Portrait and biographical record of Portland and vicinity, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 51

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 51

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After the closing down of the First National Bank of Hillsboro Mr. Shute purchased the building and established a private bank, which has become a very successful and substantial financial institution. Aside from his farming and

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banking interests Mr. Shute holds stock in the Mazama Mining & Milling Company, at Sparta, which property is very valuable and promising. He is the owner of six hundred and sixty acres of fine land adjoining Hillsboro, besides numer- ous valuable brick blocks, city lots and residences. A Republican in national politics, he has served several terms as county commissioner, but other- wise has not identified himself with the local poli- tical undertakings.

The first marriage of Mr. Shute occurred in Washington county, Ore., in November, 1867, and united him with Elizabeth Constable, a native of Oregon, her parents having crossed the plains and located in this state in 1849. They were the parents of three children, of whom Edward is on the home farm, and Artie C. is cashier of the bank. A daughter, Mattie. died at the age of sixteen. For a second wife Mr. Shute married Mary E. Smith, a native of Cali- fornia, of which union there is one child, Henry Tracy. Mrs. Shute is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

ISAAC LAWLER. The transportation facil- ities of Portland are materially augmented by the up-to-date livery business of Isaac Lawler, one of the very old settlers of Oregon. and a most enterprising and successful man. Mr. Lawler was born in Dublin, Ireland. April 22. 1844, and from his father, Edward, inherits his preference for his occupation, the elder man having been employed in a large livery business in Dublin for many years. The family is a very old one, and traces its ancestors far back into the history of the British Isles.

The youngest of the seven boys born into his father's family, Isaac Lawler was educated in the national and Christian Brothers' schools of Dublin, and in early life became somewhat familiar with his father's business. In the fall of 1865 he came to New York City, and a few years later came to San Francisco via Nicaragua. and in 1867 located in Portland, where he was variously employed until 1884. The same year he started the livery business of which he is now manager and proprietor, and which has suc- ceeded in gaining the confidence of the business world of Portland. In a small way a modest enterprise was encouraged by an appreciative few, and at the present time Mr. Lawler has a large steady, as well as transient, trade. The business is located on the corner of Couch and Fifteenth streets, and one-half block is taken up with barns and stables, the ground dimen- sions being 200x100. The enterprise is called the Isaac Lawler Club Stables.

In Portland Mr. Lawler was united in mar- riage with Honora M. Egan, whose parents

were very early settlers of Oregon, and of which union there have been born five children. Kath- leen. the second daughter. is known throughout her native state as a noted vocalist. Mr. Lawler is a Republican in politics, and fraternally is a charter member of the Red Men of Portland.

AUGUST KANNE. Unquestionably the fin- est ranch in this part of Clackamas county is that of August Kanne, who came from Minnesota in 1888, purchased the one hundred and sixty acres of land comprising his present farm, and has since devoted his most intelligent efforts to its improvement. While Mr. Kanne is making a specialty of small grains, he engages in general farming and stock-raising, grows considerable fruit and has a vineyard which goes to the ex- tremes of producing quantity and quality.

The earliest youth of Mr. Kanne was spent in Prussia, northern Germany, where he was born May 3, 1844. His father. Charles Kanne, was born in Prussia and was a blacksmith by trade. The older man brought his family to America in 1856, August being at that time twelve years old. They settled in Minnesota, took up a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, and there the father is at present living a retired life, having reached the age of four score years. August, the oldest of the two sons and one daughter in the family, lived in Minnesota for thirty years, or until 1888, and during that time attained to the same prominence in his community which he en- joys in Clackamas county. He has the force of character and assertiveness needful in all grow- ing communities, and his opinion counts for much in the settling of any question concerning the general welfare of the neighborhood. He has been a Republican ever since casting his ini- tial vote, and among the offices held by him may be mentioned that of school trustee, which he is holding at the present time. He is a member of the Evangelical Church.

In the state of Minnesota Mr. Kanne was united in marriage with Wilhelmina Rosenon, who was born in Germany and came with her parents to the United States when young. Her father. Ludwig, was a farmer in the old country, and after locating in Minnesota, took up land, improved it, sold out after a number of years, and lived a retired life until death. Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kanne : Auguste. Heinrich, Herman, Sarah, Gustave. Mathilda. Helma. Hulda, Walter and David.

