Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 59

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 59
USA > Washington > Ferry County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 59
USA > Washington > Okanogan County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 59
USA > Washington > Stevens County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 59

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).

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HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

years, after which he did a general junk busi- ness in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. In 1880, he came to Utah and did lumbering at an altitude of twelve thouand feet. Then he went to old Mexico to build a railroad and dur- ing this trip he had some hard experiences. On one occasion he was compelled to travel two hundred and twenty-seven miles, carrying his outfit and food with him. One night he was treed by a bear and as it was in January and very cold, he froze his hands and feet badly. For six months he wrought as foreman on the Santa Fe railroad and then returned to Ne- braska and spent one winter hunting on the Platte river. Securing a choice location he took a homestead and for twelve years did farming there. Then he rigged emigrant wagons and with his brother traveled over por- tions of Missouri and Kansas. In 1900, Mr. Frase came to Washington and located where we find him at the present time. He pur- chased his present place and has given his en- tire time to lumbering and getting out wood.

Mr. Frase is a good solid Democrat and has always pulled for his principles straight. He has served in the capacity of road supervisor and is a man of sound principles and well re- spected by all. Mr. Frase is a member of the Lutheran church.

WILLIAM J. TAYLOR is a thrifty and well to do farmer and dairyman residing three miles west from Valley. He has a generous estate of four hundred and fifty acres, which is divided between hay, general farming, past- ure and timber and which in every department manifests the painstaking care of the proprie- tor, who was wrought out a model place from the wilderness. He owns about forty head of cattle, twenty-five head of sheep and other stock. Mr. Taylor is increasing his dairy pro- ducts and is a first class producer in this im- portant branch.

William J. Taylor was born in Lincolnshire, England, on August 12, 1855, the son of Ed- ward and Sarah ( Moisey) Taylor, natives also of England. They remained in their native land until death and had been the parents of three children, Sarah Parker, Mary Longland, and W .. J., our subject. The educational train- ing of our subject was received in his native land and he remained under the parental roof

until he had attained his eighteenth year. Then Mr. Taylor determined to try his fortune in the new world and accordingly came to Amer- ica, locating in Buffalo, New York, where he remained for five years. Then he went to Becker county, Minnesota, where he remained six years. The year 1884 marks the date when Mr. Taylor came to Washington. He located first in Sprague where he was employed as sales- man in a general merchandise establishment for four years. Then he took up dairying and for a decade did real well at it. At the end of that period he came to his present location and has been here assiduously engaged in the occupa- tions mentioned since that time. He has met with success and his prosperity is the result of his energy, wisdom and thrift.

In 1876 Mr. Taylor married Miss Christina Tanner, who died in 1889, leaving six children : Ed, married and living in Stevens county ; William; Lewis : Emma ; Ernest ; and Charles, deceased. In 1894 Mr. Taylor married Mrs. Jennie Craven, widow of Walter Craven. She had three children by her former husband : Alice; Nellie, wife of Lew Weathernox; and Bessie, wife of Ralph Slocum, the last two in Stevens county. Mr. Taylor is an active and well informed Democrat and always evinces an interest in the questions of the day. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., while Mrs. Taylor is a member of the Eastern Star and the Methodist church.

ED A. FRASE lives four miles northwest from Valley and does farming and lumbering. He was born in Wayne county, Ohio, on March 10, 1859, the son of David and Elizabeth (Maxwell) Frase, natives of Ohio. They set- tled in Wayne county in an early day and there remained until the day of their death. The mother passed away in 1897, the father two years later. They were the parents of nine children as follows : C. I., John M., J. M., de- ceased, R. R., Ed A., T. B., D. F., W. H. and E. C. Our subject was educated in his native county and remained with his parents until he was nineteen years of age. He had during this time become master of the carpenter's trade from his father. He went to Illinois where he farmed for two years; after which he removed to Nebraska and did farming and carpentering for fifteen years. Following this, he rigged out

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HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

a prairie schooner and with his wife and six children traveled through Nebraska and Kan- sas, wintering the first year in the Ozark moun- tains, in Missouri. Next year he started with his outfit to Ohio and remained there one year during which time his mother died. Then they returned to north Missouri, whence two years later they went to Minnesota where he sold his outfit and came by rail to Spokane, Washing- ton. For eighteen months he followed his trade then they came to Stevens county, locating where we find them at the present time. In addition to general farming, Mr. Frase does considerable logging and lumbering.

