Portrait and biographical record of Portland and vicinity, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 111

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 111

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While it is true that our subject has spent but few years in the practice of his profession, yet the clientage that has come to him is ample proof of the position he has attained among the members of the Portland bar.

DANIEL WARREN WARD, M. D. The professional career of Dr. Daniel Warren Ward has been a varied one. and an extended practi- cal experience amply justifies the enviable repu- tation which he bears in Forest Grove. His appreciation of the possibilities of medical and surgical science is partially due to heredity and example, for his father. Dr. John W. Ward. was for many years a practicing physician located in Albany, N. Y., where his son Daniel Warren, was born October 9. 1845. The elder Ward was a native of Massachusetts, and a graduate of Amherst. At a very early day he became identified with Iowa before statehood had been inaugurated, and was for some time Indian agent at Agency City. Thereafter he practiced medicine at Ottumwa. lowa, where his death eventually occurred. His wife, Emily (Knight) Ward, also born in Massachusetts, was the mother of seven children. of whom Daniel Warren is the only survivor. Her death occurred in Iowa.

The year after his birth Daniel Warren Ward was taken to Iowa by his parents, and there edu- cated in the public schools of Ottumwa, Wapello county, and at the College Hill Academy, Cin- cinnati. Ohio. Fired with patriotic fervor. he enlisted for service in the Civil war in the Fif- teenth Iowa Infantry, but parental objections gained the day, and two weeks after being mus- tered in he was a subject of peace rather than of war. The following year he went to California via Panama on the Rolling Moses, a craft which gained some notoriety in its day, and upon ar- riving in San Francisco, engaged as a

clerk in a drug store. In 1875 he entered the Pacific Medical College, now the Cooper Medical College, from which he was grad- uated from the four years' course in 1879. In the meantime he had continued his drug ex- periences, and at the time of his graduation had two drug stores in San Francisco. The doctor's first practical experience as a physician was gained during his two years' stay in Portland, Ore., after which he came to Forest Grove, where he practiced medicine and served as Uni- ted States pension agent until 1897. The glow- ing accounts from the gold fields of the Klon- dike directed the efforts of Dr. Ward from the peaceful practice at Forest Grove to the depriva- tions of life in the far north, and early in 1897 he started out over the Chilkat Pass, built boats to go down the Yukon river, and prac- ticed for a year in Dawson. The scarcity of medicine seriously hampered the efforts of the doctor, who was obliged to fall back on his knowl- edge of chemistry and manufacture his own rem- edies. Notwithstanding this handicap. the venture proved a mine of large proportions. for after sending dogs six hundred miles over the pass for the necessary ingredients he sold his tincture of iron for $20 an ounce. Naturally, his expectations in the frozen north were more than realized, and in 1898 he embarked down the Yukon on his way home. He was accompanied to the gold fields by his son. Edgar F., who be- came associated with Father Judge of Saint Mary's hospital, and had charge of the night shift. After the death of Father Judge he be- came superintendent of the hospital, and was thus employed until the institution passed into the hands of the Sisters. The year 1898 again found Dr. Ward in Forest Grove, and he has since made this his home.

The first marriage of Dr. Ward occurred in San Francisco in 1868 and united him with Madeline Perry, a native of Newark, N. J., a daughter of a prominent attorney of that place. and grand-daughter of Commodore Perry. the hero of Lake Erie. Mrs. Ward, who died in San Francisco, was the mother of two children, Edgar F. and a daughter. Perry Ward, who has attained considerable prominence as an actress. and took an important part in the production of Quo Vadis. The second marriage of Dr. Ward was with Josephine Bird, a woman of remark- able beauty, who died in Forest Grove from a surgical operation. Edgar F. Ward was edu- cated in Hopkins College. California, and was for many years engaged in the drug business in Forest Grove. As before mentioned, he accom- panied his father to the Klondike. and is now engaged in the logging business. He is frater- nally associated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is past noble grand.

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Through his marriage with Phoebe Hemstead, a native of England, three children have been born : Josephine Bird, Daniel Warren, Jr., and Perry.

Dr. Ward is a Democrat in political affiliation, and has served as a member and president of the city council. He is a member of the Califor- nia State Medical Association, and a member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. The doctor is very popular in Forest Grove, and has a prac- tice commensurate with his profound medical knowledge and genial, optimistic personality.

