USA > Washington > Walla Walla County > An illustrated history of Walla Walla County, state of Washington > Part 46
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
During the winter of 1854-55, Mr. Scholl served as quartermaster's clerk under Captain Rufus Ingalls. The next spring, he went as guide, with Colonel Steptoe to Benecia, Cali- fornia, where he passed the ensuing winter, making sketches of the overland road for the Sacramento Union. He subsequently went to The Dalles, Oregon, as a government architect, experiencing on the way up a perilous advent- ure with a mutinous crew on board a burning vessel. For two seasons he served under Gen- eral Harney, as leader and guide of forces sent out to discover shorter and better routes for overland immigrants into Pacific coast states. In the spring of 1861, he came to Fort Walla Walla, whence, in October, he was sent to Fort Worth, Texas, via California and Mexico, with fifty army wagons and three hundred mules. This trip, however, was abandoned, Mr. Scholl was summoned to Washington, and from that time until 1864 served as quartermaster's clerk, as harbor master, and in different other capaci- ties in connection with the Union army, wit- nessing several great battles and being more than once called upon to perform difficult and exacting duties.
Upon retiring from the army, our subject returned to the coast. In 1866, he accepted a position as bookkeeper for Mr. H. P. Isaacs, at Boise, Idaho, and he afterwards served for a number of years in the same capacity under George McBride. At the outbreak of the Chief Joseph war. he again became quartermaster's
320
HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY.
.
clerk, serving a while at Fort Boise and later uncler Colonel Sumner, with whom he went to Presidio, near San Francisco, where he made General Howard's official map. Return- ing to Walla Walla in 1879, he became book- keeper for the Northern Pacific Flour Mills Company, and in 1882 he surveyed the canal and made the plans for their plant at Prescott. He then acted as superintendent for the com- pany there until 1894, when he retired to enjoy a well earned repose. His has been a life of intense activity, among adventures and dangers such as few ever experience. His indomitable energy, together with great natural ability, de- veloped by early educational advantages, has made him successful in every undertaking, and a real master among men.
Mr. Scholl married, at The Dalles, Oregon, in 1864. Miss Elizabeth Fulton, a very early pioneer of that state, and they have three liv- ing children; Carl, a millwright of ability, and Louis, Jr., and Bismark. in the City Mills ; also one, Mary Priszelli, deceased.
LEWIS McMORRIS .- Among those who merit consideration as distinctive pioneers of the northwest is he whose name initiates this review. Mr. McMorris is a native of the Buck- eye state, having been born in Ohio on the 12th of August, 1831. His practical experiences in the battle of life have, however, been met far from the classic old state of his birth. When he was a lad of eight years he accompanied his parents on their removal to Shelby county, Illinois, where he received his educational dis- cipline and grew to man's estate.
In the month of March. 1852, our subject started on the long and perilous journey across the plains and mountains, making the trip by
means of the primitive ox-team equipment and arriving in the Willamette valley, Oregon, in the fall of the same year. There he was for a time engaged in mining. finally going from southern Oregon to Yreka, California, whence he returned to Oregon, in the year 1855, and engaged in packing for the troops during the Indian wars, as an employe of the quarter- master's department of the Oregon volunteers. In the fall of the year mentioned he accom- panied the soldiers on an expedition to Yakima and thence to Walla Walla, where they had an engagement with the hostile Indians. Of this and other conflicts with the red men a detailed report may be found on other pages of this work. Eventually Mr. McMorris returned to The Dalles, Oregon, where he was employed in the quartermaster's department with the United States regulars, with whom, in 1856, he made another expedition to Yakima, under Colonel Wright of the Ninth Infantry, return- ing with him to The Dalles, from which point he accompanied Colonel Steptoe to Walla Walla, their purpose being to establish an army post here.
He continued in the government employ until the following year, when he again went to The Dalles, purchased an ox-team and en- gaged in freighting. in company with Mr. McGlinchey and Captain Freedman, for whom he built the first house on the south side of Main street in Walla Walla, the same being then the third house in the town. It was located at the corner of Third. He continued to be associated with the gentlemen mentioned until this section of the country was thrown open to settlement, whereupon he availed himself of the privileges accorded, by securing a pre-emption claim two miles south of the town, where he was engaged in stock raising for several years, simultaneously operating a pack train to Boise,
LEWIS McMORRIS.
