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 77
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 77
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 77
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 77
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On December 28, 1864, in Linn county, Oregon, Mr. Thompson married Miss Sarah J. McCormick, who died at Athena, on Janu- ary 29, 1889. Her father, William McCor- mick, was born in Pennsylvania and came to Oregon in 1853, where he died. Mrs. Thomp- son has the following brothers and sisters, Mrs. Mary Davis, John E., William, Mrs. Anna McKune, Mrs. Grace Covey, Nebbin, and Lena. To Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, ten children have been born: Edgar D., who died March 27, 1903. aged thirty-seven; William M .. Walter C., Joseph C., Frances E., Mrs. Evelyn Thompson, Anna L., Hubert M .. Rob- ert M., and Ethel A. Mr. Thompson used to be city marshal of Athena and is a member 29
of the I. O. O. F. He is a man of ability, a genuine frontiersman and the recipient of the good will of his fellows.
FRANK T. LARRABEE is one of the well known men of southern Lincoln county. He has labored in the county for over fifteen years, being in the mercantile business most of the time. Now he is at the head of one of the largest establishments of its kind in the county. He handles shelf and heavy hardware, harness and farming implements, including harvest ma- chinery, threshing machines, engines and so forth, carries an immense stock and does an extensive business.
Frank T. Larrabee was born in Ripon, Wis- consin, on April 18, 1874. being the son of Julius A. and Delphia A. ( Rich ) Larrabee. The mother was born in Vermont and came west when a girl of twelve. She is at present residing with her husband in Chelan. Wash- ington. The father was a native of Vermont and a pioneer in Wisconsin. He served in Company G, First Wisconsin Cavalry, and for four years he did the duties of the faithful sol- dier. Then being mustered out, he went to farming in Wisconsin until 1888. In that year he moved to Lincoln county, and the next year went to Chelan, where he now resides being postmaster at that place. Our subject was educated in Wisconsin and came with his father to Washington in 1888. He soon en- tered the employ of the Turner & Plough Hardware and Mercantile Company, in Dav- enport, where he continued for ten years. Then, in company with A. E. Plough, he opened his present business in Edwall. Since then it has been increasing in proportion, being now a very large business.
At Davenport, on January 20, 1900, Mr. Larrabee married Miss Jessie Michael, a native of Illinois. She came to this country in 1893. One child has been born to them, Helen, one year old.
Mr. Larrabee is a member of the Elks and has two brothers. Earl and Ed, and one sister, Blanche. Mr. and Mrs. Larrabee are enthus- iastic admirers of the Big Bend country, dis- cerning its fine resources. Although still a young man, he has already won fine success in business and is one of the leading men in the country.
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
HENRY W. MCGINNIS was born in Williamson county, Illinois, on July 3, 1855. His parents were Finis F. and Eliza ( Maniere) McGinnis, natives of Scotland and Illinois, re- spectively. The, father came to the United States in 1842, enlisted in 1861, in the Civil War, and was killed in the battle of Belmont. The mother died in Oregon, in 1898. Our sub- ject was educated in Illinois and at the early age of ten had to commence life for himself. He wrought on the farm until 1870, then came to the, Willamette valley and after farming a year there, went to Tillamook county. He operated on the toll road and in saw mills, cutting bird's-eye maple and cedar for Cali- fornia on the canal for several years. After that he was foreman on the Glenbrook farm for five years. Then he handled stock in eastern Oregon and assisted to take the first band that Lang and Ryan ever drove across the mountains to Wyoming. Mr. McGinnis was very successful in breaking wild horses and had plenty of it to do. During his work as stockman, he took a large bunch of cattle across the Columbia, swimming that river to get into the Okanogan country. About the time they arrived there, bodies of Chinamen were seen floating down the river and they were warned to get into the settlement again as the Indians were on the warpath. They hur- ried back to The Dalles and Mr. McGinnis took part in fighting the Nez Perce and Ban- nock Indians. He was a scout for General Miles and did some excellent work. On one occasion he had a fight with the Indian scouts. killed one and captured another. While in this service, he was with Rattle Snake Jack, who had lost his entire family by the Indians and whenever they captured one of' the savages. Jack never failed to scalp him. Mr. McGinnis was also with Buffalo Bill, scouting for Gen- eral Howard. During this war, our subject received permission to take for himself any Indian property he might find and with two partners, he succeeded in capturing five hun- dred head of horses and six guns from the Indian warriors. They drove the band near The Dalles and gave to Nels Chaped the poor. ones and took the others on to the Willa- mette valley, selling and trading them on the way. The venture there was successful and they disposed of their entire holding without difficulty. After this, we find Mr. McGinnis on
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the Glenbrook farm again as foreman, whence he went to eastern Oregon for Bill Shull and operated in the butcher business. He had a contract to furnish supplies for the Northern Pacific construction. Mr. McGinnis bought cattle for him and while in this enterprise was thrown from a vicious horse which resulted in the fracture of his leg and two ribs. For three months he languished in the hospital at Ains- worth and in 1881 started in the butcher. busi- ness in Sprague for himself. Three years later, he was burned out and then went to driving cattle to the Coeur d' Alene coun- try, getting as high as one hundred and fifty dollars on foot for the stock when delivered there. He again went into the butcher business and later was elected city marshal. Then he served four years as deputy sheriff. After this, he freighted in the Cedar Canyon mining country and later was appointed road supervisor in the Sprague dis- trict, which office he holds at the present time.
