Portrait and biographical record of western Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present.., Part 113

Author: Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman publishing company
Number of Pages: 1064

USA > Oregon > Portrait and biographical record of western Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present.. > Part 113

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On the ticket of the Republican party, whose principles he supports, Mr. Dement has been elected to a number of local offices. At different times he served as school director, and he is now filling his second term as county commis- sioner. Whether in an official capacity or as a private citizen, all of his duties have been met with a quiet fidelity and tactful intelligence that are among his characteristics. It has been said of him that he possesses in an exceptional degree those qualities of mind and heart which win and retain friends.

J. M. CASEBEER. Prominently identified with the industrial growth and prosperity of Jackson county is J. M. Casebeer, a well-known and highly respected business man of Ashland. For many years he has been closely associated with the development and promotion of the ag- ricultural interests of this section of the state. and through his untiring and judicious labors has achieved success in the prosecution of his chosen vocation. He owns large tracts of tim- ber and farming lands, and has a fine residence property in the city, his home being on North Main street, where he has three acres of land. A son of Josiah Casebeer. he was born February 2. 1856, in Winthrop, Buchanan county, Iowa. He comes of thrifty German stock, his paternal grandfather, Jacob Casebeer, having emigrated from Germany, his native land, to Pennsylvania, thence to Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where he was engaged in farming until his death. He was a man of upright character, and a faithful mem- ber of the Lutheran Church.

Born in Pennsylvania, Josiah Casebeer was but a small child when his parents removed to Tus- carawas county, Ohio, where he grew to man's

CYRUS HEDDEN.

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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

estate. When ready to begin life on his own account, he settled on a farm in Winthrop, Iowa, where he resided until 1877. Coming then to Oregon, he continued in agricultural pursuits for a number of years, a part of the time being associated with his son, J. M. Casebeer, with whom this sketch is chiefly concerned. He spent his last days in Ashland, dying in January, 1888, at the age of seventy-seven years. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Mosier, was born in New York state, and now resides with her son, Mr. Casebeer, in Ashland. Bowed with the infirmities of age, being seventy-eight years old, she has lost the use of many of her faculties, and is now blind and helpless. She bore her husband five children. William, a merchant in Rocky Ford, Colo., was a veteran of the Civil war, serving four years in the Twenty-seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry; Mrs. Mary Morgan is a resident of Vernon, Kans .; George, a merchant in Lewisburg, Kans., served in the Civil war, as member of an Iowa regiment; Edwin, a stock- man of Klamath county, Ore., and J. M., the sub- ject of this sketch.

After completing his elementary education in the public schools of Iowa, J. M. Casebeer at- tended Oberlin College, in Oberlin, Ohio, for two years. Returning then to Iowa, he assisted his father in the care of the home farm for awhile, and then moved with his parents to Redcloud, Neb., where he helped to clear and improve a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres. Coming with the family to Oregon in 1877, he located in Jackson county, and in partnership with his father and brother Edwin, bought two hundred acres of land, lying about four miles north of Ashland. Improving the property, he set out a large orchard, and the three industrious men engaged in general farming, meeting with such success that they soon afterwards bought forty acres of adjoining land. Selling out that ranch, Mr. Casebeer went to Klamath county in 1881, and for four years thereafter was employed in stock-raising and dealing, his ranch being near Bly. Returning to Jackson county in 1885, he purchased a farm of four hundred acres, about four miles north of Ashland, and engaged in grain raising on an extensive scale, having one- half of the ranch under plow, in addition raising hay and stock. Mr. Casebeer subsequently bought another ranch, fifteen miles east of Ash- land, and this three hundred and sixty acres of land, which has been named Green Springs ranch on account of its natural springs of water, lie devotes almost entirely to stock-raising, his brand being crown J.

Removing to Ashland in 1894, Mr. Casebeer bought his present property, and has since im- proved one of the most attractive and valuable estates on North Main street. Here he has three

acres of land, which he cleared from the brush, and on which he has now profusely bearing fruit trees of many varieties, and many fine shrubs. In 1898 Mr. Casebeer, with a party of friends, went to Alaska. Leaving Ashland on horseback, they proceeded to Teslin Lake, the headwaters of the Hootalinqua river, a tributary of the Lewis, arriving there October 18, having during their journey of six months stopped at different places to prospect. Continuing their journey to Atlin, they leased land, paying their rent, but found that according to the Canadian laws they could not open mines, although they could work as miners for other people. In the spring of 1900 the party returned by way of Whitehorse pass to Skagway, thence to Oregon by boat.

