Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 96

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 96
USA > Washington > Ferry County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 96
USA > Washington > Okanogan County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 96
USA > Washington > Stevens County > Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington > Part 96

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United States and many in other countries. He has made a deep study of geology, mineralogy, metallurgy, and the science of mining in all its departments. He is familiar with the manner of development of properties, as well as with the management of a mine, and has thorough- ly familiarized himself with all that a man should know in mining. At the present Mr. Barron is studying as heretofore in all lines, and is doubtless one of the best posted men in mining in the United States. He has a fine reputation as an expert, and is known as well as a man of stanch integrity and relia- bility.

In 1896, Mr. Barron came to the Okanogan country and at once became interested in the mammoth lead now owned by the Q. S. Mining Company. He traced the lead, found its di- mensions, prospected the same thoroughly and then interested capital in it. To show the real- ity of the man and his faith in the Q. S., while in the east, Mr. Barron insured his life in one of the large companies in favor of men who ad- vanced the money for the development of the Q. S. in case of his death or failure to make the property a great mine. That is will soon be a great shipper is evidenced when we note that the lead extends for about seven thousand feet, and is from one hundred to three hundred feet wide. Between one and two thousand feet of developed work has been done, and every foot of progress shows a better property. Ma- chinery has been installed and the property is one of the great ones of the county. It is lo- cated midway between Conconully and Loomis. Mr. Barron makes his home nearby, where he

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has a good stock ranch well watered, to which he devotes attention together with the man- agement of the mine.

Mr. Barron is justly ranked with the lead- ing mining promoters of the state and his work shows for itself the amount accomplished, while Okanogan county is to be congratulated that she has secured as a resident this wide awake mining expert.

JOHN RAGEN resides six miles south of Kipling, where he follows general farming and raising stock. He has a good estate, and is possessed of considerable property. One of the characteristics that impresses one who knows Mr. Ragen, is that of energy and adaptibility, which combine in a happy degree to form the western character so well known as the "rust- ler." He was born in Kane county, Illinois, on January 6, 1868, the son of Michael Ragen, a native of New York, who married Miss Cath- erine Hopkins, a native of Castle Bar, Ireland. She came to the United States when young and taught school and did bookkeeping work until marriage. She died in 1875. The father started without means in his younger days and began raising stock in Kane county, near Chi- cago, continuing the same with good success for thirty years. He died on January 2, 1900, in his sixty-eighth year. He possessed consid- erable property in Chicago and lost heavily at the time of the big fire. He had been one of the earliest pioneers in Kane county and brought the first horse team there. Our subject was one of four children born to this worthy pioneer couple, the other three being Mrs. Anna M. Maurer, Thomas, deceased, Michael W., de- ceased; the former in 1874 and the latter at Walla Walla, January 2, 1897. The early life of Mr. Ragen was spent in Kane county gain- ing an education and assisting his father on the stock farm. In the spring of 1887, he went to Salt Lake where he worked in the mines for a time then came on to Portland. He specu- lated in real estate there for some time and made plenty of money. Later we see him in Olympia and after that he opened ticket brok- erage offices in Spokane and along the line of the Great Northern to Seattle. After a suc- cessful time at this he went to Northı Yakima, and there did well, buying and selling state and school warrants. Next we find him in the ticket brokerage business on the O. R. & N. and in

1899, he went to the Coeur d'Alene country and did mining. In December, 1901, Mr. Ra- gen came to Okanogan county and located his present place and since that time has given his attention to raising stock and to general farm- ing. He now owns the old family home of his parents in Kane county, Illinois.

On May 28, 1900, Mr. Ragen married Miss May, daughter of Peter and Margaret (Tar- diff) Deschamp, and a native of Portage, Wis- consin. Mrs. Ragen's parents were natives of Canada and are now dwelling in Lewiston, Idaho. They are the parents of five children, named as follows : William, Mrs. Ragen, Charles E., Mrs. Elizabeth Pixley, Emeda. Mrs. Ragen was liberally educated, and then located a hamestead near Nezperce, Idaho, upon which she later proved up. She was also sales- lady at Nezperce and at North Yakima, Washı- ington.

JOSEPH SKEFFINGTON, who resides about one mile south from Molson, combines the life of the miner and farmer, as so many are doing in this favored region. Abundance of fertile land, with excellent mineral deposits adjoining, make it a Utopia for mineral work by the ordinary man. He has traveled much to different parts of the world but is now con- tent to remain beneath the stars and stripes, enjoying the wholesome pleasures of civiliza- tion.

