The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-12-13
CHAS. A. SPLAWN.

| | was born in Kay county. MISSOURI,
September ID, 1881 and left the state
when | was 20 years old. | came to
Oregon in 1851, arriving on the 10Th
day of September, living in Lane and
Douglas counties until 1888, when |
came to Klickitat county Washington,
about two and one half miles from Col
dendale. In 1860 | went up to Semil-
kameen and Rock Creek, b. c., and
came back to the Peshastin in the fall.
| was in the Indian war in Oregon in
'53 and 80. In 53 | was under Capt
Martin, at the time old Joseph Lane
was general. In 80 | entered the SER
vice again and served about months.
In the fall of go washed out gold in
Peshastin and gave it to a man 10y the
name of Russell, who was carrying ex
press from there to Semilkameen, and
that raised great excitement and Il
grand rush from Seattle came over to
Peshastin that winter. | went from
there down to Lane county Oregon, and
bought up lot of cattle and brought
them out to Klickitat. | had been
mining most all my life until | brought
the cattle out from oregon. In the fall
of go | went through this valley and
crossed the river at Manastash ford, go
inc over the Umtanum trail to Oregon.
A man by the name of Hald had trad
ing post on this side of the river oppo-
site the race trace, between that and
the river called the "Manastash Ford"
came back to klickitat in the spring
of '6l with drove of cattle. | then
moved from theLe to the Mckee valley,
Yakima county, in February '6l, and
stayed there until the middle of August
49, when moved to this valley.
| settled on what is known as the
Thorp estate on the Tanum. Tillman
Houser came that fall about month
later Old man Ludi was here when |
came, living down below town on what
is now called the Murray addition.
Houser took up place on this side near
the Smith ranch. w. H. Keister came
in the fall of 80 and settled just above
town on Wilson creek, he and Messerly
being together. Our child, Viola V.
was born in March 80, being the frs.
white child born in this valley: l had
no children living before this one. A
man by the name of William Wilson,
generally known as Bud, took up
claim where Ellensburg now stands and
started to build him a cabin in the fal
of '6S, but sold out to my brother Jack
the next year. My brother finished the
house Wilson had begun and used it for
trading post in the spring OF '69, and
that fall sold out to John A. Shoudy and
William Dennis. There were just
few groceries and Indian goods carried
at this place, most of the goods were
packed in onhorsehack from The Dalles
Oregon. l do not think they got roads
good enough to freight until 20
The next settler after those mention
ed was Walter Bull; he came here in
either 80 or 20, am not sure which, but
think in 80, and Thomas Haley with
him. coming in with mule teams. Some
men by the names of Roselle, Coble
and Harrington brought the first wag-
ons into the valley, they came in '67
and stayed here one winter Some OF
them got out of provisions and the In
dams had been dividing up with them,
so old man Thorp sent up from Yakima
and got out two of the families-COble
and Harrington. was the next man
to bring a wagon in. Old Dutch John
was living here then with Ludi. }. L..
Vaughn went through here on his way
to fhe Sound in 80 and came back in 20
and settled on the ranch he now owns.
In the fall of So, c. p. Cooke came in
from the Mckee.
The first white man to 60 through
here was |. /. Stevens, afterwards COVER
nor of Washington Ty. He went through
in the early days and the road he tray
cleo was afterwards known as the Stew
ems route. He and his party were look
lily Luc DEOSPCCUo III q 0liA OSA AON'S'
The first wagon to come across the
Snoqualmie pass was a cart drawn by a
team of oxen, driven by jeff Smith, in
about IA or rs. The first couple mar
red was Charles Coleman and Clara
Cooke, and l, being probate Judge at
that time, married them. l remember
| wasbranding cattle down in the Mckee
and they came after me, having run of
from home and they were afraid their
parents would catch them. l held them
back till the next morning at ten
o'clock, when performed the cere-
mony at Matthias Beckers place, now
the Fogarty ranch. This was some
time in ~ My wife was the first per-
son to die in this valley, in 20.
Dave Murray lived down in Parker
potto,, and nSed this valley for sum.