In August, 1887, in Medford, Jackson county, Mr. Casebeer married Minnie Dohack, who was born in Bloomington, Ill., a daughter of John Do- lack. A native of Utica, N. Y., Mr. Dohack re- moved in early life to Illinois, buying land ad- joining the city of Bloomington, where he was for many years a prosperous farmer. During the Civil war he took an active part, serving in an Il- linois regiment. Coming to Oregon in 1884, he bought a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres at Eagle Point, where he now resides. Of his union with Mary Robison, daughter of Joseph Robison, a life-long resident of Illinois, seven children were born, namely: Elsa, living in California; Eli, of Jackson county; Minnie, now Mrs. Casebeer ; Zara, of Jackson county ; Irwin, of Jackson coun- ty; Mrs. Ida Mathes, of this county; and Mrs. Dora Nepon, of Illinois. Mrs. Casebeer was educated in her native city, completing her studies at the state normal school, in Normal, Ill. Of her union with Mr. Casebeer two children have been born, Chauncey and Lloyd. Mr. Casebeer is a member of the Oregon Stock Growers' Asso- ciation, and is very much interested in the raising of thoroughbred stock, on his ranch making a specialty of Durham cattle. He is a Republican in politics, and a member of Ashland Lodge, I. O. O. F. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mrs. Casebeer is a member of the Baptist Church.

CYRUS HEDDEN is one of Scottsburg's most highly honored citizens, and enjoys the full and unlimited confidence of his fellow citi- zens. Belonging to that class of American citi- zens known as self-made, from a humble station he has risen to a position of prominence in the commercial world, purely by his own exertions. For many years one of Scottsburg's most suc- cessful merchants, he owns a large amount of valuable real estate, and prior to engaging in mercantile life he followed the blacksmith's trade, being an expert mechanic with much natural

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ability. Mr. Hedden is a pioneer in this section, having come to the Pacific slope about 1850. He was born near Newark, N. J., March 4, 1820, his youth being spent about one mile from the above named city. When sixteen years of age he became apprenticed to learn the blacksmith's trade, and for four years he worked for his board and clothes and completely mastered all the intricacies of that profession. In 1848 he went to Terre Haute, Ind., and followed his trade as a journeyman until 1850, when he conceived an idea to go to California. In company with several companions he crossed the plains with a six horse team as far as Salt Lake City, where the horses were exchanged for oxen and they proceeded on their journey, arriving at Sacra- mento, August 6, 1850. The fall and winter were spent in prospecting and mining on the American river, and in April, 1851, he started for Oregon on the steamer Sea Gull, bound for Portland. In June, 1851, he and eight others left Portland for the purpose of founding a town at Port Orford. They landed on Battle Rock, which was so named on account of the battle which occurred there, and boasted a cannon. Again taking up his travels, Mr. Hedden landed at Scottsburg September 20. During these wanderings his luck varied, and he arrived at Scottsburg barefooted and divested of every- thing save a pair of buckskin trousers, having been compelled to give even his shirt to Indians while crossing the Coos river. Undaunted, and still hopeful for the future, he began anew, working at whatever he could get to do until the following spring, when he secured a black- smith shop and went to work in earnest at his old trade, being by this time thoroughly convinced of the truth of the old saying, "A rolling stone gathers no moss." He went to San Francisco for tools, and carried on a suc- cessful business there for years. From that time until 1870 he continued to follow his chosen vo- cation almost exclusively, except for a brief period when he tried ranching with indifferent success, and later he bought a shop and com- menced business for himself. In 1870, having amassed considerable money, hic engaged in mer- cantile business in Scottsburg, and has con- ducted a successful business in that line ever since. He now owns about three thousand acres of land purchased at different times, nearly all of it located in the Umpqua valley.

March 22, 1855, Mr. Hedden was united in marriage with Margaret Sawyer, who was born in Philadelphia, July 28, 1833, and died Decem- ber 20, 1890. Her parents removed from Phil- adelphia to New Orleans, returning thence to Steubenville, Ohio, where they lived until 1854, and then went west to Oregon, settling on the Umpqua river. Mr. Hedden's four children are

all deceased except the eldest son, John N., who was born May 1, 1856, and has been associated with his father in business since he was twenty years of age. He married Fannie Henderer, a daughter of Charles G. Henderer, and they have had five children, Cyrus, Emma, Hulda, deceased, Charles G., and June. Those deceased are, Mary H., who was born November 23, 1858, married John Fryer and died February 23, 1894; Josephine, who was born in 1862 and died Janu- ary 19, 1863 ; and Elizabeth, who was born Feb- ruary 13, 1865, and died August 27, 1867. In his political convictions Mr. Hedden has voted the Republican ticket ever since the formation of that party and has served as county commis- sioner of his county.

