Person:Mary Upson (5)

Another Pioneer Gone
Mrs. M. A. Upson, an old settler of this county, passed away at her home in this city shortly after midnight last Thursday, September 29th, being about 71 years of age at the time of her death. Her loss will be mourned not only by her family and many friends in this city, but by many friends throughout the county, as she was so well known and so highly respected.
Mrs. Upson came to Blaine in the early 70's when this county was a wilderness, and passed bravely through the hardships that follow the path of the early settler in such a new country. She was born in Cleveland, O., in 1840. She married Merril [Merritt] Upson in Lomira, Wisconsin, in 1861, removing to Petaluma, California, not long afterward. They came to Washington territory in 1871, living for awhile at Semiahmoo, but finally taking up the homestead on California creek, where they lived many years. In those days she proved herself a heroine in many ways, going to the sick for miles around in the capacity of both nurse and doctor as there was then no physician nearer than Whatcom, a distance of 25 miles, and the only mode of travel being by trails through the forests or by water in small boats. She might well be called a Good Samaritan as she not only helped bodily ailments but gave her heartfelt sympathy to those in trouble, until failing health a few years ago compelled her to give up this work. She was a great church worker, taking a prominent part in starting the first Congregational society in this part of the state and of which she was a member, also assisting in may ways in building the first church of that denomination, an old log structure which still stands on California creek.
She leaves a family of five children, Mrs. William Stewart of Tacoma, Mrs. J. M. Smith of Seattle, Charles Upson, who is now in Alaska, and Bert and Russell of this city.
She was buried from the Congregational church on Sunday last at 2:30 o'clock. The funeral services were largely attended notwithstanding the inclement weather, many old settlers coming from all parts of the county and state to attend. The remains were laid to rest beside those of her husband in the Blaine cemetery, and we all feel that we have lost a good friend and neighbor.