USA > Washington > Asotin County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume II > Part 43
USA > Washington > Columbia County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume II > Part 43
USA > Washington > Garfield County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume II > Part 43
USA > Washington > Walla Walla County > Lyman's history of old Walla Walla County, embracing Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, Volume II > Part 43
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the phases of a frontier town, with gambling houses, etc .. had her quota of murders and robberies until the boom dropped out, when it seemed for a time that the town was doomed to die a natural death. Then a new era came. The place began to revive, a good school was built, churches were established, the surrounding country was planted to wheat to furnish grain for one of the largest mills in the country, responsible men took hold of the business enterprises and today Prescott is one of the most thriving little towns in the county. The children of William Walter, having been reared in this valley, have seen all of the changes wrought in the last half-century. They have seen the wild, unbroken prairies developed to their present high state of cultivation and the eldest daughter, Mrs. Fine, still lives on a part of the old homestead. She is the mother of eight sons and a daughter, all grown to manhood and womanhood and all married and settled in homes of their own, with the exception of one. Mrs. Dunlap, another daughter, lives in the house in which she was born. J. D. Walter, the only son, also occu- pies a part of the old homestead and is mentioned elsewhere in this work. The other daughter, who in 1890 became the wife of John H. Pettijohn, is living on a homestead which was taken up in 1880 and they occupy an attractive little resi- dence in which they expect to spend their declining years. The Walter family has indeed played an important part in the progress and development of this sec- tion of the country from the early days and the name is written high on the roll of honored pioneer settlers.
JOHN D. WALTER.
John D. Walter is a resident farmer of Walla Walla county and a well known representative of one of the honored pioneer families. He was born December 8, 1869, on the farm which he yet owns and cultivates, his parents being W. W. and Charity (Marsh) Walter, who in 1845 first crossed the plains and who are mentioned at length on another page of this work.
Spending his youthful days under the parental roof, John D. Walter became largely familiar with many of the experiences which constituted life for the pioneer. He was educated in the district schools, the first school of the neighbor- hood being built in his father's dooryard. He early became familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops and later he engaged in the butchering business in Prescott and also devoted much time to buying and selling stock, being thus occupied for twenty years. On the expiration of that period he sold his business and turned his attention to farming on the old home place. Today he owns five hundred acres of rich and valuable land splend- idly adapted to wheat raising and in addition he cultivates another five hundred acre tract which he rents, so that he is most extensively engaged in general farm- ing. His crop is largely wheat and owing to his indefatigable energy and in- telligently directed labor his efforts have been crowned with success. He is also engaged in stock raising and keeps on his place high grade cattle, horses and hogs.
In 1898 Mr. Walter was united in marriage to Miss Lula R. MeSherry, a (laughter of Nelson McSherry, mentioned elsewhere in this work. Mr. and
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Mrs. Walter have become the parents of four children, Ernestine O., Helen and Leila, twins, and Camille.
The family is now living in the city of Walla Walla at No. 114 Colville street. They attend the Presbyterian church and Mr. Walter belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, to the Elks and Knights of Pythias lodges. In the first named he has filled all of the chairs. His political endorsement is given to the republican party and he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day but does not seek nor desire office as a reward for party fealty. His children possess much musical talent, which is being thoroughly trained and cultivated. The family, connected with Walla Walla county since early pioneer times, has always kept pace with the trend of modern day thought and progress. The work begun by the father has been carried forward by the son, whose farm is today an expression of twentieth century methods in agri- culture.
A. C. SEMROW.
One who does not delve below the surface of things seldom stops to consider what an important part the architect plays in the improvement of a city. How- ever, his labors constitute one of the strongest features in its attractiveness, and in city building in the west there has been most earnest effort put forth with a view to equalling everything that is of convenience, comfort and beauty in the older structures of the east, while at the same time modern progress adapts all building operations to modern needs. It is in this field that A. C. Semrow has labored and is now regarded as one of the most successful and capable architects of Walla Walla. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 11, 1885, a son of Aug- ust and Minnie Semrow. For the past twenty-five years the father has been prominently identified with the building and contracting business, ranking very high in connection with building operations in Milwaukee.
