Told by the Pioneers - Washington Secretary of State

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Told by the Pioneers He was the first permanent white settler Oll Fidalgo Island, having bought a squatter's right of the first homestead on January 14, 1861, from 'Villiam Bonner, the consideration being $60.00 and a silver watch. Bonner, who came from Utsaladdy, Camano Island, had been occupying the cabin which had been built on the place in the spring of 1859 by Lieutenant Robert H. Da\~js, nephew of the celebrated President of the Southern Confederacy, who, with several other white wanderers, had come over from the San Juan country on a hunting trip. After hunting: on Guemes (earlier known as Dog Island, also Lawrence Island) where there was an abundance of deer and other game besides thousands of howling wolves, they pulled their boat o\'er to the head of Fidalgo Ba~', referred to by earlier settlers as "Squaw Bay"). The party included Charles 'V. Beal and his cousin, Robert Beal. They had decided to stay there a while and, llsing a squatter's right, build a cabin cornered on the imaginary line of their claims. Then the Civil 'Var called Lieutenant Davis and he left :mddenly for the South, where he joined the Southern forces and won distinction. Mrs. .Munks still has the handwritten sheet of paper that gave notice to all concerned" that in exchange for $60.00 and a silver watch, the undersignea relinquished all claim to his cabin aud a squatter's right -from this tree to that tree." Soon after settling, :!\II'. ~lunks went to Bellingham to find an old friend, Eric Compton, and succeeded in persuading him to move to Fidalgo Island and locate beside him. These two helped each other and made their trips to Bellingham together. They rowed their boat each way, and it was a long pull with the oars to Bellingham, were they marketed their wild game and produce. Each trip took several days and they had certain places where they camped, usually near other white settlers. During the sixties other families moved to the island and steamers began to run between LaConner (then known as Surnomish Settlement) and Seattle. There were no wharves nor docks, and steamers anchored as near land as possihle. :\1en wearing hip boots carried the supplies, and the ladies, ashore. ~fr. Munks built a wharf and store in 1873. A little later he married Arminda Van Valkenburg. Three sons were born, then twins, and it was during the birth of the twins that necessary mC'dical aid could not be obtained in time from LaConner, and the mother and one of the habies died. The other twin lived six months. The first home of Mr. ~lunks \\'as built of logs, with shake roof and the rough floors had 110 carpets. The furniture was all home made. 177
Told by the Pioneers Mr. Munks had first used candles-an open dish to burn oil-then later candles and lamps were obtained. The only means of transportation was by row boat or canoe. Later he had a horse which he rode over the prairie, which was then a fern-covered open country. Munks' Landing was the first stopping place on the island and the piles of white rock used for the landing are all that remain of this oldest landmark. An aIel Indian fort and stockade had been built by the peaceful and quiet Puget Sound Indians years before, at the head of Squaw Bay, on the land later boug·ht by M1'. Munks, and here one of the hardest fought Indian battles took place. Near the old stockade was a bed of clam shells approximately seven feet deep, indicating the Indians had used the site for a camping ground for many years. There were still many Indians in the region and Mr. Munks had many interesting and exciting experiences with them. He brought the first cattle ,seventeen head, to the island, aboard a sloop from \Vhatcom. He also brought the first wagon and planted fruit trees and a grape vine, and some of these plants still yield an excellent crop of fruit. They were planted in 1863. In 1870, ?Ill'. Munks, a veteran of the Mexican \Var, was appointed postmaster. Prior to this time the nearest postoffice was at ·Whatcom, later named Bellingham. Mr. :?\lunks had lived in \Vhatcom before coming to Fidalgo Island, and had served on the BoundarY Commission. Later he had a trad- • ing post on the Frazer River. He had crossed the plains in 184~ and had engaged in many of the Indian wars in California and Oregon. ·When the boom struck Anacortes, December 31, 1890, the excitemellt spread all over Fidalgo Island, and M1'. jlunks built an up-to-date hotel at the water front and near the old landing. He expended his entire savings. When the boom broke he found himself without a cent. However, during the boom he built on a grand scale, and his hotel was a three-story affair, built of lumber from Utsaladdy. Mr. Priest was the contractor. Mr. l\Iunks passed away in 18H8 on Fidalgo Island, of which he was often referred to as "King," a title of which he was proud. After his death, life was a struggle for Mrs. l\Iunks, left with two babies and three step-sons, debts and taxes long unpaid, and a mort. gage on their home. Howc,·er, she managed well and gradually paid off the indebtedness. The Munks home is a rambling old frame house of two stories with large rooms, high ceilings, and large windows made of small square panes. It is comfortably furnished, with old pictures decorating the 178
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T i.1) BY .. •• REMINISCENCES O
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WASHINGTON PiONEER PROJECT ADVISORY
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Told by the Pioneers FOREWORD 'rhe
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-- TABLE OF CONTENTS-- Continued A
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Told by the Pioneers Their next mov
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Told by the Pioneers As soon as I a
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To~d by the Pioneers rolled; later
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Built NewZJort Homes Told by the Pi
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Told by the Pioneers and Mrs. Livd
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Told by the Pioneers remain awake.
