In Days Gone By: Early Edmonds settlers – the Astell Family

When you read about Edmonds’ early history, you become familiar with the names Brackett, Fourtner, Engle, Beeson, Schumacher and Yost amongst others. They represent some of the early settlers who experienced great success, becoming land and business owners. However before they arrived, most had previous experience as business owners or were skilled tradesmen. Only a couple started out in the logging camps, working as loggers, and then rose to levels of financial and societal success.

There were a number of hard-working young men who avoided the saloons and other vices  of the day and were instrumental in the success and growth of Edmonds in the early days. Many worked for the town’s leaders, and in some cases married into their families. Today, most of these young men have been largely forgotten, but this is the story of one of them and their family.

The First Generation: George Martin Astell and Carrie Jane (Yost) Astell

George Martin Astell, age 30, arrived in Edmonds in spring 1900 after riding the rails from North Dakota.  His parents, James and Emma Astell, had migrated from England to Canada in 1860 and then moved to North Dakota in 1882 to homestead.  George was the youngest of six children, and the only son.   Upon his father’s death in 1887, and his mother’s return to Toronto to live with her oldest daughter, George headed west.

Upon his arrival, George initially found work in the logging camps of the A.M. Yost Company.

By historical accounts, George was highly thought of, due to his work ethic and his high moral standards. He was also an excellent horseman, and soon owned a team of horses that he used to drag logs for the Yost Company. Apparently based upon his reputation, George was introduced to and started dating Carrie Jane Yost, the oldest daughter his boss, A.M. Yost, circa 1901.

Different than George’s family, the Yost family had long been established in America. At least five generations had lived in Pennsylvania before A.M. Yost arrived in Edmonds as a skilled carpenter in 1890. By the time George arrived 10 years later, A.M. Yost and his family had become one of the most influential families in Edmonds. Over the years,A.M. Yost and his children would become major landowners and play a significant role in the development of industries and utilities in Edmonds.

The courtship between George and Carrie culminated in their marriage on Jan. 12, 1903. George was 32 and Carrie was 19. They were married in a double ceremony with Cora and Bertrand Ernst, in Seattle.

After their marriage, George and Carrie moved to Mosher, Washington, where George continued to log, hiring himself and his team of horses out to various logging companies. Carrie also worked as a cook for a group of surveyors who were mapping out the area. According to Astell family oral histories, George would often hitch up his team of horses and take friends and family down to Woodland Park or Green Lake for picnics on Sundays.

Author’s note: Mosher at the time was a railroad stop, and also had a dock for steamboats that were traveling up and down the Puget Sound as a part of the mosquito fleet. Mosher’s name was later changed to Meadowdale.

While George and Carrie were living in Mosher, their first child, Lillie May, was born on Nov. 5, 1903.  In early 1904, the Astells moved back to Edmonds, purchasing a home on 6th and Walnut. George immediately went to work with his in-laws at the Edmonds Spring Water Company.

The company had been formed in October 1902 by A.M. Yost and Sons when they received permission to develop a municipal water system. Since the late 1890s, Edmonds had tried to have an adequate water system built by working with companies to drill wells on the city’s perimeter or access springs on the city’s east side. The Perkins Water System, backed by a Seattle banker, had been the most successful.  They had laid water lines but were unsuccessful in creating enough water pressure to support the town adequately.

Given permission by the Edmonds City Council to proceed, A.M. Yost and his wife Amanda deeded to the city a tract of land that contained access to the fast-flowing Shell Creek. The Edmonds Spring Water Company then built small impoundment dams called weirs on the creek to collect the water. The company also had a large pipe built that would extend out of the weirs so that the water would flow down to the city where it potentially could be connected to the water lines that had already been laid. Later, A.M. Yost and Sons purchased the Perkins Water System and another water system owned by the L.C. Engel Company so that all of the pipes could be connected.

Author’s Note: This tract of land is now a part of Yost Park and the original weirs are still visible approximately 50 yards south of the main entrance into the park, off Main Street across from Olympic Avenue.

George worked with his brother-in-law Daniel Yost, who was managing the water company, to build and test the entire water system. This included connecting water lines and testing water pressure as well as the cleanliness of the potable water. By the end of 1905, Edmonds had its first municipal water system.

After successfully working for the water company, George moved over to the Yost Lumber Company, where he helped manage the lumber company’s growing business with his brother-in-law John Yost.

In 1905, while George was working for the Yost Lumber Company, Carrie gave birth to their first son, James.

Sadly, six years later in 1911 — while George was still working at Yost Lumber –George and Carrie lost their second son, George M. Astell Jr., at childbirth.  However by 1919, George and Carrie had three more daughters.  Rose Viola (March 1914), Violet Mary (September 1916) and Fern Jane (Feb 1919).