A. C. Semrow spent his youthful days in his father's home and at the usual age became a pupil in the public schools. He mastered the lessons therein taught until he had become a high school pupil and when he left that institution he had the benefit of a course of instruction in the Milwaukee University. As early as his fourteenth year, however, he became an assistant to his father in the con- tracting and building business and at the same time he began his studies as an architectural draftsman. He pursued his studies in the offices of some of the leading architects of Milwaukee and of Chicago and he likewise pursued a course in the Milwaukee University. He thus became thoroughly familiar with the scientific principles which underlie his work and gained expert knowledge of every phase of the profession. In April, 1914, well qualified for his chosen calling, he came to the west, making Seattle, Washington, his destination. There he opened an office but after a year he removed from that city to Walla Walla, where he has since remained, becoming widely and favorably known in professional connections. Throughout the city are found many evidences of his skill and ability. He has had the contract for designing and erecting some of the finest structures of Walla Walla and his work has indeed added to the beauty and at- tractiveness of the place.
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On the 9th of May, 1911, Mr. Semrow was married to Miss Frances Wise- man, of Seattle, Washington, a daughter of Richard B. Wiseman, who was one of the pioneer residents of Walla Walla, locating here when the city was a small town and when the work of progress and improvement seemed scarcely begun. Subsequently he removed to Seattle, where he is now engaged in the real estate business.
Mr. Semrow, as one of the representative young business men, has gained a prominent position in public regard, for he has come to be recognized as one who is thoroughly reliable as well as progressive and one whose word is as trustworthy as any contract.
LOGAN P. MULKEY.
Logan P. Mulkey, who was one of the most successful business men of Walla Walla, devoted his later years to the buying and selling of city properties but previously operated a stock farm of twenty-five hundred acres. His birth oc- curred in Corvallis, Oregon, December 24, 1853, and he was a son of Johnson Mulkey, who crossed the plains three times, an achievement the meaning of which the present generation can scarcely realize, for at the present time the journey which a half century or more ago meant months of weary traveling with the danger of attack by Indians or of an outbreak of pestilence, is now a matter of a few days and is made with the utmost comfort. Johnson Mulkey was a slave- holder in Kentucky in the early days but freed all his slaves some years prior to the Civil war, as he had become convinced that the practice of holding men and women in bondage was wrong. However, such had been his kindness to his slaves that one old mammy refused to leave the family and accompanied them to the northwest. It was in 1845 that Mr. Mulkey first came to Oregon terri- tory and he was so pleased with conditions in this section of the country that in 1846 he returned to Kentucky in order to settle up his affairs and in 1847 he again made the long journey to the west, this time accompanied by his family. His wife was ill when they reached the Whitman home and made plans to remain there until she recovered her health while the other members of the family should continue their journey but later she decided to accompany them and did so, thus escaping massacre at the hands of the Indians, for it was only a short time later that the Whitmans were killed by the red men. Mr. Mulkey located at Corvallis, Oregon, and in the succeeding years acquired extensive farm, timber and sawmill properties, together with valuable mining interests in Idaho. He became one of the wealthy men of Oregon and at the time of his death in the winter of 1861-2 carried in his belt something more than seven thousand dollars in gold dust. He had made a trip to some of his mining properties in Idaho and on his return reached John Day, Oregon, about fifty miles from The Dalles, where he became snowbound. Anxious to reach home as soon as possible, he started overland on foot and, being weighted down by the gold dust which he carried. he became exhausted and nearly perished from the cold. His companions buried him in the snow and then hurried for help to the home of William Graham, whose sons went after him and brought him to the Graham home, where a few
LOGAN P. MULKEY
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MRS. LOGAN P. MULKEY
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days later he died. This was quite a coincidence, as it was years afterwards when Logan P. Mulkey and Georgia Graham were married that the facts were dis- covered that it was to her father's house that the dying man had been taken. The body was buried in the cemetery at The Dalles.
