Portrait and biographical record of the Willamette valley, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present, Part 98

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 98

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R. M. WOOLWORTH. A hop-raiser and farmer entitled to special mention among the developers of Yamhill county is R. M. Wool- worth, one of the types of men who have hewed

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their way through the world without much as- sistance, either financial or influential, and who are accountable only to themselves for their suc- cess in a given line of activity. Mr. Woolworth was born in Cortland county, N. Y., August 9, 1847, and comes of English ancestry authentically traced back to the paternal great-great-great- grandfather, Richard first, who was born in Eng- land in 1600.

Calvin W. Woolworth, the father of R. M., was born in Stratton, N. Y., his wife, Phoebe (Lovell) Woolworth, being a native of the same state. Through his entire active life the elder Mr. Woolworth was a carpenter, and in 1854 crossed the plains to California, engaging in mining for about three years. He then returned to New York and worked at his trade until 1872, in which year he removed to Michigan, and died in Tustin, that state, in 1887. Of the two daughters and eight sons born to Mr. and Mrs. Woolworth, four sons are living, R. M. being the fourth oldest. Randolph is a resident of Butteville, Marion county, Ore .; Albert lives in Silverton, Mich .; and Dwight lives in Mt. Angel, Ore.

A disagreement with his father when seven- teen years of age resulted in the departure from his home of R. M. Woolworth, who forthwith removed to Schuyler county, N. Y., and lived there for a couple of years. While there he enlisted in the One Hundred and Twenty-first New York Volunteer Infantry, Company H, but was naturally too late in the service to participate in any of the history-making battles. However, he was sent south under General Grant, and was eventually changed to Company C, Sixty-fifth New York Volunteer Infantry. After being mustered out in 1865 he returned to Rochester, N. Y., lived there a year, and in 1867 went to Michigan, thereafter engaging in farming and logging in several counties in the northern part of the state. In all he lived there for about sixteen years, and, rich in experience, came to Oregon in 1886, determined to henceforth exert his abilities in the wonderfully prolific west. Mr. Woolworth purchased his present farm of thirty acres near Dayton, Ore., and has since cleared one-half of it, seven acres being at present under hops. Also he is engaged in general farming, and his land has yielded him a fair income for labor expended.

In 1867 Mr. Woolworth married Eunice Doud, who was born in Michigan, and who became the mother of the following children: Mrs. Lena Wade, of McMinnville; Charles, a resident of Dayton; Grace, deceased: Mrs. Mary Abdill, of Dayton ; Ilugh, living at home : and Maudie also living with her parents. A Republican in political affiliations, Mr. Woolworth has been

school director for nine years in Oregon, and in his old home in Michigan he served as constable and school director. Fraternally he is identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen of Dayton, in which he has taken the degree of honor; and with Upton Post No. 75, G. A. R., of Dayton.

MONTGOMERY M. McDONALD, who was born in Ohio in 1821, departed this life in 1876 and in Yamhill county, where he was living, his death was deeply mourned. His father, Hugh McDonald, was born amid the highlands of Scot- land, and the grandfather left the land of hills and heather with his grandson, M. M. McDonald. The latter was in early life employed as a sales- man in a dry goods house in Missouri and also held a similar position in Kentucky. In his early manhood he engaged in teaching school to some extent. As a companion and helpmate for life's journey he chose Miss Mary A. Hayes, who was born in Westmoreland county, Pa., May 18, 1833, a daughter of J. L. Hayes, who was also a native of Westmoreland county, and who fol- lowed the occupation of farming. His wife, Mrs. Julia Hayes, was a native of Maryland.

Mr. McDonald removed from Ohio to Ken- tucky and afterward to Missouri. Later he took up his abode in lowa and began business in Hollyville, Taylor county, in connection with Nave & McCord. His wife removed from Penn- sylvania to Iowa and it was in Taylor county that they became acquainted and were married, the wedding being celebrated in the year 1857. They began their domestic life there and remained residents of Taylor county for about five years, when, on account of the failing health of Mr. McDonald, they removed to Missouri, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1866 they left that state for the far northwest, taking a circuitous route, which led them by way of New York, making the Isthmus of Panama, thence over the waters of the Pacific to Portland. On reaching the last-named place they at once started for McMinnville, Ore., and in the suc- ceeding spring Mr. McDonald purchased three hundred and sixty acres of rich land about four and one-half miles from the town. Taking up his abode thereon he began its further cultiva- tion and improvement, continuing to develop that property through the succeeding ten years of his life. In 1880 his widow and sons pur- chased the farm of two hundred and twenty acres upon which the former now resides.

