William P. Winans lived to reach the age of eighty-one years and the long period was one of great usefulness and activity, characterized by rapid and substantial advance in business and by devotion to the general good. He was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, on the 28th of January, 1836, and was a little lad of ten years when his parents removed with their family to Pittsfield, Illinois, where he continued his education in the public schools. He had started on a business career in that state when ill health caused him to cross the plains. In his early boyhood he had worked on his father's farm and at the age of eighteen had become a clerk in a store, being thus employed through the succeeding five years. At the doctor's orders, however, he was forced to "get outdoors" and, attracted by the Pike's Peak excitement, he joined three companions, and with a prairie schooner and four yoke of oxen they started for Colorado. When within ten days of their destination they met a party of miners who were returning home and who had had an encounter with the Indians, some of them being wounded. The next day they met scores of other wagons with their owners retracing their steps and in one day passed over seven hundred wagons eastward bound. All told the same story—that it was not a poor man's district, for the gold was in quartz formation instead of being placer gold. One night when Mr. Winans and his companions camped he noticed that the wagon was headed east instead of west.
The next morning his partners, who were older than he, told him that they had decided to return, but Mr. Winans refused to go back, whereupon his companions unyoked his two oxen, turned them loose, put his blankets and his share of the provisions by the side of the road and left him. Next day, at noon, a wagon westward bound halted and the driver asked Mr. Winans why he was camped there and which way he was headed. Mr. Winans replied "westward." He joined forces with this man and eventually they reached Cherry creek, now the city of Denver, then containing about six or seven houses. One day a man by the name of George Grimes, who had previously lived in Oregon, said: "I am through here. I am going to Oregon. Do any of you fellows want to go along?" Mr. Winans responded, "I'll go," and selling his oxen, he bought a good saddle and two horses, one for a pack horse and the other for a riding horse. One plan which the party pursued on their way westward was to camp at night, build a fire, get supper and then move on in the dark for a mile and camp, so the Indians would not surprise them, learning of their whereabouts by means of the fire. At length Mr. Winans arrived in Oregon in September, 1859, and located on the Umatilla river, stacking the first grain in that vicinity. He also taught school in Umatilla county in the winter of 1860-61 and he served as a clerk of the first election in Oregon, which was held in 1860, the year in which Lincoln was elected president. In July, 1861, he removed to Fort Colville, Washington, and upon the organization of Spokane county was appointed deputy county auditor.
The next year he was elected to the position of auditor, in which capacity he served for two terms. He was afterwards appointed clerk for the United States district court for the district comprising Spokane and Missoula counties under Judge E. P. Oliphant. At a later period Mr. Winans engaged in merchandising and in 1866 he was again called to office, being elected county superintendent of schools. He aided in building the first schoolhouse north of the Snake river in a district that was two hundred by four hundred miles, lying between the Cascades and the Rockies and extending from Snake river to the Canadian border. With all of the early events which aided in shaping the history and developing the country he was closely associated. In 1867 he was called upon to represent Stevens county in the territorial legislature, serving during that and the succeeding year and again in 1871. In 1870 he was appointed sub-agent of the six non-treaty tribes of the Colville country, thus having to do with a group of Indians who had refused to make peace with the government. He took the part of the settlers against a proposed change of boundary of the Indian reservation and saved some valuable lands for the settlers—lands which they had been using for years and which they had brought under a high state of cultivation.
All during these years Mr. Winans was engaged in merchandising, but in 1871 disposed of his commercial interests in Colville and removed to Walla Walla, where he formed a partnership with Major R. R. Rees, thus establishing and conducting the largest store in Walla Walla in the early days. The business was originally carried on under the firm style of Rees & Winans and afterward was Johnson, Rees & Winans. Mr. Winans remained very active in the conduct of the business, which was developed to extensive proportions, but in 1890 he withdrew from mercantile interests and became president of the Farmers Savings Bank, which had been organized in September, 1889. The bank was opened at Second and Main streets, where it has since been located. In 1890 the bank was in temporary quarters while the old building was torn down and the new Rees-Winans building was erected. Mr. Winans remained president of the bank and active in the management of its affairs until his death. He was always found at his desk and seldom took a vacation. His life was one of intense and well directed activity and he never stopped short of the successful accomplishment of his purpose, while at all times the methods which he followed were those which would bear the closest investigation and scrutiny. He had extensive interests other than his connection with the Farmers Savings Bank and for thirty years he was one of the directors of the First National Bank of Walla Walla. His activities were ever of a character that contributed to the progress and prosperity of the community in which he lived as well as to the advancement of his individual fortunes.
On the 6th of October, 1869, Mr. Winans was married to Miss Lida Moore and to them were born three sons who are yet living, sketches of whom follow this. Mrs. Winans passed away December 4, 1876, and on the 20th of November, 1879, W. P. Winans was married to Miss Christine McRae, who survives him. They were the parents of three children. William Stiles Winans was born May 6, 1881, and died December 16, 1891. Freeman Earl Winans was born February 19, 1883, and married Miss Florence Ladd, November 23, 1908. He is department manager of the United States Rubber Company at Seattle. He is also a member of various fraternal orders. Sarah Jean Winans, born September 19, 1885, was married in 1909 to Major George Leroy Converse, Jr., Fourth Cavalry, U. S. A. She is the mother of two children, George Leroy IV and William Parkhurst Winans.
It was on Sunday, the 22d of April, 1917, that Mr. Winans passed away. He had attended church on that day and in the afternoon went for an auto trip to pick wild flowers, of which he was very fond. Death called him suddenly, his illness lasting less than an hour, and the news of his demise was received with the deepest regret because of the prominent part which he had taken in the public life of the community and by reason of the firm hold which he had upon the affection of his fellow townsmen. He was a most public-spirited citizen, interested in everything pertaining to general progress and improvement, and he lived to witness the remarkable transformation of the county as it emerged from pioneer conditions. The funeral services were held in the Presbyterian church and his remains were interred in Mountain View cemetery, the Knights Templar commandery attending in a body and officiating at the interment. Resolutions of respect were passed by the Farmers Savings Bank and the First National Bank, and memorial services were afterward held in the Presbyterian church, in which speeches were delivered paying high tribute to Mr. Winans as a citizen, as a business man, as a Mason, as an educator and as a Christian. The children of the Sunday school, remembering his love for wild flowers, gathered many of the blossoms of the field to decorate his grave. Thus was ended a life of much usefulness, in which Walla Walla benefited greatly as the result of his public spirit and his devotion to high ideals.
GILBERT PARK WINANS.
Gilbert Park Winans, the eldest son of William P. Winans, was born January 25, 1870, at Fort Colville, near Spokane, Washington, and when quite young removed with the family to Walla Walla, where he pursued his education. He was married in Vancouver, Washington, to Carrie Duckett, a daughter of Henry Duckett and a descendant of an old English family. They now have one child, Yancey Park. Gilbert P. Winans is a merchant and is prominent in fraternal circles, holding membership with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, being a past grand in the former, in which organization he has filled all of the chairs of the local lodge.