Portrait and biographical record of western Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present.., Part 118

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 118

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The marriage of Mr. Ulrich took place in June, 1884, with Miss Emma A. Milner. Their family now consists of five children, whose names are William L., Earl, Annie, Gertrude and Loraine. In politics Mr. Ulrich is a Democrat, and his interest in the welfare of Medford was made manifest by his many worthy acts while a mem- ber of the city council, giving as he did, his support to any and all measures that had a tend- ing to better the condition of the city or the community at large. In fraternal orders, he is allied with the Ancient Order of United Work- men, being a charter member of Banner Lodge No. 23, of Jacksonville, Ore.

B. R. PORTER. Like the other eastern and central states of our Union, Wisconsin has done her share toward populating the far west, send- ing her good and industrious citizens to extend the civilization of the east into the states along the Pacific slope. Such a one is Mr. Porter, who came into this life May 19, 1848, at Green Lake, Wis., on the farm where he lived throughout his boyhood while in attendance at the common school. Upon leaving the state of his nativity, in 1870, he did not directly travel very far west- ward, but removed only to Iowa, working on a farm near Mason City for a number of years. The attractions of the unknown west were so strong for Mr. Porter that it was impossible for him to remain in Iowa, so the year 1874 saw him wending his way across the great plains. Ar- riving in the fall he spent his first winter at Car- son City, Nev., and the next year he went to the logging-camps near Truckee, Cal., where he worked diligently until the fall of 1885. Harney

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county, Ore., was his next location, and while in that county Mr. Porter engaged in stock-raising with success, for a period of about sixteen years, 1901 being the date of his removal to Jackson county of the same state. Immediately upon his settlement in Jackson county he made the pur- chase of the ranch where he now lives, two hun- dred and forty-five acres, beautifully situated in the vicinity of Sams Valley, and improved upon by Mr. Porter until it is quite a valuable place. With his characteristic care and thoroughness, Mr. Porter carries on general farming and also fruit-raising to some extent, fifty acres of his land containing apple orchards alone.

While still a resident of Iowa, Mr. Porter was united in matrimony to Miss Mary Anderson, March 12, 1873, being the date on which the cere- mony was performed. Four children have glad- dened the hearts of this couple, and to them have been given the following names: Myrtle, Mar- garet, Stewart and Harry. Of these, but three are now at home, the eldest having been given in marriage to Richard Jennings. The family unite in worship at the Baptist Church, of which Mrs. Porter is a faithful and earnest member. The public confidence is unhesitatingly given to Mr. Porter, and this trust is never violated 'by him, in consequence of which there are few who hold a higher position in the esteem of their fellowmen. Still in the prime of life, we trust there are many bright years yet before him. The Republicans claim Mr. Porter as one of their number, and his political efforts are always given to the furtherance of their cause.

HIRAM WEATHERLY was born in Gene- see county, N. Y., July 31, 1838. When but six years of age, his parents moved to Winnebago county, Ill., and Hiram was reared on a farm there up to his nineteenth year, when he removed to Lake county, in the same state. In 1862 he enlisted in the Union army as a musician in Company B, Ninety-sixth Illinois Volunteer In- fantry. He played a fife for one year and was then promoted to be fife-major, and served as such until the close of the war, principally in the army of the Cumberland. After the war he returned to Illinois to farm-work and in 1867 went to Iowa and followed the same line of work there for several years. In 1870 he went to seek his fortune in California, and, after ranching for eight years in that state, he had saved enough to buy a place of his own. Journeying north as far as Douglas county, Ore., he found a de- sirable location and bought a ranch of four hun- dred and twenty acres near Scottsburg. This was his home for about three years and in 1882 he purchased another ranch and lived upon it until 1897. This is a very desirable tract of

land and comprises three hundred and fifty acres. He then purchased the place where he now lives in Scottsburg.

Mr. Weatherly was joined in the holy bonds of matrimony with Elmina Lamphere in 1860. Both are useful members of society. In politics Mr. Weatherly is a strict adherent of the Re- publican party and in 1888 was elected county commissioner of Douglas county, serving as such for four years. He is justly considered one of the foremost farmers in the vicinity of Scottsburg and has an unlimited amount of farm lore, which is the result of his long experience. He is a good, substantial citizen, interested in the wel- fare and growth of the county, and merits the recognition that is accorded him by the best of citizens. He is associated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen.

