USA > Washington > Asotin County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 65
USA > Washington > Columbia County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 65
USA > Washington > Garfield County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 65
USA > Washington > Walla Walla County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume I > Part 65
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On the 15th of December, 1883, Mr. Yeend was united in marriage to Miss Lydia Chandler, also a native of Gloucestershire, England, and a daughter of Joseph and Eliza (Surman) Chandler. Her father died in that country and her mother came to America in October, 1882, locating in Whitman county, Wash- ington, where she took up a homestead claim and spent the remainder of her life. To Mr. and Mrs. Yeend have been born eight children, namely : Ernest E., Edith M., Fred S. and Frank J., twins; Flora E., William A., Olive and Esther .1.
Mr. and Mrs. Yeend are devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church. in the work of which they take an active and helpful interest, Mr. Yeend serving now as one of the trustees. His political support is given to the republican party and he has served for sixteen years as a member of the school board. Fraternally he is connected with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. As the architect of his own fortunes he has builded wisely and well and is not only one of the self-made men of Walla Walla county but is also one of its most progressive farmers and in all that he does holds to the highest standards of agricultural development and activity.
SURMAN N. YEEND.
Surman N. Yeend, one of the leading wheat raisers of the Walla Walla valley, residing at Valley Grove, was born in England, May 21, 1866, a son of William and Ellen Yeend, who are mentioned elsewhere in this work in con- nection with the sketch of their son James.
Surman N. Yeend was reared and educated in Walla Walla county, having been but a young lad when brought by his parents to the new world. The fam- ily home was established in the northwest and he has since been familiar with the upbuilding and progress of this section of the country. His youthful days were spent in the usual manner of the farmbred boy who divides his time be-
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tween the duties of the schoolroom, the pleasures of the playground and the work of the fields, and his early training in farm work well qualified him to take up work of that character on his own account after he had reached man's estate. He located on the place which is now his home and which comprises seven hundred acres of rich and productive land, all under cultivation. He makes a specialty of the growing of wheat and his broad fields present a most pleasing picture, giving indication of abundant harvests. He is also success- fully engaged in stock raising and keeps upon his farm high grades of cattle, horses and hogs. In all of his business affairs he displays a progressive spirit and keeps in touch with every improvement that has to do with farm life.
Mr. Yeend has been married twice. He first wedded Miss Anna M. Harper and to them were born two children: Charles E .; and Helen, the wife of Arthur Anderson. The wife and mother passed away and in 1901 Mr. Yeend was again married, his second union being with Miss Mary Loland, a native of Wash. ington. They have become parents of six children: Cleola M., Roland A., Allen C., Wilbur H., Lowell W. and Howard S.
Mr. and Mrs. Yeend are members of the Nazarene church. Mr. Yeend votes with the republican party and has served on the census board, filling that posi- tion in 1900. He is not active in politics, however, preferred to concentrate his time and energies upon his farming interests, and by his close application in business affairs and his unremitting industry he has won a very gratifying measure of success, being now numbered among the substantial and prosper- ous agriculturists of Walla Walla county.
WILLIS RESER.
Willis Reser is engaged in general farming and stock raising on section 5. township 6 north, range 35 east, Walla Walla county. He has been a resident of the Walla Walla valley since 1863 and in the intervening period, covering fifty-four years, has been closely and prominently identified with its agricul- tural development.
He was born in Davis county, Iowa, December 29, 1856, and is a son of George and Mary (Waterman) Reser, who are mentioned in connection with the sketch of their son, William Reser, on another page of this work. The family arrived in the Walla Walla valley in 1863, so that Willis Reser was here reared and educated. He became familiar with every phase of pioneer life and with the arduous task of developing a new farm. When he had attained his majority he began farming on his own account and later purchased the prop- erty upon which he now resides, a tract of one hundred and sixty acres which constituted his father's old homestead. Upon this place he has since lived and he also has a residence in Walla Walla, which he occupies a part of the time. He carries on general agricultural pursuits and stock raising and he has brought his fields under a high state of cultivation. In his pastures are found good grades of stock and everything about his place indicates the owner to be a man of progressive spirit and one who is thoroughly familiar with the line of work in which he engages. He has closely studied the soil and climatic conditions in
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relation to the production of crops and he has made an equally close study of the best methods of stock raising. Success is therefore attending his efforts and he is numbered among the substantial farmers of this section of the state.
