USA > Washington > Douglas County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 2 > Part 34
USA > Washington > Adams County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 2 > Part 34
USA > Washington > Franklin County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 2 > Part 34
USA > Washington > Lincoln County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 2 > Part 34
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In Halifax county, Virginia, on October II, 1882, Mr. Hite married Mrs. Mary E., daughter of Isaac J. and Maria A. Tynes, na- tives of Virginia. The father was a soldier in the confederate army. The fruit of this union has been ten children, whose names and the dates of their birth are given below: P. E., on July 20, 1884, and now deceased; Martha A., on February 10, 1886; Mildred N. V., on Decem- ber 20, 1887, and now deceased; Minnie G., on September 9, 1889; Nora A., on November 3, 1891 : Mattie, on April 28, 1894; Willie M., on March 24, 1896; Thomas Dewey, on June 25. 1898; Georgia Omar, on September 17, 1900; and Edward S., on May 14, 1903. The first was born in Virginia, eight were born in Ar- kansas, and the last one in Waterville.
Fraternally, Mr. Hite is affiliated with the W. W., the A. F. & A. M., and the M. W. A. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church and are zealous supporters of their faith. Mr. Hite in Arkansas held the position of jus- tice of the peace for eight years, besides other offices. He is a man who receives the respect and confidence of his fellows and stands well in this community.
HARRY C. DECAMP is without doubt one of the earliest pioneers and one of the best known and posted men in Douglas county to- day. He has traveled all over this county and knows its resources as well if not better than any other man living. He has always been a close observer and is a careful weigher of facts and figures, while he is also possessed of good
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
judgment and keen foresight. These qualities combined have made him the business man he is today, while his geniality and kindness have won him hosts of friends from all quarters.
Harry C. DeCamp was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, on February 1I, 1858, the son of Joseph DeCamp, a native of Ohio, also, and a farmer. When our subject was six years of age he was deprived of his mother by death and five years later his father died. Thus left an orphan at an early date he found some of the hard lessons of life in early childhood days. However, this was not lost, for it has given him a wider range of affairs as he grew up and thus served a use- ful end finally. He received his education in Ohio and there remained until twenty-two, working on the farms. In 1880, he was stricken with a hard attack of the western fever, which led him to Kansas. Not being relieved in a year there, he came on to San Francisco in 1881 and for three years was engaged in gen- eral labors. For a goodly portion of that time he was salesman in the large furniture estab- lishment of Jack Hillman, at the corner of Taylor and Market streets. Next he came to Oregon and for one year stopped in Linn county, and thence came to Douglas county in assisting Al N. Thompson to move hither. He soon entered the employ of John W. Stephens, handling logs for the sawmill on Badger mountain. He secured a homestead just north- east from Waterville and has improved it in good shape. He soon divided his attention be- tween farming and handling produce for the mines in British Columbia and the Okanogan country. Later he has been associated with O. P. Hyde in handling real estate and has done well in this business. He is a member of the Old Settlers' Association and is a popular man.
Mr. DeCamp has three sisters, named as follows: Mrs. Meneaver Lobner, living in Holsey, Oregon: Mrs. Ida Wedge, in Cooley- ville, Ohio; and Saralı.
WILLIAM J. CANTON is one of the leading attorneys of Douglas county. Being endowed with an analytical mind and forensic ability which have been fortified with the best of training and thorough and extensive read- ing, the subject of .this article is especially fitted to win distinction in his chosen profes-
sion in which he has made rapid strides and done excellent work. He is at the head of a fine practice in Douglas county and has won many friends, distinction and honors, especially in the military line.
William J. Canton was born in Leeds coun- ty, Ontario, Canada, on November 5, 1861 and was raised on a farm. Like the ordinary youth of the land, William J. commenced his education in the common schools. Then he pressed on through the excellent high schools of Ontario, and later took a thorough univer- sity course. He also took his degree from the law department in the university in 1879, be- ing the youngest member of the large class and yet the recipient of special honors. For two years subsequent to his graduation he taught school at New Market, in Ontario, and in July, 1883, he enlisted in Company C, Fifteenth United States Infantry under Captain C. H. Conrad. For four years he served, first as sergeant and then asked for his discharge that he might take up the practice of law. In 1887, he was honorably discharged and took up his profession at O'Neil, Nebraska, in company with Hon. Thomas M. Carlon, where he re- mained until 1890. In July of that year, Mr. Canton determined to come west and accord- ingly selected Washington as the objective point. For a time he remained in South Bend and in June, 1891, located at Waterville and opened an office. Since that time, he has given himself largely to the practice of his profes- sion, and has maintained an office in Water- ville continuously. In 1892, Mr. Canton or- ganized a company of militia which took the prize at the encampment in 1894. In May, 1898, he was appointed adjutant general of the state, by Governor John R. Rogers and fitted out the troops for the Spanish-American war. In the fall of the same year he was appointed major, of the First Washington Volunteer In- fantry and went to the Philippine Islands. For eleven months he saw active service there and participated in the heaviest part of the fighting. On November 1, 1899, he was mustered out at San Francisco and immediately returned to Waterville and gave himself to the practice of law. In the November election, 1904, Mr. Canton was chosen prosecuting attorney for Douglas county.
