USA > Oregon > Oregon, pictorial and biographical > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27
Politically John Whiteaker was a democrat and to his party gave stalwart support because of his firm belief in its principles. While residing at Spencer Creek he served as justice of the peace, which was the first political office to which he was called. In 1856 he was elected judge of the probate court of Lane county and in the fol- lowing spring was sent to the territorial legislature. Then came his election to the office of governor of the state, in June, 1858, at which time it was believed that the bill for the admission of Oregon had been passed by congress. It afterward transpired, however, that the bill did not pass until early in 1859 and not until official information thereon was received did Mr. Whiteaker assume the duties of the position of Oregon's chief executive. He continued as governor of the state until September 10, 1862, when he retired from office as he had entered it-with the confidence and good-will of all. At different times he was called to other positions of public honor and
215
Don. John Whiteaker
trust and did much toward molding the policy and shaping the destiny of the commonwealth. He served for three terms as mayor of the house and of the senate in the general assembly from 1866 to 1872, was chosen speaker of the former and president of the lat- ter, and in 1878 he was elected to the forty-sixth United States con- gress, Oregon being allowed only one representative at that time. In 1885, during President Cleveland's administration, he was ap- pointed collector of internal revenues, which position he filled for five years, his retirement from that office closing his most useful public career. During his tenure of office as a member of the house of representatives in Washington he introduced many bills of large interest, among them a bill directing and authorizing the secretary of the interior to negotiate with the Umatilla, Warm Springs and certain other Indian tribes occupying reservations within the state of Oregon for the extinguishment of their title to the lands occupied by them and for their removal to other reservations outside the state boundaries. He also introduced a bill to declare forfeited certain lands granted to railroads and telegraph companies; a bill appro- priating five hundred thousand dollars for continuing the work of constructing locks at The Cascades, Oregon; a bill making an ap- propriation for the construction of a revenue steamer for service in Alaskan waters; and a bill authorizing the construction of a bridge across the Willamette river between Portland and East Port- land. In his messages to the state legislature while governor he strongly urged the necessity for the establishment of manufacturing industries that the imports should not exceed the exports, stating that so long as this continued the prosperity of the state must be jeopardized; that the manufacturing of such necessaries as shoes, clothing, caps, farm implements, etc., would soon put the state of Oregon on a solid and prosperous basis, stating that its resources were hides, wool, iron, etc. All this indicates his close study of con- ditions, his recognition of opportunities and his practical plans to meet the exigencies of the moment and prepare for the opportunities of the future.
While Governor Whiteaker was retired from business during the period of his residence in Eugene, his labors constituted a potent element in the growth and advancement of the city and his aid and cooperation could be counted upon in support of any beneficial move- ment for his home locality or the state at large. He manifested his faith in Eugene and her future by large investment in property here. He was the owner of about ten blocks in the city, which he laid out into lots, constituting what is now known as the Whiteaker addition
216
Don. John Whiteaker
on the southwest. In all of his business transactions and in his polit- ical connections his honesty and probity were unassailable and no man has enjoyed a larger measure of the confidence and trust of those with whom he has been brought in contact. A contemporary biographer has written of him: "Steadfast in his adherence to prin- ciple, faithful in friendship and ever earnest in the advancement of the welfare of his adopted state, he won and retained a large circle of friends and admirers whose loss through his death can only be partially compensated by the memory of the life which he lived." There was nothing spectacular in his career; he simply attempted to perform day by day the duties that devolved upon him whether of a quiet or of a most important character; each task found him ready and waiting and in its performance he called forth to the full extent his ability and with conscientious purpose performed the ser- vice that devolved upon him. An eminent statesman of the present day has said: "In all this world the thing supremely worth having is the opportunity coupled with the capacity to do well and worthily a piece of work, the doing of which shall be of vital significance to mankind." Such an opportunity came to John Whiteaker and his public service redounds to the credit and honor of the commonwealth.
