Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 124

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 124
USA > Washington > Ferry County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 124
USA > Washington > Okanogan County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 124
USA > Washington > Stevens County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 124

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Charles was educated in the graded and high schools of Missouri Valley but on account of ill health was forced to retire from the school room before graduation. At that time he spent eighteen months in California. then returned home and remained with his father until he was twenty-five. In the spring of 1893 he came to Lake Chelan and being so impressed with the beauty of the country and the excellent re- sources of the same at once settled as stated above. Mr. Colver is a man quick to discern and take advantage of opportunities and he has demonstrated what can be done in this county by one who will take hold with energy and intelligence. He expects in the very near future to increase his holdings in stock and will be then able to turn off a large amount of cattle and hogs each year.

Mr. Colver has the following brothers and sisters John, James, Joseph, George, Letty Noe, Ella Watson, Lydia Dempsy and Ada Brammon.

On February 25, 1891, at Missouri Valley, Mr. Colver married Miss Anna Jones who died on April 9. 1892, in the same city. In Decem- ber, 1898 Mr. Colver contracted a second mar- riage. The nuptials were celebrated at Chico, California, and Martha J. Foreman became his bride. Her father, Joseph Foreman, married a Miss Rogers, both descendants of very promi- nent and wealthy Virginia planters. Mr. Fore- man died in Iowa, in 1885. where also his wife passed away at about the same time. Mrs. Colver has three brothers, William. George and Ira. To Mr. and Mrs. Colver two children have been born, Joseph H. and an infant, de- ceased. He is a member of the K. P., is past

C. C. and was also delegate to the last grand lodge at Seattle. Mr. Colver is a strong Demo- crat and has been active in the county con- ventions. In 1901 he was a candidate for coun- ty commissioner, but was beaten by thirty-seven votes. At the present time he is a member of the county central committee. Mr. Colver has some of the best property in this part of the county while' socially he and his wife are the center of a host of admiring friends.

JOHN B. BJORK comes from the land that furnished the discoverers of America, and who planted their banners here long before Christopher Columbus was born. The bold seamen of the northlands have shown the in- herent stability and progressiveness of the Swedish and Norwegian people. As one of their descendants, our subject is now a leading and upright citizen of Leavenworth, where he has dwelt for more than a decade. He was born in Sweden on July 18. 1856, the son of Olie and Mary (Johnson) Bjork, both natives of the same country. They died in St. Paul, Minnesota, the father in 1894, and the mother the following year. Our subject was educated in his native land and came to America in 1882. After some travel he settled in St. Paul and took up railroad contracting on the Great Northern and the M. & St. P. In 1892 he came to Montana in the same line of business and later settled in Icicle, now Leavenworth, where he opened a restaurant. To the super- vision of this business he gave his attention, together with operating a store for a time and then built a hotel. This was burned in 1896, and he immediately built the Overland, a house popular with the traveling public, which Mr. Bjork operated successfully until 1903, when he leased it. He now owns a farm four miles from Leavenworth on Eagle creek. The farm is supplied with good substantial improvements among which is a fine orchard.

At St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1887, Mr. Bjork married Miss Martha, daughter of Andrus and Annie Anderson, natives of Norway.

Mr. Bjork has the following brothers and sisters: Carl, Olif G., Christina. Caroline, Mary. Anna and Louisa.

In fraternal affairs Mr. Bjork is asso- ciated with the Foresters and the Fraternal

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Army of America. He and his wife are members of the Congregational church in Leavenworth. He assisted materially to erect the church building, which was the first structure of worship in the town. Mr. Bjork is a strong Democrat and was treasurer of Okanogan county in 1894. He is now justice of the peace, being an efficient officer. In 1898 he went to Alaska and after spending nineteen months of arduous labor and much hardship, he returned, bringing nine hundred dollars in gold.

FRANK REEVES. The people of Che- lan county and central Washington need no in- troduction to Frank Reeves. Chelan county itself owes its existence to his efforts, aided by Arthur Gunn. Mr. Reeves has demonstrated himself a man of ability, energy and integrity. These qualities dominated by a powerful will have rightly placed him as leader and the county owes him a debt of gratitude which it is evident they recognize, for while Mr. Reeves is a strong Democrat, he has promptly been placed in the responsible office of prosecuting attorney twice, the people laying aside politics, since they are largely Republican, when his name is before them. They chose the man and they were not mistaken in their choice.

