Portrait and biographical record of the Willamette valley, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 221

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 221

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interests and prepared to make his home in the far west. With two wagons and three yoke of oxen to each, and with about twenty-five head of loose cattle, he made the start, somewhat re- gretfully leaving behind that of which he was sure, and venturing all upon that which was un- certain and at best hard and laborious. Four children had been born into his family, but they were not old enough to be of much use, and the greater part of the work fell upon his shoulders. A great deal of trouble was experienced with the stock, which wandered away or died of dis- ease, and the little party finally came to Meek's cut-off, that place of terrible memories, and like others similarly placed, were obliged to turn back and find another trail. Their sufferings were intense, and their continual wrestling with insufficient provisions, inclement weather, Indian cruelties and illness among their number, helped to make up an experience from which people might well beg to be delivered. Arriving in Oregon much depressed financially and other- wise, Mr. Locke spent the first winter with his family in Polk county, and in the spring he traded two yoke of oxen for Henry Fuller's claim of six hundred and forty acres. Here he erected a small log cabin and remained during the following winter, and in the spring brought his family to Polk county, leaving them there while he went to the mines of California. Dur- ing the summer in California he worked in the gold mines and at teaming, returning in the fall a sadder and wiser man, and not materially bettered by his short fortune-hunting experience. He then moved his family onto the ranch where his son is now living, and where he made many improvements, as good as were known at that time. His growing success was cut short, how- ever, in 1872, for he was thrown from a wagon by a runaway team, and soon afterward died from the effects of the wounds received. He was sixty-two years of age, and was respected and liked by all who knew him. His faithful and helpful wife survived him until May, 1897, at the time being seventy-six years old.

As early as his strength permitted William S. was taught to make himself useful around the donation claim, and he remained there until starting out as a school teacher in Lane county. in 1868. At the end of two terms he engaged in stock-raising in Lane county, and in 1877 came back to the old homestead, where he has since lived. He owns one hundred and thirty acres in the home farm, besides two hundred acres of pasture land, and a half interest in a farm of one hundred and thirty-five acres. He is engaged in general farming and stock-raising and is very successful in these lines of occupa- tion. Needless to say, he has made many im- provements over those inaugurated by his father

in the early days, and has a well-equipped and thoroughly modern farming property. He mar- ried, in 1868, Livonia Jenkins, daughter of Rev. Stephen Jenkins, a pioneer of 1846, and three children have been born of this union: Ida, Bertie and Franklin, the last two of whom are deceased. Mr. Locke is prominent in fraternal circles of this county, especially with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he has been a member since 1864. He is a genial and very tactful gentleman, possesses a high sense of honor and an appreciation of the rights and prerogatives of others.

JAMES PARVIN. The greater part of the growth of Oregon has not been the result of in- spired action, but of slow, steady and patient building, which is found in the greatest degree in the agricultural regions, to the accomplishment of which work is due the substantial upbuilding of the state. Holding a prominent place among these men in Lane county is James Parvin, lo- cated upon his farm in the neighborhood of Dex- ter, and he has given liberally of his means and influence to the upbuilding of the community in which he has lived for so many years.

James Parvin has passed three score and ten years, having been born May 2, 1831, near the capital of Indiana. His father was a farmer by occupation, and the son was trained to this work while receiving his education in the district school in the vicinity of his home. His mother died when he was one year old. He went out into the world to make his own way when eighteen, and while following his early training he also learned the trade of a carpenter, his livelihood being gained for several years, however, through working as a farm-hand. In 1853 he followed the westward trend of progress and set out for Oregon, as driver of an ox-team. After a jour- ney of seven months the destination was safely reached and Mr. Parvin at once took up a dona- tion claim in Lane county, located on Lost creek. In 1855 he took another claim, two and a half miles south of Dexter, where he remained for four years, when he bought one hundred and sixty acres, a part of the John B. Hannah claim, and in the first location which Mr. Hannah had chosen on coming to Oregon. This has since been Mr. Parvin's home, putting into the culti- vation and improvement of the broad acres a practical and intelligent management which has met with rich returns. He now has a farm of six hundred and sixty-seven acres, with a commodi- ous frame dwelling, good barns and out-buildings of all descriptions. In addition to his farming interests, Mr. Parvin has successfully followed the trade which he learned under the difficulties of his early life, becoming a contractor of promi-

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nence, and was also engaged in the mercantile business in Dexter for eleven years, and at that time was also postmaster, and operated a thresh- ing machine for twenty-five years.

