An illustrated history of Spokane county, state of Washington, Part 75

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 75

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DANIEL TRALAN, a pioneer of 1887, is a native of Ireland, born in 1845. When nineteen years old he came to America and lo-

cated at Philadelphia, where he was employed first as a puddler in an iron foundry, then on the Pennsylvania Central Railroad. He next went to New York state and worked on the New York & Oswego Railroad two years, then back to Pennsylvania, where he was employed in the coal mines for the ensuing twenty years, during which time he was seriously burned twice in explosions. In 1887 he came to Spo- kane county and homesteaded a quarter-sec- tion of land, cornering where the present Haz- ard postoffice is located. He has ever since made his home on this land and now cultivates about seventy-five acres. He was married May 31, 1874, to Miss Annie Laden, who died in 1880, leaving three children, James, Daniel and Andrew. He was married again in 1882 to Mary A. Quigley, by whom he has two chil- dren, Alice and Marguerite. He is a member of the Catholic church.

WILLIAM HUTCHINS, a pioneer of November, 1882, was born in Yansey county, North Carolina, but when he was quite young his family moved to Wise county, West Vir- ginia, where Mr. Hutchins lived till 1863, then moved to Minnesota and went onto a farm. In February, 1865, he enlisted in Company E, First Minnesota Heavy Artillery, and served until September of that year, when he was mustered out. He returned to Minnesota and lived there till 1882, then came to Spokane and ran a restaurant for six months, then moved onto a farm for a year, after which he lived in Lincoln county for five years and in Stevens for ten. He then moved back to this county and bought land near Hazard postoffice, upon which he still resides. He is a member of A. J. Smith Post, G. A. R., located at Wayside.

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HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

He was married September 11, 1874, to Mary Forder, of Minnesota. They have five chil- dren, namely: Frank, Robert, who is fore- man of a sugar plantation in Hawaii, Her- bert, Fred and Walter.

JAMES MUZZY, a pioneer of 1887, was born in Warren county, Pennsylvania, June I, 1841. He lived on a farm in his native state until February, 1864, when he enlisted in Com- pany C. First New York Volunteer Engineers, and was assigned to service in the department of the South under Generals Gilmore and Fos- ter. He remained with the army until Sep- tember, 1865, when he was mustered out, then returned to his former home in Pennsylvania. In 1886 he came to Ritzville, Washington, and a few months later moved to Spokane county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land two miles southeast of Hazard postoffice, where he has since resided. He is quite prominent in the G. A. R., being a charter member of A. J. Smith Post at Wayside and having served as quartermaster for about six years. He was married in Columbus, Pennsyl- vania, in 1871, to Lottie Fritz, of that city. They have four children, namely : William .A., Volney, Clara and Victor J. He had served as justice of the peace for four years ..

EDWARD RILEY, a pioneer of June, 1884, was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, in 1805. He lived there until twelve years old, then went to Canada, where he resided for sey- eral years, employed as a ship carpenter. Sub- sequently, however, he returned to the United States, locating at Michigan City, Indiana, and

was engaged in farming until the outbreak of the war. He then responded to Lincoln's call for volunteers and enlisted in Company I. Fourth Indiana Artillery. He served for three years, during which time he saw much hard service and took part in many of the fiercest conflicts of the war. He was, however, dis- charged in 1864, being rendered incapable of further military service on account of rheuma- tism. He then returned to his old home at Michigan City and resumed his former occupa- tion, but in June, 1884, came to Spokane coun- ty and purchased an eighty-acre tract of rail- road land one and one-half miles southeast of Hazard postoffice. He resided on this property until his death, which occurred January 26. 1897. During his last years he was a very great sufferer from the rheumatism contracted during the war. For several years Mr. Riley had the distinction of being the oldest G. A. R. man west of the Mississippi river, and he was naturally well known by the members of that order. He was an honorable, upright citizen and a true patriot, and was held in high es- teem not only by his comrades of the Grand Army, but by all his neighbors and fellow citizens. While in Canada he was united in marriage to Miss Abigal Smith, who died in Wild Rose June 26, 1891, leaving seven chil- dren, namely: Isaac, Jane, Rachael, Sarah, Maria, Rose and Lida. His daughter, Sarah, was married in 1867 to Mr. Stillman Shep- herd, who died in 1890. She is a member of the .A. J. Smith Relief Corps and takes an active and leading part in all the benevolent work of her community. She took care of her father during the last few years of his life. doing all in her power to relieve his suffering and to make him as comfortable as his painful malady would allow. She has one daughter. Belle Shepherd.

