An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 205

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 205
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 205
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 205


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).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171 | Part 172 | Part 173 | Part 174 | Part 175 | Part 176 | Part 177 | Part 178 | Part 179 | Part 180 | Part 181 | Part 182 | Part 183 | Part 184 | Part 185 | Part 186 | Part 187 | Part 188 | Part 189 | Part 190 | Part 191 | Part 192 | Part 193 | Part 194 | Part 195 | Part 196 | Part 197 | Part 198 | Part 199 | Part 200 | Part 201 | Part 202 | Part 203 | Part 204 | Part 205 | Part 206 | Part 207 | Part 208 | Part 209 | Part 210


In 1890, Mrs. Piland came to Seattle, and the next year found her in Kittitas county, where she soon purchased her present home, consisting of a one hundred and sixty acre farm, one hundred and five acres of which are under cultivation. Besides this farm she has a house and lot in Springfield, Missouri.


Mrs. Piland's husband was born in Hopkins county, Kentucky, January 30, 1845. His father's family were from Windsor, North Carolina, whence they had moved to the Blue Grass state. Soon after his birth they again moved, going to Missouri, and here he gained his education, working betimes on the parental farm. When eighteen years old he en- listed for service in the Civil war, and from that


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time until the close of hostilities he lived the life of a soldier in active conflict. He was mustered out of service May 12, 1865, and immediately returned home, where he died in 1871.


The brothers and sisters of Mrs. Piland are: John O. Rutherford, born in Tennessee, now living in Indian territory; William T. Rutherford, born in Missouri, now in Wyoming; Mrs. Malinda Mc- Coulah, born in Tennessee, now in Missouri; Mrs. Sarah Bowls, born in Missouri, now in Texas; Mrs. Celia Pattie, born in Missouri, now a resident of Indian territory. The children of Mrs. Piland are Mrs. Mary Walker, born in Missouri, February 17, 1867, now living in Springfield, that state, and Mrs. Millie Manning, born in Missouri, April 18, 1869, and now in Seattle.


An active member of the Presbyterian church and a leader in the social life of her community, Mrs. Piland is well and favorably known in the neighborhood where her lot has been cast.


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MARION J. EVENS is a farmer residing ten miles east of Cle-Elum, Washington. He was born in Arkansas, April 9, 1857, the son of William and Jane (Gray) Evens. His father is of English ex- traction, born in Tennessee, July 24, 1827. He is a farmer, now living in Ozark county, Missouri, and is a veteran of the Civil war. Jane (Gray) Evens was likewise born in Tennessee, 1834, and was mar- ried at the age of seventeen. Mr. and Mrs. Evens moved to Missouri in 1852, and there Marion was born and received his education in the common schools. He worked on his father's farm until he became twenty-two years of age; then commenced farming on his own account. He followed agricul- ture in his native state for three years; in 1882 came to Washington and settled in Kittitas county, taking a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, which farm is still his home. He now has the entire home- stead under cultivation, and well improved. Be- sides his home place, Mr. Evens has six hundred and forty acres of grazing land, stocked with 800 head of sheep. He also has a sufficient number of horses to carry on the work about the farm. Mr. Evens has brothers and sisters as follows: Levi (deceased) ; William J., Martha Stone, Jamima, Mifford, Cyntha Scott, Wayne, Joby (deceased), Nancy E. Prim, and Everette (deceased), all living in Missouri; Edward and Silas, of Seattle, and Matilda George, living on Lookout mountain. The four first named were born in Arkansas; the oth- ers in Missouri.


