An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 149

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company
Number of Pages: 1146

USA > Washington > Kittitas County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 149
USA > Washington > Yakima County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 149
USA > Washington > Klickitat County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 149

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devoted himself to that industry, after which he gradually paid more and more attention to farm- ing, and today owns one of the finest farms in the county.

In 1883 Mr. McAuliff was married to Mary Morencie, whose father was of French extrac- tion and whose mother was a native of the Northwest. Mrs. McAuliff was born at The Dalles in 1866, was educated in Olympia and was . married at the age of seventeen to Mr. McAuliff. To this union have been born the following chil- dren: Mrs. Meda Siverly, October 1, 1884; Francis, July 24, 1887; George, May 14, 1890; Thomas, February 26, 1892; Patrick V., July 24, 1896; and Mary L., June 27, 1901. Mr. McAuliff has one sister, Mrs. Annie Clowe, living in Walla Walla; and two brothers, Thomas, living in Portland, and Frank, living on the Yakima reser- vation. Both Mr. and Mrs. McAuliff are mem- bers of the Catholic church. Politically, he is a Democrat, though of liberal views. That Mr. McAuliff is a friend of educational interests and counted by his neighbors as an able friend, is shown by the fact that for six years he has held the position of school director in his district. His fine ranch of four hundred and eighty acres of improved land, sixty head of cattle and fifty horses constitute his property holdings.

BERT E. PARTON, one of the leading stockmen of Yakima county, has been closely identified with the stock interests of that section since 1872, when, as a mere lad of ten years, he came to the Yakima river with his uncle. As a youth, Mr. Parton witnessed the utilization of the vast central Washington range by tens of thousands of cattle and horses and, as a man, he has seen the exhaustion of most of this great pasture, the beginnings of its reclamation and the transformation of much of it into emerald fields of alfalfa and sightly orchards. In the land where thirty years of his life have been spent, he has made a happy home and acquired both affluence and influence, as the result of energy and ability, combined with other commendable qualities of character.

Mr. Parton was born January 6, 1862, at Albany, Oregon, his parents being Frank and Lucy (Morgan) Parton, natives of England and Iowa, respectively, the mother of Welsh descent. In early manhood, the father crossed the seas, coming to California in its "golden days." where he was married and lived for some time. Thence he removed to Oregon, where he successfully fol- lowed his profession, that of a millwright, many years, or until his death at Waitsburg, Washing- ton, in 1895. Bert received his education in the common and high schools of Albany, short in- termissions occurring between his school attend- ance. As before stated, in 1872 he first came to

A BLOCK OF TWO-MONTHS-OLD APPLE BUDS GROWN BY THE WASHINGTON NURSERY COMPANY. TOPPENISH, WASHINGTON. Photographed June 15, 1904.

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Washington, where he remained two years with his uncle. Then followed a short attendance at school, two years more on the Yakima, this time with J. B. Huntington, an influential stockman, another short period at school, another stay in Yakima, another winter in school, and, in 1880, permanent settlement in Washington, at which time he entered the service of Snipes & Allen. For five years he did faithful work for this great firm. Then he began business for himself and since 1885 has been raising stock and farming in and around Toppenish, his home now being at No. 12 North Third street, North Yakima.

Mr. Parton was married in North Yakima, March 17, 1885, the bride being Miss Sarah, daughter of Joseph and Mary Robbins, pioneers of Oregon and the Cowiche valley, Yakima county. The daughter, Sarah, was born in Cas- cade, Oregon, in 1862, educated in the common schools of her native state and was married at the age of twenty-two. She has three brothers: Thomas, living at Toppenish; Isaac, at Seattle ; and Oscar, whose home is at Toppenish also. Mr. Parton was two sisters: Mrs. Carrie Staten, living in Portland, and Mrs. Germina Wing, liv- ing in Spokane; also one brother, William, who lives at Toppenish. Three children bless the Parton home: Bert, born December 27, 1888; Corbie, born January 22, 1892; and Ruth, No- vember 9, 1894; all of whom may claim Yakima county as their birthplace. Mr. and Mrs. Parton are members of the Christian church, in which they are active workers. Politically, Mr. Parton is a steadfast Republican, as well as an energetic one. While the family home is in the city of North Yakima, Mr. Parton is compelled to be at Toppenish much of his time in order to give per- sonal attention to his three hundred and forty- acre ranch at that point. More than two-thirds of this tract is under cultivation, from which it may be seen that it is no light task to manage this branch of his interests. His stock interests are large, more than one thousand horses and one hundred cattle belonging to him. As a pioneer, the usual number of obstacles and losses have fallen in his pathway, but those very ob- structions have brought out the qualities which, not only in Mr. Parton's case, but in the lives of many other pioneers, have won for them the success they deserve.

