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 38
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Mr. Henkle was married, in Farmington. Washington, in July. 1892, to Miss Eva Scott. a native of Kansas and a daughter of John J. and Addie M. ( Hands) Scott. the father being a native of Canada and the mother having been born in Kentucky. To this union three daughters were born, Genevieve, Irene and Lucille. Mr. Henkle is affiliated with the republican party and in a quiet way takes con- siderable interest in politics. He has been city clerk five terms, a member of the school board eight years and clerk of that board for seven years, He is an active
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member of the Odd Fellows lodge, in which he has occupied all of the chairs, and in his ehureh affiliations is a member of the Congregational ehureh, of which he is a trustee and in the activities of which he takes active part.
Having for over twenty years been a participant in the business life and inter- ests of Tekoa and also having taken an active interest in educational and municipal affairs, Mr. Henkle has become exceedingly well known in Tekoa and community. He has succeeded in building up a fine business, which is being condueted under his management, and in all his dealings he is recognized as being entirely just and equitable. His cordiality of manner has gained for him an unusually large circle of intimate personal friends and there are probably few people in Whitman county who are held in higher esteem than he. He has succeeded on account of the close attention which he has given to his business, his integrity, which is apparent at all times. his economical habits and the general fitness which his earlier experiences have given him for the line which he is now following.
ALFRED B. WILLARD.
In the great northwest there are large numbers of sueeessful business men who today are affluent and highly respected and useful citizens who have attained their present estate solely through their own efforts and by their habits of industry, econ- omy and well directed energies in business. Notably among this class is Alfred B. Willard, banker, farmer and former hardware merchant of Tekoa, Whitman county. He was born in Boone county, Illinois, August 19, 1852, the son of Henry R. and Celestia (Morse) Willard. both natives of the state of New York.
In the public schools of Ilinois Alfred B. Willard received his early education. He assisted his father in the work of the farm until 1872 when, the lure of the west attracting him, he set out for the Pacific coast and settled in California. During his early years in the far west he engaged in the freighting business during the sum- mer months while in the fall and winter seasons he followed agricultural pursuits. In October, 1878. he removed to Whitman county, Washington, where he took up three hundred and twenty aeres of government land about one and one-half miles south of where Tekoa now stands. One half of this land he took up under the homestead act and the other half under the timber eulture aet. He worked hard for several years getting his farm under a good state of cultivation and making the necessary improvements. He also inereased his holdings until he owned four hun- dred and eighty aeres. In 1893 erops were a failure-a disastrous blow to Mr. Willard-but in the following year erops were good and priees passable for that period of almost universal depression throughout the country, which removed mueh of his discouragement of the year before. He continued farming diligently and in a well directed way until 1897, when he removed to Tekoa and engaged in the hard- ware business in partnership with C. F. Kay, the firm name being Kay & Willard. In 1899 he retired from aetive life to look after his farming interests which have now grown to inelude seventeen hundred and sixty acres of land. Mr. Willard is the president and also a stockholder and director of the Citizens State Bank of Tekoa and likewise of the Farmers' Union Mill & Grain Company, and a stoekholder and one of the organizers of the Tekoa Creamery Company.
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In 1899, at Portage, Wisconsin, Mr. Willard was married to Miss Sarah M. Me- Laren. a daughter of James and Sarah (Curtis) MeLaren, natives of New York and Canada respectively. In his political affiliation Mr. Willard is a republican. He has served as school director for several terms and was one of the county com- missioners from 1898 to 1901, and he has also been a member of the city council of Tekoa. The long and active business life of Alfred B. Willard, together with his fairness in business dealings, his strict integrity and the capable manner in which he has handled all his business affairs have made him easily one of the most popu- Jar and valued citizens of the city and county where he resides. Because of the success which he has achieved through his own unaided efforts and because of his rise to the place in the community which he now enjoys he easily takes high rank among the prosperous, respected and eminent citizens of the great state of Wash- ington.
CHARLES WESLEY WALTON, SR.
