The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-27
J. d. cAUGHRAN DEAD.


For Ten Years One OF the Most Promi-
nent Citizens OF Tacoma.
Tacoma. May 2s.-Special-Josephus d.
Caughran died suddenly early this morn
ing. at mis- home. in this city. He had
arisen from bed as usual and begun to
build the kitchen fire, when he stopped
preparing the klndling. and. looking
around to his wife. who stood near. he
said that he had q sharp pain in the side.
Placing his hand on his side he moved to
the nearest chair. and a few minutes after
sitting down he expired. 1t was not more
than twenty minutes after he first COM
planned Of the pain In his side that be had
breathed his last
Josephus u. Caughran was born on .
farm In Muscatine county. Iowa, July 2.
1893. When % years Of age he entered
Cornell university and remained there I'M
ii, the spring OF 1861. When the Rebellion
broke out he Joined the Eleventh Iowa
infantry and participated in the battle OF
Shiloh and numerous other engagements,
remaining with the army until Grant suc-
cceded in capturing yicksburg. In the
year 1855 he re-enlisted and remained in
the ranks with Sherman In the Atlantic
campaign and his march TO the sea and
was honorably discharged in July. 1865.
After the close Of the war he under
took farming and afterward spent one
season of his life a. q school teacher in
his native state. When the lumber and
grain trade began to grow in immense
proportions In tho Northwest h. located
In Shelby Ia. and In . small way be-
gan speculation In grain. After few sea-
sons OF mopey making he established a
banking house. Of which he was president.
As a banker and grain buyer he remained
In Shelby until early In 1856 when he
came to the Sound on visit. He removed
with his family to Tacoma in the fall Of
1885, bringing with him q large sum Of
ready money. which he At once began to
invest In securities and Industries His
first investment was with II. +. Nathold.
In the tub and pail factory, then located
In the Wallace addition, where he re-
manned q partner until the factory was de-
stroyed by fire about q year and a half
after he became interested. His next
business move was to enter in partnership
with J. A. Wintermute in the money loan
ing business. and II was at this time that
he also became interested In the early
wheat shipping business OF the city. The
warehouses had at that time lust been
completed and with others he was the
FIRST 10 load foreign bound cargoes OF
grain from the city OF Tacoma He or
CANNED the original Skagit Lumber Com
pany. and with Messrs. Barlow. Paulson.
Thompson. Drum and others. made the
company one OF the leading businesses OF
the Sound and IT later developed
into the Skagit Railway & Nav.-
CATION Company. Both companies re-
NAMED In existence for several months
tho latter building the steamers skagit
Chief and State OF Washington. After
successfully directing the affairs OF these
companies. and at the same time remaining
In business with Mr.. wtntermute for sew
erai years. he sold on, these interests. and
later took a partnership with u. r. Shell
Ter, buying the old Hawkey. Abstract and
TILE Insurance company in which he was
interested at the time Of his death. Dur
ing the past I'VE years he also purchased
the Nssqnaliy mill at Mcintosh station.
near Clear lake. He had recently been in
teres;sd in mill At Gig Harbor also. and
besides had numerous outside Investments
and real estate deals OF no small ruagni-
tude- He was a member OF the IeSisla-
ture from the Thirty-:ifth district in 1851
% and prior TO that time and since had
taken an active part IN the poii,ics OF this
district. He also served a term IN the CITY
council, and during his incuubeucy was
chairman OF the street committee Mfr.
Canghrsn Is supposed 10 leave large for
tune to his heirs, consisting largely o. Sc
curi,les. city realty and timber tracts. He
leaves widow and four children.