ARCHIE W. McDONALD. The man whose name commences this biographical sketch is presi- dent of the Washington Nursery Company with headquarters at Toppenish, and one of Yakima county's most enterprising young business men. Like thousands of other successful men living in the United States, he was born and reared in Canada, but came to this country to make his permanent home. Ontario is his birthplace and the year of his

birth was 1866. Both parents, Duncan and Agnes (McIntire), were natives of Scotland, immigrating to Canada in 1858, and there making their home until death. The father's demise occurred in 1870. After receiving a good public school education in Canada, the subject of this sketch, at the age of eighteen, followed farming for a time; then trav- eled four years for a Canadian nursery company, gaining his first insight into that work. In 1894 he crossed the border and took up his abode in the Willamette valley, Oregon. In that region he lived eight years, traveling for the Oregon Nursery Com- pany as field manager of that business. So success- ful was he in this line of work that he determined to enter the nursery business on his own account, and with this idea organized, in March, 1903, the company of which he is president and Leon Girod secretary and treasurer. The company leased three hundred and fifty acres near the town and opened an office in Toppenish. Fifty acres of the land are in nursery stock, seventy-five are ready for use in the spring of 1904, one hundred and twenty-five acres are in alfalfa, and the balance is in grain, hay or reserve tracts. All the rye-grass, hay and grain used on the tract are grown by the company. Most flattering prospects are before this young commer- cial enterprise, and it is receiving hearty support from all who examine into its methods.

Mr. McDonald was married in September, 1900, in Oregon, to Miss Bessie Settlemire, of Tangent. She is a native of that state. Mr. McDonald is affiliated with the Woodmen of the World and the Foresters, and is identified with the Republican party. Both himself and wife are esteemed person- ally for their many genial, sterling qualities, and Mr. McDonald is respected as a capable, aggressive business man.

LEON GIROD, of the Washington Nursery Company, Toppenish, of which he is the secretary and treasurer, is a native son of Switzerland, born at St. Imier, March 13, 1867; but has lived the major portion of his life in America and is counted as a loyal citizen of his adopted country and a capable, progressive young business man. His father, Gustave A., was born in Switzerland, Feb- ruary 23. 1830, and in early life followed the pro- fession of teaching; the mother, Sophia A. ( Balmer) Girod, was born in Switzerland, Febru- ary 10, 1834. In 1882 they came to the United States with their family, and settled first in Wayne county, Ohio. Four years later the family removed to Illinois, lived there five years, and removed thence to Brooks, Oregon, where Mr. Girod is at present farming. Of the sixteen children born to this union, Leon Girod is the ninth. He received an education in French and German in Europe. be- sides a public school education. Upon the family's arrival in the United States, he commenced farming

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in Ohio. Subsequently he farmed in western Kan- sas, Illinois, Ohio, Colorado and Oregon, living near Brooks, Oregon, until the outbreak of the Spanish-American war. At the call to arms he left his farm and immediately enlisted in Company K, Second Oregon volunteers, April 23, 1898, partici- pating in the Philippine campaign. He was at Cavite, in the battle of Manila, August 13, 1898, the Filipino repulse before Manila in February, 1899, and in many other important battles and skirmishes, returning finally with his regiment in July, 1899. After being mustered out of the service, in which he fought for the honor and preservation of his country, he returned to the plow. A year later he accepted a position as traveling salesman for the Oregon Nursery Company, and in this position vis- ited California, Mexico, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia. This was not his first ex- perience in this business, as he had devoted consid- erable time to it while farming. In March, 1903, he became one of the organizers of the Washington Nursery Company, one of Yakima county's newest but most thrifty enterprises, which is growing with astonishing rapidity. The company has three hun- dred and fifty acres of land near Toppenish, most of which is in cultivation and one hundred and twenty-five of which are set out with young nursery stock.

