An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 481-482 P.S. WASHBURN, a capitalist and prosperous farmer of Gate City, Washington, and one of the original town site owners of that thriving little place, is a native of New York State, born May 16, 1826. He comes of old New England stock, his parents, S. and Villa (Warner) Washburn, being natives of New York State and Vermont, respectively. They were the parents of seven children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the only surviving member. Both parents died when the children were young, and they were left to care for themselves, with the assistance of relatives and friends. The subject of this sketch was taken to Lee county, Iowa, to live with friends, but drifted from there to other places in pursuit of all kinds of work, principally farming, until he arrived at the age of twenty-three years. Then, becoming tired of having no steady occupation, he started, in 1849, for the gold fields of California. He went down the Mississippi to New Orleans, and thence across the Gulf to the Isthmus of Panama in a steamer, crossed the Isthmus and took a sailing vessel for San Francisco, at which place he arrived in the summer of that year, after forty-seven daysí travel by land and sea. Gold was at this time very plentiful, and he visited and worked for seven years in most of the mining localities in California, meeting with great success. In 1856 be left that State and came to Oregon, settling on Applegate river. Here also he was engaged in prospecting and mining for about a year, when he started for the Sound country alone and afoot, carrying his blankets, and arrived in the spring of 1858, in Olympia, Washington Territory. Not finding employment here, he at once proceeded to Steilacoom, in the same Territory, and in the summer of that year began to work on the military road between Nisqually river and Seattle. In the autumn of the same year, he started across the country, traversing what are now known as Mason, Kitsap, Jefferson and Clallam counties, also Vancouver island, and came to Pierce county, where he pre-empted 320 acres of land on the Nisqually river. He lived here about seven years, when, in 1871, he traded his claim to Dan Mounts for the same amount of land on Black river, which latter tract was then covered by a dense forest. During his first winter there, he killed fourteen cougars or mountain lions, so wild was it, but at present he has the greater part of the claim under cultivation and has made many valuable improvements on it, until he now has one of the most valuable farms in the country. Two railroads, the Northern Pacific and Olympia & Gray's Harbor, run through his farm, making a junction at Gate City, the site of which was formerly owned by Mr. Washburn and H.B. Dodge. This place gives promise of becoming in time a thriving town, as the land around it is the very best and will soon be under excellent cultivation. In 1874, Mr. Washburn was married to Mary J. McCallister, an estimable widow, who crossed the plains to Washington with her husband in an early day. After thirteen years of happy married life, Mrs. Washburn died, leaving her husband childless and alone. He still resides on his farm, a genial, hospitable man, in the enjoyment of the esteem of all who know him, and whose best wishes he has for his future prosperity and happiness. Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in October 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer * * * * 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.