The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 89

CHARLES H. NEWELL.

It is a trite saying that there is always room at the top, yet there are few who
attain leadership. The great majority are content to remain in a mediocre
condition, lacking the ambition or the energy that would bring them to the
front. Charles H. Newell, however, does not belong to that class. He is a man of
marked enterprise and keen sagacity in business affairs and, moreover, his
record is that of unwearied industry. Starting out in life, he has eagerly
utilized the opportunities which others have passed heedlessly by and in the
course of years he became the foremost dealer in horses in the state of
Washington. Eventually he became a resident of Toppenish and with its upbuilding
and development has since been closely associated, while at the same time his
business interests extend to various other districts.

Mr. Newell was born in Holmesville, Ohio, September 20, 1847, a son of Samuel
and Mary Newell. The father went to California in the year 1849, attracted by
the gold discoveries in that state, and there passed away. In 1859 the family
left Ohio for Lawrence, Kansas, later went to Linn county, that state, and
subsequently crossed the plains by team to Colorado, where Mrs. Newell became
the wife of E. A. Hopkins. In 1864 they resumed their westward journey,
traveling across the country to The Dalles, Oregon. In the same fall they
settled in Washington county, Oregon, where they lived until 1871 and then
removed to Klickitat county, Washington, where they took up a homestead claim
which included the present site of the city of Goldendale. There both Mr. and
Mrs. Hopkins passed away, the former in 1878, while the latter died in 1897.

Charles H. Newell obtained a public school education in Oregon and afterward
entered the live stock business, in which connection his name has become widely
known throughout the northwest and in other sections of the country. At times he
has owned more horses than any other man in the state of Washington. He shipped
the first train load over the Northern Pacific Railroad and as a member of the
firm of Hoxter & Newell owned an extensive ranch near Goldendale. He has owned,
bought and sold over one hundred thousand head of horses and has been doing
business over the Yakima valley since 1871. He rode the ranges in this district
when there were practically no settlers in this part of the state. He leased
land from the Indians on the Yakima reservation as early as 1879 and has had
lands in the district continuously since. In 1901 he came to Toppenish and built
the first livery barn in the town. In 1902 he built the first hotel here and in
1908 he completed a modern hotel, which is a fine cement structure containing
fifty-five rooms.

It was erected at a cost of fifty thousand dollars and is one of the best hotels
in the valley. Mr. Newell and his partner, R. J. Davis, of Tacoma, own more than
five hundred acres of land on the Yakima Indian reservation, devoted to general
farming, and also have a large hay ranch. In addition to that property they
lease several hundred acres beside. Their business interests are of a most
extensive and important character and place them among the men of affluence in
the district.

In 1876 Mr. Newell was united in marriage to Miss Mary Wren, of Washington
county, Oregon, a daughter of Michael Wren, who settled in that state in the
'40s. To Mr. and Mrs. Newell has been born a son, Harold, who is now on his
father's ranch in the summer seasons, while in the winter months he attends
school.

Mr. Newell has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since
attaining his majority and he also has membership with the United Artisans. His
political endorsement is given to the republican party. He does not seek to
figure in any public light outside of business, concentrating his efforts and
attention thereon, and as the years have passed he has developed his business
affairs to mammoth proportions. Carlyle has said, "The obstacles in the paths of
the weak become stepping stones for the strong," and this has been proven in the
case of Mr. Newell, who has regarded difficulties in his path as an impetus for
renewed effort on his part -- effort that has brought him continually nearer and
nearer to the goal of desired success.

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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.