Harlow, Arthur C.

    Arthur C. Harlow, veteran mortician at Bellingham and proprietor of what is recognized as the best equipped mortuary establishment and crematory in the state outside of Seattle, is a Canadian by birth but has been a resident of Washington since his infancy, and all his conscious recollections are thus based upon his activities in this state and in the neighboring state of Oregon. He was born at Shelburne in the maritime province of Nova Scotia in the dominion of Canada, October 3, 1881, and is a son of Steadman and Isabel (Johnston) Harlow, both also natives of that province, who were residents of Washington for some forty years and are now living retired in Portland, Oregon.

    Steadman Harlow came to Washington with his family in 1883 and located in Wahkiakum county, at the mouth of the Columbia river. He was an experienced ship builder and there became employed in the ship building operations of George Loggie. In the next year he went to Empire city as millwright for the Loggie industries and was located at that place until 1893, when he became engaged in the fisheries industry at Eagle Cliff. There he remained until 1898, when he took up his residence in the Bay settlements, coming here to aid in the erection of the Bellingham Bay Company's mill in that year. He later also took part in the construction of the Loggie mill in Bellingham and upon the completion of that work established himself in Portland, where he became connected with the operations of the Schaffer Transportation Company. When after this country entered the World war in 1917 the call came for prompt production of wooden ships his services were secured in that connection, and he rendered effective service during that period of stress as superintendent of operations of one of the companies engaged in the task of turning out wooden vessels under government requisition, retiring upon the completion of that service.

    Arthur C. Harlow was about eighteen months old when his parents moved to Washington, and he was reared here, securing his education in the public schools of this state. He was seventeen years of age when the family took up their residence in Bellingham in 1898, and for some time  after his arrival here he was employed in the Loggie mill, later securing employment with the Bellingham Bay Improvement Company. In 1902 he went to McMinnville, Oregon, where he attended the McMinnville College for three years, at the end of which time he became connected with the Portland Railway, Light & Power Company and was thus engaged until 1908. It was in the latter year that Mr. harlow embarked upon his career an a mortician, entering the old pioneer undertaking establishment of Edward Holman & Company at Portland, where he acquired a thoroughly familiar knowledge of this exacting profession. In 1913 he returned to Bellingham and here bought an interest in the undertaking establishment of Mock & Sons on Elk street, established in 1902, and in 1916 he became the sole proprietor. In 1922 he erected his present admirably appointed mortuary at the corner of Holly and Forest streets, opening it on November 8 of that year. The building comprises a story and a half, is fifty-four by ninety-two feet in ground dimension and in addition to the crematory and columbarium has a chapel with a seating capacity of three hundred. This mortuary is equipped with standard modern appointments and its vehicular service is fully motorized, including a private ambulance, a limousine burial coach, two family sedans and a clergyman's car, the various appointments being recognized in the trade as being the best in the state outside of Seattle.

    On April 3, 1910, at Pendleton, Oregon, Mr. Harlow was united in marriage to Miss Adna Raley, who was born at that place, a daughter of Colonel J. H. Raley, a prominent attorney and a member of one of the real pioneer families of the community, and they have one child, a daughter, Helen. Mrs. Harlow is associated with her husband in the direction of the mortuary establishment and is an able helpmate. Mr. Harlow belongs to the First Baptist church, while Mrs. Harlow is a member of the First Presbyterian church. Both are republicans, and they have ever taken an interested part in civic activities. They are members of the Country Club and are otherwise participants in the social activities of the community. Mr. Harlow is a charter member of the Bellingham Yacht Club, of which he is secretary, and is an active and influential member of the Chamber of Commerce and of the Kiwanis Club, is a past president ('25) of the Tulip Festival Association and is a member of the board of directors of the local branch of the Young Men's Christian Association. He is a Knight Templar and Scottish Rite (thirty-second degree) Mason and a Noble of the Mystic shrine, while both he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star, Mrs. Harlow being an officer of the grand lodge of that order in the state of Washington. Mr. Harlow also is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Woodmen of the World, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Loyal Order of Moose and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, as well as the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to all branches of that order. Years ago he rendered service in the National Guard of the state of Washington, serving for almost three years as a member of Company M in Colonel Wisenberger's regiment, beginning in 1900, and he has never lost his interest in National Guard affairs.

History of Whatcom County Volume 2, Lottie Roeder Roth, pub. 1926, pgs. 104-105