The Settler Who Watched Olympia Get Claimed

There was registered at Young's hotel on Wednesday one of the oldest settlers of territorial days in the person of R. C. Smith, who is now a resident of Tucker, on the Cowlitz, where he practices law and also has an extensive farm. Mr. Smith crossed the plains with George A. Barnes and others from the Missouri river and landed in Vancouver in 1848. He started alone from Vancouver to the Sound, and while camping on the Cowlitz he came across the late A. B. Rabbeson. Their destinations were both in the same direction, and they discussed and partially arranged for the establishment of a sawmill at Tumwater. Smith was detained, however, until the spring of 1850 and Rabbeson preceded him. When Smith arrived in the spring of 1850, he found Col. Simmons, John Kindred, Edmund Sylvester and others. Smith was in search of Rabbeson, his intention being to carry out the arrangements for the erection of the saw mill. Rabbeson had gone down the sound, and Col. Simmons so directed Smith. The latter, in company with Mr. Sylvester, entered a canoe and landed on the beach just below First street. It was then that Mr. Sylvester took the claim on which is now located the city of Olympia. Smith remained with him about two hours, and then continued down the Sound in search of Rabbeson. He found him at a place which he now supposes was the original site of the present city of Tacoma, but the location didn't suit, and he paddled back to Tumwater, stopping about a week at Fort Nisqually. At Tumwater, the Puget Sound Milling company had been formed, and for three months Smith took charge of this. He then returned to the Cowlitz and has since made that his home.