History Takes Root: Tree Sapling From Pioneer George Bush Planted at Fort Borst Park

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Growing: Innovative Arborist, Originally From Randle, Transplants Noteworthy Butternut Tree That Links Two Black Northwest Pioneers

When Ray Gleason was growing up in Randle, the fourth generation of a logging family, he had never heard of Tumwater pioneer George Bush, or the Appalachian butternut tree that Bush brought across the prairie in 1845. 

These days, Gleason might know more about butternuts in general, and that historic tree in particular, than anyone in the Northwest. 

In fact, he’s the official caretaker of the 170-year-old butternut tree at the Bush homestead, which is one of the oldest of its kind in the world and has a trunk six feet in diameter at the base.

Bush is noteworthy in his own right, as a black pioneer and one of the first Americans to take up residence in the area that is now Western Washington. 

Gleason was struck by the similarities between Tumwater settler George Bush and Centralia’s founder George Washington. 

In addition to their presidential names, both were rare examples of black pioneers and homesteaders who were able to somehow overcome the racial restrictions on black settlement in the Northwest at that time.

He saw Centralia’s bicentennial celebration of George Washington as a good time to plant a tree in honor of fellow black pioneer George Bush.

“I think that in the scope of things, it’s great that we could get this here,” Gleason said. “I'm happy as all heck that Centralia is doing the bicentennial for George Washington and people are opening up to diversity. It's a great page to see turned.”

 

The Two Georges

So did George Bush and George Washington know each other? There is no evidence among scant historical records of them meeting, but the pioneer Washington often traveled to Tumwater and Olympia for supplies and to sell his crops, so it’s nearly certain that they knew each other, probably very well, since they were not many blacks in the area.

Both were well-known in their day for their generosity. Stories abound of George Washington of Centralia donating food to those in need. George Bush of Tumwater did the same thing, making sure that settlers could have access to enough seeds and food to sustain them during a shortage in the early days of pioneer settlement.

He refused to sell to the speculator, but would give food and seed to anyone in need, according to fellow pioneer Ezra Meeker in a book he wrote about Washington state history. If they had no money, Bush just gave them what they needed, saying, “return it when you can.” He divided up his whole crop — thousands of dollars worth.

“He is said to have given seed to new European-American arrivals so that they would not have to go into debt to start their homesteads,” Ulrike Krotscheck, an archeology professor at The Evergreen State College, told The Chronicle. “His son served in the first state government. His children spoke Chinook. The fact that Bush was reportedly too dark-skinned to stay in Oregon, where lash laws had recently been enacted, means that one of the founders of what later becomes Tumwater was a Black man, married to a German-American wife (they were Quakers.)”

There’s also a strange twist of historical mistake that ties the two Georges together. 

For the last 50 years, many people have incorrectly given the middle name “Washington” to George Bush. No early historical documents from his era give him that middle name. Researchers think that a scholarly paper published in 1965 began a mistake that was quickly copied by those who unknowingly combine their names into one. 

 

The Science of Saplings

Partly to draw a distinction between them, Gleason decided to use his arborist’s skills to transplant a sapling from the Bush butternut tree to Centralia. 

He uses a proprietary “air excavation” technique to remove the soil from the roots of the young tree without damaging them, with special care given to the butternut’s long, easily severed taproot. 

On Oct. 31, after conferring with the city on a good spot, he transplanted a carefully excavated 3-year-old butternut sapling to Fort Borst Park near the historic Borst home and the still-under-construction replica pioneer church. 

While the tree is still small, the spot where he planted it is anything but. He surrounded it with 12 yards of topsoil and 10 tons of big granite rocks to protect it from lawnmowers and other damaging elements. Next year he’ll work with the city to put a plaque at that location to explain its history and significance.



He doesn’t plan to charge the city for any of the materials or his time. It’s a donation — all he asks is that he is the exclusive arborist to take care of the tree. 

 

What’s In a Butternut?

Gleason has become quite attached to butternuts — also known as Juglans cinerea, a type of giant walnut native to eastern North America. Sadly, the once-common tree is doing very poorly in its native habitat, and is slowly going extinct from a combination of diseases and genetic intermingling with a European breed of butternut. Because of these factors, the Bush tree — genetically uncontaminated and unafflicted with disease — stands alone as a rare remnant of this species.

Seven years ago he did a similar transplant of a Bush butternut to the state Capitol campus in Olympia. It has flourished, and is already producing the large, richly flavored buttery nuts that give the tree its common name.

The nut itself is like a walnut, but “way, way bigger,” Gleason said. “Huge. Delicious. It's a wonderful fruit. I've been extremely impressed.”

The new tree he planted on Halloween day in Centralia is only the second butternut he has transplanted from the historic Bush tree. (A third was transplanted by someone else to the campus of Washington State University, and is also doing well.)

 

A Fondness for the Forest

Gleason, 40, has operated his arborist company, Cascade Tree Experts, for a dozen years. During his younger years he competed in timber sports, including Loggers Jubilee in Morton. 

“I truly get a lot out of watching a forest grow,” he said.

He learned about the remarkable history of the Bush tree while he was up in its canopy eight years ago doing a hazard assessment of the ailing tree.

Mark Clark, owner of the historic Bush farm near the Olympia Airport, said that one of the nice surprises of buying the farm was that “we inherited Ray along with the property and the tree. He’s just been amazing all the way along.”

Clark, who was born in Centralia (where his mother, Lillian White, was a longtime teacher), has worked with his wife, Kathleen, to ensure that the Bush homestead will remain a working farm and historical site forever, despite nearby development. They’re also trying to keep the Bush tree going as long as they can, and to send its saplings to appropriate sites elsewhere.

Recent ice and wind storms have further damaged the tree, so Gleason did a major pruning to keep it from suffering fatal damage, and to encourage further growth. 

While he doesn’t know how long the Bush tree will last, he notes that it’s already 100 years older than most of its species, and is still relatively healthy, all things considered.

“Physiologically there's nothing stopping it,” he said. “It's already probably the oldest known ever to have lived.”

Whatever happens, Gleason is glad to be spreading its seed and telling the story of the man who planted it.

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Hear From Butternut Tree Arborist at Olympic Club This Tuesday

Arborist Ray Gleason will talk about his ongoing work to restore, preserve and propagate the historic but ailing George Bush butternut tree during a talk this Tuesday, Nov. 21, at the Olympic Club. He will also bring along bowls and other items he has made from wood he pruned off the Bush butternut tree.

Joining him will be Dr. Isaac Pope and local historian Heather Beaird in making presentations during a charity event in which the Olympic Club and McMenamins will donate all their proceeds from 5 p.m. to midnight this Tuesday to help build a statue of Centralia founders George and Mary Jane Washington.

All talks are free, but donations will be accepted for the statue project.