Alfred Pettibone facts for kids

Alfred W. Pettibone (born March 14, 1835 – died September 2, 1914) was an important pioneer in Bellingham, Washington. He helped build the city by starting businesses. He was one of the first people to set up trading and real estate companies in Whatcom, Washington. He did this with the help of his brother and sons.

Earlier in his life, Alfred worked as a trader in Victoria and Langley, Canada. He supplied goods to explorers from other countries. Later, he became a major merchant in Lodi, Wisconsin, during the American Civil War. The Pettibone family home in Bellingham, built on Eldridge Avenue, is now a historic building.

Who was Alfred W. Pettibone?

His Early Life and Family

Alfred W. Pettibone was born on March 14, 1835, in Waldo, Ohio. His parents were Hiram R. Pettibone and Jane (Curtis) Pettibone. His father was a lawyer. Both of his parents were born in Grand Bay, Connecticut.

Alfred had a sister named Jennie A. Pettibone and a brother named W. C. Pettibone. The Pettibone family came from France. They moved to Wales during a time of trouble for French Protestants called Huguenot troubles. In 1635, his family settled in Connecticut.

His Education

Alfred went to public schools in Fremont, Ohio. After that, he moved to Beloit, Wisconsin. There, he studied for six years at Beloit College.

Alfred Pettibone's Career

Starting Business in Wisconsin and Washington

In 1856, Alfred Pettibone went to Portage, Wisconsin. He started working there as a clerk. Soon, he moved into the trading business. In 1858, he traveled by steamer to Whatcom County, Washington.

Alfred arrived in Whatcom (which later became Bellingham, Washington) during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush. Many people were moving to the Fraser River area looking for gold. Alfred and his brother used an old gold seekers' path called the Whatcom Trail. They built a store there. They started selling goods and made a lot of money quickly.

At that time, the city was controlled by the Hudson's Bay Company. The governor made the Pettibone brothers move their business to Victoria, Canada.

Working in Canada and During the Civil War

For a while, the Pettibone brothers worked in Victoria. Later, they opened another store in Langley, a city on the Fraser River. They supplied goods to explorers until 1860.

When their Canadian business closed, the brothers went back to Wisconsin. Alfred started a business in Lodi. He became one of the biggest local merchants during the American Civil War. Around 1864, Alfred moved to Ripon, Wisconsin, and kept working as a merchant. His son, Fred Curtis, joined him in 1879. The Pettibones stopped working in the merchandise business in 1883.

Real Estate in Bellingham

In 1883, Alfred Pettibone returned to Whatcom. He became one of the first residents of Bellingham and was very active in the city's growth. He decided to start a real estate business. His company, Pettibone, Powell & Pettibone, was the first official real estate company in the city.

This first company closed in 1884. But in 1890, a new one called Powell & Pettibone was formed. After some years, Alfred fully retired from the business world.

Alfred Pettibone's Personal Life and Death

In June 1861, Alfred Pettibone married Lucy B. Peabody. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She lived in Whatcom and passed away in Ripon in 1882.

They had four children:

• Alice, who married a railroad builder named T. H. Bacon.
• Fred Curtis, who lived in Whatcom and married Elizabeth E. Pettibone.
• Will E., who lived in Seattle.
• Louis A., who lived in St. Paul.

The Pettibones were heirs to the Peabody family. In 1886, after some legal disagreements about land in Bellingham, they built a family home. This house was in the center of the city on Eldridge Avenue. It was later named a historic building.

• Alfred Pettibone's Historical House
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Alfred's sons followed in his footsteps. In 1889, they opened their own successful real estate office in Whatcom (Bellingham). It was called Pettibone Brothers Abstract Company. In 1892, they bought a large shingle mill. Later, they owned many cattle and horses.

Alfred Pettibone was a member of the Republican political party. He belonged to the Episcopal Lutheran church. He was also a member of the Masonic fraternity and the Hoo Hoos.

Alfred Pettibone died on September 2, 1914, when he was 79 years old. He was buried in Bayview Cemetery in Bellingham.