noblem
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The
Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties,
State of Washington", published by Western Historical Publishing
Co., 1904.
MARK NOBLE resides just west from Baird
and has one of the choicest estates in Washington. It is said that
Mr. Noble displays the best skill, judging from results obtained, of any
farmer in the country. Surely it may be said, that he has a model
farm and one in which a pardonable pride can be taken.
Mark Noble was born in Darby, England, on
May 9, 1852, the son of Mark and Mary (Graves) Noble, also natives of England.
The father was a miner and later came to the United States with his family
and made settlement in Ohio. Later he removed to Iowa and there remained
until his death. Our subject was educated in the parochial schools
of the Episcopal church in England and in 1870 came to the United States.
His younger brother came with him and they stopped for a time at Letona,
Ohio, and wrought in the iron and coal mines. Several years were
thus spent in different sections of that state and Pennsylvania, when Mr.
Noble secured a team and wagon and traveled to Centerville, Iowa.
In 1873, he went to Kansas, but was eaten out by grasshoppers and returned
to Iowa. Previous to this return, however, he spent some time in
Colorado hunting buffalo. He opened a coal mine in Adams county,
Iowa, and operated it for fourteen years. Then he purchased a farm
ten miles out from Creston, Iowa, and soon thereafter a cyclone tore all
the buildings to pieces. Again we find Mr. Noble in Kansas, after
that in Iowa, and later in Missouri as manager of the Santa Fe coal mines.
Finally he turned his face to the west and landed in Washington.
Stopping a time in Rockford, he then came to Spokane and did various work
until he located in Douglas county, where he lives now. In 1892,
he brought his family here and since then he has given every effort to
make his farm one of the best to be had. In the winters he would
go to Roslyn to earn money in the coal mines to continue his improvement.
The first winter he lost all his horses and this was a great set back as
it delayed him more than a year. However, Mr. Noble was possessed
of the grit that never gives up and he continued although the odds were
all against him. The result is that today he has a section and one-half
of choice wheat land, the best of improvements, plenty of cattle and horses
and everything that makes comfortable and valuable a first class Washington
ranch. He is one of the eminently successful men of the entire Big
Bend country. Mr. Noble has the following brothers and sisters, Samuel,
Thomas, Mrs. Elizabeth Maybe, Mrs. Mary A. Warr, Mrs. Rose Adams, and Mrs.
Jemima Lynam.
The marriage of Mr. Noble and Miss Elizabeth
A. Barrow occurred at Red Oak, Iowa, on September 10, 1873. Mrs.
Noble is the daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Barrow, natives of England,
and she was born in Lancastershire, England, on January 29, 1856.
To Mr. and Mrs. Noble, the following named children have been born; Emma
W., the wife of Robert G. Fraser, living in Spokane; Harriett L., wife
of R. Leighton, living near by, Minnie, wife of L. McDonald, near Baird;
Mark C.; Daisy; Elizabeth A.; Jessa; Myrtle B., and George S. The last
named died in Baird, in 1899. Mr. and Mrs. Noble are both members
of the Episcopalian church and are esteemed people. Mr. Noble constructed
all the irrigation ditches on the large Blythe ranch.
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