Portrait and biographical record of the Willamette valley, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 90

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 90

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Mr. Hagey has served the public in various ways, holding, through Democratic influence, the position of constable, road supervisor and school director at various times. In his religious views, though not a member of the Lutheran Church, is in sympathy with its teachings, as he was brought up in it and it naturally means more to him than any other. He now makes his home in McMinnville, retired from the active duties of life.

D. B. KINGERY. Among the California ar- gonauts who left their homes in the Mississippi valley in search of the golden fleece was D. B. Kingery, and his life history, if written in de- tail, would present a picture of early conditions upon the Pacific coast following the discovery of gold. The incidents and events which are to most people matters of history were to him a matter of memory, because he participated in the work of development here, lived through the era when lawlessness reigned to a large extent and gladly welcomed in the period when frontier conditions gave way to those of an advanced civilization. Mr. Kingery was born in Dauphin county, Pa .. which was also the birthplace of his father, Daniel Kingerv, and of his grand- father. The family is of German descent. The father was a farmer and in 1844 removed with his family to Illinois, proceeding down the Ohio and up the Mississippi rivers. He first located at Albany, Ill., later removed to Union Grove,

that state, and then settled near Mount Morris, Ogle county. He was a farmer by occupation and died in Polo, Ill. His wife, who in her maidenhood was Susan Hoover, was born in Pennsylvania and died in Iowa. In their family were twelve children, ten of whom reached years of maturity. John died in McMinnville, Ore .; Andrew J., David and Ephraim all served throughout the Civil war and the last-named was an officer.

D. B. Kingery was the fourth of those who reached adult age and was born February 22, 1835. He remained in the Keystone state until the removal of the family to Illinois, where he attended the pioneer schools. He was reared to farm life, and when quite young was employed in the neighborhood as a farm hand. In 1852 he suffered an attack of gold fever and joined a company that outfitted at Dixon, Ill., securing oxen, wagon and supplies, with which they started in February for the Pacific coast, crossing the Mississippi river at Albany and the Missouri at Council Bluffs, in March. There they had to wait until the grass grew on the California trail in order that there might be feed for the oxen and stock. While en route they had trouble with the Pawnee Indians, who were determined to have some of their possessions, but they success- fully disputed the question with them and were allowed to proceed up the North Platte. Chol- era also broke out among the party and several died of the disease. They proceeded by way of Sublett's cutoff and the Humboldt river, going one hundred and twenty-five miles into the conn- try and making their own road into northern California.

On the 22nd of August, 1852, Mr. Kingery reached his destination, and at intervals for twenty years he engaged in prospecting and min- ing, but his time was principally devoted to packing and freighting, to the hotel business and to merchandising. He remained at Shasta City until 1854, when he removel to Trinity county, where he engaged in merchandising and mining. In 1856 he removed to Siskiyou county, Cal., locating on the south fork of Scott river, where he carried on mercantile pursuits for a year. In 1857 he made his first trip to Oregon, riding on a mule over the mountains to Willamette. He purchased cattle in Yamhill county and drove them back over the mountains to Siskiyou county, Cal., to his stock ranch. That fall he sold his stock and returned to Illinois by way of the Panama route and New York, arriving in Febru- ary, 1858, at the home of his parents, who were then living in Freeport, Il1. In May of the same year he again came to California and once more located on his ranch, comprising two hundred and forty acres. He engaged in the cattle business, in general farming and in mining and freighting.

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In the latter business he drove teams of from six to eight horses from Red Bluffs to Yreka, using a toll wagon after the road was built, while prior to that time he had done his packing with mules. Thus various business interests claimed the attention of Mr. Kingery and were success- fully conducted by him.

In the regular session of 1880 and the special session of 1881 he was assistant sergeant-at-arms in the California senate, and in the fall of the ' latter year he returned to Siskiyou county, lo- cating in Napa City, where he resided until 1883, when he located permanently in Oregon and purchased a farm of three hundred and forty- seven acres, seven miles southwest of McMinn- ville. This was but partially improved and he continued the work of clearing and improving it, devoting his energies to the cultivation of grain and the raising of hogs, cattle and sheep. In 1893 he rented his land, but continued to live on the farm until 1899. He spent that winter in California and upon his return he purchased a residence in McMinnville. In 1901 he engaged in the real-estate and insurance business as a member of the firm of Odell & Kingery, handling both city and farm property.

