Walla Walla Valley
I - Biographies

Henry Perry Isaacs

CHESTER D. IDE. - This prominent citizen and real-estate dealer of Spokane Falls, Washington, was born in Vermont in 1830. His first home in the far West was in Wisconsin, where he lived thirty years, and came to the Pacific slope in a wagon, following the line of construction of the Union Pacific, and being four and one-half months on the way. At Dayton, Washington Territory, he found work at his trade as carpenter and builder, and the next season took up a claim at Mondovi, then a wilderness, now a flourishing village. He remained four years on his farm, but, seeing the future of Spokane Falls, removed thither, interesting himself in its business and chiefly in its real estate.

A few years after his arrival, he built an elegant house on a commanding site, which, however, tempted the lightning, a stroke of which ignited and consumed it. Immediately rebuilding he has now a still finer residence, one of the best structures in the city, defended, we presume by a lightning rod. He has recently been engaged in the real-estate business on a large scale, having made two additions to the city; and latest of all he has, with Mr. Coffin, bought fifty acres within the city limits, which have now been on the market seven years. He has also been building stores for the use of those who enter into business there. The pressure for business accommodation has been so great as almost to leave many without a roof.

Not only in a private and business way has this gentleman been successful, but in the matter of public beneficence he has been at the front. He helped the Spokane College by the gift of fifteen acres of land, which soon realized eighteen hundred dollars, greatly assisting the institution. He has also devoted large sums to the Baptish church, which is now comfortably established in its fine edifice. Mr. Ide's faith in Spokane Falls is justified by its past remarkable growth, and with men of his character for citizens, its future cannot but be bright.

History of Pacific Northwest - Oregon and Washington
Volume II
387

HENRY INGALLS who lives in Spring Valley, five and a half miles south-west of Waitsburg, was born in Ohio, March 2, 1826. The early history of his father's family is given in connection with the biographies of T.P. Ingalls and his sister, Roxie Keiser, in this book; and the events of his early life will be passed without farther mention, than to note the fact that it was, like that of many other youths of our land, made up of the incidental occurrences common to the farmer's lad. On the first of January, 1849, he was married to Sarah J. Brents, of Pike county, Illinois, who was the sister of the present Delegate in Congress from Washington Territory. That year the newly married couple crossed the plains to Oregon, and settled on a farm in Clackamas county, where Mrs. Ingalls died, leaving three children, named Roxie, now deceased, William A., and Willis H. Mr. Ingalls was again married, this time to Mrs. Sarah Roop, of Clackamas county, Oregon, who died, leaving one child, named George, by a former marriage.

The present wife of Mr. Ingalls, whose maiden name was Margaret E. Kramer, was married to him January 2, 1865. She was the widow at that time of Calvin L. Murphy, and the mother of five children, named Florence E., Fannie, Horace J., Eva J., and Arthur C., of whom all are now living, except Fannie and Eva. In 1869, Mr. Ingalls left Oregon, and became a resident of Walla Walla county, and of Spring valley where he now lives. His land property consists of one 400 acre farm, one 200 acre farm, and 40 acres of timber in the Blue mountains. Nearly all of his two ranches are under cultivation and both are enclosed. A view of the home on the 400 acre farm accompanies this work, and it would be useless to attempt a description of that which the reader can so easily see. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Ingalls are Otis D. and Ira L.

Gilbert's Historic Sketches
Biographical Supplements
1882
Page 19

THEODORE P. INGALLS, the subject of this brief sketch, is the son of Israel and Mary Ingalls, both of whom were natives of Penobscot county, Maine, the father's date of birth being December 25, 1790, and the mother's November 9, 1795. The first home of Theodore's parents after their marriage was in their native county, from where they emigrated to Hamilton county, Ohio, in 1816, where they remained until 1831, when they again moved, this time to near Greenville, Bond county, Illinois. In this last mentioned home, Theodore P. Ingalls was born September 13, 1835, a few weeks after his father had been summoned to the mysterious unknown, by that scourge, the cholera, that swept the state that year. In 1837, Mrs. Ingalls moved with her family to Pittsfield, in Pike county, of the same state, and the family supported itself with the mother, by renting and working farms upon shares. Two sisters, Mrs. Roxie Keiser and Mrs. Elizabeth Butler, and three brothers, named Joseph W., Arthur and Henry Ingalls, had left home and become residents of Oregon in 1849, and, in 1852, Mrs. Ingalls concluded to cross the plains with her remaining children. It was at that year when the emigrant was pursued with famine and pestilence, and a sorry journey it proved to be to this family. Out of fourteen wagons, of which Mrs. Ingalls' was one, twenty-one persons died, and the sod of the plains became their last resting place. One of her own children, Lyman B., was among the number, and all of them were more or less affected. After reaching Oregon, Mrs. Ingalls settled in Clackamas county, where she lived a number of years, when she broke up keeping house, and ended her days at the home of one of her children. Theodore then started life for himself, working for wages, and, in 1856, joined the volunteer Oregon force, and served through the campaign of that summer in west Washington Territory. In the years that follows until 1867, he visited the mines of Yreka, California; Salmon river, Boise, and Granite creek, in what then was eastern Oregon, without meeting with any marked success. In 1867, February 27, he was married to Miss Kate Smith, of Clackamas county, Oregon. Mrs. Katy Ingalls is a native of Ohio, where she was born March 15, 1842. In 1871, Mr. Ingalls moved to Walla Walla county, in this territory, upon the farm where he now lives, in Spring valley, six miles south of Waitsburg. His property consists of 320 acres, all of which is fenced, and 240 of it being cultivated. For improvements see sketch in this book. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Ingalls is one by adoption named Minnie, born July 20, 1876.