As her three young daughters were growing up, Carrie became deeply involved with the establishment of the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Edmonds.  As a charter member of the church and a strong community leader, she was remembered as always being willing to help a stranger, neighbor or family member.

After being employed at Yost Lumber Company, George went to work for yet another Yost family-owned business, the Yost Auto Company, which was established in 1913 as a garage and Ford dealership. There, George became a valued mechanic, working with his three brother-in-laws: George, Samuel and Jacob Yost. When the Yost Auto Company expanded, providing the first bus routes running from Edmonds to Seattle several times a day, George took on the role of the lead mechanic. By various historical accounts, George was the oldest and most experienced mechanic. By 1918, he was responsible for leading a team of young men who were largely responsible for maintaining the bus line’s reliability and success.

After working for more than 30 years for various Yost family-owned businesses, George Astell passed away on May 3, 1934 at the age of 64. After George’s death, Carrie continued to be dedicated to the raising of her daughters while remaining very active in the community and in her church. Seeing all of her children grown and married, she lived in the family house until her passing on March 22, 1946, at the age of 62.

The second generation: Lillie May, James Allen, Rose Viola, Violet Mary and Fern Jane.

The five Astell children attended Edmonds public schools and graduated from Edmonds High School. The two oldest children, Lillie and James, graduated in 1921 and 1923 respectively.

Lillie and James subsequently both married in 1926.

Lillie married Fern “Slim” Rittenhouse, who worked with Lillie’s father at the Yost Auto Company. Lillie and Slim later owned and operated the Edmonds Motor Company, the successor to the Yost Auto Company. Lillie was also very active in the Women Auxiliary of the American Legion, serving as its president at one point. Slim died in 1955 and Lillie married Reginald Peacey late in 1956. Lillie died in 1993 at the age of 90.

James married Zelda Stogsdill, who resided in the Richmond Beach area.  James worked as a representative of the Standard Oil Company in Edmonds for most of his career. He also served on the Edmonds City Council and was the chief of the Edmonds Volunteer Fire Department in 1959. James is also credited for writing the first building fire codes for Edmonds. Zelda died in 1972, and James followed her six years later, at 73 years of age.

Rose, after graduating high school, followed in her father’s footsteps working at the Yost Auto Company as a bookkeeper. She married her first husband, Lawrence Sellers, in 1937.  Later Rose worked for the Edmonds Tribune-Review newspaper, and retired from its successor, The Enterprise. After retiring, she married Harvey Manning and moved to Issaquah.  Upon his passing, she moved back to Edmonds. Rose died on Feb. 22, 2002 at the age of 87. Like her father, she had worked serving Edmonds for more than 30 years in various capacities.

Violet also worked in Edmonds for over 20 years. She first worked for the Edmonds Independent Telephone Company, established by local business owners who had become frustrated waiting for Sunset Telephone Company to provide service to the area.” The business owners in March 1908 quickly bought a switchboard, installed telephone lines and brought the city up to speed in regards to telephone service.  Violet’s grandfather, A.M. Yost, was named president and manager, but soon turned the company’s management over to his son Dan Yost (Violet’s uncle). Dan Yost remained president for 38 years, until the company was sold in 1946.

Violet additionally worked for the Pointer Willamette Company during World War II when the company built barges for the army, and she remained with the company as it transitioned into manufacturing heavy equipment after the war.  Violet first married Burdette E. Morse of Bremerton in 1938. Violet later married a second time, to Willard Wamsley of Edmonds in 1956. Violet died on September 10, 2013 at the age of 97.

Fern, like her older sisters, worked for over two decades, both for the Yost Auto Company as a bookkeeper and the Edmonds Independent Telephone Company in various capacities. She married Keith Schoppert of Edmonds in 1944. Fern died on June 28, 2010 at the age of 91.

In looking at the first two generations of the Astell family’s combined years of work and service to the Edmonds community, it exceeds 150 years. Edmonds was truly blessed to have had this hard-working family and their in-laws, the Yost family, as early settlers.

Author’s final notes:

George and Carrie had 10 grandchildren, with James losing an infant son at childbirth in 1927. Additionally according to a family note, George and Carrie had 19 great-grandchildren by 1986, with six living in the Edmonds area.

For those who might be interested, the Astells have a family plot in the northeast corner of the Edmonds Memorial Cemetery. George and Carrie are buried together, with their 1911 infant son buried alongside. The graves of James’ infant son (1927), Lillie, Rose, Violet and Fern are nearby.

James and his wife Zelda are interred at Acacia Memorial Park in Seattle.

This article was researched and written by Byron Wilkes. Thanks to the Edmonds Historical Museum and the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society for their research assistance.