From "The History of North Washington" Published 1904 Transcribed by: Nancy Grubb (nancyg@theofficenet.com) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROSSETER I. TOWLE Rosseter I. Towle is one of the leading business men of the Pend d'Oreille valley and is now postmaster of Newport, where also he does a general merchandise business, being at the head of a prosperous establishment. He is a man of genial and affable ways and has won for himself a host of warn friends from all classes. Rosseter I. Towle was born in Winnebago county, Illinois, on March 26, 1843, the son of Simeon and Eliza D. (Saunders) Towle, natives of Maine and of English descent. The father's family located in Maine in 1670 and have always been prominent in the American cause. The parents first met in Illinois, were married in Rockford, and in 1845 went to Genesee county, New York. In 1873 they went to Pennsylvania and in 1879 the mother died. The next year the father went to St. Louis, and in 1883 he journeyed to Salt Lake, where he died in 1884. He had followed farming and merchandising all his life. Our subject has one brother, who is in the coal budiness in Omaha, having established the first office in that line there. The early education of Mr. Towle was received in Genesee county, New York, and the same was completed in the academy in Allegany county. In 1863 he went to Buffalo, New York, and acted as salesman for six years for Hadly, Husted & Company, hardware merchants. Then came a journey to Erie county, Pennsylvania, where he entered into partnership in the hardware business with D.G. King. In 1880 he sold his business and repaired to St. Louis and engaged in handling coke for H.C. Frick & Company. In 1883 he sold out and came west to Salt Lake City and engaged in shipping grain and other products. In 1885 Mr. Towle went to Gunderson, Colorado, whence he took up the same business, but was burned out the following year, all being loss, as there was no insurance. In 1892 Mr. Towle first located in Newport,Idaho, and soon opened a general merchandise establishment. In 1894 he was appointed postmaster, and when the office changed to Washington he was continued, being the incumbent at this time. He is a man whose faithful labors have been received with approbation by all and success has crowned his efforts. He is doing a good business now and carries a complete and up to date stock. In September, 1869, Mr. Towle was married to Miss Sarah M., daughter of Charles and Bethia (Gleason) Foote, natives of New York and descended from a good Quaker family. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Foote: Laura, Sarah, ALbert, Daniel, Lamona, Edson, Lizzie, Ella, Mina, Louis, and Elmer, deceased. Mr. Towle is an active and solid Republican of the true blue stamp, and although he has often been solicited to hold office, has refused it. He has given freely of his services as school director. Mr. Towle is well connected fraternally, while in religious persuasion he is a Presbyterian. His wife and daughter are members of the Congregational church. Two children, Florence, wife of Albert L. Snow, of Spokane, and Grace, assistant to her father in the postoffice, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Towle. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.