An illustrated history of Spokane county, state of Washington, Part 51

Author: Edwards, Jonathan, 1847-1929. cn
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: [San Francisco?] W.H. Lever
Number of Pages: 888

USA > Washington > Spokane County > An illustrated history of Spokane county, state of Washington > Part 51

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).

331

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

a war record of which his family have good reason to be proud. At the close of the war he went to Pennsylvania and again engaged in blacksmithing, but two years later he came to Portland, Oregon. He remained till March, 1868, then went into mining and general merchandising until 1884, when he removed to Spokane county. He now lives about twelve miles southeast of Cheney, where he has about one thousand acres of land, and is engaged in farming and stock raising. Mr. Wegner is one of the most enterprising and successful farmers in the county. He is also.a representative citizen of the community in which he resides, has always manifested a deep interest in everything tending to advance the interests of his part of the county, and has filled creditably many important local offices. He was married in Umatilla county, Ore- gon, in December, 1876, to Amy E. Johnson, and they have a family of four children : Ern- stina L., William F., Herman C. and Edward. Mr. Wegner is a member of Cheney Lodge, No. 21. I. O. O. F.

JOHN WILLIAMS, farmer and stock raiser, was born in Pennsylvania, May 1, 1847. His mother died at his birth and he was adopt- ed and raised by an aunt. He lived in Pennsyl- vania until a year old, then was taken to Keo- kuk. Iowa, where he stayed till March, 1861, when he went to Tennessee and joined the Con- federate army. He served two years in the First Tennessee Sharpshooters under Gens. Bragg and Kirby, participating in the battles of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, Stone River, Mission- ary Ridge and numerous others. He was wounded and captured at Missionary Ridge and was taken to Fort Rock Island prison in

Illinois, but after being held for two months lie swore allegiance to the United States gov- ernment, and was allowed his freedom. He then engaged in packing between Montana and Salt Lake City, a business which he fol- lowed successfully until 1869. In that year he came to Walla Walla, Washington, thence to Crab Creek, where he took the first homestead ever entered in that vicinity He is now located on William's lake, of which he was also the first settler, and has about one thousand acres of fine land, upon which he raises stock mainly. He is one of the most thrifty, enterprising and successful farmers in his neighborhood. Be- ing an old pioneer of the West, he has seen his share of Indian fighting, participating in most of the wars in this and neighboring states, and experiencing many exciting adventures. He served four months in the Yellowstone war of 1867 under Colonel Nelson and was all through the country in which General Custer was killed.

JEROME W. MARTIN, deputy sheriff of Spokane county, is a native of Yam Hill coun- ty, Oregon, born April 11, 1846. He ranks as the second child born of white parents in the Willamette valley. He lived in that state until sixteen years old, then traveled quite exten- sively, mining in different parts of Washing- ton, Idaho and Montana until 1869, when he returned to Oregon and engaged in farming. He remained there for a number of years, but in 1881 came to Walla Walla, whence, in 1892, he removed to Cheney. Of late years he has combined farming with various other occupa- tions. He was appointed, during the last Re- publican administration, to the office of deputy sheriff and he is still serving in that capacity, performing his duties with skill and ability.

332

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

He is remarkably well fitted by nature for the position he now holds, for he is a man of great coolness of judgment and presence of mind and one whose courage rises with danger. He has done good service to the county on more than one occasion, but has recently distin- guished himself particularly by the part he took in arresting some cattle thieves after an excit- ing chase of four or five days, in which Con- stable A. Brown also participated. Mr. Martin was married May 8, 1869, to Mary J. Phillips, daughter of John and Elizabeth Phillips, pioneers of 1845 and residents of Salem, Ore- gon. They have twelve children, viz. : Orphy, Adna. Eva, Leroy, Vinnie, Leo, Charles, Essie, Vincent, John, Chester and Bessie. Mr. Mar- tin's parents came to Oregon with the first emigrant train in 1844.

LUKE RAWLS, farmer and stock raiser at Pine City, Washington, was born in Cass coun- ty. Missouri, November 27, 1847. He was left an orphan when eight years of age. In 1859 he went to Kansas and two years later he removed to Wasco county, now Umatilla coun- ty, Oregon, where he was engaged in various occupations for the ensuing eleven years. In 1872 he moved to that part of Stevens county which is embraced in the present Whitman county and there he has ever since resided. He has been engaged continuously in farming and stock raising and in the saw milling industry. Mr. Rawls is one of the oldest and best known pioneers of Whitman county and is highly re- spected by his fellow citizens as a man of in- tegrity and sterling character. Mr. Rawls served as deputy sheriff during 1892, perform- ing his duties with ability and dispatch and tak- ing a very important part in breaking up a

gang of horse thieves. He was married at Pendleton, Oregon, in 1870, to Mary Wilson and they have four children : Flora S., Tabitha E., Margaret C. and Mary V.

