USA > Washington > Spokane County > Spokane > Spokane and the Spokane country : pictorial and biographical : deluxe supplement, Volume II > Part 7
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On the 24th of May, 1904, Mr. Boyles was united in marriage to Mrs. E. A. DeVol. In politics he is a republican, active in the work of the party and liberal in its support. The day on which he attained his majority he signed a petition for admission to the Masonic frater- nity, which was acted upon that same night in Clayton county, Iowa. A committee was immediately organized and in thirty days he was accepted and initiated. He has since been a loyal representative of the craft and is now affiliated with Spokane Lodge, No. 34, F. & A. M. He is also a life member of the Spokane Athletic Club, of which he became an early representative. He is a contributing member to the Chamber of Commerce and is also a steady and liberal contribu- tor to charity, accomplishing much good in this way. Moreover, he is . ever ready to extend a helping hand to those who are attempting to make their way upward. He remembers his own struggles and is quick to encourage and assist young men of enterprise, determina- tion and honorable purpose.
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Wright
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Marcus D. Wright
O CCUPYING a place in the foremost ranks of those who have made a fortune in the development and exploitation of the timber lands of the west is Marcus D. Wright, who resides at Hayden Lake, Kootenai county, Idaho. A native of the Missis- sippi valley, he came west in 1871, at the age of twenty years, his birth having occurred in Bowling Green, Kentucky, April 16, 1851. His parents were John W. and Mary (Gibson) Wright, the former a prominent Baptist minister of Kentucky.
.Marcus D. Wright obtained his education in the common schools of Kentucky and at the age of sixteen years entered business life as a salesman for a pump concern in St. Joseph, Missouri. He was employed in this capacity for four years when he gave up his position and went west, locating in Montana. There he conducted a freight- ing business in summer and drove a stage during the winter for the following six years. In 1877 he accompanied General Sherman on his tour of inspection of all the frontier posts, covering the territory extending from Montana over the old Mullen road to Walla Walla, Washington. Subsequently he resided in Colfax, Whitman county, Washington, where he drove a stage until 1878. In that year he came to Spokane and engaged in the livery business, buying out the stable owned by James N. Glover. In 1881 he gave up this enter- prise and went to Idaho to look over the prospects for an investment in real estate. Finding a suitable tract of land, he purchased a half- interest in forty acres from C. W. Wood and on that site laid out the town of Westwood, now known as Rathdrum. In conjunction with George B. Wannacott he called a meeting of the residents of this locality and organized Kootenai county. He was appointed the first assessor and tax collector, as well as deputy sheriff, serving in these positions until the first general elections of the county. In Oc- tober, 1882, during the great mining excitement in this section of the country, Mr. Wright took the first pack train into Pritchard Creek, Eagle City, Idaho. Two years later he engaged in business at Rath- drum, Idaho, conducting a general mercantile establishment and also contracting to railroads for the sale of timber and ties. The latter
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Marcus D. Mright
branch of his business increased so rapidly that he discontinued his general mercantile establishment and has since that time concentrated his entire attention upon the lumber business, furnishing lumber sup- plies mainly to the Northern Pacific Railroad. Within the last twenty-three years he has supplied approximately twenty million ties which, at a rough estimate, would be sufficient, if laid end to end, to circle the globe. He was also financially interested in the First Na- tional Bank of Coeur d'Alene, of which he was president for several years, resigning in 1910 in order to devote his undivided attention to his lumber interests.
On March 18, 1881, Mr. Wright was united in marriage to Miss Bertie Piper, a daughter of Dr. John J. Piper, of Peone Prairie, Washington, who was for twelve years one of the county commis- sioners of Spokane county, Washington. Mrs. Wright passed away in 1901, being survived by her husband and seven children, two sons and five daughters. In 1903 Mr. Wright was again married, his sec- ond union being with Mrs. Marie Bennett, a step-daughter of A. M. Cannon, of Spokane, Washington. Fraternally Mr. Wright is con- nected with the Elks Lodge, No. 228, of Spokane; the Knights of Pythias, of Coeur d'Alene; and the Odd Fellows of Coeur d'Alene. The Wright home is known as one of the handsome residences of this locality, being situated at Hayden Lake, on one of the finest farms in the state of Idaho, a tract of land comprising about six hundred acres. It contains a fish preserve covering an area equivalent to one hundred and sixty acres, which is filled with black bass and trout, and affords some of the finest opportunities for fishing in the state. Never losing sight of the goal which lay before him, Mr. Wright has been steadfast in the pursuit of his ideals and by dint of close appli- cation and unceasing effort has won his reward in the generous meas- ure of success which has been his.
