FACES OF THE CENTURY--PEOPLE WHO MADE NEWS IN THE 1900S--JOHN MEDCALF: OREGON TRAIL PIONEER
	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.
	In the May 26, 1899 Vidette, a long obituary honored one of the first pioneers to the Montesano area. His house, with an historic plaque, still stands on N. Adams St., once the far outskirts of town, now bypassed every day by school children on their way to Beacon School.

John T. Medcalf Dead
	Hon. John T. Medcalf, a resident of the state of Washington for nearly half a century, and of this county for forty-four years, died at his home in this city, at 6 o'clock Tuesday morning, May 23, 1899, aged 55 years, 11 months and 22 days.
	Up to the past winter Mr. Medcalf was one of the strongest, most robust, active men one could find in Chehalis county. Always living an active, outdoor life, of temperate habits, he had never known a day of sickness, and a few months ago, was any alarm felt, when physicians were consulted. He grew rapidly worse, and it was found that his disease was cancer of the stomach, and it was soon brought to the realization of his friends that his death was but a matter of a few weeks. He grew gradually weaker each day until he quietly passed away last Tuesday morning.
	The announcement of his death caused a feeling of profound sorrow throughout the community that had been his home for more than forty years. The city's flag was hung at half-mast, where it remained until after the interment.
	The funeral services were held at the Methodist Episcopal church Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock.
	The auditorium of the church and adjoining class rooms were crowded to their utmost seating capacity, and many were unable to gain admittance, when the funeral cortege reached the church. The casket was brought in by the following pall-bearers, old friends of Mr. Medcalf: E.L. Wade, W.C. Pascoe, D.W. Fleet, Samuel Crumley, Charles W. Arland and George W. Ninemire. The church was decorated with a profusion of flowering plants and the beautiful casket was covered with choice flowers which loving hands had arranged as a last tribute.
	All sections of the county were represented at the services - the old pioneers especially being out in large numbers.
	The sermon, by Rev. Edw. H. Todd, pastor of the church, was from the text, "Neither count I XX:24. The thoughts enlarged upon were that looking at life from a selfish standpoint it is very large; looking at it with a broader view, with its relation to eternity it is as nothing. The life of the deceased was portrayed, showing its unselfishness, and devotion to others, and to the town and county which were his home.
	At the conclusion of the sermon almost the entire congregation, and many who had been unable to gain admission before looked upon the features of their dead friend for the last time.
	The procession of carriages which followed the remains to the cemetery was larger than at any funeral held in Montesano before.
	At the cemetery the ritual services of the church were conducted, and the body laid to rest in the family plot.
	During the hours of the funeral services all business houses in the city were closed, everyone testifying his respect and esteem for the dead pioneer.
	John T. Medcalf was born near the city of Montreal, Canada, May 31, 1843. He was a son of William and Martha Medcalf, who were of that sturdy, upright, Scotch-Irish stock that has had so much to do with the development of the Western Hemisphere. His parents, after coming to this county, resided here until their deaths. Wm. Medcalf lived to the ripe old age of 80 years, dying in the fall of 1893, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. C.N. Byles, in this city.
	During early childhood, Mr. Medcalf came to the United States with his parents, locating in Chicago, and later moving to Iowa.
	In 1852 Wm. Medcalf and his family joined the throng of heroic pioneers who undertook the hardships, dangers, and privation of the trip across the plains, to make homes for themselves and their children in the land of the setting sun.
	In September, 1852, they arrived at The Dalles, Oregon. Loading their goods and supplies into bateaus, they floated down the Columbia to the mouth of the Cowlitz River. Disembarking at the point, they transferred to Indian canoes and ascended the river to Cowlitz landing; from that point they traveled overland to a place within one and one-half miles of the site of the present city of Chehalis, in Lewis County, where they arrived on October 22, 1852. There Wm. Medcalf erected his family altar, and proceeded to the task of making a home in the wilderness.
	In 1855, Mr. Medcalf decided to move to Grays Harbor, and a start was made, but they were detained at Grand Mound, Thurston County, where they lived in the fort erected by the settlers, on account of the Indian war.
	In 1856, the war having ended, the journey was resumed to Chehalis County (now called Grays Harbor), and a settlement was made opposite the present site of Aberdeen, where Mr. Medcalf, Sr., engaged in stock raising on what is now known as the Book ranch. This property was afterward sold and the family moved to their present home at Montesano.
	Coming to this section when there were no roads and no means of communication over the roughest of trails and by the rivers, up which it was oftentimes impossible to force their canoes; with an almost unbroken forest around them, only those with the strongest purpose and force of character could hope to succeed in making a home and gathering around them the necessaries of life. The fact that the Medcalfs succeeded in doing this was in a large measure, the result of the determination to succeed which was one of the strong characteristics of the family, and particularly of the subject of this sketch. Whatever he undertook was carried through to success, no matter what the obstacles in the way might be, and Chehalis County owes much to his perseverance and indomitable will. He was a splendid specimen of the men who have with a courage and faith which commands the highest praise, made possible the present state of Washington.
	Mr. Medcalf has been one of the foremost businessmen of this section. Associated with his brother Edward in all his enterprises, the Medcalf Brothers have been a powerful factor in the development of Chehalis County.
	John Medcalf married Henrietta Sole, a native of the State of Maine on May 27, 1860. Her parents, Solomon and Lydia Sole, emigrated to Washington at an earlier time and were among the first settlers of Pacific County, where they passed the remainder of their lives. Mrs. Henrietta Medcalf died on January 17, 1875, leaving behind two children, Solomon and Henrietta.
	After his wife's death, John Medcalf and his brother came back to the old homestead in Montesano, which they purchased from their father, and farmed 320 acres.
	John Medcalf married a second wife, Susan E. Reed, on January 17, 1878. She was a native of Missouri, but emigrated to Washington in an early day with her parents, T.N. and Mary A. Reed. The couple had four children, Jacob, Leroy, Ida Belle, and Ona.
	Besides their large ranch near Montesano, devoted principally to raising hay and cattle, they owned farm and timber lands in other sections of the county, They also owned considerable rented property, in business and dwelling houses. Mr. Medcalf was a stockholder and one of the directors of the Bank of Montesano from the time of its establishment in 1890 until it closed in 1897.
	In politics John Medcalf was a Republican and his advice and opinions always carried weight and conviction to his associates. He represented this county in the first state legislature, as one of the members of the House in 1889-90. He would not accept a re-nomination, as he did not have the time to spare from his business to devote to the uncertainties of a political life.
	In private life, as in public, his opinion was asked and his advice solicited by nearly all the old pioneers - those who knew him best - and was relied upon as the best which could be had.
	There are few men in Chehalis County whose death will be more regretted, or whose loss will be more keenly felt.
	At the time of his death on May 23, 1878, John Medcalf left his wife, Susan, and six children, all of whom reside at home. Other near relatives are a brother, J.E. Medcalf, and three sisters, Mrs. C.N. Byles, Mrs. James Arland, and Mrs. Andrew Smith, all of Montesano, or vicinity.--The Vidette, May 24, 2001