Ragenj
Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
JOHN RAGEN resides six miles
south of Kipling, where he follows general farming and raising stock. He
has a good estate, and is possessed of considerable property. One of the
characteristics that impresses one who knows Mr. Ragen, is that of energy
and adaptability, which combine in a happy degree to form the western character
so well known as the "rustler." He was born in Kane county, Illinois, on
January 6, 1868, the son of Michael Ragen, a native of New York, who married
Miss Catherine Hopkins, a native of Castle Bar, Ireland. She came to the
United States when young and taught school and did bookkeeping work until
marriage. She died in 1875. The father started without means in his younger
days and began raising stock in Kane county, near Chicago, continuing the
same with good success for thirty years. He died on January 2, 1900, in
his sixty-eighth year. He possessed considerable property in Chicago and
lost heavily at the time of the big fire. He had been one of the earliest
pioneers in Kane county and brought the first horse team there. Our subject
was one of four children born to this worthy pioneer couple, the other
three being Mrs. Anna M. Maurer, Thomas, deceased, Michael W., deceased;
the former in 1874 and the latter at Walla Walla, January 2, 1897. The
early life of Mr. Ragen was spent in Kane county gaining an education and
assisting his father on the stock farm. In the spring of 1887, he went
to Salt Lake where he worked in the mines for a time then came on to Portland.
He speculated in real estate there for some time and made plenty of money.
Later we see him in Olympia and after that he opened ticket brokerage offices
in Spokane and along the line of the Great Northern to Seattle. After a
successful time at this he went to North Yakima, and there did well, buying
and selling state and school warrants. Next we find him in the ticket brokerage
business on the 0. R. & N. and in 1899, he went to the Coeur d'Alene
country and did mining. In December 1901, Mr. Ragen came to Okanogan county
and located his present place and since that time has given his attention
to raising stock and to general farming. He now owns the old family home
of his parents in Kane county, Illinois.
On May 28, 1900, Mr. Ragen married Miss May,
daughter of Peter and Margaret (Tardiff) Deschamp, and a native of Portage,
Wisconsin. Mrs. Ragen's parents were natives of Canada and are now dwelling
in Lewiston, Idaho. They are the parents of five children named as follows:
William, Mrs. Ragen, Charles E., Mrs. Elizabeth Pixley, Emeda. Mrs. Ragen
was liberally educated, and then located a hamestead near Nezperce, Idaho,
upon which she later proved up. She was also saleslady at Nezperce and
at North Yakima, Washington.