USA > Washington > Lincoln County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 1 > Part 56
USA > Washington > Adams County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 1 > Part 56
USA > Washington > Douglas County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 1 > Part 56
USA > Washington > Franklin County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 1 > Part 56
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
Mr. Setters was made an Oddfellow thirty years ago in Missouri, is a charter member and was the first noble grand of the Reardan Lodge,
MR. AND MRS. PETER SETTERS
329
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
No. 84, of that order. He is also a member of the C. W. H. Bentley post, G. A. R., of Rear- dan.
Mr. Setters was ever a man of pluck and energy as is attested by the fact that, having come to this state practically without a dollar, he is now independently situated and able to spend his declining years in comfort and ease in his handsome home in the town with whose history and development he has been so closely identified. While he has always, since coming to the Big Bend, been eminently successful in business affairs, the amassing of wealth has not been his purpose in life, since his major efforts have ever been put forth in the interest of the school, the church, and the home. He helped build the first school building in his vicinity, and has been its most liberal and loyal supporter. All his children are well educated, and two sons are professional men with their father to thank for their incentives, if not alto- gether for their finished professional educations. He is a good citizen, a man with a legion of friends, and of unquestionable integrity.
ROBERT R. STEWART. Two miles east of the town of Moscow, Washington, is the handsome home of Robert R. Stewart, the making of which has entailed great hardship and toil on the part of its owner and his fam- ily. He came to the place in 1889, the land then belonging to the railroad, and erected a very humble shack in which to live while im- proving his farm. The winter of 1889-90 be- ing unusually severe the family endured grave discomfort from cold and exposure, since the domicile was roughly put together and open to the elements to a distressing degree. Mr Stewart was without means, and lived for a year almost exclusively on the profit of the eggs from his farm, which he must needs haul to Sprague or Spokane to market. Persever- ance, however, won out in the end, so that now this industrious and determined pioneer is one of the well-to-do farmers of his county, owning eight hundred acres of land all under fence, and one half under cultivation and an- nually producing an abundant and profitable crop. His primitive hut has been replaced by a large seven-room house with all the modern
conveniences, including the telephone, and his out-of-door improvements have been equally well seen to. His land is divided by Crab creek, which furnishes an abundance of living water, and the Great Northern railroad crosses a por- tion of his farm.
Robert R. Stewart was born in Edgar county, Illinois, May 23. 1845. Ilis father was Samuel Stewart, a gentleman of Scotch extraction, and died while our subject was an infant. His mother, also deceased, was Rachel (Powers) Stewart, the daughter of Luther Powers, a veteran of the Revolutionary War,
Mr. Stewart is the only surviving member of a family of five children. He remained in the county of his birth until attaining the age of seventeen, under the care of his mother's sister, at which age the family removed to Vermilion county, Illinois. Mr. Stewart re- ceived a thorough common school education, and during the month of February, 1865, lie enlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Fiftieth Illinois Volunteers. He enlisted as a private, but was later appointed corporal by his captain, Lyons Parker, and served with dis- tinction in the states of Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama until being mustered out of service January 19, 1866.
He then returned to Vermilion county and engaged in farming. On October 28, 1869, Mr. Stewart was married to Ellen Miller, and two years later they started west. They located in Sacramento county, California, where they were engaged in farming and poultry raising for a space, but later returned to a farm in Vermilion county.
On October 9. 1882, Mrs. Stewart died, leaving three children, Grace, married to Joseph Thompson, in Vermilion county; Clara, wife of U. S. Long, of Moscow, Washington ; and Miss Oma Stewart, an accomplished musician of Oklahoma.
Mr. Stewart was married a second time, November 1, 1883, his wife being Miss Ellan Clester, a native of Vermilion county, Illinois. She was the daughter of AAndrew and Amelia (Strong) Clester, who are deceased. They continued to reside in Vermilion county until coming to their present home.
Mr. Stewart is a member of General Rusk Post. G. A. R., of Davenport, and has served as commander of his post. On Christmas day,
330
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
1867, he entered the Cumberland church under the ministry of the late Reverend G. W. Jordan, and was ordained an elder in 1880 by the Rev- erend W. O. Smith. His wife is a member of the same church.
Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have a promising family of five children, whose names are, Sam- uel Arthur, Daisy Lulu, Effie Oral, Robert An- drew, and Rachel Ellen.
JOSEPH TALKINGTON was born in Hempstead county, Arkansas, August 22, 1831, and is probably as well acquainted with the hardships and trying experiences incident to pioneer life as any man now living. He lives on a farm three miles southwest of Moscow, Washington.
Mr. Talkington was the son of Edward P. and Elizabeth ( Bland) Talkington, early pion- eers of Arkansas. The father was born in Kentucky but came to Arkansas ten years prior to that state's admission to the union, and was a pioneer in Hempstead county and later in Washington county. He traced his ancestry back to England, and died at the age of sixty- three in 1870. The mother was born in Penn- sylvania, but was reared in Kentucky. She went in company with her parents and the pa- rents of her husband to Arkansas, and died in 1872.
Our subject is the eldest of a family of eleven children, all of whom grew to maturity but only one of them, besides our subject, being now alive. We refer to a brother, Joel D., of Polk county, Arkansas.
Until he became twenty-three years of age Mr. Talkington remained with his parents on a farm. In 1854 he crossed the plains with an ox team to California, in which state he lived for some years engaged in freighting with his headquarters principally at Mariposa and Stock- ton. In the fall of 1860 he returned to Arkan- sas by stage through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. He was forced by conscript to join the confederate army, but after a few months of service and many thrilling adven- tures and narrow escapes from death, he man- aged to escape from the army. He was pur- sued and shot at many times by the rebel troops, but fortunately was never wounded. After leaving the army he followed farming.
Mr. Talkington was married February 14, 1861, to Rebecca A. Kirk, in Sebastian county, Arkansas. His wife was born in Tennessee but was reared in Missouri, and was the daugh- ter of John and Lucy (Long) Kirk. To this marriage have been born six children, J. Al- bert, married to Miss Seemore McMillan; Thomas E., married to Belle Long; William E., married to Maggie Moore; Walter L., mar- ried to Grace Plumlee; Anna Belle, wife of G. A. Bumpass ; and Lillie May, wife of Eli Good- win.
The family came to this vicinity in the fall of 1889, and has succeeded, though poor at the time of coming here, in accumulating a vast amount of property. Mr. Talkington has three hundred and twenty acres of choice school land leased, all tilled and improved accord- ing to the most modern methods. His son Walter lives with him, and he too, is well sup- plied with land. He has four hundred and eighty acres, well improved and cultivated. Mr. Talkington's buildings are modern and convenient, he has an excellent water system and other improvements in proportion.
He and his family belong to the Evangeli- cal church.
JEROME W. BELKNAP lives five miles north and one and one-half miles east of Har- rington. Born September 19, 1856, he was the son of James and Harriet (Tripp) Bel- knap. His father was born in the state of New York and comes of an old military fam- ily, his father, John, having been a soldier in the War of 1812, and his grandfather, also named John, in the Revolution. The family is of English lineage. Mr. Belknap's mother was a native of Pennsylvania.
Our subject has a twin brother, George, of Davenport. At the age of ten Mr. Belknap went with his parents to Linn county, Iowa, but left home two years later and procured work with a railroad company. He followed rail- roading several years, then came to Lewiston, Idaho, in 1884. Here he worked on salary for some time, and in 1885 he filed a timber claim on his present home. He removed to the claim in the spring of 1888 and built a small floorless house, which has since been replaced by a fine modern dwelling. He has six hundred and
331
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
forty acres of land all under fence, and five hundred acres under cultivation. Most of his land is desirable grain land, and improved ac- cording to the most progressive and up-to-date method. His house is a two-story, nine-room structure with hot and cold water, bath and all other modern conveniences.
In the month of December, 1898, Mr. Belknap was married to Mrs. Mary E. (Dunn) Trask. a native of Springfield, Massachusetts. Her father was Dennis Dunn, a native of Eng- land of Irish descent, and for eleven years a railroad conductor. Her mother was Birdie (Wall) Dunn, also a native of Massachusetts. At the time of her marriage to Mr. Belknap, Mrs. Trask was the mother of three children, Albert W., Mona A., and Frederick R.