At Sprague, in 1881, he married Miss Estella Long. Her parents, Volney J. and Mary (Napier) Long, are among the earliest pioneers to this section and are now living in Sprague. The father is eighty-five years of age and very active and hearty. The mother is a native of South Carolina and is a cousin of General Winfield Scott. To Mr. and Mrs. McGinnis two children have been born. Nellie and Veva, both graduates of the Sprague high school.
VOLNEY J. LONG, who is now living a retired life in Sprague, was born on Septem- ber 7. 1819. in Fentress county, Tennessee. His father, Jolin Long, was born on September 28, 1775. in North Carolina. In 1830 he moved to Morgan county, Illinois, and in 1833 to Iowa, where he died on October 22, 1840. He was a first cousin of General Andrew Jackson. The mother of our subject, Letitia (Scott) Long, was born on October 16, 1781, in North Carolina, and died August 8, 1865, in Warren county. Illinois. She was a cousin of General Winfield Scott. Our subject left Tennessee with his father at the age of eleven and drove ox teams to Illinois. When fourteen he went with his father to Washington county, Iowa. Owing to the father's sickness, Volney J. took a trip clear to Illinois to bring his mother and
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
shortly after his mother's arrival, the father died. The widow gathered her little belong- ings together and took the trip back to Illi- nois with ox teams and there remained until hier death. Our subject being the eklest, labored to support the family and remained at home until 1842, then went to St. Louis where he joined a company sent out by the American Fur Company. They went up the Missouri river to the last trading post, then journeyed inland and trapped and hunted for twenty- three months. They had many encounters with the Crow Indians and overcame other dangers and hardships. Mr. Long rode from there on horseback to St. Louis and then enlisted at Berwick, Illinois, in an independent cavalry for the Mexican War. He was rejected on account of having dislocated his arm, then he enlisted in the infantry and was rejected a second time. Then he took his own horse and arms and joined the Texas Rangers. He was in all the hard skirmishing and fighting of that famous organization and after the war, re- turned to Illinois where he farmed. In 1856 Mr. Long went to California via Panama and two years later took a position as second en- gineer in a Mississippi steamer. Later, he was on the New Grenada, a Gulf steamer that plied to the West Indies. He returned home to Iowa and in 1861 took a position as wagon train boss on the plains and made twelve round trips in that capacity from the Missouri river to Denver. In 1874 Mr. Long started to the Willamette valley, Oregon. Later came to Walla Walla, and in 1880 settled in the vicinity of Sprague. Since that time he has been one of the progressive men of Lincoln county and has accumulated much property. He owns a beautiful residence in Sprague and other property, besides farm lands. While he is retired from active business, he is at this time deputy sheriff of Lincoln county and a very competent man in that capacity. Notwithstand- ing the fact that Mr. Long is eighty-five years of age, he has the strength of a man not over fifty and moves with an agility and firmness that are truly remarkable. He has no diffi- culty in mounting any steed and apparently is as robust today as in the days when he traveled over the plains. His career has been exceedingly remarkable and no doubt remin- iscences of his adventures would make a most interesting and thrilling volume. Mr. Long
states that the finest horse that he ever owned, is one that he stole from the Crow Indians. He rode the animal from St. Vrain, far up in the Dakotas, to St. Joe, in thirteen days and sold him the next day after landing for one hundred and twenty-five dollars.
