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 61
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 61
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 61
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 61
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THOMAS M. MORGAN who resides about twelve miles south from Lind is well- known in various portions of this western country as a preacher of the gospel. At the present time, he is dividing his time between that occupation and farming, having a well improve'd estate where he lives. He was born in Missouri in 1839. His parents moved thence to Kansas when he was seven years old and there our subject received his education from personal research and under the private in- struction of various ministers of the gospel. He remained in Kansas until thirty years of age, having taken up preaching during the sixties. He followed that calling diligently un- til 1874, when he came west and located in Coos county, Oregon. There he also preached and later was traveling salesman for a medi- cine company. He was in the Looking glass valley for a year then spent a year in Lane county and a year and one half in Polk county and in 1882 located in Whitman county, be- tween Palouse and Colfax. Two years later. he journeyed to Dayton, and there organized the Christian church in which he was pastor for three years. It was 1887, when he located on his present place, his being the first family in this entire section. It was necessary for him to draw water for five miles when he first came here but he has improved his estate until it is now a very comfortable rural abode, supplied with all conveniences and all the machinery needed on a good wheat farm.
In 1861, Mr. Morgan married Miss Rachel Barnes, of Indiana. She had come to Mis- souri with her parents when young and there was married. To this union eleven children have been born, named as follows; Ida R., deceased; Mary, who taught three years in the Ritzville schools when first coming here; An- drew, living in Adams county, near Lind; Al- bert, near Lind; William W., in California; Salmon, twelve miles south of Lind; Lester, in California ; Vesta, deceased; Vernon, twelve miles south of Lind; Lloyd, studying for the ministry, and Charles, in California.
Politically, Mr. Morgan is a Prohibitionist and always takes an active part in this realm and has been candidate for various offices among which was county treasurer in 1902. Mr. Morgan has so manifested his faith in his walk that the entire family are, with him, mem- bers of the Christian church. He has traveled considerable in the gospel work, having been in Latah and Shoshone counties, Idaho, also recently in California.
CLAUD C. ROUSE resides about six miles southeast from Lind and follows farm- ing. He was born in Garfield county, Wash- ington, on May 10, 1879, the son of J. S. S., and Sarah E. (Scroggins) Rouse, natives of Nebraska. They came to Washington in 1875, locating first in Garfield county, where they remained until 1891. The father moved to Adams county in 1891, taking land near Lind. His death occurred in October. 1897. They were the parents of nine children, named as follows: Nora, Burk, Carrie, Homer, Howard, Claud, Ervin and two who died when young.
Our subject was educated in the common schools of his native county and when eighteen came to Adams county with his father. At the age of eighteen, he started in life for him- self, laboring for the farmers in this portion of the county. In 1900, he took a homestead and has added more by purchase until he has three hundred and twenty acres of fine wheat land. He has ten head of horses and farming implements necessary to handle his land. Mr. Rouse is an industrious and worthy young man and is well on the road towards a first class success.
He was married in 1901 to Susie Case. Her
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
parents, Amzi and Linnie (Buzzard) Case are natives of Iowa and came to Oregon in 1890. They are now dwelling in Adams coun- ty, Washington, and are the parents of six chil- dren, Louie, Susie, Zigler, John, Ida and Elbert.
Mr. Rouse is an active Democrat and is interested in all the enterprises for the develop- ment of the county and the advancement of educational facilities. He and his wife are members of the Christian church.
THOMAS WINN. Among the substan- tial and successful agriculturists of Adams county, we are constrained to mention the gen- tleman whose name heads this article. He was one of the first settlers where Delight now is located and has given his attention to farming and stock raising since. Industry and upright- ness have characterized him in his walk and the result is that he has made a becoming success in his labors.
Thomas Winn was born in Texana, Texas, on October 2, 1863. His parents, Thomas and Hannah M. (McChesney) Winn, were na- tives of Virginia. The grandfather of our subject came from England to Virginia in early days and secured a plantation in Roanoke coun- ty. His youngest son, Thomas Winn, the fa- ther of our subject, was well educated in the state university and became a prominent law- . yer, but owing to failing health was forced to abandon his profession. Ten years after his marriage, this gentleman removed with his wife's father to Texas, and there did stock raising and also held several prominent offices. In 1880, he went on to New Mexico, later to California and in 1884 landed in Washington. He secured a homestead above Washtucna lake and there remained until 1889, when he . went to Pasco, being elected county auditor. There his wife died in 1889, and he the follow- ing year. Seven children were born to this marriage, three in Virginia, and four in Texas.