321
HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY.
Idalıo. His next venture was at Weston, Oregon, where he was engaged in the mercan- tile business with his brother. Subsequently he was for four years a contractor on the stage line operating between Dayton, Washington, and Lewiston, Idaho.
Now venerable in years, crowned with the honors of a busy and useful life and secure in the esteem of all who know him as one of the pioneers of the Inland Empire, Mr. McMorris is practically retired from active business pur- suits, though he gives his personal supervision to his real estate interests, a considerable amount of which he owns in various parts of the country. He has always maintained a pub- lic-spirited attitude and has contributed his quota to the advancement and substantial up- building of this favored section of our national domain. It should be mentioned in this con- nection that Mr. McMorris laid out the town of Wallula and also donated to the railroad com- pany the land which they use for depot pur- poses there. He is a member of the Indian War Veterans of the Pacific Northwest, and his reminiscences of the early days are very inter- esting.
RALPH E. GUICHARD, proprietor of the Whitehouse Clothing Company, is prominent among the rising young business men of eastern Washington. Born in Walla Walla on Jan- uary 6, 1869, he has been a resident of that city almost continuously since. He received his preliminary education at the Catholic acad- emy, then at the age of fifteen entered the drug store of Charles A. Hungate, as clerk. He remained there seven years, studying phar- macy and in due time becoming a competent and registered druggist. He subsequently spent three years in the same store under J. W. 21
Esteb and one with James McAuliff, then be- came a partner in the business, the firm name being Guichard & McAuliff. A few months later, however, this partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Guichard entered the employ of the Whitehouse Clothing Company, in which cor- poration he subsequently became part owner. In 1900, the entire business passed into his hands. His shrewdness, industry, cautiousness of management, and untiring devotion to busi- ness have won for him an honored place among the commercial leaders of this section, and his is the leading clothing house in Walla Walla. In fraternal affiliations, Mr. Guichard is identi- fied with the B. P. O. E.
The father of our subject, Judge Rudolph Guichard, a man of fine intellectual attainments and unswerving integrity, as was proven by his uniform faithfulness and honesty in all the re- lations of his life, public and private, was a native of Zeitz, Prussia, born December 8, 1830. He landed in New York in 1854, and for a year thereafter resided in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, going thence to West Vir- ginia, and thence to Newport, Kentucky, where he enlisted in the United States army. On August 10, 1857, he was sent to Fort Walla WValla.
On retiring from the army he established a mercantile business in this city, which he main- tained with success until 1871. In 1884 he was admitted to the bar, and held many important offices, among them being those of probate judge, register of the land office, county treas- urer and penitentiary commissioner. He was a leader in the Democratic party, and was es- teemed by all. Fraternally he was a very prom- inent Mason.
For over thirty years the Judge was a great sufferer from a rheumatic ailment, but notwith- standing severe bodily torture he always
322
HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY.
greeted those with whom he came in contact with a smiling countenance and a cheering word, and very naturally his friends were num- bered by the hundreds. He was married in Walla Walla, October 14, 1866, to Miss Mary Morrison, and of their union three children were born, Ralph E., Albert and Mary. He died April 3, 1898.
ROBERT J. STRINGER, a pioneer of 1867. was born in Ireland, January 6, 1827, and in that country he grew to man's estate and was educated. In 1848 he emigrated to Amer- ica, and in 1850 he engaged in the meat market business in Cincinnati, Ohio. He followed that line of work in Ohio, Missouri, Minnesota, and lowa until 1858, then went to Fort Leaven- worth and secured a contract to furnish beef for the troops. This contract kept him em- ployed until 1859, when he went to Fort Albu- querque. New Mexico, with Colonel Critten- den. in charge of the government cattle.