BERNARD ALBERS. The career of Ber- nard Albers, president of the Albers Brothers Milling Company, proprietors of the United States Mills of Portland, is from many stand- points a remarkable one. A few years since the occupant of an obscure position in a local feed mill, he has risen solely through his own unaided efforts to a place of responsibility and trust in the industrial world, and to- day ranks as one of the successful and most enterprising young business men in his line of trade in the northwest. He likewise is recog- nized as an unexcelled expert in the milling business.

Mr. Albers was born in Lingen, Germany, in the principality of Hanover, March 6, 1864, and is the eldest of the nine children born to John Herman and Theresa (Voss) Albers, both also natives of Hanover. John Herman Albers was a grain merchant in Lingen for many years. He removed to Portland in 1896, and in this city he died the following year. His wife, whose father was a miller, died in her native land. Be- sides the subject of this sketch, several of the children are interested in the grain business. Of these, Henry is head miller of the United States Mills, and a director in the Albers Brothers Mill- ing Company; William is in charge of the hay and feed business of the concern; George is manager of the business of the Seattle Cereal Company ; and Frank is assistant manager of the Cascade Cereal Company, Tacoma. Wash. Anna, the only daughter in the family, is the wife of Frank Terheyden of Portland.

After graduating from the gymnasium at Lin- gen, Bernard Albers undertook to familiarize himself with the grain business conducted by his father; and the thorough training received under the direction of this experienced merchant is undoubtedly largely responsible for the suc- cess which has rewarded his mature efforts. In 1887 he came to America, and for two years was employed by the firm of Hulman & Co., whole- sale grocers in Terre Haute, Ind. In 1889 he removed to Portland, and for four years was employed in the feed concern of Rogge & Storp.

Having by reason of this connection established a foothold in the business world of Portland, he then, in 1893. inaugurated an independent busi- ness as head of the firm of Albers & Tuke. This business, which was conducted in the same block as the enterprise of his former employers, was begun on modest lines, and scarcely prophesied the immense cereal business done by the concern of which Mr. Albers is now the head. The in- crease in trade was such that, in order to meet the requirements for the growing demand for their products, new quarters were soon found necessary. In 1898 Mr. Albers built a com- modious milling establishment at the corner of Front and Main streets; and in 1899 he added to his responsibilities by the purchase of the United States Mills, which he has since utilized for the manufacture of rolled oats and other cereals. An important adjunct to this business is the feed and hay enterprise located on Front and Lovejoy streets, which has warehouses and splendid shipping facilities, including a dock having dimensions one hundred and fifty by two hundred and sixty-five feet. The hay business has proved a source of large revenue, a hay compressor turning out an average of one hun- dred tons per day. The firm has the contract to supply all the hay shipped from Oregon to the Philippine Islands for the use of the government there; and in 1901 it filled a contract for thirteen thousand tons to be sent to the islands. The local hay establishment is augmented by a hay com- pressing plant at Forest Grove, established by Mr. Albers in 1900, which has a capacity of two hundred tons of round bales per day.

The Albers & Schneider Company was incor- porated in 1895 with Mr. Albers as president and manager. The enormous cereal output which has developed under the capable management of the head of the concern permits of shipments to all parts of the east, as well as to California. Arizona, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Alaska and British Columbia. The United States Mills have a daily capacity of two hundred bar- rels of rolled oats and one hundred barrels of other cereals. The Cascade Cereal Company of Tacoma, Wash., in which Mr. Albers owns a controlling interest and acts as president, pro- duces one hundred and fifty barrels of rolled oats and one hundred and twenty-five barrels of flour per day. The Seattle Cereal Company, of Se- attle, Wash., in which Mr. Albers also owns a controlling interest, has a capacity of two hun- dred barrels of rolled oats per day. These great concerns, all under the management of one man -who, however, has surrounded himself by capable and experienced lieutenants-are the most extensive producers of breakfast foods in the northwest. The wonderful development of the business under the direction of Mr. Albers is

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in itself a sufficient indication of his capacity. March 1, 1903, the concern of which he is the head was re-incorporated under the name of Albers Brothers Milling Company.