Mr. Long has seven sisters and two broth- ers. All are deceased except his brother John L., who is now living on the old homestead in Illinois that his father took in 1833. On Jan- uary 19, 1848, Mr. Long married Miss Mary M. Napier, the daughter of Patrick and Mar- gret Napier, both now deceased. The father was born in Virginia and died in lowa, in September, 1849. To Mr. and Mrs. Long five children have been born, Samuel M., Ophelia M., deceased, Mrs. Mary E. Baugh, Mrs. Estella McGinnis, and Volney J. Those liv- ing are all at Sprague. Mr. Long is a mem- ber of the Grangers and is a genial, whole- souled, progressive man. Very few men of this world have a career equal to that of Mr. Long and it is with great pleasure that we have been privileged to grant an epitome of the same in this connection.
In June, 1903, a thousand dollars' worth of horses were stolen from Mr. Long's pasture. Although he is a deputy in the sheriff's office, the efforts he has been enabled to put forth to- gether with the sheriff and others, have not yet located the thieves or found the property.
JOHN MUEHL one of the leading agri- culturists in Lincoln county, dwells about nine miles southeast of Davenport, where he owns an excellent estate. He was born on July 2. 1852, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, being the son of John and Mary Muehl, natives of Germany. The father came to the United States in 1830 and followed shoemaking. He is still living but the mother died in Wisconsin. Our sub- ject was next to the eldest of seven children, five boys and two girls. He received his edu- cation in Wisconsin and stayed with his father on the farm until twenty-three years of age. In 1874 he came to the Willamette valley in Oregon and there farmed for five years. In the fall of 1879 Mr. Muehl journeyed to the Big Bend country. After looking the prairies over thoroughly, he chose his present location and took a homestead. He filed in the spring
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
of 1880 and at once began stock and grain raising. In addition to his farm property he has also purchased city property in various sec- tions, especially in Portland, Oregon. He has given his attention closely to business during all these years and the result is that he is now one of the wealthy men of Lincoln county.
In February, 1900, Mr. Muehl married Miss Esta Imbler, a native of Oregon.
Mr. Muehl is a member of the Masons, having taken his third degree, and stands well in fraternal circles. He has always labored faithfully for the upbuilding of educational facilities as well as for general improvement. Mr. Muehl has traveled considerable and is firm in the belief that the Big Bend country is equal to, if it does not excel, any farming country that he has ever visited.
ELMER S. CHAFFEE handles a pros- perous general merchandise business at Wau- kon. In connection therewith he buys wheat and does a very large business in this line. Last year he handled over seventy thousand bushels of this cereal.
Elmer S. Chaffee was born in Erie county, New York, on January 16, 1861, being the son of Jarvis and Charlotte (Cooper) Chaffee, na- tives also of New York. In 1861, the father went with his family to Santa Rosa Valley, California. The mother died there in 1863. Our subject's early life was spent in California, where he gained his education from the public schools and from the Methodist college at Santa Rosa. After his school days, he farmed until 1887, when he came to Lincoln county. A location was selected about four miles north from where Waukon is now located, and Mr. Chaffee gave his attention to farming. In 1901, he sold his real estate and began buying wheat at Waukon for a large company. He has continued in that business ever since and is now handling for a Seattle grain company. In August, 1902, he opened a general mer- chandise establishment and since that time has been steadily gaining a fine patronage. He carries a large assorted stock and is a business man of good ability.
In 1885, while still in California, Mr. Chaf- fee married Miss Kate Adams, a native of Iowa, and to them three children have been
born, Jarvis, Austin, and Naomi. Since com- ing here, Mr. Chaffee has handled considerable real estate, at times owning a very large acre- age. At the present time, he has sold his farm property and is giving his attention entirely to his business in town. His testimony in re- gard to the Big Bend country is that it is the finest wheat producing country that he has ever seen. Fraternally, he is a member of the W. W. and is a liberal and progressive man. He is not partisan in politics and takes the in- terest that becomes a good citizen and has al- ways been foremost in the enterprise to build up the country.