Returning to Kansas City, Missouri, he se- cured another contract from the United States government, for furnishing beef. During the first year of the war. he supplied meat to the troops of the Department of Missouri, but in 1862 he was appointed sutler for the Fifth Division, Missouri Regulars. IIe performed his duty as such until after the battle of Island No. 10, but was then forced to resign on ac- count of failing health. He returned to St. Louis, whence, in 1864, pursuant to the advice of his physicians, he set out for California via the isthmus. He again engaged in the meat busi- ness upon his arrival. . \ year later he was sent by General Steele to The Dalles, Oregon, a: storekeeper of the Fort, and in 1866 he was removed to Fort Lapwai, and given the posi-
tion of chief quartermaster's agent. Before long, however, he again received a government contract, and this brought him to Walla Walla, where he has since resided. He has been in the meat business continuously, building up an ex- tensive general trade, and also, at times, supply- ing the forts in his home town and Colville. He is the owner of a fine farm twenty-eight miles north of Walla Walla.
Mr. Stringer has always taken an active in- terest in the general up-building of his locality, donating liberally to institutions of public bene- fit, and ever exerting a sensible influence in the direction of progress. He was married in Iowa, in 1857, to Miss Susan M. Murphy, a scion of a noted Irish family, and to them have been born ten children: John, deputy United States marshal at Seattle; William; Andrew; Charles; Anna, wife of Mr. Doyle; Mary, now Mrs. P. Green; also four deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Stringer and their entire family are mem- bers of the Catholic church.
REV. MICILAEL FLOHR. priest of St. Patrick's parish, a pioneer of 1883, was born in Germany on October 29. 1857. He took a complete and thorough classical course of study at Cologne, then pursued the study of theology at Louvain, Belgium, graduating in 1880. In 1881 he emigrated to Vancouver, Washington, to assume charge of the missions there located. and two years later he came to Walla Walla, where he has ever since resided. During the seventeen years of his pastorate here Father Flohr has labored untiringly for the spiritual and educational welfare of his parishioners, winning their affections, and exerting a power- ful influence for their upbuilding in all that is highest and best. His task is by no means a
323
HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY.
light one, he having full charge of all the Catholic schools, hospitals and churches in the county.
ROBERT KENNEDY .- It is a matter of gratification that we are enabled to incorporate in this compilation a review of the salient points in the career of Mr. Kennedy, who stands forth as one of the leading agriculturists and repre- sentative citizens of Walla Walla county, his fine farm being located two and one-half miles east of the city of Walla Walla. In tracing the lineage of Mr. Kennedy we find that he is a native of Indiana, having been born in Rush county. that state, in the year 1830. He was, however, but three years of age when his par- ents removed to the state of Illinois, where he . grew to maturity under the invigorating dis- cipline of the farm, receiving such educational advantages as were afforded by the common schools. He continued to be there identified with agricultural pursuits until 1852, when, at the age of twenty-two years, he determined to assume the responsibilities of life and to carve out an individual career, being fortified by due confidence in his powers and by an earnest de- sire to win a success worthy the name. In the year mentioned Mr. Kennedy secured an ox- team equipment and started on the long and weary journey across the plains and mountains to the Pacific coast, his destination being the Willamette valley of Oregon, where he arrived after a tedious journey of six months' dura- tion. In this famed and beautiful valley he was engaged in farming pursuits until 1859, when he decided to locate in the even more at- tractive valley of Walla Walla, east of the Cas- cades. After arriving in Walla Walla he dis- posed of his property in Oregon. After look- ing about for a time he finally secured by pre-
emption a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, upon which a part of the present city of Waits- burg is now located. This claim, however. Mr. Kennedy disposed of before he had per- fected his title to the same, the land at the time having been unsurveyed. In the meanwhile he had taken a claim of one hundred and sixty acres on Dry creek, and after the surrounding land had been put on the market he purchased additional tracts contiguous to his original property and eventually became the owner of five hundred and forty acres, all in one body. He continued to engage in the cultivation and improvement of this place until 1881, when he sold the farm.
