Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 37

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 37
USA > Washington > Ferry County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 37
USA > Washington > Okanogan County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 37
USA > Washington > Stevens County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 37

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mr. McDonald is a Socialist, politically, and has been school director and road supervisor several terms.

CHESTER S. BOSS, prominently identi- fied with the mercantile industry, general farm- ing, and fruit growing, resides at Bossburg, Stevens county, which town he founded, and which, in his honor, is named, was born in Jonesville, Michigan, September 28, 1843. His parents were Truman and Sarah (Carr) Boss, natives of New York, whence they removed to Michigan about 1835. In 1846 they went to Wisconsin, and in 1855 to Minnesota, being territorial pioneers. They located at Fairbault, Rice county, and thirty-four years later moved to Sauk Center, where they died at the age of seventy-five years. They were the parents of four sons, who arrived at manhood's estate : Theadore, dying in the army in 1863; Chester, our subject ; Charles M., of Sauk Center; and Eugene, of Wadena, Minnesota, and now audi- tor of Wadena county.

216

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

Educated in Wisconsin and Minnesota, our subject enlisted, August 8, 1862, in Company C, Sixth Minnesota Volunteers, Captain Baily, Colonel William Crooks, at present one of the officials of the O, R. & N. Railroad Company. Our subject served during the Indian outbreak in Minnesota, in 1862, and within ten days after his enlistment was engaged burying the dead killed near Fort Ridgely and then participated in the two battles of Birch Coulee and Wood Lake. In 1863 his company pursued the hos- tile Indians to Dakota, and across the Missouri river. Returning to Fort Snelling in the fall, the members of his regiment were anxious to go south, but were sent on to the frontier. However, the regiment was ordered south in the spring of 1864, and at Helena, Arkansas, the entire regiment was afflicted with fever, one half of the soldiers dying. In the spring fol- lowing, the regiment went to New Orleans, in the Sixteenth Corps, thence to Sandford, where they captured Spanish Fort, thence went up the Alabama river, to Montgomery, and in the spring of 1865 they lived for ten days on raw corn. On August 20, 1865, he was mustered out at Fort Snelling. Our subject then went to Stearns county, secured a homestead, upon which he lived several years, but eventually traded the land for a half interest in a saw mill. This property he sold and drove stock to Fort Gary, now Winnipeg, and two years subse- quently went to the Black Hills. Here he freighted and finally returned to Minnesota, settled at Osakis, and remained there five years. In 1888 he came to Spokane, removing his family there later, and in 1890 came to Marcus, Stevens county, where he conducted a mercan- tile business in a tent. He then came to Boss- burg, or what was afterward to become Boss- burg, where he has remained in business, suc- cessfully, ever since. He secured the establish- ment here of a postoffice, named Bossburg, and served as the initial postmaster of the same for eight years. A portion of the land pre-empted by Mr. Boss became the site of the town. Here he and his wife reside in a substantial house surrounded by commodious buildings, and the largest orchard in the vicinity.

In 1866 Mr. Boss was married to Belinda Bolles, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Sears) Bolles, natives of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Boss have three children : Mabel, wife of Dr. M. B. Grieve, of Spokane; Nina, wife

of R. C. Crowell, of Bossburg; and Irene, married to Grant Hinkle, of Spokane. Mr. Boss is a Republican, and has been school director since the organization of the town. He is commander of the Bossburg Post. G. A. R., No. 101, and he and wife are members of the Congregational church.

FRANCIS M. CORBELL, residing one mile and one quarter south of Bossburg, Stevens county, is engaged in general farming and fruit culture. He was born in Iowa, January 10, 1849. His parents were Joseph and Amanda (Black) Corbell, the father a native of Ver- mont, the mother of Kentucky. In 1853 they crossed the plains to Eugene, Oregon, where the mother died, and was followed by the father in 1861. They were the parents of five children, two of whom are living. John M. and Francis, our subject.

In Linn and Jackson counties, Oregon, the latter received the advantages of a common school education. At the age of fourteen years he began working at various employments, and in 1864 he enlisted in the First Oregon Infantry, Company I, with which organization he remained two years and eight months. He was engaged in numerous battles with hostile Indians throughout the northwest, and was wounded at one battle. He was mustered out of service at Jacksonville, Oregon, in July, 1866, and then turned his steps toward Nevada, where he followed mining until 1881. On account of a severe attack of rheumatism he was compelled to abandon mining. and he went to Whitman county, Washington, where he was employed as chief clerk for the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company. Thence he went to Lewiston, Idaho, as night clerk, and here, for ten years, he was en- gaged in the wheat business, in a ware- house. Going to British Columbia, he in- vested in real estate and lost heavily during the hard times of 1890. He then, in 1894. came to Stevens county, followed mining, and subse- quently, in 1900, purchased a farm of one hundred acres, and in 1902 bought eighty acres more, which is all fenced. He raises consider- able stock.

