Portrait and biographical record of Portland and vicinity, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 92

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 92

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to do his part, he was a type of citizenship that makes a state and when death calls such man a place is made vacant that is hard to fill. His life was filled with kindly deeds and he did much that was well worthy of emulation.

W. E. STEVENS. One of the largest dairy farms in Columbia county is that of W. E. Stevens, located one mile north of Warren, and three hundred acres in extent. In addition Mr. Stevens farms one hundred acres belonging to his wife, about forty acres of which are under cultivation. At the present time he is milking about seventy-five cows, his special breed being Holsteins.

Mr. Stevens is a native son of Oregon, and was born near Warren, December 29, 1858. His father. B. D. Stevens, was born at Elbridge, N. Y., while his mother. Julia Bozarth, was a native of Missouri. The father became a tanner by trade upon starting out in the world to make his own living, and continued to ply his trade with reasonable success until rumors of gold on the coast upset the staid calculations of people all over the country. By way of the Horn he came to California in 1849, and for a couple of years engaged in prospecting and mining. His experience was that of the average rather than exceptional miner, and his lack of expected profit determined him to resort to the slower but surer occupation of farming in Oregon. In 1851 he settled on a donation claim of three hundred and twenty acres one mile from Warren, where he married Julia Bozarth. Their peaceful home life was interrupted in 1863, during which year Mrs. Stevens fell dead on a steamer, on the way to Vancouver to consult a doctor. Shortly after- ward Mr. Stevens went back to New York state, where his death occurred among the surround- ings of his youth and young manhood. Four children were born to himself and wife, of whom Mary is the wife of Joseph Copeland; W. E .; and two children deceased. Mr. Stevens became prominent in the general affairs of his neigh- borhood, and among the political offices held by him with credit may be mentioned that of sheriff of Columbia county for two terms; and later that of county judge, a position resigned by him be- cause of ill health and general breakdown owing to the death of his wife.

When his father returned to the east W. E. Stevens accompanied him, and after the death of his sire, went to live with his grandfather, Thomas Stevens, with whom he lived five years, then with his uncle, W. G. Stevens, a merchant at Dixon, Ill. As an independent venture he went to Colorado and engaged in mining for five years, and December 3, 1884, arrived in St. Helens, Columbia county, taking up his resi-

dence on the old donation claim. In 1889 he was united in marriage with Leticia Cloninger, a native daughter of this county, and with whom he lived near St. Helens until 1894. He then removed to Sauvie's Island, remaining until 1901, and from there came to his present farm. Mr. Stevens is a Republican in political affiliation, but has never been heard of in the arena of office seeking. He is one of the well known men in fraternal circles in Columbia county, and is a welcome member of the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Knights of the Maccabees, in the latter of which he is commander of Scappoose Tent No. 98. Two children were born into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, Pearl H., deceased; and Vir- gil E., who is living at home.

REUBEN SMITH. The career of Reuben Smith from boyhood has been associated with boating, and it is in keeping with this that he has elected to pass his days as an engineer on the rivers in his adopted state. He is also a man of unusual mechanical ability, which is his by inher- itance, as his father, an emigrant to the United States and a pioneer of the Pacific coast, was one of the most important factors in Oregon and left the impress of his work in the state of his adop- tion.

The father, Thomas V. Smith, was born in Newcastle, England, in 1809, and as a boy re- ceived a good education which was constantly added to, as his mind was eager and quick to assimilate. He served an apprenticeship as black- smith in his native country and in 1829, when he was twenty years old, he came to the United States and located in Baltimore, Md., there fol- lowing his trade and operating the first steam hammer ever used in this country. He was mar- ried in England to Mary Hannan, and she died in Baltimore in 1842, the mother of one daughter and five sons, of whom the daughter is now Mrs. Martha McCormick, aged seventy-three years. who now makes her home in Astoria. She was the only child born in England. The sons are as follows: Thomas, born in 1835 and died in 1900, leaving a family in their home in Portland. where he had located in 1849 ; he was also an engineer. Reuben, born in Baltimore, Md., December 12, 1836, is the subject of this review ; William, who died at the age of fifty years in Grant's Pass, Ore., was also an engineer; he had never married ; James, unmarried, a traveling machinist, makes his home in Portland, and John V .. who died in Portland at the age of forty-five years, was an engineer by occupation. The father worked at his trade until 1849, and at the time of the gold excitement in California he took his two sons, Thomas and Reuben, and embarking in a sail boat,

