USA > Oregon > Benton County > History of Benton County, Oregon > Part 76
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HON. THOMAS E. CAUTHORN-One of the leading merchants of Corvallis, was born in Mexico, Missouri, August 31, 1849, where his father, A. Cauthorn, carried on a large and successful mercantile business, until the breaking out of the war. When that event occurred their little city became the scene of many depredations and, during the years following until 1865, Mr. Cauthorn lost all of his property, and in the spring of that year, with barely enough to secure an outfit, he started with his family of wife and five sons to cross the plains to Oregon. Arriving in Corvallis after a journey of six months, our subject found employment at different occupations until 1875, when he with his father started the present well known mer- chandize house of A. Cauthorn & Son. In June, 1882, Mr. Cauthorn was selected by the people of Benton county to represent them in the State Senate for a term of four years, a position he ably fills. In 1883 he served as Mayor of the city of Corvallis. He was married in Polk county, December, 1870, to Miss S. L. Jeffreys ; they have three daughters-Mary, Gertrude and Frankie.
GEORGE W. COLLINS-Was born in Spencer county, Kentucky, April 23, 1823. In 1846 he, with his parents, moved to Adams county, Illinois, from whence, in 1850, sur subject crossed the plains to California, where he followed mining until 1853, when he came to Jackson county, this State, when he took part in the Rogue River wars. In 1857 he came to the Siletz Reservation and, in 1860, was appointed Indian Agent for the Alsea Reservation, which position he held until 1868, when he was relieved by Lieutenant Beatty. In 1871 he located on his present farm near Seal Rocks, where he is engaged in farming.
HON. MILTON J. CONNOR .- This well known resident of King's Valley was born in Shelby county, Indiana, September 25, 1845. In March, 1852, he, with his parents, four brothers and one sister, crossed the plains to Oregon, first settling in Linn county, where he resided on his father's farm until he was 21 years of age. Mr. Connor then came to Philo- math, Benton county, and engaged in farming. The spring of 1874 he opened a general merchandise store in King's Valley, which he run for the following nine years. He then purchased his present valuable farm consisting of 200 acres, located in the center of the above valley. In the spring of 1884 Mr. Connor was elected Representative from Benton county to the State Legislature. He is married and has one son, Frank.
JAMES COOPER-Was born in Franklin county, Virginia, July 2, 1824. When he was three years of age his parents moved to Hendricks county, Indiana, where they remained until 1841, when they took up their residence in Platt county, Missouri, where our subject was married to Miss Scena A. Evans and resided until spring of 1852. He then, with his wife and one child. started to cross the plains to Oregon. After a trip of six months they arrived in Clackamas county, where they sojourned for one season. He then moved to the Waldo hills, Marion county. In the summer of 1854 he came to Ben- ton county, locating a claim in King's Valley, on which he lived for four years. His next move was to the vicinity of Philo- math. In 1866 Mr. Cooper purchased the farm on which he now resides which certainly is one of the most beautiful farms to be found in Benton county, consisting of 320 acres, two and one half miles west of Corvallis, on which he has erected a nice farm residence, a view of which appears in this book. Mr. Cooper has a family of five children: Thomas H., Francis M., George W., Robert E. and Mary F.
WILLIAM C. CRAWFORD-A leading jeweler of Corvallis, was born in Washington county, Arkansas, May 13, 1850, and there resided until 1870, when he came to Oregon and, in 1372, came to Benton county, and entered the State Agri- cultural College, from which he graduated in 1874. In 1875 he opened his present business of watchmaker and jeweler. Mr. Crawford owns some valuable real estate in Corvallis.
JACOB M. CURRIER .- The well-known pioneer, the subject of this memoir, was born in Orleans county, Ver- mont, February 12, 1827, but at the age of five years was taken by his parents to Lowell, Massachusetts, whence in 1842, they moved to the State of New York, and in the fall of 1844 to Andrew county, Missouri, where during the following year he had the great misfortune to lose his father and mother. In May, 1846, with his two sisters and a brother-in-law, Hon. A. L. Humphrey, Mr. Currier started with ox-teams to cross the plains to Oregon, there being also in the party the Baker family and Joseph Alexander. Arriving where now stands the city of Corvallis, December, 5, 1846, after meeting with many casualties, they there remained a short time, when Mr. Currier proceeded to the present site of Dallas, Polk county, and there took up his abode uutil the fall of 1847. In November of that year he enlisted in Captain John Owen's company and with it took part in the Indian war that raged at that time to the east of the Cascades. At the end of six months he returned to Corvallis, but in the fall of 1848 went to the gold mines of California, but came back to Oregon in the spring of 1849. In 1850 he took up his donation claim where he now resides, and to which he has since added until he now owns one thousand six hundred acres, located about ten miles south of the county seat, where he is engaged in general farming and stock-raising. At an' early day Mr. Currier served as one of the County Commissioners of Benton, while it may be truly said of him that his enterprise and ability have done much good towards raising the section in which he resides to the proud position it holds. Is married and has seven children, viz : William A., Manly C., Laura (now Mrs. John Belknap), Elizabeth H., John B., Sarah and Eva.
