Portrait and biographical record of Portland and vicinity, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 108

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 946

USA > Oregon > Multnomah County > Portland > Portrait and biographical record of Portland and vicinity, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present > Part 108

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In 1890 Mr. Hunt engaged in the retail hard- ware business in Portland. Ore., and under the firm name of The Hunt Hardware Company manufactured stoves and similar commodities, but is now doing business under the title of the American Light Company, and manufactures gas machines and stoves. Though compara- tively new, this business promises to eclipse any- thing of the kind on the coast. Mr. Hunt is variously associated with affairs in Portland, and has been prominent in political matters. He was appointed police commissioner by Mayor Mason in 1898 and served as chairman of the board two years. In 1900 he was nominated for the state senate on the citizens' ticket, and was elected by a majority of one thousand over a nominal Republican majority of five thousand five hundred. He is a Republican of the "anti- graft" sort, and was largely instrumental in breaking up a very corrupt political machine in his state. Fraternally Mr. Hunt is associated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Woodmen of the World. In Ottawa, Ill., Mr. Hunt was united in marriage with Addie M. Chapman, a native of La Salle county, that state, of which union there have been born two children, Myrtle C. and Harold E.

HON. JESSE CLEMENS MOORE occupies a substantial place among the developers of Ore- gon, the opportunities and resources of which he has so well understood and utilized. Of rugged agricultural stock, and Irish-German ancestry. he was born on his father's farm near Fayetteville. Ark., September 3. 1830, his parents being Thomas and Eliza ( Wilson ) Moore, natives of Kentucky, and born respectively in 1804 and 1810. The father lived to be fifty-four years of age, and with his wife reared a large family of children. six of the ten surviving at this writing.

The second child born into his father's family, Hon. J. C. Moore passed an uneventful life on the paternal farm, attending the district schools during the winter months, educational facilities

in those days and in that section of the country being very limited. By the time he had attained his majority he had picked up a great deal of stray information not bearing directly on farm life, and the limitations of the farm were be- coming more and more apparent. Accordingly he planned to come west with his brother, James H., and together they started out for the new Eldorado in California. Their destination un- derwent change as the journey across the plains progressed, for, owing to scarcity of food for their cattle, it was decided to go to Oregon in- stead of California. In the train were about seventy-five wagons and three hundred people. They experienced considerable trouble with the Indians, who appropriated the stock to their own use, and in other ways made themselves unwel- come. After a six or seven months' trip Mr. Moore found himself in a new country with no friends and little money, but he was equal to the task of supporting himself, and willingly accepted whatever was offered in the way of employment. He started out to split rails in Oregon, having contracted with his cousin, Will- iam Wilson, to supply him with ten thousand rails. Mr. Wilson had preceded Mr. Moore to Oregon, coming in 1843, and was located on a claim on the Tualatin Plains.

Enriched in both pocket and muscle, Mr. Moore departed from his cousin's home at the expiration of two years. during which time he had been employed in splitting rails, and went to California, where he mined and prospected for three years. Returning to the Tualatin Plains he served for two years as county assessor, and then bought three hundred and twenty acres of land one and a half miles northwest of Green- ville, of which about thirty-five acres were im- proved. In 1862 he married Miss Rachel Wil- son, who was born in Missouri and who crossed the plains with her father, William Wilson, and his family in 1843. For two years following his marriage Mr. Moore lived on the farm, and in 1864 removed to Hillsboro, the better to fulfill his duties as sheriff of Washington county, to which office he was elected for three successive terms. In August. 1870, the family went back to the farm, and seven years later purchased property in Greenville, where Mr. Moore en- gaged in the mercantile business on a small scale. His business grew apace under good man- agement and sound commercial tactics, and in 1889 he again entered the arena of politics, being elected representative in the legislature for Washington county, and serving two terms. During his absence in legislative halls his son managed the mercantile business, but upon his return he assumed the chiet responsibility. Three partners have assisted at times in the manage- ment of the store. the first being J. F. Pierce,

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the firm name being Pierce & Moore, an associa- tion dissolved in 1885. In 1892 Walter Foster became associated with Mr. Moore, and there- after the firm name was Moore, Foster & Co., the company being Mr. Moore's son. The firm carry a complete line of commodities in demand in cosmopolitan communities, and it is the pol- icy of the management to deal only in superior goods and to exercise towards their many pa- trons that consideration and tact which insure good feeling and a desire to return. William 1. Moore, one of the partners of Moore & Son, is also postmaster.

