Lannon Wellington
(1838-1907)

Lannan and Irma would continue to struggle in 1877 as money was becoming scarse and Irma suffered health problems after her second miscarraige in that same year.
In 1878 Lannan took a big gamble basically putting his final dollars toward starting a timber business. This business was slow early on with Lannan clearing trees on his own but Lannon was deliberate with this in that he was clearing and stockpiling trees for a bigger purpose, the railroad.
Lannon was content selling small amounts of timber and stockpiling other resources for a bigger gain and in the following decade thats exactly what happened.
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Lannan and Irma had given up on the idea of children after losing their first daughter and its believed Irma had 2 miscarraiges thereafter; yet in 1880 to their surprise Irma was pregnant and that same year gave birth to a baby boy, Garren Russell Wellington.
The gift of a child seemed to be a turn of fortune for Lannan and Irma when in 1882 Irmas mother and youngest brother came to the United States and Irma received her portion of an inheritance from the Cannon estate. In 1884 Lannan secured an agreement to send timber near the Canadian border which earned him a considerable amount of money and then in 1887 Lannan learned that the a railroad line was being built by the government covering some 500 miles and bids were being taken for timber suppiers. Lannan used some of Irene's inheritance to start up a timber mill and in 1888 Lannan earned a bid on 110 miles of railway and started production immediately.
Lannans decision early on to keep his timber in reserves paid off in the long run as no one else in the territory could accomodate the volume of timber needed. The effects of this were paramount as railroad workers, loggers, lumberjacks and merchants all flocked to the area, Lannan was able to hire multitudes of workers since the pay was being backed by government contract.
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By 1890 Lannan was running out of timber after clearcutting nearly two thirds of his timber holdings yet good fortune fell his way when a local herdsman passed away and his land came up for auction, Lannon had become one of the wealthier people in the territory and immediately secured the land though it cost him most of the profits he had made the previous 2 years.
The purchase of more land seemed to have a windfall effect when another stroke of opportunity presented itself to Lannan in that another railway project was up for bid in 1892 which would connect the nearby town with 2 other small towns, all leading to a larger city some 30 miles away. Lanna acquired the timber rights from 3 smaller operations who decided it was more profitable to work under Lannans timber operation rather than work as independants and with this, Lannan secured yet another timber contract on the railway. Lannan would earn 3 more large railway bids over the next 3 years spanning from the newly founded state of Washington and into Oregon. In 1893 Irmas mother passed away and along with brother Eugene, he and Irma would inherit the final proceeds from the Cannon estate.
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By 1895 Lannan had built an estate of his own and a considerable amount of wealth, he was considered a business leader in his area and his timber business was running mostly on its own as most all who were looking to build anything came to Lannan for timber. Lannan also started turning his attention toward the future of his son Garren. The northwest was collectively a wild and unruly territory, Lannan and Irma were both concerned about their son getting an education and not having to struggle as they did.
Lannan and Irma were simple, old country people, they worked hard, suffered and struggled all their lives and sacrificed for a better future for their son, and those who followed.
Lannan Wellington passed away in November of 1907, Irma Wellington survived him and lived until November of 1914.
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Lannan decided his next investment had to be in his only son, and potential heir to the estate, Garren, they would have him tutored, traveled across the country spending considerable time on the east coast, and eventually send him to college.
Garren would later take his education and trust fund and build a small empire of the
Wellington Estate.

Here's a photo of Irma Wellington..

Here's Lannan and Irma photoed in the formal living room of Wellington Estate in 1897

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