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 83
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 83
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 83
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 83
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Mr. Luce is prominent in the circles of Freemasonry, having been made a Mason at the age of twenty-one in Springfield Lodge, No. 4; he now is a member of Accacia Lodge, No. 58, of Davenport, of which lodge he has been grand master.
Mr. Luce has ever been an active and ener- getic man, deeply interested in the upbuilding and the development of the resources of the country, and his successes, financial and politi- cal, are convincing evidence of the high esteem in which he is held, and the confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens and neighbors.
L. D.AVIES, a practicing attorney at law of Davenport, was born in Neath, Pennsylvania, May 24, 1865, the son of Philip and Catharine I. Davies. The mother is still living in the state of Pennsylvania : the father is deccased.
The boyhood of Mr. Davies was spent on
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
a farm with his parents during which period of life he was given the advantage of a gram- mar school training, and at the age of sixteen he entered the Leraysville Academy. Passing through this institution he was graduated in 1887 from the Susquehanna Collegiate Insti- tute, then entered Cornell University at Ithica, New York, from which he was graduated in 1892. He was also graduated from the law department of this school.
During the fall of 1892 he came west and located at Ritzville, Washington, embarking at once upon the practice of his profession. Success attended him from the first so that by the springtime of 1893 he had built up a good practice and made many friends. Dur- ing the year following his advent in Ritzville he was appointed prosecuting attorney of Adams county to fill a vacancy, and was elected to succeed himself at the election of 1894. The following year he resigned his office in order to remove to Davenport where he has been actively engaged in the practice of his pro- fession since that time.
Mr. Davies has always taken a deep and active interest in politics, affiliating at all times with the Republican party. He holds .mem- bership in the Masonic, the Maccabees and the IV. O. W. fraternities.
February II, 1890, occurred the marriage of Mr. Davies and Miss Belle Hutchinson, a native of Leraysville, Pennsylvania. To this union one child has been born, L. Wayne Davies.
During the short time Mr. Davies has been engaged in the law he has acquired an ex- tensive and growing practice, and has made for himself an enviable reputation in the com- munity in which he resides, both as a barrister and a man.
JOHN McKAY resides about three and one-half miles south of Lamona, in Lincoln county. He was born in Duntroon, Canada, October 10, 1857. His father, John McKay, was born in Scotland and came to Canada when a young man. He bought timber land near Duntroon, cleared it up and made a home, where he has resided since. The mother of our subject, Mary (Grant) McKay, was born in Ireland. When a girl, she came to Dun- troon and there was married. The parents
became wealthy and prominent people of Dun- troon. Our subject was forced to travel five miles to attend public school and received his education under great difficulties. At the age of eighteen, he enlisted to assist in putting down the Riel Rebellion in Canada, and was in the heat of the fight in the Winnepeg coun- try and he still holds a gold badge awarded him as the most successful marksman among the patriots. In 1876, Mr. McKay came to Cali- fornia and was engaged as foreman of a large ranch for one year. After that he spent two years sailing. In 1880, he came to Medical Lake and bought one thousand and twenty- five acres of land. He transformed the same into one of the choicest farms in Spokane coun- ty. He built a creamery and did much other commendable labor, in the upbuilding of the country and was one of the prominent men in that section until 1902, when he sold the farm. After that he bought eighteen hundred and eighty acres where he now resides in Lincoln county. It is an especially fine farm, every acre of the same being fertile wheat land, and is considered one of the choicest places in the Big Bend country. Six hundred and twenty acres of this estate are under irrigation ditch. Mr. Mckay has the place supplied with all buildings and improvements necessary and gives his attention to overseeing the same to- gether with handling other business.
