Edwards, Rev. Jonathan. "An Illustrated History of Spokane County, State of Washington." San Francisco: W. H. Lever, 1900. p. 576. WILLIAM H. DARKNELL a pioneer of 1879, was born in Wisconsin, March 8, 1852. When ten years old he accompanied his parents to Minnesota and there was reared and educated. He early engaged in farming, but in 1873 came out to California, thence to Oregon and, in 1878, to Dayton, Washington. The following year he came to Spokane county, bought a tract of railroad land ten miles southeast of Rockford, and set vigorously to work to establish a comfortable home for himself and family. He is now the owner of three hundred and forty acres of fine land in an excellent state of cultivation, and in every way plainly evincing his thrift, enterprise and progressiveness. He is engaged in wheat producing and general farming, but is best known for his success as a stock raiser. He is quite active in politics and has the distinction of having cast the first vote ever polled in Rockford. In 1900 he was appointed by County Assessor A. P. Williams deputy assessor for his vicinity. Fraternally, Mr. Darknell is identified with the F. & A. M. and with Fairview Lodge, No. 40, I. O. O. F. He was married in The Dalles, Oregon, in 1878, to Miss Virginia Justice, and to their union were born two children : Jennie, wife of G. M. Blakely, and Hattie. He was next married, at Rockford, in 1886. to Miss Clara Lefars, and they are parents of two children: Amata and Homer. ******************* Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in April 2008 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.