We Went West: Civil War Soldiers of the Yakima Valley

By Ellen Allmendinger

About the Book
We Went West: Civil War Soldiers of the Yakima Valley highlights the life stories of a small portion of the more than two hundred Civil War soldiers and their families who traveled west after the war and settled in the Yakima Valley. The soldiers’ stories briefly touch on their lives prior to and during the war with more detailed information on their lives and accomplishments after settling in Central Washington. The book is of interest to those who are Civil War history lovers as well as Central Washington history. It may also captivate those who are unaware of the vast impact that Civil War soldiers had on the Yakima Valley or their accomplishments. The relevant message reminds readers that although the Civil War occurred on the other side of the country, its post-impact and soldiers played a significant role in the historical development, settlement, and lives of those in the west after the war. No other known book shares the soldiers’ stories and their impact on the area. The author’s hope is that readers can learn more about the impact of the Civil War on its soldiers, as well as their accomplishments in Central Washington after the war.
About the Author
Ellen Allmendinger lives in the Yakima Valley with her son Zakary and their three dogs. Ellen worked in the civil engineering field for over thirty years. After retiring from the field in 2021 she expanded her role in the research and sharing of local history. Today Ellen leads historical tours at various locations in the Yakima Valley. She is also a public speaker and gives various presentations for both public and private functions. When she isn’t sharing history in person, she can often be found conducting research at various archives, libraries, museums, and other locations. As an author, Ellen has written three previous books. She has also written several historical articles. Some of which have been published in the Sunnyside Sun newspaper and the Yakima Magazine. When she isn’t being a mom, researching, or writing, she can be found at the Woman’s Century Club of Yakima’s Donald House where she serves as the House Historian and an Executive Board Member. She is also an active member of PEO, Rosalma, and the Yakima Valley Genealogical Library where she volunteers as a librarian.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dorrance Publishing Company
• Release date: Jan 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886048346

Book preview

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The contents of this work, including, but not limited to, the accuracy of events, people, and places depicted; opinions expressed; permission to use previously published materials included; and any advice given or actions advocated are solely the responsibility of the author, who assumes all liability for said work and indemnifies the publisher against any claims stemming from publication of the work.

All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2023 by Ellen Allmendinger

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted, downloaded, distributed, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented without permission in writing from the publisher.

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We Went West Photo Captions

Page xxi

Members of the Meade Post No. 9 of the Grand Army of the Republic on May 30th, 1898, on East Yakima Avenue. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page xxii

The Grand Army of the Republic Meade Post No. 9 monument and burial section in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page xxiii

Monument to the unknown dead with a Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) plaque within the Old Sunnyside Cemetery in Sunnyside, Washington. Photo Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page xxiv

A G.A.R. plaque on the monument to the unknown in the Old Sunnyside Cemetery, Sunnyside, Washington. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 4

Headstone of Ferdinand E. Allen in the Old Sunnyside Cemetery, Sunnyside, Washington. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 8

Headstone of John William Argent, Tahoma Cemetery. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 11

Judge John Wilson Beck. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 11

Martha Goodwin Beck. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 17

Headstone of Judge John Wilson and Martha Goodwin Beck at Tahoma Cemetery. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page 22

Headstone of Charles Henry Burr in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 29

Headstone of Arestus Mansfield Cale at Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo By Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 34

Dr. Joseph O. Clark. Photo from An Illustrated History of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas Counties, WA, Interstate Publishing Company,1904.

Page 35

Headstone of Joseph Ozias Clark at Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger 2022.

Page 40

Headstone of Horace & Amelia Crocker in the Grandview Cemetery, Grandview. Photo By Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page 53

Daniel L. Druse. Photo from History of the Yakima Valley Washington, Volume II, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919.

