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 65
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 65
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 65
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 65
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Seattle. From this point Evan J., his brother, William G., and their father came to the present home of our subject in 1880, where his father still lives at the age of seventy-five. Our sub- ject went to live with his mother's parents, and was taken from Canyon City to California, where he remained until the death of his grand- father, then returned with his grandmother to the Goose Lake country in Modoc county, Cali- fornia, and from there, after the death of his grandmother, he went to the Rogue River coun- try, in 1875. Then his father took him to the coal mines near Seattle. Upon coming to his present home in 1880 he filed a homestead, and although having little means, set about improv- ing his land. He now owns five hundred and twenty acres of good land, all of which, except a small tract each of pasture and timber, he has under cultivation and well improved. He has a good orchard, and many cattle and horses.
Evan J. McClure was married, December 25, 1886, to Bertha G. Brink, a native of Ver- non county, Missouri. Her father was Thomas G. Brink, born in McDonough county, Illinois, who was a teamster in the army during the Civil War. Her mother was Mary Bolon, a native Ohioan, whose brother, Andrew J., was once Indian agent on the Yakima reservation and was murdered by his charges in 1856. Mrs. McClure's parents migrated to Illinois when she was a child and soon thereafter started across the plains in a wagon, arriving in the Big Bend country during the year 1881. They settled on Tamorac canyon near Mondovi, where they were early pioneers. Her mother died December 31, 1900, and her father seven- teen days later, aged sixty-four and sixty-seven, respectively. They had a family of eleven children, of whom seven are still living in this state, named as follows: David, a United Brethren minister near Dayton; William H. and Milo G., at Davenport; Mrs. Ella M. Soveridge; Mrs. Armina C. Sittell, and Mrs. Laura A. Dives, all near Mondovi.
Mr. and Mrs. McClure have five children, Robert A., James H., Mary E., Harry M., and Rosa Myrtle.
After Mr. McClure took his land he went to work on the Northern Pacific railroad in Idaho and Montana. He was also in British Columbia for a time. He knows the west from southern California to northern Washington as few other men do. He has experienced the life of
a frontiersman in all its trials and vicissitudes, and is a typical example of the sturdy, ad- venturous, daring, whole-souled pioneer.
PETER M. LYSE. Born in Denmark June 24, 1864, Peter M. Lyse is now an in- fluential business man of Wilbur, Washing- ton. His father and mother, Niels and Eliza Lyse, both were natives of Denmark, and came to the United States in 1872, settling at Clin- ton, lowa. In the family were eleven chil- dren, seven of whom are now living. Their names are : Martin. ex-city marshal of Wilbur, and now deputy sheriff of Lincoln county ; Julius, manager of the furniture department of the business of M. E. and E. T. Hay; Mrs. Mary Viancour, of Pateros. Washington : the subject ; Mrs. Emma Thompson, whose hus- band is president of the Thompson Mercantile Company of Hartline; Niels; and Mrs. Lydia Faldborg.
Mr. Lyse came to the United States four years later than his parents, whom he joined in Clinton county, Iowa, and with them jour- neyed to Sprague in 1883. In 1884 the family came to near where Wilbur now stands and settled on a ranch. In 1889 our subject, in partnership with his brother Julius, engaged in the meat business in Wilbur, theirs being the first shop to be opened in the town. Thus engaged he continued until 1897. Previous to this, however, in 1893 the brothers added to their business a furniture store,-the first establishment of its kind in Wilbur. Six years later they disposed of their business, and Peter M. took charge of the grain and implement departments of Hay Brothers' store. In 1901, with H. M. Hansen, he founded the firm of Hansen & Lyse, dealers in lumber and farm implements. The firm was incorporated in 1902 under the name of Lauritzen & Lyse, and the scope of business has enlarged to include groceries, hardware, lumber and implements ; and the name was again changed to The Lyse Mercantile Company, Incorporated, with W. T. Warren, president. W. W. Maxey, vice presi- dent, and Mr. Lyse, secretary, treasurer and general manager. The firm is doing a good business, having its full share of the Wilbur trade.
Mr. Lyse was married September 16, 1891,
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to Huldfred Jurgensen, the daughter of G. Jurgensen. She was born in the same place as her husband. There have been five chil- dren born to this marriage, the second of whom, Elsie, is dead. Those living are Alvin T., Helen J., Agnes, and Glenn.
Mr. Lyse has attained prominence in fra- ternity circles of his town, being a Mason, a member of Tuscan Lodge, Number 81 ; a W. W., and a member of the Danish Brotherhood of America. In 1896 he was elected county assessor on the Populist ticket, and filled the office to the eminent satisfaction of his con- stituency. He is now, however, an adherent to socialistic principles.