In 1881, Mr. Frase married Miss Lillie C., daughter of R. B. and Rofelda M. (Tabor) Kelley, natives of Illinois. In 1874 Mr. and Mrs. Kelley removed to Nebraska where the father was killed in 1882, while as sheriff he was attempting to arrest a horsethief. The mother still lives in Whiteside county, Illinois, caring for her mother who is seventy-seven years of age. They were the parents of three children : Lillian C., Mary E., and Grace. To Mr. and Mrs. Frase have been born the follow- ing children : Mary B., Albert J., E. Pearl, Ernest and Earl twns, Jessie Warren, deceased, Effie M., deceased, and Edna R .. Mr. Frase is an enthusisatsic Bryan Democrat and is always at the front in political maters. He has been road supervisior several times, and he and his wife are members of the Christian church.

WILLIAM R. COLTER is one of the ac- tive and progressive residents of Stevens county. His farm is located six miles north- east from Valley and was secured by homestead right. He devotes himself to agricultural pur- suits almost entirely and is one of the well re- spected men of the valley.

William R. Colter was born in South Bend, Indiana, on April 18, 1857, the son of Will- iam H. and Minerva (Smith) Colter, natives of Ohio and pioneers to Indiana where they remained until their death. They were the parents of five children. Our subject received his education in his native county and at the tender age of twelve started out, assuming the responsibilities of life for himself. His first venture was in the city of Chicago where he sold papers and blacked boots until the great

fire. Then he came to Keokuk county, Iowa, and was engaged in various occupations for six years. Then he removed to another portion of the state and farmed for eight years. At the expiration of that time he came to Seattle where he lived until 1895. In that year he began a trip of exploration that took him all through the Big Bend country, eastern Wash- ington, Idaho and Oregon. The entire journey was made on horseback and finally Mr. Colter located at Colville, in the spring of 1896 and took a piece of unsurveyed land by a squatter's right and began the good work of improve- ment. Three years were spent in these labors, but when the land was surveyed he failed to get to the land office in season and a supposed friend of his jumped the land and took it away from him. He thereby lost his entire im- provements. Mr. Colter was engaged vari- ously until 1900, when he located his present place. In addition to his farm work, he does considerable timbering and other labors. Po- litically he is a Republican and in fraterna! affiliations he is a member of the M. W. A. He is serving his third term in the office of banker of that order. Mr. Colter has never seen fit to forsake the quiet joys and retire- ments of the bachelor's life for the uncertain sea of matrimony.

FRANK BANKS is one of the industrious agriculturists of Stevens county and his home is four miles northwest of Westbranch post- office. Mr. Banks devotes himself to farming and has a very well improved property. He was born in Lucas county, Ohio, on October 12, 1855, the son of Seth S. and Elizabeth (Smith) Banks, natives of Pennslvania and Maine, respectively. The father died when Frank was a very small boy, leaving the fol- lowing children : Sarah J., William, Norbert, Seth and Frank. The family removed from Pennsylvania to Ohio in early days and in Toledo of the latter state our subject received his education. Owing to the fact that much time had to be spent in labor he was favored with very scant opportunity for educational training. At the age of thirteen years he started out in life for himself, going to Illinois where he labored on the farm. Later we see him in Missouri, then in Kansas, which latter

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place was his home until 1889. There he took a pre-emption which he still owns. Following this we see him in Arkansas whence he re- turned to Kansas going thence to the Cherokee strip where he lived for five years. After that we see him in Missouri, again in Kansas and finally in 1900 he came to his present place. He devotes himself to general farming and raising stock. Mr. Banks is very favorably in- pressed with the county and its resources and expects to make this his home. He is an active Republican and a man well posted in the ques- tions of the day.

FREDRICK HEPPE dwells about twen- ty-two miles north from Westbranch upon a valuable piece of land where he settled in 1892, the property then being unsurveyed and wild. By clearing and other labors, Mr. Heppe has improved the larger portion of his land into a first-class meadow, which produces above one hundred tons of hay each year. He has erected good buildings, as residence, barns, and so forth. In addition to raising hay, Mr. Heppe does general farming and handles stock. He has some very fine thoroughbred Shornhorn animals and has been very successful in the introduction of high grade stock into this coun- try. He is a substantial man and a good citi- zen and one of the prosperous property owners of Stevens county. The entire estate mani- fests in every detail, the thrift, energy and skill of its owner.