Page 57

Headstone of Daniel L. Druse in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page 57

Headstone of Daniel L. and Amanda Druse in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page 62

The Robert Dunn Ranch in Parker, Washington, circa approximately 1886. Photo by E.J. Hamacher,courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 63

The Dunn family hop farm. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 64

The Dunn family hop farm. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 65

Annie Dunn. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 65

Captain Robert Dunn. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 68

Jasper and Belle Evans with one of their children. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 69

Jasper Evans, center of photo, with fellow Civil War Soldiers at a Meade Post No. 9 G.A.R. gathering on East Yakima Avenue, May 30, 1889. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 71

Headstone of Jasper P. Evans in the G.A.R. section of Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 75

Legh Freeman. Photo Courtesy of Art King.

Page 78

Legh Freeman. Photo Courtesy of Art King.

Page 82

Looking east on East A Street from the roof of the North Yakima City Hall on Front Street. To the left of the photo is Legh Freeman’s Farm and Home newspaper business located at the northwest corner of East A Street and North 1st Street. Photo by Frank P. Lanterman, courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 88

James Gleed. Photo courtesy of Jeanie Dodd and Collin O’Neill.

Page 88

Sarah Elizabeth (Tilton) Gleed. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 89

The James and Sarah Gleed family property. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 91

The James Gleed family, circa 1895. James is sitting in the center and his wife Sarah is sitting on the far right. Photo courtesy of Colin O’Neill, a family descendant, and the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 92

Crew stacking hay from hay wagon to pile on the James Gleed Ranch, 1897. Photo Courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 94

The Gleed family barn. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 96

Case of medical instruments used by Dr. Henry Green, 1905. Photo courtesy of Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 98

The William Henry Green family. Photo Courtesy of Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 98

Dr. William Henry Green. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 100

Dr. William Henry Green in his garden. Photo courtesy of Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 106

Headstone of Allen Alfred Hawkins in the G.A.R. section of Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo Ellen Allmendinger 2022.

Page 112

Headstone of Danford Henry Hawn in the Grandview Cemetery, Grandview. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page 116

Charles Maynard Holton. Photo courtesy of public domain.

Page 125

Headstones for George H. Irish and first wife Helen in the Old Sunnyside Cemetery, Sunnyside. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page 134

A visitor at a grave site of John Terry Kingsbury at the Pioneer Graveyard in Union Gap, Washington. Contributed by Click Relander, courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 138

Headstone of Lafayette Lewis in the G.A.R. section of Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 147

Headstone of George W. Mason in the Zillah Cemetery, Zillah. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 152

Headstone of William G. Morrow in the Old Sunnyside Cemetery, Sunnyside. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page 153

Headstone of Richard C. Morrow in the Old Sunnyside Cemetery, Sunnyside. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page 158

Headstone of Emerson Parmentier in the Naches Cemetery, Naches. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page 161

Headstone of William Calvin Phillips in the G.A.R. section of Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 168

Headstone of Thomas Dekker Quinn in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 172

Monument for Walter J. Reed in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page 177

Headstones of Josiah Dodds and Rachel Rowans in the Old Sunnyside Cemetery, Sunnyside. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page 182

Headstone of John Englebert Schwartze in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger 2022.

Page 185

The Henry Scudder family before moving west.  Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 186

Henry Blatchford Scudder. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 187

Henry and Julia Scudder in Moxee, circa 1887. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 188

The Henry Scudder family in North Yakima in 1888. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 196

The George Taylor family. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 198

The George and Nancy Taylor headstone in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page 201

Dr. Ruffin Thomson. Photo courtesy of the University of Northern Carolina.

Page 204

A group of people on the front porch of the Indian Agents home at Fort Simcoe, Washington on the Yakama Indian Reservation, 1890. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 208

Henry Lewis Tucker’s Yakima Livery Stable, circa 1888. The stable was once located at the northeast corner of East A Street (now Sgt. Pendleton Way) and North Front Street, the site of the present-day Yakima County Jail. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 211

The Henry Lewis Tucker family marker in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 211

The Henry Lewis Tucker headstone in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 216

John Morrow Tufft. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 218

Headstone for John Morrow Tufft in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 218

Headstone for John Morrow Tufft in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 222

William Marcus Wierman headstone in the Sunnyside Cemetery, Sunnyside. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2021.

