The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., March 27, 1936, page 1

RUFUS A. BYRKETT CELEBRATES FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY ON COMING TO KLICKITAT
By George Willey 3/22/36

     Harvey Byrkett, born in Pennsylvania and Sarah Ann Fenner, born in Massachusetts, were married Oct. 20, 1858. From this union were born three children, two boys and one girl. Rufus A., Charles, and Nancy A. Charles passed away in 1903 in Trout Lake, from pneumonia.
     On interviewing Rufus A. Byrkett last Sunday, the writer learned Mr. Byrkett was born in the year 1860, in Troy, Ohio, in August, and now has reached the ripe age of 76 years. Of interest -- Mr. Byrkett celebrated, last week, his 50th anniversary on coming to this county in 1886.
     "The earliest recollections," pointed out Mr. Byrkett between puff of a cigarette Sunday afternoon, "were of my father when he returned from the Civil War. I was about five years old at the time and I will never forget the day he returned home. He was in a drum corps of the 174th regiment of the National Guards Volunteers, from Ohio." He received his discharge in August, 1864.
     In 1866 Harvey Byrkett left Troy, Ohio, by train, taking his family. The train, a one-lung engine and a few wood-structured cars supplied with seats for passengers was the means of transportation. They went to Lawrence, Kansas, where the train ended its journey. From there they traveled by stage coach to Emporia, Kansas, their destination. They lived in that city until 1880. The family then returned to Troy, Ohio where they lived until 1886.
     "In that year we came by train to this country," stated Rufe, "We arrived in The Dalles, Oregon, then rode the steamboat from there to Warner's landing in Bingen in March 1886," he said.
     Warner's landing was was near the high rock cliff near the present Henderson property bordering the Columbia, in Bingen.
     On arriving there the family stayed at the Goddings Inn, a hotel operated by Mr. Giddings.
     Mr. Byrkett was married in 1884, in Troy, Ohio, to Laura Sullenberger, and from that union three children were born. Mrs. W.H. Dean, of this city, Mrs. Lesley Swan, of Portland, and Charles Byrkett of this city.
     At the time of stopping at Giddings Inn, his daughter, Effie, was an infant child.
     Mr. Byrkett was married again in 1910 to Goldie Smith. They had three children. Two passed away, and one Charles, still lives with them. Mr. Byrkett was three step-children by his second marriage, Mona, Esther and Theron.
     Mr. Byrkett's brother, Charles, who came to Klickitat County, in 1883, met him the next day with saddled horses. The two men then went to Trout Lake by horseback where Mr. Byrkett decided to homestead 160 acres. He preempted 70 acres and took a timber claim of 50 acres.
     After he built his "log cabin," he moved his family to Trout Lake and lived there for 22 years. Since 1908 he has lived intermittently in the two towns of white Salmon and Bingen. He owns property in both towns.
     The first Hardware store in White Salmon was owned by McClintock and Simpson. They sold out to Wm. Rafter who in turn sold to W.H. Dean and Mr. Byrkett who had a partnership of five years. After that time, r. Byrkett sold out to Silas Jensen and started a Garage in the Jennings barn next to his present home on Jewett Avenue in the west end of town.
     He later acquired a Service Station in Bingen and which he rented out just recently.
     Recalling last week's article, our friend Rufe well remembers the first building, store and post office, etc., owned by Jacob Hunsaker, located past of the present Masonic Hall. Later this building was sold to R. Blauer, then was taken over by R. Lauterbach.
     Speaking of mail, Mr. Byrkett stated the first mail carrier, also mentioned last week as an Indian, was named Joe Aleck. Making the trip from Hood River twice a week. He crossed the river in a skiff or on skiis, when the river was frozen over.
     "I can remember the first road up Jewett Avenue," said pioneer Rufe, "It was not what you could call a road. It was a trail, and a darned poor one." Mr. Byrkett said it was bordered on each side by a rail fence. The road was littered with rocks, huge boulders and mud in the winter."
     Back of the Gladden Motor Co., was a field of rye growing on back, past the present site of the Legion hall, and was owned by R.D. Cameron, a well-known man here at the time, and a huslter.