Frank Reeves was born in Watseka, Illi- nois, on August 13, 1866, the son of Isaac W. and Susan C. (German) Reeves, natives of Indiana and now residing on a fruit ranch in the vicinity of Wenatchee. The Reeves family came from England to Virginia in the seven- teenth century and have been prominent since. The father served in the Twenty-fifth Illinois Infantry, Company F, for three years and three months. He participated in thirty-nine hard battles, among which are Chickamauga, Mis- sionary Ridge, Stone River and so forth. The mother's father also served in the Civil War. Our subject was principally in Kansas during his minority. He was well educated through the graded and high schools at St. John and then read law in the office of T. F. Halverson, prosecuting attorney of Stafford county. He completed his course before twenty-one, and then took up newspaper work. He did repor- torial and editorial work in Kansas, Colorado, and Washington, also on the Review in Spo- kane, and mined on the Pend d'Oreille in addi-

tion thereto. Later he taught school in Post- falls for one year. Then he founded the first Democratic paper in Ellensburg and in 1891 came to Wenatchee. He founded the Advance, sold it in the spring of 1893, started the Times in Leavenworth and in 1896 sold that. In 1899, Mr. Reeves, aided by Arthur Gunn, went to Olympia to secure the segregation of Che- lan county and success crowned the wise efforts put forth. Early in 1900, Mr. Reeves was ad- mitted to the practice of law before the supreme court and at the first election in the county, he was chosen prosecuting attorney and in 1902 his own successor. Mr. Reeves has one brother and one sister, Fred, and Rose Fuller.

On August 31, 1888, Mr. Reeves married Miss Belle Culp, at Genesee, Kansas. She was born in Bellefontaine, Ohio, where also her par- ents were born. One child, Zelma, now eleven, was born to this union and she is the first white child born in Wenatchee. Mr. Reeves is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the Elks. Mr. Reeves has various holdings, as a fruit ranch, town property and mining interests. He is one of the leading men of the Columbia valley and is the center of a large circle of admiring friends.

JESSE D. BONAR, who resides at Entiat, Washington, is manager of the Entiat Im- provement Company, which owns about seven hundred acres of land under irrigation ditch. He is cropping the entire estate to alfalfa and the enterprise is one of the large movements in Chelan county.

Jesse D. Bonar was born in Winnebago county, Iowa, on November 8, 1865, the son of Jesse and Jemima (Ragan) Bonar, natives of Ohio and Indiana, respectively. The mother died some time since and the father is still living in Iowa, aged eighty-four. Our subject has the following brothers and sisters : David, James, Daniel and Welsey, all in Iowa; Mrs. Nellie Howe, Mrs. Hester Luke, Mrs. Mary M. Mathena, Mrs. Eliza Rosser, Mrs. Myrtie Tipperary.

Jesse D. Bonar was educated in the com- mon schools in Iowa and remained there until 1888, in which year he journeyed to Puget Sound. He spent six years in farming and lumbering there, then came to Entiat and en- gaged in logging until 1895, when he took

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charge of the Entiat Improvement Company, being now manager of the same. Mr. Bonar has shown rare executive ability and skill in managing this concern and is making it a pay- ing enterprise.

On January 21, 1895, in the Entiat valley, Mr. Bonar married Miss Minnie M. Gray, and to them one child has been born, Ellen Gert- rude. Mr. Bonar is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and a stanch and active Democrat. Mrs. Bonar is a member of the Christian church.

ANDREW S. BURBANK. In the seven- teenth century three brothers of the Burbank family came to the colonies and located in Con- necticut. From that time to the present the family has been identified with the American cause and were real Americans before there was any United States. Seventy-seven of the dif- ferent branches of the Burbank family were en- rolled in the Revolution and they all fought with the spirit and patriotism born of true prin- ciple and fearlessness in standing for the right. Various ones held official positions. Among these patriots was the grandfather of our sub- ject who fought all through the struggle for independence and then also in the War of 1812. Also various members of the family were in all the Colonial and Indian struggles. Out of the seventy-seven in the Revolution, seventy- two had Bible Christian names, thus indicating their Puritanic origin. Our subject served all through the Civil War after his enlistment in 1863, being in the Seventh Vermont Infantry, Company F. His only brother, Charles H., captain of Company C. Third Vermont In- fantry, was killed in the battle of the Wilder- ness.

Reverting more particularly to our subject, we note that he was born in Bath, New Hamp- shire, on November 24. 1848, the son of David and Olive (Smith) Burbank, natives of New Hampshire and Vermont, respectively. The father died in Groton, Vermont, in 1863. The mother died in Barnett, Vermont, in 1898. Our subject was reared mostly in Vermont, the fam- ily moving thither when he was four years old. The father was a miller and our subject assist- ed him until the time of his enlistment in the Civil War. After the war Andrew returned to Groton and completed a course in the academy.

