Portrait and biographical record of the Willamette valley, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 168

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 168

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prairies of Jackson county, where Holton now stands. He was actively interested in the border troubles and being a warm friend of the cause of freedom, his home became a station on the famous underground railroad. He entertained John Brown on his last trip over that section of the country. He became one of the founders of the city of Holton, and was there engaged in the jewelry business for a number of years. For several terms he served as sheriff of Jackson county and at the time of the Civil war he joined a Kansas regiment and did duty at the front. In 1877 he brought his family to Oregon, settling in Ashland, where he again engaged in the jewelry business until 1879. In that year he removed to East Portland, where he contin- ued in the same line of trade in what is now Grand avenue. In 1880 he became a resident of Hillsboro, where he conducted a jewelry store up to the time of his death, which occurred March 4, 1885. He belonged to the Knights of Pythias fraternity and to the Baptist Church, and in early life he gave his political support to the Republican party, but at the time Greeley made the race for president he joined the Democ- racy and was afterward one of its advocates. He married Climena Bevens, who was born in Indiana, and who went with her parents to Iowa at a very early day. The Bevens family was of English descent and was represented in the patriot army during the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Watters survived her husband for several years and died in Oakland, Cal., in 1893. She was the mother of twelve children, six of whom reached years of maturity and became residents of Oregon, but all now are living in California with the exception of the judge.

Judge Watters of this review was the third in his father's family and was born in Holton, Kans., August 8, 1863. There he attended school until 1877, when the family removed to Ashland, Ore. There he went to work on the .Ashland Tidings, edited by Captain Applegate, a distinguished officer of the Modoc war. The judge learned the printer's trade and afterward acted as a compositor on the Lakeview Examiner until 1879, when he went to East Portland. There he worked on the Evening Telegram until the fall of 1880, when he came to Hillsboro, where he joined his father in the jewelry busi- ness, continuing in that line until the spring of 1884. At the latter date Judge Watters removed to Yaquina Bay district and was engaged in the jewelry business there until 1885, when he was appointed postmaster of Yaquina. In fact, he established the office and was the first post- master, his appointment being made by Presi- dent Cleveland. In 1892 he was nominated on the Democratic ticket for the position of county recorder of conveyances and was elected by a

majority of one hundred and thirteen. During the legislative session of 1893 the county was divided, Summit being made the line, and in 1894 Judge Watters was re-elected to the office of county recorder for Benton county by a majority of sixty-eight, serving in that capacity until July, 1896. He was then nominated for county clerk on the Democratic ticket and was elected by the very large and flattering majority of five hundred and twenty-six. Again he was chosen to the office in 1898, and for a third terni in 1900, and thus he served until July 7, 1902. In that year he was nominated on the Demo- cratic ticket for the office of county judge and was elected by a majority of thirty-four for a term of four years, entering upon the duties of the position July 7, 1902.

The judge was married in Washington county, Ore:, to Miss Dora A. Wiley, who was born there. Her mother, who bore the maiden name of Jane Baldra, was the first white woman born in Oregon, her birth having occurred on Tualatin plains, August 1, 1840. Her father was an Englishman who came to this section of the country from Hudson Bay in 1839. Judge and Mrs. Watters now have three living children : Ethel Jane, Alice Marie and Thomas Virgil. Their second daughter, Minnie, died at the age of four years.

The judge is an Ancient Odd Fellow and is a past officer in both the lodge and encampment. He was made a Mason in Corvallis and is a past master of the lodge. He is also past master workman of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, in which position he served for two terms, and he is now grand overseer of the grand lodge of Oregon of that organization. Judge Watters was converted to the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Corvallis, and for several years he has been president of its board of trustees, is president of its board of stewards and is superintendent of the Sunday school. He is actively interested in everything that pertains to municipal reform and the en- forcement of law, and his influence is felt on the side of improvement and right and advance- ment. For some years he was active in the fire department of Corvallis and his energies have been directed along many lines contributing to the general good. During his early boyhood his father met with financial reverses in Kansas so that the youth of our subject was one of hard- ship. During his boyhood he did much toward the support of the family and after his father's death he conducted the business and took care of the younger members of the household. Later he sent his mother to California for her health. He holds friendship inviolable and regards a public office as a public trust.

