Joseph M. Fletcher (November 5, 1831 – March 12, 1882) was a British-born American attorney, civic leader, politician, and government land agent in the Washington Territory.
[1] In 1861, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Fletcher as Register of the Vancouver, Washington Territory branch of the United States General Land Office.
He served on the Vestry, along with other civic and military leaders including Louis Sohns, Henry C. Hodges, and John McNeil Eddings, and was the Senior Warden when the church was consecrated in 1868 by Benjamin Wistar Morris (bishop).
Practicing both as an attorney and land office agent, Fletcher quickly became involved in local civic and political affairs.
The company would pick up and deliver passengers traveling on the Panama Railroad in South America and bring them to California and the Washington Territory.
For instance, in writing about the local Fourth of July celebrations, the newspaper said of him, "Mr. Fletcher is one of our readiest off-hand speakers".
[10] Joseph was so grief-stricken that he sold his house and lots, fully furnished, to St. Luke's as a parsonage, at a low price for the time, just one month later.
[1] On October 7, 1880, during a visit to Vancouver by President Rutherford B. Hayes, Fletcher was called upon to make an impromptu speech.
This steamer riverboat company, located at the main wharf of Vancouver, provided freight and person transportation daily on the Columbia River[13] The local newspaper continued to indicate that Fletcher was involved, as attorney, in numerous of cases, often related to land disputes, however also dealing with other community matters.
One set of cases mentioned in 1881 concerned his representation for a number of plaintiffs against the Cascade Rail Road Company, in a land dispute amounting to over $100,000.
On March 2, 1882, the local newspaper mentioned that "The Columbia River is rising lively occasioned by the late heavy rains."
In the same column it stated "Yesterday Joseph M. Fletcher lost on the street a roll of greenbacks amounting to $170 which he was fortunate enough to find again a short time afterwards.
It was reported that he was last seen the previous Wednesday in the vicinity of his office, at Fifth and Main Street, at seven-thirty at night, walking toward the river.
He was last seen wearing a beaver coat, white shirt with pearl studs and tie, and fine leather boots.