Portrait and biographical record of the Willamette valley, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 74

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 74

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Upon his arrival at Oregon City Mr. Spink began to earn his livelihood by cutting cord- wood at the mouth of the Clackamas river, where he remained for only a month, when he drove on to Jacksonville, intending to go into the mines of southern Oregon. After prospect- ing for a short time he became employed in conducting a pack train between the valley and the mines. In this work he remained until the Rogue River war, from 1853 to 1856, during which he was a volunteer in a small company that rescued several people. He had had vari- ous dealings with the Indians during his years among the mountains, and through many little favors he had won their friendship, and thus he was a peculiarly favored personage in those trying times, coming and going at will among the people that were raiding the entire coun- try. In the winter of 1856 he discontinued his pack train, and coming to Albany has since made that city his home, with the exception of the spring of 1857, when he took a herd of cattle to Sacramento valley, Cal. In this city he first engaged in teaming, hauling merchan- dise from Portland, and continued this until the fall of 1857, when he rented a farm near Albany and successfully conducted the same for three years. A like period was spent on another farm in the same neighborhood, after which he again located in Albany, in 1863 en- gaging once more in teaming and trucking. He soon conducted three teams in the work and shortly had all the business of this nature in the city, successfully holding it for about twenty years. But the work was exceedingly heavy and Mr. Spink was advised by physi- cians to. give it up, therefore in 1882 he sold out and endeavored to interest himself along other lines. He took up the wood business, furnishing wood to the citizens of Albany until 1887, when he engaged in the lumber business, establishing a yard at the corner of Ferry and

Water streets, dealing extensively in all build- ing materials. In this work he remained until 1902, so successfully that, though he sold out in that year, he took it up once more in 1903, the immense business which he had built up demanding his return. That Mr. Spink has been very successful is a self-evident fact, for with nothing but courage and energy he has made for himself a strong position financially in the community, his lumber yards being one of the sound industries of the city, while he now owns a finely improved farm of three hun- dred and sixty-eight acres, located two and a half miles southeast of Harrisburg.

The wife whom Mr. Spink chose in 1857 to share his fortunes was formerly Miss Rebecca J. Rankin, another of the faithful pioneer women of the early days, having come from her birthplace in Illinois to Oregon in 1853. Her father, John Rankin, brought his wife and children west in that year and settled upon a donation claim. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Spink, Ira died at the age of eight years; Ernest died at the age of thirty-one years; Lucy died at the age of eight years ; and Ida is the wife of A. C. Stellmacher, who is located upon the farm owned by Mr. Spink. January 8, 1871, Mrs. Spink died and Mr. Spink was again married, December 10, 1872, to Mary E. Armstrong, who was born in Wabash county, Ind., and came to Oregon in 1872. In his politics Mr. Spink has been a stanch and earnest Republican since the war, though he has never sought official recognition in any form.

JOHN J. GRAHAM. A man of great in- telligence, enterprise, and rare business and executive ability, J. J. Graham, of Albany, oc- cupies a place of prominence among the active and progressive agriculturists of Linn county. A farmer by birth and breeding, he has profited by his early knowledge and ex- perience, and possessing those inherent quali- ties that are sure to command success at all times and in all places, he has been unusually prosperous in the work to which he has de- voted his time and attention since the days of his youth. He was born April 23. 1843, in County Tyrone, Ireland, on the same farm that his father. William Graham, was born, lived, and died. His paternal grandfather, John Gra- ham, was born in Scotland, but removed to County Tyrone, Ireland, when a young man, and there spent the remainder of his life as a farmer.

William Graham inherited the habits of in- dustry and thrift of his Scotch ancestors, and succeeded to the occupation in which he was

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reared, being engaged as a tiller of the soil during his entire life. He married Frances Given, a daughter of John Given. She was born in County Tyrone, and after the death of her husband emigrated to America, and died in Ontario. Of the nine children born of their union, seven survive, five girls and two boys. The sons both reside in the northwest, J. J., the special subject of this sketch, living in Oregon, and Samuel being a resident of Fernie, British Columbia.

