Mrs. Reser is a member of the Congregational church and is a lady of many admirable traits of character who enjoys the warm regard of a large circle of friends. Politically Mr. Reser gives his support to the democratic party. He served for some years as a member of the school board but has always preferred that his public service should be done as a private citizen rather than as an office holder. He stands loyally, however, for what he believes to be for the best interests of the community and through the long years of his residence in this county he has given his aid and influence in behalf of those projects and measures which he has believed would prove of greatest benefit to the section. The county to which he came in 1863 bore little resemblance to the highly developed district which is here seen today. He has witnessed all of the changes which have occurred in the interim and can speak with authority upon many events which have shaped the history of Walla Walla county.
GILBERT HUNT.
Gilbert Hunt solely through his own efforts gained a place among the industrial leaders of Walla Walla, being the head of a company known as the largest manufacturers of farm machinery in the northwest, and he was equally prominent in civic affairs, serving for three terms as mayor. He was born in Ryegate, Vermont, January 27, 1855, a son of Solomon Sherman and Katherine Hunt. He was reared in a home where as he studied he was taught to work hard, think deeply and live simply, and his life was characterized by the "plain living and high thinking" characteristic of New England. The family were in limited financial circumstances and he early began to do his part toward providing for his own support. The first work that he performed for others was pasturing the cattle of the villagers, driving them to pasture in the early morning and returning with them in the evening. Later he worked his way through the academy at Peacham and each week end walked home, a distance of ten miles, in order to give his father the benefit of his labor on Saturday.
GILBERT HUNT
In early manhood Mr. Hunt was employed for some time as a millwright, later engaged in the manufacture of washboards, and he was also for a time a furniture painter and an organ tuner. During these early years he had to contend not only against poverty but also against ill health and at length it became necessary that he have outdoor employment and accordingly he peddled tinware through the country. At length, having received very favorable reports of Walla Walla from the Rev. Cobleigh, pastor of the Congregational church here and formerly pastor of the church in McIndoes, Vermont, Mr. Hunt decided to try his fortune in this new western country. After a journey of three weeks he reached this city and found work in the Glasford planing mill, which, however, shut down in the autumn. Although somewhat discouraged, he was dissuaded from carrying out his determination of going elsewhere by a merchant of the city and gradually he gained a foothold and in time became the head of the Gilbert Hunt Company, one of the largest industrial concerns of the entire northwest and the largest producers of farm machinery in this section. Mr. Hunt not only proved himself an executive of great force but also a successful inventor and was the originator of the Pride of Washington thresher. The memory of his early struggles remained with him and when boys applied for work in the "Hunt shops" and the foreman said that they had no vacancies Mr. Hunt gave orders that work be found in some way in order to give the boys a chance.
This desire to be of assistance found expression in many ways and there was no project for the advancement of his city that failed to receive his hearty support. In many instances Mr. Hunt initiated and carried to successful completion movements for public improvements, such as the paving of the center business district, the extension of the water system providing for the present intake twelve miles above the city, the betterment of the sewage system, the securing of the Carnegie library and the establishment of public parks. He was one of the most effective workers for well advised publicity for Walla Walla and its surrounding territory and recognized the value of building up a reputation for Walla Walla as a good convention city. For three terms he served as mayor and one who knew him for thirty years said of him in that connection: "Gilbert Hunt brought to the office of mayor long training and experience in large business affairs and great executive and administrative ability. He was a man of fine presence, meeting people easily and agreeably, was informed as to his official duties, had a clear idea of the things to be done, and inspired confidence in his ability to do them."