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 26
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79
239
SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
been one of the chief features of his business activity, as for instance when the first column of steel was set for the Old National Bank building fifty per cent of the space in the building had already been rented and signed up. Architects say that this is a record unprecedented in the annals of office building erections and Mr. Kommers has won a deserved reputation thereby.
On the 21st of September, 1897, in Superior. Wisconsin, Mr. Kommers was united in marriage to Miss Louise Klinkert, a daughter of J. A. Klinkert, retired, of Superior. Mr. and Mrs. Kommers have become parents of three children: William A., Henry K. and Margaret, all in school. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church. Mr. Kommers is president of a German club, a newly organized society called the Spokane Arion Society, composed of the representative Germans of the city. He is also a member of the Spokane Athletic Club and the Inland Club, is vice president of the Loyola Athletic Club and a trustee of the Knights of Columbus. He belongs to the Chamber of Com- merce and in politics is a republican where national issues are involved but at local elections casts a ballot independent of party affiliation. His entire life has been characterized by a continuous progress that has brought him to an enviable position in financial circles. He has made a most thorough study of business con- ditions and opportunities and has contributed not a little to the success of the banking interests with which he is connected. His colleagues and contemporaries recognize his force and ability and entertain for him the warm regard which is ever the expression of a recognition of individual merit and worth.
JAMES B. VALENTINE.
Working at the forge in his carly boyhood, then advancing slowly but steadily and surely step by step as he proved his worth, ability and enterprise, James B. Valentine is today at the head of several important business projects in Spokane and at the same time his labors have constituted a factor in public progress. His work in securing the appropriation for the opening of the Columbia river from Bridgeport to Kettle Falls is indeed commendable and the value of his labor in this connection can hardly be overestimated. It is characteristic of him that all through his life his private interests and public work have been given their due relative proportion of time and effort.
One the 26th of January, 1868. James B. Valentine first saw the light of day in Scotland. His parents, Stewart and Isabella (Grieve) Valentine. were also natives of Scotland and representatives of old and well known families of that country. The father died in March, 1908, and the mother on December 28, 1911. in Montrose, Scotland. In the family were four sons and two daughters: James B .; Charles W., a resident of Heppner, Oregon: David and George, who are liv- ing in Scotland; Mrs. Jane Stone, a widow, residing at Montrose; and Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas Falconer, of Elzell, Scotland.
James B. Valentine was educated in the common schools of Scotland and in that country learned the blacksmith's trade, devoting four years to its mastery. He afterward spent a year in Edinburgh and then came to the United States. For a short time he remained in Boston, Massachusetts, but in 1886 became a resident
240
SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
of castern Oregon. For two years he followed his trade, proving himself not only a capable but also a reliable workman. In January, 1888, however, he went overland to the Big Bend country, where he took a preemption and timber elaim eighteen miles northeast of Waterville. There he continued to work at his trade on his own account until the fall of 1892, when he was elected to the office of sheriff, occupying that position until the spring of 1897. He then removed to Bridgeport, where he engaged in the hotel business until the spring of 1898, when he became a resident of Spokane. Just before his removal to this city he organized the Bridge- port Land Company, owning thirty-two hundred acres, and was actively engaged in the development of that project as general manager until after they brought water to the distriet and all of the ditches were finished. He still retains his official connection with the enterprise and is also secretary of the Bridgeport De- velopment Company. owning seventeen hundred acres just outside of Bridgeport. When success has been achieved in one project he extends his efforts to still other fields and is now eloseły and prominently associated with various business enter- prises, which are important clements in the work of general development and improvement here. He organized the Arctic Cold Storage Warehouse Company in Mareb, 1909, becoming its vice president, and in April, 1911, organized the Merchants Produce Company, of which he is the president. Both companies are incorporated. He handles cold storage produets and the warehouse has a capac- ity of one hundred and fifty carloads for cold storage and two hundred and fifty earloads for dry storage. The Merchants Product Company conducts a general commission business and ships east and to all parts of the country, mixed and straight carloads of fruit. Like most of the settlers of the northwest, Mr. Valen- tine was at one time interested in mining, having done some prospecting in 1890 and 1891 but afterward he retired from that field. He is interested in the Wash- ington Bond & Mortgage Company, of which he was one of the organizers. in the spring of 1910, and of which he is the secretary and treasurer. This company has commodious quarters in the Empire State building and deals principally in Washington farm loans. He is likewise connected with the Bridgeport Highlands Orchard Company, owning property six miles north of Bridgeport.
