Walla Walla, Washington

“ Walla Walla was well on its way toward becoming a regional center. Throughout the sixties forward-looking citizens began working for a better order and balance in the life of the community. Classes were held in a rented room until a regular school building was constructed. A post office was established, a packing plant and a flour mill were built in 1859, and additional mills were opened within the next three years. In 1861 one of the earliest journals between the Missouri and Cascades, the Washington Statesman (combined with the Walla Walla Union in 1914) , started publication. ”

“ When a young man he engaged in firing on a railroad for a short time and on reaching California in 1854 became a packer, operating a train along the coast. He remained a resident of the Golden state until 1861 and from there removed to The Dalles, Oregon, whence he came to Walla Walla, Washington. ”

“ The northwest with its pulsing industrial activities, its unlimited opportunities and its many resources which constitute a call for action, has drawn to it a large number of progressive men who have achieved success in this field. Prominent among the number is Milford H. Broughton, the president and manager of the Walla Walla Iron Works of Walla Walla, Washington. ”

“ Being early released from the military rule of Germany, he found in the opportunities of the new world the chances for advancement if the individual possesses industry and determination. These qualities are his in large measure and step by step he has progressed until he has long since occupied a place among the men of affluence in Washington. For almost forty years he has been a witness of the changes which have here occurred and is today one of the honored pioneer settlers of Walla Walla county, his memory forming a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. ”

“ Walla Walla organized a library association and free reading-room, which was supported by citizens for the benefit of strangers, and had a literary and lecture society, to which the officers from the garrison gave much time. The literary society was established as early as 1865.
The first printing done in this section was at the missionary station of Lapwai, in what was then Oregon, and was afterward Washington, and finally Idaho. The printer was Edwin O. Hall of the Honolulu mission, subsequently editor of the Polynesian. ”

“ Gold had been discovered in Eastern Washington. Vast possibilities of cattle raising were evident on those endless bunch-grass hills. Although there was as yet little conception of the future developments of the Inland Empire in agriculture and gardening, yet the keen-eyed immigrants and volunteers had scanned the pleasant vales and abounding streams of the Walla Walla and Umatilla and Palouse, and had decided in their own minds that, Wool or no Wool, this land most be opened. ”

“ Steeped in historical associations is this valley, from Wallula, the site of the first Hudson's Bay fort, to the city of Walla Walla. When once seen, no words are needed to tell why these lovely plains, all ready for the planting and moistened with sufficient rainfall annually, were so attractive to the early settlers, and inspired the first serious efforts at colonization. ”

“ There was no movement, however, which looked to the benefit and further upbuilding of the community that sought his aid in vain. He stood for progress and improvement at all times and Walla Walla numbered him for many years as one of its foremost citizens, and his death was the occasion of profound and widespread regret throughout eastern Washington. Mrs. Baumeister and her family are members of the Christian Science [840] church and she is deeply interested in all those things which have cultural value or which promote benevolent interests. ”

“ In accordance with the Enabling Act, the Constitutional Convention of Washington Territory met at Olympia, July 4, 1889. The constitution prepared during the fifty-day session was ratified at the polls on October 1, 1889. Of the seventy-five members of the convention three represented Walla Walla, two were from Dayton, and one from Pomeroy. It may be safely said that every one was a man in whose knowledge and judgment his fellow citizens could repose confidence, while the personal character of each was such as to secure the hearty affection of his community. ”

“ Honored and respected by all, there is no man who occupies a more enviable position in public regard in Walla Walla than does Hon. Miles Conway Moore, the last territorial governor of Washington and now a prominent figure in banking circles. His high position in the regard of his fellowmen is due not to the success which he has achieved but to the straightforward, honorable purpose which he has ever followed. ”

“ Western enterprise finds expression in his life. He is a western man by birth, by training and by preference. He was born in Walla Walla county, Washington, July 1, 1872, and is a son of Milton and Sarah (Stanfield) Aldrich, the former a native of Michigan, while the latter was born in Iowa. In 1850 the father crossed the plains to California, where he engaged in prospecting and mining, continuing his operations from California clear into Canada. In 1860 he made his way to Walla Walla county, Washington, where he took up a homestead on Dry creek, seven miles east of the city of Walla Walla. ”

