J.W. Minnick

James W. Minnick, the son of David and Elizabeth, was born in Iowa 19 July 1858. He was educated in the home district schools and engaged in farming until the age of 18 years, when he learned the blacksmith trade. After following this for some time in his native state, he left home at the age of 22 and located in North Dakota, where, after working two years at his trade, he came to the conclusion that Washington was a good place and in 1883 came to Cheney.

He followed blacksmithing here until 1887, when he learned the watch and jewelry trade and engaged in that, at which he has been very successful.

He passed through the incidents of pioneer life in Cheney and has witnessed some of the Indian troubles. In 1898, he was appointed the telephone agent for Cheney, which is conducted in connection with his business as a jeweler.

Mr. Minnick, like many other pioneers of the west, took up a nice farm in the early days, but sold out to follow his present successful business. He was married 15 November 1881 to Fannie, daughter of H.B. Hansen of North Dakota. They have six children: Martha E., Herbert W., Howard, Rex E., Olga, and Harold. [Edwards 1900]

Mr. James W. Minnick, jeweler, was born in Iowa in 1858, where he remained till 1881, going from there to Dakota Territory.He located at Valley City and opened up a blacksmith shop at that place, continuing there for two yrs. He married at Valley City to Miss Fannie Hanson, and they have now six children. In 1883, Mr. Minnick came to Washington and located in Cheney, opening up a blacksmith shop, working at his trade here for five years. Later he opened up a jewelry and watch making establishment, which business he is engaged in at present. He also runs a bicycle repair shop in connection, being well fitted up for that kind of work. He also runs the “hello office” in this city. He was a member of the city council for two years and city and school clerks for several years.

Mr. Minnick joined the IOOF in Iowa in 1879 and has filled a very important chair in that society. Mr. Minnick is among our leading and most respected citizens and is popular with everybody. He also owns a fine residence in this city.[Cheney Free Press,

History of Cheney 20 May 1904 pg 1]

James William Minnick and Fannie Hansen Minnick

Son of David Minnick and Elizabeth Ann Atterbery, James William Minnick was born on July 29, 1858 in Floris, Iowa. The following is Mr. Minnick’s story in his own words.

After the death of my father, May 12, 1867, my mother and family moved to Moncton, Iowa, where at the age of eighteen ears, I took up blacksmithing, at which business I worked until October, 1880, when I went to Valley City, Dakota Territory, now North Dakota. There I was married to Miss Fannie Sophia Hansen, November 15, 1881, and lived until October 10, 1882 when I started for Washington Territory.

The Northern Pacific Railroad not being completed, I was routed via St. Paul, Minnesota, Omaha, San Francisco by rail, then to Portland by boat where I worked at my trade until January 17, 1883.I started for Washington Territory, landing at Waitsburg on the 18th of January 1883, in a temperature of 28 degrees below zero with about four feet of the beautiful white covering the ground. I was told it had been 32 degrees below zero the day before. On leaving Dakota I thought I was going to a much milder climate. I was very much disgusted with both myself and the country. However, within a few days the weather became much warmer, the snow had disappeared and the farmers began their spring work; and I became less dissatisfied and decided to make Washington my future home.

About the middle of March I came to Colfax where I worked at my trade through the month of April. Later, in the month of May, I and a young man by the name of Julius Hubbard, a native son of Walla Walla County, started for the Big Bend Country, passing through the town of Cheney, then the County Seat of Spokane County, to locate homesteads. We located on land about five miles southeast of Wild Goose Bill’s (William Condon) place, where the town of Wilbur is now. After locating land, I worked at my trade in Cheney during the summer until November when I went to my homestead for the winter of 1883—1884, which was very severe. Many of the pioneers became short of provisions, and naturally there was some sickness and a few deaths, for whom I made three coffins in which to bury that number.

It was impossible to get medical aid or assistance nearer than Fort Spokane, near the mouth of the Spokane River, where Doctor Merriam, now of Spokane, was Post Surgeon. These conditions and hardships of the frontier killed my desire for taking my wife and child, whom I had left in Dakota until I became located; so I let my homestead go to another, and I came back to Cheney and went into business for myself.

My wife and child came out in the summer of 1885. In the summer of 1886 my health failed and I was compelled to quit blacksmithing. I then took up jewelry and watch repairing with one L.B. Jewel, a very practical mechanic.

In October 1899 I went into business for myself. In 1904 I attended a Northern Illinois college of Ophthalmology and Otology of Chicago for a course in Optics, which I practiced together with my jewelry business until November 1920. I sold my business in Cheney, coming to Spokane February 1, 1921, when I located with Kemp & Herbert in the practice of Optics to date.

During my residence in Cheney I was elected in 1885 and served as City Councilman. Later I served three years as City Clerk; also elected and served as School Clerk, Cheney School District #20 for three years; also served two years as Deputy Assessor for Cheney and School District.

I had three sons who served in the World War through the entire time the United States was engaged in that war. Herbert W. served in the 331 Infantry of the 91st Division as Company Bugler until he was severely wounded while fighting in the Argonne Sector some nine days before the Armistice was signed.

Rex E. enlisted at Portland, Oregon with the 18th Army Engineers, which contingent was among the first American troops to enter France, and served as company sergeant.

My youngest son, Harold H., enlisted in the Navy on the third day after the United States declared war, and was assigned to the cruiser, San Diego, and served as Machinist’s Mate until in August 1918 when the vessel was sunk while entering New York harbor, after making several round trips as a convoy ship.

All three sons received honorable discharges on their return home.

My grandfather, Isaac Atterbery and his sons William, John, Taylor, Joseph, and Valentine served through the Civil War, 1861-65. Two of the sons were wounded and one was captured by the Rebels and confined to Andersonville Prison until he escaped. All lived to return home at the close of the war.

Signed

James William Minnick,

W. 2312 Broadway, Spokane, Washington

June 22, 1936

James and Fannie Minnick had six children: Martha Elizabeth born in Valley City, Dakota Territory in 1882; Herbert William born in 1886; Howard B. born in 1890; Rex Emerson born in 1893; Olga B. born in 1897; and Harold born in 1899. The last five children were all born in Cheney, Washington. Herbert was accidently killed on October 19, 1936; the other children were still living at the time of this writing. Fannie Minnick died December 9, 1928 and is buried in Spokane.Mr. Minnick married Mazie Burris Cowell in Missoula, Montana on December 24, 1931.

Along with his optometry and jewelry business, the enterprising Mr. Minnick also operated the first telephone exchange in the City of Cheney starting in the early 1890’s.

[Daughters of the American Revolution, 1937]