In 1879, Mr. Mckay married Miss Jane, the daughter of Charles and Matilda J. ( Cun- ningham) Spicknell. prominent and wealthy people of Oregon. They were born in Indiana and came to the Webfoot state among the earlies pioneers. Mrs. McKay was born in the state of Iowa. Her sister, Elizabeth, drove a four horse team all the way from Salem, Ore- gon, to Medical Lake, Washington, in 1880. To Mr. and Mrs. McKay, six children have been born, Fred, Charles, John, Jennie, Frank and Estella. Mr. Mckay has always been on the frontier. He bought the first plow sold in the city of Spokane, inaugurated the first creamery enterprise in the Medical Lake coun- try and has always been one of the leading and progressive men of his day. He started in this country without capital and the wealth that he has amassed since is the result of his wisdom and well passed labors. He is rated as one of the wealthiest farmers in Lincoln county. During the early days Mr. Mckay
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
was considerably interested in mining and was one of the first to enter the Coeur d' Alene country. He has been in most all kinds of frontier life and is personally acquainted with the hardships, suffering and dangers incident thereto. The thrilling experience of his life would make a very interesting book. He is a genuine and typical frontiersman, being a man of large physical proportions, active, powerful and possessed of fearless and undaunted cour- age and one can readily understand why he has always been placed in the lead on the fron- tier. On many occasions, he has been the one to oust bands of robbers, to meet and take crini- inals and it has been said of Mr. Mckay that he never went to bring a man without securing him. He is a man of free and generous dis- position and has made and spent a fortune in addition to what he now owns. No enter- prise for the welfare of the community ever appeals to Mr. McKay in vain. In fact he has always been one of the first to inaugurate im- provements, better schools and better roads and everything for the convenience and up- building of the country. In addition to the other labors mentioned, from 1880 on, for twenty years, Mr. Mckay has operated thresh- ing outfits all over the Big Bend country. In all his experiences through his entire career, Mr. Mckay has maintained unsullied his char- acter and manifested an uprightness and integ- rity unswerving and uncompromising.
E. DE WITT REITER, a widely known attorney of Davenport, Washington, comes of old and historic Knickerbocker stock; and he can number among his ancestry men prominent during the formation period of this country, in the Revolutionary and in the 1812 wars. He was born at Green Springs, Ohio, October 22, 1877. His father, Peter E. Reiter, also born at Green Springs, is a descendant from the old De Ruyter family of Knickerbocker fame in New York, distinguished as soldiers, jurists and barristers. Mr. De Reiter's mother in maiden life was Harriet Close, a native of Pennsylvania, of Pennsylvania Dutch descent, and comes of a family prominent in commercial and financial affairs of the Keystone state. Her father was a capitalist, owning immense tracts of land, and a pioneer settler of Ohio. Iler
brother, Daniel Close, was a graduate from the Heidleburg University, Germany, a noted preacher and president of the Reformed church in Ohio. Both parents of the subject still live on the old homestead near Tiffin, Ohio.
E. De Witt Reiter began his education in the district school, and at the age of fourteen began to teach. He taught for three years. during which time he attended at intervals the normal school at Valparaiso, Indiana, also tai :- ing the scientific course there. Later he took an elective course at Tiffin, Ohio, reading law at the same time. In 1899 he came to Daven- port and resumed the study of law under 1l. A. P. Myers, being admitted to practice May 19, 1900. He opened an office June Ist of the same year. An ardent Republican in poli- tics, he has done some campaign speaking. but disclaims any political aspirations. He is a prominent and active man in fraternity circles, being senior deacon of Accacia Lodge. No. 58, A. F. & A. M .; a member of the Macc^- bees, the Royal Highlanders and of the Fra- ternal Order of America.
Mr. Reiter has one brother, Burton L., born at Tiffin, Ohio, and now a student at Heidelburg University.
At Bloomville, Ohio, August 15, 1899. Mr. Reiter was married to Marion Fry. daughter of John W. and Martha (Lane) Fry, both of whom are now living in Lincoln county. Mr. Fry was born in Seneca county, Ohio, and was an extensive farmer and land owner in that state. He was also a contractor and builder, came to California in 1850 and built the famous Palace hotel in San Francisco. His wife is a native of California.
Mrs. Reiter has five brothers: John, Will- iam, Arthur, Cecil and David. all living with their parents; and two sisters: Grace, wife of William Colman, a Lincoln county farmer ; and Rhoda, a high school student of Daven- port.
LEWIS L. BLACK is a young man of prominence in Lincoln county. He came to Ritzville in 1899 and although not one of the early pioneers, yet he is a man who has shown such energy and good judgment in his labors here that he has become one of the respected citizens of this wealthy country. lle landed here without any money and went to work in
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
the vicinity of Odessa on the range. He soon was promoted to foreman of the Buchanan property, where he remained for two years. As soon as possible after this, he bought a section of railroad land and has added to it since until he now owns nine hundred and twenty acres of choice wheat land in the vicinity of Odessa. He has given his attention to handling real estate and doing a loaning busi- ness in addition to overseeing his farm prop- erty and now dwells at Odessa where he has his office and does a first class business. The farm is well supplied with improvements and stock and other sources of fine income.
