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 74
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 74
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 74
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 74
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
In 1878, Mr Tompers married Miss Susie, daughter of John and Mary (Sterns) Peiffer. Mrs. Tompers was born in Forest City, Minne- sota. The father was a pioneer to Minnesota and had experienced much trouble with the Indians. In 1862 he was driven from his home by the Sioux and was forced to take refuge in the fort at Forest City. He was a prominent
and well-to-do man. His wife was his com- panion in all his troubles and shared also his success later in life, being a highly respected lady. Mr. and Mrs. Tompers have three chil- dren, Mrs. Lavina King, Jessie and George.
HON. NATHAN T. CATON. This is a name well and favorably known throughout Washington. Eminent as a jurist the subject of this article is one of the earliest of pioneers in the Big Bend country, having come here anterior to the creation of Washington as a territory.
Nathan T. Caton, now a prominent attor- ney residing at Davenport, Lincoln county, was born at St. Louis, January 6, 1832. His parents were George W. and Sarah H. ( Moore) Caton, the father a native of Alexan- dria, Virginia; the mother of Westmoreland county, Maryland. The paternal grandfather was an Irishman and served with distinction in the Revolution, and our subject well remembers hearing him describe the battle of Monmouth. He died at the advanced age of ninety-eight years. The father of Judge Caton, who was by avocation a tailor, was born in 1800 and passed away at the conclusion of the Civil War, in 1865. The maternal grandfather was Nathan Moore, a soldier during the War of 1812. He participated in the battle of Bladens- burg, at the time Washington city was burned by the British, and the mother of our subject was in that city at the time.
The parents of Judge Caton removed to Booneville, Missouri, when he was less than a year old. Subsequently he was matriculated in the Columbia University, at Columbia, Boone county, but his father having met with financial reverses, he was compelled to leave college in his senior year, and before graduat- ing. He then entered a mercantile house as salesman and bookkeeper, and in 1849, when seventeen years of age, crossed the plains to California, driving an ox team. There he mined for a few months and early in the fifties went to Oregon where he taught school in the far-famed Willamette valley. Returning to California in the spring of 1851 he remained there five months, then went back to the Wil- lamette valley where he was located when the act creating the territory of Washington was
A
NATHAN T. CATON
MR. AND MRS. GEORGE L. SNYDER AND SON
WILLIAM R. GEE
HORACE M. WARWICK
433
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
passed by congress. In 1857 he was appointed postmaster of Salem, Oregon, serving four years, when he was elected clerk of Marion county. He read law with Governor Lafayette Grover, who was later United States senator from Oregon, since which period he has practiced continuously. In 1866 lie re- moved to Silver City, Owyhce county, Idaho, practicing his profession, mining and conducting for a time a newspaper, the Owyhee Bullion. With his family he came to Walla Walla, Washington, practiced his profession and was three times elected to the legislature. During his last term Judge Caton introduced bills creating Douglas, Franklin, Adams and Asotin counties, writing personally all of these measures and intro- ducing them. He was speaker of the house in 1872. He served one term as prosecuting at- torney during th > territorial days, and in 1898 was elected prosecuting attorney of Lincoln county, serving four years.
April 14, 1853, our subject was married to Martha A. Herren, a native of Indiana. The ceremony was solemnized at Salem, Oregon. Her father, John, was a native of Kentucky, born in 1799. He crossed the plains from Indiana so early as 1845, and died near Salem, Oregon, in 1864. Her mother was Dosha (Robbins) Herren. Mrs. Caton has two brothers and three sisters living: Levi M .; Noah F .: Susannah, widow of William T. Wallace; Jane, widow of John B. Keizer, and Sarilda R., wife of T. S. Leonard.
Judge Caton is a member of the K. P., of which he is past chancellor ; of the A. F. & A. M., being past master; of the R. A. M., and has attended grand lodge as delegate many times. He was present and assisted in the organization of the first grand lodge of K. P. in Tacoma, and was department supreme chan- cellor two terms under Supreme Chancellor S. S. Davis. Judge and Mrs. Caton are mem- bers of the Christian church. Politically, he is a Democrat and prominent in the councils of that party.