The oldest member of the parental house- hold, J. J. Graham, spent his childhood on the ancestral homestead, acquiring his education in the national schools. Emigrating to Canada when twenty years of age, he worked for wages as a farmer and dairyman in Oxford county, Ontario, for awhile, and then embarked in agricultural pursuits on his own account. In- dustrious, thrifty and economical, he accumu- lated some money, and desiring to invest it where he could secure the best returns he came to Oregon in 1876 as an investor. Locating at Waldo Hills, Marion county, he purchased one hundred and forty acres of land, which he de- voted to general farming and stock-raising until 1884, meeting with satisfactory results. Coming then to Linn county Mr. Graham as- sumed charge of the nine hundred acres of land owned by the East of Scotland Investment Company, and had the superintendency of this large tract for sixteen consecutive years. Clos- ing out the company's business in 1902 he pur- chased two hundred and eighty acres of the land himself, selling the remainder to different people, and has since been prosperously en- gaged in raising grain and stock, carrying on an extensive business. He also owns the ad- joining farm of two hundred and twelve acres, lying six miles north of Albany, where he owns considerable property, and has resided since 1894. In addition to managing his own prop- erty, Mr. Graham is superintendent of the four farms in Linn county belonging to the Old Scotch Company, performing the duties thus devolving upon him with characteristic fidelity and ability.

While a resident of Ontario, Mr. Graham married Margaret Shaw, who was born in Ontario, a daughter of Angus Shaw and sister of John A. Shaw, in whose sketch, which ap- pears elsewhere in this work, further ancestral history may be found. Mr. and Mrs. Graham are the parents of six children, namely : Angus, a graduate of Albany College, is bookkeeper at Merrell's, in Portland: Mrs. Rachel Bronson resides in Portland : Frances was graduated from Albany College in the class of 1903; Mary, John, and Donald complete the family. Cordially endorsing the principles of the Re-

publican party, Mr. Graham has never shirked the responsibilities of public office, but has served as county commissioner, and for one term was a member of the city council, repre- senting the Third ward. He is a member of St. John's Lodge, F. & A. M., of Albany, and is a member and past officer of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Both he and his wife belong to the First Presbyterian Church.

HENRY ALLEN. No state can boast of a more heroic band of pioneers than Oregon. They were not adventurers and mere fortune seekers who came to the northwest, but men and women who desired to establish homes here and to provide for their families by tak- ing advantage of the natural conditions of the country, and while promoting their individual success also do the best they could for the communities in which they resided and for the commonwealth. Mr. Allen becaine one of the early settlers of Oregon and is now living retired in Silverton amid a host of warm friends gained through a genial man- ner and social disposition. His residence in the state covers more than a half century, for he arrived in Oregon in 1852.

A native of Tennessee, Mr. Allen was born June 1, 1828. His father, Abner Allen, was born in North Carolina and when quite young removed to Tennessee, and in 1830 became a resident of Illinois, locating at Perry, Pike county, where he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land from the government. There he carried on general farming until 1852, when he made his way across the plains with ox-teams to California, spending four months on the long journey. He located three miles south of what is now Silverton, Ore., securing a donation claim of eighty acres, and engaged in the stock business. He also had money which he loaned and thus he added to his income. During the latter part of his life he engaged in travel to a large ex- tent, spending about half of his time in Cali- fornia, as he believed the climate of that state was more beneficial to his health. He died, however, at his home in Silverton in 1891, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. Well and worthily did he win the proud American title of a self-made man. Throughout his en- tire life he was energetic and untiring in his labors and thus won success. Without any extraordinary family or pecuniary advantages to aid him at the outset of his career, he started out to make his own way in the world and his capable control of his business oppor- tunities enabled him to gradually advance until he was the possessor of a handsome

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competence. In early manhood he wedded Susan Aiken, who was born in North Caro- lina and died of mountain fever on the Sweet- water river while they were crossing the plains in 1852.