Lewis L. Black was born in Pike county, Illinois, December 22, 1879. His father, John S. Black, was born in Owen county, Indiana, moving to Illinois when a young man and there becoming a wealthy and influential citi- zen. His father, John S. B., the grandfather of our subject was a captain in the Mexican war. The mother of our subject was Miranda (Baker) Black, a native of Pike county. She is descended from prominent American people and was a highly respected lady. The common schools of Pike county furnished the educa- tional training, of our subject, then he worked with his father on the farm until 1899, when he came to Ritzville, as stated above. Today he is worth many thousands of dollars. In 1899 he had no capital whatever except his hands. The entire amount has been made by his wise efforts and he may well take a pardon- able pride in his excellent success.
In October, 1903. Mr. Black married Miss Anna Peterson, a native of Sweden, whose pa- rents were leading people in that country. Mr. Black has the following brothers and sisters, Frank, Oscar, James E., W. C., George W., Mrs. May Reeder, Mrs. Etta Lippencott, Mrs. Emma Stout and Mrs. Hannah Stout.
JOSEPH M. BENNINGTON, who re- sides at Ritzville, the county seat of Adams county, is a real estate and financial agent, be- ing associated with his brother, W. J. Benning- ton. These gentlemen do a large business and hold in their own right between three and four thousand acres of well tilled wheat lands. They have placed a large amount of money for in- vestors in Adams and Lincoln counties, and are well known as sterling business men.
Mr. Bennington was born in Marshall coun- ty, Illinois, on June 8, 1866. He is a son of Washington M. and Edith C. (Vandament ) Bennington, natives of Frankfort, Kentucky, and Marshall county, Illinois, respectively. The father went to Marshall county, Illinois, with his parents when a child, they being among the pioneer settlers of that part of the Prairie State. He secured land in Marshall county and became a well known and well-to-do citi- zen. His father, William Bennington, served in the Black Hawk war and with his broth- ers, had been a pioneer to Kentucky.
Our subject secured his early education in the public schools of his native state, finishing with a short collegiate course. Being a farm- er's son he early gained a practical knowledge of soil tillage from which vocation he has never succeeded in entirely divorcing himself. He was subsequently employed for about two years in the operating department of the Iowa Cen- tral railroad.
Coming west in 1891 he associated himself with a wholesale house in Portland, Oregon, with which he remained for over six years, finally quitting their employ as chief clerk and confidential bookkeeper, being attracted thence by the "land boom" in Eastern Washington. Settling in Adams county he immediately took up land and, forming a partnership with his brother, he became actively engaged in his old vocation, the tillage of the soil, at which he has been very successful. In the fall of 1903 they leased their large properties and together took up the business in which they are now engaged.
Mr. Bennington began life without any other capital than a firm determination to suc- ceed and he has, thus far, seemed to have achieved his purpose in a very gratifying man- ner. He has never been a candidate for office in any way and says he has absolutely no politi- cal aspirations or ambitions, although he is the present chairman of the Republican County Central Committee of Adams county.
JONAS A. CARLSON, one of the leading farmers of northern Lincoln county, resides about one mile west from Hesseltine. He owns there a half section of choice wheat land, which his wise industry has transformed from the wild of prairie sod to a well laid out and highly
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
cultivated farm. It is supplied with residence, barns, ont buildings, and other things neces- sary to make it a comfortable and pleasant rural abode.
Jonas A. Carlson was born in Sweden, September 11, 1849, the son of Carl and Annic (Peterson) Swinson, also natives of Sweden and wealthy farmers. In addition to assisting his father on the farm, Jonas attended school in the adjacent district, and pursued his studies until he had mastered the common branches. He continued in labor in his native land until 1880, when he came thence to the United States, and began work in Indiana for wages. He had no capital and he labored in Indiana, Missouri, Colorado, Minnesota, and on the Canadian Pacific railway until 1883. In that year he had laid by enough capital to justify him in seeking a place for himself, so after due investigation he selected his present place and filed a homestead. Later he bought a quarter section and the half section is now his home estate. Mr. Calson has shown himself one of the sturdy pioneers and has certainly done a good part in opening up and developing this country. He has also manifested unswerv- ing integrity and uprightness in his life here and has won, consequently, the good will and esteem of all.
