An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 186

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 186
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 186
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 186

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The father of our subject is James H. Al- drich, now a resident of Portland; he is a pio- neer of the Willamette valley, having settled there in the sixties. Born in 1848, his early manhood was spent in the middle west, a por- tion of it in Iowa and Missouri. On the break- ing out of the Civil war he enlisted in the For- ty-fourth Missouri volunteers, going into the service as a drummer. His regiment was under General Pope; his term of service lasted three years, during which he was once captured by the enemy and for a time held prisoner, securing his release eventually in an exchange of pris- oners made by the opposing forces. James H. Aldrich is of Scotch and German extraction, his father being of German and his mother of Scotch descent. Before entering the army he had ed- ited a newspaper in Iowa. At the close of the war he crossed the Plains with ox teams, settling in Benton county, Oregon, where he again en-

tered the newspaper field, publishing and edit- ing first the Newport News and later the Cor- vallis Times. He is an active Democrat and was a firm friend and supporter of Sylvester Fenoyer, ex-governor of the state. The mother of John G. Aldrich was Ida (Stoughton) Al- drich, a native of Michigan; she died in 1881. E. B. Aldrich, a merchant of Fossel, Oregon, is a brother of the Ellensburg townsman. He has, besides, two half-brothers and two half-sis- ters.

In politics, Mr. Aldrich is an active Republic- an, and is deeply interested in the success of the party ; attends conventions and keeps posted on the political situation. He is a man of acknowl- edged good judgment and in all things allows his better judgment to dictate the course he pur- sues. In addition to the hotel he is interested in the mines near Mount Stuart, having a good claim in the best section of that mining region. Having been graduated from college as a lieu- tenant of cadets, he is at all times interested in the military affairs of state and nation. He is a member of the Yeomen fraternal order, is pub- lic spirited, enjoys the confidence and esteem of all and has before him a most promising future.

FRANK S. JACKSON. Although not a na- tive of the Yakima valley, in the sense of hav- ing been born here, the young man whose name stands at the head of this article has lived in the valley, at first in Yakima county and later in Kittitas county, since his twelfth year and may consequently be said to have been raised here. He has witnessed the wonderful develop- ment of the country and has become thoroughly identified with its commercial and political life. F. S. Jackson is a native of San Diego, California, where he was born December 6, 1869, and has the distinction of being the first American boy baby born in that city, whither his parents moved from Mendocino county, the same state, in 1867. In 1869 the family moved to Napa county, Califor- nia, making it their home for eight years, and here our subject's school days began. Another move was made, this time to Old Yakima in 1881 ; here F. S. Jackson worked for a number of years with his father on the farm and in other pursuits, in the meanwhile attending the public schools during the fall and winter months until eighteen years of age, when he began doing for himself, at first engaging in the cultivation of hops and other farm products and eventually opening a store of confectioneries, in which business he continued until the time of his coming to Ellens- burg, when he formed a partnership with J. G. Aldrich in leasing and conducting the Vander- bilt Hotel, February I, 1902. His business career has thus far been in a true sense successful, and in the management of the hotel he has gained

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the approval not only of the traveling public but of Ellensburg patrons as well, and has made the business financially profitable.

The father of our subject was John Jackson, a merchant and speculator, who was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, in 1812 and died in Old Yakima in 1886. At the time of the war with Mexico he was a resident of Texas, and during that war served two years as a ranger under Sam Houston. After the war he re- mained for a time in Red River county, Texas, in mercantile pusuits, but eventually went to Old Mexico, where he lived two years, witnessing the siege of the City of Mexico by the French. From Mexico he went to Mendocino, California, in 1865, removing two years later to San Diego, where he organized a company and took up all the tide land about that city, engaging for a time in land speculations. In 1867 he moved to Napa county, California, and engaged in fruit raising and wine making until 1881, when he settled at Old Yakima, continuing until his death in the production of hops and cereals. He was married April 22, 1846, to Mary Bowman, a na- tive of Kentucky, where she was born in 1831, the wedding taking place in Hopkins county, Texas. The maternal grandparents were Lin- nerus and Elizabeth (Cheatham) Bowman, the latter of English parentage. Mary left the sem- inary at the age of fifteen to become the wife of Mr. Jackson, and was through all of the Texas border troubles. In coming to California in 1865 she walked ninety miles across the Colorado des- ert and was with her husband in many hazard- ous and exciting experiences. The elder Jack- son was a Royal Arch Mason and delivered many lectures on Masonry.