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HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

J. J. BROWNE, a pioneer of 1878, was born in Greenville, Ohio, on the 28th of April, 1843. At an early age he was taken to Co- lumbia City, Indiana, where he received a common-school education, but being dissatisfied with this he entered Wabash College at the age of eighteen, working mornings and even- ings to pay for his board and tuition. In 1868 he graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan and practiced his pro- fession at Oswego, Kansas. until 1874, when he removed to Portland, Oregon, and there re- sumed the practice of his chosen calling. In 1878, however, he removed to Spokane Falls, later the city of Spokane, which was at that time but a mere camping ground for travelers and bands of wandering Indians, but foresee- ing the great possibilities of the place, he took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of land, which later formed the foundation of the present large and prosperous city of Spo- kane. Mr. Browne soon controlled a large and lucrative law practice in eastern Washington and Idaho, but his business interests became so great that he was compelled to give up the law and devote his entire time to that. Shortly after arriving here he learned that the school tax levy was not of a sufficient amount to make it legal and he at once notified the assessor to increase his personal property to a sufficient amount to bring it up within the pale of the law, thus virtually contributing from his own personal resources over half the required amount with which the foundation of the present excellent Spokane school system was laid. For fifteen years thereafter he was a member of the school board and for ten of these he was president of the same. It is conceded by all that to Mr. Brown more than to any other one man is due the gratitude of our citizens for his noble efforts in building the Spokane schools

to their present high place among the best in the country. He was also county superintend- ent of schools while in Portland and later trus- tee of the Cheney State Normal School, regent and president of the board of regents of the State University at Seattle. Mr. Brown made numerous trips across the continent to interest capital in building railroads to and centering in Spokane, bearing his own expense always and not accepting assistance from any one in the enterprise. He contributed largely to the various roads as an inducement to them to enter the city, and, though in round numbers twenty thousand dollars would not cover his outlay, he never owned a single share of stock in any of the railroads his enterprise drew into Spokane. being satisfied with the pleasure of securing their services for the city and its sur- rounding territory. It was in 1889. while absent from Spokane and without his knowl- edge. that he was elected a delegate to the state constitutional convention which framed : the constitution as it stands to-day. In politics ; he has ever been a stanch Democrat, having twice been chosen as delegate to Democratic. national conventions.

Mr. Brown was one of the builders of the" Auditorium, the promoter of the first street railway ever built in the city and presented to the city one-half of the beautiful Cœur d'Alene park. In 1890 he purchased the Spokane Chronicle and is still the president of the Chronicle Publishing Company, though he dis- posed of a large share of his interest in 1897 .. Mr. Brown allowed the use of his name for the Brown Bank, but had little to do with the management until the panic, when he took charge and put forth great efforts to save it, but he took the felm too late. There was such universal faith in his integrity, however, that he was appointed receiver and has for the past

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five years so shaped its affairs that every dol- lar of its obligations will be paid in full. Mr. Brown has the finest library west of St. Paul and ranks very high as a writer and speaker, and, because of his spotless integrity and keen business ability, is recognized as one of the most influential men of the state. He spends much of his leisure time on his farm, which comprises a tract of two thousand acres five miles from Spokane. He was married in Kan- :sas June 16, 1874, to Miss Anna W. Stratton, .a native of Ohio, daughter of Rev. H. W. :Stratton. They have five children living: Guy C., Earl P., Alta M., Irma S. and Hazel J. : also two deceased, Hubert and Garland.

GAVIN C. MOUAT, a pioneer of 1883. was born in Shetland Island. He lived in his native land till about twenty years old, when he went to sea and sailed the briny deep for a number of years, stopping in the meantime, for two years, in the gold mines of Australia. He then went to England, remaining there till 1866, when he came to America, stopping for a short time, when he embarked on the seas again, where he remained till 1869. Tiring of the sea, he engaged in various enterprises for about two years in the eastern states, when he migrated to Colorado, where he remained for about five years, after which he went to Mon- tana. settling on a farm which he cultivated for four years. He then sold out and visited Eng- land. returning shortly to California, thence to Spokane county, where he arrived in March, 1883. He pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land, and bought one hundred and six- ty acres of railroad land and a tract from the government just three miles west of the center of the city of Spokane. He is engaged in di-

versified farming and truck raising. It was on his farm where the famous Indian chief, Gerry, died. Mr. Mouat is interested in vari- ous mining enterprises and has ever been ready to contribute his share to the welfare of the gen- eral public.