In 1896, Mr. Carlson married Miss Emma Johnson, a native of Sweden, and to them one child has been born, Hilda. Mr. Carlson has three brothers, Victor, Carl, and Swan, and one sister, Mrs. Hilda Peterson.
JACOB E. SHAW, who resides about two miles west from Hesseltine, was born in Preble county, Ohio. His father, John T. Shaw, was born in Kentucky, of English descent, and came with his parents to Ohio when a child. He was a prominent citizen of his section and a worthy man. The mother of Jacob E. Shaw was Seraphine (Fudge ) Shaw, a native of Preble county, Ohio. She is descended from a very prominent and patriotic family. Her grandfather, Gasper Poterff. was a veteran of the Revolutionary War, and with her father, Captain Jacob Fudge, fought in the war, of 1812. Many members of the family, were prominent and wealthy people. Our subject was educated in the public schools of Ohio, and
in 1880, entered the northern Indiana normal school where he completed his educational training. Two years later, he came to Oregon, and for one year thereafter, was busy looking the country over. He finally decided to locate in Lincoln county, and accordingly took tim- berculture, preemption and homestead claims, which made him about four hundred and eighty acres of fine wheat land. He owns this at the present time and has it well improved. Mr. Shaw devotes himself to stock raising as well as farming and has some fine Hambleton- ian horses and shorthorn cattle. Ile has a good residence and all improvements needed on this farm. Mr. Shaw was no exception to the or- dinary pioneer when coming here. and he landed in Lincoln county without any means and was forced to borrow money to make his filings. His nearest post office was seventy- five miles away. He was obliged to work out to improve his farm and he plodded along until fortune began to favor him and he is now one of the wealthy men residing in Lincoln county. Mr. Shaw has two brothers, Sherman, a re- tired farmer, and George W., now deceased. He was formerly a farmer in Lincoln county.
WILLIAM HENRY JONES is a farmer and stock man, residing about one mile north- cast of Tipso. He was born in Lane county, Oregon, October 28, 1865. His father, Richard Jones was born in Tennessee and moved to Iowa with his parents when a child. In 1852 he drove an ox team from Iowa to the Willa- mette valley, then started to farming in Lane county. During the Indian troubles of 1856, he enlisted to repel the savages and did some good work. He was a prominent citizen in Lane county and died in 1890. The mother of our subject was Alice .A. (Ellmaker ) Jones, and she was born in Jefferson county, Iowa. Her father, Enos Ellmaker, assisted to con- struct the first railroad built in the United States. Our subject received his education from the public schools of the Willamette val- ley and remained with his father until twenty years of age, when he went to work on the neighboring ranches for wages. He remained in that county until 1888, in which year he journeyed to the Big Bend. After due investi- gation, he selected his present location and took
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
land by squatter's right. Later he homesteaded and has since bought one quarter section, mak- ing his entire estate one-half section. He has an excellent orchard on the breaks of the Colum- bia river, which has all varieties of fruits that are adapted to this section. Mr. Jones, like most of the well-to-do men in the Big Bend coun- try, began life with no capital whatever, and his entire holdings are the result of his skill- ful labor. He has two brothers, Arthur and Frank R., and two sisters, Mrs. Mary E. Job and Mrs. Clara Miller.
In 1892, Mr. Jones married Miss Martha A. Jackson, who was born in Fentress county, Tennessee. She came to Kansas with her pa- rents when young, and in 1889 they located in Washington. Mrs. Jones' parents are Moses H. and Esther A. (Zachny) Jackson, natives of Tennessee. To Mr. and Mrs. Jackson four children have been born, Virgil E., Cecil V., Reed E. and Zada A.
Mr. Jones has always taken an interest in political matters and local affairs and is con- sidered a good substantial citizen and an up- right man.
GEORGE K. BIRGE is, at the time of this writing, chief executive_ of the city of Davenport. He has discharged the duties of this important office in a becoming manner, with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents. Mr. Birge is a fine type of the successful men who have gained that posi- tion in life entirely through their own efforts and wisdom.
