Shotwellj
Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
JACOB A. SHOTWELL, one of Chelan
county's enterprising and progressive business men, dividing his residence
between Wenatchee and Mission, was born in LaPorte county, Indiana, March
21, 1851. His father, Eden Shotwell, a native of Shotwell's Landing,
Massachusetts, was of old and distinguished New England ancestry.
The mother, Ann (Haas) Shotwell, deceased, was born in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Our subject was reared and educated in Illinois
and Kansas. On gaining his majority he filed on a quarter section
of land in Kansas, where he continued agricultural pursuits for thirteen
years, being principally engaged in the stock business. He then came
to The Dalles, Oregon, and for two years found employment in a machine
shop. Five years later he came to his present home in Chelan county,
purchased three hundred and twenty acres of railroad land, of which he
has since disposed of a portion. He now has one hundred and sixty
acres under cultivation, devoted to alfalfa, orchard and pasture.
He was awarded the first prize at the state fair for Arkansaw Black and
Bellflower apples. In 1901 he associated himself in partnership with
John McCartney in the meat business at Wenatchee. He winters between
one hundred and fifty and two hundred head of cattle and many sheep, putting
up three hundred tons of hay each season. Mr. Shotwell has three
brothers and two sisters, Nathan T., a farmer, residing near Mission; Joseph
P.; Harvey, a civil engineer, residing at Seattle; Susan E., wife of James
Welch; and Kate, wife of Mr. Mustetter, of Bennett, Nebraska.
March 3, 1872, at Crawfordsville, Kansas,
our subject was united in marriage to Susan Canfield, a native of Illinois.
To them have been born seven children: Harry T., mentioned elsewhere in
this work; Lora, wife of Thomas McDonald, of Madera, California; Frank;
Nora; Ralph; Lyman and Grace, at present residing with their parents.
Mr. Shotwell, associated with his son Harry,
built the first irrigation ditch in this vicinity, five miles in length,
with laterals. This they disposed of to the Wenatchee Power &
Water Company, and it was extended to Wenatchee. Our subject organized
the company, investing every dollar he possessed in the enterprise.
The original company consisted of Mr. Holmes, T. Hughes, Louis Titchnel,
Mr. Wilcox, Mr. Withrow, Dan Kane, Hans Hansen, A. S. Burbank, J. P. Shotwell
and our subject and his son, Harry L. It was incorporated as the North
Wenatchee Ditch Company, capital $10,000. In April, 1902, they sold
out to the new company, taking water rights in payment for their stock.
Fraternally Mr. Shotwell is a member of the
K. 0. T. M. Politically he is a Republican.