Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-11-06
COUNTY PIONEER
PASSES AWAY
James A. Karr, a Founder of
Hoquiam, Departed This
Life at North Yakima
EIGHTY YEARS OF AGE
Was a Typical Pioneer Of
Washington in Early Days.
Raised Large Family

James A. Karr, pioneer and one of
the founders of Hoquiam, died sud-
denly Wednesday morning at his home
in North Yakima, death being due to
ceived by Mrs. J. S. Mckee. daugh-
ter, by long distance telephone.
Mr.. and Mrs. Mckee left for North
Yakima, and will accompany the re-
mains back to this city where the
funeral will be held ARA ogements
for the funeral probably will not be
made until Mr.. and Mrs. Mckee reach
North Yakima.
Mr.. Karr and family came to Grays
Harbor and settled on the site of
what is now Hoquiam SO years ago.
The family resided here for nearly
half century, having removed to
North Yakima only few years ago.
A large part Of Hoquiam stands on
what was originally the Karr home
!. stead. Mr.. Karr was 80 years of age
4 last September
Deceased is survived by his widow
and four sons and four daughters,
Arthur T., Ross j., and Levi of North
Yakima, and G. J. of Seattle, and Mrs.
J. S. Mckee, Hoquiam; Mrs. N. ].
McNeill, Aberdeen; Mrs. Gilkey,
Grants Pass, Ore.; and Mrs. John
Snow of Centralia.
The body will arrive in Hoquiam
tomorrow morning on the Owl train,
and will lie in state in Pinnick' 8
chapel from 10 o'clock to 1:3O p. m.
The funeral will be held at o'clock,
services being held in the First Pres
byterian church.
James A. Karr was born September
18. 1884, in Indiana, but most Of his
early life was spent in Illinois. In
the SOS he made his way to the Cali
fornia gold fields by way Of the Pana.
ma isthmus. and later ventured into
Oregon, where he was seized with the
ague that caused him to seek the
climate of the Fraser river in British
Columbia.
Coming to Washington, he took ul
as homestead the land on which
part of Hoquiam now stands, being
the first settler on the Hoquiam riv
- On trip to Forest Grove, Ore.
met and married Miss Abigail
!. butwell Walker, whose photograph
he had seen in the hands of a school
mate of hers in British Columbia
and on returning to the homestead
his bride assisted him in saving out
the first window in the cabin which
soon adorned the hill. In the earlier
years Mr.. Karr operated dairy
ranch, marketing his butter once 6
year in Olympia, making the trip il
a shovelnose canoe padded by Indians
up the Chehalis river to Oakville
and from there by OK cart. Later his
product was marketed a few times E
year in Montesano, where he bought
his groceries.
When Hoquiam came into being
Mr.. Karr began operating a trucl
garden, and being bricklayer by
trade, it is related he laid the frs
foundation for the original boilers fol
the North Western mill, the first CT
the Harbor Later he naturally tool
up real estate, and also was one o
the founders of the second sawmill
the present E. X. Wood plant.
He served as county auditor an(
twice served in the legislature. A
the time of Mr.. Karr's marriage hi
had taught school, read law and stud
led medicine, and when IL children
were born to the Karrs, he maintaine,
school in his own home when th
public school was inadequate. Late
he gave all of his children something
above a public school education, eigh
of them attending the University o
Washington, five becoming graduates
A few years ago the family moved t.
North Yakima. At his DEATH MI
Karr was 80 years of age.