Washington Counties Organized

Sawamish County, first organized March 13, 1854, had its name changed to Mason Jan. 3, 1864, in honor of Charles H. Mason, first secretary of the territory. The county officers appointed on its organization were: Commissioners, Wesley Gosnell, Charles Graham, Lee Hancock
Sheriff, Finis K. Simmons
Judge of Probate, Alfred Hall
Auditor, V. P. Morrow
Treasurer, Orrington Cushman
Justice of the Peace, Aaron M. Collins
Olympia Pioneer and Dem., May 27, 1854.

Commissioners appointed for Whatcom County were
Commissioners, William Cullen, H. C. Page, R. V. Peabody
Sheriff, Ellis Barnes
Auditor, A. M. Poe.

Commissioners appointed for Walla Walla County were:
Commissioners, George C. Bamford, John Owen, Dominique Pambrun
Sheriff, Narcisse Raymond
Judge of Probate and Justice of the Peace, Lloyd Brooke.

Clark County
Vancouver is called Columbia City in the act. This patriotic change of
name occurred about 1851 or 1852, but I fail to find any mention of it. I think it was done on the motion of the first postmaster at that place, R. H. Lansdale, who had the post office called Columbia City. The name, however, would not pass in the face of long usage, and the Washington legislature at its second session changed it to Vancouver. The commissioners appointed for
Clarke County by the first territorial legislature were:

Commissioners William Dillon C. C. Stiles and Mr Fairchilds;
Sheriff George W. Hart;
Judge of Probate Henry Gullifer;
Auditor William Ryan;
Treasurer Henry Burlingame;
Justices of the Peace Solomon Strong Michael Tubbs;
Coroner William M. Simmons;
Assessor Henry C. Morse;
Constable for Vancouver precinct, Moses Kirkham, for Cathlapootle precinct, C. C. Bogarth, for Washougal precinct, Berry Paten.

Officers were appointed for all the counties already in existence, as well as the new ones, and as the list furnishes a guide to the distribution of the population, they are here given.

Skamania County
Commissioners S. M. Hamilton Joseph Robbins Jacob W. Scroder;
Sheriff E. F. McNoll;
Judge of Probate Cornelius Selmer;
Treasurer J. H. Bush;
Auditor George W. Johnson;
Justices of the Peace N. H. Gales B. B. Bishop and Lloyd Brooke.
Cowlitz County Commissioners Thomas Lowe A. A. Abernethy Seylor Rue;
Justice of the Peace for Monticello precinct Nathaniel Stone;
Constable R. C. Smith;
Judge of Probate Nathaniel Ostrander;
Auditor Charles Holman;
Treasurer Alexander Crawford;
Sheriff James Huntington;
Assessor Benjamin Huntington;
Justice of the Peace for Oak Point precinct W. H. Harris;
Constable, F. A. Smith.

Wahkiakum County
Commissioners James Birnie Thompson Dray Austin Nye; auditor Newell Bearfs;
Treasurer James Birnie Jr;
Sheriff William Stilwell;
Judge of probate and
Justice of the Peace Solomon Stilwell.
Pacific County
Commissioners George T. Eastabrook P. J. McEwen Daniel Wilson;
Judge of Probate George P. Newell;
Justice of the Peace Ezra Weston;
Constable, William Edwards.

Lewis County
Commissioners Henry R. Stillman Thomas Metcalf J. C. Davis;
Judge of Probate James Gardiner;
Auditor Horace H. Pints;
Justices of the Peace Charles F. White O. Small N. Stearns F. Delia; Constables Baptiste Bone William C. Many;
Sheriff J. L. Mitchell;
Auditor Martin Budson;
Treasurer C. C. Pagett;
Coroner George B. Roberts;
Superintendent of Common Schools, A. B. Dillenbaugh.

Thurston County
Commissioners Sidney S. Ford Sen. David J. Chambers James McAllister; auditor Urban E. Hicks;
Sheriff Franklin Kennedy;
Assessor Whitfield Kirtley;
Judge of Probate Stephen D. Ruddell;
Treasurer Daniel R. Bigelow;
Justices of the Peace Nathan Eaton Joseph Broshears W. Plumb; Superintendent of Schools Elwood Evans;
Constable for Olympia precinct, Franklin Kennedy.

Chehalis County
Commissioners George Watkins John Vail John Brady; auditor A. O. Houston;
Treasurer D. K. Weldon;
Judge of Probate James H. Roundtree;
Sheriff M. A. Fairfield;
Justices of the Peace, William M. Bullard, C. L. Russell, I. L. Scammon.

Pierce County
Commissioners William P. Dougherty L. A. Smith William N. Savage; Treasurer H. C. Perkins;
Sheriff C. Dunham;
Assessor Hugh Patterson;
Coroner Anthony Laughlin;
Justices of the Peace H. M. Frost George Brown Samuel McCaw;
Auditor G. Bowlin;
Judge of Probate 11. C. Moseley;
Constables, William McLucas, William Sherwood.

King County
Commissioners Thomas Mercer C. W. W. Loomis L. M. Collins;
Judge of Probate William A. Strickler;
Sheriff C. D. Boren;
Auditor H. L. Yesler;
Treasurer William P. Smith;
Superintendent of Schools Henry A. Smith;
Assessor John C. Holgate;
Justices of the Peace John A. Chase S. L. Grow S. W. Russell;
Constables, B. L. Johns, S. B. Simmons, James N. Roberts.

Jefferson County
Commissioners J. P. Keller William Dunn F. W. Pettygrove;
Treasurer J. K. Thorndyke;
Sheriff W. T. Sayward;
Judge of Probate L. B. Hastings;
Auditor A. A. Plummer;
Justices of the Peace J. P. Keller William Webster F. W. Pettygrove J. K. Thorndyke;
Assessor, J. Clinger.

Clallam County
Commissioners E. H. McAlmond E. Price Daniel F. Brownfield;
Sheriff Charles Bradshaw;
Justice of the Peace G. H. Gerrish;
Assessor J. C. Brown;
Treasurer Mr Fitzgerald;
Judge of Probate John Margrave;
Auditor, G. B. Moore.

Island County
Commissioners, John Alexander, John Crockett, Ira B. Powers
Sheriff, Hugh Crockett
Auditor, R. H. Lansdale
Assessor, Humphry Hill


Collection:
Bancroft, Hubert H. Bancroft Works, Volume 31, History Of Washington, Idaho, and Montana, 1845-1889. San Francisco: The History Company. 1890.

Search Military Records - Fold3

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Pin It on Pinterest

Scroll to Top