Joseph Skeffington was born in Ontario, Canada, on October 16, 1855, the son of Mich- ael and Mary ( Brinnan) Skeffington, natives of Ireland. They were the parents of sixteen children, eleven boys and five girls, our subject being the tenth of the family. They removed to Bureau county, Illinois, in 1871, and four years later went to the Black Hills, South Da- kota, in wagons. The next year they returned to Nebraska and Iowa, and later our subject came to Bear Gulch, Montana. He mined there till the spring of 1881, then went to Drummond and engaged in business. In the spring of 1883, he went to Portland and took ship for Juneau, Alaska. Landing after a good journey, he prospected from there to Wrangle, and then returned to Puget Sound. In the spring of 1884, we find Mr. Skeffington on Canyon creek in Couer d'Alene country, where he located the Union mining claim, which he later sold to Finch & Campbell. He re-

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mained there until 1892, then went to the Slo- can region, and in 1895, hearing of a rich strike at Coolgardie, Australia, he went thither. The trip was dangerous and extremely hard. For one hundred and fifty miles, he traveled over the burning sand afoot, carrying provisions and buying and carrying water. When he arrived at the gold fields the people were dying, and found that the natives lived on ants, lizards and snakes, and as these did not suit his appetite, he came back to good old America. He was in the Shasta region, then on the Salmon in Idaho, later at Slocan, and in 1898 came to Toroda creek and did mining. On the day the reser- vation was opened, October 10, 1900, Mr. Skeffington located his present place, and since then has devoted himself to general mining and the improvement of his farm. He has a good house, barn, young orchard, fencing, granary, and so forth. Mr. Skeffington has a group of good claims adjoining the Dreyfus, which show excellent values in gold. Fraternally he is associated with the miners Union and is a man of broad experience and good address.

EDWIN P. ROUNDS resides about three miles west of Molson, on Tamarack slope. He is an enterprising man who settled here on October 10, 1900, at the time the reservation opened. He has remained here since and has given himself to the good labor of improving his farm and is one of the substantial men of the community. His place is well supplied with water, fences, good outbuildings, and an eight- room residence. In addition to this Mr. Rounds owns a good residence in Meyers Falls, Wash- ington, and some other property.

Edwin P. Rounds was born in Monona county, Iowa, on October 3, 1868, the son of Jacob H. and Phœbe (Quigley) Rounds. The father was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, in 1823. Our subject's paternal grandfather owned a vessel which was lost at sea, with the entire crew and cargo. The Rounds family in this country is traced back to two brothers, who landed on Plymouth Rock from the May- flower, in 1620. The mother of our subject was born in Illinois in 1827, and is now making her home with him. To this worthy couple, nine children have been born, seven of whom are living, as follows, Dennis, Andrew J.,

Jacob H., John, Mrs. Charity Hutchinson, Mrs. Catherine Dunham, and Edwin P., our subject. The family moved to Osburn county, Kansas, in 1870, then to Sherman county, Ne- braska, in 1878, and in 1886, they came to the Colville valley, where the father took a home- stead near Meyers Falls. On July 26, 1892, Mr. Rounds married Miss Elizabeth J., daugh- ter of Thomas and Mary ( Morris) Weed, na- tives of New York. She was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and came with her parents to the Colville valley in 1888. Her father was a har- ness maker and farmer, and is now living on the homestead near Meyers Falls, which he took when he came here, being a well-to-do citizen.

Mr. and Mrs. Weed have eight children: Charles, James, Harvey, Mrs. Rounds, Cooper, Stephen, Raymond, and Burnette. On account of the poor health of his wife, and also his fa- ther, our subject and his wife together with his parents made an extended tour of the south- western part of the United States, and Old Mexico, by wagon, visiting the most noted places in this section of the country, and con- tinuing on the road for several years. The wife was greatly improved in health but the father died at Adam, California, and was buried there by the Masons. Then they turned home- ward, arriving in Meyers Falls in 1897. As stated above, in 1900, Mr. Rounds took his present place, and has since been known as one of the progressive and good substantial citizens of Okanogan county. Mr. and Mrs. Rounds have adopted one child, Ethel.

FRANK A. BLOCK is one of the men who have taken hold with their hands to make the reservation country, which they opened in the fall of 1900, to blossom as the rose, and become one of the most fruitful sections of Washing- ton. His labors in this line have met with good success, and his farm place, which lies three miles southwest from Molson, shows evidence of thrift, industry, and prosperity.