Mr. Kingery was twice married. In Siskiyou county, Cal., he wedded Miss Catherine Hay, who was born in the north of Ireland and died in the Golden state. They were the parents of the following children: George W., who died at the age of twenty-one years; Frederick T., Henry Hoover, Alfred L. of Yamhill county, and Daniel B., all of Siskiyou county, the last named being engaged in mining; Willie Hay, who is principal of the schools in Butte, Mont., and Mrs. Mary Andrews, of Heppner, Ore. In Sacramento, Cal., Mr. Kingery wedded Miss Mary Stoner, a native of Pennsylvania, and they had one son, Clarence Stoner, who is in the United States Navy.

In public affairs Mr. Kingery was quite promi- nent and from 1888 to 1892 he served as county commissioner, this being the period when the question of the removal of the county seat was agitated, and during the same period the fine new courthouse was built. For about forty years he served as school director and the cause ever found in him a warm friend. In politics he was an unfaltering Republican from the organization of the party. He was a member of the board of trade of McMinnville and belonged to both the lodge and encampment of the Odd Fellows' so- ciety. He was made a member in Yreka, Cal., but his membership was latterly at Fort Jones, that state. During his residence of over fifty years in the west he made two trips back to the east, first in 1879 and again in 1882, but his in- terests were centered in the west, and there he labored earnestly for improvement and progress.

May 25, 1903, at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Andrews, at Heppner, Ore., Mr. Kingery died, and his remains were taken to Fort Jones, Cal., for burial. He was buried by the Odd Fel- lows lodge at Fort Jones, of which he had been a member for over forty years.

LOUIS LACHMUND, hop merchant, was born in New York City, December 29, 1870, son of Henry and Louise ( Meyer) Lachmund. His father was a native of Bremen, Germany, where he acquired a liberal education. In early life lie removed to New York City, and engaged in manufacturing. Upon the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in a New Jersey regiment of ar- tillery, and served until the close of the war. In recognition of his bravery and meritorious con- . duct on the field of battle, he was promoted to a first-lieutenancy. Fraternally, he was a Master Mason, who, in his daily life, exemplified the beneficent spirit of the order. He died in 1885, leaving a widow and four children, the subject of this sketch being the only son.

Louis Lachmund, after graduating from the public schools of his native city, secured a clerk- ship in the private banking house of Knauth, Nachod & Kuehne, of New York. His employers soon recognized his ability, and promoted him to the position of bookkeeper. In 1889 he entered the employ of Horst Brothers, as bookkeeper in their New York office, and in 1890 he was sent as their representative to the state of Washington, locat- ing in Puyallup, where he remained for six years. Here he studied the details of the hop business, and familiarized himself with the conditions on the entire Pacific coast. In 1895 the firm of Horst Brothers was dissolved, and the business was incorporated under the present style of the Paul R. G. Horst & Lachmund Company. Mr. Lachmund was elected secretary and treasurer of the company, and made general manager of the business on the Pacific coast. He removed to Salem, where he has resided since. Mr. Lach- mund can justly feel proud of the fact that lic is part of this company, which buys and sells about fifteen thousand bales of hops annually, distribut- ing them in all parts of the world. A well-known biographer has well said: "Mr. Lachmund is a strong man, mentally and physically. He never does anything by halves. He never rests as long as there is any improvement to be made. He has an intuitive knowledge of men, and therefore his agents are always the best for accomplishing the purposes for which he selects them. In the or- ganization and conduct of the large enterprise with which his name is associated, he has ac- quired the habits of thought peculiar to all suc- cessful men. Broad, but accurate; diligent, but

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deliberate ; patient, but prompt ; kind, but firm; fearing no weight of responsibility, yet not care- less of it, he always meets and overcomes diffi- culties."