Mr. Girod and Miss Sadie Wenger were united in the holy union of matrimony January 12, 1893, but upon July 24, 1897, the happiness of their home was rudely shattered by a visit of the grim reaper, who took the faithful, loving wife and mother from her earthly abode and carried her spirit into the home beyond. Mrs. Girod was a native of Monroe, Wisconsin, where she was born November 24, 1871. One daughter, Leona, born at Salem, June 21, 1895, was the fruit of this union. Mr. Girod is connected with the Woodmen of the World, and in political matters is actively identified with the Republican party. As a young man of true worth and ability, and appreciative of the grand opportunities with which he is surrounded, success along all lines lies in his path.

EDWARD G. FLEMING, one of the white leasers operating near Toppenish, is also holding a responsible position in the sales department of the Toppenish Trading Company, and is one of the en- ergetic residents of the Toppenish section. He traces his ancestry back to residents of Scotland and northern Ireland, and dominant in his nature are those characteristics for which the Scotchman is especially noted. Mr. Fleming was born in Arm- strong county, Pennsylvania, July, 1863, to the union of James T. and Adeline (Lawton) Flem- ing, natives of the same state. The father, a retired merchant and extensive land owner, is living in Linn county, Missouri, whence he came in 1866, at the

advanced age of sixty-nine years. The mother died in 1894 at the age of fifty-six. The son Edward came to Missouri with his parents at the age of three, and during his youth attended the public schools and at odd times worked in his father's store. When only fourteen years old he commenced work- ing for himself, laboring for wages during the sum- mer and continuing his school work in the winter. In 1884 he left Missouri, going to southern Cali- fornia, where he entered the real estate business at San Diego. During the next five years he was un- usually successful, but reverses finally overtook him and induced him to seek his fortune in Seattle. There he entered the confectionery and stationery business, but a year later the building and stock were destroyed by fire. After a short period spent in conducting a restaurant, Mr. Fleming removed to Ellensburg in 1891, entering the store of R. B. Wil- son in that city, with whom he remained eight years. While engaged in the mercantile business he also owned and operated a stock ranch. In 1899 he sold his Kittitas property and came to Toppenish. Here his first work was as bookkeeper for the Toppenish Trading Company, but two years of this kind of em- ployment so injured his health that he leased a tract of land and commenced raising hay, grain and stock. At present he controls five hundred acres two miles north of Toppenish, and is counted as one of the most successful leasers on the reservation.

Mr. Fleming was married in 1887 to Miss Mag- gie Lindsey, of Missouri, in which state she was born in 1868 to Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Lindsey. Mrs. Lindsey's maiden name was Kelly. Mr. Lindsey, who is a veteran of the Civil war, is a hardware mer- chant of Pike county, Illinois. Two children brighten the Fleming home: Mae, born June 26, 1890, and Paul, born September 6, 1897. Mr. Flem- ing is a member of the Woodmen of the World and the Odd Fellows; his wife is a member of the Women of Woodcraft. As an energetic Repub- lican he attends all important caucuses and conven- tions and is ever loyal to party principles. He also takes an active interest in educational matters, and in all other matters pertaining to the upbuilding of the community.

JOSEPH McLEOD. One of the most exten- sive farmers on the Yakima reservation, as also one of the most successful and most highly es- teemed, is the subject of this biography. He is one of the sturdy, substantial citizens whom Nova Scotia has produced, reared to manhood and then generously contributed to swell the citizenship of the great American republic. His birthday was July 12, 1851, and his parents were George and Nancy (Monroe) McLeod, both natives of the Scottish highlands, who came to Nova Scotia shortly after being united in marriage and when still in the spring-time of life. Both died in 1878,

