An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 312-313 BENJAMIN STARK PETTYGROVE, a leading business man and esteemed citizen of Port Townsend, Washington, was born in Portland, Oregon, on what is now the town site of that metropolis, September 30, 1846, and enjoys the distinction of having been the first male white child born in that vicinity. His parents, Francis W. and Sophia (Rulaud) Pettygrove, were natives of Maine and New York, respectively. His father was reared on a farm near Calais, Maine, and when twelve years of age began mercantile life as clerk in a grocery store. He later went to New York city, where his opportunities were increased and where he followed a varied business career until 1842. In that year he accepted an offer from A.W. Benson & Co., of New York city, to bring to Oregon a stock of goods, open up a store and act as their agent. Completing arrangements, with a mixed cargo on board the ship Victoria, Mr. Francis Pettygrove set sail for the far West, via Cape Horn and the Sandwich islands. On arriving at the islands, he transferred his goods to the bard Farna, and not long afterward entered the Columbia river, anchoring near Vancouver, to await means of transporting his goods to Oregon City, his ultimate destination. This was finally accomplished by securing the services of a small schooner owned by the Hudson's Bay Company. On arriving at his destined location, he opened a store and entered into trade with the inhabitants of the surrounding country, realizing gratifying success. Mr. Pettygrove also interested himself in the fur trade, and by erecting a warehouse at Champoeg, he controlled the wheat yield of French Prairie. He subsequently located a claim on the present site of Portland, which he had the honor of naming, ignorant of its future prospects as the financial center of the Northwest. A man of ability and experience, he early became identified with the progressive movements of his vicinity. In 1844 he was one of the active promulgators of the Provincial Government, and rendered material service in shaping its destiny and upholding its authority, in 1852 Mr. Pettygrove sold out his interests in Portland, and, in company with Loren B. Hastings, purchased a small schooner, Mary Taylor, in which they departed with their families for Puget Sound. Duly arriving at Port Townsend, they found Alfred A. Plummer and Charles Batchelder already settled, and, approving of the location, Mr. Pettygrove and his partner immediately laid off claims of 640 acres each for man and wife, on which they proceeded to build log cabins. These preparations completed, a copartnership was entered into by Messrs. Hastings, Pettygrove and Plummer, who proceeded to open a small trading post, and by cutting piles, loading vessels and doing such other work as came to them, they gained a support, which was materially increased by the wild game procured by their trusty rifles from the surrounding country. Mr. Pettygrove subsequently engaged in farming, in which he was actively employed until 1875, when he retired from business, to enjoy in leisure the abundant means which his industry and thrift had accumulated. He died in 1887, aged seventy-five years, followed to his grave by the heartfelt sorrow of the entire Northwest, who had known him so many years and appreciated his many admirable traits of character. His brokenhearted wife followed him to the tomb within a few months, at the age of sixty-five years, as if unable to endure a separation after so many years of close companionship. Mr. Francis Pettygrove was a quiet, unpretentious man, endowed with strong characteristics of honor and integrity, and his influence for good in the social and moral welfare of his community was both wide and deep, and his memory will be cherished with affection by all who knew him. His worthy wife was a typical pioneer woman, sharing with her husband all the hardships and vicissitudes incident to making a home in the Northwest in the early day, and deserves the regard of all who enjoy the fruits of that civilization which she assisted in planting in the western wilds. Benjamin S. Pettygrove, whose name heads this sketch, inherited from his parents a dower of intelligence and energy with an honored name, and was trained to habits of industry and thrift, which, together with a persevering will, have raised him to his present position of prosperity and influence. He attended the local schools and afterward took a course at the Wesleyan Institute in Olympia. In 1869 he made his first trip to Maine and witnessed the scene of his father's nativity. On returning to Port Townsend he engaged in farming and dairying, in which he was quite successful, and with the proceeds of which he purchased eighty acres of his father's claim. He continued to be thus occupied until 1889, when he leased his land and retired from the hardships of farm life to devote himself to other interests and that repose which former years of industry had rendered possible. In 1890 he erected his present handsome residence on the corner of Wall and Second streets, the site of his father's original homestead, thus adding to the comfort of a home the pleasure experienced from occupying land once hallowed by the presence of absent dear ones. In 1874 Mr. Pettygrove was married in Victoria to Mrs. Zaila H. (McKinley) Sweeney, an estimable lady, who was a native of Ohio. She had three children by a former marriage: Norman, deceased; Antoinette; and Canton. To the second marriage was born one child, Benjamin F. After six years of invalidism the devoted wife and mother died, January 25, 1893, leaving a bereaved family and many friends to mourn her loss. Politically, Mr. Pettygrove is a Republican, but not active in public affairs, his domestic life and numerous landed interests absorbing most of his time and attention. He is, however, intensely public-spirited, and any project tending to advance the welfare of his community is assured of his approval and substantial assistance, and he is justly numbered among the representative citizens of Port Townsend, Washington. Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in September 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.