Mr. Evens was married in Ozark county, Mis- souri, February 2, 1879, to Miss Nancy A. Evans, daughter of Jesse, a farmer of English extraction, born in North Carolina. 1815, and died in Wash- ington; and Bartema (Welch) Evans, a native of Indiana, who was married when quite young and died in Missouri. Mrs. M. J. Evens was born in Ozark county, where she grew to womanhood, re-


ceiving her education in the common schools. Mrs. Evens had four brothers and one sister, all born in the state of Missouri. Their names, and present residences are: Robert, Missouri; Peter (de- ceased) ; Jane Piland, Washington; Simeon and James M., Washington. Mr. and Mrs. Evens have brought up seven children, all of whom are living at home. Their names, with state and date of birth in each instance, are: William J., Missouri, December 30, 1879; Thomas, Washington, October 3, 1882; Matilda J., Washington, September 9, 1885; Clara, Washington, August 8, 1887; Benjamin H., Wash- ington, September 11, 1890; Mamie B., Washing- ton, May 15, 1894, and Marion A., Washington, February 2, 1896. Politically, Mr. Evens is a Roosevelt Republican, and in religion he is a mem- ber of the Seventh Day Advenist denomination. He is regarded as being a man of sound financial standing, liberal hearted and of sterling integrity.


HARRY S. FIELDING, now deceased, was a progressive farmer residing twelve miles east of Cle- Elum, Washington. He was born in Ontario, Jan- uary 9, 1859, and passed away September 3, 1903. His father was Thomas Fielding, also a native of Ontario, in turn a farmer and a hotel man, who crossed the Plains in the early days, and was a frontiersman all his life. Margaret (Mccutcheon) Fielding, mother of Harry S., was born in Ontario, and is now living in Britislı Columbia. Until ar- riving at the age of twelve, Mr. Fielding attended the common schools of his native country. At the age mentioned he began making his own way in the world, and one year later went to Manitoba. He remained but a short time, however, then re- turned to Ontario. He removed to Dakota later on, and there engaged in agriculture for a period of six years, when, in 1887, he pushed on to Seattle, where he engaged in teaming. After three years in that city he went to Westminster, British Columbia, and remained there twelve months, engaged in the same business he followed while in Seattle. He spent the four years following on a ranch near Blaine, Washington, at the expiration of which time he came to Swauk Prairie, Kittitas county, and pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of railroad land. On this farm he lived until his death; and succeeded in placing seventy-five acres of his land under cultivation. His ranch is well improved, and equipped with ample buildings. Mr. Fielding had three brothers and one sister, all born in Canada, whose names and present residences are: Thomas, British Columbia ; Hugh and Stewart, Canada, and Mary Culburt, Dakota.


In Dakota, June 22, 1884, Mr. Fielding was mar- ried to Miss Laura Ryckman, daughter of Elija and Elizabeth (Wardell) Ryckman, both of whom were born and died in Canada. Her father was a car- penter by trade, and died in 1891. Mrs. Fielding was born in Canada, August 16, 1858. She received'


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her education, and also learned the trade of dress making, in her native country. She has one sister and two brothers, all born and still living in Can- ada; Frances Little, John and Thomas Ryckman. Mrs. Fielding is the mother of seven children, whose names and dates of birth are: Henry E., born in Dakota, May 3, 1885 ; Maud, in Dakota, October 9, 1886; Melvin F., in British Columbia, July 5, 1889; Edna, in British Columbia, April 14, 1891 ; Chester B., also in British Columbia, September 29, 1892 ; Claud L., in Washington, September 22, 1896; and Clarence, likewise in Washington, May 4, 1898. Mr. Fielding, during his life, was a member in good standing of the Odd Fellows fraternity, and polit- ically, was a Democrat. The only office he ever held was that of road overseer, which position he filled for four years. Mrs. Fielding has a small herd of choice cattle, and a number of horses. Her hus- band was considered one of the substantial and pros- perous farmers of his community, and was regarded as a man of honesty and integrity, which estimable qualities made him a man of prominence and pres- tige among his fellow citizens, and his loss is greatly to be regretted.