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John Rayures
John Raymer
J OHN RAYMER, banker and merchant, has contrib- uted in substantial measure to the business develop- ment and growth of Reardan and at the same time has been an active factor in political circles, honored with election to the office of representative, while in his home community he has been continuously in office since the organization of the town. He was born in Calhoun county, Michigan, June 15, 1856, and is a son of Peter and Mary (Bates) Raymer, both of whom were natives of New York, whence they removed to Michigan where the father followed the occupation of farming.
John Raymer spent his early youth in his parents' home, attend- ing the public schools of Calhoun county, Michigan, but at the age of fifteen left home and sought employment in the lumber camps of the northern part of the state. That he was industrious and faithful is indicated by the fact that he worked for one company for seven years and four years he served as foreman. In 1884 he came to the west with Seattle as his destination and after remaining there for a short time made his way to Vancouver Island. He next went to Spokane and in December, 1885, removed to Davenport, where he engaged in farming for a year or two. On the expiration of that period he turned his attention to the lumber business which he fol- lowed north of Davenport, and in 1888 he purchased a half interest in a sawmill which he afterward removed to north of Mondovi. In 1890 he sold that business and came to Reardan, where in partnership with O. A. Menger he opened the first hardware store in the town. The enterprise prospered and after four years Mr. Raymer pur- chased his partner's interest, conducting the business alone. In 1901 he erected the present large brick building which he now occupies and he has also built three warehouses and extended the scope of his commercial activities by adding to his store a line of furniture. His establishment is one of the best equipped and the largest in the county and in addition to its conduct Mr. Raymer figures prominently in financial circles as a stockholder and director of the Reardan Ex- change Bank while in 1911, following the death of Mr. Moriarty, he
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John Raymer
was elected president of that institution. In 1906 John Raymer with several other gentlemen organized the Chamokane Lumber Com- pany, of which he serves as president. This company owns sixteen thousand acres of land in Stevens county and a sawmill in Lincoln county. His business interests are thus of a character that contribute largely to general progress and prosperity as well as to individual success.
On the 4th of May, 1892, occurred the marriage of Mr. Raymer and Miss Hattie Latham, a native of Canada, and they have four children, Norman, John C., Nelson and Elizabeth. The parents are widely and favorably known in Lincoln county and Mr. Raymer is regarded as a valued member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows in which he takes an active part. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party and in 1900 he was elected on its ticket to represent Lincoln county in the house of representatives where he served for one term. That he has the confidence and good-will of his fellow townsmen is indicated by the fact that he has continuously served in the city council since the organization of the town. He has been a liberal subscriber to all enterprises and a generous supporter of all public movements of his town and county and has thus main- tained an even balance in his life with his well directed business affairs which have made him one of the most successful men in Lincoln county.
& S Rosa
Edward S. Ross
DWARD S. ROSS, of the Ross Investment Com- E pany, has contributed to the development and im- provement of the city through well conducted busi- ness interests that add not only to individual suc- cess but also to the public prosperity. His birth occurred at Penfield, New York, October 26, 1853, and of that state his parents, Oliver C. and Betsey (Sherman) Ross, were early settlers. The father devoted his attention to farming while in the east and in the year 1884 he came to Spokane with his family, which then consisted of himself, wife and two sons, Edward S. and George L., both now of this city and a daughter. The par- ents have traveled life's journey happily together for sixty-two years and now at the advanced ages of eighty-eight and eighty-seven years respectively are living with their daughter, Mrs. Frances Linfield, the widow of George Linfield.
