"A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of the City of
Seattle and County of King, Washington." New York and Chicago: Lewis Publishing
Co., 1903.  p. 171.


JAMES W. CLISE.

James W. Clise, the well known president of the Seattle chamber of
commerce, and one of the most active and successful business men of the city,
has through a long period been closely associated with its progress and
material upbuilding. In the edition of the Trade Register, published on the
13th of July, 1901, appears the following: "James W. Clise, who so ably
fills the important office of president of the Seattle chamber of commerce,
and has, as an active business man of the Queen city, invested hundreds of
thousands of dollars in realty and buildings in this city and the Evergreen
state, was born in Lancaster, Wisconsin, in 1855. He was educated in the
Lancaster schools and when twenty years of age went to Stockton, California,
where he was engaged in mercantile business until 1879. He then located in
Denver, Colorado, where he was in the lumber business until 1889. The year
of the Seattle fire he came to Seattle and organized the Clise Investment
Company, of which he has since been president and general manager. Besides
handling real estate and other investments, Mr. Clise has been agent for a
number of prominent eastern capitalists who have purchased and erected a
large number of business blocks in Seattle. Mr. Clise is also manager of the
Globe Navigation Company recently organized which has purchased three
large steamships and is building a large sailing fleet to take part in the
commerce of the Pacific, which farsighted business men realize will rapidly
develop into enormous proportions and make Seattle the American Pacific
Gateway for the far eastern trade with the continent. Mr. Clise promoted
and built the Selah & Moxel irrigation canal in Yakima county and is
interested in other stock business projects. Since 1890 he has been an active
member of the Seattle chamber of commerce, serving as trustee, vice-president
and has been elected president for two successive terms by the unanimous
vote of the board of trustees. Mr, Clise has always been an enthusiastic
worker in all matters affecting Seattle's interests and this city is greatly
indebted to him for the success of many projects, especially in securing the
location of the Fort Lawton army post and the quartermaster's office at this
point."

The ancestors of our subject came from Holland in 1700 and settled in
Virginia, the home of the family being known as Whitehall. Samuel Frank
Clise, the father of our subject, removed from the Old Dominion to Wisconsin,
where he was married to Miss Nancy McKenzie, who removed to that
state from Glasgow, Kentucky. After their marriage they continued to reside
in Lancaster, Wisconsin, and reared their family there. The father became
a man of marked influence and prominence, holding various offices of honor
and trust in his county. He was also a member of the Episcopal church
and departed this life when comparatively a young man, at the age of forty-two.
His wife still survives him and is now in her seventieth year.

Mr. Clise was married in 1886 to Miss Anna Herr, a native of the same
town in which his birth occurred. They have three children, Ruth, Charles
Francis and James William, Jr. The parents are members of the Episcopal
church and their home is one of the beautiful residences that adorn Queen
Anne hill.


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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in March 2010 by Bruce Jones.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.