From "History of North Washington" Published 1904

Transcribed by: Candy Grubb (candyg@theofficenet.com)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
GEORGE HERRON
	George Herron.  This venerable gentleman, a native of Washington,
has, during a long and eventful career, been closely connected with the
leading history making questions in the entire northwest.  It is very
fitting therefore, that a review of his life be incorporated in the
volume that purports to give mention of the leading citizens of this 
portion of the state.
	George Herron was born at Squally, near Olympia, in 1831, being
the son of Frank and Josette (Boucher) Herron, natives of Canada and 
the Colville country, respectively.  The father was a chief factor in
the Hudson's Bay Company and traveled a great deal.  The motehr was a
member of the Colville tribe and died in the Williamette valley in 1878.
The father died in 1832, when our subject was one year old.  He was an 
only child and upon his father's death, went with his mother to the 
Williamette valley and lived with the tribes in that section.  Mr. 
Herron was raised in the primitive style of the native Indians, 
consequently had very little opportunity for an education.  Being 
endowed with considerable talent, however, he very cleverly picked 
uo the various languages which he heard and soon became very proficient
in all of the dialects of the Indians of the northwest, as well as in
English and French.  When very young he started independent action and
for seven years farmed on French Prairie in the Williamette valley, one
of the well known points in the early settlement of the northwest.
After that, Mr. Herron moved back to Colville and began operating a 
pack train from The Dalles to that point, continuing the same for five
years.  Then he hired to the United States as interpreter and for 
twenty-five years was in their employ for seventy-five dollars per 
month.  For three years he was with the war department and following 
this long service, he again farmed in Stevens county, residing on the
Columbia river.  In about 1878 or 1879, Mr. Herron went to Washington D.C.,
with a number of Indian chiefs, Cheans, Moses, Tenasket, Sasaphapine,
and Lott.  The object of this journey was to act as interpereter for 
these chiefs while they consulted with the government in reference to
the treaty.  At the time of the war with Joseph, Mr. Herron was very 
busy, riding from one tribe to another in the northwest, to be employed
by the government in the interest of peace and his services can scarcely
be overestimated in their efficiency to keep the Indians from going on
the warpath.  He was considered one of the best interpreters in the entire
northwest.  On one occasion, in the earlier part of Joseph's war, their
was a council of Indians with the government officers at Spokane.
Their interpreter was entirely unable to officiate and Mr. Herron was 
sent for.  After the consultation, he was kept with the officers and
soldiers until the war was ended.  He spent his time in various sections
of the country and after the hostilities, he returned to Spokane Falls
and his family was the only one there.  In 1888, Mr. Herron removed to
his present place, about five miles north of Republic, where he owns
one hundred and sixty acres of land, one hundred and forty of which raises
timothy and produces nearly two hundred tons annually.  He has about
fifty head of cattle, besides other property.  Mr. Herron does not attend
to his farm personally but rents it.  During the last few years, he has
had the great misfortune to be stricken with blindness and it is 
sincerely hoped that the efforts now being set forth, will result in the
entire recovery.
	In 1863, Mr. Herron married an Indian woman and to this union
were born five children: John, deceased; Alex, on the Kettle river; 
Joseph, married to Noah LaFleur, on the Columbia river; David, in the
Curlew valley; and Josette, deceased.  In 1876, Mr. Herron was called
to mourn the death of his wife and four years later he married Martina,
an Indian woman.
	In political matters, Mr. Herron is a stanch Republican and has 
always taken an active interest in this realm.  He and his family are
adherents of the Catholic church.
	In the early days, Mr. Herron was deupty sheriff of Stevens 
county under John Hofstetter.  Owing to his service as interpreter,
Mr. Herron has been associated with some of the leading men of the 
northwest, having thus a very wide acquaintance and is a well known and
influential man.  He is a man of uprightness and has always been considered
a valuable and estimable citizen.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free
information on the Internet, material may be freely used by
non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied
material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file.

These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit 
or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations 
desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain 
the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of 
the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of 
this consent.