At Yankton, South Dakota, on November 26, 1888, Mr. Canton married Lillian M. Rey-
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
nolds, a niece of General Philip Sheridan, and the daughter of William E. and Mary E. Rey- nolds, natives of Vermont. She was born in Island Pond, Vermont, and to this marriage two children have been born, William R., in Nebraska, in October, 1889, and Florence J., in Waterville, in 1891.
Mr. Canton is a member of the Spanish- American war veterans and has the distinc- tion of being one of the best drilled men in military tactics in the state of Washington. He has won numerous prizes at contests and he is certainly very proficient in this line.
ALBERT SOPER is handling horses in Wilson creek and also raises stock. He has some fine Clyde horses on the range and a very well bred stallion. He has been in the stock business for a good many years in the Big Bend country and is well posted in this business and in the geography of the country. He was born in Kent county, Michigan, on October 24, 1871, the son of David and Margretta ( Allen) Soper, natives of New York, the mother de- ceased, the father now living in Seattle. He completed his education in the graded schools in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In the fall of 1882, he came with his father to Walla Walla and in April of the next year, they arrived in Waterville. Location was made near the old town of Okanogan and our subject remained there for five years, then he located on Moses creek near Ed Owen's ranch, where he en- gaged in the stock business, bringing his cattle from Walla Walla. He took up his first claim on Wilson creek in 1898 which he has improved in good shape. In 1903, he entered the livery business in the town of Wilsoncreek and con- tinued in the same to May, 1904. In the early days, Mr. Soper not only rode the range for himself but also was engaged for some of the leading stockmen of the country, thus becom- ing well acquainted in the Big Bend country. Mr. Soper has one brother, Graff D. and two sisters, Mrs. Jesse Wallace and Mrs. Maude Christopherson.
At Douglas in this county, on May 8, 1892, Mr. Soper married Miss Georgiana Day, the daughter of Llewellen and Mary (Rickard) Day, natives of Ohio. The father served in the Fifty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the
Rebellion. Mrs. Soper was born in Ohio near New London on January 1, 1874. To our subject and his wife, four children have been born, Allie May, Helen M., George E. and Carrie L.
Mr. Soper belongs to the M. W. A. His wife was raised under the influence of the Methodist church, but they do not belong to any denomination.
AMOS H. MASON dwells three and one- half miles east from Bridgeport, where he has one of the largest fruit ranches in this por- tion of the state. He was born in Benton county, Oregon, on April 17, 1860. His father, Jerry H. Mason, was a native of Penn- sylvania, and crossed the plains in the early 'fifties, with wagon train, settling in Benton county, where he remained. There he married Mrs. Hope Jones, a native of Ohio. By her former marriage, Mrs. Mason had one son, E. A. Jones. She also had the following named brothers and sisters, Amos, Sallie Edlemen, Roda Pitman, Serepty Rexford, and Margret Irven, all living in Oregon, at present, but one. Mrs. Mason's maiden name was Halock. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Mason, be- sides our subject, are Mrs. Dan Longbotham; George J., who died in Oregon when thirty- three years old; Jessie, who was drowned in Oregon when a child; Heamon J., who died at Medical Lake, Washington, in 1901, being aged forty-two; Walter G., who was killed by a horse falling on him, when twenty-one. Mrs. Mason died when the children were small, our subject being but eight. Several years later, the father married Miss Elizabeth Haydon. He died in June, 1902, and his widow is still residing on the old donation claim in Oregon. The father had two brothers and three sisters, of whom Levrea H., and Mrs. Davies are still living. Amos H. attended the district schools in Benton county, until sixteen and in 1877, came to Washington. Settlement was made in Columbia county but soon he removed thence to the vicinity of Pullman in Whitman county and took a pre-emption. He labored there for eight years. He sold the farm and bought a butcher shop in Pullman, operating it two years, then sold out and engaged in the hotel and hardware business in the town of Sholley,
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
Whitman county. This occupied him until 1891; when he sold out and followed butcher- ing for about one year. In the spring of 1892, he moved to Douglas county and took a home- stead which is a part of his present estate. He has a half section, one hundred acres of which are nicely irrigated from springs on the estate. During the first four years of his residence in Douglas county, he gave attention to freight- ing to Loomis and Republic, then he began set- ting out an orchard. He has all the leading varieties of fruits, indigenous to this latitude and has made an excellent success, having some very choice bearers. Twenty-five acres are thus employed and one hundred acres more are being set to fruit at the present time. He also raises several hundred acres of grain and handles a large band of cattle and horses. Mr. Mason's place is very valuable and has been handled in a skillful manner by himself. With the entire amount planted to fruit as he has planned, it will be an exceedingly valuable estate. Mr. Mason has one brother living, Rufus B., and one half-sister, Irene.
