Portrait and biographical record of the Willamette valley, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 197

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 197

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small brush marring its promise. Today it stands a clean, well-kept farm of twenty acres in the highest form of cultivation, ten acres being in fruit-prunes, apples, etc .- while the rest yields an abundance of farm products, with the added beauty of handsome buildings, giving evidence of the thrift of its owner.

Alfred E. Moore was born in Hardin county, Iowa, December 31, 1858, and was the sixth in order of birth in a family of ten children. He received his education in the common schools of Iowa, attending also the academy located in New Providence, Iowa. At rather a youthful age he secured employment on a farm, where he re- mained until he was twenty years old. Leaving home at this time be came to Oregon, where he followed up this occupation at Eugene, Lane county. The next year, however, he left Eugene and passed through Woodburn, West Union and Dayton, stopping at each for some time, eager to know the advantages of each, as a possible loca- tion for his future home. When he reached New- berg he went no farther, believing that he had at last found that for which he was in search. Here he bought forty acres of land, a little wilderness, and truly it was wonderful faith that could look through that tangle and picture the fair future of that location. He soon sold twenty acres, wisely deciding that a half well done was worth the whole half done. With ceaseless energy he prosecuted the work of his property, cutting roads where they would give easy access, hew- ing out the trees and grubbing brush until he could see the light from east to west. Truly this little farm presents a fair picture.

Mr. Moore and his brother, C. F., built the first home-made evaporator built in Yamhill county, at Dayton, and two years later Mr. Moore and Mr. Snodgrass built the first commercial evaporator at Newberg.

Mr. Moore married Miss Lizzie Woodward, October 8, 1890, and two children now share the home : Lester and Marion. Mrs. Moore was born in Indiana. Her father, Benjamin, was a native of North Carolina, and at an early day moved to Indiana, settling in Morgan county, where he died. The daughter had gone west to live with a brother in Oregon and it was in this way that she met Mr. Moore. In the Society of Friends Mr. Moore finds his church home, and fra- ternally is connected with the Woodmen of the World. In his political affiliation he is a Repub- lican. For further information regarding the parents of Mr. Moore, refer to the sketch of C. F. Moore upon another page of this work.

GEORGE WILL. Numbered among the self-educated, self-made and successful farmers of Marion county is George Will, owner of a

finely improved farm near Aurora, and for- merly identified with the little colony whose tenure of life was completed in 1884. A native of St. Louis, Mo., Mr. Will was born Decem- ber 21, 1839, and comes of stanch Teutonic an- cestry. His father, John Will, was born in Bavaria, Germany, and in his native country owned quite a large country property, which he disposed of in order to come to America, in 1839. With his hard-earned German thalers he bought a farm near Muscatine, Iowa, but, not liking the locality particularly, disposed of it in 1843 and took up land in the Bethel Col- ony, Shelby county, Mo. Here his death oc- curred at an advanced age, and he left to his children a fair-sized property, and the heritage of a good name.

At the age of sixteen George Will left the farm of his father and learned the hatter's trade, and at the same time worked in the woolen mills of the Bethel Colony. In August, 1861, at the age of twenty-two, he enlisted in Capt. Henry Will's company, Seventieth Regi- ment, Missouri Militia, and entered active serv- ice as bugler in that company in January, 1863, where he remained until March Io, of the same year, when he was mustered out, and again joined the colonists, who were, at that time, agitating the subject of establishing a branch in the far west, Aurora, Ore., being eventually selected as a desirable site. Hither repaired several bands of pilgrims at different times, but the principal train to start across the plains outfitted in 1863, and consisted of forty wagons and eighty men, besides numerous women and children. The men were heavily armed and prepared for any emergency, and Mr. Will, who was one of the travelers, does not recall any serious disturbances, or any particular suffer- ing from Indian attacks, illness or severe weather. After six months the party reached Aurora, and the members dispersed to select their farms, and start their respective indus- tries.

Locating in Aurora, where his knowledge of woolen mills was an advantage to him, Mr. Will was made foreman of the woolen mills started up by the colony. This position was maintained with credit until the disbanding of the colony, in 1884, at which time every man received his share of land and general profits.

Mr. Will, very early in life, evinced decided taste in music, and became a member of a brass band at nine years of age. After coming to Aurora he joined the celebrated Aurora Brass Band, first playing a French horn, and later the E flat cornet, which connection he main- tained until forty years of age.

