An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., 
The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 482-493

	J.S. BRACE, manager of the Western Mill, at Seattle, was born in Ontario,
Canada, in August, 1861. His ancestors were from England, emigrating to America
in the seventeenth century, and locating in New York State, where for
generations they were extensively engaged in the lumber business. Descendants
subsequently removed to Ontario, where Lewis J. Brace, the father of our
subject, was born. Being brought up in the lumber business, he adopted that line
of occupation, and became one of the most extensive lumber merchants and bridge
contractors of Western Ontario. His wife, Mary (Gibson) Brace, was born in
Ireland, but was brought to Canada in childhood and there reared and educated.
J. S. Brace was educated in the private school of Dr. Tassie, at Galt, Ontario.
At the age of sixteen years he entered the lumber business with his father, and
managed the lumber department while his father looked after the building of
railroad and county bridges. In 1883 Mr. Brace and family removed to the eastern
part of the Territory of Washington, where Mr. Brace engaged in the stock
business, while J.S. Brace became connected with the Spokane Mill Company as
superintendent, and remained in their employ four years. In 1886 the firm of
L.J. Brace & Son was organized to engage in the lumber business, with a mill on
Priest river and lumber yards at Spokane. In 1887, J.S. Brace resigned his
position with the Spokane Mill Company to join his father in the new enterprise,
and with him continued for one year, then came to Seattle as superintendent of
the Western Mill, of which he is now manager. At that time the capacity of the
mill was 30,000 feet per day, and so continued up to August, 1889, when a new
mill was erected with a capacity of 100,000 feet per day, and the old mill
converted into a sash and door manufactory, to supply the jobbing trade. The
firm also operated a planing and lath mill, employing a force of 300 men in the
several departments. In 1892 the sash and door factory was leased and the mill
is now operated in the manufacture of lumber, lath and finishing materials,
affording employment to about 150 hands, the product being marketed in
California, Mexico and throughout the East. The mill is also well known and
patronized by the general trade. Mr. Brace retains his interest in the firm of
L.J. Brace & Son. He was one of the incorporators of the Northwest Fixture &
Electric Company of Seattle, and owns valuable real estate, improved and
unimproved, in the vicinity of Lake Union. He was married at Seattle, in 1890,
to Miss Katie Frankland, of Providence, Rhode Island, and one child, Sarah
Evelyn Maude, has blessed this union.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in October 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.