Pioneer Profiles

Pioneer Profiles 2

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Sketches of Candidates

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Short Biographies of Republican Nominees for County Offices

Submitted by Barbara Curtis

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The Sprague Times, Friday, Oct 17,1902

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Listed Alphabetically by Surname.....

W. W. DOWNIE

W. W. DOWNIE, republican nominee for county clerk, was born in Clayton county, Iowa, April 9th, 1871, and resided there until coming to Washington, four years ago last July. He attended school at Des Moines, and after graduating went to work for the McFARLIN Grain Co., remaining with that firm until July 1st, 1898, when he resigned his position to come to Washington. Since arriving in this state he has been in the employ of the J. Q. ADAMS Company and the Seattle Grain Co., acting as their agent at Mohler during the past thr4ee years. He has never held a county office and only one township office, that of township clerk.

ROBERT M. DYE

ROBERT M. DYE, the republican candidate for prosecuting attorney, was born hear the village of Antioch, Ohio, on the 24th day of February, 1872, where his father was engaged in farming and stock raising. He attended the public schools until seventeen years old when he began teaching. After having taught one year his father died, and being the oldest of the family it was his lot to take charge of the farm and superintend its management. When he attained the age of majority a desire to see western country inspired him and he resolved to go to Illinois and teach in her public schools, which he did for two years. The close confinement of the school room greatly impaired his health and he quit teaching and returned to his native state in the autumn of 1895, where he remained variously occupied until September, 1896, when he entered the law class of the University of Michigan and went through the regular course of three years, graduating in June, 1899, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He was admitted to practice as an attorney and counsellor at law before the supreme court of the state of Michigan, June 19, 1899. He returned to Woodsfield, Ohio, the county seat of his home county, where he was nominated by the republican party for the office of probate judge in August 1899. The county was largely democratic, and having already made up his mind to go to the state of Washington to practice his profession, he made no effort for his election and came to Washington in October, 1899, and was admitted at the January session of the supreme court of the state of Washington to practice his profession. He finally located in Wilbur, where he has succeeded in building up a comfortable practice and a confident clientage.

C. G. HETTMAN

C. G. HETTMAN, candidate for county treasurer, was born in Germany in 1846, and came with his parents to America the following year, settling in Erie county, New York. In 1856, when Mr. Hettman was ten years of age, his father and family removed to Monroe county, Wisconsin, where the subject of this sketch continued to reside until the summer of 18998, when he came to this state and county. During his earlier life he lived on a farm in Norwalk, Wisconsin. After that, during several years, he handled grain at the place, besides conducting a lumber yard there. In 1887 he was elected county treasurer and removed with his family to Sparta, the county seat. After conducting that office through two successful terms, he again took up active business life, devoting his time to farming and a large sawmill in the northern part of the state, in which he held a half interest, though continuing his residence at the county seat. During the great timber fires of 1894 the mill was burned- -a total loss with no insurance. This reverse of fortune finally led him to seek a new field further west. During all his residence at Sparta, Wis., he took an active interest in politics; both locally and general, and continually held responsible positions in the city council or other positions of public trust. He is always deeply interested in the public welfare, which lively interest led him to acquaint himself with conditions in this county and state immediately upon his arrival here His neighbors soon came to know his worth as a man, hence his nomination.

J. J. INKSTER

J. J. INKSTER was born in Scotland on the 14th day of August, 1859. At the age of four years he came with his parents to America, locating in Chicago, where his father worked at the carpenter trade. After living in Chicago a little more than a year the family settled on Grand Prairie, Kankakee county, Illinois, where the father purchased a farm on which the family resided until 1882. The farm was then sold and the family came to Washington, arriving at Cheney on Aug. 23d. From there they went to the Egypt country in the northeastern part of this county and there the subject of this sketch took up a homestead which he still owns, along with other lands adjoining it which he purchased from the railroad company, amounting in all to 360 acres. He also owns property in Davenport and in Spokane. The education which he received in the common schools of Illinois was completed in the commercial college at Onarga, Illinois, from which he graduated in June, 1882.

In January, 1893, he accepted the position as chief deputy in the office of the treasurer of Lincoln county, which position he retained until the expiration of the term. During the season of 1895 he filled a position in the office of county assessor under J. E. VEST. In January 1895, while on a business trip to Trail, B. C., he was given a position in the Train office of the C. & R. S. N. Co., then navigating boats on the Columbia river. He remained in the employ of the company and in business for himself until 1898, when he sold out and returned to Davenport engaging in the grain business with Inkster Brothers & Co., until January, 1899, when he accepted the position of chief deputy under sheriff GARDNER, which position he filled until Sept. 1, 1902.

S. G. NOBLE

S. G. NOBLE belongs to that host of self-made men scattered far and wide over the western half of the American continent. Born Oct. 22, 1868, at Fairfield, Jefferson county, Iowa, he transferred his home to that of an uncle before he was quite five years old. At the age of 14 he struck out manfully to make his own way, striving to educate himself at the same time by working for his board while attending school during the winter months and working on farms during the summer season. In the year 1880 he came west as far as Colorado where he found work in plenty being employed in smelters on railroad grades or anything that offered a dollar, honestry and respectability earned--always doing his best and always giving satisfaction to his employers. During his stay in that state he was given entire charge of a large band of sheep which trust he faithfully discharged until rheumatism compelled him to give up the situation. During the 18 months he spent in caring for the flock, he had much leisure time which was devoted to improving his mental powers in study. After a short visit to his old home he started west once more , drifting to the Sound country, where he worked in the timber , then to this side of the Cascades and finally settling near Larene, in this county, where he soon took up a homestead, afterward buying a grain farm near Davenport. On April 10,1900, while operating the old Layton sawmill , northeast of Creston, which he then owned he suffered the loss of his left hand. From the time he first landed in the county he has been esteemed as an honest, industrious young man and after losing his hand his old neighbors have been entrusting him with every responsible position within their gift, always finding him conscientious and trustworthy, until at last they have found an opportunity of conferring upon him the possibility of securing something more remunerative, believing that he is fully capable of discharging the duties of the office of assessor.

W. H. YARWOOD

W. H. YARWOOD was born in England in the year 1842. When he was only six years of age his father, the venerable and worthy WM. YARWOOD, Esq. one of the oldest residents of this county moved to the United States settling in New York. In 1856 the family moved to Wisconsin, and four years later, in 1860, located in Indiana, where the subject of this sketch remained for 34 years. In 1894 he moved to Washington, locating in Lincoln county. Mr. Yarwood spent most of his life on a farm, and in earlier years taught school for a few terms. The only office he ever held, prior to the present one was the register of deeds of LaGrange county, Indiana. The experience acquired in that office eminently fitted him for taking hold of and successfully conducting the manifold duties of the clerkship. His life has not been made up of exciting adventures, frequent changes of residence and the filling of many public places. He is and always has been pre-eminently one of the people. He has led a quiet, simple, upright life, attending strictly to his own business, doing unto his neighbor as he would be done by, and performing every duty that has devolved upon him creditably and honorably. Mr. Yarwood has made a record in Lincoln county unexcelled by any official in any office since the county was organized. The taxpayers know that if he is elected to the office of county auditor, that office will be conducted in the best and most economical manner possible.

Page 2 of Pioneer Profiles of Lincoln County, Washington.

Submitted to the WAGenWeb by Barbara Curtis,

November 5, 2005. Used with permission.

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