An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 148

Author: Hines, Harvey K., 1828-1902
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1056

USA > Washington > An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 148

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In politics, Mr. Hill is a Democrat, and has been honored by his constituents with various official positions. In 1785, he represented Jef. ferson conuty in the Legislature, and has also served as County Commissioner and Health Officer, and has declined every office in the gift of the people. He is fraternally identitied with the blue lodge, chapter and thirtieth degree, Scottish Rite, of the F. & A. M .; with the I. O. O. F. and the Order of Good Templars, all of which he has actively supported.

Mr. and Mrs. Ilill, associated with Judge A. Briggs and wife, were the organizers of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church and Mr. Hill was for many years Superintendent of the Sunday- school.

At the age of sixty-nine, Mr. Hill is active, ereet and agile, having by daily horseback ride and annual hunt preserved his health and buoy- aney of spirits, infusing into mature life much of the joyousness of youth.

W ILLIAM J. JONES, a prominent news- paper man of Port Townsend, was born in Colusa county. California, February 3. 1868, a son of Charles Jones, a native of Illi- nois. In subsequent years the latter became connected with the United States Secret Service, and in 1862, in behalf of the Government, came to California, and was stationed at San Fran- cisco for a number of years. He was married in 1865, to Miss Hannah J. Long, a daughter of William Long, one of the earliest settlers in the Russian River valley. Completing his term of service with the Government, Mr. Jones purchased a small fruit ranch near Petaluma, where the family resided. He followed mining with varying fortunes until his death, in 1884, his wife having departed this life one year previons, leaving three children.

William J. Jones, the eldest of the children, attended the Lincoln public schools in San

867

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

Francisco, and also spent two years in Litton's College, in Sonoma county. During the year of 1882 he passed nine months with a survey- ing party between El Paso and San Antonio, and then, returning to San Francisco, engaged in literary work, as city reporter on water front and police news for the Chronicle, receiving valuable instruction in newspaper work from Thomas Vivian, the able city editor. Mr. Jones next traveled through the northwest, served brief engagements on the Oregonian, at Walla Walla, and a newspaper at Seattle, and in 1886 established the Port Townsend News Bureau, in this city, for the distribution of that paper through the lower Sound country. In 1887 Mr. Jones organized another news bureau, covering the Associate Press, and as a special wrote for the leading daily papers of the United States, in which line he still continues. In March, 1889, he was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Jefferson county, by Richard De Lanty, Sheriff, and in the following September was made Deputy United States Marshal by T. R. Brown, of Tacoma, and is still in the discharge of both departments.

Mr. Jones was married in 1891, to Miss Re- gina Rothschild, a native of Port Townsend, and a daughter of the late D. C. H. Rothschild, one of the respected pioneers of this city. One child, Dorette, has been born to this union. Mr. Jones has valuable property interests in Port Townsend, and fine acre property on Whidby island. In his social relations, he affiliates with the F. & A. M. and the K. of P., and polit- ically is identified with the Republican party.

M. HANSE, one of the young and pro- gressive ranchers andgardeners of Klieki- tat county, was born near Salem, Marion county, Oregon, a son of John and Elizabeth (Crawford) Hanse, natives of Kentucky. They located in Missouri when young, and were mar- ried in Johnson county, that State. In 1850, in company with 500 wagons, they crossed the plains by Fort Laramie, spending five months on the road. Crossing the plains at that time was attended with much danger from Indians and wild animals, members of the company be- in compelled to stand guard at night while the others slept. Mr. Hanse was sick during seven

weeks of the journey. They located near Salem, taking a donation claim of 640 acres, where he lived until 1872. In that year he moved with his family to Klickitat county, Washington, lo- cating on a farm four miles west of Golden lale. Mr. and Mrs. Hanse now reside at Palouse, this State.

J. M. Hanse, the subject of this sketch, spent his early life in Oregon, but afterward was en- gaged in stock ranching and other pursuits, which called him to different parts of the coun . try. Hle now owns 160 acres of fine land in Klickitat county, which is well improved and waterel by springs. Heis principally engaged in gardening and fruit raising.

Mr. Hanse was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Newland, a native of Missouri, who in an early day crossed the plains with her parents to Washington. Her father, Isaac Newland, still resides in Klickitat county. Our subject and wife have three children, Rosco, Nellie and Maggie. Mr. Hanse is a member of the I. O. O. F., No. 15, of Goldendale, and is identified with the Republican party.