Frank S. Jackson has eight brothers and sis- ters living: Samuel H., on the Sound; Maxey, a cattle man of North Yakima; John B., a hop raiser. North Yakima; Cleopatra, the wife of Dr. McCormick, San Francisco; Philip, a clerk, North Yakima; Ida Stewart, in Idaho; Ella Stout, Seattle; and Anna Jackson, living in Whatcom.

Mr. Jackson is independent in political thought but is an avowed supporter of President Roosevelt. He is in sympathy with all public movements of a progressive nature and takes a lively interest in all measures proposed for the general advancement of the town and surround- ing country.

GEORGE E. FORD. A general rule of life is that a man chooses the business in which he engages, suiting his own inclinations as far as possible and taking into consideration his adapt- ability to the pursuit chosen. Another general rule is that a man is rarely successful in a busi- ness into which unusual circumstances have in

a certain sense forced him. Neither of these gen- eral rules has applied to George E. Ford, who has for ten years been successfully engaged in the fruit and confectionery business in Ellens- burg, a business in which he engaged as the result of a railroad accident, and not altogether from choice. Mr. Ford was born in Lyman, New Hampshire, in 1863, and after the usual number of years spent in the common and high schools of his native state, began railroading at the age of eighteen. He followed the work in New Hampshire until twenty-one years old, when he became a brakeman on the B. & M. R. railroad in Nebraska, working up in a short time to a position as conductor. After four years service on this road he came to Washington and was for four years a conductor on the Northern Pa- cific railroad. In 1892 he met with a serious ac- cident at Prosser while on duty, the breaking of a pilot bar causing him the loss of one limb, which was cut off between the knee and hip. Being a man of iron constitution, he recovered in a remarkably short time from this injury, which would have killed a man with less vitality and nerve force; he did not go to the hospital, but was brought direct to Ellensburg, where the limb was amputated and the wound dressed. In twelve days he was able to be up, and in eight- een days he was sufficiently recovered to be re- moved to another residence. The loss of his limb incapacitated him for the train service and he entered the office of the company at Ellens- burg as a clerk. One year later he resigned this position and established himself in his present line of business, in which he has since continued and which has proven successful; he has con- tinuously enjoyed a profitable trade. The rail- road company treated him fairly and generously, allowing him damages on account of the acci- dent without even the threat of a suit. The father of George E. Ford is Samuel P. Ford, a native of New Hampshire, where he was born in 1833 and where he still lives; he is a farmer by occupation and is of English extraction, his parents being among the earliest settlers at Low- ell, Massachusetts, from which place they afterward moved to Haverhill, New Hampshire, where Sam- uel was born. The Ford family was one of the old- est and most distinguished in the early history of Massachusetts, the grandfather serving as a cap- tain in the Revolution. Jane E. (Kelsea) Ford is the mother of the Ellensburg townsman; she is still living in New Hampshire, where she was born in 1835. Her ancestors were also of the very early settlers in the New England states.

Mr. Ford was married in 1890 to Josie May- berry, a school teacher and a native of Maine. She is the daughter of J. H. Mayberry. Her mother was a Morrison, an old New England family. Both father and mother were natives of Maine. Mr. Ford has one brother and one sis-

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ter: Lawrence K. Ford, living in New Hamp- shire, and Mary A. Ford, a resident of Hamp- ton, Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Ford have four children-Reginald, Jane, Lawrence and Wen- dall. Mr. Ford is a Republican; although not an active partisan in the sense of being a pro- fessed politician, he is always deeply interested in results. He has faith in the future of his home town and county and is one of the relia- ble, substantial and respected citizens of Ellens- burg.

DR. ROY A. WEAVER. Coming to the Kittitas valley at the age of two years with his parents, before a railroad brought modern ad- vantages to the doors of settlers, Dr. Roy A. Weaver is a typical western young man, prac- ticing the profession of dentistry with success and taking a prominent part in the upbuilding of the town in which he has grown to young manhood. Dr. Weaver was born in Joplin, Mis- souri, August 29, 1880. His father, John N. Weaver, is a mechanic and farmer by occupa- tion, and was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, in 1841. In 1882, taking their children with them, the father and mother came to the Kittitas val- ley, where they took up a home on the west side of the river near Ellensburg. There was little of a settlement in this section at that time, and pioneer life meant hardship and some privation. Mr. Weaver had poor health in Missouri, and came west in the hope of bettering it. He is still living in the valley. He is of German de- scent. He had a brother in the Civil war. Dr. Weaver's mother, Anna M. (McDowell) Wea- ver, is from an old Scotch-Irish family, promi- nently identified with the early settlement of Illinois and Indiana. · Four of her uncles were in the Civil war and one ancestor fought in the War of 1812. She traces her ancestry to Gen- eral McDowell. Dr. Weaver attended the com- mon school and later the high school in Ellens- burg, graduating in 1899. He then began study- ing dentistry in Dr. Fishburn's office. At the end of an eighteen months' apprenticeship he went to Portland, Oregon, where he took a year's course in a dental college. He then went to Indianapolis in the fall of 1901 and attended dental college there for two years, graduating May 2, 1903. After taking a brief vacation and visiting relatives in the east he came to Ellens- burg and opened an office.