In Latah county, Idaho, on August 9, 1884, Mr. Mason married Miss Annie E. Smith. She was born in Minnesota, on November I, 1868, the daughter of Peter and Lydia M. (Freeman) Smith, natives of England and Ohio, respectively. Mr. Smith was a soldier in the Rebellion. Mrs. Mason has one brother, Everett E. To Mr. and Mrs. Mason, five chil- dren have been born named as follows: Audry Helena, born in Whitman county and died in Bridgeport, January 25, 1897; Ada E., near Pullman, on January 9, 1887; Walter, on May 10, 1897; Adrian L., on December 16, 1899; and Ruby G., on June 25, 1901. The last three were born on the farm.
Mr. Mason is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the M. W. A. He and his wife are ad- herents of the Presbyterian church, while in politics he is an active and well informed Re- publican. On Mr. Mason's side of the house are some men who have been prominent in poli- tics in Oregon, as Saul King and the Honorable James Chambers.
GEORGE F. JAMISON was born in Sac- ramento county, California, on May 1, 1873, the son of Stephen and Susan ( Theobold) Jam- ison, natives of Iowa and California, respec-
tively. He received his education in California and in Whitman county, Washington, whither the family came in early eighties. In 1885, he accompanied his brother to California and there did general work for fourteen years, then returned to his family, they having moved to Coulee City and here he entered the employ of Dan Paul and T. S. Blythe, stockmen of Doug- las county. He rode on the range for three years, then took a ranch between the coulees, which he improved and sold. After that, we find him in Bridgeport, handling a livery stable which later was sold, then Mr. Jamison en- tered into partnership with J. G. Priest in the mercantile business the firm being known as G. T. Jamison & Co. They are established at Dyer and do a large business. Their stock is complete and well selected, comprising all kinds needed in this section and is worth about ten thousand dollars. Mr. Jamison was appointed post master at Dyer and is giving entire satis- faction in that capacity at the present time. He is a born business man and is respected and esteemed by all who know him. In addition to the lines above mentioned, Mr. Jamison rep- resents the Seattle Grain Company. Mr. Jam- ison has two brothers and one sister, John W., Charles R. and Mrs. J. G. Priest.
Fraternally, he is connected with the M. \V. A., while in religious persuasions he be- longs; to the United Brethren church, Mr. Jamison has ever been active in all lines of im- provement, being a believer in good roads, good schools and general progress for which he la- bors incessantly.
AUGUST W. MANKE, resides about three miles northeast from Buckingham post- office. He was born in Crawford county, Wis- consin, on May 14, 1871, the son of William J. and Albertina (Voth) Manke, natives of Germany and emigrants to the United States. in 1865. He attended the public schools of Prairie du Chien and finished his education in the high schools of that state. After that, he worked in the paper mills as ruler for some time, then began the study of medicine under Dr. Barney in Prairie du Chien. Three win- ters were spent in reading this science, but not being favorably impressed with this, he jour- neyed to the west. He spent some time travel-
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
ing through Montana. California, Oregon and Washington, principally on foot. In 1894 we find him in Douglas county and not long there- after he took a homestead where he lives at the present time. He has added since as much more by purchase and has made valuable and becoming improvements upon the estate. His attention has been devoted principally to stock raising and general farming until lately. Now he is engaged more especially in raising grain. Mr. Manke is also considerably interested in horse breeding and has a nice young and very fine Clyde stallion, which is valued at over two thousand dollars. He has other good animals and is very skillful in this enterprise. Mr. Manke has been prospered in his labors and is a progressive and substantial citizen. He has six brothers and three sisters, William, Ar- thur. Frank. Edward, Clarence, Herbert, Mrs. Ida Boyd, Moran Agnes, and Laura.
