature 
to  the  occasion. 

"We  also  thank  the  staff  of  the  local  newspapers  for  their  presence  and 
interest  in  this  meeting;  and  we  recognize  in  their  reports  an  indispensable 
means  of  bringing  the  aims  and  work  of  the  society  before  the  public. 

"We  thank  the  president,  other  officers  and  committee  of  arrangements  for 
the  preparations  and  completion  of  this  meeting,  which  will  occupy  so  attractive 
a  place  in  our  memories. 

"Resolved,  in  conclusion :  That  we  would  urge  upon  the  members  of  this 
association  the  desirability  of  preparing  and  giving  to  the  historian  biographical 
data  to  the  end  of  fulfilling  one  of  the  great  aims  of  the  association,  the  preserva- 
tion of  matter  otherwise  liable  to  be  lost. 

"We  incorporate  herewith  our  heartfelt  recognition  of  those  of  our  members 
who  have  passed  on  since  our  last  meeting." 

Death  has  been  active  in  the  list  of  pioneers  during  this  brief  period. 

The  association  recognizes  the  loss  of  these  valued  friends  and  members  of 
the  ranks  the  inevitable  movement  of  time  and  the  fulfillment  of  lives  nobly 
.spent  and  of  influences  which  have  done  much  to  make  this  country  what  it  is. 

The  association  extends  its  condolence  to  the  members  of  the  families 
bereaved  through  these  deaths,  and  joins  with  them  in  the  sentiments  of  joy 
and  pride  which  their  good  deeds  must  impart  to  all  whom  their  lives  have 
reached. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  those  included  in  the  number :  Mrs.  Kate  L.  Butz, 
Amos  Cummings,  William  Coston,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Ernst,  Mrs.  Chas.  Lampman,  Mrs. 
E.  H.  Massam,  L.  P.  Mulkey,  Mrs.  Lydia  Olds,  Mrs.  Martha  A.  Payne,  Dale 
Preston,  William  Stanfield,  James  J.  Gallaher,  Mrs.  Hollon  Parker,  Joseph 
McCoy,  Mrs.  Martha  Lovell,  Jesse  Cummings. 

Members  of  the  Inland  Empire  Pioneer  Association  are:  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A. 
L.  Ring,  Dollie  Auker,  Harry  Gilbert,  John  A.  Taylor,  William  Glasford,  G. 
A.  Evans,  C.  H.  Kaseberg,  A.  G.  Murphy,  Thomas  Gilkerson,  Henry  Chew, 
America  DeWitt.  Oliver  DeWitt,  J.  J.  Rohn.  Mrs.  Chris  Sturm,  Henry  Ingalls, 
D.  Wertheimer,  D.  H.  Irvin,  Mrs.  Mary  Irwin,  John  McCausland,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
H.  H.  Hungate,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  C.  Dunlap,  Ben  Burgunder,  John  Tempany, 
G.  W.  Bowers,  Mrs.  Isabella  Kirkman,  Levi  Malone,  Robert  Kennedy,  Mrs.  J. 
C.  Smith,  Mrs.  C.  W.  Reser,  Miss  Reser,  Mrs.  R.  R.  Rees,  Fannie  Hall,  Mrs.  J. 
W.  Foster,  N.  G.  Blalock,  Mrs.  E.  A.  Edwards,  T.  J.  Hickman,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Joe  Harbert,  Mrs.  Alexander  Johnson,  Mrs.  E.  Lewis,  Mrs.  Mary  Jett,  S.  W. 
Smith,  Mrs.  Esther  Smith,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  Thomas,  Mrs.  J.  L.  Robinson,  Mrs. 
J.  J.  Morrison,  George  Dehaven,  Mrs.  Mehala  Dehaven,  Joseph  McEvoy,  Mrs. 
J.  W.  Cookerly,  Mrs.  Kate  Henderson,  John  Braden,  Joe  Braden,  Mrs.  J.  F. 
Brewer,  Mrs.  S.  A.  Stanfield,  Mrs.  Lucy  Buff,  Mrs.  Dora  Walker,  Mrs.  D.  H. 
Coffin,  Mrs.  Mary  McCoy.  Natt  Webb,  Eliza  Jane  Webb,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank 
Harbert,  Mrs.  A.  T.  Bedell,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oliver  Cornwell,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ernest 
Cantonwine,  C.  R.  Frazier,  P.  Lightle.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  J.  Weidick,  Mrs.  Jessie 


25(5  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Jones,  Mrs.  B.  L.  Sharpstein,  Mrs.  Frank  Sharpstein,  Mrs.  .\ddic  Upton,  Mrs. 
Charles  Painter,  J.  C.  Painter,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  L.  Hunt,  L.  F.  Anderson,  Mrs. 
D.  S.  ]5aker,  Charles  McEvoy,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  S.  Hart,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  J. 
Evans,  Mrs.  Margaret  Dovell,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Woodson  Cummings,  Agnes  L. 
LeVine,  Mrs.  Kominsky,  Peter  Meads,  John  Hodges,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Cum- 
mins, Hampton  Huff,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  S.  Malloy,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  L.  Cauvel, 
Robert  Cummings,  J.  A.  Ross,  F.  A.  Ross,  Mrs.  Rose  Winans,  Lulu  Crandall, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Hardese,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  C.  McCaw,  Doctor  and  Mrs. 
Probst,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  S.  Clark,  William  Preston,  D.  G.  Ingraham,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  A.  G.  Lloyd,  \\'.  Manning,  S.  E.  Manning,  J.  A.  Beard,  Agnes  Beard,  Mrs. 
J.  P.  Denn,  J.  C.  Lloyd,  J.  H.  Pettyjohn,  Mrs.  Kate  Pettyjohn,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Henry  Rinehart,  Caroline  Ferrel,  W.  D.  Lyman,  A.  M.  McAllister,  Dorsey  Hill, 
Marvin  Evans,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  F.  Halter,  W.  P.  Winans,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  L. 
Whitney,  Thomas  Mosgrove,  Perry  J.  Lyons,  W.  S.  Offner,  Sidney  Coyle,  Mrs. 
Sarah  Coyle,  C.  B.  Lane,  Frances  E.  Lane,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  LeCornu,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  A.  M.  McLellan,  H.  V.  Grubb,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  H.  Reynolds,  W.  H. 
Kirkman. 


CHAPTER  VII 
THE  PRESS  OF  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

The  newspapers  of  any  region  must  always  be  given  prominence  in  any 
history  of  it  as  being  one  of  the  great  constructive  forces  as  well  as  con- 
stituting the  indispensable  record  of  events.  Besides  these  fundamental  func- 
tions, there  is  usually  found  in  connection  with  the  press  of  a  new  region 
a  group  of  men  alive  to  the  needs  and  opportunities  and  hence  concerned 
in  those  varied  interests  which  always  take  shape  in  new  places.  Add  to  this 
the  fact  that  generally  there  are  found  among  newspaper  men  odd,  unique,  and 
entertaining  characters,  and  we  evidently  have  all  the  material  for  one  of  the 
most  interesting  sections  of  any  history.  Walla  Walla  has  had,  even  more  than 
most  places,  several  unique  and  marked  personalities  among  her  "knights  of  the 
quill."  In  dealing  with  them,  as  with  other  parts  of  this  work,  we  feel  regret- 
fully the  pressure  of  the  inexorable  limits  of  space  and  are  compelled  thereby 
to  omit  the  portrayal  of  some  of  those  amusing,  odd,  and  racy  characters  and 
events  which  might  enliven  the  sober  pages  of  history. 

We  have  had  occasion  to  refer  many  times  to  the  Statesman  as  authority  for 
early  events  and  have  also  said  something  of  its  first  appearance  and  early  man- 
agement. Appearing  under  the  names  of  Washington  Statesman  and  Walla 
Walla  Statesman,  it  continued  for  many  years  to  fulfill  its  mission  in  the  Walla 
Walla  country  and  more  than  any  other  may  be  considered  as  the  historic  paper 
of  this  section.  The  Statesman  had  a  kind  of  a  double  origin.  For  in  Septem- 
ber, 1861,  two  brothers,  W.  N.  and  R.  B.  Smith,  set  on  foot  an  enterprise  through 
the  acquisition  of  an  old  press  from  the  Oregon  Statesman  and  sent  it  to  Walla 
Walla.  Rather  curiously,  apparently  without  knowledge  of  the  other  design,  N. 
Northrop  and  R.  R.  Rees  started  a  similar  enterprise  only  two  days  later.  They 
had  obtained  a  press  of  the  Oregonian,  and  it  was  doubtless  the  first  press  in 
the  Inland  Empire,  after  that  used  by  Rev.  H.  M.  Spalding  at  Lapwai.  Dis- 
covering each  other's  plans  the  two  parties  speedily  coalesced  and  began  the 
publication  of  the  Washington  Statesman.  The  first  issue  appeared  on  November 
29,  1861.  The  editors  and  proprietors  are  announced  as  N.  Northrop,  R.  B. 
Smith  and  R.  R.  Rees.  We  have  given  in  an  earlier  chapter  copious  extracts 
from  the  first  number.  Several  numbers  in  April,  1862,  were  on  brown  and 
yellow  paper,  for  which  profuse  apologies  are  oflfered.  On  May  10,  the  editor 
has  the  following  quaint  "kick" :  "Our  patrons,  in  sending  us  gold  dust  on  sub- 
scriptions, or  otherwise,  will  confer  an  especial  favor  by  making  a  proper  allow- 
ance for  the  weight  of  the  sand.  We  can't  make  those  who  buy  the  dust  of  us 
believe  that  the  sand  is  as  valuable  as  the  gold ;  nor  do  we  believe  it,  either. 
^Besides,    in   disposing   of   the   dust,    we   are   compelled   to   see   it   'blowed'   and 

Vol.  I 17 

257 


258  ULD  WALl.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

'magnetized'  until  it  is  pioixMlv  cleaned,  and  the  result  is  that  that  which  we 
receive  for  $5  sometimes  dwindles  down  to  $2.50." 

i'.y  the  retirement  of  .Mr.  Smith  in  January,  1862,  and  l)y  the  death  of  Mr. 
Northrop  in  I'"cbruary,  18O3,  the  Statesman  became  the  property  of  R.  R.  Rees, 
but  in  association  with  his  brother,  S.  G.  Rees,  whose  name  appeared  for  the 
first  time  in  the  issue  of  October  11,  1862.  Jn  the  number  of  May  9,  1863,  the 
lirm  name  appears  as  R.  R.  and  S.  G.  Rees.  In  the  luunber  of  September  2,  1864, 
the  name  ll'alla  IValla  Statesman  was  substituted  for  Washinytun  Statesman, 
but  without  comment. 

The  tirm  name  of  R.  R.  and  S.  G.  Rees  was  continued  till  November  10,  1865, 
when  a  notable  change  occurred.  Wm.  H.  Newell  became  proprietor.  In  the 
paper  of  that  date  he  makes  his  debut  in  an  editorial  which  indicates  his  strong 
personality  and  his  fine  command  of  good  English.  It  is  a  just  tribute  to  Major 
Rees  to  say  that  his  management  of  the  Statesman,  like  that  of  the  many  other 
enterprises  which  made  him  one  of  the  conspicuous  figures  in  early  Walla  Walla, 
was  broad,  intelligent,  and  patriotic. 

Mr.  Newell  was  a  character,  bold,  energetic,  caustic,  and  as  a  writer,  incisive 
mid  forceful.  It  is  related  that  once  having  a  joint  debate  with  Judge  Caton, 
he  began  by  saying:  "Fellow  citizens,  it  is  a  disagreeable  task  to  skin  a  skunk, 
but  sometimes  it  has  to  be  done.  I  am  going  to  skin  N.  J.  Caton."  Judge  Caton 
reached  for  his  hip-pocket  and  the  meeting  broke  up  in  a  general  row,  though 
it  does  not  appear  that  any  one  was  seriously  hurt.  The  Statesman  under  Mr. 
Newell  was  democratic  in  politics  and  during  the  enibroglio  between  President 
Johnson  and  Congress  it  was  an  active  supporter  of  the  former.  It  is  said  by 
some  that  its  attainment  of  the  place  of  United  States  official  paper  in  the  terri- 
tory was  due  to  that  support.  In  1878,  the  Statesman  became  a  daily,  the  first  in 
the  Inland  Empire.  But  on  November  13th,  the  active,  scheming  mind  of  the 
editor  was  stilled  by  death.  After  a  month's  interval,  Frank  J.  Parker,  a  son- 
in-law  of  Newell,  and  himself  as  unique  a  character  as  the  former  editor,  began 
his  long  career  as  a  journalist.  The  daily  was  somewhat  in  advance  of  the 
times  and  was  discontinued  within  a  short  period,  but  in  February,  1880,  was 
again  undertaken,  not  to  be  discontinued  so  long  as  the  Statesman  was  a  separate 
paper.  Colonel  Parker  owned  the  Statesman  till  June,  1900,  in  which  year  it 
went  into  the  hands  of  the  Statesman  Publishing  Co.,  Dr.  E.  E.  Fall  being  the 
leading  member  of  the  company. 

During  a  large  part  of  that  portion  of  the  career  of  the  Statesman  Waller 
Lingenfelder  was  editor  in  chief.  He  was  a  man  of  much  journalistic  ability,  and 
later  entered  upon  a  brilliant  literary  career  in  New  York. 

The  IValla  IValla  llnioii  was  the  next  newspaper  to  attain  a  permanent  stand- 
ing in  Walla  Walla.  This  was  the  uncompromising  radical  republican  organ  and 
was  the  natural  counterpart  of  the  Statesman.  It  was  founded  in  186S  by  a 
grouj)  of  strong  supporters  of  Congress  in  the  great  reconstruction  struggle  then 
in  progress. 

The  first  number  appeared  on  April  17,  1869.  H.  M.  Judson  was  the  editor, 
but  the  policy  of  the  paper  was  under  the  control  of  a  committee  consisting  of 
P.  B.  Johnson,  E.  C.  Ross,  and  J.  D.  Cook.  Within  a  short  time  R.  M.  Smith 
and  E.  L.  Meriff  became  the  owners  of  the  paper  and  E.  C.  Ross  became  editor. 
In  1878  Capt.  P.  B.  Johnson  succeeded  Mr.  Ross  as  editor,  and  with  his  entrance 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  259 

into  the  field  of  journalism  there  began  one  of  the  most  forceful  and  influential 
careers  in  the  journalism  of  Walla  Walla.  Captain  Johnson  was  a  man  of 
intense  and  dominating  personality  and  possessed  much  ability  with  the  pen.  His 
politics  were  those  of  the  stalwart  republicans.  He  had  been  a  soldier  and 
officer  of  the  Civil  war,  and  the  great  conflict  had  so  burned  its  traces  upon  his 
mind  that  it  was  difficult  for  him  to  think  in  terms  of  patience  of  any  other 
policies  than  those  which  had  saved  the  Union  and  freed  the  slave.  He  acquired 
the  property  control  of  the  Union  and  until  1890  was  sole  owner  and  proprietor. 
In  that  year  he  disposed  of  his  interest  to  Charles  Besserer,  who  had  for  some 
time  been  publishing  the  Walla  Walla  Journal.  And  as  soon  as  we  name  Charles 
Besserer  old-timers  will  at  once  recognize  the  fact  that  we  have  arrived  at  the 
uniquest  of  the  uniques.  Nature  broke  her  mold  at  that  point  and  never  made 
another  of  the  same  kind.  German  by  birth,  though  as  he  once  told  the  author, 
of  Spanish  origin,  well  educated  in  his  home  land,  a  soldier  in  the  Crimea,  in  the 
Civil  war  in  this  country,  and  in  various  Indian  wars,  fulfilling  at  various  times 
the  functions  of  manager  of  a  bakery,  a  distillery,  and  a  hotel,  a  postmaster,  a 
justice  of  the  peace,  a  sheep  man,  a  farmer,  and  finally  an  editor,  Mr.  Besserer 
maintained  under  all  circumstances  his  characteristic  self.  He  wielded  a  trenchant 
pen  and  though  his  obituaries  were  sometimes  of  a  type  to  add  pangs  to  the 
thought  of  approaching  death  on  the  part  of  citizens  of  old  Walla  Walla,  he  had 
a  high  conception  of  the  responsibilities  of  journalism  and  of  the  requisites  of 
a  well  managed  newspaper.  In  1896  the  ownership  of  the  Union  passed  from 
Mr.  Besserer  to  Herbert  Gregg  and  Harry  Kelso.  It  was  conducted  by  them 
as  a  bed-rock  republican  paper  and  disposed  of  three  years  later  to  J.  G.  Frank- 
land,  Lloyd  Armstrong  and  Bert  La  Due.  After  conducting  the  paper  with 
success  for  a  year  the  firm  disposed  of  it  to  a  group  of  leading  republicans, 
among  whom  was  D.  B.  Crocker.  J.  Howard  Watson,  well  known  over  the  state 
<iS  a  brilliant  writer,  for  some  time  a  correspondent  of  the  Seattle  Posf-Iiitclli- 
gencer,  was  installed  as  editor  in  1900  and  held  his  place  with  conspicuous  edi- 
torial ability  until  failing  health  compelled  him  to  retire.  He  made  his  home 
for  a  time  on  a  beautiful  place  on  Lake  Chelan,  but  finally  succumbed  to  an 
untimely  death  from  tuberculosis.  Mr.  Watson  was  succeeded  in  1902  by  A.  F. 
Statter,  a  man  of  many  accomplishments,  who  conducted  the  Union  with  great 
ability  for  several  years  and  then  became  private  secretary  to  Sen.  Levi  Ankeny, 
from  which  post  he  attained  a  national  position,  becoming  assistant  secretary  of 
the  treasur}'  in  1907.  Eugene  Lorton  followed  Mr.  Statter  as  managing  editor  in 
September,  1903.  In  1907  a  marked  change  occurred  in  the  status  of  Walla 
Walla  newspapers,  for  in  that  year  the  Union  and  Statesman  were  brought  under 
the  one  control  and  ownership  of  the  Washington  Printing  and  Book  Publishing 
Co.,  with  Percy  C.  Holland,  who  had  been  for  some  time  connected  with  the 
Union,  as  manager.  For  sometime  after  the  merger,  Carl  Roe  acted  as  editor  of 
the  Union,  which  continued  as  a  morning  paper,  while  the  Statesman,  still  an 
evening  paper,  was  edited  by  Seth  Maxwell.  During  several  years  following 
Dr.  E.  E.  Fall  became  one  of  the  chief  owners  and  the  manager  of  the  Union, 
and  there  were  a  number  of  editorial  writers  and  city  editors  of  variable  and 
some  of  them  of  transient  careers.  Among  them  was  Walter  Lingenfelder 
already  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  Statesman,  who  has  become  prominent 
in  the  East ;  Scott  Henderson,  who  subsequently  became  assistant  attorney-general 


260  OLD  WALL  A  WALLA  COUNTY 

of  the  state ;  Wni.  Guion,  who  was  known  as  a  capable  editor  and  brilUant  writer, 
and  Harold  Ellis,  now  city  editor  of  the  Bulletin.  While  those  changes  were  in 
progress,  a  new  afternoon  daily,  destined  to  be  a  great  factor  in  subsequent 
journalistic  history,  had  been  launched  by  Eugene  Lorton.  This  was  the  Walla 
IValla  Bulletin,  and  its  first  number  appeared  on  February  u,  1906.  Another 
stage  of  importance  occurred  in  1910.  In  that  year  the  publication  of  the 
Statesman  was  discontinued.  That  pioneer  paper,  a  monument  to  the  enterprise 
and  capacity  of  Major  Rees,  and  later  of  W.  H.  Newell  and  Colonel  Parker, 
having  had  many  ups  and  downs,  but  entitled  to  the  leading  place  among  the 
journals  of  the  Inland  Empire,  thus  closed  its  career  after  forty-nine  years  of 
active  participation  in  the  foundation  period  of  Walla  Walla. 

Dr.  E.  E.  Fall  still  continued  as  manager  of  the  Union,  but  in  December, 
1912.  he  disposed  of  his  interests  to  Berton  La  Due  and  D.  W.  Ift,  while  John 
H.  McDonald  acquired  the  ownership  of  Mr.  Ankeny's  share  of  the  pa{>er.  In 
1916  Mr.  McDonald  disposed  of  his  share  in  the  company  to  E.  G.  Robb.  At 
the  date  of  this  publication  the  Union  is  therefore  the  property  of  Messrs.  La 
Due,  Ift,  and  Robb.  Of  the  many  who  have  been  connected  with  the  Union  it 
may  be  said  that  Mr.  La  Due  is  the  dean  in  service,  having  been  connected  with 
it  for  eighteen  years.  Most  of  the  others  have  had  brief  tenures.  The  Wash- 
ington Printing  and  Book  Publishing  Company  are  not  only  providing  a  first- 
class  newspaper  in  the  Union,  but  do  an  immense  printing  business  of  the  best 
grade. 

The  Walla  Walla  Bulletin,  founded,  as  we  have  seen,  by  Eugene  Lorton  in 
1906,  was  acquired  by  John  G.  Kelly,  formerly  of  Omaha,  Neb.,  on  February  i, 
1910.  Under  his  management  the  Bulletin  has  become  one  of  the  successful  and 
influential  daily  newspapers  of  the  Northwest.  It  is  an  independent  newspaper. 
It  has  always  stood  for  definite  purposes  and  for  the  advancement  of  the  general 
good  as  against  special  interests.  It  has  been  the  leader  in  many  movements 
for  public  betterment,  notably  the  commission  form  of  city  government  for 
Walla  Walla,  adopted  in  1911,  and  for  state-wide  prohibition,  which  attained 
a  sweeping  triumph  in  both  1914  and  1916.  The  Bulletin  appears  every  after- 
noon except  Sunday  and  has  the  full  leased  wire  reports  of  the  Associated  Press. 
The  Sunday  morning  edition  has  the  full  leased  wire  report  of  the  United  Press 
Association.  The  independent  policy  of  the  Bulletin  backed  up  by  its  superior 
news  service,  including  telegraph,  local  news  and  correspondence  from  nearby 
towns,  together  with  a  splendid  distribution  service,  has  brought  to  it  the  largest 
circulation  of  any  publication  in  Southeastern  Washington  and  Northeastern 
Oregon.  The  Bulletin  has  a  strictly  modern  mechanical  plant.  A  site  for  a 
permanent  home  has  been  secured  at  the  northwest  corner  of  First  and  Poplar 
streets  and  there  a  first  class  modern  newspaper  building  will  soon  be  erected. 

The  Statesman,  the  Union,  and  the  Bulletin  may  be  regarded  as  the  leading 
general  newspapers  of  Walla  Walla.  But  a  number  of  others  have  been  founded 
with  more  specialized  aims  which  have  played  important  parts  for  comparatively 
limited  time,  j'et  are  well  worthy  of  a  place  in  a  historical  record.  A  brief 
item  about  each  of  these  is  due  to  history. 

The  Spirit  of  the  West  was  founded  by  J.  M.  Ragsdale  in  1872.  Charles 
Humphries  assisted  as  editorial  writer.  He  was  succeeded  in  turn  by  L.  K.  Grimm 
and  Charles  Besserer.     Mr.  Besserer  becoming  owner  in  1877  changed  the  name 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  261 

to  Walla  Walla  ]Vatchuian,  to  be  changed  in  turn  to  Walla  Walla  Journal.  The 
Journal  in  time,  as  already  noted,  became  merged  with  the  Union,  and  for  a  time 
the  paper,  known  as  the  Union-Journal,  was  under  the  ownership  of  Mr.  Besserer. 

Mr.  M.  C.  Harris  was  for  a  time  concerned  in  newspaper  ventures,  pubHshing 
the  Morning  Journal  in  1881  and  the  Daily  Events  in  1882.  In  the  latter  year 
also  appeared  the  Washingtonian,  published  by  W.  L.  Black,  an  accomplished 
writer,  who  also  conducted  Totvn  Talk. 

Li  April,  1894,  W.  F.  Brock  started  the  Garden  City  Gazette  and  in  the  next 
year  J.  J.  Schick  brought  out  the  Watchman.  In  the  Garden  City  Gazette  Mr. 
Brock  undertook  the  establishment  of  a  distinctively  local  and  social  department, 
which  Mr.  Schick  carried  on  into  the  Watchman.  In  1900  the  owners  of  the 
Union,  Messrs.  La  Due,  Frankland,  and  Armstrong,  acquired  the  plant  of  the 
Gazette  and  the  Watchman  and  continued  the  publication  under  the  name  of  the 
Saturday  Record. 

In  1898  Walter  Lingenfelder  and  C.  H.  Goddard  started  the  Argus.  This 
paper  had  the  avowed  aim  of  exposing  abuses  and  humbugs  and  grafts,  and  ful- 
filled its  mission  by  causing  cold  chills  on  the  part  of  many  who  were  conscious 
of  belonging  in  those  categories.  It  became  ultimately  the  sole  property  of  Mr. 
Lingenfelder,  but  he  left  it  to  become  associated  with  Doctor  Fall  in  the  Union. 

In  1900  A.  H.  Harris  brought  out  an  excellent  monthly,- maintained  for  sev- 
eral years,  known  as  the  Inland  Empire. 

In  1916  there  was  founded  at  Walla  Walla,  as  a  democratic  campaign  advo- 
cate for  the.  re-election  of  President  Wilson  and  Governor  Lister,  the  Walla 
Walla  Democrat.  The  managers  were  Charles  Hill  and  Ernest  W.  Lanier.  Rus- 
sell Blankenship  and  W.  D.  Lyman  were  regular  editorial  contributors  during 
the  campaign.  The  triumph  of  the  cause  in  the  election  of  both  the  democratic 
President  and  democratic  governor  was  a  sufficient  encouragement  to  Mr.  Lanier 
to  maintain  the  pubhcation,  and  it  is  accordingly  continued  with  vigor  and  suc- 
cess. At  the  present  date  Mr.  Fred  H.  Butcher  is  associated  with  Mr.  Lanier 
in  the  ownership  and  management  of  the  Democrat.  They  maintain  a  well 
equipped  printing  establishment,  in  which  they  make  a  specialty  of  embossed 
printing. 

The  first  issue  of  the  Garden  City  Monitor  (weekly)  was  dated  October  10, 
1908.  This  paper  was  established  by  Jesse  Ferney  to  represent  the  interests 
of  union  labor  in  Walla  Walla  and  Southeastern  Washington.  It  has  been  the 
official  organ  of  the  Walla  Walla  Trades  and  Labor  Council  since  its  inception. 
In  1910  L.  F.  Clarke  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  paper.  Ferney  &  Clarke, 
the  publishers,  have  endeavored  to  make  the  paper  progressive  yet  represent 
the  conservative  rather  than  the  radical  forces  of  union  labor.  A  feature  of  the 
publication  is  an  illustrated  annual  edition  appearing  on  Friday  before  Labor 
Day  each  year. 

One  of  the  notable  publications  of  Walla  Walla,  filling  a  field  not  occupied 
by  any  other,  is  the  monthly  Up-To-The  Times  Magazine.  This  valuable  pub- 
lication was  founded  in  November,  1906,  by  R.  C.  MacLeod,  and  he  has  been 
editor  and  manager  to  the  present  date.  Mr.  MacLeod  is  entitled  to  great  credit 
for  his  faith  in  the  appreciation  of  a  community  which  ordinarily  would  hardly 
be  regarded  as  possessing  sufficient  population  to  justify  a  monthly  magazine. 

The  aim  of  the  magazine  is  to  secure  greater  efficiency  in  education,  agricul- 


262  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

ture,  commercial,  and  industrial  life.  It  also  maintains  a  department  devoted 
to  historical  and  pioneer  subjects.  Today,  the  magazine,  independent  of  any  sub- 
sidy from  any  source,  is  the  only  publication  of  its  kind  in  the  interior  Northwest. 
Its  success  has  been  due  to  the  steady  maintainance  of  high  literary  as  well  as 
business  ideals. 

The  importance  of  U p-To-Thc-Tinies  as  a  publication  may  be  inferred  from 
the  fact  that  it  has  paid  for  printing  to  one  firm  of  Walla  Walla  ])rinters  the 
sum  of  $40,000,  and  that  its  half  tone  cuts  of  local  scenes  and  industrial  and 
agricultural  life  have  called  for  an  expenditure  with  a  Spokane  engraving  house 
of  $5,000.  The  cuts  accumulated  during  the  years  of  its  existence  constitute 
by  far  the  most  extensive  and  valuable  collection  of  pictorial  matter  in  this  sec- 
tion of  the  state. 

The  field  of  Up-To-Thc  Times  is  some  eight  counties  of  Washington  and 
Oregon,  but  it  may  be  noted  that  it  has  subscribers  and  readers  in  many  other 
parts  of  the  United  States  and  Europe.  The  staff  of  the  magazine  at  the  present 
date  consists  of  Mr.  MacLeod  as  editor  and  manager,  and  A.  F.  Alexander,  as 
secretary  and  circulation  manager.  There  are  a  number  of  regular  correspondents 
and  contributors  in  Walla  Walla  and  elsewhere. 

In  addition  to  the  publications  in  Walla  Walla  City,  this  is  the  proper  place 
to  name  the  pioneer  papers  of  the  other  towns  of  the  old  county.  We  turn  first 
of  all  to  Waitsburg  in  respect  to  its  leading  paper. 

WAITSBUEG    TIMES 

This  has  been  the  leading  paper  and  most  of  the  time  the  only  paper  of 
Waitsburg  for  a  period  of  thirty-nine  years.  This  paper  originated  in  a  joint- 
stock  company  formed  in  1878,  a  number  of 'local  business  men  feeling  that  the 
little  community  should  have  a  weekly  spokesman.  The  first  editor  was  B.  L. 
Land  and  the  first  issue  appeared  in  March,  1878.  A  few  months  later  the  plant 
was  leased  to  D.  G.  Edwards,  and  later  to  J.  C.  Swash.  The  following  year 
C.  W.  Wheeler  was  induced  to  lease  the  plant  and  he  liked  the  work  so  well 
that  the  next  year — 1880 — he  purchased  the  property  from  the  stockholders. 
Under  the  influence  of  C.  W.  Wheeler  the  Times  became  an  influence  in  the  com- 
munity and  in  Walla  Walla  and  Columbia  counties.  The  paper  continued  under 
the  management  of  Mr.  Wheeler  until  1900  when  he  leased  the  plant  to  two 
of  his  sons — E.  L.  and  Guy  Wheeler — so  that  he  might  enjoy  a  well-earned 
rest  from  the  grind  of  newspaper  work  and  take  up  the  work  of  traveling  lec- 
turer for  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  fraternity,  that  he  might  be  able  to  fulfill 
his  desire  to  travel  in  the  West  extensively.  These  two  sons  having  been 
practically  raised  in  a  printing  office,  were  able  to  take  entire  charge  of  the  paper. 
A  couple  of  years  later  E.  L.  Wheeler,  the  older  son,  purchased  the  paper  and 
plant  from  his  father,  and  has  been  sole  editor  and  proprietor  since. 

The  Times  boasts  of  one  of  the  finest  country  plants  in  the  state  at  the  present 
time,  owning  its  brick  building  and  being  equipped  with  modern  presses,  two 
magazine  intertype  type-casting  machines,  electric  and  water  power  and  all  other 
conveniences  of  present  day  journalism. 

Not  since  the  day  that  C.  W.  Wheeler  took  charge  of  the  paper  has  the  Times 
missed  an  issue. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  263 

In  politics  the  Times  is  republican. 

There  was  published  for  a  short  time  in  Waitsburg  a  democratic  weekly,  the 
Gazette.  Its  first  issue  appeared  on  June  29,  1899.  R.  V.  Hutchins  was  pro- 
prietor and  editor.  In  the  next  year  C.  W.  McCoy  acquired  the  Gazette,  but  in 
less  than  a  year  he  in  turn  sold  out  to  J.  E.  Houtchins,  by  whom  the  paper  was 
conducted  for  some  years,  to  be  discontinued  in  1905. 

The  pioneer  newspaper  of  Dayton,  while  it  was  still  in  Walla  Walla  County, 
was  the  Dayton  Nezvs,  founded  in  September,  1874,  by  A.  J.  Cain.  In  April, 
1878,  county  division  having  come  in  the  meantime,  E.  R.  Burk  began  publica- 
tion of  the  Chronicle,  still  one  of  the  leading  papers  of  Columbia  County.  H.  H. 
Gale  was  first  editor.  In  1879  O.  C.  White  became  owner  of  the  Chronicle.  In 
1882  T.  O.  Abbott  started  the  publication  of  the  Democratic  State  Journal.  It 
was  designed  to  maintain  the  banner  of  democracy  in  Columbia  County  which 
had  been  lost  when  the  Dayton  Nezfs  plant  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1882. 

The  first  newspaper  in  what  is  now  Garfield  County  was  established  at  Pome- 
roy  on  April  12,  1880,  by  F.  W.  D.  Mays,  and  named  the  Washington  Independent. 
The  Pomeroy  Republican  came  into  existence  March  4,  1882,  founded  by  Eugene 
T.  Wilson,  who  admitted  F.  M.  McCully  to  an  equal  partnership  two  months 
later.  The  ambitious  little  Town  of  Pataha  became  also  the  home  of  a  news- 
paper, the  Pataha  Spirit.  Its  founder  was  G.  C.  W.  Flammond  and  its  first 
issue  was  in  January,  1881.  The  next  year  it  came  into  the  hands  of  Dr.  J.  S. 
Denison  and  Charles  Wilkins.  Both  the  Pomeroy  Republican  and  the  Pataha 
Spirit  were  republican  in  politics,  the  Independent  being  generally  true  to  its 
name,  though  inclining  to  democratic  and  populistic  views. 

The  publications  named  may  be  regarded  as  the  pioneers  in  the  parts  of  the 
old  county  now  comprising  the  three  counties  outside  of  Walla  Walla.  During 
the  years  following  county  division  a  number  of  others  came  into  existence  and 
now  represent  the  press  of  their  respective  towns,  and  of  them  we  shall  make 
mention  under  the  different  counties. 

The  quest  for  journalistic  history  in  the  present  Walla  Walla  County  outside 
of  Walla  Walla  City  and  Waitsburg  leads  us  to  the  editorial  sanctum  of  the 
Walla  Walla  Spectator  of  Prescott,  presided  over  by  Charles  H.  O'Neil,  a  native 
son  of  the  "Valley  of  Waters,"  and  a  leading  spirit  among  the  pioneers  and 
"Boosters"  as  well  as  the  newspapermen  of  this  section.  The  Spectator  was 
established  November  22,  1902.  Mr.  O'Neil  has  followed  the  occupation  of 
printer  during  almost  his  entire  business  life,  having  spent  a  number  of  years  in 
the  printing  establishments  of  Walla  Walla  before  entering  upon  his  independent 
venture.  The  Spectator  has  performed  a  service  of  conspicuous  importance  for 
the  rich  farming  region  in  which  it  is  located  by  helping  organize  public  senti- 
ment in  the  direction  of  community  enterprise  and  civic  advancement.  As  a  result 
of  these  enlarged  ideals  through  the  schools,  church,  business  men,  and  homes  of 
the  town,  as  well  as  the  part  borne  in  the  same  direction  by  the  Spectator,  Pres- 
cott has  become  somewhat  remarkable,  for  a  town  of  its  population,  for  its  high 
community  spirit. 

The  veteran  journalist  of  the  west  end  of  Walla  Walla  County  is  R.  C. 
Julian  of  Attalia.  Mr.  Julian  has  been  connected  with  several  newspaper  enter- 
prises and  at  the  present  time  is  the  owner  and  manager  of  the  Walltda  GatenHiy, 
the  Attalia  News-Tribune,  and  the  Helix  Advocate,  at  Helix,  Ore.    The  Wallula 


264  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Gateway  was  launched  on  December  25,  1905,  by  Harter  and  Julian.  After  a  few 
months  Mr.  Julian  bought  out  his  partner  and  has  since  conducted  the  paper 
alone.  On  May  11,  1907,  he  started  the  Touchet  Pioneer,  selling  it  after  a  year 
to  A.  M.  Cummins.  After  sundry  ownerships,  the  Pioneer  became  the  Touchet- 
Gardnia  Empire,  and  is  at  the  present  time  pubhshed  by  Ferney  and  Clarke  of 
Walla  Walla.  The  Attalia  News-Tribune  was  the  successor  of  the  short-lived 
Two  Rivers  Tribune,  which  was  started  in  1908  by  A.  B.  Frame  to  "boom"  the 
land  project  at  Two  Rivers.  The  plant  of  the  latter  paper  was  secured  by  D. 
D.  Swanson,  formerly  of  Minneapolis,  apd  in  May,  1909,  he  entered  upon,  the 
publication  of  the  News-Tribune  at  Attalia.  After  three  months  Mr.  Swanson 
retired,  disposing  of  his  establishment  to  Messrs.  Cummins  and  Julian.  Within 
another  short  period  Mr.  Julian  became  the  sole  owner  and  has  so  continued  to 
this  day.  Looking  still  further,  Mr.  Julian  started  yet  another  weekly  journal  at 
Helix.  Ore.,  the  Helix  Advocate.  Having  disposed  of  it  in  191 5  to  J.  J.  Lewis, 
Mr.  Julian  reacquired  possession  in  August,  191 7,  and  thus  is  now  the  sole  pro- 
prietor of  the  three  weeklies. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
WITH  THE  LAWYERS,  JUDGES  AND  DOCTORS 

A  special  interest  always  attaches  to  the  legal,  judicial  and  medical  repre- 
sentatives of  any  country,  and  especially  a  new  country.  The  lawyers  and 
judges  necessarily  play  so  large  a  part  in  the  creation  of  laws  and  the  founding 
of  institutions  that  their  history  is  well  nigh  co-extensive  with  the  development 
of  their  country.  The  physicians  are  so  vital  an  element  in  the  home  life  and  the 
general  conditions  of  their  communities,  that  their  history  also  comes  near  being 
a  history  of  these  communities. 

We  are  presenting  here  several  special  contributions  from  representatives  of 
these  classes  of  citizens.  We  have  had  occasion  at  many  points  in  the  progress 
of  this  history  to  name  prominent  representatives  of  the  bench  and  bar,  and  of 
the  medical  profession. 

We  present  first  a  sketch  of  the  early  Walla  Walla  bench  and  bar  by  one  of 
the  foremost  lawyers  of  the  city,  who  is  himself  also  a  member  of  a  family 
which  has,  perhaps,  been  more  closely  identified  with  the  bench  and  bar  of  this 
section  of  the  state  than  any  other.  We  refer  to  the  Sharpstein  family,  and  we 
have  the  privilege  of  here  presenting  this  article  by  John  L.  Sharpstein : 

The  intention  is  not  to  make  this  matter  relating  to  the  first  judicial  district 
of  the  Territory  of  Washington  such  a  complete  history  as  would  be  demanded 
if  it  were  written  more  exclusively  for  the  use  and  information  of  attorneys. 
The  judicial  system  which  existed  in  the  Territory  of  Washington  prior  to  its 
admission  as  a  state  possessed  some  characteristics  which  in  the  present  time 
would  be  regarded  as  peculiar.  There  were  originally  three  district  courts  estab- 
lished under  the  acts  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  and  which  were 
known  as  territorial  district  courts.  These  courts  had  jurisdiction  of  all  matters, 
both  civil  and  criminal,  other  than  probate  causes  and  each  county  in  the  terri- 
tory had  its  own  probate  judge  who  was  not  necessarily  a  lawyer.  The  peculiarity 
referred  to  above  was  the  fact  that  the  Supreme  Court  was  composed  of  the 
judges  who  were  the  district  judges,  so  that  the  same  judge  who  presided  in  the 
trial  of  a  case  in  the  lower  court  also  participated  in  its  final  decision  in  the  ter- 
ritorial Supreme  Court. 

As  originally  constituted  there  were  three  judicial  districts  in  the  Territory 
of  Washington.  The  first  judicial  district  consisted  of  all  of  Eastern  Washington. 
Subsequently  Eastern  Washington  was  divided  and  a  new  district  was  created 
which  was  known  as  the  Fourth  Judicial  District,  with  its  presiding  judge  resi- 
dent at  the  City  of  Spokane.  The  District  Court  in  the  First  Judicial  District 
was  organized  at  Walla  Walla  on  June  4,  i860.  Judge  William  Strong,  who 
afterwards  became  a  practicing  attorney  at  Portland,  Ore.,  was  the  presiding 
judge.     The  first  attorneys  admitted  to  practice  in  this  court  were  Edward  S. 

265 


266  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Bridges  and  Otis  S.  Bridges.  They  were  admitted  on  June  4,  i860.  John  G. 
Sparks  was  the  next  attorney  admitted  to  practice,  and  the  date  of  his  admission 
was  June  5,  i860.  W.  A.  George  was  admitted  on  April  15,  1861,  and  his  prac- 
tice at  the  bar  in  Eastern  Washington  probably  covered  more  years  than  that  of 
any  other  attorney  who  has  ever  practiced  in  this  jurisdiction. 

At  the  organization  of  the  court  a  grand  jury  was  inij)anellcd  and  included 
in  the  members  of  that  grand  jury  were  W.  S.  Gilliam  and  Milton  Aldrich,  both 
of  whom  afterwards  became  prominent  in  both  business  and  political  affairs  in 
Walla  Walla  County,  and  were  among  the  most  useful  and  respected  citizens  of 
that  community. 

As  originally  constituted  the  territorial  District  Court  comprised  all  of 
Eastern  Washington,  but  by  division  the  territorial  jurisdiction  was  gradually 
reduced  so  that  the  southern  half  of  Eastern  Washington  practically  constituted 
the  first  district  at  the  time  of  the  admission  of  the  territory  as  a  state.  After 
the  first  organization  of  he  court  and  the  appointment  of  Judge  Strong,  among 
the  presiding  judges  were  E.  P.  Oliphant,  James  A.  Wyche,  James  K.  Kennedy, 
J.  R.  Lewis,  S.  C.  Wingard  and  William  G.  Langford.  William  G.  Langford  was 
the  last  judge  prior  to  the  admission  of  the  state.  Judge  Wyche,  Judge  Kennedy 
and  Judge  Wingard  after  their  retirement  from  the  bench  made  their  homes 
in  Walla  Walla  Cit}',  and  were  useful  and  respected  members  of  that  community 
until  the  dates  of  their  respective  deaths. 

While  the  systems  prevailing  prior  to  the  admission  of  the  state  in  the  terri- 
torial courts  permitting  the  judge  who  tried  the  case  to  be  a  member  of  the 
Supreme  Court  on  the  hearing  of  the  case  on  appeal  would  seem  to  be  peculiar, 
it  was  not  so  unsatisfacotry  in  its  results  as  one  would  be  inclined  to  think  it 
might  have  been. 

J.  L.  Sharpstein. 

We  next  present  a  contribution  from  Judge  Chester  F.  Miller,  of  Dayton,  long 
and  intimately  identified  with  the  legal  practice  and  with  the  court  decisions  of 
this  section.  We  have  had  occasion  to  refer  to  Judge  Miller  many  times  in  the 
course  of  this  history,  and  we  have  had  the  privilege  of  enrolling  him  among  the 
advisory  board  for  the  work.  Anything  from  his  pen  is  of  exceptional  value. 
His  contribution  follows  here: 

L.\WYERS   AND  JUDGES  OF   COLUMBIA   AND  GARFIELD   COUNTIES 

The  district  court  of  \\'alla  Walla  County,  with  jurisdiction  over  all  of  the 
eastern  part  of  the  territory,  was  created  by  the  Legislature  in  i860,  and  made  a 
part  of  the  First  Judicial  District  of  the  territory.  Judge  William  Strong  of 
Vancouver  then  presided  over  this  court,  and  held  his  first  term  at  Walla  Walla 
on  Tune  4,  i860.  In  1861,  James  E.  Wyche  was  appointed  judge  of  the  district, 
took  up  his  residence  in  W'alla  Walla  and  thereafter  held  regular  terms  in  that 
])lace.  The  territorial  judges  succeeding  him  were  James  K.  Kennedy  in  1870, 
J.  R.  Lewis  in  1873,  Samuel  C.  Wingard  in  1875,  and  William  G.  Langford  in 
"1886. 

The  only  resident  attorneys  appearing  of  record  at  the  first  term  of  court 
held  in  Walla  Walla  were  Andrew  J.  Cain  and  Col.  Wyatt  A.  George.  There 
may  have  been  other  mining  camp  lawyers  in  Walla  Walla  at  that  time,  but  they 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  267 

did  not  remain  long  enough  to  become  identified  with  the  courts  or  the  early 
history  of  this  section.  William  G.  Langford,  James  H.  Lasater  and  James  D. 
Mix  came  in  1863,  Benjamin  L.  Sharpstein  in  1865,  Nathan  T.  Caton  in  1867, 
Thomas  H.  Brents  in  1870,  Thomas  J.  Anders  in  1871,  John  B.  Allen  and  Charles 
B.  Upton  in  1878  and  Daniel  J.  Crowley  in  1880.  Although  these  lawyers  resided 
in  Walla  Walla,  and  were  more  closely  identified  with  the  history  of  that  county, 
yet  they  should  be  mentioned  here,  for  the  reason  that  they  followed  the  judge 
around  the  circuit  of  the  old  first  judicial  district,  and  practiced  in  the  district 
courts  of  Eastern  Washington,  as  fast  as  they  were  created  by  the  Legislature. 
The  court  practice  in  those  days  was  very  different  from  what  it  is  now.  When 
Judge  Wingard  was  appointed  in  1875,  he  held  court  in  Walla  Walla,  Yakima  and 
Colville.  Afterwards  Dayton,  Colfax  and  Pomeroy  were  added  to  the  court 
towns.  Court  was  held  two  or  three  times  each  year  in  each  town,  and  usually 
lasted  for  two  or  three  weeks.  The  judge  was  followed  around  the  circuit  by  the 
members  of  the  bar  above  mentioned.  They  took  their  chances  of  picking  up 
some  business  at  each  term,  and  on  account  of  their  experience  and  ability  were 
usually  associated  with  local  counsel  on  one  side  or  the  other  of  each  case. 
There  was  no  preliminary  law  day,  and  the  attorneys  had  to  be  ready  on  a 
moment's  notice  to  argue  the  motions  and  demurrers,  and  get  their  cases  ready 
for  immediate  trial.  Stenographers  and  typewriters  were  unknown,  and  the 
lawyer  prepared  his  amended  pleadings  at  night  with'  pen  and  ink,  and  in  the 
morning  proceeded  with  the  trial  of  his  case.  .Law  books  were  few  and  far 
between ;  a  good  working  library  consisted  of  the  session  laws,  ''Bancroft's  Forms," 
"Estee's  Pleadings,"  and  a  few  good  text  books.  -.Supreme  Court  reports  were 
unknown  in  this  section  of  the  country,  and  the  case  lawyer  had"  not  yet  come 
into  existence.  In  the  arginnent  of  legal  questions,  decisions  of  the  courts  were 
seldom  mentioned,  but  the  lawyers  depended  upon  their  knowledge  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  law,  and  their  ability  to  apply  those  principles  to  the  facts  of  the 
case  on  trial.  There  were  no  specialists  in  different  branches  of  the  law  in  those 
days  and  the  successful  lawyer  was  able  to  take  up  in  rapid  succession,  with 
only  one  night  for  preparation,  first  an  important  criminal  case,  then  a  com- 
plicated civil  jury  case,  and  then  an  intricate  equity  case.  There  may  be  at  this 
time  abler  lawyers  in  some  one  branch  of  their  profession,  than  were  this  pioneer 
bar,  but  for  a  general  knowledge  of  all  the  branches  of  the  law,  and  readiness 
in  applying  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  law  to  their  particular  case,  with- 
out having  reference  to  the  court  reports,  the  pioneer  lawyer  was  far  in  the 
lead  of  the  modern  practitioner.  This  method  of  practice  made  big,  broad  and 
ready  men;  the  little  lawyer  drifted  in  and  soon  drifted  out;  only  the  big  ones 
remained,  and  they  made  their  mark  both  in  law  and  in  politics.  In  those  days, 
when  there  were  no  railroads,  no  daily  newspapers,  no  moving  picture  shows, 
or  other  places  of  amusement,  the  people  from  far  and  near  came  to  tovra  during 
court  week  and  regularly  attended  its  session,  enjoying  the  funny  incidents  com- 
ing up  during  the  trials,  and  listening  attentively  to  the  eloquent  speeches  of  the 
able  lawyers. 

The  District  Court  for  Columbia  County  was  created  in  1878,  and  in  June 
of  that  year.  Judge  Wingard  held  his  first  term  in  Dayton.  In  addition  to  the 
Walla  Walla  lawyers  above  mentioned,  the  following  members  of  the  local  bar 
were  in  attendance  at  that  time:     Andrew  J.  Cain,  Robert  F.  Sturdevant,  Wyatt 


268  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

A.  George,  Morgan  A.  Baker,  Mathew  W.  Mitchell,  Thomas  H.  Crawford,  John 
T.  Ford,  William  Ewing  and  John  D.  McCabe,  of  Dayton  and  William  C.  Potter 
and  Joseph  H.  Lister  of  I'omeroy. 

Judge  Wingard  was  red  headed,  a  little  dyspeptic,  somewhat  irritable  at  times 
and  usually  wore  a  shawl  around  his  shoulders,  while  occupying  the  bench.  He 
was  much  given  to  imposing  lines  on  lawyers,  jurors  and  witnesses  who  came  in 
late,  but  generally  remitted  them  after  he  had  cooled  off.  He  was  always  kind 
to  the  young,  inexperienced  lawyer,  giving  him  good  advice,  and  extending  a 
helping  hand  when  the  young  fellow  was  lost  in  his  case  and  grasping  for  a 
straw.  He  was  more  exacting  with  the  older  lawyer  and  quickly  became  impatient 
when  one  of  them  tried  to  mislead  him  as  to  the  law.  However,  he  was  a  good 
judge,  honored  and  respected  by  all,  and  administered  the  law  as  it  appeared  to 
him,  without  fear  of  being  recalled. 

Andrew  J.  Cain  was  probably  the  pioneer  lawyer  of  Southeastern  Wash- 
ington, and  made  his  first  appearance  as  a  clerk  in  the  quartermaster's  depart- 
ment, at  the  time  the  treaty  was  concluded  by  General  Wright  with  the  Indians, 
at  Walla  Walla  in  1858,  and  assisted  in  preparing  the  terms  of  this  treaty.  He 
practiced  in  Walla  Walla  from  i860  until  1873,  when  he  came  to  Dayton  and 
soon  afterwards  founded  the  Dayton  News,  Dayton's  pioneer  newspaper.  He 
had  full  charge  in  the  Legislature  of  the  bills  creating  the  present  County  of 
Columbia,  is  frequently  mentioned  as  the  father  of  that  county,  and  was  its  first 
county  auditor.  He  was  always  considered  an  able  and  well  equipped  lawyer, 
not  particularly  eloquent,  but  very  forcible  in  his  speech,  and  was  quite  suc- 
cessful while  engaged  in  the  practice.    He  died  in  1879. 

Col.  Wyatt  A.  George  was  born  in  Indiana  in  1819,  and  after  serving  in  the 
Mexican  war,  came  to  the  coast  during  the  gold  excitement  of  1849.  ^^  ^o^' 
lowed  the  mining  camps  until  i860,  when  he  settled  in  Walla  Walla,  practicing 
there  until  the  District  Court  was  established  in  Dayton  in  1878,  when  he 
removed  to  that  town.  He  practiced  in  Dayton  for  ten  years  and  then  went  to 
Pomeroy  for  a  short  time,  then  to  Colfax,  and  afterwards  returned  to  Walla 
Walla,  where  he  died  without  means,  his  last  wants  being  administered  by  the 
members  of  the  bar,  with  whom  he  had  practiced  for  so  many  years.  His  knowl- 
edge of  the  law  was  wonderful,  and  he  was  often  referred  to  as  a  walking  law 
library,  and  by  many  as  "Old  Equity."  He  seldom  referred  to  a  law  book,  yet  his 
knowledge  of  the  principles  and  reasons  of  the  law,  and  his  familiarity  with  the 
technical  system  of  pleadings  then  in  vogue,  was  such  that  he  seldom  entered  a 
case,  without  interposing  a  demurrer  or  motion  against  the  pleading  of  his 
adversary,  and  always  demanded  and  collected  terms  before  allowing  them  to 
plead  over.  He  was  perhaps  the  ablest  common  lawyer  in  the  territory,  and  was 
very  successful  in  his  practice.  The  old  colonel  with  his  tall,  slender  form,  his 
white  beard,  his  stove  pipe  hat  and  cane,  was  noticeable  in  any  gathering,  and  he 
always  believed  in  maintaining  the  dignity  of  his  profession  in  the  manner  of  his 
dress  and  his  bearing  on  the  street.  The  colonel  wasn't  much  of  a  joker,  but 
had  a  sense  of  dry  humor  about  him,  which  sometimes  cropped  out,  and  was 
much  appreciated  by  his  associates.  There  was  a  drayman  in  Dayton  in  those 
days,  known  as  "Old  Jake,"  who  drove  a  pair  of  mules  to  his  dray.  His  mules 
were  attached  and  he  employed  Colonel  George  to  claim  them  as  exempt.  The 
previous  Legislature  in  describing  the  property  exempt  to  a  teamster,  had  unin- 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  269 

tentionally  omitted  the  word  "mules,"  and  Judge  Wingard  held  against  the 
colonel.  After  studying  the  statute  for  a  moment,  the  colonel  remarked  to  the 
judge  that  the  members  of  the  late  lamented  Legislature  had  evidently  overlooked 
mules,  but  that  it  was  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  the  world  that  a  mule 
had  been  overlooked  by  a  set  of  jackasses. 

Judge  Sturdevant  came  to  Dayton  in  1874,  and  was  soon  elected  prosecuting 
attorney  of  the  first  judicial  district.  He  was  the  first  probate  judge  of  Columbia 
County  and  its  prosecuting  attorney  for  many  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
constitutional  convention,  and  the  first  judge  of  this  judicial  district  after  we 
became  a  state.  He  practiced  law  in  Columbia  County  until  a  few  years  ago, 
when  he  removed  to  Olympia,  but  occasionally  comes  back  for  the  trial  of  some 
case  and  recalls  old  memories.  The  judge  was  of  a  very  genial  disposition, 
always  ready  to  lay  aside  his  work  and  tell  a  good  story,  yet  withal  he  was  a 
splendid  lawyer,  trying  his  cases  closely  and  generally  with  success,  and  even 
yet  in  his  old  age,  he  retains  his  knowledge  of  the  law,  his  cunning  and  his 
ready  wit,  and  bids  fair  to  practice  law  for  many  years  to  come. 

Morgan  A.  Baker  was  a  young  man  when  he  came  to  Dayton  from  Albany, 
Ore.,  in  1877.  He  was  a  good  office  lawyer  and  a  safe  adviser.  He  was  some- 
what diffident  in  court,  but  usually  tried  his  cases  well.  As  a  politician  and 
manager  of  the  old  democratic  party  in  this  county,  he  was  in  a  class  by  himself. 
He  practiced  here  for  thirteen  years  and  was  very  successful  in  his  profession 
and  in  a  financial  way.  He  removed  from  here  to  Seattle  and  afterwards  returned 
to  his  first  home  at  McMinville,  Ore.,  where  he  died  a  few  years  ago. 

The  other  local  lawyers  who  were  present  at  the  first  term  of  court,  did  not 
remain  here  long.  M.  W.  Mitchell  is  still  living  at  Weiser,  Idaho.  Tom  Crawford 
located  at  Union,  Ore.,  and  attained  considerable  political  prominence  in  that 
state. 

In  1879,  David  Higgins  and  James  Knox  Rutherford  came  to  Dayton.  Hig- 
gins  was  an  elderly  man,  and  somewhat  hard  of  hearing;  he  never  had  to  amend 
his  pleadings,  because  no  one  could  read  his  writing ;  he  had  a  very  good  knowl- 
edge of  the  law,  and  is  principally  remembered  as  the  man  who  broke  the  first 
city  charter.     He  afterwards  located  at  Sprague  where  he  died  many  years  ago. 

Rutherford  was  prosecuting  attorney  for  several  years  and  assisted  John  B. 
Allen  in  the  prosecution  of  Owenby,  McPherson  and  Snodderly,  the  most  cele- 
brated murder  trials  of  this  part  of  the  state.  Rutherford  went  from  here  to 
Whatcom,  and  when  last  heard  from  was  working  at  his  old  trade  as  a  paper 
maker  at  Lowell,  Wash. 

In  1880,  Melvin  M.  Godman  and  John  Y.  Ostrander  located  in  Dayton. 
Judge  Godman  was  then  a  young  lawyer,  from  Santa  Clara,  Cal.,  but  was 
very  successful  from  the  start,  and  soon  attained  prominence  in  his  profession. 
He  was  acknowledged  by  all,  as  one  of  the  greatest  trial  lawyers  in  Eastern 
Washington.  He  was  an  eloquent  advocate,  with  a  good  knowledge  of  the  law, 
forcibly  presenting  the  strong  points  of  his  own  case,  and  quick  to  discover 
the  weak  points  in  his  opponent's  case,  and  turn  them  to  his  own  advantage. 
He  was  twice  a  member  of  the  Legislature,  a  member  of  the  constitutional  con- 
vention, the  second  superior  judge  of  this  district,  an  unsuccessful  candidate 
for  supreme  judge,  congressman  and  governor  of  the  state,  and  at  the  time  of 
his  death  was  chairman  of  the  Public  Service  Commission.     He  was  one  of  the 


-'70  OLD  WALl.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

great  men  of  the  state.  John  Y.  Ostrander  was  the  son  of  Dr.  Ostrander,  and 
born  in  Cowlitz  County,  but  came  to  Dayton  from  Olympia.  He  was  a  good 
lawyer  for  a  young  man;  was  red  headed  and  a  natural  lighter,  and  even  when 
he  lost  his  case,  he  gave  his  op])oncnt  good  reason  to  remember  that  he  had  been 
in  a  lawsuit. 

In  1881,  Elmon  Scott  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  courts  of  this  district, 
at  Dayton,  and  located  at  Pomeroy,  where  he  became  i)rominent  in  his  profes- 
sion, and  when  we  became  a  state,  he  was  elected  to  the  Sujjreme  Court,  doing 
honorable  service  for  twelve  years.  He  then  retired  from  practice  and  is  now 
living  quietly  at  Bellingham,  enjoying  a  well  earned  competency.  In  1883,  Mack 
F.  Gose  took  his  examination  at  Dayton  and  also  located  at  Pomeroy,  where  he 
developed  into  one  of  the  most  successful  lawyers  in  Eastern  Washington.  He 
served  for  six  years  on  our  supreme  bench,  where  he  justly  earned  the  reputation 
of  being  one  of  the  greatest  judges  our  state  has  yet  produced.  Judge  Gose 
delved  deeply  into  the  law  and  his  thorough  knowledge  of  its  fundamental  prin- 
ciples was  responsible  for  his  great  success  upon  the  bench.  The  judge  is 
admired  by  his  acquaintances  and  worshiped  by  his  friends  in  Garfield  County, 
where  he  spends  his  summers  on  his  ranch  at  Mayview. 

In  1884,  Samuel  G.  Cosgrove  located  at  Dayton  and  was  admitted  to  practice 
in  the  courts  of  the  territory,  but  soon  removed  to  Pomeroy.  He  was  a  veteran 
of  the  Civil  war,  an  orator  and  an  excellent  trial  lawyer.  His  predominant 
characteristics  were  amljition  and  perseverance,  never  losing  sight  of  his  goal 
until  by  persistent  efforts  he  had  reached  it.  He  was  a  member  of  the  constitu- 
tional convention  and  finally  achieved  his  life  long  ambition  to  be  governor  of 
Washington.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  he  did  not  live  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of 
his  life  long  work. 

Much  might  be  said  of  these  three  men,  but  their  history  is  a  part  of  the 
history  of  the  state ;  they  put  Pomeroy  on  the  map,  and  gave  it  the  reputation 
of  having  produced  more  prominent  men  than  any  small  town  in  our  state. 

During  the  year  1886,  Charles  R.  Dorr  and  James  Ewen  Edmiston,  both  of 
whom  had  read  law  in  Dayton,  took  the  examination  and  were  admitted  to  prac- 
tice. Charlie  Dorr  w^as  an  orator  and  a  student  and  quickly  took  his  place  among 
the  leading  lawyers,  and  it  was  often  said  that  he  was  the  most  brilliant  young 
lawyer  in  this  part  of  the  state.  With  him  ambition  reigned  supreme,  and  this 
coupled  with  natural  industry  and  backed  by  that  drive  power  which  causes 
men  to  do  things  worth  while,  would  have  made  him  a  power  in  this  state,  had 
he  lived  a  few  years  longer.  He  was  prosecuting  attorney  for  two  years,  and  took 
his  place  among  the  campaign  orators  of  the  state.  His  death  in  1892,  after  six 
years  of  practice,  was  the  cause  of  much  regret. 

James  E.  Edmiston  in  private  life  was  a  quiet  unassuming  gentleman,  loved 
and  respected  by  everyone.  As  a  lawyer  he  was  successful  from  the  start,  and 
soon  built  up  a  large  practice.  His  knowledge  of  men  and  his  ability  to  judge 
them  as  they  are.  gained  from  his  experience  as  a  teacher,  a  minister  and  a 
business  man,  prior  to  his  taking  up  the  law,  made  him  a  dangerous  opponent 
in  the  trial  of  cases  in  court.  He  was  well  founded  in  the  principles  of  the  law, 
was  a  convincing  speaker  and  had  great  weight  with  a  jury.  He  filled  the  office 
of  prosecuting  attorney  for  two  years,  with  credit  to  himself.  His  death  in 
iqoo,  while  yet  in  the  prime  of  life  and  the  midst  of  his  usefulness,  was  a  great 


WINTER    NELLIS    PEARS,    CLARKSTOX 


APPLES  GROWN  IN   CLARKSTON 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  271 

loss  to  the  community.  It  can  be  truly  said,  that  a  better,  kinderhearted  man  than 
J.  E.  Edmiston,  never  Hved. 

The  history  of  this  state  cannot  be  written  without  referring  many  times  to 
the  lawyers  mentioned  in  this  paper.  A  senator,  a  congressman,  a  governor,  many 
judges  of  the  Supreme  and  Superior  courts,  and  all  have  made  good  in  the 
positions  to  which  they  were  called.  Southeastern  Washington  has  been  the 
training  ground  for  many  great  men. 

The  present  bar  of  Columbia,  Garfield  and  Asotin  counties  are  mostly  home 
products,  but  they  are  good  lawyers,  upholding  the  honor  of  their  profession,  and 
full  of  promise,  and  will  undoubtedly  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  their  predecessors, 
and  help  write  the  future  history  of  our  great  state. 

The  representative  of  bench  and  bar  in  old  Walla  Walla  County  who  has 
attained  the  most  distinguished  rank  in  office,  having  been  a  member  of  the 
State  Supreme  Court  of  Washington,  as  well  as  possessing  high  rank  in  the 
regard  of  multitudes  of  his  fellow-citizens,  is  Judge  Mack  F.  Gose  of  Pomeroy. 
He  also,  like  the  other  contributors,  belongs  to  a  prominent  pioneer  family,  and 
also  a  family  of  lawyers.     He  too  is  on  our  advisory  board. 

We  have  the  pleasure  of  presenting  here  a  special  sketch  by  Judge  Gose, 
including  a  narration  by  him  of  a  case  of  peculiar  interest  and  importance,  the 
case  of  old  Timothy,  the  Nez  Perce  hero  of  the  Alpowa : 

TIMOTHY  OF  ALPOWA  AND  HIS  LAND  CASE 

On  a  broad  fertile  plain  on  the  Snake  Hiver>near.tlJe  ihouth  of  the  Alpowa 
Creek,  about  1800,  there  were  born  two  Ntez  P.fer-ce 'ichildreH.  of  the  full  blood, 
a  boy  and  a  girl,  named  Timothy  and  Tima,  who,  upon  attaining  the  age  of 
manhood  and  womanhood,  became  husband  and  wife  arid 'remained  such  until 
the  death  of  the  wife  which  occurred  in  1889; '"TlTnothy,-tlie  subject  of  this 
sketch,  passed  on  about  a  year  later.  He  was  a  chief  of  the  Nez  Perce  tribe  and. 
from  the  time  of  his  birth  until  his  decease,  dwelt  at  the  place  where  he  was 
born. 

He  was  converted  to  Christianity  by  the  Reverend  Spalding,  and  became  a 
licensed  preacher.  There  was  born  to  Timothy  and  Tima  as  issue  of  their 
marriage  four  children,  three  sons  and  a  daughter :  He-yune-ilp-ilp,  or  Edward 
Timothy,  Jane  Ti-moochin,  Estip-ee-nim-tse-lot,  or  Young  Timothy,  and  Amos 
Timothy  who  died  during  childhood.  Edward  was  twice  married.  There  was 
born  to  his  first  wife  a  daughter  Pah-pah-tin,  who  married  Wat-tse-tse-kowwen. 
To  them  was  bom  a  daughter  Pitts-teen.  The  issue  of  his  second  marriage  was 
a  daughter  Nancy  Tse-wit-too-e,  who  was  married  to  Rev.  George  Waters,  an 
Indian  of  the  Yakima  tribe.  The  issue  of  this  marriage  was  two  daughters, 
Ellen  and  Nora.  Jane  Timoochin  was  twice  married.  To  her  was  born  a  son, 
William,  the  issue  of  her  first  marriage.  To  William  was  born  a  daughter 
named  Cora.  To  Young  Timothy  was  born  a  daughter  Amelia,  who  had  a  son 
named  Abraham.  The  living  issue  of  Timothy  and  Tima  at  the  time  of  the  death 
of  the  latter  was  Jane  Timoochin,  Pitts-teen,  Ellen,  Nora,  Cora  and  Abraham. 
The  second  husband  of  Jane  Timoochin  was  John  Silcott,  a  prominent  and  much 
respected  citizen  of  the  State  of  Idaho,  with  whom  she  lived  until  her  death  in 
1895.    In  1877  Timothy  filed  his  declaration  of  intention  to  become  a  citizen  of 


272  OLD  NNAl.LA  WALI.A  COUNTY 

ihc  L'nitcd  States.  A  yrar  later  he  tiled  a  humcstead  entry  on  the  tract  of  land 
U|K>n  which  he  was  bom.  and  had  continued  to  reside.  In  1K83  he  made  final 
proof  as  a  naturalized  citizen  of  the  L'nited  States,  and  a  year  later  received  liis 
letters  |>atent.  No  record  evidence  of  his  naturalization  lus  been  found,  but 
there  is  abundant  evidence  that  he  voted  at  least  once  and  that  he  was  a  ta.xpayer. 

A  reference  to  the  dates  given  will  show  that  Tinioihy  was  a  lad  four  or 
live,  |>erha|>s  six,  years  of  age  when  the  Lewis  and  Clark  party  niade  its  memor- 
able voyage  down  the  Snake  Kivcr  in  1805  and  stop|)ed  at  the  Indian  village 
where  he  resided.  The  writer  has  heard  it  stated  by  a  friend  of  I  iinothy  that 
he  claimed  to  remember  seeing  these  white  men.  There  can  be  but  little  doubt 
that  he  was  old  enough  to  have  an  txcurrcnce  so  strange  to  him  indelibly  stani|>ed 
u|>on  his  memory.  I'mm  early  manluKul  until  his  death  Tinuiiliy  was  a  good  ni.iii, 
whether  measured  by  the  white  skin  or  the  red  skin  standard.  He  early  adopted 
the  habits  of  civilized  life,  and  was  a  friend  of  the  white  race.  Histor)-  rri.  :■! 
that  he  was  instrumental  in  .saving  the  lives  of  tieneral  Steptoe  and  his  >  :: 
tnand.  Gen.  Hazard  Stevens  in  the  life  of  his  father,  the  eminent  Gen.  Isaac 
I.  .*>itvens.  relates  that  Timothy  attended  the  great  Indian  council  held  at  Walla 
Walla  between  (iovcrnor  Stevens  and  many  Indian  trilK*s  in  1H53,  at  which  time 
and  place  a  treaty  was  concluded,  and  that  "the  morning  after  the  council,  being 
Sun<Iay,  he  (Timothy)  preached  a  sermon  for  the  times  and  held  uj)  to  indigna- 
tion of  the  triln.'  and  the  retribution  of  the  Almighty  those  who  would  coalesce 
with  the  Cayuses  and  break  the  faith  of  the  Nez  Perces."  Like  I-awyer,  the  head 
chief  of  the  N'cz  Perce  tribe  at  the  time  this  council  was  held  and  the  treaty 
was  made,  Timothy  loved  to  dwell  in  j)cace.  They  alone  amoni;  all  the  chiefs 
there  assembled  saw  the  folly  of  fighting  the  white  man. 

The  remains  of  Timothy  rest  in  an  unmarked  grave  on  the  banks  of  .^nakc 
River — the  spot  of  his  birth,  his  life  and  his  death.  lifTorts  have  been  made  to 
secure  Congressional  recognition  of  his  worth  to  the  white  man  when  he  was 
struggling  to  make  a  settlement  in  the  Northwest  in  the  heart  of  a  country 
|)copled  by  thousands  of  Indians,  many  of  whom  were  hostile  to  our  race.  So 
far  the  effort  has  been  unavailing.  It  is  said  that  there  were  but  two  pictures  in 
Timothy's  simple  cabin  home — one  of  George  Washington,  the  other  of  himself. 
This  may  excite  the  derision  of  those  who  know  nothing  of  the  simple,  honest, 
Cliristian.  loyal  character  of  Timothy ;  but  to  those  who  know  his  history  it  seems 
not  an  improjK-r  linking  of  two  names :  one  great  and  loyal  to  all  that  was  right 
and  just ;  the  other,  obscure  as  measured  by  white  .skin  standar-'^  '"'  .dso  loyal 
to  right  and  justice  as  he  understood  the  Christian  teaching. 

With  this  sketch  of  Timothy  and  a  projKr  understanding  of  the  prominent 
l>art  that  he  jilayed  in  several  of  the  njomentous  events  of  history  in  this  section, 
the  reader  will  sec  the  interest  which  gathers  around  a  noted  law  case  connected 
with  the  land  upon  which  he  filed  near  the  junction  of  AIjHjwa  Creek  with  Snake 
Kiver. 

A  summary  of  the  case  is  as  follows : 

Tlie  patent  through  which  Timothy  accjuired  the  legal  title  to  his  homestead 
recites  that  the  land  shall  not  be  sold  or  incuml)cred  for  a  period  of  twenty  years. 
Despite  this  limitation.  Timothy  and  Tima.  in  Jure.  1RR4.  about  two  months  after 
the  patent  had  l>een  issued,  executed  an  tmacknowledgcd  lease  of  the  land  to 
John  M    Silcolt   for  a  term  of  ninety-nine  years      The  expressed  consideration 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  273 

for  the  lease  was  a  nominal  sum,  payable  yearly.  In  April,  1890,  Silcott  assigned 
an  undivided  one-half  interest  in  the  lease  to  L.  A.  Porter.  In  March,  1892,  he 
assigned  the  remainder  of  the  lease  to  Richard  Ireland.  In  March,  1902,  Silcott 
conveyed  his  interest  in  the  land  to  Ireland  by  a  deed  of  quitclaim.  In  October, 
1903,  Ireland  and  wife  conveyed  their  interest  in  both  the  land  and  lease  to 
William  A.  White  and  Edward  A.  White.  In  March,  1904,  Porter  assigned  his 
interest  in  the  lease  to  W.  J.  Houser  and  Ross  R.  Brattain,  and  at  the  same  time 
conveyed  to  them  certain  fee  interests  in  the  land  which  he  had  purchased  from 
certain  of  the  heirs  of  Timothy  and  Tima. 

In  May,  1904,  Houser  and  Brattain  entered  into  a  contract  with  White 
Brothers,  above  mentioned,  whereby  they  agreed  to  convey  to  them  the  Porter 
interests,  both  fee  and  leasehold. 

About  1903  or  1904  Charles  L.  McDonald,  a  lawyer  residing  and  practicing 
his  profession  at  Lewiston,  in  the  State  of  Idaho,  purchased  the  inheritances  of 
Cora,  the  granddaughter  of  Jane,  and  Abraham,  the  grandson  of  young  Timothy, 
and  of  Noah,  the  father  of  Abraham.  The  other  interests  were  claimed  by 
White  Brothers.    They  also  claimed  the  one-sixth  interest  inherited  by  Cora. 

As  an  outgrowth  of  the  facts  stated,  intricate  and  prolonged  litigation  fol- 
lowed. Mr.  McDonald  commenced  a  suit  against  White  Brothers,  alleging  that 
the  lease  was  invalid  on  two  grounds:  First,  because  the  lease  was  unacknowl- 
edged, and  second,  because  the  patent  to  Timothy  should  have  contained  a  five- 
year  non-alienation  clause  in  accordance  with  the  act  of  Congress  of  March  3, 
1875.  He  also  asserted  title  to  the  entire  fee  in  the  land  acquired  as  he  claimed 
through  conveyances  from  all  the  heirs  of  Timothy  and  Tima.  He  did  not  claim  to 
have  acquired  the  inheritances  of  Silcott  or  of  the  heirs  of  Edward,  but  his  con- 
tention was  that  Silcott  and  Jane  had  not  been  legally  married  and  that  Edward 
had  not  married. 

At  the  trial  it  was  established  that  in  early  times  living  together  in  the  manner 
usual  between  husband  and  wife  constituted  a  legal  marriage,  according  to  the 
Nez  Perce  tribal  custom.  It  was  also  established  that,  according  to  the  same 
custom,  either  spouse  was  at  liberty  to  separate  from  the  other  and  at  once  take 
a  new  mate ;  thus  giving  legality  to  both  the  divorce  and  second  marriage.  From 
the  evidence  offered  the  court  found  that  Edward  was  twice  married;  that  there 
was  living  issue  of  both  marriages,  and  that  Silcott  and  Jane  were  legally  mar- 
ried. It  was  shown  that  Rev.  James  Hines,  an  Indian  preacher,  licensed  but  not 
ordained,  performed  the  marriage  ceremony  between  Silcott  and  Jane  about  the 
year  1882,  at  some  place  on  the  Alpowai  Creek,  in  the  then  Territory  of  Wash- 
ington. Mr.  McDonald's  contention  that  only  ordained  ministers  could  perform 
the  marriage  ceremony  and  that  a  ceremonial  marriage  without  proof  that  a  mar- 
riage license  had  been  procured  was  invalid,  was  held  to  be  without  merit. 

The  evidence  showed  that  the  actual  consideration  for  the  lease  was  that 
Silcott  should  support  Timothy  and  Tima  during  their  natural  lives ;  that  he  did 
so,  and  that  he  gave  them  a  decent  burial  was  amply  proven.  Under  the  laws  of 
Washington  an  unacknowledged  lease  of  real  property  for  more  than  a  year  is 
not  valid.  The  Whites  relied  upon  permanent  and  valuable  improvements  and 
the  long  continued  possession  of  their  predecessors  under  the  lease  as  constituting 
both  laches  and  estoppel  against  the  right  to  assert  the  invalidity  of  the  lease. 
Touching  this  aspect  of  the  case  it  was  shown  that  the  land  was  unfenced  and 


27-4  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

covered  with  sage  brush,  except  about  one  acre  which  had  been  used  as  an  Indian 
garden  when  the  lease  was  made;  that  the  land  then  had  a  value  of  five  dollars 
per  acre ;  that  in  the  fall  of  1890  Silcott  and  Porter  plowed,  cleared  and  leveled 
about  sixty  acres  and  planted  it  to  fruit  trees ;  that  the  next  spring  they  planted 
about  twenty  acres  to  alfalfa;  that  in  the  fall  of  1903  White  Brothers  planted 
about  twenty  acres  additional  to  orchard;  that  water  had  been  carried  to  the 
land  for  irrigation  by  those  claiming  under  the  lease,  and  that  at  the  time  of  the 
trial  (about  1906)  the  orchard  was  in  good  condition  and  the  land  of  the  value 
of  $20,000. 

Both  the  trial  court  and  the  supreme  court  took  the  view  that  the  heirs  were 
guilty  of  laches,  w^hich  precluded  setting  aside  the  lease,  they  having  permitted 
those  claiming  under  it  to  have  the  undisturbed  possession  of  the  land  for  more 
than  twenty  years.  It  was  also  held  that,  in  view  of  the  valuable  improvements 
placed  on  the  land  by  those  who  in  good  faith  believed  the  lease  to  be  valid,  it 
would  be  doing  violence  to  the  plainest  rules  of  equity  to  permit  those  who  have 
remained  passive  when  it  was  their  duty  to  speak,  to  be  rewarded  for  their  inat- 
tention to  their  legal  rights.  Upon  these  principles  the  lease  was  sustained.  Mr. 
McDonald  was  adjudged  to  be  the  owner  of  the  one-sixth  interest  inherited  by 
Cora  and  the  one-third  interest  inherited  by  Abraham  and  his  father,  Noah,  mak- 
ing an  undivided  one-half  of  the  fee  simple  title.  White  Brothers  were  adjudged 
to  be  the  owners  of  the  remaining  fee  interest  composed  of  the  inheritances 
through  Edward  and  of  John  Silcott,  all,  however,  subject  to  the  ninety-nine-year 
lease.  The  marriages  and  heirships  were  proven  by  the  testimony  of  Indian  wit- 
nesses. 

The  case  was  tried  at  Asotin.  One  old  Indian  testified  that  he  was  born 
there  and  that  he  owned  the  town  and  adjoining  land.  In  testifying  to  the  first 
marriage  of  Edward,  he  caused  some  merriment  by  saying  that  he  was  busy  as 
usual  when  it  happened  and  gave  little  attention  to  an  incident  so  trivial  in  his 
busy  life.  Edward  Reboin,  whose  father  was  a  Frenchman  and  whose  mother 
was  a  Nez  Perce  Indian,  was  used  as  an  interpreter.  He  testified  to  the  customs 
of  marriage  and  divorce  among  the  Nez  Perce  Indians.  He  said  in  early  times 
two  marriage  customs  were  recognized  and  followed.  The  simplest  one  has  been 
stated.  The  other  was  to  have  a  wedding  feast,  attended  by  the  relatives  and 
friends  of  the  young  couple ;  following  which  the  happy  pair  betook  themselves 
to  the  tepee  of  the  husband  and  they  twain  became  husband  and  wife. 

The  trial  of  the  case  consumed  several  days.  The  court  permitted  wide  lati- 
tude in  the  presentation  of  the  evidence.  Several  white  men  and  many  Indians 
gave  testimony  on  the  various  phases  of  the  case.  Among  others,  Mr.  R.  P. 
Reynolds,  now  a  resident  of  the  City  of  Walla  Walla,  made  oath  that  he  was 
well  acquainted  with  Timothy;  that  he  explained  the  lease  to  him  before  he 
signed ;  that  the  actual  consideration  for  the  lease  was  that  Silcott  should  support 
Timothy  and  Tima  during  the  natural  life  of  each  thereof;  that  he  did  so  and 
that  he  gave  each  of  them  a  decent  burial.  The  examination  of  an  Indian  witness 
through  an  interpreter  is  an  interesting  experience.  The  Indian  carries  his 
traditional  stoicism  to  the  witness  stand.  There  he  is  as  impassive  as  a  piece  of 
marble.  Neither  by  sign  nor  act  does  he  give  any  indication  of  the  working  of 
his  mind  to  the  examiner.  His  answer  to  one  question  rarely  suggests  another 
question.     The  examiner  works  his  way  in  the  dark  as  best  he  may.    This  expe- 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  275 

rience  is  particularly  true  of  cross-examination.  It  has  been  said  that  cross- 
examination  is  an  art.  Some  artist  may  have  seen  the  light  in  cross-examining 
an  Indian,  but  to  the  writer  the  Indian  has  been  a  man  of  mystery. 

THE  PHYSICIANS 

From  the  bench  and  bar  we  turn  to  the  medical  profession.  It  is  hard  to  ex- 
press the  debt  of  gratitude  which  these  pioneer  communities  owe  to  their  phy- 
sicians. Among  those  who  have  completed  their  work  and  passed  on,  the  minds 
of  all  people  of  old  Walla  Walla  would  turn  with  profound  respect  and  veneration 
to  Dr.  N.  G.  Blalock  as  justly  entitled  to  be  called  the  foremost  citizen  of  this 
section,  and  among  the  foremost  of  the  State  of  Washington.  Conspicuous 
among  the  great  physicians  who  have  passed  away,  Dr.  John  E.  Bingham  would 
be  called  up  by  all  the  old-timers  as  a  man  of  extraordinary  ability,  great  attain- 
ments in  general  knowledge,  and  a  skillful  and  successful  practitioner.  Many 
others,  gone  and  still  living,  have  made  noble  contributions  to  the  upbuilding  of 
the  region  covered  by  our  story,  but  limits  of  space  forbid  special  mention. 

Among  the  living  representatives  of  the  medical  profession  undoubtedly  the 
man  whose  name  would  come  at  once  to  the  minds  of  all  in  his  section  of  our 
field  is  Dr.  G.  B.  Kuykendall  of  Pomeroy.  We  have  had  occasion  frequently  in 
these  pages  to  refer  to  this  foremost  of  the  physicians  of  his  section  of  the  state. 
Prominent  both  by  reason  of  his  medical  ability  and  his  peculiarly  genial  and 
attractive  personality.  Dr.  Kuykendall  has  also  been  one  of  the  leading  historical 
students,  and  one  of  the  especially  gifted  writers  in  this  section  of  our  field.  In 
this  chapter  we  give  a  contribution  by  this  well-known  and  well-loved  physician 
of  Garfield  County : 

REMINISCENCES    OF    MEDICAL    PRACTICE    IN    G.ARFIELD    COUNTY,    W.ASHINGTON,    IN 

PIONEER  TIMES 

Forty  years  as  a  measure  of  the  earth's  geological  changes,  or  of  the  history 
of  the  world,  are  as  but  a  moment — as  the  lightning's  flash  or  the  fall  of  a  meteor. 
The  same  lapse  of  time  in  the  life  of  a  physician,  during  the  early  settlement  of 
the  Inland  Empire,  seems  long  when  viewed  in  retrospection.  A  sketch  of  those 
forty  years  would  be  a  vitagraph  of  the  most  active  period  of  his  life  and  also 
the  panorama  of  the  building  of  an  empire. 

Four  decades  ago,  the  larger  part  of  all  this  country  was  a  wilderness — a 
typical  western  frontier. 

In  those  days,  when  the  physician  started  out  in  the  country  to  visit  his  pa- 
tients, he  rode  over  a  region  covered  with  tall  grass,  swept  into  wavy  undulations 
by  the  western  winds.  As  far  as  the  eye  could  see  there  were  but  few  human 
habitations ;  and  seldom  a  fence  to  mar  the  landscape  or  obstruct  the  way. 

The  doctor's  mode  of  travel  then,  on  medical  trips,  was  usually  on  the  "hurri- 
cane deck  of  a  cayuse  horse,"  and  his  armamentarium  was  carried  in  the  old-time 
saddle  or  pill  bags.  Often  the  jolting  and  jostling  of  the  bottles  therein  caused 
the  effluvium  of  ether,  valerian  and  other  odoriferous  medicaments  to  exude  and 
make  the  air  redolent  with  their  perfume.  We  had  to  carry  our  medicines  with 
us,  and  a  pretty  good  supply  of  them,  too ;  for  we  never  knew  what  we  should 
find  or  how  many  sick  we  might  meet  before  our  return. 

In  the  pioneer  days  of  this  coimtry,  the  "settlers"  had  small  houses  and  but 


-'70  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

few  convenience!!  as  we  now  know  ilicni.  Mostly  ihcy  lived  in  domiciles  ol  one 
room,  and  there  were  few  indeed  that  had  more.  \\  hen  sickness  came  it  always 
found  them  un|)re]>ared. 

Dust,  flics  and  impure  water  were  the  curse  of  the  sick,  and  made  it  un 
|K)Ssible  to  give  them  prujjer  sanitary  environnirnts.  Dust  in  those  days  was 
nmch  worse  than  now,  as  roads  were  then  in  the  making  by  the  easiest  and  quickest 
route.  They  lasscd  uj)  and  down  the  bunchgrass  hills  and  across  the  sage  |)lains, 
the  soft,  ashy  soil  being  ground  into  dust  of  prodigious  depth  by  "single-track" 
sununer  travel,  l-rcight  wagons,  incoming  settlers  and  caravan  trains  kej)t  the 
roads  so  dusty  that  the  traveler  was  greatly  inconvenienced. 

Homesteaders  at  first  procured  water  from  the  little  gulches  near  their  homes 
or  from  shallow  wells  of  seepage  water.  In  either  case,  it  was  nearly  always  im- 
pregnated more  or  less  with  alkali  and  loaded  with  organic  matter.  The  result 
was  that  every  year,  after  the  country  had  a  considerable  ]X)pulation,  ty|)hoid 
(then  called  mountain  fever)  appeared,  and  every  summer  and  fall  there  were 
numerous  cases.  People,  then,  had  not  been  educated  to  the  necessity  of  projK-r 
care  of  the  body  and  knew  scarcely  anything  of  disease  germs,  antiseptics  or 
sanitation.  Bath  rooms,  hot  and  cold  water  in  the  home,  existed  only  in 
memories  of  the  past  or  dreams  of  the  future. 

Many  times  when  1  was  called  to  a  country  home  to  see  a  patient,  to  dress  a 
wound  or  reduce  and  dress  a  fracture,  I  frequently  went  out  to  a  hole  in  the  ground 
dignified  by  the  name  of  well,  to  wash  the  dust  from  my  face  and  hands.  We 
got  along  almost  "any  old  way"  those  days,  and  did  not  soiin  u>  mind  so  very 
much  the  inconveniences  either. 

In  those  days  we  did  not  have  telephone  lines  running  e\iTywhere  over  the 
country  and  to  nearly  every  home,  as  now.  When  a  member  of  a  pioneer  family 
suddenly  became  sick,  or  when  someone  had  been  "bucked"  from  a  horse  and  got 
a  leg  or  arm  broken,  or  the  baby  had  a  collection  of  wind  crosswise  in  its  stomach 
and  was  howling  "loud  enough  to  raise  the  rafters,"  then  there  was  a  sudden 
demand  for  someone  to  go,  from  three  to  twenty-five  miles,  for  the  doctor.  They 
could  not  step  to  a  phone  and  call  him  up  and  ask  advice,  or  request  him  to  start 
at  once.  The  program  was  to  rout  out  the  hired  man  or  one  of  the  boys,  or  send 
to  a  neighlxir.  and  have  him  saddle  a  horse  and  start  to  town  for  the  physician. 

It  is  remarkable  how  nnich  worse  green  plums  and  cucimil>ers  affect  the  in- 
ternal apparatus  of  a  "kid"  in  bad  weather,  and  what  a  predilection  colic  has  for 
attacking  the  "in'ards"  of  a  baby  on  dark,  stormy  nights.  It  always  seemed  to 
me  that  the  children  of  the  early  settlers  passed  by  the  "moonshiny"  nights  and 
selected  the  very  worst  possible  weather  for  their  birthdays.  This  seems  to  be 
one  of  the  inscrutable  arrangements  of  providence,  and  bears  indisputable  testi- 
mony to  the  early  age  at  which  human  perversity  l)cgins. 

In  those  days  the  time  required  to  get  word  to  the  doctor  and  secure  his  at- 
tendance was  so  great  that  the  patient  sometitnes  died  or  recovered  before  the 
physician  rould  possibly  reach  him.  During  all  this  time  the  patient  and  friends 
were  kept  in  an  agony  of  uncertainty  and  suspense. 

In  retrospection,  some  of  my  long,  hard  night  drives  through  darkness,  freez- 
ing cold,  snowdrifts,  rain,  slush  or  mud.  are  still  like  memories  of  a  horrible 
nightmare. 

There  have  l)een  several  epidemics  that  swept  over  the  country  since  the  be- 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  277 

ginning  of  its  settlement.  The  first  was  smallpox.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that 
many  physicians  diagnosed  the  disease  as  chickenpox,  until  it  began  to  slay  many 
of  its  victims.  There  was  at  that  time  quite  a  controversy  among  the  physicians 
and  a  part  of  the  people  in  regard  to  the  nature  of  the  disease. 

In  the  spring  of  1888,  epidemic  cerebro-spinal  meningitis  appeared  in  Gar- 
field County  and  the  surrounding  country.  It  came  on  so  suddenly  and  the 
symptoms  were  so  violent,  and  the  results  in  many  cases  were  so  rapidly  fatal, 
that  it  created  consternation  among  the  people.  The  physicians  over  the  country 
generally  had  not  previously  met  the  disease  nor  had  any  experience  with  it, 
and  were  puzzled  both  as  to  diagnosis  and  treatment.  The  writer  had,  during  the 
epidemic,  an  experience  that  was  enough  for  a  lifetime.  The  disease  prevailed 
more  or  less  for  about  two  years.  In  Garfield  County  there  were  a  large  number 
of  cases  on  the  upper  and  lower  Deadman  Creek,  Meadow  Gulch,  Mayview, 
Ping,  along  the  Snake  River  and  in  Pomeroy  and  Pataha.  It  is  probable  that  Gar- 
field County,  in  proportion  to  its  population,  had  more  cases  than  any  county  in 
the  .state. 

The  attacks  of  the  malady  were  of  all  shades  of  severity  and  the  symptoms 
of  the  greatest  diversity.  It  attacked,  for  the  most  part,  young  persons  from  the 
age  of  three  to  twenty  years,  but  there  were  numerous  cases  older  and  younger. 
In  some  instances  the  person  was  taken  instantly,  while  apparently  in  ordinary 
health,  with  agonizing  pains  in  the  head  and  spine,  with  or  without  vomiting,  and 
in  a  few  minutes  he  became  wildly  delirious,  with  convulsions,  muscular  con- 
tractions, rigidity  of  the  neck,  head  drawn  far  back,  and  was  soon  unconscious ; 
and  in  some  cases,  died  within  a  few  hours.  In  other  cases,  the  patient  lingered 
on  for  many  weeks  or  even  months,  halting  between  life  and  death,  with  ex- 
cruciating agony,  only  at  last  to  die,  worn  out  and  reduced  to  a  skeleton.  Others 
slowly  emerged  from  their  desperate  condition  to  regain  complete  health,  while 
others  were  left  partially  paralyzed,  with  distorted  and  shrivelled  limbs  or  im- 
paired mental  powers. 

I  witnessed  many  harrowing  scenes  among  my  meningitis  cases,  and  when  the 
epidemic  was  past,  I  fervently  thanked  God  and  wished  I  might  never  again 
have  to  pass  through  a  similar  experience. 

Following  up  the  meningitis  scourge,  there  came  along  soon  afterwards  a 
notable  epidemic  of  influenza  or  la  grippe.  The  symptoms  it  produced  were  very 
characteristic  of  and  came  near  to  answering  the  description  of  epidemic  "Rus- 
sian influenza,"  graphically  pictured  in  old  medical  works.  Whole  communities 
were  prostrated  in  a  few  hours.  It  seemed  to  spread  through  the  medium  of  the 
atmosphere,  and  was  also  very  contagious,  passing  from  person  to  person.  Many 
were  stricken  and  overpowered  almost  or  quite  as  suddenly  as  the  meningitis  cases, 
while  some  exhibited  meningeal  tendencies  that  made  the  diagnosis  doubtful  at 

first. 

I  remember  of  going  to  Ilia  to  see  a  patient  with  the  disease,  and  before  get- 
ting back  home  I  had  been  called  to  prescribe  for  seventeen  persons ;  and  a  few 
days  later  I  took  the  disease  myself. 

The  eflfects  of  this  epidemic  were  manifest  for  years,  there  being  left  in  its 
wake  a  multitude  of  cases  of  enlarged  and  suppurating  cervical  glands,  otitis 
media  (suppuration  of  the  middle  ear),  weakened  lungs,  bronchitis,  and  a  num- 
ber of  cases  of  tuberculosis. 


278  OLD  WAl.l.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

Before  the  country  was  fenced  up,  when  the  roads  were  few  and  settlements 
sparse,  the  doctor's  trips  were  occasionally  very  lonely.  When  going  out  into 
remote  parts  after  nightfall,  traveling  an  unfamiliar  road  and  uncertain  as  to 
where  it  led,  without  a  house,  fence  or  sign  of  human  habitation  in  sight,  I  have 
been  startled  by  the  weird,  doleful  bowlings  of  the  coyote  or  the  melancholy  hoot- 
ings  of  the  prairie  owl.  At  such  times  there  came  over  me  an  undefined  feeling 
of  loneliness,  not  real  fear,  but  perhaps  it  was  that  instinctive  dread  of  dark- 
ness and  danger  at  night  that  has  come  down  to  us  from  savage  and  superstitious 
ancestors  of  past  ages.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  sight  of  a  candle  or  lamp  gleaming 
across  the  prairie,  from  some  settler's  window,  had  a  most  welcome  and  cheering 
eftVct.  Even  the  barking  of  a  dog  or  the  noise  of  domestic  fowls,  or  any 
sound  indicating  the  proximity  of  human  beings  tended  to  enliven  the  gloom  and 
make  home  seem  nearer. 

Thirty  or  forty  years  ago  we  never  dreamed  that  we  should  ever  drive  over 
the  country  in  an  automobile.  We  considered  ourselves  pretty  "well  fixed"  when 
we  had  a  good  top  buggy  and  a  nimble  team  with  which  we  could  make  eight  or 
nine  miles  an  hour.  In  the  fine  weather  of  spring  and  early  summer,  if  there 
happened  to  be  no  need  of  special  haste,  it  was  often  a  real  pleasure  to  drive 
out  through  the  country.  When  the  air  was  redolent  with  the  perfume  of  flowers 
and  growing  vegetation,  or  sweet  with  the  perfume  of  new  mown  hay,  the  blue 
sky  above,  the  distant  pine-covered  mountains,  the  rolling,  grass-covered  hills  and 
prairies,  all  formed  a  combination  well  calculated  to  exhilarate  and  give  delight. 

But  night  visits  in  the  winter  time,  during  cold,  stormy  weather,  were  alto- 
gether different,  when,  with  darkness  there  was  snow  and  mud,  or  strong  wind 
and  hard  freezing,  and  the  physician  had  to  plod  his  way  slowly  along,  sitting 
chilled  through  and  through,  feet  almost  frozen,  hands  and  fingers  so  benumbed 
they  could  hardly  clasp  the  lines — no  play  of  the  imagination  could  make  it  seem 
a  pleasure  trip.  It  was  far  worse,  however,  when  there  were  added  to  these  con- 
ditions the  feelings  and  emotions  caused  by  the  consciousness  that  off  in  a  little 
pioneer  cabin  on  the  prairie,  or  in  some  gulch,  or  up  in  the  mountains,  there  was  a 
patient  that  was  lying  at  the  point  of  death,  with  wild  delirium  or  low  muttering 
and  stupid  mental  wandering,  or  some  woman  shrieking  in  agony  and  praying  to 
God  to  send  her  relief  from  the  suffering  she  was  enduring  to  give  life  to  another, 
while  friends  distracted  were  waiting  and  wishing  the  doctor  would  come.  Spurred 
by  these  reflections  I  have  often  plied  the  whip  and  automatically  pushed  on  the 
lines,  to  help  my  horses,  my  mind  running  ahead  to  my  destination.  As  disagree- 
able as  were  the  outward  circumstances,  often  the  state  of  mental  torture  and 
suspense  were  worse  than  the  physical  discomfort. 

In  those  days,  the  physician  had  ample  time  to  think  while  on  his  long  trips 
in  the  country,  particularly  when  patients  presented  no  serious  symptoms,  or  when 
returning  home.  Often  on  such  occasions,  I  have  looked  up  at  the  starlit  sky  and 
the  myriads  of  scintillating  worlds  therein,  and  thought  of  the  vastness  of  the 
universe,  and  of  the  aeons  of  ages  since  all  these  blazing  worlds  were  set  float- 
ing in  space.  Then  came  the  thought  of  the  immensity  of  the  distance  to  even  the 
nearest  fixed  star,  and  of  the  vast  stretches  of  the  illimitable  universe  beyond: 
and  of  the  worlds  in  the  outer  confines  of  space  beyond  the  Milky  Way  or  the 
Pleiades,  whose  light  took  thousands  of  years  to  reach  the  earth.  Then  would 
come  the  thought,  "Why  all  this  stupendous,  illimitable,  incomprehensible  aggre- 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  279 

g-ation  of  worlds?"  "Are  any  of  the  planets  of  these  glowing  orbs  inhabited  by 
intelligent  beings?"  "If  not,  why  do  they  exist  at  all?"  Thus  my  thoughts  have 
run  on  and  on,  until  cold,  darkness,  discomfort  and  almost  everything  else  have 
been  forgotten  and  lost  in  my  contemplations,  and  time  passed  almost  unper- 
ceived  as  I  traversed  the  miles  in  solitude.  At  other  times  my  thoughts  would  run 
upon  the  problems  of  human  existence,  the  connection  between  mind  and  matter, 
the  mystery  of  life  and  death. 

Traveling  on  a  moonlit  night  along  the  breaks  of  Snake  River,  Tucanon  or 
Alpowa,  watching  the  silvery  lights  and  dark  shadow  along  the  escarpments  and 
basaltic  walls  that  border  these  streams  and  make  such  grand  and  beautiful 
scenery,  I  pictured  to  my  mind  this  country  when  fresh  from  the  hands  of  the  fire 
gods,  a  seething,  sizzling  mass  of  molten  basalt.  Then  I  thought  of  the  long  years 
of  its  cooling,  the  gradual  crumbling  of  the  rock  and  the  formation  of  the  soil,  the 
appearance  of  plant  and  animal  life,  and  of  the  tropical  and  semi-tropical  climate 
that  must  have  existed;  and  of  the  wonderful  extinct  animals  that  once  inhabited 
our  hills  and  valleys;  of  the  hairy  mammoth,  the  three-toed  horse  and  the  other 
strange  beings  that  roamed  through  the  forests  that  one  time  were  here. 

As  I  looked  far  down  into  the  wonderful  gorge  through  which  Snake  River 
flows,  and  contemplated  the  many  centuries  it  must  have  taken  to  cut  the  great 
channel,  it  gave  me  a  more  comprehensive  conception  of  how  the  author  of  the 
universe  operated  in  creation. 

Back  in  the  days  when  we  drove  buggies  or  rode  horseback,  we  had  time  on 
the  road  to  do  a  lot  of  thinking,  as  well  as  of  freezing  and  scorching,  or  plodding 
through  snow,  mud  or  dust. 

A  physician  trained  in  thought  is  sure  to  thresh  out  in  his  mind  while  on  the 
road,  during  the  day  or  night,  many  knotty  problems  in  the  isms,  ologies  and 
pathies  of  medical  practice;  and  when  serious  sickness  claims  his  attention,  and  is 
pressing  for  his  best  endeavors,  he  will  search  all  the  treasure  houses  of  his 
memory  for  everything  that  he  has  ever  read  or  heard  of  in  relation  to  similar 
cases.  Often  the  time  was  wearisome,  roads  were  long,  and  waiting  for  pay  for 
services  was  long,  and  all  this  longness  tended  to  make  a  shortness  of  the  pocket- 
book. 

When  in  the  midst  of  weary  night  vigils,  or  when  nearly  worn  out  and  ex- 
hausted by  loss  of  sleep,  or  when  chilled  to  the  bone  by  cold  and  exposure,  I  have 
thought  that  if  ever  any  one  was  justified  in  taking  a  stimulant  to  "brace  up," 
it  is  the  overworked  physician.  While  I  never  took  any  kind  of  stimulant  or  nar- 
cotic, I  have  felt  like  making  some  allowance  for  the  hard  driven  doctor  who 
occasionally  took  something  to  brace  him  up  and  deaden  his  sensibility  to  cold  and 
fatigue. 

One  of  the  worst  combinations  a  doctor  had  to  meet  was  a  deep  snow,  dense 
fog  and  unbroken  roads.  If  added  to  this  there  was  intense  cold,  the  trip  was  to 
be  dreaded.  One  would  be  about  as  well  ofif  in  the  middle  of  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
without  a  compass,  as  in  such  a  snow  and  fog.  Whether  one  looked  up,  down  or 
any  other  direction,  the  appearance  was  all  the  same — it  was  one  blank,  im- 
penetrable, misty- white.  If  a  man  turned  around  and  once  missed  his  bearings, 
he  was  lost  indeed.  There  were  instances,  those  days,  where  persons  were  caught 
out  in  the  darkness  and  wandered  around  all  night  on  a  forty-acre  tract,  utterly 


280  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COL'XTY 

bewildered.  One  who  has  been  lost  in  one  of  those  foggy  snows  will  never  forget 
his  sensations  and  feelings. 

Time  has  wrought  many  changes  since  the  days  of  the  early  settlement  of  the 
country.  Places  that  were  reached  only  with  the  greatest  difficulty  and  sometimes 
with  peril,  we  now  drive  up  to  on  smooth  roads  of  easy  grades.  Where  we  could 
scarcely  get  to  a  cabin  on  horseback,  one  now  drives  up  with  ease  in  an  automobile 
to  a  beautiful  modern  home. 

Where  it  used  to  take  many  hours  or  a  whole  day  to  make  a  visit,  the 
same  distance  can  now  be  made  in  an  hour  or  even  in  minutes.  The  telephone, 
good  roads,  automobiles  and  new  discoveries  and  advances  in  medical  science, 
surgery  and  pharmacy,  have  revolutionized  medical  practice. 

Riding  out  today,  over  on  Snake  River,  out  in  the  Deadman  country,  up  on 
the  Pataha  Prairie,  up  to  Peola  or  the  Blue  Mountains,  over  on  the  Tucanon  or 
toward  Lewiston  or  Dayton,  one  still  sees  here  and  there  the  reminders  of  "old 
times"  and  "'old  timers."  Here  are  the  relics  of  old  cabins,  where  the  pioneers 
first  had  their  homes. 

Memory  goes  back  to  a  desperate  case  of  typhoid  fever  here,  or  of  pneumonia 
or  other  disease  over  there.  There  come  up  memory  pictures  of  scenes  of  anxiety, 
suffering  and  suspense  and  then  of  recovery,  or  possibly  death. 

Over  yonder  stood  the  home  of  an  early  pioneer.  In  that  house  was  born  a 
son  or  daughter  that  today  is  leading  in  business  and  society ;  the  father  and 
mother  are  sleeping  in  one  of  the  cemeteries  of  the  county.  A  few  are  still  linger- 
ing, old  and  feeble,  waiting  for  the  final  summons.  Back  in  the  mountains,  where 
today  we  go  gliding  along  in  automobiles  on  summer  outings,  there  are  still 
seen  the  fading  sites  of  the  sawmills,  pole  and  shingle  mills  that  were  operated 
there  in  early  days.  These  remind  me  of  broken  legs  and  arms,  of  wounds  and 
accidents,  and  of  serious  sickness  that  happened  between  thirty  and  forty  years 
ago.  The  places  where  the  old  mills  stood  are  marked  by  little  clearings  now 
overgrown  with  weeds  and  brush,  with  here  and  there  a  few  slabs,  dim  in  piles  of 
sawdust,  and  scattering  stumps.  The  old  mills  are  gone  and  the  people  who 
owned  and  ran  them  have  died  or  left  the  country. 

As  I  write  these  hasty  reminiscences,  I  wonder  if  thirty-five  or  forty  years 
from  now  will  bring  as  many  changes  to  this  country  as  the  same  length  of  time 
in  the  past. 

What  wonderful  improvements  the  science  of  medicine  the  past  forty  years 
have  brought !  What  additions  to  our  knowledge  of  the  cause  of  disease,  of 
disease  germs  and  how  to  combat  them,  of  serums,  opsonins,  vaccines  and  of 
physiological  chemistry!  What  advances  have  been  made  in  the  knowledge  of 
antiseptics  and  preventative  medicine,  and  what  great  strides  in  surgery  and  the 
treatment  of  wounds!  What  a  vast  field  has  been  opened  up  in  the  study  of 
internal  secretions  of  the  ductless  glands  and  their  relation  to  the  well-being  of 
the  human  physical  system. 

What  will  be  the  state  of  medical  science  forty  or  fifty  years  from  now? 
Will  physicians  make  their  country  calls  in  airplanes,  soaring  over  hills  and  plains 
high  in  air?  In  pioneer  days  anxious  ears  strained  for  the  sound  of  the  gallop 
of  the  doctor's  horse ;  later  the  patter  of  horses'  feet  and  the  rattle  of  the  buggy 
denoted  the  approach  of  medical  aid ;  now  the  gleam  of  the  motor  car  lights  an- 
nounce that  relief  is  near.     A  few  years  hence,  mayhap,  anxious  ones  awaiting 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  281 

the  doctor  will  be  made  aware  of  his  coming  by  the  whir  of  the  airplane  motor 
and  anxiously  view  his  approach  through  powerful  binoculars.  Even  now  the 
most  rosy  dreams  of  our  trail-making  fathers  have  been  far  surpassed.  That 
vast  expanse  of  sage  and  sand  that  formed  a  large  part  of  the  Columbia  River 
Valley  will  have  become  the  garden  and  granary  of  Northwestern  America. 

But  the  beautiful  homes,  fertile  fields,  green  expanses  of  alfalfa,  the  fruit- 
laden  orchards,  the  cities  and  towns,  schools,  churches,  factories,  mills  and  marts 
of  industry,  will,  to  those  who  never  saw  the  country  in  its  original  wildness,  have 
little  to  tell  of  the  toils,  struggles,  waiting  and  weariness  that  were  the  cost  of  this 
marvelous  transformation. 


PART  III 

PERIOD  OF  COUNTY  DIVISIONS 


CHAPTER  I 

POLITICAL  HISTORY  OF  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  SINCE  COUNTY 

DIVISION 

Beginning  in  1876  with  reduced  area,  but  with  rapid  growth  and  with  encour- 
aging outlook  in  all  lines,  Walla  Walla  County  entered  upon  what  might  be  de- 
scribed as  the  third  stage  of  her  growth,  that  from  county  division  to  statehood 
in  1889. 

It  is  of  interest  to  note  a  few  statistics  of  the  period  of  transition.  In  1870 
the  population  of  the  Old  County  was  5,102.  In  1877,  the  reduced  county  showed 
a  population,  according  to  the  assessor,  of  5,056,  while  Columbia  County  had,  by 
the  assessor's  report  of  the  same  year,  3,618.  By  the  report  of  1875,  still  the  Old 
County,  the  assessed  valuation  was  $2,792,065.  In  1876,  the  valuation  of  the 
reduced  county  was  $2,296,870.  There  were  reported  at  the  same  time  5,281 
horses,  239  mules,  11,147  cattle,  13.233  sheep,  4,000  hogs,  1,774  acres  of  timothy, 
700  acres  of  corn,  2,600  acres  of  oats,  6,000  acres  of  barley,  21,000  acres  of  wheat 
and  700  acres  of  fruit  trees. 

STATEHOOD  AND  CONSTITUTION 

The  political  subject  of  greatest  general  interest  was  Statehood  and  a  Con- 
stitutional Convention  leading  thereto.  The  project  of  annexation  to  Oregon  was 
by  no  means  dead.  Senator  Mitchell  of  Oregon  continued  the  efforts  made  by 
.Senator  Kelly.  A  considerable  local  interest,  supported  by  the  Walla  Walla 
Union,  and  its  able  editor,  P.  B.  Johnson,  still  urged  annexation.  One  favorite 
idea,  which  has  taken  shape  from  time  to  time  since,  was  to  join  Eastern  Oregon 
with  Northern  Idaho  into  a  new  state.  In  the  Congressional  session  of  1877-8. 
Delegate  Orange  Jacobs  requested  a  bill  for  introducing  Washington  to  statehood 
with  the  three  counties  of  Northern  Idaho  added.  But  no  action  was  taken  by 
Congress.  In  spite  of  that  the  Territorial  Legislature  in  November,  1877,  passed 
a  law  providing  for  an  election  to  be  held  April  9,  1878,  to  choose  delegates  to  a 
convention  to  meet  at  Walla  Walla  on  June  11,  1878.  Up  to  that  time,  as  we 
have  seen,  repeated  attempts  to  secure  a  vote  for  a  convention  had  failed  in 
Walla  Walla.  The  act  of  the  Legislature  provided  that  the  convention  should 
consist  of  fifteen  members  from  Washington,  with  one,  having  no  vote,  from 
Idaho. 

In  pursuance  of  the  announcement  the  election  was  duly  held,  though  with 
the  scanty  vote  of  4,223,  not  half  the  number  of  voters  in  the  territory.  The 
convention  duly  met  at  Science  Hall  in  Walla  Walla,  and  W.  A.  George  of  that 
city,  one  of  the  leading  lawyers  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  unique  characters  of  the 
Inland  Empire,  acted  as  temporary  chairman. 

285 


28ti  OLD  \NALL.\  WALl.A  COUNTY 

The  {icriiiancnt  organization  consisted  of  A.  S.  Aberncthy  of  Cowlitz  County 
as  president,  \V.  IJ.  Daniels  and  William  Clark  as  secretaries,  and  H.  D.  Cook  as 
''■:'"»s      After  a  Ic-ii  ion  tlic  convcntiim  !>ubM:ittcd  a  constitu- 

ii  was  voted  uimn  at  i  general  election  in  November.      Though 

a  considerable  nujority  was  secured,  exactly  two-thirds,  the  total  vote  of  9.693 
fell  const. '  hurt  of  the  vote  cast  for  delegate,  and  it  seems  to  have  been 

generally  ,      ird  in  Congress  as  evidence  that   the  i>eoj)lc  of  the  territory 

did  not  consider  the  time  ripe  for  statehood.    The  whole  matter  was,  therefore, 
indetlniti '  nt-d 

That  ;   ;.  tion  of  1878  was  notable  for  Walla  Walla  in  several  resjiects. 

Two  citizens  of  the  city  were  rival  nominees  for  the  i)osition  of  congrcs<ioiuil 
delegate.  Thomas  H.  Rrents  for  the  republicans  and  Nathan  T.  Caton  for  ih< 
democrats.  It  was  the  first  election  in  which  the  republicans  won  in  Walla 
Walla  County.  Mr.  Brents  had  a  majority  of  146  in  the  county  and  1.301  in  thu- 
territory.  The  [Militical  tide  had  turned  and  from  that  time  to  the  present  the 
republicans  have  been,  on  any  ordinary  issue,  overwhelmingly  in  the  majority 
In  1880  Mr.  l?r<nts  was  again  chosen  delegate,  this  time  against  Thomas  Hurke. 
the  democratic  candidate,  and  by  a  majority  of  1.707.  During  the  first  term  Mr 
Brents  endeavored  to  induce  Congress  to  confer  statehood  upon  the  territory  but 
unavailingly.  Still  again  in  1882  Mr.  Brents  was  honored,  and  with  him  also 
Walla  Walla,  and  in  fact  the  territory  honored  itself  in  the  re-election  of  one  of 
its  most  useful  and  |>()pular  citizens,  by  anfither  term  as  delegate.  During  the 
six  years  of  Mr.  Brents'  incumbency  the  territory  was  making  trenmendous 
strides.  The  projection  of  the  Northern  Pacific  and  Oregon  Short  Line  Kail 
roads,  the  sale  of  Doctor  Baker's  railroad  in  1879  to  the  O.  R.  &  N.  R.  R..  the 
N'illanl  coup  d'etat  in  188.V  made  the  decade  of  the  '.'<os  the  great  buildinj;  jK-rio*! 
for  the  territory  and  for  Walla  Walla.  It  was  evident  that  there  was  abundant 
justification  for  the  creation  of  a  new  state.  Mr.  Brents  kept  the  subject  alive 
in  Congress  up  to  and  through  1S85,  when  his  term  expired,  and  he  was  succeeded 
by  one  of  the  most  brilliant  and  popular  politicians  and  lawyers  ever  in  the  ter- 
ritory, C".  S.  X'oorhees.  Mr.  N'oorhces.  son  of  the  "Tall  Sycamore  of  the  Wabash." 
was,  of  course,  a  <lemocrat,  and  though  at  that  time  cpiite  young,  exercise*!  a  large 
influence  both  at  home  and  at  the  capital.  He  was  twice  chosen  Delegate,  in  1884 
and  188^).  In  1888  the  office  returned  to  Walla  Walla  and  to  the  republican  |>arty. 
In  that  year  John  B.  Allen  U'gan  his  distinguished  career  at  the  national  c:i|>ital 
He  had  held  the  jjosition  of  United  States  attorney,  succeeding  Judge  Wingard. 
from  1875  to  i88/'(.  In  the  latter  year  he  removed  to  Walla  Walla,  and  his 
career  from  that  time  on  was  a  jart  of  the  history  nf  his  home  citv  .nnd  of  the 
territory  and  state. 

As  we  have  seen,  F..  I',  lerry  was  governor  at  the  tunc  of  county  fiuisiou  in 
1875.  lie  held  the  oflficc  until  1880.  W.  A.  Newell  was  the  next  governor  hold- 
ing the  position  for  four  years,  when  Watson  C.  Squire  received  the  a|>pointment. 
retaining  the  place  till  1887.  I"<i11owing  came  Fngene  Semple  for  two  years. 
The  |H'ri(Kl  of  statehoo<l  was  now  near  at  hand,  and  it  may  well  l)e  a  matter  of 
pride  and  interest  to  Walla  Walla  that  by  appointment  of  President  Harrison 
the  last  territorial  governor  was  a  citizen  of  this  place.  Miles  C.  Moore.  Governor 
Moore  had  left  his  home  in  Ohio  in  18/0  hardly  more  than  a  l>oy,  and  after  some 
adventures  in  Montana,  had  reached  Walla  Walla  in  1862.  to  become  from  that 


HOJIES  OX  PALOUSE  STREET,  WALLA  WALLA 


VIEW  OF   WALLA  WALLA  HOMES   OX   BIRCH   STREET 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  287 

time  onward  one  of  the  most  eminent  citizens  as  well  as  one  of  the  foremost 
business  men  of  the  community  and  of  the  Northwest.  It  was  recognized  through- 
out the  territory  that  the  appointment  was  exceedingly  fitting  from  the  standpoint 
of  capacity  to  fulfill  the  duties  of  the  office,  and  was  also  a  suitable  compliment 
to  the  historic  city  and  mother  county  of  Walla  Walla.  Although  Governor 
Moore's  term  was  short,  it  possessed  the  unique  interest  of  covering  the  transition 
from  territoryhood  to  statehood  of  what  in  general  judgment  is  destined  to  be- 
come one  of  the  most  important  commonwealths  of  the  Union,  and  hence  it  cannot 
in  the  nature  of  the  case  be  duplicated  by  any  other  term. 

ENABLING  ACT 

The  Enabling  Act  of  Congress,  approved  by  President  Harrison  on  Febru- 
ary 22,  1889,  had  the  unique  distinction  of  being  the  only  one  providing  for  the 
erection  of  four  states  at  once.  These  were  Washington,  South  Dakota,  North 
Dakota,  and  Montana.  As  indicating  the  fundamental  basis  on  which  the  four 
states  rest,  the  reader  will  be  interested  in  the  following  provisions  of  the  Enabling 
Act: 

"And  said  conventions  shall  provide  by  ordinances  irrevocable  without  the 
consent  of  the  United  States  and  the  people  of  said  states : 

First.  That  perfect  toleration  of  religious  sentiment  shall  be  secured,  and 
that  no  inhabitant  of  said  states  shall  ever  be  molested  in  person  or  property  on 
account  of  his  or  her  mode  of  religious  worship..   . 

Second.  That  the  people  inhabiting  said  proposed  states  do  agree  and  declare 
that  they  forever  disclaim  all  right  and  title  to  the  unappropriated  public  lands 
lying  within  the  boundaries  thereof,  and  to  all  lands  lying  within  said  limits  owned 
or  held  by  any  Indian  or  Indian  tribes ;  and  that  until  the  title  thereto  shall  have 
been  extinguished  by  the  United  States,  the  same  shall  be  and  remain  subject 
to  the  disposition  of  the  United  States,  and  said  Indian  lands  shall  remain  under 
the  absolute  jurisdiction  and  control  of  the  congress  of  the  United  States;  that 
the  lands  belonging  to  citizens  of  the  United  States  residing  without  the  said  state 
shall  never  be  taxed  at  a  higher  rate  than  the  lands  belonging  to  residents  there- 
of ;  that  no  taxes  shall  be  imposed  by  the  states  on  lands  or  property  therein 
belonging  to  or  which  may  hereafter  be  purchased  by  the  United  States  or  reserved 
for  its  use.  But  nothing  herein,  or  in  the  ordinances  herein  provided  for,  shall 
preclude  the  said  states  from  taxing  as  other  lands  are  taxed,  any  lands  owned  or 
held  by  any  Indian  who  has  severed  his  tribal  relations,  and  has  obtained  from 
the  United  States  or  from  any  person  a  title  thereto  by  patent  or  other  grant, 
save  and  except  such  lands  as  have  been  or  may  be  granted  to  any  Indian  or 
Indians  under  any  act  of  Congress  containing  a  provision  exempting  the  lands 
thus  granted  from  taxation ;  but  said  ordinances  shall  provide  that  all  such  lands 
shall  be  exempt  from  taxation  by  said  states  so  long  and  to  such  extent  as  such 
act  of  Congress  may  prescribe. 

Third.  That  the  debts  and  liabilities  of  said  territories  shall  be  assumed  and 
paid  by  said  states  respectively. 

Fourth.  That  provision  shall  be  made  for  the  establishment  and  maintenance 
of  systems  of  public  schools,  which  shall  be  open  to  all  the  children  of  said  states 
and  free  from  sectarian  control." 


288  OLU  UALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

In  accordance  with  the  Lnahling  Act,  the  Conititutioiul  Convention  of  Wash- 
ington Territory  n«ct  at  Ulyinpia,  July  4,  18S9.  The  constitution  prepared  during 
tlic  liftyday  session  was  ratilicd  at  the  polls  on  Octohcr  i,  1889.  Of  tlic  seventy- 
five  members  of  the  convention  three  represented  Walla  Walla,  two  were  from 
Dayton,  and  one  from  I'omeroy.  It  may  be  safely  said  that  every  one  was  a  nun 
it)  whose  knowk<lj;e  and  judgment  his  fellow  citizens  could  rejxjse  confidence, 
while  the  |>ersonal  character  of  each  was  such  as  to  secure  the  hearty  affection 
of  his  community.  The  entire  convention,  in  fact,  was  a  body  of  whom  the 
state  has  always  l>een  proud,  and  l»eing  to  a  peculiar  degree  the  result  of  |K)puIar 
choice  the  election  of  such  men  is  a  convincing  evidence  of  the  worth  and  capacity 
of  democratic  institutions.  Not  the  least  of  the  counties  to  be  congratulated  on 
their  choices  were  those  coni[>osing  Old  Walla  Walla. 

The  members  of  the  convention  from  Walla  Walla  included  two  of  the  fore- 
njost  lawyers  of  the  territory,  Judge  B.  L.  Sharpstcin,  whose  long  life  left  a  legacy 
of  good  dtids  to  his  city  and  state  and  whose  foremost  {Msition  at  the  bar  has 
Ikcu  maintained  by  his  sons,  and  U.  J.  Crowley,  one  of  the  most  brilliant  lawyers 
ever  known  in  the  state,  whose  residence  in  Walla  Walla  was  short,  though  his 
influence  was  great.  His  early  death  was  a  great  loss  to  the  state.  Dr.  N.  G. 
Itlalock,  the  "Good  Doctor,"  honored  and  loved  perhaps  beyond  any  other  mar 
in  the  history  of  Walla  Walla,  was  the  other  representative  of  his  county.  It 
was  a  source  of  just  pride  to  Doctor  I'.lalock  that  he  was  the  author  of  the  pro- 
vision forbidding  the  sale  of  school  land  at  less  than  ten  dollars  per  acre.  By 
this  and  other  allied  jjrovisions  the  school  lands  have  been  handled  in  such  a  way 
as  to  provide  a  great  sum  for  the  actual  use  of  the  children  of  the  commonwealth 
instead  of  l)cing  shamefully  squandered  by  cul|)able  (jfficials,  as  has  been  the  cxi>e- 
ricnce  in  some  states,  notably  our  sister  state  of  Oregon.  Judge  Sharpstein  and 
Doctor  Blahxk  were  democrats  in  political  faith,  but  neither  was  a  {^artisan  Mr 
Crowley  was  a  republican. 

S.  G.  Cosgrove  of  Pomeroy  was  the  representative  of  Garfield  and  /Vsotin 
counties,  one  of  the  best  of  men  and  one  of  the  ablest  lawyers  of  his  section,  later 
elected  governor  of  the  state,  but  dying  almost  immediately  after  his  inauguration 
tn  the  j)rofound  regret  of  men  of  all  [larties.  He  was  an  independent  republican 
in  politics.  lie  had  been  a  college  classmate  and  intimate  friend  of  \'ice  Prcsi 
dent  I'airbanks.  The  delegates  from  Columbia  County  were  M.  M.  (iodman,  a 
democrat,  one  of  the  leading  lawyers  and  foremost  politicians  of  the  state,  subse- 
(|uently  a  member  of  the  Public  Service  Commission  of  the  State,  and  R.  F.  Stur- 
devant.  a  republican,  also  a  lawyer  of  high  ability  and  well  proven  integrity, 
afterwards  the  superior  judge  of  this  district. 

By  the  twenty-second  article  of  the  Constitution  the  legislature  was  so  appor- 
tioned that  Asotin  and  Garfield  counties  constituted  the  Sixth  .^Nonatorial  District 
entitled  to  one  senator  and  each  was  entitled  to  one  representative  in  the  House; 
Columbia  l)ecame  the  Seventh  District,  having  one  senator  and  two  representa 
lives;  and  Walla  Walla  comfKised  the  F.iglith  District  with  two  senators,  and  in 
the  House  three  representatives. 

The  first  legislature  of  1R80-OO  had  in  its  senate,  from  our  four  counties,  C.  G. 
.\ustin  of  Pomeroy  for  Garfield  and  Asotin;  H.  H.  Wolfe  of  Davton  for 
Columbia  ;  Piatt  Preston  of  Waitsburg  and  George  T.  Thompvm  of  Walla  Walla 
for  Walla  Walla.   The  representatives  were :   William  Farrish  of  .Asotin  Gty  for 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  289 

Asotin  and  Garfield;  H.  B.  Day  of  Dayton  and  A.  H.  Weatherford  of  Dayton  for 
Columbia;  and  J.  M.  Cornwell  of  Dixie,  J.  C.  Painter  of  Estes,  and  Z.  K.  Straight 
of  Walla  Walla  for  Walla  Walla  County. 

That  first  legislature  enacted  that  the  senate  should  henceforth  consist  of 
thirty-four  members,  and  the  house  of  seventy-eight;  that  the  counties  of  Gar- 
field, Asotin,  and  Columbia  should  constitute  the  Eighth  Senatorial  District, 
entitled  to  one  senator ;  that  the  counties  of  Franklin  and  Adams,  and  the  Third 
and  Fourth  wards  of  the  City  of  Walla  Walla,  and  the  precincts  of  Wallula, 
Frenchtown,  Lower  Touchet,  Prescott,  Hadley,  Eureka,  Hill  and  Baker,  of  Wall; 
Walla  County,  should  constitute  the  Ninth  Senatorial  District,  entitled  to  one 
senator;  that  the  First  and  Second  wards  of  the  City  of  Walla  Walla,  and  the 
precincts  of  Waitsburg,  Coppei,  Dry  Creek,  Russell  Creek,  Mill  Creek,  Washing- 
ton, and  Small,  should  compose  the  Tenth  Senatorial  District,  entitled  to  ont 
senator;  that  Asotin  should  constitute  the  Eighth  Representative  District  with 
one  representative;  Garfield,  the  Ninth  with  one  representative;  Columbia,  the 
Tenth  with  one;  the  First  and  Second  wards  of  Walla  Walla  City,  with  the 
precincts  of  Waitsburg,  Coppei,  Dry  Creek,  Russell  Creek,  Mill  Creek,  Wash- 
ington, and  Small,  the  Eleventh  District  with  one  representative ;  and  the  Third 
and  Fourth  wards  of  Walla  Walla  City,  with  the  precincts  of  Wallula,  French- 
town,  Lower  Touchet,  Prescott,  Hadley,  Eureka,  Hill,  and  Baker,  the  Twelfth 
District  with  one  representative. 

Such  was  the  induction  of  the  State  of  Washington  into  the  Union,  and  the 
representation  of  our  four  counties  in  the  first  Legislature.  We  shall  give  later 
the  delegations  to  subsequent  legislatures,  with  the  lists  of  county  officers. 

Politics  in  the  new  state  bubbled  vigorously  at  once  and  during  the  twenty- 
seven  years  of  statehood  Walla  Walla,  Columbia,  Garfield,  and  Asotin  have 
played  their  full  parts  in  state  aflairs.  To  enter  into  an  extended  account  of  state 
politic?  is  beyond  the  scope  of  this  work.  We  can  speak  of  it  only  at  its  points 
of  contact  with  our  county  history. 

In  the  first  election  of  United  States  senators  November,  1889,  John  B.  Allen 
of  Walla  Walla,  and  Watson  C.  Squire  were  chosen,  the  former  drawing  the 
four-year  term,  which  entitled  him  to  the  place  until  March  4,  1893.  The  sen- 
atorial election  of  1893  was  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  in  the  history  of  such 
elections  and  involved  a  number  of  distinguished  men  in  this  section  of  the 
state.  The  fundamental  struggle  was  between  the  adherents  of  John  B.  Allen 
of  Walla  Walla  and  George  Turner  of  Spokane,  both  republicans.  It  became  a 
factional  fight  of  the  bitterest  type.  One  hundred  and  one  ballots  were  taken 
unavailingly  and  then  the  Legislature  adjourned  sine  die,  with  no  choice.  The 
last  ballot  records  the  names  of  two  citizens  of  Walla  Walla,  one  of  Dayton,  and 
one  now,  although  not  then,  a  citizen  of  Walla  Walla.  The  Walla  Walla  candi- 
dates were  John  B.  Allen  with  fifty  votes,  lacking  seven  of  a  majority,  and  Judge 
B.  L.  Sharpstein.  The  Dayton  name  was  that  of  J.  C.  Van  Patten,  and  the  name  of 
the  present  citizen  of  Walla  Walla  was  Henry  Drum,  now  warden  of  the  peni- 
tentiary. 

Upon  the  failure  of  the  Legislature  to  elect,  Governor  McGraw  appointed 
John  B.  Allen  to  fill  the  vacancy.  Proceeding  to  Washington  Mr.  Allen  presented 
his  case  to  the  Senate,  but  in  that  case,  as  in  others,  that  body  decided  and  very 
properly,  that  the  state  must  go  unrepresented  until  the  Legislature  could  perform 

Vol.  I Ifl 


290  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

.its  constitutional  duties.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  tliat  experience,  with  similar  ones 
in  other  states,  was  one  of  the  great  influences  in  causing  the  amendment  to  the 
Constitution  providing  for  direct  election  by  the  people.  The  spectacle  of  tfie 
Legislature  neglecting  its  law-making  functions  to  wrangle  over  the  opposing 
ambitions  of  senatorial  aspirants,  fatally  impaired  the  confidence  of  the  people  in 
the  wisdom  of  the  old  method  of  choice.  That  amendment  may  be  regarded  also 
as  one  of  the  striking  manifestations  of  American  political  evolution,  in  which 
there  has  come  a  recognition  of  the  danger  of  legislative  bodies,  chosen  by  popular 
suffrage,  becoming  the  tools  of  personal  or  corporate  interests  instead  of  the 
■servants  of  the  people  who  chose  them,  and  by  which,  in  consequence,  the  evils 
PI  popular  government  are  being  remedied  by  being  made  more  popular. 

Two  other  citizens  of  Walla  Walla  have  represented  the  state  in  the  National 
Congress,  and  several  others  have  been  willing  to.  These  are  Levi  Ankeny  and 
iMiles  Poindexter,  the  latter  having  begun  his  political  career  at  Walla  Walla,  but 
having  removed  to  Spokane  and  become  superior  judge  there  before  entering 
upon  his  term  as  congressman  in  1909  and  senator  in  191 1,  to  be  re-elected  in 
1916.  Senator  Ankeny,  one  of  the  most  prominent  of  the  permanent  citizens  of 
Walla  Walla,  and  one  of  the  greatest  bankers  in  the  Northwest,  being  president 
of  eleven  banks  in  Oregon,  Washington,  and  Idaho,  was  elected  senator  in 
1903  and  served  until  1909.  He  was  deservedly  popular  throughout  the  section 
in  which  he  lived,  for  his  broad  and  generous  business  methods  as  well  as  for  his 
general  character.  During  the  hard  times  of  the  '90s,  in  which  many  of  the 
farmers  of  Walla  Walla  and  Columbia  counties  were  next  door  to  ruin,  it  is  re- 
membered that  Mr.  Ankeny  could  have  acquired  by  foreclosure  of  his  immense 
loans  lands  whose  value  is  now  tenfold  the  amount  of  the  mortgages  of  those 
hard  times.  But  by  aiding  and  encouraging  the  struggling  farmers  of  that  time 
and  neglecting  the  advantage  which  he  himself  might  have  gained  he  kept  them 
upon  their  feet  and  thus  conferred  an  immeasurable  benefit  not  only  upon  in- 
dividuals, but  upon  the  country  as  a  whole.  During  Mr.  Ankeny's  term  in  the 
Senate  extensive  improvements  were  made  in  the  buildings  at  Fort  Walla  Walla. 

THE  PENITENTI.\RY 

Another  of  the  leading  political  connections  of  Walla  Walla  County  with  the 
state  was  the  penitentiary.  This  institution  was  removed  from  Seatco  to  Walla 
Walla  in  1887.  The  county  commissioners  at  that  time  were  F.  W.  Paine,  Fran- 
cis Lowden,  and  Piatt  Preston.  These  men,  and  particularly  Mr.  Paine,  felt  that 
not  only  from  the  standpoint  of  the  state,  for  desirability  of  location  and  economy 
of  subsistence,  but  from  the  fact  that  constructive  works  might  be  operated  which 
could  be  of  benefit  to  the  farmers  of  the  region,  this  change  of  place  would  be 
wise.  The  most  distinctive  features  of  labor  have  been  the  brick  yards,  which 
did  a  very  large  and  profitable  work  for  many  years  and  were  discontinued  in  190c 
to  allow  the  management  to  put  the  main  force  upon  the  jute  mills,  for  the  making 
of  grain  bags  and  rugs  and  other  fabrics.  This  system  of  constructive  labor  by 
the  inmates  of  the  penitentiary  is  to  be  attributed  largely  to  the  intelligent  busi- 
ness conceptions  as  well  as  philanthropic  interest  in  the  men  by  Mr.  F.  W.  Paine 
and  Mr.  W.  K.  Kirkman.  They  had  formed  the  impression  that  for  the  sake  of 
health  of  mind  and  body  in  the  prisoners  systematic  labor  was  a  necessity,  and 


Warden's  Residence  Wuik   Sliups 

Administration   Building 
The    Hospital  The  Jute  Mill 

BUILDINGS    OF    THE    WASHINGTON    STATE    PENITENTIARY 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  291 

also  that  the  products  of  that  labor  might  go  far  to  lighten  the  burdens  of  tax 
payers.  Their  theory  has  been  triumphantly  vindicated  by  the  history  of  the 
penitentiary.  Not  at  all  times  in  the  thirty  years  of  its  existence  has  the  institu- 
tion been  conducted  in  the  interest  either  of  reclamation  of  criminals  or  of  saving 
expense  to  the  state.  As  in  all  such  cases  there  have  been  times  when  the  main 
aims  were  political  rather  than  penal  or  economic,  and  there  have  been  still  more 
times  when  the  other  party  said  they  were,  even  when  governors,  boards,  and 
wardens  were  doing  their  best  in  the  public  interest. 

The  wardens  in  order  of  service,  several  of  them  being  citizens  of  Walla 
Walla,  and  about  an  equal  number  coming  from  other  parts  of  the  state,  have 
been  John  Justice,  F.  L.  Edmiston,  John  McClees,  J.  H.  Coblentz,  Thomas  Mos- 
grove,  J.  B.  Catron,  Frank  Kees,  F.  A.  Dryden,  Charles  Reed  and  Henry  Drum. 

There  have  been  a  number  of  tragic  events  in  the  history  of  the  penitentiary 
of  which  perhaps  the  most  thrilling  was  the  attempted  escape  of  a  large  number 
of  prisoners  during  the  wardenship  of  Mr.  McClees  in  1891.  At  that  time  it  was 
the  practice  to  run  a  train  of  flat  cars  to  Dixie  to  get  clay  for  the  brick  yards. 
Two  desperadoes  conceived  the  idea  of  capturing  a  train  as  it  went  through  the 
gate,  loading  a  number  of  prisoners  on  it,  running  to  Dixie,  there  turning  loose 
on  the  farms,  getting  horses  and  provisions,  and  striking  out  for  the  mountains. 
It  was  a  bold,  well-conceived  project  and  carne  near  execution.  A  number  of 
prisoners  were. "in"  on  the  scheme,  and  at  the  givjCH  signal,- several  who  were 
experienced  engineers  and  firemen  performed  tfioif  part;  of- the  ;gl6t  by  seizing 
the  locomotive.  At  the  same  instant  the  two  ringleaders  by  a  bold  dash  seized 
Warden  McClees  and  walked  him  toward  the, gate,  commanding  him  on  pain  of 
instant  death  to  order  the  opening  of  the  gates  and" therteiring -of  the  track  for 
the  passage  of  the  train.  The  warden  preserved  most  extraordinary  nerve,  even 
while  the  two  ruffians  were  holding  over  his  head  knives  which  they  had  snatched 
up  from  the  kitchen.  In  the  instant  he  called  out  to  Phil  Berry,  one  of  the  guards 
on  the  wall,  whom  he  knew  to  be  a  dead  shot,  "Be  cool,  Phil,  take  your  time!" 
Even  while  the  two  knives  were  in  the  very  act  to  strike,  Berry's  rifle  cracked 
twice  in  succession,  and  the  leaders  fell  on  either  side  of  the  warden,  each  with  a 
bullet  in  his  heart.  About  the  quickest  work  of  the  kind  ever  known  here  or 
elsewhere.  The  fall  of  the  leaders  disconcerted  the  whole  program,  and  after 
a  few  moments  of  intense  excitement  the  guards  got  control  of  the  situation,  and 
the  affair  was  all  over. 

Another  of  the  desperate  events  was  the  case  of  Warden  J.  H.  Coblentz.  He 
was  an  appointee  of  Governor  McGraw  and  was  the  most  conspicuous  example  of 
a  purely  political  appointment.  After  a  slashing  career  in  which  he  endeavored  to 
dictate  the  politics  of  the  county  purely  in  the  interest  of  himself  and  his  clique 
he  found  himself  on  the  verge  of  exposure  for  irregularities  in  his  accounts. 
Governor  McGraw  with  other  state  officers  came  to  Walla  Walla  to  investigate. 
and  while  they  were  in  the  penitentiary  office  conducting  the  investigation,  Cob- 
lentz, seeing  that  conviction  was  inevitable  and  knowing  that  if  he  himself  became 
an  inmate  of  the  penitentiary  along  with  the  prisoners  whom  he  had  abused,  his 
life  was  not  worth  a  nickel,  anticipated  the  verdict,  and  snatching  up  a  pistol, 
put  it  to  his  head  and  fell  dead  in  the  presence  of  the  governor. 

It  is  no  disparagement  to  the  earher  wardens — for  the  conditions  probably 
did  not  make  earlier  action  feasible — to  say  that  Mr.  Reed  and  Mr.  Drum  have 


-'J-'  OLD  W  AULA  WALLA  CUUNTV 

represented  a  new  order  in  the  hisiiory  of  the  penitentiary,  liotli  liavc  l>ccn 
>tudrnt!>  of  criniiiUil(>(;y,  arc  iliinkers  and  |<liilantliropist!>,  and  have  inaugurated 
advanced  niethwls  which  liavc  placed  the  U  a!>liin){tun  |K-nitcntiary  in  the  front 
rank  of  well  conducted  institutions  of  its  cbss. 

l.m.\L  IVLlTlcAl-  HISTOKV 

lurniiif;  now  Ironi  slate  connections  to  matters  local  to  Walla  Walb  County 
it  may  l>c  said  that  there  was  during;  the  period  of  1875-89  a  marked  tendency  tc 
that  |ioliiical  conservatism  which  is  apt  to  characterize  a  growing  agricultural 
comnuinity.  \\  alia  Walla,  like  rortland,  has  been  since  its  first  era  more  of  the 
lliisttrii  tyjK-  than  of  the  characteristically  Western.  The  general  tendency  has 
liecn,  ill  iKjIitics  as  in  business,  to  play  safe  and  not  make  reckless  cx|»crimcnts. 
fhis  attitude  is  denominated  wisdom  or  moss-backism  by  different  |jarties  very 
much  according  to  their  view|>oint,  and  csix-cially  whether  they  arc  "in"  or  "out." 
Ihc  great  "isms"  which  swept  the  country  in  ihc  "Sos  and  '90s,  populistic  move- 
ments as  represented  by  Bryan  and  other  great  leaders,  in  general  received  the  cold 
shoulder  from  Walla  Walla.  That  statement  should  be  qualilied  to  considerable 
degree,  however,  by  the  fact  that  the  combination  of  democrats,  populists,  and 
silver  republicans,  carried  several  elections,  and  that  even  the  republican  leaders 
vcrv'  largely  accepted  the  doctrine  of  "16  to  i." 

There  were  also,  even  in  conservative  Walla  Walla,  many  enthusiastic  fol- 
lowers of  Governor  John  R.  Rogers,  "Wheat  Chart"  Jones,  Judge  Ronald,  and 
ihat  most  brilliant  and  s[H'ctacular  of  all  the  |)oIiticiaiis  of  the  jHjriod,  the  "ijink- 
whiskered"  James  Hamilton  Lewis,  whose  great  abilities,  even  under  the  out- 
ward guise  of  certain  "airs"  and  "fopperies,"  have  been  conceded  by  his  critics 
.ind  detractors  down  to  the  |)rcsent  date  of  his  distinguished  service  as  senator 
from  Illinois.  It  is  remembered,  however,  by  men  of  both  |>arties  that  at  a  cer- 
tain historic  joint  debate  in  Walla  Walla  on  October  22.  1898,  even  the  brilliant 
"Dude  Lewis"  was  somewhat  seriously  "Ixaten  up."  metaphorically  sjKaking,  h\ 
WCiley  L.  Jones,  and  that  the  former  somewhat  lust  prestige  as  a  result,  and 
that  the  latter  was  launched  by  that  event  upon  what  has  proved  to  be  a  con 
tinuous  service  in  Congress  as  representative  and  senator  from  1899  to  the  present 
date. 

A  few  figures  of  elections  during  that  period  will  be  found  of  interest.  In 
1880.  F'Vrrv.  republican  candidate  for  govenior,  the  first  under  statehood,  received 
in  Walla  Walla  County  1.4.^3  votes  to  1.1S6  for  .^emple,  the  democratic  candidate. 
In  i8<)2  McT.raw.  rejuiblican.  had  1.211  to  I.322  for  Snively,  democrat.  There 
were  a  few  votes  for  tlreene  and  Young  in  the  latter  election,  so  that  the  total 
vote  in  1892  was  2.81)7,  as  ag:iinst  2.f>i9  in  1881). 

The  presidential  vote  of  1892  shows  that  Walla  Walla  County  cast  for  the 
highp'it  republican  elector  i.3''>2  ballots  and  for  the  highest  democratic  i.^i.V  with 
a  few  for  the  people's  party  and  prohibitionists,  a  total  of  2.889.  In  the  presi- 
dential election  of  iSf/i.  the  republican  vote  was  1.596,  the  people's  party  (fusion 
of  democrats.  poi>"Iists  and  silver  rrpublicans)  had  a  vote  of  1.652.  while  there 
were  a  few  prohibitionists  and  gold  democrats,  a  total  of  3.349-  Comparing  these 
figures  with  those  of  190R  and  1016.  the  following  interesting  results  appear 
in  1908.  Bryan,  i.fifio;  Taft.  2.843;  a  few  for  others,  so  that  the  total  was  4.676; 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  293 

for  governor,  Pattison,  democrat,  i,88i ;  Cosgrove,  republican,  2,670 — total  vote, 
4,551.  In  1916,  results  were:  Wilson,  4,421;  Hughes,  4,403;  total,  8,824;  for 
senator.  Turner,  democrat,  3,328;  Poindexter,  progressive  republican,  5,454;  for 
governor.  Lister,  democrat,  4,991 ;  McBride,  republican,  4,040.  The  great  in- 
crease in  the  last  election  is  due  to  woman  suffrage. 

Analysis  of  the  above  and  of  other  election  returns  plainly  signifies  that  vvhik 
Walla  Walla  County  may  in  general  terms  be  considered  conservative,  there  is  a 
healthy  balance  of  parties,  and  that  no  particular  group  of  politicians  can  count 
with  any  certainty  on  "delivering  the  goods."  The  result  of  the  last  election  in 
these  counties  of  Old  Walla  Walla,  as  well  as  the  state  at  large  and  indeed  the 
West  as  a  whole,  may  be  considered  as  a  demonstration  of  the  progressive  and 
independent  spirit  of  this  new  country,  which  resents  "bossism"  and  "back-room" 
politics  and  moves  ever  more  steadily  toward  genuine  democratic  government. 
While  on  general  views  of  historic  questions,  particularly  those  concerned  with 
slavery  and  secession  and  those  bearing  upon  nationalism  as  against  state  rights, 
these  sections  are  overwhelmingly  republican,  after  the  historic  views  of  Clay, 
Webster,  Lincoln,  Seward,  Blaine,  and  other  national  leaders,  yet  upon  the  newer 
issues  of  economics,  government  control  of  railroads  and  other  public  utilities, 
and  foreign  relations,  they  may  be  counted  on  to  do  their  own  thinking  and  to 
make  decisions  very  disconcerting  to  the  old-time  bosses. 

In  connection  with  the  figures  which  we  gave  it  is  interesting  as  a  side  light 
on  population  and  the  shiftings  of  growth  to  give  here  certain  figures  of  com- 
parison between  Old  Walla  Walla  and  other  parts  of  the  state  in  early  days  and 
now.  In  1880  the  largest  urban  center  was  Walla  Walla,  with  3,588  people,  Seattle 
was  next  with  3,533.  Spokane  had  350.  In  1890,  Walla  Walla  had  4,709;  Seattle 
42,837;  Spokane,  19,922.  In  1910,  Walla  Walla,  19,364;  Seattle,  237,194;  Spo- 
kane, 104,402.  In  1917,  estimated:  Walla  Walla,  25,000;  Seattle,  330,843;  Spo- 
kane, 125,000.  The  enormous  increase  in  population  upon  the  Sound  as  a  com- 
mercial center,  and  at  Spokane  as  a  prospective  manufacturing  and  an  actual 
railroad  center,  is  simply  an  indication  of  the  natural  tendencies  of  trade  and 
industry  characteristic  of  the  world's  growth.  A  purely  agricultural  region  can- 
not expect  to  keep  pace  with  those  marked  out  by  nature  for  commerce  and  manu- 
facturing. 

It  is,  however,  an  interesting  point  in  the  history  of  Walla  Walla  whether, 
if  it  had  "taken  the  tide  at  the  flood,"  it  might  not  have  maintained  its  leadership 
as  an  inland  city.  It  is  a  favorite  idea  with  some  of  the  best  observers  among 
the  old-timers  that  Walla  Walla,  instead  of  Spokane,  might  have  been  the  manu- 
facturing and  transportation  center  for  the  Inland  Empire,  if  certain  conditions 
had  been  fulfilled.  The  first  of  those  was  location.  The  true  spot  for  the  large 
city  in  the  Walla  Walla  Valley  was  where  Touchet  is  now  located.  While  Walla 
Walla  is  an  admirable  location  for  a  large  town,  the  Touchet  region  is  better. 
The  great  point,  however,  is  elevation.  Walla  Walla  is  920  feet  above  sea 
level,  Touchet  is  447.  Walla  Walla  is  thirty-two  miles  from  the  Columbia  River, 
Touchet  is  sixteen.  It  would  have  been  quite  feasible  to  make  a  canal  from 
Touchet  to  the  Columbia.  That  question  was  agitated  and  if  the  town  had  been 
there  instead  of  on  Mill  Creek,  it  would  no  doubt  have  been  made.  If  that  had 
been  done,  or  even  if  not,  the  railroad  and  wagon  haul  to  Touchet  was  so  much 
easier  and  shorter,  as  to  represent  a  great  saving  in  cost  of  transportation.     If 


34  OLD  WAIXA  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

that  condition  of  location  had  been  realized,  and  if  inducements  had  been 
offered  to  tlic  Niirllicrn  racific  Railroad  Idiildt-rs,  it  is  asserted  by  tlioie  who 
know  that  that  railroad  would  have  preferred  Walla  Walla  (or  Touchet)  a&  its 
cliief  jKjint  in  interior  Washington.  The  difference  between  930  and  447  feet 
would  have  been  determinative  of  grades.  The  Northern  Pacific  officials  were 
really  desirous — so  it  is  claimed — to  take  a  more  southern  route,  following  ihc 
Mullan  Koad  through  the  Hitler  Roots,  then  down  the  Clearwater  and  the  .*^iiake 
to  a  jKjint  on  the  l.owtr  Walla  Walla.  Finding  no  local  encouragement  or  in 
ducemcnts,  they  linally  undertook  the  more  northern  route,  and  S|Mikanc  is  the 
result.     However,  all  that  is  matter  of  conjecture,  rather  than  demonstration. 

WOM.^.N    SL'FKRACE   AKD    PROHIBITION 

One  of  the  questions  of  Walla  Walla  jxjlitics,  as  of  the  rest  of  the  stale  an< 
indeed  of  the  country,  was  wmiian  suffrage.  .\s  the  logical  evolution  of  dem(x- 
racy  that  view  of  suffrage  a])|Kalcd  to  the  Western  man,  and  the  conveniional 
objections  had  little  weight  with  him.  Pressure  was  brought  from  all  sides  u|>on 
the  legislative  delegations  to  submit  the  projwsilion  to  a  popular  election — and 
when  that  occurred  in  1908,  it  carried  in  the  county  and  the  state  by  a  heavv 
vote.  It  has  seemed  to  the  voters  of  both  sexes  so  natural  a  condition  that  they 
can  now  hardly  conceive  of  any  other.  The  woman  suffrage  amendment  came 
with  a  remarkable  quietude  and  almost  as  a  matter  of  course. 

Far  more  vigorously  contested  was  the  question  of  prohibition.  For  many 
years  Waitsburg  and  almost  all  the  farming  country  had  Ixen  strongly  in  favor 
of  prohibition.  Waitsburg  had  under  the  local  option  law  e.xcluded  s-Hl(K)ns. 
Hut  the  saloon  influences  were  strong  in  W'alla  Walla  City,  and  underground 
agencies  of  sundry  kinds  had  maintained  a  tight  grip  on  municipal  politics.  Al 
various  times  somewhat  spasmodic  waves  of  moral  reform  swept  over  the  city, 
as  in  the  orgimization  of  the  Municipal  league  in  i8g6  and  in  other  similar  move 
ments  at  later  times.  Hut  in  general  both  city  and  county  politics,  as  in  most 
parts  of  the  United  States,  were  seemingly  dominated  by  the  liquor  interests. 
Yet  all  through  those  years  there  was  in  progress  one  of  those  elemental  popular 
movements  going  down  to  the  very  foundations  of  society  which  when  finally 
directed  toward  a  defmite  end  become  irresistible.  Moral,  economic,  sanitary. 
educational,  religious,  domestic  innucnccs.  were  for  a  generation  moulding  the 
opinions  of  an  amiy  of  voters  and  the  combined  effect  In-gan  to  \tc  manifest  from 
about  1900  onward  to  a  degree  that  even  the  blindest  could  not  fail  to  sec.  In 
1908,  1910.  and  1912,  a  determined  and  growing  effort  by  the  fanners  who  had 
seen  the  economic  loss  through  lal)orcrs  and  even  their  own  sons  going  to  town 
and  carousing  and  so  losing  a  day  or  more  every  week,  started  a  corresjwnding 
njovement  in  town.  At  first  not  successful,  the  campaign  kept  gaining.  Council- 
men  in  the  city  and  commissioners  in  the  county  were  chosen  more  and  more  in 
the  direction  of  reform.  The  churches.  Young  Men's  Giristian  Association, 
schools,  women's  organizations.  Salvation  .\nny.  Good  Templars,  and  especially 
the  .Anti-Saloon  League,  each  contributed  its  push.  .\  city  election  under  the 
local  option  law  occurred  in  IQI2.  The  conservative  business  interests  opixjsed 
the  proposition  and  even  imported  distinguished  speakers  from  the  East,  par- 
ticularly from  the  beer  center,  Milwaukee,  and  on  election  day  the  liquor  traffic 


HOME  OF  B.  P.  0.  ELKS  NO,  287.  WALLA  WALL.' 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  295 

(styled  "Personal  Liberty")  was  still  in  the  saddle.  But  it  was  clear  that  the 
vote  of  the  city,  combined  with  that  of  the  county,  would  come  back  with  greater 
strength  in  another  election,  and  some  of  the  more  far-seeing  liquor  dealers  began 
arrangements  to  enter  other  business.  In  the  great  historical  election  of  1914, 
the  State  of  Washington  secured  a  definite  prohibition  law  by  referendum,  though 
with  the  "permit"  system  of  personal  importation  of  limited  amounts  of  liquor. 
Walla  Walla  County  was  one  of  the  strong  counties  in  support  of  the  law,  being 
surpassed  only  by  Yakima  and  Whitman  in  majority  for  the  measure.  It  was  to  a 
degree  an  "East  Side"  victory,  for  the  East  Side  gave  over  25,000  affirmative 
while  the  West  Side,  due  to  the  heavy  negative  vote  of  Seattle,  gave  10,000 
negative.  None  who  was  in  Walla  Walla  during  the  strenuous  campaign  in 
October  of  1914  will  forget  the  powerful  addresses  in  favor  of  the  law  by  H.  S. 
Blandford,  one  of  the  most  eloquent  speakers  known  in  this  section.  His  thrilling 
appeals  and  incontrovertible  arguments  brought  many  voters  to  the  standard  of 
prohibition.  His  lamented  death  in  191 5  robbed  the  Walla  Walla  bar  of  one 
of  its  brightest  ornaments. 

Old  John  Barleycorn  died  hard,  and  in  the  election  of  1916  the  battle  was 
fought  over  again  by  a  vote  on  several  initiative  and  referendum  measures,  as  a 
result  of  which  the  "permit"  system  was  replaced  by  a  "bone-dry"  law,  and  the 
liquor  propositions  were  buried  so  deep  that  no  resurrection  now  seems  possible. 
In  Walla  Walla  the  gloomy  predictions  as  to  unused  buildings  and  ruined  business 
and  overwhelming  taxation  have  failed  of  fulfillment  to.  .a  dsgxee  ;to  make  them 
absurd.  .     '        ■ 

The  most  prominent  questions  of  local  improvement  during  recent  years  in 
Walla  Walla  County  have  been  the  new  courthouse  and  the  paving  and  other  im- 
provement of  roads.  Several  elections  of  commissioners  turned  upon  the  first 
question.  There  were  three  propositions  ardently  advocated  from  1910  to  1914. 
One  was  to  repair  the  old  building,  though  it  had  been  condemned  by  experts; 
another  was  to  make  a  costly  structure  at  a  maximum  outlay  of  $300,000;  the 
third  proposal  was  for  a  substantial,  but  plain  and  modest  building,  of  approxi- 
mately a  cost  of  $150,000.  The  latter  proposition  commended  itself  to  the  gen- 
eral judgment,  and  the  commissioners  of  1912  and  1914,  H.  A.  Reynolds,  E.  D. 
Eldridge,  and  J.  L.  Reavis,  interpreted  their  election  as  a  commission  to  proceed 
with  such  a  plan.  The  result  has  been  realized  in  one  of  the  most  fitting  and 
dignified  and  altogether  attractive,  though  not  showy,  courthouses  in  the  state,  a 
just  pride  to  the  county  and  an  object  of  admiration  to  visitors. 

Of  the  road  question  it  may  only  be  said  that  it  is  in  a  formative  state.  Much 
money  has  been  wasted  in  both  city  and  country  by  ill-constructed  pavements,  and 
it  can  only  be  hoped  that  the  next  decade  will  see  more  definite  progress  than  has 
characterized  the  experimental  stage  of  the  last. 

We  have  given  in  a  preceding  chapter  the  tabulation  of  county  officials  to  the 
time  of  county  division  in  1875.  We  now  present  the  legislative  delegations  and 
the  chief  county  officials  from  that  date  to  the  present : 

LEGISLATIVE    DELEGATIONS    AND   THE    CHIEF    COUNTY    OFFICIALS 

In  1876,  Walla  Walla  County  was  represented  in  the  Legislature  by  Daniel 
Stewart,  councilman,  and  W.  T.  Barnes,  William  Martin,  A.  J,  Gregory,  and  H. 


2yC  OLD  U'ALI-A  WALLA  COUNTY 

A.  X'ansyclc.  representatives.    The  county  officers  were :    T.  J.  Anders,  attorney ; 
*-»    !■■    "  -licritT;  T.  P.  I'agc,  atiditur ;  W.  O'Donndl,  trrasurrr;  Samuel 

Jacob>.  :  ,  1'.  Zaiuier,  surveyor;  A.  \V.  Sweeney,  superintendent  of  schools; 

L.  H.  Goodwin,  coroner;  D.  J.  Storms.  James  Ltradcn.  and  Dion  Kcefe,  commis- 
sioners. 

1  lir  iliiiion  in  1878  resulted  thus:  J.  H.  Day,  councilman ;  J.  A.  laylor,  D.  J. 
Storms.  J.  M.  Dewar.  and  M.  F.  Coh.  representatives;  K.  F.  Sturdevaiit,  attorney; 
R.  (iuichnrd.  prolate  judj;c;  J.  H.  Thompson,  sheriflf;  VV.  C.  Painter,  auditor; 
J.  !•'.  Hover,  trra-surcr;  S.  Jacobs,  assessor;  P.  Zahncr,  surveyor;  C.  W.  Wheeler, 
superintendent  of  schools;  J.  .M.  Boyd,  coroner;  M.  15.  Ward,  Amos  Cumininifs 
and  S.  11.  Krwin,  comiiiis.>iioncrs 

In   l8^<o.  election   results  were  these:      H.  L.  Sharpstein.  councilman;  J.icoh 
Hoover,  joint  councilman;  R.  R.  Recs  and  W.  G.  Preston.  rej>rcscntatives ;  J.  M 
Comwell.  joint  representative;  R.  Guichard.  probate  judge;  G.  T.  Thompson,  at 
torney;  W.  C.  Painter,  auditor;  J.  B.  Thompson,  sheriff;  J.  F.  Boycr.  treasurer 
S.  Jacobs,  assessor;  F.  H.  Loehr,  surveyor;  C.  W.  Wheeler,  suiK-rintendcnt  of 
schools;  H.  G.  Mauzcy,  coroner;  M.  B.  Ward.  Amos  CumminRS.  and  S.  H.  Krwin. 
commissioners;  A.  S.  LeGrow,  sheep  commissioner.     As  may  be  seen  from  the 
above,  nearly  all  the  incumbents  of  1878  were  re-elected  for  another  term.     That 
jiolicy  became  common  in  subsequent  elections. 

In  1882  we  tind  the  following  choices:  II.  II.  Ilungatc.  A.  G  IJoyd.  and 
Milton  Kvans,  re(>rescntativcs;  G.  T.  Thompson,  attorney';  W.  C.  Painter,  auditor; 
J.  B.  Thom|JSon.  sheriff;  J.  F'.  Boyer,  treasurer;  William  Ilarkness,  assessor;  F. 
H.  Loehr,  surveyor;  J.  W.  Brock,  school  superintendent;  R.  Guichard.  probate 
judge;  M.  B.  Ward,  Amos  Cummings.  and  S.  II.  Erwin.  commissioners;  W.  B. 
Wells,  coroner ;  A.  S.  LeGrow,  sheep  commissioner. 

The  choices  in  1884  were  these:  J.  F.  Brewer.  William  I-"udgc.  and  J.  W. 
Dewar,  representatives;  F.  K.  Manna,  attorney;  W.  C.  Painter,  auditor;  A.  S. 
Bowles,  sheriff;  J.  F.  Boycr,  treasurer;  L.  H.  Bowman,  assessor;  J.  B.  Wilson, 
surveyor;  J.  W.  Morgan,  superintendent  of  schools;  R.  Guichard,  probate  judge; 
II.  R.  Ktylor,  coroner;  Amos  Cunimings,  W.  P.  Reser,  and  W.  G.  Babcock, 
commissioners;  A.  S.  LeGrow,  sheep  commissioner. 

In  188/).  results  were  as  follows:  Piatt  Preston  and  W.  .\1.  Clark,  rep- 
resentatives; L.  R.  Hawley,  auditor;  A.  S.  Bowles,  sheriff;  J.  F.  Boyer,  treas- 
urer; M.  11.  Paxton,  assessor;  J.  M.  Allen,  surveyor;  Ellen  Gilliam,  sujxrrin- 
tendrnt  of  schtwls ;  T.  C  Taylor.  Joseph  Paul,  and  Fdwin  Weary,  commission- 
ers; II.  R.  Keylor,  coroner;    Timothy  Harry,  sheep  commissioner. 

The  election  of  1888  brought  these  results:  J.  M.  Dewar,  councilman;  E.  L. 
Powell.  W.  H.  I'pton.  an<l  I..  T.  Parker,  representatives;  T.  J.  ,\nders,  attorney; 
L.  R.  Ilawley.  auditor;  J.  M.  McFarland,  sheriff;  M.  McM.inamon,  Fdwin  Weary, 
and  J.  W.  Morgan,  commissioners ;  IL  W.  Eagan,  prolute  judge ;  J.  F.  Boycr, 
trea'-urer;  M.  II.  Paxton.  assessor;  J.  B.  Gehr.  school  sujierinfendent ;  I..  W 
Loehr.  sur\'eyor;  Y.  C.  Blalo^k.  coroner. 

In  1880  came  entrance  to  statehood,  and  of  that  we  have  already  spoken.  The 
election  of  Octolnrr  1st.  of  that  year  proviflcd  for  the  choice  of  congressmen, 
state  officers,  legislators,  judge  of  Superi'"^  ri.urt  .tiuI  <fninty  clerk.  Of  the  first 
two  we  have  given  the  results  earlier. 

The  following  were  chosen  memlnrrs  of  that  first  State  legislature:  George 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  .  297 

T.  Thompson  and  Piatt  Preston,  senators;  J.  C.  Painter,  J.  ]\L  Cornwell  and 
Z.  K.  Straight,  representatives. 

All  the  above  were  republicans. 

William  H.  Upton  became  superior  judge  for  the  district,  including  Walla 
Walla  and  Franklin  counties.  E.  B.  Whitman  was  chosen  county  clerk.  Both 
were  republicans.  One  strange  thing  was  that  Walla  Walla,  like  the  other  coun- 
ties  of  the  group,   voted  against  the   Constitution. 

The  year  i8go  saw  the  following  members  of  the  Legislature  and  local  officers 
chosen:  J.  L.  Sharpstein,  dem.,  and  J.  C.  Painter,  rep.,  representatives;  H.  S. 
Blandford,  dem.,  attorney;  H.  W.  Eagan,  dem.,  clerk;  W.  B.  Hawley,  rep., 
auditor;  J.  M.  McFarland,  rep.,  sheriff;  R.  Guichard,  dem.,  treasurer;  J.  M. 
Hill,  rep.,  Milton  Aldrich,  rep.,  and  Francis  Lowden,  dem.,  commissioners ;  J.  B. 
Gehr,  rep.,  superintendent  of  schools;  M.  H.  Paxton,  rep.,  assessor;  Y.  C.  Blalock, 
rep.,  coroner;  L.  W.  Loehr,  rep.,  surveyor. 

Of  the  interesting  national  and  state  choices  of  1892,  we  have  already  given 
the  figures.  The  legislative  and  local  results  were  these:  A.  Cameron,  rep., 
Joseph  Merchant,  rep.,  and  David  Miller,  dem.,  representatives ;  J.  L.  Roberts, 
rep.,  senator;  W.  H.  Upton,  rep.,  superior  judge;  H.  W.  Eagan,  dem.,  clerk; 
Miles  Poindexter,  dem.,  attorney ;  W.  B.  Hawley,  rep.,  and  J.  J.  Huffman,  dem., 
had  a  tie  for  auditor,  and  by  mutual  agreement  the  office  was  divided,  each 
serving  as  principal  one  year  and  as  deputy  one  year;  C.  C.  Gose.  dem.,  sheriff; 
H.  H.  Hungate,  dem.,  treasurer;  Edward  McDonnell,  J.  B.  Caldwell,  and  F.  M. 
Lowden,  all  democrats,  conmiissioners ;  E.  L.  Brunton,  rep.,  superintendent  of 
Schools;  T.  H.  Jessup,  dem.,  assessor;  J.  B.  Wilson,  rep.,  surveyor;  C.  B.  Stewart, 
dem.,  coroner. 

As  will  be  seen,  that  was  a  democratic  year,  eleven  to  seven. 

The  election  of  1894,  the  "calamity  year,"  reversed  conditions,  two  democrats, 
Ellingsworth  for  sheriff  and  Nalder  for  commissioner,  being  the  only  successful 
democratic  candidates.  The  outcome  was  thus:  Joseph  Merchant  and  J.  W. 
Morgan,  representatives ;  Mr.  Morgan  having  but  two  the  lead  of  Francis  Gar- 
racht,  his  democratic  competitor ;  R.  H.  Ormsbee,  attorney ;  Le  F.  A.  Shaw,  clerk ; 
A.  H.  Crocker,  auditor;  Wm.  Ellingsworth,  sheriff;  M.  H.  Paxton,  trea.surer; 
E.  L.  Brunton,  superintendent  of  schools ;  J.  B.  Wilson,  assessor ;  E.  S.  Clark, 
surveyor;  S.  M.  White,  coroner;  Frank  Nalder  and  Amos  Cummings,  com- 
missioners. 

The  year  1896  brings  us  to  the  great  "16  to  i"  campaign,  Bryan  and  the  "cross 
of  gold,"  populists,  and  general  upset  of  all  political  programs.  In  local,  as  in 
the  national  votes,  the  "Pp."  appears  with  somewhat  startling  frequency. 

Results  appear  as  follows:  John  L  Yeend,  Pp.,  state  senator,  ninth  district; 
David  Miller,  Pp.,  state  senator,  tenth  district;  A.  Matthoit,  Pp.,  representative, 
eleventh  district;  J.  H.  Marshall,  rep.,  representative,  twelfth  district;  T.  H. 
Brents,  rep.,  judge  Superior  Court ;  Frank  Sharpstein,  Pp.,  attorney ;  A.  H. 
Crocker,  rep.,  auditor;  J.  E.  Mullinix,  Pp..  clerk;  Wm.  Ellingsworth,  Pp.,  sheriff; 
M.  H.  Paxton,  rep.,  treasurer;  E.  S.  Clark,  rep.,  surveyor;  Wm.  Gholson,  Pp., 
assessor;  G.  S.  Bond,  rep.,  superintendent  of  schools;  W.  D.  Smith,  rep.,  coroner; 
Milton  Evans,  Pp.,  and  Oscar  Drumheller,  Pp.,  commissioners.  Nine  "Pps."  and 
seven  "Repubs." 

In  1898  the  normal  dominance  of  the  republicans  was  re-established.     The 


290  OLD  WALI.A  WALLA  CULLXTY 

.its  coiistitulional  dulics.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  that  experience,  with  similar  ones 
.in  other. states,  was  one  of  the  great  influences  in  causing  the  amendment  to  the 
Constitution  providing  for  direct  election  by  the  people.  The  spectacle  of  the 
Legislature  neglecting  its  law-making  functions  to  wrangle  over  the  opposing 
ambitions  of  senatorial  aspirants,  fatally  impaired  the  confidence  of  the  people  in 
the  wisdom  of  the  old  method  of  choice.  That  amendment  may  be  regarded  also 
as  one  of  the  striking  manifestations  of  American  political  evolution,  in  which 
there  has  come  a  recognition  of  the  danger  of  legislative  bodies,  chosen  by  popular 
suffrage,  becoming  the  tools  of  personal  or  corporate  interests  instead  of  the 
servants  of  the  people  who  chose  them,  and  by  which,  in  consequence,  the  evils 
of  popular  government  are  being  remedied  by  being  made  more  popular. 

Two  other  citizens  of  Walla  Walla  have  represented  the  state  in  the  National 
Congress,  and  several  others  have  been  willing  to.  These  are  Levi  Ankeny  and 
Miles  Poindexter,  the  latter  having  begun  his  political  career  at  Walla  Walla,  but 
having  removed  to  Spokane  and  become  superior  judge  there  before  entering 
upon  his  term  as  congressman  in  1909  and  senator  in  191 1,  to  be  re-elected  in 
1916.  Senator  Ankeny,  one  of  the  most  prominent  of  the  permanent  citizens  of 
Walla  Walla,  and  one  of  the  greatest  bankers  in  the  Northwest,  being  president 
of  eleven  banks  in  Oregon.  Washington,  and  Idaho,  was  elected  senator  in 
1903  and  served  until  1909.  He  was  deservedly  popular  throughout  the  section 
in  which  he  lived,  for  his  broad  and  generous  business  methods  as  well  as  for  his 
general  character.  During  the  hard  times  of  the  '90s,  in  which  many  cf  the 
farmers  of  Walla  Walla  and  Columbia  counties  were  next  door  to  ruin,  it  is  re- 
membered that  Mr.  Ankeny  could  have  acquired  by  foreclosure  of  his  immense 
loans  lands  whose  value  is  now  tenfold  the  amount  of  the  mortgages  of  those 
hard  times.  But  by  aiding  and  encouraging  the  struggling  farmers  of  that  time 
and  neglecting  the  advantage  which  he  himself  might  have  gained  he  kept  them 
upon  their  feet  and  thus  conferred  an  immeasurable  benefit  not  only  upon  in- 
dividuals, but  upon  the  country  as  a  whole.  During  Mr.  Ankeny's  term  in  the 
Senate  extensive  improvements  were  made  in  the  buildings  at  Fort  Walla  Walla. 

THE  PENITENTI.\RY 

Another  of  the  leading  political  connections  of  Walla  Walla  County  with  the 
state  was  the  penitentiary.  This  institution  was  removed  from  Seatco  to  Walla 
Walla  in  1887.  The  county  commissioners  at  that  time  were  F.  W.  Paine,  Fran- 
cis Lowden,  and  Piatt  Preston.  These  men,  and  particularly  Mr.  Paine,  felt  that 
not  only  from  the  stand])oint  of  the  state,  for  desirability  of  location  and  economy 
of  subsistence,  but  from  the  fact  tha-t  constructive  works  might  be  operated  which 
could  be  of  benefit  to  the  farmers  of  the  region,  this  change  of  place  would  be 
wise.  The  most  distinctive  features  of  labor  have  been  the  brick  yards,  which 
did  a  very  large  and  profitable  work  for  many  years  and  were  discontinued  in  190c 
to  allow  the  management  to  put  the  main  force  upon  the  jute  mills,  for  the  making 
of  grain  bags  and  rugs  and  other  fabrics.  This  system  of  constructive  labor  by 
the  inmates  of  the  penitentiary  is  to  be  attributed  largely  to  the  intelligent  busi- 
ness conceptions  as  well  as  philanthropic  interest  in  the  men  by  Mr.  F.  W.  Paine 
and  Mr.  W.  K.  Kirkman.  They  had  formed  the  impression  that  for  the  sake  of 
health  of  mind  and  body  in  the  prisoners  systematic  labor  was  a  necessity,  and 


Waidcn's  Residence  Work   Shops 

Administration   Building 
Tlie    Hospital  Tlie  Jute  Mill 


BUILDINGS    OF    THE    WASHINGTON    STATE    PE^^TENTIARY 


30U  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

for  a  number  of  councilnien.  As  a  matter  of  historical  reference,  we  deem  it 
worth  while  to  incorporate  that  ordinance  here: 

Ordinance  No.  1S5  passed  the  council  of  the  City  of  Walla  Walla  February 
22,  ii<84,  receiving  the  approval  of  the  mayor  on  the  same  day,  and  being  entitled 
as  follows:  "An  ordinance  to  divide  the  City  of  Walla  Walla  into  wards,  and 
apportionment  of  coimcilmen."    The  text  of  the  ordinance  is  as  follows: 

Section  i.  The  City  of  Walla  Walla  shall  be  and  is  hereby  divided  into  four 
wards,  to  be  known  as  the  first,  second,  third,  and  fourth  wards. 

Sec.  2.  The  first  ward  shall  be  bounded  as  follows:  Commencing  at  a  point 
where  the  center  of  Main  Street  intersects  the  center  of  Third  Street,  thence 
southerly  along  the  center  of  Third  Street  to  the  center  of  Birch  Street,  thence 
easterly  along  the  center  of  Birch  Street  to  the  center  of  Second  Street,  thence 
southerly  along  the  center  of  Second  Street  to  the  south  boundary  of  the  city ; 
thence  along  the  south  boundary  of  the  city  easterly  to  the  southeast  corner 
of  the  city;  thence  northerly  along  the  east  boundary  of  the  city  to  the  center 
of  Mill  Creek ;  thence  down  Mill  Creek  to  the  center  of  East  Main  Street ;  thence 
along  the  center  of  East  Main  and  Main  streets  in  a  westerly  direction  to  the 
place  of  beginning. 

Sec.  3.  The  second  ward  shall  be  bounded  as  follows:  Beginning  at  the 
intersection  of  Main  and  Third  streets;  thence  southwesterly  along  the  center  of 
Main  Street  to  the  west  boundary  line  of  the  city ;  thence  south  along  the  west 
boundary  line  of  the  city  to  the  southwest  corner  of  the  city;  thence  easterly 
along  the  south  boundary  of  the  city  to  the  center  of  Second  Street;  ihence 
northerly  along  the  center  of  Second  Street  to  the  center  of  Birch  Street ;  thence 
west  along  the  center  of  Birch  Street  to  the  center  of  Third  Street ;  thence 
northerly  along  Third  Street  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Sec.  4.  The  third  ward  shall  be  bounded  as  follows:  Beginning  at  thi 
center  of  Main  and  North  Third  streets  where  they  intersect,  thence  running 
northerly  on  the  center  line  of  North  Third  Street  to  the  center  of  Elm  Street ; 
thence  northeasterly  on  the  center  line  of  Elm  Street  to  the  center  line  of  North 
.Second  Street ;  thence  northerly  on  the  center  line  of  North  Second  Street  to 
the  northern  boundary  line  of  the  city ;  thence  east  along  said  northern  boundary 
line  of  said  city  to  the  northeast  corner  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  the  northeast 
quarter  of  section  twenty  (20),  in  township  seven  (7)  north,  range  thirty-six 
'  36)  east ;  thence  south  to  the  northeast  corner  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  the 
northeast  quarter  of  said  section  twenty  (20)  ;  thence  east  to  the  northeast  corner 
of  the  city;  thence  south  to  the  center  of  Mill  Creek;  thence  down  the  center 
of  Mill  Creek  to  the  center  of  East  Main  Street ;  thence  westerly  along  the  center 
of  East  Main  and  Main  streets  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Sec.  5.  The  fourth  ward  shall  be  bounded  as  follows:  Commencing  at  the 
center  of  Main  and  North  Third  streets  where  they  intersect,  thence  running 
northerly  on  the  center  line  of  said  North  Third  Street  to  the  center  of  Elm 
Street,  thence  northeasterly  on  the  center  line  of  Elm  Street  to  the  center  of 
North  Second  Street :  thence  northerly  on  the  center  line  of  North  Second  Street 
to  the  northern  boundary  line  of  the  city;  thence  west  on  said  northern  boundary 
line  to  the  northwest  corner  of  said  city ;  thence  south  along  said  west  boundary 
line  to  the  United  States  ^Military  Reservation ;  thence  easterly  and  then  southerly 


ARTESIAN    WELL,    WALLA    WALLA    COUNTY 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  301 

on  the  line  of  said  military  reservation  to  the  center  of  Main  Street;  thence 
easterly  on  the  center  line  of  Main  Street  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Sec.  6.  The  number  of  councilnien  to  which  each  ward  is  entitled  shall  be 
as  follows:  First  ward,  two  councilmen;  second  ward,  two  councilnien;  third 
ward,  two  councilmen ;  fourth  ward,  one  councilman.  And  they  shall  be  elected 
as  is  provided  in  section  7  of  this  ordinance. 

Sec.  7.  There  shall  be  elected  from  the  first,  second  and  third  wards  each 
at  the  next  general  election  and  at  every  general  election  thereafter,  one  council- 
man, and  in  the  fourth  ward  at  the  next  general  election  and  thereafter  biennially, 
one  councilman. 

Sec.  8.  All  ordinances  and  parts  of  ordinances,  so  far  as  they  conflict  here- 
with, are  hereby  repealed. 

ELECTION    PRECINCTS 

.  The  city  is  divided  into  eight  election  precincts,  designated  as  follows :   Lewis, 
Clarke,  Whitman,  Steptoe,  Mullan,  Fremont,  Stevens  and  Sims. 

COMMISSION   GOVERNMENT  '_ 

Yet  another  change  of  great  importance  occurred  by  which,  in  a  special  elec- 
tion of  July  10,  1911,  the  commission  form  of  government  was  adopted,  1,943  for 
and  1,049  again.st.  This  went  into  effect  September  il,  1911,  with  A.  J.  Gillis 
as  mayor.  This  step  was  one  of  the  manifestations  of  that  interesting  evolutior 
of  political  ideas  common  over  the  United  States,  perhaps  especially  in  the  West 
consisting  of  two  working  propositions  which  seem  antagonistic  and  yet  are  not 
really  so,  but  are  rather  parts  of  one  movement  under  two  different  phases. 
The  first  has  been  the  initiative  and  referendum  and  recall,  by  which  in  legislative 
matters  a  larger  exercise  of  popular  knowledge  and  oversight  of  laws  is  sought. 
That  idea  has  a  permanent  place  in  Washington  and  most  western  states.  The 
other  idea  is  that  of  the  commission  form  of  city  government,  apparently  just 
the  reverse,  by  which  executive  authority  is  centralized  and  responsibility  is 
localized  in  the  hands  of  experts.  If  these  two  working  forces  may  be  harmonized 
in  practical  action,  we  may  justly  claim  to  have  solved  the  fundamental  questions 
of  democracy  and  efficiency. 