In 1884 our subject was married to Minnie Willie, of Lewiston, Idaho, daughter of David

217

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

Willie. Mrs. Corbell is the first white twin, if not the first white child, born in Idaho. Her parents are both dead. To them was born seven children, three of whom are living, Marvin and Minnie, twins, and J. D., of Okanogan county. Mr. and Mrs. Corbell have two children, Beryl and Stanley M., both residing with their parents. Politically Mr. Corbell is a Republi- can. Fraternally he is a member of Moscow, Idaho, Post G. A. R., and Colfax, Washington, Lodge No. 14, A. O. U. W. Mrs Corbell is a member of the W. R. C., and both she and her husband are members of the Baptist church.

WILLIAM J. GILPIN, prominently iden- tified with the mining interests and a valuable marble quarry in Stevens county, resides in Bossburg. He was born in Fairmont, West Virginia, March 21, 1865. His parents were Jefferson W. and Mary (Meredith) Gilpin, the father a native of Pennsylvania, the mother of West Virginia. They both died in the latter state. They were the parents of nine children, three of whom were in the Civil war, and one of them dying four weeks after leaving the service. They enlisted in Fairmont. West Vir- ginia.

Our subject remained in Virginia until he reached his majority when he went to the Black Hills, remaining in that district eleven years. In 1897 he came to Stevens county, engaged in mining, stage driving and freighting until 1900, when he secured a farm on the Colville reservation, where he now resides. In the fall of 1900, in company with Colonel Smith, of Nordica Lake, he discovered what is now the valuable marble deposit owned by the Columbia River Marble Company, of Spokane. The property is an inexhaustible mass of marble, capable of providing tombstones for unborn millions, a deposit which cannot be estimated in cubic feet without making the figures look ridiculously large. The company is now pre- paring to put in machinery for profitably work- ing this deposit. It is situated three miles from Bossburg, on a good road, and with a cable tramway that can load the marble on the S. F. & N. R. R. The quality of this marble is the finest in the northwest, close grained, and susceptible of a high polish.

Mr. Gilpin is unmarried. He is a member

of Bossburg Lodge, No. 164, I. O. O. F., and Bossburg Camp, No. 1128, M. W. A. Politi- cally he is a Republican and patriotically inter- ested in the affairs of his town.

Besides owing a large block of stock in the Columbia River Marble Company, Mr. Gilpin has one hundred and twenty acres of fine marble land adjoining that company's holdings.

JOHN N. HOFFER, residing five miles northeast of Marcus, Stevens county, engaged in school teaching and general farming, was . born in Center county, Pennsylvania, October I, 1848. His parents, George and Susan (Durst) Hoffer, are natives of Pennsylvania, the father of Lebanon, the mother of Center county. They are the parents of nine children : John, our subject; C. Z., in Pennsylvania ; P. S., in North Carolina ; William G., of Willshire, Ohio; I. O., a prominent merchant in Phila- delphia ; Maggie, wife of Albert Minge, en- gaged in the boot and shoe business in Belle- fonte, Pennsylvania ; Frances; Emma G. and Ella.

The education of our subject was received in the public schools and Center Hall, Pennsyl- vania. He began teaching school when eighteen years of age, continuing this occupation, inter- spersed with farming, until 1876, when he removed to Iowa, remaining two years. In 1878 he went to Kansas and thence, in 1886, to the Black Hills. It was in 1898 that he located in Stevens county, where he has since lived, occupied at intervals in school teaching. When he arrived in Washington he devoted some time to placer mining, but subsequently secured the farm on which he now resides.

In October, 1870, Mr. Hoffer was married to Emma G. Alexander, daughter of James and Elizabeth Alexander, natives of Center county, Pennsylvania, where she was born. Her father died several years since. The mother still survives.

Mr. and Mrs. Hoffer are the parents of ten children : Ivan L., in Stevens county ; Earl E., of Ness county, Kansas; George L .; Sidney C .; Victor L .; Bessie, wife of Alvin Leonard ; Maud B. ; Edna G .: Anna L. and Gladys B.

