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 47
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On the 4th of June, 1906, in Woodstock, Vermont, Mr. Sims was united in marriage to Miss Gwendolin Whitmore of that place, whose father was a promi- nent citizen of that section of Vermont, owning some thirty farms and three woolen mills. In Masonry Mr. Sims has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, being master of Kadoshi Idaho Consistory, No. 3, S. P. R. S. He also belongs to Kootenai Lodge, No. 24, A. F. & A. M., and El Katif Temple, N. M. S., of
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Spokane, and is a member of the Tillieum Club of Coeur d'Alene. His residence is at the corner of Eighth and Sherman avenues, Coeur d'Alene. Though still a young man, he has had an eventful career and has already won a measure of pros- perity in business circles that augurs well for the future.
J. C. SEXSON.
Among the pioneer settlers of Lincoln county, who endured all of the hard- ships and privations incident to ranching in the early days, must be numbered J. C. Sexon, who is now living retired in Reardan. He was born in Boone county, Indiana, on the 13th of February, 1849, and is a son of William and Mahalia (Far- row) Sexson. His parents were natives of Kentucky, removing from there to Boone county, Indiana, during the early days, the father devoting his energies to carpentry work and farming. In 1863 the family again changed their place of residence this time loeating in Mattoon, Ilinois, where the parents spent their last years.
Left an orphan at the age of sixteen years. J. C. Sexson was thereafter en- tirely dependent upon his own resources. His education was begun in the district schools of his native county, which he attended until he was fourteen when he ae- companied his parents on their removal to Ilinois, where for two years he con- tinued his schooling. For three years after the death of his parents he followed such occupations as provided him with the necessities of life and then went to Missouri, where he worked for five years as a farm hand. He had early been trained in habits of industry and thrift and being of temperate habits he managed to save the greater portion of his meager earnings. Believing that Texas offered excellent opportunities to industrious and ambitious young men, he removed to that state in 1873. locating in Dallas county. His ventures did not prove successful and after losing the greater part of his small capital he decided to go west. The trip overland at that period was not only long and difficult but fraught with many dangers and hardships, but possessing the courage and fortitude inherited from generations of pioneer ancestors he had no fears. He ended his journey in Lin- coln county in the vicinity of Reardan in 1880, and has ever since resided here. He preempted some land and immediately set about cultivating and improving it, a difficult and somewhat discouraging task as he was entirely unfamiliar with con- ditions as he found them here. The country was but sparsely settled and afforded little social intercourse and but few of the advantages to be found in the commun- ities where he had previously resided. However, he and his wife made the best of their opportunities and tirelessly applied themselves to the problem of home- building in a new country. Believing implicitly that Washington had a great agricultural future, Mr. Sexson invested such means as he acquired, from time to time. in land adjoining his ranch. His expectations have been realized and he now owns three hundred and eighty acres of fine wheat land, worth many times what he paid for it and constantly increasing in value. In addition to this he holds the title to forty acres of good timber land. The carly efforts of Mr. Sexsou have been substantially rewarded and he has acquired a competence that enabled him to retire a year or two ago, this together with the income from his farms.
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which he rents, providing both him and his wife with all of the necessities and many of the luxuries of life.
While a resident of Missouri, Mr. Sexson was married, choosing for his wife Miss Naney J. Surber, and unto them have been born the following children: Wil- liam B., who is a druggist at Oroville, Washington; Bessie E., the wife of E. E. Noble, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; P. V., who is engaged in the wholesale and retail meat business at Clark's Ford, Idaho; and Jesse H. and J. C., Jr., who have not yet completed their edueations. Their family also num- bers five grandehildren, whose names are as follows: William B. Sexson, Vera Sex- son, Helen L. Noble, Ralph Sexson Noble and Ernest E. Noble, Jr.
Mr. Sexson is essentially a self-made man, having started out at the age of sixteen without either eapital or influenee he has by his own unfaltering determin- ation and tireless energy attained the position he holds today. Both he and his family are held in the highest esteem in Reardan and Lineoln county, whose prairies he has seen converted during the thirty-one years of his residenee into valuable farms interspersed with flourishing towns.
