Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-01-02
OUR FIRST LEGISLATURE.
Very Few Of Its Twenty-seven Mem
bers are Now Alive.

Sitting in his quiet library at his res
idence on Front street, few evenings
ago, A. A. Denny, the gray-haired pio-
neer, told a Telegraph representative
many "reminiscences of the first legisla-
ture of Washington, OF which he was a
member. On the wall hung a picture
of Mr.. Denny's rude cabin, the first
building erected anywhere in this vi
cinity. Just below it, in striking con-
trast, was a picture OF the magnificent
Denny hotel, which, with the grounds
is worth 100000. The cabin did
not cost ten dollars. Both his resi-
dence and the hotel are located on the
original donation claim on which Mr..
Denny settled thirty-eight years ago.
In the room were many other interest
ing things. A big grape-shot and a
cannon-ball, reminiscent of the early
Indian wars; a large assortment OF
books, selected, in large part, while
Mr.. Denny was delegate to Congress; |;
a collection OF ores and numerous Wild
cat and mountain lion skins added to
the decorations and articles of utility.
Mr.. Denny recounted how that first
legislature met at Olympia, February
9th, 1854, in accordance with pro-
clamation by the sturdy Governor,
Isaac 1. Stevens. Then Olympia had
only 200 or 800 people, but it was the
greatest and about the only place
north of Portland. The entire Coun-
Gil, with two exceptions, was made up
of men from the west side of the Cas-
cade mountains. The whole east side
was represented by the two aforesaid,
Messrs. Tappan and Bradford, who
lived at the Cascade, or Wishram, as
it was known TO Bonneville. Then
Clarke county was spread all over the
eastern country, and they represented
Clarke. Nearly the entire legislature
journeyed to and from the capital in
boats, and it took two good hard days
tugging at the oars to get there from
Seattle. The first night out, Mr..
Denny said, they usually made it a
point to camp on McNeil's island, but
sometimes they could not get that far.
BY the next night, if they had toiled
hard, they arrived at the seat of legis-
lative power.
There were twenty-seven members
of that now historical body, nine in
the Council and eighteen in the House.
They represented almost every walk
and calling of life, and their dress, as
may we'll be supposed, was typical OF
those early pioneer days. Some wore
caps made of wolf skins, while others
had garments more or less betokening
the period in which they lived. Albeit
there was everywhere noticeable strong
individuality, and clear-cut notions OF
what was needed, and they acted up to
their ideas. There was little circum-
lOcution.
The Council was composed of d. F.
Bradford and William H. Tappan, OF
Clarke; Seth Catlin and Henry Miles,
of Lewis and Pacific; D. R. Bigelow
and B. F. Yantis, of Thurston; and
Lafayette Balch and G. N. McConaha,
of Pierce and King; and w. P. Say
wary, of Jefferson.
McConaha was made president OF
the Council, NJ. H. Frost chief clerk
and J. L. Mitchell sergeant-at-arms.
The House had the following men,
bers: A. A. Denny. of King; Samuel
D. Howe and Daniel F. Brownfeld, of
Island; H. d. Huntington and John
P. Jackson, of Lewis; John Scudder.
of Pacific; ]. NJ. Chapman, Henry
Mosley and L. F. Thompson, OF Pierce;
David Shelton, L. G. Durgin, C. H.
Haley, Ira Ward, jr., of Thurston; F.
A. Chenoweth, Henry r. Crosbie, A. ].
Bolan, s. D. Biles and A. c. Lewis, OF
Clark.
"A. Chenoweth was elected speak
er, B. F. Kendall chief clerk and Jacob
Smith, sergeant-at-arms.
L. F. Thompson, who was member
of the first House, is the wealthy hop
grower Of Sumner, and present Sena-
tor from Pierce. Elwood Evans, of
Tacoma, we'll known since as member
of the Washington legislature, was
made clerk of the Council after Mr..
Frost's election, the latter's eyes fail
ing him. But few of these men, ex-
cept the two aforesaid, and Mr.. Denny
are now living. Many were more or
less conspicuous before death. F. A.
Chenoweth was afterward associate JUS
tice of the Supreme court. Finally he
moved away and for some years he has
been living at Corvallis. William H.
Tappin was an engraver and cut the
die for the first great seal of Washing
ton Territory. David Shelton lives in
Mason county, is founder of the town
of Shelton and has amassed a comfort
able fortune. Ira Ward is living at
Tumwater. w. P. Sayward, for many
years large mill owner Of Port Lud-
low, died three or four years ago.
Capt. S. d. Biles moved to Portland
and died but year since. Seth Cat
lin died not long ago at his home on
the Cowlitz river. Henry Miles died
only last winter in Lewis county. H.
r. Crosbie, who was afterward an asso-
ciate justice of the Supreme court, was
last heard of at Salt Lake. Andrew J.
Bolan was killed by the Indians.
George N. McC Conaha, president Of the
first Council and an eloquent and able
man, was accidentally drowned in a
sauall on the Sound, about the close
of the legislature. d. F. Brownfield is
living here. ]. NJ. Chapman was liv'