Portrait and biographical record of western Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present.., Part 149

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 149

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This enterprising dairyman was drawn to the Republican party before reaching his majority, and he has since never swerved from his political allegiance. At present he is serving as county commissioner and school director, and besides he

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has filled about all of the important local offices. Mr. Parrish is prominent in fraternal circles, being identified with the Bay City Blue Lodge A. F. & A. M., and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Tillamook, having passed through all the chairs of the latter. He is also identified with Corinth Post, G. A. R., of Tillamook. In 1888 Mr. Parrish married Mrs. Matilda Kabkee, who was born in Germany in 1851, and they have two children, Claude and Arthur.

GEORGE W. PHELPS. No more ideal lo- cation could have been selected by George W. Phelps for carrying on his several worthy enter- prises than the farm on the coast of Netart's bay, six and a half miles west of Tillamook. Here this most energetic of men conducts a small but admirably managed dairy, and in connection caters to a general merchandise trade by no means local in extent or influence. He is the possessor of one hundred and fifty acres of land skirting the beach, and during the summer time devotes a part of it to entertaining resorters, who find the air and general surroundings most exhilarat- ing and restful.

The earliest youth of Mr. Phelps was spent in Nebraska, where he was born, February 22, 1859, and is the youngest of the six sons and one daughter born to Loman and Charlotte E. (Wright) Phelps, natives of New York state, and the former born in Chenango county. Both of the parents moved with their respective fami- lies to Pennsylvania, where they were married, several of their children born, and from where they removed to Illinois, settling in Stephenson county. The family afterward lived in Iowa, and still later in Nebraska, and when George W. was a year old they moved into what is now Clay countv. S. Dak. The Phelps and Robert Robin- son families were the very first to locate in this territory. When George W. was thirteen years old the family moved to Oregon by train and located seventeen miles northeast of Salem, Ma- rion county, and engaged in farming there until 1882. Tillamook county became the next place of residence of the family, and the father took up land four miles southeast of Tillamook, where he died in 1883, at the age of sixty-four years, his wife surviving him until 1899, her death oc- curring at the home of her son at the age of seventv-six vears.

George W. Phelps gained a fair common school education in Dakota and Marion county, Ore., and when his father came to this county he took up an adjoining farm of one hundred and sixty acres, and engaged in dairving for nine vears. He afterward rented a place for a while. coming then to his present home, within sight and hearing of the grand old Pacific. He married, in

Silverton, Marion county, Mary J. Wells, a na- tive of Lewiston, Idaho, and born December 10, 1865. Zure Wells, the father of Mrs. Phelps, crossed the plains with the Argonauts of 1849, locating in Oregon, where his death occurred several years ago. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Phelps, three of whom are liv- ing: Francis M., Lillian M. (twins), and Millie A. Notwithstanding his many home interests, Mr. Phelps has found time to promote various departments of activity in his county, and has ever taken a keen interest in Democratic politics. For many years he has served as road supervisor, and for a long time as school director and clerk. Fraternally, he is identified with the Woodmen of the World.

GEORGE SIMMONS. Both mining and ag- ricultural interests in Josephine county received an impetus under the good management and un- tiring industry of George Simmons, who came to the state in 1855, and died at Grants Pass October 6, 1901. The finely improved farm of three hundred and sixty acres half a mile east of Waldo, now occupied by his widow, best illus- trates his progressive methods and pronounced business ability, representing as it does one of the most valuable and orderly properties in the neighborhood. His mining operations were con- ducted principally in Butcher Gulch, the rich- ness of which he discovered soon after coming here, and he finally purchased the Caron mine, now known as the Simmons-Cameron-Logan mine. Previously, however, he had operated in the mines in Waldo, Josephine county, then known as Sailor Diggings, and at the same time he worked at his trade of blacksmith at Waldo, combining the two occupations with reasonable profit.

Mr. Simmons was a native son of Ohio, and was born in Muskingum county September 2, 1832, being the second of the six children born in the family of his father, Joseph Simmons. He came to California in 1855 by way of the Isthmus, bringing with him a rugged constitution hard- ened by out door work on the farm, and strength- ened by years of application to the blacksmith's trade. In the west he found his trade in great demand, especially among the miners around Waldo, Ore., where he located soon after com- ing to the west. In 1859 he returned to Muskin- gum county, Ohio, where, June 8 of that year, he was united in marriage, in Blue Rock town- ship, with Jane Revenaugh, born in Morgan county, Ohio, October 8, 1837, a daughter of John Revenaugh, one of the very early settlers and farmers of Morgan county. With his wife Mr. Simmons resumed his connection with Waldo and vicinity, in time moving to the farm now

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occupied by Mrs. Simmons and her daughter Ella, as well as J. T. Logan, the husband of the latter, now engaged in managing the farm and mining properties left by Mr. Simmons to his heirs. Mr. Simmons was a charter member of the Grants Pass Lodge, A. O. U. W., and in politics was a stanch Democrat. He was uni- versally respected as business man and private citizen, and in his passing from the scenes which had known him for so long Josephine county lost a loyal worker for its best development.