In his political views Mr. Valentine is a stalwart republican, active in the party which he has represented in county and state conventions and also serving as a member of the county and state central committees. He filled the office of sheriff of Douglas county from 1893 until 1896. inclusive. It was then a new and gen- erally lawless district and he saw some hard service and had considerable experi- enee in the four years in which he filled the office but he succeeded in reducing law- lessness and erime to a minimum and many of his official acts have made history in that county. Perhaps his most important public service has been done as one of the river commissioners, appointed by the state government in 1909 for a term of two years. In that connection he was instrumental in securing an appropriation of fifty thousand dollars for opening up the Columbia river from Bridgeport to Kettle Falls. He worked, as a member of the commission for about a year and a half on the river, purchased the stcamer Yakima and good equipment and in the meantime secured a one hundred thousand dollar appropriation from the govern- ment, with the understanding that the commission would loan the boat and its equipment for the service. This they did and in addition returned five thousand dollars to the government when the work was completed. Steamers are now run-
241
SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
ning between the points named and the work of opening up the river has been of immense value to the district. The accomplishment of this task is due to quite an extent to Mr. Valentine, whose publie spirit prompted him to give his time and effort to a work which he recognized as most essential in the development of the district, affording cheap and excellent shipping facilities.
In October, 1899, Mr. Valentine was married to Frances Scully, of Wenatchee, Washington, a daughter of William D. Reeder, an old soldier and pioncer of that country, and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. The four children of this marriage are: Isabella. Etta and James, who are in school ; and Howard, at home. The family attend the Presbyterian church and Mr. Valentine is a member of the bluwe lodge of Masons at Waterville and of the shrine and consistory at Spokane. He is also a member of the Spokane Lodge of Elks, No. 228. He has returned to Scotland for a visit to his old home, friends and family, but has the strongest at- tachment for the land of his adoption and its institutions, recognizing the fact that this is a land of opportunity where the road to usefulness and success is open to all. A man should never be judged solely by what he has accomplished but also by the distance between his present position and his starting point. The record of Mr. Valentine viewed in this way shows his life of industry to be one indeed worthy of emulation, admiration and respect. Starting out as a boy at the anvil. he is today active in the control of many important projects which are factors in the progress and upbuilding of the northwest.
SAMUEL H. FRIEDMAN.
In a history of Spokane's self-made citizens, mention should be made of Samuel H. Friedman, who established his home here in 1890 and in the intervening years to the time of his death made steady progress in a business way, owing to his in- defatigable energy. his firm determination and keen sagacity. He was born in Illinois, January 14. 1865, and pursued his education in the public and high schools of Atlanta, that state, until he reached the age of fourteen years, when he became elerk in a general mercantile store. Gradually he worked his way upward and from his earnings saved such sums as he could each year until in 1887 he had ac- quired an amount sufficient to enable him to engage in merchandising on his own account.
After three years, however, he disposed of his interests in the middle west and came to the Pacific coast, settling in Spokane, where he established a loan business. In 1891. in company with P. E. Fisher and A. J. Reise. he purchased the Caseade Laundry, then a small plant with only a few employes and but one delivery wagon. The business prospered, however, and grew steadily. They not only controlled a large portion of the trade of this eity and surrounding district but also established branch offices in many of the towns of castern Washington and Idaho and were given the patronage of the dining and sleeping cars of the Great Northern Rail- road Company. Mr. Friedman was ever alert and watchful, carefully guarding the interests of his business, and his reliable methods and the excellent work which was turned out by his establishment constituted the chief forces in its success. le was an enterprising, progressive man, possessing the determination and energy
242
SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
needful for upbuilding and maintaining a large business undertaking. He became one of the trustees of the Spokane Laundry Association and was a member of the executive committee of the Oregon & Washington Interstate Laundry Association. He continued actively in business until his death.
