An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 62

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

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special study of law for many years prior to that time, and in 1881 he was admitted to the bar. Mr. Lieser opened an office in Vancouver, Wash- ington, in the same year, but soon afterward abandoned the legal profession and is now en- gaged in agricultural pursuits. His farm con- sists of 110 acres, located four miles cast of Vancouver, fifty acres of which is under a fine state of cultivation, and twenty acres of which is devoted to an orchard. His residence is lo- cated on a high and picturesque point, overlook- ing the broad waters of the Columbia river.

Mr. Lieser was married in Oregon, April 9, 1876, to Miss Elizabeth Hay, a native of that State, and a daughter of Valentine Hay, a pio- neer of 1850, but now deceased. Our subject and wife have seven children: May, Miles, Her- bert, Clyde, Leal, Ralph and Jessie. Mr. Lie- ser belongs to no secret societies, and is a stanch advocate of Republican principles, although he takes no active part in political matters.

G EORGE E. CLEVELAND, manager for the State of Washington of the Home Life Insurance Company, New York, is a native of Michigan, born at Spring Lake, December 16, 1862. His parents are Henry W. and Phoebe (Parham) Cleveland, the former being a druggist and a native of Jefferson county, New York, and the latter a native of Adams county, same State.

George E. was reared at his native place, receiving the benefit of good educational advantages. He received his primary and academic education in the graded schools at Spring Lake, which was supplemented by a commercial business course at Nunica high school, a member of the class of 1880. For the three years following he was employed in the drug business as head clerk for his uncle at Spring Lake.

In 1883 he went to Detroit, where he first began his connection with the Home Life In- surance Company, with whose interests he has since been identified. His field of operation was in the city of Detroit and State of Michi- gan until 1890, when he came to this coast. During the three years which preceded his com- ing West he was superintendent of agencies for the State of Michigan, and his change of location was for the purpose of establishing the

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business of the company in the State of Wash- ington, he having the management of the company's interest in this State. It was July 19, 1890, that he opened his offices in the Washington building on Pacific avenue, and here he has since continned, his being the first State agency in Washington with Headquarters in Tacoma. His efforts to obtain a foothold for his company in this State have been very successful, the volume of business done showing a constant increase.

Mr. Cleveland is a prominent Mason. He is a member of Spring Lake Lodge, No. 234, F. & A. M., Michigan; Tacoma Chapter, No. 4, R. A. M .: Tacoma Lodge of Perfection, No. 9; Tacoma Chapter of Knights Rose Croix, No. 6; Tacoma Council of Knights Kadosh, No. 4; A. & A. S. R .; was made a thirty-second-degree Mason, June 12, 1890, by Michigan Sovereign Consistory, S. P. R. S., Detroit; was made a Noble of the Mystic Shrine in Moslem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., Detroit. June 12, 1890; and affiliated with Afifi Temple, Tacoma, later in the same year: was the Director of Afifi Temple in 1892 and 1893; and is a member of Fern Chapter, No. 7, O. E. S., Tacoma. Politically, he is a Republican.

Such, in brief, is a sketch of the life of one of the enterprising young business men of Tacoma.

W ILLIAM J. GRAMBS, of Seattle, Washington, was born in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, April 11, 1862, a son of Lorenzo and Margaret (Gunthry) Grambs, na- tives also of that State. William J. attended the schools of his native city until fourteen years of age, and then entered a competitive examination for entrance at the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, was the success. fnl candidate, and duly appointed. After four years in that city he graduated as midshipman, immediately sailed on the United States ship, Hartford, which was given a roving commis- ·sion, visited many of the principal ports of the world, and served as flag-ship of the Pacific Squadron eighteen months. About 1884 Con- gress reduced the navy, and provided for the retention of but ten men from each class. Mr. Grambs then received an honorable dis- charge, with an allowance of one year's sea pay, and at once accepted an appointment on the

