2006 Kalloch Newsletter

1867 - KALLOCH NEWSLETTER - 2006

History is the witness of the times, the torch of truth,
the life of memory, the teacher of life
the messenger of antiquity.
--Cicero (106-43 B.C.) De Oratore

AT THE REUNION: We are fortunate to once again have the use of The Old Town House in Union, and at a reduced fee due to their generosity. We were able to acquire the services of last year’s caterer, who cooked up a great lunch. Blaikie Hinds of Thomaston, Maine will be featured speaker. His presentation includes being dressed in the uniform of the Civil War to bring to life the 1860-1865 generation of soldiers. We look forward to seeing all of you August 19, 2006. Please refer to last page of newsletter.
Evelyn N. Kalloch, Treasurer and Corresponding Secretary.

NEWSWORTHY: Julia Hunter, our Kalloch Assn. President, has announced her coming marriage on July 15, 2006, after which she plans to move to Seattle, WA. Best wishes to Julia from our entire clan.

Best wishes to Jeanine and Victor Lawrence, who were feted by their family for their 50th wedding anniversary in April. They were married in Groton, CT February 4, 1956.

Marilyn Morrison has become a member of Daughters of the American Revolution, using Matthew Kalloch as her Patriot.

The 2006 presentation of the Maine Playwright Series was “Claire’s Song”, written and directed by Kendall Merriam of Rockland, ME., took place at the Waldo Theatre in Waldoboro on March 10th.

Jonathan Kalloch, son of Phillip Kalloch grandson of Evelyn Kalloch, graduates from Gorham High School in June, 2006 and will be attending Maine Maritime Academy at Castine, in September. Also attending MMA in September will be David Kalloch, son of Kalloch webmaster, Ken Kalloch. David graduates from Prospect Mountain High School in June.

OBITUARIES: Joanna L. (Robinson) Johnson, 85, passed away July 27, 2005. She was the daughter of Joseph and Carolina (Kinney) Robinson of St. George.

Kenneth Reed, widower of Phyllis Kalloch Reed, passed away January 16, 2006. They owned and operated the Reed’s Gift Shop in Warren for 54 years. He was famous for his craftsmanship with woodworking, much of which is now on display at the Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. He attended annual reunions with his shipmates from the USS Arikara ATF 98, with whom he served in World War II.

David Hamalainen, husband of Dorothy (Keller) Hamalainen, passed away Feb. 7, 2006. He was born in West Rockport, son of Martin and Johanna (Luomajoki) Hamalainen Sept. 8, 1914. He will be remembered for his great sense of humor and his devotion to his family.

Zora Killough Cunningham -(link will open in a new window) passed away on Sept. 14, 2005. She was born Oct. 20, 1924 to John and Louise (Bentley) Killough in Stillwater, OK.. She was fully involved with the Killough Family genealogy which has its own website and is also on the Kalloch Family Homepage.

Our condolences to the families of all who have passed away. Complete obituaries are on the Kalloch web site, as well.

ESSAY BY MARILYN MORRISON:

Samuel Coombs and Rachel Boyd

Samuel Fuller and Rachel (Boyd) Coombs, were residents of Puget Sound for more than 45 years. He was born on his grandfather’s farm in South Thomaston, Maine, April 16, 1831. His grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Asa Coombs, Samuel’s father, was also born on the farm and married Lucretia Mann, a native of Castine, Maine. Asa served in the War of 1812. At the age of 90, he crossed the continent to visit Samuel in Seattle, where he died October 25, 1888. He is buried in the Lake View Cemetery there with other members of the Coombs family.

Samuel attended school in Thomaston during the winters and spent his summers on the farm, remaining with his parents until he was 21. In 1852 he went west and spent the summer with friends in Illinois. That winter he taught school in Indiana, and in the spring of 1853 returned to Thomaston. In 1854 he and Rachel Boyd, of St. George, Maine, were married. On March 2, 1855, Samuel was appointed Justice of the Peace in South Thomaston.

