Portrait and biographical record of western Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present.., Part 135

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 135

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The first winter in Portland proved disap- pointing for Mr. Jess, owing to the fact that he contracted chills and ague from the damp cli- mate, and was therefore induced to go by water to San Francisco. As soon as he had benefited by the change he engaged in mining at the month of the Rogue river, later coming to Jack- son county, now Josephine county, and mining on Galice creek. Success came his way in greater measure than he had expected, for he took out thirteen pounds of gold dust in three months. When the Indian troubles became acute in 1855 he enlisted October 11 in the company of Capt. William B. Lewis, as second sergeant of the Ninth Regular Oregon Volunteers. During the service he was detailed to the commissary de- partment and had charge of the stores in the field, but nevertheless met the Indians in per- sonal combat, and on one occasion was slightly wounded. As before stated, when peace was declared he abandoned mining in favor of land cultivation, taking up a homestead of one hun- dred and sixty acres. To this he added in time, and now has three hundred and sixty acres, two hundred of which are under cultivation. He has engaged in general farming, and has made many fine improvements on his place.

In Portland. June 14. 1863. Mr. Jess married Martha J. Moore, his fellow traveler on the plains, who was born in Clav county. Ind., thir- teen miles east of Terre Haute, July 6, 1847.

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Her father, Jacob J. Moore, was born in Lexing- ton county, Ky., June 26, 1819. Her mother, Sarah A. (Waldon) Moore, was born on a farm along the Miami river, Columbia county, Ohio, November 9, 1823, and now lives on the old place on the Rogue river, in Josephine county, Ore. Mr. Moore located thirteen miles east of Portland after reaching Oregon in the fall of 1853, his farm being near Gresham, in Multno- mah county. In 1866 he disposed of his farm and removed to Josephine county, near the pres- ent home of Mr. Jess, where his death occurred February 14, 1901. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Jess, the order of their birth be- ing as follows : Isabelle, the wife of Isaac Stauf- fer, of Overton, Nev .; Sherman, a resident of Wilderville, Josephine county; Alexander M., living on his father's farm; William, a resident of Coquille, Coos county ; Lottie M., the wife of J. A. Hall, of Oakland, Cal .; Beecher, now a resident of Langlois, Curry county ; Mattie, the wife of E. L. Mills, of Wilderville, Ore .; Mel- cina, the wife of J. R. Breazale, of Arcadia, Cal .; Clara E., the wife of J. G. Russell, and living on her father's farm; and Benjamin H., also at home. Mr. Jess has the confidence of the com- munity in which he has erected his substantial fortune, and has many friends to appreciate both his success and fine personal characteristics.

MYRA HUGHEY. An earlier settler than her husband, James Hughey, one of the foremost dairymen of the vicinity of Tillamook, Mrs. Myra (Smith) Hughey is one of the pioneer women whose name will always be associated with the home building of the west. To her is due the distinction of being the first white woman to settle along the Nestucca river, hitherto in- vaded only by a few straggling members of the male persuasion, and the waters of which still rippled under the canoes of placid blanketed braves, renowned for the courage and cunning lurking behind their copper colored faces, and their strennous opposition to the supplanting of the wigwam by the log huts of the white people. It must necessarily follow that this intelligent observer has undergone many hardships in the midst of her wilderness surroundings, yet out of the struggle and deprivation her courageous spirit and good cheer have evolved an orderly and peaceful home, delightful alike to her hus- band, grandchildren, and the friends she has gathered and kept during her residence in the far west.

Mrs. Hughey was formerly Myra Smith, and was born in Knox county, Ill., June 10, 1844. Her father, Hiram Smith, was born in Indiana, December 22, 1812, and her mother, Sarah (Marshall) Smith, was born in Kentucky, Au- gust 7, 1825. The family crossed the plains in