JOHN T. FORD. As sheriff of Polk county, John T. Ford is looking well to the best interests of the community which has honored him with their confidences, and is proving an efficient and conscientious adjuster of the complications by which he is surrounded. For many of the sub- stantial traits of character which have brought about his success he is indebted to an ancestry traced to that self-sacrificing and morally high Huguenot element which was forced to seek for- cign shores for the exercise of religious liberty. Remote members of the family signed their marriage and birth certificates "Fore," but for convenience the American representatives have adopted "Ford." James Ford, the paternal great-grandfather, served with distinction in the war of Independence, and as a member of a Colonial regiment was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. He was a large planter in Virginia, and at the time of his death left a well improved plantation in Westmoreland county, where his son, Col. Nathaniel Ford, the grandfather of John T., was born.

Col. Nathaniel Ford was reared in Virginia, and as a young man removed to Howard county, Mo., where he became prominent in political and other affairs. He was sheriff of the county for four years, and served for an equal length of time as county clerk. His rank was conferred because of meritorious service during the Black Hawk war, and he was further connected with the mili- tary affairs of the state when helping to drive the Mormons from Missouri. As early as 1844 he outfitted and brought his family across the plains, arriving in Polk county in November, and settling on a donation claim four miles east of Dallas, on the Rickreall or La Creole river, and which com- prised six hundred and forty acres. As in Mis- souri, he immediately identified himself with the all-around growth of his adopted locality, and became one of the most prominent and influential men in his county. For several terms he repre- sented his county in the territorial legislature, and he was also county assessor for one term. Needless to say, his sympathies were with the south, for he was a southerner by descent and birth. He was a master Mason, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and was fore- most in his district in promoting education. In his young manhood he married Lucinda D. Em- bree, a native of Kentucky, who died in 1874, at the age of seventy-four years.

Though born in Howard county, Mo., Marcus A. Ford, the father of John T., was educated in

Lexington, Ky., where he took the classical course, and distinguished himself for brilliant scholarship. In Howard county he studied law under Ex-Governor Reynolds, and thereafter practiced his profession for some time in his na- tive state. He was one of the courageous band who crossed the plains in 1844, and upon arriv- ing in Polk county he undertook the practice of law, and was the first law partner of Colonel Nes- mith. Like his father and grandfather, he was devoted to things military, and has had the oppor- tunity to show his prowess in the Cayuse war under that noble pioneer and famous soldier, General Gilliam. He was the first district at- torney of his district, and possessed personal char- acteristics and pronounced abilities which pres- aged uninterrupted success. However, when re- turning from San Francisco in 1853. the ship became becalmed off the coast of Mt. Columbus, and in order to save time he and Mr. Stevens and two sailors started for the shore, but, meeting with a gale, were swamped and lost. Mr. Ford was twenty-six years of age at the time of his death, and left but one child, the present sheriff of Polk county. His wife, who died in 1848, was formerly Amanda Thorp, a native of Mis- souri, and daughter of Maj. John Thorp, who was born in Kentucky, and settled in Missouri. Major Thorp was a large land owner in Mis- souri, and enlisted in that state for the Black Hawk war, in which he won the rank of major. He came across the plains in 1845, settling on a donation claim four miles south of Independence, on the Willamette river. In 1849 he became in- terested in mining in California, speculating to a considerable extent. He was a member of the territorial legislature, and lived to be eighty-one years of age.

Born on the old homestead in Polk county November 17, 1847, John T. Ford was left an orphan at the age of six years, and was reared by Col. Nathaniel Ford. As a youth he was trained in farming, and attended the district schools of his district. When grown he moved to Independence and was identified at times with several business houses of that town, at the same time taking an active interest in politics. Here he married Mattie J. Irvine, a native of Marion county, Ore., and daughter of Samuel Irvine, who came from Missouri in 1852, and died in 1862. Two sons have been born of this union, of whom Marcus A. is a clerk in Dallas, and Walter I. is attending Dallas College. Mr. Ford filled the office of postmaster of Independence from 1885 to 1889 inclusive, and he was also city recorder for two terms. In 1898 he was appointed deputy sheriff, and at the expiration of four years, in 1902, was nominated and elected sheriff on the Democratic ticket, assuming control of his office in July, 1902. Though the precedent is unusual,

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he keeps all the records of the sheriff's office, and in this way keeps in immediate touch with the smallest details of the work. He is well fitted for his responsible position, has a keen knowledge of human nature in all its workings, is not easily influenced, and under no circumstances can be swerved from what he considers fair and right. He is a man of culture and broad general knowl- edge, evidenced particularly during his newspaper career in Independence, where hewas editor of the Enterprise for four years. Mr. Ford is an hon- ored member of the Polk County Pioneers' Asso- ciation, and is one of the many leading citizens of the present time who have traveled the long distance from a crude pioneer log cabin to posi- tions of trust and responsibility.

