"The Oregonian's Handbook of the Pacific Northwest." Portland, OR: Oregonian
Publishing Co., 1894.  pg. 427.

GEORGE S. BROOKE

     Sprague is inhabited by an enterprising and cultivated people, who have the
utmost confidence in the city's future.  The town was founded by the Northern
Pacific Railroad Company in 1882.  In December of the following year, the
territorial legislature passed an act creating the new county of Lincoln.
Sprague was incorporated and made the county seat.  Geo. S. Brooke, who
organized the first city government, was elected the first mayor of Sprague and
the present incumbent of this office, is a member of the historic Brooke family
of Maryland, a family who have been residents of that state since 1650.  Mr.
Brooke, the subject of this sketch, was born in Dubuque, in 1855, and graduated
with honors from Griswold College, Davenport, Iowa in 1872.  In 1874 he came to
Portland where, during his eight years' residence in the leading city of the
Northwest, he was connected with the well-known firm of Allen & Lewis, and for
four years he was general passenger agent of the Oregon Railway & Navigation
Company.  Mr. Brooke came to Sprague in 1882 and established the banking house
of Fairweather & Brooke, which continued in business until succeeded by the
First national Bank of Sprague in July, 1886.  Mr. Brooke became cashier of the
latter bank on its organization, and in 1891 he was elected to the responsible
position of president of the bank, an office he still holds.  In 1889 the
gentleman organized the Sprague Water Company, of which he was elected
president.  This company has given the people of Sprague an abundant supply of
the purest and best water.  Mr. Brooke has always taken an active and leading
part in the organization of all enterprises tending in any way to the promotion
of the best interests of Sprague.  He is now serving his fourth term as mayor of
the city, having been elected to the office for three times in succession.  He
has the full confidence of those who know him, and he is one of the most
respected citizens of Eastern Washington.

 
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Submitted to the Washington Bios. Project in May 2005 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.