Washington Irving Warrey
Encyclopedia
Washington Irving Warrey (August 23, 1855 – June 5, 1933) was an American pioneer
settler and county official in Steele County
in the U.S. state
of North Dakota
. He operated a hotel in Sherbrooke, North Dakota
and served as county judge from 1894 to 1905.
, New York
, August 25, 1855. He and his younger sister were the only two children born to Robert and Hannah (Carver) Warrey. His father had three children from a previous marriage as did his mother, for a total of eight children. When Warrey was a child, the family moved to Binghamton, New York
, where his father worked at contracting and building. Robert Warrey was an architect and designer, and also worked as a carpenter. During the U.S. Civil War, his father was in charge of a force of pontoon and bridge builders.
, but eventual sought a more liberal education. At age 19, he enrolled in the Delaware Literary Institute
at Franklin, New York
, where he studied for four years. He studies are frequently interrupted by several terms where he taught school in the village and countryside. Education was a part of his family history, as a number of his mother's relatives had been leading professors in Amherst College
and other universities in the east.
Mr. Warrey eventually wanted to pursue law practice. In 1880 he moved to Wyandotte County in Kansas
where he worked as a carpenter and as a member of the local police force, and studied law in his spare time. This added strain caused his health to deteriorate, so he began carpentry work full time and later became foreman of a crew for the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railway Company.
Warrey was a member of the Masons
, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
, and the Modern Woodmen of America
.
, then part of Dakota Territory
. He taught school for several winters in Steele
and Cass Counties
. He married Rose L. Wallace, a resident of Page
, in 1888. They had four children, Victor I., Edward R., Lillian E., and Washington I.
In the spring of 1895, he filed a land claim in Broadlawn Township in Steele County. He performed contract work out of Hope, North Dakota
, until 1893 when he moved to Sherbrooke, North Dakota
. In June of that year, he purchased the Sherbrooke House Hotel in Sherbrooke, and worked as a hotel and livery barn operator.
Warrey, a Republican
was elected as Steele County's
surveyor
in 1890, and elected Steele County judge
in 1894. He served in that position until 1905. He also twice served as the county's deputy sheriff.
Warrey died in 1933 and is buried in the family plot in the Page
Cemetery
.
American pioneer
American pioneers are any of the people in American history who migrated west to join in settling and developing new areas. The term especially refers to those who were going to settle any territory which had previously not been settled or developed by European or American society, although the...
settler and county official in Steele County
Steele County, North Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,258 people, 923 households, and 635 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile . There were 1,231 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. He operated a hotel in Sherbrooke, North Dakota
Sherbrooke, North Dakota
Sherbrooke is an ghost town in Steele County in the U.S. State of North Dakota. It was the county seat from 1885 to 1919, when the government moved to the current county seat of Finley...
and served as county judge from 1894 to 1905.
Early life
Washington I. Warrey was born in Columbia CountyColumbia County, New York
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, August 25, 1855. He and his younger sister were the only two children born to Robert and Hannah (Carver) Warrey. His father had three children from a previous marriage as did his mother, for a total of eight children. When Warrey was a child, the family moved to Binghamton, New York
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
, where his father worked at contracting and building. Robert Warrey was an architect and designer, and also worked as a carpenter. During the U.S. Civil War, his father was in charge of a force of pontoon and bridge builders.
College
Robert died when Washington was nine years old, and Washington then went to live on a farm for two years. When his mother died in 1867, he moved in with an uncle, who was appointed his guardian. At the age of 17, he became an apprentice masonMasonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
, but eventual sought a more liberal education. At age 19, he enrolled in the Delaware Literary Institute
Delaware Literary Institute
The Delaware Literary Institute was a secondary school located at Franklin, New York. In the mid-19th century it was one of the most prominent educational institutions in New York State...
at Franklin, New York
Franklin (village), New York
Franklin is a village in Delaware County of the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 402.The Village of Franklin is in the Town of Franklin.-Geography:Franklin is located at ....
, where he studied for four years. He studies are frequently interrupted by several terms where he taught school in the village and countryside. Education was a part of his family history, as a number of his mother's relatives had been leading professors in Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
and other universities in the east.
Mr. Warrey eventually wanted to pursue law practice. In 1880 he moved to Wyandotte County in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
where he worked as a carpenter and as a member of the local police force, and studied law in his spare time. This added strain caused his health to deteriorate, so he began carpentry work full time and later became foreman of a crew for the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railway Company.
Warrey was a member of the Masons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
Independent Order of Odd Fellows
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows , also known as the Three Link Fraternity, is an altruistic and benevolent fraternal organization derived from the similar British Oddfellows service organizations which came into being during the 18th century, at a time when altruistic and charitable acts were...
, and the Modern Woodmen of America
Modern Woodmen of America
Modern Woodmen of America is the third-largest fraternal benefit society, with more than 750,000 members. Total assets passed US $9 billion in 2009.-Financial Standing/Rating:...
.
North Dakota
Washington I. Warrey's health never did improve, so in August 1884 he moved to FargoFargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
, then part of Dakota Territory
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
. He taught school for several winters in Steele
Steele County, North Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,258 people, 923 households, and 635 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile . There were 1,231 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...
and Cass Counties
Cass County, North Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 123,138 people, 51,315 households, and 29,814 families residing in the county. The population density was 70 people per square mile . There were 53,790 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile...
. He married Rose L. Wallace, a resident of Page
Page, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 225 people, 101 households, and 61 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,259.1 people per square mile . There were 125 housing units at an average density of 699.5 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 99.11% White, 0.44%...
, in 1888. They had four children, Victor I., Edward R., Lillian E., and Washington I.
In the spring of 1895, he filed a land claim in Broadlawn Township in Steele County. He performed contract work out of Hope, North Dakota
Hope, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 303 people, 131 households, and 75 families residing in the city. The population density was 491.0 people per square mile . There were 155 housing units at an average density of 251.1 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 98.68% White, 0.33%...
, until 1893 when he moved to Sherbrooke, North Dakota
Sherbrooke, North Dakota
Sherbrooke is an ghost town in Steele County in the U.S. State of North Dakota. It was the county seat from 1885 to 1919, when the government moved to the current county seat of Finley...
. In June of that year, he purchased the Sherbrooke House Hotel in Sherbrooke, and worked as a hotel and livery barn operator.
Warrey, a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
was elected as Steele County's
Steele County, North Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,258 people, 923 households, and 635 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile . There were 1,231 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...
surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
in 1890, and elected Steele County judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
in 1894. He served in that position until 1905. He also twice served as the county's deputy sheriff.
Warrey died in 1933 and is buried in the family plot in the Page
Page, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 225 people, 101 households, and 61 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,259.1 people per square mile . There were 125 housing units at an average density of 699.5 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 99.11% White, 0.44%...
Cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
.