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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.


     FRED WALCH was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, on November 20, 1858.  His parents, George M. and Katherine Walch, were also natives of Germany and wealthy people. The father held public office most of his life. The mother came from a very prominent family.  Our subject was educated in Germany and worked for his father on the farm until he was twenty years of age.  Then came the trip to America, after which Mr. Walch settled in Portland, Oregon.  Being entirely without capital, he at once engaged to work for wages and continued in the same until the summer of 1886.  In that year, he came to his present location about two miles north from Lamona and took a homestead and timber culture claims.  He at once started to improve the farm, but owing to the fact that there was no market for farm products, he was obliged to go out and work for wages a portion of each year.  He soon bought more land and now has an estate of nine hundred and sixty acres, nearly all of which is good wheat land.  As soon as there was a market, he gave his entire attention to farming and has made an excellent success in this calling.  He has improved the place in a very becoming manner with buildings of all kinds, fences, windmills, orchards, and so forth, and is one of the very richest farmers of Lincoln county.  Mr. Walch uses each year a combined harvester and has the most approved machinery known for farm work.  He owns considerable property in addition to that mentioned and is a wealthy man.
     In 1887, Mr. Walch married Miss Anna Hamersmith, whose parents are  mentioned in another portion of this work.  To this union three children have been born, Conrad G., Jennie L., and Leonard L.
 

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