ADAM WEAVER. One of the greatest pleasures of age is the realization of time profit- ably employed, when one may look back on the years that have passed and feel satisfied with the manner in which they have been employed and proud of the results obtained by their fore- thought, ability and handiwork. This pleasure should certainly be enjoyed by the gentleman whose name is at the beginning of this biography. His life work has been agriculture; all his efforts have been concentrated to make it as great a suc- cess as possible and today he is known as the most prosperous farmer in his vicinity, and a thoroughly representative citizen in all respects.

Adam Weaver was born of German parents, in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, January 19, 1839. His father, Adam Weaver, followed agricultural pursuits all his life and his business ability in that line seems to have descended upon his son. The education of Adam was necessarily limited by reason of the incompleteness of the early dis- trict school which he attended as much as pos- sible. After finishing school he adapted himself to his lifework and remained on the homestead farm until 1863, when, accompanied by his brother, John, Mr. Weaver started for the west- ern coast. They crossed the country by a horse- team in six months' time, spending the first winter at Ottumwa. Iowa, and continuing on their jour- ney in the spring of 1864. Upon their arrival in Oregon Adam purchased a plot of ground containing four hundred and forty acres, three miles east of Canyonville, Douglas county, where his son-in-law, J. A. Worthington, now resides and commenced to put it in the best possible condition. Many improvements were thus made, for Mr. Weaver was progressive in his ideas; when he had completed all this work he decided to become a benedict and in 1876 returned to Ohio for his bride. He married Elizabeth

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Schrader, who was born in Ohio, and together they departed for his home in the west. Their union has been blessed with four children, Wil- liam Frank, Ralph F. and Alice May, all of whom are at home; and Anna M., wife of J. A. Worthington, residing on the old Weaver farm. In 1880 Mr. Weaver purchased a farm of five hundred and sixty acres, one-half mile east of Canyonville, and is now the owner of 1,000 acres on the Umpqua river, which he cultivates and im- proves assiduously. He has built a number of fine outbuildings with the latest of modern con- veniences and is practically the possessor of the most up-to-date farm in the vicinity. He raises a large amount of fine stock in addition to the general farming and fruit. Politically he is a Democrat of sturdy principles.

ALBERT W. FERGUSON. This sturdy pioneer of Oregon was a native of Virginia, and a descendant of one of her oldest families. Like many other of the pioneers of the west, his children have no clear history of his re- mote ancestry ; all that is positively known is that the first Ferguson of this line was an officer in one of the armies of Scotland that was defeated by the king. He was compelled to flee for his life to France. From France he came to America and settled in Dinwiddie county, Va. There he was married to a Miss Red of Prince Edward county, Va. From this union there came three daughters, Polly, Nancy and Judy, and six sons, Joel, Benjamin, Edmond, Ryal, James and Thomas. James went to South America as a missionary and there met a terrible death at the hands of those he was trying to save ; his wife and three sons returned to Ohio, their native state. What became of the other brothers is not known, except that some of them returned to Scot- land and some went westward, and Thomas, together with the sisters, remained in Virginia. Thomas married a Miss Maxey and settled in Buckingham county, Va., and to them were born three daughters, Lucy, Mary and Le- anna, and three sons, James, Thomas, and Al- bert W., the subject of this sketch. James and Thomas enlisted in the army of the con- federacy at the breaking out of the Civil war; James was rapidly promoted for bravery until he reached the rank of lieutenant, when he was killed at Fort Donelson; Thomas was wounded, and although he lived many years afterward in Buckingham county, he never recovered from the effects of the wound. All are now deceased, except Lucy, who resides in Buckingham county, Va.

