USA > Washington > Spokane County > Spokane > History of the city of Spokane and Spokane County, Washington : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume III > Part 16
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On the 10th of January, 1885. in Paris, Idaho, he was married to Miss Mary A. Rich. a daughter of C. C. Rich. To this union two children have been born: Mary 1 ... who is now the wife of Dr. Ralph Hendricks, of Spokane; Jane R., who married A. Remington, of Seattle. In polities Dr. Pomeroy supports the democratic party, believing that its principles are best adapted to subserve the welfare of state and nation. He is a valued member of the Masonic order and the Knights of Pythias. He is a true friend of education, as has been shown by his interest in the upbuilding of the Cheney Normal school, he being one of its most earnest supporters. An inde- fatigable student of all matters pertaining to his profession, he spares no pains or expense in arriving at a satisfactory solution of the problems that arise from day to day in an extensive practice. Thoroughly conscientious in the discharge of his responsibilities, he has won an enviable reputation and there are few men in this part of the state who can claim a larger number of friends and personal admirers.
JOHN PATTISON.
The life of John Pattison has been an eventful one in which high honors of a political and legal character have been conferred upon him. His praetice has connected him with some of the most important cases tried in Washington and his clientage is now large and of a distinctively representative character. He does not obtrude the fact that he is essentially a self-made and a self-educated man and yet it is a faet of which he may well be proud, for his inherent force, his laudable ambition and determined purpose have brought him to the creditable position which he now occupies as one of Spokane's leading lawyers.
His birth occurred in Albany. New York. January 13. 1859, his parents being John and Elizabeth (Storment) Pattison, the former a native of the state of New
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York and the latter of Ireland. The father was also of Irish lineage and the family was established in America prior to the Revolutionary war. To one branch of the family belonged Robert and John Pattison, both governors of states. 2.t the time of the Civil war John Pattison, father of our subject, enlisted in a Penn- sylvania regiment, was captured and confined in a Confederate prison until he was a physical wreck. He was then sent home and his death resulted, in 1866, from the sufferings that he had undergone. His widow long survived him. passing away in 1911.
Owing to his father's early death John Pattison, of this review, was denied many of the opportunities which he might otherwise have enjoyed. His school training was limited to one year but in the sehool of experience he has learned well the lessons which were set before him. In April, 1881, he arrived in Whit- man eounty. Washington, and was employed in the commissary department in eon- nection with the construction of the first road in Whitman eounty-the line of the old Oregon Improvement Company. In the fall of that year he removed to Col- fax where he was engaged in the hotel business for two years. or until 1883, when he was elected territorial justiee of the peace in Whitman county, presiding over that eourt for seven years. During that period he made good use of every leisure moment for, in addition to the experience which he gained as justice of the peace. he read law at every available opportunity and was admitted to the bar at Col- fax in 1890. There he continued in the practice of law until April, 1909. when he removed to Spokane. For eight years he was associated in law practice with E. T. Trimble and for three years in Colfax his partner was his son, Paul Pattison. who is now prosecuting attorney of Whitman county.
After removing to Spokane Jolin Pattison still continued his office in Colfax for a time in connection with his son Paul. He has always engaged in the general practice of law and while in Colfax there occurred what was probably the most noted lynching in the history of the northwest. This was during the trial of a man of the name of Parker for the murder of a Mr. Cooper, and Judge Sullivan was the presiding judge. Mr. Pattison was assisting in the prosecution and when the prosecution rested its ease on Friday night the people took Parker and a man named Ed Hill and hung them. dragging the men right by the jury, through the courtroom and out of the window to meet their fate at the hands of the crowd below. Judge Sullivan then ealled in the jury and said he had been unofficially informed that the defendant Parker had been taken out of the jail and hanged. He called on the deputy sheriff and jailor to testify and the court finding Parker dead, Judge Sullivan discharged the jury. Mr. Pattison also defended one Smith accused of the murder of a young man named Hayden, and had hard work to save his life although the defendant was innocent. Mr. Pattison had to have Smith bound over for trial and in the meantime arrested another man whom the mob threw out of the window of Judge MeDonald's courtroom, and he also was hanged. Smith was discharged for he established his innocence as soon as the mob had quieted down. The same night a man named Blackie was lynehed. The mob would have some one in the courtroom place a rope around the neck of the man wanted and then those outside would pull the man out of the window before those inside could collect their wits. Such was the condition that existed about three decades ago when summary justiee was often administered. The efforts of able lawyers and other law-abiding citizens, however, at length prevailed. Mr. Pattison is
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regarded as one of the strong criminal lawyers practicing in Spokane and is equally proficient in other departments of the law.