R OBERT F. WHITHAM, president and treasurer of the Capital City Abstract & Title Insurance Company, Olympia, Washington, dates his birth in Mount Jackson, Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, in 1852.

His parents, Rev. John D. and Caroline (Far- well) Whitham, were natives of West Virginia and New Hampshire, respectively. Mr. Whit- ham was a minister of the Presbyterian Church, who entered upon his mission in Pennsylvania and subsequently in Millersburg, Ohio, dispens- ing divine truth for more than forty years. He was also an ardent anti-slavery man, and was connected with the under-ground railroad sys- tem that was instrumental in releasing so many darkies before the war. In 1885 he retired from the ministry, removed to Norfolk, Nebraska, and is there passing the closing years of his life, fondly attended by the wife of his youth.

Robert F. was educated in the State Univer- sity of Illinois, at Champaign, and graduated as a civil engineer in 1877 He was engaged one year upon lake surveys, with headquarters at Vermillion, Illinois. He then followed Gov- ernment surveys and Union Pacific railroad

868

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

work up to 1880, when he came to Olympia, Washington Territory, and bought 350 acres of land three miles north of the eity. This he be- gan improving and selling as opportunity of- fered. At last he reduced the tract to twenty- five aeres, which is highly improved and chiefly set in prune trees, he being among the first to engage in the fruit industry here. He now has one of the finest and most extensive orchards in the county, with every facility for handling his crop. He gave this his undivided attention until 1887, when, with the increased demand for civil engineers, he returned to his profession, opened an office in Olympia, and followed gen- eral surveying until 1890. That year he was appointed City Engineer, and served one term.

In the spring of 1891 Mr. Whitham was one of a syndicate to purchase the abstract business of Henderson Brothers and to organize and in- corporate the Capital City Abstract & Title In- surance Company, of which he was elected pres- ident and treasurer. In December, 1891, he was elected Assessor of the city of Olympia.

Mr. Whitham was married at Champaign, Illinois, in 1877, to Miss Martha E. Page, a classmate in the State University, and a native of Illinois. They have five children, Paul P., John D., Carl, Ruth and Linn.

H MIZE, a successful farmer and stock- raiser of Washington, of which he is an old settler, now residing a mile north of. Bucoda, was born in Sullivan county, In- diana, April 23, 1826. His parents, J. and Rachel (Arnold) Mize, were natives of Virginia and Tennessee, respectively. They had ten children, of whom but two now survive. In 1832, when the subject of this sketeh was six years of age, his parents removed from his na- tive county, in Indiana, to the vicinity of Pal- estine, in Illinois, where his father followed farming for five years. At the end of that time, in 1837, they once more removed to In- diana and engaged in farming about twenty miles from their former home, where they lived for twenty years, and then returned to Crawford county, Illinois, settling on a farmn near Hntson- ville, where they resided fourteen years. Mr. Mize lived with his parents and cared for them in their old age and was their mainstay until their death.

In the meantime, having heard favorable rumors of the Northwest, he started, in 1860, with his wife and one child for Washington Territory. From Illinois, they proceeded to Terre Haute, Indiana, and thence by railroad to New York city, where they took a steamer to Panama. Crossing the isthmus, they took a steamer for San Francisco, from which point they proceeded to Puget Sound on a mail boat, stopping at all the principal places on the way, and arrived in Olympia, June 12, 1860. Soon after their arrival, they settled on a farm one mile north of Bucoda, where they have ever since made their home. Mr. Mize has dealt ex- tensively in lands, having owned and sold several good farms. He now owns two tracts of land under cultivation and is largely engaged in stock-raising, all of which have proved very remunerative, until after years of toil and hard- ships, he is now comfortably situated in the midst of family and friends.

April 10. 1857, Mr. Mize was married to Nancy J. Walters, of Hutsonville, Illinois, a native of the Prairie State, born May 21. 1834, whose parents, E. and Eva J. (Ridenhouse) Walters, were old residents of that State, where her father was a prominent farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Mize have six living children: Theodosia, now Mrs. J. Yantes; Emma, married to Mr. J. Yocom; Eva J., now Mrs. G. Funk; Henry L., Minnie and Charles, at home. Their first child, born in the East, died shortly after their arrival in Washington.

Mr. Mize has not only advanced his own in- terests by his energy and enterprise, but has also done inch to stimulate the growth and welfare of his community, of which he is an honored member.

F RED. SUMNER MEEKER was born at Steilacoom, Pierce county, Washington, on December 13, 1862. His parents were Ezra and Eliza J. (Sumner) Meeker.