Henry Allen is the eldest of the six chil- dren, two sons and four daughters, of this worthy couple. His educational privileges were extremely limited. He attended school for only about three months in his life, for, as he lived in pioneer districts, school privi- leges were not easily obtained. He was twenty-one years of age when, in 1849, he left the Mississippi valley and with an ox- team started for the Pacific coast. By that slow method of travel he proceeded by way of the Platte river and the Oregon route, crossing long stretches of land where nothing but sage brush grew and at other times forc- ing his way over the mountains where there was almost no trail. At length, however, he reached the mining districts of California, and for two years was engaged in searching for the precious metal, being moderately success- ful in his work. He then invested his money in a pack train, which he purchased for $4,000, and started from Trinity county to Shasta county, Cal., carrying with him all kinds of provisions and tools. On the Trinity river, however, Indians came upon the camp at supper time and took from him nearly every- thing that he possessed, and then killed his mules. After he had recovered somewhat from his losses he returned to Illinois in 1851. The following year, accompanied by his father and his family, he once more made the long and difficult journey overland to the Pa- cific coast. While in Illinois he had married and was accompanied by his bride on the second journey, which was terminated on the 2d of September. They located near Silver- ton, where Mr. Allen purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land ; and as the years have passed he has added to this until he now owns a valuable farm of five hundred acres all under cultivation. This property is now rented and he is living retired in Silverton, where he has purchased a cottage on Water street. For three years, from 1805 to 1868. he was engaged in the cattle business in the Des Chutes valley, in Crook county, where he owned one hundred and sixty acres.

In Pike county, Ill., February 14, 1852, Nr. Allen was married to Miss Frances Rock- wood, who was born in that state, a daughter of Roderick Rockwood, who was born in Paris, France, and was brought to New York state by his parents at the age of three years. At an early day Mr. Rockwood went to Illinois, settling first in Brown county and

afterward in Pike county. Throughout his entire life he followed blacksmithing. In 1866 he removed to Kansas, where he died when about eighty years of age. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Allen have been born three sons and two daughters, namely: Timothy D., · who is engaged in the operation of his father's farm; Roderick D., who is a clerk in the in- sane asylum at Salem, Ore .; Harvey L., who is now an undertaker at Lewiston, Idaho; Al- wilda Josephine, the wife of L. F. Mascher, a farmer and hop producer of Marion county ; and Adell Gertrude, at home.

Mr. Allen votes with the Republican party, and has served as road supervisor for four terms, while for ten years he has been a school director. That he has lived peaceably with all men is shown by the fact that he has never been engaged in a law-suit. He has never had a fight nor a fire, has paid his debts promptly, has fulfilled other obligations and has been true to every trust reposed in him. Such a life record is well worthy of emiilation, and with pleasure we present his history to the readers of this volume.

ABSALOM BYERLEY. A pioneer entitled to great credit for his part in the development of Oregon, who is enumerated among the pioneers of 1851, and among those courageous Indian fighters who brought about the pacification of the northwest, is Absalom Byerley, formerly an ex- tensive farmer and miller, but since 1901 a retired citizen of Dallas. As his name indicates, Mr. Byerley is of German extraction, and is a native of Polk county, Ind., where he was born Febru- ary 27, 1833, a son of Martin and Elizabeth (Sears) Byerley ; the latter, a daughter of Henry Sears, of Indiana, died in 1852. The family were numerously represented in the southern states, especially in North Carolina, where the paternal grandfather died, and where he owned consider- able land.

Martin Byerley settled in Indiana and in 1835 removed to Knox county, Ill., where he engaged in farming, and also ran a distillery. About 1840 he took up his residence in the vicinity of Fairfield, Jefferson county, Iowa, where he farmed on land for which he paid but $1.25 an acre. In common with other agriculturists in that thinly settled region, he planned to better his condition by removing to the west, and after selling his farm at a reasonable profit, crossed the plains with his wife and six children. The journey was not without its adventures or sor- rows, for one of the children died just before reaching Portland. The father settled on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres on Salt creek, improved his property to the best of his ability.

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Eventually he lived for twelve years in Dallas. His death occurred at Newport, at the age of eighty-three years. Of the children born to this pioneer couple Henry is a farmer at Perrydale ; Absalom, the subject of this sketch; Jane, the wife of John Vernon, of Polk county; Michael, who died in 1852; Jefferson, who lives at New- port ; and Adelaide, who is the wife of Mr. Pow- ley. of Grant's pass, Ore.

