Mr. Minnick endorses the basic principles of the democratic party but on occasion votes independently, believing that the general welfare is of far more importance than party success. For four years he was state democratic committeeman from this district and his influence was strongly felt on the side of progress and clean government. He belongs to the United Artisans, and both he and his wife hold membership in the Christian church. Following his marriage he maintained his home in Waitsburg until 1914, when he removed to Walla Walla, where he has a residence at No. 216 Fulton street. For several years past he and his family have spent the winters in Los Angeles, California. He is one of the substantial men of Walla Walla and such is his efficiency and ability that he is able to keep all of his business affairs well in hand and yet find time to enjoy the worth-while pleasures of life. He has been a factor in the advancement of his community, being always ready to give not only of his means but also of his thought and time to the promotion of projects for the public good.
JOHN FORGEY.
John Forgey is numbered among the pioneer settlers of Asotin county who have contributed in marked measure to its material development and upbuilding and also to its progress and improvement along social, political and moral lines. He was born near Albany, Linn county, Oregon, August 9, 1865, a son of George and Martha (Shear) Forgey. The father, a native of Indiana, came to the west with an uncle when eleven years of age and settled in the Willamette valley, where he followed farming. He and his wife are now living with a daughter, Mrs. Phoebe Ramsey, in Linn county, Oregon, Mr. Forgey having retired from active business. In their family were the following children: Bellzena, who married James Newman, of Linn county, Oregon; Grover, who married Miss Margaret Milsaps and resides in Astoria, Oregon; Emma, the deceased wife of W. G. Dagget; two who died infancy; Phoebe, the wife of Alvin Ramsey; and Fred, who died at the age of eighteen years, being accidentally shot while hunting.
John Forgey of this review was but six years of age when brought by his parents to Washington, the family home being established in Ellensburg, where they lived for twelve years. In 1882 they came to Asotin county, where they took up their abode upon a homestead claim. John Forgey obtained his education in one of the old-time log schoolhouses and in the schools of Asotin. When twenty-one years of age he began farming independently and previous experience well qualified him for the work which he undertook. He first secured a preemption claim of one hundred and sixty acres but did not prove up on it. Later he bought three hundred and twenty acres, which he developed, bringing his land under a high state of cultivation, and afterward he bought another tract of one hundred and sixty acres, which he still owns. It is eleven miles south of Asotin and is largely devoted to wheat raising, extensive crops being annually gathered. Mr. Forgey makes his home in the city of Asotin during the winter months and in the summer resides upon the farm and manages his property.
On the 10th of October, 1886, Mr. Forgey was married to Miss Sadie Milsaps, a daughter of Robert and Holly (Carpenter) Milsaps, of a prominent old family of Asotin county, to which they removed from Missouri. Mrs. Forgey crossed the plains with her parents by mule team in 1885, the trip taking three months and eleven days. They arrived in Asotin county on the 31st of August of the same year and camped at what is known as the old Wamsley place on Ten Mile creek until October 1, moving from there to Asotin Flat, where they settled on a homestead, Mrs. Forgey residing there until married in 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Forgey have become the parents of the following named: Bellzena, who is the wife of Ben Moody, a farmer of Asotin county; Alva, who died in infancy; Joe, who was married in 1914 to Esther Hardy and follows farming in Montana; Jessie, who died in infancy; and Dell, who was a volunteer in the National Guard and then was transferred to the regular army, now serving in Company E, One Hundred and Sixteenth United States Engineers, in France.
Mr. Forgey and his family are members of the Christian church and are loyal adherents of its teachings. In politics he is a republican where national issues are involved, but casts an independent local ballot, supporting men and measures rather than party. Fraternally he is connected with the Woodmen of the World. He has been a resident of Asotin county for thirty-five years, having arrived when the work of development seemed scarcely begun in this section of the state. He has seen the little village grow to a nice town and has assisted largely in its upbuilding and progress. He now has an attractive home on Main street, in which he spends the winter months. He is a substantial citizen, loyal at all times to the best interests of community and of state, and as a business man he has a record for thorough reliability and enterprise, his success being attributable entirely to his persistency of purpose and his indefatigable energy intelligently directed.
L. C. CORBETT.
L. C. Corbett, who is well known as a dealer in grain and fuel and a fire insurance agent of Huntsville, Columbia county, was born in Canada, October 19, 1851. An account of the lives of his parents, John and Jane (Lewis) Corbett, is found elsewhere in this work. Our subject was reared in the Dominion and received excellent educational opportunities, graduating from Toronto University. For five years he was engaged in public school work, and for twenty years he taught in high schools and collegiate institutes in Canada as instructor in modern languages. In 1904 he came to Columbia county, Washington, and became bookkeeper and secretary for Corbett Brothers, at Huntsville. In 1907 he was joined by his family and has since made his home in Huntsville. He was in partnership with his brother until 1915, when their business connections were severed and Mr. Corbett of this review took over the warehouse which he now owns. He enjoys a large patronage as a dealer in grain and fuel, and has also built up a good insurance business. He owns an attractive residence surrounded by beautiful grounds, and is recognized as one of the substantial men of Huntsville.