In 1884 he settled upon the farm where he now lives, and which consists of two hundred

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and seventy-five acres, devoted to general farming and stock-raising, and to hops, of which there are ten acres at present. To much of his success in life Mr. Will attributes the sympathy and help of a good wife, to whom he was married in 1870, and who was formerly Elizabeth Link. Mrs. Will came across the plains with her parents in 1867, locating in the colony of which her father became a prominent member. Three children have been born into the Will household, of whom Edward H. is assisting his father on the farm; Clara is the wife of Frank Siegler, of Aurora, and Elmer G. is living at home.

Mr. Will is a Republican in politics, but has never taken any particular interest in the po- litical undertakings of his neighborhood, his farm duties taking up the greater part of his time. In spite of early disadvantages as to ed- ucation, he is a very well-informed man, hav- ing become a great reader as the years have gone by. He is stanch in his approval of good schools and practical educational training, and has seen to it that his children have profited by all of the advantages he could give them. He is well known as an upright and enterprising member of the farming community around Au- rora, and his Jersey cattle are among the finest, and his farm among the best improved in the neighborhood.

EDWARD F. LAMSON. The name of Lamson is not only substantially identified with the present prosperity of Oregon, but in the old pioneer days was represented in judicial, legis- lative and agricultural departments of activity. The farm upon which Edward F. Lamson is con- ducting extensive general and stock-raising en- terprises, and upon which he was born Septem- ber 19, 1850, was taken up by his father, Jere- miah, in 1848, and has since been a prized pos- session of the family.

Jeremialı Lamson, the establisher of the fam- ily in Oregon, was born in Massachusetts in Jan- uary, 1812, and as a young man located in Bur- lington, Iowa, where he erected the first store in the town, and thereafter was foremost in its many avenues of usefulness. In 1847 he perfected plans for crossing the plains, and with thirteen yoke of oxen and three wagons well filled with provisions, spent seven months in reaching the desired destination in Oregon. He had little trouble with the Indians, and suffered little from ill health, the journey being a very fortunate and favorable one. In the spring of '48 he took up a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres on the Willamina river, near the town of that name, and there farmed and raised stock almost up to the time of his death in 1888. He took a

prominent part in political and other affairs in his adopted state, and from the beginning of its establishment was identified with the Republican party. He was a member of the first senate of Oregon, and was several times a member of the legislature, serving also four years as county judge. In his young days he married Helen Hawks, who bore him four children: R. H., a resident of Portland; H. W., a rancher of Crook county ; Dora, the wife of Dr. W. Everett of Tacoma, Wash .; and Edward F. The latter died on the old homestead in October, 1888.

Through his youth Mr. Lamson lived on the donation claim where he was born, and at the age of nineteen took entire charge of its affairs. In 1872 he was united in marriage with Helen Ber- gess, of which union there have been born three sons, Roy, Guy and Rex. In addition to the four hundred and eighty acres comprising the home farm Mr. Lamson farms other lands, mak- ing in all twenty-one hundred acres, and he is engaged principally in stock-raising, to which his tract of one thousand acres of bottom land is well adapted. The stock includes sheep and Hereford cattle, and Mr. Lamson is one of the best informed men on stock matters in this coun- ty. He has filled many positions of trust in the community, and as a Republican politician was elected to the legislature in 1898, and again in 1900. President Harrison appointed him Indian agent of the Grand Ronde reservation, and he creditably maintained that position four years. The many sterling qualities of Mr. Lamson have won him many friends in Oregon, and he lias ever had the sincere respect and liking of all who have been associated with him.

MRS. MARY W. BARCLAY. Scattered over different parts of Oregon are farms directly under the management of women well schooled in the science of agriculture, whose lives have been passed in taking observations of the methods of others, even while they themselves were not then called upon to exercise their abilities. Such an one is Mrs. Mary W. Barclay, owner of a farm of four hundred acres, twelve miles south of Corvallis, and herself one of the most popular and prominent women in the community. Mrs. Barclay was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, in 1841, her father, James Neill, having settled there after coming from Ireland at a very early day. Mr. Neill was a young man at the time of his emigration, and spent some time in Ohio be- fore marrying Mary Stewart, who bore him nine children, and who died in Ohio. At a later period he removed to Illinois, where his death occurred on a farm, to the management of which he devoted several years of his life.