JAMES F. CAMPBELL, a farmer near Cheney, was born in Tennessee, January 25, 1846. When twenty years old he went to Mis- souri, where he resided for the next eleven years engaged in farming. He then went to Van- couver. Washington, thence a year later to the part of Stevens county now embraced in Spo- kane county, where he has since resided. He has an excellent farm of three hundred and twenty acres about five and a half miles south- west of Cheney, which he is rapidly improv- ing. On January 1, 1881, he was married to Miss Alice Chambers and they have three chil- dren : Frederick F., Clarence C. and Pearl P.

AUGUSTUS COVERT. farmer and stock raiser, a pioneer of 1877. was born in Seneca county, New York, November 22, 1838. He grew to manhood there and acquired his edu- cation in the public schools, but when twenty years old moved to Rock county, Wisconsin, where he resided until the fall of 1876. Dur- ing his stay there he was for one year deputy sheriff of the county. He came to Washing- ton in the spring of 1877 and located on a farm nearly three miles southwest of Cheney. through which the Northern Pacific Railroad track now runs for half a mile. Upon this, his first home in Washington, he has resided con- tinuously since. He has a fine, rich farm of four hundred and eighty acres. two hundred of which he sows to wheat, retaining the re-

333

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

mainder for pasture. He is a thrifty, enterpris- ing farmer and one of the most successful in that vicinity. Like all the earliest settlers he had many difficulties to encounter during the pioneer days, not the least of which was the lack of a base of supplies nearer than Walla Walla, a town one hundred and thirty miles distant. Then, too, there was the constant danger of Indian outbreaks. In 1878 he was notified by Chief Geary, of the Spokanes, that the Nez Perces were on the warpath, and he went to much trouble to prepare against attack, but was not interfered with. The faithful Geary had ridden seventy miles that day to get to his family and provide for their safety. Mr. Co- vert is one of those who, with Mr. Glover, in- stituted the first Masonic lodge in Spokane. He was married in 1891 to Pauline E. Carle and they have one son, Carl A.

WILLIAM M. HOBBS, son of John B. and Mary Hobbs, was born in Pike county, Missouri, August 25, 1837. He resided in his native state until fifty years of age, following farming as a business. In 1887, however, he came to Sprague, Washington, and at once re- sumed his former vocation. He lived there un- til 1891, then removed to Rock Creek township, this county, where he now owns a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, seeded to timothy over most of its area. He is getting ready to embark in the stock business also. Mr. Hobbs is one of the good substantial men of his neigh- borhood and is well thought of by all his fel- low citizens. He was once elected director of the Glenwood school district, but resigned after two years' service. He was married, first, in Pike county, Missouri, on August 8, 1861, to Mary, daughter of Rufus and Sallie T. Hender-

son, who died in May, 1870, leaving one daugh- ter, Annie M. He was married again in May, 1871, to Mary F. Rotherford and they have two children living, namely: George I. and Marion P.

JUDGE A. A. SMITH was born in New York February 14, 1820. He lived in that state until twenty-two years old, then went to Dubuque, Iowa, where, for about six years, he worked at carpentering and mining. He helped erect the first brick residence ever constructed there. In 1849 he went to the gold fields of California, where he made much money and saw many exciting events. Later he made a trip to Oregon, but soon returned to California. In a short time, however, he again went to Ore- gon, settled in Albany, Linn county, and se- cured a half-section of land. He was engaged in the general merchandise business there a year and a half, then moved to Eugene City, Lane county, and again engaged in the mercantile business. Judge Smith at that time took a very active part in politics, holding at different times nearly every office in Lane county. In 1854 he was elected a member of the territoriai legislature, serving for three years, and at one time he was the candidate of his party for gov- ernor. He came to Washington in 1878, lo- cating about seven or eight miles southeast of Cheney, where he has since followed farming and mining. In 1881 he served as probate judge for a term of two years, then as probate clerk for two more and he has been justice of the peace for the past fourteen years. He is a very prominent man in the Masonic order, having served for two years as grand master of the grand lodge in Oregon. He was mar- ried October 4, 1854, to Helen M. Parsons and they have had six children: Frank C.,

334

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

Herbert H., A. Lee, Jennie L., now Mrs. Wright, and Fred H., living; also Mary I., who was the wife of T. C. Courtney, of Seattle, de- ceased.

