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Capt Jeremiah Douglas “Jerry” Damman

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Birth	:	22 Jun 1826 Sebec, Piscataquis County, Maine, USA
Death	:	27 Feb 1897 Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington, USA
Burial	:	IOOF Cemetery, Ellensburg, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate	:	47.0111008, -120.5188980
Plot	:	C 22-2 Row 2
Inscription	:	CAPT J D DAMMON CO A
Description	:	Jeremiah Damman was born in Sebec, Maine in 1825. At the age of 18, he removed to Wisconsin, then a territory, living in Dane and Monroe counties. He married Mary J. Cushing in 1847 a few weeks before he turned 21 years of age. Their first son, Martin, was born in 1849. Son Merritt followed in 1851 and their last son Morrison was born in 1853. By 1854, Jeremiah was a Senior Warden in the Falley Lodge No. 60 of Free masons in Sparta. From 1855 through 1859, he began buying land and... Read More	Jeremiah Damman was born in Sebec, Maine in 1825. At the age of 18, he removed to Wisconsin, then a territory, living in Dane and Monroe counties. He married Mary J. Cushing in 1847 a few weeks before he turned 21 years of age. Their first son, Martin, was born in 1849. Son Merritt followed in 1851 and their last son Morrison was born in 1853. By 1854, Jeremiah was a Senior Warden in the Falley Lodge No. 60 of Free masons in Sparta. From 1855 through 1859, he began buying land and platting additions to the village of Sparta. He donated land for a courthouse in 1855. The courthouse was finished in 1856 and used for court proceedings, a school, and church services. (In 1862, J. D. Damman started action to recover the courthouse land as he had donated it with the understanding that it would be used as a courthouse and not as a school or church. In 1863 the land was returned to Mr. Damman). In the spring of 1859, Jeremiah (Jerry) went with others to Colorado. Denver was then a small place of a few tents and log huts. At Arrapahoe and on Clear creek he engaged in blacksmithing; then with his partner, R. S. Kingman, he bought the Bob Tail Lead in Gregors' gulch, from which millions of dollars have since been taken; but his partner sold it for $300 during Mr. Dammans' absence. He went back to Wisconsin in 1859. In 1860, he can be found in the census with his family in the township of Sparta with his wife, three children, brother, and Abby Damman, whose relationship has not been determined. He also had a domestic and laborer in his household. A farmer, he valued his real estate at $5,000 and his personal estate at $900. Of interest is that his family is the last dwelling enumerated in the 1860 census for Sparta. In 1861, at the outbreak of the civil war, he raised a company of one hundred and five men and took them to Camp Barstow at Jamesville, Wisconsin, to be incorporated in the Third Wisconsin Cavalry, and was commissioned captain of Company A of the same regiment, Colonel William A. Barstow commanding. In May of the same year, he was quartered at Leavenworth, Kansas, with the whole regiment. Here he was detailed with his company on duty between the fort and the city. Three weeks later, the regiment was mounted; and Damman was appointed provost marshal of Donovan county. On the march hither he was prostrated by sunstroke, and was granted a furlough to return to Wisconsin and recover. In September he came back to Leavenworth, and at Fort Scott rejoined his regiment. In March, 1863, he resigned his commission on account of ill health and went back to Wisconsin, where he lived until 1870. His wife, Mary, died in 1865 before the civil war ended. He married Miss Sabrina June the following year. He also applied for a military pension on October 27th of that year. By 1870 he was in Iowa in the hotel and mercantile business. His and Sabrina's first child, a son named Arthur, was born while in Iowa. They journeyed westward for Washington Territory in late 1870 with horse teams, but stopped for the winter in Utah, arriving in Yakima county on September 13th, 1871. [History of Pacific Northwest - Oregon and Washington, p. 292] Jeremiah and his second wife moved west toward Puget Sound when their son, Arthur, was four months old. The first winter was spent in Ogden, Utah. He and his brother-in-law, Leaser June, worked in a sawmill hauling logs with the ox team. In the late Spring of 1871, the westward journey began following the Oregon Trail as far as Walla Walla and at Umatilla they crossed the Snake and Columbia rivers on a raft handled by Indians. They traveled on the west side of the Columbia River above the mouth of the Yakima River, then the west side of the Yakima River through Union Gap, crossing the Naches River about 15 miles from the junction of the Yakima and Naches Rivers, went along Wenas Creek north and west for about 20 miles to a canyon called Thief Canyon and following this canyon for some eight miles or so up to the summit of the Umptanum ridge south of Kittitas Valley. This trail came into the valley down a very steep hog-back ridge from the main Uptanum range at the mouth of Menastash Creek. This ended the journey Sep. 13, 1871. [Arthur Damman interview) On April 18, 1883, the Damman family appears in the Washington Territorial census in Kittitas in Yakima County. The family is listed as consisting of Jerry, 56, Farmer, born Maine; Sabina, 43, born Canada; Merit, 30, born Wis.; Arthur, 15, born Iowa; and Mary, 10, born W.T. (Washington Territory). "Mr. Damman built the first sawmill in this county, and the second gristmill. His first home was up in the mountains, where his first daughter was born. The house was roofed with earth and had no floor except the ground, and was a very rude structure, as there was as yet no lumber for building purposes. He came down the next summer and located the place where he now lives, about two and one-half miles west of Ellensburg. This property comprises two hundred acres of excellent land, on which he has a fine residence, six hundred fruit trees and some very fine stock and a dairy. He still runs the same gristmill he constructed when he first came, although it has been enlarged and changed to the roller process. The mill is situated on a race taken out of theYakima river." (History of Pacific Northwest - Oregon and Washington]. Jeremiah bought the 'squatters right' of a squawman, Keach, in the Kittitas Valley consisting of 160 acres in the district now known as the Damman District. J. D. Damman was granted a Land Patent from the U. S. Government for W2NW1/4 & SE1/4NW1/4 & NW1/4SW1/4 Section 15, Township 17, Range18 for 160 acres on September 11, 1882. It is presumed to be for this original Damman homestead. The Keach Ditch was ploughed by Jeremiah in 1874. The family lived in a log cabin which had been built by Keach until he had the house on Menastash Road. He was one of the earliest county sawmill operators and his flour mill was believed to be the second of its kind in the county. His son, Arthur, recalled the 1892 money panic which nearly ruined his father financially. Jeremiah owned a 540-acre cattle ranch and farm. Jeremiah Damman deeded land for the Damman School and that district of Kittitas Valley is named for him. He is buried next to his wife at IOOF Cemetery at Ellensburg. His stone mentions his service as a Captain in Company A, 3d Wisconsin Cavalry during the Civil War. Jeremiah was 71 when he passed away. His obituary: "Mr. Jerry D. Damman, one of the pioneers of Kittitas county, died at his home across the river last Sunday morning at one o'clock. he was buried under the auspices of the Masonic lodge last Tuesday morning, the services being held in the Masonic hall." [biography sources: National Archives (Washington D.C.) civil war pension records for J. D. Damman; Monroe County Register of Deeds letter of 24 Sept. 1985 to Marvin J. Damman; History of Pacific Northwest-Oregon and Washington (bio of Captain J. D. Dammon); Research of Marvin F. Damman, 1989; and History of Kittitas County, 1989.]∼CO. A. 3RD WIS. CAV. Info from IOOF Cemetery burials book: Birth 22 June 1826 Death 27 Feb 1897 Plot owned by A J Dammon Born in Seabeck, Maine.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Capt Jeremiah Douglas “Jerry” Damman's memorial?
Capt Jeremiah Douglas “Jerry” Damman's memorial is located at: IOOF Cemetery, Ellensburg, Kittitas County, USA.
When did Capt Jeremiah Douglas “Jerry” Damman death?
Capt Jeremiah Douglas “Jerry” Damman death on 27 Feb 1897 in Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Capt Jeremiah Douglas “Jerry” Damman's memorial?
Latitude: 47.0111008
Longitude: -120.5188980

