A pioneer businessman who helped Camas grow from a one-horse village to a modern city, Charles Farrell was typical of those men and women who put down deep roots and became ardent Clark County boosters.
The community of LaCamas, as it was first known, was just eight years old when Farrell, a man of 22, arrived in 1891. He first went to work for the fledgling paper mill, winding up as paymaster for the 60 men and 18 women then employed.
A Vancouver businessman, Glenn Ranck, had opened a store at the northeast corner of what is now Fourth and Birch in about 1888, and in 1903. Farrell and his wife, the former Rose Roffler, bought the business. Charles and Rose, along with Rose’s sister, Anna Eddy, operated the store for more than six decades, under the name Farrell and Eddy.
Both Farrells and Anna Eddy were involved with the store until their mid-80s. The store, also known as the Fashionette, is owned by Glenn Farrell, the son of Charles and Rose.
Along with operating the store, which is believed to be the county’s second oldest retail business, Charles was a longtime member of the Camas City Council. He died in 1967, 12 days before his 98th birthday.
Rose Farrell died in 1957 and Anna Eddy in 1972.