As early as the centennial year, 1876, how- ever, he had bought a section of land two and one-half miles east of Walla Walla, and upon this place he located after disposing of his Dry creek ranch, and here he has since maintained his home, the ranch being recognized as one of the best in this favored section of the great state of Washington. The place is principally given up to the raising of the great staple product of this section,-wheat .- and boun- teous harvests reward the well directed and indefatigable efforts of this representative hus- bandman. In addition to the homestead Mr. Kennedy owns a section of land near Lacrosse. Whitman county, and also one hundred and sixty acres of timber land in the mountains. In the year 1881 Mr. Kennedy built two store buildings in the city of Walla Walla, eventually disposing of these properties. He still owns two dwelling houses in the city. Ile is known as one of the substantial m'en of the county, enjoying the respect and confidence of the com- munity by reason of his integrity and sterling worth of character. In the early days, when Indian depredations were frequent and lawless- ness prevailed to a greater or less extent, Mr.
324
HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY.
Kennedy bore his part in the maintenance of tions throughout the country, but by dint of law and order, being notably a participant in the Rogue river war.
In the year 1868, in the Willamette valley, Oregon, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Kennedy to Miss Annie Smith, and they be- came the parents of three children .- Edward A., who died May 31, 1900; Kate ; and Lewis L. The death of Mrs. Kennedy occurred on the 11th of October. 1877. and on the 10th of December. 1879. in Windsor, Illinois, our subject consummated a second union, being then married to Mrs. Margaret W. Dennison. a native of the Old Dominion state of Vir- ginia. Of this union seven children have been born: Rebecca A .. the wife of Richard E. Stafford: Martha B., Robert P .. Edna E .. William B., Benjamin H. and Edith M.
FRANCIS M. LOWDEN, a farmer and stock raiser, a pioneer of 1862, was born in Boone county, Kentucky, February 7. 1832. He resided there and in Brown county, Illinois, until 1849. thien crossed the plains on horse- back in a party of four, the travelers conveying their effects in a light wagon drawn by four horses. He went to Sacramento, thence to Downieville, where he followed placer mining for a season, thence to Nevada City. In the fall of 1851 he returned to Sacramento, in- vested the proceeds of his successful mining ventures in mules, and engaged in packing, a business to which his energies were given for the ensuing twenty-one years. His train con- veyed freight into various parts of California, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Mon- tana. He was frequently in grave danger of losing his mules on account of the hostile bands of Indians, who were on marauding expedi-
continual watchfulness he managed to avoid loss, standing guard himself, never trusting hired help for this duty and never allowing fires to be built near the herd.
In 1878 Mr. Lowden sold his packing out- fit, settled between Walla Walla and Wallula, and engaged in the business of raising and dealing in cattle. In 1880 he lost about ninety per cent. of his herds, but he. nevertheless, came to this valley, where he already had some property, and bought up about five thousand acres, with a view to engaging in the business again on a large scale. By means of ditches lie brought water into every field of this vast tract, and before long he had an excellent stock ranch. This land is still in the family, being owned by the Lowden Company, a firm in- corporated for the purpose of rearing cattle, horses, sheep and hogs. They have imported many costly thoroughbreds, sparing no expense in the effort to secure the best stock.
Mr. Lowden has been a very active. enter- prising man, possessed of the courage, fortitude and resourcefulness characteristic of the true pioneer, and of a degree of business ability seldom given to men. Notwithstanding his large private interests he has always found time to perform well his duties as a citizen and member of society. He served as county commissioner for seven years, was a member of the State Penitentiary Board, which built the third wing and the outbuildings, stables, etc., of the penitentiary, and in spite of oppo- sition succeeded, with the help of others, in building a jute mill here and making it a suc- cess. He has also discharged his duty to the cause of education by serving as director for ten years. His fraternal affiliations are with Walla Walla Lodge, No. 7, F. & A. M. He was married in May, 1868, to Miss Mary E.
325
HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY.
Noon, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, reared in California. They have three chil- dren : Marshall J., president and business man- ager of the firm; Francis M., Jr., stock man- ager : and Hettie Irene, with her parents.
JOHN W. DAULTON, a farmer on the Walla Walla river, eleven miles west of Walla Walla, was born in Pulaski county, Kentucky, January 10, 1866. He, however, spent the greater portion of his early youth in Clinton county, Missouri, whither he had been taken by his parents when four years old. He at- tended school until sixteen years old, then went with the remainder of his family to Cherokee county, Kansas, where he farmed with his fa- ther for three years. For the next half decade he worked for wages throughout the various surrounding counties, but in 1890 he removed to Umatilla county, Oregon, where for about two years he continued to work as a farm hand.
