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

GEORGE SELWIN ALLISON, M. D.

	While the practice of medicine is the real life work of Dr. George Selwin
Allison, he has also engaged in real-estate dealing in Spokane and is the owner
of considerable valuable ranch property in eastern Washington. He was born in
Louisiana, Missouri, July 22, 1848, a son of J. C. and H. M. Allison. His
educational opportunities in early youth were those afforded by the district
schools of his native town where he pursued his studies until he reached the age
of fifteen years, and then attended the Cherry Grove Seminary of Abingdon,
Illinois, for three years. A glance over the broad field of business in its
different agricultural, industrial, commercial and professional phases, led him
to the determination to make the practice of medicine his life work and he
entered the St. Louis Medical School, now the Washington University, from which
in due time he was graduated with the class of 1871. He at once sought to put
his theoretical knowledge to the practical test and entered the office with Dr.
W. C. Duncan, with whom he remained for two years and then opened an office in
Macon county, Illinois, where he remained for about ten years. Ambitious to
attain the highest degree of proficiency he went to "New York in 1881 and
pursued a special course of study in the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, and
was graduated from that institution in the class of 1881, being now numbered
among its alumni. It was in July, 1882, that Dr. Allison arrived in Spokane
where he has been in practice constantly since and is the oldest resident
physician of this city. There was only a very limited population when he took up
his abode here and with the growth of the city his practice has increased until
it is now very extensive and of an important character. He has improved the
opportunity for judicious investment and profitable sale of real estate, and now
has much property in Spokane, together with a ranch of seven hundred and eighty
acres at Latah, Spokane county, on which he raises stock, wheat and all that
goes to make up a model farm. The place is situated forty-three miles from the
city, and his son, Walter S. Allison, now twenty six years of age, is in charge
of the farm. Dr. Allison is an enthusiast on the subject of the future of
Spokane county and is always ready to join in any movement that promises to
prove of practical worth in its development and upbuilding. He is likewise
president of the Conservative Land & Investment Company, owning thirteen
thousand acres of land in Benton county, one thousand acres of which are under
cultivation.
	On the 2d of May, 1876, at Mount Zion, Illinois, occurred the marriage of
Dr. Allison and Miss Ellen E. Mariner, a daughter of Professor William and Agnes
Mariner, both natives of Lebanon, Tennessee. Her father was a teacher by
profession and about 1880 came to Washington to join the faculty of the Walla
Walla College. He was thus connected with the educational development of the
state until his death, which occurred in Spokane in 1894. Dr. and Mrs. Allison
have three living children: Walter S., who as stated manages his father's ranch;
Ida G., the wife of John D. Johnson, of Spokane; and Mabel P., who is the wife
of James E. Bailey, of this city. The family residence is at No. 1203 Eighth
avenue and was erected by Dr. Allison. In politics he has always been a stalwart
republican but the only office that he would ever accept was that of member of
the school board, on which he served for three years, beginning in 1905. He has
ever taken an active interest in educational matters and the cause of the public
schools finds in him a splendid friend. He holds membership in the Westminster
Congregational church and for many years was one of its trustees. His influence
is always on the side of progress and those things which relate to the material,
intellectual, political and moral development and welfare of the city.

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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in November 2016 by Diane
Wright. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family
mentioned above.