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Aunt Lucy, came around the Horn, five months being required to make the entire trip. The chil- dren had been attending school in their native city at the time and their father operating a large forge, but nothing loath they went into the land that was filled with objects of interest and curi- osity, and possibly contained a fortune for them. The first work which Mr. Smith found to do in California was the wrought iron work on the first steamboat, the General Sutter, ever built in the west. All the work was done by hand, but it brought him good wages. They remained in San Francisco, where Reuben as a boy of twelve se- cured a position in a bowling alley, as "pin boy," his duties being to set up the pins knocked down by the ball of the sportsman, and his remuneration was $too per month, with additional money through the generosity of the miners. Later the father became engaged as a steamboat engineer and with his sons he located in Astoria. Having purchased material in California and shipping it to Astoria he built the Columbia, the first boat ever built on the Columbia or Willamette rivers. The first trip was made to Portland July 5, 1850, afterward running to Oregon City, their points of stopping being Cathlamet, Rainier, St. Helens, Vancouver, Portland and Oregon City. The two boys were employed on board the boat and their father acted as engineer. For about four months they continued to run this boat ; in the meantime, however, the father had erected a blacksmith shop and Reuben went with his father into this work, remaining there for a time, or until they closed up and went to Oregon City. There they formed a co-partnership with James Moffit in the erection of a foundry, doing a general foundry business, building saw and grist mills, and other general work. About a year later Mr. Moffit withdrew and left the interests entirely in the hands of the Smiths. The father made a trip to the east in 1852, going and coming by way of the Isthmas of Panama, and bringing back with him his daughter and three sons. He also brought extra tools to be used in their work, which was brought to a high standard of excellence through the energy with which the business was conducted. In Ore- gon City, in 1853, he constructed the first iron steamer ever built in the west, known as the Belle.

Mr. Smith married after locating in Oregon City, his wife being Mrs. Mary Frenchum, an Englishwoman, who, with her one daughter, Jane A., started from her home in England in 1852, intending to live with her brother, Robert Con- nelly, in Portland. They were one year in making the voyage and suffered many hardships and dan- gers, the first ship on which they embarked being wrecked off Cape Horn, and from which they were rescued, the second burned and a successful passage made on the third. Mrs. Smith now

makes her home in Portland at the age of eighty- three years. Mr. Smith was a broad-minded, public-spirited man and gave his influence toward all advancement in the west. Religiously he was a member of the Episcopal Church. After the death of their father, which occurred in Oregon City, in 1865, the sons took charge of the business and conducted the same until 1870. when they closed out.

Reuben Smith worked in his father's shop and attended night school, ambitious to acquire a prac- tical and useful education. While so engaged he would make occasional trips on the steamers as engineer, and in 1870 he turned his attention entirely to boating on the Columbia and Willa- mette rivers. After leaving his father's shop he went to work for the People's Transfer Company, and on the purchase of this business by the Ore- gon Steamship Company he still remained as an employe. Later the Oregon Railroad & Naviga- tion Company bought the interests of his employ- ers, and in 1876 he became foreman-engineer in their boat yard, he successfully maintaining this position until 1899, doing a general repairing for that company and acting as superintendent of the same. He then engaged with the Puget Sound Navigation Company, and remained in this po- sition when the business passed into the posses- sion of the Portland, Dalles & Astoria Navigation Company.

In 1859 Mr. Smith was married to Miss Jane A. Frenchum, who was born in England in 1844, and there received an excellent education. The following children in order of birth have been born to them: Henry F., an engineer on the Sound, who is married and has one daughter, Hazel ; Alice Maud, who died at the age of thirty years, leaving in their Portland home, her hus- band, J. B. Pape and their daughter Florence ; Charles, a moulder in the employ of the Willam- ette Iron & Steel Works, is married and has two children, Reuben J. and Celeste; Frederick F., an engineer on a steamer out of Portland, is mar- ried but has no children ; Isabella, unmarried and still at home with her parents ; Mabel F., wife of Commodore P. Jordan, and they have one daugh- ter, Catherine; Forbes A., who is foreman in a shop in Tacoma, is married but has no chil- dren ; F. Jeannette, unmarried, at home with her parents ; Gertrude, wife of George Porth of Port- land : they have no children ; Reuben H., who died in Portland at the age of nine years. These chil- dren were all educated in the public schools of Oregon City and Portland and remained at home with their parents until making homes of their own. In 1876 Mr. Smith moved his family to this city, and in 1881 he purchased a home at No. 82 East Seventh street, north. Fraternally he is a member of Fidelity Lodge No. 4. A. O. U. W .. and in national politics is a Democrat, though in

