USA > Washington > King County > Seattle > A volume of memoirs and genealogy of representative citizens of the city of Seattle and county of King, Washington, including biographies of many of those who have passed away > Part 10
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FRIDOLIN WILHELM.
More than a third of a century has passed since Mr. Wilhelm came to what was then the territory of Washington, arriving here in the year 1866. The previous year he had made his way to California by the Isthmus of Panama route. He was born in Germany on the 14th of September, 1841. and came of good German Catholic parentage. his father being Nathan Wilhelm. He was a farmer, following that occupation throughout his entire life. He reared a family of six children, four sons and two daughters. He lived to be eighty-four years of age. His wife, however, had passed away ten years prior to his death.
Mr. Wilhelm was educated in his native country and there learned the cabinet maker's trade. In 1858, when he had attained his eighteenth year. he left the land of his birth for he had heard favorable reports concerning America, its opportunities for improvements and for progress. He sailed for New Orleans, his father furnishing him the money to pay his passage
Fridolin Wilhelm
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west, enabling him to make a start in the land of the free. Proceeding northward he traveled to Kentucky and there worked at the cabinet maker's trade. He then went to Cincinnati and went to public school one winter. On the Ist of July, 1863, the great need of the country for volunteers caused him to enlist in Battery E of the United States army, becoming a member of the Ninth Army Corps. He was in the three days' battle of the Wil- derness and was in many engagements, including the assault on Fort Sand- ers and in Campbell's station in east Tennessee. After Lee's surrender he proceeded with his command to Washington and participated in the grand review in that city when the victorious Union troops marched before the stand upon which the President of the United States watched his returning army. He never received a wound but had suffered with disease, having been afflicted with yellow fever. A part of the time he acted as a wagoner and was in the quartermaster's employ. At length he received an hon- orable discharge from the regular army in 1868 at San Juan Island, near Washington territory.
As stated, Mr. Wilhelm made his way to the Pacific coast in the year 1865, and in 1866 came to the territory. After receiving his discharge from military service he settled at Seattle and began working at the carpenter and builder's trade. In 1876 he built his first home in the city, on the lot where he now has an attractive residence, No. 622 Fifth avenue. It was in the same year that he was united in marriage to Miss Regina Bolhert, a native of Germany. Their family comprises three sons and a daughter, all of whom were born in Seattle. These are: John H., Frank Joseph, Fritz A., and Ann Regina. Mrs. Wilhelm is a member of the Catholic church. Mr. Wilhelm belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and to the Grand Army of the Republic, and in his political views is a Republi- can, having firm faith in the principles and tenets of the party. He has taken a deep interest in the building of Seattle and has here a good brick store and other property. He has wisely invested his means and the judicious placing of his money has brought him a good financial return. He is a man of intelligence and ability and one of the valued citizens that Germany has furnished to Washington.
GEORGE B. LAMPING.
A new chapter has been written and added to the history of the United States within the past few years and it is one which reflects credit upon the country and her annals. It shows lier military and naval strength and has
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gained her a prominent place among the great powers of the world. His- tory is never the work of one or even a few men, but is the aggregate en- deavor of many who work in unison with a single purpose and aim. George B. Lamping is among the number contributing to the new record, for he was a loyal soldier during the Spanish-American war and in the Philippines faithfully upheld the honor of the starry banner that had been planted on foreign soil.
