TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Told<br />
<strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pioneers<br />
Ka,-anaugh was looked up to <strong>by</strong> all <strong>the</strong> inhabitants along with his<br />
mo<strong>the</strong>r, "<strong>the</strong> chief's" family. They never lifted a hand when <strong>the</strong>re<br />
were o<strong>the</strong>rs to wait on <strong>the</strong>m. From <strong>the</strong>se he inherited his unassuming<br />
and gentlemanly bearing.<br />
His fa<strong>the</strong>r was James Kavanaugh, born in Ireland, and who came<br />
to New Orleans on a sailing vessel. From <strong>the</strong>re he headed for California<br />
in 1849. There he met with Hiram :March, and <strong>the</strong> two became<br />
friends and, most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> time, close neighbors, until <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
lives. ~ot finding gold, <strong>the</strong> two came north in what was known as <strong>the</strong><br />
Fraser River gold excitement and later worked on <strong>the</strong> boundary for<br />
<strong>the</strong> Canadian government for several years afterward joining <strong>the</strong><br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn army during <strong>the</strong> Civil war, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y took up <strong>the</strong>ir residence<br />
on Bellingham Bay.<br />
It was here that Kavanaugh met Tol StoIa, 'widow with a small son.<br />
Her mo<strong>the</strong>r, Guila-Can, daughter <strong>of</strong> a Swinomish chieftain, died early.<br />
Tol StoIa was reared with a white family, named :Mr. and Mrs. Edward<br />
Eldridge <strong>of</strong> Bellingham.<br />
She liked <strong>the</strong> 'ways <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> white people, and S. J. Kavanaugh had<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten heard her tell about her part to bring good feeling and understanding<br />
between <strong>the</strong> Indians and <strong>the</strong> first ,,-hite settlers. Her fa<strong>the</strong>r<br />
was Sil-",''"is-Os, ano<strong>the</strong>r chieftain, (or sub-chief <strong>of</strong> which <strong>the</strong>re was<br />
one to every Rub-tribe) known later as <strong>the</strong> Fidalgos, but really one<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Swinomish.<br />
SiI-"\Vis-Os was a peaceful Indian and thought well <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> white<br />
settlers. Tol StoIa (knoW11 to <strong>the</strong> white people as Caroline) and her<br />
sister, Annie, were handsome, black-eyed girls, just growing into<br />
womanhood when Lieutenant Davis, nephew <strong>of</strong> Jeff Davis, joined <strong>the</strong><br />
garrison at Marietta (Whatcom County). It is related that <strong>the</strong> first<br />
time he saw Caroline he lost his heart, voice and appetite, and right<br />
<strong>the</strong>re decided if he could not have her for his own, life would not be<br />
worth living.<br />
Before this time, her fa<strong>the</strong>r, Sil-Wis-Os, had already visioned white<br />
husbands for his daughters, and at a huge potlatch he ordered every<br />
man under him to 'leave <strong>of</strong>f' killing white men. Continuing, this Indian<br />
man <strong>of</strong> vision said, "You may be spilling my grandson's blood."<br />
Of coourse, Lieutenant Davis knew nothing <strong>of</strong> this, and, realizing<br />
that she meant more than all <strong>the</strong> rest to him, experienced much douht<br />
and discomfort. They were married, hO'i,oever, and went to Ii,oe at <strong>the</strong><br />
garrison, where Caroline had servants to wait on her and <strong>the</strong> finest<br />
clo<strong>the</strong>s money could buy. The Civil war came and passed into history,<br />
and with it Lieutenant Davis.<br />
24