The bold vision and secret legacy of the one-of-a-kind Cashup Davis
Think big. Stay focused. And if someone tells you that you can’t achieve your dreams, think of Cashup Davis.
Those are some of the many lessons encountered by Gordon Davis (’69, Agricultural Science and Ag Education) during his search for the true story of a larger-than-life ancestor, Palouse pioneer James S. “Cashup” Davis.
Davis partnered with investigative journalist Jeff Burnside (’80, Journalism) to share his great-grandfather’s history in Cashup Davis: The Inspiring Life of a Secret Mentor.
Published in 2022 under the Basalt Books imprint and available at WSU Press and major online sellers, the book grew from a three-year exploration of old farmhouses, dusty museum basements, family treasures, and small-town newspaper caches across eastern Washington. Solving mysteries about the pioneer’s life, Davis and Burnside were helped by an amateur band of sleuths they dubbed the “Cashup Crew,” whose passion was inspirational and whose discoveries were essential to the story.
The book tracks Cashup’s journey from his English youth through immigration to the United States, marriage to a strong-minded woman, Mary Ann, and success in the Midwest. Making several surprising twists and turns, the tale culminates with the treks and ventures in the Pacific Northwest that made him a famous man in late-19th century America. It also details his biggest triumph, startling end, and the legacy that lives on in his family.
“Taking a risk is living life like Cashup,” Davis said. “If you get it right every time, you’re not taking enough chances. It is all about the journey.”
A life of adventure
Throughout his life, Cashup always hungered for more. As related in the book, in 1870, at the age of 54, he pulled up stakes in the Midwest and brought a family of eight children to Oregon territory by wagon, ship, and transcontinental railroad. Cashup was on the move again just two years later, exploring one of the last frontiers, the Palouse country of today’s Washington state.
“The country is one vast pasturage of grass,” Davis wrote his grown sons in 1873. “Its fattening qualities are unsurpassed by any in the world…. Immigration will be coming in here very soon now.”
An early sodbusting pioneer and promoter, he extolled the fertility of what became a national breadbasket, and launched a successful stagecoach stop that was the talk of the region. On the Palouse, he earned his unique nickname for his insistence on paying, and being paid, in cash—a rarity in those days.
Guests line the front and roof terrace of Cashup Davisʼs new hotel during the grand opening party, July 4, 1888. It is estimated that the hotel cost $5,000 to construct. (Whitman County Historical Society, Perkins House.)
When the railroad arrived to end the coach era, Cashup, aged 72, took his boldest gamble, opening a three-story hotel at the top of 3,612-foot Steptoe Butte on July 4, 1888. Crowned by what was dubbed “the second most powerful telescope” in Washington territory, the hotel was a regional marvel. Sadly, visitors to the summit dwindled amid one of the nation’s worst economic downturns. Cashup died alone at his hotel in 1896, and the marvelous building burned to the ground in 1911.
A secret mentor
Cashup’s children recovered and prospered as the region developed, and Davis believes his ancestor’s true legacy is in the spirit he left to his descendants: one of vision, perseverance, adaptability, and optimism. His great-grandfather, Davis says, has always been his secret mentor.
“Any time I’ve entered a competition, I’ve always felt like I’ve had an edge,” Davis said. “I have no interest in mediocrity, and neither did Cashup. To my great-grandfather, I say, ‘Thank you for living an exemplary life.'”
That spirit of adventure led Davis to WSU and on to a successful career as an educator and businessman. Today, he is a philanthropist that supports this college through the Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean program.
“With his vision of excellence for himself, for others, and for CAHNRS, Gordon has been one of our most magnetic alumni and friends,” said Wendy Powers, Cashup Davis Dean. “Now we know where he gets it: from that energetic, restless, positive precursor, the one and only Cashup.”
Davis and co-author Burnside have been amazed at the response to the book from readers across the Northwest and well beyond: Australia, Italy, and all corners of the U.S.
“Readers send us selfies holding the book because it resonates with so many,” Burnside said. “It’s more than a fascinating true story – it’s also a cautionary tale and full of life lessons that all of us can use today, ideas like ‘how do you define success?’ and ‘what will be your legacy?’”
“My journey to find out more about Cashup taught me many things,” Davis wrote. “My life is a continuing pursuit of excellence, just like Cashup’s. And like Cashup, I often succeed and sometimes fail—but I never give up.”
Reflecting Cashup’s legacy
The $5 million Cashup Davis Family endowment builds opportunity, leadership, and academic excellence, supporting world-class faculty, offering meaningful learning activities, and fostering a culture of service and philanthropy that reflects Cashup’s legacy.
The endowment supports and guides CAHNRS projects, and students embodying the spirit of the Davis family are recognized each year with two special honors: the Cashup Davis Merit in Human Sciences Award and the Cashup Davis Merit in Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Award. Award winnersʼ names reside on a plaque in the Hulbert Hall deanʼs office in Pullman.