DAVID W. GRAVES, living on his farm, nine miles east of Cle-Elum, was born in Lincoln county, Missouri, January 21, 1845, the son of John P. and Maria (Glover) Graves, the former a native of Vir- ginia and the latter of Missouri. John P. Graves was born in 1824, and has been a farmer during his entire life. He crossed the Plains in 1849 by ox team conveyance, and took a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres in Marion county, Oregon, where he is still living. Mrs. Graves, the mother of David W., was born in 1825, and was married at the age of sixtcen. By a comparison of dates it will be seen that David was a lad of four years when his parents removed to Oregon. . In this state he re- ceived his education in the common schools. At the age of eighteen he went into the mines near Baker City, where he worked for a period of seven years, and then removed to the Willamette valley. He there engaged in agriculture as a means of liveli- hood, and continued to reside in the Willamette valley for a period of seventeen years, at the end of which time he came to Kittitas county and pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of land from the railroad company. He later sold this tract, and took an equally large tract as a homestead. This he also sold, and then purchased forty acres in the Teanaway valley, where he still makes his home. Mr. Graves' brothers and sisters are: Philip M., born in Missouri; Sarah J. Daily, born while cross- ing the Plains, en route to Oregon; Franklin T .; Edward; John M .; Flora Hobart ; Wilbur, and Dol- lie Johnson, all born in Oregon, except the two first named. The brothers and sisters are all living in Oregon with the exceptions of John M., Wilbur and Mrs. Johnson, who reside in Montana, Spokane,


Washington, and Idaho, respectively. Besides these whose names are given, one brother, Lorenzo, born in Oregon, is deceased.


Mr. Graves was married in Salem, Oregon, 1870, to Amanda E. Shepherd, who was born in Nodaway county, Missouri, November 22, 1850, and as an infant crossed the Plains to Oregon with her parents. She was educated in the cominon schools of Oregon, and learned the dressmaker's trade, at which she worked five years, previous to her mar- riage, which event took place in her twentieth year. Her father was Andrew Shepherd, born in Illinois in 1815 ; a farmer by occupation. He was a veteran of the Indian war of 1855, having crossed the Plains in an ox wagon in 1852, and settled in Marion county, Oregon. He was of Scotch-German ances- try, and is now deceased. Clara (Lanham) Shep- herd was her mother, and was born in Missouri in 1817, and married when seventeen years of age. The brothers and sisters of Mrs. Graves are : Francis M. and Martha J. Dent, born in Illinois, and now residents of Oregon and Walla Walla, Washington, respectively; James B. and DeCalb, born in Missouri and residing in Oregon ; Jasper and Newton, both born and now liv- ing in Oregon, and Mary L. Cooper, born in Ore- gon, 1860, now living in Kittitas county, Washington. Besides these named, Margaret A., Jacob and Lucinda, all born in Missouri, and Cur- tis, born in Oregon, are now deceased. The chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Graves are: Florence Zeek, born in Marion county, Oregon, January 30, 1871 ; Jett, September 23, 1873, a seamstress and milliner of Spokane; George M., March 27, 1877; Burton, February 21, 1881 ; Clara G., March 13, 1885 ; and Ralph, October 21, 1886, all born in the Webfoot state. In religion, the parents are Seventh Day Ad- ventists, and in politics, Mr. Graves affiliates with the Republican party. He owns a modern home, and his farm is well improved and amply stocked. He is prosperous and energetic, bears a good reputa- tion and has a host of friends.


CHARLES R. BENSON, engaged in farming five miles south of Cle-Elum, Washington, was born in Hancock county, Maine, March 19, 1869. His father, Freeland H. Benson, was also a native of that state. His mother was Elizabeth H. (Sadler) Benson. Besides Charles, their children were: Ed- win F., of Tacoma; Mrs. Mary E. Bettinger, of Seattle ; Edna L. (deceased), and Harry C., of Seat- tie. Charles R. Benson was educated in Maine and graduated from the grammar school at the age of fourteen, at which time his parents moved to Lin- coln county. Washington. He spent one year in the high school in Sprague, and when seventeen years old secured employment in the railroad shops locat- ed in that place. After one year of that work he returned to his father's farm for two years. He was then in the railway mail service one year; for


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twelve months he was a fireman on the Seattle & Lake Shore road, and was engineer of the White Star steam laundry for a period of eight months. In 1892 he went to Yakima county, where he en- gaged in farming and contracting for four years. The succeeding two years were spent in Douglas county ; he then returned to Yakima county, and for two years was in the fish business with his father. The following two years he was engaged as land examiner bv the Northern Pacific Railway Com- pany. In 1900 he bought his present farm and moved there in 1902. He was married in North Yakima, July 28, 1899, to Miss Leona Vandermost, who was born in Holland, October 7, 1879. She is the daughter of Frank and Anna J. (Bushman) Vandermost, both natives of Holland and now farm- ing in Oregon. Her brothers, Cornelius and Henry, and sister, Marie C., live in Oregon; her brother Frank lives in Washington. Mr. and Mrs. Benson have one child, Edna L., who was born in North Yakima, March 14, 1901. The father is a member of the Methodist church. He is a Republican in politics and belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America fraternity. He is a prosperous and suc- cessful farmer, has 200 acres of hay and grazing land and 165 acres of range land.