Gilbert's Historic Sketches
Biographical Supplements
1882
Page 19,20

HENRY PERRY ISAACS. - Like many old settlers. Mr. Isaacs is so fully identified with Walla Walla, Washington, that the place would not be itself in his absence. In matters of public interest, such as schools, churches and general business enterprises, he has always had a leading part, and as the pioneer in the erection and operation of flour mills "East of the Mountains" deserves lengthy mention.

He was born in Philadelphia in 1822, of English and Scotch parentage. There he was educated, and absorbed with eagerness the great lessons of that time. he commence business when only seventeen years of age as an importing stationer; and in which he continued four years with success; when twenty-one he went out West to Indiana. As a thoughtful and impressible young man, he was deeply stirred by a great speech delivered by General Cass, at Fort Wayne, upon the opening of the Wabash and Erie Canal in 1843. Cass was one of the great spirits of the West; and he was among the first to foresee the gigantic strides soon to be made in our national development. He was acquainted personally with the Northwest; and he and Thos. H. Benton of the Senate were the foremost defenders of the American claim to Oregon. Young Isaacs must have gained from them much of the Western spirit.

In 1850 he went to Minnesota, but, not liking the climate, determined to push westward, even to the Pacific. In 1852, a year when gold hunters were going West in swarms, he crossed the plains, accomplishing the journey in ninety days, and made his first home near Salem. The "Webfoot" climate not precisely suiting him, and Indians bringing him glowing reports of gold mines in the interior, he started off the next year for the Upper Columbia. His trip was by canoe; and it is hardly necessary to add that he did not find the mines. The Indians deceived him or themselves, and knew nothing of precious metals. Being one in the country, however, and delighted with its climate, he determined to remain and await developments, establishing a trading-post meanwhile at The Dalles. He was successful, and continued in business until 1860.

That was the eventful year of his life; for it was then that he was married, his bride being Miss Lucie Fulton, daughter of Colonel James Fulton. He then went home to Philadelphia with the intention of settling down and remaining. But the West had gained too strong a hold upon his mind. The Eastern climate seemed to him unaccountably disagreeable. He came back to The Dalles in 1861, and in 1862 went to Walla Walla. there he put up a flouring mill, the second in the country, and opened a store. In these enterprises he has been successful. Like all the prominent business men of his section, he has multiplied his business, establishing himself at various distant points. In addition to the mill in Walla Walla, he built two others in Boise valley, and one in Colville valley, two hundred miles to the north. He also built the large mill at Prescott, in Walla Walla county, thus hastening the development of the country.

Mr. Isaacs is also a pioneer in the culture of grapes, and thinking that they can be grown with great success, even of as fine a quality as in California. He is enthusiastic in his praise of the climate in its beneficial effects upon bronchial troubles. He has seen many severely affected coming from abroad, who were cured simply by living at Walla Walla, breathing its healing air, and drinking only its pure, delicious water.

Of a fine and commanding figure, still erect and firm in his sixty-sixth year, and as able as ever for all active pursuits and business, Mr. Isaacs is one of the pillars of society in the city of his pride, and is regarded by all with the affection and esteem due one of such a worthy character and career. He has been selected for positions of public trust, being president of the Board of Trade for several years and a member of the legislative council in 1865, where he made himself known as strongly in favor of all public improvements, and as firmly in favor of woman's suffrage and local option.

History of Pacific Northwest - Oregon and Washington
Volume II
389