The first wife of Mr. Moore died in 1880, leaving four children : Edward B. and Mary E., both deceased; William L., who is his father's partner ; and Fred C., a resident of Seattle, Wash. For his second wife Mr. Moore married Jennie Wilson, who was born in Oregon, and who has become the mother of two children, Jesse C., Jr., and Max. At the present time Mr. Moore owns three hundred and ninety acres of farming land, all in Washington county. Mr. Moore is a man of broad and liberal tendencies, as evinced particularly in his political attitude. Though born in the hotbed of Democracy, and for years surrounded by a hatred for the north, he stepped out of the blighting atmosphere into the more tolerant and humane Republican party. His official life has been characterized by a fine regard for the best interests of his constituents and has resulted in the elevation of the tone of political service in Washington county. In many ways he has been a benefactor to his adopted state, and his influence for progress and right living is unquestioned. No name here- abouts carries with it in a greater degree the good will and appreciation of their friends and associates.

ROWLAND WALTER SAVAGE HAMER. The settings which necessarily go hand in hand with the narrative of the life of Rowland W. S. Hamer are prolific of maritime suggestions, he having sailed upon many foreign waters in the course of his eventful career. He was born near Oswestry, in Shropshire, England, September 26, 1851, the youngest of the four children born to John and Maria (Allnatt) Hamer. On the pa- ternal side thie ancestry can be traced back to Wales, David Hamer having been born in that country near Welch Pool, in Montgomeryshire. where he owned an estate. The wife of David Hamer, Mary Lloyd, was the daughter of Reese and Mary (Morris) Lloyd, who were married in Birmingham in 1795. David Hamer also owned the estate of Glanyrafon. in Denbigh- shire, and in turn it descended to John Hamer, his only son, a native of Shropshire. For a

number of years he was an officer in the Eng- lish army, and when he left the service was con- nected with the Hussars. His marriage united him with Maria Allnatt, a native of England, whose father was a distinguished barrister and queen's council.

In the maternal line the ancestry of our sub- ject can be traced back to the nobility of Den- mark. The first of the name of whom we have any record was Franciscan Moller, who was born in 1667 and married Catariva Dorothea von Hogue, a descendant of Frederick I, king of Denmark. He died in 1735. Their son re- moved to Ireland and at a later date representa- tives of the name went from the Emerald Isle to England. The family included prominent offi- cials in Denmark and distinguished professional men in England. Mrs. Maria Hamer died in England in 1893 survived by her four children, of whom John Parry, the eldest, died at the an- cestral home in his native country in 1901. The Glanyrafon estate was inherited by him and was his home until his death. The other children are Charles Herbert Athelstan, who resides in Newtown, Wales; Mary Elizabeth, now Mrs. Botazzi, of Italy; and Rowland Walter Savage.

In his youth Mr. Hamer attended a prepara- tory school in Cheltenham, and for two years was a student in France, after which for two years he was a student in the Royal Naval Acad- emy at Gosport, England. At that time, how- ever, he abandoned the idea of entering the navy and went to Cheshire, spending two years in the Sanbach grammar school, after which he trav- eled for a year on the continent in company with his mother. In February, 1868, he appren- ticed himself as a sailor on the ship Centaur, sailing from London to Calcutta, and during the course of the voyage, which extended over two years, he visited Mauritius, and Rangoon, Brit- ish Burmah. Returning to Liverpool at the ex- piration of this time, he later boarded the barque Hermine, which was bound for South America, and which was the first vessel to enter the port of Antofagasta, a seaport town of Chile, which has since attained considerable prominence in the commercial world, and now claims a population of eight thousand inhabitants. After visiting various other towns on the coast of South Amer- ica Mr. Hamer again returned to the port of Liverpool. After a short voyage on the Mara- villa he set sail for San Francisco on the Knight Errant, which foundered when rounding Cape Horn. The Sam Kerns came to her rescue, tak- ing off passengers and crew, but in spite of the precaution used seven persons were drowned in passing from one ship to the other. Four days later, in June, 1871, the Sam Kerns ran upon rocks in the strait of. De La Maire and was wrecked. The two crews then went ashore on

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Terra del Fuego, where they remained twelve days. until picked up by a sailing vessel, which landed them at Port Royal, Falkland Islands, whence they proceeded on a government schooner to Montevideo. From there Mr. Hamer sailed on a mail steamer for Liverpool. He left there on another voyage to South America in the barque Hermine and again returned to Liverpool. Sub- sequently he passed an examination which en- titled him to the rank of second mate. His sea- faring life was certainly not without exciting ad- venture, for every vessel on which he sailed met with accidents.