MUNICIP.^L  OWNERSHIP  OF  WATER  WORKS 

Municipal  ownership  of  water  works  and  the  creation  of  a  system  of  sewerage 
have  been  two  of  the  most  important  of  all  questions  in  the  city.  We  have 
already  described  the  water  system  inaugurated  by  J-  D-  Cook,  J.  P.  Isaacs  and 
H.  P.  Isaacs  and  subsequently  acquired  by  the  Baker-Boyer  Bank.  On  July  n, 
1 88 1,  the  first  election  on  municipal  ownership  occurred,  and  the  proposal  was 
defeated  by  an  adverse  majority  of  sixty-five.  But  the  natural  evolution  of  a 
city  calls  for  the  public  ownership  of  the  water  system,  and  the  agitation  con- 
tinued. In  1887  the  Walla  Walla  Water  Company  had  made  a  contract  with  the 
council  by  which,  upon  the  fulfillment  of  certain  improvements,  they  were  to 
have  exclusive  right  to  furnish  water  for  twenty-five  years.     But  in  spite  of 


302  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

the  contract,  an  ordinance  providing  for  a  public  system  was  presented  to  the 
voters  in  1893  under  tlie  mayorahy  of  John  L.  Roberts.  By  an  overwhchiiing 
vote  the  ordinance  carried.  The  water  company  brought  suit  to  restrain  the  city 
from  instalhng  its  system,  pleading  its  contract.  After  a  tedious  course  of  litiga- 
tion the  suit  at  last  reached  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States.  There  it 
was  decided  in  favor  of  the  Water  Company.  The  city  was  thus  left  in  a  hole, 
after  much  expense.  But  popular  opinion  had  become  thoroughly  committed  to 
the  policy  of  public  ownership  and  by  a  special  election  on  June  20,  1899,  ai 
ordinance  was  passed  for  the  purchase  of  the  entire  property  of  the  Water  Com- 
pany for  the  sum  of  $250,000.  With  the  purchase  of  the  water  system  went 
also  the  adoption  of  a  sewerage  system.  Many  improvements  and  extensions 
have  been  made  of  both.  In  April,  1907,  the  headworks  and  intake  on  Mill 
Creek  were  installed.  Extracts  from  the  last  report  of  Water  Supt.  R.  F. 
McLean  are  here  inserted  and  from  them  can  be  derived  a  view  of  the  present 
condition  of  the  water  and  sewerage  systems : 

The  present  mileage  of  the  pipes  in  the  water  system  is  approximately  seventy 
miles,  of  which  something  more  than  twelve  is  in  the  conduits  extending  from 
the  intake  to  the  city,  and  something  more  than  fifty-seven  is  in  the  distribution 
pipes.  The  number  of  fire  hydrants  is  300.  There  are  524  gate  valves  for 
isolating  different  districts  as  desired.  On  December  31,  1916,  the  date  of  the 
report,  there  were  3,961  water  services,  and  of  these  about  eighteen  per  cent,  or 
789  are  on  meters.  The  meter  rate  runs  on  a  sliding  scale  from  twenty  cents 
per  1. 000  gallons  to  eight  cents  per  1,000  aboVfe  100,000  gallons.  The  flat  rate  is 
Si  monthly  for  each  kitchen,  with  25  cents  for  each  bath  and  toilet,  and  $1  for 
each   lot  irrigated. 

The  financial  exhibit  is  in  the  highest  degree  encouraging  to  believers  in  the 
municipally  owned  system.  The  earnings  of  the  system  for  the  year  1916  were 
$87,852.26. 

The  mileage  in  the  sewerage  system  in  the  last  report  is  thirty-eight  miles 
and  4,632  feet. 

The  report  of  the  city  clerk  for  the  water  department  assets  and  liabilities 
is  as  follows: 

Assets : 

Water  system  property  and  plant $635,762.85 

Sewerage  system    210,41 1. 91 

Water  system  sinking  fund 42,091.18 

Total   $888,265.94 

Liabilities : 

Bonds  due   November,    1919 $133,000.00 

Warrants    outstanding    1,257.72 

Total    $134,25772 

During  the  past  ten  years  street  paving  has  been  steadily  continued,  until  at 
the  present  time  there  are  twenty-three  miles  of  paved  streets.     While  some  of 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  303 

this  work  wtis  very  poorly  done  and  the  city  has  been  compelled  to  repair  the  work 
of  incompetent  or  dishonest  contractors  at  a  large  expense,  the  paving  system 
in  general  has  been  satisfactory,  and  is  one  of  the  great  improvements  of  recent 
years. 

One  of  the  most  important  of  all  the  features  of  municipal  life  is  the  parks. 
This  topic  will  find  place  in  the  last  chapter  in  a  special  article  by  Miss  Grace 
Isaacs,  who  has  been  intimately  connected  with  the  establishment  of  a  park 
system  from  the  beginning. 

CITY    LIBR.\RY 

Another  valuable  instrumentality  of  municipal  life,  which  while  not  political 
in  the  common  use  of  the  term  is  under  municipal  control,  is  the  city  library. 
The  last  report  of  the  librarian,  Miss  Ellen  Smith,  will  give  a  view  of  present 
conditions. 

Walla  Walla  Public  Library,  Walla  Walla,  Wash. :  Annual  report — January, 
1917. 

The  Board  of  Trustees — Dr.  E.  E.  Shaw,  president;  T.  C.  Elliott,  secretary; 
Rev.  C.  E.  Tuke,  Rowland  Smith  and  H.  W.  Jones. 

The  Library  Staf¥ — Ellen  Garfield  Smith,  librarian;  Dorothy  Drum,  first 
assistant;  Nell  M.  Thompson,  assistant;  Ethel  Jamieson,  assistant. 

Library  Hours — Week  days,  g  A.  M.  to  9  P.  M. ;  Sundays  and  holidays, 
2  to  6  P.  M. 

There  are  4,962  active  readers  enrolled,  or  about  one-fourth  of  the  popula- 
tion of  Walla  Walla.  Of  this  number  1,082  adults  and  498  children  were  added 
the  last  year,  making  a  total  of  1,580  new  registrations. 

The  readers  took  home  59,580  books,  periodicals  and  pamphlets.  Fiction  read- 
ing is  not  so  important  a  part  of  the  circulation  as  many  people  think,  as  55 
per  cent  of  the  books  read  were  of  an  instructive  and  informing  character,  an 
increase  of  3  per  cent  over  last  year.  The  most  popular  classes  of  books  of 
non-fiction  in  order  of  circulation  are  literature,  useful  arts,  travel  and  sociology. 

We  have  added  I, ,305  new  books  at  a  cost  of  $742.64. 

Gifts  have  numbered  253. 

There  were  206  volumes  worn  oijt  and  withdrawn  and  fifty-six  missing  at 
inventory  so  the  number  in  the  library  is  12,060. 

Whoever  you  are,  you  must  need  to  ask  questions  sometimes.  There  must 
be  some  things  you  do  not  know  that  you  want  to  know.  Librarians  are  paid 
to  find  the  answers  to  your  questions.  These  are  a  few  samples  of  the  questions 
that  we  have  answered  during  the  last  year: 

The  number  of  grain  bags  used  in  the  United  States. 

The  design  of  the  Christian  flag  for  Sunday  schools. 

Directions  for  glazing  of  pottery. 

Statistics  of  water-power  plants. 

Where  is  Matzos? 

What  is  the  high  jump  record  of  a  horse? 

How   to   pickle   olives? 

You  have  more  than  twelve  hundred  reference  books,  and  hundreds  of  pam- 
phlets which  we  are  taking  care  of  for  you,  waiting  for  you  to  come  and  ask 


304  (JLl)  WALLA  WALLA  lOLNTY 

.lllli     lUC     IK-\\  >J>.1|<CI  »     III     the 

burrowed  fur  liuiiic  reading, 
i he   current    nuinb<rr»  ut    .lilanhc,   Lenlury,   Ufltneator,   Good   Housekfcpmy, 

"■me  Journal  and  Literary  Digest  may  be  borrowed 
fur  an  extra  iu|i). 

lite  story  hour  is  conducted  during  the  winter  months  on  \\'ednc&day  after- 
no«':  ■  ■     .        •  ■  •        '       I-  is  twenty. 

1  .iiriiig  the  year. 

The  children's  ruuni  contains  more  than  two  thousand  books  including  the 
best  book*  written  fi  :     '    '  '  <\\.    The  jjreatcst  care  has  been  used  in  tlie  selection. 

Help  i>  (;i\en  t<'  in  >elecling  books  for  iiurchasc.     The  smallir  the 

sum  to  s|>end.  the  more  ini|>ortant  the  selection. 

f"  'I  and  nineteen  teachers  have  s|)ecial  teachers'  cards  for  school 

um.  ;>rty  county   teachers.     City  teaclurs  may  ha\c  ten  Ixjoks  at   a 

time;  county  teachers  may  have  five. 

The  .Nrt  Club,  Women's  Rcadinfj  Club.   luiiicatiidial  I  luli  and  .sketch  Llub 

meet  rcgubrly  in  the  club  room  at  the  ]>ublic  library.     In  addition  to  this  the 

(lood  Government  League,  debating  teams  and  clubs  of  college  and  high  school, 

' -cs  of  the  Woman's  Park  Club  and  Young  Women's  Gub  have  appre- 

■lie  use  of  the  room. 

The  day  of  largest  circulation  was  February  uth,  when  388  books  and 
periodicals  were  loaned  for  home  reading. 

Twelve  hours  every  week  day  your  public  library  is  "at  your  service."  Sun- 
day afternoon  the  librai^  is  open  for  reading  only — often  every  chair  is  taken. 

I'sefiil  arts,  next  to  literature,  was  the  most  jMjjiular  class  of  non-fiction  cir- 
culated last  year.  Arc  you  one  of  those  who  has  profiled  liv  ilie  luijiful  l«Kiks 
on  salesmanship,  bees,  advertising,  poultry,  etc.? 

When  you  go  on  your  vacation  next  summer  take  ten  library  l>uuk>  with 
you— loaned  for  three  months.  Three  luiiulrc<!  .inil  ten  volumes  circulated  on 
vacation  cards  last  year. 

You  own  more  than  twelve  thousand  volumes.  Tlie  one  you've  been  looking 
for,  the  one  that  will  tell  you  something  new  about  \oiir  Imsincss  or  a  new  way 
of  advertising  it.  is  among  them. 

Six  hiindrcfl  .nntl  seventy-four  books  were  washed  with  ammonia  and  water 
and  then  shellacked. 

WU.NT    WF.    HAVE  DONE   WITH    YOUR    MONEY 
MAINTENANCE   FUND — RECEIPTS 

Balance  on  hand  January   i.  1016..  $    10207 

City  warrant*    4.<X»(X5 

Refund-  on  lights  and  Inxik*;  T).II      $5,042.08 


\t  MVTFV  s\(  r   ll'Vr>—  nicni-psrMFVTc 


Salaiie*  $3,038.40 

Books  ^165.61 


THE  I.  0.  O.  F.   IKiMK.   WALLA   WALLA 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  305 

Binding    166.91 

Periodicals    22&.00 

Printing  and  stationery 21.00 

Furniture  and  fixtures i75-i5 

Freight  and  drayage 41.68 

Light    185.95 

Fuel   226.25 

Repairs  98-59 

Incidentals    37-45 

Balance  on  hand  December  31,  1916 I57-09    $5-042-o8 


librarian's    fund RECEIPTS 

Balance  from  191 5,  fine  collections $  9.07 

Balance  from  191 5,  5c  pay  collections 7.80 

Fines  collected  in  1916 47^-73 

Circulation  of  pay  books  at  5c  each 23.65 

Donation  from  art  club 14.80 

Miscellaneous  sources   3-O0       $53i-05 


librarian's    fund DISBURSEMENTS 

Books  purchased  from  fines $  57-88 

Books  purchased  from  5c  pay  collections 29.15 

Periodicals    3^-12 

Book   binding    6.28 

Extra  help,  librarians 141 .40 

Extra  janitor  service 4-75 

Supplies    and    incidentals 254.70 

Balance  on  hand,  fines $3-47 

Balance  on  hand,  5c  pay  collections 2.30  5.77        $531.05 


There  are  many  other  features  of  the  life  of  the  city  under  political  authority 
which  would  be  worthy  of  mention,  did  space  allow. 

In  one  of  the  early  chapters  dealing  with  the  founding  of  the  city  and  its 
first  incorporation,  1862,  we  gave  the  officers  chosen  in  the  first  election  of  April 
1st  of  that  year.  We  now  incorporate  here  the  list  of  city  officers  from  1877  to 
the  present.  This  is  subdivided  by  the  diflferent  forms  of  government  under 
which  the  city  has  operated. 

MUNICIPAL    ELECTIONS 
1877 

Mayor — M.  C.  Moore. 

Marshal — John  G.  Justice. 
Vol.  I — 20 


306  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Recorder — ^J.  D.  Laman. 
Treasurer — H.  E.  Holmes. 
Assessor — S.  Jacobs. 

Council — W.  P.  Winans,  W.  P.  Adams,  Wm.  Kohlhauff,  A.  H.  Reynolds  and 
J.  G.  Justice. 

1878 

Mayor — ^James  McAuliffe. 
Justice — J.  D.  Laman. 
Marshal — J.  G.  Justice. 
Treasurer — H.  E.  Holmes. 
Health  Officer— J.  M.  Boyd. 
Assessor — S.  Jacobs. 

Council— W.  P.  Winans,  Wm.  Kohlhauff,  Z.  K.  Straight,  M.  F.  Colt,  F.  W. 
Paine  and  J.  A.  Taylor. 

1879 

Mayor — James  McAuliffe. 
Marshal— J.  A.  McNeil. 
Treasurer — H.  E.  Holmes. 
Assessor — S.  Jacobs. 
Health  Officer— J.  M.  Boyd. 
Justice — J.  D.  Laman. 

Council — A.  S.  Legrow,  H.  M.  Chase,  J.  M.  Welsh,  R.  Jacobs,  Wm.  Harkness, 
Wm.  Kohlhauff,  Geo.  F.  Thomas. 

1880 

Mayor — James  McAuliffe. 
Mar.shal — J.  G.  Justice. 
City  Attorney — J.  T.  Anders. 
Treasurer — H.  E.  Holmes. 
Assessor — 

Council— S.  Jacobs,  H.  M.  Chase,  W.  T.  Dovell,  Wm.  Kohlhauff,  Geo.  F. 
Thomas,  J.  M.  Welsh. 

1 881 

Mayor — James  McAuliffe. 
City  Attorney — J.  T.  Anders. 
Marshal — J.  G.  Justice. 
Treasurer — H.  E.  Holmes. 
Assessor — S.  Jacobs. 
Health  Officer— Dr.  A.  N.  Marion. 

Council — Wm.  Glasford,  Ed  Baumeister,  A.  H.  Reynolds,  S.  Jacobs,  W.  T. 
Dovell,  Levi  Ankeny  and  Wm.  Kohlhauff. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  307 

1882 

Mayor — ^James  McAuliffe. 
City  Attorney— W.  G.  Glasford. 
Clerk — Le  F.  A.  Shaw. 
Treasurer — Richard  Jacobs. 
Health  Officer— Dr.  T.  W.  Sloan. 
City  Surveyor— J.  B.  Wilson. 
City  Assessor — Samuel  Jacobs. 

Council— W.  P.  Winans,  T.  J.  Fletcher,  John  Dovell,  N.  T.  Caton,  A.  H. 
Reynolds  and  Ed  Baumeister. 

1883 

Mayor — T.  R.  Tannatt. 
City  Clerk — Le  F.  A.  Shaw. 
Treasurer — F.  W.  Paine. 
Attorney — W.  G.   Langford. 
Health  Officer— Dr.  A.  N.  Marion. 
Surveyor — J.  B.  Wilson. 

Council— W.  P.  Winans,  Wm.  Glasford,  T.  J.  Fletcher,  H.  Wintler,  John 
Dovell,  N.  T.  Caton,  A.  G.  Bowles. 

1884 

Mayor — T.  R.  Tannatt,  resigned  and  F.  W.  Paine  elected. 

Marshal — T.  J.  Robinson. 

City  Clerk— Le  F.  A.  Shaw. 

Attorney — W.  G.  Langford. 

Treasurer — O.  P.  Lacy. 

Health  Officer— Dr.  W.  G.  Alban. 

Surveyor — J.  B.  Wilson. 

Council— H.  M.  Porter,  W.  O'Donnell,  John  Dovell,  J.  P.  Kent,  Thos.  Quinn. 

1885 

Mayor— J.  M.  Boyd. 
Marshal — T.  J.  Robinson. ' 
Justice — J.  D.  Laman. 
Treasurer — J.   Chitwood. 
Health  Officer— Dr.  W.  G.  Alban. 
City  Attorney— W.  W.  Newlin. 
Clerk— Le  F.  A.  Shaw. 
Assessor — J.  B.  Wilson. 

Council— J.  W.  Esteb,  J.  Picard,  L.  H.  Bowman,  H.  M.  Porter,  W.  O'Don- 
nell, W.  H.  Kent  and  John  Dovell. 


1886 


Mayor— J.  M.  Boyd. 
Marshal— T.  J.  Robinson. 


308  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

City  Clerk — Henry  Kelling. 
Treasurer — R.  G.  Parks. 
Attorney — J.  L.  Sharpstein. 
Surveyor — L.  A.  Wilson. 
Justice — J.   D.   Laman. 
Health  Officer— Dr.  H.  R.  Keylor. 
Assessor — Wm.  Harkness. 

Council — Wm.  Stine,  John  Marion,  John  M.  Hill,  W.  G.  Tobin,  J.  Picard, 
L.  H.   Bowman.    T    W.   Esteb. 


Mayor — Jas.  McAuliffe. 
Marshal — T.  J.  Robinson. 
Clerk — Henry  Kelling. 
Attorney — J.  L.  Sharpstein. 
Treasurer — R.  G.  Parks. 
Justice — A.  J.  Gregory. 
Health  Officer— Dr.  H.  R.  Keylor. 
Assessor — M.  H.  Paxton. 
Surveyor — J.  B.  Wilson. 

Council— D.  W.  Small,  John  Picard,  Geo.  Dacres,  John  M.  Hill,  John  Marion, 
W.  G.  Tobin  and  Wm.  Stine. 

1888 

Mayor— Geo.  T.  Thompson. 
Marshal — T.  J.  Robinson. 
Attorney — J.  L.  Sharpstein. 
Clerk — Henry  Kelling. 
Treasurer — R.  G.  Parks. 
Justice — A.  G.  Gregory. 
Health  Officer— Dr.  Y.  C.  Blalock. 
Assessor — M.  H.  Paxton. 
Surveyor — A.  J.  Anderson. 

Council— W.  H.  Upton.  John  Marion,  J.  M.  Hill,  R.  M.  McCalley,  D.  W. 
Small,  John  Picard  and  Geo.  Dacres. 

1889 

Mayor— Dr.  N.  G.  Blalock. 
Marshal — T.  J.  Robinson. 
Treasurer — R.  G.  Parks. 
Clerk — Henry  Kelling. 
Attorney — J.  L.  Sharpstein. 
Health  Officer— Dr.  Y.  C.  Blalock. 
Justice — John  A.  Taylor. 
Sur\-eyor — W.  G.  Sayles. 
Assessor — M.  H.  Paxton. 

Council— D.  W.  Small,  Z.  K.  Straight,  J.  L.  Roberts.  J.  F.  Brewer,  John  H. 
Stockwell,  John  Marion  and  R.  M.  McCalley. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  309 

1890 

Mayor— N.  G.  Blalock. 
Marshal — T.  J.  Robinson. 
Attorney — J.  L.  Sharpstein. 
Clerk — Henry  Kelling. 
Treasurer — R.  G.  Parks. 
Justice — V.  D.  Lambert. 
Health  Officer— Dr.  Y.  C.  Blalock. 
Assessor — M.  H.  Paxton. 
Surveyor — L.  A.  Wilson. 

Council— J.  H.  Stockwell,  John  Picard,  H.  A.  Reynolds,  R.  M.  McCalley,  T. 
J.  Robinson,  Z.  K.  Straight  and  D.  W.  Small. 

1891 

Mayor — J.  L.  Roberts. 
Clerk — Henry  Kelling. 
Marshal — T.  J.  Robinson. 
Treasurer — R.  G.  Parks. 
Attorney— W.  T.  Dovell. 
Justice — ^John  A.  Taylor. 
Health  Officer— Dr.  Y.  C.  Blalock. 
Assessor — M.  H.  Paxton. 
Surveyor — Lew  W.  Loehr. 

Council— H.  S.  Young,  Jacob  Betz,  A.  J.  Evans,  J.  H.  Stockwell,  John  Picard, 
H.  A.  Reynolds  and  J.  L.  Jones. 

1892 

Mayor — ^John  L.  Roberts. 
Clerk — Henry  Kelling. 
Attorney— W.  T.  Dovell. 
Treasurer — R.  G.  Parks. 
Marshal — T.  J.  Robinson. 
Justice — Timothy  T.  Burgess. 
Health  Officer— W.  G.  Alban. 
Assessor — M.  H.  Paxton. 
Surveyor — Lew  W.  Loehr. 

Council— B.  D.  Crocker,  John  G.  Muntinga,  E.  H.  Massam,  J.  L.  Jones,  H. 
S.  Young,  Jacob  Betz  and  A.  J.  Evans. 


1893 


Mayor — J.  L.  Roberts. 
Clerk — Henry  Kelling. 
Attorney — W.  T.  Dovell. 
Treasurer — R.  G.  Parks. 


310  OLD  WALLA  W  ALl.A  COUNTY 

Mar>hal — F.  J.  Kobiiiwii. 
Jusiiic — W.  T.  Arbcrry. 
llrilth  OHkcr— Win.  G.  Allwn 
\    I  >sor — J.  U.  Wilson. 
Surveyor — Edwin  S.  Clark. 

(.uiiniil     Dnnirl  Stewart.  Jacob  Hci/,  .mm  man  K.  Mutlcr,  U.  l>.  Crocker.  John 
G.  Muntinga,  E.  II.  Mas&am  and  J.  L.  Jones. 

181M 

Mayor — John  I.    Rnln-rts. 
Clerk — Henry   Kelliiip. 
Attorney — VV'ni.  T.  Dovcll. 
Treasurer — K.  G.  Parks. 
Marshal— Winlkld  S.  Hallcy. 
Justice — W.  T.  Arberry. 
Health  Officer— W.  G.  Alban. 
.Assessor — T.  H.  Jcssup. 
Surveyor — Edward  Clark. 

Council — Milton    Kvans.    Marshall    Martin,   E.   H.    Massam,   Stephen    Ring- 
hoffer.  Daniel  Stewart,  Jacob  lictz,  and  Norman  I'.  Butler. 

1895 

Mayor— John  L.  Roberts. 
City  Clerk — Alexander  McKay. 
Attorney— R.  C.  Parks. 
Marshal — M.  .Ames. 
Justice — Harrison  W.  Eagan. 
Health  Officer- Wm.  G.  Alban. 
Surveyor — E.  S.  Clark. 

Council — .\.  K.  Dice,  Jacob  Betz,  John  D.  Lamb.  Milton  Evans.  .Marshall 
Martin.  V..  H.  Massam.  Daniel  .Stewart  and  V.  D.  Lambert. 

1896 

Mayor — Jacob    Hctz. 

Clerk— John  E  Williams. 

Attorney — C.  M.  Rader. 

Treasurer— John  W.  McGh^e. 

Marshal — M.  Ames. 

Justice — E.  H.  N'ixon. 

Health  Officer- Wm.  G    .Mhan. 

Su^^'eyo^ — E.  S.  Clark 

Council — M.  Evans.  J.  1'.  Kent.  K.  H.  Massam.  John  I.amb  and  \.  K.  Dice 


1897 


Maytir— Jacob  Betz. 
Clerk— Clark  N.  McLean. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  311 

Attorney— H.  S.  Blandford. 
Treasurer — John  McGee. 
Marshal— J.  J.  Kauffman. 
Health  Officer— W.  G.  Alban. 
Surveyor — E.  S.  Clark. 
Council — continued. 

1898 

Mayor — Jacob  Betz. 

Clerk— C.  N.  McLean. 

Attorney— H.  S.  Blandford. 

Treasurer — J.  W.  McGhee. 

Justice  of  the  Peace— J.  J.  Huffman. 

Marshal — ^J.  J.  Kaufifman. 

Assessor — Fred  A.  Colt. 

Health  Officer— W.  G.  Alban. 

.Surveyor — E.  S.  Clark. 

Street  Commissioner — D.  A.  McLeod. 

Council— E.   H.   Nixon,   Marshall   Martin,  J.   F.  Brewer,  Albert  Niebergall. 

1899 

Mayor — Jacob  Betz. 

Clerk- R.  P.  Reynolds. 

Marshal — J.  J.  Kauffman. 

Attorney— H.  S.  Blandford. 

Treasurer — Le  F.  A.  Shaw. 

Justice  of  the  Peace— Wm.  Glasford. 

Assessor — W.  L.  Cadman. 

Street  Commissioner — W.  H.  Brown. 

Surveyor — E.  S.  Clark. 

Health  Officer— W.  G.  Alban. 

Council— G.  W.  Babcock,  F.  M.  Pauly,  E.  S.  Isaacs. 

1900 

Mayor — Jacob  Betz. 

Marshal — J.  J.  Kauffman. 

Clerk— R.   P.  Reynolds. 

Treasurer — Le  F.  A.  Shaw. 

Attorney— H.  S.  Blandford. 

Justice  of  the   Peace — Wm.   Glasford. 

Assessor — W.  L.  Cadman. 

Surveyor — E.   S.  Clark. 

Street  Commissioner — H.  H.  Crampton. 

Health  Officer— W.  E.  Russell. 

Council— J.  F.  McLean.  Marshall  Martin,  J.  F.  Brewer,  Albert  Nieberg-all. 


312  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

1 901 

^L■lyor — G.  W.  Babcock. 
Ckrk— R.  P.  Reynolds. 
Attorney — H.  S.  lilandford. 
Treasurer — Le  F.  A.  Shaw. 
Marshal— J.  J.  Kauft'nian. 
Street  Commissioner— H.  H.  Crampton. 
Justice  of  the  Peace — Wm.  Glasford. 
Health  Officer— W.  G.  Alban. 
Surveyor — E.  S.  Clark. 

Council— J.  F.  McLean,  W.  A.  Williams,  Marshall  Martin,  J.  Z.  Smith,  J.  F. 
Brewer,  John   Kirkman  and   Albert   Niebergall. 

1902 

Mayor — Gilbert  Hunt. 
Clerk— R.  P.  Reynolds. 
Attorney— H.  S.  Blandford. 
Treasurer — Le  F.  A.  Shaw. 
Marshal — J.  J.  Kauffman. 
Justice  of  the  Peace — Wm.  Glasford. 
Street  Commissioner- — H.  H.  Crampton. 
Health  Officer— W.  G.  Alban. 
Surveyor — E.  S.  Clark. 

Council— J.  F.  McLean,  J.  Z.  Smith,  W.  P.  McKean,  J.  F.  Brewer,  John 
.  Kirkman,   F.  W.   Martin. 

1903 

Mayor — Gilbert  Hunt. 
Treasurer — Le  F.  A.  Shaw. 
Justice — J.  J.  Huffman. 
Marshal — Alvah  Brown. 
Street   Commissioner — H.   H.   Crampton. 
City  Attorney — H.  S.  Blandford. 
Surveyor — E.  S.  Clark. 
Assessor — W.  F.  Merchant. 
Clerk— R.  P.  Reynolds. 
Health  Officer — C.  P.  Gammon. 

Council — Henry  Osterman,  Wm.  Glasford,  J.  Z.   Smith,  J.  C.  Scott,  A.  J. 
Gillis,  Eugene  Boyer.  W.  P.  McKean. 


1904 


Mayor — Gilbert  Hunt. 
Treasurer — R.  G.  Parks. 
Justice — J.  J.  Huffman. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  313 

Marshal — Alvah  Brown. 
Street  Commissioner — H.  H.  Crampton. 
City  Attorney — H.  S.  Blandford. 
City  Surveyor — W.  G.  Sayles. 
Assessor — R.  J.  Berryman. 
Health  Officer — J.  W.  Ingram. 

Council— J.  G.  Bridges,  W.  P.  McKean,  J.  B.  Brewer,  Fred  W.  Martin,  Wm. 
Glasford. 

1905 

Mayor — Gilbert  Hunt. 
Treasurer — R.  G.  Parks. 
Justice — J.  J.  Huffman. 
Marshal — Alvah  Brown. 
Street  Commissioner — H.  H.  Crampton. 
Surveyor — J.  B.  Wilson. 
Clerk— R.  P.  Reynolds. 
Assessor — R.  J.  Berryman. 
Health  Officer — J.  W.  Ingram. 

Council— Wm.  Glasford,  W.  P.  McLean,  W.  H.  Kirkman,  J.  Z.  Smith,  Fred 
W.  Martin,  J.  P.  Bridges. 

1906 

Mayor — Geo.  E.  Kellough. 
■    Treasurer — R.  G.  Parks. 
Marshal — Alvah  Brown. 
Street  Commissioner — H.  H.  XTrampton. 
Surveyor — J.  B.  Wilson. 
Assessor — W.  S.  Cadman. 
Clerk— T.  D.  S.  Hart. 
Health  Officer— Dr.  A.  E.  Braden. 

Council — J.  P.  Kent,  R.  H.  Johnson,  Eugene  Tausick,  Wm.  Glasford,  John 
Bachtold,  W.  P.  McKean. 

1907 

Mayor — Geo.  E.  Kellough. 
Clerk— T.  D.  S.  Hart. 
Marshal — Mike  Davis. 
Treasurer — R.  G.  Parks. 
Attorney — Oscar  Cain. 
Health  Officer— A.  E.  Braden. 
Street  Commissioner — H.  H.  Crampton. 

Council— J.  P.  Bridges,  W.  P.  McKean,  C.  H.  Whiteman,  John  Bachtold. 
Eugene  Tausick,  J.  F.  Stack,  J.  A.  Dunham. 


314  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

1908 

Mayor — Eugene  Tausick. 
Clerk— T.  D.  S.  Hart. 
Treasurer — R.  G.  Parks. 
Attorney— Oscar  Cain. 
Marshal — M.  Davis. 
Surveyor — Lew  Loehr. 
Street  Commissioner — H.  H.   Crampton. 
Health  Officer— A.  E.  Braden. 
Assessor — M.  Toner. 

Council — Fred  Hull,  Fritz  Lehn,  C.  H.  Cummings,  Albert  Niebergall,  J.  B. 
Stack,  C.  H.  Whiteman,  Afred  Bachtold. 

1909 

Mayor — Eugene   Tausick. 
Clerk— T.  D.  S.  Hart. 
Attorney — Oscar  Cain. 
Marshal — Michael  Davis. 
Street  Commissioner^H.  H.  Crampton. 
Assessor — M.  Toner. 
Health  Officer— E.  E.  Shaw. 
Surveyor — Lew  Loehr. 

Council — C.  H.  Whiteman,  Alfred  Bachtold,  Fred  Hull,  Albert  Niebergall, 
J.  F.  Stack,  Fritz  Lehn. 

1910 

Mayor — Eugene  Tausick. 
Clerk— T.  D.  S.  Hart. 
Attorney — J.  W.  Brooks. 
Treasurer — Perry  Lyons. 
Marshal — Michael  Davis. 
Chief  of  Fire  Department — Wm.  Metz. 
Street  Commissioner — H.  H.  Crampton. 
Assessor — A.  R.  Dorwin. 
Surveyor — W.  R.  Rehorn. 

Council— C.  H.  Whiteman,  Harvey  McDonald,  Alfred  Bachtold,  J.  F.  Stack, 
Robert  Breeze,  C.  H.  Cummings,  Albert  Niebergall. 

COMMISSION    FORM    OF    GOVERNMENT 
I9II,    I912,    I913 

Mayor — A.  J.  Gillis. 

Commissioners — A.  K.  Dice,  Geo.  Struthers. 

Attorney — J.  F.  Watson. 

Building  Inspector — Wm.  Metz. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  315 

Clerk — C.  Arthur  Jones. 

Engineer — W.  R.  Rehorn. 

Fire  Chief— Wm.  Metz. 

Health  Officer — C.  E.  Montgomery. 

Justice — T.   M.  McKinney. 

Librarian — Ellen  Garfield  Smith. 

Marshal   and   Chief   of    Police — Michael   Davis. 

Registrar   Water   Works — R.    C.    Stack. 

Street  Commissioner — R.  A.  Stockdale. 

Superintendent  of  Schools- — O.  S.  Jones. 

Superintendent  of  Water  Works — R.   F.   McLean. 

Treasurer— John  McGhee. 

1914,    1915,    1916 

Mayor — M.  Toner. 

Commissioners^ — A.  K.  Dice,  H.  H.  Crampton. 

Clerk — 1914,  1915,  M.  A.  Powers — 1916,  Fred  G.  Wills. 

Treasurer — John  McGhee. 

Attorney— J.  P.  Neal. 

Water  Superintendent — R.  F.  McLean. 

Police  Judge — T.  M.  McKinney. 

Water  Registrar — E.  T.  Churchman. 

Fire  Chief — Geo.  Guthridge. 

Chief  of  Police — James  Martin. 

City  Engineer — W.  R.  Rehorn. 

Health  Officer — C.  E.   Montgomery. 

As  the  last  glance  at  the  political  history  of  the  City  of  Walla  Walla  we  insert 
here  the  report  of  the  financial  condition  of  the  City  of  Walla  Walla  June  30, 
191 7,  as  compiled  by  the  Commissioner  of  Finance  and  Accounting,  A.  K.  Dice: 

Assessed  valuation  of  the  City  of  Walla  Walla  this  year  is  $9,411,099,  accord- 
ing to  the  report  of  the  county  assessor's  office,  filed  this  morning  with  the  city 
commission.  The  assessment  of  the  city  this  year  shows  an  increase  in  valuation 
of  approximately  $100,000,  last  year's  assessment  having  been  $9,310,655.  The 
report  of  the  county  assessor  is  as  follows: 

Assessed  valuation  of  the  City  of  Walla  Walla,  1917: 

Old  city  limits $8,738,839 

First    addition 254,366 

Second  addition .' 9446o 

Third  addition 3.890 

Fourth  addition 250,260 

Fifth  addition   19,200 

Sixth  addition  46,084 

Total   $9.41 1 ,099 

The  total  includes  valuation  of  public  service  corporation  properties  within  the 
city  limits,  taken  from  the  1916  tax  rolls. 


316  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

The  semi-annual  report  of  the  city  clerk  was  also  tiled  by  Clerk  Fred  Wills 
this  morning,  the  report  showing  the  city's  financial  condition  on  July  i,  1917,  and 
showing  the  receipts  and  disbursements  from  January  i,  1917,  to  June  30,  1917, 
inclusive.    A  summary  of  the  report  is  as  follows: 

Receipts,  January  i  to  June  30,  1917: 

Licenses    $     3, 108.00 

Fees,  fines,  etc 5.574-70 

Water  department  receipts 38,985.85 

Cemetery  department   2,761.72 

Cemetery  perpetual  care 4,343.69 

Cemetery  trust 8,42 1 .64 

Interest  on  cemetery  trust 21 1.40 

General  taxes  1 10,979.81 

Road  and  bridge  tax 2,578.48 

Water  works  sinking  fund 28,228.33 

Interest  on  above 483.69 

Firemen's  relief  and  pension 201 .41 

Transfers    549. 19 

Local  improvement  district  taxes 85,913.76 

Total   $292,341 .67 

Disbursements,  January  i  to  June  30,  191 7,  by  the  various  city  departments : 

Administration    $  3,272.60 

Streets   18,218.73 

Water   29,180.86 

Fire   15,316.26 

rdice    6,722.74 

Treasury    797-79 

Clerical   836.87 

Bridge  and  creek : i  ,047.20 

Engineering    1,578.18 

Library    2,000.00 

Park    5.901 .06 

Mounted  police  399-70 

Cemetery    i  ,790. 1 1 

Health    3,294.82 

General  expenses 970. 63 

Public  buildings   859.93 

Legal  department 76370 

Firemen's  relief  and  pension 278.75 

Judicial   252.00 

Electrical    ., 302.80 

General  bond  interest  and  redemption 3,403.40 

Cemetery  trust   12,067.46 

Special  assessments  on  city  property 51505 

Water  sinking  fund 38,491.03 

Total   $148,311.57 


THE    DENNY    BLlLU]N(i.    WALLA    WALLA 


THE   DRUMHELLER   BUILDING,   WALLA   WALLA 


318  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

which  the  city  officials  chosen  were  these :  G.  W.  Kellicut,  mayor ;  WiUiam 
Fudge,  A.  L.  Kinnear,  P.  A.  Preston,  D.  W.  Kaup  and  M.  J.  Harkness,  council- 
men. 

The  mayors  of  the  city  in  order,  beginning  in  1883  and  extending  annually  to 
1905,  were  as  follows:  W.  N.  Smith,  W.  S.  Mincer,  E.  L.  Powell,  P.  A.  Preston, 
re-elected  in  1887  and  1888,  C.  N.  Babcock  in  1889,  S.  W.  Smith  in  1890  and  1891, 
Frank  Parton  in  1892,  J.  H.  Morrow  in  1893  (and  during  this  year  the  important 
step  in  municipal  development  was  taken  of  a  city  water  system),  J.  W.  Morgan  in 
1894  and  1895,  T.  L.  Flollowell  in  1896,  D.  V.  Wood  in  1897,  E.  W.  McCann  in 
1898  and  1899,  J.  H.  Morrow  in  1900,  T.  M.  McKinney  in  1901  and  1902,  E.  L. 
Wheeler  in  1903,  C.  W.  Preston  in  1904. 

Beginning  with  1905  and  extending  to  1917  the  mayors  and  councilmen  have 
been  these : 

1905 — Mayor,  D.  V.  Wood.  Councilmen — E.  M.  Denton,  W.  J.  Earnest,  T.  J. 
Hollowell,  M.  H.  Keiser,  Frank  McCown. 

1906 — Mayor,  J.  B.  Caldwell.  Councilmen — E.  M.  Denton,  H.  D.  Conover,  W. 
S.  Guntle,  J.  B.  Loundagin,  P.  C.  Perkins. 

1907 — Mayor,  Geo.  M.  Lloyd.  Councilmen — Dr.  R.  E.  Butler,  L.  H.  Ma- 
comber,  H.  D.  Conover,  J.  B.  Loundagin,  W.  F.  Pool. 

1908 — Mayor,  R.  M.  Breeze.  Councilmen — L.  H.  Macomber,  H.  D.  Con- 
over, J.  B.  Loundagin,  H.  E.  Boynton,  George  Kruchek. 

1909 — Mayor,  R.  M.  Breeze.  Councilmen — J.  W.  Taylor,  L.  H.  Macomber, 
J.  C.  McAninch,  H.  E.  Boynton,  E.  M.  Denton. 

1910 — Mayor,  M.  O.  Pickett.  Councilmen — H.  P.  Petersen,  Dr.  R.  E.  Butler, 
W.  J.  Earnest,  W.  G.  Shuham,  Geo.  M.  Lloyd. 

191 1 — Mayor,  E.  L.  Wheeler.  Councilmen — H.  P.  Petersen,  W.  G.  .Shuham, 
D.  P.  Hayes,  R.  G.  Eichelberger,  L.  R.  Perrine. 

1912- — Mayor,  E.  L.  Wheeler.  Councilmen — L.  R.  Perrine,  D.  P.  Hayes,  R.  G. 
Eichelberger,  Geo.  M.  Lloyd,  A.  G.  Loundagin. 

1913 — Mayor,  E.  L.  Wheeler.  Councilmen — W.  D.  Wallace,  A.  J.  Woodworth, 
Roland  Allen,  Forrest  Carpenter,  D.  P.  Bailey. 

1914 — Mayor,  W.  D.  Wallace.  Councilmen — D.  P.  Bailey,  A.  J-  Woodworth, 
W.  S.  Guntle,  D.  B.  Stimmel,  J.  W.  Taylor. 

191 5 — Mayor,  E.  L.  Wheeler.  Councilmen — W.  D.  Wallace,  A.  J.  Woodworth, 
J.  W.  Taylor,  O.  B.  Smith,  E.  J.  Call. 

1916 — Mayor,  E.  L.  Wheeler.  Councilmen— E.  J.  Call,  W.  D.  Wallace,  A.  C. 
Macomber,  A.  C.  Spafford,  A.  J.  Woodworth. 

191 7 — Mayor,  E.  L.  Wheeler.  Councilmen — W.  D.  Wallace,  E.  ].  Call,  A.  J. 
Woodworth,  A.  C.  Macomber,  A.  C.  Spaflford. 


CHAPTER  II 
DISTINCTIVE  FEATURES  IN  HISTORY  OF  COLUMBIA  COUNTY 

We  have  already  given  a  general  view  of  the  first  settlement  on  the  Touchet, 
in  what  is  now  Columbia  County.  But  a  valuable  paper  by  Judge  Chester  F. 
Miller  of  Dayton,  prepared  for  a  club  at  that  city  and  published  in  the  Chronicle 
of  April  8,  1916,  offers  some  material  so  fitting  for  an  introduction  that  we  avail 
ourselves  of  it  here.  Judge  Miller  discusses  the  meaning  of  the  names  of  the 
local  streams  as  follows : 

"It  is  rather  unfortunate  that  the  original  Indian  name  Kinnooenim  was  not 
retained  instead  of  the  rather  harsh  sounding  name  of  Tucanon.  Many  people 
have  the  idea  that  Tucanon  derived  its  name  from  the  tradition  that  some  early 
expedition  buried  two  cannon  on  its  banks  when  pressed  by  the  Indians,  but  the 
early  expeditions,  both  explorers  and  Indian  fighters,  did  not  carry  cannon,  they 
did  well  if  they  got  over  the  country  with  their  muskets.  The  first  cannon  in 
this  section  that  we  read  about  were  at  Fort  Taylor,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tucanon, 
built  by  Colonel  Wright  in  1858,  which  was  some  time  after  the  creek  had  re- 
ceived its  present  name.  I  am  inclined  to  adopt  the  theory  that  the  name  is  derived 
from  'tukanin,'  the  Nez  Perce  name  for  cowse  or  Indian  bread  root,  which 
was  generally  used  by  the  Indians  in  making  bread.  I  have  some  early  recollec- 
tions of  trying  to  eat  some  Indian  bread  made  from  crushed  cowse,  flavored 
with   grasshopper  legs. 

"The  name  Patit,  called  by  the  Indians  Pat-ti-ta,  is  somewhat  in  doubt,  one 
Indian  having  told  me  that  it  was  a  Nez  Perce  word  meaning  small  creek.  The 
word  Touchet  has  never  been  properly  identified,  but  Ed  Raboin  thought  it  was 
from  the  French,  and  came  from  the  exclamation  'touche'  used  in  fencing  with 
foils,  when  one  of  the  fencers  touched  the  other  over  a  vital  spot." 

The  second  extract  deals  with  the  expulsion  of  the  settlers  in  the  Indian 
war  of   1855 : 

"Nathan  Olney,  the  Indian  agent  at  The  Dalles,  made  a  trip  to  the  Walla 
Walla  country  seeking  to  pacify  Peu-peu-mox-mox,  but  this  chief  refused  the 
presents  offered  and  repudiated  the  treaty.  Mr.  Olney  at  once  ordered  all 
settlers  to  leave  the  country.  At  this  time  Chase,  LaFontain  and  Brooke  left  their 
cabins  on  the  Touchet  in  Columbia  County  on  their  way  to  The  Dalles  for  sup- 
plies; on  arriving  at  the  mouth  of  the  Umatilla,  they  were  informed  of  the 
Indian  uprising,  and  returned  to  Whitman  mission,  where  a  conference  was  had, 
and  all  the  whites  agreed  to  convert  the  house  of  Mr.  Brooke,  just  below  the 
present  Huntsville,  into  a  fort  and  stay  with  the  country.  Chase  and  LaFontain 
returned  to  their  ranches  at  Dayton  and  on  the  day  agreed  on  for  the  meeting 
at  the  Brooke  cabin.  LaFontain  went  down  to  confer  with  them,  and  learned  that 
all  the  others,  who  had  agreed  to  stay  and  fight  it  out,  had  concluded  to  abandon 

319 


320  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  CULXTV 

their  places  and  leave  the  country.  Chase  and  Lal'"ontain  concluded  to  stay,  and 
coninienced  to  fortify  the  Chase  house,  which  was  located  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
present  Pietrzycki  residence.  They  had  three  transient  hired  men,  who  at  first 
agreed  to  stay,  but  on  the  following  day  the  hired  men  concluded  that  they  had 
nut  lost  any  Indians,  and  took  their  departure.  Chase  and  LaT'ontain  completed 
their  stockade,  ran  a  bucketful  of  bullets,  stocked  the  cabin  with  provisions,  and 
dug  a  tunnel  to  the  banks  of  the  Touchet  for  water  in  case  of  siege,  and  waited 
for  the  Indians. 

"They  remained  for  ten  days  longer,  when  the  constant  standing  guard  and 
waiting  for  the  Indians,  who  had  not  a])])eared,  began  to  wear  on  their  nerves, 
and  they  started  for  the  country  of  the  friendly  Nez  Perces,  picking  up  Louis 
Raboin  on  the  Tucanon,  and  at  that  time  not  a  white  man  remained  in  Southeastern 
W  ashington.  On  the  next  day  after  tlicy  had  left  the  Indians  came  and  burned 
tlie  Brooke  and  Chase  houses." 

Still  another  interesting  extract  tells  of  the  controverted  point  as  to  the  rights 
and  wrongs  of  the  tragic  death  of  Peu-peu-mox-mox,  of  which  we  have  spoken 
in  the  chapter  on  Indian  wars : 

"During  this  Indian  war  no  fighting  was  done  in  Columbia  County  and  I  will 
not  mention  it  further  than  to  say  that  on  December  9,  i?'55.  tlie  battle  of  tin-  Walla 
Walla  was  fought,  in  which  Peu-peu-mox-mox  was  killed  by  the  guards  while 
held  as  a  hostage.  Some  1,500  Indians  were  engaged  in  this  battle  against  350 
volunteers.  The  results  were  twenty  volunteers  killed  and  wounded  and  100  dead 
Indians. 

"Some  writers,  pa,rticularly  Colonel  Gilbert,  claim  that  this  chief  was  mur- 
dered, and  his  body  mutilated  by  the  guards,  but  I  don't  believe  it.  My  father 
was  one  of  the  guards,  and  he  has  told  me  that  when  the  battle  commenced  this 
chief  began  waving  his  hands  and  shouting  to  his  warriors,  giving  them  directions 
in  regard  to  the  battle,  and  that  Colonel  Kelley  rode  up  and  said,  'Tie  them  or  kill 
them,  I  don't  give  a  damn  which,'  and  that  when  the  guards  proceeded  to  tie 
them  the  Indians  began  to  struggle,  and  one  by  the  name  of  Wolfskin  broke  away 
and  stabbed  Sergt.  Maj.  Isaac  Miller  in  the  arm,  and  that  the  guards  then 
began  to  see  red,  and  the  whole  thing  was  ofT." 

In  Judge  Miller's  paper  there  is  also  a  most  valuable  view  of  the  permanent 
settlements  on  the  Touchet  following  the  close  of  the  wars: 

"In  1859  the  Indian  troubles  having  ended,  the  Touchet  country  was  declared 
safe  for  settlers.  The  first  to  arrive  were  Indian  traders,  usually  squaw-men, 
who  settled  at  the  different  crossings  of  the  old  Indian  trails  and  engaged  in  the 
business  of  trading  bad  whiskey  to  the  Indians  for  their  cayuse  ponies.  Some 
of  these  probably  slipped  in  during  the  fall  of  '58,  as  they  were  here  in  the 
spring  of  '59  when  the  first  homesteaders  arrived  looking  for  locations.  Bill 
Bunton,  George  Ives  and  Clubfoot  George  were  at  the  crossing  of  Whiskey 
Creek ;  Freelon  Schnebley,  known  as  'Stubbs,'  and  Richard  Learn,  known  as 
'Big  Red,'  at  the  crossing  of  the  Touchet,  where  Dayton  is  located;  Bill  Rexford 
was  at  the  crossing  of  the  Patit.  and  John  Turner  at  Pataha  City ;  these  were  all 
bad  citizens  and  all  squaw-men  except  Rexford,  and  it  was  generally  said  among 
the  Indians  that  he  was  too  mean  for  a  squaw  to  live  with.  In  addition  to  these, 
the  following  squaw-men,  who  were  much  better  citizens,  were  here  at  that 
time:     Louis  Raboin,  who  lived  where  the  trails  crossed  the  Tucanon,  having 


THE   COURTHOUSE,  DAYTON 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  321 

returned  to  his  old  place  after  the  Indian  troubles;  William  and  Martin  Bailey, 
who  lived  with  their  squaws  on  what  is  known  as  the  Rainwater  place  at  the 
upper  end  of  town,  and  Joe  Ruark,  known  as  'Kentuck,'  who  lived  with  his  squaw 
near  the  Star  schoolhouse.  The  first  real  settlers  to  arrive  came  in  the  spring  of 
1859,  most  of  them  from  the  Willamette  Valley,  many  of  them  having  seen  the 
country  while  serving  as  volunteers  in  the  Indian  wars.  They  located  claims  along 
the  Touchet,  laid  a  foundation  of  four  logs,  and  posted  notices  that  they  had 
taken  the  claims,  and  gone  to  the  valley  for  their  stock,  and  would  return  in 
three  months. 

"As  near  as  I  can  learn,  the  only  one  who  remained  at  that  time  was  Israel 
Davis,  usually  known  as  'Hogeye'  Davis,  who  settled  where  the  trails  left  the 
Hogeye  Creek,  and  raised  a  small  crop  that  year.  This  is  conceded  to  be  the 
first  crop  raised  and  harvested  in  the  county.  Davis  was  a  bachelor,  and  two 
years  later  was  killed  by  the  jealous  husband  of  a  woman  who  was  cooking  for 
him.  The  next  who  came  to  stay  were  Sam  Gilbreath  and  his  young  wife,  and 
John  Wells  and  Tom  Davis,  both  bachelors,  who  came  in  August,  1859.  Gilbreath 
took  up  a  homestead  and  built  his  first  cabin  where  the  trails  entered  the  valley. 
This  would  be  where  the  Smith  orchard  is  now  located.  Tom  Davis  bought 
a  location  from  'Stubbs'  and  built  a  cabin  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Railroad  Primary; 
Wells  also  bought  a  location  from  'Stubbs'  and  built  across  the  Touchet  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Patit.  Lambert  Hearn  and  wife  came  in  October,  first  locating 
where  the  Columbia  schoolhouse  now  stands,  but  afterwards  selling  out  to  the 
Paynes  and  moving  to  the  Hearn  homestead  acrriss  the  Touchet  from  Dayton. 

"Jesse  N.  Day  was  among  those  who  located  their  clai^ris  illd'  returned  to  the 
valley  for  their  families;  he  did  not  return  until  the  fall  of  i860.  His  claim  was 
where  the  Chandler  slaughter  house  is  now  located:  He  looked  over  the  present 
site  of  Dayton,  but  was  afraid  Chase  and  LaFbntain  might  return  and  make  him 
trouble,  and  located  farther  down.  Many  of  those  who  made  their  locations  in 
the  spring  came  back  in  the  fall  and  built  cabins.  The  settlers  of  1859,  traveling 
from  the  crossing  down  the  Touchet  were  as  follows :  Wells,  Davis,  Hearn,  Gil- 
breath, John  Forsythe  at  the  Angell  place,  James  Dill  at  Pomona,  James  Bennett 
at  the  Bateman  place,  Joe  Starr  at  the  Starr  bridge,  Dave  Fudge  at  the  Blize 
place,  George  Pollard  at  his  present  place,  John  Fudge  at  Huntsville,  and  the 
Whittaker  brothers  just  below,  James  Fudge  on  Whiskey  Creek  below  Bunton's, 
and  Israel  Davis  on  the  Hogeye. 

"They  were  all  bachelors  except  Gilbreath  and  Hearn,  so  that  we  had  two 
white  women  in  Columbia  County  at  that  time,  although  Dill  was  a  widower 
and  had  one  boy  with  him.  Those  arriving  in  i860  were  Elisha  Ping  and  family. 
G.  W.  Miller  and  family,  my  mother  and  I  being  the  family,  Jesse  N.  Day  and 
family,  and  three  bachelors,  Henry  B.  Day  and  Jack  and  Newt  Forrest;  the  For- 
rests  were  brothers  of  Mrs.  Day.  Miller  and  Ping  settled  on  their  previously 
located  homesteads  on  the  Patit,  and  Jesse  Day  on  the  Touchet ;  the  Forrests  had 
located  the  Richardson  place  the  year  before  and  settled  there,  selling  out  to  R.  G. 
Newland  in  1861  ;  Henry  Day  having  320  acres  in  the  valley,  was  not  eligible  for 
a  homestead,  but  engaged  in  the  cattle  business. 

"The  immigration  of  1861  was  as  follows:  William  Sherry  settled  on  the 
Patit  above  Miller;  Alexander  Montgomery,  Albert  Woodward  and  Cyrus  Arm- 
strong on  the  Patit  above  Rexford;  Jonathan  Buzzard  on  the  old  Cross  place  in 
Vol.  I — 21 


322  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Johnson  Hollow,  near  Dayton ;  Ambrose  Johnson  where  the  trails  crossed  John- 
son Hollow;  Tom  Whetstone  where  the  trails  entered  Whetstone  Hollow;  Amasa 
West  between  Stubbs  and  the  Haileys;  Uncle  Zeke  Hobbs  between  the  Baileys 
and  'Kentuck;'  John  Winnett  and  Henry  Owsley  farther  up  the  Touchet,  and 
Uncle  Tom  Winnett  and  his  sons,  Bill,  Dock,  Bob  and  Lew,  on  Whiskey  Creek 
and  the  Hogeye.  There  were  three  yoimg  fellows  with  the  Winnetts,  who  do  not 
seem  to  have  taken  up  land  at  that  time ;  they  were  Simon  Critchlield,  Cy  Mathew 
and  Fred  Yenney.  This  year  the  Paynes  bought  out  Hearn  at  Columbia  school- 
house,  and  the  Forrests  sold  to  R.  G.  Newland.  Dining  this  year  my  father 
rented  the  Stubbs  place,  broke  out  a  portion  of  the  land  and  fenced  it  with  cotton- 
wood  rails  made  where  the  Main  Street  Bridge  now  crosses  the  stream. 

"The  settlers  up  to  this  time  were  stock  men,  settling  along  the  stream  and 
grazing  their  stock  on  the  hills  in  every  direction;  they  raised  a  little  hay  and 
some  oats  on  the  fertile  bottom  lands;  the  hills  were  considered  of  no  value 
except  for  grazing ;  wheat  was  not  raised  because  there  was  no  available  market ; 
surplus  oats  were  hauled  to  Fort  Lapwai,  but  on  account  of  the  distance  and  crude 
roads  this  was  not  very  profitable.  When  the  valleys  were  taken  up  the  growth 
of  the  country  stopped  and  the  increase  in  population  was  very  slow." 

ESTABLISHMENT  OF   COLUMBIA   COUNTY 

We  have  given  in  the  last  chapter  of  Part  H  the  story  of  County  division.  By 
act  of  the  Territorial  Legislature  on  November  ii,  1875,  a  line  was  drawn  from 
Snake  River  south  to  a  point  on  the  Touchet  two  miles  above  Waitsburg ;  thence 
south  six  miles,  then  east  six  miles,  then  south  to  the  state  line.  All  west  of  that 
line  continued  to  be  Walla  Walla  County,  and  that  east  to  the  Snake  River  was 
included  in  the  new  County  of  Columbia. 

By  the  act,  Dayton  was  the  county  seat  until  the  next  general  election,  v»hen 
the  seat  w-as  to  be  permanently  located  by  popular  vote. 

Eliel  Oliver,  Frank  G.  Frary,  and  George  T.  Pollard  were  named  first  com- 
missioners to  organize  the  county.  In  pursuance  of  their  functions,  they  met  on 
November  25th  and  become  duly  qualified  to  act.  Mr.  Frary  became  chairman 
of  the  board  and  D.  C.  Guernsey  was  appointed  clerk.  Precincts  were  estab- 
lished as  follows:  Independent,  with  polls  at  Dayton;  Patit  with  polls  at  school- 
house  near  A.  Walker's  residence ;  Tucanon,  at  Platter  schoolhouse ;  Calloway,  at 
Central  schoolhouse;  Pataha,  J.  M.  Pomeroy's  residence;  Asotin,  usual  voting 
place ;  Touchet,  Washington  schoolhouse. 

The  election  occurred  on  December  21,  1875,  and  as  a  result  the  first  officers 
in  Columbia  County  w'ere  duly  elected  as  follows :  County  commissioners,  E. 
McDonnell,  Joseph  Harris.  H.  P>.  Bateman ;  Sherifif.  S.  L.  Gilbreath ;  auditor, 
A.  J.  Cain ;  treasurer.  D.  C.  Guernsey ;  assessor,  R.  F.  Walker ;  probate  judge, 
William  Ayers  and  R.  F.  Sturdevant  had  a  tie  of  283  votes  each ;  school  superin- 
tendent, T.  S.  Leonard;  surveyor.  William  Ewing;  coroner,  W.  W.  Day.  The 
Board  of  Commissioners  met  on  January  i,  1876,  and  organized  by  the  election 
of  Mr.  Harris  as  chairman. 

Taking  up  the  tie  in  the  office  of  probate  judge,  the  position  was  declared 
vacant,  and  at  the  next  meeting  R.  F.  .Sturdevant  was  appointed. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  323 

Mr.  Ewing  not  qualifying  for  surveyor,  the  vacancy  was  filled  by  appointraent 
of  Charles  Truax. 

Thus  Columbia  County  was  launched  upon  its  career.  The  chief  settlements 
at  that  time  were  on  the  Touchet,  and  Dayton  was  not  far  from  the  center  of 
that  region.  But  the  county  included  a  great  area  to  the  north  and  east,  and 
though  as  yet  sparsely  settled,  it  was  obvious  that  upon  the  Tucanon,  Pataha, 
Alpowa  and  Asotin,  and  upon  the  vast  plateau  between  the  Blue  Mountains  and 
Snake  River  there  would  ere  long  be  a  large  population  which  would  be  so  remote 
from  Dayton  as  to  make  it  an  inconvenient  seat  of  government. 

In  fact,  hardly  had  the  new  officers  become  installed  before  there  arose  the 
inevitable  county-seat  fight.  It  would  seem  as  though  the  contest  would  have 
assumed,  even  then,  the  form  of  a  demand  for  a  new  county  rather  than  for  the 
location  of  the  seat.  Such,  however,  was  not  the  case,  and  Marengo  on  the 
Tucanon,  the  historic  spot  of  the  home  of  our  active  old  friend,  Louis  Raboin 
(Maringouin,  "mosquito,"  in  the  French)  became  a  rival  of  the  Touchet 
metropolis  for  official  headquarters.  In  the  election  which  took  place  on  Novem- 
ber 7,  1876,  Dayton  received  418  votes  and  Marengo  300.  The  latter  vote  pretty 
nearly  represented  at  that  time  the  population  in  the  eastern  two-thirds  of  the 
county,  and  the  result  of  the  election  laid  the  foundation  of  the  speedy  demand 
for  another  county  division. 

The  officers  of  Columbia  County  for  the  period  up  to  the  setting  ofl:'  from  it 
of  Garfield  County  in  1881,  may  properly  be  inserted  at  this  point. 

Those  of  the  first  election  in  1875  have  already  been  given.  The  results  of 
the  election  of  1876  were :  County  commissioners,  John  Sanders.  N.  C.  Williams 
and  W.  E.  Ayers ;  probate  judge,  C.  M.  McLeran ;  sheriff,  R.  P.  Steen ;  auditor, 
Oliver  C.  White;  treasurer,  D.  C.  Guernsey;  assessor,  Alonzo  L.  Sanford;  sur- 
veyor, Charles  E.  Truax;  coroner,  J.  H.  Kennedy;  superintendent  of  schools, 
J.  E.  Edmiston.  Surveyor  Truax  and  Probate  Judge  McLeran  resigned,  and 
the  vacancies  were  filled  by  Alfred  T.  Beall  and  Thomas  H.  Crawford,  respectively. 

The  election  of  1878  resulted  in  the  choice  of  the  following:  For  the  Legis- 
lature, Councilman  L.  M.  Ringer  (joint  with  Whitman  and  Stevens  counties), 
and  for  representatives,  T.  C.  Frary  and  D.  C.  Guernsey;  county  commissioners, 

E.  Oliver,  W;  W.  Sherry  and  D.  B.  Pettyjohn;  sheriff,  R.  P.  Steen;  auditor, 
Oliver  C.  White ;  probate  judge,  J.  A.  Starner ;  treasurer,  H.  H.  Wolfe ;  assessor, 
T.  J.  Mewhinney;  surveyor,  E.  D.  Miner;  coroner,  W.  W.  Day;  superintendent 
of  schools,  F.  M.  McCully.    For  Constitution,  426;  against  Constitution,  513. 

The  officers  chosen  in  1880  were:  Joint  councilman,  A.  H.  Butler;  council- 
man for  Columbia  County,  George  Hunter ;  representatives,  William  Clark,  R.  P. 
Steen,  W.  L.  Freeman ;  county  commissioners,  W.  W.  Sherry,  Casper  Plummer, 
Allen  Embree;  probate  judge,  tie  again  on  J.  A.  Starner  and  Walter  F.  Jones, 
with  357  votes  each,  decided  by  lot  in  favor  of  the  former;  sheriff,  John  Mus- 
tard ;  auditor,  J.  W.  Jessee :  attorney,  J.  K.  Rutherford ;  treasurer,  F.  C.  Miller ; 
assessor,  T.  J.  Mewhinney;  surveyor,  E.  D.  Miner;  superintendent  of  schools, 

F.  M.  McCully;  coroner,  J.  Clark;  sheep  commissioner  (a  new  office  created  by 
the  preceding  Legi';lature).  Charles  McCable.  There  seems  to  have  been  in  the 
four  elections  in  Columbia  County  prior  to  the  subtraction  of  Garfield,  a  remark- 
ably even  distribution  of  the  two  parties.  In  1880  there  were  ten  republicans 
and  nine  democrats. 


324  OLD  WALI.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

A  slight  change  in  the  county  line  was  made  by  the  Legislature  in  1879,  by 
which  township  8  north,  range  38  east,  was  subtracted  from  Columbia  and 
added  to  Walla  Walla. 

Most  of  the  events  concerned  with  the  industries,  newspapers  and  politics  of 
the  Columbia  County  region,  while  it  was  still  part  of  Walla  Walla,  have  been 
treated  of  in  preceding  chapters.  We  did  not,  however,  trace  the  organization 
of  the  pioneer  schools  or  pioneer  churches  or  gi\e  any  data  in  respect  to  those 
now  existing  in  Columbia  County. 

THE  FIRST  SCHOOL  IN   THE  COUNTY 

was  organized  in  1865  in  what  was  called  District  No.  15  of  Walla  Walla  County. 
The  house  was  located  on  the  old  Lewiston  Road,  a  mile  and  a  half  east  of  Dayton, 
near  the  subsequent  residence  of  John  Rowe,  lately  destroyed  by  fire.  Like  most 
of  the  pioneer  schoolhouses,  it  was  built  of  logs,  with  oiled  paper  windows,  big 
rock  fireplace,  puncheons  for  seats  and  desks  with  pegs  for  legs.  W.  H.  Elliott 
was  the  teacher  in  that  initial  school.  At  the  time  of  county  organization  in 
1875  there  were  but  few  schools,  but  the  number  rapidly  increased,  and  a  report 
of  January,  1879,  gives  statistics  from  thirty-eight  districts.  A  report  of  Xovcm- 
ber,  1881,  shows  sixty-two  districts.  That  number  was,  however,  nearly  cut  in 
half  by  the  erection  of  Garfield  County,  for  only  thirty-four  districts  were  left 
in  the  diminished  Columbia. 

A  report  of  the  superintendent  for  the  year  closing  August  31,  1882,  shows 
some  interesting  figures  for  comparison  with  others  that  are  to  follow : 

Number  of  teachers  in  county,  Males 22 

Females 28 

Amount  expended  for  teachers'  wages $  7,800.00 

Amount  for  buildings,  exclusive  of  voluntary  contribu- 
tions     2,500.00 

Value  of  school  property 19,488.00 

Census  of  school  children 481 

Movements  looking  to  graded  schools  for  Dayton  were  in  progress  soon  after 
county  establishment.  After  various  rebuffs  the  advocates  of  progress  were 
gratified  by  the  fulfillment  of  their  aspirations.  An  excellent  building  was  erected 
and  furnished  in  1880,  at  a  cost  of  $8,000.00.  The  women  of  the  town  bestirred 
themselves  and,  as  is  usual  in  such  cases,  they  made  things  go  by  the  formation 
of  an  Educational  Aid  Society.  By  means  of  festivals,  "feeds"  and  other  allure- 
ments such  as  ordinarily  play  havoc  with  the  hearts,  stomachs  and  purses  of  the 
masculine  citizens,  this  society  raised  sufficient  funds  for  equipping  the  rooms 
and  improving  the  grounds. 

When  the  tastv  building  was  opened  to  the  children  of  Dayton  in  October, 
1880,  it  provided  for  the  first  graded  school  in  Eastern  Washington.  The  schools 
of  Walla  Walla  were,  of  course,  larger,  but  up  to  that  time  had  not  been  graded. 
Supt.  C.  W.  Wheeler  of  Walla  Walla  County  called  attention  to  that  rather 
discreditable  fact  in  1881,  and  within  a  year  the  mother  county  followed  the 
daughter.     The  teachers  in  that  first  graded  school  in  Columbia  County  were: 


SCP:XE   ox   ilATX   STREET.   DAYTOX 


CENTRAL   SCHOOL,   DAYTON 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  325 

Principal,  F.  M.  McCully;  assistants,  J.  S.  Windell,  Sina  Coleson,  Stella  Bowen. 
During  the  summer  of  1881  two  additional  buildings  were  erected  and  a  high 
school  department  was  added,  in  charge  of  S.  G.  Burdick  and  Lizzie  Geary  and 
Emma  Kinnear. 

In  1882  the  principalship  was  conferred  upon  a  teacher  destined  to  become 
a  prominent  educator.  Prof.  J.  H.  Morgan,  subsequently  superintendent  of  public 
instruction  for  the  state,  and  for  many  years  afterwards  connected  with  the 
Normal  School  at  Ellensburg. 

For  the  sake  of  topical  clearness  we  will  take  a  long  step  in  time  and  present 
here  the  essential  features  in  the  report  of  the  superintendent  of  schools  for  the 
county,  and  that  for  the  superintendent  of  the  Dayton  schools  fcr  1917. 

We  learn  from  the  report  of  County  Superintendent  W.  W.  Hendron  for 
1916-17  the  following: 

Total  number  of  districts  in  Columbia  County 43 

Number  of  teachers   83 

Number  of  pupils  enrolled 1,721 

Value  of  school  property $146,500 

In  this  estimation  of  value  of  school  property,  the  Pietrzycki  bequest,  spoken 
of  later  in  connection  with  the  Dayton  schools,  is  not  included.  It  may  be  ob- 
served that  while  there  has  been  a  large  gain  since  1882,  there  has  been  relatively 
a  slow  increase  compared  with  the  industrial  and  commercial  parts  of  the  state. 
This  region  has  had  the  phenomenon  usual  in  purely,  agricultural  sections,  the 
absorption  of  many  of  the  lesser  grain  farmers  by  the  greater.  It  is  very  ob- 
servable, however,  that  the  schools  have  made  very  great  gains  in  organization  and 
equipment. 

The  present  faculty  of  the  Dayton  school  system  is  as  follows: 

C.  A.  Livengood,  superintendent. 

S.  F.  Atwood,  principal  of  high  school  and  instructor  in  chemistry  and  algebra. 

C.  G.  Greenslade,  instructor  in  algebra  and  United  States  history. 

Fred  Irvine,  instructor  in  general  science  and  physics. 

Laura  Wheat,  instrtictor  in  English  and  botany. 

Jeannette  Twyman,  instructor  in  English  history,  geometry  and  English. 

Jane  Olive  Jones,  instructor  in  Latin  and  German. 

Waite  Matzger,  instructor  in  manual  training. 

Martha  Lyons,  instructor  in  domestic  science. 

The  grade  teachers  are  as  follows,  in  order  from  the  eighth  grade  to  the  first, 
there  being  subdivisions  of  each: 

W.  W.  Hendron,  principal. 

May  Meade,  Bernice  Osborn,  Katherine  Sharp,  Cora  Gollihur,  Alice  Gentry, 
Cora  Gerkon,  May  Foreman,  Nona  Richardson,  Winnifred  Jellum,  Anna  M. 
Earhart,  Helen  Fogg,  Pansy  Gregg,  Olive  Peck,  Mary  George,  Elsie  Gough.  C. 
Blanchard  Smith,  music. 

From  Superintendent  Livengood  we  learn  that  the  value  of  the  Central 
Building,  in  which  the  high  school  and  higher  grade  students  meet,  together  with 
the  three  primary  buildings,  is  assessed,  with  grounds  and  equipment,  at  $76,673. 
There  is,  however,  a  much  larger  property  in  possession  of  the  district,  and  that 


326  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

is  found  in  the  properties  bequeathed  by  Dr.  Marcel  Pietrzycki.  This  property, 
consisting  ef  the  home  in  Dayton,  with  outlying  buildings,  now  employed  by  the 
district  for  school  purposes,  together  with  endowment  funds,  is  reckoned  at 
$110,000. 

The  history  of  the  Pietrzycki  bequest  to  Dayton  makes  up  the  most  interesting 
and  unique  chapter  in  the  history  of  the  town. 

Doctor  Pietrzycki  was  born  of  Polish  parents  on  April  25,  1843,  in  Galicia, 
Austria.  He  established  himself  in  medical  practice  in  Dayton  in  1880.  He  be- 
came a  successful  practitioner,  but  his  mind  turned  in  many  directions  outside  of 
his  profession.  Through  fortunate  land  investments  in  the  region  between  Day- 
ton and  Starbuck,  he  finally  acquired  an  estate,  which  he  called  the  Lubla  Ranch, 
containing  5,500  acres.  He  also  became  president  and  manager  of  the  Lubla 
Cattle  Company,  which  owned  about  3,500  acres  adjoining  the  ranch.  In  caring 
for  the  products  of  his  ranches  the  doctor  also  became  owner  of  the  Lubla  mills 
and  warehouses  at  Starbuck. 

Doctor  Pietrzycki  was  a  man  of  profound  thought  along  political  and 
sociological  lines,  and  possessed  also  of  a  philanthropic  nature.  He  decided  to 
turn  his  great  ranch  property  into  a  colonizing  enterprise  along  co-operative 
lines.  His  plans  were  a  curious  composition  of  socialistic  and  feudalistic  fea- 
tures. Brought  up  in  Austria  with  its  feudalistic  society,  he  had,  nevertheless, 
by  his  experiences  in  America  and  by  his  own  mental  development,  become  very 
liberal  in  his  views.  He  built  a  veritable  castle  on  the  Lubla  Ranch,  containing 
twenty-six  rooms,  doubtless  the  most  expensive  farm  dwelling  in  the  state.  He 
was  endeavoring  to  execute  his  plans  of  bringing  colonists  from  Austria  when 
failing  health,  together  with  obstacles  in  the  way  of  his  first  plan,  induced  him 
to  make  a  change  in  the  disposition  of  the  property.  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Pietrzycki 
— who  was  a  daughter  of  Rev.  J.  H.  Warren  of  California,  one  of  the  great 
pioneer  church  builders  of  that  state,  and  a  woman  of  great  culture  and  noble 
character — had  been  bereaved  in  the  loss  of  their  children  and  felt  that  their 
property  might  well  go  to  benefactions  which  would  reach  the  children  of  the 
region  where  their  most  active  years  had  been  spent.  Accordingly,  after  making 
ample  provision  for  his  wife,  the  doctor  left  half  of  his  ranch  as  a  legacy  to 
Dayton  District  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining  an  industrial  department  in  the 
schools.  Upon  the  death  of  Mrs.  Pietrzycki  the  home  property  in  Dayton  went 
also  for  the  use  of  the  district,  and  part  of  the  school  units  meet  there. 

Doctor  Pietrzycki  died  in  1910.  In  the  message  of  Mayor  J.  A.  Muirhead 
on  January  3,  191 1,  we  find  the  following  reference  to  the  bequest: 

*  *  *  "Pietrzycki  Park,  donated  to  the  city  by  our  late  esteemed  towns- 
man, Dr.  Marcel  Pietrzycki,  and  the  no  less  magnificent  bequest  in  his  last  will 
and  testament,  by  which  the  City  of  Dayton  is  named  as  the  beneficiary  of  the 
greater  part  of  his  estate  to  be  used  for  the  establishment  of  an  industrial  school 
in  our  midst.  It  is  estimated  that  the  amount  which  will  be  available  for  this 
purpose  when  the  estate  is  settled  up  and  all  bequests  paid,  will  exceed  $100,000." 
By  the  terms  of  the  will  the  judge  of  the  superior  court,  the  mayor  of  the 
city,  and  the  clerk  of  the  school  board  were  to  be  the  trustees.  But  as  the  doctor, 
among  his  other  peculiarities,  insisted  on  drawing  his  will  and  other  papers,  with- 
out any  lawyer's  assistance,  it  was  found  that  the  language  was  such  as  to  com- 
pel personal  names  instead  of  ex  officio  appointments,  and  as  a  result.  Judge  C. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  327 

F.  Miller,  Dr.  C.  H.  Day  and  Attorney  E.  W.  Clark  became  permanent  trustees 
for  the  management  of  this  unique  and  valuable  bequest. 

The  practical  measures  for  full  realization  of  the  Pietrzycki  Foundation  are  as 
yet  largely  tentative,  but  the  fimd  is  in  process  of  application,  and  within  a  few 
years  Dayton  will  have,  without  question,  one  of  the  best  equipped  industrial 
schools  in  the  country. 

CHURCHES  OF  COLUMBIA  COUNTY 

The  history  of  the  early  churches  of  the  Touchet  country  is  similar  to  that 
of  Walla  Walla.  The  preachers  of  that  early  day  had  to  do  pretty  much  every- 
thing of  secular  as  well  as  spiritual  nature.  Like  other  pioneers,  those  preachers 
were  wholesouled,  hearty,  often  robustious,  and  representative  of  the  Church 
Militant  and  Triumphant  as  well  as  the  Church  Spiritual.  They  were  usually 
men  of  eloquence  and  power,  stronger  on  revivals  and  '"hell-fire"  than  most  of 
the  pastors  of  this  cooler  and  more  scientific  age,  but  playing  a  noble  part  in  the 
foundation  building  of  early  days. 

The  Methodists  seem  to  have  been  the  pioneers  on  the  Touchet,  and  of  them 
Presiding  Elder  W.  Calloway  was  the  first  to  hold  regular  services.  That  was 
in  1866,  and  the  meetings  were  held  in  the  schoolhouse  on  the  Touchet.  The 
first  regularly  organized  church  dates  its  beginning  on  March  20,  1875.  Among 
the  pastors  of  that  early  church  was  Rev.  S.  G.  Havermale,  who  became  one  of 
the  early  settlers  in  Spokane,  filing  a  homestead  claim  on  the  Island,  now  in  the 
heart  of  that  city,  a  claim  of  enormous  value,  but  the  profits  of  which  inured 
more  to  others  than  to  the  pioneer  preacher. 

The  old  camp-meetings  at  Shiloh,  just  above  Huntsville,  witnessed  many  a 
scene  in  those  days,  religious  and  otherwise. 

There  was  a  famous  camp  ground  also  on  Mill  Creek,  about  six  miles  above 
Walla  Walla,  in  the  Dudley  grove.  One  of  the  preachers  and  authors  of  national 
reputation,  L.  A.  Banks,  now  of  Boston,  author  of  that  charming  book.  "An 
Oregon  Boyhood,"  and  other  books  of  wide  celebrity,  started  his  career  at  those 
old  camp  grounds  of  Shiloh  and  Walla  Walla. 

One  of  the  same  group,  who  started  as  a  "boy-preacher"  in  the  early  '70s  was 

G.  W.  Kennedy.  In  recent  years  he  has  written  a  very  interesting  book  called 
"The  Pioneer  Campfire."  From  it  we  make  these  extracts,  not  all  of  which  belong 
to  the  Touchet,  but  to  the  wider  area : 

"The  Oregon  country  had  no  better  people  than  had  settled  about  Rock 
Creek  and  the  Molalla.  I  love  to  remember  the  annual  meeting  with  these. 
There  were  the  Boyntons,  ■Morelands,  Sanders.  Owens,  McGowans,  Mores,  Dim- 
micks,  and  others,  whose  religious  zeal  was  of  the  pioneer  type. 

"  'Father'  Jesse  Moreland  was  a  leader,  had  a  deep  spiritual  life,  and  often 
preached  an  able  sermon  from  the  pulpit. 

"Those  hard-working,  intelligent,  gospel-inspired,  soul-loving  preachers  and 
pastors  of  those  early  days  did  a  work  with  which  no  part  of  Christian  evangelism 
can  show  a  brighter  record,  if  indeed  a  parallel.  No  wonder  the  people  revere 
those  Christian  heroes,  who  laid  the  foundations  in  godliness  for  a  stalwart  com- 
monwealth. 


328  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

PASTORAL   WORK 

"1  will  speak  of  a  characteristic  case  of  pastoral  visiting.  It  was  given  me  by 
a  man,  who  at  one  time  was  a  wild  cowboy  on  our  borders ;  afterwards  was  con- 
verted, and  became  an  'evangelist.'    This  is  the  way  he  told  it : 

"  'God  in  His  goodness  sent  a  little  preacher  down  to  that  country.     One  day 
we  saw  a  man  come  riding  across  the  prairie,  singing : 
"  'Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul, 
Let  me  to  thy  bosom  fly.' 

"He  came  to  the  ranch,  got  down  and  said:  'Boys,  I  want  you  to  put  my  pony 
up  and  feed  him.  I  am  a  Methodist  circuit  rider,  and  have  come  out  here  to  stay 
with  you.'  We  had  not  asked  him,  and  he  did  not  wait  for  an  invitation.  I 
looked  at  him  and  loved  him,  but  I  was  afraid  to  get  close  to  him.  My  heart 
would  not  beat  right.  I  was  afraid  to  ride  his  horse  to  water  for  fear  it  would 
fall  down  and  kill  me.  Brother,  his  horse  was  religious.  His  saddle  bags  would 
put  you  under  conviction.  When  we  sat  down  to  eat  and  went  to  help  ourselves 
as  usual,  he  said,  'Wait,  men,  I  am  going  to  ask  a  blessing.'  Everything  was  as 
still  as  death,  and  he  turned  loose,  and  at  once  my  mind  went  back  to  my  boy- 
hood, when  I  had  heard  the  old  father  ask  a  blessing  in  the  mountain  home.  The 
boys  began  to  eat,  and  before  they  were  through  he  said :  'Now,  men,  don't  leave 
here  until  we  have  prayers.  After  supper  we  want  to  have  prayers.'  I  was 
afraid  to  go.  After  supper  he  took  his  Bible,  and  sat  down  and  read  a  chapter 
with  a  good  deal  of  about  hell  in  it.  He  read  as  long  as  he  wanted  to.  He  was 
boss  of  the  devil.  He  got  down  on  his  knees  and  prayed  just  as  loud  as  a  man 
could,  and  just  as  long  as  he  wanted  to  pray.  He  shook  us  over  the  very  pit. 
I  saw  billows  of  hell.  My  heart  went  awful  fast,  then  it  would  seem  to  stop 
dead ;  it  seemed  like  I  was  going  to  die.  He  told  God  about  everything  we  had 
ever  done — all  the  stealing,  lying,  fighting  and  cursing.  He  had  the  thing  in 
hand.  He  never  consulted  us  as  to  how  long  or  how  loud  he  should  pray.  He 
did  it  up  exactly  right.  When  prayers  were  over  we  were  just  barely  able  to  walk 
out,  but  we  got  out  as  quickly  as  possible.  The  next  morning  the  preacher  asked 
the  blessing  again,  and  said,  'Don't  you  boys  go  out  until  we  have  had  prayers, 
then  I  will  have  to  leave  you  (he  talked  as  though  it  would  nearly  break  our 
hearts),  but  I  will  be  back  in  about  a  month.'  After  breakfast  he  prayed  until  it 
nearly  broke  our  hearts,  then  he  got  on  his  pony  and  rode  away.  About  a  month 
rolled  around,  and  we  got  sort  of  anxious  to  see  the  man  again.  As  mean  as  we 
were,  when  we  saw  a  fellow  that  was  straight,  we  respected  him,  and  we  just 
knew  he  was.  He  came  again  and  acted  about  as  he  had  the  other  time,  but  some 
of  us  didn't  do  just  as  we  did  before.  When  he  was  through  the  evening  prayer, 
I  went  out  with  the  boys ;  told  them  that  prayer  had  been  down  on  my  nerves  for 
a  month,  I  couldn't  bear  it  any  longer,  that  I  would  quit  then  and  there  the 
blasphemous  life  I  was  living.  Then  went  into  the  bushes  and  told  it  all  to  God. 
I  tell  you,  before  the  next  day  dawned,  I  was  a  changed  man.'  Many  a  faithful 
pastor  found  the  stars  for  his  crown,  out  there  among  the  roughest  of  men. 

PERSONAL   CONTACT 

"In  1870-71  I  was  teaching  school  in  Walla  Walla.  The  Methodist  Church 
held  its  quarterly  conference.     Rev.  H.  K.  Hines  was  presiding  elder,  and  Rev. 


PUBLIC  SCHOOL   BUILDING,  HUNTSVILLE 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  329 

H.  C.  Jenkins,  preacher  in  charge.  They  called  me  into  the  council  and  said: 
'Brother  Kennedy,  we  think  you  ought  to  preach  the  gospel.  Will  you  accept 
license  and  go  to  work?'  Of  course  I  had  done  the  thinking  about  it  before.  I 
replied  immediately:  'Yes,  if  you  will  bear  the  responsibility,  and  stand  for  the 
damages  that  may  follow.' 

"Soon  after  that  a  protracted  meeting  began  in  the  old  mission  church  at  that 
place.  The  pastor  told  me,  one  evening,  at  the  close  of  the  meeting,  that  I  must 
preach  the  next  night.  'No,  you  must  excuse  me,  Brother  Jenkins,  I  have  never 
preached  a  sermon  in  my  life,  your  meeting  is  growing,  and  now  needs  the  best 
preaching.'  'I  am  older  in  the  work  than  you  are,'  he  replied,  'and  know  the 
meeting  better,  and  I  know  the  expectations  of  the  church  in  you;  you  must 
preach.'    That  settled  the  matter.    I  went  home  to  think  and  pray  and  study. 

FIRST    SERMON 

"Before  breakfast  next  morning,  the  Lord  had  given  the  text,  Rom.  1-16. 
'For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  It  is  the  power  of  God,  unto 
salvation,  to  every  one  that  believeth.'  Into  the  grove  I  went,  with  my  Bible, 
formed  my  outlines,  and  went  at  the  preparation  in  dead  earnest.  On  my  knees 
with  the  Bible,  before  God,  I  had  the  struggle  of  my  life.  Every  temptation  came 
before  me.  'What  if  this  was  not  God's  plan?'  'What  if  I  should  miserably 
fail?'  'What  if  the  meeting  should  fail  pn  my  hands ?'  No  one  but  the  young 
preacher  approaching  the  pulpit  for  the  first  tirrie'  can  feel  such  a  burden. 

"Father  and  mother  were  with  me,  and  we  had  to  ^alk  a  mile  to  church  that 
night.  I  had  told  them  what  was  on  my  mind.  We  got  in  late.  The  church  was 
crowded.  Scarce  standing  room  in  the  aisles.  I  crowded  through,  walked  onto 
the  platform  and  went  down  on  my  knees  behind  the  pulpit.  I  had  promised  the 
Lord  all  day  that  if  he  would  give  me  liberty  and  help  me  to  preach  that  sermon, 
I  would  always  after  preach  his  word.  In  a  moment,  kneeling  there,  that  cloud 
of  burden  was  lifted,  and  I  had  the  victory.  O,  how  the  Holy  Spirit  did  take  that 
poor  sermon  of  mine,  and  put  His  inspiration  into  it,  and  His  power  under  it,  and 
make  it  a  power  of  God,  to  souls  that  night !  The  little  that  I  had  put  into  it  was 
so  augmented  by  the  divine.  I  seemed  like  a  Gideon,  shorn  of  his  army,  yet 
working  out  a  great  victory.  There  was  victory  in  my  soul  and  my  purpose,  and 
victory  in  all  that  meeting  that  night. 

CAMP    MEETING 

"Our  camp  meeting  that  summer  (1871)  came  in  June,  and  was  held  at  the 
old  grounds  on  Mill  Creek,  five  miles  above  Walla  Walla.  There  was  a  very 
large  attendance  of  people.  The  old  veterans  of  the  pulpit  were  there,  and  we 
'raw  recruits'  joined  them,  making  the  pulpit  force  very  large.  Quite  a  number 
of  the  young  men  had  been  put  into  the  work  that  year.  There  I  heard  Dr.  L.  A. 
Banks  preach  his  first  sermon.  There  wasn't  in  him  then  the  prophecy  of  his 
remarkable  career. 

"That  meeting  was  a  triumph.  Commensurate  with  the  beginning  of  the  meet- 
ing was  the  awakening  of  souls;  and  that  awakening  grew  to  the  most  intense 
inquiry.     The   altar  was   filled   with   'seekers'   night   after  night.     All  plan  for 


330  OLD  WALLA  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

regular  hours  for  closing  was  given  up,  under  the  press  of  'inquiring  souls.'  On 
Sunday  night  quite  a  number  were  forward  for  prayer.  There  was  a  tardiness 
about  getting  into  the  life  giving  light.  Late,  the  benediction  was  pronounced, 
and  most  of  the  people  retired.  Most  of  those  seeking  souls  remained  in  prayer, 
determined  to  get  the  victory.  Some  of  us  remained  to  pray  and  exhort  and  sign. 
And  the  meeting  went  on.  One  after  another  'came  through.'  Shouts  were 
heard,  and  the  songs  went  on,  and  the  meeting  continued  until  every  one  of 
those  struggling  ones  was  brought  out  into  the  'light  and  liberty  of  the  children 
of  God.'  Such  shouting  of  triumph  1  had  never  before  seen  the  equal.  The  sun 
rose  over  a  new  day,  and  still  that  meeting  didn't  close,  for  we  went  on  singing  the 
triumph  of  new  born  souls  among  the  camps  of  the  people. 

.\NOTHER 

"Another  camp  meeting  was  held  the  same  year,  on  the  Touchet  River,  four 
miles  beyond  Waitsburg.  An  equally  large  attendance  there.  Rev.  A.  J.  Joslyn 
and  myself  went  up  to  help  Brother  J.  H.  Adams,  preacher  in  charge.  That  meet- 
ing ran  over  two  Sundays,  and  when  finally  it  closed,  there  was  not  left  a  single 
person  on  the  ground  that  had  not  become  a  Christian. 

"That  year,  1871,  in  August,  our  conference  was  held  in  Portland,  Bishop 
James  presided.  I  attended,  and  was  admitted  as  a  'licentiate.'  In  my  class 
there  were  John  N.  Denison,  W.  T.  Chapman,  A.  J.  Joslyn,  Ira  Ward,  J.  M. 
Luark  and  F.  D.  Winton.     Some  of  these  made  noble  records  in  after  years. 

"1  continued  teaching  in  Walla  W'alla  until  the  ne.xt  conference.  Summer 
of  1872  I  taught  the  school  called  the  'Old  Mission  District' — Whitman  Mission 
— called  then  Waiilatpu.  As  a  missionary  to  the  Cayuse  Indians,  Doctor  Whit- 
man settled  there,  in  1S36,  and  continued  until  the  awful  massacre  of  November 
29,  1847.  That  awful  afternoon  the  doctor,  his  wife  and  eleven  others  fell  under 
the  murderous  tomahawk,  thus  baptizing  the  soil  of  Oregon  with  their  blood,  to 
the  cause  of  Gospel  truth.  When  I  stood  first  on  that  sacred  spot,  where  yet  is 
the  coal  and  ashes  of  their  burnt  mission,  and  looked  just  beyond  the  road,  the 
mound  heaped  over  the  thirteen  fallen  heroes,  what  memories — what  reflections — 
what  communion  of  soul,  bore  me  away  to  those  scenes  of  missionary  devotion 
to  save  a  heathen  race,  and  to  sacred  fellowship  with  that  martyr  company !  I 
seemed  still  treading  in  the  footsteps  of  the  noble  Whitman,  and  to  hear  still  his 
voice,  'turn  ye,  turn  ye,  for  why  will  ye  die,  O,  wandering  people.'  If  it  is  ever 
your  privilege,  go  and  stand  by  that  monument,  now  marking  the  spot.  There  is 
something  about  a  monument  peculiar  to  itself.  It  sanctifies  the  place.  With 
Moses  at  the  'Burning  Bush'  you  feel  the  impulse  to  remove  your  sandals,  'for 
the  place  whereon  you  tread  is  holy  ground.'  Monumental  inscriptions  are  his- 
tory in  epitome.  Here  are  recorded  the  deeds  of  the  heroic;  great  men,  great 
places,  and  times. 

"Our  conference  was  held  in  Salem  that  year,  where  Bishop  Foster  appointed 
me  to  the  Yakima  circuit,  in  Washington. 

IXDTAX    POPUL.i\TION 

"Of  course,  the  whole  country  there  originally  belonged  to  the  Indians,  and 
they  were  always  a  menace  to  settlement.    On  the  Simcoe  Reservation  there  were 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  331 

about  3,000  Indians.  Then  came  the  Yakima  \'alley  proper;  then  across  on  the 
Columbia  at  Priest  Rapids,  there  was  the  Smoholla  band  of  about  five  hundred. 
Then  Qiief  Moses  and  his  band  were  just  a  Httle  beyond,  on  the  Wenatchee. 

"During  all  the  early  settlement,  there  was  constant  alarm.  The  spring  of 
'73  the  Modoc  war  came  on.  The  Indians  all  over  the  interior  were  uneasy  and 
many  of  them  took  the  'warpath.' 

"At  the  culmination  of  the  battle  at  the  lava  beds  those  treacherous  Modocs 
proposed  a  treaty,  and  General  Canby,  Doctor  Thomas,  Agent  Dyer,  and  Super- 
intendent Meacham  went  out  to  treat  with  the  Indians.  But  Captain  Jack  and 
those  four  others  came  with  concealed  weapons,  and  at  a  signal  struck  down  and 
murdered  the  peace  commission.  This  inflamed  the  whole  Indian  population  of 
the  Northwest.  At  this  time  I  must  go  to  the  upper  valley  and  meet  my  appoint- 
ments, forty  miles  away,  and  through  the  Indian  range,  without  a  single  settler. 
Dodging  through  as  best  I  could,  I  found  the  people  badly  scared  and  ready  to 
fort  up.  Old  Chief  Smoholla  and  his  band  of  200  had  come  over  from  Priest 
Rapids  and  were  camped  within  the  valley. 

INTO   THE    HOSTILE   CAMP 

"All  the  people  came  out  on  Sunday.  Monday  came ;  something  must  be 
done  to  relieve  the  terrible  strain.  Accordingly,  four  of  us  saddled  our  horses 
and  started  for  Smoholla's  camp.  We  went  unarmed,  thinking  it  safer  to  meet 
them  on  square  footing  of  friendship.  We  took  them  completely  by  surprise. 
We  asked  to  see  the  chief.  The  Indians  spoke  in  the  jargon  tongue,  and  told  us  to 
tie  our  horses  and  wait  the  appointment  of  Chief  Smoholla.  We  took  a  position 
on  a  hill  in  the  middle  of  their  camp,  and  had  a  full  view.  Not  long  after  we  saw 
all  the  Indian  men  going  down  to  the  council  tent.  Then  they  sent  out  an  escort 
for  us. 

"As  we  entered  the  door  of  that  long  wigwam,  nearly  every  warrior  was 
present,  ranged  on  both  sides,  the  chief  at  the  rear  end.  He  looked  like  a  king. 
Stolid  as  a  statue.  He  was  the  war  leader  of  the  Columbias.  We  thought  of  the 
treachery  of  the  Modocs,  but  we  could  not  back  out  now.  On  we  went  until  just 
before  the  chief.  He  motioned  us  to  stand  there ;  then  asked  the  reason  for  our 
coming.  I  spoke  to  him  in  jargon  and  explained  the  purpose  of  our  meeting. 
Then  said  we  wanted  first  to  preach  a  sermon  to  him  and  his  people  from  the 
'white  man's  book  of  heaven.' 

"That  seemed  to  relieve  all  apprehension  on  his  part  and  such  a  stillness  I 
never  saw  in  any  audience  before.  For  the  space  of  half  an  hour  not  a  muscle 
moved ;  not  an  eyelid  quivered.    Rigid  attention. 

"I  then  told  them  that  our  people  had  become  alarmed,  for  they  thought  so 
large  a  bond  of  Indians  meant  hostility.  And  that  God  had  made  us  all  brothers 
and  not  enemies.  So  the  Great  Father  wanted  us  all  to  live  together  in  peace 
on  earth.  Then  the  old  chief  spoke :  'If  we  are  all  brothers,  why  has  the  white 
man  taken  our  lands  from  us?  Has  the  white  man  any  rights  here  in  Kittitas 
that  the  Indian  has  any  right  to  respect?    The  Indian  came  first.' 

"Well,  that  was  an  unanswerable  speech.  But  I  excused  the  white  man  all 
possible.    'That  we  could  plow  and  plant  where  they  could  not  and  still  let  them 


332  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

hunt  and  fish.'  And  I  promised  utmost  friendship  on  the  part  of  the  white 
brothers. 

"We  gave  them  our  handshake  and  pronounced  benediction  of  God  on  them, 
and  Chief  Smoholla  agreed  to  accept  that  as  the  'pipe  of  peace.'  We  finally  got 
a  change  of  countenance  in  that  stern  face ;  his  hearty  farewell — 'Klose  tillacum 
mika,'  and  then  under  those  balm  and  fir  trees  we  most  devoutly  thanked  God 
for  saving  us  from  savage  treachery  and  rode  away. 

"It  was  the  influence  of  Father  Wilbur's  agency  over  those  Yakimas  that 
kept  them  quiet — for  he  certainly  was  a  major  general  in  the  management  of 
Indians. 

FATHER  WILBUR  ON  THE  INDIAN  AGENCY 

"The  Indians  at  once  feared  and  loved  him.  While  at  the  agency  one  time 
he  told  us  the  following  story :  A  German  brought  a  wagon  load  of  liquor  on  to 
the  reservation  and  began  selling  to  the  Indians.  Down  near  the  Satas  River, 
twelve  miles  away  from  Fort  Simcoe,  he  built  his  booth — set  a  tent — fixed  a 
counter  and  shelves — put  his  stock  in  and  was  dealing  out  the  'fire  water'  as  in- 
dependently as  if  wholly  protected  by  law.  Some  of  the  Indians  were  getting 
drunk  when  Father  Wilbur  discovered  it.  He  sent  word  to  the  sheriff  of  Yakima 
County  to  go  down  there  and  arrest  the  intruder.  The  sheriff  (I  well  knew 
him)  sent  word  back  that  he  knew  that  young  German  too  well.  That,  having  a 
large  family  on  his  hands  to  support  he  must  let  out  that  job  to  someone  else ; 
that  he  could  have  it  if  he  desired.  Next  morning  Father  Wilbur  saddled  his 
riding  mule,  took  a  good  riding  horse  with  saddle  and  some  ropes  tied  on  behind. 
Then  he  called  to  his  aid  an  Indian  with  saddle  horse.  Together  they  rode  in 
sight  of  the  booth ;  they  dismounted  and  tied  the  three  horses  to  trees.  Father 
Wilbur  then  gave  instruction  to  the  Indian  to  stay  by  the  horses,  ropes  in  hand, 
and  com.e  to  his  help  when  called.  With  no  kind  of  weapon,  he  approached  the 
place.  The  proprietor  was  ready  for  him — recognizing  the  agent — and  had  a 
double-barrel  shotgun  loaded  and  lying  across  his  counter.  When  Wilbur  got 
within  forty  feet  the  German  took  up  the  shotgun,  saying,  'if  you  come  any  farther 
I  will  kill  you.'  Wilbur  stopped ;  stood  with  a  steady  eye  upon  him,  spoke  not  a 
word.  The  German  began  to  pour  out  a  volley  of  oaths,  and  after  he  was  ex- 
hausted with  cursing  he  took  up  a  whiskey  bottle,  poured  some  out  into  a  glass  and 
drank  it.  While  engaged  in  that  act,  Wilbur  moved  up  several  steps.  Then  the 
man  took  up  the  shotgun  again  and  swore  he'd  shoot  if  he  came  another  step. 
After  another  rage  of  oaths,  he  took  up  the  bottle  and  was  pouring  some  more 
liquor.  Seeing  now  his  chance  Wilbur  sprang,  like  a  cat  upon  a  mouse,  right 
upon  that  demon — threw  him  backward  on  the  ground,  and  was  over  him.  But 
the  German  was  a  young  and  very  stout  man — he  threw  his  hand  back  to  his  belt, 
grabbed  his  sheath  knife,  and  made  his  aim  at  Wilbur's  side.  Seeing  the  move, 
he  brought  his  foot  with  such  force  against  the  man's  arm  that  the  knife  flew 
clear  across  the  booth.  Now,  the  Indian  was  on  hand,  and  with  the  ropes  they 
securely  tied  the  man.  Brought  the  horse — lifted  him  into  the  saddle,  and  soon 
were  out  on  the  road ;  and  within  two  hours  they  had  that  'demon'  locked  safely 
in  the  'guard  house.'  Once  a  day  Father  Wilbur  would  go  to  his  cell  and  take 
in  bread  and  water.     The  man  would  curse.     On  going  in  on  the  third  day  he 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  333 

called  to  Wilbur :  'I  have  acted  the  fool,  Mr.  Wilbur,  now  if  you  will  release 
me  1  will  go  down  to  my  store  of  'fire  water' — pour  out  the  last  drop  of  it,  go 
home,  and  live  like  a  man  the  balance  of  my  life.'  T'll  take  you  at  your  word,' 
said  Wilbur.  He  saddled  the  horses  and  the  two  rode  down  to  the  twelve-mile 
place.  True  to  his  word  that  German  poured  out  all  his  whiskey,  then  telling 
Father  Wilbur  'good-bye'  turned  away  to  go  home  to  the  Spokane  country. 
'Hold,'  said  Wilbur,  'you  will  need  money  on  your  journey,  here  is  twenty  dollars 
— go  now,  and  God  bless  you.' 

"About  ten  years  after  Father  Wilbur  was  over  in  the  Palouse  country  on  a 
preaching  tour.  Held  night  meeting  at  a  certain  place.  At  the  close  of  the  meet- 
ing a  good  looking,  strong  young  man  came  forward  to  shake  his  hand.  'Father 
Wilbur,  I  suppose  you  will  not  recognize  me.  I  am  far  from  the  place  where 
you  last  saw  me,  and  a  very  different  man;  thanks  to  God  and  to  yourself.  I  am 
the  man  that  tried  to  ruin  your  Indians  with  liquor,  and  you  kept  me  on  bread 
and  water  for  three  days.  That  little  experience  made  me  the  man  I  now  am. 
Come  back  here,  I  want  to  introduce  you  to  my  wife  and  children.'  He  had  kept 
his  word,  and  was  now  the  strongest  man  in  that  church. 

OUR   CONFEREISfCE 

"Convened  in  July  that  summer  in  the  City  of  Walla  Walla — first  session  of 
Columbia  River  Conference.  Bishop  Merrill  presided.  There  were  twelve 
preachers  present,  and  that  made  the  entire  membership  of  the  conference.  Those 
twelve  men  covered  the  entire  field  embraced  in  the  great  district,  called  the 
Inland  Empire.  The  towns  were,  The  Dalles,  Walla  Walla,  La  Grande,  Baker 
City,  Boise  City  and  the  Village  of  Pendleton.  Indeed  all  of  these  were  but  vil- 
lages. Not  one  of  them  was  approached  by  railroad,  excepting  The  Dalles,  not 
one  by  any  other  than  stage  coach  or  your  own  conveyance.  Laborious  travel 
was  unavoidable.  My  first  year  in  this  territory  I  reached  all  the  settled  portions 
of  two  counties  and  rode  3,000  miles  on  horseback. 

DAYTON    CIRCUIT 

"When  I  reached  Dayton,  my  appointment,  I  found  the  situation  about  as 
frontier,  in  all  respects,  as  the  settlements  of  the  Yakima.  Dayton  was  a  town 
of  one  hundred  people.  No  church  within  the  entire  County  of  Garfield.  The 
homes  of  the  people  were  cabins  and  shanties.  There  I  had  the  most  wonderful 
revival  in  all  my  ministry.  Brother  Koontz  helped  me.  The  people  came  from 
the  whole  country  'round.  We  begun  about  the  1st  of  February  with  a  deep 
snow  and  cold  weather.  Religious  conditions  seemed  as  cold  as  the  weather. 
But  soon  the  spiritual  stream  broke  loose,  and  what  a  glorious  tide  of  revival — 
a  veritable  stream  of  salvation.  Well  nigh  one  hundred  were  converted,  and  the 
whole  country  was  turned  from  the  service  of  Satan  unto  God.  Dancing  ceased, 
and  it  was  many  years  before  it  could  again  be  revived. 

"We  were  able  to  build  a  good  church  in  the  town  that  year.  This  was  the 
coldest  winter  that  I  have  ever  experienced  upon  this  coast.  Thermometer  went 
down  to  35  degrees  below  zero,  and  was  near  that  for  a  whilp.  I  traveled  all 
the  time  horseback  and  certainly  had  good  chance  to  test  the  cold.     One  of  mv 


334  OLD  WAl.l.A   WAI.I.A  COUNTY 

appointments  was  at  a  schoolhouse  called  the  'Turkey  Pen,'  eight  miles  out  from 
Dayton.  I  rode  out  to  the  neighborhood  on  Saturday  and  to  Brother  Nealy's 
home.  Next  morning  was  bitter  cold.  Wc  saddled  our  horses  and  started  to  the 
schoolhouse,  which  was  about  two  miles  away.  We  were  well  wrapped,  but 
about  half-way  over  I  became  unbearably  cold.  1  tried  walking  a  short  way,  but 
on  arriving  and  getting  into  the  house,  found  that  both  my  ears  had  been  frozen 
stiff.  While  Brother  Xealy  built  a  fire,  finding  some  coal  oil,  I  proceeded  to 
apply  it  and  thaw  out.  By  the  time  about  a  dozen  people  had  come  in,  I  could 
feel  the  warm  blood  coursing  all  through  again,  and  we  went  on  with  the  meet- 
ing. People  said  I  had  preached  the  'smartest'  sermon  that  day  that  they  had 
heard.  'Yes,  no  doubt,  I  am  the  smartest  preacher  you  have  listened  to  lately, 
physically — give  the  cold  weather  the  credit.'    We  all  consented. 

".After  dinner  I  got  into  the  saddle  again,  and  rode  five  miles  right  up  that 
mountain,  in  face  of  the  storm,  to  meet  another  appointment  on  head  of  the  Patit. 
No  one  came  out,  and  after  various  efforts  to  build  a  fire,  being  too  cold  to  ac- 
complish it — I  got  on  my  horse  and  rode  him  a  mile  away  to  the  nearest  house. 
When  I  dismounted  I  had  to  be  helped  into  the  house. 

"I  remained  with  that  kind  family  until  the  weather  moderated.  ^Nly  presiding 
elder,  Rev.  .S.  G.  Havermale,  traveled  a  distance  reaching  from  Pendleton  to  the 
Colville,  encircling  the  Spokane  and  the  Clearwater  country."  This  much  from 
Brother  Kennedy. 

The  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  of  Dayton  was  organized  on  Septem- 
ber 6,  1874,  by  Rev.  A.  W.  Sweeney,  whose  home  had  been  at  Walla  Walla  and 
then  at  Waitsburg.  He  was  also  a  man  of  much  power  and  connected  with  all 
the  leading  features  of  church  life  during  that  period. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Revs.  R.  H.  Wills,  H.  W.  Eagan  ("Father  Eagan,"'  who 
afterwards  lived  at  Walla  Walla  and  was  said  to  have  performed  more  wed- 
ding ceremonies  than  any  preacher  in  the  Inland  Empire),  and  J.  C.  A'an  Patten, 
two  of  whose  sons  are  noted  physicians,  one  at  Dayton  and  one  at  Walla  Walla, 
while  another  son  is  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  Columbia  County. 

The  Baptist  Church  was  dedicated  on  September  22,  1878,  Rev.  J.  B.  Bristow 
being  the  first  pastor.  One  of  the  strongest  of  the  early  churches  of  Dayton  was 
the  Universalist,  organized  in  1876  by  Rev.  A.  Morrison.  Rev.  E.  A.  McAllister 
became  the  pastor  the  next  year  and  had  so  strong  and  enthusiastic  a  following 
that  his  people  were  able  to  erect  the  largest  church  in  town.  They  could  not. 
however,  maintain  their  lead,  and  their  church,  sad  to  relate,  was  sold  for  debt 
and  the  congregation  disbanded.  A  Congregational  Qiurch  was  organized  and 
ministered  to  at  intervals  by  Father  Eells,  by  Rev.  E.  W.  Allen  and  others,  but 
there  was  no  pastorate  of  much  length  till  1890.  In  that  year  a  notable  step  oc- 
curred in  the  church  life  and  intellectual  life  of  Dayton,  by  the  coming  of  Rev. 
S.  B.  L.  Penrose,  one  of  the  "Yale  Band,"  later  president  of  Whitman  College 
at  Walla  Walla,  and  one  of  the  leading  educators  and  public  speakers  of  the 
Northwest.  He  took  up  his  first  pastorate  in  the  Congregational  Church  at  Day- 
ton and  remained  there  from  1890  to  1895,  then  becoming,  after  an  interval  at 
Honolulu,  the  president  of  Whitman  College. 

A  Seventh  Dav  Adventist  Church  was  organized  at  Dayton  in  1877,  and  three 
vears  later  a  church  was  built.     Their  first  elder  was  .\mbrose  Johnson. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  335 

There  was  also  a  Presbyterian  organization  at  Dayton  during  the  first  decade 
of  its  hfe,  but  with  no  building  or  regular  pastor. 

At  the  date  of  this  publication  the  following  churches  are  in  active  operation: 
The  Christian  Church,  with  a  membership  of  575,  Rev.  J.  Eliott  Slimp,  pastor; 
the  Congregational,  with  140  members,  Rev.  W.  C.  Gilmore  pastor;  Methodist, 
with  140  members.  Rev.  A.  A.  Calendar  pastor;  Baptist,  90  members,  Rev.  Lem 
T.  Root,  pastor;  Episcopal,  with  15  members,  no  settled  pastor,  but  frequently 
visited  by  Rev.  John  Leacher  of  Pomeroy;  United  Brethren,  60  members,  with 
Rev.  J.  H.  Wilson  as  pastor. 

D.WTON  A  CITY  OF  LODGES 

Dayton  has  been  somewhat  distinguished  as  a  city  of  lodges.  Their  founda- 
tion, too,  dates  to  the  period  of  county  and  city  organization.  The  Odd  Fellows 
secured  a  charter  in  February  of  1876.  On  March  8,  1877,  Patit  Lodge  No.  10 
was  duly  organized,  the  first  N.  G.  being  Lee  Searcy.  The  Masons  were  not 
much  behind  in  time,  for  Coltimbia  Lodge  No.  26  was  organized  on  October  11, 
1877,  with  J.  E.  Edmiston  as  first  W.  M. 

The  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  the  Order  of  Chosen  Friends,  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Good  Templars,  and  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic 
were  all  organized  during  the  last  years  of  the  '70s  or  first  of  the  '80s.  During 
the  exciting  times  of  the  Nez  Perce  war  of  1877  there  was  a  military  organizatiort 
which  finally  grew  into  the  Columbia  Mounted  Infantry,  and  that  in  turn  became 
the  Dayton  Grays.  This  played  a  somewhat  important  part  in  keeping  alive  a 
certain  interest  that  made  the  Dayton  country  good  recruiting  ground  for  the 
State  Guard  of  Washington,  and  during  the  present  enrolling  year  of  1917  very 
responsive  to  the  national  calls. 

POLITICAL  ANNALS 

Resuming  the  thread  of  political  annals  with  the  election  of  1882,  the  first 
following  the  establishment  of  Garfield  County,  we  find  the  following  tabulation : 
For  delegate  to  Congress,  Thomas  Burke,  democrat,  673  to  442  for  T.  H.  Brents, 
republican ;  for  joint  councilman  from  the  counties  of  Walla  Walla,  Columbia, 
Garfield  and  Whitman,  J.  E.  Edmiston,  democrat ;  joint  councilman  for  Columbia 
and  Garfield,  N.  T.  Caton,  democrat ;  representative,  Elisha  Ping,  democrat ;  joint 
representative,  John  Brining,  republican;  sheriff,  J.  H.  Hosier,  democrat;  auditor, 
J.  W.  Jessee,  democrat;  probate  judge,  J.  W.  Ostrander,  democrat;  county  com- 
missioners, E.  Bird,  democrat,  J.  F.  Kirby,  republican,  and  E.  Crouch,  democrat; 
prosecuting  attorney,  J.  K.  Rutherford,  democrat;  treasurer,  F.  C.  Miller,  repub- 
lican; assessor,  Henry  Hunter,  republican,  by  a  majority  of  one  vote;  superin- 
tendent  of  schools,  Julia  Newkirk,  democrat ;  surveyor,  E.  D.  Miner,  republican, 
without  opposition ;  coroner.  Dr.  J.  Clarke ;  sheep  commissioner,  O.  E.  Mack, 
democrat. 

As  will  be  seen,  fourteen  of  the  successful  candidates  were  democrats  and 
five  were  republicans.  The  total  vote  for  congressional  delegate,  which  might  be 
considered  representative  of  the  general  voting  population,  was  1,115.  TIius  it 
will  be  seen  that  Columbia  County,  like  Walla  Walla,  was,  during  the  period  be- 


336  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

fore  statehood,  predoininaiuly  democratic,  though  not  by  such  steady  majorities 
as  to  be  counted  on  confidently.  The  gradual  transition  of  those,  as  of  other  com- 
munities in  the  state,  to  prevailing  republican  dominance,  is  one  of  the  interesting 
movements  of  the  times.  Various  reasons,  some  good  and  some  poor,  may  be 
assigned,  varying  according  to  political  predilections  of  the  observer.  Broadly 
speaking,  the  transition  was  mainly  due,  in  the  author's  judgment,  to  that  tre- 
mendous movement  of  thought  following  the  civil  war,  favorable  to  nationalism, 
the  dominance  of  nation  over  state.  The  strife  culminating  in  the  Civil  war  and 
reconstruction  thoroughly  discredited  the  theory  of  state  sovereignty,  and  the 
vast  enlargement  of  Federal  power  swept  into  the  ranks  of  nationalists  an  ever- 
increasing  number  of  young  men.  This  was  more  marked  in  the  West  than 
elsewhere,  for  the  reason  that  state  lines  and  state  pride  and  ties  have  always 
been  loose  and  weak  in  the  new  land  where  all  sections  and  nations  met  on  a  com- 
mon footing. 

The  republican  party  of  the  '60s,  the  party  of  Lincoln,  Seward,  Chase  and 
Greeley,  was  based  on  a  moral  issue,  that  of  the  inherent  wrongfulness  of  slavery. 
That  of  the  '70s  had  rather  a  political  basis,  that  of  national  power  against  local 
power.  The  transition  again  in  the  period  from  1912  to  date,  whereby  the  pendu- 
lum has  swung  from  republican  to  democratic  leadership,  has  been  based  primar- 
ily upon  economic  questions,  the  conviction  having  become  common  that  monopoly 
and  privilege  had  become  entrenched  behind  Federal  patronage  and  that  a  new 
order  of  freedom  for  the  individual  must  be  secured.  In  the  counties  under  con- 
sideration in  this  volume,  as  in  others  in  the  state  and  in  the  West  generally,  we 
see  the  manifestation  of  these  tides  of  thought  and  changes  of  viewpoint.  As 
local  studies  any  one  of  our  counties,  Columbia  among  others,  though  conservative 
like  most  farming  sections,  furnishes  abundant  matter  for  reflection. 

The  election  of  1884  was  marked  by  the  short-lived  woman  suffrage  pro- 
vision. By  reason  of  this  the  total  vote  was  considerably  increased.  In  Dayton 
there  was  a  total  vote  of  1.264,  of  which  women  cast  364. 

The  ofificials  chosen  were  as  follows :  Congressman,  C.  S.  Vorhees,  democrat, 
1,015  to  959  for  J.  M.  Armstrong;  joint  councilmen,  B.  B.  Day,  republican,  and 
C.  H.  Warner,  democrat ;  representative,  A.  E.  McCall,  democrat ;  joint  rep- 
resentative, S.  A.  Wells,  republican;  sheriff,  J.  H.  Hosier,  democrat;  auditor,  J.  A. 
Kellogg,  republican ;  county  commissioners,  J.  W.  Fields,  W.  R.  Marquis,  John 
Fudge,  all  republicans ;  prosecuting  attorney,  R.  F.  Sturdevant,  republican ;  pro- 
bate judge,  J.  Y.  Ostrander,  democrat;  treasurer,  F.  C.  Miller,  republican;  as- 
sessor, Garrett  Romaine,  republican ;  superintendent  of  schools,  R.  O.  Hawks, 
republican ;  surveyor,  W.  McBride,  democrat ;  coroner.  Dr.  E.  H.  Van  Patten, 
democrat;  sheep  commissioner,  H.  B.  Day,  republican.  A  question  of  consider- 
able local  interest  was  that  frequent  one  of  the  building  of  a  courthouse.  This 
proposal  carried  986  to  588.  Another  interesting  question  before  the  territory 
was  that  of  taxing  church  property.  The  vote  in  Columbia  County  was  S02  in 
favor  and  701  against.  The  proposition,  however,  did  not  win  in  the  territory 
Twelve  republicans  and  seven  democrats  were  garnered  into  the  official  store- 
house, as  a  result  of  the  election  of  1884.  The  tide  was  turning  toward  repub- 
licanism. In  the  election  of  1886  the  republican  candidates  scored  a  sweeping 
success,  every  county  office  except  that  of  probate  judge  being  filled  by  one  of 
that  party.     The  democratic  candidate  for  Congress,  however.  Charles  S.  Vor- 


o 


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173 


O 

a; 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  337 

hees,  again  led  the  procession  with  974  to  940  for  C.  M.  Bradshaw.  Wm.  Ayers, 
democrat,  was  chosen  to  the  council,  and  George  Eckler,  a  republican,  was  chosen 
to  the  House  of  Representatives.  The  local  officers  were  these :  Sherifif,  W.  R. 
Marquis;  auditor,  Jay  A.  Kellogg;  county  commissioners,  John  Fudge,  J.  W. 
Fields  and  D.  W.  Gritman ;  prosecuting  attorney,  C.  R.  Dorr;  probate  judge,  J. 
H.  Gough;  treasurer,  F.  C.  Miller;  assessor,  Garrett  Romaine;  school  superin- 
tendent, R.  O.  Hawks;  surveyor,  John  Patrick;  coroner,  Dr.  E.  Bories ;  sheep 
commissioner,  H.  B.  Day.  There  was  one  rather  curious  event  in  that  election, 
leading  to  a  decision  by  Attorney  R.  F.  Sturdevant,  which  has  some  general 
interest.  D.  W.  Gritman  and  Alexander  Price  had  an  equal  number  of  votes 
for  commissioner,  946.  The  former  was  a  republican,  the  latter  a  democrat.  Mr. 
Sturdevant  decided  that  though  the  number  of  votes  was  equal,  Mr.  Gritman  was 
entitled  to  the  seat  for  the  reason  that  the  statute  provided  that  no  two  commis- 
sioners should  be  from  the  same  district  and  that  Mr.  Gritman  had  a  majority 
over  the  other  candidate  in  his  di.strict,  while  Mr.  Price  was  in  a  minority  in  his 
own  district,  though  having  a  tie  with  Mr.  Gritman.  The  decision  seems  sound 
and  logical.  A  complication  of  that  sort  is  avoided  by  the  present  law  providing 
for  nominations  by  district,  not  at  large. 

The  election  of  1888,  the  last  of  the  territorial  days,  was  in  an  "off"  year, 
and  excited  comparatively  little  contest.  There  were  only  1.351  votes  as  against 
1,914  in  the  preceding  election.  The  falling  off  was  mainly  due  to  the  invalida- 
tion of  the  Woman  Suft'rage  law  by  Judge  Langford,  and  the  consequent  elimina- 
tion of  women's  votes.  The  democrats  came  back  in  this  election,  results  being 
as  follows:  C.  S.  Voorhees  for  Congress  led  John  B.  Allen  by  one  vote.  In  the 
territory,  however,  the  election  went  the  other  way,  and  Mr.  Allen  took  his  seat 
in  Congress.  M.  M.  Godman,  democrat,  was  chosen  to  the  council  and  A.  H. 
Weatherford,  of  the  same  party,  was  chosen  representative.  The  county  officers 
were  these:  Sheriff,  W.  R.  Marquis,  republican;  auditor,  Jay  A.  Kellogg,  re- 
publican ;  county  commissioners,  Alexander  Price  and  Daniel  Lyons,  democrats, 
and  T-  C.  Lewis,  republican ;  prosecuting  attorney,  E.  H.  Fox,  democrat ;  probate 
judge,  J.  H.  Gough,  democrat;  assessor, 'M.  R.  Hanger,  democrat;  superintendent 
of  schools,  G.  S.  Livengood,  democrat ;  coroner,  Dr.  E.  H.  Van  Patten,  democrat. 

To  Columbia  County,  as  to  the  other  counties  of  the  state,  the  year  1889  was 
a  great  date,  for  it  was  the  date  of  statehood.  The  general  plan  for  the  election 
of  delegates  to  the  state  convention  provided  for  the  division  of  the  territory 
into  twenty-five  districts,  each  to  have  three  delegates,  of  which  not  more  than 
two  could  be  from  any  one  party.  Each  party,  therefore,  nominated  two  candi- 
dates. Those  for  District  No.  9,  including  all  of  Columbia  County  and  the  pre- 
cincts of  Waitsburg,  Coppei,  Eureka  Flat  and  Prescott,  in  Walla  Walla  County, 
were;  democrats,  Lewis  Neace  and  M.  M.  Godman,  and,  republicans,  E.  C.  Ross 
and  R.  F.  Sturdevant.  ]\Ir.  Ross  having  the  least  vote,  the  others  were  declared 
duly  chosen. 

We  have  given  some  space  to  the  "life  and  works"  of  the  Constitutional  Con- 
vention of  1889  in  a  previous  chapter,  and  need  say  here  no  more  than  that 
Columbia  County,  in  the  election  which  followed  in  October,  1889,  did  not  accept 
the  Constitution.  The  vote  was  468  for  and  730  against.  In  similar  manner 
Columbia  County  registered  her  disapproval  of  Woman  Suffrage  by  816  to  422, 

and  of  Prohibition  by  745  to  484.    The  result  on  these  three  important  questions 
Vol.  I — 22 


338  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

was  similar  in  most  of  the  Inland  section,  and  with  reference  to  Prohibition 
and  Woman  Sufil'rage,  it  was  similar  over  the  state. 

The  Constitution,  however,  was  sustained  by  a  good  vote  in  the  territory, 
and  the  state  government  became  duly  inaugurated. 

The  officers  chosen  in  Columbia  County  in  that  first  election  under  statehood 
were  these:  Congressman.  John  L.  Wilson,  republican,  and  for  governor,  Elisha 
P.  Ferry,  republican,  both  by  very  slight  majorities,  twenty-four  in  the  first  case 
and  eighteen  in  the  second ;  the  other  state  officers  having  practically  the  same 
vote,  all  republican  except  J.  H.  Morgan,  democrat,  for  superintendent  of  public 
instruction,  chosen  by  ten  over  the  repubhcan  candidate ;  judge  of  Superior 
Court,  R.  F.  Sturdevant,  republican ;  state  senator,  H.  H.  Wolfe,  republican ; 
representatives.  H.  B.  Day,  republican,  and  A.  H.  Weatherford,  democrat ;  county 
clerk,  U.  Z.  Ellis,  democrat;  other  local  officers  were  not  chosen  in  that  election, 
as  it  was  an  "extra"  coming  in  with  statehood. 

The  number  of  votes  in  that  election  was  1,314.  Though  the  republicans  were 
in  the  majority  in  almost  all  cases,  it  was  by  very  scanty  majorities,  and  it  was 
plain  that  the  good  old  democratic  region  of  the  Touchet  was  not  yet  entirely 
given  over  to  republicanism.  The  precarious  hold  of  that  political  faith  was 
revealed  in  the  election  of  1890,  for  in  that  year  the  tide  turned  again  and  the 
republicans  were  left  high  and  dry  on  the  flats  of  Salt  River,  only  two,  John 
Woods  for  superintendent  of  schools,  and  J.  C.  Lewis  for  commissioner,  being 
able  to  navigate  their  political  barks  into  the  desired  haven.  The  total  vote  was 
1^338,  being  an  increase  over  the  preceding  year  of  only  twenty-four.  The 
results  of  the  choice  were  as  follows :  Congressman,  Thomas  Carroll ;  repre- 
sentative to  State  Legislature,  M.  M.  Godman ;  county  attorney,  J.  E.  Edmiston; 
clerk,  U.  Z.  Ellis ;  auditor,  J.  H.  Gough ;  sheriff,  J.  A.  Thronson ;  treasurer,  W. 
E.  Ayers ;  commissioner,  first  district,  L  N.  E.  Rayburn ;  commissioner,  second 
district,  J.  C.  Lewis ;  commissioner,  third  district,  Daniel  Lyons ;  school  super- 
intendent, John  Woods,  by  two  votes ;  assessor,  W^.  J.  Honeycutt ;  surveyor, 
Wilson  McBride ;  coroner,  Dr.  E.  H.  Van  Patten. 

ELECTIOX  OF   1 892 

The  leading  point  of  interest  in  connection  with  the  election  of  1892  was  that 
it  was  the  first  in  which  the  people  of  Washington  participated  in  the  choice  of 
a  President.  Moreover  it  was  a  very  strenuous  campaign,  and  as  we  view  it 
now  it  marked  peculiarly  the  turning  point  in  political  thought  toward  the  new 
set  of  issues,  questions  of  labor  and  capital,  money  systems,  railroad  control  and 
other  economic  problems,  beginning  to  supplant  the  issues  of  the  war  and  recon- 
struction. In  that  election  the  populists  and  prohibitionists  appeared  both  in  our 
new  .State  of  Washington  and  in  the  country  at  large.  In  Columbia  County, 
as  elsewhere,  there  was  much  scratching.  The  democrats  carried  the  bulk  of 
the  county  offices  in  this  election,  the  republicans  securing  only  the  auditor, 
attorney  and  one  commissioner.  In  this  election,  as  is  apt  to  be  the  case  in 
periods  of  readjustment,  the  party  in  power  suffered  most. 

On  the  vote  for  presidential  electors  the  result  was  as  follows:  Cleveland, 
674;  Harrison,  618;  Weaver,  188;  Bidwell,  95. 

At  that  time  two  congressmen  were  elected  at  large,  and  hence  each  of  the 
four  parties  made  two  nominations. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  339 

The  result  was  that  Thomas  Carroll  and  J.  A.  Alundy,  democrats,  received 
656  and  635,  respectively,  to  592  and  591  for  W.  H.  Doolittle  and  J.  L.  Wilson, 
republican  candidates.  H.  J.  Snively,  democratic  candidate  for  governor,  had 
647  to  571  for  J.  H.  jMcGraw,  republican,  but  the  latter  was  successful  in  the 
state.  On  the  Legislative  ticket  J.  A.  Kellogg  and  U.  Z.  Ellis  for  senator  had 
a  tie  with  597  each,  while  Ernest  Hopkins,  populist,  had  231. 

For  representative,  S.  W.  Hamill,  democrat,  was  chosen.  R.  F.  Sturdevant, 
republican,  and  J.  E.  Edmiston,  democrat,  seem  to  have  been  almost  constantly 
pitted  against  each  other,  and  at  this  time  the  latter  won  the  superior  judgeship 
over  the  former.  The  county  officers  chosen  were  as  follows:  Sheriff,  A.  H. 
Weatherford;  auditor,  A.  P.  Cahill;  clerk,  Garl  Taylor;  treasurer,  W.  A.  New- 
man; commissioners,  I.  N.  E.  Rayburn  and  R.  H.  McHargue.  democrats,  and 
L.  M.  \''annice,  republican ;  assessor,  W.  J.  Honeycutt ;  attorney,  W.  H.  Fonts, 
republican;  superintendent  of  schools,  Charles  H.  Terpening;  surveyor,  T.  B. 
Hicks ;  coroner.  Dr.  E.  H.  Van  Patten. 

Although  there  was  a  tie  in  Columbia  County  on  vote  for  senator,  and 
although  the  democratic  candidate  for  superior  judge  received  a  majority,  yet 
in  both  cases  the  republican  had  a  majority  in  the  district,  composed  of  Columbia, 
Garfield  and  Asotin,  and  therefore  Mr.  Kellogg  and  Mr.  Sturdevant  occupied 
those  places  respectively. 

The  election  of  1894,  coming  in  the  very  midst  of  the  hardest  of  the  "hard 
times" — floods,  strikes,  Coxey  armies,  bank  failures,  "30-cent  wheat,"  and  general 
turmoil — was  reflected  in  the  great  gain  in  the  populistic  ranks.  This  was  largely 
a  revolt  of  democrats  against  the  Cleveland  administration,  very  much  as  the  elec- 
tion of  1892  was  a  revolt  against  the  extreme  tariff  and  other  alleged  ''monopoly" 
tendencies  of  the  Harrison  administration. 

The  result  was  the  triumph  of  the  republican  candidates  in  the  triangular 
conflict.  Every  position  showed  a  republican  triumph.  W.  H.  Doolittle  and 
S.  C.  Hyde  received  677  and  671  votes  respectively,  while  B.  F.  Heuston  and 
N.  T.  Caton,  democrats,  had  to  be  content  with  420  and  417,  outrun  by  the 
populists,  W.  P.  C.  Adams  and  J.  C.  Van  Patten,  with  426  and  446.  Cornelius 
Lyman  was  chosen  representative  with  668  to  510  for  M.  M.  Godman.  The 
county  officials  were  :  .Sheriff,  Conrad  Knobloch  ;  auditor,  A.  P.  Cahill ;  treasurer, 
J.  H.  Fudge ;  clerk,  J.  L.  Mohundro ;  attorney,  W.  H.  Fonts ;  assessor,  R.  F. 
Alatkin ;  superintendent  of  schools,  H.  B.  Ridgeley ;  coroner.  Dr.  G.  M.  Burns ; 
commissioners,  C.  M.  Grupe  and  Granville  Hewitt. 

The  election  of  1896  was  characterized  by  a  sweeping  reversal  of  its  pred- 
ecessor. That  was  the  year  of  the  "Peerless  Leader"  with  his  "Cross  of  Gold." 
A  new  deal  was  on  and  the  old  democracy  was  slipping  to  its  final  doom.  A  new 
democracy,  under  the  oriflamme  of  the  People's  Party,  a  real  democracy  this 
time,  instead  of  the  pseudo-democracy  of  the  southern  slave  baron  and  aristocrat, 
was  making  its  appeal  East  and  West,  but  especially  West,  the  logical  home  of 
genuine  democracy.  Fusion  tickets  and  fusion  conventions  of  democrats,  silver 
republicans,  and  populists,  "three-ring  circuses"  as  they  were  styled  by  stand- 
patters, marked  that  great  political  campaign  of  1896.  In  Columbia  County  the 
triune  ticket  agreed  on  by  three  conventions  meeting  simultaneously  on  Septem- 
ber loth  apportioned  nominations,  so  that  representative,  auditor,  sheriff  and 
superintendent  of  schools  were  of  the  populists ;  attorney,  assessor,  clerk,  sur- 


340  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

veyor,  coroner  and  county  commissioners  went  to  the  democrats ;  the  silver  repub- 
licans were  cut  rather  short  with  the  solitary  assignment  of  treasurer. 

The  combination  adopted  the  usual  designation  of  People's  Party.  In  the 
election  the  republicans  saved  from  the  general  wreck  only  the  clerk  and  sheriff, 
by  scanty  majorities.  The  total  vote  was  1,623,  somewhat  in  excess  of  any  cast 
in  the  county  up  to  thai  date. 

The  vote  was  as  follows :  The  Bryan  electors  847,  the  McKinley  electors, 
776;  James  Hamilton  Lewis  and  W.  C.  Jones  for  Congress  and  John  R.  Rogers 
for  governor;  joint  senator,  J.  C' Van  Patten;  representative,  George  Windust; 
judge  Superior  Court.  M.  M.  Godman ;  sheriff,  Conrad  Knobloch ;  clerk,  J.  L. 
Alohundro;  auditor,  Dick  Harper;  treasurer,  G.  A.  Parker;  attorney,  E.  W. 
Clark;  assessor,  G.  W.  Page;  superintendent  of  schools,  Mrs.  Ella  Terpening; 
surveyor,  Ira  Trescott ;  coroner,  E.  H.  Van  Patten;  commissioners,  J.  H.  Mc- 
Cauley  and  J.  C.  Marckley. 

The  election  of  1898  witnessed  the  same  alignment,  republicans  against  the 
"fusion"  of  populists,  democrats  and  silver  republicans. 

The  result,  however,  was  another  reversal,  and  all  the  places  were  filled  by 
republicans,  with  the  single  exception  of  superintendent  of  schools.  The  vote 
resulted  thus :  W.  L.  Jones  and  F.  W.  Cushman  for  Congress ;  T.  A.  Anders 
and  Mark  A.  Fullerton  for  Supreme  Court ;  representative  in  Legislature,  C.  S. 
Jerard ;  sheriff,  J.  D.  Smith ;  clerk,  L.  L.  Ellis ;  auditor,  H.  E.  Gilham ;  treasurer, 
F.  W.  Guernsey;  attorney,  W.  H.  Fouts;  assessor,  J.  F.  Porter;  superintendent  of 
schools.  Mrs.  Ella  Terpening;  surveyor,  Ira  Trescott;  coroner,  G.  M.  Burns; 
commissioners,  Alexander  Duffy  and  Cornelius  Lyman. 

The  election  of  1900  made  it  seem  that  the  "fusion"  formation  was  down  and 
out,  for  the  republicans  carried  the  field  by  large  or  good  majorities  for  every 
candidate.  Results  thus  appear :  Electors  for  McKinley  899  to  712  for  those  of 
Bryan ;  W.  L.  Jones  and  F.  W.  Cushman  for  Congress ;  J.  M.  Frink  for  governor 
by  835  to  760  for  Governor  Rogers;  joint  state  senator,  Edward  Baumeister; 
representative,  C.  S.  Jerard;  judge  Superior  Court,  C.  F.  Miller;  sheriff,  J.  D. 
Smith;  clerk,  L.  L.  Ellis;  auditor,  H.  E.  Gilham;  treasurer,  F.  W.  Guernsey; 
attorney,  R.  B.  Brown;  assessor,  J.  F.  Porter;  superintendent  of  schools,  W.  W. 
Hendron ;  coroner,  J.  W.  McLachlan;  commissioners,  Cornelius  Lyman  and 
Richard  Jackson. 

In  the  election  of  1902  there  was  a  considerable  falling  off,  over  a  hundred 
votes,  from  that  of  1900,  and  a  marked  diminution  of  interest.  This  was  again 
essentially  a  republican  victory,  their  adversaries  coming  through  with  only  the 
clerk,  attorney  and  treasurer.  The  official  vote  follows :  W.  L.  Jones,  Francis 
W.  Cushman  and  W.  E.  Humphrey  for  Congress  by  an  average  of  808  votes 
to  an  average  of  609  for  the  democratic  candidates,  Cotterill,  Holcomb  and  Cole ; 
representative,  Conrad  Knobloch,  740  to  732  for  the  democrat,  M.  M.  Godman; 
sheriff,  O.  M.  Stine;  auditor,  E.  V.  Thompson;  clerk,  Clark  Israel,  democrat  by 
808  to  665  for  R.  M.  Campbell ;  treasurer,  E.  W.  Alcorn,  democrat  by  837  to  638 
for  D.  C.  Guernsey ;  attorney.  E.  W.  Clark,  democrat,  792  to  681  for  R.  B. 
Brown ;  assessor,  Willjur  Hopkins ;  superintendent  of  schools,  W.  W.  Hendron ; 
surveyor,  John  Patrick;  coroner.  Dr.  C.  H.  Day;  commissioners,  R.  A.  Jackson 
and  C.  W.  Sanders. 

With  1904  comes  another  presidential  election,  as  well  as  a  full  state  ticket 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  341 

and  the  intense  interest  always  belonging  to  such  an  election.  The  result  of 
the  presidential  vote  was  significant  of  the  state  of  the  public  mind,  and  Columbia 
County  was  in  this  respect  an  index  of  the  country  at  large.  Roosevelt  was 
forced  upon  the  unwilling  managers  and  bosses  of  the  "G.  O.  P."  by  the  tremen- 
dous sentiment  in  favor  of  trust  control  and  other  liberal  policies  by  the  masses, 
while  Parker  was  forced  upon  the  unwilling  democratic  masses  by  a  coterie 
of  reactionary  managers  in  New  York.  The  result  showed  that  the  masses 
would  win  every  time.  Parker  was  snowed  under  for  all  time  and  the  already 
defunct  old-time  democratic  limited  management  had  a  rude  jolt  in  its  grave 
clothes,  which,  strange  to  record,  the  republican  management  of  the  same  type 
did  not  heed,  and  as  a  logical  result  they  got  their  jolts  in  1912  and  1916.  In 
Columbia,  Roosevelt  received  an  overwhelming  majority,  the  electors  for  him 
receiving  an  average  of  1,083  to  an  average  of  480  for  the  Parker  electors. 
Humphrey,  W.  L.  Jones  and  Cushman  received  about  250  majority  over  their 
democratic  opponents.  On  the  other  hand,  George  Turner,  democrat,  had  886 
to  719  for  A.  E.  Mead  for  governor. 

The  joint  republican  candidate  for  state  senator,  S.  S.  Russell,  had  880  votes 
to  727  for  Frank  Cardwell,  democrat.  But,  reversing  again,  F.  M.  Weather- 
ford,  democrat,  beat  W.  H.  Fouts  for  the  lower  house  of  the  State  Legislature. 
The  successful  county  candidates  were :  Sheriflf,  F.  W.  Bauers,  democrat ;  clerk, 
Clark  Israel,  democrat ;  auditor,  E.  V.  Thompson,  republican ;  treasurer,  E.  W. 
Alcorn,  democrat;  attorney,  E.  W.  Clark,  democrat;  assessor,  Wilbur  Hopkins, 
republican ;  superintendent  of  schools,  C.  B.  Leatherman,  republican ;  surveyor, 
Wilson  McBride,  republican;  coroner.  Dr.  C.  H.  Day,  republican;  commissioners, 
C.  W.  Sanders  and  C.  E.  Shafifer,  both  republicans. 

The  election  of  1906  resulted  thus : 

1906 

Representatives  to  Congress —  Party  Vote 

W.  E.  Humphrey Republican 795 

Wesley  L.  Jones Republican 800 

Francis  W.  Cushman Republican 801 

Wm.  Blackman   Democrat 550 

Patrick  E.  Byrne Democrat 538 

Dudley  Eshelman   Democrat 538 

A.  Wagenknecht Socialist 30 

J.  H.  Barkley   Socialist 29 

Emil  Herman Socialist 29 

A.    S.    Caton Prohibition 35 

J.  M.  Wilkin   Prohibition 35 

Wm.  Everett   Prohibition 36 

State  senator.  Tenth  District,  covering  Asotin,  Garfield  and  Columbia  counties. 
Stevenson,  Senator;  Godman  was  Representative. 

State  Rep.,  Eleventh  Dist. — John  R.  Steven- 
son    •  • Republican  . . .  Successful  candidate 

M.   M.   Godman Democrat  ....  .Successful  candidate 


342  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Sheriff — F.  W.  Bauers Democrat  .  .  . 

County  Clerk — Alvin  Harms Democrat  .  .  . 

.\uditor — Walter  A.  Frary Republican  .  . 

Treasurer — Thos.  E.  Gentry Republican  .  . 

Attorney — R.  M.  Sturdevant Republican  . . 

Assessor — W.  S.  Hunt Republican  .  . 

School  Superintendent — Xellie  \'.  Gregg Democrat  .  .  . 

Surveyor — F.  W.  Guernsey Republican  .  . 

Coroner — Dr.  John  Huntington Republican  .  . 

County  Commissioner  Second  District — 

Chas.   Shaft'er    Republican  .  . 

County  Commissioner  Third  District — 

C.   T-  Thronson Democrat  .  .  . 


Successful  candidate 
Successful  candidate 
Successful  candidate 
Successful  candidate 
.  .  .  .  (No  opposition) 
Successful  candidate 
Successful  candidate 
Successful  candidate 
Successful  candidate 

Successful  candidate 

Successful  candidate 


No  record  of  election  of  1908. 

Though  there  is  no  official  record,  the  county  proceedings  indicate  the  follow- 
ing choices : 


State  Senator,  Tenth  District  (joint) — John 

R.  Stevenson Republican  . 

State  Representative,  Eleventh  District — R. 

A.  Jackson Republican  . 

Sheriff' — Ed  M.  Davis Democrat  .  . . 

Clerk — J.  H.  Swart Republican  . 


.  Successful  candidate 

.  Successful  candidate 
.  Successful  candidate 
.  Successful  candidate 


(Mr.  Swart  resigned  July  i,  19 10,  to  accept  appointment  as  county  auditor,  R.  R. 
Cahill  appointed  to  fill  vacancy,  Cahill  resigned  September  i,  1910,  account 
leaving  to  attend  school  and  W.  L.  Jackson  appointed  to  fill  vacancy.  All 
republicans.) 

.\uditor — Walter  A.  Frary Republican  . .  .  Successful  candidate 

(Mr.  Frary  resigned  July  i.  1910,  to  accept  appointment  as  postmaster  and  J.  H. 
Swart  appointed  to  fill  vacancy.) 


Treasurer — Claude  Beckett Republican  . 

Attorney — R.  M.  Sturdevant Republican  . 

Assessor — A.  E.  French Democrat  .  . 

Superintendent  of  Schools — W.  H.  Kintner.  .Republican  . 

Coroner — Dr.  John  Huntington Republican  . 

Engineer — F.  W.  Guernsey Republican  . 

Commissioner  First  District — C.  B.  Bowman.  .Democrat  .  . 

Commissioner  Second  District — A.  P.  Cahill.. Republican  . 

Commissioner  Third  District — W.  C.  Wood- 
ward     Republican  . 

Superior  Judge,  Asotin,  Garfield  and  Colum- 
bia counties — Chester  F.  Miller 


.  Successful  candidate 
.  . .  .  (No  opposition) 
.  Successful  candidate 
.  Successful  candidate 
.  Successful  candidate 
.  Successful  candidate 
.  Successful  candidate 
.  Successful  candidate 

.  Successful  candidate 

.  . .  (No   opposition)  ' 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  343 

1910 
Representatives  of  Congress —  Party  Votes 

Wm.  L.  LaFollette Republican 820 

Harry  D.  Merritt Democrat 431 

David  C.  Coates Socialist 43 

State   Representative,   Eleventh  District — J. 

A.  Fontaine   Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 

Sheriff — Ed  M.  Davis Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 

Clerk — J.  F.  Clancy Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 

Auditor — J.  H.  Swart Republican  .  .  .Successful  candidate 

Treasurer — Claude  Beckett Republican  . .  .Successful  candidate 

Attorney — R.  M.  Sturdevant Republican (No  opposition) 

Assessor — A.  E.  French ^ Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 

School  Superintendent — Flora  Morgan Republican  .  .  .Successful  candidate 

Engineer — Wilson  McBride  Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 

Coroner — B.  D.  Wiltshire Republican (No  opposition) 

Commissioner  First  District — Geo.  Spalinger.  Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 
Commissioner  Second  District — C.  J.  Thron- 

son Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 

Commissioner  Third  District — W.  C.  W^ood- 

ward    Republican  . . .  Successful  candidate 

(Owing  to  county   being  redistricted  thought  necessary  to   elect   new  commis- 
sioners throughout.) 

1912 

Party  Votes 

Presidential  Electors    Republican 672 

Presidential  Electors    Democrat 855 

Presidential  Electors    '.  Socialist 172 

Presidential  Electors    Socialist  Labor 2 

Presidential  Electors    Prohibitionist    59 

Presidential  Electors    Progressive   803 

Congressmen  at  Large — 

J.  E.  Frost Republican 818 

Henry  B.  Dewey Republican 836 

E.  O.  Connor Democrat 820 

Henry  M.  White Democrat 826 

M.E.  Giles Socialist 150 

Alfred  Wagenknecht   Socialist 150 

N.  A.  Thompson Prohibition    49 

J.  W.  Bryan Progressive   611 

J.   A.    Falconer Progressive   619 

Congressman  Third  District — 

Wm.  L.  LaFollette Republican 831 

Roscoe  M.  Drumheller Democrat 999 

Robt.  Eurnes  Martin Socialist 136 

F.  M.  Goodwin Progressive   481 


344  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Governor — 

M.  E.  Hay Republican 830 

Ernest  Lister Democrat 986 

Anna  A.  Maley Socialist 148 

Abraham  L.  Brearcliff Socialist   Labor    2 

Geo.  F.  Stevers Prohibition    46 

Robert  T.  Hodge Progressive 513 

State  Senator,  Tenth  District — J.  C.  Weather- 
ford  Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 

State    Representative,    Eleventh    District — J. 

A.  Fontaine   Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 

Superior  Judge,  Asotin,  Garfield  and  Colum- 
bia counties — Chester  F.  Miller (No  opposition) 

Sheriff — F.  W.  Bauers Democrat  .  . .  .Successful  candidate 

Clerk — J.  F.  Clancy Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 

Auditor — J.  H.  Swart Republican  . .  .Successful  candidate 

Treasurer — James  Bradford Democrat  .  .  .  .Successful  candidate 

(Mr.   Bradford  died  July  29,    1913.  and  M.   Riggs,  democrat,  appointed  to  fill 
vacancy. ) 

Attorney — -E.   W.   Clark Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 

Assessor — Claude  Beckett Republican  . . .  Successful  candidate 

(Mr.  Beckett  died  July  7,  1914,  and  Blanch  Beckett,  his  wife,  appointed  to  fill 
vacancy.) 


.  Successful  candidate 
.  Successful  candidate 
.  Successful  candidate 
.  Successful  candidate 
.  Successful  candidate 


School  Superintendent — Maude  L.  Tucker. ..  Democrat  . 

Engineer — Wilson  McBride  Democrat  . 

Coroner — Dr.  J.  M.  Miller Democrat  . 

Commissioner  Second  District — R.  H.  Prater.  Republican 
Commissioner  Third  District— J.  H.  McCauleyDemocrat  . 
Superior  Judge,  Asotin,  Garfield  and  Colum- 
bia Counties — Chester  F.  Miller Non-partisan 

1914 

United  States  Senator — 

Wesley   L.   Jones Republican   1,126 

W.  W.  Black Democrat    880 

Adam  H.   Barth Socialist 118 

Ole  Hanson   Progressive 223 

A.  S.  Caton Prohi))ition 122 

Representative  Third  District — 

Wm.  L.  LaFollette Republican   1,229 

Roscoe  M.  Drumheller Democrat    847 

John  Storland   .Socialist    112 

M.  A.  Peacock Progressive    234 

J.  V.  Mohr Prohibition 114 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 


345 


Republican  .  .  .  Successful  candidate 
Republican  .  .  .  Successful  candidate 
Democrat  .  . .  .Successful  candidate 
Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 
Democrat  .  . .  .Successful  candidate 
Republican  .  .  .Successful  candidate 

Republican (No  opposition) 

Democrat  .  . .  .Successful  candidate 
Republican  .  .  .Successful  candidate 
Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 
Republican  .  .  .  Successful  candidate 


State  Representative,  Eleventh  District — John 

F.  Rockhill 

Sheriff— W.  T.  Vk^ooten 

Clerk — E.  D.  Cleveland 

Auditor — J.  F.  Clancy. 

Treasurer — M.  Riggs 

Attorney — R.  M.  Sturdevant 

Assessor — Blanch  Beckett 

School  Superintendent— Maude  L.  Tucker.  . . 

Engineer — F.  W.  Guernsey 

Commissioner  First  District — Geo.  Spalinger. 
Commissioner  Third  District — E.  L.  Lindley. 

1916 

Presidential  Electors    Republican   1,148 

Presidential  Electors   Democrat    1,164 

Presidential  Electors   Prohibition 25 

Presidential  Electors   Socialist    108 

Presidential  Electors   Socialist  Labor 2 

United  States  Senator — 

Miles  Poindexter Republican   i  ,269 

Geo.  Turner Democrat 1,004 

Walter  J.  Thompson Progressive 2 

Jos.  A.   Campbell Prohibition    24 

Bruce  Rogers SociaHst 100 

Representative,  Fourth  District — 

Wm.  LaFollette Republican    1.321 

Chas.  W.   Masterson Democrat    944 

Walter  Price   Socialist    104 

Governor — 

Henry  McBride Republican   i  ,082 

Ernest  Lister Democrat    1,241 

Jas.  E.   Bradford Progressive 3 

A.  B.  L.  Gellermann Prohibition 29 

L.  E.  Katterfield Socialist 94 

Jas.  E.  Riodan Socialist  Labor i 

State  Senator,  Tenth  District — Elgin  V.  Kuy- 
kendall    Republican 

State  Representative,  Eleventh  District — Geo. 

Spalinger    Democrat  . 

Sheriff — W.  T.  Wooten Republican 

Clerk — E.  D.  Cleveland Democrat  . 

Auditor — J.  F.  Clancy Democrat. . 


.  Successful  candidate 


.  Successful  candidate 

.  Successful  candidate 

.  Successful  candidate 

(No  opposition) 


(Clancy  resigned  June  4,  1917,  account  condition  wife's  health,  and  Dick  Harper, 
democrat,  appointed  to  fill  vacancy.) 

Treasurer — M.  Riggs Democrat Successful  candidate 

Attorney — ^R.  M.  Sturdevant Republican (No  opposition) 


346  OLD  W  ALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Assessor — Blanch  Beckett    Republican i^No  opposition) 

Superintendent  of  Schools — W.  W.  Llendron. Republican  . .  .Successful  candidate 

Engineer — Wilson  McBride   L)L-niocrat  ....  Successful  candidate 

Coroner^Dr.  J.  M.  Miller Democrat  ....  Successful  candidate 

Commissioner  First  District — ^John  R.  Blize.  .Republican  . . . Successful  candidate 
Commissioner  Second  District — R.  H.  Prater.  Republican  .  .  .  Successful  candidate 

(i\Ir.  Prater  resigned  January  24,  1917,  for  business  reasons  and  C.  F.  Actor, 
republican,  appointed  to  fill  vacancy.) 

Superior  Judge,  Asotin,  Garheld  and  Columbia  counties— Chester  F.  Miller,  Non- 
partisan   (no   opposition). 

(We  wish  to  acknowledge  here  the  valuable  assistance  of  Mr.  J.  F.  Clancy  of 
the  auditor's  office  in  compiling  these  records  of  election  returns.) 

MUNICIPAL    POLITICS 

Turning  from  the  political  history  of  the  county  to  that  of  the  towns,  we  will 
give  our  attention  first  to  Dayton. 

Of  the  founding  and  of  the  earliest  days  of  the  metropolis  of  the  Touchet 
we  have  spoken  already.  We  have  also  spoken  of  the  schools  and  churches.  It 
remains  to  take  note  of  the  municipal  history  and  organization  and  of  the  jour- 
nalism of  the  town.  A  petition  from  the  citizens  looking  to  incorporation  is 
worthy  of  preservation,  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  it  was  the  first  step  in  that 
direction,  and  still  more  from  the  fact  that  it  contains  what  might  be  regarded 
as  practically  an  authorized  record  of  the  business  men  of  the  town  of  that  time. 
It  is  dated  May  5,  1876,  and  is  addressed  to  the  county  commissioners.  We  are 
indebted  to  the  "History  of  Southeastern  Washington"  for  this  excerpt: 

,To  the  Honorables,  the  County  Commissioners  of  the  County  of  Columbia, 
in  the  Territory  of  Washington: 

We,  your  petitioners,  do  most  respectfully  represent  that  we  are  citizens  of 
the  Town  of  Dayton  in  said  county  and  are  qualified  electors  under  the  laws  of 
this  territory ;  that  we  have  resided  in  said  town  for  thirty  days  and  upwards 
next  preceding  the  date  of  this  petition ;  that  we  are  desirous  that  said  town 
should  be  incorporated,  and  a  police  established  for  our  local  government;  that 
the  territory  we  wish  incorporated  is  bounded  and  described  as  follows,  to-wit : 
The  east  half  of  the  northwest  quarter,  and  northeast  quarter  of  section  30,  and 
the  east  half  of  southeast  quarter  of  section  30,  and  west  half  of  southwest 
quarter,  and  southeast  quarter  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  29,  all  in 
township  10,  north,  range  39  east;  also  north  half  of  northeast  quarter  of  south- 
west quarter  and  north  half  of  northwest  quarter  of  southeast  quarter  of  section 
30,  town  10  north,  range  39  east,  in  the  County  of  Columbia  and  Territory  of 
Washington,  a  plat  of  which  is  hereunto  annexed  and  made  a  part  of  this  petition. 
And  your  petitioners  do  further  represent  that  said  town  contains  over  one 
hundred  and  fifty  inhabitants  and  we  do  most  respectfully  pray  that  you  incor- 
porate said  town.     Dated  April  27,  1876. 

John  Mustard.  A.  L.  McCauley,  A.  Vallen,  R.  F.  Sturdevant,  Mc.  C.  Lyon, 
T.  S.  Thomas,  R.  T.  Watrous,  F.  Maynard,  D.  C.  Guernsey,  A.  J.  Cain,  W.  O. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  347 

Matzger,  O.  C.  \\"hite,  M.  Riggs,  E.  Tatro,  F.  G.  Frary,  A.  M.  Sparks,  L  G. 
Abbott,  L.  L.  Davis,  W.  W.  Day,  J.  W.  Maddox,  James  Gough,  J.  M.  Hunt, 
J.  M.  Sparks,  B.  Magill,  J.  N.  Day,  G.  A.  Opperman,  A.  J.  Dexter,  Wiley  Sparks, 
Salmon  Park,  G.  L.  Kirk,  C.  Hansen,  J.  H.  Lister,  P.  Stedman,  H.  S.  Critchfield, 
Thomas  T.  Elliott,  A.  Jacobs,  J.  M.  Grinstead,  J.  H.  Kennedy,  J.  L.  Smith,  Wil- 
liam Hendershott,  S.  M.  Wait,  W.  S.  Newland,  George  W.  Giles,  W.  A.  Belcher, 
J.  Kerby,  D.  S.  Richardson,  D.  F.  Spangler,  C.  W.  Frick,  H.  P.  Keach,  W.  A. 
Moody,  Thomas  Smith,  L.  E.  Harris,  R.  A.  Rowley,  R.  H.  Condon,  J.  B.  Arm- 
strong, .  W.  A.  Sparks,  C.  A.  Clark,  William  E.  Coney,  Con.  Ruttlemiller,  L. 
Ritter,  J.  H.  Kennedy,  Edward  Owens. 

The  commissioners  granted  this  request  and  in  pursuance  of  the  territorial 
law  empowering  commissions  to  grant  incorporation,  they  appointed  May  22d 
the  date  for  electing  trustees.  Apparently  the  record  of  the  results  of  that  elec- 
tion is  not  available,  but  the  trustees  chosen  a  year  later  were  J.  F.  Martin,  Perry 
Steen,  George  Eckler,  William  Metzger  and  W.  S.  Strong.  The  assessor  reported 
the  population  of  the  town  at  that  time  as  526. 

In  1877  a  sentiment  developed  that  the  existing  form  of  incorporation  was 
undesirable,  and  as  the  result  of  a  petition  by  the  citizens  the  trustees  appointed 
an  election  for  July  i,  1878,  upon  the  question  of  the  abandonment  of  that 
charter.  The  decision  of  the  citizens  at  that  election  was  to  abandon  the  organiza- 
tion and  to  substitute  another.  In  pursuance  of  that  decision  an  election  for 
mayor,  common  council  of  seven,  and  a  marshal,  was  held  on  July  i6th.  D.  C. 
Guernsey  was  elected  mayor,  and  the  councilmen  chosen  were  J.  B.  Shrum,  G. 
K.  Reed,  J.  Alustard,  J.  L.  Smith,  J.  K.  Rainwater,  Frank  Pierce  and  D.  B.  Kim- 
hall.     Edward  Tatro  was  chosen  marshal. 

One  of  the  interesting  points  called  up  by  old-timers  in  that  stage  of  Dayton's 
history  is  the  development  of  what  is  now  known  as  "Brooklyn"  or  first  styled 
"Across  the  Patit."  Between  September,  1878,  and  March,  1879,  fifteen  houses 
were  erected.  F.  M.  Day  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  to  build  in  that  new  tract, 
followed  soon  by  Mr.  Dunkle  and  Mr.  Brewer.  That  was  for  a  number  of  years 
one  of  the  most  popular  suburbs  of  Dayton.  Somewhat  separated  from  the  busi- 
ness part  of  the  town  by  the  pretty  little  stream  of  the  Patit,  and  embowered  in 
trees  and  shrubbery,  it  still  impresses  the  visitor  as  a  very  charming  village  sec- 
tion. Dayton  Heights  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  town  has,  however,  taken  the 
lead  as  a  growing  residence  section  during  the  past  dozen  years. 

A  curious  situation  in  regard  to  the  town  government  developed.  As  a 
result  of  doubt  about  the  validity  of  the  existing  municipal  government,  Jesse 
N.  Day,  the  father  of  the  city,  refused  to  pay  taxes  levied  by  the  county  in  1878. 
County  treasurer,  H.  H.  Wolfe,  instituted  legal  proceeding  by  levying  upon 
property  owned  by  Mr.  Day.  The  latter  accordingly  brought  suit,  with  David 
Higgins  as  his  attorney,  to  secure  restitution  of  his  property.  N.  T.  Caton  of 
Walla  Walla  appeared  as  counsel  for  the  county.  This  suit  was  called  January 
14,  1880.  The  result  was  a  decision  by  Judge  Samuel  C.  Wingard  of  Walla 
Walla,  judge  of  the  Territorial  District  Court,  that  the  incorporation  of  the  city 
was  invalid. 

The  effect  of  this  decision  was  to  necessitate  a  new  incorporation.  By  com- 
mon agreement  Judge  Wingard  was  requested  to  give  informal  advice  upon  the 
legal  status  of  the  community  and  the  steps  that  should  be  taken  to  give  it  a 


348  OLD  WALI.A   WAI.I.A  COUNTY 

proper  judicial  character.  Thus  ajipealed  to  the  judge  gave  the  opinion  that 
Dayton  had  been  organized  as  a  town  and  was  still  upon  that  footing,  and  that 
the  town  might  incorporate  as  a  city  under  territorial  laws.  Accordingly  the 
old  town  government  was  resumed  and  continued  until  the  issuance  of  a  new 
charter  by  the  Territorial  Legislature  in  1881,  which  went  into  effect  with  the 
opening  of  the  next  year. 

Under  the  new  charter  the  Government  w-as  to  consist  of  mayor  chosen 
yearly;  seven  councilmen,  chosen  for  two  years,  three  elected  in  one  year  and 
four  the  next;  a  marshal  chosen  by  popular  vote;  and  justice,  clerk,  attorney, 
treasurer,  health  officer,  surveyor,  street  commissioner  and  assessor,  appointed 
by  Council.  The  charter  named  as  mayor  and  councilmen  the  following:  Mayor, 
O.  C.  White;  councilmen,  G.  E.  Church,  L.  E.  Harris,  J.  L.  Smith,  John  Brining, 
J.  E.  Edmiston  and  W.  A.  Belcher. 

The  period  of  inauguration  of  the  new  charter  was  marked  by  three  dis- 
asters, a  severe  fire  on  December  13,  1880,  and  another  much  more  serious,  on 
April  2,  1882,  by  the  latter  of  which  a  loss  of  $90,000,  partially  covered  by  insur- 
ance, was  sustained.  The  other  disaster  was  much  greater,  and  is  still  referred 
to  with  almost  bated  breath  by  old-timers.  This  was  the  dreadful  smallpox 
scourge  in  the  fall  of  1881.  It  was  reported  that  there  were  167  cases  and 
twenty-one  deaths.  The  excitement  was  great,  nearly  reaching  the  proportions  of 
a  panic,  and  as  is  apt  to  be  the  case  at  such  a  time,  there  were  "hard  feelings" 
and  charges  of  criminal  negligence.  Dr.  M.  Pietrzycki,  one  of  the  best  physicians 
and  one  of  the  most  unicjue  and  interesting  characters  of  the  city,  was  health 
officer  at  that  time,  and  the  testimony  seems  to  be  on  all  hands  that  his  course 
was  firm  and  wise  and  that  he  saved  many  homes  from  the  deadly  scourge. 

Meanwhile  the  charter  question  was  not  settled.  A  memorial  was  presented 
to  the  Territorial  I-egislature  in  1886,  setting  forth  the  imi>erfections  of  the 
existing  charter  and  petitioning  for  still  another.  This  memorial  preserves  the 
names  of  the  mayor  and  councilmen  of  that  year  as  follows :  Mayor,  D.  B.  Kim- 
ball;  councilmen,  D.  C.  Guernsey,  T.  J.  Taylor,  E.  Ping,  H.  H.  ^^'olfe,  D.  H. 
Hardin.  H.  F.  McCornack,  D.  M.  Vaughn. 

This  memorial  was  not,  however,  sustained,  and  the  unsatisfactory  charter 
continued  in  force  for  a  number  of  years.  At  a  municipal  election  of  July  11, 
1904,  by  a  majority  of  one  only  of  the  whole  vote  of  404,  the  city  voted  to 
abandon  the  old  charter  and  to  adopt  the  new  form  of  city  government.  Under 
that  general  charter  Dayton  has  remained  to  this  day.  Since  that  new  municipal 
organization  went  into  effect  the  incumbents  of  the  different  offices  have  been 
the  following: 

The  city  election  of  December  6.  1904,  resulted  in  the  choice  of  G.  T.  Jackson 
for  mayor,  W.  A.  Frary  for  treasurer,  R.  M.  Sturdevant  for  clerk,  H.  E.  Hamm 
for  attorney,  C.  H.  Day  for  health  officer,  and  for  councilmen,  Add.  Cahill,  G.  E. 
Barclay,  Lars  Nilsson,  E.  S.  Ryerson,  L.  F.  Jones,  W.  L.  Jackson,  and  W.  H. 
Van  Lew.  The  entire  number  of  seven  were  chosen  at  that  first  election,  one  at 
large,  three  for  two  years,  and  three  for  one  year.  Hence  in  subsequent  years 
there  were  regularly  chosen  three  for  the  different  wards  and  one  at  large  each 
year. 

In  the  election  of  December,  1905.  the  officials  chosen  were:  G.  T.  Jackson, 
mayor;  W.  A.  Frarv.  treasurer;  R.  M.  Sturdevant,  clerk;  Leon  B.  Kenworthy, 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  349 

attorney ;  C.  H.  Day,  health  officer ;  Add.  Cahill,  L.  F.  Jones,  Everett  Eager  and 
W.  H.  Van  Lew,  councilmen.  In  that  case,  as  usually,  the  practice  of  re-election 
was  held  in  honor. 

In  the  election  of  December  4,  1906,  results  were  these :  A.  Wilson,  mayor ; 
G.  W.  Jackson,  treasurer;  E.  W.  Clark,  attorney;  Jesse  Matzger,  clerk;  C.  F. 
Schlitz,  health  officer;  Add.  Cahill,  J.  D.  Israel,  Frank  Gemmel,  C.  W.  Powell, 
J.  A.  Muirhead,  councilmen. 

Results  in  the  election  of  1907  were  these:  R.  L.  Nottingham,  mayor;  G. 
W.  Jackson,  treasurer;  R.  O.  Dyer,  clerk;  E.  W.  Clark,  attorney;  C.  F.  Schlitz, 
health  officer;  G.  T.  Jackson,  J.  A.  Muirhead,  L.  M.  \^annice,  H.  A.  Kaeppler, 
councilmen. 

On  December  8,  1908,  there  were  chosen:  H.  C.  Benbow,  mayor;  G.  W. 
Jackson,  treasurer;  R.  O.  Dyer,  clerk;  E.  W.  Clark,  attorney;  C.  H.  Day,  health 
officer;  John  Carr,  J.  D.  Israel,  Edgar  Eager,  F.  C.  Hindle,  councilmen. 

Choices  in  December,  1909,  were  these:  J.  A.  Muirhead,  mayor;  G.  W.  Jack- 
son, treasurer;  H.  B.  Ridgeley,  clerk;  E.  W.  Clark,  attorney;  C.  H.  Day,  health 
officer;  Lars  Nilsson,  L.  M.  Vannice,  Asa  Johnson,  J.  C.  Fair,  C.  H.  Torrance, 
John  Carr,  councilmen. 

On  December  6,  1910,  the  following  were  chosen:  J.  A.  Muirhead,  mayor; 
J.  G.  Israel,  treasurer;  J.  L.  Wallace,  clerk;  E.  W.  Clark,  attorney;  J.  M. 
Miller)  heahh  officer ;  E.  C.  Eagleson,  George  Brown,  Oscar  Griffis,  R.  O.  Dyer, 
E.  H.  Van  Patten,  councilmen. 

On  December  5,  igii,  there  were  chosen:  J.  C.  Fair,  mayor;  J.  G.  Israel, 
treasurer;  J.  L.  Wallace,  clerk;  E.  W.  Clark,  attorney;  J.  M.  Miller,  health 
officer ;  Dick  Harper,  W.  G.  Thompson,  A.  Nilsson,  C.  R.  Rogg,  councilmen. 

In  December,  1912,  we  find  the  choices  as  follows:  Dick  Harper,  mayor; 
J.  G.  Israel,  treasurer;  J.  L.  Wallace,  clerk;  L.  B.  Kenworthy,  attorney;  W. 
W.  Day,  health  officer;  C.  E.  Shaflfer,  C.  F.  Schlitz,  George  Brown,  E.  E.  Eager, 
councilmen. 

In  1913  the  choices  were:  W.  C.  Goddard,  mayor;  J.  G.  Israel,  treasurer; 
L.  B.  Kenworthy,  attorney;  J.  L.  Wallace,  clerk;  W.  W.  Day,  health  officer;  C. 
E.  Shaffer,  C.  R.  Rogg,  G.  F.  Price,  J.  A.  Hanger,  councilmen. 

The  election  of  December  8,  1914,  resulted:  W.  C.  Goddard,  mayor;  J.  G. 
Israel,  treasurer;  J.  L.  Wallace,  clerk;  H.  E.  Hamm,  attorney;  W.  W.  Day,  health 
officer;  A.  P.  Cahill,  Willis  Wilson,  George  Carpenter,  W.  L.  Jackson,  coun- 
cilmen. 

In  191 5  results  were:  C.  H.  Day,  mayor;  J.  G.  Israel,  treasurer;  J.  L. 
Wallace,  clerk;  H.  E.  Hamm,  attorney;  A.  P.  Cahill,  C.  R.  Rogg,  A.  J.  Knight, 
G.  F.  Price,  J.  A.  Hanger,  councilmen. 

The  election  of  December  5,  1916,  was  thus:  H.  E.  Barr,  mayor;  J.  G. 
Israel,  treasurer;  J.  L.  Wallace,  clerk;  H.  E.  Hamm,  attorney;  Willis  Wilson, 
Lee  Rinehart,  George  Carpenter,  W.  L.  Jackson,  councilmen. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  here  that  the  assessed  valuation  of  Dayton  in  1917 
was  $1,027,244. 

Various  miscellaneous  happenings  of  much  interest  occurred  from  time  to 
time  during  the  years  covered  by  the  political  history  which  we  have  been  tracing 
out.  Dayton  seems  to  have  been  peculiarly  unfortunate  about  fires.  In  addi- 
tion to  those  which  we  have  mentioned,  there  was  one  on  July  17,  1883,  which 


350  OLD  \\  AIJ.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

destroyed  the  W'einliard  lirewery,  and  in  January,  1884,  an  attempt,  generally 
supposed  by  incendiaries,  to  burn  the  planing  and  flour  mills  of  Wait  and  Prather. 
A  famous  criminal  suit  against  C.  F.  McClary,  Frank  Taylor  and  D.  Hutchings 
was  brought  on  the  charge  of  incendiarism,  resulting  in  the  acquittal  of  the 
first,  the  discharge  of  the  third  by  nolle  prosequi,  and  the  conviction  of  Taylor 
upon  his  own  confession.  On  September  25,  1884,  there  was  another  fire,  also 
supposed  to  be  incendiary,  and  on  March  27,  1885,  the  Woolen  Mills  went  up 
in  flames,  thus  ending  its  untoward  career  after  so  promising  a  start.  June  24, 
18S7,  witnessed  still  another  devastation  by  fire,  the  worst  known  in  the  history 
of  the  town,  entailing  a  loss  of  $112,000. 

In  1890,  August  nth,  there  was  still  anotlier  \isit  of  the  "fire  fiend,"  causing 
as  great  a  loss,  though  not  affecting  so  large  a  number  of  individuals.  There 
was  yet  another  fire,  not  so  great,  in  August,  1891.  These  hard  experiences 
with  fires  led  to  the  establishment  of  a  number  of  fire  companies  and  hose  com- 
panies, the  details  of  whose  history  it  would  be  interesting  to  follow,  did  space 
permit.  The  Columbia  Fire  Engine  Company  seems  to  have  been  the  longest-lived 
of  these,  continuing  from  1882  to  1892.  Since  inauguration  of  the  municipal 
gravity  waterworks  there  have  been  no  destructive  fires. 

In  the  year  1890  there  was  a  curious  outbreak  of  burglaries  and  other  light 
fingered  works  of  art  resulting  in  numerous  criticisms  of  the  authorities  and  a 
final  appeal  to  Judge  Lynch.  Leroy  Burris,  who  had  been  engaged  as  foreman 
in  the  printing  office  of  the  Inlander,  was  implicated  in  the  charge  of  burglarious 
practices,  was  seized  by  Vigilantes,  and  after  having  been  brought  face  to  face 
with  a  rope  was  let  off  with  banishment. 

In  1892  the  general  unrest  and  hard  times  led  to  various  ugly  forms,  and 
one  of  them  was  an  attempt  to  imitate  Tacoma  in  the  banishment  of  the  Chinese. 
The  effort  to  run  out  the  Orientals  proved  a  fiasco,  however,  as  the  general 
sentiment  of  the  majority  of  the  citizens  was  strongly  against  it,  and  the  sheriff 
was  firm  in  his  announcement  of  the  probable  outcome  of  any  violation  of  the 
peace.  Gradually  the  agitation  subsided  and  the  Chinese,  who  were  few  in  num- 
bers and  were  peaceable  and  law  abiding,  and  who  in  no  manner  stood  in  the  way 
of  the  rights  and  privileges  of  white  citizens,  remained  unmolested.  Dayton 
was  saved  from  that  most  contemptible  and  inexcusable  of  all  forms  of  public 
riot,  a  "race  war." 

The  part  which  Dayton  and  Columbia  County  took  in  raising  men  for  the 
Washington  Volunteer  force  in  the  Philippine  war  is  worthy  of  some  special 
note.  Not  that  the  other  counties  and  towns  were  in  any  degree  deficient  in  their 
service,  but  the  number  of  enlistments  at  Dayton  was  remarkable  in  comparison 
with  the  population.  The  Dayton  men  were  enrolled  in  Company  F  of  the  First 
Washington  Volunteers.  Chester  F.  Miller,  whose  name  has  so  often  appeared 
in  this  history  in  connection  with  legal  and  judicial  matters,  was  chosen  captain 
of  the  company ;  Charles  A.  Booker  was  first  lieutenant ;  George  B.  Dorr,  second 
lieutenant.  The  company,  like  the  others  of  the  Washington  Volunteers,  bore 
itself  with  all  honor.  One  member  of  the  company,  Edward  W.  Strain  of 
Pomeroy,  a  member  of  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  pioneer  families  of  Gar- 
field County,  was  killed  in  battle,  and  George  B.  Fargo  and  R.  A.  Chrystal 
lost  their  lives  by  sickness. 


•    OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  351 

Columbia  County  is  so  entirely  a  farming  country  that  there  are  practically 
no  cities  and  towns  of  any  considerable  size  except  Dayton. 

THE  TOWN    OF    STARBUCK 

There  are.  however,  several  villages  whose  records,  had  we  space  for  them, 
would  afford  much  matter  of  interest.  The  leading  one  of  these  is  Starbuck. 
This  has  become  within  the  last  few  years  a  railroad  point  of  much  importance, 
being  a  division  and  locomotive  station  on  the  O.  W.  R.  &  N.  System,  and,  as 
the  result  of  this,  providing  homes  for  a  number  of  families  and  being  the  center 
of  a  very  considerable  business.  It  is  the  junction  of  the  Pomeroy  branch  with 
the  main  line,  and  as  an  immense  business  is  done  on  that  branch,  there  is  the 
prospect  of  a  steady  increase  in  the  business  centering  at  Starbuck.  The  pic- 
turesque and  piscatorial  Tucanon,  of  historic  fame,  and  the  drainage  stream  of 
one  of  the  richest  and  most  beautiful  valleys  in  the  state,  passes  right  through 
the  town,  and  its  bright  waters  impart  a  needed  verdure  to  the  rather  arid 
land  as  well  as  diffuse  a  grateful  coolness  to  the  sometimes  intense  heat  which 
the  low  altitude  and  bluffy  hill  shoulders  on  either  side  impose  upon  the  place. 

.Starbuck  may  be  said  to  have  come  into  existence  with  the  construction  of 
the  railroad  and  the  erection  of  a  warehouse  and  section  house  in  1882. 

It  is  referred  to  in  the  Chronicle  of  Dayton  in  December,  1886,  as  Starbuck 
Station.  Mention  is  made  also  of  Col.  George  Hunter  as  receiving  at  that  time 
the  appointment  as  railroad  agent.  Colonel  Hunter  was  noted  as  a  pioneer  and 
was  the  author  of  a  book  on  pioneer  life,  entitled :  "Reminiscences  of  an  Old 
Timer." 

Upon  the  completion  of  the  Pomeroy  branch  line  in  1886  considerable  build- 
ing ensued.  Mcintosh  Brothers  established  a  store,  a  depot  building  and  several 
other  buildings  were  put  up.  Sad  to  relate  these  buildings  were  destroyed  by 
tire  the  next  year. 

In  1S88-9  a  new  era  of  building  came  on,  the  most  important  structures  being 
the  round-house,  machine  shops,  section  houses,  agent's  house,  turn-table,  and 
some  minor  buildings,  constructed  by  the  railroad  company.  But  Starbuck  seems 
to  have  rivaled  Dayton  in  disasters  by  fire.  On  May  18,  1893,  the  valuable 
structures  of  the  railroad  company,  with  much  oil  and  coal  and  a  number  of 
locomotives,  became  victims  of  a  fire.     The  loss  to  the  company  was  $500,000.^ 

In  1894  Mrs.  Mary  ]\IcIntosh  undertook  to  lay  out  a  town  site.  The  plat 
was  filed  on  June  1st.  In  October  of  the  same  year  Woodend's  Addition  was 
platted.     In   1906  Starbuck  became  incorporated  as  a  city  of  the  fourth  class. 

The  municipal  officers  of  the  first  government  were:  W.  E.  Sprout,  mayor; 
C.  A.  Blackman,  John  Roddy,  Frank  Actor,  W.  F.'  Gardner  and  M.  Ray,  coun- 
cilmen. 

Within  the  decade  following  incorjjoration,  Starbuck  has  increased  in  popula- 
tion from  about  four  hundred  to  about  seven  hundred  and  fifty.  The  increased 
railroad  force  and  added  buildings  in  connection  with  division  headquarters  has' 
made  substantial  increases  in  business,  and  at  the  present  the  metropolis  of  the 
Tucanon  is  a  busy,  bustling  little  city,  with  a  fine  school  building,  several 
churches,  a  flourishing  bank,  a  number  of  stores,  and  many  pleasant  homes 
embowered  in  trees. 


352  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY    ' 

The  present  city  govcrninent  of  Starljuck  is  composed  of  the  following: 
Mayor,  W.  PL  Bamhart;  councilmen,  Wallis  Brundson,  C.  H.  List,  M.  V. 
McCool,  J.  IL  Walters,  L.  E.  Iliikill ;  treasurer,  Sam  Walters;  clerk,  D.  C. 
Guernsey ;  marshal,  James  Smith. 

There  are  three  churches  in  Starbuck :  Episcopal,  of  which  the  pastor  is 
Rev.  John  Leachcr,  also  pastor  of  the  Episcopal  Church  at  Pomeroy ;  Christian, 
the  pulpit  of  which  is  occupied  by  Rev.  Mr.  Diggins  of  Walla  Walla ;  the 
Methodist,  in  which  services  are  maintained,  but  at  present  without  a  stated 
pastor. 

As  in  all  typical  towns  in  the  Northwest,  Starbuck  takes  just  pride  in  her 
schools  and  makes  generous  provision  for  them.  The  approximate  value  of  the 
school  building,  with  its  equipment,  is  $35,000.  There  is  a  high  school  depart- 
ment with  three  grades,  having  at  the  present  date  nineteen  pupils.  The  enroll- 
ment in  the  eight  grammar  school  grades  is  121.  The  faculty  at  the  present  time 
is:  Principal,  H.  C.  Hayes;  high  school  instructor.  Bertha  Botts;  grade  teachers 
in  order  from  eighth  grade  to  first,  Fred  Lehman,  Ethel  Krouse,  May  Betts, 
Mrs.  Myrtle  Pettyjohn,  Mrs.  Ethel  LeDuc,  Mrs.  Brooks  Harris. 

One  narration  of  much  interest  connected  with  the  near  vicinity  of  Star- 
buck  is  the  attempt  on  the  part  of  Dr.  Marcel  Pietrzycki  of  Dayton,  physician, 
capitalist,  philanthropist,  and  newspaper  proprietor,  to  establish  a  sort  of  co- 
operative ownership  organization  on  a  large  ranch  a  few  miles  south  of  Starbuck. 

We  have  given  in  connection  with  the  Dayton  schools  the  main  features  of 
his  enterprise. 

It  would  indeed  have  been  an  experiment  of  much  interest  in  sociological 
lines,  but  hardly  had  the  good  doctor  inaugurated  his  plans  when  failing  health 
and  his  lamented  death  brought  the  great  scheme  to  an  untimely  end.  A  few 
years  later  the  ranch  became  the  property  of  the  Grote  Brothers,  who  rank 
among  the  most  extensive  farmers  of  the  Northwest.  But — lamentable  to  relate 
— the  mansion  which  had  been  the  central  feature  of  the  builder's  roseate  schemes, 
was  lost  by  fire,  and  the  land  which  was  to  have  been  the  scene  of  a  great 
sociological  demonstration  has  become  a  wheat  and  cattle  ranch. 

In  the  near  vicinity  is  another  notable  place,  the  property  of  one  of  the  most 
notable  families  in  the  region.  This  is  the  immense  Jackson  ranch.  This  place 
was  founded  and  developed  by  Richard  A.  Jackson,  one  of  the  foremost  of  the 
builders  of  old  Walla  Walla  County.  He  became  the  most  extensive  sheep 
raiser  in  Columbia  and  Garfield  counties,  his  holdings  belonging  to  both.  His 
home  was  established  in  a  fine  house  upon  the  Tucanon,  and  the  great  areas  of 
grain  and  pasture  land  extended  for  miles  from  the  creek,  embracing  in  all  about 
fifteen  thousand  acres.  Upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Jackson,  Mrs.  Jackson,  with 
several  of  her  capable  children,  continued  the  business  with  equal  success,  and 
at  the  present  date  maintains  the  former  leadership  in  the  production  of  wool. 
At  the  Lewis  and  Clark  Fair  at  Portland  in  1905,  and  the  Alaska  Yukon  Expo- 
sition at  Seattle  in  1909,  there  was  on  exhibition  a  wool  fleece  from  the  Jackson 
ranch,  which  was  said  to  be  the  largest  fleece  ever  known,  weighing  the  almost 
incredible  amount  of  sixty-nine  pounds.  At  present  price  of  wool  that  fleece 
would  be  worth  over  thirty  dollars. 

Still  another  enterprise  of  more  than  local  interest,  of  which  the  office  and 
headquarters  are  at  Starbuck.  is  the  extensive  irrigation  project  on  the  Snake 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  353 

River,  a  short  distance  above  Riparia,  founded  and  mainly  owned  by  Pres.  E.  A. 
Bryan,  known  throughout  the  state  and  country  as  for  many  years  the  presi- 
dent of  the  State  College  at  Pullman.  The  irrigation  tract  has  been  laid  out 
with  scientific  accuracy  and  has  become  a  valuable  property  under  the  manage- 
ment of  A.  W.  Bryan,  son  of  President  Bryan. 