1852 with horse and mule teams, making the distance in the short space of four months, a decided gain over the old-time ox-train method. Typhoid fever invaded the ranks with disas- trous results. Their experiences with the In- dians were many and varied, but the Indians did the travelers no especial injury. Sarah Mar- shall was a daughter of Israel Marshall, who was a pioneer of Illinois, settling in Knox coun- ty, one mile from where the town of Abingdon now stands, soon after it was purchased from the Indians. There were then few improve- ments in that part of the county. Israel Mar- shall lived on his farm until his death, at the advanced age of ninety-three years. His wife, formerly Miss Mary Latimer, died a number of years prior to his death. Hiram Smith took up a donation claim of three hundred and twenty acres four miles north of Salem, remained there two years, and then disposed of his partial right to the property. In 1854 he located a claim near that of W. N. Vaughn, four miles north of Till- amook, and remained there until the spring of 1859. His next home was one hundred and sixty acres adjoining the place now occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Hughey, where he lived for six years, and then returned to his farm near Vaughn's, or Bay City. Here his death occurred in 1876, and he was laid to rest in a quiet little spot on the old claim which his industry had redeemed from inactivity, and upon which he had made many improvements. He was sur- vived by his wife, who died on the old home place in 1894.

Several children were born to Hiram Smith and his wife, Myra being the oldest, and at this writing is fifty-nine years of age. She was edu- cated in the public schools, and trained in all housewifely arts. James Hughey was born in King county, Canada, May 1, 1844. His father, William Hughey, was born in Ireland, and after his marriage to a daughter of Erin came to America, locating in Canada. where he died when James was a mere boy. His mother is still living in Canada, aged ninety-four years. The lad received his elementary training in the north, and in 1868, when twenty-four years of age, went to New York City, and embarked for San Francisco, by way of Panama. Coming direct to Oregon, he located in McMinnville, where his first wife, Jane (Orr) Hughey, died leaving two small children, William and Sarah, both of whom are married. Subsequently Mr. Hughey went to Panther creek, in Moore's valley. and engaged in saw-milling, his partners being Messrs. Jones and Adams. In 1874. with the profits of the saw-milling business he purchased a farm of one hundred and forty-six acres ad- joining his present place, engaged in an exten- sive dairy business and transferred his interests

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to this farm in 1898. He has one hundred and twenty-six acres of land, milks twenty cows, and raises a large number of high-grade cat- tle. In 1889 Mr. Hughey married his second wife, Myra Smith. Mr. Hughey is a Republican in political affiliation, and is a member of the Fairview Grange. He is one of the progressive and well posted farmers of his neighborhood, and is held in high esteem by his many friends and associates.

HENRY C. DUNCAN. In tracing the an- cestry of the Duncan family we find the grand- father, William A. Duncan, to have been a native of Scotland and prior to that time the family name was Cornford. During the Revo- lutionary war, on account of a difference of opinion in sympathy with the British cause, the grandfather changed his name to Duncan, his mother's maiden name. He was a sea-faring inan and finally died at sea, leaving an only son, William A., Jr., the father of Henry C. Born in 1802 near Philadelphia, Pa., he early learned the blacksmith's trade and many useful years of his life were spent in the pursuits of that occupation, but his later years were passed in that peaceful and independent calling, farming. He was united in marriage with Elizabeth Liech- ty, of German descent, born in Lancaster county, Pa., about 1810. She bore her husband the fol- lowing six children : Alexander, deceased ; Henry C .; Matilda, deceased; Sarah, the widow of the late William Himilwright, of Shelby county, Ohio; William A., who died at Camp Nelson, during the Civil war, while serving as a private in the Fourth Indiana Volunteer Cav- alry; and Eliza, also deceased. Removing to Ohio about 1850, the parents of these children located in Independence, Defiance county, and soon after their removal to that section both passed to their eternal rest, the year 1850 mark- ing the date of their demise.

Near the city of Mexico, in Juniata county, Pa., May 16, 1836, Henry C. Duncan first saw the light of day, and his boyhood days were spent in attending school in this vicinity and later in Ohio, after the removal of the family to that state. Deprived of both parents early in life, he started out to make his way in the world at the early age of fifteen years, being scantily fitted for the battle of life. His first manual labor was performed in the capacity of laborer on the Wabash and Miami canal, and for six years he was employed in canal work. Thirsting for ad- venture, in the spring of 1858 he joined a mil- itary company in Ohio and started for Utah to engage in an active campaign against the Mor- mons, but before reaching their destination the order was revoked and Mr. Duncan proceeded

on to Kansas and for a brief time thereafter he followed teaming in the government service, driving a six-mule team in the transfer of gov- ernment supplies to Camp Floyd, Utah. In the fall of the same year he determined to proceed to California and while upon the Sierra Nevada mountains he was caught in a snow storm and was obliged to leave everything, being thankful to escape with his life, and finally succeeded in reaching Marysville, where he spent the win- ter.