JOHN M. SIEGMAN is the postmaster and a general merchant at Mondovi, Washing- ton. He was appointed postmaster in 1891 and has held the position continuously since. A native of Switzerland, he was born De- cember 12, 1863, and before leaving the coun- try to come to America in 1879 he had re- ceived a good common school education. His father, Alois Siegman, died in the old coun- try in 1875 ; and his mother, Barbara Siegman, later was married to Fred Lorenz, who died in Mondovi, in November, 1900. The mother died here April 3, 1899, in her sixty-sixth year. He has one sister, Bertha M., the wife of Frank E. Smith. of Camas, Washington.
On January 7, 1904, at the home of the bride's mother, at Spokane, Washington, Mr. Siegman married Miss Rose Carr. Mrs. Carr is now dwelling at 1714 Twelfth avenue, in the Falls City. In addition to his business and the building in which it is conducted, Mr. Sieg- man has a handsome residence across the street, where Mrs. Siegman presides with gracious dignity.
Upon coming to America the family set- tled first at Lincoln, Nebraska, and later in Nemaha county, Kansas, where the subject fol- lowed farming. In the spring of 1889 they came to Colfax, Washington, and from there to Cheney, thence, in 1890 he came to Mondovi. installing upon his arrival the first stock of goods ever brought to the town. Being a man of limited means he started in business on a small scale, and has gradually grown and branched out as business warranted until now
he carries the only complete line of general merchandise, including dry goods, groceries, hardware, farm implements, paints, oils, drugs, and patent medicines, in the town.
Mr. Siegman's fraternity affiliations are limited to membership in the Loyal Americans ; and he is a lifelong member of the Catholic church.
Not only is Mr. Siegman a successful mer- chant and a trustworthy public servant in his official capacity, but he is an eminently public spirited citizen who has done much in the way of enhancing the progress and development of hiis chosen town and county.
LAFAYETTE LEWIS, M. D., is a re- tired physician residing in Wilbur. He is a native of Hamilton county, Tennessee, where he was born May 22, 1845, the son of Allen and Elizabeth ( Swafford) Lewis.
Dr. Lewis is one of ten children, five of whom are living. They are, besides himself, Mrs. Martha J. Goforth, of New Windsor, Illinois ; Mrs. Nancy Heaton, Spokane; Mrs. Charity Burton, Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Mrs. Elizabeth Carten, Christian county, Mis- souri. Those who are dead are : William W., who was a prominent Baptist minister; John; Judge Jesse A., a prominent attorney, who with hiis aged wife was murdered on his farm near Govan, Washington, by an unknown assassin, about December 19, 1902: Dr. James H. ; and Prior L. Lewis. A grandfather of the family, William Swafford, served in the War of 1812.
November, 13, 1861, Dr. Lewis enlisted and went to the Civil War with the First Tennessee Light Artillery, and served until mustered out at Cumberland Gap, January 23, 1865. While in the army he was never wounded, although he participated in some of the bloodiest battles of the struggle: among which were Murfrees- boro, Lexington, Loudon, Tennessee, and the capture of Cumberland Gap, as well as numer- ous lesser fights and skirmishes. After the war he farmed for one year in his native state, then sold his farm, removed to Knox county, Ten- nessee, and commenced his medical education. He was graduated from the medical college at Nashville, soon after locating in Campbell county, where he was engaged in practice until 1885. Here he served four, years as treasurer
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of the county. Coming to Washington in the spring of 1885, he settled on a farm near Wil- bur, and took up the practice of medicine in conjunction with the improvement of his farn1. At that time he was the only physician in the Big Bend, west of Davenport, and consequently had quite an extensive practice, often working in the field all day and calling on patients at night. He also kept the Grand Coulee post- office at his place for three years, to which patrons came from as great a distance as sev- enty-five and even a hundred miles. One in- cident he recalls is that of a man coming from Okanogan county with two hundred and five letters to mail in this office. In the fall of 1898 he removed to Wilbur, where he practiced his profession until 1900 when he retired with a fortune sufficient to enable him to live in com- fort the remainder of his life.
September. 5, 1872, Dr. Lewis was married to Matilda Rogers, who was born and reared in Claiborne county, Tennessee. Her father, Henderson Rogers, served three years and six months in the federal army, in Company C, First Tennessee Infantry. He was taken pris- oner and then exchanged.