The session laws of 1872 contain a bill passed by the territorial legislature to prevent extortions by railroads. This bill was written, introduced and fought to its passage by the subject of this sketch. Though afterwards repealed by force brought to bear by Henry Villard, then president of the Northern Pacific
Railroad, it will be seen that the origin of the railroad legislation of the sort that is rightly so dear to the people of eastern Washington at the present time dates back to 1872 and to a resident of this county, Hon. Nathan T. Caton.
GEORGE L. SNYDER, who is now re- siding at the corner of Fourth and Ralph streets, Spokane, is to be numbered with the earliest pioneers of the Big Bend country. His labors in that section have shown him to be a man of more than ordinary ability, plenty of energy and aggressiveness, which is always, however, tempered with a conservatism, and dominated with wisdom that have not only won the brightest success in financial lines, but have also placed him as one of the leading and most influential men of the entire Big Bend region. His property holdings at this time are large and varied, and among them we mention a sec- tion of choice wheat land in the Brents neigh- borhood, besides a good residence in East Spo- kane, and other securities.
George L. Snyder is a westerner by birth and his life has shown him the true westerner yet in the high ideal of that term. His birth occurred in Trinity county, California, on De- cember 20, 1856. His parents, Daniel and Lydia J. (Coman) Snyder, are natives of In- diana and the father now dwells in Spokane. The mother died in April. 1902, aged seventy years. The father came to California in 1850 and there wrought until 1880. Then came a journey to the Big Bend country and settle- ment was made near the present site of Cres- ton. From the common schools of California and later in the Humboldt Academy, young Snyder received a good education, that forti- fied him for the issues of life. With his father in 1880, he came to the Big Bend country and took a preemption, which later was increased by a homestead and timber culture claim. He gave attention to handling this estate and soon bouglit much more land, having heavy hold- ings in various sections. Mr. Snyder did ex- cellent work in grain and stock raising and re- ceived as a proper reward abundant prosperity and great increase of goods and holdings. In later years he has sold most of his real estate, having but one section of land left, which is five miles north from Creston. His home is
28
434
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
now in Spokane as stated above, and he has re- tired from the more active lines of business, giving himself to the enjoyment of his fortune. He still has oversight of his estate and invest- ments and is a man of excellent financial abil- ity. At present, Mr. Snyder is not decided as to the certain lines to which he will devote himself, but a man of his progressiveness and energy will surely prosecute some enterprise that will be useful to both himself and his fel- low men.
In 1885. Mr. Snyder married Miss Rose E. Jump. the daughter of Joseph and Margaret Jump, of Creston. and to them has been born one son, Ernest B., January 18, 1886, who is dwelling in Spokane. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder are of first class standing in society and are con- stantly devoting time and energy to forward those measures which are for the general wel- fare.
WILLIAM RAYMOND GEE resides about twelve miles northwest from Sprague on a half section of land which forms his estate. In addition to this, he farms two sections more of rented land, in the wealthy wheat producing sections of Lincoln county. His place is pro- vided with comfortable and convenient im- provements and all machinery and stock needed for its successful handling.
In the days when men were needed to repel the attacks of those who were determined to break the union, Mr. Gee willingly gave his services and an account of that will stir ad- miration in the hearts of all that will read it. He was but seventeen years of age when on October 2. 1861, he enlisted as private in Com- pany G, Fifty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. being mustered in at Cincinnati. The first strong engagement was the battle of Mills Spring although he had seen some skirmishes previous to that time. Then came the terrible Shiloh. After that, he fought at Stone river, at Murfreesboro, then at Franklin and after that was with Buell on his forced march across the country to repel Beauregard. Next we see Mr. Gee in the battle of Perryville, Ken- tucky, and following that was the awful con- flict of Missionary Ridge. He was also among the men who made the charge up Lookout Mountain. He took part in the Battle of Chick- amagua and at Nashville, Tennessee. Then he
was with Sherman on the famous march to Atlanta, being in the fights and skirmishes, during the march. As soon as he reached At- lanta, he was sent back under General Thomas to Nashville. The term of service for his regi- ment had expired as had also that of the Thir- teenth Ohio, but they voted to remain to the end and did so. Afterward. Mr. Gee enlisted in Company D, First Regular Cavalry and con- tinued in the service until the 29th of January, 1869, being discharged at Fort Lapwai, Idaho, with a most excellent record. He had been private orderly to Major General McDowell during the last term of enlistment. When the Spanish-American War broke out, Mr. Gee tendered his services to General Corbin an old schoolmate and received the prompt reply that when the old Civil War Veterans should be needed, he should he remembered. Upon his discharge in the west, he re- turned to Ohio and began farming in Clermont county, continuing there until 1889, the date of his emigration to this country. He settled first at Medical Lake, tak- ing a homestead, then went to Mondovi, whence he came to his present location, twelve miles northwest of Sprague.