Frank A. Block was born in Defiance coun- ty, Ohio, on August 27, 1864, the son of George H. and Mary (Forest) Block, natives also of the Buckeye state. The father served three months in the Civil War, being then dis- charged on account of disability, which resulted

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in his death in 1868. The mother's father, Jonathan Forest, was a brother of General Na- than B. Forest. Our subject was one of three children, himself the oldest; William B., an electrician in Spokane; Georgiana, wife of Charles F. Speith, who owns the farm adjoin- ing our subject's.

Frank A. was educated in the public schools, after which he commenced working in a store, and followed this occupation until 1890, when he came west to Nebraska. On November 28, 1889, he married Miss Edith, daughter of David and Louisa (Person) Thompson, natives of Ohio. Mrs. Block was born in Paulding county, Ohio, on February 6, 1867. Her father was born in Cincinnati, and died August 10, 1893. The mother had pre- viously died in 1877. To this worthy couple, eight children have been born, Mrs. Anna Hanenkratt, Stephen S., Ezra R., Ella, Mrs. Block, Charles S., Amos and Clarence.

In February, 1890, Mr. Block and his wife came to Stratton, Nebraska, and there farmed until 1894. In that year they traveled by wagon to Alberta, Canada, and after one year returned, locating at Phillipsburg, Montana. Later they went to Idaho, and then to Ore- gon, and finally returned to Montana. It was in the spring of 1900, that Mr. Block came to Republic, and in the fall of that year, he lo- cated his present place. The farm is a good one, all fenced, and about one half in cultiva- tion. He has a house, barn, young orchard, and plenty of water, and also owns some stock. Mr. and Mrs. Block have three children, Forest H., born April 12, 1891 ; Floyd, born July 13, 1892; Gladis E., born April 2, 1901.

HARRY VAN BRUNT, who resides at Wauconda postoffice in Okanogan county, is one of the thrifty and well-to-do young men of the county. He is certainly making a very commendable showing, in that he commenced four years ago with practically no property, and now has a good holding, being one of the leading stock men of his vicinity.

Harry Van Brunt was born on November 28, 1868, in Jasper county, Illinois, the son of John and Nancy G. ( Britton) Van Brunt, na- tives of Indiana. He grew up in Illinois, and in April, 1880, started across the plains in wag-

ons, with his parents. They made their way direct to Spokane county, and the father settled near Cheney, being one of the pioneers there. The mother died in the spring of 1883, and her husband is still living on the old homestead. At the age of sixteen, our subject began the conflict of life for himself, making his initial entry in riding after stock in the Palouse and Big Bend countries. Later, he came to Okano- gan county and was teamster at the Indian school. On October 16, 1895, Mr. Van Brunt married Miss Annie Ingrim, who was born at Fort Colville, in 1877. In June, 1896, Mr. Van Brunt made settlement on his present place, which consists of two hundred and forty acres of first class land. He has a fine timothy meadow, and the estate is well improved with house, barn, outbuildings, and fences, and has plenty of good water. Mr. Van Brunt started with a very few head of cattle that he was en- abled to pick up, and now has a large band of stock, being one of the heaviest stockholders in this part of the country. To Mr. and Mrs. Van Brunt, three children have been born, Ralph E., Grace M. and Henry R.

JOHN Y. PHILLIPS is to be classed as one of the earliest pioneers in this northwest country and a record of his travels and ex- periences during those days would make a very interesting volume. It is with pleasure, there- fore, that we mention the salient points of the same.

John Y. Phillips was born in Boone county. Missouri, on May 30, 1839, the son of John Y. and Margaret (Ward) Phillips, both of whom died in 1847. Our subject's uncle, Hiram Phillips, was the judge of Boone county and was appointed guardian of the orphans and es- . tate of the elder Phillips, deceased. In 1853. John Y. came with his brother, Newton, who had previously been to California, across the plains with a band of cattle to California. They were ten months en route. Newton Phillips is now a wealthy land owner of Fresno, Cali- fornia. In 1855, our subject returned to Mis- souri, and four years later crossed the plains with about five hundred head of stock cattle. It was in 1862, that he came to Florence and mined there and in adjacent camps. Afterward, lie passed through the Lolo trail to East Ban-

