Gilbert, Frank T. "Historic Sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and Garfield Counties, Washington Territory; and Umatilla County, Oregon." Portland, OR: Print & Lithographing House of A. G. Walling, 1882. p. a21. WILLIAM KIRKMAN is a native of Lancashire, England, where he was born December 7, 1831. Such scenes as centered about his early life upon the estate of the great Sir Robert Peel, surrounded by unusual influences singularly fitted to center thought and germinate impulses to action, have fallen to the fortunate lot of few lads in the British Isles. This moulding power for higher aims in life, was not scholastic, nor was it the association of cultured companions, for little of the influence from either was among the advantages of his youth. It was the power exerted by an impress upon the imagination in the example furnished by the success of three brothers that, with the passing years, moulded his character, created an object with higher aims in life than was presented in his native village. Who has not been charmed with the acts, character, and objects of the Cheeryble brothers as pictured by Dickens, in "Nicholas Nickleby", where he gives to them the grand embodyment of generous philanthropy, emanating from a combination of all the better qualities in humanity? Those were fictitious names but the great writer took for his model three brothers named William, Daniel and John Grant, who had first coupe upon the Peel estate from Scotland, so poor that they ate the bread of charity. Through industry, economy, indomitable energy, and generosity directed in a comprehensive and judicious way, those brothers became possessed of vast wealth, built large factories, and purchased Sir Robert Peel's estate. The father of Wm. Kirkman was foreman in the factory owned and operated by these brothers, and the lives of those men were, in his youth, an omnipresent suggestion and reminder that success or failure in life was due largely to the result of one's own acts; that in their own hands men held their destiny. Such thoughts and reflections in the youth moulded the man. They created an incentive and a will to win, and with it a desire for a more favorable locality in which to achieve success than was presented in his native land. He consequently came to Boston, Mass., in 1853, as the agent of an English firm to sell in America Marseilles goods, none of which were manufactured in this country at that time. This failing to occupy his whole time, he entered the employ of a machine manufacturing establishment, but, in 1854, came to the Pacific Coast, and the latter part of that year found him mining at Columbia in Tuolumne county in California. Three years later with a moderate fortune, he sailed for Australia, and, in 1858, visited the Sandwich Islands, from where he joined the army of gold seekers moving to Frazer river in British Columbia. For four years he remained under the British flag, meeting with varied fortunes and some singular and thrilling adventures. In 1880 high water carried away a bridge belonging to him, that left him financially at the foot of the ladder to start life again, shadowed by a heavy indebtedness. In 1862 he returned to San Francisco, and the following year purchased cattle on the Umpqua river for the Boise market. He remained in Idaho until 1865, engage in the stock business with a meat market established at Pioneer City, and then he sold out of the business. In 1866, he took an eighty mule pack train of goods from Walla Walla to Montana, where he disposed of all, and became interested in a milk ranch, where he prosecuted the dairy business for six months, and then returned to San Francisco, California. While in that city, he was married to Miss Isabelle Potts on the fourth day of February, 1867. From 1867 until 1870, he was engaged in the cattle business, when he sold out and again returned to San Francisco. In 1871, he came with his family to Walla Walla City, where he now resides, and entered into partnership with John Dooly for the purpose of general traffic in live stock and such business as incidentally accompanies it. This firm is now the most successful one in this territory in its line of business, and reckons its herds of cattle and sheep by the thousands. In the early part of 1881, they lost, on the plains of Whitman county alone, 5,000 head of cattle that were caught in the snow and starved, without the loss working any financial embarrassment to the firm. Mr. Kirkman, besides his stock and market business, is quite extensively engaged in farming and owns some valuable city property see sketch of his residence in this work. The dates of birth and names of Mr. and Mrs. Kirkman's children are as follows: Willie H., May 7, 1868; George D., May 8, 1869; Agnes A., November 22, 1870; Annie A., January 15, 1873; Grace F., August 28, 1874; Robert J., January 29, 1876; Myrtle B., April 23, 1877; Dasie, November, 4, 1878; Leslie Gilmore, January 27, 1880; Mabel, June 6, 1882. In conclusion we would say that, though Mr. K. was born on the soil of England, his instincts and impulses are essentially American, of whose institutions he is an enthusiastic admirer. It is a country, as he aptly puts it, "where those who will may win." As a business man, he has the confidence of all who know him; as a citizen, the respect which his character and actions in life have entitled him; and his wealth is the result of judicious labor prompted by his early surroundings, and not the reward of chance or birth. * * * * Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in February 2007 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.