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 57
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 57
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 57
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 57
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On April 8, 1888, at Sprague, Mr. Brugger married Miss Rosina Muller, a native of Swit- zerland. Mrs. Brugger has one brother, John, near Harrington. To our subject and his wife seven children have been born, John, Albert, Anna, Robert, Freedie, Walter and Lizzie. The family are all members of the Evangelical church and are devoted supporters of the faith. Mr. Brugger expects to spend the remainder of his days in this country and believes it to be one of the choicest he has ever seen.
GEORGE M. HUCK is one of the large land owners of Lincoln county and withal a prosperous and wealthy stockman. He resides about five miles northwest from Earl on an estate of sixteen hundred acres which is de- voted entirely to pasture and hay. He is one of the younger men of the county and has brought to bear a wealth of enthusiasm in his labors the result of which has given him his present grati- fying holding in land and stock.
George M. Huck was born in Racine coun- ty, Wisconsin, on June 14, 1871, the son of Michael and Magdalene Huck. The mother died while our subject was young. The father, who was born in Buffalo, New York, and went to Canada came to Wisconsin and after his wife's death in 1879. came on to the John Day valley, Oregon. In the spring of 1883, he journeyed thence to Lincoln county and took a homestead. His energies were given to stock
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raising and he has purchased land in addition to his homestead until he now owns an estate of twenty-two hundred acres which is entirely utilized for pasture and hay. At the present time he is on an extended trip through Cali- fornia and the East. George M. Huck remained in the east attending school at the old home place in Wisconsin until 1887, when he came with his father to Lincoln county. He has la- bored in conjunction with his father ever since and they have some fine bands of well bred stock besides other property. The land lies along Lake creek and is provided with abund- ance of water for all purposes.
Mr. Huck has never seen fit to launch out on the uncertain sea of matrimony yet is one of the substantial and highly respected men of the section.
LUCIUS B. EDDY is one of the wealthy stockmen of Lincoln county and resides about fourteen miles west from Davenport. He was born on February 18, 1869, in Wayne county, Iowa, the son of John Shirley and Mercy ( But- ton ) Eddy, natives of New York. The paternal ancestors were dwellers in the colonies and fought for American independence. One of them was Governor Shirley of Massachusetts. The parents are living in Chautauqua county, New York at the present time. Our subject has two brothers and one sister ; Eugene, born April 3, 1878, married and living with our sub- ject ; Martin C., born in 1881: Almira, born in 1884. Lucius B. went with his parents from Iowa to New York and there received his edu- cation in the public and normal schools. He was well trained for teaching although he never followed that avocation. In March, 1889, he came west to Lincoln county and for a time worked out. Later, he took a homestead and followed farming : being inclined towards hand- ling stock, he began breeding horses in 1894. Three years later, he bought his present place and removed here in 1898. He now owns about three thousand acres, all under fence and de- voted entirely to pasture and hay. He handles a great many first class draft horses at the pres- ent time, making a specialty of that line. The English shire are the kind with which he has the best success. Mr. Eddy has a large barn, good residence, and other buildings besides all
equipments for handling a large stock and hay farm.
Fraternally, he is a member of the A. F. & A. M. of Davenport. He remarks that when he first came to the Big Bend country, his means were exceedingly limited. He has so wisely handled the resources in his hands here that he has become a well to do stockman. He has also gained the esteem and confidence of his fellows. It was upon Mr. Eddy's farm that the noted outlaw, Tracy, gave up his life, a full account of which will appear in another portion of this work.
BENJAMIN F. HURLEY is to be classed as one of the earliest pioneers in Lincoln county. Since those days of deprivation and hardship, he has continued steadily here manifesting an industry and wisdom commendable in a high degree. His labors have largely been turned to stock raising in which enterprise, he has achieved a good success. He resides about twelve miles west from Davenport, where he owns an estate of over two thousand acres de- voted to hay and pasture.