George K. Birge was born in Geneseo, New York, on August 22, 1862, being the son of William H. and Amy K. (Kellogg) Birge, natives of Connecticut and New York, respect- ively. The father died in 1875, but the mother is still residing in the old home place. They were the parents of four children, Annie E., George K., Edward W., and Francis M. The mother is a descendant of the historic Cotton Mather. After completing a thorough course in the state normal at Geneseo, our subject entered a mercantile establishment and then learned the jewelry business. After that he came west to Pomeroy, Washington, and em- barked in the cattle business, which he followed for three years. Later, we find him in the Big
Bend country handling stock, then he was at Sprague, and finally moved to Davenport, where he has lived ever since. Upon arriving in Davenport, Mr. Birge opened a jewelry shop, which is the oldest of this kind in town. He was at the bottom round of the ladder when he started in business here and has steadily been gaining ground until he is one of the prosper- ous business men of Lincoln county. He has a fine patronage, carries a large stock of well- selected goods and does business in the same building with the Big Bend drug store. Mr. Birge owns property in Davenport and else- where.
In 1892 occurred the marriage of Mr. Birge and Miss Minnie Bonneywell and to them five children have been born, Edward W., Alfred WV., Frances, Henry, and G. Livingston. Mrs. Birge's parents, William and Sarah ( Brench- ley ) Bonneywell, are natives of England. They came to Walla Walla, Washington, and in 1889 moved to Lincoln county, where they now re- side. In political matters. Mr. Birge is asso- ciated with the Democratic party and takes a keen interest in the campaigns. In 1897 he was elected justice of the peace and served two terms. In 1891 he was chosen mayor of Day- enport and still holds this office.
Fraternally, he is affiliated with the I. O. O. O. F., the A. O. U. W., the W. W., the K. O. T. M. and the A. F. & A. M. Mr. Birge has gone through all the chairs of the A. O. U. WV. and has been through the Grand Lodge. He is very popular in fraternal circles and has hosts of friends, being a genial and upright man. Mrs. Birge belongs to the Women of Woodcraft, the D. A. and the F. A. She is also a member of the Methodist church.
Mr. Birge has experienced much of the hardship and deprivation incident to pioneer life and the memorable winter of 1890-91 was one of the worst he remembers. The settlers named that the "Double Winter." He owned a band of cattle and feed became scarce, then snow fell to the depth of three feet and the cold was intense. Mr. Birge was dwelling in a tent and his food was coffee and frozen bread. His suffering was great, but his own words express what to him seemed worse: "It now seems the hardest part was to witness the sufferings of the animals as they piteouly called to me for the food and care I was unable to give them."
GEORGE K. BIRGE
MICHAEL TANNER
MRS. MICHAEL TANNER
WILLIAM G. DUNCAN
MRS. WILLIAM G. DUNCAN
GEORGE T. LOGSDON
GEORGE H. SIMONS.
MRS. GEORGE H. SIMONS
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
MICHAEL TANNER was born in Sank county, Wisconsin, August 5, 1865. and at an early age went with his parents to Buffalo county, Wisconsin, where he grew to manhood on a farm, acquiring meantime a good common school education. In the spring of 1882 he came to Cheney, Washington, where he worked on salary for a time, and the year following took a homestead near Mondovi. He had a hard time in gaining a start here, since he came without means, and was compelled to draw his produce a great distance to market. This was a difficult and disagreeable task, since the country was at that time very sparsely settled and the roads in poor condition. In 1893 he sold his homestead and purchased his present home three miles southwest of Davenport, where he owns eight hundred acres, about half of which is adapted to cultivation. He has his land well improved by fencing, buildings, and so forth, a good orchard, and an abundance of water in two wells, each of which is sur- mounted by a windmill and pump. He raises some grain, but devotes his attention principally to dairying and the raising of celery for market. He has a large herd of dairy cattle, and sells great quantities of milk at Davenport. He practically supplies the markets of Davenport and surrounding towns with celery, which he raises of the finest quality. For the past three years his celery has taken the first prize at the Lincoln county fairs, and has a reputation far and wide.
Mr. Tanner in fraternal circles is known as a member of the K. of P. and A. O. U. W. lodges of Davenport. In Davenport he main- tains a handsome residence where his family lives during the school season.
Meinrad and Anna (Kintchi) Tanner, father and mother of Michael, were born in Switzerland, came to the United States, settled for a time in Wisconsin and came to Spokane in 1885, where the father died in February, 1902, aged seventy-three years. The mother is still living in Spokane, and is now seventy- two years old.
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