Page 227

The Hugh (front left) and Martha (front second from right) Wiley family, circa 1879. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 230

The Hugh Wiley family home and farmland in the Ahtanum area. Photo courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 232

Headstone of Hugh Wiley in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 232

Headstone of Josiah ‘Si" Wiley in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photo by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Page 234

Fenn B. Woodcock. Photo courtesy of Penelope Hutchings and the Woodcock family.

Page 234

Fenn B. Woodcock with fellow Civil War Soldiers. Photo courtesy of Penelope Hutchings and the Woodcock family.

Page 235

Left to right: Fenn, Ernest, Francis, and Charles Woodcock. Photo courtesy of Penelope Hutchings and the Woodcock family.

Page 237

A stereo print of the front of the Woodcock Academy with students and teachers standing in foreground, 1895. Photo contributed by Click Relander and L.E. Smith, courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 238

Fenn Woodcock. Photo courtesy of Penelope Hutchings and the Woodcock family.

Page 241

The J. F. Zediker Institute above Ditter Brothers Store at 209-211East Yakima Avenue in 1920. Photo contributed by George Martin, courtesy of the Yakima Valley Museum.

Page 244

Headstone of James Ford Zediker in Tahoma Cemetery, Yakima. Photos by Ellen Allmendinger, 2022.

Acknowledgments

This book is dedicated to all those who served in the Civil War, especially the more than two hundred brave soldiers who made their way west across the vast country to settle in the Yakima Valley after the war. Although only a few are highlighted within this book, the spirit and accomplishments of the others are not forgotten. May those highlighted serve as a reminder of the many sacrifices, hardships, and contributions they made to our country and the Yakima Valley.

Nothing short of extreme gratitude is given to the various living descendants of some of the Yakima Valley’s Civil War Soldiers highlighted within who helped with this book. Your gracious sharing of information, photos, and stories about your soldiers have made this book far more reflective or noteworthy. It has been an honor to learn about and share your soldiers’ stories.

Without the patience of my son, Zakary, the sharing of these stories would not have been possible. His endless endurance of his mom’s countless hours of research and writing did not go unnoticed. Thank you, Zakary!

For James John Dykes, who patiently encouraged me to finish this book and graciously tagged along during last-minute field research travels. Without your encouragement to continue, these stories would undoubtedly remain unshared.

Many other family members, friends, and history lovers are also owed my gratitude for encouraging me to share more history. There are too many of you to name; just know that your interest in local history is what encourages me to keep sharing history.

Special thanks are also owed to several individuals and organizations and their members for helping complete this book. They include John Baule and the Yakima Valley Museum, the Yakima Valley Libraries, the Yakima Valley Genealogical Society Library, The National Archives, the Library of Congress, the Washington State Historical Society, the Washington State Archives, and the Washington State Genealogical Society.

An enormous thank you is also owed to my publisher, for their encouragement and assistance through the process of getting this book published.

Introduction

The aftermath of the American Civil War had implications that reached beyond the war-torn geographical region of our nation. While much of our country was left in financial ruin, our Civil War Veterans were often found struggling to recover from the economic and physical effects of war. After returning to their homes, soldiers often desperately tried to reclaim their personal lives as well as find new means of supporting themselves. For many, the most viable option was to relocate west to some of the most unpopulated regions of the country. Bravely packing their belongings and often families, they made the long, arduous, and unsafe journey west through adverse weather and terrain to reach the Pacific Northwest. Among the many locations in the northwest that became popular for settlement among the veterans was Central Washington, specifically the Yakima Valley.

