A Grandmother's Story of Early Days in Washington
(Author unknown)
IN the spring of '53 I started with friends across the plains, a long, tedious trip, but by no means uninteresting to a girl of 20. October 22 we arrived at Mound Prairie, in Thurston County. We moved out of our wagons into a bachelor's cabin of one room for ten. We partitioned it off with wagon covers into several apartments.
The first party I attended was during the holidays of '54. There were six besides the host and hostess. The supper consisted of beans, ginger bread and coffee, eaten in a little side kitchen without any floor. Our host and hostess of that evening are now living in Portland, Oregon, and are very wealthy society people.
I was told that if I would get married I would get 180 acres of land, so, of course, I got married and got my land.
Wheat was $5 a bushel, and everything else in proportion, but we never went hungry. On our farm we built a neat log cabin. We had a bed, stove and a few dishes, but that was all. There was no furniture to be had. My husband made a table of split boards, and I went to work making stools, which I cushioned with moss and covered with oil calico. I made a rockingchair out of a sugar barrel, cushioned and covered in the same way. Cupboards and other conveniences I also manufactured. T was very proud of my new home, so simple and plain. In it I entertained all kinds of people, rich and poor, preachers and lawyers, when I had but two rooms to cook, eat and sleep in.
The spring of '55 the Indians east of the Cascades broke out, so the neighbors decided to build a fort. By the time it was finished word came that the Indians were coming on this side of the mountains, and we hastened to the fort, where we stayed sixteen months. There were thirty families, which included all the people from Centralia to Bush Prairie. While in the bastion we had preaching and Sunday school every Sunday. We lived as close together as we could, there being just a partition between us, and none had a falling out. I suppose we were afraid the Indians would kill us, and we wanted to die in peace with all mankind. As soon as the war was over we returned to our homes.
We had grand, good times in those days. We did not have many neighbors, but what we did have were good and kind.
The summer of '58 we concluded to go to Gray's Harbor. We sold all our household goods except what could be put into canoes. It took two weeks to go to Olympia and return.
The first quarterly meeting held in our county was at Wynoochi by Elder Doane and the pastor. Rev. Franklin. There were only four communicants, but we had a good meeting. We drew very near to God that day.