William R. Gee was born in Hamilton coun - ty, Ohio, in March, 1844, the son of George and Mary A. (Gregg) Gee. The father was born in Nottingham, England, and came to the United States in 1840. He died in Clermont county, Ohio. The mother was born in Vir- ginia and she also died in Clermont county.
William was favored with a common school education and a short course in a private acad- emy which was interrupted by his enlistment above mentioned.
In November, 1872, Mr. Gee married Miss Jennie, the daughter of James and Jane (\Vaner) Archard, natives of Clermont coun- ty. Ohio, where also they died, the father in 1873. and the mother in 1900. To this union three children have been born ; Louis, at home;" Jeanie, a graduate of the Cheney Normal School and engaged in teaching ; and Charles, at home.
Mr. Gee is a member of the Masons and also the G. A. R. He may well take pride in that he has faithfully served his country, has made a success of life financially, and has raised an interesting and nice family. At the present time he is one of the highly respected men of
435
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
the county. He and his wife have journeyed faithfully on together for many years and are now deserving of the joys and comforts awarded to those who have wisely provided for the golden days of their lives.
HORACE MAYNARD WARWICK, a prosperous farmer residing two miles south of Moscow, Washington, was born in Ander- son county, Tennessee, August 10, 1854. the son of Willis and Elizabeth (Lewis) Warwick, both natives of Tennessee. The father was born in Knox county, was of English descent, and died in the state of his birth. The mother, also dead, was the daughter of Jesse Lewis, a lieutenant in the War of 1812. Mr. Warwick has one brother, Joseph, and another brother, Burton, is dead.
H. M. Warwick came west in 1874 to Port- land. Oregon, via San Francisco, and located on a farm in Linn county, Oregon. Prior to that time he lived in his native state where he attended the rural schools and acquired a good education. In the fall of 1882 he came to Dayton, Washington, and to his present home in the spring of 1883. Here he took a home- stead and set about with the limited means at his command to improve it. He endured many hardships and vicissitudes in order to accom- plish his purpose, owing to the newness of the country, but his success has been almost phenomenal. He has over one thousand acres of land, seven hundred and sixty acres of which are suitable to agricluture, and four hundred utilized for pasture, a large herd of cattle, and some horses. His house and farm buildings are among the finest in the vicinity and every- thing about his farm betokens thrift and pros- perity. He farms principally as a business but does some speculating in grain and horses. He is one of the shareholders in the Moscow Grain Company, of which he is now one of the di- rectors and has been president. He is a mem- ber of the K. O. T. M., and is a leading spirit in the educational welfare of the youth of his locality.
During the autumn of 1878 W. M. War- wick was married to Sarilda Petre, and to this union have been born six children : Viola S., wife of Olie Mangis, of Moscow, Washing-
ton; Edna J., wife of George Black, of Mos- cow; Jesse L., Clyde, George B., and Denny, in Lincoln county.
JAMES A. MCAVOY resides about three miles northeast from Tipso, where he owns a half section of fine farming land, which he de- votes both to grain and fruits. He was born in Patchgrove, Wisconsin, the son of John F. and Katherine (Smith ) McAvoy, natives of Ireland. The father came to Pottsville, Penn- sylvania when eight years of age, and there learned shoemaking. He followed this until 1848, then enlisted in the Mexican War and fought under John Taylor. Following the war, he went to Wisconsin and engaged in farming. He was one of the pioneers of that state. Al- though not desirous of personal preferment, yet in political matters he was always influential and held various offices of public trust. The mother came to this country with her parents when eleven years of age. Our subject was educated in the public schools and in an acad- emy. In 1875, he went to Colorado, where he followed blacksmithing and mining, having learned that trade. He wrought all over the state then engaged with Ellis Brothers cattle company. In 1883 he left Leadville, search- ing for a location which he found the same year where he now resides. Mr. McAvoy took a preemption first and later a homestead and a portion of the land lies on the banks of the Columbia river, being especially adapted to fruit raising. He has a fine orchard of all kinds of fruit adapted to this country. Mr. McAvoy started in life at fifteen years of age and has seen plenty of hardship and toil. When first here, he used to go twenty-two miles for his mail, Brents being the postoffice, in the win- ter making the trip on snow shoes. He had one horse and would ride the animal to Spokane to buy provisions and come back on foot to his place, packing the provisions on the horse. He continued this until able to produce something from the land. They planted hull-less oats and ground them in the coffee mill. Mr. McAvoy has good improvements on his place and is very prosperous at this time.