SAMUEL L. BATES, one of the men who con- structed the first irrigation ditch in Kittitas county, Washington, is now engaged in farming, three and one-quarter miles south of Cle-Elum. He was born in Jefferson county, Missouri, March 5, 1830, the son of James C. Bates, a native of Virginia, who went to Missouri at the age of four, when that ter- ritory was under Spanish control. He there lived and died. Samuel's grandfather, Elias Bates, was married to a Miss Austin, daughter of the Austins who had a Spanish concession at the site where Austin, Texas, is now located, and who built a smelter in the Missouri lead mines for the Spanish government. Mr. Bates is self educated. When fourteen he became an apprentice at the blacksmith trade and after three years moved to Keokuk, Iowa, and conducted a shop for a year and one-half. He then made the ocean trip to San Francisco, engaged in gold mining twelve years; in farming and team- ing eight years, and with his brother ran a store at the mines for an additional four years. In 1873 he went to the Swauk mines in Kittitas county, Wash- ington, where he remained two years and then locat- ed a ranch near Tanum creek, where, with others, he constructed the first irrigation ditch in the county. He lived there four years, running a blacksmith shop part of the time, then sold out and rented a farm a year. Later he bought railroad land, on which he lived nearly four years, trading it for property in Cle-Elum. After five years in the latter place, he bought his present farm from an Indian, where he has since made his home. His brothers and sisters


are : James (deceased), Clara A. Sanford, Mary C. Christy, Edward, William and Vincent (deceased).


He was married in Kittitas county in 1890, to Miss May Stewart, born in Maine, November 3, 1867, daughter of Hiram I. and Mary E. (Stewart) Stewart. Her inother is dead. Her sister is Mrs. Phedora C. Barnes. Her only brother, Hiram H. Stewart, is dead. Mr. and Mrs, Bates have one child, Lewis S., born June 30, 1894. Mr. Bates las been a faithful, active Odd Fellow since '1863. Po- litically, he is a Democrat, and served as county commissioner for one term. He has 161 acres of productive land.


ROBERT SIMPSON, outside foreman of the Cle-Elum coal mines, has worked in and about dif- ferent mines ever since he came to the United States in 1881. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, Jan- uary 1, 1871, his `father, Alexander Simpson, having also been a miner. The father was born in 1829 and died in 1876. Mr. Simpson's mother, May (Little) Simpson, dicd about 1887. When Mr. Simpson was a boy of ten years he came to the United States with his uncle, Archie Reed, and went to Rockville, Colo- rado, ten miles from Canyon City, where both found employment in the coal mines. The boy went to work on top of the ground and the uncle down in the mine. He remained there five years and then went alone to Wyoming and secured employment in the mines at Rock Springs. There he remained three years, driving mules in the mines, when, in 1890, he moved to Roslyn, Washington, and went to work as a driver in the mines. After one year he went to Wellington, British Columbia, where he worked two years as driver in the mines. He re- turned to Roslyn a few months prior to the strike of 1894, and drove, as before. May 5, 1894, he began work sinking the first shaft on the Cle-Elum mines on ground which James, Smith, Hamer and Davis had leased from Thos. L. Gamble. At a depth of 240 feet a four and one-half foot vein of bitumi- nous coal was struck, of the same grade as in the Roslyn mine-the best coal on the coast. He then went to digging coal in the mines and has since continued to work in the same properties. In 1898 he was promoted to fire boss, but later quit the job and engaged in track laying in the mines. After two years he was made outside foreman, a position he has since continued to fill admirably.