U'nto this worthy couple were born four sons : William Douglas, who makes his home in Mc- Minnville: Robert, who is living with his mother ; George and Henry, both deceased. Mr.

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McDonald was a prominent Mason of McMinn- ville and in his life exemplified the beneficent and helpful spirit of the craft. In politics he was a Democrat, and his career was that of a good, industrious, honorable man, who in all life's re- lations was found true to duty. He passed away in 1876, at the age of fifty-five years, and the community lost a valuable citizen; his friends one whose faithfulness was above question and his family a devoted husband and father.

CATHERINE ELIZABETH STUMP. One of the oldest living pioneers of Polk county, Ore., is Mrs. Catherine Elizabeth Stump, who crossed the plains with her parents in 1844, en- during with a pioneer's courage and patience the trials and privations incident to the life of the early settlers, and proving with the passing of the years her title to citizenship of this great western commonwealth.

The father of Mrs. Stump, Aaron Chamber- lin, was born in New York, July 4, 1809, and removed to Michigan with his parents when a young man, his father having settled near De- troit. On attaining his majority he married Catherine Viles, a native of New Jersey, and after a time spent in Iowa, they removed to Mis- souri, locating near St. Joseph. This city was in the pathway of the western emigrants, and it was only a short time until Mr. Chamberlin was imbued with the idea of the advantages and opportunities of the west, and after two and a half years they joined an emigrant train drawn by oxen, and started upon their journey. Dur- ing the six months before they reached Oregon City their greatest difficulty lay in their limited provisions, but without other incident they ar- rived at their destination a week before Christ- mas, having left their home May 10. As soon as the donation act went into effect, Mr. Cham- berlin at once took up a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres, located south of Luck -. iamute, Polk county, upon which he remained until 1868, making a success of his western ven- ture. In the last named year he went to Sonora, Mexico, to visit a son, and while there he was taken ill with the fever and died, March 4, 1869, in his sixty-first year. His wife died on the home place in Oregon October 20, 1883. She was the mother of six children, four of whom are now living, two daughters and four sons, Joseph Chamberlin, Catherine, Ann and Enoch, the third being Catherine, who was born in Michigan, near Detroit, February 23, 1835.

Though but nine years old when the journey was made to their new home, Mrs. Stump was old enough to realize the trials and privations which they necessarily experienced, and she continued to bear with patience whatever fell

to her lot during the years in which her father was making his competency. A very limited education was received through the medium of the early schools located in the vicinity of their home, after which she was married March 10, 1850, to David Stump, who was born in Ohio, October 29, 1819, and who, in 1845, when twenty-one years old, crossed the plains alone by ox-team and after his marriage settled on a donation claim near Luckiamute, Polk county, and engaged in farming and cattle-raising. In his combined interests he met with most grati- fying success, at his death owning in the county twenty-three hundred acres of land. Not satis- fied to be alone a financial success, Mr. Stump gave much of his time to public works of va- rious description, being actively interested in the Christian College, which was organized in 1865, and also other notable movements, whose aim was toward the upbuilding of the town of Monmouth. As a Republican he ably represent- ed his party in the state legislature for one term. Religiously he was a member of the Christian Church. His death occurred February 20, 1886, at the age of sixty-six years. Of the four chil- dren born to Mr. and Mrs. Stump, Mary S. is the widow of Rev. T. F. Campbell, a professor in the Christian College and for thirteen years its president ; since his death his widow has made her home with her mother; Joseph Solo- mon, a mining man of Nome, Alaska; Cather- ine B. also makes her home with her mother, and John B. is located on a farm of six hun- dred acres in this county. Mr. Stump had built a handsome residence in Monmouth, on the corner of Jackson street and College avenue, and in 1878 had occupied it, giving to his children the advantages of the college at Monmouth, now the Oregon State Normal School, while the two daughters took a post-graduate course at Wellesley, Mass.