The youth of Absalom Byerley contained much of hard work and responsibility. especially in Iowa, where he helped to break prairie and to es- tablish a paying farming industry. In both Illinois and Iowa the acquiring of an education had its disadvantages, for. the early subscription schools were far apart, and the roads almost im- passable during certain seasons of the year. The first really interesting happening in his life was when the family got together their possessions and prepared to emigrate to the west. They had a two-horse carriage, twelve yoke of cattle and three wagons, and May 10 left their home, arriv- ing at Council Bluffs on May 27th. They came by the old Oregon trail, arriving in Dallas Sep- tember 15th, and on the way had light loads and made good time. Mr. Byerley remained at home with his family until his twenty-sixth year, but began to work on surrounding farms when quite a small boy. He bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres on Salt creek, which he improved and farmed, and in 1853 went down into Siskiyou county, Cal., where he planned to mine. How- ever, the Indians soon cleared him out, and he returned overland to Oregon. As an Indian fighter he is known to possess unusual courage, and to have participated in about all of the bouts of his time in this section. He was in the Ya- kima war of 1855-56, as a soldier in Company B, First Oregon National Guard, under Captain Burt, and after the end of the war returned to his home, a little later purchasing two hundred acres of land at Eola. This land proving unsatisfactory he sold it and bought a farm of four hundred acres on the Luckiamute, where he engaged cx- tensively in stock-raising. To his original land he added and in time had four hundred and eighty acres, a portion of which was heavily wooded. This condition suggested an additional source of revenue, and he huilt a steam saw-mill, and engaged in the manufacture of lumber for about nine years. Having used up all the tim- ber around him, he sold his property in the spring of 1901, and, locating in Dallas, bought his pres- ent pleasant and comfortable home.

In Polk county, Ore., Mr. Byerley married Mary Florence Allen, who was horn in Iowa, and died in Oregon, leaving ten children, ninc of whom attained maturity. Of the children, Henry is in Perryville; Leroy is in Arlie; Arabella is now Mrs. Blake, of Dallas ; Frank, Otto and Eu-

gene are in Dallas ; Edward and William are de- ceased ; Mande is a resident of Salem ; and Mary died in Oregon. For a second wife Mr. Byerley married, in Polk county, Mrs. Dolly Crow, widow of Mack Crow, who came to Oregon in 1872. . Politically, Mr. Byerley is a Democrat, but further than the formality of casting his vote has never identified himself with local political affairs. He is a member of the War Veterans Association, and in his religious life is a member of the Christian Church, his wife being identified with the Evangelical Association.

T. L. BONNEY. Those who are interested in the growth and progress of Oregon, and who have studied the causes which have led up there- to. will readily recognize the fact that the men who have come here and laid the foundation for her success and development have been men of versatility, men of enterprise and men who can not only till the soil, thus inducing nature to bring forth her richest gifts, but who can also turn their hands to many industries, taking part in manu- facturing the different articles of commercial use which are very necessary in a new country and which when brought from a distance become very expensive.

Numbered among the men who have aided substantially in the upbuilding of Marion county is T. L. Bonney, who has followed the coopering business practically all his life, and who is now living somewhat retired, following his trade dur- ing the winter scason and leaving the supervis- ion of a large farm, which he owns, to his sons. Mr. Bonney was born February 14. 1835, in Ash- tabula county, Ohio, and is a son of Jarius Bon- ney, a native of Canada, who removed to Ohio with his people when a young man and learned the cooper's trade in the latter state. In that state also Mr. Bonney became acquainted with Miss Larned and made her his wife. Four children were born unto them, all of whom are now deceased. After the death of his first wife Mr. Bonney married Jane Elkins, a native of New York. They made their home in Ohio until 1836, when they removed to Illinois, settling in Fulton county, where they continued to live until 1845. Mr. Bonney then decided to bring his fan- ily to the northwest. They therefore started across the plains, joining a company under the conduct of Captain Welch, of Oregon City. At that time the country was very wild and Indians were numerous, and very often hostile, but the company were unmolested during this journey. which occupied six months. Arriving on the Pacific coast the Bonney family first took up their abode in California, where they remained through the following winter and spring. In 1846 they came by pack train to Oregon, taking up a do-