In May, 1884, Mr. Reser was united in marriage to Miss Mima Kirkland, who was born in Oregon, a daughter of Joseph E. and Mary (Standefer) Kirkland. The father was a native of Illinois but was reared principally in Arkan- sas and crossed the plains in the '50s. The journey was made with teams over the long, hot stretches of sand and across the mountain passes until ultimately he reached Oregon. Still later he removed to Walla Walla county and settled upon a farm. Joseph E. Kirkland was an attorney by profession and engaged in the practice of law for several years in addition to the conduct of his agricultural interests. To Mr. and Mrs. Reser have been born four children: George, who is now located in Detroit, Michigan; Joseph, deceased; one who died in infancy ; and Willis H., who is still at home.
Mrs Reser is a member of the Congregational church and is a lady of many admirable traits of character who enjoys the warm regard of a large circle of friends. Politically Mr. Reser gives his support to the democratic party. He served for some years as a member of the school board but has always preferred that his public service should be done as a private citizen rather than as an office holder. He stands loyally, however, for what he believes to be for the best interests of the community and through the long years of his residence in this county he has given his aid and influence in behalf of those projects and measures which he has believed would prove of greatest benefit to the section. The county to which he came in 1863 bore little resemblance to the highly developed district which is here seen today. He has witnessed all of the changes which have occurred in the interim and can speak with author- ity upon many events which have shaped the history of Walla Walla county.
GILBERT HUNT.
Gilbert Hunt solely through his own efforts gained a place among the indus- trial leaders of Walla Walla, being the head of a company known as the largest manufacturers of farm machinery in the northwest, and he was equally promi- nent in civic affairs, serving for three terms as mayor. He was born in Ryegate, Vermont, January 27, 1855, a son of Solomon Sherman and Katherine Hunt. Ile was reared in a home where as he studied he was taught to work hard, think deeply and live simply, and his life was characterized by the "plain living and high thinking" characteristic of New England. The family were in limited financial circumstances and he early began to do his part toward providing for his own support. The first work that he performed for others was pasturing the cattle of the villagers, driving them to pasture in the early morning and returning with them in the evening. Later he worked his way through the academy at Peacham and each week end walked home, a distance of ten miles. in order to give his father the benefit of his labor on Saturday.
In early manhood Mr. Hunt was employed for some time as a millwright,
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later engaged in the manufacture of washboards, and he was also for a time a furniture painter and an organ tuner. During these early years he had to contend not only against poverty but also against ill health and at length it became necessary that he have outdoor employment and accordingly he peddled tinware through the country. At length, having received very favorable reports of Walla Walla from the Rev. Cobleigh, pastor of the Congregational church here and formerly pastor of the church in McIndoes, Vermont, Mr. Hunt decided to try his fortune in this new western country. After a journey of three weeks he reached this city and found work in the Glasford planing mill, which, how- ever, shut down in the autumn. Although somewhat discouraged, he was dis- suaded from carrying out his determination of going elsewhere by a merchant of the city and gradually he gained a foothold and in time became the head of the Gilbert Hunt Company, one of the largest industrial concerns of the entire northwest and the largest producers of farm machinery in this section. Mr. Hunt not only proved himself an executive of great force but also a successful inventor and was the originator of the Pride of Washington thresher. The memory of his early struggles remained with him and when boys applied for work in the "Hunt shops" and the foreman said that they had no vacancies Mr. Hunt gave orders that work be found in some way in order to give the boys a chance.