Fraternally, Mr. Belknap is a member of the Odd Fellow's lodge and Mrs. Belknap is a Rebekah. Both hold membership in the Har- ington lodges of their respective orders. Mrs. Belknap is also a member of the Universalist church.
HON. JASPER J. CAMERON has, with- out doubt, become one of the leading and in- fluential men of the Big Bend country. Ar- riving here in 1889 without means, he cast his first vote for the state constitution and since that time has been closely identified with the progress and development of the great state of Washington. In his personal business affairs. he has made a brilliant success, while in the political world, he has won the encomiums and plaudits to be envied even by one who has spent a much longer service in the political field.
J. J. Cameron was born in Peoria, Illinois, on November 29, 1867, the son of George W. and Lucinda Cameron. When a child he went with his parents to Jones county, Iowa, and then the family moved to Tehama county, Cali- fornia. After gaining his primary instruction in the common schools, Mr. Cameron ma- triculated in the Hesperian college at Wood- land, California and in due time received his diploma from that institution. Then he turned his attention to the study of law but as his pa- rents were desirous of coming to the north, he dropped that and joined them in an over- land trip from California to Washington. The
journey was fraught with many incidents, both of hardship and pleasure and was completed without especial accident. Upon arriving here. Mr. Cameron selected a homestead about six miles west from where Harrington is now located. Hc soon added a tim- ber culture and gave his attention to farm- ing. Having been thoroughly depleted in financial matters, he was obliged to borrow money to file on his claim, then went to work by the month. Not to be deterred, however, he followed that rigorous life until he had sufficient means to improve his place in good shape, then his time was given to that entirely. As the years went by, prosperity could but attend the wise and faithful labors of our subject and from time to time he added to his estate until now it has reached the magnificent proportions of eight hundred acres. The entire place is under cultivation and cropped to wheat annually, thus insuring to him, a very gratifying income. Plenty of buildings, a good residence and all other improvements that can be used on a first class Washington wheat farm are in evidence. An air of thrift and good taste pervades the entire premises and Mr. Cameron is to be com- mended upon his success in farming and rais- ing stock. He has a band of cattle and horses.
In the fall of 1900, Mr. Cameron allowed his name to appear on the Democratic ticket for representative to the state legislature and although the county is Republican, he was promptly elected. In the halls of legislature, he was no less a marked figure than he had been in the excellent work on the farm. He soon took a place with the leaders and at his second term which he is now serving, his party brought him forward as speaker of the house. Owing to the fact that the Democrats were largely outnumbered by the Republicans, he did not secure the position. Still se forcible and telling has been the work of Mr. Cameron, that his enemies have learned to fear his blows and his friends have no hesitancy in placing him to champion their cause in a hotly contested battle. The second election of Mr. Cameron speaks very favorably for his ability and integrity since twice a Demo- cratic candidate has carried a Republican field.
On June 26, 1895. Mr. Cameron married Miss Lilly F. Lee, who was born and reared
332
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND .COUNTRY.
in California. Her father, Munson Lee, was a native of Missouri and crossed the plains to California in 1869. He married Miss Ware and they are now living in Willows, California. To Mr. and Mrs. Cameron three children have been born, Nathaniel A., Gladys I. and Nevada.
Fraternally, Mr. Cameron is affiliated with the K. P., the I. O. O. F. and the Foresters. He has always been very active in educational labors and is also a member of the pioneer as- sociation.
WILLIAM BECK. About two miles northeast from Harrington, one comes to the beautiful ranch of William Beck. The estate consists of five hundred acres of choice wheat land, which is in a high state of cultivation, and three hundred acres of pasture. A good seven room residence, surrounded by barns, outbuild- ings and the various other improvements needed on a first class ranch, are all in evidence and the place is one of the good ones of this excellent Big Bend country. In 1883 one could have seen the scanty equipment of Mr. Beck stopped on the unbroken prairie, at a place near where his house now stands. Bleak enough were the surroundings, as only the rolling hills and the howling coyotes were to be found with the exception of a few straggling set- tlers at long distances apart. Mr. Beck was a man of keen perception and he became thoroughly convinced that this was a rich land and accordingly he filed his homestead right and commenced the struggle of carving a home and a farm out of the wilds. A year later he did the wise thing of securing a pleasant and capable helpmeet and together they began the work anew. For a time it was like rowing up stream and in the midst of rapids, as scarcely no progress was made. The cares of a family began to gather and starting without means, as Mr. Beck did, the struggle was a hard one. How'- ever, despite the lack of means, the hard- ships of pioneer life, the many things to fight against, he steadily pursued his way and finally after the hard times of 1893 he began to forge ahead slowly and soon he had the satisfaction of securing an increase to his estate and this has continued until he has not only the property mentioned above, but also a fine four acre tract
in the city of Davenport where he has provided a fine residence for himself and family in the days to come. Mr. Beck has always taken a keen interest in the affairs of the community and in politics and has labored for better roads, better schools and improvement in all lines, so that it may me said he is a thoroughly progres- sive man and public spirited.