Fredrick Heppe was born in Hessen, Ger- many on January 4, 1846, the son of Jacob W. and Fredericka W. (Rauer) Heppe, natives of . Germany, where they remained all their lives. They were the parents of the following named children : Margreta F., Dora, Henry, Lizzie W., Willimina and Fredrick. Our subject was educated in the public schools of his na- tive place and remained with his father until nineteen. In 1886, he came to the United States and located in New York, where for seven years he followed his trade of mason, having become an expert in the business in the old country. He traveled from New York to New Jersey and did contracting and building. Seven years later he went to Indiana and did both mason work and farming for five years, after which, he went to Missouri and farmed. Later we find him tilling the soil in Kansas but

as the grasshoppers ate all his crops, he came to Washington in 1881. He farmed and fol- lowed his trade in this state also and nearly all the brick and stone work in Cheney, previous to 1892, was his handiwork. In 1892, Mr. Heppe came to Stevens county and located on his present place, since which time he has de- voted himself to farming and stock raising.

In 1870, Mr. Heppe married Miss Fredricka WV., daughter of Jacob and Mary (Klocksum) Kahsborn, natives of Germany, where they re- mained until their death, having been the par- ents of five children. To our subject and his wife the following named children have been born : Charley H., in Stevens county ; Anna M., wife of William Plum, in Lincoln county ; Fredericka W., wife of T. Penelton, in Lincoln county ; William and Mary with their parents; Louis W., in Latah, Washington; and Bessie L. with her parents. Mr. Heppe is a good, ac- tive Republican and has for many years been road supervisor and school director. He was appointed forest inspector in 1900, but refused to qualify. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the I. O. O. F. and with the K. O. T. M. In church relations Mr. Heppe is a Mormon, while his wife belongs to the Presbyterian denon- ination.

BENJAMIN S. STURGIS resides on the banks of the Sachene or Rocky Ford lake, where he has an estate of two hundred and forty acres. It is an ideal place for a sum- mer resort and Mr. Sturgis has on hand a large quota of boats and so forth, for the accommo- dation of visitors. He does general farming and raises stock and gives much attention to timber cruising, having located a number of parties in the last five years. Mr. Sturgis set- tled on his place in 1897, it being then unsur- veyed. Since that time he has devoted himself steadily to the occupation mentioned and to im- proving the farm in a becoming manner. To the original homestead he added eighty acres of railroad land, by purchase.

Benjamin S. Sturgis was born in Bed- ford, Iowa, the son of Joseph and Mary (Shannon) Sturgis. The father was killed by the Indians on the Arkansas river in 1862, the mother, who is a relative of ex-Gov- ernor A. Shannon, of Ohio, is now living in Spokane county, Washington. He had four

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children : Willie H., Orlando R., Nervesta, de- ceased and Benjamin. Our subject's father was a nephew of the first large dealer in wheat in Chicago, namely Dan Sturgis. Benjamin Sturgis was educated in the public schools in Kansas and when seventeen went to the lead mines in the vicinity of Joplin, Missouri. There he bought a lead mine that was supposed to be worked out and after three weeks of investiga- tion found deposits of ore which made it one of the valuable mining properties of the section. Six years later he sold out and went to Texas for his health where he bought some cattle and drove them to Colorado. Later we see him in San Francisco, whence he came to Spokane county, Washington and in 1897 he came to his present place in Stevens county.

On February 7, 1901, Mr. Sturgis married Mrs. Sarah J. Hockersmith of Bloomfield, Iowa. She was the widow of Decatur H. Hockersmith and has two children, David and Laura L. Mrs. Sturgis' maiden name was Maxwell. Her father still lives in Nebraska and her mother is deceased. Mr. Sturgis is a Republican and one of the most active men in political affairs in this section of the county. Mrs. Sturgis is a member of the Methodist church.

GEORGE H. MOON is certainly entitled to the name of pioneer, not only of Stevens county but of many sections now in the east, where he labored and prospered for many years. Mr. Moon is a man whose vast experi- ence in the different lines of life and with people all over the globe, has broadened and made substantial and progressive. He was born in Northampton, Ohio, on January 25. 1835, the son of Silas and Mary (Russell) Moon, natives of New York and pioneers to Ohio in 1830. Later they went to Wisconsin and there remained until their death. We wish to note the important fact that the ancestors were most stanch Americans and the grand- fathers and great-grandfathers of our subject were all in the Revolution and three of them gave their lives at Bunker Hill for the cause of freedom. From such patriotic and noble an- cestors as these comes our subject and it is with pleasure that we are enabled to chronicle these facts. George H. was one of nine children : William, H. G., Lucinda Chase, Abijah, de-

