Cowlitz County WA Archives Biographies.....Bozarth, A. L. 1862 - ************************************************ 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 16, 2009, 6:26 pm Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company A. L. BOZARTH. One of the old and well-known pioneer families of the Columbia River valley is that of Bozorth, of which A. L. Bozarth, of Woodland, Cowlitz county, Washington, is a worthy representative. He occupies and farms a part of the old donation claim which has been in the family continuously for over three-quarters of a century and stands as one of his community's most substantial citizens. He was born on the Bozorth farm, on a part of which he lives, in 1862, and is a son of Squire J. Bozorth, Jr., who came across the plains with his father, Squire J. Bozorth, Sr., and regarding whom interesting facts were brought out in an interview which Fred Lockley had with Mr. Bozarth's mother and which was published in the Journal as follows: "My maiden name was Cynthia A. John. My father, Jacob John, was born in Tennessee, March 11, 1802. He moved to Clinton county, Ohio, where, on November 30, 1823, he married Miss Rachel Whitaker. My father and mother moved to Iowa and lived in Mahaska county till the spring of 1852, when we started for Oregon. Before living in Iowa we had lived in Illinois for awhile, where I was born on March 22, 1841. "We reached Portland late in October, 1852. We wintered at Portland. Father built a coal pit and made charcoal and also worked at his trade as a blacksmith. In the spring of 1853 father started to look up our old Iowa neighbor, Squire Bozorth. He found he had taken up a claim on the Lewis river. Father took up a claim near the Bozorths and lived there until the winter of 1861, when he moved to Mill Plain, just east of Vancouver. He died there December 10, 1863. There were eleven in our family. I am the only one now living. I was seventeen when I married Squire J. Bozorth. My husband's father, Squire J. Bozorth, Sr., was born in Kentucky in 1792. He moved from Kentucky to Missouri and later to Illinois. In 1840 he moved to Iowa and in the spring of 1845 crossed the plains to Oregon. Captain Halliday was the captain of the wagon train. They reached Vancouver December 8. He bought a claim on Gales creek, in Oregon. He built the first school house at Forest Grove, Oregon. In the fall of 1846 he took up a claim on the Columbia river just across from Vancouver. In 1852 he moved to a new place on the north bank of Lewis river, which he called Woodland farm. He died the day before St. Patrick's day, 1853. He married Millie H. Willis, of Virginia. Squire Bozorth, with his wife and eight children, was among the earliest settlers of this district. My husband, Squire J. Bozorth, was born in Marion county, Missouri, July 19, 1836. We were married June 18, 1859, and moved to the Bozorth farm, a mile from Woodland. We have had three children, Will, Alfred and Leona June. I have lived here in Woodland for the past sixty-six years. "My husband's brother, Christopher Columbus Bozorth, founded the town of Woodland. He was born in Missouri on New Year's day, 1832. In 1881 Chris opened a store on the river bank here and was appointed the first postmaster of Woodland. When Chris started his store the captain of the 'Hydra' tied up at the bank and called out, 'Uncle Chris, what are you going to call your place?' Chris said ‘I think I'll call it Woodland.' So, when they applied for a post office they applied for it in that name. Chris called it after his father's farm, 'Woodland Farm.' My husband's mother died March 10, 1856, about three years after the death of his father. Chris served in the legislature and was also county assessor four terms. He was elected in 1856. In 1871 he went to eastern Oregon. In the '70s he ran a butcher shop at Weston, Umatilla county. Along about 1880 he opened a hotel there. In 1884 he came back to Vancouver. He married Olive Goodwin in 1865." Squire J. Bozorth, Jr., spent his active years here in farming and logging, and the original donation land claim, which comprised six hundred and forty acres was practically all in timber and brush. He was a man of great energy and determination, created a splendid farm and lived to see his section of the state developed into one of the best communities of the entire valley. He was a member of the Grange and took a deep interest in everything concerning the welfare of the farmers of his locality. His death occurred in 1913, and he is survived by his widow, who still lives at Woodland and is now eighty-seven years old. They became the parents of three children: William R., who is now retired and lives in Vancouver; A. L.; and Lewis J., who died the age of fourteen years. A. L. Bozarth secured his education in the public school at Woodland and remained on the home farm until twenty-eight years of age, when he engaged in a mercantile business in Woodland, with which he was identified for twenty- five years. For about five years he conducted the Highway Canteen, at the turn of the road, and during the time that he ran the store he also was engaged in the sawmill and logging business to some extent. He now has two hundred and ten acres of the old home place, which he is successfully operating and is very comfortably situated. In 1888 at Bellingham, Washington, Mr. Bozarth was united in marriage to Miss Katie Smith, who was born in England. When eleven years old she accompanied her family on their emigration to this country, at which time they located in Kansas. In 1882 they came to Seattle, Washington. Her parents, W. G. and Caroline Smith, are now both deceased, her father dying in 1923. About 1884 they went to Whatcom (now Bellingham), about eight miles from which place he took up a homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Bozarth have four children: Claude A., who was a member of the Fourteenth United States Infantry during the World war, is now taking postgraduate work at the University of Washington, preparing for the teaching profession. He married Miss Alberta Lynch, a graduate nurse in Seattle, and they have three children, Margaret Carol, Donald Grant and Barbara. Glenn T., who lives in Woodland, married Miss Helen Martin, of Spokane, Washington, and they have two children, Grace and Ralph M. Squire Smith, who is a practicing physician at Oregon City, Oregon, was in the Medical Corps of the Fourth Division during the World war and was overseas about eighteen months. He married Miss Ethel Newland, of Eugene, Oregon, and they have a daughter, Susan Jeanne; Mildred L., who is the wife of William M. Scaife, of Washington, D. C., is a lieutenant in the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey and has just completed two years' service in the Philippine islands. They have a daughter Mildred Bozarth. Mr. Bozarth has always evinced a good citizen's interest in public affairs and has served as secretary of the school board and four years as a member of the city council of Woodland. A man of earnest purpose, high principles and clean character, he has always commanded the fullest measure of respect throughout his community and has by his life and labors maintained the prestige established by his forebears, whose memory is honored throughout this section of the valley. Additional Comments: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 727-728 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wa/cowlitz/bios/bozarth28gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wafiles/ File size: 7.8 Kb