This desire to be of assistance found expression in many ways and there was no project for the advancement of his city that failed to receive his hearty support. In many instances Mr. Hunt initiated and carried to successful completion move- ments for public improvements, such as the paving of the center business district, the extension of the water system providing for the present intake twelve miles above the city, the betterment of the sewage system, the securing of the Carnegie library and the establishment of public parks. He was one of the most effective workers for well advised publicity for Walla Walla and its surrounding territory and recognized the value of building up a reputation for Walla Walla as a good convention city. For three terms he served as mayor and one who knew him for thirty years said of him in that connection: "Gilbert Hunt brought to the office of mayor long training and experience in large business affairs and great executive and administrative ability. He was a man of fine presence, meeting people easily and agreeably, was informed as to his official duties, had a clear idea of the things to be done, and inspired confidence in his ability to do them."
Mr. Hunt was married in McIndoes, Vermont, June 10, 1876, to Miss Hopie M. Osgood, who is descended from Revolutionary ancestry. To this marriage were born four children, of whom three survive: Mabelle H., the wife of Wilbur A. Toner, an attorney of Walla Walla; Eugene A., who married Jessie M. Bab- cock, a daughter of W. H. Babcock, of Walla Walla, and is now living in Hong- kong, China, engaged in the exporting and importing business ; and Marguerite A., the wife of Gus Meese, Jr., of Spokane, Washington.
Mr. Hunt was a prominent Mason and was devoted to the order, which he recognized as a great force for good. He was master of Walla Walla Lodge, No. 7, F. & A. M., for seven years, was a Knight Templar and was also connected with the Mystic Shrine. In early manhood he belonged to the Congregational church but later was one of the organizers and the first president of the Christian
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Science church of Walla Walla. He manifested the keenest interest in educa- tional matters and for eight years served on the board of education, during which time the High and Green Park school buildings were erected, and he was also connected in an official capacity with Whitman College, being a member of its board of trustees at the time of his death. He passed away December 15, 1914, and the grief felt by his many friends found expression in words of love and admiration for his splendid qualities. An editorial writer in the Portland Journal said: "Not alone in public service did his great heart beat, but the life of many an individual was made brighter by a helpful word and a charitable hand." A well known educator who had known him for twenty-five years wrote as follows : "I always found his wit, his geniality, his ready sympathy, his practical sagacity, his helpfulness, sources of strength and encouragement. In the great loss which his family, his friends, the community has suffered in his death we may assuredly find solace in the hope that those qualities which we loved in him are enduring."
PHILIP J. PENTECOST.
Philip J. Pentecost is now living retired in Walla Walla but for many years was actively and successfully identified with farming interests. He was born in Dodge county, Wisconsin, December 13, 1856, a son of William C. and Jemima ( Wilcox) Pentecost, the former a native of Somersetshire, England, while the latter was born near Utica, New York. The father came to the United States when a lad of fourteen years in company with his parents and settled in New York, where he afterward married. Two children were born to him and his wife in the Empire state. Later he removed to Dodge county, Wisconsin, and in the spring of 1875 became a resident of Seattle, Washington. Soon afterward he went to Portland, Oregon, and still later to Albany, where he and his wife spent the summer. In the following fall they came northward to Walla Walla, looking for a suitable location, and soon after reaching this place the father and his son, Philip J., went up to Spokane, leaving the family in Walla Walla. They returned just before Christmas and spent the winter in this city. The following spring, however, they returned to Seattle, where they remained for a few weeks and thence removed to Forest Grove, Oregon. During their roamings they man- aged through their work to get together a spike team, consisting of three horses, one leading other two, and after spending the summer in Forest Grove they again came to Walla Walla, driving through by team. After passing through the Indian reservation they reached the Walla Walla valley. The mother was riding in the back of the wagon with the front cover drawn, but just before reaching the valley she had raised the cover to look out and soon remarked, "I should think all the children could find homes here," and a few moments later one of the sons said to her that they had reached their camping place. She did not reply and they found that she was dead, having expired from heart disease in the few moments after speaking to them. The family brought the body on to Walla Walla for interment. They spent the winter in the town and in the spring of 1877 Mr. Pentecost purchased a tract of four hundred acres of choice land located in Spring Valley, about eight miles northeast of the city, on the
PHILIP J. PENTECOST
MRS. PHILIP J. PENTECOST
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Waitsburg road. He contracted for this land at a basis of seven dollars per acre, to be paid for with wheat at fifty cents per bushel.
