Portrait and biographical record of the Willamette valley, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 121

Author: Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago, The Chapman Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1622

USA > Oregon > Portrait and biographical record of the Willamette valley, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present > Part 121

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Upon his return Judge Scott began the prac-

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tice of law in Salem, and soon secured a good clientele of a distinctively representative char- acter. His ability was soon recognized, and in June, 1900, he was nominated for the position of county judge on the Republican ticket, being elected by a good majority. In July of the same year he entered upon the duties of the office for a four-years' term, and upon the bench his course has been in harmony with his record as a man and a lawyer, characterized by unwavering fidelity to duty. He has a com- prehensive knowledge of the principles of juris- prudence, weighs carefully any point of evi- dence and the law bearing upon it, and in his decisions is strictly fair and impartial, neither fear nor favor swerving him in the slightest degree from the course of an upright jurist. He is a member of the county commissioners' court, and, aside from his legal duties, is inter- ested in lands, and finds recreation, pleasure and profit in farming and horticulture. He has an orchard near Marion and makes a specialty of the production of prunes.

December 18, 1901, in Salem, occurred the marriage of Judge Scott and Miss Maude Alice Martin, who was born in this city, a daughter of James Martin, a pioneer settler of Salem and one of the superintendents of the Salem city waterworks. The judge is past chan- cellor in the Knights of Pythias fraternity, a member of the Fraternal Union and the Native Sons of the Golden West. He is also identified with the Christian Church, and is now serving as a member and secretary of its board of dea- cons. In politics he is a Republican, and while deeply interested in the success of his party, he has allowed political labor in no way to in- terfere with the faithful and impartial perform- ance of his judicial duties.

SAMUEL NENIAN STEELE. Occupying a position of influence and prominence among the foremost citizens of Albany, Samuel N. Steele is held in high regard as a man of in- tegrity and ability, and is well known through- out this section of the county as an extensive and successful dealer in real estate. Coming here in 1889, he has since identified himself with the best interests of the community, and has always been the encourager and supporter of everything calculated to advance the intel- lectual, moral and social welfare of the people. A son of the late Samuel Steele, he was born and bred in Montgomery county, Ind., com- ing from sound old Revolutionary stock, both of his great grandfathers, Andrew Evans and Col. Samuel Newell, having fought in the Revo- tionary war, both being in the thickest of the fight at King's Mountain. His paternal grand-

father, James A. Steele, was a Kentuckian by birth, but settled as a farmer in Indiana, where all of his children were born.

Samuel Steele, a life-long resident of Indiana, was engaged in agricultural pursuits, includ- ing stock-raising, until his death, which occurred in August, 1861. He was for forty- seven years a member of the Odd Fellows or- der, in which he took an active interest. He married Harriet Evans, a native of Indiana. Her father, Jesse Evans, who removed from Kentucky to Indiana at an early day, was a soldier in the war of 1812. She was born in March, 1823, and lived in Indiana several years after the death of her husband. Remov- ing, in 1868, to Iola, Allen county, Kans., she resided there until 1891, when she came to Albany to make her home with her son, Samuel N. Steele, with whom she now resides. She is a member of the Presbyterian Church, with which she has been identified for many years. Of her family of five sons and three daughters, five children are still living, namely: Theo- dore C., a talented artist, now residing in In- dianapolis, Ind., pursued his art studies in Munich, Germany, for five years; Charles A., of Wichita, Kans., is a successful farmer and merchant ; William J. is a resident of Jefferson, Ore .; Altice Howe is engaged in mining in Jacksonville, Ore., and Samuel N.

Removing from his Indiana home to Iola, Kans., with his mother, in 1868, Samuel N. Steele there completed his early education, graduating from the Iola High School. He subsequently assisted in the management of the farm for awhile, and then went to Junction City, Kans., where he learned the trade of a harnessmaker, which he afterwards followed in Moran, Allen county, until 1886. Locating then in Burlington, Kans., he was there engaged in the abstract business three years. Coming then to Oregon, Mr. Steele was associated with the Jarvis Conklin Mortgage Trust Company, in Portland, for a year. Establishing himself in the real estate business at Albany in the spring of 1890, he has since resided here, and as head of the enterprising firm of S. N. Steele & Co., has been one of the largest real estate operators in this section of the state. He is the owner of farming and city property, includ- ing a fine orchard about four miles northeast of the city.

