Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1918-02-22


north of Third street was occupied
during the winter months by the Du-
vanish Indians. of which band the /
old patriarch Seattle was the chief. |
The party wintering here numbered
between $50 and 800, although it !
was seldom that the number we're
collected at one time. The territory,
however, was included in the lands
of the Nisqually nation, who never
made permanent camps on this par
ticular spot. They were in close al
lance with the Duwamish and by fire.
quent intermarriages, both to a great
extent had lost their distinctive tribal
character. The Inequalities in many
respects might be regarded as prairie
Indians, while the Duwamish lived
entirely on the Sound.
"At this time the place or point
had acquired the name Of Smithfield,
| from the name of it's first occupant,
who had abandoned it about the
time of Mr.. Sylvester's arrival. He
had taken some steps indicating an
intention to locate upon the claim,
but never attempted any settlement
[ The following copy of an original
document is a pleasant as we'll as a
curious Renaissance of those print
that primitive cabin and its simple
furniture and the present mansion
and home Of the original town pro-
prietor is not only marked indeed,
but it affords a fair comparison of
the Olympia of 1847 with the Olym-
pia of 1867. 1t also serves to remind
us how the pioneers of American set
tement were obliged to live and while
they so willingly submitted to priva-
ton in their great mission of making
homes for American men and wom-
en-, yet they found time for face
tiousness and jest in the very poverty
that surrounded them, satisfied be-
cause they had abundance to supply
their passing wants:
Smith Field. July 25th, 1847.
"'N. B. New Market precinct.
Lewis county, on the shore Of Puget
Sound, Simmons Inlet, one mile be-
low the falls of the LaSchutes river.
"In it you will find. one house
built of split cedar, with stone fire.
place and a stick chimney. It is COW
cred with four-foot shingles put on
with weight poles. 1t has three
lights and one door. with rough
puncheon floor made of split cedar,
with a closet and bedroom made of
the same materials. The furniture
consists of two tables, one bedstead,
which is made by boring holes In the
side Of the house and driving in
sticks, three benches and two stools
The cooking utensils consist of one
frying-pan and tin kettles, one 12-
quart, one 6-Quart, and one 3-quart,
for boiling, and one teakettle. The
closet contains one tin pan. three tin
cups, three tin plates, three knives
and forks. two half-pint tin kettles.
one basin and trarcher.
"'The enclosure, two ceres of land,
with one and a half under cultiva-
ton, with corn, beans, pumpkins,
squashes, potatoes, peas, turrirs.
cabbages, melons, cucumbers, bcets,
parsnips, carrots, onions. tomatoes.
radishes. lettuce, parsley, sweet fen
mel, pepper-grass, summer savory and
sunflowers.
1.-The out-houses, one hog house
and one hen house, with five hogs,
three pigs. seven hens, a cock, cat
and dog, one yoke of oxen and two
horses.
"Attest:
EDMUND SYLVESTER.
witness: Michael T. Simmons.
Samuel b. Crockett, Daniel l.. Kin
sey.'
THE original of this queer docu-
ment. written upon leaf torn from
a ships log book and already vener-
able by the marks of time, is in the
possession of gentleman of this
place"
(TO be continued.)