Told by the Pioneers - Washington Secretary of State

Told by the Pioneers
They returned to 'Wiscasset Maine, which had been their home before
going to Portland, and remained for a short time, then sailed for
China. Capt. Croshy gave up going to sea and went into the ship
chandlery business in Hongkong, but he lived only a short time, as he
died suddenly at the age of 46 in the year 1856 in Hongkong, where
he is buried. His daughter, Mary, had married and gone to San Francisco
some time before and his daughter, Martha, my mother, married
Capt. Samuel C. Woodruff soon after her father's death and remained
in Hongkong. His widow, my grandmother, and his son, Nathaniel,
came to Tumwater in 1858, where Nathaniel was given employment
by his uncle, Capt. Clanrick Crosby. Nathaniel, called by his friends
"Nat", married Miss Cordelia Jane Smith, daughter of Jacob Smith,
who had a prosperous farm a few miles south of Olympia on Chambers
Prairie. They built what was considered quite a spacions house
at that time, in the north end of Tumwater. I have always had a great
affection for this house as it was my birthplace. My grandmother resided
with them until her death in May of 1866. One son, Frank L.
Crosby, for many years Clerk of the Court in Tacoma, was born in
this house, and another son, Harry L. Crosby (father of Bing Crosby)
was born after the family moved to Olympia several years later.
In 1864, Capt. Woodruff died in Hongkong, leaving my mother with
two children, Samuel Crosby VYoodruff, aged 6 years and Ada Augusta
'Woodruff, now Mrs. Oliver Phelps Anderson (whose pen name is
"Ada Woodruff Anderson") aged 4 years. Mrs. "Yoodruff and her
sister Mrs. Caleb Smith, also a widow, came to the United States on a
sailing vessel with Capt. "Villiams in command. There was a thick
fog when they reached Cape Flattery. The Captain knew they must
be near shore as he could hear the breakers, so he cast anchor. The
first one did not hold and the second one dragged, but the third one
held, fortunately, for 'when the fog lifted they were right in among the
rocks. They were lucky that there was no storm and lucky, too, that
the ship was hrought safely through. Mrs. Woodruff and Mrs. Smith
resided in Tumwater with their brother and sister-in-law for a year
or so, then Mrs. Smith married NIr. Platt Conklin of San Francisco
and went there to live, and Mrs. 'Woodruff married :Mr. Andrew Jackson
Burr of Olympia August 6, 1865. I am their eldest child, born
~fay 5, 1866 and my brother, Charles A. Burr was born May 6, 1869.
In 1881 he carried the Seattle "IntelligenceI''' before it consolidated
with the "Post". He and Ron Crawford carried the entire Citv of
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Seattle. Later he was with the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railroad
Co., when they built their road along the north shore of Lake
vVashington. About 1890 he was in the Adjutant General's office under
General R. G. 0 'Brien; was secretary of the State Board of Control
for seven years; was employed by the Capital National Bank of
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