He was educated in the schools of the county and in the grammar schools of Portland and at the State University of California at Berkeley. After leaving school he engaged in the hop business and has continued at it ever since. He has twenty-four aeres in his own place and twenty-five acres in partnership with his father at Kent, King county, Washington.

869

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

Mr. Meeker was married in Portland, Oregon, March 15, 1886, to Miss Clara Misamore, a na- tive of California. He is a member of Unity Lodge, No. 19, I. O. O. F. of Puyallup, and outside of this one connection devotes himself entirely to his adopted business of hop growing, and is growing more prosperous each year.

J OSEPH P. MEEKER was born near Steila- coom, in Pierce county, Washington, May 15, 1860. His parents were J. V. and Mary J. (Pence) Meeker; the former a native of Ohio, the latter of Indiana. Ilis parents came to this country in the fall of 1859. When Joseph was eight years old his parents removed to Puyallup, where he was reared and educated in the schools of that town. In 1872, he en- gaged in the hop industry with his father, but in 1884 he began in this business for himself, and now cultivates twenty-five acres of hops every year. From 1890 to 1893 he was engaged in the mercantile business in Puyallup in addi- tion to his farm interests. He was married on November 13, 1884, in this county to Miss Mary E. Marble, a native of Nebraska, then living at South Bend, Washington. They have three children, viz .: Winifred, John Valentine and Iola.

Mr. Meeker is a member of Unity Lodge No. 18, I. O. O. F. Both he and his wife are members of Rebekah Lodge. He is a Repub- lican politically, and is regarded as one of the rising young men of that community.

D R. FREDERICK W. SPARLING .- Conspicuous as a surgeon in the late Civil war, prominent as a patriot of the American republie and notable as a citizen of Washington, is the subject of this sketch.

Born in Limerick, in the south of Ireland, and reared in Canada, he is essentially Ameri- can. Coming to Canada in boyhood, he was there educated in literature and medicine, and subsequently married Mary Mitchell, of Scotch descent and a representative of an old and hon- orable family. He then removed to Detroit, Michigan, where he was engaged in the practice of medicine when the war broke out.

The Doctor was appointed in 1861, by the Governor of Michigan, to the position of As- sistant Surgeon of the Fourteenth Regiment of State Infantry, and when the regiment reached the front he was detailed for duty in charge of the field hospital at Hamburg, on the Tennessee river. After the capture of Corinth, Missis- sippi, the Doctor was promoted Surgeon of the Tenth Michigan Infantry, and participated in all the operations of the army until Nashville, Tennessee, was reached. He served on the staffs of Generals Paine, Palmer, Morgan and Granger, and, after the battle of Stone river, was appointed by General Rosecrans Medical Inspector of Hospitals and ordered to the East to visit all hospitals where soldiers of the Army of the Cumberland were confined, and to order to their commands at the front all those who were fit tor duty. The execution of this order re- stored hundreds of soldiers to service. The Doctor was afterward transferred from the staff of General Paine to that of General Jefferson C. Davis, commanding the second division of the Fourteenth Army Corps, and participated in all the operations of the Army of the Cum- berland until Atlanta was reached, when he was detailed as Medical Inspector of Hospitals by General George H. Thomas, commanding the Cumberland Department. General Thomas directed the Doctor to proceed to the rear and order to the front all men and officers who did not need further medical treatment, and after the performance of this dnty Dr. Sparling was detailed Post Medical Director at Nashville and ordered to report to General John F. Miller, commander of that post. Dr. Sparling partici- pated in all the engagements in and around Nashville, and was complimented in general orders, for duty performed during the battle of Nashville. He was mustered out of volunteer service in 1865, owing to the expiration of his term of enlistment, and was transferred to the regular army in the capacity of Acting Assist- ant Surgeon. Governor Brownlow afterward appointed him Surgeon General of the State of Tennessee, and General Cox, who was Secretary of the Interior, later designated him as one of three surgeons to supervise the examination of pensioners in the United States. President Grant subsequently appointed him Assessor of the Fifth District of Tennessee, and the Doctor was later nominated by Governor Brownlow, and confirmed by the Senate, to the office of Clerical Commissioner of Metropolitan Police

870

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

of the State. After the rebel Democracy gained predominence in Tennessee the sur- roundings became "rather tropical " for Dr. Sparling, who removed to Washington, District of Columbia.

