Portrait and biographical record of Portland and vicinity, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 84

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 84

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John Marshall was an attendant of the schools of Southampton until his ninth birthday, after-

STEPHEN D. COALMAN.

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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ward attended the schools of Chicago, and was fifteen years old when the family crossed the plains. He worked in a blacksmith shop in Portland when he had to stand on a plank to reach the tools. He was the first one of the family to find work in their new home, and in the winter of 1852 he walked to Oregon City and found work there, being employed in a small foundry for several months. His brother George became the manager of a saw mill in that city and when the mill was in operation John engaged with him to run the engine. This he continued until 1853, when he began trading, in partnership with J. B. House, the two bring- ing the first horses from Upper to Lower Cas- cades, two and one-half days being required to make the six mile portage. From 1853 to 1855 he worked again at the shop in Oregon City, and in September, 1855, became employed on a steamboat with John Torrence, who was after- wards master mechanic for the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company, having held the position for years. This was the first stern wheeler on the upper Willamette river. He engaged 11pon it as assistant engineer and also in fitting out the boat, until 1857, when he took charge as engineer. Since that time he has been in active service. The first boat upon which he worked was the Enterprise, commanded by Capt. A. Jamieson, and there Mr. Marshall remained until 1858, when he went on the Wide West, remain- ing seven years, and followed this up with twelve years on the Astoria.

In 1860 Mr. Marshall was married in Port- land to Sarah E. Davis, who was born in Madi- son county, Ind., and was the daughter of H. W. Davis, who crossed the plains in 1852. He was a mechanic and started the first foundry in Portland, the firm of Davis & Monastus being well known. At one time he acted as post- master of Portland and was justice of the peace for many years. To Mr. and Mrs. Marshall were born five children, all claiming Portland as their birthplace. Two died in early child- hood, and of the other three Sarah L. married Capt. C. A. Sprague and died at the age of twenty years, in Portland : Alice L. is unmarried and makes her home with her parents; George A. is married and lives in Manila, where he practices his profession of dentist. The three children were graduates of the Portland public schools, and the son graduated from Bishop Scott Academy and the Philadelphia Dental Academy, and has practiced for several years. The first residence which Mr. Marshall built in Portland was between Fourth and Fifth, the second on the corner of Fifth, later building on Fourth between Everett and Flanders, and also No. 554 Everett street, in the latter place mak- ing his home for nineteen years. In January,

1903, he removed to his present location at No. 771 Hoyt street. Mr. Marshall was always active in the public movements of the city and has been of much material assistance, his faith in the future of the city impelling him to push out into directions which were shunned by oth- ers less sanguine. When he built on Everett street his was the most remote house, and it was through his efforts that Seventh street was opened up. In fraternal relations Mr. Marshall is a member of Willamette Lodge, A. F. & A. M., having been made a Mason in 1863, and also belongs to Hope Lodge No. I. A. O. U. W., which he joined in 1880. In political matters he is not a party man but reserves the right to cast his vote for the man best calculated to fill acceptably the positions of trust and responsi- bility which follow the growth of a city. He faithfully supports all church work. The mem- bers of his family belong to the Unitarian Church.

STEPHEN D. COALMAN, one of the large landowners of Clackamas county, traces his de- scent to Revolutionary stock, his grandfather, Elijah, having followed the martial fortunes of Washington in defense of the Colonists. His family is further represented in the great wars of America by his father, another Elijah, who served with distinction in the war of 1812.

A native of Washington county, Ohio, Mr. Coalman was born May 9, 1834, and lived on the paternal farm until eighteen years of age, acquir- ing his education at the public schools. In 1852, with three yoke of oxen, he started over the plains to Oregon, and at the end of four months and a half arrived at Portland, in September, 1852. Not having much money at his command he walked to the mines in southern Oregon, and after experimenting with indifferent success for a few months decided that his forte did not lie in mining. In the Willamette valley he spent a year near Eagle creek, and in 1853 went down to Gold Beach, Ore., in search of the precious metal. The next year found him the possessor of a claim in the Rogue River valley, where the Indians were so troublesome that he was glad to abandon it. In Eureka, Cal., he mined for a few months, then took up a claim in the Illinois valley, south- ern Oregon, in 1855. In 1858 he settled near Sandy in the Willamette valley, upon a portion of the land he now owns, and which consists of two hundred and forty acres. Of this property. forty acres are cleared, and general farming and stock-raising are carried on.

