Seymour Shoultes

Seymour's father enlisted as a soldier of the Civil War from Wisconsin in 1861. During service, he became ill and was furloughed. He returned home and died of consumption on October 20, 1862. Rhuhanna Shoultes as the story is told, was unable to care for her sons and had them placed in an orphanage soon after the death of Elias. When she remarried in 1865, she did not reclaim her sons. The reasons for this legend can only be speculated.

Seymour grew up in a Wisconsin orphanage and received his education from this institution. After coming of age,, he ventured west to the Washington Territory in the early 1880s to seek his fortune as a farmer. Without a family farm and family roots to help him establish himself, Seymour looked west to the free lands of the Oregon and Washington Territories. In 1886, he reached the settlement of Seattle and took claim to 160 acres of land. The area is located north of the Seattle settlement in what is now Snohomish County. The original land deed was in the possession of a grandson when the researcher visited in 1981. The last tract of land was sold in 1993. The original deed is transcribed as follows:

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CERTIFICATE NO. 12621

To all to whom these presents shall come, GREETING.

WHEREAS Seymour Shoultes of Snohomish County, Washington Territory, has deposited in the General Land Office of the United States of America, a certificate of register with the Land Office at Seattle, Washington Territory, whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said Seymour Shoultes --- according to the provisions of the Act of Congress of the 24th of April, 1820, entitled "The Act making the further possession of the PUBLIC LANDS" and the acts supplemental thereto for THE SOUTH HALF OF THE SOUTH WEST QUARTER OF SECTION TWENTY SEVEN AND THE NORTH HALF OF THE NORTH WEST QUARTER OF SECTION TWENTY FOUR IN TOWNSHIP TWENTY ONE NORTH OF RANGE FIVE EAST OF WILLIAMETTE MUNDION IN WASHINGTON TERRITORY CONTAINING ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY ACRES. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

According to the official Plat of the Survey of the said lands, retained to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General, which said tract has been purchased by the said Seymour Shoultes ---

NOW KNOW YE, that the United States of America, in consideration of the promises, and in conformity with the several acts of Congress in such case made and prescribed, HATH GIVEN AND GRANTED, and by these presents DO GIVE AND GRANT, unto the said Seymour Shoultes, and to his heirs, the said TRACT above described: TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the same, together with all the rights, privileges, immunities, and appurtenances of whatsoever nature thereunto belonging, unto the said Seymour Shoultes and to his heirs and assigns forever, subject to any vested and accrued water rights for mining, agricultural, manufacturing, or other purposes, such as water rights, as may be recognized and acknowledges by the local customs, laws, and decisions of courts, and also subject to the right of the (???unreadable???) of a (???unreadable???) or bode to extract and remove his ore therefrom, should the same be found to penetrate the premises hereby granted, as prescribed by law.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I, Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States of America, have letters to be made Patent, and the Seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto affixed.

GIVEN under my hand, at the City of Washington, the TWENTY SECOND day of JANUARY, in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and NINETY ONE, and in Independence of the United States, the one hundred and FIFTEENTH.

BY THE PRESIDENT: BENJAMIN HARRISON
by: M. McKean, Secretary

Recorded, Vol. 21 Page 135
J.M. Townsend, Recorder

Seymour Shoultes established his homestead near the present village of Marysville (Snohomish County), Washington. According to family members still living in this area, Seymour was committed to making the land a working farm within five years. If he were able to do so, the land was granted to him free of charge.

Seymour Shoultes united in marriage with the former Elizabeth Baird (1860-1924) on February 22, 1887 at Caledonia, Wisconsin. Elizabeth Baird was born at Caledonia, Wisconsin on May 5, 1860. She was the daughter of James Baird of Scotland (1820-1870) and Mary McCartney who was born at Kirkpatrick Durham, Scotland in 1824. According to family legends, Seymour had been courting his bride-to-be and decided to make the trip west to establish a home and return for his bride. True to his word, he returned to Wisconsin and on February 22, 1887, married his Elizabeth. Much to the dismay of the family, Seymour and Elizabeth made the long journey to the Washington Territory and established their farm in Snohomish County. There were five children born to them.

The story is told that Rhuhanna Shoultes attempted to secure a widow pension for Elias Shoultes's service as a Civil War soldier. In order to obtain this pension, she located Seymour Shoultes in the Washington Territory and requested his verification. Family legends state that he refused and always held bitter feelings about the circumstances surrounding his youth.

Seymour Shoultes is considered to be one of the early pioneer families to the Marysville, Washington area. There are several institutions and establishments which bear the Shoultes name including SHOULTES ROAD, SHOULTES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SHOULTES MEADOWS, and SHOULTES BAPTIST CHURCH. The researcher visited this area in 1981 and documented this event with photographs. At the time of the visit, Seymour's grandchildren were still operating a small dairy farm on approximately 44 acres of the original site.

Elizabeth Baird Shoultes died on April 24, 1924 at the age of 63 years. Seymour Shoultes died on November 24, 1924 at the age of 64 years. Both are buried in the village cemetery at Marysville (Snohomish County), Washington.