Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-12-28

into partnership, each taking up a
hall section. They seem to have had
the speculative idea in their heads,
Aand with a view OF future profit,
Smith located on the shore of the
Sound and called the place which he
had already built in his mind, Smith
field, to perpetuate Il name which per-
haps he feared might some day be-
come extinct. But lest this child of
the brain should not materialize, his
partner wisely sought choice piece OF
prairie where support for the bodies OF
the firm could be found while the city
was growing. This he found on what
is now known as Chambers Prairie.
The hope of the heart of Smith was
destined to be destroyed, as Smith
field" in the mutations of time, came
to be called Olympia.
FIRST MANUFACTURES.
During this first summer Col. SIM
mons erected grist mill at the Tum-
water falls This mill was built in the
crudest manner as it was not posi-
BILE to get the material and the tools
| necessary to construct it in the then
almost unbroken forest. However it
was made to crush wheat so that
bread could be made of it, and if the
flour was not so white and the bread
not quite so light and flaky," it made
good wholesome food and gave
strength to the brawny arms of the
pioneers. During the spring and
summer following, a large number of
people came to " Newmarket" as the
place was then called, among them
Sam Cool, A. J. Moore, Benz. Gordon,
Thos. w. Glasgow, Samuel Hancock,
L. C. Wallace, all of whom settled in
the neighborheod. Elisha and VIM.
Packwood with their families came
and settled on the prairie during the
summer.
| THE FIRST GIRL
Born north of the Columbia river was
II daughter of Mrs. Sidney S. Ford,
who afterwards became the wife of
John T. Shelton This occurred on
the 10th of June, 1S47, and was made
Il landmark in the history OF this
country. Another notable event, and
one that gave occasion to regular
jubilee, was nothing less than the first
marriage that took place at the settle
ment. With the family of Mr.. Davis,
who had arrived at the settlement in
January, lS47, came handsome
young girl named Ruth Brock. She
had no aowry but pair Of bright
eyes and brave and willing heart,
but it WAS not in the nature Of things
that such flower should bloom alone
for long. David ID. kinsey was the
lucky man to win her consent to mat
rimony. The marriage was solem-
Eized at the home of Davis on the 9th
of July, in the presence OF nearly all
the little colony, by Col. Simmons,
who had been appointed one Of the
county judges under the provisional
government of Oregon. 1t was sea-
son of rejoicing in which the colony
felt it had Il personal interest.
THE PUGET SOUND MILLING COMPANY
Was organized in August, lS47, and
consisted OF Col Simmons, Frank
Shaw, +. Sylvester, Jesse Ferguson,
A. b. Rabbeson, Gabriel Jones, A. ID.
Carnefix and John Kindred. Col
Simmons was elected Superintendent,
and on the Oath the company began
the erection of u sawmill at the lower
fall. on the northwest side of the
river. On the same day a trail was
blazed out between the settlement
and Smithfield." The mill was
completed during the winter and the
settlement increased by the arrival OF
Thomas NJ. Chambers and family. He
had foursons. David, Andrew, Thomas
j., and Mclean, the two first also
having families. The city of Smith
field did not prosper as Mr.. Smith had
undoubtedly hoped it would, and he
seems to have lived II lonely and un-
satisfied life. At the election of 1S4S,
Smith was elected Il representative to
the Oregon Provisional Legislature.
from this colony, which was called
Lewis county; but he never took his
seat. In August Of that year, while
on his way to Tumwater in a canoe, he
was attacked with an epileptic fit and
drowned. A. b. Rabbeson was elected
Sheriff of Lewis county during the
year also.
THE MISSION OF ST. JOSEPH
Was established in June, 184S, on the
east side of Budd's Inlet by Rev.
Pascal Ricard, about mile north of
Sylvester's claim, and about the same
time Samuel Hancock located a claim
on the west side Of the inlet and built
warehouse and wharf. 1t was dur
ing this summer that Jesse Ferguson,
who owned grain cradle, conceived
the idea of making dollar or two for
himself by cutting grain for the
French settlers on the COwlitz. Accom-
panied by Mr.. A. b. Rabbeson he set
out with his cradle on his shoulder for
the Cowlitz farms. The Frenchmen
did not at first take kindly to the idea
of superseding the sickle, but when
Jesse showed them how much more
grain he could lay down with it, their
scruples vanished and he reaped u
fire harvest for himself and his part
ner.
AFRAID OF THE BRITISH
On the possessions of the Americans
was organized in the fall of lS48. The
so-called Puget Sound Agricultural
| Company, with a view to claiming the
rich land lying south of the Nisqually,
river drove herd of cattle across the
stream and proceeded to take posses
sion. As soon as the settlers discov-
cred this, the old spirit of combat Was
reused and determined stand was at
once taken. A meeting was hastily
called and Col. Isaac N. Ebey was
chosen chairman. 1t was unanimous
ly decided that i. formal notice should
be served on the Agent of the Com
pany, DIR. w. f. Tolmie, to remove the
stock from the county or they would
be seized. The indomitable Jesse Fer
guson and A. b. Rabbeson were ap-
pointed committee to convey the
demands of the meeting to the agent
and give him week to comply with
them. Before the week was up the
cattle had been withdrawn and wal
was averted.
THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD
In California, news of which reached
|, the settlers along the Sound in the
summer of 1S49, caused great excite
, ment. The fame Of the fabulous for
tunes that could be picked up in the
, Z" golden State" WAS too much for the
toiling settler and stampede from
, this little settlement followed which
caused u lasting depression. Many o