In Oregon City, Oregon, on the 1st of August, 1877, Mr. Dement was married to Miss Frances Miller, a daughter of Captain J. D. Miller, who was a pioneer steamboat operator on the Willamette and Columbia rivers. To Mr. and Mrs. Dement have been born two sons: Charles F., who is county auditor of Walla Walla county; and Frank Bingham, who is now in the National army at Camp Lewis. He was graduated from the Shattuck Military School of Minnesota in 1914 and was a student in Whitman College with the class of 1918.
Frank S. Dement has long been a recognized leader in republican circles in his county and was chairman of the county republican central committee. He has done much to further the interests of his party, believing firmly in its principles and recognizing the duties and obligations as well as the privileges of citizenship; yet he has never sought nor desired office as a reward for party fealty. Fraternally he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and is a prominent Mason, having taken the degrees of both the York and Scottish Rites. He is a member of Oriental Consistory, A. & A. S. R., of Spokane and of El Katif Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. For the past thirty years he has been a very active and prominent member of the Commercial Club of Walla Walla and is now one of its directors and the treasurer. He stands for progressiveness in all public affairs and his efforts in behalf of general progress and improvement have been practical, far reaching and effective. Men who know him—and he has a wide acquaintance—speak of him in terms of the highest regard both as to his relationship with business affairs and in matters of citizenship.
JOSEPH LEDGERWOOD.
Joseph Ledgerwood, deceased, spent the last years of his life in honorable retirement from business in Pomeroy, enjoying the fruits of his former labor. For many years he had been identified with farming in southeastern Washington and his well directed business affairs brought to him a very substantial competence, enabling him to enjoy all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life and also to leave his family in very easy financial circumstances. He was born in Clay county, Missouri, July 17, 1836, and was a son of Joseph and Rachael Ledgerwood, who were natives of Tennessee and afterward became pioneer settlers of Clay county, Missouri.
Joseph Ledgerwood acquired his education in the common schools of Clay and Daviess counties of Missouri and on reaching manhood took up the occupation of farming. In 1864, with little money to outfit him for so hazardous and extended a journey, he started across the plains for the Pacific coast country, and while he endured many hardships and privations while en route, he ultimately in safety reached the Umpqua valley, where he made a home for his family and continued to reside until 1877. He then disposed of his property in that region and removed to Garfield county, Washington, settling about nine miles east of Pomeroy. There he prospered and from time to time, as his financial resources increased, he added to his land until at his death he was the owner of about one thousand acres of valuable farm property. In the later years of his life he retired from active farm work and removed to Pomeroy, where he spent his remaining days in the enjoyment of the fruits of his many years of successful labor. For a long period his life had been one of untiring industry and perseverance, during which he was watchful of every opportunity and indication pointing toward success. At all times he based his advancement upon the sure foundation of industry and persistency of purpose.
In 1859 Mr. Ledgerwood was united in marriage to Miss Louise O'Keef, a native of Illinois, who was a faithful helpmate to him and shared with him in all of the hardships and privations of pioneer life, when Oregon and Washington were still frontier states. She still survives her husband and cherishes his memory, for he was most devoted to the welfare and happiness of his family. To Mr. and Mrs. Ledgerwood were born nine children, seven of whom are yet living, as follows: William T.; J. Joseph; John T.; Lou Emma, who is the wife of W. A. DeBow, a grain dealer of Pomeroy; Martha R., who is the widow of James B. Carter and resides in Pomeroy; Rosa, who gave her hand in marriage to Lou Jurgens, of Asotin county, Washington; and Clara B., the wife of Edward Davis, of Okanogan county, Washington.