In October, 1892, Mr. Albers was married to Hermine Sommer, who died in June, 1899, leav- ing three children-Agnes, Theresa and Her- mine. In April, 1902, he was united in marriage with Ida A. Washer, who was born in Freeport, Ill. AIr. Albers is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Manufacturers' Association, and in the latter organization is a member of the board of directors. He and his family attend St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

Bernard Albers is a representative of the best citizenship of Portland. He is a striking type of the thoroughly self-made man; and in the great and growing northwest he has found opportuni- ties for the display of his capabilities which prob- ably would not have come to him elsewhere. Other men have had the same opportunities, and have failed to make the best of them. Mr. Albers, however, has had the forethought and powers of discrimination to discern the possibilities of the field into which he has thrown all his best effort, and the result is the attainment of a splen- did measure of success within a comparatively short time, with very flattering prospects of future success still more noteworthy.

MRS. MINERVA C. BOWLES is a well- known resident of Portland, where she owns a good home and in addition has valuable property interests elsewhere in the state. She is a daughter of Gen. Andrew Wilson, who was a native of Virginia, born in the year 1815. In early life he removed from the Old Dominion to Missouri, becoming one of the early settlers of Boone county, that state. There he formed the acquaintance of Mrs. Sarah Switzler Log- con, whom he later made his wife. She was born in 1817 and was also a native of the Old Dominion, but the marriage of the young couple was celebrated in Missouri. They afterward removed to Saline county, that state, where they remained for a short time, when, with the other members of the family, they came to Oregon.

General Wilson was fitting himself for the work of the ministry, thus following in his father's footsteps. He was an only son, and he had moderate financial resources at his command. He was a graduate of Yale and a gentleman of scholarly attainments, whose influence was widely felt for good. It was through his efforts that the members of the Wilson and Switzler families established homes in the northwest. They jour- neved overland with a wagon train numbering about one hundred and fifty people, and it re- quired the entire time from April until October,

1845, to reach their destination. The party started with a large amount of stock and mod- erate means, and at length reached The Dalles, whence they started in Indian canoes for Port- land, but were swamped below the Cascades and spent the first winter in St. Johns. The Wilson and Switzler families located claims side by side General Wilson, with remarkable foresight and business capacity, purchased large bateaux and transported people down the river. He also raised a great deal of stock and likewise pur- chased considerable, and in order to feed his animals he cut large amounts of wild hay. In 1848 Mr. Wilson went to the mines amid the mountains of California and was there stricken with the fever, dying in 1849. He was among the first to cross the mountains into the mining country, and his efforts were noticeably felt in behalf of the general improvement and progress of this Pacific coast district. After the death of the husband and father, the mother remained with her family until 1852. Unto them had been born four children, who reached years of ma- turity, namely: Mrs. Bowles; John G., who is a resident of San Francisco, Cal., where he is now living ; James H., a farmer of the Walla Walla valley, and Sarah, who was born in Ore- gon and became the wife of A. M. Brown, and died in Vancouver, Wash., in 1880. General Wilson was a young man of marked capability, well fitted to cope with the condition of pioneer life, and his efforts in behalf of the early de- velopment and progress of the country were far-reaching and beneficial. He left the impress of his individuality upon the early history of the state, and the community in this part of Oregon acknowledges its indebtedness to him for what he accomplished in this direction. He became quite well-to-do and left considerable property. This includes three hundred and twenty acres of the original tract taken up by the father, and which is now a dairy farm.

Mrs. Minerva C. Bowles was born in Saline county, Mo., October 30, 1841, and was there- fore only three and a half years of age when her parents crossed the plains to the northwest, yet she well remembers a heavy hail storm which occurred at that time and which greatly fright- ened the people in the wagon train. The animals also became desperate, and the men had to put ropes in the horns of the oxen in order to hold them back and keep them from stampeding. Mrs. Bowles was educated in this state, becom- ing a student in the Portland Academy. She remained with her parents and grandparents until their respective deaths, and then went to live with her uncles, with whom she remained until August 8, 1861. It was on that day that she gave her hand in marriage to Jesse T. Bowles, who was a pioneer settler of Oregon of