Benjamin F. was born in Carroll county, Arkansas, on February II. 1854, the son of Isaac and Sarah A. ( Beck) Hurley. The mother was born in Wayne county, Kentucky, the daughter of Preston and Mary A. Beck, natives of Kentucky. The father was a native of Missouri. In the spring of 1868, he bought out an ox team conveyance and brought his family across the dreary plains to Humboldt county, Nevada, consuming five months in the journey. They remained there until the fall of 1869, when they pushed on to Plumas county, California, and there settled upon a ranch, which his father had acquired on a former visit to California. The family resided on this place until 1873, when the father was called hence by death. Our subject grew up in the western home, receiving good training from the common schools, supplemented by a course in Christian college at College City, California. In the spring of 1882, he went to work for Wells-Fargo & Company in San Francisco. In the course of the following year, he went to Lin- coln county being one of the earliest settlers of the county. At first he bought railroad land, then in 1884, took a homestead and commenced
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breeding stock. He handled cattle and horses until the last few years when he has given en- tire attention to cattle alone. His large estate furnishes both pasture for the summer and hay for the winter for his stock and he turns off a large bunch each year. He also owns property in Davenport. Mr. Hurley's mother came. to Lincoln county with them and was the keeper of his house until her death on October 23. 1892.
On July 16, 1903, occurred the marriage of Mr. Hurley and Mrs. Ellen ( Kals) Oligher, a native of Dodge county, Wisconsin. She came to California with her parents in 1870 and lived in Yolo county. The year 1884 marks the date of her settlement in Lincoln county. Mr. Hurley deserves to be com- mended on the excellent labors he has performed in this section as well as the interest he has taken in political and other af- fairs, being always a progressive and substan- tial man.
ROBERT EARL is one of Lincoln coun- ty's retired farmers who has well earned the en- joyment he is now taking through years of la- bor previously. He resides just south of Earl postoffice where he has a nice estate well im- proved.
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Robert Earl was born in Illinois, on April 30, 1835, the son of Joseph and Margaret ( Gib- son) Earl, natives of England and Ohio, re- spectively. The father came to the United States when a boy and settled in Ohio where he was married. Later, he moved to Illinois where our subject remained, being the youngest of twelve children, three of whom are living. The other two are Joseph, and Mrs. Ellen Vaughn. In the spring of 1845, his father prepared con- veyances and started across the plains to the Pacific coast. In Des Moines, Iowa, he was taken sick and ten days later died. The eldest son of the children then took charge of the teams and brought the mother and the balance of the family with a train of one hundred wagons to The Dalles, Oregon, then they jour- neyed down the Columbia in canoes and win- tered near Portland. In the spring of 1846, they went to what is now Linn county, Oregon, the mother being the first white woman to cross the Santiam river. She died in April, 1850.
Our subject followed various occupations in the Williamette valley and also did considerable mining. In 1849, he and three brothers went to California and so often did he travel the road between the Williamette valley and California that he could borrow a sack of flour from any of the residents along the way, they knew him so well.
On October 16, 1852, Mr. Earl married Miss Lourena Powell, a native of Illinois. Her parents, Elder John A. and Savillia (Smith) Powell, were prominent church workers, the father being a minister of the Christian church for years. Mrs. Earl is the seventh of a family of ten children. Those living are named as follows: Franklin S., Steuben F., Henry C., and Mrs. Mary Propst. All are members of the Christian church. Mrs. Earl came with her par- ents to Linn county, Oregon, in 1851, making the journey across the plains with ox teams. The parents remained in the valley until their death. Mrs. Earl made nearly the entire trip across the plains on horseback. In the fall of 1879, Mr. Earl went to the Rogue river coun- try and later to California where he assisted to plant fifteen hundred acres to crops. In the fall of 1882, he came with teams overland to Lin- coln county, settling on a homestead. Very few people were in the territory now embraced in Lincoln county at that time and Mr. Earl knows well what it is to follow the life of the pioneer. With two sons, he at once began farming and the three now own a section of land. A good portion of the land is under cul- tivation and producing wheat. Mr. Earl has fine horses, plenty of water and a beautiful grove of shade trees and other improvements. To Mr. and Mrs. Earl the following named children have been born ; Savilla, wife of L. L. Cooley, living near Tekoa, Washington ; Altha J., wife of John Pope of California; Annetta, deceased; Lydia A., wife of Edgar Wells of California ; Minnie R., wife of Charles L. Hotal- ing ; William M .; Henry W., deceased ; Joseph L. of Low, Idaho; and Earnest L.
Mr. Earl established the Earl postoffice in 1887 and was himself the postmaster for a good many years. He has been prominent in edu- cational work and his name is given to the dis- trict, postoffice and voting precinct. In politi- cal matters, he has always been active, being allied with the Republican party. He and his
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wife are devout members of the Christian church and are upright people. In the fall of 1903, they took an extended trip through Ore- gon and especially in the Willamette valley where they had not been for twenty-four years.
