Joseph Wilson Range

Joseph Wilson Range
		Born: July 11, 1844 - Loc: Crawford Co. PA Died: July 14, 1924 - Loc: Seattle, King Co WA Bur: GAR Cemetery, Seattle King Co., WA (See Gravestone below)
		Father: James Lea Range Mother: Jane Montgomery McKay
		Married: Dec 3, 1871 at Montouor, Tama Co, Iowa Spouse: Harriet Angelique "Hattie" Dayton, daughter of Roland Dayton and Catherine Simmons
		Children: Paul Dayton /Ernest Lytle /Ralph Courtney
Occupation: Mining Broker/Politician/Real Estate Broker State Senator from Kings Co. WA for one term beginning 1895. He was a member of the Populist Party.
Military: Civil War Enlisted 10 Oct. 1862 as a Private - Enlist Age 18 Range, Joseph W. Co. I Unit 10 Ohio Calvary - Rank Induction - Pvt. Rank Discharge - Sargent Record #00001765 Promoted to a full sargent on 1 July 1865 Mustered out at Lexington, NC on 24 July 1856 Source: Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio Pub. 1886 He enlisted at Ravenna, Portage Co. OH Oct. 10, 1862 Height 5 ft. 5 inches tall, ruddy complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair
On March 15th, the rebel General Rhett was captured by Sergeant Jos. W. Range and four men of the Tenth Ohio Cavalry. This regiment had been with us in Sequatchie Valley and in the winter campaign in East Tennessee, so our feeling for them was a tender one. Range and his men were "bummers" out for forage and scouting when they heard the sound of firing not far off, and curiosity impelled them to get nearer to see what was going on. Range's squad were dressed in an odd fashion. Only one man had a complete U. S. uniform, while the Sergeant had on a suit of black broadcloth, which he had picked up a day or two before. The others had the look of Confederate soldiers. As they drew near to the firing they saw a line of rebel skirmishers engaged with those from Kilpatrick's cavalry. Back of them was the rebel line of battle. Two officers were riding at a walk from the skirmishers to the line of battle, and Range said quietly to his men, "Let's get them." Riding slowly, at a walk, his party intercepted the officers and gave the military salute when they met but quietly got around the two and suddenly covered them with their revolvers, seized the bridle-reins and passed them over the heads of the captured horses, and galloped off with their prisoners, General Rhett and his Adjutant-General. This was his first and last battle. He had been one of those fiery orators that had done yeoman service in bringing on the war, but when the fighting commenced had kept out of harm's way. He had been "invincible in peace and invisible in war." Source: THE "FIFTEENTH" AT GENERAL JOE JOHNSTON'S SURRENDER. Arthur 0. Granger, Company C.
Uncle Sam Pays Debt of $12 After 43 Years Ex-Postmaster’s Lawyer Gets One-third as Fee J. W. Range, an Alaska miner, recently received a check for $12 due him when he resigned a postmastership at Mill Village, Pa., in the fall of 1867. Although the government has had the use of this $12 for forty-two years, Range is allowed no interest. At 6 per cent, an average legal rate of interest in the United States, the principal and compound interest would amount to $138.68. In other words Uncle Sam made $126.68 on the $12 that belonged to Range. Range was compelled to pay an attorney in Washington one-third of the amount received after waiting more then forty-two years for collecting it. When the check was received Range sent $4 to the astute attorney in the national capital for his services. "I served three years in the war," said Range, "and when I returned home my friends at Mill Village wanted to do something for me, so they had me appointed postmaster. I resigned in less then a year and went west" "About five years ago I received a letter from an attorney in Washington, advising me that I had a good and just claim against the government for $12 and that he would collect it for one-third of the amount as his commission. I did not know the government owed me anything, but told him if I had anything coming to me he might go after it. I think the claim was for an overpayment of postage stamps. I got the check signed by Secretary MacVeagh, and had to send the attorney $4 for collecting the claim." Source: Warren Evening Mirror/Warren, PA Wed. Sept. 14, 1910
J. W. Range joined the Washington Pioneer Association on 3 June 1916, giving his address as 2936 1st Ave, Seattle. His occupation was listed as "hotel". He wrote that he was born in Rockdale Twp, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, on 11 July 1844. He came to San Francisco on 5 April 1875, from Montour, Iowa. He continued on to Washington Territory, arriving on 12 April 1875. There is an added note that he died in Seattle on 14 July 1924 at the age of 80 years. Source: WA Gen. Society from Records WA Pioneer Association
J. W. Range and his wife were in the city visiting Mr. and Mrs. George Range and Lytle Range. During the past four years Mr. and Mrs. Range have been residing in Philadelphia, but consider Seattle their home. Thirty years ago Mr. Range settled on the farm knows as the Taylor place just outside the city. Columbia Chronicles No. 11 March 25, 1905 (Dayton, Columbia Co. WA)
I. J. Scribner and state senator J. W. Range have located a mining claim near Fish Lake, to be known as the Online." The same claim was first discovered by Mr. Range ten years ago. Cheney Free Press May 28, 1897 Page 3 (Cheney, Spokane Co. WA)
Fighting for the preservation of the Union, building a home on the western frontier in the early 70’s, making laws for the new state of Washington, searching for gold in the Klondike – these are some of the accomplishments of Joseph Wilson Range, now a retired real estate and mining man. He was the first Justice of Peace in Cheney, Spokane, WA and served two terms, in that time he married 21 couples. He was said to have had the reputation of doing the fastest marriage ceremony with the least embarrassment of any around. Part of a newspaper article printed by the Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA on Nov. 26, 1922
Free Masons: Columbia Lodge No. 26, A.F. & A.M. A dispensation was granted in the formation of a lodge of Masons January 16, 1877. A charter was granted Sept. 27th, Columbia Lodge No. 26, A.F. & A.M. One of the charter members and first officers was J. W. Range Notes: Columbia County, WA.
