Durham, N. N.  "Spokane and the Inland Empire; History of the City of Spokane
and Spokane County Washington."  Vol. 3.  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1912.  
Vol. 2.

CHESTER A. GORDON

Chester A. Gordon, manager of the Coeur d'Alene Hardware Company, is one of the
enterprising and promising young business men of Wallace, of which city he has
been a resident for the past six years. He is a native of Illinois, having been
born in Chicago on February 1, 1882, and is a son of Harry J. and Emma (Cowin)
Gordon. When our subject was a lad of about six years the parents removed west,
locating in Spokane in 1888. The father, who was an engineer, ran the dummy
engine on Cook's railroad in that city, and during the great fire of 1889 he was
instrumental in assisting many people to get away from the vicinity imperiled by
the flames, many unquestionably owing their lives to his timely assistance. A
few months later he passed away, his demise occurring late in the year of 1889. 	
	After the death of the father, the mother with her family returned to
Chicago, and there Chester A. Gordon finished his education. When old enough to
go to work he laid aside his text-books, and applied himself to assisting his
mother inasmuch as he became at least self-dependent. His first position was
that of office boy with the M. D. Wells Company, a wholesale boot and shoe house
of that city. He was only fifteen years of age at this time, but showed such
willingness and ability in the discharge of the various tasks assigned him that
the firm promoted him from time to time in accordance with the efficiency he
displayed until he had attained a good position. He withdrew from their
employment in 1905 and came to Wallace to become bookkeeper for the Coeur
d'Alene Hardware Company. This company was incorporated in 1892 under the
management of W. W. Hart, who in 1883 became identified with the hardware and
mining-supply business in the west and who was long associated with J. R. Marks
in this business in Billings, Montana; Murray, Idaho; and Spokane, Washington.
The Coeur d'Alene Hardware Company was under Mr. Hart's management from the time
of its organization until his death in 1910, and it is unquestionably due to his
unremitting energy, initiative and thorough knowledge and understanding of the
requirements of the business that the company forged ahead until it is now the
largest concern of the kind in the northwest. They carry a complete stock of
mining machinery and supplies necessary for the operation and maintenance of
mines, as well as a large stock of general hardware. Their policy has always
been to supply all things needful to any worthy or reliable mining concern in
times of difficulty, and it is unquestionably due to this fact that many of the
important companies that are now thriving and prosperous were able to develop or
tide over great financial difficulties. Following the death of Mr. Hart, in
1910, Mr. Gordon was promoted to take his place, as manager, and has ever since
continued in that position. It is a responsible and difficult position,
requiring clear judgment, business sagacity and executive ability of more than
an average order, but thus far Mr. Gordon has at all times proven fully equal to
the demands made upon him. 
	Mr. Gordon has made many friends during the period of his residence in
Wallace and is highly esteemed. He is a member of the Elks, belonging to Wallace
Lodge, No. 331, B. P. O. E., and takes an earnest interest in the work of the
order. He is meeting with financial success in his various undertakings, being
interested in a number of mining properties in the district, and his future as
gauged by his past gives every assurance of being most promising.



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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in May 2015 by Diane Wright.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.