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 44
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Mr. Lemley was married in Ohio, in 1881. to Miss Callie Burkey. of that state. Her father, John Burkey, was a native of Switzerland, and her mother, who in her
1. 1. LEMLICY
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maidenhood was Secretia Dillon, was born in Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Lemley were horn nine children: Forest and Clarence, both residing in Spokane county on ranches owned by their father ; Homer, who is living in Idaho; Millie, who became the wife of William Vandecar, of Spokane county; and Ada. Addie. Lester. Cyrus and Thelma, all of whom are at home.
Mr. Lemley is an independent demoerat in his political views and. although not a politician in the office-seeking sense of the word. he takes time to give a reasonable amount of attention to public affairs. He is deeply interested in educational matters and has been a school trustee for a considerable period. In his fraternal affiliations he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. the Farmers Union and the Grange. He takes an active interest in church work and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is one of the trustees. Ile is also a member of the Rosalia Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Lemley is a valued, active and influential citizen in the county of which he is a resident. His activity in public and particularly educational and church affairs have given him an extensive acquaintance so that he is among the better known citizens of Whitman county. In his manner of life he is generous, sociable and patriotie, and his business dealings are characterized by integrity and equal justice to all with whom he comes in contact.
WILLIAM W. McCREARY.
William W. MeCreary is a member of the firm of McCreary & Willard. rail- road contractors of Spokane, and for many years 'has been well known in connec- tion with railway building in the northwest. Capability. energy and determina- tion have been the salient features in winning him success that places him among the leading business men of his class in this part of the country. He was born at Cape Vincent. in the state of New York. July 29. 1857. a son of James and Sarah MeCreary. The family is of Scotch origin, although representatives of the name in early generations removed to Ireland, and it was in that country that James McCreary was born. He married Sarah McCormack, who was probably of Irish lineage. They became the parents of two sons but the brother of William W. McCreary died in infancy and his parents died while he was too young to remember them. A small amount of incumbent property was left but he never received anything from this, and is a self-made man, who from early age has been dependent entirely upon his own resources.
He had no educational advantages save what the common schools afforded. He spent his boyhood days upon a farm but not wishing to follow agricultural pursuits as a life work. he learned the carpenter's trade and in 1880 made his way westward to Minneapolis, where he followed building pursuits, for the city was then growing very rapidly and there was an excellent field for labor in the line of his trade. For about nine years he remained a resident of Minneapolis and then removed to Montana, where he engaged in railroad building on the line of the Northern Pacific, which was then being constructed from Logan to Butte. He had charge of the erection of all of the buiklings along the line and was thus engaged until the completion of the road. E. H. McHenry was in charge of the work and G. W. Hendrick was chief en- gineer on the Northern Pacific.
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When the line was completed, Mr. MeCreary came to Spokane and took a con- tract for the terminal buildings at Coulee City on the Central Washington Rail- road, which was then building. After the completion of that contraet he did some work for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company at Wallace and at Burke, Idaho. About that time railway construction eeased for some time but later he was ap- pointed bridge and building superintendent for the Idaho division of the road, with offices at Sprague. A few years later the railroad shops and offices at that place were destroyed by fire and the headquarters of the company were then re- moved to Spokane. Mr. McCreary continued in charge of the bridge building de- partment until 1901. when he left the employ of the railroad company to engage in business on his own account. forming a partnership with Mr. Willard, which connection has since continued. Their business at the present time amounts to about one hundred thousand dollars per year. Mr. McCreary was well established by reputation as a railroad builder when he entered upon his present partnership, owing to the excellent work which he had previously done in other connections and it was therefore not difficult to secure a liberal patronage, which now places him among the successful and substantial business men of Spokane.
