Albertine Family

Arcangelo Alfred “Alf” Albertine and his wife Maria "Mary" Menghini were early pioneers of Lyman, Washington, settling there in the late 19th century and helping shape the growing community. Alf was the brother of Marie Albertini, who had married Max Prevedell. Alfred Albertine was born in Tyrol, Austria, on July 26, 1870.

Alf came to the United States in 1888, initially settling in Michigan, where he worked in the iron mines for two years. He then went to Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and was engaged in the mining industry there until 1896. On May 12, 1896, in Nanaimo, he married Mary Menghini, who was also a native of Tyrol, Austria, born May 20, 1876.

In 1896, Alf came to Skagit County and purchased a farm at Day Creek. During the four years he operated this property, it was periodically inundated by the swelling river, a factor that made successful farming uncertain. In April 1897, Alf and Mary joined the growing settlement at Happy Valley in Skagit County, arriving after a difficult journey over rough and undeveloped roads. Alf later recalled in a 1956 Bellingham Herald article, “There was no town then, just a few houses where the [Day Creek] post office is now.” Life on the frontier was harsh, and the flood of 1897 proved particularly destructive. Mary Albertine remembered, “No one drowned, but we lost a lot of cattle. The whole area was covered with water.”

After repeated flooding at Day Creek, Alf crossed the river and purchased a 20-acre property in Lyman, just west of where Lyman Park and Cemetery are today. Over time he continued to add to this acreage until he owned 100 acres. Upon this land he built a fine home, erected a modern dairy barn, and developed a substantial dairy operation. He maintained a large herd of Guernsey cattle, some of them registered stock, establishing himself as a respected dairyman in the valley. The property was later bisected by the railroad, reflecting the steady development of the community.

In 1901, Alf became an American citizen, formally establishing his permanent roots in the United States.

Alf and Mary were the parents of eight children: Della, Frank, Alfred, Ernest (who later lived at Utopia), Frances (who lived in San Diego, California), Mary, and Henry and Freddie, who died young. The family eventually included five grandchildren — Ralph and Tommy Albertine, Harold, Jim, and Dick Trueman — and four great-grandchildren.

Their daughter Mary Albertine first married William Trueman, a nephew of early Lyman settler Peter W. Trueman. William Trueman died in 1936. Mary later remarried Cecil McDougle, continuing the Albertine connection to other longstanding Skagit Valley families.

Alf Albertine lived a long life, passing away on April 17, 1958, at age 87, while Mary preceded him in death on June 23, 1957, at age 80. Their homestead, still standing as of 2008, remains a tangible reminder of the family’s early efforts. Through mining labor, flood-prone beginnings, and the steady development of a successful dairy farm, Alfred and Mary Albertine helped shape the agricultural character of early Lyman