In February, 1854, Mr. Parvin married, Sel- enia Parker, who was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, in 1834, and of the children born to them Ida, the wife of William Williams, lives in Dex- ter; Hosea M. is located in the vicinity of Dex- ter, and Jennie is at home with her parents and conducts the store at Dexter. In politics a Dem- ocrat, Mr. Parvin has held various offices in his neighborhood, never shirking the fulfillment of his duty as a citizen, as is evidenced by the active and prominent part which he has always taken in the advancement of the principles advocated by his party. He is a consistent member of the Christian Church, and gives to his religious duties the same application and energy which has made his life so much of a success.

JOSEPH M. PARKER. To any man there is a pleasure in the thought that he has built up something that is either a benefit to society in general or adds to the comfort of his own people, and the double object is fulfilled in the improve- ment and intelligent cultivation of a farm, for upon the work of the agriculturist depends the existence of the country at large. In Oregon, the new state which has been built by developing re- sources which only far-sighted vision could di- vine, there are many who have given their entire time to the cultivation of the broad lands and have taken their places in the ranks of farmers, and among these is Joseph M. Parker, located upon his farm which adjoins the postoffice of Dexter, Lane county, and is eighteen miles south- east of Eugene, the county-seat.

Mr. Parker was born December 19, 1834, in Coshocton county, Ohio, and was the son of James Parker. Mr. Parker received his education in the public schools of Ohio, Illinois and Ore- gon, and after the death of his parents, which occurred in 1847, he went to live with a brother- in-law, in Illinois, where he had gone with his parents, in 1841. Eleven years later, in 1853, they crossed the plains, a journey which occupied about six months and was remarkably free from trouble with the Indians, and after spending the first winter in Washington county, Ore., they located in Lane county. About 1858 Mr. Parker bought a farm of three hundred and twenty acres in the neighborhood of Trent, upon which he made his home for four years, when he removed to Coast Fork, and passed the ensuing eight years. He then bought a farm of eight hun- dred acres, a part of which he still owns and into the cultivation of which he has put the effort of a number of years, building a frame

house, good barns and other out-buildings which bespeak the success of its owner. He owns about three hundred acres, upon which he carries ou general farming and stock-raising, about eighty acres being in cultivation. For about five years of the time since he has been a resident of this locality Mr. Parker was engaged in the grist- milling business.

The marriage of Mr. Parker occurred in 1858 and united him with Miss Caroline R. Rutledge, who was born in Fulton county, Ill., in 1842, and crossed the plains with her father, Blasingim Rutledge, in 1853, when they settled in Lane county. He was a farmer, stockman and mer- chant, and was well known in Lane county. He died in 1870, and was born in Tennessee about 1816. He was married twice, Elizabeth Hopkins, the mother of Mrs. Parker, being his first wife. She died about 1848. Mr. Rutledge was again married, Sarah Jane Markley becoming his wife, and of this family only two daughters, Mrs. Narcissa Davis and Mrs. Ida Buchanan, are liv- ing. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Parker, as follows: Cecelia, now the wife of E. B. Hunsaker, of San Francisco; Clement C., located in Lane county ; Ellis R., located in Creswell; and Ferdie and Georgia, at home. In politics Mr. Parker is a Democrat and takes quite an active interest in the movements of his party, the leaders of which have come to depend upon him in his neighborhood, as he has filled all the minor offices in the vicinity, and never shirks his duty as a citizen.

JAMES PARKER. Yet another of the strong and reliable men who have made telling strokes towards the upbuilding of Lane county is James Parker, who was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, March 19, 1833, and brought his energy and well directed ambition to Oregon in 1853. When eight years old he removed with his parents to Fulton county, Ill., where his father worked at carpentering and farming, and where he died at the age of sixty-seven years. He was married twice, James being the fourth child of the second family, his mother dying at the age of forty-four years.

