"An Illustrated History of Whitman County, state of Washington." San Francisco: W. H. Lever, 1901. p. 387. EZRA MONLUX Among the extensive realty holders and wheat-raisers of the famed Palouse country must be numbered the man whose name appears as the caption of this article, for few control a larger acreage than he and few have contributed more to the industrial development of the section. He is also one of the public-spirited men of his neighborhood and one for whom integrity and worth of character have won and retained the esteem and regard of all with whom he has had business or social relations. It is therefore with pleasure that we accord him representation here as one of the leading men of the Palouse country. Mr. Monlux was born in Ohio on June 26, 1849, the son of Ezra and Susan (Wagner) Monlux, natives respectively of Virginia and Pennsylvania. When he was seven years old he accompanied his parents to Iowa, where he completed his education and passed the years of his early manhood. The even tenor of his career once, however, suffered serious interruption. On October 13, 1864, he enlisted under Colonel Dorr and Captain Shirtz in the Eighty Iowa Cavalry, and from that date until the cessation of hostilities he followed the fortunes of war. He took part in the battles of Franklin and Nashville and in numerous skirmishes and minor engagements. He was mustered out in October, 1865, and at once returned to Iowa, where he farmed until about 1875. He then went to the Black Hills in search of gold and fortune, and a year later he removed thence to Colorado, coming thence to Seattle, and from that city, after a short residence, to this county, arriving in June, 1877. He pre-empted a quarter section of land near Colfax, and for about eight years devoted himself assiduously to its cultivation and improvement. Eventually, however, he removed to Rebel flat, where he farmed for about half a decade, having purchased land for the purpose. He then came to the place, four miles southwest of Pullman, where we now find him. His realty holdings in the county aggregate twelve hundred acres, upon which he has raised wheat almost exclusively until recently, but he is now going into cattle-raising and the diversified plan. His place has been improved by the erection of a fine two-story house and good substantial outbuildings, and upon it is a fine ten-acre orchard. Other evidences of his thrift and progressiveness are not lacking, for about the entire premises is an unmistakable air of comfort, bespeaking enterprise and skill. In fraternal affiliations our subject is a Mason. He has taken a very active part in local matters, especially in those pertaining to the educational advantages of the neighborhood, and for several years he served as director in his district. On February 23, 1887, in Colfax, he married Miss Lydia, daughter of Valentine and Elizabeth (Shelby) Shroll, and they have six children: Calla E., Guy J., Mary E., William R., Claude E. and Paul. * * * * Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in January 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.