After remaining ashore for a year Mr. Hamer came to America as a passenger on the barque Hermine, which sailed around the Horn, and ar- rived in Portland, Ore., in August, 1874. Com- ing to Washington county, he purchased an im- proved farm of one hundred and sixty acres two miles north of Forest Grove, and there he en- gaged in the production of grain and the raising of stock until 1887, when he went to eastern Washington and up to Pasco, on Snake river, and took up a preemption claim, where he was engaged in the cattle business for a year. Sell- ing out his stock he removed to Forest Grove, where he is now living retired.

In Washington Mr. Hamer was united in mar- riage with Mrs. Jane Charity, who was born in Iowa, a daughter of Josiah Clark, who in 1865 came to Oregon, becoming a pioneer of Wash- ington county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hamer one son has been born, who bears the name of Wal- ter R. In 1892 Mr. Hamer returned to his na- tive land on a visit, and after spending four months amid familiar localities, returned to his home in Washington county, Ore. Several times he has been honored with election to the office of councilman, and for two terms was president of the board. His service on the school board was of great benefit to the community in which he lived. Fraternally he is an Ancient Odd Fellow and in religious faith is an Episco- palian. An entertaining and companionable gentleman, his travels have brought him wide knowledge of foreign lands and his mind is stored with many interesting incidents of his voy- ages.

HON. JAMES E. HASELTINE. The gene- alogy of the Haseltine family is traced to Eng- land. where the name was originally Hazelden. from "Hazel," a tree or shrub, and "den." a val- ley, the whole meaning "the valley where the hazels grew." To this day the name is fre- quently heard in Devonshire and Yorkshire. During 1637 two brothers, Robert and John (of whom Robert is supposed to have been the elder ) landed at Salem, Mass., having crossed the ocean

with Rev. Ezekiel Rogers and about sixty fam- ilies. They became the first settlers in the pres- ent town of Bradford. Their descendants fol- lowed the march of civilization into New Hamp- shire, Vermont and Maine, still later to Penn- sylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin. The two brothers themselves did not remain permanently at Bradford, but John moved to Haverhill and Robert secured land near him. The large tract they owned became known as Haseltine's Meadow and as such has continued to the present day. In descent from Robert the generations in America have been Abraham (2). Richard (3). James (4), James (5), Daniel (6) and James Edwin (7), the last named therefore representing the seventh generation of the fam- ily in America.

Abraham Haseltine, who made his home at Bradford and served as town clerk, married Eliza- beth Longhome, and their son, Richard, was born in Bradford November 13, 1679. The latter be- came one of the original proprietors of Chester. N. H. By his marriage to Abigail Chadwick he had a son, James, born July 2, 1719, and de- ceased November 3. 1803. The first wife of James Haseltine was Rebecca Mulliken and his second marriage was to Hannah Kimball. By his second wife he had a son, James, born April 2. 1766, and deceased April 23, 1849. During the latter part of his life he cultivated a farm at Pembroke, N. H. His wife was Susannah Gordon, who was born in Salem and died at Pembroke, N. H., January 21, 1857, when eighty- four years of age. Their son, Daniel, was born at Haverhill November 13, 1795, and died June 30, 1852. The wife of Daniel was Mary Eliza- beth Hill, who was born at Portsmouth, N. H .. September 9, 1800, and died at Portland, Me., September 3, 1852. Her father, Elisha Hill, a blacksmith by trade, was born in Portsmouth, N. H., January 9, 1777, of English descent, and died May 23, 1853. His wife bore the maiden name of Phoebe Jenkins.