     On being queried of the number of homes here then, it was learned from Mr. Byrkett that a Mr. Jacobson lived in an old house on the hill above the school house which was destroyed last year by fire, and which was located next to the Cornett home here.
     The A.W. Jewett home was built when he came here. And on Burdoin Mountain lived Frank Burdoin, who named the big hill. Mr, Burdoin now lives near Vancouver, Washington. He was the only man known to live on Burdoin Mountain at the time. He built a log house up there and reached it by trail from the Giddings Inn hotel, which still stands next to the present E.E. Bartholomew home in East Bingen.
     Mr. Byrkett on recalling early settlers said he learned that Mr. E.F. Joslin was the first settler in this country, Mr. J.R. Warner next and probably Amos and Ed Underwood who lived on Underwood Flats then, and to whom the town took its name.
     Most of the those settlers had close contact with the blockhouse located in East Bingen near the old A.R. Byrkett house at the spring there. Indians along here in those days were plenty mean.
     The Klickitats and the Warm Spring Indains were constantly warring with the whites, Mr. Brykett had learned. And those two tribes were engaged in the incident of naming Mitchell's Point down the Columbia river a few miles from here when they attempted to kill Mr. Mitchell. He was followed up this huge rock by the Indians from where he jumped to his death to save capture. The peak being named after him later.
     "All of the Indains during my time," said Rufe, "were very peaceable." In recalling some old Indian names, he mentioned Jake Hunt, Johnny Quiemps, Old Susy and many others.
     "Most of the trading was done in Hood River then," said our early pioneer, "We went across the Columbia in a row boat which also had a sail to use when the wind permitted. It was owned by Gurd Palmer, who sold to "Commodore" Perry Dean, who in turn sold to J.H. Johnson. Mr. Johnson operated the ferry up to the time of building the bridge," stated Mr. Byrkett.
     Hood River at that time was a mere "hole in the road," with two or three stores. The people here brought practically everything there.
     During the latter years if the Indian mail carrier's long walk up the steep path below the present Wyers barn site, it was decided to build steps up the cliff, so White Salmon sponsored a "Step Dance" and thru volunteer labor built the steps, since then destroyed by fire.
     Mr. Byrkett recalled most of the early settlers in Trout Lake in 1886. They were the Stollers, Charles Pearson, John Petersons, Noah Etter, Bill Stadleman, the Byrketts and a fellow called "Grasshopper Jim" by everybody , whose name he could not recall. It was said this fellow got his name when coming across the plains in a covered wagon. On depleting his rations he took to eating grasshoppers, believe it or not.
     Mr. Byrkett had an uncle, A.R. Byrkett, who owned land in Trout Lake, and who later acquired the Joslin property in East Bingen. He came here before any of his relations.
     "Houses between White Salmon and Trout Lake then included the R.D. Cameron house the other side of the Chimney Hill road on Bald Mountain," stated Mr. Brykett, "The Matt Wilkins house at Husum, on the present site of the Husum Hotel building. It was a log house. Then the house owned by "Blue Eye" Fillberg at the head of Spring Creek. Also one passed the Fred Wilkins house a little farther. Next was the big log house that R.D. Cameron started to build near what was named "Freak" creek." This creek was about 3 feet deep and 10 feet wide and habit of suddenly drying up. Mr. Cameron was warned but disbelieving built the house there. Later the creek did dry up. The house was finally burned to the ground thru carelessness of campers years later.
     Following the Cameron house came the Stadleman, Peterson, Pearson and Stoller places leading in to the Trout Lake Valley.
     "Life was pretty tough then," he said, "Every spring we put in three weeks work on our roads to make them passable," The roads were cut thru the forests barely wide enough for wagons to use. It was hard work building them and all hand work.
     Frank Coate, of Trout Lake and Mr. Byrkett rebuilt the Husum bridge across the White Salmon river in 1886. With a team of oxen they pulled logs to it and put a pole flooring in the span.
     Clearing land was all done with an ax and saw. The stumps were burned. "Not one stick of dynamite did I use in clearing 60 acres of my land," he said.