In 1889, Mr. Mc. Avoy married Miss Bessie, daughter of Michael and Mary ( Hammelton) Casey, pioneers of Wisconsin. The father was
436
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
a veteran in the Mexican War. Mrs. McAvoy was born at Patchgrove, Wisconsin, and was reared in the same neighborhood as our subject. Mr. McAvoy has one brother, John F., and two sisters, Maggie and Mrs. Mary E. Gallager. The latter is deceased.
RICHARD J. HILTON, although one of the younger men of Garfield county, lias made a record, of which men of three score and ten might well be proud. He is today one of the wealthy property owners in this part of the country and is doing a large business in gen- eral merchandise at Pataha City. An account of his life can but be interesting to all and it is with pleasure that we append the same.
Richard J. Hilton was born in California, on May 15, 1874. His father, F. W. Hilton, was a native of Michigan and came to Cali- fornia as one of the "fortyniners." He fol- lowed freighting for many years and had some very thrilling experiences and wild adventures with the Indians and in other ways during those early days. He married Maggie Hartman who was a native of San Jose, California, her parents also being among the early settlers in the Golden State. When a lad, our subject was brought by his parents to Pendleton, Oregon, and a short time thereafter, they moved to the Cold Spring country, about twenty miles out from Pendle- ton. There the father of our subject built the first school house in that part of the country. The educational chances for Richard were very limited indeed but he possessed a spirit that pressed him forward to the improvement of what he had and that has constantly given him interest in research and study since, so that he has come to be one of the well informed men of the country. When fourteen years of age, the family moved to Columbia county and two years later, our subject started out on the voy- age of life for himself. His first venture was working on the farms of the neighbors for wages and for five years continued doing that with a persevering tenacity which few possess. In 1896 Mr. Hilton went to Lincoln county in Washington and selected a homestead near Creston. When he went to Spokane to file on the land, he found he lacked two dollars and fifty cents of having enough to pay the fees. The kindly receiver at the land office, however,
trusted him for the balance which in due time was paid promptly. From Spokane, Mr. Hil- ton went afoot without a penny, clear to Waits- burg Washington, where he secured a job and seen earned enough to enable him to improve his homestead in good shape and in 1902, he sold that property and removed to Pomeroy. Here he bought five hundred and twenty acres, built two beautiful residences, made other im- provements and sold the place soon after. In January, 1903, he was appointed postmaster to Pataha City and has given excellent satis- faction in that office since. At that time, he started a general merchandise store there and has made a success in that venture. Among the property that Mr. Hilton owns, may be mentioned eighteen hundre'd acres of land five miles west from Starbuck, town property at Leland, Idaho and at Starbuck, Washington, and also much in Pataha City. He has shown himself a thorough and capable business man, stirring, energetic and always abreast of the times. Being a man of excellent information, he is able to take advantage of every opportunity that offers and has thereby gained his present princely holding.
In 1894 Mr. Hilton married Miss Dora Montgomery, who was born and raised in Waitsburg. Her father, William Montgom- ery, was one of the early pioneers of Walla Walla county, and was a prominent citizen there. To this union four children have been born, Louis D., Lola, Laura and Clarence L. Mr. Hilton started in 1896 with scarcely a dollar. Inside of eight years he has accum- ulated a property worth many thousands of dollars and has met and overcome in the mean- time much adversity and opposition that would have swamped a man of ordinary ability. After thụs overcoming in all these trying places, he is today a better and stronger man and is ready to meet even greater difficulties than has been mentioned, and judging the future by the past, he will make a brilliant record for himself.