A  weekly  paper,  the  Starhuck  Standard,  with  a  circulation  of  about  four 
hundred,  is  published  at  Starbuck  by  H.  G.  Roe.  It  is  now  in  its  fourth  year, 
and  performs  an  excellent  part  in  maintaining  publicity  in  the  vicinity.  In  a 
recent  number  of  the  Standard  we  note  the  interesting  fact  of  a  mass  meeting  in 
the  town  to  prepare  for  placing  the  town  upon  one  of  the  Chautauqua  circuits 
of  the  Ellison-White  Company  for  the  coming  year.  That  a  town  and  com- 
munity of  so  small  population  should  undertake  so  extensive  an  enterprise  is 
good  evideu'  e  of  the  ambition  and  intelligence  of  the  people. 

JOURN.\LrSM    IN    COLUMDI.V    COUNTY 

As  an  essential  element  in  the  view  of  the  institutions  of  Columbia  County 
we  will  give  a  sketch  of  its  journalism. 

At  the  risk  of  repetition  we  will  go  back  to  the  beginnings,  when  Dayton  was 
still  in  Walla  Walla  County,  for  the  discovery  of  the  first  newspaper.  That 
pioneer  in  the  journalistic  field  was  the  Dayton  Nezvs.  It  first  saw  the  light  of 
this  evil  world  in  September,  1874.  It  was  launched  largely  for  the  purpose  of 
"booming"  the  idea  of  a  new  county  with  Dayfonras-the  seat'  It  was  simply 
a  four  column  sheet.  Its  politics  were  democratic,  .yw^.;  J. , Cain  v^^as  the  first 
editor,  and  Elisha  Ping  was  the  financial  backeil.  Mr.  Cain  had  quite  an  eventful 
career,  both  before  and  after,  as  a  lawyer,  writer  and' soldier,  playing  an  important 
part  in  the  Nez  Perce  Indian  war  of  1877.  The- A^rrra -had  a  "varied  career,  pass- 
ing through  a  number  of  hands,  with  brief  tenure,  and  in  1881  came  into  the 
possession  of  J.  Y.  Ostrander  as  editor,  and  Walter  Crosby  as  business  manager. 
But  it  was  near  its  demise.  For  in  August,  1882,  it,  like  other  valuable  posses- 
sions in  Dayton  at  that  time,  went  up  on  a  chariot  of  fire,  and  never  came  down. 
It  had  played  a  good  part  in  the  installation  of  the  new  county,  with  Dayton  as 
its  official  head. 

The  Columbia  Chronicle  came  into  existence  on  April  20,  1878.  It  was 
designed  as  the  republican  offset  to  the  News.  T.  M.  May  and  H.  H.  Gale 
were  the  first  proprietors,  with  E.  R.  Burk  acting  a  short  time  as  business  man- 
ager. A  "cute"  announcement  in  the  first  issue  is  as  follows :  "Afloat — We 
have  launched  the  Chronicle  and  spread  sails  for  a  long  newspaper  voyage,  and 
we  do  not  see  any  long  breakers  ahead.  If  we  do  not  find  a  breeze,  we  will 
make  one  and  sail  right  along.     Fare,  $3.    All  aboard !" 

In  a  somewhat  more  sober  vein  the  salutatory  of  the  paper,  entitled,  "Our 
Bow,"  proceeds  thus :  "Friends  and  fellow-citizens ;  today  we  present  to  you 
the  initial  number  of  the  Columbia  Chronicle.  Not  deeming  it  advisable  to  salute 
the  public  with  a  lengthy  preamble  and  platform  of  pledges,  about  what  we  will 
do  and  what  we  will  not  do,  we  will  say  in  brief :  The  intention  is  to  establish 
a  newspaper  here  which  shall  work  for  the  social  and  commercial  interest  of 
Columbia  in  particular  and  Eastern  Washington  in  general.     In  starting  a  news- 

Vol.  I 2  3 


354  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

paper  in  Dayton  we  believe  we  arc  only  keeping  pace  w  illi  tliese  modern  reading 
times  and  the  wants  and  demands  of  the  people. 

"We  shall  endeavor  to  make  the  Chro>iicle  a  reliable  newspaper,  advocating 
the  interest  of  the  farmer,  stock  raiser,  and  business  man,  and  to  aid  in  develop- 
ing the  resources  of  this  magnificent  country.  We  shall  pay  special  attention 
to  gathering  local,  territorial  and  general  news,  and  make  the  Chronicle  interest- 
ing as  a  home  paper.  Printing  our  own  outside  we  shall  have  room  for  numerous 
correspondents. 

"The  Chronicle  will  be  republican  in  politics,  and  in  all  our  political  and 
public  affairs  it  will  l)e  our  aim  to  advance  the  best  interest  of  the  people,  cen- 
suring the  wrong  and  advocating  the  right  on  general  principles." 

That  initial  number  of  the  Chronicle  contains  local  items  and  advertisements 
of  much  interest.  Among  the  former  we  find  mention  of  the  school,  in  charge  of 
Prof.  J.  E.  Eastham,  and  containing  fifty  scholars.  Parents  are  exhorted  to 
co-operate  with  the  teachers  in  making  the  school   reach   its   best   attainments. 

Notice  is  taken  of  the  death  near  Lewiston  of  the  Indian  Levi,  who,  with 
Timothy,  had  saved  Steptoe's  command  from  destruction  in  1858  in  the  disastrous 
expedition  from  Walla  W'alla  to  Spokane. 

There  is  also  an  item  calling  attention  to  the  advisability  of  tree  culture,  and 
settlers  are  advised  to  investigate  the  claims  of  the  Eucalyptus  tree,  which  is 
stated  to  have  been  found  very  valuable  in  California.  The  paper  asserts  that 
nothing  grows  so  fast  as  that  tree,  unless  it  be  a  farm  mortgage  bearing  lyi 
jier  cent  interest  per  month,  compounded.  Trees  in  California,  it  declares,  have 
made  a  growth  of  from  sixty  to  seventy  feet  in  ten  years. 

In  the  advertising  columns  of  that  first  number  of  the  Chronicle,  we  find  some 
names  well  known  throughout  the  history  of  Dayton. 

The  Columbia  Hotel  appears,  of  which  the  proprietors  are  announced  as  John 
Brining  and  Lane  Gilliam.  There  are  a  number  of  cards  of  lawyers  and  physi- 
cians. Among  the  former  we  note  T.  H.  Crawford,  R.  F.  Sturdevant  and  M.  A. 
IJaker.  Among  the  latter  are  T.  C.  Frary,  J.  H.  Kennedy,  H.  R.  Littlefield  and 
W.  H.  Pjoyd,  and  the  Homeopathists  W.  W.  Day  and  J.  P.  \"anDusen. 

Of  the  business  advertisements  we  observe  the  Standard  Soap  Works,  con- 
ducted by  W.  W.  Gardner  and  IM.  S.  McQuarrie.  J.  A.  Gavitt  announces  his 
.saddle  and  harness  supplies.  W.  P.  Matzger  appears  as  the  producer  of  artistic 
photographs.  D.  B.  Kimball,  contractor,  builder  and  undertaker,  occupies  space. 
There  is  quite  an  ad.  for  H.  I.  and  E.  A.  Torrance  as  blacksmiths  and  wagon 
makers.  Also  J.  Hutcheon  and  A.  Nilsson  call  attention  to  their  blacksmithing 
business. 

D.  C.  Guernsey  and  H.  H.  ^^'olfe  announce  their  grand  opening  for  the  spring 
trade  of  1878.  I.  N.  Arment  announces  his  extensive  stock  of  watches,  clocks, 
cigars,  tobacco,  musical  instruments,  fishing  tackle,  etc. 

Mr.  R.  E.  Peabody,  now  the  proprietor  of  the  Chronicle,  set  up  that  first 
number  of  the  paper  and  has  been  connected  with  it  ever  since,  except  during  an 
absence  of  about  a  vear  in  Montana.  Mr.  Peabody  is  without  doubt  the  dean  of 
all  the  newspaper  men  of  Eastern  Washington.  He,  in  company  with  O.  C.  White, 
became  proprietor  in  1890,  and  in  a  short  time  the  retirement  of  Mr.  White  left 
him  the  sole  proprietor. 

In  1908  Dr.  Marcel  Pietrzycki  had  an  interest  in  the  Chronicle  for  about  four 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  355 

months,  during  which  time  he  endeavored  to  advance  some  radical  views  on 
methods  of  taxation.  The  connection  of  the  doctor  with  the  paper  was  suddenly 
dropped  when  it  became  apparent  to  him  that  his  views  were  not  meeting  with 
popular  support. 

Doubtless  next  to  Mr.  Peabody  as  a  continuous  factor  in  the  newspaper  field 
in  this  region  is  Al  Ricardo.  Mr.  Ricardo  was  born  in  Mexico  of  Spanish  parent- 
age. He  came  to  Walla  Walla  in  1885,  and  was  connected  with  the  Statesman  for 
fifteen  years.  In  1900  he  went  to  Dayton  and  became  interested  in  two  papers, 
the  Courier,  a  democratic  paper,  and  the  Press,  a  populist  paper.  These  papers 
were  combined  in  1900  by  a  company,  but  in  the  next  year  Mr.  Ricardo  accjuired 
the  entire  control,  which  he  has  continued  to  the  present. 

The  third  of  the  newspapers  is  the  Dispatch.  This  was  founded  in  1903  by 
Air.  Harris.  The  unique  feature  of  it  was  the  efifort  by  Mr.  Harris  to  maintain 
is  as  a  daily.  This  was  the  only  paper  in  the  district  covered  by  this  history  out- 
side of  Walla  Walla,  which  carried  on  a  daily  issue.  It  soon  appeared  that  the 
attempt  was  an  undertaking  beyond  the  resources  of  the  field,  and  in  1905  Mr. 
Harris  sold  out  to  H.  C.  Benbow,  a  former  resident  of  Pomeroy,  where  he  had 
been  active  both  as  a  teacher  and  a  jotirnalist.  Mr.  Benbow  reduced  the  Dispatcii 
to  the  weekly  edition  and  has  maintained  it  to  the  present  on  those  lines.  Its 
official  name  is  Columbia  County  Dispatch,  and  it  is  now  in  its  sixteenth 
volume. 

The  three  Dayton  papers  are  clean,  well  conducted,  high-class  weeklies,  reflect- 
ing with  accuracy  the  conditions  of  the  community,  as  well  as  exercising  a  whole- 
some force  in  aiding  to  mobilize  the  rich  resources  which  center  at  Dayton.  As 
fulfilling  with  marked  power  their  functions  they  may  well  be  a  source  of  pride 
to  their  proprietors  and  of  approval  to  the  citizenship. 

TWO   REMARKABLE  CRIMINAL  CASES 

One  feature  of  life  in  Columbia  County  seems  to  demand  some  attention,  and 
that  is  the  criminal  record.  This  is  not  for  the  sake  of  mere  sensationalism,  but 
because  of  some  features  so  remarkable  that  they  become  interesting  as  a  study 
of  the  possibilities  of  human  nature  and  life. 

The  first  case  that  we  shall  touch  upon  was  that  of  the  murder  of  E.  H. 
Cummins,  railroad  agent  at  New  York  Bar  on  Snake  River.  The  story  has  been 
told  in  various  forms.  We  derive  our  information  mainly  from  Dr.  E.  H.  Van 
Patten  of  Dayton.  The  mutilated  body  of  the  agent  was  discovered  early  on  the 
morning  of  July  27,  1882.  It  was  evident  upon  inspection  that  he  had  been  mur- 
dered for  the  purpose  of  robbery.  The  station  had  been  rifled  of  all  valuables, 
including  money.  Late  in  1882  Canada  Owenby,  who  lived  near  Pomeroy,  was 
arrested  on  account  of  suspicious  circumstances.  It  was  known  that  he  had  been 
destitute  of  money  but  that  soon  after  the  murder  had  become  possessed  of  con- 
siderable money.  He  was  known  to  have  been  in  Pataha  the  day  before  the  mur- 
der, then  to  have  disappeared,  returning  the  next  morning,  and  getting  a  black- 
smith to  remove  the  shoes  of  his  horse.  He  had  purchased  in  Pomeroy  cartridges 
for  a  pistol  which  he  was  known  to  own,  which  was  of  just  the  size  which  ap- 
peared to  have  been  used  for  the  crime.  After  his  arrest  he  made  desperate 
efforts  to  escape,  leaping,  handcuffed,  from  a  second-story  window.    He  had  tried 


356  OLD  WALLA  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

to  bribe  a  guard  to  swear  that  he  saw  him  in  Pomeroy  the  night  of  the  murder. 
Again  he  sought  to  induce  the  guards  by  bribes  to  let  him  escape.  Still  further 
he  asserted  that  his  wife  would  testify  that  he  was  at  home  the  night  of  the  mur- 
der, but  when  she  was  called  to  the  stand  he  took  advantage  of  the  right  to  refuse 
to  allow  her  to  be  a  witness.  A  bloody  shirt  was  found  which  appeared  to  belong 
to  him.  The  chain  was  drawmg  irresistibly  around  him.  The  preliminary  trial 
occurred  at  Dayton  on  January  13,  1883.  Without  being  put  under  any  "tenth 
degree  inquisition,"  Owenby  was  evidently  in  a  dreadful  state  of  mind,  and  soon 
after  the  discharge  of  the  jury  through  disagreement,  he  confessed,  first  to  a  fel- 
low prisoner,  and  subsequently  to  the  sheriff  and  clerk.  The  confession  was 
somewhat  confused  and  contradictory,  but  it  involved  the  assertion  that  three 
other  men,  James  McPherson,  Ezra  Snoderly,  and  one  Porter,  were  concerned  in 
the  crime.  The  three  were  arrested  and  brought  to  Dayton.  The  officers  became 
so  well  satisfied  that  Porter  was  innocent  that  he  was  released. 

In  June,  1883,  Snoderly  and  McPherson  were  tried  in  the  district  court, 
presided  over  by  Judge  S.  C.  Wingard.  It  was  an  intensely  exciting  trial.  J.  K. 
Rutherford  was  prosecuting  attorney  at  the  time.  Judge  Godman,  Judge  Caton, 
Judge  Sturdevant  and  Colonel  George,  the  most  prominent  attorneys  in  the  region 
at  that  time,  were  concerned  in  the  case. 

The  result  of  the  trial  was  that  all  three  men  were  convicted  of  murder, 
though  both  McPherson  and  Snoderly  maintained  to  the  last  that  they  were  inno- 
cent. Great  efforts  were  made  for  a  reprieve.  Judge  Caton  secured  a  stay  of 
proceedings  for  McPherson.  The  news  of  this  excited  great  feeling  thoughout 
the  community  where  the  conviction  was  strong  that  the  three  were  alike  guilty 
in  the  revolting  crime.  During  the  afternoon  of  August  4th  little  knots  of  men, 
mainly  farmers,  might  have  been  seen  talking  earnestly,  breaking  up  their  groups 
whenever  any  one  not  in  their  confidence  approached.  It  was  evident  that  some- 
thing portentous  was  at  hand. 

The  old  vigilante  organization  had  representatives  in  the  community.  With 
that  element  as  a  nucleus,  a  committee  called  the  committee  of  the  hundred  and 
one,  was  speedily  organized  and  about  midnight  a  strong  body  of  men  gathered 
in  the  courthouse  square.  They  speedily  stormed  the  jail,  in  spite  of  the  firing  of 
the  guard,  overpowered  him,  broke  into  the  cell  where  McPherson  was  chained, 
took  him  out  and  hanged  him. 

On  the  7th  of  August,  Snoderly  was  subjected  to  a  legal  execution,  in  pres- 
ence of  a  huge  throng,  protesting  his  innocence  to  the  last  and  extending  his 
hand  to  Owenby  as  he  passed  his  cell,  with  the  words,  "You  are  taking  my  life, 
the  life  of  an  innnocent  man,  but  I  forgive  you  and  I  hope  the  Lord  will  forgive 
you."    The  sentence  of  the  law  was  then  duly  executed. 

Owenby  was  taken  to  the  jail  at  Walla  Walla,  still  admitting  his  guilt  and 
declaring  that  he  wished  to  be  hanged,  as  the  deserving  punishment. 

But strange  to  tell^within  a  few  months,  on  December  25th,  he,  with  a  fel- 
low prisoner,  escaped.  As  Sheriff  Thompson  was  going  through  the  corridor  of 
the  jail  he  was  struck  to  the  floor  by  a  brick,  evidently  hurled  by  one  of  the  prison- 
ers. The  jailer  rushed  to  the  sheriff's  assistance  and  was  stabbed  with  a  pocket 
knife  by  one  of  the  convicts.  Rushing  from  their  cells,  which  had  been  unlocked, 
the  two  men  opened  the  outer  door  with  the  key  taken  from  the  sheriff,  and 
escaped.     Securing  horses  they  made  their  way  to  the  mountains  in  the  vicinity 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  357 

of  Weston,  Ore.  They  there  captured  two  more  horses,  killed  a  Chinaman,  and 
robbed  his  body  of  a  considerable  sum  of  money.  But  within  a  few  days  Owenby, 
his  feet  frozen  and  himself  in  a  starving  condition,  was  found  in  a  barn  on  the 
DeHaven  ranch  near  Milton.  Being  taken  to  Dayton,  where  some  lynch  talk 
was  started,  but  soon  abandoned,  Owenby  lingered  a  few  days,  and  then  died, 
declaring  that  all  his  assertions  of  the  crime  were  true,  and  that  he  and  the  other 
men  were  all  guilty  and  worthy  of  death. 

THE  HTLL  CASE 

Of  this  second  remarkable  case  we  shall  give  but  a  brief  account.  Its  singular 
features  will  appear  as  we  proceed. 

A  man  was  shot  in  a  saloon  brawl  in  Colfax,  lingered  on  some  days  and  then 
died.  There  was  mixed  evidence  as  to  who  fired  the  fatal  shot,  but  one  of  the 
drunken  crew  named  Hill  was  charged  with  the  offense  and  arrested.  Feeling  was 
high  in  Colfax,  and  Hill's  lawyer,  the  famous  Tom  Griffiths  of  Spokane,  regarded 
as  one  of  the  greatest  criminal  lawyers  at  that  time  and  a  prominent  politician, 
secured  a  change  of  venue  to  Dayton.  Associated  with  Mr.  Griffiths  was  J.  K. 
Edmiston,  a  leading  lawyer  of  Dayton,  one  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  and 
of  the  highest  type  of  man.  Mr.  Edmiston  seems  to  have  sincerely  believed  that 
Hill  was  innocent.  Griffiths  made  every  effort  to  get  Dr.  Van  Patten  of  Dayton 
to  testify  that  a  wound  of  the  nature  of  that  received  by  the  murdered  man  was 
not  necessarily  fatal,  but  that  death  was  the  result  of  drugs  administered  after 
the  wounding.  Dr.  Van  Patten  declared  that  only  six  per  cent  of  the  wounds  of 
that  type  had  resulted  in  recovery.  He  was  not  called  to  the  witness  stand.  A 
Doctor  Harvey  of  Spokane  was  brought  down  as  an  expert  witness,  and  having 
taken  the  stand  swore  that  there  was  evidence  that  bichloride  of  mercury  had 
been  used  with  the  wounded  man,  and  that  death  resulted  from  that  and  not  from 
the  pistol  shot.  Griffiths  worked  this  testimony  with  his  accustomed  skill  and 
success,  and  the  verdict  rendered  let  Hill  off  with  a  sentence  of  six  months  in  the 
county  jail. 

Dr.  Van  Patten  remembers  that  in  conversation  with  Mr.  Edmiston,  upon  the 
announcement  of  the  verdict,  he  said,  "You  have  got  Hill  off  with  a  light  sen- 
tence, but  it  will  do  him  little  good  if  he  is  ever  taken  to  Colfax."  Within  two 
weeks  after  Hill  had  been  returned  to  the  Colfax  jail  the  doors  were  broken  in, 
the  prisoner  was  hurried  into  the  yard  by  a  group  of  determined  men,  and  there 
he  was  swung  from  a  rope  in  front  of  the  courthouse. 

It  would  not  be  safe  to  venture  an  opinion  as  to  the  rights  and  wrongs  of  that 
Hill  tragedy,  but  on  the  surface  it  looks  a  good  deal  like  one  of  those  cases  of 
"expert  testimony"  which  is  sometimes  the  legitimate  parent  of  lynching  cases. 


CHAPTER  III 

GARFIELD  COUNTY 

It  has  been  remarked  by  various  philosophers  at  various  times  concerning 
various  subjects  that  Hke  causes  produce  hke  effects.  The  same  causes  which 
led  to  the  establishment  of  Columbia  County  from  the  eastern  two-third  of  the 
Old  County  of  Walla  Walla  operated  within  a  short  time  to  cause  a  movement 
for  another  division,  and  that  yet  again  to  another,  insomuch  that  Garfield  and 
Asotin  became  political  entities.  Some  petty  local  jealousies  and  selfish  scheming 
almost  always  play  their  part  in  county  divisions  and  county-seat  fights.  Yet  it 
would  be  very  superficial  to  attribute  to  these  less  worthy  motives  the  main 
infiuences.  The  fundamental  causes  after  all  have  usually  been  the  progressive 
growth  of  population  and  the  differentiation  of  industry,  whereby  there  arises 
some  real  need  of  new  lines  and  more  convenient  official  centers. 

The  pressure  of  those  conditions  began  to  be  felt  in  the  northern  and  eastern 
parts  of  Old  Columbia  County  almost  as  soon  as  it  was  fairly  organized.  It  was 
soon  discovered  that  the  Touchet  region  was  one  natural  unit  and  the  eastern  and 
northeastern  part  of  the  county  was  another;  or  rather  two,  for  almost  imme- 
diately the  same  line  of  reasoning  led  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Asotin  country 
was  naturally  a  separate  unit  from  that  of  the  Pataha. 

Although  settlement  has  not  been  in  any  way  uniform  in  these  four  counties 
and  there  has  been  some  shingling  over  from  one  to  another,  it  may  be  said  that 
in  a  general  way  the  movement  was  from  west  to  east  and  northeast.  While  the 
decade  of  the  '60s  was  peculiarly  the  foundation  period  of  Walla  Walla  and 
Columbia,  that  of  the  '70s  may  be  regarded  as  peculiarly  the  pioneer  age  of  Gar- 
field, while  that  of  Asotin  may  be  assigned  to  the  latter  part  of  the  '70s  and  be- 
ginning of  the  '80s. 

We  find,  however,  that  a  few  of  the  foundation  builders  were  already  in  their 
permanent  homes  in  Garfield  County  in  the  '60s,  long  prior  to  the  formation  of 
the  county.  We  have  already  given  a  list  of  these  first  locations,  and  our  main 
purpose  in  this  chapter  is  to  take  up  the  story  with  county  creation.  For  the  sake 
of  topical  clearness,  however,  it  is  well  to  present  a  summary,  even  at  the  expense 
of  a  little  repetition,  of  the  first  settlement  of  the  different  regions  of  what  be- 
came the  permanent  Garfield  County. 

As  authority  for  such  pre-county  history  we  find  a  very  valuable  special 
number  of  the  East  IVashingtonian.  This  is  the  "First  Garfield  County  Pioneer 
Edition"  of  June  6,  1914.  This  issuance  of  so  elaborate  a  number  of  the  paper 
is  a  great  demonstration  of  the  enterprise  of  the  publishers  of  that  paper,  as  well 
as  of  the  local  ambition  of  the  Pioneer  Association  of  the  County,  an  association 
which  holds  an  annual  two-day  session  and  which  has  done  much  to  fasten  genuine 
historical  and  patriotic  sentiments  in  the  memory  of  the  people  of  the  county. 

808 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  359 

From  this  highly  commendable  edition  of  the  Ea^t  Washingtonian  we  derive 
the  following  summary  of  first  events : 

SUMMARY  OF  THE   FIRST   EVENTS:   THE  DAWN   OF  CIVILIZATION  IN   THIS  TERRITORY 

The  first  white  persons  that  ever  came  through  Garfield  County  were  the 
members  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition.  They  arrived  at  Rigsby's  Grove 
May  3,  1806,  and  camped  for  dinner,  eating  what  was  left  of  two  dogs  they  had 
purchased  from  the  Indians. 

The  first  steamboat  passed  up  Snake  River  in  i860. 

Columbia  Center  was  the  first  town  laid  off  in  Garfield  County  in  1876. 

The  first  known  murder  by  the  whiles  was  that  of  a  man  killed  in  the  old 
Rigsby  cabin  Christmas  morning,  1864.  The  man  who  did  the  killing  was  named 
Wilkins  and  the  man  killed  was  the  owner  of  the  house.  The  old  cabin  still  stands 
on  the  Rigsby  place. 

The  first  sawmill  erected  in  this  county  was  put  up  by  Henry  Sharpnack,  in 
1874,  just  above  Columbia  Center.     It  was  not  successful. 

James  F.  Rose  was  the  first  settler  next  the  mountains  above  Pataha  Prairie, 
1869. 

Joseph  Clary  built  the  first  residence  in  Pomeroy  after  the  original  Sunder- 
land log  cabin.  It  was  the  residence  of  B.  B.  Day  and  still  stands,  the  first  house 
west  of  A  Street  on  Main. 

The  first  women's  votes  were  cast  at  an  election  to  fill  a  vacancy  of  justice 
of  the  peace,  January  29,  1884. 

The  first  settlers  were  in  many  instances  men  with  Indian  women.  John 
Fogarty  lived  on  the  Rafferty  place  with  a  Nez  Perce'  half-Indian  woman.  She 
was  born  at  the  crossing  of  the  Touchet  about  where  Dayton  now  is.  Fogarty 
was  drowned  in  the  Qearwater.  Thomas  Reynolds  lived  a  mile  below  Margeno. 
on  the  Tucanon,  with  an  Indian  woman  who  had  before  lived  with  two  different 
white  men.  They  had  two  daughters  named  Clydena  and  Agatha.  After  the 
latter  the  Town  of  Agatha,  Idaho,  was  named.  Clydena  died  at  Marengo  when 
about  fourteen  years  old.    Agatha  married  James  Evans,  son  of  Berry  Evans. 

Coleman,  for  whom  Coleman  Gulch  was  named,  lived  on  the  Tucanon,  a  mile 
above  Marengo,  and  had  a  California  Indian  wife.  James  Turner  lived  on  the 
Alpowa  with  an  Indian  woman.  Two  men  named  Bailey,  with  Indian  wives,  in 
1859,  lived  on  the  Touchet,  near  Dayton. 

The  first  minister  to  hold  services  in  Garfield  County  was  the  Rev.  Father 
Cataldo,  who  preached  at  Rafferty's  and  McBrearty's. 

The  first  school  on  the  Pataha  Creek  was  taught  by  W.  W.  McCauley  in  1873. 
The  schoolhouse  was  located  at  Owsley's. 

J.  M.  Pomeroy  located  the  land  where  Pomeroy  now  stands  on  December  8, 
1864. 

The  firjst  telegraph  was  built  by  the  government  and  ran  from  Dayton  to 
Lewiston,  through  Pomeroy,  in  1879. 

The  Catholics  built  the  first  church  in  Pomeroy,  1878.  Father  Papes  was  the 
first  pastor. 

First  grain  raised  on  Deadman  was  in  1878,  E.  T.  Wilson,  grower. 

Newton  Estes  was  the  first  settler  on  the  Deadman,  1870. 


3G0  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

James  Bowers  was  the  first  settler  on  the  land  where  Pataha  now  is,  1861.  In 
1868  Vine  Favor  bought  the  land  and  started  the  Town  of  Pataha  in  1878. 

The  first  Protestant  minister  to  hold  services  in  Garfield  County  was  Rev. 
Calaway,  then  living  in  Walla  Walla,  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian. 

It  appears  from  this  record  that  Parson  Quinn  was  the  first  settler  on  the 
Pataha,  having  located  there  in  i860.  The  first  house  on  the  Pataha  was  built 
by  Thomas  Riley,  who  afterwards  disposed  of  it  to  James  Raflferty.  One  of  the 
first  settlers  was  William  McEnery,  on  the  lower  Pataha,  in  1862. 

The  next  creek  after  the  Pataha  to  receive  settlers  was  the  Deadman.  This 
rather  lugubrious  name  seems  to  have  been  derived  from  the  fact  that  during  the 
hard  winter  of  '61-2,  two  men  perished  in  the  hollow  which  became  known  as 
"Deadman  Hollow."  They  were  supposed  to  have  been  miners  from  Oro  Fino 
or  Florence.  The  bodies  were  not  discovered  till  spring,  and  were  then  suitably 
interred  and  the  spot  marked  with  a  pile  of  rocks  at  a  point  near  the  old  road  from 
Walla  Walla  to  Lewiston.  That  region  is  now  one  of  the  best  farming  sections  in 
the  Inland  Empire.  Newton  Estes  was  the  first  to  make  a  permanent  location  on 
the  Deadman,  and  his  date  was  1871.  Within  a  short  time,  S.  T.  Jones,  A.  E. 
Lee,  W.  L.  Freeman,  Frank  Ping,  John  Lynn,  and  Archie  McBrearty  located  upon 
the  creek.  One  event  of  that  stage  worthy  of  special  record  was  the  Alpowa 
"Toll  Road."  It  was  built  by  B.  B.  Howard  and  M.  Fettis,  in  1872-3,  and  in 
1873  became  the  property  of  N.  A.  Wheeler.  For  twenty-five  years  it  was  main- 
tained by  Mr.  Wheeler  and  then  deeded  by  him  to  the  county  for  $1.00.  Pataha 
prairie,  south  of  the  Deadman  and  Alpowa,  was  settled  in  the  early  '70s.  Rev. 
William  Calaway  located  there  in  1870;  Isaac  Coatney  in  1871 ;  William  Chester, 
1871 ;  D.  Zemmel,  1871 ;  Robert  Storey,  1872. 

From  these  centers  of  settlement,  Pataha  Creek,  Deadman  Creek  and  Hollow, 
Pataha  prairie,  together  with  the  still  earlier  Tucanon  (spoken  of  in  connection 
with  Columbia  County),  and  Alpowa  (the  lower  part  of  which  was  early  historic 
ground  as  the  home  of  Red  Wolf  and  Timothy,  the  Nez  Perces,  associated  with 
the  Missionary  Spalding'i ,  the  growth  proceeded  during  the  period  prior  to  county 
division,  following  the  familiar  lines  from  sheep  and  cattle  and  horses  to  agricul- 
ture. 

The  most  constructive  event  was  the  founding  of  Pomeroy.  This  thriving 
city,  the  capital  and  metropolis  of  Garfield  County,  was  established  by  J.  M. 
Pomeroy  in  1877.  Mrs.  Pomeroy,  now  Mrs.  St.  George,  is  living  at  the  date  of 
this  publication,  a  woman  of  great  vigor  of  mind  and  body,  the  best  authority  on 
the  early  days  in  the  place  of  which  she  told  the  author  she  might  be  called  "the 
Mother."  Mr.  Pomeroy  came  from  Oregon  to  the  territory  in  1863,  and  for  a 
few  months  took  charge  of  the  stage  station  at  the  present  site  of  Dayton.  There 
the  youngest  child  of  the  family,  now  Mrs.  Peter  McClung  of  Pomeroy,  was  born. 
In  the  spring  of  1864,  Mr.  Pomeroy  moved  with  his  family  to  the  location  of  the 
town  which  became  his  namesake.  There  in  the  last  part  of  the  year  he  pur- 
chased of  a  transient  settler,  Walter  Sunderland,  the  right  to  the  claim  on  which 
the  town  now  stands.  For  a  dozen  years  he  devoted  his  main  attention  to  cattle 
raising  and  to  the  conducting  of  the  stage  station.  The  author  wishes  that  his 
readers  could  enjoy  the  privilege,  as  he  has,  of  hearing  Mrs.  St.  George  describe 
in  her  vivid  and  entertaining  way  the  times  of  the  stage  station  and  the  express 


OLD  ^^•ALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  361 

boxes  with  thousands  of  dollars'  worth  of  gold  dust,  when  "road  agents"  were 
figuring  on  breaking  in  and  seizing  them,  when  horse  thieves  ran  off  their  horses, 
and  when  the  Vigilantes  would  occasionally  decorate  a  tree  with  the  remains  of  a 
horse  thief  as  a  suggestion  for  moderation  in  becoming  attached  to  other  men's 
stock.  As  the  next  best  thing  we  are  going  to  let  Mrs.  St.  George  tell  the  story 
in  the  following  sketch  which  appeared  in  the  pioneer  number  of  the  East  IVash- 
ingtonian. 

"Pomeroy,  Wash.,  April  5,  1914. — 1  came  from  Salem,  Ore.,  where  I  had  lived 
with  my  people  for 'eighteen  years,  being  four  years  old  when  my  folks  crossed 
the  plains,  among  the  early  pioneers  of  Oregon. 

'"I  was  married  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  and,  for  a  while,  lived  in  Salem 
with  my  husband  and  two  small  children. 

"I  came  up  the  Columbia  River  by  steamer  to  Wallula,  took  the  stage  for  Walla 
Walla,  with  twelve  other  passengers,  on  April  6,  1864. 

"At  Wallula  I  found  a  great  rush  of  travel,  many  on  their  way  to  the  reported 
gold  strike  at  Orofino,  Idaho. 

■'I  had  two  pairs  of  fine  blooded  pigs  in  a  small  box,  two  dozen  fine  chickens, 
but  no  baggage  except  a  suitcase  with  a  few  things  for  my  children.  My  trunks 
had  been  left  at  Portland  and  came  the  next  day. 

"My  husband  was  coming  overland  with  a  band  of  fine  Shorthorn  cattle  and 
about  twenty  head  of  horses.  He  had  been  driving  stock  for  about  four  weeks, 
and  I  had  remained  with  my  mother  for  awhile,  so  we  would  arrive  at  Walla 
Walla  about  the  same  time.  Arriving  there  with  my  little  ones,  a  stranger  in  a 
strange  land,  with  very  little  money,  and  board  and  lodgings  at  the  City  Hotel 
twenty-five  dollars  a  week,  and  no  letter  from  my  husband  awaiting  me,  1  did  not 
feel  very  much  at  home. 

"But  -Soon  a  man  with  whom  Mr.  Pomeroy  had  made  arrangements  for  the 
place  where  we  were  to  live  until  we  could  look  about  and  select  a  piece  of  land 
for  our  homestead.  We  were  to  stay  that  summer  on  the  ranch  two  miles  east  of 
Dayton,  belonging  to  Mr.  William  Rexford,  in  a  small  log  house  with  a  fireplace, 
and  there,  in  September,  Mrs.  McClung  was  born. 

"We  were  as  poor  and  hard  up  for  money  as  any  one  that  ever  came  to  this 
country.  In  the  month  of  July  Mr.  King,  who  at  that  time  carried  the  mail,  ex- 
press and  passengers  from  Walla  Walla  to  Lewiston,  made  me  a  proposition  to 
keep  a  stage  stand  and  feed  his  hungry  passengers  every  day,  and  very  soon  I 
was  giving  two  dinners  each  day  to  the  coming  and  going  travelers. 

"I  had  told  Mr.  King  that  I  had  nothing  to  work  with,  no  stove,  table  or 
dishes ;  nothing  to  cook  and  I  did  not  see  how  I  could  accommodate  him.  I  had 
been  helping  to  break  some  of  the  young  heifers  to  milk,  and  made  some  butter 
to  sell,  having  no  other  way  to  make  a  dollar.  I  sold  all  the  butter  I  could  spare 
for  one  dollar  a  pound ;  but  soon  winter  would  come  on  and  then  what  would  we 
do  with  no  money,  no  sale  for  what  little  stock  we  had?  Something  had  to  be 
done.  We  had  made  a  garden  soon  after  we  settled  and  by  this  time  we  had 
some  nice  vegetables,  which  were  a  great  treat  to  the  travelers  coming  out  of  the 
mines. 

"Mr.  King  told  me  to  make  a  list  of  what  I  needed  for  my  house  so  I  could 
feed  his  passengers,  and,  finally,  after  much  urging,  I  did  so.  He  took  my  list 
to  Walla  W^alla,  had  the  bill  filled,  put  on  a  freight  team  the  next  day  and  brought 


362  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

me  a  big,  nice  cookstove  with  all  the  things  belonging  to  it;  lots  of  dishes  and 
linen,  and  said  I  could  pay  him  when  I  made  the  money  and  could  spare  it. 

■"The  very  next  day  1  gave  a  dinner  to  ten  passengers,  and,  oh,  didn't  they 
brag  on  that  dinner.     I  never  will  forget  all  the  nice  things  they  said. 

"I  kept  the  stage  stand  there  until  December  loth,  when  we  bought  this  place, 
where  Pomeroy  now  stands,  or  rather  the  improvements  on  it,  consisting  of  a 
large  house,  a  log  barn  and  corral. 

"Then  the  daily  stage  service  was  discontinued  to  once  a  week,  with  this 
station  as  a  night  stopping  place,  where  all  that  traveled  the  road  always  got  their 
meals.  Our  house  became  the  famous  stopping  place  between  Walla  Walla, 
Wash.,  and  Lewiston,  Idaho. 

"When  the  travel  was  heavy  we  made  some  money,  and  when  the  travel  was 
light  ]  had  to  work  out  doors  milking  cows,  making  garden  and  all  kinds  of  hard 
work.  My  little  children  almost  raised  themselves,  taking  care  of  the  baby,  and 
helping  me  in  many  ways.  Work,  always  thinking  of  how  to  make  nice  things  to 
eat  for  the  traveling  public,  and  how  to  keep  expenses  paid. 

'AValla  Walla  was  our  trading  place,  for  everything  was  high  at  Lewiston. 
But  if  I  had  anything  to  sell  I  sent  it  to  the  latter  place. 

"There  was  one  family  living  on  the  Pataha  besides  us,  two  or  three  squaw 
men  and  some  bachelors  living  where  the  King  boys  now  live,  and  for  a  little 
while  a  family  was  located  on  the  Alpowa  Creek.  There  were  some  Indian 
ranches  on  that  creek  at  that  time.  No  one  lived  below  on  the  Pataha,  till  you 
came  to  the  old  'Parson'  Quinn  place,  eleven  miles  down,  then  farther  on  were 
two  or  three  cattle  ranches — Rice  and  Montgomery,  Platters,  and  later  Archey 
McBrearty.  There  was  no  settlement  on  Snake  River  except  at  Almota,  no  one 
living  on  the  Deadman,  nor  anywhere  over  there,  and  no  settlers  between  the 
Pataha  and  the  mountains. 

"I  helped  my  husband  to  stake  the  roads  to  the  mountains.  There  had  been  a 
road  up  the  Benjamin  Gulch,  which  was  so  badly  washed  out  it  could  rot  be 
traveled.  We  staked  a  road  across  'Dutch  Flat'  for  our  own  use,  as  wood  and 
fencing  had  to  come  from  that  direction. 

"There  was  scarcely  enough  brush  along  the  Pataha  to  make  a  camp  fire. 
The  Indians  would  burn  the  grass  every  year  along  Pataha,  thus  killing  the  tender 
willows. 

"In  those  early  days  the  Indians  were  very  plentiful.  I  have  seen  as  many  as 
lOO  or  more  pass  by  our  place  in  one  day,  their  destination  being  the  Camas  and 
Kouse  districts,  as  Camas  Prairie  was  then  called.  Then,  later  in  the  season,  they 
would  go  to  a  lake  at  the  head  of  the  Yakima  River,  high  up  in  the  mountains, 
where  the  squaws  would  fish,  and  the  men  hunt  deer,  which  were  plentiful. 

"During  these  camping  periods,  horse  racing  was  the  principal  amusement; 
the  Indians  had  many  fine,  fast  horses,  and  the  several  tribes  wagered  many 
dollars  and  trinkets  on  the  merits  of  their  race  stock.  During  this  racing  season 
many  unscrupulous  white  men,  or  'renegades.'  would  arrive,  camping  close  by, 
winning  the  money  of  the  Indians  and  selling  them  liquor. 

"The  Alpowa  Indians  were  very  friendly,  and  the  squaws  would  work  for 
me ;  I  would  hire  them  to  work  in  the  garden.  They  would  take  potatoes  for 
their  pay  and  pack  them  on  their  ponies.     If  not  watched,  they  would  steal  some 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  363 

of  the  vegetables,  but  most  of  them  did  an  honest  day's  work  and  were  satisfied 
with  what  I  gave  them  for  their  labor. 

"Sometimes  I  could  buy  huckleberries  from  the  Indians  and  dried  antelope 
hams  during  the  first  few  years  we  lived  here.  There  was  an  old  Indian  called 
'Squally  John,'  who  would  catch  salmon  on  the  Snake  River  and  bring  them  to  us. 
They  would  catch  hundreds  of  them  and  dry  them  for  the  winter  and  would  also 
get  plenty  of  venison  in  our  mountains. 

"I  was  afraid  of  the  Indians  for  a  few  years,  but  got  over  that  feeling.  It 
was  slow  work  for  one  or  two  men  to  make  a  farm.  Not  a  furrow  had  ever  been 
plowed  when  we  came,  no  fencing.  Barbed  wire  was  not  known  then,  and  Mr. 
Pomeroy  had  to  haul  feed  for  his  team,  and  seed  grain  from  the  Touchet ;  and 
that,  with  the  timber  hauling  from  the  mountains,  kept  him  busy,  which  left  the 
cows  and  the  chores  and  all  kinds  of  outdoor  work  for  me  to  do  with  one  hired 
man  and  the  help  of  the  children. 

"I  was  a  very  busy  woman,  although  I  did  find  time  to  teach  the  children  to 
read  and  write,  and  the  first  lessons  were  learned  at  home.  There  was  a  school 
taught  at  Dayton  the  summer  of  1869,  and  we  sent  Clara  and  Ned  there.  This 
was  a  four  months'  term.  The  next  year  we  sent  Clara  to  the  sisters  at  Walla 
Walla,  then,  in  1872,  Bishop  Wells  started  the  St.  Paul  School,  and  Clara  was 
one  of  the  pupils  there,  until  she  finished  her  schooling  and  was  married  to 
Eugene  T.  Wilson,  on  Christmas  Day,  1877. 

"In  the  meantime  we  had  opened  a  school  at  the  Owsley  place,  and  our  two 
children  attended  school  there,  going  five  miles  in  a  buggy.  There  were  ten 
pupils  the  first  year.  The  country  was  settling  up  everywhere  by  this  time ;  many 
had  settled  on  the  Pataha  Prairie,  and  Alpowa,  and  over  in  the  Deadman  country 
and  along  the  Pataha  Creek. 

"When  the  flour  mill  was  built,  a  man  wanted  to  put  in  a  stock  of  goods  * 
then  others  came,  and  a  town  was  laid  out. 

"Then  there  was  no  more  frontier." 

That  Mrs.  St.  George  succeeded  at  the  stage  station  and  in  that  vital  and 
fundamental  requisite  of  the  traveler  in  the  days  of  the  stage,  viz.,  good  eatables, 
well  cooked  and  served,  was  abundantly  proven.  A  writer  in  the  Walla  Walla 
Union  in  1894  drew  a  toothsome  picture  of  the  gastronomic  attractions  at  Pom- 
eroy and  Alpowa,  as  follows : 

"A  quarter  of  a  century  or  more  ago  there  were  two  famous  eating  houses  on 
the  stage  road  between  Walla  Walla  and  Lewiston,  houses  which  were  the  occa- 
sion of  many  heated  arguments  between  those  who  had  been  over  the  road  as  to 
which  was  the  better,  houses  at  either  of  which  the  traveler,  tired  and  sore  from 
the  lurching  of  the  stage,  was  sure  of  a  substantial  meal,  the  memory  of  which, 
as  it  flitted  through  the  brain,  lingered  and  made  the  mouth  water.  These  were 
the  houses  which  the  familiar,  all-pervading,  time-serving  drummer  contracted 
into  'Pum's'  and  'Freeman's.'  The  former  was  located  near  what  is  now  the 
center  of  the  thriving  City  of  Pomeroy;  the  latter  was  on  the  Alpowa,  about 
half-way  between  'Pum's'  and  Lewiston.  Coming  passengers  dined  at  Pomeroy's ; 
going  took  breakfast  at  Freeman's.  Possibly  stage  passengers  have  eaten  better 
cooked  meals  and  sat  down  to  more  attractive  tables  than  those  found  at  Free- 
man's and  Pomeroy's,  but  they  never  said  so  while  at  either  place,  or  elsewhere. 
Delicious  bread,  fresh  from  the  oven,  that  which  was  properly  seasoned  by  age, 


3C4  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

sweet  butter,  thick  cream  in  genuine  coffee,  meats  done  to  a  turn,  chicken  fried 
or  stewed,  vegetables  in  their  season,  fruits,  pastry,  each  and  all  'fit  to  set  before  a 
king,'  were  provided  in  profusion  in  both  places.  In  winter  huge  fires  in  equally 
huge  fireplaces  thawed  out  the  frozen  traveler.  In  summer  cold  buttermilk 
cooled  his  heated  blood  and  washed  the  alkali  dust  out  of  his  throat." 

As  an  interesting  record  of  the  early  days,  we  find  an  account  in  the  Columbia 
Chronicle  of  Dayton  of  the  first  Fourth  of  July  celebration  in  the  present  Gar- 
field County  held  in  1878  at  the  edge  of  the  Blue  Mountains  just  beyond  Pataha 
flat.  The  reporter  for  the  Chronicle  declares  that  the  celebration  was  a  great 
success ;  a  near  arbor  for  the  speaker  and  musicians,  plenty  of  seats,  abundant 
eatables,  and  great  enthusiasm  in  spite  of  the  mountain  chill  prevailing. 

THE  NEW   COUNTY  OF  GARFIELD 

Being  obliged  to  content  ourselves  with  these  hurried  glimpses  at  the.  pre- 
county  history  we  turn  to  the  important  stage  of  the  creation  of  the  new  county. 
As  the  reader  will  recall,  the  County  of  Columbia  was  set  up  in  1875.  We 
discover  from  files  of  the  Columbia  Chronicle  that  agitation  in  favor  of  a  new 
county  began  in  1880.  By  that  year  considerable  settlement  had  been  made  in 
the  Pataha,  Deadman,  Alpowa  and  Asotin  regions  and  a  common  subject  of  dis- 
cussion was  the  inconvenient  distance  from  Dayton  as  the  county  seat. 

The  Chronicle  of  October  9,  1880,  thus  views  the  situation: 

"A  talk  with  many  of  the  leading  men  from  various  parts  of  the  county  reveals 
the  fact  that  the  people  are  in  no  great  hurry  for  a  division.  It  is  generally  con- 
ceded that  the  county  is  too  large  when  the  immense  canyons  and  peculiar  lay  of 
the  country  are  taken  into  consideration,  but  it  is  also  conceded  that  the  eastern 
portion  of  the  county  is  not  at  the  present  time  prepared  to  support  a  county 
organization.  All  talk  of  a  division  is,  therefore,  at  this  time,  premature.  The 
people  of  the  western  portion  of  the  county  are  in  favor  of  forming  a  new  county 
when  the  eastern  portion  demands  it." 

One  of  the  features  of  the  case  was  the  number  of  possible  county  seats  which 
began  to  sprout  forth  as  candidates  for  the  official  crown.  One  was  laid  out  on 
Snake  River  at  the  mouth  of  the  Alpowa,  and  that  would  be  a  fine  site  for  a  city, 
too,  now  the  location  of  several  hundred  acres  of  magnificent  orchard.  Another 
was  Mentor,  on  the  Pataha,  six  miles  above  Pomeroy.  It  was  at  the  foot  of  the 
"grade"  on  the  RaflFerty  place  and  was  first  named  Belfast.  The  claims  of 
Mentor,  named  from  the  home  of  the  President  whose  name  was  to  become  that 
of  the  county,  are  set  forth  thus  in  some  correspondence  from  that  ambitious 
place  for  the  Columbia  Chronicle  of  December  17,  1881  : 

"The  Town  of  Mentor  desires  to  have  a  fair  chance  in  the  contest.  We  stand 
on  our  own  merits.  We  have  a  good  townsite  on  the  Pataha  Creek;  good  roads 
running  to  the  place.  The  greatest  wheat  growing  country  in  the  territory  trib- 
utary to  it.  The  Pataha  and  Lewiston  survey  runs  to  this  place;  the  road  will, 
no  doubt,  be  built  in  time  to  take  away  next  year's  crop.  We  are  very  sorry  we 
did  not  ask  for  the  capital  of  the  territory  instead  of  the  county  seat,  but  will 
try  that  next  time.  This  place  is  well  known,  and  is  as  near  the  center  of  the 
county  as  it  is  possible  to  locate  a  town.  Lumber  is  being  hauled  for  buildings, 
and  the  proprietor,   Mr.   Rafferty,  is  very  liberal  in  his  donations  of  land  for 


^  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  365 

county  purposes.     Mentor  is  the  place  for  the  people.     You  will  hear  this  place 
called  Dublin,  Limerick,  and  Ireland." 

Melancholy  was  the  fate  of  Alentor.  A  sarcastic  correspondent  in  the 
Chronicle  writes,  under  date  of  February  ii,  1882: 

"The  lumber  pile,  which  constituted  the  Town  of  Mentor,  has  been  pur- 
chased by  Mr.  Scott  and  will  be  brought  to  Pomeroy.  Like  Mahomet  and  the 
mountain:  If  the  county  seat  would  not  go  to  i\lentor.  Mentor  will  go  to  the 
county  seat." 

Besides  Alpowa  and  Mentor,  the  prospective  towns  of  Asotin,  Assotin  City, 
Columbia  Center,  Pataha  City,  and  Pomeroy  were  all  aspirants.  The  last  named, 
laid  out,  as  already  noted,  in  1877,  soon  forged  to  the  front  and  became  the 
center  of  an  active  propaganda  for  the  removal  of  the  county  seat  of  Columbia  or 
for  the  erection  of  a  new  county.  The  former  proposition  seems  to  have  been  at 
first  the  prevailing  plan.  It  excited  much  opposition  on  the  part  of  Dayton.  An 
editorial  extract  from  the  Chronicle  of  October  8,  1881,  indicates  the  turn  which 
sentiment  at  Dayton  was  taking: 

"An  earnest  eft'ort  is  being  made  by  the  citizens  of  Pomeroy  and  vicinity  to 
move  the  county  seat  to  that  town.  We  object.  The  county  is  large  enough  for 
two  good  counties,  and  the  valley  or  canyon  of  the  Tucanon  throughout  its  greater 
portion  affords  a  natural  boundary.  The  people  of  this  section  are  willing  to 
allow  the  eastern  portion  a  county  organization  whenever  they  wish  it,  as  the 
division  must  come  sooner  or  later.  It  is  reported  that  two  of  our  representatives 
in  the  Legislature  are  pledged  to  the  removal  and  also  to  give  several  more  town- 
ships to  Walla  Walla  County  to  buy  its  influence.  They  do  not  propose  to  give 
the  people  an  opportunity  to  vote  on  the  question,  as  they  fear  the  result,  but  aim 
to  have  the  change  made  by  the  Legislature  without  consulting  the  wishes  of 
the  voters  of  the  whole  county.  We  agree  with  our  Pomeroy  correspondent  that 
it  is  unjust  to  compel  people  east  of  the  Tucanon  to  come  here  to  transact  business, 
but  it  would  be  equally  unjust  to  compel  people  on  this  side  to  go  to  Pomeroy. 
The  only  just  and  equitable  way  out  of  the  difficulty  is  to  divide  the  county  on 
the  line  indicated  and  allow  the  citizens  of  the  new  county  to  locate  their  county 
seat.  But  with  the  county  seat  of  Columbia  County  beyond  the  Tucanon,  nine- 
teen-twentieths  of  the  people  of  this  vicinity  would  petition  to  be  attached  to 
Walla  Walla  County,  as  with  the  present  facilities  for  travel  it  would  be  most 
convenient,  to  say  nothing  of  the  great  advantage  of  joining  a  wealthy  county 
with  public  buildings  erected  and  paid  for  and  a  brilliant  future  before  it.  This, 
however,  only  as  a  last  resort.  We  trust  the  Legislature  will  take  no  hasty  action 
in  this  matter,  but  will  give  all  parts  of  the  county  ample  opportunity  to  be  heard." 

As  a  logical  outcome  of  the  situation  the  Legislature  passed  an  act,  approved 
by  Gov.  W.  A.  Newell,  on  November  29,  1881,  providing  for  the  new  county. 
As  a  matter  of  history  this  act  is  valuable  for  permanent  record  and  we  insert  it 
here: 

"An  Act  to  organize  the  County  of  Garfield ; 

"Section  i.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  the  Territory  of 
Washington;  That  all  that  portion  of  Columbia  County  situated  within  Wash- 
ington Territory  and  included  within  the  following  limits,  be,  and  the  same  shall 
be  known  as  the  County  of  Garfield,  in  honor  of  James  A.  Garfield,  late  President 
of  the  United  States,  viz. :    Commencing  at  a  point  in  the  midchannel  of  Snake 


3m  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Ri\er  on  township  line  Ixtwecn  ranges  39  and  40;  thence  on  said  line  south  to  the 
sotithwest  corner  of  townshij)  twelve  (12),  range  forty  (40);  thence  east  on 
township  line  six  (6)  miles;  thence  south  to  the  southwest  corner  of  section 
seven  (7);  township  eleven  (11),  north  of  range  forty-one  (41)  east;  thence 
east  one  (i)  mile;  thence  south  three  (3)  miles;  thence  east  one  (1)  mile;  thence 
south  one  (i)  mile;  thence  east  one  (i)  mile;  thence  south  three  (3)  miles; 
thence  east  three  (3)  miles;  thence  south  on  township  line  to  the  Oregon  hne; 
thence  due  east  on  said  line  to  the  division  line  between  Territories  of  Washing- 
ton and  Idaho ;  thence  north  on  said  dividing  line  to  a  point  where  it  intersects 
the  midchannel  of  the  Snake  River;  thence  down  the  midchannel  of  the  Snake 
River  to  the  point  of  beginning. 

"Section  2.  That  E.  Oliver,  Joseph  Harris  and  N.  C.  Williams  are  hereby 
appointed  a  board  of  commissioners  to  call  a  special  election  of  county  officers 
for  said  Garfield  County,  and  to  appoint  the  necessary  judges  and  inspectors 
thereof ;  notice  of  which  election  shall  be  given  and  the  said  election  conducted 
and  returns  made  as  is  now  provided  by  law :  Provided,  That  the  returns  shall 
be  made  to  the  cornmissioners  aforesaid,  who  shall  canvass  the  returns  and  de- 
clare the  result,  and  issue  certificates  to  the  persons  elected. 

"Section  3.  That  the  justices  of  the  peace  and  constables  who  are  now  elected 
as  such  in  precincts  of  the  Cotinty  of  Garfield,  be,  and  the  same  are  hereby  de- 
clared justices  of  the  peace  and  constables  of  said  Covmty  of  Garfield. 

"Section  4.  That  the  county  seat  of  the  said  County  of  Garfield  is  hereby 
located  at  Pataha  City  until  the  next  election,  virhich  is  to  be  held  on  the  second 
Monday  in  January,  A.  D.  1882,  at  which  time  the  highest  number  of  legal  votes 
of  said  county,  given  for  any  one  place,  may  permanently  locate  the  same. 

"Section  5.  The  County  of  Garfield  is  hereby  united  to  the  County  of  Columbia 
for  judicial  purposes. 

"Section  6.  That  all  laws  applicable  to  the  County  of  Columbia  shall  be  ap- 
plicable to  the  County  of  Garfield. 

"Section  7.  That  all  taxes  levied  and  assessed  by  the  Board  of  Cotinty  Com- 
missioners of  the  County  of  Columbia  for  the  year  A.  D.  1881,  upon  persons  or 
property  within  the  boundaries  of  the  said  County  of  Garfield,  shall  be  collected 
and  i)aid  into  the  treasury  of  said  Columbia  County  for  the  use  of  said  County  of 
Columbia :  Provided,  however.  That  the  said  County  of  Columbia  shall  pay  all 
the  just  indebtedness  of  said  Columbia  County,  and  that  when  such  indebtedness 
shall  be  wholly  paid  and  discharged  all  moneys  remaining  in  the  treasury  of  said 
Columbia  County,  and  all  credits  due  and  to  become  due  said  County  of  Columbia 
on  the  assessment  roll  of  said  year- shall  be  divided  between  said  counties  of 
Columbia  and  Garfield  according  to  the  assessed  valuation  of  said  property  of 
the  same  year.  Provided  further,  That  nothing  in  this  act  be  so  construed  as  to 
deprive  the  County  of  Garfield  of  its  proportion  of  the  tax  levied  for  common 
school  purposes  for  the  above-named  year. 

"Section  8.  The  County  of  Columbia  shall  pay  to  the  County  of  Garfield  the 
sum  of  one  thousand  dollars  ($1,000)  over  and  above  the  amount  provided  for 
in  this  act,  for  its  interest  in  the  public  property  and  improvements. 

"Section  9.  The  County  of  Garfield  shall  be  entitled  to  two  members  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  and  one  joint  member  of  the  Council  with  Walla  Walla 
and  Whitman  counties. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  367 

"Section  lo.  The  County  of  Columbia  shall  be  entitled  to  one  member  of  the 
Council  and  one  representative  in  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  the  Territory  of 
Washington. 

"Section  ii.  All  acts  and  parts  of  acts  in  conflict  with  any  of  the  provisions 
of  this  act  shall  be,  and  the  same  are  hereby  repealed. 

"Section  12.  This  act  to  take  effect  and  be  in  force  from  and  after  its  passage 
and  approval. 

"Approved  November  29,   1881." 

COUNTY    SEAT    LOCATION 

Very  naturally  and  logically  the  next  stage  of  evolution  of  the  new  county 
was  the  determination  of  the  county  seat. 

In  the  enabling  act  Pataha  City  was  designated  as  the  official  head  until  the 
next  election  to  occur  on  January  9,  1882.  Hence  ensued  an  active,  almost  fierce, 
campaign  between  the  four  places  to  which  the  race  finally  narrowed — Pataha 
City,  Assotin  City,  Pomeroy  and  Mentor.  The  rivalry  between  the  near  neigh- 
bors, Pomeroy  and  Pataha,  became  very  bitter.  Each  accused  the  other  of  double 
dealing  and  of  trading  against  each  other  in  such  a  v/ay  that  many  believed  that 
Assotin  City,  on  the  extreme  southeastern  verge  of  the  county,  would  win  the 
coveted  honor.  The  result  of  the  election,  however,  was  to  give  Pomeroy  a 
considerable  plurality,  though  not  a  majority — Pomeroy,  41 1 ;  Assotin  City,  287 ; 
Pataha  City,  259;  Mentor,  82. 

The  county  officers  chosen  at  this  first  election,  eight  republicans  and  four 
democrats  were  as  follows :  County  commissioners,  J.  W.  Weisenfeldt,  J.  J. 
Kanawyer,  and  Eliel  Oliver ;  sheriff,  W.  E.  Wilson ;  auditor,  Scott  Rogers ;  pro- 
bate judge,  Benjamin  Butler;  treasurer,  J.  N.  Perkins;  assessor,  H.  H.  Wise; 
surveyor,  E.  D.  Briggs;  superintendent  of  schools,  W.  H.  Marks;  coroner,  E.  A. 
Davidson ;  sheep  commissioner,  S.  T.  Jones. 

The  different  precincts,  with  the  vote  of  each  for  sheriff,  were  these:  Pom- 
eroy, 260;  Pataha,  184;  Tuscanon,  8;  Meadow,  28;  River,  90;  Pleasant,  69; 
Columbia  Center,  108;  Asotin,  66;  Cottonwood,  201.  This  gives  a  total  of 
1,014,  and  that  number  indicates  the  rapid  growth  of  the  region,  for  the  entire 
population  in  1875,  only  seven  years  earlier,  was  estimated  at  not  to  exceed  500. 

The  county  seat  contest  thus  resulted  in  favor  of  Pomeroy,  but  there  was  a 
curious  after-clap  to  this  which  made  up  one  of  the  noted  law  cases  of  the 
Territory. 

A  suit  was  brought,  entitled  "Rice  vs.  County  Commissioners  of  Garfield 
County,"  to  restrain  the  commissioners  from  meeting  at  the  point,  Pomeroy, 
which  they  had,  after  canvassing  the  votes,  declared  the  duly  appointed  county 
seat.  The  case  was  tried  as  an  equity  case  by  Judge  S.  C.  Wingard,  Territorial 
judge  at  Walla  Walla,  and  his  decision  was  that  the  county  was  without  any  seat. 
The  ground  of  this  decision  was  purely  technical,  one  of  those  decisions  which 
delight  lawyers  and  judges,  in  that  it  emphasizes  the  letter  of  the  law,  and 
usually  is  repugnant  to  common  people,  in  that  it  disregards  the  plainly  obvious 
intent  of  the  sovereign  people  and  seems  to  render  them  the  victims  and  slaves 
of  their  own  instruments.  The  point  was  this:  The  Enabling  Act,  though  desig- 
nating a  Board  of  County  Commissioners  to  provide  for  an  election  and  canvass 


368  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

the  votes  for  county  officers  and  issue  certificates  to  them,  and  though  the  En- 
abling Act  had  also  in  section  4  provided  for  an  election  of  county  seat,  yet  there 
was  no  specific  power  granted  to  the  commissioners  or  to  any  one  to  canvass  the 
votes  for  the  county  seat.  Hence,  the  judge  ruled,  there  had  been  no  legal  choice, 
and  the  county  was  without  an  official  seat.  The  findings  of  the  court  are  sum- 
marized in  the  following  paragraphs: 

1.  That  all  that  part  of  the  act  pleaded  in  complaint  respecting  the  submis- 
sion of  the  location  of  the  county  seat  of  Garfield  County  to  the  determination  of 
the  legal  voters,  that  is  to  say,  all  that  portion  of  section  4  of  said  act  beginning 
with  the  words  '-'at  which  time"  to  the  determination  of  said  section  be,  and  the 
same  is  hereby  declared  by  the  court,  unconstitutional  and  void. 

2.  That  the  said  pretended  election  in  said  complaint  mentioned  is  by  the  court 
held  a  nullity  and  set  aside. 

3.  That  said  defendants  are  forbidden  from  making  Pomeroy  the  seat  of 
government  of  Garfield  County. 

4.  That  said  defendants  and  each  of  them  are  enjoined  from  requiring  any  or 
all  of  the  county  officers  of  said  Garfield  County  to  remove  their  respective 
offices  to  said  Pomeroy  or  there  discharge  the  duties  of  their  said  respective 
offices. 

5.  That  defendants  and  each  of  them  are  enjoined  from  incurring  any  in- 
debtedness against  said  county  or  expending  any  of  its  funds  in  or  about  removing 
county  officers  to  said  Pomeroy,  or  in  any  manner  attempting  to  make  Pomeroy 
the  seat  of  government  of  said  Garfield  County.  That  the  following  parts  of  the 
prayer  of  said  complaint  are  refused  by  the  court,  to-wit:  The  court  refuses  to 
enjoin  defendants  from  locating  their  offices  at  said  Pomeroy,  or  from  transacting 
there  the  county  business  of  said  Garfield  County,  or  from  their  furnishing  offices 
for  all  or  any  part  of  the  county  officers  of  said  county. 

The  costs  of  this  case  are  taxed  to  Garfield  County. 

But  this  evidently  could  not  be  the  end  of  the  case.  The  commissioners  de- 
cided to  meet  at  Pomeroy,  and  the  county  treasury  was  established  at  the  store 
of  Brady  and  Rush,  with  Mr.  Rush  acting  as  deputy  treasurer.  The  Pataha 
forces  started  another  suit  to  compel  the  board  to  meet  at  that  place.  This  suit 
having  been  defeated,  the  only  recourse  seemed  be  a  new  act  by  the  Legislature. 
This  appeal  resulted  in  separate  bills  by  the  two  houses.  The  lower  house  passed 
a  bill,  without  opposition,  for  locating  the  seat  of  government  at  Pomeroy,  though 
this  passed  with  the  general  understanding  that  there  would  be  a  vote  by  the  people 
of  the  county.  The  bill  by  the  council  provided  for  submission  to  an  election 
by  the  people.  But  the  end  was  not  yet,  and  the  whole  matter,  together  with 
several  other  acts  of  the  Legislature,  went  to  the  National  Congress. 

On  May  13,  1884,  the  House  of  Representatives  passed  a  law  to  sanction  the 
selection  of  Pomeroy  for  the  county  seat  of  Garfield  County.  The  Senate  having 
agreed,  this  case  was  ended  and  Pomeroy  entered  upon  the  peaceful  exerci.se  of 
her  official  primacy.  It  is  rather  a  curious  fact  that  every  one  of  the  other  con- 
tending places,  except  Asotin,  which  became  the  seat  of  still  another  county, 
has  almost  reverted  to  farming  land  and  Pomeroy  is  the  only  place  that  can  be 
called  a  town  in  the  entire  county. 

The  first  assessment  of  the  county,  in  1882,  gave  to  real  estate  a  valuation 


STKEKT   SCEXK   ]X  POMEROY 


WHEAT   WAREHOUSFJ,  POMEROY 


OLD  WALLA  -WALLA  COUNTY  369 

of  $250,345;  to  improvements,  $111,834;  to  personal  property,  $662,891;  a  total 
of  $1,025,983.    The  taxes  amounted  to  $26,351.74. 

RECORD    OF    ELECTIONS 

Following  the  initial  election,  voting  population,  and  assessed  valuation,  al- 
ready given,  we  may  summarize  the  official  events  under  the  following  headings : 

At  the  general  election  of  November,  1882,  the  voting  precincts  were:  Pom- 
eroy,  Pataha  City,  Pleasant,  River,  Meadow,  Tucanon,  Columbia  Center,  Asotin, 
Cottonwood,  Lake,  Grande  Ronde.  The  results  were  the  following,  majorities 
being  given  in  each  case :  For  delegate  to  Congress  T.  H.  Brents,  103 ;  joint  coun- 
cilman, J.  E.  Edmiston.  14;  joint  councilman,  N.  T.  Caton,  146;  attorney,  J.  K. 
Rutherford,  24;  representative,  William  Clark,  57;  auditor,  H.  B.  Ferguson,  142; 
sheriff,  W.  E.  Wilson,  299;  treasurer,  J.  W.  Ranch,  231;  commissioner,  J.  D. 
Swain,  552;  commissioner,  Z.  A.  Baldwin,  66;  commissioner,  James  Hull,  15; 
probate  judge,  Benjamin  Butler,  226;  superintendent  of  schools,  without  opposi- 
tion, Mrs.  T.  G.  Morrison;  assessor,  H.  H.  Wise,  115;  surveyor,  E.  D.  Briggs, 
259;  coroner.  Dr.  G.  B.  Kuykendall,  129;  sheep  commissioner,  C.  H.  Seeley,  2. 
J.  D.  Swain  having  resigned  as  commissioner  on  account  of  the  prospective  set- 
ting apart  of  Asotin  County,  James  Chisholm  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy. 

Of  the  above  officers  Messrs.  Brents,  Swain,  Baldwin.  Butler,  Clark,  Wise. 
Kuykendall,  Briggs,  Seeley,  and  Mrs.  Morrison  were  repmblicans,  while  Messrs. 
Edmiston,  Caton,  Rutherford,  Ferguson,  Wilson,  Rauch  and  Hull  were  demo- 
crats. 

In  the  next  election,  1884,  Asotin  County  having  in  the  meantime  been  set 
apart,  the  republicans  maintained  their  lead,  a's..on  all  j^brmaj  issues  they  have 
continued  to  do  to  the  present.  The  total  vote  of  1S84  was  1,314,  a  large  in- 
crease over  that  of  two  years  previous,  even  though  Asotin  had  become  distinct. 
But  that  was  the  year  of  the  short-lived  woman  suffrage  regime,  and  that  explains 
in  part  the  increase.  The  result  of  the  election  was  to  give  Armstrong,  repub- 
lican, for  delegate,  a  majority  over  Voorhees,  though  the  latter  was  chosen  for 
the  Territory.  The  joint  councilmen,  Isaac  Carson  and  B.  B.  Day,  republicans,  re- 
ceived majorities  in  the  county  and  the  republican  candidate  for  representative, 
|.  N.  Perkins,  received  a  majority.  Of  the  local  officers  chosen,  W.  E.  Wilson  for 
sheriff,  J.  W.  Ranch  for  treasurer,  and  D.  Strain  for  commissioner,  were  demo- 
crats. All  the  others  were  republicans :  Benjamin  Butler,  probate  judge ;  I.  C. 
Sanf  ord,  superintendent  of  schools ;  H.  H.  Wise,  assessor ;  Hayden  Gearhardt, 
surveyor;  C.  O.  Kneen  and  J.  F.  Martin,  commissioners;  Dr.  G.  B.  Kuykendall, 
coroner ;  and  C.  H.  Seeley,  sheep  commissioner. 

The  election  of  1886  totaled  1,313  votes.  The  republican  candidate  for  dele- 
gate, C.  M.  Bradshaw  received  eleven  votes  more  than  Voorhees,  but  the  latter 
again  had  a  majority  in  the  territory.  For  joint  councilman  and  joint  representa- 
tive, O.  C.  White  and  R.  A.  Case,  both  republicans,  were  chosen. 

For  local  officers,  W.  N.  Noffsinger,  attorney;  Benjamin  Butler,  probate 
judge;  Gilbert  Dickson,  treasurer;  I.  N.  Julian,  assessor;  Hayden  Gearhardt, 
surveyor;  Dr.  G.  W.  Black,  coroner;  J.  H.  Walker,  sheep  commissioner,  and  J.  S. 
Davis  and  Joseph  Scott,  commissioners,  were  all  republicans.     The  democrats 


370  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

chosen  were  S.  K.  Hull  for  sheriff,  R.  H.  Wills  for  auditor,  T.  DriscoU  for  super- 
intendent of  schools,  and  J.  Parker  for  commissioner. 

The  election  of  1888  was  notable  in  several  respects.  The  republicans  chose 
every  local  candidate  except  that  for  prosecuting  attorney,  and  he  was  chosen  by 
only  one  majorit)'.  In  the  general  shiftings  of  the  next  few  years  he  became 
a  republican,  but  to  whichever  party  he  belonged  he  has  been  honored  as  one 
of  the  leading  citizens  of  the  county  and  state.  This  was  judge  Mack  F.  Gose. 
Another  eminent  democrat  appeared  in  this  election  as  candidate  for  joint  coun- 
cilman, M.  M.  Godman  of  Dayton.  He  was  chosen  in  the  district  but  not  in 
Garfield  County. 

The  woman  suffrage  amendment  had  been  declared  unconstitutional  by  Judge 
W.  G.  Langford,  and  hence  the  vote  for  1888  fell  to  977.  This  was  the  year  of 
the  triumph  of  John  B.  Allen  over  Charles  S.  Voorhees  for  delegate,  in  the  Ter- 
ritory as  well  as  county. 

The  county  officers  chosen  were  M.  F.  Gose,  attorney,  by  one  majority;  George 
W'.  Campbell,  auditor;  Gilbert  Dickson,  sheriff;  G.  D.  Wilson,  assessor;  L  C.  San- 
ford,  treasurer;  Benjamin  Butler,  probate  judge;  David  Miller,  J.  S.  Davis,  and 
J.  Fitzsimmons,  commissioners;  H.  C.  Benbow,  superintendent  of  schools;  Hay- 
den  Gearhardt,  surveyor,  and  G.  W.  Black,  coroner. 

And  now  we  reach  the  most  important  and  interesting  date  in  the  history  of 
the  blushing  young  Territory  of  Washington,  when  she  became  a  "sweet  girl 
graduate"  and  stepped  upon  the  platform  to  receive  her  diploma  as  a  full  grown 
state,  1889.  Like  all  other  counties,  Garfield  was  agog  with  excitement  over 
the  great  event  and  there  was  quite  a  boiling  in  the  pot  over  the  choice  of  delegates 
to  the  Constitutional  convention.  The  enabling  act  provided  that  the  territory 
be  divided  into  twenty-five  districts,  each  entitled  to  three  delegates,  of  whom 
only  two  could  be  of  one  party.  District  number  8  embraced  Adams,  Garfield, 
Asotin,  and  Franklin  counties.  On  Alay  7,  1889,  the  district  convention  of  repub- 
licans met  at  Pomeroy  to  nominate  candidates  for  the  Constitutional  convention. 
L  N.  Muncy  of  Pasco  was  chosen  chairman,  and  G.  W.  Bailey  of  Asotin  secre- 
tary. The  nominees  were  Elmon  Scott  of  Garfield  County  and  D.  Buchanan  of 
Adams.  The  democratic  convention  also  met  at  Pomeroy  and  nominated  W.  B. 
Gray  of  Franklin  County.  A  peculiar  turn  took  place  in  this  election,  and  the 
narration  of  it  brings  forward  the  name  of  one  of  the  most  respected  citizens 
of  the  county  and  subsequently  of  the  state,  S.  G.  Cosgrove,  afterwards  Governor 
of  Washington.  Owing  to  dissension  in  the  republican  ranks,  Mr.  Cosgrove  be- 
came an  independent  candidate.  W.  A.  George  and  F.  W.  D.  Mays,  both  demo- 
crats, also  became  independent  candidates.  The  upshot  of  the  matter  was  that 
democrats  threw  their  votes  largely  to  Cosgrove,  and,  as  a  result,  Scott,  Gray 
and  Cosgrove  became  delegates  to  the  Constitutional  convention. 

And  now  that  Garfield  County,  with  her  sister  counties,  had  the  new  dignity 
of  participation  in  state  government,  the  elections  took  on  added  importance. 
The  first  election  under  statehood  occurred  October  i.  1889.  In  preparation  for 
that  event  there  were  county  conventions  of  both  parties  at  Pomeroy.  that  of 
republicans  on  August  29th  and  that  of  democrats  September  7th.  To  indicate 
the  leaders  of  parties  at  that  time  we  preserve  the  names  of  the  officers  of  each 
convention  and  delegate  chosen  for  the  state  convention.  Of  republicans.  Dr. 
T.  C.  Frary  was  chairmaii  and  W.  G.  Victor  secretary.     The  delegates  were  Jay 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  371 

Lynch,  S.  G.  Cosgrove,  W.  G.  Victor,  F.  G.  Morrison,  C.  G.  Austin  and  W.  S 
Oliphant.    Of  the  democratic,  Ehel  OHver  was  chairman  and  James  Parker  secre- 
tary.   Delegates  were  R.  E.  Wills,  F.  W.  D.  Mays,  W.  S.  Parker  and  J.  S.  Thomas. 

The  results  of  the  election  were : 

For  congressman,  J.  L.  Wilson  received  a  majority  of  104  over  T.  C.  Grif- 
fiths, and  former  Territorial  Governor  Elisha  P.  Ferry,  99  majority  over  Eugene 
Semple.  That  was  about  the  average  majority  of  republicans  over  democrats  on 
the  state  ticket. 

The  republican  candidate  for  representative  to  State  Legislature,  W.  S. 
Oliphant,  had  a  majority  of  34  over  his  democratic  competitor,  James  Parker. 
R.  E.  Wills,  democrat,  had  a  majority  of  48  over  the  republican  candidate,  F.  E. 
Williamson,  for  the  new  position  of  county  clerk.  No  other  county  officers  were 
chosen  at  that  time.  A  vote  was  taken  on  woman  sufi^rage  in  that  election,  and 
the  result  was  adverse  by  492  to  336.     Prohibition  carried  by  442  to  415. 

During  the  elections  that  followed,  beginning  with  1890,  Garfield  County, 
like  the  rest  of  the  state,  had  many  parties,  and  much  political  activity  and  (the 
Lord  be  praised  for  this)  a  deal  of  good  political  education  and  independent 
action,  which  resulted  in  great  shattering  of  boss  schemes  and  legislative  lobbies 
and  prepared  the  way  for  the  progressive  politics  manifested  in  the  adoption  of 
initiative,  referendum,  and  recall  measures,  woman  suffrage,  prohibition,  and  that 
general  advance  toward  a  new  Americanism  which  had  made  the  western  states 
a  wonder  to  the  "effete  East"  and  a  source  of  consternation  to  political  Troglo- 
dytes. Republicans,  democrats,  populists,  prohibitionists,  and  socialists,  mar- 
shalled their  cohorts,  set  their  platforms  before  the  people,  and  named  their 
candidates.  Some  people  deprecate  political  campaigns  on  the  ground  that  they 
"disturb  business."  They  certainly  do,  but  that  may  be  their  greatest  commenda- 
tion. It  all  depends  on  what  one  lives  for.  If  accumulation  of  wealth  is  the 
sole  aim  of  existence,  it  is  unfortunate  for  the  "well-fixed"  classes  to  have  any 
disturbance  of  business.  If  political  growth,  individual  development,  experience 
in  public  affairs,  have  place  in  one's  scheme  of  life,  these  disturbances  and  popu- 
lar agitations  far  more  than  recompense  a  state  for  its  pecuniary  dislocations.  At 
any  rate,  the  Pacific  Coast  states  have  had  the  political  agitations,  and  it  is  some- 
what significant  that  they  lead'  the  Union  in  general  education,  nor  is  it  observable 
that  they  are  greatly  deficient  in  business  advancement. 

Garfield  County,  like  the  state,  usually  cast  a  large  majority  for  republican 
candidates  in  national  and  state  affairs.  The  result  was  commonly  the  same  in 
local  elections.  In  all,  however,  there  was  great  play  for  independent  action. 
The  boss  could  never  be  sure  of  delivering  the  goods.  In  1890,  1892  and  1894  the 
republicans  carried  the  field  in  national  and  state  elections.  In  the  great  break- 
ing-up  year  of  1896,  the  populists  swept  the  ground,  with  Bryan  as  candidate  for 
President  and  James  Hamilton  Lewis  and  W.  C.  Jones  for  Congress.  In  1898  a 
reversal  took  place  and  Wesley  L.  Jones  and  Francis  Cushman  forged  ahead  of 
Lewis  and  W.  C.  Jones.  In  the  same  election  Garfield  again  set  itself  down 
against  woman  suffrage  and  also  against  the  single  tax. 

The  year  1900  was  another  great  year  in  politics,  state  and  nation.  In  Gar- 
field County,  the  year  was  notable  in  that  it  marked  a  definite  movement  in  favor 
of  S.  G.  Cosgrove  for  governor,  and  also  the  withdrawal  of  a  number  of  demo- 
crats  from  their  former  affiliations  and  union  with  the  republicans,  mainly  on 


372  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

the  ground  of  the  "sound  money"  issue.  Mack  F.  Gose  was  conspicuous  in  the 
new  ahgnment. 

The  popuhsts  had  dropped  out  of  this  election,  but  the  prohibition,  socialist 
labor,  and  social  democrat  parties  were  in  the  field.  The  result  was  a  majority 
for  the  republicans  on  national  and  state  issues,  with  the  exception  that  the 
county  (as  also  the  state)  did  itself  the  credit  of  choosing  John  R.  Rogers, 
democrat,  for  governor. 

The  republicans  held  the  fort  again  in  1902.  The  total  vote  for  congressmen 
was  936,  and  F.  W.  Cushman,  W.  L.  Jones,  and  W.  E.  Humphrey  received  votes 
of  530,  516  and  517  respectively. 

In  1904  the  republicans  had  an  overwhelming  majority  on  the  presidential 
and  congressional  tickets,  giving  the  republican  electors  a  plurality  of  510,  and 
Humphrey,  Jones  and  Cushman,  an  average  of  300  majority  for  Congress.  But 
George  E.  Turner,  democrat,  passed  A.  E.  Mead,  republican,  in  the  gubernatorial 
race  by  166. 

Passing  on  to  the  presidential  year  of  1908,  we  find  a  total  vote  in  the  county 
of  1,003,  and  a  majority  for  the  republican  electors  of  177.  Miles  Poindexter, 
republican  for  Congress  in  this  district  (the  state  having  been  districted  since  the 
previous  election),  carried  the  field,  and  S.  G.  Cosgrove  had  an  overwhelming 
majority  for  governor.  This  eminent  and  well  loved  citizen  of  Garfield  County 
realized  in  that  year  his  worthy  and  long  cherished  ambition  to  be  the  chief 
executive  of  the  state,  and  went  from  a  sick  bed  to  be  duly  inaugurated.  Rut  his 
activities  were  ended  and  within  a  few  weeks  he  passed  on,  to  the  profound  sor- 
row of  the  entire  state  and  particularly  his  friends  and  neighbors  in  the  home 
county  where  he  had  been  known  and  deeply  respected  so  many  years. 

In  1910  W.  L.  La  FoUette  of  Whitman  County  received  a  majority  in  the 
county,  as  in  the  district,  for  congressman,  and  M.  F.  Gose  was  called  to  the 
supreme  bench  of  the  state,  a  choice  almost  unanimous  in  the  county,  and  one 
recognized  in  the  state  as  eminently  worthy. 

The  presidential  year  of  1912  gave  a  reversal,  and  the  County  of  Garfield 
joined  the  rest  of  the  Union  in  a  majority  for  Woodrow  Wilson  for  President, 
and  also  joined  the  rest  of  the  state  in  selection  of  a  democrat,  Eugene  Lister,  for 
governor. 

1914  saw  the  re-election  of  W.  L.  La  Follette,  republican  for  Congress,  and 
W.  L.  Jones  for  senator.  In  the  same  year  occurred  the  most  peculiar  apparent 
turn  in  the  opinion  of  Garfield  County  on  the  prohibition  issue.  For  that  was 
the  great  year  of  the  struggle  over  the  state-wide  prohibition  law.  It  might  be 
regarded  as  an  east-of-the-mountain  proposition,  for  the  East  Side  reached  the 
crest  of  the  Cascades  with  about  28,000  majority,  enough  to  overcome  the  heavy 
adverse  vote  of  Seattle,  and  have  thousands  to  spare.  But,  strange  to  say,  Gar- 
field County,  one  of  the  very  earliest  to  adopt  local  option,  and  one  of  the  most 
pronounced  in  temperance  sentiment,  went  against  the  amendment,  and  was 
the  only  East  Side  county  to  do  so.  The  reason  simply  was  that  having  tried 
local  option  with  satisfactory  results,  the  deliberate  judgment  was  that  local  option 
was  correct  in  theory  and  practice  and  should  be  sustained.  It  is  stated  now  by 
those  familiar  with  conditions  that  since  the  adoption  and  operation  of  the  pro- 
hibition law  it  has  the  hearty  support  of  the  county,  as  shown  by  the  fact  that 


VIEW  OK   A    I'lUri'ldX   (IK  THE  IRRKi.ATKD   l)lsri;i(  T  (IK  (  l.AKKSTOX, 

ASOTIX  (orx'i^ 


\1XE  COVERED  COTTACE.  t'LARKSTOX 
Sliowing  beautiful  c-ft'eet   wliieh  can  be  |inidui<.il  with   vines,  trees  anil  (Inwers. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  373 

efforts  to  nullify  it  in  1916  were  overwhelmingly  defeated  in  the  county,  as  in 
the  state. 

In  1916,  a  more  momentous  election  even  than  that  of  1912,  Garfield  did  not 
line  up  with  the  state  and  nation,  but  gave  her  vote  to  Hughes.  She  was  with  the 
majority  on  Poindexter  for  senator  and  La  Follette  for  Congress,  but  gave  Lister 
for  governor  a  slight  majority  over  his  republican  competitor,  McBride. 

COUNTY  ELECTIONS 

Turning  now  from  national  and  state  choices  to  the  county  officers  we  find  the 
following : 

In  1890,  the  chosen  candidates  were:  For  representative  to  the  state  legis- 
lature, James  Palmer ;  sheriff,  Gilbert  Dickson ;  clerk,  R.  R.  Spedden ;  auditor, 
Benjamin  Butler;  treasurer,  R.  E.  Wills;  attorney,  W.  N.  Noffsinger;  assessor, 
H.  H.  Wise;  superintendent  of  schools,  H.  C.  Benbow;  surveyor,  Hayden  Gear- 
hardt ;  coroner,  G.  W.  Black ;  commissioners,  John  Lubling,  George  Stallcop, 
and  Robert  Story.  All  of  the  above  were  on  the  republican  ticket  except  R.  E. 
Wills. 

In  1892,  the  following  were  the  successful  candidates :  Representative,  F.  W. 
D.  Mays ;  superior  judge,  J.  E.  Edmiston ;  attorney,  W.  E.  Greene ;  auditor, 
Joseph  Davidson ;  sheriff,  Gilbert  Dickson ;  clerk,  E.  W.  Gibson ;  treasurer,  H.  A. 
Adams ;  assessor,  R.  L.  Kirby ;  superintendent  of  schools,  H.  C.  Benbow ;  sur- 
veyor, Hayden  Gearhardt;  coroner,  J.  R.  Gose;  county  commissioners,  C.  A. 
Shaffer,  E.  B.  Fletcher,  and  Robert  Story;  sheep  commissioner,  G.  F.  Jackson. 
The  parties  were  much  more  evenly  divided  than  in  the  previous  election,  for 
Messrs.  Mays,  Edmiston,  Greene,  Davidson,  Adams,  Gose  and  Fletcher  were 
democrats,  the  others  republicans. 

In  1894,  results  were  these:  Representative,  A.  E.  Allen;  attorney,  G.  W. 
Tewett ;  clerk,  E.  W.  Gibson ;  auditor,  S.  T.  Sanford ;  sheriff,  N.  O.  Baldwin ; 
treasurer,  H.  M.  Beach ;  superintendent  of  schools.  E.  V.  Kuykendall ;  assessor, 
H.  L.  Wilson;  surveyor,  Edward  Truax;  coroner,  G.  W.  Black;  commissioners, 
George  Ruarck  and  Chris  Brockman. 

That  was  the  populistic  year,  for  of  the  above,  Messrs.  Allen,  Sanford,  Beach. 
Wilson,  Ruarck,  and  Brockman  are  all  set  down  as  P.  P.'s. 

In  1896,  the  county  officers  were  as  follows:  Representative,  James  Parker; 
sheriff,  N.  O.  Baldwin;  auditor,  S.  T.  Sanford;  assessor,  H.  L.  Wilson;  clerk. 
A.  E.  Dickson;  treasurer,  H.  M.  Beach;  attorney,  G.  W.  Jewett;  superintendent  of 
schools,  Emma  Nelson;  surveyor,  Edison  Griggs;  commissioner,  Chris  Brockman; 
coroner,  G.  W.  Black.  That  was  another  populistic  year,  for  six  of  the  success- 
ful candidates  were  of  that  faith. 

In  the  election  of  1898,  the  ebb  of  the  tide  of  populism  became  visible,  for  of 
the  successful  aspirants,  only  three  were  P.  P's.  The  chosen  candidates  were  these : 
Representative,  C.  M.  Baldwin ;  sheriff,  S.  S.  Russell ;  clerk,  A.  E.  Dickson ; 
auditor,  J.  A.  Strain;  treasurer,  H.  Dixon;  attorney,  E.  V.  Kuykendall;  assessor, 
J.  P.  Buchet;  superintendent  of  schools,  Emma  Elsensohn;  coroner,  W.  P. 
Williamson ;  commissioners,  S.  S.  Young  and  August  Young. 

Election  results  of  1900  were  thus :  Representative,  W.  L.  Howell ;  sheriff, 
J.  A.   Strain ;  auditor,  E.  M.  Pomeroy ;  treasurer,  W.  H.  Dixon ;  clerk,  H.  A. 


374  OLD  WALL A  WALLA  COUNTY 

Adams;  assessor,  !•".  W.  Messenger;  superintendent  of  schools,  Nellie  Vallen; 
attorney,  Frank  Cardwell ;  coroner,  C.  G.  Black;  surveyor,  J.  M.  Reid;  com- 
missioners, A.  H.  M alone  and  D.  R.  Lewis.  In  this  election  the  populists  no 
longer  appeared,  l)ut  several  democrats  carried  away  the  trophies,  the  following 
being  of  that  party,  Howell,  Strain,  Cardwell,  and  Malone. 

In  1902,  the  successful  ones  were:  Representative,  W.  L.  Howell;  auditor, 
Frank  Burch;  sheriff,  J.  A.  Strain;  clerk,  A.  A.  Kirby;  treasurer,  H.  A.  Adams; 
attorney,  J.  T.  Ledgerwood ;  assessor,  F.  W.  Messenger ;  superintendent  of  schools, 
Nellie  Vallen;  surveyor,  J.  E.  Tupper;  coroner,  C.  G.  Black;  commissioners,  J. 
O.  Miles  and  D.  B.  Williams.    In  that  list  were  four  democrats. 

The  year  1904  brotight  another  presidential  year  and  with  republican  victory 
there  came  also  general  success  for  the  same  party  in  the  county  votes : 

For  representative,  W.  O.  Long;  sheriff,  W.  H.  Dixon;  clerk,  A.  A.  Kirby; 
auditor,  B.  F.  Burch;  treasurer,  J.  H.  Schneckloth;  attorney,  J.  T.  Ledgerwood; 
assessor,  M.  N.  Jeffreys;  surveyor,  J.  E.  Tupper;  superintendent  of  schools, 
Violetta  Smith;  commissioners,  E.  G.  Hastings,  W.  J.  Kelly;  coroner,  G.  W. 
Black.  Four — auditor,  treasurer,  attorney,  and  superintendent  of  schools  were 
democrats. 

In  1906  the  voters  designated:  For  representative,  J.  O.  Long;  sheriff,  W. 
H.  Dixon;  clerk,  Harry  St.  George;  auditor,  J.  P.  Buchet ;  treasurer,  J.  H. 
Schneckloth;  attorney,  A.  A.  Kirby;  assessor,  M.  N.  Jeffreys;  superintendent  of 
schools,  Violetta  Smith ;  surveyor,  I.  J.  Trescott. 

In  that  election  the  auditor,  treasurer,  and  superintendent  of  schools  were 
democrats. 

Another  presidential  and  gubernatorial  year  comes  in  with  1908,  and  we  find 
Representative,  H.  C.  Krouse ;  sheriff,  F.  V.  Messenger ;  clerk,  Harry  St.  George 
auditor,  J.  P.  Buchet;  attorney,  E.  V.  Kuykendall;  treasurer,  J.   B.  Hawkins 
assessor,  Daniel  Kidwell;  superintendent  of  schools,  Elizabeth  McCoy;  commis- 
sioners, F.  L.  Miller,  J.  D.  Lyon.     Of  these  Messrs.  Buchet  and  Hawkins  were 
democrats. 

In  1910  the  successful  candidates  were:  Representative,  W.  J.  Kelly;  sheriff', 
B.  L.  Keatts;  clerk,  E.  E.  Powell;  auditor,  H.  St.  George;  treasurer,  J.  H. 
Schneckloth;  attorney,  A.  G.  Farley;  assessor,  Daniel  Kidwell;  superintendent  of 
schools,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Liggett;  commissioners,  F.  L.  Miller  and  E.  D.  Smith.  The 
party  di.stribution  was  about  as  before,  Messrs.  Keatts,  Schneckloth,  and  Smith 
being  democrats  and  the  others  republicans. 

The  outcome  in  1912  was  this:  Representative,  C.  G.  Black;  sheriff,  J.  C. 
McKeiman ;  clerk,  E.  E.  Powell ;  auditor,  H.  St.  George ;  attorney,  A.  G.  Farley ; 
.uperintendent  of  schools,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Liggett;  engineer,  R.  W.  Rigsby;  assessor, 
A.  T-  Buchet;  commissioners,  E.  D.  Smith,  Isaac  Tewalt.  All  republicans  except 
McKeiman,  Rigsby,  Buchet,  and  Smith. 

In  1914,  we  find  the  following:  Representative,  C.  G.  Black;  auditor,  E.  E. 
Powell ;  treasurer,  Emma  A.  Noble ;  clerk,  Harry  St.  George ;  sheriff,  \V.  J. 
Schneckloth;  assessor,  A.  J.  Buchet;  attorney,  C.  Alexander  McCabe;  superin- 
tendent of  schools,  Belva  L.  Ball;  engineer,  R.  W.  Rigsby;  commissioners,  E. 
L.  Sanford,  C.  H.  Rommel.    The  politics  were  essentially  as  before. 

In  i()i6  we  find:  Representative,  John  T.  Ledgerwood;  auditor,  E.  E.  Powell; 
treasurer,   Olive  O.   Darby;  clerk,   H.   St.   George;  sheriff,  W.  J.   Schneckloth; 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  375 

assessor,  A.  J.  Buchet ;  superintendent  of  schools,  Belva  L.  Ball;  engineer,  M. 
W.  Fitzsimmons ;  commissioner,  Edward  Malone.  Politics  were  about  as  before. 
In  the  foregoing  list  we  have  not  included  the  state  senators  or  superior 
judges,  for  the  reason  that  they  were  joint  with  other  counties.  It  should  be 
stated,  however,  that  in  1906  and  1910,  J.  R.  Stevenson  of  Pomeroy  filled  the 
position  of  senator  from  the  district  with  conspicuous  ability,  and  that  Chester 
F.  Miller  of  Dayton  was  almost  continuously  the  superior  judge.  It  may  also 
be  added  that  the  position  of  sheep  commissioner  was  dropped,  and  that  a  new 
office,  court  commissioner  (presumably  having  no  connection  with  sheep,  though 
possibly  with  shearing)  was  established,  and  in  the  elections  of  1914  and  1916 
was  filled  by  G.  W.  Jewett. 

GENERAL    EVENTS 

Turning  from  political  events  to  those  of  more  general  nature  we  discover 
that  the  most  important  developments  in  transportation  were  connected  with 
three  lines  of  business ;  the  construction  of  the  branch  line  of  railroad  from 
Starbuck  to  a  little  beyond  Pomeroy;  improvements  in  the  navigation  of 
Snake  River  and  Columbia  River;  and  the  development  of  the  peculiar  shute 
and  tramway  system  for  moving  grain  from  the  high  prairies  in  the  northern  edge 
of  the  county  to  the  Snake  River  steamers. 

The  railroad  history  goes  back  to  1883.  In  April  of  that  year  a  delegation  of 
Pomeroy  and  Pataha  men,  consisting  of  B.  B.  Day,  C.  B.  Foote,  John  Houser, 
Cyrus  Davis,  and  F.  W.  D.  Mays,  went  to  Walla  Walla  to  meet  Henry  Villard, 
head  of  the  O.  R.  and  N.  System,  and  received  much  encouragement  that  a 
road  up  the  Pataha  would  be  immediately  considered.  However,  the  time  was 
not  yet,  and,  as  common  in  such  cases,  time  passed  on  without  results. 

In  January,  1885,  Pres.  Elijah  Smith  of  the  O.  R.  &  N.  Co.  made  the  pro- 
posal to  the  people  of  the  county  that  if  they  would  grade  and  lay  ties  the 
company  would  complete  the  work  and  inaugurate  the  line.  To  many  farmers 
this  seemed  rather  a  skin  game,  not  an  unusual  process  in  railroad  building. 

We  find  some  correspondence  and  some  comments  in  the  East  JVashiiigtonian 
of  so  much  interest  that  we  incorporate  them  here: 

"At  this  period  grain  was  stacked  up  on  the  banks  of  Snake  River  awaiting 
a  sufficient  stage  of  water  to  permit  of  its  being  hauled  away  by  boats.  With  the 
road  built  it  would  soon  be  in  the  markets  of  San  Francisco  and  Portland ;  the 
farmers  of  Garfield  would  be  placed  on  an  equal  footing  with  those  of  Columbia 
County.  Grain  would  be  worth  at  least  10  cents  more  per  bushel  than  it  was 
at  that  time ;  cattle,  hogs,  etc..  would  not  have  to  be  sacrificed  at  cut-throat  prices 
to  pay  taxes  and  grocery  bills.  With  a  railroad  tapping  the  heart  of  Garfield 
County,  an  era  of  prosperity  appeared  likely  to  prevail.  As  conditions  existed 
the  county  merchants  could  not  take  grain  for  store  bills;  they  would  be  com- 
pelled to  hold  most  of  it  until  the  next  year  before  they  could  ship  it ;  they  must 
take  all  chances  upon  the  price  remaining  at  what  they  had  paid  for  it.  Within 
sixty  and  ninety  days  their  goods  must  be  paid  for;  wheat  would  not  answer 
for  that  purpose;  practically,  the  farmers  had  no  reliable  market  whatever. 
The  theory  advanced  was,  "Build  a  road  and  wheat  will  be  legal  tender  for  all 


376  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

debts."    Under  date,  New  York,  January  24,  1885,  Air.  John  Harford,  of  Pataha 
City  received  the  following  letter  from  L.  H.  Morrison: 

"Dear  Sir; 

"Your  letter  received,  also  one  from  Doctor  Jorgensen,  stating  that  the  Gar- 
field County  people  were  willing  to  furnish  the  grading  in  case  the  O.  R.  &  N. 
Company  would  build  a  road  from  Starbuck  to  Pomeroy  or  Pataha. 

"I  am  sorry  that  there  should  be  any  opposition  from  the  Pomeroy  people,  as 
certainly  a  road  to  their  town  would  benefit  not  only  the  people  of  that  city,  but 
the  tributary  country.  In  the  first  place  it  is  going  to  be  a  very  difficult  matter 
to  interest  the  company  sufficiently  to  have  them  build  in  any  event,  as  there  are 
some  branches  which  they  think  are  of  far  more  importance,  such  as  the  com- 
pletion of  the  road  to  Moscow  and  the  road  from  Colfax  to  the  Farmington 
country.  Therefore  it  behooves  your  people  to  settle  all  your  difficulties  and 
unite  as  one  in  doing  everything  to  get  a  road  to  that  section  of  the  country. 

"Since  receiving  your  letters  I  have  had  an  interview  with  Mr.  Smith,  presi- 
dent, and  some  of  the  directors,  and  I  can  tell  you  that  they  are  not  exuberant 
over  building  additional  roads  in  Washington  Territory  or  Oregon.  But,  I 
think,  if  in  addition  to  the  grading,  which  your  people  must  agree  to  do,  you  will 
secure  subscriptions  sufficient  to  pay  for  the  ties,  that  they  will  go  ahead  and 
build  the  road  in  time  for  the  coming  crop.  These  subscriptions  must  be  in  the 
form  of  notes,  of  grain  notes,  something  that  they  can  turn  over  to  a  contractor 
who  will  have  the  building  of  the  road,  and  in  that  way  relieving  them  of  all 
trouble  in  collecting  the  subscriptions. 

"Yours  very  truly, 

"E.  H.  MoRRisaN." 

In  July,  1885,  C.  T.  Stiles,  Cyrus  Davis,  Charles  Ward,  G.  A.  Sable,  N.  C. 
Williams,  L.  P.  Mulkey,  F.  W.  D.  Mays,  G.  A.  McCanse,  R.  M.  Smith  and  A.  C. 
Short,  from  Pataha  City  and  Pomeroy,  were  in  Walla  Walla.  This  was  Satur- 
day. Their  object  was  to  hold  a  conference  with  railroad  officials,  and,  if  pos- 
sible, induce  them  to  extend  the  Riparia  branch  to  tap  the  rich  agricultural 
country  of  the  Pataha.  There  were  over  two  million  bushels  of  grain  to  ship 
from  Garfield  County ;  it  was  impossible  for  boats  on  the  Snake  River  to  handle 
such  a  bulk. 

August  loth,  H.  S.  Rowe,  general  superintendent,  and  Robert  McCleland, 
chief  engineer,  of  the  Oregon  Railroad  &  Navigation  Company,  accompanied  by 
Dr.  Joseph  Jorgensen  and  Frank  Paine,  of  Walla  Walla,  visited  Pomeroy  in  the 
interest  of  a  railroad  up  the  Pataha.  A  mass  meeting  was  held.  Mr.  Rowe 
made  the  definite  promise  that  if  the  right-of-way  was  procured,  together  with 
necessary  depot  grounds,  the  locomotive  would  enter  Pomeroy  by  January  1, 
1886.  Here  was  a  proposition  far  more  reasonable  than  the  previous  one  demand- 
ing that  the  farmers  grade  and  tie  the  road ;  it  demonstrated  that  the  company 
was  a  trifle  better  "prepared"  to  extend  its  lines  than  it  had  at  first  made  the 
farmer  believe.  Without  the  shadow  of  a  doubt  there  had  been  considerable 
jockeying  on  the  part  of  the  railway  magnates  in  the  preliminary  arrangements 
of  the   Pataha  Creek  extension. 

By  August  15th.  the  right-of-way  from  Starbuck  to  Pomeroy,  with  one  or 
two  minor  exceptions,  had  been  granted  to  Messrs.   Scott,  Austin,  Wilson  and 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  377 

Lynch.  In  reality,  they  had,  two  years  subsequently,  secured  this  right-of-way 
for  what  was  then  called  the  Starbuck  &  Pomeroy  Road — one  of  the  projects 
that  had  failed  to  materialize.  These  gentlemen  offered  to  relinquish  their 
claims  provided  the  Oregon  Railroad  &  Navigation  Company  would  construct 
the  line  within  a  specified  time ;  this  Mr.  Rowe  promised  should  be  done.  A 
committee  of  three,  viz. :  F.  W.  D.  Mays,  W.  C.  Potter,  Dixon  Davis,  were 
named  to  co-operate  with  the  above  named  four  gentlemen,  the  railway  men, 
forming  a  committee  of  the  whole,  to  secure  the  right-of-way  through  Pomeroy 
and  negotiate  with  the  owners  of  the  prospective  depot  grounds  as  to  assessments 
and  valuations  of  property  required  to  locate  the  road.  Subscriptions  were 
solicited  from  property  holders  to  defray  expenses  for  securing  right-of-way 
privileges.     August  15th  the  Columbia  Chronicle  published  the  following: 

"Superintendent  Rowe,  Hon.  Joseph  Jorgensen  and  Frank  Paine  of  Walla 
Walla  returned  from  Pomeroy  Wednesday  evening,  having  been  to  the  Pataha 
country  in  the  interests  of  the  proposed  branch  railroad  vip  that  stream  from 
Starbuck.  While  there  a  meeting  of  citizens  was  held  and  the  depot  grounds 
selected  upon  the  company's  land,  one-half  mile  from  Pomeroy.  The  people 
had  offered  $9  per  ton  for  hauling  grain  to  Portland,  provided  the  road  was  built 
last  season,  but  it  was  not  thought  likely  that  the  company  would  demand  more 
than  the  regular  rate  in  such  an  event.  It  is  thought  that  the  graders  on  the 
Moscow  branch  will  be  transferred  to  the  Pataha  in  October,  and  work  on  the 
road  begun.  The  people  of  Garfield  County  need  a  road  badly  and  we  hope  their 
efforts  to  obtain  one  will  be  rewarded." 

The  following  telegram  was  received  at  Pomeroy  Friday  morning,  October 
16,  1885: 

"I  am  instructed  to  commence  work  on  the  Pataha  branch  as  soon  as  possible, 
and  will  commence  immediately. 

"H,   S.  Rowe." 

"Portland,  October  15,  1885." 

January  9,  1886,  construction  trains  were  running  within  nine  miles  of 
Pomeroy ;  but  track  laying  had  ceased  for  some  time  past.  Difficulty  was  experi- 
enced in  getting  railroad  iron  to  "the  front"  fast  enough.  On-  the  23rd  the 
track  had  reached  Pomeroy ;  the  railroad  "consummation  devoutly  to  be  wished" 
was  an  accomplished  fact.  Here  the  road  ceased ;  it  was  never  extended  to 
Pataha  City;  Pomeroy  became  the  terminus.  November  14,  1885,  the  East 
IVashingtonian  published  the  following: 

"It  is  a  fact  that  it  was  only  by  the  'skin  of  the  teeth'  that  the  people  of  the 
county  have  been  assured  of  the  speedy  construction  of  a  railroad  in  our  midst. 
Had  not  the  order  to  build  been  given  when  it  was  it  is  not  likely  that  it  would 
have  been  given  for  two  or  three  years.  It  was  really  against  the  interests  of  the 
Oregon  Railroad  &  Navigation  Company  to  build  the  Pataha  road  this  fall. 
Here  there  was  no  threatened  competition.  It  would  have  been  much  more  to 
their  interests  to  have  built  the  Farmington  road  first,  because  the  Northern 
Pacific  is  competing  for  the  trafific,  while  here  there  is  no  opposition,  and  no 
probability  of  any.  It  w^as  difficult  to  get  money  to  build  any  road,  and  if  the 
company  had  constructed  the  Farmington  branch  first,  they  would  so  far  have 


378  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

exhausted  their  means  that  we  might  have  had  to  wait  for  years  for  a  road. 
It  was  a  fortunate  thing  for  our  farmers  that  things  took  so  favorable  a  turn. 
We  have  been  assured  that  the  guarantee  for  the  right-of-way  and  depot  grounds 
had  nuich  to  do  in  bringing  about  this  result.  In  fact,  without  this  guarantee 
the  road  would  not  have  been  built,  and  we  might  have  remained  for  a  long  time 
in  the  same  helpless  condition  we  have  been  in  for  years.  It  has  cost  something, 
and  it  will  cost  more  to  secure  the  right-of-way.  A  bond  was  given  in  the  sum 
of  $10,000  to  secure  the  right-of-way  and  depot  grounds.  Had  not  a  number 
of  our  citizens  come  forward  and  made  this  bond,  there  would  not  have  been  a 
stroke  made  on  this  road." 

Thus  that  great  need  of  transportation  was  met  by  co-operation  of  railroad 
and  people.  It  does  not  seem  likely  that  the  O.  R.  &  N.  Co.  would  have  suf- 
fered, even  if  they  had  met  all  the  expense  themselves.  Pomeroy  has  become 
one  of  the  greatest  original  grain  shipping  points  in  the  state,  which  means  in 
the  world.  In  1916  there  were  over  a  million  bushels  shipped  from  the  ware- 
houses at  Pomeroy. 

RIVER    IMPROVEMENT 

The  improvement  of  the  rivers  has  always  been  of  special  interest  and  im- 
portance to  Garfield  County.  Immense  quantities  of  grain  are  produced  in  the 
fertile  plains  of  the  northern  part  of  the  county.  To  much  of  that  area  the  haul 
to  Pomeroy  is  long  and  hard  and  the  river  is  the  best  resource.  For  about  half 
the  year  Snake  River  is  navigable  from  Asotin  to  its  mouth,  and  for  nine  or  ten 
months,  from  Asotin  to  Riparia.  Steamers  of  the  O.  R.  &  N.  Co.  have  pHed 
regularly  for  many  years  on  this  latter  run,  gathering  up  the  wheat  along  the 
southern  shore  and  conveying  it  to  Riparia  whence  it  went  by  train  to  seaboard. 
It  is  needless  to  observe  that  the  railroad  is  not  in  business  for  its  health  or  for 
gratuitous  service  and  with  practically  monopoly  conditions  the  freight  tariffs 
were  heavy.  Hence  it  was  clear  that  an  "Open  River"  to  the  sea  was  of  vital 
importance.  Garfield  County  has  therefore  borne  an  active  part  in  the  syste- 
matic efforts  to  secure  Congressional  appropriations  for  these  purposes.  In  the 
Legislative  sessions  of  1907  and  1909,  a  special  effort  was  made  for  co-operation 
by  the  State  of  Washington  with  the  Federal  Goverrunent  for  improvement  of 
Snake  River,  with  the  expectation  that  the  Government  would  thereby  proceed 
more  rapidly  with  the  Celilo  Canal,  the  key  to  the  Open  River.  Hon.  J.  R. 
Stevenson,  representing  Garfield  County  in  the  State  Senate,  performed  a  most 
valuable  service  in  securing  appropriations  by  the  state  looking  to  this  co- 
operation. In  the  face  of  considerable  opposition  from  portions  of  the  state 
not  directly  interested.  Senator  Stevenson  handled  the  situation  with  great  skill 
and  brought  the  result  to  pass  which  had  a  decisive  bearing  upon  the  Government. 
For  following  the  successive  appropriations  by  the  Legislature  the  Government, 
convinced  of  the  need  and  of  the  wishes  of  the  people,  proceeded  to  definite  and 
continuous  appropriations,  culminating  in  the  Celilo  Canal  in  191 5,  as  detailed 
in  an  earlier  chapter.  For  this  happy  result  we  are  indebted  largely  to  Senator 
Stevenson.  In  the  House,  Hon.  W.  O.  Long  of  Garfield  was  equally  faithful 
to  the  wishes  of  his  constituents,  though  not  in  a  committee  position  to  exercise 
the  same  power. 

But  the  most  unique  feature  of  transportation  on  the  rivers  is  the  system  of 


t> 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  379 

running  grain  sacks  from  the  highlands,  2,000  feet  above  sea  level,  to  the  river, 
seven  hundred   feet  or  less,  above  the   sea. 

In  the  early  '80s  Paine  Brothers  of  Walla  Walla  undertook  to  run  wheat 
down  in  a  wooden  chute  and  sack  it  below.  This  was  found  impracticable, 
because  of  the  friction.  In  1887  and  later  a  tramway  with  wooden  rails  was 
built  about  opposite  Wawaiwai.  In  1891  a  much  better  tramway  was  built  known 
as  the  Mayview  Tramway,  owned  by  a  joint  association  of  farmers.  After 
several  accidents  and  some  discouraging  experiences  the  enterprise  passed  into 
the  hands  of  John  Worum.  Both  tramways  are  now  owned  by  Max  Houser  of 
Portland.  It  was  found  that  the  chutes  either  for  grain  in  bulk  or  in  sacks  were 
not  practicable  on  account  of  friction.  But  the  tramways,  one  of  them  using 
buckets  and  the  other  cars,  after  some  losses,  have  proved  a  great  success.  The 
cost  of  operation  is  small,  as  the  weight  of  the  descending  cars  of  buckets  lifts 
the  empty  ones,  and  a  vast  amount  of  grain  is  lowered  by  them  to  the  steamers. 
The  tramway  at  Ilia  handles  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  bushels 
annually,  and  the  one  at  Mayview  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand. 

The  grain  business,  nearly  equally  divided  in  some  years  between  wheat  and 
barley,  but  in  recent  times  with  much  more  wheat,  has  been  the  leading  source 
of  income.  Two  large  and  well  equipped  mills,  one  at  Pataha  and  one  at 
Pomeroy,  furnish  constant  centers  of  activity.  Both  these  are  owned  by  Max 
Houser.  Mr.  Fred  Matthes  is  manager  of  the  Pomeroy  Mill,  and  Wm.  Houser 
of  the  Pataha  Mill. 

THE  STOCK  INTERESTS 

While  the  grain  business  is  now  foremost,  Garfield  County  started  as  a 
stock  country  and  even  yet  has  important  stock  interests.  A  valuable  article  on 
the  stock  interests  by  J.  O.  Long  appeared  in  the  Pioneer  Edition  of  the  U'asli- 
ingtonian,  and  it  is  worthy  of  pemianent  preservation.     We  insert  it  here : 

"Stock  raising  was  the  first  remunerative  industry  of  Garfield  County,  and 
the  first  settlers  believed  that  stock  raising  would  be  the  only  industry  that 
would  pay  them  best   for  their  labor. 

Parson  Quinn  was  one  of  the  first  settlers.  In  1862  he  settled  on  the  place 
that  Gilbert  Dickson  now  owns,  and  started  in  the  horse  business.  Soon  after 
William  McEnnery,  Frank  and  Archie  McBrearty  and  others  settled  along  the 
lower  Pataha  and  brought  with  them  small  bunches  of  cattle. 

J.  M.  Pomeroy  settled  where  the  city  that  bears  his  name  now  stands,  in 
1864,  and  brought  with  him  140  head  of  cattle  which  he  drove  from  Salem. 
Oregon,  over  the  Barlow  route  to  The  Dalles,  and  on  up  the  Columbia. 

The  Owsleys  came  in  '68  and  brought  with  them  fifteen  head  of  cattle  and  a 
few  horses. 

Mack  Tatman  settled  on  the  Tatman  Gulch  in  1869,  and  launched  into  the 
cattle  business.  Newt.  Estes,  about  this  time,  settled  on  the  Deadman  and 
became  the  largest  cattle  owner  in  what  is  now  Garfield  County.  All  of  the 
early  pioneers  settled  along  the  streams  where  they  fed. 

It  was  thought  at  that  time  that  the  hills  you  now  see  growing  such  bountiful 
crops  of  wheat  and  barley  were  fit  for  nothing  but  grazing.  When  we  came, 
in  1873,  they  told  us  we  couldn't  raise  anything  on  the  old  Pataha  Flat.     In  '73 


380  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

we  found  the  western  portion  of  tlie  county  well  stocked  with  cattle  and  horses, 
but  the  eastern  part  was  sparsely  settled,  and  there  were  very  few  cattle  and 
horses. 

At  this  time  a  few  sheep  were  ranged,  InU  in  a  few  years  the  sheep  men 
began  to  come  in — Charles  Seeley,  the  Logans,  Charles  McCabe  and,  a  little 
later,  J.  H.  Walker,  but  the  sheep  industry  did  not  grow  to  any  great  extent 
in  this  county.    Cattle  was  the  main  industry  up  to  '90,  when  it  began  to  decline. 

From  1873  to  1880  the  hills  began  to  settle  rapidly,  the  '70s  bringing  such 
stock  men  as  Tom  Burlingame,  the  Buchets,  Williams,  Bentley,  Lings,  Johnny 
Lynn,  Brown  and  Wellers.  Some  of  these  men  acquired  large  herds.  I  have 
no  way  of  knowing  the  number  of  stock  when  the  industry  was  at  its  zenith, 
but  we  had  lots  of  cattle  to  drive  and  ship  out. 

The  first  buyer  to  come  to  Garfield  County  operated  on  the  Tucanon,  near 
Marengo,  about  '76  or  '"jj,  and  the  price  paid  was  fourteen  to  sixteen  dollars 
for  two  year  old  steers,  and  about  eighteen  to  twenty  dollars  for  threes.  They 
drove  them  East,  taking  one  or  more  years  to  make  the  trip. 

J.  M.  Pomeroy  was  the  first  to  bring  in  good  stock.  In  the  bunch  of  140 
head  were  some  of  the  best  Shorthorns,  or  Durhams,  as  they  were  then  called, 
that  ever  came  to  this  county.  People  bought  and  sold  "Pomeroy  Durhams" 
for  forty  years.  Perhaps  a  large  portion  of  the  readers  will  remember  the  roan 
Shorthorns  that  Vannattan  had  on  his  place  below  town,  when  he  sold  his 
ranch  to  Campbell  &  Sanford  in  1902.  They  were  descendants  of  the  Pomeroy 
roan  Durhams.  Perhaps  the  majority  of  the  people  living  here  now  do  not 
realize  what  a  stock  county  this  was  in  the  '70s. 

I  remember  in  the  summer  of  '75  or  '76  Mr.  William  Cluster,  my  father  and 
myself,  then  a  boy,  came  down  the  Benjamin  Gulch  to  the  Pataha  looking  after 
our  stock.  We  forded  the  creek  about  where  the  park  is  now,  and  a  little  way 
from  the  creek  stood  a  little  log  cabin,  and  in  the  doorway  stood  Charles  McCabe, 
then  a  young  man.  We  inquired  after  our  brands  and  marks,  and  came  on 
down  the  north  side  of  the  creek,  my  father  and  Mr.  Cluster  riding  along  the 
road  and  I  galloping  back  and  forth  from  bluiT  to  creek,  scaring  the  cattle  out  of 
the  grass  so  we  could  see  the  brands  and  marks.  We  took  dinner  with  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Pomeroy  in  the  old  log  cabin  that  stood  for  many  years  afterwards 
in  the  lower  part  of  town,  and  while  we  partook  of  fried  trout  and  other  good 
things  that  the  pioneer  wives  knew  so  well  how  to  prepare  the  men  discussed  the 
Roan  Shorthorns. 

To  illustrate  what  grass  we  had  here  in  those  days,  I  will  repeat  what  Pearl 
Smith  once  said.  He  wanted  to  make  a  trip  across  the  Snake  River,  and  he  had 
heard  so  much  about  the  Alpowa  he  decided  to  go  that  way.  He  dropped  down 
on  the  creek  about  where  Vint.  Gilbert's  place  is  now  and  went  on  down.  When 
he  returned  he  was  asked  what  he  thought  of  the  Alpowa,  and  said,  'Those  hills 
reach  from  hell  to  heaven,  with  bunch  grass  from  top  to  bottom.' 

Garfield  County  never  contained  very  large  stock  owners.  Newt.  Estes 
was  cattle  king  with  something  like  one  thousand  five  hundred  head.  J.  H. 
Walker  owned  the  largest  band  of  horses,  and  George  Gibson  was  the  largest 
sheep  raiser.  The  Owsleys  at  one  time  owned  750  cattle  and  a  good  many 
horses.  Mack  Tatnian  at  one  time  had  400  or  500  head  of  cattle,  and  Tom 
Burlingame  350. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  381 

In  1888  Mat  Dixon,  Moffat  Williams  and  Dave  Dixon  bought  and  drove  to 
Pataha  Flat  512  head  of  cattle.  This  was  the  first  large  importation  of  cattle 
to  this  county. 

About  this  time,  or  a  few  years  before,  most  of  the  large  holders  began  to 
cut  down  their  herds,  and  some  quit  entirely.  Among  them  were  Melton,  Free- 
man, Estes  and  Tatman,  and,  after  a  few  years,  Rafi'erty  and  Bill  Kelly  prac- 
tically quit. 

The  horse  industry  of  the  country  did  not  take  much  change  from  cow  pony 
or  cayuse  till  about  1880.  A  1,000  pound  horse  was  considered  a  good  one,  and 
a  horse  that  wore  an  eighteen  inch  collar  was  a  large  one.  Mr.  Ford,  who  lived 
on  the  flat,  bought  a  large  Percheron,  and  a  year  later  Tucker  bought  a  grade 
Clyde,  and  our  horses  began  to  increase  in  size,  and  it  wasn't  long  till  the  1,000 
pound  horse  and  the  eighteen  inch  collar  were  things  of  the  past.  The  draft 
horse  is  here  and  as  good  as  any  county  can  boast  of.  We  now  have  6,581 
taxable  horses. 

We  didn't  raise  many  hogs  till  the  railroad  was  built  to  Dayton.  Prior  to 
that  a  few  put  up  bacon  and  hauled  it  to  Lewiston.  After  the  road  reached 
Pomeroy  f>eople  began  to  raise  more  hogs,  and  according  to  the  assessor's  roll 
we  have  5,254. 

The  sheep  industry  has  held  its  own  and  we  now  have  in  the  county  11,657, 
owned  principally  by  Charles  Dodge,  Weller  Live  Stock  Co.,  Clayton,  Palmer, 
and  J.  O.  Long.  Part  of  the  Palmer  herd  are  assessed  in  Asotin  County.  The 
farmers  are  now  taking  up  sheep  husbandry  on  their  own  farms,  and  we  look 
for  sheep  and  hogs  to  increase,  and  horses  to  hold  their  own.  The  cattle  in- 
dustry is  still  on  the  decline,  as  the  roll  shows  only  5,181  head  milch  cows 
included,  and  a  thousand  or  more  were  brought  in  to  be  fattened.  As  our  pas- 
ture land  increases  in  value  the  people  will  discard  the  cow  for  the  ewe  and 
mare." 

THUS  MUCH   FOR  LIVE   STOCK,   AND   NOW  FOR  SCHOOLS 

The  schools  of  any  American  community  must  always  be  accorded  a  place 
of  first  importance.  While  our  space  does  not  permit  extended  details,  we  must 
make  mention  of  the  beginnings  in  this  vital  feature  of  the  life  of  the  county. 

The  first  school  seems  to  have  been  the  Owsley  School,  five  miles  below 
Pomeroy,  built  in  1872.  At  that  time  the  children  of  the  Pomeroy  family  were 
the  only  ones  in  the  future  town  to  go  to  school.  As  other  families  came  in  the 
need  of  another  school  was  manifest,  and  a  new  building  was  completed  in  1879 
on  what  subsequently  became  the  home  of  Mr.  Benbow.  That  building  was  paid 
for  by  private  subscription,  Mr.  B.  B.  Day  being  the  largest  contributor.  There 
were  about  fifty  pupils  in  that  first  Pomeroy  School,  and  from  the  names  the 
first  families  can  be  noted,  there  being  representatives  of  the  Pomeroy,  Heaton, 
Rew,  Milan,  Potter,  Hull,  Dyer,  James,  Owsley  and  Benjamin  families.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  De  Bow  were  the  first  teachers. 

In  1873  the  first  school  district  on  the  Pataha  Flat  was  organized  by  a  meet- 
ing of  the  settlers  at  the  blacksmith  shop  belonging  to  George  Gill.  The  first 
teacher  was  William  Butler.  The  pupils  met  first  in  a  little  log  cabin,  but  in  1874 
a  schoolhouse  was  built. 


382  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Such  was  the  inauguration  of  the  school  system  of  Garfield  County  and  of 
Pomeroy.  The  first  school  in  Pataha  City  was  started  in  1878  with  twenty 
pupils  and  the  first  teacher  was  Mr.  Ogleby.  The  limits  of  space  forbid  us  to  do 
more  than  touch  upon  the  chief  stages  of  subsequent  growth.  It  may  be  said 
that  several  of  the  Pomeroy  and  Pataha  teachers  have  attained  high  rank  in 
their  profession  in  other  parts  of  the  state,  and  that  the  school  system  of 
Pomeroy,  including  the  high  school,  has  made  an  enviable  reputation  for  breadth 
and  thoroughness  of  instruction.  That  condition  in  the  chief  town  has  had  a 
tonic  effect  upon  the  country  schools.  In  1889  the  first  considerable  school 
building  in  Pomeroy  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $10,000  and  Mr.  Brown  became 
first  principal.  Mr.  Yerkes  followed  and  under  his  regime  a  high  school  with 
a  three  year  course  was  established.  The  principals  following  Mr.  Yerkes  were : 
J.  A.  Fertig,  E.  V.  Kuykendall,  D.  E.  Schnebley,  Walter  Lingenfelter,  H.  C.  Ben- 
bow,  C.  H.  Knaff,  A.  Kuykendall,  R.  R.  Grant,  and  in  the  year  1910,  the  position 
of  city  superintendent  was  created,  with  C.  C.  Ockerman  as  incumbent.  He  was 
followed  in  1912  by  E.  W.  Collier  who  still  holds  the  place.  A  large  addition 
to  the  school  building  was  made  in  1905,  and  in  1916  the  present  elegant  and 
well  equipped  high  school  building  was  opened.  Through  the  courtesy  of  Miss 
Belva  Ball,  county  superintendent,  we  are  enabled  to  present  the  following  data, 
covering  the  statistics  of  last  year  both  for  the  county  and  for  Pomeroy. 

There  have  been  forty-five  districts  in  the  county,  numbered  consecutively 
from  one  to  forty-four.  There  is  also  Dist.  100  in  Pomeroy.  Several  numbers 
have  dropped  out,  through  reorganization.  These  are  Nos.  2,  15,  22,  25,  27,  30, 
38  and  40. 

No.  1 1  is  Pomeroy.  The  teaching  force  in  this  district  consists  at  the  present 
date  of  Prof.  E.  W.  Collier,  Jessie  Campbell,  Ella  Fisk,  Emma  Spenger,  Char- 
lotte Marshall,  Mrs.  Laura  Davison,  Gertrude  Wilson,  Dessa  M.  King,  Jennie 
Dean,  C.  B.  Lindahl,  Mabel  Owen,  H.  C.  Hayes,  Marie  Schmidt,  Brightie  Con- 
sidine,   A.   S.   Kubitz,   Mamie   McCoy. 

The  total  assessed  valuation  of  the  county  by  current  report  is  $4,192,340. 
That  of  the  school  property,  including  grounds,  buildings,  and  equipment,  is 
$370,240. 

The  total  school  enrollment  is  1,074,  the  school  census  is  1,339.  The  enroll- 
ment of  the  Pomeroy  High  School  is  120.  This  is  an  accredited  school.  The 
school  at  Pataha  has  one  year  high  school  work.  The  total  number  of  teachers 
in  the  county  is  fifty-five. 

TOWNS  OF  GARFIELD  COUNTY 

From  the  foregoing  glances  at  the  history  of  the  county  we  turn  to  that  of 
the  towns.  Although,  as  we  have  seen,  a  number  of  towns  were  founded,  having 
county  seat  ambitions  and  great  expectations,  only  two  were  incorporated,  Pom- 
eroy and  Pataha  City,  and  of  these  the  latter  surrendered  its  charter,  and  hence 
Pomeroy  is  the  only  place  that  maintains  a  corporate  existence. 

By  the  courtesy  of  the  East  Washingtonian  we  gather  the  following  data 
about  the  founding  of  Pomeroy. 

"The  idea  of  converting  his  property  here  into  a  city  first  occurred  to  Mr. 
Pomeroy  and  took  definite  shape  in  1877.     At  this  time  William  C.  Potter  came 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUXTY  383 

with  some  money  and  induced  Mr.  Pomeroy  to  join  him  in  a  flouring  mill 
enterprise  to  be  operated  by  power  furnished  by  water  from  the  Pataha  Creek. 
To  this  project  Mr.  Pomeroy  contributed  liberally  and  the  mill  was  built  and  the 
town  started. 

"The  townsite  plat  of  Pomeroy  was  filed  for  record  May  28,  1878.  Those 
who  platted  the  town  were  Joseph  M.  Pomeroy,  Martha  J.  Pomeroy,  Benjamin 
B.  Day  and  Minnie  A.  Day.  It  is  located  on  the  east  half  of  the  south  half  of 
the  southwest  quarter  of  section  31,  and  the  west  half  of  the  south  half  of  the 
southeast  quarter  of  section  31,  in  township  12  north,  range  42  east. 

"Additions  since  that  time:  Wilson's  by  E.  T.  Wilson  and  J.  M.  Pomeroy, 
June  13,  1882. 

"Day's  by  Minnie  A.  Day  and  B.  B.  Day,  August  12,  1882. 

"Pomeroy's,  by  Martha  J.  St.  George  and  William  S.  Day,  September  20, 
1881. 

"Mulkey's,  by  Logan  P.  Mulkey  and  Charles  J.  Mulkey,  November  14,  1882. 

"Darby's,  by  Waher  L.  Darby,  August  14,  1884. 

"Depot,  by  the  Columbia  Valley  Land  &  Investment  Company,  April  30, 
1886. 

"Potter's,  by  William  C.  Potter,  August  25,  1887. 

"E.  M.  Pomeroy's,  by  E.  M.  Pomeroy,  November  28,  1892. 

"Crystal  Spring,  by  S.  G.  Cosgrove,  July  28,  1902. 

"Highland,  by  H.  C.  Benbow  and  E.  V.  Kuykendall,  July  9,  1902. 

"Stephens',  by  Frank  C.  Stephens,  March  29,  1904. 

"The  growth  of  Pomeroy  continued  to  be  particularly  rapid.  In  March, 
1879,  we  find  the  following  business  houses  in  the  pretty  little  town:  B.  B. 
Day,  general  merchandise,  and  grist  mill ;  Alulkey  Brothers,  hardware  and  tin- 
ware ;  Frary  &  Williams,  drug  store ;  G.  A.  Sawyer,  Pomeroy  Hotel ;  Calaway 
Brothers,  livery  stable ;  Scholl  Brothers,  brewery. 

"The  first  meeting  of  the  Pomeroy  common  council  was  held  Wednesday, 
February  10,  1886.  The  officers  named  in  the  charter  were  J.  M.  Pomeroy, 
mayor ;  and  C.  B.  Foote,  John  Brady,  W.  J.  Schmidt,  R.  A.  Rew  and  Jay  Lynch, 
councilmen.  At  the  first  meeting,  however,  R.  A.  Rew  tendered  his  resignation 
and  S.  G.  Cosgrove  was  appointed  in  his  place.  Frank  E.  Williamson  was 
selected  by  the  council  as  city  recorder.  At  the  second  meeting  February  11, 
Mr.  Williamson  tendered  his  resignation  as  clerk.  The  following  officers  were 
appointed  by  the  city  council  at  this  meeting :  Recorder,  C.  H.  DeBow ;  attorney, 
M.  F.  Gose;  justice  of  the  peace,  W.  S.  Newland;  marshal,  G.  D.  Gibson. 

"The  initial  city  election  held  in  Pomeroy  was  on  Monday,  July  12th.  Officers 
appointed  for  the  supervision  of  the  election  were  D.  C.  Gardner  and  David 
Dixon,  judges;  W.  S.  Newland,  inspector,  and  I.  C.  Sanford  and  Frank  Jack- 
son, clerks.  There  were  two  tickets  in  the  field,  the  People's  ticket,  with  Elmon 
Scott  for  mayor ;  John  Brady,  William  J.  Schmidt,  George  Gibson,  David  Dixon 
and  Dirk  Zemel,  for  councilmen,  and  the  Citizens'  ticket  with  M.  F.  Gose  for 
mayor,  and  C.  A.  McCabe,  D.  C.  Gardner,  S.  K.  Hull,  Jay  Lynch  and  R.  B. 
Porter  for  councilmen.  There  were  cast  218  votes  with  the  following  result. 
Mayor,  Elmon  Scott,  seventeen  majority;  councilmen  John  Brady,  C.  A.  McCabe, 
D.  C.  Gardner,  S.  K.  Hull  and  Jay  Lynch. 


384  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

"In  August,  1887,  the  leading  citizens  of  Pomeroy  filed  articles  with  the 
county  auditor  incorporating  the  'J'omeroy  Improvement  Company.'  The  object 
of  this  organization  was  to  improve  the  town.  The  original  capital  stock  was 
$I5,(XX)  with  the  privilege  of  increasing  this  to  $25,000.  Forty  per  cent  was  paid 
in  at  its  inception.  Following  were  the  officers  and  stockholders:  G.  E.  Kuyken- 
dall,  president;  S.  G.  Crandall,  vice  president;  W.  F.  N  off  singer,  secretary;  T. 
Driscoll,  treasurer;  C.  A.  McCabe,  H.  C.  Thompson,  C.  FL  Seeley,  trustees. 
The  stockholders  were  C.  A.  McCabe,  S.  G.  Crandall,  M.  F.  Gose,  F.  W.  D. 
Mays,  J.  M.  Hunt,  Charles  Kinzie,  W.  S.  Parker,  F.  E.  Williamson,  G.  W. 
Black,  J.  G.  Hughes,  T.  Driscoll,  li.  C.  Thompson,  W.  N.  Noff'singer,  John 
Brady,  G.  B.  Kuykendall,  John  Rehorn,  Charles  H.  Seeley,  G.  L.  Campbell, 
Elmon  Scott,  R.  L.  Rush,  W.  J.  Schmidt,  Herman  H.  Schlotfeldt,  H.  Darby, 
J.  A.  Darby,  and  W.  L.  Darby. 

"The  permanent  organization  of  the  Pomeroy  Fire  Department  was  effected 
;'.t  a  meeting  of  citizens  held  July  23,  1887.  A  constitution  and  by-laws  were 
adopted  and  the  following  officers  elected:  M.  F.  Gose,  president;  J.  M.  Hunt, 
vice  president;  C.  H.  Seeley,  treasurer;  J.  W.  Rafferty,  secretary;  John  Reborn, 
foreman;  H.  St.  George,  first  assistant;  Charles  Kinzie,  second  assistant.  The 
enrolled  membership  was  over  thirty.  Late  in  that  year  the  department  pur- 
chased a  hook  and  ladder  truck  and  a  hose  cart. 

"The  first  brick  building  in  the  City  of  Pomeroy  was  erected  in  the  fall 
of  1887.  This  was  the  First  National  Bank  of  Pomeroy;  the  cost  was  $20,000. 
This  was  followed  by  the  Seeley  block,  which,  while  less  costly,  was  not  inferior 
in  point  of  architectural  beauty  to  the  bank  building. 

"The  first  conflagration  of  importance  following  the  organization  of  the 
fire  department  in  1887  attacked  Pomeroy  Thursday  morning,  February  6,  1890. 
The  fire  broke  out  near  the  dividing  wall  between  J.  H.  Hagy's  boot  and  shoe 
shop  and  the  dry  goods  store  belonging  to  S.  Kasper  on  Main  Street. 

"In  October,  i8go,  Company  H  National  Guard  of  Washington  was  mus- 
tered into  service. 

"There  were  forty-three  men  in  line;  officers  were:  Captain,  Harry  St. 
George;  first  lieutenant,  Elmer  R.  Brady;  second  lieutenant,  J.  W.  Murphy. 
The  company  was  mustered  on  October  2d,  by  Captain  Wise,  of   Goldendale. 

"The  greatest  fire  known  in  the  history  of  the  town  occurred  July  18,  1890, 
when  the  business  portion  of  the  town  east  of  Third  Street  was  swept  away. 
The  Garfield  County  Courthouse  was  destroyed  entailing  a  public  loss  of 
$10,000. 

"In  1898  the  City  of  Pomeroy  had  a  population  of  1,500,  and  the  volume  of 
business  done  was  estimated  at  one  million  dollars  annually." 

During  all  the  time  from  the  establishment  of  the  city,  it  remained  under 
the  Territorial  charter  of  1886.  But  on  May  28,  1917,  an  election  was  held  for 
the  purpose  of  voting  upon  a  new  charter.  It  had  become  plain  that  the  old 
charter  was  no  longer  adapted  to  the  growing  city  and  hence  the  change  was 
made  by  general  consent.  A  primary  election  for  officers  for  the  new  govern- 
ment was  held  on  July  30th,  and  on  August  27th.  the  election  took  place.  As  a 
result  of  this  election  the  city  government  under  the  new  charter  was  duly 
inaugurated. 

With  the  officers  of  the  new  government  it  is  fitting  that  those  of  the  out- 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  385 

going  be  named.  They  were  as  follows :  Mayor,  Fred  Matthes ;  councilmen, 
C.  S.  Black,  W.  A.  DeBow,  O.  S.  Williamson,  D.  E.  Smith,  and  R.  Hender. 
Clerk,  Harry  St.  George.  The  officers  under  the  new  government  are :  Mayor, 
C.  E.  Kuykendall;  councilmen,  first  ward,  W.  F.  Taylor,  George  Engleson; 
.second  ward,  B.  Y.  Rainey,  J.  D.  Lyon;  third  ward,  J.  O.  Long;  fourth  ward, 
F.  M.  Robinson;  councilman  at  large,  H.  B.  Henley;  city  attorney,  A.  G.  Farley; 
city  treasurer,  W.  B.  Morris ;  city  clerk,  D.  A.  Taylor. 

HISTORY  OF   BUSINESS    HOUSES 

We  find  in  the  special  number  of  the  East  W ashingtonian  so  valuable  a  resume 
of  the  history  of  business  houses  of  Pomeroy,  including  reference  to  Pataha, 
that  we  add  it  to  the  excerpts  which  we  have  the  privilege  to  use. 

This  is  by  a  man  peculiarly  qualified  to  write,  J.  J.  McGrath,  written  in  the 
year  1914 : 

"The  leading  general  merchandise  stores  here  twenty-seven  years  ago  were 
Brady  and  Rush,  B.  Cohn  &  Co.  and  Ben  Hirsch  &  Co.  The  leading  grocery 
was  Dirk  Zemel;  hardware,  H.  Darby  &  Sons;  jewelry,  McCabe  &  Whitcomb; 
shoe  store,  J.  H.  Hagy;  furniture,  Vassar  &  Sacknitz;  bakery,  George  Eller; 
harness,  C.  Ed  Moore  and  W.  W.  Swank;  drug  stores.  Central  Drug  Store  and 
L  C.  Sanford  &  Co. 

"There  were  a  few  smaller  stores,  among  them  being  Doctor  Storey's  second- 
hand store  and   dental  parlor. 

"Soon  after  this  Ben  Hirsch  closed  out  and  S.  Kasper  opened  a  .store. 

"On  September  i,  1887,  I  entered  the  employment  of  E.  L.  Hemingway,  at 
Ilia,  who  conducted  a  general  merchandise  store,  and  grain  warehouse.  Mr. 
Hemingway  established  these'  houses  some  years  before  the  railroad  was  built 
to  Pomeroy,  and  did  a  large  business,  people  from  miles  around  coming  to 
Ilia  to  trade.  Many  came  fifteen  and  eighteen  miles  to  purchase  their  supplies 
at  the  Hemingway  store.  There  are  but  few  people  living  in  the  county  that  were 
customers  of  the  Hemingway  store  in  1889. 

"Two  years  later  I  became  connected  with  the  store  of  B.  Cohn  &  Co.,  of 
Pomeroy.  In  1892  we  incorporated  the  Pomeroy  Mercantile  Company,  and  pur- 
chased the  merchandise  from  B.  Cohn  &  Co.  The  first  stockholders  were  B. 
Cohn,  C.  H.  Seeley,  M.  F.  Gose,  G.  L.  Campbell,  P.  O.  Seeley,  M.  A.  Dunham, 
J.  A.  Strain,  D.  B.  Williams  and  J.  J.  McGrath. 

"Many  pioneers  will  remember  some  of  the  stockholders  with  pleasure.  Some 
have  been  very  successful  in  the  financial  world.  In  1912  the  Mercantile  Com- 
pany purchased  the  stock,  fixtures  and  real  estate  from  the  Pomeroy  Mercantile 
Company.  The  stockholders  of  the  new  company  are  C.  H.  Seeley,  R.  E.  Allen, 
J.  F.  Burr,  Mrs.  J.  B.  Warren  and  J.  J.  McGrath. 

"The  firm  of  Brady  &  Rush  changed  to  R.  L.  Rush  &  Co.  in  1890,  F.  J. 
Elsensohn  and  J.  B.  Brady  becoming  junior  members.  Later  R.  L.  Rush  sold  his 
interest  to  his  partners  and  took  the  presidency  of  the  Pomeroy  State  Bank,  and 
the  firm  name  was  changed  to  Brady  &  Elsensohn  until  J.  B.  Brady  sold  his 
interest  to  F.  J.  Elsensohn.  Mr.  Elsensohn  continued  the  business  under  his 
own  name  until  he  incorporated  the  Fred  J.  Elsensohn  Co.  Two  years  later  he 
sold  the  business  to  J.  N.  Cardwell  &  Sons,  who  consolidated  it  with  their 
business. 

Vol.  I 2  5 


386  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

"E.  W.  Wilson  and  Mrs.  AL  Gibson  came  here  in  November,  1879,  and 
opened  a  store  in  the  Dirk  Zemcl  Building.  A  year  later  fire  and  water  nearly 
destroyed  their  stock,  and  the  remainder  was  sold  to  D.  Zemel. 

"Dirk  Zemel's  grocery  store  was  purchased  by  Allen  &  Adams  in  1890.  This 
firm  came  here  from  Pataha  City  and  opened  a  store,  later  purchasing  the  Zemel 
store  and  consolidating  them.  Mr.  Adams  is  now  conducting  the  grocery  store. 
Mr.  Allen  is  vice  president  and  stockholder  in  the  Mercantile  Company. 

"About  twenty-two  years  ago,  C.  H.  Mowrey,  with  A.  L.  Darby,  purchased 
the  hardware  business  of  H.  Darby  &  Sons,  and  formed  a  partnership  under 
the  name  of  Darby  &  Mowrey,  which  business  they  have  successfully  conducted 
up  to  the  present  time. 

"In  the  jewelry  business,  both  C.  A.  McCabe  and  L.  J.  Whitcomb  are  dead. 
Both  will  be  remembered  by  all  old-timers  as  kind-hearted,  honest  men.  In  the 
last  ten  years  two  new  jewelry  stores  have  taken  their  place — L.  T.  Christopher- 
son  and  George  Simenstad,  owners.     Both  carry  large  and  up-to-date  stocks. 

"J.  H.  Hagy  sold  his  shoe  store  about  ten  years  ago  to  Powell  &  Taylor. 
Later  Mr.  Powell  sold  his  interest  to  Taylor  Bros.,  and  later  D.  A.  Taylor 
assumed  management  of  the  store  and  his  brother  opened  a  store  at  Pasco. 

"Sacknitz  purchased  the  furniture  business  from  V'assar,  and  the  latter 
moved  away  for  a  time,  returning  and  opening  a  store  under  the  name  of 
Williamson  &  Vassar,  and  later  Vassar  &  Son,  who  are  now  conducting  the 
furniture  and  undertaking  business. 

"The  Central  Drug  Store,  owned  and  operated  by  Doctor  Kuykendall,  was 
purchased  by  his  son,  C.  E.  Kuykendall,  about  ten  years  ago.  He  is  doing  busi- 
ness where  his  father  did  twenty-seven  years  ago.  The  East  End  Drug  Store 
was  sold  by  I.  C.  Sanford  &  Co.  to  Doctor  Black  &  Son,  and  later  to  M.  A. 
Black.     Now  it  is  owned  by  Crump  &  Dill. 

"In  1892  L.  F.  Koenig  sold  his  interest  in  the  business  conducted  under  the 
name  of  Koenig  &  Bournhouser,  in  Pataha,  and,  with  O.  S.  Williamson,  opened 
a  store  here  under  the  name  of  L.  F.  Koenig  &  Co.  This  store  has  been  very 
successful  and  is  operated  today  under  the  above  name,  with  E.  J.  Williamson 
associated  with  them. 

"J.  N.  Cardwell  &  Sons  opened  a  general  merchandise  store  here  sixteen 
years  ago,  and  later  purchased  the  merchandise  stock  from  Fred  J.  Elsensohn 
Co.,  and  consolidated  the  two  stores. 

"In  the  spring  of  1890,  J.  S.  Thomas,  J.  S.  Davis  and  H.  M.  Hathaway 
ors^anized  a  hardware  store  under  the  name  of  J.  S.  Davis  &  Co.  Later  the 
business  was  purchased  by  R.  E.  Wills,  C.  P.  Gammon  and  J.  R.  Stevenson, 
under  the  name  of  C.  P.  Gammon  &  Co.,  and  later  Wills  &  Stevenson.  About 
fifteen  years  ago  Mr.  Stevenson  bought  Mr.  Wills'  interest  in  the  business  and 
has  since  conducted  it  very  successfully. 

"In  1890  C.  A.  Lundy  and  E.  M.  Ranch  incorporated  under  the  name  of  C. 
A.  Lundy  &  Co.,  and  opened  a  grain  and  real  estate  business.  Later  they  dis- 
solved the  corporation  and  Mr.  Lundy  moved  to  Lewiston.  Mr.  Ranch  then 
opened  a  hardware  and  implement  house,  which  business  he  conducts  at  present. 

"About  fifteen  years  ago  Mr.  J.  P.  Ford,  who  at  one  time  previous  had  been 
manager  for  an  implement  house  here,  returned  and  formed  a  partnership  with 
J.   R.    Stevenson    and   opened    an    implement   house.      Later    he    purchased    his 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  387 

partner's  interest  and  conducted  a  very  successful  business.  He  sold  to  Morris 
&  Tewalt,  later  Mr.  Morris  purchased  the  interest  of  Mr.  Tewalt,  and  became 
sole  owner.  He  has  since  enlarged  the  business,  adding  furniture  and  hardware 
in  connection  with  the  implement  business.  Later  he  purchased  the  stock  of 
the  Pomeroy  Implement  Co. 

"About  twelve  years  ago  Ward  &  Meyers  bought  the  hardware  business  of 
James  Hazelton,  and  a  short  time  afterwards  took  in  T.  B.  McKeirnan  and 
conducted  two  stores.  Mr.  Ward  sold  his  interest  to  Mr.  Meyers,  and  later  the 
business  was  purchased  by  R.  J.  McKeirnan,  J.  C.  McKeirnan,  B.  L.  Keatts  and 
W.  L.  Meyers,  and  implements  and  hardware  were  added.  Later  R.  J.  McKeirnan 
bought  Mr.  Meyers'  interest.     W.  L.  Meyers  then  opened  a  new  harness  store. 

"About  fifteen  years  ago  H.  Wenning  opened  a  bakery  and  grocery,  and  con- 
ducted it  until  two  years  ago,  when  he  sold  to  S.  L.  Nicholson,  who  has  since 
managed  it. 

"A  number  of  pioneers  in  business  not  mentioned  in  the  above,  who  sold 
their  stores  and  moved  away  were :  Foote  &  Hull,  who  were  among  the  earliest 
business  men;  George  Eller,  Hayden  Gearhardt,  J.  D.  Tyrell,  DeBow,  Pomeroy 
Hardware  &  Implement  Co." 

PATAHA    CITY 

From  Pomeroy  we  turn  to  its  one  time  rival,  three  miles  up  the  valley.  Pataha 
City  was  laid  out  in  1878  by  Angevine  J.  Favor.  In  1882  W.  W.  Rigsby  added 
to  the  townsite  the  tract  known  as  Rigsby's  addition.  A.  F.  Beal  made  the  survey 
of  the  new  town.  It  was  at  first  called  "Favorsburg"  and  afterwards  "Water- 
tovvm."  One  of  the  most  important  events  was  the  sale  of  a  water  right  for  a 
flour  mill  from  a  large  spring  south  of  the  town  by  Cassander  Woolery  to  J.  M. 
Bowman  and  George  Snyder.  This  was  subsequently  acquired  by  John  Houser 
and  became  one  of  the  most  important  mill  properties  in  the  state. 

The  Charter  of  Pataha  City  was  granted  by  Judge  W.  G.  Langford  on  April 
7,,  1888.  As  indicating  the  established  residents  of  the  town  the  list  of  those 
petitioning  for  the  charter  possesses  historical  interest:  J.  H.  Walker,  A.  J. 
Favor,  G.  D.  Wilson,  John  Harford,  John  Houser,  H.  B.  Ferguson,  W.  J. 
Wills,  B.  Steele,  H.  L.  Caples,  Thomas  Cunningham,  C.  A.  Lundy,  Robert 
Gammon,  J.  S.  Dennison,  A.  McQueen,  W.  B.  Wetzel,  A.  E.  Allen,  T.  W.  Shan- 
non, Elmer  Sage,  R.  M.  Smith,  Peter  Cook,  H.  C.  Krouse,  H.  Lanning,  L.  F. 
Koenig,  R.  Bornhouser,  Charles  Ward. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  Pataha  was  held  in  Harford  & 
Son's  bank,  on  April  12,  1888.  John  Harford  was  mayor,  and  the  councilmen 
were :  John  Houser,  A.  J.  Favor,  J.  H.  Walker  and  G.  D.  Wilson.  H.  B.  Fer- 
guson was  clerk  of  the  board.  H.  C.  Krouse  was  the  city  marshal,  E.  D.  Briggs 
superintendent  of  streets,  and  E.  C.  Harford  treasurer. 

One  of  the  bitterest  contests  ever  held  in  Pataha  was  over  the  question  of 
prohibition.  There  was  an  election  under  the  local  option  law  in  June,  1886.  In 
the  issue  of  the  East  Washingtonian  of  July  3d,  there  is  a  very  grave  charge 
against  the  judges  of  election,  in  eiifect  that  they  allowed  foul  play  with  the 
ballot  boxes  during  the  noon  recess,  as  a  result  of  which  eighty-two  "wet" 
ballots  were  deposited  in  a  bunch.     It  was  matter  of  common  knowledge  that 


388  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

the  "drys"  were  in  a  majority  in  the  town,  and  so  extraordinary  a  result 
could  not  fail  to  excite  suspicion.  The  effort  in  the  interest  of  the  "wets"  was 
unavailing  and  the  entire  county  finally  became  dry.  On  April  7,  1893,  a  great 
catastrophe  befell  the  town,  for  on  that  day  came  a  fire  which  destroyed  the 
larger  part  of  the  business  portion.  That  was  in  the  very  hardest  part  of  the 
"hard  times."  The  year  1894. was  indeed  a  black  year,  worse  for  Garfield  County 
than  for  Walla  Walla  and  Columbia,  for  they,  being  older,  had  more  accumula- 
tions to  fall  back  on.  Wheat  was  bringing  only  25  or  30  cents  a  bushel,  and 
a  good  part  of  the  crop  of  1893  ^^^^  been  destroyed  by  continued  rain.  In  1894 
came  the  "Great  Flood,"  railroad  strikes,  bank  failures  and  general  chaos  in 
the  business  world.  Among  other  banks,  that  of  Harford  &  Son  at  Pataha 
closed  its  doors.  Pataha  was  manifestly  on  the  down  grade  as  a  town.  It  was 
and  is  a  beautiful  and  fertile  spot  and  is  now  fulfilling  its  mission  in  the  world 
as  a  central  point  of  farming  production.  In  April  10,  191 1,  the  question  of  dis- 
incorporation  was  submitted  to  vote  and  by  nearly  a  unanimous  decision  the 
charter  was  surrendered  and  Pataha  ceased  to  be  an  incorporation.  The  busi- 
ness men  mainly  moved  to  Pomeroy  or  elsewhere  and  the  Houser  Mill  alone 
remained  in  undiminished  vitality. 

The  churches  of  Garfield  County  and  Pomeroy  are  entitled  to  a  place  in  any 
historic  review. 

The  first  church  organization  in  the  county  seems  to  have  been  effected  in 
1878,  by  Father  Peter  Paaps,  of  the  Catholic  Church  on  land  donated  by  J.  M. 
Pomeroy  and  C.  A.  McCabe.  This  church  has  been  maintained  to  this  day, 
and  with  it  a  parochial  school,  conducted  at  present  by  the  Benedictine  Sisters. 
The  present  pastor  of  the  Catholic  Church  is  Father  Peter  Taufen. 

The  first  Methodist  preacher  in  Garfield  County  was  Rev.  George  W.  Ken- 
nedy, already  spoken  of  in  the  chapter  on  Columbia  County.  He  first  came  in 
1874.  Then  a  year  later  came  Rev.  A.  J.  Joslyn,  whose  home  was  in  Dayton. 
There  was  no  church  organized  as  yet.  In  1878  Rev.  C.  E.  Rigsby  established 
preaching  places  at  a  number  of  points,  the  schoolhouses  or  private  residences 
furnishing  meeting  places.  Two  years  later  Rev.  D.  E.  George  took  up  the 
work,  and  he  is  remembered  as  a  typical  pioneer  preacher.  The  first  Methodist 
Church  in  Pomeroy  was  built  in  1884  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  W.  T.  Koontz. 
A  number  of  pastors  followed,  the  last  of  whom  was  Rev.  A.  Monroe.  During 
his  time  a  parsonage  was  built. 

The  first  Baptist  Church  was  organized  on  June  3,  1888,  by  Rev.  J.  H. 
Teale,  then  general  missionary  for  Eastern  Washington  and  Northern  Idaho. 
Rev.  S.  E.  Stearns  became  the  first  pastor.  The  church  building  was  erected  in 
1895,  being  dedicated  on  March  29,  1895,  by  Rev.  A.  M.  .\llyn.  Rev.  John 
Cashman  was  pastor  during  that  period.  During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  W. 
E.  Sawyer  the  parsonage  was  erected.  Rev.  C.  S.  Treadwell  was  pastor  from 
March,  1912,  to  April,  1914.  The  church  has  not  a  settled  pastor  at  the  date 
of  this  publication. 

Turning  to  the  Christian  Church,  we  find  that  the  first  services  in  the  name 
of  that  fellowship  were  conducted  in  1886  by  Principal  Wolverton  of  the  Dayton 
schools.  On  November  20,  1887,  "Brother"  J.  B.  Daisley  organized  a  church 
of  twenty-five  members.  Like  other  early  congregations  they  held  services  in 
store  buildings,   schoolhouses.  courthouse,   or  almost   any  available  shelter.     In 


PICKING   GKAPE.S.   Al'GEKMAYLE   PLACE,  CLARKSTON 


GRAPEGROWIXG    (AND    GIRL  GROWING )    AT   CLARKSTON 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  389 

18S9,  a  house  of  worship  was  erected  on  a  lot  donated  by  Gilbert  Dickson,  and 
this  was  dedicated  by  "Brother"  N.  B.  Alley  in  that  year.  The  present  pastor  is 
Rev.  R.  Tibbs  Maxey. 

A  Seventh  Day  Adventist  organization  was  effected  by  Elders  Van  Horn  and 
Raymond  as  the  outcome  of  tent  meetings  conducted  by  them  on  the  Moses  Hunt 
ranch  on  Pataha  Flat  in  1881.  In  1902  the  organization  was  removed  to  Pomeroy, 
and  the  next  year  a  building  was  erected.  Occasional  church  services  and  regular 
Sunday  School  sessions  have  been  maintained,  though  there  is  no  settled  pastor. 

The  hi.story  of  the  Episcopal  Church  calls  up  the  names  of  two  of  the  great 
figures  in  the  pioneer  life  of  that  church,  Bishop  L.  H.  Wells  and  Bishop  Pad- 
dock. Bishop  Wells  held  services  in  the  old  Owsley  schoolhouse  in  1873.  At 
that  time  the  only  member  of  that  church  in  the  whole  country  was  Clara  Pom- 
eroy, daughter  of  J.  M.  Pomeroy,  subsequently  Mrs.  E.  T.  Wilson,  now  living  in 
Tacoma.  It  is  recalled  by  members  of  the  family  that  the  girl's  tuition  at  St. 
Paul's  School  in  Walla  Walla,  of  which  she  was  an  attendant,  was  paid  by  cattle 
on  the  range,  and  that  Bishop  Wells  would  go  up  occasionally  to  look  over  his 
herd,  and  on  such  occasions  he  would  preach  in  the  schoolhouse. 

Bishop  Paddock  gave  $500  for  a  building  and  Bishop  Wells  raised  $1,000 
more,  and  in  1882  a  church  building  was  erected.  At  the  present  date  Rev.  John 
Leacher  is  pastor.  ■       , -■    •.    ■•:;:•'. 

The  Congregational  Church  in  Garfield  Couji^y;  wSS- Organized'  ati  Pataha  in 
1890  by  the  coming  of  Rev.  John  Nichols,  one;  of  the  "Yale  Band,"  of  which 
President  Penrose  of  Whitman  College  was  another,  '.The  cfiuret-Ayas  active  and 
a  great  center  of  light  and  stimulation  to  intellectual  and'  socianffe  for  some 
years.  The  Harford,  Houser,  Reynolds,  Wills,  Rigsby,  McCanse,  and  other 
leading  families  of  Pataha  joined  with  the  pastor  to  make  the  church  a  great 
force  in  the  whole  region.  With  the  decline  of  Pataha  and  the  retirement  of  Mr. 
Nichols  the  church  activities  ceased,  and  the  Congregationalists  centered  their 
interests  on  the  church  at  Pomeroy.  That  was  organized  on  March  15,  1903, 
by  Rev.  D.  H.  Reid.  The  building  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  was 
purchased.  Rev.  Edward  Owens  became  the  first  pastor.  In  1913  Rev.  John  M. 
Huggins  became  settled  in  that  church,  and  is  pastor  at  this  date. 

FRATERNAL  ORDERS 

The  fraternal  orders  are  duly  represented  in  Pomeroy.  The  Masons  are  rep- 
resented by  the  Evening  Star  Lodge,  No.  30,  which  received  a  dispensation  in 
1879.     In  1886,  a  Royal  Arch  Chapter  was  duly  established. 

The  Harmony  Lodge,  No.  16,  of  the  Odd  Fellows  was  granted  a  dispensation 
March  29,  1879,  and  was  organized  in  the  May  following. 

The  Fairview  Camp,  No.  119,  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World,  dates  its  be- 
ginnings to  July  5,  1892.  There  is  also  an  auxiliary,  the  Women  of  Woodcraft, 
organized  soon  after  the  beginning  of  Fairview  Camp. 

The  Knights  of  Pythias  have  a  strong  organization  at  Pomeroy,  known  as 
Garfield  Lodge  No.  25.  It  unites  with  the  Masons  and  Odd  Fellows  in  the 
ownership  of  Union  Lodge  Hall,  a  commodious  and  attractive  building,  the 
joint  ownership  of  which  is  an  interesting  feature  of  the  fraternity  life  of  Pom- 
erov. 


390  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

There  is  also  a  lodge  of  Rebekahs,  known  as  Faith  Rebekah  Lodge,  organized 
on  May  25,  1888. 

The  Modern  Woodmen  and  the  Foresters  of  America  have  organizations  in 
Pomeroy. 

The  Women's  Christian  Temperance  Union  organization  was  effected  on 
June  18,  1884.  It  has  been  to  this  day  a  powerful  influence  for  good,  not  alone 
in  the  line  of  temperance,  but  in  many  directions  of  community  betterment.  A 
free  reading  room  is  maintained,  a  most  worthy  agency  for  good. 

Perhaps  the  most  unique  and  practically  efficient  organization  in  the  whole 
City  of  Pomeroy  is  the  Women's  Civic  Club.  This  was  organized  under  the 
leadership  of  Mrs.  Frank  Cardwell,  as  a  specific  means  of  public  betterment. 
The  installation  of  drinking  fountains,  cluster  lights,  clean-up  days  and  instru- 
mentalities, and  park  improvements,  are  to  be  attributed  to  this  admirable  organ- 
ization. 

Worthy  of  special  respect  is  the  post  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  It 
is  known  as  McDowell  Post,  G.  A.  R. 

The  post  was  mustered  in  by  Captain  Smith  of  Vancouver  on  April  23,  1885, 
with  the  following  list  of  officers  and  high  privates : 

S.  G.  Cosgrove,  P.  C. ;  B.  B.  Day,  S.  V.  C. ;  J.  W.  Hardin,  J.  V.  C. ;  J.  S. 
Waldrup,  surgeon;  Henry  C.  Thompson,  chaplain;  D.  C.  Gardner,  Q.  M.;  James 
Palmer,  O.  D. ;  Charles  Lakin,  O.  G. ;  J.  M.  Sawyer,  adjutant;  Frank  Elliott, 
S.  M. ;  W.  C.  Potter,  Q.  M.  S. ;  David  Riley,  L.  M.  Hofifeditz,  Frank  Geiger,  W. 
G.  S.  Ginger,  Cyrus  D.  Burt,  J.  P.  Finch,  B.  Talmage.  Only  one  of  the  charter 
members,  Henry  C.  Thompson,  now  resides  in  Garheld  County. 

The  charter  was  signed  by  Department  Commander  A.  Morrow  of  Vancouver. 

The  post  looks  with  pride  to  the  monument  erected  on  the  courthouse  square 
at  a  cost  of  $930.  This  monument  was  placed  in  1904.  Money  was  raised  by  a 
large  list  of  donors,  both  comrades  and  their  loyal  friends,  contributing.  It  was 
unveiled  on  the  4th  day  of  July,  1904,  in  the  presence  of  a  large  concourse  of 
people  from  all  over  Garfield  County,  besides  a  number  from  adjoining  counties. 

farmers'  union 

Garfield  County  being  exclusively  a  farming  community,  the  Farmers'  Union 
is  naturally  a  powerful  organization.  In  its  officers  and  membership  are  found 
many  of  the  most  influential  farmers  of  the  county,  and  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
our  story  has  necessarily  dealt  largely  with  the  chief  town  of  the  county,  it 
seems  just  to  end  this  portion  of  the  chapter  with  a  more  extended  view  of  the 
Farmers'  Union  than  we  have  given  to  the  fraternal  orders  of  the  city.  We 
therefore  again  take  advantage  of  the  courtesy  of  the  East  IVashingtonian  by 
including  here  an  article  prepared  for  its  special  number  by  C.  W.  Cotton. 

"Pomeroy  Local,  No.  10:  This  local  was  organized  May  4,  1907,  by  H.  D. 
Cox  of  Prescott,  Wash.,  with  fifteen  charter  members  and  the  following  officers: 
Chris  Brockman,  president;  H.  C.  Thompson,  vice  president;  William  J.  Schmidt, 
secretary-treasurer;  Peter  Herke,  chaplain;  John  W.  Oliver,  conductor;  Frank 
Rach,  doorkeeper. 

"The  present  membership  numbers  130  and  are  collectively  worth  about 
two  million  dollars. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  391 

"The  present  officers  are:  James  Oliver,  president;  William  Gammon,  vice 
president ;  William  J.  Schmidt,  secretary-treasurer ;  J.  W.  Ball,  chaplain ;  R.  W. 
G.  Mast,  conductor;  Henry  Miller,  doorkeeper;  and  Peter  McClung,  W.  A. 
DeBow  and  D.  B.  Williams,  executive  board. 

"As  its  work  shows.  No.  lo  is  one  of  the  successful  locals,  its  officers  efficient 
and  up-to-date — its  secretary  ranking  with  the  best  in  the  state.  Its  members 
own  about  200  shares  ($10  each)  in  the  Tri-State  Terminal  Warehouse  Com- 
pany. 

"The  Pomeroy  local  organized  a  warehouse  company  in  June,  1908,  with 
thirty-two  stockholders,  capital  stock,  $6,350,  divided  into  127  shares  of  $50  each. 
All  the  stock  was  sold  by  June,  1909,  and  will  have  paid  for  itself  in  dividends 
during  the  first  six  years  of  its  existence. 

"This  company  built  a  warehouse,  50x450  feet,  with  a  capacity  of  200,000 
bushels.  This  warehouse  has  stored  the  grain  of  the  members  and  corrected 
many  abuses  of  the  grain  storage  business  of  Pomeroy,  materially  reduced  the 
price  of  handling  sacks,  coal,  posts,  etc.,  and  in  a  general  way  has  been  a  benefit 
to  every  farmer  in  Garfield  County. 

"The  Pomeroy  Farmers'  Union  Warehouse  Company's  first  officers  were: 
William  Gammon,  president;  James  Oliver,  vice  president;  William  J.  Schmidt, 
secretary ;  D.  B.  Williams,  treasurer ;  Ed  Lubkins,  manager.  Trustees :  William 
Gammon,  D.  B.  Williams,  James  Oliver,  William  J.  Schmidt  and  J.  M.  Robinson. 
The  present  officers  are  :  William  Gammon,  president ;  W.  J.  Schmidt,  vice  presi- 
dent; W.  A.  DeBow,  secretary  and  manager,  and  D.  B.  Williams,  treasurer. 

"May view  Local,  No.  4:  This  local,  the  fourth  to  be  given  a  charter  in  the 
State  of  Washington,  was  organized  by  Mr.  Cox  on  May  13,  1907,  with  twenty- 
three  charter  members  and  the  following  officers :  W.  A.  DeBow,  president ; 
T.  E.  Tueth,  vice  president ;  C.  W.  Cotton,  secretary-treasurer ;  J.  D.  Lyon, 
chaplain;  Arthur  Ruark,  conductor;  and  Ed  Taylor,  doorkeeper.  Several  of 
these  have  been  continuously  re-elected. 

"The  membership  has  increased  to  sixty,  though  a  number  have  moved  away 
and  death  has  taken  five  of  our  brothers — Ed  and  Bert  Leachman,  Eph  Hess, 
Charley  Ruark  and  Roy  Wade. 

"The  present  officers  are :  T.  E.  Tueth,  president ;  A.  L.  Shelton,  vice  presi- 
dent ;  C.  W.  Cotton,  secretary-treasurer ;  C.  E.  Watson,  chaplain ;  J.  F.  Dyche, 
conductor;  and  Ed  Taylor,  doorkeeper.  Executive  board:  J.  H.  Lambie,  C.  H. 
Bishop,  E.  R.  Schneckloth,  C.  W.  Cotton  and  T.  E.  Tueth. 

"The  Mayview  local  has  always  taken  an  active  part  in  union  work  and  for 
two  years  furnished  one  of  the  five  members  of  the  state  board. 

"In  January,  1910,  it  appealed  to  the  O.  R.  &  N.  Co.  to  build  a  downtown 
depot  in  Pomeroy,  without  success.  Later  the  appeal  was  sent  to  the  state  rail- 
road commission.  An  investigation  was  promised  which  resulted  in  the  present 
centrally  located  depot. 

"In  191 1  it  successfully  conducted  a  trial  against  the  Mayview  Tramway 
Company  before  the  State  Public  Service  Commission. 

"In  January,  1914,  the  United  States  Department  of  Justice  was  induced  to 
begin  an  investigation  of  the  alleged  grain  bag  trust  on  the  Pacific  Coast.  If 
this  investigation  has  been  thorough  it  will  be  some  time  before  grain  bags  will  sell 
again  at  'two  for  a  quarter.' 


392  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

"It  favored  the  establishment  of  the  paper,  Pacific  Fanners'  Union,  bought 
ten  shares  of  stock,  and  for  quite  a  while  held  the  highest  per  cent  of  subscribers 
among  its  members.    It  was  among  the  first  to  advocate  a  national  union  paper. 

"The  Mayview  local  owns  about  lOO  shares  in  the  Tri-State  Terminal  Ware- 
house Company  and  some  of  its  members  have  profitably  shipped  their  grain 
there. 

"Ever  since  its  organization  it  has  bought  grain  bags,  fuel,  fence  posts,  etc.. 
at  a  material  reduction,  and  has  contracted  with  the  Tri-.State  Terminal  Company 
for  93,000  grain  bags  for  this  year  at  a  price  believed  to  be  the  best  ever  given  tc 
the  farmers  of  Garfield  County. 

"Central  Local,  No.  145 :  This  local  was  organized  by  the  writer,  assisted 
by  T.  E.  Tueth,  January  7,  1911,  with  fifteen  charter  members  and  the  following 
officers:  S.  Bratcher,  president;  J.  H.  Morris,  vice  president;  C.  T.  Castle,  secre- 
tary-treasurer; John  Daisley,  chaplain;  J.  E.  Tueth,  conductor;  and  J.  W.  Bly, 
doorkeeper.  Other  members :  W.  H.  Keith,  J.  A.  Brown,  J.  S.  Tucker,  Dennis 
Porter,  W.  B.  Brown,  Henry  Lynn,  Frank  Lynn.  Hattie  Bratcher,  and  Harriet 
E.  Bly.  This  local  has  kept  up  its  membership  and  J.  E.  Tueth  is  now  secretary- 
treasurer." 

THE   PRESS   OF  GARFIELD  COUNTY 

We  have  already  given  a  view  of  the  earliest  newspapers  of  what  is  now  Gar- 
field County,  founded  prior  to  county  division.  For  the  sake  of  clearness  we  here 
name  them  again,  with  the  date  of  each : 

The  Washington  Independent  was  founded  April  12,  1880,  by  F.  W.  D.  Mays; 
the  Pataha  Spirit  in  January,  1881,  by  G.  C.  W.  Hammond;  and  the  Pomeroy 
Republican  had  its  first  number  March  4,  1882,  founded  by  E.  T.  Wilson.  The 
Republican  was  practically  continued  by  the  East  Washingtonian,  to  which  we 
have  frequently  referred  and  which  has  the  distinction  of  longer  continuance 
under  one  management  than  any  other  paper  in  Old  Walla  Walla  County,  with 
the  exception  of  the  Columbia  Chronicle  under  R.  E.  Peabody. 

Peter  McClung,  the  present  proprietor  of  the  Washingtonian,  after  having 
been  for  several  years  an  employee,  became  joint  owner  with  E.  M.  Pomeroy  in 
1889,  and  in  1893  he  became  sole  proprietor.  In  191 5  a  corporation  was  formed 
of  Peter  McClung  and  Ray  McClung.  As  a  unique  feature  of  this  incorporation, 
and  for  the  sake  of  creating  something  like  a  community  paper,  a  hundred  stock- 
holders, the  leading  men  of  the  town,  have  small  shares  in  the  enterprise.  In 
this,  as  in  its  excellent  news  service  and  the  force  and  cogency  of  its  editorials, 
the  \]'ashingtonian  ranks  very  high  among  weekly  papers. 

Mr.  McClung  tells  us  that  many  attempts  at  founding  newspapers  were  made 
during  the  early  history  of  the  county.  There  were  some  eight  or  ten  news- 
paper funerals  during  those  early  days.  Most  of  them  departed  sine  die.  Two, 
the  Pataha  Farmer  and  the  Garfield  County  Standard,  were  absorbed  by  the 
Washingtonian. 

The  files  of  the  Republican  of  1882  tempt  to  larger  extracts  than  we  have 
space  for.  In  the  advertising  columns  we  find  the  following  lawyers'  cards: 
A.  T.  Heavilon,  Frank  H.  Brown,  J.  H.  Lister,  J.  B.  Lister. 

R.  P.  Steen  calls  attention  to  the  Pomeroy  Planing  Mill.  The  doctors  are 
represented  by  J.  C.  Andrews  and  J.  H.  Kennedy.     B.  B.  Day  advertises  the 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  393 

Pomeroy  Flour  Mill.  That  mill  was  owned  by  J.  H.  Abbott,  the  pioneer  stage 
line  manager  of  Walla  Walla.  The  mill  was  subsequently  burned.  Mr.  Day  also 
had  the  first  store,  sold  to  Brady  and  Rush.  The  St.  George  Hotel  appears, 
managed  by  Harry  St.  George,  still  a  leader  in  the  affairs  of  Pomeroy.  The 
sawmill  of  Jay  Lynch  at  Iron  Springs  appears  in  the  columns.  We  find  also 
saw  mills  owned  by  E.  G.  Teale  and  E.  Stephens  and  shingle  mill  by  G.  W.  Bear 
on  Pataha  Flat.  Mention  is  made  of  the  ferry  of  J.  J.  Kanawyer  across  Snake 
River  at  Asotin.  In  the  issue  of  March  i8,  1882,  is  a  somewhat  vehement  dis- 
cussion of  the  "Garfield  County  county-seat  contest,"  with  the  Walla  Walla 
Union.  It  appears  that  the  Union  had  spoken  with  some  contempt  of  the  fuss 
and  of  the  criticism  of  Judge  Wingard  for  his  technical  decision.  It  avers  that 
the  expense  was  only  $65.15.  The  tone  of  the  article  roused  the  ire  of  the  Repub- 
lican and  it  declares  that  it  had  cost  $4,607.10,  besides  interest.  In  the  same 
number  is  the  school  report,  from  which  it  appears  that  there  were  1,198  pupils 
in  twenty-five  districts.    That  was  at  the  time  when  Asotin  was  part  of  the  county. 

On  July  15,  1882,  we  find  an  item  to  the  effect  that  William  Stephens  had 
sold  lot  I,  block  8,  to  Doctor  Kuykendall  and  R.  E.  Butler  for  $1,000. 

In  the  number  of  November  11,  1882,  is  a  very  interesting  item  to  the  effect 
that  Captain  Lewis  of  Asotin  had  a  limekiln  two  miles  below  the  mouth  of 
Grande  Ronde  River,  and  that  he  had  stored  there  250  barrels  of  lime.  He  an- 
ticipated getting  out  1,200  barrels  the  next  year.  The  statement  is  made  that 
there  is  a  fine  ledge  of  marble  near  the  same  place. 

In  concluding  this  too  brief  view  of  the  interesting  and  important  history  of 
Garfield  County  we  are  impressed  with  the  thought  that  if  we  were  to  select  the 
especially  unique  feature  of  that  history  it  would  be  found  in  the  fact  that  this 
county,  one  of  the  small  counties  of  the  state  and  one  of  the  newer  ones,  has  had 
a  remarkable  list  of  men  who  have  risen  to  prominence  in  the  affairs  of  the  state 
or  of  the  country.  It  is  quite  remarkable  to  give  even  a  partial  list  of  such  char- 
acter. Two  judges  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  state,  Elmon  Scott  and  Mack 
Gose,  went  from  Pomeroy.  Governor  Cosgrove  was  for  many  years  a  citizen  of 
the  same  place.  The  greatest  individual  grain  dealer  in  the  United  States,  it  is 
even  said  now  the  greatest  in  the  world,  Max  Houser  of  Portland,  was  born  and 
raised  at  Pataha.  He  is  now  said  to  be  six  times  a  millionaire.  Recently  he  has 
invested  $250,000  in  Liberty  bonds,  and  upon  his  appointment  by  President  Wil- 
son as  grain  commissioner  of  the  North  Pacific  Coast,  he  decided  to  devote  the 
entire  profits  of  his  grain  business  to  the  Red  Cross.  Other  business  men  of 
great  note,  as  John  Davis  of  Seattle,  Frank  Williams  of  Toppenish,  and  C.  G. 
Austin  of  Seattle,  had  their  start  in  Garfield  County.  Jay  Lynch,  one  of  the 
leaders  in  early  history  in  this  county,  subsequently  became  for  many  years  the 
Federal  agent  at  the  Simcoe  Reservation,  where  he  made  a  great  record  for  the 
wisdom  and  justice  of  his  dealing  with  the  Indians. 

The  members  of  the  Legislature  from  Garfield  have  exercised  an  influence 
in  general  legislation  far  beyond  the  proportionate  size  of  the  county.  An  instance 
may  be  found  in  the  prominent  part  played  by  Senator  J.  R.  Stevenson  in  the 
Open  River  movement. 

Every  one  in  Pomeroy  would  think  at  once  of  Dr.  G.  B.  Kuykendall  as  a  char- 
acter entirely  out  of  the  ordinary.  Besides  being  a  "beloved  physician,"  he  has 
been   one   of   the   foremost   investigators   of  history   and  of    Indian   myths   and 


394  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

character,  and  has  a  high  order  of  hlerary  abihty  such  as  has  given  him  a  special 
place  in  the  state. 

.Among  local  features  of  distinctive  interest  and  character,  we  may  note  those 
which  we  have  already  enumerated;  the  peculiar  community  ownership  system 
upon  which  the  East  IVashingtonian  rests,  and  the  Women's  Civic  Club  with  all 
its  municipal  betterments,  not  indeed  unknown  in  other  towns,  for  the  women 
of  all  our  towns  play  a  great  part  in  improvement,  but  apparently  carried  to  a 
higher  degree  of  efficiency  than  can  be  found  in  other  places  of  the  size  of 
Pomeroy. 

Sum  it  all  up,  and  we  may  say  that  the  people  of  Garfield  County,  a  genuine 
red-blooded  American  community,  ambitious,  progressive,  and  enterprising,  set 
a  good  example  to  all  their  neighbors. 

GARFIELD    COUNTY    PIONEER    ASSOCIATION 

The  Garfield  County  Pioneer  Association  was  organized  July  ii,  1909. 
First  officers  were  as  follows: 
Mrs.  Ella  A.  DeBow,  president. 
Secretary,  Frank  V.  Messenger. 
Treasurer,  Mrs.  Addie  M.  McClung. 

There  were  in  addition  several  vice  presidents  to  represent  different  sections 
of  the  county. 

Officers  for  the  past  four  years : 

W.  L.  Howell,  president. 

G.  B.  Kuykendall,  secretary. 

L.  F.  Koenig,  treasurer  and  financial  secretary. 

Vice  presidents  to  represent  different  parts  of  the  country  around. 

As  an  organization  which  has  performed  a  great  function  in  creating  interest 
in  local  history  and  which  has  done  much  to  preserve  early  records,  the  Garfield 
County  Pioneer  Association  is  worthy  of  special  recognition.  The  association 
maintains  a  two  days'  session  each  year,  and  for  conspicuous  service  in  the  fields 
upon  which  this  history  and  others  like  it  must  rely,  it  is  fitting  that  special  men- 
tion be  made  of  it  in  closing  this  chapter. 


CHAPTER  IV 

ASOTIN  COUNTY 

We  have  described  the  topography  and  chmate  of  this  latest  of  the  three 
children  of  Mother  Walla  Walla  County,  in  the  first  part  of  this  volume.  We 
also  gave  some  of  the  general  facts  relative  to  first  discovery  and  settlement. 
We  find,  however,  in  case  of  Asotin,  as  of  her  sisters,  Columbia  and  Garfield, 
that  the  demands  of  clearness  and  unity  call  for  some  repetition.  We  shall  there- 
fore bring  up  once  more  the  first  comers  who  have  already  appeared,  besides 
entering  more  minutely  into  the  tale  of  the  early  days. 

We  have  endeavored  to  find  some  distinctive  features  in  the  natural  condi- 
tions, history,  or  present  state  of  each  county  in  the  family.  While  the  physical 
features  and  climate  of  the  four  counties  are  essentially  the  same,  each  has  some 
characteristic  of  its  own.  That  of  Asotin  is  the  fact  of  its  long  frontage  on  Snake 
River,  extending  from  the  southern  boundary  across  the  mouth  of  the  Grande 
Ronde,  the  only  considerable  river  in  the  entire  area,  facing  the  entrance  of  the 
Kooskooskie  or  Clearwater  and  then  still  providing  the  margin  for  the  Snake  to 
a  point  just  below  the  entrance  of  the  Alpowa.  With  this  long  river  frontage 
there  goes  naturally  a  remarkably  varied  surface,  the  most  of  the  county  being  an 
elevated  plateau  running  northward  from  the  Blue  Mountains,  and  this  is  cut 
up  by  profound  canons  alternating  with  nearly  level  plains.  While  this  feature 
of  the  uplands  is  most  characteristic,  there  is  an  extensive  lowland  in  the  triangle 
beginning  with  Asotin  and  including  the  great  area  sweeping  around  to,  and  for 
some  miles  west  of,  the  promontory  just  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Clearwater  on 
which  Clarkston  is  located.  This  lowland  rises  by  a  series  of  benches  toward 
the  west  and  south  to  the  high  prairies,  though  separated  from  them  by  the  abyss 
of  Asotin  Creek. 

