The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1923-01-05
DEATH CALLS
AN OLD PIONEER
An ArgOnaut of 40 Goes on the Long
Journey With the Closing OF
the Old Year.

"a
Monday morning conveyed the sad
and unexpected announcement that
his uncle, Mr.. William A. Ford, had
died at the home of nis daughter, at
Vancouver. b. c., at 2 o'clock Sunday
afternoon, thus the life of pioneer
going out on the last long journey
with the passing Of the old year.
Mr.. Ford has no particulars as to-
the cause of his uncle's death, but the
end must have come quite suddenly as
he mad received no word Of the old
gentlemans Illness. The deceased was
In Oroville only a few weeks ago, in
rugged health and nigh spirits and ape
parently good for many more years
of life, planning to set out In the early
spring for new adventures, Of which
his life had been filled to such a fun
measure as few men have experienced
With out data at hand it Is impos-
sible to give even briefly sketch q
the life of the late William Ford, yae
If 1t could be written out In full hio
experiences would fill volume, for
ne was among the Oldest Of the sur
'viving pioneers of the Pacific coast,
and he was truly of the west-western.
Mr.. Ford was one Of the ArgOnautS
that crossed the plains to California
In '49, and even then he was in the
full flush of manhood, for at the time
OF hs death he had passed four score
years. From that early date he 1ae
spent his life on the coast, mostly IL
mining camps, for it was the disc0v-
cry Of gold that lured him westward
and he has followed about every MINI
ing excitement and stampede that haa
Attracted the venturesome to fsc4
hardships In the quest of elusive toti
tune in the west. Although already 81
old man at tle time of the discovery
Of gold in the Klondyke, Mr.. Ford
Joined the rush to Alaska, holding H.
own with the most hardy youngG'
men who took part in that epOcE
making rush tor riehss., II. was exnG
fences that tried mems souls as Wo
as phyhical endurance and Mr.. FUl
held his own against the best of thar
He spent nineteen years in Alapkt
mining, cultivating a small place ~
serving as United States marshal. OF
can better understand the sturdy
bre Of the man, his indominitable &
ergy, his answering AmericaniaPv
when 1t is told that when war was
clared against Germany he made
peated efforts to enlist, and becors'
so wrought up over the refusal of 'nol
recruiting officers to accept his ap9ht'
cation, for he was man of quick re
hot temper, that ne proposed to piEet
his ability to carry a gun and Gt|tne
up under trench warfare by talle'
on any two Of the recruiting ofnjas
at the same time Idul
Mr.. Ford was brother in laIme
the late w. L. Davis, and lived
the Davis ranch, near Malott fHm
number Of years At one time he trl'
ed as commissioner of this coil dis
making an enviable record in thu an
sition as watch dog of the lpIat
treasury. on
OF rugged, iron constitutlooI
braved the dangers and hardsht ur'
rough life, reaching the adg1 I'VE
age Of 50 years. In public and ~ OR
life he had the reputation Of es'
strictly honorable, honest an TN
right in all mis- dealings with ~ VI
low men. While sometimes hnh tol'
speech, hasty in temper, and \ lol
his likes and dislikes he had ~ tel
Of gold. No unfortunate could Il SIS
to him in vain and he clung M
friends with hooks of steel. Loyfn an
his friendships was an outskr er
virtue, and no one who evel 50
Big Bill Ford we'll could fail ke nc
the man. In his death we moan III
old and respected friend and t11fe 10
thousands who will feel and "a su
the same sentiments Of sorrohn III
learning of his death. With then. pe
tion of his nephew, Frank For<1hs In
place, the late William Ford IA va
last Of the family (which a pl
representative. E OF