On the 7th of December, 1880. at Flandreau, South Dakota, Mr. McCreary was united in marriage to Miss Margaret A. Owens, a daughter of Richard Owens, and unto them have been born four children: Maud M., the wife of Berton E. Helborn, of Spokane; Harry A., at home; William B., who is attending the Hous- ton school: and Richard Allen, who died at the age of five, in Minneapolis. The family attend the Vincent Methodist church, of which Mr. McCreary is a member. He is interested in its work and contributes generously to its support. His politi- cal allegiance has always been given to the republican party but without ambi- tion or desire for office. His life record illustrates what may be accomplished when ambition and energy lead the way. There are no obstacles too great to be surmounted if those qualities are dominant forces in the life of an individual. Deprived in youth of many of the advantages which should come to the young through parental care, training and assistance. Mr. McCreary nevertheless came to a realization of the fact that in the individual lies the secret of success and not in time, place or circumstance. He has wisely used his opportunities, proving his worth at every point in his career and thus he has attained the creditable success which is now his.
MOYE WICKS.
Move Wicks, who has engaged in the practice of law as his real life work and vet has made valuable contributions to literature. is now located in Spokane. where he has secured a clientage of a most important character. He was born at Aber- deen. Mississippi. April 22, 1855. a son of MI. J. Wicks and Mrs. Sarah Amanda Wicks. nee Jennings. His father was president of various banks and was also president of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad Company. A distinguished officer in the Confederate army. he stood so high in the confidence of the Confederate government as to receive the appointment of its chief financial representative in Europe. Move Wicks is descended from families of distinction in Europe. His
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first American ancestor on the paternal side was Lambert Wicks, commander of the Reprisal, the first ship of war equipped by President George Washington. In Sloan's History of Our Navy it is said: "He it was who first flaunted the American flag in British waters and first burned British ships in sight of British shores." Ilis first American ancestor on the maternal side was Sir Edmund Jen- nings, who came to Virginia in 1703 as royal lieutenant governor under Queen Anne.
Mr. Wicks was educated in Virginia and Tennessee in the usual classical. mathematical and law courses. In early manhood he edited a country newspaper and later became editor of the Austin Statesman, one of the oldest daily papers in Texas. The main pursuit of his life has been the practice of law. He has re- sided in Los Angeles, California, Houston and Austin, Texas, and is now prac- tieing in Spokane. He has been engaged in many important litigations and has contributed to the establishing of legal principles in numerous leading cases of large import. In some degree he is "a lawyer's lawyer," being often engaged by other attorneys to try cases in court.
Mr. Wicks was married at Los Angeles, California. July 10, 1881, to Miss Moxley Sorrell, a daughter of Colonel Richard Henry Douglas Sorrell, who com- manded a Confederate regiment, and niece and namesake of Major General Moxley Sorrell, also of the Confederate army. Mrs. Wicks is descended from a noble French family on her father's side and on her mother's side springs from the Gor- dons and Jordans, noted families of Georgia. Mr. and Mrs. Wieks have the fol- lowing children: Moye: Madeleine, the wife of Robert Joseph Kennedy, a lawyer of Baltimore, Maryland: Muriel; Marion; Mervyn; Mildred; Melville; Moxley Sorrell : and Mallory.
Mr. Wieks is a Catholic in his religions views and in polities is a strict con- struction democrat-an advocate of the doctrine of John C. Calhoun that the cen- tral government at Washington is but the delegated agent for the sovereign states and but their clearing house for the transaction of interstate affairs and for the regulation of their diplomatie and commercial relations with foreign powers. Though an active lawyer in full practice and regarded as one of the eminent rep- resentatives of the bar of the northwest because of his comprehensive understand- ing of the principles of jurisprudence and his ability to accurately apply its prinei- ples, he has found relaxation in literary pursuits and has written several books, notably one entitled "Francis Bacon," which has made a great impression in the higher literary circles of the United States. Extensively read in the literature of many languages, he also has wide knowledge concerning art in its various phases and is well known as a collector of paintings, engravings and rare volumes.
