First Keeper of the Shoalwater Bay Lighthouse, 1 Oct, 1858
William Benjamin Wells was a young and successful steamship captain who eventually took over the operations of the new Shoalwater Bay Lighthouse located at North Cove in the Washington Territory as the first lighthouse keeper.
William was born on the St. Lawrence river, in the port city of Ogdensburg, New York July 18, 1822. At the age of twelve he moved with his father to the western district of Upper Canada.
On January 11, 1844 he married Mary Jane Richardson in St. Clair, Mich.
The Wells family attempted farming in Fairfield, Jackson county, Iowa but the call of the water was too strong for William to ignore. After a stint on the Great Lakes, William and Mary moved to Oregon around 1851.
Once in Oregon, William engaged in Steamboat operations in the upper portion of the Columbia river above The Dalles. With financially successful runs and a promising partnership, Capt. Wells invested in the steamer EAGLE with Capt. Richard Williams. The EAGLE ran transport on the Lower Willamette river between Oregon City and Portland. Being a smaller vessel the EAGLE was well suited for use in Columbia river tributaries such as the Cowlitz and Lewis rivers. Into these tributaries they carried settlers staking homestead land claims.
In 1853 Capt. Wells & Capt. Williams had a sidewheeler built for them to carry goods and passengers in and out of Oregon City on the Willamette River and the Cascade Route named BELLE OF OREGON CITY. The BELLE OF OREGON CITY, called just BELLE for short, was built by Capt. William H. Troup, and was the first iron vessel built on the West coast of the United States. It was also the first steam vessel with all Oregon built machinery. The BELLE first plied the waters between Oregon City and Portland, based out of Willamette Falls. The route of the BELLE was later changed to include the Lower Columbia river.
In March 1856 the BELLE transported troops under command of Lt. Phil Sheridan. (later Gen.Sheridan) in response to the Cascade Massacre.
In the fall of 1856 Capt. Wells and Capt. Williams purchased the wrecked GAZELLE and had it rebuilt as the SENORITA. Her first trip was with important guests returning from Astoria.
The SENORITA, under Capt. Wells ran the Cascade route until 1858 when there was talk of joining other investors to start the Oregon Steam Navigation Company. This merger didn’t sit well with Capt. Wells so he sold his interest to Capt. R. Hoyt Sr and moved to the Shoalwater Bay area to start anew at seacoast ranching. Here Capt. Wells took over the Keepers position at the new Shoalwater Bay Lighthouse as the first Keeper. Both the lighthouse and Capt. Wells ranch were new endeavors in a very remote location. The station had just been built upon land donated by the local Shoalwater Bay indian chief known as “Lighthouse Charlie”.
Not only did he secure the position of Shoalwater Bay Lighthouse Keeper but he also acquired 160 acres adjoining the lighthouse under the Pre-Emption Act of 1841. Adding to this property he also purchased another 40 acres. On this combined property he raised horses, cattle and hogs.
He started the Keepers job on October 1, 1858 with John S. M. Van Cleve as his assistant. He also purchased lumber at the Willapa Mill to build a house for Mary Jane and himself. During this time he became friends with a younger Capt. George Johnson* (who would become the first commander of the North Cove Life Saving Station). Little did Wells know that the remote location would make getting supplies such as lamp oil and provisions so difficult. In 1861 Capt. Wells had to shut down the lighthouse due to lack of oil for the operation of the light. Now without the income from the keepers job Capt. Wells took up a contract to carry the mail between Oysterville, Bruceport and North Cove in a small sloop called a plunger. During a trip on February 15, 1963 the sloop capsized in a squall and Capt. Wells drowned along with a passenger from Astoria, Mr. Charles Cline. They are buried in the Oysterville Cemetery.
Mary Jane
Mary Jane made an extensive search for William’s will, but with none found she was forced to put his estate into probate. With William gone she also turned to local neighbors to help out in feeding the livestock until they could be sold to pay off the debt of the estate. Mary Jane Wells acted as administratrix during the probate and ended up having to sell off all personal property to clear the debts. Mary Jane eventually returned to Oregon and married the widower William Wiltshire Bristow on September 16, 1869 and they settled in Eugene OR. Mr Bristow died December 8, 1874 and Mary died December 25, 1898 and is buried in Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery in Portland OR.
Notes:
*George Johnson was the father of Stella Johnson. Stella inherited the Johnson homestead known as “The Island”. She married Leslie Raymond, who transformed the property into the town of Raymond . George was born in Norway in 1825, died May 3, 1881. Buried in Oysterville Cemetery.
Judge John Squire McGrew Van Cleve / b.April 23, 1823 at Ft. Boonesborough, Kentucky Territory, d. February 3, 1889 at Willapa, Washington Territory. Buried in Wilsonville Cemetery.
“Oyster Sloop, Shoalwater Bay” from Freshwater and Marine image bank #FMIB 37908.
