Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
GEORGE W. LOUDON is one of the
prosperous and successful stockmen of Okanogan county and has wrought here
with display of wisdom and industry since 1891, having now several thousand
sheep besides two valuable ranches. One of two hundred acres lies
near Oroville and is utilized mostly for meadow purposes The other one,
of two hundred and twenty acres, lies on the Similkameen and is also utilized
for hay. He expects to improve this in excellent shape and make it
his permanent home. In addition to this property mentioned Mr. Loudon
owns a residence in Loomis, where he is at the present time.
George W. Loudon was born in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, on August 12, 1855, the son of Oberlin and Eliza (Pavitt)
Loudon. The mother was born in Lincolnshire, England, came with her
parents to the United States when young and died in 1861. The father
was born in Carlisle, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, on December 6, 1830,
the sixth of a family of seventeen children. He was educated for
the ministry and later retired from that and took up the machinist business.
The paternal grandfather of our subject, James Loudon, was also born in
Carlisle, the date being March 9, 1799. He was a publisher and book
binder and died at the age of eighty-four. The great grandfather
of our subject, Archibald Loudon, was born in Pennsylvania in 1854, served
as colonel in the Revolution and was appointed by President Washington
the first postmaster of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He died aged eighty-six.
Archibald Loudon, the great-great-grandfather of our subject, was born
while his parents were crossing the ocean from Scotland to the American
colonies, the event taking place when their ship was in the gulf stream.
Our subject has one sister, Mrs. Mary L. Hollingsworth.
He grew up in Philadelphia and there was well educated. On account
of his father working at the machinist trade he learned the same and wrought
in the shops in Philadelphia, Pittsburg and Altoona. In 1875 he came
to Carson, Nevada, whither his father had come, and there was tool sharpener
for some time, then took charge of the large water works there, after which
service he went to Bodie, California. In 1883 he came to Seattle
and two years later was in Ellensburg, where he did farming and stock raising.
In the fall of 1891 he came to his present farm in the vicinity of Oroville
and located land. He had a large band of cattle and the winter of
1892-3 nearly wiped them out. He sold out his cattle in 1900 and
bought sheep, which stock he handles now. He raises the Merino and
Delaine breeds and is doing well.
On April 3, 1876, Mr. Loudon married Miss
Maria, daughter of Hugh and Jane Montgomery, of Scotch-Irish extraction.
The father died in Ellensburg, aged eighty-eight. The mother passed
away in San Francisco in her sixty-seventh year. Mrs. Loudon was
born in Ireland and has three brothers, Dr. John Montgomery, a prominent
physician, Charles, a wealthy hotel man, and George, a capitalist, all
in San Francisco. To Mr. and Mrs. Loudon there have been born the
following children: Elizabeth, wife of F. Richter, of Keremeos, British
Columbia; Ada, wife of C. Richter, in Hedley, British Columbia; George
F.; May I.; Charles M.; Paul F.; Francis R.; Ruth and Lloyd. Mr.
Loudon is a member of the W. W.