Robert Elijah Kermen (was Kermeen) was born at Laxey on the Isle of Man. The oldest son of Robert H. Kermeen and Anne Jane (Logan) Kermeen. He had a sister, Lydia and two brothers, William and Edward. He immigrated to America with his family at the age of 16 and lived at Rich Hill, Missouri until he headed West in 1888 at the age of 21. He worked in Arkansas,Kansas, and on the Rock Island Railroad. He traveled through New Mexico, Arizona and California. He came to Washington to work on the Great Northern switchback. In 1892 he moved to Roslyn, Washington Territory and became a shift foreman in the mines for two years. He then did quartz mining in the Peshastin district and prospected in Idaho before returning to Cle Elum, Washington as Fire Boss in the mines there.
On August 9, 1895 he married , Margaret Elizabeth (Smith) McClennan, a widow with three children: Pearl, Nina and Kelso McClennan. They later had two children: Ernest Kermeen, born May 7, 1899 and Kelso Edward Kermeen, born February 6, 1901. A third child died stillborn in 1905. He was elected Alderman on the first town council in 1891 and later elected as the first mayor of the "city" of Cle Elum in 1904 and served two terms as mayor. There had been two others that had served as mayor of the town before it gained in population and city status. In 1912 the family moved to Grandview, Washington. Mrs. Kermen died on December 27, 1916. In May 1921 he married a widow, Helen C. Pedersen and they moved to Seattle in 1924, but later moved to Yakima in January 1947 and then his wife died in March of that same year. Robert died on August 17, 1958 at Yakima, Washington and was buried at Grandview, Washington.
On August 9, 1895 he married , Margaret Elizabeth (Smith) McClennan, a widow with three children: Pearl, Nina and Kelso McClennan. They later had two children: Ernest Kermeen, born May 7, 1899 and Kelso Edward Kermeen, born February 6, 1901. A third child died stillborn in 1905. He was elected Alderman on the first town council in 1891 and later elected as the first mayor of the "city" of Cle Elum in 1904 and served two terms as mayor. There had been two others that had served as mayor of the town before it gained in population and city status. In 1912 the family moved to Grandview, Washington. Mrs. Kermen died on December 27, 1916. In May 1921 he married a widow, Helen C. Pedersen and they moved to Seattle in 1924, but later moved to Yakima in January 1947 and then his wife died in March of that same year. Robert died on August 17, 1958 at Yakima, Washington and was buried at Grandview, Washington.
Robert Elijah Kermen (was Kermeen) was born at Laxey on the Isle of Man. The oldest son of Robert H. Kermeen and Anne Jane (Logan) Kermeen. He had a sister, Lydia and two brothers, William and Edward. He immigrated to America with his family at the age of 16 and lived at Rich Hill, Missouri until he headed West in 1888 at the age of 21. He worked in Arkansas,Kansas, and on the Rock Island Railroad. He traveled through New Mexico, Arizona and California. He came to Washington to work on the Great Northern switchback. In 1892 he moved to Roslyn, Washington Territory and became a shift foreman in the mines for two years. He then did quartz mining in the Peshastin district and prospected in Idaho before returning to Cle Elum, Washington as Fire Boss in the mines there.
On August 9, 1895 he married , Margaret Elizabeth (Smith) McClennan, a widow with three children: Pearl, Nina and Kelso McClennan. They later had two children: Ernest Kermeen, born May 7, 1899 and Kelso Edward Kermeen, born February 6, 1901. A third child died stillborn in 1905. He was elected Alderman on the first town council in 1891 and later elected as the first mayor of the "city" of Cle Elum in 1904 and served two terms as mayor. There had been two others that had served as mayor of the town before it gained in population and city status. In 1912 the family moved to Grandview, Washington. Mrs. Kermen died on December 27, 1916. In May 1921 he married a widow, Helen C. Pedersen and they moved to Seattle in 1924, but later moved to Yakima in January 1947 and then his wife died in March of that same year. Robert died on August 17, 1958 at Yakima, Washington and was buried at Grandview, Washington.
On August 9, 1895 he married , Margaret Elizabeth (Smith) McClennan, a widow with three children: Pearl, Nina and Kelso McClennan. They later had two children: Ernest Kermeen, born May 7, 1899 and Kelso Edward Kermeen, born February 6, 1901. A third child died stillborn in 1905. He was elected Alderman on the first town council in 1891 and later elected as the first mayor of the "city" of Cle Elum in 1904 and served two terms as mayor. There had been two others that had served as mayor of the town before it gained in population and city status. In 1912 the family moved to Grandview, Washington. Mrs. Kermen died on December 27, 1916. In May 1921 he married a widow, Helen C. Pedersen and they moved to Seattle in 1924, but later moved to Yakima in January 1947 and then his wife died in March of that same year. Robert died on August 17, 1958 at Yakima, Washington and was buried at Grandview, Washington.