While living in Moran, Kans., Mr. Steele mar- ried Abbie M. Southard, who was born in West Salem, Wis., of New England ancestry, and of Revolutionary stock, her great-grandfather Southworth, as it was then spelled, having served in the Revolution. Her grandfather, Jonathan Southard, a native of New England, changed the family name from Southworth, as

1 6 Avery

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it was originally spelled, to its present form of Southard. Mrs. Steele's father, Newell South- ard, was born and reared in Fairfax, Vt. Be- coming a pioneer settler of Wisconsin, he en- gaged in business as a miller at La Crosse, then at West Salem, after which he lived for awhile in Logansport, Ind., where he was superintendent of a railway company. Re- turning to La Crosse, he resided there until 1890, then settled in Allen county, Kans., com- ing from there to Albany, where his death occurred, at the age of seventy-nine years. He married Wealthy Pierce, who was born in Vermont, the daughter of Helkiah Pierce, of that state, and the granddaughter of a soldier of the Continental army. She died in Indiana, leaving four children, namely: Mrs. W. A. Ross, of Pasadena, Cal .; Mrs. D. C. Wads- worth, of Tacoma, Wash .; Mrs. Frank G. Nor- ton, of Massachusetts, and Mrs. Samuel N. Steele.

Mr. and Mrs. Steele are the parents of three children, namely : Horace Newell, Medora Wealthy, and Leighton Howe. In politics Mr. Steele is a sound Republican, and though not an office-seeker, takes a genuine interest in local and national affairs. He belongs to var- ious fraternal and social organizations, includ- ing the Woodmen of the World, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Alco Club. He is also a member of the Real Estate Exchange. For many years he was chorister in the Pres- byterian Church, of which he is now ruling elder, and at the present time is serving his second term as one of the board of trustees of Albany College.

J. C. AVERY. History recounts the deeds and records the indebtedness of the state to J. C. Avery-one of the honored and prominent pio- neers of the Willamette valley, whose efforts for the upbuilding of the state were of the most helpful character. Tales of heroism have been the theme of song and story throughout the ages, and there is no greater heroism shown than that of the men who, reared in comfortable homes, accustomed to all the privileges and conveniences of life, have come to the wild western districts and braved hardships untold. They have also been menaced by the danger of death at the hand of the treacherous Indian. Volumes have been written, yet the story of the pioneers has never been adequately told. They deserve all praise and honor, and the mighty states of the west, with their splendid improvements, enterprises and tokens of civilization, are monuments to their memory.

Corvallis owes its existence to the efforts and labors of J. C. Avery, who laid broad and deep the foundation for the present prosperity and progress of the city. Mr. Avery was a native of Pennsylvania, born in Luzerne county, June 9, 1817. His father, Cyrus Avery, was a native of Connecticut and removed to the Wyoming val- ley of the Keystone state, where he followed farming. He died at Tunkhannock, Pa. His son, J. C. Avery, was educated in the schools of Wilkesbarre, Pa., and when a young man re- moved to Stark county, Ill., where he engaged in surveying, and was also a real estate and loan agent. He was married March 13, 1841, near Wyoming, Pa., to Miss Martha Marsh, who was born in Kingston, Luzerne county, January 14, 1824, a daughter of Daniel C. Marsh, who was a native of Connecticut and removed to Kingston, where he engaged in teaching. He wedded Esther Pettebone, also a native of Con- necticut, and in their early married life they removed to New York, and afterward to the Wyoming valley. Mrs. Marsh was a daughter of Oliver Pettebone, who was a pioneer of Penn- sylvania, and lived there throughout the period of the Indian troubles. His brother was killed in the Wyoming massacre. Mr. Avery removed to Illinois in 1834, not long after the Black Hawk war, when the state was wild, unbroken prairie. There Mr. Avery carried on farming until 1845, when he made the long and hazardous journey across the plains to Oregon and secured a claim at the junction of the Willamette and Marys rivers. In 1846 he moved onto this and built a log cabin, thus establishing a home for his family. In the following year he was joined by his wife and children. They had traveled with a company commanded by Captain Saw- yer, who had come with Mr. Avery to Oregon in 1845. Captain Sawyer then returned to Illinois for his family, and Mr. Avery arranged that his wife and children should travel with the captain's party when he again made the journey. It would have taken Mr. Avery eighteen months to go to Illinois and return with his family and he was afraid his claim might be forfeited in that time. Mrs. Avery had an outfit consisting of a five- yoke ox-team and a wagon filled with provisions. She also brought two milch cows and was ex- actly six months upon the way, being met in eastern Oregon by her husband, who then guided the party by way of the Barlow route over the Cascade mountains to his claim at Corvallis. They had started April 2, from Stark county, Ill., had crossed the Mississippi at Burlington, Iowa; the Missouri river at St. Joseph, and had proceeded up the Platte river to the Oregon trail. After crossing the Missouri the train numbered eighty wagons, but from Independence Rock only

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six wagons came on to Benton county, arriving here on October 2, 1847.