As  might  be  expected  from  such  a  topography,  the  scenery  of  Asotin  County 
is  conspicuously  grand  and  beautiful.  It  would  doubtless  be  acknowledged  by 
residents  in  other  parts  of  Old  Walla  Walla  County  that  there  is  no  one  view 
equal  from  a  scenic  standpoint  to  that  extending  from  Asotin  to  Clarkston,  unless 
it  be  that  fronting  the  Columbia  at  its  junction  with  the  Snake.  On  a  clear  bright 
day  in  spring  (which  comes  very  early  in  this  favored  land)  go  in  a  launch  from 
Clarkston  to  Asotin  up  the  rushing  river,  look  north  toward  that  infinitely  varied 
and  curiously  sculptured  margin  with  which  the  vast  farming  plateau  of  Whit- 
man and  Nez  Perce  counties  fronts  the  junction  of  the  rivers,  then  view  that 
superb  unfolding  of  rising  prairie  on  the  east  with  the  azure  Craig  mountains  on 
its  edge,  then  turn  your  eyes  to  the  frontage  of  Asotin  prairie  on  the  west  and 
view  the  immediate  foreground  with  that  marvellously  picturesque  "Swallow's 
Nest"  rock  parting  the  two  regions  of  high  land  and  lowland — and  you  will  be 

395 


3y(i  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

dull  indeed  if  you  are  not  entranced  and  if  you  do  not  say :  "There  must  some- 
time be  a  race  of  poets  and  artists  in  such  a  land." 

The  rythmical  native  name  of  Asotin  means  "Eel,''  that  hsh  being  very  com- 
mon about  the  mouth  of  the  creek. 

Like  most  Indian  words  the  sound,  and  hence  the  spelling,  varies.  It  appears 
frequently  with  two  s's,  that  being  the  spelling  for  one  of  the  two  rival  town  sites, 
Asotin  and  Assotin  City,  which  finally  merged  into  the  present  city. 

The  Nez  Perce  Indians,  who  ought  to  be  an  authority,  are  said  by  old-timers 
to  sound  it  "Shoten."  It  has  frequently  been  given  as  "Hashoteen"  or  "Hasoten." 
or  "Ashoti." 

One  of  the  mooted  and  interesting  points  in  first  discovery  is  whether  it  was 
the  Asotin  or  the  Alpowa  which  Lewis  and  Clark  on  their  return  trip  from  the 
Pacific  in  1806  descended,  and  hence  their  route  from  this  region  to  their  ap- 
pointed meeting  place  on  the  Kooskooskie  with  the  "Chopunnish"  Indians  with 
whom  they  had  left  their  horses.  The  language  of  the  journal  of  Captain  Lewis 
indicates  that,  descending  the  plains,  they  went  "for  four  miles  to  a  ravine,  where 
was  the  source  of  a  small  creek,  down  the  hilly  and  rocky  sides  of  which  we  pro- 
ceeded for  eight  miles  to  its  entrance  into  Lewis  (Snake)  River,  about  seven 
and  one-half  miles  aboz^e  the  mouth  of  the  Kooskooskie.''  That  would  obviously 
indicate  the  Asotin  Creek.  But  it  is  improbable  that  the  party  would  have  taken 
so  laborious  a  route  as  to  have  struck  the  Asotin  eight  miles  above  its  mouth. 
^Moreover,  the  general  route  indicates  the  Alpowa.  Perhaps  conclusive  in  the 
matter,  however,  is  the  fact  that  the  journal  of  Private  Gass  states  that  they  kept 
down  a  creek  "until  we  came  to  Lewis  River,  some  distance  below  the  forks  of 
the  Kooskooskie"  (seeming  plainly  to  mean  the  junction  of  the  Snake  and  Clear- 
water). "After  lunch,"  he  says,  "we  proceeded  up  the  south  side  of  Lewis  River 
about  three  miles,"  where  they  crossed  it.  Furthermore,  Gass  says  that  the  next 
day,  being  on  the  north  side  of  Lewis  River,  "at  about  ten  o'clock  we  passed  the 
forks,  and  kept  along  the  north  side  of  the  Kooskooskie."  In  view  of  these 
records  Elliott  Coues,  acknowledged  to  be  the  authoritative  editor  of  the  Lewis 
and  Clark  journals,  decided  that  the  word  aboi'c  in  Lewis'  journal  is  a  slip  and 
that  bclozu  was  intended  and  should  be  substituted.  If  we  accept  this  version,  we 
must  admit  that  these  first  white  men  were  not  actually  on  the  site  of  Asotin. 
However,  it  is  clear  that  the  region  became  soon  familiar  to  the  trappers.  The 
McKenzie  division  of  the  Hunt  party  in  the  first  descent  of  Snake  River  in  the 
winter  of  1811-12  evidently  passed,  though  we  have  no  record  of  their  stopping 
places.  Later  the  Hudson's  Bay  trappers,  Bonneville  with  his  party,  and  others, 
made  their  way  down  the  Grande  Ronde  and  "Wayleway"  (\\'allowa)  and  stopped 
on  the  Asotin,  to  proceed  thence  over  the  Peola,  Alpowa,  and  Pataha  regions, 
toward  Fort  Walla  Walla,  the  great  emporium  of  the  whole  region.  The 
region  is  historic  ground.  The  "bar"  at  the  mouth  of  the  Asotin  seems  to  have 
been  for  many  years  a  favorite  gathering  spot  for  the  Nez  Perce  Indians.  We 
are  informed  by  Mr.  Edward  Baumeister  that  the  Joseph  band  of  Nez  Perces 
claimed  the  place,  and  that  the  disputed  possession  of  it  was  one  cause  of  the 
Nez  Perce  war  of  1877,  in  which  Joseph  (Hallakallakeen,  or  Eagle  Wing)  played 
so  famous  a  part.  Mr.  Baumeister  states  that  the  Indians  had  obviously  used  the 
point  as  camping  ground  for  a  long  time,  for  at  the  time  of  his  coming  in  1883. 
the  place  was  covered  with  "cache-holes"  and  grave-yards. 


ASOTIN    FROJI    IDAHO,    LuolvlM,     W  I.st 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  397 

Turning  from  these  pre-settlement  times  to  the  era  of  the  entrance  of  per- 
manent residents,  we  wish  to  pay  our  acknowledgments  first  of  all  to  certain 
old-time  citizens  of  the  country  from  whom  we  derived  information  and  received 
the  courtesies  which  our  pioneers  know  so  well  how  to  bestow.  Without  under- 
taking to  name  all  to  whom  we  are  thus  indebted  we  may  especially 
refer  to  Mr.  Edward  Baumeister,  Mr.  George  Sauer,  Major  Boggan,  J.  D.  Swain, 
Doctor  Fulton,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  J.  Wormell,  Mr.  John  Romaine,  Mr.  A.  J.  Crow, 
Mrs.  Lilian  Clemans  Merchant,  Mr.  Kay  L.  Thompson  of  the  Sentinel  for  use  of 
the  files  of  his  excellent  paper,  and  Mr.  Charles  S.  Florence,  city  clerk  of  Asotin, 
for  use  of  city  records.  Prof.  W.  J.  Jerome  has  kindly  provided  information 
regarding  the  schools  and  churches.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  G.  Morrison  of  Clarkston 
are  the  earliest  old-timers  now  living  at  that  comparatively  new  point  and  gave 
valuable  information.  One  of  the  most  interesting  of  all  the  old-timers  of  the 
entire  region  is  O.  F.  Canfield  of  Clarkston,  who,  though  comparatively  a  new 
resident  of  Clarkston,  has  been  familiar  with  the  region  since  1847,  and  is  a 
storehouse  of  varied  information  about  early  days.  For  more  recent  history, 
Messrs.  Foster  and  Westervelt  of  the  Lewiston-Clarkston  Company  have  pro- 
vided much  valuable  data  relating  to  the  great  enterprise  of  their  company,  the 
greatest  of  its  kind  in  this  part  of  the  state.  We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  J.  E. 
Hoobler,  Mr.  E.  E.  Halsey,  one  of  our  advisory  board,  and  G.  L.  Ackley,  city 
clerk,  for  other  more  recent  information  about  Clarkston.  The  "History  of 
Southeast  Washington,"  published  in  1906  by  the  Western  Historical  Publishing 
Company  of  Spokane,  contains  a  large  amount  of  valuable  matter  and  to  it  we 
make  acknowledgment  for  various  data  and  early  statistics. 

Mr.  Baumeister  has  directed  our  attention  to  tire  interesting  fact  that  when 
Asotin  was  part  of  Walla  Walla  County  there  was  a  voting  precinct  opposite 
Lewiston  known  as  Asotin  Precinct.  No  one  lived  there  at  that  time,  but  the 
precinct  was  laid  out  to  accommodate  miners  or  packers  who  might  be  going  to 
Idaho,  but  who  claimed  Walla  Walla  as  their  residence. 

A  view  of  the  beginnings  of  white  settlement  in  what  is  now  Asotin  County 
following  the  era  of  the  trappers  takes  us  back  to  historic  times,  when  Spalding 
gave  Red  Wolf  (Herminilpip)  apple  seeds  from  which  trees  grew,  one  of  which 
can  still  be  seen  at  the  mouth  of  the  Alpowa ;  when  Colonel  Craig  and  "Doctor" 
Newell  ranged  through  the  country;  and  when  Timothy,  the  savior  of  Steptoe's 
defeated  command,  and  Tema,  his  "klootchman,"  lived  on  the  Alpowa,  the  "place 
of  rest,"  as  they  called  it,  where  this  old  aboriginal  couple  lived  genuine  Christian 
lives,  a  good  deal  better  than  some  of  the  supposed  superior  race.  Tema  is  said 
by  Newton  Hibbs,  as  quoted  in  the  "History  of  Southeast  Washington,"  to  have 
even  remembered  the  coming  of  Lewis  and  Clark. 

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 


398  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

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  \^alley,  150 
miles  distant.  His  neighbors  on  the  north  were  at  about  the  same  distance. 
There  \vas,  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  Leland  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.  ^^'hite,  right 
at  the  present  location  of  the  tow-n.  Xoble  Henr}',  now  living  on  the  reservation 
in  Idaho,  took  up  a  residence  for  a  time,  beginning  in  1868,  a  "squaw-man."  In 
the  early  '70s  some  addition  was  made,  though  seemingly  in  a  somewhat  sporadic 
and  experimental  manner.  The  man  who  might  be  stvled  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 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  399 

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,  Air.  Schank  locating  at 
Buenaventura,  LI.  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  i860,  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  instrument? 
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. 


400  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Among  other  regions  which  witnessed  that  land  rush  were  the  prairies  of 
Asotin.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  the  majority  of  the  famihes  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,  .^mong  other  prominent  settlers  still  living  are 
George  Sauer,  George  and  William  Appleford,  the  Stones  and  McAIillans,  W.  J. 
Boggan,  and  C.  A.  HoUenbeck.  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, 
PuiTer,  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. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  401 

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 
mil!  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  '']'j  over  the  ownership  of  Wallowa,  a  good  many  of  the 
Asotin  branch  of  the  Nez  Perces  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  Perces  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  fiats.  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.  I 2  6 


•402  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

apart  of  Garfield  from  Cohinibia,  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-seat  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  i8th  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  (i)  mile;  west 
two  (2)  miles;  south  one  (i)  mile;  west  one  (i)  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 


ASOTIX   COLINTY   COURTHOUSE 


TTJ 


ASOTIN    HIGH    SCHOOL 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  403 

three  (3)  miles;  thence  south  to  the  Oregon  Hne;  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  generat  election,  viz. :  on  the  Tuesday 
next  following  the  first  Monday  in  Novemberj-AC'D.  i88-4,. 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 -ip  li,!<e  mannep  as  the  result 
of  the  vote  for  county  officers.  Provided,  tfiat 'if 'thtre  be- not  a, 'majority  vote 
in  favor  of  such  location  of  county  seat  at  any  one  place  at  sucli  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. 


404  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Section  9.  Tlie  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  properly  as  belongs  to  Asotin  County,  and  his 
certificate  of  the  correctness  thereof  shall  have  the  same  force  and  elifect  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  rivafry  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. 

In  interesting  comparison  with  those  figures  of  1885,  we  may  take  a  jump 
ahead  at  this  point  to  1917,  and  give  the  summary  of  assessments  as  provided 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  405 

for  us  by  the  courtesy  of  E.  W.  Downen,  county  assessor :  \'alue  of  live  stock, 
$391,618;  hay  and  grain  in  warehouses  and  in  hands  of  producers,  $412,095. 
The  total  of  personal  property,  $1,245,540.  That  represents  50  per  cent  of  the 
actual  value.  Real  estate  assessment,  also  50  per  cent  of  actual  value,  is  this : 
Total  number  of  acres  assessed,  238,339.33;  number  of  acres  of  orchard  land, 
4,649.36;  other  tillable  farm  land,  83,059;  value  of  orchard  land,  $1,667,510; 
value  of  other  farm  land,  $1,172,645;  value  of  city  property,  $769,965;  total  real 
estate,  $3,610,120. 

Almost  the  first  question  that  came  before  the  voters  of  the  county  upon  its 
creation  was  the  determination  of  the  county  seat.  Asotin  and  Theon  were  the 
chief  contestants,  with  one  vote  for  Anatone  and  two  for  Assotin  City.  The 
promoters  of  Assotin  City  announced  before  election  day  that  they  would 
not  push  the  candidacy  of  their  location,  preferring  to  throw  their  strength  to 
the  twin  place  a  mile  down  the  river.  The  result  of  the  election  was :  Asotin, 
■^■j-] ;  Theon,  106.  Asotin  has  held  the  official  headship  to  this  day,  though  sur- 
passed in  population  by  Clarkston,  and  in  more  or  less  of  chronic  unrest  lest  the 
metropolis  dispossess  the  older  town.  An  election  for  a  change  occurred  in  1916, 
but  resulted  in  no  change.  The  precincts  participating  in  that  first  election, 
November,  1884,  were:    Asotin,  Cottonwood,  Grande  Ronde,  Lake  and  Pleasant. 

The  next  political  question  of  general  interest  was  that  of  prohibition.  That 
was  a  question  that  would  not  and  could  not  down,  for  the  reason  that  it  involved 
ideas  of  right  and  wrong  and  economic  efficiency  on  one  side,  and  pecuniary 
gain  or  loss  on  the  other.  A  local  option  law,  allowing  a  decision  by  precincts 
had  been  passed  by  the  Territorial  Legislature  in  1886,  and,  as  a  result,  nearly 
every  precinct  in  the  state  had  a  line-up,  the  general  results  being  to  show  a 
powerful  sentiment  in  favor  of  prohibition,  but  not  enough  to  give  a  majority 
of  precincts.  The  result  in  Asotin  precinct  was  69  to  70,  lost  by  one  vote.  In 
Cottonwood  precinct  it  was  j"]  to  27,  very  heavily  affirmative.  In  Grande  Ronde 
it  was  12  to  21,  lost.    In  Pleasant  it  was  15  to  6,  more  than  two  to  one  in  favor. 

RESULTS    OF    ELECTIONS 

Asotin  County,  like  others  of  its  group,  and  in  fact  the  entire  state,  is  normally 
republican.  But  to  its  great  credit,  be  it  said,  the  county  is  independent,  and  the 
boss  has  a  very  uncertain  tenure.  We  have  seen  from  the  act  organizing  the 
county  that  the  three  commissioners  named  were  empowered  to  name  the  county 
officers,  to  serve  until  the  general  election  of  1884.  In  pursuance  of  their  duties 
the  commissioners,  Messrs.  Critchfield,  Swain,  and  Weisenfels,  at  their  first 
formal  meeting  on  November  14,  1883,  appointed  the  following  county  of- 
ficials: J.  L.  Vinson,  sheriflf;  H.  Wamsley,  assessor;  S.  S.  Bennett,  probate 
judge;  Charles  Goodwin,  superintendent  of  schools;  J.  J.  Kanawyer,  treasurer; 
J.  O'Keefe,  surveyor;  A.  J.  Allen,  coroner;  S.  T.  Jones,  sheep  commissioner; 
G.  S.  Rogers,  auditor.  By  reason  of  the  declination  of  Mr.  O'Keefe,  Mr.  Allen, 
and  Mr.  Jones,  AL  S.  Kling,  J.  M.  Robison,  and  R.  Tuttle,  were  appointed  to 
fill  the  places  of  surveyor,  coroner  and  sheep  commissioner  respectively. 

Much  interest  was  felt  in  the  first  general  election  of  1884,  and  the  repub- 
licans and  democrats  marshalled  their  respective  hosts  in  the  usual  convention 
formation.     It  was  in  that  election  that  the  territorial  law  providing  for  woman 


40G  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

suffrage  first  came  into  play,  and  in  that  election,  November  4,  1884,  about  80  of 
the  500  votes  were  cast  by  women.  The  results  of  the  election  were  as  follows : 
J.  M.  Armstrong,  republican,  for  Congress,  266  to  226  for  C.  S.  Voorhees,  demo- 
crat; joint  councilman  for  the  counties  of  Columbia,  Garfield  and  Asotin,  B.  B. 
Day,  republican,  269  to  252  for  C.  H.  Warner,  democrat;  joint  councilman  for 
the  counties  of  Walla  Walla,  Columbia,  Garfield,  Asotin,  Whitman,  Adams  and 
Franklin  counties,  I.  Carson,  republican,  252  to  211  for  S.  L.  Gilbreath,  demo- 
crat; joint  representative  for  Asotin  and  Garfield  counties,  J.  A.  Perkins,  repub- 
lican, 210  to  193  for  M.  C.  Harris,  democrat;  joint  prosecuting  attorney  for 
Columbia,  Garfield  and  Asotin  counties,  R.  F.  Sturdevant,  republican,  without 
opposition;  county  commissioners,  G.  B.  Wardwell,  A.  J.  Sherrod,  and  H.  W. 
Ward,  the  first  two  republicans,  the  last  a  democrat;  probate  judge,  R.  A.  Case, 
republican;  auditor,  H.  E.  Benedict,  republican;  treasurer,  D.  J.  Wann,  repub- 
lican; shcriflf,  J.  L.  Vinson,  democrat;  assessor,  J.  A.  Weisenfels,  democrat; 
coroner,  J.  J.  Lewis,  republican;  superintendent  of  schools,  Angie  Bean,  repub- 
lican; surveyor,  A.  Schrader,  republican;  sheep  commissioner,  W'.  R.  Tuttle, 
republican.  Rather  curiously,  considering  that  there  were  as  yet  no  churches  in 
the  county,  there  was  a  vote  on  taxing  church  property,  a  general  question,  of 
course.     The  vote  was,  affirmative,  158;  negative,  214. 

It  will  be  seen  that  of  the  successful  candidates  above,  the  large  majority  were 
republican,  though  the  votes  were  very  variable. 

The  outcome  of  the  election  of  1886  was  similar  to  that  of  1884.  C.  M.  Brad- 
shaw.  republican,  led  C.  S.  Voorhees,  democrat,  though  the  latter  was  the  choice 
of  the  territory.  O.  C.  White,  republican,  led  W.  E.  Ayers,  democrat,  for  joint 
councilman.  R.  A.  Case,  republican,  defeated  D.  H.  Poyneer,  democrat,  for  the 
house.  W.  N.  Noffsinger,  republican,  for  joint  attorney,  lost  by  one  vote  to 
L.  J.  Dittmore,  democrat. 

For  the  county  officers  the  choices  were:  A.  Stiffel  for  sherifif;  H.  E.  Bene- 
dict for  auditor;  Jackson  O'Keefe  for  treasurer;  J.  L.  Vinson  for  probate  judge; 
J.  A.  Weisenfels  for  assessor;  Mrs.  S.  E.  Morrill  for  superintendent  of  schools; 
H.  C.  Fulton  for  coroner;  A.  Schrader  for  surveyor;  W.  R.  Tuttle  for  sheep 
commissioners;  M.  Scully,  J.  D.  Swain  and  G.  B.  Wardwell  for  commissioners. 
Of  the  above,  Messrs.  O'Keefe,  Vinson,  Weisenfels  and  Mrs.  Morrill  were 
democrats ;  the  others  republicans. 

The  election  of  1888  shows  a  considerable  diminution  in  the  vote,  due  to  the 
invalidating  of  the  woman  suffrage  law.  In  this  election  John  B.  Allen  triumphed 
for  delegate  to  congress  over  C.  S.  Voorhees,  and  the  result  was  the  same  in  the 
territory.  D.  T.  Welch  and  W.  S.  Oliphant,  republicans,  were  chosen  to  the 
council  and  lower  house  of  the  legislature.  The  county  candidates  chosen  were 
A.  Stiffel  for  sheriiT;  H.  E.  Benedict  for  auditor;  Edward  Knox,  G.  W^.  Philips, 
and  Frank  Huber,  for  commissioners;  W.  N.  Nofl^singer  for  joint  attorney; 
G.  A.  Rogers  for  probate  judge;  J.  O'Keefe  for  treasurer;  W.  R.  Tuttle  for 
assessor ;  W.  W.  Henry  for  superintendent  of  schools ;  D.  Carson  for  surveyor ; 
Len  Henry  for  coroner;  James  Fuller  for  sheep  commissioner.  The  democrats 
carried  a  larger  proportion  of  the  county  offices  than  before,  Messrs.  O'Keefe, 
Henry,  Carson,  Philips,  and  Huber  being  of  that  political  persuasion. 

The  o-reat  year  of  admission'  to  statehood,  1889,  had  now  arrived.  Asotin 
County   was  part  of  District   No.  8.  of   which  Adams.   Garfield,   and   Franklin 


VIEW  FROit  LE\MST0X-ASOTIX  HIGHWAY 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  407 

were  the  others.  Ehnon  Scott,  D.  Buchanan,  and  W.  B.  Gray  were  the  ones 
designated  in  Asotin  County,  though,  as  related  in  the  history  of  Garfield  County, 
S.  G.  Cosgrove,  running  as  an  independent,  was  chosen  in  the  district  instead  of 
Buchanan. 

A  special  election  occurred  on  October  i,  1889,  for  the  purpose  of  accept- 
ing or  rejecting  the  Constitution,  choosing  state  officers,  and  voting  on  location 
of  state  capital,  woman  suffrage  and  prohibition. 

The  results  in  part  were  these :  For  Congress,  J.  L.  Wilson,  republican, 
172;  Thomas  Griffiths,  democrat,  124;  for  governor,  E.  P.  Ferry,  republican,  171 
to  125  for  Eugene  Semple,  democrat;  for  joint  senator,  C.  G.  Austin,  republican, 
and  for  representative,  William  Farrish,  republican.  The  county  clerk  was  the 
only  local  officer  named  at  that  election.  John  Dill,  a  republican,  was  chosen. 
The  vote  of  the  county  was  heavily  against  the  Constitution,  201  to  83.  Woman 
suffrage  lost  by  97  to  173.  Prohibition  lost  by  113  to  147.  EUensburg  received 
a  majority  for  state  capital,  Olympia  getting  but  five  votes.  It  thus  appears  that 
on  those  special  questions  at  the  first  election  after  statehood,  Asotin  County 
was  on  the  losing  side  in  every  one. 

In  the  campaign  of  1890  the  prohibitionists  became  an  active  factor  and  in 
one  way  or  another  their  proposition  was  held  before  the  people  until  in  1914 
adherents  of  all  parties  joined  in  the  state-wide  law  and  it  was  passed  by  strong 
majorities.     But  for  many  years  the  party  was  small  and  weak. 

The  vote  of  Asotin  County  in  1890  was  small,  there  being  for  congressman 
only  266.  For  congressman,  John  L.  Wilson  was  again  successful.  William 
Farrish  was  again  chosen  representative  to  the  state  legislature.  The  local  choices 
were  these:  James  Justus  for  sheriff;  Jackson  O'Keefe  for  treasurer;  O.  Gil- 
more,  R.  R.  Van  Ausdale,  and  W.  H.  Smith,  commissioners;  D.  T.  Welch  for 
clerk ;  William  Rogers  for  assessor ;  H.  E.  Benedict  for  auditor ;  D.  W.  Savage 
for  superintendent  of  schools.  Of  the  elected,  Messrs.  Rogers,  Benedict,  Welch, 
Van  Ausdale,  Gilmore  and  Justus  were  republicans,  and  Messrs.  Smith,  Savage, 
and  O'Keefe  were  democrats. 

The  election  of  1892  was  the  first  presidential  election  in  which  the  State 
of  Washington  took  part,  and,  of  course,  interest  was  great.  It  was  also  the 
year  of  a  full  state  election.  The  strenuous  times  and  many  mooted  questions 
and  new  affiliations  and  realignments  of  men  and  parties  made  the  election  one 
of  momentous  concern  in  every  unit  of  political  organization.  The  result  in 
Asotin  County,  as  in  the  state,  showed  that  the  republicans  were  still  in  the 
saddle.  For  President,  the  republicans  won,  194  to  148  for  the  democrats,  18 
for  the  people's  party,  and  16  for  the  prohibitionists.  John  L.  Wilson  was  chosen 
by  a  scanty  plurality  for  Congress,  and  John  H.  McGraw  by  a  somewhat  larger 
plurality  for  governor.  For  representative,  William  Farrish  was  chosen  again 
by  234  to  135  for  his  democratic  competitor. 

The  county  candidates  chosen  were:  G.  C.  Perciful,  attorney;  D.  T.  Welch 
for  clerk ;  L.  B.  Howard  for  treasurer ;  H.  E.  Benedict  for  auditor ;  George 
Kinnear,  for  assessor ;  J.  L.  Wormell  for  sheriff ;  D.  S.  Jennings  for  superin- 
tendent of  schools;  M.  S.  Kling  for  surveyor;  W.  H.  Smith  and  Robert  Sangster 
for  commissioners. 

The  remarkable  feature  of  the  election  of  1894  was  the  entrance  into  state 
and  national,  and  of  course  local  politics,  of  the  populist  or  people's  party,  and 


408  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

its  sweeping,  though  sliort-hved  successes.  The  leaders  of  this  party  in  Asotin 
County  were  Peter  Maguire,  W.  J.  Uoggan,  B.  VV.  Knox,  G.  C.  Perciful,  L.  K. 
Brown,  John  Weisenfels,  and  J.  Li.  Dick.  PoHtics  were  rendered  something  of 
a  chaos  by  this  movement,  and  viewed  in  the  retrospect  the  student  of  the  pres- 
ent can  recognize  in  that  fact  infinite  cause  for  gratitude.  There  is  nothing  so 
essential  to  political  education  as  occasional  radical  upheavals.  The  populist 
movement  was  a  sign  of  political  thought  by  the  masses,  and  it  was  a  cause  of 
the  overthrow  of  "regular"  rule — i.  e.,  boss  rule — and  the  beginnings  of  a  new 
democratization — and  that  is  just  about  the  direction  whither  the  world  of  lyi/, 
with  blood  and  anguish,  and  ultimate  new  vision,  is  tending.  The  result  of  the 
election  of  1894  in  Asotin  County  for  two  congressmen  in  the  three-cornered 
conflict  was  that  Hyde  and  Doolittle,  republicans,  had  165  and  166  votes  to  162 
and  165  for  Van  Patten  and  Adams,  populists.  The  democrats  were  badly  in 
the  rear  with  only  52  and  51.  C.  C.  Gibson,  a  populist,  was  chosen  to  the  legis- 
lature. For  county  offices:  J.  L.  Wormell  for  sheriff;  George  Kinnear  for 
assessor;  D.  T.  Welch,  auditor;  J.  W.  King,  clerk;  D.  S.  Jennings,  superin- 
tendent of  schools;  George  Burger,  surveyor;  L.  Woodruff,  coroner;  L.  B. 
Howard,  treasurer ;  Robert  Sangster  and  Frank  Huber,  commissioners.  Of 
those  chosen,  Messrs.  Kinnear,  Woodruff,  and  Huber  were  of  the  people's  party. 
Messrs.  Welch,  King,  Jennings,  Burger,  and  Sangster  were  republicans.  Mr. 
Wormell  and  Mr.  Howard  were  democrats. 

With  another  presidential  year  of  1896,  there  was  even  more  intense  interest. 
The  populists  were  apparently  stronger  than  ever.  The  democrats  hardly  en- 
tered the  field  at  all.  There  was  a  marked  increase  in  the  vote  of  the  county, 
reaching  almost  five  hundred. 

In  the  presidential  contest  the  result  was  victory  for  the  people's  party  by 
254  to  214  for  the  republican.  The  P.  P.  candidates  for  Congress,  J.  H.  Lewis 
and  W.  C.  Jones,  obtained  252  to  216  and  211  respectively  for  Hyde  and  Doo- 
little, republicans.  P"or  governor,  John  R.  Rogers,  P.  P.,  led  Sullivan  by  thirty. 
For  joint  senator,  Edward  Baumeister,  republican,  led  J.  C.  \'an  Patten  by  ten 
majority.  R.  W.  Caywood,  P.  P.,  for  representative  defeated  D.  T.  Welch  by 
nine.  For  county  officials:  G.  AV.  Kinnear.  P.  P.,  for  sheriff;  J.  W.  King, 
republican,  for  clerk;  Elmer  Waldrip,  republican,  for  auditor;  W.  S.  Rogers, 
republican,  treasurer;  Lee  Williams,  P.  P.,  attorney;  H.  A.  Whiton,  P.  P., 
assessor;  Hallie  E.  Robinson,  P.  P.,  superintendent  of  schools;  George  Burger, 
republican,  surveyor;  John  Steele,  republican,  coroner;  Frank  Huber,  P.  P.,  and 
Samuel  Downen,   republican,   commissioners. 

In  1898  in  Asotin,  as  throughout  the  country,  populism  was  on  the  ebb  tide, 
that  is,  so  far  as  votes  were  concerned.  It  would  be  a  great  error  to  consider 
its  influence  declining.  It  had  accomplished  a  permanent  mission,  the  effects  of 
which  the  country  feels  today.  In  the  election  of  1898  W.  L.  Jones  and  F.  W. 
Cushman,  republicans,  restored  the  prestige  of  their  party  in  Congress.  In  the 
Legislature  of  the  state,  J.  F.  Crisman,  republican,  was  the  choice  of  the  county. 
Of  the  local  officers  we  find:  J.  L.  Wormell,  sheriff;  Elmer  Waldrip,  auditor; 
A.  G.  Burnett,  clerk;  W.  S.  Rogers,  treasurer;  M.  J.  Garrison,  assessor;  J.  B. 
Tones,  superintendent  of  schools;  Walter  Brooks,  attorney;  C.  L.  Swain,  sur- 
veyor; Charles  Iseke,  coroner;  S.  C.  Downen  and  G.  W.  Cummings,  commis- 
sioners.   Of  the  above  all  were  republicans  except  J.  L.  Wormell. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUXTY  409 

The  election  of  1900  showed  a  great  increase  in  the  vote.  On  the  presi- 
dental  ticlcet  it  was  757,  of  which  the  republican  electors  secured  398.  Cush- 
man  nnd  Jones  were  re-elected.  John  R.  Rogers,  democrat,  held  a  slight  lead 
over  his  republican  adversary  for  governor.  For  joint  senator  Edward 
Baumeister  was  again  victorious,  by  increased  majorities.  J.  F.  Crisman  was 
re-elected  for  the  House.  The  local  officers  were:  J.  L.  Wormell,  for  sherifif; 
W.  G.  Woodruiif,  for  clerk;  John  B.  Bell,  auditor;  C.  S.  Florence,  treasurer; 
Walter  Brooks,  attorney;  W.  J.  Garrison,  assessor;  J.  B.  Jones,  superintendent 
of  schools;  L.  K.  Brown,  surveyor;  Charles  Fairbanks,  coroner;  B.  W.  Yeoman, 
Alexander  Robinson,  commissioners.  All  republicans  except  Sheriff  Wormell, 
Clerk  Woodruff,  and  Surveyor  Brown. 

The  election  of  1902  being  an  "off"  year,  there  was  something  of  a  recession 
of  interest.  The  people's  party  having  nearly  vanished,  the  contest  came  between 
the  G.  O.  P.  and  the  populized  democratic  party,  to  the  general  discomfiture, 
however,  of  the  latter.  The  republicans  carried  the  election  for  congressmen 
and  representative,  and  all  the  county  offices  except  one  commissioner,  surveyor, 
and  clerk.  The  successful  county  candidates  were:  G.  W.  R.  Peaslee,  repre- 
sentative; Robert  H.  Richards,  sheriff;  W.  G.  Woodruff',  clerk;  J.  B.  Bell, 
auditor;  C.  S.  Florence,  treasurer;  E.  E.  Halsey,  attorney;  R.  A.  Wilson,  assessor; 
Lilian  Clemans,  superintendent  of  schools ;  J.  Swain,  surveyor ;  H.  R.  Merchant, 
coroner;  Jackson  O'Keefe,  C.  D.  Cowan,  commissioners. 

The  year  1904  witnessed  another  presidential  election.  It  was  the  period 
of  flush  times.  The  shadows  of  the  previous  decade  seemed  to  have  been  dis- 
pelled and  general  activity  and  a  new  rush  of  population,  investment,  rising 
prices,  increase  in  land  values,  a  spirit  of  speculation,  railroad  building,  and 
apparent  general  progress  characterized  the  period.  As  might  be  expected  the 
tendency  to  sustain  the  party  in  power,  especially  in  view  of  the  announced  and 
supposed  progressive  views  of  President  Roosevelt,  became  manifested  in  tre- 
mendous republican  majorities.  A  socialist  ticket  appeared  in  the  county,  for  the 
first  time.  The  vote  cast,  1,066,  was  the  largest  yet  known  in  Asotin  County, 
and  gives  evidence  of  a  marked  increase  in  popiilation,  as  well  as  a  profound 
interest  in  results.  The  republican  presidential  electors,  five  in  number,  headed 
by  S.  G.  Cosgrove,  had  an  average  majority  of  525  over  the  democratic.  W.  E. 
Humphrey,  W.  L.  Jones,  and  F.  W.  Cushman,  for  Congress,  had  nearly  four 
hundred  majority  over  the  democratic  candidates.  A.  E.  Mead,  republican  for 
governor,  had  528  to  469  for  George  Turner.  For  joint  state  senator,  S.  S. 
Russell,  republican,  had  603  to  375  for  Frank  Cardwell,  democrat.  H.  C. 
Fulton,  republican,  was  chosen  representative  by  563  to  440  for  J.  L.  Wormell, 
democrat,  and  34  for  Christian  Frost,  socialist.  For  local  officers  the  choices 
were:  C.  S.  Florence,  auditor;  W.  G.  Woodruff,  treasurer;  R.  H.  Richards, 
sheriff;  M.  P.  Shaughnessy,  clerk;  G.  H.  Rummens,  attorney;  Lilian  Clemans, 
superintendent  of  schools;  Frank  E.  Brown,  assessor;  Jay  Swain,  surveyor;  H. 
R.  Merchant,  coroner;  S.  C.  Downen  and  Frank  Body,  commissioners.  All  of 
the  candidates  chosen  were  republicans  except  Mr.  Woodruff. 

With  1908  we  reach  another  presidential  year  and  another  republican  victory. 
The  electors  for  President  Taft  received  an  average  majority  of  290.  Miles 
Poindexter,  as  a  republican  candidate  (it  seems  desirable  to  indicate  clearly  in 
his  case  which  particular  ticket  he  was  on  each  time)  received  a  decisive  majority. 


410  OLD  WAI.I.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

as  the  lir.st  in  his  long  series  of  meteoric  successes.  S.  G.  Cosgrove  had  a 
majority  of  365  over  his  democratic  adversary,  W'm.  Goodyear.  ].  R.  Steven- 
son of  Pomeroy  and  E.  E.  ILilsey  of  Clarkston  had  strong  majorities  for  State 
Senate  and  House  respectively.  The  local  candidates  ciiosen  were:  G.  N. 
Ausman,  auditor;  Homer  L.  Post,  clerk;  AL  P.  Shaughnessey,  attorney;  E.  H. 
Danmiarell,  treasurer;  R.  A.  Campbell,  sheriff;  Mary  Brannan,  su]:)erinlendent  of 
schools;  Jay  Swain,  surveyor;  C.  N.  La  Fond,  assessor;  J.  R.  VVallhew,  S.  D. 
Hollister,  Jr.,  commissioners. 

The  election  of  1910  gives  results  similar  to  its  predecessors  so  far  as  the 
political  complexion  was  concerned.  In  this  election  M.  F.  Gose  of  Pomeroy, 
a  man  in  whom  all  parties  in  the  judicial  district  had  confidence,  and  who  had 
in  the  mutations  of  time  transferred  his  allegiance  from  democratic  to  repub- 
lican party,  received  the  unanimous  support  for  the  non-partisan  supreme  judge- 
ship. W.  L.  La  Follette  of  Whitman  County  carried  Asotin,  as  well  as  the 
district,  for  congressman.  E.  E.  Halsey  was  re-elected  for  representative.  For 
local  places,  we  find  J.  L.  Wormell  for  sheriff;  Homer  E.  Post,  clerk;  E.  H. 
Dammarell,  treasurer;  G.  N.  Ausman,  auditor;  C.  N.  La  Fond,  assessor;  S.  D. 
Steininger  was  chosen  for  superintendent  of  schools,  but  did  not  qualify  and 
Mary  Brannan  was  appointed  to  the  place;  J.  C.  Applewhite,  attorney;  Jay 
Swain,  surveyor;  H.  C.  Fulton  and  Eli  Bolick,  commissioners;  H.  R.  Merchant, 
coroner.  Li  this  as  in  previous  elections,  it  may  be  said  that  Judge  Chester  F. 
Miller  of  Dayton  received  constant  support  for  superior  judge. 

Reaching  the  year  191 2,  we  find  ourselves  again  facing  a  great  national 
crisis,  out  of  which  momentous  history  has  come.  We  may  note  here  some 
changes  in  precincts  in  the  county  and  give  them  as  recorded  in  that  election : 
Anatone,  Asotin,  Bly,  Clarkston,  Cloverland,  Grande  Ronde,  Grouse,  Pleasant, 
Theon,  and  Vineland.  The  total  vote  in  that  year  was  1,901,  the  large  increase 
being  due  to  the  inauguration  of  woman  suffrage.  The  vote  for  presidential 
electors  was:  Progressive,  513;  republican,  579;  democratic,  551;  other  parties, 
158.  For  Congress,  the  republican  candidates.  Frost,  Dewey,  and  La  Follette, 
received  majorities;  M.  E.  Hay,  republican,  for  governor,  had  802  to  501  for 
Eugene  Lister,  democrat.  For  state  senator,  G.  N.  Ausman,  republican,  was 
chosen,  and  E.  E.  Halsey  was  again  elected  for  representative.  C.  F.  Miller 
again  received  the  vote  for  superior  judge.  For  local  positions:  J.  L.  Wormell, 
sheriff;  L.  A.  Closuit,  clerk;  R.  M.  Snyder,  auditor;  E.  R.  Downen,  treasurer; 
J.  C.  Applewhite,  attorney;  W.  G.  Woodruff,  assessor;  W.  J.  Jerome,  superin- 
tendent of  schools;  J.  E.  Hoobler,  H.  C.  Fulton,  and  Eli  Bolick,  commissioners. 
That  was  something  of  a  democratic  year,  as  Messrs.  Wormell,  Snyder,  Apple- 
white, and  Woodruff  belonged  to  that  party. 

In  the  election  of  November  3,  1914,  there  was  a  total  vote  of  2,046.  In  that 
year  the  long  contested  question  of  prohibition  came  to  a  decision  on  the  Initia- 
tive Law  No.  3,  providing  for  prohibition  with  a  permit  system  for  individual 
importation.  In  this  decision,  the  county  vote  was  overwhelmingly  affirmative, 
being  1,447  to  425.  W.  L.  Jones  was  chosen  United  States  Senator  by  803  to 
608  for  Black,  democrat,  and  La  Follette  for  United  States  representative  by 
818  to  567  for  Drumheller,  democrat.  For  representative  to  State  Legislature, 
E.  E.  Halsey  was  again  chosen.  For  local  officers  the  choices :  F.  M.  Halsey, 
sheriff;  J-  W.  Stephens,  clerk;  Delta  Krausdelt,  auditor;  E.  R.  Downen,  treasurer; 


MAIN   STREET,   ASOTIN 


VIEW  OF  ASOTIN,  LOOKING  EAST 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  411 

W.  S.  Woodruff,  assessor ;  W.  J.  Jerome,  superintendent  of  schools ;  V.  S.  Shel- 
man,  engineer;  R.  C.  Stone,  O.  E.  Bailey,  commissioners.  These  officials  were 
quite  evenly  divided  as  to  party,  the  sheriff,  clerk,  auditor,  assessor,  and  com- 
missioner, Stone,  being  democrats,  the  others  republicans. 

Another  presidential  year,  of  still  more  momentous  issues  and  dramatic  sur- 
prises comes  in  with  1916,  the  year  in  which  the  whole  world  was  reeling  with 
the  most  insane  war  ever  recorded,  and  of  which  it  is  evident  that  the  United 
States  must  be  the  ultimate  arbiter.  We  find  in  Asotin  County  in  that  election 
2,506  votes.  We  find  also  some  changes  in  voting  precincts.  They  appear  thus : 
Alpowa,  Anatone,  Asotin,  Bly,  Clarkston,  Cloverland,  Grande  Ronde,  Grouse, 
Hanson,  Pleasant,  South  Clarkston,  Theon,  West  Asotin,  West  Clarkston.  The 
total  votes  of  the  three  Clarkston  precincts  was  1,237,  with  one  voter  reported 
absent.  That  of  the  two  Asotin  precincts  was  519,  with  three  absent.  The  pro- 
hibition question  again  came  to  the  fore  with  several  measures  designed  to  impair 
the  law  passed  in  1914.  On  Initiative  No.  24,  one  of  those  measures,  the  vote 
was  314  for  to  1,572  against.  It  may  be  added  that  the  negative  vote  in  the 
state  on  that  measure  (allowing  manufacture  and  sale  of  beer),  as  well  as  the 
others  of  the  same  character,  was  so  overwhelming,  100,000  or  more,  that  it 
was  hardly  worth  while  to  count  it. 

The  national  results  of  the  election  were:  For  the  Wilson  electors,  1,136; 
for  the  Hughes  electors,  1,004;  for  Poindexter,  republican,  as  senator,  983  to 
926  for  Turner,  democrat;  for  La  Follette,  republican  for  congressman,  1,142 
to  819  for  Masterson;  McBride,  republican  for  goyeriijar,-927  to  ,1,182  for  Lister, 
democrat.  E.  V.  Kuykendall,  republican  for  j;oint  senatbf,  had  h^7p  to  882  for 
Thomson,  democrat.  E.  E.  Halsey  again  wentto  the  15wer  House  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, his  fifth  successive  election.  The  local  officers  wpre:  ^F.^M.  Halsey,  sheriff'; 
Homer  L.  Post,  attorney;  E.  R.  Downen,  assessor;  A.  A.  Alvoi-d,! 'superintendent 
of  schools;  P.  P.  Oehler,  engineer;  G.  A.  Fraser,  treasurer;  Lillie  .\usman, 
auditor;  J.  W.  Stephens,  clerk;  C.  Shumaker,  J.  K.  Mcintosh,  commissioners. 

MISCELLANEOUS    HAPPENINGS 

Turning  from  the  record  of  political  events  to  what  may  be  denominated  the 
miscellaneous  happenings  of  the  county  history,  we  may  note  that  Asotin  has 
had  its  full  share.  The  beautiful  creek  that  now  furnishes  the  water  for  several 
thousand  acres  of  the  great  Clarkston  project,  a  stream  of  much  picturesque 
beauty  as  it  makes  its  way,  swiftly  indeed,  but  with  apparent  serenity  and  gen- 
eral decorum  through  the  lower  end  of  the  town  into  Snake  River,  has  taken  the 
liberty  on  several  occasions  to  gather  up  reinforcements  from  the  plains  through 
which  its  tributaries  have  worn  their  way,  and  has  come  sweeping  down  the 
steep  declivities  in  torrents  that  threatened  to  tear  out  everything  in  its  course. 
It  is  quite  well  under  control  now,  due  to  the  extensive  impounding  and  dis- 
tribution processes  of  the  irrigation  system,  but  formerly  in  case  of  sudden 
rain  or  Chinook  winds,  the  vast  amount  of  surface  from  which  the  water  must 
drain  through  the  single  channel  might  transform  it  in  a  few  hours  from  a  bright 
pellucid  mountain  creek  into  a  veritable  river  of  turbid  torrents.  The  most 
famous  floods  were  those  of  1887,  1894,  and  1897.  That  of  1894  was  the 
greatest. in  a  general  way  in  the  Columbia  and  Snake  and  all  their  tributaries 


412  OLD  \\.\LL.\  WAIJ.A  COUNTY 

ever  known  by  white  men,  and  according  to  Indians  has  not  been  equaled  for 
many  years,  possibly  several  centuries.  Nearly  the  whole  of  the  lower  part 
of  Asotin  was  covered  and  the  road  between  Asotin  and  Clarkston  was  under 
water  in  numerous  places.  So  far  as  destruction  from  the  creek  was  con- 
cerned, however,  the  flood  of  May  20,  1897,  was  the  most  disastrous  of  any. 
This  was  due  to  a  cloud  burst  covering  most  of  the  upper  sources  of  the  creek. 
Since  there  was  but  a  gentle  rain  at  Asotin  there  was  no  conception  of  what 
was  impending  from  above,  until  the  roaring  of  the  torrent  heralded  its  approach. 
For  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles  the  bed  of  the  stream  was  swept  clean.  All  the 
bridges  were  carried  out  and  many  of  the  houses,  gardens,  and  other  property 
destroyed. 

Mr.  Baumeister  points  out  in  his  beautiful  yard,  with  its  stone  wall  ten 
feet  high  on  the  creek  margin,  how  the  water  rose  high  above  the  top  of  the 
wall.  Considering  the  irresistible  force  of  a  column  of  water  fifteen  or  eighteen 
feet  high  rushing  down  that  steep  descent  and  considering  the  destruction  of 
property  it  seems  strange  indeed  that  there  were  no  human  lives  lost.  It  seems 
to  have  been  by  a  series  of  fortunate  happenings  that  those  in  peril  were  in  posi- 
tions to  save  themselves.  The  schoolhouse  in  the  Hopwood  District  was  swept 
away,  but  the  teacher,  hearing  the  tumult,  had  led  the  children  to  the  hillside 
just  in  time. 

The  most  notable  fires  in  the  history  of  Asotin  Town  were  on  February  3, 
1886,  in  which  the  Pioneer  Hotel  belonging  to  Mrs.  Lile  was  destroyed,  and 
that  of  March  15,  1893,  in  which  the  City  Hotel,  belonging  to  Mrs.  IMyers,  was 
burned.  The  feature  of  the  second  fire  which  gave  it  great  notoriety  was  that 
a  man  named  Frank  Sherry  perished  in  the  flames.  It  appeared  that  Charles 
E.  Myers,  the  husband  of  the  woman  who  conducted  the  hotel,  but  who  had 
been  separated  from  her,  had  been  found  not  guilty  of  killing  a  man  some  years 
before  as  a  result  of  difficulty  about  his  first  wife.  The  sentiment  upon  the 
discovery  of  the  death  of  Sherry  became  intense  in  the  town  and  it  was  reported 
to  officers  that  there  was  a  plan  for  lynching  Myers,  who  had  become  charged 
with  having  fired  the  hotel  in  order  to  punish  his  wife  and  a  man  of  whom  he  was 
jealous.  The  Sentinel,  in  speaking  of  the  event  in  its  issue  of  March  31st, 
declares  that  the  reports  of  purposed  lynching  are  exaggerated  and  that  the  i)eople 
of  the  place  have  no  other  thought  than  a  fair  trial.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  Myers 
was  conveyed  to  Dayton.  He  was  subsequently  tried  for  murder.  The  case  was 
remarkable  in  that  it  was  appealed  twice  to  the  Supreme  Court  and  on  the  first 
appeal  was  retried.  The  verdict  of  gtiilty  was  affirmed  in  both  cases.  Petitions 
for  pardon  were  sent  to  Gov.  John  H.  McGraw,  but  he  declined  to  stop  the 
course  of  judicial  decision,  and  Myers,  without  at  any  time  having  confessed 
the  crime,  was  executed  on  September  30,  1895,  two  and  a  half  years  after  the 
alleged  crime.  The  execution  took  place  at  Pomeroy,  and  in  accordance  with  the 
barbarous  and  horrible  law  then  prevailing  was  public,  and  it  is  stated  that  hun- 
dreds of  men,  women  and  children  were  present. 

The  annals  of  the  county  were  marked  in  August,  1896,  with  the  lynching 
of  a  half-breed,  Viles,  for  a  sexual  outrage,  and  the  same  kind  of  punishment 
for  a  similar  ofTcnse  with  murder  was  meted  out  to  a  boy  named  Hamilton  in 
the  same  month  of  1903.  The 'old  timers  in  discussing  those  events  express 
tjie  oninion  that  though  lynch  law  is  to  be  dqilored,  and  though  in  the  second 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  413 

case  the  criminal  was  a  half-witted  degenerate,  yet  the  proof  was  clear  in  both 
cases  (for  both  confessed),  and  the  condign  punishment  well-merited. 

Turning  from  the  miscellaneous  events  to  the  constructive  industries  of  the 
county,  we  may  say  that  there  has  been  a  steady  and  substantial,  though  not 
rapid  increase  in  population,  production,  and  property  valuation,  year  by  year 
from  the  date  of  county  organization.  The  original  stock  industry  gave  way 
to  grain  farming,  and  in  that  Asotin  County  has  been,  for  its  area,  one  of  the 
most  productive  in  the  state.  It  is  asserted  that  Asotin  warehouses  and  plat- 
forms along  the  Snake  River  from  which  the  steamboats  gather  up  the  wheat, 
constitute  the  greatest  initial  grain  shipping  point  or  series  of  points  on  the  O.-W. 
R.  and  N.  R.  R.  system. 

ORCHARDS    AND   G.XRDENS 

But  though  the  wheat  and  barley  of  the  prairies  constitute  already  a  great 
production  and  will  in  the  future  constitute  a  still  larger  source  of  revenue,  the 
most  interesting  and  important  industry  is  horticulture  and  fruit  raising.  In 
the  area  of  land  devoted  to  intensive  farming  under  irrigation,  Asotin  has  nearly 
as  much  as  the  other  three  counties  of  old  Walla  Walla  put  together.  This 
very  important  productive  area,  which  composes  the  most  distinctive  feature  of 
the  county,  centers  at  Clarkston.  The  history  of  this  industry  and  this  place  con- 
stitutes a  chapter  by  itself,  unique  in  the  history  of  the  Northwest. 

The  Clarkston  project  has  been  practically  the  work  of  one  of  the  most 
noted  historic  families  of  the  United  States,  that  of  the  Adams  family  of  Boston. 
Charles  Francis  Adams  the  second,  when  president  of  the  Union  Pacific  R.  R.. 
formed  the  conception  of  an  irrigated  tract  under  ideal  conditions  upon  land 
which  he  could  see  had  superior  advantages  of  location,  soil,  and  climate,  that  is 
to  say  the  broad  flat,  with  successive  benches,  on  the  west  side  of  the  junction  of 
the  Snake  and  Clearwater.  That  location  was  first  called  Lewiston.  Then  in 
remembrance  of  the  historic  name  of  Concord,  Mass.,  dear  to  the  New  Eng- 
landers  who  were  founding  the  enterprise,  the  name  Concord  was  used.  Objec- 
tions on  the  part  of  local  residents  arose,  and  on  April  6,  1900,  the  name  of  the 
voting  precinct  was  changed  by  the  county  commissioners  to  Clarkston,  as  the 
fitting  mate  to  Lewiston,  recalling  the  two  leaders  of  the  first  expedition  of 
discovery.  By  special  petition  to  the  Federal  authorities  the  name  of  Clarkston 
was  adopted  for  the  name  of  the  town. 

The  enterprise  at  Clarkston  was  in  reality,  it  should  be  observed,  a  second 
thought  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Adams,  for  his  first  plan  was  the  development  of 
what  is  now  known  as  the  Indian  Cache  Ranch,  formerly  known  as  the  Adams 
Ranch,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Clearwater,  a  short  distance  above  Lewiston. 
That  splendid  property  was  the  first  undertaking  of  Mr.  Adams. 

The  first  organization  of  the  project  at  Clarkston  was  eflfected  in  1896  under 
the  name  of  the  Lewiston  Water  and  Power  Co.,  of  which  Henry  Adams  the 
Second,  son  of  Charles  Francis  Adams,  became  the  head.  This  company  ulti- 
inately  had  a  capital  of  $2,000,000.  In  1900  the  company  acquired  the  property 
of  the  Lewiston  Light  Company  which  had  been  formed  in  1899  to  provide  electric 
light  and  power  for  the  City  of  Lewiston.  In  1904  the  Asotin  Land  and  Water 
Company's   holdings   were   acquired  and   the  projects   were   all  blended   in   the 


414  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Lewiston-Clarkston  Company,  and  that  in  turn  was  reorganized  in  1910  as  the 
Lewiston-Clarkston  Improvement  Company.  Henry  Adams,  with  members  of 
his  family,  retained  the  majority  of  the  stock.  At  the  present  time,  the  properties 
are  segregated  into  two  distinct  divisions.  The  Lewiston-Clarkston  Lnprove- 
ment  Company  conducts  the  land  business,  while  the  utility  work,  the  light  and 
power  business,  is  conducted  under  the  name  of  the  Washington-Idaho  Water, 
Light  and  I'ower  Co.  Such  is  a  bare  outline  of  the  general  plan  and  changes 
effected  by  reorganization  of  this  remarkable  enterprise.  Entering  a  little  more 
into  detail,  it  is  of  interest  to  note  that  the  initial  incorporators  of  the  Lewiston 
Water  and  Power  Company  were  E.  H.  Libby,  formerly  of  Yakima,  C.  C.  Van 
Arsdil  and  Dr.  J.  B.  Morris  of  Lewiston,  and  G.  W.  Bailey  and  Wm.  Farrish 
of  Asotin.  This  incorporation  acquired  2,500  acres  at  low  figures,  ranging  from 
ten  to  twenty-five  dollars  per  acre,  largely  from  the  original  entrymen,  Edward 
Pearcy,  E.  J.  Warner,  Wm.  Caldwell,  S.  Wildenthaler,  Joseph  Alexander,  Chris 
Weisenberger,  D.  S.  Dent,  John  Aubin,  together  with  a  tract  that  had  been 
secured  by  the  New  England  Mortgage  Security  Company.  E.  H.  Libby  became 
president  of  the  company.  Land  secured,  water  was  the  next  requisite.  The 
Asotin  Creek  had  already  been  filed  on  and  in  1896,  July  i8th,  water  actually 
reached  Vineland.  Mr.  Libby  acted  as  manager,  with  intermissions,  until  April 
7,  191 1.  Mr.  Libby,  with  W.  G.  Clark,  engineered  the  reorganization  of  the 
Lewiston-Clarkston  Company,  which  in  1910  became  the  Lewiston-Clarkston 
Improvement  Company.  At  that  time  Sp>encer  Trask  &  Company  of  New 
York,  took  $600,000  bonds  of  the  new  company  and  acquired  an  interest  in  the 
common  stock.  H.  L.  Powers,  now  of  Lewiston,  became  vice  president  and 
manager  in  191 1,  with  Henry  Adams  as  president,  and  retained  the  position  till 
191 2,  when  he  removed  to  Lewiston.  He  continued  to  act  as  vice  president  of 
the  Lewiston  Land  &  Water  Company.  Robert  A.  Foster,  who  had  come  in 
1910  as  engineer,  became  in  1912  the  vice  president  and  general  manager  of  the 
Improvement  Company,  and  in   1914,  its  president. 

Land  and  water  secured,  the  next  necessity  was  a  bridge  across  Snake  River. 
Clarkston  was  so  logically  connected  with  Lewiston,  though  in  another  state,  that 
a  direct  connection  by  a  bridge  was  vital.  The  City  of  Lewiston  granted  to  Mr. 
Libby  a  charter  for  the  construction  of  a  bridge  in  May,  1896.  It  was  com- 
pleted and  opened  for  tralific  June  24,  1899.  This  was  a  great  bridge,  1,450  feet 
long,  lifted  so  high  above  the  river  as  to  allow  steamers  to  pass  under.  The 
first  articles  of  incorporation  of  the  bridge  first  known  as  the  Lewiston-Concord 
Bridge,  were  dated  November  26,  1897,  and  the  incorporators  were  E.  H.  Libby 
and  George  W.  Bailey.  The  incorporation  was  practically  identical  with  the 
Lewiston  Water  and  Power  Company.  Being  across  a  navigable  river  the  plans 
had  to  be  approved  by  the  secretary  of  war,  and  a  permit  granted  by  Congress. 
These  necessities  were  duly  accomplished  in  1898.  The  contract  for  the  con- 
struction called  for  $110,000.  In  1914  the  bridge  became  the  joint  property  of 
the  two  states,  for  $80,000. 

Asotin  Creek  has  a  mean  annual  discharge  of  39,410  acre  feet.  The  system 
makes  provision  for  a  domestic  and  municipal  consumption  for  10,000  people, 
and  irrigation  supply  for  6,000  acres.  The  main  pipe  line  is  eleven  miles  long, 
and  is  from  thirty-two  to  forty-eight  inches  in  diameter,  made  of  wooden  staves, 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  415 

except  where  it  crosses  Maguire  Gulch,  a  very  high  pressure  steel  pipe,  four  feet 
in  diameter   is   used. 

The  Pomeroy  Reservoir  has  a  capacity  of  20,000,000  cubic  feet  or  460  acre 
feet. 

The  major  part  of  what  has  generally  been  known  as  Clarkston-Vineland 
has  been  sold  by  the  company  and  is  cultivated  in  small  tracts,  beautifully  laid 
out  and  developed,  trees,  flowers,  shrubbery,  and  lawns,  a  continuous  village, 
thus  fulfilling  the  noble  ideal  of  the  projectors  as  being  a  model  irrigation  project. 
The  company  has,  however,  retained  possession  of  the  larger  part  of  the  mag- 
nificent Clarkston  Heights  and  is  handling  that  property  as  a  unit.  It  is  a  dis- 
trict hard  to  match  among  the  irrigated  tracts  of  the  Northwest.  It  has  every 
conceivable  advantage  of  soil,  climate,  scenery,  water  supply,  and  when  ulti- 
mately sold  will  be  one  of  the  rare  home  lands  of  the  world.  The  company  still 
owns  about  one-third  of  the  town-site  of  Clarkston  and  about  five  thousand  acres 
of  land,  of  which  927.98  acres  are  in  apple  trees  in  a  solid  body.  The  apple 
trees  are  divided  as  follows  in  percentages;  Winesap,  40  per  cent;  Yellow  New- 
towns,  15;  Spitzenberg,  15;  Jonathan,  10;  Rome  Beauty,  10;  assorted  varieties, 
10.  The  average  holding  on  the  tract  is  only  3>^  acres,  making  this  the  most 
densely  populated  irrigation  district  in  the  United  States. 

The  electric  power  and  light  properties  of  the  company,  under  another 
organization,  as  stated,  constitute  a  system  by  themselves.  The  power  plant 
comprises  the  Asotin  power  station,  the  Pomeroy  power'  station,  the  Clarkston 
auxiliary  steam  plant,  and  the  Lewiston  sub  station ;  a  ttftal  of  3,200  horse  power. 
There  is  also  a  power  development  on  the  Grande  Ronde  River,  2J/2  miles  above 
the  mouth  and  28i^<  miles  from  Clarkston,  with  a  minimum  of  6,900  horse  power, 
and  a  pack  load  capacity  of  10,000  horse  power.  Through  these  plants  the 
company  supplies  with  power  and  light  the  towns  of  Asotin,  Clarkston,  Lewiston 
and  Lapwai,  having  a  population  of  about  fifteen  thousand. 

One  of  the  most  important  recent  enterprises  in  the  development  of  this 
section  is  the  electric  railway  from  Lewiston  across  the  interstate  bridge  to 
Clarkston  and  Vineland,  a  total  amount  of  four  miles  of  street  railway.  This 
work  was  completed  in  the  summer  of  1916.  It  is  owned  by  the  Lewiston- 
Qarkston  Transit  Company.  Contrary  to  the  recent  experience  of  some  of  the 
"Twin  City"  trolley  enterprises,  which  have  been  seriously  affected  by  jitney 
competition,  this  undertaking  is  said  to  be  amply  rewarded  by  financial  results. 
There  is  so  much  transit  during  the  fruit  picking  and  packing  season  and  there 
is  so  much  general  activity  of  movement  to  and  from  Lewiston,  that  the  cars 
are  almost  constantly  well  filled.  There  was  a  total  of  2,000,000  passenger 
crossings  over  the  bridge  during  the  year  ended  at  this  writing. 

The  Clarkston-\'ineIand  region  has  none  of  the  first  pioneer  settlers  left. 
There  are,  however,  a  number  of  what  may  be  called  the  second  wave  of  immi- 
gration, prior  to  the  inauguration  of  the  Improvement  Company.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
F.  G.  Morrison  are  said  to  be  the  earliest  comers  now  living  in  the  town.  They 
came  in  1878,  though  not  to  the  place  where  they  are  now  living.  At  the  time 
of  their  coming  the  ferry  was  maintained  by  Ed  Pearcy.  E.  J.  Warner  had  a 
claim  in  what  is  now  the  business  part  of  Clarkston.  "Johnnie"  Greenfield,  an 
old  bachelor,  was  then  living  on  the  "flat."  He  was  a  landscape  gardener  of 
much   ability,  having  been  employed   to  lay   out   Woodward's   Gardens   in   San 


416  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Francisco.  There  was  a  family  named  Pearsall  living  a  little  west  of  the 
present  home  of  Mr.  Morrison,  having  four  sons,  Jerry,  Jake,  William,  and  Ed. 

We  referred  earlier  in  this  chapter  to  O.  F.  Canfield.  He  is  a  man  of  unique 
interest,  both  by  reason  of  keen  intellect,  many  adventures  in  the  wildest  regions 
of  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  his  peculiarly  marked  pioneer  traits.  He  came  as  a 
ten  year  old  boy  with  his  father,  W.  D.  Canfield,  and  the  family  from  Iowa 
across  the  plains  in  1847.  Being  late  in  reaching  Oregon,  the  father  decided 
to  accept  the  urgent  invitation  of  Dr.  Whitman  that  he  remain  at  Waiilatpu 
(Mr.  Canfield  says  that  the  Indians  sounded  that  historic  name  more  as  IVai- 
ilatipstt)  for  the  winter.  They  had  been  there  but  about  a  month  when  the 
dreadful  Whitman  massacre  of  November  29,  1847,  occurred.  The  father  of 
the  family  was  shot  by  the  Indians,  but  by  reason  of  a  glancing  bullet  was  not 
seriously,  though  painfully  wounded.  In  the  general  excitement  he  evaded 
observation  and  remaining  in  hiding  till  night  managed  to  communicate  with 
Mrs.  Canfield  and  the  children.  Thinking  from  all  the  indications  that  the 
Indians  were  not  going  to  murder  the  women  and  children,  Mr.  Canfield  decided 
to  try  to  reach  Spalding's  station  at  Lapwai  where  he  hoped  that  he  might 
find  rescuers  for  the  captives  at  Waiilatpu.  Though  bleeding  from  his  wound, 
and  having  but  scanty  food  or  clothifig  in  the  freezing  weather  of  winter  he  set 
out  and  with  terrible  suffering  reached  Lapwai.  The  son,  now  a  white  haired 
man  of  seventy-eight,  tells  us  that  his  father  would  never  have  reached  Lapwai, 
had  not  old  Timothy,  the  Nez  Perce  chief  of  the  Alpowa,  succored  him  and 
carried  him  across  the  river.  Being  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  he  was  com- 
paratively safe  and  reached  Lapwai.  Years  after,  so  Mr.  Canfield  tells  us,  he 
saw  Timothy,  then  very  old  and  destitute.  Telling  him  that  he  was  the  son  of 
the  man  whom  he  saved  at  that  momentous  time,  he  told  the  old  Indian  that 
he  wanted  to  pay  him  for  saving  his  father.  But  Timothy  would  not  take  any- 
thing. He  said,  striking  his  breast,  that  he  had  "hyas  close  tumtum."  It  was 
"halo  chickamon."  Finally  Mr.  Canfield  induced  the  old  man  to  accept  some 
tobacco  and  an  overcoat  as  presents,  but  not  as  pay. 

Mr.  Canfield  told  another  Indian  story  of  very  dift'erent  character,  worthy  of 
preservation.  When  Howlish  Wampoo,  the  famous  Umatilla  chief,  was  the 
ruler  of  his  tribe  he  had  many  horses,  some  fine  racing  animals.  There  was  a 
great  horse  racer  at  that  time  named  Joe  Crabbe,  living  in  Portland.  Crabbe 
had  known  of  Howlish  Wampoo's  fast  horses  and  was  anxious  to  get  up  some 
races  and  incidentally  clean  up  some  big  bets.  Going  to  Umatilla  he  finally 
engineered  a  big  meet  with  the  Indians.  The  crowning  event  was  to  be  between 
Crabbe's  champion  and  anything  that  the  Indian  chief  could  bring  on.  Howlish 
Wampoo  was  very  crafty.  He  might  have  been  a  Teuton  diplomat  of  the 
present.  He  brought  out  and  made  a  great  parade  of  a  spotted  horse  which  he 
said  he  was  going  to  run,  and  then  innocently  put  the  horse  in  a  corral  very  handy 
to  the  white  men.  Crabbe's  hostlers  took  the  horse  out  in  the  night,  no  Indians 
being  in  sight,  and  tried  him.  They  found  that  he  was  nothing  extra  fast,  and 
so  they  made  all  their  plans  in  the  light  of  that  discovery.  The  next  day  came 
the  great  race.  Everything  was  excitement,  and  betting  went  to  a  great  pitch. 
Crabbe  finally  put  up  $1,500  on  his  horse  and  at  last  even  his  silver  mounted 
saddle  and  spurs.  Howlish  Wampoo  accepted  the  bets  with  seeming  reluctance 
and  Indian  stoicism.     When  the  horses  were  brought  out  Crabbe  saw  with  some 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  417 

suspicion  that  the  spotted  Indian  racer  looked  a  little  different  and  stepped  a 
little  dift'erent  from  what  he  did  the  day  before.  As  he  told  Canfield  in  relating 
his  experience  he  "felt  a  sort  of  cold  chill  go  down  his  back."  But  it  was  too 
late  to  back  out.  Off  they  went,  a  four  mile  race,  two  miles  to  a  stake,  around 
it  and  back  again.  The  Indian  horse  was  evidently  not  the  same  horse.  He 
went  like  a  shot  out  of  a  gun  and  reached  the  goal  post  so  much  ahead  that  his 
rider  turned  back  to  run  again  with  Crabbe's  champion,  and  then  beat  him  into 
camp.  The  Indians  made  an  awful  clean  up  on  the  white  men's  bets.  Howlish 
Wampoo,  with  just  a  faint  suspicion  of  an  inward  grin  on  his  mahogany  counte- 
nance, told  Crabbe  that  he  might  have  his  saddle  and  spurs  back  again,  and 
enough  money  to  get  home  on. 

Afterwards  Crabbe  made  great  offers  to  the  Indian  for  the  spotted  racer, 
wishing  to  take  him  East  or  even  to  Europe,  for  he  was  satisfied  that  he  could 
beat  the  world  in  a  four  mile  race.  But  Howlish  Wampoo  would  never  sell  the 
pet  racer. 

Mr.  Canfield  remembers  the  events  of  the  Whitman  massacre  with  intensity 
and  narrates  them  with  vividness.  He  considers  the  fundamental  cause  to  have 
been  the  fear  by  the  Indians  that  the  whites  were  going  to  dispossess  them  of 
their  lands,  and  that  their  fears  in  that  respect  were  fostered  by  Tom  Hill,  a 
renegade  Delaware  Indian,  who  had  drifted,  across  the  continent,  having  come 
considerable  part  of  the  way  with  the  Canfields.  Jo  Lewis,  a  half-breed,  who 
had  been  greatly  befriended  by  the  Whitmans,  was  another  inciting  cause.  Both 
of  them  were  bad  men  and  grossly  betrayed  their  benefactors.  The  fatal  scourge 
of  measles  and  the  death  of  some  of  Whitman's  patients  was  an  occasion  for 
the  outbreak,  but  the  fear  of  white  occupation  was,  in  Mr.  Canfield's  judgment, 
the  real  cause.  He  says  that  he  knows  that  Tamsucky  was  the  leader  in  the  mas- 
sacre and  that  it  was  he  who  buried  his  tomahawk  in  Whitman's  head.  There 
was  reason  to  believe  that  Tamsucky  afterwards  greatly  regretted  his  act.  There 
were  four  Indian  chiefs,  Isticcas,  Moolipool,  Tinsinmitsal,  and  Beardy,  who  were 
steadfast  friends  of  the  whites.  This  assertion  of  Mr.  Canfield  is  the  more 
interesting  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  Miles  Cannon  in  his  recent  book,  "Wai- 
ilatpu,"  asserts  that  Isticcas  was  a  traitor  and  participated  in  the  massacre.  Mr. 
Canfield  is  confident  that  that  is  an  error.  Mrs.  Jacobs  (well  known  in  Walla 
Walla,  now  living  in  Portland,  an  eight  year  old  child  at  the  time  of  the  mas- 
sacre, a  member  of  the  Osborne  family,  who  were  present  at  the  tragedy),  sup- 
ports Mr.  Canfield's  statement,  declaring  that  old  timers  asserted  that  if  there 
were  any  Christians  in  the  country,  Isticcas  was  one.  Mr.  Cannon  in  his  book 
also  expresses  the  opinion  that  Mr.  Rogers  basely  asserted  to  the  Indians  that 
Doctor  Whitman  was  poisoning  them,  hoping  thereby  to  save  his  own  life.  Mrs. 
Tacobs  declares  that  this  statement  is  absolutely  false  and  that  Mr.  Rogers,  like 
the  rest  of  the  victims,  died  like  a  hero  and  a  Christian. 

Doctor  Whitman,  according  to  Mr.  Canfield's  recollection,  while  one  of  the 
noblest  and  bravest  of  men,  was  not  a  "fighting  man,"  submitting  rather  tamely, 
as  he  thought,  to  insults  by  the  Indians.  Nor  was  he  so  large  and  powerful  a 
man  physically  as  some  have  described  him.  The  most  valuable  testimony  about 
Whitman  is  fovmd  in  the  statement  by  Mr.  Canfield  that  he  heard  him  several 
times  discussing  the  future  of  this  region  with  the  elder  Canfield.  He  urged 
him  to  remain  in  the  Walla  Walla  Valley,  pointing  out  that  since  it  had  become 

Vol.  I 2  7 


418  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

American  territory  it  offered  greater  inducements  to  settlement  than  any  other 
part  of  Oregon,  lie  thought  it  better  than  the  Willamette  \'alley.  He  declared 
that  it  was  the  best  sheep  country  in  the  world,  that  during  the  eleven  winters 
since  he  came  to  Walla  Walla  there  were  only  two  in  which  sheep  could  not  have 
grazed  the  year  round,  lie  proposed  that  Mr.  Canfield  locate  near  Waiilatpu, 
and  the  next  year  join  with  himself  in  an  organized  drive  of  a  large  band  of 
sheep  into  the  country  and  the  inauguration  of  a  permanent  wool  industry.  He 
figured  that  they  could  work  their  wool  down  to  The  Dalles  and  there  reach 
regular  boat  connections  and  from  the  Lower  Columbia  ship  by  sailing  vessels 
to  New  York,  Boston,  and  Europe.  It  was  certainly  a  great  conception  and 
demonstrates  anew  the  practical  judgment  and  far  vision  of  the  martyr  of 
Waiilatpu. 

THE   TOWNS   OF   ASOTIN    COUNTY 

Asotin  and  Clarkston  are  the  only  organized  towns  in  Asotin  County. 

As  stated  earlier  there  was  a  double  location,  Assotin  City  and  Asotin,  for 
what  has  now  become  one  town  under  the  latter  name.  The  former  place  was 
laid  out  by  Alexander  Sumpter  in  May,  1878.  On  July  22,  1880,  the  dedication 
was  made  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sumpter,  and  at  the  same  time  a  postoffice  was 
located  there.  The  next  year  Mr.  Sumpter  erected  a  warehouse.  The  ferry 
across  Snake  River  was  established  by  J.  J.  Kanaw}er  in  October,  1881. 

A  flour  mill  was  put  up  in  1883  by  L.  O.  Stimson  at  a  point  about  two-thirds 
of  a  mile  up  the  creek  from  its  mouth.  That  mill  was  run  for  a  time  by  John 
Dill,  then  by  Curtis  and  Braden,  who  bought  out  Stimson.  A  little  later  than 
Mr.  Sumpter's  location,  Mr.  Schank  employed  A.  T.  Beall  to  survey  his  land 
near  the  mouth  of  the  creek  for  a  town  site.  The  plot  of  this  location  was 
filed  November  10,  1881,  by  T.  M.  E.  Schank,  W.  H.  Reed,  Louise  D.  Reed,  and 
Alexander  Reed.  Various  additions  have  been  made  to  the  original  site.  Mr. 
S.  J.  Sergeant  tells  us  that  when  he  came  to  Asotin  in  1879,  there  was  nothing 
except  Schank's  cabin.  During  the  next  year  Mr.  Schank  and  Mr.  Reed  set  out 
in  earnest  to  start  their  town.  In  the  issue  of  the  Sentinel  of  April  24,  1885, 
we  find  an  advertisement  that  would  do  credit  to  a  Spokane  real  estate  dealer 
setting  forth  the  desirability  of  the  location  for  business,  loans  or  investment. 
Lots  are  announced  at  from  thirty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  and  "sure  to 
advance." 

In  the  Asotin  Spirit,  beginning  October  19,  1883,  succeeded  by  the  Sentinel, 
June  24,  1885,  we  find  other  interesting  ads,  of  that  day.  In  the  first  number 
of  the  Spirit  Pettyjohn  and  McAlpin  advertise  their  general  store.  F.  E.  Scott 
of  Theon  announces  that  he  will  sell  wines,  whiskeys,  oysters,  candies,  medi- 
cines, and  toilet  articles.  The  ferry  of  J.  J.  and  P.  Kanawyer  appears  and  it  is 
asserted  that  the  road  to  Lewiston  by  that  crossing  is  far  better  than  any  other. 
The  Assotin  Flour  Mills  of  Curtis  and  Braden  have  good  space,  and  they  an- 
nounce that  they  will  give  thirty-five  pounds  of  flour  and  six  pounds  of  bran 
for  a  bushel  of  wheat. 

In  the  Sentinel  of  various  issues  in  1885,  we  find  the  advantages  of  the 
Pearcy  ferry  displayed.  The  Lile  House  of  J.  D.  Lile  appears.  In  the  Sentinel 
of  June  24,  1885,  is  a  flaming  prospectus  of  a  "Grand  Social  Hop"  to  occur  in 


MAIX   STREET.   LOOKING   SOUTH,   CLARKSTOX 


PUBLIC  LIEKARY.  CLARKSTON 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  419 

Embree  Hall  on  the  eve  of  the  Fourth.  The  floor  managers  were  to  be  Wm. 
Critchfield,  J.  P.  Fine,  and  Henry  Thomason.  The  committee  of  arrangements 
was  to  consist  of  C.  S.  Morey,  J.  P.  Fulton,  Al  Stiffel,  and  A.  M.  Morris.  The 
Packwood  Pearce  and  Warner  String  Band  was  to  provide  music.  Tickets  were 
to  be  $2.25.  The  Sentinel  of  October  9,  1885,  contains  the  obituary  of  Mr. 
Schank  who  had  died  by  suicide,  hanging  himself  in  his  own  house  in  what 
was  supposed  to  be  a  moment  of  aberration  through  business  worry.  In  the 
same  number  is  a  remarkably  drawing  ad.,  by  Baumeister  and  Co.  to  the  farmers. 
The  cards  of  L.  J.  Dittmore  and  G.  W.  Bailey,  lawyers,  appear. 

It  may  be  very  suitable  to  give  here  the  successive  stages  in  the  history  of  the 
one  paper  which  has  held  the  field  substantially  all  the  time.  Coming  to  Asotin 
from  Pataha  and  taking  with  it  the  name  of  Spirit,  it  was  published  at  first  by 
J.  H.  Ginder  and  Co.,  to  be  succeeded,  March  28,  1884,  by  D.  B.  Pettyjohn, 
editor  and  proprietor.  October  9,  1885,  the  paper  became  the  Sentinel,  published 
by  the  Sentinel  Publishing  Co.  It  continued  under  that  name  for  over  fourteen 
years,  and  on  November  4,  1899,  appeared  as  the  Asotin  County  Sentinel,  the 
editors  and  proprietors  being  Elmer  Waldrip  and  Kay  L.  Thompson.  Mr. 
Thompson  has  been  sole  proprietor  since  1902,  and  has  conducted  the  paper  with 
conspicuous  ability,  making  of  it  one  of  the  best  weeklies  in  the  state.  It  can  be 
truly  affirmed  that  the  Sentinel  has  been  a  great  factor  in  the  development  of 
Asotin  County. 

In  1887,  the  rival  town  sites  had  practically  bletidey,  or  rather  the  most  of 
Assotin  City  had  slid  down  to  Asotin.  Thetinie.  ^fbr'trfcorporation  seemed  to 
have  arrived.  On  May  28,  1888,  a  meeting  of  citizen^,,vvas  held  in  Baumeister's 
Hall,  for  preparing  incorporation  papers.  These  were  approved  by  Judge  W.  G. 
Langford,  territorial  judge,  on  June  15th,  and  thus  "Asotin  became  an  incorpora- 
tion. The  judge  appointed  D.  Talbot,  H.  C.  Fulton,  W.  J.  Clemans,  J.  N.  Rice, 
and  Edward  Baumeister  a  provisional  board  of  trustees.  The  first  election  was 
held  April  i,  18S9,  and  the  trustees  elect  were  as  follows:  J.  K.  Rice,  D.  J. 
Wann,  J.  H.  Bingham,  M.  B.  Mitchell  and  James  Michie. 

But  like  some  other  "plans  of  mice  and  men"  this  went  "agley."  The  Supreme 
Court  of  the  new  state  made  a  decision  in  February,  1890,  which  invalidated  such 
towns  as  had  been  incorporated  by  order  of  district  courts. 

This  set  aside  all  the  proceedings  of  Asotin  thus  far.  Feeling  that  the  indica- 
tions thus  far  were  such  as  to  justify  incorporation,  the  citizens  petitioned  the 
county  commissioners  on  May  29,  1890,  to  call  ah  election  for  incorporation  under 
the  state  law.  An  election  having  been  set  it  was  duly  held  on  June  21st.  Thus 
Asotin  was  duly  reincorporated  under  state  law,  and  the  officers  selected  were 
these:  Mayor,  Charles  Isecke;  councilmen,  H.  E.  Benedict,  Edward  Baumeister. 
N.  Ausman,  Richard  Ruddy,  and  L.  B.  Howard ;  treasurer,  J.  O'Keefe. 

Different  citizens  of  Asotin  to  hold  the  place  of  chief  executive  of  the  city 
have  been  Charles  Isecke,  who,  as  stated,  was  the  first  incumbent  of  the  office 
in  1890,  and  who  held  it  for  three  years,  and  was  again  chosen  in  1906  to  serve 
for  two  years.    Edward  Baumeister  was  elected  mayor  in  1905. 

J.  B.  Jones  was  the  choice  for  mayor  in  1908  and  continued  in  1909  and  1910. 

The  first  council  chosen  on  June  21,  1890,  consisted,  as  noted,  of  H.  E. 
Benedict.  Edward  Baumeister,  N.  Ausman,  R.  Ruddy,  and  L.  B.  Howard. 

Without  endeavoring  to  give  the  complete  list  of  city  officials  we  will  pass 


J:20  OLD  WALLA  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

on  to  1905,  and  in  that  year  we  find  the  council  composed  of  Kay  L.  Thompson, 
J.  D.  Jones,  iM.  L'>.  Coon,  G.  A.  Brown  and  11.  Critchlield.  In  lyoO  the  personnel 
of  the  council  was  this:  E.  M.  Dammarrell,  S.  J.  Sargeant,  F.  B.  Jones,  M.  B. 
Coon,  Kay  L.  Thompson.  In  1907,  Messrs.  Coon,  Sargeant,  and  Dammarrell  were 
re-clcctcd,  and  R.  Graham  and  Ben  Ayers  came  in  as  new  members.  In  1908, 
-Mr.  Ayers  was  re-elected,  but  the  other  four  were  new  men,  A.  Beckman,  C. 
Brantner,  M.  J.  Garrison,  li.  C.  Fulton.  In  1909,  all  held  o\er  with  the  exception 
of  Mr.  Garrison,  the  new  mombcr  elect  being  E.  G.  MacFarlane.  Beginning 
with  1910  the  mayors  and  councilmen  have  been  the  following: 

1910 — J.  B.  Jones,  mayor.  Councilmen:  A.  Beckman,  M.  J.  Garrison,  Ben 
Ayers,  E.  G.  MacFarlane,  and  C.  J\L  Brantner.  Treasurer:  L  N.  Brazeau. 
Clerk:  C.  S.  Florence. 

191 1 — Mayor:  J.  R.  Glover.  Councilmen:  Kenneth  Mcintosh,  Jay  Swain. 
Ben- Ayers,  E.  G.  MacFarlane,  and  M.  J.  Garrison.  Treasurer:  Ed  Bucholz. 
Clerk:  E.  Matthes. 

1912 — Alayor:  J.  R.  Glover.  Councilmen:  Ben  Ayers,  Chas.  S.  Florence,  A. 
Beckman  and  K.  Mcintosh.     Treasurer:  Ed  Bucholz.     Clerk:  E.  Matthes. 

1913 — Mayor:  J.  R.  Glover.  Councilmen:  Ben  Ayers,  K.  Mcintosh,  A.  Beck- 
man, Chas.  S.  Florence  and  (jeo.  W.  Bailey.  Treasurer :  Ed  Bucholz.  Clerk : 
E.  Matthes. 

1914 — Mayor:  J.  R.  Glover.  Councilmen:  Ben  Ayers,  Geo.  W.  Bailey,  L. 
H.  Jurgens,  W.  A.  Forgey  and  A.  Beckman.  Treasurer :  Ed  Bucholz.  Clerk : 
I.  N.  Brazeau. 

1915 — Mayor:  A.  A.  Wormell.  Councilmen:  E.  R.  Downen,  K.  Mcintosh, 
W.  A.  Forgey,  L.  H.  Jurgens  and  Ben  Ayers.  Treasurer:  Ed  Bucholz.  Clerk: 
C.  A.  Laufer. 

1916 — Mayor:  A.  A.  Wormell.  Councilmen:  L.  H.  Jurgens,  Ben  Ayers,  A. 
A.  Alvord,  K.  Mcintosh  and  E.  R.  Downen.  Treasurer :  Ed  Bucholz.  Clerk : 
Chas.  S.  Florence.  On  April  4,  1916,  Wormell  resigned,  and  on  April  18,  1916, 
M.  J.  Garrison  appointed  mayor  by  council  for  unexpired  term. 

1917 — Mayor:  M.  J.  Garrison.  Councilmen:  L.  H.  Jurgens,  E.  R.  Downen, 
Ben  Ayers,  A.  A.  Alvord  and  K.  Mcintosh.  Treasurer:  Ed  Bucholz.  Clerk: 
Chas.  S.  Florence. 

CLARKSTON    INCORPORATED 

The  incorporation  of  Clarkston  has  its  first  mention  in  the  minutes  of  the 
county  commissioners  on  January  7,  1901,  when  a  petition  from  71  citizens  was 
received  asking  for  such  action.  The  proposition  was  lost  by  vote  of  15  to  ^7 
on  August  5th.  The  petitioners  returned  to  the  charge  on  May  5,  1902,  to  in- 
corporate Clarkston  and  Vineland  as  a  city  of  the  third  class.  This  was  defeated 
May  24th  by  70  to  no.  At  the  meeting  of  the  commissioners  on  July  8,  1902, 
there  came  still  another  petition,  asking  that  Clarkston  be  incorporated  as  a  city 
of  the  fourth  class.  An  election  on  that  issue  was  held  on  August  2d,  and  this 
time  incorporation  won,  45  to  31.  At  the  next  meeting  the  commissioners  rear- 
rant'ed  the  precinct,  making  the  limits  of  Clarkston  coterminous  with  the  incor- 
poration and  from  the  remainder  creating  Vineland  Precinct. 

Following  this  election   Clarkston  was  duly  incorporated,  and  the   first  city 


HIGH    SCHOOL    BCTLDIXO.    CLARKSTOX 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  421 

government  had  its  meeting  for  formal  organization  on  August  26th.  Alexander 
Robinson  was  the  first  mayor.  L.  S.  Lehm  was  the  first  treasurer.  The  council 
consisted  of  George  S.  Bailey,  C.  S.  Whitford,  A.  S.  Burnett,  \'.  Anderson,  and 
S.  J.  Roberts.     Wm.  Porter  was  appointed  clerk,  Robert  F.  Klein  marshal,  and 

E.  E.  Halsey  city  attorney.  The  first  regular  election  occurred  in  December, 
1902.  The  former  officers  were  re-elected,  with  the  exception  of  Burnett  and 
Roberts,  who  were  succeeded  by  S.  T.  Ramsey  and  Mr.  Halligus.  Mayor  Robin- 
son died  in  1903.     The  election  of  December  8,  1903,  resulted  in  the  election  of 

F.  C.  Brown  as  mayor.  The  councilmen  consisted  of  S.  T.  Ramsey,  C.  S.  Whit- 
ford, A.  S.  Burnett,  V.  Anderson,  and  A.  J.  Wood.  Mr.  Lehm  was  re-elected 
treasurer.     The   appointive    officers   were  continued. 

Mr.  Frank  N.  Brown  continued  to  be  rechosen  to  the  position  of  mayor  from 
1903  to  1907.  The  mayors  following  were  these:  R.  M.  Yount,  1907  to  1908; 
D.  B.  Parks,  1909  to  1910;  R.  M.  Yount,  1910  to  1913;  Dr.  Paul  W.  Johnson. 
1913  to  1914;  E.  J.  Bailey,  1914  to  1916;  J.  E.  Hoobler,  1916  to  1917.  Durmg 
the  period  from  1903  to  1917,  we  find  the  councilmen  to  have  been:  from  1903  to 
1908,  J.  E.  Hoobler,  E.  R.  Stevens,  S.  T.  Smiley,  C.  W.  Hunton,  and  E.  J. 
Bailey;  1909,  F.  M.  Hartley,  J.  E.  Heritage,  S.  L.  Fowler,  L  W.  Rucker,  H.  S. 
Jones;  1910  and  191 1,  J.  E.  Hoobler,  D.  H.  Stephens,  S.  L.  Fowler,  I.  W.  Rucker, 

D.  H.  Ransom;  1912,  T.  W.  Hartley,  J.  E.  Hoobler,  L  W.  Rucker,  Herman 
Frank;  191 3,  J.  E.  Heritage,  Mr.  Daege,  E., J.  Dewar,  J.  P.  Goetchius,  H.  G. 
Jones,  F.  M.  Hartley,  Herman  Frank;  1914,  Robert  Meyer,  J.  H.  Maynard, 
Herman  Frank,  H.  S.  Jones,  F.  M.  Hartley,  Mr.  Bundy,  J.  E.  Heritage;  1915, 
F.  M.  Hartley,  W.  E.  Potter,  John  Whistler,  P.  T.  Lomax,  F.  .M.  Talbot,  L. 
M.  Faulkenbury,  P.  F.  Stillings ;  1916,  J.  H.  Maynard,  E.  J.  Price,  H.  S.  Jones, 
F.  M.  Hartley,  Mr.  Bundy,  P.  T.  Lomax,  Mr.  Hill— by  resignation  of  Mr. 
Hartley,  Lee  Morris  was  appointed;  1917,  John  Getty,  J.  H.  Clear,  L.  E.  Mor- 
rison, I.  W.  Knight,  M.  W.  Isle,  W.  O.  Bond,  C.  B.  Thomson.  For  several  years 
past  G.  L.  Ackley  has  been  clerk. 

Both  Asotin  and  Clarkston  have  maintained  commercial  clubs  since  their  early 
days.  In  Asotin  the  officers  of  the  present  are  Edward  Baumeister,  president; 
and  Charles    S.    Florence,   secretary-treasurer. 

The  club  at  Clarkston  was  organized  on  September  11,  1899,  and  was  first 
known  as  the  Business  Men's  Association.  Its  first  special  aim  was  the  gravelling 
of  the  very  dusty  streets.  The  officers  of  the  first  organization  were :  H.  C. 
Whetstone,  president;  C.  M.  Evans,  vice  president;  T.  W.  Enos,  secretary; 
Alexander  Robinson,  treasurer.  In  1908  it  was  reorganized,  named  Commercial 
Club,  and  the  officers  chosen  were :  E.  H.  Libby,  president ;  R.  B.  Hooper,  vice 
president ;  J.  E.  Hoobler,  secretary-treasurer. 

An  attractive,  though  not  large  building  was  erected,  with  the  expectation 
of  using  it  as  a  library,  but  when  the  Carnegie  Library  was  built,  the  former 
building  became  the  property  of  the  city,  and  is  now  used  as  a  council  room,  as 
well  as  a  Commercial  Club  meeting  place.     The  present  officers  of  the  club  are : 

E.  J.  Bailey,  president ;  Lee  Morris,  vice  president ;  Lester  Hoobler,  secretary- 
treasurer.  By  reason  of  the  departure  of  Mr.  Hoobler  to  join  the  army,  the 
duties  of  secretary  are  now  in  the  hands  of  G.  L.  Ackley. 

The  educational  system  of  Asotin  County,  like  that  of  other  units  of  old 
Walla  Walla,  has  been  typically  American,  one  of  the  bed  rock  institutions  in 


422  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

the  ujjbuilding  of  the  new  land.  From  the  first  the  people  of  the  county  have 
taken  pride  in  their  schools  and  while  not  absolutely  true  at  all  times  and  in 
all  places  to  the  highest  interest  of  their  children — as  none  are  even  in  the  State 
of  Washington — they  have  results  which  make  a  demonstration  of  high  ideals. 
There  has  been  steady  advancement  from  the  log  schoolhouse  day  to  date. 

The  first  school  in  what  is  now  Asotin  County  was  at  Anatone,  then  the  most 
flourishing  community  in  what  was  then  the  eastern  part  of  Columbia  County. 
It  is  worthy  of  special  note  that  the  building  was  erected  and  the  school  niam- 
tained  by  the  settlers  themselves  without  any  coimty  appropriation.  Miss  Angie 
Bean,  now  Mrs.  Tuttle  and  now  living  on  Anatone  Prairie,  was  the  teacher  of 
that  pioneer  school.  We  are  informed  by  Mr.  John  Romaine,  who  came  to 
Anatone  in  1878,  that  the  school  was  at  its  best  during  the  first  dozen  or  so  years 
of  its  existence.  As  has  not  infrequently  occurred  in  exclusively  grain  regions, 
the  large  farmers  have  absorbed  the  small  ones  and  after  a  certain  stage  has 
been  reached  population  tends  to  decline.  As  a  result  school  districts  diminish. 
Thus  it  has  proved  at  Anatone. 

The  first  school  in  Asotin  City  dates  to  1881.  The  first  teacher  was  Miss 
Blanche  Marsilliott.  There  seems  to  have  been  much  tribulation  at  Asotin 
about  building  an  adequate  schoolhouse.  Not  until  1904  was  there  sufficient 
space  for  the  steadily  increasing  numbers  in  the  town.  Even  with  the  handicap 
of  insufficient  space  and  equipment  a  high  standard  seems  to  have  been  main- 
tained, insomuch  that  the  report  of  the  State  College  at  Pullman  indicated  that 
the  graduates  of  the  Asotin  High  School  stand  at  the  head  in  preparation  for 
advanced  work. 

As  giving  a  clear  and  effective  general  view  of  the  present  status  of  the 
schools  of  Asotin  County,  we  incorporate  here  a  few  paragraphs  for  which  we 
are  indebted  to  Prof.  W.  J.  Jerome,  formerly  county  superintendent  and  now 
city  superintendent  of  Asotin. 

PRESENT  STATUS  .\SOTIN  COUNTY  SCHOOLS 

By  W.  J.  Jerome 

The  county  being  strictly  an  agricultural  district,  except  for  a  small  portion 
devoted  to  the  fruit  industry,  the  school  population  is  comparatively  small. 
Nevertheless  the  interest  in  education  has  always  been  great  and  is  steadily 
increasing. 

The  number  of  school  census  children  in  the  county  in  May,  1917,  was 
1,777  ^^^^  tli*^  number  actually  enrolled  in  the  schools  of  the  county  for  the  year 
was  1,884.  The  fact  that  the  number  enrolled  is  greater  than  the  number  of 
census  children  is  largely  due  to  the  fact  that  a  large  number  of  children  come 
into  the  schools  of  Asotin  and  Clarkston  from  other  places  to  take  advantage  of 
the  good  schools  and  the  mild  winter  climate. 

The  county  contains  two  fully  accredited  high  schools,  Asotin  and  Clarkston. 
Clarkston  had  a  total  enrollment  during  the  past  year  of  1.OO5,  Asotin,  317.  The 
interest  in  education  in  each  of  these  places  is  very  great  and  each  maintains  a 
fully  equipped  high  school  not  only  carrying  the  regular  old  line  courses  but 
offering  courses  in  industrial  arts  as  well.  The  Asotin  School  was  the  pioneer 
in  the  county  in  the  newer  branches  and  is  at  present  the  best  equipped  school 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  423 

in  the  county  for  work  in  manual  training,  home  economics,  agricuhure  and 
science  work.  However  Clarkston  is  now  beginning  a  program  of  industrial 
education  that  will  soon  place  that  district  in  the  forefront  in  this  line  of  work. 

There  are  also  two  other  centers,  Anatone  and  Cloverland,  which  have  intro- 
duced these  new  subjects  and  are  rapidly  building  up  splendid  little  high  school 
centers. 

Perhaps  the  greatest  change  in  the  county  has  come  to  the  one  room  rural 
schoolhouse.  In  many  cases  the  simple  log  building  has  been  replaced  by  a  neat 
modem  building,  heated  and  ventilated  by  some  of  the  new  heating  and  venti- 
lating systems  and  provided  with  all  modern  equipment. 

Many  of  the  remote  rural  schools  employ  normal  graduates  at  good  wages, 
provide  hot  lunches  during  the  cold  weather,  have  a  library,  do  some  work  with 
tools  and  are  as  much  abreast  of  the  times  as  the  schools  of  the  towns. 

In  the  matter  of  expense  for  public  education,  the  question  never  has  been 
how  little  but  how  much  can  we  afford  to  give  or  how  much  can  we  give.  The 
configuration  of  the  county  has  made  necessary  many  remote  and  small  com- 
munities and  it  is  astonishing  how  much  the  people  in  these  remote  communities 
have  been  willing  to  sacrifice  to  educate  their  children  and  when  it  has  been 
im])ossible  to  maintain  a  local  school  on  account  of  the  small  valuation  or  small 
number  of  pupils  many  families  have  annually  moved  to  town  for  the  winter 
months  to  give  their  children  the  opportunities  of  the  schools. 

The  amount  spent  last  year,  1917,  for  the  entire  county  was  $65,793.  When 
it  is  remembered  that  we  have  not  a  mile  of  railroad  in  the  county  and  no  manu- 
facturing industries  whatever  and  that  our  total  valuation  is  but  little  over 
$4,000,000,  it  will  be  plain  that  Asotin  County  shows  its  interests  in  education 
in  a  most  practical  way. 

Every  year  a  considerable  number  of  young  people  enter  higher  institutions 
of  learning,  and  an  increasing  number  are  coming  back  into  the  county  as  teach- 
ers, ranchers,  etc. 

Perhaps  the  most  striking  thing  about  the  schools  of  the  county  is  the  great 
vaiiety  of  physical  conditions  found.  At  Asotin  and  Clarkston  and  other  points 
on  the  Snake  River  the  climate  is  mild,  in  fact  a  veritable  winter  resort  for  this 
entire  section,  while  up  on  the  high  flats  one  could  imagine  himself  on  the  prairies 
of  Iowa  or  the  Dakotas  in  the  winter.  Some  of  the  schools  are  situated  on  steep 
hillsides,  some  in  the  great  pine  woods,  some  beside  the  beautiful  Asotin  Creek. 
Some  of  the  pupils  ride  to  school  on  horseback,  some  come  in  autos,  some  in 
sleds  through  the  deep  snow,  some  cross  the  wide  Snake  River  every  day  in  row 
boats,  some  are  brought  in  by  school  wagons.  Some  live  next  door  and  some 
come  in  from  the  ranch  seven  miles  away,  but  the  great  majority  walk  in  the 
good  old-fashioned  way. 

Among  the  teachers  responsible  for  the  present  condition  of  Asotin  County 
schools  should  be  mentioned  the  following:  J.  B.  Jones,  for  many  years  super- 
intendent of  schools  of  Asotin,  when  Asotin  maintained  the  only  high  school  in 
the  county.  Mr.  Jones  served  a  term  as  county  superintendent  and  is  now  a 
leading  banker  of  the  county.  Another  teacher  whose  work  will  never  be  for- 
gotten is  Miss  Lillian  Clemans,  now  Mrs.  Lillian  Clemans  Merchant.  Mrs. 
Merchant  was  a  leading  teacher  in  the  county  for  many  years  and  took  a  leading 
part  in  educational  matters   for   four  years  as   county   superintendent.     J.   W. 


424  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Graliam,  now  superintendent  of  tlie  Pullman,  Wash.,  schools,  but  for  several 
years  a  leading  educator  of  the  county  as  superintendent  of  the  Clarkston  schools. 
W.  J.  Jerome,  at  present  superintendent  of  the  Asotin  city  schools,  who  has 
been  associated  with  these  schools  and  with  the  educational  interests  of  the 
county  for  eight  years.  Gus  Lybecker  has  had  charge  of  the  Anatone  schools 
for  four  years  and  is  now  beginning  a  fifth  year  as  the  head  of  a  new  consoli- 
dated district  at  that  place.  C.  B.  Thornton  has  been  associated  with  the  Clover- 
land  schools  as  principal  for  several  years  and  is  now  the  county  superintendent 
of  schools. 

No  resume  of  the  schools  of  the  county  would  be  complete  that  failed  to 
mention  the  three  men  who  for  many  years  worked  together  for  the  Clarkston 
schools:  Dr.  P.  W.  Johnson,  W.  E.  Howard,  and  Elmer  E.  Halsey.  Dr.  H.  C. 
Fulton,  G.  W.  Bailey,  William  Farrish,  W.  G.  Woodruff,  and  Kay  L.  Thomp- 
son served  Asotin  in  a  similar  fashion  for  many  years,  indeed  some  of  these 
men  put  in  as  much  as  twenty  years  as  school  board  members.  In  every  district 
there  is  one  or  more  but  usually  one  central  figure,  who  takes  a  vital  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  the  children  and  gives  unstintedly  of  time  and  talent  for  the 
schools  of  the  district.  The  author  wishes  that  all  these  splendid  men  could  be 
mentioned  here,  for  to  them  as  much  as  to  teachers  we  owe  our  schools. 

In  treating  of  the  other  counties,  we  have  devoted  considerable  space  to  the 
churches.  These  indispensable  agencies  of  the  higher  motives  and  higher  life 
have  had  the  same  general  place  in  Asotin  as  in  the  other  counties.  To  some 
extent  the  same  men  whose  names  we  noted  in  Walla  Walla  went  on  into  the 
newer  fields.  Early  in  the  history  of  Asotin  City  the  Baptists  effected  an  organ- 
ization and  erected  a  church.  Soon  the  Presbyterian,  Methodist,  United  Brethren, 
and  Christian  denominations  became  also  established  and  maintain  their  church 
work  to  the  present  day. 

Clarkston  also  has  a  full  quota  of  well  sustained  churches:  Methodist,  Chris- 
tian, Presbyterian,  United  Brethren,  Church  of  God,  Lutheran  (Norwegian), 
St.  John's  Evangelical   (German),  Catholic,  Adventists,  Baptist,  and  Episcopal. 

The  fraternal  orders  are  also  well  represented  in  both  cities.  The  first  lodge 
in  the  county  was  Hope  Lodge,  L  O.  O.  F.,  at  Anatone.  The  Good  Templars 
seem  to  have  been  pioneers  in  lodge  organization  in  Asotin  City,  dating  to  1885. 
The  first  Odd  Fellow  lodge  was  known  as  Riverside  Lodge  No.  41,  and  was 
organized  in  1886.  Other  lodges  followed,  and  at  the  present  date  we  find  the 
following  represented :  L  O.  O.  F. ;  Woodmen  of  the  World ;  Women  of  Wood- 
craft; Grand  Army  of  the  Republic;  Sons  of  Veterans;  Women's  Relief  Corps; 
Modern  Woodmen;  Rebekahs;  United  Artisans;  Stootki  Tribe  of  Red  Men; 
Masonic. 

In  Clarkston  the  orders  are  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Masons,  Odd  Fellows, 
Yeomen,  Woodmen  of  the  World,  and  Modern  Woodmen. 

Many  more  interesting  and  valuable  details  of  the  history  and  present  status 
of  this  youngest  of  our  four  counties  might  be  given  here,  did  space  allow.  But 
we  must  be  content  to  close  with  further  reference  to  that  indispensable  aid  to 
the  historical  writer,  and  that  is  the  newspaper.  We  have  already  spoken  of  the 
Sentinel  of  Asotin  and  have  made  our  acknowledgments  for  much  valuable  data 
derived  from  it.     Qarkston  also  has  a  weekly  paper,  the  Clarkston  Republican. 


PAROCHIAL  SCHOOL.  CLAEKSTOK 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  425 


The  Vinclandcr,  however,  was  the  first  paper  at  that  point,  appearing  in  iJ 
pubhshed  by  Messrs.  Leach,  Henshaw  and  Lewis.  The  year  following  C.  S. 
Florence,  now  of  Asotin,  acquired  the  paper  and  published  it  for  a  year,  chang- 
ing the  name  to  the  Vineland  Journal.  At  the  opening  of  1900,  Messrs.  Lewis 
and  Leach,  having  retired  from  their  pioneer  venture,  undertook  another  by  the 
publication  of  the  Clarkston  Chronicle.  This  also  was  short  lived,  being  sus- 
pended after  only  about  five  months.  There  was  still  another  transient  in  the 
field  of  journalism,  the  RiTcr  Press,  existing  from  July,  1903,  to  April,  1904, 
the  publisher  being  at  first  Frank  Barnes,  followed  by  B.  T.  Warren,  and  he  in 
turn  by  O.  U.  Hawkins.  Meanwhile  the  Republican,  the  only  permanent  news- 
paper at  Clarkston,  had  been  launched  in  January,  1901,  by  L.  A.  Woodward. 
After  a  few  unimportant  shif tings,  by  which  Mr.  Woodward  retired  and  again 
resumed  possession,  the  Republican  in  1904  passed  into  the  possession  of  Messrs. 
Willis,  Murdock,  and  Garver.  Mr.  A.  J.  Carver  became  and  still  continues  to  be 
the  chief  owner.  The  managing  editor  at  the  present  date  is  W.  A.  Wyatt,  and 
the  paper  is  now  known  as  the  Clarkston  Republic. 

We  leave  this  jewel  of  a  county,  with  her  sister  jewels,  at  this  stage  of  our 
story,  anticipating  for  her  great  advances  in  the  developments  which  are  certain 
to  accrue  to  the  world,  and  particularly  to  the  Pacific  Northwest  in  the  better 
days  which  are  bound  to  succeed  the  insanity  and  destructiveness  of  the  present 

unholy  war  which  racks  the  earth.  ,  — -  ^    ....—  . 

:      -/.iiVi  Vv3^.  3 HI       : 

:  h.i\.HT.',J   .;i.;c;i:-'  J 


! 


CHAPTER  V 
PIONEER  REMINISCENCES 

This  is  a  chapter  of  remembrances.  The  author  has  felt  that  the  work  would 
be  incomplete  without  some  space  devoted  to  the  personal  experiences  of  those 
who  made  the  history.  Out  of  the  vast  amount  of  matter  which  might  be  avail- 
able he  has  selected  such  narrations  as  cover  the  widest  range  and  afford  the 
greatest  variety. 

Some  of  these  selections  are  of  early  letters,  the  writers  of  which  have  long 
since  passed  away.  A  few  were  prepared  originally  for  the  Inland  Empire 
Pioneer  Association.  The  larger  number  have  been  written  especially  for  this 
work  by  those  who  are  still  actively  engaged  in  the  affairs  of  the  community. 
It  is  with  the  belief  that  this  collection  of  actual  experiences  and  observations 
will  constitute  a  chapter  of  present  interest  to  the  pioneers  and  will  be  a  source 
of  ever-increasing  pleasure  and  instruction  to  their  descendants,  that  the  author 
gives  it  a  place  as  the  crowning  feature  of  the  book. 

We  first  incorporate  a  letter  by  Doctor  Whitman,  never  published  before, 
significant  of  the  life  and  conditions,  as  well  as  the  habit  of  thought  and  mode 
of  expression  of  that  first  stage  in  the  history  of  Old  Walla  Walla.  Doctor 
Whitman's  letter  gives  a  vivid  view  of  the  variety  of  interests  with  which  he 
was  concerned.     It  is  as  follows : 

Waiilatpu,  September  29,   1845. 
Rev.  Elkanah  \\'alker. 

Dear  Brother:     I  take  a  moment  only  to  write  as  Mr.  Eells  is  soon  to  be  off. 

The  first  thing  I  have  to  say  is,  will  you  send  Cyrus  here  to  school  this  winter 
in  case  we  have  one,  which  we  expect  we  may?  I.  W.  Gilbert,  formerly  my  day 
and  Sabbath  School  scholar,  has  come  up  from  the  Willamet  and  will  be  likely 
to  winter  here,  and  most  likely  we  may  employ  him  to  teach. 

If  you  send  you  may  do  well  to  come  this  way  as  you  go  to  Lapwai  [Mr. 
W'alker  was  located  at  Tshimakain  in  the  Spokane  country]  and  leave  Cyrus 
here. 

Few  of  the  immigrants  call  on  us. 

Four  hundred  and  fifty  wagons  passed  Fort  Hall,  but  from  seventy  to  one 
hundred  went  to  California  and  one  hundred  left  the  trail  at  Malade  to  go  to 
Waskopum.  As  they  are  so  early  they  have  no  great  need  of  provisions  short  of 
The  Dalles.     Most  are  now  passed. 

Mr.  Eells  can  tell  you  about  Mr.  Green's  letter  to  me.  We  can  now  have 
little  hope  of  a  reinforcement.  I  do  not  think  it  best  for  me  to  say  anything  in 
relation  to  the  subject  hinted  at  in  your  first,  but  may  at  another  time. 

426 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  427 

I  am  trying  to  burn  some  coal  [charcoal]  in  order  to  have  a  little  work  done 
in  the  shop.  I  hope  also  to  get  a  millwright  for  a  few  days  to  set  the  sawmill 
at  work. 

We  would  like  scholars  enough  to  take  some  of  our  time,  the  more  the  better. 
Mrs.  Whitman  is  anxious  also  and  more  than  willing  to  have  as  many  as  pos- 
sible. 

With  esteem  and  expectation  of  seeing  you  and  letting  you  have  a  first  rate 
article  of  corn  meal,  with  our  united  compliments  to  you  all. 

Yours  truly, 

Marcus  Whitman. 

A  letter  of  an  earlier  date  than  that  of  Doctor  Whitman,  by  one  of  the  im- 
migrants of  1843,  is  of  great  interest  for  a  number  of  reasons.  We  give  it  here 
as  containing  the  spirit  of  that  first  genuine  American  immigration,  the  one  that 
sealed  the  American  possession  of  Oregon. 

Waiilatpu,  October  27,  1843.     . 
Jesse  Looney  to  John  C.  Bond, 

Greenbush,    Warren   County,    111. 

Dear  Sir :  I  embrace  the  opportunity  of  writing  to  you  from  this  far  west- 
ern country,  afforded  me  by  the  return  of  Lieutenant  Fremont  to  the  States  this 
winter.  He  thinks  he  will  be  at  Independence,  Mo.,  by  January  next,  which  will 
be  in  time  for  those  who  intend  coming  next  season  to  this  country  to  get  some 
information  about  the  necessary  preparations  to  be  ready  for  the  journey. 

It  is  a  long  and  tiresome  trip  from  the  States  to  this  country,  but  the  com- 
pany of  emigrants  came  through  safely  this  season  to  the  number  of  1,000 
persons  with  something  over  100  wagons  to  this  place,  which  is  250  miles  east 
of  the  Willamet  Valley,  and,  with  the  exception  of  myself  and  a  few  others, 
have  all  gone  on  down  there,  intending  to  go  through  this  winter  if  possible. 
About  half  of  them  have  traded  off  their  stock  at  Walla  Walla,  twenty-five  miles 
below  here  [he  means  the  Hudson's  Bay  fort]  and  are  going  by  water.  The 
balance  went  on  by  land  to  the  Methodist  Mission,  175  miles  below  this,  intend- 
ing to  take  to  the  water  there. 

I  have  stopped  here  in  the  Walla  Walla  Valley  to  spend  the  winter,  in  order 
to  save  my  stock.  This  is  a  fine  valley  of  land,  excellent  water,  good  climate, 
and  the  finest  kind  of  pine  timber  on  the  surrounding  mountains,  and  above  all 
a  good  range  for  stock  both  summer  and  winter.  The  Indians  are  friendly  and 
have  plenty  of  grain  and  potatoes,  and  a  good  many  hogs  and  cattle.  The  mis- 
sionaries at  this  and  other  missions  have  raised  fine  crops  of  wheat,  corn, 
potatoes,  etc.,  so  that  provisions  can  be  procured  here  upon  as  good  or  better 
terms  than  in  the  lower  settlements  at  present.  Cattle  are  valuable  here,  espe- 
cially American  cattle.  Things  induced  me  to  stop  here  for  the  winter,  save 
my  stock  and  take  them  down  in  the  spring. 

In  preparing  for  the  journey  of  Rocky  Mountains,  you  cannot  be  too  par- 
ticular in  choice  of  a  wagon.  It  should  be  strong  in  every  part  and  yet  it  should 
not  be  very  heavy.  The  large  size,  two-horse  Yankee  wagons  are  the  most  sub- 
stantial wagons  I  have  seen  for  this  trip.  You  should  haul  nothing  but  your 
clothing,  bedding  and  provisions.  Goods  are  cheaper  here  than  in  the  States. 
Let  your  main  load  be  provisions — flour  and  bacon.     Put  in  about  as  much  load- 


428  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

ing  as  one  yoke  of  callle  can  draw  handily,  and  then  put  on  three  good  yoke  of 
cattle  and  take  an  extra  yoke  for  change  in  case  of  failure  from  lameness  or 
sore  necks,  and  you  can  come  without  any  difficulty.  The  road  is  good,  much 
better  than  we  had  expected,  but  is  long.  Bring  all  the  loose  cattle  you  can, 
especially  milk  cows  and  heifers.  Do  not  attempt  to  bring  calves.  They  will 
not  come  through,  and  by  losing  them  you  will  be  in  danger  of  losing  their 
mothers. 

I  cannot  urge  you  too  strongly  to  be  sure  to  bring  plenty  of  provisions;  don"t 
depend  on  the  game  you  may  get.  You  may  get  some  and  you  may  not.  It  is 
uncertain.  We  were  about  five  months  on  the  way  to  this  place,  and  I  had 
plenty  of  flour,  etc.,  to  do  me,  but  most  of  the  company  were  out  long  before 
they  got  here,  and  there  is  little  or  nothing  in  the  way  of  provisions  to  be  had  at 
the  forts  on  the  way.  I  would  advise  you  to  lay  in  plenty  for  at  least  five 
months,  for  if  you  get  out  on  the  way  you  will  have  trouble  to  get  any  till  you 
get  here.  I  would  advise  you  to  start  as  soon  as  the  grass  will  admit.  We  might 
have  started  near  a  month  sooner  than  we  did,  and  then  would  have  been  here  in 
time  to  have  gone  through  with  our  cattle  this  winter.  We  left  Independence, 
Mo.,  the  22d  of  May  and  we  are  just  about  a  month  too  late.  Myself  and  family 
were  all  sick  v^'hen  we  left  and  continued  till  we  left  Blue  River,  and  the  rain 
and  wind,  but  when  we  reached  the  highlands  along  the  Platte  we  began  to 
mend.  My  health  is  better  than  for  years,  and  so  far  as  I  have  seen  this  coun- 
try I  think  it  is  very  healthy.  There  was  five  or  six  deaths  on  the  road,  some 
by  sickness  and  some  by  accident,  and  there  were  some  eight  or  ten  births. 
Upon  the  whole  we  fared  much  better  than  we  expected.  We  had  no  inter- 
ruptions from  the  Indians.  Our  greatest  difficulty  was  in  crossing  rivers.  Mrs. 
L.  says  prepare  with  good  strong  clothing  or  sage  brush  will  strip  you. 

This  shrub  is  very  plenty,  and  was  hard  on  our  teams,  especially  those  that 
went  before,  but  it  will  not  be  so  bad  on  those  that  come  next  year,  for  we  have 
left  a  plain,  well  beaten  road  all  the  way.  I  will  have  a  better  opportunity  of 
giving  you  accounts  of  this  country  next  spring,  and  I  want  you  to  write  the 
first  chance  and  to  direct  to  the  settlement  of  Willamet. 
So  no  more,  but  remain, 

Your  brother  till  death, 

Jesse  Looney. 

In  connection  with  these  letters  dealing  with  the  mission  at  Waiilatpu  and 
the  immigration  of  1843,  we  wish  to  include  two  of  much  interest,  not  hitherto 
published,  both  dealing  with  Doctor  Whitman.  These  are  letters  of  much  later 
date  than  the  preceding,  though  pertaining  to  the  times  of  the  mission. 

The  first  of  these  is  by  Perrin  Whitman  to  W.  H.  Gray.  Perrin  Whitman 
lived  many  years  at  Lewiston  and  was  well  known  in  all  that  region. 

Letter  from  Perrin  Whitman  to  W.  H.  Gray: 

Lapwai   Station,  October   ir,    [880. 

About  the  20th  of  April,   1843,  I  left  Rushville,  Yates  County,  N.  Y.,  with 

Dr.  Marcus  Whitman   (my  uncle)    for  Oregon.     I   distinctly   remember  of  his 

telling  his   mother  and    friends   that  his  visit   with  them   would  be   necessarily 

short,  as  he  had  on  his  way  east  from  Oregon,  notified  all  who  were  desirous  of 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  •  429 

emigrating  to  Oregon  to  rendezvous  at  Westport  and  Independence,  Mo.,  and 
that  he  would  pilot  them  with  their  wagons  across  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  the 
Columbia  River.  The  immigration,  consisting  of  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  wagons,  left  the  Missouri  line  about  the  last  of  May  and  reached  W'aii- 
latpu  (Walla  Walla  Valley)  about  the  5th  of  the  following  September. 

The  doctor  piloted  them  the  whole  distance,  as  he  had  promised  to  do.  Gen. 
J.  C.  Fremont  (at  that  time  a  lieutenant)  arrived  at  Waiilatpu  with  his  Gov- 
ernment train  across  the  plains  a  few  weeks  after  the  arrival  of  our  immigration. 

Doctor  Whitman's  trip  east  in  the  winter  of  1842  and  '43  was  for  the  double 
purpose  of  bringing  the  immigration  across  the  plains,  also  prevent,  if  possible, 
the  trading  off  of  this  northwest  coast  to  the  British  Government.  I  learned 
from  him  that  the  Mission  Board  censured  him  in  strong  terms  for  having  left 
his  missionary  duty  and  engaged  in  another  so  foreign  from  the  one  they  had 
sent  him  to  perform.  While  crossing  the  plains  I  repeatedly  heard  the  doctor 
express  himself  as  being  very  anxious  to  succeed  in  opening  a  wagon  road  across 
the  continent  to  the  Columbia  River,  and  thereby  stay,  if  not  entirely  prevent, 
the  trade  of  this  northwest  coast,  then  pending  between  the  United  States  and 
the  British  Government. 

In  after  years  the  doctor  with  much  pride  and  satisfaction  reverted  to  his 
success  in  bringing  the  immigration  across  the  plains  and  thought  it  one  of  the 
means  of  saving  Oregon  to  his  Government.  I  remained  with  him  continuously 
till  August,  1847,  when  he  sent  me  to  The  Dalles.  He  was  murdered  the  follow- 
ing November. 

The  above  statement  is  correct  and  true,  so  help  me  God. 

P.  B.  Whitm.vn. 

The  next  letter  is  from  Judge  O.  S.  Pratt,  the  territorial  judge  who  pre- 
sided at  the  trial  of  the  Indians  implicated  in  the  Whitman  massacre.  It  was 
addressed  to  Mrs.  Catherine  Sager  Pringle,  one  of  the  adopted  children  of 
Doctor  Whitman,  evidently  in  response  to  inquiries  for  information. 

While  the  facts  which  it  states  might  be  known  from  other  sources,  it  is  of 
much  interest  as  a  summary  of  the  permanent  views  of  Judge  Pratt  upon  the 
life  and  character  of  Doctor  Whitman. 

San  Francisco,  March  4,   1882. 

Dear  Madam :  In  my  reply  to  your  letter  of  January  20th  last,  I  wrote  you 
I  thought  the  late  Doctor  Whitman  was  born  in  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.  I  said 
I  would  soon  know  as  I  had  just  written  to  a  friend  who  had  the  means  of 
knowing  the  doctor's  birthplace  and  would  be  likely  to  send  me  exact  infor- 
mation on  the  subject.  In  reply  to  a  letter,  which  I  caused  to  be  written  to  Mrs. 
Henry  F.  Wisewell,  residing  at  Naples  in  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  who  is  the 
doctor's  sister  and  the  only  surviving  member  of  his  father's  family,  I  received 
today,  under  date  of  February  22,  1882,  an  answer  dictated  by  her,  stating  that 
"Marcus  Whitman  was  born  in  Rushville,  Ontario  County,  N.  Y.,  September 
4,  1802 — the  county  then  being  very  wild  and  new.  In  infancy  he  narrowlv 
escaped  death  by  burning,  his  cradle  having  taken  fire  from  a  brand  falling  out 
of  the  fireplace,  when  left  alone.  His  father  died  in  April,  1810;  the  same  fall 
the  son  was  sent  to  Plainfield,  Mass.,  to  live  with  his  grandparents.  He 
then  attended  school  and  returned  to  Rushville  when  eighteen  years  old.     .At  the 


430  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

latter  i)lace  he  studied  nudicine  and  received  a  diploma  at  the  Fairfield  (N.  Y.) 
Medical  College.  He  tiiereafter  practiced  medicine  a  short  time  in  Canada,  and 
afterwards  for  a  few  years  near  his  native  place.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Parker  of 
Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  while  preaching  in  the  interior  of  that  state  on  behalf  of  the 
Northwestern  Indians,  became  acquainted  with  Doctor  Whitman;  and  the  latter 
having  become  deeply  interested  in  Mr.  Parker's  efforts,  first  went  with  him  to 
explore  Oregon  in  the  spring  of  1835,  and  returned  to  his  native  village  about 
Christmas  of  the  same  year,  bringing  with  him  two  Indian  boys.  They  were 
sent  to  school  and  learned  rapidly  and  were  soon  able  to  read  well  and  write 
legibly. 

"In  February,  1836,  the  doctor  married  Miss  Narcissa  Prentiss,  a  resident  of 
Prattsburg,  N.  Y.,  and  not  far  from  his  native  village,  who,  with  the  doctor 
and  the  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Spalding  and  the  Indian  boys,  left  April,  1836,  for 
Oregon,  their  mission  field,  traveling  west  of  the  Mississippi,  with  pack  horses 
and  mules.  Mrs.  W'hitman  and  Mrs.  Spalding  are  understood  to  have  been  the 
first  white  women  who  ever  crossed  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  doctor  there- 
after returned  but  once,  starting  October  7,  1842,  and  reached  New  York  April 
2,  1843,  having  suffered  many  hardships  by  the  way,  sleeping  for  the  most  part 
on  the  ground,  and  being  at  one  time  without  food  five  days,  and  in  his  greatest 
extremity  was  compelled  to  kill  his  dogs  to  sustain  life.  From  New  York,  be- 
fore visiting  his  family,  he  hurried  to  Washington  on  his  mission  with  the  Gov- 
ernment, which  was  to  secure,  if  possible,  Oregon  to  the  United  States.  Not 
long  afterwards  he  returned  to  his  home  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  was, 
as  is  well  known,  massacred  with  his  wife  and  others  bv  the  Indians,  November 
29,  1847." 

I  trust  the  foregoing,  which  may  rightly  be  treated  as  authentic,  will  leave 
no  uncertainty  as  to  the  birthplace  and  some  of  the  important  facts  connected 
with  the  history  of  the  late  Doctor  W^hitman's  useful  life. 

Respectfully  yours, 

O.  S.  Pratt. 

Turning  now  from  the  letters  to  special  contributions  we  will  first  present 
one  dealing  with  the  Cayuse  war,  following  the  great  tragedy  at  Waiilatpu.  This 
contains  the  personal  experience  of  W^  W.  Walter,  an  immigrant  to  the  \Valla 
Walla  country  of  1859.  He  lived  many  years  near  Prescott.  This  article  was 
written  from  his  dictation  by  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Pettyjohn. 

CAVUSE  INDIAN    WAR 

By  W.  W.  Walter 

In  December,  1847,  word  reached  the  settlements  in  Oregon  that  the  Cayuse 
Indians  had  killed  Doctor  Whitman  and  wife  and  twelve  others.  A  runner  car- 
ried the  word  to  Vancouver,  and  a  messenger  was  at  once  dispatched  to  Oregon 
City  to  Governor  Abernethy,  while  Peter  Skeen  Ogden,  factor  of  the  Hudson's 
Ray  Company,  with  a  small  company  of  Hudson's  Bay  men  set  out  at  once  for 
the  scene  of  the  massacre — where  he  accomplished  his  wonderful  work  of  ran- 
soming the  white  captives  held  by  the  Indians. 

"No   other   power   on    earth,"    says   Joe    Meek,    the    American,    "could    have 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUXTY  431 

rescued  those  prisoners  from  the  hands  of  the  Indians."  And  no  man  better 
than  Mr.  Meek  understood  the  Indian  character,  or  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany's power   over  them. 

The  Oregon  Legislature  was  in  session  when  the  message  from  Vancouver 
arrived,  telhng  of  the  massacre.  A  call  was  made  at  once  for  fifty  riflemen  to 
proceed  at  once  to  The  Dalles — to  guard  the  settlements  below  from  an  invasion 
of  the  Indians.     This  company  was  known  as  the  "First  Oregon  Riflemen." 

Word  came  that  the  Cayuse  Indians  were  coming  to  kill  all  the  settlers  in 
Oregon,  and  it  was  deemed  best  to  meet  the  hostiles  on  their  own  ground. 

After  the  first  fifty  men  had  started  for  The  Dalles,  five  companies  of 
volunteers  were  organized.  I  went  from  Tualatin  County  (now  Washington) 
in  Capt.  Lawrence  Hall's  company  of  volunteers — every  man  furnishing  his  own 
horse  and  equipment — every  one  who  could  contribute  a  gun,  or  a  little  powder 
and  lead — that  was  the  way  we  got  our  munitions  of  war. 

We  rendezvoused  at  Portland,  awaiting  marching  orders,  which  were  given 
about  January  i,  1848.  We  were  in  Portland  a  week  or  more,  and  I  remember 
myself  and  some  other  lads  made  a  ride  back  to  the  Plains  to  attend  a  dance — 
Christmas  week. 

About  January  i,  1848,  we  started  for  the  Cayuse  Country,  three  hundred 
men,  all  told — we  marched  across  the  country  and  ferried  over  the  Columbia  at 
Vancouver.  There  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  let  us  have  a  cannon,  and  it  was 
an  elephant  on  our  hands. 

From  Vancouver  we  traveled  up  the  north  side  of  the  Columbia  (dragging 
that  old  cannon  along)  to  a  place  above  the  Cascades  where  we  built  a  ferry 
boat  and  crossed  the  river  again  to  the  south  side  and  followed  up  the  trails  to 
the  Dalles.  We  still  kept  our  cannon,  making  portages  with  it,  and  at  the  Dalles 
we  mounted  the  thing  on  a  wagon.  The  fifty  men  stationed  there  to  hold  the 
Mission  were  greatly  annoyed  by  the  Indians,  and  just  after  we  arrived  a  report 
was  brought  in  that  there  were  hostile  Indians  up  the  Deschutes  River,  and  two 
of  our  men  on  horse  guard  were  decoyed  by  the  Indians  and  killed.  It  happened 
thus:  The  Indians  stripped  their  horses  and  let  them  graze  near  the  guards, 
giving  the  impression  they  were  loose  horses.  Our  men  thought  them  their 
own  horses  and  went  after  them,  when  the  Indians,  who  were  concealed  in  the 
grass  with  ropes  on  their  horses,  fired  and  killed  the  two  men.  Those  were  the 
first  men  killed  in  the  war. 

So  when  we  heard  of  the  Indians  up  the  Deschutes  we  were  anxious  for 
a  fight  and  started  for  them.  The  battleground  was  at  the  mouth  of  Tygh  Creek 
on  the  ridge  where  we,  as  emigrants,  had  come  down  the  Deschutes  hill  two  years 
before.  We  met  the  Indians  early  in  the  morning.  The  first  we  knew  of  their 
whereabouts  we  saw  them  formed  in  line  on  the  front  of  a  high  hill.  To  reach 
them  we  had  to  climb  that  hill,  facing  their  fire.  We  left  our  horses  and  took 
it  afoot  up  that  hill,  but  they  did  not  stand  long — we  soon  routed  them — we  had 
but  one  man  wounded.  We  followed  up  with  continuous  firing  on  both  sides — 
then  we  had  our  horses  brought  up  and  gave  chase.  As  the  country  was  level  on 
top  the  hill  we  followed  them  five  or  six  miles— they  outstripped  us,  as  they  had 
splendid  fresh  horses ;  we  skirmished  all  that  day — camped  on  the  hill  at  night, 
then  the  next  day  followed  on  until  we  reached  their  deserted  camp.  There  we 
found  a  very  old  and  feeble  Indian  man  and  woman — too  old  to  tra^•el.    They  were 


482  OLD  WALL A  WALLA  COUNTY 

deserted  and  alone,  wilh  a  lilllc  pile  of  food  lying  by  them.  They  refused  to  talk, 
SO  we  learned  nothing  from  them — so  we  left  them  undisturbed  and  returned 
to  the  Dalles,  where  we  fitted  up  some  old  emigrant  wagons  and  got  some  emigrant 
cattle  and  Mission  cattle,  and  made  up  a  train  of  wagons  to  haul  what  little 
supplies  we  had  with  us.  We  now  started  for  the  upper  country,  following  the 
old  emigrant  road. 

We  had  our  next  encounter  wilii  the  Indians  at  Wells  Springs  between 
Willow  Creek  and  Butter  Creek.  We  camped  there  for  the  night — in  the  morning 
we  had  just  gotten  out  of  camp  when  we  began  to  see  Indians — Indians  in  every 
direction,  in  squads  of  ten  and  fifty,  just  coming  thick.  There  were  enough  of 
them  to  eat  up  our  little  band  of  three  hundred.  We  went  only  about  a  mile  and 
a  half  when  Col.  Gilliam  called  a  halt  and  we  began  preparations  for  a  fight. 

It  was  estimated  over  one  thousand  Indians  were  on  the  ground.  A  party 
of  chiefs  came  out  and  called  for  a  talk.  Col.  Gilliam,  Tom  McKay,  Charlie 
McKay  and  Mungo,  the  interpreter,  went  out  to  meet  them.  When  they  met  it 
was  learned  there  were  Indians  from  all  the  northern  tribes  besides  the  Cayuses. 
There  were  Coeur  d'Alenes,  Flatheads,  Pend  d'Oreilles  and  Spokanes. 

The  Cayuses  had  sent  runners  to  all  the  difi^erent  tribes  telling  them  the 
Whites  in  Oregon  had  killed  all  the  Catliolics  and  Hudson's  Bay  men  who  were 
friends  to  these  Northern  Indians — they  told  them  they  had  killed  Tom  McKay, 
their  best  friend,  and  were  now  coming  to  kill  them  and  take  their  country. 
But  when  an  old  chief  met  the  commission,  he  saw  and  recognized  old  Tom 
McKay  and  knew  then  they  had  been  deceived  and  asked  an  explanation. 

When  Tom  McKay,  who  was  intimately  acquainted  with  those  northern 
Indians,  and  whose  influence  over  them  exceeded  that  of  any  other  man  in  the 
country,  told  them  the  true  story  and  that  they  were  only  up  there  to  punish 
the  murderers  of  Dr.  Whitman  and  people,  the  old  Flathead  chief  promised  to  take 
no  part  and  to  draw  off  all  except  the  Cayuses.  When  the  haughty  Cayuse 
chief,  named  Grey  Eagle,  heard  this  he  was  so  enraged  he  turned  on  McKay 
and  said,  "I'll  kill  you,  Tom  McKay,"  and  drew  his  gun  to  fire,  but  McKay  was 
too  quick  for  him  and  fired  first,  killing  the  chief. 

Grey  Eagle  was  a  great  medicine  man,  and  had  boasted  he  could  swallow  all 
the  bullets  fired  at  him — and  McKay  shot  him  in  the  mouth.  As  the  Indians 
turned  to  run,  Charlie  McICay  shot  Five  Crows,  breaking  his  arm,  but  he 
escaped.  It  will  be  remembered  he  was  the  Indian  who  held  captive  a  girl  from 
the  Mission.  Five  Crows,  however,  shot  the  powder  horn  ofi"  McKay,  so  you 
can  see  they  were  in  pretty  close  quarters. 

We  boys  gave  McKay  great  credit  for  the  service  he  done  us — for  our 
little  band  of  three  hundred  looked  pretty  small  compared  with  the  foe. 

Now,  the  battle  was  fairly  on.  The  Northern  Indians  drew  ofif  on  a  hill 
and  the  Cayuses  made  a  dash  on  us,  about  six  hundred  strong,  all  well  mounted, 
riding  in  a  circle  and  firing  whenever  a  chance  came.  The  Indians  never  left 
their  horses — if  they  dismounted,  the  horse  was  fastened  to  the  rider.  When 
an  Indian  was  killed  we  would  always  find  the  horse  standing  by  his  fallen 
rider,  usually  tied  by  the  hair  rope  to  his  wrist. 

(The  horse  rode  by  Grey  Eagle  was  a  beautiful  gray,  and  McKay's  son  Alec 
rode  him  many  years.)  The  fight  lasted  the  whole  day  long — that  cannon  that 
had  caused  so  much  vexation  of  spirit  was  of  but  little  use,  as  the  Indians  scattered 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  433 

so — it  was  fired  a  few  times  at  a  squad  of  Indians  at  long  range — it  served  more 
to  terrorize  them  than  to  kill,  as  it  made  a  tremendous  noise  and  they  no  doubt 
thought  it  great  medicine.  It  was  an  impressive  sight  to  see  those  hundreds  of 
Northern  Indians,  splendidly  mounted  and  armed  after  the  Indian  fashion,  sitting 
on  their  horses  at  one  side  all  day  long,  watching  the  progress  of  the  fight.  What 
a  picture  that  would  have  made ! 

We  camped  that  night  on  the  battleground,  but  the  next  morning  the  Indians 
were  gone.  I  think  neither  side  could  claim  a  victory.  As  we  traveled  that  day 
Indians  kept  in  sight  all  day,  but  did  not  interfere  with  us  until  we  reached  the 
Mission  at  Waiilaptu,  where  we  performed  the  sad  duty  of  gathering  up  the 
remains  of  the  martyrs  and  burying  them.  We  found  parts  of  bodies  lying 
around,  scattered  about.  We  found  a  skull  with  a  tomahawk  wound  in  it — we 
supposed  it  was  tliat  of  Mrs.  Whitman.  We  also  found  locks  of  her  beautiful 
yellow  hair  in  the  yard.  It  was  taken  to  Oregon  City  and  placed  among  the 
Oregon  State  Documents. 

We  made  a  sort  of  stockade  by  building  a  wall  breast  high  of  adobe  from 
the  old  buildings — also  built  a  corral  for  the  horses  by  placing  rails  end  in  the 
ground,  and  corraled  the  horses  every  night  and  guarded  them  by  day.  We 
slaughtered  what  cattle  we  could  find  and  jerked  the  meat  so  we  would  have 
supplies  in  case  we  were  corraled  by  the  Indians.  We  subsisted  on  Indian  and 
Mission  cattle — no  bread. 

After  getting  settled  in  camp,  parts  of  two  companies,  myself  one  of  the 
number,  escorted  Joe  Meek  and  his  party  to  the  snow  line  of  the  Blue  Mountains 
as  he  started  on  his  famous  trip  across  the  continent  Eit  midwinter,  as  an  agent 
from  Oregon,  to  ask  protection  of  the  United  States  Government  for  the  suf- 
fering settlers  in  the  wilds  of  Oregon.  He  was  accompanied  by  Squire  Ebberts  and 
Nat  Bowman,  both  mountain  men,  and  three  others.  So  we  left  the  little  party 
to  pursue  their  journey  amid  untold  perils  while  we  returned  to  Fort  Waters, 
as  the  Mission  was  now  called.  This  was  in  February.  About  the  first  of  March 
about  eighty-five  or  ninety  men  were  called  to  go  out  on  a  raid  to  gather  up  what 
cattle  we  could  and  learn  what  we  could  of  the  whereabouts  of  the  hostiles.  My 
company  went,  as  we  were  the  best  mounted  men  in  the  command.  Not  thinking 
to  be  gone  long,  we  rode  light  and  took  no  provisions. 

We  traveled  what  was  long  known  as  the  Nez  Perces  trails,  cross  the  country 
to  Copeii,  where  we  were  met  by  two  friendly  Indians.  They  told  us  the 
Cayuses  were  camped  at  the  mouth  of  Tucanon.  Our  interpreter,  Mungo,  said 
he  could  pilot  us  there.     We  concluded  to  hunt  them  up. 

So  at  dark  we  started  going  down  Copeii,  then  across  the  country  to  Tucanon 
to  where  Starbuck  now  is.  There  we  crossed  and  followed  down  the  creek, 
reaching  the  encampment  just  at  break  of  day.  Just  as  we  crossed  Tucanon 
we  ran  onto  an  Indian  guard,  but  he  got  away  and  ran  to  camp — so  when  we 
got  near  camp  two  Indians  came  out  with  a  white  flag.  I  will  state  here  that  run- 
ners had  been  sent  with  word  that  if  friendly  Indians  would  raise  a  flag  of  truce 
they  would  not  be  molested,  as  we  were  only  seeking  to  punish  the  Cayuses.  So 
when  they  sent  out  the  flag  and  asked  for  a  talk.  Col.  Gilliam  went  forward. 
They  claimed  to  be  Palouses  and  friendly  to  the  Whites.  Said  the  Cayuses  had 
gone  across  Snake  River,  but  had  left  lots  of  stock  behind  which  they  would  turn 
over  to  the  volunteers,  and  that  they  would  go  out  and  gather  them  in  for  us. 


434  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

So  they  began  running  in  horses  and  cattle,  we  helping — and  all  went  merrily 
along.  However,  we  soon  noticed  the  lodges  going  down  as  by  magic  and  the  boys 
on  the  hill  saw  them  busily  ferrying  their  families  over  the  river,  and  asked  why 
they  were  moving.  They  said  their  women  were  afraid  of  the  Whites  and  wished 
to  go.  So  by  their  cunning  mancEUvres  they  had  detained  us  half  a  day,  and 
we,  without  any  food  since  the  early  morning  before,  were  beginning  to  feel 
pretty  hungry. 

When  they  had  delivered  up  all  the  stock.  Col.  Gilliam  said  we  would  drive 
out  to  grass  and  camp  and  eat.  So  we  started  out,  but  soon  discovered  we  had 
been  duped  the  worst  way.  They  were  the  Cayuses — even  the  real  murderers 
were  there,  and  they  were  after  us.  Now  there  was  no  thought  of  eating.  Indians 
on  every  side,  yelling  like  demons,  calling  us  women — afraid  to  fight.  It  was  a 
running  fight  all  day  long  and  we  were  still  holding  the  stock  at  night — in  McKay 
Hollow,  where  we  strung  along  the  little  hollow  seeking  shelter  from  the  Indians 
by  hiding  behind  the  banks.  We  did  not  dare  kindle  a  fire.  On  examination  it 
was  found  thirty  volunteers  were  wounded,  but  not  dangerously.  Our  ammuni- 
tion was  about  exhausted  and  we  were  half  famished. 

The  older  men  and  officers  evidently  realized  we  were  in  a  pretty  serious 
predicament,  but  we  young  boys  had  no  idea  of  the  danger  we  were  in,  not  as  I 
see  it  now.  During  the  night  Gilliam  ordered  the  stock  turned  loose — as  we 
were  now  about  out  of  ammunition  he  hoped  by  turning  the  stock  loose  to  get  rid 
of  the  Indians.  The  boys  objected  to  that  move,  but  instead  of  the  Indians  leaving 
us  that  only  renewed  their  courage.  They  thought  we  were  giving  up,  and 
attacked  us  more  savagely  than  ever.  We  were  pretty  well  hidden  and  in  no  im- 
mediate danger,  so  we  saved  our  ammunition  and  only  fired  when  sure  of  an 
Indian — they  frequently  came  in  range  when  circling  around  us.  In  the  morning 
they  still  hung  on  our  heels.  As  we  started  out  they  followed  us  on — calling  to 
Mungo  repeatedly,  asking  why  we  did  not  stop  to  fight,  while  he  abused  them 
in  return. 

The  Indians  would  drop  behind  until  a  bunch  of  us  were  a  distance  from  the 
command,  then  make  a  dash,  trying  to  cut  us  off,  and  we  surely  were  not  cautious. 
Tom  Cornelius,  Pete  Engart  and  myself  were  a  little  behind  when  an 
Indian  shot  Engart  in  the  calf  of  the  leg.  He  fell  from  his  horse,  saying  he  was 
killed.  Tom  and  I  jumped  from  our  horses  and  shook  him  up  and  told  him' he 
was  not  hurt — he  gave  up.  We  finally  threw  him  up  astride  his  horse — we  cursed 
him  and  told  him  to  ride — a)id  he  rode.  By  this  time  the  Indians  were  on  us  and 
the  boys  ahead  had  not  missed  us.  I  tell  you  we  made  a  race  for  it,  one  of  us  on 
each  side  of  the  wounded  man,  but  we  made  it. 

Another  time  that  day  Mungo's  horse  was  shot  from  under  him.  Tom 
Cornelius  and  I  saw  him  fall  and  ran  back  to  him.  He  had  stopped  to  take  his 
saddle — we  were  just  in  time,  as  the  Indians  were  coming  pell-mell,  shouting, 
"We've  got  Mungo."  I  took  Mungo  behind  me  and  Tom  took  his  saddle  and 
away  we  went.  This  was  the  way  we  were  at  it  all  the  way,  some  one  in  close 
quarters  all  the  time. 

Mungo  told  the  Cayuses  we  would  fight  when  we  reached  the  Touchet  and 
got  water.  Then  began  the  race  for  the  first  stand  at  the  Touchet.  The  Indians 
beat  us  on  the  lower  side,  but  we  headed  them  off  above  the  ford.  Some  Indians 
hid  in  the  brush  and  shot  at  our  men  as  they  passed  on  the  trail.     We  were 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  435 

trying  to  get  our  wounded  men  across,  but  the  Indians  were  killing  horses  and 
men.  I  was  in  the  company  up  the  creek.  When  we  came  down,  Col.  Gilliam 
told  Lieut.  Engart  to  rout  those  ambushed  Indians.  Engart  called  for  volunteers 
to  go  in  after  them.  I  was  one  with  twenty  others.  We  started  for  the  hiding 
place,  skirting  along  the  brush,  expecting  any  minute  to  run  on  them.  When 
we  did  find  them,  not  more  than  five  or  six  of  us  were  together  in  the  lead,  and 
the  Indians  were  firing  at  another  squad  of  men  some  distance  away — we  were 
within  thirty  feet  of  them.  I  fired  and  hit  my  Indian  just  as  he  turned  to  run. 
striking  him  in  the  back  of  the  head.  He  fell  and  I  stepped  back  behind  a  bush  to 
reload,  when  another  man  ran  in  and  stood  in  my  place ;  as  he  did  so  the  Indian 
rolled  over  and  fired  at  him,  killing  him.  Just  then  Nate  Olney,  an  old  Indian 
fighter,  ran  in  with  a  tomahawk  and  made  a  good  Indian  of  him.  He  scalped  him 
and  I  carried  the  grewsome  trophy  at  my  saddle  horn  when  I  returned  home.  We 
killed  about  sixty  Indians  there.  It  was  hard  to  make  an  estimate  of  how  many, 
as  they  carried  their  dead  away  unless  too  hard  pressed. 

All  during  this  battle  the  chief  sat  on  his  horse  on  the  rocky  point  just  above 
Bolles  Junction  [the  present  junction]  and  gave  command  and  encouragement  in 
a  loud  and  stentorian  voice.  He  could  be  heard  for  miles.  Finally  a  bullet  sped 
his  way  and  he  was  killed — and  he  being  the  medicine  man,  the  battle  ceased  and 
a  council  was  called.  We  were  now  across  the  Touchet.  We  were  carrying  our 
wounded  men  on  litters  made  by  stretching  blankets  on  willow  poles — taking  turns 
carrying — that  was  a  hard  job.  As  we  began  to  climb  the  hill  beyond  the 
Touchet  we  heard  the  Indians  let  up  their  death-wail — they  were  gathered  to- 
gether on  those  low  hills  just  north  the  Bolles  Junction  depot. 

We  traveled  on  to  Dry  Creek  that  day ;  there  we  went  into  camp  and  spying 
some  Indian  horses  on  the  prairie,  myself  with  some  others  ran  in  a  bunch,  near 
some  brush  where  some  of  our  men  were  hidden,  and  as  they  passed,  shot  two. 
That  was  the  first  horse  meat  I  had  tried  to  eat,  but  it  made  me  sick — though 
they  were  young  unbroken  horses.  I  was  sure  they  tasted  of  the  saddle  blanket — 
suggestion,  I  suppose.  When  we  awoke  next  morning  there  was  four  or  five 
inches  of  snow  on  our  blankets — we  had  no  tents. 

A  runner  had  been  sent  on  to  the  Mission  and  a  wagon  sent  out  for  our 
wounded  men.  My  bunkie  and  I  got  up  early,  mounted  our  horses  and  rode  on  to 
the  Mission  that  morning.  The  boys  soon  were  preparing  provisions  for  the 
famishing  troops,  but  after  starving  so  long  the  smell  of  food  cooking  made  me 
sick  and  I  could  not  eat  until  the  next  morning.  Some  of  the  boys  were  so 
ravenous  they  had  to  be  restrained  or  they  would  have  killed  themselves  eating. 

Now  we  laid  around  camp,  getting  into  mischief,  and  I  learned  to  smoke. 
The  only  regular  rations  issued  us  was  tobacco — and  the  smokers  seemed  to  take 
such  comfort  in  the  pipe,  I  too  indulged. 

When  we  came  into  the  Indian  country  Gilliam  told  us  we  could  have  any 
Indian  horses  we  captured.  I  was  pretty  handy  with  a  rope  and  got  away  with 
three  head  from  the  battle  at  the  Touchet.  One,  a  fine  horse  rode  by  a  chief,  I 
was  particularly  proud  of.  A  big  burly  Dutchman  in  another  company  also 
coveted  that  horse,  so  one  morning  he  put  his  rope  on  him  and  led  him  into  camp. 
I  at  once  claimed  the  horse  and  proceeded  to  make  good  my  claim.  He  resisted 
and  we  got  into  a  "scrap" ;  he  had  friends,  so  had  I.  All  took  sides-^it  was 
decided  we  fight  for  possession ;  the  winner  to  get  him.    That  suited  me  all  right — 


436  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

so  at  it  we  went.  Men  say  it  was  a  hard  fight,  but  I  won  and  took  the  horse  to 
lead  him  off,  when  an  under  officer,  a  friend  of  the  Dutchman,  stepped  up  and 
took  hold  of  the  rope,  saying,  "I'll  take  this  horse."  I  was  only  a  boy  of  nineteen 
years,  but  I  did  not  intend  to  give  up  the  horse  without  a  struggle,  and  was  con- 
sidering the  consequences  of  hitting  an  officer  when  Colonel  Gilliam  walked  unob- 
ser\ed  into  the  ring,  cut  the  rope  behind  the  officer's  hand,  handed  the  rope  to 
me  and  walked  away  without  a  word.  I  tell  you  I  was  the  proudest  boy  in  that 
camjj — and  after  the  colonel  was  gone  I  could  not  resist  crowing  at  the  Dutchman 
in  true  boy  fashion.  This  is  just  an  example  of  how  justice  was  meted  out  in 
the  army  of  volunteers. 

Tn  the  spring  about  two  hundred  recruits  came.  We  now  numbered  about 
five  hundred  men.  Then  a  party  set  out  for  north  of  Snake  River  to  hunt 
Indians.  I  was  with  the  company.  We  crossed  the  Snake  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Palouse — we  made  a  camp  at  Little  Falls — were  at  Big  Lake  on  Cow  Creek  and 
all  over  the  upper  country,  but  failed  to  find  any  number  of  Indians.  We  fired  a 
few  shots  at  stragglers  now  and  then,  but  had  no  regular  engagement.  The 
Cayuse  warriors  had  scattered  about  among  oth^  tribes,  many  going  over  the 
mountains  to  wait  until  the  soldiers  left  the  country. 

A  detachment  of  men  was  sent  to  Walker's  Mission,  called  Tsbimakain.  where 
Walker  and  Eells  and  their  families  were  located  as  missionaries  among  the 
Spokanes.  We  got  the  families  and  brought  them  back  with  us.  We  came  back 
across  country,  crossing  Snake  River  at  the  mouth  of  Alpowa  Creek  to  an  Indian 
encampment  known  as  Red  Wolf's  Land — then  we  returned  to  Waiilatpu.  This 
expedition  went  out  the  first  of  May.  Sometime  in  June  we  began  our  return 
trip  to  Oregon,  having  been  out  about  six  months. 

I  remember  while  camped  in  the  Umatilla  country  I  was  breaking  an  Indian 
horse  to  ride — and  he  would  throw  himself  whenever  I  mounted.  I  had  become 
pretty  mad  at  his  persistence  in  lying  down,  so  concluded  to  tie  him  down  until 
he  would  be  willing  to  stand  up.  I  did  so  and  left  him  close  to  camp — but  in  the 
morning  I  was  minus  a  horse — the  wolves  had  eaten  him  up.  We  had  much  to 
learn  in  those  days. 

On  this  trip  Colonel  Gilliam  was  killed  accidentally.  In  pulling  a  gun  from 
a  wagon  it  caught  in. a  rope  and  was  discharged,  killing  him.  He  was  a  good 
man  and  a  good  officer,  well  liked  by  all  his  men,  as  he  was  a  friend  to  all. 

We  arrived  at  Oregon  City  a  few  days  before  the  Fourth  of  July.  The 
Governor  rode  out  and  reviewed  the  troops,  as  we  were  on  parade.  Every  man 
had  his  horse  decked  out  in  Indian  trappings  and  we  were  as  wild  as  a  band  of 
Indians.  Crowds  of  people  had  gathered  to  welcome  us  home.  The  Governor 
made  us  a  short  talk  and  dismissed  us.  Thus  ended  the  organization  of  Oregon's 
First  Mounted  Volunteers — we  all  scattered  out  to  our  homes. — Thus  ends  Mr. 
Walter's  article. 

Another  of  the  pioneers  of  '59  was  W.  S.  Gilliam,  son  of  the  Colonel  Gilliam 
referred  to  in  Mr.  Walter's  article.  Mr.  Gilliam  was  one  of  the  most  honored 
and  useful  of  Walla  Walla's  pioneers.  A  number  of  years  ago  he  prepared  a 
contribution  for  the  Pioneer  Association  which  we  are  presenting  here.  We  are 
making  selections  on  account  of  the  length  of  the  article.     The  first  pertains  to 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  437 

the  journey  across  the  plains  in  1844,  ^"d  gives  a  view  of  some  of  the  interesting 
events  there: 

"The  next  morning  a  sight  opened  up  to  us  that  can  never  be  seen  again  by 
mortal  man.  As  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  up  the  valley  of  the  South  Platte  and 
as  far  on  the  bluffs  as  we  could  see  was  black  with  buffaloes.  The  quantity  of 
the  buffaloes  was  one  thing  that  the  early  travelers  could  not  exaggerate. 

"Under  the  guidance  of  Mr.  Sublette  we  struck  across  the  country  from  the 
last  mentioned  camp  to  the  North  Platte.  In  the  course  of  the  day  we  descried 
a  large  band  of  buffaloes  under  full  headway,  making  directly  for  the  train.  We 
hastily  gathered  our  guns  and  put  ourselves  in  position,  and  as  soon  as  the  head 
of  the  herd  came  in  shooting  distance  we  commenced  firing  on  them  and  succeeded 
as  we  thought,  luckily,  in  turning  them  around  the  rear  of  the  train.  I  think  I 
may  safely  say  that  while  we  were  in  the  buffalo  country  we  were  hardly  ever  out 
of  sight  of  the  animals. 

"We  struck  the  North  Platte  the  next  day  and  traveled  up  the  stream  most 
of  the  way  to  Fort  Laramie,  where  we  laid  by  a  day.  We  met  Mr.  Joseph  Walker 
here,  who  was  a  noted  mountaineer  and  also  an  old  friend  of  my  father's.  He 
happened  to  be  going  our  way  as  far  as  Fort  Bridger  and  made  a  very  acceptable 
guide  for  us. 

"The  day  we  laid  by  I  was  taken  with  a  very  violent  fever  and  remember 
but  little  that  happened  till  we  got  to  Sweet  Water,  where  I  became  con- 
valescent. I  remember  seeing  Independence  Rock,  covered  with  names  innumera- 
ble, and  the  Devil's  Gate,  where  the  river  had  cut  its  way  through  a  hill,  leaving 
perpendicular  banks  perhaps  a  hundred  feet  high  and  a  gorge  not  any  wider 
than  the  stream. 

"We  followed  up  Sweet  Water  several  days  to  a  point  where  we  left  it  to  our 
right  and  took  into  the  South  Pass  across  the  Rocky  Mountains.  After  a  mod- 
erate day's  travel  we  camped  at  the  Pacific  Springs,  the  first  water  that  we  had 
encountered  that  flowed  westward.  I  remember  that  we  felt  quite  jubilant  over 
the  affair  and  thought  that  this  was  quite  a  circumstance  in  our  journey.  In  passing 
over  the  country  from  here  to  Fort  Bridger  we  crossed  the  two  Sandies,  Green 
River,  and  Ham's  Fork.  We  stopped  a  day  at  the  fort  and  next  day,  it  being 
the  first  day  of  September,  we  started  a  northerly  course  across  the  country  to 
Bear  River.  We  followed  down  this  stream  to  the  Soda  Springs,  which  was  a 
great  wonder  to  us.  On  an  area  of  perhaps  one  hundred  acres  hundreds  of 
springs  boiled  up,  many  in  the  bed  of  the  river." 

Following  this  is  an  estimate  of  Captain  Grant,  the  Hudson's  Bay  commandant 
at  Fort  Hall.  As  the  character  of  Captain  Grant  has  been  the  subject  of  contro- 
versy, the  views  of  Mr.  Gilliam  have  much  interest : 

"We  camped  here  .and  next  morning  when  we  started  we  left  the  river,  and 
after  traveling  some  sixty  or  seventy  miles  we  reached  Fort  Hall,  then  a  Hudson's 
Bay  Company  trading  post,  where  Mr.  Grant  was  chief  factor.  Here  a  circum- 
stance occurred  that  has  caused  me  through  life  to  regard  Grant  as  a  bad  hearted 
man.  Peter  H.  Burnett,  a  noted  man  of  the  previous  emigration,  had  written  a 
letter  of  instruction  and  encouragement  and  sent  it  to  Grant  with  instmctions 
that  he  should  read  it  to  the  emigrants  when  they  reached  Fort  Hall.  ^Vhen 
we  arrived  there  the  letter  was  called  for  and  Grant  read  it  to  us.  It  was  a  ver\ 
welcome  note,  giving  us  useful  instructions  about  the  route  and  strong  encour- 


'138  OLD  WALLA   WALLA  COUNTY 

agement  about  the  country  \vc  were  going  to.  But  you  can  hardly  conceive  of 
ihe  Ijarrels  of  cold  water  he  poured  onto  Mr.  Burnett's  words  ot  encouragement. 
The  circumstances  were  such  that  such  a  proceeding  was  of  no  profit  or  benefit 
to  him  or  the  company  he  was  serving,  for  it  was  next  to  impossible  for  us  to 
turn  back.  W'e  were  from  the  very  nature  of  our  situation  comjjelled  to  go  aliead, 
and  he  well  knew  that  his  discouragement  could  avail  nothing  towards  stopping 
us.     I  have  never  been  able  to  regard  him  as  a  good  man." 

A  retrospect  by  Mr.  Gilliam,  and  an  account  of  settlement  in  the  Willamette 
Valley  contains  matter  of  interest: 

"It  may  be  well  enough  to  take  a  retrospect  of  things  as  they  were  then  and 
compare  them  with  things  as  they  are  now.  We  traveled  through  the  territory 
that  now  constitutes  the  states  of  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Wyoming,  Utah,  Idaho  and 
well  through  Oregon,  and  in  all  this  vast  region  we  did  not  find  one  single  home, 
unless  3'ou,  by  a  strained  construction,  call  a  mission  or  trading  post  a  home. 
There  were  a  thousand  miles  of  this  journey,  which  required  six  months  to  per- 
form it.  We  stood  guard  to  protect  our  lives  and  property  from  hostile  Indians. 
This  being  the  year  that  Polk  was  elected  president,  the  earliest  news  that  we 
got  of  it  was  in  July  following,  and  we  considered  ourselves  rather  fortunate 
in  getting  it  thus  early ;  it  having  come  by  ship,  when  in  fact  we  did  not  expect  to 
get  it  until  the  arrival  of  the  emigrants  in  the  fall.  When  a  presidential  election 
occurs  now  if  we  do  not  get  the  news  the  next  day  we  feel  that  we  are  unfortunate 
in  being  deprived  of  the  news  so  long. 

"I  took  my  first  trip  back  three  years  ago.  I  was  three  days  in  making  it, 
and  on  the  route  found  two  large  cities.  Salt  Lake  and  Denver,  and  seemingly 
happy  homes  everywhere,  and  made  the  trip  in  a  comfortable  manner  that  was 
undreamed  of  in  those  early  days. 

"Well,  to  return.  We  wintered  wdiere  the  town  of  Cornelius  now  stands, 
about  eighty  rods  south  of  the  depot,  with  Messrs.  Waters  and  Emerick,  who  were 
keeping  batch  at  that  time.  The  winter  was  very  mild,  which  impressed  us  very 
favorably  with  the  climate. 

"In  February  father  went  up  the  country  to  select  a  land  claim.  I  think  his 
v\as  the  first  claim  taken  south  of  the  Rickreall.  The  town  of  Dallas  stands  on 
part  of  it.  He  came  back  with  a  glowing  account  of  the  country  he  had  seen  and 
particularly  of  the  place  that  he  had  selected  for  a  home.  So  we  got  ready  and 
as  early  in  March  as  traveling  was  good  we  started  for  our  new  home.  We 
arrived  there  the  i6th  of  March,  it  being  Sunday.  The  whole  country  was  a 
natural  park,  and,  combined  with  the  ideal  spring  day  that  we  reached  there, 
made  it  seem  to  me  like  dreamland. 

"We  went  to  work  in  good  earnest  building  a  log  cabin,  but  liefore  we  could 
complete  it  we  were  overtaken  by  the  equinoctial  storm,  which  gave  us  some  very 
serious  discomfort.  The  next  thing  to  do  was  to  put  in  some  garden  and  sow 
some  wheat.     Will  say  that  nature  gave  us  a  bountiful  yield  in  both  field  and 

garden. 

"During  this  season  we  sufTered  some  privations  in  food.  For  instance,  at 
times  we  had  to  substitute  boiled  wheat  for  bread.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say 
that  we  did  not  do  this  from  choice,  but  having  plenty  of  wild  meat,  milk  and 
butter,  we  could  have  a  meal  that  would  hardly  pass  muster  now,  but  I  can 
assure  you  that  a  person  would  be  a  long  time  starving  to  death  on  it.    We  never 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  439 

had  any  shortage  of  breadstuffs  after  the  first  season,  for  there  was  a  grist-mill 
built  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  the  next  year,  where  we  could  get  flour  any 
time." 

Mr.  Gilliam's  brief  reference  to  Dr.  Whitman  is  of  special  value : 

"A  large  share  of  the  immigrants  who  wintered  at  Dr.  Whitman's  during  the 
season  settled  in  our  immediate  neighborhood  and  I  learned  a  great  deal  about 
the  Doctor's  character  from  them.  It  seemed  as  if  he  had  made  a  deep  impression 
on  them,  for  they  talked  a  great  deal  about  him,  and  from  their  talk  I  came  to 
have  a  high  regard  for  him.  They  told  me  that  he  would  come  home  from 
Wallula,  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles,  before  breakfast,  or  if  necessary  go 
up  to  where  they  were  building  the  sawmill,  a  distance  of  eighteen  miles,  before 
breakfast.  In  fact,  his  energy  seemed  to  have  no  bounds  and  no  obstacle  with 
him  seemed  insurmountable.  It  was  this  summer  of  1845  that  he  visited  Willamet 
Y'alley  and  while  there  he  called  on  my  father,  and  as  it  happened  I  was  away 
from  home  and  therefore  failed  to  see  him,  a  circumstance  that  I  have  always 
regretted,  more  especially  since  he  has  become  such  an  important  figure  in 
history." 

The  portraiture  of  early  conditions  in  the  Wilamette,  reference  to  his  father's 
death,  gold  discovery,  and  then  settlement  in  the  Walla  Walla  country  follow : 

''The  immigration  of  1847  brought  from  Washington  City  father's  appoint- 
ment as  postal  agent  with  instructions  from  the  Post  Office  Department  concerning 
the  same.  On  a  recent  visit  with  my  sister  at  Dallas,  Ore.,  who  has  all  the  papers, 
I  had  the  pleasure  of  inspecting  them  anew.  I  found  them  queer  reading  from 
our  standpoint. 

"In  the  fall  of  1847  father  disposed  of  the  place  we  settled  on  and  moved 
up  the  country  about  twelve  miles  and  bought  a  place  on  Pedee.  This  fall  one  of 
my  sisters  married.  In  the  meantime  some  Indians  had  become  acquainted  with 
us  and  were  living  in  the  immediate  neighborhood.  They  took  some  interest  in 
the  wedding  and  were  very  curious  to  know  what  her  husband  gave  for  her,  it 
being  their  custom  to  sell  their  daughters  into  marriage.  They  were  surprised 
beyond  measure  when  told  that  she  was  given  to  him. 

"It  was  November  of  this  year  that  the  Whitman  massacre  occurred.  Father 
was  at  once  notified  that  he  was  requested  to  take  command  of  the  volunteers 
that  were  to  be  raised  to  march  against  the  hostile  Indians.  He  left  home  abruptly 
early  in  December,  never  to  return.  His  death  was  the  heaviest  blow  that  has  ever 
befallen  me. 

"The  next  year  was  one  long  to  be  remembered  in  Oregon.  It  was  the  year 
of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California.  It  was  late  in  August  that  reports  of  the 
discovery  began  to  reach  Oregon.  They  reported  the  mines  to  be  so  rich  that  at 
first  they  were  discredited;  but  they  were  soon  confirmed  in  such  a  way  as  to 
relieve  all  doubts.  It  would  be  hard  to  exaggerate  the  excitement  that  was  raised 
upon  the  confirmation  of  the  news.  In  fact,  it  would  be  hard  to  excite  a  com- 
munity in  any  other  way. to  the  pitch  ours  was  on  this  occasion,  more  especially 
when  we  consider  how^  small  it  was.  Everybody  that  could  get  away  dropped  their 
business  and  left.  My  brother-in-law  and  I  rigged  ourselves  out  with  a  saddle  horse 
and  pack-horse  apiece  and  started.  We  had  to  travel  through  the  Rogue  River 
and  Klamath  countries  in  considerable  bands  to  protect  ourselves  against  the  hos- 
tile Indians,  but  by  the  time  we  got  to  where  it  was  dangerous  we  had  fallen  in 


440  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

with  plenty  of  company,  so  we  had  no  irouhle  on  that  score.  We  passed  through 
tlie  hostile  country  without  being  attacked  or  having  any  horses  stolen.  In  fact, 
to  me  it  was  a  trip  that  afforded  me  some  of  the  keenest  kind  of  pleasure,  new 
scener)'  every  day  and  some  of  it,  Alt.  .Shasta,  for  instance,  was  of  the  grandest 
kind.     It  was  the  first  time  I  had  left  the  parental  roof. 

"When  we  got  well  into  the  Sacramento  Valley,  just  after  we  had  struck 
camp,  an  acquaintance  rode  into  camp  with  his  pack-horse  and  proceeded  to  camp 
with  us.  He  had  a  thrilling  story  to  tell  of  his  previous  night's  experience.  It 
seemed  that  the  company  he  traveled  with  through  the  hostile  country  were 
highly  disagreeable  to  him,  so  when  they  reached  the  Sacramento  Valley,  where 
the  Indians  were  friendly,  he  tore  himself  away  from  it  and  was  traveling  alone. 
During  the  first  day  of  his  lone  travel  he  bought  a  salmon  of  the  Indians.  When 
he  camped  that  night  he  cooked  part  of  the  salmon  for  supper  and  laid  the 
balance  within  a  few  feet  of  where  he  made  his  bed.  After  retiring,  while  looking 
out  into  the  increasing  gloom,  he  saw  an  approaching  form  that  looked  as  large 
as  a  covered  wagon.  His  bearship,  for  such  it  was,  very  coolly  and  unconcernedly 
appropriated  the  remainder  of  the  salmon  and  sat  down  within  a  few  feet  of  him 
and  quietly  ate  it.  After  eating  he  still  sat  there,  seeming  to  ponder  on  what 
to  do  next.  In  the  meantime  the  campfire  got  into  the  drj^  grass  and  burnt  towards 
where  Mr.  Bear  was  sitting.  When  it  got  unpleasantly  near  him  he  slowly  moved 
away  and  disappeared.  Some  Indians  were  at  the  camp  in  the  morning  and  were 
shown  the  track.  They  assured  him  the  best  they  could  that  he  was  very  fortu- 
nate in  not  being  served  up  for  a  supper  for  Mr.  Bear.  When  he  reached  our 
camp  and  narrated  the  circumstance  he  remarked  that  he  had  concluded  that  he 
would  not  camp  alone  any  more. 

"I  went  into  the  mines  and  worked  with  only  fair  success  until  late  next 
spring,  when  I  became  homesick,  and  not  appreciating  the  opportunities  as  I 
would  have  in  later  life,  I  returned  home,  where  I  arrived  the  i6th  of  Tune,  1840. 

"After  resting  a  few  days  I  visited  a  camp  meeting  that  was  in  progress  near 
Salem.  I  had  visited  the  meeting  at  the  same  grounds  the  year  before.  I  was 
very  forcibly  impressed  with  the  difference  in  the  dress  of  the  people  in  the  two 
years.  The  first  year,  before  California  had  poured  her  wealth  of  gold  into  the 
country,  the  people  were  dressed  in  very  plain  pioneer  style,  the  men  in  buckskin 
])ants  with  the  balance  of  the  suit  corresponding,  the  women  in  calicoes  and  muslin. 
But  this  year  it  was  very  evident  that  they  had  freely  availed  themselves  of  the 
privilege  that  the  great  quantity  of  gold  that  had  found  its  way  to  Oregon  gave 
them  to  improve  their  attire,  for  in  the  case  of  the  men  broadcloth  had  taken  the 
place  of  buckskin,  and  in  the  women  silks  and  satins  had  replaced  calico  and 
gingham. 

"In  1 85 1  there  was  a  vacancy  in  the  sheriff''s  office  and  I  was  appointed  by  the 
county  commissioners  to  fill  the  vacancy.  During  my  incumbency,  in  the  discharge 
of  my  duty  as  sherifif,  it  fell  to  my  lot  to  execute  a  death  warrant  by  hanging 
a  man  by  the  name  of  Everman,  who  had  committed  a  very  foul  murder.  It  was 
not  a  very  pleasant  duty  to  perform  and  most  certainly  one  that  I  never  wanted 
to  be  called  on  to  repeat.  This  was  the  first  execution  for  murder  in  Polk 
County,  and  I  think  the  second  in  the  territory,  excepting  the  Indians  that  were 
hung  at  Oregon  City  for  the  murder  of  Doctor  W'hitman  and  others. 

"There   was   another  circumstance  that   grew   out   of  the   murder  case   that 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  441 

gave  me  the  unenviable  distinction  of  being  the  only  man  that  ever  put  up  a 
white  man  at  auction  and  sold  him  to  the  highest  bidder.  The  man  in  question  was 
a  brother  of  the  above  murderer.  He  was  fotmd  gvtilty  of  being  accessory  to  the 
murder  after  the  fact,  which  would  entitle  him  to  a  term  in  the  penitentiary. 
There  was  no  penitentiary  in  the  territory  at  that  time,  and  the  judge  in  sen- 
tencing him  to  a  term  made  the  provision  in  the  order  that  in  default  of  there 
being  a  penitentiary  he  be  sold  to  the  highest  bidder  for  the  same  term  that 
he  was  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary.  Some  of  my  lawyer  friends  tell  me  that 
the  judge  assumed  a  very  dottbtful  right  in  so  sentencing  the  culprit ;  but  no  legal 
move  was  made  to  invalidate  the  judge's  order,  so  the  matter  rested. 

"The  above  execution  occurred  on  the  nth  of  May,  1852.  That  year  my 
future  wife  crossed  the  plains  and  settled  in  the  neighborhood  where  I  lived. 
After  a  year's  acquaintance  we  were  married  and  moved  onto  a  donation  claim 
that  I  had  three  miles  northwest  of  Dallas.  At  this  time  I  was  engaged  in  cattle 
raising. 

"We  lived  here  until  1859,  when  I  became  disgusted  with  the  long,  wet.  dreary 
winters.  That,  coupled  with  the  growing  shortage  of  public  pasturage,  caused 
us  to  sell  and  seek  a  country  with  less  winter  rains  and  more  public  range.  From 
what  we  could  hear  of  the  W^alla  Walla  country  we  concluded  that  the  winter 
weather  and  range  were  about  what  we  wanted,  so  we  at  once  decided  to  emigrate 
thither.  In  July  I  .gathered  up  the  cattle  and  started.  The  journey  was  somewhat 
tedious,  a  part  of  it  being  over  dusty  roads  and  the  weather  at  times  hot.  I 
reached  Dry  Creek  at  Mr.  Aldrich's  place,  early  in  August.  I  bought  a  man's 
claim  just  above  the  Aldrich  place.  I  stayed  some  two  weeks  getting  the  cattle 
settled  on  the  range.  I  started  back  for  the  family  the  first  day  of  September, 
traveling  with  saddle-  and  pack-horse. 

"On  my  way  back  I  had  the  good  fortime  to  fall  in  with  an  immigrant  who 
had  been  in  Oregon  and  knew  the  locality  where  my  land  was,  to  sell  him  my 
farm,  and  was  thus  relieved  from  being  detained  on  that  account. 

"I  reached  home  in  twelve  days  after  leaving  Dry  Creek  and  found  the  folks 
all  well.  We  hurriedly  made  arrangements  for  our  departure  to  the  place  that 
I  had  selected  for  our  new  home.  We  bundled  our  household  goods  into  a 
wagon,  bade  good-bye  to  our  friends  and  started.  We  drove  over  the  country  to 
Portland,  where  we  put  the  wagon  and  team  on  the  boat  and  got  on  ourselves, 
and  finally  landed  at  The  Dalles.  From  there  we  took  the  wagon  to  Walla  Walla. 
arriving  at  our  new  home  the  23rd  of  October. 

"There  was  nothing  there  in  the  shape  of  a  house  but  a  miserable  hut  that 
would  neither  protect  us  from  the  rain  or  cold.  Therefore  it  was  very  important 
to  build  a  house  at  the  earliest  possible  time.  I  took  a  man  with  me  into  the 
mountains  to  assist  me  in  getting  out  the  timbers,  and  put  another  one  to  hauling 
them  as  fast  as  we  got  them  cut ;  so  it  was  but  a  few  days  till  we  had  the  materia! 
on  the  ground  with  which  to  build  a  cabin.  We  at  once  put  it  up  and  finished 
it  so  as  to  make  it  endurable  for  the  winter. 

"This  was  a  tolerably  severe  winter,  a  great  deal  of  snow  and  cold  weather ; 
but  the  stock  got  through  in  good  shape  for  the  reason  that  the  grass  was  fine 
in  the  late  fall,  which  put  them  in  good  shape  to  withstand  bad  weather;  and  the 
country  was  all  open  so  that  they  could  range  on  to  the  creeks  and  browse  when 
the  grass  was  covered  with  snow.     As  to  ourselves,  we  got  along  fairly  well  in 


442  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

the  line  of  provisions,  but  1  can  assure  you  we  did  not  enjoy  any  delicacies.  We 
had  plenty  of  bread,  meat  and  potatoes,  but  as  to  the  bread  I  remember  that  at 
times  1  had  to  work  for  it.  When  the  Hour  was  low  I  had  to  take  corn  to  a 
neighbor's  who  had  a  steel  hand  mill,  and  grind  it  into  meal.  1  think  any  person 
who  has  ever  had  the  experience  of  grinding  on  a  hand  mill,  in  the  matter  of 
recollection  will  be  like  myself,  that  is,  he  will  remember  it. 

"When  spring  came,  the  first  I  did  was  to  gather  up  the  cattle  that  had  got 
considerably  scattered.  When  that  was  attended  to  we  went  to  seedmg  and 
planting  garden.  The  season  being  very  favorable  everything  planted  grew 
luxuriantly.  I  have  never  since  seen  such  a  crop  of  potatoes  as  we  raised  that 
year.  We  estimated  the  crop  at  6oo  bushels  per  acre,  and  I  am  inclined  to  be- 
lieve that  it  was  over  rather  than  under  the  estimate.  I  often  hear  people  remark 
that  it  rains  more  now  than  when  the  country  was  first  settled.  I  can  confidently 
say  that  there  has  never  been  a  season  in  which  more  rain  fell  in  summer  season, 
with  possibly  the  exception  of  1862,  than  fell  this  season  of  i860.  I  heard  re- 
marked that  had  it  not  been  for  the  peculiar  nature  of  our  soil  that  readily 
absorbed  it  the  crops  would  have  been  generally  drowned  out.  I  look  back  upon 
this  season  as  being  one  of  the  most  enjoyable  of  my  life.  The  summer  was  all 
that  we  could  want  it  to  be.  I  heartily  enjoyed  looking  over  the  beautiful  coun- 
try, fresh  from  the  hands  of  nature  and  unmarred  by  the  hands  of  man;  every- 
tliing  seemed  to  smile.  The  country  became  endeared  to  me  and  I  have  never 
seriously  thought  of  making  any  other  place  my  home. 

"To  give  an  idea  of  how  little  people  then  in  the  country  knew  of  its  value, 
when  it  was  being  surveyed  it  was  talked  among  the  people  that  it  was  a  waste 
of  Government  money  to  survey  it,  for  the  reason  that  there  was  so  little  of  it 
fit  for  settlement ;  and  today  you  could  not  get  an  acre  of  that  land  for  less  than 
forty  dollars.  [At  present  date  about  a  hundred  and  forty.]  It  was  universally 
believed  that  all  the  country  was  worth  anything  for  was  its  grazing  qualities, 
excepting  the  low  bottoms,  which  were  known  to  be  very  productive.  Every- 
body who  came  to  the  country  then  came  with  the  intention  of  raising  stock  on 
the  fine  pasturage  that  the  country  afforded.  Nobody  came  with  the  intention 
of  farming,  for  the  reason  that  it  was  thought  that  a  very  small  part  of  the 
country  would  produce  grain. 

"In  1861  I  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Territorial  Legislature,  which  I  have 
always  thought  was  unfortunate  for  me,  for  the  reason  that  the  following  winter 
was  the  hard  winter  and  my  presence  at  home  would  have  been  very  desirable 
and  beneficial  to  my  interests.  As  soon  as  the  legislature  adjourned,  although 
the  severe  weather  was  still  in  evidence,  I  started  at  once  for  home.  We  traveled 
in  public  conveyance  as  far  as  Monticello.  We  found  the  Columbia  thoroughly 
frozen  up  and  waited  a  few  days,  hoping  that  there  might  be  a  breakup,  but  as 
the  bad  weather  continued  and  showed  no  signs  of  a  change,  Mr.  Moore,  a 
member  of  the  Legislature,  and  I  concluded  to  start  on  foot  for  The  Dalles.  It 
was  one  of  the  hardest  trips  I  ever  had.  We  traveled  mostly  on  the  ice,  but  at 
times  would  take  to  the  land,  where  trails  were  beaten  between  neighbors  in  the 
snow  who  lived  along  the  shore.  We  were  fortunate  enough  to  find  lodging 
every  night  and  to  procure  meals  when  we  wanted  them. 

"After  about  a  week  of  weary  traveling  we  reached  The  Dalles,  where  we 
got  saddle  horses.    A  Wells,  Fargo  &  Co.  messenger  fell  in  with  us  here,  which 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  443 

swelled  our  company  to  three.  We  had  traveled  a  couple  of  days  when  my  two 
comrades  became  badly  afflicted  with  snow  blindness.  The  trail  had  been  broken 
through  the  snow,  but  had  later  filled  up  with  fresh  snow.  It  took  the  practiced 
eye  to  follow  it.  My  comrades  being  snowblinded  it  devolved  on  me  to  lead  and 
break  the  way.  The  weather  at  times  was  intensely  cold,  but  we  found  lodging 
every  night  except  one;  luckily  for  us,  it  happened  to  be  one  of  the  mildest 
nights  we  had,  and  with  some  blankets  we  passed  the  night  fairly  comfortably. 

"We  reached  Walla  Walla  about  the  last  of  February.  The  war  was  raging 
then  to  such  an  extent  and  travel  impeded  that  we  brought  news  that  was  six 
weeks  old. 

"I  found  my  folks  all  well  and  hearty,  but  the  destruction  of  our  stock  was 
something  frightful.  When  I  looked  them  up  later  I  found  about  ten  per  cent 
of  them  alive;  but  being  in  the  prime  of  life  and  enjoying  perfect  health  I  was 
not  discouraged. 

"This  season  the  Orofino  and  Florence  mines  poured  wealth  into  the  country 
to  such  an  extent  that  money  was  very  plentiful  and  produce  very  high.  1  suc- 
ceeded in  putting  in  a  large  lot  of  potatoes  and  vegetables  and  some  grain.  The 
season  being  highly  favorable  everything  grew  splendidly  and  produced  abun- 
dantly and  brought  a  very  high  price,  potatoes  selling  at  four  and  one-half  cents 
per  pound  and  other  things  in  proportion ;  so  at  the  end  of  the  year  I  had  to  a 
large  extent  retrieved  the  losses  that  I  had  sustained  by  the  severity  of  the 
winter. 

