Henry Schneckloth was largely educated in his native country, attending the city schools of Davenport for but one year after his emigration to the United States with his parents, at which time he was a youth of thirteen. On reaching man's estate he began farming on his own account and cultivated rented land in Scott county, Iowa, until 1881, when he came west to Washington. Here he purchased his present home farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Garfield county, for which he paid four thousand dollars and on which he has remained continuously throughout the intervening period of thirty-six years. As his financial resources have increased, owing to his unremitting industry and capable management, he has made additional purchase from time to time until his holdings now embrace eleven hundred acres of productive land. His success is well merited and he enjoys an enviable reputation as one of the representative and wealthy agriculturists of the community.
In 1867, in Scott county, Iowa, Mr. Schneckloth was joined in wedlock to Miss Margaret Kuhl, who was a native of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and came to the United States in young womanhood. By her marriage she became the mother of eight children, as follows: James H., who is serving as postmaster at Pomeroy, Washington; Gustav P., a farmer of Garfield county; William J., who is serving as sheriff of Garfield county; Katie, who is the wife of A. L. Shelton, a farmer of Garfield county; Herman O., who is deceased; Helen, the wife of W. H. Morrison, of Walla Walla, Washington; Adolph J., who follows farming in Idaho; and Emil R., who operates the home farm. The wife and mother passed away on the 27th of July, 1915, and her demise was the occasion of deep and widespread regret.
In his political views Mr. Schneckloth is independent, supporting men and measures rather than party. His religious faith is that of the Lutheran church, of which he is a loyal and devoted member. He also belongs to the Farmers Union. His life has been upright and honorable in every relation and his many sterling traits of character have won him the warm regard and friendship of all with whom he has been associated.
CHARLES F. DEMENT.
Charles F. Dement, who is serving for the second term as county auditor of Walla Walla county, was born February 8, 1880, in the city of Walla Walla, a son of Frank S. Dement, who is mentioned at length on another page of this work and who ranks with the leading business men of the northwest, being prominently connected with the milling business and the grain trade.
The son pursued his common school education in Walla Walla and passed through consecutive grades to the high school. Later he became a student in the Shattuck Military Academy at Faribault, Minnesota, where he remained for three years, and later he spent two years as a student in Whitman College of this state. When his textbooks were put aside he was appointed to the position of deputy state grain inspector, in which capacity he served for a year. Later he was made deputy county auditor and such was the excellent record which he made in that position that he was nominated by the republican party for the position of county auditor, was elected and has since been re-elected, so that he is now serving for the second term. He has also been clerk of the board of county commissioners, has been county sealer of weights and measures and in all these offices has discharged his duties with notable promptness, efficiency and fidelity. Over the record of his public career there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil. He is actuated by a public-spirited devotion to the general good and in discharging his duties is thoroughly prompt and reliable.
Mr. Dement belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and is also a Blue Lodge Mason, while his name is likewise enrolled on the membership list of the Knights of the Maccabees. He is well known in Walla Walla, where his entire life has been passed, and such are his salient characteristics that he has won wide personal popularity as well as prominence in office.
SQUIRE T. PRATHER.