In the fall of 1848, following the discovery of gold, Mr. Avery went to California, where he engaged in mining. He spent the succeeding win- ter at home, but in the spring of 1849 returned to the mines, where he remained until the autumn of that year, making a few thousand dollars. He then returned, bringing with him a stock of general merchandise which he had purchased in San Francisco and shipped to Portland, thence up the Willamette to where Corvallis now stands. This was the first store of the place. The fol- lowing year Mr. Avery laid out the town and called it Marysville, but because of there being a town in California of the same name some confusion was occasioned and the Oregon town changed its name to Corvallis-the core or cen- ter of the valley. He was instrumental in secur- ing the establishment of the postoffice and served as the first postmaster. He was also the general postal agent for Oregon and Washington.

Mr. Avery continued to engage in merchan- dising at Corvallis until within four or five years of his death. He rented his land and laid out additions to the town, which have become the principal part of the city. He also built several stores and was always active in the im- provement of the city which he founded and which owes much of its early progress to his practical efforts. He was greatly interested in the building of the Corvallis & Eastern Railroad, but died before its completion. He was chosen, together with J. F. Miller and B. F. Doughet, to make the selection of a site for the Oregon Agricultural College, and their choice fell largely upon the broad meadows of Lake county, the best lands then in the state open for selection. He took a very active part in the building up of the college, and his efforts were not without result.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Avery were born eight children, of whom six are living, Charles and James C. having died in Corvallis. The others are Punderson, a prominent citizen here; Na- poleon ; George; Mrs. Florence Jones; Mrs. Frances Helm; and Gertrude, the wife of J. B. Irvine.

Mr. Avery was a Master Mason and his life was in harmony with the beneficent spirit of the craft. In politics he was always a Democrat, and he was twice elected to represent his dis- trict in the state legislature, where he served with ability, and during that time he had the name of Marysville changed to Corvallis. He figured prominently in the politics of the county for a quarter of a century, and he had many warm and true friends and few enemies. He died June 16, 1876, but though a quarter of a century has since come and gone he is yet remembered by many who knew him and his memory will ever

be revered as the founder of Corvallis. He was a man of noble and generous impulses and a warm heart, noted for his deeds of charity, his acts of kindness and hospitality so freely ex- tended to the suffering emigrants in an early day. Mrs. Avery still survives her husband and lives at the old home. She is a member of the Baptist Church and is one of the brave pioneer women who shared with the husbands and fath- ers in the hardships and trials incident to the settlement of the northwest.

DANIEL H. BODINE. The farm upon which Daniel H. Bodine now makes his home and upon which he carries on general farming and stock-raising is located four miles east of Albany, Linn county, Ore., and is the old do- nation claim of Stephen D. Haley, which his father, Daniel H., Sr., purchased when he came to the northwest as a pioneer of 1854. The father was born in Indiana, and was there reared to manhood, where he learned the trade of a carpenter. Subsequently he joined the tide of emigration which was setting toward the west, crossing the plains in company with Nelson Wright. On his arrival here he bought of Stephen D. Haley the right to a claim of one hundred and sixty acres of land in the location above mentioned, and one hundred and eight acres of school lands. Soon after his arrival in Oregon he was united in mar- riage with Margaret Foster. His death occurred upon this farm, September 9, 1869, when he was forty-seven years old. His wife survived him until 1899, dying then at the age of seventy-two years on the home farm. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bodine were members of the United Presbyterian Church of Albany, in which he had always been very active, at the time of his death officiating as elder. Of the six children born to these worthy pioneers, Albert A. resides near Albany; Oscar T. is deceased; Matilda I., a teacher, makes her home with her brother, D. H., on the home place ; Samuel S. is also near Albany ; Daniel H., of this review, is on the home place, and James A. is in San Francisco, Cal.