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EPHRAIM LOONEY SMITH. Among the reliable, substantial and prosperous citizens of Lane county there is probably no one who stands higher .in the estimation of his fellow- men than Ephraim L. Smith, of Springfield. A man of active enterprise and practical ability he has been intimately associated with the agri- cultural prosperity of this part of the state, and has contributed in a large measure towards its development and advancement. For two years he has been a resident of Springfield, and in the meantime has effected upon the property which he owns in this vicinity improvements that in their character speak in a forcible manner of his skill, wise management and cultivated tastes. A son of John Smith, he was born in Polk county, Mo., November 24, 1840.

Spending the larger part of his life in Polk county, Mo., John Smith removed from there to Oregon, crossing the plains with an ox-team train in 1849. Locating in Lane county, he took up a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres about ten miles southeast of Eugene, and having improved a productive ranch, was there engaged in general farming until his death, at the early age of forty-four years. He married Mary Looney, who was born in Alabama, and died, while yet a young woman, in Missouri. Four sons were born of their union, Ephraim L. being the youngest.

After receiving a limited education in the common schools of Missouri, Ephraim L. Smith came with his parents to Oregon, and attended the district schools of Lane county during the winter terms, assisting his father in the farm labors during seed time and harvest. At the age of seventeen years he began an apprentice- ship at the blacksmith's trade, living with his cousin, Clint Looney, and later with Henry Hill near Lorain. Establishing a blacksmith's shop in Eugene, Ore., in 1859, he was there em- ployed at his trade two years. Upon his re- turn to the donation claim which his father took up from the government, Mr. Smith turned his attention to agriculture, and was there profit- ably engaged in general farming and stock- raising until 1901. He still owns this estate, which is one of the finest in its appointments and improvements of any in the vicinity. On it are three residences, one being a commodious house of thirteen rooms, the others being con- veniently arranged, but smaller. He has also good barns and out buildings, and a railway station, store and blacksmith shop are on the farm. He is especially interested in stock- raising, having a fine herd of one hundred cat- tle, Durhams and Shorthorns, and a choice lot of Poland-China hogs. In 1901 Mr. Smith re- moved to Springfield, buying one of the finest residences in town, and has since made his

home here. In 1902 he purchased one hundred acres of land adjoining the town, it being a well improved place, with a two-story, modern house, and all the necessary buildings for suc- cessful farming and fruit-raising. He is a large landowner, his acreage, including his farms and town property, aggregating over eleven hundred and thirty-three acres.

Mr. Smith was married, in Vancouver, Wash., February 14, 1866, to Sarah E. Taylor, who was born in 1851, while her parents were en route across the plains. Her father, David M. Taylor, a native of Iowa, came to Oregon with his family in 1851, and took up a donation claim of three hundred and twenty acres near Harris- burg, and lived there until 1860. Going then to San Buena Ventura, Cal., he there spent his remaining years and died October 31, 1895. Eleven children were born of this union of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, namely: Mrs. Anna Han- secker, deceased; Franklin, deceased; Lulu, wife of Augustus Sundermann, of Pilot Rock, Ore .; Jennie, deceased; Hattie, wife of Clif- ford Powers, of Cottage Grove; Dollie and Ollie, twins; Bertie F .; Myrtle, deceased; Etta ; and Fay. In his political views, Mr. Smith is a decided Republican, and has served as road supervisor, and as school director. He is pub- lic spirited and liberal, ever ready to contribute toward beneficial enterprises, and is a valued member of the Christian Church of Thurston.

GEORGE H. MURCH. The record of a man who has risen to a position of influence and honor in the community possesses much of inspiration to the general public, and as an ex- ample for members of the rising generation is certainly of inestimable value. That prosperity is the portion of those not afraid of hard work is one of the most forceful lessons derived from the careers of men like George H. Murch, who has not failed to realize that fortunes, like Rome, are not built in a day, and that sooner or later honest and well directed effort is bound to win recognition. In tracing the career of this honored farmer of Lane county one comes across many useful lessons, and the following facts in regard to him are gladly submitted :