In political circles his name is also well known. He is a democrat yet was a delegate to the first republican convention held after the admission of Washington to the Union. A change in his political views, however, led him to ally himself with the democracy. He has frequently been a delegate to county and state con- ventions and has served as chairman of several of the latter. He has also been a member of city, county and state central committees and has been selected as campaign speaker by both state and national committees. For two terms. in 1907 and 1908. he was mayor of Colfax and whether in office or out of it his influence has been a potent element in political activity, largely advancing the interests of the party he supports. In 1908 he was nominated for governor by the democratic party by direct primaries and, opposing Cosgrove, polled at that election the larg- est vote ever east in this state for a democratie candidate for governor.
Mr. Pattison's social prominence in connection with a number of fraternal or- ganizations has also made him widely known. He is one of the head managers of the Woodmen of the World. with headquarters at Denver, Colorado, having already occupied the position for four years with two more years to serve. Ile belongs to the blue lodge and chapter of Masons and of the former has been worship- ful master. He is likewise connected with the Order of the Eastern Star. the Knights of Pythias, the Improved Order of Red Men and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He belongs also to the Inland Club and his religious faith is indicated by the fact that he is a member of the First Baptist church.
On the 7th of June. 1885. in Colfax, Mr. Pattison was united in marriage to Miss Mary Cairns, a daughter of the Rev. James Cairns, the oldest Baptist min- ister on the coast, now living retired. Her brother. the Rev. George Robert Cairns, is pastor of the Central Baptist church. Mr. and Mrs. Pattison have become the parents of a son and three daughters: Paul, who is now prosecuting attorney of Whitman county and is well known throughout the Inland Empire; Greta, a teacher in the Hillyard schools; and Mattie and Mary, at home. In his social. fraternal and professional connections Mr. Pattison has done much to mold the policy and shape the destiny of Washington, particularly in the Inland Empire, and in all connections his life has been actuated by public spirit and earnest desire to pro- mote the welfare of the state along lines of lasting benefit.
JOHN E. BLAIR.
John E. Blair, attorney at law in Spokane, was born in Mercersburg. Penn- sylvania, on the 12th of October. 1875, a son of Dr. John L. and Mary ( Ander- son) Blair. Under the parental roof he spent his boyhood days and in his native town acquired his early education which was supplemented by a course of study at Harvard University. He was graduated from the law department of that institu- tion in the class of 1898. and immediately began the practice of his profession in Boston. After remaining in that city for two years he went to Grand Forks. North Dakota, where he was a member of the faculty of the University of North Dakota in the law school. He made for himself a creditable place in the ranks of the
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faculty and was soon ealled to Stanford University as a lecturer in the law depart- ment of that institution.
While there he made the acquaintance of his present partner, James T. Bureham, who was also a leeturer in the law department. They decided to give up their professorships and accordingly, in 1904, eame to Spokane to engage in general praetiee. Mr. Blair is widely known for the eare with which he prepares his eases. In no instance has his reading been confined to limitations of the ques- tions at issue but has encompassed every eontingeney and provided not only for the expected but the unexpected as well which happens quite as frequently in eourts as out of them. Sinee he has been a member of the legal fraternity of this eity he has acted as assistant corporation counsel and later as corporation eounsel. His ability also won public recognition when he was a member and secretary of the committee that drafted the new city charter which was adopted under the present commission form of government.
