Edwards, Rev. Jonathan.  "An Illustrated History of Spokane County, State of
Washington."  San Francisco: W. H. Lever, 1900.  p. 618.
 
WILLIAM H. McVAY

     A pioneer of 1888, was born in Ironton, Ohio, on August 29, 1859.  He spent
most of his early youth in Pennsylvania, however, his parents having moved to
Newcastle, that state, when he was very young.  In 1878 he went to Chicago where
he was engaged as a nail maker for a number of years.  He came to Spokane in
1888 and worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company in their freight house
for a time, then spent six years in the employ of the Standard Oil Company.  For
the ensuing three years he was engaged in mining in the region tributary to
Spokane, but subsequently he opened a real estate office in the Holland
building, in company with Mr. Will O. Jones, their firm name being McVay &
Jones, real estate, insurance, rentals and mining.  Mr. McVay is vice-president
of the Reilley Gold Mining Company, and is quite extensively interested in other
properties.  He also owns much real estate in this city and county.  Mr. McVay
is one of the leading and influential citizens of Spokane, and stands high in
the esteem and regard of the people generally.  He was once a candidate for the
office of councilman from the third ward and ran far ahead of his ticket, but
was nevertheless defeated by a plurality of nine votes.  Mr. McVay is very
prominent in the Masonic fraternity, having taken thirty-two of the thirty-three
degrees.  He also belongs to the I.O.O.F. and the Royal Arcanum.  He was married
in Chicago, in 1884, to Miss Alice Aitchison and they have two children, Vance
S. and Ruth.

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Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in April 2006 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.