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Friday, February 22, 1901:
BLAINE PIONEERS
Anniversary of the Early Settlement of this Place. The Steamer Libby the Means of Transportation and Whatcom the only Place to Trade. This is the anniversary of what was really the first settlement of Blaine. On the 22nd day of February 1871 the old steamer Libby, then one of the "floating palaces" of Puget Sound, in reality a very common sidewheel steamer, arrived in Semiahmoo bearing a large party of settlers, consisting of Mr. BRUNS and family, the HENSPETER family, Chas. VOGT, the UPSON family, Grandpa and Grandma WHITCOM, who were the parents of Mrs. E. A. BOBLETT, Mr. C. KINGSLEY and wife and two daughters and son Byron, who is the present city marshal of Blaine. The steamer landed at Semiahmoo the only persons living there then being the CLARK Bros., who owned a small store at that point. The only settlers at that time were E. A. BOBLETT and family who had arrived here the year before, the DEXTER family, F. HOISINGTON, the RICHARDS family, together with several bachelors, among whom were old Billy PATTERSON, who was finally killed in a row in this city three years ago, and Long Haired HARRIS who was killed at Point Roberts during the '80's. Another settler was Alex HEMPHILL who owned the RUNGE place at the mouth of Dakota creek, and died there a few years after. At the time of the arrival of these settlers it was necessary to get all supplies from Whatcom, or Sehome, at which point the only coal mines in the state being worked. The steamer Libby charged $70 to bring a family from Seattle to Semiahmoo. Of these early settlers Messrs BRUNS, HENSPETER and VOGT now reside at Birch Bay and the remainder reside in and around Blaine. The silent city on the hill has claimed four of Mr. KINGSLEY's family, Mrs. UPSON and Grandma and Grandpa WHITCOM. Friday, September 27, 1901: The little four months old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. SCOTT passed away at five o'clock Tuesday afternoon. The death of the little fellow was due to spinal meningitis. The funeral occurred Wednesday and the body was placed in the Blaine cemetery. The sympathy of all is with Mr. and Mrs. SCOTT in this the dark hour of their sorrow. E. A. BOBLETT has his residence all finished and a new coat of paint thereon. Mr. BOBLETT is one of our old time progressive residents and all are glad to see his fine new home finished. Mrs. Hattie HAYWARD returned on Thursday of last week to her home at Shelton. She has been here for some days visiting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. GILLESPIE. Mrs. HAYWARD and Mrs. GILLESPIE are sisters. Walter LOWRIE left Wednesday for Chicago to continue his studies at the college of dentistry. D. A. GRIFFIN's shingle mill at Deming burned to the ground Sunday evening. The loss is $4,500. Robert EVANS will leave Monday for Seattle where he will continue his studies at the State University. Miss Ada DRINKWATER of this city won first prize as the most graceful lady horseback rider at the Surry Center, B. C., fair this week.
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Copied by Susan Nahas 2008