🏠

PHINNEY, Guy Carlton (3309)

Parents

Birth

  • Born on May 30, 1852 in Wilmot, Annapolis Co., NS

Death

  • Died on September 12, 1893 in Seattle, King Co., WA
  • Buried in Lake View Cemetery in Seattle, King Co., WA

Marriages

Children

Notes

  • Obituary: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 13, 1893, p. 8 GUY C. PHINNEY DEAD Sudden End to the Life of a Leading Citizen He Had Grown Rich in Seattle Taken Off in His Prime '96 His Live of Enterprise and Energy'97His Personal Characteristics Guy C. Phinney, the well-known capitalist, died at his summer house at Woodland park last evening, after having been seriously ill but a single day. He had been poorly for several weeks, but visited Victoria two weeks ago, and on his return was about his business until Thursday of last week, which was the last day he came downtown. After that time he remained at home under the care of his physician. He passed an uncomfortable night between Monday and Tuesday, and early yesterday morning Mrs. Phinney called Dr. F. H. Coe. The physician found him in a very serious condition, inclined to be delirious, with the action of the heart exceedingly weak. Dr. Coe remained with him until 11 o'clock. About noon Mr. Phinney had a serious attack. Mrs. Phinney was with him at the time, and his brother-in-law C. J. Brenton, of Victoria, was immediately called from another part of the house. They did all they could to revive him, but he gradually relapsed into unconsciousness from which he never revived. Dr. Coe was immediately called again and found his patient in a state of coma. The physician thought he was dying, but he lived on without a movement of the body or a moment's consciousness until 7:40 in the evening, when the last change came. For a short time before death he looked better, but it was only the forerunner of the end. Just before lapsing into unconsciousness he said to his wife who was supporting him: "If any one ever goes to heaven you will, for you have been so good to me always, while I have done so little for you." These were his last words. For several days Charles J. Brenton, formerly of Seattle, but now of Victoria has been with Mr. Phinney and during yesterday Mrs. Phinney's mother, Mrs. M. J. Wright, and her sister, Mrs. L. H. Griffith, were called to the house, also L. H. Griffith. Dr. Sharples was called in consultation with Dr. Coe, and most of these were with Mr. Phinney at the time of his death. The cause of death was uremic poisoning. Guy Carleton Phinney was born May 30, 1852, in the village of Wilmot, Annapolis county, Nova Scotia, where his father still lives. His early studies were under Rev. Dr. Robertson, the Church of England, who prepared him for a course of Phillips Exeter academy. He passed through a three years' course at the academy in two years, showing a remarkable intellect and retentive memory. He was especially fond of classical and mathematical studies and on the day of his death quoted freely from Ovid and Virgil in conversation with his physician. Leaving the academy he passed the entrance examination to Harvard college in 1873, but his father persuaded him to attend a Canadian college, and in deference to these wishes he entered Bishops college, at Lennoxbille, Quebec. He remained there two years during which time he won the Nicholis mathematical scholarship. Wishing to study law, he then went to McGill college, Montreal, entering in the second year. After reading law a year he was attracted by the gold excitement in British Columbia and went to Caribou, where he engaged in mining for several years. At one time he was the possessor of a large amount of mining property, but a collapse came and he left there poor, in the fall of 1880, and went to San Francisco, where he spent only a few months. In February, 1881, Mr. Phinney took passage for Puget sound on the ship Olympus, being so poor that he was glad of an opportunity to work his passage. The ship took fire 600 miles off the Columbia river, and the twenty-six persons on board took to the boats without food or water, being picked up the same day by the War Hawk and landed at Point Discovery, from which place Mr. Phinney came to Seattle. On his arrival in Seattle, which was then a village of 2,000 inhabitants, Mr. Phinney, after working as a clerk for a short time, went into partnership with a man named Nelson in the real estate, insurance and collection business. He had such faith in the future of the city that he invested all the profits beyond his living expenses in real estate, and as the city grew and his property increased in value he began to improve it and became the owner of some of the valuable buildings in this city. On the northeast corner of Front and Seneca street he had a wooden building which was destroyed in the great fire of 1889, and the following morning he was at work with a gang of men, pouring water on the smoking ruins and preparing to erect a brick block. This building, which he gave his own name, was the first brick block begun and first finished after the fire. He about the same time began the erection of the Butler block, at Second and James streets, which is one of the finest in the city, and cost about $180,000, and the Carlton block, on Front street, between Columbia and Marion. He might have been seen up to his knees in mud working to keep water from a broken main out of the foundations of the Butler block during its construction. The investment in which Mr. Phinney has taken the most interest of late years is Woodland park, on the west shore of Green lake, a fine tract of 200 acres sloping down to the lake at one side, but mostly level land and thus admirably adapted for a park. He built a handsome stone gateway at the south side and erected a residence for himself just inside this entrance with a fine range of greenhouses on the opposite side of the main roadway. He