James Monoghan

From the Spokesman-Review January 10, 1914:

IN COUNTY SINCE 1860, REGISTERS

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James Monoghan Believed to Hold City Record for Continuous Residence

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James Monaghan, aged 74 years, a resident of Spokane county since 1860 and of the state since 1858 registered yesterday afternoon at the city clerk's office. Mr. Monoghan is believed to hold the record in the city of the longest continuous resident of Spokane county.

"This county was known as Spokane when I came here, but later was merged with Stevens county." said Mr. Monoghan. "A later legislature cut off the present Spokane county from Stevens and it has since held that name. For some years after coming to Spokane I operated a ferry at what is known as Lapray's Bridge, about 25 miles below the city. In 1865 I built the bridge and operated it as a toll structure for some years, finally selling it to Lapray, whose name the bridge took in later years." Mr. Monoghan appears hale and active and enjoys telling of the pioneer days.

With Mr. Monoghan yesterday was Edward O'Shea Sr. who has lived in the state 41 years and in the county 12 years. Mr. O'Shea came to Washington in 1872 as a member of the guartermaster's department of the Twenty-first United States infantry. After serving 20 years in the military service he was discharged in 1882 and later located in Spokane.

from his obituary on Find-A-Grave:

Early pioneer. Developer. In early years had moved with his wife, Margaret, to the town of Chewelah, Washington, which he helped found. James purchased land there from the Indians and began farming and opened a trading post. He was involved in numerous ventures in Walla Walla, Washington, Couer d'Alene, Idaho, and Spokane, Washington. He helped to organize the Spokane Falls and Northern Railroad and installed the water works and electric system in the growing town of Couer d'Alene, Idaho. He founded the St. Vincent de Paul Society in 1889, the year of Spokane's horrendous Great Fire, helping hundreds of hungry and homeless. James and Margaret were blessed with six children: John, Mary, Ella, James, Agnes, and Charles. Margaret died on April 22, 1895, at age 42, leaving him with four children under the age of 10. Son Ensign John Monaghan (Navy) was killed in action on April 1, 1899, in an ambush at the First Battle of Vailele, Samoa. A statue of this son was presented to James as a gift by the people of Spokane on October 25, 1906, reflecting the high regard in which they held James and his son, Ensign John Monaghan, who the first appointee to the US Naval Academy from the state of Washington. This statue still stands to this day in downtown Spokane.

Accomplishments

• in 1860 operated a ferry at "winding ford" for the Walla Walla-Colville Road crossing of the Spokane River
• in 1865 build a toll bridge at "winding ford." Eventually this becomes known as the LaPray Bridge.
• farmed near Cheweleh in 1871.
• in 1873 while still farming he opened a trading post
• he had contracts to deliver mail from Colville to Spokane Bride and from there to Colfax.
• he was involved in numerous ventures in Walla Walla, Washington, Couer d'Alene, Idaho, and Spokane, Washington.
• 1n 1879 he moved to Spokane.
• one of the 15 signatures on the original charter of City of Spokane in 1881.
• He helped to organize the Spokane Falls and Northern Railroad
• he installed the water works and electric system in the growing town of Couer d'Alene, Idaho.
• owned quite a bit of the city of Spokane (a Sinto addition?)
• platted Cheweleh in 1884.
• founded the St. Vincent dePaul Society in Spokane in 1889.
• his wife Margaret died in 1895, leaving him with four children under 10
• In 1898 he was partners in the purchase of the Granite Building in Spokane
• his son John is one of the first 18 students at Gonzaga and then the first appointee to the Naval Academy from Washington State and is killed in Somoan Civil war in 1899,
• in 1899 he made $1,000,000 selling his interest in the Caraboo Mine.
• he died in 1916
• nicknamed Spokane Jim