The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-07-01
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Fourth OF July Story
Brought Settler, North
hcAlIister fenily First
Az Nisauslly
Two Burned-Oui Stvnps
Their Home
Children Lived end Thrived
Like indians
CEARCHING the records for
- material IN connection with
The first Fourth Of July celebrs-
ton in tthe west emphasizes the
fact that individual initiative
vas entirely responsible for that
event and the development
which began to take place IN
the Nisqually country. First
there was the celebration ar
ranged by Capt. Charles Wilkes.
L. 6. y. out here on an explor-
ing tour 10 see II the North
west corner Of the United States
vas worth taking from the
Indians. and DR.. John P. Rich
mond. former pastor Of church
in New York who was in charge
of the Jason Lee mission at
Nisqually.
News OF the celebration slow
ly spread through the Oregon
country, and the home seekers
who had settled near the Co
lumbia river began to talk
about the free land farther
north on Puget Sound. Several
Of them ventured as far az Ms
qualify but 1.-THE Hudsons Bay
staff at the fort discouraged
them. That WAS self preserva-
ton. This part Of Washington
was then considered British
territory and the Hudsons Bay
people. whose business was 10
obtain furs didn't want TO see
the country settled and the fur
bearing animals driven out.
There also were stories about
the Indians being opposed TO
any more white settlers.
With all these unfayorsble
arguments. four years passed
before settlers began to locate
on the fertile lands of Mis-
quslly. One Of these was
James McAllister who. as far
as the records shows. was the
first white man to settle in the
Nisqually valley.
The interesting story OF this
family begins in the fall Of
1s43. two years after the cele-
bration. when McAllister and
his wife and six children left
the farm in Kentucky and
headed tor an Quitting post
on the Missouri river 10 be
ready for an early start toward
Puget Sound the next spring.
Besides the McAlllsters there
were In the train which started
west that spring several others
who had an important part In
helping 10 make the state Of
Washington what II Is today.
There were Gabriel Jones, wife
and three children: George
Bush. wife and six stslwart
sons: David Kindred. wife and
one son: Michael simmons, wife
and seven children, and three
single men-SamueI Crockett,
Reuben Crowder and Jesse Nur-
geson.
Travel was slow over the
newly broken trail. The wag-
ons were nine months reaching
the Whitman mission near Fort
Ws.ls Wslla. The party stayed
there couple Of months and
IT was early the next spring be-
fore they reached the mouth Of
the Cowlitz river and began IN
prepare for the journey north
to Puget Sound.
Some distance after they
passed the head of navigation
on the Cowlitz they were met
by the NLsqually chief. Leschi,
whose tragic career a decade
later was TO be closely linked
with their own. Leschi greeted
them kindly but told them that
because of some things that had
happened an unfriendly feeling
was developing among the In
dams toward the whites. He
urged them to become mem
bers Of the Nlsquslly tribe as
protection against the troubles
that were sure TO come In that
Lesehi was looking after his
own interests as Well as those