THOMAS G. THOMSON.
Thomas G. Thomson, who bore the reputation of being a striet, conservative business man, his intelligently directed energies bringing him the success which should ever follow persistent and honorable labor, was born in Amsterdam, Holland, on the 12th of May, 1818, and died on the 8th of October, 1907, when in the sixtieth year of his age. His parents were James and Mary E. Thomson, both of whom were of Seoteh deseent but beeame residents of Holland, where the father engaged in teaching English. Thomas G. Thomson, reared in Amsterdam, pursued his eduea- tion in the schools of that eity and at an early age beeame associated with a stoek and brokerage firm, with which he continued for a considerable period. He was also interested in the Merchants Shipping Company, which maintained a line of steamers plying between Amsterdam and the East Indies, and also engaged in the building of dikes and canals. In faet his business interests in Holland were of an important character and his operations were extensive. He became a prominent factor in business and financial eireles there and his widely recognized ability eaused him to be selected as the representative of Holland finaneial interests in America. Following the death of Mr. Van Falkenburg he eame to America, making his way direet to Spokane, where he took charge of the branch house of the Hypotheek Bank, which was one of the strongest financial institutions of the west. His previous broad business experienee well qualified him for the immediate mastery of the situa- tion here and in formulating the policy and guiding the destiny of the bank he dis- played superior ability in the solution of intricate business problems. In the trying times that followed the great fire of 1889 and resulted from the widespread financial panie of 1893 a large portion of the funds used in rebuilding the eity eame from the Hypotheek Bank. and following the financial distress of the latter year the bank extended mortgages and in many eases gave further time for the payment of in- terest. At length, however, this strong and stable institution felt the strain to an extent that the company eould no longer earry others finaneially, so that a number
THOMAS G. THOMSON
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of the mortgages were foreclosed. In this way many buildings passed into pos- session of the Hypotheek Bank, including the Mohawk, the Exchange National Bank, the Granite, the Eagle, the Frankfort. the Auditorium and the old Holley- Mason-Marks building. It is estimated that during these trying days, when Spo- kane was facing the crisis in its history, the Hypotheek company had investments in the city to the extent of six or eight million dollars. Later the company pursued the policy of disposing of its buildings and now holds but little property of this character. From the time of his arrival in America until his death Mr. Thomson continuously resided in Spokane save that he twice revisited Europe. He made for himself an honored and enviable position in financial eireles owing to the enter- prising and progressive methods which he displayed and his honorable, straight- forward dealing. He not only extended his activities to the Hypotheek Bank and its varied interests but was also at one time vice president of the Spokane & Eastern Trust Company and at the time of his death was a stockholder and director of the Washington Water Power Company. He was interested in business and financial enterprises here and also had large holdings in Holland. He was seldom, if ever. at fault in matters of business judgment and at all times his activities measured up to the highest standards of commercial ethies. He insisted upon exactness, was himself very thorough, painstaking and conscientious, and the conservative methods which he followed safeguarded others' interests as well as his own.
Mr. Thomson was married in Amsterdam, Holland, June 20, 1872, to Miss Anna M. Louise Lanson, a daughter of John J. and Johanna (Jacoba) Lanson, the former a merchant of Amsterdam. The children of this marriage were two in num- ber. Mary E., who gave her hand in marraige to Herman Franck of Spokane, passed away in 1901. leaving one child: Thomas George Franck. Thomas George Thomson is engaged in the drug business at Spokane. He wedded Miss Gerrie Anderson and has two children. Thomas G .. drie and. Anna Marie Louise Thomson.
In his political views Mr. Thomson was a republican ;- his study of the questions and issues of the day leading him to give his support to the men and measures of that party. He belonged to the Spokane Club and his friends found him a congenial gentleman. He was well read. speaking English. Dutch, German and French fluently, and he kept in touch with the world's progress along many lines of thought and activity. He was preeminently a home man, finding his greatest happiness at his own fireside. but was loved and admired by all who knew him for his sterling qualities.
JOSEPH T. SCOTT.