Mr. Blair was married at Grand Forks, North Dakota, June 10, 1903, to Miss Elsie Mary Bushee, a daughter of Byron Bushcc of that city. They have two sons, John E., Jr., and Robert Bushee.
Mr. Blair is an independent in polities and his interest in the affairs of the community is that of a publie-spirited eitizen who realizes the opportunities for progress and improvement, and he labors to achieve what may be attained in this direction.
ARTHUR W. DAVIS.
Arthur W. Davis is a member of the law firm of Davis & Rhodes, thus oeeupy- ing a prominent position in professional eireles, and as a member of the board of education he is equally well known. His labors have been directly a beneficial influence in connection with the Spokane publie sehools and his service in this eon- neetion has made him recognized as the right man in the right place. He was born in Maynard, Iowa. November 16, 1873, a son of William E. and Helen Josephine (Wells) Davis. The father was born in Wales and represents one of the old fam- ilies of that little rock-ribbed country. He is now residing in Maynard, lowa, as is his wife, who is a native of Pennsylvania. Her father was a lawyer and a mem- ber of the state legislature. Her mother belonged to the Halleek family and was a relative of General Halleck of Civil war fame. Mr. and Mrs. William E. Davis became the parents of five sons and three daughters: George L., a farmer re- siding at Filer, Idaho; Walter W., who praetieed law until his health broke down, sinee which time he has followed farming at Kettle Falls. Washington ; Ben. a professional baseball player and farmer: Irving R., assistant corporation counsel of Spokane. of whom mention is made on another page of this volume; Arthur W .. the subject of this sketeh: Lena E., the wife of Grant E. Fineli, a professor in the Montana State Normal School ; Jessie, who married J. L. Seaton, a professor in the South Dakota University; and Charlotte H., general seerctary of the Young Woman's Christian Association at Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Arthur W. Davis, having completed his literary education in the Upper Iowa University at Fayette. Iowa, from which he was graduated with the B. S. degree
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in 1893, entered upon the study of law in the State University of Iowa but in the interim was connected with the profession of teaching, having served as principal at Montour, Jowa, from the fall of 1893 until January, 1895. During the re- mainder of the school year of 1895 he was principal of the high school at Rock Rapids, Iowa, and in the fall of that year went to Fonda, lowa, to become prin- cipal of the schools, in which position he continued until elected county superin- tendent of Pocahontas county, lowa, in which position he remained from 1897 until 1899. He regarded the office, however, merely as an initial step to other professional labor for it was his ambition to become a member of the bar and to this end he attended the State University of Iowa, passed his examination and was admitted to the bar in January, 1901. He afterward practiced Jaw at Fonda, Iowa, for more than four years, or until the fall of 1905.
At that date A. W. Davis came to Spokane and formed a law partnership with his brother, Walter W. Davis, under the firm name of Davis & Davis. After two years his brother withdrew on account of ill health and A. W. Davis was joined by another brother, Irving R. Davis. Upon the latter's appointment as assistant corporation counsel A. W. Davis was joined by Harry A. Rhodes in a partnership that is now existing. They conduet general law business and are the attorneys for the Modern Woodmen of America. Among their clients are a number of real- estate firms and in their practice they specialize somewhat in the law pertaining to land. In six years they have built up an excellent clientage more particularly along the line of individual than corporation practice. The court records indicate their success for they have won many favorable verdicts.