CALEB DAVIS .-- This highly respected pioneer of the Pacific Coast is a native of Center county Pennsylvania, born September 20, 1826. He resided in his birth place until 18 years of age, and then went west to Lee county, Iowa, and remained
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until the spring of 1850. He then concluded to seek his fortune in the gold fields of California, and crossed the plains to the new ElDorado. After one year in the mines he, in the fall of 1851, paid Oregon his first visit, coming down the Willamette Valley as far as Lebanon, when he again returned to Yreka, and for the next three years was engaged in merchandising. He then returned via the Isthmus of Panama to his home in Lee county, Iowa. In 1864 he again, with his family, started across the plains to Oregon, and located in Jackson county for two years; then after two years spent in the Napa Valley, Cal., he again returned to Oregon and Benton county, and lived for three years in Philamoth, when he purchased his present valuable farm of 326 acres, located four miles southwest of Corvallis, and in 1879 built his present beautiful residence, a view of which appears in this work. Mr. Davis held the office of County Commissioner for Benton county two terms, being elected in 1880 and re- elected in 1882. He was united in marriage in Lee county, Iowa, August 29, 1855, to Miss Eliza J. Henkle, daughter of Zebediah Henkle, who settled in Benton county in 1867; by this union they have ten living and two deceased children, viz: Z. H., Ella N. (now Mrs William D. Washburn), Thomas, George W., Frank, Mary G., Caleb A., Bertha B., Fred Oliver, Walter and Lillie G., the two latter deceased. And now, after many changes from his early home in Pennsylvania, Mr. Davis is safely anchored in a pleasent home and prepared to take the comforts that always attend a well spent and prosperous life.
LEMUEL E. DAVIS .- This early pioneer to Oregon, and now a resident of South Newport, was born in Stark county, Ohio, September 5, 1832. When he was five years of age his parents moved to Marshall county, Indiana, and there our subject resided with his parents on a farm until March, 1847. He then, with his parents, came across the plains to Oregon with a train of forty-seven wagons, known as the Captain Davis train. They came the southern route to Lane county, where they located a farm two miles north of Eugene City. In 1866 Mr. Davis came to Yaquina Bay and purehased his present property on the south side of the Bay, where he now resides. Mr. Davis also owns the steam ferry from Newport to South Newport, and a most desirable farm of 134 acres on Beaver creek.
ZEBA. H. DAVIS-Is another of the enterprising young business men of Corvallis. Mr. Davis whs born in Lee county, Iowa, June 4, 1856, and came to Oregon in 1864, and to Benton county in 1868. In March, 1883, he began the gen- eral merchandise trade in partnership with Mr. Henkle, under the firm name of Henkle & Davis, both being representatives of of the best families in Benton county.
EZRA L. DIXON .- The genial landlord of that popular hotel the Dixon House, Philomath, was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, March 26, 1851, and made that place his home until 1872, when he came to Oregon and first settled on the Yaquina river. In 1882 he moved to Philomath and engaged in the hotel business in connection with which he runs a livery stable and blacksmith shop. Mr. Dixon married Miss Emelia, daughter of G. W. Bethers, a pioneer to Oregon of 1847, and by this union has four children : Louella, Alda E., Nathaniel and Una.
JOSEPH DIXON-Was born in Ray connty, Missouri, in 1828. When about seven years of age his parents moved to Lafayette county, where he lived until the spring of 1853, when he, with his wife and two children, started to cross the plains to Oregon. On arriving in this State he located six miles west of Portland, and in 1854 moved to Linn county, and in 1865 came to Benton county, and at that time purchased his present farm of 410 acres located on Oak creek, four miles west of Cor- vallis, where he is engaged in farming.