-
Captain Elisha Jenkins Harding
L ONG residence in Marion county made Captain Elisha Jenkins Harding well known in his part of the state. Moreover, he was a veteran of two wars, having en- listed for service in the Union army after having served to suppress the Indian outbreak in the north- west. For many years his time and energies were devoted to agricultural pursuits, and judicious investment in prop- erty made him ultimately the owner of three thousand acres of land in Marion county. In all business affairs he was enterprising and progressive and his integrity and reliability in business transactions were ever unquestioned.
Captain Harding was a native of Wyoming county, Pennsylvania, born February 24, 1828. His parents, Elisha and Amy (Jenkins) Harding, were also born in the Keystone state and were there reared and married. The mother died in 1830, and following her demise the father wedded Nancy Jackson. He too remained a lifelong resident of Pennsylvania, passing away there in 1873, while his second wife died in 1880. The children of his first marriage were: William, Hugh, Elizabeth, Emma and Nancy, all now deceased; Jabez, who is living in Waverly, New York; Frank and Lysander, who have passed away; and Elisha J. Of the father's second marriage there were five chil- dren: Nathan J. and Samuel, who are residents of Pennsylvania ; Wil- lard, who makes his home in Colorado; and Henry and Harriet, both deceased.
Captain Harding was reared in the east and during that period acquired a college education. In 1849, attracted by the discovery of gold in California, and hoping he might rapidly gain a fortune in a successful search for the precious metal, he came to the Pacific coast and spent two years in the gold mines. In 1851 he arrived in Salem, Oregon, and from that time forward was largely connected with the development and progress of this state. He was elected to the position of county clerk and also served as territorial clerk, remaining in office for eight years. On his retirement from political positions he sold his home in Salem and purchased land near St. Paul, Oregon. Keen foresight enabled him to recognize the fact that property would yearly become more valuable in this section of the state as settlement increased
219
220
Captain Elisha Jenkins Harding
and he made judicious investments in realty from time to time until at his death he was the owner of more than three thousand acres in Marion county. This was in several different tracts and portions of his land were well improved. In all his business affairs he manifested unfaltering energy and determination, and he won his success, more- over, through honorable methods. He ever stood for progress and improvement and gave his cooperation to many movements which were of marked benefit to the community in which he lived. During the early period of his residence in Oregon he met with many of the hard- ships and difficulties incident to pioneer life. In the Indian war of 1856 he recruited a company at Salem and was appointed captain of this organization which became Company A of a battalion of Ore- gon mounted volunteers. His appointment came to him on the 26th of January, 1856, from Governor Curry, and with that rank he served until the hostility of the Indians ceased. At the outbreak of the Civil war he again recruited a company at Salem, Oregon, which became Company B, First Cavalry Oregon Volunteers. Governor Gibbs made him its captain, and with that rank he served until December 1862, when he resigned on account of the pressure of private business affairs. On the 10th of August, 1863, he was appointed lieutenant colonel of the Second Regiment of the Second Brigade of Volunteer Militia of the state of Oregon, being also assigned to that position by Governor Gibbs.
Captain Harding was married in 1857, the lady of his choice being Miss Eleanor Purdy, whom he wedded on the 19th of June of that year. She was born in Ohio, April 14, 1838, and is a daughter of Aaron and Malinda (Bucklew) Purdy, the former a native of Penn- sylvania and the latter of Virginia. They were married in Ohio and resided in that state until 1842 when they removed to Michigan where they made their home for three years before going to Indiana where they spent two years. In 1847 they crossed the plains to Oregon and took up their abode upon the present site of the city of Salem. After a brief period, however, Mr. Purdy secured a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres nine miles north of the capital and there he resided until 1856 when he sold that property and bought a farm near Salem. Upon the second place he lived until 1864 when he again sold out, removing to Waitsburg, Washington, where he purchased a flour mill which he operated for one year, or until his life's labors were ended in death in March, 1865. His widow afterward took up her abode upon a small farm which she owned near Salem, living there until 1864, when she removed to Goldendale where she preempted eighty acres of land upon which she lived for a few years. Her last
Eleanor Harding
223
Captain Elisha Jenkins Darding
days were spent at Forest Grove where she died in 1893. In her fam- ily were seven children, of whom the two eldest died in early life. The others were: Hanna, who married Luke Savage of Salem, but both are now deceased; Mrs. Harding; Jasper, who has passed away; Aug- usta, the wife of George Smith, of Lyle, Washington; and Bruce, who is living in Gaston, Oregon.