SALMON WHITE CROWDER. Another of those hardy pioneers of the early '50's whose bravery, valor and undaunted spirit prepared the way for those who now profit by the prevailing prosperity, is Salmon White Crowder, developer of several fine farming properties in Oregon, and an Indian veteran of whom his adopted state has cause to be proud. A man of fine personal char- acteristics and extreme liberality of thought and heart, Mr. Crowder has arrived at the age where men appreciate the peaceful rather than the money-getting side of life, and in his home in Albany is exempt from business cares, and his environment is all that is pleasant and artistic.

Patriotism may be said to be a leading trait of the Crowder family, for soldiers bearing the name have fought in all of the important wars of this country. The paternal grandfather, Archie, stacked his musket upon the battlefields of the Revolution, and for several years slept in the tents of the Colonial army. He was born in Virginia and lived some years in Kentucky, his death occurring on his farm in Champaign county, Ohio. His son, John, the father of Sal- mon White. also was born in Virginia, and when the call to arms was issued in 1812, he enlisted and gave valiant service. He eventually settled on a farm near Lewisburg, Ohio, where he died at the age of eighty-two years, having been pre- ceded several years by his wife, formerly Eliza- beth (Browder) Crowder, who was born in Ver- mont, and lived to be sixty years old. Fourteen children were born into this family, all but one of whom attained maturity, and four of whom are living. The veteran father had the satisfac- tion of seeing five of his sons enlist in the Civil war, participate in the majority of the memorable battles, and return to their respective homes. These sons were named John H., Thomas, Har- rison, William, and Sanford, only one of whom, John H., was wounded during the service.

The little log school-house near the Crowder farm was the only means of education available to the large family of children, and they attended irregularly, and principally during the leisure of the winter months. Salmon White remained under the paternal roof until he became of age, and afterward engaged in farming independently until coming to Oregon in 1853. With friends he traveled by boat to Burlington, and there the eight men comprising the party outfitted with ox-teams and wagons, having brought with them one hundred and sixty head of cattle and some horses. This courageous party left Ohio March 6, 1853, and arrived in the Willamette valley in October of the same year. It is not recorded that their trip was in any way out of the ordi- nary, or that their limited number inspired attacks on the part of the red men. Mr. Crowder re- luctantly parted from the men with whom he had been so long and so intimately associated, and after some time spent in investigating the condi- tions by which he found himself surrounded, lo- cated on a claim of one hundred and sixty acres ten miles south of Albany. Even then the Indi- ans were rendering almost intolerable the life of the settlers, and each regarded it as his per- sonal duty to help restore order, and make possi- ble the tilling of their land. During 1855-56 Mr. Crowder was a member of Company H, First Oregon Volunteer Infantry, and in this capacity took part in the battle of Walla Walla or Whit- man station, which covered four days of hard fighting, and was one of the notable contests of the Yakima war, as well as many other battles and skirmishes. After being mustered out he re- turned to his farm, a large portion of which he cleared and improved.

While located at Sand Ridge Mr. Crowder mar- ried Lucinda Wishard, who was born in Indiana, and crossed the plains in 1852 with her father, Archie, settling on a farm in Linn county. Of this union there have been born six children, the order of their birth being as follows: Emma, now Mrs. Parish, of Albany ; Henry, a carpenter, of Los Angeles, Cal .; Charles, foreman of the round house of the Corvallis & Eastern Railroad in Albany; Salmon A., a carpenter, of Albany ; Ada, the wife of John Simpson, an engineer on the Corvallis & Eastern Railroad; and George, engaged in the hotel business in Portland. Soon after his marriage Mr. Crowder sold his farm and moved on a large stock farm at Butte Disappoint- ment, Lane county, where he lived four years. HIe then bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres eight miles southeast of Albany, but after- ward sold this property and bought three hun- dred acres south of Lebanon. Eight years later he removed to a farm near Miller's station, and after that lived on several farms, all of which

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he disposed of upon coming permanently to Al- bany.

