Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 108

Author:
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Spokane, Wash. : Western History
Number of Pages: 992

USA > Washington > Chelan County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 108
USA > Washington > Ferry County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 108
USA > Washington > Okanogan County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 108
USA > Washington > Stevens County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 108

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William Hamilton was born in Syracuse, New York, on August 5, 1857, the son of George H. and Martha (Copeland) Hamilton, who came to Minnesota, Olmstead county, when this son was a child. The father served in the Civil War. Our subject grew up on a farm and received his education in Minnesota, and when twenty-one went to Lincoln county in the same state and there took a homestead, which was his home until 1885, when he came to Washington. He located first in Spokane, thence he journeyed on to Hunters, in Stevens county, and located there. He was postmaster and did a general business. Few settlers were in that section in those early days and he knew the life of the pioneer. Mr. Hamilton oper- ated a ranch there and also bought and sold cattle. It was 1898 that Mr. Hamilton came to Meyers creek and first operated a store at Bolster, which was the first mercantile estab- lishment in that town. In 1900 he came to Chesaw and bought the interest mentioned above, and since that time has been devoting his time and energies to the building up of the business. In addition to the property men- tioned, Mr. Hamilton has other town property in Chesaw, and is also interested in mining propositions in this vicinity.

Fraternally Mr. Hamilton is connected with the Eagles, the M. W. A., the Miners' Union and the I. O. O. F.

In 1897 Mr. Hamilton married Mrs. Sarah Eastman, and to them three children have been born, William B., Robert V., and Mabel.

HENRY THOMPSON. The most suc- cessful and skillful mining men who operate and who have operated in the United States are always men who have supplemented the infor- mation gained from books by thorough, close and actual contact with minerals and mineral deposits, and are acquainted with the processes of mining from the prospector's trips until the metals are prepared for commercial distribu-

tion. Such a man is Henry Thompson, and it is with pleasure that we grant space for a re- view of the salient points of his career.

Henry Thompson was born on August 17, 1867, in Douglas county, Minnesota, the son of Thomas and Caroline Thompson, natives of Norway. They came from that country to the United States in 1864, settling in Douglas county. They were the parents of three chil- dren, our subject, Charles and Mrs. Carrie Rood. Henry received a common school edu- cation and grew to manhood on the farm. He early developed a love for mining and minerals and devoted considerable attention to reading such periodicals and books as he could secure on the subject. In 1885 he came to Seattle, Washington, and wrought at the trade of mill- wright until 1889, when he crossed the Cas- cades to the Swauk district, where he mined. In the fall of 1892 Mr. Thompson married Miss Laura Harrison, and to them was born one child, Lauren, on September 11, 1893. and two days thereafter Mrs. Thompson died. The next year Mr. Thompson came to Loomis and did mining until the reservation opened in the fall of 1896, when he came to the vicinity of Chesaw. He was one of the first men who came to this locality and at once began to pros- pect and make locations. He made several fine locations, among which may be mentioned the Bi-Metallic group, which he still owns. He has done about eight thousand dollars worth of de- velopment work on this property, which is dis- tinctly a gold and copper proposition and has a one hundred and twenty-five foot ledge. He is also interested in several other propositions and is superintendent of the Interstate Mining Company properties. From the beginning Mr. Thompson was occupied with practical work in the mines and made a thorough investiga- tion from books and from every source where he could obtain knowledge upon the subject. The result is that for twelve or fifteen years of this experience and study he has come to be a thorough mining man, practical in every re- spect. In addition to the duties mentioned above, he devotes considerable time to expert- ing mines and to reporting on them. He has done considerable of this expert work and has been found skillful in it.

Mr. Thompson married Miss Ida E. Giles- pie, and one child has been born to them, on August 6, 1901, Henry Thompson, Jr. Mr.

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Thompson is a member of the A. F. and A. M., and also of the Eagles. He is known as one of the substantial and reliable men of Okanogan county.