Left an orphan at the age of thirteen, James Parker was glad of any occupation which fur- nished a living, and the first work that presented itself was splitting rails, then he went to learn the carder's trade in the old fashioned carding- mill run by tread power furnished by oxen. Subsequently he learned blacksmithing and the carpenter's trade, for in those days a mechanic was supposed to be a many-sided genius, and able to turn his hand to almost anything in his line. In the early times Mr. Parker found a large field for his work and continued it for

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several years with good financial results. In the meantime he kept near his family, and in 1853, with his brother-in-law, John Stoops, his two sisters, Mrs. Stoops and Selena, now Mrs. James Parvin, and a brother, Joseph Parker, he crossed the plains with ox-teams. Under the able leadership of Captain Frazier the party reached their destination without any serious mishap, and Mr. Parker stopped at The Dalles about four months, the rest of the family going on to Lane county and settling on a donation claim in Lost Valley, five miles southeast of Pleasant Hill. Later Mr. Parker and his brother went to Portland and engaged at various kinds of labor, and in the fall of 1854 he came to Lane county and attended the district school while helping during his leisure on the family farm. During the Rogue River war, to which the resi- dents were driven because of the constant depre- dations and want of good faith on the part of.the Indians, he was employed for six montlis as a teamster, afterward returning to Lane county and teaching school for eighteen months.

October 1, 1857, Mr. Parker married Phoebe E. Rigdon, who was born January 8, 1840, in Fulton county, Ill., and came to Oregon in 1852 with her parents, and here married and went to housekeeping on a rented farm north of Pleas- ant Hill, soon afterward removing to Lost Val- ley, where they lived for eight years. Their next home was the old Bowen place west of Pleasant Hill, and three years later Mr. Parker bought his present farm of three hundred and twenty-one acres two miles southwest of Pleas- ant Hill, which comprised all of the John Litt- rell donation claim. All of the improvements of a modern nature have been made by the pres- ent owner, who is progressive, and whose theo- ries of farming might well be emulated by the seeker after agricultural success. Jersey cattle, Poland China hogs and Cotswold sheep are here found in their best development, grains con- tribute a considerable part of the yearly income, and general farming and dairying are not omitted from the departments of activity here represent- ed. One hundred and thirty acres are under cultivation. The residence is a comfortable and well appointed one, the barns and out-buildings large and modern, and everything in keeping with the thrifty owner.

In addition to farming Mr. Parker has been engaged in milling in Lost Valley for twelve or fifteen years. As a Democrat he has served as road supervisor and school director, also as county commissioner for a term of four years. He and his wife are members of the Pleasant Hill Grange. Eleven children have been born into his family, of whom the following are liv- ing: Luella, wife of William Bundy, of Spring- field; Albert K., of Lost Valley; Hortense, the

wife of W. E. Holdridge, of Yamhill county ; Clarence A., of Springfield; Edith, the wife of Dr. Louis Bundy, of Medford, Ore .; John C., of Springfield; and James C., Clifton L., Guy W. and Augustus are living at home; Lucien died, aged thirty-one years. Mr. Parker is in- debted solely to his own energy and perseverance for his rise in life. He has advanced slowly but surely, and in the meantime has never wavered from the essential requisites of honesty, integ- rity and industry.

JOHN DUNCAN. By no means an unap- preciated member of the agricultural class, John Duncan is intelligently engaged in the cultiva- tion of his farm of one hundred and thirty-six acres, located one mile north of Shedds, Linn county, a general line of farming connected with stock-raising and dairying being his prin- cipal occupation. This farm was once a part of the old Hogue estate, and a portion of it constituted school lands, and was first occupied by Mr. Duncan in 1877, since which time he has made all the improvements which have made this one of the most valuable farms in this part of the county.