Nine children were born to Dr. and Mrs. Lewis : James H., a real estate dealer in Spo- kane; Lilly, wife of W. R. Peters, a harness dealer of Ritzville; Hassie, wife of William Honeyfinger, a real estate man of Spokane; Henry and Joseph, deceased; David, Laura, Jesse L., and Fred S., of Wilbur.
Major David Rogers, grandfather of Mrs. Lewis, won his title in the Revolutionary war, and served two terms in the state legislature of Tennessee in that state's early days. In 1800 he located the old homestead in east Tennessee.
Dr. Lewis has a comfortable home in Wil- bur, a first class six hundred and forty acre farm, and some valuable real estate in his home town1.
Dr. Lewis is a Baptist and his wife a Meth- odist. They are prominently identified with the church affairs of Wilbur. Dr. Lewis is a conspicuous member of the R. L. McCook Post, G. A. R., as well as of the Masonic fra- ternity, he now being master mason of that order.
When in Campbell county, Tennessee, Dr. Lewis, with his cousin, William Lewis, captured a murderer in a celler. He was tried and exe- cutedl for the murder of one, Reynolds. In
1902, Dr. Lewis was chosen a member of the city council. The Doctor states that when first he came to Lincoln county, he found game plentiful. On one occasion, in 1889, in Okano- gan county, he shot eighteen deer and six goats in four days. Later he shot deer within a couple hundred yards of his house. In two days he bagged sixty-three wild geese in the vicinity of Hartline, and he often makes a haul of fifty. He is a skilled Nimrod.
GEORGE BANDY. Born near Catawba, Lincoln county, North Carolina, April 4. 1879, George Bandy is now a prosperous druggist and a promising young business man of Wilbur, Washington. Both his parents, Robert H. and Amy E. ( Beal) Bandy, were born and reared among the same surroundings as himself. The family consisted of five children, whose names, besides that of our subject, are; Mary A., wife of A. F. Johnson, manager, of the Hayden Lumber Company of Govan, Washington; William G., Edward, and Robert E. The family home is situated two miles west of Wilbur.
George Bandy came with his parents to Wil- bur in the spring of 1889. He at once entered the public school, from which he was graduated in due course of time, and in September, 1899, he entered the Washington Agricultural Col- lege, graduating in pharmacy in 1901. He was also at the same time registered by the state board of pharmacy. He returned to his home town and entered the employ of the proprietor of the Wilbur Pharmacy, and in 1903 lie purchased the store, since which time he has been its sole owner and manager. He carries as com- plete a stock of such articles as are usually found in establishments of this kind, as is car- ried by any drug store in the Big Bend, and by his wide acquaintance, accommodating traits of character, and strict honesty he has succeeded in building up a business of which he is justifi- ably proud.
As a secret society man, Mr. Bandy holds membership in the B. P. O. E., of Spokane, the A. F. & A. M., of Wilbur. in which order he has taken the master Mason degree, and in the Eastern Star.
He owns a valuable pressed brick building,
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one of the handsomest structures of the town, in which his store is situated. He is regarded by the entire community as being an honorable, industrious, and capable young man.
JAMES ODGERS, a pioneer newspaper man of Davenport, is a native of Cornwall, England, and was born January 24, 1850. He came to the United States at an early age, settling first at Lambertsville, New Jersey, and in 1868 removed to Otoe county, Nebraska. In 1888 he came to Douglas county, Washing- ton, residing there until 1890, when he re- moved to Davenport.
For eight years since coming to Davenport, Mr. Odgers held the position of United States commissioner, his appointment coming from Judge Hanford, still on the federal bench. Dur- ing his career in journalism he has owned the Almira Journal, the Coulee City News and the Davenport Tribune, The latter two were founded by him and the Davenport Tribune, still a prominent paper in its field, he established in September, 1900.
In partnership with G. K. Reed, he laid out the towns of Almira, Hartline, and Coulee City on the Washington Central branch of the Northern Pacific railroad.
December 9, 1880, Mr. Odgers was married to Laura M. Harper. To this union have been born two sons, Lee and Carlyle. Mr. Odgers is a member of the Masonic fraternity, his mem- bership being in Mount Moriah Lodge of Syra- cuse, Nebraska.
WILLIAM P. NICHOLS is a well known agricultural man of Lincoln county, and also has the distinction of being one of the earliest pioneers of the entire Big Bend country. A detailed account of his life, with its hard- ships and arduous labors, will be of interest to all, and we append the same.
