The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-05
MOURNEDBY PIONEERS
Philip Visit. of Port Madison,
Laid i'm the Grave.
LARGEST FUNERAL IN YEARS.
Services Conducted by Rev. John r.
Damon-Last sad Rites over
Edwin Hector.

hotel keeper of Port Madison, wnlcn was
conducted at that place yesterday aIteI
noon. was probably the most notanie sath-
ertur of the kind since the death of Henry
l.. YesIer. December IS, ise2, and TO the
people of Kitsap county will be associa.-
ed as ranking next to that OF Capt " M
lam Rerton whose funeral took place al
Port Blakeley and this city. July =. lsA-
Fully so personal friends OF the late Hir'
Wist witnessed the sad ceremonies OF yes
terday and Rev. John +. Damon pTeacie1
the sermon 10 fully 30 people. cro~ueu
in the largest rooms of the Port Mauisol
hotel. and the remainder were necessa'
fly compelled TO stand outside. A reiiiat n :
able feature was the presence OF niaJO,
ity OF women, who sympathized aeepis
with the heartbroRen widow, The daus ~
ers and sons. who were all present "'iA
deeply grieyed.
A number of Indians ficm small res
eTvation near by were present anu 80
feeble woman. called Sallie, VINO mas uoiae
the hotel washing for many years "ep1
constantly and would not be coilIotteU-
Mr.. Damon preached very pathe'lc
sermon. and compared, in general way
the human character TO woe ocean NV
may look upon il. he said. ana &c an
q cent for a few waves, 10 observe hotti-
ing and may think II worth notilitis' ioue
down in its depths lies the real chaFac'@i.
fhe true character may Re learned. IN"
PREACHER recalled many "reminiscences OF
picneer DAYS IN Port Madison and dwef
upou the fact that the cid hotel Woula one
day in the classic history of Puget Sound.
he a landmark around which would Gus
ter many interesting recollections-
Mr. Visit was for twenty-five years
nember OF the Masonic fraternity ana ire
cCre monies of that body were under The
charge of Kane Lodge, No. s, of Port Mad
ison. and Renton Lodge, of Port Blakeiey,
Alex arder Smith, of the latter, conduot-
ing the services, assisted by Mr.. Damon
During his long standing as Mason The
deceased almost constantly held office.
Mr. Wist was buried at the old Port
Madison cemetery, where many pioneers
are at rest. 1t is a beautiful spot on the
point overlooking the Sound, one mile
from the town.
Mr.. Visit came to Port Madison, that
notable home of pioneers, in the early
COS. The hotel was built in the fall OF
that year by Portuguese joe and the
hosiery was conducted by him until ne
came TO Seattle and took charge of the
United States hotel. George Visit sue
ceeded him and was in charge until the
time of his death in Victoria in about 1865
Philip Wist then took charge and has been
the landlord ever since. except a year or
two, when Judge Joseph Corastock Was in
charge. In 1863 Wist went to Germany
ard was married. His wife lived but q
few years. AMI in 1876 her sister came out
from Germany and was married TO Mr..
Visit as his second wife, Mr.. Damon Of
ficiating at the marriage. She is the moth
er of all the children. except one daughter.
In the palmy days of Port Madison,
when 1t was one of the principal ship
building points and a large lumber ship
ping port, the ODD Port Madison hotel was
a center of attraction, and at the present
time, owing TO the large number of pio-
neers living in the town, more early his
tory can be heard than in any place on
the Sound. The notable marriages took
place in the hotel parlors. Parties,
dances, church societies, pioneer meet
ings, county commissioners meetings and
all of the other gatherings were given
within its walls. The center of interest
was Mr. Visit who had no enemies. Hos
pitality was his strong point. \ better
table was never SCI before the travellers
coming to the Northwest than at his din
ing room.
The friendship for Mr. Visit among the
pioneers is emDhatically attested by the
large numbers attending the funeral yes
terday. II would be difficult TO attempt
10 name them all. but among them were:
Judge and Mrs. Joseph Comstock.
Thomas Benton, Mr.. and Mrs. Mathie
son. Thomas Ross Capt William Prim-
rose. June Primrose. Mr.. and Mrs. c.. 4.
Meiggs. MIR. Mcdonald. Mr.. Ryan, II. T.
Price. Mr.. Ewing Capt. Henry Cloud,
Mr. and Mrs William Bull, r. 1mpitt,
r. tombstone, G.. c. Sutherland, Mrs.
Hans Fryberg, Mrs. Sanstrom. Mrs. Kos
lowski and daughter. ID. Falk, Capt How
land. Mr. Stmson, j. McGrath. Mr..
Brooks. Mrs Powell. Mrs. Charles Swan
berg, Mrs. James Campbell, Capt. and
Mrs. Pyle. y. Harms. Alexander Allen.
and Alexander Smith. This list includes
people from Seattle, Tacoma. Port Blake
ley. Port Gamble. Seabeck. Port Orchard,
La Conner. WILDLY island. Dogfish Bay
and Port Madison.