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their deaths occurring about the same time. Un- til twenty years old Joseph lived upon his father's farm, meanwhile attending school; but at that age he left the parental roof and engaged in logging in Clearfield county, Pennsylvania. Then he worked on the boundary survey between the United States and British Columbia for one year, 1872, the company's headquarters being Fort Garry on the Red River of the North. Following this experience, he went to California, where he was engaged a year in lumbering in the redwood forests of Mendocino county. In 1874 he came north to Puget Sound, taking a ranch claim in Whatcom county. A six years' residence on the western slope was followed by his removal to the Kittitas valley in 1880. There he accumulated a holding of five hundred and sixty acres of land and for fourteen years was successfully occupied with general farming, and stock raising. Then he went into the newly opened Sunnyside district and farmed two years. A year of mining in British Columbia was succeeded by Mr. McLeod's decision to settle on the reservation near Toppenish. His lease was one of the first consummated and since its date hundreds of others have been granted by the Indians. At first he raised only grain, but experiments demonstrating the adaptability of the soil and climate to the production of alfalfa, fruit, etc., as in the Yakima valley, Mr. McLeod has gradually seeded his land to alfalfa, and many dif- ferent varieties of products, principally hay, grain and potatoes. His farm contains five hundred and sixty acres and last season he raised one thousand five hundred and twenty-five tons of hay, two thou- sand five hundred and twenty six sacks of oats, barley, etc., and three hundred tons of potatoes. In the haying season he employed twenty-four men, eleven on the baler and fourteen on a steam thresher. His expenses in 1903 lacked only a few dollars of being ten thousand dollars, from which an excellent idea of the leasing interests may be obtained. Mr. McLeod is convinced that the op- portunities presented by Yakima county are really unsurpassed in the United States and his own case is an excellent illustration of what may be accom- plished by an energetic, able man. Mr. McLeod has four brothers and sisters: Mrs. Margaret Whittier, living in Whatcom county; Alexander, also in Whatcom county; William, living in Kitti- tas, and Miss Anna McLeod, living in Seattle. In politics, as in most public questions, Mr. McLeod is independent, though actively interested. He is now one of the leading agriculturists of Yakima county and is a man of integrity and substantial abilities and character.

ERVIN L. CHAMBERLAIN, residing four miles west of Toppenish, is a prosperous young ranchman most of whose life has been spent in the

Yakima and Klickitat regions. He was born in Washington county, Oregon, March 15, 1872, his parents being James L. and Christiana (Kincaid) Chamberlain, of English and German descent, re- spectively. James L. Chamberlain was born in 1827 and in 1852 crossed the Plains from Missouri to Oregon, taking a donation claim in the Wil- lamette valley. There he lived until 1877, when he removed to Klickitat county; in 1883 he came to North Yakima, where he and his faithful pioneer wife, who bravely crossed the Plains with him, are still living. At the tender age of thirteen Ervin received his formal initiation into the master in- dustry of the region-cattle raising-by entering the employ of Ben Snipes as a range rider. The next few years he rode for Snipes, Baxter and other stockmen all through northern Oregon and southern Washington. In 1885, he joined his father, grandfather and brothers at North Yakima in a stock raising enterprise, in which they were quite successful. Ervin bought land in the Naches valley and until 1900 continued to range stock and farm. In 1900 he removed to North Yakima from his home in the Naches and lived there until Janu- ary I, 1903, on which date he took possession of the hundred-acre tract of leased land on which he is at present residing.

November 15, 1896, Mr. Chamberlain was united in marriage to Miss Rosa M. Parker, a na- tive of Kansas, where she was born in 1880 to Riley and Eliza J. Parker. Her parents reside in Yakima county now. Mr. Chamberlain has six brothers and sisters: Paul P. and Mrs. Jane Ham- ilton, living in Klickitat county; Joseph F., James B. and Mrs. Emma White, residents of Yakima county ; and Mrs. Mary J. Grant, living in Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain have two children, Viola, born February, 1899, and Lloyd L., born September 25, 1902. He is a member of the Mod- ern Woodmen and Woodmen of the World, and is a Democrat in politics, attending all conventions and caucuses of his party in his community. At present Mr. Chamberlain is devoting his entire at- tention to farming, having disposed of his stock interests. He is an energetic, successful ranch- man who has a host of friends.

WILLIAM E. LAWRENCE, a resident of Toppenish, is chief clerk in the large establish- ment of the Toppenish Trading Company at that point, and one of the town's most progressive citi- zens. Logan county, Illinois, is his birthplace and September 17, 1863, was the date of his birth. His parents, James and Ann K. (Griffith) Law- rence, were born in Ohio in February, 1825, and September 15, 1830, respectively. The father was a pioneer of central Illinois, and the paternal ances- tors were pioneers of Virginia. The Lawrences served in the Revolutionary war and three broth-