Rachel was born Nov. 22, 1831. Her father was Capt. Adam Boyd, Jr., about whom little is known. Her mother was Rachel Kelloch who descended from Finley Kelloch, the first settler of that name in was to become the State of Maine. Finley served with Colonial New England forces during "King George’s War" and took part in the 1745 capture and garrisoning of the French fortress at Louisbourg, Cape Breton Island. Rachel’s grandfather David Kelloch was a soldier with Gen. Gates in 1777 and served during the defeat of Gen. Burgoyne at Saratoga, a turning point in the Revolutionary War. He also served through the War of 1812.

In 1858 Samuel was elected to the Legislature of which James G. Blaine, prospective Presidential nominee, was an honored member. The next year he went to California by Panama, arriving in San Francisco in October. After meeting Rachel’s brothers, Captains William and George Boyd who were master mariners sailing the coast between San Francisco and Puget Sound, he came to Port Madison, Washington Territory, in December 1859. He began work in the lumber mill, but shortly afterward was hired to teach in the village school. While at Port Madison he attended the County Democratic Convention at Teekalet and joined the first company of Union Guards in the Territory as a Third Sergeant.

In the spring of 1861 Samuel came to Seattle and went to work in Henry Yesler’s store, remaining about 12 years, a part of this time acting as deputy under T.D. Hinkley, the second postmaster and agent for the Wells-Fargo Express Company. His portrait is on display in the Wells Fargo Center, a major office building in downtown Seattle. Here is stated, "Samuel F. Coombs, Seattle Merchant and Wells Fargo Agent from 1869 to 1875 (he succeeded Yesler); cultivated a close relationship with the city’s Chinese merchants who frequently used Wells Fargo banking and express services."

Samuel was the first librarian of the University of Washington, elected in 1862. He never assumed office,

however, as there were no books. In 1862 Rachel and their four children followed him to Puget Sound. Three of the children died the same year from a diphtheria epidemic. Arthur S., aged two years and eight months, died March 20; Abbie Frank, aged four years, four months, 16 days, died on April 11; and Anna died June 17, at the age of six years and two months. Five other sons were born in Seattle. Alfred Hillery Coombs was born April 11, 1866 and died Dec. 8, 1877; George Coombs was born July 12, 1864; and Asa Boyd Coombs was born Sept. 19, 1870. It is unknown when George and Asa died. Another child was born to the Coombs, but there is no information available for this child. Samuel and Rachel had three children who lived to adulthood; Louisa, (Mrs. James H. Watson); William M., a marine engineer, who died Sept. 9, 1934, age 72; and Raphael (Ray), the artist. He died Sept 13, 1933, at age 65. Louisa died Nov. 17, 1947; her husband, James, lived until Feb. 11, 1951. Newspaper accounts referred to Louisa as "Seattle’s First Lady," having lived in the city continuously since 1862.

J.A. Costello, author of The Siwash. Their Life, Legends and Tales written in 1895, acknowledged Samuel’s contribution to the book saying he was "one of the few pioneers who has a genuine interest in the preservation of the life and habits and traditions of the aboriginees" [sic] and "who probably has as intimate a knowledge of the early Indians as any one living." Samuel’s son Raphael was an artist and also contributed to the book. Costello describes how Samuel took Chief Seattle’s daughter Angeline to view the life-size painting Raphael had done of her father. "It was her old-time friend Samuel Coombs, the pioneer, who took old Angeline to see the picture of the old chief, painted by Mr. Coombs’ son Raphael for the chamber of commerce of this city." Samuel had always taken a deep interest in the Indian dialects of the Sound, and revised a Chinook dictionary for general circulation. He was formerly engaged as reporter on the old Intelligencer, and still wrote for the press on pioneer subjects, particularly relating to incidents and experiences with the Indian tribes.

