Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-04-20
LIFE OF A PIONEER.
Some Memories Of Judge c. c. Hewitt.

Some Memories Of Judge c. c. Hewitt.
BY Ills DAUGHTER LUCY.
EDITOR STANDARD:
When you asked for the papers writ.
ten by me for the State Federation oI
Women's Clubs at Walla Walla, 1 sup.
posed they would be returned to me as
soon as they were read; so far they
have failed to do so, and I will do the
best can to reproduce them for you
l am very sorry you have been kept
waiting so long.
Hon. Elwood Evans wrote the best
history OF my fathers life for the Ia.
coma Ledger that l have ever seen.
Often as he was urged to write his own
life, for different periodicals, be would
never do so. He was not going to
"toot his own horn," was about the
only answer any one could ever get
from him. Many times they sent
stenographers to try and induce him
to give the facts to them, telling him
his life belonged to history of the State
and not to himself alone. Clarence
Bagley urged him to give him the ben.
eft OF his wonderful memory for his
forthcoming book. "In the Begin.
ning," with the same result, as far as
he was personally concerned. l think
be was always willing to tell all he
could in regard to others who have
made the history OF this great State.
Charles c. Hewitt was born in On.
bingham, Montgomery county. New
York. His early life was passed upon
a farm, going to school, helping at
home and having as good time as
almost any boy that ever grew up on
farm I think, from the stories he used
to tell. His father was very devout
Deacon, and from the amount of mis-.
chief his four young sons could plan
and execute they were called the
"Deacon's devils" by the neighbors.
Where to begin-what to tell of man
who lived so much, did so much, and
bad so many sides to bis character, 1
hardly know. He was q public man
all bis life; voting when only eigh.
teen, a Justice of the Peace at twenty.
one. He held many minor Offices, and
was offered the nomination to tho New
York Legislature at twenty.six. He
refused it because he thought it should
60 to an older man. This self.distrust
followed him all his life, and was .
great drawback in many ways, in q
world where assurance usually wins.
He always underestimated his own
ability. When Lincoln offered him
the office OF Chief Justice of Washing.
ton. believe he would have declined
that il there bad not been so many in
the city who insisted upon his accept
ing the place. He had gone to Wash.
ington to attend . case iu the u. 8.
Supreme Court, that OF the Resolute
and the Northerner, remembered by
all old.timers on the Sound. I have
heard it said that it was this case that
secured the appointment for him;
that is not true, although the judges OF
the Supreme Court may have recon-.
mended him. know they called my
father before them and commended
him in the highest terms for the
mastery manner" in which he had
conducted the case, one that has had
great bearing upon the shipping inter-
ests OF this coast. 1t was old Illinois
and Washington Territory friends WHO
asked the President to appoint my
father. Lincoln's answer to them was
that it " would give him great pleasure
to do 80, for so good a lawyer as he
knew him to be could not help max
ing q good judge" His commission
is supposed to be the first one Lin.
coin ever signed. It is known TO have
been for western Judge, and as he
was the fret one appointed, it must
be the one. Father gave the commis-
sion 10 DR.. Riley, because he admired
Lincoln 90 much" self.admiration,"
father would say 10 him, for you are
as much like him, in many ways, as
two peas in the same pod" Father
left an old ink.stand for the doctor,
who never came into the house with.
out stopping to admiIe it. one that
Secretary Seward gave. him. When
the Alaska purchase was under advise.
ment, Seward would send for father
to come TO his Office and talk it over.
He could give much information on
the subject, and he always looked at
the ink.stand. and noticing it, Seward
said to him, "You admire that don't
you; take it home with you if you
care for it," These two historical old
articles are to 60 to the State some
time. When the Seward party came
to Olympia on their way to complete
the purchase. our family were invited
to 90 10 Alaska with them, but there
Was NO other Judge in the Territory,
and father could not leave. I was q
little girl then, but it was one OF the
big disappointments OF my life, for /
had heard it talked of 90 much and ]
wanted to see an empire turned over
to our government.
My father spent tho fret winter on
this coast in Portland, coming to the
Sound in the spring or summer. He
visited in Olympia for time with old
Illinois friends, then went on TO Seat.
tie, whore he located, opened q law Of