Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1917-03-23
STURDY PIONEER
ANSWERS LAST CALL
CONTINUED from first pRgel


was received at Yorkton following
which he engaged in many notable
conflicts until the battle OF Fair
Cakes. in which he was wounded.
Soon thereafter he also fell victim
TO typhoid fever and. as soon as he
was able TO leave the hospital. he
was sent to Washington, ID. c.,
where he was discharged in 1863.
Returning home he gave such assist
ance as his health and strength per-
mtted in the work of the farm until
the cath of August, 1864, when he
reenlisted in the First Michigan Cav
airy as member OF Company F,
under General Custer and again
went To the front. He remained in
the service until the close OF hostl-
tiles, being mustered out at Fort
Leavenworth Kansas on June 16.
1865.
Again resumin the duties of civil
life, during the succeeding two years
he devoted his entire time and at
tention to agricultural pursuits on
the home farm in Michigan. In
1867 he turned his attention to com
mercial activities and established
lumberman's supply store that he
conducted with substantial returns
for ten years. At the expiration of
that period, in 1877, he came to
Washington. locating at Goldendale,
where he engaged in the sheep bus
mess. The undertaking proved TO
be q most unfortunate venture, as
his herd was caught on the prairies
by terrible blizzard and he lost
1900 head of sheep. The calamity
decided him to withdraw from the
business and in 1879 he homestead
ed some land, upon which he resided
until 1882. when he came to Pull
man and established a hardware and
implement store. In the autumn of
the following year he disposed of
the store and began buying land, ac-
curing in all about 1000 acres that
he laid out in six additions to Pull
man. He was always public spir-
tied man, taking much interest In
the community's development and he
presented $50 acres of this land TO
the state for the Agricultural Col
lege and gave Is acres to his
friends. In the meantime this sec
ton OF the state had become z great
grain country and in 1885, Mr.. Let
terman engaged in the wheat bus
mess; first as a buyer for the Port
land Flour Mills Company; and later
for the Balfour-Guthrie Company.
This departure proved to be lucra-
tive undertaking, and in one wear
he sold 10000 bushels of wheat in
the east a an increase of ~ cents
over the. local market. When the
panic came in 1898, it caught Mr.
Letterman in its clutches, leaving
him practically penniless, but he was
not of the type of men that are easi-
ly vanquished, and resolutely he be-
gan to reestablish himself in the bus
mess world. He again engaged in
the grain business. buying and sell
ing wheat until 1901, when he in
vested in lands adjacent to Pullman,
acquiring gradually very valuable
holdings that he has improved. HAY
ing passed the age of three score
and ten, MIR. Letterman has now
withdrawn from the exactions of an
active business life, although he
looks after his property. all of which
he is renting
AT Goldendale, Washington, on
Christmas day. 1881, Mr.. Letterman
and Miss Mary E. latham were
united in marriage. She is a native
OF the state of New York and a
daughter of THOMAS and Ellen
tWoods) latham, both of whom
were born in England Ever since
granted the right of franchise by
naturalization. Mr.. Letterman has
taken personal interest in political
activities and in 1892 was state rep
resentative from his district. In ev-
cry sense of the word he is a self
made man, such success as he has
achieved in the long course OF his
business career being entirely at
tributable to his own well concen-
trated and intelligently directed eff
forts, as he came to this country
practically empty handed. His life
is but one of the many that have
eonclusively demonstrated that the
essential assets for successful
career In America are unceasing
energy and determination of pur-
pose.
Former members of the State Col
lege OF Washington from any part OF