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- FORMER ADAMS COUNTY BANKER DIES IN SEATTLE
William Alexander Pearce, a former Adams county resident, died at his
home in Seattle on November 10, 1959, at the age of 85. Services were held at
the MacMartin and Chamberlain mortuary in Walla Walla November 13 with
interment at the family plot at Mountain View cemetery. Mr. Pearce had been a
semi-invalid since he broke his hip in July 1956. He was born at Carmi, Ill,
April 12, 1874, and came to Ritzville July 1, 1901 to work in the Daven
general store. Early in 1902, he received an offer to help open a ba
Washtucna and he asked Harr Martin, assistant cashier of the Pioneer State
bank, to teach him the banking business. On July 11, 1902, the Bank of
Washtucna was capitalized at $5,000 with W.R. Cunningham, Jr., president; C.E.
Shipman and O.W. Green, both pioneer State officials, as vice president and
cashier and Mr. Pearce was appointed assistant cashier. In March 1903, the
business was made a state bank with a capitalization of $25,000 and in 1908 it
became the First National Bank of Washtucna with Mr. Pearce as president.
On December 14, 1935, the bank was merged with the First National Bank
of Ritzville and the two became the Ritzville branch of the Old National Bank
with Mr. Pearce as manager. Mr. Pearce retired in July, 1949, and a year
later, following the death of Mrs. Pearce, he moved to Seattle to make his
home with his daughters. Survivors are two daughters, Beatrice and Beul
Pearce, both of Seattle; two sons, Chauncey M. of Seattle, and William B.,
Spokane, and six grandchildren. Rev. D.A. Russell, formerly of Washtucn
officiated at the service. Pallbearers were David Hoefel, John Ott, William
Rosenoff and A.E. Warnes of Ritzville, Lester LeFevre of Harrington and John
Nunamaker of Spokane. Pearce was a member of Modern Woodmen of America and the
United Presbyterian Church of Washtucna.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1874 - 1959 (85 years)