Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 63

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 63
USA > Washington > Ferry County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 63
USA > Washington > Okanogan County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 63
USA > Washington > Stevens County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 63

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).

365

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

being improved. He is engaged in general farming and the stock business.

In 1883 Mr. Wilson was married to Ida Weaver, daughter of Andrew Anderson. She is a native of Sweden, coming to the United States in 1877. She has one child by a former marriage, Clara Weaver. Mr. and Mrs. Wil- son are the parents of two children, Fred E. and Ethel, both of whom reside with their parents.

Mr. Wilson manifests a lively interest in local politics, and is classed as a Liberal. He is at present director and clerk of the school dis- trict in which he resides. Mrs. Wilson is a member of the Lutheran church.

DENNIS DECKER. The subject of this article is a member of that Grand Army of the Republic whose numbers are yearly growing smaller. He is also a descendant of a long line of patriotic ancestors, antedating the Revolu- tionary War, in which his maternal grand- father took an active part.

Hancock county, Ohio, is the place of his nativity, his birth occurring August 2, 1837. His parents were John and Agnes Decker, na- tives of Pennsylvania and descendants of Hol- land ancestry. They settled in Hancock county where they raised thirteen children, Dennis be- ing the youngest. Three months out of the year in a log school house provided his educa- tion, and thus equipped he began life for him- self at he age of eighteen years. He removed to Iowa, locating on a farm near Sigourney, Keokuk county, and here he remained until 1862, when he enlisted in the Thirty-third Iowa Infantry, serving until the close of the war. He was in the command of General Steele, participated in the battles of Helena, Arkansas, Saline Pass and a number of serious skirmishes. Twice he was taken prisoner and lay in Con- federate stockades in Texas. At Davenport, Iowa, on June 14. 1865, he was mustered out.

For a number of years he followed the trade of a plasterer in Iowa, going thence to Nebras- ka, where he lived five years, engaged princi- pally in farming. In 1888 he visited Puget Sound, but in 1891 he located in Stevens county on the farm which he at present success- fully conducts. He is surrounded with the con- veniences of life, and divides his time between agricultural pursuits and his trade.

In 1857 Mr. Decker married Emily M. Landers, daughter of William and Mary A. (Brown) Landers, natives of Kentucky. They have four children : Mary E., wife of Charles Shepard, of Spokane; Martha E., re- siding in Minneapolis, Minnesota; John W., in Stevens county ; and Perry T., a resident of Spokane.

Mr. Decker is a Democrat and a member of the Christian church.

CHARLES H. ARNOLD, of Loonlake, Stevens county, has led an eventful and success- ful life. He is the son of John H. and Almeda (Butts) Arnold, and was born in Augusta, Maine, December 25, 1847. His father was one of the influential, progressive men of Augusta, and prominent in municipal affairs. Both parents are buried at Augusta.

Until the age of seventeen, Charles H. Arnold attended the excellent public schools of Augusta, when he enlisted, January 1, 1864, in Company E, Fourteenth Maine Infantry. Following the close of the war, he attended school another year, and, in 1867, removed to Montana, where he was associated with a fur company and with which he remained three months. At the time of the Nez Perce Indian outbreak he was connected with the Pony Ex- press, in government service. He then estab- lished a trading post in Wyoming, dealing with the Ute Indians. In 1879 he began work on the Northern Pacific railroad, with which he remained until its completion. Mr. Arnold was the first white man who held land on the Little Spokane river against the Indians, and he lived upon it three years. He then came to Loon- lake, Stevens county, purchased a half section of railroad land, and also takin up a home- stead of one hundred and sixty acres. He is interested in the Loonlake Development Com- pany, and the owner of considerable stock.

On September 13, 1880, Mr. Arnold was married to Miss Laura E. Dyer, daughter of Abraham and Minerva Dyer, natives of Kan- sas. She crossed the plains to California with her parents while yet a babe. Their marriage was the first wedding in Spokane. Mrs. Ar- nold's father lives on the Columbia river, and is postmaster of Dyer, named in his honor. He was the father of four children, two of

366

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

whom are living. William and Laura. Our subject has the following named sisters and brothers, Hannah, Almeda, Celia, Mary E., Alice V. and John F.

Until the assassination of President Gar- field Mr. Arnold was a Republican. Since then he has affiliated with the Democratic party and in 1901 was a delegate to the Democratic state convention at Spokane. He is a member of Reno Post, G. A. R., Spokane. Mrs. Ar- nold is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

HON. JOHN L. METCALFE, well known and popular as an attorney and real estate dealer in Springdale, Stevens county, may be classed as one of the pioneers who came to Washington while it was yet under ter- ritorial government. A man of sterling ability, and highly educated, he is, apparently, enter- ing upon a political career destined to be an honor to himself and creditable to his constitu- ents.

