(The following information was contributed by Junel Davidsen, and is posted with her permission).

In November 1852, a group of pioneers met in Monticello (now Longview), Cowlitz Co., Washington, and petitioned for the creation of Columbia Territory (later known as Washington Territory) to be separated from Oregon Territory. The list of pioneers and their known descendants resulting from a similar search in 1952 appears below. The names of the pioneers are numbered.

A special commemoration to honor the historic event was held at the Monticello Hotel in Longview on Sunday, November 24, 2002. The ceremony was planned jointly by the Cowlitz County Historical Society and the City of Longview in conjunction with the 2002-2003 Washington Sesquintennial celebration. View scenes from the ceremony in the Photo Album.

You might also want to read Venice Buhain's article about the commemoration, "Remembering Monticello", in The Daily News (Kelso/Longview newspaper).

Junel Davidsen coordinated the search for descendants of the 44 signers of the Monticello Convention, and provided the list of pioneers and descendants below.

One of the Huntington descendants took video of the commemoration ceremony and also taped some short interviews. He has released edited video from the ceremony. They are available for $25 in both DVD or Video. If you are interested, please contact:

James F. Wright
Wright Sound Entertainment
PO Box 873177, Vancouver WA 98687
1-800-939-9736 or 1-360-907-9073

The Spring 2003 issue of the Cowlitz County Historical Society quarterly featured biographies and photos of many of the pioneers and their descendants. If you are interested in subscribing to the Quarterly, please contact the Cowlitz Co. Historical Society through their website.

For more on the history of the Convention, please see Edmond S. Meany's article, "The Cowlitz Convention: Inception of Washington Territory", in the January 1922 issue of The Washington Historical Quarterly.

View the Plaque listing all of the Signers

NOTE: The list below was transcribed from historical documents, and includes names of descendants who were known as of 1952. Names of descendants who attended the 2002 Sesquicentennial Celebration were not listed for privacy reasons.

LIST OF MONTICELLO CONVENTION PETITION SIGNERS (numbered 1-44)
AND
KNOWN DESCENDANTS AS OF NOVEMBER 1952

1) Allen, E. J.

2) Armstrong, B.C. (Benjamin Charles)
1952 known descendants:
Mrs. Eliza Persson of Renton responded: "...large family scattered from Alaska to California...two sisters (Anita Bishop and Mary Johnson) in Washington"

3) Bell, William N.
1952 known descendants:
Banks, Mrs. Lyman .......................... Seattle
Coffman, A. ................................... Seattle
Dawson, Lewis ............................... Seattle
Foulks, Mrs. J. ................................ Seattle
Healy, Mrs. J. ................................. Seattle
Linne, Mrs. Alvin ........................... Seattle
McLauchlan, Mrs. R. ........................ Seattle
Patten, Mrs. C. E. ............................ Seattle
Reynolds, George ............................ Seattle
Reynolds, Baily .............................. Spokane
Wanamaker, Mrs. Allison T. ................ Seattle (informant)
Wanamaker, Temple ........................ Washington D.C.

4) Brooks, Q.A. (Quincy)
Letter from Mrs. C. H. Hilton (see Hastings) indicated that Quincy Brooks had no known living descendants.

5) Catlin, Seth
1952 known descendants:
Catlin, Charles H............................... Vancouver
Catlin, Fred ..................................... Kelso
Catlin, James ................................... Yakima
Dunham, Mrs. Byrdeen ....................... Seattle
Foster, Robert Seth* ........................ Portland
Miller, Mrs. Erwin ............................ Longview
Wolford, Catlin* ............................... Portland
Wolford, James* ............................... Oswego

6) Clarke, F. A. (Fred)
1952 known descendants:
Mitten, Mrs. Paul .............................. Longview

7) Collins, L. M.
Claim on White River or Duwamish, later settled with his family in Bellingham, served as King County Commissioner.

8) Cook, A.