After acquiring his early education in the public schools of Rochester, New York, and pursuing a more advanced course in Rochester Collegiate Institute, Edward S. Ross became his father's assistant in farming operations in the Empire state and was thus en- gaged until the family came to Spokane in 1884. For three years thereafter he did general work in and around the city and then se- cured a quarter section of land in the valley, upon which he began market gardening and fruit growing. He was the first in this sec- . tion to cultivate asparagus and tomatoes for the market and such was the excellence of his products that he was soon accorded a good market for all that he raised. He later acquired other property adjoining his original tract and while at first this was a long way from the city, the boundaries of Spokane have since been extended until his property has been included within the corporation limits and is now known as the Rossvale addition. For a considerable period Mr. Ross continued the raising of vegetables and fruit, and the suc- cess of the business enabled him to make investments along other lines. Thus from time to time he extended his interests and is now president of the Ross Coal Company, which he organized for the conduct of a wholesale coal business in Spokane. He was likewise
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Edward S. Ross
the organizer of the Ross Investment Company and remained as its general manager until 1908 since which time he has been its presi- dent. He is still interested in the project and the company today has a large clientage. He is also a heavy property owner not only in this city but throughout the Spokane country and also has large landed possessions in the Kootenai valley.
On the 4th of September, 1879, Mr. Ross was married to Miss Mary Clark, a daughter of Orrin and Jeannette (Millard) Clark, of Penfield, New York. They have become parents of five children: Linfield S., who is acting as secretary and treasurer of the Ross In- vestment Company; Elwyn G., vice president of the same company ; Orrin Clark, who is an artist, employed by the McDermid Engrav- ing Company, of Spokane; Edward Wayland, who is an apprentice in the latter company; and Edna, the wife of Laurence M. Parker, of Bonners Ferry, Idaho.
Mr. Ross is a charter member of Grace Baptist church, which his family attend. He has never sought to figure prominently in club circles or in public connections outside of his business interests. He has closely applied himself to the tasks that have been his, and since he has successfully accomplished the work in hand he has turned his attention to other projects. He has never regarded any position as final but rather as the starting point for successful accomplish- ment in other directions and through his individual merit, ability, close application and unremitting industry, he has gained a credit- able position as one of the leading business men of Spokane.
M. W.Merritt
Mark Wood Merritt
OTABLE among the proprietors of heavy landed N interests in Washington is Mark Wood Merritt, of Rosalia, Whitman county, now living a life of com- parative retirement. He was born in Pike county, Missouri, October 4, 1854, his parents being Thomas and Susan (Suddreth) Merritt, both natives of Vir- ginia. The Merritt family is of French origin, the grandfather, Nicholas Merritt, and the great-grandfather both having been born in France. The latter took part in the Revolutionary war and the grandfather, who settled in Maryland, was a soldier in the War of 1812.
Mark Wood Merritt was educated in the common schools of Pike county, Missouri, and pursued his studies until 1873, when he devoted his entire time to assisting his father in the work of the farm, thus continuing until 1877. In that year he rented a farm in Mis- souri and continued farming on his own account in that state until the spring of 1882, when he decided to remove to Whitman county, Washington. After arriving in this state he settled two miles east of Rosalia where he took up one hundred and sixty acres of govern- ment land and from time to time increased his holdings until he now possesses eight hundred acres in that community. He also owns twenty thousand and eighty acres in Douglas county, Washington. He has given a great deal of attention to the raising of stock, his specialty being the breeding of fine horses of which he owns one hundred and fifty-three head. During his active career as a horse- breeder he achieved a national reputation having sold his horses in all parts of the United States. Another important branch of his farming activity was dairying, his operations along that line being quite extensive. Beside the heavy landed interests Mr. Merritt pos- sesses, he is also a director of the First National Bank of Rosalia, a director in the Rosalia Telephone Company and a director and the president of the Rosalia Supply Company.
Mark Wood Merritt was married to Miss Edna Wells in Pike county, Missouri, in 1878. She is a daughter of William E. and Martha (McCoy) Wells, both natives of the state of Missouri. To
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Mark Wood Merritt
this union were born four children: Henry, residing in Whitman county, who is married and has two sons; Martha, the wife of Allen McClaine, of Pearl, Washington, and the mother of two daughters; Richard, yet at home; and Jesse, who died at the age of nineteen years.