Mr. Murch was born near Jay, Essex county, N. Y., February 21, 1817, but notwithstanding his age enjoys reasonable health, the result of his unfailing good humor and many public in- terests. At the age of sixteen he left his father's farm and began to earn his own living in a nail factory, and in 1838 he removed to Hamil- ton county, Ohio, and for a time worked on a near-by canal for a few months. In 1840 he took up government land in Platt county, Mo.,

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and while tilling that became interested in the travelers who were passing his way on the overland trip to the west. With a friend, John Jones, he made arrangements to follow the west- ward emigration in 1846, and, arriving at Bridges, visited some friends there until Oc- tober of the same year. Four men comprised the party which came from Bridges down the Snake river, and they traveled with horses as far as The Dalles. Two Indians brought them down the Columbia river in a canoe, and Mr. Murch stayed for a time in Oregon City, soon after going to Washington county, near Hills- boro. For a few months he worked for J. S. Griffen, and in the spring of 1847 went to The Dalles in a canoe, and there joined the First Oregon Regiment of mounted riflemen, for service in the Cayuse war. During the summer he served in various parts of Oregon, partici- pating in two battles at Wells Springs, with headquarters later at Whitman's Station, to protect the emigrants as they came from the east.

Following his Indian fighting experience Mr. Murch settled on land near Hubbard, Marion county, and in the spring of 1849 he went to California on a sailing vessel with some com- panions, each man taking his own provisions. He proved an exceptional rather than average miner, for upon returning to Oregon on an- other sailing vessel in the fall of 1849, after a six weeks' trip, he brought with him the en- couraging sum of $4,000. Investing $800 of this money in a freighting boat, he ran it be- tween Oregon City and Portland. He was suc- cessful beyond expectation, and cleared in all $7,000. Next he engaged in a general merchan- dise business in Oregon City with Ben Simpson for a couple of years, and then moved his goods to Corvallis, remaining there for a couple of years. His goods were next taken to Win- chester, southern Oregon, and in the meantime, in 1854, he had taken up three hundred and twenty acres of land three miles east of Coburg, upon which he settled after finishing up his mercantile business. Sixteen years on this farm accomplished large results, and a valuable farm was developed out of a practically useless prop- erty. Locating in Coburg, in 1870, Mr. Murch has since made this his home, with the exception of five years spent in Eugene to educate his children. From time to time he has added to his farm, and at present owns two thousand five hundred acres of land. His property has been devoted principally to stock-raising, and his improvements and general appointments are up-to-date and superior.

The first wife of Mr. Murch, who was for- merly Barbara A. Cooper, whom he married in 1854. died in 1859, leaving a son, Horace, now

mining in Idaho, an older child having died in infancy. October 26, 1863, Mr. Murch mar- ried Mrs. Mary E. Stone, widow of Edwin Stone, and daughter of Robert Henderson, the latter of whom was born in Kentucky, and set- tled first on a farm in the state of Missouri. Mrs. Murch came to the west with her parents in 1846, and was nearly nine months crossing the plains. They came via the Applegate cut- off and suffered great deprivations, running short of provisions, and having great trouble with the Indians. Mr. Henderson went to Yam- hill county in the spring of 1847, taking up a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres near Amity, where he died in 1890, at the age of eighty-two years. He left his claim during the gold excitement in 1849 and made a few thousand dollars in the mines of California. By her first marriage Mrs. Murch had one daughter, Mary, wife of Thomas N. Strong, a prominent attorney of Portland. Eight chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Murch, of whom Lucy D. is the wife of F. D. Chamber- lin, an attorney of Portland; Philura E. is a teacher of French at the Ann Wright Seminary of Tacoma, Wash .; Jessie E. is a teacher in the public schools of Portland; Herbert E. is now teaching in Yale College; and four children, George, Arthur, Welden and Edward, died within ten days of each other of diphtheria. Mr. Murch has invariably fostered progress in his neighborhood, and has been the friend of education, morality and uprightness. That he appreciates intellectual training is evidenced by the superior advantages which he has given his children, all of whom have realized his ain- bitious hopes for them. He enjoys the confi- dence of all with whom he has been associated in whatever capacity, and no pioneer of the early days has more disinterestedly or faithfully contributed to the upbuilding of a prosperous region.