9) Crawford, A. (Alexander)
1952 known descendants:
Harder, Donald V. ........................... Portland
Harder, James ................................ Portland
Harder, Robert Crawford .................. Portland
Harder, Mr. Robert ......................... Hillsboro
Millhollen, William R. ...................... Albany, OR
Yates, Elizabeth Crawford ................... Vancouver

10) Crawford, Peter W.
1952 known descendants:
Crawford, Albert H. ........................... living in the east
Crawford, William E........................... living in the east
Gephart, Viola Crawford ...................... living in the east
Glen, Mrs. Zillah Crawford .................. living in the east

11) Davis, L. H.
Crossed the plains in 1851, settled Claquato, died 1864.

12) Denny, A. A. (Arthur)
1952 known descendants:
Bambord, Mrs. Percy ........................ Seattle
Bouge, Mrs. Virgil .......................... Seattle
Helicker, Mrs. Florence ..................... Seattle
Watt, Mrs. Roberta Fry ...................... Seattle

13) Dillenbaugh, A. B.
Born New York 1828. Listed on 1880 Lewis Co. census with wife H. Roselia and daughters: Ella J. age 16, Jessie L. age 14, Olive E. age 11, Annie Marie age 9, Sarah Jane age 9, (twins), Lucy Belle age 7, Lottie May age 4. Descendants will have different surnames due to marriage.

14) Drew, G.
Had town of Cascade surveyed

15) Finch, E. L.

16) Ford, S. S. (Sidney Sr.)
1952 known descendants:
Bissel, Mrs. Madge .......................... Centralia
DuFour, Mrs. Hilda .......................... Centralia
Hall, D. ........................................ Elma
Hall, Lloyd ..................................... Elma
Starling, Mrs. Pearl ............................ Pacific Beach
Taggart, Mrs. Edna ........................... Olympia

17) Fowler, J.
1952 known descendants:
Fanning, 3 sons of Mrs. F.** .............. Vancouver
Fowler, Gilbert .............................. Longview
Schraeder, Mrs. Walter ..................... Kelso
Walker, Mrs. Kathleen ..................... Kelso

18) Goldsborough, H. A.
Moved back east.

19) Hale, C. H.
Charles Case of Seattle (informant): His step-father was a Calvin H. Hale. No descendants mentioned.

20) Hastings, L. B. (Loren Brown)
1952 known descendants:
Hilton, Mrs. C. H. of Port Townsend (descendant/informant)
Others referred to but not mentioned by name

21) Hathaway, C. S. (Chas)

22) Huntington, H. D. (Harry Darby)
1952 known descendants:
Brewster, Mrs. Harry E. ..................... Seattle
Deckart, Mrs. N. .............................. Longview
Quick, Howard ................................ Castle Rock
Quick, Randolph .............................. Castle Rock
Huntington, Fred .............................. Mapleton OR
Huntington, Jean .............................. Castle Rock
Huntington, Attorney Lester ................. Kelso
Huntington, Walter ........................... Mapleton OR
Huntington, William ......................... Yakima
Presnell, Mrs. William ....................... Longview
Pritchard, Mrs. Gordon ..................... Seattle
Siverson, Mrs. Harry ........................ Hazel Dell
Windsor, Harry ............................... Shelton

23) Jackson, J. R.
On 1860 Lewis Co census: born England abt 1800, living alone, farmer.
1952 known descendants:
Beireis, Mrs. George ........................ Chehalis
Koontz, Miss Anna ........................ Chehalis
Koontz, Miss Jessie ........................ Seattle

24) Low, J. N. (John)
Married to Lydia Colburn 1848 in Illinois, claimed land at Alki Point 1851, served Commissioner for King County. Daughter married W. B. Sinclair.

25) McConaha, G. N.
Died 1853.