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1852. His paternal grandfather was a lieuten- ant in the Revolutionary war and served under General Washington. The old musket which he used was in the possession of Mr. Bowles for many years. Mr. Bowles was born in St. Charles county, Mo., in 1830, and his maternal grand- father was John McKay, a Scotchman, who crossed the Atlantic to America and became a surveyor in this country, accumulating consid- erable wealth through his efforts in that direc- tion. He built the first brick residence in St. Louis. Jesse T. Bowles was educated in Mont- gomery county, Mo., where he attended college. He was the son of a farmer and was eighteen years of age when he first came to the coast. He afterward returned to the east, hut again crossed the plains in 1852, and after his marriage followed farming. He was a member of the Masonic lodge and a man of progressive ideas, who took an active interest in everything per- taining to the welfare and substantial develop- ment of his community. He secured a claim located in the macadam road and now forming a part of the site of the Jewish cemetery.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bowles were born four children, who reached years of maturity : Charles D., born in 1864, and now an attorney at Van- couver, was educated at the Eugene State Uni- versity and read law at Portland and in Salem, Ore. He married Almeda Thompson, of Albany, Ore., in 1889, and by his marriage has three sons : Jesse C., Ward R. and Nelson C. John Bowles, born in 1862, was educated in Eugene, Ore., and died in 1882. Annie J., born in 1867, became the wife of Charles N. Johnson, a son of A. H. Johnson, one of the honored pioneer settlers of this state. She has five daughters and one son, namely : Bertie C .. Annie M., Isa- belle, Carrie N., Alleyne and Charles N. The Johnson family reside at Forest Grove, where Mr. Johnson is a farmer. Joseph R. Bowles, born in October, 1869, is now engaged in the hardware business in Portland. He was edu- cated in the high school of that city and married Bernice Washburne of Portland.

After living for some time upon the home farm of General Wilson, the Bowles family removed to Vancouver, and in 1883 their present home in Portland was erected upon land purchased by Mr. Bowles. Many changes have occurred since they arrived here. They now rent the home farm, to which they have added from time to time, until it now comprises four hundred and twenty acres of valuable land, and in addition to this the family property comprises twelve acres of land near Mount Taber. Mrs. Bowles is a mem- ber of the Pioneers Association of Oregon and also of the Episcopal Church. She is a most

estimable lady, who has a wide acquaintance in the state, and certainly deserves mention in this volume.

JOHN SWITZLER. No history of Oregon would be complete without the record of John Switzler, who, through pioneer times, was an active and important factor in the work of de- velopment and progress, and whose labors proved an excellent foundation upon which to build the later development of the state. He was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1776, and with his parents he emigrated to the United States in the year 1788. His natal year was that in which the Declaration of Independence was writ- ten, and it was only five years after the close of the Revolutionary war that he became a resi- cent of the new world, the family settling in Virginia. They came originally from Switzer- land, and there is probably not another family of the same name in all the world, those who bear this cognomen being closely related. John Switzler had obtained his education in Germany, and in early life he embarked in merchandising. Removing westward to Missouri, he established a business of that character, but through going security for others he brought on failure in his own business. He then determined to seek a home in the far west, and in 1845, with the mem- bers of his family, he made the overland journey to Oregon, traveling for six months, during which time many hardships and trials were en- dured by the party. Mr. Switzler came with the intention of locating a donation claim, and on reaching his destination he secured six hun- dred and forty acres of land where the ferry to Vancouver is now located. His first house was of logs, but soon a better house was erected. He established a ferry in 1846 and operated it for ten years, or until his death. It was known as Switzler ferry and became an important fac- tor in the transfer business at an early day; in fact, it was the first ferry operated on the Colum- bia river, and at his death his son succeeded him in the business, conducting the ferry until they sold out to Mr. Knott, who was the proprietor until the ferry was purchased by the railroad company.

In 1848, when the United States troops were sent to Oregon, there was a great demand for the supplies for the army, and Mr. Switzler and General Wilson, his son-in-law, supplied the wants of the troops, and through their sales be- came well-to-do. They purchased all of the cattle that emigrants wanted to sell. being pre- pared to take care of them, and thus, through the raising of stock, they were enabled to supply the troops and other customers with fresh meats. Not only with early business interests was Mr.