Joseph T. Scott, the proprietor and publisher of the Coeur d'Alene Press, which he has been editing for twenty years, was born in Cambridge, Ohio, on the 24th of June. 1856, and is a son of Wilson and Margaret Scott. His father crossed the plains to Walla Walla. Washington, in 1861. but after residing in the west for four years returned to Ohio, again removing to the west with his family in 1894. During the last thirty years of his active career he was employed by the govern- ment as a postal clerk. retiring from the service in 1908. He passed away at the age of seventy-nine years, his demise occurring on the 21st of February. 1911.
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When old enough to commence his education, Joseph T. Scott entered the pub- lic schools of his home town, and there continued to study until he had attained the age of eightcen years, when he laid aside his text-books to learn the printer's trade. He followed this vocation for eight years and then went west, locating in Montana in 1882, before the Northern Pacific Railroad was completed. In 1883 he became a resident of Dickinson, North Dakota, where he published a paper until 1890, and then removed to Washington, becoming a citizen of Coeur d'Alene two years later. Upon locating here he established the Press Publishing Com- pany, and has ever since been issuing an evening and weekly paper under the name of the Coeur d'Alene Press, the only daily paper published in the city.
Wheeling, West Virginia, was the scene of Mr. Scott's marriage on the 8th of May, 1884, to Miss Kate M. Dunlevy. He has always taken an active interest in all political affairs, voting with the republican party, representing his district at the first state convention of the party held in North Dakota, when he was a resident of that state. In 1900 he was elected to the Idaho state legislature on the silver-republican ticket, his term of office expiring in 1902. Mr. Scott is one of the public-spirited citizens of the town, in the development and upbuilding of which his paper has been a prominent factor, its columns being freely used for the support of every forward movement, that means the betterment of local condi- tions.
G. H. FINROW.
G. H. Finrow, whose energies have been successfully directed toward the development of a general mercantile business in Reardan for the past eleven years, was born in Decorah, Iowa, on the 2d of October, 1869. He is a son of Andrew H. and Andrea Finrow, natives of Norway, who emigrated to the United States in 1866, locating in Decorah. There, for many years the father was engaged in the general mercantile business, being one of the well known citizens of the town.
Owing to business reverses met by his father, G. H. Finrow at the age of eight- een years was compelled to terminate his education and become self-supporting. Commercial activities had always attracted him and he went to North Dakota, lo- cating at Sargent, where he clerked for four years in a general store. In 1890 he came to Washington and soon thereafter obtained a clerkship in the clothing store of David Epstein of Spokane. After leaving his employment he held a num- ber of positions in the same city and in 1900 came to Reardan and established the business of E. K. Finrow & Company. He began in a small way but had a well assorted stock of general merchandise that he offered at reasonable prices, and this together with the attractive appearance of his store and his accommodating ways and pleasing manner readily enabled him to secure a profitable patronage. Two years later his uncle, C. H. Finrow, came to Reardan and engaged in busi- ness with him, the added capital thus provided enabling them to enlarge their store and extend the scope of their activities. Careful management, clear judg- ment in studying the needs of their patrons and judicious buying has enabled them to develope their business until today it is one of the well established and thriving enterprises of the town.
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In 1893, Mr. Finrow was united in marriage to Miss Ella Larson, a daughter of Hans and Helen Larson, who came from Wisconsin to Spokane in 1891, and still continue to make that city their home, the father now living retired. Of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Finrow there have been born three children: Merle, whose birth occurred in 1895; Vernon, who was born in 1898; and Myron Lester, born November 17, 1911.
Mr. Finrow's political views coincide with the principles of the republican party for whose candidates he casts his ballot, and fraternally he is connected with the Odd Fellows and Foresters of America. He has met with a reasonable degree of financial success in the conduct of his affairs since locating in Reardan and is one of the stockholders and a director of the Farmers' State Bank. Mr. Finrow possesses the energy and thrift that characterize those of Scandinavian extraction, to which he has added the progressive spirit and initiative of the Amer- iean, these combined qualities enabling him to attain the success he has achieved.
EARL M. ROGERS.