William P. Nichols was born in the vicinity of St. Louis, Missouri, on May 14, 1853, the son of Henderson S. and Lucinda ( Stanton) Nichols, natives of Virginia and Kentucky, re- spectively. The father was an early settler in Missouri and for four years served under General Price in the Confederate army. He died in December, 1866. The mother died in
Leesville, Missouri, on July 15, 1904. Mr. Nichols has one brother and one sister, Mrs. Sarah E. Queen and Robert M. William P. was educated in the public schools of Missouri and there remained until grown to manhood. On March 12, 1874, he married Miss Martha T. C. Queen, who was born in Burke county, North Carolina, on September 30, 1851. Her parents were Alfred and Martha Queen, now deceased. Mrs. Nichols has two sisters and one brother, Lettie O., Mrs. Sarah A. Dalton and Alfred J. From his native heath, Mr. Nichols removed to Henry county, Missouri, and there farmed until April 22, 1879. That was the date he turned his team to the west and began the weary journey across the plains and mountains to the Pacific coast. Fortune had not favored him in his labors in farming, and he had only thirty-three dollars in cash, besides his wagon and three mules. With this limited capital and a wife and three small children, the youngest only four months old and the eldest four years, he essayed that tiresome and trying trip. He was one of a train of thirty-five wagons and the journey was without unusual event until they came to Cheyenne, when one of Mr. Nichols' mules died. At Boise, another died, and he was forced to stop and work long enough to earn money to buy another. On November 12, 1879, he landed in Lagrande, Oregon. The trip had been fraught with much hardship, owing to the scanty capital and con- stant sickness in the family. He labored at various callings in the Grande Ronde valley until 1882, in July of which year, he went to Milton and remained until April, 1883. There misfortune still pursued him and he lost another mule. In April, 1883, he started out to look for a home. He was satisfied with the country around Davenport, or where Davenport now is, and accordingly located on a quarter six miles southeast from that place. He lived in a tent the first summer and then built a dug-out. With a will and guided by wisdom, Mr. Nichols and his brave wife went to work and the result is that today they own 1,400 acres of fine wheat land, all in a high state of cultivation and improved with everything needed on a first- class wheat farm. The residence is a modern ten-room structure, provided with an excellent water system, while the barn is a commodious building, and everything is laid out in the best of style and taste. The family owns a
WILLIAM P. NICHOLS
MRS. WILLIAM P. NICHOLS
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thousand acres of land near the home estate and they are one of the wealthy and respected families of the county. Recently, Mr. Nichols purchased a seven-room residence at 439 Cleve- land avenue, Spokane, where he is dwelling with his family at the present time.
Mr. Nichols is a member of the Maccabees, and of the W. O. W., while his wife belongs to the Women of Woodcraft. They have the following named children ; Josiah J., born Jan- uary 17, 1875, and married to Amanda W. Watkins, which union has been blessed by the advent of two children, William Earl, who died when nine months old, and Nina; Dura L., born October 25. 1876; Etta May, born December 15, 1878, and a graduate of the Blair Business College, of Spokane; Henry C., who died on May 27, 1901, aged twenty years ; Arta O., born July 16, 1883: Ida E., who died November 24, 1890, aged five years and four months and Bessie C., born February 20. 1888.
Mr. and Mrs. Nichols endured great hard- ship in their earlier life, and for six weeks after coming to the Big Bend, she did not see a white woman. They are now comfortably situated and are enjoying the fruits of their toil. Mr. Nichols has always taken a keen interest in political matters and has labored hard for educational progress.
NOAH C. DAVENPORT, editor of the Sentinel, of Wilbur, Washington, was born in Washington county, Virginia, January 21, 1855, and has been a resident of the state of Washington since 1898. His early education was obtained in the old-fashioned "pay" school in his native state. From the first his educa- tional advantages have been good, and he has made the best of them, having graduated with honors from the Marion high school, at which school he also won a medal in oratory. He has had conferred upon him the degree of bachelor of natural science and English literature. For fifteen years he followed the profession of teach- ing in Virginia and Kentucky, and later, was engaged in the mercantile business for four years. Upon coming to Washington he set- tled on a quarter section of raw land in Lin- coln county, which he has developed into one of the choicest farms in eastern Washington. He also taught school intermittently in con-
nection with the management of his farm. Ile purchased the Sentinel plant in 1902 and pub- lished the first issue of the paper July 4, 1902. Upon assuming control of the Sentinel he re- moved his family to Wilbur to obtain better educational advantages, and to enable him to devote his entire attention to his work. His newspaper is considered one of the brightest and most prosperous journals in the state, and under the direction of its present owner has in- creased in circulation one hundred per cent. and three hundred per cent. in advertising.
