• If searched, one can find the Canadian Holyoke families listed as Native Americans. This is in fact not entirely true - they were considered Native Canadian, a term generally used in the mid-1800’s to indicate they were simply born in Canada.

• Records from the Fredericton Saving & Bank does place Richard in Canada around 1850

• From 1865 to 1867, his occupation is listed as a farmer in Kingsclear, York, New Brunswick, Canada.

• Prior to coming to Seattle, Richard spent his boyhood and youth in New Brunswick, Canada. He then spent a short time in Wisconsin and California.

• He arrived in Washington State abt 1869, work as a lumberman around Puget Sound, living in Seabeck, Kitsap, WA.

• In 1870, Richard HOLYOKE, D.B. Jackson and A. Phinney applied for a Land Patent and was granted 240 acres in Mason County, WA.

• Samish Lumber Company in 1881 - Partners in this venture were: Richard Holyoke, Melbourne Watkinson, John McPherson (for awhile), William McRae, William McCreavy, David O'Keefe, John Brown, William Tracy, and Martin Thorpee.

• Richard Holyoke, who had been a mill man at Seabeck, purchased logging gear for the Samish operation on Hood Canal. This outfit was towed on a scow to Samish Island, then towed by another scow, oxen and all, to Edison where it was transferred to a sled and hauled by ox teams to the new camp on Samish. E.E. took part in the move from the Canal.

• Samish Lumber Company acquired fourteen hundred acres of land, on which they logged until 1887, filling orders for the Tacoma Mill Company.

• In Sep 1877 a new tugboat built at Seabeck, by Adams, Taylor & Co. was launched and christened in honor of Richard HOLYOKE, the company's superintendent. Originally a schooner, it was sent to San Francisco to be retrofitted with a pair of compound engines. She returned to the Puget Sound where she commenced towing operations. Based out of Port Angeles, WA, she towed ships through the Straits of Juan de Fuga.

• In 1880, Richard applied for a Land Patent and was granted 160 acres in Skagit County, WA.

• He is recorded as living in Seabeck, Kitsap, WA in 1880. In 1870 there’s also listed a John HOLYOKE also residing in Seabeck, however I don’t know his relationship to Richard.

• HOLYOKE along with others staked claims and formed the Samish Lumber Company in 1881. Samish Lumber Company, consisted of Richard Holyoke, John McPherson, Melburn [also spelled Melbourne] Watkinson, William Tracy and Martin Thorpee.

• His venture was a success and he began purchasing large amounts of Seattle property to show his faith in the area's future. Holyoke became a prominent community figure and a major booster for local lumber. He established and became the first president of the Bank of Commerce, would become one of the region's biggest banks in the 20th century (later became the National Commerce Bank, then Rainier Bank, followed by Security Pacific Corp. in 1987, which in turn was acquired by Bank of America in 1992.

• in February 1889 members of the board of directors for the “Bank of Commerce" were E. H. Alvord, M. D. Ballard, Richard Holyoke, W. H. Llewellyn, J. H. Elder and T. W. Prosch all from Seattle.

• Richard was a co-founder of the “Bank of Commerce" and became it’s first president on account of his extensive acquaintance with lumberman. Later it will become the National Bank of Commerce (NBC) was on the Southwest corner Yesler avenue and Commercial St. During 1889 to 1891, the officers of the bank was Richard HOLYOKE - President; Martin D Ballard - Vice President; Robert R Spencer - Cashier Assist; Oliver A Spencer - Cashier. NCB would later became Rainier Bank, which then became Security Pacific, which eventually was absorbed by Bank of America.

• In 1889 Richard Holyoke acquired the “ Holyoke block” in Seattle and built the first brick commercial building - the Holyoke Building. The construction of the building was in progress when the Great Seattle fire occurred, a fire which destroyed most of downtown Seattle. Given the building site had already broken ground just prior to the fire, many people claimed that the fire was prevented to travel any further north into the residential areas of the city … due to the bare city block acting as a fire break.

• During 1889 Richard and Annie shared their home with a “A.B HOLYOKE, George HOLYOKE and George’s wife.” A.B Holyoke occupation was listed as a jeweler and George’s as an engineer. I strongly suspect that A.B is actually Richard’s brother Aaron ... A.B’s recorded age in 1889 was 51 which is the year that Aaron was born in. George is not Richard’s brother, but rather George could be Richard’s nephew - the son of Richard’s brother George (the age is correct). In the 1892 census, A.B Holyoke was still living with Richard in 1892.

• Suffering financial reversals as a result of the Panic of 1893, Holyoke divested (or he simply lost it all) himself of all his Seattle business interests and properties; including the Holyoke Building. He left Seattle and moved to Skagit County abt 1896 where he and his family “retired”, Richard becoming a Gentleman Farmer.

• Richard moved to the City of Bellingham, Whatcom, WA in 1905 where he remained until his death at the age of 70 in 1906.

• “No history of Seattle would be complete were there failure to make reference to Richard HOLYOKE, who in pioneer times was identified with the lumber industry and afterward with the banking interests of the city. In other ways, too, he contributed to its material development and his life work was of worth to the community.”

• “He was a man of domestic taste, never interested in clubs, preferring always to devote his time to his home and the interests of his family. In the work of the church, too, he was actively and helpfully interested and he did all in his power to further the moral progress of the community. His life measured up to high standards. His record covered seventy-three years - years fraught with good deeds and characterized by honorable purpose.”

• In Bagley’s History of Seattle (1910) Richard is referred to as “… an active helpful citizen, who’s life measured up to very high standards.”

• Names associated with HOLYOKE, were Henry Yesler, DB Jackson, A. Phinney & M. D. Ballard - many are now names of districts and streets in Seattle. Richard HOLYOKE, however, is not as recognized in Seattle today (other than the building and a small street (Holyoke Way South) in the Lakeridge Park between Seattle and the City of Renton, WA.

[S:131], [S:172], [S:173], [S:95], [S:130], [S:114], [S:95], [S:162], [S:162], [S:95]

• Listed as residing in Seabeck, Kitsap, WA in 1880.

• Living in Fir, Skagit, WA in 1900, Middle name is listed as a “N.”

• Some records list her birthplace as Nebraska, and her birthdate as 1833. However, the a number of census’ record her birthplace as Canada and her birthdate as 1845.

• When Richard Jr. registered for the draft in 1918. Annie is listed as his nearest relative and her address was the same as Richard’s.[S:114], [S:182], [S:183]