The political allegiance of Mr. Merritt is given to the democratic party, for the measures and candidates of which he always casts his vote and he has held the office of road supervisor for eight years. He also takes a great interest in educational matters, having been a member of the local school board for twelve years. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic order and of the Woodmen of the World. He is also active in his membership in the Commercial Club of Rosalia.
Prime factors which have conduced to the attainment of Mr. Merritt's unusually prosperous and useful business career have been his great business ability, his untiring industry, his habits of economy and the wise direction and management of the properties which he began to accumulate comparatively early in life. He started out in the business world single-handed and alone to carve a career which logically followed as the result of his own well directed efforts along business lines. He had the courageous spirit in abundance and was not afraid to make investments which his common sense and intuition told him would prove profitable. He reveled in work, took a keen interest in the management of his business affairs and gave unflag- ging attention to all the details which a business life entails. After serving his community and in fact the district at large in the use- ful ways outlined above Mr. Merritt has been enabled at a com- paratively early time in life to retire from the active and more onerous duties which he followed long and successfully. In return he is now enjoying life, surrounded by an extensive circle of warm personal and business friends among whom he has always been held in the highest esteem and regarded with the greatest respect.
Harry !Men
Harry Green
HERE'S a whole lot of us that are poorer since he's T gone, for he was a man whose friendship was worth more than money," was a tribute paid to Harry Green when he was called from this life. It was but one of many such expressions that were heard on every hand and among all who knew him, for he was a whole-souled, generous man, possessed of a large fund of humor and a kindly disposition.
He was born at Prenn, in the province of Poland, August 10, 1863, and was therefore more than forty-seven years of age when he passed away at the Hotel Ridpath in Spokane on the 14th of December, 1910. His parental name was Harry Gurinsky, which by due process of law he had changed to Green after coming to Spo- kane. After coming to America, when fifteen years of age, he spent several years in Texas, where he was engaged in various pursuits, and in 1891 he arrived in this city. From that time forward he was particularly prominent in the sporting circles of the Pacific coast as the owner of fine racing stables, as a breeder of fine dogs, as a pro- moter of baseball and in other ways. The element of chance in any- thing always awakened in him interest and yet he had the qualities too, of a conservative business man of sound judgment, as was mani- fest in his investments in property and valuable stocks. In October, 1900, he acquired a one-half interest in the Club cafe, being an equal . partner with Messrs. Scott and Sorg, this relation continuing for ten years or until the death of Mr. Green. He owned a racing stable for several years, entering his horses for the big stakes offered by the Oakland, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle and Spokane racing associations. His horse Royalty was the winner of the Seattle and Spokane derbies of 1903. In California he was a conspicuous figure for the heavy stakes which he put upon his favorites and one of the San Francisco papers therefore called him "The Duke of Spokane," which sobriquet clung to him for years.
It was Mr. Green who took hold of the baseball team of Spokane when it was at the bottom of a long list of city teams and promoted its interests until the team became a recognized factor in baseball
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Darry Green
circles in the northwest. In 1902, long before baseball had been placed on its present businesslike basis, Mr. Green purchased an interest in the Spokane Northwestern League Club and as the result of his efforts he gave Spokane one of its best and most popular ball teams. He promoted Spokane's first aviation meet, largely financing the movement which brought Hamilton, the well known aviator, to this city. He likewise became interested in the theatrical world through his intimate friend, John Considine of Seattle, and was the owner of stock in the Orpheum and the Washington theaters of Spo- kane and also in Vancouver theaters. He was a promoter of boxing contests and the owner of one of the finest kennels of the northwest.
On the 18th of June, 1892, Mr. Green was united in marriage to Miss Emma Thatcher, of Spokane, who survived him together with three brothers, an uncle, a cousin and an adopted child, Helene J. He left his widow most comfortably provided for by reason of his well directed investments in business. He at times met heavy losses in his sporting interests but no one ever heard him complain of this.
