By Chuck Haviland

LIFE IN THE NEW FRONTIER

In 1846 two Americans settled to the North of New Market, they were; Edmund Sylvester and Levi Lathrop Smith.  Smith settled on a piece of land that was to become Olympia.  In 1848 he drowned after capsizing his canoe (while having an epileptic attack) in Puget Sound. His partner, Sylvester inherited his property, which he moved to  after Smith died. At a meeting held by  Michael Simmons, Isaac N. Ebey, John M. Swan, Benjamin Shaw, Edmund Sylvester, Charles Smith and Henry Murray in 1850 the future town of Olympia was decided to be at the mouth of the Deschutes river wherein it enters into Budd Inlet.  This happened to be on Sylvester land, so he became the town-proprietor.

Most homesteads were very basic consisting of one or two rooms at best. The bathroom was an outhouse several hundred feet from the home.  From time to time a new pit toilet would be dug and the outhouse would consequently be moved. Often a loft would be built into the house thereby providing a bedroom for the youngsters.

This picture was taken of the historical marker illustrating the life and times of George Bush and his family.

This poster of George Bush summarizes his life and attitude towards people.  There are four posters dedicated to George and his family. Each poster identifies itself with one of George’s position in life.

This link is to a library photo of his homestead, showing the family in the yard outside of house

Dr. Fraser from Oregon City surveyed the townsite.  He made the blocks 250 feet square with  streets 60 feet wide.  The founding fathers decided to call the new town Olympia after Mt Olympus in the Olympic Mountains.  Building started at once, being encouraged by Sylvester.  He offered building sites for free to  those who would construct housing.  Shipwrights, Henry Murray and John Swan built the first residencies with others building soon after their start.  The economic activity focused on timber being shipped to San Francisco. By 1853 Olympia had several hundred residents.

Employees of the Hudson Bay Company were the first people to settle in the immediate vicinity of Roy.  The first known land claim there was for Louis Lator in 1850.   Other claims had been started but not filed for, dating back to the 1830’s.  James McNaught bought the initial claim for $4000.00, in 1883.  The townsite was named after his son Roy McKnaught. It was officially platted in1884. Thomas and Mary hrosssell homesteaded land nearby.  Their daughter Mrs H. J. Oliphant purchased the land  that contains the library.

In the early 1850’s the military built a road from Steilacoom to Bellingham. It’s name was simply military road. Parts of this road exists today. In some places it’s called HWY 99 or Pacific Highway. There are a number of monuments along the old roadway acknowledging its history. For the most part old trails were used  for the road. The road skirted the Indian reservations. A portion of it still exists between Pacific   Avenue and Spanaway Loop Road. There remains several of the old highway markers on the south side of the road.

Henry Murray decided to move a little farther North to Muck Creek, where  he filed for a donation land claim. The road accessing his claim was known as the Spanaway to Muck creek road. John Swan moved a little to the east of Olympia, to an area that would one-day be called East Olympia.  Isaac Ebey moved North to Whidbey Island.   Later he became heavily involved with politics.  He met his death at the hands of the Northern Puget Sound’s Indians , who were seeking revenge for the death of their chief in 1857 at Port Gamble.  The Haida Indians were from British Columbia.  They met Isaac Ebey at his house on Whidbey Island.  Others heard the shots and groans, whereupon they fled into the forest for safety.  The Indians had beheaded Ebey and had taken their prize with them. The attackers were never apprehended.  Years later the ghastly prize was delivered to the Hudson Bay Co.  Now a marble monument above the beach marks the  scene of Ebeys end.

The Bush family learned the native tongue and became good friends with the Indians.   Their youngest son Lewis Nesqually Bush,  was born in 1847 and was named after the Nisqually Tribe. Despite the Bush’s support for their land claim, they met serious opposition and racial discrimination among the white settlers.

George’s good friend Michael Simmons served as the commissioner of New Market (Tumwater).  He performed marriages, and acted as a judge. Michael established himself as an influential leader in Olympia. Michaels wife (Elizabeth)  was a school teacher. He  prospered as a landlord, providing space for residences and lodge rooms. Michael also invested in shipping  and became Olympia’s postmaster. In 1850 he sold his land claim to an Irishman named Clanrick Crosby who was a sea-captain.

Henry Murray successfully raised sheep and cattle on the prairies surrounding his donation land claim.

George Washington Bush lived out the rest of his life on his farm.  He died in 1863.  His wife Isabell died in 1866.  He is the only veteran of the War of 1812 to be buried in Thurston County.  Even though he was often discriminated against George never faltered in his basic beliefs of helping everyman when he could.  It’s amazing that he never became bitter or remorseful for  his being different than his neighbors. His oldest son Owen Bush went on to become an influential member of the first state legislature in 1889 -90.

The Bush farm was just off of the “highway” running North to South. With the help of Michael Simmons, Washington State did not adopt anti-discrimination laws that were sweeping the nation. Bush’s attention to his farm and transporting machinery to aid him, allowed the farm holdings to increase to 880 acres. Bush became prosperous and well-respected. The George Bush Historical marker located on the Bush’s original homestead tells the story.

SIGN  ON  BUSH  MOUNTAIN

All of the original family members have now left the homestead. The remaining 3 acres has been platted.  Many of the roads and subdivisions bear Bushes Name. On top of Bush mountain a subdivision sign bears his name to this day.  John Shotwell Bush (the son of William Owen Bush) was the last living male to reside on the old Bush estate.

By 1853 there were 17 families farming on the Bush Prairie. The original families of Bush, Jones, Kindred and Ferguson  had now been joined by the Dullnaps, the Riders, the Kunes, Rutledges,  Gordons,  Carnells, Johnsons, Candells, Littlejohns and the Judsons.