Dr. Weaver i is independent in political thought, but holds allegiance to Roosevelt and his administration. He is not married. He has two brothers and one sister. Cora Weaver and Lafayette Weaver live at Sultania, California. Victor V. Weaver is a native of Kittitas county, born in 1883. He is attending the Washington Agricultural college.

AMASA S. RANDALL. Among the well established and substantial weekly newspapers published in the Pacific Northwest the Ellens- burg Localizer maintains a prominent position. This sketch has to deal with its editor and man- ager, Amasa S. Randall. Associated with his brothers, U. M. and M. E. Randall, working under the firm name of The Cascade Printing and Publishing Company, Mr. Randall has a chain of three weeklies, the one named, the Cas- cade Miner and the Cle-Elum Echo, the two latter being published at Roslyn and Cle-Elum, respectively.

Amasa S. Randall was born at Sharon, Minne- sota, December 28, 1869, the son of Thomas J. Ran- dall, a farmer. He spent the first eighteen years of his life in working on his father's farm and attending district school. He graduated from the grammar school, then went to Adel, Iowa, where he spent two years in the high school. At that time Mr. Randall's intention was to follow the trade of contractor and builder, but he decided to waive that ambition for the present and come to Ellensburg, whither his father had preceded him. He started for the West with a herd of dairy cows, thinking to en- ter the dairy business, but in crossing the Yel- lowstone his train was wrecked by the giving way of the bridge caused by the heavy pressure against it of ice and water. His cattle were lost, and indeed, but for the timely aid of the fireman at the last moment, Mr. Randall himself would have been drowned. Subsequently he obtained from the railroad company about one-half the value of the cattle. Mr. Randall pushed on to Ellensburg, however, but on account of his loss had to change his plans throughout. In Ellens- burg he worked for a time with his father at contracting, then entered the mechanical depart- ment of the Ellensburg Capital. After serving four years' apprenticeship he secured a more re- munerative position on the Localizer, working as a printer.

He remained with the Localizer but six months, however, then worked for a time on the Ellensburg Register, after which he left the state to establish a publishing office of his own at Woodland, California. Here his purpose was to publish a string of newspapers on contract, and in this business he was so successful that he later removed to Sacramento, where he could have bet- ter facilities than were to be had in Woodland. After a year at Sacramento he sold out and re- turned to Woodland to accept the position of business manager with the Home Alliance, a weekly published there. His health failing him, he then came to Washington to recuperate among the mountains, remaining several months. He next went to Hollister, California, where with his brother, U. M., he resurrected and for three years successfully published a defunct pa-

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per. Disposing of this publication the brothers came to Roslyn and purchased the plant of the Miner, then a bankrupt sheet, and January 1, 1899, they resumed its issuance. The brothers later incorporated under the firm name of Randall Bros., and in 1901 established the Cle-Elum Echo. They purchased the Localizer, April 15, 1903, from Mr. Schnebly, and admitted another brother, M. E. Randall, to the firm, when the firm name was changed to The Cascade Print- ing and Publishing Company.

Mr. Randall was married January 1, 1893, in Ellensburg, to Minnie Shull, at native of Albany, Missouri, who came to Washington with her parents about the same time Mr. Randall came. Her father, Calvin T. Shull, a native of Ohio, was for years a government scout on the Plains. During the Civil war Mr. Shull was in the west in the government secret service. He is of Ger- man descent, and is now seventy-five years of age. Mrs. Randall's mother, China Shull, was a native of Illinois, born during the sixties. Mr. Randall has two brothers, whose names are given above, and five sisters: Alice, Lizzie, Ida, Mary and Emma. He has one child, Merwyn, seven years of age.

