Navarrei
Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
IGNATIUS A. NAVARRE, of Lakeside,
Chelan county, eminent in the profession of civil engineering and prominently
identified with the interests of the county, was born in Monroe, Michigan,
December 25, 1846. His father, Joseph G. Navarre, was the son of
Colonel Francis Navarre, justice of the old Northwest territory, when it
was under the French regime, and later American rule. During the
War of 1812 he commanded a regiment in which were enrolled thirty-seven
Navarres, descendants of the "white-plumed Henry of Navarre." He participated
in numerous battles, among which was that of the Thames, where Tecumseh
was killed, and General Winchester was his guest the day he surrendered
to Proctor. He was grandson of the first Navarre to settle in America,
who was deputized as administrator by the French government. Our
subject's father, Joseph G. Navarre, was a practicing attorney, having
been educated in Kentucky and practiced in Detroit, Michigan. He
died in 1861. The mother, Elizabeth (Martin) Navarre, was a native
of Pennsylvania, of illustrious ancestors. She died when our subject
was eighteen months old.
Until the age of fourteen Ignatius A. was
reared in Monroe county, Michigan, where he attended public schools and
was graduated with honors from St. Francis College, Loretto, Cambria county,
Pennsylvania. During the last year of the Civil war he enlisted in
the engineer corps, and after an honorable discharge he became a government
surveyor, in which vocation he remained for many years. In 1868,
while engaged in fortification work at Portland, Maine, he began the study
of law, and was admitted to the supreme court bar in 1873. In that
year he went to Olympia, Washington, worked at governmental surveys, went
to Seattle and entered the law office of McNaught & Leary, with whom
he remained two years. Subsequently he was employed two years in
British Columbia, in engineering work for the Dominion government.
He then practiced law at Yakima, Washington, and was probate judge of Yakima
county when it embraced Kittitas county. From 1883 until 1885 he
was engaged on contract surveying work for the government, on land that
is now divided between Douglas, Chelan and Okanogan counties.
In 1886 he filed on land on the beautiful
Lake Chelan and there he has since resided. He served as one of the
presidential electors during the Harrison campaign, the only one sent east
of the Cascade Mountains. He is a stanch Republican, and has served
as United States Commissioner. Mr. Navarre has served in various
governmental positions, was employed by the state to select lands and to
lay irrigating plans under the Corey law. At present he controls
about four hundred acres of land. He has two brothers, Charles F.
and Alexander T., and one sister, Mary F. Mackin, of Pittsburg. At
San Francisco, November 9, 1879, he was married to Miss Elizabeth E. Cooper.
born at Victoria, British Columbia. Her father, James 0. Cooper,
was a native of England, and an old sea captain. He was also agent
of marines and fisheries for the Dominion Government at Victoria.
He died at San Francisco, California, in 1898. The mother, Charlotte
0. Cooper, was a native of England. Mrs. Navarre has four brothers,
Charles V., George, Augustus and Vinter F., and two sisters, Jennie Hamfin
and Fanny Cooper.
Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
Navarre, Grace M. and Joseph R., both living at home. Joseph R. was
the first white child born on the shores of Lake Chelan.