British Claims
Settlement of the Rights of Two Early Companies

By Edward Huggins
The Sunday Oregonian
August 26, 1900

People often say to me: "Why don't you write out and publish some of your earlier experiences in this country? You are almost the oldest settler, and have seen all the changes which have occurred within the last 50 years, and met with many adventures, the recital of which would-to many people here be interesting and amusing." Well, perhaps it would, but I have my doubts, because I have found from experience that the generality of people care very little about the old settlers, or, as many exceedingly bright and clever newcomers call them, "Old Cranks," and the happenings of 40 or 50 years ago. 

But very few people know that within a couple of miles of Fort Nisqually is living an old Scotchman, between 80 and 90 years of age, who came to this country about 62 or 63 years ago, and was one of the crew of the old steamer Beaver, in 1837 or 1838. Of course, I have seen very many changes upon Puget Sound, and could, I have no doubt, tell many interesting things which have occurred during my long residence here. 

I recall to my mind a trip on horseback I made to the Hudson's Bay Company's farm at Cowlitz, in 1850, a ride of about 70 miles, and made before the time of good roads and bridges, but I suppose I ought to make myself intelligible, or at least my story, explain how it came about that an English company should be the owners, or claim the ownership, of large farms and much personal property within the territory of the United States. 

This farm, known as the Cowlitz farm, comprised about 3,000 acres of the finest kind of upland prairie. Its soil was a clay loam, of great natural, fertility, and well adapted to the growth of all kinds of cereals. It was situated on the east end of the Cowlitz Prairie, which was about five miles long and two in width. At the farmstead it was about 400 or 500 feet above the level of the sea, and perhaps more. 

The Cowlitz River formed its southwestern, and the foothills of the Cascade Range its northeastern boundary. The buildings upon it were large and numerous, comprising a well built dwelling, considering the facilities at hand, a very large and well-built granary, constructed, as were all Hudson's Bay Company's buildings in this country, of fir, squared with the ax and very strongly and neatly put together. 

It was about 120 or 130 feet long, and about 60 feet wide, and two stories in height. There were stables and other outbuildings, also four or five large, open shed barns at various points upon the property. A well was in the yard upward of 100 feet deep, dug through the hard, stiff clay, without any kind of artificial cribbing. The fine granary was destroyed by fire in 1860 or '61 and it was almost an assured fact that it was the work of an incendiary. The destruction of this building caused the death of two men, and there is a bloody story connected with it. 

One of them was a young lawyer, brilliant and talented, who was looked upon as the coming man. He edited an Olympia newspaper and at the time of his death was superintendent of Indian Affairs. At this early age, he was already one of the leaders at the bar, which at that time was remarkable for the number of able young men who gave promise of future eminence belonging to it. 

I may mention our Judge Hanford, James McNaught, Judge Struve, Seluclus Garflelde, and the older men. Judges Lander, McFadden (the first Territorial Judges appointed) and Smith, all men of acknowledged ability, and I might say, possessing brilliant attainments. The young man I referred to was employed by myself as an attorney for the company, and gave great satisfaction. 

I became Intimately acquainted with him and he spent many a day and night with us at the Fort, and his conversation and general conduct were of great pleasure to us all. The poor fellow was cruelly murdered and his murderer died from the gnawings of a guilty conscience. This all arose from the burning of the granary, but it is a long story, which, perhaps, I will tell at some future time.