USA > Oregon > History of Oregon, Vol. II > Part 19
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HIRAM TERWILLIGER.
The student of history cannot carry his investigation far into the records of Oregon without learning of the close connection of the Terwilliger family with the development and upbuilding of the state. Hiram Terwilliger was long associated with mining and ranching interests here and from pioneer times representatives of the name have taken active part in the work of public improvement along many lines. They were Illinois people who cast in their lot with the early settlers, becoming associated with the first white men who took up their abode in the Willamette valley. Prior to living in Illinois, the family had come from Ohio and it was at Vernon, Knox county, Ohio, that Hiram Terwilliger was born on the sixth of March, 1840, his parents being James and Sophronia (Hurd) Terwilliger. Both of his parents were of Dutch descent and the Terwilliger family, as indicated by early colonial records, were among the first settlers of New York. The great grandmother of Hiram Terwilliger in the paternal line was owner of a large tract of land on the site where New York City now stands. James Terwilliger, the father, hecame a blacksmith of Knox county, Ohio, where he resided until 1841, and then removed westward to Illinois, settling in Hancock county on the Mississippi river. This attractive district had already won the favorable atten- tion of the Mormon leader, Joseph Smith, who there established a colony of the Latter- day Saints, who at Nauvoo erected a temple and planted homes. This aroused great antagonism among the residents of that section of the state, but for several years the Mormons continued to arrive and settle there from the east end of Europe. At length James Terwilliger sold his farm and joined the Latter-day Saints on their emigration to the northwest. This was before the time of the gold excitement, and farming, fur trading and merchandising constituted the only business pursuits known in the great region between the Mississippi river and the Pacific coast. Mr. Terwilliger started upon the long journey with a team of four oxen and an emigrant wagon, in which were his wife and four children. He left his old home in April and it was not until October that he reached his destination, and his wife had succumbed to the hardships of the trip, dying while en route. On reaching the Willamette valley James Terwilliger erected a log cabin, on what is now the corner of First and Morrison streets in Portland, and also built a blacksmith shop, heing the first to open a smithy in this city, which at that time was a tiny hamlet giving little promise of its future
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development and growth. In 1847 Mr. Terwilliger was married to Mrs. Palinda Green, and in 1850 the family home was established in South Portland on a tract of six hun- dred and forty acres of land that is now within the corporation limits of this city. He afterward obtained the property as a donation claim and eighty-one acres of the original tract was in possession of Hiram Terwilliger to the time of his death and was the site of his home. The growth of the city greatly increased the value of the property and portions of the original claim were sold from time to time for residence purposes.
Mr. Terwilliger was keenly interested in public affairs in the early days and did not a little to shape public thought, action and progress. He served as a colonel of the State Militia and enjoyed the highest respect of all of his associates, who were among the substantial citizens of Portland. He died in 1890 at the advanced age of eighty- four years, and thus passed on one who had been a connecting link between the pioneer past and the progressive present. The tract of land now known as Terwilliger Park was originally donated to the city for cemetery purposes but later was dedicated to its present use and is a permanent monument to a man who was the first to discern the possibilities of Portland as an attractive site for a growing city.
Hiram Terwilliger was but five years of age when he accompanied his parents on the long arduous journey across the plains and over the mountains to the beautiful Willamette valley. During his lifetime he witnessed a marvelous transformation in what was first a wilderness, and lived to see a flourishing and beautiful city rise on the site of the old homestead farm which he occupied in his boyhood days. He pur- sued his early education in the public schools of Portland and at Forest Grove, and continued to remain in Oregon until 1862, when he went to the mines of Idaho and later spent four years in a logging camp in Oregon. He likewise devoted three years to a seafaring life, sailing along the coast, and for a year and a half, beginning in 1869, he conducted a feed and grocery store in Portland. In 1870 he became interested in the dairy business in Tillamook county, where he continued for four years but finally took up his abode in Portland on a beautiful tract of an acre and a half, which he owned until his death. He was likewise the owner of seventy-five acres of valuable Portland property and had an interest on the corner of First and Morrison streets, where his father had originally opened his blacksmith shop. He was one of the men of affluence in this city and at all times carefully and successfully managed his business affairs.