In 1892, however, Mr. Daulton filed on a homestead and started to improve a place for himself, but in 1894 he commuted this into a pre-emption, sold out and came to the Walla Walla valley. He purchased sixty-seven acres of hay land, upon which he has ever since re- sided, and in 1900 he bought a quarter-section of wheat land also. He is an enterprising and successful farmer, and his standing in the com- munity as a man and a citizen is of the highest. In fraternal affiliations he is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America, Mountain View Camp, No. 5096, of this city. In the city of Walla Walla on February 17. 1895, he mar- ried Mrs. Amy E. Vanderburgh, a native of Oregon, whose parents, Harris and Mary Dent, were pioneers of that state.
ORLANDER W. HARTNESS .- This re- spected pioneer of the county was born in Mon- roe county, Indiana, May 15. 1835. When a boy of seven years he went with his parents to Washington county, Iowa, whence, shortly aft- erwards, he removed to Monroe county, same state, where the greater portion of his educa- tional discipline was obtained and where he met and married Miss Mary Wilson, their union being solemnized on inauguration day, 1858. Leaving Iowa in 1864, the subject of this review, accompanied by his wife, set out to find a home in the new and wild west. He arrived in the Walla Walla valley the same year and took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, to which he added several hun- dred acres procured by purchase later on.
On the original homestead he continued to reside uninterruptedly until about fourteen years ago, his occupation being farming and stock raising, combined with the more dan- gerous business of freighting. In those days lie met with many adventures with Indians and several times narrowly escaped being robbed or killed by road agents, as they were called, the term having the same significance as highway- men.
In 1886 Mr. Hartness sold his entire hold- ings in the valley and moved into the city of Walla Walla, where he engaged in the grocery business, stock dealing and also to some extent in mining. His energies were devoted to these varied industries until the beginning of 1900, when he again sold out his possessions. this time investing a part of the proceeds in a small tract of land just outside the city, upon which he is at present erecting a commodious and comfortable dwelling, in which he and his life partner hope to enjoy many years of life. Though five children have been born in the Hartness household, only one, Franke E., still
326
HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY.
survives, the other four having passed away in infancy. Their living daughter is now the wife of Samuel Iams. It may be of interest to men- tion in this connection that Mr. and Mrs. Hart- ness have journeyed together through life for almost forty-three years. Both are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church of Walla Walla.
Though our subject is a very public-spirited man, ever ready to assist with his means any commendable enterprise of general utility, he is not ambitious for leadership in politics, local or national, and has steadfastly refused to take an active part in any of the campaigns, even though urgently solicited by his friends so to do. It is a pleasure, however, to be able to add with truth that in all his relations with his fellow men, whether in business or in society. his life has been so ordered as to win and re- tain the confidence and esteem of all.
ZEBULON K. STRAIGHT, jeweler, a pioneer of 1870, was born in Wayne county, New York, in 1840. In 1846 the family moved to Wisconsin, and there Mr. Straight lived un- til twenty years of age, acquiring such educa- tion as a frontier log schoolhouse afforded. He then went to Minnesota, learned the jewelry business, and for eight years followed it as an occupation. On June 4. 1870, our subject landed in Walla Walla, where he opened the only jewelry store in the then territory of Washington, which has continued in business constantly ever since. With remarkable per- tinacity he has devoted himself to his handi- craft in the same city for over thirty years, and his hand has the skill and cunning, and his judgment the splendid development which we would naturally expect from such concen- tration.
Mr. Straight is not, however, a narrow or one-sided man, but has always taken a lively and intelligent interest in the welfare of the city, and ever proved himself an efficient force in the promotion of its best interests. He was one of the original organizers of the Farmers' Savings bank, has served as a director in that institution, and still retains an interest in it. For two terms, also, he was a member of the Walla Walla city council. But his influence in politics is not circumscribed by the limits of his city or county. He was elected a member of the first state legislature, so that upon his shoulders fell the responsibility of participating in laying the foundation of our state govern- ment. In politics, in business, and in private life alike, he has proved himself a trustworthy and reliable man, and he has the confidence and esteem of all.
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.