William Beck was born in Wurtemberg. Germany, on February 5, 1856, the son of Adam and Mary Beck. He grew up and was educated in his native land and then served his term in the regular army. After that he learned the blacksmith trade but never followed it, however he does his own blacksmithing on the farm, which is a great help. In 1877, he sailed from Antwerp to Philadelphia and thence trav- eled to Jo Daviess county, Illinois, whence the next year he came to Yolo county, California. After working for wages there awhile, he went to Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and to other points, then returned to the Golden State and in 1883 made his way to the territory of Wash- ington. Here he has wrought as mentioned above and is now one of the leading men of this part of the county.
In 1884, Mr. Beck married Miss Katie Anwarter, a native of Germany. She came to California in 1882 and then later to Washing- ton. To this union the following children have been born, Anna, Mary, Minnie, Paul, Henry, deceased, Lena and Lillie, twins, Elsie, Eugene, deceased, Olga, Henrietta, Eugenia and Hulda. The two deceased were called away in 1901, aged thirteen and four years. Mr. and Mrs. Beck are members of the Methodist church and are excellent people.
THOMAS C. LAKIN has demonstrated what could be done in the Big Bend country. Coming here without means in 1879. he now owns in his own right four thousand acres of land, mostly all raising grain, handles fourteen hundred acres which his brother in Ohio owns, and also controls a section of well improved school land. This entire property has been gained by the personal efforts of Mr. Lakin which is sufficient evidence of the ability lie pos- sesses. When he first saw this country, Mr. Lakin discerned its advantages and fertility and
333
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
from that moment determined to secure a good holding here. His judgment was unerring and the immense yields of the Big Bend are but what he said would come.
Thomas C. Lakin was born in Clermont county, Ohio, the son of John and Mary ( Bret- ney ) Lakin, natives of Kentucky and Ohio, re- spectively, and now deceased. Their ancestors came from Maryland and were slave holders. The members of the family which moved to the north renounced slave holding. The parents were each about seventy-five when they died. Thomas C. is next to the youngest of a family of twelve children and received a good academic education. After that, he took a course in the Cincinnati law school and was admitted to the bar. Then he turned his attention to the work of the educator and later came to San Fran- cisco. Thence he journeyed to Portland and the sound and at Port Gamble taught for some time. Then Mr. Lakin determined to search out the country east of the Cascades and accord- ingly came to Ellensburg and thence via the Big Bend to Spokane which was a small village of two hundred then, 1879. The winter of 1879-80 was spent in Waitsburg, teaching and the next spring he came to his present home place, about ten miles southeast from Harring- ton. He started with a timber culture and a homestead and since that time has given his at- tention to raising wheat and buying land. Never swerving from his first decision, Mr. Lakin has shown his faith in the country by his pur- chases and he has made no mistake. He found himself in debt somewhat when he was starting and it became necessary to earn money and so for a time, we find Mr. Lakin working on the Northern Pacific and the O. R. & N. He has always been very active in promoting those . measures for the benefit of all and the building up of the country. Politi- cally, Mr. Lakin was Republican but joined the silver forces to support Bryan and was president of the county Farmers Alliance. On one occasion his name appeared for representative of his district in the state legislature. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the I. O. O. F., the Rebekahs, and the Encamp- ment. He was one of the organizers of the pio- neer association, which is properly named the Pioneer and Historical Association of Lincoln County. Mr. Lakin has evinced great interest
in the working and growth of this association and is its president at the present time. He is also director of it as well as of the Sprague bank. Mr. Lakin has improved all of his land in good shape and all the residences, barns, wind mills, and other things needed are at hand. The returns of the entire six thousand acres are mammoth and although he was verging onto bankruptcy during the panic, still he managed to pull through and is now one of the wealthy men of the statc.