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nation claim on French Prairie, two miles east of Hubbard. This tract consisted of three hun- dred and twenty acres, mostly of wild and unim- proved land. Mr. Bonney, senior, made many improvements upon this farm, building a large and substantial log house, in which he lived until his death. in 1856. In addition to his agricultural pursuits he followed the cooper's trade for about thirty years, and was the first cooper on French Prairie, making the first barrels and kegs ever made in this vicinity. After the father's death the mother took up her residence with Mr. Bon- ney, of this review, with whom she lived for several years, removing thence to the home of her daughter in castern Oregon, where she died at the age of seventy-eight years.

T. L. Bonney received his education in the dis- trict schools and in the early years of his man- hood took up the cooper's trade, assisting his father and remaining upon the farm until his mar- riage in 1860, the lady of his choice being Ten- nessee Baker. She was born in Missouri and with her parents came to Oregon in 1852, settling in Clackamas county. Her brothers are now living in Albany. Mr. Bonney and his bride began their housekeeping on the old home farm, she proving a faithful helpmate to her husband, and as the years have gone by has aided in acquiring a competency through her industry and economy. Mr. Bonney, too, has spent his life in an energetic and painstaking way, making varied improve- ments and adding all modern equipments and ac- cessories to his farm until it is now one of the most attractive and highly cultivated in the vicin- ity. It comprises seventy-five acres, forty acres of which is under cultivation and used in raising grain, while fourteen acres are devoted to the growing of hops.

Mr. Bonney has left the care and management of his farm to his sons, who, having been reared upon the home farm have become fitted for its conduct and supervision. On the home place are found good frame dwellings, comfortably and commodiously built, as well as other out-build- ings necessary for the protection of grain and stock, and the home of Mr. Bonney and his family has every appearance of comfort and happiness. He has been blessed with the following children : Preston L. and Edward L., now deceased ; Mary F., wife of M. H. Lee, of Canby ; William H., of Redland : Jane O., the wife of M. Pulley, a resident of Marion county, in the vicinity of Hubbard; Lawrence, now residing in Oak Point, Wash .: Ira A. and Albert E., of Hubbard; and Charles, at home.

Although Mr. Bonney has ever been a busy man, he has yet found time to be of public service to the community in which he resides. As a mem- ber of the school board for many years, his in- fluence has always been extended in behalf of ed-

ucation, while his religious views are shown by his membership since 1860 with the United Brethren Church, in which he is trustee. In poli- tics he is a Republican. A man of integrity and honor, the life record of T. L. Bonney forms an interesting chapter in the annals of Marion county, and the methods by which he has achieved success are well worthy of emulation.

EMMANUEL NORTHUP, A. B., B. D., who is dean of McMinnville College and also occupies the chair of mathematics and Greek, has been a representative of edu- cational interests of the northwest since 1882. He was born in West Oneonta, Ot- sego county, N. Y., July 3, 1851, the eldest liv- ing of the seven children of Isaac G. and Phoebe Elizabeth (Saunders) Northup. The family is of English descent and was established at an early epoch in American history in the colony of Rhode Island, and later was planted on Con- necticut soil. The grandfather, Josiah Northup. was born in Connecticut and removing to Ot- sego county, N. Y., there carried on farming and also served as a justice of the peace for many years. His father was the Rev. Emman- 11el Northup, a Baptist minister, who was born in New England and removed from Connecticut to New York, where he did missionary work, preaching without financial remuneration, while in order to support his family he carried on agri- cultural pursuits.

Isaac G. Northup, the father of Professor Northup of McMinnville, was born in Otsego county, N. Y., and throughout his life followed farming. He wedded Phoebe Elizabeth Saun- ders, who was born in Unadilla, Otsego county, N. Y., in 1819, a daughter of Ziba Saunders, who was a mason and builder, and died in Owe- go, Tioga county, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Northup became the parents of seven children, five of whom reached adult age and three are yet liv- ing. The parents held membership in the Bap- tist Church. The father died at the age of sixty- seven years, but the mother is still living at the old homestead in New York.

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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 74

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