MARTIN BREEN was born in County Wex- ford, Ireland, November 12, 1839, his early life being spent on a farm. In April, 1857, he ex- changed it for a life on the ocean, and as a sailor lie engaged in the coasting trade between Ire- land and Liverpool. At the latter city he em- barked as a sailor for American waters, and for eleven months was connected with the ship Agnes, of Boston, Mass., plying between Boston, Liverpool and Savannah, Ga. In January, 1859, he embarked on the ship Sea Lion, of Bath, Me., then lying in Boston harbor, bound for Rio Janeiro, Brazil. After a two months' stormy passage he arrived at Rio Janeiro in the midst of the yellow fever scourge and began un- loading cargo under the hot tropical sun. His shipmates began to take the fever, one after another, and were sent to the hospital, there to die, until out of a crew of ten men be- fore the mast but two remained, including him- self. Finally he, too, became'stricken with, the fever and had to go to the hospital, and there for nine weeks hovered between life and death. At one time during the night the attendant, sup- posing him to be dead, had him removed from his cot to the morgue, and it was the intention to bury him in the morning. Fate willed other- wise, however, for consciousness returned the next morning, just in time to save him from being buried alive. After many weary days and nights in convalescence he was finally able to leave the hospital, only to find that the ship had engaged a new crew and sailed away to the States, leaving him a stranger in a strange land in every sense, for he did not know the language, and he had to rougli it in a sailor's boarding house until such time as he could find another ship.

In July, 1859, he took passage on a ship that was bound for San Francisco, around the Horn. After five months of storm and tempest, during which time they ran short of provisions and,

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as a consequence, nearly one-half of the crew was laid up with ship scurvy, he arrived in San Fran- cisco just in time to spend his Christmas on shore in 1859. For about a year and a half he engaged in the coasting trade along the Pacific and up north as far as Puget Sound. In July 1861, he quit the sea and accepted a position in a saw-mill at Port Ludlow, on Puget Sound, where he worked until April, 1862, when he went to the Caribou gold mines, in British Co- lumbia, but a summer of mining failed to mater- ially add to his finances; and in the fall he re- turned to the sound again and worked in a saw- mill all winter. In the spring of 1863 he crossed the sound again to the British side and pros- pected all summer on Souk and Leach rivers in Vancouver Island, but without success. Cross- ing the sound again in the fall to the American side, he worked until the spring of 1865, when he started again for the gold mines; this time to Boise county, Idaho, where he arrived in May, and worked at placer mining on Grimes creek all summer, returning in the fall again to his old stamping ground on the sound.

In March, 1866, Mr. Breen's attention was directed to a gold excitement in the Republic of Ecuador, South America. He made arrange- ments with the captain of a lumber vessel, bound for Callao, Peru, intending to travel from there to Ecuador. On arriving at Callao in May, he found all were in a high state of excitement, the people building fortifications and throwing up breastworks along the city front, in order to repel the Spanish fleet, which were expected to arrive soon to bombard the city. At last the Spaniards arrived and blockaded the port for two weeks, after which they commenced to bom- bard the city. They fought for five hours and forty minutes in shelling the city and shore bat-' teries when, some of their ships getting disabled and running short of ammunition, they withdrew to the island of San Lorenzo, about nine miles from Callao, across the bay, where they re- mained for about a week, when they departed altogether, without renewing hostilities. Mr. Breen participated in the engagement and was wounded in the knee and taken to the hospital in Lima, where he remained for two weeks. While in the hospital he became acquainted with a man who had been in Ecuador, and who per- sttaded Mr. Breen not to go there, as was his intention on leaving the sound, but, instead, he engaged in the coasting trade along the coast of South America for about ten months and then returned to San Francisco. From there he went to the Mount Diablo coal mines in Contra Costa county, Cal., where he worked for twenty months, when he again returned to San Francis- co. While there he engaged with A. M. Simp- son & Company to go to Gardiner, Douglas

county, Ore., to take charge of their lath mill there, in September, 1868. Two months later, in November, 1868, he had the pleasure of cast- ing his first presidential vote for General U. S. Grant, he being a Republican in politics and has remained such ever since.

