USA > Washington > Spokane County > Spokane > History of the city of Spokane and Spokane County, Washington : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume II > Part 59
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Ritzville fire department. In November, 1908, he was elected sheriff of Adams county for the years 1909 and 1910 and in the fall of 1910 was reelected without opposition for the term of 1911-12. He has brought to justice a number of mur- derers and has also broken up a "black hand" band, compelling them to cease opera- tions in Adams county. His administration has been characterized by the utmost fearlessness and has won him the commendation and support of all law-abiding citizens.
On the 2d of July, 1908, in Spokane, Mr. Coss was united in marriage to Miss Rhoda Casterline of Minneapolis, Minnesota, a daughter of John Casterline of that place. For fourteen years prior to her marriage she taught in the public schools· of Minneapolis. Fraternally Mr. Coss is identified with the Masons, belonging to Ritzville Lodge, No. 101. He is likewise a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America, of Ritzville. Mr. Coss is highly respected and has many friends here, and he deserves great credit for what he has accomplished, since his prosperity is entirely due to his own labor, his utilization of opportunity and his persistency of purpose.
GEORGE POWELL YOKOM.
George Powell Yokom, farmer and investor with offices at 1109 Paulsen building, Spokane, was born near Mason City, Iowa, October 29, 1881. His father, Dexter Aden Yokom, was born near Niagara Falls, Canada, and is living in the John Day valley of Grant county, Oregon, where he is engaged in farming and stock-raising. He is a pioneer of the Big Bend country and improved one of the first places west of Lind, arriving in that locality in 1899. He comes of Scotch descent, while his wife represents an old family whose establishment in America antedates the Revo- lutionary war. She bore the maiden name of Nancy C. Pence and was born near Mason City, Iowa. Her father was a pioneer on the Wabash river and aided in reclaiming that district from the rule of the Indians. He went from Indiana to Cerro Gordo county, Iowa, where he established the settlement of Pence Grove that is still called by his name. Many of his descendants are still living in that locality. Mr. Pence saw much service in the Indian wars and was a splendid example of the pioneer settler who braves dangers, hardships and privations in order to secure the opportunities and advantages of the future. In the family of Dexter A. Yokom and his wife were the following named: George P .; Charles, who is engaged in the stock business in Montana; Asa, who is with his father; and Mrs. Mary Bailey, whose husband is engaged in the stock business in the John Day country.
George Powell Yokom was educated in the common schools of Kansas. He en- gaged successfully in teaching in the Big Bend country and afterward followed farming for four years but eventually sold out and turned his attention to fruit growing at Green Bluff, where he had one hundred and sixty acres, which he sold in 1909. About seventy acres were planted to trees. He had resided thereon for four years and at the end of that time divided the place into small tracts which he sold. He later moved to Spokane and engaged in the real-estate business. He is well informed concerning property values and the land that is upon the market and in the field of real estate has already secured a good clientele.
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On the 28th of August, 1905, Mr. Yokom was married to Miss Minnie Scheel, a daughter of Frederick Scheel, who was a pioneer of Ritzville county and built the first hotel there. Mr. and Mrs. Yokom are the parents of two children, Orville Dexter and Helen Genevieve. The parents hold membership in the Methodist church and Mr. Yokom belongs also to the Modern Woodmen of America, the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, the Spokane County Grange and the Chamber of Commerce. His work has justified the faith which his fellow townsmen have in him. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and takes an active interest in its well formulated plans to exploit Spokane's advantages and promote its business interests. His own achievement in the field of real estate is creditable and his suc- cess is growing.
EDWARD EVANS.
Every American man or woman not only finds pleasure but inspiration in noting the progress and development of an enterprising, ambitious man, who through his own energy and concentrated effort achieves success. Among such as these must be numbered Edward Evans, president of The Arnold-Evans Company, located in the Elk Temple, who has been identified with the business interests of Spokane for about fourteen years. He is the son of a miner and was born in Wales in 1865, his parents being Evan and Elinor (Jones) Evans, likewise natives of Wales.