Charles Wesley Walton was born in Iowa, October 18, 184t. a son of Joshua J. and Ann (MeNab) Walton, both natives of Kentucky, who at the early period of 1849 crossed the plains with ox teams to the Pacific coast, settling in California. This journey was attended with the usual series of hardships and privations com- mon to the lot of pioneers. Charles W. Walton, who was but five years old at the time of the removal of the family. attended the public schools in the Golden state until the time when his parents went to Oregon in 1852. and in that state he com- pleted his education.
In 186t he took up the business of mining, which he followed for three years, and then went to farming on his own account in Lane county, Oregon, on one hundred and sixty acres of land. There he remained until 1879, when he re- moved to Rosalia, Washington, renting twenty-four acres one mile south of the town which he operated until 1880. when he went to Albany, Oregon, where he clerked in a store throughout the spring of that year. He then returned to Rosalia, taking up a government homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of land four and a half miles northwest of the town. There he took up his abode, except at such times as he was engaged in clerking in Cheney and Spokane, particularly dur- ing the first year that he lived on the homestead. In this way he accumulated ad- ditional funds for the development of his claim. He continued his residence there- on until 1886, when he secured a title from the government to this land which he then sold and removed to Rosalia. where he embarked in the grocery business. After conducting this enterprise for a time he disposed of it and bought one hun- dred and sixty acres three miles south of the city. There he lived until 1888. when once more he returned to Rosalia and took charge of the business of the Tacoma Grain Company and conducted that enterprise until he became interested in the Seattle Grain Company, with which he is still identified as agent, not only at Oakesdale but also at Fallon, MeCoy and Belmont. He still owns his home in Spokane, where his family reside in order that the children may have the benefit of the school facilities there.
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Mr. Walton was married, on the 2d of April, 1866, to Miss Susie 1 .. Gregg, who is a native of Illinois and a daughter of Andrew J. and Dorothy ( Baker) Gregg, who were born in Illinois and Kentucky respectively. To this union have been born seven children, namely: Lena Louise, who died when eleven years of age; George P., who is married and has three sons; Mabel, who wedded J. M. Hone and has one son and one daughter; Frank D., deceased; Fred B., who is married and has one son; Charles W., Jr .; and Chester E., who is married and has one daughter. The surviving members are all residents of Spokane.
In his political allegiance Mr. Walton is a democrat and was for many years marshal and constable of Rosalia. Ile is a member of the Christian church in which he is serving as elder and he takes an active interest in the affairs of that denomination. Mr. Walton is among the better class of citizens of Whitman county, where he has a very large circle of friends and where he is universally respected and held in high esteem.
J. FRANKLIN MCCROSKEY.
Public spirit, strict attention to business and general success along all lines of endeavor undertaken, characterize the career of J. Franklin McCroskey, who though operating a farm of six hundred and forty acres of land in the vicinity of the town is a resident of Oakesdale. He was born in Monroe county, Tennes- see, January 9, 1860, a son of J. P. T. and Mary M. (Gallagher) MeCroskey, both natives of Tennessee. His boyhood days were spent on the farm and in the Glenloch Mills, and he received a fair education. attending the common and high schools of the county until May, 1879. At that time the parents came west to California and in July of the same year moved to what is known as Tennessee Flat, Whitman county, Washington, where the father took up a homestead and also a claim under the timber culture laws, and there J. Franklin MeCroskey re- mained, assisting his father until after he had obtained titles to his land from the United States government. In 1880 the son began working on the Northern Pacific Railroad and was also identified with the Oregon Railway & Navigation Com- pany, being thus employed until 1881. During this period, however, in 1882, he filed on a one hundred and sixty acre homestead three miles northwest of Oakes- dale and after maintaining his residence there and meeting the other requirements secured title to this land from the government. He continued increasing his hold- ings by purchase until he had six hundred and forty acres, and still owns and operates four hundred and eighty acres, most of which is in a high state of culti- vation and is equipped with many modern improvements. He has been con- nected with the Oakesdale State Bank as a stockholder and has been active in business and other circles in Whitman county for many years.
