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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