In social life he is a member of the W. O. W., the Foresters of America and the Fraternal Aid Society of San Francisco. Both Mr. Ran- dall and his wife are members of the Christian church. Mr. Randall politically is a Republican, though not an active partisan.

In his newspaper work Mr. Randall has an able and efficient assistant in his wife, who is thoroughly familiar with all the details of the profession from beginning to end. Through the combined efforts of the Randall Bros., the Lo- calizer has gained the reputation of being a clean, fearless and ably edited journal, and a power for good in the community.

JACOB BOWERS, one of Kittitas county's prosperous farmers, resides seven miles north of Ellensburg. He was born in Pennsylvania, Decem- ber 26, 1853, the son of John and Elizabeth (Shel- burg) Bowers. The former was a native of Ger- many, and a farmer by occupation. He settled in Pennsylvania in an early day, where he re- sided until his death. The mother, also a na- tive of Germany, was married in Pennsylvania, and died there when our subject was a lad of six years. Jacob was educated, in his earlier years, in the state of his birth, and later in the state of Illinois, where he had removed in 1867. He farmed for five years in the latter state, then went by rail to California. He followed farm- ing in the Golden state eight years, at the end of which time, in 1879, he came to Ellensburg and took a homestead. In 1891 he purchased what is known as the Wold ranch, a farm of two

hundred acres, and seeded the entire tract to al- falfa, timothy and clover. He is still farming this land, and has it in a high state of cultiva- tion. His brothers and sisters are: Elizabeth Larson, living in Pennsylvania; John F., Penn- sylvania ; Frank, Kansas; Mary, Pennsylvania, and Michael, also of Pennsylvania. Two broth- ers, Henry and Philip, are now deceased. Those living were all born in Pennsylvania in the years 1839, 1841, 1843, 1845, and 1847, respectively.

Mr. Bowers was married in California, No- vember 5, 1875, to Miss Ella V. Read. Mrs. Bowers was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, January 17, 1852, and at three years of age removed with her parents to Illinois, where she received her education in the common schools. At the age of twenty she removed to California, and three years later was married to Mr. Bowers. Her father, Frank B. Read, was born in Massachu- setts in 1819. He was a farmer, and died in Washington. Her mother, Angeline (Grenell) Read, was born in Rhode Island in 1832, and now lives in California. Mrs. Bowers' brothers and sisters are: Walter G. Read, born in Mass- achusetts in 1854, now living in California; Lizzie Newland, born in Illinois, now of Cali- fornia; Henry, born in Illinois, living in Wash- ington ; Frank J., born in Illinois, now of Wash- ington, and Delia M. Dempsy, a native of Illi- nois, now living in California. Two sisters, Carry C. and Hattie H. Read, both born in Illi- nois, are deceased. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Bowers are: John F., Walter W., James H., Frank M., Jacob L., Anna E., Carrie C., Joseph R. and Roy R. Bowers. The two first named were born in California and the others in Wash- ington. The first named, and eldest, was born in 1877, and the youngest, whose name is given last, in 1895. All are living at home.

Mr. Bowers is an ardent Republican, and for two years (1901-02) held the office of county commissioner of Kittitas county. His present property interests consist of 1,522 acres of land, 100 head of horses, driving and draft stock, and 300 head of cattle. He is a well-to-do farmer and a good business man. He takes an active interest in all public affairs in his county, and is recognized as an honorable, industrious, con- scientious man, and one to be trusted and re- spected for his sterling qualities.

DR. JOHN ROBBINS, a retired physician, now living on Springfield Farm, near the city of Ellensburg, Washington, is a native of Birm- ingham, England, born May 21, 1834, the son of John and Elizabeth (Benton) Robbins, both of English nativity. His father, born in the year 1810, in Birmingham, England, was a carpenter and builder, and a Christian gentle- man. He died in the country of his birth in his

JACOB BOWERS ..

THOMAS HALEY.

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BIOGRAPHICAL.