Albert W. Ferguson was born August 29, 1821, and was the youngest son; he left his

home at a very early age to seek his fortune westward. After serving an apprenticeship at the carpenter bench, he went to Lewisburg, Va., where he met and married Margaret Wet- zel, a daughter of George Wetzel and a de- scendant of Lewis Wetzel, the great hunter and scout who took such a prominent part in Indian warfare. At Lewisburg there was born of this union three sons. The first died at an early age-two years. From Lewisburg he moved with his family to Lexington, Mo., and in the latter part of 1849, Mr. Ferguson de- cided to seek a home in the far west. Leav- ing his family temporarily, he crossed the plains in the customary way by ox-team, go- ing by way of Fremont Pass. The party whom he was with had but little trouble with the Indians, and arrived safely in California in the early part of 1850. He began mining on the Sacramento river, but shortly after this a fever broke out among the miners, and deaths be- came very numerous, with no prospects of re- lief, and Mr. Ferguson and a number of others decided to go to Oregon. They proceeded to San Francisco, where they chartered a small steamer and sailed for Astoria, Ore. Arriving off the mouth of the Columbia river, they en- countered a terrific storm, and with every soul on board lashed to the rigging were driven northward. They reached Astoria just one month after leaving San Francisco. Mr. Fer- guson spent that winter in Upper Astoria, and in the spring of 1851, after assisting in the construction of a saw-mill about half-way between Astoria and Portland, he moved to Portland, Ore., and applied himself to his trade for a short time. He then went to Rogue river and began mining, but the Rogue River Indians took the warpath and he and his party were compelled to leave. He next made his residence in Salem, Ore., and in the fall of 1851 began the operation of a sash and door factory at that place. Here in 1852 he was joined by his wife, who left Lexington, Mo., with her two little sons and came by the Isthmus of Panama. The cholera was raging at the time and both children died on the Isth- mus of this dread disease. They were buried at Aspinwall, and the lonely, grief-stricken mother took up her journey again to bring both joy and sorrow to her waiting husband.

During the next ten years they were blessed with four sons, Hope, Ernest, Fidella and Ed- ward, all being born in Salem. In 1862, his health failing, Mr. Ferguson moved with his family to The Dalles, where soon afterward, in company with Louis Pope, he opened a large three-story planing mill, and was very successful. He soon became a man of much prominence there, and was twice elected sher-

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iff of Wasco county. At The Dalles were born two daughters, Lulu and Ada; the former, however, only lived a little over two years; the latter is now Mrs. J. N. Griffin, living in Astoria, Ore. In 1876 Mr. Ferguson moved to Astoria, took up his old occupation as architect and builder, and also ran a sash and door factory under the name of Bain & Fer- guson. He continued this business until ill- health forced him to retire. The last seven years of his life he was an invalid, confined to his bed, suffering from rheumatism. His de- mise took place February 25, 1891, and he was followed by the companion of his life March 25, 1895. In religion Mr. Ferguson was a Baptist, but became a member of the Epis- copal church a few years before his death. He was a stanch Democrat and served as school director, justice of the peace and city alderman of the city of Astoria. He was a Mason of high degree and one of the most prominent Masons of his day on the Pacific slope. Mr. Ferguson has a record in Ma- sonry rarely equaled. He was raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason in 1844 in Greenbrier Lodge, No. 42, of A. F. & A. M. of Lewisburg, Va. Demitted therefrom in 1846, and affiliated with LaFayette Lodge No. 32, A. F. & A. M., Lexington, Mo., where he served two years as senior deacon. He demitted therefrom in 1850, and on arrival in Oregon in 1851 assisted in organizing Salem Lodge U. D. (now No. 4). He opened the first Masonic lodge south of Oregon City and con- ferred the first degree of Masonry. He made the journey from Salem to Oregon City many times on horseback to attend the Masonic lodge. He demitted therefrom in 1862 and af- filiated with Ainsworth Lodge No. 19, A. F. & A. M. (now extinct) ; demitted therefrom and affiliated with Wasco Lodge No. 15 at The Dalles. He held all the important positions in both these lodges. He afterwards demitted therefrom and affiliated with Temple Lodge No. 7, A. F. & A. M., Astoria, Ore., and was senior deacon of this lodge for several years. He held several minor offices in the grand lodge of the state of Oregon, and in 1853 was elected junior grand warden; in 1854, senior grand warden; in 1865, deputy grand master, and in 1866, most worshipful grand master of the state of Oregon. In 1848 he was made a Royal Arch Mason of Lexington Chapter No. 10, R. A. M., Lexington, Mo. Demitted there- from in 1850, and in 1856 assisted in organiz- ing Multnomah Chapter No. I. R. A. M., at Salem, Ore. He served several terms as its high priest, and he conferred the first Royal Arch degree of Masonry ever conferred in Oregon. One of the team who assisted in con-