In Lane county Mr. Crowder served four years as justice of the peace, elected to the office by his Republican constituents. He is a member of the Christain Church, and of the Indan War Veter- ans' Association. To an exceptional degree he has the confidence of the country and town com- munities in which he has lived, and his agricul- tural, as well as political, war, and general efforts, have always redounded to the credit of his adopted state.

HON. SYLVANDER A. DAWSON. A pioneer of 1861, and for many years connected with the agricultural and political development of Linn county, Hon. S. A. Dawson has been a resident of Albany since 1897, and maintains one of the fine and hospitable homes of the city. Of Scotch descent, he was born in Marion county, Ind., December 4, 1841, and was reared on a farm seven miles north of Indianapolis. His father, John R., was born in Jefferson county, Ky., whither had come the paternal grandfather, Will- iam, who emigrated from Scotland. The latter was an extensive farmer and stock-raiser, and lived to an advanced age in Kentucky. John R. Dawson moved as a young man to Marion county, Ind., and there married Juliette Morgan, who was born in Morgan county, Va., a daughter of James Morgan, who spent his entire life in Vir- ginia. Three daughters and three sons were. born in Indiana, and accompanied their parents across the plains in 1861, settling on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres five miles east of Albany. Here the father farmed until his death in 1873, he being survived by his wife, who died in February, 1901, at the age of eighty-five years. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. John R. Dawson : Lucinda Jane, married J. W. Swank, of Portland ; Sylvander A .; Ann Z., died in early childhood in Indiana; Millard F. lives on a farm five miles east of Albany; Sylvester N. died at age of eighteen years and six months, near Al- bany; Sarah J., wife of J. B. Haight, of Port- land; Ida I., wife of Ed. R. M. Carter, of Port- land.

In addition to the public schools of Indiana, S. A. Dawson had the advantage for a year of a school in Danville, Ill., and with this nucleus for his present well stored mind, was obliged to con- tent himself at that time. On the trip across the plains in 1861 he drove one of the ox-teams, while his father drove another, and the hired man a third. They brought considerable loose stock, most of which stood the long jaunt fairly well, the party arriving in Albany six months to a day from the time they left Danville, Ill. For- tunately, half of the farm purchased by the father

was broken, and therefore cost him $15.50 per acre. S. A. Dawson remained at home for two years, and the following two years he spent in . mining and packing in Idaho and Montana. Re- turning to Albany, he bought a farm near the old home and engaged in farming and stock-raising, and after the death of his father in 1873 came into possession of the old place of one hundred and sixty acres. From then until taking up his residence in Albany in 1897 he farmed success- fully, adding many improvements to the home stead, and so operating the property as to bring him in a comfortable profit.

Beginning with 1878 Mr. Dawson became prominently identified with Republican politics in Linn county, and that year was nominated for sheriff of the county, but was defeated. In 1880 he was elected a member of the legislature, serv- ing in the session of that year, creditably repre- senting the best interests of his constituency. In 1886 he was elected to the state senate, served in the session of 1887, assisting in the election of Senator Dolph, and also served in 1889. Again elected to the senate in 1894, he served in the ses- sions of 1895-7, but has not been a candidate since. At the present time he is serving his sec- ond term in the Albany City Council, representing the Second ward; was formerly a member of both the State Central and County Committees. He has been one of the stanch supporters of his party in the state, and his political service has been characterized by the highest honor and never at the sacrifice of principle.

In Linn county Mr. Dawson was united in mar- riage in 1873 with Sarah L. Haight, who was born in Linn county in 1849, and whose father, Silas Haight, a native of New York state, crossed the plains in 1844. Georgia C., the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Dawson, is attending the Albany College and will graduate in the class of 1904.

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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 90

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