Yesler and Yesler’s Mill

By Rachel A. Bean

About Henry Yesler

He was born in Maryland but he became a very important man in Seattle’s history.

Henry L. Yesler was born in Maryland and made his way to Ohio, and in Ohio he met his wife, Sarah Burgert. He saved his money and finally, at the age of 41, Henry Yesler, arrived in Seattle from Massillon, Ohio. In 1853 was probably the proudest moment of his life, his steam-powered saw mill opened! When he was a 79 year-old widower, he got married to 24 year-old Minnie Gagle, Sarah had passed away. Sadly, when he was 82, Henry L. Yesler, one of Seattle’s greatest business men and lumber mill owner passed away. He was dearly missed.

Yesler’s friends, wives and relatives

Henry Yesler had some friends, wives accomplices and relatives.Two of his accomplices were none other than Carson Boren and Doc

Maynard: they offered him a land claim on a wharf with a long skinny road known as Skid Road which would be later known as Mill Street and finally Yesler Way. On June 12th 1855 Yesler’s 1st child was born, a girl named Julia Benson; the daughter of the daughter of Chief Curly and Henry Yesler. Henry Yesler had 3 wives: an Ohioan named Sarah Burgert, Another, was named Susan, was the daughter of Chief Curly, the 3rd and last was named Minnie Gagle, she married Yesler when she was 24 and he was 80!!

Henry Yesler’s three sawmillsHenry Yesler’s steam-powered lumber mill was the first in Seattle and

contributed to the city’s early growth. Henry Yesler’s steam powered lumber mill started in 1853 and since it

opened it operated 7 days a week and 24 hours a day. The lumber mill was the first in Seattle and contributed to the city’s early growth.

Henry Yesler’s steam powered lumber mill started in 1853, depending heavily on native-American labor. Henry Yesler was so successful that he ended up building 3 sawmills. Yesler’s 1st plank of wood was sawn in March 1853 , Henry Yesler built his famous sawmill on a wharf at the foot of today’s Yesler way with a thin road leading down it called Skid Road. The road would eventually have it’s name changed to Mill Street and finally Yesler way.

How Yesler contributed to Seattle’s growth

Henry Yesler didn’t only operate a mill, he did many other things besides.

In the 1870’s Yesler had 3 buisnesses running, Yesler’s Mill, Yesler’s Wharf, and Yesler’s cookhouse. Henry Yesler also helped Seattle by chopping down all of the trees, then he made the cut down trees into lumber which people could make into houses. Mr. Yesler also provided revenue and jobs as mayor of Seattle.

THE END!!

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BIBLIOGRAPHY!!!!!!!

• Crowley, Walt, and Priscilla A. Long. HistoryLink's Seattle & King County Timeline. Seattle, Wash.: HistoryLink in Association with the University of Washington, 2001. Print.

• HistoryLink.org- the Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History. Web. 07 June 2010. <http://historylink.org>.

• Keniston-Longrie, Joy. Seattle's Pioneer Square. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub., 2009. Print.

• Sundquist, Mark. Seattle. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub., 2010. Print.

• Warren, James R., and William R. McCoy. Highlights of Seattle's History. Seattle, Wash.: Historical Society of Seattle and King County, 1982. Print.