David B. Kindred (abt. 1788 - 1873)

Born about 1788 in Boonesborough, Madison, Kentucky, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 8 Nov 1873 at about age 85 in Turnwater, Thurston, Washington, United States

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Biography

David Kindred was born in 1788, in Boonesborough, Madison county, Kentucky. David married Talitha Ramey, born 1791, in Clark county, Kentucky, a daughter of Daniel and Rachel Ramey. David and Talitha were pioneers in the Washington Territory, and their home was used as the first school in what would become Thurston county, founded January 12, 1852. ^[1]

Researchers Notes

This family lived in Kentucky and Jackson county, Indiana, before moving to a home on the Skunk River in what became Henry Co., Iowa, by 1836 and to Missouri 1840. David and Talitha Kindred's second child, Sara Ann Kindred (1816-1861) married William Bowman (1797-1851) in Iowa Territory on June 1835. They became the parents of children, including Artemesia and Talitha C. Bowman, who was born in Kentucky March 20, 1837 and died February 4, 1918 in Edmonds, Washington (buried in the Hart Cemetery, Dallas, Oregon)

In 1844, David and Talitha along with other members of their family, including the Bowmans were in the Gilliam Wagon Train with the Tumwater and Michael T. Simmons party. The caravan made the long and hazardous journey across the plains to the Oregon Territory. Indians, flooded rivers, depletion of supplies of food and clothing, along with the rough terrain all made the trip a nightmare. On December 24, 1844, they arrived at a point on the Willamette River opposite Oswego, where their grandson, James Franklin Kindred was born Christmas eve.

In this wagon train was George Bushy, a Negro, and his German wife and their five sons. Bushy was a man of some wealth; his parents after serving the family of a ship owner fell heir to all their wealth. Needless to say Bushy was a great asset to the eighty covered wagons. When the party reached The Dalles on the Columbia River they observed a sign stating negroes were not welcome in the Provisional state of Oregon under the penalty of not less than 20 lashes or more than 39 should they linger.

Some members of the group decided if Bush could not settle in Oregon they would cross the Columbia into the British holdings. This split the Kindred family as some continued into Oregon, but David and Talitha along with several members of their immediate family moved on North and established the first white settlement in the Territory of Washington. David took a Donation Land Claim on Bush Prairie in parts of Township 17 north and Township 18 North Range 2 West of Thurston County. David and Talitha were the parents of six children. When it came time for the Kindred family to split it was a hard separation but David would never accept the feelings against his old friend Bush and swore in anger that he would never settle in Oregon so the decision was made by Sarah and William Bowman that their oldest daughter, Artemesia, nine years old, would go with her grandparents David and Talitha Kindred to keep them company.

In 1849, David’s home became the first schoolhouse in Washington Territory. Major Goldboroughy was hired as schoolmaster by Michael T. Simmons for the benefit of all the children in the area. Despite the fact their home was a school for a time, David and Talitha apparently could not write. Thanks to W.T. McGreer, we have just seen a deed for a railroad and telegraph right of way through their Donation Land Claim which they sold April 27, 1872. The deed was signed by an x for Talitha and for David (recorded Thurston County Book 1 page 28). David and Talitha were buried on their farm in a part that became property of the State Highway Dept. Tumwater Office.

David died November 8, 1873 and Talitha died June 15, 1872. Both died in Thurston County, Territory of Washington and were first buried on their farm. When the farm was sold, their remains were moved to the Masonic Cemetery in Olympia.

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48331761/david-kindred

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to John Sigler (Sigler-600)