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.
THOMAS C. LAKIN has demonstrated
what could be done in the Big Bend country. Coming here without means
in 1879, he now owns in his own right four thousand acres of land, mostly
all raising grain, handles fourteen hundred acres which his brother in
Ohio owns, and also controls a section of well improved school land.
This entire property has been gained by the personal efforts of Mr. Lakin
which is sufficient evidence of the ability he possesses. When he
first saw this country, Mr. Lakin discerned its advantages and fertility
and from that moment determined to secure a good holding here. His
judgment was unerring and the immense yields of the Big Bend are but what
he said would come.
Thomas C. Lakin was
born in Clermont county, Ohio, the son of John and Mary (Bretney) Lakin,
natives of Kentucky and Ohio, respectively, and now deceased. Their
ancestors came from Maryland and were slave holders. The members
of the family which moved to the north renounced slave holding. The
parents were each about seventy-five when they died. Thomas C. is
next to the youngest of a family of twelve children and received a good
academic education. After that, he took a course in the Cincinnati
law school and was admitted to the bar. Then he turned his attention
to the work of the educator and later came to San Francisco. Thence
he journeyed to Portland and the sound and at Port Gamble taught for some
time. Then Mr. Lakin determined to search out the country east of
the Cascades and accordingly came to Ellensburg and thence via the Big
Bend to Spokane which was a small village of two hundred then, 1879.
The winter of 1879-80 was spent in Waitsburg, teaching and the next spring
he came to his present home place, about ten miles southeast from Harrington.
He started with a timber culture and a homestead and since that time has
given his attention to raising wheat and buying land. Never swerving
from his first decision, Mr. Lakin has shown his faith in the country by
his purchases and he has made no mistake. He found himself in debt
somewhat when he was starting and it became necessary to earn money and
so for a time, we find Mr. Lakin working on the Northern Pacific and the
O. R. & N. He has always been very active in promoting those
measures for the benefit of all and the building up of the country.
Politically, Mr. Lakin was Republican but joined the silver forces to support
Bryan and was president of the county Farmers Alliance. On one occasion
his name appeared for representative of his district in the state legislature.
Fraternally, he is affiliated with the I. O. O. F., the Rebekahs, and the
Encampment. He was one of the organizers of the pioneer association,
which is properly named the Pioneer and Historical Association of Lincoln
County. Mr. Lakin has evinced great interest in the working and growth
of this association and is its president at the present time. He
is also director of it as well as of the Sprague bank. Mr. Lakin
has improved all of his land in good shape and all the residences, barns,
wind mills, and other things needed are at hand. The returns of the
entire six thousand acres are mammoth and although he was verging onto
bankruptcy during the panic, still he managed to pull through and is now
one of the wealthy men of the state.