COOK SAMUELS is residing in Harring- ton and is handling a prosperous dray and trans- fer business. He was born on January 14. 1859, in Marion county, Missouri, the son of Judge John J. and Harriett A. ( Carson ) Sam- uels, natives of Virginia. The father was a prominent educator and judge in his section and was personally acquainted with Stonewall Jackson. He always took an active part in the affairs of the state and in political matters until his death, which was December 26, 1895. He was then aged seventy-six. His ancestors were among the earliest settlers of Virginia. The mother died on February 9. 1898, being aged seventy-six. Mr. Samuels has the following brothers and sisters, Neal, Dr. Lynn, John, Mark, Byrd, Virginia, deceased, Mrs. Annie Inlow, Mrs. Maggie Claggett, Mrs. Sarah Cow- herd, and Mattie. The latter is teaching in the Reardan schools and makes her home with our subject. Byrd is a twin brother of our subject and is now in the employ of the Southern Pa- cific at Tucson, Arizona. He was a pioneer of Lincoln county and taught for sometime here. Mr. Samuels grew up on a farm in Mis- souri and received his education from the con- mon schools. In 1883, with his twin brother, he went to Phoenix, Arizona. Later, he re- turned to Missouri and in the spring of 1887, journeyed to the Sacramento valley, California. The same year he came to Umatilla county, Oregon, and in January, 1888, landed in Lin- coln county, Washington. He traded his watch for the relinquishment of a homestead right on a fine quarter, four miles west from Harrington. He added eighty acres more by purchase and there followed farming until 1891 in which year he sold his entire property, moving to Harring- ton. He erected several dwelling houses and engaged in the dray and transfer business. His property is well rented and he is among the prosperous men of the county. In the spring of 1904. Mr. Samuels accepted the position of road overseer on a territory eight miles by 22
twelve and he attends to this business in addi- tion to his affairs in town.
Mr. Samuels is a member of the A. F. & A. M., the I. O. O. F., belongs to the Encampment, is a representative to the grand lodge, and D. D. G. M. of lodge 160, is a member of the Rebek- ahs, the Eastern Star and the W. W. Mr. Samuels is also deputy game warden and con- stable. He is one of the substantial men of the county and his labors entitle him to be classed as one of the pioneers and builders of the county.
JOHN H. MULLER. When John H. Muller located on his present place, about one mile southwest from where Harrington now stands, there was no Harrington, no Daven- port, and very few settlers in the entire terri- tory now embraced in Lincoln county, which organization then had no being. Without a stove to cook on, with the sky for a canopy, this sturdy settler located and began the work of bringing a fertile farm from the wilds then abounding. Coyotes were familiar neighbors and the chirruping prairie dog would whirl into his hole as the human intruder walked by. Nature, with all her wilful ways, gave no en- couragement to the frontiersman and his task seemed a thankless one, to open the door for civilization and its attendants to enter these vast prairies of wealth. Mr. Muller was a man of strong determination and he at once went to work at whatever he could find, being employed the first winter by the government in building improvements at Fort Spokane. Little by little he crept ahead and from the dugout to the cabin then into the new house, he moved and slowly the various buildings and improvements needed were erected and now, one sees a valuable es- tate of seven hundred acres, four hundred planted to wheat and the balance used for pas- ture, provided with every convenience needed and productive of handsome yearly dividends. He also owns a quarter section four miles west from Spokane. All this is the result of the wise management and industrious labors of our subject.
In the Canton of Berne, Switzerland, on the twelfth day of February, 1855. it was an- nounced to John U. Muller that a son was born to his wife, Elizabeth. The infant was named
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John H., and grew bright and active. At the proper age he was sent to the parochial schools and there learned the ins and outs of the pri- mary training necessary for the youth who would master their own language and the ele- ments of learning. John H. had a half brother, Christian Luginbuhl, who now lives in Spo- kane; one brother, J. W., in Marion county, Oregon ; and one sister, now Mrs. Rosina Brug- ger, dwelling near Harrington. His parents have since departed this sphere. When seven- teen young Muller decided to come to the Uni- ted States, and with him a decision was para- mount to the execution, so in 1872, we find him in Ohio employed at general work. Four years later, he went to Marion county, Oregon, and in the fall of 1879, he located at Walla Walla, It was in the fall of 1880, that Mr. Muller came to what is now Lincoln county and located a timber culture claim. He labored at tie mak- ing in Idaho and at other occupations to fur- nish means for the necessities of life and finally was able to give his whole attention to the farm, and his success has placed him among the well to do men of the county.