Mr. Duncan was born April 13, 1845, in Cole county, Mo., the son of Jubal and Elizabeth (Mercersmith) Duncan, natives respectively of Kentucky and Virginia. The father had re- moved with his parents to Missouri when a mere boy, and had remained at home until his marriage. Two years after his death, which occurred when John was only four years old, Mrs. Duncan became the wife of John Isom, a native of Virginia, with whom she lived in Mis- souri until 1853. At that date they outfitted with ox-teams and at the close of a six-months journey, mercifully devoid of trouble with the marauding Indians, they found themselves in Linn county, Ore., eager and ready to make a home in the then wild country. Mr. Isom at once bought the squatter's right to a claim of three hundred and twenty acres six miles east of Shedds, on which he proved up and began the improvement necessary to make the farm of service to him. This remained the home of the family until 1878, when they removed to Al- bany, where Mr. Isom had become interested in industrial lines through his purchase of the Red Crown mills located in that city. Until his re- tirement several years later he conducted these mills, after which he made his home with his children. He lived to be seventy-five years old, becoming one of the popular men of the times through the many good qualities which distin- guished his character. He was always much interested in all educational and political move- ments, as a Democrat, serving as county com-

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missioner one term and justice of the peace sev- eral years. His wife still survives him and now makes her home with Mrs. Scott Ward, a daughter. Mrs. Isom was the mother of three children by her first marriage, the only son now living being John Duncan, of this review. The eldest daughter, Mrs. Sarah M. Cleek, lives in Albany. The children of the last marriage are as follows: Frances Ann, now Mrs. Ward, of Albany ; Mary C., now Mrs. Skinner, of Albany ; Cynthia C. Ward, of Albany; Alice, now Mrs. Pfeiffer, of Albany; David I., located on Muddy creek; Virginia L., now Mrs. Lanning, of Ta- coma, Wash .; Jefferson D., on the old claim; John, of Dawson City; and Elizabeth, now Mrs. Woods, a resident of California.

The education of John Duncan was received through the medium of the district school in the neighborhood of his home in Oregon, where he remained until he had reached his twenty-first year. He then ventured out into the world for himself, in eastern Oregon following mining and prospecting for about a year, when he en- gaged in the stock business there. For three years he continued in that location, at the close of which time he returned to Linn county, in 1872 engaging in farming here. Five years later he entered upon the property before mentioned, and where he has met with a pleasant and pros- perous return for well directed effort.

The marriage of Mr. Duncan occurred in 1877, and united him with Miss Mary Farwell, who was born in 1854 on her father's old dona- tion claim. (A sketch of her family is found on another page of this work.) The young people went to housekeeping where they now make their home. They have been blessed with the birth of six children, all of whom are living and are named in order of birth as fol- lows: Francis R., of Plainview, married Miss Fannie Rooker in 1902; John E., of Seattle, Wash .; Philip L., of Seattle; Charles C .; Lulu E. and Ray H., the three last named still mak- ing their home with their parents. A Democrat in politics, Mr. Duncan is doing his part in sus- taining good government, now serving as road supervisor, and as school director he has been a servant of the public for a great number of years. He is a member of the Grange and offi- ciates in the same as treasurer.

JESSE APPLEGATE. Going back to the story of this brave, sturdy pioneer of Oregon, brings to mind the scene often described in the settlement of a new country. The father going out to work, ax on his shoulder, with only prim- itive tools to fell the trees, yet with patience and great effort, the heavy timber was slowly cleared away, leaving the rich soil exposed. Such is the

history of the Applegate family-a tale of hard- working, honest people, who knew what was right and were as firm as a rock against evil- doing. The descendants of the illustrious family are widely scattered, but wherever met they are known as worthy and eminently respectable people.

Jesse Applegate was born in Henry county, Ky., July 5, 18II, and was a son of Daniel and Rachel (Lindsay) Applegate, the former a sol- dier in the Revolutionary war and the latter a daughter of John Lindsay of Kentucky. The family settled near St. Louis, Mo., in 1822, and Jesse Applegate was sent to school in that city. He was assisted in getting an education by Hon. Edward Bates, then a young lawyer, from whom he obtained copying to do-in those days legal papers were copied by hand. This enabled him to assist in paying for his education, and he learned surveying. He clerked in the surveyor general's office at St. Louis and for a time was also a deputy surveyor in the field.

In 1831 he was joined in marriage with Cynthia Parker, who was a native of Tennessee. The following year they took up a land claim in St. Clair county, Mo., and Mr. Applegate farmed, surveyed, and kept a country store in that vicinity until 1843, when he crossed the plains and mountains and settled in Oregon. The first winter was spent in the old mission buildings, following which he located on Salt creek in Polk county, which was his home until 1849, when he removed to Yoncalla valley and took up a dona- tion claim, upon which he and his wife are now buried.

