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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.


     JAMES S. INKSTER, a prominent grain dealer and a progressive, enterprising citizen of Lincoln county, residing at Davenport, is a native of England.  He was born February 6, 1859, the son of John and Phillis (Pottinger) Inkster, natives of Shetland Island, Great Britain, sketches of whom appear elsewhere in their work.
     James S. Inkster, our subject, was reared in England and Shetland Island.  In 1865 he came to the United States with his family, and resided in Chicago about one year.  Removing to Kankakee county, Illinois, they remained there until 1877, going thence to the Willamette Valley, Oregon, where they lived three years.  In 1880 our subject came to Lincoln county, Washington, and engaged in farming until 1890.  He filed on homestead land, when he first arrived, located sixteen miles north of Davenport.  In 1890 he began dealing in grain in partnership with his brother Lawrence, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work, and James W. Dow.  Since 1898 he has been alone in the business, which is one of the most extensive in eastern Washington.  He operates two warehouses, one at Davenport and the other at Rocklyn, Lincoln county.  He owns five hundred and sixty acres of land mainly devoted to wheat, in Douglas county.  In partnership with his brother, Lawrence A., he is interested in residence property in Spokane and lots in Davenport, and a handsome one story and a half cottage in Davenport.  He is, also, interested in a water power property at Hawk creek, Lincoln county.
     September 5, 1894, Mr. Inkster was united in marriage, the ceremony being solemnized at Davenport, to Laura Gibson, a native of Missouri, the daughter of Oliver H. P. and Mary (De Atley) Gibson.  The father is a native of Pennsylvania; the mother of Virginia.  The father served in the Mexican War and now resides at Wilsoncreek, Douglas county.  The parents of the mother of Mrs. Inkster removed to Kentucky when she was six years of age, and later to Missouri.  Her father and seven sons served in the confederate army and he died in a union prison.  Mrs. Inkster has four brothers living, one of whom, Charles, is deputy treasurer of Lincoln county; mentioned elsewhere.  Mr. and Mrs. Inkster have three children, Bernardine, aged eight, Winnefred, six, and Ruth, three years old.
     Mr. Inkster is, politically, a Republican, and fraternally, a member of Davenport Lodge, No. 64, I. O. O. F., and the A. O. U. W.
 


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