On Christmas day, 1889, Mr. Muller mar- ried Miss Theresia, the daughter of John and Theresia Rohrer, and a native of Switzerland, where also the parents were born. The mother died in her native country but the father came to America and settled in Spokane in 1882, where he died in 1899. Six children have been born to this union, John U., Emma G., Otto G., Hulda, Maud M., and Josephine E. Mr. Muller and his wife belong to the Evangelical church and are worthy citizens. The home es- tate is pleasantly situated on Coal creek which furnishes water for all purposes of the ranch. Mr. Muller is to be congratulated on his excel- lent work and is justly entitled to enjoy the fruits of his success.
DELBERT LEROY AMON resides about three miles west from Downs and there owns a fine estate of one half section. The same is well improved with good buildings, orchard. wells, and so forth. It is in a high state of cultivation and is handler each year by tenants. Mr. Amon devotes his attention to other things and oversees his property. He was born in
Sublimity, Marion county, Oregon, on Febru- ary 15, 1871, the son of William R. and Eunice (Downing) Amon. The mother was a rela- tive of Commodore Perry and her ancestors were prominent in the Revolution. She crossed the plains when a girl and died in Oregon in 1872. The father was born in Clark county, Missouri, and crossed the plains with ox teams in 1854. He located in Marion county, Oregon, and in 1871 came east of the mountains to the vicinity of Athena and there did farming. Dur- ing the Indian troubles of 1878, he was in the midst. The family had to go to Weston for safety. In 1889, he removed his family to where Downs is now located and bought three sections of railroad land, which he placed under cultivation. Location was made in the month of July. Later he bought two sections more and his attention was occupied in handling this vast estate and in raising stock. In 1890, how- ever, lie bought the only store in Harrington which he sold later. In 1899, Mr. Amon, senior, sold all his property in the Big Bend country and retired to Waitsburg, Washington, where he resides now. He has vast interests in different localities and his time is occupied in overseeing his property. His ancestors were from Maryland and were prominent in the Revolution. In 1854, when his older brother, Sylvester Amon was crossing the plains, he was murdered by the Indians. It occurred on the Snake river and was in the Ward massacre. Our subject has the following named half brothers and half sisters, Mrs. Addie Strickler, Howard, Mrs. Emma Strickler, Alfred, Will- iam, Annie and Ruth. He has one brother, James Ralph, who dwells in Seattle. Our sub- ject grew up in Umatilla county and after re- ceiving a good training from the common schools, he went to the Willamette University and completed a course there. He came to the Big Bend when his father did and for five years he gave his attention to teaching. After- ward, he bought land and has improved it to its present high state of cultivation, besides pro- viding all the necessary equipment and buildings needed. Water is piped into the house and the place is one of value and a comfortable rural abode.
On November 20, 1901, Mr. Amon mar- ried Miss Agnes, the daughter of Thomas and Jane (Boyd) Kerr. The parents were both
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
born in Ireland. The mother is deceased, but the father lives in Harrington. Mrs. Amon was born in Manchester, England, and has the following brothers and sisters, Thomas J., Margaret, William, and Annie. To Mr. and Mrs. Amon one child has been born. Margaret A. While Mr. Amon has done well farming, he is now retired from that, owing to poor health, and rents his estate. His attention is divided among other matters and especially to the endeavor to recuperate his health.
D. C. HANSEN is engaged in the real es- tate, loaning and fire and life insurance business in the town of Downs, Lincoln county, Wash- ington. He was born August 25, 1866, in Bred- stadt, Germany, and was christened in the Lutheran church with the name of Detlef Kris- tian. His father's name is Peter Broder Han- sen, and was born at the same place as was our subject, with whom he is now living at Downs. The mother's name was Margaret Doretas (Sieverdsen) Hansen. Mr. Hansen has one brother, Kritian Detlef, who also makes Downs his home.
