Pumphrey, William Henry (August 30, 1846 - 1921)

William Henry Pumphrey (August 30 1846-1921) was an American bookseller, stationer and pioneer. Born in Ohio to a farmer, he began work with the railroads - first in Wisconsin, later relocating to the Pacific coast 1870 saw him working as a clerk in Fort Gamble, and then in Seattle. He purchased an interest in the first stationery store in that city in 1871, eventually purchasing the entire company. In 1881, he shared the ownership of the stationer’s with James Lowman until the latter bought him out in 1882; the partnership was officially disbanded in 1883. That year he started his own stationery business, whose product appears to have included a sole map of the western part of Washington State. Though suffering setbacks from the Great Fire of Seattle (1889) by 1893 he was recognized as a leading stationer in the city. He was a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows, and a longtime Republican. He died, apparently from complications of blood poisoning, in 1921.