Joseph Kincaid Taken By Death

Joseph Emerson Kincaid, 69, prominent retired merchant and a civic leader of Lewiston since 1896, passed away peacefully yesterday afternoon at 2 at the family home, 224 Ninth St. Death was attributed to paralysis agitans, from which Mr. Kincaid had suffered for several years after an illness with sleeping sickness. He had been in failing health since 1933, when he retired from his position as manager of the former R. C. Beach Co., department store.

Mr. Kincaid was born near Aden, Calif., March 14, 1874, the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Kincaid. They moved soon after to a ranch near Palouse, Wash., where he grew to manhood.

Came Here In 1896

He enrolled at the University of Idaho in 1896 and came to Lewiston during the vacation of that summer to seek work to finance further studies. He secured a position with O. A. Kjos, pioneer merchant whose store then occupied the site of the present J. C. Penney Co. building. The opportunity led to a business career in Lewiston which continued for almost half a century.

In 1898 Mr. Kincaid purchased an interest in the Lewiston Grocery Co., and bakery, then operated by S. Wildenthaler, occupying the building at 210 Main St. A year later he reentered the employ of Mr. Kjos and, in 1905, he became associated with the late R. C. Beach and Frank Morris in forming the R. C. Beach Co., which opened a merchandise store in the building at 410 Main St., now occupied by Collins' cigar store. Later the Beach Co., purchased the stock of the Kjos store and moved to the building at Fifth and Main which it occupied until the store was sold in 1933. Mr. Kincaid served as manager of the company, which expanded until it became one of the largest independently-owned department stores in Idaho.

Served On City Council

Mr. Kincaid, an indefatigable worker, took an active leadership in civic and fraternal affairs in the community. He was president in 1904 of the Interstate Fair association, which sponsored the Lewiston-Clarkston interstate fairs held at the old fairgrounds in north Clarkston and was one of the organizers of the Lewiston Chamber of Commerce, then known as the Lewiston Commercial club. He was president of the chamber in 1923 and served on its board of directors, his last term being from 1922 to 1924. He was a member of the city council in 1921-23, serving as finance commissioner.

Mr. Kincaid was a prominent member of the Masonic orders in Lewiston, serving as master of the Blue lodge, potentate of Calam temple of the Shrine and in all other offices of the temple. He also had filled all chairs of office in Excelsior lodge of the Knights of Pythias and had been active in the Lewiston lodge of Elks. He was a member of the Presbyterian church.

Owned Farm Properties

A firm believer that the welfare of the Lewiston district depended upon the well-being of its supporting territory, Mr. Kincaid not only constantly preached that doctrine but sought to put it into practice by developing a well-stocked, diversified farm on Wahr prairie, which was managed for many years by Lonnie Halsey. He imported purebred cattle to raise the standards of the industry in the area and established large poultry-raising operations on his farm. Mr. Kincaid at one time also owned a large fruit acreage in the Clarkston valley. He purchased the fine family home, at the foot of Ninth street grade, about 30 years ago, from the late Wesley Steel, also buying at the same time the nearby rental property then called "Steel's addition," but now known as F street court.

Mr. Kincaid was married June 3, 1903, to Maud Wildenthaler, the daughter of the late Saraphin Wildenthaler and Mrs. Wildenthaler. He is survived by his widow; two children, Charles E. Kincaid, trust officer of the Seattle Trust Co., Seattle, and Miss Josephine Kincaid, manager of residence halls at the University of Indiana, Bloomington, Ind., two brothers, Garret Kincaid, Palouse, and Lawrence Kincaid, Seattle, and two grandchildren, Charles E. Kincaid Jr. and Martha Louise Kincaid, Seattle.