“ If we may judge by a comparison of the native races, as well as by the "bunch-grass" horses and cattle, the "bunch-grass" boys and girls will be on the road to becoming superior specimens of humanity. Thus far there is too much of a mixture of the human stock to make scientific comparisons.
Old Walla Walla County shares with other parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia, the distinction of joint ownership of one of the sublimest systems of waterways on the globe. This system consists of the Columbia and its tributaries. ”

“ They took up their abode upon a farm in that state and for a considerable period resided at McMinnville, but in 1863 they came north to Washington and settled in Walla Walla county, where the father secured a homestead, upon which he built a log cabin covered with a clapboard roof. They occupied that primitive dwelling for several years and experienced all the hardships and privations of pioneer life, but as time passed their labors brought substantial reward and they were able to secure more of the comforts of modern day civilization. ”

“ Hoffmann was united in marriage to Miss Theresa Kirchner, a native of Minnesota, who came to Washington with her parents when she was a child of but four years. Mr. and Mrs. Hoffmann have become the parents of ten children, seven of whom are yet living: John Edward, an agriculturist of Columbia county, Washington; Bessie D., who is the wife of Ben Grote, of Walla Walla; Anna, who gave her hand in marriage to George Retzer, a druggist residing in Walla Walla; Valline, who is pursuing a course in mechanical engineering in the University of Washington at Seattle ”

“ The memory of Frank Singleton, however, harks back to the period when this was a frontier fort and the work of progress and civilization had scarcely been begun in all this section of the country. The Indians were more numerous than the white settlers and only here and there had some venturesome spirit penetrated into the western wilderness to plant the seeds of civilization. Frank Singleton, who is now extensively interested in mining and is engaged in the real estate business in Walla Walla, was but six years of age at the time of his arrival in Washington. ”

“ His aid and influence have ever been on the side of progress and improvement and his work has had far reaching and beneficial results. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party and fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He belongs to the Commercial Club and cooperates heartily in all of its well defined plans and measures for the welfare and upbuilding of the city. Along strictly professional lines he has connection with the Walla Walla County Medical Society and the Washington State Medical Society. ”

“ The republican party steadily gained, and in subsequent decades Walla Walla County, as all other parts of the states of Washington and Oregon, became overwhelmingly republican. By the progress of the same evolution, progressive politics have had a powerful hold upon the people of these states, as well as of the entire Pacific Coast, and the support given to democratic candidates, state and national, in 1916, is a thoroughly logical development. The people have been consistent, though party names have not. ”

“ Mr. Lloyd belongs to Waitsburg Lodge, No. 16, F. & A. M.; Dayton Chapter No. 5, R. A. M.; Washington Commandery No. 1, K. T., of Walla Walla; and El Katif Shrine, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Spokane. His wife holds membership in the Christian church and its work profits from her co-operation. In politics Mr. Lloyd is a stanch democrat, but he has never been an aspirant for office. He ranks among the influential men of Walla Walla county and his personal qualities are such that his friends are legion. ”

“ Seattle had six, Port Townsend three, and the whole number for western Washington was about thirty. The whole number in eastern Washington was given at nineteen, seven of these being at Walla Walla, namely, the methodist, Cumberland presbyterian, episcopal, congregational, catholic, seventh-day adventists, and united brethren.
A school was opened in Olympia, Nov. 22, 1852, by A. W. Moore, first teacher and postmaster on Puget Sound after its settlement by American colonists. Moore died in 1875, aged 55 years, having always labored for the best interests of society. ”

“ Consider the population of the lands upon the river and its affluents, nearly a million people, where during the days of old Fort Walla Walla the only white people were the officers and trappers of the Hudson's Bay Company. ”

“ In the way of a general view of political conditions in the period from the creation of county offices by the Legislature of the Territory on January 19, 1859, through the period of war, it may be said that the prevailing sentiment was at first strongly democratic. The majority of the settlers in Old Oregon, from which had come a large proportion of the earlier comers to Walla Walla, were from Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, with quite a sprinkling from Tennessee and Kentucky and democratic views preponderated in the sections from which the majority came. ”