United States Geological Survey. He spent two years in Massachusetts, in charge of a survey- ing party, making a contour map of the State. In the spring of 1887 our subject resigned his commission, and, having received a practical knowledge of electricity while at Annapolis, decided to enter the electric field of labor. He accordingly secured the agency of the Edison United Manufacturing Company for the North- west, embracing the States of Idaho, Oregon and British Columbia, with headquarters at Seattle. Arriving in this city, Mr. Grambs entered into partnership with S. Z. Mitchell and F. H. Sparling, both graduates at Annapolis, and formed the firm of Mitchell, Sparling & Co., Mr. Sparling retiring after about one year. Seattle was the first city in the Northwest to adopt electricity for lighting purposes, and in 1887 the above company installed the first Edison incandescent and the municipal dynamos for the Seattle Electric Light Company, for street and commercial lighting- these being the first machines of that character in use west of of the Mississippi river. In 1888 Messrs. Mitchell and Grambs incorporated the North- west Electric Supply & Construction Company, with Mr. Mitchell as president, and Mr. Grambs as secretary. They installed in Taeoma the first electric street railroad in the Northwest, and sold a large part of the electrical apparatus used in the Northwest. In 1890 they sold out to the Edison General Electric Company, and Mr. Grambs was retained by them as manager of the Puget Sound district. In July, 1892, this company consolidated with the Northwest Thompson-Houston Electric Company, under the name of the Northwest General Electric Company, our subject still continuing as mana- ger at Seattle.

In Tacoma, in December, 1892, Mr. Grambs was married to Miss Blanche L. Kesler, a native of Honesdale, Pennsylvania. They have one child, Harold Willis. Our subject is a stock- holder in the Washington Water Power Company, of Spokane, which is the outgrowth of the Spokane Electric Light Company, and which he was assisted in organizing in 1887. This company now controls the electric and water power of the city. He is a stoekholder in the electric plants at Port Townsend, Snoho- mish, Pendleton, and La Grande, also a number of smaller organizations; is secretary of Albert Brown Brewing Association: was one of the incorporators and a director of the Seattle

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Brewing & Malting Co., with a capital of $1,000,000, a consolidation of the leading brew- eries of the city; was one of the organizers of the Northwest Fixture & Electric Company, in December, 1892; and also holds valnable landed interests throughout the State of Washington. Mr. Grambs is a member of no fraternal order, and takes little interest in politics, but is thoroughly in sympathy with that spirit of enterprise which has been so significant in the development of Seattle and Northwest.

H IRAM NELSON, one of the pioneers and business men of the State of Wash- ington, was born in Stark county, Ohio, August 26, 1836. His father, William Nelson, was a native of Pennsylvania and mar- ried Rebecca Stands, who was a native of Ohio. Mr. Nelson was a farmer and came to Ohio when a young man, thence moved to Indiana, where he lived until 1872. In May, of that year, he met a violent death, being taken from his house and murdered by some unknown per- sons, his lifeless body being left on a pile of lumber. It was all very mysterious and the guilty person has never been discovered,nor has any cause for such a dastardly crime ever be- come known. Ile was sixty-one years of age. In the following October his wife died, at the age of fifty-five years. They had been the pa- rents of ten children, six of whom are yet living.

Our subject was the second child born into the family. As he grew to manhood he became ambitions and in the spring of 1857 he started for the Golden State, by way of the Isthmus, landing in San Francisco in due time, after which as soon as possible he proceeded to the Eureka mines. Here he remained far tour years, making considerable money in this time, but losing the major portion by entrusting it to others. In 1861, he sought a new field of labor; came to Walla Walla connty and here bonght land on Dry creek, six miles north of the city. Leaving his family here, he went to the Oro Fino mines in Idaho, and until 1879 he engaged in mining there through the summers and worked at home during the winters, thus making a great deal of money.

Mr. Nelson now owns 800 acres of fine farm- ing land on Dry creek, and here has a fine resi-

dence and well improve.l farm. He has worked assiduously to obtain his present comfortable po- sition, and in 1891 he decided to take life a little easier and rented his farm. He then removed to the city of Walla Walla, where he engaged in a grain and general commission business.

Our subject was married, March 4. 1866, to Miss Sarah A. MeInroe, a native of New York, and they have had five children, as follows: William T., residing in Lincoln county; James E., at home; Addie, wife of F. E. Sinith, resides six miles north of Walla Walla; Clark S., at liomne; and Herman G., also at home. Our sub- ject is not of a temperament to find pleasure in idleness; hence he attends to his present business merely as an occupation, as he has abundant means and need have no care for the future. Politically, he is a Republican. believing that the principles of that party are the best for the government of a great country like our own.