26) McCorkle, W. A. L.
1952 known descendants:
Flamm, Mrs. D. ................................. Portland
Kidder, Mrs. J. ................................. Seattle
McCorkle, Mr. Alfred (Jr) ..................... Raymond
McCorkle, Mrs. Howard ...................... Lexington
McCorkle, Dr. Harold ......................... Lexington
McCorkle, Linda Ann .......................... Raymond
McCorkle, Miss Mae ........................... Seattle
McCorkle, Mr. Marcus E...................... Raymond
McCorkle, Mark ................................ Raymond
McCorkle, Mr. Saville ........................ Lexington
Slaugenhaupt, Mrs. H. E. (Flora M.) ......... Lexington
Waseca, Mrs. A. .............................. Spokane

27) Maynard, D. S. (Dr.)
Related by marriage to M.T. Simmons. No descendants

28) Miles, H. (Henry?)
Married Caroline P. Drew June 18, 1867 Lewis County; he died Feb. 26, 1890 Chehalis Co; grandson (?) Henry Miles born Jan 27, 1909 died Jan, 1974 Woodland Cowlitz County.

29) Moses, S. P.
Disappeared after 1860.

30) Ostrander, N. (Nathaniel)
1952 known descendants:
Foster, Robert Seth* ........................ Portland
Preston, Mrs. Don ............................ Seattle
Wolford, Catlin*............................... Portland
Wolford, James*............................... Oswego

31) Plamondon, Simon
1952 known descendants:
Holloway, Mrs. M. E. ......................... Woodland
Lee, Mrs. Michael .............................. Olympia
Peterson, Robert ............................... Longview
Plamondon, George E. ........................ Olympia
Plamondon, John ............................... Ephrata
Plamondon, Norbert J. ........................ Olympia
Plamondon, Paul .............................. Longview
Plamondon, Peter .............................. Seattle
Plamondon, Dr. Ralph ........................ Astoria
Sareault, James E. .............................. Chehalis
Sarault, Attorney John ....................... Chehalis
Stewart, Mrs. L. ............................... Castle Rock
Other descendants not mentioned by name. California

32) Plumb, William W.
On 1880 Thurston Co census: born New York abt 1815, widowed.

33) Porter, C. F.
On 1870 Chehalis Co census: born Ohio abt 1810, living alone, farmer.

34) Roberts, G. B. (George Barber)
On 1850 Lewis Co census with wife Martha & 3 children. Wife died July 1850, what happened to children? He remarried Rose Birnie - any children? On 1880 Wahhiakum Co census: keeps dry good/grocery store, wife Rose age 73. Died Cathlamet 1883.

35) Ruddell, S. D. (Stephen Duley)
1952 known descendants:
Wenzell, Riley B. ............................ Snoqualmie

36) Scott, A. F.

37) Simmons, A. J.
No known descendants. (per Mrs. Jessie Hillburger of Chehalis)

38) Simmons, M. T. (Michael)
1952 known descendants:
Ellison, Mrs. Anna ......................... Olympia
Hillburger, Mrs. Jessie ..................... Chehahis (informant)
Hinkley, Leona ............................. Tacoma
Hustin, Mrs. Susie .......................... Olympia
Osborn, Mrs. Irene ......................... Olympia
Ralph, Mrs. Muriel ........................ not shown
Simmons, Dave ............................. Olympia
Simmons, Za Za ............................. Mud Bay Rt, Olympia

39) Stone, N. (L.N. ?)
Moved across Cascades; no trace of descendants

40) Terry, C. C.
1952 known descendants:
Lewis, Mr. Howard Terry .................. from the Sound
McChesney, Mrs. Margaret Terry ......... from the Sound
Nute, Mrs. A. P. .............................. Portland
Rudow, Mrs. E. W. .......................... from the Sound

41) White, R. J.

42) Wilson, H. C.

43) Winslow, E. H.

44) Wylie, A.

Footnotes:

*descendants of both Seth Catlin and N. Ostrander: Seth Catlin's son, Charles, married Dr. Nathaniel Ostrander's daughter, Theresa.

**relationship stated descends from Maggie Fowler