Our subject was educated in Texas and re- ceived his training from the public schools. He remained under the parental roof until eighteen years of age, then he began the du- ties of life for himself and took up stock rais- ing as his initial labor. For two years he la- bored at that and then lost his holding through
the hard winter. As early as 1883, Mr. Winn made his way into Washington and located on the Snake river. Two years later, he took a homestead and timber culture where he now lives, about three miles south from Delight. Since that time he has been steadily engaged in general farming and stock raising. His place . is all under cultivation, fenced and supplied with plenty of good water and good buildings, his residence being a new structure, completed in 1902.
In 1888, at Moscow, Idaho, occurred the marriage of Mr. Winn and Kate McChesney, the daughter of Zachariah and Celia ( McDow- ell) McChesney, natives of Virginia and Ken- tucky, respectively. The great-great-grandfa- ther of Mrs. Winn came to America with his parents before 1812, as some of the family fought for the cause of the young states in that struggle. They were of Scotch-Irish extrac- tion. The son of this venerable gentleman lived in Virginia, as also did his son, George W. McChesney, the grandfather of Mrs. Winn. This man had two brothers, Zachariah and Adam. G. W. McChesney was a wealthy plan- ter in Roanoke county, Virginia, and also a merchant. In 1858 he went to Texas and did stock farming until his death from yellow fever. He left a family of five boys and two girls, the youngest of whom was Zachariah McChesney, the father of Mrs. Winn. He left Texas when young for Kansas, whence he journeyed to Missouri and married Miss Ce- lia McDowell. They went to California and dwelt for ten years, having a farm where Long- beach is now situated. In 1879 he sold this property and went to Texas and the follow- ing year accompanied the elder Mr. Winn, an- other McChesney family, and some others to New Mexico. They had a fine trip part of the way and some of the time were exposed to great hardship, and danger from the savages. Mrs. Winn's mother died at Whiteoaks, New Mex- ico, and sleeps there to this day. Then Mr. McChesney went to California, returned to Texas, in 1883 journeyed to Virginia, in 1884 back to California, and finally in 1886 came to Washington and located government claims. He had two children besides Mrs. Winn. One only, living now. Mrs. Winn's mother's peo- ple, the McDowells, were a very old and prom- inent family, being connected with the Pages, Montgomerys, Alexanders, and other leading
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
families. Many of the ancestors were stanch Americans before there was a United States, and fought in the various struggles from the first settlements of the colonies all through. To Mr. and Mrs. Winn seven children have been born, Thomas, Celia E., Mary M., Roy M., Alice G., John H., and Virginia.
In the political world, Mr. Winn has al- ways pulled in the Democratic harness and is well pleased with the principles of that party. He has held various minor offices and is a man always greatly interested in the welfare of the community and the state.
Mr. and Mrs. Winn are members of the Christian church and are exemplary people. They have endured much hardship in getting started here and have shown a zeal and stabil- ity that is worthy of note. They struggled with the other pioneers in the days of trial and scarcity of provisions, but have overcome and are among the leading people here today.
We wish to mention in this connection re- garding Mr. Winn and his father in New Mex- ico. They had various thrilling experiences from the wily savages, and were exposed to much danger continually. On one occasion the Indians made a raid and all were forced to flee for their lives. It became necessary to notify some men who were caring for stock in the mountains and young Winn, our subject, who was then but seventeen, was selected for the dangerous undertaking. Owing to the con- dition of things speed was urgent. He se- cured a fast horse and in the darkness of mid- night struck out. He was forced through hard passes on a dangerous trail where but one horse could walk at a time. Yet with drawn pistol momentarily expecting an attack from the sav- ages, he pressed on. Finally he reached the men, and soon they had the loose stock up and on their way back. They finally reached a place of safety though some of the stock was sacrificed.