C. H. HOLMES.
C. H. Holmes, one of the prominent citizens of Wilbur who is successfully en- waged in the real-estate and loan business, has been a resident of Lincoln county for twenty-two years, and during that time has been identified with various local activities. He was born in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, on June 17. 1865, and is a son of C. C. and Mary Holmes. The parents were both natives of the state of New
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York but they removed to Minnesota in 1837 and there the father engaged in the general mercantile and milling business for many years.
C. H. Holmes was reared at home and given the advantages of a common-school education. He early laid aside his text-books and began his business earcer, and being a thrifty and energetic youth of mueh determination of spirit he met with success. At the age of about twenty years he engaged in the lumber and wood business in Sauk Rapids, but believing that the northwest afforded better oppor- tunities and greater advantages, he disposed of his enterprise in 1889 and together with his young wife came to Washington. Lincoln county was his destination and upon his arrival here he filed on a homestead three miles from Wilbur. He was not familiar with agricultural pursuits, but he is a man of practical ideas and clear judgment and by the intelligent direction of his energies met with a goodly meas- ure of success. It was his ambition to again engage in business, however. and with this thought in mind he applied himself tirelessly to the operation of his ranch. His efforts were rewarded with constantly inereasing returns during the succeed- ing seven years, which, together with the price of his raneh. which he sold in 1896. enabled him to engage in the general mercantile business in Wilbur. He carried a well assorted stock of merchandise that he offered at reasonable prices and met with little difficulty in building up a profitable trade. He continued to conduct this store for nine years and at the end of that time sold it to Mr. Parks and in 1906 he opened a real-estate and loan office. This has proven to be a lucrative un- dertaking and he has negotiated some large transactions. Since engaging in this business Mr. Holmes has been instrumental in the upbuilding and development of this section of the county, as through his efforts many settlers have been indueed to locate in and adjacent to Wilbur. He has acquired some valuable holdings in the Little Kettle mining country, that are being developed. and he also owns four hundred and eighty aeres of fine wheat land, which he rents to good advantage.
On the 4th of March, 1888, Mr. Holmes was united in marriage to Miss Emma C. G. Waltman, a daughter of J. S. Waltman, a well known veterinary surgeon of Minnesota, and they have become the parents of Harry, Roy, Byron, Cecil, Ida, Earl, Sylvia, Ernest, Lea and Roland, all of whom are attending school.
The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church and in politics Mr. Holmes is a republican. He is a publie-spirited man and takes an active interest in all movements that affect the welfare of the community.
JAMES ALEXANDER MACLEAN, PH. D .. LL. D.
Among the foremost educators and scholars of the northwest stands James Alexander MacLean who is president and professor of political science in the Uni- versity of Idaho. His birth occurred on the 2d of August, 1868, at Mayfair, On- tario, his parents being Alexander and Hannah (Bateman) MacLean. James A. MacLean received his academic preparation at the Strathroy Collegiate Institute from 1880 to '85. After completing his course in the University of Toronto in 1892, where he received the degree of B. A .. he entered Columbia University and the following year received the degree of M. A .. and in 1894 the degree of Ph. D. During these years he specialized in economies and jurisprudence and because of
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his keen intellect and careful study he was elected to the professorship of political science in the University of Colorado, which chair he held from 1891 to 1900. In that year he resigned his chair in the University of Colorado and became presi- dent of the University of Idaho. He continues to hold this position, and his ability hoth here and at the University of Colorado was given publie recognition when in 1905 the University of Colorado conferred upon him the degree of L.L. D. He stails as one of the foremost scholars of the country in his particular department, and the recognition given his ability is national.
Hle holds membership in the American Economic Association, the American Political Science Association and the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences, the National Council of the N. E. A., and the American Association of State Universities.
Dr. Maclean was married on the 5th of October, 1907. to Miss Mary V. Rob- inson, of Moscow, Idaho. To their union three children were born: Alexander R., whose birth occurred on the 13th of September. 1908; Francis R., born February 7. 1910: and Alan H., whose birth occurred on the 3d of August. 1911. Although Dr. and Mrs. Maclean reside in Moscow, they are well known throughout the northwest. not only because of their educational prestige but because of their social qualities.