ceased, Julia, Samuel, A. D., and Mary H. Dodge. Our subject was educated in Ohio and when fourteen went to sea. For three years he sailed the southern seas, visiting almost all known ports there. After a visit at home he again went to sea and later learned the car- penter trade, and in 1855 came to Wisconsin. He spent some time in hunting in that then new country and in 1860 went to Iowa, then re- turned to Wisconsin, settling near Eau Claire, whence he removed to Fergus Falls, Minne- sota and in 1889, he journeyed west to Wash- ington. He first settled in Spokane and later came on to Stevens county, locating twelve miles west from Newport, where he find him at the present time. Mr. Moon has a good place with abundance of meadow and does general farming and raises stock. The place is well im- proved and shows the skill and thrift of the owner.

In 1855, Mr. Moon married Miss Mary J., daughter of Benjamin and Harriett (Allen) Wells, natives of New York. They settled in Ohio and later came to Spokane where Mrs. Wells died. To Mr. and Mrs. Moon nine chil- dren have been born, the following named still living : Samuel, Frank, Emma Hill and Hor- ace. Mr. Moon is a stanch and life long Demo- crat and is ever active in the domain of politics. He is and has been school director, having served seven consecutive years. Mr. and Mrs. Moon are members of the Methodist church.

THOMAS DAVIES is one of the pioneers of the southeastern portion of Stevens county and now dwells on a farm of two hundred and forty acres, fourteen miles west from New- port. He has a large meadow and also handles stock, doing general farming. His place is improved in a becoming manner and is one of the valuable estates of this section.

Thomas Davies was born in Manchester, England, on November 3, 1853, the son of David J. and Eliza (Skellhorn) Davies, natives of England. They came to Canada in 1863, locating in Toronto, where the father died in 1902, the mother having passed away in 1878. Our subject was educated in private school in England and in the public schools in Toronto. When nineteen he went to learn the brickmak- ing business, then sold flowers for a gardner in

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Toronto. Later he worked for the city and after this spent four years with the Toronto Brewing & Malting Company, where lie learned the art of skillful brewing. Then came four years as foreman in a livery, after which he came to northwest Canada, being there during the Riel rebellion. In 1887, Mr. Davies was in Spokane for the first time and one year later he sought his present place in Stevens county. He used the squatter's right and later bought eighty acres more.

The marriage of Mr. Davies and Miss Colena McLean occurred in northwest Can- ada, and to them have been born three chil- dren : David W., Hugh A., and Cecelia R. Mrs. Davies' parents, Hugh A. and Catherine ( McLane) McLean, were natives of Scotland. The father was a captain on the great lakes where he died, being buried in Chicago. The mother, with this daughter, went to Manitoba, where Mr. Davies met his future wife. Mr. Davies is liberal in political matters and always evinces a keen interest in the affairs of the community and state. He and his wife are members of the Methodist church.

JAMES DAVIES is a man of strong char- acter, tenacity of purpose, and energy as will be manifested from an account of his life. He was born in Manchester, England, the son of David J. and Eliza (Skillhorn) Davies, botlı natives of England, and of Welsh extraction. They came to Canada in 1859, locating in Toronto. Seven children were born to them: Thomas, James, who is our subject. Dave, Charles, Samuel, Edward and Sarah Boterell. Our subject was educated in Canada and re- mained with his parents until seventeen when he went to northwest Canada. For four years he was there in the midst of the Riel rebellion, engaged in government service. Then he en- tered the employ of the Canadian Pacific on snow shed work, and later was in Seattle. Next we see Mr. Davies engaged on bridge work with the Northern Pacific. In 1889, he set- tled in Stevens county. Later he sold that place and bought the right of another man. Improving that place he sold it and finally selected his present place, about fifteen miles north from Westbranch. He has one hundred and sixty acres of meadow and handles stock

and hay. The farm is well improved with buildings, fences, and so forth, and lies on the county road.

In 1894. Mr. Davies married Miss Clara, daughter of P. N. and Elsa (Swensen) Linder, natives of Sweden and mentioned elsewhere in this volume. Mr. Davies is a stanch Republi- can and is a man of good principles. Mrs. Davies is a member of the Methodist church. Mr. Davies had to do an immense amount of labor to get started in this section. For in- stance, when he desired to get a wagon in, there being no roads, it had to be pulled in, in pieces and it took him a week to get the vehicle on his farm. During the first winter, he had to face . the question of existence. The snow was eleven feet deep, and his cattle were short of feed. In fact, they were without feed. He could get no horses to pull it in, and the snow was too deep, even if he could. The only alternative was to go and pack food in on his back. This he did, and for one week he was so busied in it, that he had not a wink of sleep, and only a short stop after each trip. He was not to be defeated in this race for the life of his stock and he succeeded in gaining the day, although it nearly overwhelmed him to do it. The suc- cess that such a person deserves is coming to Mr. Davies and he is now one of the prosperous men of this portion of the county.

