An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893

JOSEPH FLETCHER McNAUGHT. - Among the business developers of Seattle, few have
come more conspicuously to the front than the subject of this sketch, who is of
Scotch-Irish ancestry, and was born in McLean county, Illinois, August 17, 1855.
His parents, George and Nancy (Franklin) McNaught, natives of Indiana, removed
to Illinois, where Mr. McNaught followed farming and the stock business. Joseph
F. was reared to the habits of farm life, passing the summer in labor and the
winter months at school, as was the custom with farmers' sons. At the age of
eighteen years he entered the Wesleyan University at Bloomington, Illinois, and
graduated in June, 1877. He then completed his legal studies in the law
department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. At this time James
McNaught, an elder brother, had established himself in a legal practice in
Seattle, and upon his invitation to join him in the profession McNaught removed
to Seattle in July, 1878, and two months later was admitted to the bar, and the
firm of McNaught Brothers was instituted. With the reputation which James
McNaught had already acquired, the business rapidly increased to vast
proportions, taxing the energies of both parties. In 1881, Elisha P. Ferry, the
present Governor of Washington, became a partner, and two years later John H.
Mitchell, a son of the senator from Oregon, joined the firm, when it became
known as McNaught & Mitchell. When Mr. Ferry retired to take an active part in
the management of the Puget Sound National Bank, and James McNaught went to St.
Paul as the assistant general solicitor of the Northern Pacific Railroad, Joseph
formed a partnership with Judge Roger I. Greene, C.H. Hanford, present United
States district judge, and John H. McGraw, under the firm name of Greene,
McNaught, Hanford and McGraw. This firm continued an active practice up to
February, 1888, when failing health, caused from overwork, forced Mr. McNaught
to withdraw and take a rest from professional labor. During his ten years of
practice, his firm under the different styles had been doing the largest
business of all on the Sound. The result of such incessant labor, though
gratifying from a professional and pecuniary standpoint, was too severe and rest
became imperative. He then made his journey East, and by the recreation of
travel, with his naturally good constitution, nature restored herself and he
again returned to Seattle. Instead of resuming his profession, as the
real-estate interests of himself and brother had become so valuable, he decided
to devote himself to its management and development. This departure opened a
field of operations in which he had already evinced rare judgment, and, with his
genius at financiering, his operations became extensive, and from that time his
financial success has been most remarkable. The management of his own and
brother's interests constitute only a part of the work he has performed. As the
organizer of syndicates and the enlistment of capital in various enterprises he
has had no superior in the Northwest. To enumerate the corporations which he has
been instrumental in creating, in all of which he is a large stockholder and of
which he is either president or manager, will give an idea of his abilities in
that direction. These corporations are as follows: McNaught Land Investment
Company: capital, $400,000 McNaught Town Site Company: capital, $100,000;
McNaught-Collins Improvement Company: capital $200,000; Lake Washington Belt
Line Company: capital, $600,000; Broadway Investment: capitals, $100,000;
Seattle Silver Mining Company: capital, $100,000; Talisman & Stalwart
Consolidated Company: capital, $1,000,000; Puget Sound & Union Stockyards;
Fidalgo Improvement Company; Fidalgo Land Company; Union Investment Company; and
numerous other interests of a personal character. As an organizer and manager of
vast and varied interests Mr. McNaught has no superior, and it is largely to his
personal supervision that the above vast enterprises are carried to successful
conclusions. Not alone here does he rest, but he is also among the foremost in
promoting every project to advance the prosperity of Seattle. With his
superabundance of acres, Mr. McNaught cannot forget his somewhat weakened
physical condition, and the necessary rest and relaxation is gained by cruising
about the Sound with his steam yacht "Aquila," and with rod, gun and dog
engaging in the sports so freely offered. He also owns Protection Island, which
contains 500 acres of fine farming land, all well improved, and as a sporting
preserve is well stocked with Golden, Silver, Green and Mongolian pheasants and
quail. Mr. McNaught was married in Bloomington, Illinois, in December, 1887, to
Miss Jennie E. Dodge, and they have two children: Helen Fairfax and Carl Shelby.
Fraternally Mr. McNaught affiliates with the F. & A.M., I.O.O.F. and A.O.U.W.
Politically be is a Republican, positive in his convictions and a strong believe
in the principles of his party; but he has no desire for political
aggrandizement, the management and development of extensive business enterprises
offering to him a. more congenial field of labor.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in January 2004 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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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.