Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
MEINRAD LAUBER is one of the
capitalists of Okanogan county who believes in living where he made his
money and investing it in home enterprises, and this is the one true policy
that develops the rich and resourceful west. Mr. Lauber is rightly
numbered among the leading pioneers of Okanogan county, both because he
is among the very first who came here and remained, coming to Okanogan
county in 1886, and because he is laboring with faithfulness and has been
crowned with gratifying success. An account of his life could but
prove interesting to the readers of this volume and it is with pleasure
that we append the same.
Meinrad Lauber was born in Baden , Germany,
on January 23, 1855, the son of Marten and Ruofr (Durr) Lauber, natives
of the same place. Our subject was well educated in the public schools
and before he had reached his majority had become master of the blacksmith
trade. At the age of twenty he entered the regular army and served
for three years. After this he worked at his trade until 1882, then
traveled in different European countries. In the year last mentioned
he bade farewell to his loved ones and the old home scenes and came to
Antwerp, where he took steamer for New York. The voyage was stormy
and occupied seventeen days. He came on to Cincinnati, expecting
to meet his brother Leopold, but was disappointed. So he found himself
in a strange city with neither money nor friends, and unable to speak a
word of English. But young Lauber was not to be daunted, and he soon
made it known that he was a master mechanic, which gave him a position
in the foundry. He labored there one year, then went to San Francisco,
California. Soon he took steamer to Victoria, and there entered the
employ of the Canadian Pacific. He followed his trade there and also
in other places, after which he did placer mining on the head waters of
the Similkameen, being favored with success. In 1886 he came to the
region now occupied by Okanogan county and bought the right of a squatter
to his present place. It was excellent land, and he has added to
it until he now has over two hundred acres, and raises nearly two hundred
tons of timothy and red top. He was the first one to file in the
Loomis district when the land was surveyed. He believes that he settled
the farthest down the Okanogan river of any one at that time. He
has since devoted himself steadily to raising cattle and improving his
ranch. During the earlier days he mined some of the time on Rock
creek. About two years since Mr. Lauber sold his cattle and retired
from active service, investing heavily in the stock of the Commercial Bank
of Conconully, also in the
Conconully Record, one of the leading
newspapers of the section. He also has stock in the Q. S. mines,
and carries a five thousand dollar policy in the New York Life Insurance
Company. Mr. Lauber is an active Republican and manifests the interest
becoming a good citizen in the questions of the day. He is an upright,
honorable man, and deserves great credit for the way in which he has labored
to develop and enhance the interests of the country.