This land was afterward paid for by Philip J. Pentecost and an older brother, Charles N., and thus came into their possession. For thirty years the two brothers cooperated in their farming enterprise and in the meantime added to their holdings until the place comprised a thousand acres. Charles N. Pentecost afterward acquired extensive land holdings elsewhere and Philip J. Pentecost purchased his interest in the Walla Walla county farm, which he still owns inde- pendently. He also has four hundred acres on Blue Creek which is largely graz- ing land and on which he runs as high as a hundred head of cattle at a time. About 1901 he left the farm and took up his abode in the city in order to give his children better educational opportunities and since then has resided in Walla Walla, having a handsome residence at 603 Cherry street. He also owns four other city residences. For the past seven years he has rented his farm lands and has practically lived retired.
On the 29th of June, 1889, Mr. Pentecost was united in marriage to Mrs. Joseph Maul, who bore the maiden name of Nellie Wolfe and is a daughter of Harry Wolfe, who crossed the plains to Washington with a horse team in 1888. By her first husband Mrs. Pentecost had a daughter, Catherine Z. M., now Mrs. Stanley Sleeper of Lewiston, Idaho, and to Mr. and Mrs. Pentecost has also been born a daughter, Sadie R., who is the wife of A. E. Page, of Walla Walla.
Mr. Pentecost gives his political allegiance to the republican party, while fra- ternally he is identified with Trinity Lodge, I. O. O. F., and with Walla Walla Camp, No. 96, W. O. W. He and his wife and daughter are members of the Baptist church, of which he was a deacon for years and is now one of the trustees. The family is one of prominence in Walla Walla and the hospitality of the best homes of the city is freely accorded them. Mr. Pentecost has made for himself a very creditable position in business circles, ranking for many years as one of the leading wheat growers of this section of the state, and his life record constitutes an example well worthy of emulation.
GEORGE BENSON KUYKENDALL, M. D.
Dr. George Benson Kuykendall, one of the foremost physicians of eastern Washington, practicing at Pomeroy, was born near Terre Haute, Indiana, Janu- ary 22, 1843, a son of John and Malinda (Stark) Kuykendall. The early fam- ily history is found in the New York Dutch Church or Dutch Reformed Bap- tismal records and in the county records of New York county. The family comes of Holland Dutch ancestry, the home being originally near Wageningen, in the Gelderland province, from which came the ancestors of Theodore Roose- velt. The first of the name in America was Jacob Luursen Van Kuykendael, who came to America on the ship de Princess from Holland in 1646 and landed at New Amsterdam, now New York. The Van in the family name was retained until about 1730. The ancestors were with the Van Rensselaer colony at old Fort Orange and afterward removed to Esopus, New York. Later the sons and daughters of that generation went to the Minisink region, on the Delaware,
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about 1700, and subseuqently the branch of the family of which Dr. Kuykendall is a representative was founded in Viriginia between 1743 and 1748, probably in the latter year. His mother came from the same ancestry as General John Stark of Revolutionary war fame, and their progenitors were originally from near Essen, Germany.
The father of Dr. Kuykendall, who was a mechanic, removed westward with his family when his son George was three years of age, residing in Wisconsin until 1852, when he crossed the plains to the Pacific slope. That was the memorable year of the cholera, smallpox and pestilence and they were delayed en route by illness and many difficulties. They found themselves far back in the rear part of the emigration. Their days were full of toil and anxiety and their nights were spent much of the time in vigils over the sick and dying or in warding against the prowling savages of the plains. When their train reached Snake river, their stock were almost famished and they crossed the river in the hope of finding better grass. From there they made their way over country never before traversed by wagons. At the crossing of the river the father be- came ill with mountain fever and a little daughter had already suffered from measles and was apparently growing worse. For weeks these helpless ones were dragged over the sagebrush and sand plains of southern Idaho in a rough emigrant wagon. Finally, when nearly all the stock had died, they abandoned their wagon, and the few household goods they could carry were put into the wagon belonging to a brother who was traveling in the same company. After almost incredible hardships and discouragements they reached The Dalles, Ore- gon, where they shipped their wagon and the household goods that remained upon an open barge and started to float down the Columbia. The father was still ill and the little sister at the point of death. That night the barge tied up on the Oregon side of the river and during the hours of darkness the mother kept tearful watch over the sick and wasted form of the father and her dying little girl, who about midnight passed away. Early in the morning a rude, im- provised pine box was made ready and the little one was buried on the banks of Columbia, where the trade winds sweeping up from the ocean and the mur- mur of the river's flow are her eternal requiem. The pressing demands of the hour would not permit them to linger over the grave, but all had to press on, for they were far from their homeland and had no home or shelter for the coming winter. They reached the Cascades, passed over the portage and took a boat below, reaching the banks of the Willamette, where East Portland now stands, on the 19th of October, 1852.