Mr. Coalman has accomplished considerable for the county as superintendent of roads since 1864, in which year he was identified with Mr. Revenue in the construction of Cacsade road, and

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the bridges thereon. He has been keenly alive to the advantages of well constructed thorough- fares, and has thereby materially advanced the general tone of the community. No one is more familiar with the early troublesome times of the Rogue river district, and during the Indian war centered thereabouts he served as scout under Colonel Kelsey, and has the distinc- tion of killing the first Indian at the outbreak of the trouble. In 1881 Mr. Coalman married Eliza- beth Harnett, who died in 1883. She became the mother of one child, Eliza, who resides at home most of the time. Though independent in poli- tics, Mr. Coalman has been prominent in local affairs, and has been a school director for a num- ber of years, and also constable. Fraternally he is associated with the Lone Pine Lodge of Ma- sons at Clackamas. Mr. Coalman is a resource- ful and enterprising member of the community in which he lives, and his many sterling traits of character have won him friends and influence.

JOSEPH BUCHTEL. Few men have had as varied and eventful careers as has Joseph Buchtel, the subject of this article. Of a some- what roving disposition, in his younger life he saw much of the country and met with some in- teresting adventures. Since being a resident of Portland he has taken a deep interest in her pub- lic life, being in the public service in a number of capacities, and has been one of the men who have sought to advance the best interests of the com- munity, making scores of friends and attaining a high standing in business and social circles.

The father of our subject was Michael, son of Martin Buchtel, a well known agriculturist of the state of Ohio, where he died at the advanced age of ninety years. Michael Buchtel was born in Pennsylvania, and came of good old German stock. He learned the trade of shingle making, which he followed up to the time of his death. He moved his family to Urbana, Champaign county, Ill., where he opened a saw and shingle mill for Colonel Busey, which he continued to operate. His death occurred in 1841. His widow, and the mother of our subject, was before her marriage a Miss Mary Harvey, her people being English. She married as her second husband a tailor named John Johnson, by whom she had one (laughter, Addie, who married Thomas Maxwell. This daughter came to Portland with her mother, and died here. The latter continued to make this her home, living with her son Joseph up to the time of her death in 1895, at the age of eighty-four years.

Of the children of Mrs. Buchtel by her first husband, three went to Illinois. Samuel, a younger brother of our subject, served as a sol- dier in the Civil war, and at the close of the war

came to Portland, from which place he went to California, where he died in 1901. A daughter, Eliza, died in Urbana in 1853.

Our subject was born in Stark county, Ohio, near the city of Canton, November 22, 1830, and received his education in the public schools of Ohio and Illinois. After the death of his father he assisted in the support of the family until his mother re-married. When only fifteen years of age he made a trip to Chicago, which was then but a small town. His step-father taught him the tailor's trade, but it not being congenial, he never followed it. He early learned the art of making daguerreotypes, and for a time conducted a business in Urbana. where he also clerked in a store. He was the first to in- troduce all kinds of pictures, including ambro- types, tin-types, solar pictures, porcelain, watch- dial pictures, enamel cameos, and medalions. About 1855 he made the first photograph.

When the great excitement of 1852 was at its height and people were pouring into Oregon from the eastern states, Mr. Buchtel caught the fever and started with ox teams with some friends from near-by towns across country. The train of forty wagons left Illinois April 23, and reached Portland September 27, 1852, making the long and arduous trip without mo- lestation from the Indians, then so plentiful on the deserts, and meeting with no special hardship until near the end of their journey, when the food supply became low and fourteen were sent ahead with barely enough to last until the end of the journey was reached. By this plan more food could be given the members of the train, the main body of which arrived about a month after the advance guard of fourteen, one of which was Mr. Buchtel.

After his arrival in The Dalles Mr. Buchtel went to Portland, traveling by sail boat and ca- noe as far as the Cascades on the Columbia river, and from thence across the Cascade mountains on foot. He was without funds and glad to turn his hand to any honest labor, work- ing on the rivers from that time up to 1853, when he again went into the daguerreotype busi- ness, opening up galleries in Portland, Oregon City and Astoria. For some time thereafter he continued to look after his galleries in the sum- mer and worked on the rivers during the winter. He introduced the first photographs in Port- land, and was the second daguerreotyper, L. H. Wakefield being the first. But soon after Mr. Buchtel arrived he purchased the business. He conducted a gallery in this city for over thirty- five years, doing a very successful business and becoming widely known.