He was born in Washington county. Texas, the son of James K. and Sarah ( Shackleford) Metcalfe, the father a native of Kentucky, the mother of Tennessee. In 1872 they removed to New Mexico, where the father now resides. The wife and mother died in 1884. The family of children consisted of four boys and one girl, Mary T., now in New Mexico; Charles B .; Robert J .; Ornick B., and John L., our sub- ject. At one period of his career the father scouted for General A. J. Smith during the Rogue River Indian war, in Oregon.

John L. Metcalfe was matriculated in the Denver University, in Colorado, from which he was graduated with honors. On gaining his majority he was, for two years, employed as a reporter on a newspaper, and in 1887 he re- moved to Spokane, Washington. The follow- ing two years he was employed in the land office. He went to Stevens county in 1889, where he as first pursued various avocations, eventually opening a real estate office and prac- ticing law, for which he is eminently qualified.

The political issues of the day Mr. Metcalfe regards from a Socialist point of view. In 1890 he was nominated for the state legislature and elected. During this term of service he made direct charges in a sensational bribery case, and the Republican members unanimously

voted to sustain them. In 1896 he served as a delegate in the national Republican conven- tion that nominated Mckinley, at St. Louis. In 1897 he was elected auditor of Stevens county by a large plurality.

In 1887 Mr. Metcalfe was united in mar- riage to Miss Clara B. Ledgerwood, daughter of James and Louise Ledgerwood. They were the parents of seven children. Mr. and Mrs. Metcalfe have two children, Nina L. and Joseph L.

During his residence in Stevens county Mr. Metcalfe has accumulated considerable farm property and other real estate. He is a member of Colville Lodge, No. 50, A. F. & A. M.

SWAN WILLMAN, of Loonlake, Stev- ens county, is a man who has overcome difficul- ties by hard work and force of character. Pos- sessed of no special advantages, and entirely unassisted, he has won his way to competence, and is now surrounded by home comforts, the attainment of which has cost many a struggle with adverse circumstances.

He is a native of Sweden, born in Helsing- land, June 25. 1831. In that country it is cus- tomary for children to take the name of the estate upon which their parents live at the period of their birth, so it is not strange that our subject should be the son of Swan and Carrie Tulberg. During the greater portion of his life the father followed the sea for a living. Five children were born to the Tul- bergs, four of whom survive, Olaf, Bretac, Louis, and Swan, our subject.

Until the age of thirteen years the latter at- tended school and contributed by his youthful labor to the maintenance of his parents. Com- ing to the United States in 1865, he first located in Massachusetts, going thence to Illinois for one year, thence to Iowa for eight years, where he followed agricultural pursuits. At one period he was a resident of Portland, Oregon ; at another of Tacoma. Washington. In the latter city he secured a two years' contract for cutting wood, which was fairly remunerative. He then came to Spokane, Washington, re- mained two years engaged in a variety of occu- pations, and in 1888 settled in Loonlake, Stev- ens county. The following three years he hunted deer for a living, and subsequently worked in the Loonlake ice house.

367

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

It was not until 1891 that he located the homestead where he now lives, having thirty acres under the plow, good house, and out- buildings, orchard, and other improvements. He estimates the timber stumpage on his prop- erty at seven hundred thousand feet. He also devotes considerable attention to stock-raising.

In 1856 Mr. Willman married Miss Annie Jolinson, a native of Sweden. To them have been born five children, four of whom are liv- ing, S. O .; Carrie, widow of M. M. Mathers; Mary, and Louise. The parents are members of the Swedish Mission church.

In 1903 Mr. Willman built a comfortable residence in Loonlake, which he now occupies, but still oversees his farm property.

CALVIN H. MEYERS, one of the suc- cessful farmers and stockmen of Stevens coun- ty, located in Washington while it was yet a territory. He was born at Brookville, Illinois, October 14, 1863, the son of Peter E. and Ann (Hoffhine) Meyers. Pennsylvania was the birthplace of the father, Ohio of the mother. They at first settled in Brookfield, thence re- moved to Iowa, then back to Brookfield, and, in 1884 they came to Spokane county, where they at present reside. Three children were born to them: Wallace, a resident of Deer Park; Ella, wife of John Beard, of Deer Park; and Calvin H., the subject of this sketch.