The boyhood and youth of Edward Evans were passed in a mining town of his native country, where he was given the advantages of a common-school education. At the age of eighteen years he became dissatisfied with the opportunities his own land offered, and believing that greater advantages were afforded in the new world he took passage for the United States. His destination was Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he located in 1884, and very soon thereafter he apprenticed himself to the plumber's trade. He remained a resident of that city for five years and at the end of that time went to Denver, where he followed his trade until 1890. In the spring of the latter year he removed to Spokane, working as a plumber in the service of various local companies until 1898. He was a most efficient workman, trustworthy and reliable, and being of thrifty, enterprising habits, he managed during that time to acquire sufficient capital to warrant his starting a business of his own. He became associated with Mr. Arnold and together they opened a general plumbing and heating establishment on a small scale, as they had but limited means to finance their undertaking. They incorporated in 1900 under the name of The Arnold- Evans Company, with Mr. Arnold as president. Later he sold out his interest to J. E. McCormack, who is secretary and treasurer of the company, while Mr. Evans is president. The development of this company has been marked by the orderly and permanent progression that characterizes a well organized and intelligently directed enterprise. The officials of the company are both men of more than aver- age business acumen, and are sufficiently far-sighted to recognize that the stability of a concern depends upon the quality rather than the quantity of its work, so it has always been their policy to execute every order they received in such a manner that it would be the means of bringing them other business. Mr. Evans is a man of progressive ideas and practical methods and in the conduct of this establishment
EDWARD EVANS
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is following a system based upon years of experience and the highest principles of modern commercialism. That he is a capable organizer, and possesses unusual ex- ecutive ability and sagacity is manifested by the growth of the enterprise. It has been in existence less than fourteen years and during that time has grown from a somewhat insignificant, struggling little concern to an establishment that does from one hundred and fifty to two hundred thousand dollars worth of business annually. This growth and development must be attributed to the high standard of the work, and the intelligent direction and capable supervision that has been exercised in its various departments. It is one of the largest and most substantially established plumbing and heating concerns in the city, and their business continues to show a marked annual increase. In addition to his large interest in this business, Mr. Evans is vice president of the Western Lead Paint Company and in connection with Mr. McCormack owns The Dunsmuir apartments.
Denver was the scene of Mr. Evans' marriage in 1889 to Miss Elizabeth Davies, a daughter of Thomas Davies, of Milwaukee, and they have two children: Thomas Iorwerth, who was born in March, 1892; and Blodwen Elinor, whose birth occurred in June, 1896. The family reside at South 719 Sherman street.
Mr. Evans is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and he also belongs to the Inland Club. He is one of the highly regarded business men of the city and has established an enviable reputation for upright principles and high standards of commercial integrity among all who have had transactions with him. His career is but another that serves to strengthen the conviction that success is more often achieved through perseverance and determination of purpose than favorable oppor- tunities, while it brings the added satisfaction of having been won through personal effort and is therefore deserving of higher commendation.
ARTHUR W. COWLEY.
Arthur W. Cowley enjoys peculiar distinction as a prime factor in the mam- moth operations of the past few years in Spokane, a decade marked by an entire revolution, the principal features of which are the modern apartment houses which are at once a real utility and an ornament to the city. With this line of building Mr. Cowley is closely connected. He entered upon his varied duties with admir- able equipment. He is in a measure "to the manner born," taking up the profes- sion in early youth and carrying out his projects with such industry that he is credited with the erection of a number of important buildings. Spokane numbers him among her native sons and he is also one of her pioneer residents for his natal day was October 9, 1878. His father, Henry Thomas Cowley, was born in the state of New York and belongs to an old Manx family which was founded in America in colonial days, the family annals recording the names of those who fought for American liberty in the Revolutionary war. Henry T. Cowley came to the west as a missionary to the Indians and was indeed one of the first settlers in this part of the country, arriving in 1845. His was the fourth white family here. those preceding him being A. M. Cannon, J. J. Browner, and James N. Glover. He devoted some time to missionary work and established the first daily paper, con- verting the Weekly Chronicle into a daily publication. He is now living retired at
Vol. II-28
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Long Beach, California. His wife, however, died in the fall of 1900. She was of English lineage and bore the maiden name of Lucy Peet. The Peet family, however, came to the United States at an early period in the colonization of Amer- ica. Mr. and Mrs. Henry T. Cowley were parents of three daughters, namely: Edith, the wife of W. Stillman, of Spokane, who is now living retired at Hazel- wood; Agnes, the wife of J. L. Paine, manager and secretary-treasurer of the Spokane Dry Goods Company; and Cazenovia, who married A. K. Smythe, a dealer in sheep, in Portland, Oregon.