In 1867 he came west to Montana and there mined, freighted and prospected. In 1883 he came to Washington and soon thereafter we see him near Ellensburg, where he took a homestead and wrought for eight years. From there Mr. Burbank came to Wenatchee and selected his present place on the Wenatchee river, three miles from Mission. He com- menced in the fruit industry and since then he has devoted himself to it with the gratifying re- sult that today Mr. Burbank has an orchard which would do credit to the most skilled man- nipulator in this excellent industry. He sold last year over three thousand dollars worth of apples from eight acres. He has over thirty- five acres in fruit and it is one of the finest in the entire state, and where can the state of Washington be beaten for fruit? The farm is improved with fine large residence, barns, fruit houses and so forth and is one of the choicest places in this section. Mr. Burbank has two sisters, Flora Fairchild, and Helen Buchanan.

On February 21, 1882, Mr. Burbank mar- ried Miss Ellen Gray, and six children have been born to them, Carrie, wife of Joseph Fetters, of Ellensburg; Charles, Edna, Alice, George D. and Olive. Mrs. Burbank was married in Boise, Idaho, and has two brothers and one sister, Frank, Lewis, Orilla. She was born in Maine, being the daughter of Eben and Phœbe (Harris) Gray, natives of St. John, New Brunswick, Canada. Mr. Burbank is a Repub- lican and is often in the county and state con- ventions. He stands exceptionally well and is considered one of the most expert orchardists in the valley.

CONRAD ROSE, recognized as one of the energetic, influential business men of Wenat- chee, Chelan county, is president and general manager of the Wenatchee Produce Company. Though still a young man, his residence in the state embraces nearly a quarter of a century, and his business acquaintance is wide.

He was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, February 6, 1862, his father, Conrad Rose, be- ing a native of Germany, and at present a resi- dent of Trenton, Missouri. Arriving in the United States in 1860, a few months prior to the opening of the Civil War, he settled in Illinois, where he prosecuted the business of a merchant tailor. The mother, Elizabeth ( Pike)

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Rose, a native of Illinois, died in 1871. At the age of four years young Rose was taken by his parents to Iowa, and it was in this state that he received a practical business education, ably supplemented by subsequent experience in a general store which he entered at the age of fourteen.

Following a residence of eight years in Mis- souri, Conrad Rose came to Washington, and settled in Sprague, Lincoln county, in 1883. He was at that time twenty years old. He was in the service of the Northern Pacific Railway Company for two years as fireman, and three years as engineer. In 1888 he located at We- natchee, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, converting the same into a most eligible and productive ranch. Four years subsequently he sold this to the Wenat- chee Development Company, and purchased forty acres one mile southwest of Wenatchee, improving the same to a high degree of produc- tiveness. Mr. Rose formed a partnership in 1898 with Leroy Wright, and the two engaged in the present business. On January 1, 1903, they formed a company under the name of the Wenatchee Produce Company, with the fol- lowing officers: Conrad Rose, president and general manager; Leroy Wright, vice-presi- dent; C. S. Crider, secretary and treasurer. The principal line of business is shipping fruit and various kinds of farm produce. The com- pany also deals in cereals, salt, seeds, bee sup- plies, hay and grain.

With the steady and flattering growth of Wenatchee Mr. Rose has been closely identified since his location in the vicinity. On the or- ganization of the new county he was appointed commissioner, later elected to the same office and re-elected at the last election. He is, also, a member of the school board. Although Mr. Rose elects to reside on his beautiful ranch he owns considerable residence and business prop- erty in Wenatchee. His home residence is a substantial two-story house, surrounded by an attractive lawn, with dark green alfalfa fields within the range of vision, and a fine orchard adding to the homelike scene.

At Sprague, Washington, our subject was married to Elizabeth H. Milner, December 8, 1885. She was born in England, where her fa- ther, Thomas Milner, at present resides. A half brother of Mrs. Rose is at present in Cali- fornia, an engineer on the Southern Pacific

railroad. Her sister, Martha, is the wife of William Landingham, of Wilbur, Washing- ton. Two half sisters of Mrs. Rose are in Eng- land, Margaret and Ellen, and three half broth- ers, John, Joseph and William. To Mr. and Mrs. Rose have been born two sons, Philip, of Redlands, California, and George, now a mer- chant tailor at Everett, Washington. They have four half brothers, Edward, Ashley, Ben- jamin and John, merchant tailors, Trenton, Missouri, and two half sisters, Mary, wife of Harry Jolly, and Fanny, a school girl, now liv- ing at Trenton, Missouri.

