Kuykendall, Elgin Victor, 1870-1958

Elgin Victor Kuykendall was born in Oakland, Oregon in 1870 where he spent his early years at Fort Simcoe, WA, where his father was the Indian Agency physician. His family moved to Pomeroy, WA in the 1880's where he finished school, taught and studied law. He opened a law practice and practiced law in Pomeroy. He held several positions in local and state government. In 1924 he was appointed Superior Court Judge for Asotin, Garfield and Columbia Counties. He was re-elected to his position of Judge until 1949 when he retired. Kuykendall was also very involved with research in eastern Washington history and Indian lore. He wrote many articles and was active in preservation and memorial organizations.

Attorney and judge, Pomeroy, Washington.

Elgin Victor Kuykendall was born at Oakland, Oregon in 1870 and spent his early years at Fort Simcoe, Washington, where his father, George Benson Kuykendall, was the Indian Agency physician. His family moved to Pomeroy, Washington in the 1880s, and there he finished school, briefly taught and studied law in the office of Samuel Cosgrove, later Governor of Washington. Kuykendall practiced law in Pomeroy from the 1890s until 1924 when he was appointed Superior Court Judge for Asotin, Garfield and columbia Counties. In the meantime he had held several elective posts in local government, had been twice elected to the State Senate (sessions of 1917 and 1919) and had served four years as the Chairman of the State Public Service Commission. His political career was generally associated with the progressive wing of the Republican Party. Following his appointment as Superior Court Judge he was reelected to the non-partisan position several times until his retirement in 1949.

In addition to his legal and political careers, Kuykendall as also involved with research in eastern Washington history and Indian lore. Following the inspiration of his father, who had been a local historian and genealogist, he wrote many articles on local history for the press, collected Indian legends and lore, particularly of the Nez Perce, managed the local pioneer association and eventually wrote a history of Southeastern Washington. Additionally, Kuykendall was active in historic preservation and memorial organizations such as the Whitman Memorial Association, the Lewis and Clark Memorial Association and the restoration efforts at Fort Simcoe. His interest in local history led to donate his father’s papers to the Washington State University Library in 1949; in turn, his heirs donated his papers shortly after his death in 1958.