The home of Captain and Mrs. Harding was blessed with seven children: Frank, who died December 26, 1883, at the age of twenty- five years; Larz, who passed away in June, 1893; Jenkins, who is re- siding in Glendale, Oregon; Charles, who is now a resident of Lincoln county, this state; Ellen, who died in infancy; Amy, at home; and Gertrude, the wife of Dr. Calvin S. White, of Portland. Like her husband, Mrs. Harding was college bred, being a graduate of Salem University. Naturally they were much interested in the education of their children to whom they gave excellent advantages. All the daughters have attended college and the sons have had thorough busi- ness training in commercial colleges. Since her husband's death Mrs. Harding has built a fine home in Gervais, Oregon, where she now re- sides, having there a large circle of warm friends who esteem her highly for her many excellent traits of character. The death of Captain Harding occurred March 17, 1897, when he was in the seventieth year of his age, and the community in which he lived mourned the loss of a representative and valued citizen. In politics he was a democrat, and took a deep interest in everything pertaining to the political situ- ation of the country, keeping well informed on the leading questions and issues of the day. His was a well spent life. In every relation he was true to high and honorable principles and never faltered in the choice between right and wrong but always endeavored to follow a course sanctioned by conscience and sound judgment. His integrity in business affairs, his loyalty and patriotism in matters of citizen- ship, his fidelity in friendship and his devotion to home and family were characteristics which won for him the high and enduring regard of all with whom he was associated.
Joseph Barten
Joseph Barton
MOST interesting life history is that of Joseph Bar- A ton, whose experiences from early boyhood in Eng- land to his present association with engineering and railroad projects in the northwest have been of a most varied character. He was born July 25, 1848, at St. Helens, Lancashire, England, the sixth son of John and Elizabeth (Bell) Barton. On his fathers' side he is descended from almost pure Anglo-Saxon ancestry. The name is derived from Beretone, an Anglo-Saxon word meaning manor house. John Barton's mother belonged to the Winstanley family and was born and reared in the parish of that name, as was her son John and also William and Josiah Barton, the grandfather and the great- grandfather of Joseph Barton of this review. The old family home was near Winstanley Hall and there is a tradition that the Winstan- ley family once owned this hall and all the land in the parish of that name. Among Joseph Barton's earliest recollections were his visits to his grandmother Barton, who was "such a grandmother as you sometimes read about-a fine looking old lady, kind, generous and loving." She lived to be eighty-four years of age. She had four sons and a daughter, John, William, Josiah, Peter and Ann.
In the maternal line Joseph Barton of this review came of Nor- man blood. Family tradition has it that the progenitors went to England with William the Conqueror. The maternal grandfather was born in Dublin, Ireland, to which country his father had gone from England as a young man. Upon the death of his parents grandfather Bell left Ireland for England to find his father's people but was not successful. His daughter Elizabeth became the wife of John Barton, who was superintendent, or foreman, of a shop. The great machines were always a matter of deep interest to his son Joseph, who being privileged as the son of the foreman, was often allowed by workmen to run the big machines. His deep inter- est in anything mechanical led to more than one scolding, for when sent on an errand he would frequently stop and look in the shop windows until he had satisfied himself how some mechanical toy would operate. His father, his grandfather and his great-grandfather be-
227
228
Joseph Barton
fore him had all been inventors and his father was one of the first to use high pressure steam and high speed engines.
The school days of Joseph Barton were much like those of other boys. At first he seemed slow of learning, so much so that his mother was frequently discouraged, but he had the assistance and encouragement of a teacher, Mr. Lacey, who seemed to understand the boy and always told the mother that her son was learning al- though not giving expression to what he learned. That this was actually the fact was shown on one occasion when visitors were pres- ent at the school. It was the custom in those days for a teacher to have a pupil point out on the map any place that the visitor might suggest. At this time Joseph Barton, much to the surprise of the school, who considered him very backward in his studies, volunteered and did thus go over a map of Ireland. He did so without faltering and thereafter was always called upon when the teacher wished to exhibit a particularly bright pupil in geography. When he left Eng- land for America in his fourteenth year he had largely mastered the various branches of mathematics, had done something in land sur- veying, was a good Latin student and also displayed considerable skill in freehand drawing.