The birth of Daniel H. Bodine occurred upon his father's farm in Linn county, Ore., Decem- ber 21, 1865, and with the exception of a few years passed in attendance of various schools he has always lived here. His education was re- ceived in the common school in the vicinity of his home and the Oregon Agricultural Col- lege of Corvallis, after the completion of which he assumed charge of the home farm, being then but nineteen years of age. He has since remained in the work there, industry, perse- verance and intelligence aiding him to make

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a success along agricultural lines. He has be- come a man of influence in his locality, and has served his party as school clerk for four years. In politics he is a Republican. In fra- ternal orders he also occupies a prominent po- sition as member of the Grand Prairie Grange, No. 10, serving in 1893 and again in 1898, as master. He is also a member of Corinthian Lodge, No. 17, A. F. & A. M., of Albany, in which he has passed all the chairs.

EDWARD BELL. Prominent among the native sons of Polk county is Edward Bell, who was born on the paternal ranch near Bethel, January 4, 1860, and is now one of four heirs toa farm of four hundred acres left by his father, George C., the founder of the family in Oregon, who was born in Mor- gan county, Ohio, May 20, 1825, and in his youth learned the carpenter's trade. March 30, 1851, he was united in marriage with Mary A. Delong, born in Morgan county, Ohio, De- cember 28, 1828, and the day after the wedding started on the long and perilous journey across the plains. This strange way of spending the honeymoon seems to have been adopted by many in the early days, and the courage in- volved in the undertaking can hardly be ap- preciated by united hearts who today have their way paved with every comfort. Nothing out of the ordinary befell the young people during their four months' travel with ox-teams, and after arriving in Oregon, they spent the first winter in the city of Portland. Having ascertained the whereabouts of several desir- able farming properties, Mr. Bell investigated their respective merits, and in the spring of 1852 located on a claim of three hundred and twenty acres near Bethel, to which he later added eighty acres. There were practically no improvements on the place, and in time he substituted a more pretentious modern resi- dence for the little log house. About this time his carpenter's trade proved useful, for the settlers were arriving in the neighborhood, and he secured the building of many of their homes. He was a good workman and his work con- stantly became more remunerative, so that be- tween farming and his trade he managed to get along better than the majority of the settlers of that time. He made a specialty of fine stock, and as time went on inaugurated many changes on his place, making of it a valuable and desirable farm. He was a Re- publican in political preferment, and held many of the minor local offices in his neighborhood, including that of justice of the peace and school trustee. He was a member of the Grange, and of the Baptist Church. Mr. Bell met a tragic

death August 7, 1893, being run over by a train while crossing the railroad track between McCoy and Amity. He was survived by his wife until June 19, 1902.

The only son and fourth of the six children born to his parents, Edward Bell was educated in the public schools and at Bethel Academy. from which institution he was duly graduated in the class of 1878. Thereafter he engaged in farming with his father, and in 1882 went into Gilliam county, eastern Oregon, and en- gaged in sheep-raising. He was fairly success- ful in this line of activity, and upon returning to Polk county in 1893, came to McCoy and has since made this his home. He at present rents the farm of four hundred acres, and de- votes himself to managing the farm in Lincoln county. Mr. Bell is independent in politics, but has never been active in local undertakings connected with any party. He is fraternally connected with the Woodmen of the World of Salem; the Masons of Rickreall, and the Grange of Oak Grove. He is one of four sur- vivors in his father's family, his sisters being Mrs. Julia Jones, of Portland; Mrs. Agnes Bean, of Bethel, and Mrs. Olive Raddeway, of Oregon City. Public-spirited and enterprising, Mr. Bell commands the esteem and considera- tion of the thoughtful and appreciative com- munity in which he lives, and which numbers him among its successful and substantial land owners.

ALBERT CAMPBELL was born August 29, 1862, the son of William and Margaret (Simpson) Campbell, the father being of Scotch descent. Mrs. Campbell's father, Rob- ert Simpson, emigrated from Scotland and took up his residence in the northern part of Canada where she was born.