JAMES A. JOHNSTON is one of the lead- ing and wealthy stockmen of Okanogan coun- ty. He came here on foot and was discouraged with the country, but preferring to earn some money and get out of the country on horseback rather than afoot, he engaged to work for a while, and became so well satisfied with the country and its resources that he went into business for himself. His present property has not been gained by luck or chance, but is the fruit of wisdom and industry, which are happily blended in Mr. Johnston's character. He resides three miles southwest of Oroville on the homestead and has nearly one hundred and sixty acres of deeded land, all of which is very valuable. He has a large band of cattle and raises three hundred tons of hay annually. Mr. Johnston settled first in a little log cabin, but now has one of the finest houses in the county, a beautiful seven-room structure of modern architectural design, finished in hard wood and suplied with all the modern conve- niences. The other improvements are in keep- ing with his elegant residence, and he has a valuable and beautiful country home.

James A. Johnston was born near Madoc, Hastings county, Canada, on August 29, 1860, the son of James and Charlotte (Best) John- ston. The father was born in Ireland, came to New York and later to Canada, in all of which places he followed his trade of cabinet making. Six children were born to them, Ed- ward, Mrs. Esther B. Ward, James A., Mrs. Mary J. Brooks, Mrs. Sarah Mckay and An- drew. Our subject remained with his parents until he reached his majority, receiving a good education. At the age of twenty-one he went to Black River, Michigan, where he took charge of the Alger lumber mills for three years. Then he clerked in a store at Renover, Penn- sylvania, after which he went to Gloucester, Massachusetts, embarking in mackerel fishing. He fished along the coast, and then went to Michigan. He soon left there and came to Victoria where he engaged in logging on the Fraser river. In company with Mr. Thomas Allen he walked about two hundred miles to

Oroville to visit his uncle, and as stated above reached the place with no means. This was in December, 1885, when mail had to be brought from Colville. Since then he has been known as one of the industrious and capable raisers of stock in the county. Part of the estate of Mr. Johnston borders on Blue Lake, and is known as the Blue Lake stock ranch. On June 5. 1900, Mr. Johnston married Miss Jennie Bau- der with whom he attended school in his early days. The wedding occurred in Detroit, Mich- igan. Her parents, Philip H. and Elizabeth (Cooper) Bauder, were natives of Canada, and had four children, John, Mrs. Johnston, Mrs. Hattie Young, and Mrs. Ida M. Gray. Mrs. Johnston came from Ontario, Canada, to visit a lady friend and there was engaged in dress- making until her marriage. On February 18, 1902, Arthur W. was born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnston. Mr. Johnston is deserving of much credit for the faithfulness and ability of his labors in this county. Not only has he ac- quired a competence for himself, but he has also stimulated others in the good work of im- proving the country. He and his wife are highly respected and esteemed by all.

MEINRAD LAUBER is one of the capi- talists of Okanogan county who believes in liv- ing where he made his money and investing it in home enterprises, and this is the one true policy that develops the rich and resourceful west. Mr. Lauber is rightly numbered among the leading pioneers of Okanogan county, both because he is among the very first who came here and remained, coming to Okanogan coun- ty in 1886, and because he is laboring with faithfulness and has been crowned with grati- fying success. An account of his life could but prove interesting to the readers of this volume and it is with pleasure that we append the same.

Meinrad Lauber was born in Baden, Ger- many, on January 23, 1855, the son of Marten and Ruofr (Durr) Lauber, natives of the same place. Our subject was well educated in the public schools and before he had reached his majority had become master of the blacksmith trade. At the age of twenty he entered the regular army and served for three years. After this he worked at his trade until 1882, then traveled in different European countries. In

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the year last mentioned he bade farewell to his loved ones and the old home scenes and canie to Antwerp, where he took steamer for New York. The voyage was stormy and occupied seventeen days. He came on to Cincinnati, expecting to meet his brother Leopold, but was disappointed. So he found himself in a strange city with neither money nor friends, and unable to speak a word of English. But young Lauber was not to be daunted, and he soon made it known that he was a master me- chanic, which gave him a position in the foun- dry. He labored there one year, then went to San Francisco, California. Soon he took steamer to Victoria, and there entered the em- ploy of the Canadian Pacific. He followed his trade there and also in other places, after which he did placer mining on the head waters of the Similkameen, being favored with success. In 1886 he came to the region now occupied by Okanogan county and bought the right of a squatter to his present place. It was excel- lent land, and he has added to it until he now has over two hundred acres, and raises nearly two hundred tons of timothy and red top. He was the first one to file in the Loomis district when the land was surveyed. He believes that he settled the farthest down the Okanogan river of any one at that time. He has since devoted himself steadily to raising cattle and improving his ranch. During the earlier days he mined some of the time on Rock creek. About two years since Mr. Lauber sold his cat- tle and retired from active service, investing heavily in the stock of the Commercial Bank of Conconully, also in the Conconully Record, one of the leading newspapers of the section. He also has stock in the Q. S. mines, and carries a five thousand dollar policy in the New York Life Insurance Company. Mr. Lauber is an active Republican and manifests the interest becoming a good citizen in the questions of the day. He is an upright, honorable man, and de- serves great credit for the way in which he has labored to develop and enhance the interests of the country.