The nuptials of Mr. Buchtel and Miss Jose- phine Latourette were celebrated in Butteville in 1855. Miss Latourette was born in Michi-

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gan, of French parentage, in 1836, coming to Oregon with an uncle, and here met and married our subject. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Buchtel. Joseph died at the age of six years ; Albert Z. died when twenty-three years of age: Frank S. died in 1901; Lucy Lillian is the wife of U. L. Curry, of Sunnyside; they have two children, Merton and Addie Louise; Addie E. is the wife of Wilber G. Kerns. and lives at Mt. Tabor ; Archie L., who has one son, Chester, makes his home in Salem; and Fred G. is living at home and a student in the high school. All the children have been given good educations and after finishing their regular schooling the boys have been given a business course in the commercial schools.

Mr. Buchtel has been quite active in public , life, having served as sheriff of Multnomah county two years, twice chief of the volunteer fire department, which he helped to organize, and in which he always held some office as long as the department lasted. He was fourth chief of the paid fire department for two years, and has been one of Portland's most efficient fire fighters, among other things equipping a fire boat to be used on the river, and which has ren- dered excellent service.

Mr. Buchtel has always been interested in all classes of outdoor sports, which he has taken great pleasure in encouraging, and in his younger days was quite an athlete, taking part in a number of athletic contests.

In 1866, assisted by others, Mr. Buchtel or- ganized the Pioneer Base Ball Club, the first organization of the kind in the state. After the first six months he was made captain, man- ager and pitcher, in which position he contin- ued for fifteen years. In addition to winning the state championship, the club won the centen- nial medals offered as a prize by the city. Ten of the original club are living, nine being resi- dents of this vicinity and leading business men. Mr. Buchtel claims the distinction of being the only pitcher who could successfully throw a ball backwards to a given point underhand with- out looking, especially to second base, making it almost impossible for a runner to steal a base. He is one of three men who has covered one hundred and fifty yards in fifteen seconds, stand- ing start. The other two men were profession- als, while Mr. Buchtel was never specially trained and when he made the record he ran without running shoes. That this record is correct is attested by Hon. J. L. Ferguson, a representa- tive to the legislature from Yamhill county in 1855. who held the watch. As a jumper his record of twenty feet and four inches, running broad jump, and twelve feet and two inches, standing jump, are found to be close to profes- sional records. Owing to the interest Mr. Buch-

tel took in the question the Central school in East Portland is located on two blocks, including the streets, thus giving ample room for a campus. This is the only school in the city thus located, and but for the activity of Mr. Buchtel the school would have been located like the others, on one block.

All his life Mr. Buchtel has had a natural mechanical ability and has patented many useful inventions. Among the more useful and im- portant ones may be mentioned a telegraph fire hose, which enables a man fighting a fire in a building to signal by an electric bell when to turn the water on and off. He also has a spray noz- zle that is ahead of anything ever placed on the market, making it possible for one to walk right into a fire, as it throws a solid wall of water in all directions. His patent fire extinguisher is also a wonderful improvement over .the old styled ones and is much more practical. Another invention is his gold mining caisson, for work- ing in the bottom of rivers; the steel fence post, being about one-third the weight of any other post. As this post can be stamped out of mal- leable steel it can be produced more cheaply than any other post (wood not excepted). In addi- tion to the devices already mentioned are many other useful inventions which will be placed on the market as his means permit.

Mr. Buchtel and Judge Beck were the first persons to agitate the question of building a bridge across the Willamette river. Through an injunction of Judge Deady the building of the bridge was delayed some seven years, but at the end of this time the Morrison street bridge was erected by a corporation. In recognition of the interest Mr. Buchtel had taken in the matter, he was the first man to cross by authority, riding at the head of the procession.

Mr. Buchtel is a lodge-man of high standing, holding membership in the Harmony Lodge, Chapter and Commandery, A. F. & A. M., and Hassalo Lodge, I. O. O. F., for which latter he was a national delegate in 1870, and also a mem- ber of the Encampment. Mr. Buchtel has the faculty of being able to grasp a situation at first glance, and his presence of mind has been the means of saving a number of lives. Not only that, but it has enabled him to become a leader among men, rendering valuable services to his city, whose advancement has ever been his first concern. Genial and kindly by nature, honor- able and upright in all his business transactions, Joseph Buchtel is a man whom any city may well be proud to mimber among her citizens.