May 15, 1879, occurred the marriage of Mr. Davenport to lda F. Hubble, daughter of R. H. Hubble, a veteran of the Civil War, and one of the leading farmers of Virginia, and Freelove ( Blessing) Hubble, a native of Vir- ginia, and an active worker in church affairs. Mrs. Davenport has two brothers, J. E. Hubble, M. D., a graduate from the University of Vir- ginia, and a physician of wide reputation ; and Rev. D. S. Hubble, a prominent Baptist min- ister.
The family record of Mr. Davenport is one of which he may justly feel proud. His father was J. T. Davenport, a native Virginian, a minister in the Missionary Baptist church and a pioneer preacher of wide reputation through- out his state. He was also an enthusiastic pro- moter of education. The subject's mother was Sally (Wassum) Davenport, born in Virginia of Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry, an ardent as- sistant to her husband in his church work. His brothers are Rev. Thomas J. and Prof. Julius T. Davenport, both natives of Virginia. The former held the degrees of A. B. and A. M. from Emery and Henry College, in which he won medals for excellence in composition and oratory, and the Ph. D. degree from the Louisville ( Kentucky) Seminary. He is a Bap- tist minister of note, and has traveled exten- sively in Africa and the Holy land. Julius T. Davenport, also a graduate from Emery and Henry College, and winner of the A. B. and A. M. degrees, taught for six years in the Troy ( New York ) Business College, for three years in Packard's Business College in New York city, and is now principal of the Milling- ton ( Tennessee ) Academy. The other brothers and sisters are Joseph M., Edward L., William 11., Mrs. Mary Biley. and Mrs. Sarah V. Gies- ler. Our subject is an ordained minister.
Mr. and Mrs. Davenport are parents of
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seven children, whose names are : Bernard M., now a teacher ; Ray L., Ernest H., now dead. Noah C., Laila A., Thomas H., and John E.
In politics Mr. Davenport has always affil- iated with the Democratic party, which he once represented in a Virginia state convention. He is a prominent member of the K. O. T. M., of Wilbur.
In the early 'eighties, Mr. Davenport as- sisted, both personally and by liberal financial contributions, to found the Virginia Institute, now located at Bristow, Virginia, and was one of the thirteen who constituted the first board of trustees. It is now one of the leading col- leges for ladies in the south.
HIRAM McMANIS a retired farmer and present mayor of the town of Wilbur, was born January 22, 1835, in Brown county, Ohio. His father was Joseph McManis, a native of Penn- sylvania, and the son of Charles McManis who was a patriot soldier serving throughout the Revolutionary war. The subject's mother was Jane ( Donaldson ) McManis.
Early in life Mr. McManis learned the cooper's trade, though he never followed it to any material extent. He emigrated to Mar- shal county, Illinois, in 1854, where he re- mained until May, 1861, when he enlisted as a private in Company G, Seventeenth Illinois Infantry and went to the front with his com- mand. He was mustered out of service June 26, 1864, having served continuously during this time. During his service he was in the ranks commanded at different times by Gen- erals McPherson. Logan, and Grant, and was in the thickest of many of the great battles of the war, including Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Landing, and the forty-five days siege of Vicks- burg, as well as innumerable lesser fights and skirmishes. He was so fortunate as never to have been wounded, although on divers occa- sions his uniform was pierced by bullets.
After the war he returned to Illinois. He had accumulated a comfortable fortune before joining the army, but through the ravages of war it was for the most part lost to him, so that he practically had his life to begin over again.
Mr. McManis was married to Rachel Owen. July 4. 1867. She was the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Thomas Owen, and was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, 1844. As a re- sult of this union four children have been born ; Jesse G., Harry A., both of whom are now dead; Nellie, wife of Fred Wolverston, living near Wilbur; and Nettie M., wife of Richard Drake, also of near Wilbur.
In 1871 Mr. McManis disposed of his in- terests in Illinois to remove to and engaged in farming in Montgomery county, Iowa. Twelve years later he came to the Big Bend, taking a homestead on Wilson creek, about fifty-six miles from Sprague, then his nearest trading point. He first embarked upon the business of stock raising, but he suffered so extensively from losses during the severe winter of 1889-90 that he abandoned this business for that of farming, in which he has been eminently suc- cessful. Having sold his Wilson creek prop- erty, he now owns three hundred and twenty acres of choice land eight miles northwest of Wilbur, all under cultivation and well im- proved, besides five lots and a beautiful home in Wilbur. He is now living a life of retire- ment.
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