In Atlanta, Illinois, on the 19th of November. 1884, Mr. Friedman was mar- ried to Miss Lillic M. Reise, a native of that town and a daughter of Augustus J. and Elizabeth (German) Reise, who were both natives of Germany and on com- ing to America settled in Atlanta, Illinois, the father devoting his life to farming in that part of the state. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Friedman was born a daughter, Helene E., now the wife of W. Lamont Barnes of the Fidelity Bank.
The death of Mr. Friedman oceurred on the 28th of August, 1904. Fraternally he was prominently identified with the Masonie order, holding membership in Tyrian Lodge, No. 96, F. & A. M., the Royal Areh chapter and the conneil, and he was also a life member of the Spokane Amateur Athletic Club. His political allegianee was given to the demoeratie party and he took an active and helpful interest in the welfare of the eity. He was one of the best known men of Spokane and all who came in contact with him recognized that he was most kindly in spirit. His genial disposition won him the love of many and his well spent life proved that success is ambition's answer.
CHARLES H. MERRIAM.
In the practice of law and in the field of real-estate operations Charles H. Merriam has won more than local reeognition. He is elosely associated with the work of upbuilding the west and yet he has never been so busy with his individual interests that he could find no time for cooperation in military affairs or publie projects. He is now giving mueh of his time to a railway project which if eom- pleted will mean a valuable asset in the opening up and development of the great region lying between Portland and Spokane. The entire width of the continent separates Mr. Merriam from his birthplace, for he is a native of Maine, born No- vember 10. 1859. He was reared to manhood in that state and in the aequirement of his education completed a high-school course and afterward spent three years in study in the University of Maine. In 1887 he went to Fort Robinson, Nebraska, where he served as assistant mechanical engineer for a time, and then proceeded to Fort Laramie, Wyoming, where he served as chief mechanical engineer until 1889. That year witnessed his arrival in Spokane where he entered upon the study of law under the direction of his brother. Willis H. Merriam. A few years were de- voted to a further course of reading and in 1891 he was admitted to the bar of Washington. He entered upon the active work of the profession and was steadily building up a good praetiee in Washington and Idaho, when his labors were inter- rupted by his service in the Spanish-American war. With the outbreak of hostili- ties between this country and Spain he enlisted in Company A of the First Regi- ment of Washington Volunteers, leaving Spokane on the 30th of April, 1898. He was mustered into the service on the 9th of May and on the 28th of October, left San Francisco for Manila. where he arrived on the 2d of December. He was stationed in the Paeo distriet of Manila and on the 19th of January, 1899, was
243
SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
transferred to Company J., participating with that command in all of the engagements of the First Washington, his services being characterized by faithfulness and valor. He received special mention from Colonel Wholley and also a written recommenda- tion for a commission in the volunteer service, in recognition of the distinguished aid which he had rendered at the capture of Pateros on the 11th of March, 1899. He was one of eight who brought boats up the Pasig river in the face of a murderous fire for the purpose of conveying the remainder of the command across, and assisted in making the crossing, the regiment being under fire all the time.
