Th'Z Rise And Decline Of The Ol])mpia Oyster 



Little Charley, Mud Bay Lewis, Mud Bay Tom, Mud Bay 

 Charley, George Leshi, and Mollie Peters. 



Among the names of the first white men who took up 

 oyster land appear the following: S. K. Taylor, Jesse B. 

 Bowman, H. R. Weatherill, A. S. Ruth, WilHam H. Knee- 

 land, David H. Helser, J. Y. Waldrip, Charles Brenner, 

 Z. F. Simmons, C. N. Allen, C. R. Talcott, John Blass, A. 

 D. Simmons, W. J. Doane, J. J. Brenner, and E. N. Steele; 

 also, the Olympia Oyster Investment Co., J. H. Deer, 

 Thomas O'Neil and A. L. McDonald. Of these, it is inter- 

 esting to note and make comment on several. 



W. J. Doane (com.monly known as Captain Doane) was 

 better known for his "Doane's Oyster House" than as an 

 oyster grower; his Oyster House became famous far and 

 wide for his "Doane's Olympia Oyster Pan Roast." It 

 became recognized by oyster connoisseurs as the last 

 word in the preparation and service of the most delicious 

 little oyster in the whole world. As a result he had many 

 inquiries from restauranteurs from other cities and 

 towns who wished to serve them, so he became the first 

 one to discover the commercial value of the native oyster. 



J. J. Brenner, who has been in the Olympia Oyster 

 business, both as a grower, a packer and a shipper, longer 

 than any other living man, is affectionately known as 

 ''Jack". He was one of those present as an honored guest 

 at the Golden Anniversary Banquet; he was at that time 

 96 years of age but vigorous of mind, able to discuss any 

 feature of the oyster business from it's beginning. In 

 writing this thesis, I realize that no part of it can be told, 

 either in the field of oyster culture, the development of 

 the shucking and packing of oysters or the development 



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