mcinnisd
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.
DONALD McINNIS, who resides three
and a half miles north of Larene, Washington, was born December 20, 1855,
in Ontario, Canada. His parents were Donald and Margaret (McDonald)
McInnis, both natives of Scotland. The father died at the age of
seventy-years, in 1900; and the mother, who is now sixty-five years old,
is living in Ontario. Mr. McInnis has five brothers and one sister,
and one sister who is dead; Malcolm, in Davenport; Hugh, at Detroit, Michigan;
Jack, of Harrington, Washington; Alexander, of the same place; John N.,
in Ontario; Mrs. Sarah A. Beaten, in Ontario; and Mrs. Catharine McClure,
deceased.
Donald McInnis came to the United States
in 1880, and went direct to San Francisco. In the following spring
he settled on his present homestead, at a time when few settlers had arrived
in this vicinity. Being in very stringent financial circumstances
he was compelled to seek work by the day for money with which to improve
his home. He worked for a time in a saw mill near Spokane, then went
to a mill on the line of the Northern Pacific railroad in Idaho, where
he drove oxen. His early struggles were made especially hard by the
high price he had to pay for all his implements, and so forth. For
instance, the ordinary plow cost at that time fifty dollars, other implements
in proportion. However, by dint of hard labor and careful management,
he gained rapidly, until now he is one of the well-to-do farmers of his
county. He owns six hundred and forty acres, nearly all choice grain
land, well improved and in a high state of cultivation. He has an
especially large house, good barn and outbuildings, telephone connections
with the outside world, and, in fact, all the modern conveniences.
In addition to these possessions he owns three hundred and twenty acres
of farming land near Almira.
February 18, 1889, Donald McInnis was married
to Christy McDonald, a native of Ontario, whom he knew, and with whom he
attended school in his childhood days. She is the daughter of John
and Anna McDonald, both of whom are still living in their old home in Ontario.
Mrs. McInnis' brothers and sisters are: William, of North Dakota; Murdock,
in Duluth; John, in Ontario; Mrs. Sarah McSween; Mary McDonald; and Mrs.
Anna McInnis. One brother, Daniel is dead.
One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. McInnis,
William D., on July 3, 1892.
Mr. McInnis is known as one of the most thrifty
and enterprising farmers in Lincoln county, being thoroughly progressive
and up-to-date in all his methods.
He is a member in high standing of the Woodmen
of the World.
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