Earl M. Rogers, general superintendent of the plant of the Maxwell Lumber Company, has been connected with the lumber interests of Coeur d'Alene for the past six years. He was born at Viroqua, Wisconsin, on the 21th of November. 1862, and is a son of Clayton E. and Sylvia S. (Tuttle) Rogers. His father was a veteran of the Civil war, having served as captain of the Eighth Wisconsin Regiment during the entire period of hostilities. After the restoration of peace he returned to Wisconsin, where he became identified with the lumber interests, having had charge of some of the largest plants in that state as well as Minnesota. During the last twenty-five years of his life he was associated and interested with the Weyerhausers, serving in the capacity of general superintendent of their vari- ous plants. He passed away in 1901.
The boyhood and youth of Earl MI. Rogers were spent in Wisconsin, to the public school system of which state he is indebted for his education. At the age of four- teen years he laid aside his text-books and began his independent career, becom- ing an employe of the Weyerhausers. He was associated with this firm for eight- cen years, during the last few of which he had charge of their various plants lo- cated throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. In 1905 he came to Coeur d'Alene as secretary and general superintendent of the B. R. Lewis Lumber Company, with whom he remained until they sold their interests to the Blackwell Lumber Company, when he became general superintendent of their plant, in which capacity he is still employed. Mr. Rogers comes from a family, all of whose members have been more or less prominently identified with sawmill and lumber interests, both his father and four of his brothers having been general superintendents of large plants.
Mr. Rogers was married on the 24th of November, 1899, to Miss Carrie A. Barlow, a daughter of William Barlow of Waupaca, Wisconsin.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Rogers are members of the Presbyterian church, and he is also prominently identified with the Masonic fraternity, being affiliated with Little Falls (Minnesota) Lodge, No. 122, F. & A. M .; Coeur d'Alene Chapter, No. 8,
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R. A. M .; Zuhra Shrine, of Minneapolis; and Consistory No. 3. He belongs to the Commercial Club of Coeur d'Alene, while his connection with organizations of a more purely social nature is confined to his membership in the Inland Club of Spokane. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers reside at No. 701 Sherman avenne, the hospital- ity of their home being graciously accorded their many friends in Coeur d'Alene.
FREDERICK E. WONNACOTT.
Frederick E. Wonnacott is one of the leading business men of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, who has not only been a witness of the growth of this section of the coun- try but has taken an active part in its development for the past thirty years and is intimately acquainted with its history. He was born in Belleville, Ontario, Canada, November 1, 1861. His father. George B. Wonnacott, a native of Belleville. was in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company and came to this part of the west in 1862, settling at Fort Colville, Washington. He came to this section of Idaho in 1878 when the fort at Coeur d'Alene was first occupied by the United States army, and engaged in the general merchandise business in Coeur d'Alene and Rathdrum, hav- ing for his partner in the enterprise Isaae Oppenheimer, a man of wide experi- ence in mereantile affairs. He met with much success in this business in which he continued until his death in 1894, acting in the early periods as the agent for the Wells Fargo Express Company and as insurance solicitor throughout north-
ern Idaho. He was a man of remarkable public spirit and initiative and never failed to give his time and energy to any project which he knew would ad- vance the interests of his community. In 1881, in conjunction with M. D. Wright he called a meeting in which they organized what is now Kootenai county, Idaho, Ile was county clerk of this county, clerk of the district court under H. Squire of Lewiston. Idaho, postmaster of Rathdrum, Idaho, and commissioner of Kootenai county for a number of terms. He was twice married, his first wife being Augustine Janet Meyers, the mother of the subject of this review. She never eame west but died in Belleville, Ontario, when her son Frederick was a small boy.
Reared at home, Frederick E. Wonnacott was educated in the publie schools of Belleville, Ontario, and in 1882 crossed the border and came to Idaho, begin- ning his business training as a clerk in his father's stores at Coeur d'Alene and Rathdrum. After his father's death in 1894 he, in company with his stepmother, V. W. Sanders and James Roche, now a resident of Spokane, took over his father's mereantile business and organized it into The Idaho Mereantile Company of Coeur d'Alene. He sold out his interest, however, in 1898, and went to the Col- ville reservation which was just opened for settlement, and engaged there in the general merchandise and the mining business continning in this until 1903. In this same year he returned to Coeur d'Alene and engaged in the real-estate bnsi- ness under the name of The Sherman Land Company, a close corporation formed for the purpose of selling his own holdings. He has been successful in his various business ventures and enjoys a comfortable income from the profits of his in- vestments.
