Person:Lorenzo Pangborn (1)

    Those who came to northwestern Whatcom county in the early days of its settlement and bore the hardships and privations necessarily incident to pioneer life well deserved the prosperity which came to them later as the fruition of their labors, and they well merited the privilege of retirement from active affairs to enjoy in leisure the golden Indian summer of their lives. Among this heroic band of first settlers is numbered L. D. Pangborn, now of Lynden, a man whose career in this county has gained for him esteem and respect. Mr. Pangborn was born at Onarga, Iroquois county, Illinois, on the 5th of March, 1845, and is a son of R. B. and Margaret (Harper) Pangborn, the latter of whom was born in Buchanan, Pennsylvania, and died in Illinois. R. B. Pangborn was born in Essex county, New York, where he was reared. He moved to Columbus, Ohio, but eventually located in Iroquois county, Illinois, where he lived until coming to Lynden, Whatcom county, where his death occurred at the age of ninety-three years. He had followed farming during his active years and enjoyed in a large measure the respect of all who knew him.
    L. D. Pangborn attended the public schools of his native county and completed his studies in Grand Prairie Seminary, in Illinois. He was reared to the life of a farmer, but after remaining a short time on the home farm he engaged in teaching school, in which vocation he was employed for a number of years, doing some farming during vacation periods. In 1883 he came to Washington and for two years taught in Spokane College, at Spokane Falls. In 1885 he came to Lynden and engaged in the real estate business under the name of the Pioneer Real Estate Company, being the first to engage exclusively in that business here. Later he took a partner into the business. Some time after coming here Mr. Pangborn established the Pioneer Press, which was the first newspaper in this section of the county, and he ran the paper for several years, when he sold it. He then went into the country, about six miles northeast of Lynden, where his sister, Olive Pangborn, had preempted one hundred and sixty acres of land in 1883, she and her brother, the subject, having been induced to come to this locality through the representations of a brother-in-law, Professor J. J. Swim, who was teaching in Seattle. It was a tract of virgin land, wild and uncut, and with only a trail leading to it. Mr. Pangborn devoted himself closely to the improvement of the property, clearing about twenty-five acres. About 1920 their property was destroyed by fire and they then returned to Lynden, where they are now living. Our subject had bought forty-five acres of the old home place, which he later sold, and his sister has also sold her part of the estate. Besides the loss by fire, Mr. Pangborn's poor health was an important reason for his leaving the farm. He had been successfully carrying on general farming operations, oats and potatoes being his chief soil crops, and also gave some attention to dairying, keeping ten good grade cows. His early years on the farm were marked by hard toil, amid most uncomfortable conditions. At first it was necessary to pack in all provisions to his place, there being no roads, and considerable ditching had to be done in order to drain the soil. Wild animals, such as bears, deer and cougars, were frequently seen, and in many ways their early life here was marked by discomfort and privations.
    Mr. Pangborn was always deeply interested in the progress and improvement of the community with which his interests were identified and contributed in every possible way to its betterment. To him is given the credit for writing the first descriptive pamphlet of upper Whatcom county, which was published about 1887, and which was a very comprehensive and well written statement of essential facts, bearing on the soil, productiveness, timber, climate, crops, costs and other subjects that would interest prospective settlers. He organized the first Sunday school (Methodist) in Lynden and was its first superintendent. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, serving for many years as a member of the official board of the church at Lynden, and was also a member of the Community Service Club. He is a veteran of the Civil war, having been a member of Company G, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served about six months during 1864-65. Those who know Mr. Pangborn well are unstinted in their praise of his superior ability, upright character and genial and affable disposition, qualities which have won for him the confidence and good will of all who have come in contact with him.
(History of Whatcom County, Washington, by Lottie Roeder Roth)

1. ↑ Washington State Death Record.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 The Lynden Tribune
   22 Sep 1927.
   LYNDEN MOURNS ITS FIRST EDITOR
   Funeral services were held at the Methodist church Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p. m. for the late Lorenzo Dow Pangborn, pioneer of Lynden. Rev. T. L. Blaisdell officiated. Mr. Pangborn passed away at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Tremain in Seattle Wednesday, Sept. 14, after a few weeks' illness, at the age of 82 years, 5 months and 9 days. He was born at Onarga, Iroquis County, Illinois, March 5, 1845. He enlisted in Company G, 134 Illinois Volunteer Infantry of the Civil War on April 27, 1864.
   He came to Eastern Washington in 1884, remaining there two years, when he joined his relatives in Lynden. Mr. Pangborn edited and published the first newspaper in Lynden, the Pioneer Press, later joining his sister, Miss Olive Pangborn on her homestead two miles west of Clearbrook, near Pangborn Lake, named for them, where he lived until July 1919, when this pioneer home, built of logs, which had given hospitality so freely to friend and stranger, was destroyed by fire. They again made their home in Lynden. Mr. Pangborn joined the Methodist church in early manhood, remaining a faithful member until his death. He organized the first Methodist Sunday School in Lynden, and was its first superintendent. The surviving relatives are one brother, C. A. Pangborn of Bellingham; one sister, Miss Louise Pangborn of Chicago; two nephews, Hal. R. Pangborn, San Francisco, and Arthur L. Swim, Twin Falls, Idaho; three nieces, Olive M. Baxter, San Jose, Calif., Margaret L. Tew, Lynden, Margaret E. Tyler, Clearbrook; three grand nieces, ten grand nephews, and a host of friends.