From "The History of North Washington" Published 1904

Transcribed by: Nancy Grubb (nancyg@theofficenet.com)
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GEORGE THEIS 
	George Theis was the first settler to locate in the region of the 
Colville valley, where he now has an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty 
acres, just five miles from the county seat. He has it well improved with all
buildings, fences, and so forth, necessary and was recently offered four 
thousand dollars for the estate. He was obliged when coming to this section, 
to cut all the roads alone and has shown remarkable energy and stability as 
an opening pioneer. 
   George Theis was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, on October 16, 1859. His
parents were natives of Germany and came to this country in 1850, locating in
Pennsylvania, where they remained until their death, having been the parents
of six children. Our subject received his education in Pittsburg and remained
with his parents until the time of their death, then resided with his 
mother's sister until fifteen, at which time he began work in life for 
himself. He learned the boiler maker's trade and remained at it until 
nineteen, then went to Ohio and enlisted in the regular army where for the 
next five years he was found. He was sent to San Francisco and later to 
Vancouver and finally in 1881 came through where Spokane now stands, it then 
being but a village. He went to Fort Spokane where he remained until the time
of discharge in 1885. Mr. Theis remarks that on coming through the village of
Spokane, the citizens turned out emmasse with tin horns, tin cans and every 
available instrument to make noise to welcome the soldiers, so glad were they
to see the people coming west. They had come on the first regular train 
entering Spokane. Immediately following his discharge, Mr. Theis located as 
a homestead, the place where he now lives, and at once devoted himself to its
improvement. He labored there steadily until 1891, then took a position in 
the Colville smelter for three years. After this he built a sawmill and 
operated that until 1893, when it burned down. He immediatley rebuilt then 
sold and returned to his farm, where he has been occupied in general farming 
and stock raising since.
   In 1883, Mr. Theis married Miss Rachel, daughter of Austin and Hester
Prouty, natives of Ohio and Iowa, respectively, and parents of seven children
To Mr. and Mrs. Theis seven children have been born, as follows: Violet, Roy,
George, Alva, Albert, Fred and Theodore. Politically, Mr. Theis is an active
Republican and a man of influence. He is a member of the A.F. and A.M. and
is well respected as a man of substantial qualities and uprightness.    
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