seventieth year. Elizabeth Benton, who was born two years later than her husband, was married to John Robbins in 1833, and died in Birmingham, England, in 1850. Dr. Robbins re- ceived his early education in the Church of Eng- land school, and at the age of fourteen became apprenticed to a noted engraver. He worked in this capacity for seven years, during which time he became a thorough master of the en- graver's art. He next took a partner, and went into business for himself, in which he continued for a number of years, during which time he en- graved guns and silverware for the World's Ex- hibition at London, which were awarded prizes. All his spare time for a number of years was de- voted to the study of medicine, and he received instruction from the late Dr. Hastings, R. C. S. E., and Dr. Lawrence, S. M. B. Finally, from overwork and study, his health failed and he was compelled to seek a country life. He then went to farming, which he followed until June, 1872, when he came to the United States, set- tling in Lincoln, Nebraska. From there he went west and took up a homestead near where Has- tings, Nebraska, now. stands, which he gave up and returned to Lincoln, and later to Omaha. Here he remained for about three years, during which time he engraved the first map of Nebraska, published in the Omaha Bee. He next went to San Francisco, and after a brief stay went to Portland, where he remained three years. In May, 1878, he moved with his wife and fourteen children to Kittitas valley and settled upon the land now known as Springfield Farm, Ellens- burg, Washington, where he has since remained. The first two or three years he followed the practice of medicine. But as he came to farm he retired from practice as soon as other phy- sicians came to stay.

In 1854 he was married to Mary Ann Gar- rett, born in Leamington, England, March I, 1830. She died in Birmingham, England, March 18, 1859, and on August 29, 1859, he was married to Elizabeth Benton in Leamington, England, where she was born March 7, 1839, and received her education in the Church of England school. She died at her home, Springfield Farm, Ellens- burg, Washington, on. December 3, 1902, in her sixty-fourth year. She was the only child in the family and lived at home until her marriage. Her father was William Benton, who for a part of his life was valet to an English nobleman; later in his career he kept a general store. Mrs. Robbins' mother was Elizabeth Ollier, the daughter of a farmer. Both Mr. and Mrs. Benton died in the country of their birth. Dr. Robbins has been the father of seventeen children, two by his first and fifteen by his second marriage. Their

names, dates and places of birth are as follows: Walter John, born in Birmingham, England, Jan- uary 6, 1856, now of Ellensburg, Washington;

Ernest Arthur, born in Birmingham, England, March 3, 1858, and died at Springfield Farm, Ellensburg, Washington, October 25, 1895; Fan- nie Ollier Thomas, born in Birmingham, England, November 30, 1860, now of the Kittitas valley; Bertha Elizabeth Vradenburgh, born in Bir- mingham, England, April 9, 1862, now living in Puyallup, Washington ; William von Essen, born in Birmingham, England, September 26, 1863, now of Ellensburg ; Frances Annie Zwicker, born in Birmingham, England, September 25, 1864, died in Kittitas valley, Washington, March 14, 1900; Harry Edward, born in Birmingham, Eng- land, August 27, 1865, now of Ellensburg; Min- nie Emily Sellwood, born in Birmingham, Eng- land, December 8, 1866, now living in Enum- claw, Washington; Charles Ollier, born in Bir- mingham, England, February 13, 1868, now of Ellensburg; George Benton, born in Birming- ham, England, February 24, 1869, now living in Butte, Montana; Blanche Agnes, born in Kings Norton, near Birmingham, England, May 13, 1870, now living at home; Nellie Edith Craig, born in Omaha, Nebraska, November 25,1872, now living in Puyallup, Washington; Lillie Alice, born in Omaha, Nebraska, August 24, 1874, now living in Ellensburg; Daisie Ella, born in Port- land, Oregon, April 28, 1876, died November 14, 1891 ; Mary Burton, born in a log cabin in Kittitas valley, Washington, August 24, 1878, now living at home; Clara Amie, born on Springfield Farm, Ellensburg, Washington, February 17, 1883, now living at home, and Laura May, born on Springfield Farm, Ellensburg, Washington, Feb- ruary 23, 1885, also living at home. In the fall of 1878, during the Indian outbreak, Dr. Rob- bins' home was a popular refuge for the fami- lies round about. Some of them remained in this retreat for several weeks. Dr. Robbins has one brother, Francis, born in England and now living in Omaha, Nebraska. He also has three sis- ters-Elizabeth, Eliza and Emily, all born in England, where they still live. Dr. and Mrs. Robbins were members of the Church of Eng- land. The doctor has been a good and tender- hearted physician, always responding to calls alike from rich and poor, and many incidents are told by his friends and neighbors of the early times, when he ministered to the needs of those afflicted and in straitened circumstances, with- out hope of reward and at great personal incon- venience and sacrifice. He has made a success of farming and stock raising, and now, in his old age, is comfortably situated in this world with all the needs of life, surrounded by his chil- dren, and respected and esteemed by his neigh- bors and by a host of friends. He is known as a Christian man of generous impulses, of good business judgment, fair and honorable in all his dealings. His course in life commends itself to the rising generations and all good citizens, and

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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 186

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