A Seattle Pioneer Returns to the Frontier
After surviving a family tragedy on Whidbey Island, a pioneer returns to the West to rebuild his life.
A strange car was tied to the train of Saturday, the 27th inst., and excited considerable comment. It hailed from Henry county, Illinois, and contained W. B. Morse and his worldly effects. Mr. Morse was one of the pioneers of Washington Territory, and lived in Seattle when not more than a dozen houses comprised the town. After several members of his own household were killed by the Indians while residing on Whidbey Island, he concluded to return to Illinois, but he has never been satisfied, and has ever longed to return to the West. One of his sons, F. B. Morse, is now a resident of Kittitas county, and Morse, Sr., has determined to make his home alongside of his son and embark in the raising of improved breeds of horses.
“Mr. Morse was one of the pioneers of Washington Territory, and lived in Seattle when not more than a dozen houses comprised the town.”
The story reflects the brutal reality of 19th-century frontier life and the subsequent 'pull' of the West. It also highlights the extreme historical isolation and vulnerability of early settlers in Puget Sound.
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