During the war of 1812 Daniel Haseltine was summoned, and one of the valued possessions of his son. James Edwin, is the military order for inspection issued during that war, when he cu- rolled as a soldier in the Fifth Company, First New Hampshire Infantry. For some years after the war he followed contracting and mason work in Portsmouth, N. H., but about 1835 removed to New York City, where he built the lighthouse on Robbins Reef, New York Harbor, also the Custom House at Newburyport, Mass., which is still standing : and the Dutch Reformed Church 011 Lafayette place. The family returned to New Hampshire in 1842, and settled at Pembroke. and ten years later removed to Portland, Me. During that same year ( 1852) he was engaged in building stone wharves in Panama. The work

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completed, he started home in July, but died on shipboard of the cholera and was buried at sea. off Sandy Key, Fla. In his family there were the following children : Mrs. Caroline Eliza- beth Bingham, who is eighty years of age and makes her home in Minneapolis, Minn .; George Hill, who died at ten years of age; Daniel Barker, an engineer and inventor, who died at Charles- ton, S. C .; Henry Hart, who is connected with the public library in Brooklyn, N. Y .; Mrs. Anna Mary Curtis, of Wolfville, Nova Scotia; James Edwin, of Portland, Ore .; and Phoebe Eliza. of Brooklyn, N. Y.

During the residence of the family in Ports- mouth, N. H., James Edwin Haseltine was born September 30, 1833. Two years later the family removed to New York City and from there went to Pembroke, N. H., and in 1852 settled at Port- land, Me. In the various places where they re- sided he attended the schools and received fair advantages. In order to assist in defraying his expenses at Pembroke Academy, he swept the floors and acted as janitor. When only ten years of age he had been put out to work on a farm in New Hampshire. The long days of toil, unre- lieved by play or pleasure, laid the foundation of those sterling traits of character which brought him success in later life. Undiscouraged by his environment, he determined to secure an educa- tion, and every effort was bent to the attainment of this purpose. In 1847 he began in a humble capacity with a shoe merchant at Portland, Me., and six months later drove a team in Massachu- setts, thus earning a little money. On his return to New Hampshire he worked on a farm for a time, but in 1852 began clerking in a wholesale produce house in Portland. Two years later he became connected with a retail hardware store in the same city. January 1. 1856, he entered upon a long connection with a wholesale and retail iron store, of which he was head salesman for eleven years, finally retiring in order to start in business for himself. His initial experience of this kind was gained in the iron business, with which he was most familiar. January 1, 1868, the business was inaugurated. but inside of eight months his former employer, Eben Corey, offered him a one-half interest in the business if he would return. Accepting the offer, he continued in the same place another eleven years, and meantime served as a member of the city coun- cil, and for one term was president: also was chairman of the international convention of the Young Men's Christian Association. the call for which he issued, and which convened July 14-19. 1869. His connection with this organization dates back to December of 1853. when he joined the association in Portland, Me., the seventh of the kind to be started in the United States. At one time he served as president of the society

and was made a life member many years ago. It was his privilege to attend the international convention held in Washington, D. C., in 1871. For many years, while living in Portland, Me., he was superintendent of the Sunday-school con- nected with the Chestnut Street Methodist Epis- copal Church. The Board of Trade likewise numbered him among its members. While serv- ing as a member of the school board, one of his fellow-members on the board was Thomas B. Reed, who was also a neighbor. In later years Mr. Haseltine had the pleasure of being the first to support and aid Mr. Reed in his candidacy for congress, and about 1898, when Mr. Reed visited the west, he was entertained delightfully by Mr. Haseltine, and at a reception held in the parlors of the Hotel Portland, Mr. Reed was introduced to the leading citizens of the city.

During March of 1861 Mr. Haseltine was ini- tiated into the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows in Maine Lodge No. I, at Portland, of which he is past noble grand, and later was made grand master of the Grand Lodge of Maine, also grand patriarch of the Grand Encampment of Maine, and is a past grand representative of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the United States. Even after leaving New England he still retained his association with the Odd Fellows there. He is a member of Bramhall Lodge No. 3, K. of P .. in Portland, Me., and an active worker in its Relief Association.

