Mrs. Walter is descended from Revolutionary stock, her maternal great-grandfather having served for seven years in the war for independence. His sister, Deborah Sampson, also served as a common soldier in that war, being disguised as a man and known by the name of Robert Shurtliff. She carried a gun and participated in numerous battles, being twice wounded, once through the arm and later through the breast. She recovered and subsequently married. She was received by General Washington, who conferred honors upon her, and she was one of the few women given a life pension by our government. Mrs. Walter's grandfather Sampson was a soldier of the War of 1812.
In his political views Mr. Walter is a stalwart democrat, and while never an aspirant for public office, he has repeatedly been honored in local affairs. He was elected to the board of county commissioners of Sibley county, Minnesota. He served as justice of the peace, as town clerk and as assessor in Sibley county and after his removal to the west was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board of county commissioners of Umatilla county, Oregon, and was twice thereafter regularly elected thereto, serving for six years. He was a member of the board and one of the leading factors in the building of the new one hundred thousand dollar courthouse of Umatilla county. He served continuously as a member of the school board almost from the time of his arrival in Umatilla county until his removal to Walla Walla. Fraternally Mr. Walter is connected with Blue Mountain Lodge, No. 13, F. & A. M., with A. Lincoln Post, No. 4, G. A. R., and is most loyal to the teachings and purposes of these organizations. Through his connection with the latter he maintains pleasant associations with his old army comrades and proudly wears the little bronze button that proclaims him as one of the "boys in blue." There is in his life record nothing spectacular but his career is one that places him with the substantial citizens of the northwest—men who have consistently done their duty year by year and in the legitimate advancement of their own fortunes have contributed to the upbuilding and prosperity of the district in which they live.
CHARLES COYLE.
Charles Coyle is a partner in the firm of Coyle Brothers, well known dairy farmers of Walla Walla county. His home is on section 27, township 7 north, range 35 east. He was born in Oregon, September 14, 1865, and is a son of James Coyle, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work in connection with the sketch of Byrd Coyle. He came to Walla Walla county when but a year old, the parents removing with their family to this state. He has since lived upon the farm which he now occupies and which is therefore endeared to him through the associations of boyhood as well as those of later years. He acquired a common school education and when not busy with his textbooks his attention was given to the work of the fields, for he was early trained to the tasks of plowing, planting and harvesting. He remained at home until he attained his majority, since which time he and his brothers have carried on farming together and have long made a specialty of dairying. In this business they are very successful and for that purpose they keep a large herd of fine cattle. Everything about their dairy is in excellent condition. Their arrangements are of the most sanitary and the products of their dairy find a ready sale on the market.
In 1911 Mr. Coyle was married to Miss Lela Truitt, a native of Missouri, who in 1909 became a resident of Walla Walla, where her parents are still living. To Mr. and Mrs. Coyle have been born three children, Inez M., C. Bruce and Maxine. The parents are members of the Christian church and in politics Mr. Coyle is a democrat. He has served as school director and as school clerk in his district and is interested in all that tends to promote educational progress. In fact he stands for advancement and improvement along all lines and is acknowledged a man of worth, highly esteemed wherever known and most of all where he is best known.
CLYDE H. BROWN.
Farming interests of Walla Walla county find a worthy representative in Clyde H. Brown, who is living on section 4, township 9 north, range 36 east. He was born in Waitsburg, this county, on the 18th of June, 1877, a son of Albert N. and Justina (Kent) Brown. The father was a native of Iowa and the mother of Illinois, but they were married in Kansas, where they had lived for some years, each removing to that state with their parents. In 1876 they came to the Pacific coast, making their way westward by train to San Francisco and thence by boat to Portland. The following fall and winter were spent in the Willamette valley and in the spring of 1877 they came by wagon and team to Walla Walla county, Washington, taking up their abode upon a homestead claim two miles north of Waitsburg. The father proved up on this property and there resided for five years. He afterward removed to a small place one mile west of Waitsburg, upon which he also spent five years. At the expiration of that period he sold the property and purchased the Bolles Junction ranch of four hundred and twenty acres half way between Waitsburg and Prescott. Upon that place he lived for thirteen years and then disposed of the property and purchased the farm upon which his son Clyde H. now resides, adjoining the city limits of Prescott. Here he owned nine hundred acres of land which he continued to cultivate and improve up to the time of his death in January, 1911. His widow is still living and makes her home with her son Clyde.
A western man by birth, training and preference, Clyde H. Brown displays in his life the spirit of enterprise and progress which have ever been a dominant factor in the upbuilding of this section of the country. He was educated in the Bolles Junction school and in the Waitsburg public schools and was early trained to the work of the farm, assisting in the tasks of plowing, planting and harvesting from early boyhood. On account of his father's ill health the management of the farm devolved upon him when he was yet a young man and he has since continued in control, carefully and wisely directing the development and further improvement of the place. He has brought the fields under a high state of cultivation and upon the farm there are substantial buildings which indicate the care and supervision of the owner. He seems to lose sight of nothing that should be accomplished in the work of further developing his place and his labors have brought substantial results.