"Ever  since  I  had  heard  so  much  about  Doctor  Whitman  from  the  immi- 
grants who  wintered  with  him  in  1844,  and  especially  after  his  tragic  death,  I 
had  become  interested  in  him  and  in  the  site  of  his  mission,  but  had  never  visited 
it.  In  June  this  year  I  took  a  day  for  it  and  got  on  my  horse  and  rode  to  the  old 
site.  Father  Fells  was  occupying  it  then.  I  told  him  the  object  of  my  visit.  He 
was  very  kind  indeed  and  took  a  great  deal  of  pains  in  showing  me  about  the 
place  and  explaining  things  the  best  he  could.  He  took  me  to  the  ruins  of  the 
old  adobe  building  and  explained  the  plan  of  it  and  showed  me  the  spot  where 
Doctor  Whitman,  according  to  reports,  must  have  fallen.  He  then  took  me  to 
where  the  victims  of  the  massacre  were  buried,  and  while  standing  there  one  of 
us  kicked  the  loose  dirt  and  turned  up  the  lower  jaw  bone  of  one  of  the  victims. 
One  of  the  teeth  in  the  bone  was  filled  with  gold.  We  buried  it  as  well  as  we 
could  without  tools  and  inferred  from  the  circumstance  that  they  had  been  buried 
in  shallow  graves  or  been  dug  up  by  badgers.  I  went  home  feeling  that  I  had 
been  well  rewarded  for  my  ride. 

"The  next  year,  1863,  I  was  elected  sherifl:'.  I  have  nothing  to  report  that 
was  unusual  during  my  term,  the  usual  routine  of  business  incident  to  the  office 
and  no  executions  for  murder  or  anything  else  worth  speaking  about.  At  the 
same  time  I  was  appointed  deputy  collector  of  internal  revenue  under  Philip  D. 
Moore.  The  duties  of  this  position  were  simply  collecting  revenue  that  fell  to 
the  Government.  The  most  unpleasant  part  of  my  duties  was  my  responsibility 
for  the  considerable  sums  of  money  that  I  had  in  my  possession. 

"After  the  expiration  of  my  term  I  returned  to  the  farm  and  entered  into  the 
usual  humdrum  routine  pertaining  to  farm  life. 

"In  1869,  for  the  first  time  since  leaving,  I  took  a  trip  to  Oregon.  The  elec- 
tion occurred  the  day  before  I  started.     The  telegraph  line  had  reached  Lhiiatilla. 


444  OLD  WAIJ.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

When  the  boat  landed  there  the  messenger  went  immediately  to  the  telegraph 
office  with  the  election  news,  'i'his  was  my  first  contact  with  the  telegraph,  and 
it  was  hard  for  nie  to  realize  that  while  the  operator  was  sending  the  dispatch 
at  that  very  moment  it  was  being  received  in  Portland. 

"At  The  Dalles  we  met  the  first  tourist  who  had  come  on  the  newly  com- 
pleted transcontinental  railroad  to  San  Francisco  and  from  thence  by  steamer 
to  Portland  and  from  Portland  by  river  steamers  to  The  Dalles. 

"I  went  to  Dallas,  where  most  of  my  people  lived.  I  had  a  very  enjoyable 
visit,  having  been  away  ten  years.  In  due  time  I  returned  home  and  found  the 
folks  all  well. 

"My  reminiscences  having  come  down  to  and  partly  including  the  year  1869, 
the  year  that  the  transcontinental  railroad  was  completed,  I  think  about  this  time 
they  should  lose  their  character  as  pioneer  reminiscences  and  thus  far  their  in- 
terest to  the  public ;  for  I  think  the  future  historian  will  draw  the  line  between 
those  who  came  in  an  ox-team  and  those  who  came  on  the  railroads.  So  I  feel 
that  my  task  is  done,  and  when  a  person's  work  is  finished  it  is  a  good  time  to 
quit." 

From  the  reminiscences  of  Mr.  Gilliam  we  turn  to  those  of  one  of  the  hon- 
ored builders,  still  living  in  Walla  W^alla,  F.  W.  Paine.  As  one  of  the  earliest 
business  men  of  the  region,  Mr.  Paine  is  peculiarly  qualified  to  give  a  picture  of 
the  business  men  and  conditions  in  Walla  Walla  in  the  early  '60s.  We  feel  our- 
selves fortunate  to  be  able  to  present  this  article  from  his  pen : 

BUSINESS    MEN    OF    THE    '6os 

"In  approaching  the  subject  I  realize  my  utter  inability  to  fitly  handle  even 
so  small  a  quota  of  so  large  a  class,  which  comprises  men  of  the  most  emment 
minds  from  among  whom  are  found  the  financial  geniuses  to  solve  the  most 
intricate  problems  of  the  world's  commerce,  from  among  w'hose  ranks  have  been 
chosen  by  their  fellow  countrymen  men  to  occupy  and  administer  the  highest 
offices  of  the  nation,  and  the  contingent  which  I  am  about  to  consider,  the  business 
men  of  Walla  W'alla,  has  afforded  men  of  more  than  local  fame,  not  only  in  their 
own  calling,  but  men  as  well  who  have  been  chosen  from  their  own  sphere  to  fill 
])laces  of  honor  from  city  councilman  to  United  States  senator;  the  achievements 
of  this  class  impel  the  conclusion  that  the  calling  of  general  merchandising 
affords  a  training  which  adapts  the  mind  to  the  handling  of  large  affairs.  To 
come  to  my  subject,  as  I  now  recall  the  appearance  of  Main  Street,  the  home  of 
the  business  man  in  the  spring  of  1862,  as  I  first  beheld  it,  it  might  be  described 
as  a  development  of  the  old  Indian  trail  along  the  natural  elevation  of  the  south 
lumk  of  Mill  Creek,  forming  a  dry  ridge  much  used  by  the  Indians  in  horse 
racing  before  the  whites  appropriated  it  for  the  more  advanced  purposes  of  a 
business  street,  which,  by  the  way,  established  its  own  azimuth  which  still  main- 
tains and  which  incidentally  misses  all  the  cardinal  points  of  compass.  .Archi- 
tecturally viewed  it  would  seem  that  the  earliest  occupants  of  this  street  differed 
in  their  opinions  as  to  the  established  width,  for  at  that  time  there  was  gross 
irregularity  in  the  building  line,  as  well  as  ups  and  dow'ns  in  the  sidewalks,  each 
ownc-  apparently  deeming  it  his  own  affair,  that  of  fixing  the  line.  When  build- 
ing his  house,  sidewalk,  and  frequently  a  board  awning  on  scantling  supports,  to 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  443 

afford  a  show  place  for  his  merchandise,  while  in  the  matter  of  the  building  line 
'the  crooked  have  been  made  straight,  the  rough  places  have  not  all  been  made 
plain,'  a  few  still  remain  perhaps  to  attest  the  tenacity  of  error.  With  this  much 
for  outside  appearances  let  us  now  step  inside  where  we  are  met  by  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  a  business  man  of  Walla  Walla,  a  man  approaching  middle  life, 
of  good  presence,  well  informed  on  the  country  in  general,  its  business  prospects 
and  opportunities,  his  stock  of  merchandise,  and  his  patrons,  who,  if  stockmen, 
ranged  from  the  Cascades  to  the  Rocky  Mountains ;  if  a  packer  his  range  was 
nearly  as  wide,  or  if  a  miner  his  field  covered  much  the  same  vast  territory,  the 
magnitude  of  which  seemed  to  be  measurably  reflected  in  the  men  who  partook 
of  its  largess,  for  the  merchants  of  early  Walla  Walla  were  of  the  stalwart  type 
who  rose  to  the  occasion  and  occupied  the  field  in  a  creditable  manner,  for  few 
of  the  class  known  in  California  as  'Cheap  Johns,'  ever  tarried  long  in  Walla 
Walla.  They  came  but  soon  recognized  their  betters  and  left  for  more  con- 
genial surroundings.  As  time  sped  on  and  the  country  settled  up  business  grew 
to  be  more  complex  in  its  administering.  Gold  dust  and  gold  and  silver  bars  as 
important  factors  in  the  circulating  medium,  gave  place  to  gold  and  silver  coin, 
and  greenbacks  brought  in  by  the  immigrants  of  the  middle  '60s  were  tolerated 
at  fifty  to  seventy-five  cents  on  the  dollar,  but  no  lesser  coin  than  a  twenty-five 
cent  piece  was  accepted  in  exchange  for  merchandise  and  even  the  saloons  treated 
anything  smaller  with  disdain ;  but  the  country  was  filling  up  with  settlers,  and 
as  they  became  fixed  and  permanent  citizens,  credits  were  extended,  some  of 
the  leading  houses  even  in  the  early  years,  carrying  heavy  accounts  with  farm- 
ers and  stockmen.  This  necessitated  the  merchants'  assistance  in  marketing  their 
products,  thus  these  business  houses  became  dealers  in  wool,  wheat,  barley, 
etc.,  which  continued  for  many  years  and  proved  a  substantial  source  of  revenue 
which  went  far  toward  helping  out  the  year's  profits  and  also  encouraged  invest- 
ments in  other  lines,  such  as  transportation  facilities,  flouring  mills  and  various 
manufactures,  in  which  the  business  man  frequently  took  the  lead,  as  he  did  in 
most  of  the  important  doings  of  the  day;  for  instance,  in  the  matter  of  public 
spirit  a  record  may  be  found  in  his  generous  subscriptions  to  induce  the  con- 
struction of  railroads,  for  the  building  of  hospitals,  churches  and  educational 
institutions,  and  for  their  maintenance,  and  again  in  the  voting  of  taxes  for 
public  schools  and  public  buildings,  both  of  the  city  and  county.  This  matter 
of  voting  taxes  brings  to  mind  that  even  this  early,  politics  was  an  institution  to 
be  reckoned  with,  but  the  business  man  seldom  sought  its  honors.  His  political 
creed  was,  business  before  pleasure  or  politics.  When  election  day  came  around 
he  voted  his  party  ticket  and  enjoyed  the  diversion,  so  it  did  not  interfere  with 
business.  He  seldom  accepted  office,  and  then  only  as  a  matter  of  duty,  but 
when  such  responsibilities  were  undertaken  they  were  discharged  with  fidelity 
to  the  trust  imposed. 

"Of  his  religion  he  took  a  less  serious  view,  but  his  hand  was  ever  open  to 
the  deserving  in  a  good  cause,  it  mattered  not  from  whence  the  call.  To  illus- 
trate, in  the  early  days  there  came  to  this  city  a  man  most  devout,  a  reserved  and 
gentle  mannered  man,  who,  finding  no  church  of  his  denomination,  proceeded 
to  build  one  near  to  the  business  district.  He  contributed  largely  of  his  own 
rather  limited  means  and  completed  the  building.  Among  the  many  brilliant 
sermons  delivered  from  its  pulpit  were  some  very  caustic  and  pointed,  directly 


446  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

aimed  at  the  shortcomings  of  the  business  world,  lie  became  noted  for  his  good 
work,  both  in  and  out  of  the  pulpit,  but  one  day  his  church  was  accidentally 
burned,  a  total  loss  and  no  insurance.  Whereupon  a  prominent  business  man 
(who  for  himself  had  little  use  for  churches)  seemingly  i)romj)ted  by  his  sense 
of  justice,  and  as  he  said,  'a  desire  to  see  a  good  man  get  a  square  deal,'  took 
prompt  action  and  with  a  subscription  list  headed  by  a  lilicral  sum,  set  against 
his  own  name,  he  proceeded  to  interview  the  business  places,  omitting  none. 
Everything  that  was  operated  for  money  was  in  business  to  him,  at  least  for 
that  day,  and  was  assessed  and  collection  made  at  the  same  time.  When  he 
had  made  the  round  of  Alain  Street,  even  before  the  ashes  were  cold,  he  had 
enough  to  build  a  new  church.  No  one  asked  was  the  money  tainted,  but  the 
church  was  built  and  much  good  resulted  therefrom.  One  other  instance  1 
recall,  when  a  preacher  who  had  gathered  many  souls  into  his  fold,  somewhat 
on  his  merits  as  a  good  'mixer'  (this  word  belongs  to  politics,  but  if  the  good 
man  could  say  even  now  he  would  approve  its  use  here).  After  he  had  scheduled 
members  enough  to  justify  building  a  church  he  went  among  the  brethren  for 
subscriptions.  Meeting  two  of  his  business  acqtiaintances  he  made  known  his 
plans  to  which  they  readily  subscribed  a  generous  sum,  only  conditioned  upon 
his  steeple  rising  higher  than  that  of  the  church  across  the  street.  To  this  he 
readily  assented,  and  the  spire  stands  today  to  attest  his  good  works. 

"Some  historian  has  said,  'History  is  not  written  with  a  microscope,'  nor 
should  it  be  written  with  one's  eye  blinded  to  events  that  it  were  better  had  never 
occurred,  but  so  long  as  man  continues  to  indulge  erroneous  thoughts,  those 
thoughts  will  be  expressed  in  actions  which,  with  their  effects,  will  be  recorded. 
So,  notwithstanding  the  enviable  record  of  the  average  business  man  of  his  day, 
there  was  the  inevitable  exception  when  someone  went  wrong,  or,  so  to  say,  was 
swept  off  his  feet  by  the  lure  of  the  open  games  of  chance,  presided  over  by  the 
man  with  the  starched  shirt  and  polished  nails.  Such  heaps  of  gold  and  silver, 
bags  of  dust  even  all  so  temptingly  lay,  just  waiting  the  turn  of  a  card,  the 
jingling  of  coins,  the  hustle  and  murmur  of  the  crowds,  the  glint  and  dazzle 
of  the  lights,  the  music  and  the  song,  the  tinkle  of  the  glasses,  the  odor  of  cock- 
tails and  champagne,  a  perfect  riot  of  sensations,  and  over  all  that  transport  of 
abandon  so  free  of  all  restraint,  'society'  looked  on  complacently,  law  lacked 
an  introduction,  but  'twas  all  so  sociable  he  took  a  hand  or  perchance  bought  a 
few  chips  and  the  better  to  celebrate  his  first  winning,  ordered  a  cocktail  and 
cigar,  and  then  was  soon  on  the  road  that  men  of  all  callings  frequented  in  the 
very  early  days.  Little  wonder  that  an  occasional  business  man  was  found 
among  the  discard. 

"Elsewhere  I  note  that  occasion  was  had  to  mention  so  many  of  the  names 
of  firms  and  men  in  business  in  the  early  days,  that  1  will  not  attempt  to  repeat 
them,  suffice  to  say  that  rare  and  potent  conditions  must  have  worked  together 
to  produce  a  force  of  men  so  fitting  to  the  time  and  place  as  were  these,  to 
prosecute  their  chosen  calling  as  a  means  to  success;  some,  to  be  sure,  looking 
only  to  a  temporary  stay  which  as  time  wore  on,  grew  to  be  permanent,  others, 
casting  their  lot  with  the  county  from  the  beginning,  remained  to  amass  fortunes 
of  no  mean  proportions.  Several  having  reached  business  limitations  here, 
naturally  gravitated  to  larger  cities,  to  enjoy  a  wider  field  of  operations,  where 
they  continued  to  court  the  Goddess  of   Fortune  successfully.     Of  those  who 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  447 

remained  many  have  attained  to  places  of  honor,  and  of  few  indeed  could  it  be 
said  that  the  world  was  no  better  for  their  having  lived  in  it,  and  taken  as  a 
whole,  the  history  of  the  county  would  be  sadly  abbreviated  were  it  to  be  de- 
prived of  a  record  of  their  doings." 

One  of  the  best  known  of  the  pioneer  families  of  Walla  Walla  is  that  of  the 
Ferrels.  As  a  charming  narrative  of  the  typical  events  of  a  journey  across  the 
plains  and  settlement  in  Walla  Walla  in  the  early  days,  we  incorporate  here  a 
paper  by  Mrs.  Brewster  Ferrel. 

.•\  woman's  experience  crossing  the  pl.mns 

May   I,    1864. 

We  started  from  Corydon,  Wayne  Coiyity,  Iowa,  to  travel  the  wild  and 
desolate  plains  and  seek  a  home  in  Walla  Walla,  Wash.  This  is  a  true  story,  but 
before  you  get  through  reading  it  you  will  not  wonder  at  the  people  out  west  call- 
ing us  green  immigrants. 

My  husband  and  I  and  our  little  boy,  who  was  two  years  old,  and  my  hus- 
band's brother,  were  all  that  came  in  our  wagon.  We  had  a  good  little  mule  team. 
I  have  had  a  kind  regard  for  mules  ever  since  I  took  that  trip.  Did  not  know  a 
mule  could  learn  so  much. 

The  first  day  was  a  sad  one  going  past  our  relatives  and  old  neighbors'  homes 
and  stopping  to  say  good-bye.  Our  people  gave  us  little  presents,  tokens  of  love, 
and  lots  of  good  advice,  such  as,  "be  careful  and  don't  let  the  Indians  get  you,"  or, 
"be  a  good  girl  and  come  back  some  day."  Well,  we  did  come  back  twenty-four 
years  after,  but  not  with  a  mule  team. 

The  first  night  we  stayed  at  a  house.  Next  morning  the  good  woman  said, 
"I  will  give  you  some  pickled  meat."  So  she  went  out  in  the  meat  house  to  get  it, 
and  there  was  a  skunk  drowned  in  the  brine.  We  thanked  her  and  got  our  meat 
at  another  place. 

The  next  night  we  camped  out,  the  first  I  ever  slept  out  of  a  house,  and  when 
bedtime  came  our  little  boy  cried,  oh,  so  hard  to  go  home,  but  we  got  him  quiet 
and  slept  well ;  that  was  one  thing  we  could  do  on  that  trip. 

Woman-like,  I  was  very  much  afraid  of  the  bad  roads.  We  had  all  of  our 
belongings  piled  in  that  wagon,  and  among  other  things  were  our  firearms.  We 
came  to  a  very  bad  place  in  the  road.  I  took  our  little  boy  out  of  the  wagon  and 
we  were  walking  behind  when  a  shotgun  that  was  lying  in  the  wagon  went  of?  and 
the  shot  came  very  near  us.  Then  I  concluded  in  the  wagon  was  the  safest  place 
and  soon  got  so  I  was  not  afraid  to  ride  over  any  kind  of  road. 

We  traveled  alone  till  we  got  to  the  Missouri  River.  Then  we  came  to  a 
string  of  wagons  about  a  mile  and  a  half  long.  They  were  waiting  to  be  ferried 
over  the  river.  We  came  there  in  the  forenoon,  and  took  our  place  in  line  and 
moved  up  as  the  wagons  went  over.  We  stayed  there  all  that  day  and  camped 
there  that  night.     Next  morning  we  got  over. 

Then  we  traveled  with  a  train  and  the  Indians  came  around  our  wagons ;  some 
of  them  begged  for  food.  One  day  when  we  sat  down  on  the  ground  to  eat  our 
dinner  about  a  dozen  big  red-faced  fellows  came  and  stood  around  with  toma- 
hawks in  their  hands.  I  did  not  want  any  dinner  that  day,  but  they  went  away 
peaceably,  and  we  traveled  on  over  good  roads  and  through  beautiful  country  up 


448  OLD  WALLA  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

Platte  River  and  on  and  on  and  soon  got  used  to  seeing  Indians.  Sometimes 
tliey  would  follow  our  wagons  and  some  one  would  throw  a  piece  of  bread  out  to 
them  and  they  would  run  after  the  wagon  and  pick  it  up;  then  throw  another 
piece,  till  they  would  look  like  little  chickens  after  an  old  hen. 

Fuel  was  very  scarce  in  that  country.  We  had  to  burn  sage  brush,  dead 
weeds,  or  anything  we  could  get.  Sometimes  my  husband  would  keep  feeding  the 
fire  while  I  baked  the  flapjacks,  as  we  called  them. 

The  men  folks  were  all  the  time  looking  out  for  good  grass  and  water  for 
the  stock,  which  they  would  herd  on  the  grass  till  late  at  night,  and  then  tie  them 
to  the  wagon  wheels.  In  the  morning  they  would  take  them  out  again  and  herd 
them  until  starting  time,  which  was  pretty  early,  as  we  wanted  to  hurry  through 
to  Walla  Walla.  We  gave  our  mules  all  the  scraps  we  had  left  from  our  meals 
and  they  relished  it  very  much  and  would  hunt  in  the  wagon  for  the  dinner  box 
and  look  and  wait  for  their  lunch. 

There  were  some  mean  people  crossed  the  plains.  There  was  a  man  and  his 
wife  and  three  grown  daughters  traveling  in  our  train.  One  day  when  we  lay 
over  we  heard  a  commotion,  and  looking  toward  a  tent  we  saw  a  girl  pitch  out 
of  it  and  a  man's  boot  and  foot  up  in  the  air.  The  girl  said  her  papa  kicked  her 
out  because  she  had  forgotten  to  water  the  horses.  One  other  time  we  had 
stopped  to  rest  and  I  heard  a  woman  cry  and  swear  and  pray,  first  one  and 
then  the  other.  I  said  to  a  friend,  "Let  us  go  and  see  if  we  can  help  her ;"  but  she 
said  "No;  it  is  a  woman  with  a  very  loathsome  disease  and  the  man  that  drives 
the  team  was  kind  to  bring  her  out  west."  The  man  would  cook  a  little  food  and 
hand  it  to  her  and  then  go  away. 

Well,  the  people  were  not  all  bad;  we  found  some  very  dear  friends  on  our 
trij).  I  never  will  forget  them.  It  was  a  trying  trip  on  us  all.  We  had  some 
dangerous  streams  to  cross.  We  would  come  to  some  that  looked  impossible  to 
cross.  We  would  stop  and  plan  and  try  the  depth  in  every  way  possible,  and  then 
block  up  the  wagon  bed  to  the  top  of  the  standard,  then  tie  them  fast  to  the 
wagon,  then  cautiously  drive  in  almost  holding  our  breath.  We  had  four  mules 
and  the  leaders  were  small.  Sometimes  we  could  not  see  much  of  them  but  their 
heads.  Our  little  boy  w-ould  laugh  and  enjoy  the  excitement,  but  I  took  many  a 
cry  when  I  thought  of  where  we  were  taking  him.  We  had  started  and  must  get 
through.  I  had  about  forgotten  to  mention  the  weather,  which  was  very  stormy. 
It  rained  and  snowed  and  blew  our  wagon  sheet  off  and  everything  we  had  got 
wet.    Our  flour  got  musty ;  we  had  to  eat  it ;  we  could  get  no  other. 

By  this  time  we  were  getting  pretty  well  up  Platte  River,  and  did  not  see 
many  Indians,  but  were. hearing  a  good  deal  about  their  committing  depredations, 
and  commenced  to  corral  our  wagons  of  nights.  That  was  to  drive  in  a  circle, 
unhitch,  then  the  men  would  pull  them  close  together  by  hand,  and  after  herding 
the  stock  would  bring  them  in  and  tie  to  the  outside  wheels  of  the  wagons  for 
the  night. 

One  day  our  train  came  up  to  a  corral  of  this  kind  and  the  women  were 
silting  around  crying  and  the  men  were  standing  in  groups  talking  very  earnestly, 
and  not  a  hoof  in  sight.  We  soon  learned  their  troubles.  They  had  left  their 
stock  out  a  little  way  from  the  wagons  to  feed  without  any  guards  and  the 
Indians  had  seen  their  opportunity  and  run  between  them  and  their  stock  and 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  449 

run  them  off.  What  those  poor  people  did  we  never  learned.  We  had  to 
travel  on. 

One  morning  a  few  days  after  this  sad  scene  we  passed  a  train  which  had  not 
started  out  yet,  and  came  upon  another  sad  scene.  Two  men  had  left  their  train 
in  the  evening  and  drove  about  a  mile  ahead,  in  order  to  get  better  grass  for  their 
horses.  Just  at  dusk  they  were  sitting  on  a  log  near  their  wagons  when  eight 
Indians  came  behind  them  and  commenced  shooting  them  with  arrows.  The  men 
jumped  for  their  guns,  but  before  they  reached  their  wagons  the  Indians  had 
them  both  down.  They  left  them  for  dead  and  then  took  the  four  horses  and 
guns  and  ammunition  and  $800  in  money  and  everything  else  they  wanted  out  of 
the  wagon,  and  left.  But  one  poor  fellow  was  not  quite  dead.  After  the  Indians 
left  he  crawled  a  little  way  off  in  the  brush  and  lay  there  till  next  morning. 
When  we  came  along  he  crawled  out  and  told  us  all  about  it.  We  stayed  with 
him  till  his  train  came  up,  then  helped  him  to  bury  his  partner,  and  then  went  on. 
I  was  pretty  homesick  for  a  few  days. 

We  were  getting  into  the  mountains  and  the  roads  were  bad,  and  so  were  the 
Indians.    We  were  very  cautious ;  two  men  stood  guard  every  night,  taking  turns. 

The  weather  was  getting  warm  and  pleasant  after  all,  and  through  all  of  our 
hardships  we  had  some  pleasant  and  amusing  things  happen.  There  was  a  good 
many  jack  rabbits  along  the  road.  We  had  a  rabbit  pot-pie  pretty  often.  One 
day  about  a  half-dozen  men  got  after  a  rabbit  and  were  running  past  our  wagon 
and  shooting  with  their  pistols.  My  husband  was  walking  by  our  wagon  and 
said,  "Hand  me  the  shotgun,"  and  I  handed  it  to  him.  He  shot  and  brought 
down  the  rabbit,  then  gave  it  to  me.    That  ended  the  race  and  raised  a  laugh. 

Once  in  every  two  days  we  would  stop  a  day  and  rest,  lay  over,  we  called  it, 
to  do  our  washing.  W^e  would  take  a  bucket  and  camp  kettle  and  go  to  the  creek ; 
that  was  all  the  utensils  we  had  to  wash  with.  When  the  clothes  were  dry  they 
were  ready  to  put  on — no  ironing  on  that  trip.  We  saw  irons,  tubs,  washboards, 
and  a  good  many  other  things  that  people  had  thrown  out  of  their  wagons  because 
their  teams  were  giving  out.  We  did  not  dare  to  pick  them  up  and  haul  them  for 
fear  our  own  teams  would  give  out.  I  knew  one  woman  that  had  a  cook  stove 
in  her  wagon  and  she  was  so  anxious  to  bring  it  through  that  she  would  get  out 
and  push  on  the  wagon  when  it  was  going  up  hill,  but  she  had  to  give  it  up  and 
set  it  out  and  go  on  without  it.  We  were  beginning  to  find  out  how  dependent 
we  were  on  our  teams. 

Before  we  left  home  our  neighbors  and  friends  gave  me  a  lot  of  nice  pieces 
and  helped  me  make  a  keepsake  quilt.  I  prized  it  very  highly.  One  day  I  put  it 
out  to  sun  and  some  fire  blew  on  it  and  burned  it  up.  Then  I  shed  a  few  tears. 
Much  as  we  needed  everything  we  had  we  would  lose  and  leave  our  things  at 
the  camps.  We  lost  our  axe  and  coffee  pot  and  our  comb.  Then  we  tried  to 
borrow  a  comb,  but  found  out  there  were  but  few  in  the  train.  So  we  women 
got  together  and  had  our  hair  cut  oft".  Then  we  were  called  the  short-haired 
train. 

The  health  of  our  train  was  pretty  good.  Sometimes  a  family  would  get  very 
sick  from  eating  too  many  wild  weeds  they  would  gather  and  cook  for  greens  so 
as  to  have  a  change,  as  variety  of  wood  was  getting  scarce. 

We  brought  a  keg  of  sorghum  syrup  with  us,  and  would  have  had  plenty  to 
last  through,  but  one  day  our  little  boy  was  missing,  and  looking  in  the  wagon  we 

Vol.  I 2  9 


450  OLD  \\'ALI.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

saw  him.     lie  had  found  the  matches  and  was  just  ]iutting-  the  last  Jjunch  in  the 
syrup  keg,  so  we  had  to  do  without  sorghum. 

One  night  we  stopped  near  an  old  fort  where  some  men  were  staying.  So  I 
feh  pretty  safe,  but  before  morning  we  found  out  they  were  worse  than  Indians, 
for  they  had  whiskey  to  sell  and  some  of  the  men  in  our  train  got  some  whiskey 
and  got  drunk,  then  fought  and  quarreled  all  night.  Next  morning  when  a  few 
wagons  were  ready  to  start  the  men  that  had  been  drunk  were  asleep.  Another 
train  came  along  and  we  drove  on  with  them.  It  seemed  a  trip  where  every  one 
had  to  look  out  for  self.  We  did  not  dare  to  stop  long  to  help  the  unfortunate 
or  we  would  not  get  through  ourselves.  We  did  not  start  out  to  die  on  the  plains. 
We  passed  many  a  new  made  grave. 

At  this  time  it  was  as  disagreeably  hot  as  it  had  been  cold  on  the  start.  One 
time  we  tried  traveling  at  night  to  avoid  the  extreme  heat,  but  that  would  not  do. 

I  have  not  given  many  dates,  as  I  have  forgotten  most  of  them.  Am  writing 
this  mostly  for  my  children  and  grandchildren  to  read  and  want  it  to  be  as  near 
true  as  I  can  remember. 

We  learned  that  the  main  thing  on  that  trip  was  to  keep  on  moving.  As  we 
got  near  and  into  the  mountains  the  weather  got  cool  and  pleasant.  But,  oh,  such 
mountains  and  roads,  sometimes  they  would  seem  almost  perpendicular,  but  we 
would  climb  and  get  up  most  all  out  of  the  wagon  walking,  then  slide  down  on 
the  other  side,  then  up,  then  down,  and  soon  day  after  day  some  of  the  moun- 
tains seemed  almost  solid  rock. 

One  day  we  came  to  a  beautiful  little  stream.  Someone  that  was  walking 
dipped  up  a  cup  of  water  and  said,  "Will  you  have  a  drink?"  I  took  the  cup. 
Imagine  my  surprise  when  it  almost  burned  my  lips.  Those  were  the  first  hot 
springs  we  had  ever  seen.  Then  we  came  to  a  place  that  looked  like  it  was 
covered  with  ice  and  frost,  but  it  proved  to  be  salt.  We  picked  up  some  pieces 
and  used  it  for  cooking. 

We  began  to  hear  more  rumors  about  the  Indians  and  could  see  signs  of  their 
mischief.  So  we  corralled  our  wagons  very  carefully  and  went  to  bed  and  were 
sleeping  soundly  when  all  of  a  sudden  we  were  awakened  with  hearing  screaming 
and  very  rapid  shooting.  I  jumped  out  of  bed  and  said,  "The  Indians  have  at- 
tacked us."  My  husband  got  up  and  said,  "I  will  go  and  see  what  the  trouble  is." 
Then  I  got  all  of  the  guns  and  ammunition  to  the  front  of  the  wagon  ready  for 
battle,  and  was  piling  the  sacks  of  flour  and  bacon  around  our  little  boy,  who  was 
yet  asleep,  when  my  husband  came  back  and  said  it  was  coyotes  yelping  and  the 
guards  were  shooting  at  them.  So  we  went  to  bed  again  and  were  soon  asleep. 
That  was  one  thing  we  could  enjoy  on  that  trip. 

Well,  we  finally  got  over  the  Rocky  Mountains.  You  need  not  be  surprised  if 
I  tell  you  that  our  shoes  were  getting  thin  and  pretty  badly  worn.  We  did  not 
start  with  an  over  su])ply  and  our  clothes  were  wearing  out  fast  and  we  were 
looking  pretty  rough  and  sunburnt. 

We  came  to  some  more  deep  rivers  and  had  to  block  up  our  wagon  beds  so 
we  could  cross.  Then  we  came  to  a  country  infested  with  crickets.  I  never  saw 
anything  like  it;  they  were  almost  as  big  as  a  mouse  and  could  chirp  and  jump 
in  such  big  bands.  Our  mules  shied  at  them.  Well,  we  were  glad  to  get  out  of 
that  country. 

One  day  looking  ahead  in  the  distance  we  saw  something  coming  that  looked 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  451 

like  covered  wagons,  but  as  it  drew  near  we  could  see  it  was  actually  coming  the 
other  way  toward  us,  something  we  had  not  seen  for  hundreds,  yes,  thousands 
of  miles.  Well,  they  came  on  and  passed  us.  It  was  a  pack  train,  wonderful 
sight  for  us.  They  frightened  our  teams  in  their  weak  and  half-dead  condition. 
Then  someone  said  those  were  cowboys. 

Then  we  came  to  where  some  men  were  camped.  They  were  excited  over 
losing  a  lot  of  mules  and  horses.  They  were  driving  a  band  out  west.  The 
Indians  had  stampeded  them  and  run  a  lot  of  them  away.  We  saw  several  dead 
horses  which  the  men  had  ridden  to  death  trying  to  get  the  band  together  again. 
We  traveled  on  and  came  to  some  timbered  mountains.  Now  we  could  have 
plenty  of  wood  to  cook  with.  It  was  a  treat  to  have  plenty  of  wood  and  water 
at  the  same  time. 

One  evening  after  we  had  corralled  our  wagons  and  the  guards  had  taken 
the  teams  out  to  grass  one  of  the  men  came  running  back  and  said,  "Get  your 
guns  quick;  there  is  a  drove  of  elk  right  among  our  stock."  The  men  hurried  out 
with  their  guns,  fired,  and  brought  down  two  big  elks  and  dragged  them  into 
camp.  I  remember  it  so  well,  they  looked  so  much  like  one  of  our  little  mules. 
The  men  skinned  them  and  cut  them  up  and  then  decided  that  my  husband  had 
fired  the  most  fatal  shot;  so  we  had  first  choice  piece.    The  meat  was  fine. 

We  came  to  a  desolate  looking  place.  It  was  in  a  deep  canyon  and  we  had  to 
.stop  over  night.  There  were  some  old  bleached  bones  and  a  lot  of  tangled  hair. 
Someone  said  it  was  human  hair  and  bones  and  that  the  Indians  had  massacred 
a  train  and  their  bodies  had  never  been  buried.  We  did  not  know  how  much  of 
that  was  true,  but  at  that  time  we  could  believe  almost  anything.  After  all,  our 
Indian  troubles  were  mostly  scares,  but  as  the  old  saying  is,  you  had  as  well  kill 
a  person  as  scare  him  to  death. 

By  this  time  we  came  to  some  more  awful  hills  to  come  down.  We  all  got 
out  of  wagons  and  the  men  tied  ropes  to  the  hind  wheels  and  held  back  while  the 
teams  and  people  slid  down.  Well,  we  all  got  down  and  went  on  our  way  rejoic- 
ing, and  finally  got  into  some  pretty  country  and  laid  over  to  let  our  teams  rest, 
and  do  our  washing. 

That  day  I  took  a  stroll  down  by  the  creek  and  saw  a  big  fish  lying  in  some 
shallow  water  in  a  little  island.  I  very  cautiously  slipped  around  between  it  and 
the  main  creek  and  put  my  hands  under  it  and  threw  it  out  on  land.  Then  I 
wrapped  my  aprou  around  it  and  went  carrying  it  into  camp.  It  was  alive  and 
weighed  about  eight  pounds.  We  would  not  eat  it  for  fear  it  might  be  sick,  but 
some  of  the  boys  wanted  it,  so  I  gave  it  to  them.  They  cooked  it  and  ate  it  anc' 
said  it  was  very  good.     Next  morning  we  hitched  up  and  traveled  on. 

The  weather  was  pleasant  and  we  began  to  see  signs  of  civilization  and  met 
another  pack  train  which  was  loaded  with  flour,  bacon,  whisky,  and  tobacco.  I 
should  not  have  said  signs  of  civilization.  But  we  saw  better  things  further  on. 
Some  of  our  people  tried  to  buy  some  provisions  of  them,  but  they  would  not 
sell;  said  they  were  taking  them  to  the  mines  and  expected  to  get  a  dollar  a 
pound  for  what  they  had.  Our  money  was  pretty  scarce  and  what  we  had  was 
greenbacks  and  only  worth  fifty  cents  on  the  dollar  out  West. 

Then  we  came  to  a  little  garden  and  a  cabin  back  in  the  brush.  We  could 
see  the  green  lettuce  and  onions  through  the  fence.  Some  of  our  boys  said  they 
would  make  a  raid  on  that  garden,  but  when  they  got  on  the  fence  they  saw  a  tree 


452  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

on  the  other  side  and  a  man  hanging  by  the  neck  from  a  limb  of  that  tree.  Then 
they  said,  "We  don't  want  any  garden  sass."  We  learned  later  that  it  was  only 
a  paddy  stuffed  with  straw.  Our  provisions  were  getting  scarce  and  our  teams 
were  getting  weaker,  and  we  were  very  anxious  to  get  through. 

We  finally  arrived  in  the  Grande  Ronde  Valley  and  then  we  spent  the  last 
cent  we  had  to  buy  a  beef  bone  and  some  fresh  vegetables.  Then  all  got  together 
and  made  a  big  dinner.  All  sat  down  and  ate  together.  After  dinner  we  all  shook 
hands  and  said  good-bye.     Then  each  one  went  his  own  way. 

We  started  to  cross  the  Blue  Mountains  and  one  of  our  mules  got  sick.  We  had 
urged  him  too  much.  He  seemed  to  be  asleep  on  his  feet,  held  his  eyes  shut,  and 
wanted  to  pull  all  the  time.  Well,  he  pulled  through.  I  had  almost  learned  to 
love  those  mules,  they  had  been  so  faithful. 

We  arrived  in  Walla  Walla,  Wash.,  footsore  and  weary,  in  just  three  months 
from  the  day  we  started. 

When  we  arrived  in  this  beautiful  little  valley  without  a  dollar  and  scarcely 
any  clothing  and  no  provisions  we  had  a  pretty  hard  time.  Now,  when  a  family 
gets  their  house  and  everything  they  have,  burned,  the  people  around  get  together 
and  help  them,  and  it  is  right  they  should  in  this  land  of  plenty;  and  when  a 
criminal  leaves  the  penitentiary  they  give  him  a  suit  of  clothes  and  some  money. 
But  there  was  no  help  for  the  green  immigrants,  as  we  were  called,  and  I  suppose 
we  were,  at  least  in  some  respects. 

We  did  not  understand  the  western  slang  and  Indian  talk  that  we  heard  so 
much.  It  was  something  like  this.  A  man  that  had  been  out  West  about  five  years 
was  eating  dinner  with  us,  said,  "That  is  hiu  mucka  muck."  He  was  referring 
to  something  on  the  table.  We  asked  him  if  he  liked  this  country.  He  said,  "You 
bet  your  life !"  We  said,  "Why  do  so  many  men  out  West  wear  revolvers  on  their 
belts  and  big  knives  in  their  boot  legs?"  He  said,  "It  is  necessary  to  keep 
order;  we  have  a  man  for  breakfast  quite  often." 

Then  we  would  hear  the  remark,  lots  of  men  out  West  are  made  to  bite  the 
dust  with  their  boots  on ;  and  then,  you  sabba,  or  savvy,  and  many  such  expressions. 
Well,  we  finally  got  initiated.  And  the  people  were  very  kind  to  us.  We  never 
saw  a  time  when  we  appreciated  our  neighbors  so  much.  They  were  friends  in 
need  and  in  deed. 

This  country  was  covered  with  bunchgrass,  flowers,  Indians,  coyotes,  and 
grasshoppers.  A  few  white  people  were  living  along  the  creeks  in  little  huts. 
Some  were  growing  a  little  wheat  and  others  small  grain  and  gardens.  Every- 
thing was  very  high  priced.  Wheat  sold  for  a  dollar  and  a  half  a  bushel.  There 
was  scarcely  any  fruit  to  be  had  at  any  price.  When  I  go  through  this  beautiful 
valley,  now  a  little  less  than  forty  years  after,  and  see  wagon  loads  of  delicious 
fruit  going  to  waste  it  makes  me  think  of  those  times. 

Well,  we  went  to  work ;  had  to  rustle,  kept  at  it  from  early  morn  till  late  at 
night.  But  we  would  jump  from  one  thing  to  another.  There  seemed  to  be  too 
many  chances.  First  we  would  settle  on  one  piece  of  land,  then  on  another. 
There  were  thousands  and  thousands  of  acres  of  good  unclaimed  land  all  about 
us,  but  people  thought  none  but  the  sloughs  would  grow  anything.  After  two 
or  three  years  of  changing  about  we  finally  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  and 
settled  down.     Paid  eight  hundred  dollars  for  it.    We  gave  thirty  dollars,  a  horse. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  453 

and  our  only  cow  to  make  the  first  payment.     At  this  time  we  had  two  children 
in  our  family. 

Before  we  had  any  wheat  to  sell  it  came  down  to  fifty  cents  per  bushel.  The 
country  up  to  this  time  had  been  settled  mostly  by  men ;  only  some  of  theiti  had 
Indian  women  for  wives.  The  families  that  settled  this  country  first  were  nearly 
all  new  married  people  and  a  baby  came  to  almost  every  home  in  less  than  two 
years  for  a  dozen  years  or  more. 

One  day  I  went  to  visit  a  dear  neighbor  and  I  was  complaining  of  hard  times 
and  she  said,  "We  have  been  living  on  boiled  wheat  for  several  days."  I  believe 
there  were  a  good  many  others  doing  the  same  thing.  Those  hard  times  seemed 
to  bind  neighbors  close  together.  Three  or  four  of  us  would  get  together  and 
go  two  or  three  miles  to  get  some  wild  gooseberries  and  elderberries  and  red  haws 
and  fix  them  up  for  f rait.    They  were  pretty  good  when  there  was  nothing  better. 

I  will  now  mention  some  of  the  Indian  scares  that  we  had  to  endure.  We  had 
been  warned  by  the  newspapers  to  look  out  for  the  Indians,  as  they  were 
on  the  war  path  and  had  murdered  some  of  the  white  settlers  and  had  mangled 
them  terribly.  So  one  Sunday  the  people  were  holding  meeting  on  Mill  Creek  in 
a  little  school  house  when  a  little  girl  came  running  in,  crying,  and  said,  "The 
Indians  are  killing  my  mama  and  papa."  Some  of  the  men  hurried  to  the  house, 
which  was  about  a  mile  away,  and  the  young  boy  preacher  got  on  a  horse  and 
away  he  went  as  fast  as  his  horse  could  go  to  warn  the  people  at  their  homes  that 
the  Indians  had  broken  out.  He  stopped  at  our  house  and  asked  for  a  fresh 
horse,  as  his  was  about  run  down.  We  did  not  have  any,  so  he  went  rushing  on 
and  stopping  at  every  house  to  give  the  alarm.  My  husband  and  several  of  the 
neighbor  men  had  gone  from  home  that  day.  Imagine  the  scene.  We  were  run- 
ning from  one  house  to  another;  each  one  of  us  had  three  or  four  little  children. 
After  about  a  dozen  of  us  got  together  we  decided  to  go  to  a  log  cabin  that  was 
near  and  wait  for  the  Indians  to  come.  There  was  one  man  in  the  cabin  and  he 
was  getting  ready  to  shoot  out  through  the  cracks  between  the  logs.  When  a 
man  came  from  the  seat  of  war  and  said  no  one  is  seriously  hurt,  it  was  a  drunken 
row  and  only  one  Indian  was  killed,  we  all  went  home  and  the  boy  preacher  got 
over  his  scare  and  has  been  long  since  a  good  and  noted  preacher.  And  the 
Indian  that  was  supposed  to  be  dead  came  to  life  again.  Some  of  the  men  took 
him  to  town  and  had  a  trial  and  the  jury  sentenced  him  to  wash  his  face.  Well, 
this  is  one  of  the  many  such  scares  as  some  others  can  remember  that  are  yet 
living. 

I  will  relate  one  more  incident.  At  this  time  there  was  a  saw  mill  at  the 
head  of  Mill  Creek  and  there  were  several  families  living  at  the  mill.  The 
men  had  built  a  fort  for  the  women  and  children  in  case  the  Indians  should 
attack  them.  One  day  some  men  who  lived  in  the  valley  took  their  teams  and 
wagons  and  started  to  go  to  the  mill,  but  when  they  got  in  the  mountains  they  saw 
a  band  of  Indians  coming  down  the  trail  beyond  the  mill.  The  men  at  once  stopped, 
unhitched  from  their  wagons,  and  jumped  on  their  horses  and  used  the  tugs  for 
whips  and  came  down  the  mountains  on  double  quick  and  reported  to  all  the 
people  along  the  road  what  they  had  seen,  and  the  people  were  soon  leaving  their 
cabins  and  running  for  the  brush.  And  those  at  the  mill  saw  the  Indians  coming 
and  they  went  running  to  the  fort.  Some  one  relating  the  scene  said  the  men  could 
run  faster  than  the  women  and  children  and  got  into  the  fort  first.     Well,  the 


454  OLD  WAl.l.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

Indians  came  and  were  friendly  and  very  much  surprised  when  they  saw  the 
people  running  and  said  they  had  heen  hack  in  the  mountains  hunting  and  fishing 
and  did  not  know  that  there  was  any  war  going  on. 

The  health  of  a  jjeople  in  a  new  country  is  usually  good,  hut  we  would  some- 
times get  sick.  Would  hardly  dare  think  of  sending  for  a  doctor.  There  was  no 
money  to  pay  one  and  there  could  hardly  be  one  found.  But  there  was  a  woman 
who  lived  in  our  neighborhood  that  had  a  good  doctor  book.  It  was  Doctor  Gunn's 
work.  She  went  by  it  in  her  own  family,  and  the  neighbors  sent  for  her.  She 
would  take  her  doctor  book  under  her  arm  and  go  to  visit  the  sick.  Then  they 
would  read  and  study  together  and  use  the  simple  remedies  prescribed  in  that 
book  and  get  along  pretty  well.  In  that  way  she  got  into  quite  a  large  practice. 
She  often  rode  a  little  blue  pony.  People  would  sometimes  make  the  remark. 
"1  think  there  is  someone  sick  at  a  certain  house.  I  see  the  blue  pony  tied  at 
the  gate." 

This  woman  officiated  where  more  than  a  hundred  babies  were  bom.  She 
was  very  successful,  never  lost  a  mother  or  child  while  she  was  taking  care  of 
them.  She  most  always  went  back  every  day  for  a  week  to  see  the  patient  and  wash 
and  dress  the  baby.  And  most  of  the  time  she  had  one  of  her  own  to  take  with 
her.  She  made  no  charges,  as  she  did  not  have  any  license.  But  she  received  a 
good  many  presents,  and  is  sometimes  yet  pleasantly  reminded  of  by-gone  days. 
Just  a  few  days  ago  she  received  a  photo  of  five  large,  stalwart  men  and  a  letter 
from  their  mother  saying  these  are  pictures  of  your  boys ;  see  how  they  have 
grown.  Then  another  time  a  picture  came  from  a  distance  of  two  large  twin 
boys  and  a  girl  and  word  saying,  see  how  your  boys  have  grown. 

1  have  not  made  mention  of  any  names  in  this  sketch,  thinking  it  would  be 
just  as  interesting  without. 

Well,  I  must  get  back  to  my  pioneer  days  that  I  started  to  write  about.  Schools 
and  churches  were  scarce.  One  woman  taught  a  school  in  her  home  of  two  rooms 
She  had  about  a  dozen  scholars.  About  one-third  of  them  were  part  Indian 
children.  As  I  said  before,  some  of  the  men  that  came  out  West  first  came  alone 
and  took  Indian  women  for  wives.  People  called  them  squaw  men.  We  remember 
another  woman  that  taught  school  in  her  home  of  one  room.  At  noon 
when  the  children  were  out  playing  she  would  cook  dinner  and  the  family  would 
eat,  then  she  would  take  up  her  school  again. 

We  would  sometimes  go  three  or  four  miles  to  church  in  a  home  of  one  room 
where  three  or  four  persons  lived.  The  preacher  would  stand  up  in  the  corner 
between  the  table  and  fireplace  and  preach,  while  the  congregation  sat  around 
on  the  beds  and  benches  and  boxes.  Every  corner  would  be  full.  Many  a  one 
received  a  blessing  in  those  humble  meetings.  But  we  did  not  have  to  do  that 
way  very  long.     People  with  such  energy  soon  built  school  houses  and  churches. 

Building  material  was  hard  to  get.  When  one  man  worked  for  or  sold 
another  man  anything  he  would  often  pay  him  in  gold  dust.  They  used  that  a 
great  deal.  We  would  take  our  little  sack  of  gold  dust  and  go  to  town  to  buy 
things,  and  the  merchants  would  weigh  and  blow  and  spill  it  till  we  would  not 
have  much  left.  I  said  go  to  town :  there  was  not  much  town  to  go  to.  It  was 
not  like  the  town  the  little  boy  said  he  could  not  see  for  the  houses.  One  would 
hardly  know  it  was  a  town  by  the  houses.  At  that  time  there  was  about  a  dozen, 
mostly  business  houses,  scattered  around  in  Walla  Walla. 

Mrs.  Brewster  Ferrel. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  455 

Equally  characteristic  of  the  first  days  is  the  narration  of  the  "first  boy 
in  Walla  Walla."  This  was  Charles  W.  Clark.  One  of  the  honored  citizens  of 
Walla  Walla,  he  was  doubtless  "the  first  boy  to  ride  down  Main  Street,"  as  he 
expressed  it.  Through  his  kindness  we  are  able  to  present  here  some  scenes  from 
his  memory  of  the  first  days  in  the  history  of  Walla  Walla. 

RECOLLECTIONS  OF  THE  FIRST  BOY  IN  WALLA  WALLA 

I  was  born  on  August  29,  1846,  in  Oregon,  on  my  father's  claim  near  La- 
Fayette,  Yamhill  County,  from  which  the  family  was  taken  to  Oregon  City  and 
thence  to  Portland. 

Needless  to  say,  Portland  was  then  a  raw,  crude  town  on  the  edge  of  the 
Willamette  River,  with  no  business  places  except  on  Front  and  First  streets. 

In  1855  my  father,  Ransom  Clark,  left  home  for  Colville  mines.  On  his  way 
home  to  Portland  he  selected  the  place  on  the  Yellowhawk,  since  known  from 
his  name,  ran  out  the  lines  with  a  pocket  compass,  for  there  was  no  Government 
survey.  The  place  was  nearly  in  a  square  and  extended  from  about  where  the 
road  just  east  of  Harry  Reynolds'  house  now  is  to  the  present  Whitney  Road. 

My  father  was  on  the  place  in  1855  when  the  Indian  war  broke  out,  and  he, 
like  all  the  other  settlers — few  in  number,  of  course — was  ordered  by  the  United 
States  commandant  to  leave  the  country. 

That  war  prevented  my  father's  making  proof  on  the  claim,  but  the  Govern- 
ment ruled  that  since  the  settlers  had  been  obliged  to  leave  on  account  of  war, 
they  should  not  lose  their  time,  but  could  resume  possession  and  continue  to  pre- 
pare for  making  final  proof. 

We  lived  in  Portland  until  1859,  when  announcement  was  made  that  Indian 
disturbances  were  at  an  end.  In  the  fall  of  1858  father  had  returned  to  the  claim. 
With  the  coming  of  winter  he  went  back  to  Portland,  but  on  March  i,  1859,  he 
went  back  again  to  Walla  Walla,  taking  me  with  him.  I  was  then  twelve  years 
old,  a  strong,  active  boy,  and  accustomed  to  all  sorts  of  work  and  capable  of  being 
of  much  assistance  to  my  father  in  starting  the  place. 

We  came  from  Portland  with  a  team  and  wagon,  putting  them  on  the  steamer 
at  Portland  and  going  as  far  as  The  Dalles;  thence  driving  to  Walla  Walla. 
Mother  was  left  alone  in  Portland  with  my  brother  Will,  then  two  years  old. 

We  had  quite  a  lot  of  apple  and  peach  trees  which  we  obtained  at  the  Tibbetts 
and  Luelling  nurseries,  near  Oregon  City.  I  can  tell  you  the  Walla  Walla  Valley 
looked  beautiful  in  those  early  spring  days.  It  was  just  a  waving  sea  of  new 
grass,  green  all  over  without  a  fence  or  anything  to  obstruct  riding  anywhere 
that  we  might  wish. 

We  reached  our  claim  on  March  28th.  So  far  as  I  remember  there  was  not 
another  white  boy  in  the  whole  valley,  except  at  the  fort,  or  whose  parents  were 
employed  at  the  fort.  Some  of  the  army  officers  had  children,  but  I  hardly  ever 
saw  them.  I  had  no  playmates  except  the  Indian  children,  and  they  were  very 
friendly.  There  were  no  women,  that  is,  no  white  women  outside  the  fort,  unless 
two  or  three  transients.  There  were  several  Indian  women  married  to  white 
men,  former  Hudson's  Bay  men,  down  the  valley  at  Frenchtown  and  elsewhere. 

When  we  reached  the  claim  we  discovered  that  "Curly"  Drumheller  and 
Samuel  Johnson  had  done  some  plowing  on  the  south  edge  of  our  place,  from 


•15(j  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

the  spring  branch  to  Russell  Creek.  We  sowed  it  with  oats  and  there  was  a 
good  crop,  which  we  threshed  out  with  flails  in  the  fall.  We  set  out  some  of 
our  fruit  trees  on  the  ilat  just  southeast  of  where  Harry  Reynolds'  house  now  is. 
Those  were,  1  am  sure,  the  lirst  trees  ever  brought  to  Walla  Walla,  that  is,  after 
those  that  had  been  raised  from  seed  by  Doctor  Whitman  at  Waiilatpu.  John 
Foster  bought  the  trees  which  were  set  on  his  place  from  our  lot.  The  bill  for 
those  trees  from  Seth  Luelling  is  still  in  possession  of  my  brother  Will. 

After  remaining  six  weeks  my  father  returned  to  Portland  to  get  my  mother 
and  brother.  1  was  left  to  keep  the  place,  in  company  with  Robert  Horton.  We 
had  nothing  but  a  tent  for  a  house,  but  we  managed  to  get  along  very  comfort- 
ably. My  main  work  was  to  cook.  I  helped  plow  on  John  Foster's  place  to  help 
pay  for  the  logs  which  Foster  had  gotten  out  that  spring  or  summer  for  making 
our  cabin.  On  Sundays  and  sometimes  on  other  days  I  would  go  to  "town," 
which  was  just  a  mongrel  collection  of  shacks  and  tents,  with  a  confused  mass  of 
settlers,  Indians  and  soldiers  straying  through.  The  chief  amusement  was  horse 
racing  and  gambling.  There  was  a  straight-away  track  where  the  cemetery  now 
is  and  another  just  about  through  where  the  chief  part  of  town  now  lies.  The 
first  circular  track  was  laid  out  by  George  Porter  about  three  miles  down  the 
valley,  running  around  the  peculiar  hill  on  the  Sam  Smith  place,  afterward  the 
Tom  Lyons  place. 

The  saloon  business  was  very  active  then  and  every  species  of  vice  flourished. 
There  was  a  man  named  Ed  Leach  who  had  come  with  father  and  me  from  The 
Dalles,  who  had  afterwards  drifted  around  town. 

One  day  I  was  near  the  saloon  owned  by  W.  A.  Ball,  and  I  saw  that  there 
had  just  been  something  going  on,  for  there  was  a  bunch  of  men  standing  around 
talking  excitedly. 

Ed  Leach  was  there,  and  seeing  me  he  pulled  me  over  to  a  place  where  I  saw 
blood  on  the  ground,  and  he  said,  pointing  out  the  puddle  of  blood,  "There, 
Charlie,  is  where  I  got  him."     He  had  just  killed  a  man. 

Nothing  was  done  about  it,  so  far  as  I  know. 

W.  A.  Ball  was  an  uncle  of  my  wife,  and  one  of  the  first  business  men  in 
Walla  Walla.  He  was  the  one  especially  who  insisted  on  giving  the  name  of 
Walla  Walla  to  the  town.  Some  wanted  to  call  it  Waiilatpu,  while  some  favored 
Steptoeville. 

One  day  while  in  town  a  man  called  to  me  saying  that  he  had  heard  it  rumored 
that  my  father  was  dead.  I  paid  no  attention  to  this,  for  I  had  heard  from  him 
a  few  days  before,  that  he  had  safely  reached  home,  was  getting  ready  to  return, 
and  that  everything  was  well.  There  were  no  mails  at  that  time  and  the  only 
way  to  get  messages  was  through  the  army  or  by  stray  travelers.  It  would  take 
a  week  or  two  to  hear  anything  from  Portland. 

But  though  I  paid  no  attention  to  the  rumor  it  proved  a  sad  reality.  That 
very  day  after  I  had  returned  to  the  tent  which  I  called  home,  my  mother's 
brother,  Uncle  Billy  Millican,  who  is  still  living  in  Walla  Walla,  appeared  and 
told  me  that  it  was  only  too  true,  that  my  father  had  been  taken  suddenly  sick 
and  had  died  a  number  of  days  before,  and  that  my  mother  was  even  then  on  her 
way  to  Walla  Walla. 

The  next  day  she  came,  having  come  on  the  Steamer  Colonel  Wright,  of 
which  Lew  White  was  captain,  on  her  second  or  third  trip  from  The  Dalles  to 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  457 

Wallula.  From  that  place  she  came  with  Capt.  F.  F.  Dent  in  an  army  ambulance 
to  Walla  Walla.  That  Captain  Dent,  by  the  way,  was  a  brother-in-law  of  General 
Grant. 

As  you  can  imagine  it  was  a  sad,  hard  journey  for  a  woman  who  had  just 
been  made  a  widow,  and  who  was  soon  to  be  again  a  mother. 

It  shows  something  of  the  nerve  and  heroism  of  pioneer  women  that  they 
could  go  through  such  experiences.  My  mother  had  been  strongly  advised  to 
give  up  her  claim.  A  man  had  offered  her  $300.00  for  it,  and  Judge  Shattuck, 
one  of  the  leading  lawyers  of  Portland,  urged  her  to  take  it,  assuring  her  that  it 
would  be  the  most  that  she  could  ever  get  out  of  it.  But  father  had  been  greatly 
impressed  with  the  prospective  value  of  the  place  and  the  prospects  of  the  town, 
and  my  mother  had  been  so  much  impressed  with  his  views  that  she  determined 
to  hold  the  claim. 

Accordingly,  after  spending  two  weeks  with  me  she  returned  to  Portland. 
I  spent  that  summer,  sometimes  a  very  lonesome  one,  in  the  tent,  or  hoeing  the 
garden  which  he  had  put  out,  and  in  September  Robert  Horton  and  Uncle  Billy 
Millican  put  up  a  cabin  from  the  logs. 

The  cabin  was  put  on  the  present  location  of  Harry  Reynolds'  house.  It 
was  moved  from  there  a  few  feet  many  years  ago,  and  put  on  a  good  foundation, 
so  that  it  is  now  just  about  as  sound  as  ever.  It  is  undoubtedly  the  oldest  house 
now  existing  in  the  Inland  Empire,  in  which  a  white  woman  lived.  My  mother 
was  about  the  first  white  woman  in  this  region,  after  the  missionary  period. 

My  mother  came  back  to  Walla  Walla  in  October  of  that  same  year,  1859, 
with  her  newly  born  child,  then  six  weeks  old,  to  live  the  remainder  of  her  life 
in  Walla  Walla. 

During  those  early  years  the  valley  seemed  to  be  filled  with  Indians,  but  they 
were  very  kindly  and  well  disposed,  and  we  had  no  trouble  with  them,  even 
though  a  good  part  of  the  time  we  were  alone,  mother  and  the  baby  and  the  little 
boy  and  myself  as  the  nearest  a  man  about  the  place.  We  had  plenty  of  horses 
and  cattle  and  chickens  and  garden  and  had  an  abundance  of  the  necessities, 
though  no  elegancies. 

There  were  two  principal  Indian  chiefs,  and  they,  with  their  squaws  and  chil- 
dren were  often  around  the  house.  They  were  fine  Indians.  Yellowhawk  was 
one  of  them,  and  his  location  was  on  the  creek  named  after  him,  on  what  is  now 
the  Billy  Russell  place  near  the  Braden  schoolhouse.  The  other  was  Tintimitsy. 
His  location  was  on  what  became  the  J.  H.  Abbott  place. 

As  I  remember  the  old  town  in  i860,  there  were  several  shack  stores.  One 
was  that  of  Neil  McClinchy,  on  what  would  now  be  between  Third  and  Fourth 
streets. 

Baldwin  Brothers  were  about  between  Second  and  Third.  Frank  Worden 
was  located  just  about  where  the  Third  National  Bank  now  is.  Guichard  and 
Kohlhauff  had  a  store  on  the  same  corner  where  the  Wliite  House  Clothing  Store 
now  is.  John  F.  Abbott  had  a  stable  right  in  what  is  now  Second  Street,  just 
about  what  would  be  between  the  Jaycox  Store  and  the  Jones  Building.  There 
was  no  order  or  system  to  the  streets  for  many  years,  and,  as  we  know,  they 
are  very  irregular  now,  having  followed  convenient  trails  or  breakings  through 
the  cottonwoods  and  birches  which  grew  on  the  creek. 

The  creek  at  that  time  ran  right  on  the  top  of  the  ground  and  in  high  water 


•158  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

ran  out  in  miiny  places.  Ouite  a  stream  at  high  water  ran  through  just  about 
where  Senator  Ankeny's  house  is,  over  through  the  present  high  school  grounds 
and  thence  joining  Garrison  Creek. 

During  the  long,  cold  nights  of  winter  in  1 860-61  we  li\ed  alone  in  our  cabin 
Mother  and  I  would  grind  our  flour  in  the  big  coffee-mill.  One  regular  job  we 
had,  and  often  we  were  up  till  midnight  working  at  it,  and  that  was  to  make  sacks 
for  the  flour-mill  which  A.  11.  Reynolds,  in  partnership  with  J.  A.  Sims  and 
Capt.  F.  F.  Dent,  put  up  in  1859  on  what  is  now  the  Whitney  place. 

But  my  mother  was  anxious  that  I  should  have  some  schooling,  and  having 
become  married  to  Mr.  Reynolds,  she  sent  me  to  Portland  Academy  for  two 
years,  and  two  years  more  to  LaFayette  where  I  lived  with  my  grandparents. 

When  I  returned  in  1865  I  was  a  man.  Walla  Walla  was  growing.  That  was 
right  in  the  midst  of  the  mining  times  and  the  Vigilantes,  when  they  had  "a  man 
for  breakfast"  nearly  every  morning.  It  was  a  wild,  exciting  time,  but  through 
it  all  Walla  Walla  has  grown  to  be  the  beautiful  city  of  which  we  are  now  so 
proud. 

We  have  devoted  considerable  space  in  the  early  part  of  this  volume  to 
Indians  and  Indian  wars.  The  narrative  of  W.  W.  Walter  gave  a  view  of  the 
Cayuse  war  from  the  standpoint  of  a  participant.  Other  wars  with  the  natives 
followed.  The  most  spectacular  and  in  many  ways  most  remarkable  of  all 
was  that  of  1877,  with  the  Joseph  band  of  Nez  Perces. 

We  incorporate  here  an  account  of  the  personal  experiences  of  W.  S.  Clark, 
one  of  the  leading  pioneers  of  Walla  Walla,  and  one  of  the  best  informed  students 
of  early  history. 

THE   NEZ    PERCE   WAR 

On  the  morning  of  June  19,  1877,  a  courier  reached  the  City  of  Walla  Walla 
bringing  the  sad  news  of  the  engagement  on  Camas  Prairie  between  the  Nez 
Perce  Indians  and  Colonel  Perry's  troop  of  cavalry  in  which  one-half  of  Perry's 
troop  had  been  killed.  The  news  caused  a  great  deal  of  excitement.  Word  also 
came  that  the  citizens  of  Lewiston  were  in  danger  of  a  raid  by  the  Indians  and 
that  the  settlers  were  pouring  into  town  from  all  sides  and  help  was  much  needed. 

Thomas  P.  Page,  county  auditor  of  Walla  Walla  County,  started  to  work 
raising  a  volunteer  company.  At  i  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  a  meeting  was 
called  at  the  courthouse  where  the  facts  were  presented  and  resolutions  were 
passed  promising  aid  to  the  people  of  the  Lewiston  District.  One  hundred  names 
were  soon  down  on  the  roll  and  all  who  could  get  horses  were  to  start  that  night. 
The  quartermaster  at  the  fort  here  gave  us  rifles  and  sixty  rounds  of  cartridges 
apiece.  At  6  o'clock  that  evening  the  following  party  left  Walla  Walla  en  route 
to  Lewiston :  A.  Reeves  Ayres,  John  Agu,  Ike  Abbott,  A.  L.  Bird,  Chas. 
Blewett,  W.  S.  Clark,  Lane  Gilliam,  H.  E.  Holmes,  Albert  Hall,  Jake  Holbrook, 
Frank  Jackson,  John  Keeney,  J.  H.  Lister,  Henry  Lacy,  Wm.  McKearn,  S.  H. 
Maxon,  Aleck  O'Dell,  C.  S.  Robinson,  J.  S.  Stott,  Ben  Scott,  Albert  Small. 
Frank  W'aldrip,  T.  P.  Page,  L.  K.  Grimm  and  J.  F.  McLean. 

We  arrived  at  Dayton  at  i  o'clock  that  night,  and  put  our  horses  in  the  livery 
stable  and  ourselves  to  sleep  in  the  hay-mow  overhead.     Xext  morning  we  break- 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  459 

fasted  at  the  hotel.  A.  R.  Ayers,  H.  E.  Holmes  and  Tom  Beall  were  missing. 
We  traveled  to  Marengo  where  a  short  stop  was  made  and  the  troops  under 
Colonel  Whipple  came  up.  The  volunteers  took  the  Indian  trails  across  the  hills 
and  the  regular  troops  followed  the  wagon  road.  We  stopped  two  hours  on  the 
Pataha  and  then  traveled  on  to  Dan  Favor's  ranch  which  was  about  fifteen  miles 
this  side  of  Lewiston,  where  we  went  into  camp.  Here  we  waited  about  three 
hours  for  supper,  there  being  some  misunderstanding  as  to  the  getting  of  the 
meal.    When  the  troops  came  up  they  camped  at  the  same  place. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2ist,  after  paying  our  bills,  we  traveled  on  to  Lewis- 
ton.  Leaving  our  horses  on  this  side  of  the  river,  we  crossed  over  to  the  town 
where  we  met  Major  Spurgeon,  the  commander  at  that  place,  who  gave  us  to 
understand  that  the  settlers  nearby  were  in  no  immediate  danger  and  told  us 
that,  if  we  cared  to  go  on  into  the  Indian  country,  we  could  be  of  service,  but 
would  have  to  be  under  the  command  of  the  regular  military  authorities. 

We  re-crossed  the  river  to  our  horses  and,  after  dinner,  signed  our  names  to 
report  to  General  Howard  for  eight  days  of  service.  We  then  elected  our  officers 
as  follows :  T.  P.  Page,  captain,  L.  K.  Grimm,  lieutenant,  and  John  F.  McLean, 
sergeant.  Then  we  again  crossed  over  to  Lewiston,  this  time  with  our  outfits, 
and  were  regularly  mustered  in  for  eight  days  of  service.  Up  to  this  time,  Ayres, 
Holmes  and  Beall  had  not  caught  up  with  us.  Some  thought  that  they  had 
backed  out  and  gone  home,  others  thought  that  they  would  yet  come  up. 

Major  Spurgeon  directed  us  to  Fort  Lapwai  to  report  to  General  Howard, 
where  we  arrived  at  6  o'clock  in  the  evening.  Here  we  had  supper,  after  draw- 
ing on  the  post  commissary  for  rations.  It  rained  on  us  all  that  night.  The 
morning  of  the  22d  we  spent  in  repairing  and  fixing  up  our  outfits.  At  i  o'clock 
we  were  again  on  the  march  as  General  Howard's  guard,  the  troops  going  in 
advance.  There  were  three  companies  of  infantry,  two  companies  of  cavalry, 
one  company  of  artillery  and  one  company  of  volunteers. 

As  we  were  starting  off  from  camp  that  afternoon  we  were  surprised  as  well 
as  pleased  to  see  Doc  Ayers,  Doc  Holmes  and  Ike  Abbott  coming  up. 
They  were  forgiven  for  their  delinquency  when  we  learned  that  they  had  gotten 
lost,  being  led  astray  by  Beall  whose  horse  gave  out  and  who  then  gave  up  the 
expedition  and  went  back  home.  They  joined  us  in  the  march  without  waiting 
to  secure  any  dinner.  While  we  were  going  up  Craig  Mountain  Ike  Abbott's 
horse  got  away  from  him  and  he  did  not  catch  him  until  several  hours  later.  On 
the  evening  of  the  22d  we  made  camp  on  Craig  Mountain,  putting  our  horses  out 
with  those  of  the  regular  troops,  and  Sergeant  McLean  detailed  J.  H.  Lister, 
Frank  Waldrip  and  myself  to  be  on  guard  the  first  part  of  the  night  and  Lane 
Gilliam,  A.  L.  Bird  and  Frank  Jackson  for  the  latter  part.  This  was  our  first 
guard  duty  and  I  thought  that  upon  me  rested  the  entire  burden  of  herding 
those  300  head  of  horses. 

On  Saturday,  June  23d,  we  started  early  and  traveled  along  the  mountain 
until  after  noon  when  we  reached  the  great  Camas  Prairie.  I  was  very  much 
surprised  at  the  extent  and  richness  of  this  prairie  on  any  part  of  which,  it  was 
claimed,  timothy  hay  would  grow.  We  passed  the  place  where  our  former 
citizen.  Lew  Day,  was  first  attacked  by  the  Indians  and  later  came  to  Ben 
Norton's  place  on  Cottonwood  where  we  camped.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  we 
were  in  advance  of  the  command,  Captain  Page  put  a  guard  on  the  house  and 


■iOO  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

barn,  lie  placed  Henry  Lacy  as  guard  over  the  barn  and,  after  the  command 
came  up,  Captain  Wilkinson  started  to  enter  the  barn  and  Henry  stopped  him. 
The  captain  told  Henry  who  he  was.  Still  this  did  no  good  and  the  captain 
turned  and  went  away.  Henry  Lacy  and  Charley  Blewctt  were  the  youngest 
members  of  the  company. 

The  following  morning  Aleck  O'Dell,  Lane  Gilliam,  Al  Hall,  Jake  Holbrook, 
Ben  Scott,  Ike  Abbott,  Wm.  McKearn  and  I  got  up  early  and  started  for  Mount 
Idalio,  nineteen  miles  distant.  We  passed  the  place  where  Norton  and  his  family, 
John  Moore  and  Miss  Bowers  had  been  overtaken  by  the  Indians,  also  the  place 
where  a  load  of  goods  for  Mount  Idaho  had  been  captured  by  the  Indians.  We 
passed  through  Grangeville  and  went  on  to  Mount  Idaho,  arriving  there  at  about 
12  o'clock.  We  hitched  our  horses  to  the  fence  of  a  man  by  the  name  of  Aram 
( ?)  who  gave  them  some  hay.  Mr.  Brown  at  the  hotel  told  us  that  dinner 
would  be  at  4  o'clock.  We  told  him  that  we  were  hungry  and  could  not  wait. 
He  wasn't  long  in  getting  us  something  to  eat. 

During  our  stay  here  O'Dell  and  one  or  two  others  had  their  horses  shod. 
I  went  into  Volmer's  store  and  wrote  a  letter  home.  Mr.  Scott,  the  manager 
of  the  store,  showed  us  many  courtesies.  Both  he  and  Mr.  Volmer  had  formerly 
lived  in  Walla  Walla.  Mr.  Scott  said  that  all  the  people  in  that  district  who 
could  were  preparing  to  leave  for  the  Salmon  River.  Mr.  Aram  ( ?)  invited 
us  all  in  to  dinner,  which  invitation  we  gladly  accepted. 

Here  we  secured  the  following  information  with  regard  to  the  depredations 
of  the  Indians.  Joseph's  band  from  the  Wallowa  and  the  Salmon  River  Indians 
under  White  Bird  had  been  camped  on  Rocky  Canyon,  eight  miles  from  Mount 
Idaho.  The  Indians  attacked  on  Thursday,  June  14th.  The  settlers  on  White 
Bird  suffered  severely.  Jack  Manuel  was  living  there  with  his  wife  and  baby. 
The  baby  was  killed  and  Mrs.  Manuel,  after  being  horribly  mistreated,  was 
locked  up  in  a  room  of  their  house  and  then  the  house  was  burned  to  the  ground. 
James  Baker,  who  lived  about  a  mile  below  Manuel's  place  on  White  Bird, 
was  killed.  Samuel  Benedict  was  killed  but  his  wife  and  little  girl  escaped  and 
came  safely  into  town.  H.  C.  Brown  was  shot  in  the  shoulder  but  escaped  in  a 
boat  and  was  later  found  by  the  cavalry.  Harry  Mason  was  killed  but  his  sister 
escaped  in  the  brush.  William  Osborn  was  also  killed.  Those  killed  on  John 
Day's  Creek  were  Henry  Elfreys  and  his  nephew,  Robert  Bland,  Dick  Divine, 
and  two  Frenchmen.  The  Elfreys  were  killed  by  the  Indians  with  their  own 
guns  which  had  been  secured  while  the  settlers  were  at  work  in  the  field. 

The  settlers  on  Camas  Prairie  shared  a  similar  fate.  According  to  Mr. 
.Scott,  Lew  Day  left  Mount  Idaho  to  place  the  settlers  on  the  prairie  on  guard 
and  to  give  notice  to  the  troops  at  Lapwai.  The  Indians  overtook  him  about 
two  miles  beyond  Norton's  house.  They  immediately  fired  on  him,  hitting  him 
twice  in  the  back.  Lew  turned  and  went  back  to  Norton's  place  where  he  found 
Norton  and  his  family  getting  ready  to  go  to  Mount  Idaho. 

Norton,  with  his  wife  and  boy,  Joseph  Moore,  Miss  Bowers,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Qiamberlain  and  their  child  and  Lew  Day  all  got  into  the  wagon  and  started  for 
town,  the  Indians  following  and  firing  on  them.  Four  miles  the  other  side  of 
Grangeville  the  Indians  succeeded  in  killing  the  horses  and  they  were  forced  to 
abandon  the  wagon.  Hill  Norton  and  Miss  Bowers  made  their  escape  and  came 
into  Grangeville,  bringing  the  first  information  of  the  attack.     Norton  was  killed. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  461 

Joseph  Moore  was  hit  twice,  Mrs.  Norton  was  shot  through  both  legs,  Mr. 
Chamberlain  and  their  child  were  killed,  the  child's  head  being  split  open  with  a 
hatchet,  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain  was  shot  in  the  breast  with  an  arrow.  Theodore 
Schwartz,  another  settler,  was  wounded. 

At  6  o'clock  that  evening  we  started  back  to  camp  and  arrived  there  at  9 
o'clock.  On  Monday,  June  25th,  we  left  our  camp  on  the  Cottonwood  and  con- 
tinued our  march  to  Johnson's  camp  or  ranch,  where  we  again  made  camp.  On 
the  road  we  passed  the  place  where,  before  the  outbreak,  about  one  hundred 
lodges  of  Indians  had  been  set  at  the  lakes,  on  the  rocks,  in  the  canyons  and  on 
the  prairie.  Also  we  passed  over  the  ground  of  Colonel  Perry's  retreat.  Captain 
Page  picked  up  some  twenty  cartridge  shells  within  a  distance  of  fifty  yards. 
At  Johnson's  we  were  given  a  camping  ground  to  the  right  of  the  main  column, 
about  half  a  mile  from  wood  and  water.  The  boys  were  dissatisfied  and  we 
secured  permission  to  camp  within  the  enclosure  at  Johnson's  house.  H.  E. 
Holmes,  Ike  Abbott  and  C.  S.  Robinson  were  put  on  guard. 

After  breakfast  on  Tuesday  morning,  June  26th,  we  left  camp  to  reconnoiter. 
We  were  in  advance  of  the  command  that  day.  In  our  reconnoitering  we  came 
across  the  body  of  a  dead  soldier  about  two  miles  from  camp.  We  were  com- 
pelled to  rest  at  times  to  allow  the  infantry  an  opportunity  to  dig  trenches  which 
we  might  use  in  case  of  need.  About  12  o'clock  we  reached  the  sumnfit  looking 
down  on  White  Bird  Creek.  During  the  morning's  ride  most  of  the  soldiers 
killed  in  Colonel  Perry's  fight  with  the  Indians  were  buried.  For  several  miles 
we  kept  coming  upon  their  dead  bodies. 

In  the  afternoon,  with  Chapman  as  guide,  we  rode  along  the  top  of  the 
divide  between  Salmon  River  and  White  Bird.  It  was  rough  and  tiresome 
riding.  We  saw  fresh  tracks  and  Chapman  told  us  that  we  were  liable  to  meet 
Indians  at  any  time.  Soon  we  discovered  three  Indian  scouts  across  the  river 
and  shortly  after  that  we  discovered  the  whole  band  moving  farther  up  the 
mountain.  We  fired  a  number  of  shots  toward  them  but  they  were  too  far  away 
and  we  were  only  wasting  our  cartridges. 

We  then  left  the  ridge  and  went  down  on  the  bottom  at  Manuel's  on  White 
Bird.  We  went  inside  the  gate  and  looked  at  the  remains  of  the  buildings  which 
the  Indians  had  burned.  A  few  of  the  volunteers  strayed  down  to  the  creek 
and  what  was  their  surprise  to  see,  sitting  in  a  little  shed  which  the  Indians  had 
spared,  a  white  man  whom  we  all  soon  found  to  be  Jack  Manuel,  and  whom  we 
had  previously  reported  as  among  the  killed.  He  had  been  wounded  in  the 
back  of  the  neck  by  an  arrow  and  had  also  been  shot  in  the  hips. 

Our  next  task  was  to  get  Manuel  out  and  away  to  safety.  We  soon  fixed  a 
pole  in  a  broken  buggy  that  was  standing  near  and  by  fastening  what  spare 
ropes  we  had  to  the  buggy  and  to  the  pommels  of  our  saddles  we  succeeded  in 
getting  him  away.  Finding  that  we  were  not  making  headway  fast  enough, 
our  captain  sent  to  Captain  Miller  for  two  pack  mules  which  were  soon  at  hand. 
Then,  making  the  pole  into  shafts,  we  soon  arrived  at  camp  where  we  turned 
Mr.  Manuel  over  to  his  friends,  who  were  to  care  for  his  wounds  and  take  him 
to  Mount  Idaho  the  following  day.  It  had  rained  all  that  day  and  we  had  had  a 
hard  day's  work. 

On  June  27th  we  broke  camp  and  marched  to  White  Bird,  the  soldiers  bury- 
ing the  dead  soldiers  we  found  which  they  had  not  had  time  to  bury  the  pre- 


402  ULU  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

ceding  day.  It  was  there  on  the  \\hite  JJird  side  of  the  divide  that  the  terrible 
battle  had  taken  place.  That  night  we  camped  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
Salmon  River  which  we  expected  to  cross  the  following  day.  It  seemed  likely 
that,  on  crossing  the  river,  we  would  have  a  fight  with  the  Indians  for  we  could 
see  them  for  hours  that  afternoon  riding  their  horses  about  and  swinging  them- 
selves from  side  to  side  in  all  kinds  of  capers. 

After  we  had  made  camp  we  received  instructions  to  escort  the  pack  train 
back  to  Lewiston  where  they  were  going  for  supplies.  On  reaching  Lewiston  the 
eight  days  for  which  we  had  engaged  were  up  and,  believing  that  the  army  of 
(General  Howard  was  fully  able  to  conquer  Chief  Joseph  and  his  braves,  we 
returned  to  our  homes. 

On  the  afternoon  after  our  return  came  word  of  the  ambushing  of  Lieutenant 
Rains  and  a  dozen  volunteers  and  regulars,  and  the  killing  of  Blewett  and 
Foster  near  Cottonwood.  The  troops  there  had  known  that  the  Indians  were  in 
the  vicinity  and  the  lieutenant  called  for  volunteers  to  go  and  hunt  for  Blewett 
and  Foster,  who  had  gone  out  earlier  in  the  day  and  had  failed  to  return  as  they 
had  been  ordered  to  do.  The  lieutenant  and  his  men  had  not  been  gone  long 
before  a  volley  was  heard  and,  on  other  troops  tracing  them  up,  they  found 
that  they  had  all  been  killed  from  ambush  at  the  one  volley.  Foster  had  been 
killed  earlier  in  the  day  near  the  road  at  the  entrance  to  the  prairie.  Blewett  had 
been  killed  a  little  later,  around  the  mountain,  undoubtedly  after  a  run  for  his 
bfe. 

This  Charley  Blewett  was  my  next-door  neighbor  and  "had  been  for  ten  years 
prior  to  his  death.  We  were  students  together  at  the  school  in  district  number 
one  and  also  at  Whitman  Seminary.  We  had  all  regretted  very  much  leaving 
Qiarley  but  he  wanted  to  stay  and  Colonel  Whipple  said  that  he  would  look  after 
him.  This  he  did,  taking  him  into  his  own  mess.  As  soon  as  conditions  would 
permit  we  had  his  remains  brought  home  and  he  was  given  a  military  funeral. 

The  long  chase  after  Chief  Joseph  and  his  Nez  Perce  Indians,  with  one  or 
two  fights  and  finally  his  surrender  to  General  Miles,  is  now  a  matter  of  history. 
While  General  Howard  has  been  greatly  maligned  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that 
he  was  fighting  one  of  the  bravest  tribes  of  Indians  in  the  United  States. 

-Among  the  most  attractive  features  of  Walla  Walla  is  the  park.  This  has 
usually  been  known  as  "City  Park"  for  lack  of  a  better  name.  Discussion  has 
been  rife  as  to  a  better  and  a  permanent  name.  That  question  is  still  pending 
but  the  author  ventures  to  express  the  opinion  here  that  the  most  appropriate 
name  would  be  "Pashki,"  one  of  several  forms  of  the  Indian  name  for  the  location 
of  the  park  and  also  used  for  the  creek.    The  word  means  "sunflower." 

We  are  fortunate  to  be  able  to  present  a  sketch  by  Miss  Grace  Isaacs,  a 
"Native  Daughter"  of  Walla  Walla,  and  one  of  the  foremost  among  the  creators 
of  the  park. 

THE    PARK    AT    WALLA    WALL.\ 

"When  Mr.  Olmstead  outlined  a  plan  for  Walla  Walla's  parks  ten  years  ago, 
it  was  a  source  of  satisfaction  to  discover  that  the  work  by  our  first  park  com- 
mission was  along  similar  lines. 


OLD  WALLA  WvVLLA  COUNTY  463 

"The  Olmstead  plan  included  a  boulevard  encircling  the  city  and  connecting  a 
series  of  parks  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  town,  embracing  land  now  leased  by 
the  golf  club  and  other  tracts  owned  by  the  city.  Its  fruition  has  been  regarded 
by  many  as  a  beautiful  dream,  or  an  ideal  not  realized  in  this  generation  by  some 
of  our  men  of  affairs.  Not  so,  however,  with  some  enthusiasts,  encouraged  by 
the  president  of  the  Park  Commission,  John  W.  Langdon.  When  the  plans  tor 
our  first  City  Park  were  outlined,  this  forty  acre  tract,  a  part  of  the  oldest 
farm  in  the  valley,  had  been  the  property  of  the  city  for  some  years,  it  having 
been  accjuired  by  the  purchase  of  the  water  system,  and  contained  two  of  the 
main  reservoirs  of  spring  water,  which  then  supplied  the  town.  John  F.  McLean, 
as  a  member  of  the  City  Council,  had  endeavored  to  improve  the  tract,  but  was 
handicapped  for  lack  of  funds,  and  by  lack  of  interest  among  his  colleagues  to 
the  extent  of  a  resolution  in  the  council  to  sell  a  part  of  the  land  for  building  lots. 
Mr.  McLean  opposed  this  plan  so  vigorously,  and  continued  to  urge  the  park's 
improvement  so  earnestly,  that  others  became  interested,  and  when  Mayor  Tau- 
sick  appointed  the  first  Park  Commission,  Mr.  McLean  was  a  member,  with  Mr. 
Langdon,  John  P.  Kent,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Huckett  and  Mrs.  E.  S.  Isaacs. 

"It  was  in  1901  that  Mrs.  Conde  Hamlin  of  St.  Paul  a  member  of  the  Civic 
Improvement  Committee  of  the  General  Federation  of  Woman's  Clubs,  at  the 
invitation  of  The  Women's  Reading  Club  and  the  Art  Club  of  Walla  Walla  (at 
that  time  the  only  clubs  in  Walla  Walla,  though  our  city  has  the  distinction  of 
having  organized  in  1885,  the  second  woman's  club  in  the  State  of  Washington,  it 
Ijeing  also  one  of  the  first  dozen  in  the  United  States),  gave  us  our  first  public 
lecture  upon  Civic  Improvement.  The  Commercial  Club  supplied  the  theatre 
and  W.  P.  Hooper,  vice  president  of  the  Commercial  Club,  presided  and  intro- 
duced the  speaker.  The  immediate  result  was  the  organizing  of  local  Improve- 
ment Clubs  of  men  and  women,  that  did  much  to  prepare  public  sentiment  for  a 
broader  development.  The  Women's  Clubs  which  had  already  their  civic  com- 
mittees, making  tentative  experiments  (of  trash  cans  and  such)  received  an 
impetus,  and  finally  the  Park  Commission  was  appointed  and  Mr.  Langdon  pro- 
ceeded to  draw  a  plan  for  the  improvement  of  City  Park.  A  park  superintendent 
was  secured  and  then  came  the  question  of  money.  It  would  require  $4,000  to 
lay  the  system  of  water  pipes  through  forty  acres ;  the  Council  gasped,  and  said 
"dare  we  do  it?' 

"A  mass  meeting  of  women  was  called,  and  a  petition  to  the  Council  asking 
that  this  work  be  done,  was  circulated  by  women,  and  assumed  the  remarkable 
length  of  fourteen  feet  of  names  when  presented  to  the  Council.  Needless  to  say, 
the  argument  was  irresistible,  and  the  work  was  hurried  to  completion.  There 
being  still  the  necessity  for  funds,  the  Woman's  Park  Club  thus  organized  on  the 
broad  lines  of  membership,  willingness  'to  work  for  parks'  constituting  eligibility 
to  membership,  and  year  by  year  its  plans  have  been  carried  to  completion  in 
proportion  to  the  state  of  the  exchequer.  Dreamland,  a  tract  of  ten  acres  in  the 
southwestern  part  of  town,  has  been  acquired,  and  following  Mr.  Olmstead's 
recommendations,  an  effort  is  being  made  to  secure  land  for  another  in  the 
northwestern  area,  which  is  more  than  a  mile  from  the  Dreamland,  and  two 
from  City  Park.  There  are  also  eight  acres  on  Boyer  Avenue  known  as  'Wild- 
wood'  awaiting  development,  as  well  as  the  land  lying  along  Alill  Creek,  previously 
mentioned  as  leased  by  the  Golf  Club.     Walla  Walla  possesses  abundant  land  for 


464  Ol.l)  WALLA   WALLA  LOL'XTY 

all  the  recreation  places  she  will  need  for  one  hundred  years  at  least,  if  wisely 
conserved. 

"The  Park  Club  established  and  maintains  the  playgrounds  in  two  parks,  and 
hopes  another  season  to  build  swimniins,'  pools.  For  the  establishment  of  this 
department  credit  should  be  given  the  eloquence  of  Jane  .Addams  and  of  Judge 
Lindsey  in  depicting  the  need  for  the  right  environment  of  children  in  their 
leisure  hours.  It  was  with  the  hope  that  preventive  measures  might  make  some 
of  the  unhappy  conditions  of  cities  impossible  in  this  community.  The  Park 
Club  has  for  eight  years  given  annually  a  'Community'  entertainment,  usually 
an  open  air  festival  in  the  park.  The  Pageant  of  1914,  written  and  staged  by 
Porter  Gamett  of  the  Pageant  Association  of  America,  the  artist  who  has  staged 
so  many  of  the  Bohemian  Club's  Grove  Plays,  will  linger  long  in  memory  as  'the 
most  beautiful  thing  ^^'alla  Walla  ever  did.'  It  was  a  wonderful  artistic  success, 
owing  to  the  devotion  of  the  Park  Club  to  ideals,  which  were  epitomized  by  Mr. 
Gamett  as  'those  whose  Civic  pride  and  constructive  idealism  have  enabled  them 
to  dare  and  to  achieve.' 

"The  year  1917  has  been  marked  by  a  'Kirmess,'  the  proceeds  of  which  are  to 
be  devoted  to  Red  Cross  work.  It  is  the  judgment  of  all  concerned  that  though 
the  park  needs  work,  the  soldiers  in  the  field  need  our  money  more." 

While  there  are  naturally  many  more  recollections  in  respect  to  Walla  Walla 
and  its  near  vicinity,  yet  we  have  a  number  of  others  of  great  interest  from  other 
parts  of  the  field. 

We  are  turning  therefore,  now  from  Walla  Walla  to  the  youngest  sister  of 
the  counties,  Asotin.  We  have  first  a  reminiscence  of  early  settlement  in  Asotin 
County,  by  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Wormell,  whose  family  is  among  the  most  prominent 
of  the  builders  of  the  county: 

SOME    PIONEER    EECOLLECTIOXS    OF    ASOTIN    COUNTY 

By  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Wormell 

In  the  summer  of  1880  the  writer  came  with  her  family  to  that  portion  of 
Asotin  County  known  as  Asotin  flat.  We  arrived  late  in  July  from  California 
travelling  by  the  "prairie  schooner"  route.  We  had  encountered  many  difficulties 
and  no  little  discouragement  en  route,  and  heard  many  disparaging  stories  about 
the  new  country  towards  which  we  were  travelling.  One  Californian,  disgusted 
and  homeward  bound,  solemnly  informed  us  that  we  would  see  icicles  in  Wash- 
ington a  foot  and  a  half  long.  And  as  the  darky  said :  "We  have  seen  all 
that  an'  mo'." 

One  day  we  met  a  family  taking  the  back  trail  that  had  left  our  locality  the 
year  before  with  this  slogan  printed  on  the  new,  white  cover  of  their  "prairie 
schooner" — "Washington  or  Bust."  They  passed  slowly  by,  a  weary,  dejected 
looking  outfit,  and  the  weather-beaten  old  canvas  top  bore  the  single  word — 
"Busted."  But  even  this  demonstration  of  defeat  did  not  daunt  us,  for  we  were 
already  "busted,"  had  nothing  to  lose  and  everj'thing  to  gain,  so  we  kept  right 
on  as  the  western  phrase  so  aptly  puts  it — "hitting  the  trail,"  to  the  north  that 
brought  us  at  last  to  what  is  now  Asotin  County.  It  "looked  good"  to  us  then  and 
has  kept  right  on  looking  good  to  us  ever  since. 


A    Sl'AXISH    CHESTNUT,    CLARKSTOX-MXELAXD,    1907 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  465 

The  townsite  of  Asotin  at  that  time  was  a  cattle  range/  There  was  one  cabin 
but  farther  up  the  river  in  what  was  later  called  the  "upper  town"  was  a  store 
and  postoffice  conducted  by  Alex  Sumpter.  We  proceeded  to  climb  the  hill 
driving  where  we  could,  for  there  was  practically  no  road.  Upon  reaching  the 
plateau  we  gazed  out  over  miles  and  miles  of  bunch  grass  prairie  that  stretched 
away,  seemingly,  in  unbroken  lines  to  the  foot  of  the  Blue  Mountains  nearly 
twenty  miles  away.  As  we  drove  on  we  passed  here  and  there  a  settler's  home 
with  a  few  acres  broken  and  fenced.  There  were  the  Bean,  Ayers,  and  Bolick 
ranches,  while  a  little  further  on  we  came  to  the  Boyer  place.  Nearer  the  mountains 
there  were  many  families ;  namely :  Whiten,  Scott,  James  and  Andrew  Robinson, 
Sangster,  Kanawyer,  Dodson,  Perciful,  Flinn,  Bay,  Huber,  Dundrum,  Shelman, 
Foredyce,  Sweigert,  and  many  others.  We  located  about  four  miles  from  Anatone, 
which  at  that  time  consisted  of  a  small  store  and  postoffice  conducted  by  Chas. 
Isecke.  The  only  schoolhouse  in  what  is  now  Asotin  County,  was  located  about 
one-half  mile  distant  from  the  postoffice.  Back  in  the  Blue  Mountains  a  few 
miles  was  the  saw  mill  of  Messrs.  Bean  and  Farrish. 

The  immediate  neighborhood  in  which  we  lived  held  the  honor  of  being  the 
first  on  the  "flat"  visited  by  the  "stork" ;  Elmer  Pintler,  second  son  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Edward  Pintler,  being  the  first  white  child  born  on  Asotin  flat,  and  Ellen 
Caroline  Bay,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Bay  was  the  first  girl.  Both 
little  toddlers  were  two  years  old  or  thereabouts  when  we  moved  into  the  neighbor- 
hood. .-;  '■':'  U';nM  ^<;^-; 

The  country  was  now  filling  up  rapidly,  all-  feir  of 'Indiaii  troubles  was  past, 
and  the  people  were  intent  upon  making  com]E,ortable  and  permanent  homes  for 
themselves  and  their  children.  Money  was  so  scarce  that  it  was  often  said  that 
tamarack  rails  were  "legal  tender."  Every  man  was  owner  of  a  few,  at  least, 
for  it  was  the  only  fencing  known  here  at  that  time.  Consequently  every  man,  at 
some  time  during  the  year,  went  into  the  mountains  and  demonstrated  the 
accomplishment  of  Lincoln. 

The  nearest  flour  mill  was  at  Columbia  Center,  some  thirty  or  forty  miles 
distant,  and  the  yearly  trips  to  that  point  were  long  and  tedious,  over  a  track  that 
could  scarcely  be  called  a  road.  The  country  was  full  of  cattle,  so  beef  was  cheap, 
being  two  or  three  cents  per  pound,  but  pork  was  scarce.  Vegetables  were  also 
scarce  that  year,  owing  to  a  grasshopper  raid.  In  1881,  instead  of  grasshoppers, 
there  were  crickets,  which  passed  through  the  country  in  May,  but  were  too  early 
to  do  much  damage,  and  the  gardens  were  fairly  good  that  year.  These  raiding 
pests  did  not  visit  us  again  and  all  vegetation  flourished  in  the  new  soil. 

The  Pine  Grove  .schoolhouse,  the  second  to  be  built  on  the  flat,  was  built  in 
the  fall  of  1880,  and  school  was  conducted  there  that  winter.  This  was  not  the 
first  term  taught  in  the  district  however,  as  a  Mr.  Morgan  had  taught  the  few 
children  in  the  neighborhood,  the  year  before  in  the  home  of  Mr.  Pintler.  All 
school  districts  held  at  first  only  three  months  of  school,  but  it  was  a  beginning 
out  of  which  has  grown  our  school  system  of  today  of  which  all  are  so  justly 
proud. 

The  diversions  of  the  time,  for  there  are  no  people  on  earth  more  sociably 
inclined  than  the  pioneer,  were  visiting,  dancing,  quilting  bees,  bam  and  house 
raisings,  "turkey  shoots"  on  holidays,  and  of  course  the  patriotic  celebrations  of 
July  Fourth. 


466  OLD  WAI.I.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

As  to  dress,  the  people  wore  what  they  had  and  were  glad  to  get  it.  Cow-hide 
and  calico  were  the  latest  importations.  It  was  not  what  they  wore  but  what 
they  were  that  counted,  and  that  simple  garb  clothed  some  of  the  finest  characters 
that  1  have  ever  known.  Wherever  there  was  sickness,  sorrow,  or  trouble  of 
whatever  sort,  that  home  was  filled  with  friends  with  sympathetic  hearts  and 
helpful  hands. 

Of  churches  there  were  none  and  no  resident  minister,  though  an  occasional 
visiting  or  circuit  minister  held  services  in  the  schoolhouse,  but  each  school 
district  maintained  a  flourishing  Sunday  school.  The  most  convenient  and  com- 
mon mode  of  travel  to  these  gatherings  was  on  horse-back. 

In  1883  Asotin  County  was  established.  We  were  very  proud  and  later 
when  statehood  was  granted  we  felt  that  we  were  making  progress  by  leaps 
and  bounds. 

Year  by  year  the  acreage  was  increased,  new  fences  were  run,  and  in  an 
amazingly  short  time,  the  vast  herds  of  horses  and  cattle  that  had  grazed  peace- 
fully there  or  wandered  in  long  wavering  lines,  along  the  deep  old  trails  to  the 
near-by  water  holes,  gave  place  to  the  wide  fields  of  waving  grain  and  passed  on 
to  the  wilder  regions. 

And  so  we  grew,  the  old  log  cabins  with  their  mud  and  rock  chimneys  were 
replaced  by  more  pretentious  dwellings,  better  farm  buildings  began  to  appear, 
more  machinerj^  was  purchased,  the  cayuses  and  the  gaunt  range  cattle  were 
weeded  out  to  make  room  for  better  live-stock.  Along  all  lines  we  sought  to 
improve  the  general  equipment  and  thus  add  to  the  farm's  efficiency.  Each  year 
brought  much  progress  and  some  failure.  There  were  hard  winters  and  years 
of  drought.  There  were  good  times  and  hard  times,  but  these  were  just  the 
incidents  common  to  the  life  of  every  community.  We  weathered  them  all — and 
today  are  proud  that  our  little  corner  is  a  worthy  part  of  the  "Great  North-west." 

In  passing  along  any  one  of  the  numerous  fine  highways  of  which  our  county 
boasts  today,  one  meets  occasionally  an  old  pioneer  slipping  smoothly  along  in 
his  high  powered  motor,  and  there  conies  to  mind  a  picture  of  that  same  traveller, 
thirty  or  forty  years  ago,  toiling  along  that  same  highway,  over  a  rough  rutted 
course,  that  could  only  by  the  greatest  courtesy  be  called  a  road,  with  his  jaded 
cayuse  team  and  lumber  wagon,  creeping  along  with  the  summer  sun  blazing  down 
upon  him  or  the  howling  blizzard  of  winter  buffetting,  beating  him  pitilessly,  and 
the  biting  cold  freezing  him  to  the  very  bone.  Picture  the  contrast,  dear  reader, 
and  rejoice  in  the  progress  of  forty  years. 

In  all  the  years  to  come  we  will  be  found  working  together  for  all  that  makes 
for  development  and  betterment  along  all  lines,  for  in  such  unity  alone,  can  there 
be  real  progress.  We  know  that  each  coming  year  is  better  than  the  last,  and  all 
unite  in  the  wish  that  good  old  Asotin  County  may  see  many  of  them. 

Another  of  the  most  prominent  of  the  early  families  of  Asotin  County  is  the 
Clemans  family.  A  daughter  of  that  family,  now  well  known  in  Asotin  city  as 
Mrs.  Lillian  Clemans  Merchant,  was  for  some  years  a  teacher,  and  then  the 
superintendent  of  schools.  We  are  glad  to  present  here  a  valuable  and  enter- 
taining account  of  the  early  schools  of  Asotin  County  from  Mrs.  Merchant : 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  467 

BEGINNINGS    OF    SCHOOLS    IN   ASOTIN    COUNTY 

By  Mrs.  Lillian  Clemans  Merchant 

The  writer  was  not'  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  this  portion  of  Washington, 
having  reached  the  county  in  the  autumn  of  1885,  although  the  schools  and  school 
systems  of  the  county  were  still  in  the  embryonic  stage,  we  having  enjoyed  the 
privilege  of  attending  school  in  the  first  schoolhouse  in  the  coimty,  a  little  log 
building  12  by  14  situated  about  one-half  mile  from  Anatone. 

This  seat  of  learning  had  one  window  on  either  side  and  was  furnished  as 
follows:  A  few  rude  desks  of  varying  sizes  fashioned  from  rough  lumber  but 
soon  worn  smooth  by  the  activity  of  the  children  by  whom  they  were  occupied, 
a  long  bench  made  of  a  hewed  log  with  eight  up-right  pieces  driven  into  it  for 
legs,  being  used  as  a  recitation  bench,  a  small  crude  table  constructed  from 
native  wood  served  for  the  teacher,  a  few  planed  boards  painted  black  in  the 
rear  of  the  room  sufficed  for  a  board,  a  piece  of  sheep-skin  tacked  on  a  block 
of  wood  served  as  an  eraser,  while  a  small  box  heater  occupied  the  center  of 
the  room. 

Many  of  the  children  rode  cayuse  ponies  to  school,  staking  or  hobbling  them 
in  the  open,  that  they  might  feast  on  the  tall  bunch  grass  that  was  so  abundant. 
School  was  held  only  during  the  spring  and  summer  months.  On  rainy  days  the 
riding  equipment  was  of  necessity  brought  into  the  schoolhouse.  The  odor 
emanating  from  them  and  the  huddled  groups  of  wet  children  and  the  lunch 
pails  made  a  peculiar  combination  of  odors,  but  in  those  days  we  knew  nothing 
of  germs.  Children  were  taught  to  value  the  privilege  of  attending  school  as 
almost  sacred.  A  year's  work  was  frequently  done  in  a  term  of  three  or  four 
months,  much  stress  being  placed  upon  the  three  R's. 

These  pioneer  children  represented  many  nationalities.  One  family  in  the 
locality  were  direct  descendants  of  the  Wadsworth  family  of  New  England  to 
which  the  poet  Longfellow  belongs.  There  were  many  of  Indian  blood.  One 
of  these  young  Indian  women  of  distinguished  lineage  (half  breed)  grew  to 
womanhood  with  us.  Later  losing  her  father,  her  mother  having  died  in  the 
girl's  infancy,  upon  opening  of  tlie  reservation  of  the  Nez  Perces,  secured  her 
allotment  and  was  persuaded  by  the  teachers  of  the  Indians  to  attend  Carlisle, 
which  she  did.  But  in  recent  years  we  happened  to  be  at  the  inter-state  fair,  and 
walking  into  the  main  pavilion  where  an  Indian  baby  show  was  being  held,  there 
we  saw  our  schoolmate,  a  proud  and  happy  mother  wrapped  in  the  regulation 
blanket  with  the  "blue  ribbon"  pinned  on  her  dusky  babe  which  she  held  in  her 
arms.  Recognition  was  mutual,  but  owing  to  the  natural  reserve  of  her  race  we 
secured  no  explanation  of  conditions. 

Fortunately  in  those  early  days  requirements  for  securing  a  teacher's  certifi- 
cate were  not  rigid,  so  teachers  were  plentiful  but  none  qualified  to  teach  beyond 
the  grammar  school  work,  necessitating  a  removal  for  high  school  work  which 
could  be  ill  afforded  at  that  time.  At  Lewiston,  Idaho,  about  twenty  miles  dis- 
tant the  Methodist  Church  established  a  so-called  college  which  flourished  for 
a  time.  Many  of  the  young  men  and  women  of  Asotin  County  availed  them- 
selves of  the  educational  advantages  oflfered  by  it. 

As  soon  as  the  normal  school  at  Cheney  opened  its  doors  Asotin  County  was 
represented,  but  in  order  to  go  there  the  student  was  compelled  to  leave  Anatone 


468  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

at  7  A.  M.,  reaching  Asotin  four  hours  later  and  from  there  another  stage  was 
taken  which  connected  with  the  Uniontown  stage  in  Lewiston,  Idaho.  About  2 
P.  ^L  the  Uniontown  stage,  now  designated  as  a  wild-west  stage  coach,  being 
drawn  by  six  to  eight  horses,  carrying  often  fourteen  to  sixteen  passengers,  took 
the  timid  student  in  charge  and  transported  him  as  far  as  Uniontown.  It  being 
dark  and  the  train  not  leaving  until  morning  a  stop  was  made  over  night.  The  • 
train  was  boarded  the  next  morning  for  Spokane,  a  stop  of  a  few  hours  in  that 
thriving  little  village,  and  then  off  to  Cheney  which  was  reached  later  in  the 
afternoon,  thus  making  two  days  for  the  trip.  But  the  influence  of  the  splendid 
men  and  women  in  charge  of  the  normal  and  the  excellent  opportunities  offered 
the  student  over  his  environment  in  his  home  county  was  a  splendid  recompense 
for  the  sacrifice  he  had  to  make  in  leaving  Asotin  County  home  folks  and  friends. 
But  the  return  of  the  student  and  his  entry  into  the  teaching  profession  where 
he  was  given  a  royal  welcome  by  all  neighbors  and  old  friends  made  him  feel 
once  more  that  the  effort  was  more  than  worth  while. 

The  association  of  the  teachers  with  the  parents  in  these  communities  was 
close  indeed.  It  was  the  good  fortune  of  the  teacher  to  be  entertained  over  night 
in  every  home,  although  humble,  thus  acquiring  first-hand  knowledge  of  the 
environment  of  every  child  under  his  or  her  supervision.  It  was  also  the 
teacher  who  set  the  example  for  the  young  people  in  the  community  thus  almost 
invariably  improving  the  moral  status.  The  teacher  was  often  the  Sunday 
school  superintendent  or  called  upon  to  direct  the  community  choir  or  was  instru- 
mental in  organizing  debating  societies  or  spelling  schools,  thus  again  coming  in 
close  contact  with  the  entire  neighborhood.  Out  of  this  association  many 
friendships  were  formed  that  counted  for  much  in  the  later  development  of  the 
county.  The  remuneration  received  by  these  teachers  rarely  exceeded  forty  dol- 
lars per  month,  many  receiving  less,  but  these  faithful  teachers  who  still  remain 
in  the  county  in  various  walks  of  life  have  the  satisfaction  of  thinking  that  their 
work  was  appreciated  when  they  observe  the  places  these  pioneer  children  occupy 
in  the  county. 

The  county  school  superintendent  was  also  an  efficient  factor  in  those  early 
days.  He  might  be  justly  compared  to  a  missionary.  Every  school  board  and 
likewise  patrons  of  the  district  looked  to  him  for  close  supervision  of  the  work, 
as  also  did  every  teacher  expect  in  him  a  high  tribunal  for  the  settlement  of 
difficulties  that  occasionally  arose  through  some  misunderstanding. 

Since  the  organization  of  the  county  the  office  of  county  superintendent  has 
been  held  by  both  men  and  women,  as  to  service  about  equally  divided.  Speak- 
ing from  a  woman's  standpoint,  school  visitation  in  early  days  in  the  county  was 
not  an  easy  matter.  The  roads  were  extremely  poor,  schoolhouses  far  apart, 
many  of  which  were  not  accessible  by  vehicle.  One  was  compelled  to  drive  until 
the  road  ceased  to  be  fit  for  travel  or  terminated  abruptly,  at  which  time  the 
team  was  converted  into  saddle  horses  when  the  journey  was  continued.  Arduous 
indeed!  was  the  trip  but  one  was  fully  repaid  when  some  home-sick  teacher 
brightened  under  the  encouragement  given  and  the  children  put  forth  an  extra 
effort  to  make  their  school  the  best  in  the  county  in  attendance  or  improvement 
along  some  line  designated  by  the  superintendent,  the  result  to  be  passed  upon 
by  that  officer  upon  the  next  official  visit.  Some  of  the  children  in  these  isolated 
districts   were   twelve  and   fourteen  years   old   and   never  had  the  privilege   of 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  469 

being  inside  of  any  public  building  except  their  own  little  schoolhouse,  had  never 
had  the  pleasure  of  spending  a  dime.  These  hardy  pioneers  always  shared  their 
best  with  the  superintendent.  We  recall  one  of  the  young  women  superintendents 
having  gone  out  for  a  survey  of  the  rural  schools  being  entertained  in  a  home 
over  night  where  the  only  bed  in  the  home  was  a  bunk  nailed  up  to  the  side  of  the 
wall  and  filled  with  straw.  This  the  hostess  and  her  three  months'  old  baby 
shared  with  the  visitor,  while  the  husband  went  to  the  barn  loft  to  sleep.  This 
young  woman  so  hospitably  entertained  was  made  to  feel  in  this  humble  home 
that  those  people  struggling  against  poverty  knew  she  was  interested  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  various  districts  and  always  had  the  loyal  support  of  every 
one  in  those  communities.  All  worked  for  the  common  aim — the  betterment  of 
local  conditions. 

In  early  days  it  was  not  out  of  the  ordinary  for  Indians  to  appear  at  the 
farm  houses  demanding  a  meal.  One  incident  has  been  brought  to  our  knowl- 
edge where  two  blanket  Indians  went  into  a  house  asking  for  a  meal  in  almost 
unintelligible  English,  but  during  the  progress  of  the  meal  one  of  the  girls  of 
the  family  was  murmuring  a  few  German  phrases  which  she  had  learned  from  a 
neighbor,  whereupon  the  younger  of  the  two  Indians  asked  in  splendid  English 
why  she  had  not  learned  the  languages  when  young.  It  developed  that  he  was 
able  to  converse  in  five  languages,  being  a  college  graduate,  while  at  this  time 
Asotin  County's  children  had  no  advantages  above  the  grammar  grades.  But 
let  it  be  said  to  the  credit  of  these  pioneer  children  who  are  the  fathers  and 
mothers  of  the  present  younger  generation  that  they  made  good  and  are  seeing 
that  their  children  are  getting  the  best  the  great  state  oiifers  educationally. 

Thirty  years  have  brought  vast  changes  educationally — classical,  industrial 
and  literary  courses  having  been  added  to  our  systems,  the  schools  having  been 
inspected  and  placed  upon  the  accredited  lists  of  the  state.  Children  are  pro- 
vided free  transportation  to  and  from  schools ;  hot  lunches  are  provided ;  build- 
ings equipped  with  splendid  heating  systems  and  sanitary  conditions  are  gen- 
erally observed.  Teachers  are  paid  excellent  wages  and  are  well  prepared  for 
their  work.  The  county  superintendent  is  provided  with  an  automobile  for 
visitation  of  schools  which  are  practically  all  reached  by  an  excellent  system  of 
highways. 

As  an  outcome  of  this  superior  development  many  of  our  young  men  are 
holding  positions  of  trust  in  the  present  crisis,  in  the  service  of  Uncle  Sam  both  at 
home  and  abroad. 

Would  we  return  to  the  old  conditions  and  times  were  we  given  our  choice? 
We  love  to  dwell  upon  the  early  times,  the  struggles,  the  happy  hours,  to  think 
of  those  who  were  friends  during  those  trying  years,  but  we  wish  our  county 
to  keep  pace  with  the  progress  of  the  whole  Northwest.  So  we,  in  the  future, 
as  we  have  done  in  the  past,  as  loyal  united  citizens,  will  boost  for  the  educa- 
tional, spiritual  and  civic  growth  of  Asotin  County. 

We  have  given  the  personal  reminiscences  of  pioneers  of  WalLi  Walla  and 
Asotin  counties.  We  are  now  giving  something  of  the  recollections  of  the  first 
woman  in  what  is  now  Columbia  County,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  1859,  Mrs.  Mar- 
garet Gilbreath : 


470  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  LUUNTY 

S.  L.  Gilbreath  and  I  were  married  at  Albany,  Ore.,  in  March,  1859,  and 
started  at  once  for  Washington  Territory  with  a  band  of  cattle,  one  wagon  and 
team,  and  three  herders. 

At  the  Cascade  Mountains  two  other  men,  John  Wells  and  Tom  Davis,  with 
a  wagon  and  cattle,  joined  us.  We  soon  found  it  impossible  to  hurry  on  with 
the  wagons,  so  they  were  left  behind  until  the  road  was  opened,  the  rest  coming 
on  with  the  stock.  Pack  horses  carried  the  camp  equipment.  It  was  hard  work 
opening  up  the  trail  on  account  of  fallen  trees  and  deep  snow.  We  camped  on 
Butter  Creek  and  sent  two  men  on  to  find  suitable  grazing  land  for  our  cattle. 
They  returned  in  a  few  days  reporting  that  good  land  with  plenty  of  bunch 
grass  could  be  homesteaded  on  the  Touchet  River.  Having  succeeded  in  bring- 
ing up  our  wagons  under  much  difficulty,  we  continued  on  our  way  to  Walla 
Walla. 

Captain  Dent,  commander  of  Fort  Walla  Walla,  stopped  us  and  insisted  that 
we  settle  near  Walla  Walla.  We  could  not  do  this  as  the  horses  of  the  garrison 
had  eaten  all  the  grass  from  the  range  and  we  were  looking  for  good  pasture. 

We  inquired  of  the  captain  if  we  would  be  safe  from  the  Indians  if  we  went 
to  the  Touchet  Valley.  He  assured  us  that  the  Indians  were  peaceable,  which 
Mr.  Gilbreath  believed  as  he  had  served  as  volunteer  through  the  Indian  wars 
of  1855  and  1856,  and  knew  of  the  Nez  Perces  fighting  and  scouting  for  the 
whites  through  the  war.  We  found  them  always  friendly,  unless  they  had  been 
drinking. 

Leaving  Walla  Walla  we  proceeded  on  our  way  to  The  Crossing,  which  is 
now  Dayton,  reaching  there  August  27,  1859. 

Mr.  Stubbs,  whose  real  name  was  Theodore  Schnebley,  lived  here  in  a  log 
house  with  his  squaw  wife.  He  sold  whiskey  to  the  Indians,  thereby  causing 
the  whites  much  trouble.  In  coming  into  the  Valley  of  the  Touchet  we  left  the 
Indian  trail  and  came  down  a  ravine,  in  some  places  having  to  shovel  out  places 
in  the  ravine  to  keep  the  wagons  from  turning  over.  These  wagons  were  the 
first  brought  into  the  Touchet  Valley. 

The  next  day,  after  our  arrival  at  The  Crossing,  we  started  to  build  a  corral 
for  the  cattle,  but  discovered  a  den  of  rattlesnakes.  After  killing  ten  we  decided 
to  move  down  the  valley  to  a  fine  location  near  a  big  spring  of  pure  water.  This 
land  we  homesteaded. 

The  Indian  chiefs  were  frequent  visitors  at  our  cabin,  calling  soon  after 
we  came.  Timothy  and  Lawyer  and  their  friends  sometimes  sent  messengers 
on  ahead  to  tell  us  they  were  coming  to  dine  with  us.  We  would  hasten  to  get 
ready  a  good  meal  for  we  thought  it  best  to  keep  them  friendly. 

Many  times  we  expected  trouble  from  them.  Once  they  rode  up  the  trail 
shouting  and  firing  of?  their  guns.  That  night  they  burned  the  house  of  Mr. 
Stubbs.  Sometimes  they  would  imitate  wolves  howling  and  slip  up  near  the 
house  to  see  if  there  was  a  man  there  to  know  whether  to  scare  the  white  woman 
or  not. 

Once  they  came  and  demanded  food  and  money  and  continued  to  frighten  me 
until  I  grabbed  a  rifle  and  started  toward  them.  Then  they  threw  up  their 
hands  and  laughed  and  said  I  was  afraid. 

Several  times  they  would  run  a  beef  into  the  woods  and  kill  it,  carrying  home 
the  meat.  One  night  when  the  Indians  had  been  drinking  and  were  giving  us 
a  great  scare,  two  men  hunting  cattle  and  Reverend  Berry,  who  preached  at  our 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  471 

cabin  once  a  month,  happened  to  be  there.  We  were  certainly  glad  to  have 
company. 

One  day  Mr.  Gilbreath  was  plowing  rye  grass  with  oxen  when  Reverend 
Berry  came  riding  up.  He  stopped  his  work  and  waited  for  Mr.  Berry  to  come 
up  to  him,  then  said,  looking  at  his  clothes  and  general  appearance,  "A  Methodist 
preacher,  I  suppose."  "Yes,  I  am,"  was  the  reply.  "Well,  go  on  to  the  house. 
My  wife  is  a  Methodist  and  will  be  glad  to  see  you."  Reverend  Berry 
preached  in  our  cabin  all  that  fall  and  winter  of  1859  and  i860.  His  congregation 
consisted  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Herren,  Mr.  Stubbs  and  his  dusky  wife,  Mr.  Gilbreath 
and  I,  and  men  who  happened  to  be  in  the  neighborhood.  Mr.  Berry  afterward 
made  his  home  in  Walla  Walla  for  some  years. 

Whiskey  Creek  was  so  named  because  a  band  of  outlaws  made  this  region 
their  rendezvous,  selling  whiskey  and  stealing  cattle.  Their  names  were  Bill 
Bunting,  John  Cooper,  Bill  Skinner,  George  Ives  and  several  others  who  were 
later  hanged  in  Montana  for  crimes.  The  authorities  there  evidently  knew  their 
business,  for  these  were  the  men  who  caused  the  Vigilantes  to  organize  against 
them.  Many  prominent  men  took  part  in  ridding  the  new  country  of  these 
undesirables,  among  them  Anderson  Cox  and  J.  W.  McGhee.  It  was  said  that 
in  dealing  with  the  thieves  Mr.  McGhee  said  to  George  Ives  who  was  up  for 
trial :  "George,  we  want  you  to  leave,  and  we  want  it  to  be  a  long  time  before 
you  come  back."  Mr.  McGhee's  deliberate  way  of  speaking  evidently  carried 
weight,  for  George  left. 

The  first  crop  of  wheat  in  the  Touchet  Valley  was  raised  on  the  land  of  Israel 
Davis  on  Whiskey  Creek.  He  was  leaving  for  the  Willamette  to  buy  sheep  and 
Mr.  Gilbreath  harvested  the  wheat  by  cradling,  and  threshed  it  out  by  horses 
tramping  on  it.  One  night  a  wind  came  up  and  Mr.  Gilbreath  and  hired  man 
got  up  out  of  bed  and  began  the  work  of  cleaning  the  wheat  by  pouring  pails 
full  of  it  from  a  scaffold  to  the  ground.  In  this  manner  over  a  thousand  bushels 
were  cleaned.  This  was  intended  for  seed  for  the  coming  year,  but  the  hard 
winter  of  1861  and  1862  followed  when  food  for  man  and  beast  became  so 
scarce  that  most  of  it  was  sold  to  the  needy  for  food,  and  to  keep  the  teams  from 
starving.  Some  of  the  settlers  ground  the  wheat  in  coffee  mills  and  used  it  as 
porridge.  We  sold  our  wheat  for  $2  a  bushel.  We  could  have  sold  at  any  price 
but  Mr.  Gilbreath  would  not  take  advantage  of  their  great  need. 

This  was  the  most  terrible  winter  ever  experienced  in  the  valley.  The  snow 
drifted  so  deep  that  many  of  the  cattle  were  frozen  standing  up.  Out  of  300 
of  ours  two  cows  and  a  calf,  which  we  fed,  were  left.  The  timber  wolves  killed 
a  good  many  cattle  that  winter.  One  day  a  wolf  attacked  a  calf  and  the  mother 
heard  the  cry  of  distress  coming  from  some  distance.  When  she  reached  it,  the 
wolf  was  starting  to  devour  the  body.  The  cow  fought  it  from  the  calf  for  a 
day  or  two,  making  the  most  piteous  cries.  Other  cattle  smelled  the  blood  and 
came  bawling  for  miles  around.  The  sound  of  hundreds  of  frenzied  cattle  bawl- 
ing will  not  soon  be  forgotten. 

We  were  fortunate  in  having  plenty  of  supplies  that  winter,  as  we  had  pre- 
pared to  send  a  small  pack  train  to  the  mines  at  Elk  City.  The  deep  snow  made 
it  impossible  to  get  supplies,  so  the  neighbors  called  on  us,  and  our  stores  were 
opened  to  feed  them.  ,  Our  stock  of  food  was  divided  among  thirteen  families. 
The  snow  was  so  deep  that  only  a  narrow  trail  could  be  kept  open  to  Walla  Walla 


472  OLD  W  Al.l.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

by  miners  coming  to  and  from  the  Idaho  mines.  The  snow  lay  on  the  ground 
until  March,  and  in  shady  places  until  June.  We  had  to  go  to  Walla  Walla  in 
the  spring  and  buy  barley  for  seed. 

Miller  and  Mossman  who  ran  a  pony  express  to  the  mines,  stopped  at  our 
cabin  for  meals,  and  for  exchange  of  horses.  Their  saddle-bags  were  often 
loaded  with  gold  dust.  Joaquin  Miller,  who  is  now  known  as  one  of  our  best 
western  poets,  was  then  a  rough  frontiersman,  dressed  in  buckskin. 

Having  moved  to  a  new  log  house,  school  was  held  in  our  cabin  in  the  spring 
of  1862.  Five  or  six  children  attended.  Mr.  Ilarlin.  an  Englishman,  was  the 
teacher,  and  he  stayed  with  us. 

Another  school  was  taught  in  1863  in  the  Forrest  brothers'  cabin.  These 
men  were  brothers-in-law  of  Jesse  N.  Day,  who  later  founded  Dayton.  Frank 
Harmon  was  the  teacher  and  A.  W.  Sweeney  of  Walla  Walla  was  the  first  county 
superintendent. 

Reverend  Sweeney  organized  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  at  Waits- 
burg.  Among  others,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Long  and  daughter  and  Mr.  Gilbreath  and 
I  were  charter  members. 

Our  first  child  who  died  in  infancy  was  the  first  white  child  born  in  the  terri- 
tory now  included  in  Columbia,  Garfield  and  Asotin  counties.  The  oldest  living 
person  born  in  this  territory  is  Mrs.  John  Steen,  daughter  of  George  Miller. 

I  was  the  only  white  woman  in  this  territory  for  two  months,  until  Lambert 
Herren  and  family  came  and  settled  near.  Mrs.  Robt.  Rowley,  who  was  two 
months  old  at  that  time,  is  the  only  living  one  of  the  Herren  family  of  eight 
children. 

Mrs.  Herren  was  a  typical  pioneer  woman,  fearless  and  kindhearted,  nursing 
me  and  others  in  times  of  sickness,  in  the  absence  of  a  physician.  When  the 
Indians  threatened  me,  I  sent  for  her  and  she  came  with  shotgun  and  indignation, 
and  rescued  me. 

Great  changes  have  taken  place  since  those  early  days,  and  many  incidents 
of  vital  interest  to  us  then  have  been  forgotten,  but  the  kindness  and  simple  liv- 
ing of  the  early  settlers  are  not  easily  forgotten. 

We  have  had  occasion  in  this  volume  to  make  frequent  reference  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  J.  M.  Pomeroy,  founders  of  the  town  named  from  them. 

One  of  their  daughters,  now  Mrs.  Peter  McClung,  living  still  in  her  home  town, 
was  the  "first  child"  in  Pomeroy  now  living  there.  She  has  kindly  given  us  a  short 
sketch  of  what  might  well  be  called  the  atmosphere  and  the  feeling  of  her  child- 
hood home. 

We  are  pleased  to  include  it  here  as  the  closing  contribution  of  this  chapter  of 
memories. 

RECOLLECTIONS  OF  POMEROY 

By  Mrs.  Peter  McClung 

To  write  a  story  of  my  experience  as  a  child  on  the  land  now  occupied  by 
the  town  of  Pomeroy  will  not  require  extended  space.  Days  were  much  the 
same  with  the  three  children  of  the  Pomeroy  family  isolated  from  neighbors  by 
distance  measured  in  many  miles.     Being  the  youngest  of  the  three  children  my 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  473 

amusements  were  in  large  measure  directed  by  my  brother,  who  was  my  senior 
by  four  years,  and  my  sister,  the  oldest  of  the  trio. 

My  earliest  recollections  recall  the  counting  of  the  election  ballots  at  our  home 
which  was  the  precinct  voting  place  for  the  half  dozen  votes  then  polled  here.  It 
was  my  great  privilege  and  delight  to  sit  beside  my  father,  for  many  years  one 
of  the  members  of  the  election  board,  and  listen  to  the  hundrum  tones  of  the 
men's  voices  as  they  uttered  the  words  that  made  for  the  success  of  some  doughty 
pioneer  with  political  ambitions,  or  the  defeat  of  one  who  had  fallen  a  victim  to 
the  solicitations  of  over-zealous  friends. 

For  several  years  my  father  cast  the  only  republican  ballot  in  the  precinct. 
I  soon  reached  an  age  that  enabled  me  to  comprehend  that  fact  and  know  its 
significance.  Our  voting  precinct  contained  many  thousand  scjuare  miles — i 
bounded  on  the  south  by  the  Blue  Mountains,  on  the  north  by  the  Snake  River, 
on  the  east  by  Idaho  and  on  the  west  by  the  Touchet  River.  I  sometimes  wonder 
if  the  deep  interest  I  now  feel  in  all  elections  and  campaigns  is  not  in  part  due 
to  my  early  experiences  wherein  the  heat  of  the  neighborhood  contests  centered 
about  me. 

My  play  time  was  long  and  often  lonesome,  the  same,  I  suppose,  as  that  of 
other  pioneer  children  reared  in  the  interior  of  this  semi-arid  region.  Great 
was  my  pleasure  when  I  was  allowed  to  ride  my  pony  over  the  hills  after  cattle, 
or  to  follow  my  brother  on  a  hunt  for  prairie  chickens  or  ducks.  When  my 
father's  two  greyhounds,  "Peggy"  and  "John,"  made  one  of  their  frequent 
raids  on  the  then  ever-present  coyotes,  with  the  rest  of  the  family  my  cup  of 
happiness  was  near  the  point  of  bubbling  over.  Old  "Rero's"  peculiar  bark 
warned  us  of  the  near  approach  of  predaceous  animal  or  bird. 

The  Pataha  Creek  then  teemed  with  fish  and  angling  occupied  much  of  my 
time.  The  great  birds'  nests  in  the  trees  that  fringed  the  streams,  the  cubby- 
holes of  the  animals  along  its  banks,  the  caverns  in  the  granite-ribbed  Pataha 
hills,  in  the  fancy  of  a  child,  contained  wonders  impenetrable,  yet  much  there 
was  revealed.     With  the  beginning  of  the  town  began  a  new  life  for  me. 

We  insert  at  this  point  a  notable  speech  upon  a  notable  occasion  by  one  of 
the  most  distinguished  citizens  of  Walla  Walla,  who  is  also  one  of  our  Advisory 
Board,  and  whose  support  and  suggestions  in  the  preparation  of  this  work  have 
been  of  utmost  value. 

This  is  Governor  Miles  C.  Moore,  last  Territorial  Governor.  Upon  his 
retirement  on  November  ii,  1889,  he  delivered  the  following  address,  one 
eminently  worthy  of  preservation  in  the  literature  of  the  State  of  Washington. 

ADDRESS  OF  EX-GOVERNOR  MOORE 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen :  A  custom  has  grown  up  here  at  the  capital  city  and 
crystallized  into  unwritten  law,  which  requires  the  retiring  governor  to  deliver 
his  own  valedictory,  and  also  to  salute  the  incoming  administration.  In  accordance 
with  that  custom  I  am  here  as  the  last  of  the  race  of  territorial  governors  to  say 
"Hail  and  farewell."  Hail  to  the  lusty  young  State  of  Washington,  rising  like 
a  giant  in  its  strength ;  farewell  to  old  territorial  days.  It  is  an  occasion  for 
reminiscence,  for  retrospection.    To  those  of  us  who  have  watched  at  the  cradle 


474  OLD  WAI.I.X   WALLA  COUNTY 

of  Washington's  political  childhood,  this  transition  to  statehood  has  its  pathetic 
side.  It  stirs  within  us  memories  of  the  "brave  days  of  old."  The  past  rises 
before  us. 

We  see  again  the  long  line  of  white  canvas-covered  wagons  leaving  the  fringe 
of  settlements  of  the  then  western  frontier,  through  tear-dimmed  eyes  we  see 
them  disappear  down  behind  the  western  horizon,  entered  upon  that  vast  terra 
incognita,  the  great  American  desert  of  our  school  days.  At  last  we  see  them 
emerge,  after  months  of  weary  travel  upon  the  plans  of  eastern  Washington,  or, 
later,  hewing  out  paths  in  the  wilderness,  striving  to  reach  that  "Eden  they  call 
Puget  Sound."  Hither  year  after  year  came  the  pioneers  and  builded  their 
homes  and  planted  the  symbols  of  their  faith  upon  the  banks  of  your  rivers,  in 
the  sun-kissed  valleys  of  your  inland  empire,  under  the  shadows  of  your  grand 
motmtains,  and  upon  the  shores  of  this  vast  inland  sea. 

Very  gradually  we  grew.  The  donation  act  passed  by  Congress  in  1850,  giving 
to  each  man  and  his  wife  who  would  settle  thereon  a  square  mile  of  land  in  this 
fertile  region,  attracted  the  first  considerable  immigration.  It  also  probably 
saved  to  the  United  States  this  northwest  territory.  The  entire  population,  which 
at  the  date  of  organization  as  a  separate  territory,  in  1853,  was  5,500,  had  grown  to 
only  24,000  in  1870,  and  to  67,000  in  1880. 

Still  with  an  abiding  faith  in  the  ultimate  greatness  of  Washington,  and  the 
attractions  of  her  climate,  when  her  wealth  of  resources  should  become  known, 
the  old  settler  watched  through  the  long  years  the  gradual  unfolding  of  these 
resources,  the  slow  increase  in  population.  At  last  the  railroad  came,  linking  us 
with  the  populous  centers  of  civilization.  They  poured  upon  us  a  restless  stream 
of  immigration.  A  change  came  over  the  sleepy  old  territory.  These  active, 
pushing  emigrants,  the  best  blood  of  the  older  states,  are  leveling  the  forests,  they 
are  delving  in  the  mines,  they  are  tunneling  the  mountains,  they  are  toiling  in  the 
grain  fields,  they  are  building  cities,  towns  and  villages,  filling  the  heavens  with 
the  shining  towers  of  religion  and  civilization. 

The  old  settler  finds  himself  in  the  midst  of  a  strange  new  age  and  almost 
uncomprehended  scenes.  The  old  order  of  things  has  passed  away  but  your  sturdy 
self-reliant  pioneer  looks  not  mournfully  into  the  past.  He  is  with  you  in  the 
living  present,  with  you  here  today,  rejoicing  in  the  marvelous  prosperity  visible 
everywhere  around  him,  rejoicing  to  see  the  empire  which  he  wrested  from  savage 
foes  become  the  home  of  a  happy  people,  rejoiced  to  see  that  empire,  emerged  from 
the  condition  of  territorial  vassalage,  put  on  the  robes  of  sovereignty. 

We  are  assembled  here  to  celebrate  this  event,  the  most  important  in  the 
history  of  Washington,  and  to  put  in  motion  the  wheels  of  the  state  government. 
Through  many  slow  revolving  years  the  people  of  Washington  have  waited  for 
their  exalted  privileges.  So  quietly  have  they  come  at  last,  so  quietly  have  we 
passed  from  political  infancy  to  the  manly  strength  and  independence  of  state- 
hood, that  we  scarce  can  realize  that  we  have  attained  the  fruition  of  our  hopes. 

Let  us  not  forget  in  this  hour  of  rejoicing  the  responsibility  that  comes  with 
autonomy.  Let  us  not  forget  that  under  statehood  life  will  still  have  woes,  that 
there  will  still  be  want  and  misery  in  this  fair  land  of  ours.  To  reduce  these  to 
the  minimum  is  the  problem  of  statesmanship.  The  responsibility  rests  largely 
with  our  law-makers  now  assembled  here.  A  good  foundation  has  been  laid  in 
the  adoption  of  an  admirable  constitution  pronounced  by  an  eminent  authority 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  475 

"as  good  as  any  state  now  has  and  probably  as  good  as  any  will  ever  get."  Upon 
this  you  are  to  build  the  superstructure  of  the  commonwealth  by  enacting  laws 
for  the  millions  who  are  to  dwell  therein. 

You  have  the  storehouse  of  the  centuries  from  which  to  draw,  the  crystallized 
experience  of  lawmakers  from  the  days  of  Justinian  down  to  present  times.  To 
fail  to  give  us  good  laws  will  be  to  "sin  against  light."  "LTnto  whomsoever  much 
is  given  of  him  shall  be  much  required."  The  eyes  of  all  the  people  are  upon  you. 
It  is  hoped  and  confidently  expected  you  will  bring  to  the  discharge  of  your  duties 
wisdom,  industry  and  lofty  patriotism ;  that  when  your  work  is  done  it  will  be 
found  to  have  been  well  done ;  that  capital  and  labor  will  here  have  equal  recogni- 
tion and  absolute  protection;  that  here  will  arise  an  ideal  commonwealth,  the  home 
of  a  race  to  match  our  mountains,  worthy  to  wear  the  name  of  Washington. 

Now  that  I  am  about  to  surrender  my  trust  and  return  to  private  life,  I  desire 
to  testify  to  my  grateful  appreciation  of  the  uniform  kindness,  forbearance  and 
courtesy  accorded  me  by  the  people  of  Olympia,  and  by  all  the  citizens  of  Wash- 
ington, it  has  been  my  good  fortune  to  meet  during  my  brief  term  of  office.  I 
shall  always  cherish  among  the  pleasant  experiences  of  my  life  the  seven 
months   passed   here   as  Washington's  last  territorial  governor. 

To  your  governor-elect  you  need  no  introduction;  if  not  a  pioneer,  he  is  at 
least  an  old  settler.  It  is  a  graceful  tribute  to  this  class  that  one  of  their 
number  was  selected  to  be  the  first  governor  of  the  state.  It  affords  me  pleasure 
to  testify  to  his  thorough  and  absolute  devotion  to  its  interests.  His  every  thought 
is  instinct  with  love  for  the  fair  young  state.  I  bespeak  for  him  your  generous 
co-operation  and  assistance. 

With  Governor  Moore's  address  as  last  Territorial  governor,  this  volume  may 
fittingly  close.  The  development  of  the  Territory  there  so  vividly  summarized 
by  him,  has  continued  and  has  indeed  exceeded  all  forecasts  during  the  twenty- 
eight  years  of  statehood,  from  1889  to  1917. 


BIOGRAPHICAL 


>^t" 


Nt; 


<^H 


i^'^K 


^^     ^^      ^^.^3^^^ 


Old  Walla  Walla  County 

BIOGRAPHICAL 


WILLIAM  PARKHURST  WINANS. 

No  history  of  Walla  Walla  would  be  complete  without  extended  reference  to 
William  Parkhurst  Winans,  who  was  an  octogenarian  at  the  time  of  his  demise. 
He  had  long  been  identified  with  the  northwest  and  his  life  was  one  of  great  use- 
fulness and  activity.  He  was  of  Holland  ancestry,  descended  from  an  ancient 
family  belonging  to  the  Holland  nobility.  The  ancestral  line  is  traced  back  to 
Jean  Winants,  who  was  a  lawyer  at  Antwerp,  living  in  1580.  The  line  comes 
down  through  Goswin  Wynants,  who  was  bom  March  22, 1630,  and  was  pensionary 
adviser  for  the  province  of  Limbourg  in  1666  and  was  afterward  a  member  of 
the  high  council  of  Brabant  by  letter  patent  April  16,  1668.  Goswin  Arnould, 
Comte  de  Wynants,  was  bom  July  20,  1661,  was  a  member  of  the  council  of 
Brabant  by  letters  patent  August  20,  1692,  and  in  1716  became  a  member  of 
the  council  of  the  privy  council. 

The  following  year  he  was  called  to  Vienna  as  president  of  the 
supreme  council  of  the  affairs  of  the  Lowlands.  He  was  created  a  viscomte 
by  letters  patent  December  24,  1721,  then  comte  by  letters  patent  Sep- 
tember 23,  1727.  He  passed  away  in  Vienna,  March  8,  1732.  He  had  married 
Catherine  Christine  Van-den-Broeck,  who  was  born  September  23,  1667,  and  died 
December  19,  1746.  Ten  children  were  born  to  them.  The  coat  of  arms  is  de- 
scribed as  follows : 

"On  a  field  argent,  three  bunches  of  grapes ;  a  chevron  azure,  surmounted 
by  a  cheif  gules.  A  helmet  with  a  mantle  azure  and  gules,  and  the  crest,  a 
Moor  holding  a  bunch  of  grapes."  The  motto — "Fors  Non  Mutat  Genus,"  the 
liberal  translation  of  which  is  "Fortune  cannot  change  the  race." 

When  the  Dutch  colonized  the  new  world  in  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  their  descendants  modified  their  name,  adapting  it  to  the  English  orthog- 
raphy and  pronunciation — Winans. 

John  Winans,  of  Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey,  bom  in  Holland,  161 7,  was 
married  in  1664  to  Susanna  Melyn.  He  was  one  of  the  eighty  "associates" 
who  bought  land  from  the  Indians.     He  died  in  December,   1694,  and  his  will 

481 


482  OT.D  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

is  now  on  file  with  the  secretary  of  state  at  Trenton,  New  Jersey.  His  wife 
was  Susanna,  daughter  of  Cornelius  Melyn,  the  famous  patron  of  Staten  Island, 
who  led  the  popular  party  against  Stuyvesant,  "central  figure  of  his  day."  In 
1640,  Cornelius  Melyn  had  a  grant  of  all  of  Staten  Island. 

The  records  show  nine  children  born  to  John  and  Susanna  Winans ;  and 
Isaac,  the  youngest,  1684- 1723,  was  the  direct  ancestor  of  the  Winans  family 
as  represented  in  Walla  Walla.  To  him  and  his  wife,  Hannah,  were  bom 
six  children :  Hannah,  Phebe,  Isaac,  Abraham,  William  and  Elias. 

The  third  of  this  family,  Isaac  Winans,  was  bom  in  1710  and  died  in 
1780.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the  committee  of  safety  during  the  Revolu- 
tionar}-  war  and  for  loyalty  to  the  colonies  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  British 
and  died  from  cruelties  in  the  Sugar  House  in  New  York.  He  was  married 
twice  and  the  children  of  Isaac  and  Margaret  Winans  were  Isaac,  Mathias  and 
Abigal.  To  him  and  his  second  wife,  Magdalene  Winans,  there  were  born 
five  children,   namely:  Jane,   Margaret,  Moses,   Susanna  and  Elizabeth. 

The  sixth  member  of  the  family  whose  record  has  just  been  given  was  Moses 
Winans,  who  was  born  November  9,  1753,  and  who  departed  this  life  January  28, 
1822.  He  served  during  the  Revolutionary  war  in  Captain  Squire's  company  of 
the  Essex  County  Militia.  His  wife,  Ruth,  was  bom  August  5,  1758,  and  died 
January  26,  1817.     They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children. 

The  youngest  one  of  these  children  was  Jonas  Wood  Winans,  who  was  born 
January  19,  1802,  and  died  October  i,  1878.  He  married  Sarah  Stiles  and 
they  became  the  parents  of  William  Parkhurst  Winans,  whose  name  introduces 
this  review.  It  was  on  the  20th  of  December,  1827,  that  Jonas  W.  Winans 
wedded  Sarah  Stiles,  who  was  born  July  23,  1806,  and  who  departed  this  life 
January  8,  1858.  They  had  a  family  of  eight  children.  Isaac,  the  eldest,  was 
born  October  20,  1828,  was  married  December  20,  1851,  to  Sarah  Webster 
and  died  August  31,  1907.  Ebenezer  Connett,  born  May  5,  1830,  was  married 
October  29,  1857,  to  Margaret  B.  Rose.  Meline  was  bom  February  15,  1833, 
and  died  January  12,  1845.  William  Parkhurst  was  the  next  of  the  family. 
Sarah  Jane,  the  fifth  child,  was  bom  July  7,  1839,  and  on  the  30th  of  November, 
1866,  became  the  wife  of  Augustus  Dow.  Her  death  occurred  May  17,  1870. 
Jonas  Wood,  who  was  born  November  11,  1840,  was  married  September  13, 
1876,  to  Alice  E.  Jones  and  died  September  2,  1899.  Elizabeth  Magdaline,  bom 
June  3,    1843,  became  the  wife  of  William  A.   Hubbard,  and  died  March  21, 

1895.  Mar>'  Stiles,  born  January  23,  1846,  was  married  January  31,  1877, 
to  Dorus  E.  Bates,  who  died  August   15,  1880,  and  on  the  25th  of  Febraary, 

1896,  she  became  the  wife  of  Augustus  Dow. 

William  P.  Winans  lived  to  reach  the  age  of  eighty-one  years  and  the  long 
period  was  one  of  great  usefulness  and  activity,  characterized  by  rapid  and  sub- 
stantial advance  in  business  and  by  devotion  to  the  general  good.  He  was  bom 
in  Elizabeth,  New  Jersey,  on  the  28th  of  January,  1836,  and  was  a  little  lad  of 
ten  years  when  his  parents  removed  with  their  family  to  Pittsfield,  Illinois,  where 
he  continued  his  education  in  the  public  schools.  He  had  started  on  a  business 
career  in  that  state  when  ill  health  caused  him  to  cross  the  plains.  In  his  early 
boyhood  he  had  worked  on  his  father's  farm  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  had  be- 
come a  clerk  in  a  store,  being  thus  employed  through  the  succeeding  five  years. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  483 

At  the  doctor's  orders,  however,  he  was  forced  to  "get  outdoors"  and,  attracted 
by  the  Pike's  Peak  excitement,  he  joined  three  companions,  and  with  a  prairie 
schooner  and  four  yoke  of  oxen  they  started  for  Colorado.  When  within  ten 
days  of  their  destination  they  met  a  party  of  miners  who  were  returning  home 
and  who  had  had  an  encounter  with  the  Indians,  some  of  them  being  wounded. 
The  next  day  they  met  scores  of  other  wagons  with  their  owners  retracing  their 
steps  and  in  one  day  passed  over  seven  hundred  wagons  eastward  bound.  All 
told  the  same  story — that  it  was  not  a  poor  man's  district,  for  the  gold  was  in 
quartz  formation  instead  of  being  placer  gold.  One  night  when  Mr.  Winans  and 
his  companions  camped  he  noticed  that  the  wagon  was  headed  east  instead  of 
west. 

The  next  morning  his  partners,  who  were  older  than  he,  told  him  that  they 
liad  decided  to  return,  but  Mr.  Winans  refused  to  go  back,  whereupon  his  com- 
panions unyoked  his  two  oxen,  turned  them  loose,  put  his  blankets  and  his  share 
of  the  provisions  by  the  side  of  the  road  and  left  him.  Next  day,  at  noon,  a  wagon 
westward  bound  halted  and  the  driver  asked  Mr.  Winans  why  he  was  camped 
there  and  which  way  he  was  headed.  Mr.  Winans  replied  "westward."  He 
joined  forces  with  this  man  and  eventually  they  reached  Cherry  creek,  now  the 
city  of  Denver,  then  containing  about  six  or  seven  houses.  One  day  a  man  by  the 
name  of  George  Grimes,  who  had  previously  lived  in  Oregon,  said :  "I  am 
through  here.  I  am  going  to  Oregon.  Do  any  of  you  fellows  want  to  go  along?" 
Mr.  Winans  responded,  'Til  go,"  and  selling  his  oxen,  he  bought  a  good  saddle 
and  two  horses,  one  for  a  pack  horse  and  the  other  for  a  riding  horse.  One  plan 
which  the  party  pursued  on  their  way  westward  was  to  camp  at  night,  build  a 
tire,  get  supper  and  then  move  on  in  the  dark  for  a  mile  and  camp,  so  the  Indians 
would  not  surprise  them,  learning  of  their  whereabouts  by  means  of  the  fire. 
At  length  Mr.  Winans  arrived  in  Oregon  in  September,  1859,  and  located  on  the 
Umatilla  river,  stacking  the  first  grain  in  that  vicinity.  He  also  taught 
school  in  Umatilla  county  in  the  winter  of  1860-61  and  he  served  as  a  clerk  of 
the  first  election  in  Oregon,  which  was  held  in  i860,  the  year  in  which  Lincoln 
was  elected  president.  In  July,  1861,  he  removed  to  Fort  Colville,  Washington, 
and  upon  the  organization  of  Spokane  county  was  appointed  deputy  county  au- 
ditor. 

The  next  year  he  was  elected  to  the  position  of  auditor,  in  which  capacity 
he  served  for  two  terms.  He  was  afterwards  appointed  clerk  for  the  United 
States  district  court  for  the  district  comprising  Spokane  and  Missoula  counties 
under  Judge  E.  P.  Oliphant.  At  a  later  period  Mr.  Winans  engaged  in  mer- 
chandising and  in  1866  he  was  again  called  to  office,  being  elected  county  super- 
intendent of  schools.  He  aided  in  building  the  first  schoolhouse  north  of  the 
Snake  river  in  a  district  that  was  two  hundred  by  four  hundred  miles,  lying 
between  the  Cascades  and  the  Rockies  and  extending  from  Snake  river  to  the 
Canadian  border.  With  all  of  the  early  events  which  aided  in  shaping  the  his- 
tory and  developing  the  country  he  was  closely  associated.  In  1867  he  was  called 
upon  to  represent  Stevens  county  in  the  territorial  legislature,  serving  during  that 
and  the  succeeding  year  and  again  in  1871.  In  1870  he  was  appointed  sub-agent 
of  the  six  non-treaty  tribes  of  the  Colville  country,  thus  having  to  do  with  a 
group  of  Indians  who  had  refused  to  make  peace  with  the  government.     He 


484  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

took  the  part  of  the  settlers  against  a  proposed  change  of  boundary  of  the  Indian 
reservation  and  saved  some  valuable  lands  for  the  settlers — lands  which  they 
had  been  using  for  years  and  which  they  had  brought  under  a  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation. 

All  during  these  years  Mr.  Winans  was  engaged  in  merchandising,  but  in 
1871  disposed  of  his  commercial  interests  irt  Colville  and  removed  to  Walla  Walla, 
where  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Major  R.  R.  Rees,  thus  establishing  and 
conducting  the  largest  store  in  Walla  Walla  in  the  early  days.  The  business 
was  originally  carried  on  under  the  firm  style  of  Rees  &  Winans  and  afterward 
was  Johnson,  Rees  &  Winans.  Mr.  Winans  remained  very  active  in  the  conduct 
of  the  business,  which  was  developed  to  extensive  proportions,  but  in  1890  he 
withdrew  from  mercantile  interests  and  became  president  of  the  Farmers 
Savings  Bank,  which  had  been  organized  in  September,  1889.  The  bank  was 
opened  at  Second  and  Main  streets,  where  it  has  since  been  located.  In  1890 
the  bank  was  in  temporary  quarters  while  the  old  building  was  torn  down  and 
the  new  Rees-Winans  building  was  erected.  Mr.  Winans  remained  president 
of  the  bank  and  active  in  the  management  of  its  affairs  until  his  death.  He  was 
always  found  at  his  desk  and  seldom  took  a  vacation.  His  life  was  one  of  in- 
tense and  well  directed  activity  and  he  never  stopped  short  of  the  successful 
accomplishment  of  his  purpose,  while  at  all  times  the  methods  which  he  followed 
were  those  which  would  bear  the  closest  investigation  and  scrutiny.  He  had 
extensive  interests  other  than  his  connection  with  the  Farmers  Savings  Bank 
and  for  thirty  years  he  was  one  of  the  directors  of  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Walla  Walla.  His  activities  were  ever  of  a  character  that  contributed  to  the 
progress  and  prosperity  of  the  community  in  which  he  lived  as  well  as  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  his  individual  fortunes. 

On  the  6th  of  October,  1869,  Mr.  Winans  was  married  to  A'liss  I.ida  Moore 
and  to  them  were  born  three  sons  who  are  yet  living,  sketches  of  whom  follow  this. 
Mrs.  Winans  passed  away  December  4,  1876,  and  on  the  20th  of  November, 
1879,  W.  P.  Winans  was  married  to  Miss  Christine  McRae,  who  survives  him. 
They  were  the  parents  of  three  children.  William  Stiles  Winans  was  born 
May  6,  1881,  and  died  December  16,  1891.  Freeman  Earl  Winans  was  bom 
F'ebruary  19,  1883,  and  married  Miss  Florence  Ladd,  November  23,  1908.  He 
is  department  manager  of  the  United  States  Rubber  Company  at  Seattle.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  various  fraternal  orders.  Sarah  Jean  Winans,  born  Sep- 
tember 19,  1S85,  was  married  in  KXJg  to  Major  George  Leroy  Converse,  Jr.. 
Fourth  Cavalry,  U.  S.  A.  She  is  the  mother  of  two  children,  George  Leroy 
IV  and  William  Parkhurst  Winans. 

It  was  on  Sunday,  the  22d  of  ;\pril,  1917,  that  Mr.  Winans  passed  away. 
He  had  attended  church  on  that  day  and  in  the  afternoon  went  for  an  auto  trip 
to  pick  wild  flowers,  of  which  he  was  very  fond.  Death  called  him  suddenly, 
his  illness  lasting  less  than  an  hour,  and  the  news  of  his  demise  was  received 
with  the  deepest  regret  because  of  the  prominent  part  which  he  had  taken  in  the 
public  life  of  the  community  and  by  reason  of  the  firm  hold  which  he  had  upon 
the  affection  of  his  fellow  townsmen.  He  was  a  most  public-spirited  citizen, 
interested  in  everything  pertaining  to  general  progress  and  improvement,  and  he 
lived  to  witness  the  remarkable  transformation  of  the  county  as  it  emerged  from 


OLD  \\^\LLA  WALLA  COUNTY  485 

pioneer  conditions.  The  funeral  services  were  held  in  the  Presbyterian  church 
and  his  remains  were  interred  in  Mountain  View  cemetery,  the  Knights  Templar 
commandery  attending  in  a  body  and  officiating  at  the  interment.  Resolutions  of 
respect  were  passed  by  the  Farmers  Savings  Bank  and  the  First  National  Bank, 
and  memorial  services  were  afterward  held  in  the  Presbyterian  church,  in  which 
speeches  were  delivered  paying  high  tribute  to  Mr.  Winans  as  a  citizen,  as  a 
business  man,  as  a  Mason,  as  an  educator  and  as  a  Christian.  The  children  of 
the  Sunday  school,  remembering  his  love  for  wild  flowers,  gathered  many  of 
the  blossoms  of  the  field  to  decorate  his  grave.  Thus  was  ended  a  life  of  much 
usefulness,  in  which  Walla  Walla  benefited  greatly  as  the  result  of  his  public 
spirit  and  his  devotion  to  high  ideals. 


GILBERT  PARK  WINANS. 

Gilbert  Park  Winans,  the  eldest  son  of  William  P.  Winans,  was  born  January 
25,  1870,  at  Fort  Colville,  near  Spokane,  Washington,  and  when  quite  young- 
removed  with  the  family  to  Walla  Walla,  where  he  pursued  his  education.  He 
was  married  in  Vancouver,  Washington,  to  Carrie  Duckett,  a  daughter  of  Henry 
Duckett  and  a  descendant  of  an  old  English  family.  They  now  have  one  child, 
Yancey  Park.  Gilbert  P.  Winans  is  a  merchant  and  is  prominent  in  fraternal 
circles,  holding  membership  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and 
the  Benevolent  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  being  a  past  grand  in  the  former,  in 
which  organization  he  has  filled  all  of  the  chairs  of  the  local  lodge. 


PHILLIP  MOORE  WINANS. 

Phillip  Moore  Winans  is  a  prominent  figure  in  banking  circles  of  the  north- 
west, now  occupying  the  position  of  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Walla 
Walla.  The  story  of  his  life  is  the  story  of  thrift  and  business  sagacity  grafted 
onto  western  energy  and  enterprise.  It  is  true  that  Mr.  Winans  did  not  have 
a  humble  origin  or  experience  the  early  privations  of  some  men  who  have  achieved 
success,  but  on  the  other  hand  not  one  in  a  thousand  who  have  enjoyed  his  modest 
advantages  have  turned  them  to  such  excellent  account.  The  wisdom,  energy 
and  success  with  which  he  has  pushed  his  way  along  is  a  study  for  American 
youth.  A  native  son  of  Walla  Walla,  he  was  born  on  the  loth  of  December,  1874, 
his  parents  being  William  P.  and  T.ida  (Moore)  Winans,  who  are  mentioned 
elsewhere  in  this  work. 

Reared  under  the  parental  roof,  he  acquired  his  early  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Walla  Walla  and  afterward  attended  the  Whitman  Academy  and 
Whitman  College,  from  which  he  received  his  Bachelor  of  Arts  degree  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  class  of  1894.    Following  his  graduation  he  made  his  initial  step  in  the 


486  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

business  world  in  connection  with  banking  interests.  He  entered  the  Farmers 
Savings  Bank  of  Walla  Walla  in  a  clerical  capacity  and  in  March,  1895,  he  re- 
signed his  position  there  to  become  connected  with  the  First  National  Bank,  with 
which  he  has  since  been  identified,  covering  a  period  of  twenty-three  years. 
^Vdvancing  through  the  various  positions  of  clerk,  paying  teller,  and  assistant 
cashier,  he  became  cashier  in  1909  and  has  since  occupied  that  important  position. 
The  thoroughness  of  his  training,  his  laudable  ambition  and  his  keen  sagacity 
have  made  him  a  most  competent  official  of  the  bank  and  one  who  has  contributed 
in  marked  measure  to  its  growing  success.  Llis  activity  in  this  connection  has 
not  only  made  him  one  of  Walla  Walla's  representative  business  men,  but  also 
one  who  is  widely  known  in  the  banking  circles  of  the  northwest. 

In  1899  Mr.  Winans  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rose  M.  Blalock,  the 
youngest  daughter  of  Dr.  N.  G.  Blalock,  one  of  Walla  Walla's  early  pioneer 
settlers  and  a  very  prominent  and  gifted  man  of  the  northwest  country.  Mrs. 
Winans  passed  away  in  November,  1914,  and  in  February,  1916,  Mr.  Winans 
was  again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Catherine  V.  Eppinger,  of 
Portland,  Oregon,  a  lady  of  culture  and  refinement,  who  holds  membership  in 
the  Women's  Reading  Club  of  Walla  Walla  and  takes  a  very  active  and  helpful 
part  in  church  and  charitable  work. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Winans  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Frater- 
nally he  is  identified  with  the  Masons  and  in  his  life  exemplifies  the  beneficent 
spirit  of  the  craft.     He  holds  membership  in  Walla  Walla  Lodge,  No.  7,  F.  & 

A.  M.;  Walla  Walla  Chapter,  No.  i,  R.  A.  M.;  and  Walla  Walla  Lodge,  No.  287, 

B.  P.  O.  E.,  of  which  he  is  a  past  exalted  ruler.  A  prominent  member  of  the 
Commercial  Club,  he  served  as  its  vice  president  and  one  of  its  directors  for 
five  years.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  board  of  directors  and  is  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  Walla  Walla  Golf  Club.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  and  has 
been  a  member  of  the  executive  board  of  the  Associated  Students  of  Whitman 
College  and  has  filled  the  position  of  treasurer  of  that  organization  since  it  was 
formed.  His  political  indorsement  is  given  to  the  republican  party  and  while 
he  keeps  in  touch  with  the  current  of  political  thought  and  action  he  has  never 
been  an  aspirant  for  office.  He  ranks,  however,  with  Walla  Walla's  foremost 
citizens  and  has  always  been  active  in  every  movement  for  the  promotion  and 
upbuilding  of  city  and  state.  He  has  conducted  important  business  aflfairs  with- 
out allowing  personal  ambition  or  interests  to  dwarf  his  public  spirit  or  activities. 
His  personal  characteristics  and  social  qualities  are  pronounced  and  he  is  an 
acceptable  companion  in  any  society  in  which  intelligence  is  a  necessary  attribute 
to  congeniality.  The  simplicity  and  beauty  of  his  daily  life  as  seen  in  his  home 
and  family  relations  constitute  an  even  balance  to  his  splendid  business  ability. 


ALLEN  LIDA  WINANS. 

Allen  Lida  Winans,  the  youngest  son  of  William  P.  Winans,  was  born  in 
Walla  Walla,  April  25,  1876,  attended  the  common  schools  and  was  graduated 
from  Whitman  College  with  the  class  of  1901.     He  is  now  with  the  Hazelwood 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  487 

Company,  Limited,  of  Walla  Walla.  Fraternally  he  is  a  Knight  Templar  and 
Consistory  Mason  and  is  very  prominent  in  the  order,  in  which  he  has  held 
office.     He  is  also  identified  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 


ALPH  PATRICK  CAHILL. 

Alph  Patrick  Cahill,  manager  and  cashier  of  the  Broughton  National  Bank 
at  Dayton,  Columbia  county,  was  born  at  Markesan,  Green  Lake  county,  Wis- 
consin, October  7,  1859,  a  son  of  William  R.  and  Angeline  C.  (Church)  Cahill. 
His  paternal  grandfather,  Patrick  Cahill,  was  bom  in  Dublin,  Ireland,  in  1800, 
while  his  maternal  grandfather  was  one  of  the  pioneer  preachers  of  western 
Pennsylvania.  William  R.  Cahill,  the  father,  became  one  of  the  early  settlers 
of  the  state  of  Wisconsin  and  contributed  in  substantial  measure  to  the  pioneer 
development  of  Green  Lake  county.  At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  he  responded 
to  the  country's  call  to  arms  and  went  to  the  front  in  defense  of  the  Union. 

At  the  usual  age  Alph  P.  Cahill  became  a  pupil  in  the  public  schools  of  his 
"  native  state,  passing  through  consecutive  grades  until  he  completed  a  high  school 
course  in  Oshkosh,  Wisconsin,  in  1873.  He  then  turned  his  attention  to  the 
occupation  of  farming  but  afterward  engaged  in  merchandising  and  subsequently 
took  up  the  milling  business.  Step  by  step  he  progressed  as  the  years  went  on  and 
in  1909  he  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  Broughton  National  Bank  of  Day- 
ton, Columbia  county,  Washington,  and  has  since  continued  as  its  manager  and 
cashier,  largely  shaping  the  policy  and  directing  the  activities  of  the  institution. 
He  has  been  most  careful  to  safeguard  the  interests  of  stockholders  and  de- 
positors alike,  while  the  progressive  methods  of  the  bank  have  ever  been  tem- 
pered by  a  wise  conservatism. 

On  the  2d  of  December,  1882,  Mr.  Cahill  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Irene  M.  Starr,  a  native  of  Oregon.  For  his  second  wife  he  chose  Frankie  G. 
King,  a  native  of  Columbia  county,  and  a  daughter  of  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
this  section,  William  B.  King,  who  was  an  old-time  stage  man,  operating  the 
Walla  Walla-Lewiston  stage  and  mail  route  in  the  early  days.  The  second 
marriage  was  celebrated  April  14,  1915.  Mr.  Cahill's  children  are:  Roy  R.,  who 
is  a  graduate  of  Whitman  College  and  also  of  the  law  school  of  Columbia  Uni- 
versity of  New  York  and  who  married  Jessie  M.  Criffield,  a  daughter  of  W.  R. 
Criffield,  of  Walla  Walla ;  Fred  V.,  who  is  a  graduate  of  Washington  University 
and  is  now  engaged  in  mercantile  business  and  who  married  Grace  J.  Crossler ; 
May,  who  is  the  wife  of  Frank  G.  Barclay,  a  Columbia  county  farmer;  Patrick 
E.,  who  married  Ethel  Johnston  and  is  a  bookkeeper  in  the  Broughton  National 
Bank;  Mack,  a  graduate  of  the  Newberg  (Oregon)  high  school;  and  Burr,  who 
is  at  home. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Cahill  is  connected  with  the  Odd  Fellows,  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  and  the  Masonic  orders,  being  a  Royal  Arch  Mason.  He  has  always 
been  an  active  worker  in  these  different  organizations  and  has  been  presiding 
officer  in  each.  In  politics  he  has  ever  been  a  stalwart  republican  since  age  con- 
ferred upon  him  the  right  of  franchise  and  from  1892  until  1896  he  filled  the 
position  of  county  auditor,  his  reelection  being  an  acknowledgment  of  his  ex- 


488  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

cellent  service  during  his  first  term.  He  was  county  commissioner  from  1910 
until  1912  and  he  has  always  been  loyal  to  every  cause  and  trust  reposed  in  him. 
His  military  record  covers  three  years'  ser\'ice  with  the  National  Guard.  His 
fidelity  to  duty  has  never  been  called  into  question,  whether  in  behalf  of  the  public 
or  in  the  conduct  of  his  business  interests.  There  is  nothing  spectacular  in  his 
career  but  his  record  is  that  of  a  busy  life,  such  as  contributes  to  the  substantial 
force  of  every  community. 


TOHN  A.  DAVIS. 


At  the  time  of  his  death  John  A.  Davis  was  in  excellent  financial  circum- 
stances and  was  recognized  as  a  prominent  farmer  of  Walla  Walla  county  but 
during  the  early  days  of  his  residence  here  he  endured  many  hardships  and 
privations,  the  conditions  being  then  those  of  a  frontier  region.  He  was  born  in 
Owen  county,  Indiana.  November  17,  1839,  and  was  a  son  of  Willoughby  and 
Mary  (Omian)  Davis,  both  natives  of  Tennessee.  However,  they  removed  to 
Indiana  at  an  early  day  and  remained  there  until  1848.  when  they  went  to 
W'apello  county,  Iowa,  where  the  father  continued  to  follow  agricultural  pursuits 
until  his  death.    There  the  mother.ako  passed- away. 

It  was  in  Iowa  that  John  A.  DatfeiteCCTyed' his  education  and  grew  to  man- 
hood. In  1863.  following  his  marriage;" he  artd  his  wife  made  the  seemingly 
never  ending  journey  across  the  great^plains  ie- the  Pacific  northwest  by  ox  team. 
They  settled  on  a  homestead  011=  Mill' Sreek  iii' Walla  Walla  county,  and  their 
first  residence  was  a  log  cabin  covered  with  a  clapboard  roof  and  with  a  stick- 
chimney.  At  that  time  there  were  but  few  settlers  in  this  region  and  there 
were  many  inconveniences  to  be  endured,  but  the  rich  soil  indicated  that  in  time 
the  country  would  be  well  settled  and  highly  developed,  and  the  pioneers  labored 
with  confidence  in  the  future.  After  residing  upon  his  homestead  for  a  time 
Mr.  Davis  purchased  550  acres  of  excellent  land  on  the  Oregon  state  line  and 
there  made  his  home  until  his  death.  He  made  excellent  improvements  upon 
the  place  and  followed  up-to-date  methods  in  his  work  with  the  result  that  his 
resources  steadily  increased. 

I\Ir.  Davis  was  married  in  Iowa  to  Miss  Carolina  Snoddy.  a  native  of  Clay 
county,  Indiana,  and  a  daughter  of  James  and  Anna  (Kendall)  Snoddy,  the 
former  native  of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Tennessee.  The  father  died  in 
Indiana  and  the  mother  removed  with  her  children  to  Iowa  and  there  spent  her 
last  years.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  were  born  fourteen  children,  namely :  John 
H.,  deceased;  Margaret,  the  wife  of  Charles  Sweezy;  James,  deceased;  Mary, 
the  wife  of  William  P.  Reiser;  Frank,  a  farmer  residing  in  Oregon;  Laura,  the 
wife  of  Fred  Kaser;  William  N. ;  Rosie,  deceased;  Estella.  the  wife  of  John 
Garvey;  Clara,  the  wife  of  H.  Miller;  Edna,  at  home;  Nellie,  deceased;  Gertrude, 
the  wife  of  Raymond  Reiser:  and  Elmer,  who  is  married  and  living  on  the  home 
farm. 

Mr.  Davis  was  not  active  in  politics,  as  the  management  of  his  farming 
interests  left  him  little  time  for  outside  activities.  He  passed  away  in  1907  and 
was  laid  to  rest  in  Mountain  View  cemetery  at  Walla  W^alla.    He  was  an  honored 


JOHN  A.  DAVIS 


MRS.  JOHN  A,  DAVIS 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  493 

pioneer  of  the  county,  and  his  death  was  deeply  regretted  by  all  who  had  come 
in  close  contact  with  him.  His  salient  qualities  were  determination,  enterprise 
and  industry,  and  these  enabled  him  to  do  his  part  in  bringing  about  the  agri- 
cultural development  of  this  section.  Mrs.  Davis  gives  her  personal  attention 
to  the  leasing  of  the  farm  and  to  the  management  of  all  the  business  affairs  of  the 
estate  and  is  recognized  as  a  woman  not  only  of  excellent  judgment  but  a 
typical  pioneer  mother  of  whom  her  children  and  grandchildren,  in  fact  the 
entire  community,  justly  feel  proud. 


ASEL  HOYT  BURNAP. 

Asel  Hoyt  Burnap  is  a  resident  farmer  of  the  Walla  Walla  valley,  who 
since  191 1  has  lived  upon  his  present  place,  comprising  thirty  acres  on  section 
27,  Hill  township,  Walla  Walla  county.  Here  he  is  engaged  in  the  live  stock 
business  and  his  land  is  largely  devoted  to  the  raising  of  alfalfa.  He  was  born 
in  Barton  county,  Kansas,  November  29,  1879,  a  son  of  William  D.  and  Mary 
(Hoyt)  Burnap,  who  were  natives  of  Ohio.  On  leaving  that  state  they  became 
residents  of  Illinois  in  1869  and  there  remained  until  1876,  when  they  estab- 
lished their  home  in  Barton  county,  Kansas,  where  they  continued  to  reside 
until  1881.  In  that  year  they  removed  "ta,jL^ro4r,;Mj[ssmTiii,  where  they  re- 
mained until  1885,  when  attracted  by  the'-f)ppj)X:tunltJ€CJ3f(.,tKie  northwest,  they 
crossed  the  plains  in  one  of  the  old-tim^  prairie  sclido'ners'  ar^d  established  their 
home  in  Wallowa  county,  Oregon.  la  1893'  flifeycame  ^o;  the  Walla  Walla 
valley  and  settled  upon  a  farm  but  at  a -subsequent  .pejaQd:,became  residents  of 
La  Grande,  Oregon,  where  the  father  passed  away.  He  was  an  honored  veteran 
of  the  Civil  war  and  served  from  beginning  to  end  with  the  Seventh  Missouri 
Cavalry,  risking  limb  and  life  to  win  the  cause  for  the  Union.  The  mother 
survives  and  is  now  living  in  Pendieton,  Oregon.  Their  family  numbered  seven 
children,  five  of  whom  are  living. 

Asel  H.  Burnap  spent  the  period  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  largely  in  Oregon, 
where  he  acquired  a  public  school  education  when  not  busy  with  work  in  the 
fields.  He  continued  at  home  until  he  had  attained  his  majority,  after  which 
he  engaged  in  the  live  stock  business  on  his  own  account.  It  was  in  191 1  that 
he  purchased  his  present  place  of  thirty  acres  on  section  zj,  township  7  north, 
range  33  east.  Here  he  has  since  resided  and  is  extensively  and  successfully 
engaged  in  the  raising  of  alfalfa,  which  furnishes  excellent  food  for  his  stock. 
There  is  no  finer  tract  to  be  found  in  the  valley  and  Mr.  Burnap  is  wisely  and 
successfully  directing  his  business  afifairs,  so  that  prosperity  is  attending  his 
labors.  He  is,  moreover,  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  West  Side  Hawley 
Irrigation  Corporation.  He  has  not  only  closely  studied  the  question  of  supply- 
ing water  to  the  land  but  has  taken  up  every  phase  of  the  business  and  knows 
exactly  what  can  be  accomplished  in  this  section  of  the  state  along  the  line  of 
profitable  farming  and  stock  raising. 

In  1905  Mr.  Burnap  was  united  in  marriage  to  ]Miss  Evalina  Cummins  and 
to  them  have  been  born  three  children,  Maud  L.,  Leland  G.  and  Melvina  A. 
The  wife  and  mother  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church  and  Mr.  Burnap 


494  OLD  WALI.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

holds  membership  in  Trinity  Lodge,  No.  121,  L  O.  O.  F.,  being  a  faithful  fol- 
lower of  its  principles.  Llis  political  endorsement  is  given  to  the  republican 
party,  which  he  has  supported  since  age  conferred  upon  him  the  right  of  fran- 
chise. He  is  a  progressive  young  business  man,  alert  and  enterprising,  and 
well  deserves  mention  among  the  substantial  and  worthy  citizens  of  the  Walla 
VV'alla  valley. 


J.  C.  WEATHERFORD. 

One  of  the  distinguished  and  honored  citizens  of  Columbia  county  is  J.  C. 
Weatherford,  a  successful  agriculturist,  making  a  specialty  of  stock  and  wheat 
raising.  He  was  born  in  this  county  on  the  21st  of  May,  1882,  and  is  a  son  of 
F.  M.  Weatherford,  whose  sketch  appears  on  another  page  of  this  volume. 

During  his  boyhood  and  youth  J.  C.  Weatherford  attended  the  common 
schools  and  completed  his  education  by  a  course  at  Armstrong  Commercial 
College,  from  which  he  was  graduated.  On  putting  aside  his  textbooks,  he 
turned  his  attention  to  farming  and  purchased  a  tract  of  land  which  he  has  since 
operated  with  marked  success.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  five  hundred  acres  of 
very  valuable  and  productive  land,  most  of  which  is  devoted  to  wheat,  and  he 
gives  considerable  attention  to  the  raising  of   stock. 

In  1910  Mr.  Weatherford  married  Miss  Fleta  Ward,  also  a  native  of  Walla 
Walla  county,  and  they  have  a  little  daughter,  Antoinette,  who  was  born  Novem- 
ber 19,  1916.  Mrs.  Weatherford  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church,  and 
Mr.  Weatherford's  fraternal  relations  are  with  the  Benevolent  Protective  Order 
of  Elks  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  The  democratic  party  has  found  in  him 
a  stanch  supporter  of  its  principles  and  his  fellow  citizens  recognizing  his 
worth  and  ability  elected  him  state  senator  in  191 2.  For  four  years  he  filled 
that  responsible  position  with  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  entire  satisfaction 
of  his  constituents.  He  has  also  served  as  school  director  and  has  done  much 
to  promote  the  interests  of  his  community  along  various  lines. 


F.  A.  JONAS. 


An  energetic  and  farsighted  business  man,  F.  A.  Jonas  is  meeting  with  a 
substantial  measure  of  success  as  a  member  of  the  Perrine-Jonas  Company, 
general  merchants  and  foremost  business  men  of  Waitsburg.  He  was  born  in 
Lewiston,  Idaho,  on  the  27th  of  October,  1865,  and  is  a  son  of  Milton  and 
Eliza  (Oilman)  Jonas,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Iowa.  They  were  mar- 
ried, however,  in  Florence,  Idaho,  having  removed  to  that  state  in  young  man- 
hood and  womanhood.  The  father  crossed  the  plains  with  an  ox  team  to 
California  in  i860  and  there  engaged  in  gold  mining  until  the  winter  of  1861-2, 
when  he  removed  to  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington.  He  then  turned  his 
attention  to  farming  and  stock  raising  and  continued  to  make  his  home  in 
Walla  Walla  county  until  1875,  when  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Columbia  county, 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  495 

where  he  continued  to  devote  his  energies  to  general  agricultural  pursuits 
throughout  the  remainder  of  his  active  business  life.  He  was  very  successful 
as  a  farmer  and  he  and  his  sons  acquired  between  thirteen  and  fourteen  hundred 
acres  of  land.  His  business  affairs  were  carefully  managed  and  his  investments 
judiciously  made,  and  as  the  result  of  his  close  application  and  persistency  of 
purpose  he  won  a  substantial  measure  of  success.  His  death  occurred  Septem- 
ber 8,  1908,  while  his  wife  had  passed  away  September  16,   1906. 

J.  A.  Jonas  was  reared  upon  the  home  farm  and  was  educated  in  the  dis- 
trict schools.  In  1888  he  started  upon  his  business  career  as  a  horse  raiser 
and  from  that  point  gradually  worked  into  farming,  which  he  carried  on  upon 
leased  school  and  railroad  land.  In  1891  he  purchased  six  hundred  acres  of 
such  land,  but  the  widespread  financial  panic  of  1893  swept  away  the  profits  of 
five  years'  work.  His  land,  however,  was  bought  under  contract  and  he  was 
able  to  hold  that.  In  1895  or  1896  he  had  finished  his  payments  upon  the  prop- 
erty and  in  1905  he  bought  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  adjoining.  In  1909 
he  disposed  of  his  landed  holdings  for  fifty-four  thousand  dollars  and  in  1910 
he  purchased  an  interest  in  the  mercantile  business  of  the  J.  N.  Gravelle  Com- 
pany of  Waitsburg,  at  which  time  the  style  of  the  firm  was  changed  to  the 
Gravelle-Jonas  Company.  In  191 1,  L.  R.  Perrine  purchased  Mr.  Gravelle's 
interest  in  the  business  and  the  present  firm,  known  as  the  Perrine-Jonas  Com- 
pany, thus  came  into  existence.  They  conduct  a  general  mercantile  business 
and  are  ranked  among  the  leading  firms  in  this  line  in  Walla  Walla  county, 
carrying  a  fine  stock  of  goods,  while  their  reasonable  prices,  honorable  dealing 
and  earnest  desire  to  please  their  patrons  have  secured  to  them  a  very  gratifying 
trade. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1888,  Mr.  Jonas  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss 
Mary  A.  Kinder,  of  Waitsburg,  by  whom  he  has  three  children,  namely:  Beulah 
I.,  May  I.  and  Ethel.  Mr.  Jonas  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  republican 
party,  while  fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the  Masons,  belonging  to  Waits- 
burg Lodge,  No.  16,  F.  &  A.  M.;  Dayton  Chapter,  No.  5,  R.  A.  M.;  Walla 
Walla  Commandery,  K.  T.;  El  Katif  Temple,  A.  A.  O.  N.  M.  S.,  of  Spokane; 
and  Waitsburg  Chapter,  No.  9,  O.  E.  S.,  of  which  his  wife  is  also  a  member. 
Mr.  Jonas  is  now  worthy  patron  of  the  Star,  a  position  which  he  has  occupied 
for  the  past  ten  years,  and  his  wife  is  worthy  matron.  He  is  also  identified 
with  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  and  Mrs.  Jonas  holds  membership  in  the 
Christian  church.  They  rank  among  the  leading  and  influential  residents  of 
Waitsburg,  having  much  to  do  with  its  material,  social,  intellectual  and  moral 
progress,  and  they  enjoy  the  highest  respect  of  all  who  know  them. 


FRANK  NEACE. 


Frank  Neace,  who  is  actively  engaged  in  farming  in  Columbia  county,  was 
born  in  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  on  the  19th  of  October,  1875,  and  has  always 
been  a  resident  of  this  state.  The  spirit  of  western  enterprise  which  has  been 
the  dominant  factor  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  Pacific  coast  country  has  been 
manifest  throughout  his  entire  career.     He  has  worked  with  steady  purpose  to 


496  OLD  WAIJ.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

accomplish  desired  results  and  has  attained  a  substantial  measure  of  success. 
He  is  a  son  of  Louis  Neace,  of  whom  extended  mention  is  made  elsewhere  in 
this  work,  and  while  spending  his  youthful  days  under  the  parental  roof  he 
attended  the  public  schools  and  also  continued  his  education  in  the  Waitsburg 
^•Voademy.  On  reaching  manhood  he  became  associated  with  his  brothers  and 
father  in  the  conduct  of  extensive  farming  operations  and  in  1903  located  on 
the  farm  on  which  his  brother  Louis  now  resides  and  which  was  then  owned 
by  the  father.  For  five  years  he  cultivated  about  one  thousand  acres  of  land 
in  that  place  and  in  1908  he  removed  to  his  present  home  farm,  which  was  then 
also  owned  by  the  father  and  which  became  his  property  after  the  father's 
death.  His  farm  comprises  thirteen  hundred  acres  of  land,  which  he  cultivates 
to  grain  and  his  broad  fields  present  an  attractive  picture  giving  proof  of  the 
industry  and  ability  of  their  owner.  Mr.  Neace  keeps  in  touch  with  the  most 
progressive  methods  of  soil  cultivation  and  development  and  has  added  to  his 
farm  many  modern  improvements,  so  that  the  place  is  now  splendidly  equipped 
with  all  the  accessories  and  conveniences  known  to  the  model  farm  of  the 
twentieth  century. 

In  1903  Mr.  Neace  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Katy  Fulton,  of  Milton, 
Oregon,  who  is  a  graduate  of  the  commercial  department  of  Columbia  College. 
Mr.  Neace  belongs  to  Touchet  Lodge,  No.  70,  K.  P.,  of  Waitsburg,  and  he  is 
widely  and  favorably  known  not  only  among  his  fraternal  brethren  but  by 
the  general  public  as  a  substantial  and  influential  citizen,  his  life  record  being 
such  as  to  commend  him  to  the  regard  and  confidence  of  all  with  whom  he 
has  been  associated. 


JAMES  STOTT  KERSHAW. 