The latter secured a practical education in the public schools of Brookfield, after which he worked for his parents until the age of twen- ty-two years, when he entered upon his per- sonal career. Coming west in 1884 he worked at whatever he could find to do, and in 1887 located in Stevens county. He purchased rail- road land and began farming and stock raising. At present he has eighty acres under the plow, cuts a considerable quantity of hay, and feeds twenty-seven head of stock.

Mr. Meyers was united in marriage to Mrs. Ellen Rudick in 1891. She is the daughter of William and Mary (Wright) Gilliland, her father being a native of Ohio, her mother of Missouri. They were the parents of five chil- dren, Ellen, Lovina, George, Rosa E., and Julia M.

Mr. Meyers is liberal in politics, non-parti- san and independent. He has served a two

years' term as justice of the peace in a manner. entirely satisfactory to the community in which he resides.

OLIVER U. HAWKINS, editor and proprietor of the Springdale Record, Stevens county, has been an active and enterprising citi- zen of the town since 1900.

He was born in Schuyler county, Illinois, September 16, 1868, the son of James and Mar- tha (Kenny) Hawkins. The father was a native of Illinois, the mother of Ohio. They located in Illinois at an early day. The father of James Hawkins served in the Black Hawk war, and James, himself, was a veteran of the Civil War, having passed three years in the service, during which time he endured many hardships. He was mustered out at Mobile August 12, 1865. He died July 9, 1903. The mother of our subject died April 22, 1876. Three children were born to them; Emmaletta, residing with her brother; John, living in Ste- vens county ; and Oliver U., our subject.

Having secured an excellent education in Cass and Morgan counties, Illinois, at the age of seventeen he began working with his father in the broom manufacturing business, which employment he continued eight or ten years. He then went to Missouri and published a news- paper, the only Republican organ in Shelby county. It is now called the Farmers' Favorite. This property he disposed of in 1889, and opened a broom factory, conducting the same but a short period. Returning to Illinois he engaged in farming for two years. He then went to Malcomb, Illinois, where he was em- ployed in different newspaper offices, and then moved to Brooklyn, Illinois, where for the fol- loying four years he drove stage.

In 1900 Mr. Hawkins came to Stevens county, and in 1902 he put forth the first issue of the Springdale Record, a meritorious publi- cation, now having a large circulation and other evidences of prosperity. On May 5. 1889, he was united in marriage to Miss Lieuvenia Hop- per, daughter of Shelby and Emily (Simms) Hopper, natives of Illinois. They settled in Shelby county, where the father died in 1899. The mother is still a resident of that county. To them were born nine children, seven of whom are still living : Elisha and Matthew, at Kallispel, Montana: Minnie, in Omaha, Ne-

368

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

braska; Alice, wife of Levi E. West, in San- dusky, Montana; Amos, at Augusta, Illinois; Alfred, in Colorado; Jesse, in Shelby county, Missouri.

Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins have four children, Monia, Harold, Hazel, and Chester.

He is a stanch Republican, and, as an influ- ential editor, manifests a lively interest in the welfare of that party. He is a member of the M. W. A., at present being V. C. of his camp; and of the I. O. O. F. Mrs. Hawkins is a member of the R. N. A., of which she is Re- ceiver, and of the Congregational church.

JOHN S. GRAY is among the most promi- nent mining men of Stevens county, Washing- ton, and with a veteran's war record of which he may well be proud.

The son of John B. and Eliza J. (Stephens) Gray, he was born September 20, 1843, in Monroe county, Iowa. His parents were na- tives of Vermont, and came to Monroe county previous to the Black Hawk purchase. To John B. Gray is given the credit of naming the city .of Burlington, Iowa, and he was its first postmaster. To them were born seven chil- dren : Abigail A .; Mary F., married to O. A. Barber; Lilias, deceased; Eunice E., wife of F. A. French, of Keokuk, Iowa; W. H., in Monroe county, Iowa; James A., at Kirkville, Missouri ; and John S., our subject.

Having obtained a high school education in Iowa, the latter, at the age of eighteen, enlisted in the Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry, Company D, Captain T. B. Hale, serving three years. He participated in the battles of Helena, Ar- kansas, and Shellmound, Mississippi, and was with General Steele in the Little Rock expedi- tion, and also under General Banks. He was captured and served ten months in Camp Ford, Tyler, Texas. When finally exchanged he went to his regiment, in Arkansas, and served with distinction until he was mustered out at Davenport, Iowa. He then followed farming until 1871, and came to Oregon, where he re- sided until 1875, coming to Spokane county, where he began farming and stockraising. In 1880, following the death of his wife, he began mining, and in this business he has acumulated much valuable property. He controls mines in Huckleberry, Thunder Mountain, Seven Dev-

ils, and Buffalo Hump. His holdings in Seven Devils are estimated to be worth fully forty thousand dollars.