AA native of Spencer county, Indiana, he was born on the 20th of March, 1875, and is of German, English and Scotch lineage. At an early date in the development of this land the Lamping family was established in Penn- sylvania, our subject being of the fourth generation born in this country. His father, Samuel W. Lamping, was a native of Kentucky, whence he re- moved to southern Indiana and was there married to Miss Mary E. Butler, a native of Grandview, that state. For a number of years he was engaged in business as a commission merchant and in 1890 he came to Seattle as special agent for the United States land department. In politics he was a stalwart Republican and was a veteran of the Civil war who served the Union as a lieutenant-colonel in the Fifty-second Indiana Regiment at the time the coun- try was imperilled by the spirit of secession in the south. He was with Gen- eral Sherman on the celebrated march to the sea which showed that the mili- tary force of the Confederacy was almost exhausted. He escaped injury, returning in safety to his home after rendering his country valuable service. in his religious views he was a Methodist and departed this life in that faith in 1893. His wife now resides in Seattle, respected by all who know her. Six children were born unto them and all are living upon the Pacific coast; Evart, who is the cashier of the German Insurance agency in San Francisco: L. F., a special insurance agent at Portland, Oregon ; Clifton, a teller in the Boston National Bank of Seattle; Samuel, who is deputy auditor of King county under his brother, George; Frederick, who is attending school in Seattle; and Anna, also a student.
George B. Lamping pursued his early education in the schools of his native state and at the age of fifteen accompanied his parents to Washing- ton, where he completed his literary course in the university of the state. For a time he occupied the position of bookkeeper in the Puget Sound Na- tional Bank of Seattle, but when the war with Spain was declared he put aside busmess and personal interests, offering his services to the goveril- ment. He was appointed second lieutenant of Company D, First Washing- ton Volunteer Infantry, and served throughout the war with Spain and in the Philippines. He was promoted to the rank of captain in the Eleventh United
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States Cavalry, and because of meritorious conduct was commended by Gen- eral Otis and General Lawton. He also served on the staff of the latter. Since returning from the war he has been appointed liteutenant-colonel of the First Regiment of the Washington National Guard, since which time he has been promoted to colonel, with headquarters at Seattle. In November, 1900, lie was elected to his present office as county auditor and recorder on the Republican ticket. receiving the largest majority ever given to any candidate for an office in the county, running fifteen hundred votes ahead of his ticket. He is the youngest man that has ever held a county or state office in Washı- ington, now having charge of the business connected with the position in a county containing one hundred and eighty thousand inhabitants. Hc has under his direction thirty clerks. He was not long in demonstrating that the trust reposed in him was well placed, for his ability, keen discrimination, sound judgment and executive force would do credit to the administration of a man many years his senior. Colonel Lamping is connected with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Ancient Order of United Work- men and the Woodmen of the World, and as a citizen and a soldier he has made a most praiseworthy record, his life work well deserving a place in the history of his adopted county.
LOUIS HENRY GRAY.
The above named, who is now actively engaged as traffic agent of the Pollard Steamship Company and in the shipping and commission business at Seattle, is a native of Pennsylvania and of Scotch and German ancestry. His paternal great-grandfather emigrated from Scotland to the new world, settling on the Hudson not far from Troy, New York. Henry Gray. the grandfather, of our subject. was born there and was one of the first men connected with the operating and mechanical departments of the old New York & New Haven Railroad in the days when wooden rails were used. In his religious belief he was a Presbyterian, and living an up- right life he attained the age of seventy years. His son, Theodore Gray, the father of our subject, was born in Troy, New York, in 1832, and married Miss Anna Sourbeck, whose birth occurred in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. and who was of German ancestry. although for generations her people had been residents of this country. Her father, George W. Sourbeck, was on the engineer corps in the construction of the Pennsylvania Railroad in the bridge department. After his marriage Theodore Gray resided in Allegheny city for about twenty years and was employed in the operating department of the
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Pennsylvania Railroad Company. He was a gentleman of the old school and a personal friend of the late President William McKinley. Removing to Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Gray there continued in the mechanical department of railroading and as an expert on ice making machinery for a number of years. He died at East Brewster, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, August 1, 1902. His good wife survives and is a valued member of the Presbyterian church. They had but two children, the daughter being the wife of Captain E. G. Brooks, of the United States Regular service.