The family were of the Mormon faith and suffered not a little persecution on this account because of the open opposition and hos- tility manifest in England toward the followers of Joseph Smith. The eldest son of the family, William Barton, married Ellen Birch- all and with his wife and his two brothers, James and John, sailed from Liverpool for America and made their way to Utah. Later another brother, Isaac, joined them in that state and early in the spring of 1862 the parents decided that the remainder of the family would emigrate to the new world. They had with them in England four children, Peter, Hyrum, Bertha and Joseph, and on the trip they were also accompanied by a cousin, Eliza Barton. After hold- ing a public sale of the household furniture, much of which was old fashioned and today would bring fancy figures as antiques, the fam- ily left St. Helens and started out on their long journey, taking passage on the Manchester, ten hundred and sixty-five tons, com- manded by Captain Trask. This vessel had been chartered by the Mormon church to bring people of that faith to the new world. There were many incidents of the voyage most interesting to the boy, Joseph Barton, who had never been far from home before: the porpoises seen when a day or two out, the finding of the stowaway and on one occasion a cry of fire. The amusements on shipboard were dancing on the main deck, concerts in the cabin and the marching and drill-
229
Joseph Barton
ing of the men. When it was learned that Mr. Barton possessed some artistic skill he was requested as a favor to paint the ship's flag, a white cross on a red ground, on the bows of all the ship's boats and paint a blue ribbon around the captain's and mates' gigs. Thirty- eight days had been passed and the Manchester landed its passengers without a single death occurring during the entire voyage. Neither had any serious accidents occurred, although the ship saw many ice- bergs and barely escaped colliding with one of them. They were so close that the thermometer dropped several degrees. On the 13th of June the Bartons with the other passengers were landed at Castle Garden and the following day took a train for Albany. They proceeded by slow stages westward and for the first time saw houses built of lumber and logs, those in England having been stone or brick. At length they reached Chicago, proceeded by train to Quincy, Illinois, and by steamer to Hannibal, Missouri, starting the next morning for St. Joseph, Missouri. The road was lined with sol- diers, who were guarding the road from attack by the Confederates. On the 23d of June the party started up the Missouri river on the steamer Omaha for Florence, Nebraska, which was the place that all Mormon emigrants outfitted for the west, while those of another religious faith started from Omaha. The Mormon church was doing all it could to aid its people, furnishing many teams and supplies on credit with the understanding that payments were to be made after reaching Utah. At Omaha Joseph Barton saw for the first time an American Indian-people of the Pawnee tribe. When the party were at Florence a train of some fifty ox teams arrived from Utah to carry the emigrants who had not sufficient means to pur- chase teams and outfit. The Bartons were delighted to find that James, who had preceded them, had been sent with one of the teams. The family, however, purchased their own outfit-two yoke of oxen and a Schuttler wagon. Soon the start westward was made and the trip brought the usual experiences, hardships and incidents of such a journey. At night the wagons would be placed in a semi-circle or a circle and thus form a corral for the oxen. At times, too, through the Indian country all fires were made and all cooking done inside the corral and the stock was let out only for a short time under a strong guard to feed.