PETER N. LINDER, who resides thir- teen miles north from Westbranch, is one of the prosperous men of Stevens county and his labors, bestowed with wisdom and energy, have accomplished the success that he is now richly enjoying. He was born in Ousby Christian- stadt Ran, Sweden, on April 7, 1849. the son of Nels I. and Bengta (Olson) Linder, natives of Sweden, where the father died in 1899. The mother lives at Ousby, that country. The an- cestors on both sides were prominent and suc- cessful people and our subject is no exception to the rule. He has five brothers and sisters, Pernila. Bangta, Troed, Matilda, and Hanna. Peter N. was educated in the public schools of his native place and remained with his parents until fourteen, when he began working out on the farmns. Later he operated a sawmill and in 1880 he came to Chicago. He was occupied on the railroad, then in the coal banks in Illi-

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nois, where the coal was on the top of the ground, after which he did sawmilling in Wis- consin and Duluth. He also did contracting on the Duluth streets and then came to Spokane. Mr. Linder then bought teams and did express work in that city for four years. After that he located his present place, then unsurveyed, and the first year cut twenty tons of hay which he hauled out of the meadow on poles by hand. The next year he had more meadow, and sold two hundred dollars' worth of butter from seven cows. He improved the place and gained more stock each year, until he now has two hundred and forty acres of good land, eighty of which are meadow, forty head of cattle, a good residence, plenty of commodious barns and out buildings, and is one of the prosperous men of the section. Mr. Linder gave his son sixteen head of stock recently when he went to do for himself.

In 1874 Mr. Linder married Miss Elsa, daughter of Swen and Engret (Johnson) Swenson,, natives of Sweden, where they re- mained until their death. Mrs. Linder came to this country in 1882, two years after her hus- band. They now have four children, Ernest T., at Pateros, Washington; Clara, wife of James Davis, of Callispell; Harry and Arthur, Mr. Linder is a man of good ideas and in politi- cal matters is allied with the Republicans. He was elected school director six years since and is still in that capacity. He and his wife are members of the Methodist church.

ROSSETER I. TOWLE is one of the leading business men of the Pend d'Oreille val- ley and is now postmaster of Newport, where also he does a general merchandise business, being at the head of a prosperous establish- ment. He is a man of genial and affable ways and has won for himself a host of warm friends from all classes.

Rosseter I. Towle was born in Winnebago county, Illinois, on March 26, 1843. the son of Simeon and Eliza D. (Saunders) Towle, na- tives of Maine and of English descent. The father's family located in Maine in 1670 and have always been prominent in the American cause. The parents first met in Illinois, were married in Rockford, and in 1845 went to Gen- esee county, New York. In 1873 they went to Pennsylvania and in 1879 the mother died.

The next year the father went to St. Louis, and in 1883 he journeyed to Salt Lake, where he died in 1884. He had followed farming and merchandising all his life. Our subject has one brother, George, who is in the coal business in Omaha, having established the first office . in that line there. The early education of Mr. Towle was received in Genesee county, New York, and the same was completed in the academy in Allegany county. In 1863 he went to Buffalo,, New York, and acted as sales- man for six years for Hadly, Husted & Com- pany, hardware merchants. Then came a jour- ney to Erie county. Pennsylvania, where he en- tered into partnership in the hardware business with D. G. King. In 1880 he sold his business and repaired to St. Louis and engaged in hand- ling coke for H. C. Frick & Company. In 1883 he sold out and came west to Salt Lake City and engaged in shipping grain and other products. In 1885 Mr. Towle went to Gunderson. Colo- rado, where he took up the same business, but was burned out the following year, all being loss, as there was no insurance. In 1892 Mr. Towle first located in Newport, Idaho, and soon opened a general merchandise establishlı- ment. In 1894 he was appointed postmaster, and when the office was changed to Washing- ton he was continued, being the incumbent at this time. He is a man whose faithful labors have been received with approbation by all and success has crowned his efforts. He is doing a good business now and carries a complete and up to date stock.

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Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 59

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