JAMES M. MCKINNEY is one of the pioneers of Okanogan county, he and his wife and family having settled where they now re- side, five miles northwest of Tonasket, about 18go. Since then he has given his entire atten-

tion to stock raising and farming. He has a good ranch, supplied with irrigation water, which produces bounteous crops of timothy, alfalfa and red top, besides other produce.

James M. Mckinney was born on August 6, 1834, about a mile from the Tippecanoe bat- tle grounds. His parents were William and Ann (Walter) Mckinney, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively. The family re- moved to Henry county, Iowa, when our sub- ject was a child, and in 1844 they started across the plains, but stopped in Missouri until the following spring, when they joined a large ox train and made a trip to Washington coun- ty, Oregon. They had no trouble except that their stock was stampeded by the Indians. They were among the first permanent settlers in that vicinity, and took a donation claim. For many years the parents labored there, and the father died about fifteen years since, aged eighty-five. The mother lived for a decade afterwards and was ninety-two when she passed away. They were the parents of six children : Charles died in June, 1902; Mrs. Isabel Hinshaw; Mrs. Rachel Cornelius; James M., our subject ; William and Jasper N.

Our subject was born and grew up on the frontier, consequently had very little opportu- nity to gain an education, but he has stored his mind by general reading, so is a well-informed man. He remained with his parents until twenty-six years of age, and during that time fought in the Rogue River war, in Captain Sheffield's company. In 1860 Mr. Mckinney went to Walla Walla and engaged in stock raising until 1874, when he went to Wallowa valley and continued in the same business. During the Bannock war of 1878 he did con- siderable riding express to Walla Walla. In 1880 Mr. Mckinney located in Whitman coun- ty, about fifteen miles from Sprague, and ten years later came to his present place, which has been his home since. He is numbered among the prosperous and successful stock raisers and farmers of the county and is a progressive and broad-minded citizen.

In Whitman county on January 6, 1887. Mr. Mckinney married Mrs. Susan A. Mc- Nall. She was born in McLean county, Illi- nois, on May II. 1832, and came to the coast in 1850, crossing the plains with an ox train, in company with a family by the name of Ham- ilton, who settled at the Cascades. Mr. Mc-

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Kinney was a strong Democrat until recently when he imbibed socialistic ideas and is now a thorough student of these principles.

JOHN M. CUTCHIE is one of the deserv- ing pioneers whose labors have been bestowed in a wise manner in the Okanogan country for some twenty or more years with the happy re- sult that he now possesses considerable prop- erty as evidence of his thrift and industry. He was born in Detroit, Michigan, on April I, 1848, the son of Maxum and Matilda Cutchie, natives of Montreal, Canada, and Detroit, respectively. The father came to Detroit when a small boy, being one of the first residents of that now great city. With his wife he is now dwelling in Port Huron, Michigan, aged eighty-six. In addition to our subject, two other children, George and Nora, were born to this worthy couple, who both live in Port Huron. When our subject was eleven, the family removed from Detroit to Port Huron, and there he completed his education which was begun in Detroit. In 1876 he came thence to Reno, Nevada, and then on to San Francisco. The following February he came by steamer to Portland, and later did logging on the Columbia. After this he was in Lewis- ton, and in 1878 came to Spokane. He fol- lowed packing along the line of the Northern Pacific, and after a time in Seattle went to the Fraser river region. He mined there, and also on the Thompson river near Kam Loops. It was in 1885 that he came to the Okanogan country, and since that time he has devoted himself to the improvement and development of the resources of the country. In 1892 Mr. Cutchie settled where we find him at the present time, about thirteen miles north from Loomis, on the Similkameen: It is an estate of two hundred acres and well improved. The land is on the bottom and raises the best of alfalfa, timothy and all productions idigenous to this latitude. In addition to general farming, Mr. Cutchie also raises and handles stock.