VIRGIL Y. GRAHAM, farmer and stock raiser, was born in Webster county, Missouri, July 27, 1862. He lived in that state until the spring of 1880, when he came to Washington, arriving in Dayton in September of that year, after crossing the plains by team. In the spring of 1881 he went to Cheney, where he has since resided. He now owns a farm of one hundred and sixty acres five miles from the town and is one of the thrifty and progressive farmers of his neighborhood. He is one of the substantial citizens of that part of the county, actively interested in every enterprise which promises to promote the general good. For seven years he was school director in district No. 95, ad- joining Cheney on the west. He was married in Cheney March 27, 1885, to Minerva, daugh- ter of Wright and Catherine Rushing, who was born in Tennessee August 28, 1863.

WILLIAM T. MILLIKEN, farmer, a pio- neer of 1878, is a native of Wisconsin, born March 30, 1854. He resided in that state until 1874, then removed to Sacramento, California, where, for four years, he followed various oc- cupations. He next came to this state and be- gan farming immediately and he now owns one hundred and sixty acres of fine land in Rock Creek precinct, upon which he raises grain as his principal crop. He takes an active and intelligent interest in local affairs, ever mani- festing a willingness to help along anything for the public good, and he has filled satis-

factorily to his neighborhood the offices of school director and road supervisor. He was elected secretary of the original Spokane Coun- ty Pioneer Association at the time of its organ- ization and has held that office ever since. Mr. Milliken is a very prominent fraternity man, being affiliated with the I. O. O. F., the K. P., the Modern Woodmen of America, of which he is venerable consul, and of the Woodmen of the World, of which he is past council commander. He has passed through all the chairs and at- tained the highest honors that could be be- stowed in the I. O. O. F. and K. P. fraternities. He was married October 15, 1882, to Nancy Jane Sanders. a native of Oregon, born De- cember 30, 1851, and they are parents of five children, namely: Frankie V., Leonard M., Benjamin H., Ida A. and Lena M.

HON. ISAAC J. BALLINGER, mayor of Cheney, was born in Louisville, Kentucky. July 18, 1848. In 1858 his parents moved to Marion county, Illinois, where he resided until 1865. when he went to Montana and for two years followed mining. He was a member of the first engineering party sent to survey a route for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company through this western country. Subsequently he went to Salt Lake City and was engaged in mining and smelting there and in Eureka, Ne- vada, until 1879, when he came to Clientey. At that time there was no other house on the site of the town nor any railroad. He at once en- gaged in farming, freighting and stock raising and is now the owner of a fine ranch in what is known as the Lance Hills neighborhood. He hauled the first load of freiglit brought into Cheney, then known as Depot Springs. Mr. Ballinger has taken a deep interest in the politi -

335

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

cal, social and material welfare of the town and county and no man stands higher than he in the esteem and confidence of the people. In 1887 he served as deputy sheriff of Spokane county under Sheriff James Glispin and in 1893 was appointed postmaster of Cheney by President Cleveland. He was elected a member of the city council in 1898 and on June 6, 1899, was elected to his present position. He is perform- ing the duties of his office with an eye single to the best interests of the town and people and with ability and good judgment. He was married in Nevada, May 6, 1877, to Miss Eliza- beth Wesig, a native of Germany, and they have a family of four sons: George I., born in Eureka. Nevada, and Edwin F., Raymond and Victor, born in Cheney.

JOHN E. WOOD, editor of the Spokane County News, a pioneer of 1878, was born in Jackson county, Oregon, April 17, 1868. He resided there until ten years old, then removed with his parents to Latah, Washington, where he has ever since lived. He has been engaged in farming for many years, but for a time was editor of a paper known as the Weekly Echo and for two and a half years served as postma's- ter in Latah. He is at present also in the real estate and insurance Business. In November, 1898, he bought out Mr. C. C. Cosand, then ed- itor and proprietor of the Spokane County News, and since that time has been sole owner and publisher of the paper. It enjoys a large circulation, being generously supported by the entire community. Mr. Wood is a young man of energy, progressiveness and executive abil- ity and possesses attractive personal character- istics which render him a universal favorite. He is doing all in his power through the col-

umns of his paper and otherwise to promote the material and social well-being of the town, and is regarded as a representative and valuable citizen. He was married in Latah October 10, 1898, to Minnie Wheeler, daughter of Edwin and Jane E. Wheeler.

