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LA FOLLETTE BROTHERS, who are well known throughout the Big Bend country, are Millard F., John H., and Silas D. At the present time they have rented their large estate, which lies about eight miles north from Almira, and are dwelling in the suburbs of Spokane. They have been identified with the settlement and upbuilding of Lincoln county long before it was organized and are known as prominent and substantial men. They are natives of Floyd county, Indiana and the sons of Joseph C. and America ( Swank ) La Follette. The parents are both natives of Floyd county and in 1883 came to Washington. The father died at the age of eighty-live in 1899. The mother had died four years previously. Our subjects received their educational training in the district schools of Indiana, the same being held in the primitive log cabins of the day and they well remember the split log seats and slab floors. The school terms were about three months each year and the balance of the time they spent on their father's farm. Some of the time they worked for the neighboring farmers. They finally decided to emigrate to Washington and accordingly, in 1883, found their way to the territory now embraced in Lincoln county. It was then a part of Spokane county. They made
settlement as stated above, and as it was late in the season, built themselves a dugout for their home. Having never lived at a distance from a store, they were unfortunate in not securing supplies sufficient to tide them over, and to use the localism of the day, their "grub," and especially the tobacco, became very short. Pilgrimages were made to Sprague, Cheney, and Spokane, their nearest points for supplies, and they understand well the work of the pioneer in opening up farms from the wild prairie of Lincoln county. Although they had much hardship and had to do an immense amount of work, still there is no portion of their experience so vividly impressed upon them as the first winter. Mrs. Proebstel was the only
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woman among the neighbors and the winter was decidedly gloomy and lonesome. They had provided themselves with no reading matter, and no mail could be gotten for months, consequently they had to whittle and repeat their fund of stories over and over to while away the time. Occasionally they would gather up the inhabitants for twenty miles in each direction and have a dance. At such times our subjects furnished the music. They were successful in their labors on their farms and now own over fifteen hundred acres of the choicest wheat land to be found in the Big Bend country. The entire estate is under cultivation and is handled now by tenants. In 1900 they moved to Medical Lake and engaged in the poultry business. Three years later they decided to locate in Spokane. They own five acres which are supplied with a residence and all the buildings necessary to handle poultry successfully. The same lies on Latah creek, immediately southwest of Spokane. They make a specialty of Minorcas and White Leg- horns. They had one other brother, Dave, who is now deceased.
Millard La Follette is the only one of the brothers married. His wedding occurred in 1896, when Miss Mary F. McPherson became his bride. She was born in Vigo county, Indiana, the daughter of Thomas and Virginia (Bennett) McPherson. She was educated in the common schools of Indiana and Washington, having come hither in the fall of 1889. To Mr. and Mrs. La Follette, four children have been born. Thelma and Thula, twins,Clara A., and Marion B. In 1903, Millard La Follette was commissioner of Lincoln county. They are all members of the Masonic order and are men of excellent standing, having always taken a keen interest in the upbuilding and welfare of the country, and show by their labors, thrift and energy.
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