Mr. Crawford is a Knight Templar Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine. He has taken a marked interest in the Walla Walla Commercial Club and served on its board of directors for some years and as its president for one year. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Presbyterian church and Mr. Crawford was on the building committee when the present house of worship was erected. He is a self-made man, able, forceful and successful, and can well be numbered among the builders of Walla Walla. Alert and enterprising, he seems to lose sight of no opportunity that will advance his legitimate business interests or will promote the welfare and upbuilding of the community at large. His keen sagacity has been an important element in public progress and Walla Walla honors him as one of her most valued and representative men.
GRANT LOW.
Grant Low, a resident farmer of Columbia county, living on section 3, township 10 north, range 40 east, is numbered among the native sons of North Carolina, his birth having occurred within the borders of the Old North state December 25, 1870. His parents were Samuel and Dillie (Proctor) Low, who were also natives of North Carolina, where they spent their entire lives, the father there conducting a plantation.
Grant Low was reared upon the old home farm until his sixteenth year, and acquired but a limited common school education. His parents died when he was a youth of ten years and he was placed with a guardian, for whom he worked for his board and clothes. He did not like the treatment he received, however, and at the age of sixteen he ran away from his foster parents and went to Missouri, where he was employed as a farm hand for three years. In July, 1889, he made his way westward to Dayton, Washington, where he arrived with a cash capital of but five dollars. His financial condition rendered it imperative that he secure immediate employment and soon afterward he began working for wages at farm labor, spending three years in that way. He next purchased a place of one hundred and sixty acres on credit. He did not have a cent with which to make an initial payment but he possessed courage and determination and was not afraid to work. Moreover, he recognized the eternal principle that industry wins. He began farming for himself and within the next five years was able to clear his place of all indebtedness. From that time forward he has steadily added to his holdings until he now has twelve hundred and forty acres in his home farm and he owns altogether forty-four hundred acres near Starbuck, in Columbia county, of which eighteen hundred acres is valuable farm land. He operates altogether three thousand acres of his own land and six hundred acres belonging to the Dwelly estate, which he farms under lease. He is one of the leading agriculturists of southeastern Washington, his business affairs having been most carefully managed and his investments most judiciously made. He employs progressive methods in the care and cultivation of his land and he has added many improvements to his farm, which is today valuable and which constitutes one of the attractive features in the landscape.
On December 3, 1891, Mr. Low was united in marriage to Miss Oral Monnett, of Covello, Columbia county, Washington, a daughter of Wallace Monnett and a sister of A. A. Monnett, one of the prominent business men of Dayton. Mr. and Mrs. Low became the parents of five children, four of whom survive, namely: Nellie, Josie, Alberta and Donald. All are at home.
Mr. Low gives his political allegiance to the republican party and is a stanch advocate of its principles but does not seek nor desire office as a reward for party fealty. He has always preferred to concentrate his efforts and attention upon his business affairs and, working steadily and persistently, he has gained a comfortable competence, being numbered among the leading and progressive agriculturists of Columbia county.
ANGUS McKAY.
Angus McKay, a well known and enterprising farmer of Walla Walla county, was born in Canada on the 13th of January, 1836, and is a son of Angus and Margaret (Campbell) McKay, both of Highland Scotch birth. In 1832 they crossed the Atlantic and settled in Canada, where they continued to make their home until called from this life. To them were born eight children but Angus is the only one of the number now living.