Logan P. Mulkey received his education in the public schools of Corvallis, Oregon, and also gained valuable training in self-reliance and resourcefulness in the experiences which came to him in the pioneer settlement in which he grew to manhood. On starting out on his independent career he went to Pomeroy, Washington, where he became connected with the hardware business, and for twelve years he was engaged in that line. He erected one of the first store build- ings in Pomeroy and was quite prominent in the early commercial life of that place. At length his health became impaired through close confinement and he sold his hardware store and bought a stock ranch of some twenty-five hundred acres seven miles from Pomeroy. For many years he gave his attention to rais- ing stock on an extensive scale but in 1903 he disposed of his land and removed to Walla Walla, where he became a prominent operator in real estate, buying and selling city properties. He was highly successful in that business but his pros- perity was not gained at the price of the failure of others, for he was never known to take advantage of any man. If he had sold a property and the pur- chaser found it difficult to make his payments at the time specified he was given an extension of time and his terms were made easier. Mr. Mulkey's high sense of honor and his probity inevitably won for him the respect and the warm regard of those with whom he was brought in contact and his friends were legion.
In 1885 Mr. Mulkey was united in marriage to Miss Georgia Graham, a daughter of William Graham, who was also a pioneer of the northwest, having crossed the plains from Ohio in 1852.
Mr. Graham was born in Wayne county, Ohio, in 1818, and at the age of twenty-one years married Miss Harriet Duncan. They removed to Missouri. where they spent seven years, and in 1852 started across the plains to Oregon with three wagons and twelve head of cattle. This trip was a very arduous one and while en route their money was stolen. Being a very generous man, Mr. Graham picked up all stranded travelers from other trains. He was accom- panied by his wife and six children. In crossing the Cascade mountains an ox fell exhausted and by hand the wagons were lowered in order to proceed on their journey. The next morning this ox had wandered away and a man bought the wagon and brought the family to a place near Corvallis, for which Mr. Graham paid him one hundred dollars. On the journey westward nearly all pro- visions gave out and the men were forced to hunt in order to supply the party with something to eat. While on one of these hunting trips five Indians came and the women traded a wagon cover for flour. Mr. Graham took up a home- stead near Corvallis, not far from the mouth of the Deschutes river, where he developed a fruit farm. In 1874 he came to Washington and purchased a farmi one and one-half miles from Dayton, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died at the age of seventy-four years and his wife at the age of seventy. In ยท their family were eleven children, of whom six are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Graham were both consistent members of the Congregational church and were very hospitable people, their home being always open to the travelers or new- comers of this region.
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To Mr. and Mrs. Mulkey were born five children, of whom four survive, namely : Allen L., who operates a twenty-two hundred acre ranch in Walla Walla county belonging to his mother; Frances, at home; Marion, who volun- teered June 1, 1917, and is now a member of Battery D, Twentieth Field Artil- lery, stationed at Camp Stanley, Leon Springs, Texas; and Helen, at home.
Mr. Mulkey was a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity but was not very active in the work of that organization, preferring to spend his leisure time at home. One of his strongest characteristics was his devotion to his family and to his friends and anything that he could do to add to the pleasure of those whom he loved was a source of the greatest satisfaction to him. His death occurred on the 7th of August, 1910, but his memory lives in the hearts of many.
Since her husband's death Mrs. Mulkey has personally managed the large estate and in 1914 she erected the Mulkey apartments at No. 20 Park street and the following year erected an apartment building on the site of the old family home, which had been destroyed by fire, the new building being entirely designed by her. These buildings are thoroughly up-to-date and provided with all the improvements to be found in the highest class apartments and are valuable assets of Walla Walla. In addition to looking after her interests in connection with these apartments Mrs. Mulkey gives supervision to the operation of a splendid ranch of twenty-two hundred acres which she has acquired since the death of her husband and she also owns considerable city property. She and her children are members of the Congregational church and she also belongs to the Sunshine Club and the Reading Club of Walla Walla. All movements for the moral and civic as well as the material upbuiding of Walla Walla receive her hearty sup- port. She combines the qualities necessary to the successful conduct of large business interests with the qualities of the home maker, for she has been a de- voted mother and was in the fullest sense a true helpmate to her husband.