Among  the  residents  of  Walla  Walla  whose  memory  goes  back  to  the  pioneer 
days  of  this  section  is  James  Stott  Kershaw,  who  became  a  resident  of  Walla 
Walla  county  in  1861.  He  at  once  turned  his  attention  to  farming,  resolutely 
continuing  the  work  of  cultivating  the  fields  in  spite  of  many  hardships,  and 
at  length  prosperity  began  to  reward  his  labors.  He  is  now  in  excellent  circum- 
stances and  is  living  retired,  enjoying  the  comforts  of  life.  He  has  reached  an 
advanced  age  but  is  still  hale  and  hearty  and  young  in  spirit  and  interests. 

His  birth  occurred  in  Yorkshire,  England,  July  5,  1835,  and  he  is  a  son  of 
lohn  and  Mary  (Dewhurst)  Kershaw.  The  father  passed  away  in  1841  and  in 
the  following  year  the  mother  came  with  her  four  children  to  the  United  States. 
They  went  to  Carbondale,  Pennsylvania,  where  an  uncle  of  Mrs.  Kershaw's  was 
living.  Ten  days  after  the  arrival  of  the  family,  however,  the  uncle  died  and 
the  mother  removed  with  her  family  to  Wahpeton  Falls,  New  York,  where  she 
and  her  children  worked  in  factories  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cotton 
prints.  While  thus  employed  the  oldest  daughter,  Hannah,  at  that  time  eleven 
years  of  age,  was  drowned  in  the  creek  in  which  she  had  been  washing  the  blocks 
from  which  the  calicoes  were  printed.  A  short  time  after  this  tragedy  the 
family  removed  to  Fall  River,  Massachusetts,  where  James  S.  Kershaw  learned 
the  carpenter's  trade,   while  the  other  sons   worked   in   factories.     The  mother 


MR.  AND  JIRS.  .TAMKS  S.  KERSHAW 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  499 

also  did  whatever  work  she  could  find  to  do  and  thus  by  common  effort  the 
family  succeeded  in  making  a  living.  On  July  28,  1856,  they  removed  to  Bel- 
videre,  Illinois,  traveling  by  ocean,  river  and  the  Erie  canal.  They  found  that 
the  middle  west  offered  the  opportunities  which  they  had  expected  to  find  and 
James  S.  Kershaw  soon  found  work  at  his  trade,  while  his  two  brothers  became 
farm  hands.  In  a  short  time  they  had  saved  enough  money  to  buy  an  acre  of 
ground  and  built  a  small  house  thereon.  In  1859  our  subject  started  for  Pike's 
Peak  but  on  reaching  the  Missouri  river  heard  such  bad  reports  of  that  region 
that  he  and  three  companions  turned  back,  while  one  proceeded  westward. 

While  living  in  Illinois  Mr.  Kershaw  became  acquainted  with  some  men 
who  rnade  a  business  of  driving  horses  to  California  for  sale.  They  were 
enthusiastic  in  their  praise  of  the  climate  of  the  Pacific  coast  and  the  almost 
limitless  opportunities  for  advancement  there  and  their  reports  of  the  far  west 
influenced  the  family  to  go  to  the  coast.  Accordingly  they  sold  their  home, 
bought  a  team  and  provisions  to  last  them  throughout  the  long  journey  and  in 
the  spring  of  1861  set  out  for  their  new  home.  It  was  not  definitely  decided 
in  what  locality  they  should  settle,  but  the  general  preference  was  for  Cali- 
fornia. They  had  been  advised  to  "never  camp  twice  in  the  same  place"  and 
when  the  train  of  which  they  were  a  part  made  a  halt  of  a  few  days  at  Fort 
Laramie,  four  families,  including  the  Kershaw  family,  left  the  main  train  and 
continued  the  journey.  Later  they  overtook  four  other  families  and  not  long 
afterward  were  joined  by  four  more  and  still  later  caught  up  with  a  train  of 
eight  families  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Black.  In  this  train  was  a  Mr 
Babcock,  who  had  settled  in  the  Walla  Walla  valley  in  1859  and  was  just  return- 
ing from  the  east  with  his  family.  His  description  of  the  country  around  his 
home  was  so  attractive  that  the  Kershaws  gave  up  their  half  formed  plan  of 
going  to  California  and  decided  to  locate  in  the  Walla  Walla  valley.  For  some 
time  they  were  the  guests  of  Mr.  Babcock  and  then  they  inspected  the  surround- 
ing country  with  the  view  of  determining  on  which  tract  of  land  to  settle.  They 
chose  the  quarter  section  adjoining  Charles  Actor,  on  the  present  site  of  Dixie, 
and  during  the  first  winter  lived  with  Mr.  Actor.  That  first  winter  was  one  to 
discourage  the  faint-hearted,  for  the  weather  was  severe,  more  so  than  it  has 
ever  been  during  the  many  years  since.  In  addition  to  the  extra  work  which 
the  cold  entailed  in  the  care  of  stock  the  early  settlers  had  a  great  deal  of  diffi- 
culty in  securing  enough  wood  to  keep  their  homes  warm  and  their  food  con- 
sisted almost  entirely  of  beef  and  flapjacks.  Moreover,  the  wheat  had  a  great 
deal  of  smut  in  it  and  this  had  to  be  washed  out  and  the  wheat  dried  before  the 
grain  could  be  ground  into  coarse  flour  in  a  coffee  mill.  The  following  spring 
the  Kershaws  leased  Mr.  Actor's  land  and  also  began  to  improve  their  own 
holdings.  As  soon  as  possible  they  erected  a  log  house  and  there  resided  until 
some  years  later  when  they  erected  a  larger  residence  across  the  road  from 
Dixie.  This  town  received  its  name  from  the  fact  that  the  song  '"Dixie 
Land"  was  new  at  that  time  and  had  been  introduced  into  W^alla  Walla  county 
by  the  three  Kershaw  brothers,  who  were  musicians  and  were  often  called  upon 
to  sing  at  local  gatherings.  They  became  known  by  the  name  of  the  "Dixie 
Boys"  and  when  the  founders  of  the  new  town  were  wondering  what  to  name 
it  friends  of  the  Kershaws  suggested  that  it  be  named  Dixie  in  their  honor. 

After  operating  Mr.  Actor's  land  for  two  years  William  G.  Kershaw  took 


500  OLD  WAT  J.  A  WALI.A  COUNTY 

up  a  homestead  adjoining  the  present  town  of  Dixie  and  the  family  removed 
to  that  place.  The  mother  passed  away  there  on  the  17th  of  January,  1875, 
dying  of  pneumonia  after  six  days  of  illness,  and  was  the  first  person  buried 
in  the  Dixie  cemetery,  which  is  located  on  land  included  within  the  Kershaw 
homestead.  Our  subject  was  married  in  the  same  year  and  erected  a  home 
on  land  which  he  had  acquired  east  of  Dixie.  He  held  title  to  three  hundred 
acres  there  and  also  had  a  third  interest  in  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  Dry 
creek  and  forty  acres  of  timber  land.  Year  after  year  he  gave  his  time  and 
attention  to  the  work  of  plowing,  planting  and  harvesting  and  his  labors  were 
rewarded  by  abundant  crops,  from  the  sale  of  which  he  derived  a  gratifying 
income.  Through  hard  work  and  good  management  be  gained  a  competence 
and  in  1900,  when  bis  son,  A.  C.  Kershaw,  was  married  he  turned  the  farm 
over  to  him  and  for  six  years  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  S.  Kershaw  resided  in  Dixie. 
In  1906,  however,  they  removed  to  Walla  Walla,  where  they  are  still  living. 

Mr.  Kershaw  was  married  December  8,  1S75,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Cook,  who 
came  to  the  United  States  from  England  in  1870  with  an  uncle,  William  Yeend, 
his  wife  and  ten  children.  They  made  their  way  at  once  to  California  but  after 
remaining  there  for  a  few  months  came  to  Walla  Walla  county,  which  they 
reached  in  December  of  that  year.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kershaw  have  been  born 
two  children:  Arthur  C,  who,  as  before  stated,  is  operating  the  home  place; 
and  Mary  Bessie,  the  wife  of  E.  J.  Cantonwine,  of  Walla  Walla. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kershaw  hold  membership  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  in  all  the  relations  of  life  they  conform  their  conduct  to  the  highest 
ethical  standards.  During  the  more  than  half  a  century  that  Mr.  Kershaw  has 
resided  in  Walla  Walla  county  he  has  at  all  times  been  recognized  as  a  man  of 
sound  judgment,  of  public  spirit  and  of  the  strictest  integrity.  He  had  a  part  in 
the  hard  task  of  developing  a  new  country  and  it  is  but  fitting  that  he  should 
now  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  labors.  He  finds  pleasure  not  only  in  his  individual 
prosperity  but  also  in  the  general  development  of  the  county  and  has  always 
been  glad  that  in  1861  he  elected  to  cast  in  his  lot  with  that  of  this  section. 


HON.  J.  A.  FONTAINE. 

One  of  the  most  attractive  homes  of  Dayton,  known  as  Normandy,  is  the 
property  of  Hon.  J.  A.  Fontaine,  a  progressive  business  man  and  citizen  who 
has  also  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  upon  the  political  records  of  Columbia 
county,  which  he  has  represented  in  the  state  legislature.  He  has  long  been 
actively,  successfully  and  extensively  identified  with  farming  in  this  section  of 
the  state.  He  was  born  in  IMaryland,  August  9,  1850,  and  is  a  son  of  Charles  G. 
and  Susan  W.  Fontaine,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Maryland,  where  they 
spent  their  entire  lives.  They  reared  a  family  of  nine  children,  of  whom  four 
are  now  living. 

T.  A.  Fontaine  spent  the  period  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  Maryland  and 
m  1870  came  to  Washington,  where  he  has  now  lived  for  forty-seven  years.  He 
made  his  way  first  to  Walla  W'alla,  where  he  was  employed  as  a  hired  hand  for 
a  year.    He  afterward  worked  with  a  pack  train  for  four  years  and  later  entered 


HON.  J.  A.  FONTAINE 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  503 

the  employ  of  the  Baker  Railroad  Company  as  check  agent  at  Wallula.  In  1875 
he  engaged  with  General  Cook  as  a  packer  and  spent  three  years  in  that  connec- 
tion. In  the  spring  of  1878  he  bought  a  ranch  and  turned  his  attention  to  the 
-raising  of  li\e  stock,  in  which  business  he  successfully  engaged  for  eleven  years. 
He  then  sold  out  and  bought  a  farm  eight  miles  from  Dayton,  comprising  five 
hundred  and  sixteen  acres  of  valuable  land.  Mr.  Fontaine  is  also  a  stockholder 
in  the  warehouse  of  Dayton  and  his  home  in  the  city  is  a  most  beautiful  residence 
property. 

Mr.  Fontaine  married  and  had  one  daughter,  Leota,  who  is  now  thirteen  years 
of  age.  Fraternally  he  is  a  prominent  Mason,  belonging  to  the  lodge  in  Dayton. 
His  political  endorsement  is  given  to  the  democratic  party  and  he  served  for  two 
terms  as  a  member  of  the  state  legislature,  being  first  elected  in  191 1.  He  gave 
thoughtful  and  earnest  consideration  to  all  vital  political  problems  which  came 
up  for  settlement  while  he  was  a  member  of  the  house  and  did  much  to  secure  the 
passage  of  wise  legislative  measures.  He  has  many  warm  friends  in  Dayton  and 
this  section  of  the  state  and  his  legislative  service  has  gained  him  the  high  regard 
of  many  of  those  who  are  most  prominent  in  Washington's  political  circles. 


CLYDE  LESTER. 


Clyde  Lester,  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  Yotmg,  &  Lester,  leading  florists  and 
representative  business  men  of  Walla  Walla^  was  born  in  Bloomfield,  Iowa, 
December  31,  1877.  His  parents,  Franklin  P.  ancf  Keturah  (Hurless)  Lester, 
were  also  natives  of  Bloomfield,  Iowa,  their  respective  parents  having  been 
among  the  pioneer  settlers  who  reclaimed  that  section  of  the  state  for  the 
purposes  of  civilization  in  early  pioneer  times.  Franklin  P.  Lester  was  one 
of  the  prominent  farmers  of  Davis  county,  Iowa,  for  many  years.  In  1885  he 
removed  to  western  Kansas  and  subsequently  became  a  resident  of  Lincoln, 
Nebraska,  where  he  resided  until  191 1,  when  again  he  heard  and  heeded  the 
call  of  the  west  and  this  time  made  his  way  to  Walla  Walla,  Washington. 
His  wife  passed  away  October  17,  1916,  but  Mr.  Lester  still  remains  a  resident 
of  Walla  Walla  and  now  makes  his  home  with  his  son  Clyde. 

In  the  district  schools  Clyde  Lester  began  his  education  and  says  his  training 
also  came  to  him  between  the  handles  of  a  plow,  for  at  an  early  age  he  began 
work  in  the  fields  and  thus  he  divided  his  time  between  farm  labor  and  the 
acquirement  of  a  district  school  education.  His  parents  removed  to  Lincoln, 
Nebraska,  in  1896  and  at  that  time  he  entered  upon  an  apprenticeship  to  the 
cigar  maker's  trade,  in  which  he  continued  for  nine  years.  It  was  while 
residing  in  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  that  he  was  married  on  the  26th  of  June,  1907, 
and  there  he  began  his  domestic  life.  Two  years  later  he  came  to  Walla  Walla, 
attracted  by  the  opportunities  of  the  growing  northwest,  and  here  he  has  since 
made  his  home.  In  1913  he  entered  into  partnership  with  Fred  M.  Young, 
who  was  well  established  as  a  florist  in  this  city,  and  under  their  management 
they  have  built  up  a  business  of  very  large  and  gratifying  proportions.  Their 
greenhouses,  which  are  located  on  South  Second  street,  are  extensive.  They 
have  eight  and  three-fourths  acres  of  land  under  cultivation,  with  twenty-five 


504  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

thousand  square  feet  under  glass.  They  raise  the  most  beautiful  flowers  of 
every  kind  and  have  a  very  attractive  salesroom  at  No.  19  East  Main  street, 
where  are  always  to  be  found  many  kinds  of  cut  flowers  and  potted  plants 
to  sujjply  the  retail  trade. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lester  have  become  the  parents  of  two  daughters,  Leah  and 
Edna.  Jn  his  political  views  Mr.  Lester  is  independent  and  does  not  care  to 
ally  himself  with  any  party  nor  bind  himself  by  party  ties  voting  according  to 
the  dictates  of  his  judgment.  He  and  his  wife  are  consistent  members  of  St. 
Paul's  Episcopal  church  and  in  the  social  circles  of  the  city  occupy  an  enviable 
position.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  Walla  Walla  Lodge,  No.  287,  B.  P. 
O.  E. ;  Washington  Lodge,  No.  19,  L  O.  O.  F. ;  the  Loyal  Order  of  Moose;  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  j\len;  the  Woodmen  of  the  World;  and  the  Fraternal 
Order  of  Eagles.  The  west  has  proven  to  him  a  profitable  field  of  labor.  He 
recognized  the  opportunities  here  offered  and  has  quickly  utilized  them  to  his 
own  advancement,  while  his  business  methods  have  at  all  times  measured  up 
to  the  highest  commercial  standards,  and  thus  he  occupies  a  most  enviable  posi- 
tion in  the  confidence  and  goodwill  of  those  with  whom  he  has  been  associated. 


MICHAEL  KENNY. 


Michael  Kenny,  of  Walla  Walla,  is  numbered  among  the  pioneers  of  the 
northwest  and  can  relate  many  interesting  incidents  concerning  the  early  days 
and  those  events  which  constitute  the  pioneer  history  of  this  section.  He  has 
passed  the  eighty-fifth  milestone  on  life's  journey,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  Ireland,  September  21,  1832.  His  parents,  Patrick  and  Sophia  (Cody) 
Kenny,  were  also  natives  of  the  Emerald  isle,  where  they  spent  their  entire 
lives,  both  having  long  since  passed  away.     In  their  family  were  seven  children. 

Michael  Kenny,  who  is  the  only  survivor  of  that  family,  was  reared  and 
educated  in  Ireland  and  was  less  than  twenty-one  years  of  age  when  he  bade 
adieu  to  friends  and  native  land  and  sailed  for  the  United  States.  He  landed 
in  New  York,  where  he  remained  for  about  a  year,  and  in  1854  he  joined  the 
regular  army  at  Governor's  Island  for  five  years'  service.  He  was  then  sent  to 
Jefferson  Barracks,  Missouri,  where  he  was  stationed  for  a  short  time,  after 
which  he  was  transferred  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  remaining  there  for  two 
months.  In  June,  1854,  he  crossed  the  plains  to  Salt  Lake  City  with  the  First 
Dragoon  Cavalry  under  command  of  Colonel  Steptoe,  spending  the  winter 
at  that  point.  In  the  spring  the  command  was  sent  to  Fort  Lane,  Jackson 
county,  Oregon,  where  he  was  stationed  for  a  time  with  other  companies,  remain- 
ing there  through  1855  arid  1856  during  the  Rogue  River  war.  He  was  then  with 
C  Troop  and  later  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  sergeant.  The  winter  of  1856 
was  spent  in  Yamhill  county.  In  1857  Mr.  Kenny  was  sent  to  Fort  Walla  Walla. 
He  continued  with  the  army  throughout  his  term  of  enlistment,  covering  five 
years,  and  was  honorably  discharged  in  1859.  He  had  participated  in  some  of 
the  Indian  warfare  on  the  frontier  and  had  done  excellent  work  to  defend  the 
interests  of  the  white  settlers  against  the  hostility  of  the  red  men,  who  resented 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  505 

the  encroachment  of  the  pale  faces  upon  what  they  regarded  as  their  own  "hunt- 
ing grounds." 

After  leaving  the  army  Mr.  Kenny  ran  a  pack  train  between  Walla  Walla 
and  Orofino,  and  in  1865,  when  on  his  way  to  Boise,  the  Indians  captured 
his  train,  taking  his  twenty-eight  pack  animals  from  him  and  leaving  him  afoot 
without  anything.  He  finally  managed  to  make  his  way  back  to  Walla  Walla 
and  there  he  engaged  in  the  saloon  business,  in  which  he  continued  for  seven 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  sold  out  and  began  packing  for  the 
government,  devoting  some  time  to  that  work.  In  1878  he  became  associated 
with  the  police  force  of  Walla  Walla  and  was  one  of  its  members  for  ten  years. 

In  1875  Mr.  Kenny  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jennie  Johnston,  a  native 
of  Glasgow,  Scotland.  She  was  only  an  infant  when  brought  by  her  parents  to 
this  country,  the  family  locating  in  Connecticut,  where  they  spent  the  winter  of 
1855.  The  following  year  they  removed  to  Illinois  and  in  1859  came  to  Walla 
Walla  county,  Washington,  where  Air.  Johnston  followed  farming  throughout 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  Here  both  he  and  his  wife  died.  In  1865  Mr.  Kenny 
erected  his  present  residence  at  No.  7  North  Sixth  street  and  has  therefore  wit- 
nessed almost  the  entire  development  of  the  city,  being  one  of  the  few  remain- 
ing early  pioneers.  He  took  part  in  all  of  the  battles  with  the  Indians  in  this 
part  of  the  country. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kenny  are  members  of  the  Catholic  church  and  in  politics  he 
is  a  democrat,  having  always  voted  the  ticket  since  becoming  a  naturalized  Ameri- 
can citizen.  There  is  no  phase  of  pioneer  life  in  the  northwest  with  which  he 
is  not  familiar.  He  can  remember  the  time  when  the  Indians  were  more  numerous 
than  the  white  settlers,  when  the  great  forests  stood  in  their  primeval  strength, 
for  the  work  of  cutting  the  timber  had  not  then  been  begun.  Streams  were 
unbridged  and  on  the  sites  of  many  of  the  most  prosperous  and  progressive 
cities  of  the  northwest  there  were  found  few  if  any  buildings.  Mr.  Kenny 
has  lived  to  see  remarkable  changes,  has  borne  his  part  in  the  work  of  developt- 
ment  and  his  memory  forms  a  connecting  link  between  the  primitive  past  and 
the  progressive   present. 


HON.  ALFRED  L.  RAY. 

Hon.  Alfred  L.  Ray,  residing  on  section  26,  township  10  north,  range  35,  is 
one  of  the  large  wheat  raisers  of  Walla  Walla  county  and  is  also  entitled  to 
mention  as  a  member  of  the  state  legislature.  He  was  born  in  Hamilton  county, 
Illinois,  October  12,  1875,  a  son  of  Alfred  M.  and  Rachel  Ray.  He  grew  to 
manhood  and  received  his  education  in  Illinois  and  remained  in  the  middle  west 
until  1901,  when  he  became  a  resident  of  Columbia  county,  Washington.  For 
eight  years  he  engaged  in  farming  there  and  also  taught  school,  but  in  1909  he 
came  to  Walla  Walla  county  and  took  up  his  residence  on  his  present  home  farm 
of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  He  also  operates  rented  land,  cultivating  in 
all  eighteen  hundred  acres.'  He  specializes  in  the  production  of  wheat  and 
is  recognized  as  an  authority  upon  wheat  growing  and  marketing.     He  uses  the 


506  OLD  WAl.l.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

most  up-to-date  methods  and  implements  and  gives  the  same  careful  attention 
to  his  affairs  that  a  business  man  gives  to  the  conduct  of  his  interests. 

In  1896  Mr.  Ray  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rosa  Malone,  also  a  native 
of  Illinois  and  a  daughter  of  George  W.  and  Cynthia  J.  (HufT)  Malone,  the 
former  deceased  but  the  latter  still  a  resident  of  Illinois.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ray  have  been  born  nine  children,  namely :  Eugene  D.,  Ernest  T.  and  Hazel,  all 
high  school  students;  A.  Melvin;  George  W.;  J.  Wesley;  Paul;  Virginia;  and 
Stanley  S. 

Mr.  Ray  is  well  known  in  democratic  circles  and  is  now  serving  as  repre- 
sentative in  the  state  legislature  from  the  twelfth  district  and  is  making  a  record 
highly  satisfactory  to  his  constituents.  He  and  his  wife  belong  to  the  Congrega- 
tional church  and  seek  to  conform  their  lives  to  its  teachings.  He  is  respected 
for  his  ability,  honored  for  hislntegrity  and  held  in  warm  personal  regard  by 
reason  of  his  attractive  social  qualities.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  at  Prescott  and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America. 


ANDREW  T.  McCULLOUCH. 

Andrew  J.  McCullouch  is  living  retired  in  Waitsburg  after  many  years  of 
active  connection  with  farming  interests.  He  was  born  in  IMahaska,  Iowa,  June  9, 
1850,  of  the  marriage  of  Andrew  J.-and  Polly  (Stark)  McCullouch.  The  father, 
who  was  born  in  West  Virginia,  removed  to  Monmouth,  Illinois,  at  an  early  day 
and  later  went  to  Iowa,  whence  in  1850  he  crossed  the  plains  to  California  with 
an  ox  team  and  old  fashioned  prairie  schooner.  After  three  years  he  returned 
to  Iowa  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  route  and  there  he  farmed  until  called  by  death, 
which  occurred  July  19,  1900,  when  he  had  reached  the  age  of  eighty-four  years 
and  seven  months.  His  wife  also  passed  away  in  that  state  in  February,  1854, 
at  the  age  of  thirty  years.    To  them  were  born  four  sons,  of  whom  three  survive. 

Andrew  J.  McCullouch  passed  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  Union  county, 
Iowa,  and  his  education  was  acquired  in  the  public  schools  there.  When  twenty- 
five  years  old  he  went  to  Monona  county,  Iowa,  where  he  was  married  and  where 
he  farmed  until  1883.  In  that  year  he  cast  in  his  lot  with  the  Pacific  northwest, 
coming  to  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington.  He  took  up  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  land,  nine  miles  north  of  Preston  and  that  place  remained  his 
home  until  October  1903,  when  he  removed  to  Waitsburg,  where  he  has  since 
lived  retired.  He  was  very  successful  as  a  farmer  and,  realizing  that  land  would 
steadily  increase  in  value  as  the  country  became  more  thickly  settled,  he  invested 
his  capital  in  additional  land,  now  owning  thirteen  hundred  and  fifty-five  acres  of 
fine  wheat  land.  The*  financial  independence  which  he  has  gained  is  proof  of  his 
foresight,  his  sound  judgment  and  his  business  ability,  for  he  is  a  self-made  man, 
having  depended  solely  upon  his  own  labors  for  advancement. 

Mr.  McCullouch  was  married  on  March  16,  1870,  to  Miss  Rebecca  Broomfield 
and  they  have  become  the  parents  of  nine  children  :  Elsie  H.,  William,  Josie,  James 
A.  and  Walter,  all  of  whom  are  deceased;  Jessie  M.,  the  wife  of  D.  H.  Harris; 


MRS.  ANDREW  J.  McCULLOUCH 


ANDEEW  J.  McCULLOUCH 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  511 

Bertha,  at  home;  Ruby,  the  wife  of  Wallace  Heffron,  and  Chauncey  L.,  who  is  on 
the  home  farm. 

Mr.  McCullouch  is  an  adherent  of  the  republican  party  and  for  fourteen  years 
was  school  director,  his  continuance  in  the  office  indicating  the  acceptability  of 
his  services.  In  religious  faith  he  is  a  Methodist  and  he  can  be  counted  upon  to 
give  his  support  to  all  projects  looking  toward  the  moral  advancement  of  his 
community. 


HENRY  SCHNECKLOTH. 

Henry  Schneckloth,  one  of  the  well  known  pioneers  and  esteemed  citizens 
of  Garfield  county,  is  now  the  owner  of  eleven  hundred  acres  of  valuable  land 
and  for  the  past  thirty-six  years  has  lived  continuously  on  his  farm  of  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  section  31,  township  13  north,  range  43  east.  His 
birth  occurred  in  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  on  the  23d  of  October,  1840, 
his  parents  being  Joachim  and  Catherine  (Ewalt)  Schneckloth,  who  emigrated 
to  the  United  States  in  1853  and  made  their  way  to  Davenport,  Iowa.  The 
father  devoted  the  remainder  of  his  life  to  farming  in  Scott  county,  that  state, 
and  there  passed  away  about  1893,  while  tii€-»i©t^ier-:,w:f5^cane'dUo  her  final  rest  in 

Henry  Schneckloth  was  largely  ediicated'in' ' his"  native  fcountry,  attending 
the  city  schools  of  Davenport  for  but  one; yeaE-aiter  htg'efnigrgtion  to  the  United 
States  with  his  parents,  at  which  time  he  was' a  >;o.vith-6.f -tttirteen.  On  reaching 
man's  estate  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account  and  cultivated  rented  land 
in  Scott  county,  Iowa,  until  1881,  when  he  came  west  to  Washington.  Here  he 
purchased  his  present  home  farm  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Gar- 
field county,  for  which  he  paid  four  thousand  dollars  and  on  which  he  has 
remained  continuously  throughout  the  intervening  period  of  thirty-six  years. 
As  his  financial  resources  have  increased,  owing  to  his  unremitting  industry 
and  capable  management,  he  has  made  additional  purchase  from  time  to  time 
until  his  holdings  now  embrace  eleven  hundred  acres  of  productive  land.  His 
success  is  well  merited  and  he  enjoys  an  enviable  reputation  as  one  of  the 
representative  and  wealthy  agriculturists  of  the  community. 

In  1867,  in  Scott  county,  Iowa,  Mr.  Schneckloth  was  joined  in  wedlock  to 
Miss  Margaret  Kuhl,  who  was  a  native  of  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  and 
came  to  the  United  States  in  young  womanhood.  By  her  marriage  she  became 
the  mother  of  eight  children,  as  follows :  James  H.,  who  is  serving  as  post- 
master at  Pomeroy,  Washington;  Gustav  P.,  a  farmer  of  Garfield  county; 
William  J.,  who  is  serving  as  sheriff  of  Garfield  county ;  Katie,  who  is  the  wife 
of  A.  L.  Shelton,  a  farmer  of  Garfield  county;  Herman  O.,  who  is  deceased; 
Helen,  the  wife  of  W.  H.  Morrison,  of  Walla  Walla,  Washington;  Adolph 
T.,  who  follows  farming  in  Idaho ;  and  Emil  R.,  who  operates  the  home  farm. 
The  wife  and  mother  passed  away  on  the  27th  of  July,  191 5,  and  her  demise 
was  the  occasion  of  deep  and  widespread  regret. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Schneckloth  is  independent,  supporting  men  and 
measures  rather  than  party.     His  religious  faith  is  that  of  the  Lutheran  church, 

Vol.  I 3  2 


512  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

of  which  he  is  a  loyal  and  devoted  member.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Farmers 
Union.  His  life  has  been  upright  and  honorable  in  every  relation  and  his  many 
sterling  traits  of  character  have  won  him  the  warm  regard  and  friendship  of 
all  with  whom  he  has  been  associated. 


CHARLES  F.  DEMENT. 

Charles  F.  Dement,  who  is  serving  for  the  second  term  as  county  auditor  of 
Walla  Walla  county,  was  bom  February  8,  1880,  in  the  city  of  Walla  Walla,  a 
son  of  Frank  S.  Dement,  who  is  mentioned  at  length  .on  another  page  of  this 
work  and  who  ranks  with  the  leading  business  men  of  the  northwest,  being 
prominently  connected  with  the  milling  business  and  the  grain  trade. 

The  son  pursued  his  common  school  education  in  Walla  Walla  and  passed 
through  consecutive  grades  to  the  high  school.  Later  he  became  a  student  in 
the  Shattuck  Military  Academy  at  Faribault,  Minnesota,  where  he  remained  for 
three  years,  and  later  he  spent  two  years  as  a  student  in  Whitman  College  of 
this  state.  When  his  textbooks  were  put  aside  he  was  appointed  to  the  posi- 
tion of  deputy  state  grain  inspector,  in  which  capacity  he  served  for  a  year.  Later 
he  was  made  deputy  county  auditor  and  such  was  the  excellent  record  which  he 
made  in  that  position  that  he  was  nominated  by  the  republican  party  for  the  posi- 
tion of  county  auditor,  was  elected  and  has  since  been  reelected,  so  that  he  is 
now  serving  for  the  second  term.  He  has  also  been  clerk  of  the  board  of  county 
commissioners,  has  been  county  sealer  of  weights  and  measures  and  in  all  these 
offices  has  discharged  his  duties  with  notable  promptness,  efficiency  and  fidelity. 
Over  the  record  of  his  public  career  there  falls  no  shadow  of  wrong  or  suspicion 
of  evil.  He  is  actuated  by  a  public-spirited  devotion  to  the  general  good  and  in 
discharging  his  duties  is  thoroughly  prompt  and  reliable. 

Mr.  Dement  belongs  to  the  Benevolent  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  is  also 
a  Blue  Lodge  Mason,  while  his  name  is  likewise  enrolled  on  the  membership  list 
of  the  Knights  of  the  Alaccabees.  He  is  well  known  in  Walla  Walla,  where  his 
entire  life  has  been  passed,  and  such  are  his  salient  characteristics  that  he  has 
won  wide  personal  popularity  as  well  as  prominence  in  office. 


SQUIRE  T.  PRATHER. 

Squire  T.  Prather,  bond  agent  and  investment  broker  of  Walla  Walla,  where 
he  has  made  his  home  since  1910,  occupies  a  creditable  position  in  financial  circles 
of  the  city  and  has  made  for  himseFf  an  enviable  place  in  the  field  of  business 
to  which  he  directs  his  eflForts.  A  native  of  Missouri,  he  was  born  in  Macon 
county,  February  14,  i860,  his  parents  being  B.  F.  and  Martha  (Holman)  Prather, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  that  state,  where  they  resided  until  1874,  when 
they  crossed  the  plains  to  California.  They  at  first  took  up  their  abode  in 
Stockton,  California,  and  the  father  engaged  in  farming.  Subsequently  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  sheep  industry,  with  which  he  was  connected  until 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  513 

he  was  called  to  his  tinal  rest.    His  wife  also  died  in  California.     In  their  family 
were  seven  children,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living. 

Squire  T.  Prather  was  a  lad  of  but  fourteen  years  when  the  family  came 
to  the  west  and  in  California  he  was  reared  and  educated.  He  attended  the  high 
school  and  afterward  remained  at  home  until  he  had  attained  his  majority.  He 
then  turned  his  attention  to  the  real  estate  business,  in  which  he  has  been  en- 
gaged from  that  time  to  the  present.  In  1910  he  removed  to  Walla  Walla  and 
opened  his  present  office,  being  now  well  known  as  a  bond  and  loan  agent.  His 
long  experience  enables  him  to  speak  with  authority  upon  real  estate  values 
and  upon  the  value  of  commercial  paper  as  well  and  the  integrity  and  enterprise 
of  his  business  methods  have  secured  for  him  a  most  liberal  clientage.  In  addi- 
tion to  his  business  in  Walla  Walla  he  is  the  owner  of  eighty  acres  of  valuable 
fruit  land  in  California  which  is  now  in  bearing  and  he  has  recently  sold  six 
hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land  in  Walla  Walla  county. 

In  1879  Mr.  Prather  was  married  to  Miss  Alice  J.  Potts,  a  native  of  Canada. 
To  them  have  been  born  four  children :  John,  who  is  now  engaged  in  the  real 
estate  business  in  Fresno,  California,  in  which  enterprise  his  father  is  also  in- 
terested; Mattie,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Eugene  Freeland,  of  Seattle,  Washing- 
ton; Elmer  T.,  who  is  with  his  father  in  Walla  Walla;  and  Lula,  who  is  the 
wife  of  Clifford  Crockett  of  Walla  Walla  and  who  is  a  graduate  nurse.  There 
are  also  four  grandchildren.  The  wife  of  our  subject,  Dr.  Alice  J.  Prather,  was 
born  in  Canada  and  received  her  early  education  in  the  common  schools  of 
Montreal.  Later  she  took  up  the  study  of  medicine  in  San  Francisco  and  in 
1896  was  graduated  from  the  Naturopathic  School  of  Healing  at  Los  Angeles. 
Later  she  engaged  in  practice  at  San  Jose,  California,  and  is  now  following  her 
profession  in  Walla  Walla,  being  at  the  head  of  the  Alice  J.  Prather  Naturopathic 
Sanatorium,  where  the  patients  are  treated  by  nature's  remedies. 

In  politics  Mr.  Prather  is  a  stalwart  democrat,  thoroughly  informed  con- 
cerning the  questions  and  issues  of  the  day  and  giving  to  his  party  stalwart 
allegiance  because  of  his  belief  in  its  principles.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  con- 
sistent members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  South,  and  in  social  circles 
in  Walla  Walla  occupy  an  enviable  position,  being  cordially  received  into  the 
best  homes  where  true  worth  and  intelligence  are  accepted  as  passports. 


EDWARD  J.  HOFFMAN. 

Edward  J.  Hoffman,  who  follows  farming  in  Columbia  county,  concentrating 
his  attention  upon  the  cultivation  and  further  development  of  four  hundred  and 
twenty-one  acres  of  good  land,  was  born  in  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  on  the 
22d  of  February,  1883.  His  father,  John  Hoffman,  was  one  of  the  early 
pioneers  of  Walla  Walla  and  became  one  of  the  most  progressive  and  success- 
ful agriculturists  of  southeastern  Washington  but  is  now  living  retired  in 
Walla  Walla.  He  well  deserves  mention  among  the  representative  residents  of 
this  section  of  the  state  and  his  record  will  be  found  on  another  page  of  this 
work. 

Edward  J.   Hoffman  was  reared  upon  the  old  home   farm,  early  becoming 


514  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

familiar  with  the  best  methods  of  tilHng  the  soil  and  caring  for  the  crops. 
Liberal  educational  opportunities  were  accorded  him,  for  after  attending  the 
conmion  schools  of  the  neighborhood  he  benefited  by  a  course  in  the  Empire 
Business  College  of  Walla  Walla.  Through  the  periods  of  vacation  prior 
to  this  time  he  had  become  an  active  assistant  of  his  father  in  farm  work  and 
after  his  textbooks  were  put  aside  he  continued  to  follow  farming  in  connec- 
tion with  his  father  until  1910.  In  that  year  he  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Blanche  E.  Hafner,  a  daughter  of  Charles  G.  Hafner,  of  Walla  Walla, 
who  wa's  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  Umatilla  county,  Oregon,  settling  just 
across  the  state  line  in  Oregon  upon  his  arrival  in  the  west.  He,  too,  was 
identified  with  farming  interests  for  a  long  period  but  is  now  enjoying  the  fruits 
of  his  former  toil  in  well  earned  rest  in  Walla  Walla. 

Following  his  marriage  Edward  J.  Hoffman  located  on  one  of  his  father's 
farms  eight  miles  northeast  of  Starbuck  and  there  engaged  in  the  operation 
of  thirty-six  hundred  acres  of  land,  a  part  of  which  was  grazing  land.  He 
remained  upon  that  ranch  for  five  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  removed 
to  his  present  home,  which  is  owned  by  his  father.  He  farms  four  hundred 
and  twenty-one  acres  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  representative  agriculturists 
of  Whiskey  creek.  He  employs  the  most  progressive  methods  in  tilhng  the 
soil,  practices  the  rotation  of  crops  and  studies  everything  that  has  bearing 
upon  the  production  of  the  cereals  best  adapted  to  climatic  conditions  here. 
His  labors  are  being  attended  with  excellent  results  and  the  neat  and  thrifty 
appearance  of  his  place  indicates  his  careful  supervision  and  practical  and 
progressive  methods.  He  has  made  the  farm  one  of  the  attractive  features 
of  the  landscape — a  proof  of  what  may  be  accomplished  along  agricultural 
lines  in  this  district,  which  at  one  time  was  believed  to'  be  thoroughly  unadapted 
to  farming. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hoffman  has  been  blessed  with  four  children: 
John  E.,  Frances  P.,  Bessie  D.  and  Alfred  A.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Hoff- 
man is  a  republican,  having  given  stalwart  support  to  the  party  since  age  con- 
ferred upon  him  the  right  of  franchise.  He  has  never  sought  or  desired  office, 
preferring  to  give  his  undivided  time  and  attention  to  his  business  affairs, 
which  are  capably  and  wisely  directed.  He  is  an  energetic  man  and  obstacles 
and  difficulties  in  his  path  seem  to  serve  but  as  an  impetus  for  renewed  effort 
on  his  part.  He  and  his  wife  are  widely  and  favorably  known  in  this  section 
of  the  state  and  the  hospitality  of  the  best  homes  is  freely  accorded  them. 


GUSTAV  E.  BARTELL. 

Gustav  E.  Bartell,  an  active  factor  in  the  business  life  of  Dayton,  is  proving 
successful  in  the  conduct  of  a  garage  and  a  machine  shop.  He  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  June  29,  1875,  a  son  of  G.  P.  and  Julia  Anna  Bartell,  who  were 
born  in  Germany  but  in  1874  became  residents  of  Pennsylvania.  In  1890  they 
removed  to  The  Dalles,  Oregon,  where  the  father  followed  the  saddler's  trade. 
Four  years  after  coming  west,  however,  he  was  called  by  death,  but  the  mother 
survives  and  resides  in  Portland. 


GUSTAV    E.   BAKTELL 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  517 

Gustav  E.  Bartell  began  his  education  in  his  native  state  but  completed  it  in 
the  schools  of  The  Dalles.  As  a  youth  he  learned  the  machinist's  trade,  which 
he  has  since  followed,  and  in  1909  he  came  to  Dayton,  purchasing  the  machine 
shop  which  he  now  conducts.  He  does  all  kinds  of  work  in  that  line  and  has 
gained  an  enviable  reputation  for  accuracy  and  also  for  the  speed  with  which  he 
turns  out  orders.  He  also  has  a  garage  department  and  has  likewise  built  up  a 
good  trade  in  that  connection. 

Mr.  Bartell  was  married  in  The  Dalles,  Oregon,  to  Miss  May  Elton,  who 
passed  away  three  months  later.  In  1909  he  was  married  in  Dayton,  to  Miss 
Letty  Clark,  a  native  of  this  town  and  a  graduate  nurse,  having  completedthe 
required  course  of  training  in  the  hospital  at  Walla  Walla.  To  their  union  has 
been  born  a  son,  Charles  G. 

Mr.  Bartell  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  republican  party,  fraternally 
is  identified  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  in  religious  faith  is  a  Congrega- 
tionalist,  to  which  church  his  wife  also  belongs.  His  military  record  includes 
service  as  captain  of  Company  D,  Oregon  National  Guard.  He  began  his  inde- 
pendent career  with  no  capital  but  with  a  thorough  knowledge  of  his  trade,  and 
with  that  as  a  foundation  he  steadily  advanced  until  he  is  now  in  excellent 
circumstances,  and  he  is  recognized  as  a  prominent  business  man  of  Daytpn. 


FRED  W.'  KASER. 


Fred  W.  Kaser  is  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Davis-Kaser  Company, 
house  furnishers,  who  control  one  of  the  leading" business  enterprises  of  Walla 
Walla  and  of  the  northwest.  He  was  born  in  Madison  county,  Illinois,  March 
24,  1868,  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Magdalene  (Kamm)  Kaser,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Switzerland  and  came  to  the  new  world  in  childhood  with  their 
respective  parents.  They  were  married  in  Illinois  and  there  resided  until  1869, 
when  they  removed  to  western  Missouri. 

Fred  W.  Kaser  spent  his  youthful  days  vmder  the  parental  roof  and  ac- 
quired his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Missouri  and  also  at  the  Empire 
Business  College  in  Walla  Walla,  Washington.  He  arrived  in  this  city  in  1887. 
reaching  his  destination  on  the  20th  of  June.  He  was  then  a  youth  of  nineteen 
years — empty-handed  but  possessed  of  an  abundant  amount  of  courage,  deter- 
mination and  energy.  He  eagerly  embraced  any  opportunity  that  offered 
whereby  he  might  earn  a  living.  He  had  been  engaged  in  farm  work  when  in 
the  middle  west  and  after  reaching  Walla  Walla  he  was  first  employed  at  hop 
picking.  He  was  not  content  with  such  a  position  save  as  an  expedient  to  meet 
his  momentary  expenses  and  was  constantly  on  the  outlook  for  something  better. 
He  returned  from  the  hop  fields  to  the  town  and  secured  employment  with  the 
gas  company.  There  he  worked  until  almost  midnight  and  through  the  school 
period  he  was  busy  with  lessons,  for  he  had  come  to  a  realization  of  the  fact 
that  educational  training  was  necessary  toward  success  in  the  business  world. 
For  two  years  he  followed  that  course,  working  for  the  gas  company  and  also 
in  the  Gilbert  Hunt  machine  shop.  He  next  turned  his  attention  to  commercial 
pursuits  and  secured  a  clerkship  in  the  Schwabacher  store.     In  the  meantime  he 


518  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

had  pursued  his  course  in  business  college  and  such  was  the  thoroughness  with 
which  he  did  his  work  that  the  college  sought  his  cooperation  after  his  gradua- 
tion and  for  one  term  he  engaged  in  teaching  there.  He  also  correctly  applied 
the  knowledge  that  he  had  gained  to  his  duties  in  the  Schwabacher  store  and 
later  he  accepted  the  position  of  bookkeeper  with  G.  H.  Sutherland,  with  whom 
he  remained  for  three  years.  In  1894  he  embarked  in  business  on  his  own 
account,  becoming  connected  with  John  A.  Davis  in  the  purchase  of  a  furniture 
store.  They  began  business  under  the  name  of  the  Davis-Kaser  Company  in 
handling  furniture  and  all  kinds  of  house  furnishings  and  after  a  year  the  busi- 
ness was  incorporated  under  the  present  style,  Mr.  Davis  becoming  the  presi- 
dent of  the  company,  with  Mr.  Kaser  as  the  secretary,  treasurer  and  general 
manager.  Their  business  has  grown  from  a  small  concern  with  a  stock  valued 
at  less  than  three  thousand  dollars  until  it  is  one  of  the  largest  mercantile  insti- 
tutions of  Walla  Walla. 

On  the  2 1st  of  October,  1894,  Mr.  Kaser  was  married  to  Miss  Laura  E. 
Davis,  a  daughter  of  John  A.  Davis,  who  was  the  president  of  the  Davis-Kaser 
Company  but  is  now  deceased.  Mrs.  Kaser  is  a  native  of  Walla  Walla  county, 
where  she  was  reared  and  educated,  and  is  an  active  worker  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  to  which  she  belongs.  She  is  also  a  prominent  member  of  the  Women's 
Park  Club  of  Walla  Walla,  the  Sunshine  Club  and  other  similar  organizations. 

Mr.  Kaser  has  always  taken  the  deepest  interest  in  community  welfare  and 
has  done  most  efficient  work  for  Walla  Walla  as  president  of  the  Commercial 
Club.  He  is  a  member  of  Trinity  Lodge,  No.  121,  I.  O.  O.  F. ;  also  of  Blue 
Mountain  Lodge,  No.  13,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.;  Walla  Walla  Chapter,  No.  i,  R.  A.  M.; 
Washington  Commandery,  No.  2,  K.  T.,  of  Walla  Walla;  and  El  Katif  Temple 
A.  A.  O.  N.  M.  S.,  of  Spokane.  He  is  also  connected  with  Walla  Walla  Lodge, 
No.  287,  B.  P.  O.  E. 


EDWARD  G.  KNOTT. 


Edward  G.  Knott,  who  is  giving  his  entire  time  and  attention  to  the  operation 
of  an  excellent  farm  of  twelve  hundred  acres  in  Columbia  county,  is  a  western 
man  by  birth  as  well  as  preference,  being  a  native  of  Walla  Walla.  He  was 
born  May  12,  1883,  a  son  of  James  and  Josephine  (Ulberg)  Knott,  who  were 
natives  respectively  of  England  and  Sweden,  but  were  married  in  California.  In 
the  '70s  they  removed  to  the  city  of  Walla  Walla,  where  they  still  reside.  h"or 
many  years  the  father  was  actively  engaged  in  the  construction  business,  taking 
contracts  for  masonry. 

Edward  G.  Knott  is  one  of  seven  living  children  in  a  family  of  nine.  He  was 
reared  at  home  and  is  indebted  for  his  education  to  the  public  schools  of  Walla 
Walla.  On  attaining  his  majority  he  turned  his  attention  to  farming,  recognizing 
the  value  of  the  fine  land  in  this  section,  and  after  operating  rented  farms  for 
ten  years  he  bought  twelve  hundred  acres,  the  greater  part  of  which  is  fine  wheat 
land  in  Columbia  county  and  took  up  his  residence  on  that  place.  He  gives 
to  his  affairs  the  same  careful  attention  that  a  business  man  gives  to  his  interests 
and  his  work  is  conducted  in  a  most  systematic  manner.     He  ranks  among  the 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  521 

most  progressive  and  successful  agriculturists  of  Columbia  county  and  receives 
a  gratifying  profit  from  his  land. 

In  1908  Air.  Knott  was  married  to  Miss  Delia  Richmond,  also  a  native  of 
Walla  Walla  county,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  three  children,  Harold  R., 
Robert  E.  and  Arnold  F.  Mr.  Knott  casts  his  ballot  in  support  of  the  democratic 
party  but  his  participation  in  public  aiifairs  has  been  confined  to  the  exercise  of  the 
right  of  franchise.  However,  he  is  deeply  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  public 
schools  and  has  served  with  credit  to  himself  as  a  member  of  the  school  board. 
He  has  a  wide  acquaintance  in  Columbia  and  Walla  Walla  counties,  and  his 
genuine  worth  is  attested  by  the  fact  that  those  who  have  been  most  intimately 
associated  with  him  since  his  boyhood  are  his  stanchest  friends. 


OSCAR  M.  SHELTON. 


Oscar  M.  Shelton,  a  prosperous  and  energetic  young  farmer  residing  on  sec- 
tion 6,  Russell  Creek  township,  Walla  Walla  county,  was  born  August  20,  1883, 
upon  the  farm  which  he  is  now  operating.  His  parents,  Frank  M.  and  Nancy 
M.  (Guinn)  Shelton,  came  to  the  county  in  early. days,  the  former  in  1863  and 
the  latter  in  1864.  They  were  married  f oflowhig;^ th^* 'arVival  here  and  took  a 
quitclaim  on  a  homestead  which  in  time  ;becam6  •'their  ■ -prfoperty.  The  father 
was  successful  as  an  agriculturist  and  at  the  time  of;  hi^.4eath  in  1908  held  title 
to  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  fine  wheat . land.    The  fiiothar  died  in  1897. 

Oscar  M.  Shelton  was  reared  upon  the  ■Rome'Tarm  and  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools.  The  year  following  his  father's  death  he  and  his 
brothers  operated  the  farm  in  partnership,  but  at  the  end  of  that  time  the  estate 
was  settled  and  he  received  eighty  acres  of  the  home  place  as  his  share.  He 
has  subsequently  purchased  an  adjoining  eighty  acres,  so  that  he  now  owns  a  quar- 
ter section  of  excellent  land.  He  annually  harvests  large  crops  of  wheat  and  as  he 
manages  his  afifairs  in  a  businesslike  manner  he  receives  a  good  profit  from  his 
labors. 

In  1910  Mr.  Shelton  was  married  to  Miss  Bessie  McKay,  a  daughter  ot 
Angus  McKay,  who  came  to  this  country  in  1861.-  The  children  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Shelton  are  three  in  number,  Bethine,  Arline  and  Ibbie  Lillian. 

Mr.  Shelton  votes  independently  and  gives  careful  study  to  the  questions 
and  issues  of  the  day.  He  and  his  wife  are  devoted  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  He  is  thoroughly  western  in  spirit,  and  his  enterprise  and  progressive- 
ness  have  enabled  him  to  take  rank  among  the  successful  men  of  his  township. 


ALFRED  L.  SHELTON. 


Alfred  L.  Shelton,  who  is  extensively  engaged  in  stock  and  wheat  raising, 
with  residence  on  section  5,  township  12  north,  range  43  east,  Garfield  county, 
was  born  in  Yamhill  county,  Oregon,  July  i,  i86g.  His  parents,  John  W.  and 
Mary  (Burford)  Shelton,  were  both  natives  of  Missouri  and  in  1853  made  the 


522  OLD  WAIJ.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

long  and  tedious  journey  across  the  plains  to  the  Pacific  coast  country,  settling 
in  Yamhill  county,  Oregon,  where  the  mother  passed  away.  The  father  sur- 
vives at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years  and  is  now  a  resident  of  Portland.  Ten 
of  the  thirteen  children  born  to  their  union  are  still  living. 

Alfred  L.  Shelton  was  reared  at  home  and  his  education  was  that  afforded 
by  the  district  schools  of  Oregon.  In  1887,  when  about  eighteen  years  old,  he 
came  to  Garfield  county,  Washington,  and  purchased  land,  on  which  he  has 
since  resided.  His  systematic  and  practical  labors  have  year  by  year  been 
rewarded  by  large  crops.  He  has  also  been  successful  as  a  stock  raiser  and  his 
holdings  now  comprise  eleven  hundred  and  ninety-two  acres,  of  which  six  hun- 
dred acres  is  devoted  to  the  raising  of  wheat,  while  the  remainder  is  fine 
pasture  land.  He  keeps  in  close  touch  with  the  advancement  that  is  continually 
being  made  along  agricultural  lines  and  justly  ranks  as  one  of  the  leading  farmers 
of  his  section. 

Mr.  Shelton  was  married  in  1894  to  Miss  Catherine  Schnekloth,  a  native 
of  Iowa  and  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Margaret  Schnekloth,  an  account  of  whose 
lives  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work.  Nine  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Shelton,  namely,  Arthur  M.,  Wilber  W.,  Henry  E.,  Alma,  Elmer,  Herman, 
Dale,  Hazel  and  Doris,  all  of  whom  are  yet  at  home. 

Mr.  Shehon  belongs  to  Harmony  Lodge,  No.  116,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Pomeroy,  to 
the  Woodmen  of  the  World,  to  the  Grange  and  the  Farmers'  Union.  His 
political  allegiance  is  given  to  the  republican  party  and  he  has  served  for  some 
time  on  the  school  board.  He  is  a  man  of  unusual  energy,  finding  the  oppor- 
tunity to  take  part  in  public  affairs  in  addition  to  looking  after  his  extensive 
farming  interests.  He  is  manager  of  the  No.  2  telephone  Hne  and  in  that  capacity 
has  made  an  excellent  record  for  the  fine  service  rendered  patrons.  He  is 
distinctly  a  western  man,  possessing  the  self-reliance,  resourcefulness  and  en- 
terprise characteristic  of  this  section. 


MRS.  IDA  MAY  WOLFE. 

Mrs.  Ida  May  Wolfe,  widely  and  favorably  known  in  Walla  Walla  county, 
is  a  representative  of  one  of  the  oldest  pioneer  families.  She  resides  on  section 
35,  township  8  north,  range  36  east,  where  she  owns  a  valuable  fanning 
property.  She  was  born  on  the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Dayton  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Oliver  C.  and  Mary  E.  (Mealey)  Gallaher.  Her  mother  was  a 
daughter  of  Dr.  Mealey,  who  was  one  of  the  noted  men  of  his  day.  Her  father 
crossed  the  plains  in  1845,  when  few  white  men  had  penetrated  into  the  vast 
wilderness  of  the  northwest.  He  drove  across  the  hot  stretches  of  sand  over 
the  mountain  passes  and  at  length  reached  the  Willamette  valley  of  Oregon, 
where  he  took  up  a  donation  claim.  At  that  time  the  city  of  Portland  had  no 
existence  and  the  work  of  progress  and  improvement  had  scarcely  been  begun 
in  all  the  vast  northwest.  He  resided  in  the  Willamette  valley  until  the  spring 
of  1862,  when  he  came  to  Walla  Walla  county  and  took  up  his  abode  in  the 
Walla  Walla  valley,  where  he  resided  until  the  time  of  his  death.  His  entire 
life  was  devoted  to  farming  and  he  contributed  much  to  the  early  agricultural 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  523 

development  of  this  section  of  the  country.  His  efforts  were  an  important 
factor  in  promoting  progress  and  improvement  in  the  Inland  Empire  and  he 
was  among  those  who  laid  broad  and  deep  the  foundation  upon  which  is  built 
the  present  prosperity  and  progress  of  the  county.  His  political  allegiance 
was  always  given  to  the  republican  party  and  he  took  an  active  and  helpful 
interest  in  politics,  recognizing  the  duties  and  obligations  as  well  as  the  privileges 
of  citizenship.  In  a  word,  he  left  the  impress  of  his  individualty  for  good  upon 
the  devlopment  of  this  section  of  the  state  and  his  memory  is  yet  revered  and 
honored  by  many  who  knew  him  in  the  early  days.  In  his  family  were  six  chil- 
dren, three  of  whom  are  now  living. 

His  daughter,  Mrs.  Wolfe,  was  reared  and  educated  in  Walla  Walla  county 
and  is  familiar  with  many  phases  of  pioneer  life  here.  In  1883  she  became  the 
wife  of  W.  H.  Buroker,  a  pioneer  of  this  county,  having  come  here  in  1864. 
Through  their  united  thrift  and  industry  they  acquired  a  large  and  valuable 
property,  which  at  the  death  of  Mr.  Buroker  in  1902  was  equally  divided  among 
the  legal  heirs.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buroker  were  born  five  children :  Zenna,  the 
wife  of  L.  O.  Mclnroe;  Ina  J.,  the  wife  of  Frank  Mclnroe,  of  Walla  Walla 
county ;  Forrest  L.,  who  is  a  resident  farmer  of  Walla  Walla  county ;  one  who  is 
deceased;  and  Mary  E.,  the  wife  of  R.  W.  Rigsby.  Several  years  after  the  death 
of  her  first  husband  Mrs.  Buroker  became  the  wife  of  L.  R.  Wolfe  in  1906.  Her 
father  died  on  the  29th  of  May,  1916,  having  long  survived  his  wife,  who  passed 
away  about  thirty-nine  years  ago.    They  were  both  laid  to  rest  in  this  county. 

Mrs.  Wolfe  is  now  the  owner  of  several  hundred  acres  of  fine  land  which 
has  been  brought  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  returns  splendid  crops 
annually,  thus  providing  the  family  with  a  very  substantial  income.  Mr.  Wolfe 
belongs  to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
and  Mrs.  Wolfe  is  connected  with  the  Rebekah  lodge,  the  ladies'  auxiliary  of 
the  Odd  Fellows.  She  is  also  a  consistent  and  faithful  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  and  takes  a  very  active  and  helpful  part  in  church  work,  con- 
tributing generously  to  its  support.  Her  entire  hfe  has  been  passed  in  this  county, 
where  she  is  most  widely  known,  and  she  has  a  very  extensive  circle  of  warm 
friends,  who  enjoy  her  companionship  and  entertain  for  her  the  highest  regard. 


JOHN  F.  ABBOTT. 


John  F.  Abbott,  of  Walla  Walla,  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  eastern  Washing- 
ton, arriving  here  in  1859,  and  for  many  years  he  was  prominently  connected 
with  transportation  interests  as  the  owner  of  a  stage  line  from  Walla  Walla  to 
Boise,  Idaho.  Later,  when  the  country  became  more  settled,  he  turned  his 
attention  to  farming  and  was  also  successful  in  that  connection.  His  birth 
occurred  in  Rome,  New  York,  March  25,  1823,  and  he  remained  in  that  state 
until  he  was  thirteen  years  old.  He  then  went  to  work  and  for  the  next  few 
years  was  employed  in  various  states.  On  removing  to  Wisconsin  he  became 
connected  with  a  stage  line  and  so  continued  until  1849,  when  he,  like  so  many 
others,  made  the  long  and  dangerous  journey  across  the  plains  to  the  California 
gold  fields.     He  devoted  two  years  to  mining  and   then   went  to   La   Fayette, 


524  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Oregon,  where  he  established  a  stage  line  between  that  point  and  Portland  and 
another  between  Jacksonville  and  Sterlingville.  He  operated  the  two  lines  until 
1859,  when  he  came  to  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  and  at  once  became  a  factor 
in  the  business  life  of  the  town  as  the  proprietor  of  a  stage  line  from  Walla 
Walla  to  Wallula.  He  also  engaged  in  the  livery  business  and  later,  in  connec- 
tion with  Thomas  &  Ruckle,  established  a  stage  line  from  Walla  Walla  over  the 
Blue  mountains  to  Boise,  Idaho.  At  that  early  day  stage  coaches  furnished 
practically  the  only  means  of  communication  from  one  part  of  the  western  country 
to  another  and  stage  lines  were  as  important  to  the  development  of  the  section 
as  railroads  are  today.  In  1873  Mr.  Abbott  sold  his  interests  in  that  business 
and  began  farming  and  stock  raising.  He  met  with  unusual  success  as  an  agri- 
culturist and  at  the  time  of  his  death  ha'd  extensive  farm  holdings  in  Walla  Walla 
county  and  also  held  title  to  valuable  city  properties. 

Mr.  Abbott  was  married  in  Oregon,  April  24,  1853,  to  Mrs.  Susan  (Snyder) 
Creighton,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  three  children: 
John  H.,  who  is  one  of  the  prominent  farmers  of  Walla  Walla  county;  Belle, 
the  wife  of  H.  G.  Mauzey.  of  Walla  Walla;  and  Anna  A.,  who  is  the  widow  of 
Colonel  W.  H.  Miller  and  is  caring  for  her  aged  mother.  Mrs.  Abbott  was  born 
in  New  Lisbon,  Ohio,  October  22,  1824,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Stephen  Snyder. 
She  lost  her  parents  when  quite  small  and  in  1845  came  west  with  her  aunt, 
Amelia  Risley.  They  traveled  by  ox  teams  across  the  plains  and  settled  in  Yam- 
hill county,  Oregon.  At  the  age  of  twenty  years  Susan  Snyder  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Nathaniel  Creighton,  by  whom  she  had  one  child,  Minnie,  who 
married  D.  B.  Day,  of  Walla  Walla,  but  is  now  deceased.  Mr.  Creighton  died 
in  1849  and  his  widow  subsequently  became  the  wife  of  John  F.  Abbott.  In 
1859,  in  company  with  their  four  children,  they  came  to  Walla  Walla,  and  here 
Mrs.  Abbott  has  since  made  her  home.  She  is  still  alert  of  mind  and  active  of 
body. 

Mr.  Abbott  was  prominent  in  the  work  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  and  was  generous  to  a  fault,  contributing  liberally  to  all  deserving  enter- 
prises and  charities.  He  was  progressive  and  public-spirited  and  did  all  within 
his  power  to  further  the  advancement  of  his  community.  His  death,  which 
occurred  Alarch  14,  1896,  occasioned  widespread  regret,  as  it  was  generally 
recognized  that  his  energy,  sound  judgment  and  civic  spirit  were  valuable  assets 
of  Walla  Walla. 


JOHN  K.  RAINWATER. 

The  history-  of  Dayton  is  to  John  K.  Rainwater  a  matter  of  personal  experi- 
ence, as  he  settled  upon  the  site  of  Dayton  when  it  was  government  land  as  yet 
untouched  by  the  hand  of  man.  For  years  he  engaged  in  farming  but  has  now 
disposed  of  the  greater  part  of  his  land,  which  is  included  within  the  city  of 
Dayton,  although  he  retains  the  ownership  of  seven  acres,  upon  which  he  resides. 
His  birth  occurred  in  eastern  Tennessee,  January  3,  1834,  and  he  is  a  son  of 
James  and  Dalila  (Keifer)  Rainwater,  natives  of  that  state.  The  family  removed 
to  Arkansas,  where  the  mother  passed  away,  and  subsequently  the  father  went 


JOHN  K.  RAINWATER 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  527 

with  his  children  to  Missouri.     His  last  years,  however,  were  passed  in  Dayton, 
Washington,  and  here  his  death  occurred.     Four  of  his  five  children  survive. 

John  K.  Rainwater  grew  to  manhood  in  Arkansas  and  acquired  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  there.  In  early  manhood  he  decided  to  try  his  fortune  in 
the  west  and  in  1861  made  the  long  journey  overland  by  ox  team  to  Albany, 
Oregon.  He  rented  a  farm  in  that  locality  but  in  1869  removed  to  Old  Walla 
Walla  county,  Washington,  settling  on  a  farm  now  within  the  city  limits  of 
Dayton.  He  has  now  disposed  of  all  of  his  land  save  seven  acres  but  for  a 
considerable  period  he  was  actively  engaged  in  the  operation  of  his  farm  and 
proved  successful  as  an  agriculturist.  It  has  been  a  great  pleasure  to  him  to 
witness  the  steady  and  rapid  development  of  this  section  and  especially  of  Dayton 
and  he  has  gladly  given  his  aid  to  all  projects  seeking  the  public  welfare.  He  is 
now  living  retired  after  a  life  of  well  directed  industry  and  he  is  deservedly  held 
in  high  esteem  by  his  fellow  townsmen. 

Mr.  Rainwater  was  married  in  1854  to  Miss  Mary  Sparks,  also  a  native  of 
Tennessee,  and  to  them  were  bom  six  daughters  and  one  son:  Dalila,  the  wife 
of  George  Munsey;  Susan  J.,  who  married  O.  C.  White,  now  of  Olympia,  Wash- 
ington; Alice,  the  wife  of  Colonel  F.  Green,  a  resident  of  California;  Ellen,  who 
married  William  Robinson ;  Arthur  L.,  who  is  living  in  Montana ;  Elizabeth,  the 
deceased  wife  of  Charles  Door;  and  Nancy,  the  wife  of  Frank  Desersy,  of 
Seattle.  The  wife  and  mother  was  called  to  her  reward  December  30,  1889, 
and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  Dayton  cemetery. 

Mr.  Rainwater  is  a  stanch  republican  in  politics  and  served  ably  as  member 
of  the  city  council  of  Dayton  and  for  a  nurnber  of  years  was  a  member  of  the 
school  board.  Fraternally  he  belongs  to  the  Masonic  order  and  is  also  affiliated 
with  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  has  filled  most  of  the  chairs  and  is  well  known  as  a 
Mason  who  exemplifies  in  his  life  the  beneficent  teachings  of  the  craft.  For 
fifty-six  years  he  has  resided  in  this  locality  and  his  record  has  always  been 
that  of  a  public-spirited  citizen,  willing  at  all  times  to  subordinate  personal  inter- 
ests to  the  good  of  his  community,  county  or  state.  The  success  which  he  gained 
and  which  enables  him  to  enjoy  the  comforts  of  life  was  the  direct  result  of  his 
hard  work  and  good  management,  and  he  is  entitled  to  the  praise  that  is  given 
a  self-made  man. 


ADAM  FUDGE. 


For  almost  thirty  years  Adam  Fudge  was  identified  with  the  agricultural 
interests  of  Walla  Walla  county  and  took  a  prominent  part  in  its  development. 
The  greater  part  of  his  life  was  passed  on  the  Pacific  coast  and  he  was  thoroughly 
familiar  with  pioneer  conditions  in  this  section  of  the  country.  He  was  bom  in 
Illinois,  May  26,  1845,  a  son  of  Adam  and  Catherine  Fudge,  who  were  natives 
of  Virginia  and  early  settlers  of  Illinois.  In  1847  the  family  crossed  the 
continent  to  Polk  county,  Oregon,  where  the  father  secured  a  farm  and  engaged 
in  its  operation  for  some  years.  His  death  occurred  in  Astoria,  Oregon,  and  his 
wife  died  in  Independence,  that  state. 

Mr.  Fudge,  of  this  review,  grew  to  manhood  in  Oregon  and  was  indebted 


528  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

to  the  early  schools  of  that  state  for  the  educational  advantages  he  had.  In 
1872  he  came  to  Walla  Walla,  where  he  continued  to  make  his  home  throughout 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  For  five  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  butcher  busi- 
ness in  Waitsburg  and  then  purchased  a  ranch  in  Whitman  county.  He  made 
his  home  in  Waitsburg  until  coming  to  Walla  Walla.  His  death  occurred  in 
May,  1901,  his  remains  being  interred  in  the  Odd  Fellows  cemetery  at  Waits- 
burg. In  his  fanning  operations  he  met  with  good  success  and  left  to  his  widow 
a  valuable  tract  of  eight  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Whitman  county,  which  she 
still  owns. 

In  1872  Mr.  Fudge  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  M.  Perkins,  who 
was  born  in  Marshall  county,  Illinois,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Joel  B.  and  Margaret 
(Burt)  Perkins,  both  natives  of  Kentucky.  In  that  state  the  Perkins  family 
lived  about  ten  miles  from  Mammoth  Cave.  They  removed  to  Oregon  in  1852 
and  located  on  a  farm  near  Portland,  where  they  made  their  home  until  coming 
to  Walla  Walla  in  1862.  The  parents  both  died  at  Waitsburg  and  two  of  their 
nine  children  have  also  passed  away.  Those  living  are :  James  A.,  for  many 
years  a  banker  of  Colfax,  Washington,  but  now  engaged  in  the  real  estate  buis- 
ness;  Mary;  Mattie,  the  wife  of  Alfred  Miller,  of  Lacrosse,  Washington;  T. 
J.,  of  Spokane;  Frank  B.,  of  the  Big  Bend  country;  E.  L.,  of  Harrington,  Wash- 
ington; and  Garfield,  of  Spokane.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fudge  were  born  three 
children,  namely:  Grace,  deceased;  Adna,  the  wife  of  Samuel  B.  Sweeney;  and 
Will  C,  assistant  cashier  of  the  Colfax  National  Bank.  Mrs.  Fudge  rents  the 
ranch  and  she  and  her  daughter  are  now  residing  in  Walla  Walla,  where  they 
own  a  fine  residence.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church  and  is  a  most 
estimable  lady,  who  has  a  host  of  warm  friends. 

Mr.  Fudge  took  a  very  active  part  in  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge  to  which  he 
belonged  and  was  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  republican  party.  He  was  a  man 
of  good  business  and  executive  ability,  who  usually  carried  forward  to  successful 
completion  whatever  he  undertook,  and  his  course  in  life  was  ever  such  as  to 
commend  him  to  the  confidence  and  regard  of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 
He  was  one  of  the  representative  pioneers  of  the  Pacific  northwest  and  to  such 
men  is  due  the  present  development  and  prosperity  of  this  region. 


EMERSON  LEE  WHEELER. 

Emerson  Lee  Wheeler,  owner  and  publisher  of  the  Waitsburg  Times,  of 
which  his  father  had  long  been  the  editor,  is  not  only  widely  known  in  journalistic 
circles  but  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  influential  residents  of 
his  section  of  the  state,  a  fact  which  finds  its  verification  in  his  long  continued 
sen-ice  as  mayor  of  his  city.  He  was  born  in  Waitsburg,  March  22,  1878,  a  son 
of  Charles  and  Alice  Wheeler.  The  father  was  born  in  Cass  county,  Missouri, 
February  19,  1852,  and  was  one  of  a  family  of  ten  children.  After  reaching 
manhood  he  wedded  Alice  Reavis,  a  daughter  of  Judge  D.  B.  Reavis,  the  wedding 
being  celebrated  in  1877,  and  not  long  afterward  they  started  for  the  west, 
making  the  journey  by  mule  team  across  the  plains.  Arriving  at  Waitsburg, 
Mr.  Wheeler  learned  that  the  village  school  was  without  a  principal  and  applied 


EMERSON   L.  WHEELER 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  531 

for  and  secured  the  position.  After  a  year  spent  as  teacher  he  was  nominated 
for  the  position  of  county  superintendent  of  schools  at  the  hands  of  the  republican 
convention  and  was  elected  and  reelected  in  1880.  In  the  following  year  he  was 
appointed  by  the  governor  as  territorial  superintendent  of  schools  and  during 
his  five  years'  incumbency  in  that  office  did  splendid  work  in  organizing  the 
schools,  in  promoting  their  standards  and  advancing  their  efficiency.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  acquired  a  lease  on  the  Waitsburg  Times  and  after- 
ward purchased  the  plant.  He  then  successfully  edited  and  conducted  the  paper 
until  1896,  when  he  leased  the  plant  to  his  son,  Emerson  L.,  who  afterward  pur- 
chased the  paper  and  has  since  successfully  conducted  it.  For  about  seven  years 
Charles  W.  Wheeler  was  lecturer  for  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  and  gained  an 
enviable  reputation  as  a  public  speaker  by  reason  of  his  eloquence  and  his  clear 
presentation  of  every  question  which  he  handled.  He  died  May  19,  1917,  at  the 
age  of  sixty-five  years,  respected  by  those  who  knew  him  and  most  of  all  by 
those  who  knew  him  best. 

Emerson  L.  Wheeler,  spending  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  Waitsburg,  acquired 
his  education  in  its  public  schools  and  in  the  Waitsburg  Academy.  He,  too, 
took  up  the  profession  of  teaching,  which  he  followed  for  a  year,  and  he  then 
leased  the  Waitsburg  Times  from  his  father  and  still  continues  its  publication. 
He  was  practically  raised  in  the  print  shop,  being,  as  it  were,  "To  the  manner 
born."  He  had  spent  most  of  his  vacations  in  the  printing'' office  up  to  the  time 
when  he  assumed  its  active  management.  He  has  sin'^e  given  his  undivided  atten- 
tion to  the  publication  of  the  paper,  which  is-^a  representative  of  high  standards 
of  journalism.  Its  columns  have  been  used  in  'Itfrge  Measure  to  further  the 
interests  and  welfare  of  town  and  county  and  he  )ias--fflade-the  Times  both  the 
mirror  and  the  moulder  of  public  opinion. 

In  his  home  town  on  the  5th  of  June,  1900.  Mr.  Wheeler  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Myrtie  V.  Duncan,  a  native  of  California  and  a  daughter  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  J.  Duncan,  who  were  pioneers  of  the  Walla  Walla  valley. 

Mr.  Wheeler  has  an  interesting  military  record.  For  four  years  he  served 
as  a  member  of  Company  D,  First  Infantry,  of  the  National  Guard  of  Wash- 
ington, occupying  that  position  until  1898,  when  the  National  Guard  was  mustered 
into  the  national  service  as  Company  K  for  active  duty  in  the  Philippines.  He 
was,  however,  rejected  on  account  of  defective  eyesight,  so  that  he  could  not  go 
to  the  orient.  In  politics  he  has  always  been  a  republican,  giving  stalwart  sup- 
port to  the  party  since  age  conferred  upon  him  the  right  of  franchise.  That  he 
is  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  party  is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  he  is  the  present 
mayor  of  Waitsburg  and  with  the  exception  of  one  year  he  has  continued  in  the 
office  for  the  past  decade.  Previously  he  had  been  a  member  of  the  city  council 
for  several  years  and  his  official  record  is  one  over  which  there  falls  no  shadow 
of  wrong  or  suspicion  of  evil.  He  has  always  been  active  in  the  Commercial 
Club  and  is  at  the  present  time  secretary  of  the  Waitsburg  Commercial  Club, 
having  been  called  to  that  position  on  its  incorporation  in  191 1. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Wheeler  is  connected  with  Delta  Lodge,  No.  70,  K.  P.,  in 
which  organization  he  has  always  taken  a  very  active  part.  He  is  likewise  a 
member  of  Waitsburg  Lodge,  No.  16,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  of  Occidental  Lodge,  No.  11, 
A.  O.  U.  W. ;  and  of  Waitsburg  Camp,  No.  72,  W.  O.  W.  In  all  these  organ- 
izations he  is  loyal  to  the  purposes  and  teachings  of  the  different  societies.     His 


532  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

standards  of  life  are  high  ami  he  never  deviates  from  what  he  believes  to  be 
right  between  himself  and  his  fellowmen.  He  is  actuated  by  a  spirit  of  progress 
in  all  tliat  he  undertakes  in  a  business  way  or  in  relation  to  the  public  welfare 
and  as  an  official  of  Waitsburg  he  has  done  splendid  service  in  its  behalf,  looking 
ever  to  the  benefit  and  upbuilding  of  the  city. 


A.  HERBERT  GRAVES. 

A.  Herbert  Graves,  appointed  by  President  Wilson  in  January,  1916,  to  the 
position  of  postmaster  of  Asotin,  was  born  December  2,  1871,  in  Shelbyville, 
Shelby  county,  Missouri,  a  son  of  Edmond  and  Sarah  (Tuttle)  Graves.  He  ac- 
quired a  public  school  education  in  his  native  city  and  continued  his  studies  at 
Macon,  Missouri.  On  completing  his  course  he  took  up  the  drug  business, 
which  he  followed  in  Missouri  for  six  years,  and  then  went  upon  the  road  as 
a  traveling  salesman,  representing  a  wholesale  drug  house,  in  which  line  of  busi- 
ness he  continued  for  about  two  years.  He  then  became  connected  with  the 
telephone  business  and  on  the  5th  of  April,  1913,  he  arrived  in  Asotin,  Washing- 
ton, where  he  bought  out  the  Asotin  Telephone  Company,  which  at  that  time  had 
but  sixty-five  patrons.  The  business  is  now  conducted  under  the  name  of  the 
Asotin  Telephone  Exchange  and  Mr.  Graves  is  the  sole  owner.  He  gives  service 
at  the  present  time  to  three  hundred  patrons  all  over  Asotin  county  and  the  ad- 
joining territory.  He  has  built  up  the  business  along  substantial  lines  and  he  is 
accorded  a  gratifying  patronage. 

On  the  14th  of  September,  1899,  Mr.  Graves  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Ida  Algena  Watson,  a  native  of  New  York,  and  to  them  have  been  born  three 
children :  June  Irene,  who  is  a  student  in  the  Asotin  high  school ;  Herbert,  a 
student  in  the  eighth  grade  of  the  public  schools;  and  Edward,  now  three  years  of 
age. 

Mr.  Graves  and  his  wife  are  communicants  of  the  Episcopal  church  and  he 
belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity.  His  political  allegiance  is  given  to  the  dem- 
ocratic party  and  in  January,  1916,  by  presidential  appointment,  he  became  post- 
master of  Asotin,  in  which  connection  he  is  now  serving,  discharging  the  duties 
of  the  office  in  a  prompt  and  capable  manner  and  at  the  same  time  conducting 
his  telephone  business.  He  is  a  progressive,  energetic  and  farsighted  business 
man  and  is  meeting  with  well  merited  success. 


J.  BURRES  HERROLD. 

J.  Burres  Herrold,  a  well  known  farmer  residing  in  Walla  Walla,  from 
which  point  he  directs  the  operation  of  his  extensive  holdings,  was  born  in 
Knox  county,  Illinois,  November  14,  1858,  a  son  of  Bishop  A.  and  Harriett 
(Cullison)  Herrold,  natives  respectively  of  Indiana  and  Ohio.  They  were  mar- 
ried, however,  in  Illinois,  to  which  state  they  removed  as  children  with  their 
parents.    In   1871   they  came  to  the  Pacific  coast  and   for  seven  years  lived  in 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  533 

the  Willamette  valley  of  Oregon,  after  which  they  came  to  Washington,  set- 
tling in  Palouse,  Whitman  county.  Seven  years  later  they  took  up  their  resi- 
dence on  a  farm  on  Eureka  flats,  Walla  Walla  county,  and  there  the  mother 
died  in  March,  1893.  The  father,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this 
work,  is  still  living  and  makes  his  home  with  a  son  residing  near  Waitsburg. 

J.  Burres  Herrold  was  reared  at  home  and  acquired  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  Illinois.  At  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  family  in  the 
Willamette  valley  he  was  thirteen  years  of  age.  A  year  after  their  removal  to 
Washington,  in  June,  1878,  he  left  home  and  began  his  independent  career.  In 
1882  he  filed  on  a  homestead  on  Eureka  flats,  Walla  Walla  county,  and  retained 
the  ownership  of  that  place  until  1907,  when  he  disposed  of  it  and  purchased 
four  hundred  and  thirty-four  acres  in  Columbia  county  two  and  a  half  miles 
east  of  Waitsburg.  He  resided  upon  that  place  until  191 5,  when  he  removed 
to  Walla  Walla,  where  he  now  lives.  He  still,  however,  gives  close  attention 
to  supervising  the  work  of  the  farm  and  his  progressive  methods  and  excellent 
business  judgment  have  enabled  him  to  gain  financial  independence. 

On  the  8th  of  January,  191 5,  Mr.  Herrold  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Nellie  Perrigo,  a  daughter  of  Harlow  and  Ida  (Daniels)  Perrigo.  Her  father 
died  in  Wisconsin,  and  in  1909  her  mother  came  to  Walla  Walla,  where  she 
now  lives.  Mrs.  Herrold  was  for  eight  years  prior  to  her  marriage  a  teacher 
in  the  Walla  Walla  schools  and  is  a  woman  of  excellent  education  and  good 
executive  ability. 

Mr.  Herrold  supports  the  republican  party  at  the  polls  but  is  without 
ambition  for  office.  He  is  connected  with  Touchet  Lodge,  No.  5,  I.  O.  O.  F., 
and  with  Coppei  Encampment,  No.  73.  He  is  loyal  to  the  order  and  to  its 
teachings  of  mutual  helpfulness  and  fraternity,  and  the  principles  which  govern 
his  hfe  are  further  indicated  in  the  fact  that  he  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  to  which  his  wife  also  belongs.  They  are  progressive  in  spirit  and 
willingly  support  all  movements  looking  toward  the  advancement  of  the  inter- 
ests of  their  community. 


HERBERT  L.  WILSON. 

Herbert  L.  Wilson  has  devoted  the  greater  part  of  his  life  to  engineering  work 
and  is  now  a  leader  in  his  profession  in  southeastern  Washington,  being  especi- 
ally prominent  in  connection  with  the  construction  of  state  highways  and  bridges 
and  the  paving  of  city  streets.  He  was  born  in  Henry  county,  Iowa,  June  25, 
1877,  a  son  of  Jonah  and  Mary  (Graham)  Wilson,  both  of  whom  were  born 
in  Ohio,  where  they  were  reared.  Soon  after  their  marriage  they  left  that  state 
and  removed  to  Henry  county,  Iowa,  which  was  then  just  being  settled.  The 
father  filed  on  a  homestead  and  both  he  and  the  mother  still  reside  on  that  place. 
His  holdings  now  comprise  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  and  he  is  recognized 
as  one  of  the  most  successful  farmers  and  stock  raisers  of  Henry  county. 

Herbert  L.  Wilson  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Henry  county  and 
in  Drake  University  of  Des  Moines,  from  which  he  received  the  degree  of 
civil  engineer  in  the  class  of  1899.     Following  his  graduation  he  devoted  some 


534  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

time  to  farming  in  his  native  county,  but  in  1904  came  to  the  Pacific  coast.  For 
about  a  year  he  was  employed  on  construction  work  in  Portland  and  then  came 
to  Walla  Walla.  He  remained  in  this  city  only  a  short  time,  however,  and  then 
took  up  a  homestead  in  Franklin  county,  Washington.  Later  he  communted  the 
homestead  and  proved  up  on  his  claim  in  less  time  that  it  would  have  taken  to 
do  so  under  the  homestead  law.  He  was  instrumental  in  securing  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  postoffice  at  Ringold,  and  for  a  year  and  a  half  served  as  post- 
master. After  securing  the  title  to  his  land  he  was  employed  in  the  engineering 
department  of  the  North  Coast  Railroad  Company,  which  has  since  become  a 
part  of  the  Union  Pacific  system,  and  while  in  that  connection  he  worked  on 
th  construction  of  the  road  for  two  and  a  half  years.  In  1908  he  went  to  Twin 
Falls,  Idaho,  where  he  developed  a  farm  under  the  newly  installed  irrigation 
project,  but  after  remaining  upon  the  place  for  about  a  year  he  went  to  North 
Yakima,  Washington,  where  he  went  into  business  on  his  own  account  as  con- 
struction engineer.  During  the  following  two  and  a  half  years  he  completed  a 
number  of  important  projects  and  in  191 2  came  to  Walla  Walla,  where  he  has 
since  gained  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  capable  engineer.  He  has  given  his  atten- 
tion largely  to  state  highway  construction  and  has  also  done  a  great  deal  of  street 
pa\ing  in  Walla  Walla  and  has  erected  a  large  number  of  bridges.  He  has  handled 
some  of  the  largest  jobs  in  these  lines  in  this  section  of  the  state  and  has  not 
only  gained  high  professional  standing  but  has  won  material  success. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  married  in  1968- to  Miss  Stella  Nixon,  a  daughter  of  E.  H. 
Nixon,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wilson  has  been  bom  a  daughter,  Hary  Lavelle. 

Mr.  Wilson  is  an  advocate  of  republican  principles  and  supports  the  candi- 
dates of  that  party  at  the  polls.  He  is  connected  fraternally  with  Blue  Mountain 
Lodge,  No.  13,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  with  Walla  Walla  Chapter,  No.  i,  R.  A.  M., 
and  is  likewise  a  member  of  the  Walla  Walla  Commercial  Club.  In  religious 
faith  he  is  a  Presbyterian  and  his  life  has  at  all  times  been  actuated  by  high 
moral  principles. 


JEREMIAH  M.  CAMP. 


Jeremiah  M.  Camp,  one  of  the  prosperous  and  highly  esteemed  residents  of 
Walla  Walla,  was  for  many  years  actively  engaged  in  farming  in  Whitman 
county,  where  he  still  owns  a  large  tract  of  valuable  land,  but  is  now  living 
retired.  A  native  of  Ohio,  he  was  born  May  10,  1837,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and 
Deborah  (Martin)  Camp,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  Connecticut,  the  former 
in  1801.  The  parents  removed  to  Ohio  at  an  early  day  in  the  development  of  that 
state  and  there  the  mother  passed  away  in  1856.  Two  years  later  the  father 
removed  with  his  family  to  Knox  county,  Illinois,  and  devoted  the  remainder 
of  his  life  to  the  operation  of  a  farm  there.  He  died  suddenly  in  1865.  There 
were  five  sons  in  the  family  but  only  three  are  now  living. 

Jeremiah  M.  Camp  passed  the  days  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  his  native 
state  and  is  indebted  for  his  education  to  its  public  schools.  Following  his 
marriage,  February  12,  1858,  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  he  became  a  resident 


JEREMIAH  M.  CAMP 


MRS.  JEREMIAH  M.  CAMF' 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  539 

of  Knox  County,  Illinois.  In  1862  he  enlisted  there  in  Company  I,  Eighty-third 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  at  the  front  until  the  close  of  the  Civil 
war  in  1865.  Although  he  took  part  in  a  great  deal  of  hard  lighting  he  was  never 
wounded  nor  imprisoned.  After  being  mustered  out  at  Chicago  he  returned  to 
Ohio,  where  his  wife  was  then  residing,  and  they  continued  to  make  their  home 
in  that  state  until  1867,  when  they  went  to  the  vicinity  of  Washington,  Iowa, 
where  Mr.  Camp  engaged  in  farming  for  three  years.  In  1870  he  went  to 
Kansas  and  in  1883  came  to  Washington.  After  staying  for  a  time  in  Walla 
Walla  county  he  removed  to  Whitman  county,  where  he  took  up  a  homestead. 
He  at  once  gave  his  entire  time  and  attention  to  the  task  of  developing  that  farm 
and  as  the  years  passed  made  many  improvements  thereon.  In  1904  he  retired 
and  took  up  his  residence  in  Walla  Walla,  where  he  now  lives.  He  still  owns 
sixteen  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Whitman  county,  all  in  a  high  state 
of  cultivation,  and  derives  therefrom  a  gratifying  income.  The  success  which 
he  has  gained  is  doubly  creditable  in  that  it  is  due  to  his  quickness  to  see  and 
take  advantage  of  opportunities,  his  good  management  and  his  hard  work. 

On  the  1 2th  of  February,  1858,  Mr.  Camp  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Lucy  Ann  Merritt,  also  a  native  of  Vinton  county,  Ohio,  and  they  traveled  life's 
journey  together  for  fifty-two  years,  Mrs.  Camp  dying  in  Walla,  Walla  on  the 
8th  of  October,  191 1.  They  became  the  parents  of  ^hine.  children,  as  follows: 
Louis  and  Ida,  both  deceased ;  Hattie,  the  wife  of  William  'Barber,  of  Anthony, 
Kansas;  A.  I.  and  George,  both  residents  of  Whitsnancourrty,  Washington;  May, 
the  wife  of  Theodore  Harris,  of  Oklahoma ;.  Sadie^  the  wits  x)f.  Charles  Pryor, 
of  Dayton,  Washington;  and  Archibald  and  Ira,  both  residents  of  Whitman 
county.  The  wife  and  mother  was  a  consistent  and  faithful  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Mr.  Camp  has  voted  the  republican  ticket  since  he  cast  his  first  vote  for 
Abraham  Lincoln.  He  has  never  been  active  in  public  afifairs,  preferring  to 
concentrate  his  efiforts  upon  his  farm  work,  and  in  so  doing  he  has  not  only  won 
financial  independence  but  has  also  contributed  to  the  development  of  this  dis- 
trict along  agricultural  lines.  Through  his  membership  in  the  local  Grand  Army 
post  he  keeps  in  touch  with  the  other  veterans  of  the  war  and  finds  great  pleasure 
in  recalling  the  experiences  of  those  days. 


JAMES  A.  YEEND. 


James  A.  Yeend  is  a  self-made  man  who  is  now  the  owner  of  three  hundred 
and  eighty  acres,  constituting  a  valuable  farm  property  on  section  20,  township 
8  north,  range  36  east,  Walla  Walla  county.  He  was  born  in  Gloucestershire, 
England,  on  the  8th  of  March,  1856,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Ellen  (Surman) 
Yeend,  who  were  natives  of  England,  whence  they  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the 
new  world  in  December,  1870.  They  settled  on  a  farm  in  section  20,  township  8 
north,  range  36  east,  Walla  Walla  county,  and  here  the  father  passed  away, 
while  the  mother  later  became  a  resident  of  Walla  Walla  and  died  in  that  city. 
They  were  the  parents  of  sixteen  children,  seven  of  whom  survive. 

James  A.  Yeend  was  a  lad  of  fourteen  years  when  he  crossed  the  Atlantic 


540  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

to  the  United  States  in  company  with  his  parents.  He  had  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  England  and  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  when  he  started  out  in  life  for  himself.  Two  years  later  he  took  up  a 
preemption  claim  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  and  bought  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  railroad  land  in  Walla  Walla  county  but  in  1883  sold  this  prop- 
erty to  his  father.  He  then  removed  to  Whitman  county,  Washington,  where 
he  took  up  a  homestead  and  timber  claim,  upon  which  he  lived  for  twelve  years 
and  through  that  period  wrought  a  marked  transformation  in  the  appearance  of 
his  property,  for  he  brought  much  of  the  land  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.. 
In  1896  he  sold  that  place  and  came  to  Walla  Walla  county,  where  he  now  resides. 
Here  he  owns  three  hundred  and  eighty-four  acres  of  rich  and  productive  land, 
up>on  which  he  has  placed  many  modern  improvements,  including  an  attractive 
home  and  substantial  buildings  that  furnish  ample  shelter  for  grain  and  stock. 
He  is  an  energetic  and  progressive  farmer  and  his  place  presents  a  most  attractive 
appearance,  indicative  of  the  care  and  labor  which  he  bestows  upon  his  fields  and 
also  indicative  of  the  careful  supervision  which  he  gives  to  all  branches  of  the 
farm  work. 

On  the  15th  of  December,  1883,  Mr.  Yeend  was  imited  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Lydia  Chandler,  also  a  native  of  Gloucestershire,  England,  and  a  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Eliza  (Surman)  Chandler.  Her  father  died  in  that  country  and  her 
mother  came  to  America  in  October,  1882,  locating  in  Whitman  county,  Wash- 
ington, where  she  took  up  a  homestead  claim  and  spent  the  remainder  of  her 
life.  To  Mr.  and  j\Irs.  Yeend  have  been  born  eight  children,  namely:  Ernest  E., 
Edith  M.,  Fred  S.  and  Frank  J.,  twins;  Flora  E.,  William  A..  Olive  and 
Esther  A. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yeend  are  devoted  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
in  the  work  of  which  they  take  an  active  and  helpful  interest,  Mr.  Yeend  serving 
now  as  one  of  the  trustees.  His  political  support  is  given  to  the  republican  party 
and  he  has  served  for  sixteen  years  as  a  member  of  the  school  board.  Fraternally 
he  is  connected  with  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  As  the  architect 
of  his  own  fortunes  he  has  builded  wisely  and  well  and  is  not  only  one  of  the 
self-made  men  of  Walla  Walla  county  but  is  also  one  of  its  most  progressive 
farmers  and  in  all  that  he  does  holds  to  the  highest  standards  of  agricultural 
development  and  activity. 


SURMAN   N.  YEEND. 


Surman  N.  Yeend,  one  of  the  leading  wheat  raisers  of  the  Walla  Walla 
valley,  residing  at  Valley  Grove,  was  born  in  England,  May  21,  1866,  a  son  of 
William  and  Ellen  Yeend,  who  are  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  work  in  con- 
nection with  the  sketch  of  their  son  James. 

Surman  N.  Yeend  was  reared  and  educated  in  Walla  Walla  county,  having 
been  but  a  young  lad  when  brought  by  his  parents  to  the  new  world.  The  fam- 
ily home  was  established  in  the  northwest  and  he  has  since  been  familiar  with 
the  upbuilding  and  progress  of  this  section  of  the  country.  His  youthful  days 
were  spent  in  the  usual  manner  of  the  farmbred  boy  who  divides  his  time  be- 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  541 

tween  the  duties  of  the  schoolroom,  the  pleasures  of  the  playground  and  the 
work  of  the  fields,  and  his  early  training  in  farm  work  well  qualified  him  to 
take  up  work  of  that  character  on  his  own  account  after  he  had  reached  man's 
estate.  He  located  on  the  place  which  is  now  his  home  and  which  comprises 
seven  hundred  acres  of  rich  and  productive  land,  all  under  cultivation.  He 
makes  a  specialty  of  the  growing  of  wheat  and  his  broad  fields  present  a  most 
pleasing  picture,  giving  indication  of  abundant  harvests.  He  is  also  success- 
fully engaged  in  stock  raising  and  keeps  upon  his  farm  high  grades  of  cattle, 
horses  and  hogs.  In  all  of  his  business  affairs  he  displays  a  progressive  spirit 
and  keeps  in  touch  with  every  improvement  that  has  to  do  with  farm  life. 

Mr.  Yeend  has  been  married  twice.  He  first  wedded  Miss  Anna  M.  Harper 
and  to  them  were  born  two  children :  Charles  E. ;  and  Helen,  the  wife  of  Arthur 
Anderson.  The  wife  and  mother  passed  away  and  in  1901  Mr.  Yeend  was  again 
married,  his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Mary  Loland,  a  native  of  Wash- 
ington. They  have  become  parents  of  six  children:  Cleola  M.,  Roland  A., 
Allen  C,  Wilbur  H.,  Lowell  W.  and  Howard  S. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yeend  are  members  of  the  Nazarene  church.  Mr.  Yeend  votes 
with  the  republican  party  and  has  served  on  the  census  board,  filling  that  posi- 
tion in  1900.  He  is  not  active  in  politics,  however,  preferred  to  concentrate  his 
time  and  energies  upon  his  farming  interests,  and  by  his  close  application  in 
business  afliairs  and  his  unremitting  industry  he  has  won  a  very  gratifying 
measure  of  success,  being  now  numbered  among  the  substantial  and  prosper- 
ous agriculturists  of  Walla  Walla  county. 


WILLIS  RESER. 


Willis  Reser  is  engaged  in  general  farming  and  stock  raising  on  section  5. 
township  6  north,  range  35  east,  Walla  Walla  county.  He  has  been  a  resident 
of  the  Walla  Walla  va41ey  since  1863  and  in  the  intervening  period,  covering 
fifty-four  years,  has  been  closely  and  prominently  identified  with  its  agricul- 
tural development. 

He  was  born  in  Davis  county,  Iowa,  December  29,  1856,  and  is  a  son  of 
George  and  Mary  (Waterman)  Reser,  who  are  mentioned  in  connection  with 
the  sketch  of  their  son,  William  Reser,  on  another  page  of  this  work.  The 
family  arrived  in  the  Walla  Walla  valley  in  1863,  so  that  Willis  Reser  was  here 
reared  and  educated.  He  became  familiar  with  every  phase  of  pioneer  life  and 
with  the  arduous  task  of  developing  a  new  farm.  When  he  had  attained  his 
majority  he  began  fanning  on  his  own  account  and  later  purchased  the  prop- 
erty upon  which  he  now  resides,  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  which 
constituted  his  father's  old  homestead.  Upon  this  place  he  has  since  lived  and 
he  also  has  a  residence  in  Walla  Walla,  which  he  occupies  a  part  of  the  time. 
He  carries  on  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  stock  raising  and  he  has  brought 
his  fields  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  In  his  pastures  are  found  good 
grades  of  stock  and  everything  about  his  place  indicates  the  owner  to  be  a  man 
of  progressive  spirit  and  one  who  is  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  line  of  work 
in  which  he  engages.    He  has  closely  studied  the  soil  and  climatic  conditions  in 


542  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

relation  to  the  production  of  crops  and  he  has  made  an  equally  close  study  of 
the  best  methods  of  stock  raising.  Success  is  therefore  attending  his  efforts 
and  he  is  numbered  among  the  substantial  farmers  of  this  section  of  the  state. 

In  May,  1884,  Mr.  Reser  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mima  Kirkland, 
who  was  born  in  Oregon,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  E.  and  Mary  (Standefer) 
Kirkland.  1  he  father  was  a  native  of  Illinois  but  was  reared  principally  in  Arkan- 
sas and  crossed  the  plains  in  the  '50s.  The  journey  was  made  with  teams  over 
the  long,  hot  stretches  of  sand  and  across  the  mountain  passes  until  ultimately 
he  reached  Oregon.  Still  later  he  removed  to  Walla  Walla  county  and  settled 
upon  a  farm.  Joseph  E.  Kirkland  was  an  attorney  by  profession  and  engaged  in 
the  practice  of  law  for  several  years  in  addition  to  the  conduct  of  his  agricultural 
interests.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reser  have  been  bom  four  children :  George,  who 
is  now  located  in  Detroit,  Michigan;  Joseph,  deceased;  one  who  died  in  infancy; 
and  Willis  H.,  who  is  still  at  home. 

Mrs  Reser  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church  and  is  a  lady  of 
many  admirable  traits  of  character  who  enjoys  the  warm  regard  of  a  large 
circle  of  friends.  Politically  Mr.  Reser  gives  his  support  to  the  democratic 
party.  He  served  for  some  years  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  but  has 
always  preferred  that  his  public  service  should  be  done  as  a  private  citizen 
rather  than  as  an  office  holder.  He  stands  loyally,  however,  for  what  he  believes 
to  be  for  the  best  interests  of  the  community  and  through  the  long  years  of 
his  residence  in  this  county  he  has  given  his  aid  and  influence  in  behalf  of  those 
projects  and  measures  which  he  has  believed  would  prove  of  greatest  benefit 
to  the  section.  The  county  to  which  he  came  in  1863  bore  little  resemblance  to 
the  highly  developed  district  which  is  here  seen  today.  He  has  witnessed  all 
of  the  changes  which  have  occurred  in  the  interim  and  can  speak  with  author- 
ity upon  many  events  which  have  shaped  the  history  of  Walla  Walla  county. 


GILBERT  HUNT. 


Gilbert  Hunt  solely  through  his  own  efforts  gained  a  place  among  the  indus- 
trial leaders  of  Walla  Walla,  being  the  head  of  a  company  known  as  the  largest 
manufacturers  of  farm  machinery  in  the  northwest,  and  he  was  equally  promi- 
nent in  civic  affairs,  serving  for  three  terms  as  mayor.  He  was  born  in  Ryegate, 
Vermont,  January  27,  1855,  a  son  of  Solomon  Sherman  and  Katherine  Hunt. 
Pie  was  reared  in  a  home  where  as  he  studied  he  was  taught  to  work  hard,  think 
deeply  and  live  simply,  and  his  life  was  characterized  by  the  "plain  living  and 
high  thinking"  characteristic  of  Kew  England.  The  family  were  in  limited 
financial  circumstances  and  he  early  began  to  do  his  part  toward  providing  for 
his  own  support.  The  first  work  that  he  performed  for  others  was  pasturing 
the  cattle  of  the  villagers,  driving  them  to  pasture  in  the  early  morning  and 
returning  with  them  in  the  evening.  Later  he  worked  his  way  through  the 
academy  at  Peacham  and  each  week  end  walked  home,  a  distance  of  ten  miles, 
in  order  to  give  his  father  the  benefit  of  his  labor  on  Saturday. 

In  early  manhood  Mr.  Hunt  was  employed  for  some  time  as  a  millwright. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  545 

later  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  washboards,  and  he  was  also  for  a  time  a 
furniture  painter  and  an  organ  tuner.  During  these  early  years  he  had  to 
contend  not  only  against  poverty  but  also  against  ill  health  and  at  length  it 
became  necessary  that  he  have  outdoor  employment  and  accordingly  he  peddled 
tinware  through  the  country.  At  length,  having  received  very  favorable  reports 
of  Walla  Walla  from  the  Rev.  Cobleigh,  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  here  . 
and  formerly  pastor  of  the  church  in  Mclndoes,  Vermont,  Mr.  Hunt  decided  to 
try  his  fortune  in  this  new  western  country.  After  a  journey  of  three  weeks 
he  reached  this  city  and  found  work  in  the  Glasford  planing  mill,  which,  how- 
ever, shut  down  in  the  autumn.  Although  somewhat  discouraged,  he  was  dis- 
suaded from  carrying  out  his  determination  of  going  elsewhere  by  a  merchant 
of  the  city  and  gradually  he  gained  a  foothold  and  in  time  became  the  head  of 
the  Gilbert  Hunt  Company,  one  of  the  largest  industrial  concerns  of  the  entire 
northwest  and  the  largest  producers  of  farm  machinery  in  this  section.  Mr. 
Hunt  not  only  proved  himself  an  executive  of  great  force  but  also  a  successful 
inventor  and  was  the  originator  of  the  Pride  of  Washington  thresher.  The 
memory  of  his  early  struggles  remained  with  him  and  when  boys  applied  for 
work  in  the  "Hunt  shops"  and  the  foreman  said  that  they  had  no  vacancies  Mr. 
Hunt  gave  orders  that  work  be  found  in  some  way  in  order  to  give  the  boys  a 
chance. 

This  desire  to  be  of  assistance  found  expression  in  many  ways  and  there  was 
no  project  for  the  advancement  of  his  city  that  failed  to  receive  his  hearty  support. 
In  many  instances  Mr.  Hunt  initiated  and  carried  to  successful  completion  move- 
ments for  public  improvements,  such  as  the  paving  of  the  center  business  district, 
the  extension  of  the  water  system  providing  for  the  present  intake  twelve  miles 
above  the  city,  the  betterment  of  the  sewage  system,  the  securing  of  the  Carnegie 
library  and  the  establishment  of  public  parks.  He  was  one  of  the  most  effective 
workers  for  well  advised  publicity  for  Walla  Walla  and  its  surrounding  territory 
and  recognized  the  value  of  building  up  a  reputation  for  Walla  Walla  as  a 
good  convention  city.  For  three  terms  he  served  as  mayor  and  one  who  knew 
him  for  thirty  years  said  of  him  in  that  connection:  "Gilbert  Hunt  brought  to 
the  office  of  mayor  long  training  and  experience  in  large  business  afifairs  and 
great  executive  and  administrative  ability.  He  was  a  man  of  fine  presence, 
meeting  people  easily  and  agreeably,  was  informed  as  to  his  official  duties,  had 
a  clear  idea  of  the  things  to  be  done,  and  inspired  confidence  in  his  ability  to  do 
them." 

Mr.  Hunt  was  married  in  Mclndoes,  Vermont,  June  lo,  1876,  to  Miss  Hopie 
M.  Osgood,  who  is  descended  from  Revolutionary  ancestry.  To  this  marriage 
were  born  four  children,  of  whom  three  survive:  Mabelle  H.,  the  wife  of  Wilbur 
A.  Toner,  an  attorney  of  Walla  Walla;  Eugene  A.,  who  married  Jessie  M.  Bab- 
cock,  a  daughter  of  W.  H.  Babcock,  of  Walla  Walla,  and  is  now  living  in  Hong- 
kong, China,  engaged  in  the  exporting  and  importing  business ;  and  Margiierite 
A.,  the  wife  of  Gus  Meese,  Jr.,  of  Spokane,  Washington. 

Mr.  Hunt  was  a  prominent  Mason  and  was  devoted  to  the  order,  which  he 
recognized  as  a  great  force  for  good.  He  was  master  of  Walla  Walla  Lodge,  No. 
7,  F.  &  A.  M.,  for  seven  years,  was  a  Knight  Templar  and  was  also  connected 
with  the  Mystic  Shrine.  In  early  manhood  he  belonged  to  the  Congregational 
church  but  later  was  one  of  the  organizers  and  the  first  president  of  the  Christian 


546  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Science  church  of  Walla  Walla.  He  manifested  the  keenest  interest  in  educa- 
tional matters  and  for  eight  years  served  on  the  board  of  education,  during  which 
lime  the  High  and  Green  Park  school  buildings  were  erected,  and  he  was  also 
connected  in  an  official  capacity  with  Whitman  College,  being  a  member  of  its 
board  of  trustees  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  passed  away  December  15,  19 14, 
and  the  grief  felt  by  his  many  friends  found  expression  in  words  of  love  and 
admiration  for  his  splendid  qualities.  An  editorial  writer  in  the  Portland  Journal 
said :  "Not  alone  in  public  service  did  his  great  heart  beat,  but  the  life  of  many 
an  individual  was  made  brighter  by  a  helpful  word  and  a  charitable  hand."  A 
well  known  educator  who  had  known  him  for  twenty-five  years  wrote  as  follows : 
"I  always  found  his  wit,  his  geniality,  his  ready  sympathy,  his  practical  sagacity, 
his  helpfulness,  sources  of  strength  and  encouragement.  In  the  great  loss  which 
his  family,  his  friends,  the  community  has  suffered  in  his  death  we  may  assuredly 
fmd  solace  in  the  hope  that  those  qualities  which  we  loved  in  him  are  enduring.'" 


PHILIP  J.  PENTECOST. 

Philip  J.  Pentecost  is  nowliylf%refir^3  in 'Walla  Walla  but  for  many  years 
was  actively  and  successfully  identiRed"  with  farming  interests.  He  was  born  in 
Dodge  county,  Wisconsin,  December -.axB,  ^856/  a  son  of  William  C.  and  Jemima 
(Wilcox)  Pentecost,  the  forraeV:\a  nitiye '.of  iSpmersetshire,  England,  while  the 
latter  was  born  near  Utica,  New  York.  The  father  came  to  the  United  States 
when  a  lad  of  fourteen  years  in  company  with  his  parents  and  settled  in  New 
York,  where  he  afterward  married.  Two  children  were  born  to  him  and  his 
wife  in  the  Empire  state.  Later  he  removed  to  Dodge  county,  Wisconsin,  and 
in  the  spring'of  1875  became  a  resident  of  Seattle,  Washington.  Soon  afterward 
he  went  to  Portland,  Oregon,  and  still  later  to  Albany,  where  he  and  his  wife 
spent  the  summer.  In  the  following  fall  they  came  northward  to  Walla  Walla, 
looking  for  a  suitable  location,  and  soon  after  reaching  this  place  the  father  and 
his  son,  Philip  J.,  went  up  to  Spokane,  leaving  the  family  in  Walla  Walla.  They 
returned  just  before  Christmas  and  spent  the  winter  in  this  city.  The  following 
spring,  however,  they  returned  to  Seattle,  where  they  remained  for  a  few  weeks 
and  thence  removed  to  Forest  Grove,  Oregon.  During  their  roamings  they  man- 
aged through  their  work  to  get  together  a  spike  team,  consisting  of  three  horses, 
one  leading  other  two,  and  after  spending  the  summer  in  Forest  Grove  they 
again  came  to  Walla  Walla,  driving  through  by  team.  After  passing  through 
the  Indian  reservation  they  reached  the  Walla  Walla  valley.  The  mother  was 
riding  in  the  back  of  the  wagon  with  the  front  cover  drawn,  but  just  before 
reaching  the  valley  she  had  raised  the  cover  to  look  out  and  soon  remarked, 
"I  should  think  all  the  children  could  find  homes  here,"  and  a  few  moments  later 
one  of  the  sons  said  to  her  that  they  had  reached  their  camping  place.  She  did 
not  reply  and  they  found  that  she  was  dead,  having  expired  from  heart  disease 
in  the  few  moments  after  speaking  to  them.  The  family  brought  the  body  on 
to  Walla  Walla  for  interment.  They  spent  the  winter  in  the  town  and  in  the 
spring  of  1877  Mr.  Pentecost  purchased  a  tract  of  four  hundred  acres  of  choice 
land  located  in  Spring  Valley,  about  eight  miles  northeast  of  the  city,  on  the 


PHILIP  .1.  PEXTKCOST 


MRS.  PlllUr  .1.  rKXTECOST 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  551 

Waitsburg  road.  He  contracted  for  this  land  at  a  basis  of  seven  dollars  per  acre, 
to  be  paid  for  with  wheat  at  fifty  cents  per  bushel. 

This  land  was  afterward  paid  for  by  Philip  J.  Pentecost  and  an  older  brother, 
Charles  N.,  and  thus  came  into  their  possession.  For  thirty  years  the  two 
brothers  cooperated  in  their  farming  enterprise  and  in  the  meantime  added  to 
their  holdings  until  the  place  comprised  a  thousand  acres.  Charles  N.  Pentecost 
afterward  acquired  extensive  land  holdings  elsewhere  and  Philip  J.  Pentecost 
purchased  his  interest  in  the  Walla  Walla  county  farm,  which  he  still  owns  inde- 
pendently. He  also  has  four  hundred  acres  on  Blue  Creek  which  is  largely  graz- 
ing land  and  on  which  he  runs  as  high  as  a  hundred  head  of  cattle  at  a  time. 
About  igoi  he  left  the  farm  and  took  up  his  abode  in  the  city  in  order  to  give 
his  children  better  educational  opportunities  and  since  then  has  resided  in  Walla 
Walla,  having  a  handsome  residence  at  603  Cherry  street.  He  also  owns  four 
other  city  residences.  For  the  past  seven  years  he  has  rented  his  farm  lands  and 
has  practically  lived  retired. 

On  the  29th  of  June,  1889,  Mr.  Pentecost  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs. 
Joseph  Maul,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Nellie  Wolfe  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Harry  Wolfe,  who  crossed  the  plains  to  Washington  with  a  horse  team  in  1888. 
By  her  first  husband  Mrs.  Pentecost  had  a  daughter,  Catherine  Z.  M.,  now  Mrs. 
Stanley  Sleeper  of  Lewiston,  Idaho,  and  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pentecost  has  also 
been  born  a  daughter,  Sadie  R.,  who  is  the  wife  of  A.  E.  Page,  of  Walla  Walla. 

Mr.  Pentecost  gives  his  political  allegianccto  the  jejgitblican^garty,  while  fra- 
ternally he  is  identified  with  Trinity  Lodge, ,J.;^^VQ' -F^- ^piJ-wJlh  Walla  Walla 
Camp,  No.  96,  W.  O.  W.  He  and  his  wff e  afld  SaOghfer'are  Jnembers  of  the 
Baptist  church,  of  which  he  was  a  deacon  fop-yearstand  is  now  one  of  the 
trustees.  The  family  is  one  of  prominence  in' Walla  Walla  and  the  hospitality  of 
the  best  homes  of  the  city  is  freely  accorded  them.  Mr.  Pentecost  has  made 
for  himself  a  very  creditable  position  in  business  circles,  ranking  for  many  years 
as  one  of  the  leading  wheat  growers  of  this  section  of  the  state,  and  his  life 
record  constitutes  an  example  well  worthy  of  emulation. 


GEORGE  BENSON  KUYKENDALL.  M.  D. 

Dr.  George  Benson  Kuykendall,  one  of  the  foremost  physicians  of  eastern 
Washington,  practicing  at  Pomeroy,  was  born  near  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  Janu- 
ary 22,  1843,  ^  son  of  John  and  Malinda  (Stark)  Kuykendall.  The  early  fam- 
ily history  is  found  in  the  New  York  Dutch  Qiurch  or  Dutch  Reformed  Bap- 
tismal records  and  in  the  county  records  of  New  York  county.  The  family 
comes  of  Holland  Dutch  ancestry,  the  home  being  originally  near  Wageningen, 
in  the  Gelderland  province,  from  which  came  the  ancestors  of  Theodore  Roose- 
velt. The  first  of  the  name  in  America  was  Jacob  Luursen  Van  Kuykendael, 
who  came  to  America  on  the  ship  de  Princess  from  Holland  in  1646  and  landed 
at  New  Amsterdam,  now  New  York.  The  Van  in  the  family  name  was  retained 
until  about  1730.  The  ancestors  were  with  the  Van  Rensselaer  colony  at  old 
Fort  Orange  and  afterward  removed  to  Esopus,  New  York.  Later  the  sons 
and  daughters  of  that  generation  went  to  the  Minisink  region,  on  the  Delaware, 


552  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

about  1 700,  and  subseuqently  the  branch  of  the  family  of  which  Dr.  Kuykendall 
is  a  representative  was  founded  in  Viriginia  between  1743  and  1748,  probably 
in  the  latter  year.  His  mother  came  from  the  same  ancestry  as  General  John 
Stark  of  Revolutionar)'  war  fame,  and  their  progenitors  were  originally  from 
near  Essen,  Germany. 

The  father  of  Dr.  Kuykendall,  who  was  a  mechanic,  removed  westward  with 
his  family  when  his  son  George  was  three  years  of  age,  residing  in  Wisconsin 
until  1852,  when  he  crossed  the  plains  to  the  Pacific  slope.  That  was  the 
memorable  year  of  the  cholera,  smallpox  and  pestilence  and  they  were  delayed 
en  route  by  illness  and  many  difficulties.  They  found  themselves  far  back  in 
the  rear  part  of  the  emigration.  Their  days  were  full  of  toil  and  anxiety  and 
their  nights  were  spent  much  of  the  time  in  vigils  over  the  sick  and  dying  or 
in  warding  against  the  prowling  savages  of  the  plains.  When  their  train  reached 
Snake  river,  their  stock  were  almost  famished  and  they  crossed  the  river  in  the 
hope  of  finding  better  grass.  From  there  they  made  their  way  over  country 
never  before  traversed  by  wagons.  At  the  crossing  of  the  river  the  father  be- 
came ill  with  mountain  fever  and  a  little  daughter  had  already  suffered  from 
measles  and  was  apparently  growing  worse.  For  weeks  these  helpless  ones 
were  dragged  over  the  sagebrush  and  sand  plains  of  southern  Idaho  in  a  rough 
emigrant  wagon.  Finally,  w-hen  nearly  all  the  stock  had  died,  they  abandoned 
their  wagon,  and  the  few  household  goods  they  could  carry  were  put  into  the 
wagon  belonging  to  a  brother  who  was  traveling  in  the  same  company.  After 
almost  incredible  hardships  and  discouragements  they  reached  The  Dalles,  Ore- 
gon, where  they  shipped  their  wagon  and  the  household  goods  that  remained 
upon  an  open  barge  and  started  to  float  down  the  Columbia.  The  father  was 
still  ill  and  the  little  sister  at  the  point  of  death.  That  night  the  barge  tied  up 
on  the  Oregon  side  of  the  river  and  during  the  hours  of  darkness  the  mother 
kept  tearful  watch  over  the  sick  and  wasted  form  of  the  father  and  her  dying 
little  girl,  who  about  midnight  passed  away.  Early  in  the  morning  a  rude,  im- 
provised pine  box  was  made  ready  and  the  little  one  was  buried  on  the  banks 
of  Columbia,  where  the  trade  winds  sweeping  up  from  the  ocean  and  the  mur- 
mur of  the  river's  flow  are  her  eternal  requiem.  The  pressing  demands  of  the 
hour  would  not  permit  them  to  linger  over  the  grave,  but  all  had  to  press  on, 
for  they  were  far  from  their  homeland  and  had  no  home  or  shelter  for  the 
coming  winter.  They  reached  the  Cascades,  passed  over  the  portage  and  took 
a  boat  below,  reaching  the  banks  of  the  Willamette,  where  East  Portland  now 
stands,  on  the   19th  of  October,  1852. 

The  family  spent  their  first  winter  at  Milwaukee,  above  Portland,  and  in 
the  fall  of  1853  went  to  southern  Oregon,  locating  near  Roseburg.  At  a  very 
early  age  Dr.  Kuykendall  manifested  a  taste  for  reading,  w^hich  was  encour- 
aged by  his  father,  who  also  found  great  delight  in  books.  Dr.  Kuykendall  read 
with  pleasure  works  on  travel  and  discovery,  exploration,  history,  biography 
and  whatever  he  could  find  and  as  he  approached  manhood  became  very  fond 
of  metaphysical  reading,  delighting  in  poring  over  such  writings  as  Kant,  Aber- 
crombie,  Dugald  Stewart  and  also  reading  works  on  mental  philosophy.  All 
this  time  he  was  pursuing  the  advanced  studies  of  an  academic  and  collegiate 
course  and  later  took  up  the  study  of  materia  medica  and  medicine.  About  that 
time  his  father  had  a  dangerous  illness  and  reached  the  point  where  the  attend- 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  553 

ing  physicians  gave  up  the  case.  Dr.  Kuykendall  was  not  wiUing  that  his  father 
should  die,  however,  and  said  to  the  family :  "We  will  go  on  and  try  still 
further — he  may  yet  recover."  This  was  before  the  son  had  become  a  student 
in  medical  college.  He  devoted  himself  assiduously  to  the  study  of  his  father's 
symptoms,  scarcely  leaving  the  bedside  to  eat  or  sleep  for  a  week.  The  father 
recovered  and  enjoyed  many  years  of  later  usefulness.  The  attending  physi- 
cians,, recognizing  what  the  young  son  had  accomplished,  said :  "Young  man, 
it  is  clear  what  you  ought  to  do  in  life.  You  should  study  and  practice  medi- 
cine." 

A  few  years  later,  therefore,  George  Benson  Kuykendall  became  a  student 
in  Willamette  University  and  was  graduated  at  the  head  of  his  class,  in  the 
medical  department,  and  at  once  entered  upon  active  medical  practice.  Within 
a  few  months  he  was  appointed  to  the  position  of  government  physician  at 
Fort  Simcoe,  Washington,  where  he  enjoyed  a  large  practice  in  addition  to  the 
government  work.  He  there  took  up  the  special  study  of  microscopy  and  chem- 
ical research,  particularly  as  related  to  toxicology  and  medical  jurisprudence. 
He  also  did  much  work  in  Micro-photography  to  aid  in  differentiation  of  tis- 
sues, cells  and  blood  corpuscles  and  while  thus  engaged  he  made  a  fine  collection 
of  mounted  specimens,  both  physiological  and  pathological. 

While  at  Fort  Simcoe  he  was  requetsed  by  Professor  J.  W.  Powell  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institute  of  Washington,  D.  C.,  to  make  a  study  of  the  ethnology 
of  the  native  Indians  of  the  Pacific  northwest — a  line  which  he  followed  up  as 
his  time  would  permit.  He  collected  many  traditions,  myths,  ancient  laws  and 
customs  of  the  Indian  tribes  and  wrote  an  account  of  these  for  preservation. 
In  this  work  all  traditions  and  myths  were  obtained  at  first  hand  from  the 
Indians  themselves.  Later  he  wrote  a  series  of  papers  on  the  subject  for  The 
West  Shore,  a  magazine  then  published  in  Portland,  Oregon.  After  ten  years 
with  the  government  at  Fort  Simcoe,  the  Doctor  found  his  family  growing  and 
needing  better  facilities  for  education  and  social  culture  and  accordingly  re- 
signed his  position  and  located  at  Pomeroy,  Washington. 

It  was  in  1868  that  Dr.  Kuykendall  married  Miss  E.  J.  Butler,  a  daughter 
of  Judge  Benjamin  Butler,  of  Douglas  county,  Oregon,  who  later  removed  to 
Pomeroy,  where  he  was  judge  of  probate  for  many  years.  The  Doctor  has  an 
interesting  and  intelligent  family  of  five  sons  and  three  daughters.  In  his  mar- 
riage he  was  peculiarly  fortunate,  Mrs.  Kuykendall  being  a  lady  of  marked 
intelligence  and  practical  good  judgment.  His  eldest  son,  Chester  Ernest,  is  a 
druggist  and  dealer  in  books,  musical  instruments  and  fancy  holiday  goods. 
He  is  a  popular  man  who  for  years  has  been  closely  identified  with  the  interests 
of  Pomeroy  as  one  of  the  leaders  in  educational  work,  being  a  member  of  the 
board  of  directors  of  the  Pomeroy  high  school  and  also  mayor  of  the  city.  He 
belongs  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  has  been  church  organist  for 
years.  Elgin  Victor,  the  next  son,  is  a  prominent  attorney  and  was  elected  to 
the  state  senate  from  the  counties  of  Garfield,  Columbia  and  Asotin  by  a  large 
majority.  George  Vivian,  the  third  son,  is  chief  operator  in  the  offices  of  the 
Oregon  Railway  &  Navigation  Company.  William  B.  is  engaged  in  the  real 
estate  and  insurance  business  and  is  now  reading  law  preparatory  to  practice. 
Hubert  John  is  in  the  drug  store  with  his  brother  Chester.  All  these  sons  are 
married  and  with  the  exception  of  George  all  are  residents  of  Pomeroy.    Min- 


554  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

nie  Pearl  and  Grace  Orlean,  are  the  elder  daughters.  The  former  is  the  wife 
of  R.  B.  Spencer,  of  Hermiston,  Oregon,  and  the  younger  is  the  wife  of  G.  C. 
Start,  of  Sunnyside,  Washington.  Both  have  decided  talent  for  painting  and 
Mrs.  Spencer  taught  oil  Painting  in  Pomeroy  for  years.  The  youngest  daugh- 
ter, Bessie,  is  at  home  with  her  parents. 

Dr.  Kuykendall  has  had  an  extensive  acquaintance  among  the  prominent  pio- 
neer settlers  of  Oregon,  including  Rev.  J.  H.  Wilbur,  pioneer  missionary  minister, 
Hon.  Binger  Herman,  Judges  J.  F.  Watson,  E.  B.  Watson  and  P.  L.  Willis, 
who  were  early  friends  in  southern  Oregon,  Judge  M.  P.  Deady  and  General 
Joseph  Lane,  Delazon  Smith,  Colonel  Hooker,  Governor  Chadwick  and  others. 
In  addition  to  his  professional  attainments  Dr.  Kuykendall  has  an  enviable  repu- 
tation as  a  writer.  He  has  written  much  for  the  press  and  has  always  been 
very  industrious  in  gathering  up  material  for  use  in  future  writings.  He  has 
completed  a  history  of  the  Kuykendall  family  for  the  past  three  hundred  years, 
the  family  being  of  the  old  Knickerbocker  stock  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey, 
whence  they  have  gone  as  pioneers  across  the  country  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific.  The  family  has  been  represented  in  every  war  of  note  since  early  col-, 
onial  days.  Dr.  Kuykendall  has  retired  from  the  active  practice  of  medicine 
and  spends  his  leisure  in  reading  and  writing.  He  has  a  collection  of  data  per- 
taining to  Indian  mythology,  ethnology  and  customs  which  he  hopes  yet  to  be 
able  to  publish,  besides  other  matter  written  during  the  passing  years. 

Dr.  Kuykendall  has  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  for 
many  years,  actively  connected  with  its  social  and  moral  endeavors  for  the 
benefit  of  the  community.  He  has  always  made  it  a  point  to  support  every 
movement  for  the  good  of  the  community  with  his  money  as  well  as  with  his 
personal  aid.  He  has  been  too  busy  to  give  much  attention  to  money  making 
but  has  prospered  sufficiently  to  have  gained  a  good  competence.  His  father  was 
liberal  to  a  fault  and  when  he  gave,  as  the  Doctor  thought,  too  liberally  of  his 
means  the  Doctor  always  helped  him  out.  The  latter  has  always  been  glad  to 
remember  this  generosity  of  his  father  and  has  been  stimulated  by  his  example 
to  think  more  of  "the  other  fellow."  Since  its  organization  he  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Garfield  County  Pioneer  Association  and  for  some  years  has  been 
its  secretary.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Oregon  Historical  Society  and  the  Holland 
Society  of  New  York  city.  To  belong  to  this  society  one  must  be  able  to  show 
documentary  evidence  of  having  come  from  an  ancestor  born  of  a  forefather 
who  came  from  Holland  to  America  before   1675. 


W^-\LLACE  LEROY  WHITMORE. 

Few  men  of  the  northwest  have  been  more  widely  known  than  Wallace  Leroy 
Whitmore,  now  deceased.  He  resided  on  section  21,  township  13  north,  range  42 
east,  Garfield  county,  but  for  more  than  forty  years  he  traveled  extensively  over 
this  country  as  a  commercial  salesman  and  he  was  also  known  throughout  the 
Pacific  coast  states  as  a  breeder  of  fast  horses.  He  had  those  special  qualities 
which  make  for  personal  popularity  and  wherever  he  went  he  made  friends.  He 
was  born  in  Oakland,  Oregon,  June  8,  1857,  and  was  a  son  of  George  and  Mary 


\\j  XVyfc^^-^-wc 


NEW  YORK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY' 

».STOR.  <-tS<« 
TlLDEts   ^-CC'NDATIOW* 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  557 

(Vaughn)  Whitmore,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Wisconsin.  They  crossed 
the  plains  to  Oregon  in  1852  and  in  1867  removed  to  San  Francisco,  California, 
where  they  made  their  home  for  a  number  of  years.  The  mother  made  her  home 
with  Wallace  Leroy  Whitmore  most  of  her  life,  his  filial  care  and  attention 
rewarding  her  for  the  love  which  she  had  bestowed  upon  him  in  his  boyhood  days 

Wallace  Leroy  Whitmore  was  little  more  than  a  boy  when  he  was  sent  out  on 
the  road  by  a  wholesale  clothing  house  of  San  Francisco.  This,  however,  was 
not  his  initial  experience  in  the  business  world,  for  through  two  years  he  had 
been  employed  as  a  messenger  boy.  For  forty  years  he  remained  upon  the  road 
as  a  traveling  salesman,  representing  two  San  Francisco  houses — a  wonderful 
record  characterized  by  the  utmost  fidelity  and  loyalty  as  well  as  capability. 
He  won  for  the  houses  which  he  represented  a  very  liberal  patronage,  for  he 
was  thoroughly  reliable  in  business  affairs  and  men  came  to  know  that  whatever 
he  said  was  to  be  depended  upon.  After  four  decades  devoted  to  travel  he  left 
the  road  in  order  to  give  his  entire  time  to  his  sotck  and  landed  interests.  In  the 
meantime  he  had  purchased  property  until  he  owned  twenty-seven  hundred 
acres  in  Garfield  county.  He  was  a  lover  of  the  thoroughbred  horse  and  was 
a  pioneer  in  the  breeding  of  standard  and  thoroughbred  horses  in  Garfield  county, 
raising  them  more  for  pleasure  than  for  profit.  His  blooded  stock,  of  which 
Coloma,  the  noted  sire,  was  the  head,  became  known  wherever  racing  was  popu- 
lar. In  fact  Mr.  Whitmore's  reputation '  in' thi^  regard  spread  wherever  there 
was  to  be  found  anyone  who  desired  a  fas'fhorse  for  pleasure  driving.  In  his 
three-year-old  form  Coloma  took  every  .Derby  in  Montaiia  and  his  owner  re- 
fused ten  thousand  dollars  for  him.  '  Bill  Frazier,,  wbO;  was  taken  east  from 
Portland,  has  a  pacing  mark  of  2:12;  Minnie  ^lann  Wks  also  a  horse  with  a 
notable  record  and  Ken  West  at  one  time  could  step  the  quarter  in  thirty  seconds, 
while  Hallie  Hinges,  Daybreak,  Sallie  Goodwin  and  a  long  list  of  other  running 
and  pacing  horses  became  well  known  on  the  circuit.  Swiftsure,  Coloma's  first  colt, 
sold  for  five  thousand  dollars  at  two  years  old  and  many  others  brought  the 
breeder  record  prices,  but  despite  this  fact  it  was  said  that  Mr.  Whitmore  put 
more  money  into  race  horse  breeding  than  he  ever  got  out  of  it.  He  was  a  very 
progressive  man  and  his  farm  was  one  of  the  best  improved  properties  in  the 
county.  He  erected  thereon  good  buildings,  kept  them  painted  and  in  good  con- 
dition at  all  times,  installed  an  electric  light  system  and  equipped  his  home  and 
buildings  with  the  most  modern  improvements. 

On  the  2d  of  December,  1889,  Mr.  Whitmore  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Minnie  Williams,  of  San  Francisco,  who  is  a  native  of  New  York.  Her  father 
was  Arthur  Williams,  a  member  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  New  York 
Engineering  Corps  during  the  Civil  war,  who  re-enlisted  in  the  field  after  his 
discharge  and  was  given  a  large  bounty.  Mrs.  Whitmore's  mother  prior  to  her 
marriage  was  Miss  Hannah  E.  Poorman.  After  the  close  of  the  Civil  war  she 
brought  her  two  children  to  the  Pacific  coast,  making  the  journey  by  sailing 
vessel  around  Cape  Horn.  She  took  up  her  abode  in  San  Francisco  and  after- 
ward became  the  wife  of  Horace  Eldred,  proprietor  of  the  State  House  Hotel 
of  Sacramento.  Several  years  later  Mr.  Eldred's  death  occurred  and  his  widow 
afterward  lived  in  southern  California  until  her  death,  which  occurred  in  Port- 
land, Oregon,  in  1901. 

Mrs.  Whitmore  is  an  accomplished  woman  of  marked  business  ability  as  well 


558  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

as  of  many  social  graces.  She  manages  her  extensive  property  holdings  with  keen 
sagacity,  displaying  unfaltering  enterprise,  and  her  labors  are  attended  wilh  ex- 
cellent results.  The  death  of  Mr.  Whitmore  occurred  September  8,  1916,  and  was 
the  occasion  of  deep  and  widespread  regret  to  many  friends.  He  was  a  man  of 
genial,  kindly  nature,  always  approachable  and  at  all  times  he  held  friendship 
inviolable.  His  well  managed  business  affairs  and  investments  enabled  him  to 
leave  Mrs.  Whitmore  in  very  comfortable  financial  circumstances  and  she  is  today 
the  owner  of  one  of  the  valuable  farm  properties  of  Garfield  county.  Like  her 
husband,  she  is  widely  and  favorably  known  and  her  friends  are  legion. 


W.  E.  AYRES. 


W.  E.  Ayres,  while  actively  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  managed  his 
affairs  so  ably  that  he  attained  financial  independence  and  is  now  living  retired 
upon  his  home  farm  in  Columbia  county.  He  was  born  in  .'\dams  county,  Illinois, 
February  8,  1841,  a  son  of  Eli  L.  and  Ruth  (Stevens)  Ayres,  natives  respectively 
of  England  and  Canada.  Following  their  marriage  in  the  Dominion  the  parents 
removed  to  Illinois  in  the  latter  '30s  and  resided  there  for  a  few  years  l)ut  in 
1842  went  to  Appanoose  county,  Iowa.  There  the  father  acquired  title  to  land 
and  engaged  in  farming  until  called  by  death,  although  he  was  by  profession  a 
physician  and  Baptist  minister.  Subsequently  the  mother  removed  with  her 
family  to  Linn  county,  Oregon,  reaching  there  in  1864,  when  the  Pacific  north- 
west was  still  largely  undeveloped.  Eventually  she  became  a  resident  of  Walla 
Walla  county,  Washington,  and  there  passed  away. 

W.  E.  Ayres,  who  is  one  of  four  living  children  in  a  family  of  six,  grew  to 
manhood  in  Iowa  and  there  obtained  his  education.  He  accompanied  his  mother 
to  Oregon  and  for  seven  years  was  a  resident  of  that  state  but  at  the  end  of 
that  time  took  up  a  homestead  in  Old  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington,  his 
farm  being  located  in  what  is  now  Columbia  county.  His  first  residence  was  a 
log  cabin  and  his  experiences  for  a  few  years  were  those  of  all  pioneers.  At 
length,  however,  his  land  was  brought  under  cultivation,  substantial  improve- 
ments were  made  thereon  and  adequate  facilities  for  transportation  and  communi- 
cation with  other  parts  of  the  country  were  secured.  He  found  farming  both 
profitable  and  congenial  and  continued  to  engage  in  stock  and  wheat  raising  until 
he  retired.     He  still  owns  960  acres  of  fine  land. 

In  1868  Mr.  Ayres  was  married  to  Miss  Martha  S.  Redford,  of  Henry  county, 
Missouri,  a  daughter  of  Walker  P.  and  Nancy  (Davis)  Redford,  the  former 
born  in  Virginia  and  the  latter  in  Kentucky.  In  the  '30s  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Redford 
removed  to  Missouri  and  there  the  father  died  in  1861.  Three  years  later  the 
mother,  with  her  children,  made  the  long  journey  across  the  plains  by  ox  team. 
For  three  years  they  resided  in  Union  county,  Oregon,  and  then  went  to  Linn 
county,  when  they  came  to  Washington,  where  the  mother  passed  away.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Ayres  have  become  the  parents  of  eleven  children :  Eudora,  the  widow 
of  W.  J.  Beal  and  a  resident  of  Pomeroy.  Washington ;  Willie  and  Robert,  both 
deceased ;  James  P.,  who  is  also  living  in  Pomeroy ;  Anna ;  William  S.,  a  resident 
of  Pineville,  Oregon;  Nancv,  deceased;  Mary  C,  a  home  missionary  stationed 


> 

a 
> 
d 

> 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  561 

in  western  Oregon;   Palmer,  a   farmer;   Sarah,  the  wife  of   Sanford   SkiHman, 
who  is  farming  the  home  place ;  and  Albert  E.,  an  agriculturist  of  Pomeroy. 

Mr.  Ayres  is  a  democrat  in  politics  and  has  served  as  county  treasurer,  as 
county  commissioner  and  as  a  member  of  the  school  board,  which  office  he  held 
for  years.  His  record  as  a  public  official  is  highly  creditable  both  to  his  ability 
and  his  devotion  to  the  general  good,  and  as  a  private  citizen  he  has  given  his 
support  to  movements  calculated  to  advance  the  interests  of  his  community.  He 
takes  justifiable  pride  in  the  fact  that  he  has  had  a  part  in  the  development  of 
this  section  and  believes  that  nowhere  can  the  agriculturist  find  better  opportuni- 
ties. 


LOUIS  NEACE. 


On  the  pages  of  Walla  Walla  county's  pioneer  history  appears  the  name  of 
Louis  Neace,  who  took  up  his  abode  in  the  city  of  Walla  Walla  when  it  was  a 
mere  military  post.  As  the  years  passed  on  he  became  prominently  identified 
with  agricultural  interests  in  this  section  of  the  state  and  ranked  with  the  fore- 
most business  men.  He  was  born  near  Frankfort,  Germany,  September  27, 
1835,  and  was  but  twelve  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  the  United  States  with 
an  uncle,  who  was  a  resident  of  Newark,  New  Jersey.  From  that  time  forward 
Louis  Neace  never  saw  his  family  nor  his  native  country.  His  father  had  been 
a  member  of  the  forestry  department  in  Germany,  an  official  position  to  which 
only  men  who  were  scholars  and  had  special  training  in  the  science  of  forestry 
were  eligible. 

Becoming  a  resident  of  Orange,  New  Jersey,  Louis  Neace  was  there  em- 
ployed in  a  sash  and  blind  factory,  in  which  he  served  a  four  years'  appren- 
ticeship, thereby  gaining  thorough  and  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the  work. 
In  the  meantime,  however,  he  spent  one  winter  in  Florida,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed in  driving  a  mule  team  for  the  owner  of  a  lumber  mill  on  the  St.  Mary's 
river.  When  his  apprenticeship  was  ended  he  removed  to  the  middle  west  and 
at  the  recommendation  of  friends  in  Orange,  New  Jersey,  he  secured  a  position 
in  a  sash  and  blind  factory  at  Fulton,  Illinois. 

The  west,  however,  still  lured  him  on  and  afterward  he  made  a  tour  of 
Kansas,  at  which  time  the  state  was  the  battleground  of  the  parties  who  were 
contending  whether  it  should  be  admitted  as  a  free  or  as  a  slave  state.  Not 
desiring  to  become  a  landowner  in  Kansas  under  such  conditions,  Mr.  Neace 
joined  a  construction  crew  at  Independence,  Missouri,  and  started  across  the 
country  for  Harney  Lake,  Oregon,  the  crew  being  engaged  to  lay  out  a  road 
in  that  section.  The  Mormons  were  at  that  time  a  menace  to  all  travelers  through 
Utah  and  the  crew  was  placed  under  military  protection,  spending  the  winter 
of  1856-7  at  Fort  Bridger,  Wyoming.  The  Mormons  destroyed  several  of  the 
supply  wagon  trains  of  the  fort  and  their  rations  were  reduced  for  a  period  to 
two  small  biscuits  per  day.  Hardly  any  salt  was  obtainable  throughout  the  entire 
winter  and  the  first  that  was  brought  in  sold  at  a  dollar  per  pound.  In  1857  Mr. 
Neace  became  a  resident  of  Los  Angeles,  California,  which  was  then  a  tiny 
village,  and  from  that  point. he  continued  his  journey  northward  to  San  Fran- 


562  OLD  WAI.LA  WALLA  COUNTY 

cisco,  where  he  becnnie  a  passenger  on  the  steamer  Columbia.  A  northward 
trip  brought  him  to  the  mouth  of  the  Umpqua  river,  where  he  disembarked 
and  spent  the  winter,  reaching  The  Dalles,  Oregon,  in  the  spring  of  1858. 

From  that  point  Mr.  Neace  came  to  Walla  Walla  as  an  employe  of  Lieuten- 
ant Mullan,  who  was  in  charge  of  the  construction  of  a  military  road  from  Fort 
Walla  Walla  to  Fort  Benton,  Alontana,  which  is  still  known  as  the  Mullan  road. 
After  completing  the  work  the  crew  spent  the  winter  in  Fort  Benton  and  in 
the  following  year  Major  Blake  arrived  from  St.  Louis  with  troops  on  his  way 
to  Fort  Walla  Walla  and  Mr.  Neace  returned  with  him,  after  which  he  re- 
mained a  resident  of  eastern  Washington.  When  he  first  visited  Walla  Walla 
there  was  only  a  cantonment  built  by  Colonel  Steptoe  in  the  fall  of  1856.  It 
consisted  of  a  few  rude  log  huts  along  what  is  now  East  Main  street,  west  of 
Palouse,  these  huts  constituting  the  winter  quarters  for  the  military  troops  who 
were  here  stationed  as  a  protection  to  the  few  settlers  who  had  penetrated  into 
this  region.  In  1861  Mr.  Neace  took  up  his  abode  on  the  Tucannon  river,  at  the 
present  site  of  Starbuck,  for  the  purpose  of  engaging  in  the  cattle  business 
there.  The  most  severe  winter  ever  known  in  the  Pacific  northwest  followed. 
He  was  at  the  time  a  young  man  of  but  twenty-six.  Undiscouraged  by  the 
severity  of  the  winter,  he  bought  a  right  to  a  place  on  the  Pataha  river,  a  tribu- 
tary of  the  Tucanon,  and  continued  in  the  live  stock  business,  there  remaining 
until  1870,  when  he  removed  to  the  Lock  &  Long  mill  near  Dayton.  A  little 
later  he  took  up  his  abode  on  a  farm  north  of  Waitsburg  and  the  place  has 
since  been  known  as  the  Neace  farm.  He  afterward  purchased  what  was  known 
as  the  Anderson  Cox  residence  in  Waitsburg  and  the  family  home  was  there 
established.  As  the  years  passed  on  Mr.  Neace  added  to  his  holdings  from  time 
to  time  as  his  financial  resources  increased  and  became  one  of  the  most  exten- 
sive landowners  of  Washington.  When  asked  how  great  were  his  possessions 
he  replied :  "I  do  not  know."  In  addition  to  his  Washington  holdings  he  had 
considerable  land  in  Montana.  Possessing  sound  judgment  and  keen  sagacity, 
his  investments  were  most  judiciously  made  and  with  the  settlement  and  devel- 
opment of  the  county  and  his  land  rose  constantly  in  \-alue,  making  his  estate  a 
most  substantial  one. 

On  the  6th  of  October,  1864,  Mr.  Neace  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Harrington,  of  Walla  Walla,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  all  of  whom  are  living,  namely:  Mrs.  D.  C.  Eaton;  Mrs.  S.  F.  Patton ; 
Frank  and  Charles,  of  Waitsburg;  John  and  Louis,  of  Millstone,  Montana; 
Mrs.  Ellen  Hauber,  of  Portland ;  and  James  and  Isaac,  of  Endicott. 

Aside  from  his  extensive  connection  with  farming  interests  Mr.  Neace  had 
for  a  number  of  years  been  president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Waits- 
burg. For  more  than  forty  years  he  was  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity 
exemplifying  in  his  life  the  beneficent  spirit  of  the  craft  which  is  based  upon  a 
recognition  of  the  brotherhood  of  man  and  the  obligations  thereby  imposed. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  constitutional  convention  of  Washington  and  thus  in 
many  ways  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  upon  the  history  of  the  state. 
His  philanthropy  was  ever  a  salient  factor  in  his  life.  He  aided  generously 
many  benevolent  institutions  and  gave  freely  to  individuals.  He  never  believed 
in  that  indiscriminate  giving  which  fosters  vagrancy  and  idleness,  but  wherever 
possible  to  extend  a  helping  hand  to  assist  a  traveler,  making  earnest  effort  to 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  563 

progress  on  life's  journey,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  do  so.  His  life,  honorable  and 
upright  in  act  and  purpose,  gained  for  him  the  high  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he 
was  brought  in  contact,  and  what  he  did  for  the  county  in  the  way  of  its  agri- 
cultural development  and  in  other  connections  entitles  him  to  prominent  men- 
tion among  the  builders  of  the  great  Inland  Empire.    He  died  January  12,  1916. 


ADOLPH  SCHWARZ. 


Adolph  Schwarz,  who  is  conducting  a  pool  and  billiard  hall  in  Walla  Walla, 
was  born  in  Germany,  December  24,  1853,  a  son  of  John  Joseph  and  Theresa 
(Rieder)  Schwarz,  who  passed  their  entire  lives  in  the  fatherland.  Mr.  Schwarz 
of  this  review  attended  the  public  schools  of  Germany  in  the  acquirement  of 
his  education  and  remained  with  his  parents  until  he  was  sixteen  years  old. 
At  that  age  he  emigrated  to  America  and  for  a  year  resided  in  New  York, 
after  which  he  spent  a  similar  length  of  time  in  Pennsylanvia.  He  then  went  to 
California  but  in  1876  went  to  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  and  later  to  New 
York.  He  spent  the  winter  in  the  east  but  in  the  following  spring  he  again 
came  west  and  for  about  a  year  was  employed  on  a  boat  running  on  the  Col- 
umbia river.  In  October,  1877,  he  arrived  in  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington, 
and  for  three  years  was  in  the  employ  of  others.  In  1880,  however,  he  estab- 
lished a  pool  and  biUiard  hall  in  the  city  of  Walla  Walla  and  has  since  con- 
ducted that  business.  His  place  is  well  equipped  and  is  managed  on  such  a 
high  plane  that  it  receives  the  support  of  the  best  class  of  people.  He  was 
also  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  local  brewing  company  and  had  an  active  part 
in  the  management  of  the  business  until  the  brewery  closed  down.  The  com- 
pany is  still  in  existence,  however,  and  still  owns  the  plant. 

In  1894  Mr.  Schwarz  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lula  Stahl,  a  daugh- 
ter of  J.  H.  Stahl,  and  to  them  have  been  born  four  children:  Lillian  E.,  a 
graduate  of  the  local  high  school;  Ruth  and  Adolph,  both  high  school  students; 
and  Catherine.  ' 

Mr.  Schwarz  is  independent  in  politics,  believing  the  qualifications  of  a  can- 
didate to  be  of  far  greater  importance  than  his  party  affiliation.  Fraternally  he 
is  identified  with  the  Eagles,  the  Red  Men  and  the  Foresters  of  the  World.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  belong  to  the  Episcopal  church  and  Mrs.  Schwarz  is  active  in 
its  work. 


FREDERICK  P.  YENNEY. 

Frederick  P.  Yenney,  a  retired  farmer  residing  in  Walla  Walla,  was  born  in 
Baden,  Germany,  February  27,  1852,  a  son  of  Frederick  and  Susanna  (Swigard) 
Yenney,  both  natives  of  that  country,  where  they  passed  their  entire  lives. 
Frederick  P.  Yenney,  who  is  the  only  son  in  a  family  of  seven  children,  and 
the  only  one  in  America,  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  country  and  there 
acquired  his  education.     In  1881  he  came  to  the  United  States  and  after  living 


564  OLD  W  A  1.1. A  WALLA  COUNTY 

for  six  years  in  Kankakee  county,  Illinois,  removed  to  Minnesota,  where  he 
spent  two  years.  In  1889  he  came  to  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington,  but  after 
residing  here  for  one  summer  went  to  Lincoln  county  this  state,  and  purchased 
a  farm,  which  he  operated  until  1905.  He  then  retired  from  active  life  and 
removed  to  Walla  Walla,  trading  his  farm  in  Lincoln  county  for  land  in  Walla 
Walla  county  and  now  has  four  hundred  and  eighty-five  acres  of  improved  land 
near  Walla  Walla.    He  owns  his  fine  residence  at  No.  350  South  Third  street. 

Mr.  Yenney  was  married  in  1875,  in  Germany,  to  Miss  Catharine  Lavber 
and  they  have  four  children,  namely :  Conrad,  John  W.  and  Emil,  all  of  whom 
are  farmers;  and  Matilda,  the  wife  of  George  C.  Raymond,  a  resident  of  Fresno, 
California. 

Mr.  Yenney  is  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  republican  party  but  has  never  had 
the  time  nor  inclination  to  seek  office.  Both  he  and  his  wife  hold  membership 
in  the  German  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Walla  Walla. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  FEATHERS. 

Benjamin  Franklin  Flathers,  deceased,  was  one  of  the  old  and  honored  resi- 
dents of  Walla  Walla,  where  he  made  his  home  for  almost  half  a  century.  He 
was  born  near  Louisville,  Kentucky,  on  the  20th  of  August,  1836,  and  was  a 
son  of  John  and  Julia  Flathers.  "During  his  boyhood  he  received  a  limited  educa- 
tion in  the  country  schools  near  his  home.  He  was  only  a  small  boy  when  the 
family  removed  to  Iowa  and  located  on  a  farm.  When  still  quite  young  he 
sought  new  and  more  favorable  conditions  of  life  and  left  home,  roughing  it  in 
various  parts  of  the  United  States  for  some  time.  He  finally  arrived  in  New 
York  city,  where  he  mustered  on  a  freight  ship,  and  made  the  long  voyage 
around  the  Horn,  landing  in  San  Francisco,  after  having  experienced  some  very 
rough  weather. 

Throughout  his  business  career  Mr.  Flathers  was  variously  employed.  When 
a  young  man  he  engaged  in  firing  on  a  railroad  for  a  short  time  and  on  reaching 
California  in  1854  became  a  packer,  operating  a  train  along  the  coast.  He 
remained  a  resident  of  the  Golden  state  until  1861  and  from  there  removed  to 
The  Dalles,  Oregon,  whence  he  came  to  Walla  Walla,  Washington.  He  con- 
tinued to  operate  a  pack  train  until  1869,  traveling  from  Montana  to  Arizona, 
but  in  that  year  he  sold  his  outfit  to  the  government  while  in  the  latter  state.  In 
1870  he  located  on  a  homestead  in  Walla  Walla  county,  where  ^^or  years  he  con- 
ducted a  forage  station,  furnishing  accommodations  for  travelers  over  the  old 
Mullen  trail  from  Walla  Walla.  He  gradually  worked  into  agriculture  and  con- 
tinued to  follow  farming  for  thirty  years  with  good  success  but  at  the  end  of 
that  time  retired  from  active  labor  and  divided  his  magnificent  farm  among  his 
children.  With  a  comfortable  fortune  he  then  removed  to  Walla  Walla,  where 
his  last  days  were  sjjent  in  ease  and  quiet.  There  he  passed  away  on  May  10, 
igio,  leaving  his  immediate  family  as  well  as  many  friends  to  mourn  his  loss. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1869,  Mr.  Flathers  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs. 
Malinda  CMcQuown)  Harris,  who  was  born  in  Russell  county,  Virginia,  May  3, 
1836,  and  in   1841   accompanied  her  parents,   Patrick  and  Mary  McQuown,  on 


MES.  BENJAMIN  F.  FLATHERS 


BENJAMIN  F.  FLATHEES 
At  the  age  of  about  fifty 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  569 

their  removal  to  Sullivan  county,  Missouri,  where  she  was  reared  and  educated. 
In  1856  she  married  Mack  F.  Harris  and  on  the  6th  of  May,  1863,  they  and  their 
two  small  sons  started  across  the  plains  by  ox  team.  This  was  a  very  hazardous 
journey  owing  to  the  Indian  troubles  which  they  daily  encountered  but  no  con- 
sequences of  a  serious  nature  resulted.  They  finally  landed  in  Idaho  City  in 
December  of  the  same  year  and  remained  there  until  the  spring  of  1864,  when 
they  proceeded  to  Walla  Walla,  arriving  in  June.  In  1865  Mr.  Harris  died 
leaving  one  son,  the  two  children,  born  before  they  crossed  the  plains,  having 
died  in  Idaho  City.  Mrs.  Harris  and  her  son  continued  to  live  near  Walla  Walla 
until  1869,  when  she  became  the  wife  of  Benjamin  F.  Flathers,  and  they  located 
on  a  farm  on  Touchet  River  belonging  to  H.  H.  Spaulding.  The  following  year, 
however,  they  purchased  of  Mr.  Spaulding  the  farm,  which  they  continued  to 
own  throughout  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Flathers  were 
born  five  children,  as  follows :  Julia  M.,  John  Taylor,  Emery,  Charley  F.  and 
Harry  J. 

Mr.  Flathers  was  reared  in  the  Baptist  faith  and  although  he  did  not  hold 
membership  in  any  church  he  contributed  to  the  support  of  all  denominations 
when  called  upon  to  do  so.  He  was  an  honored  member  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  the  Elks,  and  for  several 
years  his  wife  was  also  identified  with  Clematis  Rebekah  Lodge,  No.  30,  of 
Prescott,  but  after  removing  to  Walla  W'aiii- -gSve:  up \(rdg6  work.  In  early  life 
she  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episco,pal  ..churchy  Soutji,  but  later  became 
a  member  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Walla  Walla,-  With  which  she  was 
connected  at  the  time  of  her  death  which  occurred  April  21,  1917.  She  was  an 
earnest  and  consistent  Christian  and  both  she  and  her  husband  were  held  in  the 
highest  regard  by  all  who  knew  them. 


WALTER  CLARENCE  MINNICK. 

Walter  Clarence  Minnick,  who  is  carrying  on  extensive  farming  operations 
although  a  resident  of  Walla  Walla,  is  a  western  man  by  birth  as  well  as  prefer- 
ence, as  he  was  born  in  Old  Walla  Walla  county,  August  19,  1873.  He  is  a  son 
of  Adam  and  Amanda  (Davis)  Minnick,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  March 
9,  1830,  in  Pennsylvania,  whence  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Dayton,  Ohio, 
at  the  age  of  five  years.  Later,  while  he  was  still  a  youth,  the  family  removed 
to  Davis  county,  Iowa,  and  there  he  resided  until  1852.  He  then  went  to  Cali- 
fornia by  ox  team  in  Dr.  Udell's  train.  In  addition  to  the  hardships  of  the  road 
the  Indians  gave  considerable  trouble  and  cholera  broke  out,  causing  the  death 
of  many.  In  November,  however,  they  reached  the  Sacramento  valley  of  Cal- 
ifornia and  Mr.  Minnick  spent  the  next  two  years  mining  in  difiFerent  parts  of 
that  state.  He  then  decided  to  return  to  Iowa  and  on  the  ist  of  October,  1854, 
sailed  from  San  Francisco  on  the  steamer  Yankee  Blade.  Unfortunately  the 
ship  was  wrecked  after  being  at  sea  only  twenty-four  hours,  being  wedged 
among  the  rocks,  with  one  part  broken  off.  The  twelve  hundred  passengers 
remained  on  the  ship  for  about  twenty-four  hours,  at  the  end  of  which  time 
they  were  rescued  by  a  passing  vessel,  which  landed  them  at  San  Diego.    As  he 

Vnl.  I .34 


570  OLD  WAIJ.A  WAI.T.A  COUNTY 

had  lost  his  earnings  on  the  wrecked  ship  Mr.  Mimiick  decided  to  return  to 
San  Francisco,  where  he  Hved  for  two  more  years.  In  the  year  1856  he  again 
embarked  for  home  and  this  time  the  voyage  was  uneventful  and  he  reached 
New  York  in  safety.  He  then  went  by  rail  to  Iowa,  where  he  was  married. 
In  1872  Mr.  Minnick  again  came  to  the  Pacific  coast  and  on  landing  at  San 
Francisco,  proceeded  by  boat  to  Portland,  whence  he  came  to  Walla  Walla 
county  with  his  family  by  railroad.  He  preempted  land  on  the  Pataha  prairie 
and  resided  there  until  1876.  He  then  removed  to  Spring  valley,  six  miles  south 
of  Waitsburg,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  until  1900,  when  he  retired  and 
took  up  his  residence  on  Park  street,  Walla  Walla.  In  1906  he  removed  to  Los 
Angeles,  California,  in  the  hope  of  benefiting  his  health  and  there  he  lived 
until  his  death  on  the  9th  of  May,  1911.  His  remains  were  brought  back  to 
Walla  Walla,  Washington,  and  were  interred  in  the  Mountain  View  cemetery. 
He  is  survived  by  his  widow,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Amanda  Davis. 
-She  is  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Moss  Davis,  for  many  years  a  prominent  physician  of 
Davis  and  Wapello  counties,  Iowa.  She  makes  her  home  in  Walla  Walla 
and  owns  between  eight  and  nine  hundred  acres  of  land,  left  her  by  her 
husband.  To  them  were  born  the  following  children :  Mrs.  Mary  Minnetta 
Hubbard,  a  resident  of  Waitsburg;  George  D.  and  John  H.,  who  are  living  in 
Walla  Walla;  Mrs.  Anna  Shepherd  Crook,  of  Spokane,  Washington;  Walter 
Clarence,  a  resident  of  Walla  Walla;  Mrs.  Ella  Elisabeth  Price,  who  is  living 
in  Waitsburg;  and  Chester  Clifford,  who  is  operating  his  mother's  land  but 
resides   in  Walla   Walla. 

Walter  C.  Minnick  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools,  the  Waits- 
burg High  School,  the  Waitsburg  Academy,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1902, 
and  Professor  Walton's  School  of  Expression  of  Spokane,  which  he  attended 
during  the  four  winters  after  leaving  the  academy.  When  about  nineteen  years  of 
age  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account  and  has  continued  to  follow  that  occupa- 
tion to  the  present  time.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  extensive  tracts  of  land  and  is 
one  of  the  large  wheat  growers  of  Walla  Walla  and  Columbia  counties.  The  fact 
that  he  can  successfully  manage  such  large  interests  is  proof  of  his  enterprise,  keen 
business  judgment  and  executive  ability.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Ex- 
change Bank  of  Waitsburg,  of  which  he  was  elected  vice  president  at  the  time 
of  its  reorganization,  and  for  seven  or  eight  years  he  held  that  office,  but  has 
recently  disposed  of  his  bank  holdings. 

On  the  23d  of  December,  1908,  Mr.  Minnick  was  married  to  Miss  Amy 
Jane  McCown,  of  Waitsburg,  a  daughter  of  Frank  and  Laura  (Walker)  Mc- 
Cown,  both  natives  of  this  region.  Her  grandparents  came  west  in  1852  by  ox 
team  and  located  in  Oregon  and  both  parents  were  born  on  the  Pacific  coast. 
Mrs.  Minnick  was  born  in  Waitsburg,  June  3,  1885,  and  was  graduated  from  the 
Waitsburg  high  school  and  the  organ  department  of  Whitman  Conservatory 
of  Music.  She  also  spent  one  year  in  study  at  Oberlin  College,  Oberlin,  Ohio. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Minnick  have  been  born  three  children,  Walter  Lawrence, 
Erma  Helen  and  Virginia  Pauline. 

Mr.  Minnick  endorses  the  basic  principles  of  the  democratic  party  but  on 
occasion  votes  independently,  believing  that  the  general  welfare  is  of  far  more 
importance  than  party  success.  For  four  years  he  was  state  democratic  com- 
mitteeman from  this  district  and  his  influence  was  strongly  felt  on  the  side  of 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  571 

progress  and  clean  government.  He  belongs  to  the  United  Artisans,  and  both  he 
and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  the  Christian  church.  Following  his  marriage 
he  maintained  his  home  in  Waitsburg  until  1914,  when  he  removed  to  Walla 
Walla,  where  he  has  a  resdence  at  No.  216  Fulton  street.  For  several  years 
past  he  and  his  family  have  spent  the  winters  in  Los  Angeles,  California.  He 
is  one  of  the  substantial  men  of  Walla  Walla  and  such  is  his  efficiency  and 
ability  that  he  is  able  to  keep  all  of  his  business  affairs  well  in  hand  and  yet 
find  time  to  enjoy  the  worth-while  pleasures  of  life.  He  has  been  a  factor  in 
the  advancement  of  his  community,  being  always  ready  to  give  not  only  of  his 
means  but  also  of  his  thought  and  time  to  the  promotion  of  projects  for  the 
public  good. 


JOHN  FORGEY. 


John  Forgey  is  numbered  among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Asotin  county  who 
have  contributed  in  marked  measure  to  its  material  development  and  upbuild- 
ing and  also  to  its  progress  and  improvement  along  social,  political  and  moral 
lines.  He  was  born  near  Albany,  Linn  county,  Oregon,  August  9,  1865,  a  son  of 
George  and  Martha  (Shear)  Forgey.  The  father,  a  native  of  Indiana,  came  to 
the  west  with  an  uncle  when  eleven  years  of  age  and  settled  in  the  Willamette 
valley,  where  he  followed  farming.  He  and  his  wife  are  now  living  with  a 
daughter,  Mrs.  Phoebe  Ramsey,  in  Linn  county,  Oregon,  Mr.  Forgey  having 
retired  from  active  business.  In  their  family  were  the  following  children :  Bell- 
zena,  who  married  James  Newman,  of  Linn  county,  Oregon ;  Grover,  who  mar- 
ried Miss  Margaret  Milsaps  and  resides  in  Astoria,  Oregon ;  Emma,  the  deceased 
wife  of  W.  G.  Dagget;  two  who  died  infancy;  Phoebe,  the  wife  of  Alvin  Ram- 
sey ;  and  Fred,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  being  accidentally  shot 
while  hunting. 

John  Forgey  of  this  review  was  but  six  years  of  age  when  brought  by  his 
parents  to  Washington,  the  family  home  being  established  in  Ellensburg,  where 
they  lived  for  twelve  years.  In  1882  they  came  to  Asotin  county,  where  they 
took  up  their  abode  upon  a  homestead  claim.  John  Forgey  obtained  his  education 
in  one  of  the  old-time  log  schoolhouses  and  in  the  schools  of  Asotin.  When 
twenty-one  years  of  age  he  began  farming  independently  and  previous  experience 
well  qualified  him  for  the  work  which  he  undertook.  He  first  secured  a  pre- 
emption claim  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  but  did  not  prove  up  on  it.  Later 
he  bought  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  which  he  developed,  bringing  his 
land  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  and  afterward  he  bought  another  tract  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  which  he  still  owns.  It  is  eleven  miles  south  of 
Asotin  and  is  largely  devoted  to  wheat  raising,  extensive  crops  being  annually 
gathered.  Mr.  Forgey  makes  his  home  in  the  city  of  Asotin  during  the  winter 
months  and  in  the  summer  resides  upon  the  farm  and  manages  his  property. 

On  the  loth  of  October,  1886,  Mr.  Forgey  was  married  to  Miss  Sadie  Milsaps, 
a  daughter  of  Robert  and  Holly  (Carpenter)  Milsaps,  of  a  prominent  old  family 
of  Asotin  county,  to  which  they  removed  from  Missouri.  Mrs.  Forgey  crossed 
the  plains  with  her  parents  by  mule  team  in  1885,  the  trip  taking  three  months 


572  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

and  eleven  clays.  They  arrived  in  Asotin  county  on  the  31st  of  August  of  the 
same  year  and  camped  at  what  is  known  as  the  old  Wamsley  place  on  Ten  Mile 
creek  until  October  i,  moving  from  there  to  Asotin  Flat,  where  they  settled  on 
a  homestead,  Mrs.  Forgey  residing  there  until  married  in  1886.  Mr.  and  Airs. 
Forgey  have  become  the  parents  of  the  following  named :  Bellzena,  who  is  the 
wife  of  Ben  Moody,  a  farmer  of  Asotin  county;  Alva,  who  died  in  infancy;  Joe, 
who  was  married  in  1914  to  Esther  Hardy  and  follows  farming  in  Montana; 
Jessie,  who  died  in  infancy;  and  Dell,  who  was  a  volunteer  in  the  National 
Guard  and  then  was  transferred  to  the  regular  army,  now  serving  in  Company  E, 
One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  United  States  Engineers,  in  France. 

Mr.  Forgey  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Christian  church  and  are  loyal 
adherents  of  its  teachings.  In  politics  he  is  a  republican  where  national  issues 
tire  involved,  but  casts  an  independent  local  ballot,  supporting  men  and  measures 
rather  than  party.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the  Woodmen  of  the  World. 
He  has  been  a  resident  of  Asotin  county  for  thirty-five  years,  having  arrived 
when  the  work  of  development  seemed  scarcely  begun  in  this  section  of  the  state. 
He  has  seen  the  little  village  grow  to  a  nice  town  and  has  assisted  largely  in  its 
upbuilding  and  progress.  He  now  has  an  attractive  home  on  Main  street,  in 
which  he  spends  the  winter  months.  He  is  a  substantial  citizen,  loyal  at  all  times 
to  the  best  interests  of  community  and  of  state,  and  as  a  business  man  he  has 
a  record  for  thorough  reliability  and  enterprise,  his  success  being  attributable 
entirely  to  his  persistency  of  purpose  and  his  indefatigable  energy  intelligently 
directed. 


L.  C.  CORBETT. 


L.  C.  Corbett,  who  is  well  known  as  a  dealer  in  grain  and  fuel  and  a  fire 
insurance  agent  of  Huntsville,  Columbia  county,  was  born  in  Canada,  October 
19,  1851.  An  account  of  the  lives  of  his  parents,  John  and  Jane  (Lewis)  Cor- 
bett, is  found  elsewhere  in  this  work.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  the  Dominion 
and  received  excellent  educational  opportunities,  graduating  from  Toronto  Uni- 
versity. For  five  years  he  was  engaged  in  public  school  work,  and  for  twenty 
years  he  taught  in  high  schools  and  collegiate  institutes  in  Canada  as  instructor 
in  modern  languages.  In  1904  he  came  to  Columbia  county,  Washington,  and 
became  bookkeeper  and  secre'tary  for  Corbett  Brothers,  at  Huntsville.  In  1907 
he  was  joined  by  his  family  and  has  since  made  his  home  in  Huntsville.  He  was 
in  partnership  with  his  brother  until  1915,  when  their  business  connections  were 
severed  and  Mr.  Corbett  of  this  review  took  over  the  warehouse  which  he  now 
owns.  He  enjoys  a  large  patronage  as  a  dealer  in  grain  and  fuel,  and  has  also 
built  up  a  good  insurance  business.  He  owns  an  attractive  residence  surrounded 
by  beautiful  grounds,  and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  substantial  men  of  Hunts- 
ville. 

Mr.  Corbett  was  married  in  Canada  to  Miss  Sarah  Kirk,  a  native  of  England 
and  a  daughter  of  Robert  and  Fannie  (Holland)  Kirk,  both  of  whom  were  born 
in  Ireland  and  were  married  in  Canada.  The  father,  who  was  in  the  English 
army,  subsequently  was  stationed  in  England  for  some  time  but  at  length  went 


j:^,  e  e^^^zT 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  575 

to  Canada  and  there  both  he  and  his  wife  passed  away.  They  were  the  parents 
of  ten  children,  of  whom  five  survive.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Corbett  have  been 
bom  five  children :  Lewis  H.,  a  graduate  of  Toronto  University,  in  which  he  was 
an  instructor  for  four  years  and  is  now  teaching  modern  languages  in  Harbord- 
Street  Collegiate-Institute,  Toronto,  Canada ;  Edith,  the  wife  of  Wade  H.  Wolfe, 
who  is  associated  with  Mr.  Corbett  in  business;  Sarah  Christabel,  a  graduate  of 
the  Ellensburg,  Washington,  normal  school,  who  for  three  years  followed  the 
teacher's  profession  but  is  now  taking  training  at  Berkeley,  California,  for  dea- 
coness work;  Alice  Kathleen,  also  a  graduate  of  the  Ellensburg  normal  school, 
now  teaching  in  Walla  Walla  County ;  and  Frances  Enid,  a  high  school  student,  at 
home. 

Mr.  Corbett  takes  the  interest  of  a  good  citizen  in  public  affairs  but  has  never 
sought  office.  He  is  well  known  fraternally,  belonging  to  the  Masonic  order, 
and  to  the  Foresters.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  church,  in  which  he  holds  official  position,  and  both  are  always  willing 
to  give  of  their  time  and  means  in  the  furtherance  of  its  work.  Although  they 
have  resided  in  Huntsville  for  only  a  few  years  they  have  already  won  the 
unqualified  respect  of  their  fellow  townsmen  and  have  made  many  warm  friends. 


BISHOP  A.  HERROLD. 

Bishop  A.  Herrold,  an  honored  old  sett-leF  .of.  Walla,  Walla  county,  residing 
on  section  7,  township  9  north,  range  38  east,  was  born  in  Hamilton  county, 
Indiana,  May  5,  1836.  His  parents,  Daniel  and  Frances  (Fierce)  Herrold,  were 
both  born  in  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsylvania,  but  were  married  in  Athens 
county,  Ohio.  They  resided  there  for  a  number  of  years  and  five  of  their  chil- 
dren were  born  in  that  county.  At  length,  however,  the  family  removed  to  In- 
diana and  in  1849  migrated  still  farther  west,  settling  in  Knox  county,  Illinois, 
which  was  then  only  partly  settled.  They  continued  to  reside  there  until  death, 
the  father  dying  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years  and  the  mother  when  eighty 
years  old. 

Bishop  A.  Herrold  received  a  district  school  education  and,  through  assisting 
his  father  with  the  farm  work,  gained  practical  training  in  the  occupation  to 
which  he  devoted  his  active  life.  On  reaching  mature  years  he  began  farming 
on  his  own  account  in  Illinois  and  in  1870  removed  to  Jefferson,  Oregon.  For 
seven  years  he  was  a  resident  of  that  state,  most  of  the  time  being  spent  in  Linn 
county.  In  1877  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Palouse,  Whitman  county,  Wash- 
ington, and  preempted  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  on  which  he  lived  for  six  or 
seven  years.  He  next  came  to  Walla  Walla  county  and  took  up  a  homestead  on 
Eureka  flats.  He  was  successful  as  a  farmer,  his  well  directed  labors  being 
rewarded  by  good  crops,  and  at  length  he  felt  that  he  had  accumulated  sufficient 
capital  to  enable  him  to  retire  and  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Waitsburg,  where  he 
lived  until  the  death  of  his  wife,  April  19,  1907.  Since  then  he  has  made  his 
home  with  his  son  on  section  7,  township  9  north,  range  38  east,  Walla  Walla 
county. 

Mr.  Herrold  was  married  May  29,  1856,  to  Miss  Harriett  CuUison,  a  native 


576  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

of  Knox  county,  Illinois,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  six  children,  of  whom 
three  survive:  Jeremiah  Uurres;  llatlie  !>.,  who  is  the  widow  of  William  Bairn 
and  resides  with  her  brothers;  and  Morton  C.  The  brothers  are  operating  in 
partnership  four  hundred  and  thirty-four  acres  of  excellent  land,  Morton  C. 
residing  upon  the  place,  while  J.  B.  lives  in  Walla  Walla. 

Mr.  Herrold  is  an  adherent  of  tlie  republican  party  and  loyally  supports  its 
candidates  and  measures  at  the  i)olls.  Fraternally  he  belongs  to  Waitsburg 
Lodge,  No.  i6,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  his  religious  faith  is  indicated  by  his  membership 
in  the  Methodist  church.  He  is  widely  known  throughout  the  county  and  has 
gained  the  warm  personal  friendship  of  many. 


ABRAHAM  C.  DICKINSON. 

Abraham  C.  Dickinson,  in  whose  death  Walla  Walla  county  lost  one  of  its 
valued  and  representative  citizens,  was  for  a  long  period  actively  and  promi- 
nently connected  with  agricultural  interests.  He  lived  for  many  years  upon 
his  farm  and  in  his  later  years  made  his  home  in  Waitsburg,  where  he  passed 
away  in  191 1.  He  was  born  in  Bartholomew  county,  Indiana,  May  15,  1830. 
His  father,  Harvey  Dickinson,  was  a  native  of  Oneida  county.  New  York,  born 
in  1799,  and  on  reaching  young  manhood  he  emigrated  westward  to  Indiana, 
which  was  then  a  frontier  state.  There  he  wedded  Miss  Mary  Finley  and  they 
began  their  domestic  life  in  Indiana,  where  Abraham  C.  Dickinson  was  born, 
reared  and  educated.  On  attaining  his  majority  he  wedded  Miss  Abbie  C. 
Carter,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  on  the  2d  of  February,  1854.  Two  years 
later  they  removed  to  Missouri  accompanied  by  his  father,  his  mother  having 
passed  away  in  November,  1847.  They  established  their  home  in  Linn  county, 
where  they  prospered  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  when  their  competence 
was  swept  away. 

In  1863,  with  a  yoke  of  oxen  hitched  to  a  small  wagon,  Mr.  Dickinson  started 
across  the  plains  with  his  family  for  the  golden  west  and  arrived  in  Walla  Walla 
county,  Washington,  where  he  ever  afterward  made  his  home.  He  filed  on  a 
homestead  in  Spring  Valley,  four  and  one-half  miles  southwest  of  Waitsburg, 
and  there  built  a  one-room  log  cabin  with  clapboard  roof.  He  occupied  that 
primitive  home  for  five  years,  after  which  he  was  able  to  replace  it  by  a  more 
commodious  and  modern  frame  dwelling.  Thrift  and  industry  at  length  brought 
him  a  substantial  measure  of  prosperity  and  from  time  to  time  he  added  to  his 
landed  possessions  until  he  became  the  owner  of  a  thousand  acres  of  valuable 
farm  land,  six  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  which  comprised  the  Spring  Valley 
Home.  In  subsequent  years  he  sold  all  of  his  holdings  except  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres,  which  his  widow  still  retains.  In  1882  he  removed  to  Waitsburg, 
where  he  erected  a  comfortable  residence  and  there  he  spent  his  remaining  days, 
enjoying  many  of  life's  comforts  and  some  of  its  luxuries.  He  well  deserved 
the  success  which  came  to  him,  for  his  life  was  a  busy  and  useful  one,  his 
industry  was  unfaltering  and  his  energy  untiring.  Moreover,  in  all  of  his  busi- 
ness affairs  he  was  thoroughly  reliable,  honorable  and  upright  and  his  word  came 
to  be  recognized  as  good  as  any  bond  solemnized  by  signature  or  seal.     When 


MR.  AND  MRS.  ABRAHAM  C.  DICKINSON 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  679 

he  came  to  Washington  territory  he  brought  with  him  his  wife  and  six  children 
but  no  money.  He  faced  the  necessity  of  at  once  providing  for  their  support  and 
by  hard  work  and  good  management  he  overcame  all  difficulties  and  obstacles 
in  his  path  and  in  the  course  of  years  gained  a  very  substantial  competence. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dickinson  were  born  eleven  children,  five  of  whom  still 
survive,  as  follows:  Mary  M.,  who  is  the  wife  of  E.  D.  Mills;  Ella  L.,  who  gave 
her  hand  in  marriage  to  Charles  O.  Cram;  Cora  B.,  the  wife  of  F.  T.  Keiser; 
Lydia  F.,  who  is  the  wife  of  O.  Conover;  and  Albert  S.,  who  is  one  of  the 
prominent  citizens  of  Waitsburg. 

The  family  circle  was  again  broken  by  the  hand  of  death  when  in  igii  Mr. 
Dickinson  passed  away.  He  was  a  man  of  sterling  character  and  a  conscientious 
Christian,  a  devoted  husband  and  loving  father  and  a  man  highly  esteemed  as  a 
friend  and  as  a  citizen.  He  long  held  membership  in  the  Christian  church,  to 
which  Mrs.  Dickinson  still  belongs.  She  is  now  nearing  her  eighty-third  year 
but  is  yet  hale  and  hearty  and  occupies  the  old  home  in  Waitsburg.  She,  too, 
has  been  a  most  consistent  Christian  and  one  whose  life  has  been  fraught  with 
good  deeds,  as  she  has  continually  extended  a  helping  hand  where  aid,  counsel 
or  sympathy   were  needed. 


H.  E.  ANGERMANNH^ji  -^fV^r.^  f 

I   ._. ;  ■■■-'-'•' t 

H.  E.  Angermann,  the  president  and  treasBFer:0^;,tJie.  Mddel  Bakery  and  Con- 
fectionery, Incorporated,  at  Walla  Walla,  has  be"eTi"S~re?Tdent  of  this  city  since 
1906  and  progressive  business  methods  have  brought  him  to  a  place  in  the  front 
ranks  among  the  representative  merchants.  He  has  ever  been  actuated  by  laud- 
able ambition  and  persistency  of  purpose  has  constituted  one  of  the  foundation 
stones  on  which  he  has  built  his  success. 

He  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  21st  of  June,  1865,  and  is 
a  son  of  Traugott  and  Johanna  (Kupke)  Angermann,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Germany  and  came  to  the  United  States  when  they  were  in  the  twenties.  The 
father  was-a  tailor  by  trade  and  followed  that  pursuit  throughout  his  entire  life. 
After  living  for  some  time  in  Penn.sylvania  he  removed  to  New  Jersey,  where 
both  he  and  his  wife  passed  away.  In  their  family  were  twelve  children,  nine 
of  whom  are  living,  five  sons  and  four  daughters. 

H.  E.  Angermann,  whose  name  introduces  this  record,  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated in  New  Jersey,  where  he  learned  the  trade  of  cigar  making  and  followed 
that  pursuit  for  twenty-three  years  in  difi'erent  states.  Subsequently  he  took  up 
carpentering  and  was  thus  employed  for  six  years.  In  igo6  he  arrived  in  Walla 
Walla  and  since  191 1  has  been  engaged  in  the  bakery  and  confectionery  business, 
forming  a  partnership  with  Charles  Retzer  under  the  name  of  the  Model  Bakery 
and  Confectionery,  Incorporated.  He  has  been  continuously  engaged  in  this 
business  through  the  intervening  period  of  six  years  and  his  patronage  has 
steadily  grown,  for  he  has  given  to  the  public  goods  of  the  highest  quality,  and, 
moreover,  his  business  methods  are  such  as  will  bear  the  closest  investigation  and 
scrutiny.  The  Model  Bakery  and  Confectionery  is  today  one  of  the  leading 
establishments  of  this  kind  in  the  Inland  Empire  and  its  patronage  has  reached 


580  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

most  gratifying  proportions.  The  building  in  which  the  business  is  carried  on  is 
a  handsome  structure  and  is  the  properly  of  Mr.  Angermann  and  Charles  Retzer. 
Mr.  Angermann  is  also  the  owner  of  an  attractive  residence  in  Walla  Walla. 

In  1890  Mr.  Angermann  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Christina  Wittmann, 
a  native  of  Germany  and  a  daughter  of  Carl  and  Katherine  (Retzer)  Wittmann. 
She  came  to  America  when  sixteen  years  of  age.  Her  mother  had  died  in  Ger- 
many and  the  father  afterward  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world,  becoming 
a  resident  of  Walla  Walla.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Angermann  have  been  born  five 
children;  Arthur  W. ;  Herman  C. ;  Carrie  W.,  deceased;  Minnie  C.  and  Martha 
K.    The  children  are  all  assisting  their  father  in  the  business. 

The  parents  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  church  and  are  loyal  to  its  teach- 
ings. Mr.  Angermann  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  republican  party 
but  does  not  seek  office  as  a  reward  for  party  fealty.  Fraternally  he  is  con- 
nected with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellow'S  and  also  with  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  and  the  Sons  of  Hermann.  Attracted  to  the  west  by  its 
almost  limitless  opportunities,  he  has  here  made  steady  progress  in  his  business 
career  and,  advancing  step  by  step,  now  occupies  an  enviable  position  among  its 
more  successful  men. 


A.  W.  CLAXON. 


Business  enterprise  in  Walla  Walla  finds  a  worthy  representatives  in  A.  W". 
Claxon,  who  is  conducting  a  real  estate  and  insurance  agency.  It  is  a  well  known 
fact  that  his  plans  are  always  carefully  made  and  promptly  executed  and  that 
his  course  at  all  times  measures  up  to  high  business  standards.  He  came  to  the 
new  world  actuated  by  the  laudable  purpose  of  finding  opportunities  here  that 
would  lead  to  advancement  and  success.  He  was  born  in  the  county  of  Durham, 
England,  March  i,  1875,  a  son  of  William  and  Georgina  (Croft)  Claxon,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  England,  where  they  spent  their  entire  lives.  The 
father  was  a  huntsman,  hunting  with  the  South  Durham  hounds  for  thirty- four 
years.  He  was  also  well  known  as  a  farmer  and  his  business  activities  were 
wisely  and  carefully  directed. 

