"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. 642. MATT H. GORMLEY New countries naturally abound in young men, as only the strong and vigorous can undergo the labors incident to discovery and settlement. For similar reasons, a advancement is made in the various arts constituting civilization, and civil government takes shape, young men are apt to be found at the forefront in positions of responsibility and trust. The new northwest, which has been bounding forward so rapidly during the last few decades, is filled with ambitious spirits who have gone there in youth or early manhood to "grow up with the country." The Spanish war, owing to its diversion to the islands in the distant Pacific, furnished an advantageous opportunity to the adventurous spirits of the coast states, and incidentally a great stimulus to their commerce. It was natural, therefore, that when the scene of war was transferred to the Philippines and a call was made for a large number of troops to go to those distant possessions that there should be an eager desire to enlist among the ambitious young men of the northwest. Among those who volunteered promptly, went to the front and saw arduous service amid the swamps and rice fields of the land of the Tagalogs, was the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, and his title of captain was earned as the result of gallant service in the field. But not simply in military matters but in civil life as well, Captain Gormley has shown himself to be a fit associate of those progressive young men whose combined efforts have brought the northwest so prominently to the front. Henry Gormley, who was a native of New York, came as a young man to Walworth county, Wisconsin, where he followed the business of contracting and building. Being attracted by the accounts heard of the Puget Sound country, he determined to try his fortunes in that section, and in 1878 came to Seattle, where he resumed his old occupation as a contractor. While residing in Wisconsin he had married Orra McGraw, by whom he had three children, and one of the two of these now living is the gentleman with whose life this memoir is especially concerned. Matt H. Gormley was born at Delavan, Wisconsin, March 18, 1867, and was consequently about eleven years old when his father brought him to Seattle. He was given a good education in the public schools and at the state university, where he received the degree of B. S., in the class of 1886. After leaving college Mr. Gormley engaged with his father in the business of contracting and building, and was so employed until appointed deputy sheriff, in which office he served during the period from 1890 to 1892, and then after a short time in the county treasurer's office, he returned to building. In the same year of his graduation Mr. Gormley had joined the state militia, and when the call came for troops to fight against Spain the regiment to which he belonged was accepted in its entirety, and by the reorganization for the federal service he became first lieutenant of Company B. The command was sent to the Presidio, where it was drilled and disciplined for six months and then sent to the Philippine islands for what proved to be a long continued and arduous service. Lieutenant Gormley took part with his regiment in much hard marching throughout the quagmires of Luzon and adjacent islands, and was engaged in innumerable skirmishes with the elusive Tagalogs, besides the more serious fights at Santa Ana, Guadaloupe, Pasig, Cainta, Taytay, Morong and Colamba. The captain of Company B having been killed at Pasig, Lieutenant Gormley succeeded him in command and from that time on was ranked as captain. At the expiration of their term of enlistment this gallant regiment was returned to San Francisco and mustered out, and the individual members, after the American style of doing these things, all speedily returned to their places in the walks of civil life. With reputation increased by his patriotic service in the distant orient Captain Gormley quietly resumed his old duties at Seattle, but was not long allowed to remain in private life by his admiring fellow citizens. He first came to the city treasurer's office as clerk for Judge Foote, and after the election of S. F. Rathbun in the following spring he was appointed chief deputy under the new incumbent. He served in this position until 1902, when, at the spring election of that year, he himself was chosen city treasurer and in due time installed in the office. Captain Gormley is a good business man by natural inclination and training, and has completely mastered all the details of the treasurer's office during his connection therewith. There is no part of the work, however small, which he is not able to do, and which at some time he has not done, and he takes the main responsibility himself, leaving only the routine matters for subordinates' attention. The result of all this has been a steady increase in the business of the office, and such accuracy in the accounting and scrupulous care over the public revenues as to elicit general praise for the treasurer from his constituency. Captain Gormley has long been one of the active young leaders in politics on the Republican side, and is usually found as a delegate in the various party conventions. His fraternal connections are confined to membership in the Royal Arcanum. Like most game spirits he is fond of all sorts of outdoor sports and exercise, especially hunting and fishing, in which lines he is an ardent devotee. He is fond of the study of ornithology, and, in connection with his friend, Samuel Rathbun, has given much time to this interesting science made so popular in America by the great Audubon. In 1892 Captain Gormley was united in marriage at Seattle with Miss Ida Schonmyer, and they have three bright and promising children, whose names are Lawrence, Rowena and Jack. Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in June 2005 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.