With the other members of his company Mr. Merriam was mustered out No- vember 1, 1899, at San Francisco, whence he made his way to Spokane and resumed the practice of law. He reached this city on the 6th of November and in January, 1900, was appointed deputy county clerk under James L. Drain. afterward adjutant general of the state. He continued in that office until January 15. 1901. when he formed a partnership with Charles F. Uhlman under the firm name of Uhlman & Merriam for the conduet of a real-estate business. In that connection he was one of the organizers of the railroad company known as the Spokane & Columbia River Railroad Company, of which he was elected secretary-treasurer. They ob- tained the water-power site now being improved by the Washington Water Power Company near La Prey bridge, known as Long Lake. Later Mr. Merriam sold his interest for five thousand dollars. Since then he has largely been connected with the mayor's office, especially with Herbert C. Moore, acting in the capacity of his private secretary. He was also elerk for two terms in the state legislature, both in the house and the senate. Mr. Merriam has always been prominently iden- tified with the republican party and has been a popular campaign speaker, doing much to further the interests of the organization. He is now particularly active in connection with the development of Spokane and the Inland Empire, doing everything in his power to promote the welfare of this portion of the country. At the present time he is laboring earnestly to promote the electric railway enter- prise, involving in the neighborhood of eight million dollars. If the project is car- ried out successfully it will mean the expenditure of twenty million dollars and will connect Spokane and Portland. In the meantime he continues in the practice of law and in his real-estate operations and is interested also in promoting an irriga- tion project in connection with the railway project. He is likewise interested in mining and is engaged in the development of a gold and silver property on Palmer Mountain, Okanogan county, Washington.
On the Ist of May, 1901, in Jackson, Michigan, Mr. Merriam was united in marriage to Miss Katherine Westren. a daughter of Philip D. and Elizabeth Westren, the former a farmer of Jackson. They now have one child. Jennie E. Merriam, born May 22, 1902. Mr. and Mrs. Merriam hold membership in St. Matthew's Episcopal church, in the work of which he is much interested. He is a member of the church elub. is chorister of the church and is a licensed lay reader under the bishop. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has tilled all of the chairs, and is now a past grand. He also belongs to Gen- eral Charles King Camp of the Spanish War Veterans and at one time served as chaplain but has resigned. His preliminary military experience came to him be- fore the Spanish-American war for prior to going to the Philippines he had been appointed captain of Company G, of the Second Regiment of the National Guard of Washington, serving with that rank until he resigned in order to remove to
244
SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
Idaho and praetiee law. He is also affiliated with John A. Logan Camp, No. 2, of the Sons of Veterans, of which he has served as past captain. He likewise holds membership with the Knights of Malta and the Junior Order of United American Meehanies. In polities he has always been an active republican, giving loyal sup- port to the party in his efforts to seeure the adoption of its principles which he deems most condneive to good government. His activities and interests have thus covered a broad field and have been especially effective factors in promoting the interests of the community and the state along many lines. He is a man of marked enterprise, laboring earnestly in behalf of whatever he undertakes, and his sound judgment, guiding his indefatigable industry, brings to sueeessful eonelusion many of the projeets with which he is associated.
MARK WOOD MERRITT.
Notable among the proprietors of heavy landed interests in Washington is Mark Wood Merritt, of Rosalia. Whitman county, now living a life of comparative re- tirement. He was born in Pike county, Missouri, October 1, 1854, his parents be- ing Thomas and Susan (Suddreth) Merritt, both natives of Virginia. The Merritt family is of Freneh origin. the grandfather, Nicholas Merritt, and the great-grand- father both having been born in Franee. The latter took part in the Revolutionary war and the grandfather, who settled in Maryland, was a soldier in the War of 1812.
Mark Wood Merritt was edneated in the common schools of Pike eounty, Mis- souri, and pursued his studies until 1873, when he devoted his entire time to as- sisting his father in the work of the farm, thus continuing until 1877. In that year he rented a farm in Missouri and continued farming on his own account in that state until the spring of 1882. when he decided to remove to Whitman county, Wash- ington. After arriving in this state he settled two miles east of Rosalia where he took up one hundred and sixty aeres of government land and from time to time in- ereased his holdings until he now possesses eight hundred aeres in that community. He also owns twenty thousand and eighty aeres in Douglas county, Washington. He has given a great deal of attention to the raising of stoek, his specialty being the breeding of fine horses of which he owns one hundred and fifty-three head. During his aetive career as a horse breeder he achieved a national reputation hav- ing sold his horses in all parts of the United States. Another important braneh of his farming activity was dairying, his operations along that line being quite exten- sive. Beside the heavy landed interests Mr. Merritt possesses. he is also a direetor of the First National Bank of Rosalia, a director in the Rosalia Telephone Com- pany and a director and the president of the Rosalia Supply Company.
