The Tibbetts family
General George Washington Tibbetts is one of the most honored pioneers of Issaquah and Washington state. He was born in Maine in 1845, and enlisted in the Civil War as a 16-year-old. Later, he found success and romance in Missouri where he owned a successful general store, became a partner in a bank, and married Rebecca Wilson. They had three children who lived to adulthood: Ida May, George Wilson and Fred.
In 1873, the couple crossed the plains to Oregon and then relocated to the Squak Valley in 1874. Tibbetts was active in civil affairs, serving as postmaster, territorial legislator, member of the state constitutional convention, and then as one of the first state legislators. He drafted and secured passage of a bill for the first highway over the Cascade Mountains that is now known as Snoqualmie Pass. He became General Tibbetts when he was appointed brigadier general of the Washington State Militia.
Tibbetts bought his own 160 acres in Squak Valley in 1882 where he built a house, store, hotel and ran a stage line from Newcastle to Snoqualmie. Those businesses were instrumental in developing Issaquah into the community it is today. The general’s granddaugher and great-granddaughter still live on part of that family ranch near the intersection of Newport Way and the Renton-Issaquah Road.