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Sorne Pioneer Adrice Told by the Pi
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Told by the Pioneers of 73. :Mr. Sa
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Told by the Pioneers on the Hoh Riv
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west from the end of the rails. in
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Told by the Pioneers sr'E CLAYTON B
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Totd by the Pioneers artificial flo
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Told by the Pioneers Walla Walla In
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Told by the Pioneers were driven in
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Told by the Pir.neers A grave in th
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Told by the Pioneers KELSEY CONGOR
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Told by the Pioneers matches, 1,200
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Told by the Pioneers Here is someth
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Told by the Pioneers They returned
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Told by the Pioneers Egypt" and the
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Told by the Pioneers Mrs. J. P. Hoy
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Told by the Pioneers The beautiful
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Told by the Pioneers down his bushe
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Told by the Pioneers we enjoyed the
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Told by the Pioneers A :Mr. Lucas,
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Told by the Pioneers River. Father
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Told by the Pioneers sand miles of
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Told by the Pioneers other. "There
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Told by the Pioneers sage brush, as
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Told by the Pioneers way, as I reme
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Told by the Pioneers summits. It wa
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Told by the Pioneers smelled so str
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Told by the Pioneers saw it anywher
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Told by the Pioneers Landing. When
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Told by the Pioneers In the winter
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Told by the Pioneers Mr. Shazer of
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Tuld by the PiMleers Madam; I have
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Told by the Pioneers on the prairie
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Told by the Pioneers Chinook langua
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Told by the Pio11eers Before mo\-in
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Told by the Pioneers musket in my a
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Told by the Pioneers in all the non
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Told by the Pioneers goods box and
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Told by the Pioneers under it. When
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Told by the Pioneers came Oll and o
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Totd by the Pioneers proud of 'what
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Told by the Pioneers In the spring
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Told by the Pioneers In the fall of
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Told by the Pioneers bear trail. \V
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a piece two inches above the head.
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Told by the Pioneers house and barn
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Told by the Pioneers than three mon
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Told by the Pioneers of them-were t
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Told by the Pioneers ping at Col. E
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Told by the Pioneers hand. Threshin
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Told by the Pioneers that time the
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Told by the Pioneers Loren Bingham
Page 123 and 124: Told by the Pioneers Port Townsend,
Page 125 and 126: Told by the Pioneers was part owner
Page 127 and 128: Told by the Pioneers HUGH ELDRIDGE
Page 129 and 130: Told by the Pioneers white settlers
Page 131 and 132: Told by the Pioneers British Columb
Page 133 and 134: Told by the Pioneers to the importa
Page 135 and 136: Told by the Pioneers that this "was
Page 137 and 138: Totd by the Pioneers In this connec
Page 139 and 140: Told by the Pioneers fact that he h
Page 141 and 142: Told by the Pioneers mox was killed
Page 143 and 144: Told by the Pioneers a lasting peac
Page 145 and 146: Told by the Pioneers The immigratio
Page 147 and 148: Told by the Pioneers $55 per month
Page 149 and 150: Told by the Pioneers The land claim
Page 151 and 152: Told by the Pioneers is on this (\V
Page 153 and 154: Told by the Pioneers ~1r. Espy beca
Page 155 and 156: Told by the Pioneet·s two of the C
Page 157 and 158: Told by the Pioneers teacher here.
Page 159 and 160: Told by the Pioneers "sports" with
Page 161 and 162: Told by the Pioneers that after hoo
Page 163 and 164: Told by the Pioneers MRS. TV. C. GR
Page 165 and 166: Told by the Pioneers off the table
Page 167 and 168: The hotel was also headquarters for
Page 169 and 170: Told by the Pioneers tea kettle wou
Page 171 and 172: Told by the Pioneers "He deeded the
Page 173: To~d by the Pioneers tians of many
Page 177 and 178: Told by the Pioneers beach, picking
Page 179 and 180: Told by the Pioneers for making pil
Page 181 and 182: Told by the Pioneers and four bedro
Page 183 and 184: Told by the Pioneers standing and f
Page 185 and 186: Told by the Pioneers MRS. P. ll. SC
Page 187 and 188: Told by the Pioneers nearby, in a h
Page 189 and 190: Told by the Pioneers stead, who was
Page 191 and 192: Told by the Pioneers The pioneers o
Page 193 and 194: Told by the Pioneers Provisions wer
Page 195 and 196: Told by the Pioneers country, where
Page 197 and 198: Told by the Pioneer grass still gre
Page 199 and 200: A Little Incident Told by the Pione
Page 201 and 202: Told by the Pioneers I got a postof
Page 203 and 204: Told by the Pioneers Tacoma, we cam
Page 205 and 206: Told by the Pi(meers on heavy strap
Page 207 and 208: Told by the Pioneers and got the co
Page 209 and 210: Told by the Pioneers of merchandise
Page 211 and 212: Told by the Pioneers to the 200 men
Page 213 and 214: Told by the Pioneers ';Vhen the you
Page 215 and 216: Told by the Pioneers With the comin
Page 217 and 218: Logging in Mason County Told by the
Page 219 and 220: Told by the Pioneers played this mo
Page 221 and 222: INDEX Benton, 149 Benton, Maine, 16
Page 223 and 224: INDEX Cold Spring Canyon, 13 Colfax
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INDEX Engle, A. W., Mrs., 51 Engle,
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INDEX Hays, Logan, 82 Hearn, Lamber
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INDEX Ketchikan, Alaska, 127 Kimbal
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INDEX Montgomery, William (Bill), 1
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'SDEX Polk, 1 'i 5 Polk County, Ore
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INDEX Second National Bank, Colfax,
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INDEX Touchet Valley, 134, 135, 150
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INDEX Yakima River, 15 Yakima Valle
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Told by the Pioneers - Washington Secretary of State

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