The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-08
fifteenth Annual Reunion Of the
Association.
FOUNDERS OF A GREAT EMPIRE.
Veterans Who Journeyed Across the
Morn Assemble to Talk Over the
Experiences of Long Ago-Typicai
Members The Officers Elected.

( iogrneyed from their homes IN tho East
! across the plains to the valley OF the
/ Columbia and thence TO the shores OF
Puget sound. are gathered In Seattle.
forming the fifteenth annual reunion of the
Washington Pioneer Association.
Little tina. appears upon the record
| OF the business meeting held yesterday
| morning md afternoon is significant OF
| the true intent OF the annual conclave of
| the men and women who are associated
| with the very !irst pages or the history
| OF the great Pacific Northwest. The baad
| OF pioneers u yearly growing less and
| less. One OF the mournful things about
/ such a gathering as the present reunion
| is the necessity incumbent upon the secre-
| tary to record the passing away OF some
| members OF the band OF early em.grants
who journeyed TO the land OF promise.
| The chief Joys and pleasures of the
| pioneers OF Washington in holding their
! annual gatherings is in exchanging remin-
! iscences one with another, and 1t was no
| ticeable yesterday that between the bust
ness sessions OF the society the grizzled
| veterans Of the days OF the early Cos
assembled in quiet corners OF the room to
| talk over the past.
| Many Of the men who sat In the G.
! A. r. hail In the Hinckley building yes
! terday set foot on the shores OF Elliott
| bay when the tall frs of the forest
| primeval reached to nearly the waters
| edge where now stands tall. stately and
| costly blocks OF brick and stone. Others
| carved out homes for themselves in the
| forests OF Thurston county. Others still
| settled in fertile valleys on Whidbyl island
| and other parts or western Washington.
| All were governed by the instinct OF the
| race which landed at Plymouth rock on
! the shores OF Massachusetts, in 1920. to
| build anew their homes in the wilderness.
Those qualities OF courage, self reliance
| and sturdy industry which built up
an empire on the Atlantic char
| acterized the pioneers Of Washington.
| They are visible on every face IN the band
| of men and women who settled In the
| Northwest in the Cos. Many OF them have
| passed through great dangers to life and
| property: nearly all OF them saw some
OF the horrors OF the Indian wars OF 1855
| and all have watched the Puget sound
| country grow from wilderness of tall fir
| and cedar trees to a progressive and
| prosperous community.
| The chief business transacted yesterday
| was the election OF officers. These were
| chosen by ballot yesterday afternoon.
| They are:
| President, John J. McGilvra, OF Seattle;
secretary. Edgar Bryan. OF Seattle: treas
urer L. S. Rowe. OF Seattle: trustees f. c.
| Ferguson, OF Snohomish; r. Abrams. L.
! s. Rowe, William Calhoun and Thomas
| Prosch, Of Seattle.
Forenoon Session.
| The morning session was devoted entirely
| 10 the reading OF the minutes OF the last
| session and the presentation OF the re-
/ ports Of the president and secretary. Mr..
| d. B. Ward, the secretary. reported on
| the collections and disbursements of funds
| for the year past The following pioneers
| have died since the last meeting:
c. II. Byles, OF Montesano: d F Byles.
| OF Elmer: Elwood Evans. OF Tacoma: Mrs
| H l. Mercer. OF Seattle; Mrs. Mary V.
| Mcdonald. OF Seattle: W. G.. I.atimer. OF
| Seattle: Mrs. Hulda A. Young. OF Seattle:
! Judge w. z. Daugherty. OF Pierce coun-
! ~; william Tldd. OF Pierce county; y.
| J. Ohm. of Seattle: Mrs. c. '. Calhoun.
| OF Seattle: Luke McRedmond. Of Red
| rnond: BENJAMIN F. Harmed, OF Olympia
! r. II. Landsdaie, OF Olympia; Mrs. Peter
: Judson, OF Tacoma. and Thomas Mercer.
~ seattle Some OF these were not MEM
/ bers OF the association. bat all had Lived in
! the state since 1870.
T3day's programme VIII begin al II
o'cleck a. the grove OF the association
| in the Pontius' fourth addition. where the
| hail ot the society Is 20 be erected on
| ground donated ~ Mrs NJ J. Pontius
| near Lake Union. Prof. +. 5. Meany viii
deliver the grafton OF the day. after which
! luncheon Will be- served in p.cnic fashion.
/ Speeches and personal "reminiscences VIII
( follow.
/ Following IS list OF those in attend
/ ance:
/ George +. Fly. Mrs VI J. Pontius
+ Mrs. A s. Riaehart. Rev n r. Blaine
/ Mrs Catherine Blaine, F. 81. Wirs.ow.
/ Thomas prosch. Hiram Burnett. Charles
/ Baker, Edgar BRYAN. John Collins, Judge
! r. II. Cam, II. W. Harmon. X, " Wiaea-
i Parry Smith. u. r. Wars. A ". Pres
ley. L :. Rowe, W. V. Rinehsrt. George
+ r Whitworth. Thomas ]. Carrie. Mrs. Kirk
( G Ward, Mrs. 8 J. Sncw, Mrs ". II
{ Gillian. Mrs L Wyckoff Mrs. g. =. Syi-
vez.er. Tneader. Williams. z 8 Meany.
! J J. MSss1vrz. Charles PToSch, J. &. Kei-
loSg. s =. Coornbs, =. ClaySon. ST. Mrs.
1 l. r. SssfTerein. J. :. Benson. Mrs. :. u.
( Libby. Mrs. F. A. Preston. Mrs. II. r.
( Thorndyke. Mrs 2 W z Guy. Miss
wyck7ff Hans Nelson, ". Vo,ghs. Mrs.
II Hancock. Miss Susan Hancock Mrs.
{ NJ A Dyer r. ". Guy. George ".
Bosrsnsan Rev. j. =. Damon, II +.
+ waitworth. Mrs l. 5. Roge and Miss
TeriEa Rove. ali of seattle,
Mrs \ Moore. Mrs Z. Newman ard
Mss II Craney. q Wl3hy Island L. sohns.
ot Vancouver. Mrs S0hns. - Vancouver:
] = y Rrehsrt, Of Thatc0n; ". :. Jane
! soa. 81 Port Gamble. Mrs IL. Morse Of
/ Oak Harbo-. Mrs II. Nur2n Of wf5by
| island: n. n Morgan. E 9. Ferguson and
| Clark Ferguson. Of Sgahamisa; Thomas