HON. BENJAMIN F. COPLEN, pioneer of 1872, was born in Fulton county, Indiana. December 18, 1842. In 1849 he accompanied his parents to Iowa, thence the next spring to Putnam county, Missouri, but in the fall of that same year (1850) they went back to Carrol county, lowa. They located, in February, 1852. on what is now known as Coplen's Grove. In the spring of 1857 Mr. Coplen and his father went to Kansas and settled on the Cottonwood creek, southwest of the city of Emporia, but three years later the son moved to Colorado City, Colorado, and engaged in mining. He followed that occupation two years uninter- ruptedly, then made a trip back to Iowa, upon which he procured his first wife, Ceyrena E. Clark, returning to Colorado City in the spring of 1863. Mrs. Coplen died February 16, 1865, leaving one daughter, Lillie V., born January 1, 1864. In 1867 Mr. Coplen removed to Wy- oming and two years later to Nevada, but after a very brief residence in the latter state he came on to Walla Walla county, Washington, where he rejoined his father's family. He traveled considerably in this state, but finally located a homestead where Latah is now situated. Mr. Coplen is the founder of that town and when it was incorporated, in 1892, he was fittingly given the honor of becoming its first mayor. He has since labored incessantly for the ma- terial well-being of the town, giving liberally of his means whenever occasion offered for the

336

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

advancement of its best interests and the pro- motion of the general good. He was married again, on October 10, 1889, to Levina B. Bald- win, a native of Missouri. They have two children : Henry B. and Chester S. H.

W. H. TAYLOR, manager of the W. H. Taylor Hardware Company, was born in Lei- cester, England. December 26. 1851. When five years old his parents brought him to Amer- ica, and he was raised and educated in Wiscon- sin. He early learned the trade of a machinist and was employed as a journeyman by the Mil- waukee Harvesting Machine Company for sev- enteen consecutive years. In July, 1899, he went to Latah, Washington, where he organized and became general manager of a company to open a general hardware business. They bought the stock and store of Mr. J. M. Nelson, the former hardware man of that town, so they now own the only store in Latah devoted exclusively to hardware. They therefore control the en- tire trade of the rich farming country tribu- tary to the town and do an annual business of sixty or seventy thousand dollars. Mr. Tay- lor also incorporates house painting in his oc- cupation. He is an energetic, progressive busi- ness man, rendered by his long experience with machinery, master of every detail of his line, and, if appearances are to be trusted. an envia- ble success will be his in his latest business ven- ture. He is a very enthusiastic fraternity man. being a prominent and active worker in both the I. O. O. F. and the Royal Arcanum. He was married in July, 1880, to Ellen J. Leaver, a native of Portland, Wisconsin, and they have a family of four children : Edwin, Minnie E., Harry and Leroy.

R. M. YOUNT. liveryman at Fairfield, as born in Champaign county, Illinois, Aug- ust 10, 1850. He received his education in the public schools of his native state, and when seventeen years old moved to Missouri and engaged in farming. In 1872 he moved to Cherokee county, Kansas, and turned his at- tention to buying. selling and raising stock. In the spring of 1878 his brother George and he crossed the plains by team to Idaho on a trading trip, and in the following spring Mr. Yount again crossed the plains. this time com- ing to Washington. He located on a farm near Spangle. and resided there until the fall of 1892, when he rented his land and moved to Fairfield. He purchased a farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres in the vicinity of the town, but is also in the livery and feed business. He has a good stable. well equipped with horses. buggies and carriages, and has a splendid pat- ronage. Mr. Yount is one of the leading and representative citizens of his community. pub- lic-spirited. enterprising and interested in everything which promises to promote the gen- eral welfare. In 1892 he ran for the office of state senator, but was unfortunately defeated by a small majority. He served a year as school director in Fairfield, and in 1896 was elected justice of the peace but declined the office. He was married in Cheney. Washington, Novem- ber 9. 1881, to Mattie A. Prigmore, a native of Missouri, and they have a family of seven children : Francie R., William E .. Guy, Myrtie. Edna. Floyd and Noma.