FREDERICK A. ELY. Various worth while undertakings in Clackamas county have been in- augurated and maintained by Frederick A. Ely,

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who has found the coast prolific of opportunity and in need of vital energy and sound business judgment. He became a resident of the state in 1878, during which year he bought one hun- dred and twenty acres of land near Oregon City, which he improved and redeemed from prim- eval inactivity. Among his efforts to promote activity and progress in his locality may be men- tioned the Mountain View addition, connected with Oregon City, and which now bears the name of Ely. This embryo town is now the residence of Mr. Ely, who has contributed to its upbuilding by starting the general merchan- dise store of the place, and by engaging for many years in the dairy business.

The representative of a fine old New England family, Mr. Ely was born in New York state in 1844, and is a son of Elisha A. Ely, a shoemaker by trade, and a native of Connecticut. The elder Ely was also a meat market man and farmer, and he removed from Connecticut to Madison county, N. Y., where he farmed, and where his death occurred at the age of sixty-three. His wife, Electa Chapman, was also born in Con- necticut, and was the daughter of Timothy Chap- man, who was born in England, settled in Con- necticut, and served in the war of 1812, dying in New York state.

While a youth of immature years Frederick A. Ely worked on his uncle's schooner on Long Island Sound, and at the same time attended the public schools as opportunity offered. About 1870 he removed to Rockford, Ill., near which town he bought eighty acres of land, upon which he lived for five years. In 1875 he changed his location to St. Joseph, Mo., where he lived for a year, and in 1878 settled in Ore- gon City. His subsequent purchase of land and all around activity has won him an enviable reputation as an upbuilder and public-spirited citizen. He has not been particularly active in politics and may be said to be independent, vot- ing rather for principle than party. In his fam- ily is his wife, whom he married in New York, and who was formerly Christina Vermilyear, and three sons and one daughter. Of the children, D. C. is carrying on the mercantile business in Oregon City, with which his brother George B. was connected until the winter of 1903. The latter is now residing in Oregon City, but since dissolving partnership with his brother he has been living retired. Charles is also a resident of Oregon City, and Clara is the wife of E. W. Williams, of Oregon City.

JOSEPH SCHOEWALTER SMITH. Per- manently associated with the jurisprudence and political prestige of Oregon is the name of Joseph Schoewalter Smith, whose death in 1884

is still recalled with keen regret by all who ap- preciated his unusual ability, keen insight and substantial traits of character. Born in Fayette county, Pa., June 20, 1824, he combined in his makeup the noblest traits of his English and Welsh ancestors, whose early establishment in Pennsylvania resulted in dissemination of this family to various states in the east and middle west. At the age of eight he removed with his parents to Clermont county, Ohio, and three years later to Vermilion county, Ind., where his preliminary education was received, and where he laid the foundation for the scholarly attain- ments of later years. As a lad he valued knowl- edge above the average, and while working hard on the home farm during the entire summer and during the morning and evening hours of the winter season he managed to insert a good many hours of extra study.

In 1844, when twenty years of age, Mr. Smith started on the perilous and then unusual journey across the plains. His experiences on the way were those of the later emigrants, intensified be- cause of the Indians' uncurbed animosity and the difficulty of securing provisions. The win- ter of 1844-45 was spent among the snows and high altitudes of the Rocky mountains, the In- dians being the sole companions of the few remaining members of a once large train. Ar- riving in Salem in the spring of 1845, Mr. Smith took up the study of law under rather discour- aging circumstances, having no money with which to back his efforts and depending upon his efforts at manual labor and school teaching. After being admitted to practice he built up a paying practice in Salem, and in 1853 transferred his practice to Puget Sound, Washington terri- tory, where he served for a time as prosecuting attorney of the third judicial district. In 1855 he was elected to the territorial legislature and unanimously chosen speaker of the house, sub- sequently being appointed United States district attorney for the territory, by President Buch- anan.

