Edmund Sylvester

Edmund (or Edmond) Sylvester was born in Deer Isle, Maine on March 2, 1821. His family was Presbyterian and were a long line of fisherman. Edmund loved the sea, but did not love working on it, and therefore pursued farming instead. == Oregon Territory ==

He traveled to Oregon Territory via Cape Horn in 1843. He came to the area with a group of men, Charles Eaton, A. M. Poe, Daniel T. Kinsey, A. B. Rabbeson and his partner, Levi Lathrop Smith. All six men traveled north of the Columbia River and each took land claims in October 1846. Smith and Sylvester were land claim partners under the partnership clause of the land law of Oregon. They originally named their combined area Smithter or Smithster; it later became Smithfield and eventually became known as Olympia. In 1848, Levi Smith was the elected delegate to the Oregon Provisional Legislature. In August of that same year, before he could take up his government position, he had a seizure while canoeing to New Market, capsized and drowned. He was the first recorded American pioneer to die in the area Because of the partnership, Smith's land went to Sylvester and Sylvester abandoned his prairie claim for Smith's claim. He also built the first hotel at this time, which was 16 x 24 feet and roughly built of logs. == Gold rush ==

In 1849, Sylvester traveled to California for the gold rush. masonic temple, the capital grounds, and Sylvester Park; He built his own store, which sold tobacco, confectionary and fruit; and often preferred to play chess with customers than have them shop. == Later life ==

In June 1852, when Thurston County became an official county, Sylvester was elected coroner. Clara was very involved in the women's vote and other women oriented political movements. and is permanently housed in the Olympia Timberland Library; it shows the changing landscape of Olympia from the point of view of the highest window in Sylvester's Mansion. == Death ==

Edmund Sylvester died in Seattle, on September 20, 1887; his death caused great mourning by their friends and fellow pioneers. He had been married for 33 years. From the first day that Sylvester and Smith came into the Puget Sound area until his death, he believed that Olympia would become an important city with great economic growth; he died without seeing how mighty it would be and often said, that he had come to the area too soon. == See also ==