California. He votes with the democratic party and keeps well informed
on the questions and issues of the day. He has never been an office
seeker. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Christian church
and are loyal to its teachings and its principles. His life has been
an active and useful one and he has made steady progress in the field
of his chosen profession and his other fields of endeavor, and his
ability, industry and thoroughness have brought him a substantial
measure of success.
OSCAR E. KING.
Farming interests in Columbia county find a worthy representative in
Oscar E. King, a well known agriculturist who owns and cultivates a
valuable property on section 9, township 11 north, range 40 east. He
was born on the farm where he now resides, February 15, 1871, his
parents being William B. and Elizabeth (Cantonwine) King, the former
a native of Indiana, while the latter was born in Iowa. The father
crossed the plains to the Pacific coast as a young man, making his
way to California in 1852. There he was employed for a time in survey
work and subsequently he conducted the Woodville House, a well known
hostelry situated on the Rabbit Creek road, about forty miles from
Marysville, California. In 1855 he returned to the east by way of the
Isthmus route, but the lure of the west was upon him and again by way
of the Isthmus route he made his way to the Pacific coast. In those
days hay was worth eighty dollars per ton and Mr. King brought with him
six hundred pounds of Hungarian grass seed, expecting to make a small
fortune in the growing of hay. The following season, however was one
of drought and, failing to raise a crop, his funds were exhausted in
the venture and his season's work amounted to naught. In 1862 he came
to Walla Walla county, arriving in the city of Walla Walla on the 4th
of July. He then went up into the Idaho mines, but not meeting with
success, he retracted his steps and spent the winter in Oregon. In the
spring of 1863 he again came to Walla Walla and the following spring
took a sub-contract under Captain Mullen to carry the mail from Walla
Walla to Colville. He took the mail on horseback and remained as mail
carrier for two years and nine months. His employer, Captain Mullen,
becoming involved in financial difficulties, Mr. King was unable to
collect a cent for his services for the entire period. Later he secured
the mail contract direct from the government and operated a stage line
from Walla Walla to Lewiston for four years. In 1867 he turned his
attention to agricultural pursuits, purchasing his farm on the Tucanon
river in Columbia county, and in 1868 he settled upon his land, while
at the same time he continued to operate his stage line with hired
help. He was thus closely and prominently associated with the work of
early development and improvement in this section of the northwest. His
wife had crossed the plains with her parents in 1863, the family having
as their outfit both ox and mule teams. Mrs. King was then a young girl
in her teens and drove the mule team throughout the entire journey
across the plains. The Cantonwine family spent the winter of 1863-4 in
the Willamette valley of Oregon and in the spring of the latter year
came to Washington, where they took up a homestead near the present
site of Dixie, and later Mr. Cantonwine built the first hotel in
Waitsburg, his daughter, Mrs. King, acting as cook for the few boarders
who patronized the house in that early period. After locating on his
farm William B. King took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres
adjoining his original place and in subsequent years he and his sons in
partnership bought other farm lands until their holdings approximated
two thousand acres. Mr. King was thus actively, prominently and
successfully identified with the agricultural development of the county
until his death, which occurred April 12, 1911. His widow survived him
for but a brief period, passing away on the 11th of March, 1912. In
their family were four sons and three daughters who are yet living, as
follows: Harry and Edwin S., well known farmers of Columbia county,
Washington; Oscar E., of this review; Silas L., a resident of Pomeroy,
Washington; Zorah I., who is the widow of R. A. Jackson and resides in
Dayton; Alice, who gave her hand in marriage to Henry Delaney, a farmer
of Columbia county; and Frankie G., the wife of A. P. Cahill, who is a
banker of Dayton, Washington.
Oscar E. King pursued his early education in the country schools and
supplemented it by a business course in the Portland Business College.