In 1865 Mr. Gray was married to Francis Nichodemus, daughter of John and Nancy Nichodemus. His daughter, Grace, is married to E. D. Layman, of Walla Walla, Washing- ton. In 1886 Mr. Gray was married to Miss Jessie L., daughter of Robert and Ruth ( How- erton) Reams. She was born in California, and is the mother of two children, Eva H. and Earl H., both now living with their parents.

The political affiliations of Mr. Gray are with the Republican party. During the past four years he has been precinct commiteeman, and has served five years as school clerk of the town of Springdale. He is a member of the G. A. R. and the I. O. O. F. His wife is a member of the R. N. A., and of the Missionary Baptist church, of Wenatchee, Washington.

It is a matter of important history that Mr. Gray wrote the first charter for the town of Spokane Falls, being the first town clerk. He was also justice of the peace and was very closely identified with the starting of that now thriving city, as well as with Spokane county. Mr. Gray is justified in a pardonable pride taken in the fact that he was president of the day for the first celebration ever held at Spokane Falls for the Fourth. It was in 1876.

JASPER N. STORM, deceased. The subject of this memoir came to Loonlake, Stevens county, in 1888. Here he located a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, upon which his widow at present resides.

He was born in Shelby county, Illinois, December 10, 1848. His parents, Jesse and Louise (Price) Storm, in early life located in Shelby county, and followed the occupation of farming. Their surviving children are Mrs. Morgan, living on the Columbia river, Stevens county; Mary, wife of Robert Winnings, of Stevens county ; and Jasper N.

Until the age of nineteen the latter attended the public schools of Shelby county, and at that period removed to Kansas, where for the fol- lowing twelve years he engaged in general farming and stock raising. He then lived two years in Arkansas, coming to Stevens county. Washington, in 1888. He located a homestead,

369

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

cleared fifty acres, and converted the property into a fine farm, now the home of his widow, Mrs. Elzina Storm. He died in 1897. He is survived by his widow and seven children, viz. : Tolbert; George; Belle, wife of Oliver Cline, Seattle ; Grace, married to Willis Gott, Seattle; Jesse, residing with his mother ; Cleveland ; and Jasper.

His marriage to Elzina Basham, daughter of Tolbert and Anne ( Bowman) Basham, oc- curred May 25, 1867. Her parents were na- tives of Indiana, and settled there when they were children. Subsequently they removed to Illinois, where the father died. The widow re- turned to Indiana, where she passed away in 1900. Mrs. Storm was born in Indiana, Feb- ruary 14, 1852, where she was reared and edu- cated. Her husband was a member of the I. O. O. F. and of the United Brethren church.

JERRY YOUNG, one of the most suc- cessful and enterprising farmers and stock- men of Stevens county, located on the home- stead where he now lives in 1884. He devotes his attention to general farming, stock-raising and hay.

Jerry Young was born in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, February 12, 1828, the son of Basil and Sarah (Cullison) Young, natives of Ohio. From Knox county, that state, they re- moved to Illinois in 1839, where they continued to reside until the time of their death. The mother's father came to this country from Wales; the father's father was a native of Scotland. The paternal grand- father of Jerry Young lived to be one hundred and five years of age. Basil and Sarah Young were the parents of eight children: John ; Louis ; George, a resident of Texas, who lost six of his family in the Galveston flood of 1901 ; Lyman ; Marion ; Ellen, deceased ; Sarah, wife of Joseph Wilson, Chicago; and Jerry, the subject of this sketch.

Educational advantages of the latter were limited, he obtaining little better than three months out of the year, and very few years at that. In 1863 he removed to Iowa where he engaged in farming seven years, going thence to Nebraska and Kansas, and in 1879 he came to the northwest, settling first in Lincoln county, Washington. Here he remained four

years and came to Stevens county, where he now lives, in 1884. Locating a homestead he began stock raising at which he has been quite successful. In 1897 he removed to his present property. He winters as high as one hundred and twenty-five head of cattle, and is also en- gaged profitably in the dairy business.

In 1857 Mr. Young was united in mar- riage to Lydia Thomas, daughter of Henry and Susannah Thomas, natives of Ohio, in which state Mrs. Young was born and reared. Ten children have been born to them: Daniel, Joshua, Henry. Joseph, Nathaniel, William, Ellen, Sarah, Lydia and Jerry.