y Q esmatin

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local affairs he votes for the man best qualified to fill the position. His wife and daughters are members of the Episcopal Church.

JEREMIAH O. GUSTIN. One of the pros- perous general farmers and large hop raisers of Washington county is J. O. Gustin, who is the owner of one hundred and five acres of his origi- nal holdings of three hundred and six acres of land, upon which he has lived since 1871. This farm consisted of wild and timbered land at the time of purchase, and all of the improvements are the direct result of unceasing toil on the part of the wide-awake and progressive owner. The Gustin property is among the most valuable in its neighborhood, the residence, barns and im- plements being of modern make and design. Gen- eral farming is engaged in to some extent, con- siderable stock is raised, but the crop upon which Mr. Gustin most largely depends is that of hops.

A native of Delaware county, Ind., Mr. Gustin was born November 16, 1839, and was reared on the home farm, receiving his education in the pub- lic schools. His youth was uneventful and con- tained the usual duties and pastimes of the aver- age farmer boy. In 1866 he married Hulda Orr, and five years later emigrated to Oregon, settling upon the farm which has since been his home. Into this family have been born one son and four daughters, of whom Maggie is the wife of G. T. Brickell of Washington county; Winnie is the wife of George J. Hughes, and resides in Portland; Laura is at home; as is also Maud. Francis L. occupies a portion of the original home place. Mr. Gustin is a believer in the principles and issues of the Republican party, but his arduous home duties have never permitted participation to any great extent in the political undertakings of his neighborhood. During the Civil war Mr. Gustin tendered his services, and participated in the search for Morgan. For meritorious service he was given the rank of second lieutenant in the Indiana state militia.

JOHN J. SELLWOOD, M. D. All that is substantial and worthy in western citizenship and in pioneer and latter-day attainment finds expres- sion in the name of Sellwood, a family at present commanding the attention of the town of that name through the professional career of Dr. John J. Sellwood, son of one of the noblest pioneers who ever dignified the pulpit of the Episcopal Church. Dr. Sellwood was born in Oregon Oc- tober 19, 1866, and his father, John W., was a native of Illinois. His mother. Belle J. (Daly) Sellwood, whose ancestry is enlarged upon in an- other part of this work, was born in Sydney, Aus-

tralia, whither her father, James F. Daly, had removed, after many years spent as master of mathematics in the University of Dublin, Ireland.

John W. Sellwood, who spent his entire active life in the ministry, was comparatively young when his parents brought him to Oregon the year of the Panama massacre. The family located first in Salem, and in 1864 removed to Oregon City, with the church of which town Mr. Sellwood was connected for many years after completing his ed- ucation with a private tutor, and graduating from the Willamette University. A man of profound human instincts and humanitarian tendencies, he impressed the beauty of his character and teach- ings upon all with whom he came in contact, and in his unsettled and rapidly growing environment stood a tower of strength, splendid vitality, and unusual gentleness. Towards the close of his life he assumed charge of St. Davis Church in East Portland, where his death occurred in 1892, at the early age of fifty-two years.

„At the age of twelve Dr. Sellwood entered the Bishop Scott Academy, from which he was grad- uated in 1882, at the age of sixteen. His profes- sional training was received primarily at the Wil- lamette University, from which he graduated in 1887, after which he became surgeon on one of the steamers of the Canadian Pacific running be- tween Hong-Kong and British Columbia. At the expiration of a year the doctor took up his professional residence in Tokio, Japan, where he remained a year, and for the following three years practiced in Vancouver, Wash. On account of his wife's health he lived for three years in Los Angeles and become permanently identified with Sellwood in 1896. As proof of his faith in the continued prosperity of the town the doctor has erected a residence at No. 1694 East Thirteenth street, which is presided over by his wife, whom he married in Vancouver, Wash., and who was formerly Mary Hunder, born in Vancouver, Sep- tember 17, 1870, a daughter of Charles Hunder, who was born in Germany, and became promi- nently identified with the state of Washington. Mr. Hunder was treasurer of Vancouver at one time, and at present is ranching in northern Cali- fornia on a large tract of land, where his wheat crops are among the largest of his district.

