The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-11-29
TILLMAN HOUSER

was born in Monroe County, Penn
sylvania, on the 3lst day of March, 1910
| lived there until the fall of 1862, fol
lowed farming, then | enlisted in the
army OF the rebellion. l first enlisted
in the Seventeenth Pennsylvania cav
airy, then | re-enlisted in the eight
zenith U. S. infantry. | was in the
service ten months altogether, and on
the 18th day of January, 1864, left
New York harbOr for San Francisco
via Isthmus of Panama, had q 27-day
passage to San Francisco, stopped in
California about four months, then
started for Puget Sound. was cook
in a restaurant about two months in
California, then went up on Russian
river and worked in a saw mill in Red
Woods. l came back to San Francisco
and from there l took passage on
barque Hugh Barkley to Puget Sound,
Port Discovery mill Must have been
about the middle OF June in '64 left
San Francisco for Puget Sound. | was
married in Pennsylvania, but | came
out alone to San Francisco and my wife
followed about year later. During
the q days from San Francisco to
Puget Sound, did not see land for 20
days. l stopped two years and a half
of my time on.Puget Sound on Protec-
ton Island, that is at the mouth OF Port
Discovery, being a small island OF 1857
acres, then owned by Capt. Morgan and
II. L. Tables, we'll known parties over
about Port Townsend. Tables used to
be Revenue Inspector there. Then |
came up to what is now called Renton,
near Seattle, lived there about year
and half, or until the fall of '6S, then
came to Kittitas with my family. l
came in June of '6S first to Kittitas
and moved my family in the fall. |
had then three children, one girl and
two boys. had yoke of cattle and
tho county commissioners helped me
across; the road was not cut through
then. There was three miles of road
we had to cut through. | had yoke
Of cattle and span of horses and some
pack animals. We were fifteen days on
the road My family was taken sick
while coming through, and we arrived
here about the first of October if my
memory serves me right.
If Charles Splawn's girl was born in
March $50, his would be the first child,
rather think that is correct. recol-
lect of going down to Yakima once. l
staid all night at Selah; some OF the
Thorp's and Splawn's wife and child
were there.
of 80 that was. There were parties
lived in hero l have been told about
five years before this. There was old
man Roselle, who lived somewheres in
here, that was down here somewheres
on this plat where Tjossem's mill is.
They got scared out on account OF the
hard winter. | have been told it was
about five years, and then there was
man by the name of Hald. There used
to be log house up above here just
little ways below the upper bridge
somewheres in there about where the
fair ground is, that he lived there
year or so in early days, but | am told
that he was packer and used to pack
through here up to the Caribou mines.
had about $500 before bought my
outfit. l bought yoke of oxen and
some pack animals. | took in partner
first, George Smith, and he furnished
the cattle and l furnished some pack
horses and other things at the time,
but the next spring we dissolved part
nership. When | first came in here in
June, there was Fred Ludi. John
Collars Clutch John" they called him
and man by the name of Billy Wilson.
Wilson settled right out where the
the Shoudy block is and had little
shack. Ludi and Collars settled right
down here on what is called the "Mur-
ray addition" That was all there was
in here. l settled on this side of the
river and Splawn on the other side. 1t
might be that he was over there first.
[ won't over there in the fall and his
brother was there. There was some
Indians brought some meal across the
mountains for me, and Jack Splawn
was there then looking after things for
Charley. l believe he had little
trading post buying furs from the
Indians. took up my first place in the
fall, abont II miles east; Hank
Schnebly owns the place now. 1t lies
right adjoining his place, where his
residence is. Tom Haley and Walter
Bull came in in $50 and Charley Reed
and Geo. Hull and Martin Davern all
came in at the same time. Hull lives
down at the mouth of the Wenas now.
The children were born just as they
were coming in. Mr.. Davern's wife