Gilbert, Frank T.  "Historic Sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and
Garfield Counties, Washington Territory; and Umatilla County, Oregon."
Portland, OR: Print & Lithographing House of A. G. Walling, 1882. p. a15.
 
ANDREW J. FIX

     is a native of Ohio, and was born near Columbus in Franklin Co. of that
State, July t8, 184o His father's name was David, and he moved when Andrew was
but five years old, with his family to Clark Co., Illinois. In 1855, the father
died, and young Andrew, then fifteen years of age, undertook the battle of life
for himself. In t857, accompanied by an elder brother, he crossed the plains to
California, in what was known as the Shields train. When making this trip, while
near the head waters of Humboldt river, he witnessed one of those tragic scenes
that matte a dark page in the history of Nevada. A small party of emigrants were
encamped some eight miles in advance of them on the Humboldt, who were attacked
by the White Knife band of the Shoshone Indians. All were killed but four, two
men, a women and a child. The two men escaped by taking to flight, and one of
them seized a child, carried it until exhausted and then threw it into some sage
brush, left it there, and thus saved its life. A woman was shot with an arrow
through the body, scalped and left for dead, but survived and later became a
resident of California. The balance of the party were all killed and the stock
and valuables were taken by the assailants who withdrew into a canon within four
miles and awaited developments. The alarm soon reached the Shields train, which
pushed forward to the scene of the bloody tragedy. The Indians were pursued and
a battle took place, but, having the advantage among the rocks, they escaped
with the loss of one warrior and the stock they had captured. The dead were
buried, and the survivors taken by the train to California; the incident is
remembered by the pioneers as the Hola way Massacre. Mr. Fix arrived in
Sacramento October 16, with a cash capital on hand of fifty cents. The next few
months were spent in Yolo and Napa counties in that state, working for wages ;
and the ensuing February of 1858, found him in Oregon. He purchased some land
near Hillsborough in that state, where he resumed fanning, until 1852, when he
tried his fortune in the Florence mines. The year previous his brother had gone
to the Walla Walla country with four yoke of oxen and wagons to team with; but
that severe winter left him with eight ox hides in the spring, no team, and a
debt of $260 hanging over him and the subject of his sketch, who was his
partner. In the spring of 1863, the two brothers again engaged in teaming from
Walla Walla to the interior; the machinery for the pioneer steamer called "49,"
above Colville, being among the freight hauled by him, in those days. The loss
of $1, too in wintering with his teams near Lewiston, in 1865, caused him to
turn his attention to farming on the Touchet the next spring. In 1867 he
purchased the ranch where he now lives, that contains zoo acres, all inclosed
and cultivated. He has 4o acres of timber land besides this. The farm is
situated three miles east of the Dixie school house in Walla Walla Co., between
Dry creek and the Copei. Among the improvements at his home are included one and
one-half acres of bearing orchard, among which are apples, peaches, pears,
plums, and berries of various kinds. As to productiveness of his property, Mr.
Fix states that, since he has been farming, the yield of grain has averaged over
30 bushels to the acre on his land ; and that an exceptional product was, in one
year, of 1 [ acres that yielded 67 bushels to the acre.  Mrs. Nancy M. Fix is
the daughter of Joseph Saunders, who is now a resident of Walla Walla Co., and
she was married to the subject of this sketch October 13, 1867. Their children
were born and are named as follows: Roderick R., November 3, 1868; Wayne W.,
September 19, 1870; Arminda L., October r, 1872; Milam B., December 24, 1875,
died January 18, 1878; Tom W., January 13, 1877; Maud and Mable, February 1,
1880. The latter died April 15, 1880.

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Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in February 2007 by Diana Smith.

Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.