EDWARD BAUMEISTER
In addition to the property already mentioned, Mr. Baumeister has extensive holdings in real estate in Asotin county as well as in other places in Washington and Idaho and is considered one of the wealthy and substantial men of the state.
In political matters, Mr. Baumeister has been a life long republican and it can be said that throughout his public career he has shown the same care and painstaking effort in public matters as that which brought him success in his own business. Fraternally, he is an Odd Fellow, having joined that order in Walla Walla, in 1869. At the present time, January, 1918, he is the only man living who was a member at the time of his initiation in Enterprise Lodge, No. 2. He was the first representative from the Grand Encampment of the then territory of Washington, to the Sovereign Grand Lodge, which met that year at Minneapolis. He is also a charter member of Riverside Lodge, No. 41, of Asotin, and a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, at Lewiston, Idaho.
Edward Baumeister is practically the father of Asotin county and has been for many years one of the leading men of the state. For two terms, he represented Asotin, Garfield and Columbia counties in the state senate and for fifty-four years he has been associated with every financial, political and social movement in southeastern Washington. He has been personally acquainted with every governor of the territory, and the state, up to the present time except the first four. For thirty-two years, he has lived and labored in Asotin and been intimately associated with every step in the growth of the county and city. Throughout all these years, Mr. Baumeister has borne an unblemished reputation for honesty, kindness and genuine goodness. At the time of this writing he is undoubtedly the best known and best loved man in Asotin county. He is a striking example of what can be accomplished by courage, optimism and persistency in spite of the handicap of lack of scholastic training and financial resources. He is, in fact, a self made man who has done a good job. His life is thus an example worthy of imitation by every young man, and this, in the opinion of the writer, is about the highest praise anyone can be given.
Although now seventy years of age, he is still an active and progressive citizen. At the present time, he is president of the local commercial club, chairman of the Red Cross war fund and the thrift stamp and war saving certificate fund of the county. All these public interests he carries in addition to his regular duties as president of his bank.
At College Point, New York, May 3, 1870, Mr. Baumeister married Miss Elizabeth Miller. They will soon celebrate their golden wedding and it may be truthfully said of Mrs. Baumeister that her interests in the development of the Inland Empire, have been as great as those of her husband. She is widely known, interested in every good movement and many a cause has been aided by her during her life as a pioneer woman.
To Mr. and Mrs. Baumeister were born two children: Anna C., wife of Dr. Stephen D. Brazeau of Spokane; and Alletta W., wife of W. L. Thompson, president of the American National Bank, of Pendleton, Oregon. Mrs. Baumeister has been, for many years, a member of the Protestant Episcopal church and a liberal supporter of all benefactions. Though not directly allied with the church, Mr. Baumeister exemplified in his life, many of the virtues of the Christian, and really tries to carry out, in his life, the principles of righteousness.
MORDO McDONALD.