Pflaegingf  
 
 

Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.

     FRED PFLAEGING has been prominently connected with the Chelan country for more than a decade and in various official capacitites as well as in important private enterprises, has rendered services that have resulted in great good to this section.  Long before Chelan county was organized he was a leader in the Chelan country.  During all his years of residence here he has been known as one of the substantial and prominent business men whose excellent success in various lines testify both to his skill and ability.
     Fred Pflaeging was born in Louisville, Kentucky, October 8, 1862, the son of William and Katherine (Schmidt) Pflaeging, natives of Germany.  They came to the United States in the fifties, settled in Columbus, Ohio, later removed to Kentucky and in 1885 the mother died in Omaha, Nebraska.  The father followed merchandising in these various places and now dwells with the subject of this sketch.  In the primary and high school at Omaha, at Tabor college, Tabor, Iowa, and in the Wyman Business College of Omaha our subject received his educational training.  He then entered the empoly of the Willow Springs Distilling Company as errand boy, and later was advanced to the position of book-keeper, which he held for fifteen years.  In 1891 he came to Lake Chelan as assistant secretary of the Washington Land and Investment Company, whose operations are part of the Chelan county history.  He had charge of the books of this company until 1895, when they went out of business.  During this time he filed on a homestead and set out an orchard of three thousand trees, which property he sold in 1892.  In 1896 our subject operated the largest hotel in Tacoma, then retired to the ranch until 1898.  He was elected auditor of Okanogan county, having run on the Republican ticket.  He discharged the trying duties of this office in a very becoming manner.  At this particular time the office was a very difficult one to fill on account of the fact that many important questions had to be settled.  In various instances there was much high feeling on both sides of the matter.  He was nominated the second time for the office, and although he ran two hundred ahead of his ticket he was defeated by thirty-five votes.  Then Mr. Pflaeging returned to CheIan and opened a laundry business, which he is continuing at the present time.  He owns a handsome and cosy home, with four and one-half acres of land, just west of Chelan, and is a prosperous business man.  Mr. Pflaeging has one brother, W. T., and one sister, Louise Daly and one half brother, Michael B.
     On November 27, 1892, in Tacoma, Mr. Pflaeging married Miss Cora H., daughter of Benjamin T. and Phillis A. (Tenkell) Hull, natives of New York and Ohio, respectively.  The father died on March 17, 1887, aged eighty-two, the mother, who is eighty years of age, is dwelling with our subject and is hale and hearty at this advanced age.  Mrs. Pflaeging has the following brothers and sisters, Rosell, Clarence, George, David, Lamott, Mary Millard and Lucretta Smith.  To Mr. and Mrs. Pflaeging two children have been born, both deceased.  Mr. Pflaeging is a member of the K. P. and is past C. C. of that lodge.  He is a stanch Republican and has been a prominent figure in county and state conventions.  Mrs. Pflaeging was well educated and qualified herself for the post of teaching.  Our subject and his estimable wife are both well respected people and are among the leading citizens of Chelan county.