ferring that degree was J. C. Ainsworth, Sr., who became one of the most prominent Ma- sons on the coast, and another was Thomas McF. Patton. Mr. Ferguson demitted there- from in 1864, and assisted in organizing Chap- ter No. 6 of The Dalles, Ore .; demitted there- from and assisted in organizing St. John Chap- ter No. 14, R. A. M., of Astoria, Ore. He was several times elected high priest of both these chapters. Mr. Ferguson was elected the first grand high priest of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Oregon when it was organ- ized September 18, 1860. He received the de- gree of Royal and Select Masters in 1849, Lex- ington Council, Royal and Select Masters of Lexington, Mo. October 11th, 1882, he was elected an honorary member of the Masonic Veteran Association of the Pacific coast for his eminent services rendered in Freemasonry.

JOHN L. ROWE. Among the varied occu- pations in which a man may engage in our pros- perous land, that of a farmer occupies an im- portant place, for without our honest agricul- turists what would our nation do? One thus engaged is John L. Rowe, a worthy and progress- ive resident of Jackson county, Ore., where he was born and reared and where he has lived all his life. Such a man as he understands fully how to succeed in his farming and stock-raising, having followed that occupation ever since he left school. At this writing, he lives near Sams Valley, prosperous and well liked by his many friends and neighbors.

Missouri is claimed as the birthplace of Mr. Rowe's father, Joab Rowe, who in the early '50S made his tedious wav across the vast plains from his native state to Oregon; the usual method of traveling by ox-teams was employed. Upon ar- riving at his destination he was attracted by the beautiful Willamette valley, and following his inclinations made his first settlement there. How- ever, after a short residence there, he removed Lo a ranch in Jackson county, now owned by Mrs. Case, remaining at that place for a number of years. Upon leaving his first farm in 1861, he located upon another and continued to abide there in prosperity until removed by death in 1865. Missouri was also the native home of Miss Martha Ingraham, who was joined in wed- lock with Joab Rowe before he left for the west. This happy union was blessed by four children, whom we mention here: Marcellis, the eldest, is now a resident of Nevada, and the second child is John L., whose name entitles this biography. Of the two others, Rosetta married George Bart- lett and now lives at Portland, Ore., while Annie, the fourth child, departed this life when still in her youth. The revered mother of these children

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is still living and has reached the age of sixty- five.

While a boy John L. Rowe trudged to the com- mon school for an education and all this time he lived upon the ranch on Snider creek, where his birth took place February 10, 1859. This ranch came into his charge when he had reached his majority, and he has given his attention to it ever since, with much care and industry, owning as he now does, one hundred acres of fine, fertile land. A Democrat in his political views, his time is not given to thoughts of an official career, and as to fraternal circles, he belongs to but one order, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Oregon would be glad to have more of this kind of men, who by their honesty and straightfor- wardness cannot fail to elevate the community in which they live. Mr. Rowe's marriage oc- curred in 1883, his choice being Miss Martha A. Smith, and with her and their four children, Lucy, Ethel, James and Joseph, he lives a life which is in itself full of good influence.

ALEXANDRE GILBERT. A fine repre- sentative of the solid and substantial business men of Clatsop county, Alexandre Gilbert is now devoting his entire time and attention to his own private interests. By industry, sagacity and strict attention to the details of business, he has acquired property of great value in different parts of the county and is a citizen of affluence and influence. As one of the summer residents of Seaside he owns and occupies a beautiful cottage, while during the winter seasons he resides in As- toria, his residence, one of the finest in the city, being located at 198 Third street. A son of Frank Gilbert, he was born April 16, 1846, in La Rochelle, Charente-Inferieure, France.

A native of France, Frank Gilbert was born in Luçon, in 1804. During the greater part of his life he was in the government service, employed as road supervisor. He died at his home in La Rochelle, at the age of seventy- seven years. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Cergue, spent her fifty years of life in France, dying at La Rochelle in 1867. Of the six sons and three daughters she bore her husband, three children are living, namely : Charles, residing in La Rochelle, France ; Joseph- ine, wife of A. LorFroes, also of La Rochelle, and Alexandre.