Fraternally Mr. Rose is a member of River- side Lodge, No. 112, A. F. & A. M., Wenat- chee Chapter, R. A. M., No. 479, B. P. O. E., Everett, Washington, and M. W. A., Wenat- chee. Politically he is a Democrat, but not a partisan.

Mr. Rose has the following named children, Mary, Moss, Maud, Thomas C., George, Philip, and Edward.

ERNEST F. SPRAGUE is handling at the present time, a furniture and undertaking establishment, which is one of the prominent business houses of the town of Wenatchee and has been since 1901. Mr. Sprague is one of the substantial citizens of the town, is a man of uprightness and integrity and has always so conducted himself as to win the respect and esteem of all. He was born in Sauk county, Wisconsin, December 5, 1855, the son of Amos P. and Susan (Reed) Sprague, natives of New York. The father is descended from a prom- inent New England family which has always played a conspicuous part in governmental af- fairs. His cousin was governor of Rhode Isl- and and others held leading positions. He died in 1877 while in Virginia. The mother now lives with her son at Grand Forks, North Da- kota, and the Reeds were prominent people in New England. Thomas B. Reed was a mem- ber of the family. Our subject was educated in the district schools until twelve and then com- pleted his training in a business college. When twelve he took a man's place on the home farm until twenty-five. Then he came west and learned painting and finishing and followed the same for many years during summer months. In the winters, he did nursing. In 1897, Mr. Sprague came to Puyallup and opened a fur-

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niture and undertaking business. Later he went to Montana and then returned to Puyal- lup, whence in 1901 he came to Wenatchee and continued the business he had followed on the coast, and in which we find him engaged at the present time. Mr. Sprague handles a good stock of furniture and is also a licensed state embalmer.

Mr. Sprague has three brothers and one sis- ter: Amos D. and Frank, Baptist ministers; Edwin; and Clara M., wife of Fred Poppy, of Sauk county, Wisconsin.

In March, 1884, Mr. Sprague married Miss Nellie Starks, at Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Her parents were natives of New Hampshire and her father was a general in the Mexican War. Later he was warden of the state penitentiary of Wisconsin for many years. His son, Cap- tain John Starks, died from a wound received in the battle of Shiloh. In 1887 Mrs. Sprague died. Two children had been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sprague, both dying in infancy. In 1889 Mr. Sprague married Bertha Carr, of Reeds- burg, Wisconsin, whose parents, Alonzo and Mary (Dearholt) Carr, were natives of Ohio. The father now lives in Wisconsin. The mother died in 1884. The children of this household are named as follows, Ernest R., Preston A., Clara M., and Ruth T. Mr. Sprague is a member of the M. W. A., and the Yeomen. In political faith he is with the Re- publicans, and takes an active part but never aspires to personal preferment for political po- sitions.

ROBERT I. SKILES has, in a compara- tively short period, built up a most lucrative and successful business in real estate, loans and in- surance at Wenatchee, Chelan county. He was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, Decem- ber 14, 1852.

John W. Skiles, his father, had a remark- able war record, and his regiment, the Twenty- third Ohio Infantry, contained more illustrious men than any other engaged in the Civil War. Among them may be included President Hayes, President McKinley, Colonel Stanley Mat- thews, later Judge of the federal supreme court. several lieutenant governors of Ohio, and a number of men who have since become prom- inent in railroad circles. Captain Skiles had the honor of succeeding Major R. B. Hayes, the

promotion being accorded to him for bravery on the field of battle. He lost an arm at the battle of South Mountain. From 1890 until 1893 he had charge of government timber in Oregon and Washington.

Cornelia (Irons) Skiles, mother of our sub- ject, was a native of Pennsylvania. Her father was an editor and conducted a number of news- papers in that state and was prominent in Ma- sonic circles. Over his remains the fraternity erected an imposing monument. Politically he was an old-line Democrat, later a Republican. He died in 1856 at Uniontown, Pennsylvania.