H ON. JAMES M. CORNWELL, an early pioneer of the Pacific coast and one of the present substantial men of Walla Walla county, is the subject of the fol- lowing sketch. He was born in Orange county, Indiana, August 7, 1834, but his father, Clay- ton Cornwell, was a native of Kentucky. When a young man the latter went to Indiana and settled in Orange county and there married Miss Elizabeth Moyer, a native of North Carolina. About 1846 they removed to Illinois, where he followed the trade of hatter and lived there un- til his death, in 1878, at the age of seventy years, his wife having passed away many years before --- in 1849.

Our subject was the third child in tht family and received his education in the common schools of Illinois. At the age of eighteen years he de- sired to make his way to Oregon, his mind hav- ing been attracted in that direction by much reading. Accordingly, he and his elder brother Francis collected sufficient means and prepared for the long journey. The contribution which our subject could make to the common purse was but two dollars in money, but he had a new suit of clothes and plenty of pluck and courage, and in the spring of 1852 the two started. They fortunately were able to make an arrangement with an emigrant train from Ohio, by which

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they were to receive their passage across the plains for their services in driving the oxen and assisting in a general way.

The long looked for morning of the 10th of April, 1852, came and the brothers said a long farewell to friends and kind and interested neighbors and started, reaching Portland, Ore- gon, October 7, of the same year. By miracles of economy the means of our subject had held ont and he still had twenty-five cents left, and very soon the two brothers found work by the day nine miles west of the city of Portland. They thus worked for a time and then entered into a contract to make rails by the hundred, which occupation they followed for the first year. Then our subject took up a claim of 160 acres, commencing to improve it immediately, and living on it one year, when he married. His wife had also taken up a claim and thus between them they had 320 acres, which they afterward disposed of. Mrs. Cornwell died two years after her marriage. In 1861 Mr. Cornwell purchased 160 acres five miles north of the city, where he remained two years, then sold and went four miles east at the foot of the hills, where he pur- chased 120 acres and began making for himself a home. Here he worked and saved until he now owns 1,500 acres of fine land, eight miles northeast of Walla Walla, on Dry creek, where he lived for many years, until he coneluded to retire from farm life.

Mr. Cornwell then purchased a plat of ground about 200 feet square on the corner of Sumach and Tonchet streets, in Walla Walla, and there erected a fine residence, at a cost of $4,000. He was married in 1860 to Miss Mary A. Stott, an accomplished lady, a daughter of Thomas and Nancy Stott, now of Walla Walla. She was born in Indiana and crossed the plains in 1851 when a small girl and came to Oregon. ller parents are now living at Walla Walla, at the age of fifty-seven years.

Mr. and Mrs. Cornwell have had seven chil- dren born to them as follows: Lanra, the wife of Cassins Robinson, of Walla Walla: Oliver T. resides in the city of Walla Walla; Charles is attending school in Ohio; Nancy is the wife of A. M. Cation, of this city; Arthur is farming in the locality of Dry creek; Minnie is in Cali- fornia; and Raleigh is at home with his father.

Although Mr. Cornwell has been an indus- trions man he started at the ground floor, as it were, and when a boy in years he found himself 2,000 miles from home with but twenty-five cents

in his pocket; he did not get discouraged but bravely went to work. He has been encouraged and assisted in all of his labor by his faithful wife, who married him when he was still poor.

In 1889 our subject was elected to the State Legislature, the first that ever convened, and so efficiently did he serve his constituents that he was returned in 1890. Since the organization of the party he has been a Republican.

J OSEPH M. TAYLOR, Professor of Math- ematies and Astronomy at the State University of Washington, was born in Waterford, Ohio, June 3, 1854, a son of Joseph and Diana (Sherman) Taylor, natives also of that State. The paternal ancestors settled in Mary- land in an early day. On his mother's side our subject was a lineal descendant of Roger Sher- man, of Massachusetts. Joseph Taylor followed boat-building on the Muskingum river, and also a general carpenter business.