WLLIAM F. DIXON-This very worthy pioneer of Benton county was born in Worcester county, (now Wyom- ing), Maryland, February 20, 1811. Having resided on the homestead of his father until he attained the age of twenty-two years, at that epoch in his life our subject started out to meet the buffetings of the world and carve his way to independence. First emigrating to Dearborn county, Indiana, he located on a farm, which he left, however, at the end of six years, for Clark county, Missouri, and there dwelt until the spring of 1845. At that time, with his wife and two children, Mr. Dixon started to cross the plains to Oregon in ox-teams, forming a portion of a large train bound to this then little known portion of the United States. The perils encountered and hardships endured need not be recounted in this place, the story has been told elsewhere and was much the same for each and all of those heroic men and women who first planted civilization in the far Northwest. It is sufficient to say that six months after first starting the lovely valley of the Willamette was reached, when Mr. Dixon came to what has since become Benton county, and took up a donation claim. This tract of land is that on which the northern portion of the city of Corvallis has since been located, the division into town lots having been made in 1851-52, and forty acres of which he deeded to the county for the purpose of founding the town of Marysville. In 1848 Mr. Dixon constructed a house near where the Willamette is crossed and at this point established the first ferry across that stream above Salem. The subject of our sketch is one of those men that bring honor upon a community. He has never aspired to office, although frequently urged by his fellow-citizens to put himself in nomination. He has contented himself with doing good in other spheres of labor, and now enjoys a green old age, being respected by all. Hehas been twice married, in the first instance, in Indiana, to Miss Julia A. Round, who accompanied him to Oregon in 1845, and afterwards became the first white lady to reside in Corvallis. By this union there were seven children, four of whom now survive, viz : James, Mary Ann (Barber), Cyrus (the first white child born in Corvallis), and William. Married, secondly, Mrs. Martha A. Eglin, who died in 1883.
GUSTAVUS H. DODELE-Was born in Brussels, Belgium, March 27, 1820. In 1855 he came to America and took up his residence in Rock Island county, Illinois, where he lived until 1868, when he crossed the plains with his family to Oregon, coming direct to Benton county, he purchased his present valuable farm of 750 acres adjoining Wells Station. Mr. Dodele has a family of three sons and two daughters, viz : Felix, Eugene, Paul, Matilda, now Mrs. Columbia Read, and Honora, now Mrs. Chas. Read.
THOMAS EGLIN-Is one of the substantial business men of Corvallis, where he has lived for the past twenty years, during which time he has collected through his own industry and correct business principles a fair share of this world's
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goods, and through fair dealing with his fellow man has won the regard and friendship of the residents of Benton county. Mr. Eglin was born in Oxford, Canada, Oct. 8, 1828, and came to Oregon in 1861, and in 1864 took up his residence in Benton county, engaged in farming. Later on he opened his present livery and feed stable, in connection with which he carries on his farm, located just north of the city limits. He also is the proprietor of the stage line from Albany to Corvallis. Mr. Eglin was married in Porter county, Indiana, October 29, 1848, to Miss Phebe Blachly, a native of Ohio, by which union they have William C., Thomas N , John B., Mary A., George F. and James.
JACOB 8. FELGER .-- The subject of this sketch, a view of whose premises will be found in this work, was born in Wayne county, Ohio, March 1, 1824, and where he resided until 1845, in which year he proceeded to La Salle county, Illinois, and maintained a residence there up to 1851, having in the meantime learned the trade of miller. In the spring of the last mentioned year he joined a train bound by way of the plains to Oregon, and on the fifth of September arrived at Foster's Ranch. There selling his stock he went to the mines in Humboldt county, California, but at the end of six months returned to Oregon, took up his residence in Polk county and worked at his trade. Mr. Felger subsequently was employed at Santiam for about six weeks when, returning to Polk he was engaged by General Nesmith. In the fall of 1852 he transferred the scene of his labors to the Jones grist mill at Cloverdale, Lane county, and taking up a donation claim was there married, September 25, 1855, to Nancy E., daughter of O. S. Mitchell, an early pioneer of that section. Having continued his domicile in that county till 1867, he then disposed of his property, removed to Benton county, purchased his present estate-the well-known Felger Mills on Mary's river, a description of which is given elsewhere, and in 1881, built his residence adjacent to the mill site. Mr. Felger has a family of six children, viz : Columbus G , Mary F. (now Mrs. Albert Rice), Elizabeth L. (now Mrs. James M. Reader), Benjamin F., Olive A. and Amy M.
