The Kirkman Family

At the age of twenty, English-born William Kirkman ventured to the United States. After making (and losing) several small fortunes mining gold, Kirkman decided on a more stable career in cattle ranching. It was cattle that brought the Englishman and his family to Walla Walla in 1872. Kirkman quickly formed a close friendship and partnership with businessman John Dooley, the "King of Cattle." Together they formed the Figure 3 Ranch, a range that reached from Pasco to Spokane and from Sprague to the Snake River. Their firm was the first to ship cattle out of the Washington Territory by railroad. At one time, William Kirkman himself owned over 1200 acres of land, and was an extensive raiser of both cattle and sheep.

The partnership also operated the Pioneer Meat Market on Main Street, the first meat market in Walla Walla before selling to Chris Ennis. Kirkman stayed in the meat market business for several more years, using the Northern Pacific railroad (which ran only a block away from the home) to ship his meat goods to other towns.

In 1892-3, Kirkman traveled with his wife and two oldest children, Henry and Fannie Ann, to Europe. This was his first trip home since leaving England forty years earlier, and gave him his first opportunity to meet Isabella’s family in Ireland. He had hoped this trip would help him recover from an illness that had been plaguing him for some time. In a letter home to his youngest children, Myrtle Bell and Leslie, he wrote, "We are enjoying our visit here fairly well except that the weather is or has been bad and I have had a good many bad spells. I have put myself under a course of treatment, so I think we will not leave here for a week or two. It will depend some on how I feel." (March 23, 1893 from The Huntington Hotel, Boston). Kirkman died on April 25, 1893, in Stephen’s Point, Wisconsin en route to Washington by train.

In February, 1867, William Kirkman married Isabella Potts. Isabella was an Irishwoman who immigrated to the United States at 17. She moved to San Francisco to live with her sisters, and it was there she met Kirkman. They had 10 children, but only four survived into adulthood. William Henry, their oldest son, went on to become a Senator for Washington for two terms and also served in the House of Representatives.

The Kirkman family in the early 1890's. Left to right; Fanny Ann, their dog Teddy, Myrtle Bell, Henry, Leslie Gilmore, William, and Isabella Potts Kirkman.

We recently found an audio recording made in 1975 by Ruth Reynolds. Ruth was the grand daughter of William Kirkman and daughter of Fanny Ann Kirkman - Reynolds. In the recording she gives a history of William and quotes from some of his letters.

Ruth Reynolds

1901 - 1985

Listen to the Recording




	William Kirkman At the age of twenty, English-born William Kirkman ventured to the United States. After making (and losing) several small fortunes mining gold, Kirkman decided on a more stable career in cattle ranching. It was cattle that brought the Englishman and his family to Walla Walla in 1872. Kirkman quickly formed a close friendship and partnership with businessman John Dooley, the "King of Cattle." Together they formed the Figure 3 Ranch, a range that reached from Pasco to Spokane and from Sprague to the Snake River. Their firm was the first to ship cattle out of the Washington Territory by railroad. At one time, William Kirkman himself owned over 1200 acres of land, and was an extensive raiser of both cattle and sheep. The partnership also operated the Pioneer Meat Market on Main Street, the first meat market in Walla Walla before selling to Chris Ennis. Kirkman stayed in the meat market business for several more years, using the Northern Pacific railroad (which ran only a block away from the home) to ship his meat goods to other towns. In 1892-3, Kirkman traveled with his wife and two oldest children, Henry and Fannie Ann, to Europe. This was his first trip home since leaving England forty years earlier, and gave him his first opportunity to meet Isabella’s family in Ireland. He had hoped this trip would help him recover from an illness that had been plaguing him for some time. In a letter home to his youngest children, Myrtle Bell and Leslie, he wrote, "We are enjoying our visit here fairly well except that the weather is or has been bad and I have had a good many bad spells. I have put myself under a course of treatment, so I think we will not leave here for a week or two. It will depend some on how I feel." (March 23, 1893 from The Huntington Hotel, Boston). Kirkman died on April 25, 1893, in Stephen’s Point, Wisconsin en route to Washington by train. In February, 1867, William Kirkman married Isabella Potts. Isabella was an Irishwoman who immigrated to the United States at 17. She moved to San Francisco to live with her sisters, and it was there she met Kirkman. They had 10 children, but only four survived into adulthood. William Henry, their oldest son, went on to become a Senator for Washington for two terms and also served in the House of Representatives. The Kirkman family in the early 1890's. Left to right; Fanny Ann, their dog Teddy, Myrtle Bell, Henry, Leslie Gilmore, William, and Isabella Potts Kirkman. We recently found an audio recording made in 1975 by Ruth Reynolds. Ruth was the grand daughter of William Kirkman and daughter of Fanny Ann Kirkman - Reynolds. In the recording she gives a history of William and quotes from some of his letters. Ruth Reynolds 1901 - 1985 Listen to the Recording