JOHN G. PAINE.
John G. Paine, who has been actively identified with commercial, financial and agricultural interests in western Washington, was born in Mercer, Maine, July 8, 1842. He acquired a common school education in his home town, where he was reared upon a farm. Prompted by a desire to attempt something more promising than a New England farm offered, he followed Horace Greeley's ad- vice to go west and in 1865 arrived in Walla Walla. Soon after his arrival he secured employment in the general merchandise store of Baker & Boyer, acting as a salesman in their establishment. In 1868 he entered into partnership with his brother, F. W. Paine, in the conduct of a general store and in 1871 took over the management of a branch store in Waitsburg. Six years later, having disposed of that business, he opened a branch store in Dayton and in the meantime he served as cashier of the Columbia National Bank. After a few years of confine- . ment in indoor life, the firm having acquired several large tracts of wheat land, he undertook the development of that property and devoted several years to wheat growing. More recently, however, he has been largely interested in the develop-
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JOHN G. PAINE
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OLD WALLA WALLA COUNTY
ment of alfalfa land and is thus prominently connected with an industry which is proving a source of wealth to eastern Washington. Mr. Paine occupies a homelike suite of rooms in the Paine building. He is widely known in the state as a most progressive business man and his enterprise has carried him into most important business connections.
OSCAR W. BRUNTON.
Well directed business activity finds expression in the life record of Oscar W. Brunton, vice president of the Dement Brothers Company, proprietors of a large flour mill at Walla Walla. He was born in Alton, Illinois, on the 15th of March, 1868, a son of David and Margaret P. (White) Brunton. The father was a native of Pennsylvania and the mother of Tennessee, while their marriage was celebrated in Illinois. The former was a winding stair builder and became actively identified with business interests in Alton, Illinois, where he passed away in 1870. His widow afterward removed with her three children to Macon City, Missouri, and thence to Hannibal, that state, and in August, 1876 they came to Walla Walla, where she joined her sister, who was the wife of Rev. H. W. Egan, who was presiding over the Cumberland. Presbyterian church at this place. Here Mrs. Brunton reared her children and continued to make her home until 1907, when she took up her residence with a daughter in Berkeley, Cali- fornia, where she has since resided. She is now in her eighty-seventh year and is enjoying excellent health, while in possession of all of her faculties.
Oscar W. Brunton was educated in the Walla Walla public schools and in Whitman Seminary. In his boyhood days he took up the study of telegraphy and mastered the Morse code while he was but a child. A brother being an operator, he was desirons of studying along that line but he never followed the profession as a means of livelihood. For some years in his youth he worked as a job printer in the old Journal office, and in 1884 he entered the employ of Dement Brothers in the Eureka flour mills. There he proved efficient, capable and trustworthy and in 1892 he had risen to the position of mill manager, while in 1896, upon the incorporation of the company, he became one of the members of the concern and continued as manager of the mills. In 1907 he was elected to the vice presidency of the Dement Brothers Company and remained as manager as well. Since that time he has given his attention to administrative direction and executive control as well as to the operation of the mills and has contributed much to the success of the business. There is no phase of milling operations with which he is not fa- miliar and his long experience and capability constitute an important element in the growing success of their trade.
Mr. Brunton was united in marriage on the 12th of May, 1891, to Miss Alice Roberta Egbert, a daughter of Marion D. Egbert, who is now deceased, but for many years was a well known publisher of Walla Walla. Mr. and Mrs. Brun- ton have become the parents of one child, Margaret A., who is a graduate of the University of California of the class of 1914 and is now a successful teacher in the Le Grand (Calif.) high school.
In his political views Mr. Brunton is a stalwart republican. having been a
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stanch supporter of the party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. lle belongs to the Walla Walla Commercial Club and cooperates in all of its well defined plans for the upbuilding of the city, for the extension of its trade rela- tions and for the upholding of its high civic standards. He ranks with its fore- most business men and representative residents, enjoying the goodwill and con- fidence of all with whom he has been associated.