ERNEST W. FISHER .- We have here in the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch an example of what a man with energy and perseverence combined with business ability can do. On entering the confines of Benton county Mr. Fisher was almost destitute and his first night, spent on the banks of Mary's river, his small stock of provisions was stolen from him, but coming from a country where there is known no such word as failure Mr. Fisher concluded to seek his fortune in the gold fields of Yreka, reaching the latter place in the fall of 1851. There he followed mining for one winter and then, in the spring of 1852, returned to Corvallis where he opened a saddle and harness shop, having learned the saddlers trade previous to his leaving Germany. He then manufactured the first harness and saddles ever made in Benton county. He continued at his trade until 1856, when he returned, via. Panama, to the East, where, after a sojourn of three months, he again come to Oregon and opened his former business in Corvallis, and one year later, married Miss Amelia, daughter of Joseph Dillard, and at that time purchased his present farm where he now resides, two and one-half miles north of Corvallis, consisting of four hundred and eighty acres. A view of his residence will be found in this work. He also owns the well-known Fisher block in Corvallis, together with other valuable property, until now he is the second largest tax payer in Benton county. Mr. Fisher was born in Saxon Germany, May 25. 1815, emigrated to America in 1849 and crossed the plains to Oregon in 1851. He has a family of eight children, viz : Annie, Lena (now Mrs. R. Raber), Charles, Frank, Emma, Mollie, Clara and John.
JOHN FOSTER. - This highly respected pioneer of Benton county, a brief sketch of whose life we now give to the reader, was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, March 3, 1822, where he resided until he reached the age of 13 years, when he accompanied his parents to Platte county, Missouri, where he remained until the spring of 1845, when his father, mother, one sister and two brothers started with ox teams to cross the plains to Oregon. Upon arrival in the fall of that year, Andrew Foster, the father, took up his donation claim about eight miles southwest of the present site of Corvallis, and there resided until his demise. In the spring of 1846 our subject located on his present farm, a claim of 640 acres, to which having added, he now owns 2200, on which he is engaged in general farming, and largely so in stock-raising. He married in the spring of 1846, Miss Mary A. Lloyd, who crossed the plains to Oregon in 1845 and died in 1853. Married, secondly, Miss Eliza Buchanan. His family consists of five children, viz: William, Jasper T., Mary A., Thomas W., Ella, and Emma (deceased.) Mr. Foster is one of the "solid " men of Benton county, and is now able, after long years of toil, to surround himself with the conforts which his integrity and uprightness entitle him to.
ANDREW GALLATLY .- Was born in Scotland and at the age of 15 years emigrated to America and settled in Dane county, Wisconsin, where he resided until 1863. He then went to New York where he took passage on board the steamer and came via Panama to the Golden State. After a residence of eight years in Nevada county he came to Benton county, Oregon, and purchased his present valuable farm of 400 acres, located 2% miles west of Philomath. Married in Dane county, Wisconsin, to Miss Isabell Lyle; by this union they have a family of eight children.
GEORGE M. GERHARD .- This well and favorably known young man of Corvallis, is a native of Benton county, born August 12, 1858, and is the son of Joseph Gerhard, who now resides five miles south of Corvallis. When fifteen years of age George left the parental roof to do for himself since which time he has followed different occupations and at the present time holds the position of night guardian of Hamilton, Job & Co.'s bank. He yet enjoys single blessedness.
HON. JAMES GINGLES-Was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, February 18, 1819, and there resided until 1838, when his parents moved to Mercer county, Illinois, from whence our subject, in the spring of 1850, crossed the plains to Oregon. Coming direct to Benton county he took up his present farm as a donation claim, on which he has since lived, con- sisting of six hundred and forty acres, one mile south of the Polk and Benton county line, now Wells station. Mr. Gingles is a representative man of Benton county. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1864 and 1868 and again in 1876, also serving in the called session of 1865, and for ten years was a member of the Board of County Commissioners for Benton county. Mr. Gingles now enjoys the confidence of the entire people of the county in the highest degree. 66+
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WILLIAM GIRD .- There are few residents of Benton county but what know this veteran of the "Turf field and farm." He was born in Belmont county, Ohio, May 4, 1830. When twenty-one years of age he left home and crossed the plains to Oregon, arriving at Oregon City in September 1851. In 1853 he came to Benton county, and in 1857 purchased his present farm consisting of five hundred and forty acres, which, in early days, was known as the Twelve Mile House, as it was formerly used as a stand for the Oregon and California stage line, and twelve miles south of Corvallis.