Mr. Davis has also been active as a leader in republican circles sinee age con- ferred upon him the right of franchise and has done much effective campaign work. In Jowa the state committee selected him as speaker and he was a delegate to two state conventions there, being one of those who helped to nominate Cum- mings for governor. He served on the county central committee in lowa. In the fall of 1907 he was elected a member of the Spokane board of education and was reelected in the fall of 1908 for a three years' term. He has been president of the board since January, 1911. and as its chief officer has guided its interests in a manner that has reflected credit upon the city and its educational system. The present organization is known as the building board for they have let contracts for the erection of many fine school buildings in this city including the Lewis and Clark high school, a fireproof brick, terra cotta and reinforced concrete structure which was erected at a cost of five hundred thousand dollars: the North Central high school, a brick and terra cotta, four hundred thousand dollar structure, and a number of ward schools. Among these are the Adams. containing four rooms; the Audubon, twelve rooms; Columbia, four rooms; Cooper, eight rooms; Frances Willard, twelve rooms; Franklin, eight rooms; an addition of five rooms to the Grant school: the Hamilton, twelve rooms; the Jefferson, eight rooms; Logan. four additional rooms: a four-room addition to the Longfellow; a four-room addition to the Roosevelt ; Sheridan, twelve rooms; Stevens, sixteen rooms; and Hays Park. four rooms. In addition the present school board has purchased eighty aeres sonth of the city and constructed a parental school. The plant consists of a main building for thirty boys, a schoolhouse. an irrigating plant and a number of outbuildings. They have thoroughly equipped this and put it in operation and now have about thirty boys there. The plan is working out according to the ideas promoted and
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fostered at its inception and is proving a most suceessful undertaking in providing a home and training for boys who cannot be taken care of in the public sehools. During Mr. Davis' connection with the sehool board there has been a great in- erease in attendance, about twenty thousand pupils being now cared for in the publie schools. Within the last four years there has been an inerease of about six thousand pupils. While Mr. Davis' greatest publie work has perhaps been done in connection with the sehools he has also labored earnestly and effectively along other lines for the benefit and welfare of the eity. He is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce and is serving on its educational committee. He is interested in the moral progress of Spokane and is a faithful member of the Pilgrim Congregational church. He exemplifies in his life the beneficent spirit of Masonry and has passed through all of the chairs in the blue lodge and is now a past master. He also holds membership with the Royal Areh Masons and the Order of the Eastern Star and belongs to the Royal Highlanders, the Woodmen of the World and the Modern Woodmen of America, and of the last named is state lecturer.
On the 24th of December, 1900, Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Miss Florenee A. Carpenter, daughter of J. D. Carpenter, a general merchant of Fonda. Iowa. Their two children, Rachel and John B., are both in sehool. The life his- tory of Arthur W. Davis is the record of continuous and intelligently directed activity. He has always been aetuated by laudable ambition which permitted him in early manhood to provide the means necessary for his university law course. He has ever placed his dependenee upon the substantial qualities of indefatigable industry and enterprise, knowing that they lead to progress, and while he has won a place among the prominent lawyers of Spokane, he has also found time to eo- operate in public work, ever recognizing the duties and obligations as well as the privileges of citizenship and laboring along those lines which mean the material. intellectual, social and moral uplift of the race.
HAL J. COLE.
Among the men who have been called to publie offiee in Spokane and who have proven their ability in the prompt, faithful and eapable performance of their du- ties, is numbered Hal J. Cole, now register in the United States land office. Sinee attaining manhood he has been elosely associated with the business interests of the northwest and has been active in several eonneetions which have conserved the welfare and development of this section of the country. Oregon numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred in Douglas county, April 28, 1856. Five years before. in the fall of 1851, his parents, James and Louisa (Leeper) Cole, had removed from California to Oregon, having since 1849 resided in the former state, where they had taken up their abode on coming from Mis- souri to the Pacific coast. The father was a native of Kentucky, and his wife of Tennessee. In early manhood he took up the study of medicine and for many years continued in aetive praetiee as a physician and surgeon. Following his ar- rival in Oregon he took a prominent part in republiean polities, doing mueh to formulate the policy of that party and promote its growth and influence. Thus
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he left the impress of his individuality upon the history of the state. Both he and his wife have passed away some years ago.
