J. A. Jonas was reared upon the home farm and was educated in the district schools. In 1888 he started upon his business career a horse raiser and from that point gradually worked into farming, which he carried on upon leased school and railroad land. In 1891 he purchased six hundred acres of such land, but the widespread financial panic of 1893 swept away the profits of five years' work. His land, however, was bought under contract and he was to hold that. In 1895 or 1896 he had finished his payments upon the property and in 1905 he bought two hundred and forty acres adjoining. In 1909 he disposed of his landed holdings for fifty-four thousand dollars and in 1910 he purchased an interest in the mercantile business of the J. N. Gravelle Company of Waitsburg, at which time the style of the firm was changed to the Gravelle-Jonas Company. In 1911, L. R. Perrine purchased Mr. Gravelle's interest in the business and the present firm, known as the Perrine-Jonas Company, thus came into existence. They conduct a general mercantile business and are ranked among the leading firms in this line in Walla Walla county, carrying a fine stock of goods, while their reasonable prices, honorable dealing and earnest desire to please their patrons have secured to them a very gratifying trade.
On the 1st of January, 1888, Mr. Jonas was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary A. Kinder, of Waitsburg, by whom he has three children, namely: Beulah I., May I. and Ethel. Mr. Jonas gives his political allegiance to the republican party, while fraternally he is identified with the Masons, belonging to Waitsburg Lodge, No. 16, F. & A. M.; Dayton Chapter, No. 5, R. A. M.; Walla Walla Commandery, K. T.; El Katif Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Spokane; and Waitsburg Chapter, No. 9, O. E. S., of which his wife is also a member. Mr. Jonas is now worthy patron of the Star, a position which he has occupied for the past ten years, and his wife is worthy matron. He is also identified with the Woodmen of the World and Mrs. Jonas holds membership in the Christian church. They rank among the leading and influential residents of Waitsburg, having much to do with its material, social, intellectual and moral progress, and they enjoy the highest respect of all who know them.
FRANK NEACE.
Frank Neace, who is actively engaged in farming in Columbia county, was born in Walla Walla, Washington, on the 19th of October, 1875, and has always been a resident of this state. The spirit of western enterprise which has been the dominant factor in the upbuilding of the Pacific coast country has been manifest throughout his entire career. He has worked with steady purpose to accomplish desired results and has attained a substantial measure of success. He is a son of Louis Neace, of whom extended mention is made elsewhere in this work, and while spending his youthful days under the parental roof he attended the public schools and also continued his education in the Waitsburg Academy. On reaching manhood he became associated with his brothers and father in the conduct of extensive farming operations and in 1903 located on the farm on which his brother Louis now resides and which was then owned by the father. For five years he cultivated about one thousand acres of land in that place and in 1908 he removed to his present home farm, which was then also owned by the father and which became his property after the father's death. His farm comprises thirteen hundred acres of land, which he cultivates to grain and his broad fields present an attractive picture giving proof of the industry and ability of their owner. Mr. Neace keeps in touch with the most progressive methods of soil cultivation and development and has added to his farm many modern improvements, so that the place is now splendidly equipped with all the accessories and conveniences known to the model farm of the twentieth century.
In 1903 Mr. Neace was united in marriage to Miss Katy Fulton, of Milton, Oregon, who is a graduate of the commercial department of Columbia College. Mr. Neace belongs to Touchet Lodge, No. 70, K. P., of Waitsburg, and he is widely and favorably known not only among his fraternal brethren but by the general public as a substantial and influential citizen, his life record being such as to commend him to the regard and confidence of all with whom he has been associated.
JAMES STOTT KERSHAW.
Among the residents of Walla Walla whose memory goes back to the pioneer days of this section is James Stott Kershaw, who became a resident of Walla Walla county in 1861. He at once turned his attention to farming, resolutely continuing the work of cultivating the fields in spite of many hardships, and at length prosperity began to reward his labors. He is now in excellent circumstances and is living retired, enjoying the comforts of life. He has reached an advanced age but is still hale and hearty and young in spirit and interests.
His birth occurred in Yorkshire, England, July 5, 1835, and he is a son of John and Mary (Dewhurst) Kershaw. The father passed away in 1841 and in the following year the mother came with her four children to the United States. They went to Carbondale, Pennsylvania, where an uncle of Mrs. Kershaw's was living. Ten days after the arrival of the family, however, the uncle died and the mother removed with her family to Wahpeton Falls, New York, where she and her children worked in factories engaged in the manufacture of cotton prints. While thus employed the oldest daughter, Hannah, at that time eleven years of age, was drowned in the creek in which she had been washing the blocks from which the calicoes were printed. A short time after this tragedy the family removed to Fall River, Massachusetts, where James S. Kershaw learned the carpenter's trade, while the other sons worked in factories. The mother also did whatever work she could find to do and thus by common effort the family succeeded in making a living. On July 28, 1856, they removed to Belvidere, Illinois, traveling by ocean, river and the Erie canal. They found that the middle west offered the opportunities which they had expected to find and James S. Kershaw soon found work at his trade, while his two brothers became farm hands. In a short time they had saved enough money to buy an acre of ground and built a small house thereon. In 1859 our subject started for Pike's Peak but on reaching the Missouri river heard such bad reports of that region that he and three companions turned back, while one proceeded westward.