As the mining camps appeared to offer great inducements to the fortune seeker, in the spring of 1859 he went into Shasta county, and fol- lowed mining in that section but was not suc- cessful. Removing in 1860 to Jackson county, Ore., he persevered in his efforts and continued to work in the mines near Jacksonville, with little or no success until 1871, and realizing that he could not make a fortune in that way he dis- continued that line of work and turned his at- tention to other things.

Mr. Duncan first became identified witlı Kla- math county in 1871, by taking up a pre-emption claim in Langells valley and for two years there- after he followed stock-raising there, but on ac- count of the Modoc war was forced to leave his place and seek safety in Klamath Falls during the winter of 1873. He subsequently established what is known as Parker's station and remained there until 1877. The two years following were spent at Ashland and he then returned to Lan- gells valley with a herd of cattle which he had bought, but the severe winter which followed caused him to lose everything, and once more he found himself at the bottom of the ladder. Undaunted, he returned to Ashland and secured employment in various capacities and by industry and thrift accumulated his small savings and in 1881 went to Montana, once more investing his money in stock. For several years thereafter he followed farm pursuits and stock-raising in that section, but in 1884 he disposed of his in- terest there and again took up his residence in Oregon. Purchasing a farm in Klamath coun- ty, three miles north of Langells Valley post- office, he has continued to follow the stock busi- ness there ever since. His farm of eighty acres is finely improved, and he gives especial atten- tion to the raising of cattle, horses and mules, having about one hundred and eighty head of cattle.

The marriage of Mr. Duncan, June 25, 1866, in Jackson county, united him with Mary A. Kilgore, a daughter of James Kilgore. Mrs. Duncan was born July 20, 1847, and she and her husband now have three sons, William A., Alfred C. and Henry E., all at home. Politi- cally Mr. Duncan is allied with the Republican party in national issues, but believes in voting

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for the best man in local affairs. He can not be termed an active politician, having devoted his energies to his business interest, which has also caused him to refrain from joining many fraternal orders. He is a member of but one secret society, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having passed all the chairs of Jackson- ville Lodge No. 10. Through his whole life he has been a hard worker and to this fact, and to his honesty, he attributes his success. He stands well in his community.

J. FRANK ADAMS. For almost a quarter of a century, Mr. Adams has been identified with the agricultural development of Klamath coun- ty, Ore., and being a farmer and stock-raiser on a large scale, of recent years he has turned his energies to irrigation projects in this coun- ty, particularly in and about Merrill, in the vicinity of his home place, and is intensely in- terested in the reclaiming of the Little Klamath swamps. Upon first locating in this county, he took up homestead, desert and timber culture claims in Tule Lake valley, which was at that time a desert. During the subsequent years of his residence there he not only proved up on his various claims, thus acquiring a large area, but he has made many wonderful improvements upon his land and is largely interested in tim- ber culture. To such men as he many parts of the northwest owe their prosperity, for with wonderful foresight he has secured the assistance of others, and by the adoption of new and pro- gressive methods, their combined efforts have succeeded in reclaiming a vast area of Klamath county, considered in former years as little more than worthless. Especially is this so in regard to irrigation, for by its use, land previously use- less, except for grazing purposes, is rendered fertile and placed under cultivation. It may be appropriately mentioned in this place that Mr. Adams is the promoter and manager of the Lit- tle Klamath ditch, owning the controlling inter- est of the same, and when completed this ditch will be twenty-three miles long and untold ben- efit will doubtless be derived from its construc- tion and use.

J. Frank Adams was born March 3, 1855, in Eldorado county, Cal., and he is the eldest of three children born to George and Sarah E. (Hoag) Adams, the former born near Peoria, Ill., and the latter in London, England. When quite young her parents came to America, locat- ing in Illinois, where Sarah E. was reared. There also her marriage with Mr. Adams took place, and shortly afterward the young people wended their way toward the west, being am- bitious to make a home for themselves in the land of sunshine and flowers. Accordingly, they

located in Eldorado county in 1852, and Mr. Adams engaged in mining pursuits, and in con- nection therewith he engaged in freighting, which in those early days was a somewhat haz- ardous occupation, as all the country in that sec- tion was practically undeveloped. He died in 1869, at the early age of forty years, leaving his widow with three children, named as fol- lows: J. Frank, Joseph Henry and William Walter. Joseph is now deceased and the other two brothers have mutual interests in Klamath county.