Originally only inhabited by members of the Yakama Indian Nation, the Yakima Valley was a dry, barren, and sagebrush-filled landscape that often served as an obstacle for those traveling between already populated cities in eastern and western Washington. In the 1850s, a slow trickle of white settlers arrived in the area, staying to claim portions of land and establish early settlements. Soon small communities were scattered throughout the area, attracting more pioneering settlers to the valley. Among the new arrivals to the Yakima Valley were Civil War Soldiers and their families.

Over two hundred Civil War Soldiers traveled west and settled in the Yakima Valley. Both Union and Confederate Soldiers made the valley their home, although Union Soldiers far outnumbered Confederate Soldiers. Of the more than two hundred soldiers who arrived, only a few Confederate Soldiers were found in my research. The exact number of soldiers who arrived in our valley may never be known. What is known, however, is that their impact on the area’s history and the economic success of Central Washington is beyond significant.

Of the various reasons for their migration west and settlement in the valley, a few common reasons exist. The soldiers and their families were in search of soldier claims, seeking employment and improved economic opportunities, and in some cases, they were in search of a better climate for health reasons. Often older soldiers arrived with their grown children or younger siblings while younger soldiers sometimes arrived by themselves or with their young families. Regardless of their personal situations or professions when arriving, most were simply in search of better opportunities.

By the early 1880s, the number of Civil War Soldiers arriving in both Washington State and the Pacific Northwest increased significantly. As a result, on June 20th, 1883, the Grand Army of the Republic’s Washington and Alaska and its Kindred Societies was officially organized for Union Soldiers and their families. Soon gatherings and activities began occurring throughout the state, including in Yakima County.

Ten years later, in June of 1893, the Grand Army of the Republic’s Washington and Alaska encampment along with the ninth annual Woman’s Relief Corps, and the fifth Sons of Veterans encampment occurred in North Yakima (now Yakima). It was well attended by both local and out-of-town members of all three groups. A gathering at the Mason’s Opera house in the city was so popular by those attending that many were turned away from entering the building where speeches were given, an orchestra played music, and the crowd was entertained by dance presentations. The following day a parade through the city’s streets consisting of G.A.R. Members, Sons of Veterans, and the Yakima Band occurred.

Later that month, on June 29th, local members of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) and its associated societies established the North Yakima Meade Post No. 9. After its formation, the post and its members were better able to serve as a support and social outlet for Union Civil War Soldiers living in the Yakima Valley. By 1897, there were thirty members of Meade Post No. 9 of the Grand Army of the Republic. At the time the group met above the Allan Drugstore in North Yakima. By the early 1900s G.A.R. membership in Yakima County had grown significantly, although not all Union Civil War Soldiers in the valley became members.

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Each year during Decoration Day, citizens throughout the valley would decorate their businesses and homes to honor the Civil War Veterans. Parades occurred in cities and towns throughout the county with the largest appearing to occur in North Yakima (now Yakima) and Sunnyside. After parades in the cities, veterans, other members of G.A.R., and citizens would proceed to Tahoma Cemetery and the Old Sunnyside City Cemetery to decorate the graves of deceased Civil War Soldiers.

At some point, Meade Post No. 9 of the Grand Army of the Republic obtained a separate and designated burial section in what is now Tahoma Cemetery in Yakima, Washington. With the number of dying Union Soldiers and their families increasing the Sons of Veterans and the Woman’s Relief Corps decided to erect a special monument in the Grand Army of the Republic section at Tahoma Cemetery. To pay for the monument the Women’s Relief Corps held fundraisers that included selling chicken or bean dinners and hosting dances. The monument, a twenty-foot-tall pillar with an eagle that has a six-foot wingspan perched on top was unveiled in the Grand Army of the Republic section of Tahoma Cemetery on Decoration Day on May 31st, 1905.

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On Decoration Day in 1906, the people of Sunnyside celebrated the holiday with a parade, the decoration of