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nock, then was at Alder Gulch, where he did placer mining. In 1886, he went to Portland, Oregon, and was one of forty-five men who chartered the steamer Growler and went to Sitka, Alaska. They met with indifferent suc- cess, as regards mining, and the next trip the steamer was lost with all on board. We next see him in Seattle, whence he went to Mon- tana; then he came to the Similkameen river, just above Oroville, in 1868, where he did placer mining, clearing about twenty-five dol- lars per day. The next summer, he was with William Hall at the mouth of the Pend d'Ore- ille. Mr. Hall afterwards discovered the fam- ous Hall mines in British Columbia. In 1871, Mr. Phillips went to the Priest river mines, in British Columbia, then settled on a ranch in Mason valley and took up stock raising. In 1885, he moved his property to Toat's coulee creek, near Mr. Thorp's ranch, where he owns a ranch. During the winter of 1889-90 he lost one hundred and forty-three head of cat- tle, and the next spring he came to his present place, three miles east of Anglin, being the first settler on Bonaparte creek.

Mr. Phillips married an Indian woman and has two children, Charles, and Martha, wife of J. C. Patterson of this county. Mr. Phillips is a good substantial citizen and has been very successful in handling cattle, having some fine thoroughbreds now.

THOMAS S. ANGLIN is a general mer- chant on Bonaparte creek, in Okanogan coun- ty. He is a genuine pioneer as will be seen by the following. He was born on May 10, 1857, in Douglas county, Oregon, the son of Joshua T. and Elizabeth (Little) Anglin. The father was born in Kentucky, and crossed the plains from Iowa to California with ox teams, in 1849, taking part in the first gold excitement. Later he came on to Douglas county, Oregon, and took up a general merchandise business at Canyonville. He participated in the Rogue River Indian war, and died at Shasta county, California, in 1891. The mother was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and came with her parents in an ox train from Illinois to Utah in 1855. The next year they made their way to Douglas county, Oregon, and she died in Ste- vens county, Washington, in 1899, aged sixty-

six. To this worthy couple, five children were born, as follows: Thomas S., the subject of this article; Mrs. Kate McAlpin; Elmer E .; Mrs. Susan Pierce; and Charles A. Thomas S. was but two years old when the family moved to Salem, Oregon, and in 1868, they moved to Amity. Later he traveled with them to Colusa county, California, whence in 1871 they went to Shasta county. He was well edu- cated in the schools in the various places where they had lived, and in 1880, came to Whitman county, Washington, and there on June 26, 1881, he married Miss Olive Richardson, who was born in Linn county, Oregon, on July 17, 1860. Her father, Andrew J. Richardson, was born in Indiana, and married Mary J. Gallaher. He crossed the plains in 1850, and settled in Linn county, Oregon, on a donation claim. His death occurred in Athena, in that state, in 1880. The mother crossed the plains in 1844 with her parents, and died in Whitman county, Waslı- ington, in 1897, in her sixty-third year. To them the following children were born, Frank A., Mrs. Ella Gay, Morgan A., William C., Ruth Rooks, Mrs. Amy C. Daniels, deceased ; George H., Mrs. Elva V. Daniels, and Mary E., deceased.

Soon after his marriage, Mr. Anglin took a homestead near Colton in Whitman county, and gave his attention to farming until 1892, when he moved into Colton and took up the butcher business. Six years later he came to Gifford, Stevens county, and engaged in gen- eral merchandising. In 1899, he located a gen- eral merchandise store at Kettle Falls, which he still owns. In September, 1902, he came to their present home place, and located forty acres of land. He immediately erected a store build- ing and a residence, and put in a very large stock of goods, perhaps the largest in the res- ervation portion of Okanogan county. It is complete and well selected for the needs of this section, and he has gained a fine patronage.

On October 29, 1902, he succeeded in get- ting a post office established at his place. To Mr. and Mrs. Anglin, five children have been born, named as follows: Walter E., in Port Ludlow, Washington; Ethel C., wife of John Buckland, near Anglin: Grace I., attending the high school at Walla Walla; Thomas S .; and Raymond, deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Buck- land, one child, Garnet Irene, has been born, it being the first grandchild of our subject. Mr.

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Anglin is a member of the Presbyterian church, and a Democrat. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., having filled all the chairs, and of the W. W.

CHARLES S. McFARLANE gives his attention largely to farming and stock raising. He is established about one half mile west from Anglin post office in the valley of Bonaparte, being also a skillful blacksmith. He has erected a shop and does work in that line for the accom- modation of the surrounding country. His place is one of the finest in the valley and was located on October 10, 1900. He took up the third water right on the creek and has a valu- able estate. He has already dug various ditches, fenced the land, put a large portion un- der cultivation, erected a fine, commodious resi- dence, put about three acres in orchard be- sides various other improvements, all of which indicate the industry and energy of Mr. Mc- Farlane.