Mr. Simpson was married May 24, 1896, to Maud Tuttle, who was born in Illinois in 1874. Her father, William W. Tuttle, is engaged in the trans- fer business at Cle-Elum. Mrs. Simpson has three brothers and one sister, all of whom reside at Cle- Elum. They are William W., Roy, Mabel and Lyle Tuttle. Mr. Simpson has three sisters, all residing in Scotland. They are Mary Simpson, Annie Simp- son and Maggie Simpson. He is the father of four children-Orra Simpson, Mabel Simpson, Margaret Simpson and Jennette Simpson. Mr. Simpson is a


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member of the Foresters. He is a member of the Republican party, but does not take an active inter- est in politics.


CHARLES CONNELL., the weighmaster for the coal mines at Cle-Elum, Washington, was born in Ontario, Canada, April 13, 1872, and came to the United States with his parents when but a year old. His father, Edward Connell, was a native of Ire- land, and was formerly engaged in the hotel busi- ness, but has now retired and is making his home at Cle-Elum. Mr. Connell's mother, Jennie (Geg- gie) Connell, is of Scotch descent. She was born in 1853 and still survives. When Mr. Connell was an infant, his parents moved from Canada to Wil- bur, Nebraska, where the father engaged in the hotel business for fourteen years. There Charles attended common school and the high school. The family had relatives at Cle-Elum, and, after a visit to this state, they became much impressed with the country and moved to Cle-Elum, which has since been their home. The father engaged in the general merchandise business for three years. The subject of this sketch worked at the depot as car clerk for about five years and then was appointed to a posi- tion of clerk in the postoffice, when Mrs. Rebecca Smith was postmistress. He had charge of the office for some time after F. Seldon was appointed postmaster. Mr. Connell then began work with the Cle-Elum Coal Company as weighmaster, and con- tinued in the same position when that company was absorbed by the Northwestern Improvement Com- pany, his present employer. He was married in 1893 to Miss Maud Willis, daughter of Samuel and Mary Willis. Mrs. Connell was a native of Penn- sylvania. Her father was formerly a telegraph oper- ator, but is now engaged in farming near Cle-Elum. Her mother is dead. Mr. Connell has two brothers, Russell H. Connell, a plumber, and Frederick Con- nell, also a plumber, and one sister, Daisy M. Con- nell, all of whom reside at Cle-Elum. He has one child, Lester W. Connell, eight years old. While Mr. Connell was elected justice of the peace of Cle- Elum precinct on the Democratic ticket, succeeding Thomas Gamble, he does not believe in blindly vot- ing a straight ticket. He always votes for whom he considers the best man, irrespective of party affilia- tions. Mr. Connell is a prominent and active mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias. He has been through all of the chairs and is now past chancellor. He owns considerable property at Cle-Elum and is an active and popular citizen.


JOSEPH T. CLARK, engineer at the Cle-Elum coal mines, Cle-Elum, is a native of Washington and learned engineering on Puget Sound. His father, Thomas J. V. Clark, a merchant, was born in Bal- timore, Maryland. in 1848, and died in his native state in 1892. The elder Clark was a pioneer on


Puget Sound, and in an early day owned twenty acres of land now in the heart of Seattle. He served during the Civil war and was wounded near the heart, but recovered. Later he served as a scout on the Plains for several years for the government. When he first went to Seattle it was a small village. He moved to North Yakima in 1884 and started the first store there, where he remained in business for a number of years. He was the first mayor of that city. Mr. Clark's mother, Maggie (Mann) Clark, was born in Pennsylvania in 1852, and is now a res- ident of Elgin, Illinois. Mr. Clark was born in Skagit county, Washington, September 2, 1876, and was six years old when his parents moved to Yakima county. He was educated in the common schools there until he was eighteen years old. Then he re- turned to the Sound and went to steamboating and learned engineering, which he followed at intervals until 1900, farming between times. He then moved to Cle-Elum and accepted the position he now fills so capably and well.