The University of Idaho, of which Dr. Maclean is president, was established by a territorial legislature and opened for the reception of pupils on the 12th of October. 1892. It is most attractively situated on a hill overlooking the city of Moscow and its campus comprises sixty-five acres. The buildings in which its activities are carried on are all modern and substantial structures, and attest the prosperity and rapid growth of the institution. The Administration building which replaces the original one destroyed by fire in 1906. was first occupied in September, 1909. It is three stories high with central tower and covers a ground space of two hundred fifty-four by one hundred and fifty feet. It is one of the most impos- ing structures on the campus, being in collegiate Gothic style, built of red pressed brick with buff colored sandstone trimmings. Because of the disaster to the other Administration building by fire this one has been made absolutdy fire proof. The Engineering building which was erected in 1901-02. is a three-story brick struet- ure with a ground plan of sixty by one hundred eight feet. Liszt Hall, which was formerly the Horticultural building, is now refitted for the department of music. Ridenbangh Hall, which is sufficiently large to accommodate one hundred students. serves as the women's dormitory. It was completed in 1902 and is a three-story brick building furnished according to the most modern and approved plans. The armory and gymnasium which was finished in 1901. is a large rectangular struct- ure of red brick with a ground plan of one hundred twenty-nine by sixty-four feet. This was erected at a cost of twenty-five thousand dollars. The annex to the gym- nasium, which was completed last year, is a wooden structure sixty by one hundred and eighty feet. and is known as Lewis Court. The Assay building is a low struct- ure having a floor space of one hundred ten by fifty-two feet. It is built of selected brick with rubble foundation, and is fully equipped for assaying. The Metal- lurgical Laboratory is built of red pressed brick and is one of the best laboratories in the northwest. It has a ground plan of eighty-four by ninety-six feet. The total cost of the mining buildings amounted to forty thousand dollars. One of the most imposing buildings on the campus is Morrill Hall, which is devoted to the College
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of Agriculture, and is also the Agriculture Experiment Station. It was completed in 1906 and is built of briek and stone, its eost being about fifty thousand dollars. In 1907 the experimental work of the university was greatly augmented by the erection of a flour mill for experimental work in the improvement of wheat. One end is designed for the investigation of fruit by-products. The forge shop, which is thirty by thirty-four feet, was added in 1907 to the equipment of the department of mechanical engineering. The university also maintains two green-houses, each fifty by eighteen feet. A dairy barn and stoek-judging pavilion were erected in the summer of 1912 at a cost of nine thousand, five hundred dollars. They repre- sent the highest standards of convenience, utility and sanitation in buildings de- signed for live stock. The herd that is housed and exhibited in these buildings in- eludes many individual animals that are well known in all the prize rings of the country. As is usually the case. the library is one of the most complete depart- ments of the institution. It is located on the second floor of the Administration building and contains over twenty thousand volumes in addition to several hundred pamphlets, and receives regularly about one hundred twenty copies of the leading periodicals, both general and technical, in English and foreign languages and also over one hundred Idaho newspapers. The enrollment of the students during the last year was five hundred twenty-seven.
Much of the prosperity of the university at the present time is due to the un- tiring efforts of its president and to the liberal support which he receives from the citizens of Idaho, their confidence having been placed in him because of the ad- mirable record which he has made in educational work. A state university has the possibilities of aiding more directly in the development of its commonwealth than any other line of educational institution, its duty being especially to promote such departments as will aid in the material development of the state which supports it.
ISAAC J. GALBRAITH.