After reaching adult age he joined his brothers and his father in their
extensive farming operations, and following the father's death the
sons continued to cooperate in their farming enterprises until 1915,
when the partnership was dissolved and a division of their holdings
was made. Oscar E. King now owns five hundred and fifty-six acres of
valuable land and is one of the substantial farmers of the Tucanon
valley. His business affairs have been carefully managed and directed
and his unfaltering enterprise and unremitting diligence have brought
to him a substantial measure of success. In his political views he is
an earnest republican but has never been an office seeker, and he is
widely known as one of the influential citizens of Columbia county.
B. F. BREWER.
B. F. Brewer is one of the most prominent farmers of Walla Walla
county, living on township 6, range 36 east. He is the president of
the Farmers Union and occupies a foremost position as a representative
of that progressiveness which has largely revolutionized farming
methods in the past quarter of a century. Moreover, his labors have
demonstrated the possibilities of this section for agricultural
development and have contributed much to the wealth of the district.
Mr. Brewer was born November 2, 1879, on the farm where he now lives,
a son of John F. Brewer, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. He
was reared on the old homestead and pursued a public school education,
attending the high schools of Walla Walla and Seattle, while later
he became a student in the State Agricultural College at Pullman.
Following the completion of his course he entered the First National
Bank of Walla Walla as bookkeeper and for four years was identified
with that institution. Upon his father's death he took charge of the
home farm and has since operated it. He is now cultivating this place
of five hundred and twenty acres and he and his mother own conjointly
a farm of seventeen hundred and eighty acres, which they purchased
in 1908. His farming interests are thus extensive and are conducted
according to the most progressive methods. He has the latest improved
machinery to facilitate the work of the fields and he understands the
scientific principles that underlie all of his activities. In his work,
however, it is definitely seen that he is a man of action rather than
of theory and sound judgment directing his labors, has brought splendid
results.
[Illustration: B. F. BREWER]
[Illustration: MRS. B. F. BREWER]
On May 25, 1904, Mr. Brewer was united in marriage to Miss Harriet
Chew, a daughter of H. C. Chew, one of the pioneer nurserymen of Walla
Walla county, now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Brewer have been born two
children but only one is living, Mary Charlotte.
Mr. and Mrs. Brewer are worthy Christian people whose belief actuates
them in all life's relations. Mr. Brewer belongs to the Presbyterian
church, while his wife is a member of the First Methodist church.
His political allegiance is given to the democratic party and he is
thoroughly informed concerning the issues and questions of the day
but has never taken an active part in party work. He has served as
secretary of the Farmers Union and during the past two years has been
president of the organization. When the Farmers Agency was established
he was made its first manager and served in that important capacity for
three years, but his private interests demanded his entire attention
and he therefore resigned his position. He does everything in his
power to promote the welfare and interests of the agriculturist and in
all that he does is actuated by a spirit of enterprise that produces
splendid results. He is a man of sound business judgment, sagacious
and farsighted, and his well defined plans are carried forward to
successful completion.
WILLIAM GOODYEAR.
William Goodyear, a prosperous business man of Starbuck, dealing in
wood and coal, was born on the 11th of March, 1853, in Canada, and is a
son of Thomas and Mary (Hynes) Goodyear, the former a native of England
and the latter of Ireland. On crossing the Atlantic to the new world in
1833 they settled on a farm in Canada and continued to make it their
home until their deaths. They had a family of ten children of whom
seven survive.
Reared in the Dominion, William Goodyear is indebted to its schools for
the education he enjoyed during his boyhood and youth. On leaving home
in 1870 he went to Fort Scott, Kansas, where he spent a short time,
but later in the same year crossed the plains, driving four cows to
a covered wagon. On reaching Salt Lake City he hired out to a Mormon
bishop, and subsequently he went to Idaho, where he was interested in
a sawmill for twelve years. In 1883 Mr. Goodyear came to Old Walla
Walla county, Washington, and for two years drove cattle from here to
Cheyenne, Wyoming. Later he bought and sold horses and also engaged in
farming until 1903, when he sold out and removed to Starbuck, which
has since been his home. He owns considerable property in the village,
being extensively engaged in the real estate business, and also deals
in wood and coal.
Mr. Goodyear was married in 1902 to Miss Emma Woods, a native of
Missouri, and having no children of their own they are now rearing a
boy, Richard H. Wellman by name who is a grand nephew of Mrs. Goodyear.