In 1873 Dr. Sparling came to the Pacific coast under orders of the Surgeon General of the United States army to report for duty to General Jefferson C. Davis, then in command of the Department of the Columbia. The Doctor thereafter served as Post Surgeon at Fort Cape Disappointment, at the American garrison on San Juan island and at Port Town- send until 1875, when he resigned from the army.

He then removed to Seattle, Washington, and engaged in the general practice of medicine. In 1877 he was elected Medical Superintendent of the Hospital for the Insane at Steilacoom, but, resigning that office, he was elected Quar- ter- Master General of the Territory. In 1880 he was appointed Supervisor of the Census for the Territory by President Hayes, and per- formed the duties of that office until he was designated Register of the United States Land Office at Vancouver, Washington, by President Garfield, to which he was re-appointed by Presi- dent Arthur, and promptly resigned when Presi- dert Cleveland came into power.

Dr. Sparling then resumed his private prac- tice in Seattle, which he discontinued to till the office of Appraiser of Tide Lands, which posi- tion he still holds.

The lives of few men have been as eventful and full of instruction, as an object lesson of the force attending right and persistent effort, and it is regretted that space will not permit a fuller detail of its incidents, which would be of value to young and old alike and do honor to himself and the great State of his adoption.

C HARLES A. BILLINGS, of Olympia, Washington, is the eldest son of William and Mary Ann (Kandle) Billings, and was born on the Puyallup reservation in 1863, while his father was superintending the reser- vation. He was educated in the schools of Olympia, and with more mature years assisted his father as Deputy Sheriff of Thurston county. He was subsequently appointed United States Inspector of Revenue, connected with the cus-

tomhouse department, at Tacoma, and, al- though very successful in ferreting out and arresting would-be smugglers, the occupation was not pleasing to him, and after one year's service he resigned. By deed from his father, he became owner of eighty acres of land adjoin- ing Tenino, which shows croppings of blue slate stone, valuable for building purposes. About 1888 George Van Tyne and Wesley Fenton, practical stone-cutters, leased a portion of the above-mention property to procure stone for building, and in 1890 Mr. Billings consolidated his interests with theirs and organized the Tenino Stone Company. This company has developed the quarry and demonstrated the limitless sup- ply and value of the stone. They have erected a $36,000 plant, with the latest devices for saw - ing and handling stone of any size or weight, their derrick being of forty tous' capacity : they employ a force of fifty men. In a single day they have cut and sawed eight car-loads of stone. They donated five car-loads of stone for the arch of the Washington memorial building at the world's fair in Chicago.

Mr Billings was married in Olympia, April 26, 1892, to Miss Gordon, sister of Judge M. J. Gordon, of that city.

Socially, Mr. Billings is a member of the K. of P. He is a man of thorough business qual- ifications, and is devoting his time and energy to the extension of his valuable quarry interests.

W ILLIAM R. AND DEWITT C. BRAW- LEY, comprising the firm of Brawley Brothers, of Seattle, were born on a farm near Meadville, Crawford county, Penn- sylvania. Their grandfather was a Government employe, and was connected with the first sur- vey of western Pennsylvania. He afterward settled in Crawford county, where William Brawley, the father of our subjects, was born, having been the first white child born in that county. William was reared on a farm, and subsequently married Jane Stuart, a native of Erie county, Pennsylvania.

William R. and Dewitt C. remained with their parents until twenty-one years of age, and then started for the oil fields of Rocky Nook, near Drake's well, which was the first well of the district, sunk abont 1860. They immedi- ately began operations in sinking wells, using

871

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

the primitive method of spring board and foot power for lifting and dropping their drill, which weighed about 300 pounds. The modern drill and attachment weighs abont 3,500 pounds. They started with very little cash, but with strength of body and fixedness of purpose they leased land and . sunk their first well to a depth of 300 feet without striking a satisfactory flow. Other wells were then sunk, but without very satisfactory results, and they then moved to Moody's Gulch and Pitt Hole, where their ef- forts were crowned with snecess. In 1887 the brothers began operations near Bowling Green, Ohio, and there purchased the famous Ducat well, which, when opened, flowed so rapidly that it was impossible to control the flow, but it was later estimated at 200 barrels per hour. Eight- een months afterward they sold this well to the Standard Oil Company, and closed their opera- tions in the oil distriets. In 1879 William R. came to the Territory of Washington, looking for advantageous investment, while his brother attended to the oil business. In 1880 the former began purchasing farm, coal and timber lands, and in 1882 was joined by Dewitt C., who, after looking over the country, returned to Pennsylvania to settle the unfinished business of the firm. In 1889 he returned to Seattle for permanent residence. Meanwhile William R. had been making purchases and attending to improvements. Brawley Brothers now own a farm of 600 acres on Port Susan bay, at the mouth of the Stilliguamish river. This was formerly tide flats, and by dyking has been re- claimed, and is now very productive and highly improved. They cut annually about 900 tons of hay, and raise about 10,000 bushels of oats. The brothers own a farm of 300 acres on Hat slongh, eighty acres of which is cultivated, and they also own 400 acres of coal lands adjoining the New Castle mines. After the fire of June, 1889, they embarked in the manufacture of brick in South Seattle, which they still con - tinue in fair weather, with an average prodne- tion of 15,000 per day. Brawley addition to Seattle was platted and sold under their direc- tion, and they also own inneh improved and unimproved property in the city.