The political affiliations of Mr. Hoffer are with the Socialist party, and he manifests a lively interest in local politics. In 1890, while

218

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

living in Crook county, Wyoming, Mr. Hoffer was elected county superintendent of schools, in Catherine, residing with her husband on the

JOHN LEBLANK, a successful breeder of fancy stock, living seven miles southeast of Bossburg, Stevens county, was born in Essex, Vermont, April 20, 1864. His parents were John and Matilda (Granger) Leblank, the father a native of Vermont, the mother of Mas- sachusetts. The parents of the father came from Nova Scotia, settling in Vermont. The parents of our subject had eight children, Jo- seph. Mose, Mary, Matilda, Peter. Louis, John and Victorine.

John, our subject, was reared in Vermont and received his schooling at Winooski Falls. He began life on his own account at the age of thirteen years, becoming an expert telegraph operator, and this profession he followed on various railroads until 1880, when he came west to the coast. He conducted hotels in Se- attle, Whatcom and other Sound cities, and in 1890 located in Stevens county. Subsequently he went to Rossland where he remained four years, and in 1896 selected his present location and engaged in mining. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he has improved, and now has a fine house in a most eligible location. He cultivates one hundred and twenty acres, which is all fenced and sup- plied with good water. He also carries con- siderable fine stock through the winter.

In 1892 Mr. Leblank was united in mar- riage to Miss Nora Slinkard, daughter of An- drew Slinkard. She has five brothers, William, Ashberg, Charles, Mose and Luther. Mr. and Mrs. Leblank have three children, Ethel M., Howard and John H., all of whom at present reside with their parents.

ARTHUR F. CAMP, of Colville, Stevens county, is not only a successful school teacher, of experience and ability, but an energetic farmer and stock breeder. He was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on April 12, 1876, his par- ents J. A. and Hattie (Hamblett ) Camp. His father is a native of Wisconsin, his mother of Michigan. The father

went to Lancaster county, Nebraska, in 1865 and engaged in farming. Thence the family removed to South Dakota, remaining a short time and coming to Washington in 1895. They located in Stevens county where they now live. They have six children : Fay L .; Arthur, our subject; George, in Idaho; J. B .; Cecil; and Clinton. The father of our subject, J. A. Camp, served three years and eight months in the Civil War, and received a wound in his left armı. He enlisted in the Tenth Wisconsin Vol- unteers, Company I, and re-enlisted in the Forty-fourth Infantry, serving until the close of the war, under Generals Grant and Rose- crans.

Our subject received the foundation of an excellent education in Waverly, Nebraska, which was amplified in the Northwestern Acad- emy and at Spokane. The winter of 1902-3 he attended the Washington State Normal School, at Cheney, Spokane county. In 1899 he taught school in Stevens county, two terms, and one term in the Pend d'Oreille district, and one term at Bossburg. Associated with Booth Fay, Mr. Camp is interested in stock growing, they having over one hundred head of cattle. He also owns an interest in eighty acres of land three miles from Colville, and a quarter section five miles from the county seat. The principal crop is hay. Both properties are fenced. With his brother, Mr. Camp is inter- ested in a hay-baling machine, which is operated successfully.

Mr. Camp is a Democrat, politically, and was, for two years, deputy in the assessor's office, at Colville.

WILLIAM DRISCOLL, residing four and one-half miles north of Marcus, Stevens county, is engaged in the cultivation of fancy fruit, raising many varieties, to which the climate along the Columbia river is favorable. He was born in Dorchestershire, England, March 17, 1854. His parents, John and Cathe- rine Driscoll, were natives of Cork, Ireland. They removed to England in 1840, where they continued to reside until their death. Five children were born to them, of whom four survive: William, our subject: Cornelius; Mary, married and living in New Zealand; Catherine, residing with her husband on the Isle of Man.

219

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

Reared and educated in Cornwall, England, until the age of sixteen, our subject began min- ing, which business he had already learned, and in this industry he continued until 1872, when he came to the United States and located at Scranton, Pennsylvania. Subsequently he removed to California, where he continued min- ing until 1880, at which period he went to Seattle, Washington, finding employment in the business of pile-driving. Thence he went to the Coeur d'Alene country, in Idaho, and worked in the mines in that district, until 1892, at which date he came to Stevens county. Here he secured a homestead, where he at present resides, a quarter section of land, twenty-five acres of which is cultivated. It is all fenced and he has an orchard of six acres, from which he gathers different varieties of fruit. He has a substantial barn, a supply of excellent water, and several head of stock.

In 1880 our subject was united in marriage to Nettie Wood, daughter of Samuel and Mary Delmot. While at work in the Coeur d' Alene mines, in Idaho, Mr. Driscoll met with a mis- fortune. His skull was fractured, necessitating the operation of trepanning, and he remained in a hospital eight months.

