Darbyg
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.
GEORGE E. DARBY, who resides
about four miles south from Downs, is one of the leading stock men of the
Big Bend country and owns one of the largest estates in central Washington.
He was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on August 19, 1860, being the son
of John E. and Sarah (Bradshaw) Darby. The father was born in Connecticut
and followed carpentering. He journeyed to Chicago in the early seventies,
where he remained the balance of his life. His ancestors came to
the United States in 1650 and some of them participated in every war of
the colonies and of the United States. The mother of our subject
was the daughter of an English officer. She was born in Quebec and
came to New England when a girl. George E. went with friends of the
family via the Isthmus to California when a mere boy and received his education
from the common schools of that frontier country. He lived chiefly
in Santa Cruz. For a time, he worked in a California powder manufactory
and in 1883, came to Portland. The following year, he was in Spokane
and also joined the rush of prospectors to the Coeur d' Alene country.
For sometime he continued prospecting and mining in that section and northern
Washington and was the first man on the ground of the Old Dominion mine,
located near Colville, Washington. He also prospected some in the
Okanogan country. Mr. Darby has interests in the Slate creek mines.
and in other places. He owns a part also of the Mammoth group.
After sometime at mining, he went into business in Spokane and continued
there until 1896, in which year he bought a three-fourths interest in what
is known as the Lamona ranch. This ranch is said to be the first
one taken on Crab creek. John H. Lamona located it in 1871.
It consists of twenty-four hundred acres of land beautifully situated on
Crab creek. The creek at this point is plentifully supplied with
trout and the location of the place and its environments, make it one of
the most beautiful in this whole country. A number of hundred acres
lie on the level bottom while considerable is devoted to pasture and wheat
raising. Mr. Darby has supplied the place with excellent farm buildings
and every convenience known to a general stock farm. Two years since,
he bought the other quarter interest and now owns the entire estate.
He has a great many cattle and horses and has made a good success in his
labors.
BACK