In Olympia, Washington, on the 25th of December, 1899, Mr. MeCroskey was united in marriage to Miss Virginia A. Bushnell, a native of Missouri and a daugh- ter of Emanuel and Mary (Watson) Bushnell. To them have been born two chil- dren, Keith Bushnell and Franklin. In his fraternal relations Mr. MeCroskey is affiliated with the Farmers Union and the United Artisans. He is a democrat in his political faith and is at present a member of the city council of Oakesdalc.
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He has long been active in educational matters, having been a member of the school board about twelve years. He is also affiliated with the Methodist Episco- pal church, of which he and his wife are active supporters and earnest in their cooperation to make that body effective for good in the community.
Possessing the sterling qualities of industry, economy and business acumen, together with a lively interest in civic, fraternal, educational and church affairs, Mr. MeCroskey has long been recognized as a conspicuous and valuable citizen of Oakesdale and Whitman county. He has a large number of friends and with his genial demeanor, his warm-heartedness and his good-fellowship is a favorite with the circle in which he moves.
WILLIAM A. NICHOLLS.
William A. Nicholls, president of the Big Bend Transit Company, is financing and advancing a project for railroad building and the development of water power along the Spokane river. He has financed many business propositions which have become valuable factors in the upbuilding of the northwest, his keen insight en- abling him to see and utilize opportunities which men of less broad vision do not grasp. Ile was born at Beatrice, Nebraska, June 15. 1878, a son of William D. and Ada L. (Pellett) Nicholls, of that city, who removed to Spokane in 1891. The family numbered four sons and five daughters, namely: Walter J., who is in the brokerage business in Spokane: Leigh, a real-estate dealer in Eugene, Oregon ; Gilmore, of Eugene: Clara, the wife of Henry Swan, of Spokane; Marjorie, who married Wilbur Wester, of Seattle; Mona, who makes her home in this city ; William A .. of this review ; and two who died in childhood.
William A. Nicholls began his education in the private schools of the east and continued his course after coming to Spokane. being graduated from the high school here in 1896. The mining and general brokerage business attracted him and he has handled the sale of large mining properties all through the northwest. winning substantial success in that line. He has been a close student of the mineral re- sources of the country. his careful investigation leading to judicious investments which have brought him gratifying prosperity. He organized the National Cop- per Mine Company, the Nepsic Mining Company and the Nicholls Investment Company, which conducted a large real-estate, fire, accident and safety deposit vault business. Recently, however. Mr. Nicholls has disposed of his interests in the last named company to the Washington Trust Company and is now giving his attention to the interests of the Big Bend Transit Company of which he is presi- dent. This company has well formulated plans which it is rapidly putting into execution. each day witnessing a step in advance of what had been accomplished in the previous day. The company now has its survey all made to follow the Spo- kane river from here to the junction of the Columbia, having a terminal site at this point. They also have a right from the government to develop the water power here and are pushing forward their project to completion. Mr. Nicholls is notably prompt, energetic and reliable and has in large measure the quality of common sense. He has never been actively identified with politics although he has always given his support to the republican party since age conferred upon
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him the right of franchise. He has preferred to give his attention to business and publie affairs of another character and is a charter member of the Spokane Stock Exchange which was organized in 1896.
Fraternally Mr. Nicholls is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, his membership being in Lodge No. 228. He is a life member of the Spo- kane Amateur Athletic Club, belongs also to the Spokane Club and to the Spokane Country Club. It would be difficult to forecast his future but it is well known that he never regards any position as final. With the accomplishment of a given purpose he starts out for still larger achievements and the project which he has undertaken will undoubtedly in time prove a valuable asset -in the work of devel- oping the northwest.
FREDERICK CONRAD ROBERTSON.
Frederick Conrad Robertson, the subject of this sketch, was born in Livings- ton, Paris, Louisiana, February 12, 1865. His father was Edward White Robert- sen and his mother's maiden name Mary Jane Pope. His father was a prominent southern lawyer and statesman and served in the Mexican war, and in the Civil war as a Confederate, being eolonel in the siege of Vieksburg. He served from 1876 until 1886 as a member of congress and upon his death was suceeeded by his son, S. M. Robertson, who served until 1906.