     By wagon it was a 3-day trip to Bingen's boat landing on Warner's property. First day to the Cameron place at Bald Mountain where he camped over night, turning his oxen to graze on Bald Mountain. The next day the trip was made to Bingen and back to camp. Then back to Trout Lake the third day.
     Mr. Byrkett said he slept under the wagon on those trips or any trip. In the morning, over a camp fire, he fried bacon and eggs and had black coffee. He carried his own lunch kit with which to cook his meals.
     The first mail to Trout Lake from white Salmon was by horseback and snowshoes. Christian Guler and Fred Stoller were the first carriers. They received 25c per week from each settler who received mail, for their services.
     Mr. Byrkett states, "roads during those time were terrible. Every time I hear people moan the fact that poor roads are now hampering and hard to bear up with, it makes me angry. They don't know what it is to have really poor roads."
     Many times on the Grange Park road north of White Salmon, Mr. Byrkett had to unload wagons mired down to the hubs. The Grange Park road was the official to White Salmon then.
     Lots of bear, cougar, deer and gray wolf were in the country then. It was impossible to let the young colts roam out in the barn yard for fear of those wolves.
     The first stage driver to Trout Lake was Perry Harter. He drove a four-horse team during the summer, and horseback in Winter.
     An amusing incident during those times was at the time Dr. Cardwell of Portland, a good friend of Mr. Byrkett, came to Trout Lake to visit. he brought his family by boat from Portland besides had his own stage coach hauled on the boat which carried them all to Bingen. Coming slowly up the hill between White Salmon and Bingen,as the horses could barely pull the heavy coach up this steep grade. A lady inside the coach was very inpatient and several times remarked loudly to Mr. Byrkett to speed up, which was impossible. "Soon," states Ruse, as we got over the hump and started around Bald Mountain's narrow road and dangerous curves. I let the horses run with one wheel riding over the rocky edge half the time, and believe me she was soon crying for "less speed."
     Bald Mountain was an extremely narrow road. If anyone met met a team and wagon on its curves it was very dangerous to pass. Loaded wagons could not turn out. Mr Byrkett one day, coming to town from Trout Lake with a load of hy met another farmer on one of the worst curves. "I can't turn out." said Rufe, "I have a  load of hay. "I got a load too," said the farmer. Mr. Byrkett got out and looked in the wagon, The farmer only had a rocking chair in that wagon. "You haven't got a load,, you'll have to turn out," said Rufe. The farmer was averse to this. Rufe finally told the farmer, "Well, I'm parking here with my load of hay until you decide. I'll camp and feed the hay to my horses." The farmer finally obliged.
     An unwritten law then ruled that the empty wagon turn out, so he did.
    Mr. Byrkett helped build the road from the present Dr. W.H. Warner home to the Evergreen highway, formerly called the "Cook Grade."
     "Much of our own building and living was made right here on the farm," said the early Trout Laker. "I can remember cutting and thrashing our own wheat, wind-cleaning it and grinding it on the coffee grinder. We even had wheat coffee to drink."
     He stated, "we made out own candles from moulders brought from the east, and I built the log cabin and all the furniture in it with a saw and hand ax of rough lumber split from logs. The cabin still stands in Trout Lake on the old Madge Land property."
     Most of the window and door material was brought later from Shaw's mill in Glenwood. The log house, however, now has a covering of boards.
     George Kreps, now of Husum, hauled the lumber from Glenwood to Trout Lake by ox team. Mr. Kreps also plowed the first furrow in Mr. Byrkett's newly cleared land.
     Many times he and his wife rode horseback to dances held in a log hall in Glenwood.
     "Those were good times," he said, "Al Birtchie was the "Chief Fiddler" in those square dances, and was quite a character. He was always willing to step outside for a drink or two. While wondering back to the hall I have heard him many times blurt forth a well-known characteristic saying of his, I'll never forget. He invariably said, "I am the happiest man on earth. I do reckon," and many friends still can recall that line of his, "Those were happy times," said pioneer Rufe.
     Although Mr. Byrkett is 76 years old he is still very active for his age. He works daily at everything and anything at his new series of cabins in Bingen and says he "feels fine."

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