William R. Brawley was married in Seattle, in 1882, to Miss Gertrude Parkhurst, a native of Pennsylvania. They have two children, Park and Ilarold. Dewitt C. Brawley was married in Cambridge, Pennsylvania, in 1880, to Miss Ella R. Thomas, a native of that State. To this

union has been born one child, Lee J. The brothers are nnited in their domestic relations as in business affairs, and reside in a beautiful home erected by William R., on the corner of Eleventh and Main streets.

F RED W. SPINNING, who has a nice farm near Sumner, Pierce county, Wash- ington, was born October 16, 1852, near the present site of Claqnato, Washington, a mile and a half west of Chehalis. His father, C. H. Spinning, was born in Indiana, he lived at Claquato from 1855 nutil 1856 during the In- dian war, and was superintendent of the Indian reservation for eleven years, teaching the Indians to farm, etc. When Fred W. was two years old the family moved to Polk county, Oregon, and three years later to Monmonth, that State. In 1858 they came to Fern Hill, Washington, four miles south of Tacoma, where the subject of our sketch remained until 1878. During the fall of that year he took up his abode in Stuck valley, a year later moved to Puyallup, and after two years and a half spent at this place went back to Stuck valley, where he lived for six years. His next move was to his present location. Here he owns ninety-two aeres of land (part of which is known as the Isaac Woverly donation claim), his attention being devoted to hop eul- ture, gardening and fruit-growing. Fifty acres of his land are under cultivation.

Mr. Spinning was married, in 1879, to Miss Elma A. Baker. They had eight ehildren, seven of whom are living.

Mr. Spinning is a member of the I. O. O. F.

H ENRY KISTENMACHER, who has been indentited with the horticultural interests of Sumner, Washington, for several years, is one of the thrifty, suc- cessful men of the town.

He was born in Keil, Holstein, Germany, August 16, 1839, son of John Kistenmaeher, a land owner and retired citizen of Germany. The subject of our sketch remained in his na- tive land until 1875, when he came to America, accompanied by his wife and three children. He married Cristina Derfs, also a native of Ger-

872

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.

many, in 1870, and four weeks after his mar- riage he entered the German army, as Colonel of the First Company of Battalion No. 85.

Upon his arrival in America, Mr. Kisten- macher went first to Davenport, Iowa, where he was employed by the firm of Lench & French, manufacturers of farm machinery, for eight years. His efficient services were appreciated by the firm and he was promoted to be superin- tendent of the factory. In 1884, seeking to im- prove his temporal condition, he came ont West to Portland, Oregon, and after remaing in Port- land two years he went to Tacoma. Soon after- ward he came to Sumner and settled on a farm, where he has since been engaged in raising fruit and hay.

J OSEPH N. FERNANDEZ was born in New York city on the 3d of April, 1854. His parents were Joseph A. and Catherine (Mills) Fernandez; the former a native of Mad- rid, Spain, the latter of England. The subject this sketch was reared and educated in New York and there learned the trade of plumber with the firm of Stephen Philbin & Company. He followed this business in New York until March, 1877, when he left to go to San Fran- cisco, California, and remained there for five years of which time he followed his trade of plumber about one year, and the remainder of the time he was connected with the fire depart- ment. In August of 1881, he came to Puyal- lup, Washington, where he at first tried to es- tablish himself in the plumbing business, but finally abandoned the idea and engaged in hop- raising in partnership with C. O. Bean on the Yonng place, and afterward in partnership with his father-in-law, J. V. Meeker; finally starting in business for himself on his own place where he has twenty acres of land, twelve of which are devoted to hops.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 148

Author: Hines, Harvey K., 1828-1902 Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 1056

Author: Hines, Harvey K., 1828-1902
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1056