This gentleman is a well known and representative business man of Lewiston, being at the present time a proprietor of the Bollinger hotel, one of the popular and established hostelries of Lewiston, where he does a fine business and is well liked by everyone.
Mr. Bollinger was born in New Ulm, Minnesota, on September 1, 1868, being the son of Rudolph and Sophia (Ihrig) Bollinger. The father was born in Zurich, Switzerland, on July 23, 1826, came to America when a young man and now lives at Dayton, Washington. The mother was born in the province of Hessen, Germany, on May 7, 1845, and is still living. Her father and mother were also natives of the same province. Our subject was educated in primary studies in New Ulm and at the age of fifteen came with his parents to Dayton, Washington, where the father took a homestead, which he still owns, having added more since that time.
William completed his education in Dayton and remained on the farm with his father until becoming of age, went to Dayton and clerked in a grocery store and general merchandise establishment for August Engel. Five years later he went into the butcher business, spending one year, and then came to Lewiston and opened a restaurant with his present partner, John Bell. They operated the Royal for three years, adding meanwhile a grocery store, when the grocery was sold and the restaurant burned down. Being partly insured, they saved a little from the wreck and bought the lots where the hotel now stands and put up the building. The hotel was a popular resort from the first and they are now handling the Scully house as an annex and have built a large addition to their establishment. The house is justly popular because of the skill and affability of Mr. Bollinger in his care of the traveling public.
Our subject has brothers and sisters as follows, Emma, wife of Herman Hessel, in Oregon; George, Fred, Mary, Minnie, all on the farm at home.
Mr. Bollinger is happily affiliated with the following different fraternities; the I. O. O. F., the Rebekahs, the Encampment, the K. of P., the Uniform Rank, the D. O. K. K., the W. of W., the Auxiliary Circle, and also with the Sons of Veterans of Dayton, Washington. The father of our subject fought in the Union army in Company C, Fourth Minnesota.
Back to: Nez Perce Biographies
Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903