Joseph M., the subject of this sketch, re- ceived his preparatory education in the high schools of Stockport and Malta, assisting in his material support by teaching school a part of cach year, and during his vacations would as- sist his father in boat-building or carpenter work. In 1874 he entered Adrian College, Michigan, for a special course of study in matlı- ematics, Latin and German, but did not graduate, although he subsequently received the degree of Master of Science from the same in- stitution. Mr. Taylor then taught in the public schools of Ohio until 1878, the following year served as Professor of Mathematics and Latin in the Southeastern Ohio Normal, and in 1879 took up his residence in Oregon. Ile began work in that State in a shingle and planing mill at Milton, Umatilla county, and in 1889 drove from Walla Walla to Kelton, Utah, on the line of the Union Pacific, to meet his wife and family. Mr. Taylor then located at Milton, as principal of the public schools, but in 1882 accepted the position of principal of the Cen- terville publie schools. At the organization of the Eastern Oregon State Normal, at Weston, that State, our subject was chosen principal. which position he held one year. During all these years of teaching Mr. Taylor has also been actively connected with institute work under State Superintendents L. J. Powell and E. B.

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McElroy, and by the latter was given a life diploma as an instructor in the State. In July, 1885, he was invited by Superintendent Cox, of Pierce county, Washington, to conduct a two- weeks institute in that county, and while there, was called upon by L. J. Powell, President of the Territorial University, and offered a position in that institution. This was accepted by Prof. Taylor, and in August, 1885, he removed to Seattle. His first duties were as Principal of the Normal department, and in addition he was given higher mathematics, and later was elected to the Chair of Mathematics and Astronomy, which position he still occupies. To advance the facilities for the study of astronomy, in the summer of 1891, Prof. Taylor spent about two months as special student at the Lick Observa- tory, at Mount Hamilton, California, and after his return to Seattle the Board of Regents of the State University, appropriated $3,000 to build and equip a small observatory in connec- tion with the institution. Our subjeet superin- tended its erection, and purchased a telescope, the mountings of which was made by Warner & Swasey, of Cleveland, Ohio, and the optical parts by Brashear, of Allegheny City, Pennsyl- vania. The meteorological department is also equipped with improved instruments, and Prof. Taylor is the director of the observatory, which is a valuable addition to the university.

In 1875, the subject of this sketch was united in marriage with Miss Diantha Evans, a native of Roxbury, Ohio. She died in 1880, leaving two children: May C. and Inez M. Mr. Taylor was again married, in Centerville, Oregon, in February, 1884, to Alice, a daughter of Fred- erick J. Morie, who located in Walla Walla, in 1862. To this union have been born three children: Frederick S., Ruth G. and Ellen B. Socially, Prof. Taylor affiliates with the Masonic order and the I. O. O. F. In the former, he is Past Master of St. John's Lodge, Past High Priest of chapter, Prelate of the commandery of Knights Templar, Grand Orator of Grand Chapter of Washington, Senior Grand Warden of Grand Lodge, Commander-in-Chief of Law- son Consistory, No. 1, of Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction, Knight of Court of Honor, Master Chapter of Rose Croix, Preceptor of Knights of Kadosh, and a member of Afiti Temple, at Tacoma, Ancient Order Nobles of the Mystie Shrine. In Odd Fellowship, he has passed the ehairs of Olive Branch lodge and Unity En- campment, and is Senior Grand Warden of

Grand Encampment of the State of Washing- ton. Prof. Taylor is also an active member of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, in which he takes great pride, as astronomy is the occupation of his life.

He was appointed a member of the State Board of Education, by Governor McGraw, in 1893, and is now Secretary of the Board.

S TEPHEN S. GLIDDEN, Spokane, Wash - ington, is one of the enterprising and successful business men of the North- west.

He was born in Northfield, New Hampshire, in the year 1828, and is a son of Charles M. Glidden and Alice M. (Smith) Glidden, both natives of New Hampshire. His ancestors took a prominent and active part in the public affairs of their day. Ilis great-grandfather and grandfather represented the town of Northfield in the New Hampshire Legislature for a period of forty years, and the great-grandson of the first of these gentlemen represented the same town in the same august body in the centennial year of the town. Mr. Glidden has in his pos- session some papers which are of a very inter- esting character, and which are more than a hundred years old, one dated 1784, being an ap- pointment of Charles Glidden, grandfather of Stephen S., as Deputy Sheriff, and another as Justice of the Peace.