JOHN GRAHAM (deceased)-The subject of this short memoir was a native of county Donegal, Ireland, and coming from that restless clan of Grahams, what wonder that he should inherit his ancestors dispositions and seek to lay the foundation of a family in some more favored country. In 1826 Mr. Graham set sail for America in company with several members of his family. On arriving in the land of the free he immediately proceeded to Ohio, where he lived for twenty-nine years. In 1855 he removed with his family to Kansas, and while there took an active part in defending the free State from the depredations of the Missouri raiders of 1856-57, and was often brought in contact with the celebrated John Brown. Nine years residence, however, convinced Mr. Graham that Kansas was not a farmer's paradise, so in 1864, he sold most of his property and, with his wife and nine children, started with one team of five yoke of cattle, one four-mule team and one two-horse hack with a drove of eighty head of cattle to cross the plains to the far west. On arriving in Eastern Oregon he sojourned for a short time and then came to Corvallis, Benton county, and in 1867, moved to Yaquina Bay, and took as a claim the land where the town of Toledo now stands, and in early days built the residence where his daughters now reside, a view of which will be found among the illustrations of this work. Here he lived in the love of his family and honored and beloved by his fellow men until his death which occurred, February 16, 1883.
JOSEPH D. GRAHAM-Was born in Carroll county, Ohio, February 1, 1847. When nine years of age his parents moved west to Wapello county, Iowa, where after a short residence, they moved to near Lawrence, Kansas, and resided until 1864, when he, with his parents and eight sisters, started with ox and mule teams and a band of stock to cross the plains to Oregon, where they arrived after the usual trip of six months, and first settled on the Grand Ronde. The fall of 1865, they came to Corvallis, Benton county, and one year later, to Yaquina Bay, where our subject's father located on the land on which the town of Toledo is now situated. Mr. Graham was engaged for a number of years in the mercantile trade at Toledo, during which time he was post-master of that place. He now owns one hundred and sixty acres of land adjoining the town on which he now lives, is married and has two sons, William and John.
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THOMAS GRAHAM-Was born in Summersville, (Monroe) now Nobles county, Ohio, January 23, 1839. A short time thereafter his parents moved to Sandusky, and twelve years later he, with his parents, moved to Sparta, Tennessee, where our subject was educated at the Sparta Seminary, and in 1855, with his parents, moved to Douglas county, Kansas, where he made his home until 1864, when he started across the plains to Oregon, but on reaching Boise City he concluded to locate, when he purchased a drug store and remained there until 1867, when he came to Corvallis and engaged in his present business of drugs, medicines and books, and is now one of the leading houses in Benton county. From 1876 to 1880 Mr. Graham was County Treasurer of this county. He was married in Corvallis in 1872 to Miss Mary F. Hamilton ; by this union they have two children, Richard H. and Donald H.
JOSEPH GRAY-Was born in Banffshire, Scotland, June 30, 1828, and remained in his native land until 1850. He then went to Australia, where he resided for the following ten years. October 5, 1860, he was married and returned to his home in Scotland, from whence he sailed for America, coming via New York and Panama to San Francisco. In February, 1861 he came to Benton county, Oregon, and in May, 1862, purchased his present farm, the former donation claim of George E. Nolton, consisting of 330 acres, three miles west of Philomath. Mr. Gray has a family of two children, Isabel and Alex- ander.
ROBERT D. O. GRIMSLEY, Deceased .- This early pioneer was a native of Indiana, and came across the plains to Oregon in 1847, and took up his donation claim where his son now resides, seven miles north of Monroe.
MOSES GREGSON-Was born in Lancashire, England, March 4, 1836, and at an early age started to learn the trade of carpenter and joiner, which he mastered, and at the age of 20 years, emigrated to America, first settling in Lockport, New York, where he resided until 1863. when he moved to Michigan, from whence, in the spring of 1877, he came to Oregon and direct to Benton county, and first took up a claim near Mary's Peak, where he remained until 1880, when he purchased 35 acres of land near the Custom House at Yaquina City, and moved to that place, where he is now engaged at his trade of car- penter and joiner, having a shop at Oneatta. Mr. Gregson is married and has one daughter, Cora B. .
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