After working nine months in Gardiner, Mr. Breen came to Coos Bay July 3, 1869, and after looking around the country for a few weeks, he bought a farm on Kentucky slough, about ten miles from Marshfield, part of which he cleared and improved by fencing and planting an apple orchard and lived there for four years. In Sep- tember, 1873, still retaining possession of his farm, he went to work at North Bend, Coos Bay, in the Simpson Lumber Company's saw- mill. After eleven years of saw-milling he re- turned to his farm and raised cattle, hogs, pota- toes and apples. He was successful and saved money, and in April, 1901, sold his ranch at a satisfactory figure and retired from active life in Marshfield.

Mr. Breen has found companionship and di- version in various fraternal organizations in the state and has been a member of Blanco Lodge of Masons of Marshfield since 1877. He is also a member of Arago Chapter No. 22, R. A. M., and Doric Chapter No. 53, O. E. S., and has been a member of Arago Lodge I. O. O. F., at Empire City, since 1875.

ANDREW McCALLEN. The substantial and well-to-do citizens of Jackson county have no finer representative than Andrew McCallen, cashier of the First National Bank of Ashland. Energetic, capable and progressive, possessing abundant financial and executive ability, he has led a busy life, and has acquired an assured position among the keen, wide-awake business men of the thriving city in which he resides. A son of the late Andrew McCallen, he was born in Elizabethtown, Hardin county, Ill., Sep- tember 15, 1848. His paternal grandfather, Hayes McCallen, was born and bred in Scot- land. Emigrating to the United States when a comparatively young man, he took up land in Harrison county, Ind., and was there engaged in tilling the soil until his death.

Born in Indiana, near Palmyra, Andrew Mc- Callen, Sr., studied law, and after his admission to the bar settled in Illinois, locating first in Elizabethtown, Hardin county. Removing from there to Gallatin county, he continued the prac- tice of his profesion in Shawneetown, having a wide circuit, frequently being associated in important cases with Abraham Lincoln. He also served as registrar in the United States land office at Shawneetown at the time when land

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was selling for twelve and one-half cents an acre. He died in that city, in 1861, while yet in the prime of manliood, being fifty years of age. In his early life he was identified with the Whigs, but was a firm adherent of the Republi- can party from the time of its formation until his death. He was much interested in Masonry, and served as master of his lodge. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Castle, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., and died in Shawneetown. Ill., in 1878. Of the five children born of their union, three are living. One son, Hayes Mc- Callen, came to Modoc county, Cal., in 1877, and subsequently died in San Francisco. One daughter, Mrs. Mary Snider, settled in Modoc county, Cal., in 1876, and in Lakeview, Ore., in 1882.

Obtaining his early education in the public schools of Shawneetown, Ill., Andrew McCallen began learning the drug business when sixteen years old. He subsequently entered Bryant and Stratton's Business College in Chicago, Ill., and after his graduation was employed as bookkeeper for a Chicago manufacturing firm for two years. Returning then to Shawneetown, Mr. McCallen opened a drug store, which he carried on until the spring of 1875. Disposing of his stoek at that time, he came to California, locating in Modoc county, where he was employed as elerk and bookkeeper for eighteen months. In the fall of 1876, when the town of Lakeview, in Lake county, Ore., was in its infancy, he went there as manager of a general merchandise house, a position that he retained eleven years. In the meantime he made wise investments, be- coming a large land owner, and a man of promi- nence. In 1887, in company with C. A. Cogswell and others, he organized the Lakeview Bank, of which P. G. Chrisman was made president, WV. B. Whittemore vice-president, and Mr. Mc- Callen cashier. The cashiership he retained until 1898, when the bank was sold. In 1900, after the affairs of the bank were all settled, Mr. MeCallen removed to Ashland, where he has since resided. In 1901 he assisted in the organ- ization of the First National Bank of Ashland, which was incorporated March 20 and was opened for business May 15, 1901, with Mr. McCallen as cashier. This position he has since successfully filled, being especially fitted for it by his previous training and experience. As a business man he has been fortunate, and has acquired considerable valuable real estate, being the owner of several farms in Lake county, Ore.

