History of Benton County, Oregon, Part 80

Author: David D. Fagan
Publication date: 1885
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

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JOHN RICKARD-A view of whose home accompanies this work, is one of those, who coming to this valley with- out capital, has gained a reasonable competence through his own industry. Mr. Rickard was born in Ruan county, North Carolina, November 7, 1827. When he was eight years of age his parents moved to Pike county, Indiana, where our subject followed farming until spring of 1853. He then, with his wife and one child, accompanied by his two brothers, Andy and Casper, started across the plains to the Pacific Coast. After an unusual long trip they arrived in Lane county. In the spring of 1854 Mr. Rickard came to Benton county and located the place where he has since lived, and owns 640 acres of valley land, beautifully located for farming and stock-raising, 12 miles south of Corvallis. In conclusion we would say of these two, Mr. and Mrs. Rickard, that the fortune, which, in the autumn of life, surrounds them, has been gathered by worthy hands, and properly rewards the life labors of two pioneers of this county. It is not unfrequent, that those who struggle less and are favored according to their efforts, are envious of those who succeed. In the wandering to seek a favored spot for a life home, these have woven into their history some strange adventures and narrow escapes, but to detail these would require more space than is admissible in this work.

DAVID RUBLE-Was born in Virginia, December 11, 1831. When he was four years of age his parents moved to Wabash county, Indiana, and there lived until the spring of 1853. At a very early age Mr. Ruble learned the trade of miller, which he has followed mostly since. In the spring of 1853 he started with his wife, a bride of but one day, to cross the plains to Oregon. After a six months' trip on the plains, with an ox-team, they arrived at Salem. In 1872 he came to the Alsea Valley, Benton county, there engaging in the flour mill business, and later erected a saw-mill, accounts of both of which will be found in this work.

JAMES H. RUSSELL-Born in Bath, England, September 7, 1837. In 1841 his parents emigrated to America, first locating in Jackson county, Wisconsin, and embarked in farming, In 1845 they returned to England where they remained some seven years, when they again came to the United States, this time taking up their residence in Minnesota, where our subject engaged in farming until 1871, when he, with his wife, came to Oregon, and the Alsea Valley, where he now lives on his farm of 184 acres, located at the head of the Alsea Valley. To Mr. Russell's father, Thomas Russell, belongs the greater share of credit in securing a post-office for the Alsea valley. He also being the first postmaster.

S. L. RYCRAFT-Was born in Butler county, Ohio, in 1828. Two years later his parents moved to Tippacanoe county, Indiana, where he remained until 1850. He then started with several others and with horse teams to cross the plains to California, arriving in Placerville in the middle of August. He then followed mining in the Golden State until February,

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1851, when he came north to Yreka, and found employment in a butcher's stall under an oak tree, and owned by O. F. Clark, then a resident of Benton county. He afterwards followed freighting until the summer of 1851, when he was joined by his brother George, who had crossed the plains that season. In 1852 he came to Oregon and then went to the "Sound Country," but not liking that place again returned to Oregon, and in 1853 located a donation claim in the Alsea Valley, and with David and John Fudge and Henry Clark, built a saw-mill on the south prong of the Alsea river. In 1860 Mr. Rycraft disposed of his mill property, since which time he has paid all attention to farming and stock-raising, and is now the most prominent farmer in the Alsea valley. In August, 1858, he was married to Miss Sarah J. Hawley. They have a family of ten living children and one deceased, viz: Alma May (now Mrs. John Wren), Emma F., George H., Joseph C., John H., Leona B., Leonidas H., Mark P., Ethal M., (Edna H., deceased), and Mildred.

ROBERT SCHWAIBOLD-Was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, January 7, 1842, and in 1869 came to America and lived in Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio, for a time. He then came to Omaha, Nebraska, where he lived until 1881, when he came to Oregon and to Yaquina Bay, and established his present industry, the Newport brewery, which he now con- ducts, and manufactures an excellent quality of beer. He is married and has three children-George, Annie M. and Louise.

PRIER SCOTT-One of the very early pioneers to Benton county, was born in Switzerland county, Indiana, Janu- ary 18, 1825. When 16 years of age Mr. Scott started out to do for himself, and in 1841, came west to Polk county, Missouri, where he spent four years at the blacksmith's trade. May 10, 1845, he joined a train bound for Oregon, arriving in Benton county some six months later. In 1848 Mr. Scott spent a short period in the mines of California, when he again returned to Oregon, a short time thereafter purchasing his present farm of six hundred and forty acres, one mile south-west of Corvallis. In 1847 Mr. Scott opened a blacksmith shop in Corvallis, it being the first started in Benton county. He was united in marriage in Benton county, to Miss Mary Jones, and by this union they have eleven children.