Mrs. Goodyear is serving as postmistress of Starbuck and is a lady of
more than ordinary business ability. She is a member of the Eastern
Star and Mr. Goodyear holds membership in the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. He has filled all the chairs in his lodge and is a stanch
democrat in politics. Since coming to the United States he has steadily
prospered in his business undertakings until he has become one of the
well-to-do citizens of his community and the success that has come to
him is due entirely to his own well directed efforts.
W. E. McKINNEY.
W. E. McKinney, the well known proprietor of the McKinney Auto Company
of Waitsburg, was born in Walla Walla county, about a mile from
Waitsburg, on the 6th of April, 1868. His father, William McKinney, is
a retired farmer living in Waitsburg. He was one of the early pioneer
settlers of the northwest country and through many years was closely
and prominently associated with the agricultural development and the
upbuilding of this section. He was born in Warren county, Indiana,
May 5, 1836, and is a son of William and Ann (Walter) McKinney, who
crossed the plains with ox teams to Oregon in 1845. On their arrival
in that state they settled in Washington county, near Hillsboro, and
their later years were spent in Oregon. Their son, William McKinney,
was a lad of but nine years at the time they crossed the plains and
thus he was reared on the western frontier and early became familiar
with all of the experiences, hardships and privations which fall to the
lot of the pioneer settler. In 1855-6 he served as a member of Company
A under Colonel Kelly and later under Colonel Cornelius in the Indian
war. He spent the winter of those two years in Walla Walla, which was
then a far western frontier fort. In 1856 he returned to Oregon and was
employed on his father's farm until 1858, when he made his way up to
The Dalles with the intention of going on to Walla Walla in order to
homestead in that locality. He was told, however, that the country was
not yet open for settlement and he therefore returned to the vicinity
of Portland, Oregon, where he spent the winter. The following spring
he made his way northward as a member of the state boundary survey as
government packer and in the fall of 1859 he came to Walla Walla county
to locate and has since resided in this section of the state. In 1864
he filed on a homestead on the Touchet river, one mile below Waitsburg,
and there continued to live for more than a quarter of a century. He
also took up a timber claim and he purchased adjoining land, so that
his ranch became one of five hundred and fifty-two and one-half acres.
This property he still owns. In 1890, however, he removed to Waitsburg,
where he has a beautiful city residence and is most attractively and
comfortably situated.
William McKinney was married on the 14th of December, 1865, to Miss
Sarah J. Paulson, who crossed the plains in 1864. They became the
parents of four children, as follows: Frank P., who is a banker
residing in Olympia, Washington; William E., of this review; Thomas
V., who operates his father's farm; and Emma, at home. William McKinney
is a democrat in his political views. Late in the '70s or early '80s
he was a candidate, through the insistence of his friends, for the
office of county commissioner, and while the county was almost two to
one republican, he was defeated by only twenty-five votes, a fact which
indicated his personal popularity and the confidence reposed in him. He
is held in the highest esteem wherever known and ranks with the honored
old pioneer settlers of Walla Walla county. In 1914 he was called upon
to mourn the loss of his wife, who passed away on the 20th of August of
that year.
Their son, William E. McKinney, was educated in the Waitsburg public
schools and also attended the Waitsburg Academy. On reaching manhood
he became the active assistant of his father in important farming
enterprises, and upon his father's removal to Waitsburg a year or
two later, W. E. McKinney took charge of the home place, which he
cultivated for twelve or thirteen years. He then assumed the management
of the old Lewis Neace farm of twelve hundred or thirteen hundred acres
and he also leased twelve hundred acres more, so that he operated in
all twenty-four hundred acres of land. This he continued to do until
September, 1916, when he retired from farming and engaged in the
automobile business, purchasing the Dickinson & Denney garage, which is
the largest garage of Waitsburg. He has the agency for the Velie and
Buick cars and is one of the leading automobile dealers of the county,
having built up a business of large and important proportions.