HENRY THIESSEN. The fertility of Clackamas county has been utilized with good effect by Henry Thiessen, one of the enthusiasts of Oregon, and well equipped to maintain its

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agricultural prestige. A native of the vicinity of Hamburg, Germany, Mr. Thiessen was born October 28, 1853. but was so young when he came to this country that he retains but little recollection of his Fatherland. H. C. Thiessen, his father, was also born in northern Germany, and farmed from earliest youth up to the time of his death, at the age of fifty years. His wife, Dorothea (Frahm) Thiessen, was also born in Germany.

At the age of twelve Henry Thiessen and his sister came to the United States, settling in Davenport, Jowa, where the youth found employ- ment on a farm for a year and a half. In 1867 he removed to Nebraska, settling at Grand Isl- and, where he farmed with considerable suc- cess, and in connection therewith applied him- self with vigor to supplementing a decidedly meagre education. So successfully did he labor to this end, that he was in time qualified to pass his knowledge on to others, and as an educator attained to considerable excellence. In fact he was the first to teach school in Hall county, Neb. In 1870 Mr. Thiessen unsettled himself from Nebraska and located in Oregon, being accompanied on the journey by his brother-in- law. with whom he resides near Astoria. and sixteen miles east of Portland. At a later day he bought two hundred acres of land in Clacka- mas county, near Milwaukee, all of which was unimproved, and the development of which in- volved an immense amount of labor. At present he is raising fruit and potatoes, besides engaging in general farming and stock-raising.

The wife of Mr. Thiessen was formerly Salina Derry, who was born in Staffordshire, England, and who has borne him six children, three sons and three daughters: Henry A., Dora S., Min- erva D., Annie May, George Wesley and Ray- mond Lee. Mr. Thiessen is independent in poli- tics, and is fraternally associated with the Wood- men of the World. He is a very successful man, and is honored as an upright and progressive citizen.

CHRISTIAN KOCHER. Adjoining the corporate limits of Barlow lies the finely im- proved farm owned and occupied by Mr. Kocher, whose property comprises some of the most val- uable land in the county. A visitor to the home- stead will see that a good class of buildings has been erected, suitable and convenient in every way for his special line of agriculture, and his fine large residence is without an equal in all the country around, being convenient and up-to-date in every particular. In addition to the homestead tract, which comprises ninety-five acres. Mr. Kocher also owns forty acres near Clackamas three lots in Albina, Multnomah county, besides

fifteen acres near the homestead. In the cultiva- tion of hops he is meeting with success far be- yond his expectations when he undertook that line of agriculture, and has nineteen acres de- voted to this plant. To prepare the product for the market he has built two hop dryers, which have a capacity of two hundred boxes per day. Four acres are devoted to the raising of pota- toes, three are in orchard and the balance of the land is given over to general farming.

Conrad Kocher, the father of Christian, was born in Wittenberg, Germany, and when quite young came to the United States, settling near Pittsburg, Pa. There he followed farming un- til 1845, in which year he removed to Shelby county, Mo., purchasing eighty acres of land, which he at once settled upon. His life was a comparatively short one, as he died when but forty-two years of age, when his son Christian was but three years of age. The latter's mother, Katherine Kocher, was born in Hesse Darm- stadt, Germany. She immigrated to the United States with her parents, who first settled in Ohio, but later removed to Pennsylvania, locating upon a farm in the vicinity of Pittsburg.

Of the three sons and five daughters born to Conrad and Katherine Kocher, Christian was next to the youngest, his birth occurring near Bethel, Shelby county, Mo., October 23, 1848 He received his education in the common schools near his home, and finally, in 1867, determined to see what this western state, which was said to abound in resources, had in store for him. He came across the country with a colony which located in Aurora. Ten years later the com- pany dissolved and the Kocher family received eighty acres of land in Clackamas county, where Mr. Kocher engaged in farming, clearing the tract of the heavy growth of bushes with which it was covered, however, before crops could be planted. In the meantime he had purchased the interest of the others in the tract. Mr. Kocher has every reason to be thankful that his inclinations led him to Oregon, for here he has met with success which exceeded his hopes when he crossed the plains thirty-five years ago.