A.  W.  Claxon  began  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  afterward  had 
the  benefit  of  high  school  instruction  in  his  native  country.  He  was  a  youth  of 
seventeen  years  when  in  1892  he  bade  adieu  to  friends  and  native  land  and  sailed 
for  the  United  States,  coming  to  the  new  world  with  a  cargo  of  horses.  For 
som.e  time  he  devoted  his  attention  to  such  work,  making  several  trips  with  horses 
between  England  and  this  country.  He  also  made  two  trips  to  Japan,  taking  one 
cargo  of  horses  from  America  to  that  country  and  another  from  England  to  the 
little  flowery  kingdom.  The  latter  cargo  was  one  of  thoroughbreds  imported  to 
improve  the  grade  of  horses  raised  in  Japan.  They  were  imported  by  the  Japa- 
nese government.  While  Mr.  Claxon  was  in  that  country  he  was  offered  a  very 
remunerative  position  by  the  government,  but  was  required  to  reside  in  the 
country  for  at  least  twenty-five  years  and  became  a  naturalized  citizen.  This 
plan  was  not  altogether  pleasing  and  the  position  was  therefore  not  accepted.  At 
the  breaking  out   of   the   Boer  war  Mr.    Claxon  enlisted   for   service   in   South 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  581 

Africa,  going  to  that  country,  where  he  was  on  active  duty  during  the  uprising 
there.  Since  his  first  trip  to  the  United  States  he  has  crossed  the  ocean  thirty- 
four  times  and  has  visited  every  important  city  in  the  world,  gaining  broad 
knowledge  and  experience  from  his  wide  travels  and  storing  his  mind  with  much 
interesting  information  and  many  amusing  incidents. 

In  1902  he  located  in  New  Jersey  and  engaged  in  the  raising  of  thoroughbred 
race  horses.  When  racing  was  abolished  in  the  east  by  legislation  he  went  to 
Canada,  where  he  spent  one  year,  and  in  1908  he  came  to  the  Pacific  coast.  In 
Spokane  he  met  a  Mr.  Harding  and  a  Mr.  Rutter  of  the  Western  Union  Life 
Insurance  Company,  and  Mr.  Claxon  accepted  an  agency  with  them  and  was  sent 
to  Walla  Walla.  Later  he  became  associated  with  Gilbert  Hunt,  a  manufacturer 
of  threshing  machines,  whose  business  he  represented  upon  the  road  for  about 
six  years,  covering  the  states  of  Oregon,  Washington  and  Idaho.  In  1913  he 
engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  insurance  business  in  partnership  with  O.  Z. 
Skinner  and  is  now  active  in  that  field.  He  is  thoroughly  conversant  with  realty 
values  and  has  negotiated  many  important  property  transfers.  He  is  constantly 
watchful  of  opportunities  for  judicious  investment  for  himself  or  his  clients 
and  has  become  one  of  the  well  known  real  estate  men  of  Walla  Walla.  In 
insurance  circles,  too,  he  has  built  up  a  business  of  considerable  proportions,  that 
department  becoming  a  profitable  branch  of  his  interests. 

On  the  22d  of  August,  1905,  Mr.  Claxon  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Bethene  Crayne,  of  Walla  Walla,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  W.  H.  and  Anna  Z.  Crayne, 
the  former  for  many  years  affiliated  with  Whitman  College.  Mrs.  Qaxon  is  a 
graduate  of  Whitman  College  of  the  class  of  1903  and  is  an  accomplished  vocal- 
ist, having  studied  under  Madam  Riccardo  of  Berlin.  Her  splendid  musical 
talent  adds  much  to  the  interest  in  musical  events  in  Walla  Walla.  By  her  mar- 
riage she  has  become  the  mother  of  two  children,  Colin  C.  and  Catherine  B. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Claxon  hold  membership  in  the  Episcopal  church  and  his 
political  endorsement  is  given  to  the  republican  party,  but  while  well  informed 
on  the  questions  and  issues  of  the  day,  he  has  never  been  an  office  seeker.  In 
social  circles  he  and  his  wife  occupy  an  enviable  position,  the  hospitality  of  the 
best  homes  being  freely  accorded  them.  They  occupy  an  attractive  residence  in 
Walla  Walla  and,  in  addition  to  his  home  and  his  business  interests,  Mr.  Claxon 
owns  a  valuable  farm  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Walla  Walla  county. 
He  has  never  had  occasion  to  regret  his  determination  to  come  to  the  new  world, 
for  here  he  has  found  the  business  opportunities  which  he  sought  and  in  their 
utilization  has  steadily  advanced,  reaching  a  prominent  place  among  the  success- 
ful men  of  the  northwest. 


ARTHUR  MAYNE  McCOY. 

Arthur  Mayne  McCoy  has  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  in  Waitsburg, 
Washington,  since  1900  and  also  maintains  a  chop  mill,  planing  mill  and  elevator, 
his  combined  interests  making  up  an  important  part  of  Waitsburg's  industrial 
enterprises.  He  was  born  in  Dayton,  Green  county,  Wisconsin,  November  4, 
1867.     His  parents,  James  and  Margaret  McCoy,  emigrated  from  the  northern 


582  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

part  of  Ireland  in  1848  and  settled  on  government  land  in  Green  county,  Wis- 
consin, where  they  established  their  home  and  reared  a  family  of  eleven  children, 
six  of  whom  are  still  living. 

Arthur  M.  McCoy  began  his  education  in  the  district  schools  and  in  1887 
was  graduated  from  the  high  school  of  Evansville,  Wisconsin.  In  1891  he  com- 
pleted his  course  by  graduating  from  the  State  University  at  Madison  with  the 
degree  of  B.  L.  After  leaving  the  university  he  came  west  and  was  first  engaged 
in  the  lumber  business  in  Portland,  Oregon.  The  following  year  he  had  occasion 
to  pass  through  the  Walla  Walla  valley  and  decided  that  the  climate  and  location 
here  were  desirable  and  that  he  would  make  this  section  his  future  home.  He 
has  always  allied  himself  with  the  lumber  industry  and  in  1900  purchased  the 
business  and  plant  that  he  now  owns  from  B.  M.  Kent  &  Sons  in  Waitsburg. 
In  1904  the  entire  plans  and  lumberyard  were  destroyed  by  fire  but  fortunately 
his  trade  was  such  as  to  encourage  him  to  rebuild.  In  doing  so  Mr.  McCoy 
materially  increased  the  capacity  of  his  plant  and  today  it  is  a  valuable  asset  to 
Waitsburg  and  vicinity.  He  is  always  anxious  to  please  his  customers  and  to- 
gether with  square  dealing,  energy  and  push  has  made  a  success  of  his  line  of 
business. 

In  1900  IMr.  McCoy  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lizzie  Twiss,  of  lola, 
Kansas,  and  two  children,  Julius  -Mayne  and  Efifie  Elizabeth,  were  bom  to  this 
union.  In  August,  1906,  the  wife  and  mother  passed  to  the  great  beyond  and 
in  1909  Mr.  McCoy  and  Miss  Margaret  Hays,  of  Saratoga  Springs,  New  York, 
were  married.  By  the  second  union  there  are  also  two  children,  Arthur  Hays  and 
Robert  Holmes  McCoy.    All  of  the  children  are  now  attending  school. 

Mrs.  McCoy  is  very  active  in  the  social  and  educational  life  of  the  city  of 
Waitsburg;  holds  official  positions  in  several  organizations;  and  is  intensely 
interested  in  all  charitable  undertakings.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCoy  are  mem- 
bers of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Waitsburg  and  he  has  been  an  elder  and 
trustee  of  the  society  since  coming  to  the  city.  In  politics  he  has  always  been  a 
republican  but  has  never  sought  nor  desired  office. 


JOHN  M.  GLOVER. 


John  M.  Glover  is  the  owner  of  an  excellent  farm  property  of  three  hundred 
acres  situated  on  section  10,  township  7,  range  36  east,  in  Walla  Walla  county, 
about  three  miles  from  the  city  of  Walla  Walla.  It  is  one  of  the  finest  farms 
to  be  found  in  this  section  of  the  state  and  for  many  years  Mr.  Glover  was 
actively  engaged  in  its  further  development  and  improvement,  but  he  is  now 
leaving  the  active  work  of  the  fields  to  his  son  and  is  enjoying  a  rest  which  he 
has  truly  earned  and  richly  deserves.  He  was  born  in  Preston  county.  West 
Virginia,  on  the  25th  of  September,  1854,  a  son  of  George  W.  and  Nancy  (Teats) 
Glover,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  same  county.  They  spent  their  entire 
lives  in  West  Virginia,  both  having  now  passed  away. 

John  M.  Glover  was  reared  under  the  parental  roof  and  acquired  his  education 
in  the  district  schools.  On  attaining  his  majority,  in  the  fall  of  1875.  he  left  home 
to  start  out  upon  an  independent  career  and  went  to  Ohio.    He  took  up  his  abode 


o 


02 

H 


DAUGHTER  OF  E.  W.  GLOVER 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  587 

in  Muskingum  count}-  and  there  he  was  married  on  the  24th  of  October,  1878, 
to  Miss  Laura  E.  Sniff,  a  native  of  Muskingum  county,  where  they  remained 
until  1881.  In  that  year  they  left  the  middle  west  for  the  Pacific  coast,  making 
their  way  to  \\'alla  Walla  county,  Washington.  They  journeyed  over  the  South- 
ern Pacific  Railroad,  Mr.  Glover  purchasing  the  first  through  tickets  sold  over 
this  road  after  its  completion.  On  reaching  his  destination  he  located  in  the 
foothills  on  the  headwaters  of  Blue  Creek,  where  he  later  acquired  five  hundred 
acres  of  land.  He  occupied  that  farm  for  twenty-four  years  and  brought  his 
fields  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  utilizing  the  most  progressive  methods  of 
agriculture  in  developing  his  place.  In  1905  he  removed  to  his  present  home 
fann,  which  is  most  pleasantly  and  conveniently  situated  about  three  miles  north- 
east of  Walla  Walla.  It  is  a  tract  of  land  of  three  hundred  acres,  and  no  better 
land  can  be  found  in  all  the  valley.  It  is  naturally  rich  and  productive  and  responds 
readily  to  the  care  and  labor  that  are  bestowed  upon  it.  I\Ir.  Glover  continued 
to  successftilly  operate  that  farm  until  the  fall  of  1916,  when  he  turned  its  business 
management  and  care  over  to  his  son,  Erra  W..  who  is  now  operating  it,  while 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Glover  spend  their  winter  months  in  California,  returning  to  the 
farm  to  pass  the  summer  months  with  their  son. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Glover  have  been  born  five  children,  two  sons  and  three 
daughters,  namely:  Erra  W.,  previously  mentioiiejJ-'TMgUil-Es^y^;  who  became 
the  wife  of  Clyde  Fields  and  died  leaving  three  shildr-eh';  Loretig  ^.,  who  mar- 
ried  Frank  Phillips  and  died  leaving  one  child  ;  and  TVa^Befh'iCe  ariji  Dorsey  K., 
who  are  at  home.  -■';•■■•■■•■'.■:.-.  I 

Politically  ]\Ir.  Glover  is  a  republican  andt^ft  •Gonv.exsaiiL.j^th  the  leading 
questions  and  issues  of  the  day,  but  while  he  has  been  a  loyal  supporter  of  his 
party,  he  has  never  sought  nor  desired  public  office.  He  and  his  wife  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  guide  their  lives  according  to  its  teachings. 
Their  sterling  worth  has  won  wide  recognition  and  they  are  held  in  the  highest 
esteem  by  all  who  know  them.  They  have  never  had  occasion  to  regret  their 
determination  to  leave  the  Atlantic  coast  and  make  their  way  to  the  Pacific  sea- 
board. On  the  contrary  they  are  greatly  in  love  with  the  state  of  their  adoption 
and  are  most  loyal  to  it.  Imbued  by  the  spirit  of  western  enterprise  and  progress, 
Mr.  Glover  carefully  and  wisely  directed  his  business  affairs  and  is  now  the 
possessor  of  a  handsome  competence  as  the  result  of  his  carefully  managed 
interests. 


CHARLES  M.  BERRYMAN. 

Charles  M.  Berryman,  residing  on  section  3,  township  8  north,  range  35  east, 
devotes  his  time  and  energies  to  the  operation  of  a  farm  of  seven  hundred  acres 
and  is  well  known  as  one  of  the  enterprising  and  successful  young  agricultur- 
ists of  Walla  Walla  county.  He  is,  moreover,  one  of  its  native  sons,  his  birth 
having  occurred  in  Walla  Walla  on  the  29th  of  June,  1881.  Extended  men- 
tion of  his  father,  James  E.  Berryman,  is  made  on  another  page  of  this  work. 

Charles  M.  Berryman  obtained  his  education  in  the  Berryman  school  and 
also  pursued  a  commercial  course  in  the  Walla  Walla  Business  College.     He 


588  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

worked  on  the  home  farm  until  the  time  of  his  marriage  and  then  built  his 
present  residence  on  a  part  of  his  father's  estate,  where  he  has  since  resided, 
devoting  his  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  seven  hundred  acres  of  land.  In  the 
conduct  of  his  agricultural  interests  he  has  won  a  gratifying  measure  of  suc- 
cess, his  efforts  being  characterized  by  industry,  enterprise  and  sound  judgment. 

On  the  i6th  of  January,  1907,  Mr.  Berryman  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Nellie  D.  Morrow,  of  Douds,  Iowa,  a  daughter  of  Jeremiah  and  Alice  (Chal- 
fant)  Morrow,  who  are  natives  of  Ohio  but  have  made  their  home  in  Iowa  for 
many  years.  In  early  life  the  father  followed  mercantile  pursuits  but  is  now 
living  retired.    Mr.  and  Mrs.  Berryman  have  a  daughter,  Mary  Alice. 

Politically  Mr.  Berryman  is  a  stalwart  republican  and  is  now  serving  as  a 
member  of  the  school  board,  while  for  the  past  ten  or  twelve  years  he  has  been 
precinct  committeeman,  succeeding  his  father,  who  has  the  distinction  of  hav- 
ing worn  the  first  street  commissioner's  badge  issued  in  Walla  Walla.  Mrs.  Ber- 
ryman is  a  consistent  and  devoted  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  in  the 
work  of  which  she  takes  an  active  interest.  In  the  community  where  his  entire 
life  has  been  spent  Mr.  Berryman  is  widely  and  favorably  known,  and  his 
salient  characteristics  are  such  as  in  every  land  and  clime  awaken  confidence 
and  regard. 


HON.  WILLIAM  FUDGE. 

Hon.  William  Fudge,  deceased,  left  the  impress  of  his  individualit\-  ujion  the 
public  life  of  Walla  Walla  and  southeastern  Washington  in  large  and  helpful 
measure.  He  was  one  of  the  foremost  citizens  of  the  county  and  one  of  its 
earliest  pioneers.  He  was  born  in  Illinois,  April  27,  1838,  and  when  a  lad  of 
but  nine  years  crossed  the  plains  with  his  parents  to  Polk  county,  Oregon,  where 
he  arrived  in  1847.  During  the  California  gold  excitement  of  1849  his  father 
went  to  the  mines  and  died  on  the  steamer  on  his  return  journey  home.  The 
following  year  the  mother  with  her  children  settled  upon  a  farm  and  William 
Fudge  remained  at  home,  assisting  in  the  labors  of  the  fields  for  nine  vears.  In 
1859,  having  attained  his  majority,  he  removed  to  Walla  Walla  county  to  start 
in  the  business  world  independently,  settling  on  the  present  site  of  Hnntsville, 
where  he  successfully  engaged  in  farming  and  in  the  raising  of  live  stock  until 
1884.  He  then  removed  to  Whitman  county,  where  he  purchased  a  place  three 
miles  north  of  Hay  and  there  carried  on  general  agricultural  pursuits  for  sixteen 
years.  His  success  as  a  cattle  man  and  a  farmer  continued  and  he  acquired  fifteen 
hundred  acres  of  valuable  land.  In  1900  he  left  the  ranch  and  returned  to  Walla 
Walla  county,  purchasing  a  home  just  outside  Waitsburg,  where  he  lived  in 
practical  retirement  from  active  business  for  fourteen  years  or  until  his  removal 
to  Walla  Walla  in  1914.  He  then  purchased  a  handsome  city  residence  at  535 
East  Alder  street,  where  his  widow  now  resides.  As  a  business  man  he  was 
most  energetic  and  progressive  and  his  intelligently  directed  efYorts  brought 
splendid  results. 

On  the  loth  of  September,  1862,  Mr.  Fudge  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Billups,  a  native  of  Iowa,  who  crossed  the  plains  with  her  parents  to 


HON.   WILLIAM  FUDGE 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  591 

Oregon  in  1859,  locating  in  Polk  county,  that  state.  In  1862  the  family  came  to 
Washington,  taking  up  their  abode  on  a  homestead  in  Walla  Walla  county,  near 
Waitsburg. 

Mr.  Fudge  was  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  figures  in  the  early  period  of 
Walla  Walla  county's  development  and  also  left  his  impress  upon  the  annals  of 
the  territory.  He  was  a  member  of  the  territorial  legislature,  being  a  colleague 
of  H.  P.  Isaacs.  To  Mr.  Fudge  belonged  the  distinction  of  having  drafted  the 
first  railway  freight  bill  ever  presented  to  the  territorial  legislature  and  to  him 
and  Mr.  Isaacs  belonged  the  credit  of  having  secured  the  location  of  the  state 
penitentiary  in  Walla  Walla.  He  was  a  most  public-spirited  citizen,  giving  of 
his  time  and  of  his  means  for  any  movement  for  the  general  good,  and  his 
labors  resulted  greatly  not  only  in  the  benefit  to  the  community  but  to  the  state 
at  large.  He  held  membership  in  the  Masonic  lodge  of  Waitsburg  and  was  a 
loyal  adherent  of  the  organization,  exemplifying  in  his  life  the  beneficent  spirit 
of  the  craft.  Death  called  him  January  30,  1917,  and  thus  was  ended  a  life  of 
great  usefulness  and  activity,  covering  seventy-eight  years.  It  was  a  life  of 
honor  and  of  high  purpose  and  the  world  is  better  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  he 
lived.  He  contributed  much  to  the  development  of  this  section  of  the  country 
and  he  held  to  the  highest  ideals  of  civic  virtue,  while  the  qualities  he  displayed 
in  social  relations  endeared  him  to  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 


FRANK  W.   TIERNEY. 

Frank  W.  Tiemey,  of  the  firm  of  Tierney  &  Toner,  dealers  in  automobiles 
and  agricultural  implements  at  Walla  Walla,  has  built  up  a  business  of  extensive 
proportions  through  well  directed  energy.  He  was  born  in  Reedsburg,  Wiscon- 
sin. January  20,  1874,  a  son  of  Patrick  and  Margaret  (Hannon)  Tierney.  The 
father  was  a  native  of  Ireland  and  came  to  the  United  States  as  an  infant  of 
but  two  years.  The  mother  was  born  in  Wisconsin,  where  the  parents  of  the 
father  settled.  There  he  was  reared  and  married  and  in  that  state  he  learned 
the  wagonmaker's  trade,  with  which  he  was  identified  for  a  number  of  years. 
Later  he  removed  westward  to  South  Dakota,  taking  up  a  homestead  claim  in 
Lake  county,  where  he  resided  until  about  1907.  He  then  retired  from  active 
business  life  and  came  to  the  Pacific  coast,  locating  in  Portland,  Oregon,  where 
his  death  occurred  in  1915.  His  widow  survives  and  is  still  a  resident  of  Port- 
land. 

Their  son,  Frank  W.  Tierney,  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Madison, 
South  Dakota,  graduating  from  the  high  school  with  the  class  of  1894.  He 
taught  school  and  also  engaged  in  selling  books  in  order  to  meet  the  expenses 
of  his  high  school  course.  This  was  indicative  of  the  elemental  strength  of  his 
character.  He  has  ever  recognized  the  fact  that  where  there  is  a  will  there  is  a 
way  and  by  persistent  energy  and  intelligently  directed  efifort  he  has  accom- 
plished his  purposes.  His  experience  as  a  book  agent  taught  him  salesmanship 
and  also  brought  him  keen  knowledge  of  human  nature  and  in  1896  he  deter- 
mined to  become  identified  with  the  business  interests  of  the  growing  west. 
Making  his  way  to  Washington,  he  settled  in  Walla  Walla,  where  he  entered 


592  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

the  employ  of  John  Smith,  who  was  engaged  in  the  implement  business.  For 
some  years  he  was  identified  with  that  undertaking,  after  which  he  purchased 
the  Xissin  implement  business,  which  was  a  small  concern.  His  cash  capital  at 
that  time  consisted  of  but  two  hundred  dollars  and  he  borrowed  a  thousand  dol- 
lars in  order  to  establish  himself  in  business.  His  activities  were  carefully  di- 
rected and  he  watched  every  indication  pointing  to  success.  From  the  beginning 
the  enterprise  prospered  and  after  three  years  he  organized  the  Tierney-Toner 
Company,  which  was  the  foundation  of  the  present  extensive  business.  Today 
their  firm  ranks  among  the  foremost  in  the  city  and  conducts  a  very  large  business 
as  automobile  dealers  and  dealers  in  agricultural  implements,  their  sales  amount- 
ing to  a  most  gratifying  figure  annually. 

In  1904  Mr.  Tierney  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nellie  Fitzgerald,  of 
Ottumwa,  Iowa,  and  they  have  become  the  parents  of  three  children,  Gerald  F., 
Leonard  J.  and  Patronilla  M. 

Mr.  Tierney  is  identified  with  \\'alla  Walla  Lodge,  No.  287,  B.  P.  O.  E., 
and  also  has  membership  with  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  a  fact  which  indicates 
that  his  religious  faith  is  that  of  the  Catholic  church,  to  which  both  he  and  his 
wife  belong.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Commercial  Club  and  cooperates  in  all 
of  its  well  defined  plans  and  projects  for  the  upbuilding  and  development  of  the 
city,  for  the  extension  of  its  trade  relations  and  the  upholding  of  its  civic  stand- 
ards. Mr.  Tierney  certainly  deserves  great  credit  for  what  he  has  accomplished 
in  life,  for  he  started  out  practically  empty  handed,  and  when  he  arrived  in  Walla 
Walla  he  had  but  twenty  dollars  in  cash,  and  this  was  borrowed.  Resolute  pur- 
pose, however,  has  enabled  him  to  overcome  obstacles  and  difficulties  and  per- 
sistent energj'  has  brought  him  steadily  forward  until  he  now  occupies  a  most 
enviable  position  among  the  merchants  of  Walla  Walla.  Success  has  come  to 
him  as  the  reward  of  his  persistent,  earnest  labor  and  his  straightforward  dealings. 


HARLEY  B.  STALLCOP. 

Harley  B.  Stallcop  is  one  of  the  younger  fanners  of  Garfield  county  and 
already  is  numbered  among  the  most  successful.  He  was  born  on  the  farm 
which  he  is  now  operating  July  3,  1881,  a  son  of  George  and  Sarah  (Edwards) 
Stallcop,  who  are  residents  of  Pomeroy.  His  education  was  acquired  in  the 
common  schools,  in  the  high  school  at  Pomeroy  and  in  the  Northwestern  Busi- 
ness College  at  Spokane,  where  he  spent  two  years  as  a  student.  In  1904  he 
rented  the  homestead,  and  his  time  and  attention  have  since  been  devoted  to 
its  operation  and  further  improvement.  He  raises  wheat  and  stock  and  derives 
a  good  profit  from  each  branch  of  his  business.  His  farm  comprises  nine  hun- 
dred and  fifty  acres  of  excellent  land  and  is  one  of  the  best  properties  in  the 
township. 

Mr.  Stallcop  was  married  September  27,  1905,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Gustin, 
a  native  of  Oregon,  and  they  have  five  children,  Fern  L.,  Harley  W.,  George 
A.,  Raymond  C.  and  Gilbert  E. 

Mr.  Stallcop  is  a  republican  in  his  political  belief  but  has  never  been  an 
aspirant  for  office.    His  fraternal  connections  are  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  593 

and  the  Foresters.  The  high  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  by  those  who  have 
known  him  well  since  boyhood,  is  the  best  proof  of  his  genuine  worth  and 
attractive  personal  qualities. 


FRED  GLAFKE. 


The  upbuilding  of  the  west  is  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world.  Those 
who  travel  to  that  section  of  the  country  are  astounded  by  the  beauty  of  the 
cities,  well  laid  out  with  wide  streets,  equipped  with  every  modern  conveni- 
ence and  holding  to  the  highest  standards  of  progressiveness.  This  is  due 
to  the  ability  and  enterprise  of  the  men  who  have  concentrated  their  busi- 
ness interests  in  that  section  of  the  country.  Prominent  among  this  class  of 
men  in  Walla  Walla  is  Fred  Glafke,  the  manager  and  treasurer  of  the  In- 
terior Grocery   Company,   conducting  a   wholesale   grocery  business. 

He  was  bom  in  the  state  of  New  York,  May  24,  1856,  a  son  of  Fred  and 
Catherine  (Brusher)  Glafke,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany.  They 
came  to  the  United  States  in  young  manhood  and  womanhood  respectively 
and  settled  in  Wayne  county,  New  York,  where  they  were  later  married. 
The  father  was  a  wagon  maker  by  trade  and  conducted  a  shop  in  Wayne 
county  until  1865,  when  he  removed  to  Mendon,  Michigan,  where  he  carried 
on  business  as  a  wagon  maker  for  many  years.  At  length  he  removed  to 
Portland,  Oregon,  in  1892  and  there  lived  retired  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1914.    He  had  long  survived  his  wife,  who  passed  away  in  1905. 

Fred  Glafke  was  reared  at  home  and  acquired  his  education  in  the  vil- 
lage and  high  schools  of  Mendon,  Michigan,  and  in  the  Valparaiso  (Ind.) 
Normal  School.  He  began  teaching  in  the  Mendon  graded  schools  in  1878 
and  was  made  principal  of  the  schools  of  Mendon  in  1882,  continuing  to 
serve  in  that  capacity  for  six  years.  He  proved  a  capable  educator,  impart- 
ing clearly  and  readily  to  others  the  knowledge  which  he  had  acquired.  In 
1888  he  took  charge  of  the  schools  of  Centerville,  the  county  seat  of  St. 
Joseph  county,  and  continued  as  principal  there  until  1890,  when  he  came  to 
the  Pacific  coast,  making  his  way  to  Portland,  Oregon.  There  he  was  promi- 
nent in  educational  work  for  eleven  years,  having  charge  of  the  Holladay 
school,  the  Stephens  school,  the  Atkinson  school  and  afterward  the  Harrison 
school,  which  was  the  largest  grammar  school  in  that  city.  He  did  much  to 
develop  the  educational  activities  and  interests  of  Portland  and  the  value 
of  his  work  is  still  finding  fruition  in  the  public  school  system  there  today. 
In  1901  he  resigned  the  position  of  principal  and  became  connected  with  the 
Pacific  Coast  Biscuit  Company  of  Portland,  being  placed  in  charge  of  the 
general  books.  He  remained  with  that  company  in  the  office  until  1904,  at 
which  time  he  came  to  Walla  Walla,  and  entered  into  partnership  with  his 
brother,  W.  B.  Glafke,  in  establishing  a  wholesale  grocery  business  known 
as  the  W.  B.  Glafke  Company.  Their  interests  were  conducted  under  that 
name  until  1907,  when  the  business  was  reorganized  and  incorporated  under 
the  name  of  the  Interior  Grocery  Company,  of  which  Fred  Glafke  became 
treasurer   and    manager.     This   business   has   been    dveloi)ed   into   one    of    the 


594  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

leading  commercial  enterprises  of  Walla  Walla.  They  carry  an  extensive 
stock  and  their  ramifying  trade  interests  cover  a  broad  territory.  The  house 
enjoys  a  most  enviable  reputation  for  progressiveness  and  reliability,  for  prompt- 
ness and  efficiency.  The  partners  are  men  of  well  known  business  ability  and 
executive  force  who  are  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  trade  and  whose  well 
directed  efforts  are  producing  most  substantial  results. 

On  the  23d  of  December,  1879,  Mr.  Glafke  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Nettie  Hazen,  of  Colon,  Michigan,  and  they  have  become  the  parents  of  three 
sons :  Ransom  F.,  who  is  living  in  Walla  Walla ;  Dr.  William  Harley,  a  physician 
and  surgeon  of  New  York  city;  and  Ralph  H.,  whose  home  remains  in  Walla 
Walla.  The  oldest  and  the  youngest  are  associated  with  the  father  in  business 
and  are  representative  and  wide-awake  young  merchants  of  the  city. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Glafke  is  a  stalwart  republican  and  he  has  served 
for  many  years  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  education  of  Walla  Walla  but  does 
not  seek  office  along  strictly  political  lines.  He  stands  for  everything  that  tends 
to  advance  the  public  welfare,  however,  and  his  aid  and  cooperation  can  always 
be  counted  upon  to  further  measures  and  movements  for  the  general  good.  He 
has  indeed  been  a  stalwart  supporter  of  the  public  school  system  and  he  does 
everything  in  his  power  to  advance  the  material,  intellectual,  social  and  moral  inter- 
ests of  the  state.  He  belongs  to  Blue  Mountain  Lodge,  No.  13,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  he 
and  his  wife  are  active  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  in  which  he  is  serving 
on  the  board  of  trustees.  He  belongs  also  to  the  Walla  Walla  Commercial  Club 
and  is  one  of  its  directors.  Interested  in  the  horticultural  development  of  this 
section  of  the  country,  he  has  become  t^.owaier  of  a  splendidly  developed  orchard 
in  Umatilla  county,  Oregon.  L.<'>n  ■ ''-' '^   ; 

It  is  to  such  men  as  he  that  the  west  owes  her  splendid  development,  men  who 
have  had  the  insight  to  recognize  the  natural  resources  of  the  country  and  its  pos- 
sibilities, who  have  foreseen  something  of  what  the  future  had  in  store  and  who 
have  found  justification  for  their  faith  and  judgment  in  the  results  that  have  been 
attained. 


GEORGE  COCHRAN. 


George  Cochran,  one  of  the  substantial  and  valued  farmers  of  Walla  Walla 
county,  living  on  section  27,  township  8  north,  range  37  east,  was  born  Decem- 
ber 2,  1873,  in  the  township  where  he  still  makes  his  home,  his  parents  being 
Tames  W.  and  Cynthia  A.  (Angel)  Cochran,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Mis- 
souri, where  they  were  reared  and  married.  In  1864  they  determined  to  try  their 
fortune  in  the  west  and  made  their  way  to  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington, 
crossing  the  plains  with  ox  teams  in  a  wagon  train  of  forty  wagons.  While  en 
route  they  endured  all  the  hardships  and  privations  incident  to  the  trip  and  after 
coming  to  this  state  they  experienced  all  those  things  which  constitute  features 
in  pioneer  life.  They  took  up  their  abode  on  Russell  creek  but  in  1866  or  1867 
removed  to  the  Willamette  valley  of  Oregon,  where  they  remained  until  called 
to  their  final  rest.  The  father  died  December  8,  19 15,  having  for  a  considerable 
period  survived  his  wife,  who  passed  away  May  9,  1904. 


GEORGE  COCHRAN 


MRS.  GEORGE  COCHRAN 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  599 

George  Cochran  was  reared  at  home,  acquiring  his  education  in  tlie  pubHc 
schools,  and  after  his  textbooks  were  put  aside  he  continued  to  work  upon  the 
homestead  farm,  being  thus  engaged  up  to  the  time  of  his  marriage,  which  oc- 
curred November  lo,  1901,  Miss  Grace  W.  Meiners,  a  daughter  of  Martin  Mein- 
ers,  becoming  his  wife.  Her  father  removed  to  this  county  from  Ilhnois  in  1882 
or  1883  and  is  now  hving  retired  in  the  city  of  Walla  Walla.  The  old  homestead 
farm  of  the  Cochran  family  was  deeded  to  George  Cochran  and  his  two  brothers 
some  years  before  the  marriage  of  the  former  and  upon  that  event  was  taken 
over  entirely  by  George  Cochran,  who  purchased  the  interests  of  his  brothers  in 
the  place.  He  has  since  owned  this  property,  comprising  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
five  acres  of  rich  and  arable  land.  He  has  brought  his  fields  to  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  annually  gathers  large  crops.  He*  raises  the  cereals  best  adapted 
to  climatic  conditions  here  and  he  studies  the  needs  of  the  soil,  keeping  his  land 
at  all  times  in  good  condition  by  the  judicious  use  of  fertilizer  and  by  the  rota- 
tion of  crops. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cochran  have  been  bom  six  children,  of  whom  five  survive, 
namely,  Cynthia  W.,  Kay  M.,  Ena  G.,  Ira  J.  and  George  Allen.  In  religious 
faith  Mrs.  Cochran  is  a  Lutheran.  Mr.  Cochran  belongs  to  Welcome  Lodge,  No. 
117,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Dixie.  His  political  allegiance  is  given  to  the  democratic 
party,  and  while  he  has  never  sought  nor  desired  office  he  has  served  as  a  member 
of  the  school  board  and  loyally  defends  all  those  interests  and  activities  which 
he  believes  will  prove  of  benefit  to  the  community.  As  a  business  man  he  is 
thoroughly  progressive  and  reliable  and  wherever  he  is  known  he  is  spoken  of 
in  terms  of  warm  regard. 


CHARLES  RETZER. 


For  a  quarter  of  a  century  Charles  Retzer  has  been  a  resident  of  Walla 
Walla  and  throughout  the  entire  period  has  been  connected  with  the  bakery 
business.  He  has  prospered  in  his  undertakings,  and  working  his  way  steadily 
upward,  has  become  vice  president  and  manager  of  a  large  and  profitable  busi- 
ness conducted  under  the  name  of  the  Model  Bakery  and  Confectionery,  In- 
corporated. He  was  bom  in  Waldangelloch,  Baden,  Germany,  on  the  30th  of 
March,  1871,  and  is  a  son  of  George  and  Carrie  (Niebergall)  Retzer,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Germany.  They  came  to  America  in  1897  and  located 
in  Walla  Walla,  where  their  remaining  days  were  passed.  They  had  a  family 
of  eleven  children,  six  of  whom  survive. 

Charles  Retzer  acquired  his  education  in  his  native  country  and  there  learned 

the  baker's  trade.    When  he  was  fifteen  years  of  age,  however,  he  bade  adieu 

to  friends  and  native  land  and  sailed  for  the  new  world.    He  became  a  resident 

of  Philadelphia,   Pennsylvania,   where  he   was  employed   at   his  trade    for  five 

years,  after  which  he  heard  and  heeded  the  call  of  the  west  and  in  1892  arrived 

in  Walla  Walla,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home.    He  immediately  sought 

employment  at  the  baker's  trade  and  secured  work,  spending  six  years  in  the 

service  of  others.    He  was  ambitious,  however,  to   engage  in  business  on  his 

own  account  and  carefully  saved  his  earnings  until  his  industry  and  economy 
Vol.  I — 33 


6J0  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

had  brought  him  sufficient  capital  to  estabhsh  a  bakery  of  his  own.  He  formed 
a  partnership  with  his  brother  William  and  the  association  was  maintained  for 
a  year  and  a  half  after  which  he  purchased  his  brother's  interest.  He  was  then 
alone  in  business  for  some  time  and  afterward  he  sold  a  half  interest  to  his 
brother-in-law,  H.  E.  Angermann.  They  are  now  conducting  their  interests 
under  the  name  of  the  Model  Bakery  and  Confectionery,  Incorporated,  and 
they  have  a  splendidly  equipped  establishment,  in  which  are  found  all  of  the 
latest  improved  machines  that  are  used  in  connection  with  the  mixing  of  bread, 
cakes  and  other  bakery  goods.  The  most  sanitary  conditions  prevail  in  the 
establishment  and  the  excellence  of  the  product  is  such  as  insures  a  very  grati- 
fying patronage. 

Mr.  Retzer  has  been  married  twice.  In  1896  he  wedded  Miss  Matilda  Shell- 
berg  and  to  them  was  born  a  daughter,  Carrie.  In  November,  1913,  Mr.  Retzer 
was  again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Stella  M.  Hawley.  By 
her  first  marriage  she  had  three  children:  Philip,  a  member  of  Sixth  Field 
Artillery,  who  volunteered  before  the  draft  and  is  now  Somewhere  in  France 
in  the  service;  and  William  and  Catherine,  at  home. 

The  family  occupy  an  attractive  residence  which  is  owned  by  Mr.  Retzer, 
and  he  and  his  partner  are  owners  of  the  building  in  which  they  conduct  the 
bakery.  In  politics  Mr.  Retzer  is  a  republican  but  has  never  been  an  office 
seeker.  He  is  not  neglectful  of  the  duties  of  citizenship,  however,  but  cooperates 
in  many  well  defined  plans  and  measures  for  the  general  good.  He  is  a  stalwart 
Mason,  belonging  to  Walla  Walla  Lodge,  No.  8,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  he  is  also 
identified  with  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge.  He  is  likewise  a  member  of  the  Com- 
mercial Club  and  is  in  deep  sympathy  with  its  efforts  to  promote  the  upbuilding 
of  the  city,  to  extend  its  trade  connections  and  to  uphold  its  civic  standards. 
His  has  been  a  busy  and  useful  life  and  illustrates  what  may  be  accomplished 
when  energy  and  determination  mark  the  way.  He  started  out  empty  handed 
but  early  realized  the  eternal  principle  that  industry  wins  and  he  has  therefore 
led  a  most  industrious  life  which  has  gained  for  him  a  position  among  the  sub- 
stantial business  men  of  Walla  Walla. 


WESLEY  A.  LLOYD. 


Wesley  A  Lloyd  has  resided  for  forty-seven  years  upon  the  farm  on  section 
Q,  township  9  north,  range  37  east,  which  he  is  now  operating,  and  his  birth  oc- 
curred upon  that  place  May  23,  1871.  His  parents,  Albert  G.  and  Lois  H. 
(Jasper)  Lloyd,  are  mentioned  at  length  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

Wesley  .'\.  Lloyd  attended  the  Waitsburg  public  schools  in  the  acquirement  of 
his  education  and,  on  reaching  manhood,  was  taken  into  partnership  by  his 
father,  who  farmed  on  an  extensive  scale.  This  relation  continued  until  after 
1907,  when  the  son  took  entire  charge  of  the  homestead,  which  he  has  since 
operated  independently  in  addition  to  cultivating  six  hundred  acres,  which  he 
owns,  and  four  hundred  acres  of  rented  land,  operating  in  all  twelve  hundred 
acres.  The  management  of  such  extensive  farming  interests  demands  marked 
executive  ability  and  thorough  knowledge  of  the  principles  underlying  all  branches 


MR.  AND  MRS.  JAMES  W.  COCHRAN 


MR.  AND  MRS.  MARTIN  MEINERS 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  603 

and  familiarity  with  the  most  improved  methods  of  farming.  Mr.  Lloyd  pos- 
sesses all  these  qualifications  and  his  land  makes  a  gratifying  return  on  the 
capital  invested  therein. 

In  1910  Mr.  Lloyd  was  married  to  Miss  Ina  Boynton,  of  Waitsburg,  by  whom 
he  has  had  two  children,  of  whom  one,  a  son,  Tony  B.,  survives. 

Mr.  Lloyd  belongs  to  Waitsburg  Lodge,  No.  16,  F.  &  A.  M.;  Dayton  Chap- 
ter No.  5,  R.  A.  M.;  Washington  Commandery  No.  i,  K.  T.,  of  Walla  Walla; 
and  El  Katif  Shrine,  A.  A.  O.  N.  M.  S.,  of  Spokane.  His  wife  holds  membership 
in  the  Christian  church  and  its  work  profits  from  her  cooperation.  In  politics 
Mr.  Lloyd  is  a  stanch  democrat,  but  he  has  never  been  an  aspirant  for  office. 
He  ranks  among  the  influential  men  of  Walla  Walla  county  and  his  personal 
qualities  are  such  that  his  friends  are  legion. 


MRS.  MARY  LONG. 


Mrs.  Mary  Long,  living  on  section  33,  township  11  north,  range  42  east,  Gar- 
field county,  has  very  successfully  managed  her  property  interests  and  is  recog- 
nized as  a  woman  of  marked  business  ability.  She  was  bom  in  Illinois  on  the 
7th  of  February,  1847,  a  daughter  of  Job  and  Mafy^j^'lfai^efjJ'Tatlow,  the  former 
a  native  of  Virginia,  while  the  latter  was  born  in' 0md;4n 'Whicl* -state  their  mar- 
riage was  celebrated.  Soon  afterward  they  removed  vto  Illinois,  and  inj  1856  they 
removed  to  Garden  Grove,  Decatur  county,  lowsiCxi'^^fjiheyiived-ior'.two  years. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period  they  removed  to  Nemaha  county,  Kansas, 
where  they  resided  until  called  to  their  final  rest. 

Their  daughter  Mar}'  accompanied  her  parents  on  their  various  removals 
and  spent  her  girlhood  under  the  parental  roof  until  on  the  loth  of  December. 
1865,  in  Kansas,  she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Newell  S.  Patterson.  They 
began  their  domestic  life  in  the  Sunflower  state,  but  in  1867  crossed  the  plains, 
making  the  journey  with  horse  team  and  wagon  to  Oregon.  They  were  four 
months  in  completing  the  trip,  which  was  fraught  with  various  hardships  and 
difficulties,  but  with  stout  hearts  they  pushed  on  their  way  and  at  length  left 
behind  them  the  long  stretches  of  hot  sand  and  the  steep  mountain  ranges  which 
had  separated  them  from  their  destination.  It  was  on  the  14th  of  May  that  they 
bade  adieu  to  their  Kansas  home  and  on  the  14th  of  September  they  reached 
Oreo-on  City.  For  five  years  they  were  residents  of  Clackamas  county,  Oregon, 
and  in  1872  they  made  their  way  northward  to  Washington,  settling  near  Day- 
ton in  what  is  now  Columbia  county.  There  Mr.  Patterson  took  up  a  homestead, 
on  which  they  lived  for  five  years  and  during  that  period  his  labors  wrought 
marked  transformation  in  the  appearance  of  the  place,  for  his  earnest  toil  brought 
a  considerable  portion  of  the  land  under  cultivation.  He  then  traded  that  prop- 
erty for  the  home  farm  near  Pomeroy,  upon  which  Mrs.  Long  has  since  resided. 
Mr.  Patterson  purchased  two  hundred  acres  adjoining  his  homestead  and  thus 
extended  the  boundaries  of  his  farm  until  it  included  three  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  excellent  land.  He  was  an  energetic  man,  industrious,  alert  and  enter- 
prising, and  his  farm  work  was  carefully  and  successfully  conducted.  He  passed 
.^wav  January  9,  1885,  and  his  death  was  the  occasion  of  deep  and  widespread 


604  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTV 

regret,  for  he  had  made  for  himself  a  creditable  position  in  the  regard  of  all  with 
whom  he  had  been  brought  in  contact. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Patterson  were  born  nine  children,  all  of  whom  are  yet 
living,  as  follows:  I' rank  H.,  who  is  a  resident  of  Jerome,  Idaho;  Viola,  who 
gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  U.  W.  Yeoman,  of  Asotin  county,  Washington ; 
\\'illiam  H.,  an  agriculturist  of  Garfield  county,  Washington;  Alice,  who  is  the 
wife  of  J.  T.  Rhodes,  of  Garfield  county;  John  T.,  who  operates  his  mother's 
farm;  George  S.,  living  in  Butte,  Montana;  Mary,  the  wife  of  C.  L.  Williams, 
of  Pomeroy;  James,  also  a  resident  of  Pomeroy;  and  Edgar  A.,  a  farmer  of 
Garfield  county.  On  the  22d  of  June,  1895,  Mrs.  Patterson  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  J.  M.  Long,  a  native  of  Illinois,  wdio  crossed  the  plains  at  an  early  day, 
settling  in  Oregon,  and  in  1872  he  came  to  Washington  but  in  subsequent  years 
made  several  removals. 

During  the  period  of  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Patterson  had  served  as  a  member  of 
Company  A,  Seventh  Kansas  Cavalry,  being  identified  with  the  army  for  four 
years,  during  which  he  gave  valuable  aid  to  the  Union  cause.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  was  one  of  the  well  known  and  prominent  farm- 
ers of  Garfield  county,  respected  by  all  with  whom  he  was  associated  by  reason 
of  his  genuine  worth  and  his  fidelity  to  high  and  honorable  principles.  Mrs. 
Long  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  a  lady  of  many  excellent  qual- 
ities, possessing  the  truly  womanly  traits  of  character  in  addition  to  the  business 
ability  which  she  has  displayed  in  the  management  of  her  interests.  She  owns 
a  valuable  farm  property,  which  she  carefully  and  systematically  manages  and 
in  its  control  shows  sound  business  judgment  and  keen  sagacity. 


WILLIAM  HENRY  HEDGES  FOUTS. 

William  Henry  Hedges  Fonts,  who  is  engaged  in  the  general  practice  of  law 
in  Dayton,  comes  from  an  ancestry  which  in  its  lineal  and  collateral  branches  has 
been  distinctively  American  for  many  generations.  His  parents  were  William 
Henry  Harrison  and  Sarah  Emily  (Hedges)  Fouts,  who  became  pioneer  settlers 
of  Oregon,  and  William  H.  H.  Fouts  was  born  at  Canemah,  Oregon,  on  the  nth 
of  luly,  1869.  He  was  a  youth  of  about  fourteen  years  when  in  1883  his  parents 
removed  to  Dayton  and  in  the  public  schools  of  that  city  he  completed  his  edu- 
cation, being  one  of  the  first  graduates.  He  decided  upon  the  practice  of  law  as 
a  life  work  and  with  that  end  in  view  he  began  reading  under  the  direction  of 
^L  A.  Baker.  His  reading  was  also  directed  by  W.  K.  Rogers  and  R.  F.  Sturde- 
vant  and  in  September,  1890,  he  passed  the  required  examination  that  secured 
him  admission  to  the  bar.  Immediately  afterward  he  opened  an  office  in  Dayton, 
where  he  engaged  in  practice  for  twenty  years,  making  steady  progress  along 
professional  lines.  He  then  removed  to  Spokane,  where  he  followed  his  pro- 
fession for  two  years,  but  in  1914  he  returned  to  Dayton,  where  he  again  opened 
an  office.  He  now  has  a  large  general  ])ractice  and  is  very  successful  in  handling 
his  cases,  which  he  prepares  with  great  thoroughness  and  care.  He  has  tried 
cases  in  the  state  courts  of  Washington.  Oregon  and  Idaho  and  also  in  the  United 
States  circuit  court.     He  seems  never  at  fault  in  the  application  of  a  legal  prin- 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  607 

ciple  nor  in  citing  a  precedent  and  his  devotion  to  his  clients'  interests  has  become 
proverbial. 

In  1894  Mr.  Fouts  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Clara  Kribs  and  they  have 
two  children  who  are  yet  living,  namely:  William  and  Rodney  H.  The  wife  and 
mother  passed  away  on  April  20,  1916,  greatly  mourned  by  all  who  knew  her. 

In  fraternal  circles  Mr.  Fouts  is  widely  and  prominently  known,  being  a  stal- 
wart member  of  the  Masonic  lodge,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Woodmen  of 
the  World.  His  political  support  is  given  to  the  republican  party  and  he  has 
been  called  upon  to  fill  several  positions  of  public  honor  and  trust.  He  was 
elected  prosecuting  attorney  in  1892,  again  in  1894  and  once  more  in  1898,  and  he 
has  also  held  the  office  of  city  attorney  and  city  clerk.  His  duties  have  been  dis- 
charged with  marked  promptness  and  fidelity  and  his  reelection  is  proof  of  the 
confidence  reposed  in  him  by  his  fellow  townsmen.  That  his  has  been  a  well- 
spent  life  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  many  of  his  stanchest  .friends  are  those 
who  have  known  him  from  his  boyhood  to  the  present  time. 


THOMAS  J.  HOLLOWELL. 

Thomas  J.  Hollowell  was  at  the  time  of  his  death  a  retired  farmer  residing 
in  Waitsburg.  Nature  seems  to  have  intended  that  man  in  the  evening  of  life 
shall  enjoy  a  period  of  rest.  In  youth  he  possesses  enthusiasm  and  energy,  which 
in  later  years  benefits  by  the  wise  direction  of  a  more  mature  mind.  Therefore 
if  one  wisely  utilizes  his  time,  his  talents  and  his  opportunities,  he  will  progress 
along  the  line  of  prosperity  and  will  have  accumulated  a  substantial  competence 
by  the  time  the  evening  of  life  is  reached.  Such  had  been  the  record  of  Thomas 
J.  Hollowell,  who  was  born  in  Orange  county,  Indiana,  May  26,  1837,  and  had 
therefore  passed  the  eightieth  milestone  on  life's  journey  when  called  to  his  final 
rest  October  8,  191 7.  His  parents  were  Jonathan  and  Hannah  (Copple)  Hol- 
lowell, who  were  reared  and  married  in  Orange  county,  where  their  respective 
parents  had  located  at  a  very  early  period  in  the  development  of  that  section 
of  the  country.  Both  the  father  and  mother  of  Thomas  J-  Hollowell  passed 
away  in  Orange  county. 

That  district  was  still  largely  a  frontier  region  during  the  period  of  Thomas 
J.  Hollowell's  boyhood  and  youth.  He  remained  upon  the  home  farm  until  his 
nineteenth  year  and  received  but  limited  educational  privileges,  although  to  some 
extent  he  attended  the  district  schools.  The  home  place,  however,  was  heavily 
timbered  and  it  was  necessary  that  he  aid  in  the  arduous  task  of  clearing  the 
land  a  developing  the  farm.  He  therefore  early  became  familiar  with  the  work 
of  cutting  down  the  trees,  grubbing  up  the  stumps  and  clearing  away  the  brush  in 
order  that  the  land  might  be  tilled.  In  1856  he  left  home  and  went  to  southern 
Illinois,  residing  in  Jefferson  county  for  nine  years,  during  which  period  he 
purchased  a  small  farm  that  he  continued  to  cultivate  and  further  develop  until 
the  spring  of  1865.  He  then  sold  that  property  and  joined  the  long  procession 
that  was  wending  its  way  across  the  plains  with  horses  and  mule  teams,  attracted 
by  the  opportunities  of  the  northwest.  Eventually  he  arrived  in  Walla  Walla 
county  about  the  last  of  October.    Half  of  the  emigrant  train  went  on  to  Oregon, 


608  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

while  Mr.  llollowell  and  his  hrother-in-law,  Alexander  Uundy,  and  others  with 
their  faniihes  stopped  near  the  present  site  of  W'aitsburg  and  there  camped.  Tlie 
land  had  not  yet  been  surveyed  for  homestead  entry,  but  Mr.  Hollowell  squatted 
on  a  quarter  section  that  was  not  surveyed  until  six  years  later.  In  the  mean- 
time congress  had  passed  the  railroad  l^ill,  cutting  the  homestead  down  to  eighty 
acres.  Therefore  he  changed  the  homestead  to  a  premption,  paying  one  dollar 
and  a  quarter  per  acre.  Afterward  he  homesteaded  eighty  acres  adjoining  his 
first  location,  which  was  six  miles  southeast  of  Waitsburg.  There  he  lived  for  a 
number  of  years  but  in  the  meantime  erected  a  town  house  in  Waitsburg.  where 
he  spent  the  winters  in  order  that  his  children  might  have  the  opportunity  of 
attending  the  city  schools.  During  his  last  years  he  lived  retired  and  spent  all 
of  his  time  in  Waitsburg.  He  sold  the  old  home  farm  but  owned  another  tract  of 
land  of  four  hundred  acres  three  miles  from  Waitsburg,  which  is  operated  by  his 
son  Albert. 

On  the  1st  of  April,  1858,  Mr.  Hollowell  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Sarah  H.  Bundy,  of  Washington  county,  Illinois,  and  they  became  the  parents 
of  twelve  children,  but  only  two  are  now  living,  Lilly  May  and  Albert  S. 

^\'hile  Mr.  Hollowell  was  not  actively  connected  with  any  business  enter- 
prise, he  served  as  one  of  the  directors  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Waitsburg, 
which  he  assisted  in  organizing.  He  gave  his  political  allegiance  to  the  demo- 
cratic party,  and  while  he  was  a  believer  in  its  principles  he  was  never  an  aspirant 
for  ofifice.  He  and  his  wife  held  membership  in  the  Christian  church,  in  which 
for  more  than  forty  years  he  held  office,  being  one  of  the  elders  at  the  time  of 
his  death.  He  served  for  two  terms  as  mayor  of  Waitsburg  and  for  several 
years  as  a  member  of  the  town  council,  but  whether  in  office  or  out  of  it,  he  was 
always  loyal  to  the  best  interests  of  the  community  and  cooperated  largely  in 
plans  and  measures  for  the  general  good.  He  never  had  occasion  to  regret  his 
determination  to  come  to  the  northwest,  for  here  he  found  the  opportunities  which 
he  sought  and  in  their  utilization  gained  a  place  among  the  substantial  and 
prosperous  business  men  of  his  adopted  state.  While  he  traveled  far  on  life's 
journey,  he  was  a  well  preserved  man  and  in  spirit  and  interests  seemed  yet  in 
his  prime,  keeping  in  touch  with  the  trend  of  modern  thought,  development  and 
progress. 


OSCAR  F.  CANFIELD. 


Oscar  F.  Canfield  is  one  of  the  venerable  and  honored  citizens  of  Washing- 
ton, living  in  Clarkston.  Moreover,  no  history  of  the  state  would  be  complete 
without  extended  reference  to  him,  for  he  was  one  of  the  survivors  of  the  Whit- 
man massacre  of  1847  and  every  phase  of  the  state's  development  and  progress 
from  that  time  to  the  present  is  familiar  to  him.  He  has  passed  the  eightieth 
milestone  on  life's  journey,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Pennsylvania  on  the  8th 
of  March,  1838.  His  parents  were  W.  D.  and  Sally  Ann  (Lee)  Canfield,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Bennington  county,  Vermont.  The  father  was  a  black- 
smith by  trade  and  followed  that  pursuit  in  early  manhood  but  afterward  took 
up  the  business  of  farming  and  stock  raising  and  also  engaged  in  mining.     In 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  609 

1847  the  father  was  one  of  those  wounded  and  left  for  dead  in  the  Whitman 
massacre,  but  life  had  not  departed  and  he  made  his  escape  to  Lapwai  to  the  mis- 
sion of  Mr.  Spalding.  A  courier  was  sent  to  Vancouver  with  dispatches  for 
Peter  Skeen  Ogden,  then  chief  factor  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  at  Van- 
couver. Mr.  Ogden  immediately  manned  three  batteaus  and  came  to  Fort  Walla 
Walla  on  the  Columbia,  where  he  bought  seven  women  and  thirty-two  children 
from  the  Indians,  paying  for  them  on  delivery,  thus  freeing  those  who  had  been 
captured  by  the  red  men. 

On  New  Year's  day  of  1848  the  Canfield  family  embarked  for  Vancouver  in 
charge  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  and  were  turned  over  to  Governor  Aber- 
nethy  at  Oregon  City.  They  lived  in  Polk  county,  Oregon,  until  March,  1849, 
and  then  went  to  California  in  the  gold  stampede.  They  mined  in  Nevada  that 
summer  but  afterward  returned  to  Sonoma  county.  The  mines  were  very  rich 
at  that  period,  but  Mr.  Canfield  did  not  know  how  to  mine,  nor  had  he  anything 
to  mine  with. 

Oscar  F.  Canfield  took  up  the  occupation  of  mining  with  the  removal  of  the 
family  to  Sonoma  county,  California,  although  a  boy  of  but  eleven  years,  and  as 
he  remarks,  if  he  then  knew  what  he  now  knows  about  mines  and  mining,  he 
would  have  been  many  times  a  millionaire.  In  1862  he  started  with  Captain 
^Gilliam's  company  for  the  Florence  stampede  in  Idaho.  Captain  Gilliam  was 
a  brother  of  General  Cornelius  Gilliam,  who  distinguished  himself  in  the  Semi- 
nole war  in  Florida  and  was  accidentally  shot  in  1848  in  the  Cayuse  war.  His 
death  was  a  great  loss  to  Oregon,  as  he  was  an  experienced  Indian  fighter.  He 
had  several  children,  living  in  and  around  Walla  Walla.  The  party  with  which 
Mr.  Canfield  traveled  did  not  get  to  Florence,  Idaho.  They  struck  gold  at 
Canyon  City,  Oregon,  and  Mr.  Canfield  held  the  pan  while  Captain  Gilliam  filled 
it.  He  then  panned  out  the  gold  and  there  seemed  to  be  fine  prospects  there. 
They  reached  Canyon  City  on  the  9th  of  June,  1862,  and  that  district  afterward 
proved  to  be  a  very  rich  camp.  The  first  gold  discovered  an  Prichard  creek  was 
found  by  Jim  Prichard,  Bill  Gerard  and  Oscar  F.  Canfield.  The  gold  which  they 
found,  when  weighed,  was  equal  to  a  dollar  and  seventy-five  cents.  It  was  this 
which  started  the  Coeur  d'Alene  stampede.  It  was  Bill  Sutherland  and  Charley 
Toole  who  discovered  the  Galena  ore  in  the  Sunset  mountain  and  it  was  Mr. 
Canfield  who  grubstaked  them.  In  1862  Mr.  Canfield  was  one  of  a  company  of 
thirty-five  men  who  made  their  way  northward  from  California  to  Florence, 
Idaho,  where  there  was  great  excitement  concerning  gold  discoveries.  In  the 
party  were  several  noted  early  pioneers,  including  Mr.  McGruder,  who  was  after- 
ward ambushed  and  murdered.  To  the  party  also  belonged  Captain  Gilliam,  who 
was  subsequently  killed  in  the  Cayuse  Indian  war  and  left  a  number  of  descend- 
ants in  Old  Walla  Walla.  It  was  at  Florence,  Idaho,  that  Mr.  Canfield  found 
the  first  gold  there  discovered.  There  were  several  companies  of  men  who  came 
up  from  California  at  that  time,  including  the  following  captains  with  their 
companies :  Captain  Killgore,  Joel  Walker  and  Charles  Hooper.  Mr.  Canfield 
lived  in  the  Snake  River  and  in  the  Salmon  River  country  for  a  number  of 
years  and  later  at  Canfield,  Idaho,  a  town  named  in  his  honor.  He  there  followed 
mining,  ranching  and  stock  raising  and  thus  in  various  localities  was  closely 
and  prominently  identified  with  pioneer  development. 

In   November,   1861,  in  California,  Mr.  Canfield  was  united  in  marriage  to 


610  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Miss  Ann  Maple,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  to  them  were  born  seven  children : 
Augusta,  who  married  Isaac  Cooper;  Sherman,  who  died  in  1914;  Mary,  who 
became  the  wife  of  WilHam  Farrell;  Bert,  a  stock  man  of  Big  Hole  Basin  of 
Montana ;  OHver,  deceased ;  Joseph,  who  is  with  his  brother  in  Big  Hole  Basin, 
Montana;  and  Mrs.  Lottie  Jasper,  wlio  lives  in  Los  Angeles,  California. 

In  politics,  in  early  manhood,  Mr.  Canfield  was  identified  with  the  know 
knothing  party.  This  was  before  the  republican  party  had  been  organized  or  the 
present  democratic  party  had  formulated  its  platform.  The  basic  principle  of 
the  know  knothing  party  was  that  a  foreigner  must  live  here  for  twenty-one  years 
before  he  could  become  a  citizen  and  enjoy  the  voting  benefits  and  privileges  of 
an  American-born  citizen.  He  is  proud  of  his  political  affiliation  with  that  party 
and  says  he  is  still  an  advocate  thereof.  Mr.  Canfield  was  on  one  occasion  con- 
nected with  an  Indian  ring  hunt  which  took  place  in  1878  at  Hayden  Lake,  near 
Coeur  d'Alene.  He  was  with  a  party  of  Indians  who  gathered  in  a  horseshoe 
circle,  the  chief  at  one  end  and  a  noted  Indian  runner  of  that  day,  named  Fleet- 
foot,  on  the  other  end  of  the  horseshoe  circle,  their  purpose  being  to  hunt  deer. 
They  started  one  morning  at  eight  o'clock  and  finished  at  three  in  the  afternoon. 
One  leader  was  on  the  canyon  side  of  the  circle  and  the  other  on  the  lake  side. 
They  would  run  the  deer,  drawing  them  into  their  circle.  They  ran  hundreds  in 
that  way  and  killed  one  hundred  and  forty  pn.that  hunt  or  on  the  one  drive,  as  it 
was  called.  Mr.  Canfield  can  relate '-raany  most  interesting  incidents  of  the 
pioneer  times,  his  memory  forming  a'  connecting  link  between  the  primitive  past 
and  the  progressive  present.  He  has  contributed  much  to  the  development  of 
the  west  through  his  business  activity  and  enterprise  and  at  all  times  he  has  stood 
for  progress  and  advancement. 


FRANK  T.  KEISER. 


Frank  T.  Keiser,  of  Waitsburg,  is  one  of  the  most  prominent,  progressive 
and  extensive  farmers  of  Walla  Walla  county,  owning  seventeen  hundred  and 
seventy  acres  of  the  finest  wheat  land  to  be  found  in  this  section  of  the  state.  In 
addition  he  leases  and  controls  one  thousand  acres  and  thus  his  agricultural  inter- 
ests are  most  important.  He  was  born  in  Clackamas  county,  Oregon,  September  3, 
1856,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Roxcie  (Ingalls)  Keiser,  who  are  mentioned 
elsewhere  in  this  work. 

The  public  schools  of  Walla  Walla  and  Clackamas  counties  afTorded  him  his 
educational  privileges,  as  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  accompanied  his  parents 
on  their  removal  from  Oregon  to  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington.  He  re- 
mained at  home  through  the  period  of  his  boyhood  and  youth,  assisting  in  the 
work  of  the  farm,  and  was  thus  engaged  up  to  the  time  of  his  marriage,  which 
was  celebrated  January  i,  1880,  when  Miss  Cora  B.  Dickinson,  a  daughter  of 
Abraham  C.  Dickinson,  became  his  wife.  She  was  born  at  Fort  Bridger,  Wyoming, 
while  her  parents  were  crossing  the  plains,  in  1863.  Following  his  marriage  Mr. 
Keiser  began  farming  on  a  homestead  in  Spring  Valley  which  he  had  previously 
filed  on.  He  had  also  filed  and  proved  up  on  a  preemption  and  had  filed  on  a  tim- 
ber claim.     He  continued  to  live  upon  his  farm  for  seven  or  eight  years,  after 


MRS.  FRANK  T.  KEISER 


FRANK  T.  KEISER 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  615 

which  he  removed  to  Waitsburg,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  For 
several  years  he  has  operated  farm  lands  from  this  point  and  his  holdings  are 
now  very  extensive,  for  he  owns  seventeen  hundred  and  seventy  acres  of  the 
finest  wheat  land  in  the  county  and  has  leased  and  cultivated  another  tract  of 
one  thousand  acres.  He  is  thus  most  extensively  engaged  in  farming  and  the 
magniture  of  his  operations  is  an  indication  of  the  nature  of  his  success.  He 
is  tamiliar  with  every  phase  of  wheat  culture  in  the  Inland  Empire  and  his  wise 
and  careful  management  of  his  business  affairs  has  brought  splendid  results.  In 
addition  to  his  other  interests  Mr.  Keiser  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Exchange  Bank 
of  Waitsburg. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keiser  have  been  born  nine  children,  eight  of  whom  are 
yet  living,  namely:  Alabel,  the  wife  of  H.  A.  Woodruff,  of  Waitsburg;  Chester 
A.,  who  is  operating  one  of  his  father's  farms ;  Hazel,  the  wife  of  Z.  O.  Atkinson, 
who  is  connected  with  the  Farmers'  Union  and  resides  at  Waitsburg;  and  \'erl 
D.  and  Velma,  twins,  and  Helen,  Donald  and  Gordon  J.,  all  at  home. 

Mr.  Keiser  votes  with  the  democratic  party  and  has  served  as  a  member  of 
the  city  council  of  Waitsburg.  He  stands  for  all  that  is  progressive  in  public 
affairs  and  cooperates  in  many  well  defined  plans  and  rheasures  for  the  general 
good.  He  belongs  to  Touchet  Lodge,  No.  5,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Waitsburg,  also  to 
Coppei  Encampment,  No.  73,  and  to  the  Woodmen  of  the  World.  He  is  like- 
wise connected  with  the  Patriotic  Order  of  the' SonS- of-:  America.  He  and  his 
wife  attend  the  Christian  church  and  they  ■-ate -generous  supporters  of  many 
movements  that  seek  to  advance  the  material,  intellectual  and  moral  progress 
of  the  community.  Mr.  Keiser  is  a  typical  Git-izefi  of  the  west.  His  entire  life 
has  been  actuated  by  a  spirit  of  enterprise  that  recognizes  and  utilizes  oppor- 
tunities. His  words  and  actions  spell  progress.  He  has  continually  taken  a 
forward  step  and  his  eft'orts  have  contributed  in  large  measure  to  the  upbuilding 
and  development  of  the  section  with  which  he  is  connected. 


JENS   ANDERSON. 


Jens  Anderson,  a  well  known  representative  of  industrial  activity  in  Walla 
Walla,  where  he  is  now  successfully  conducting  a  wagon  making  shop,  was  born 
in  Denmark,  January  5,  1856,  and  is  a  son  of  Anders  and  Anna  C.  (Christenson) 
Jenson,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  that  land,  where  they  spent  their  entire 
lives.  In  their  family  were  four  children,  of  whom  three  are  now  living.  These 
are  Jens  Anderson,  of  this  review;  Christ  Anderson,  a  resident  of  Idaho;  and 
Anne  Sophie,  who  is  still  living  in  Denmark. 

Jens  Anderson  was  reared  and  educated  in  his  native  country  and  there 
learned  the  carriage  and  wagon  making  trade.  Favorable  reports  reached  him 
concerning  the  opportunities  of  the  new  world  and  in  1878,  when  a  young  man 
of  twenty-two  years,  he  bade  adieu  to  friends  and  native  country  and  sailed  for 
the  United  States.  He  was  located  for  a  time  in  New  Jersey  and  then  continued 
on  his  westward  way  to  Missouri,  where  he  remained  for  eight  years.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  removed  to  Moscow,  Idaho,  where  he  resided  until 
1895.     Throughout  all  this  time  he  continued  active  in  the  wagon  maker's  trade 


C16  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

and  when  he  came  to  Walla  Walla  he  started  in  business  along  the  same  line  on 
his  own  account.  He  now  has  a  splendidly  equipped  wagon  shop  and  is  doing 
a  business  of  gratifying  proportions.  He  is  very  energetic,  is  a  man  of  persistent 
purpose,  and  his  indefatigable  effort  has  been  the  foundation  on  which  he  has 
built  his  success. 

In  1882  Air.  Anderson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Phoebe  J.  Davis,  who 
was  born  in  Missouri.  They  have  become  the  parents  of  three  children,  Charles 
C,  Nellie  and  Clarence  D.  That  Mr.  Anderson  has  prospered  as  the  years  have 
gone  by  is  indicated  in  the  fact  that  he  is  now  the  owner  of  an  attractive  resi- 
dence and  a  substantial  shop  in  Walla  Walla,  where  he  is  living.  He  is  highly 
respected  as  a  man  of  genuine  personal  worth  and  one  who  in  all  matters  of 
citizenship  is  loyal  and  progressive.     In  politics  he  is  a  republican. 


GREEN  SWINNEY. 


Green  Swinney  is  a  retired  farmer  making  his  home  in  Pomeroy.  A  native 
of  Indiana,  he  was  born  on  Christmas  day  of  1841,  his  parents  being  Elijah  and 
Hannah  (Starks)  Swinney.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Virginia  and  in  his  boy- 
hood removed  with  his  parents  to  Indiana,  where  he  attained  his  majority  and 
was  married.  Later  he  became  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  Davis  county,  Iowa, 
his  removal  to  that  state  occurring  when  his  son  Green  was  but  an  infant  in 
arms.  The  father  remained  in  Davis  county  until  1864  and  then  disposed  of  his 
property  there,  after  which  he  crossed  the  plains  with  ox  teams  and  wagon  to 
Oregon,  establishing  his  home  in  Lane  county.  There  he  spent  eleven  years  and 
in  1875  made  his  way  northward  to  what  is  now  Garfield  county,  Washington. 
Within  the  borders  of  that  county  he  took  up  a  homestead,  which  he  later  turned 
over  to  his  son  James,  who  proved  up  on  the  property.  The  father  resided  upon 
that  farm  until  his  death  and  was  widely  known  among  the  leading  early  settlers 
of  his  section  of  the  state. 

Green  Swinney  was  reared  and  educated  in  Iowa,  pursuing  his  studies  in  the 
public  schools  of  that  state.  He  was  a  young  man  of  twenty-three  years  when 
he  crossed  the  plains,  driving  one  of  the  ox  teams  and  thus  making  his  way  to  a 
country  which  was  to  give  him  his  opportunity.  His  school  training  had  been 
limited  to  a  few  months'  attendance  in  one  of  the  old-time  log  schoolhouses  of 
Iowa  with  its  puncheon  floor  and  slab  benches,  the  methods  of  instruction  being 
as  primitive  as  were  the  furnishings.  Upon  his  arrival  in  Oregon  he  began  work 
as  a  farm  hand  and  continued  to  work  for  wages  until  his  removal  to  Washing- 
ton in  1875.  At  that  date  he  purchased  a  tract  of  railroad  land  in  Columbia 
county,  near  Dayton,  and  four  years  later  he  disposed  of  that  property  and 
removed  into  what  is  now  Garfield  county,  where  he  took  up  a  preemption  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty-five  acres  eight  miles  east  of  Pomeroy.  He  resided  upon  that 
tract  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  and  his  labors  wrought  a  marked  transformation 
in  the  appearance  of  the  place,  for  he  brought  his  land  under  high  cultivation  and 
divided  it  into  fields  of  convenient  size,  annually  gathering  good  crops.  Year  by 
year  he  carefully  tilled  the  soil  and  became  recognized  as  one  of  the  representa- 
tive farmers  of  his  part  of  the  state.     In   1904  he  left  the   farm  and  removed 


m 

1-4 

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OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  619 

to  Pomeroy,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  former 
toil  in  a  well  earned  rest. 

On  the  1st  of  July,  1877,  Mr.  Swinney  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Cath- 
erine Smith,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Smith,  who  left  his  Ohio  home  as  a  boy  of 
seventeen  years,  and  after  spending  a  short  time  in  Iowa,  he  crossed  the  plains 
in  1846.  On  the  journey  he  contracted  mountain  fever  and  when  the  train  with 
which  he  was  traveling  reached  Walla  Walla,  he  was  left  with  Dr.  Whitman, 
who  nursed  him  back  to  health.  He  spent  the  following  winter  and  the  next 
spring  with  Dr.  Whitman,  for  whom  he  worked  at  splitting  rails  and  also  planted 
some  small  tracts  to  grain.  In  the  summer  of  1847,  prior  to  Dr.  Whitman's 
murder,  he  went  to  Oregon,  settling  in  Lane  county,  where  he  was  afterward 
married.  There  he  lived  until  1861,  when  he  came  to  Washington  and  spent  the 
summer  in  the  Orofino  mines.  During  the  hard  winter  of  1861-2 — a  winter 
memorable  in  the  history  of  the  state — he  was  in  Columbia  county,  living  near 
Dayton.  There  he  acquired  land  and  later  made  that  place  his  home.  During  the 
latter  years  of  his  life,  however,  he  resided  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Swinney,  reach- 
ing the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-one  years. 

In  politics  Mr.  Swinney  has  always  been  an  advocate  of  democratic  principles 
but  has  never  been  an  office  seeker.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  and  are  most  worthy  people,  honored  and  respected  by  all  who  know 
them  and  most  of  all  by  those  who  have  known  them  longest  and  best — a  fact 
which  indicates  that  their  strongest  traits  of  charaetaf^afe-tfeese-which  ever  com- 
mand confidence  and  respect.  >      -'^Hm)   w.-i*.  .'■  , 

CLAUDE  R.  WILLIAMS. 

Claude  R.  Williams,  one  of  the  progressive  agriculturists  of  the  Walla  Walla 
valley,  was  born  July  8,  1888,  upon  the  farm  which  is  still  his  home,  situated  on 
section  26,  township  8  north,  range  36  east,  Walla  Walla  county.  Throughout 
his  entire  life  he  has  been  connected  with  farming  interests  and  the  careful  man- 
agement of  his  business  affairs  since  he  started  out  in  life  independently  is  bring- 
ing to  him  a  gratifying  measure  of  success.  He  is  a  son  of  Samuel  C.  and  Ellen  E. 
(Buroker)  Williams,  who  are  natives  of  Illinois.  They  came  to  the  northwest  at 
an  early  period  in  its  development  and  are  still  living  here,  their  home  being  at 
No.  522  East  Sumach  street,  in  Walla  Walla. 

Claude  R.  Williams  was  reared  and  educated  in  Walla  Walla  county,  attend- 
ing its  common  schools,  while  in  the  summer  months  he  assisted  in  the  work  of  the 
home  farm.  He  continued  to  aid  his  father  until  he  attained  his  majority,  when 
he  took  charge  of  the  old  homestead,  which  he  now  cultivates.  It  comprises  three 
hundred  acres  of  valuable  wheat  land,  splendidly  adapted  to  the  cultivation  of 
that  crop.  His  efforts  have  been  an  element  in  winning  for  Walla  Walla  county 
its  well  earned  reputation  as  a  wheat  growing  section.  He  is  alert  and  enterpris- 
ing in  all  that  he  does  and  follows  most  progressive  methods  of  farming.  He 
studies  crop  production  from  a  scientific  standpoint,  keeps  his  fields  in  excellent 
condition  and  therefore  when  his  crops  are  sent  to  market  he  receives  a  substantial 
reward  for  his  labor. 


620  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

On  the  17th  of  April,  1913,  Mr.  Williams  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Goldie  Fullerton,  who  was  born  in  Carter,  Illinois,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Wash- 
ington Lawrance  and  Alice  (Fyke J  Fullerton.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Tenn- 
essee, but  the  birth  of  her  mother  occurred  in  Illinois.  In  1900  they  came  to  Walla 
Walla  county  and  settled  on  a  farm  near  Dayton  but  now  reside  at  Hadley,  Wash- 
ington. To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams  has  been  born  a  daughter,  Lovetta  May,  whose 
birth  occurred  on  the  15th  of  l""ebruary,  1914. 

Mr.  Williams  is  connected  fraternally  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
while  politically  he  gives  his  allegiance  to  the  republican  party.  He  has  no  interest 
in  politics  as  an  office  seeker  although  he  keeps  well  informed  on  the  questions  and 
issues  of  the  day  and  in  matters  of  citizenship  he  stands  for  those  interests  which 
further  progress  and  improvement  along  lines  of  general  benefit.  His  own  activi- 
ties are  concentrated  upon  his  fanning  interests  and  the  careful  direction  of  his 
business  affairs  is  bringing  to  him  creditable  and  deserved  prosperity. 


HERBERT  A.  GARDNER. 

Indefatigable  enterprise  and  concentration  of  purpose  have  been  salient  fea- 
tures in  winning  for  Herbert  A.  Gardner  the  creditable  and  honorable  position 
which  he  occupies  in  business  circles  of  Walla  Walla  and  the  Inland  Empire.  He 
has  long  been  active  in  the  conduct  of  the  mercantile  house  now  conducted  under 
the  name  of  Gardner  &  Company,  Incorporated.  This  is  one  of  the  largest  and 
finest  commercial  interests  of  Washington  and  is  largely  a  monument  to  the  busi- 
ness enterprise  and  progressive  methods  of  him  whose  name  introduces  this 
review. 

Mr.  Gardner  was  born  in  Charlotte,  Maine,  June  6,  i860,  so  that  the  width 
of  the  continent  separates  him  from  his  birthplace.  He  brought  eastern  enter- 
prise and  ingenuity  to  the  west  with  its  limitless  resources,  and  the  combination 
has  wrought  splendid  results.  His  parents,  Amos  A.  and  Louisa  M.  (Jackman) 
Gardner,  were  also  natives  of  the  Pine  Tree  state  and  descendants  of  Stephen 
Gardner,  who  was  one  of  the  founders  of  Hingham,  Massachusetts,  and  who 
later  served  his  country  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  The  father,  who  was  a  farmer 
and  shipbuilder,  devoting  his  life  to  those  two  pursuits,  died  in  Illinois,  while  the 
mother  departed  this  life  in  Maine.  In  their  family  were  eight  children,  of  whom 
four  are  living,  three  being  residents  of  Seattle,  namely :  Mrs.  L.  M.  Kent,  Amy 
R.  and  Mrs.  P.  Pitt  Shaw. 

Herbert  A.  Gardner  is  indebted  to  the  public  school  system  of  his  native  state 
for  the  educational  opportunities  which  he  enjoyed  in  youth  and  which  prepared 
him  for  life's  practical  and  responsible  duties.  He  has  always  devoted  his  atten- 
tion to  mercantile  pursuits  and  this  concentration  of  purpose  has  undoubtedly  been 
one  of  the  strong  elements  in  his  growing  success.  He  has  not  dissipated  his  ener- 
gies over  a  wide  field  but  has  thoroughly  mastered  whatever  he  has  undertaken, 
and  long  experience,  well  developed  j>owers  and  unfaltering  energy  have  brought 
to  him  notable  success.  For  twenty-five  years  he  was  associated  with  the  Schwa- 
bacher  Company  of  Walla  Walla  and  at  length,  in  connection  with  others,  he  pur- 
chased the  business,  which  has  since  been  reorganized  under  the  name  of  Gardner 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  621 

&  Company,  Incorporated.  They  own  and  control  one  of  the  largest  and  finest 
mercantile  houses  in  the  section  of  the  country  which  covers  southeastern  Wash- 
ington and  northeastern  Oregon.  Mr.  Gardner  has  been  president  of  the  com- 
pany since  its  incorporation.  His  long  experience  in  mercantile  lines  has  splendidly 
qualified  him  for  the  duties  and  responsibilities  which  devolve  upon  him  in  this 
connection.  He  has  not  only  become  familiar  with  the  best  methods  of  purchase 
and  of  sale  but  also  closely  studies  the  market  in  every  particular  bearing  upon  his 
trade  and  he  is  now  bending  his  efforts  to  administrative  direction  with  the  result 
that  the  business  of  the  house  has  steadily  increased.  He  has  always  been  careful 
to  surround  himself  with  a  corps  of  efficient  assistants  in  the  office  and  he  has  held 
to  the  highest  standards  in  the  personnel  of  the  house,  in  the  character  of  goods 
carried  and  in  the  business  methods  followed.  In  a  word,  he  has  made  the  firm 
name  a  synonym  of  progressiveness  and  of  honorable  dealing. 

On  the  28th  of  September,  1886,  Mr.  Gardner  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Hun- 
gate,  who  died  February  25,  1896.  She  was  a  native  of  California  and  a  daughter 
of  Harrison  H.  and  Mary  (Duncan)  Hungate,  the  former  deceased,  while  the 
mother  is  still  living,  making  her  home  in  Walla  Walla.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gard- 
ner were  bom  three  children :  Geneva  Hungate,  who  is  the  wife  of  W.  J.  Steele, 
of  Walla  Walla ;  Ward  H.,  who  married  Irma  Coleman  and  has  one  child,  Shirley 
Elizabeth ;  and  Elizabeth,  at  home.  On  the  23d  of  May,  1906,  Mr.  Gardner  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Anna  M.  Siler,  who  was  born  in 
Simcoe,  Canada.. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Gardner  is  identified  with  the  Masons,  the  Elks  and  the  Odd 
Fellows  and  in  his  life  exemplifies  the  basic  principles  which  underlie  those  organi- 
zations. He  is  also  identified  with  the  Commercial  Club.  His  political  allegiance  is 
given  to  the  democratic  party  and  for  fifteen  years  he  has  served  as  a  member  of 
the  board  of  education.  While  a  most  active  and  progressive  business  man,  he 
has  ever  recognized  his  duties  and  obligations  as  well  his  privileges  of  citizen- 
ship and  has  cooperated  in  many  well  defined  plans  and  measures  for  the  public 
good,  standing  at  all  times  for  progress  and  improvement  in  relation  to  civic 
aflfairs  and  the  welfare  of  the  commonwealth. 


L.  NEACE. 


L.  Neace,  deceased,  was  an  early  settler  of  Walla  Walla  county  and  was  for 
years  one  of  its  leading  stock  raisers.  He  was  born  in  Germany,  September  27, 
1835,  and  there  received  his  education.  When  only  twelve  years  old,  however, 
he  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Pennsylvania.  For  some  time  he  worked  in  a 
sash  and  door  factory  in  that  state  and  later  removed  to  Kansas  City,  Missouri, 
whence  in  1857  he  went  to  Oregon,  crossing  the  plains  by  ox  team.  After  re- 
maining in  Oregon  for  one  winter  he  went  to  California  and  a  few  months  later 
went  to  Fort  Benton.  In  the  latter  part  of  1859  ^^  came  to  Waitsburg,  Wash- 
ington, and  turned  his  attention  to  stock  raising,  as  Walla  Walla  couny  was 
then  chiefly  devoted  to  that  business.  He  owned  a  large  tract  of  land  and  was 
very  successful  in  the  management  of  his  affairs,  gaining  financial  independence. 
He  was  a    factor   in  banking  circles,  being   for  thirty   years   president   of   the 


622  OLD  WALLA  WAl.LA  COUNTY 

Nalional  Bank  of  Wailsburg,  which  under  his  direction  enjoyed  the  entire  con- 
fidence of  the  community  and  a  steady  increase  in  deposits. 

In  1864  Mr.  Neace  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Harrington) 
Sickler,  widow  of  Daniel  Sickler,  who  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  died  in 
Walla  Walla  county,  Washington,  in  1863.  To  her  first  marriage  one  daughter 
was  born,  Minnie,  now  the  wife  of  D.  C.  Eaton.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Neace  became 
the  parents  of  the  following  children:  John,  Lewis  and  Isaac,  all  of  whom  are 
farming;  Ellen,  the  wife  of  C.  A.  Hauber,  of  Portland,  Oregon;  Frank  and 
James  K.,  both  of  whom  are  farming;  Sarah  D.,  the  wife  of  S.  F.  Patton,  post- 
master of  W'aitsburg,  and  the  mother  of  two  children,  Serita  F.  and  J.  LeKvis; 
and  Charles,  who  is  farming. 

Mr.  Neace  was  a  democrat  and  was  quite  prominent  in  local  political  circles. 
He  passed  away  January  12,  1916,  and  there  were  many  who  felt  a  personal 
sorrow  at  his  demise,  for  during  the  more  than  half-century  that  he  resided  in 
Walla  Walla  county  he  had  gained  a  large  number  of  friends.  W'hen  he  came 
here  he  was  without  capital  but  possessed  great  energy  and  an  unshakable  de- 
termination to  succeed  and  as  the  years  passed  his  resources  steadily  increased. 
His  widow  still  has  large  land  holdings  and  personally  supervises  her  business 
interests  and  is  also  one  of  the  directors  of  the  First  National  Bank,  of  which 
she  is  a  large  stockholder.  She,  too,  is  widely  and  favorably  known  throughout 
the  county. 


JOHN  R.  BLIZE. 


Among  the  energetic  and  alert  farmers  who  have  made  Columbia  county  the 
excellent  agricultural  region  it  is  may  be  mentioned  John  R.  Blize.  His  birth 
occurred  in  Missouri,  October  4,  1869,  and  he  was  a  son  of  James  T.  and  Xancy 
(Beard)  Blize,  who  passed  their  entire  lives  in' that  state.  To  them  were  bom 
ten  children,  of  whom  four  are  now  living. 

John  R.  Blize  was  reared  in  ^Missouri  and  during  his  boyhood  and  youth 
attended  the  public  schools  there.  In  1889,  when  about  twenty  years  old,  he 
made  his  way  to  Washington  and  for  a  number  of  years  was  employed  as  a 
laborer.  In  1893  he  rented  land  and  engaged  in  farming  on  his  own  account. 
Although  this  was  a  marked  step  forward  he  was  not  satisfied  to  remain  a  renter 
and  carefully  saved  his  money  with  the  object  of  purchasing  a  farm.  At  length 
he  bought  a  tract  of  land  on  section  5,  township  9  north,  range  38  east,  Columbia 
county,  and  resided  thereon  until  his  death,  November  i.  191 7.  His  practical 
methods  and  his  close  attention  to  all  phases  of  fann  work  enabled  him  to  harvest 
large  crops,  and  from  time  to  time  he  invested  his  capital  in  additional  land 
so  that  he  owned  at  his  death  four  hundred  and  ninety-four  acres,  the  value  of 
which  is  enhanced  by  the  excellent  buildings  thereon.  He  also  operated  rented 
land  and  altogether  had  about  one  thousand  acres  in  wheat.  He  owned  his  own 
warehouse  and  was  thoroughly  equipped  for  taking  care  of  the  grain  which  he 
harvested. 

On  the  1st  of  October,  1894,  Mr.  Blize  was  married  to  Miss  Hattie  B.  Chap- 
man, a   resident  of  Dallas  county,   Iowa.     To  them   were  born  seven  children, 


JOHN  R.  BLIZE 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  625 

namely:  James  O.,  who  is  now  in  Battery  D,  Field  Artillery.  Washington  Na- 
tional Guard;  lea  T.,  deceased;  Mildred  C,  now  in  high  school;  Clarence  A.; 
Harold  T. ;  John  \V. ;  and  Roy  E. 

Mr.  Blize  was  an  advocate  of  republican  principles  and  was  loyal  in  his  sup- 
port of  its  candidates  and  measures.  Lie  served  on  the  school  board  for  a  con- 
siderable period  and  was  also  county  commissioner,  in  which  connection  he 
made  an  excellent  record.  He  belonged  to  the  Masonic  lodge,  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  and  the  Woodmen  of  the  World,  and  was  well  known  in  local  fraternal 
circles.  The  signal  measure  of  success  which  he  gained  is  double  creditable  in  that 
he  made  his  own  way  from  the  early  age  of  ten  years.  He  thoroughly  identified 
his  interests  with  those  of  this  section  and  was  always  glad  that  he  decided  to 
make  his  home  here,  for  he  believed  that  the  opportunities  for  advancement 
are  greater  in  the  Pacific  northwest  than  in  other  sections  of  the  country. 


GEORGE  H.  SNELL. 


George  H.  Snell,  president  of  the  Walla  Walla  Construction  Company,  manu- 
facturers of  brick  and  tile,  and  also  the  second  vice  president  of  the  Farmers 
Savings  Bank,  has  through  his  important  busiriess  connections  •  contributed  in 
substantial  measure  to  the  development,  progress  and. upbuilding  of  the  city  in 
which  he  makes  his  home. 

He  was  born  in  Niles,  Cook  county,  Illinois,  December  8,  1853,  and  is  a 
son  of  Hamlet  B.  and  Clarissa  A.  (Odell)  Snell,  the  former  a  native  of  Syra- 
cuse, New  York,  while  the  latter  was  born  in  Cook  county,  Illinois,  where  they 
Avere  married,  the  father  having  removed  westward  to  Chicago  with  his  parents 
when  a  lad  of  eight  years.  After  his  marriage  he  engaged  in  farming  in;  Cook 
countv,  Illinois,  and  subsequently  in  Lake  county,  Indiana,  about  fifty  miles  from 
Chicago.  He  devoted  many  years  to  general  agricultural  pursuits  with  good 
success,  winning  a  competence  that  enabled  him  at  length  to  live  retired.  He  then 
removed  to  Chicago,  where  his  death  occurred  in  191 3,  when  he  had  reached  the 
age  of  eighty-seven  years.  His  wife  passed  away  in  1874  and  later  he  was  again 
married,  his  second  vmion  being  with  Mrs.  Catherine  McCarthy,  who  was  called 
to  her  final  rest  in  1910.     There  were  four  children  born  of  the  first  marriage. 

George  H.  Snell  whose  name  introduces  this  review  spent  his  youthful  days 
with  his  parents  and  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Chicago. 
He  remained  at  home  until  he  had  reached  his  eighteenth  year,  making  himself 
useful  along  various  lines  but  then  entered  upon  an  apprenticeship  to  the  lathing 
and  plastering  trade,  with  which  he  was  identified  for  forty  years.  In  1878  he 
came  west,  making  his  way  first  to  Sioux  Falls,  South  Dakota,  to  which  point 
he  traveled  by  rail,  and  thence  continued  the  journey  through  to  Walla  Walla 
by  wagon  and  team.  He  was  three  months  and  ten  days  in  making  the  journey 
across  the  plains.  At  that  time  the  Indians  were  on  the  warpath  but  his  party 
was  fortunate  in  escaping  trouble  with  the  red  men  and  they  reached  the  Walla 
Walla  valley  unharmed.  After  arriving  at  his  destination  Mr.  Snell  took  up  the 
work  of  contracting  in  lathing  and  plastering  and  also  in  cement  work  and  was 
prominently  identified  with  activities  of  that  character  until  recent  years.     He 


626  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

became  one  of  the  dominant  factors  in  the  building  trades  of  Walla  Walla,  large 
demand  being  made  upon  his  time  and  energies  in  connection  with  his  chosen 
occupation.  In  1904  he  organized  and  incorporated  the  Walla  Walla  Construc- 
tion Company,  of  which  he  became  the  president  and  which  has  been  developed 
into  one  of  the  principal  industries  of  the  character  in  the  city.  In  most  of  the 
best  buildings,  public  and  otherwise,  in  Walla  Walla  his  work  is  to  be  seen. 
His  thorough  reliability  and  the  excellence  of  his  work  have  been  the  salient 
features  in  winning  him  his  continued  and  growing  success. 

In  1891  Mr.  Snell  married  Miss  Clara  J.  Parkes,  of  Walla  Walla,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  a  daughter,  Laura,  who  is  the  wife  of  James  Daugherty, 
of  Walla  Walla.  The  death  of  Mrs.  Snell  occurred  September  26,  191 1,  and 
caused  deep  grief  to  her  family  and  much  sincere  regret  among  her  many  friends. 

Mr.  Snell  exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men  and  measures 
of  the  republican  party  and  always  keeps  well  informed  on  the  questions  and 
issues  of  the  day,  but  the  honors  and  emoluments  of  office  have  had  no  attrac- 
tion for  him.  He  is  a  very  prominent  Mason,  belonging  to  Blue  ^Mountain  Lodge, 
No.  13,  F.  &  A.  M.;  Pendleton  Chapter,  No.  23,  R.  A.  M.,  of  Pendleton,  Oregon; 
Washington  Commandery,  No.  i,  K.  T.,  of  Walla  Walla;  Zabud  Council,  R.  & 
S.  M.;  Spokane  Consistory,  .A.  &  A.  S.  R.,  and  isa  charter  member  of  El  Katif 
Temple  of  the  Alystic  Shrine.  He  IiTiewise  holds  membership  with  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellovvg,  bHori^fng  to  Enterprise  Lodge,  No.  2. 

Mr.  Snell  is  identified  with  .ih€  <  Wa-lla  -Walla  Commercial  Club  and  is  in 
thorough  sympathy  with  itsrpitrppses„ta  iujrtber  the  interests  of  the  city  and 
exploit  its  possibilities  and  advantages,  also  to  extend  its  trade  relations  and, 
more  than  all,  to  uphold  the  high  civic  standards  which  here  prevail.  He  had  no 
assistance  when  he  started  out  in  the  business  world,  but  he  early  came  to  a 
realization  of  the  fact  that  industry  wins  and  industry  became  the  beacon  light 
of  his  life.  Persistency  of  purpose  has  been  one  of  the  foundation  stones  of 
his  success. 


THEODORE  PERCY  INGALLS. 

Theodore  Percy  Ingalls  is  an  honored  pioneer  of  Washington  and  a  veteran 
of  the  Indian  wars.  To  him  the  story  of  frontier  life  in  the  northwest  is  a  familiar 
one.  The  story  of  this  great  and  growing  section  of  the  country  has  ever  been 
an  enticing  one  to  all  progressive  young  men  who  have  sought  the  opportunities 
here  oflFered  and  in  their  utilization  have  won  success, -while  at  the  same  time 
their  labors  have  contributed  in  marked  measure  to  the  upbuilding  and  develop- 
ment of  this  region.  Mr.  Ingalls,  now  living  retired  in  Waitsburg,  was  for  a 
long  period  actively  identified  with  farming  in  Walla  Walla  county.  He  was 
born  September  13,  1835,  ^"d  has  therefore  passed  the  eighty-second  milestone 
on  fife's  journey.  His  parents  were  Israel  and  Mary  (Lord)  Ingalls,  both  natives 
of  Maine,  where  they  were  reared  and  married.  Subsequently  they  removed  to 
Ohio,  settling  near  Dayton,  where  they  resided  for  several  years.  Eventually 
they  became  residents  of  Bond  county,  Illinois,  and  the  father  died  in  Alton. 
Illinois,  two  months  prior  to  the  birth  of  his  son,  Theodore,  his  death  being  one 


■re. 


MRS.  ISRAEL  IXGALLS 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  631 

that  occurred  in  the  great  cholera  epidemic  that  ravished  the  country.  His  widow 
subsequently  crossed  the  plains  to  Oregon  and  in  later  years  made  her  home  with 
her  sister,  Mrs.  J.  V.  B.  Butler,  her  death  occurring  in  March,  187 1. 

It  was  in  1852  that  Theodore  P.  Ingalls  accompanied  his  mother  on  the  long 
journey  to  the  northwest.  He  was  then  a  youth  of  sixteen  years.  They  made 
the  trip  with  ox  teams,  there  being  fourteen  wagons  in  the  party.  Cholera  broke 
out  en  route  and  twenty-one  members  of  the  party  died  ere  they  reached  their 
destination.  Mr.  Ingalls  and  his  mother  first  took  up  their  abode  in  Clackamas 
county,  near  Oregon  City,  Oregon,  where  a  brother  of  our  subject  had  preceded 
them.  Here  Theodore  P.  Ingalls  worked  at  various  occupations,  much  of  his 
time  being  spent  in  the  timber,  in  getting  out  saw  logs  and  in  splitting  rails.  He 
also  worked  in  the  sawmills  and  for  a  time  he  was  in  the  mines  and  thus  his  expe- 
riences were  broad  and  varied,  acquainting  him  with  every  phase  of  pioneer  life 
and  development  in  the  northwest. 

On  the  27th  of  February,  1867,  Mr.  Ingalls  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Catherine  Smith,  of  Clackamas  county,  Oregon,  who  had  come  to  the  northwest 
with  her  sister,  crossing  the  Isthmus  in  1863  and  thence  proceeding  up  the  coast. 
In  the  summer  of  1871  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ingalls  became  residents  of  Walla  Walla 
county,  Washington,  where  he  took  up  a  preemption  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  but  money  was  scarce,  and  being  unable  to  make  payment  upon  his  prop- 
erty, he  turned  it  into  a  homestead  of  eighty  .acres.  The  place  was  located  in 
Spring  valley  about  three  miles  north  of  Dixie,:  ai\d- there,  he  made  his  home  and 
successfully  engaged  in  farming  for  thirty-three  years.  During  that  period  he 
added  to  his  holdings  from  time  to  time  as  opportunity  oiifered  until  his  landed 
possessions  were  seven  hundred  and  four  acres.  •  This-pxiapgrty  he  recently  sold, 
but  already  in  1904,  on  account  of  failing  health,  he  retired  from  active  farming 
operations  and  for  a  time  spent  his  days  largely  in  travel.  He  finally  took  up  his 
abode  in  Waitsburg,  where  he  has  since  remained  and  where  he  is  now  most 
comfortably  situated.  At  the  age  of  eighty-two  years  he  is  surrounded  by  many 
friends,  enjoying  the  respect  and  warm  regard  of  all  who  know  him. 

In  1856  Mr.  Ingalls  took  part  in  the  Yakima  Indian  war,  serving  under 
Colonel  Cornelius.  His  political  endorsement  has  long  been  given  the  demo- 
cratic party,  while  fraternally  he  is  connected  with  Waitsburg  Lodge,  No.  5, 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  Christian  church  to  which  his  wife 
also  belonged,  and  their  well-spent  lives  gained  for  them  the  warm  regard  and 
respect  of  all  with  whom  they  have  been  brought  in  contact.  Mrs.  Ingalls  passed 
away  quite  recently,  her  lamented  death  causing  deep  grief  to  her  husband  and 
her  many  friends  who  greatly  admired  her  for  her  high  qualities  of  character. 

The  growth  of  the  northwest  has  been  marvelous  but  its  resources  stimulated 
the  efforts  and  ambitions  of  the  men  who  cast  in  their  lot  with  the  first  settlers. 
At  the  time  of  Mr.  Ingalls'  arrival  the  red  men  had  dominion  over  this  entire 
section  of  the  country.  Only  here  and  there  had  a  little  settlement  been  made 
along  the  rivers  or  the  coast,  for  navigation  alone  could  bring  to  man  the  things 
which  he  needed  from  other  quarters.  There  were  great  broad  areas  that  are  now 
highly  cultivated  which  at  that  time  were  unclaimed.  The  forests,  too,  stood 
in  their  primeval  strength  and  the  rivers  were  only  used  for  an  occasional  trip. 
Today  the  powers  of  the  land  have  been  utilized  for  the  benefit  of  man  and  with 
every  phase  of  development  from  pioneer  times  down  to  the  present  Mr.  Ingalls 


632  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

is  familiar.  He  has  lived  to  see  the  rude  frontier  cabins  replaced  by  commodious 
and  substantial  homes,  the  tiny  hamlets  converted  into  thriving  villages  and  cities 
and  the  work  of  progress  carried  forward  along  agricultural,  industrial  and  com- 
mercial lines  until  the  northwest  has  reason  to  be  proud  of  her  cities,  her  homes 
and  her  mines  as  well  as  her  wonderful  agricultural  development,  in  which  Mr. 
Ingalls  took  an  active  part  as  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  Walla  Walla  county 
for  many  years. 


JOHN  F.  ADAMS. 


An  upright,  honorable  man  was  John  F.  Adams,  whose  entire  life  measured 
up  to  high  standards  and  whose  association  with  public  interests  constituted  an 
element  of  advancement  and  improvement  in  this  section  of  the  state. 

He  was  born  in  Franklin  county,  Maine,  July  20,  1835,  a  son  of  Joseph  and 
Areta  (Barrett)  Adams,  coming  of  the  same  ancestry  as  John  Adams  and  John 
Quincy  Adams,  two  of  the  early  presidents  of  the  United  States.  Both  the 
parents  were  natives  of  Maine  and  spent  their  entire  lives  there.  They  had  a 
family  of  seven  children,  all  of  whom  have  passed  away. 

John  F.  Adams  was  twenty-two  years  of  age  when  in  1857  he  became  identi- 
fied with  the  northwest,  settling  first  in  Douglas  county,  Oregon,  where  he  took 
up  the  profession  of  teaching  in  the  Umpqua  Valley,  which  he  followed  for  five 
years.  He  then  exchanged  the  master's  rod  for  the  shepherd's  crook,  becoming 
extensively  engaged  in  sheep  raising  in  Umatilla  county,  Oregon,  in  1865,  where 
he  resided  for  twenty-three  years,  and  in  addition  to  raising  sheep  engaged  also 
in  raising  cattle  and  horses,  handling  only  high  bred  stock.  He  became  one  of 
the  foremost  representatives  of  live  stock  interests  in  this  section  of  the  country, 
his  business  affairs  being  wisely  and  successfully  managed.  He  was  also  one 
of  the  organizers  of  the  Savings  Bank  at  Pendleton,  Oregon,  and  served  as  its 
president  until  his  death.  He  shaped  its  policy  and  directed  its  activities,  help- 
ing to  make  it  one  of  the  strong  financial  concerns  of  that  section.  He  was 
devoted  to  the  welfare  of  his  town  and  his  county  and  was  actuated  by  a  spirit 
of  progress  and  improvement  in  all  that  he  undertook. 

On  November  17,  1878,  Mr.  Adams  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Susan 
F.  Fry,  a  native  of  Indiana  and  a  daughter  of  Robert  and  Amanda  (Francis) 
Fry.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  while  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in 
Kentucky,  and  in  early  life  they  removed  westward  to  Indiana,  where  they  were 
married.  The  mother  died  in  that  state  but  Mr.  Fry  afterward  removed  to 
Kansas,  where  his  demise  occurred.  In  their  family  were  three  children,  of 
whom  two  are  now  living.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adams  were  born  five  children: 
John  R.,  who  is  a  resident  of  Oregon ;  George  H.,  who  has  passed  away ;  Walter 
F.,  living  in  Walla  Walla;  Pauline,  the  wife  of  Walter  Bemus,  of  Walla  Walla; 
and  Helen  M.,  the  wife  of  Frederick  Morrison,  of  Oakland,  California.  She  was 
in  her  girlhood  days  a  student  in  Whitman  College  of  Walla  Walla. 

The  death  of  the  husband  and  father  occurred  in  McMinnville,  Oregon,  in 
March,  1899,  but  he  was  laid  to  rest  in  Mountain  View  cemetery  in  Walla  Walla. 
He  was  a  self-made  man  and  deserved  much  credit  for  what  he  accomplished. 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  633 

At  the  time  of  his  death  he  owned  several  hundred  acres,  constituting  one  of  the 
excellent  stock  ranches  of  the  Inland  Empire.  Since  his  demise  his  widow  and 
her  family  have  removed  to  Walla  Walla,  where  they  took  up  their  abode  in 
1904,  and  she  now  owns  an  attractive  home  on  Beyer  avenue. 

Mrs.  Adams  belongs  to  the  Baptist  church,  of  which  Mr.  Adams  was  also  a 
devoted  member  and  an  active  church  worker,  doing  all  in  his  power  to  further 
the  cause  and  extend  the  influence  of  the  church.  In  politics  he  was  an  earnest 
republican  and  took  a  helpful  interest  in  promoting  party  successes.  He  held 
several  county  offices  while  in  Umatilla  county,  Oregon,  and  at  all  times  was 
true  and  loyal  to  the  trust  reposed  in  him.  In  a  word,  his  was  an  honorable  and 
upright  career  and  his  memory  remains  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of  all  who  knew 
him.  He  possessed  many  sterling  characteristics,  was  straightforward  in  every 
business  transaction,  was  patriotic  in  citizenship,  held  friendship  inviolable  and 
was  devoted  to  the  happiness  of  his  wife  and  children. 


C.  S.  CREWS. 


C.  S.  Crews,  who  is  perhaps  better  known  to  his  hundreds  of  friends  on  the 
Pacific  coast  as  "Doc"  Crews,  has  a  most  wide  acquaintance  as  a  theatrical  man- 
ager. He  is  now  manager  of  the  Crews  Amusement  Company,  operating  the  Lib- 
erty Theater  in  Walla  Walla,  which  is  the  only  vaudeville  theater  in  the  city. 

He  was  born  in  Montrose,  Henry  county,  Missouri,  October  13,  1881,  a  son 
of  Tyson  M.  and  Elizabeth  (Reed)  Crews,  the  former  a  native  of  Winston-Salem, 
North  Carolina,  while  the  latter  was  born  in  Henry  county,  Missouri.  The 
paternal  grandfather,  Edward  Crews,  was  the  owner  of  a  large  tobacco  planta- 
tion and  many  slaves  in  North  Carolina.  In  young  manhood  Tyson  M.  Crews 
removed  westward  to  Henry  county,  Missouri,  where  he  was  married  and  resided 
until  1881,  when  he  returned  to  North  Carolina.  In  1889  he  came  to  Walla 
Walla,  where  he  engaged  in  the  coal  and  wood  business,  but  the  panic  of  1892-3 
forced  him  to  suspend  operations  in  that  line.  He  then  went  to  work  as  a  sta- 
tionary engineer  in  a  laundry  and  subsequently  removed  to  Olympia,  Washington, 
where  he  established  himself  in  the  laundry  business.  In  1913  he  went  to  Roy, 
Idaho,  where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  farming. 

C.  S.  Crews  was  educated  in  the  public  schols  of  Walla  Walla,  having  been 
brought  to  the  west  during  his  early  boyhood  days.  The  spirit  of  western  en- 
terprise and  progress  has  always  been  a  dominant  factor  in  his  career.  From 
an  early  age  he  has  been  dependent  upon  his  own  resources  and  whatever  success 
he  has  achieved  is  the  direct  reward  of  his  labors.  As  a  boy  he  worked  in  a 
livery  stable  for  a  wage  of  twenty-five  cents  per  day.  Subsequently  he  was 
employed  in  a  laundry  at  fifty  cents  per  day  and  later  he  secured  the  position 
of  cashier  in  the  mercantile  house  of  the  Schwabacher  Company.  He  was  en- 
dowed by  nature  with  musical  talent  and  during  these  years  he  became  identified 
with  the  Walla  Walla  Band  as  drummer  and  in  the  years  following  he  accumulated 
musical  instruments  to  the  value  of  about  a  thousand  dollars.  These  included 
xylophones,  saxophones,  aluminum  chimes,  bamboo  chimes,  marimbaphones  and 
sonorophones.     In  fact  he  acquired  everything  in  the  musical  novelty  line.     The 


634  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

mercantile  company  with  which  he  was  employed  refusing  to  allow  him  vaca- 
tions in  order  to  attend  to  his  band  duties,  he  accordingly  resigned  and  later 
took  up  a  position  with  the  Mottee-Wheeler  Company  as  credit  man,  continuing 
his  musical  work.  In  1903  and  1904  he  toured  the  country  on  the  vaudeville 
circuit  as  a  novelty  musical  artist  with  pleasing  success.  He  then  returned  to 
Walla  Walla  and  again  entered  the  employ  of  the  Mottee-Wheeler  Company. 
The  moving  picture  business  became  a  feature  of  entertainment  and  Mr.  Crews 
associated  himself  therewith,  opening  up  a  moving  picture  house  in  a  modest  way, 
and  from  this  small  start  was  developed  what  is  now  the  Strand,  the  Arcade  and 
the  Liberty,  all  of  which  Mr.  Crews  established,  but  in  October,  1916,  he  sold 
the  Strand  and  the  Arcade  and  now  operates  only  the  Liberty,  where  he  puts 
forth  nothing  but  the  highest  class  pictures  and  also  gives  a  vaudeville  show  of 
equal  worth.  In  the  days  of  the  Western  Tri-State  Baseball  League,  of  which 
he  was  one  of  the  organizers,  he  was  the  vice  president  and  the  secretary.  He  is 
thus  well  known  in  sporting  as  well  as  in  entertainment  circles. 

In  April,  1906,  Mr.  Crews  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Connors,  of 
Walla  Walla,  and  to  them  have  been  born  three  sons  and  three  daughters,  known 
as  the  Golden  Stairway,  all  being  of  blond  complexion  with  golden  hair,  while 
Mr.  Crews  has  black  hair.  The  children  are  Naomi,  Norma,  Francis,  Mignon, 
Clarence  E.  and  John.  Mrs.  Crews  is  gifted  musically,  being  a  graduate  in 
music  of  St.  Vincent's  Academy,  and  she  possesses  notable  skill  in  piano  playing. 

Mr.  Crews  belongs  to  Walla  Walla  Lodge,  No.  287,  B.  P.  O.  E.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Loyal  Order  of  Moose  and  of  the  Knights  of  Columbus.  He 
likewise  belongs  to  the  Turkey  Reds,  an  organization  comprising  the  most  pro- 
gressive men  of  the  Commercial  Club,  and  his  religious  faith  is  that  of  the  Catho- 
lic church. 


PETER  R.  WELLER. 


Peter  R.  Weller,  who  is  devoting  his  time  and  attention  mainly  to  stock 
raising  under  the  name  of  the  Weller  Live  Stock  Company,  resides  on  an  excellent 
tract  of  land  on  section  22,  township  13  north,  range  40  east,  Garfield  county. 
He  was  born  in  Livingston  county,  New  York,  September  i,  1862,  and  is  a  son 
of  Andrew  J.  and  Mary  (Huff)  Weller.  The  father  was  also  a  native  of  New 
York,  while  the  mother  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  but  both  passed  away  in  the 
Empire  state.  Two  of  their  four  children  are  now  living,  the  one  besides  our 
subject  being  Mrs.  Jennie  Folnsbe.  a  resident  of  Garfield  county,  Washington. 

Peter  R.  Weller  was  reared  in  his  native  state  and  there  obtained  a  common 
school  education.  When  twenty-one  years  old  he  crossed  the  continent  to 
Garfield  county,  Washington,  and  here  turned  his  attention  to  farming.  At 
length,  however,  he  decided  that  stock  raising  offered  better  opportunities  and 
since  1900  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  stock  business  under  the  name  of  Weller 
Live  Stock  Company,  which  owns  10,600  acres  of  land  which  provides  abundant 
pasture  and  from  which  large  crops  of  alfalfa  hay  are  harvested.  The  company 
now  has  about  five  thousand  head  of  sheep  and  two  hundred  head  of  cattle  and 
it  ranks  as  a  leader  in  stock  raising  circles.     Mr.  Weller  gives  careful  personal 


PETER  R.  WELLEE 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  637 

attention  to  the  management  of  the  company's  interests  and  is  a  careful  student  of 
all  the  problems  connected  with  the  raising  of  stock. 

He  supports  the  republican  party  at  the  polls  and  has  been  a  member  of  the 
school  board  but  has  not  held  other  office.  He  is  identified  with  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  and  in  his  life  has  exemplified  the  benefit  spirit  of  the  order.  Through 
his  membership  in  the  Live  Stock  Association  he  comes  in  touch  with  other  men 
engaged  in  that  line  of  business  and  finds  the  exchange  of  experiences  and  ideas 
of  great  value.  He  has  found  the  Pacific  northwest  a  land  of  opportunity  and  as 
his  salient  characteristics  are  enterprise  and  the  ability  to  distinguish  between 
the  essential  and  the  nonessential  in  a  situation  he  has  been  able  to  take  advantage 
of  the  opportunities  here  offered  and  is  now  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Garfield 
county. 


NICHOLAS  S.  SULLIVAN. 

Nicholas  S.  Sullivan,  manager  of  and  partner  in  the  business  conducted 
under  the  nSme  of  the  Whitehouse  Clothing  Company  in  Walla  Walla,  is  thus 
active  in  control  of  one  of  the  leading  enterprises  of  this  kind  in  the  city.  Alert 
and  energetic,  his  purposes  are  well  defined  and  are  carried  forward  to  suc- 
cessful completion.  .■  .■  . .   ■■■,  -  v,    •  ■ :  ' 

He  was  bom  in  Marysville,  California,  ApriJ-.j,  -iSt^j, a. son  of  John  E.  and 
Jane  (Richardson)  Sullivan.  The  father  was  born  in  Ireland  and  the  mother  in 
East  India  and  both  have  now  passed  away.  The  "fbrrner  .'was  a  civil  engineer, 
following  that  profession  throughout  his  entire  carcet'.'"  The  family  numbered 
eight  children,  two  sons  and  six  daughters,  but  only  three  of  the  number  are  now 
living. 

Nicholas  S.  Sullivan  was  educated  in  the  La  Salle  school,  a  parochial  school 
of  .Walla  Walla,  and  also  in  the  public  schools.  His  father  removed  with  the 
family  to  Walla  Walla  county  about  the  year  1884,  when  the  son  was  a  youth 
of  twelve  years.  He  made  his  initial  step  in  the  business  world  as  a  cash  boy 
in  the  dry  goods  and  clothing  store  of  Doheny  &  Marum.  When  his  employers 
sold  out  he  became  a  clerk  in  the  service  of  Al  Goldman,  who  was  proprietor 
of  a  clothing  store,  and  with  him  remained  for  about  twelve  years.  He  then 
became  connected  with  R.  E.  Guichard,  owner  of  the  Whitehouse  clothing  store, 
with  whom  he  acted  as  assistant  manager  during  Mr.  Guichard's  life.  Before 
his  demise  he  purchased  stock  in  the  business  and  upon  the  death  of  the  senior 
partner  took  over  the  management  of  the  store  and  has  since  been  active  in  its 
control.  The  company  carries  a  large  and  carefully  selected  stock  of  men's 
clothing  and  furnishings  and  their  business  has  reached  a  gratifying  figure.  They 
put  forth  the  most  earnest  efforts  to  please  their  customers,  recognizing  ever 
that  satisfied  patrons  are  the  best  advertisement.  Their  business  methods  are  such 
as  will  bear  the  closest  investigation  and  scrutiny,  and  energy,  enterprise  and 
integrity  have  gained  Mr.  Sullivan  a  place  among  the  leading  merchants  of  Walla 
Walla. 

On  the  i6th  of  October,  1905,  Mr.  Sullivan  was  married  to  Miss  Flora 
Hobkirk,  of  Portland,  Oregon,  her  parents  being  Peter  and  Maria  Hobkirk,  the 


638  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

former  a  pioneer  contractor  of  Portland.    Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sullivan  have  one  son, 
Nicholas  Peter,  born  September  15,  1906. 

The  parents  hold  membership  in  the  Catholic  church  and  Mr.  Sullivan  is 
identified  with  the  Knights  of  Columbus  and  the  Benevolent  Protective  Order 
of  Elks.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Commercial  Club  and  he  gives  his  political 
allegiance  to  the  democratic  party  but  has  never  sought  or  desired  office,  pre- 
ferring to  concentrate  his  time,  energies  and  attention  upon  his  business  affairs. 
He  is  not  remiss  in  the  duties  of  citizenship,  however,  and  his  cooperation  can 
be  counted  upon  to  further  every  plan  and  measure  for  the  general  good.  He 
has  many  sterling  traits  of  character  and  his  pronounced  qualities  have  won 
for  him  personal  popularity. 


JOHN   N.   THOMPSON. 

John  N.  Thompson  became  a  resident  of  what  is  now  Columbia  county  in  the 
early  days  of  its  settlement  and  went  through  all  the  unpleasant  experiences  of 
pioneer  life  but  also  had  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  he  was»a  factor  in 
bringing  about  the  transformation  that  has  made  this  county  the  rival  of  the  older 
localities  in  the  east  in  all  that  pertains  to  the  highest  type  of  civilization.  He  was 
quick  to  recognize  the  unequalled  opportunities  offered  in  the  unclaimed  frontier 
land  of  the  Walla  Walla  valley,  and  from  time. to  time  added  to  his  holdings, 
becoming  eventually  the  owner  of  three- tlTbusand  acres,  of  which  more  than  nine 
hundred  acres  is  excellently  adapted  to  the  raising  of  wheat.  He  accomplished 
much  during  his  long  and  busy  life,  and  his  demise  was  recognized  as  a  loss  to 
his  community. 

Mr.  Thompson  was  born  December  20,  1836,  in  New  York  state,  and  was  a 
son  of  Elisha  D.  and  Anne  Thompson,  the  former  born  in  New  Hampshire  and 
the  latter  in  Massachusetts.  At  length  the  family  removed  to  Wisconsin  and 
there  the  parents  resided  until  called  by  death.  To  them  were  born  ten  children, 
of  whom  only  one  survives. 

John  N.  Thompson  grew  to  manhood  in  the  Badger  state,  and  his  education 
was  that  afforded  by  its  public  schools.  In  i860  he  decided  to  try  his  fortune  in 
the  west  and  for  some  time  engaged  in  gold  mining  in  Colorado.  Later  he  re- 
moved to  Oregon,  whence  he  came  to  Old  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington, 
homesteading  land  in  what  is  now  Columbia  county.  He  at  once  began  the  im- 
provement of  his  place  and  his  labors  proved  so  profitable  financially  that  he  was 
able  to  purchase  more  and  more  land,  holding  title  at  his  death  to  three  thousand 
acres.  He  engaged  in  both  wheat  and  stock  raising,  nine  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  his  holdings  being  wheat  land,  and  about  two  thousand  acres  comprising 
a  stock  farm.  The  management  of  his  extensive  interests  required  marked 
executive  ability  as  well  as  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  best  methods  of  cultivat- 
ing the  fields  and  caring  for  the  stock,  but  he  proved  more  than  equal  to  all  the 
demands  made  upon  him  and  was  thoroughly  businesslike  in  the  direction  of  his 
affairs. 

Mr.  Thompson  was  married  in  Oregon,  November  8,  1871,  to  Miss  Viola  A. 
F.astham,  a  native  of  Oregon  and  a  daughter  of  William  F.  and  Delilah  (Clever) 


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OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  643 

Eastham.  Her  father  was  born  in  West  Virginia  and  her  mother  in  Illinois,  in 
which  state  their  marriage  occurred.  In  1848  they  made  the  long  journey  across 
the  plains  by  wagon  train,  that  being  the  only  means  of  travel,  and  Mr.  Eastham 
took  up  a  donation  claim  of  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  near  Salem,  Oregon. 
Their  first  residence  in  the  west  was  a  log  cabin  and  their  life  was  that  common 
to  pioneers,  characterized  by  hard  work  and  self-denial.  They  were  not  dis- 
couraged, however,  and  in  time  were  rewarded  by  prosperity.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Eastham  passed  away  in  Oregon,  and  six  of  their  fourteen  children  are  also 
deceased.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson  were  born  four  children:  Myrtle  A., 
who  died  when  three  years  old ;  Roy  Eastham,  who  died  at  the  age  of  five  years  ; 
Leo  John,  a  well  known  stock  man  of  Columbia  county,  who  is  married  and  has 
two  children,  Roy  B.  and  Helen  A.;  and  Helen  Viola,  a  graduate  of  Pullman 
College  and  the  wife  of  Irving  F.  Laucks,  of  Seattle,  by  whom  she  has  a  daughter, 
Helen  V. 

Mr.  Thompson  was  a  stalwart  republican  and  was  an  active  party  worker, 
doing  all  in  his  power  to  secure  the  success  of  the  republican  candidates.  He 
had  a  wide  acquaintance  throughout  Columbia  county  and  had  many  friends  to 
mourn  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1910.  His  remains  were  interred  in  Dayton 
cemetery. 


THOMAS  B.  McKEmNAiJ.^^^'-'''  l 

Thomas  B.  McKeirnan  was  well  known  as  'Si  exte«sfvg;jarmer  of  Garfield 
county,  Washington,  and  his  death,  whicli.;occurred"at'  a  comparatively  early  age, 
was  recognized  as  a  loss  to  the  community  as  well  as  to  his  friends.  He  was  born 
in  Pennsylvania,  March  29,  1874,  a  son  of  Michael  and  Mary  (Donnelly) 
McKeirnan,  the  former  bom  in  Ireland  and  the  latter  in  Pennsylvania.  The 
parents  were  married  in  the  Keystone  state  and  resided  there  until  1884,  when 
they  made  their  way  to  Garfield  county,  Washington,  and  located  upon  a  farm, 
which  remained  their  home  until  they  retired  from  active  life  and  removed  to 
Pomeroy,  where  they  still  live.  To  them  were  born  six  children,  of  whom  three 
survive. 

Thomas  B.  McKeirnan  was  about  ten  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  the  re- 
moval of  the  family  to  the  west  and  the  greater  part  of  his  education  was 
acquired  in  the  public  schools  of  Garfield  county.  He  was  reared  to  farm  work 
and  on  starting  out  upon  his  independent  career  continued  to  follow  agricultural 
pursuits.  He  prospered  and  as  the  years  passed  added  to  his  holdings,  owning 
at  the  time  of  his  death  eleven  hundred  acres,  which  is  still  in  possession  of  his 
widow.  He  was  systematic,  practical  and  progressive  in  carrying  on  his  work 
and  the  success  that  came  to  him  was  but  the  natural  result  of  his  industry  and 
good  management. 

Mr.  McKeirnan  was  married  in  1897  to  Miss  Hattie  Edwards,  who  was  born 
in  western  Oregon,  a  daughter  of  Orlando  and  Ella  (Ritz)  Edwards,  both  natives 
of  Oregon  and  representatives  of  two  of  the  earliest  families  of  that  state.  Both 
survive  and  their  six  children  are  also  living.  Mrs.  McKeirnan  is  a  graduate 
of  the  Walla  Walla  high  school  and  taught  for  two  terms  prior  to  her  marriage. 


644  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

She  personally  manages  the  estate  and  possesses  an  unusual  degree  of  executive 
ability  and  sound  business  judgment.  She  owns  a  fine  residence  in  Pomeroy  and 
since  her  husband's  death  has  lived  in  town.  To  them  were,  bom  seven  children, 
namely:  Thomas  L.,  who  spent  five  years  at  Gonzaga  University  in  Spokane  and 
is  now  at  Columbia  University  in  Portland  but  in  March,  1918,  expects  to  take 
the  examination  for  West  Point  Military  Academy  ;  Marie,  a  high  school  student ; 
Leland,  deceased ;  Frances  J.,  in  high  school ;  John  J. ;  William  R. ;  and  Alice  E. 
Mr.  McKeirnan  supported  the  candidates  of  the  democratic  party  at  the  polls 
but  was  not  otherwise  active  in  public  affairs,  preferring  to  devote  his  attention 
to  his  farming  interests.  He  passed  away  November  6,  1913,  and  was  laid  to 
rest  in  the  Catholic  cemetery.  His  salient  characteristics  were  such  as  invariably 
command  respect  and  regard  and  he  won  many  friends  who  still  cherish  his 
memory. 


KRISTIAN  FALKENBERG. 

There  are  many  chapters  of  unusual  interest  in  the  life  record  of  Kristian 
Falkenberg  although  he  is  now  quietly  engaged  in  commercial  pursuits,  being 
recognized  as  the  leading  jeweler  of  Walla  Walla  and  one  of  the  city's  most 
progressive  business  men. 

He  was  born  in  Norway  on  the  i6th  of  August,  1872,  where  he  lived  until 
a  young  man  of  twenty,  having  graduated  from  high  school  and  completed  his 
apprenticeship  as  a  watchmaker  with  Frederick  August  Michelet,  the  leading 
chronometer  and  watchmaker  of  Norway.  At  this  time  Mr.  Falkenberg  decided 
to  come  to  the  United  States,  choosing  Chicago  as  his  destination,  and  there  he 
lived  for  nearly  five  years.  In  1897  he  went  to  Alaska,  leaving  on  the  15th  of 
September  with  the  second  party  that  left  Chicago  for  the  gold  fields.  They 
went  by  way  of  Edmonton  and  the  Mackenzie  river,  which  was  the  all  Canadian 
route.  It  required  twenty-two  months  to  make  the  trip,  on  which  they  were 
engaged  in  hunting  and  pros])ecting.  There  were  three  who  started  together  but 
only  two  of  them  reached  their  destination.  They  arrived  in  Dawson  on  the 
8th  of  July,  1899,  after  having  made  nine  hundred  miles  of  their  journey  on  foot 
through  the  wilderness,  carrying  from  eighty-five  to  one  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds  on  their  backs  and  in  winter  time  pulling  as  high  as  five  hundred  pounds 
each  on  a  sled.  During  the  latter  part  of  the  journey  their  supply  of  provisions 
became  exhausted  and  they  lived  on  decayed  vegetables  and  lynx  meat,  shooting 
lynx  from  time  to  time  as  needed.  From  the  time  Mr.  Falkenberg  left  Chicago 
until  his  return,  a  period  of  four  years  and  six  weeks,  he  kept  a  daily  record  of 
his  journey.  He  left  Dawson  for  Rampart  City  on  the  Yukon  in  company  with 
a  manufacturing  jeweler  from  Dawson  and  they  engaged  in  the  jewelry  business 
in  Rampart.  In  1900  they  followed  the  rush  to  Nome  and  were  engaged  in  the 
jewelry  business  at  St.  Michael.  In  November,  1901,  Mr.  Falkenberg  returned 
to  Chicago  for  a  visit,  but  in  the  spring  of  1902  he  again  went  to  St.  Michael, 
where  he  reopened  his  store.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  returned  to  Rampart 
City,  where  he  conducted  a  jewelry  business  until  1905,  when  he  again  made  his 
way  to  Chicago.     He  was  not   satisfied  with  life  in  that  section  of  the  coun- 


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OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  647 

try,  however,  after  having  been  for  so  long  a  period  in  the  west  with  its  bound- 
less opportunities  and  spirit  of  undaunted  enterprise,  so  after  two  weeks 
spent  in  the  Illinois  metropolis  he  again  turned  his  face  toward  the  west.  He 
arrived  in  Walla  Walla  on  the  loth  of  October  and  after  deciding  to  remain 
here  opened  a  jewelry  house  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Main  streets,  on  what 
is  known  as  the  Dacres  Hotel  comer.  Ten  months  later  he  removed  to  No.  42 
East  Main  street,  his  present  location.  Here  he  has  built  up  an  extensive  busi- 
ness and  he  has  one  of  the  most  attractive  and  modern  jewelry  houses  of  the 
state.  He  carries  a  large  and  well  selected  line  of  goods  of  domestic  and  foreign 
manufacture,  and,  in  fact,  everything  to  be  found  in  the  jewelry  trade  can  be 
had  in  this  establishment.  Practically  his  entire  life  has  been  devoted  to  this  line 
of  business,  with  which  he  is  thoroughly  familiar,  and  his  progressive  methods 
are  manifest  in  the  substantial  patronage  accorded  him. 

On  the  31st  of  December,  1908,  Mr.  Falkenberg  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Grace  Young,  of  Chicago,  who  came  to  Walla  Walla  on  the  4th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1907,  to  teach  vocal  music  in  the  St.  Paul's  School  for  Girls.  To  this  mar- 
riage have  been  born  two  children,  Karen  and  Wendell. 

Mr.  Falkenberg  is  an  active  thirty-second  degree  Mason,  a  Knight  Templar 
and  Shriner  and  also  a  member  of  the  Elks  and  Odd  Fellows.  He  is  a  life 
memeber  and  past  arctic  chief  of  Camp  Rampart,  No.  15,  of  the  Arctic  Brother- 
hood, which  numbers  among  its  members  Senators  Knute  Nelson,  William  P. 
Dillingham,  James  E.  Burnham  and  Mr.  "Ramsdell,  Sergeant-at-arms.  These 
men  have  all  had  Alaskan  experience  and^are  bound  together  in  ties  of  memory 
and  comradeship  that  have  to  do  with  their  sojourn  in  that  country.  Mr.  Falk- 
enberg is  also  a  member  of  the  Commercial  Club  and  is  serving  on  its  board  of 
directors.  He  has  membership  in  the  Washington  State  Jewelers'  Association, 
which  has  honored  him  with  election  to  the  presidency,  in  which  capacity  he  has 
been  serving  for  two  years.  He  is  also  on  the  membership  committee  of  the 
American  National  Jewelers'  Association,  a  fact  which  is  indicative  of  his  high 
standing  among  his  business  associates. 

In  his  life  history  are  many  interesting  chapters  and  when  he  can  be  induced 
to  talk  of  the  past  Mr.  Falkenberg  tells  many  a  thrilling  tale  of  life  in  the  far 
north.  The  west  with  its  opportunities  for  advancement  made  strong  appeal  to 
him  and  he  possesses  that  character  that  is  ever  ready  to  cope  with  new  condi- 
tions and  mold  them  to  his  own  ends.  His  course  as  a  representative  business 
man  has  been  characterized  by  all  those  qualities  which  men  in  every  clime  and 
country  respect.  His  sterling  worth  is  widely  acknowledged  and  he  has  the 
confidence  and  goodwill  of  all  with  whom  he  has  been  associated. 


FRANCIS  M.  STUBBLEFIELD. 

Francis  M.  Stubblefield,  deceased,  was  a  well  known  farmer  and  during  his 
residence  here  gained  many  friends,  who  deeply  regretted  his  demise.  He  was 
born  in  Arkansas,  May  7,  1833,  and  received  his  education  and  grew  to  man- 
hood in  that  state.  There  he  continued  until  i860,  when  he  crossed  the  plains 
to  Oregon,  locating  in  that  state  ten  miles  southeast  of  Walla  Walla,  on  Cotton- 


648  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

wood  creek.  He  devoted  his  time  to  fanning  and  stock  raising  until  his  death 
;uid  his  industry  and  good  management  enabled  him  to  gain  a  competence. 

In  1874  Mr.  Stubbletield  was  united  in  marriage  to  Aliss  Adaline  Huckaby, 
a  daughter  of  Berryman  and  Sarah  E.  (AliltonJ  Huckaby,  both  of  whom  were 
born  in  North  Carolina  but  removed  to  Missouri,  whence  in  i860  they  made 
the  long  journey  across  the  plains  by  ox  team.  For  three  years  they  resided 
on  a  farm  in  southern  Oregon  and  then  removed  to  California,  where  they  lived 
until  1872.  In  that  year  they  took  up  their  residence  near  Colfax,  in  the  Palouse 
country,  in  Washington,  and  there  both  passed  away.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stubble- 
field  were  born  eleven  children,  namely :  Joseph,  Lee,  Mary  and  Hattie,  all  of 
whom  are  deceased;  Francis  M.,  who  is  living  on  the  old  homestead  in  Oregon; 
Sarah  and  John,  both  deceased;  Clara  M.,  at  home;  Ida,  the  wife  of  Robert  C. 
Still,  of  Oregon;  Thomas  Earl,  deceased;  and  Laura  Myrtle,  who  is  a  graduate 
of  the  Bellingham  State  Normal  School  and  is  now  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools 
at  Doty,  Washington. 

Mr.  Stubbletield  endorsed  the  principles  of  the  democratic  party  but  confined 
his  political  activity  to  the  exercise  of  his  right  of  franchise.  He  passed  away  on 
August  7,  1893,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  Salem  cemetery.  He  was  a  man  of  fine 
character  and  was  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him.  Mrs.  Stubblefield 
still  owns  one  hundred  and  ninety-eight  acres  of  finely  improved  wheat  land 
and  also  her  residence  in  Walla  Walla. 


H.  P.  BRUCH. 


H.  P.  Bruch,  a  retired  farmer  living  in  Waitsburg,  where  he  is  well  and 
favorably  known,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  February  18,  1844,  a  son  of  John 
and  Mary  A.  (Hinkle)  Bruch,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  the  Keystone  state. 
In  1855  the  family  removed  to  Hardin  county,  Iowa,  where  the  father  engaged 
in  farming  until  he  was  killed  by  lightning  in  1856.  The  mother  removed  to 
Nebraska,  and  died  there  at  the  advance  age  of  ninety-six  years. 

H.  P.  Bruch,  who  is  one  of  two  living  children  of  a  family  of  seven,  was 
reaped  in  Iowa  and  attended  the  public  schools  in  the  acquirement  of  his  educa- 
tion. In  1862  he  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Eighth  Alinnesota  Volunteer  Infantry, 
and  served  at  the  front  for  three  years,  thus  assisting  in  the  preservation  of  the 
LTnion.  He  was  in  a  number  of  hard  fought  battles  but  escaped  injury  and 
remained  with  his  command  until  mustered  out  in  North  Carolina.  He  then 
returned  to  Iowa  and  rented  a  farm  in  Hardin  county.  He  remained  a  resident 
of  that  county  until  1881,  when  he  came  to  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington, 
and  took  up  a  homestead  eleven  miles  north  of  Prescott.  For  eighteen  years 
his  time  and  attention  were  given  to  the  operation  of  this  place  and  his  ability 
as  a  farmer  was  proven  by  the  large  crops  which  he  annually  harvested.  At 
length  he  sold  that  place  and  removed  to  Waitsburg,  where  he  owns  seven  acres 
of  land  as  well  as  residence  properties  which  he  rents.  His  own  home  is  com- 
modious and  up-to-date  in  its  appointments,  and  he  is  enjoying  all  the  comforts 
of  life. 

On  December  31,   1868,  Mr.  Bruch  was  married  to  Miss  Lydia  A.  Brown, 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  649 

who  was  born  in  Indiana,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Sarah  (Starbuck) 
Brown,  also  Hoosiers  by  birth.  On  leaving  their  native  state  they  removed  to 
Madison  county,  Iowa,  whence  they  later  went  to  Warren  county,  Iowa,  which 
they  left  to  take  up  their  abode  in  Guthrie  Center.  There  both  passed  away. 
Nine  of  their  ten  children  still  survive.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bruch  have  been  born 
six  children,  namely:  Cora  B.,  the  widow  of  Arthur  Merry;  Luvene  E.,  engaged 
in  the  laundry  business  in  Ritzville,  Washington ;  Bessie  M.,  who  is  the  wife  of 
George  Smith,  a  resident  of  British  Columbia;  Harry  A.;  and  Sarah  B.  and 
Jacob,  twins,  both  at  home. 

Mr.  Bruch  is  a  Alethodist  in  religious  faith  and  is  loyal  in  the  support  of  the 
activities  of  that  church.  His  political  allegiance  is  given  to  the  republican 
party  and  he  has  served  with  credit  on  the  school  board  and  as  road  supervisor. 
He  finds  great  pleasure  in  recalling  his  services  in  the  Civil  war  and  is  a  member 
of  Burnside  Post,  No.  40,  G.  A.  R.,  thus  keeping  in  touch  with  other  veterans  of 
that  struggle.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Patriotic  Sons  of  America.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  highly  esteemed,  their  salient  qualities  being  such  as  never  fail  to 
command  respect. 


L.  B.  BURROUGHS. 


L.  B.  Burroughs,  proprietor  of  the  Sheet  Metal  Works,  one  of  the  principal 
industries  of  Walla  Walla,  was  born  in  Pontiac,  Michigan,  October  7,  1864,  a  son 
of  William  P.  and  Elizabeth  A.  (AUshouse)  Burroughs,  natives  respectively  of 
Pennsylvania  and  of  New  Jersey.  A  short  time  after  their  marriage  in  New- 
York  city  they  removed  to  Pontiac  and  thence  in  1878  went  to  Detroit,  Michigan. 
The  mother  still  makes  her  home  there  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years  and  is  in 
vigorous  health.  The  father  died  April  18,  191 1.  He  was  a  successful  clothing 
merchant  and  was  an  important  factor  in  the  commercial  life  of  Pontiac,  Michigan. 

L.  B.  Burroughs  received  his  education  in  the  graded  school  and  in  the  high 
school  of  Detroit,  which  he  attended  until  his  seventeenth  year,  when  he  went 
to  work  as  a  clerk  in  a  hardware  store  in  Detroit.  Four  years  later  he  removed 
to  Ypsilanti  and  for  three  years  he  remained  in  that  city  but  subsequently  went 
to  Montana,  where  he  spent  six  years.  His  next  removal  was  to  Portland, 
Oregon,  and  he  maintained  his  residence  there  until  1900,  when  he  came  to 
Walla  Walla.  For  a  decade  he  was  employed  by  the  Drumheller  Company,  but 
in  1910  he  established  the  Sheet  Metal  Works,  which  in  the  intervening  period 
has  developed  into  an  important  concern.  It  manufactures  practically  all  lines 
of  sheet  metal  goods  pertaining  to  the  building  trades,  including  cornices,  sky- 
lights and  hot  air  furnaces.  Gradually  new  territory  has  been  covered  until  the 
concern  now  sells  over  practically  the  entire  Inland  Empire,  and  its  reputation 
for  excellent  materials  and  high  class  workmanship  is  well  established.  The 
success  of  the  business  is  attributable  mainly  to  the  energy,  the  business  experi- 
ence and  the  high  standards  of  its  founder,  Mr.  Burroughs. 

On  the  i8th  of  September,  1906,  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Burroughs 
and  Miss  Angeline  Sheldon.  Her  parents,  Alonzo  C.  F.  and  Dell  C.  Sheldon, 
are  residents  of  Walla  Walla  county,  where  the  father  is  engaged  in  farming. 


650  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

Mr.  and   Airs.   lUirroughs  have   five  children,  namely,   William   S..  Frances  E., 
John  B.,  Robert  L.  and  Jane. 

Mr.  Burroughs  supports  the  republican  party  by  his  vote  but  has  never  been 
an  office  seeker.  His  fraternal  connection  is  with  Walla  Walla  Lodge,  No. 
287,  B.  P.  O.  E.  He  belongs  to  the  Walla  Walla  Commercial  Club  and  is 
enthusiastic  in  his  advocacy  of  the  various  measures  instituted  by  that  body  for 
the  upbuilding  of  his  city.  During  the  seventeen  years  that  he  has  been  a 
resident  of  Walla  Walla  he  has  gained  a  place  among  the  leading  men  of  the 
town  and  his  worth  is  generally  recognized. 


MORRIS  A.  WOODS. 


Morris  A.  Woods,  who  is  farming  on  section  2t,  township  9  north,  range  37 
east,  Walla  Walla  county,  has  never  had  occasion  to  regret  his  choice  of  an 
occupation  for  he  has  found  the  work  of  an  agriculturist  both  congenial  and 
])rofitable.  His  birth  occurred  in  Chippewa  county,  Alinnesota,  January  26,  1S72, 
and  he  is  a  son  of  Joel  and  \'iola  M.  { Hull)  Woods,  the  former  a  native  of  New 
York  and  the  latter  of  Wisconsin.  In  early  manhood  the  father  went  to 
Menominee,  Wisconsin,  and  there  their  marriage  occurred  March  9,  1870,  but 
they  removed  at  once  to  Chippewa  county,  Minnesota.  In  1876  they  came  by 
horse  team  to  the  Pacific  coast,  locating  in  Grande  Ronde  valley,  near  Summer- 
ville,  Oregon.  Fou-  vears  later  removal  was  made  to  Spring  valley  in  Walla 
Walla  county,  Washington,  where  the  winter  of  1880-81  was  spent.  The  next 
spring,  however,  the  family  removed  to  the  Touchet  valley,  and  in  1S82  Mr. 
Woods  took  up  a  homestead  and  a  timber  claim  a  mile  northeast  of  Pleasant 
View.  He  proved  up  upon  his  land  and  then  sold  it,  removing  with  his  family 
one  and  a  half  miles  west  of  Waitsburg  on  the  Touchet  river.  This  place 
remained  his  residence  until  his  death,  which  occurred  March  i,  1910.  As  the 
years  passed,  however,  he  had  greatly  added  to  his  holdings  and  became  the 
owner  of  3,700  acres  of  rich  and  valuable  wheat  land.  His  extensive  farming 
operations  were  conducted  in  a  systematic  and  businesslike  manner,  and  he 
received  a  large  income  from  his  lands.  Mrs.  Woods  survives  and  still  li\es  on 
the  old  homestead. 

Morris  A.  Woods  began  his  education  in  the  district  schools  and  was  later  a 
student  in  the  Waitsburg  schools.  This  was  supplemented  by  thorough  training 
in  the  work  of  the  farm  gained  under  the  direction  of  his  father.  On  reaching 
mature  years  his  father  took  him  into  partnership  and  they  farmed  together 
until  1905.  Mr.  Woods  of  this  review  was  married  in  January,  1906,  and 
removed  with  his  bride  to  his  present  home  farm,  which  he  had  previously 
acquired.  His  place  comprises  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  as  fine  wheat  land 
as  can  be  found  in  the  northwest,  and  he  annually  harvests  large  crops  of  grain 
of  the  first  quality.  He  has  not  only  won  financial  independence  but  he  has  also 
been  a  factor  in  the  development  of  \\'alla  Walla  county  as  a  great  wheat  region, 
giving  the  closest  study  to  the  problem  of  increasing  production.  He  is  a  stock- 
holder in  the  Exchange  Bank  of  Waitsburg. 

Mr.  U'oods  was  married  January  10.  1906.  to  Miss  Olive  Parker,  a  daughter 


MORRIS  A.  WOODS 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  653 

of  the  late  James  Parker,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  county.  Her  father 
was  born  in  Virginia  and  in  early  manhood  was  married  at  Minonk,  Illinois,  to 
Miss  Achsah  L.  Bruce,  a  native  of  Indiana.  He  not  only  followed  farming  but 
also  worked  at  the  cabinet  maker's  trade  and  engaged  in  contracting.  It  was 
in  1876  that  he  came  to  Washington  and  bought  a  tract  of  land  adjoining  the 
city  limits  of  Waitsburg  on  the  northwest.  In  1884,  however,  he  returned  to 
Lincoln  county,  Washington,  where  he  followed  farming  and  stock  raising  until 
1S92,  when  he  retired  from  active  life  and  removed  to  Waitsburg,  where  his 
death  occurred  February  7,  1903.  His  wife  survived  him  for  five  years,  passing 
away  February  19,  1908.  Both  were  consistent  members  of  the  Christian  church 
and  he  was  a  democrat  in  politics.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Woods  has  been  born  a 
daughter,  Mildred  Ernestine. 

Mr.  Woods  gives  his  political  indorsement  to  the  republican  party  but  has 
never  sought  office,  his  farming  interests  leaving  him  little  time  for  outside 
activities.  He  is  connected  wth  Delta  Lodge,  No.  70,  K.  P.  and  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  the 
Christian  church.  In  his  business  dealings,  as  well  as  in  the  private  relations 
of  life,  he  has  guided  his  course  by  the  highest  ethical  standards,  and  his 
uncompromising  integrity  and  keen  sense  of  justice  have  made  him  highly 
respected  wherever  known.  His  success  has  been  based  upon  the  sure  foundation 
of  hard  work,  careful  management  and  a  progressive  spirit,  and  the  place  which 
he  occupies  in  agricultural  circles  as  an  up-to-d^ie^and  sueqessful  farmer  is  fully 
merited.  ''•.■;•:■■■    •  :  ■;"■'' 


MAJOR  JOHN  CARR. 


Major  John  Carr  is  now  living  retired  in  Dayton  but  in  former  years  was  an 
active  factor  in  industrial  circles,  being  connected  with  building  operations  and 
with  the  lumber  and  planing  mill  business. 

Wisconsin  numbers  him  among  her  native  sons,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  that  state  January  2,  1852,  his  parents  being  Nicholas  and  Anna  Carr.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Wisconsin  and  after  his  text- 
books were  put  aside  learned  the  carpenter's  and  builder's  trade,  which  he  fol- 
lowed for  a  considerable  period.  Eventually  he  branched  out  into  other  lines 
and  became  identified  with  the  operation  of  a  lumber  and  planing  mill.  He  has 
been  a  resident  of  Washington  since  1877  and  conducted  business  at  Dayton 
for  several  years.  Untiring  industry  and  perseverance  constituted  important 
factors  in  his  growing  success  and  as  the  years  passed  on  he  acquired  a  sub- 
stantial competence  which  now  enables  him  to  live  retired  and  enjoy  all  of  the 
comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 

In  1872,  in  Oconomowoc,  Wisconsin,  Major  Carr  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Anna  Nims,  a  daughter  of  Loyal  and  Sylvia  Nims.  They  have  become 
parents  of  three  children:  Flora,  who  died  in  childhood;  Lolo,  the  wife  of 
Fred  Harman;  and  Beulah,  the  wife  of  Byron  Matzger. 

Major  Carr's  military  record  is  an  interesting  one.  He  served  as  a  captain 
and  lieutenant  colonel  in  the  state  militia  for  many  years  and  was  made  a  major 


654  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

of  the  First  Washington  Regiment  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Spanish-American  war, 
thus  winning  the  title  by  which  he  is  known.  He  has  rendered  effective  service 
to  his  city  along  many  lines  of  development  and  progress,  has  served  for  seven 
years  as  school  director,  as  a  member  of  the  city  council  for  nine  years  and  was 
mayor  for  one  year.  Fraternally  he  is  well  known  as  a  Mason  and  has  attained, 
the  Knight  Templar  degree  of  the  York  Rite  and  the  thirty-second  degree  of  the 
Scottish  Rite,  while  with  the  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine  he  has  also  crossed 
the  sands  of  the  desert.  For  five  years  he  was  master  of  his  lodge,  was  also 
high  priest  of  the  Royal  Arch  chapter  for  a  year  and  has  held  various  other 
offices  in  the  Masonic  fraternity.  His  religious  faith  is  that  of  the  Episcopal 
church  and  its  teachings  have  guided  him  in  all  the  relations  of  life,  making 
him  a  man  whom  to  know  is  to  esteem  and  honor.  His  worth  is  widely  acknowl- 
edged in  citizenship,  in  business  circles  and  in  social  relations.  He  has  ever  been 
loyal  and  patriotic  in  his  devotion  to  his  country,  manifesting  his  allegiance  in 
military  aid  when  such  was  necessary  and  standing  at  all  times  for  those 
interests  and  projects  which  he  has  believed  to  be  of  worth  to  the  community, 
the  commonwealth  and  the  country. 


JAMES  W.  TAYLOR 


James  W.  Taylor,  who  is  farming  on  section  29.  township  9  north,  range  38 
east,  Walla  Walla  county,  has  never  had  occasion  to  regret  his  choice  of  an  occu- 
pation for  he  has  found  farming  both  profitable  and  congenial.  He  was  born 
in  Johnson  county,  Missouri,  January  20,  1873,  but  when  only  seven  years  old 
was  brought  by  his  parents  to  Walla  Walla  county,  where  he  grew  to  manhood 
and  received  his  education.  During  his  boyhood  and  youth  much  of  his  time  was 
given  to  assisting  his  father,  and  on  attaining  his  majority  he  and  his  two  brothers 
began  farming  in  partnership.  This  relation  was  continued  until  1905  and  they 
operated  one  thousand  acres  of  land.  James  W.  Taylor  then  withdrew  from  the 
firm  and  to  his  share  of  the  property  amounting  to  three  hundred  and  si.xty,  he  has 
added  until  he  now  owns  five  hundred  and  twenty-two  acres.  His  farm  is  finely 
improved  and  is  equipped  with  the  most  up-to-date  machinery.  The  land  is 
excellently  suited  to  the  cultivation  of  wheat  and  he  annually  harvests  large  crops. 
He  also  engages  in  stock  raising,  an  industry  that  has  flourished  in  Walla  Walla 
county  since  its  first  settlement.  He  is  likewise  a  stockholder  in  the  Exchange 
Bank  at  Waitsburg,  and  is  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  the  county. 

On  the  7th  day  of  October,  1896,  Mr.  Taylor  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Bonnie  Brockman,  a  native  of  Missouri,  who  in  1887,  accompanied  her  parents, 
William  J.  and  Emma  (Cox)  Brockman,  to  Washington.  The  father  has  passed 
away  but  the  mother  is  residing  in  Dayton.  Three  children  have  been  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor:  Herman  W.  and  Helen  U.,  both  of  whom  are  in  high 
school ;  and  Charles  Floyd. 

Mr.  Taylor  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  democratic  party  and  is  now 
serving  his  district  as  school  director.  He  is  a  member  of  Touchet  Lodge,  No. 
5,  L  O.  O.  F.,  at  Waitsburg,  in  which  he  has  filled  all  of  the  chairs,  and  he 
also  belongs  to  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.     He  and  his  wife  are 


JAMES  W.  TAYLOR  AND  FAMILY 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  657 

members  of  the  Rebekahs  and  belong  to  the  Christian  church.  In  carefully 
managing  his  farming  interests  he  has  not  only  won  prosperity  but  has  also  had 
a  part  in  the  development  of  Walla  Walla  county  along  agricultural  and  stock 
raising  lines. 


OTTO  LABUDDE. 


Otto  Labudde,  a  representative  agriculturist  residing  in  Walla  Walla,  was 
born  in  Germany  on  the  2d  of  September,  1861,  his  parents  being  Carl  and  Char- 
lotte (Ratzenburg)  Labudde,  both  of  whom  passed  away  in  that  country.  There 
he  attended  the  common  schools  in  the  acquirement  of  an  education  and  spent 
the  first  twenty-three  years  of  his  life.  In  1884  he  determined  to  try  his  fortune 
in  the  new  world  and  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States,  locating  in  Mil- 
waukee, Wisconsin,  where  for  three  years  he  worked  at  the  blacksmith's  trade, 
which  he  had  learned  in  his  native  land.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period,  in 
1887,  he  came  to  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington,  here  continuing  work  at  his 
trade  for  seven  or  eight  months.  The  railroad  was  at  that  time  being  built 
through  to  Eureka  and  Mr.  Labudde  therefore  erected  a  shop  at  Eureka  Junc- 
tion, conducting  business  there  for  four  or  five  years.  He  then  embarked  in 
merchandising  at  Eureka  and  was  made  postmaster  of  the  town,  ably  serving  in 
that  capacity  for  eight  years.  While  a  resident  of  Eureka  he  took  up  three 
quarter  sections  of  land,  using  his  homestead,. his.  preemption  and  his  timber 
culture  rights,  and  in  1897  he  removed  to  the  ranch  and.  turned  his  attention  to 
the  jtock  business.  Two  years  later  he  rented  the  property  and  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  city  of  Walla  Walla,  where  he  has  since  remained.  He  had  pur- 
chased land  adjoining  his  homestead  and  at  one  time  owned  fourteen  hundred  and 
fourteen  acres  in  one  body  on  Snake  river,  at  Page  Station,  all  of  which  he' 
recently  sold  to  John  Reser.  However,  he  still  owns  a  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  seventy  acres  a  mile  and  a  half  south  of  Walla  Walla  and  a  tract  of  twenty- 
two  acres  on  the  Milton  road,  a  mile  and  a  half  south  of  College  Place.  Success 
has  attended  his  undertakings,  for  in  the  conduct  of  his  interests  he  has  ever 
displayed  close  application,  unremitting  energy  and  sound  judgment  that  have 
brought  desired  results. 

In  1893  Mr.  Lebudde  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Caroline  Luckenbill, 
a  native  of  Walla  Walla  and  a  daughter  of  Martin  Luckenbill,  who  crossed  the 
plains  from  Wisconsin  to  California  in  1859  and  was  engaged  in  placer  mining 
for  a  time.  In  1863  he  came  to  Walla  Walla  county  and  here  operated  a  pack 
train  in  partnership  with  Dick  Kelling  for  a  number  of  years,  while  subse- 
quently he  embarked  in  business  at  Walla  Walla. 

Politically  Mr.  Labudde  is  a  stanch  republican,  believing  firmly  in  the  prin- 
ciples of  that  party.  He  is  past  grand  of  Washington  Lodge,  No.  19,  I.  O.  Q.  F., 
and  also  belongs  to  the  encampment  and  the  canton,  while  both  he  and  his  wife 
are  identified  with  the  Rebekahs,  the  latter  being  past  noble  grand.  Mr.  Labudde 
likewise  belongs  to  the  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters,  of  which  he  is  past  chief 
ranger.  Mr.  Labudde  is  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  Farmers'  Union  and 
was  chosen  secretary  soon  after  the  organization  was  perfected  and  served  in  the 


658  OLD  WALLA  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

office  for  several  years.  In  religious  faith  he  is  a  Lutheran  but  attends  the 
services  of  the  Presbyterian  church  with  his  wife.  Mrs.  Labudde  belongs  to 
the  Pioneers'  Association  of  Walla  Walla  and  is  honored  as  a  native  daughter 
of  the  county  in  which  her  entire  life  has  been  spent.  Mr.  Labudde  has  never 
regretted  his  determination  to  seek  a  home  in  America,  for  he  has  wisely  utilized 
the  opportunities  here  offered  and  during  the  period  of  his  residence  in  Walla 
Walla  county,  covering  three  decades,  has  gained  an  enviable  measure  of  pros- 
perity. 


L.  W.  ESTES. 


L.  W.  Estes,  residing  in  Walla  Walla,  is  the  owner  of  valuable  farming  prop- 
erty in  Walla  Walla  county,  having  twelve  hundred  and  eighty  acres  north  of 
Prescott,  which  he  continued  to  personally  cultivate  and  develop  until  191 7, 
when  he  rented  his  ranch  to  his  sons.  He  was  born  in  Arkansas  on  the  13th  of 
January,  1859,  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Renie  (Long)  Estes.  The  father  was  a 
native  of  North  Carolina,  while  the  mother  was  born  in  Tennessee.  They  were 
married  in  the  former  state  and  subsequently  removed  to  Arkansas,  where  they 
resided  until  1861.  In  that  year  thiy.' c^pssed  the  plains  with  ox  teams  to  Wash- 
ington. The  wagon  train  with  which  they  traveled  had  a  great  deal  of  trouble 
with  the  Indians  and  one  man  who  had  lingered  behind  the  others  in  order  to 
fish  was  scalped,  while  another  was. shot  through  the  leg  but  succeeded  in  eluding 
his  pursuers  and  later  joined  the  train.  They  arrived  in  Walla  Walla,  where 
they  .'jpent  the  hard  winter  of  1861  and  1862.  Mr.  Estes,  however,  soon  after 
reaching  his  destination,  homesteaded  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  Dry  creek, 
about  six  miles  northwest  of  Walla  Walla,  and  there  built  a  log  house  which  he 
weatherboarded  and  made  habitable.  He  lived  upon  that  ranch  until  1879,  at 
which  time  he  sold  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  and  removed  to  Pleasant 
View  on  the  Eureka  Flats.  There  he  bought  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
and  made  his  home  at  that  place  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  August,  1887, 
when  he  was  eighty-six  years  of  age.  His  wife  passed  away  two  years  later  at 
the  age  of  sixty-seven  years. 

L.  W.  Estes  was  but  an  infant  when  brought  by  his  parents  to  the  northwest, 
so  that  practically  his  entire  life  has  been  passed  here  and  he  is  entirely  familiar 
with  the  story  of  its  development  and  progress  from  pioneer  times  down  to  the 
present.  He  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  worked  with  his  father 
until  his  twenty-fourth  year,  at  which  time  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account, 
his  previous  training  and  experience  well  qualifying  him  for  heavy  responsibil- 
ities and  duties  of  this  character.  In  1882  he  took  up  a  homestead  on  the  Eureka 
Flats  and  the  following  year  began  cultivating  his  land.  Subsequently  he  bought 
adjoining  land  and  increased  his  farm  until  he  had  nine  hundred  acres.  This 
he  traded  in  1893  for  Walla  Walla  business  property  and  removed  to  the  city 
but  continued  to  operate  his  farm.  He  still  owned  a  small  tract  of  land  and  in 
1903  he  bought  four  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Umatilla  county,  near  Athena, 
Oregon.  This  he  subsequently  traded  for  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  the 
foothills,  about  nine  miles  south  of  Walla  Walla,  known  as  the  Bay  Shore  ranch. 


L.  W".  ESTES 


MRS.  L.  W.  ESTES 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  663 

After  owning  that  property  for  two  years  he  exchanged  it  for  a  ranch  of  twelve 
hundred  and  eighty  acres  north  of  Prescott,  in  Walla  Walla  county.  This  prop- 
erty he  still  owns  and  was  continuously  and  successfully  engaged  in  its  cultiva- 
tion and  improvement  until  1917,  when  he  rented  his  farm  to  his  sons.  He  is 
now  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business,  handling  city  property  and  Montana 
farm  lands  as  well  as  farm  lands  in  Washington.  In  1903  Mr.  Estes  built  his 
present  residence  in  the  Green  Park  addition  to  Walla  Walla  at  the  corner  of 
Valencia  and  Elvarado  streets.  Upon  the  place  was  a  fine  spring  called  the 
Qiinese  Garden  spring,  and  it  was  the  only  water  to  be  had  at  that  time.  His 
was  the  second  house  in  the  addition  and  Mr.  Estes  planted  the  hedge  around  it 
and  made  many  modern  improvements  to  the  place. 

In  May,  1883,  Mr.  Estes  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Viola  Woods,  who 
is  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Woods,  of  Missouri,  and  came  to  Walla  Walla  county, 
Washington,  the  year  prior  to  her  marriage.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Estes  have  been 
born  six  children,  as  follows :  Clyde  B.,  who  follows  farming  on  the  Touchet 
river  in  Walla  Walla  county;  Ray  Dooley,  who  is  deceased;  Roxy  B.,  who  is 
operating  the  home  farm  with  his  brother  Emmett;  Sylva  P.,  the  wife  of  J.  P. 
Hoben,  who  is  secretary  and  treasurer  with  Max  Houser  of  the  Pacific  Grain 
Company,  of  Portland,  Oregon ;  Winchester  C,  who  is  engaged  in  farming  on 
Dry  creek,  Walla  Walla  county ;  and  Emmett  E.,  on  the  home  farm. 

Mr.  Estes  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  democratic  party,  while  frater- 
nally he  is  identified  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  belonging  to 
Enterprise  Lodge,  No.  2.  He  holds  the  twenty-five  year  membership  medal  and 
is  very  popular  among  his  brethren  of  that  organization,  having  been  a  most 
loyal  adherent  to  its  teachings  and  principles.  He  is  today  a  prosperous  resident 
of  Walla  Walla  and  one  whose  success  is  attributable  entirely  to  his  own  efforts. 
He  had  no  assistance  on  starting  out  in  life  but  empty-handed  made  his  initial 
step.  He  builded  his  prosperity,  however,  upon  the  substantial  qualities  of 
energy,  determination  and  indefatigable  industry  and  point  by  point  he  has  ad- 
vanced, utilizing  every  movement  to  good  advantage  and  recognizing  every  oppor- 
tuity  that  has  come  his  way.  He  has  therefore  done  an  important  work  in 
developing  the  agricultural  resources  of  this  section  of  the  state. 


ALEXANDER  JOHNSON. 

Alexander  Johnson  was  an  early  settler  of  Walla  Walla  county  and  was  one 
of  the  men  who  made  this  region  famous  for  its  extensive  sheep  raising  interests. 
He  was  born  in  County  Antrim,  Ireland,  December  3,  1848,  a  son  of  Samuel  and 
Jane  Johnson,  both  also  natives  of  the  Emerald  isle.  In  1853  they  came  to 
America  and  located  in  New  York  state,  where  they  lived  until  death.  To  them 
were  born  four  children,  of  whom  three  survive. 

Alexander  Johnson  was  reared  and  educated  in  New  Hartford,  New  York, 

as  he  was  only  a  child  at  the  time  of  the  emigration  of  the  family  to  the  United 

States.     He   remained   in  the   east   for  a  number   of   years  after   attaining  his 

majority  but  in  1883  made  his  way  to  the  Pacific  coast,  settling  on  a  ranch  in 

Walla  Walla  county.     At  that  time  there  was  a  great  deal  of  open  range  and  he 
Vol.  r — 37 


664  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

turned  his  attention  to  sheep  raising,  then  the  leading  industry  in  this  section. 
He  was  very  successful  in  that  business  and  continued  therein  until  the  country 
became  so  thickly  settled  that  it  became  impossible  to  find  sufficient  pasture 
for  his  large  flocks.  He  then  turned  his  attention  to  farming  and  in  that  con- 
nection also  gained  prosperity. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  twice  married.  In  1878  he  wedded  Miss  Kate  Healey,  of 
New  Hartford,  New  York,  and  to  them  was  born  a  son,  W.  K.  Johnson,  who 
is  now  living  in  Walla  Walla  county.  In  1891  Mr.  Johnson  married  Miss 
Margaret  A.  Lewis,  of  Walla  Walla,  and  by  that  union  there  is  also  a  son,  Terry 
Alexander  Johnson. 

Mr.  Johnson  supported  the  republican  party  at  the  polls  but  was  never  an 
active  worker  in  politics.  He  belonged  to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  cemetery  maintained  by  that  organization.  After  a 
lingering  illness  of  four  and  a  half  years  he  passed  away  in  Walla  Walla  on  the 
13th  of  August,  1914.  In  religious  faith  he  was  a  Presbyterian  and  its  teach- 
ings guided  his  life.  Mrs.  Johnson  owns  a  fine  home  on  East  Alder  street, 
Walla  Walla,  and  has  many  friends  in  the  city. 


GEORGE  D.  MINNICK. 

Among  the  large  landowners  of  Walla  Walla  county  is  George  D.  Minnick, 
who,  in  partnership  with  his  brother,  holds  title  to  more  than  thirty-five  hundred 
acres  of  fertile  wheat  land.  He  was  born  in  Davis  county,  Iowa,  September  27, 
1 86 1,  a  son  of  Adam  and  Nancy  J.  (Davis)  Minnick,  the  former  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania and  the  latter  in  Iowa.  The  mother  passed  away  in  the  Hawkeye  state 
and  in  187 1  the  father  came  with  his  family  to  Washington,  settling  on  a  farm 
near  Pomeroy.  At  the  end  of  four  years  he  was  able  to  purchase  a  tract  of  land 
in  Spring  valley  and  removed  to  that  place.  Later  he  went  to  California,  where 
his  death  occurred.  He  was  married  a  second  time  and  his  widow  is  now  a  resi- 
dent of  Walla  Walla.  To  his  first  union  were  born  three  children,  all  of  whom 
survive,  and  to  his  second,  four  children,  likewise  all  still  living. 

George  D.  Minnick  was  about  ten  years  old  at  the  time  of  the  emigration 
of  the  family  to  the  northwest  .and  completed  his  education  in  the  schools  of 
Walla  Walla  county.  Equally  as  valuable  as  the  knowledge  which  he  acquired 
from  books  was  the  thorough  training  in  practical  farm  work  which  he  gained 
under  his  father's  supervision  and  on  reaching  mature  years  he  decided  to  devote 
his  life  to  the  occupation  to  which  he  had  been  reared.  He  constantly  followed 
the  plan  of  investing  his  capital  in  wheat  land  and  now,  in  partnership  with  his 
brother,  J.  H.  Minnick,  owns  thirty-five  hundred  and  sixteen  acres,  the  value  of 
which  is  enhanced  by  the  excellent  improvements  thereon.  For  many  years 
he  was  actively  engaged  in  the  operation  of  his  holdings  but  is  now  living  prac- 
tically retired  at  Walla  Walla.  He  also  owns  much  valuable  mining  stock  and 
is  one  of  the  men  of  wealth  of  Walla  Walla  county. 

Mr.  Minnick  casts  his  ballot  in  support  of  the  candidates  and  measures  of  the 
democratic  party  but  has  never  had  the  time  nor  the  inclination  to  seek  office. 
He  holds  membership  in  the  Christian  church  and  in  his  business  dealings  as 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  665 

well  as  in  the  other  relations  of  life  has  invariably  conformed  his  conduct  to  high 
moral  standards.  Among  his  salient  characteristics  are  enterprise,  self-reliance 
and  sound  judgment,  qualities  which  go  far  toward  ensuring  success  in  any  field 
of  endeavor. 


CHARLES  WINFIELD  PEARSON. 

Charles  Winfield  Pearson,  residing  on  the  Solano  Ranch,  section  i6,  town- 
ship 12  north,  range  36  east,  Walla  Walla  county,  is  an  important  factor  in  the 
agricultural  development  of  this  section,  and  is  successfully  operating  more  than 
five  thousand  acres  of  land. 

He  is  a  native  of  Rio  Vista,  California,  and  was  born  August  3,  1870,  a  son 
of  Josephus  and  Anna  (Watson)  Pearson,  the  former  a  native  either  of  Vir- 
ginia or  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Nova  Scotia,  Canada,  and  of  Scotch  parentage. 
The  Pearson  family  came  to  the  west  by  the  overland  route  in  1856,  and  the 
Watsons  made  the  long  journey  by  way  of  the  Panama  isthmus  about  eight 
years  later.  Both  families  located  in  Rio  Vista  and  there  Mr.  Pearson  and  Miss 
Watson  were  married  in  1869.  They  continued  to  reside  there  until  1878,  when 
they  removed  to  Columbia  county,  Washington,  locating  a  mile  east  of  Starbuck, 
where  the  father  bought  railroad  land.  He  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  first  school  district  in  that  locality  and  was  also  the  first  postmaster 
of  Starbuck.  His  time  and  energy  were,  in  part,  devoted  to  farming,  and  he 
became  the  owner  of  about  one  thousand  acres.  For  twenty  years  he  also  en- 
gaged in  the  meat  business  and  did  considerable  contracting  in  that  line  for  the 
railroad.  He  passed  away  March  10,  1908,  and  is  survived  by  his  widow,  who 
resides  with  a  daughter  in  Spokane. 

Charles  Winfield  Pearson  received  a  good  common  school  education  and 
also  pursued  a  commercial  course  at  the  Empire  Business  College  in  Walla  Walla. 
Subsequently  he  conducted  a  bicycle  store  for  about  two  years  in  San  Francisco, 
after  which  he  returned  home  and  joined  with  his  father  in  the  operation  of  the 
latter's  land.  In  1896,  however,  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account,  leasing 
school  land  which  he  cultivated,  and  as  he  was  a  practical  and  up-to-date  farmer 
his  capital  steadily  increased.  He  invested  his  money  in  land  and  now  liolds 
title  to  two  thousand  five  hundred  acres,  which  he  operates  together  with  two 
thousand  six  hundred  acres  of  leased  land.  He  conducts  his  agricultural  affairs 
in  the  same  careful  and  progressive  manner  as  a  great  business  man  would 
control  large  commercial  enterprises,  and  his  annual  income  is  a  highly  gratifying 
one. 

In  December,  1906,  Mr.  Pearson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jean  Hukill,  a 
teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  Starbuck,  and  they  have  become  the  parents  of 
two  children,  Josephus  and  Francis  W. 

The  republican  party  has  a  loyal  supporter  in  Mr.  Pearson,  but  he  has  con- 
fined his  political  activities  to  the  exercise  of  his  right  of  franchise.  Fraternally 
he  belongs  to  Walla  Walla  Lodge,  No.  287,  B.  P.  O.  E.,  and  is  popular  in  that 
organization.  His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church  and  is 
interested  in  all  movements  for  the  promotion  of  the  moral  welfare  of  her  com- 


^G6  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

munity.  Both  are  widely  known  and  highly  esteemed.  Eastern  Washington  has  rap- 
idly come  to  the  front  as  one  of  the  great  farming  districts  of  the  country,  and  this 
development  has  been  made  possible  by  such  men  as  Mr.  Pearson — men  who  are 
energetic,  alert  and  keen  in  judgment  and,  throughout  the  same  time,  willing  to 
cooperate  for  the  advancement  of  the  public  interest. 


JOHN  W.  SUMMERS,  M.  D. 

A  most  active  and  strenuous  life  has  brought  Dr.  John  W.  Summers  to  the 
position  which  he  occupies  as  one  of  the  most  distinguished  physicians  and  sur- 
geons of  the  northwest.  His  office  is  located  in  Walla  Walla  but  his  practice 
extends  throughout  the  Inland  Empire  and  even  beyond.  This  alone  would  entitle 
him  to  mention  as  one  of  the  representative  citizens  of  the  state,  but  there  are 
many  other  reasons  whereby  he  deserves  to  be  classed  as  one  of  the  honored  and 
distinguished  residents  of  Washington.  He  has  been  identified  with  various 
public  projects  which  have  been  of  great  benefit  to  the  commonwealth  and  as  a  leg- 
islator has  done  most  important  service  in  furthering  constructive  measures  which 
are  proving  of  benefit  not  only  at  the  present  time  but  which  look  beyond  the 
exigencies  of  the  moment  to  the  possibilities  and  opportunities  of  the  future. 
Broad-minded,  clean-cut,  a  man  of  high  ideals,  never  afraid  to  express  his  honest 
convictions  and  working  at  all  times  for  the  right  as  he  sees  it,  Dr.  Summers  has 
indeed  made  for  himself  an  enviable  place  among  those  men  of  Washington  whom 
the  state  delights  to  honor. 

He  was  born  in  Valeene,  Orange  county,  Indiana,  April  29,  1870,  a  son  of 
James  M.  and  Sarah  (Tower)  Summers.  The  father  was  for  more  than  twenty 
years  a  county  official  and  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  influential  residents 
of  Orange  county,  Indiana.  He  was  descended  from  one  of  the  early  colonial 
families  of  Virginia,  established  in  Fairfax  county  prior  to  the  Revolutionary  war. 
This  family  furnished  men  and  officers  for  General  Lafayette's  army.  James  ISI. 
Summers  was  united  in  marriage  to  Sarah  Tower,  whose  ancestors  settled  in 
Hingham,  Massachusetts,  in  1637.  This  family  furnished  one  member  to  the 
Boston  Tea  Party  and  several  soldiers  to  the  battles  of  Lexington  and  of  Concord. 
Both  families  number  scores  of  representatives  who  fought  in  the  Indian,  the 
Revolutionary,  the  Mexican,  the  Civil  and  the  Spanish-American  wars.  In  fact 
in  everey  instance  where  the  country  has  needed  military  aid  they  have  been  quick 
to  respond  and  the  record  is  one  of  patriotic  loyalty  and  devotion. 

Dr.  John  W.  Summers  spent  his  early  years  as  a  farm  hand,  as  a  teamster, 
as  a  clerk  in  a  village  store  and  as  school-teacher.  He  also  followed  several  other 
lines  of  manual  labor  and  was  ever  ready  to  accept  honorable  work,  believing  that 
all  work  is  honorable  if  honorably  done.  He  earned  his  first  money  at  droppmg 
corn  in  the  furrows  of  an  Indiana  farm,  receiving  fifteen  cents  per  day  for  his 
services.  After  graduating  from  the  public  schools  his  own  labors  provided  the 
means  that  enabled  him  to  continue  his  studies  in  the  Southern  Indiana  Normal 
College  and  the  Kentucky  School  of  Medicine,  from  which  he  was  graduated  with 
high  honors  in  the  class  of  1892.  He  is  entirely  a  self-educated  and  self-made 
man.     He  has  studied  in  London,  England,  and  in  New  York,  pursuing  his  work 


DR.  JOHN  W.  SUMMERS 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  669 

in  those  cities  in  1895  ^^''^  1896.  He  again  went  abroad  for  further  study  in  1913, 
continuing  his  researches  in  Vienna,  Austria,  and  in  1914  studied  in  Berlin,  Ger- 
many. For  twenty-five  years  he  has  led  a  most  active  and  successful  business 
and  professional  life  in  Illinois  and  Washington,  making  a  specialty  of  the  treat- 
ment of  diseases  of  the  eye,  ear,  nose  and  throat.  He  has  won  for  himself  a  most 
creditable  position  and  is  regarded  as  an  authority  in  the  line  of  his  specialty. 
He  has  had  the  benefit  of  instruction  from  some  of  the  most  eminent  physicians, 
surgeons  and  specialists  of  the  old  world  and  his  ability  is  attested  by  his  pro- 
fessional colleagues  and  contemporaries  as  well  as  by  the  general  public. 

Dr.  Summers  before  removing  to  the  west  became  interested  in  southern 
timber  and  cotton  lands,  which  he  still  retains.  He  also  4ias  agricultural  and  hor- 
ticultural lands  in  the  Walla  Walla  valley.  It  is  said  that  his  preferred  recreation 
is  to  leave  his  office  cares  and  spend  as  many  as  fourteen  hours  per  day  on  the 
farm  or  in  the  orchard,  for  he  is  keenly  interested  in  the  development  and 
improvement  of  agricultural  and  horticultural  interests.  He  was  one  of  the  organ- 
izers and  became  a  director  and  vice  president  of  the  People's  State  Bank  in 
191 1,  which  ofificial  positions  he  still  occupies. 

On  the  29th  of  September,  1897,  in  .Sullivan,  Illinois,  Dr.  Summers  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jennie  Bosworth  Burks,  a  daughter  of  Christopher  C. 
and  Sarah  E.  Burks.  Mrs.  Summers  was  educated  in  the  Central  Normal  Col- 
lege at  Danville,  Indiana,  and  in  the  Northwestern  University  at  Evanston,  Illinois, 
and  is  a  lady  of  liberal  culture  and  innate  refinement  :  Dr.  andyMrs.  Summers  are 
the  parents  of  four  children:  Allingham  Burks,  PailI,.JI)ilwy3i,  Sarah  Hope  and 
Harriet  Jean. 

Dr.  Summers  has  for  years  been  an  officer  of  the  Christian  church,  of  which  he 
became  a  member  in  early  boyhood.  He  belongs  to  the' Knights  of  Pythias 
fraternity  and  to  the  Dramatic  Order  of  the  Knights  of  Khorassan,  being  Royal 
Vizier  in  the  latter  organization  at  this  time.  He  is  also  connected  with  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and  is  an  exemplary  representative  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity.  He  is  a  lover  of  history  and  has  ever  been  keenly  interested  in  politics 
from  his  boyhood  days.  He  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  JeiTerson  and  of  Jackson 
but  in  1896,  dififering  from  his  party  on  the  question  of  the  free  coinage  of 
silver,  he  joined  the  republicans  and  has  since  remained  one  of  the  supporters  of 
that  party.  He  was  elected  a  member  of  the  state  legislature  and  in  this  connection 
one  of  the  local  papers  wrote :  "Representative  Summers  made  such  a  good 
record  during  the  last  session  of  the  legislature  that  friends  throughout  the  district 
quickly  saw  in  him  congressional  timber  and  repeated  requests  have  come  to  him 
from  legislators  and  influential  republicans  throughout'  the  district  to  become  a 
candidate  for  congressman  next  year.  In  the  last  session  of  the  legislature  he 
succeeded  in  getting  through  the  vocational  training  bill  which  secures  aid  from 
the  national  government  providing  a  practical  education  for  every  boy  and  girl  in 
the  state  over  fourteen  years  of  age.  He  is  saving  the  state  approximately  fifty 
thousand  dollars  yearly  by  the  invention  of  an  improved  number  plate  for  autos 
which  he  deeded  to  the  state."  He  brought  forth  this  invention,  gave  it  to  the  state 
and  thus  contributed  to  the  yearly  income  of  the  commonwealth  by  a  great  saving. 
His  bill  requiring  automobiles  shipped  into  the  state  to  be  fully  equipped  with 
dimmer  or  anti-glare  devices  saves  annually  more  than  one  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars to  the  auto  purchasers  of  Washington.    He  opposed  the  million  dollar  appro- 


670  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

prialion  for  a  new  capitol  building,  helievin","-  that  this  was  but  the  entering  wedge 
for  the  appropriation  of  many  additional  millions  during  the  next  few  years.  He 
was,  however,  connected  with  much  constructive  legislation  of  great  worth,  doing 
valuable  ser\'ice  on  the  appropriation,  revenue  and  taxation,  banks  and  banking, 
education  and  military  affairs  committees.  For  many  years  he  has  been  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  strongest  workers  in  behalf  of  temperance  in  southeastern 
Washington  and  contributed  in  large  measure  toward  the  enactment  of  the  "bone- 
dry"  law  of  1917.  The  attitude  which  he  displayed  in  the  legislature  when  the 
question  of  the  osteopath,  labor  union  and  Christian  Science  interests  were  before 
the  house  shows  him  to  be  a  man  of  fairness  and  tolerance  who  justly  considers  the 
rights  of  all  men,  notwithstanding  they  oppose  his  own  ideas.  In  a  word  he  is  a 
broad-minded  man  who  recognizes  the  right  of  every  individual  to  his  honest 
opinion.  There  is  nothing  narrowly  partisan  or  bigoted  in  his  attitude.  During 
the  present  crisis-  in  the  world's  history  Dr.  Summers  has  manifested  the  same 
spirit  which  has  actuated  his  ancestors  through  the  dififerent  wars  in  which 
this  country  has  been  engaged.  Three  times  since  the  declaration  of  war  with 
Germany  he  has  tendered  his  services  to  state  and  nation,  only  to  be  rejected 
because  of  a  slight  physical  disability.  Deprived  of  the  privilege  of  serving  his 
country  at  the  front,  he  has  availed  himself  of  even'  opportunity  to  render  aid  and 
service  at  home  in  behalf  of  the  Red  Cross,  liberty  bonds  and  twice  sen-ed  as 
district  chairman  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  war  fund  campaign.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
National  Society  of  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution.  He  has  always  been 
deeply  interested  in  civic  affairs  and  in  the  educational  welfare  of  his  community 
and  at  all  times  stands  for  progress  and  improvement  for  the  individual  and 
for  the  state  at  large. 

One  of  the  old,  valued  and  honored  members  of  the  house  of  representa- 
tives gives  this  estimate  of  Dr.  Summers:  "I  found  him  an  indefatigable  worker 
and  always  supporting  measures  that  he  believed  to  be  right  and  in  the  interest  of 
the  state  at  large.  He  is  broad-minded  and  capable  and  secured  the  passage 
through  the  legislature  of  as  many  important  measures  as  any  other  member  of 
the  house  and  every  measure  was  good  and  necessary.  He  is  clear-headed,  a 
great  mixer,  frank  and  open,  conscientious  and  absolutely  dependable,  and  is 
entirely  free  from  cant  and  sophistry." 


ANDREW  P.  PEARSON. 