Ilal J. Cole, who was one of a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters, attended the public schools of Douglas county and afterward became a student in Christian College of Polk county, Oregon, from which he won his Bachelor of Science degree on his graduation with the class of 1876. His atten- tion was then given to agricultural pursuits on his father's farm and to school- teaching, which profession claimed his attention for two or three years. He next entered the railway mail service and afterward was employed by the Wells Fargo Express Company, which he represented in the Spokane agency until the com. pany was forced to withdraw from the Northern Pacifie lines in 1886. For six- teen months thereafter he held the position of deputy collector of customs at Little Dallas, Stevens county, but on the expiration of that period again came to Spokane, where he served as deputy under E. H. Hineliff, who was the sheriff of the county. In May, 1889, he was appointed Indian agent for the Colville Indian Agency, which included the Spokane. Coeur d'Alene and Colville reservations. his head- quarters being at Miles, Washington, where he remained for more than four years and then retired on the 1st of August, 1893.
There are few men who escape all connection with mining interests in the northwest and Mr. Cole is no exception to the rule. With the development of the mining properties there comes a desire to almost every individual to seek his for- tune in that field, and Mr. Cole was identified with mining operations in the boundary country until 1897, when he went to the Klondike. A year later he returned but in 1900 again made his way to Nome, Alaska. After a brief period, however, he again became identified with mining interests in the Spokane district. Since the 1st of May. 1904, he has filled the position of register of the United States land office. has carefully systematized his work and is prompt. accurate and faithful in the discharge of the duties that devolve upon him.
On the 23d of December, 1883, occurred the marriage of Mr. Cole and Miss Addie Mires, a daughter of John H. and Anna (Deardorff) Mires, of Douglas county. Oregon, who were pioncer residents of that state. The only son of Mr. and Mrs. Cole is Carl H., who is now a civil engineer in southeastern Alaska. Mr. Cole belongs to the Elks lodge of Spokane and to the Woodmen of the World. He is a man of refined tastes and retiring disposition, to whose nature ostentation and display are utterly foreign.
DANIEL W. TWOHY.
Daniel W. Twohy, a prominent banker, elaiming little recognition for the suc- cess which has placed him in the presidency of the Old National Bank of Spokane, was born in northern Michigan in 1864. The public schools of that state afforded him his educational privileges and he entered business life in connection with the Northwestern National Bank of Superior. Wisconsin. There he gradually worked his way upward. passing through intermediate positions to the presidency of the institution. Liberal training and broad experience were therefore his when he be- came identified with the financial interests of Spokane in 1902. He removed to this city to accept the presidency of the Old National Bank here. and soon after his
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arrival he organized the Union Trust & Savings Bank, of which he has since been the president. The former is by far the most important financial institution of Spokane and in 1910 the bank erceted a fifteen-story building which is one of the fine office structures of the west. The bank is capitalized for one million dollars and has resources amounting to ten million. The Union Trust & Savings Bank has a capital of five hundred thousand dollars and, like the older institution, has met with continuous success. being founded upon safe, conservative business principles and governed by a progressive policy.
In 1904 Mr. Twohy was united in marriage to Miss Sue Bell. a daughter of Harry C. Bell. of Spokane, and they have three children, Daniel W., Henry B. and Frank P. The family residence at No. 22 Sumner street, was ereeted by Mr. Twohy in 1907 and is one of the fine homes of the city. Mr. Twohy has never taken active part in polities, feeling always that he had no time for interests out .. side of his banking business. His cooperation, however, can always be counted upon in a quiet way for progressive publie measures and he is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Spokane Club and the Spokane Country Club. He has come to be recognized by colleagues and contemporaries as a man whose judgment is sound, his sagacity keen, his enterprise and determination unfaltering. and a business earer which will bear the closest investigation and scrutiny has brought him to a conspicuous and honorable position in financial circles of the northwest.
FREDERICK P. GREENE.
Frederick P. Greene is widely recognized as one of the prominent figures in the Inland Empire. Work that he has done in various lines has contributed to this, but perhaps the most important feature of his publie service is that which had to do with the bill creating a state bureau of inspection of offiees and accounts. He spent much time in formulating and seeuring the passage of this bill, which is without doubt the most beneficial piece of legislation as regards the taxpayers at large that has ever been put upon the statute books of the state. This work alone would entitle Mr. Greene to recognition as a publie benefactor and yet in other connections he has equally well proven his worth in support of measures that have direet benefit upon general progress and improvement.
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