AUGUST WITT is certainly to be com- mended on the magnificent success that he has. worked out for himself since coming to Lin- coln county. He resides seven miles north from Sprague on a farm of eight hundred and eighty acres all in a high state of cultiva- tion. He has one of the most beautiful resi- dences in Lincoln county. It is a ten-room structure of modern design and supplied with all the conveniences of the day, as furnace heat, hot and cold water and so forth. The same is situated in beautiful grounds with pleasant lawn and ornamental trees and all together it is a most beautiful and comely - place. Mr. Witt has a large barn, machine house and other buildings, while he uses a gaso- line engine for pumping water and for chop- ping feed. He also has a nice windmill. He is one of the progressive and prosperous Wash- ington farmers. He owns a band of cattle and has a full quota of farm machinery and horses. on the estate. In all this, especially when we note the fact that Mr. Witt came here with no. capital whatever except two good strong hands, one can readily see the excellence of his success. He has certainly wrought with wisdom and integrity.
August Witt was born in West Prussia, Germany, on February 7, 1866. His parents, August and Minnie (Winkoff) Witt, were also natives of Prussia. The father was born in 1834 and came to Indiana in 1883. He died in Pulaski county on the 28th day of March, 1904. The mother is still living on the old home place there. Our subject was educated in Germany and in the United States, having come to America in September, 1881, sailing
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ELMER S. CHAFFEE
AUGUST WITT
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
from Bremen and landing in Baltimore, whence he made his way to Indiana where he labored for three and one half years. In the spring of 1885 he labored in Minne- sota and one year later, came to Lin- coln county. He went to work for wages where he wrought for three years, then took a homestead and bought land until he owns his present large estate.
On February 17, 1889, Mr. Witt married Miss Mollie Meyer of Sprague. Her parents, John and Minnie (Maulke) Meyer, were born in Germany and came to Indiana about 1875. The mother died in Chicago in 1902. Mr. Witt has the following brothers and sisters, Gustave, Ferdinand, Herman, Mrs. Mollie Salzman and Mrs. Tilly Sibley. Mrs. Witt has one brother and four sisters. To Mr. and Mrs. Witt, four children have been born, William F., Minnie E., George A., and May. On October 13, 1904, William F. was taken away by death. Mr. and Mrs. Witt belong to the Evangelical Association and are active in general progress and school matters. He has been a teacher for sometime. They are wide awake and pub- lic spirited people and stand well in the county.
THOMPSON SMITH is a retired farmer dwelling near Sprague. He was born in South Carolina in 1854, the son of Enoch and Eliza (Miles) Smith, natives of South Carolina. The father moved to Tennessee in 1852, where he farmed. He was county commissioner of his county for a number of years and served in the Confederate army under General Forest. He died in 1892, in that state. The mother died there in 1893. Owing to the disturbance of the Civil war, our subject received only a limited education. He remained with his par- ents on the farm until twenty-one years of age then began farming for himself. In 1877, he came to Humboldt county, California, and there engaged in buying and selling real estate for two years. Thence he journeyed to Walla WValla and there followed the same business for two years. It was in 1882, when he came to Sprague where he engaged in the livery busi- ness and also in buying and selling horses for nine years. Mr. Smith remarks that when he first came to Sprague there were few well bred horses in the entire country. He retired from
business in the spring of 1891, and did nothing until 1898, having been very much crippled in the fire of 1895. In addition to the business named, Mr. Smith has paid considerable atten- tion to farming but retired from that in 1902, selling some of his land. He recently sold two other farms and still has some land in this section besides an elegant residence in Sprague and four hundred and eighty acres in Umatilla county. Mr. Smith had four brothers, Enoch, deceased ; William A., Levi A. and Mrs. Julia Terry.
On August 7, 1885, in Sprague, Washing- ton, Mr. Smith married Miss Katherine Mur- phy, daughter of Peter K. and Martha Mur- phy, now living in Portland, Oregon. Mrs. Smith has the following brothers and sisters, Carrie, Minnie, Annie, Susan, Mattie and Mar- tha, a sister in a convent at Vancouver. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith five children have been born, Harry E., attending the Blair Business College in Spokane; T. Clifford, Helen, Geneva, and Mary C.
Mr. Smith is a member of the Masonic lodge and also of the Maccabees. He is the only man in Sprague who was here when the Masonic lodge was formed and Mr. Smith de- sires to preserve the fact that the original cor- ner stone laid for the Masonic building. lies about twelve feet back from the northeast cor- ner of the present building.
