Mr. Brown has been a lifelong adherent to the democratic party and for twenty-five years he rendered capable service as a member of the school board. At the time of the Civil war he served in the Confederate army under General Cooper, and although he was at the front four years and took part in much hard fighting he came out without a scratch. Both he and his wife are members of the Christian church, whose teachings are the guiding principles of their lives. Mr. Brown was not only thrown upon his own resources at an early age but until he was twenty-four years old aided materially in the support of his parents. He is, therefore, a self-made man and is entitled to the credit given those who, through their own unaided efforts, have gained material success and an honored place in their community.
C. A. HALES.
Since 1892, C. A. Hales has been identified with the sheep industry in Washington and Oregon and is now senior partner in the firm of C. A. Hales & Sons, prominent sheep raisers of Walla Walla county. He resides on section 12, township 9 north, range 37 east, and has been a lifelong resident of the northwest, his birth having occurred in Marion county, Oregon, October 16, 1867, his parents being William H. and Lucinda (Turner) Hales. The father crossed the plains in 1851, when a young man of twenty-one years, and located near Portland, Oregon, when there were but one or two log cabins on the site of the present beautiful city. Later he went to California, where he followed mining for a number of years, and in 1873 he became a resident of Weston, Oregon, where he engaged in ranching and in the livestock business. He acquired extensive land holdings and became a prominent factor in the livestock industry in that section of the country, there remaining until his death, which occurred in 1887. His wife had crossed the plains with her parents in 1849, when but four years of age, the family home being established in Marion county, Oregon. She still survives and makes her home near that of her son, C. A. Hales, of this review.
In the common schools C. A. Hales acquired his education. He was but twenty years of age at the time of his father's death, at which time the latter's extensive and important business interests devolved upon the son. He had to assume the management of the large farm holdings and livestock interests, and though his responsibilities were heavy, he proved adequate to the demands placed upon him. In 1892 he turned his attention to the sheep industry and has in the course of years become one of the foremost sheep men of the northwest, running some twelve thousand head of sheep at the present time. His splendid business ability is demonstrated by his successful control of extensive interests of this character. He has a vast acreage on which to pasture his flocks and he keeps in close touch with every condition bearing upon the welfare of his business and upon the market. He is thus thoroughly acquainted with everything that has to do with the successful conduct of his interests.
In 1890 Mr. Hales was married to Miss Lucinda Galloway, of Morrow county, Oregon, and to them have been born eight children, six of whom are living, namely: Willis R., who is associated with his father in the sheep business and is the manager of the Union Stock Yards at Pasco, Washington; Alfred L. and Lester M., who are also associated with their father in the sheep business; Marvin R.; Ila M.;, and Gertrude E.
Politically Mr. Hales is a stanch republican, while fraternally he is identified with the Masons, belonging to Waitsburg Lodge, No. 16, F. & A. M., and Dayton Chapter, R. A. M. Mr. Hales and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is much interested in its work and generous in its support. He stands at all times for those things which are a matter of benefit to the individual and to the community at large and his influence is always on the side of progress, justice, truth and right. His career has been notably successful. It is true that something came to him through inheritance; on the other hand, it is true that necessity is the spur of ambition and industry, and there are too many cases where inheritance has seemed to enfeeble effort rather than to call forth the most persistent purpose. Mr. Hales, however, nobly met the tasks that developed upon him at his father's death and in the conduct of business interests was and is always looking for opportunities to advance. His course has been marked by a steady progression and each forward step has brought him a broader outlook and wider opportunities, which he has eagerly, promptly and rightfully utilized. Moreover, his business affairs have always been of a character that have contributed to public progress as well as to individual success and through the management of his extensive sheep interests he has done much to further prosperity in Walla Walla county.