BERNARD F. O'NEIL, a banker at La- tah, was born in Valley Stream, Long Island. August 4. 1865. His parents, two years after his birth, removed to New York City, where

337

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

he received his common-school education. In order to prepare for the career he had mapped out for himself, he took a course at a business college in Brooklyn, supplementing this by still further study afterwards in Iowa. In 1881 he went to Sibley, Iowa, and engaged in stock raising, serving also while there as deputy county treasurer for a period of two years. He went to Long Pine, Nebraska, in 1886, and for the three years ensuing was engaged in banking. In 1889 he removed to Los Angeles, California, where he resided about seven months. He then came to Latah and im- mediately engaged in banking. He has a splendid business, extending for miles in all directions. The bank is on as firm a financial basis as any in this part of the state of Wash- ington. Mr. O'Neil is also very extensively engaged in farming, being the owner of about eighteen hundred acres of the finest land in the Palouse country, all under cultivation, and raises thousands of bushels of wheat every year. He is one of the most enterprising and progressive men in the county, reaching out into many different lines of business activity and forging ahead with wonderful rapidity. He has recently been elected president of the Spokane Grain & Milling Company. Mr. O'Neil served for some time as first lieutenant in Company G. Second Nebraska Militia. He was married in Long Pine, Nebraska, in Oc- tober, 1887, to Miss Ada B. Winter, of Chi- cago, a lady of education and culture. They have one child, Arthur W., born in Nebraska, July 25, 1890.

BRAINARD D. DUNN, druggist, son of Dr. John and Delilah J. Dunn, was born in Linneus, Missouri, April 26, 1867, and he was 22

raised and educated in his native state. In 1883 he commenced to study pharmacy and, after devoting four years of hard work to the mas- tery of that profession, he came to Spokane and with his brother, Arthur S., opened up a business here, which they carried on success- fully for five years. They then removed to. Fairfield. Washington, and immediately com- menced business again. Theirs is the only drug store in the town and is supplied with about three thousand dollars' worth of fine, fresh stock, consisting of a full line of drugs, toilet articles, stationery, etc., etc. Mr. Dunn has devoted much careful and painstaking study to pharmacy and is considered an unusually skillful and reliable dispenser. Fraternally he- is affiliated with the I. O. F., being associated with Court Silver Lodge, No. 1568. of Spo- kane. He was married in Spokane October 27, 1899, to Miss Marguerite Dimmick, a native: of Oregon.

MAJOR R. H. WIMPY, a pioneer of 1872. was born in South Carolina, January 29. 1827. In 1830 his father removed with his family to Habersham county, Georgia, and in 1838 to Union county, that state, where Mr. Wimpy completed his education. He followed farm- ing and school teaching until 1852. then re- moved to Benton county, Arkansas. He again engaged in farming and teaching and followed those occupations until 1862. then entered the Federal army, serving until the close of the war with such distinguished ability and courage that he rapidly rose to the rank of captain and was mustered out with the commission of major. He participated in the battles of Prairie Grove, Backbone Mount. Arkansas, and numer- ous other engagements. At the close of the war he returned to his former home in Ar-

338

HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

kansas, and resumed his usual vocation, but he was soon elected to the state legislature, and discharged his duties with great ability for two terms. Subsequently he started for the Pacific coast by team. He came as far as Helena, Montana, and wintered, coming the next spring to Salmon City, Idaho, where he lived for two years. He then went to Loon Creek. Idaho, thence via Boise City to Waitsburg. Washington. After a year's residence there he came on to Spokane county, staking out a claim on Hangman creek, June II. 1872. He has resided upon this farm and in Spokane al- ternately ever since. At one time he represent- ed Stevens county in the territorial legislature for two years. He was married in Union county, Georgia, February 14, 1850, to Lydia L. Souther, and they are parents of eight chil- dren living, namely: James L., Joseph A., Sarah and Nancy C., twins, Jessie D., Charles N., Belle and Harry S.

FRANZ J. FLAIG, saddler and harness- maker, was born in Germany November 26, 1874. He received his public school training in his fatherland and on reaching his fourteenth year came alone to America, locating in Spo- kane. Soon, however, he moved to Cheney, where he learned the trade of harnessmaker under Hon. L. Walter, with whom he remained continuously until 1893. He then returned to Spokane and worked at his trade with Mr. S. H. Rush for a short time, but soon went back to Cheney to attend the normal school. He remained there as a student three and a half years, supporting himself by making harness during vacations. Upon completing his course he taught school one term, then went to Fair- field and opened a harness shop of his own.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

An illustrated history of Spokane county, state of Washington, Part 51

Author: Edwards, Jonathan, 1847-1929. cn Publication date: 1900 Publisher: [San Francisco?] W.H. Lever Number of Pages: 888

Author: Edwards, Jonathan, 1847-1929. cn
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: [San Francisco?] W.H. Lever
Number of Pages: 888