Mr. Clark was married July 10, 1899, to Jennie Lindsey, who was born in North Yakima, Septem- ber, 1879. Her father, William Lindsey, who was born in Missouri in 1841, was one of the first set- tlers in the Yakima valley. He served in the Civil war and then moved to Yakima county in the late sixties, and is now engaged in farming there. Mrs. Clark's mother, Ada (Wright) Lindsey, was born in 1842 in Ohio and is still living. Mrs. Clark has two brothers and four sisters: Edward, Willis, Viola, Maud, Margaret and Della Lindsey. She is the mother of one child, Erman Clark, who was born in September, 1900. Mr. Clark's eldest brother, Da- vid Clark, is a brick mason and resides at Yakima, which is also the home of two married sisters, Grace Grant, wife of Sheriff Grant, and Mamie Simpson. Sarah McKivor, another sister, lives at Seattle. Ida Clark lives with her mother at Elgin, Illinois, and Anna Livingood, lives near Yakima City. Mr. Clark is a member of the Democratic party and takes an active interest in politics, attending all the conven- tions. He has been successful in business affairs and owns a nice home at Cle-Elum, and, in addition, l-as some property at Yakima.


JAMES C. BALL is engineer at the coal mines of the Northwestern Improvement Company at Cle-Elum, and is an experienced miner, having worked in the coal mines since he was eleven years old. His father, Robert Ball, born near Manchester, England, in 1843, was also a miner. The subject of this sketch was born in Manchester, England. July 22. 1865, and came to the United States with his parents in 1868. His mother, Eliza (Dale) Ball, was born in England in 1845 and still survives.


The family settled at Des Moines, Iowa. where the father found employment in the mines. The boy was the eldest child and secured but a limited educa- tion up to the time he was eleven years old, at which


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time he started to work in the mines to help support the family. He continued to work there until 1894, when he moved to the Indian Territory. After he had been there a short time he began firing, and worked from that time on to become an engineer, which he followed for seven years at Coalgate, In- dian Territory, and returned to Iowa, where he re- mained at Des Moines for three years. In 1899 he moved to Cle-Elum and took his present position.


Mr. Ball was married March 1, 1890, in the Indian Territory, to Retta V. Hicklin, who was born in Warren county, Iowa, in 1865. Her father, Francis M. Hicklin, a farmer, was born Jůne 21, 1832, and died August 22, 1903. Her mother, Marion (Roberts) Hicklin, was born in Indiana, June 8, 1829, and died January 5, 1899. Mrs. Ball has three brothers, Nelson, a carpenter ; Newton, who is engaged in the livery business, and Nathan, all of them living in Iowa. Mr. Ball was one of a family of eight-four boys and four girls. His sis- ters are Ida, Minnie, Frances and Mabel; his broth- ers Robert, an engineer ; Samuel and Leonard, both farmers, all of whom live in Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Ball have two children, Leonard L., born February 5, 1891, in the Indian Territory, and Uressa Pearl, born May 18, 1892.


Mr. Ball is a member of the Democratic party, but does not take an active interest in politics. He owns his home at Cle-Elum.


ELMER E. SIMPSON is engaged as engineer at the coal mines at Cle-Elum, Washington, and is a native of Pennsylvania, having been born at Pitts- burg, December 7, 1864. He was educated in the common schools of his home city, and when about seventeen years old went to work in the rolling mills there. Later he went to the oil diggings and worked in the wells from 1888 until 1893. During that time he was a member of the state militia of Pennsylvania. He came west in 1893 and engaged in farming for three years and then went to work for the Cle-Elum Coal Company, and after the first vear became engineer, which position he has con- tinued to fill. When he first started there were but few improvements at the mines, and there was only one small engine used. The company now uses two large engines, in addition to the large electric plant. Mr. Simpson's father was a native of Ireland, and came to the United States in 1858. The ship in which he made the voyage was nearly wrecked, and consumed three months in making the passage. He located first in Philadelphia, where he lived two years. Then he moved to Pittsburg. He was a farmer, and in former years was an iron worker. He belonged to the Home Guards of Pennsylvania for a time. Mr. Simpson's mother, Louisa (Steiner ) Simpson, was a native of Pittsburg and of German and Scotch descent. Her grandparents, on the mother's side belonged to the Robbins family, which trace their ancestry back to Mayflower days. Mr.




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