ROBERT A. JAYNE, M. D., of Spring- field, Lane county, was born in Washing- ton, Iowa, January 27, 1859, the son of Daniel and the grandson of Timothy Jayne, both natives of Pennsylvania, from which state the grandfather served as captain in the Rev- olutionary war. The father came as far west as Iowa in 1855, locating in Washington county, where he engaged in the prosecution of his trade of stonemason. At the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted in Company H, Twenty- fifth Iowa Infantry, and later became a cor- poral, his company forming a part of General Grant's army. He died at Napoleon, Ark., in April, 1862, at the age of sixty-two years. His wife was in maidenhood Martha Ann Young,

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born in Kentucky, and died in Shedds, Ore., in 1902, when seventy-eight years old. She was the daughter of Alexander Young, also a native of Kentucky, and who, after a residence in Indiana, moved to Washington county, Iowa, in 1849, and took a large claim where he farmed until his death at the age of eighty-three years. Gi the two sons born to Mr. and Mrs. Jayne, Dr. Jayne was the older, and his preliminary education was received in the common schools of his native state. In 1882 he entered the Washington Academy, which he attended two and a half years. He then accepted a position as clerk in a store, where he remained until the fall of 1888. Having accumulated sufficient means for his immediate needs he once more took up his studies, entering the medical de- partment of the University of Iowa, from which he was graduated three years later with the degree of M. D. He came at once to Oregon, and located at Shedds, where he remained until November, 1902, when he moved to Springfield, where he is now engaged in general practice.

The marriage of Dr. Jayne occurred in Mil- waukee, Wis., on July 2, 1895, and united him with Hattie Watkins, a native of that state, and their two children are Earl A. and Robert Wyeth. In fraternal affiliations the doctor be- longs to the Woodmen of the World; Modern Woodmen of America and Knights of the Mac- cabees, being medical examiner for each of them. In politics he casts his ballot with the Republican party, and is active in his efforts for the advancement of the principles which he endorses. For one term, 1896-97, he served as coroner of Linn county.

MARION WALLACE. Both in the indus- trial and agricultural lines of work has Marion Wallace contributed his share toward the devel- opment of Oregon and her supremacy as a state, now being located in Natron, Lane county. He is the son of James A. Wallace, who was born in 1821, and emigrated to the northwest in 1852, crossing the plains with ox-teams and one pony, nearly all of which perished upon the journey. In the then embryo state the father then took up a donation claim of three hundred and twenty acres and made that his home until his death. His wife was formerly Irene E. Daniels, and she died in 1900, the mother of six children, who are as follows: W. D .; Marion of this re- view; J. C .; Mary E .; Lucy A .; and Emma.

Marion Wallace was born in Warren county, Ill., in the city of Monmouth, January 1, 1848, and was four years old when the journey was made across the plains. Since that time he has been a constant resident of Lane county, reared to manhood upon the paternal farm and trained

to an agricultural life. He remained at home until 1875, engaged in farming with his father, when he married Nancy M. Vaughan and located upon another portion of the home place, where he continued successfully following agri- cultural pursuits until 1893. At that date he located in Natron and opened a blacksmith shop, combined with which work he also repairs wagons, and conducts a feed-chopper. He now owns two hundred acres of land in addition to his interests in the town of Natron. In politics he adheres to the principles advocated by the Republican party, but has never cared to hold office. He is a member of the Order of Lions. The children which have blessed the union of himself and wife are as follows: Myron L .; Clara May, wife of Levi Castleman; Marion G. and Melvin W., who are twins; James A .; Dan- iel W .; Nannie E; and Georgia M.

JAMES C. BRATTAIN. The example of a successful, prominent and more than ordinarily endowed father is an heritage to be appreciated and emulated. The faculty for so doing is ap- parent in the lives of James C. and F. M. Brat- tain, sons of that honored pioneer, Paul Brattain, around whom centers much of interest and im- portance in the early history of Lane county. At present occupying the donation claim taken up by their sire in 1852, these two, the youngest in a family of ten children, are fulfilling the expectations warranted by their early training and character inheritance, taking a foremost part in politics and social life, and maintaining a standard as progressive farmers not excelled in any part of the Willamette valley. In addi- tion to the home place of one hundred and sixty acres, the brothers own jointly a stock farm of a section on the Mckenzie river, and three hun- dred and twenty acres on Fall creek both of which places are given over to extensive stock- raising. Both men are in touch with the prog- ress in all parts of the world, are well informed on current events, and to an exceptional degree enjoy the confidence of an enlightened and ex- acting agricultural community.

