Homesteads on Fort Richardson, Alaska - The USARAK Home Page ...

ied law through correspondence courses, while working during the day at a plumbingbusiness to support his wife and his father’s family of seven. He studied lawunder several early prominent Alaska attorneys and passed the bar exam in 1915 inValdez. Thomas was one of the first residents of Anchorage. In 1935, he becamethe U.S. Commissioner, a position he held for many years. Thomas was a wellknownand respected citizen. His obituary relates an interesting account of his personalityThe struggles of his early days were reflected in the tolerant yetjudicial method in which he handled hearings as local commissioner.He knew how to be tough with repeated offenders but whensome dirt-grimed lad of 12 appeared before him the juvenile lawbreaker would usually be sent home, not instilled with a hatred ofthe law, but rather with the desire not to misplace the gray-hairedjudge’s confidence in him. 81Thomas was a charter member of the Elks and the Chamber of Commerce. He andwife Lois had one daughter, Louis Ethel Haverstock, who was living in Washingtonwhen Thomas died in 1944. Lois was born in San Francisco. She moved to Bothell,Washington after her husband’s death, and passed away in 1964. 82The Prices probably had another residence in town and only used the land for recreationalpurposes. On the property was a small 10’ x 10’ frame cabin with an 8’ x10’ corrugated iron kitchen lean-to. There was also a 20’ x 20’ corrugated iron barnwith an 8’ x 10’ log stable lean-to. All the buildings were in very bad condition by1941. These were likely constructed by the previous owner, Victor Carlson. ThePrices were sued by the U.S. government in 1941. The final judgment was in favorof the plaintiff. The government paid $2,500 for the land.Leopold and Minnie NieminenLeopold Nieminen was born on November 13, 1882. He applied for homesteadentry in 1936. He and his wife lived on the land for a few years, building sometemporary structures and clearing approximately five acres of land. Leopold wascommitted to a home for incompetents at an unknown date in Portland, Oregon.His wife, Minnie, was appointed the guardian of his estate. Minnie relinquished theland to the U.S. government in November, 1943 for $1,500. Leopold died inTroutdale, Oregon on May 15, 1967. 83 No further information about the couplewas found.Leon and Pearl PorlierLeon Porlier filed for homestead entry in 1936 and received patent in 1942. In1943, he sold the land to the government for $3,795. His wife, Pearl, was born in1902 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Pearl moved to Alaska from Seattle in 1924.She and Leon married in 1940 – it was Pearl’s second marriage. When Pearl firstarrived in Alaska, she worked for the post office. Later she became part owner of a81Obituary, Anchorage Daily Times, 21 Aug. 1944. p. 1, 8.82Obituary, Anchorage Daily Times, 15 May 1964. p. 2.83Social Security Death Index.32<strong>Homesteads</strong> on Fort RichardsonAlaska