HON. GEORGE W. BASSETT, a lead- ing business man of Washtucna, than whom few men now living have been more closely identified with the early history of the North- west, is a native of Clinton county, Iowa, born December 31. 1845. He is the son of G. B. O. and Mary (Smith ) Bassett, the father a native of Vermont and the mother of Canada. After
their marriage the parents settled in Iowa, re- mained there until 1854, then removed to Fil- more county, Minnesota, where they lived until 1866. With the Captain J. L. Fisk expedition, they then removed to Helena, Montana, and in 1872 came to Walla Walla, Washington. They returned to Minnesota in 1878, where the father died during the same year. In 1889 the mother returned to Walla Walla, and now, at the age of eighty-seven, she is living with her son of whom we write. Our subject is of English, Welsh and Irish blood, his father having been of English-Welsh and his mother of Irish extraction. He is a member of a family of ten children, four of whom now live. Two brothers, Judge H. S. Bassett and G. B. O. Bassett, live at Preston, Minnesota, and another, S. S. Bassett, is an attorney of Spokane.
Mr. Bassett received a grammar school education in Iowa, which was supplemented by a course in the Cedar Valley seminary at Osage, Iowa. In 1866, in company with his parents, he came to Montana, where he prospected and mined until he came to Walla Walla in 1869. During that same year he went on a tour to Salem, Oregon, and Olympia, Washington, then returned to Walla Walla and taught a term of school. The spring following he engaged in the business of buying horses in the territory of Washington and selling them in Montana, making his last trip in that business in 1872, when his father and mother returned with him to Walla Walla. Returning to Montana he engaged in mining until 1874. On August 24 of that year, he was married at Virginia City, Montana, to Alice C. Lancaster. Then he came again to Walla Walla and engaged in the freighting business, traversing Washington, Oregon and Idaho, until 1877, when he took a position as clerk in a store. Two years later he came to Washtucna, took land and in July, 1893, platted the townsite of Washtucna. In 1879 he brought his family to the place where he has since lived.
Upon coming to the present site of the town he engaged in the stock business and has fol- lowed it, in connection with his other enter- prises, to date. As Washtucna was a convenient stopping place for travellers going south to Walla Walla, Mr. Bassett opened an inn, about the time he made his home there, which inn became one of the most popular hostelries in
GEORGE W. BASSETT
MRS. GEORGE W. BASSETT
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
eastern Washington. Mr. Bassett has acquired three thousand acres of land in the immediate vicinity of his town, and annually harvests an enormous quantity of grain and hay. His resi- dence, which is in Washtucna, is the finest in the town.
Since the raising of wheat became an estab- lished industry of the country, our subject has been engaged more or less in speculating in that commodity. In 1901 he engaged in the hard- ware and farm implement business, but also continues to manage his farming operations.
Mr. Bassett's wife is the daughter of David and Mary (Pool) Lancaster, both of English birth. Early in life they came to the United States and settled in Michigan, where Mrs. Bassett was born. Besides Mrs. Bassett, they reared two other children, Gertrude A., and James WV., both of Los Angeles, where the brotheris an employee of the Wells Fargo Ex- press Company.
The subject of our sketch has been active in politics ever since attaining his majority. He is a life-long Republican, and in 1885 he was elected to the office of county commissioner of Adams county, which office he held two con- secutive terms. In 1882 he was appointed the first postmaster in Adams county, and retained that office until 1894. In 1903 he was elected a member of the State House of Represent- atives. He is a Mason and a member of the Presbyterian church.
Mr. and Mrs. Bassett have been parents of eight children, only four of whom are now liv- ing. They are: L. L., married and living in Washtucna; Charles S., Esther and Georgia, who live with their parents.
BYRON L. SUTTON resides about seven miles east from Hatton. He owns there a mammoth estate of fourteen hundred acres farmed to cereals. In addition to this, Mr. Sutton owns property in Seattle and other places. He is one of the progressive and lead- ing farmers in this section and his ability is good evidence of the measure of success that he has achieved.
Byron L. Sutton was born in Lapeer coun- ty, Michigan, on January 21, 1867. the son of Levi L. and Sarah J. (Goodenough) Sutton, natives of New York and Michigan, respect-
ively. They are more particularly mentioned in another portion of this work. Our subject received his education in Lapeer county, Mich- igan, completing it in the high school at Dry- den. After this he went to teaching school, following the same two years in his native state. In 1887, he came west with his parents and for some time taught in Spokane county. Later, he entered the mercantile business in Cheney and one year after that, came to Adams county and took a homestead. He also secured a timber culture claim and in addition to this half section, he has bought enough to make more than fourteen hundred acres. At the present time, Mr. Sutton is renting his estate, and is retired from more active life.