GEORGE T. CARY. A descendant of a de- scendant of a pioneer is George T. Cary, his father, Job Cary, being born in Yamhill county, February 14, 1855, the son of Miles Cary, who crossed the plains in 1843, in the interests of the Hudson's Bay Company, settling in Yamhill county, Ore., where he took up a donation land claim of six hundred and forty acres near the town of St. Joseph. Upon this claim he lived for many years, rearing his family here, and putting into the broad acres the strength of his manhood that the tangled wilderness demanded should a harvest time be desired. His son Job worked with him until he was twenty years old, going at that age to make a home for himself. He first bought a farm north of Lafayette, which he worked for some time, but becoming dissatis-

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fied he sold it, investing the money in the land where his son now lives. He married Miss Sarah Perkins, a native of the castern state, and of this union three children were born: Elma Doney, of Lafayette; Edward, engaged in the dairy business in Tillamook county; and the youngest, George T., who was born December 29 of the Centennial year, and died February 13, 1903.

At nineteen years of age, George T. left home to engage in the teaming business over the coun- try, a business which at that time, though full of hardships, still meant a great change from the humdrum existence of life on a farm, he being just at the age when he could most enjoy the adventures incident to such a life in a new coun- try. But having been reared with the broad acres of harvest promise about him, the hills covered with the life for which he must care, it was impossible to keep away from the joys of tilling the soil, consequently he came back and occupied the farm which his father had bought and which the latter now left, purchasing another in the near neighborhood. Of one hundred acres in the homeplace, forty-five are in active cultiva- tion. Twelve acres are devoted to the cultiva- tion of hops, the remainder being utilized for stock-raising.

December 5, 1895, Mr. Cary married Miss Sarah Rogers, a native of Cowlitz county, Wash., and three children share the home, Luvern, Leon- ard and Sirene. Mr. Cary took pride in the fact that he was independent of any political party, voting rather for the man than the platform, be- lieving that the greatest good will result for his country in a ballot so cast.

R. W. McCALL. On the old farm in Mont- gomery county, Tenn., around which clustered memories of his father and grandfather, R. W. McCall was born February 21, 1851, his father having been born on the same old landmark De- cember II. 1825. His mother, Martha A. Mc- Call, was also a native of Montgomery county, her natal day being January 22, 1825. She was the mother of nine children, four daughters and five sons. R. W. being the second oldest.

Although fairly successful in Tennessee, D. W. McCall realized the larger opportunities which awaited the sojourner to the west, and in 1851 emigrated with his family to Hancock county, Ill., where he bought a farm and con- tinued to improve the same until 1865. Gather- ing together the needful possessions he then joined a caravan of one hundred and twenty wagons bound for the Pacific coast, his own wagons being drawn with horse rather than ox teams. Dr. Goodwin, the amiable and help- ful captain of the train, proved equal to his large

responsibility, and safely piloted his numerous charges over the plains, arriving in eastern Ore- gon September 17, having started out April 25. Mr. McCall located in Union county for a year, and engaged in ferrying on the Grand Ronde river. In 1866 he came to Yamhill county, locating on a farm of two hundred acres three miles southwest of McMinnville, where he farmed and raised stock until 1870. During that year he became the possessor of a farm upon which his son is now living. A few years before his death, which occurred September 11, 1899. he moved into McMinnville, and thereafter lived in comparative retirement, his life rendered lonely and purposeless because of the death of his wife on the home farm in November, 1886.

Notwithstanding the excellent training which R. W. McCall received under his father, he at- tended the agricultural college at Corvallis for a couple of years, and there learned of the prog- ress attained in this most useful of sciences. That this knowledge has been well applied is evidenced to all who are privileged to visit his well appointed farm, which consists of three hun- dred and fifty acres, and which he inherited from his father in 1899. Following close upon his marriage, in December, 1875, with Melissa J Michael, born in Linn county, Ore., June 14, 1858, Mr. McCall remained on the home place four years, and in 1881 bought one hundred and sixty acres of land near his present home, where he lived until 1889. For the following six years he rented land from his father, and then moved onto a farm near by, where he worked and pros- pered until coming into his present inheritance. Mr. McCall is especially interested in stock- raising, and during the many years of his agri- cultural independence has bought and sold many head of valuable cattle, horses, hogs, and sheep. Although not interested in politics aside from the formality of casting his vote, he is a stanch supporter of Democracy. Mr. McCall has for many years been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, is stew- ard and trustee, and is at present doing excel- lent work as superintendent of the Sunday- school. The utmost respect and good-will is evidenced towards Mr. McCall by all his asso- ciates and his worth-while career is worthy of emulation from many standpoints.