Mr. Glidden received his education in the public schools and the Methodist Seminary in his native town, gradnating in 1847. His parents had moved to Ohio and located in Scioto county, in 1832, having made the jour- ney to what was theu the West, in wagons, and after his graduation Stephen S. returned home and engaged in the iron business with his father and uncle, who were foundry men, and re- mained in Scioto county until 1865. Ile then meved to Tennessee, where he was engaged in the same business until 1876. From that time until 1885, he lived consecutively at Evansville, Indiana, Alabama, Chattanooga, and St. Paul, and at the last named place did a wholesale grocery business. In 1885 he came out West, invested largely in mining property in the Coeur d' Alene country, has been there at in- tervals ever since, and still retains large interests there. He operates a large store in the Coeur

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d' Alene country, and is a stockholder in varions enterprises in Spokane. As President of the old Bank of Spokane, he has done much to ad- vanee its interests, and its present prosperity is largely due to his efficient management. Mr. Glidden was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1888. His whole lite has been characterized by earnest activity, and the posi- tion of prominence and influence he occupies to-day is solely the result of his own in dustry and perseverance.

Mr. Glidden was married in 1855 to Miss Snsie Garrett, a native of Illinois. They have had seven children, five of whom are now living.

C HARLES C. BYRNE, M. D., is Medical Director of the Department of the Co- Inmbia, with headquarters at Vanconver barracks, Washington. He was born in Balti- more county, Maryland, May 7, 1837, only son of Charles and Emeline (Cole) Byrne. His father was of Irish birth and was a distinguished member of the medical profession. He came to America in 1818, and settled in Baltimore, where, in 1830, he married Miss Emeline Cole, who died in 1839.

Three children were born to this union, of whom the subject of this sketch was the young- est. The family removed to Florida in 1844, and remained there until 1852, when the father died and the family scattered.

Charles C. began his literary course of study in Columbia, Sonth Carolina, and finished it at Monnt Saint Mary's College, Maryland, in 1856. He at onee began the study of medicine, under the guidance of Professor Richard MeSherry, of Baltimore, an eminent practitioner of that eity, and took his degree of M. D. in 1859, after having spent one year at the Balti- more Infirmary as resident physician.

Immediately following his graduation from this institution (the University of Maryland), be took up a post-graduate course at the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, where he had most valuable experience in the hospitals of the city of l'hiladelphia, and listened to the lectures of some of the ablest medical men of the eonntry. In June, 1860, after passing successfully the very rigid examination required, he became a medieal officer of the United States army, and

was at once assigned to duty in Texas, where he remained until early in the following year, when the State of Texas seeeded from the Union.

Surgeon Byrne, together with the troops with whom he was serving, was captured by the reb- els under General Van Dorn in May, 1861, at Saluria, Texas. He was immediately paroled, but was not exchanged until August, 1862. In June, 1861, Surgeon Byrne established and or- ganized a large military hospital at Annapolis, Maryland, which remained in operation until the elose of the war.

Abont the first of October, 1862, he was as- signed to duty in the office of the Surgeon Gen- eral of the Army, at Washington, District of Columbia, a position he held until April, 1863. He then took charge of the " Armory Square " general hospital in Washington city. After a few months, owing to the demand for the serv- ices of medical officers with the troops at the front, Surgeon Byrne was assigned to duty with the Army of the Cumberland, then fronting the enemy in the State of Tennessee. He had charge of a hospital of 1,200 beds at Chatta- nooga, where he ministered to the wounded from the battle-fields of Chickamauga, Mission Ridge and Sherman's Atlantie campaign. After the capture of Atlanta, Surgeon Byrne was placed in charge of the military hospitals in the city of Nashville, Tennessee, where he treated many of the soldiers who were wounded in the battle of Nashville, which took place in Deeember, 1864, and where he remained until the end of the war.

Since 1865 Surgeon Byrne's duties as a med- ical officer have called him to various quarters of the United States; he was one year in Flor- ida and afterward spent four years in Little Rock, Arkansas; in 1870 he went to Willets Point, New York, where he eontinned mitil 1875; Dakota was next his home for a brief period, and then four years were passed at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. In 1880 he was assigned to duty at Angel Island, California, and at the end of sixteen months was transferred to Ben- icia Arsenal, California; in 1885 he was ap- pointed Attending Surgeon at the United States Soldiers' Home at Washington, District of Co- lumbia; at the end of five years he was ordered to duty at San Antonio, Texas, and in February, 1891, he was appointed Medical Director of the Department of the Columbia, with station at Vanconver Barracks, Washington.

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An illustrated history of the state of Washington, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 62

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