In 1889, Mr. Sutton married Miss Bessie, the daughter of Thomas and Phœbe ( Russell) Reynolds. On May 14, 1902, she died, leav- ing three children, Levi R., Phoebe J. and Bes- sie E. The children are with Mr. Sutton's parents.
In political matters, our subject is a strong and active Democrat and takes a keen interest in public and general affairs of the country. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and also the I. O. O. F. He is considered one of the substantial men of this county.
WILLIAM W. YEISLEY conducts a farm eleven miles east from Hatton, Washing- ton. He is a native of Daviess county, Mis- souri, born April 22, 1869, and the son of Will- iam and Elizabeth ( Morris) Yeisley, natives of Kentucky, who went to Missouri during the '50s. The mother died in that state in 1875. and the father still lives at Galeton, Missouri. They reared a family of six children : Charles, John, Olive, Ida, William W. and Luella. Two others died during infancy.
Mr. Yeisley received a fair common school education in Madison and Daviess counties, Missouri, and at the age of seventeen he be- gan working for wages on his father's farm. This gave him an independent start in life, and after being thus engaged for two years he came west to California, remained three months, then came to Washington, in 1888. After coming to this state he worked for wages two years and in the spring of 1891 he filed a home- stead and pre-emption where he now lives.
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
Here he now has in all one thousand and forty acres of land well under cultivation and im- provement. He raises chiefly wheat, and dur- ing some years he harvests as much as eleven thousand bushels of that cereal. He has a good orchard, superb water facilities and raises some live stock.
Mr. Yeisley is an active Democrat, a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F., and of the M. W. A.
He is a well-to-do farmer and popular with his neighbors.
JOEL HOWTON, who resides on his farm six miles north and two east of Kahlotus, Washington, was born on December 10, 1854. and is the son of James H. and Elizabeth L. (Ross) Howton. The father was a native of Hopkins county, Kentucky, and the mother was born in Tennessee, where she lived until twelve years of age. They were married in Kentucky in 1851, and there resided until 1865, when they moved to Carroll county, Ar- kansas, which was their home until 1875. In that year, the family crossed the plains with horses and mule teams, landing first at Leb- anon, Linn county, Oregon, where they dwelt two years. Then they journeyed to Umatilla county and two years later went to Nez Perces county, Idaho. The father died in Geneseo, Idaho, in 1900, and the mother still lives in that town. They were the parents of ten chil- dren, seven boys and three girls. The girls are all deceased and are particularly mentioned as follows, Nancy, died at the age of fourteen ; Alice, died when three months old; Sarah, married S. C. Wearyrick when eighteen, the wedding occurring at Albany, Oregon. She died in Asotin county, Washington, when twenty-one years of age. Referring to the boys, we note that William H. died when an infant ; James A. also in infancy. The brothers liv- ing are Joel, John, G. R., C. D., and J. W. Mr. Howton received his education largely af- ter he had arrived at manhood's estate, gaining a thorough training at the Corvallis college in Oregon. After that, he taught school for a while, then did farming in Umatilla county. In 1880 Mr. Howton married Miss Amelia A. Dehaven, the wedding occurring at Walla Walla, Washington, on March 6. On January 1882, thev moved to Nez Perces county. Ida- ho, and three years later, returned to Walla
Walla, and there followed farming until 1895. On February 8, of that year, Mrs. Howton was called hence by death. Then Mr. Howton moved to Walla Walla for the purpose of edu- cating his children and there remained until 1900, when he located on his present place, taking a homestead in section 26, township 15, range 34. After that, he bought section 25 in the same township and range and he has. seven hundred acres fenced and in cultivation. The place is well supplied with buildings, water and all improvements needed. Mrs. Howton was the daughter of Thomas H. and Erepta A. (Savage) Dehaven. Her maternal grand- father was Towner Savage of Salem, Oregon. Her father's father, was Jacob Dehaven, of Covington, Indiana. To Mr. and Mrs. How- ton, five children have been born, Joel H., Sam- uel H., George M., James O., and Louis J. Our subject and his wife are members of the Baptist church while in fraternal affiliations, he is known as a Mason and Odd Fellow and. member of the A. O. U. W. Politically, Mr. Howton is a Democrat.