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Switzler actively connected, but also with many other affairs of importance bearing upon the de- velopment and progress of this community. His aid and co-operation were never sought in vain in behalf of measures for the general good, and along many lines his efforts proved of a most helpful character.

Mr. Switzler was twice married. He first married Elizabeth Lee, and unto them were born three children : Elizabeth, who became the wife of Mr. Mitchell and went to Texas, where hier «leath occurred; Greenville, who died in Mis- souri, and Sarah, who became the wife of Gen- eral Wilson and died in Oregon. Mrs. Switzler passed away in Virginia and Mr. Switzler then took his children to Missouri to be cared for by a relative there. In that state he was again mar- ried, his second union being with Maria Robin- son. By this marriage there were six children : Joseph, a farmer, who died in Oregon in 1869, leaving six children, of whom three were sons ; Jehu, a stock dealer of Umatilla, who has one daughter ; William, a merchant, who died in Pendleton, Ore., leaving three children, Edwin and two daughters; Cynthia C., who became the wife of W. Nye and died in 1881 about a mile north of Vancouver, leaving seven children, two sons and five daughters ; John, a stockman living in Walla Walla, Wash., who has one son and three daughters; Harriet, who is the wife of Adam Nye, of Pendleton, and has two daughters and two sons. In 1850 the mother of these children passed away and was buried on the old homestead farm. At the death of his daughter, Mrs. Wilson, Mr. Switzler took her children to his own home and reared and educated them, they becoming students in the early schools of Portland. He was appointed executor of the estate of General and Mrs. Wilson. and at his death Jehu Switzler was appointed to succeed him. John Switzler built a schoolhouse on his land and hired a teacher to instruct his children and grandchildren. He was very liberal in his donations to the public interests of general im- portance. Both he and General Wilson, with whom he was associated in business. greatly assisted the needy emigrants, and they always made it a point to find good homes for the orphan girls who came to this coast. The Switzlers' household was a very hospitable one, and in it there was exemplified the true pioneer spirit which makes all welcome. Although pioneer conditions existed on every hand. Mr. Switzler courageously faced the situation. overcame the hardships and difficulties with which he was sur- rounded and made the most of his opportunities. His labors proved of benefit to his community as well as to himself, and his name should be enduringly inscribed upon the pages of Oregon's pioneer history.

JOHN POWELL. There is nothing in life so greatly to be desired as an upright character. There is nothing that can be left so valuable as an honored name. The wealth which one leaves behind becomes the property of others, but an untarnished name and good deeds remain as the monument which keeps his memory alive in the hearts of his friends. The record of John Powell is one which his descendants have every reason to be proud of.

"His life was noble, and the elements so mixed in him that nature might stand up and say to all the world, 'This was a man.'

John Powell, who died in Portland, April 26, 1899, was born in Pike county, Ky., May 28, 1823, and came of Welch ancestry. His paternal grandfather. Cader Powell, was a soldier of the Revolutionary war, while Allen Powell, his father, belonged to one of the old southern fam- ilies, being a native of Virginia. Both the parents of our subject died in Kentucky, and the children were thus early thrown upon their own resources. There was a family of five sons and a daughter that came to the northwest. May 10, 1847, the brothers started across the plains, on that day crossing the boundary line of Missouri and ulti- mately arriving at Portland, Ore. Of these chil- dren we mention the following: David, who was married in Missouri, died on his ranch on the Columbia river in 1888, leaving a family. who still reside upon the home farm ; James, who was married in Missouri, died in East Portland in 1896, leaving a wife and children; Jackson, who died in 1890, also left a family; William died amid the Blue Mountains while crossing the plains ; John is the next son of the family, and the daughter, Jane, became the wife of a Mr. Pugh, and died at Mount Tabor. The long jour- ney across the country over the stretches of hot sand and through the mountain passes was at length accomplished in safety. The party did not suffer from cholera nor were they trou- bled with the Indians, but they were ill of fever and measles, and, as before stated, one of the brothers died on the trip. The others. however. at length reached The Dalles, where they went into camp and there cut down trees with which to make a raft. In this they proceeded down the river to Portland.

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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 111

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