In 1891 Mr. McKinney was united in marriage to Miss Lelia Brown, a
daughter of Mrs. Jennie Brown, of Lincoln county, Washington. To them
have been born three children, one son and two daughters, as follows:
William E., who is a member of the United States navy; Mrs. John
Rhinehart, of Waitsburg; and Imogen, who gave her hand in marriage to
Guy McLaughlin, of Waitsburg.
Mr. McKinney has always voted with the democratic party but has never
been a candidate for office. Fraternally he is connected with Delta
Lodge, No. 70, K. P., and also with the Ancient Order of United
Workmen. His position as a business man ranks him with the leading
representatives of automobile interests in his section of the state and
he is classed with the foremost citizens of Walla Walla county. He is
alert and energetic and is watchful of every opportunity that points
to a possible development of his business. His sale of motor cars has
reached a substantial figure, while in the repair department he also
does a business of gratifying extent.
JOHN C. NEACE.
No student of the history of Columbia county can carry his
investigations far without learning of the important part which the
Neace family has taken in the agricultural development of this section
of the country. John C. Neace is now extensively and successfully
engaged in general agricultural pursuits, having fifteen hundred and
thirty-two acres of land in Columbia county. He was born on the
Tucanon, in what is now Columbia county, July 14, 1865, a son of
Louis Neace, of whom extended mention is made elsewhere in this work.
After acquiring a public school education he continued his studies in
the schools of Forest Grove, Oregon, where he had as an instructor
Professor W. D. Lyman. On reaching manhood he became associated with
J. H. Marrow, of Waitsburg, in the mercantile business, under the firm
name of J. H. Marrow & Company, and remained in that connection until
1895, when Mr. Neace and T. M. Hanger bought out the interest of Mr.
Marrow in the business and thus formed the firm of Neace, Hanger &
Company. Mr. Neace was thereafter identified with commercial interests
until 1897, when he sold out and in 1898 went to Montana, where he
and his brothers, together with their father, formed the Neace Cattle
Company and engaged extensively in raising cattle in that state. John
C. Neace remained in Montana until May, 1916, when he returned to
Columbia county. The Neace Cattle Company owns twenty thousand acres of
land in Montana and John C. Neace individually owns fifteen hundred and
thirty-two acres in a body in Columbia county, where he now resides.
This land is being operated by his son, Donald D.
On the 8th of April, 1888, Mr. Neace was united in marriage to Miss
India A. Denney, of Waitsburg, a daughter of Nathaniel B. and Priscilla
(Hawk) Denney. The father first crossed the plains to Washington in
1861 and subsequently returned to Iowa, but in 1870 he again came to
this state, making the journey across the plains from Iowa in company
with his family. Mr. and Mrs. Neace are the parents of a daughter and
son: Mildred L., who is the wife of Dr. A. T. Gilhus, of White Sulphur
Springs, Montana; and Donald D., who is operating the home farm.
In politics Mr. Neace maintains an independent course, voting for men
and measures rather than party. He belongs to Waitsburg Lodge, No. 16,
F. & A. M., and is a loyal Mason. He has always been closely connected
with Columbia county even during the period of his residence in
Montana and is widely known as one of its progressive agriculturists.
His business methods constitute the last word in modern farming, and
undeterred by any obstacles or difficulties which he may meet, he
pushes his way steadily forward to success.
J. G. BRUNTON.
J. G. Brunton, a well known and successful farmer residing an section
20, township 8 north, range 38 east, Walla Walla county, was born in
that township on the 23d of January, 1881. His parents, W. H. H. and
Sarah A. (Lewis) Brunton, are mentioned at length elsewhere in this
work. He received his education in the Fix district schools and at
Whitman Academy, which he attended for three or four terms. He was a
young man of twenty years at the time of his father's death and a year
later he left school and turned his attention to farming. In 1903 he
filed upon a homestead in Franklin county, but in 1904 he commuted his
claim and returned to the home farm. He has since operated about three
hundred acres of the land owned by the estate and one hundred and ten
acres adjoining, and the large crops which he annually raises are proof
of his industry and his practical knowledge of agriculture. He still
owns valuable property in Walla Walla which he obtained in trade for
his homestead, and he has already gained a competence although still a
young man. He gives the most careful attention to whatever task he has
in hand and this habit of concentration has been an important factor in
his success.