GEORGE W. BROWN, a pioneer of April 10. 1879. was born in Jackson county, Michii- gan, in 1845. He lived there until 1874, en- gaged in the nursery and fruit business. In 1864. however, he enlisted in Company B. Twelfth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, which formed a part of the Seventh AArmy Corps, and he served till the end of the war under General Steel. In 1874 he went to San Jose, California, and was engaged in manufactur- ing fruit baskets and boxes until May 23. 1878. In September of that year he moved to Walla Walla and remained there that winter, then came to Spokane county. He located first on White Bluff prairie and homesteaded one hun- dred and sixty acres five miles north of Medi- cal Lake, but after a residence of four years there, sold his land and went to Wild Rose prairie. He settled on Dragoon creek, erected a saw mill there and operated it for three and a half years, then sold out and located on the southeast quarter of section 33, township 28. range 42, where he has eighty-five acres under cultivation. Mr. Brown has witnessed the growth and development of this county since an early date and has been connected with many of the first enterprises. He and W. H. Wis- combe built the first church ever erected in Spokane, and he was one of those who con- structed the first bridge across the Little Spo- kane river and, in fact, all the other bridges on the Colville road through the county. He also helped to build the first hotel in Spokane.

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HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

He is quite a prominent G. A. R. man, being a charter member of A. J. Smith Post at Way- side, and now holding the rank of adjutant in the post. Mr. Brown has just returned from Honolulu, where he remained for three months. He and his wife are members of the First Baptist church of Spokane.

WV. M. NOLAN, a pioneer of 1885, was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, where he lived till two years old when he was taken by his parents to Dakota, locating on the Red riv- er, twenty-five miles south of Fargo, where the family lived for six years. In 1876, when the Black Hills gold excitement begun, they moved to Montana where he lived till grown. It was here that Mr. Nolan attended the Indian Indus- trial School for six years, where he became pro- ficient in the Indian languages which served him so well in later years. After reaching his. majority he came to Spokane and for the last thirteen years has been Indian interpreter in the United States court. Mr. Nolan has always taken an active part in the political affairs of the county. having served as deputy sheriff for a term, also as United States deputy marshal for two terms. He was a courageous officer and is a progressive and enterprising citizen. He is now engaged in mining.

HENRY J. WALTER, a pioneer of 1884. was born in Allegan county, Michigan, and lived there on a farm until he became twenty- six years old. then moved to Spokane county and bought railroad land one and one-half miles southeast of Hazard postoffice, where he has since lived. He is one of the leading farm-

ers of Wild Rose and takes quite an active part in local affairs, having been road supervisor and clerk of the school district. Socially Mr. Wal- ter is affiliated with the I. O. O. F. of Wayside. He was married at Michigan City. Indiana, September 2, 1879, to Miss Rose Riley. Mrs. Walter is also prominent in society work. be- ing treasurer of the Ladies' Relief Corps. and warden in the Rebekahs. Mrs. Walter is a member of the Presbyterian church and Mr. Walter is a great temperance worker.

JONATHAN R. MASTERSON, a pio- neer of 1881, was born in Menard county, Illi- nois, in 1845. He lived on a farm until he became seventeen. then enlisted in Company M. Tenth Illinois Cavalry, which served in the Western division under General Davidson. He was mustered into the service in February, 1862, captured in Missouri, at Clark's Mill, November 7. 1862, but paroled at once, and in January. 1866, discharged. He now draws a pension of twelve dollars per month. After the war he returned to .his old home in Illi- nois and farmed there until 1881, in which year he came to Spokane county, and again went on to the farm. He owned three hun- dred and twenty acres of land on White Bluff prairie. In 1898 he bought a quarter-section one and one-quarter miles south of Hazard. on which he has since resided. He is a thrifty and enterprising farmer, and a good. substan- tial citizen of the county, though not ambitious to be a leader in politics, local or general. He was married in Decatur, Illinois, in 1869, to Miss Mary Z. Nelms, of that city. They have had seven children, namely : Edward Lee, Olive J .. Jonathan E., James E. and Marguerite R., living. and Hattie E. and William M., deceased.