Mr. Robertson was edneated at the Louisiana State University, leaving in his senior year and graduated from the Georgetown Law School at Washington, D. C., in 1889. He came immediately to the state of Washington and settled at Port Townsend and later at Tacoma. He served as assistant United States attorney from 1891 to 1897 doing mueh trial work for the United States. He moved to Spokane in 1897 and has sinee continuously resided there. From 1899 until 1902 he was employed as attorney for the Western Miners and defended all of them who were incareerated in the "Bull Pen" and afterward tried in the Idaho courts, He afterward went to Washington and represented the miners before the con- gressional investigation called at their instance before the military committee of the house of representatives, which resulted in the ending of martial law in the Coeur d'Alenes and the release of the remaining ineareerated miners who had been held in the martial prison of "Bull Pen" at Wardner, Idaho, some one thon- sand five hundred miners being so incarcerated. Mr. Robertson's eonstant eon- tention was that martial law and the holding of men by martial order under such conditions was uneonstitutional and unlawful. when the courts are in the unob- strueted exercise of their jurisdiction and can administer eivil remedies. His views were, in the end, aceepted and martial control of the Coeur d'Alenes was brought to an end by order of President MeKinley.
Mr. Robertson has been active in the legal profession. his praetice extending into Oregon, Idaho and Washington in which states he has a large acquaintance. He has taken part in many of the most important trials in Eastern Washington and Idaho. Mr. Robertson has been a continual advocate of the ownership of publie utilities by municipalities and has been prominent in the democratie party since his advent into the state. He was a nominee for congress in 1908, but was defeated with the balance of the state ticket.
FREDERICK G. ROBERTSON
10
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Mr. Robertson is the father of two sons, Stephen, of the age of eighteen; and Fred, of the age of seventeen. He has a daughter, Lucile, of the age of thirteen, by his first wife, who was Miss Amelia DeLion and who died in 1901. In 1909 he was again married to Miss Marie Twist.
Mr. Robertson has been frequently employed in labor disputes as the attorney of local and national unions.
LOUIS LAFAYETTE HUNT.
Louis Lafayette Hunt is interested in various business projects in Spokane. He was born in Nashville, Tennessee, July 20, 1869, and is a son of Hamline T. and Jennie C. (Gardner) Hunt, both of whom are of English deseent. The Hunt fam- ily, however, was founded in America in Colonial days and was represented in the Revolutionary war. Hamline T. Hunt was born in the state of New York and when young accompanied his parents on their removal from Tennessee to Wisconsin. Following his removal to the middle west he was postmaster at Hortonville, Wis- consin. for seventeen years. He there engaged in farming and also conducted a fire insurance business for thirty years. He served as a soldier of the Civil war for about four years, becoming first lieutenant of the Third Wisconsin Light Ar- tillery. His last days were spent in Kellogg, Idaho, where he died July 27. 1909. His wife, who died in 1881, also represented an old family that sent some of its members to the front in the war for independence. Her father enlisted as a soldier of the Confederate army and was killed at, the battle of Chickamauga.
Louis 1 .. Hunt is the only surviving member of his family, his sister having died at the age of seven years. He was edneated in the common and high schools and a business college of Oshkosh. Wisconsin, and in the State Normal School. He was only twelve years of age when he left home and went to Milwaukee, Wiscon- sin, and the following year made his way to Chicago where he remained for two years. He was afterward at El Paso, Texas, and secured employment with the 3X Cattle Company as ranch hand and cowboy. Subsequently he returned to New Or- leans and afterward went to Buffalo, New York : Washington, D. C. : Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Chicago, working in those cities on the Buffalo & Eric Railroad, and also making the run out of Chicago to Milwaukee as a newsboy. While residing in Chicago he traveled with the W. W. Cole Circus for two seasons, being upon the road from 1882 until 1884, visiting all states east of the Mississippi. In the spring of 1885 he returned to Chicago and entered the employ of the Wisconsin Central Railroad as baggage man and expressman for the American Express Company. In the fall of 1885 he removed to Marquette, Michigan, where he entered the service of the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad. After a short time, however, he located at Clintonville, Wisconsin, where he was employed by the Chicago & North- western Railroad Company and later he went to Duluth, Minnesota, and thence to Brainard, where he made his home during the winter of 1886, being employed as a brakeman and conductor on the Northern Pacific Railroad.
