Edwards, Rev. Jonathan. "An Illustrated History of Spokane County, State of Washington." San Francisco: W. H. Lever, 1900. p. 628. A. E. PERMAIN of the firm of Held & Permain, a pioneer of 1889, is a native of the south of England. He received his preliminary education there and studied architecture and decorative art in the large offices and schools of London. As soon, however, as he had completed his studies he came to Spokane and opened an office for himself. Subsequently he became associated with Mr. Held, forming the present partnership. While they design and superintend public buildings, their specialty is residence designing. Being also decorative artists, they are enabled to build and finish the magnificent residences entrusted to their charge and to turn them over to the owners complete. They are easily in the leading rank among the architects of the west, in the branch of the profession to which they give special attention, and they have built most of the fine residences erected in the last year in this city. Personally, Mr. Permain is affable and pleasant and he at once wins the good will of those who meet him. He was married in St. Paul, in 1892, to Lilla A. Back, of London, England. They have a family of four children: Cicely, Edwin Usher, Marjorie and Jack. ************************ Transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project in August 2007 by Diana Smith. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individuals featured in the biographies.