Returning to Oregon in 1858, Mr. Smith duplicated his former success in Salem, and in 1862 declined election after being nominated by the Democratic convention associate justice of the supreme court of Oregon. He was one of the first to advocate the establishment of manu- facturing enterprises in Oregon, realizing that through this medium the greatest and most sub- stantial good would eventually come. He took up his residence in Salem in 1860, and after that, in connection with his lucrative law prac- tice, became the principal proprietor and finan- cial manager of the Willamette Woolen Mills at Salem. the oldest industry of its kind on the Pacific coast. His political prominence increased after his location in Salem, and in 1866 he re -.

a. le. Hall

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ceived the nomination for United States senator, being defeated by only three votes. In the meantime hard work and varied responsibility had undermined his health, and in 1867 he took his family to Europe, and while traveling through other climes regained in a measure the strength to continue his work. In 1868 he was nominated United States congressman, and clected by a majority of twelve hundred votes, being the first Democrat to be elected to Con- gress in eight years. His congressional service was marked by intelligent representation of the needs of his constituents, his ready wit, sound reasoning, and impression of sound judgment prevailing, and influencing to the attainment of his ends. He was chiefly instrumental in secur- ing the passage of the Northern Pacific Railroad bill, and penned an amendment whereby the road was permitted to build its main line down the Columbia to Portland.

After his return from Washington territory, Mr. Smith became a member of the law firm of Grover, Smith & Page, but, being in compara- tively feeble health, he was unable to devote much time to his profession. He traveled ex- tensively through the southern states in his search for the boon of health, and although ab- solutely unable to accept, and in the face of almost sure defeat, he served his party by per- mitting his name to be mentioned for governor in 1882, two years before his death. One of his most favorably received speeches was deliv- ered at the time of his nomination, his forensic power, lucid ideas and clear delivery, combining to make the occasion one long to be remem- bered. Mr. Smith married, in 1849, Julia A. Carter, and of their children three attained ma- turity, Walter V., Mrs. H. Y. Thompson, and Preston Carter, the latter of whom is deceased. Mr. Smith rose from comparative obscurity to a place of enviable power and influence, and thus evidenced sterling worth and many sided ability. If he was attached to his party he was no less interested in his church, and though not an ordained minister, his voice was often elo- quently raised in the pulpits of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His financial sagacity re- sulted in the accumulation of a large fortune, and he surrounded his family with every luxury within his power. He was essentially unosten- tatious, and while he was known to contribute generously to all reasonable demands upon his time and means, comparatively little of his real goodness of heart will ever be known, save to the immediate beneficiaries of his bounty. All through his life, in spite of its limitations in the early days, and the insecure health which dark- ened his hopes and rendered physical effort at times a burden, he progressed evenly and splen- didly, filling his positions of high honor with

unfailing credit and public satisfaction. Every- where he gave the impression of the sincere, gifted, strong and earnest man, and his part in the founding of a great western common- wealth is a broad and undisputed one.

ALFORD C. HALL, an extensive onion raiser and general farmer of the vicinity of Sher- wood, Washington county, was born in Pettis county, Mo., December 22, 1843, and is of Scotch descent.

In fashioning his career Mr. Hall had before him the example of a particularly successful and worthy father, Josiah Hall, who was born in Bowling Green, Ky., December 21, 1806. The elder Hall learned the carpenter's trade in St. Louis at an early age, and when eighteen years old removed with his parents to Missouri, where his marriage with Mary Fisher, a native of Penn- sylvania, and of Dutch descent, was solemnized. Of this union the following children were born in Missouri: Benjamin, deceased; John C., de- ceased ; Alford C .; M. L., deceased; and Mary, the wife of George H. Reeves of Cedar Mill, Ore. In Missouri Mr. Hall achieved success as a farmer and mule raiser, and was particularly interested in the latter occupation, raising large numbers for many consecutive years. Neverthe- less, he thought to improve his prospects by re- moval to the west, and in 1852 got together his portable possessions, and with his wife and chil- dren started across the plains with three ox teams, the journey taking the greater part of four months. The donation claim upon which he settled was near what is now Cedar Mill, and consisted of three hundred and twenty acres, all timber and wild land. Here the most useful part of his life was spent, and here he received his greatest meed of appreciation as a farmer and progressive member of the community. He was much interested in the cause of education, and lent his hearty endorsement to all measures cal- culated to improve the opportunities in this di- rection. He was also foremost in the work of the Methodist Episcopal Church, towards the main- tenance of which he contributed generously. The better to educate his children, he removed to Forest Grove for a few years, but otherwise spent the remainder of his life on his farm, where his death occurred at the age of sixty years, he being survived by his wife until her eightieth year. To his otherwise creditable career Mr. Hall added meritorious service to two wars of the country, the Mexican and Black Hawk, in the former of which he was invested with the rank of inajor, a title by which he was afterward known.

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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 84

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