Family Members:

Parent

Spouse

Sabrina June Damman

(1838 - 1920)

Siblings

Children

Merritt Monroe “Met” Damman

(1851 - 1915)

Dr Arthur June Damman

(1870 - 1959)

Mamie M. Damman Wolff

(1873 - 1956)

Rosa (Baby) “Rosie” Damman

(1875 - 1880)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. IOOF Cemetery
Ellensburg, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0111008, -120.5188980

2. Holy Cross Cemetery
Ellensburg, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0101000, -120.5669000

3. Old German Baptist Brethren Church Cemetery
Ellensburg, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 46.9279000, -120.4746000

4. High Valley Memorial Park
Ellensburg, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0144540, -120.6521270

5. Thorp Cemetery
Thorp, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0502000, -120.6727000

6. Thorp-Splawn Pioneer Cemetery
Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 47.0800000, -120.7249000

7. Wymer Cemetery
Wymer, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 46.8267433, -120.4617911

8. Swauk Prairie Cemetery
Cle Elum, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 47.2019005, -120.7431030

9. Wenas Cemetery
Selah, Yakima County, USA
Coordinate: 46.7743988, -120.6243973

10. Naches Cemetery
Naches, Yakima County, USA
Coordinate: 46.7299530, -120.6896990

11. Selah Pioneer Cemetery
Selah, Yakima County, USA
Coordinate: 46.6720000, -120.5140000

12. Greenwood Historic Cemetery
South Cle Elum, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 47.1751000, -120.9647700

13. Laurel Hill Memorial Park
Cle Elum, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 47.1967010, -120.9591980

14. Stemilt Hill Cemetery
Wenatchee, Chelan County, USA
Coordinate: 47.3330994, -120.2596970

15. Peterson Cemetery
Yakima County, USA
Coordinate: 46.9216995, -121.0421982

16. Nelson Pioneer Cemetery
Yakima County, USA
Coordinate: 46.6404310, -120.5831510

17. Cowiche Natchez Cemetery
Cowiche, Yakima County, USA
Coordinate: 46.6490840, -120.6885330

18. Ingalls Creek Cemetery
Peshastin, Chelan County, USA
Coordinate: 47.3827780, -120.6533340

19. Pat King Burial Site
Wenatchee, Chelan County, USA
Coordinate: 47.3846940, -120.6553890

20. Roslyn Memorial Gardens
Roslyn, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 47.2198000, -120.9977000

21. Lithuanian Cemetery
Roslyn, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 47.2195000, -120.9985000

22. New City Cemetery
Roslyn, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 47.2198000, -120.9986500

23. Croatian Cemetery #2
Roslyn, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 47.2194224, -120.9990299

24. Moose Cemetery
Roslyn, Kittitas County, USA
Coordinate: 47.2196500, -120.9992000