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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.


     PERCY G. MALTBIE is one of the young and prosperous business men of Douglas county.  He has been engaged in various lines as will be noticed by the following and is now in company with D. O. Friel and his brother, A. M. Maltbie, in the hardware and furnishing business in Wilsoncreek.  They carry a full line of shelf hardware and furniture, together with house furnishing goods, and have a thriving trade.
     Percy G. Maltbie was born in Allamakee county, Iowa, on August 12, 1868, being the son of James D. and Achsah (Wright) Maltbie, natives of New York and Michigan, respectively.  The father served in the Twenty-seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with distinction, then came west and died at Waterville, Washington.  Our subject was educated in the public schools of Nebraska, finishing in the high school.  In 1886, he moved with his father and family to Washington and settled near Waterville.  He was engaged in farming for some time.  In the spring of 1893 he was elected marshal of Waterville, which position he held for two years.  After this term of office, Mr. Maltbie engaged in the hardware business with Mr. C. A. Carpenter, where he remained for a year.  He then turned his attention to prospecting near Republic, continuing the same for one year.  After that he returned and in 1898 joined Company D, of the Independent Battalion of the Washington Volunteer Infantry.  He was elected captain of the company, which consisted of one hundred and five men, mostly from Douglas county, and they were ordered to Tacoma, where the were mustered into the service.  As soon as enlisted they were sent to Vancouver, where they continued until October 28, 1898, at which time they were mustered out, having been in the service for five months.  If they had gone to the front, they would have been a part of the Second Washington Volunteer Infantry.  Immediately following his discharge from service, Mr. Maltbie returned to Waterville and opened a cigar store in company with his brother, A. N. Maltbie.  This was conducted until 1902, when he sold out his interests and moved to Wilsoncreek and opened a hardware business.  His entire establishment was burned down, but with pluck, he and his partners rebuilt, putting in a larger store, and are now doing good business.
     Mr. Maltbie has two brothers, Albert L., a merchant in Waterville, and Appleton, county clerk of Douglas county, and one sister, Mrs. Jennie Sanford, of Okanogan county.
     At Vancouver, Washington, on March 29, 1900, Mr. Maltbie married Miss Elsie, daughter of James P. and Sarah (Mitchell) Smith, natives of Iowa.  To this union was born one child, Fanny A., on June 6, 1901, who died at the place of her birth, Waterville, on February 2, 1902.  Mrs. Maltbie was born in Dixon county, Nebraska, in 1881, and died at Vancouver, November 2, 1901.  Mr. Maltbie was thus called to mourn the loss of his entire family with a short time of each other and he knows something of the sorrows of this world.  He was raised under the influence the Christian church and is still a supporter of this organization, but is not an active member of any denomination.  At Spokane, on August 10, 1904, Mr. Maltbie married Miss Elfa Harrison.
 
 

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