The First White Woman of the Skykomish

Last week we gave some reminiscences of the Indian war and the experience of the northern portion in this valley, all related to us by Mr. Tukey at that time not far had been made to settle in this valley. The men sojourning here first and come to know of its resources; they, with Mr. E. C. Ferguson, who was then at Steilacoom, and some others who were employed on the military trail from Steilacoom to Bellingham Bay, made arrangements within a year or two after the close of the war to settle here.

Next week we will try to get the story in full of the first settlement made by donors on the Skykomish, as related to us by some of our first settlers. This we content ourselves with the story of the settlement of the Skykomish River Valley, as related to us by Colonel A. Woods, Esq., one of our best and most prominent citizens, as well as one of our first settlers.

The Skykomish is the north fork of the Snohomish River, the south fork being the Snoqualmie. These streams unite to form the Snohomish some twenty miles from its mouth.

November fifth, 1859, Mr. Woods settled at Wood's Prairie, in the Skykomish River Valley, some seven miles above its mouth. Frank Union and James Long, both now residents of this county, were then the only other settlers on the Skykomish River, they having settled there but a short time previously. The next season Andrew Jackson and John Cochran settled on the river. Some ten years ago Mr. Charles Harrison bought out the original Cochran claim, Mr. Cochran taking another claim.

George Allen was probably the first settler on the Snoqualmie River, settling on what is now W. H. Carr's mill, nearly two miles above that river's mouth, in 1860, and removing to the Skykomish within a couple of years after.

Charles Taylor settled on the Snohomish in 1862, removing to the Skykomish some eight years ago.

The above list embraces most all the names of those who were of the earliest settlers. The recentness of its settlement may be judged from the fact that the first white woman settled on the Skykomish River was Mrs. Furtun. Now over half the bottom land situate along the river bank is rich in actual settlers. The old settlers who have been there our half dozen years have each from thirty to sixty acres of cleared land. Their ranches are each worth from two to four thousand dollars. The average capital possessed by these men when they started there was less than two hundred dollars each.

The progress of all these people has been steady and sure, with little outside excitement. Coal and iron, gold, silver, copper and lead have all been found in paying quantities in this valley, though only the placer diggings on the Sultan, a branch of the Skykomish have been worked. The time will come when the mining interests of the Skykomish will be worked, and their development will be attended with as certain returns as are now reached from the cultivation of her own fertile bottom lands.

For several years past logging has been extensively carried on along the river, the Skykomish loggers hauling some of the best timber floated down the Snohomish, although only a small portion of the timber found along its banks has in yet been touched. In time this valley will support a very large population, with towns and business centers of its own. At present, Snohomish City is the business center of this region.