While living in Modoc county, Cal., Mr. Mc- Callen, in 1879, was married to Miss Josephine Applegate, daughter of the late James Applegate, for many years a prominent citizen of Douglas county, Ore., which he represented for one term in the state legislature. Her grandfather,

Charles Applegate, was one of the three original settlers of Douglas county. Coming with his parents to Oregon in early life, James Apple- gate was for many years engaged in agricultural pursuits in Douglas county, near Yoncalla, and took part in the Rogue River Indian war. Sub- sequently removing with his family to Modoc county, Cal., he was engaged in farming and stock-raising in the Goose Lake valley. Selling his ranch, he afterwards located in Monrovia, Los Angeles county, where he resided until his death, at the age of sixty years. Mr. Apple- gate married Caroline Johnson, who is now liv- ing in Monrovia, Cal. Of the seven children she bore her husband, four are living, namely : Mrs. McCallen; Mary, wife of J. H. Clayton, of Portland, Ore .; Lulu, wife of George Dodge, of Ashland; and Mabel, wife of H. C. Oakley, of Los Angeles, Cal. Mr. and Mrs. McCallen are the parents of five children, namely: Ger- trude, a graduate of St. Mary's Academy, Jack- sonville, Ore .; Nannie, attending the Southern Oregon State Normal school; Andrew, Edward and Edna, all students at the Ashland high school.

Politically Mr. McCallen is an active member of the Democratic party, and has filled various offices of trust and responsibility. In the fall of 1878, when the county seat was moved from Linkville to Lakeview, Mr. McCallen was ap- pointed county treasurer, and served for eighteen consecutive years, or nine terms of two years each, being re-elected each succeeding term. For one year he served as councilman of Lakeview, and for one term filled the mayor's chair. Fra- ternally he is a member of Lakeview Lodge No. 63, I. O. O. F .; was a charter member of Lake- view Encampment; and now holds membership in Pilot Rock Encampment of Ashland. He is a member, and the treasurer, of the Ashland Board of Trade. Mrs. McCallen belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

WILLIAM HENRY SPEED HYDE. Stand- ing pre-eminent among the leading citizens of Coos county is William H. S. Hyde, who has enjoyed a varied experience in life, is the pos -. sessor of wide knowledge, and has for more than a score of years been actively associated with the administration of the municipal affairs of Marshfield as city recorder. A pioneer set- tler of this part of the state, he has had muel to do with the disposition of the public lands, has been influential in the settlement of differ- ent cases involving serious litigation, and as a public official, in city, town and county, has performed the duties devolving upon him with characteristic ability and fidelity. A son of

Sas L. Herrey

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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Robert Harper Hyde, he was born August 17, 1823, in Caroline, Tompkins county, N. Y.

A native of North Carolina, Robert H. Hyde removed to New York when a young man, and after his marriage settled at Caroline, where he was prosperously engaged in farming until his death, in 1853, at the age of seventy years. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary J. Speed, was born in Virginia, and died at Caro- line, N. Y. Of the three children born of their marriage, one, the only daughter, died in in- fancy, William H. S., the subject of this review, being the youngest and the only one living. Robert H. S., his brother, who died in 1891, at the age of seventy-three years, was a soldier in the Civil war, and rose from captain of a company to rank of major.

Receiving his academic education in Owego and Aurora, N. Y., William H. S. Hyde studied telegraphy, and in 1848 accepted his first posi- tion as an operator, going to Michigan City, Ind., where he remained four months. Continuing with the same telegraph company. He was then transferred to Chicago, Ill., where he was put in charge of an office as receiver. Taking a vacation in August, 1850, he made a trip east, visiting friends in New York state, and then resumed work with the same company, being, however, stationed at Columbus, Ohio, first as a telegraph operator, and then as manager of the office, continuing there six years. Migrating to Oregon in 1856, Mr. Hyde located at Jack- sonville, where he was engaged in mining pur- suits for four years, being moderately successful in his ventures. In 1860 he took the United States census for Jackson county. After con- cluding that work, in December, 1860, he took the position of deputy sheriff under L. J. C. Duncan, serving in that capacity for a year. Mr. Duncan then resigning, Mr. Hyde filled out his unexpired term, and then, in 1862, was elected sheriff for the coming term of two years. From 1864 until 1866, he was engaged in speculating. In 1866 Mr. Hyde was elected county clerk, and being re-elected in 1868, served continuously for four years. In 1870, in company with others, he placed a dam across the Rogue river, and embarked in prospecting and mining, but the scheme proved a failure.

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Portrait and biographical record of western Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present.., Part 113

Author: Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman publishing company Number of Pages: 1064

Author: Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman publishing company
Number of Pages: 1064