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HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

Mr. Masterson belongs to the G. A. R., Sedg- wick Post, No. 8, and Mrs. Masterson is a member of the Relief Corps. Both belong to the Christian church. Mr. Masterson's father, J. H. Masterson, was born in Kentucky, Feb- ruary 10, 1823. He was early taken to Illinois where he lived until the outbreak of the Civil war, then enlisted in Company M, Tenth Illi- nois Cavalry, and served three years. In 1865 he crossed the plains to Oregon, and resided there until 1875, then moved to Whitman coun- ty, Washington. The next year he came to Spo- kane and built the first hotel in the city. He died in Rathdrum, Idaho, August 6, 1894.

HERBERT W. DART, a pioneer of 1879. was born in Green Lake county, Wisconsin, in 1849. When he was quite young his family moved to Blue Earth county, Minnesota, where he learned the miller's trade and was employed in that line of work until 1877. He then went to the Black Hills, Dakota, was with the scouts and in the saw-milling business there for a year or more, after which he moved to Cali- fornia, then up to Seattle, thence to Walla Walla and from there to Spokane, traveling on horseback. He took a homestead on Pleas- ant prairie, but after making final proof moved to a point subsequently named Dartford in his honor, on the Little Spokane river, eight miles north of the city of Spokane. Here he erected a mill and operated it as a saw mill until 1895. then changed it to a flour mill, its present ca- pacity being seventy-five barrels per day. He also owns a half interest in the Cable Roller Mills at Post Falls, Idaho, which have a ca- pacity of one hundred and twenty-five barrels per day. Mr. Dart is one of the oldest mill men in this county and the first miller who ever

worked for wages in Spokane. He has seen much of the early development of this region and has been a not inconsiderable factor in that development himself. He is, perhaps, one of the most widely known men in this county. es- pecially among the older residents, and he is highly esteemed and respected by all. He was married in 1891 to Mila Sellye, a native of Minnesota.

HOWARD BROOKS, generally known as Frank Brooks, a pioneer of 1865. is a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, born in 1843. He lived on a farm in that state until 1861, when he responded to Lincoln's call for vol- unteers and became a private in Company F, Twentieth Pennsylvania Cavalry. He served under Sheridan and Sigel and was in the Shen- andoah valley campaigns. He was a soldier during the entire war of the Rebellion, had a share in many hard conflicts and has made a military record of which he may well be proud. He also served as a scout during the Bannock war. He came to Salt Lake City in 1866, then moved to Arizona, then to Los Angeles and finally to Nevada, prospecting and mining in all these places. Ile came to Spokane county in 1878 and has resided here almost contin- uously since. In 1883 he settled at Lost Springs on land which he purchased from the railroad company. He is a member of .\. J. Smithi Post, No. 72. G. A. R .. located at Way- side. He was married in 1887 to Mrs. Clara Stucks, who died in 1894.

D. H. ERVINE, president and general manager of the Ervine Lumber Company. is a native of New Brunswick, born February 6.

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HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY.

1851. When he was quite young he moved to the state of Maine and engaged in farming. As soon as Mr. Ervine attained his majority he came to Stillwater, Minnesota, and followed the lumber business for two years. Then, after spending a year in Minneapolis, he moved to Benton county, Minnesota, bought a farm and lived on it for the ensuing seven years. In 1888 he came to Spokane county, where he has been engaged in lumbering ever since. The Ervine Lumber Company, of which he is president and manager, has its office in 306 Fernwell block, Spokane. Their mill is lo- cated two miles from Deer Park and has been in operation in that locality for the past eight years. It has a capacity of twenty thousand feet per day and is equipped with all the nec- essary machinery for manufacturing rough and dressed lumber, flooring, rustic. shiplap, ceiling, etc. Mr. Ervine is a member of the Masons, the I. O. O. F., and Court Royal, No. 19, Independent Order of Foresters. He was married in 1877 to Mary A. McNeil, of New Brunswick. They have had two children, the older of whom died at birth, and the younger, Orville James, is also deceased. Mr. Ervine was married again September 26. 1899, to Mrs. A. Russell. They now live at 1708 Sharp avenue, Spokane.