LEWIS T. LUPER is one of the leading farmers of Lincoln county and resides three miles northeast from Harrington. He was born on July 19, 1848, in Fulton county, Illinois. His parents were Martin and Frances Luper, na- tives of Pennsylvania, and early pioneers to Illinois. Our subject was the oldest child of the family and his brothers and sisters are named as follows, James, in Heppner, Oregon ; George, who died on March 13, 1904, at l'endleton, Oregon ; Mrs. Harriett Spidell in Los Angeles. California; and Mrs. Jennie Spangler of Cor- vallis, Oregon. The father brought his family across the plains in 1853, using ox teams to make the trip, and settled in Linn county, Ore- gon, taking a donation claim. Soon after this the mother died. The father remained on the old donation claim until 1877, then went to Los Angeles, California. After that, he spent six years in San Diego, California and there died in June. 1903, being aged eighty-seven. Our subject had taken a journey to visit his fa- ther on the December previous to his death.
Lewis T. was educated and reared in Linn county and when twenty-one moved to Lane county and bought a farm. He cultivated this until 1883. when he came to Lincoln county. He soon selected the pre-emption where he now lives and began to open up a farm. Owing to the fact that he had very limited means, Mr. Luper had a hard time to get started but his labors were finally prospered and he soon added more to his farm by purchase and now has over eighteen hundred acres, two thirds of which are producing first class crops of wheat. In addition to doing general farming he has paid considerable attention to raising cattle and horses and now has some fine animals. When
334
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
Mr. Luper first came here the country was wild and almost an unbroken prairie and he has seen it transformed from that to one of the most fertile wheat sections in the United States. The estate is provided with a fine residence, good barns and all improvements and implements needed to carry on a first class farm.
On May 20, 1873, in Lane county, Oregon, Mr. Luper married Miss Elizabeth Horn, a native of Iowa. She came with her parents across the plains in the early days and settled in California. Later, they moved to Lane county, Oregon. Her father was James Horn. He lived in Lane county, Oregon until his death in the spring of 1904, being aged seventy-seven. To our subject and his wife one child, Berry, has been born. He married Miss Minnie Moore and is now farming in the vicinity of Harrington. On April 2, 1902, Mr. Luper was called to mourn the death of his beloved wife. He is a man of excellent standing in the community and is a member of the pioneer asso- ciation.
CHRISTIAN BRUGGER is a representa- tive citizen of Lincoln county. He dwells about four miles northeast from Harrington and has a fine estate of over one half section of fertile wheat land, all of which is in cultivation and well improved. The residence is a comfortable six-room structure provided with modern con- veniences, as bath, hot and cold water, and so forth. All other buildings and improvements needed are at hand and prosperity is evident in the entire premises.
Christian Brugger was born in Switzerland, in March, 1855, the son of Christian and Anna (Shink) Brugger, natives of Switzerland. They came to the United States in 1880 and settled in Fayette county, Illinois, where the mother died in 1890, aged sixty-three, and the father in August, 1901, aged eighty-one. They had four children ; our subject, the eldest ; Carl, on the old homestead in Illinois; Elizabeth, living with him; and Margaret Deitrich, living near Harrington. Our subject grew up in his na- tive country and was educated in the schools there. When of proper age he took his place in the regular army and served for five years. Then, in April, 1880, he came to the United States and selected the farm where the father
located in Fayette county, Illinois. In the spring of 1882, he came to Dakota, but not lik- ing the country made his way farther west. It was July, when he arrived in Cheney and so well was he pleased with the country that he lost no time in selecting his present place and filing a homestead. Since that time, Mr. Brugger has devoted himself to the improvement of his farm and has made it a valuable place. Having no means he was forced to work out for wages to improve his place but he continued with good success and has now much to show for his work. When Mr. Brugger came here the coun- try was largely a vast prairie unbroken by set- tlement and he had the choice of the land. He secured a fine piece and the transformation of these great prairies to wheat fields has all taken place since he located.
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.