The family spent their first winter at Milwaukee, above Portland, and in the fall of 1853 went to southern Oregon, locating near Roseburg. At a very early age Dr. Kuykendall manifested a taste for reading, which was encour- aged by his father, who also found great delight in books. Dr. Kuykendall read with pleasure works on travel and discovery, exploration, history, biography and whatever he could find and as he approached manhood became very fond of metaphysical reading, delighting in poring over such writings as Kant, Aber- crombie, Dugald Stewart and also reading works on mental philosophy. All this time he was pursuing the advanced studies of an academic and collegiate course and later took up the study of materia medica and medicine. About that time his father had a dangerous illness and reached the point where the attend-
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ing physicians gave up the case. Dr. Kuykendall was not willing that his father should die, however, and said to the family: "We will go on and try still further-he may yet recover." This was before the son had become a student in medical college. He devoted himself assiduously to the study of his father's symptoms, scarcely leaving the bedside to eat or sleep for a week. The father recovered and enjoyed many years of later usefulness. The attending physi- cians,, recognizing what the young son had accomplished, said: "Young man, it is clear what you ought to do in life. You should study and practice medi- cine."
A few years later, therefore, George Benson Kuykendall became a student in Willamette University and was graduated at the head of his class, in the medical department, and at once entered upon active medical practice. Within a few months he was appointed to the position of government physician at Fort Simcoe, Washington, where he enjoyed a large practice in addition to the government work. He there took up the special study of microscopy and chem- ical research, particularly as related to toxicology and medical jurisprudence. He also did much work in Micro-photography to aid in differentiation of tis- sues, cells and blood corpuscles and while thus engaged he made a fine collection of mounted specimens, both physiological and pathological.
While at Fort Simcoe he was requetsed by Professor J. W. Powell of the Smithsonian Institute of Washington, D. C., to make a study of the ethnology of the native Indians of the Pacific northwest-a line which he followed up as his time would permit. He collected many traditions, myths, ancient laws and customs of the Indian tribes and wrote an account of these for preservation. In this work all traditions and myths were obtained at first hand from the Indians themselves. Later he wrote a series of papers on the subject for The West Shore, a magazine then published in Portland, Oregon. After ten years with the government at Fort Simcoe, the Doctor found his family growing and needing better facilities for education and social culture and accordingly re- signed his position and located at Pomeroy, Washington.
It was in 1868 that Dr. Kuykendall married Miss E. J. Butler, a daughter of Judge Benjamin Butler, of Douglas county, Oregon, who later removed to Pomeroy, where he was judge of probate for many years. The Doctor has an interesting and intelligent family of five sons and three daughters. In his mar- riage he was peculiarly fortunate, Mrs. Kuykendall being a lady of marked intelligence and practical good judgment. His eldest son, Chester Ernest, is a druggist and dealer in books, musical instruments and fancy holiday goods. He is a popular man who for years has been closely identified with the interests of Pomeroy as one of the leaders in educational work, being a member of the board of directors of the Pomeroy high school and also mayor of the city. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church and has been church organist for years. Elgin Victor, the next son, is a prominent attorney and was elected to the state senate from the counties of Garfield, Columbia and Asotin by a large majority. George Vivian, the third son, is chief operator in the offices of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company. William B. is engaged in the real estate and insurance business and is now reading law preparatory to practice. Hubert John is in the drug store with his brother Chester. All these sons are married and with the exception of George all are residents of Pomeroy. Min-
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