fletcherj
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 F. FLETCHER, who resides
at Fletcher postoffice is one of the leading agriculturalists of that portion
of Adams county, was born on February 3, 1849, eight miles from Baltimore,
Maryland, his parents being Samuel and Mary Furniss Fletcher. The
father was engaged in milling until 1861, when he turned his attention
to farming, having migrated to Missouri in 1853. His death occurred
in Clark county, Missouri, in 1881, his wife having passed away in 1876.
He was of Scotch-Irish ancestry and the mother descended from English lineage.
Our subject received his education in the common schools of Missouri and
started in life for himself on the old home, being in partnership with
his brothers. This continued until he was thirty-two years of age.
In June, 1884, he came to Washington and located a pre-emption where he
now lives, four miles northwest from Fletcher. Later, he filed on
a homestead on the same land and has purchased since until he has eight
hundred acres. It is all fertile and good agricultural land and is
handled in a becoming manner. All improvements that are needed are
in evidence and Mr. Fletcher is counted one of the thrifty and substantial
men of this portion of the county.
On March 12, 1882, Mr. Fletcher was married
to Miss Armita McKee. Her father, Captain William McKee, a native
of Indiana married Elizabeth Duncan, who was born in Kentucky. He
was captain of the Seventh Missouri Cavalry and was killed on the battlefield
December 8, 1862. The G. A. R. of Clark county, Missouri, is named
William McKee post in his honor. Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher are the parents
of three children, William C., born June 26, 1885, now a student in the
Ritzville high school. He has also attended the Agricultural College
at Pullman; Ottis S., born December 24, 1888, also attending the Ritzville
high school; Nettie May, born April 21, 1893, at school. Mr. and
Mrs. Fletcher know by experience the pioneer life and the hardships connected
with the same but being possessed of strength and enterprise they have
weathered all those trying times and manifested meanwhile an uprightness
and stability that commend them to all worthy people. During the
twenty years of Mr. Fletcher's residence here, he has been justice of the
peace eighteen years. He or his wife has been director for fifteen
years. They are very enthusiastic laborers for educational advancement
and in fact for everything that tends to build up the country and develop
it. They are worthy and substantial people and always keep fully
abreast of the times. Politically, Mr. Fletcher is a Democrat while
in fraternal relations, he is affiliated with the I. O. O. F. He
is a member of the Baptist church and Mrs. Fletcher is an earnest worker
in the Christian denomination. Our subject has the following named
brothers and sisters, Jane Shuler, deceased; Malissa Gammon, at Pomeroy,
Washington; Amanda Thompson, at Pomeroy; Ann Anderson, Leavenworth, Kansas;
Pheby Jeffrey in California; Ella Best, Lind, Washington; John T., in Clark
county, Missouri; James, who died in a military prison, in 1862; Benjamin
P., Bluff City, Kansas. Mr. Fletcher has three brothers and two sisters
and one half-brother, who are named as follows: Edward, William C., John,
Mary and Nettie, deceased,Colwell Smith, all of Clark county, Missouri.
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