At Bridgeport, Washington, on October 13, 1897, Mr. Manke married Miss Louisa .T. Yeager, the daughter of Henry G. and Louisa (Koch) Yeager, who are mentioned in another portion of this work. Mrs. Manke's brothers and sisters are also named in another portion of this volume.
To our subject and his wife, two children have been born, Lela, on August 14, 1898, and Arthur G., on September 10, 1899. Mr. and Mrs. Manke are members of the Methodist church.
Mr. Manke has a great liking for music and possesses talent in that line. From 1889 to 1891, he was a member of the famous North- western Brass Band, handling various instru- ments. Since retiring from that, he has de- voted his entire attention in the musical line to the violin, which instrument he handles skill- fully at this time.
THERON W. LANE was born near Ken- dallville, Iowa, on May 26. 1858, the son of Abraham and Sarah Lane, natives of Pennsyl- vania and pioneers to Iowa. There were seven children, five boys and two girls, in the family. Two of the boys and both of the girls are now deceased. Theron W. was the oldest of the family and resides at Bridgeport. W. D., the youngest, resides at Seattle and is a well known member of the firm of Douglas, Lane & Doug-
las. Rev. L. L. is a minister of the gospel at Sisseton, South Dakota. Our subject spent his early life on the farm and as the father had very poor health, it required the utmost labors of them all to maintain the family. After the death of his father, our subject started out in life for himself, leaving the family and the aged mother to the care of the younger broth- ers. After acquiring a fair English education, he gathered sufficient means to enable him to enter the law department of the State Uni- versity of Iowa, whence he graduated on June 22, 1881, receiving the degree of LL. B. He also received a diploma of admission to the su- preme court in the state of Iowa and the United States district and circuit courts. In Novem- ber, 1881, he formed a partnership with Eli Bennett of Big Stone City, Dakota, which was dissolved in a few months. Mr. Lane then opened a law office at Wilmot, South Dakota, and was soon elected district attorney of Rob- erts county. Owing to the county seat contest, which was not settled in the courts, the matter was taken to the legislature and a rider of the bill that established the county seat contro- versey, inaugurated Mr. Lane's opponent as prosecuting attorney. Rather than quarrel, even though he had been wronged, Mr. Lane turned to the west and arrived at Spokane Falls, in May, 1885. After looking about for some time, he came to Okanogan, then the county seat of Douglas county. As the coun- try was very new and no legal business to be done, he entered a pre-emption and timber cul- ture, one mile east from town. After that, he went to Walla Walla, where he was joined by his wife and they journeyed to Weston, Ore- gon, where they taught school for several months. Following that, they came to Doug- . las and taught school and followed various other enterprises until finally after two years there, Mr. Lane was called to attend the first case tried in the county, so far as he knows. It was before Captain Miles, justice of the peace on Badger Mountain. He also tried a case before J. E. Hetley, justice of the peace. that same winter. This was the last of the law business for some time, and in fact Mr. Lane has never engaged in the practice of law for a livelihood, although he has done thousands of dollars worth of business in the county.
In South Dakota, Mr. Lane married Miss Mary Miller, a native of Westheld, Wisconsin.
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To this union, four children have been born: Arthur, aged eighteen; Goldie, aged fifteen; Mabel, aged eleven, and Lillian, aged two. Mr. Lane, does not seek to engage in profes- sional life, preferring to reside on his farm to earning his living by the sweat of his face. Many come to him seeking legal advice and are never turned away, but he is better satis- fied with the quietness of the agricluturist's career than the stormy life of an attorney.
JAMES T. McLEAN resides two miles west from Bridgeport and gives his attention to general farming and stock raising. He was born in New Brunswick near New Castle, on February 7, 1860, the son of Laughlan and Rebecca (McTavish) McLean, natives of the Isles of Mull and Tyre, respectively. The fa- ther followed lumbering. Our subject had but poor privileges to gain an education in New Brunswick, but he well improved all his ad- vantages, until seventeen, then began lumber- ing for himself. He journeyed from New Brunswick to Stillwater, Minnesota, and con- tinued lumbering for two years. Then he went to the Black Hills, Dakota, and worked for a year. Later, he took up lumbering and came to Powder river, Montana, where also he raised stock. He visited Yellowstone Park and then in company with others, rode across the coun- try to Yakima, where he engaged in lumbering for Seward and Grover. In 1887, he moved to Douglas county and took a pre-emption and timber culture claim where he now resides. He later took up a homestead and his estate is well improved. He grows small grain in addition to handling stock and is one of the prosperous men in this county. He has a large band of well graded cattle and some horses. Mr. Mc- Lean has been road supervisor and has also held various other offices. He has three broth- ers and two sisters, Laughlan, Isaac M., Wil- liam, Mrs. Margaret McCurdy, Mrs. Alice Harris.
