FACES OF THE CENTURY--PEOPLE WHO MADE NEWS IN THE 1900S--YOUNG PIONEER: ELIZABETH MEDCALF BYLES
	There have been thousands of news stories that have appeared in The Vidette over the past 100 years. So, as we celebrate the year 2001 we have decided to run an occasional feature on influential people of Montesano and Grays Harbor County who made a name for themselves during the past 100 years.
	This week's feature is on a woman who was associated with the most revered pioneer families in Grays Harbor history, Elizabeth (Medcalf) Byles.
	Elizabeth Jane (Medcalf) Bytes was born on Jan. 22, 1845 to William and Martha (Binns) Medcalf, 15 miles cast of Toronto, Canada. When she was 8 months old the family moved to Iron Hill, Jackson County, Iowa. In the fall of 1851 they moved to Missouri and remained there till April, 1852. On April 1, 1852, her family started northwest across the plains to Puget Sound, the a part of the Oregon Territory.
	On Sept. 19, 1852, the Medcalf family arrived in an area that would one day be called the town of Chehalis. Her family took a claim there and lived in the Chehalis area until October, 1855.
	When the Indian wars of 1855-56 broke out, her family took shelter in the stockade fort at Grand Mound. The fort was built on top of what was called "the mound." The location of "the mound" was near the Grand cemetery. The fort was built of logs with a big gate fastened with a chain which locked on the inside. Rough boards were made and placed along the side walls in a slanting position, beneath which the beds were made on the ground. A fire was made in the center of the fort to keep everyone warm.
	Several families had hastened to the fort for protection and while they were all in constant fear of the Indians, they were not harmed.
	While at the fort, she met her future husband, Charles Byles. He was the son of Rev. Charles Byles. Young Charles had come to the area with his family from Independence, Kan. They started their trek to the Pacific in 1853 on the first train that took passengers directly to Washington. Once they arrived in Washington, the Byles family traveled over Naches pass in the famous immigration of 1853. The Byles family located their home on a farm near the mound fort. The Medcalf party did not come through the pass. They came down the Columbia River to the Cowlitz. They made a scow for their wagons and drove the cattle along the banks of the river.
	The families remained at the fort until the summer of 1856, when the Medcalfs moved to Block House Smith's Prairie. The block house there was not used as a fort, but as a family dwelling. They stayed there while the lumber for their house, which was located near Montesano, was sawed at Cedar Creek. The lumber was floated down the creek to the river, and then on down to the Wynooche River. From there it was hauled to their farm which was located just east of Montesano.
	When her family moved to Montesano in 1856, her people went down the Chehalis River in canoes with Indian guides. In December, 1856, the Medcalfs stopped at a place called Scammons' - the present site of South Montesano.
	In 1859 Miss Medcalf attended her first school at Westport. The entire family moved to Westport for three months so the children could attend school, which was held there because it had the largest population. This was the first school in the county taught by Samuel C. Jones. When school was out, everyone returned home.
	In the spring of 1861, the family moved to Cosmopolis so that the children could once again have the privilege of three months of school. This school was taught by James A. Karr, a pioneer of Hoquiam.
	The next year school was held at South Montesano. This was within walking distance from the Medcalf ranch.
	According to Mrs. Byles' recollection, no church was established in Montesano until 1867 or 1868. The nearest doctor was in Olympia. The nearest trading station was in Olympia, and took nearly a week to go back and forth.
	Now 17, Elizabeth eventually went back to Grand Mound to attend school. There she renewed her friendship with Charles N. Byles.
	On June 23, 1870 the couple was married. The couple bought a farm where the present city of Montesano is located. In 1882 the city of Montesano was laid out.
	C.N. Byles and his new bride began their life together in a little two-room log house about a block from where the court house now stands. The couple would go on to have six children.
	Mr. Byles was a farmer and surveyor. Later be became a banker. He was county auditor and later county treasurer. He built a beautiful home for his family, which is the current home of the Whiteside Funeral Home in Montesano,
	Mr. Byles was only 52 years old when he died of asthma and heart problems on Jan. 26, 1897. He was remembered as a man of deep integrity and impeccable honor.
	In 1911, Mrs. Byles moved to Oakville to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Rosmond. She lived with them until she died on May 1, 1922. She was 77 years old.--The Vidette, February 24, 2000