Mrs. Barclay was reared on the home farm and

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educated in the public schools, and her first hus- band was Robert Herron, a native son of Ireland. Mr. Herron first met his future wife when he stopped in Ohio on his way from Ireland to Ore- gon in 1851, the remainder of his journey being by way of the Isthmus and San Francisco. Five miles northeast of Monroe, Ore., he took up a claim of three hundred and twenty acres, and in 1861 returned to Ohio and married Miss Neill, then just twenty years of age. Together the young people returned to the western ranch and spent their lives together until the death of Mr. Herron, at the age of fifty-five years. He was a prominent man in his neighborhood, and to an otherwise meritorious life added a daring service in the Rogue River war. Six children were born of this union, of whom James lives near his mother; Cleland is deceased; Jane is the wife of W. T. Hewitt of California; Josiah lives on the old donation claim; John W. lives in Washington; and Laura M., residing on the home place.

After her husband's death Mrs. Herron lived on the old place, successfully managed it, and in time became the wife of Mr. James Barclay. Mr. Barclay was born in the state of Missouri, and in 1851 crossed the plains to Oregon, meet- ing with no unusual adventures on the way, and arriving at his destination in good health and spirits. At once he took up a donation claim of three hundred and twenty acres, twelve miles south of Corvallis, and here brought his wife and farmed and raised stock up to the time of his death in 1892. Too much cannot be said of the exemplary life of Mr. Barclay, who was an ambitious, well educated and very popular man, adaptable and successful in all his undertakings. As a veteran of the Mexican war, he drew a pension from the government, and he was also a soldier in the Cayuse war. He was a Demo- crat in politics, but never took an active interest in office-holding. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Barclay, Ross, Leah, and Ger- trude, all of whom are living with their mother. Mrs. Barclay still owns four hundred acres of the two donation claims, and has one of the finest rural homes in this county. Her barns and out-buildings and improvements suggest the up-to-date and prosperous land owner, and no one who entertained an appreciation of the man- ifold advantages of country life could desire a better place in which to pass their declining years.

WILLIAM A. POTTER. A pioneer, earn- est, energetic and forceful, William A Potter spent many years in the upbuilding of the west- ern civilization before retiring to a quiet life, now making his home in Irving, Lane county.

He came to Oregon in 1851, and since then has been principally interested in the agricultural life of the country. This representative of a Pennsylvania family is the descendant of Ger- man ancestry and originally spelled the name Pothour. David Pothour was born on the banks of the Juniata river, in Pennsylvania, in 1781, and in Ohio married Anna McCreary, who was born of Irish ancestry. Their son, William A., of this review, was born near the town of Hub- bard, Trumbull county, Ohio, February 7, 1825, into which state the father had removed and there engaged as a farmer. He spent the ex- traordinarily long period of seventy-five years in one location in that state, where his death oc- curred at the age of ninety-six years. They had been blessed with the birth of nine children, of whom William A. was the fifth. His early education was received in the common schools of the state where he was born, attending a little log school-house for his share in the distribu- tion of knowledge. Upon attaining manhood he engaged in the occupation in which his father had gained a livelihood, and in 1845 he started out into the world to seek his own living. That year he located in Grant county, Wis., in the southwest corner of the state, where he en- gaged in lead mining for a period of six years. In 1851 he outfitted with three yoke of oxen and started for Oregon in company with a train of sixteen wagons. Six months was consumed in the journey, which was ended without any particular incident outside of those which nat- urally accompanied such a trip. Upon his ar- rival in the west he spent the first winter in Milwaukee, Clackamas county. He then took to surveying, and helped survey in various parts of the Willamette valley. In 1853 he took up a donation claim of one hundred and sixty acres located in Lane county one half mile west of Irving, and there put up the first house which the prairie lands of this county had known In the same year Mr. Potter, with a party, started for the Umpqua mines, but before reach - ing there they heard the Indians were causing the prospectors considerable trouble, so the party changed their course and finally went to the mines at Yreka, Cal., where he mined for little over a year, but not realizing his hopes he re- turned to Lane county in 1854 and that ended his search after the hidden treasures of the earth. In a few years he sold his right for $500 and took another claim of a like number of acres, one and a half miles north of the same town, to which he then removed and took up farming and stock-raising. This also was dis- posed of later, and for several years he spent his time in various locations of the county, al- ways, however, engaging in farming. In the fall of 1901 he came to Irving to make his home

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upon a modest little piece of two acres, which affords him occupation for his time. At the present time he is the owner of a farm of seventy-four acres one and a half miles south- east of Eugene, which is utilized as a stock- ranch.