JOHN J. SCRAFFORD .-- The subject of this sketch was born in Albany county, New York, August 3, 1817 When twenty-five years of age he, with his wife and two children, emigrated west to Delevan county, Wisconsin, and engaged in farming until 1861, when he moved to Cedar county. Iowa. April 23, 1866, he, with his family, started across the plains to Oregon, arriving in Benton county in the fall of that year, and purchased his present farm consisting of one hundred and eighty acres, 21/2 miles south-east of Wells Station, where he is engaged in general farming. Mr. Scrafford was married in Albany county, New York, to Miss Martha Richardson, who died at her home in Benton county, January 10, 1879, leaving a family of four sons and two daughters.

MILTON SHANNON-Was born in Henry county, Indiana, April 27, 1823, and there resided until the year 1836 when he accompanied his parents to Knox county, Illinois, where he engaged in agriculture until 1851. In the spring of that year he sailed for Oregon via the Isthmus of Panama, and in April settled in Salem, there residing until the spring of 1867, and being elected the first County Judge of Marion county after the admission of the State into the Union. Mr. Shannon also served as Sheriff of the county during the regime of the Territorial Government. In 1867 he came to Benton county, and until the spring of 1877 was engaged at Monroe in mercantile pursuits, since when he has retired from the active affairs of life. He has also held the office of Justice of the Peace for Monroe precinct for two terms.

CHARLES L. SHAW .- The subject of this sketch is a native of Springfield, Massachusetts, born April 24, 1853. When but an infant his parents moved west to Illinois, where he was raised and received his education until 1876, when he came to Oregon, locating in Albany, Linn county. In 1881 he moved to Yaquina Bay, and in 1883 opened up his present hardware store in Newport, where he now resides. Is married and has one son-Gladys.

MARSHALL W. SIMPSON .- This early pioneer of Oregon and well-known resident of Benton county, was born in Lawrence county, Kentucky, July 13, 1838. Early in the spring of 1844 his parents moved to Jackson county, Missouri, and one year later, the spring of 1845, with his father and mother, one brother and one sister, and ox-teams he joined a small train and started to cross the dreary and almost unknown plains from their home to the Pacific Ocean. After many severe trials they were finally guided safely into The Dalles by that famous guide Steve. Meeks. They came on direct to what is now Polk county, and there began farming. Our subject resided with his parents until 1859, when he was united in marriage, in Polk county, to Miss Joice A. Bevens. He then engaged in farming for himself until 1866, when he came to Benton county, and located the land on which is the present town of Elk City, where he has since liued, and at the present time owns a large estate and is now the proprietor of the Simpson House, postmaster and store keeper of Elk City. He has a family of two sons and two daughters, viz : Hattie, Owen C., Olive M. and William E.

CHARLES SMITH-Was born in Seidelinghousen, Westphalia, Prussia, in 1843, and when a young man fol- lowed the trials and tribulations of a commercial traveler, which he followed until 1867, when he concluded to emigrate to America, spending his first year in Galena, Illinois, and then moved to Sioux City, Iowa, from whence, in 1872, he moved to San Francisco, and while in that city was well and favorably known as the proprietor of that popular resort, St. Ann's Rest, located on Eddy street. In 1880 he sold out and came to Oregon, and after a short time spent in Portland he came to Yaquina Bay, locating at Oneatta, where he opened up his present business together with speculating in the valuable real estate border- ing the beautiful Yaquina Bay.

GREEN BERRY SMITH-Few lives have been more full of adventure than that of the subject of this sketch, who was born in Grayson county, West Virginia, September 10, 1820, and is the son of George and Nancy (Hamilton) Smith. At the age of 16 years his parents removing to St. Joseph county, Indiana, he accompanied them thither, assisting in the cul- tivation of the farm until 1840, when he emigrated to Platte county, Missouri, and there remained until the spring of 1845. At this period, accompanied by his brother Alexander (who died at Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, in 1851), Mr. Smith joined a train, composed of sixty-six wagons, at St. Joseph, Missouri, and under the command of Captain TeVault, commenced the