Andrew  P.  Pearson  is  now  living  retired  in  Walla  Walla  after  many  years 
devoted  to  the  grocer)'  business.  He  was  lx)rn  in  Sweden.  September  15,  1848,  a 
son  of  Pear  Bengtson,  who  passed  his  entire  life  in  that  country.  Our  subject 
grew  to  manhood  under  the  parental  roof  and  obtained  the  education  afiforded  by 
the  common  schools.  In  May,  1869,  when  almost  twenty-one  years  of  age,  he 
crossed  the  ocean,  landing  in  Quebec,  Canada,  whence  he  came  direct  to  the  States. 
He  located  in  Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  where  he  found  work  as  a  carpenter.  He 
had  received  training  in  that  line  under  his  brother,  w-ho  was  a  carpenter  and 
cabinetmaker.  In  1874  he  went  to  San  Francisco  but  a  month  .later  removed  to 
Los  Angeles,  where  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad. 
Lie  worked  on  the  timbering  of  the  San  Fernando  tunnel  and  proved  so  capable  that 


ANDREW  P.  PEARSON 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  673 

he  was  promoted  to  foreman.  For  about  six  months  he  filled  that  position  but  in 
1876  he  decided  to  take  a  trip  east  and  see  the  Centennial  Exposition  at  Philadel- 
phia. From  there  he  went  to  Sweden  on  a  visit,  remaining  there  for  about  a 
year,  after  which  he  once  more  went  to  San  Francisco.  He  again  became 
connected  with  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad,  with  which  he  remained  until 
1880. 

Mr.  Pearson  then  came  to  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington.  In  connection 
with  his  brother,  P.  P.  Pearson,  he  became  the  owner  of  a  grocery  store  and  for 
about  twenty  years  was  an  active  factor  in  business  circles  of  Walla  Walla.  He 
was  keen  in  his  analysis  of  business  conditions,  up-to-date  and  enterprising  in 
the  conduct  of  his  store  and  made  it  a  point  to  carry  only  reliable  goods.  This 
well  advised  business  policy  resulted  in  the  building  up  of  a  large  trade  and  as 
his  capital  increased  he  invested  in  Walla  Walla  county  land,  thus  giving  evidence 
of  his  faith  in  this  section,  and  time  has  proved  the  wisdom  of  his  course.  He 
now  owns  about  five  hundred  and  fifty  acres,  situated  in  the  richest  part  of  the 
Walla  Walla  valley,  and  derives  therefrom  a  gratifying  income.  For  a  number  of 
years  he  has  enjoyed  a  well  deserved  leisure,  having  retired  from  the  grocery 
business. 

In  1912  Mr.  Pearson  was  married  to  Miss  Hilda  Johnson,  a  native  of  Sweden. 
He  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  republican  party  but  has  never  sought 
office  as  a  reward  for  his  loyalty.  He  belongs  to  Columbia  Lodge,  No.  8,  K.  P., 
of  Walla  Walla,  of  which  he  was  a  charter  member,  and  to  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen.  He  is  respected  for  his  business  ability,  honored  for  his 
integrity  and  held  in  the  warmest  regard  by  r.eason  -oi  his- attractive  personal 
qualities. 


JOSEPH  W.  HARVEY. 

Although  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Walla  Walla,  Joseph  W.  Harvey  gives 
personal  supervision  to  the  operation  of  the  fourteen  hundred  and  forty  acres 
of  land  which  he  owns.  He  was  bom  in  Linn  county,  Iowa,  January  27,  1865, 
and  is  a  son  of  George  and  Sarah  (Wolf)  Harvey,  natives  respectively  of  Penn- 
sylvania and  Iowa.  In  1883  they  came  with  their  family  to  Walla  Walla  county, 
Washington,  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  the  Big  Bend  country,  where  both  passed 
away. 

Joseph  W.  Harvey,  who  is  one  of  ten  living  children  in  a  family  of  twelve, 
received  his  education  in  Iowa.  He  was  accustomed  from  boyhood  to  hard  work 
and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years  began  his  independent  career.  For  three  years 
he  was  employed  as  a  common  laborer  and  then  began  farming  in  Walla  Walla 
county,  Washington,  the  family  in  the  meantime  having  removed  here.  He  rented 
land  until  he  has  accumulated  sufficient  capital  to  purchase  a  farm  and  after  gaining 
a  start  his  advancement  was  rapid.  His  holdings  now  comprise  fourteen  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres,  all  of  which  is  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  is  well 
improved,  and  he  specializes  in  the  production  of  wheat.  He  is  both  practical 
and  progressive  in  his  methods  and  as  he  manages  his  important  business  inter- 
ests in  connection  with  his  farm  work  in  a  systematic  manner,  his  annual  income 


674  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

is  an  enviable  one.  For  some  years  Mr.  Harvey  conducted  a  horse  ranch  on 
Snake  river,  wliere  he  raised  draft  horses  for  the  market  but  disposed  of  that 
business  during  tlie  Philippine  war,  selling  most  of  his  stock  to  the  government. 
He  has  a  beautiful  home,  in  colonial  style,  which  he  has  rebuilt  and  made  strictly 
modern  in  every  respect. 

Mr.  Harvey  was  married  in  1887  to  Miss  Mary  Wiseman,  a  native  of  Walla 
Walla  county.  Her  parents,  Jonathan  and  Nancy  Wiseman,  were  both  born  in 
Arkansas  but  many  years  ago  crossed  the  plains  with  ox  teams  and  took  up  their 
residence  in  eastern  Washington,  where  both  died.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harvey  have 
been  bom  seven  children,  namely:  Vere  W.,  who  has  attended  Whitman  College 
and  the  University  of  \\'ashington ;  Dareld  J.,  a  high  school  graduate;  Lynn  P.,  a 
university  graduate;  Helen  C,  who  is  attending  the  University  of  Washington; 
Elizabeth  M.,  a  high  school  student ;  Nancy  R.,  who  died  when  eight  years  old ; 
and  Elsie  J. 

Mr.  Harvey  endorses  the  policies  of  the  republican  party  and  has  served  his 
district  capably  as  a  member  of  the  school  board.  He  belongs  to  Trinity  Lodge, 
No.  loi,  J.  O.  O.  F.,  and  the  idea  of  fraternity  which  underlies  that  organiza- 
tion has  found  exemplification  in  his  life.  Mrs.  Harvey  belongs  to  the  Christian 
church,  in  the  work  of  which  she  takes  a  commendable  interest.  Both  are  well 
known,  not  only  in  the  city  of  Walla  Walla  but  also  throughout  the  county,  and 
their  friends  are  many. 


GEORGE  M.  LLOYD. 


George  M.  Lloyd,  the  proprietor  of  a  well  patronized  meat  market  at  Waits- 
burg,  was  bom  in  Walla  Walla  county,  April  i,  1863,  a  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
A.  J.  Lloyd,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

George  M.  Lloyd  was  reared  at  home  and  after  completing  the  course  offered 
in  the  public  schools  became  a  student  in  an  academy.  After  finishing  his  school- 
ing he  devoted  some  time  to  assisting  his  father  in  the  farm  work  and  then  was 
for  two  years  engaged  in  the  railroad  mail  service.  At  the  end  of  that  time 
he  again  tumed  his  attention  to  farming,  cultivating  land  independently  for  a 
year.  He  next  engaged  in  the  butcher  business  in  Waitsburg,  and  for  twenty- 
eight  years  has  conducted  a  meat  market.  He  is  careful  in  the  selection  of  his 
his  meats,  maintains  the  best  sanitary  conditions  in  the  market  and  is  satisfied 
with  a  reasonable  profit  and  as  the  years  have  passed  it  is  but  natural  that  his 
trade  should  have  shown  a  steady  growth.  He  has  other  business  interests, 
owning  four  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Franklin  county,  Washington,  and  is  a 
director  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Waitsburg. 

Mr.  Lloyd  was  married  in  1889  to  Miss  Nellie  S.  Towsley,  and  they  had  two 
children,  Helen,  deceased,  and  G.  Marvin,  who  is  a  graduate  of  the  Waitsburg 
high  school  and  is  now  a  student  in  Pullman  College.  The  wife  and  mother  passed 
away  in  March,  191 1,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  Waitsburg  cemetery.  She  was 
a  woman  of  many  admirable  traits  and  left  many  friends,  to  mourn  her  loss. 

Mr.  Lloyd  is  prominent  in  public  affairs  and  is  now  serving  as  representative 
from  Walla  Walla  county  on  the  state  committee.     For  fourteen  years  he  was 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  675 

a  member  of  the  school  board  and  during  that  tune  consistently  advocated  the 
improvement  of  the  school  system,  realizing  the  paramount  importance  of  good 
educational  advantages.  He  has  also  served  as  mayor  of  Waitsburg  and  his 
record  in  that  connection  is  one  of  which  he  has  just  cause  to  be  proud.  He 
belongs  to  the  United  Workmen  and  to  the  Masonic  order,  in  which  he  has 
taken  all  of  the  degrees  in  the  York  Rite  up  to  and  including  those  of  the  chapter. 
He  has  filled  all  the  chairs  in  the  Blue  Lodge  and  is  recognized  as  an  exemplary 
Mason,  conforming  his  life  to  the  beneficient  teachings  of  the  craft. 


CYRUS  B.  LANE. 


Cyrus  B.  Lane  became  associated  in  1913  with  Douglas  V.  Wood  in  organiz- 
ing the  firm  of  Wood  &  Lane,  automobile  dealers  of  Walla  Walla.  Since  that 
time  the  business  has  been  profitably  conducted,  their  sales  having  reached  a 
large  figure  annually. 

Mr.  Lane  was  born  in  Cameron  county,  Pennsylvania,  January  i,  1867,  a 
son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Bearfield)  Lane,  of  whom  mention  is  made  in  connec- 
tion with  the  sketch  of  John  A.  Lane  on  another  page  of  this  work.  Cyrus  B. 
Lane  was  a  youth  of  twelve  years  when  he  arrived  in  Walla  Walla  county  on 
the  26th  of  June,  1879.  His  education,  begun  in  the  public  schools  of  the  east, 
was  continued  in  the  district  schools  of  this  section  and  he  was  early  trained  to 
habits  of  industry  and  economy,  such  as  are  cultivated  in  a  frontier  district.  On 
reaching  his  twenty-third  year  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account,  having  the 
previous  year  purchased,  in  connection  with  his  brother  William,  a  tract  of  land 
of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres.  They  had  nothing  with  which  to  equip  their 
farm  at  the  time,  but  the  following  year  they  rented  their  land  to  their  father 
and  Cyrus  B.  Lane  leased  eighty  acres  adjoining  his  place,  on  which  he  put  in  a 
crop.  The  following  year  he  took  over  his  brother's  interest  in  the  purchase 
which  they  had  previously  made  and  began  farming  on  his  own  place.  There  he 
continued  to  carry  on  general  agricultural  pursuits  with  substantial  success  until 
191 1  and  in  the  meantime  he  extended  the  boundaries  of  his  place  by  additional 
purchases  until  he  had  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  the  most  valuable  wheat 
land  in  the  Walla  Walla  valley.  In  September,  191 1,  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
Walla  Walla  in  order  that  his  children  might  have  the  advantages  of  the  public 
schools  of  the  city,  and  in  the  spring  of  191 3,  as  he  could  not  content  himself 
without  business  interests,  idleness  and  indolence  being  utterly  foreign  to  his 
nature,  he  formed  a  partnership  with  D.  V.  Wood  and  organized  the  firm  of 
Wood  &  Lane,  who  engage  in  the  sale  of  automobiles,  handling  the  Cadillac,  the 
Oldsmobile,  the  Maxwell  and  the  White  cars  and  also  operating  one  of  the  largest 
and  best  equipped  garages  in  the  city.  Their  business  has  reached  such  magni- 
tude that  they  have  outgrown  their  present  quarters  and  will  of  necessity  have 
to  have  larger  space.  Mr.  Lane  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  People's  State  Bank 
of  Walla  Walla. 

On  the  25th  of  October,  1891,  Mr.  Lane  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Frances  E.  Kennedy,  a  daughter  of  Louis  Kennedy,  who  came  to  Walla  Walla 
county  from  Illinois  in  1879.    They  have  become  the  parents  of  seven  children, 


676  ULU  W AL.LA  WALLA  COUNTY 

namely:     Inez,  Elsie,  Joseph,  Harold,  Delora,  Glen  and  Dale.     All  are  still  at 
home. 

In  politics  Mr.  Lane  is  an  independent  republican.  He  has  served  repeatedly 
as  a  delegate  to  county  conventions  and  has  always  refused  to  become  a  candi- 
date for  office,  preferring  that  his  public  service  shall  be  done  as  a  private  citizen. 
He  belongs  to  Trinity  Lodge,  No.  121,  L  O.  O.  F.,  to  the  encampment  and  to 
the  Rebekahs,  and  his  wife  and  two  eldest  daughters  are  also  connected  with  the 
Rebekahs.  Mrs.  Lane  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  while  her 
daughters  hold  membership  in  the  Christian  church.  The  social  position  of  the 
family  is  one  of  prominence  and  the  hospitality  of  the  best  homes  of  Walla 
Walla  is  freely  accorded  them.  Mr.  Lane  has  made  for  himself  a  creditable 
position  in  business  circles  and  is  now  controlling  interests  which  are  constantly 
growing  in  volume,  bringing  to  him  well  deserved  success. 


FRANTZ  S.  ROMAINE. 

Frantz  S.  Romaine,  who  resides  two  miles  north  of  Dayton,  is  numbered 
among  the  well  known  farmers  and  stock  raisers  of  Columbia  county.  He  was 
born  in  Fond  du  Lac  county,  Wisconsin,  September  i,  1862,  a  son  of  Garrit 
and  Alartha  Romaine,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work.  He  was 
brought  to  Old  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington,  in  his  childhood  and  received 
his  education  in  its  pioneer  schools.  He  remained  at  home  until  he  attained 
his  majority  and  then  began  working  as  a  laborer,  so  continuing  for  five  years. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  he  invested  his  savings  in  land  and  for  a  long  period 
his  time  and  attention  were  taken  up  with  the  operation  of  that  place.  How- 
ever, in  1905  he  sold  that  property  and  bought  his  present  farm,  which  com- 
prises two  hundred  and  sixty-five  acres.  Since  the  place  has  come  nito  his 
possession  he  has  erected  thereon  excellent  buildings  of  modern  design  and 
otherwise  improved  it.  He  also  leases  land  and  farms  in  all  about  one  thousand 
acres,  part  of  which  is  pasture  and  part  wheat  land.  He  is  systematic  in  his 
work  and  believes  firmly  that  in  the  twentieth  century  the  farmer  cannot  afford 
to  do  other  than  manage  his  affairs  in  accordance  with  the  most  approved  busi- 
ness principles. 

On  December  25,  1887,  Mr.  Romaine  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Knight, 
who  was  born  in  1865  while  her  parents  were  crossing  the  plains  on  their  way 
to  the  Pacific  coast  country.  They  were  William  and  Damie  (Ward)  Knight, 
natives  of  Missouri.  On  removing  to  the  west  they  took  up  their  residence  in 
Lamar,  Washington,  where  both  passed  away.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Romaine  have 
been  born  five  children,  namely:  Amy  E.,  the  wife  of  L.  R.  Harris,  who  is  a 
high  school  graduate  and  is  teaching  school  at  Starbuck ;  Earl  E.,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  eleven  years ;  Cecil  L.,  who  is  a  high  school  graduate  and  is  the  wife 
of  Jesse  Courtney;  William  C,  a  resident  of  Dayton;  and  Ella  Ward  G.,  at 
home. 

Mr.  Romaine  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  republican  party  but  the 
successful  management  of  his  farm  work  has  left  him  no  time  to  devote  to 
public  affairs  and  he  has  therefore  never  sought  office.     Fraternally  he  belongs 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  679 

to  the  Woodmen  of  the  World,  in  which  organization  he  is  deservedly  popular. 
All  that  he  has,  and  he  is  now  financially  independent,  has  been  gained  through 
his  own  efforts,  and  he  is  fully  entitled  to  the  honor  accorded  a  self-made  man. 


FRANK  P.  KLAHR. 


Frank  P.  Klahr,  a  well  known  resident  of  Walla  Walla,  from  which  point 
he  supervises  the  operation  of  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  excellent  wheat 
land,  was  born  in  Ohio,  September  12,  1849,  a  son  of  Conrad  and  Catherine 
(Geiger)  Klahr,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Baden,  Germany.  In  1845  the 
father  came  to  the  United  States  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Ohio,  where  he 
was  later  married,  his  wife  having  removed  to  this  country  in  her  childhood. 
They  continued  to  live  in  the  Buckeye  state  until  called  by  death. 

Frank  P.  Klahr,  who  is  one  of  four  living  children  of  a  family  of  five,  grew 
to  manhood  in  Ohio  and  in  the  acquirement  of  his  general  education  attended 
the  public  schools  there.  In  preparation  for  the  medical  profession  he  entered 
the  Eclectic  Medical  Institute  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  was  graduated  from  that 
institution  in  1875.  He  engaged  in  active  .practiee^frOhibiihtil  1891,  when  he 
went  to  Wisconsin  and  for  fifteen  years  ti^  foRttwedl;LLs',^ro.£ession  in  that  state 
but  in  1906  returned  to  Ohio,  where  he  Evie(i-iitttrrrc(idf"'In  tjiat  year  he  came 
to  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  and  bought  fend, .^rid-  now'-ewns  i six  hundred  and 
forty  acres  in  Adams  county,  which  is  a  well  imprOvg4-S*^-^itiable  tract. 

In  1875  Mr.  Klahr  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Clara  E.  Einsel,  who  was 
also  bom  in  Ohio.  They  are  the  parents  of  two  children :  Leora  E.,  who  is  a  grad- 
uate of  the  State  University  of  Wisconsin  and  is  now  teaching  in  Walla  Walla 
high  school;  and  Florence  Marie,  also  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin 
and  the  wife  of  William  C.  McNoun,  of  Lawrence,  Kansas. 

Mr.  Klahr  has  supported  the  principles  of  the  democratic  party  since  age  con- 
ferred upon  him  the  right  of  franchise  and  while  living  in  Wisconsin  was  ap- 
pointed as  a  member  of  the  State  Board  of  Medical  Examiners.  He  is  a  Knight 
Templar  Mason  and  has  filled  all  the  chairs  in  the  blue  lodge  and  chapter.  The 
high  principles  which  govern  his  life  are  further  indicated  in  his  membership  in 
the  Congregational  church,  in  which  he  is  a  deacon  and  to  which  his  wife  also 
belongs.  During  the  years  that  were  devoted  to  the  practice  of  his  profession 
he  met  with  gratifying  success  in  that  connection  and  since  he  has  turned  his 
attention  to  the  management  of  his  farm  he  has  also  demonstrated  his  ability  along 
that  line.  He  is  a  man  of  sterling  worth  and  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who 
have  come  in  contact  with  him. 


E.  G.  HASTINGS. 


E.  G.  Hastings,  who  makes  his  home  on  section  2,  township  13  north,  range 
4Q  east,  Garfield  county,  is  an  extensive  wheat  and  stock  raiser,  operating  with 
his  sons  eighteen  hundred  acres  of  land.  He  was  born  in  Davis  county,  Iowa, 
November  18,  1850,  and  is  a  son  of  Jacob  P.  and  Martha  A.   (Graham)   Hast- 


680  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

ings.  The  father  was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  the  mother 
in  Kentucky.  They  were  pioneers  of  Iowa,  removing  there  in  1847,  and  for 
fifteen  years  they  continued  residents  of  that  state.  In  1862  they  again  sought 
the  frontier,  crossing  the  plains  with  ox  teams,  Washington  being  their  destina- 
tion. After  a  hard  trip  of  five  months  they  reached  old  Walla  Walla  county 
and  took  up  their  residence  on  a  claim  near  the  present  site  of  Walla  Walla. 
Ten  years  later  they  removed  to  Garfield  county  and  eventually  settled  in  Milton, 
Oregon,  where  he  mother  died  in  1899.  The  father  continued  to  reside  there  for 
nine  years  thereafter  and  then  went  to  Starbuck,  Washington,  where  he  passed 
away.    Only  five  of  their  twelve  children  now  survive. 

E.  G.  Hastings  received  his  education  in  Iowa  and  in  Wala  Walla  county, 
Washington,  and  was  reared  under  the  parental  roof.  The  training  in  farm  work 
which  he  received  under  his  father  proved  of  great  value  to  him  when,  at  the 
age  of  twenty  years,  he  came  to  Garfield  county  and  took  up  a  claim.  He  sold 
that  farm  in  1884  and  came  to  his  present  place  on  the  Snake  river,  which  is  now 
one  of  the  good  stock  ranches  of  Garfield  county.  As  the  years  have  passed  he 
has  extended  his  farming  operations  and  now,  in  partnership  with  his  sons, 
engages  in  wheat  and  stock  raising  on  eighteen  hundred  acres  of  land.  The 
adoption  of  the  most  efficient  methods  and  the  use  of  the  latest  machinery  make 
it  possible  for  him  to  keep  his  extensive  interests  well  in  hand  and  he  has  gained 
a  good  annual  income. 

In  1872  Mr.  Hastings  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Alice  S.  Morris,  a 
native  of  Iowa,  and  they  have  become  the  parents  of  six  children :  Alfred  G. 
and  Alvin  J.,  twins;  William  M.;  Essie,  the  wife  of  J.  G.  Krels;  John  J.;  and 
Ella  M.,  the  wife  of  Walter  Long. 

Mr.  Hastings  supports  the  republican  party  by  his  ballot,  for  two  terms  filled 
the  office  of  county  commissioner  with  entire  satisfaction  to  his  constituents,  and 
has  also  been  supervisor  and  a  member  of  the  school  board.  His  religious  belief 
is  that  of  the  Christian  church,  to  which  he  belongs,  and  in  its  teachings  are 
found  the  guiding  principles  of  his  life.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the 
Masons,  belonging  to  Evening  Star  Lodge,  No.  30,  at  Pomeroy.  The  success 
which  he  has  gained  is  proof  of  his  ability,  for  it  has  been  won  solely  through 
his  own  efforts. 


EDWIN  HUGH  VAN  PATTEN,  Ph.  M.,  M.  D. 

Dr.  Edwin  Hugh  \'an  Patten,  a  distinguished  member  of  the  medical  pro- 
fession practicing  at  Dayton,  was  born  March  8,  1855,  near  Springfield,  Illinois, 
and  traces  his  ancestry  back  to  the  year  1641,  when  Charles  Frederick  \'an  Patten 
was  bom.  He  came  to  New  Amsterdam,  now  New  York,  in  1664  and  from  that 
ancestor  the  line  comes  down  unbroken  to  Dr.  Van  Patten  of  this  review.  His 
parents  were  John  Coop  and  Rachel  (McCoy)  \'an  Patten.  The  father  was 
born  in  New  Jersey,  January  22,  1832,  and  acquired  a  public  school  education  in 
Springfield,  Illinois,  accompanying  his  parents  on  their  removal  to  that  state 
during  his  early  youth.  He  studied  for  the  ministry  of  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian church  and  remained  one  of  its  well  known  pastors  until  the  union  of  the 


DR.   EDWIX  H.  VAX  FATTEN 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  683 

Cumberland  Presbyterian  witb  the  Presbyterian  church,  when  he  returned  to  the 
church  of  his  youth.  For  a  number  of  years  he  was  general  agent  for  the 
Lincoln  University  at  Lincoln.  Illinois,  and  he  became  pastor  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  church  of  Lincoln  at  the  time  when  he  accepted  the  agency,  there 
remaining  for  five  years.  On  leaving  Illinois  he  removed  to  eastern  Washington 
in  1880,  settling  in  Dayton,  where  he  had  purchased  land  and  where  he  engaged  in 
preaching  the  gospel  for  many  years.  He  was  also  prominent  in  the  public  life 
of  the  community  and  was  chosen  to  represent  his  district  in  the  state  senate, 
which  position  he  was  filling  at  the  time  Governor  Rodger  was  elected.  He  died 
in  the  latter  part  of  August,  1912,  when  in  the  eighty-first  year  of  his  age. 

Dr.  Edwin  Hugh  Van  Patten,  reared  in  Lincoln,  there  acquired  his  early 
education  as  a  public  school  student  and  afterward  attended  the  Lincoln  Uni- 
versity, which  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Philosophy  in  1879 
and  that  of  Master  of  Philosophy  in  the  spring  of  1883,  the  latter  coming  to  him 
from  his  alma  mater  as  a  well  earned  honor.  In  1880,  then  a  young  man  of 
twenty-five  years,  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal  westward  to  Ore- 
gon and  took  up  his  abode  upon  a  claim  in  Sherman  county.  It  was  his  desire, 
however,  to  enter  upon  a  professional  career.  He  had  previously  engaged  in 
teaching  school  in  Illinois'  but  regarded  this  merely  as  an  initial  step  to  other 
professional  labor  and  in  1881  he  returned  to  his  native  state  to  become  a  student 
in  Rush  ^ledical  College  in  Chicago,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  February, 
1883,  with  valedictorian  honors  as  a  member  of  a  class  of  two  hundred.  He 
then  retCirned  to  the  northwest  and  located  for  practice  in  Dayton,  where  he  has 
remained  for  thirty-four  years,  occupying  one  office  through  practically  the 
entire  period.  Actuated  at  all  times  by  a  iiiost  progressive  spirit,  he 
has  kept  abreast  with  the  latest  thought,  researches'  and  discoveries  of  the 
science  of  medicine,  has  one  of  the  best  equipped  offices  in  the  northwest  and 
one  of  the  most  complete  medical  libraries.  In  1888  he  went  to  New  York,  where 
he  pursued  an'extended  post-graduate  course,  specializing  in  the  study  of  diseases 
of  the  eye  and  ear.  It  was  Dr.  Van  Patten  who  performed  the  first  successful 
laparotomy  operation  and  the  first  successful  hysterectomy  operation  in  Columbia 
county.  He  has  done  much  difficult  surgical  work  which  has  given  evidence  of  his 
remarkable  skill  and  high  achievements  in  this  branch  of  the  profession  and  he  is 
regarded  as  the  peer  of  the  ablest  physicians  and  surgeons  on  the  Pacific  coast. 
He  is  likewise  a  member  of  the  Edwards-Hindle  Company  of  Dayton  and  is  a 
landowner  of  Columbia  county,  Washington,  and  of  Sherman  county,  Oregon. 

On  the  25th  of  June,  1884,  in  Bismarck,  Illinois,  Dr.  Van  Patten  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Julia  Satterwhite,  of  Louisville,  Kentucky,  who  had  been  a 
schoolmate  of  the  Doctor  in  Lincoln.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Parker  Satterwhite 
and  was  graduated  from  the  Lincoln  schools  in  June,  1881,  and  taught  school 
for  some  years  prior  to  her  marriage.  She  afterward  became  grand  corre- 
spondent for  the  Grand  Chapter  of  the  Eastern  Star,  which  position  she  occupied 
for  a  number  of  years  or  until  her  health  caused  her  to  resign. 

Dr.  Van  Patten  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  democratic  party  and  in 
1889  was  a  candidate  on  its  ticket  for  the  office  of  state  senator  and  again  in 
1905.  On  both  occasions  he  was  defeated  by  a  small  majority  in  a  strongly 
republican  district,  although  he  ran  far  ahead  of  the  regular  party  vote.  He 
served  for  six  years  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  of  Dayton  and  soon  after 


684  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

his  arri\al  in  CDluiiibia  county  was  elected  county  coroner,  which  position  he 
occupied  tor  many  years.  In  Masonic  circles  Dr.  \'an  Patten  occupies  a  vei"y 
prominent  position.  He  is  a  ])ast  grand  master  of  the  grand  lodge  of  Masons, 
ha\ing  served  during  1904  and  1905.  J  le  was  grand  patron  of  the  Order  of  the 
Eastern  Star  in  1892  and  1S93  and  is  now  right  eminent  grand  commander  of 
the  Knights  Templar.  He  is  also  the  grand  king  of  the  Grand  Cha])ter  of  Royal 
Arch  Masons  for  the  state  and  he  is  a  member  of  the  Oriental  Consistory  of 
Spokane,  in  .'Scottish  Rite  Masonry.  He  is  likewise  an  elder  of  the  Cumberland 
Presljyterian  church,  which  indicates  that  his  obligations  for  the  religious  devel- 
opment of  the  community  are  not  neglected.  In  fact  he  is  an  active  and  helpful 
church  worker  and  docs  everything  in  his  jjower  to  extend  the  influence  and 
])romote  the  growth  of  the  organization.  He  belongs  to  the  Walla  \\'alla  Valley 
Medical  .Society  and  he  went  abroad  for  study  in  surgery  in  Europe.  He  has 
ne\er  ceased  to  be  a  close  student  of  his  profession  and  yet  his  reading  has*been 
by  no  means  confined  to  medical  and  surgical  lines  but  has  reached  out  into  the 
broad  realms  of  thought.  While  in  Europe  he  was  several  times  requested  to 
address  the  Travelers  Club  and  the  Camera  Club,  organizations  of  prominent 
peo])le  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  He  is  a  gifted  speaker  and  is  frequently 
called  upon  to  address  various  gatherings.  Moreover,  he  is  an  unusually  enter- 
taining conversationalist,  which  makes  him  very  popular  in  social  circles.  In  a 
word,  association  with  Dr.  Van  Patten  means  expansion  and  elevation. 


GARLAND  B.  TAYLOR. 

Garland  B.  Taylor,  of  Walla  Walla,  who  is  actively  identified  with  farming  in 
southeastern  Washington,  was  born  in  Johnson  county,  Missouri,  on  the  30th  of 
Tune,  1866,  a  son  of  Simon  Taylor,  who  is  mentioned  in  connection  with  the 
sketch  of  C.  M.  Taylor  on  another  page  of  this  work. 

Garland  B.  Taylor  was  a  lad  of  but  twelve  years  when  his  parents  removed 
of  Walla  Walla  county,  where  he  completed  his  education  as  a  public  school 
student.  On  attaining  his  majority  he  began  farming  in  cooperation  with  his 
brothers,  Walter  and  Mack,  and  about  1897  he  withdrew  from  business  con- 
nections with  his  brothers  and  began  farming  independently.  He  is  today  the 
owner  of  six  hundred  and  three  acres  of  rich  and  productive  land  and  is  one 
of  the  representative  wheat  farmers  of  Walla  Walla  county.  His  business  affairs 
are  carefully  and  systematically  managed  and  his  efforts  have  brought  to  him 
deserved  success. 

In  1895  Mr.  Taylor  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  M.  Fuller,  a 
daughter  of  John  Fuller,  who  came,  to  Walla  Walla  county  from  Arkansas  in 
1888  and  here  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor  have 
been  born  three  sons  and  a  daughter,  namely :  Joseph  G. ;  Ben  F. ;  Garland  E. ; 
and  Henrietta,  who  is  deceased. 

Mr.  Taylor  is  a  democrat  in  his  political  views  and  has  served  as  deputy 
assessor  of  Columbia  county  for  two  years.  He  was  afterward  elected  to  the  office 
of  county  clerk  and  served  in  that  position  for  one  term.  He  is  well  known  as 
a  valued  member  of  Touchet  Lodge,  No.  5,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Waitsburg,  and  he 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  685 

and  his  wife  are  faithful  members  of  the  Christian  church.  His  genuine  worth 
is  widely  acknowledged  by  all  who  have  come  in  contact  with  him.  His  record 
proves  that  success  and  an  honored  name  may  be  won  simultaneously,  for  while 
he  has  prospered  in  his  undertakings,  he  has  always  conducted  his  affairs  in  a 
way  that  has  brought  good  results  and  yet  the  integrity  of  his  methods  has  ever 
been  above  question. 


HON.  ARTHUR  F.  KEES. 

Among  the  highly  esteemed  residents  of  Walla  Walla  is  Arthur  F.  Kees,  who 
is  devoting  his  attention  to  farming  and  stock  raising.  He  is  a  native  of  Walla 
W^alla  county  and  was  born  November  13,  1S67.  His  parents,  Samuel  M.  and 
Elizabeth  (Coyle)  Kees,  were  born  respectively  in  Pennsylvania  and  Illinois,  but 
became  residents  of  Oregon  in  an  early  day  in  the  history  of  that  state.  There 
they  were  married  and  continued  to  reside  until  the  early  '60s,  when  they  came 
to  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington.  The  father  engaged  in  the  stock  business 
here,  which  was  the  leading  industry  at  that  time,  but  subsequently  turned  his 
attention  to  farming  when  the  range  disappeared  with  the  incoming  of  large 
numbers  of  settlers.  He  continued  to  cultivate  land  until  his  death  in  January, 
1914.  The  mother's  demise  took  place  September  6,  1917.  To  them  were  born 
seven  children,  of  whom  only  two  survive,  our  subject  and  Mrs.  Lillian  Julian, 
also  of  Walla  Walla. 

Arthur  F.  Kees  remained  at  home  until  he  had  attained  his  majority  and  in 
the  meantime  he  had  attended  the  common  schools,  the  Whitman  College  and 
a  business  college  at  Portland,  Oregon,  and  had  gained  familiarity  with  farm 
work.  He  decided  to  follow  the  occupation  to  which  he  had  been  reared  and  for 
a  considerable  period  devoted  his  entire  time  and  attention  to  farming.  In  1898, 
however,  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  Walla  Walla  county  and  served  in  that  capacity 
for  four  years  and  in  1903  was  elected  to  the  state  legislature,  and  during  his 
service  as  a  member  of  that  body  proved  ready  in  his  discrimination  between  bills 
calculated  to  promote  the  general  welfare  and  those  inimical  to  the  good  of  the 
commonwealth.  He  makes  his  home  in  the  city  of  Walla  Walla,  but  gives  careful 
supervision  to  the  operation  of  his  farm  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres. 

Mr.  Kees  was  married  in  1891  to  Miss  Susan  M.  Stetson,  a  native  of  Oregon 
and  a  daughter  of  Clinton  and  Mary  (Dixon)  Stetson,  the  former  born  in  New 
York  state  and  the  latter  in  Illinois.  In  1849  the  father  went  to  Cahfornia  and 
later  removed  successively  to  Oregon  and  to  Walla  Walla  county.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  the  northwest  and  took  up  a  homestead  in  Umatilla  county,  near  the  state 
line.  He  at  once  set  about  bringing  that  place  under  cultivation  and  continued  to 
operate  it  until  his  death  in  1872.  His  widow  still  resides  there.  They  were 
the  parents  of  four  children,  all  of  whom  are  still  living.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Kees  has  been  born  a  daughter,  Arline,  who  is  a  graduate  of  Pullman  College 
and  is  the  wife  of  Harry  Struthers,  by  whom  she  has  a  daughter,  Dorothy 
Susan. 

Mr.  Kees  is  a  stanch  republican  and  has  filled  a  number  of  local  offices  in 
addition  to  serving  as  sheriff  and  state  representative.    His  official  record  is  one 


686  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

of  which  he  has  just  cause  to  be  proud,  for  hu  lias  consistently  sought  to  further 
the  general  welfare  and  has  discharged  his  duties  with  signal  ability.  Fraternally 
he  belongs  to  the  Elks,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Eagles,  and  his  friends  are 
many  both  within  and  without  these  organizations. 


WILLIAM  A.  STRUTHERS. 

William  A.  Struthers,  one  of  the  foremost  farmers  and  largest  wheat  growers 
of  Walla  Walla  county,  makes  his  home  in  the  city  of  Walla  Walla  and  from 
that  point  superintends  his  extensive  agricultural  interests.  He  was  born  in 
Cannon  City,  Rice  county,  Minnesota,  December  24,  1867,  a  son  of  James  and 
Margaret  (McDonald)  Struthers,  the  former  a  native  of  Glasgow,  Scotland,  and 
the  latter  of  Canada.  They  were  married,  however,  in  Wisconsin,  the  father 
having  come  to  the  United  States  when  a  young  man.  He  was  a  blacksmith 
by  trade  and  soon  after  his  marriage  he  removed  to  Cannon  City,  Minnesota, 
where  the  active  years  of  his  life  were  spent  at  the  forge. 

William  A.  Struthers  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  city 
and  when  twenty  years  of  age  he  left  the  Mississippi  valley  for  the  Pacific  slope. 
He  made  his  way  to  Walla  Walla,,  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  For  several 
years  following  his  arrival  he  worked  for  -wages  in  the  employ  of  his  brother 
George  and  in  1897  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account.  For  ten  years  he 
cultivated  rented  land,  operating  fifteen  hundred  acres  on  the  Eureka  Flats. 
.\bout  1907  he  purchased  the  W.  H.  Babcock  farm  of  twenty-two  hundred  and 
forty  acres,  on  which  he  resided  until  June,  1917,  when  he  became  owner  of 
the  Dr.  C.  N.  Suttner  residence  at  the  corner  of  Palouse  and  Birch  streets  in 
Walla  Walla.  This  is  one  of  the  finest  homes  in  the  city  and  is  now  occupied  by 
Mr.  Struthers  and  his  family.  His  farm,  also,  is  one  of  the  best  equipped  and 
most  conveniently  and  comfortably  arranged  of  any  in  Walla  Walla  county. 
The  numerous  buildings  are  large,  airy  and  commodious.  They  are  strictly 
modern  in  every  particular  and  the  residence  is  elegantly  appointed  with  all  the 
latest  conveniences,  as  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Struthers  made  many  improvements  thereon, 
intending  it  at  that  time  for  their  permanent  home.  The  grounds  are  beautifully 
laid  out  and  planted  with  well  kept  shrubs,  while  the  lawns  are  interspersed 
with  rare  flowerbeds.  The  business  facilities  of  the  place  are  looked  after  with 
equally  painstaking  care  and  there  are  even  laid  sidetracks  from  the  railroad  to  the 
barns  to  facilitate  loading  and  shipping.  Mr.  Struthers  still  personally  superin- 
tends his  extensive  farming  interests  and  has  become  one  of  the  leading  and 
representative  agriculturists  of  this  section  of  the  state.  He  has  kept  in  close 
touch  with  the  most  progressive  methods  of  farming  and  wheat  growing  and  the 
latest  improved  machinerj-  is  seen  upon  his  land,  used  in  connection  with  the 
plowing,  planting  and  harvesting  of  the  crops.  Indeed,  there  is  in  evidence  every 
convenience  and  accessory  of  a  model  farm  property  of  the  present  day. 

In  1893  Mr.  Struthers  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Maggie  McDonald,  her 
father  being  P.  J.  McDonald,  then  of  Walla  Walla  county  but  now  a  resident 
of  Sprague,  Washington.  They  became  the  parents  of  two  children,  of  whom 
one  survives.  Hazel,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  P.  J.  Tully,  of  Sprague.  Washington. 


WILLIAM  A.  STRUTHERS 


RESIDENCE   OF   WILLIAM   A.   STKUTHERS 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  691 

The  wife  and  mother  passed  away  in  1903  and  in  1905  Mr.  Struthers  was  again 
married,  his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Lucy  B.  Labudde,  a  daughter  of 
Gustav  Labudde,  of  Eureka,  Walla  Walla  county.  By  his  second  wife  Mr. 
Struthers  has  four  children,  Selma,  Helen,  Bernice  and  Jack. 

In  politics  Mr.  Struthers  is  a  democrat  and  for  twenty  years  was  a  member 
of  the  school  board  of  District  No.  2.  He  does  everything  in  his  power  to  insure 
the  success  of  his  party  and  extend  its  influence  but  has  never  been  a  politician 
for  the  sake  of  office.  He  belongs  to  Walla  Walla  Lodge,  No.  287,  B.  P.  O.  E., 
and  he  and  his  wife  are  consistent  members  of  the  Congregational  church.  An 
analyzation  of  his  career  shows  that  he  has  always  placed  his  dependence  upon 
industry  and  perseverance  rather  than  upon  fortunate  circiunstances  or  the  assist- 
ance of  friends.  In  other  words  he  has  not  been  afraid  of  hard  work  and  his  close 
application  and  intelligently  directed  effort  have  been  the  means  of  winning  for 
him  a  position  among  the  prosperous  citizens  of  southeastern  Washington. 


CHARLES  C.  MAIDEN. 

Charles  C.  Maiden,  a  progressive  and  up-to-date  farmer  of  Walla  Walla 
county,  residing  on  section  9,  township  6  north,  range  35  east,  was  born  in  Vir- 
ginia, February  28,  1865.  His  parents,  James  F.  and  Mary  A.  (Dutton)  Maiden, 
were  both  born  in  Virginia  and  there  passed  their  entire  lives.  They  were  the 
parents  of  ten  children,  but  only  four  survive. 

Charles  C.  Maiden  grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  state  and  is  indebted  for 
his  education  to  its  common  schools.  In  1886,  after  attaining  his  majority,  he 
removed  to  Kansas  and  three  years  later  again  started  west,  this  time  with  the 
Pacific  coast  country  as  his  destination.  For  two  years  he  worked  as  a  farm 
hand  in  Walla  Walla  county  and  then  for  four  years  operated  rented  land. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  he  had  saved  enough  money  to  purchase  sixteen  acres 
of  rich  land,  well  adapted  to  gardening,  and  on  that  place  he  has  since  remained. 
He  now  owns,  however,  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  acres  devoted  to  truck 
gardening  and  to  the  raising  of  alfalfa.  He  has  erected  commodious  and  sub- 
stantial buildings  upon  this  place  and  otherwise  improved  it,  thus  adding  greatly 
to  its  value. 

Mr.  Maiden  was  married  on  December  31,  1890,  to  Miss  Laura  D.  Reynolds, 
a  native  of  Illinois.  Her  parents,  Evan  and  Urana  (Stiles)  Reynolds,  were 
born  respectively  in  Kentucky  and  Ohio.  They  became  residents  of  Walla  Walla 
county  in  1881,  and  both  lived  upon  their  farm  in  that  county  until  called  by 
death.  Mrs.  Maiden  is  one  of  five  living  children  in  a  family  of  twelve.  By 
her  marriage  she  has  become  the  mother  of  two  children :  Florence  D.,  the  wife 
of  F.  A.  Cline,  of  Clyde,  Washington ;  and  Franklin  R.,  who  is  at  home. 

Mr.  Maiden  is  a  stalwart  democrat  in  politics  and  for  eleven  years  has  held 
the  ofiice  of  accessor  and  for  more  than  twenty  years  was  a  member  of  the 
school  board.  The  length  of  his  public  service  is  proof  of  his  ability  and  trust- 
worthiness. Fraternally  he  belongs  to  Enterprise  Lodge,  No.  12,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and 
the  principles  which  guide  his  life  are  further  indicated  in  the  fact  that  both 
he  and  his  wife  belong  to  the  Baptist  church.     When  he  came  to  Walla  Walla 

Vol.  I 3  8 


692  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

county  he  was  without  capital  and  without  influential  friends,  but  he  was  quick 
to  recognize  the  opportunities  here  offered  and  through  taking  advantage  of  all 
chances  for  advancement  that  have  presented  themselves  he  is  now  in  comfortable 
circumstances. 


CHARLES  E.  SHAFFER. 

Charles  E.  Shaffer,  who  is  farming  in  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington,  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  July  2,  1862,  a  son  of  Christopher  and  Mary  M.  (Eckard) 
Shaffer,  both  natives  of  Germany.  In  1840  they  came  to  America  and  later 
were  here  married.  They  were  for  many  years  residents  of  Pennsylvania  and 
there  both  passed  away. 

Charles  E.  Shaffer,  who  is  one  of  four  living  children  of  a  family  of  six, 
was  reared  and  educated  in  Pennsylvania  but  in  1880,  when  about  eighteen  years 
old,  went  to  California,  where  he  remained  for  a  short  time.  He  then  removed 
to  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington,  where  for  a  number  of  years  he  was  em- 
ployed by  the  Oregon-Washington  Railroad  &  Navigation  Company.  In  1884 
he  returned  to  California,  where  he  farmed  for  a  decade,  but  in  1896  he  returned 
to  Walla  Walla  county  and  bought  the  farm  of  six  hundred  and  forty  acres 
which  he  still  owns.  He  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  until  1908,  when  he 
went  to  Dayton,  where  he  bought  a  half  interest  in  the  J.  W.  Stevens  hardware 
business,  with  which  he  was  connected  until  1914.  He  then  removed  to  Waits- 
burg,  where  he  has  since  resided.  Whether  engaged  in  farming  or  in  the  hard- 
ware business  he  has  manifested  a  ready  recognition  of  opportunities  for  advance- 
ment and  has  managed  his  affairs  in  an  able  manner.  He  is  one  of  the  directors 
of  the  Farmers  Union  Warehouse  Company. 

In  1887  Mr.  Shaffer  was  married  to  Miss  Amanda  Scott,  who  was  born  in 
Baker  county,  Oregon,  a  daughter  of  John  B.  and  Amanda  M.  (Cantonwine) 
Scott,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  the  east  and  the  latter  in  Iowa.  They 
were  pioneers  of  Baker  county,  Oregon,  and  both  met  death  at  the  hands  of  the 
Indians.  They  were  a  young  couple  living  beside  the  old  Emigrant  road  on 
Lower  Burnt  river.  It  was  about  half  a  century  ago  that  they  started  with  a 
load  of  peaches  and  vegetables  for  the  little  mining  town  of  Rye  Valley,  about 
eight  miles  distant,  expecting  to  do  some  trading  and  also  visit  friends  whom 
they  thought  they  would  meet  at  a  dance  that  night.  The  next  day  they  started 
home,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scott  occupying  the  wagon  seat  and  their  two-year-old 
boy  and  baby  girl  asleep  in  the  bottom  of  the  wagon.  Suddenly  the  Indians 
sprang  from  ambush  with  yells  and  delivered  their  fire  at  close  range.  Mr. 
Scott  plunged  forward  across  the  dashboard  dead  and  dropped  the  reins  between 
the  horses,  but  his  wife  caught  him  and  dragged  him  back  into  the  wagon.  The 
team,  of  course,  started  to  run,  but  she  climbed  over  the  dashboard  to  the  wagon 
tongue,  secured  the  trailing  lines  and  regained  her  place  in  the  wagon,  where  she 
crouched  low,  followed  by  many  bullets.  She  guided  the  frightened  animals 
down  the  difficult  road,  forded  Burnt  river  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  and  proceeded 
to  her  home.  She  had  saved  her  husband's  body  and  herself  and  the  lives  of  their 
children,  but  received  two  mortal  wounds.     To  those  present  she  told  her  story, 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  693 

made  her  verbal  will,  consigning  her  babies  to  the  care  of  their  grandparents,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  George  Cantonwine,  of  Walla  Walla.  She  left  in  the  hands  of  a 
neighbor  the  gold  watch  and  chain  which  she  took  from  her  neck,  with  the  request 
that  they  be  given  to  her  parents  for  her  little  daughter.  If  ever  Oregon  pro- 
duced a  heroine  the  girlish  looking  Mrs.  Scott  was  she. 

Mr.  and  Airs.  Shaffer  have  become  the  parents  of  five  children,  namely ; 
Ernest  AI.,  of  Spokane,  Washington;  Mary  Ada,  the  wife  of  W.  E.  Volmer; 
Charles  P.,  who  is  farming  with  his  father;  Audrey  Grace,  who  is  in  high  school; 
and  Clarence,  who  is  an  eighth  grade  student. 

Mr.  ShalTer  is  a  stanch  republican  and  for  two  terms  served  as  county  com- 
missioner. He  has  also  been  a  member  of  the  school  board  and  many  projects 
for  the  public  welfare  have  benefited  by  his  hearty  cooperation.  His  fraternal 
connections  are  with  Lodge  No.  135,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Dayton,  and  with  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen.  His  wife  belongs  to  the  Congregational  church 
and  is  much  interested  in  its  various  activities.  They  have  made  many  friends 
in  Waitsburg  since  removing  here  and  are  well  and  favorably  known  throughout 
the  county. 


DOUGLAS  V.  WOOD. 


Douglas  V.  Wood  is  the  senior  partner  of  the  firm  of  Wood  &  Lane,  promi- 
nent and  successful  dealers  in  automobiles  in  Walla  Walla.  He  was  born  in 
middle  Tennessee,  on  the  5th  of  October,  1859,  a  son  of  William  and  Elizabeth 
Wood.  The  father  served  as  a  soldier  of  the  Union  army  in  the  Civil  war  and 
died  while  at  the  front. 

Douglas  V.  Wood  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  in  Mount  \'ale 
Academy,  now  Mount  Vale  College,  at  Cehna,  Tennessee.  He  took  up  the  pro- 
fession of  teaching  and  in  1885  he  came  west  to  Walla  Walla  county,  after 
which  he  was  employed  as  teacher  in  the  Waitsburg  schools  for  two  years. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  real  estate  and 
insurance  business  and  also  engaged  in  grain  buying,  with  which  undertaking 
he  was  identified  in  Waitsburg  for  fifteen  years.  He  later  sf)ent  two  years  in 
traveling  over  the  country  and  in  1908  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Walla  Walla. 
After  one  year  devoted  to  the  real  estate  business  he  turned  his  attention  to  the 
automobile  trade  and  in  191 1  sold  an  interest  to  C.  B.  Lane,  thus  forming  the 
firm  of  Wood  &  Lane.  The  firm  has  the  agency  for  the  White,  the  Cadillac, 
the  Oldsmobile  and  the  Maxwell  cars,  and  thus  handling  moderate  and  high 
priced  cars,  they  do  one  of  the  largest  automobile  businesses  in  Walla  Walla. 
They  also  maintain  a  splendidly  equipped  garage  and  their  repair  department 
is  meeting  with  excellent  success,  while  their  annual  sales  of  motor  cars  have 
reached  a  large  figure. 

On  the  25th  of  December,  1888,  Mr.  Wood  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Laura  R.  Lane,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Alary  Lane,  who  were  among  the 
pioneer  families  of  the  county.  To  Mr.  and  Airs.  Wood  have  been  born  three 
children:  Merrill  D.,  who  is  a  practicing  physician  of  Spokane;  Robert  V., 
at  home ;  and  one  who  has  passed  away. 


694  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

In  politics  Mr.  Wood  is  a  stalwart  democrat  and  has  served  as  a  member 
of  the  town  council  of  Waitsburg  and  was  also  mayor  there  for  a  number  of 
years.  His  record  as  a  public  official  is  one  which  has  brought  to  him  honor 
and  respect  by  reason  of  his  loyalty  to  duty  and  his  faithfulness  in  the  per- 
formance of  every  task  that  devolves  upon  him.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with 
Touchet  Lodge,  No.  5,  L  O.  O.  F.,  of  Waitsburg,  and  with  the  Woodmen  of 
the  World.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  are 
interested  in  its  growth  and  development.  Aside  from  his  automobile  interests 
Mr.  Wood  became  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Peoples  State  Bank  and  has  con- 
tinuously been  one  of  its  directors.  His  activities  and  his  interests  are  thus 
broad  and  varied  and  he  has  done  much  to  further  the  material,  intellectual, 
social  and  moral  progress  of  the  community  in  which  he  resides.  His  aid  and 
influence  are  always  on  the  side  of  improvement  and  advancement  and  his  labors 
iiave  been  resultant  forces. 


MRS.  MARTHA  ELLEN  KIBLINGER  BECKER. 

Mrs.  Martha  Ellen  Becker  is  living  on  section  6,  township  7  north,  range  35 
east,  Walla  Walla  county,  and  is  the  owner  of  a  valuable  farm  property  of  six 
hundred  and  forty  acres.  She  was  born  in  Vermilion  county,  Illinois,  and  crossed 
the  plains  in  1861  in  company  with  her  parents,  Jacob  P.  and  Amanda  A.  (Rut- 
ledge)  Kiblinger,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  Prairie  state.  At  length 
they  determined  to  try  their  fortune  in  the  northwest  and  made  the  long  journey 
over  the  hot  stretches  of  sand  and  across  the  mountains  to  Oregon,  taking  up 
their  abode  near  Salem.  Mrs.  Becker  was  therefore  reared  and  educated  in 
Oregon  and  experienced  all  of  the  hardships  and  privations  incident  to  the  set- 
tlement of  the  frontier.  After  reaching  young  womanhood  she  gave  her  hand 
in  marriage  to  Edwin  F.  Coffin  and  in  1879  they  removed  to  the  Walla  Walla 
valley,  where  three  years  later  they  took  up  as  a  homestead  the  farm  upon  the 
Little  Walla  Walla  river  where  Mrs.  Becker  still  resides.  Mr.  Coffin  bent  his 
energies  to  the  development  and  improvement  of  that  place  and  his  labors 
wrought  a  marked  transformation  in  its  appearance,  for  he  broke  the  sod,  tilled 
the  fields  and  in  course  of  years  gathered  good  harvests,  having  brought  all  of 
the  land  under  cultivation.  Mrs.  Becker  now  owns  here  six  hundred  and  forty 
acres,  constituting  a  very  valuable  farm  on  which  are  found  all  of  the  modern 
improvements  and  the  accessories  and  conveniences  known  to  the  model  farm 
of  the  twentieth  century.  She  has  continued  to  reside  here  since  she  took  up 
her  abode  upon  the  place  with  her  first  husband  and  upon  this  farm  she  has 
reared  her  family  of  three  children,  two  daughters  and  a  son.  The  eldest,  Myrtle, 
is  the  wife  of  Arthur  Beard.  The  second  daughter,  Lula  May,  has  become 
the  wife  of  Fred  Elsworth,  of  Deer  Park,  Washington,  and  the  son,  Guy  H.,\ 
remains  upon  the  old  homestead.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Coffin,  his  widow  be- 
came the  wife  of  Philip  Becker  and  to  them  have  been  born  three  children: 
Philip  A.  L;  Dora  May,  who  is  the  wife  of  James  Beeson;  and  George  A.,  who 
is  at  home  with  his  mother.  Mrs.  Becker  is  a  very  capable  business  woman, 
alert  and  energetic,  and  has  successfully  managed  and  controlled  her  farming 


MBS.   MARTHA   E.   K.  BECKER 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  697 

interests.  Her  long  residence  in  the  county  has  made  her  largely  familiar  with 
events  which  have  shaped  the  history  of  this  section  of  the  state.  She  can  relate 
many  an  interesting  tale  of  the  early  days  and  of  the  pioneer  experiences  which 
came  to  the  lot  of  all  those  who  settled  in  this  section  of  the  state  when  it  was  yet 
a  frontier  region.  She  has  gained  many  friends  during  the  years  of  her  residence 
here  and  is  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  know  her. 


PATRICK  J.  HUGHES. 

Patrick  J.  Hughes,  one  of  the  most  successful  farmers  of  Walla  Walla  county, 
was  born  in  Westmeath,  Ireland,  in  1872,  a  son  of  Andrew  and  Delia  (Kenan) 
Hughes.  The  father  is  still  living  in  Westmeath,  but  the  mother  passed  away, 
there,  about  1894. 

Their  son,  Patrick  J.  Hughes,  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  country  and  on  reaching  young  manhood  came  to  the  United  States,  cross- 
ing the  Atlantic  in  1891.  He  landed  in  New  York  city  on  the  7th  or  8th  of  May 
in  that  year  and  spent  one  week  in  the  metropolis.  He  afterward  came  to  the 
west,  arriving  in  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  with  a  cash  capital  of  fifteen  dollars, 
which  was  his  entire  possession  in  the  waiy.^of  rSnaflces.  :  He  was  met  at  the 
train  by  Chris  Ennis,  who  had  been  a  frifcn4'-;Qf>hisparieots- in  Ireland  and  who 
took  him  to  his  home,  making  him  welcorhe  there,  for  a  week,  after  which  he  put 
him  to  work  on  his  ranch  at  the  wage  of  ai  dollar  |)et.'(fay.ri^.e  continued  to  work 
for  wages  for  nine  years,  during  which  time  lie  saved  tft' "the  neighborhood  of 
two  thousand  dollars.  With  this  capital  he  started  upon  an  independent  career 
as  a  farmer.  His  beginning  was  a  modest  one  as  he  rented  land  from  Mr.  Ennis, 
thus  cultivating  fourteen  hundred  and  eighty  acres.  This  farm  he  has  since 
operated  under  lease  and  about  1903' he  bought  his  first  land,  becoming  owner  of 
what  was  known  as  the  Hastings  ranch  of  three  hundred  and  eighty-five  acres. 
To  his  original  purchase  he  had  added  from  time  to  time  until  he  now  has  nine 
hundred  and  thirty  acres  in  that  place.  In  191 5  he  bought  the  Osborn  ranch  of 
twelve  hundred  and  forty-four  acres,  for  which  he  paid  eighty  thousand  dollars. 
In  1 91 7  he  bought  eighteen  hundred  and  eighty-nine  acres,  and  it  may  be  said 
to  be  a  curious  coincidence  that  this  is  the  very  farm  on  which  he  first  worked 
at  a  dollar  per  day  upon  coming  to  this  covmtry.  For  this  property  Mr.  Hughes 
paid  the  munificent  figure  of  two  hundred  and  eighty-three  thousand,  five  hundred 
dollars,  or  a  little  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  per  acre.  Such  is 
the  notable  record  of  Mr.  Hughes,  who  a  little  more  than  twenty  years  ago 
arrived  in  Walla  Walla  county  a  poor  boy  with  fifteen  dollars  in  his  pocket. 
He  has  accomplished  what  few  others  have  done  in  so  short  a  space  of  time, 
making  himself  one  of  the  wheat  kings  of  the  Inland  Empire.  Mr.  HugTies  also 
has  three  brothers  in  Walla  Walla  county  and  all  of  them  are  successful  as 
ranchers. 

In  politics  Mr.  Hughes  has  always  maintained  an  independent  course,  voting 
for  men  and  measures  rather  than  party.  His  religious  faith  is  that  of  the 
Catholic  church.  He  is  one  of  W^alla  Walla's  most  esteemed  and  valued  citizens. 
He  belongs  to  that  class  of  resourceful  men,  who  when  one  avenue  of  oppor- 


698  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

tunity  seems  closed  carves  out  another  path  whereby  he  can  reach  the  desired 
goal.  In  a  word,  obstacles  and  difficulties  have  never  been  allowed  to  brook  his 
course,  but  have  been  overcome  by  persistent,  earnest  effort  and  steadily  he 
has  progressed,  reaching  a  most  enviable  and  creditable  position  among  the 
prosperous  residents  of  the  Inland  Empire.  His  record  may  well  serve  to  inspire 
and  encourage  others,  for  it  is  a  story  of  honesty  and  thrift,  the  story  of  suc- 
cessful accomplishment  through  individual  effort. 


HERBERT  C.  BRYSON. 

Herbert  C.  Bryson  has  won  a  conspicuous  and  honorable  position  in  the 
ranks  of  the  legal  fraternity  at  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  and  is  also  most 
prominently  and  successfully  connected  with  the  sheep  raising  industry  of  the 
northwest.  He  was  born  in  Athena,  Oregon,  on  the  lOth  of  February,  1S79,  and 
the  spirit  of  western  enterprise  finds  expression  in  all  that  he  does  and  says. 
He  is  a  son  of  Charles  K.  and  Armilda  C.  (Darland)  Bryson,  the  former  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  while  the  latter  was  born  in  Iowa.  They  came  with  their 
respective  parents  to  the  northwest  and  were  married  in  Oregon.  The  father 
was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Umatilla  county,  where  he  arrived  in  the  early  '70s, 
and  for  many  years  he  was  actively  engaged  in  farming  there.  He  still  survives 
and  now  makes  his  home  with  a  daughter  in  Enterprise,  Oregon.  His  wife,  how- 
ever, passed  away  in  December,  1894. 

Herbert  C.  Bryson  was  reared  on  the  old  homestead  farm  in  L'matilla  county, 
Oregon,  and  early  became  familiar  with  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot 
of  the  agriculturist,  for  his  youthful  days  were  divided  between  the  work  of 
the  fields,  the  pleasures  of  the  playground  and  the  duties  of  the  schoolroom. 
After  attending  the  public  schools  of  eastern  Oregon  he  continued  his  studies  in 
the  State  Normal  at  Weston,  Oregon,  and  subsequently  became  a  student  in 
the  University  of  Oregon,  from  which  he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1899, 
winning  the  LL.  B.  degree.  He  had  determined  to  make  the  practice  of  law  his 
life  work  and  his  preparation  therefore  was  most  thorough.  Following  his  gradu- 
ation he  opened  an  office  in  Grant's  Pass,  Oregon,  where  he  entered  upon  the  active 
work  of  the  profession.  In  February,  1900,  he  came  to  Walla  Walla,  where  he 
formed  a  law  partnership  with  Oscar  Cain,  who  was  afterward  United  States 
attorney  and  is  now  located  in  Spokane.  This  partnership  existed  up  to  May, 
1907,  when  Mr.  Bryson  was  appointed  deputy  district  attorney  under  Otto  B. 
Rupp,  in  which  capacity  he  served  for  two  years.  Since  1909  he  has  been  prac- 
ticing independently  and  in  the  intervening  period  of  eight  years  he  has  gained 
a  place  in  the  front  rank  of  the  successful  attorneys  of  Walla  Walla  county.  He 
is  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  principles  of  jurisprudence,  is  careful  and  pains- 
taking in  the  preparation  of  his  cases,  is  logical  in  his  deductions  and  clear  and 
sound  in  his  reasoning.  Aside  from  his  law  practice  Mr.  Bryson  has  gained  a 
prominent  position  in  connection  with  the  sheep  industry  in  the  northwest.  For 
a  number  of  years  he  was  actively  engaged  in  the  business  in  connection  with 
Henry  C.  Adams,  the  pioneer  banker  and  stockman  of  eastern  Oregon  and  the 
founder  of  the  town  of  Adams,  Umatilla  county.    After  the  death  of  Mr.  Adams 


HERBERT  C.  BRYSON 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  701 

in  August,  1910,  his  interests  were  taken  over  by  Mr.  Bryson,  their  extensive 
sheep  holdings  including  some  twelve  thousand  acres  of  land  and  vast  grazing 
privileges.  His  brother,  Elmer  D.  Uryson,  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  busmess, 
which  in  1916  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the  Bryson-Robison  Corpo- 
ration. This  company  has  headquarters  at  Slater,  Washington,  with  their  large 
land  holdings  in  Walla  Walla  county  and  their  extensive  grazing  privileges  in 
the  Wenaha  national  forest  in  Oregon.  This  company  is  conducting  the  most 
extensive  business  in  connection  with  sheep  raising  in  northeastern  Oregon  or 
southeastern  Washington.  Mr.  Bryson  has  closely  studied  every  phase  of  the 
business  and  his  intelligent  direction  of  their  interests  has  been  a  salient  feature 
in  their  substantial  success. 

On  the  i6th  of  October,  1899,  Mr.  Bryson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Daisy  Downing,  of  San  Jose,  California,  and  they  have  become  the  parents  of  a 
daughter,  Juanita  C,  who  is  now  a  sophomore  in  the  high  school. 

In  politics  Mr.  Bryson  is  a  republican  and  fraternally  he  is  connected  with 
Blue  Mountain  Lodge,  No.  13,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  members 
of  Alki  Chapter  of  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
Walla  Walla  Lodge,  No.  287,  B.  P.  O.  E.,  Columbia  Lodge,  No.  8,  K.  P.,  and 
Trinity  Lodge,  No.  121,  L  O.  O.  F. ;  also  of  the  Walla  Walla  Commercial  Club 
and  the  Walla  Walla  Golf  Club.  His  wife  and  daughter  are  members  of  the 
Episcopal  church.  In  his  professional  cqanections.  ftir:  Bryson  is  prominently 
known  and  is  now  vice  president  of  the  Walla  Walla  County  Bar  Association.  He 
was  also  the  organizer  of  the  Wenaha  Wool  Growers'  Association  in  1905  and 
remained  its  president  for  four  years,  when'he  tetired  from  active  work  in  con- 
nection with  the  sheep  industry,  turning  over  the  management  of  his  interests 
to  his  brother.  His  ability  both  in  business  and  professional  circles  is  pro- 
nounced. He  has  ever  held  to  high  ideals,  toward  which  he  has  made  steady 
advancement,  utilizing  every  opportunity  that  would  bring  him  nearer  the  desired 
goal.  His  business  career  is  indeed  a  creditable  one,  representing  the  force  of 
active  and  intelligently  directed  effort,  and  his  labors  in  connection  with  the 
sheep  industry  have  done  much  to  utilize  the  natural  resources  of  the  state. 
In  a  profession  where  advancement  depends  entirely  upon  individual  merit  he 
has  also  steadily  progressed  and  his  thorough  understanding  of  the  law  and 
ability  to  accurately  apply  its  principles  have  made  him  one  of  the  foremost 
attorneys  of  the  bar  of  the  Inland  Empire. 


JAMES  F.  ROSE. 


James  F.  Rose,  an  honored  pioneer  of  Garfield  county,  still  resides  upon  his 
farm  on  section  17,  township  10  north,  range  42  east,  but  leaves  its  operation  to 
others  and  is  enjoying  well  earned  leisure. 

He  was  born  in  Adams  county,  Ohio,  February  5,  1839,  a  son  of  Israel  and 
Mary  (Peyton)  Rose,  who  were  also  natives  of  the  Buckeye  state.  He  grew  to 
manhood  in  that  state  and  obtained  his  education  in  its  schools,  but  in  1862 
accompanied  his  parents  to  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington,  the  journey  being 
made  by  ox  team.     The  father  took  up  land  but  at  length  removed  to  Baker 


702  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  CUUNTY 

county,  Oregon,  where  both  he  and  the  mother  died.  Two  of  their  six  children 
survive,  inckiding  our  subject,  who  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits.  On 
accompanying  his  parents  to  Walla  Walla  county  he  took  up  his  homestead  on 
his  present  farm,  which  is  situated  on  section  17,  township  10  north,  range  42 
east,  in  Garfield  county,  which  has  been  erected  out  of  Old  Walla  Walla  county. 
Me  owns  four  hundred  and  forty  acres,  nearly  all  of  which  is  well  adapted  to 
the  raising  of  wheat,  and  the  fertile  soil  has  yielded  abundant  crops  in  response 
to  his  well  directed  labors.  For  many  years  he  personally  operated  his  farm  but 
is  now  living  retired. 

Mr.  Rose  was  first  married  in  1865.  Later  he  again  married,  choosing  as 
his  bride  .Mrs.  Amanda  (Fletcher)  Jennings,  and  they  have  become  the  parents 
of  two  children :  Frank,  who  is  farming  the  homestead ;  and  Lee,  who  is  also  an 
agriculturist  by  occupation. 

Mr.  Rose  supports  the  democratic  party  at  the  polls  but  has  never  cared  to 
take  an  active  part  in  public  affairs.  He  is  a  selfmade  man,  having  at  all  times 
relied  solely  upon  his  own  resources  for  advancement.  His  accounts  of  condi- 
tions in  Garfield  county  in  the  early  days  are  very  interesting  and  there  is  no 
one  now  living  better  informed  on  the  history  of  the  first  settlement  here,  for  he 
was  the  first  man  to  take  up  land  in  his  locality.  He  has  always  felt  a  keen 
interest  in  the  development  of  the  county  and  has  thoroughly  identified  his  in- 
terests with  those  of  his  community. 


ANSON  B.  WOODS. 


Since  191 1  Anson  B.  Woods  has  resided  in  Walla  Walla,  enjoying  a  leisure 
made  possible  by  his  well  directed  labors  as  a  farmer  in  former  years.  He  was 
born  in  Iowa,  near  Dubuque,  September  12,  1864,  a  son  of  James  and  Margaret 
(Daugherty)  Woods,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  Pennsylvania.  However,  they 
were  taken  to  Iowa  as  children  by  their  respective  parents  and  there  grew  to 
mature  years  and  were  married.  In  1883  they  removed  to  Oregon  and  located 
upon  a  farm  in  Wasco,  now  Sherman,  county,  to  the  operation  of  which  the 
father  devotes  his  labors,  and  there  both  he  and  his  wife  are  still  making  their 
home. 

Anson  B.  Woods,  who  is  one  of  a  family  of  nine  children,  all  of  whom 
survive,  was  reared  at  home  and  attended  the  public  schools  of  Iowa  in  the 
acquirement  of  his  education.  He  was  eighteen  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  the 
removal  of  the  family  to  Oregon  and  at  once  began  farming  in  that  part  of 
Wasco  county,  which  has  now  become  Sherman  county.  In  1896  he  removed  to 
Umatilla  county  and  took  up  his  residence  upon  a  farm  of  four  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  which  he  purchased  and  which  he  still  owns.  For  fifteen  years  his 
time  and  attention  were  completely  taken  up  with  the  operation  of  that  place, 
which  is  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  is  well  improved.  As  he  was  progres- 
sive in  his  methods  and  at  the  same  time  managed  his  business  affairs  well  his 
resources  steadily  increased  and  in  191 1  he  retired  and  removed  to  Walla  Walla, 
purchasing  a  comfortable  residence  on  Boyer  avenue. 

Mr.  Woods  was  married  in  1895  to  Miss  Eliza  McDonald,  a  native  of  Canada, 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  703 

and  a  daughter  of  D.  M.  and  Ellen  McDonald.  The  father  died  in  July,  1914, 
and  the  mother  makes  her  home  still  in  Walla  Walla.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Woods  have 
a  daughter,  Nellie  Faith.  They  belong  to  the  United  Brethren  church  and  for  a 
number  of  years  Mr.  Woods  has  served  capably  as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
school.  He  supports  the  candidates  and  measures  of  the  democratic  party  at 
the  polls  and  while  living  in  Oregon  was,  for  some  time,  a  member  of  the  school 
board.  He  is  a  selfmade  man,  having  at  all  times  depended  upon  his  own  powers 
and  resources  for  advancement,  and  the  success  which  he  has  gained  is  proof 
of  his  ability  and  energy. 


JESSE  D.  SCOGGIN. 


Jesse  D.  Scoggin,  a  prosperous  and  well  known  farmer  residing  on  section 
20,  township  10  north,  range  42  east,  Garfield  county,  was  born  in  Wisconsin, 
May  24,  i860,  a  son  of  J.  G.  and  Olive  (Madry)  Scoggin,  the  former  of  whom 
was  born  in  North  Carolina  and  the  latter  in  Tennessee.  Following  their  mar- 
riage, which  occurred  in  Jo  Daviess  county,  Illinois,  they  went  to  Wisconsin  and 
there  remained  for  nineteen  years.  In  1865  they  removed  to  Nebraska  and 
twelve  years  later  came  to  Washington,  taking  up  as  a  homestead  the  farm  now 
operated  by  our  subject.  There  both  the  parents  passed  away.  To  them  were 
bom  eleven  children,  of  whom  seven  survive. 

Jesse  D.  Scoggin  obtained  a  public  school  education  and  received  thorough 
training  in  farm  work  through  assisting  his  father.  He  was  seventeen  years 
old  at  the  time  of  the  removal  of  the  family  to  Washington  and  has  since  resided 
upon  the  family  homestead  here.  He  engaged  in  its  operation  in  partnership 
with  his  father  for  a  number  of  years  but  at  length  purchased  the  place  and 
in  the  intervening  years  has  added  to  the  improvements  thereon.  He  now  owns 
four  hundred  and  eighty  acres,  part  of  which  is  devoted  to  the  growing  of 
wheat  and  part  to  pasture,  as  he  also  engages  in  stock  raising. 

In  1884  Mr.  Scoggin  was  married  to  Miss  Jennie  Janeway,  a  native  of  Jasper 
county,  Iowa.    They  have  three  adopted  children,  Marie,  Nellie  and  Leslie. 

Mr.  Scoggin  is  an  adherent  of  the  democratic  party  but  has  been  content  to 
remain  a  private  citizen,  leaving  office  holding  to  others.  In  giving  the  most 
careful  attention  to  the  development  of  his  farm  he  has  not  only  promoted  his 
own  financial  interests  but  has  also  had  a  part  in  the  agricultural  development 
of  Garfield  county. 


EDWARD  C.  RUCHERT. 


Edward  C.  Ruchert,  a  prosperous  and  wideawake  young  farmer  operating 
two  thousand  acres  of  wheat  and  pasture  land,  with  residence  on  section  ig, 
township  12  north,  range  42  east,  Garfield  county,  is  a  son  of  Fred  and  Minnie 
(Garphard)  Ruchert,  both  of  whom  were  bom  in  Germany.  In  1877  they  emi- 
grated to  America  and  for  eight  years  resided  in  Wisconsin  but  at  the  end  of 


704  OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY 

that  time  removed  to  Oregon,  whence  in  1889  they  went  to  Assotin  county, 
Washington.  The  father  took  up  a  homestead  there  and  for  some  time  engaged 
in  its  development  but  at  length  removed  to  Idaho,  where  he  and  his  wife  resided 
for  ten  years.  They  then  came  to  Garfield  county,  Washington,  and  here  the 
mother  passed  away  in  1915,  while  the  father  makes  his  home  with  his  son, 
Edward  C. 

The  last  named,  who  is  one  of  a  family  of  eight  children,  all  of  whom  survive, 
received  adequate  educational  advantages,  attending  the  public  schools.  His 
father  also  trained  him  carefully  in  farm  work  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years 
he  found  employment  as  a  farm  hand.  In  1910  he  began  opearting  land  on  his 
own  account  and  he  now  farms  two  thousand  acres,  part  of  which  is  pasture 
land,  while  the  remainder  is  given  over  to  the  growing  of  wheat.  His  suc- 
cessful management  of  such  extensive  farming  interests  is  possible  only  because 
he  is  systematic  in  his  work,  enterprising  in  his  methods  and  because  he  utilizes  the 
most  improved  farm  machinery. 

In  191 5  Mr.  Ruchert  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Boyd,  a  native  of  North 
Dakota.  In  politics  he  is  a  strong  republican  and  he  is  now  filling  the  office  of 
deputy  game  warden,  in  which  capacity  he  is  making  a  creditable  record.  Although 
he  has  been  dependent  upon  his  own  resources  for  advancement  he  has  already 
gained  a  measure  of  success  that  many  a  man  twenty  years  his  senior  might  well 
envy.  He  is  strongly  imbued  with  the  characteristic  western  spirit  of  enterprise 
and  self-reliance  and  is  justly  accounted  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Garfield 
county. 


JAMES  C.  ROBERTSON. 

For  more  than  a  third  of  a  century  James  C.  Robertson  has  been  identified 
with  the  farming  interests  of  Garfield  county  and  now  carries  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  on  section  25,  township  11  north,  range  41  east,  where  he  owns 
three  hundred  and  seventeen  acres  and  cultivates  part  of  this  tract  or  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  acres.  He  started  out  in  life  empty-handed,  so  that  whatever 
success  he  has  achieved  is  attributable  entirely  to  his  persistent  eiTorts  and  intel- 
ligently directed  industry.  He  was  born  on  Prince  Edward  Island,  Canada,  Sep- 
tember 30,  1862,  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Steel)  Robertson,  who  are  mentioned 
in  connection  with  the  sketch  of  their  son,  John  Robertson,  on  another  page  of 
this  work. 

James  C.  Robertson  spent  the  first  ten  years  of  his  life  in  Canada  and  in 
1873  accompanied  his  parents  to  California,  where  the  family  home  was  main- 
tained until  1882.  In  the  meantime  the  father  died  and  the  mother,  accompanied 
l)y  her  family  of  four  sons  and  a  daughter,  then  came  to  Washington.  James  C. 
Robertson  had  been  a  pupil  in  the  public  schools  of  Canada  and  of  California 
and  was  a  youth  of  fifteen  years  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death.  Being  the 
oldest  of  the  children,  much  of  the  responsibility  of  the  farm  work  devolved 
upon  him  and  he  bravely  met  the  task  that  was  a  heavy  burden  for  young  shoul- 
ders. In  the  spring  of  1882  he  came  to  Washington,  making  the  trip  in  advance 
of  the  family.    He  journeyed  northward  with  an  uncle  and  on  the  loth  of  May 


MR.  AND  MRS.  JAMES  C.  ROBERTSON 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  707 

they  arrived  at  Pomeroy.  That  fall  the  mother  and  his  brothers  and  sister  came 
and  in  connection  with  his  brothers,  Samuel  N.  and  John,  James  C.  Robertson 
began  farming  in  a  partnership  relation  that  existed  for  twenty  years.  Unusual 
harmony  existed  between  the  family,  the  tie  that  binds  them  being  very  close. 
The  brothers  persistently  and  energetically  continued  the  work  of  improving  their 
fields  and,  as  the  years  passed  on,  success  in  substantial  measure  rewarded  their 
efiforts.  At  length  they  divided  their  interests  and  James  C.  Robertson  is  today 
the  owner  of  three  hundred  and  seventeen  acres  of  land,  part  of  which  he  has 
brought  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  his  fields  returning  to  him  a  gratifying 
annual  income. 

In  1888  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  James  C.  Robertson  and  Miss  Ollie 
M.  Swank,  of  Garfield  county,  a  daughter  of  John  Swank,  who  is  now  in  Orofino, 
Idaho,  but  was  one  of  the  earliest  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Garfield  county. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robertson  have  become  the  parents  of  seven  children,  as  follows: 
Rosella,  who  is  the  wife  of  C.  E.  Lewis,  a  farmer  of  Garfield  county,  Washington ; 
Elvira,  who  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Henry  Rucket,  an  agriculturist  of 
Garfield  county;  Fay,  who  is  the  wife  of  W.  A.  Lewis,  a  fanner  of  Garfield 
county;  and  Floyd,  Belinda,  Sybil  and  Byron,  all  at  home.  The  wife  and  mother 
passed  away  February  13,  1905,  and  is  laid  to  rest  in  the  Petowa  Flats  cemetery, 
her  demise  causing  deep  sorrow  to  family  and  friends. 

Mr.  Robertson  usually  exercises  hiSj-4:{gbt-of  franchise  4n  support  of  the  men 
and  measures  of  the  republican  party' yet'-'is'life'eral-i-n':  his  views  and  does  not 
hesitate  to  vote  for  a  candidate  of  the  ppp&3ing-i:iaTty'-if' his'jijdgment  dictates  this 
to  be  the  best  course.  He  belongs  to-'Hanjiflny  :L94ge.».  No|  16,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of 
Pomeroy :  and  to  Pomeroy  Lodge,  K.  P.  He  ranks_jvithj.he  leading  farmers  of 
Tatman  Gulch  and  he  well  merits  the  high  regard  in  which  he  is  uniformly  held, 
for  his  has  been  an  active,  useful  and  honorable  life.  He  has  concentrated  his 
efforts  and  attention  upon  his  business  interests,  has  never  been  known  to  take 
advantage  of  the  necessities  of  another  in  a  business  transaction,  but  along  legiti- 
mate lines  has  won  the  success  that  places  him  among  the  substantial  residents 
of  his  section  of  the  state. 


ALEXANDER  RAY. 


Alexander  Ray,  one  of  the  largest  grain  and  stock  raisers  of  Walla  Walla 
county,  residing  on  what  is  known  as  the  Sharp  farm,  on  the  Touchet  river,  was 
born  in  Hamilton  county,  Illinois,  September  21,  1867,  a  son  of  A.  M.  and 
Rachel  (Upton)  Ray,  both  natives  of  the  Prairie  state,  where  they  passed  their 
entire  lives.    To  them  were  born  ten  children,  of  whom  five  survive. 

Alexander  Ray  remained  at  home  until  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age  and 
during  that  time  acquired  a  common  school  education.  In  1884  he  crossed  the 
plains  of  Walla  Walla  county,  Washington,  and  for  seven  years  was  employed 
as  a  common  laborer.  He  then  bought  land  near  Dayton  and  for  twenty  years 
gave  his  undivided  time  and  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  his  farm  there.  In 
igii  he  disposed  of  that  place  and  for  five  years  rented  land,  but  in  1916  bought 
twelve  hundred  acres  of  the  old  Rodgers  ranch,  which  he  operates,  together  with 


708  OLD  WAl.l.A  W  AI.LA  COUNTY 

the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  which  comprises  twelve  hundred  and  forty  acres. 
That  place  is  on  section  i6,  township  lo,  north,  range  35,  and  is  known  as  the 
Sharp  farm.  He  raises  wheat  and  stock  and  derives  a  good  income  from  both 
branches  of  his  business. 

In  1890  Mr.  Kay  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Laura  Bates,  who  was  born 
in  Nebraska,  and  they  have  become  the  parents  of  eight  children:  Alfred,  who 
is  a  graduate  of  Whitman  College  and  is  now  assisting  his  father;  Ethel,  the 
wife  of  William  Kyme;  Irl,  who  is  now  a  student  in  Pullman  College;  Myrtle, 
the  wife  of  Earl  Jamison,  of  Montana;  Ivory,  who  married  A.  McLaughhn;  and 
Goldie,  W'anda  and  Alton. 

Mr.  Ray  supports  the  democratic  party  at  the  polls  and  takes  the  interest  of 
a  public-spirited  citizen  in  governmental  affairs,  has  never  been  an  aspirant  for 
office  however,  and  always  casts  his  influence  on  the  side  of  right  and  justice. 
His  wife  belongs  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  In  addition  to  his  ex- 
tensive holdings  in  Washington  he  owns  a  quarter  section  of  land  in  Idaho 
which  is  also  well  improved.  He  possesses  great  energj'  and  is  a  hard  worker, 
giving  the  most  careful  personal  supervision  to  all  phases  of  his  extensive  agri- 
cultural operations. 


CHARLES  SNODERLEY. 

Charles  Snoderley,  who  follows  farming  on  section  i,  township  12  north, 
range  41  east,  in  Garfield  county,  was  born  in  Page  county,  Iowa,  on  the  3d  of 
September,  1866,  but  the  greater  part  of  his  life  has  been  passed  upon  the  Pacific 
coast,  for  at  a  very  early  age  he  came  to  the  west  with  his  parents,  Alfred  and 
Bertha  Snoderley,  who  were  natives  of  Indiana  and  of  Tennessee  respectively. 
They  continued  their  residence  in  Iowa  until  early  in  the  '70s,  when  they  crossed 
the  plains  to  California,  and  a  year  later  they  removed  to  the  Willamette  valley 
in  Oregon,  where  they  remained  for  three  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period 
they  made  their  way  to  Washington  and  established  their  home  in  the  Falling 
Spring  district  of  Garfield  county,  where  the  father  took  up  a  homestead,  upon 
which  he  continued  to  reside  until  his  death,  actively  engaged  in  farming  through- 
out the  intervening  period. 

Charles  Snoderley  was  reared  upon  the  old  home  place  and  acquired  his 
education  in  the  district  schools,  but  educational  facilities  at  that  time  were  very 
limited  and,  moreover,  during  much  of  his  youth  he  had  to  work,  his  services 
being  needed  upon  the  home  farm.  When  his  father  died  he  was  not  yet  twenty- 
one  years  of  age  but  he  took  charge  of  the  home  farm  and  became  the  head  of 
the  family.  Later  he  took  up  a  homestead  in  Coyote  Gulch,  on  which  he  resided 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  about  1905  he  removed  to  his  present  home  farm, 
which  he  had  previously  purchased.  He  has  prospered  as  the  years  have  gone 
by,  for  he  has  worked  diligently  and  persistently,  knowing  that  industry  is  the 
basis  of  all  legitimate  and  honorable  success.  He  now  owns  seven  hundred  acres 
of  land  in  the  home  farm  and  he  also  leases  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres,  all 
of  which  he  rents  to  other  parties. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Snoderley  is  a  democrat,  voting  for  the  men  and 


CHAELES  SNODEELEY 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  711 

measures  of  the  party  but  not  seeking  office.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with 
the  Independent  Order  of  Foresters.  He  has  proven  himself  a  financier  as  well 
as  a  farmer  in  the  capable  management  of  his  business  interests  and  investments 
and  today  he  is  ranked  among  the  successful  and  substantial  residents  of  Gar- 
field county,  where  he  has  made  his  home  for  many  years. 


MILFORD  H.  BROUGHTON. 

The  northwest  with  its  pulsing  industrial  activities,  its  unlimited  opportunities 
and  its  many  resources  which  constitute  a  call  for  action,  has  drawn  to  it  a  large 
number  of  progressive  men  who  have  achieved  success  in  this  field.  Prominent 
among  the  number  is  Milford  H.  Broughton,  the  president  and  manager  of  the 
Walla  Walla  Iron  Works  of  Walla  Walla,  Washington.  He  was  born  in  Fond 
du  Lac,  Wisconsin,  on  the  8th  of  June,  1875,  his  parents  being  Edward  and 
Jennie  (Hersey)  Broughton,  the  former  a  native  of  New  York,  while  the  latter 
was  born  in  the  Badger  state.  They  were  married  in  Wisconsin,  to  which  state 
the  father  had  migrated  as  a  young  man.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and 
he  lived  in  the  middle  west  until  1879,  when  he  came  to  Washington,  establishing 
his  home  in  Walla  Walla  county.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  Umatilla  county, 
Oregon,  where  he  operated  a  farm  for  ten  or  eleven  years,  and  then  took  up  his 
abode  in  the  city  of  Walla  Walla  in  order  that  he  might  give  his  children  the 
benefit  of  education  in  the  city  schools.  Here  he  passed  away  in  1900  and  is 
still  survived  by  his  widow,  who  yet  makes  her  home  in  Walla  Walla. 

Milford  H.  Broughton  is  indebted  to  the  public  school  system  of  Walla  Walla 
for  his  early  educational  opportunities.  He  afterward  became  a  student  in  Whit- 
man College,  which  he  attended  for  four  years,  but  his  course  was  interrupted 
by  the  outbreak  of  the  Spanish-American  war,  which  made  a  strong  appeal  to 
his  patriotic  spirit  and  to  this  appeal  he  responded,  enlisting  for  active  service 
in  April,  1898.  He  went  to  the  Philippines  as  a  member  of  Company  I,  First 
Washington  Volunteer  Regiment,  and  was  mustered  out  in  November,  1899, 
after  having  done  active  duty  in  the  orient. 

During  the  spring  following  his  return  Mr.  Broughton  began  work  in  the  plant 
of  the  Gilbert  Hunt  Manufacturing  Company  of  Walla  Walla,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed for  four  years.  He  next  became  instrumental  in  the  organization  of 
the  Severance-Broughton  Company,  which  was  incorporated  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  iron  products  and  agricultural  machinery.  In  1909  Mr.  Broughton  ac- 
quired the  interest  of  his  partner  in  the  business,  which  was  reorganized  at  that 
time  under  the  firm  name  of  the  Walla  Walla  Iron  Works,  Mr.  Broughton  be- 
coming the  president  and  manager  of  the  business,  in  which  dual  capacity  he 
has  since  served.  Under  his  control  the  business  has  become  one  of  the  most 
important  productive  industries  of  the  city,  the  trade  extending  over  a  vast  terri- 
tory, the  output  Ijeing  shipped  as  far  south  as  San  Jose,  California,  and  as  far 
east  as  Battle  Creek,  Michigan.  The  volume  of  their  business,  however  is  done  on 
the  Pacific  coast,  there  being  a  liberal  home  market  for  all  their  product.  The 
plant  is  thoroughly  equipped  with  the  latest  improved  machinery  and  is  operated 


712  OLD  \\ALT.A  WALLA  COUNTY 

according  to  the  most  modern  processes.  The  business  is  carefully  systematized 
with  the  result  that  there  is  no  loss  of  time,  labor  or  material. 

On  the  loth  of  December,  1900,  Mr.  Broughton  was  married  to  Miss  Mandana 
Bryant,  of  Walla  Walla,  a  daughter  of  John  P.  Bryant,  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
this  city,  now  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Broughton  have  become  the  parents  of  two 
children,  Viretta  and  Loree. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Broughton  is  an  earnest  republican  but  has  never 
been  an  aspirant  for  office.  He  has  membership  with  the  Spanish-American 
War  Veterans  and  with  the  Loyal  Order  of  Moose.  Lie  is  also  connected  with 
the  Commercial  Club  of  Walla  Walla.  He  and  his  wife  are  of  the  Christian 
Science  faith  and  in  social  circles  of  the  city  they  occupy  an  enviable  position, 
having  the  warm  regard  of  all  with  whom  they  have  been  brought  in  contact. 
In  business  circles  Mr.  Broughton  is  recognized  as  a  strong  man,  strong  in  his 
honor  and  his  good  name,  strong  in  his  ability  to  plan  and  to  perform.  Per- 
sistency of  purpose  has  been  one  of  the  strong  factors  in  his  growing  success, 
combined  with  a  thorough  understanding  of  the  business  in  which  he  engages  and 
a  close  study  of  trade  conditions  at  large.  His  efforts,  too,  have  ever  been  of  a 
character  that  have  contributed  to  public  progress  as  well  as  to  individual  pros- 
perity. 


RICHARD  J.  TOMPKINS.' 

Seemingly  insurmountable  obstacles  have  at  times  liarred  the  path  of  Richard 
J.  Tompkins,  but  with  resolute  purpose  and  determination  he  has  sought  out 
paths  which  would  lead  him  around  his  difficulties  and  enable  him  to  continue 
on  the  road  to  success.  Many  a  man  of  less  resolute  purpose  would  have  become 
utterly  discouraged.  He  has  never  been  afraid  of  hard  work  and  his  determina- 
tion and  energy  have  carried  him  steadily  forward  to  the  goal  of  prosperity.  Mr. 
Tompkins  is  now  residing  in  Walla  Walla,  from  which  point  he  controls  his 
farming  interests.  His  life  record  should  serve  to  inspire  and  encourage  others, 
showing  what  may  be  accomplished  when  one  has  the  will  to  dare  and  to  do. 

Mr.  Tompkins  was  born  in  Pike  county,  Missouri,  August  20,  1862,  a  son  of 
William  and  Mehnda  (Carter)  Tompkins.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Missouri, 
while  the  mother  was  probably  also  born  in  tjiat  state.  William  Tomjikins  died 
when  his  son  Richard  was  a  youth  of  fourteen  years.  He  was  the  fourth  in  a 
family  of  eight  children  and  at  seventeen  years  of  age  he  took  charge  of  the  home 
farm,  which  he  managed  until  he  reached  his  twenty-fourth  year,  when  a  younger 
brother  became  old  enough  to  take  care  of  the  mother.  Then  our  subject,  in  the 
spring  of  1887,  made  his  way  westward  to  Washington.  Here  he  entered  the 
employ  of  A.  C.  Wellman  on  the  Eureka  Flats,  Mr.  Wellman  having  been  an  old 
friend  of  his  father  in  Missouri.  During  the  first  summer  he  worked  for  a 
dollar  per  day.  The  following  summer  he  received  thirty  dollars  per  month, 
working  for  J.  C.  Painter,  and  that  summer  he  purchased  a  team,  harness  and 
wagon  and  went  to  work  on  the  construction  of  the  \\'ashington  &  Columbia 
Railroad. 

In  the  spring  of  1889  Mr.  Tompkins  bought  a  quit  claim  deed  to  a  preemption 
of  eighty  acres,  on  which  he  filed  as  a  preemption.     He  rigged  up  a  fi\e  horse 


RICHARD  .1    TllArPKlXS 


OLD  WALLA  WALLA  COUNTY  715 

gang  plow,  plowed  his  own  place  and  then  hired  out  to  plow  for  others,  utilizing 
all  his  time  that  summer  and  fall  in  that  manner.  In  1890  he  bought  eighty 
acres  adjoining,  proved  up  on  the  preemption  and  mortgaged  the  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres.  He  cultivated  his  farm  and  continued  to  work  out  for  others  during 
those  hard  times.  In  the  summer  of  1892  he  kept  account  of  the  days  which  he 
devoted  to  his  own  crop,  and  figuring  his  labor  at  the  same  price  which  he  received 
when  working  for  others,  his  wheat  crop,  which  was  a  bounteous  one,  cost  him 
in  labor  twenty-five  cents  per  bushel  and  he  hauled  to  market  a  mile  and  a  half, 
where  he  received  twenty-five  and  a  half  cents  per  bushel.  The  price  of  wheat 
continued  low  until  1896,  selling  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  cents  per  bushel,  and  the 
four  years  from  1893  until  1896  inclusive  were  years  of  crop  failure  on  the  Flats. 
Mr.  Thompkins  was  keeping  bachelor's  hall  and  trying  to  hold  his  farm,  but  he 
determined  that  if  he  was  not  successful  with  his  1896  crop  he  would  make  no 
further  effort  to  retain  his  land.  Therefore,  in  January,  1897,  he  deeded  his  land 
to  the  mortgage  company,  they  releasing  him  free  from  debt,  and  all  he  had  left 
for  his  eight  years  of  work  was  twelve  head  of  horses  at  a  value  of  about  twenty- 
five  dollars  per  head.  During  this  time  he  received  eight  hundred  dollars  from  his 
father's  estate,  which  also  went  into  the  maelstrom.  In  the  spring  of  1897  he  had 
six  hundred  acres  of  wheat  in  fallow  and  three  hundred  acres  of  stubble,  with 
his  lease  expiring  in  November.  The  Oregon  Mortgage  Company  wanted  him.  to 
surrender  his  lease  of  three  hundred  acres  without  any  compensation  but  Mr. 
Tompkins  demanded  fifty  cents  an  acre.  The  company  refusing  to  pay  it,  he 
turned  in  and  sowed  it  to  wheat  in  March  aiTsdji'hfir.veeted  forty-five  bushels  to 
the  acre  in  the  fall.  This  sold  at  a  better  :p'ne9i!'ivi{iidh'^a'ye;ibim  his  start.  He 
then  bought  back  his  one  hundred  and  sixt^^  acre  claim  for  three  ^hundred  dollars 
less  than  he  had  deeded  it  over  to  the  mortgage-company  arid  he -also  bought  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  adjoining.  In  thfe -fall  of 'T897~hi;- -planted  his  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  to  wheat  and  in  the  spring  of  1S98  returned  to 
Missouri. 

While  in  the  middle  west  Mr.  Thompkins  was  united  in  marriage  to  a  Missouri 
girl,  Miss  Mattie  L.  Hayden,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  on  the  8th  of  June, 
1898.  In  the  latter  part  of  June  he  returned  with  his  bride  to  Washington  and 
located  on  his  old  homestead,  where  he  lived  through  the  summer,  harvesting  his 
crop,  and  in  November  following  took  up  his  abode  in  \\'alla  Walla.  In  December 
of  the  same  year  he  bought  eight  hundred  acres  adjoining  his  homestead,  for 
which  he  paid  at  an  average  of  eighteen  dollars  per  acre. 

In  February,  1899,  he  returned  to  the  farm  and  resided  thereon  until  the  fall 
of  1905,  when  he  again  moved  into  Walla  Walla,  having  in  the  meantime  erected 
his  present  commodious  residence,  which  is  one  of  the  attractive  homes  of  the 
city.  In  the  intervening  years  he  had  added  to  his  holdings  from  time  to  time 
until  his  landed  possessions  now  aggregate  twenty-eight  hundred  acres  and  he  is 
one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  Walla  Walla  county.  Success  at  length  crowned 
his  labors  and  was  well  deserved  as  a  fitting  reward  for  his  indefatigable  industry, 
his  perseverance,  his  courage  and  his  persistency.  Mr.  Tompkins  was  the  first 
farmer  of  his  county  to  branch  out  into  the  "bulk  wheat  system"  and  built  the 
first  concrete  elevator  in  the  country  in  Walla  Walla  county.  He  found  the 
change  profitable  and  the  system  will  probably  be  generally  adopted  by  the 
farmers  in  this  region. 


716  OLD  WALLA  W  ALLA  COUNTY 

In  1908  Mr.  Tompkins  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  first  wife, 
who  passed  away  on  the  13th  of  October  of  that  year,  leaving  two  children,  Veryl 
and  Richard.  On  the  ist  of  June,  191 1,  he  wedded  Daisy  \V.  Wilson,  a  teacher 
in  the  Green  Park  school  of  Walla  Walla  and  a  daughter  of  James  Wilson,  one 
of  the  early  pioneer  settlers  of  Walla  Walla  county.  There  are  three  children  of 
this  marriage:  Morton,  Paul  and  Mary  Anna. 

The  parents  arc  members  of  the  Nazarene  church  and  are  loyal  to  its  teachings 
and  purposes.  In  politics  Mr.  Tompkins  largely  maintains  an  independent  course 
but  leans  toward  the  democratic  party.  He  has  become  one  of  the  substantial 
citizens  of  the  Walla  Walla  valley  and  certainly  deserves  much  credit  and  honor 
for  what  he  has  accomplished.  With  stout  heart  and  willing  hands  he  has  pushed 
forward  and  in  the  course  of  years  his  life  record  has  proven  the  eternal  principle 
that  industry  wins. 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


Abbott,  J.  F 16a 

Abernethy,   Governor 89 

"Abolitionists  and   black   republicans"..    136 

Academies,  Catholic 223 

Acquisition  of  fire,  Indian  story  of  the.  .  .     23 
Act  to  organize  the  county  of  Garfield,  An.    365 

Adams,  Mount,  The  story  of 24 

Address  delivered  by  Dr.  Lyman  at  Wal- 

lula.  May  4,   1915 171 

Address  of  Governor  Moore  upon  retire- 
ment        473 

Advance  Guard,  Names  of 110 

Advance  in  rates  brings  revolt 169 

Advertisers  in  "Statesman" 130 

Afraid  of  "nigger  equality" 137 

Agriculture  and  rainfall 6 

Agricultural,     Horticultural     and     Stock 

Products,    1916 192 

Agricultural  Society  of  1866 181 

Ainsworth,    J.    C 156 

Aldermen  of  Walla  Walla,  1877-1916.306-315 
Alfalfa  gives  four  or  five  cuttings,  190; 

raised,  and  value  in  1916,  225 
Allen.  Hon.  John  B.,  286,  289;  senatorial 
contest  of,  290 

Alter,    Rev.    Joseph 225 

Alpowa,  Timothy  of,  and  his  case 271 

Alpowa  Creek.  Description  of 7 

Alpowa  Station  established 64 

Alpowa   Toll   Road 360 

American  Expedition  to  Oregon  in  1788.     44 

American  and  English  fur-traders 49 

American  fur-carrying  vessels 44 

American  fur-trade.  Beginnings  of 44 

American   Theatre 110 

Anatone    Prairie 400 

Anderson.  Doctor  A.  J. . .  - 219 

Ankeny,  Hon.  Levi 290 

Annual   county   fair 197 

Another  camp  meeting 330 

Apashwayhayikt,  Chief  (Looking  Glass)  .     95 

Apple  supply  meager 189 

Apples  and  their  value,  1916 191 

Apple  seeds  planted   in   1837 178 

Appleton  Hall,  Walla  Walla 23a 

Arguments.  Indian  war  and  peace 14 

Artesian    water 6 

Ashburton  Treaty,  The 65 

Asotin  county,  395;  churches,  424,  473; 
commissioners  appointed,  404;  schools, 
422,  467;  established,  466;  school  su- 
perintendent and  pioneers.  468;  school 
reminiscences,  469;  pioneers  of,  470; 
Indians  and  pioneers,  470;  first  wheat 
crop,  471 ;  early  schools,  472 
Vol.  I — 39 


Asotin    County    Sentinel 419 

Asotin   Creek,   Description  of 7,  414 

Asotin   Spirit.  The 418 

Asparagus,  190;  1916  crop  and  value,  192 
Assessed  valuation  of  Walla  Walla  city.  315 
Assessed  valuation  of  Walla  Walla  county 

after    division 285 

Assessors  of  city  of  Walla  Walla,  1877- 

1916     306-315 

Astor,   John   Jacob 47 

Astor  Company,  Data  of  the 49 

Astoria     48 

Attalia  News-Tribune,  The 264 

Atmospheric   phenomena 4 

Attorneys.    Early 265 

Authors  and  narrators  of  Indian  legends .     34 

Automobiles    174 

Average   temperatures 5 

Baboon   Gulch 127 

Bacon  $1.25   per  pound 129 

Baker,  Dorsey  S 110,  144 

Baker,  Dr.  D.  S.,  Donation  of  school  land 

of    211 

Baker.  Morgan  A 269 

Baker-Boyer   Bank 149 

Baker  sells  railroad 170 

Bancroft,  H.  H 10 

Bank  Allotments  (Liberty  Loan) 197 

Banks  of  Walla  Walla 196 

Banks  save  the  day 184 

Baptist  church  at  Davton 334 

Bar.  the  Old  Walla  Walla 865 

Barbarism     10 

Barley  production  and  value.  1916 191 

Barley  yields  50  bushels  to  acre 114,  180 

Barry,    Rev.    J.    N.,    student    of    Indian 

legends     29 

Barometric    pressure 5 

Bassett,  W.  F 125 

Beautiful  legend  of  Yakimas 20 

Beaver,  Legend   of 25 

Beginning  of  Walla  Walla  Fair 179 

Bellman,    Charles 114 

Bennett.  Captain,  killed  in  war  of  1855.  .  99 
Bering.  Vitus.  Discovery  of  Oregon  by.  .  .     43 

Berry,  Rev.  G.  M ' 229,  471 

Besserer.    Charles 259 

Bibliography,  Indian  ethnological 26 

Bishop,  B.  B 156 

Bishoprics,   Earlv  Catholic 82 

Blalock,  Dr.  N.  G 96,  183,  224,  245,  288 

Blancliet.  Bishop  Francis  N 80,  82 

Blewett,  J.  H 141 

"Blind  Pool"  of  Villard 163 


717 


718 


HISTORICAL   INDEX 


Blue    .Muuntaiiis 1 

Blue  iMoiintaui  island 2 

iioaidiiig  iScliOuls   for  girls 221 

Boas,  ]Jr.  I'ran/.,  Indian  ethnologist 26 

BoUes  Junction 165 

■Bonedrv"    law 295 

Bonneville,    B.    L.    K.,    52,    53;    upholds 

"■Stars  and  Stripes"  in  fur  rivalry,  55; 

expedition  through  Walla  Walla,  1832- 

35,  55 

Books  in  Walla  Walla  City  Library 304 

Boundary  disputes   in   regard  to  Oregon 

question    65 

Boundaries  of  Walla  Walla,  1859 115 

Boundaries  of  Walla  Walla  city  wards.  .  .   300 

Boyer,   John   F 129 

Boys'   schools,  Catholic 223 

Bradford,    Dan 156 

Brents,  Judge  Thomas  H 132,  286 

Brick  yards,  the  penal 290 

Bridal'  Veil   Lumber   Co 193 

Bridegroom.  The  Spirit 22 

••Bridge  of  the  Gods,  The" 23,  28 

Brouillet,  Father,  J.  B.  A 82,  223 

"Bucket    lines" 185 

"Build    a    road    and    make    wheat    legal 

tender"'     375 

Building  inspectors  of  Walla  Walla....   314 

Building  period  of  the  "SOs.  The 286 

Burgunder,  Ben,  address  by 253 

"Bunch-grass"  boys  and  girls 6 

"Bunch-grass"  horses  and  cattle 6 

Burglaries  in   1890 350 

Burnett,  Peter  H.,  pioneer,  governor   of 

California,  chief  justice 70 

Business  men  of  the  '60s 444 

Butter  $3.00  per  pound 129 

Butter  at  75  cents 121 

Cain,  A.  J.,  lays  out  an  addition. .  . .  148;  268 

Calderhead.  T.  B 164 

Calls  of  a  pioneer  physician 276 

Camp    meeting 329 

Canal  and  locks  of  the  Cascades 170 

Canfield,  W.  D '. .  410 

Canoe,   the    Indian 12 

Canoe   Camp    35 

Capacity  of  Walla  Walla  Waterworks..  302 

Capital  and  proHts  in  early  fur-trade..  .  44 

Captains,  pilots  and  pursers 158 

Cascade  Mountains,  origin  of  the 2 

Cascade  Range,   the 8 

Cascades.  Indian  story  of  the,  22;    another 

Indian  story  of  the 23 

Casualties   of   Indian   Rising,   in   Decem- 
ber,    1855 99 

Catholic   Academies 223 

Catholic    church,    founding    of    the.    at 

Walla   Walla    82;  232 

Catholic  dioceses,  early 82 

Catholic  miss.onaries,  early 80 

Catholic    missions 80 

Caton,  Judge  N.J 258 

Cattle   decline 381 

Cattle    worth    $20    a    head,    now    worth 

$100    179 

Cattle  thieves,  etc 132 

Cavuse  chiefs,  trial  of,  for  Whitman  mur- 
der      90 

Cavuse  horse,  The 12 

Cayuse  horses  and  cattle  herds 175 


Cay  use  war,  the,  84;  scattering  of  bands, 
89;  close  of,  91;  430 

Cayuses,   The ]  i 

Celilo  canal  opened  1915 170 

Census  of  Asotin  County 404 

Central   school  at  Waitsburg 215 

Chaoha,  tlie  bad  spirit 25 

Chamberlain.   Uev.  P.  B 235 

Chaiii|jn(g,   settlement   of 80 

Chants,  Indian  death 14 

Character,  tlie  Indian 13 

Charter  and  names  of  men  (for  R.  R.)  .  .  .    160 

Charter  of  city  of  Walla  Walla 299 

Charter  of   Waitsburg 317 

Chase,  Henry  M 91 

Chase  and  La  Fontaine. . 320 

Cheese  $1.50  per  pound 129 

Chelan    highlands 2 

Cliemeketa  (peace  ground),  tirst  per- 
manent American  settlement 59 

Cherries,  1916,  their  value 192 

Chief    Moses , 331 

Chinese  banishment  attempted 350 

Chinookr  The 4 

Christian    influences      64 

Christian  missions.  The  tirst 59 

Christian  teachings  reach  Indians 58 

Cliristianity,  Indians  seek 58,  59 

Christianized    Indians 19 

Church,  history   of   Methodist,  in   Walla 

Walla    ." 229 

Church  history  of  Walla  Walla 228 

Churches  of  Walla  Walla  county,  228;  of 
Columbia  county,  327;  of  Garfield 
comity,  388 

Citizen  assaults  soldier 131 

City  of  Walla  Walla,  the  new  charter, 
299;  ordinance  No.  185.  300;  boun- 
daries of  wards,  300;  election  precincts, 
301;  commission  form  of  government, 
301 ;  waterworks  municipally  owned, 
301;  streets  paved,  302;  the  library  of, 
303;  elections,  305;  municipal  officers, 
305-315  financial  statement,  315;  as- 
sessments of,  315 
City   attorneys   of    Walla    Walla,    1880- 

1916     306-315 

City  clerks  of  Walla  Walla,  1882-1916.. 

307-315 

City  commissioners  of  Walla  Walla....   315 
City  deeds  courthouse  ground  to  county .    146 

City  engineers  of  Walla  Walla 315 

City  library  of  Walla  Walla 303 

City  officers  and  council  of  Walla  Walla.    151 

City  park,   Walla  Walla 462 

aty  surveyors    of    Walla    Walla,    1882- 

1916     307-315 

City  wards  of  Walla  Walla 300 

City  of  Walla  Walla   politics 299 

City   officials  of  Asotin 419 

Clark,  George    Rogers 33 

Clark,    Ransom 110 

Clark,  Samuel  A.,  Oregon  literary  pioneer     28 

Clark,   William 33 

Clarke,    General 83 

Clarkston.  413;   incorporated,  420 

Clarkston   Republic.  The 425 

Clatsop,    Fort 39 

Climate    1,  4 

Clubs,  Walla  Walla 238_ 

Coblentz,  J.  H.,  tragic  end  of 291 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


719 


Ck)ffee  $3.00  per  pound 129 

CoUegial   institutions 218 

Colonel  \V.  S.  Gilliam  killed 436 

Colter,  John,  trapper  and  explorer 46 

Columbia,  The,  and  its  tributaries 6 

Columbia   baain 1 

Columbia  Chronicle,  The 353 

Columbia  county,  judges  and  lawyers  of, 
266;  district  court  of,  276;  Chapter  II, 
319;  Indian  war  of  '55,  320;  settlers  of 
'59,  321;  immigration  of  '61,  321;  es- 
tablishment of,  322;  first  county  com- 
missioners, 322;  election  of  1875,  322; 
following  elections,  323 ;  the  first  school 
in,  324 

Columbia   County   Dispatch 354 

Columbia  River  Fishing  &  Trading  Com- 
pany, establishment  of 54 

Columbian   Indians,  The 11 

Colville    reminiscences 348 

Commercial  Club,  The,  of  Walla  Walla.  .   33S 
Commission  government  of  Walla  Walla.   301 

Company  H,  National   Guard 384 

Comparison   in  costs  of  living  then   and 

now    130 

Complete  file  of  "Washington  Statesman".  118 

Completion  of  telegraph  line 151 

Condition   of  county  in   1860 117 

Condon,    Thomas 1,  27 

Conference  on  subject  of  railroad 376 

Congregational   missions 80 

Congressional  rivalry  in  1878 286 

Constitutional  convention  of  1878,  285; 
of  1889,  288;  Walla  Walla  members  of, 
288 

Contests  for  senatorship 289 

Cook,  James,  explorer  of  the  Pacific ....     43 

Cook,   J.    D 149 

Coppei,  Lewis  and  Clark  on  the 40 

Corn  nine  feet  in  the  tassel 180 

Corn   produced,  value   1916 191 

Cosgrove,    Samuel   G 370,  388 

Cost  of  living  then  and  now 120 

Councils,  city,  of  Walla  Walla  1877-1916 

306-315 

County  commissioners  of  Columbia  county 

in    1875 322 

County    Courthouse 145 

County  Elections  (Garfield) 373 

Coiinty  jail  contract  given 117 

County   limits    rediiced 112 

County  offices  over  a  saloon 113 

County    Officials    of   Walla    Walla    from 

1876-1916     395-99 

County  seat  contest  resulted  in  favor  of 

Pomeroy,  but  367 

County  seat   location 367 

County  seat  question  in   Asotin  county.    405 

Courthouse,  the  new  Walla  Walla 395 

Courthouse  built,  fii-st 146 

Court   Circuits,  old 367 

Court  practice  in  early  days 267 

Court  towns,  old-time 267 

Cowboy    contests 202 

"Cowhide    and    calico" 466 

Cox,    Anderson 144 

Cox.   Ross 49 

Cox's   journey   in   1813 51 

Craig,  ■  William 92 

Creation  of  Man,  an  Indian  storv  of  the.     24 
Cropp,   Dr.  .1.   F " 281 


Crowley,  D.  J 288 

Cumberland  Presbyterian  diurch  at  Day- 
ton      334 

Curtin,    Jeremiah 37 

Cutler,  J.  G 164 

Daughters  of  Rebekah 236 

Davin    Brothers ISO 

Dawn  of  civilization  in  this  territory.  .  .  .   359 

Dayton  a  city  of  lodges 335 

Dayton    circuit 333 

Dayton  bar.  The 268-371 

Dayton,  Lewis  and  Clark  at  the  site  of .  .      40 

Dayton,  named  for  Jesse  N.  Day 154 

Dayton   Kews,    The 363,  353 

Dayton   school    faculty 335 

Dayton  woolen  mill  disappoints 187 

Deadman   Hollow 360 

Death  ceremonies,   Indian 14 

Death  islands,  Indian 21 

Death  song,  Indian 14 

Defeat  of  Steptoe's  Command 105 

De   La   Salle   Institute 223 

Deliberations,  Indian  war  and  peace.  .  .14,  15 

Demers,  Rev.  Modeste 80 

Denny,  A.  A 141 

Dent,  Captain  F.  T 186 

Descending  The  Dalles  in  1888 159 

DeSmet,  Rev.  Pierre  J 81 

Desperate  medical  cases 380 

Destructive  early  fires 149 

Determines  to  raise  wheat  on  big  scale.  .  183 
Develojiment  in  mines,  ranges,  larins.  .  .  167 
Development  of  Industry  in  Walla  Walla.  175 

Devils.    Indian 20 

Disbursements    and    receipts    of    Walla 

Walla  city 316 

Discovery,  early  era  of  American 42 

Discovery  of  gold  in  California 155 

Dispatch,   The 355 

District  over-subscribes  Liberty  Loan  .  .  .   197 

Diversions  of  pioneers 465 

Division  of  Old  Walla  Walla  county.  .  .      153 

Doctor  Baker's  Road ". 165 

Doctor  Baker  the  man 167 

Dr.    Blalock 170 

Dr.  McLoughlin,  John,  retired,  83;  vicis- 
situdes besetting,  83;  died  of  broken 
heart.  83 ;  receives  Whitman  party,  62 

Donation  act  of  1850 ".  .  .  .    474 

Donehue   "gets"   Patterson 135 

Doolcy,    .John 179 

Dorion,  Madam's  flight  before  hostile  In- 
dians           51 

Door.  Charles  R 270 

Douglas.  James,  manager  Hudson's  Bay 

Company     84 

Dress  of  Nez  Perces 36 

Drumheller,  Daniel  M 176 

Drumheller,  George,  "wheat  king" 201 

Drumheller,   Jesse 176 

"Dry  town"  unheard  of 148 

Duiiias,   J.   L 190 

Eagle    Cap 8 

Earliest  buildings  in  Walla  Walla 115 

Earliest  permanent  settler  on  the  Asotin  398 

Earliest  survey  of  Walla  Walla 115 

Early  advertisements  in  the  "Statesman"'  120 

Early  cattle   raisers 124 

Early  days   in    Asotin 466 


r2o 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


Early  settler's  attitude  toward  Indian..  18 

Early  settlers  on  Anatone  Prairie 400 

Early  stockmen.   Some  larger 176 

Early  teachers  at  Wliitmau  College 21S 

Early  transportation   age 155 

Ears  in  jar  of  wliiskty 102 

East    Washingtonian 358 

Eatables,   Indian 13 

Edmiston,   J.   E 270 

Educational  institutions  of  Walla  Walla 

county    210 

Educational  system  of  Asotin  county .  .  .  421 

Eells,  Gushing" 64,   218,  235 

Eells,  Father,  with  missionaries  at  Chi- 
mokain,  89;   founds  Whitman  College, 
89,  218 
Eells,  Rev.  Myron,  27;  life  of  Whitman 

(extracts),  68 
Effort  to  annex  Walla  Walla  county  to 

Oregon    141 

Eggs  at  $1.00  per  dozen 121 

Election  of   1859 113 

Election  of  1864,  vote  by  precincts 139 

Election  of  1875  in  Cohimbia  county. .  .  .  322 

Election  of    1878 285 

Election  of  U.  S.  senators,  first 289 

Election  precincts  of  Walla  Walla  city .  .  301 

Election  results  in  Asotin  county 405 

Election  returns 292,  293 

Elections,  municipal,  of  Walla  Walla.  .  .  .  305 

Elections  in  Waitsburg 317 

Elections  in  Columbia  county 323 

Elections  in  Walla  Walla  county  in  1889.  292 
Elections  in   Walla    Walla   county    from 

1876-1916    295-99 

Elections  of  1888  to  1916 337-345 

Elevation  above  sea-level 1 

Elijah,  the  murder  of,  and  its  effects.  .  .  79 

Klk   among   stock 451 

Elks,    the 237 

Enabling  Act,  The 287 

Enactments  of  first  state  legislature.  .  .  .  289 

Endowment  of  Whitman  College 219 

English's    Company,    Oregon     Rifles,    in 

Cayuse    war 86 

English  monopolists  of  fur  trade 45 

Epidemics  in  pioneer  times 277 

Episcopal  church,  earlv  history  of 833 

Episcopal  church  in  Walla  Walla 232 

Era  of  good  roads 174 

Escape  of  convicts  from  penitentiary,  at- 
tempted      291 

Establishment  of  Asotin  county. ..  .401,  466 

Establishment  of  Columbia  county 322 

Ethnological  bibliography,  Indian 26 

Ethnology.    Indian 11 

Ewing  Hall.  Walla  Walla 222 

E.\amples  of  Indian  character 13 

Expedition    against    the    Cayuses    after 

Whitman    massacre 87 

E.vpeditions  in  interest  of  fur  trade 48 

Expenditures  considerable   (fort) 150 

Expense  of  ties  and  iron  great 169 

Experiences  of  a  pioneer  doctor 275 

Explorers,  first    32 

Explorers,  old  Spanish 42 

Extensive   business  done  by  stage  com- 
pany      162 

Fair  (irounds,  retained 201 

Fair  to  be  held,  October,  1866 181 


Fall,  Dr.  E.  E 260 

Famous  CYiminal    Suit 350 

Famous  doctors    275 

Fare.  Portland  to  Lewiston,  $60.00 158 

Fares    lowered 166 

Farewell  address  of  Governor  Moore....  473 

Farmers'  Agency,    The 244 

Farmers'  Unions 244,  390 

Farming  and  fruit  raising  tested 180 

Farming  industry 180 

Farrand,    Livingston 27 

Father  Wilbur  on  the  Indian  Agency. .  .  .  332 

Federal  Reserve  Bank 196 

Ferguson  countj'  created il2 

Ferrel,  Mrs.   Brewster 447 

Few  hogs  raised  in  Garfield  before  coming 

of    railroad 381 

Finances  of  city  of  Walla  Walla 315 

Fine  wheat  crop  of  S.  Maxson  in  1860.  .  .  180 
Fire  chiefs  of  Walla  Walla.  1910-1916..314,  315 

Fire,  Indian  story  of  origin  of 23 

Fireman's    Ball 119 

Fires  and  start  of  fire  department 149 

Fires  of  1880  and  1882 348 

First  assessment  for  Asotin  County....  404 

First  boy  in  Walla  Walla 455 

First  brick   building  in  Pomeroy 384 

First  Catholic  church  at  Walla  Walla. .  .  82 

First  cattle  buyer  to  Garfield  county...  380 

First  city  election   in  Pomeroy 383 

First  election    results 116 

First  election  under  charter,  1862 147 

First  events  in  Garfield  county 359 

First  explorers     32 

First  flour  mill 186 

"First  Garfield  County  Pioneer  Edition".  358 

First  July  4th  celebration  at  Dayton.  .  .  364 

First  lots  sold    (Walla  Walla) 115 

First  man  to  sail  on  .Snake  river 159 

First  merchai)t  in  Walla  Walla 114 

First  nursery    188 

First  officers"  of  Old  Walla  Walla  County  92 

First  paper   in  Walla  Walla 118 

First  prospecting   tour  into  Idaho 125 

First  school  at   Pataha   City 382 

First  school  district  on  Pataha  flat 381 

First  schoolhouse  in  Asotin  county 467 

First  sermon     329 

First  steamers  on  Columbia  river 156 

First  steamship  trip  up  Snake  river.  .  .  .  160 

First  telegram  out  of  Walla  Walla 151 

First  white  woman  to  live  in  Columbia 

county     177 

Five  Crows,  a  Cayuse  chief 87,  94 

Five  Mile    ." 37 

Five  regions     189 

Flag  incident  of  1863 133 

Flanders.  Alvin 143 

Flathead  Mission,  The 81 

Flinn,    Rev.   John 235 

Flohr,  Rev.  M 223 

Flour  and  coffee  prices  in  1843 76 

Flour  $]  .00  per  pound 126,  189 

Flour  milling    186 

Fog    conditions 4 

Food,   Indian 13 

Food  supply  and  condition  of  Indian. ...  13 

Foods  high  and  scarce 127 

Formation  of  Vigilantes 132 

Fort    abandoned 150 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


721 


Fort  a  disturbing  question 150 

Fort  Henrietta     100 

Fort  Taylor    319 

Fort  Walla  Walla,  110;  the  founding  of, 
51;  description  of,  52;  trade  of,  52; 
missionaries  coming  to,  52;  arrival  of 
Mrs.  Whitman  and  Mrs.  Spalding,  first 
white  women,  at,  62 

Forty-live  stock  shippers 179 

Fossils  of  the  northwest 3 

Founding  of  Walla  Walla 109 

Four-and-one-half-pound    potato 189 

Fourth  Annual  Fruit  Fair 198 

Frachtenberg,  Leo  J.,  on  Indian  texts ...     26 

Franchere,  narrative  of,  in  1814 51 

Franchere,  Gabriel,    narrator    of    Indian 

legends     24 

Fraternal  Orders  in  Asotin  county 424 

Fraternal  Orders,  Garfield  county 389 

Fraternal  Orders  in  Walla  Walla 336 

Frazier,  C.  R.,  address  by 353 

Freight  and   passenger  rates 167 

Freight  rates  on  wheat 182 

Freight  tonnage,    1870-1878 182 

French-Canadians,   the,  in   early   mission 

work    " 80 

Frenchtown  in  early  da3's 92 

Friction  between  civilians  and  the  mili- 
tary        150 

Friend  of  the  pioneers — the  physician.  .  .   275 

Frontier  Days  celebration 201 

Fruit  Growers'   Association 198 

Fruit  growing  and  precipitation 6 

Fruit  lands,  acres  of 192 

Fuca,  the  mystery  of  .Juan  de 44 

Fuel  very  scarce 448 

Fur  "haul,"  a,  in  1811 51 

Fur-hunters  of  all  nations 43 

Fur  trade:  American  and  English  ri- 
valry. 49;  American  beginnings  of,  44; 
and  Walla  Walla,  the.  50;  and  fur 
traders,  43;  capital  and  profits,  44; 
early  expeditions,  48;  fitting  out,  44; 
in  French  and  Spanish  hands.  46;  Pa- 
cific PHir  Company,  third  rival,  47; 
rivalry  between  the  two  great  com- 
panies, 45;  Kussian,  43 
Fur,  value  of,  at  beginning  of  trade.  ...  44 
Fur  trade;  vessels  engaged  in.  44:  num- 
ber of  skins  sold  in  1786-87,  44; 
profits,  44 

Game  hunting,  Indian 13 

G.  A.  R.,  the 337 

"Garden   City"  changes  name  November 

17,    1859 113 

Garden  City  Monitor.  The 243,  261 

Gardens  and  Orchards 188 

Garfield  and  Asotin  repeat  experience  of 

Walla  Walla  and  Columbia 185 

Garfield   county,   358;    first   events,   359; 

judges  and  lawyers  of.  266:  physicians 

of,     275;     Pioneer     Association,     394; 

press,  the.  393 

Garfielde,   Seluciua 144 

Garnett  crushes  Yakimas 105 

Garrison's    Company,    Oregon    Rifles,    in 

Cayuse    war 86 

Gatciiett,  Albert  S 27 

General  Clarke's   proclamation 105 

General  events    375 


Geological  beginnings 2 

Geological  features   1 

Geological  formation.  3;  Indian  tale  of,.        2 

Geology  of  the  Northwest 1 

George,  Colonel  Wyatt  A 368 

German  starts  "fire  water"  store 333 

Gibbs,   George 28 

Gilbert's  History  of  Walla  Walla 178 

Gilbreath,  recollections  of  Mrs.  Margaret.  469 

Gilbreath,  S.  L 469 

Gill,  John,  student  of  Indian  geography 

and   languages 30 

Gilliam,  Colonel  Cornelius,  84,  87;  killed 
by  accident,  88 

Gilliam's  reference  to  Whitman 439 

Girls'  schools,  221;   Catholic,  234 
Glaciers,  efl'ects  of,  on  geological  forma- 
tion            3 

God,  Indian  names   for 20 

Godman,  Melvin  M 269 

Gods,   Indian    2 

Gold,  discovery  of,  at  Pend  Oreille  River 

and   Columbia 92 

Gold  discovered    104 

Gold  discovery  stimulated  farm  products  180 

Gold  dust  sent  to  Portland 136 

Gold  dust  thieves 132 

Gold  fever    catching 127 

Gold  taken   out 126 

Gold  yields  on  Salmon  River 127 

Gose,  Judge  Mack  F 370 

Government,  provisional  of  Oregon 84 

Governor  Ferry  vetoes  Ping  county  bill.    154 

Governor,  the    last    territorial 473 

Grading  begins  at  Wallula 168 

Grain  crops,  valued  at  $15,000.000 188 

"Grain   chutes" 185 

Grain  lands  in  bearing,  etc 192 

Grain  stacked  on  banks  of  Snake  river.  .   375 

Grain  yield  exceeds  demand,  1867 181 

Grand  jury,  the  first 366 

Grande  Ronde,  The 7 

Grange   City 169 

Gray,  W' .  H 64 

Great  cattle  ranges  on  Dry  Ci-eek 177 

Great   wheat   belt 181 

Greatest  fire  in  Pomeroy 384 

Greeley,  Horace,  and  Dr.  Whitman 69 

Greeley   and   Sumner 137 

Greetings  to  first  governor-elect 475 

Grey    Eagle 433 

Grinding  flour  in  coffee  mill 458 

Guichard,    Ralph 115 

Habits  of  Indians 12 

Haidahs.   the 11 

"Half-way  House,"  the 115 

Halhaltlossot,  or  Lawyer 93 

Hall,    Fort 54 

Hangings  by  vigilance  committee 133 

Harangues,  Indian 15,  16 

Hard  road  of  the  pioneer  physician....  276 
Hard  winter  causes  big  loss  of  stock.  .  .  .    175 

Hay  at  $125.00  per  ton 128 

Health  oflScers  of  Walla  Walla  city,  1877- 

1916     306-315 

Heceta.  Spanish  explorer 44 

Hellmuth.    Joseph 149 

Hendron,   W.   W 325 

"Heroes  and  heroic  deeds  of  the  Pacific 

Northwest"    135 


722 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


Higj,'ins,   David 269 

High  school  class,  first 211 

Hill  case,    the 357 

Hills  considered  good  only  for  grazing..   379 

Hills  settle  rapidly  from  1873 380 

1 1  ipparion.    The .' 12 

History  of  business  houses  in  Pomeroy.   385 

History  of  Columbia  county 319 

History  of  early  courts 267 

History  of  lawyers,  judges  and  doctors..  265 

History  of  native  races 10 

HoUaday    System.   The 161 

Holt  Harvester   Works •. 193 

Home  of  berries  and  "truck" 191 

Honesty,  Indian,  example  of 40 

Hood,  Mount,  the  story  of 24 

Horse,  prehistoric.  12:  the  Indian.  12 
Horse  industry    not    much    changed    till 

1880    : 381 

Horse-thieves,   etc 132 

Horticulture   and   precipitation 6 

Horton,    Robert 457 

Hospitality,   Indian 40 

Hothouse   vegetables 1 90 

Hot   Springs 450 

Houscr,  John    187 

Houser.  Max     187 

Howlish  Wampoo's  Racer 416 

Hudson'.-i  ISay  Company,  grant  to,  45; 
lord  of  the"  Pacific.  50;  policy  of,  57; 
ho:.tile  policy  of,  79;  meeting  emer- 
gency in  Indian  uprisings,  83 

Humidity    ^ 

Hunt  Railroad,    The 163 

Hunt  Threshing   Factory 193 

Idaho  (Ter.)   established.  .'. 112 

Ideal  fruit  and  garden  land 185 

Imagination,   Indian 20 

Immigration  of    1843 69 

Immigration  of    1847 439 

hicoriuTs  discover  Patalia.  Tucanon,  Al- 

puua  and  Asotin  locations 178 

Incorporators  of  "Baker's  Road" 168 

Indian,  The.  and  the  violin 39 

Indian,  The,  on  warpath 14 

Indian  behavior  at  war 14 

Indian  character,    the 13 

Indian  chief  executed  for  Whitman  mur- 
der      90 

Indian  concourse  of  1,500  souls  in  1811.  .  50 
Indian  conference,  the  great,  with  Gov- 
ernor   Stevens 93 

Indian  customs  and  myths 10 

•Indian   death   islands" 21 

Indian  death   song 14 

Indian  ethnological   bibliography 26 

Indian  fighting,    early 13 

Indian  food    conditions 13 

Indian  gods    2 

Indian  gods  and  devils 20 

Indian  habits  and  morality 12 

Indian  heathenism  and  Christianity 19 

Indian  honesty     40 

Indian   hospitality    40 

Indian  legend  of  Yakimas 20 

Indian  life     10 

Indian  literature    10 

Indian  loyalty,  an  example  of 272 

Indian  marriage,  legality  of 273 

Indian  marriage    customs 273 


Indian  mcal^j     13 

Indian  music    37 

Indian  mythical  festivals 21 

Indian  mythology  of  the  firmament,  fire, 

water,  forest,  etc 18 

Indian  myths    25 

Indian  names  and  stories 19 

Indian  nations   H 

Indian  population     330 

Indian  reservations,  first 93 

Indian  rising  of  1855, 93,  97,  319 

Indian  Salmon   Spring  festival 26 

Indian  spirit  men 21 

Indian  story    of    the    Cascades    and    the 

origin  of  fire 23 

Indian  story  telling,  the  manner  of 19 

Indian  texts    27 

Indian  traditions    10 

Indian  tribes   10,  11 

Indian  wars,  the  earlier 83 

I  ndian    wealth 12 

Indian  women.    The 12 

Indians  and  early  settler 18 

Indians  in  St.  Louis  in  1832 57 

Indians  learn  of  Cliristian  religion 58 

Indians,  white,  traditions  of 24 

Industrial    instruction .  225 

Influenza  epidemic 277 

Inland   Empire  Magazine.  The 261 

Inland  Empire  Pioneer  Association 

110,   245.  255 

Intellectual  life  in  Walla  Walla  county.  .  210 

Into  the  hostile  camp 331 

Introducing   high-grade   horses   and   cat- 
tle   176 

Irrigation,   natural   sub- 6 

Isaac  I.  Stevens'  survev  for  railroad.  .  .  .  162 

Isaacs,  H.   P ." 149 

Isaacs,  J.  C 149 

Itemized  expense  of  wheat  crop 183 

Jaussaud.   Leon 180 

Jay  Cooke  &  Company 163 

Jefferson's  instructions  to  Captain  Lewis.     33 
Jefferson,  Thomas.  32.  44 ;  tribute  to  Cap- 
tain Lewis,  41 

Jerome,  W.  J 422 

Johnson,    P.    B 258 

Joint  Occupation  Treaty  of  1818 50 

Joseph  Band  of  Nez  Perces,  The 95 

Journalism  in  Columbia  county 353 

Jubilee  on  opening  of  canal 171 

Judge  Brents 132 

Judges 265,  266 

Judicial  districts    265 

Judicial  system     265 

Julian,  R.   C 263 

Junger,  Father  Arvidius 82 

Justices  of  the  peace  of  Walla  Walla  city, 

1877-1916     306-315 

Jute  mills,  the  penal 290 

Kahmiakin.  Chief  of  the  Yakimas 94 

Kalispels,   The 11 

Kamm,   Jacob 156 

Keith,    Mr 14 

Kellev.  Colonel  J.  K 97,  101 

Kellv".  Senator  J.  J 142 

Kennedy.    Robert 177 

Killing  of  Peupeumoxmox ' 102 

Kirkraan.  William  K 178 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


723 


Klickitat  county    erected 112 

Klickitat  legends    31,  33 

Klickitat  myth.   The 4 

Klickitat,  the   chief 24 

Klickitat  tribe,  founding  of  the 33 

Klickitats.  The    11 

Kohlliautr.    William 115 

Kooskooskie,  name  and  description  of.  .  .      35 

Kootenais,    The 11 

Kuykendall,  Dr.  G.  B.,  Indian  author  and 

colli  ctor.  28;   on  pioneer  times  of  the 

physician,  275 
Kyger,    A 141 

Labor  Union    Directory 242 

Labor  unions    241 

Land  and  water,  the  forming  of 2 

Land  of  spirits,  In  the 20 

Land  office    • 151 

Larger  earlv   stockmen 176 

Lasater.   J.'H 141 

Law  case,  a  famous 271 

Law  suits  resulting  from  Timothy  land 

case 273 

Lawyer,  the  old-time 267 

Lawyer's  Band 103 

Lawyers     265 

Laying  out  state  into  sixteen  counties.  .      92 

Leaders  in  grain  raising 177 

Lease-rights  in  Washington 273.  274 

Ledvard,   .John 43 

Ledyard.  S.  F 127 

Lee.  .Jason,  Christian  crusader,  59,  229; 
first  of  the  Protestants,  80 

Legality  of  Indian  marriage 273 

Legend,  a    Klickitat 21 

Legend  of  the  origin  of  fire  and  Mounts 

Hood,  Adams  and  St.  Helens 23 

Legends,  Indian     25 

Legends,  Yakima 20 

Legislative  act  to  create  Asotin  county.   403 

Legislative    deadlock 289 

Legislative  delegations  from  Walla  Walla 

county  from  1876  to  1916 295-99 

Legislative  districts    289 

Legislators  chosen,   1863-1874 139 

Legislature,  the  first  territorial,  92 :  de- 
crees of  the,  93 

Legislature,  the  first  state 389 

Letter  of  Dr.   Whitman   to  secretary  of 

war  in  1843 75 

Letter  from  E.  H.  Morrison 376 

Letter  from  .ludge  0.  S.  Pratt 429 

Letter  from   Perrin  Whitman  to   W.  H. 

Gray    438 

Lewis.  James   Hamilton 392 

Lewis,  Meriwether    33 

Lewis  and  Clark  expedition,  10,  33;  a 
mess  of  salmon.  38;  at  Lewiston  and 
Clarkston  of  today,  35;  at  Five  Mile. 
37;  at  Fort  Clatsop.  39 ;  at  the  Toiichet. 
39;  distance  travelled  by.  40;  find  the 
prairie  chicken,  38  ;  had  passed  through, 
178;  hardships  of.  35:  journal  of  C!ap- 
tain  Lewis  of.  34:  journey  resumed, 
36;  meeting  with  Chief  Yelleppit.  38; 
meet  Nez  Perces.  36;  start  of.  34;  re- 
turn journey  of,  39;  observations  of,  13 

Lewiston    124 

Liberty  Loan  bonds 196 


Librarian,  city  of  Walla  Walla 315 

Library   statistics    3O4 

Library,  Walla  Walla  city 303 

Life    of    Timothy 371 

Lisa.  Manuel,  pioneer  fur  trader 46 

Litigation,  a  famous  case  of  land 371 

Live  stock,  dairy  products,  poultry,  wool, 

flour,   chop,   1916 ". 192 

Live  stock  on  hand.  1863  and  1875 179 

Live  stock   statistics 285 

Lived  on  boiled  wheat 453 

Lloyd.  Hon.  A.  G 246 

Location  of  Walla  Walla  city  in  regard 

to  growth    393 

Long  tunnels,  and  big  snows  no  bar.  .  .  .    162 

Looney,  .lesse   427 

"Loowit,"    the    witch 23 

Loss  of  stock  one  million   dollars 128 

Lost  in  fog  and  snow 279 

Lots  .$5.00"  each ...    115 

Lot   \\'hitcomb    156 

Lovejoy.  A.  L..  letters  on  mid-winter  ride 

from  Waiilatpu  to  St.  Louis. 66 

Lyman,  H.   S 27 

Lyman.  W.  D.,  address  by 353 

McAuliffe.  Lieut 100 

McBean,   William    95 

McBeth,  Kate.   Indian   student   and   mis- 
sionary among  the  Nez  Perces 39 

McCabe,  Joseph    164 

McClees.   \\'arden  .John 391 

McC!lellan.  George  B..  assistant  surveyor  162 
McClung,    ]\Irs.    Peter,    recollections    of 

Pomeroy     472 ;  360 

McDermott.  Louisa   26 

McDonald,  Mr 14 

McGuire.  Jerry    178 

McKay.  Tom  ." 87 

McKay.  William  C 91,  96 

McKay,  Dr.  W.  C.  .- 30 

McKay's     Company,     Oregon     Kifles,     in 

Cayuse   war    86 

McLoughlin,     Doctor,      54,      59;      founds 
Champoeg,  80 

McMorris.  Lewis    ]02 

McWhirk.  William    114 

McWhorter.   L.   V.,   student   of   Yakima 

lore   30 

Mackenzie,   Alexander    45 

Magallon.  Adrian    I8O 

Magone,  Major 89 

Manufacturing     192 

Many  cattle  driven   in  in  '61 175 

Many  miners  in  Portland  in  1863 128 

Many    orchards    hard    hit    by    sub-zero 

weather    " 189 

Marriage   customs,    Indian 373 

Marshal   resigns    131 

Marshals    of    Walla    Walla.    1877-1916, 
305-315 

Martin.    Captain   William 89 

Martin's  Company,  Oregon  Rifles,  in  Cay- 
use war   86 

Masonic  Order,  the.  in  Walla  Walla 336 

Matches  in   the  Sorghum 450 

Mayors  of  Walla  Walla,  1877-1916.  305- 
315;  of  Waitsburg.  318;  of  Asotin,  419 

Meals.  Indian   13 

Measles,  epidemic  of,  among  Indians   in 

1847    79 


724 


IIISTURICAL   INDEX 


Medical  history   375 

Medical  profession,  the 265 

Medical  science  and  its  achievements....    liSO 

Meek.  .Iiiseph  L 87 

Meeting  to  raise  railroad  fund 167 

,V  .  

Memories  of  old 474 

Meningitis  epidemic  in  1888 277 

Men  in  the  jiublic  eye,  in  Walla  Walla 

county    293 

Mental  characteristics  of  Indian 13 

Merchant,  Mrs.  Lillian  Clemans 467 

Merchants'  Carnival,  the 201 

Merchants  come   175 

Merchants  hold  back  goods  for  big  prices  127 
Metliodist  cliurch.  the.  328;  earlv  history 

of.  239;  the  first  in  Walla  Walla,  229; 

jurisdiction    over,    329;    building    the 

first,  230 
Methodist  Mission,  the  first,  59 
Methodi.st  missions,  80 
Metliodist  jiarsonage,  231 
Metliodist  pastors  in  Walla  Walla  since 

1859    232 

Methodist     presiding     elders     in     Walla 

Walla  since  1859 233 

Methow   highland    2 

"Michel"     15 

Military   organization   of   volunteers   for 

Cayuse   war    84 

Miller,  Joaquin 114 

Miller,    Judge    Chester    F.,    contribution 

by,  306;   paper  of  Judge,  320 

Millican,  Lettice    110 

Millican,  "Uncle  Billy" 457 

Mill  Town    154 

Miner,  Mrs.  A.  J.,  first  school  teacher..  .   211 

Mines  at  Orofino  worked  out 133 

Miners  winter  in  Walla  Walla 136 

Minto,   John,   Indian   student   and   state 

builder  of  the  northwest 30 

Miscellaneous  crops,  1916 193 

Miscellaneous  happenings,  Asotin  county.  411 
Missionaries,    attitude    of    first,    toward 

Indians,   18;    dilliculties   of   early,   64; 

first,  in  Walla  Walla,  53 
Missionary  era.  ending  of,  83;   period  of 

the,  57;  station  in  1837,  178 

Missions,  early,  in  Oregon 59 

Missions  of  various  denominations 80 

Modoc  war    331 

Modoc  war  changes  views  of  fort 150 

Moisture,  artificial  and  natural 6 

Mojonnier,   F.    K 190 

Montagues   Blcues,  Les 8 

Moore,    Miles    C.    appointed    territorial 

governor.  286;  address  of,  at  pow  wow, 

204;   farewell  address  of,  473 

Morality  of   Indians 13,  13 

More  agitation  for  railway 377 

More  fires,  1884-5.  1890,  '91 350 

Morning    Star.   Chief 17 

Mountains,  height  of,  1;  Indian  names  of, 

19,  20 
Mounts   Adams,   Hood    and    St.    Helens, 

Indian  legend  of,  24;  other  stories  of, 

28 

"Mullan  Road" 120 

Multnomah  nation,  story  of  the  founding 

of  the  great  23 

Municipal  elections  of  Walla  Walla 305 


Municipal  officers  of  Walla  Walla,  1877- 

1916    305-315 

Municipal    ownership    of    Walla    Walla 

waterworks     301 

Municipal  politics  of  Walla  Walla.. 299,  346 

Municipal    warrants    317 

Municipal  waterworks,  registrars  of....   315 

Music,   Indian    37,  39 

Musk  Rat,  the  Tacullies  legend  of  the..     26 
Mythology,    Indian,    of    firmament    and 

elements     18 

Myths,    Indian     25 

Names  and  Stories,  Indian 19 

Names  found  in  advertising  columns  of 

the   Chronicle    354 

Names  of  advance  guard  at  Patalia 178 

Names  of  sections  of  Asotin  lands 400 

National  democracy    138 

Nations,    Indian     11 

Native   races    10 

Nearest  flour  mill  thirty  miles  away. .  .  .   465 
Nesmith's.    Senator,    address    to    Oregon 

Pioneer  Association    69 

New  county  of  Garfield 364 

Newell,  William  H 258 

New  era  of  water  transportation 170 

Newspaper  twenty-five  cents  per  copy,  .  .    118 

Newspaper,    the   first 246 

Newspapers  at  Walla  Walla 246 

Newspapers  of  Walla  Walla  county ....   257 

News  two  weeks  old 130 

Nez  Perces,  the,  11;  description  of  dress 
of,  36;  meeting  of  Lewis  &  Clark  ex- 
pedition with,  36;  rising  of  the,  in  De- 
cember, 1855,  96;  save  Stevens  con- 
ference, 94 
Nez    Perce    war,    the,    458;    underlying 

cause   of    95 

Night-ride,  a   physician's    279 

Northrop,    N 118,  357 

N.  P.  R.  R.  builds  feeders 163 

Northern  Pacific  railroad  movement,,,,    163 

Northwestern   Fur   Company 45 

Northwestern    Stage    Company 162 

No  salary  to  mayor  or  councilmen 116 

Number  of  horses  and  cattle  in  1863  and 
in   1875    179 

Oceans   of   bunch   grass 175 

Odd  Fellows,  Independent  Order  of 236 

Officials  elected  in  1860 117 

Officers,  first,  of  Old  Walla  Walla  county  93 

Officers  of  Old  Walla  Walla  county. , 112 

Ogden,  Peter  Skeen 84,  87 

Ogress  of  Saddle  Mountain,  the  myth  of 

the    35 

Okanogan  highlands   2 

Okanogans,   The    11 

"Old  Bones,"  Chief 11,  114 

Old  Walla  Walla  County,  beginning  of..  93 

Olnev,  Indian  agent  Nathan 98,  100,  319 

"O  my  God,  for  a  Sabre!" 104 

One  hundred  and  ten  bushels  barley  to 

acre     183 

Onions    189,   190,  193 

Only  fire-proof  building  in  Walla  Walla  120 

Opening  of  country 83 

Orchards  and  gardens,  Asotin  county...  413 

Order  of  the  Eastern  Star 336 

Organized  bands   of  criminals 131 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


725 


Organized  government  in  eastern  W  asli- 

ington    

0.  R   &  N.  Co.  and  N.  P 163 

Oregon  Lumber  Company •  ■ 1^^ 

Oregon  Metliodist  Conference,  the . .   ~^y 

Oregon,  provisional  government  of 84,  S7 

Oregon  question,  tlie ,"  '  i'-' 

Oregon  Rifles  in  Cay  use  war,  membership     ^^ 

Oregon 'steam'  Navigation  Company 157 

Oregon,  territorial  government  ol ...  . .  •  •     b« 
Oregon  territory.  Dr.  Whitman's  letter  to 

secretary  of  war  regardmg 75 

Oregon  territory,  first  oflieers  of 

Oregon  treaty  of  1846. . ..... .  ■  . .  •.•••■ 

Oregon  volunteers   organize  after   VVhit 

man  massacre  for  Cayuse  war 

Ostrander,  John  Y 

Our  conference  ^^^ 

"Our  Mother  Oregon" ;  •    1'^ 

Outbreak    of    all    Columbia    Indians    m 

1855-56     

Outbreak  of  prisoners,  a  contemplated..   291 
Owsley   school    381 


78 


84 
270 


Pacific  Fur  Company. 


47 


Page,  Right  Rev.  Herman •   323 

Pageant  of  May,  1914,  206;  program  ot, 

Paine,  F.  W.,  gives  an  anecdote 133 

Palmy  period  for  hold-ups 161 

Palouse  Indians 

Palouse  myth,  a 

Palouse  river,  the 

Park  at  Walla  Walla *bi 


11 
25 
37 


Park  Club,  the 
Parker,  Frank  J 


464 
258 


Parker, 


.187, 


326 

335 


Pietrzycki,  Marcel    

Pietrzycki  bequest,  the 

Pine  Grove  School  House *o5 

Ping.  Elisha   l°* 

Ping  County  bill  passed la* 

"Pioneer  Days"   • i^' 

Pioneer    Hotel    destroyed «* 

lawyers    •   •^°° 

meeting   of   1904,   245;   of    1911, 


Pioneer 
Pioneer 

250 
Pioneer 

179; 

464; 

160 


HoUon   1*2 


14 
360 
186 
328 
473 
387 
402 
275 
oil) 


Parleys,  Indian    

Parson  Quinn  

Pasca   Mills    

Pastoral  work    

Pataha    

Pataha   City    

Pataha  "Spirit,"   the • .  •  •  • 

Patients  and  doctors  in  pioneer  times 

Patit,  origin  ot  the  name  of 

Patterson,  Ferd.,  "Bad  man" l^* 

Paved  streets  of  Walla  Walla 

Pavilion  erected  in  1900 

Pearce.  E.  D ■ 

Pearson,  the  express  rider •  •  •  • 

Penal  labor   ■^9"' 

Pend  Oreilles,  the 

Penitentiary,  history  of  the 

Penrose,  Rev.  S.  B.  L 

People's   Party    ■  •  ■  •  ■  •  •  •  ■ ;  ■  ■  ■ 

Permanent  Organization  of  Walla  Walla 

county    

Personal  contact   

Petty  local  jealousies 

Pettyjohn,  Jonathan    :•  ■  ■  -J^W 

Peupeumoxmox,     chief     of 

Wallas,  79,   88,  94,  98 

320 

"El  Comancho,"  author 


the     Walla 

319;   death  of. 


the.  Physician,  275;  race  track, 
recollections    of    Asotin    county, 
reminiscences,   426;    stage   lines, 
j.v,v.,    wheat  grower  on  large  scale,  183 
Pioneers,  advance  guard  of,  69;  in  busi- 
ness   247;    of   Asotin   county,   470;   ot 
Whitman   party  of  1843,   72;   prior   to 
1860    (names),   111 
Plant  food,  ingredients  of,  in  soil.  .  . 

Plummer,  Henry   

Poindexter,  Hon.  Miles f^Ji 

Political  annals   •■■.•-. "^ 

Political  History  of  Countv  division....    136 
Political  history  of  Walla  Walla  city. . 
Political  history  of  Walla  Walla  county 

since  division  

Political  party  dissentions ^a^ 

Political  review   ;  '  V  '^ j 

Pomeroy,  J.  M.,  473;  brings  in  first  good 
stock,  380  jgg 

Pomeroy    •  • ,„f, 

established  by  J.  M.  Pomeroy 3fa0 

473 
275 
365 


;ii2 
198 
la.j 

96 
391 

11 
290 
219 
340 

109 
328 
358 


3 
121 


2gu 


285 


various 


town    of    

elections    

pioneer    physicians   of 

wants  county  seat ^°^ 

townsite  plat  filed ^|^ 

file  department    

Pomeroy  Improvement  Company 

Pomeroy  Republican,  the 

Pomeroy  Reservoir    

Population  of  Washington,  1853-1880.. 

Population,      comparisons      of      ■^-""■ 
Washington  cities 

Potter  and  Pomeroy  build  mill . 

Prairie  chicken  first  met.  .  . ...  • 

Preachers  of  note  in  Walla  Walla 235 

Precipitation     y.\'  '■'  'e\' 

Predictions  of  Gov.  Moore  and  their  ful- 
fillment     

Prehistoric  horse 

Presbyterian  missions    

Prescott,    the    town    of    homes,    316;    as 
grain  center,  216;  schools,  216 

Present  city  government  of  Starbuck. .  .   352 

Present  day  churches  at  Dayton 335 

Presidential  election,  IS"*- •■••••••;  Vi ' 

Presidential  vote,  the,  in  Walla  Walla  ^^^ 

county    ;  ■  ■ : ; qqp 

Press  of  Garfield  county,  the •  •  ■    ^a^ 

Preston,  W.G 215,  226 

Preston  Hall  ....315,  236 

Prevailing    sentiment,    democratic lao 

Prices  of  foods,  etc.,  in  1861 . 
Prisoners,  escape  of,  from  penitentiary, 


384 
263 

415 
474 

293 

187 

38 


475 
12 
80 


120 


attempted 


291 


schools    ■  ■  •  •   21" 


Phillips.  W.   S.,     -.   ,     -  PHvnte 

of  ."Totem  Tales''   ...^. •  •  •  •  •     ^'9      p.oelamatTon' of  opening  of  eastern  Ore- 

Physical  condition  of  Indians n.  i-.  ^-5 

Physical  features    _ 1 

Physician,  mode  of  travel  of  pioneer 275 

Physicians  of  Old  Walla  Walla 275 


gon   

Profits  in  fur  trade. 
Prohibition    


83 

44 

294 


r26 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


Professions,  trades,  etc 194 

Provision  for  dairy  and  poultry  purposes  180 

Provisional  government  of  Oregon... 84,  87 

Prunes  raised,  value,  1910 192 

Public    !-c'lioiils,    organized 211 

J'ytliias,  llie   Kniglits  of 237 

Quinn,  Parson    360 

Raboin,  Louis  177 

Races,  native,  of  Old  Walla  Walla  county     10 

Race  track  laid  out.  in  ISTS I'JS 

Railroad   ago,   the 163 

Railroad  building  hangs  back 167 

Rails  as  "legal  tender" 465 

Rainfall 1,       6 

Ready  access  to  hip  pocket 140 

Receipts    and    disbursements    of    Walla 

Walla    city    316 

Recollections,  by   Mrs.  St.  George 361 

Recollections  of  C.  W.  Clark 455 

Recorders    of    Walla    Walla    city,    1877- 

1916     306-315 

Record  of  elections  (Garfield  county)  ....   369 

Red   Cross   work 464 

Rees,  Frank    118 

Rees.  R.   R 118,  257 

Rees,  S.  G 258 

Reforms  the  whiskey  dispenser 333 

Registrars  of  city  waterworks 315 

Reliable,    steady    incomes 185 

Religious  life  in  Walla  Walla  county. .  .  .   210 

Religions  meetings,  early 81 

Remarkable  wheat  yields 183 

■Reminiscences"  by  Governor  Moore.  .  .  .   204 

Reminiscences  of  medical  practice 275 

Report  of  school  superintendent,  1910-17   325 

Reservoirs    built    149 

Residents  in  Oregon  in  1843 74 

Resolutions  at  Pioneer  Meeting  of  1911. .   254 

Retail  stores  in  Walla  Walla 195 

Reynolds,  Almos   H 110 

Reynolds  raises  fine  peaches 189 

Rhubarb     190 

Ribbon  of  fertile  soil 191 

Rice   18c-20e  per  pound 120 

•'Rice  vs.  County  Commissioners  of  Gar- 
field  county" ' 367 

Riot   in   theatre 130 

Riparia  or  Texas  Rapids 37 

Ritz  arrives  with  trees 188 

Ritz,  Philip   147 

Ritz    ships   flour,   Walla    Walla    to   New 

York   181 

Ritz  to  try  sweet  potatoes 189 

River  improvement   378 

River  traffic  under  0.  N.  S.  Co 160 

Rivers,  Indian   names  of 20 

Rivers,   system   of 6,       7 

Road    agents    132 

Road  justified  cost  from  start 169 

Roads,   lonely   and   dangerous 278 

Roads    never    worked 161 

Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company,  the....      52 
Rogers.  Cornelius,  arrival  of.  in  1857.  ...      64 

Rolling  prairies  and  swelling  hills ISO 

Ross,  Alexander  49 

Ross,  observation  of.  in  1811 50 

Routes,  first,  tliro'  northwest  region.  ...      32 

Russell,   Charles,    builds   jail 117 

Russian  fur  trade,  beginning  of  the 43 


Rutherford,    J.    K 26'.) 

Ryan,    M.,    Jr ]  79 

St.  (ieorge,  Mrs 360 

St.  Helens,  Mount,  the  story  of 24 

St.  Mary's  Hospital '. 223 

St.  Patrick's  Academy  for  boys 223 

St.  Paul's    Episcopal    church    in    Walla 

Walla     232 

St.  Pauls  School,  Walla  Walla 221 

St.  Rose  Mission,  at  Frenchtown 82 

St.  X'incent  Academy  224 

Sager    tragedy,    the 77 

"Sahale"    '. -  23 

Sahaptin   Indians    11 

Salish   Indians    11 

Salmon  River  Emigration 127 

Salmon  spring  festival,  Indian 26 

Saloon,  chief  source  of  revenue' 148 

Sanitary  conditions  in  pioneer  times.  .  .  .  276 

Sapir.  Edward   26 

Saylor,   Fred  A 28 

Schnebley.   Theodore    470 

School  buildings,  beginning  of 210 

School  children,  the  first 210 

School  conditions,  in  1917 214 

School  districts,  organization  of 211 

School  districts  of  Garfield  county 382 

School  enrollment  of  Garfield  county.  .  .  .  382 

School  property,  value  of,  in  1900 214 

School  receipts   and   expenditures,   1897- 

1900    213 

School   report  of   1900 212 

School  statistics  of  Columbia  county...  324 

School  statistics  of  Walla  Walla  county  217 
School    Superintendent   and    Pioneers    in 

Asotin   county    468 

School  tax  levy,  first 211 

School  teacher,  the  first 210 

School,  the  first  in  Columbia  county 324 

Schools  in  Asotin  county 467 

Schools  in  Garfield  county 381 

Schools,   private    217 

Scott,  Elmon    270 

Sealth,  Chief   (Seattle) 29 

Sea-otter,  the    43 

Seasons,   the    4,  5 

Seattle   nearly   destroyed 103 

Secret    Societies    237 

Seminary,  Whitman   218 

Semi-tropical  in  climate 191 

Senatorial  and  legislative  districts 288 

Senatorial    contests    289 

Sentinel,  the 418 

Sergeant    Smith's    party 126 

Settlement,  early,  of  country  after  Whit- 
man   Massacre     83 

Settler,  the  old,  in  a  new  age 474 

.Settlers,  arrival  of  early 64 

Settlers,  early,  after  Cayuse  war 91 

Settlers  of  '59  in  Columbia  county 321 

Seven  millions  in  gold  taken  in  1862 129 

Seventh  Dav  Adventists  in  Dayton 334 

Severe   winter  of   1861-2 128 

Sharpstein,  Hon.  B.  L 288 

Sharpstein,  Hon.  J.   L 265 

Shaw's  Company,  Oregon  Rifles,  in  Cay- 
use   war    86 

Sheep   business  grows 180 

Sheep  increase  very  rapidly 176 

Sheep  now  in  Garfield  county 381 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


727 


Sheep  worth  $1.00  per  head 176 

Slieritt'  Whitman  and  one  Bunton 140 

Shipments    and    freight    rates    on    flour, 

1867     181 

Ships  40,000  pounds  of  onions 189 

Shoemaker     sends     watermelon     to    the 

"Statesman"     188 

Shorthorns    imported    in    1864 177 

Shoshone   Indians    14 

Shovels  $12  to  $16 139 

Shushwap  Indians  11 

Sickness  and  death  in  party  of  1843 ....  76 

"Side    Hill"    harvester 193 

Silcott,  John   178 

Sims,  J.   A 186 

Siskiyou  Mountain   Island 2 

Sisters    of    Providence 223 

Site  of  Orofino  Mines 135 

Six-hundred-eighty  acre  orchard 190 

Six   hundred    miners   winter   at    Salmon 

River  Mines    127 

Skomalt  or  Great  ^Mother 24 

Skyappe,  the  good  spirit 25 

Slavery  question  in  Oregon 88 

Slim  Jim  and  Six-toed  Pete 133 

Smallpox  epidemic,  the 277 

Smith,  A.  B.,  arrival  of,  in  1857 64 

Smith,    Hon.   E.   L..   lifelong   student   of 

Indian  legends    30 

Smith,   Jedadiah,   52;    massacre   of   part 

of  his  party   53 

Smith,  R.  D." 118 

Smith,  Silas   37 

Smith,  W.  N.  and  R.   B 257 

Snake  River,  affluents  of 7 

iSnake  River,  description  of  the 6 

Snowfall     6 

Soil,  component  parts  of,  3;   conditions, 
1 ;   creation,  2,  3 ;  depth  of  fertile,  3 

Sokulk  Indians   12,  37 

Some  ''joints"  of  the  '60s 130 

Some  prices  in  1869 182 

Song.   Indian   death 14 

Sorghum    tried    189 

Sound    Indians,    the 11 

Sows  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  to  oats  180 

Spalding,  Eliza    (Hart)    diary  of 60 

Spalding,  Rev.  H.  H. 

arrival  of    60 

at    Vancouver    62 

at  Waiilatpu  and  Lapwai 62 

work  among  Nez  Perces 63 

difficulties   encountered   by 64 

at    Waiilatpu    before    Whitman    mas- 
sacre       79 

escape  of  79 

Spalding,  H.  M 178 

Spanish   explorers,   old 42 

Spectacular  Villard  excursion 163 

Speelyi,     chief     God     of     Mid-Columbia 

Indians    3,   5,  31 

Spinden,  H.   .J 36 

Spirit  of  the  West,  the 360 

Spirits,   Indian    30,  21 

Spokane  County  laid  out 113 

Spokanes,   the    11 

Spotted   Eagle    103 

Spring   festival.  Indian    Salmon 36 

Squash  weighs  134V^.  pounds 189 

Squire,  Hon.  Watson  C 289 

Stages  became  big  factor 161 


Staple,  Captain   134 

Starbuck    165 

Start  raising  grain 177 

Starvation  and  bounty 13 

Statehood  achieved  475 

Statehood  and   constitution 285 

Statehood,   transition   to 473 

State  legislature,  first,  388;  members  for 

the  four  counties  of  the,  288 
"Statesman"  urges  people  to  get  railroad  165 
Statistics  of  Old  and  New  Walla  Walla 

county    385 

Steamer   records    158 

Steamer  service  well  organized  in  1859 . .    156 

Steer-roping  contests    302 

Stephens,   William    110 

Steptoe  Butte    105 

Steptoe,   Colonel    103 

Steptoe's  defeat  105 

Steptoeville     113 

Stevens  county  laid  out 113 

Stevens'.    General,   camp.    93;    conference 

of,  with  the  Indians  in   1853,  93;   Nez 

Perces  save  day  for,  94;  new  outbreak 

of    Indians,   96,    101 
Stevens,    Isaac    I.,   first   territorial   gov- 
ernor           93 

.Stock    in   demand 175 

Stock  interests,  the 379 

Stock  raising  in  Garfield  county 379 

Stolen   horses   recovered ,- ISi 

Stories  and  names,  Indian 19 

Story  telling,  Indian 19 

.Strap-iron   rails    laid 169 

Street    commissioners    of    Walla    Walla, 

1898-1916     311-315 

.Street  railwav  extended  to  Fair  Grounds  200 

.StubblffieUi    Home    337 

Stubblcfield,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  L 327 

Sturdevant.   Judge    269 

"Sublettes."    the    54 

.Sull'rage.   Woman    294 

Sugar  18c  to  26e  per  pound 120 

Sugar  40c  to  50e  per  pound 128 

Sugar   $1.25   per   pound 129 

Summary    of    first    events    in    Garfield 

county    359 

.Summary  of  recent  production 191 

Sunken  forests  in  Columbia  River 33 

Superintendent  of  city  schools  of  Walla 

Walla .' 315 

Superintendent  of  Schools'  report,  1916- 

17     335 

Supreme  court,  the 265 

.Survey  declared  official 115 

Survevors    of    Walla    Walla    city,    1883- 

1916     ". 307-315 

Swift,  roomy  steamers 158 

Tacoma   "CTtv   of   Destiny" 163 

Taggard,  J.  D 190 

Tamsaky  killed  by  Umatillas  as  result  of 

Whitman    massacre    89 

Teachers'  Reading  Circle 213 

Teachers'   wages    314 

Te.nms  no  competitors  for  railroad 169 

Teit,    James     26 

Telegraph.   Portland  to  Walla  W^alla...  151 
Temperature,  4;   averages  of,  4;  records 

of,  5 
Temperature  and  rainfall,  1 


728 


HISTORICAL   INDEX 


Ten  [itr  cont  of  stock  survives  winter. .  .  .  443 
Ten    iliousand   jionnds   wool   sliipped. .  . .    1«0 

Tent  store  in   1657 H'^ 

Territorial  delegates     I*'' 

Territorial  governor,  the  first 92 

Territorial  governor,   the   last 473 

Territorial  governors    147 

Territory   becomes  a  state 370 

Testimony  in  Whitman  murder  trial....  'JO 
Texts,     Coos    and     Umpqua,    36;     other 

Indian    ~ ' 

Theatrical   jierfonnanccs    H^ 

Thermometer  measurements •') 

Thomas,   George   K 101 

Thompson,  IJavid    'I'J 

"Tlio.-e  hills   reach    t'rom   hell   to  heaven, 

with  buncligrass  from  top  to  bottom".   380 

"Thunder   Bird"    legends 25 

Times  of  Cowboys,  miners,  vigilantes...   124 

Timothy,  a   life  "history   of 271,  272 

Timotliy  of  Alpowa  and  his  land  case..    271 

Timothy   saves   Steptoe's   command 178 

Tolmie,   Doctor    12 

"Toinanowas  Bridge,"  the  Indian  story  of 

i\  2'' 

the    

Touchet,  an  active  business  center,  217; 

its  schools,  217 

Toucliet,  Lewis  and  Clark  on  the 39 

Touchet  belt  e.vcels  in  high  grade  apples  190 

Touchet  Pioneer,  the 264 

Touchet  valley,  first  wheat  crop  in 471 

Tough  collection  of  human  beings 129 

Town  of  Dayton  booms 187 

Town  of  Me'ntor 364 

Town  of  Starbuck 351 

Town  government  organized 115 

Towns  of  Asotin  county 418 

Towns  of  Garfield  county 382 

Traditions.   Indian    10 

Trades  and  Labor  Council,  the 242 

Trades,    professions,   etc 19* 

Transportation,  early 1^5 

Trappers,  early    51 

Treasurers   of   Walla   Walla   city,   1877- 

1916     306-315 

Treaties   of    Oregon 84 

Treaty  of  Joint  Occupation,  of  1818 50 

Treaty   of   1846 TS 

Trees  brought  on  muleback 188 

Trial    of    Indians    accused    of    Whitman 

massacre     90 

Trial  of  tlie  Timothy  land  case 274 

Tribes,  Indian    H 

Tribes,  the  Ten  Lost,  of  Israel  and  Indian 

lore     ~5 

Trip   from    Wallula    to    Walla   Walla   in 

1870    161 

Troup,  Capt.  James 159 

Trustees  of  Pietrzycki  Foundation 327 

Tucanon,  40;  origin  of  the  name  of,  319 

Tucanon  river,  description  of  the 7 

Tum-alum    114 

Tuma-Lum   Lumbering   Co 193 

"Turkey   Pen"   334 

Tushepaws,  the   12 

Two  hundred  thousand  boxes  apples....    190 

Two  remarkable  criminal  cases 355 

Two   voting   precincts 113 

Umatilla    124 

I'matilla  Rapids    160 


Limatillas.   the    H 

Union  Transportation  Company 157 

United   Brethren    234 

U.  tj.  Fort  Walla  Walla 124 

United  [States  .Senators,  first  election  of.  289 

"Upper  Country"    towns 124 

Up-To-The-Times    Jlagaziiie,    tlie 2(>1 

Value  of  products,  1910 192 

Value  of  property  in  Walla  Walla,  1862.  116 

Varied  aspects  of  the  Fair 200 

Vegetables  and  irrigation 6 

Vegetables  and  melons  in  variety 180 

Vessels  engaged  in  fur  trade  in  1786-7.  .  44 

Vigilantes,   etc 12"* 

Vigilantes  disband    135 

Villard,   Henry    163 

Vineland  Journal,  the 425 

Violin    and    Indian 39 

Volcanic  eruptions    3 

Voorhees,   Hon.   C.    S 286 

Vote   against   constitutional    convention.  145 

Vote  for  presidential  electors,  1892 338 

Vote  in  1863  for  Territorial  Delegate 138 

Vote,  the   presidential,   in   Walla   Walla 

county     292 

Voting  precincts  in  1860 117 

Voyages,   early   exploration 25 

Waiilatpii,  origin  of  name  of,  11;  selected 
post  by  Dr.  Whitman.  62;  liescr  ption 
of,  64 ;  mission  a  center  of  light  and 
help,  77;  clouds  gathering  and  warning 
indications  for  mission,  79;  last  days 
oi  W  Hitman  mission,  i 'J ;  enu  ol,  ou; 
in  history.  80;  hunting  the  murderers 
of  the  Whitman  mission,  88,  89;  113 
Wait  starts  milling  in  Columbia  county  187 

Waitsburg  Academy   225 

Waitsburg,  elections  in,  317;  charter  of, 
317;  mayors  of,  318;   schools,  215 

Waitsburg  Times,  the 262 

Walker,  Rev.  Elkanah,  arrival  of 64 

Walla  Walla  &  Columbia  River  Railroad, 
165;   incorporated,  168 

Walla  Walla  and  fur-traders 50 

Walla  Walla,  Catholic  diocese  of 82 

Walla    Walla,    battle    of    the,    97;    Col. 

Kelley's  report  of,  97 
Walla  Walla,  founding  of  Catholic  church 

of     83 

Walla  Walla,  origin  of  name  of 11 

Walla  Walla  Bulletin,  the 260 

Walla  Walla  City 147 

Walla  Walla  City,  Ine 116 

Walla  Walla  City  laid  out  November  17, 

1859     115 

Walla  Walla  City's  Liberty  Loan  sub- 
scription        196 

Walla     Walla    City's     revenue     for     six 

months     116 

Walla  Walla  City,  as  agricultural  center, 
293;  churches  of,  228;  divided  into 
wards,  300;  election  in,  under  local  op- 
tion law,  294;  growth  of,  205;  political 
history  of,  299;  location  of,  in  regard 
to  growth,  293 

Walla  Walla  clubs 238 

Walla  Walla  College 224 

Walla  Walla  Commercial  Club 238 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


729 


Walla  Walla  County,  beginning  of,  92; 
first  board  of  commissioners,  92;  sta- 
tistics of,  after  division,  285;  political 
history  of  since  division,  385;  oflicials 
from  1876-1916,  295-299;  local  political 
history  of.  392;  subscription  to  Liberty 
Loan,    196 

Walla  Walla  County  Fair  Association..  300 

Walla  Walla  County  Press,  the 257 

Walla  Walla  Court" House    295 

Walla  Walla  Democrat,  the  361 

Walla  Walla  Journal,   the    359 

Walla  Walla  Labor  Union   241 

Walla  Walla  Lumber  Co 193 

Walla  Walla  newspapers    246 

Walla  Walla  Methodist  district   230 

Walla  Walla  pageant  of  1914,  the 206 

Walla  Walla  Park  Association   338 

Walla  Walla  Pow-wow    201 

Walla  Walla  Race  Track  Association..  .  200 

Walla  Walla  Spectator,   the    263 

Walla  Walla  Statesman,   the    257 

Walla  Walla  treaty,  95;  broken,  96 

Walla  Walla  Union,    the    258 

Walla    Walla,    United    States    senators 

from    289,  290 

Walla  Walla  Volunteers  of  Cayuse  war.  84 

Walla  Walla  Watchman,  the 261 

Walla  Walla  Water  Company,  the 301 

Walla  Walla  Wild  West  show 202 

Walla  Wallas,  the     11 

Wallowa   Basin    7 

Wallula    124 

Walter.  W.  W 430 

Ward  division  of  Walla  Walla  city 300 

Wardens  of  the  penitentiary 291 

War  Dress.  Indian 14 

War  and  peace  proceedings,  Early  Indian  14 

War  Eagle,  Cayuse  brave 87 

Warrants,   municipal    317 

Warriors,  Indian   .  . '. H 

Wascos,  the    11 

Washington  &  Columbia  River  Railroad.  163 
Washington,  territory  of.  created,  92;  or- 
ganizing territory  of,  93;  made  a  state, 
289 

Washington  Independent,  the 263 

Washington  Statesman,  the 257 

Washington  volunteers  for  Spanish  war.  350 

Waterloo  of  the  Indians 104 

Water-courses    1 

Water  supply  149 

Waterway  system,  natural 6 

Watervi'orks  of  Walla  Walla,  municipal 
ownership  of,  301;  registrars  of,  315; 
superintendents   of,  315 

Waters,  Lieutenant  Colonel   89 

Watetash   (animal  people) 2 

Wealth  of  Indian  tribes 13 

Weather   records     5,  6 

Webb,  Nathaniel   180 

Weinhard  brewery  destroyed 350 

Weiser,    .Tapob    138 

Weiser's  claim   127 

Wells,    artificial    6 

Wells.  Bishop  I^muel  H 231,  233 

Weyrauch's,  Major,  batallion  on  parade.  202 

Wheat  at  $2.50  per  bushel 126 

Wlieat  at  40  cents 181 

Wheat  at  $2.00  a  bushel 471 


Wheat  in  field  seven  feet  high 180 

Wheat  production  and  value.  1916 191 

Wheat  shipped  down  the  Columbia 181 

Wheat,  first  in  Touchet  valley 471 

"Where  the  four  creeks  meet" 114 

"Whisk  broom  with  a  drink" 130 

White     Man's     island,    or     Samahtuma- 

whoolah     24 

White  women,  first  at  Fort  Walla  Walla     62 

Whites  and  Indians  meet 13 

Whitman,  Alice  Clarissa,  first  white  child 
born  at  Waiilatpu,  1837,  63;  death  of, 
63 
Whitman,  Dr.  Marcus,  coming  of,  59; 
journey  of,  60,  61;  meets  Dr.  Mc- 
Loughiin,  63;  selects  Waiilatpu  and 
Lapwai,  62;  versatility  of,  63;  diffi- 
culties encountered  by,  64;  Whitman 
controversy.  65;  motives  of.  iminigncd. 
66;  mid- winter  ride  to  St.  Louis,  66; 
early  life  liistory  of,  68;  on  Oregon 
question.  69 ;  guiding  party  of  1843, 
70-74;  letter  to  secret  iry  of  w:ir  .>: 
philanthropies  of,  77:  treaty  of  1846, 
his  work.  78;  ministering  ti>  Indiana, 
79;  last  days  of,  79;  niurfler  of,  79; 
war  following  murder  of.  80;  the  grave 
and  the  monument  of,  80;  trial  of 
Indians  accused  of  murder  of,  90 

Whitman  built  sawmill 193 

Wliitman  not  a  fighter 417 

Whitman,  Narcissa.  60;  diary  of,  60;  at 
Fort  Walla  Walla.  61,  62;  at  Van- 
couver, 62;  daughter  born  to,  at 
Waiilatpu,  63 ;  letter  of,  63 ;  instructor 
of  Indian  children,  64;  philanthropy 
of,  77;  Joseph  Smith  and,  78;  murder 
of,  79;  last  resting  place  of,  80 
Whitman  College,  founded  by  Father 
Eells.  89;  early  teachers  at,  218;  board 
of  trustees  of,  330;  faculty  of,  230 

"Whitman  controversy,"  the 65 

Whitman  Massacre,  causes  leading  to, 
79;  survivors  of,  79;  war  following, 
80;  tidings  of,  spread  terror.  84;  re- 
mains of  victims  of,  reinterred,  87; 
hunting  the  murderers,  88;  Indian 
chiefs  executed  in  retribution.  89 
Whitman  Mission,  its  place  in  history.  .  .  80 
Whitman's  letter  to  Elkanah  Walker...   426 

Whitney,  Charles    176 

Wholesale  houses  in  Walla  Walla 195 

Whyama.  the  mythical  eagle 20 

Wilbur,  Rev.  J.  H.,  239,  335;  stops  liquor 

dealer    332 

Wild   Horse   Creek 133 

Wilkes.  Captain  Charles 25 

Willamette  Valley,  history  of 71 

Willamette  University,  origin  of 59 

Wind     Brothers,    the    cold     (the    Walla 

Wallas)     4,       5 

Wind   conditions    4 

Wind   velocity    5 

Wingard,  Judge    267,  268 

Wingard,  S.  C 147 

W'shpoosh.    the   monster    beaver 2 

Wiveast,  the  "myth"  chief 24 

Wol'awollalis.  the  40 

Woman's  experience  crossing  the  plains.   447 
Woman  Suffrage   294,  336,  370 


73U 


HISTORICAL   INDEX 


Woman's  l>iiik  flub,  tlie, 206 

\Voiiu;n.   Indian    12 

Worinoil,  Airs.  Mary  A 464 

Wright,  Colonel   .319 

Wyohe,  Judge  J.  K 141 

Wyetli,  Nathaniel,  52,  53;  exiJuditions  of, 
53,  54 


Yakima  branch    165 

Yakima   Indian   legend 20 

Yakimas,    the    11 

Ythl,  the  raven,  legend  of 26 

YoUeppit,  the  handsome  chief 38 

\ellow  Bird   102 

Young  Joseph    (Hallakallakeeu) 95 


BIOGRAPHICAL  INDEX 


Abbott,  J.I'" 523 

Adams,  J.  F 632 

Anderson,  Jens    615 

Angermann,  H.  E 579 

Ayres,   W.   E 558 

Bartell,  G.  E S14 

Becker,  Martha  E.   (Kiblinger) 694 

Berry  man,  C.  M 587 

Blize,  J.  R 622 

Broughton,   M.   H 711 

Bruch,  H.  P 648 

Bryson,  H.  C 698 

Burnap,  A.  H 493 

Burroughs,  L.  B 649 

Cahill.   A.  P 487 

Camp,  J.   M 534 

Canlield,   0.   F 608 

Carr,  John    653 

Claxon,    A.    W 580 

Cochran,   George    594 

Corbett.    L.    C 572 

Crews,   C.  S 633 

Davis,  J.  A 488 

Dement.  C.  F .  .  512 

Dickinson,   A.   C 576 


Estes,  L.  W. 


658 


Falkenberg,  Kristian    644 

Flathors,   B.  F 564 

Fontaine,   J.   A 500 

Forgey,  John    571 

Fonts,  W.  H.  H 004 

Fudge,  Adam   527 

Fudge,  W'illiam   588 

Gardner,  H.  A 620 

Glafke,    Fred    593 

Glover,  J.  M 582 

Graves,  A.  H 53:- 

Harvey,  J.  W 673 

Hastings.    K.   G 679 

Herrold.    B.    A 575 

Herrold,  J.   B 53:2 

HofTman,  E.  J 513 

Hollowell,    T.   J 607 

Hu<;hes.  P.   J 697 

Hunt,  Gilbert   5-12 


Ingalls.   T.    P 


026 


Johnson,    Alexander    GU:! 

Jonas,   F.  A 494 

Kaser,   F.   W 517 

Kees,  A.  F 685 

Reiser,  F.  T 610 

Kenny,    Michael    504 

Kershaw,  J.  8 496 

Klahr,  F.  P 679 

Knott.   E.  G 518 

Kuykendall,  G.  B 551 

LabudUf,  Otto   657 

Lane,   C.   B 675 

Lester,  Clyde   503 

Lloyd,  G.   M 674 

Lloyd,  VV.  A 600 

Long,  Mary    603 

ikCov,  A.  M 581 

Mcaillouch,   A.   J 5(6 

McKcirnan,  T.  B 643 

Maiden,  C.  C 691 

Miiinick.  G.  D 664 

Minnick,  VV.  C 569 

Neace,  Frank    495 

Neace,  L 621 

Neace,  Louis  561 

Pearson,  A.  P 670 

Pearson,  C.   W 665 

Pentecost,  P.   J 546 

Prather,  S.  T 512 

Rainwater,  J.  K 524 

Bav,  Alexander    707 

Ray,  A.  L 505 

Reser,   Willis    541 

Retzer.   Charles    599 

Robertson,  J.  C 704 

Romaine.  F.  S 676 

Rose,  J.  F 701 

Ruehert,   E.   C 703 

Schneckloth,  Henry 511 

Schwarz,    Adolph     563 

Scoggin.    J.    D 703 

Shatter,  C.  E 692 

.'^helton.  A.  L 521 

Shelton,  0.  M 521 

Snell,  (i.  H 625 

Snoderley,   Charles    708 

Stallcop,  H.  B 592 


BIOGRAPHICAL  INDEX 


731 


Stnithers,  W.   A. 


686       Wlieeler,   E.   L 53S 


Sullivan,  N.  S. 
Suinraers.  J.  W. 
Swiiiiiev.    Green 


Stiibblelield,  ¥.  U 647 

637 

6(;i) 

BUi 

Taylor,  G.  B 6S-1 

Taylor,  J.  VV 054 

Thompson,  J.  X 63S 

Tierney.  F.  W "591 

Tompkins,  R.  J 712 


Van  ratten,  E.  H. 

Weatlierford,   J.   C 
VVeller.   P.  R 


680 


49-J 
634 


VVliitmore,  W.  L 554 

Williams,  C.  R Gl'J 

Wilson,  H.   L 533 

Winans.  A.  L 480 

Wiiians,  G.  P. 
Winans.  P.  M. 
Winans,  W.  P. 
Wolle,  Ida  May 
Wood,  D.  V .  .  . 
Woods,  A.  B 


485 
485 
481 
52:2 
693 
702 


Woods.  M.   A 650 

Yeend,  J.  A 539 

Yeend,  S.   N 540 

Venney,    F.    P 563 


rz. 


JAN  C  -  1932