The Pioneer Pastor Who Counted Seattle's Weddings and Funerals
Rev. John F. Damon arrived in 1869 and spent a quarter-century marrying and burying Seattle—often without enough in return to cover his car fare.
Of all the records of the year just past, none goes deeper to the hearts of hundreds of people in all parts of the Sound country than that of Rev. John F. Damon. Mr. Damon occupies a peculiar and established position in the eyes of Seattle and adjoining country residents. As Judge Orange Jacobs is the Nestor of the bar, so is Mr. Damon the patriarch who has presided over the ceremonies that made two hearts as one and again over the casket that brings sorrow to the household.
During the year 1894 Mr. Damon solemnized 100 marriages, administered the rite of baptism to twenty persons, and spoke over ninety-five caskets, tenderly and reverently consigning their contents to kindred dust. It is a matter for church people to consider that from all these funeral services Mr. Damon did not receive enough money to pay his car fare. In many cities the different congregations take it upon themselves to provide a fund for the payment of ministers' services where the afflicted families are too poor.
The record of the vanished year rounds out the work of a quarter of a century since, as the pioneer Congregational missionary, Mr. Damon came to this city and assisted in organizing Plymouth Congregational church. The organization was perfected at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Sanderson, James street, between Second and Third, January 14, 1870. The first communion service was held the following Sabbath, January 16, the pastor's text being from Isa. xlv:17—"No weapon that is found against them shall prosper." The service was attended by eighty persons, and at the evening service of the same day the number was increased by ten. These services were held in a hall at the southwest corner of Commercial street and Mill street (now called Yesler avenue), on the present location of the National Bank of Commerce.
Mr. Damon continued his preaching at outside places as opportunity offered during the week, visiting the mill towns alternately. He looks back with pleasure to the generous courtesy with which he was received and has been for all these years entertained, until time's noiseless wings have fanned away the ardor of his pulse and he no longer essays the role of stated preacher.
Since Mr. Damon's advent in Seattle, October 10, 1869, he has solemnized 1,010 marriages, baptized numerous persons and spoken at 725 funerals. The marriages and funerals of a place or section are a good criterion by which to judge its development. Below is given the record of the marriages and funerals at which Mr. Damon has officiated, commencing with 1874 and approaching the last year by periods of five:
Marriages. Funerals. 1874: 26 13 1879: 42 36 1884: 61 78 1889: 262 140 1894: 619 458
His services at weddings have been in demand from Union City, on Hood's canal, to Wallula, and at funerals from Port Townsend to Aberdeen.
“From all these funeral services Mr. Damon did not receive enough money to pay his car fare.”
Damon's ledger of weddings and funerals is a social history of early Seattle: a pioneer town growing into a city, measured in couples and caskets. It also raises a question still familiar to congregations—who pays for the pastoral care that falls to families in grief.
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