Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
HENRY I. HINCKLEY was born in
Lowell, Massachusetts, on March 14, 1856. His parents, Joseph and
Mary A. (Dunn) Hinckley, were natives of New Brunswick, where also they
were married. The father was a cotton weaver and died when our subject
was eight years of age. The mother died in Boston about eight years
since. The ancestors were natives of north Ireland and came to America
before the Revolution. There were four children in the family; Joseph,
deceased; Henry I.; W. J., a physician of Boston; and Clarence B.
Henry spent his early days in Lowell and Boston, graduating from the grammar
schools in the latter city when quite young. After he left school,
he engaged as office boy in a book publishing house and worked his way
through to be one of the high salesmen. Then he went to sea for three
years, being a sailor in the East Indian trade. During the service,
he was wrecked off Cape Horn, his ship being the Frank F. Curlen, of Bath,
Maine. Later on, he was picked up by the John De Costa and brought
to San Francisco. This was in 1880 and he engaged there in carpenter
work with his brother. In 1881, he came to Ainsworth, Washington,
by way of Portland and did carpenter work until 1884. In the fall
of 1881, he came to the Big Bend country and located a homestead where
he now lives, four miles northwest from Edwall. He labored at Sprague
and in other sections of the country until 1884, when he settled on his
place and gave his attention to stock raising and general farming.
Since that time, he has continued steadily in this occupation and he now
owns eight hundred acres of very fine wheat land. The same is improved
with good buildings, windmill, fences, and is supplied with all necessary
machinery and stock for operations. Mr. Hinckley has always taken
an active interest in the upbuilding of the country and was chairman of
the first good roads meeting in Lincoln county. He has done a lion's
share in this line, has also given much attention to building up good schools,
and has served as director for many years.
In 1891, at Spokane, Mr. Hinckley married
Miss Anna S. Wahlburg, a native of Boston and to them three children have
been born, two of whom are living, A. W. and Alice. Mr. Hinckley
came to the Big Bend country with very limited means and has gained his
present wealth by wisely developing the resources of this country.
Mr. Hinckley has traveled over the world a great deal and remarks that
the Big Bend country is the best place that he has ever seen, for a poor
man. He is well satisfied with the climate, the soil, the markets
and with the country in general, and much credit is due him for the excellent
work he has done in developing and building up this portion of the county.
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