On the 12th of July, 1869, in Tillamook, Oregon, Mr. Terwilliger was united in marriage to Miss Mary Edwards, a daughter of Joseph and Margaret Edwards, who crossed the plains in 1862 and settled in Tillamook. Mrs. Terwilliger was born in Keokuk, Iowa, and has now passed away. They became the parents of four children: James and Joseph, both of Portland; Charlotte, the wife of Frank Butz, and the mother of two daughters, Latha and Ethel; and Virtue, the wife of Edward Rogers of Portland, her family now numbering three children, Ruth, George and Mildred. The death of Mr. Terwilliger occurred April 18, 1918, while his wife survived a little more than a year, passing away October 26, 1919.
When Mr. Terwilliger had been a resident of Portland for seventy years the Oregonian wrote an interesting article concerning him as follows: "To practically every inhabitant of Portland the name of Terwilliger is known, largely through its association with the modern drive, Terwilliger boulevard, that winds in and out in the hills of South Portland; but to a scant hundred persons the name of Hiram Terwilliger is inseparable from the history of Portland since its foundation. For just seventy years ago he came to Portland, or rather passed through the dense wilderness where Port- land now stands, and at the age of five years began a career probably unequaled by any other living man. As a child he had only Indians for playmates and he learned to 'speak jargon better than English.' Mr. Terwilliger does not see Portland as it is today -he remembers only the time when 'Uncle Johnny' Stephens lived across the river; when Clinton Kelley lived farther east; when Phineas Carruthers lived north of his father's homestead and when G. H. Quimby, Mr. Pettygrove and all the others were Portland's first citizens. He is a republican but never sought political office. He ran for the legislature one session, was defeated by one vote, so decided that was enough for him. He decries modern social and political conditions and wishes that the whole scene could be changed and he could 'live again the days when every one was a neighbor to every one else; when each man had an equal amount of property and privilege and no one was trying to wrest what you had from you through legal technicality!'" Through his entire life Mr. Terwilliger enjoyed the confidence and goodwill of those with whom
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he had long been associated. That his life, was an upright and honorable one is indi- cated in the fact that his stanchest friends were those who had known him from his boyhood days, and it was with deep regret that Portland chronicled the passing of this honored pioneer settler.
R. J. PETERSON.
R. J. Peterson, conducting one of the fine photographic studios of Portland, came to the city in March, 1907, and through the intervening period of fourteen years has been a well known representative of photographic art in this city. Mr. Peterson is a native of Jamestown, New York, and in his youthful days attended school in Gary, New York, and also the Jamestown high school, from which he was graduated on the completion of his course. He later entered upon an apprenticeship to the American Aristotype Company in his home town in order to learn the method of making photo- graphic paper. He there continued for a few years, thoroughly acquainting himself with every phase of the business and at length took up the professional part of using the manufactured product of the Aristo Company, becoming connected with the Monroe Studio at Jamestown, New York. Still later he conducted a studio of his own at Austin, Pennsylvania, and afterward in his native city. At different periods he was connected with many prominent studios in the east, including the home studio of Mr. Hall on Virginia street, Buffalo, New York.
It was in 1905 that Mr. Peterson made his way to the Pacific coast, thinking to enjoy better opportunities, perhaps, in this section of the country. He arrived in San Francisco, where he made his home for two years and then in March, 1907, removed to Portland, where he has continued to reside. He has made for himself a most cred- itable position in the business circles of the city. He purchased the Dufresne Studio in the Buchanan block in 1910 and was not long in building up a good business, for he soon gave tangible proof of his capability and high standards as a representative of photographic art. In June, 1916, he opened his present studio in the Pittock block and has since been here located. He is thoroughly familiar with the latest processes of photography, has keen appreciation of the values of light and shade and has a happy faculty of catching a natural pose or expression, so that he produces excellent likenesses of his patrons.
On the 22d of September, 1897, Mr. Peterson was married to Miss Carrie Radley of Olean, New York, and during the period of their residence in Portland they have gained many warm friends and made for themselves an enviable position in social circles. Mr. Peterson has a great love for the western country, with its beauty and its progressiveness and is now numbered among the substantial business men of the Rose City.
D. A. WHITE.
Since 1890 D. A. White has been engaged in the commission business in Salem and he enjoys the distinction of being the pioneer merchant in that line of activity in the city. His trade has assumed extensive proportions and he is most capably con- ducting his interests, his efforts being rewarded with a gratifying measure of success. He was born near Peoria, Illinois, December 5, 1854, and came to the west in October, 1880, settling in Kansas, where he remained for a period of seven years and then re- moved to Anatone, Washington. After residing for three years in Washington he came to Oregon and in 1890 located in Salem, establishing a commission business on Court street. Subsequently he moved his business to Commercial street and afterward pur- chased the ground of his present location, on which he erected a two-story building and also a brick warehouse two stories in height and one hundred and fifty by forty- two feet in dimensions, these being on Front street. He also built two warehouses on Water street, which have a capacity of six hundred tons of baled hay. Mr. White is associated in business with his two sons and their interests are conducted under the style of D. A. White & Sons. They deal in hay, grain and feed and their enterprising methods and reliable dealing have secured for them a large patronage, theirs being one of the largest and oldest commission houses in the city. Mr. White is also the owner
Vol. 11-10
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of a farm of sixty-six acres near Salem, which is given over to the cultivation of logan- berries, and this he rents, deriving therefrom a substantial addition to his income. He is an energetic, farsighted and progressive business man and success in substantial measure has crowned his efforts.
On the 3d of January, 1887, Mr. White was united in marriage to Miss Edith D. Brewster, a descendant of Elder (William) Brewster, who was one of the passengers on the Mayflower. Mr. and Mrs. White were married at El Paso, Illinois, and they have become the parents of three children: H. O., who married Miss Nellie D. Cox of Silverton, Oregon, and has two sons, Lowell and Otho, both of whom are attending school; Floyd M .; and Blanche I., who is at home with her parents. The sons are energetic and progressive young business men and are members of the firm of D. A. White & Sons. The family is widely and favorably known in Salem, having resided here for a period of thirty-one years, and through his mercantile activities Mr. White has substantially contributed to the business development of the city. His entire career has been actuated by a spirit of progress that has been productive of substantial results and his worth to the community is widely acknowledged.
ELMER HURLEY SMITH, D. O., M. D.
Associated with the professional interests of Hillsboro, Washington county, is Dr. Elmer Hurley Smith, who serves his community as doctor of medicine and of osteopathy. During the time Dr. Smith has practiced in Hillsboro he has won the confidence and goodwill of his fellow citizens, with the result that he has a large and lucrative practice.
A native of Missouri is Dr. Smith, having been born in that state July 24, 1883. His father, Dr. Lundy B. Smith, was also a native of Missouri but came west with his family in the early 90's and settled in Oregon. Locating in Portland Dr. Smith prac- ticed his profession for a quarter of a century and was widely recognized as one of the leading physicians of that place. The mother of the subject of this review was Miss Mary E. Bronson and was also a native of Missouri. Both the Smith and Bronson families were from a line of old pioneer Ohio stock. In 1918 the mother died and the father is now retired from active practice. He resides with his son and at times assists him in his work.
Dr. E. H. Smith, the subject of this review, is indebted to the schools of Portland for his early education. He later took up the study of medicine at the American School of Osteopathy and was graduated from this institution in 1910, with the degree of D. O. He continued his studies in the Pacific Medical College at Los Angeles, where after completing the desired course he received the degree of M. D. Having thus been thor- oughly trained in two branches of his chosen profession, Dr. Smith established himself at Hillsboro and has since practiced there. Following the advanced idea of his calling he has used in his practice the curative knowledge of both schools, with the result that he has obtained a substantial measure of success. Dr. Smith owns and conducts Hills- boro's only hospital and while his practice is general he leans strongly to surgery, and were he located in a larger city it is that branch in which he would specialize. He is ever of an ambitious nature and hopes that the future may find him specializing as a surgeon in one of our large cities.
In the desire for more knowledge and to keep abreast of the immense strides for- ever taking place in his profession, Dr. Smith is a constant student and it is this close application to his life work that has brought to him the success he now enjoys. His ability as a physician may be well illustrated by the fact that for five years he held the responsible office of city health officer. In civic as well as professional affairs Dr. Smith is progressive and there is no man more esteemed throughout Washington county than he.
GEORGE J. WILHELM.
George J. Wilhelm is prominently operating in the field of banking at Harrisburg as vice president and cashier of the First National Bank and is also identified with other important business enterprises which have won him a place with the substantial and prosperous men of his community. Mr. Wilhelm was born in St. Cloud, Wisconsin,
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DR. ELMER H. SMITH
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October 24, 1880, a son of George and Agnes (Andreas) Wilhelm, natives of Germany. When but a year old the father was brought by his parents to America, the family locating near Kiel, Wisconsin. There the grandfather of George J. Wilhelm took up land, which he improved and developed, continuing its cultivation for a number of years, when he sold it and in 1860 started on the long journey across the plains to Oregon, making the trip with ox teams. Locating at Monroe, in Benton county, he there purchased land, which he operated for some time and also assisted his son in the conduct of a general merchandise business. He passed away in 1890, when eighty years of age, and his wife's death occurred in 1889. The son, George Wilhelm, did not accompany his parents on their removal to Oregon but remained in Wisconsin, where for a time he followed farming, but ill health compelled him to abandon the arduous task of developing his land and he turned his attention to the hotel business, in which he engaged at St. Cloud and later at Sheboygan, Wisconsin, thus continuing until his demise. He was a man of prominence in his community and at various times his fellow townsmen sought to secure his services as a public official, but he declined all nominations, preferring to give his undivided attention to his business affairs. He passed away in April, 1900, and the mother's death occurred in August, 1898.
George J. Wilhelm attended the parochial schools of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, from which he was graduated in 1894. On starting out in the business world he secured a position as clerk in a large hardware store at Sheboygan when but fourteen years of age and remained with that firm for a period of six years, during which time his capability and faithful and conscientious service won him various promotions until he became assistant manager, being at that time a young man of twenty years. He next became connected with the Aladdin Soap Company in the capacity of secretary-treasurer and manager and under his direction the business was established upon a paying basis. In 1902 he severed his connection with that firm and became traveling representative for the B. J. Johnson Soap Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, remaining with that house for a year. He then came west at the request of the firm of A. Wilhelm & Sons, whose headquarters were at Monroe, Oregon, and assumed charge of its entire grain and milling business. This firm operated three flour mills and was the owner of four warehouses and conducted an extensive business, turning out three carloads of flour and feed per day. He remained with this firm until 1907, when he turned his atten- tion to the banking business, conducting the Bank of Harrisburg, a private financial institution, for a period of ten months, or until June, 1908, when the bank was national- ized, becoming the First National Bank of Harrisburg. This he operated alone for a year. The capital stock of Mr. Wilhelm's private bank was ten thousand dollars, which was increased to twenty-five thousand dollars after its nationalization. During the first year of its existence as a national institution it paid a seven per cent dividend, a nine per cent dividend the second year, a dividend of ten per cent for the next three years, twelve per cent for the succeeding four years, while in 1919 a sixteen per cent dividend was paid, in addition to which it built up a twenty-five thousand dollar sur- plus, its deposits reaching the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. It now has a surplus of twenty-eight thousand one hundred and fourteen dollars and deposits amounting to two hundred and seventy-one thousand, two hundred and sixteen dollars. The present officers of the bank are. R. K. Burton, president; W. A. Lane, vice presi- dent; George J. Wilhelm, vice president and cashier; and H. F. Halverson, assistant cashier, all being thoroughly reliable and progressive business men of their section of the state. Mr. Wilhelm personally attends to practically all of the business connected therewith and is proving most capable in the conduct of its affairs, although he had had no previous banking experience when he became connected with the institution. He is a man of sound business principles and in the management of the First National Bank has made it his first consideration to see to it that the depositors and stock- holders are well protected. However, he has been progressive enough to extend credits when they were sought by responsible parties and has in that way promoted business and agricultural enterprises. Being a man of resourceful business ability he has extended his efforts into various lines and is president of Hill & Company, which firm carries a seventy thousand dollar stock of hardware, harness, implements, furniture, carpets, rugs and general house furnishings, and also has the agency for automobiles, recently erecting a fine garage at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars. At the time of its organization the business of the firm amounted to eight thousand dollars per year and the extent of its growth is indicated in the fact that in 1919 its business amounted to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, while its transactions for 1920 exceeded that amount. Mr. Wilhelm was also the founder of the Harrisburg Warehouse &
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Lumber Company, which he established in 1912, and is now serving as its president. The company is engaged in the conduct of a wholesale grain and hay business of extensive proportions. He is likewise the founder of the Harrisburg Lumber & Manu- facturing Company, which was organized in April, 1920, and is now serving as secre- tary and treasurer of the company, which owns some of the finest and largest tracts of hardwood timber in the state, including maple, ash, oak, fir and balm lumber. The firm has established a new market for balm lumber with manufacturers, who hereto- fore had not made use of this product, and their shipments are made principally to Wisconsin. Mr. Wilhelm also has extensive farming interests in the vicinity, being the owner of six farms which he engaged in operating until the past year, but now rents his holdings. He was formerly extensively engaged in stock raising. Mr. Wil- helm is a man of large affairs who is continually broadening the scope of his activities with good results and carries forward to successful completion everything that he undertakes, for in his vocabulary there is no such word as fail. In all business affairs he readily discriminates between the essential and the non-essential and, discarding the latter, utilizes the former to the best possible advantage.
On the 17th of April, 1907, Mr. Wilhelm was united in marriage to Miss Cecil Rampy, a daughter of Robert A. and Sarah (Johnson) Rampy, who were pioneers of this state, emigrating to Oregon from Missouri in 1860. They became residents of Harrisburg, where for many years Mr. Rampy successfully conducted a drug store, while later he operated a bank, gaining a prominent position among the substantial business men of this section of the state. He continued to make his home in Harris- burg until his demise, which occurred in 1908, while the mother passed away in 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Wilhelm have become the parents of five children: George R., Agnes E., Marjorie C., Millard F. and Gretta C.
In his political views Mr. Wilhelm is independent and has taken an active interest in public affairs of his community, serving for several terms as city treasurer. His interest in the welfare and upbuilding of his city is indicated by his membership in the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce, and during the influenza epidemic of 1918 he was instrumental in curbing the disease by caring for the patients in the public schools, which were used as hospitals, many cases being treated in this manner. In religious faith he is a Catholic and his fraternal connections are with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Woodmen of the World, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights of Columbus and the United Artisans. He is a most patriotic and public-spirited citizen and during the World war rendered valuable aid to the government as chairman of Liberty Loan and Red Cross drives and also as chairman of the Harrisburg Council of Defense. Mr. Wilhelm is a man of keen discrimination and clear vision, possessing executive ability of an unusually high order, and his achievements in a business way entitle him to classification with America's captains of industry. He is wide-awake and alert and in his life exemplifies the spirit of progress which has been the dominant factor in the upbuilding of this section of the country.
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