Samuel was active in politics and civic affairs. He was elected secretary of the King County Agricultural Society. The first annual fair was held at Seattle October 21, 1863. Among the exhibitors of vegetables was Zebedee.M. Keller, another member of the Kalloch family, son of Finley Keller IV, who came to Puget Sound. The next year Samuel won a prize for beer and porter at the King County Fair, having had the second still in Seattle. Extant letters to Nathan Bucklin refer to Samuel’s brewery business.

Samuel and Rachel were members of the Pioneer Organization. He retired from active business in 1888 and died June 17, 1908. Rachel’s death occurred February 20, 1911. More about the Coombs family is available at The Kalloch Reunion Association Web site http://kalloch.org., (Ken Kalloch, Web master).

In 1867 the County Commissioners allowed Samuel $2.50 for wine to give to a pauper. He placed an ad in The Seattle Intelligencer announcing himself as "agent" at Port Madison for small beer. "Small Beer, Spruce, Sarasparilla [sic], Checkerberry, Lemon, Dandelion, Hop. Beer made from this powder is very cheap and pleasant to drink. It is also highly esteemed for its medicinal purposes. Seafaring men can carry it with them and make beer on board their vessels whether at sea or in port. Price $1 a box. Each box contains sufficient to make from 12-14 gallons of beer."

He was one of the incorporators of the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad & Transportation Company. It was said he was a good penman and a handy man in many capacities. The City Charter of 1869 provided for a Common Council, to consist of members elected at-large to terms of one year. Samuel served 1871-1872 and 1872-1873. A brother-in-law, Corliss P. Stone, served between 1869 and 1872. In 1881 he was elected Justice of the Peace for a number of years, and by the city council elected police judge for two years. While serving as Justice of the Peace in 1882, the alleged murderers, Payne, Howard and Sullivan, were before him, and after the trial and commitment were taken by an outraged people and hanged near the corner of James Street and Pioneer Place.

In Seattle, Jan. 23, 1874, Samuel served on a "Committee of Arrangements" for The Fourth Annual Grand Fancy Dress Ball. His daughter, Louisa Coombs, was on a list of masqueraders at the ball representing the Seattle Post Office. He had been a postmaster of Owl’s Head (Maine) Post Office, in 1855. On the 30th of April 1856, the store of Samuel F. Coombs known as Samuel F. Coombs & Co. at Owl’s Head, in which the Post Office was kept, and the upper part occupied by him as a dwelling, was burned, with all its contents, including furniture, records, mail bags, and all, except ten dollars’ worth of postage. There was a partial insurance according to Eaton’s History of Thomaston, Rockland, and South Thomaston, Maine.

In 1884 President Grover Cleveland named him Warden of the United States penitentiary on McNeil's Island which he served for four years.

Referring to his early life here, Samuel said that soon after his arrival, having a desire to pre-empt a claim, he found a deserted log cabin. On enquiry of John Carr and Mr. Nagle, the two lone settlers in that vicinity, found that it had been built by George F. Fry, the pre-emptor, but had been abandoned by him. They gave consent for Samuel to occupy it, which he did, and so pre-empted, but one night’s sleep in the cabin was sufficient for him. Mr. Charles C. Terry gave Samuel one hundred dollars for his right to the 160 acres, then transferred the claim to T.S. Russell, and he in turn had Mr. Bagley enter it as university lands, at $1.50 gold coin per acre.

The same 160 acres cost Mr. Russell four hundred dollars, and Mr. Russell, owing Captain Renton that sum for lumber, forced the Captain to take the land to cover the debt. This tract of land, in 1903, was called Renton Addition. Many of its lots, 60 x 120 feet, brought from two thousand to four thousand dollars that year. The Captain, in taking the property, complained that little good timber or logs were on the claim, and the distance too far to haul to salt water. Eighty acres of this tract, aside from buildings, have been recently estimated at $160,000 (1903 figures).

