Hunt, Herbert and Floyd C. Kaylor.  Washington: West of the Cascades.  Vol. 
III.  Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1917.  p. 578-579.

BELFORD, WILLIAM T.

	William T. Belford, who is now living retired at Port Angeles, has 
been connected with the northwest from the period of pioneer development.  He 
was born in Ottawa, Canada, July 20, 1832, and has therefore passed the 
eighty-fifth milestone in life's journey.  His father, John Belford, was born 
in Ireland and wedded Jane Wall, a native of Tipperary, Ireland.  In young 
manhood John Belford established his home near London, Ontario, Canada, where 
he homesteaded four hundred acres of land and engaged in farming, both he and 
his wife spending their remaining days in that locality, reaching the ages of 
eighty-two and seventy-nine years respectively.
	William T. Belford, the eldest in a family of nine children, mastered 
the brances of learning taught in the country schools of Canada and through 
the period of his boyhood worked on his father's farm, early becoming familiar 
with the tasks of plowing, planting and harvesting.  On attaining his majority 
he left home and made his way to East St. Louis, Illinois, residing there at 
the time that Lincoln and Douglas had their famous debates while candidates 
for the United States senate.  Mr. Belford became general agent for a number 
of insurance companies and for about seven years was a resident of Lebanon, 
Illinois.  He thence went to southern Indiana, where he remained for four 
years, and then again for a short period was in Illinois.  In 1863, the Civil 
war being then in progress he was commissioned to go to Canada to buy horses 
for the army and with them returned to Michigan.  From that point he once more 
made his way to East St. Louis and on one occasion while he was in St. Louis 
General Price was there arrested and was returned to East St. Louis.  
Subsequently Mr. Belford returned to Canada, where he disposed of land which 
his father had left him in his will.  He then again went to Lebanon, Illinois, 
and after the close of the ar made his way to Oklahoma.  Later he came to 
western Washington and in 1886 became a resident of Port Angeles, where he 
purchased a grocery store, which he conducted for four years.  He then sold 
out and bought property and through handling real estate he has won a very 
substantial measure of success.  His holdings of valuable property are now 
extensive and his investments here at all times been judiciously made.
	Mr. Belford has been married twice.  He was married in Indiana to Mis 
Maggi Hooton, who died in Port Angeles in 1907.  In the family were four sons 
and two daughters, of whom one son and one daughter have passed away.  john 
Belford, their oldest child, was born near London, Ontario, Canada, and is now 
a resident of Clallam county, Washington.  He is married and has three 
children, Wilhelmina, Mary and William T.  William M. belford, the second son, 
was born near London, Ontario, Canada, and now resides in Seattle with his 
wife and two children, Vivian and Thelma.  Mrs. May Carten, the eldest 
daughter, born in Lebanon, Illinois, now resides in Seattle and has three 
children, all born in Chandler, Oklahoma, namely: Mrs. Mattie Taylor, who is 
living in Seattle and has three children, Carten, Evelyn, and Joy Vivian; and 
Albert Carten and John Carten, both living in Seattle.  David Belford, born in 
Lebanon, Illinois, has lost his wife but has two children, Hysie and Margaret.  
For his second wife Mr. Belford chose Mrs. Catherine C. (Robertson) Waldron, 
whom he wedded in Victoria, British Columbia, January 23, 1909.  She is a 
daughter of Cornelia and Sarah A. (Walker) Robertson, who were of Scotch and 
English descent.  After coming to America the father lived for some time in 
New York and later removed to Oneida, Illinois.
	In politics Mr. Belford is a republican and at different times has 
been called to public office.  He has been a member of the board of education 
of Port Angeles and while in Chandler, Oklahoma, he served as mayor of the 
city for eight years.  He was also postmaster of Kirwin, Kansas, for eight 
years under President Grant's administration and in the discharge of his 
public duties has always been found prompt, faithful and reliable.  He is a 
Mason and a Knight of Pythias and his religious faith is that of the Christian 
Science church.  Mr. and Mrs. Belford are two of the most lovable people in 
Port Angeles, a venerable couple, honored and respected by all.  Their lives 
have been guided by the Christian Science belief and some almost miraculous 
cures are accredited to Mr. Belford.  Seven people whom he has treated had 
been given up by practitioners of materia medica when he took over the cases.  
He is an honored and respected pioneer of Port Angeles and of the Olympic 
peninsula.  He occupies an attractive house on the corner of Third and Cherry 
streets, overlooking the harbor, and on clear days Victoria, British Columbia, 
seventeen miles across the straits of Juan de Fuca, can be seen, while on the 
other side of his home the Olympic mountains stand out against the sky in all 
their grandeur.

Submitted by: Jenny Tenlen

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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.