The Final Trek of Michael Buckley
A frontier packer and pioneer who survived the rigors of the Idaho mines and the early Walla Walla valley succumbs to double pneumonia.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Death invaded the rapidly diminishing ranks of the old pioneers again this morning when Michael Buckley, an early day resident of the Walla Walla valley, succumbed to an attack of double pneumonia at St. Mary's hospital. Though he had not made Walla Walla his home for nearly 25 years, the name of Mike Buckley is a familiar one to old pioneers. Early in 1863, he arrived in Walla Walla from northern California, where he had followed the occupation of miner and frontiersman. Packing was the principal means of livelihood in those days, and for years Mr. Buckley operated a train of pack mules from Walla Walla to the mines of Idaho and to The Dalles. Twenty-five years ago, he took up a ranch near Chard station and had followed farming since. Mr. Buckley was 72 years old and is survived by his wife and four small children. The funeral will take place from the Catholic church Saturday morning.
“Packing was the principal means of livelihood in those days in Walla Walla and for years Mr. Buckley operated a train of pack mules from Walla Walla to the mines of Idaho.”
Michael Buckley’s life represented the transition of the Pacific Northwest from a gold-rush extraction economy to agrarian settlement. Today, the Chard District is largely defined by the same rolling wheat landscape he farmed after his days as a packer.
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