In 1855 Mr. Potter married Louisa C. Zum- walt, a native of Missouri, who crossed the plains in 1847, and the following children have blessed their union : Clara Jane, wife of B. F. Bond, of Irving; Lewis H., of Eugene; E. O., also of Eugene; Mary E., wife of Thomas Gray, of Irving; U. Grant, deceased ; and Anna, wife of R. S. Poole, of Junction City. Democratic in his political views, Mr. Potter has ably filled different school offices. Fraternally he affiliates with Spencer Butte Lodge No. 9, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a member of the United Brethren Church, also of Eugene.

WILLIAM WYATT. At the age of eighty- seven years William Wyatt may well contem- plate his lifework with serenity and satisfaction, for his plans have been well and substantially laid, and have not been miscarried by errors in judgment or by want of executive ability. In his way of looking at things and in his con- servative and rather slow rise to prominence in the community he has proved the typical Eng- lishman, a by no means strange fact, for he was born in Birmingham, England, March 24, 1816, and received his earliest training under English born parents. The family came to America in 1836, after a voyage of six weeks in a sailing vessel, and located at Norfolk, Va. They also lived in New York state, and at New- burg, on the Hudson, William found employ- ment in a nursery, and also in the powder mills. In Newburg he got quite a start in life, saved some money, and married, April 19, 1838, Mary Theodosia End, who was born in London, Eng- land, March 31, 1823 and came to America with her parents in 1836, locating in Newburg.

Soon after his marriage Mr. Wyatt removed to Columbus, Ill., and after a year settled in Henderson county, the same state, reaching there in the fall of 1839. He was fairly success- ful as a farmer, but was not so well pleased with the locality but what the tidings he heard of the fertility and resource of the west aroused his interest and caused him to view the matter from a practical standpoint. He was one of the first in his neighborhood to actually make the start to the west, and he sold out his property in 1847, and on April 25 made the start with his wife and three children. He had four yoke of oxen and a well stocked wagon, and by all ac- counts had a fairly pleasant and uneventful jour- ney, arriving in Oregon in October, 1847. In

1850 he located on the farm which has since been his home, built a small log cabin with one room, aud started in to clear his land, and prepare it for crops. With little money, but with a stout heart and willing hands, he made the most of decidedly crude conditions, and in time his la- bor was rewarded with success. To his original claim he added as he secured the money neces- sary, until he owned three thousand and nine hundred acres of land, which he has since divid- ed among his children. When one contemplates the vast amount of work accomplished by this zealous pioneer and the calculation, planning and economy practiced ere he had even a small com- petence, one is filled with admiration for his strength of character, wisdom and perseverance.

Although his own educational chances were limited, Mr. Wyatt has ever been a stanch ad- vocate of education, and his children have profit- ed by all that he could do for them in this direc- tion. Six sons and five daughters have been born into his family, the order of their birth being as follows: William, deceased in Illinois; Eliza A., the wife of A. J. Williams, of Benton county, Ore .; Ezra, deceased; Martha E., deceased ; John, a farmer near Corvallis; Cynthia A., the deceased wife of J. G. Springer, and who died in March, 1902; William A., deceased when young ; Virginia C., who died at the age of nine years; M. Eva, living at home; Samuel T., a farmer near Corvallis; and Franklin, living near the old homestead. Mr. Wyatt has not only been a power in the agricultural world of this county, but he has exerted a vital moral influence among those with whom he has had to do. In 1858 he became a convert to the United Brethren Church at a camp meeting at Mary's River church and later became a member of the church at Bethel. He has worked for the ad- vancement of the church during all of these years, and not only holds theories but practices the wholesome lessons which he has learned from his church and bible. His wife is a member of the same church, and both work together, and contribute generously of their means. Mr. Wyatt has been a trustee of Philomath College for over thirty years, and has taken a keen in- terest in this institution. More than ten years since there was a golden wedding at his comfort- able and hospitable home, and scores of friends assembled to extend their best wishes to the ven- erable couple, whose lives have taught many les- sons of humanity and kindliness and goodness.