On July 23, 1890, Mr. Cutchie maried Miss Sarah A., daughter of Daniel and Bridget (Dailey) Lenton, natives respectively of En- gland and Ireland. Both parents died when Mrs. Cutchie was small, and in 1888 she came to the Okanogan country to visit an only

brother, Joseph L. Being well pleased with the country she remained, and later was mar- ried. To Mr. and Mrs. Cutchie one child, Claude Lenton Cutchie, was born on Decem- ber II, 1892.

In early days Mr. Cutchie had to freight his supplies from Sprague, and it was hard work, as all the old pioneers found it, to haul loads without roads, and ferry them across the Columbia in canoes, swimming the horses. . Mr. and Mrs. Cutchie are highly respected citizens and have many friends in the surrounding country.

JOSEPH LENTON, one of the early pio- neers of Okanogan county, now resides three miles northwest from . Nighthawk, where he has an excellent stock ranch of three hundred and thirty acres. The place is well supplied with water, is improved with good fences, buildings, orchards and so forth, and is one of the valuable farms of the county. Mr. Lenton is thrifty, industrious and energetic and lias displayed excellent wisdom in all his enter- prises.

Joseph Lenton was born in Lynn, St. Clair county, Michigan, on September 30, 1850, the son of Daniel and Bridget (Dailey) Lenton, natives of England and Ireland, respectively. He was left an orphan at a very early age and consequently had to meet the adversities of life when a very young boy. He worked his way along gaining a good education and grew to manhood in his native place. In the spring of 1877 Mr. Lenton went to California and after working a while in a dairy in Sierra county, he went to the mines and in Nevada county, continuing there for three years. He held the position of foreman some time and later returned to Michigan, renewing old ac- quaintances in his native place. He again went to California, and then to Yakima in 1880. Later we find him in Spokane on construction work and in charge of Mr. Small's lumber yard at Ellisport. Later he was in the employ of A. M. Cannon, and in June, 1883, came to Okanogan. The following spring he located his present place, there being but few settlers in the county at that time. The north boun- dary line of the United States is his north line. Since then Mr. Lenton has devoted himself to handling cattle and doing general farming.

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HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

On June 17, 1890, Mr. Lenton married Miss May, daughter of Levi and Eliza J. (Bradley) Emes. She was a native of Port Dover, Canada, and her parents both died in that country. To them have been born three children, Hazel S. M., J. Austin and Ella L.

Mr. Lenton is active in political matters and has been road supervisor and is now jus- tice of the peace. He always takes an interest in educational progress and has labored faith- fully for the upbuilding of the country since his residence here. He was one of the earliest settlers and had to pack all his supplies from Walla Walla and Sprague, while the mail was gotten at Fort Colville.

HARRY A. HARRIS. Among the ear- liest pioneers to Okanogan county and the most industrious and substantial ones, we are con- strained to mention the gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph. At the present time he is operating a first-class blacksmith shop in Conconully and is the recipient of a fine patron- age. He is a skillful and rapid workman and has won his present success by virtue of real merit. He has a well located and beautiful home and other property.

Harry A. Harris was born in Boston, Mas- sachusetts, on June 13, 1839, the son of Henry and Eliza (Boutwell) Harris. The father was born in England and came to the United States when young; the mother came of English an- cestrage, but was born in Vermont. Our sub- ject was reared on the farm and educated in the public schools while growing up at Barry, Ver- mont. In 1855 he went to Wabash county, Minnesota, being one of the first settlers, and in 1863 went to Vermont and worked at his trade in various towns of that state, also in some of the factories and machine shops. La- ter he was in Minnesota, then journeyed to Massachusetts, after which he came again to Minnesota, settling where the town of Windom now stands. He had wrought at his trade in all the sections he visited and opened a shop as soon as he settled in Windom. While there he married Miss Alice J. Holmes, and one child was born to them. Fate decreed that misfortune should be his lot for a time and his wife and child were the first to be buried in the Windom cemetery. Immediately came the ter-

rible grasshopper panic and Mr. Harris lost everything. He left Windom for Sun Falls. Dakota, with no family and no property. In 1877 he came to Seattle, Washington, then to Almota on the Snake river, and in 1881 was found in Walla Walla, whence in 1887 he came to Conconully. In all these places he was in- dustriously engaged at his trade. He opened the first shop in Conconully and did about all the business between Chelan and British Col- umbia. During the big fire he lost his shop and everything else, and again at the time of the flood everything was swept away. But Phoenix like he rose from every misfortune and now is prosperous. Mr. Harris was married the second time in Sun Falls, Dakota, and has two daughters, Alice D., and Vada, wife of William Chatham, near Conconully.