Eight children have come to Mr. and Mrs. Young, Alva, Frank, Zell, Henry, Jacob, de- ceased; Eva, Nellie, John, and Anginette, de- ceased.

The principles of the Prohibition party ap- peal more strongly to the political views of Mr. Young. He and his wife are both members of the Congregational church.

JOHN BURDEN is one of the substantial farmers of Stevens county, Washington, who came there in 1892, and is now located on an eligible piece of property five miles south of Springdale. Though born in Sangamon county, Illinois, July 15, 1840, he has been a western pioneer during the greater portion of his life.

His parents, Job and Temperance (Ford) Burden, were natives of Ohio and crossed the plains to the Willamette valley, Oregon, in 1845 when our subject was five years of age. They located in Polk county, Oregon, where they followed agricultural pursuits until they died. The father had a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres, and was interested in the stock business. They were the parents of twelve children, four of whom are still living: Julia, wife of W. R. Kirk, in Linn county, Oregon ; Mary, married to Jesse Eaton, at The Dalles, Oregon ; Nancy, wife of R. P. Erhart, in Port- land, Oregon ; and John.

The latter was reared and educated in the Willamette valley, and at the age of twenty- three he came to northern Washington and Idaho. In 1861 he assisted in building the Old Mullan Government Road. After a short trip back to Oregon he went to the Boise mines

370

HISTORY OF NORTH WASHINGTON.

where he remained a short time, and then drove a ten-mule freight train from Wallula to Boise, continuing this employment three seasons. On his return to Oregon his father divided the farm, giving him a quarter section which he continued to work until 1870 when he disposed of it and went to Ochaco, Oregon and engaged in the stock business. In 1892 he went to Stevens county, where he has since resided, hav- ing eighty acres of land, thirty of which are cleared and under cultivation. It is devoted to stock-breeding and hay.

Mr. Burden is an advocate of Republican principles, taking an active interest in the live issues of the day, and in every way is a solid, substantial citizen, and one who possesses the confidence and esteem of the people with whom he resides. He always has a good word to say for the state of Washington, and has great faith in its future.

JAMES NEWHOUSE, one of the enter- prising and energetic farmers of Stevens county, living ten miles south of Springdale, has achieved well-earned success in the land of his adoption.

He was born in Holland, September 25. 1869, the son of James and Nellie ( Van Weele ) Newhouse. They were natives of Holland. coming to the United States in 1883 when our subject was fourteen years of age. At that period they located in Wisconsin where at pres- ent they still live, engaged in farming. Both of them are connected with some of the most notable and wealthy families in Holland. To them were born twelve children, six of whom survive, viz. : Lena, wife of Edward Turner, in Wisconsin ; Annie, wife of John Beck: Katie, married to Peter Beck; Cornelia, living with her parents in Wisconsin : J. E. and James.

The public schools of Holland and Wiscon- sin completed the education of the latter, and in 1896 he came west and located in Stevens county, and engaged in farming. He owns two hundred acres of excellent land, one hund- red acres of which are cleared and under culti- vation. He also has twenty head of stock, a fine residence and substantial out buildings.

Alice Lapray, daughter of Joseph and Rosalie Lapray, sketches of whom appear in another part of this book, became his wife in

1896. Her parents were natives of Canada, the father coming to the States in 1859. the mother in 1872. Joseph Lapray was one of the noted citizens of Stevens county, active in busi- ness life, connected with some of the wealthiest people of France and highly esteemed by the residents of Stevens county with whom he made his home for many years. He died in 1900. His widow still lives on the homestead in Stevens county, surrounded by all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.

Mrs. Newhouse was born in Colville, Stevens county, January 3. 1874. and was edu- cated in the schools of Spokane and Stevens counties.

The politics of Mr. Newhouse are in line with the principles of the Republican party, in whose successive campaigns he manifests a lively and patriotic interest. He is a member of the Order of Washington, in Springdale.

To Mr. and Mrs. Newhouse, two chuldren have been born. Joseph J., on February 6, 1898, and Hazel A., on September 10, 1900. Mrs. Newhouse has the distinction of being the third white child born in Stevens county.

GEORGE LAPRAY, son of Joseph Lap- ray, deceased, a memoir of whose life appears in another portion of this work, is a native of the young state of Washington, having been born in Spokane county, January 12. 1878. His parents, Joseph and Rosaline ( Mignault) Lapray, were natives of Canada, and his widowed mother now resides on the homestead in Stevens county. The ancestors of his father were notable and wealthy people of France. The parents of his mother came to Montreal while they were children, and his paternal grandfather still resides in that city.

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 63

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