Two George Washingtons

Most folks know George Washington was the First President of the United States. What you might not know, however, is two George Washingtons, both African-Americans, helped shape the history of Washington State.

George Washington was the founder of Centralia, Washington, originally called Centerville, one of the first towns in Washington State. Another man was influential in Washington history at Bush Prairie: George Washington Bush.

First, let's learn about our Centerville/Centralia George Washington.

George Washington

George Washington moved to and settled in the west in 1850 to escape the lack of black freedom afforded him in the east. First he lived in Oregon City but circumstances eventually brought him to Centralia. He had a one-room cabin and a twelve-acre farm. He even established a pole ferry on the Skookumchuck River.

Because of discriminatory laws he couldn't file his own land claim, so he staked a claim through his father (who was white - he was adopted by the Cochran family) for 640 acres which included his farm in 1852. He was finally allowed to use the land under his own name in 1857. He platted and filed his property for the town, Centerville (now Centralia), in 1875. He divided his property into $10 lots and offered them for sale if folks would live on the land. Unlike today's investors, he wouldn't sell to speculators! He also donated land for a church, a park and a cemetery and would not allow saloons in the town.

He married Mary Jane Cooness, a widow with one son in 1869. Unfortunately she died in 1889 and he remarried the following year. At the age of 73 he had a son. He separated from the second wife but his son stayed with him.

He fed and cared for sick folks when needed and especially during the Panic of 1893. He forgave past due rents to help folks out. Thus he became well known and respected in his new hometown.

He died following a buggy accident in 1905 but is remembered as the grandfather of Centralia history.

The story of the other person in our state history that had the first and middle name of George Washington, George Washington Bush of Bush Prairie, follows.

George Washington Bush

An Oregon Trail emigrant in 1844, George Washington Bush had been around. A veteran of the War of 1812, a former employee of the Hudson's Bay Company and a wealthy farmer and rancher in Missouri, he came west in a wagon train to also escape the racism in his community. He joined with Michael Simmons on his journey west.

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