Erasmus M. Smithers facts for kids
Erasmus M. Smithers (born February 17, 1830 – died 1900) was an important early settler on the Pacific Coast of the United States. He is known for founding the city of Renton in King County, Washington. His wife and her first husband had settled on the land where Renton now stands in 1853. This area was about 15 miles (24 km) from what is now Seattle, which was a small frontier town back then.
Contents
Erasmus Smithers' Early Life
Erasmus M. Smithers was born in Virginia on February 17, 1830. His family had English roots and were among the first settlers in Virginia and North Carolina. His father, Samuel Smithers, was a farmer.
Erasmus grew up in Virginia, but he didn't get much formal schooling. When he was 19, he decided to leave Virginia and travel west. A friend told him about a group heading to Oregon. This group needed a young man to help them on their long journey across the plains.
Journey to the West Coast
Smithers paid $50 to join the group. On May 8, 1852, they started their journey with twenty wagons. These wagons were pulled by strong ox teams.
About 15 miles (24 km) west of Omaha, Nebraska, a large group of Native Americans met them. They asked for one dollar per wagon to let them pass. However, the settlers were able to continue without paying.
The trip from Iowa City, Iowa to The Dalles, Oregon took six months. After reaching Oregon, Smithers continued to Portland, Oregon. There, he found work helping to build a mill.
In April 1853, he moved to Seattle. He earned money by selling timber to ships that were sailing to San Francisco. He brought three pairs of oxen from Portland to help haul logs for building the Fort Madison, Washington mill. When the Puget Sound War (a conflict with Native Americans) started in 1855, he volunteered to serve. He remained a member of the volunteer militia until 1856.
Founding the City of Renton
In November 1857, Erasmus Smithers married Diana B. Gilman. Diana was born in 1824 in Orono, Maine. She was the widow of Henry H. Tobin. Diana and Henry Tobin were married in March 1851 and were the very first settlers in the Renton area in 1853. They had built a timber mill there in 1854.
During the Puget Sound War in 1855, the mill burned down. The settlers had to leave the area. Soon after their wedding, Erasmus and Diana moved to Tobin's original land claim, which was about 320 acres (1.3 km²). They also claimed another 160 acres (0.65 km²) nearby. This land was wild at the time, as the native people had been moved elsewhere.
The Smithers family built a small shack where they first lived. Their children, Ada (born 1858), Edwin M. (born 1862), and Fred G. (born 1866), were born there. They built a larger house in 1875.
The original city of Renton was built on a part of Smithers' land. He planned out the town and started selling lots. He also opened a coal mine, which he later sold. The coal in Renton had first been found in 1853 or 1854 by Dr. R.H. Bigelow, who was Henry Tobin's neighbor.
Later Years and Public Service
Erasmus Smithers was a lifelong member of the Democratic Party. His very first vote was for Isaac Stevens, who was running for governor of the territory.
He was also a member of the Washington Pioneer Society. During the American Civil War, he joined the Freemasonry, becoming one of the first members of St. John's Lodge in Seattle. This was one of the first lodges in the territory.
Smithers served on the board of trustees for the South Prairie Coal Mining Company. He was also appointed as a trustee for the University of Washington by two different governors, Edward S. Salomon and Elisha Peyre Ferry. He was even elected president of the university's board of regents.
