Their son, Patrick J. Hughes, was educated in the public schools of his native country and on reaching young manhood came to the United States, crossing the Atlantic in 1891. He landed in New York city on the 7th or 8th of May in that year and spent one week in the metropolis. He afterward came to the west, arriving in Walla Walla, Washington, with a cash capital of fifteen dollars, which was his entire possession in the way of finances. He was met at the train by Chris Ennis, who had been a friend of his parents in Ireland and who took him to his home, making him welcome there, for a week, after which he put him to work on his ranch at the wage of a dollar per day. He continued to work for wages for nine years, during which time he saved in the neighborhood of two thousand dollars. With this capital he started upon an independent career as a farmer. His beginning was a modest one as he rented land from Mr. Ennis, thus cultivating fourteen hundred and eighty acres. This farm he has since operated under lease and about 1903 he bought his first land, becoming owner of what was known as the Hastings ranch of three hundred and eighty-five acres. To his original purchase he had added from time to time until he now has nine hundred and thirty acres in that place. In 1915 he bought the Osborn ranch of twelve hundred and forty-four acres, for which he paid eighty thousand dollars. In 1917 he bought eighteen hundred and eighty-nine acres, and it may be said to be a curious coincidence that this is the very farm on which he first worked at a dollar per day upon coming to this country. For this property Mr. Hughes paid the munificent figure of two hundred and eighty-three thousand, five hundred dollars, or a little more than one hundred and fifty dollars per acre. Such is the notable record of Mr. Hughes, who a little more than twenty years ago arrived in Walla Walla county a poor boy with fifteen dollars in his pocket. He has accomplished what few others have done in so short a space of time, making himself one of the wheat kings of the Inland Empire. Mr. Hughes also has three brothers in Walla Walla county and all of them are successful as ranchers.
In politics Mr. Hughes has always maintained an independent course, voting for men and measures rather than party. His religious faith is that of the Catholic church. He is one of Walla Walla's most esteemed and valued citizens. He belongs to that class of resourceful men, who when one avenue of opportunity seems closed carves out another path whereby he can reach the desired goal. In a word, obstacles and difficulties have never been allowed to brook his course, but have been overcome by persistent, earnest effort and steadily he has progressed, reaching a most enviable and creditable position among the prosperous residents of the Inland Empire. His record may well serve to inspire and encourage others, for it is a story of honesty and thrift, the story of successful accomplishment through individual effort.
HERBERT C. BRYSON.
Herbert C. Bryson has won a conspicuous and honorable position in the ranks of the legal fraternity at Walla Walla, Washington, and is also most prominently and successfully connected with the sheep raising industry of the northwest. He was born in Athena, Oregon, on the 10th of February, 1879, and the spirit of western enterprise finds expression in all that he does and says. He is a son of Charles K. and Armilda C. (Darland) Bryson, the former a native of Kentucky, while the latter was born in Iowa. They came with their respective parents to the northwest and were married in Oregon. The father was one of the pioneers of Umatilla county, where he arrived in the early '70s, and for many years he was actively engaged in farming there. He still survives and now makes his home with a daughter in Enterprise, Oregon. His wife, however, passed away in December, 1894.
Herbert C. Bryson was reared on the old homestead farm in Umatilla county, Oregon, and early became familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist, for his youthful days were divided between the work of the fields, the pleasures of the playground and the duties of the schoolroom. After attending the public schools of eastern Oregon he continued his studies in the State Normal at Weston, Oregon, and subsequently became a student in the University of Oregon, from which he was graduated with the class of 1899, winning the LL. B. degree. He had determined to make the practice of law his life work and his preparation therefore was most thorough. Following his graduation he opened an office in Grant's Pass, Oregon, where he entered upon the active work of the profession. In February, 1900, he came to Walla Walla, where he formed a law partnership with Oscar Cain, who was afterward United States attorney and is now located in Spokane. This partnership existed up to May, 1907, when Mr. Bryson was appointed deputy district attorney under Otto B. Rupp, in which capacity he served for two years. Since 1909 he has been practicing independently and in the intervening period of eight years he has gained a place in the front rank of the successful attorneys of Walla Walla county. He is thoroughly familiar with the principles of jurisprudence, is careful and painstaking in the preparation of his cases, is logical in his deductions and clear and sound in his reasoning. Aside from his law practice Mr. Bryson has gained a prominent position in connection with the sheep industry in the northwest. For a number of years he was actively engaged in the business in connection with Henry C. Adams, the pioneer banker and stockman of eastern Oregon and the founder of the town of Adams, Umatilla county. After the death of Mr. Adams in August, 1910, his interests were taken over by Mr. Bryson, their extensive sheep holdings including some twelve thousand acres of land and vast grazing privileges. His brother, Elmer D. Bryson, was placed in charge of the business, which in 1916 was incorporated under the name of the Bryson-Robison Corporation. This company has headquarters at Slater, Washington, with their large land holdings in Walla Walla county and their extensive grazing privileges in the Wenaha national forest in Oregon. This company is conducting the most extensive business in connection with sheep raising in northeastern Oregon or southeastern Washington. Mr. Bryson has closely studied every phase of the business and his intelligent direction of their interests has been a salient feature in their substantial success.
HERBERT C. BRYSON