Albert M. Pinckney, of Blaine, who received the "oldest settlers' cup" at the Old Settlers' picnic at Ferndale today (August 12, 1922), was born at Ann Arbor, Mich., December 1, 1849.
In the fall of 1856 he left Michigan with ox team and wagon and reached Sioux City, Ia., in the spring of 1857. Living in that vicinity until September, 1871, when, with Mr. and Mrs. S. P. Hughes, now both deceased, and two small boys, of which Samson P. Hughes was the older, having been born in Plymouth county, Iowa, December 6, 1869, they all boarded the steamer Minor at Sioux City and went to Omaha, Neb. From there they proceeded by rail on the Union and Central Pacific to San Francisco, where they waited two weeks for a boat to take them to Victoria, B. C. Prince Alfred was the name of the steamer and it took six days and eight hours to make the trip. From there to New Westminster, where they hired two Indians to take them by canoe, camping the first night in Whatcom county at Point Roberts the 10th of October, and arriving here at the present site of Blaine October 11, 1871. They visited the home of Mr. Dexter out near California and Dakota creeks coming then to visit E. A. Boblett's family in a house near where the present home is situated on Cherry street. There were just four families here then, - the Cains, B. N. Kingsley, E. A. Boblett and Dexters. A few families were located at Semiahmoo.
Albert Pinckney and nephew Sam Hughes, have lived on F street, just off Washington avenue, for a number of years. Sam Hughes is a carpenter by trade and has made some wonderful furniture - hope chests and anything needed by the people of the community. Mr. Hughes today was awarded the cup given to the oldest settler brought here in infancy.