In Clackamas county were united the des- tinies of Christian Kocher and Miss Laura Browning, the latter born in Douglas county, Ore., July 19, 1858. Her father, Edmond G. Browning, was a native of Tennessee. At the age of nineteen years he came to Illinois, but finally, in 1852, crossed the plains with ox- teams with Oregon as his destination. Settle- ment was first made at Clear Creek, Clackamas county, but later he moved to Douglas county. and there engaged in gold mining in addition to conducting a farm. There he died when he had reached the age of seventy-two years. His wife, Nancy Allen, was a native of Illinois, but

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in an early day came to Oregon with relatives and here she was married. Five children were born to Christian and Laura Kocher, as follows : Mabel, Laura, Ralph, Earl, and Eldon, all of whom are at home. Mr. Kocher is a member of several fraternal societies, among them the Woodmen of the World, the Circle of Wood- craft, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is noble grand; and Knights of Pyth- ias. Politically he is a Republican in national affairs. His fellow-citizens have not been slow in recognizing his fitness for public service and for two terms he has filled the office of road supervisor, and the same length of time in the capacity of school director, at present serving as president of the board. The foregoing ac- count of the life and character of Mr. Kocher, who has risen from an humble position by his own unaided efforts to a place of honor among men, presents a useful lesson to the youth of this generation and adds another striking illustra- tion of the power and force of determined pur- pose and perseverance.

WILLIAM O. MACK, whose personality and worth-while endeavor have been impressed upon the development of Oregon, and in whose honor the town of Macksburg was named, is a pioneer of 1852, whose declining years are being spent in the peace and quiet of his home at Canby. He was born at Harpersfield, Delaware county, N. Y., December 7, 1820. On the paternal side Mr. Mack is descended from Revolutionary stock. his grandfather, Joel, having stacked his musket on the battlefields of Monmouth and Brandy- wine in defense of the colonies. He was born in Tolland, Conn., and eventually removed to Delaware county, N. Y., where his son, Abner, the father of William O., was born. Abner Mack followed the martial example of his father. and rendered meritorious service in the war of 1812. He was united in marriage with Hulda Watrous, of Connecticut, whose father. James, a blacksmith by trade, removed to Delaware, where the rest of his life was spent. Twelve children were born to Abner Mack and his wife, eleven of whom attained maturity, five sons and six daughters, of whom William O. is the third oldest. About 1838 Abner Mack removed to McHenry county. Ill., where he bought forty- four acres of land, and there he died at the age of seventy-eight years.

The youth of William O. Mack was unevent- fully passed on his father's farm and in the blacksmith shop, and in Pennsylvania he married Louise M. Graham, who was born in Delaware county, N. Y., April 22, 1826. a daughter of Or- son Graham of Connecticut. After removing to Illinois he was apprenticed to a carpenter, and,

having heard much of the larger possibilities of the west, decided to transfer his family to Ore- gon. The journey was undertaken April 19, 1852, his wife and three children accompanying him, the means of transportation being ox- teams and wagons. After a trip of four months out from Council Bluffs the little band reached The Dalles, and from the Cascades Mrs. Mack embarked on a boat for the month of the Sandy, while her husband reached his destination in the slower way, driving the stock along the trail. Five miles southeast of where Canby now stands Mr. Mack took up a donation claim of three hundred and twenty acres on the Molalla, which was all under timber, and retained a primeval impression of solitude and usefulness. The family were housed in a little log cabin hastily erected, and as their timber disappeared and tillable fields took its place, prosperity loomed upon their hopeful horizon, created by unflag- ging energy and well applied industry.

In 1890 Mr. Mack removed from his finely developed farm to a place of forty acres in Canby, the care of which necessitated far less effort on his part, and at the same time afforded sufficient work to keep him interested and busy. At present he is bowed down with many years, and incapacitated by illness, but his mind is still active and alert to the happenings in the world around him. Mr. Mack has always been an interesting and well-informed man, and it must not be forgotten that a considerable portion of his life has been devoted to educational work, he having taught school in Pennsylvania, Illi- nois, and Macksburg, Ore. Since the founding of the Republican party he has been one of its stanchest advocates, and in this state has been road supervisor and school director. Of the eleven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Mack, the latter of whom died in Oregon, all attained ma- turity : Estella, the wife of Charles Morsh- burger, lives in Marion county; Oscar is de- ceased ; Victor Le Drew lives in Canby; Arthur lives in Oregon; Ramon lives in Montana ; By- ron Le Roy lives in Wyoming ; Volney is de- ceased : Cecil lives in Montana ; Ola lives at Ar- lington, Ore., and is the wife of S. A. D. Gur- ley : Morley T. lives in Canby ; and Oramel R. lives in Canby.