The son, Louis Henry Gray, was born at Allegheny city. October 4, 1859. attended the public schools of his native city and is a graduate of the Newell Institute in the class of 1878. He then leit home for Wyoming. where for three years he was actively engaged in stock-raising. He made money rapidly there and on the expiration of that period sold out and re- moved to Chicago, where he opened a men's furnishing goods store and did a successful business for two years. He then disposed of his store and became a resident of New York city, where he accepted a position as special agent with the Trunk Line Association, and after a year was transferred to the Central Traffic Association at Chicago. His connection with that busi- ness lasted seven years, and he was then given the position of contracting agent of the Great Northern Railroad Company at Seattle, arriving in this state in 1894. After nine months he was promoted to the general agency of the company at Seattle, which position he later resigned to accept that of general traffic manager of the famous White Pass and Yukon Railroad Company. After continuing in that capacity for a year, according to the terms of his contract, he severed his connection in order to engage in an in- dependent venture, turning his attention to the shipping and commission business, in which he is meeting with marked success. His business activity in the northwest has extended to other lines and he is now a stockholder in several steamships and sailing vessels.
In 1893 Mr. Gray was united in marriage with Miss Halcon, daughter of John Robertson, of Jamestown. New York. The latter was formerly one of the most prominent oil operators in Pennsylvania, also served as sheriff of Chautauqua county, New York. for a number of years, and died in 1891. The Robertson family was of Scotch lineage, but through many generations its representatives have been connected with this country. Mrs. Gray is an active and valued member of the Advisory Board of the Ladies' Relief So- ciety of Seattle and is now serving as its chairman. She is also chairman of the Advisory Board of the Charity Organization Society of this city and of. the Advisory Board of the Seattle Day Nursery, taking a deep interest in the
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little orphan children. Her philanthropy and her benevolences have made her a valued friend to many unfortunate people. She belongs to St. Mark's Episcopal church and in her life exemplifies the true spirit of Christianity. Mr. Gray has attained a high rank in Masonic circles, having taken the Knights Templar degree and the Scottish Rite, up to and including the thirty- second degree. He is also a member of the Mystic Shrine, and in politics is a Republican. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gray have a large circle of friends in Seattle and the hospitality of the best homies is extended to them. In business Mr. Gray has attained very creditable and honorable success, and those who have been associated with him and are fully conversant with his life and his business methods speak of him in terms of highest praise, considering him as one of the best posted traffic men on the Pacific coast.
TIMOTHEUS JOSENHANS.
Among the leading business men of Seattle who have been prominently identified with the upbuilding of that city is numbered Timotheus Josenhans, the senior member of the well-known firm of Josenhans & Allan, architects, with office at 74 and 75 Hinckley Block. Here he has made his home since 1888. He was born near Stuttgart, in the province of Wurtemberg, Ger- many, on the IIth of October, 1853, and is a son of Jonathan Josenhans, who was engaged in mercantile business in that country until 1855, when he brought his family to the United States and settled on a farm that is now within the corporate limits of Ann Arbor, Michigan. There he continues to make his home, being now eighty-six years of age, while his wife, who bore the maiden name of Charlotte Weigle, is about eighty years old. Unto them were born twelve children, seven sons and five daughters.
The early education of our subject, acquired in the public schools of Michigan, was supplemented by a course at Ann Arbor University, where he was graduated in the civil engineering department in 1878. He also took up the study of architecture under W. L. B. Jenny, now of Chicago. On the completion of his education he taught German in the public schools of McGregor, Iowa, for a year, and then went to New Mexico, becoming connected with the engineering corps in the construction of the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad. After a year and a half he was forced to leave the territory on account of ill health and went to San Diego, California, where he became interested in the construction of the California Southern Railway, from that place to San Bernardino, and was with that company until the completion of the road. Riverside was just being laid out at that time.
