 He went into business with his son-in-law.His obituary states that he came to Seattle in 1868 and "...was engaged in transporting coal for the Lake Washington Coal Company..."

"In 1871, a new entry joined the growing competition for the White River transportation trade.Captain Simon Peter Randolph had been active in boating on the Duwamish and Black Rivers and Lake Washington since 1868, and was responsible for dredging much of the lower White River, clearing it of many logs and snags."