MICHAEL SUSBAUER. one of the suc- cessful farmers of Washington county, was born in Mercer county, Ohio, July 6, 1861, and was educated in the common schools of his native county. His parents. George and Catherine ( Klingsearn) Susbauer, were born in Bavaria, Germany, and came to the United States when young. They were the parents of nine children, of whom Annie lives in Grand Rapids, Mich .;

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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Joseph lives in Marion county, Ore .; Mary lives in Allegan county, Mich .; John is a resident of Washington county, Ore .; George lives on the home farm; Catherine lives in Mercer county, Ohio; Henry is a resident of Lane county, Ore .; and Peter lives in Marion county, Ore.

The Susbauer family sold out their interests in Mercer county, Ohio, in 1878, and removed to Washington county, Ore., settling on the farm now owned and occupied by the sons Michael and George, which is located one and a half miles north of Cornelius. Of the two hundred and forty acres, fifteen acres were improved at the time of purchase, and the combined efforts of father and children have resulted in the clearing and cultivation of ninety acres of land. The father died in 1882, at the age of sixty-three years, and thereafter Michael, Peter and Henry bought out the interest of the other heirs, but at the present time Michael and George own the whole of the paternal property. They are engaged in general farming and hop raising, and in the latter industry have been particularly fortunate. They began to raise hops about 1893, and in 1902 had twenty-five acres under this very mar- ketable commodity.

In 1889 Mr. Susbauer was united in marriage with Mary Schmidt, of which union there have been born six children: Mary K., Henry E., Charles, Dora F., Wilfred M., and Leo A. Mr. Susbauer is a broad-minded, enterprising mem- ber of the community, and may be depended on to further all wise and practical efforts at general improvement. He is a Democrat in political af- filiation, but has never been an office seeker. In religion he is a member of the Catholic Church, as are also the other members of his family.

A. N. WILLS. As president of the City Brick Agency Mr. Wills exhibits a knowledge of the brick business which is his not only by inher- itance, but as a result of steady application and determination to succeed in his chosen calling. He comes of a fine old southern family, his grandfather, George Wills, having been born in Kentucky. Leaving the south, he went to Indi- ana, where in addition to conducting a farm he ran a sawmill and was quite extensively engaged in the manufacture of lumber. In 1847, at the time of the great exodus to the far west, he brought his family to Oregon, crossing the plains with ox-teams. As captain of the band he led the travelers in the weary march, and at the ex- piration of six months they reached the goal of their ambition, Oregon. Among the possessions which he brought with him was the old mill. which he put to good use in this then new coun- try. He and his son, Jacob, each took up a do-

nation land claim side by side east of Sellwood. They put up a water mill on Johnson creek, just one hundred and fifty yards west of the original location of the Portland Woolen Mills. The products of the mill were in great demand, so much so that it was necessary to run the plant day and night in order to supply the demand. Their first shipment of lumber to San Francisco, which was transported in a sailing vessel, netted them a good profit, as they received $100 per thousand feet, delivered on the river bank. This mill was equipped with a sash saw, but later, when they built their new mill one-half mile up the creek, they installed a circular saw, which enabled them to turn out a larger amount of work. After a busy and useful life the grand- father passed to his reward, at the age of eighty- seven years.

The father of A. N. Wills was Jacob Wills, who was born near Lexington, Ky. He was interested with the grandfather in the manage- ment of the old mill in Indiana, and later assisted in carrying on the new mill near Portland. The first iron planer ever brought to Oregon was used by the grandfather in both mills, and was brought around the Horn. Jacob Wills had the distinction of having the first planing mill in connection with a sawmill in this part of the country. He was interested with the grand- father in all his sawmill enterprises until the latter's death. when in 1889. he turned his at- tention to the manufacture of brick. The yard which he started at Willsburg he ran about two years, when he retired from the business, his sons assuming charge of the responsibilities. In 1880 he laid out the town of Willsburg, which con- prised about sixteen blocks. His death occurred in 1892. His religious affiliation was with the Baptist Church, and politically he was a Repub- lican. His wife, Lorana ( Bozarth) Wills, was born in Indiana and in 1845 crossed the plains with her parents, making the journey with ox- teams. The first winter was spent near Van- couver Ferry, and they later settled on a dona- tion land claim on Lewis river, Washington, where the father's death occurred. The mother died in Willsburg.