WILLIAM WESS, substantially identified with farming interests in Yamhill county, was born in Germany, February 19, 1847, his parents, John and Kate Wess, being also natives of the Fatherland. John Wess was a cabinetmaker by trade, and came to America when his son Wil- liam was very young. After spending some time in New York City he came on to Wisconsin, and

Jesse HR Ough Sarah Pugh

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worked at his trade in Milwaukee for the balance of his life, his death occurring in 1852. There were but three children in his family, two sons and one daughter.

After the death of his father William Wess lived with his mother and brother and sister, and although they were in somewhat straitened circumstances, he managed to receive a fair edu- cation at the public schools of Milwaukee, and to gain a slight knowledge of general business. At the age of seventeen he availed himself of the opportunity to serve his country as a soldier, and in 1864 enlisted in Company E, Thirty- eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, as a pri- vate, and was sent to Madison, then to Washing- ton, and later to the front as a member of the Army of the Potomac. He participated in the battle of the Wilderness, Petersburg, Spottsyl- vania, Appomattox Court House, Richmond and many others, and was mustered out in August, 1865, thereafter returning to his former home in Wiseonsin. After attending school for a year and a half Mr. Wess repaired to northern Wisconsin and worked for several years in the sawmills, afterward continuing in that line of activity in Menominee county, Mich.

In 1875 Mr. Wess came to Oregon, and in Yamhill county bought eighty acres of land, to which he has added by more recent purchase. Out of one hundred and twenty acres in his present farm forty acres are under cultivation, and many improvements add to convenience and profit of a general farming enterprise. There is also an orchard of nearly five thousand fruit trees, including both apples and prunes. In 1871 Mr. Wess married Sarah A. Coates, who was horn in New York, and who is the mother of three children, of whom Ira J. is a resident of eastern Oregon ; Hugh E. is living at home ; and Gertrude O. also is living with her parents. Mr. Wess is interested in various fraternal and other organizations in which Yamhill county abounds. A Republican in politics, he has served as school director and clerk for a number of years, and is also road supervisor. He is a welcome member of Custer Post, No. 9, G. A. R., and is past grand commander. In religion he is identified with the Christian Church and was its clerk for several years.

JESSE W. PUGH. The value of temperate living and of upright business methods finds il- lustration in the life of Jesse W. Pugh, who, though eighty-five years old, still retains his normal faculties, and manages his splendid farm with as much skill as he did half a century ago. The life of this honored pioneer, than whom there is none more popular or influential in this part of the county, began in Kentucky, October

26, 1818, and as a small boy he moved with his parents to Illinois, soon afterward going to the state of Iowa. The father was a farmer in Kentucky, Illinois and Iowa, and led the strenu- ous life of those days. He was killed by light- ning in 1822, his son Jesse being then four years old.

While on the home farm in Iowa Jesse Pugh coneeived the idea of joining the pioneers of the western slope, and in 1846 joined a party bound for the coast. With him came his wife, formerly Sarah Ransom, who was born in England, and who came to lowa with her parents when she was three years old. The emigrants met with little trouble from the Indians, although one of the men of the party, by name Edward Trimble, was killed by a murderous red man. Mr. Pugh and his wife spent the first winter in the west at Whitman's Station, and in the spring of 1847 came to Washington county, Ore., where he bought a squatter's claim and upon which he lived for about five years. He became a resident of Linn eounty in 1852, taking up the claim of six hundred and forty acres upon which he has sinee lived, and which is located eleven miles south of Albany, and six miles west of Shedds. Practically all of the improvements have been made by the present owner, who has availed himself of all known devices for conducting a model scientific agricultural enterprise. More land has been purchased by him at different times, and once he owned eight hundred and forty acres. His ranch is most complete in all of its arrangements, and bears evidence of the years of patient care which have been expended on it. He raises large numbers of Shorthorn cattle and Cotswold sheep, besides fine horses, and grain. It is one of the model farms in the county, and is exceptionally valuable from a monetary standpoint.