The only son, Arthur W. Cowley, was educated in the Spokane common schools and the high school, also in Oberlin, Ohio, where he studied for a year, and in the State University of Wisconsin, where he spent three years, winning the degree of Civil Engineer in 1903. His early practical business experience came to him in connection with the bridge department of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad at Chicago, and in the spring of 1904 he returned to Spokane, where he became con- nected with the Great Northern Railroad Company, acting as chief draftsman for three years. He then took up architectural work on his own account in the summer of 1907 and has since given to it his undivided time and attention. He was alone in business until February, 1910, when he formed a partnership with A. G. Rigg, under the firm name of Cowley & Rigg. He has made a specialty of apartment and rooming houses, drawing the plans and superintending the construction of the Well- ington apartments, representing an investment of forty-three thousand dollars; Altedenia apartments, costing one hundred and twenty-one thousand dollars; the Garry apartments, forty-seven thousand dollars; the Buckman apartments, forty thousand dollars ; the Windsor Annex, forty-eight thousand dollars; the Kuist build- ing, on Howard street, thirty-seven thousand dollars; the Gandy Hotel, one hun- dred and thirty thousand dollars; the Close Inn apartments, sixty thousand dollars; and many smaller apartments representing an expenditure of twenty thousand dol- lars or more. These include the building used as an automobile supply house by Child Brothers & Day; the Spokane Taxicab Garage at Third and Brown streets; the Eagle Garage building; and the Seehorn warehouse on Fourth avenue. Mr. Cowley has also erected many fine residences including that of Samuel Galland in Rockwood, erected for twenty-five thousand dollars; that of J. L. Paine, for twenty thousand dollars; Robert Grinnell, fourteen thousand dollars; H. L. Moody, twelve thousand dollars; and many smaller but attractive homes. He personally owns con- siderable property in Spokane and elsewhere, including farm lands in Palouse county, and is the owner of a third interest in the Wellington apartments.
It was on the 4th of July, 1903, in Broadfield, Wisconsin, that Mr. Cowley was united in marriage to Miss Clara Pfisterer, a daughter of John Pfisterer. The father, a resident of Broadhead, is of German lineage. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cowley have been born two children: Katherine, a student at Hawthorne school; and Ar- thur W., Jr.
Mr. Cowley gives his political allegiance to the republican party and his relig- ious faith is evidenced in his membership in the Congregational church. The Cham- ber of Commerce finds in him a valued member and he belongs to the Delta Upsi- lon fraternity, the University Club and the Spokane Athletic Club, of which he has been a representative since 1895. Spokane has grown rapidly and Mr. Cowley has had his share of the business in his line, his intelligently directed efforts bringing him substantial reward while his work has been an element in the city's improve-
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ment. He has introduced many innovations in building lines and the structures which he has erected are the principal ornaments of their respective neighborhoods, pleasing to the eye and constructed with conscientious regard for real utility, and the comfort and health of their occupants. Because of his operations unsightly vacancies have become occupied by attractive edifices and real estate in all parts of the city has rapidly advanced in value.
RICHARD SCHACHT.
Richard Schacht who is engaged in the jewelry business at 403 Riverside ave- nue, was born in Germany on the 28th of August, 1857. In his native land he learned the trade of a watch-maker and subsequently went to England and Ireland. He spent about three years in those countries before coming to America in 1882 and locating at St. Louis. From that city he went to El Paso, Texas, and thence to Virginia City, Nevada, where he remained for five years. In the spring of 1889 he came to Spokane and started in the retail jewelry business at the corner of Sprague and Wall streets. On the 4th of August that year his business was en- tirely destroyed by fire, but undaunted by this severe setback he again opened a store at 409 Post street in partnership with J. K. Reardon. This partnership ex- isted for twenty years. In 1894 they removed to their present site, where Mr. Schacht still holds the patronage of a large number of Spokane's representative citi- zens. He seems to possess an intuitive knowledge of the value of precious stones, and his geniality and cordial manner win him many patrons.
