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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Then and Now Preview 5/18/2015

Robert Lewis Rutter was a prominent Spokane banker from his 1892 arrival until his death in 1948. Photo from The Spokesman-Review
Robert Lewis Rutter was a prominent Spokane banker from his 1892 arrival until his death in 1948. Photo from The Spokesman-Review

One of the great things about researching local history is meeting and learning from the descendants of the city's founders who still live in the area. Occasionally I only meet these folks after I've made a dreadful mistake in the retelling of their ancestor's story. So I will try to preview my upcoming columns in this blog and perhaps gather more information or head off errors in the making. This week's topic is a turn-of-the-century banker named R.L. Rutter. His name is on a few roads in the area, but not heard of in many other places. He was the president of the Spokane and Eastern Trust Co. from 1904 to the mid-1930s, right before the bank was folded into Seattle First National Bank, later called Seafirst. Any memories of Mr. Rutter or his family would be appreciated. - Jesse Tinsley



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