Fraternally he is a member of the I. O. O. F. He communes with the Roman Catholic church.

Since the above was written, Mr. Driscoll was called to the world beyond, the date being October 25, 1903. He was buried at the mis- sion.

By a former marriage to Charles Wood, who died in 1871, Mrs. Driscoll has one daughter, Florence O'Neil, residing at Tulare, California.

JOSEPH P. CURRIE, a farmer and mining man of Stevens county, resides six miles south of Bossburg. He was born in Maine May 19, 1854, the son of David and Phœbe (Pickard) Currie, natives of New Brunswick. The mother died in New Brunswick ; the father still lives there, engaged in farming. His an- cestors were from Scotland. They were the parents of nine children, six of whom survive, John A., Joseph P., Jacob, Johanna, widow, now in New Brunswick; Rosela, wife of Al- fonso Welsh, and Stephen E., .also of New Brunswick.

The education of our subject was received

in the public schools of Canada, and at the age of twenty-two he started in life for himself. He purchased a farm, upon which he remained two years, disposed of the same and engaged in lumbering. In 1882 Mr. Currie went to Colorado where he learned the business of a photographer, which he pursued three and one- half years, going to Minnesota and remaining about the same length of time. In 1889 he came to Washington and located at Spokane, accumulated considerable property and lost it during the hard times that ensued. He came to Stevens county in 1890, and after a short visit in Spokane returned and engaged in mining until 1896. He then located a homestead where he now lives, a quarter section with forty acres under cultivation, all fenced, commodious barn, and other outbuildings, and an orchard of six hundred trees.

In 1876 Mr. Currie was married to Cath- erine Welsh, daughter of John and Catherine ( Nugent ) Welsh, natives of New Brunswick. They were the parents of ten children, four of whom survive : Thomas, in Minnesota; Alfon- so, in Canada ; Mary, wife of Henry Howard, of Presque Isle ; and Emma, married to George Dosey, of Maine. Mr. and Mrs. Currie have two children living, Lewellyn and Raymond, residing with their parents.

Our subject manifests a lively interest in local politics, and is a Republican. He has served efficiently as school director.

JOHN H. SHEPARD, interested in the fancy fruit industry, and residing four miles north of Echo, Stevens county, was born in Greenville, Montcalm county, Michigan, De- cember 2, 1871. He is the son of James J. and Melissa ( Rodgers) Shepard, the father a native of New York, the mother of Michigan. James J. Shepard went to Michigan when a young man, where he now lives. His wife died in 1895. They were the parents of seven chil- dren, of whom four survive: Frank and Fred, in Michigan; May, wife of Frank Davy, living in Washington; and John, our subject. The ancestry of both parents were prominent and distinguished people.

At Greenville, Michigan, our subject se- cured the advantages of a public school educa- tion, and at the age of twelve years began life

220

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

for himself, working industriously on a farm five years. He then learned the trade of a car- penter, which he pursued four years. After this he began railroad work, which he contin- ued two years, returning to his trade which he followed until he came to Washington in 1890. During fifteen months he found employment at Colville, Stevens county, cooking in a hotel. and then located his present homestead, mainly timber land, with thirty-five acres under culti- vation. He has an orchard, commodious build- ings, the farm well watered and fenced. besides considerable stock.

In 1900 Mr. Shepard married to Mary Rice, daughter of James and Hulda Rice, the father a native of Missouri, the mother of Iowa. They were the parents of the following chil- dren : Hester, wife of Elmer Gear, of Elk, Washington: Joey, of Springdale. Stevens county ; Gerge: Alonzo, of Elk; Robert, of St. Maries, Idaho: Eliza, of the same place : Clar- ence and James.

Mr. and Mrs. Shepard have two children, Fred and Wilber, at present residing with their parents. Politically Mr. Shepard is a Liberal, but always taking a patriotic interest in local politics. He has been a member f the board of supervisors and a director of the schools.

WILLIAM E. WESTON, dealer in blooded stock, and residing seven miles south- east of Bossburg, Stevens county, was born in Milton, Oregon, on March 22, 1883. He is the son of E. S. and Elizabeth ( McCoy) Wes- ton. sketches of whom appear elsewhere in this work. They were the parents of five children. viz: Charles H .. William E., Jesse N., Mary E. and Lydia B.

The preliminary education of our subject was received in Farmington, Washington, and later he attended the schools of Stevens county, At the age of eighteen years he had secured a good business education, and began work in the employment of his father, with whom he still remains. He is a member of the Advent church.