D. C. Hansen at the age of six years, was taken by his parents to live in Flensburg. Ger- many, and received a fair common school edu- cation. During a part of his early life he worked on a farm in his native country for a wage of sixteen dollars per year, and in 1882 an uncle, who was at the time living in lowa, sent him money with which to come to the Uni- ted States. He left Germany on April 16, 1882, and arrived on May 17 of the same year, at Ogden, Boone county, Iowa. While in lowa Mr. Hansen worked for fifty cents a day, and in the spring of 1887 he went to Martin county, Minnesota, where he purchased a quarter-sec- tion of land at seven dollars and seventy-five cents per acre, and engaged in farming. While on this farm our subject suffered a sunstroke and was compelled to abandon the occupation, so he went to Maynard, Minnesota, in 1898, and there engaged in the wood and coal, and later in the lumber business. He came to Downs, Washington, on August 8, 1902, and followed the lumber business, which he later sold to take up the occupation which he is now pursuing.
The home of Mr. Hansen is one of the best in the town of Downs; he also owns one of the choicest business corners and has a neat and comfortable office. In addition he owns several lots and houses as an investment. Ile has forty- five acres of choice land adjoining the town, upon which he has the best of modern improve- ments, and which is one of the choicest small homes in the vicinity. He keeps some cattle and horses, farm implements, chickens, etc. Mr. Hansen has in addition to this, six hundred and forty acres of land near Downs and a quarter section of timber land south of Roseburg, Oregon.
Mr. Hansen has provided for his family in case of his taking off, by joining the MI. W. A., in which he is insured, and by carrying a policy in an old line insurance company.
On December 25, 1889, in Fairmont, Minne- sota, occurred the marriage of D. C. Hansen and Mary Mickow, daughter of Christian and Elizabeth Mickow, the former dead and the latter living in Minnesota, to which state Mrs. Hansen came as a child, from Germany. To this union have been born four children, Wil- helm P. H., Anna F., Harman, and lda.
Mr. Hansen has one sister, Mrs. Ida Barker, living in North Dakota.
MARSHALL R. SMITH is a prosperous farmer residing two miles north from Downs. He is a native of Washington county, Ne- braska, born on January 15, 1869, and is the eldest of a family of eight children, all of whom, with one exception, are now living. His father was engaged in the livery business in the town of Blair, Nebraska, and it was in this town that the boyhood and young manhood of our sub- ject was spent in assisting his father in the management of the barn when not in school. In about the year 1894 he went to Fargo, North Dakota, where he remained about two years. On January 23, 1896, Mr. Smith was married to Miss May Allen, a native of Lafayette coun- ty, Wisconsin, and daughter of Alonzo and Jo- hanna ( Michelson ) Allen. Mrs. Smith's fa- ther was born in Indiana, was a soldier during the Rebellion and is now a farmer of Wiscon- sin. Her mother is dead.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith came to Lincoln coun-
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ty, practically without means, during August, 1897, and immediately both procured work in the harvests, Mr. Smith working in the field and his wife cooking for the harvesting crew, of which he was a member. The following year they rented a small farm and succeeded in clearing a little money from their crop, with which to make a small payment on their present farm, which they purchased the same year. They now have three hundred and twenty acres of choice grain land in cultivation, and im- proved with a new seven-room modern house, barns, windmill, orchard, etc. He also has a full equipment of machinery and horses. The dwelling house is situated directly on a country road and convenient to good market for all their produce.
Marshall R. Smith is the son of James and Sarah C. ( Benner) Smith, natives respectively of Indiana and Iowa. The father, upon the out- break of the Civil War, enlisted with the Twelfth Missouri Cavalry, a member of Com- pany M, and served during the entire struggle. He was in the thickest of a great many bloody battles and acquitted himself with credit and honor on every occasion when put to the test. He was given an honorable discharge after the war. Just prior to the war he removed to the state of Missouri, and he is now living in Oma- ha, Nebraska, at the age of sixty-four years. The mother is still living, and in point of age. is ten years her husband's junior.
Mr. Smith is a member of the I. O. O. F., and also of the Encampment.
Great credit is due both Mr. Smith and his energetic and faithful helpmate for the prog- ress they have made since coming to the Big Bend. As has been stated, they had no means when coming here, in truth, Mr. Smith had only seven dollars, and was in debt ten dollars in the east, which debt, however, was soon paid. All they have has been gained by incessant and intelligent effort on the part of both, but they are now situated so that the hardest of their struggle is over.
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