Politically Dr. Sellwood is a Republican. He is fraternally identified with the Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Woodmen of the World. He is a member of the Episcopal Church. Dr. Sellwood possesses to a pronounced degree the personal attributes which encompassed his father's success, and which, in the world of medicine and surgery. find as great a field of usefulness as did the pioneer in the pul- pit. Remote Cornwall ancestors evidently laid a solid foundation while pursuing their various oc- cupations in that historic portion of Britain, and

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their reliable traits have not lost through trans- mission to the prominent and popular physician of Sellwood.

HON. CHARLES W. NOTTINGHAM. To the example of an energetic ancestry, to inherited traits and abilities of a high order, Hon. Charles WV. Nottingham owes much of the business and political success which has characterized his ca- reer. His present position as head of one of the largest lime, cement, building material, flour and feed enterprises in Portland, as manipulator of all of the brick handled in the city, as the owner of large real-estate holdings, and as the chief fac- tor in various interests not directly connected with his principal business, he represents a practically inexhaustible fund of western enterprise, of thrift and well directed energy.

In 1760 Clark Nottingham emigrated from England to Delaware, from which state he re- moved after the Revolutionary war to Cape May county, N. J. His son, Colonel Jonathan, the grandfather of Charles W., won his rank in a New Jersey regiment during the war of 1812, and he lived and died in his native state of New Jersey. The second Jonathan, the father of Charles W., was born in Cape May county, N. J., in 1808, and in that state married Hannah Smith, also a native of Cape May county. Jonathan Nottingham be- came one of the very early settlers of Sangamon county, Ill., whither he removed in October, 1837, settling on the south side of Richland creek. About 1840 he removed to Pleasant Plains, also in Sangamon county, where he improved a large prairie farm, upon which his death occurred at the age of eighty-two years. Mrs. Jonathan Not- tingham, the mother of our subject, was a daugh- ter of Abigal and Rhoda Smith, her marriage to Mr. Nottingham being celebrated in New Jer- sey. Both were firm supporters of the tenets of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Notting- ham passed away at her home in Illinois in 1850.

Of the eleven children in the family of Jona- than Nottingham, Reuben L., the oldest, enlisted for the Civil war in 1863. in Company E, One Hundred and First Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and died in Cairo, Ill. ; John died on a farm near the old homestead ; Abijah is engaged in the cattle business in Indian Territory ; Francis died at Wil- liams. Cal. : Rachel. Mrs. Corson, resides in Me- nard county, Ill. ; Almarine is living near Law- rence, Kans., on a farm ; Clark is a resident of Los Angeles. Cal. : Jane is the deceased wife of. Mr. Fluff. of Colorado: James S. is an attorney in Sangamon county, Ill. ; and Elizabeth is now Mrs. Higgins, of Las Vegas, N. M.

A native of Pleasant Plains, Cartwright town- ship, Sangamon county, Ill., Charles W. Notting- ham was born June 29, 1848, and was reared on

the paternal farm. At the age of twenty-four he bought a farm adjoining that of his father and engaged in general farming and stock-raising, and to this day the farm of one hundred and sixty acres, surrounded by a hedge and fitted with the improvements in vogue at the time. remains one of the pleasant landmarks in the memory of the successful Portland business man. In the fall of 1881 Mr. Nottingham disposed of his Illinois in- terests and came to Portland, and during his first spring in the west represented an agricultural im- plement house in eastern Oregon. Some time afterward he bought an interest in a lime plant in Puyallup Valley, Wash., and while running this, until 1884, engaged also in the wholesale lime business in Portland, the present business having been practically established there in 1882. At a later period he bought in with S. W. Sigler, and operated as Sigler & Company, and after purchas- ing the interest of Mr. Sigler changed the firm name to Nottingham & Company. The enterprise is maintained on a scale requiring ample accom- modations at the corner of Front and Alder streets, and in addition to managing their lime, cement, building material, flour and feed inter- ests. represent several large concerns on the coast engaged in similar lines of work. The firm are agents for Henry Cowell & Company, lime manu- facturers of San Francisco ; the Rocky Mountain Plaster Company of Wyoming : the Big Bend Milling Company of Davenport, Wash., and the Climax Milling Company of Hillsboro, Ore. ; the Bozeman Milling Company of Bozeman, Mont ; also Pillsbury & Washburn, of Minneapolis. In addition, Mr. Nottingham is sole agent for all the brick manufactured in the city of Portland, of which there are seven large yards. He is the owner of valuable real estate in the town, aside from his business property.