On the 1st of August, 1862, the party started from Florence for Salt Lake. Fifty-two wagons were sent upon the road. They had to ford the streams and at times used their wagon beds to ferry over. There were steep mountains to climb, long slopes to descend. Day after day the journey proceeded and at times they encountered In-
230
Joseph Barton
dians but had no serious difficulty with them. There was the usual difficulty in obtaining good water and some of the oxen died from drinking the alkali water. Many new experiences came to the party. Mr. Barton on the trip saw a beaver for the first time. He did his first hunting and first tasted a peach, which the father bought at a certain camp, paying ten cents each for peaches. On the 5th of October the family were greatly surprised to see William Barton walk into camp. They were not only glad to meet this member of the fam- ily but it also indicated that they were nearing the end of a long journey. Proceeding on through Emigration Canyon they passed over the Hog Back and caught their first glimpse of Salt Lake City -the place for which they had left their England homes and traveled nearly eight thousand miles to reach. The Barton family took up their abode at the little town of Kaysville and again in this wild west- ern life the family had many new experiences. Joseph was first em- ployed in a molasses mill, carrying cane and removing it from the mill after it was crushed. Up to that time he had never had any- thing to do with horses nor did he know how to harness or unharness one, but the family left the city for a farm near Kaysville, where they went through all of the experiences and hardships of pioneer life. There was little money in circulation in the west in those days and all labor was paid for in wheat, and supplies were purchased in the same manner. When but fifteen years of age Joseph Barton was made teacher of a school, in which most of his pupils were older than himself, but after a little preliminary difficulty he succeeded in main- taining order and instructing the pupils in reading, spelling, the mul- tiplication table and in geography, but nothing more was attempted to be taught in those primitive schools of the west than the names of the states and their capitals. Writing, arithmetic, history and gram- mar were not taught. When the school work was over Mr. Barton aided in the labors of the farm, including irrigating and harvesting, all grain being cut with scythe and cradle. As the work of develop- ment and progress was carried on the comforts and conveniences of the older civilization were added. The first home of the family was a dugout made in the side of a hill. This crude home contained three rooms, which were comfortable most of the year but during the spring rains everything in the house was thoroughly soaked. At length, how- ever, a brick residence was erected-the first in Kaysville-and as the work of civilization progressed Joseph Barton took an active part in the public life of the community. He filled the office of county sur- veyor of Davis county, Utah, from 1869 until 1890. He was county clerk from 1874 until 1888 and was county attorney from 1884 until
231
Joseph Barton
1890. He was also county engineer from 1882 until 1888 and was city auditor and recorder of Kaysville from 1880 until 1888 and city councilor from 1888 until 1890. He was also a member of the Utah legislature in the sessions held in 1884, 1886, and 1890. His long con- tinuance in office is proof of his capability and fidelity. He was made a member of the board of trustees of the Utah Reform School and was superintendent of construction from 1888 until 1890. At the formal opening of the school he was made superintendent of that in- stitution and so continued from 1889 until 1891. In the meantime he had been closely associated with business interests and public affairs of a still different character than that of office holding. In 1875 he became manager of the Kaysville Flour Mills, having a capacity of one hundred barrels daily, and in 1875 he also became a member of the firm of Barton & Company, dealers in general merchandise, cloth- ing, agricultural implements, etc., at Layton and at Salt Lake City. He was thus connected with commercial interests until 1885 and was a director of the Utah Loan & Trust Company from 1888 until 1891, while during the succeeding two years he was superintendent of the building of that company. He supervised the installing of the heating and lighting system, which he had purchased, having made a trip to Chicago to secure dynamos, engines, elevator, etc .; in fact, everything needed for the construction and equipment of the build- . ing save the lumber and stone. He was furthermore interested in public affairs as captain and leader of the Kaysville Brass Band from 1867 until 1888, as chorister of the Kaysville Mormon church from 1890 until 1896 and as president and manager of the Kaysville Dramatic Association from 1875 until 1890. He was very heavily interested financially in the Utah Loan & Trust Company building when in 1893 it was destroyed by fire, causing him great losses. About the same time his wife died and Mr. Barton to occupy his time and fight off the feeling of loneliness that engulfed him turned his at- tention to the work of the fraternal orders, becoming interested in the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Knights of Pythias, the Select Knights, the Order of Chosen Friends, the Foresters of Amer- ica and the Degree of Honor. By the year 1895 he had filled the chairs in the different organizations, becoming the highest officer in several of them, and on some occasions being presiding officer in two or three at the same time. He became deputy supreme counsellor of the Chosen Friends and in 1895 was grand lecturer for the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In that capacity he visited lodges in Idaho, building up these organizations and instituting and organiz- ing Degree of Honor lodges at Pocatello, Hailey and Glenns Ferry
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.