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On leaving California Mr. Josenhans went to Portland, Oregon, and entered upon his career as an architect in the office of Mr. Sherwin, an English architect, with whom he remained until the latter's death. He was next with W. H. Williams, the most prominent architect of the city, and since then he has been connected with architectural work rather than engi- neering except when he had charge of the construction of the West Point light house in King county. Being pleased with this section of the country, he located at Seattle in the spring of 1888, and for a time was employed as foreman by H. Steinman. Three years later he started in business on his own account, and at the end of two years entered into partnership with James Stephen, a connection which continued until the latter went to Alaska in 1895. During the following two years Mr. Josenhans was again alone in business, but in 1897 formed his present partnership with Norris B. Allan. Among the many important public buildings and residences he has erected may be mentioned the administration building and dormitory of the Agri- cultural College, and he is now putting up two other buildings for the same institution-one the gymnasium and armory, the other the chemistry build- ing. He also erected two dormitories for the State University and is now building the science hall and power house for that college. He built the fine residences of Alden J. Blethen, Jr., at the corner of Highland Drive and Fifth avenue west; that of Rev. Wallace Nutting, now owned by Mary M. Miller; the homes of A. M. Cadien and P. L. Runkle; and a double house for A. Hancock. While with Mr. Steinman he also designed many of the warehouses of Seattle, the power houses for the cable and electric railways, and many blocks that are now standing, besides numerous buildings that were destroyed in the great fire that swept over the city in 1889.
On the 15th of May, 1889, Mr. Josenhans was united in marriage to Miss Emma L. Parsons, who was born in Sivas, Asia Minor, where her parents were missionaries at the time, but she was educated at Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her father, Rev. Benjamin Parsons, was a native of New Jersey. His son, Henry Parsons, who was also born in Sivas, became a noted chem- ist and was connected with the agricultural department at Washington, D. C. Later he was a professor at Ann Arbor University. Charles Parsons, an- other son, is editor of the Pharmaceutical Era of New York, published by D. O. Haynes, of the Commercial Advertiser, who was a classmate of our subject while in college. Mr. and Mrs. Josenhans have two children : Saralı Charlotte and Margaret Parsons. The family have a pleasant home in Seattle which has been remodeled and greatly improved since it came into possession of our subject. They hold membership in the Plymouth Con-
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gregational church and have a large circle of friends and acquaintances in their adopted city.
Politically Mr. Josenhans generally affiliates with the Republican party, but at local elections votes independently of party lines, supporting the men whom he believes best qualified for office. He served as building inspector for a year and a half and then resigned. He occupies an enviable position in business circles, where his true worth is widely recognized. He is a man of strong force of character, purposeful and energetic, and keen discrimination and sound judgment are shown in the capable management of his business affairs.
CARL HOFFMAN, M. D.
Dr. Carl Hoffman is one of the younger men of Seattle who has be- come firmly established in the medical profession here as one of its ablest representatives and is also well known in the musical circles of the city, his talent in this regard rendering him a favorite among the music lovers. The Doctor is a native of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Washington, near the city of Peoria, in 1872. His father, A. G. Hoffman, who is now re- siding in Omaha, Nebraska, was born in Germany and when twenty years of age came to America. He has been engaged in business in Illinois and in Florida and for fifteen years has been connected with the business interests of Omaha. He was married in Illinois to Miss Sarah Kelso, who is of Scotch descent. members of the family having come from Scotland to this country prior to 1700. The Doctor is the elder of two sons born unto his parents, his brother being now a resident of St. Louis.
In the schools of his native state Dr. Hoffman began his education. which was continued in Florida, to which state he accompanied his parents when fourteen years of age. As there were no good public schools there he was instructed by private tutors while in the south, afterward attended Creighton University, in Omaha, and subsequently took up the study of medi- cine there, having formed a desire to make its practice his life work. That this step was wisely taken is proven by the success which has since attended his efforts in the medical field. He was graduated in the John A. Creighton Medical College with the class of 1896, and subsequently opened an office in Omaha, beginning practice alone. After a year he removed to Moscow. Idaho, from which place he came to this city. He was called here in con- sultation and was so pleased with the city and its prospects that he deter- mined to locate here. Accordingly he returned to Moscow, closed out his
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business there and in the course of six weeks was established in his office here. From the beginning he has enjoyed a good practice in both medicine and surgery. He is continually reading in order to broaden his understand- ing of the human system and its needs in health and disease, and the profes- sion as well as the public accords to him a prominent place in the calling which he has chosen as a life work. He is now the physician for the county jail, and in addition to this he has a large private practice.