At Waterville, on July 21, 1890, Mr. Mc- Lean married Miss Mildred Tackey, the daugh- ter of Daniel and Martha ( Wasson) Tackey, natives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. McLean was born in Laclede county, Missouri, on October 3, 1871, and has one brother and four sisters, Henry, Mrs. Charlotte Rigg, Mrs. Emma
Stout, Mrs. Mary Nolan and Mrs. Minnie Smith. Mr. and Mrs. McLean have the fol- lowing named children: Ira D., born on De- cember 29, 1891 ; Charles H., born November 9, 1893; Floyd J., born July 5, 1901; and Maud, born March 27, 1904.
Mr. McLean is an Orangeman and was raised in the church of Scotland. He is a very popular man and receives the respect of all. He is a first class citizen and has labored stead- ily and well for the building up of the country as well as gaining the confidence that he now has.
DENNIS J. LEAHY who resides about one mile west from Leahy postoffice, was born in the Province of Quebec, Canada, on June 18, 1862, being the son of James and Catherine (Barrett) Leahy, natives of the county of Cork, Ireland and Canada, respectively. He received his educational training in the district schools of his native country and remained there assist- ing his father until eighteen years of age, then he journeyed across the continent to California and settled in Bodie. He was engaged in mining on the Standard for about three years. After that he came to Washington, settling on Foster creek, near where his brother Daniel was, who is mentioned in another portion of this work. He also took other government claims and, turned his attention to general farming and stock raising. He has continued this steadily until the present time and now is one of the wealthy men of Douglas county. He farms over two hundred and fifty acres of land about ninety-five of which are producing hay. Mr. Leahy has three or four hundred head of cattle, all of fine Hereford strain, grazing on the prairies near his home, and also owns a good many horses. He has been blessed with abund- ant success since coming here, owing to his care- ful labors and the wisdom with which they have been bestowed. His horses are all Percheron stock and are fine driving animals.
At Spokane, on October. 24, 1899, Mr. Leahy married Miss Mae Halterman. Her pa- rents were Ephraim and Eliza (Johnson) Hal- terman, natives of West Virginia and Ohio, respectively. Mrs. Leahy was born in Gar- field county, Washington, on May 5, 1881. She has two brothers and four sisters, Alfred, Ed- mond, Mrs. Dora Cuerland, Carrie, Nellie,
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Eula. To this marriage one child has been born, James Elmer on April 23, 1901.
Mr. and Mrs. Leahy are members of the Roman Catholic church and he belongs to the A. O. U. W. They are well respected people and good citizens of the county.
GEORGE M. BOWKER is certainly one of the earliest pioneers in the Big Bend coun- try, and since those days of trials and hardship, has bestowed his labors here with becoming wisdom and is now reaping the rewards of good possessions due to his industry and skill. He resides about twelve miles northeast from Wil- soncreek, where he has a large estate of nearly one thousand acres. Three hundred acres of this land are well supplied with irrigating water and produce more hay than his stock is using. He handles well bred cattle, having introduced some excellent red Durham bulls and other good breeds. Formerly Mr. Bowker gave his attention to raising horses, but as the market became low, he sold for nine dollars per head and is now handling cattle altogether.
George M. Bowker was born in Phippsburg, Maine, on June 28, 1852, the son of Timothy B. and Elizabeth (Morrison) Bowker, natives of Maine. The father was one of the large lumber operators in Maine and also a large ship builder. He was prominent in politics and held a seat in the legislature. Our subject was edu- cated in the public schools of Cambridge, Mas- sachusetts, and in 1877, came west to Oregon. Settling at Cooks bay, he operated in lumber lines, then journeyed to San Francisco. It was in 1879, that he came to the Big Bend and here worked for Peter Myer, on Crab creek. Later he wrought for George Urquhart and during this time started in the horse breeding business for himself. He bought a section of land from the Northern Pacific where he now lives and has since added by government rights. Mr. Bowker has continued steadily in the horse and cattle business here and is now recognized as one of the leaders in this enterprise. He has won the good will of all and is really a part and parcel of the Big Bend. Mr. Bowker has two brothers, Freeman C. and William R., and four sisters, Mrs. Maria Perry, Mrs. Emma Campbell, Mrs. Lottie Rogers, and Mrs. Lena Cutting.
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