Mark Wood Merritt was married to Miss Edna Wells in Pike county, Missouri, in 1878. She is a daughter of William E. and Martha (MeCoy) Wells, both na- tives of the state of Missouri. To this union were born four children: Henry, re- siding in Whitman eounty, who is married and has two sons; Martha, the wife of Allen MeClaine, of Pearl. Washington. and the mother of two daughters ; Richard, yet at home : and Jesse, who died at the age of nineteen years.
M. W. MERRITT
247
SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
The political allegiance of Mr. Merritt is given to the democratic party, for the measures and candidates of which he always casts his vote and he has held the office of road supervisor for eight years. He also takes a great interest in educa- tional matters, having been a member of the local school board for twelve years. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic order and of the Woodmen of the World. He is also active in his membership in the Commercial Club of Rosalia.
Prime factors which have condneed to the attainment of Mr. Merritt's unusu- ally prosperous and useful business career have been his great business ability, his untiring industry, his habits of economy and the wise direction and management of the properties which he began to accumulate comparatively early in life. He started out in the business world single-handed and alone to carve a career which logically followed as the result of his own well directed efforts along business lines. Ile had the courageous spirit in abundance and was not afraid to make investments which his common sense and intuition told him would prove profitable. He reveled in work, took a keen interest in the management of his business affairs and gave unflagging attention to all the details which a business life entails. After serving his community and in fact the district at large in the useful ways outlined above Mr. Merritt has been enabled at a comparatively early time in life to retire from the active and more onerous duties which he followed long and successfully. In return he is now enjoying life, surrounded by an extensive circle of warm personal and business friends among whom he has always been held in the highest esteem and regarded with the greatest respect.
MILES M. HIGLEY.
Developing business conditions have made commercial training a necessity. In this age when everything is done with a rush and where rapid and accurate results must be obtained in order to meet competition each individual should be thoroughly qualified for the duties which devolve upon him, and to meet the need for thoroughly trained help the commercial college has been established. Today the Northwestern Business College of Spokane is regarded as one of the foremost educational institu- tions of the northwest and as its president Mr. Higley has given to this section of the country a school of particular merit. He has lived in Washington for fourteen years, having come to Spokane in 1897. He was then a young man of about thirty years of age, his birth having occurred in St. Charles, Minnesota, November 24, 1867. His parents were Francis M. and Maria E. (Chamberlain) Higley. of that city, where his father conducted business as a hardware merchant save that at the period of the Civil war he responded to the country's call for aid and served at the front with Brackett's Battalion of the Fifth Iowa Cavalry. He passed away many years ago. but the mother of our subjeet is still living.
As a public-school student of Minnesota. Miles M. Higley passed through con- seentive grades until he became a high-school student and later he attended the Gem City Business College of Quincy. Illinois. Recognizing the need for busi- ness training among the young people of the country, he went to Marinette, Wis- consin, where he opened a commercial school, which he conducted with gratifying success from 1889 until 1897. In the latter year he sold out and came to Spokane. Vol. III-13
248
SPOKANE AND THE INLAND EMPIRE
thinking to find a still broader field of labor in this rapidly growing section of the country. He purchased the Northwestern Business College from its founder, E. H. Thompson, and immediately began to reorganize and build up what is uniformly conceded today to be the best business college in the northwest. In 1899 the com- pany was incorporated with Mr. Higley as president and general manager and Clinton P. Brewer as secretary. The faculty now numbers ten instructors, day and evening classes are maintained and there are three distinct courses of study. Their attendance numbers about seven hundred pupils each year, coming to them from the Dakotas, Montana, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Oklahoma and British Columbia. It is estimated that the college is the means of bringing from one hun- dred and fifty thousand to one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars to Spo- kane each year. The system of instruction is most thorough and graduates are qualified to take up responsible positions in the business world. Already many of their students are making for themselves creditable names and positions as factors in the commercial life of this and other cities.
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.