When he passed away words of regret were heard on every hand and such tributes were paid to him as: "I knew him for twenty years and I never knew him to do a mean trick." Another said: "Harry Green was the most popular man Spokane ever had. He had a per- sonal speaking acquaintance with thousands and always a good word for all of them." Another said: "When you say that Green was a lover of fine horses and fine dogs, you can pay him no higher com- pliment, for there's always a lot of good in such a man. With ani- mals he was gentle-just as he was with his friends." Death came to him after a twelve days' illness with pneumonia and impressive funeral services were held in the Eagles Hall, which proved entirely too small to accommodate his many friends who gathered to pay their last tribute of friendship and respect to him. One of the local papers said: "Scarcely less impressive than the outpouring of friends at the funeral exercises were the floral tributes. The entire south end of the hall, the rostrum and the casket in front of it were literally buried in flowers. There were roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, lilies and smilax worked into the most elaborate designs." Judge J. Stanley Webster, president of the order, paid high tribute to him in a brief address, saying: "He was both a friend and a brother. He valued liberty, love and the truth and was just in his dealings with all men. He believed in the hereafter and in God. He did what he thought was right at all times and he has gone to his reward." His friends were found in every rank and walk of life, a fact which indicated his intellectual hospitality. He had the faculty of putting
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all at ease in his presence and his whole life seemed to radiate good nature and kindliness. It is said that he was particularly the friend of the man who is "down and out"-a characteristic that is found in few and indicates a nature that is indeed commendable. He was indeed always held in high esteem for his personal integrity, his thor- ough manliness, his whole-hearted spirit and his generosity.
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Wykon
William D. Scott
ILLIAM D. SCOTT, a member of the law firm of W Scott & Campbell, specializing somewhat in mining and corporation law although still continuing in gen- eral practice, was born in Elizabeth, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, October 8, 1861. His father, John V. Scott, was a native of the same county and represented a family of Scotch-Irish and Dutch descent although founded in America prior to the Revolutionary war, in which rep- resentatives of the name participated. He was drafted for service in the Civil war but had just passed forty-five, which is the age limit, and was, therefore, not compelled to go to the front. One of his younger brothers, however, was with the Union army in active duty in the south. John V. Scott devoted his life to general agricultural pursuits and was a prominent and influential citizen in his home locality. He wedded Nancy Ann Nichols, also a native of Pennsyl- vania and of English and German descent. The death of the father occurred in 1894 and the mother lives on the old homestead about two miles from Elizabeth. Their family numbered four sons and three daughters: William D .; James H., a practicing attorney of Bur- lington, Iowa; Joel F., a physician of Wilson, Pennsylvania; John K., who is living on the old homestead with his mother; Lizzie R., the wife of James Van Kirk, a civil engineer of West Newton, Penn- sylvania; Jennie M., the wife of Homer Brinton, a banker of Ells- worth, Iowa; and Nannie L., the wife of James Biddison, a farmer of Palmdale, California.
William D. Scott supplemented his preliminary school training by study in the Washington and Jefferson College of Pennsylvania and afterward attended the University of Michigan, being graduated from its law department in 1888 with the LL.B. degree. He had followed farming until he went to college and for one winter had engaged in teaching school. After the completion of his course in the Michigan University he was admitted to the bar of that state and then came to Spokane for the practice of law, arriving in the city on the 28th of August, 1888. For one year he remained alone in practice and then joined the firm of Conner, Henly & Scott. This connection was maintained for a year and during the succeeding two
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William D. Scott
years he was a partner of Mr. Henly. He afterward practiced alone for four years and on the expiration of that period was joined in a partnership relation by Mr. Rosslow under the firm style of Scott & Rosslow. They were together for seven or eight years and then again Mr. Scott was alone for a time, after which he entered into his present partnership as senior member of the firm of Scott & Campbell. They conduct a general law practice of considerable ex- tent and importance and are specializing to some degree in mining and corporation law, representing the Methow Gold Mining Com- pany together with other well known corporations, including the United Copper Mining Company. Mr. Scott is also a trustee of the Midway Summit Mining & Milling Company of Burke, Idaho, which has recently been reincorporated, its property promising big returns in silver and lead. It is now being developed and has already made a most satisfactory showing.
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