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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.


     MATTHEW BRISLAWN, who lives about seven miles northeast of Sprague on the old Colville road, is one of the wealthiest men of Lincoln county and every dollar has been gained by his careful industry and wise management.  Where he lives he has a section and one-half of first class grain land, all producing excellent crops of the cereals, one section of meadow land and pasture, one hundred and twenty-five head of fine thoroughbred cattle, forty-five head of horses and a large amount of farm machinery and everything needed on a large estate.  The place has a comfortable residence, supplied with plenty of good water, large barns, granaries and other buildings, several windmills and pumps and a perfect water-system, both for furnishing water to the stock and for irrigating purposes.  Everything about the estate shows the thrift and taste of its owner and while Mr. Brislawn is a man capable of handling large propositions as is evidenced by what he has done, there is no detail to small in reference to the estate, for him to consider and have properly executed.  He has shown himself, in the years of his residence here, a man of stability and real worth and has won the esteem, confidence and respect of all.
     Matthew Brislawn was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, on October 20,1850, the son of James and Anastasia (Magher) Brislawn, the former born in Ireland in 1813 and the later also a native of the Emerald Isle.  They were married in their native land and came to America in 1844.  Settlement was made in Iowa where the mother died in 1874 and the father died four years later, while enroute to Washington.  He had been a prominent citizen in Iowa and held public offices for many years.  Our subject was reared and educated in the Hawkeye state and remained on the farm with the father until twenty-three years of age.  Five years later he came to Walla Walla and then to Tucanon creek and the following spring moved down on the Pataha creek.   In the spring of 1879, Mr. Brislawn came thence and took a homestead where he now dwells.  Very few families were in the Big Bend country and twice a year they had to make pilgrimages to the towns of Colfax and Spokane for provisions.  He was one of the first two men who ran a thresher in the territory which now keeps over thirty modern machines during the threshing season.  Mr. Brislawn has the following brothers and sisters, Mrs. Ellen McGreevy, Michael J., Mrs. Elizabeth McNamara, Ferdinand and James F.
     On November 25, 1873, in Iowa, Mr. Brislawn married Miss Mary E., daughter of John and Margaret (Hughes) Cavanaugh, natives of Ireland and Massachusetts, respectively.  Mrs. Brislawn was born in Allegheny City, Pa., in 1854.  The father came to this country in 1840, and died in Iowa in 1878.  The mother died in 1856, while on her way to the west.  Mr. and Mrs. Brislawn have been the parents of eleven children, James F., John H., Michael T., Joseph W., Margaret C., Matthew P., Mary A., Lewis I., Anastacia C., Charlotte E. and Mark G.  Mr. Brislawn belongs to the Catholic Knights of America, while he and his wife are members of the Roman Catholic church.  It is interesting to note Mr. Brislawn's description of his capital when he came here.  He remarks that owned two or three head of cattle and was in debt for the team of horses that brought him and his family to the new land.  From such a beginning as this, we now see a wealthy and leading citizen of Lincoln county who has arrived at this position by virtue of his own labors and real worth
 
 

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