Not only is Mr. Nottingham a remarkably suc- cessful business man, but he has served the com- munity with more than ordinary credit as a legis- lator. In 1900 he led the ticket of representatives in the election following his nomination to the state legislature on the Citizens' ticket from Mult- nomah county, and during the session of 1901 served on the committee of assessments and taxa- tion, and took an active part in the election of Senator Mitchell to the United States senate. Among the bills which he introduced and secured the passage of was the consolidating act. uniting the offices of clerk of the circuit court, clerk of the county court and recorder of conveyances into the office of county clerk of Multnomah county, which accomplishment will result in a say- ing to the county of from $12,000 to $14,000 per an"min. He also secured the passage of the flag bill, prohibiting the use of the American flag for advertising purposes or for display or exhibition. In June, 1902. Mr. Nottingham was elected as

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joint representative from Multnomah and Clacka- mas counties, receiving a larger vote than was cast for any member of either house. During the session of 1902-3 he served on the Ways and Means committee ; also introduced several impor- tant bills and was successful in securing impor- tant legislation for both county and state. He also took an important part in the election of United States Senator Charles W. Fulton; the daily press stating at the time that Mr. Notting- ham had the honor and responsibility of naming the United States senator.

In Springfield, Ill., Mr. Nottingham was united in marriage with Georgia Pallett, of which union there have been born five children, viz. : Eleanor ; Ethel; Jessie ; and Irving and Harry, who are twins. Mr. Nottingham was created a Mason in Pleasant Plains, Ill., is also associated with the United Artisans, and is a member of the Board of Trade and of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

GEORGE F. HORTON. The postmaster of Oregon City, who has been a resident of the state since 1886, and of this town since 1892, was born at McArthur, Vinton county, Ohio, and is a son of Nathan and Areta (White) Horton, natives of that state and county. The paternal grandfather, Isaac Horton, who was of English extraction and descended from an old family of Long Island, was born in Seneca, N. Y., and at an early day settled upon a farm in Vinton county, Ohio. The maternal grandfather, Isaac White, was a native of Dublin, Ireland, and on coming to America settled in Ohio. Nathan Horton was not only a farmer, but also a manufacturer of mill stones ; being a man of enterprise. he would undoubtedly have attained conspicuous success had his life been spared, but he died in middle age. His wife long survived him, dying in Ohio in 1892. They were the parents of four sons and two daughters, George F. being next to the youngest in order of birth. Of his brothers, Paris, who was a member of the Eighteenth Ohio Infantry during the Civil war, is now living in Ohio; Tyras, who was a member of the First Iowa Cavalry. U. S. A., is living in Trenton. Mo .; and Henry died in Ohio. In the town where he was born September 10, 1848, George F. Horton had such advantages as the common schools af- forded, and of these he availed himself to the utmost.

Nothing of unusual moment occurred to break the monotony of his boyhood years until the Civil war broke out. From the first he was ambitious to join the boys in blue, and his cherished ambi- tion was finally realized, May 1, 1864. when he became a member of Company C. One Hundred

and Forty-eighth Ohio Infantry. From Marietta, Ohio, he accompanied his company to the front, where they were incorporated with the army of the Potomac. Among the engagements in which he bore a part were the battle of City Point and the siege of Petersburg. In the fall of 1864 his regiment was mustered out and honorably dis- charged from the service. Returning to civic pursuits, he took up his residence near Martins- burg, Iowa, where he engaged in farming with a brother. After two years he turned his atten- tion to the brick-mason's trade and followed the same for some time, besides which he improved a farm near Martinsburg. Meantime, for years he filled the office of township assessor.

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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 92

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