Spokane stands high among the cities of the west in the appearance of its streets and buildings. Although its growth has been almost phenomenal. at the same time its builders have taken time to consider the effect of their operations. Its buildings are both substantial and adequate and refleet due eredit upon the architects, the contractors and the promoters of the eity. Among its finer elass of buildings are the First Methodist Episcopal church, the Corbet building and the Gandy building. all of which have been erected by the firm of Galbraith & Telander, whose offiees are in the Empire State building and of which Isaac J. Galbraith is the senior member. Mr. Galbraith was born in Monongahela, Washington county, Pennsylvania, on the Ist of November, 1859, his parents being Robert and Sarah (Reed) Galbraith. whose deaths oeeurred in 1904 and 1868 respectively. The father was captain of the Twenty-second Pennsylvania Cavalry in the Civil war and was in active service for four years. participating in the battles of the Wilder- ness and Gettysburg.
Isaae J. Galbraith received his preliminary education in the publie schools of his native state. Subsequently he attended Wesleyan University for three years. After he had completed these courses he began the study of architecture by entering
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the offices of a prominent Pittsburg architect. Until 1882 he was thus employed before engaging in business for himself in partnership with William MeBride under the firm name of MeBride & Galbraith. This firm had the distinction of designing the first ten-story building that was erected in Pittsburg. Because of ill health Mr. Galbraith removed to Montana in 1887 and was there engaged in business until 1898, when he came to Spokane, where he has since been continuously engaged in business activities. While in Montana he designed the building erected by that state at the World's Fair. Chicago, in 1893. Three years ago he retired from the architectural business and entered the contracting business with J. F. Telander under the firm name of Galbraith & Telander. In addition to their office in this city they also maintain one in Portland, Oregon. The many buildings which they have erected in this city attest their ability and the extensive patronage which they enjoy among the prominent citizens of this city indicates that their methods, in- tegrity and constructive work are thoroughly appreciated. Much of their success is due to the untiring efforts. the superior knowledge and the careful direction of the senior partner, Isaac J. Galbraith.
On the 28th of May. 1882. Mr. Galbraith was married, at Pittsburg, to Miss Lanra Nesbit, a daughter of William and Eliza Nesbit. To their union four chil- dren have been born: Cecil C., who was formerly employed as civil engineer by the Great Northern Railroad, and is now engaged at the Bremerton navy yard; Earl C., government mining examiner for the state of Montana ; and Charles S. and Winfield, who are students in the high school of this city. Fraternally Mr. Galbraith is a Mason, having attained the third degree, and also held membership in the Knights of Pythias, in which organization he passed through all the chairs but from which he has resigned. To such men as Mr. Galbraith Spokane owes much of its develop- ment, and the improvements which are being made along civic lines are in a great measure due to his assistance and interest.
N. RUSSELL HILL.
N. Russell Hill, editor and manager of the Lincoln County Times at Daven- port, is one of the youngest and best known newspaper men in the county. He is a native of Oregon, his birth having occurred at Eugene on the 13th of September, 1888, his parents being Jacob F. and Margaret (Sparks) Hill. The family became residents of Davenport in 1894, and here the mother passed away on the 29th of May, ten years later, but the father is still living and for the past six years has held the office of postmaster.
The greater part of the twenty-three years of N. Russell Hill's life has been spent in Davenport, to whose publie-school system he is indebted for his education. After graduating from the high school he immediately began preparations for his future carcer, which he had decided should be that of a newspaper man, by entering the offee of the paper now edited by him. He spent three years there in different capacities, thus fully familiarizing himself with the work of the various departments of a country paper. During the succeeding two and a half years he assisted his father in the postoffice, but prefering the vocation of a journalist he subsequently spent six months on the Inland Herald at Spokane and a similar period on the
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Odessa (Washington) Reeord. Returning to Davenport he has ever since been editor and manager of the Lincoln County Times, displaying rare efficiency in both eapaeities. He is an ambitious young man, of high ideals and definite purpose, who fully recognizes the power of the press in the upbuilding and development of the moral and intellectual standards of a community. His paper stands for truth and right and is fearless in its denunciation of those methods, in either commercial or publie life, that are not in accordance with the highest standards. He is progressive in his ideas, and most enthusiastically champions the adoption of every movement that means the advancement of the community or its best interests.
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