put a hotel in the center of the park and a boathouse and swimming baths on the lake shore. He donated a lot on the borders of the park to the Episcopal church, erected a neat little church building upon it on which he spared no expense, and has since borne the expense of the church and paid the salary of the pastor, Rev. C. E. Roberts. He recently deeded the church, its contents and fine lots to the Episcopal jurisdiction. He built an electric railway from Fremont to the main entrance, connecting with the Femont line from the city, and place on it a car which is the finest on the Coast. The city council has only recently, on his application, passed an ordinance for the sale of a franchise for an extension of this line into the city by way of the Lake Union hills and basin, Fourth Street and Yesler Avenue to Pioneer place, and he intended to build this line and equip it in the best possible manner. He had a fine herd of deer in the park, and last summer imported some ostriches, which were a great attraction to Sunday excursionists. Altogether he must have spend form $50,000 to $100,000 on the park. Mr. Phinney leaves an estate which must be worth fully $500,000. He owned the Phinney block at Front and Seneca streets, the Carlton block on Front street, Woodland park, which, with the hotel, residence, stables, greenhouses, church and other improvements, must be worth fully $150,000; Carlton cottage, in the triangle bounded by James, Thirteenth streets and Broadway, which he made his winter home, and the Ladd's addition, consisting of 160 acres on the point north of Smith's cove, besides numerous scattered lots in the city. He sold the Butler block to H. H. Shufeldt, of Chicago, about a year and a half ago. He also carried a life insurance amounting to $65,000. Mr. Phinney was one of the most striking figures in the city, for he was over six feet in height, was large of limb and frame, inclined to corpulence and had a round, ruddy face, which bore indications of strong determination. He was a man who planned large undertakings and always kept at them until he had carried them out. Personally he was an agreeable companion, for he was generous, warm hearted and hospitable and though of quick temper, his anger soon gave way to his customary good nature. He was blunt and outspoken in manner, and never left any doubt as to his opinions, which were Democratic in politics, although he often voted for Republicans. Once he was nominated for state senator against W. R. Forrest, and then declined in favor of his opponent. In losing him the city loses an able, enterprising citizen, and many of its inhabitants a warm friend. On May 20, 1883, Mr. Phinney was married to Miss Nellie Wright, daughter of M. J. Wright, an old resident of this city, Two children, both boys, were born to them, Wililie, aged 9 and Arthur, aged 8 years. The only relative of Mr. Phinney in the West is his sister, Mrs. C. J. Brenton, of Victoria. His father and a brother and sister survive him and are residents of Nova Scotia. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 16, 1893, p. 5 Funeral of Guy C. Phinney The funeral services over the remains of Guy C. Phinney were held yesterday morning at the Trinity Episcopal church, and were a fitting tribute to the memory of a man highly esteemed in the city. The members of St. John's lodge met in their hall at 9 o'clock, and after appointing a committee consisting of Senior Warden John Arthur and Junior Warden L. H. Wheeler to draft resolutions concerning the death of Mr. Phinney, listened to short eulogistic speeches by Julius F. Hale and Worshipful Master Peterson. The members them formed in line and escorted the remains from Bonney & Stewart's chapel to Trinity Episcopal church, where a large crowd of people were waiting to witness the obsequies. The casket was deposited before the chancel rail and almost concealed by the rich floral offerings placed around it. Among those of special beauty were three pillows, made of roses and cilia lilies with smilax fro a back ground. Of these one was from Mary and Charles Brenton, sister brother of the deceased; another from Mrs. L. H. Griffith, and the third from the Woodland Floral Company. A Bible, one page of which gave the date of Mr. Phinney's birth and the opposite the date of his death, was from Mrs. Phinney. A large harp and anchor, each made of roses and smilax, were from Willie and Arthur, sons of Mr. Phinney; a large bunch of roses, from Mrs. J. F. Hale; an anchor from Capt. F. J. Burns, and a wreath from Mr. and Mrs. James Campbell. After Rev. George Herbert Watson had finished the regular Episcopal service the remains were given in charge of the Masons and taken from the church by the following pall-bearers: Col. Granville O. Haller, ex-Gov. Eugene Semple, Capt. E. S. Ingraham, Hon W. H. White, Hon. W. V. Rinehart and Mr. Julius F. Hale. The interment was made in Lake View cemetery in a lot between those of Henry L. Yesler and the late Dr. E. L. Smith. Evergreens lined the walls of the grave and combined with white roses to make a beautiful decoration. The services were in accordance with the Masonic ritual and conducted by Worshipful Master Peterson. Mr. Phinney's will was opened yesterday afternoon and found to provide that his estate be divided among his wife and two sons. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Eight years of real estate dealings was all that he needed to accumulate a small fortune and a large estate (the land that later became Woodland Park.) When he died his great mansion was still in the planning stage. A subdivision laid out later next to the park put Phinney's name on a street and from there Phinney Ridge and the district got their names.
  • Death: Uremic Poisoning
  • Occupation: Real Estate Developer

Sources

  • Newspaper Obituary: Seattle Intelligencer Obituary September 13,1893

Images