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difficult journey across the plains. After successive changes in the leaders of the party, that well known veteran, Stephen Meek, undertook to conduct them into the Willamette valley by the old Columbia route, but, unfortunately, when at the place since called Silver Lake, located west of the Blue Mountains, the guide found himself at fault, and declared himself to be abso- lutely lost, upon which the immigrants became so incensed that they affirmed that Meek must hang, a determination which so alarmed him that he made his escape at dead of night, leaving his wife behind under care of the late Nat. Olney. It now forced itself upon their minds that the Columbia route lay to the northward, but such was their distress for lack of water that this knowledge availed them little. Scouring the desert to the east of the present Prineville for five days, they found none, therefore they turned to the northward and after one day and night's travel discovered that with which to slake their parched throats. Their supplies, too, had gone, thus their cattle were slain and their flesh eaten without salt or other comesti- ble. After traveling by day only, the vicinity of the waters of the Deschutes was reached, and here the party were met by Black Harris, a mountaineer, who had learned from Indians that there were immigrants lost in the country. Harris led them to the river, opposite what is now known as Tygh Valley, Wasco county, where water was had in abundance. It now became necessary to cross the Deschutes, but the Indians had given them to understand that it was a difficult feat, either for man or beast. Undeterred, however, the wagons were unshipped from the wheels and tightly caulked; but yet another difficulty pre- sented itself-how was a guy rope to be conveyed to the opposite bank? Happily there was a young man in their midst whose courage was equal to the hazardous task. In him we find that worthy resident of Benton county, Prier Scott, who volunteered to swim the stream, an exploit he accomplished, and thus wagons and supplies were ferried over; the beasts were made to swim and not a thing was lost. Not long after they arrived at The Dalles, where they obtained a supply of provisions from the Methodist Mission, then under charge of Rev. A. F. Waller, and here; building a raft and shipping their wagons and goods upon it, they went with the current to the Upper Cascades, while the cattle were driven along the southern shore of the Colum- bia to the same point. Here Indians were hired to assist in swimming the beasts across the river, which being successfully accomplished, the route was again taken to the Lower Cascades, the line of travel being that now traversed by the Northern Pacific Railroad, where they were assisted by men and boats from the Hudson Bay Company's fort at Vancouver, where they were furnished with clothing and provisions by Dr. Mclaughlin. Having wintered at the mouth of Washougal some fifteen miles above Fort Vancouver, in the month of March, 1846, Mr. Smith and his brother came to Benton county and he took up his residence in the Luckiamute valley, about twelve miles north of Corvallis, and embarked in farming and stock-raising. His original claim of 640 acres he still owns. In 1862 he became domiciled in Corvallis, but at the end of four years removed to a farm to the south of the city, where after sixteen years, he returned in 1883, to Corvallis, of which he is now a most respected citizen. Mr. Smith is now one of the most prosperous of Benton county's residents. He owns no less than 8000 acres of land located within her confines and that of the neighboring county of Polk; while he is considered to be a man of superior intelli- gence and marked individuality of character. He has been twice married, in the first instance in 1849, to Miss Eliza Hughard, a native of Missouri, who died two years after. By this union there is one son, Alexander; and secondly in 1851, to Miss Mary Baker, a native of Tennessee, by whom he has one son-John.

TYRA W. B. SMITH-Was born in St. Joseph county, Indiana, January 23, 1840. In October, 1852, he, with his father, came via New York and Panama to Oregon, and direct to Benton county, his father taking up a donation claim on Soap creek, where they resided until 1857, then moving to Lane county, and two years later to Douglas county. In 1865 our subject returned to Benton county and purchased his present large estate of seven hundred acres, eight miles south of Corvallis, where he is engaged in farming and stock-raising, and is recognized as one of Benton county's most prosperous farmers. In 1870 Mr. Smith was elected County Assessor, an office he filled for one term.

FRANCIS SPENCER -- Was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, August 9, 1811. In 1832 he moved to Indiana and, 1838, to Putnam county, Missouri, where he followed farming and resided until 1864, when he crossed the plains with his family and spent the first winter in Walla Walla. In the summer of 1865 came to Benton county and purchased his present homestead of eighty acres, seven miles west of Philomath, on the Alsea road. Mr. Spencer is married and has a family of seven children, viz : James, Harriett, Jesse, William, Sarah, Francis M. and Eli.

