The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 260

CHARLES H. FLUMMERFELT.

Charles H. Flummerfelt, a prominent figure in insurance and real estate circles
in Ellensburg, having now an extensive clientage, was born in Delaware, Warren
county, New Jersey, on the 31st of July, 18b3, a son of Daniel A. and Macrina H.
(Hoagland) Flummertelt, both of whom were representatives of old colonial
families. The father was engaged in the mercantile and milling business and
spent his ertire life in the east, passing away in 1884. The mother still
survives and is now living with her son, Charles H., at the advanced age of
eighty-two years. She is still well preserved and takes the keenest interest in
raising flowers.

Charles H. Flummerfelt obtained a public school education and started out in thr
business world as a telegraph operator. Later he took up office work and
subsequently began traveling for a southern hardwood lumber company of St.
Louis, Missouri, his territory covering the central states. He afterward removed
to Hawley, Minnesota, where he was appointed agent for the Northern Pacific
Railway Cowl any, and his identification with Washington dates from 1885, in
which year he made his way to Pasco, becoming the third station agent at that
place. He continued to occupy that position until 1888 and it was during his
agency that the first passenger train passed over the Cascade division. This was
an excursion, held on the 4th of July, 1887, and carried many prominent people,
who came from Walla Walla. In 1888 Mr. Flummerfelt entered the live stock
business near what was then Lake Station but what is now, Mesa, Washington. He
became a prominent and influential citizen of that region and in the fall of
1889 was elected the first representative from Franklin county to the state
legislature, where he so capably and faithfully served his constituents that he
was reelected for a second term. He gave earnest and thoughtful consideration to
all the vital questions that came up for settlement and left tile impress of his
individuality upon legislation enacted during the period of his service in the
general assembly.

In 1891 Mr. Flummerfelt removed to Ellensburg and again entered the employ of
the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, being in a responsible position in the
superintendent's office. In the spring of 1892 he was made traffic manager of
the Ellensburg & Okanogan Transportation Company and served in that capacity
until the following fall, when he resigned and embarked in business on his own
account, establishing a mercantile store at Oroville, Washington, where he
continued for a few months. He then returned to Ellensburg and again entered the
employ of the Northern Pacific in 1893, acting as relief agent in the
superintendent's office. In 1894 he was made assistant postmaster of Ellensburg
and occupied that position until the fall of 1896. He was then elected county
treasurer, serving for two terms and proving a most faithful custodian of the
public funds. In 1901 he went to Wenatchee, Washington, where for a year he was
associated with the Rose & Wright Fruit Company. In 1902 he returned to
Ellensburg and purchased the grocery stock of R. B. Wilson, after which he was
continuously and successfully engaged in the grocery business until February,
1909, when he sold out. At that date he entered the real estate and insurance
business, in which he has now continued for a decade, and within this period has
built up an extensive clientage.

In 1883 Mr. Flummerfelt was married to Miss Ella Mary Sebring, who was born in
Monroe county, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Andrew and Theresa B. (Moyer)
Sebring. The children of this marriage are two in number. Ray is married and is
with the Northwestern Improvement Company of Roslyn, Washington. The daughter,
Nellie, is the wife of John J. Brown, a lieutenant in the railway division that
went to Russia, in the United States-Russian Rail Service.

Fraternally Mr. Flummerfelt is an Odd Fellow and has held all the chairs in the
local lodge. He also has membership in the Elks Lodge No. 1102, of Ellensburg
and in the woodmen of the World. He is a prominent member of the Chamber of
Cornruerce, in which he has served as president, and his religious faith is
manifest in his membership in the Presbyterian church. In politics he has always
been a democrat since reaching his majority. He has served on the city council
of Ellensburg, filling that office at the time the electric light system was
extended and at the time plans were laid for the water service. He had the
distinction of being the youngest member of the first state legislature in 1889
and in 1913 he was elected to represent his district in the state senate, where
he served for a term. He has served as president of the building committee of
the Young Men's Christian Association and was the first president if the
association in Ellensburg. He has continuously served as its board of directors
and is now its treasurer. His activities have been a factor in material,
intellectual, social, political and moral progress in his section of the state.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.