Dr. Hoffman was married in Omaha, in November, 1896, to Miss Ina, a daughter of H. B. Kennedy, of that city, and they have one son, Carl. The Doctor is a Republican in politics but takes no active part in political work. He belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and in the line of his profession is identified with the King County Medical Asso- ciation, the Washington State Medical Association and the American Medi- cal Association. Both the Doctor and his wife are prominent and popular in musical circles and both possess considerable ability in the art. The Doc- tor possesses a fine bass voice and has studied in Omaha and Seattle and also under W. H. Niedlinge, a successful composer and teacher. He and his wife. together with Professor F. W. Zimmerman and Miss Mamie Grove, have given some very delightful and successful concerts here and have rendered some of the finest operas in a manner superior to anything ever given in Seattle. The Doctor lias also done considerable in church choir work. He is a member of the Trinity Parish church choir and has also sung in St. Mark's church. Aside from music, fishing is his chief source of recreation from the arduous demands of a profession, which is making greater and greater claims upon his time, but whose successful practice has given him standing among the foremost representatives of medical science in the city.
ERASMUS M. SMITHERS.
The gentleman whose life history we now take briefly under review has the distinction of being one of the honored pioneers of the Pacific coast and the founder of the attractive and thriving little city of Renton, King county, Washington, since he settled on the land where the town is now located in 1853, his farm being fifteen miles distant from what is now the great city of Seattle, while at the time of his location here there was not a white settler other than himself at a point nearer than the city mentioned, which was then a mere frontier settlement. In a retrospective way those of the present generation may gain from the narratives and reminiscences of Mr. Smithers an idea of the wonderful transitions that lave taken place
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since he first located in what is now a great and opulent state, and it is a satisfaction to here enter a perpetual record concerning the life and labors of this honored pioner, though the limitations of this publication will not justify the entering into the manifold details of his experiences, though the record could not fail to prove of interest.
Erasmus M. Smithers is a native of Virginia, where he was born on the 17th of February, 1830, the family being of English origin and rep- resentatives of the name having been numbered among the early settlers in Virginia and North Carolina. His father, Samuel Smithers, was like- wise born in Virginia, and there he married a Miss Hale, also a represen- tative of one of the old families of that great commonwealth, where was cradled so much of our national history. The father was a planter and was a man of strong mentality and sterling character, both he and his estimable wife having passed their entire lives in Virginia. Erasmus M. was reared to maturity in Virginia and his early education was very limited in scope. He has, however, gained the valuable lessons of experience through personal application and through active association with the prac- tical affairs of life, being thus self-educated, even as he is the architect of his own fortunes. When nineteen years of age he left the old home and set forth to become one of the venturesone and intrepid pioneers of the great west. It may be said that he had no intention of coming through to Oregon. his starting forth on the long journey being largely a matter of accident, as a friend had informed him that two young ladies were about to start for this section with a company, and that one of the members of the party desired to secure the services of a young man to aid him during the journey across the plains. The information thus conveyed indirectly led Mr. Smithers to have an interview with the man mentioned, Green Olds, who was a brother of the captain of the company. Our subject was at that time a slender youth, his appearance not indicating that he could endure much hardship, and after looking him over Mr. Olds stated that he did not want him. Mr. Smithers then asked what he would charge to take him along with the company, and upon a price of fifty dollars being set he immediately accepted the proposition. On the 8th of May, 1852, the company, with twenty wagons drawn by ox teams, started on the long and perilous journey, Mr. Smithers doing no active work on the start, as he had paid for his passage, but he soon grew weary of his inactivity and began to assist in the work incidental to the trip and proved not only his endurance but his marked facility in discharging the duties which he vol- untarily assumed. While enroute they encountered many vast herds of
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