Mr. Applegate had no difficulty in receiving the appointment as surveyor of donation claims and surveyed many claims throughout southern Oregon. He was also surveyor for Maj. Ben- jamin Alvord and assisted in locating the Oregon military wagon road. He soon became identified with every movement on foot for the public good and from that time on his life was closely interwoven with the history of the Willamette valley.

He was a member of the assembly that organ- ized provisional government, and became one of the sureties of the Hudson Bay Company for arms to be furnished the volunteers during the Cayuse war and in addition he from his own farm gave fifteen fat cattle to feed the soldiers in the field. He was leader of the first party, who, in 1846, reached Fort Hall by way of the southern route through the Humboldt basin, which soon became an established route, and he piloted the first emigrants over it to Oregon. This route has since been known as Applegate cut-off. He surveyed the public wagon-road through the state, and was one of the pioneer surveyors of the Oregon and California Railroad. In 1856

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he acted as guide for Major Kearney in a cam- paign against the Rogue River Indians and par- ticipated in the fight when Captain Stewart was killed. He was one of a commission of three, himself, and Messrs. Amory Holbrook and Ma- jor Rhinearson, who were sent to settle the Fort Colville difficulty in 1866. Mr. Applegate was also a member of the commission appointed to confer with the Modoc Indians and, if possible, induce them to surrender; when he heard the terms Captain Jack dictated as to the time and manner of meeting, he became convinced that the Indians intended to murder the commission- ers, and he told General Canby that he would not meet Captain Jack on any such terms. Nor did he, but General Canby and Rev. Thomas did so, and were murdered. Mr. Applegate served for a number of years both as justice of the peace and as postmaster of Yoncalla, and in 1872 he went to Modoc county, Cal., and engaged in stock- raising, hoping to earn enough money to pay a great debt he had incurred as security for the secretary of state. But his hopes were not realized, and the winter of 1872, together with the Modoc war, scattered his money and took what little the state surety suit had left him. Thus, reduced in circumstances, but still un- daunted, he began to work for hire at manual labor, for Jesse D. Carr, and continued in his service for several years. He then returned to Oregon, and with his small savings planted a vineyard on the side of Mt. Yoncalla and subse- quently built a house there. In 1881, he lost his beloved wife and for several years thereafter he lived with his children. He died at the home of his son, Alexander, April 22, 1888, and his memory is revered by all who knew him.

Mr. Applegate and his wife had twelve chil- dren, ten of whom grew to maturity. One child died in Missouri and another was drowned in the Columbia river on the way to Oregon in Novem- ber. 1843. Of their descendants there are living five children of the first generation ; forty-five of the second generation; forty-seven of the third generation ; and four of the fourth generation.

JAMES H. BELL was born in Ontario, Octo- ber 29, 1847. His father, John, a carpenter and baker by trade, was born in Edinburg, Scotland, in 1813, and died in Oregon in 1895. Upon emi- grating to Canada as a young man, he located on a large tract of government land, where he farmed and applied his trades for the balance of his life. His wife, Margaret (McCallum) Bell, was also born in Scotland, and still makes her home on the old homestead in Canada.

James JI. Bell was educated in the public schools in his neighborhood. At the age of twenty-two he left home and spent a year in an-

other, part of Canada, and then went to Grand Rapids, Mich., and worked in a store for six months. The following winter was spent in Canada, and, in 1876, he came to Oregon, and found employment with the railroad company at bridge work on the Columbia river. After seven months of this kind of work he returned to Can- ada and sold his farm, returning to Oregon in June of 1877. He was variously employed until October, 1879, when he purchased his present farm of one hundred and fifty-five acres. He is engaged in general farming and prune-raising, and has cleared about sixty acres of his place.

In 1879, Mr. Bell was united in marriage with Sarah Willis, who was born in Ontario. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Bell are as fol- lows: Edward E., of Portland; Vanderbilt, at home; Fred, at home; Bennett; Myrtle; Mel- ville; Milner; and Willis C. Mr. Bell is inde- pendent in his political views, and has served as school director for fourteen years, and was school clerk for five years. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons of McMinnville, and with the Order of Washington, of McMinnville, of which latter organization he is president.

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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 221

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