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The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., July 1, 1954
Diamond Anniversary Edition

DIARY OF ELIZABETH NESBITT STULTZ TELLS OF TIME COUNTY SEAT CAME HERE

A record book written especially for her granddaughter, Mary Nesbitt Ledbetter, was started in 1938 by Elizabeth Nesbitt Stultz. She had told her granddaughter of her early experiences on different occasions and finally consented to write them down in a book. This diary of early day reminiscences is among Mrs. Ledbetter's most cherished possessions. She has allowed its use for The Sentinel's Anniversary Edition.
The following account from the 96-page record tells of the time Goldendale became the county seat. Mrs. Stultz, one of the area's pioneers, was killed in an auto accident in 1941 at the age of 82.

March 20, 1939

I guess I will tell a bit of history as to when Goldendale became the County seat of Klickitat County. It was first located at what was known as Rockland, and rightly named from the look of it today. It was just across the Colombia river from The Dalles and has been renamed twice since to suit the occasion.
At the general election in November 1878 about five-sixths of the votes cast were for Goldendale. In February of the following year, the Commissioners ordered the sheriff to the site chosen by the ballot of the people.
The first Court House was built in the street between the Count House and the Hall Hotel. It was a two story wooden building, court room upstairs, and was used until the fire of May 13, l888. There was a row of sheds made to use for offices until the present house was built.
Mr. Nesbitt was County Auditor at that time, so our house was used for some time for offices. The huge iron safes kept the records quite well, although a good many of the books had to be rebound. The ones that did the job had to come here to do the work. That fire almost took the own, all the business houses, and it took some time to get drugs and other supplies.
I remember Dr. Stowell coming to see what drugs we had that he could use. The heat and overdoing almost coat me my life. Leon Curtice brought the county property over by horse-back, which was a very difficult job as the snow was very deep.
But as it generally is, better buildings were built to take the place. Victor Gobat built the first, then Cummins and Crane built where W.H. Ward now has a Harness and Saddle shop.
By 1879, according to the Spokane Times, there were six post offices in the county representing many settlements: Goldendale, Columbus, Blockhouse, Klickitat Landing, White Salmon and Fulda.

Father Wilber Visited

The affair we looked for the most was Camp Meeting time when Father Wilber would bring lot of his Indians over. He was the agent, and a good one. The Indians were good singers, their voices so mild and soothing.
I always admired Father Wilber, for he married my father and mother at Scio in 1858. He built the Centenary Wilber Church in Portland which is named for him. He loomed large in the history of the Methodism on the Pacific Coast. He was a large man, about 300 pounds. When he went after an Indian, he never took a gun. Once he laid his hands on them that was enough. He held the respect for all who knew him.
He was born at Louisville, New York, September 11, 1811. His parents were members of the Presbyterian Church. When twenty years old, he married Leucretia Ann Stevens, a Methodist. He became interested in the work of this church and when 29, he was licensed as an exhorter. At 31 he was licensed to preach. When 35 years old, he was appointed Missionary to Oregon, at that time under the Provisional government.
With Rev. William Roberts he sailed from New York on the Whitten on November 27, 1846. It was not until April 23, 1847 that they reached what was then Yerba Buena, but rechristened San Francisco in 1848.
Mr. Wilber organized a Sunday School at San Francisco. Mr. Roberts visited San Jose, Monterey and other points to decide on the best place for a Mission. The Sunday School organized by Mr. Wilber, became the First Methodist Church in San Francisco. This was the first Protestant religious work in San Francisco. Mr. Wilber and Mr. Roberts arrived in Oregon June 22, 1847.
Mr. Roberts succeded the Rev. Gary as superintendent of the Oregon Mission September 5, 1849. The Methodist Ministers of the Oregon country assembled in the Chapel of the Oregon institute to organize the Mission Conference. Those who formed this conference were: William Roberts of New Jersey; David Leslie of the Providence Conference: A.F. Waller of the Genesee (New York) conference and James Wilber of Black River conference. Isaac Owen of the Indiana conference and William Taylor of Baltimore conference, were not present. They were assigned to California.
Mr. Wilber was appointed to the work in Portland. He not only started the Taylor St. Shurch but fell the trees on the lot and did much of the work of building, the church. He preached the firit sermon in this church in 1850. In 1853 he was assigned to Southern Oregon.
He built a church at Wilber and in 1854 founded the Umpqua Academy. In 1860 he was appointed superintendent of school of Yakima Indian Reservation. He wrought mightily among the Indians, established churches, won their friendship and had the joy of seeing many of them become exhorters and ministers.
Mr. Wilber's only daughter married in 1849, the Rev. St. Michael Fackler, an Episcopal clergyman who conducted the first Episcopal services in Portland. She died the following year. The Wilbers in the twenty years they were on the Yakima reservation did an outstanding work in civilizing the Indians. Mrs. Wilber died at Walla Walla September 13, 1887. Her husband died October 28. They were buried in the Lee Mission Ametary Salem, Oregon.