Dysart, James S.

The following data is extracted from History of the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and Washington, 1889.

JAMES S. DYSART. - The subject of this sketch, a portrait of whom is placed in this work, was born in Delaware county, New York, March 22, 1838. His parents were Duncan and Elizabeth (Shaw) Dysart, natives of Scotland. James resided at the place of his birth until he was seventeen years old, when he went via Nicaragua to California to join his brother Alexander, who was living in San Francisco. He reached that city in 1855. His first location was at Placerville, where he engaged in lumbering. That point he made his home till 1862. In that year he went to Nevada, and was engaged in the hotel business on the overland stage road.

At Stillwater in Churchill county he followed various lines of business till the winter of 1867. His next move took him to Mendocino county, California. He bought a ranch near Ukiah, and followed farming one year. Then returning to Nevada, whence he went to the Sound, where he remained till 1870. then going to the mines, with the result of sinking some $700 in a short time, he went back to the Sound, and in the fall of that year crossed the Cascades to the region of what is know Kittitass county.

In October, 1871, he located his present place, a government claim of one hundred and sixty acres, to which he has added one hundred and twenty acres by purchase. It is located four miles east of Ellensburgh. In 1884 Mr. Dysart beautified his place with an elegant house. Mr. Dysart united with Mr. Farnsworth in building and running the second sawmill in Kittitass valley. The business of the firm was extensive and remunerative.

In 1884 Mr. Dysart was elected county commissioner on the Republican ticket, being the only successful candidate on that ticket. That was for the long term of four years. Unlike the majority of our subjects, Mr. Dysart is still in a state of single blessedness.

Source: History of the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and Washington, 1889

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