During 1878, having disposed of his interests in Maine, Mr. Haseltine visited Oregon for the first time. From 1879 to 1882 he was engaged in mining in Fresno and Tuolumne counties, Cal .. but in the latter year relinquished his mining ventures and settled in Portland, Ore., where. February 1, 1883, he became interested in the heavy hardware business of E. J. Northrup & Co. On the 9th of April. of the same year, Mr. Northrup was accidentally killed, and Mr. Hasel- tine thereupon purchased an additional one-sixth interest in the business, becoming a half owner in the same. The title was changed to J. E. Haseltine & Co., and in 1897 the business was incorporated under that name. with Mr. Hasel- tine as president. In 1892 he built the Haseltine block, on the corner of Pine and Second streets, and now owns two hundred feet on Second, ex- tending from Pine to Ash, the improvements on the same comprising the most substantial of the kind in the entire city. The business is princi- pally wholesale. shipments being made to all points in Oregon, as well as northern California. Washington, Idaho, and Montana. A specialty is made of hardwood lumber and wagon mate- rial. Another property owned by Mr. Haseltine is the wharf which bears his name and which is located between East Oak and East Pine streets. In addition, he has built up residence property

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in different parts of the city and owns a fruit farm at Vancouver, Wash. On the organization of the United States National Bank of Portland, in which he bore a prominent part, he was elected to fill the position of first vice-president. For three years he was vice-president of the National Board of Trade, composed of representative business men from various parts of the country. During the three years he served as vice-presi- dent the yearly meetings were held in Washing- ton, D. C.

November 30, 1855. in Suncook, N. H., oc- curred the marriage of Mr. Haseltine and Mary E. Knox, who was born in Sanbornton, N. H., October 23, 1834, and engaged in educational work for a short time prior to her marriage. Her father, Hillary Knox, a native and farmer of Sanbornton, was a son of Daniel Knox, a pay- master in the Revolutionary war. On the mater- nal side Mrs. Haseltine is descended from Rev. John McClintock, who was chaplain in General Stark's army at the battle of Bunker Hill. One of her ancestors, Andrew Knox, was a brother of John Knox, the illustrious Scottish religious re- former. Eight children were born to the mar- riage of Mr. Haseltine and Miss Knox, and of these six attained maturity, and five are living. Edward Knox Haseltine, who was born August 11, 1857, engaged in business with his father until his death in 1897. Alice Louise, who was born December 2, 1860. died on the 23d of the same month, two years later. James Ambrose, who was born January 5, 1865, is vice-president and manager of the business founded by his father. Henry Alonzo was born December 3. 1867: Annie Mabel, born January 6, 1871, is a graduate of Wellesley College; William Carl. born January 3. 1873, is secretary of J. E. Hasel- tine & Co .; Clarence Hill was born June 17, 1874, and died on the 5th of September, same year ; Mary Elizabeth, born October 9, 1876, married M. H. Schmeer, bookkeeper for J. E. Haseltine & Co., and resides in Portland.

One of the active workers in the organization of the Republican party in Maine in 1856 was Mr. Haseltine, and from that year to the present he has supported party principles In 1896 he was elected to the state senate at the head of his ticket, and served in the two regular sessions as well as the special session of 1898. During his service he was chairman of the Multnomah delegation and also of the committees on mut- nicipal corporations and horticulture and a mem- ber of others. Under appointment from the gov- ernor he acted as a commissioner to the Trans- Mississippi Exposition at Omaha. In the work of securing a new city charter he was quite ac- tive, doing all in his power to secure its adoption. .At the expiration of his term as state senator he retired to private life, not being a candidate

for re-election. One of the important measures to which he is now devoting time and thought is his work as a member of the advisory com- mittee of the Lewis and Clark Exposition. For years he has been a trustee of Riverview Ceme- tery, also a member of the water committee. He is connected with the Portland Chamber of Com- merce. Here, as in the east, he has given his influence to aid in the work of the Young Men's Christian Association and has officiated as a vice- president in the same. On the organization of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church of Portland he was a charter member and was one of its building committee at the time of the erection of the edifice. At this writing he is a member of the board of trustees and formerly served as Sunday-school superintendent.

Besides the varied interests previously enu- merated Mr. Haseltine is interested in Ocean Park, of which noted resort he was one of the promoters. In 1883 this park was selected by a number of Methodists for a camp meeting ground. The property was afterward sold to private business men, who have been interested in promoting the improvement of the grounds and adding to its attractions as an ocean resort. Wide shaded avenues open out from parks, where ample space is afforded for literary as- semblies, religious meetings and athletic sports. The sea bathing is one of the especial attractions, although many not desirous of this form of recreation still find sufficient to draw them here every season, where boating in the bay, and fish- ing or hunting in the woods afford rest for brain workers and needed recreation.

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Portrait and biographical record of Portland and vicinity, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 108

Author: Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 946

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 946