ROY McCHESNEY is a prosperous and promising young farmer living two and one- half miles southwest from Delight postoffice, Adams county. He also engages quite heavily in the stock business, maving a large herd each of well-bred cattle and horses.
Born in Los Angeles, California, Septem- ber 15. 1877, he was the son of Zacharia and Celia (McDowell) McChesney, natives of the state of Missouri. They came to Los Angeles in 1874, and the mother died there in 1880, survived by the father, who now makes his home with the subject of our sketch. They were the parents of three children, who, be- sides our subject, were: Katie and Clyde, the latter now being dead.
Mr. McChesney, when nine years of age came to Franklin county, Washington, with his parents. Prior to that time he attended school some in Fresno county, California, and he con- tinued his education in this state until he at- tained the age of eighteen years, when he started in life for himself. The family removed to Adams county in 1886. In 1898 Roy filed a homestead claim on his present farm, which he now has well improved and under cultiva- tion.
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
In 1889 Mr. McChesney was married to Louise Case, daughter of Amsy and Linnie Case, natives of Missouri, who came to Wash- ington in 1890 and located on Puget Sound, and who are now living in Adams county. They are parents of five children; Louise, Su- sie, Zigler, John and Albert.
To Mr. and Mrs. McChesney have been born two children, Effie and Ims. In politics Mr. McChesney is a stalwart and active Re- publican.
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CYRIL J. BLAIR is a farmer residing seven miles north from Washtucna. He was born in Quebec, Canada, on July 25, 1861. Simon and Mary (Nichols) Blair, both natives of Canada, were his parents, and they are now living at Little Falls, Minnesota, having lo- cated there in 1867, among the early pioneers. Upon coming to the state they lived in the town of Little Falls for four years, then took a home- stead near by, upon which they lived thirty years, after which time they returned to town to pass their declining years. They were par- ents of ten children, eight of whom live, Frank, Simon, Mary, our subject, Mitchel, Peter, John. and Clara. Two died in infancy.
Mr. Blair in his early life was denied the advantage of any but the most meager educa- tion, and upon attaining his majority he bought a farm in Minnesota upon which he lived three years. He sold his interests and came to Spo- kane, Washington, in 1888, lived there two years, then returned to Minnesota. Six years later he came again to Spokane, and for two years he worked at making ties in the timber near that city, and in 1898 he came to Adams county. He brought with him all he owned,- an old team and wagon and seven dollars in money. With this as a nucleus he took a home- stead and went to work to carve his fortune out of the bunch grass prairies of the Big Bend. The first spring of his life here he plowed land on contract, receiving one dollar per acre for the work. While thus engaged he was com- pelled to cook his own food in the open air and sleep in a nearby straw pile. The following harvest he made enough money to enable him to erect a cabin on his claim. However, he did not live on his land that winter, but went to Spokane where he cut wood to earn money upon which to live the following spring while
doing some plowing and improvement on hiis homestead. The following year he harvested eight hundred bushels of wheat, which gave him a start, since which time he has continued to prosper in a flattering manner. In 1902 he purchased a section of land and made final proof on his homestead. He then sold out and re- moved to his present location, where he has a section of land all improved and under cul- tivation. He raises some stock, and has an excellent orchard, good buildings and first-class water facilities.
Mr. Blair was married in 1884, which union was blessed with two children : Frank, deceased ; and Mary L., married to Lee Moore, of Adams county. In 1892, Mr. Blair was again married, his wife being Minnie Wieczorek, daughter of John and Christina (Thravic) Wieczorek, na- tives of Germany. The parents of Mrs. Blair came to America in 1875 and located in Min- nesota, where the father is now living, the mother having died in 1888. They were par- ents of ten children, Emma, Annie, William, deceased, Minnie, Adolph, Mary, John, and Robert, the others having died in infancy.
To Mr. and Mrs. Blair have been born three children, Fred, Caroline, and William.
Mr. Blair is a Republican and takes an act- ive interest in the affairs of his party.
JOHN McMILLAN, a blacksmith re- siding at Washtucna, was born in Inverness, Scotland, June 15, 1867, the son of John and Catherine (McDonald) McMillan, who were born and who died in Scotland. The father was a shoemaker by trade, and reared a family of six children, of whom our subject was the second. Those now living, except the subject of our sketch, are: Alexander, Duncon and Katherine, all residing in their native country. Two, Mary and Maggie, are dead.
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