STEPHEN A. GIBSON is one of the earliest pioneers of Lincoln county and has also had much experience in various locaities of the west. His home is now at 1725 Mallon avenue, Spokane, he having retired from the more active duties of life to enjoy the competence that his industry has provided.
437
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
Stephen A. Gibson was born in Richland county, Illinois, on March 7, 1848 and was reared in Clay county of the same state. His father, Calvin M. Gibson, was a native of Virginia. His grandfather, Jacob Gibson was also a native of Virginia, as well as his great- grandfather, Nicholas Gibson. They were prominent people in the early colonial struggles and were Americans before the United States was established. The great-grandfather was captured by the Indians but was brought back by the whites and lived to be one hundred and four years of age. His ancestors came from Scotland. The mother of our subject was Nancy Wyatt Gibson, a native of Virginia. Stephen A. received a common school education and in the spring of 1868 went west and labored on the Union Pacific railroad. The next year he wrought as a mechanic on the Western Pacific and was present at the great celebration when the Union and Central Pacific were con- nected and the golden spike was driven, which completed the first railroad to the coast. After that, he went to San Francisco and worked at his trade, carpentering. From there he went to Visalia, remaining until 1876. In 1876 Mr. Gibson migrated to Virginia City, Nevada, and did contracting and building. In the fall of 1879, he came overland to The Dalles, Ore- gon, and thence to Walla Walla in 1880. It was the spring of 1881 that he entered the Big Bend and then commenced bridge work on the Northern Pacific and also assisted to build the shops at Sprague. In June, 1883, he lo- cated a homestead one and three-fourths miles south from where Edwall now stands. The next year, he was at Camp Spokane, laboring for the government and in 1883. he began active work on his ranch. Since then he has given his time con- tinuously to that except as it was necessary to work at his trade occasionally for funds to meet the current expenses. During the panic, like the rest of the settlers in the Big Bend. Mr. Gibson had a difficult time financially. He was enabled to tide over, however, and was in shape to take advantage of the prosperous year that followed. He now owns an entire section of fine grain land, provided with a good house, plenty of water, first class orchard, and so forth. He also owns about four hundred acres near Moscow, Idaho, which is all grain land. Both farms are rented and Mr. Gibson resides at
his place in Spokane whence he oversees his various properties.
On February 12, 1864, Mr. Gibson though young, enlisted in Company FF. Ninety-eighth Illinois Mounted Infantry and participated in much active service from then until the close of the war. Ile was under Generals Kilpatrick and Thomas. He participated in the battles of New Hawk church, Selma, Alabama, besides several skirmishes. Ilis services was in Ten- nessee, Georgia, Alabama and Kentucky. . \t one time, he was slightly wounded and he also particated in what was known as Wilson's raid in the spring of 1865, and was in Macon, Georgia, when Lee surrendered. In September. 1865, at Springfield, Illinois, he received his honorable discharge.
Mr. Gibson now belongs to the G. A. R. in Spokane Mr. Gibson has demonstrated thor- oughly his capacities as a business man and is to be commended upon the happy results he has attained through his industry and wisdom.
JOHN M. NOBLE is a native of Marion county, Missouri, born May 26, 1866, the son of Benjamin and Rachel ( Young) Noble. He is now a farmer residing five miles southwest from Harrington.
His father was born in Virginia, served in the Civil War and died in Missouri; and his mother, a native of Missouri, is now living at Aderdeen, Washington. Robert L., and Mrs. Josie Ludy, a brother and sister of Mr. Noble, are the only other members of his family now living. John M1. Noble was the youngest of the family, and upon the death of his father he went to California with his mother, brother and sister. They located in Colusa county in 1874, where the children attended the common! schools. Our subject also attended the high school at Oakland, thus receiving a good com- mon school education. He came to Har- rington in the spring of 1886, worked for various farmers until attaining his majority, when he took a homestead where he still lives. He was married on Feb- ruary 3. 1896. to May Donthat, a na- tive of Baltimore. Iler father was William and her mother Mary ( Walton) Donthat, na- tives, respectively, of Virginia and Baltimore. The father, a traveling salesman for a large
438
HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
boot and shoe house, died in Baltimore in 1901. The mother came west in 1903 and is now mak- ing her home with the subject of this sketch.
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.