Sources:
A History of The Puget Sound Country
An Illustrated History of the State of Washington
Biography Notes on Pioneers of Puget Sound
History of Seattle
History of Thomaston, Rockland, and South Thomaston
Index to the War of 1812 Pension Files
Port Madison Washington Territory 1854-1889
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Times
Poulsbo, WA
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Vital Statistics of Washington

Text provided by Marilyn Morrison

LUDWIG KELLOCH: The following is a news item from the Lawrence County Journal in South Dakota regarding recognition of Ludwig Kalloch and others in the historic preservation of Deadwood, SD:

Deadwood was founded on the work of thousands of faceless pioneers, men and women who braved the frontier to create a new home and a new life. Many of these intrepid souls left few, if any, official records of their time in the Black Hills. Though Ludwig S. Kelloch didn’t even leave behind a proper spelling of his name, he certainly left his mark: the deepest gold mine in the world.

Ludwig Kelloch - alternately spelled Kalloch, Kellogg, and Kelogg - was born in Saint George, Maine sometime around 1836. His parents, Sarah and Hanse, had ten other children. Little is known of Ludwig until 1860, when census data showed him working as a lumber man for Pope & Talbot in Kitsap County, a forested peninsula in Washington Territory. However, the following year Ludwig was back in the eastern United States, fighting as a private in the union Army during the Civil War. He was discharged in 1864, a year before the war ended.

By 1870 Ludwig had apparently returned home to Saint George where he was farming with his family. But

Ludwig was destined for more than a simple farmer’s life. Through some mysterious chain of events, Ludwig entered the employment of mining magnate George Hearst in the years that followed. In 1877 Hearst, who viewed Ludwig as a trusted and experienced advisor sent the former farmer to investigate the new gold discoveries in the Black Hills of Dakota Territory. After reviewing the Homestake Claim and securing the purchase option of $70,000 from the Manuel Brothers, Ludwig made his favorable report back to Hearst. He claimed the mine would bear enough gold for his (Hearst’s) grandchildren and their grandchildren. Considering that the Homestake Mine operated for 126 years, Ludwig’s opinion was surprisingly accurate.

Ludwig stayed in the Black Hills and helped establish the new Homestake Mine, evidently serving as some kind of supervisor or manager. Little else is known about his life in the years that followed, although more census information shows that Ludwig was living in Galena in 1880, sharing a house or cabin with a young miner named Fritz Felke.

Ludwig passed away in the spring of 1893 at approximately 57 years of age. Records show he was buried in Deadwood’s Mount Moriah Cemetery, although his grave is unmarked and his location is yet to be confirmed.

Deadwood Wall of Fame 2005
Ludwig S. Kelloch
Born: 1836
Died: May 17, 1893

(Above article sent courtesy of Marilyn Morrison, Poulsbo, WA)

QUILT SQUARES: We are still accepting family quilt squares, size 12 1/2 inches square, which allows for a 1/2 inch seam. Please send them to Evelyn N. Kalloch, thanks.

DONATIONS: As always, donations are welcome. We have no dues, nor any source of income other than from the generosity of our members to defray costs of mailings, and managing the website. The Kalloch Family Reunion Assn. is a nonprofit group which sponsors annual reunions, promotes research and publication of family genealogy, provides a forum for the many members to meet each other, and undertakes projects of interest for the membership.

MANY THANKS TO: The officers, committees and volunteers for arrangements and planning of the reunions. Thanks to Julia Hunter for all of her work during her term as President, to Norman Kalloch, Jr., who provides our address labels and address data base, to Ken Kalloch, our webmaster, who undertakes the responsibility for the web site and who keeps the Kalloch genealogy current and complete.

KALLOCH WEBSITE: Ken Kalloch is the webmaster of The Kalloch Family Home Page at http://kalloch.org, The Killough Reunion Association Home Page http://killough.org, and My Irish Roots, Family site of Debbie Heffernan Benko http://myirishroots.com/.