Of the eleven children born to Jacob and Lo- rana ( Bozarth ) Wills five are living at this writ- ing. William E. is a fruit farmer at Willsburg. Mrs. Clara Keenan is a resident of East Port- land. S. D. makes his home in Portland, and Della M., Mrs. Shriner, resides at Pleasant Home. A. N. was born at Willsburg July 23. 1860. and his youthful years were spent upon his father's farm. It was his good fortune to be able to attend the public schools of Milwaukee. Ore., and of this privilege he made the best use possible. Until twenty-one years of age he was interested with his father in the lumber and

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logging business, but at the latter age he started out on his own account, logging on the Columbia river until 1891, in which year he and his brother, S. D., bought out their father's brick yard, doing business under the title of Wills Brothers. They were very successful in the undertaking, turning out four million brick the first year, but after three years S. D. assumed control of the busi- ness. In 1900 A. N. Wills started in business on his own account at Willsburg, and in 1901 built his present yard on the corner of East Taylor and Twenty-sixth streets, where he has a capacity for turning out twenty-four thousand brick per day, or over two million per season.

In Sellwood Mr. Wills was united in marriage with Miss Louie B. Rich, a native of Wisconsin. and to them has been born one child, Mary. Fraternally Mr. Wills is a Mason, holding mem- bership in Washington Lodge, and is also iden- tified with the Artisans. Politically he is a Re- publican, and in 1902 was a delegate to the city, county and state conventions. At this writing he is serving on the county committee. In 1894 he was chairman of the election board at Wills- burg when only twenty-three votes were cast, and twenty-two were for McKinley. Mr. Wills has lived an honorable and upright life, and throughout his community is held in high regard.

JASON JONES. The name of Jason Jones is prominently enrolled among the agricultural developers of Oregon, and among those pioneers who foresaw, and steadfastly worked to attain, the present prosperity. Mr. Jones was born in Davidson county. N. C., June 16, 1830, and his youth was characterized by much hard work and little diversion or joy. His father, Jason J .. a native of Maryland, died when his son was eight years old, and his mother, Rachel ( Ball) Jones, also born in North Carolina, was left with the sorry task of rearing and caring for eleven children. The father was a carpenter and cab- inet maker, and at the time of his death left little for the maintenance of his family.

The youthful Jason seems to have been quite ambitious and to have had an intense longing to follow the advice of Horace Greeley. So determined was he to reach the west that he skipped an apprenticeship, and with ox-teams managed to get as far as Tennessee, where in Giles county he farmed for five years. His next stopping place in his journey west was in Pettis county, Mo., where he farmed for a year, and in 1851 he undertook a four months' trip with four yoke of oxen across the plains to Ore- gon, walking all the way. The way across the plains was comparatively without incident, for the Indians happened to be in a quiet frame of mind, and were neither hunting for scalps or

cattle. Mr. Jones found an unoccupied prairie where the great city of Portland now stands, and on this land he farmed for a year, and was later sorry that he had not purchased the whole of East Portland for the then market price of $5 per acre. In 1853 he went to Washington and worked in the timber for a year, and later ex- perimented with mining near Deadwood, Cal. His success at mining could not be called phe- nomenal, so in 1857 he came back to Oregon and bought land near Albany, Linn county. Here he met his future wife, Catherine Leonard, who was born in Clark county, Mo., May 29. 1840, a daughter of Joseph L. Leonard, who was born May 23, 1808. Mr. Leonard was a plasterer by trade, and came over the plains in 1853, locating on a claim of three hundred and twenty acres near Albany. Afterward he sold this property and removed to Peoria, Ore., where he became prominent in the affairs of the town, and where his death occurred in 1881. He married Mary Purdom, born in Dickinson county, N. C., Octo- ber 7. 1804, and who died at the home of Mr. Jones February 20, 1901.

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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 51

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