Mr. Schacht is secretary and treasurer of the Idalio Continental Company and holds membership in the Turn Verein and the Sons of Herman. Since his connec- tion with the business circles of this city he has proven himself to be a man of un- usual worth and integrity and a man whose business interests are of prime impor- tance to him.
PETER GRANBERG.
Peter Granberg, proprietor of the Hotel Langdon, has been a resident of Spo- kane for about six years. He was born in Norway on the 27th of March, 1857, and is a son of John and Sigrid (Halstad) Granberg, both of whom are living.
As the parents of Peter Granberg were in comfortable circumstances he was given the advantages of a good education, continuing to pursue his studies in the public and high schools of his native country until he attained his majority. During the succeeding two years he gave his undivided attention to agricultural pursuits, assisting his father in the operation of their farm. At the end of that time he de- cided to come to America, and put to the test the wonderful stories he had heard regarding the opportunities here afforded, so in 1880 he crossed the Atlantic with Faribault, Minnesota, as his destination. He was employed in that vicinity for six years and at the expiration of that time went to South Dakota as foreman on the Great Northern Railroad. He remained there for fourteen years and by his intelli-
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gent and enterprising methods of directing his work during that period won the recognition of local business men. In 1900 a banker at Tintah, Minnesota, started him in the hotel business, which he followed for eight years. At the expiration of that period he returned to his native land, remaining there a year. When he came back to the United States, he again engaged in the hotel business at various points in North Dakota and Idaho for two and a half years, when he came to Spokane. Upon his arrival here he took possession of the Hotel Langdon, and has ever since bzen conducting this hostelry with a goodly measure of success. Mr. Granberg is well adapted to the business he is in, being a man of genial nature and affable man- ner, whose first consideration is for the comfort of his guests.
Red Wing, Minnesota, was the scene of Mr. Granberg's marriage in 1883 to Miss Gertrude Skajem and they are the parents of two sons, Julius and John, both of whom are engaged in business with their father.
Fraternally Mr. Granberg is affiliated with the Order of the Moose and in poli- tics he is a republican. He is a very popular with the patrons of his house and has a large circle of acquaintances and many stanch friends.
EDGAR DEWITT GILSON.
Edgar Dewitt Gilson is one of the well known citizens of Adams county, as dur- ing twenty-seven years of his residence in Ritzville he has been more or less promi- nently identified with its public affairs. He was born in Middleville, Michigan, June 26, 1858, and is a son of William Booker and Ellen J. (Skinner) Gilson. The father was educated in Germany and for many years was one of the well known educators of Michigan, where he resided until 1866. In the latter year he crossed the plains with his family to Oregon, locating in the Willamette valley, in the vicin- ity of Albany. Here for some years Mr. Gilson taught school, both in Linn and Marion counties, and among his pupils in 1866 and 1867 were a number of youths, who in later life became prominent factors in promoting the development of the northwest.
As the educational advantages in this section of the country were limited during the pioneer days, Edgar Dewitt Gilson received but little schooling, but he was reared in a home where much value was placed upon knowledge, and possessing fine mental qualities, he has read widely and has thus acquired extensive information on a large variety of subjects, being now generally recognized as an exceptionally well educated man. While engaged in the mastery of his lessons at school he also assisted with the operation of the ranch, located near Lebanon, Oregon, until 1878. In the latter year he went to Albany and during the years of 1879 and 1880 was clerk in the St. Charles Hotel at that point. From there he went to eastern Oregon and rode the plains as a cowboy until 1883, but upon hearing of the discovery of gold in northern Idaho he determined to try his fortune at prospecting, and in 1884 he joined the rush to Eagle and Pritchard creeks and the Coeur d'Alene mines, remaining there for a year. On March 3, 1885, he came to Ritzville, and during the remainder of that year and the following served as deputy auditor of Adams county. When N. H. Greene was elected sheriff in 1887 he chose Mr. Gilson for his deputy, in which capacity he served for two years, and during that period he
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also clerked in a general mercantile store. In 1889, he became interested in the hardware business, being associated with D. Keller & Company, and while con- nected with this enterprise he started a real-estate and insurance business. From 1891 to 1893 his time was almost entirely engaged in discharging the duties of city marshall and street commissioner, and at the expiration of that period he was elected justice of the peace and police judge. He capably filled these offices until 1895, when he was again appointed deputy sheriff, serving in this capacity under J. A. Thompson until 1898. A year prior to the expiration of his term, in 1897, he was elected city clerk, holding this office for eight years. In 1898 he became editor and manager of the "Adams County News," now known as the "Washington State Journal," in which he had a half interest, continuing to edit this journal until 1906, during a portion of which time he also owned the "Ritzville Times." In 1899, a year after he became editor of the "News," Mr. Gilson was elected county clerk and clerk of the superior court of Adams county, holding this office for one term. Dur- ing the succeeding four years he devoted the greater part of his time to his news- paper work, but in 1904 he again entered public life, being the successful candidate for the office of sheriff. He held this position for four years, during two of which, 1906 and 1907, he was also president of the Washington State Sheriff's Association. About a year prior to his election to the latter office, in 1904, Mr. Gilson erected the office building bearing his name. This is one of the finest public buildings in the city and for some years part of its lower floor has been occupied by the postoffice. Recently he was chosen to represent the state of Washington as one of the three judges at the Pendleton round-up.