From time to time Mr. Pugh has taken a keen interest in politics, but has never been willing that his name should appear as a candidate for office. For many years himself and wife have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and have attended regularly when the weather and their health permitted. The little church has been maintained largely through the gener- osity of Mr. Pugh, whose influence for good has been further felt in the educational matters of the county. He is a staneh believer in educa- tion, and in all that is progressive and helpful. Seven children have been born to himself and wife, of whom Emma is the wife of D. Jenkins of eastern Oregon : James lives on a farm near his father : Alice is the widow of H. Wright of Albany; Adelaide is the wife of H. Jackson of the vicinity of Tangent; and Anna is the wife of A. M. Kendell, near Shedds. Kindly in man- ner and generous in his judgment of all with

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whom he has to deal, Mr. Pugh has always maintained the most friendly relations with his friends and associates, and no man in the neigh- borhood more forcibly represents the substantial and thoroughly reliable western farmer.

J. T. FRYER, who owns and operates one hundred and forty acres of land in Yamhill county, near Carlton, was born in Washington county, near Hillsboro, May 6, 1858. His father. John L. Fryer, was a native of Green county, Ky., born June 30, 1823, and when a young man he became a general tradesman and later he en- gaged in farming. With his parents he went to Missouri and then gave his attention to freight- ing, making trips from St. Louis, Mo., to Santa Fe, New Mexico. That was in the early days, before the building of the railroads across the plains, and such a life brought many hardships and oftentimes was very dangerous. In these pioneer times William Fryer, the grandfather of our subject, also crossed the plains, making the trip in 1852. He started with his wife and four sons and three daughters. The three sons be- sides John L. were Alex, James M. and Joseph, Alex being the only one now living. John L. Fryer was married to Mrs. Diana (Decker) Landess, the daughter of John Decker, and was born in Indiana, July 9, 1823. By her first hus- band, Abram Landess, she had four daughters and one son : Ellen, Mary Jane, Adeline, Martha and George W., of Lafayette. Mr. and Mrs. Fryer became the parents of three daughters and one son, namely : Sarah, deceased; J. T., of this review ; Mrs. Angeline Edson, of Carlton; and Mrs. Nettie May Edson, now deceased. Mrs. Fryer's father and Abram Landess crossed the plains from Illinois in 1847, locating in Wash- ington county, near Hillsboro. When John L. Fryer came to Oregon he took up his abode in Yamhill county and in 1854 removed to Wash- ington county, where he resided until 1863. He then returned to Yamhill county and purchased the farm upon which his son J. T: is now re- siding. There he lived until his death, devoting his energies to agricultural pursuits. He passed away January 23, 1877, and his wife's death occurred in April, 1882.

J. T. Fryer spent the days of his boyhood and youth in his parent's home and when nineteen years of age entered upon an independent busi- ness career, taking charge of his father's farm. Ile received his education in the common schools and in the State University at Eugene. where he spent a year and a half, being one of the first students in that institution. Throughout his en- tire career he has carried on farm work and his

careful management and supervision of his place has led to the development of a highly improved property.

In 1879 occurred the marriage of Mr. Fryer and Miss Sarah E. Hutchcroft, who was born in Wisconsin on the 7th of August, 1862. In their family were four children, but one died in in- fancy. The others are Harry L., Millard J. and Robert L., who are at home. The farm com- prises one hundred and forty acres of rich land, of which one hundred and ten acres are under cultivation. Mr. Fryer is now making a specialty of the raising of hops, having twenty-five acres planted to that crop. In his political views he is a Democrat and has filled several local offices, serving as road supervisor, justice of the peace and in school offices. He belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen at Carlton, also to the Artisans of that place, and is connected with the Woodmen of the World at North Yamhill. His entire life has been passed in Oregon and he has therefore been a witness of much of its de- velopment as it has left behind the conditions of frontier life and advanced to a leading place among the great states of the west.

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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 98

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