The youngest child of the parental house- hold, and the only one in America, Alexandre Gilbert obtained his early education in the public schools of his native city, where he sub- sequently served an apprenticeship of five years at the carpenter's trade. Entering the regular army of France when twenty-one years

old, he served as a soldier for seven years. During the Franco-Prussian war, in 1870 and 1871, he was made sergeant in the Eighth Ar- tillery, and given command of the twenty-three men composing the fifth piece in the first battery. In this capacity he served under the leading generals of the army, and, although in the thickest of the fights in the battle of Richofin and the battle of Sedan, he was never wounded. As soon as he was discharged from the service, in 1871, Mr. Gilbert emigrated to America, locating in Montreal, Canada, where he worked at his trade during the winter sea- son, also being employed as a cabinet-maker. Coming to the Pacific coast in 1872, he fol- lowed carpentering in San Francisco for four- teen months, making some money. Early in 1874 Mr. Gilbert embarked in a new venture, opening the Gilbert House, which he conducted successfully for eight years and one month, when he sold out, although the hotel still re- tains its original name. On August 1, 1877, . Mr. Gilbert became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

Locating in Astoria, Ore., in 1881, Mr. Gil- bert started a wholesale and retail liquor busi- ness, which he conducted until 1898, when he sold out, and has since lived somewhat retired, although the care of his private property keeps him busy. A man of great enterprise and forethought, he bought land in Seaside in 1884, and now has large and valuable interests in that locality, owning Hermosa Park, several business buildings, and a number of cottages, which he rents to summer visitors. His win- ter home, in Astoria, is located in one of the most desirable parts of the city, and is ever open to his numerous friends and well-wishers.

In 1869, in Paris, France, Mr. Gilbert mar- ried Amma Loncol, who was born in France, June 14, 1845, and they have three children, namely: Angel, wife of F. W. Watson, of Olney, Ore .; Martha, wife of Victor Finch, of San Francisco, Cal .; and Alexandre, Jr., of Astoria. In 1900 Mr. Gilbert served as commissioner for the state of Oregon at the Paris Exhibition, having charge of the Oregon exhibits. Politically he affiliates with the Re- publican party. Fraternally he is a member of the Druids, of San Francisco, in which he has passed all the chairs ; of the Astoria Lodge, Independent Order of Red Men; and of the Astoria Lodge of Eagles, of which he is past treasurer.

JAMES CARR. Just outside the city limits of Medford lives an earnest and successful tiller of the soil whose knowledge of military matters is not exceeded by any of his neighbors. Some-

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thing of the years of discipline and order seems to remain in his make-up, for his farm of one hundred and twenty acres conveys an impression of conscientious and painstaking care which one would naturally expect of one accustomed to implicitly obey. Mr. Carr is the only survivor in a family of three sons and one daughter, and he was born in New York city May 13, 1839. Evidently his people were in moderate circum- stances, for he was taken out of school at the age of twelve and set to earning his own living in a porcelain manufactory. His work was fairly remunerative after he had learned to do well his allotted tasks, and the years rolled by unevent- fully until the breaking out of the Civil war. He was twenty-two years old at the time, and in April, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Sixty- ninth New York Volunteer Infantry, for three months, his regiment assisting in the erection of Fort Cochran on Bolivar Heights. He saw comparatively little of actual warfare aside from the first battle of Bull Run, but he acquired a taste for military service, as became apparent a short time afterward.

In the spring of 1863 Mr. Carr came to the coast by steamer via the Isthmus of Panama, at San Francisco re-embarking for Crescent City, Ore., from where he walked to Josephine county. Here he worked on a farm until 1864, and then enlisted at Jacksonville, in the First Oregon Infantry, serving eighteen months on the frontier. Still devoted to the camps and rigors of the army, he enlisted at Vancouver for five years in the Eighth United States Cavalry, seeing service with General Crook in New Mexico, Oregon, and other western states. At the expiration of his enlistment he located at Jacksonville, Ore., from which town he investigated desirable farms, finally selecting his present home in 1871. Mr. Carr not only proved himself a good soldier, and a faithful one, but he was also an observing traveler, and whether in infantry or cavalry made exhaustive study of the country through which he passed, bringing back many interesting recol- lections from New Mexico, Arizona, and less frequented places.

In 1866 Mr. Carr was united in marriage with Ann Riley, who presides over his country home, and has materially aided in his success. Mr. Carr is a Democrat in politics, and with his wife is a member of the Catholic Church.

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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 118

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