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ers of Jamies were in the Civil war. He died in 1870. Mrs. Lawrence is living in Champaign, Illinois. Her ancestors, of German and Scotch extraction, were pioneer patriots of America, and three of her brothers served their country in 1861-5. William E. spent his early years upon the farm and attending school, beginning to care for himself at a very young age. He learned the trade of a miller and from the age of nineteen to twenty- two worked at that occupation, near Detroit, Michigan. Subsequently he returned to Illinois and there, by working during the day and study- ing at night, in four years secured enough educa- tion to pass a teacher's examination. Having ob- tained his certificate, he accepted a position and during the next four years, or until 1889, taught school in his native state. In that year he joined his brother, J. G. Lawrence, principal of the North Yakima schools, working for Hyman Harris three years and a half. Following this, he was elected secretary and superintendent of the Moxee Com- pany, remaining with that corporation about six years. In 1898 Mr. Lawrence came to Toppenish, and leasing land near there, engaged in farming, utilizing one hundred and forty acres. His prin- cipal crops were grain and onions, in the raising of which he was quite successful. However, last year Mr. Lawrence accepted the present respon- sible position he holds with the Toppenish Trad- ing Company, with whom he has since continued.

Mr. Lawrence was united in marriage in 1892 in Illinois to Miss Pauline W. Kreuger. She is the daughter of Charles and Mary (Schlorf) Kreuger, natives of Germany. Mr. Kreuger served throughout the Civil war and was a successful mer- chant until his death in 1900; the mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence have one child, Lowell W., born July 14, 1893. Mr. Lawrence has the following brothers and sisters: Joseph G., John C., Rollin H., Harold, Warren H. and Lulu C. Lowry. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and Modern Woodmen of America. In political matters he takes his stand with the Repub- lican party. Together with W. L. Shearer, W. J. McAuliff and N. H. Leslie, Mr. Lawrence was prominently identified with the opening of a public school at Toppenish, despite the great obstacles encountered. He is an able business man, popu- lar and esteemed by all who know him.

FRANK H. MILLICAN, manager of the St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company's business at Toppenish, is a native of Washington, born in Walla Walla, August 24, 1872. As a native of the state and a son of pioneer parents, he is doubly entitled to a place of honor in a work of this char- acter, and we are pleased to enroll his name with those who have been active factors in the develop- ment of the great Northwest. He is the son of

John M. and Mary (Hayward) Millican, born Oregonians. John M. Millican was a stockman, born in LaFayette, Yamhill county, Oregon, into which state his father had immigrated from Ire- land in the forties. He was a veteran of the early Oregon Indian wars. The mother of the subject of this biography was born in The Dalles, Oregon, and now lives in Walla Walla. She is the daughter of Benjamin Burnett Hayward, a pioneer of Wisconsin, who crossed the Plains with his wife in 1852, settling in The Dalles, where he operated a hotel and stage line. In 1862 he moved to Walla Walla, Washington, remaining in his old business, however. He was a conductor on the first railroad that was built in Washington. The road was built by Dr. Dorsey S. Baker and ex- tended from Walla Walla to Wallula. The first rails used on this road were of wood, strapped on the top with iron. Mr. Hayward died in Walla Walla, October 18, 1902. Frank H. Millican spent his early life in and about Walla Walla, working on the farm and attending school, following his common school course with one term in Whitman college. At the age of sixteen he left the paternal roof and sought to gain a livelihood by his own efforts, securing employment at first as driver of a street car. He then went to Dayton, Washing- ton, and afterwards spent four years in Oregon and California, a portion of the time as a stage driver, eventually, however, returning to Walla Walla, and, in the fall of 1897, coming to Toppenish. April 29, 1898, he enlisted in Company E, First Washington volunteers, for service in the Spanish- American war, going with the company first to Tacoma and afterwards to San Francisco, where five months were spent in camp. October 25, 1898, the company set sail for Manila, reaching its destination in November, but not landing until December. Mr. Millican was in the battle of Ma- nila, February 4 and 5, 1899, and in the first and second battles of Pateros ; he was on the firing line from the first to the last of the nine months spent on the island. He returned to San Francisco in October, 1899, and, after a visit with friends and relatives in Walla Walla, spent some time in North Yakima, one winter in Tacoma, and in 1902 came to Toppenish as bookkeeper for the St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company. In the month of January, 1903, he was promoted to the position of manager, in which capacity he is still acting. In politics, Mr. Millican is a stanch supporter of Presi- dent Roosevelt. He is a man of exceptional busi- ness qualifications and has proven an efficient manager of his company's affairs. He is energetic and progressive in his ideas, a man of correct prin- ciples and strictest integrity, of influence in local affairs and, as a man and a citizen, commands the esteem and respect of all with whom he comes in contact.

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An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 149

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1904 Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company Number of Pages: 1146

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company
Number of Pages: 1146