Cowlitz-Douglas County WA Archives Biographies.....Bozarth, H. C. March 22, 1853 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wa/wafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com May 9, 2009, 12:46 am Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company H. C. BOZARTH. Among Cowlitz county's old and honored citizens stands H. C. Bozarth, who was for many years actively engaged in agricultural pursuits but is now living retired. He is a member of one of the most noted families of the Columbia River valley and has been a witness of and participant in the great development of this favored section of the northwest. Mr. Bozarth was born on his father's farm near Woodland, Cowlitz county, on the 22d of March, 1853, and is a son of John Shaw and Athenas (Luelling) Bozarth, the former a native of Missouri and the latter of Indiana. The father came to the coast in 1847, locating first at Milwaukie, Clackamas county, Oregon, and remaining there and at Columbus Slough until 1851, when he removed to Woodland Washington, and bought the rights to a donation claim. He was a son of Squire J. Bozarth, to whom detailed reference is made on another page of this work. The claim which John S. Bozarth secured was covered with timber and brush, a large part of which he cleared off, and there engaged in farming until his death. While living at Milwankie he married Athenas Luelling, whose father, Henderson Luelling, took his family to that locality in 1847. He is deserving of specific mention as being the first man to bring fruit trees to Oregon. Mr. Bozarth was an active member of the Grange, having helped to organize Woodland Grange No. 47, one of the earliest in this part of the country, and he also served as deputy grand master of that organization. To him and his wife were born eleven children, of whom five are living, namely: H. C., of this review; Amelia, who is the widow of A. P. King and lives in Portland, Oregon; Corwin, who lives on a part of his father's old donation claim near Woodland; Arthur L. D., who lives at Toppenish, Yakima county, Washington, and John R., of Woodland. H. C. Bozarth received his education in the district school near Woodland, which he attended three months each year. He remained on the home place until after his marriage in 1874, when he received one hundred and thirty acres of his father's land, to the cultivation of which he gave his attention. About 1901 he began working at the carpenter's trade, following that vocation for about twenty years, or until meeting with a severe accident, since which time he has lived practically retired from active pursuits. In 1888 he went to Douglas county, Washington, east of the mountains, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land and took up a timber claim of one hundred and sixty acres. He was located four miles from the nearest neighbor, but he remained there until he had proved up on his claim, and in 1892 returned to Woodland. He is now living with his daughter, Mrs. Lena Christiansen, near Woodland, but maintains his legal residence in that town, where he owns property. Mr. Bozarth has been married twice, first, on October 4, 1874, to Miss Della Martin, who was born in western Washington and was a daughter of John G. and Edna Martin. Her parents were pioneers of California in the days of the great gold rush, but later moved to Oregon, and eventually to Washington, settling near Mrs. Christiansen's present home in the vicinity of Woodland. To Mr. and Mrs. Bozarth was born a daughter, Lela, who is the wife of R. H. Barr, who owns a ranch across the river from Woodland. Mrs. Della Bozarth died in 1878, and in 1880 Mr. Bozarth married Miss Emma Backman, who was born near Woodland and died in 1901. She was a daughter of George G. Backman, who located near Woodland about 1858. To the second union were born three children. Violet is the wife of William Ahlf, an attorney in Portland, Oregon. John I., who lives in Portland, is married and has three children, Howard P., Melvin and John, and of these Melvin is married and has a daughter, Iris. The third child is Lena, the wife of M. Christiansen, who is engaged in farming near Woodland. By a former marriage Mrs. Christiansen has two children: Mrs. Udena (Shoemaker) Titus, of Snohomish, Washington, who has two children, Jackie and Donald; and Victor Shoemaker, a resident of Aberdeen, Washington. Mr. Bozarth took an active part in public affairs during his earlier years, having served for several years as city marshal of Woodland, and two terms, or four years, as county assessor of Cowlitz county. At that time, 1899- 1902, the county seat was at Kalama, and he often walked from his home there and back. He has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for thirty-two years and has always been greatly interested in the work of that order. He has proven a good citizen, steady and dependable under all circumstances; has a host of warm friends throughout the community where he has spent his life; and all who know him hold him in the highest regard for his worthy life and splendid personal qualities. Additional Comments: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 656-657 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wa/cowlitz/bios/bozarth18gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wafiles/ File size: 5.6 Kb