On the 5th of May, 1887. Mr. Hunt arrived in Spokane but soon returned cast as far as Missoula. Montana, and worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad Com- pany for two years and five months. He then engaged in mining in and near Mon-
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tana and Idaho for two years. He also was employed at Butte in connection with the liquor business and in 1892 returned to Missoula where he engaged in business until 1899. In 1900 he formed a partnership with George M. Cosgrove and eon- dneted business at No. 111 Howard street under the firm name of Cosgrove & Company. For five years he eondueted a large cafe in Spokane but in 1905 sold out and went to Seattle where he remained for a short time. After returning to this city he did not again engage in business until 1909, when he opened an estab- lishment in the Paulsen building where he is now loeated. He seeured the Paulsen lease and opened business there on the 22d of June. He has the finest bar in the northwest and the best trade in the eity. He is also interested in the Surprise Min- ing Company of Pine Creek, near Kellogg, Idaho, eoneeded to be one of the best properties in that distriet. He is a stoekholder in the Spokane Taxieab Company and in the Farmer Jones Mining Company of Priest River, the property of which is under development and by government inspectors coneeded to be one of the eom- ing gold mines of Washington. He has always been mneh interested in raeing, has driven many raees and was interested with Mr. Cosgrove in the raee-traek conees- sion from 1903 until 1907. He is also the sole proprietor of a wholesale and retail liquor house at the corner of Second and Stevens streets.
On the 25th of December, 1901, Mr. Hunt was married to Miss Charlotte Louise Manning, a daughter of Mr. Manning, of Minnesota, now deceased. She is a sister of Thomas J. Manning, superintendent of earriers of the Spokane postoffice, and of James Manning, who has charge of the mailing department of the postoffice at Minneapolis. Mr. Hunt owns a beautiful home at No. 2026 Manito place, faeing the park, and also a fine residenee on Newman Lake and other property there, where he keeps a launeh and steel boats. In polities he was formerly a demoerat but now gives his support to the republican party. He has been active in politieal work, has served as a delegate to eounty conventions in Missoula and Spokane and many installed office holders are indebted to Mr. Hunt for their sueeess. Frater- nally he is connected with the Elks Lodge. No. 228, with the Knights of Pythias. the Spokane Athletic Club, the Inland Chib, the Enakops and the Chamber of Com- meree. He has greatly inereased his business activities and interests and now has many good dividend-bearing business projeets.
SAMUEL W. ANDERSON.
Sammel W. Anderson is an independent groeer of Spokane, who has met with snecess in mereantile lines and is branehing out largely into other fields as one of the factors in the establishment and control of an immense plant for the manu- facture of white lead, ehrome lead, and iron and zine paint pigments.
Born in Michigan on the 19th of December, 1864, Samnel W. Anderson is de- seended from a prominent Scottish family and his father, James Anderson, now living in Spokane at the ripe old age of eighty-six years, was born in the eity of Glasgow, whenee he came to Ameriea at the age of twelve, it requiring at that time three months to complete the voyage aeross the Atlantie. He has a brother two years his senior who is still living in Canada. James Anderson wedded Patienee Peaslee, who was born in Michigan and was of English lineage, although the fam-
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ily was early established on American soil and sent its representatives to the front in the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Anderson passed away about 1892, survived by her husband and three children, of whom Monroe is now a farmer of Alberta, Canada, while the daughter is Mr. E. E. Mayer, whose husband is a retired farmer of Spokane.
In the graded and high schools of Michigan, Samuel W. Anderson pursued his education and entered business life as clerk in the mercantile establishment of Roberts & Beach at Lapeer, Michigan. He afterward spent five years in the em- ploy of J. Armstrong. a general merchant, and on the expiration of that period be- came connected with the wholesale dry-goods house of A. Krolick & Company of Detroit, Michigan, having charge of the dress-goods department. He was after- ward with Barnes, Hengerer & Company, wholesale dry-goods merchants of Buf- falo, and in the interest of that house traveled through the central part of Michigan for three years.
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