JESSE SPENCER .- The well-known proprietor of "Spencer's Tonsorial Parlors and Bath Rooms," is a native of Missouri, born in Putnam county, November 13, 1846. Residing in his birth-place until 1864, he then, with his parents, crossed the plains to Oregon, and first settled seven miles south-west from Philomath. In 1875, he came to Corvallis and engaged in his present business. Mr. Spencer was married in 1878 to Miss Ida L. McLagan, a daughter of Wm. McLagan, a respected citizen of Corvallis and its present City Treasurer, by which union they have two children-Hattie and Victor Cleveland.

JEREMIAH STARR .- Among the best known of the pioneers of Benton county is the subject of this sketch who was born in Hampshire county, Virginia, September 21, 1794. When but six years of age he was taken by his parents to Pike county, Ohio, but when he attained the age of twelve years he accompanied them to Illinois, and subsequently to Iowa. Set- tling in Van Buren county our subject there resided until the spring of 1847 when he crossed the plains to Oregon, took up a donation claim in the Belknap Settlement, and has since resided thereupon. The exemplary life led by this venerable gentle- man is one that the youth of the county would do well to have in remembrance. At the ripe age of four score years he is looked up to with reverence and none have aught to say but good of his actions throughout his long life.

LEVY H. STARR-Was born in Van Buren county, Iowa, November 28, 1845, and at three years of age crossed the plains with his parents to Oregon, arriving in Benton county in November, 1848. Is a member of the mercantile firm of Starr, Wilhelm & Hinton, of Monroe. Mr. Starr is married.

JAMES H. STEWART-Was born in Fountain county, Indiana, June 19, 1823, and there resided until nineteen years of age. His parents then moved to Polk county, Missouri, where he followed farming until 1851, when he, with his

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mother, wife and two children, came across the plains to Oregon, arriving in Corvallis September 28th of that year. A few months later he took up as a donation claim the farm where he now resides, two miles north of Corvallis.

JOHN STEWART, (deceased) .- The well-known and highly respected citizen of forty years residence in Benton county, was born in Knox county, Virginia, February 12, 1799, and died at his home near Corvallis in February, 1885. When he was quite young his parents moved to Indiana and, in 1842, to Missouri. In 1845 our subject joined a train, of which he was elected captain, and came across the plains to Oregon. In this train were many of the prominent citizens of Benton county. Mr. Stewart on his arrival in Benton county in the spring of 1846 located on the place where he died, consisting of six hundred and forty acres.

WILLIAM STEVENS-A resident of Caledonia, Benton county, Oregon, wasborn in Stuben, Maine, April 8, 1810, and came west to Wisconsin in 1847, and arrived in Benton county, Oregon, December 16, 1873, and has since followed farming. Mr. Stevens was married to Miss Anna Leighton in Stuben, Maine, March 20, 1834. They have five children : Judith (now Mrs. H. W. Vincent), Lucy, George, Mary A. and Mary L.

W. B. STOUT -- Is Justice of the Peace and Notary Public of the city of Newport, Yaquina Bay, and is a gentleman of high standing in the community where he resides. Mr. Stout was born in Tazewell county, Illinois, March 29, 1853, and arrived in Oregon September 9, 1861, and came to Benton county in October, 1876, at that time taking up his residence in Newport, where he now lives. Mr. Stout was united in marriage in Ling county, Oregon, November 8, 1868, to Miss Mary J. McFadden, a native of Linn county. By this union they have a family of five children, viz : Anna M., Hannah E., Laura W., Etta M. M. and Claude M.

JOSEPH THOMPSON .- The subject of this sketch was born in Huntington county, (now Blair county,) Pennsyl- vania, in 1832, and there resided until 1852, in the mean time learning the printer's trade. In the spring of the above year he joined what was known as Morrison's train, at Dubuque, Iowa, to cross the plains to Oregon, coming all right until they reached Tule lake, there they were surprised by a band of one hundred and fifty Modoc Indians, and when, after a desperate fight, with the loss of two guides and one packer killed, and our subject wounded, they were finally rescued by a party from Yreka. Mr. Thompson on his arrival at Yreka began mining for a short time and then went to Sacramento and San Francisco, where he worked at his trade, and at one time published a paper at Nevada City. In 1869, he came to Oregon, and direct to Yaquina Bay, and located on his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres adjoining the new town of Caledonia, and one mile from Toledo, where he has since made his home, but spent most of the time working at his trade on the daily papers of Portland. Mr. Thompson was married in Nevada City, California, to Miss M. V. Herbert-they have five children, viz : Morris, Daisy, Joseph, Lillie and Harriet.

