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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.
WILLIAM RUBLE PASLAY is one of
the very skillful fruit growers in the Columbia valley. In 1903,
grapes raised on his ranch took the first prize at the Spokane Interstate
Fair. He has twenty-one acres put out to all kinds of fruit that
does well in this section such as apples, pears, peaches, grapes and prunes.
His ranch is two miles east from Pateros and adjoins a nice steamboat landing,
whence he ships his fruit to Wenatchee and to the coast towns. Mr.
Paslay is a very progressive and energetic fruit man and is one of the
rising men in this industry in this portion of the state.
William R. Paslay was born in Benton county,
Arkansas on September 13, 1898, the son of Thomas and Susannah (Ruble)
Paslay, natives of Kentucky and Virginia, respectively. He was educated
in the district schools of Barry county, Missouri, and remained there until
1878, when he moved to Washington and settled near Uniontown in Whitman
county. With others, he crossed the plains by teams and owing, to
the Bannock Indians, being on the war path, they had much trouble.
However, they arrived safely at their destination and took up farming on
a pre-emption until 1886, when he moved to Douglas county and secured his
present home place. His improvements on the farm show his thrift
and skill and he is one of the prosperous men of the section. Mr.
Paslay has two brothers and two sisters, George W., Thomas, Mrs. Eliza
Tutle and Mrs. Aneliza Adams.
In Barry county, Missouri, on April 9, 1876,
Mr. Paslay married Miss Mildred, the daughter of Berry and Pyrleey J. (Yandell)
Tuttle, natives of Illinois and Tennessee, respectively. The father
was a soldier in the Rebellion. To Mr. and Mrs. Paslay nine children
have been born, named as follows: Volley, Walter, Thomas, William T., Oscar,
Bessie, Pearl, Ruth, and Herbert. Mrs. Paslay was born in Kentucky,
in 1858. Mr. Paslay's father was a strong Union man and was forced
to remove from Arkansas during the troublous times. He settled in
Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Paslay are adherents of the Christian church.
*
*Since the above was written it has been learned that Mr. Paslay had
been for some time suffering with heart disease, which indirectly caused
his death on September 13, 1904. He was then aged forty-six years,
one month and twenty-eight days. Too much can scarcely be said in
commendation of the hearty spirit and worthy efforts displayed by Mr. Paslay
during his life here in Douglas county. With his brother, Morgan,
now also deceased, he braved the dangers and hardships of pioneer days,
overcame all obstacles and difficulties that were in the way, and they
were not few, and lived to show forth the one thing which he had done so
much to demonstrate, namely, that Douglas county can produce fruit second
to none in this favored state of Washington. He made a success of
life. He was warmly beloved by his friends, who were many, and respected
by all who knew him. As he lived, so he died and his works remain
to show the manner of man he was. In his death Douglas county lost
a noble citizen, his friends a stanch companion, and his family a loving
and wise father and husband.
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