1850 Census: Randolph Twp, Crawford Co, PA 1860 Census: Bloomfield Twp, Crawford Co, PA 1870 Census: Indian Village Twp, Tama Co, Iowa 1900 Census: Seattle, Kings Co, WA 1910 Census: Seattle, Kings Co, WA 1920 Census: Seattle, Kings Co, WA
Obituary: J. W. Range's Rites Today Joseph W. Range, former state senator and pioneer, who helped build the first transcontinental railroad into the Northwest. Fought the fire that wiped out Seattle in 1889, and later introduced to the legislature the bill providing for the Lake Washington Canal, will be laid to rest in the G. A. R. veterans plot in Lakeview Cemetery this afternoon. Coming to this state from Pennsylvania in 1875, he took a homestead in Dayton, where he remained four years. The Northern Pacific was then extending westward. Range went to Spokane Falls, then a settlement of a few shacks, and built a sawmill, the first in that vicinity, where he sawed all the timbers that went into the construction of the railroad between Sandpoint, Idaho and Spokane. He came to Seattle, the third day of the big fire, and while the timbers were still smoking, opened a real estate office. In 1895 he was sent to the state senate from the twenty-eighth district. In spite of the opposition of the "cow counties" and Tacoma, he was successful in pushing through the Lake Washington Canal bill. At the age of eighty years, in his home at 1143 Sixteenth Avenue North, early Monday morning he passed away while he slept from heart failure. He leaves a widow, Mrs. Hattie A. Range and two sons, Paul D. and Ernest L. Range of this city; two brothers, Lytle and George Range; Dayton, Wash. and three sisters, Mrs. Pearl Bradbury, Rathdrum, Idaho; Mrs. Emma Persons, Union City, Pa. and Mrs. Allen Kelly of Berkley Cal. Services will be held at 3 o'clock this afternoon in Collins Funeral Parlors under the joint auspices of St. John's Lodge, A. F and A.M. Stevens Post G. A. R., and the Washington State Pioneer Association of which he was a member.
Obituary: Under joint auspices of the G. A. R. St. John's Lodge No. 9, F. & .A. M. and the Washington State Pioneers Association, funeral services for Joseph W. Range, former state senator, and a resident of Seattle for thirty-five years, are being held this afternoon at 3 o'clock at the Collins funeral parlors, with burial to follow in the G. A. R. plot at Lakeview Cemetery. Mr. Range, who died Monday at his residence, 1142 16th Ave. W., was born in Crawford County, Pa., eighty years ago. He served in the Civil War with the 10th Ohio Volunteer Calvary and was in fifty-eight engagements. During the battle of Chicamauga four different mounts were shot from under him while he was carrying dispatches, and each time he escaped injury. Coming west he settled first at Dayton in 1875, and in 1879 moved to Spokane Falls the present site of Spokane, where he established a sawmill. He furnished piling and construction timbers for the Northern Pacific Railroad when it was built from Sand Point, Idaho to Spokane.Mr. Range came to Seattle in June 1889, arriving the day of the conflagration. He established a real estate office, the firm being known as Wendell & Range, and in 1895 was elected to the state senate from the 28th district. In the Senate he introduced and fought through the bill that later made possible the construction of the Lake Washington Canal. In 1897, when he was 52 years old, he spent the winter in the Klondike and was engaged mining projects until his retirement in 1913. Mr. Range was a mason for fifty-eight years, being affiliated with St. John's Lodge in Seattle many years. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Hattie A. Range; two sons, Paul Dayton and Ernest L. of Seattle and Alaska, respectively; two brothers, George and Lytle of Dayton, and three sisters, Mrs. Pearl Bradbury, Rathdrum, Idaho; Mrs. Emma Persons, Union City, Pa. and Mrs. Allen Kelly, Berkeley, Cal.
	G A R Cemetery Transcription: J. W. Range - Grave 430 age 73 Harriet Range - Grave 430 age 80
Home