James G. Swan
Named in 19 stories. Back to all names
- Feb 23, 1861An Explorer’s Report from the Northwestern FrontierA detailed dispatch describing the agricultural potential, wildlife, and natural beauty of the Clallam County prairies.Sequim, WA
- Mar 2, 1861The Forgotten Navigator of the Pacific NorthwestA call to honor Captain Robert Gray, the man whose discovery of the Columbia River and Grays Harbor secured the region for the United States.Ilwaco, WA
- Mar 16, 1861The Great Butter Hoax of 1859A classic tall tale of rancid butter, two tipsy pioneers, and an elaborate prank on a local tavern keeper in Olympia.Olympia, WA
- Mar 30, 1861The Murder of Chief SwellA faithful ally to white settlers is murdered in a cold-blooded territorial dispute, exposing the impotence of the Indian Agency.Port Angeles, WA
- Jul 20, 1861Life on the Edge of the World: A Dispatch from Tatoosh IslandA rare 1861 account of the desolate, storm-battered lives of lighthouse keepers and their interactions with the Makah people at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.Neah Bay, WA
- Oct 5, 1861An Early Exploration of the Quillehuyt RiverJames G. Swan documents his journey into the remote Quillehuyt River country, naming landmarks and describing the indigenous villages encountered.Quillayute River, La Push, WA
- Oct 12, 1861An Early Coastal Survey of the Quillehuyt RiverJames G. Swan documents his journey to the Quillayute River, describing the geography, the Indigenous stronghold at James Island, and the aftermath of the Southerner shipwreck.James Island, La Push, WA
- Nov 2, 1861A War Party Among the MakahJames G. Swan recounts the violent return of a Makah war party to Neah Bay after a retaliatory expedition against the Elwha people near Dungeness.Neah Bay, Neah Bay, WA
- Dec 7, 1861The Bold Navigator and the Tatoosh Island Light-KeeperA maritime dispute over a salvaged anchor reveals the shady side-hustles of a government lighthouse official.Neah Bay, WA
- Feb 14, 1863The Broken Promises of Washington TerritoryJames G. Swan argues that federal mismanagement and bureaucratic neglect are the true causes of unrest, urging the government to honor its treaty obligations to Indigenous nations.Neah Bay, WA
- Apr 14, 1876The Monster Canoe That Defeated a Donkey EngineJudge James Swan's colossal Northwest canoe sat nine months on the wharf — until one determined shipping agent and a hundred willing hands hauled it aboard the Dakota for Philadelphia.Port Townsend, WA
- Jan 18, 1885The Search for a Proper Resting PlaceWhen Seattle officials sought a name for a new city cemetery in 1885, they turned to Makah traditions to find a title befitting the 'land of the hereafter.'Seattle, WA
- Jan 1, 1891The Uncharted Riches of the Deep SeaIn 1891, visionary fisheries expert James G. Swan argued that Washington's future wealth wasn't just in timber, but in the massive, untapped halibut and cod banks off the coast.Cape Flattery, Neah Bay, WA
- Jan 29, 1891The Seal Pup Wars: A Local Naturalist vs. The Smithsonian’s ‘Sense-Keeper’James G. Swan, a long-time Neah Bay resident and customs inspector, challenges Henry W. Elliott’s decades-old claim that newborn fur seal pups sink like stones, offering eyewitness testimony from Captain Elijah McAlmond that they swim.Neah Bay, WA
- Feb 1, 1891The Octopus and the Seal: A Local Captain’s War Against a Washington MonopolyIn 1901, Port Townsend resident James G. Swan published affidavits from experienced hunters to debunk Professor Elliott’s claim that seal pups sink like stones, exposing the Alaska Commercial Company’s stranglehold on federal policy.Port Townsend, WA
- Feb 5, 1891The Great Seal Controversy: Do Pups Swim or Sink?Local mariners and traders challenge the prevailing scientific 'fables' about seal pup habits to protest federal regulation of North Pacific sealing.Neah Bay, WA
- May 27, 1892The Chamber of Commerce 'Dead' After Political FeudPort Townsend's business leaders dissolve their Chamber of Commerce in a radical move to stop members from using the institution as a political weapon against Seattle.Port Townsend, WA
- Jun 3, 1892Smallpox Scare Drives Indigenous Families from Port TownsendAfter learning of a smallpox outbreak in British Columbia, a group of Kuyoquot Indians preparing to work the canneries turns back to protect their communities from contagion.Port Hudson, Port Townsend, WA
- Jun 28, 1892The Legal Quandary of Chinese ExclusionA local judge grapples with the harsh realities and administrative conflicts of the 1892 Chinese Exclusion Act.Port Townsend, WA