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On September 17, 1901, Mr. Wonnacott was married to Miss Martha Price of St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Wonnacott is a charter member of Kootenai Lodge, No. 7, K. of P., of Coeur d'Alene, having passed through all the chairs. He is a democrat in his political convictions and in November, 1910, was elected on the party ticket to the office of county assessor for a term of two years. Ever faithful in the performance of his duties he accepts the responsibilities of citizen- ship in the best spirit with all loyalty to the true democracy for which our nation stands.
A. D. HANEL.
A. D. Hanel, a well known druggist of Reardan has been successfully identified with the commercial activities of this town for the past eight years. The place of his birth was Minneapolis, Minnesota, the event occurring on the 31st of October. 1876. His parents. John and Marie Hanel. were natives of Kentucky, whence they early removed to Minnesota, later becoming residents of Spokane. Washing- ton.
Reared to the age of eight years in the city of his birth, A. D. Hanel there pursued his education until 1885. when he removed with his parents to Spokane. where he completed his schooling. While still in his early youth he found em- ployment in the Spokane Drug Company, occupying various positions with that firm during the following six years. From there he went to Watson-MeGill's, also druggists of Spokane, with whom he remained for seven years, during which period he learned the trade. Withdrawing from their service at the end of that time he became identified with F. W. Tuell. a druggist of the same city, continu- ing with him for two years. Realizing that there was but little future for an am- bitious man as an employe and feeling assured of his ability to successfully con- duet a business of his own. in 1903 he came to Reardan and purchased the drug store of Dr. Ellis, which he has ever since been operating. Mr. Hanel is an en- terprising, industrious man, who takes great pride in his establishment and is keeping it thoroughly up-to-date in every way. He carries a complete line of sundries and a stock of the best grade of drugs on the market, making a specialty of his prescription department. to which he gives the most careful attention in compounding orders placed with him. His efforts have met with substantial re- turns and he is now enjoying an extensive patronage, which is constantly on the increase. He has invested in real estate from time to time during the period of his residence here and is the owner of a number of pieces of valuable property in and around the town.
Mr. Hanel was married on the 12th of December. 1902, to Miss Victoria Jones, a daughter of William Jones of Tracy. Minnesota, and they have become the parents of two children: William B., who was born in 1908; and Ward Leslie. whose birth occurred in 1910.
Fraternally Mr. Hanel is a member of the Masonic order, Odd Fellows, For- esters of America and Woodmen of the World. His political allegiance has never been accorded to any one party. but is given to the support of such men and measures as he deems best qualified to meet the exigencies of the situation. MIr.
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Hanel is one of the publie-spirited men of the town, whose energies although primarily direeted toward the development of his own interests are given in sup- port of every progressive movement that will redound to the benefit of the eom- munity.
CHARLES B. SHOEMAKER.
Charles B. Shoemaker, manager of the Washington Grain & Milling Company, was born in Walla Walla, Washington, on January 15, 1882, and is a son of James W. and Kizzic D. (Turner) Shoemaker. His parents are natives of Ohio, whenee they removed to Washington in 1879. locating in Walla Walla. After residing there for two years they removed to Lineoln county, settling on a ranch in the vicinity of Reardan, the father now being one of the well known and prosperons agriculturists of Lincoln eounty.
When old enough to begin his edneation Charles B. Shoemaker entered the pub- lic schools of Reardan, and after completing the course went to Pullman. this state, where he attended the Agricultural College for three years. Returning to Reardan in August, 1903, he became bookkeeper for the Washington Grain & Milling Company, retaining this position for one year. At the end of that time he went to Creston, to aeeept a similar position with the Creston Milling Com- pany, but after spending a year in their serviee he returned to Reardan and in 1905 again entered the employment of the Washington Grain & Milling Company. fle was assistant manager and bookkeeper until the 18th of July, 1911, when he was promoted to the office of manager, the responsibilities of which position he is discharging with effieieney.
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