Thorpa

Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.

     ALVIN R. THORP is doubtless the oldest settler in Okanogan county. He passed through this country as early as 1869 but did not locate permanently here until some time afterwards. He has one of the best farms in the county, two and one half miles north of Loomis on Toats Coulee creek. His land is supplied with plenty of irrigating water and he is holding the oldest irrigation right on the creek. He can raise any of the products of this latitude and has an abundance of grapes, peaches, apples and general farm produce. Mr. Thorp has cut as high as four crops of alfalfa in one year on one piece of land, and he usually harvests three. He has been very enterprising, experimenting with various productions, and has made a good success in raising peanuts. It is stated, however, that Mr. Thorp first planted roasted ones, but failed to have very good success with that variety.
     Alvin R. Thorp was born in Howard county, Missouri, on December 22, 1832, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Still) Thorp. The father was born in Madison county, Kentucky, and was one of the earliest pioneers to Missouri. He died in Platte county of that state in his eighty-sixth year, ten years since. The mother was a native of Missouri and died in Platte county. Her grandfather, Joseph Still, was killed by the Indians and she was an orphan. He also was a native of Kentucky, and one of the first settlers in Missouri. The early ancestors on both sides were Virginians. Our subject is the oldest of thirteen children, ten of whom are living, scattered in various parts of the United States. He grew up on a farm and received his education from the subscription schools of the time. On May 6, 1852, he left his old home and started across the plains with his uncle, Joseph F. Still, to California. He drove an ox team all the way and finally arrived in Placer county on August 27, where he spent some time in freighting.
     Joseph F. Still, the uncle, was a true pioneer and a man of excellent qualities. He wrought faithfully for the opening and upbuilding of California and remained there until his death, in 1900, being then eighty years of age. Learning of his sickness, our subject hastened to his bedside and fortunately arrived there about three weeks before his death. Mr. Thorp followed mining in the San Jose valley, California, and in 1858 came to the Fraser river, in British Columbia. It was with great credit to himself that he made his way through the then deep wilderness and gave his attention to prospecting and mining. He remained there enduring all the hardships and privations known to the pioneer and miner. In 1869, he came to Rock creek and quit mining and since that time says he has never turned the dirt in search of gold. He operated a pack train there for a couple of years and then took a trip to Omaca, near the Alaska boundary line. This journey was attended with extreme suffering, for they were blocked in the ice and caught in snow storms. As they fell short of provisions it was a struggle between life and death, and a question whether they would ever get out of the wilderness alive. After this he came to Marcus. At that time there were very few people in this whole northwestern part of the Inland Empire. He soon turned his attention to farming and stock raising, and located his present place, where he has labored assiduously since. He packed his supplies from Walla Walla and later from Sprague and went to Fort Colville to get his mail. He has watched the coming of pioneers one after another, until finally the country has become one of the prosperous and well settled sections of the northwest.
     Mr. Thorp married Julia, a native woman, and they have one child, Charles M. Thorp, who married Nellie Runnels. Her father, George Runnels, was one of the earliest pioneers of this country. Mr. Thorp has about seventy-five head of cattle, and some fine horses, and is one of the well to do men of Okanogan county. In all the many years which he has resided here, Mr. Thorp has always shown himself a man possessed of unswerving integrity, and has displayed sagacity and industry in his labors.