JOHN F. J. KOEGLER is one of Lincoln county's progressive and industrious agricul- turists. Like many of America's most sub- stantial citizens, he came here from the Father- land, having been born there on March 24, 1842. His parents, Gottlieb and Minerva ( Lenton) Koegler, were natives of Germany and there remained until their death. Our sub- ject's grandfather, Henry Koegler, was a lieu- tenant in the German army and did good serv- ice in the war with France. He was captured by the French on one occasion. John F. went to school in Germany and then began farming. Later on he handled a lumber yard during his residence there and spent five years in the regu- lar army and took part in the war against Austria in 1866, and also in some other por- tions of Germany. In February. 1869. Mr. Koegler came to the United States and after spending some time in Chicago, went thence
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
to Bureau county, Illinois, and engaged in farming. From the time that he first landed in this country until the present, he has been continuously blessed with excellent success in financial matters. He remained in Bureau county until 1876 then sold out and went to Benton county, Iowa. Two years later we find him in Ida county, Iowa, where he con- tinued for seventeen years. Having accumu- lated a large property he finally decided to come west. Accordingly we see him in the Big Bend country in 1891 and he soon bought five hundred and twenty acres where he now lives about four miles southwest from Edwall. In addition to this he farms a section of school land and is one of the wealthy grain producers in Lincoln county. The entire property is well fenced, improved with buildings, windmill, or- chard and so forth and shows abundance of excellent skill in farming.
While in Bureau county, Illinois, in 1875, Mr. Koegler married Miss Kate Rufer, a na- tive of Germany. To them eight children have been born, Charles, Harry, Amelia, de- ceased, Emma, Lillien, Fred, Albert, and William.
Mr. and Mrs. Koegler, are members of the Seventh Day Adventist church and are known as exemplary people.
CHARLES C. GIBSON, deputy treasurer of Lincoln county, Washington, resides at Day- enport. He is the son of Oliver H. P. and Mary J. ( Deatley) Gibson, the father a na- tive of Pennsylvania ; the mother, of Virginia. The ancestry of the mother were French Huguenots, for many generations back. She passed away at Davenport in 1901. The fa- ther lives at Davenport, aged ninety years.
Until he had arrived at the age of twenty- five years, our subject had resided in Clinton county, Missouri, where he attended district school and the Stewartsville College. He then removed to Colorado, where for eighteen months he taught school, coming to Spokane county, Washington, in 1881. He taught school at Latah, Spangle, Davenport, and so forth, making his home on his farm, near Al- mira, twelve years. Mr. Gibson has been in the office of the county treasurer as chief deputy, since the incumbency of Treasurer
Minnick. He has four brothers, Bela O., con- ducting a bakery at Davenport : John J., resid- ing in Idaho; James W., a farmer in Douglas county, and George M. His two sisters are Laura E., wife of James J. Inkster and Luella F., who is single and a teacher in Douglas county.
September 13, 1883, at Spangle, our sub- ject was united in marriage to Mary A. Dashiel, who was born in Umatilla county. Oregon. Her father, Frederick E. Dashiel, died April 22, 1903, at Mt. Hope, Spokane county. He was a Spokane county pioneer, having resided there over thirty years. Her mother, Margaret ( Peach) Dashiel, is a na- tive of Iowa, and now resides at Mt. Hope, Spokane county. Mrs. Gibson has six broth- ers, William, a Montana merchant: George C., Fred, Eugene, Ray and Glenn, residing at Mt. Hope. She has two sisters, Maggie, wife of T. D. Hinch, of the firm of Loy & Hinch, Fairfield, Washington, and Kate, who is single and resides at Mt. Hope. To Mr. and Mrs. Gibson have been born seven children, Guy, Charles, Arthur, Maimi, Marybell, Fred and Stanley.
Mr. Gibson is a member of the K. O. T. M., F. A. of A., I. O. G. T., all of Daven- port. Politically, his affiliations are with the Democratic party, he is patriotically active in politics and has served frequently as delegate to state and county conventions. Both he and his wife are members of the Christian church. He is popular with all and highly esteemed by a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.
ALICE NEAL, superintendent of the public schools of Lincoln county, Washington, and sister of Superior Judge Neal, resides at Davenport. She was born in Fairfield county, West Virginia, the daughter of Andrew D. and Malinda ( Newman) Neal, mention of whom will be found in another portion of this work. She has three brothers and one sister, Judge Neal; John M., a farmer, and George I., an attorney, both of West Virginia, and Mag- gie, wife of David Nevelle.
Miss Neal was reared and educated in West Virginia, attending the Barboursville College, in Campbell county, and came west in 1891 with her brother, Judge Neal. She be-
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
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