WILLIAM H. McDANIEL, who resides about one mile north from Loomis, is one of the leading stockmen of Okanogan county, having labored in that industry here for nearly twenty years, while also following other occu- pations. He is a man of stability and is known as one of the upright and sagacious citizens whose labors have wrought much towards opening and improving the country.

William H. McDaniel was born in Sher- brook, Nova Scotia, on November 8, 1856, the son of John and Mary (Bent) McDaniel, na- tives of Nova Scotia. The father was a sea captain and followed a seafaring life all his days. William H. was the fifth of a family of nine children, and remained in his native place until the spring of 1871. During these years he studied in the public schools and wrought at various occupations. In the spring of the year last mentioned, he came to Wiscon- sin and went thence to the Red River of the North, but later returned to Wisconsin. In 1875 he went to San Francisco, and thence by steamboat to Portland. Soon, however, he re- turned to the Golden Gate and for four years drove horse street cars in the metropolis of the Pacific coast. It was about 1880 that Mr. Mc- Daniel went to Arizona, New Mexico, Old Mexico and the adjacent regions doing pros- pecting and mining. The Indians were hostile and he endured all the hardships that the hardy pioneer prospector is subject to. He was in the

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leading camps of the regions mentioned, then came to Victoria, on his way to Alaska. Aban- doning the trip at that point, he came to the coal fields near Seattle, and the following year went to the north fork of the Cœur d'Alene river, via Rathdrum and the Evolution trail. In May he turned from there to the Okanogan country and packed his goods on a cayuse. He soon was in charge of the stock of Henry Wellington, in which capacity he continued for some years. During the nine years in which he cared for these cattle he was also freighting from Sprague to Spokane, and as there were no roads and no ferrys it was a long and tedi- ous work. The Indian canoes were brought into requisition to carry their goods across the Columbia. In 1884 Mr. McDaniel located his present ranch and from the first began to gain stock for himself. Now he has several hun- dred acres of good land and does a general farming business besides raising stock and also handling a dairy which supplies Loomis. Mr. McDaniel also sells many beef cattle each year.

On January 30, 1896, Mr. McDaniel mar- ried Miss Harriet R., daughter of C. H. and Emily J. Baldwin, who live on a ranch adjoin- ing Mr. McDaniel's. Mrs. McDaniel was born in Randolph county, Indiana. Mr. McDaniel is a member of the W. O. W.

PETER REILLY is a pioneer of Okano- gan county and resides about three miles north from Malott postoffice, on the Okanogan river. He was born in county Cavan, Ireland, on June 22, 1850, where he remained for the first twenty-two years of his life. He received there his educational training, and in 1872 came to the United States, locating first at New York, where he was engaged in the tobacco business for three years. In 1876 he came to California and took up placer mining on Sut- ter creek, and also operated in other portions of the state. It was in 1878 that Mr. Reilly landed in Portland, and later made his way to Fort Vancouver, Washington, and in 1879 came to Yakima, where he engaged in ranch- ing and horse raising. He remained there un- til 1887, then came and located his present place in the Okanogan valley. The country was very wild at that time and but few settlers yere in the entire county. All supplies had to be

freighted in from the outside and mail was car- ried from Waterville and other points. Mr. Reilly secured a very valuable ranch of fertile, level land, which is now one of the choice ones of the county. He has it well irrigated and raises alfalfa, cutting as high as three crops per year from the land. He has improved the place steadily since locating and now has one of the beautiful estates of the valley. Besides a good orchard and various other improve- ments, which are in evidence, we may mention a very large number of shade trees, which beautify and add value to the place very mater- ially. The surroundings are very pleasant and Mr. Reilly is to be congratulated upon the ex- cellent choice he made and the skillful manner in which he improved it.

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Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 108

Author: Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Spokane, Wash. : Western History Number of Pages: 992

Author:
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Spokane, Wash. : Western History
Number of Pages: 992