JOHN RICKARD. No little credit is due John Rickard for his success in life. for he started out when only a boy of twelve years to make his own way, and has not, since that time, been dependent on other efforts than his own,

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and is now one of the strongest men financially in this community of Benton county. His home is one of the handsomest in the vicinity, evi- dencing the result of his years of self-denial and toil.

The birth of John Rickard occurred in Eng- land, December 31, 1832, his parents being Rich- ard and Rachel Rickard, both natives of the same country. The father having died, Mrs. Rickard married again and came to the United States in 1846, and settled in Brown county, Ill., where her death occurred. On finding it necessary to make his own way, Mr. Rickard began by hiring out to the farmers in the neigh- borhood, where he engaged in farm work by the month, continuing in Illinois until 1852, when he crossed the plains by ox-teams. The journey occupied five months, and was ended without any molestation from the Indians. On reaching Oregon, he stopped for a short time in Clack- amas county, from there going to Josephine county, where he engaged in mining and pros- pecting for a short time. Not entirely satisfied with his prospects in the south, he ventured into Benton county and engaged in work with a sur- veyor, and in the summer of 1853 he started a brick manufactory near Corvallis, the first brick- yard in Benton county. A short time afterward he engaged in freighting out of Portland, in which he remained for about three years, at the close of that period, in 1856, finding a lucrative business in stock-raising near Corvallis. In 1862 he bought a farm situated four miles south of Corvallis, where he remained until 1896, when he bought the farm adjoining, known as the Thomas Norris donation claim, and there he re- sided until October, 1903, when he removed to Corvallis, where he is now living retired. He also owns other farms, located principally in the valley, which bring the number of acres up to thirty-two hundred and fifty, making him one of the largest land owners in the vicinity.

Mr. Rickard was first united in marriage with Laura Callaway, who was born in Missouri, and of the union two children have been born, George B., located near Philomath, and John Roy, who lives on the home place. His second wife was Ella Riley, a native of Illinois. The home farm is now conducted by Mr. Rickard's two sons. In politics Mr. Rickard is independ- ent of party restrictions, voting for the man whose administration he believes will be most productive of good for the greatest number.

JOHN WHITAKER. General farming and stock-raising as conducted by John Whitaker amounts to an exact science, carefully studied and constantly improved upon. Old-time methods or

machinery find no place on this model farm, but rather every department represented has reached the highest perfection possible under the man- agement of an astute and far-sighted mind, trained by practical experience to avoid what- ever is superfluous or non-practical. Benton county has no more familiar name enrolled among its early settlers than that of Whitaker, and invariably it suggests the substantial and re- liable in character and attainment. John Whit- aker was born in Sandusky county, Ohio, May 13, 1843, a son of Jacob and Mary Ephrenia (Wiederkahr) Whitaker, natives of Germany, and the former born February 2, 1808.

Special mention is due Jacob Whitaker, the founder of the family in America and Oregon, for he possessed leading and strong characteris- tics, and indelibly impressed his worth upon all who knew him. He was a stonemason and brick- layer by trade in his native land, and soon after his marriage came to the United States, settling in Richland county, Ohio. At a later period he removed to Sandusky county, where he farmed until 1853, and then sold his land and prepared to emigrate to the northwest. The train in which he brought his four children to the coast con- sisted of but six wagons, and they were on the way about seven months. They found the In- dians peacefully inclined, nor was cholera or other physical disorder prevalent among the little party. However, one of the children was left behind in a little wayside grave upon the plains, a calamity doubly sorrowful to the father, who had buried his wife in Ohio in 1846, and who had since felt that he was almost alone in the world. Coming direct to Benton county, Mr. Whitaker took up a donation claim of one hun- dred and sixty acres ten miles south of Corvallis, and just east of the territorial road, where he engaged in farming, carpentering and mason work until a few years before his death, June 9, 1883. His many-sided work took him into many parts of the county, and he came to know about all the people of importance within its borders. He was a good workman and a conscientious man and citizen, and won hosts of friends during his residence in the west. He was a member of the Catholic Church, and for many years served as a member of the school board.

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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 197

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