Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1912-12-13
GEORGE /. HINES
GIVES LIFE STORY
OF PIONEER FAMILY
First M Misical Instrument in Thurs.
ton county Belonged to Mrs.
M. L. Packard.
RECALLS OLD INDIAN WAR
Refers to Pacific Coasts First Mis-
sionary, Rev. Jason Lee
Farewell Sermon

sionary, Rev. Jason Lee
Farewell Sermon
George H. Hines, secretary of the
Oregon Historical Society and former
resident of Olympia, contributes the
following interesting account of the life
of pioneer who died recently in Port
land:
Portland, Oregon.
Editor STANDARD:
Mrs. Mary Leila Davis Packard, who
died in this city on October %, 1912, at
the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Will.
liam HI. Morrow, was for number Of
years a residence of Thurston county
and 1t Is believed that she had the first,
or one Of the first. musical instruments
"a melodeon-in the county outside of
Olympia, and this was in 1857.
She was born in Stanstead, Canada,
July II. 1923, of New England ancest,,
ry. In the latter part of 1888, she re-
moved with her parents to Chittenden
county, Vermont, and few years later
to Oneida county, New York, where
she spent two years in Whitestown
seminary, preparing herself for teach
ing. Prior to this experience her edu-
cation was acquired in the primitive
country district schools in the localities
where she lived.
Beginning in 1S41 she taught in
Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri and Iowa
for IL years. On April 1. 1853, she
was married to John Arnold Packard
In Dallas county, Iowa, and on May 1,
1854, the young. couple started across
the plains to Oregon, arriving at Una
tilla reservation. near Pendleton Of the
present day. about the 25th Of August.
While In camp there it was decided by
those Mr.. and Mrs. Packard were with
Jesse Dunlap, Oliver Meeker. Alex
ander s. Yantis and others-that they
would go direct to Puget Sound, follow
ing the trail made In 1853 by the first
immigration to the Puget Sound basin
through the Nechess Pass. 26 miles
north Of Mount Rainier.
The party arrived at Steilacoom on
October 10th, and little later Mr..
Packard secured pre-emption claim
on McAllister's creek. Thurston county,
in the extreme edge OF Nisqually bot
tom, about seven or eight miles east Of
Olympia. While living there he &C
quired the interest in the McAllister
saw mill. built in 1S47 by James Nc
Allister, who crossed the plains In
1874. and in 1845 settled on the east
bank Of the creek which has born his
name ever since.
During the Yakima Indian war Of
1856 for twelve months Mr.. and
Mrs. Packard lived in q blockhouse
built on the west bank Of the Nisqually
river. and known as Fort Raglan" !"
and Mr.. Packard was q member of
Captain William Packwood's company
Of "Nisqually Ferry Guards" enlisted
by order of Governor Isaac ingalls,
Stevens to guard the ferry at that
point, as 1t was extremely important
that communication should be kept
open between Olympia, the territorial
capital, and the United States military
post at Fort Steilacoom.
In the early sixties Mr.. Packard.
with his young family. removed from
Thurston county to Clatsop county,
Oregon, Mr.. Packard having secured
the contract to erect the first of the
buildings in connection with the estab-
lishment of Fort Stevens on the south
side of the Columbia river opposite
Cape Disappointment. Afterwards the
family removed to Clatsop plains and
lived there until 1876, and then re-
moved to Portland and remained about
nine years.
In 1885 the family removed to Ash
land. Oregon, where Mr. Packard died
in June, 1892. After that date Mrs.
Packard made her home with Mrs. Nor.
row In Portland. In addition to Mrs.
Morrow, Mrs. Packard left two other
children-Paris ]. Packard, Under
wood, Washington, and Miss Lulu L.
Packard of Portland.
1t will doubtless be remembered by
many of the readers Of THE WASHING.
TON STANDARD that Rev. Jason Lee. the
first missionary west of the Rocky
mountains, was born in Stanstead.
Canada. in 1903, that he crossed the
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