Charles S. McFarlane was born on Decem- ber 7, 1862, in Detroit, Michigan, the son of John W. and Lucinda (Godfrey) McFarlane. The father was born in Maine and during the last thirty years of his life, followed black- smithing. His wife was born in a log house in Bachelor's Grove where Chicago is now sit- uated. It was afterwards used for a school house and later was torn down and the wood made into canes as relics of the first house in Chicago. Mr. Solomon Godfrey, the father of Mr. McFarlane's mother was one of the very first settlers in that vicinity. In 1849, he went to California. His wife, the mother of Mrs. McFarlane, died in Spokane in 1900, aged seventy-four. To Mr. and Mrs. McFarlane six children were born: Charles S., the subject of this article; Frank, Mrs. Mary Pixlee, George, Harry and Mrs. Nellie Waterhouse.

Charles S. went with his parents to Sioux City, Iowa, in early days and. in 1874, went to Pueblo, and then to Del Monte, California. There his father was master mechanic in Sen- ator Bowen's large stamp mills. In April, 1885, the family landed in Spokane as the final incident of an overland trip from Colorado. Our subject then entered partnership with his father, in farming and stock raising and soon came to Brewster with a band of cattle. He was the first postmaster at Olema, having come there in the spring of 1891. In 1898, he came

to the vicinity of Wauconda post office and lo- cated a mining claim, where he erected a road house and also cut bunch grass for hay, which found a ready sale in Republic at forty dollars per ton. Then as stated above, he located his present ranch, where he has lived since.

In April, 1893, Mr. McFarlane married Miss Louise Frees, a native of Denmark, where her mother is still living. The father was a minister of the gospel and died there sometime since. Mrs. McFarlane came with her brother to the United States in 1890 and settled in Okanogan county. To this marriage, four children have been born, Frank W., Frederick M., Toroda, and Edgar A. Toroda was born at Toroda, and the miners being very anxious that she should receive the name of the camp, . bought her a very fine watch with that name engraved upon it and she is now known as Toroda. Mrs. McFarlane's mother is now living at Spokane, aged sixty-four.

HIRAM A. HUNTLEY is one of the brave men who hazarded their lives to save the Union. His war record is one in which he may take pardonable pride and will be mentioned later in this article. At the present time he has a good standing among the prosperous farmers and stock raisers of Okanogan county and re- sides five miles southwest of Anglin post office in what is now known as Chewelah valley.

Hiram A. Huntley was born in Machias, Maine, on August 5, 1848, the son of John and Ellen (Robinson) Huntley. The father was a native of Halifax and came to Maine when a young man. He soon went to sea, later became captain and followed that life until his death, in 1872. The mother was born in Maine and her ancestors were all seafaring people. Eight children were born to this union, two of whom, our subject and Fanny M., a milliner in Boston, are the only ones now living.

Hiram A. grew to manhood in Maine and there received his education. In the fall of 1863, being then a mere lad, he enlisted in Company C, Thirty-first Maine Infantry and was soon plunged in the terrors of battle. He participated in the struggles at Petersburg, Cold Harbor, Shenandoah, Richmond, and others. He was under General Hancock and although he was in the most severe fights of the war, he was never wounded. He was mus-

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tered out at Portland, Maine, at the end of the struggle and is now a member of the G. A. R., Sedgwick Post, No. 8, of Spokane. Following his martial life, Mr. Huntley took up the livery business in his native place.

On April 19, 1869, he married Miss Laura, daughter of Christopher and Clarissa (Had- ley) Cole, and a native of Maine. Mr. Cole was born in the city of Halifax, and followed lumbering all his life, until he retired from business. He was a very prominent man in the state and is now living on the old homestead in Hadley. His wife was born in Maine, and died in 1865. Our subject came to California in 1875, and engaged in the hotel business in San Francisco. Later he took up sawmilling in Humboldt county, and in 1881 came to Walla Walla. He went thence to the Wood river mines and in 1884, landed in Spokane. Two years later he went to British Columbia and as- sisted in the discovery of the mines at camp Mckinley. After this, he located at Ruby and did mining and also operated a hotel there. Next, we see him at Grand Forks, British Col- umbia, in the general merchandise business: Four years. later, on October 10, 1900, he lo- cated his present place, which is a good estate. It is about half in cultivation and is supplied with residence, large barn, plenty of water and a good orchard. To Mr. and Mrs. Huntley, one child, Leone C., was born, March 28, 1884.

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Illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties, state of Washington, Part 96

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