[Illustration: J. G. BRUNTON AND FAMILY]
In June, 1913, Mr. Brunton was united in marriage to Miss Geneva
Eldridge, a daughter of Hon. H. D. Eldridge, a prominent farmer and
influential citizen of Walla Walla county, a biography of whom appears
on another page in these volumes. One son, William Eldridge, has been
born to Mr. and Mrs. Brunton.
Mr. Brunton is a republican in politics and is loyal in his support of
its candidates and measures. His fraternal connections are with Walla
Walla Lodge, No. 287, B. P. O. E., and with Mountain Gem Lodge, No.
136, K. P. Both he and his wife are members of the Christian church and
the highest moral standards have ever guided their lives. They have a
wide acquaintance and are universally held in high esteem.
HIRAM M. HOOVER.
Hiram M. Hoover, who has lived retired in Waitsburg since 1911, was
long and actively identified with agricultural pursuits in Walla Walla
county and is still the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of
valuable land. His birth occurred in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, on
the 4th of July, 1853, his parents being Myers and Ann (Royer) Hoover,
who spent their entire lives in that county, where the father followed
farming throughout his active business career.
Hiram M. Hoover was reared under the parental roof and acquired his
education in the public schools. When a young man of twenty years
he left home to provide for his own support and, making his way to
Ohio, worked as a farm hand in Wayne county, that state, for four
years. On the expiration of that period he removed to Iowa, in which
state he spent three years, and in 1880 he journeyed westward to San
Francisco, California, where he hired out to a surveying party, with
which he worked in southern Nevada for six months. He then returned
to California and worked in the harvest fields of the Sacramento
valley, while later he engaged in salmon fishing. In the fall of 1881
he returned to his native state, taking ship from San Francisco to
the Isthmus of Panama, which voyage consumed twenty-one days, and
crossing the Isthmus by railroad along the route of the present canal
and then boarding a steamer which reached New York city at the end
of seven days. After a few months spent at his home he returned to
San Francisco, California, in the spring of 1882 and there remained
throughout the following summer. He then sailed for Puget Sound,
locating in Whatcom county, Washington, where he took up a homestead
and continued to reside until the summer of 1885. That year witnessed
his arrival in Walla Walla county and his settlement in Waitsburg,
where he has made his home almost continuously since. He cultivated
rented land during the first four years of his residence here and
then purchased a tract of one hundred and sixty acres about two miles
northeast of Waitsburg, over the county line, in Columbia county.
Since that date, as his financial resources have increased owing to
his well directed activity and able management, he has added to his
holdings by additional purchase from time to time until at present he
owns four hundred and eighty acres. The cultivation of this property
claimed his attention and energies until 1911, when he put aside the
active work of the fields and has since rented the place to a tenant.
He is a stockholder in the Exchange Bank of Waitsburg and has long been
numbered among the leading and substantial citizens of that place.
In 1886 Mr. Hoover was united in marriage to Miss Eva I. Loundagin, a
sister of Dr. R. W. Loundagin, of Waitsburg, and the daughter of G.
W. Loundagin, who came to Walla Walla county as a pioneer in 1861.
Mr. and Mrs. Hoover became the parents of six children, three of whom
survive, namely: Anna L., who is her father's housekeeper; Elam H., a
ranchman, residing in Carter, Montana; and Emory M., who is a second
lieutenant in the United States army and is now stationed at Douglas,
Arizona. The wife and mother was called to her final rest in August,
1912, and her demise was deeply mourned by her immediate family as well
as by an extensive circle of friends. Mr. Hoover gives his political
allegiance to the republican party, while his religious faith is that
of the Christian church, in which he holds membership. The period of
his residence in Walla Walla county covers more than three decades and
he has won a place among its esteemed and representative citizens.
W. H. WOOD.