Leavenworth Welcomes Leavenworth Family Reunion Captain Charles Frederick Leavenworth

The ancestors of Captain Charles Frederick Leavenworth who platted our town of Leavenworth had a wonderful reunion with about 45 family members attending from across the U.S. including Washington, Oregon, Florida, Michigan, and Texas. Gathering for 3 days at the Enzian Inn was a time of catching up with family, sharing stories, displaying family heirlooms like oil paintings of famous family members such as General Henry Leavenworth (founder of Ft. Leavenworth, KS), brass buttons, and silver spoons made by other historic family members, the family coat of arms, the Leavenworth family star and quilt, newspaper clippings of significant events pertaining to the family. Many of the family members enjoyed what the Bavarian Village of Leavenworth has to offer including a Leavenworth Proclamation Day presented to the family from Leavenworth Mayor Florea on July 31. Other events such as touring area wineries, a picnic in Lions Club Park, rafting the river, a private tour of the Greater Leavenworth Museum, Leavenworth Summer Theater’s Sound of Music, and simply shopping the downtown area were all of interest to the families, and led to shared experiences to fondly remember for the future gatherings.

Charles Frederick Leavenworth was born in Rochester, New York, on October 2, 1845. His first occupation was a freight clerk in the New York Central railroad office. At the age of fifteen years, he ran away to enlist in the army in the New York infantry, but he returned home soon after and completed his education at Rochester High School. He had many adventures from New York to Nebraska to Washington State. He was a business entrepreneur starting businesses in California and Washington. He went into the milling business and built the first steam flour mill in Modesto. In 1883 he came to Washington, settling at Tacoma. In 1884 he went to Port Hadlock, where he built a large sawmill, but afterwards sold that out, and returning to Tacoma, with Messrs. W.D. Taylor and H.B. Thomas bought out the Watson sawmill.  That was sold in 1885, and Mr. Leavenworth then went to Gray’s Harbor, where he built the Cosmopolis mill, the largest sawmill on Gray’s Harbor. That he sold out in 1888, and he then settled in Olympia. In 1888 he built the Olympia and Gray’s Harbor Electric Company’s telephone line in the same year he bought out the McKennry drug store in Olympia city and became president of the newly organized Pacific Drug Company and bought out the Wisdom drug store in Portland and formed the Wisdom Drug Company in that city, as president.

Leavenworth, WA was founded as a division point for the Great Northern Railway Line’s Cascade division in 1892. Capt. Leavenworth formed the Okanogan (the name of the county at that time) Investment Company and surveyed the townsite, which they platted [ and took his name]. He never lived in Leavenworth nor did any of his descendants.

He married Katherine "Kate" Medora Mead of Warren, PA in Sonoma, CA., on March 29, 1873, at the home of Dr. Chauncey Leavenworth.  He then went to the San Joaquin valley and settled at Modesto, where he built and operated the gas and water works, staying there for seven years.  She died in California 1897, bearing no children. She was born about 1841 to John Mead and Evaline Gilson (King) Mead.

He married a second time to Carrie Bell Russell in Portland, OR, April 13, 1902, who bore him a daughter, Catherine and a son, Joe.  Carrie died December 2, 1915, in California and was buried beside Charles in Jacksonville, OR.  Carrie was born in 1874 in Washington state (possibly Walla Walla) to Joseph H. Russell and Mildred (Holland) Russell.

Daughter Catherine was born December 26, 1902, and died March 7, 1989, in Douglas County, OR (probably Roseburg).  She married Robert Leon Matthews June 6, 1943, in The Dalles, Wasco, OR.  They had one son Henry Alan Matthews born on April 14,1944 and died same day. They had a daughter Elizabeth Anne Matthews born April 28, 1931, in Roseburg, OR and died September 27, 1991, in Roseburg, OR; she married (unknown first name) Massey as attested to her last name at time of her burial.  “I have not been able to find any information about said husband or if there were any children says John Leavenworth. She and her family are buried in Roseburg Memorial Garden, Roseburg, OR. Son Joseph "Joe" G. (probably Gideon) Leavenworth was born 1904 in Oregon (probably Roseburg) and died September 2, 1924, in Pasig, Philippines while serving in the U.S. Army.  He is buried in the National Cemetery in San Francisco, CA.