Holcomb
Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
PEARL P. HOLCOMB. Though
a young man, the subject of this article is one of the leading spirits
and enterprising citizens of Wenatchee, Chelan county, where he is engaged
successfully in the mercantile business. He is a native of Iowa,
having been born in Boone county, January 10, 1871. His father is
Benjamin B. Holcomb, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere, and his mother
is Susie Holcomb, a native of Ohio. They were early pioneeers in
the Wenatchee Valley.
Until the age of fifteen years our subject
was reared and educated in Iowa. One summer was passed in Nebraska,
with his family, and then for the following five years he resided in Kansas.
In 1890 he came to Washington, and entered the employment of Hinchliff
Brothers & Gildea, with whom he remained eighteen months. Following
the "big fire" in Spokane, he returned to Kansas, and in the fall of 1890,
he came with the family to Spangle, Washington, where for a few months
he worked as a clerk. He attended the Spokane Business College for
one winter, and the following summer worked on a farm. Following his graduation
from the business college he engaged in various employments, and in the
meantime his family had moved to Wenatchee, where he joined them in the
winter of 1893. Again in the spring following he was in the employment
of Hinchliff Brothers, at Elverton, Whitman county, remaining with them
one year. Returning to Wenatchee he was associated with George W.
Kline, as assistant postmaster, two years, and was then with D. A. Beal
for one year. In March, 1899, he formed a partnership with J. S.
Albin, in the general mercantile business, and six months afterwards purchased
the latter's interest. Mr. Holcolmb has two sisters, Ida Garrett
and Nettie Phipps.
At Spokane, March 7, 1896, he was united in
marriage to Mattie E. Downing, a native of Washington, born in Whitman
county. Her father, E. M. Downing, was the pioneer merchant of Colfax,
Whitman county, and crossed the plains at an early day. He at present
resides at Gifford, Idaho. The mother, Mollie (Hinchliff) Downing,
was a native of Missouri, and died in 1894. April 26, 1901, Mrs.
Holcomb was called from earth leaving one child, Guy H., aged six years.
Our subject is, fraternally, a member of the
Odd Fellows and the Maccabees. He is a Republican, was a delegate
to the last county convention, was a member of the city council three years,
city clerk one term, and takes a lively interest in local politics.