J. WESLEY RINEAR, a pioneer of 1879, was born in Cass county, Michigan, Novem- ber 9, 1851. He followed farming in the state of his nativity until 1878, then moved to Spo- kane county, locating July 28, 1879, at Mica, fifteen miles southeast of Spokane. He took as a homestead one hundred and sixty acres of land in that vicinity and lived there about sixteen years. He was, however, engaged as

a teacher in Rock Creek valley during 1880-81. He served as postmaster at Mica from May 12, 1886, until July 21, 1895, also keeping a gen- eral merchandise store in connection with the postoffice during those years. In 1895 he be- gan preaching for the Evangelical Association ; was in charge of the work at Spangle for one year, and is now pastor of the Evangelical churches at Wild Rose ( Hazard postoffice) and Milan. His father and mother, neither of . whom is now living, were pioneers of 1882. They homesteaded in 1883 one hundred and sixty acres of land a mile and a quarter south of Hazard postoffice. and on this farm J. Wesley Rinear now resides. He is a very act- ive, energetic man, a public-spirited citizen and an earnest and enthusiastic Christian worker. He was married in Michigan, August 10, 1873, to Sarah E. Reames, of that state, who died in February, 1879. They had three children : Eugene W .; Nora E., deceased; and one that died in early infancy. Mr. Rinear was mar- ried again in October, 1884. when Mrs. Jane D. Reames became his wife, she also being a native of Michigan.

J. M. MOORE. a pioneer of 1888, was born in Tazewell county, Virginia, in 1860. He grew up in his native state and was engaged in the lumber business until twenty-five years old, then went to Kansas and took contracts in stone for a few years. In 1888 he came to Spokane county, located at Deer Park and en- gaged in the lumber business. He is now pro- prietor of the only hotel in Deer Park, a house of about sixteen rooms with a bar attached. Mr. Moore is a charter member of the Macca- bees and is also affiliated with a Spokane lodge of the Foresters of America. He takes a good

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deal of interest in the town and local affairs and has been a constable for four years. He was married in 1886 to Alice Grimes, a native of Virginia. They have four children, namely : Edith May, George, Charley and Emmet. He is now interested in mining property at Fan Lake, which promises well.

WILLIAM CRITZER, a pioneer of 1889. was born in Lee county, Kentucky, in 1867. He lived there for the first twenty-three years of his life, lumbering and farming, then came to Spokane county, and engaged in the lumber business at Deer Park. He also kept a hotel and saloon in that town, but has recently sold out and purchased an eighty-acre farm about three miles west of Wayside, on which he now resides. Socially he is affiliated with the For- esters of America at Spokane. He was married in 1896 to Elizabeth Morehead, a native of Indiana.

E. SHEEHY, a pioneer of March 17. 1889. was born in Tralee, county Kerry, Ireland. June 18, 1854. When he was fifteen his fam- ily moved to Marava, New York, and he lived there for two years, then came to Leadville, Colorado, where he was employed by a rail- road as construction foreman until 1887. In that year he moved to the Cœur d'Alenes and entered the employ of the Oregon Rail- road & Navigation Company, constructing two miles of track for them. In 1889 he came to Spokane county and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land just east of Deer Park and so near the town that lots are sold up to the line of his farm. Since coming to Deer Park he has combined the lum-

ber business with farming. Mr. Sheehy is one of the leading men in his vicinity, having held the offices of constable and road supervisor and being now one of the board of school directors. He has given considerable attention to politics in the past, but announces his intention to re- frain from active participation in political matters for the future. He is a charter mem- ber of the Maccabees and was active in secur- ing a fine hall for that order. He has four chil- dren : Robert Emmet. Edward J .. Gertrude and Jestin Bentley.

JOHN J. JONES, a pioneer of 1886, was born in Wales in 1865. He came to America in 1884 and located in Olmstead county. Min- nesota, where he worked on a farm for two years. He then came to Spokane county and bought a farm near Wayside, on which he has since resided. He owns a farm of four hun- dred and eighty acres, half a section, where lie lives, and a quarter-section a mile and a half southeast. He is engaged in diversified farm- ing, but makes a specialty of fine chickens, also of horses and cattle, and he has a collection of these animals which would delight the eye of a lover of fine poultry and stock. Mr. Jones is a charter member of the I. O. O. F. at Way- side and is a director of the hall belonging to that fraternity. He was married. February 3. 1895. to Miss Kate Coffin. of this county. They have one child, namely. John Robert.

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An illustrated history of Spokane county, state of Washington, Part 75

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