Edwards, Rev. Jonathan. "An Illustrated History of Spokane County, State of Washington." San Francisco: W. H. Lever, 1900. p. 462. HON. JAMES M. COMSTOCK Mayor of Spokane, is a native of Rome, Oneida county, New York, born September 6, 1838. In 1845 the family removed to Summit, Waukesha county, Wisconsin, where he grew up, attending the school winters and working on a farm at all other seasons. When eighteen he began teaching. In 1858 he entered Carroll College in Waukesha and there the greater part of his time was spent until the outbreak of the war. On August 14, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, First Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry. He studied tactics diligently and soon was appointed to drill the other men. Later he served in Missouri as first lieutenant of Company H, participating in the engagements at Shelbyville and Chickamauga. He then went south, joined Sherman and took part in the battles of Dalton, Resaca, New Hope Church, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain and other engagements preceding the fall of Atlanta. In July, 1863, he was promoted to the captaincy of Company F., which rank he held until mustered out December 1, 1864. The distinguished character of his military services is evinced by the fact that he was so frequently promoted. Upon retiring from the army he returned home and engaged in the dry goods business. In 1872 he removed to Algona, Iowa, where he followed the same pursuit until 1890. He then came to Spokane and in company with R. B. Patterson opened a dry goods store. On January 1, 1895, the Spokane Dry Goods Company was organized, with Mr. Comstock as vice-president. The company have an excellent wholesale and retail establishment and are doing a splendid business, employing from ninety to one hundred assistants constantly. While Mr. Comstock is a business man of no ordinary ability, it is for his public services that he is best known in Spokane, he having been connected with the city government since 1894. He was for five years a member of the city council, during three of which he occupied the president's chair. In May, 1899, he was elected to the mayoralty of Spokane and he is discharging his duties as such officer with ability and faithfulness and in a manner well calculated to promote the best interests of the city. He is a man of long experience in municipal government, having served for many years in the Algona, Iowa, city council and as mayor of that city one year. Mayor Comstock was married in Monterey, Wisconsin, March 29, 1866, to Miss Elizabeth Annis, a native of Cattaraugus county, New York, and they have two daughters, May and Josie. Transcriber's additional notes: Census: 1850, July 17; Waukesha Co, WI; Summit, p 358 George Comstock, 48, CT, farmer, $2000 real estate Eliza, 48, CT Emily, 20, NY Mary, 18, NY, att. school John, 15, NY, att. school, laborer Nancy, 13, NY, att. school James, 11, NY, att. school Eliz th, 10, NY, att. school George E, 6, NY, att. school Eugene Dodge, 5, NY, att. school Martha A. Ward, 36, VT W. D. Bradford, 28, RI, cooper, $400 real estate Mary Bradford, 23, NY (bio. of George Comstock http://www. linkstothepast.com/waukesha/biossummit.html ) 1870, June 4; Waukesha Co, WI; Oconomowoc, p 384 James Comstock, 30, NY, ret. dry goods merchant, $300 pers. prop. Elizabeth, 28, NY, keeping house May, 3, WI, at home 1880, June 12; Kossuth Co, IA; Algona, p 290 James M. Comstock, 40, NY, NY, NY, ret. dry goods & grocery Elizabeth, wife, 37, NY, NY, NY, keeping house May, dau, 13, WI, NY, NY, att. school Josie, dau, 9, WI, NY, NY, att. school 1900, June 13; Spokane Co, WA; Spokane Wd 3, p 168, 704 Adams st. James M. Comstock, 62, Sept 1837, NY, CT, CT, mar 35 yrs, city mayor, owns home w/ mtg. Elizabeth A, wife, 58, Jan 1842, NY, NY, NY, mar 35 yrs, 2 children-2 living May, dau, 33, May 1867, WI, NY, NY, single, no occ. Josie, dau, 29, Jan 1871, WI, NY, NY, single, no occ. 1910, April 19; Spokane Co, WA; Spokane Wd 3, p 28, 1128 9th ave, family # 48 James M. Comstock, 71, NY, CT, CT, mar 45 yrs, merchant, dry goods, owns home free Elizabeth A, wife, 67, NY, US, US, mar 45 yrs, 2 children-2 living May, dau, 42, WI, NY, NY Lena Carlson, servant, 28, Swe, Swe, Swe, housework, private family 1118 9th ave, family #47 Eugene A. Shadle, 40, IA, PA, PA, mar 1, 9 yrs, merchant, dry goods, owns home free Josie C, wife, 39, WI, NY, NY, mar 1, 9 yrs, 0 children, no occ. 1920, January 7; Spokane Co, WA; Spokane Wd 3, p 267, 1106 9th ave, family #120 Elizabeth Comstock, 77, NY, NY, NY, Wd, no occ., owns home free May, dau, 52, WI, NY, NY, single, no occ. 1112 9th ave, family #121 Eugene A. Shadle, 50, IA, PA, PA, merchant, dry goods, owns home free Josie C, wife, 49, WI, NY, NY, no occ. * * * * Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in July 2006 by Diana Smith. Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individual featured in the biographies.