holcombc
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.
CLARENCE L. HOLCOMB, prosecuting
attorney of Adams county, is a native of Fort Branch, Indiana, born October
15, 1871. He is the son of Silas M. and Mary A. (Hopkins) Holcomb,
a brief history of whose families is incorporated with the sketch of our
subject's brother, Oscar R. Holcomb, to be found elsewhere, as is also
the names of Mr. Holcomb's brothers and sisters.
Mr. Holcomb's education was attained
in the graded and high schools of his native city, he having been graduated
from the latter institution in 1888, and later at the Indianapolis University,
from the law department of which he was graduated in 1895. After
his graduation from the high school he entered newspaper work, and for
two years was a member of the editorial staff of the Evansville Courier.
He read law and was admitted to the bar at Evansville in 1893,--two years
prior to his leaving the Indianapolis school. Immediately after graduating
he located and entered practice at Petersburg, Indiana, leaving there for
Ritzville in 1899. In the meantime he served one term as county attorney
of Pike county, Indiana, and was re-elected to that office in 1898, still
being its incumbent when he came to Ritzville on a vacation. He came
here to visit his brother, and, being so pleased with the future outlook
of the Big Bend, he decided to remain, so sent in his resignation as county
attorney of Pike county, and before the summer was over was acting as city
attorney of Ritzville, an office he has held continuously ever since.
In 1900 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Adams county, and was re-elected
in 1902, running ahead of his ticket at each election, and at the last
election he ran far beyond any other candidate except J. C. Shorno, who
was elected sheriff. Mr. Holcomb has always been an active and aggressive
Democrat, and did hard work for his party even before he was entitled to
vote, and as an official he has conducted himself in a manner that reflects
credit both upon himself and the party that placed him in his position.
On April 4, 1900, occurred the marriage of
C. L. Holcomb to Blanche Richardson, a native of Kansas, the marriage taking
place in Ritzville. Mrs. Holcomb is a daughter of David and Viola
(Hoffman) Richardson, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of
New York state. They are now living at Quincy, Douglas county, Washington,
where Mr. Richardson is an extensive land and townsite proprietor.
Mrs. Holcomb has one brother, Fred, agent of the Tacoma Warehouse &
Elevator Company, Ritzville. The sole issue of the marriage of Mr.
and Mrs. Holcomb is a little girl, Mary Clarice. Mr. Holcomb is a
member of Prairie Queen lodge, number thirty-six, K. of P., of which he
is past C. C., and also member of the grand lodge.
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