A Beardless Boy's 1855 Passage Through Puget Sound—and the Death of Abe Moses

A correspondent in the Montesano Vidette, signed 'L.,' says: In the early part of February, 1855, the writer, then a beardless boy, left the home of his parents, who resided in Thurston county, to go to Whatcom. I soon reached Olympia, then a village in the woods, where I remained five or six days at the Washington Hotel (the 'lone pine tree in front') waiting for a chance to proceed on my journey down the Sound, as at that time there were no passenger boats running on the Sound. Finally Abe Moses, who was inspector of customs stationed at Steilacoom, came along with a Whitehall boat and kindly gave me passage as far as Steilacoom. He also, with that kind-hearted generosity for which he was noted, took me to his home, where I remained several days waiting for an opportunity to proceed on my way.

A few months later the warm-hearted and gallant Abe Moses enlisted in Capt. Hays' company of volunteers to go to the Colville country to fight the Indians who had gone on the war path and had murdered some of the settlers in that valley. The company had proceeded on one day's march beyond the summit of the Cascade mountains when they were recalled by a messenger from Governor I. I. Stevens at Olympia, and started immediately on their return. Moses, with five others, left the company to go back to Olympia with a message from the captain to the governor. When they reached the valley on this side of the mountains they were fired upon by the Indians from ambush, and poor Moses was killed.

After enjoying the hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Moses for a few days, there came along a family of Indians in a canoe, and I engaged passage with them to Seattle for five dollars. Starting early in the morning, we reached Alki Point about sundown. I obtained food and lodging at the cabin of Charley Ferry. Mr. Ferry was not at home but had left a man to keep house for him during his absence. The next morning we reached the then little village on Elliott Bay. I remember meeting there Louis Bettman, now of Olympia, Judge Hewitt, who recently died near Olympia, and Henry Yesler, who is now living in Seattle. As there was very little town to see, I had taken it all in by noon, when after dinner I began to look around for conveyance to Port Townsend. I met Capt. Tom Stater, of the sloop Sarah Stone, who was going there that afternoon; we sailed about 4 o'clock p.m. and reached Port Townsend about 10 o'clock that night. As it was quite rough the captain thought it best not to land until morning; so he anchored his boat and we rolled up in some blankets and waited for daylight. When we went on shore I wended my way to the custom house, where I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Whitfield Ekey and George Bean, whose acquaintance I had formed in the Cascade mountains the previous year. I also met L. B. Hastings and family, who were living on a farm near town. The custom house, a small one-and-a-half-story building, and one or two other small houses comprised what is now known as the 'Key City of Puget Sound.'