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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.


     JAMES BURNETT VALENTINE is conducting a general merchandise establishment at Bridgeport, Washington.  Perhaps no other man has ever been in Douglas county, who is more popular with the public than Valentine, who deservedly holds this position as will be found when reading an account of his life.  As a business man, he is upright, progressive and skillful; as a citizen he is loyal, broad mined and very active with the upbuilding of the country.  In his social life he is a man who finds and retains many friends, both because of his geniality and his sterling worth.
     James B. Valentine was born In Montrose, Scotland, on January 26, 1868, the son of Stewart S. and Isabella (Grieve) Valentine, natives of Scotland, where they still reside.  Our subject received a good common school education and then learned the blacksmith trade.  In 1884, he emigrated to the United States and after a short stay in Boston, came on to Umatilla county, Oregon, where he worked at the blacksmith's trade until 1888.  In that year, Mr. Valentine came to Douglas county, locating a preemption and timber culture claim about twenty miles north from Waterville.  That was his home until 1897, in which year, he moved to Bridgeport and took up his present occupation.  In 1892, Mr. Valentine was elected to the sheriff's office of Douglas county, his name appearing on the Populist ticket, and his majority was just twelve votes.  Two years later, he was called to the same office by a regular landslide, almost everybody voting for him.  It had been ascertained in the two years previous that he was a man above reproach, and he brought to bear in the fulfillment of the important duties encumbant upon him in that capacity, a wealth of wisdom, courage, and integrity that made him a terror to evil doers and a friend of every peace loving and law abiding citizen of the county.  Many were the desperate characters whom he captured, among them being E. A. Henderson, Del Woods, and Bill Gibbon, a gang of horse thieves and outlaws, who had been terrorizing the country for years but found a short end under Mr. Valentine's term of office.  Perhaps no man ever left an office in Douglas county with so many regrets from the people as did Mr. Valentine at the expiration of his second term.  Unold good has resulted from this excellent demonstration and crooks and thieves learned to cease their operations in this section.
     At Wenatchee, on October 29, 1899, Mr. Valentine married Mrs. Frances A. Scully.  Her parents were W. D. and Phoebe (Spencer) Reeder, natives of Missouri and Pennsylvania, respectively.  The father is a veteran of the Civil War and belongs to the G. A. R.  Mrs. Valentine was born in Davis county, Iowa, on September 30, 1864.  She has four brothers and one sister, Elwood, Charles E., William, John C., and Mrs. Martha J. Crammer.  To this union two children have been born: Isabella, on June 30, 1900; Etta Burnett, on August 10, 1903, both at Bridgeport.  By her former marriage Mrs. Valentine has five children, John W., Edward C., Elizabeth A., Henry, and Mrs. Alta G. Mackey.
Mr. Valentine has one brother, Charles W., who lives in Morrow county, Oregon, and several brothers and sisters in the old country.  He is a member of the M. W. A. and an adherent of the Presbyterian church.  Mr. Valentine is making excellent success of his present business and is one of the leading men of the county in business affairs and finance as well as otherwise.
 
 

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