bardwelle
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.
ERNEST J. BARDWELL is a well-to-do
farmer residing one mile south and the same distance east of the post office
of Griffith, Adams county, Washington. Born in Kasota, Lesueur county,
Minnesota, September 11, 1874, he is a son of Chester R. and Mary E. (Van
Vleet) Bardwell, the former a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1844, and
the latter born in Illinois in 1848. The father was a member of the
Sixth Minnesota Infantry during the Civil war, served two years and was
mustered out of service at Fort Snelling, August 10, 1865. He was
under the command of General A. J. Smith of the Sixteenth Corps, as was
also a number of relatives of his, one of whom was killed in battle and
another wounded. After the war Chester Bardwell lived in Wisconsin
and Minnesota until coming to Washington in 1886. After coming here
he lived three years in Ritzville, then removed to the home of our subject
where he is now living. Besides the subject of this sketch, Mr. and
Mrs. Bardwell have four children, Mrs. Rhoda M. Egbers, Mrs. Eunice L.
Myers, Mrs. Blanche Lavender, and Alpheus A.
Ernest J. Bardwell received his early schooling
in the country schools of his native county, and after coming to this state
with his parents he attended the Ritzville schools, and spent a year in
Spokane business college, thus receiving a fair working education.
Until he became twenty-two years of age Mr. Bardwell lived with his parents,
since which time he has been farming for himself. He started out
by purchasing a half section of land in 1898, which with the half section
of his father he had previously rented, made him a whole section of land
which he farmed. In 1902 he added another section to his holdings.
He is now comfortably situated, engaged in the stock raising business in
connection with his farming. He also has a small but productive orchard.
Ernest J. Bardwell was married to Celia C.
Davis, daughter of T. J. Davis, in 1902.
In political matters Mr. Bardwell is a stanch
and active member of the Republican party. Mrs. Bardwell is a devout
Christian, and worships in the Christian church. On November 24,
1903, a daughter, Eva G., was born to Mr. and Mrs. Bardwell, and she is
an only child.
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