At a youthful age Albert left Port Huron, Mich., where he was born, and went to West- branch, Ogemaw county, Mich., where he worked in the lumbering camps in the winter and at the carpenter trade in the summer. In 1884 he came to Oregon, stopping at Dallas, where he remained for a short time, taking up ranching for his employment the first year, following that up with a year of various kinds of work and in 1886 going into the employ of Riley & Coad, contractors and millmen. After two years of building in the city he went into the planing-mill, continuing at this until 1890, when he commenced contracting and building on his own account, at which business he has remained since. There is a certain satisfaction to Mr. Campbell in the fact that he has con- tributed largely to the general appearance of the little city of Dallas in the erection of some

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of the finest buildings, of which the town can boast, and also the most useful, having just finished the round-house of the Salem, Falls City and Western Railroad, from King's Val- ley to a distance seven miles below Salem. He enjoys an enviable reputation, and from his humble beginning he has advanced to his pres- ent success by integrity and constant applica- tion to his work.

E. C. KIRKPATRICK, one of the promi- nent and influential men of Dallas, a Mason of high degree, and one of the largest and most successful hop-growers in Polk county, was born in Camp Point, Adams county, Ill., Feb- ruary 24, 1867. His family was established in the middle west by the paternal grandfather, David, who came from Scotland with his par- ents when a boy, settling first in Tennessee and afterward in McDonough county, Ill., near Table Grove.

Dr. J. E. Kirkpatrick, the father of E. C., was born on his father's farm near Knoxville, Tenn. At an early age an appreciation of medicine and surgery influenced him to strain every nerve to acquire the best possible train- ing in this direction, and eventually he grad- uated from Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York City. His early practice was in Quincy, Ill., and Camp Point, the same county, and in 1877 he located in Scio, Linn county, Ore., where he practiced for six years. After coming to Dallas in 1883 he became well known in the surrounding country, and successfully ministered to the physical maladies of a large and appreciative patronage. For two terms he served as county coroner, and held other offices of a local nature. Taking with him the good will of all with whom he had to do in Dallas and vicinity Dr. Kirkpatrick retired from prac- tice in Los Angeles, Cal., in 1898, and will doubtless spend the remainder of his life in the restful and beautiful city of the angels. In early manhood he married Mary Griggsby, who was born in Illinois, a daughter of Ben- jamin Griggsby, who was born in Pennsyl- vania, and early removed to near Quincy, Ill., where he conducted a distillery for many years.

The second of the eight living children in his father's family, and the only one on the coast, save Mrs. G. M. Hyland, of Portland, E. C. Kirkpatrick was ten years of age when his father brought him to Oregon, and he at once began to attend school at Scio, Linn county. In 1884 he entered La Creole Acad- emy, remaining there until undertaking an apprenticeship at the printer's trade. For a year he worked on the Polk County Itemiser, and for the following year on the Salem States-

man, under General W. H. Odell and W. H. Byers, after which he became foreman on the Benton Leader. In 1890 he returned to Dallas to engage in hop-growing, and the first year of this experiment set out five acres of hops one-half mile from Dallas. So successful was the yield that the next year he increased his acreage to forty-five, an average maintained up to the present time. In 1894 Mr. Kirkpat- rick formed a partnership with Mr. Williams, the firm now operating under the name of Kirk- patrick & Williams. The firm now has about one hundred and sixty-four acres under culti- vation, divided into fifteen and fifty-acre yards, located six miles from Dallas. They are also engaged in buying and selling hops throughout the county, and in 1902 they led the market, paid the highest prices and bought in all four thousand bales, the lowest price paid being twenty-one cents.

In political affiliation Mr. Kirkpatrick is a Republican, and is active in local and state undertakings. He is fraternally one of the best known men in the county, being especially prominent as a Mason, being the present mas- ter of Jennings Lodge, No. 9, A. F. & A. M .; a member of Ainsworth Chapter, No. 17, R. A. M., Oregon Consistory No. I, of the Scot- tish Rite, and the Al Kader Temple, N. M. S. Also he is a member of the Woodmen of the World, and has attended every convention since the local organization, and served as chairman of the district convention. He is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. In Dallas, Mr. Kirkpatrick married Mary V., youngest daughter of Henry Hagood, the latter born in Henry county, Va., and be- came one of the pioneers of Oregon. Mr. Kirk- patrick is variously interested in city and county affairs aside from the hop industry and has dealt largely in real estate. He is a pro- gressive factor in the community, and is pos- sessed of resource and business ability, with- out which little can be accomplished in the northwest.

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Portrait and biographical record of the Willamette valley, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 121

Author: Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago, The Chapman Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1622

Author: Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago, The Chapman Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1622