The recipient of but a limited education, which he received in the common schools of Cal- ifornia, Mr. Adams never attended school after he was fourteen years old, as his father died about that time and he was forced to go to work. Leaving home when seventeen, he went to Ore- gon and to the valley which is still his home and for a few years he was engaged as a bucaroo in Klamath and Siskiyou counties. Locating per- manently in Klamath county in 1879 he took pre-emption claims in Tule Lake valley and at once embarked in horse-raising, having pursued this business very profitably ever since, and at this writing he has three hundred head of fine horses on his place, many of them full-bloods, as he makes a specialty of raising full-blood Percherons. His ranch is an extensive one, con- taining one thousand acres, is well located about two and three-quarter miles east of Merrill, and is among the most productive in that section.

Mr. Adams has been twice married, his first union occurring in May, 1888, and uniting him with Miss Fannie E. Steele, born in Virginia City, Nev., Tuly 6, 1865. Mav 8, 1901, after a brief married life, she passed away, survived by her three sons. William Walter, J. Frank, Tr., and Robert Steele. The second marriage of Mr. Adams was celebrated in September, 1902, and united him with Miss Martha Card- well, born near Gold Hill. Jackson county. In his political attachments Mr. Adams is a Dem- ocrat and is a valued member of two fraternal societies, the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. and the Ancient Order United Workmen, of Klamath Falls.

JOHN F. HAMBLOCK. Four and a half miles east of Bandon, Ore., resides John F. Hamblock, a successful dairy farmer of Coos county. He owns a farm of one hundred and thirty-seven acres, eightv acres being fine bottom land. He has improved this place wonderfully, adding among other conveniences a neat dwell- ing and barn, and has a successful dairy also, owning seventeen milch cows.

Mr. Hamblock first saw the light of day June 24, 1831, in Westphalia, Germany. His father,

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a farmer, who engaged in the saw-mill business to some extent, died when his son was but one year old. John F. Hamblock received his educa- tion in the district school and remained at home with his mother until 1851, when he was twenty years old. Sailing in that year for the United States, he located at St. Louis, Mo., finding employment for four years in a saw-mill. In 1855 he removed to Southpine, Franklin county, Mo., continuing to work at his old trade there. In 1869 he determined to seek the far west, and accordingly came to Coos county, Ore., taking up his present homestead claim. For the first fifteen years of his residence here he engaged in the old business of saw-milling, but now car- ries on farming and dairying.

February 3, 1857, witnessed the marriage of Mr. Hamblock and Mrs. Mary Ann (Campbell) Stephenson, a native of Missouri. They have the following children : Emma, now Mrs. Drane; Mary F., Mrs. Flamm, residing near Bear Creek; Mrs. Margaret Rose, of Parkers- burg; John W., who resides on a part of the home place; Eugene A., who died in Missouri when quite young; and Eugene, who now lives near the home place. Mr. Hamblock is a Demo- crat and has filled various minor offices in his vicinity. He worships at the Lutheran Church, of which he is a member. While living in Mis- souri, during the Civil war, Mr. Hamblock was a member of the state militia. He is very popu- lar in his community and has many friends throughout his section.

SISNEY PARKER. The Pacific north- west, comprising eastern Washington, east- ern Oregon and northern Idaho, is one of the richest agricultural sections in the United States, and is rightly called the "inland em- pire." For a generation its principal crop has been wheat, but at the present time it has thousands of acres planted with alfalfa and broom grass, and its cattle are numbered by the millions. This vast region of fertility in- cludes on its southern boundary, Klamath county, Ore., and among her most successful ranchers and cattle-raisers we find Mr. Par- ker, who has followed agricultural pursuits almost exclusively since early manhood, and today he is the owner of a splendid farm of two hundred acres in the vicinity of Bly, in the Sprague river valley. The tract original- ly comprised three hundred and sixty acres, but he has since sold one hundred and sixty acres. Eighty acres of this land are under cultivation and the balance is used for graz- ing purposes, as Mr. Parker owns eighty-five head of high grade cattle. A native of the state of Oregon, which has ever been his home

except for a few years spent in California, Mr. Parker was born February 20, 1848, in the vicinity of Dallas, Polk county, and is the eld- est of eight children born to William Glenn and Lucinda (Tetherow) Parker, the former now deceased, and the latter now in her sev- enty-fourth year, and residing with her son, Jesse, at Bly.