COLLINS VAN CLEVE-Was born in Morgan county, Illinois, August 26, 1833. His father Dr. John VanCleve, was an eminent minister of the Methodist denomination, consequently, owing to the many changes the ministers of that faith are subject to, Coll. lived in several different places until he was nine years of age, when he quit the parental roof, since which time he has done for himself. At the age of fourteen he started to learn the printer's trade, which he followed until the breaking out of the war. On the first call being made in 1860, our subject was then running a newspaper in Bellville, Illinois. He immediately began the organization of a company, with which he served until 1862, when he was discharged on account of sickness. He then, on regaining his health, started west, to Fort Benton ; thence to Lewiston, Idaho, where he published a paper for a time, and finally came to Portland where he worked on the Oregonian and the Portland Times. In 1868, Mr. VanCleve, came to Albany, Linn county, were he founded the Albany Register, which he continued to edit until 1882, when he was appointed Custom's Collector for the Yaquina District with his office at Yaquina City, where he also in the latter year started his paper the Yaquina Post. Mr. VanCleve was at one time Mayor of Albany. He is married, and has six children.

LAZARUS VANBEBER .- Among the many pioneers of Benton county, there are none more highly respected than this early argonaut of King's Valley, having arrived in that beautiful place where the whole valley lay in its virginity and the feet of white man had hardly tread upon it -- his was among the first to press it. Mr. Vanbeber was born in Clayborn county, Tennessee, February 27, 1807. At the age of twenty-one years he emigrated to Illinois, where he followed farming until the spring of 1846, when, with his family and mule teams, he crossed the plains to Oregon, and to Benton county, taking up his donation claim in King's Valley. where Morris Allen, now lives. He now owns a farm of three hundred and fifty acres in the south end of the valley where he now resides.

H. W. VINCENT-A merchant and mill owner of Caledonia, on Yaquina Bay, was born in Watertown, New York, April 1, 1832. In 1851 he moved to Wisconsin and, July 3, 1874, arrived in Benton county, Oregon, and first located in Corvallis, when a few years ago he moved to Yaquina Bay, and in 1885, founded the town of Caledonia, where he now resides. Mr. Vincent was married in Ripon, Wisconsin, October 31, 1865, to Miss Judith Stevens, a native of Gouldsborough, Maine ; their children are, Frank, Fred and Georgia.

HON. F. M. WADSWORTH-Is a native of Ohio, born December 14, 1836. When quite young his parents moved to New York State, where our subject resided until 1861. In April of that year he enlisted in Company I, 28th New York Volunteers. He followed the fortunes of his regiment until August 9, 1862, when at the battle of Cedar Mountain he received a wound in the right lung, from the effects of which he has never fully recovered. He then returned to his home at Niagara Falls, from whence in 1865 he, with his family, came to Oregon, locating in Albany, Linn county, where he engaged in business for twelve years. In 1882 Mr. Wadsworth came to Benton county, and in February, 1883, was appointed agent of the Siletz Indian Reservation, a position he ably fills at the present time.

CAPT. S. L. WASS-Was born in Addison, Washington county, Maine, May 15, 1817. At the age of 17 years he went to sea, and for twenty-five years followed a sea-faring life, the last ten years being master of the vessels in which he

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sailed. In 1866 he quit the sea, when he engaged in the mercantile trade in Boston, Massachusetts, where he resided until 1871, when he came to Portland, Oregon. In 1873 he was appointed Assistant Light-house Keeper at Cape Hancock, a position he held until 1875, when he was appointed Keeper of the Light-house at Cape Foulweather, in Benton county, a posi- tion he now holds.

CHARLES B. WELLS-This well known pioneer of Pleasant Valley is a native of Platte county, Missouri, born July 22, 1841, and with his parents came to Oregon in 1852, at that time locating on the place where our subject now lives. Here, in 1865, his father, Charles Wells, died, at the age of sixty-five years, leaving a widow and six children, the former having reached the advanced age of almost four score years and ten. Mrs. Wells was born in Barron county, Kentucky, April 27, 1797, and is a lady of more than average intelligence and possessed of a remarkable memory.

CHARLES H. WHITNEY -- A merchant of Corvallis, is a native of Ohio, born February 15, 1851, where he resided until 1868. He then started west, and in 1873 came to Oregon and engaged in business in Multnomah and Marion counties until 1882, when he came to Corvallis and opened his present large dry goods store.

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History of Benton County, Oregon, Part 80

Author: David D. Fagan Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: David D. Fagan
Publication date: 1885
Publisher:
Number of Pages: