USA > Oregon > History of Oregon, Vol. III > Part 38
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C. T. BELCHER.
C. T. Belcher is now living retired in Portland but for many years was connected with hotel management in Portland and the state of Washington. The enterprise and business capability which he displayed won for him the measure of success which now enables him to rest from further labor. He is a native son of Oregon, his birth having occurred in Yambill county in 1852. His parents were James Madison and Margaret (Chrisman) Belcher, both natives of Virginia, the former born July 11, 1823, and the latter born October 21, 1826. They emigrated to Missouri with their respective parents and were married in that state where they resided until 1850 and then left for Oregon, making the trip across the plains with ox teams and wagons, reaching their destina- tion after six weary months of travel. They settled in Yamhill county between Amity and Wheatland, the father securing there a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres on which he resided until 1864 and then removed to Lafayette. He retained the ownership of his farm, however, until 1912 and had the distinction of never having
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a mortgage on the property. With his removal to Lafayette he turned his attention to general merchandising which he followed successfully until about 1876 and then retired from active business. He was a very prominent and helpful member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and in politics was a stanch democrat, always vot- ing the party ticket save on one occasion when through the influence of his son he voted for a republican governor. His life was ever actuated by high and honorable principles and he was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, dying in that faith, May 30, 1915. His wife, a woman of many excellent traits of heart and mind, passed away in October, 1913.
C. T. Belcher spent the days of his boyhood under the parental roof, acquiring his education in the schools of Lafayette. In September, 1875, he removed to Portland and during the next seventeen and one-half years was largely engaged in police work in this city. He then turned his attention to the hotel business which he followed for many years in Portland and Collins, Oregon, and in Hot Springs, Washington. While in his native county before removing to Portland he served as deputy sheriff. He was a successful hotel man, his genial disposition and unfailing courtesy combining with business ability to make him a popular host with his patrons.
In 1873 Mr. Belcher was married to Miss Jennie Ann Nelson, a daughter of J. C. and Mary Elinor (Bird) Nelson, the former born in Jackson county, Missouri, May 25, 1827, and crossing the plains with his father in 1844, the family settling in Yamhill county, where they secured a donation claim. J. C. Nelson entered his land according to the usual processes and the estate still owns a part of that property, but for the last twenty years he lived retired in Newberg after long connection with the agricul- tural interests of the district. He was a representative from his district in Yamhill county to the state legislature and had always been more or less active in connection with public affairs. He passed away August 2, 1920. His wife, who was born in Illinois in 1835, passed away July 7, 1856. They were the parents of three children, which number included Mrs. Belcher who by her marriage has become the mother of a son and two daughters: Fred N., Bertha B., and Edna M. The elder daughter is the wife of William Ballis of Portland, and the younger daughter was the wife of Alex D. Churchill, now deceased.
Mr. Belcher has always been a member of the Masonic fraternity from early manhood and is a member of Industry Lodge No. 8, A. O. U. W., and likewise of the Wood- men of the World. His political endorsement has ever been given to the republican party and he has most loyally supported those interests and activities, political and otherwise which he has believed to be of genuine benefit and value to the community and to the state at large. He can relate many interesting incidents concerning the early history of Oregon and has been a witness of its later progress and development, fully meeting at all times his duties and obligations in relation to the public welfare.
GEORGE SHEPPARD.
George Sheppard, a prominent orchardist of the Hood River valley and one who has devoted much time to civic affairs, serving at the present as county commissioner of Hood River county, makes his home at Odell. He is a native of London, England, his birth having there occurred in 1883, his parents being Job and Eliza J. ( Burdon) Sheppard, who crossed the Atlantic to the new world in 1888. The father was a lum- berman and sawmill owner in England and upon coming to America pursued the same line of business. He first settled in Indiana and it was there that George Sheppard acquired his early education, which he afterwards continued in the Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, an institution that has trained some of America's most eminent men, including ex-President William Howard Taft. Following his graduation from Miami Mr. Sheppard went to work in connection with his father's lumber business and was thus employed for seven years. On the expiration of that period he started out to look for a home of his own in 1908 and found Hood River valley a most enchanting place. The same year he purchased an orchard on Willow flats, near Odell, a section that seemed to be the best in the valley. Mr. Sheppard also was interested in the Pine Grove Box Company for the manufacture of fruit boxes but discontinued that industry to devote his entire time and attention to fruit raising. In the latter he has been ex- tremely successful and by reason of his broad experience and comprehensive study of
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scientific methods is enabled to speak with authority upon many matters relating to fruit growing in this section.
Mr. Sheppard has also given much time to public interests and has won the good- will of his neighbors and citizens of the valley to an unusual degree. He has never held public office, always declining political preferment until 1920, when the republican voters of the county were seeking a candidate for county commissioner who would not only have the goodwill of the people but would serve all parts of the county with equal fairness and they selected Mr. Sheppard as the candidate for the office, recog- nizing in him a man of broad vision and of the strictest integrity.
In 1913 Mr. Sheppard was united in marriage to Miss Evelyn Bell, a daughter of F. O. Bell of Red Lion, Colorado, a prominent lumberman and cattle raiser of that section and a dominant spirit of Red Lion. Mr. and Mrs. Sheppard have two chil- dren: George Howard and Margaret Evelyn. Mr. Sheppard is a member of the Masonic fraternity, has attained the Knight Templar degree and is a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. His wife is a Daughter of the Nile, the woman's auxiliary of the Shrine. Mr. Sheppard has built for the family a handsome bungalow in the town of Odell, where a warm welcome at all times awaits their many friends. He is a leader in every way and though modest and unassuming is a man of broad vision, forceful in defense of public interests and at all times his aid and influence are given on the side of right, progress and improvement.
HON. CHARLES W. NOTTINGHAM.
To the energetic nature and strong mentality of such men as Hon. Charles W. Nottingham are due the development and ever increasing prosperity of the northwest. His career has been one of activity and usefulness and in every sphere of life in which he has acted, whether as legislator or as the directing head of important business interests, he has left an indelible impress through his ability and his tireless energy which never stops short of the attainment of its purpose. Coming to this state in 1881 he has witnessed much of its marvelous growth and development and has borne his full share in the work of general improvement. For thirty-six years he has been engaged in business in Portland and as president of Nottingham & Company, Inc., dealers in building material, he is controlling important and extensive interests.
Mr. Nottingham is a native of Illinois. He was born near Pleasant Plains, June 29, 1848, and is a son of Jonathan and Hanna (Smith) Nottingham who removed from New Jersey to Illinois, settling on a farm in the vicinity of Pleasant Plains. There the son attended district school, subsequently pursuing a course of study at McKendree College of Lebanon, Illinois. He then took up the occupation of farming which he continued to follow until 1881, when he came to Oregon and subsequently engaged in the manufacture of lime on Puget Sound, Washington. In 1885 he entered mercantile circles of Portland, engaging in the sale of building material and from a small begin- ning the business has steadily grown from year to year until it has reached extensive and profitable proportions. It is now incorporated as Nottingham & Company, with Charles W. Nottingham as the president and the firm is engaged in the sale of lime, cement, plaster, shingles, brick, hay, grain and feed. For thirty-six years Mr. Notting- ham has been engaged in this line of activity and in his business affairs has made steady progress, his capable management and indefatigable industry constituting the basis upon which he has builded his prosperity. His powers of organization and his executive force have enabled him to develop a business of extensive proportions and his record is not only written in terms of success but also in terms of enterprise, energy and perseverance.
At Pleasant Plains, Illinois, about 1880, Mr. Nottingham was united in marriage to Miss Georgia Pallett, a daughter of the Rev. William Pallett who was a minister of the Methodist church, of which the family are faithful adherents, and to this union five children have been born: Harry, who married Zoe Cutting and who is now serv- ing as deputy sheriff, his home being in Wallowa county, Oregon; Irving, who married Emila Seaholm of Portland, and who resides in Portland; Elnora, the wife of James R. Forden of Hood River; Ethel, who married Nathan Fullerton of Roseburg; and Jessie Ray, who since 1918 has been connected with Red Cross work in France, having charge of two large clothing depots.
In his political views Mr. Nottingham is a republican and he has been prominent
CHARLES W. NOTTINGHAM
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and active in public affairs, his influence ever being on the side of truth and justice, progress and improvement. His fellow citizens, appreciating his worth and ability, called him to public office and for two terms of two years each he served as state representative. So excellent a record did he make in that connection that he was elected to represent his district in the state senate, of which he was an able member for eight years, giving his stalwart support to many measures which found their way to the statute books of the state and have proven of great value to the commonwealth. During his official career there were many stormy sessions in the legislature and the fight over the consolidation of city and county offices was especially hitter. Oregon has long been one of the leading states in the Union as regards political reforms and many of the laws enacted during Mr. Nottingham's service as a legislator have proven so beneficial that they have been set up as models for other states. It was during his public service that the people of Oregon took measures to free themselves of the political bosses who had long controlled legislatures and corrupted the judiciary. The initiative and referendum, the direct nomination of candidates for office by registered voters and many other reform measures were initiated at this time and in this im- portant legislation Mr. Nottingham hore a most conspicuous and helpful part, his efforts proving most beneficial and resultant. His is indeed a most creditable official record and one over which there falls no shadow of wrong nor suspicion of evil, being a complete refutation of the claim that all men have their price and that no man can engage in public life for a series of years and retire with an unsullied reputation. During the war with Germany he was active in promoting the various Liberty Loan campaigns, doing everything in his power to aid the government in its time of need. He is accounted one of the substantial and progressive business men of Portland and the secret of his success lies in the fact that he has never been afraid of earnest labor and that his diligence and close application have ever been supplemented by unques- tioned integrity and reliability. He stands for high ideals, yet utilizes practical methods in their attainment and at all times his work has heen a source of benefit to the state.
CHARLES A. McCARGAR.
Charles A. McCargar, a successful organizer who has built up an excellent insur- ance agency, devoting his attention to the life insurance business in Portland since 1898, was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, March 20, 1863, and comes of Scotch ancestry four generations removed. His great-grandfather, David McCargar, was horn in Scotland and came to the United States as a member of Burgoyne's army dur- ing the Revolutionary war. Deciding to remain on this side of the Atlantic, he went to Canada, where he made his home until called to his final rest. His son, Thomas McCargar, was born in Ontario and was the father of Henry McCargar, whose birth occurred in Ontario in 1830. He devoted his life to the operation of flour mills and shingle mills in Ontario for many years and was there married to Miss Agnes Finlay- son, a native of Scotland. During the latter part of their lives they came to the United States and both passed away in Nebraska, the father in 1905 and the mother in 1906.
Charles A. McCargar attended the schools of Ontario to the age of sixteen years and then made his way to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where his elder brother, Thomas W. McCargar, was then manager for a large harvesting machinery firm. After reaching that city Charles A. McCargar attended a private academy for a portion of the time through four years and during the summer months traveled for the machinery firm. He made good as. a salesman and in 1884 went on the road for the firm, which he continued to represent in that connection until 1893. He then resigned and went to Sacramento, California, where he began selling life insurance and a year later became a resident of San Francisco. There he remained until 1898, the year of his arrival in Portland, and through the intervening period has conducted a life insurance agency in this city. He has always displayed the closest attention to details, is scrupulously honest and his application to business and his powers as an organizer and general director of large affairs have been strong features in his success. He has also become much interested in orcharding, is the president of the Mat-Wauna Orchard and owns and operates a large apple orchard with unusual profit at Mosier, Oregon. Farming, too, constitutes an important feature of his business. He is a director of the Mosier
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Fruit Growers Association of Mosier, Oregon, and in this connection is putting forth earnest and effective effort to develop the horticultural interests of the state.
On the 15th of January, 1903, Mr. McCargar was married in Portland to Miss Medora E. Craven, a daughter of the late Wesley Craven, a native of Missouri. They have become the parents of a son, Donald McCargar, who was born November 13, 1907. Mr. McCargar is a republican in his political views. He has never entered actively into club life nor fraternal connections but has concentrated his efforts and attention upon business affairs. He is a cool, even-tempered business man with the shrewdness of the Scotch and ability to look carefully over a given proposition before committing him- self thereto. He is ever loyal to his honest convictions and is a man of strong ยท per- sonality-a personality that wins the respect and confidence of those whom he meets.
HON. OSWALD WEST.
Hon. Oswald West, governor of Oregon from 1911 until 1915 and now engaged in the practice of law in Portland, was born in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, May 20, 1873, a son of John Gulliver and Sarah (McGregor) West. The removal of the family to Oregon in his early boyhood enabled him to pursue his education in the public schools of Salem and of Portland and later he took up the study of law. He started out in the business world as a bank clerk and following his graduation from law school entered upon the active practice of the profession, to which he has given more or less of his time since, according as the duties of public office to which he has been called have permitted. It would be tautological to enter into any series of statements concerning his constantly developing powers and the ability that has brought him to a point of leadership, for these things are shadowed forth between the lines of this re- view. In 1903 he was called to the office of state land agent and continued to fill that position for four years, when in 1907 he was made railroad commissioner, a position which he occupied until 1910. In that year he was made the democratic nominee for the office of governor and was elected, entering the office in 1911 for the four years' term. The history of that period gives tangible evidence of his faithfulness and devo- tion to duty and his businesslike administration, which carefully safeguarded the interests of the commonwealth.
On the 22d of September, 1897, Mr. West was married in Salem, Oregon, to Miss Mabel Hutton, a daughter of Owen D. and Sarah Hutton of that place, who had two daughters, Mabel and Orlene, both of whom married men who became governors of their state. To Mr. and Mrs. West have been born two children: Helen and Jean.
Fraternally Mr. West is identified with the Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Artisans, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Woodmen of the World. Something of the nature of his recreation is indicated in the fact that he has member- ship in the Portland Hunt Club. He also belongs to the Portland Chamber of Com- merce and the Portland Civic League and is keenly interested in all those problems which have to do with municipal progress, with civic advancement and the welfare of commonwealth and country. He has carried his investigations far and wide into the realms of politics, sociology and economics, keeping abreast at all times with the best thinking men of the age, while his reputation as a Portland lawyer is indicated in the liberal clientage accorded him.
CLARENCE JOSIAH SEMON.
Clarence Josiah Semon, president of the Medford Concrete Construction Company and one of the most progressive business men of Medford, was born September 17, 1879, in the state of Michigan, of the marriage of David H. and Hannah (Stancliff) Semon. The father was a native of New York city and a descendant of an old Dutch family that had come to America in the days when the present American metropolis was known as New Netherlands and was governed by a Dutch burgomaster. The Stan- cliffs were English and the family was early established in New England.
Clarence J. Semon was educated in the common schools of his home town, passing through consecutive grades to the high school. He did not return to his father's farm upon completing his studies, for he had a strong leaning toward civil engineering and
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went to work for the Great Northern Railroad, continuing with that company in Mon- tana and Washington, and in fact along the whole line of its route to Seattle, Wash- ington, where he arrived in 1892. On leaving the railroad employ he was engaged by the city of Seattle in engineering work and until 1910 was busily employed, not only in his professional capacity but as a contractor with the city of Seattle in street con- struction.
In 1910 Mr. Semon removed to Medford, where he resumed contracting business and established the first material plant of the city. In the same year he organized the Medford Concrete Construction Company, of which he was elected president and in that position he has since served, directing the activities and shaping the policy of the corporation. For a period he was also associated with S. S. Bullis in the pro- motion and development of the Applegate Lumber Company and is now associated in highway construction with the building of the Smith Hill Highway under contract. His work has therefore been of a most important character, constituting an element in general progress and improvement. The Medford Concrete Construction Company is one of the most important plants in southern Oregon, devoted to the manufacture of sewer pipes, drain tile, concrete culverts and brick, and employment is given to a force of thirty men. This industry, which is of great benefit to Jackson county and southern Oregon, is a monument to the energy and business ability of Clarence J. Semon, who is accounted one of the sterling business men and manufacturers of this section of the state.
In 1898 Mr. Semon was married to Miss Stella Dibble, a daughter of Russell A. Dibble, a well known Michigan farmer. Their children are: Russell David, who is secretary of the Medford Concrete Construction Company; Marjorie E., a high school student; and Beatrice A., a pupil in the grade. The son enlisted in the service of the country early in the World war as a member of the Aviation Corps. In July, 1917, he was sent for training to San Diego, California, and in October, 1917, was sent to France, where he served until March, 1920. He was then returned to America and received an honorable discharge.
Mr. Semon's only fraternal affiliation is with the Elks, due largely to the fact that his business interests requires his frequent absence from home for extended periods. His wife often travels with him and thus they manage to get most of their enjoyment out of the necessary business trips. Determination and energy have carried Mr. Semon far toward success and the other quality which he has displayed is that of marked capability, bringing most substantial results.
JUDGE DANIEL L. CATES.
The life of Daniel L. Cates is a story of one well spent in the upbuilding of his native state and in the advancement of the interests of his fellow citizens. He was born in Lane county, Oregon, May 7, 1857, a son of John and Sarah E. (Grice) Cates. The father was born in the blue grass section of Kentucky, coming of a family of early pioneers of that state. The mother was a native of Maryland and a member of the Grice family, whose names are frequently met on the pages of Maryland's history.
John Cates first came to Oregon in 1849, the journey being made by ox team across the plains. After a stay of two years he returned to the east by way of the Isthmus, but in a short time he again drove his team across the plains to Oregon and settled in Lane county. In 1859, shortly after the creation of Wasco county, he located there and for the succeeding thirteen years he was engaged in the stock business, at which he was quite a success. It was in 1872 that Mr. Cates moved his family to The Dalles. His wife died in 1860.
Daniel L. Cates was educated in schools of The Dalles and entered the sawmill business early in life, continuing in that line until 1886, when he became deputy sheriff of Wasco county. In 1890 he received the democratic nomination for sheriff, and although the county was strongly republican he was elected by a substantial majority, an evidence of the esteem in which he' was held. His term of office is on record as being one of the most efficient the county has ever had.
In 1894 Mr. Cates purchased a large tract of timber land near Cascade Locks and went into the lumber trade. He also became interested in salmon business, operating two wheels on the Columbia river, and for a period conducted a mercantile business at Cascade Locks. During his stay in the latter place he was interested in the Cascade
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Locks Water Company, serving as secretary for a time. In 1910 he returned to The Dalles, where he had continuously maintained his residence, and for a period rested from business activities, but a man like Judge Cates is never permitted to fully retire, so in 1917 he was prevailed on to emerge from his retirement and accept the office of city recorder and he is now serving the people in that office with the same efficiency that has marked every movement of his business career.
In October, 1889, Judge Cates was married to Miss Alice DeHuff, of Portland, whose parents were also pioneers of this state. Three children have been born to Judge and Mrs. Cates, namely: Harold DeHuff and Albert L., of The Dalles, who are connected with the Motor Service Company, in which they are stockholders; and a daughter, Ruth, who died in 1914.
Judge Cates is a member of the Knights of Pythias and has filled all the chairs in that order. He is also a member of the Woodmen of the World; the Elks; and the Masonic order, being a Knight Templar and he will encase his feet in ice and cross the hot sands of the desert with the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is popular with all classes of citizens and has ever taken a prominent part in all movements intended to promote the welfare of the people among whom he has spent his entire life.
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