Being the youngest of two children, Wil- liam G. Parker, the father, was born in Ken- tucky, April 22, 1819, and his sister Cynthia married Jesse Applegate, of Oakland, Ore., one of the Applegate brothers whose history · is so closely interwoven with that of Oregon in the early days of her statehood. These two children, William G. and Cynthia, left orphans early in life, left their Kentucky home and traveled westward as far as Missouri. In company with the Applegates they left that state in 1843 and were members of the first emigrant's train, leaving that section for Ore- gon. Soon after his arrival in the west, Mr. Parker located in Polk county, where the city of Dallas now stands, and engaged in farm pursuits. He was one of the party who, in 1846, founded the new route to Oregon via Klamath county, known as the Applegate route. January 28, 1847, he wedded Miss Lucinda Tetherow, formerly of Davis county, Mo., where she was born August 1, 1830. Mrs. Parker is one of a family of fifteen chil- dren born to the late Soloman Tetherow and his wife, who were among the early pioneers of Polk county, Ore. Mr. Tetherow, although a native of North Carolina born March 26, 1800, was reared principally in Tennessee and was captain of a train of emigrants who wended their way, in 1845, to the far west. Of his numerous children, ten grew to ma- turity and their descendants are now widely scattered.

During the gold excitement in 1849 Mr. Parker helped to swell the tide of population sweeping toward California, but after a fruit- less search he returned to the Willamette val- ley and to his home in Polk county. However, he was so favorably impressed with the climate of California that he sold his pos- sessions in 1860 and located in Sonoma coun- ty, that state. Purchasing a farm near Pet- aluma, he re-engaged in farm pursuits there until 1875, returning to Oregon at that time and taking up his abode in Klamath county, then a part of Jackson county. Locating at the place now called Parker's station, he em- barked in the stock business and was quite a successful stockman, until his death, No- vember 2, 1890. After his death, his widow lived with her children, who are as follows: Sisney ; Solomon, who died in infancy; Sam-

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uel, a resident of Alaska ; Josephine, who mar- ried Andrew McDonald, of California, but is also deceased; Jesse, of Bly; Sumner A., of Ashland; Atlanta, wife of Ray Satchwell, of the same city; and Cynthia, wife of George H. Wilson, residing in San Francisco, Cal.

The primary education of Sisney Parker was obtained by faithful attendance of the schools of Polk county, Ore., which he at- tended up to his twelfth year, at that time, accompanying the family to California, where his education was continued for some time. He was a conscientious student and stood well in his class, and after leaving school he ac- quired much additional knowledge by self- tuition. After leaving school he became in- terested in the lumber business in Mendocino county, Cal., and it was not until 1879 that he returned to his native state, and several addi- tional years elapsed before he purchased his ranch in Sprague river valley, where he took up his residence in 1884, two years after mar- riage. This happy event took place in Kla- math county in 1882, and united him with Miss Rosa Howard, born in Missouri, in 1860, and a daughter of Zenas Howard. The latter went west in 1861, located at that time in Jackson county and resides at the present time near Ashland. Mr. Parker stands well in his com- munity, and his popularity is evinced by his long term of service as justice of the peace of Sprague river precinct, covering a period of ten years, and as notary public for four years. He is ever to be found in the ranks of the Democratic party, and uses both his vote and influence in furthering its cause.

WILLIAM T. SHIVE. As a member of the firm of Duff & Company since October I, 1902, William T. Shive is rounding out an already well filled career, replete with varied experience, and rich in business, political and social success. Like the great majority of the upbuilders of the state, this honored citizen comes of farming stock, and received his first impressions of life and work in a community of country interests. Born in Metcalf county, Ky., December 25, 1858, he is a son of George W. and Arminta E. (Branstetter) Shive, also natives of Metcalf county, and the former born October 8, 1832. His paternal grandpar- ents were John and Nancy Shive, the former of whom died November 30, 1863, at the age of sixty-five years, two months and thirteen days, and the latter, March 17, 1865, at the age of sixty-two years. eleven months and ninc days. George Washington Shive inherited the sterling traits of his German ancestors, and the trade of carpentering to which he devoted

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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 135

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