TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Told<br />
<strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pioneers<br />
JIRS. SARAH M. METCALF<br />
Okanogan County<br />
I was born in Ontario, Canada. I moved to Michigan and was married<br />
to a carpenter and moved to Tennessee, where we lived until<br />
we heard <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fire which destroyed Ellensburg, on July 5, 1889.<br />
We decided this was our chance to find opportunity in <strong>the</strong> west. Years<br />
later my daughter, :Jfrs. :Mary Logan, saw <strong>the</strong> letter I wrote to my<br />
sister-in-law, in which I told her we were going as far west as we<br />
could go.<br />
In 1890 we built a house with a board floor. The next spring my<br />
husband, like most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> men in <strong>the</strong> valley, was away freighting and<br />
harvesting. This was <strong>the</strong> only way <strong>of</strong> earning money. Beaver Creek<br />
overflowed its banks and washed into our house. The water became<br />
so deep a horse could swim in it. In <strong>the</strong> middle <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> night my children<br />
and I got out, and moved to <strong>the</strong> school house, where we lived during<br />
<strong>the</strong> summer. After <strong>the</strong> frosts <strong>of</strong> autumn. had purified <strong>the</strong> building<br />
somewhat, we moved back to our home. We took up <strong>the</strong> floor<br />
boards and carried <strong>the</strong>m to <strong>the</strong> creek where we scrubbed <strong>the</strong>m clean.<br />
Our cabin caught fire and burned down, later.<br />
I taught <strong>the</strong> first school until a regular teacher could be found.<br />
rode horseback and carried my ba<strong>by</strong> on <strong>the</strong> saddle in front <strong>of</strong> me.<br />
remember this period as <strong>the</strong>· happiest time <strong>of</strong> my life.<br />
The Sunday school was at Beaver Creek. My husband was <strong>the</strong> superintendent<br />
for years. I had an organ, <strong>the</strong> only one in <strong>the</strong> valley.<br />
People came from miles around to join in singing hymns from <strong>the</strong><br />
Int.enlational Hvmnal.<br />
"<br />
I<br />
I<br />
GEORGE TAYLOR<br />
Cowlitz County<br />
When I came here in 1870 <strong>the</strong>re were log houses ,vith split puncheon<br />
floors. The cabins had little windows, shake ro<strong>of</strong>s, and from<br />
one to three rooms.<br />
There was not much furniture, mostly home-made things such as<br />
a few chairs, table and a stove. We had hand turned spool beds with<br />
rope springs and fea<strong>the</strong>r beds. My foster fa<strong>the</strong>r had one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> finest<br />
libraries in this part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> country, but it was burned in a fire which<br />
destroyed our home. All we saved were two Bibles and an old clock.<br />
•<br />
173