Clark County WA Archives Biographies.....Cotterell, F. J. 1860 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wa/wafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com and June 20, 2009, 1:23 pm Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company F. J. COTTERELL, who was long engaged in farming in eastern Clark county and is now identified with business interests in Minnehaha, Washington, has gained his success through hard and persistent effort and the exercise of sound judgment, and is regarded as one of his community's best citizens. He was born in Dover, Minnesota, in 1860 and is a son of R. L. and Annabelle (Pleadon) Cotterell, both of whom were natives of London, England, where they were reared and married. The father learned the shoemaking trade, which he followed in London until 1846, when he and his wife came to the United States. They lived in Wisconsin for about ten years and moved to the vicinity of Dover, Minnesota, in 1856, at which time Mr. Cotterell took up a homestead, and there they spent their remaining years, both being now deceased. F. J. Cotterell was reared on his father's farm near Dover and there attended the public schools. In young manhood he started farming on his father's place, where he remained until about twenty-five years old, when he and his brother rented the farm. Later he bought a farm about a half mile from the home place and devoted himself to its operation for about twelve years, when he rented it and moved to Dover, after which for about nine years he farmed a forty-acre tract near by. In 1916 Mr. Cotterell came to Pacific coast and remained about a year, during which time, after spending about three months looking over the country, he bought seven acres of land in Minnehaha district, Clark county. At the end of a year he returned east, disposed of his property there and then came back to Washington, where he has since lived. He bought eight and a half acres additional and was engaged in ranching there until 1925. During this period he also owned and operated other farms from time to time, but now owns only the eight and a half acres on which he lives. In 1920 Mr. Cotterell became a silent partner in the Lineham Motor Company of Vancouver, dealers in Studebaker cars, but in the fall of 1927 he sold his interest in the business to Mr. Lineham. He was also one of the incorporators of the American Security Bank of Vancouver, of which he has been a director to the present time. In December, 1925, Mr. Cotterell bought his present store in Minnehaha and engaged in the grocery and feed business. He suffered the loss of his store by fire in the summer of 1927 but has rebuilt and is now better situated than before to handle the splendid trade which he enjoys. In 1889 Mr. Cotterell was united in marriage to Miss Emma T. Carver, who was born near Mr. Cotterell's birthplace in Minnesota, and they are the parents of two children. Howard, who was engaged in the confectionery business, died in 1917. He had married Miss Ida Mitchell, who now lives in Vancouver. R. Dean married Miss Katherine Amman and is associated with his father in business. Mr. Cotterell has shown a live interest in the welfare of his community, having served six years as clerk of the school board, and while living in Minnesota served the same length of time as a member of the school board there. Mrs. Cotterell is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and takes an active part in the work of its societies. Mr. Cotterell recalls that when he first came to this county a part of the highway to Vancouver was of corduroy construction, and he has been an interested spectator of the splendid growth and improvement of this part of the country. He possesses a genial and kindly disposition and commands the respect and good will of all who know him. Additional Comments: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 893-894 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wa/clark/bios/cotterel42gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wafiles/ File size: 4.3 Kb