HON. HARLAN D. ELDRIDGE.
A valuable farm property is that owned and operated by Hon. Harlan D. Eld- ridge, who is living on section 1, township 7 north, range 37 east, Walla Walla county. It is equipped with all the latest accessories and conveniences of a model farm property of the twentieth century and in its splendid appearance in- dicates the care and supervision of a practical and progressive owner. But while Mr. Eldridge is a representative and prosperous agriculturist, he is also a citizen wideawake to the duties and obligations that devolve upon him in connection with public affairs and has rendered active aid to his state as a member of the general assembly.
He was born in Dallas county, Iowa, April 6, 1858, and is a son of Joseph WV. and Matilda ( Parks) Eklridge, the former a native of Ohio, while the latter was born in Indiana. Removing westward, they settled in lowa in 1856, tak- ing up their abode upon a farm in Dallas county, where they remained for a number of years. Afterwards they became residents of Omaha, Nebraska, where both spent their remaining days. They had a family of three children, of whom two are now living.
Harlan D. Eldridge spent the period of his boyhood and youth in his native county and there completed a public school education which fitted him for life's practical duties and responsibilities. He received thorough training in the work of the farm and thus became well qualified for the tasks which he later under- took for his own benefit. In April. 1880, when a young man of twenty-two years. he arrived in Walla Walla county and took up a homestead north of Waitsburg, upon which he resided for ten years. On the expiration of that period he sold the property and bought his present farin, which is situated on section 1, town- ship 7 north, range 37 east. He has since improved the property with fine build- ings, making it one of the attractive features of the landscape. In addition to the comfortable and commodious residence there are also barns and outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock and the latest improved machinery facilitates the work of the fields. He has here six hundred and forty acres under cultivation and he makes a specialty of the growing of wheat and of stock raising, in both of which branches of business he is meeting with excellent success. He studies carefully the question of crop rotation and the productiveness of the soil and he employs the most scientific methods of carrying on his farm work-methods which are after all the practical elements of desired results.
In 1884 Mr. Eldridge was united in marriage to Miss Etta Barnes, who was born in Walla Walla conty and is a daughter of William T. and Sarah A. ( Blaine) Barnes, natives of Kentucky and of Indiana respectively. The family
MRS. HARLAN D. ELDRIDGE
HON. HARLAN D. ELDRIDGE
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OLD WALLA WALLA COUNTY
removed to Oregon in 1852 and settled on a ranch there, upon which the parents resided until 1864, when they came to Walla Walla county, here spending their remaining days. In their family were thirteen children, including one pair of twins, and of this number six are yet living. To Mr. and Mrs. Eldridge have been born five children: William W., who is now located on a ranch in Alberta, Canada ; Taylor B., who is a merchant of Dixie, where he is also filling the posi- tion of postmaster; Earl V., at home; Geneva M., the wife of J. G. Brunton ; and Bonnie G., the wife of Burt O'Neal. Her death occurred November 25, 1915.
The parents hold membership in the Christian church and guide their lives according to its teachings. Mr. Eldridge gives his political support to the repub- lican party and in 1909 was elected on that ticket to the state legislature. He proved an earnest working member of the general assembly and gave thoughtful and earnest consideration to the vital questions which came up for settlement. He has also filled the office of county commissioner for four years and he has done effective service in behalf of the interests of the schools as a member of the school board. In a word, he stands for progress and improvement at all times and lends his support to those interests and activities which are matters of civic virtue and of civic pride. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has filled all of the chairs in the local lodge to which he belongs. He has also filled all of the offices in Mountain Gem Lodge, No. 136, K. P., of which he is a charter member. His life has been well spent and his many sterling traits of character have gained for him the warm regard and confidence of all who know him. Whatever he undertakes he does with thoroughness and energy and because of his genuine worth and public-spirited citizenship his fellow townsmen have honored him with high office.
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