HENRY GRITTNER, a progressive. broad-minded German farmer and blacksmith of Stevens county, resides three miles north of

Echo. He was born in the province of Slazein, near Berlin, Germany, June 30, 1855. His par- ents were William and Beatrice ( Wittie) Gritt- ner, natives of Germany, where the father died, the mother coming to the United States in 1894. She now resides with our subject, at the age of seventy-three years. She is the mother of six children : Ernest, in Germany; Henry, our subject ; Caroline, wife of William Beam: Pauline, wife of August Otto; William; and Julius, now living with our subject. Her hus- band was of a distinguished German family, and served in the Franco-Prussian war.

Henry Grittner received a fair education in Germany, and at the age of fourteen began working on a farm, at which he continued four years. He then learned the trade of a black- smith, which he followed for twelve years, com- ing to the United States in 1888. Following a residence of fourteen years in Iowa, working at his trade, he came to Stevens county in 1901, purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, and homesteaded another quarter section. He is surrounded with good, comfortable build- ings, and there are two million feet of saw tim- ber on the place. He has fifteen head of stock.

On July 12, 1887, our subject was married to Della Sliter, daughter of Benjamin and Cath- erine Sliter, natives of Scotland. They have five children, Edith, Carl, Clola, Ernest and William.

Politically Mr. Grittner is a Republican, manifesting a lively interest in the various cam- paigns in which his party is involved. He has a patriotic pride in the affairs of his community, and is well-known as a popular and enterpris- ing citizen.

WILLIAM W. DUNCAN, blacksmith and liveryman, of Bossburg, Stevens county, was born near Albany, Gentry county, Mis- souri. September 8, 1871, the son of John H. and Cordelia (Wood) Duncan. The father is a native of Kentucky, the mother of Missouri. They located in Gentry county where they lived until 1887, going thence to Ida, Cœur d' Alenes, where they at present reside, the father engaged in the dray and truck business. They were the parents of eight children : Kate S., married to Fred Wilson ; William W., our subject : Frank C .: Mary V. and Ernest : and three others de- ceased, Minnie, Olan and Clarence.

221

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

Our subject received his first and only- schooling in Gentry county, and at the age of seventeen began life for himself, coming to Spokane in 1886, one year ahead of his family. One year he worked a farm in the Palouse coun- try, and then, with his family, removed to the Cœur d' Alenes, where for five years he worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. In 1896 he removed to Bossburg where he has since resided, having followed the stage and livery business up to 1903.

In 1894 he was married to Ora L. Coonc, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Finn) Coone, the mother a native of Oregon, the father of Iowa. They crossed the plains in early days, locating in Oregon, and later owned an extensive stock ranch on the Columbia river, near White Bluffs. They were the pa- rents of seven children, of whom the living are Stella, Ella, Ora, Lulu, Hattie and Flossie.

Mr. and Mrs. Duncan have three children, Raymond W., Howard W., and Gladys E., all of whom are with their parents. Mr. Dun- can is a Democrat, and manifests a lively in- terest in the success of his party, and he has been delegate to many county conventions. He is a charter member of the Bossburg Lodge, No. 164, I. O. O. F., which he assisted in organizing, having been a member of Cœur d'Alene Lodge No. 34. Mrs. Duncan is a member of the Congregational church.

ANN BRYANT, of Bossburg, Stevens county, engaged in the hotel and mining busi- ness, was born in Barbeshire, Scotland, April 3, 1842. She is the daughter of Murdo R. and Catherine ( Nicholson) McCleod, natives of Scotland, where they lived until 1842, when they came to Canada. The father died in 1882 and the mother removed to Kansas, passing away in 1899. They were the parents of thirteen children, Mary, Angus, Christie, Murdo, Kenneth, Kate, Ann, Darnal G., John, Christie, and three who died in infancy.

Ann Bryant, the subject of this sketch. had one brother, who was a soldier in the English army. Although educational privileges were limited in her neighborhood she recived a fair common school education in Canada. She "worked out," beginning at the age of sixteen, until she was married to A. J. Bryant. They

settled in Barnston, Canada, where they lived eighteen years, removing to Vermont, in 1865. At the termination of three years' residence, they came back to Canada, thence to Kansas, and thence to Kettle Falls, Washington, in 1891. In 1892 they came to Bossburg where she has since resided. Her husband died in 1897. Fol- lowing the death of her husband. Mrs. Bryant built a small hotel, to which she has added since, until it is now a commodious house and comfortably furnished. She is, also, interested in mines, some of which are quite flattering prospects.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 37

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