The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-23
D. (. Baxter Dies at His Home
stead After a Long Illness.
FIFTY YEARS ON THE COAST.
Left Hi. Home I'm Seneca Falls. y. ".
at the Age of Thirteen to Make
His Way i'm the World-Amonx
the First to Dig Gold in Califor-
IsJ:s-A Lucky CaribOo Miner.

y X Baxter. wno Was 40. only pioneer
OF SEATTLE but California well. died yes
terCay afternoon at MS n9sne on feslcr
way near the corner OF Fourth avenue
SOUTH His wife and oniy daughter, kain-
crime we're al The bedside when he breataed
MS last.
For fully a year Mr.. Baxter had been
great sufferer from dropSy and MS family
feared that ne would not live long. he
was possessed Of wonderful vitality. how
ever. and withstooa the rayages OF disease,
which caused him great suffering, With re-
rnarkable fortitude.
The frs, break In his health came six
wears ago Ia the form OF a severe stroke
of apoplexy IL was thought at that time
that he would die, bat he rallied. Physi-
clans said that Ii was a remarkable case.
Mr.. Baxter enjoyed fairly good health from
that time until two years ago when aropsy
set in. Al the end OF six months he was
confined te the house, and untsl his death
was unable 10 do more than walk around
little on unusually pleasant days Recently
he commenced TO sink rapidly and his ply
seians realized that the end was near. Four
days ago he became unconscious and re-
manned In that condition until death.
horn In New York.
Mr.. Baxter was born al Seneca Falls, y.
Y, ia 1877. His parents We're among the
early settlers of thai section The family
originally came from England. AS "A hoy
D. X Baxter exhibited 10 an unusual de-
gree the trait OF self reliance. He desired
10 make his way in the world ny his own
individual effort. and did not fear taking
his chances among strangers. Although
his parents were opposed he left home al
The age of - years and from that time I'M
til his death was his own master.
He visited ali the large cities OF the East
ana Middle West. storing his mind with
useful information. When the first reports
of gold discoveries wer. brought from Cal
ifornia he Immediately decided that he
would cast his 10, on the Pacific coast. He
took passage for San Francisco By way Of
the isthmus. arriving az his destination
some time in the year 1870 He took part in
many Of the rushes 10 different camps, and
was successful
Came TO seattle In 81.
In 1853 his attention was attracted 20 Pin
get sound and he took a trip north. land
Ing at Seattle. At that time there were
only a few houses and handful. Of peo-
pie. lie liked the place, however, and was
struck with itgs natural advantages. lie
made II his home and was always loyal 10
It's interests.
Tic Fraser river mining excitement first
broke out In 1856. That Of the Cariboo
country followed !. closely. There is
saying. once miner always q miner"
The saying applied 10 Nj. Baxter in this
instance. al least. lie went to the Cariboo
mines and struck it rich. There are men
in that country today. gray haired OLD
miners. vino recall Mr. Baxter ana inquire
Of newcomers how he Is getting along.
After returning from the mines Mr.. Rax-
ter engaged sn logging and hop raising He
bad several logging camps al different
points on The Sound and conducted an .x-
tens;ye business He was ore Of the char
ter members Of the Snoaualfnie Hep Ranch
Company. The ranch was the largest of
It's kind IN the world.
Among the first pieces az property Mr.
Baxter purchased in Seattle was the north
half of the block bounded by Yeslsr way,
Washington stree, and Third and Fourth
avenues south. The south half of the block
is owned hy tbs Church OF Our Lady Of
Good HELP. At the northeast corner Of Mr.
Bexter'= half block was a large frame
house. II was one Of the FIRST built In the
town. With The inerea Sc Of years Mr. Bax
ter became more and more attached 20 the
OH building When he was worth a very
large fortune he never entertained the idea
OF deserving the cid homestead
Wanted "a Fine Thcntrr.
II VAS his pei scheme - have fiae thea
fer built al the corner Of Yesier way am!
Third avenue south. He perfected plans
and CONNIE need work on the Foundation.
A. that time financial depression came on
ana be was compelled 10 forego the CON-
NaKtatN ttf tNs I.t3fsEg. tits IS0fiH WAS
po0r during the last year ana a ha.f that
he was unable 20 take an active sntcres. In
business fairs
he leaves "a wife and one daughter Kath-
crime HaXgtr Mrs. Haxter's maiden name
VAS Sarah Davidson. She came 10 Seattle
from New York "a the Continental and
was married to M Baxter about thirty
gears aE0
Nr naxter had one sister Miss Polly
BAXTER ana five brothers. william. JsAn
Sanuel. Jacob ana Anirsw Baxter Mr..
BaSter had net heard from any Of his sela-
tlves in the fass for lopg time prior 10
hiA death
Al af the o.5 settlers on sha Sound knew
Nj H4Stcf and held hisa in nigh esteem
far his sfsrIaS qualities One 81 ass mos,
iyft3suste friends WAS Capt peane Of o3gIn-
pa. wi.h waom he nseal sn the CaTshoo
teHm;rT.
AIJh@aEh ueT an active participant in pol
it,es Mr. Baxter ~as . Democrat ffem firxs
81 last Sosac az as friends describe him
as fsernacFa; og 1he oia = ho0i
ytItsk~IIHS MINES