Paul Brattain was born in North Carolina, December 30, 1801, and at an early age went to Tennessee, at the age of sixteen making his way overland and by river to Hancock and Morgan counties, Ill., where his forceful personal char- acteristics were first recognized and approved. Taking up a large tract of land, he entered the arena of politics, and in time was elected to the constitutional convention of Illinois, where his opinions were valued and noted. He married Elizabeth Carter, who encouraged and applauded his success, and who lived to share and sym- pathize with the joys as well as the shadows

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of his life. He left his home to participate in the Black Hawk war, and about 1838 moved to Van Buren county, lowa, where his son, James C., was born November 14, 1844. Taking up government land near Birmingham, he contin- ued his political career as a member of the con- stitutional convention of Iowa, and at a later period became treasurer of the board of public improvements at Des Moines. This board had to do principally with river improvements, and at times large sums of money were left in the hands of the treasurer. To the intense chagrin of all concerned, the safe of the board was broken open during Mr. Brattain's administra- tion, and several thousand dollars taken out.

In the spring of 1852 Mr. Brattain followed the example of two of his children who had come to the west in 1849 and 1850, and outfitted with four wagons, fourteen yoke of oxen, and one mule team, his wife and eight children being members of the party. It is not recalled that anything out of the ordinary marred the prog- ress of the overland journey, and in fairly good condition the travelers spent the first winter near Peoria, locating on the donation claim now occupied by the two sons, the following spring. Here, as heretofore, Mr. Brattain caused his in- fluence to be felt, and aside from various politi- cal offices of note, he served as county clerk from 1854 to 1859, and was finally a member of the constitutional convention of Oregon, making the third state in which he had helped to frame the laws. This was a record of which he was justly proud, for it is given to few men to be thus honored in three distinct parts of the country. Before the war he was devoted to the Democracy, but the wail of the southern slaves seemed to ring in his ears, and moved him to espouse the cause of the north. His death oc- curred August 29, 1882, at the age of four score and one years. With his wife he was a member of the Baptist Church, towards the support of which he generously contributed. John, the oldest of his ten children was a pioneer mer- chant of Baker City, Ore., and died there in 1893; Thomas J. is a stockman of Lake county, Oregon; Elizabeth, who married James Elbert, died July 29, 1902, in Lane county ; Alfred is a rancher on the Mckenzie river; William C. is a resident of Spokane, Wash .; Mary lives on the home place; Martha married Robert Hadley and died in 1868; Amelia A. is the wife of J. F. Smith, a rancher of Jasper, Lane county ; Francis M., living on the home place with his brothers, and was a member of the legislature of 1899.

WILLIAM O. ZEIGLER. Actively identi- fied with many of the leading interests of Eugene is William O. Zeigler, an esteemed and respected

citizen, who is widely known to the traveling public as proprietor of the Hoffman House, one of the best equipped hotels of Lane county. Well educated, enterprising and progressive, he is meeting with unquestioned success in his present occupation, and is numbered among the representative men of the city, alike in busi- ness, educational and political circles. A son of Richard Zeigler, he was born in Lodi, Wis., October 7, 1851. His grandfather, Christian Zeigler, was a life-long resident of Pennsylvania, his home farm being near Carlisle.

Born and reared near Carlisle, Pa., Richard Zeigler located in Indiana when a young man, and resided there until after his marriage. Going then to Wisconsin, he carried on farm- ing near Lodi for nine years, and then returned to Indiana, settling in Lafayette, Tippecanoe county, where he was employed as a tiller of the soil for a number of years. On retiring from active pursuits, in 1892, he came to Oregon, and has since been a resident of Eugene, and is living retired at the age of seventy-six years. He is held in respect as a man of Christian character, and is a member of the United Brethren Church. He married Deborah Osburn, who was born in Chambersburg, Ind., in 1830. She is the daughter of the Rev. David Osburn, a minister of the Christian Church, who was born in New York state, and died in Lodi, Wis. Of the seven children, five sons and two daughters born of their union, all are living with the exception of one son.

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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 168

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