Numismatics has greatly fascinated Mr. Gilson from his boyhood, and has been the principle diversion of an otherwise very busy life. He has much more than a local reputation as a numismatist, having a large and remarkable collection of gold, silver and copper coins, and also paper moneys. His copper collection contains over three thousand specimens, representing every nation in the world. Many of these have long been out of circulation and have few if any recorded duplicates. In his paper money is to be found Continental and Confederate as well as wild-cat cur- rency. Mr. Gilson likewise has a very large and valuable collection of curios and pictures, numbering between three and four hundred pictures collected during the past thirty years. Many of these are rare and exceedingly valuable, his various collections of coins, curios, pictures, etc., being valued at many thousands of dol- lars. His avocation has proven a great delight to him and is a source of continuous pleasure and study. He knows many prominent numismatists, whom he has met through the medium of his membership in the American Numismatic Association, and is quite well informed on the notable collections in this country and Europe.
In 1888 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Gilson and Miss Edith Keller, a daughter of Darvin Keller, formerly a merchant and large ranch owner of Ritzville, and they have become the parents of six children, as follows: Ralph Keller, who was born in 1889; Edgar Leroy, whose natal year was 1891; Arthur Byron, who was born in 1893; Darvin Thompson, born in 1895; Edith Florence, whose birth oc- curred in 1898 ; and Wilson Theodore, who celebrated his sixth anniversary in 1911.
In his political views, Mr. Gilson is a republican and in 1909 was made chair- man of the county central committee, his term to expire in 1912. He has been prominently connected with political activities during the entire period of his resi- dence here, and for many years has been regarded as one of the leaders in local
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governmental affairs. In the fall of 1911 Mr. Gilson was honored by being elected to the mayor's chair and he took charge of the office on January 1, 1912. While en- gaged in newspaper work he was one of the active members of the Washington State Press Association and on four successive occasions, from 1902 to 1905, was sent as a delegate to the annual meetings of the National Editorial Association, and in 1904 he was elected secretary of the state association, but resigned this office the following year, as his duties as sheriff of Adams county, precluded the possibility of his meeting the requirements of the former office. Mr. Gilson is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has held all of the chairs, having acted as secretary of the local lodge for twelve years, while at the present time he is treasurer, and he also belongs to the Grand Lodge. He is a member of Ritzville Lodge, No. 101, F. & A. M. and is also the secretary of this lodge, was one' time senior warden of this order, and is likewise a member of the Order of the East- ern Star, and of the Knights of Pythias, and has held all of the chairs in the latter organization. Mr. Gilson is a man who expends his best efforts in the discharge of any duty he may assume, having a conscientious appreciation of the responsibilities he has undertaken and feeling that he must acquit himself in a manner that will not only reflect credit upon him but upon those to whom he is indebted for the position through their confidence in his reliability. He has always taken a deep interest in all public affairs and has been an enthusiastic member of the Commercial Club since its organization, having been president of this body in 1910-11. His cooperation is accorded every movement that he feels is at all likely to promote the development of the county or its public utilities and in 1911 he was manager of the Adams county fair.
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