Robert I. Skiles, our subject, was reared in Ohio, and was graduated from the Delaware College. He came to Nebraska, where he en- gaged in the stock business, feeding from four to six hundred head of cattle. In 1885-6 he went to Denver, Colorado, and into the real estate business, which vocation he has since followed successfully. Between 1890 and 1901 he was in San Diego and Los Angeles, Cali- fornia, and in the latter year came to Wenat- chee, Washington. He handles fruit ranches, city property and the most extensive loan busi- ness in the city. He has four brothers living, John W, Jr., Charles E., Harry I., Ernest C. His two sisters are Cora Sabin and Jennie By- ron.

At San Diego, California, our subject was married to Ella Routson, March 19, 1892. She was a native of Nebraska, and died November 17, 1898, aged twenty-four years. Her father is John G. Routson, and is at present an orange grower in Southern California. She left one child. Robert, now residing with his grandpar- ents. Mrs. Skiles had one brother and two sisters, Edward, and Edna and Grace, the two latter living with their parents at San Diego, California.

REUBEN A. BROWN. engaged in diver- sified farming near Monitor (Brown's Flat). Chelan county, was born at New Albany, Indi- ana, May 3, 1861. He is a brother of Noah N. and George W. Brown, sketches of whom, together with the ancestry of the family, appear in another portion of this work. They reside at Wenatchee, Chelan county.

Our subject was reared and educated in New Albany, and at the age of fourteen began working on a farm. Later he removed to

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Washington, and, leaving his parents at Van- couver, came east of the Cascade mountains and engaged in driving stock through Oregon, Washington and Idaho. In 1884 he settled at his present location, and filed on one hundred and sixty acres of land on the Wenatchee river, eight miles from Wenatchee. He was the first white settler in the vicinity. With no capital he commenced stockraising, and was successful for many years. The winters were mild and his stock throve finely. One hundred and twenty acres of his property is at present under cultivation, sixty acres in wheat and fifteen acres in alfalfa. An orchard of fifteen acres is just begining to be productive. He has win- tered as many as forty-six head of cattle, raises many hogs and has a band of sheep. Aside from the two brothers mentioned, Mr. Brown has one sister, Julia Rowe, residing with her husband at Dewey, Oregon.

Our subject was married, April 8, 1885, at Vancouver, Washington. His bride was Miss Lucy R. Cole, a native of Minnesota. Her father, William Cole, still living at Vancouver, came to Washington in 1882. He is a farmer. Her mother was born in Wisconsin, Urena (Ulvin) Cole. Her parents were natives of Norway.

Mr. and Mrs. Brown have nine children living. Samuel, Noble, Ora, Maud, Lutie, Mel- vina, Abagail, Grace and Robert. Mr. Brown is a member of the Maccabees, and a Repub- lican.

For many years Mr. Brown has irrigated twenty-two acres of his land by means of a wheel in the river. At present all of his land is supplied with water from the new Jones & Shotwell ditch, greatly increasing its value. He has recently offered fifteen thousand dollars for his property.

ELLSWORTH D. SCHEBLE, post- master of Wenatchee, Chelan county, and an influential, progressive citizen, is a native of Richland county, Wisconsin, born November 29, 1860. His father, Albert C. Scheble, a native of Switzerland, came to the United States in 1832. His mother, Rebecca (Knapp) Scheble, was born in New York.

Our subject lived in Wisconsin and at- tended school there until he was twenty-two

years of age, graduating at the high school of Spring Green. Following this period, he engaged in railroad work, and was with the Northern Pacific people at Tacoma, Olympia and Gray's Harbor, in the clerical department and as camp foreman. Three years later he came to Wenatchee, Washington, in the spring of 1892, and here for seven years he worked for his brother, Frank, in the hardware busi- ness. In 1902 he was appointed postmaster. succeeding his brother, who had served in that position over three years. Mention of the sub- ject's brothers and sisters is given elsewhere in the sketch of Frank Scheble.

Mr. Scheble, our subject, owns considerable property in Wenatchee, and an interest in the WV. T. Rarey Company. He is a member of Wenatchee Lodge, No. 157, I. O. O. F., and the Rebekahs. He is a Republican, actively in- terested in the success of his party, and for two years was chairman of the Republican county central committee.

THOMAS W. MUSGROVE, M. D., an eminently successful and highly esteemed physi- cian and surgeon of Mission, Chelan county, was born in New Brunswick, Canada, Novem- ber 4, 1841. His father, Abraham G. Mus- grove, was a Canadian farmer, his father an Englishman, his mother a native of Germany. He died in the seventy-seventh year of his age, in 1890. The mother of our subject, Mary (Balmain) Musgrove, of Canadian-Scotch an- cestry, still lives in Canada, at the age of eighty- seven years.

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Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 124

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