DANIEL RYAN. Though not a native of the United States, Mr. Ryan has proved his de- votion to his adopted country by a long and faith- ful service in its army. At the close of his con- nection with our military forces he took up a soldier's homestead four and one-half miles west of Fort Klamath, and there he made his home until its one hundred and sixty acres had been proved up, when he sold out, and has since re- sided in Fort Klamath. He was born on a farm in county Tipperary, Ireland, November 13, 1833, and was second among three sons and two daughters, whose parents, Martin and Anne (Corbett) Ryan, were natives respectively of counties Limerick and Tipperary, Ireland, and continued to live upon the Emeral Isle until their death. At the age of thirteen years, after having received some advantages in the national schools, he secured employment as a coachman. When the Crimean war broke out he enlisted in the East India Company, but had gone only as far as Bristol, England, when orders were changed, and he was returned to Cork, Ireland. This left him free to seek a home across the ocean in America.

August 12, 1857, Mr. Rvan embarked on a sailing vessel bound for New York, and on reach- ing his destination, secured work as a farm hand near Albany, N. Y. On entering the cavalry department of the army he was stationed for a short time at Carlisle Barracks, in Pennsylvania, and then assigned to Company B, First United States Dragoons, with which he was transferred to a fort in California. Six months later, on the breaking out of the Civil war, the fort was aban- doned and the company ordered to Los Angeles, hut immediately proceeded from there to Wash- ington D. C. The horses were turned over to the First California Volunteers, and they were changed from dragoons to the First United States Cavalry, under General Mcclellan, in the army of the Potomac, stationed at first at Fortress Monroe. Va. Among the engagements in which Mr. Rvan participated were the siege of York- town, battles of Williamsburg. Townsend's Sta- tion, Chickahominy Swamp, Gaines' Mill, and Johnson's farm house, where he was taken pris-

oner by General Stewart and confined in Libby prison for thirty-two days. Shortly after having been paroled he was discharged from the gen- eral hospital at West Philadelphia for disability, in August of 1862.

Going to Brooklyn, N. Y., Mr. Ryan remained there for a year. However, the Civil war was still in progress, and he was restless when out of the service, so on the 9th of September, 1863, lie re-enlisted, becoming a member of Company D, First United States Cavalry. He joined his company at Carlisle Barracks and entered the service under General Phil Sheridan. Among the many skirmishes and battles in which he bore a part the following year were those of the Wilderness. May 7-8; Beaver Dam, May 10; Cold Harbor, May 31 : Winchester and Waynes- boro. In the battle of Bridgewater, October 2, 1864, he was wounded, and again, in an Indian skirmish east of Owens' Lake, Cal., July 29, 1866, the latter time being injured in the left shoulder. He was sent to Finley hospital at Washington, D. C., and upon recovering his strength was again dispatched to Carlisle Bar- racks. September 1, 1868, he re-enlisted in the same company and regiment for five years in the regular army, and during that time was occu- pied principally in Indian service throughout the west. On the expiration of the five years he again enlisted, continuing this until he was finally discharged at Fort Klamath, Ore., September 24, 1883, after having served at posts in almost every part of the country. His connection with the service did not cease with his retirement from the army. For nine years he was employed by the government as chief packer and teamster, being finally discharged at Vancouver, July 3, 1892, when that fort was abandoned. Imme- diately after his discharge he returned to Kla- math county, Ore., where he has since made his liome. He is now a widower, his wife, Annie Murphy, whom he married in 1859, having died in 1900. Their three children. Delia, Annie and Daniel, are living at Fort Klamath, and, with their father, hold membership in the Roman Catholic Church. In his political views he is a Democrat, and always votes with that party.

DAVID RUBLE TOM. Eight years of age when the experience of crossing the plains with ox teams came into his receptive life. David Ruble Tom has since made Oregon his home. and has contributed his share towards its agri- cultural upbuilding. He was sixteen years of age when he left the home farm in the Alsea valley and courageously turned his face towards an independent and hard working existence, do- ing such odd undertakings as came his wav until IS72. He then invested his earnings in a home-

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stead of one hundred and sixty acres in the val- ley, and from then until 1899 devoted his best energies to its improvement. Industrious and practical, he used his land to the best possible advantage, and, being able to rely upon uniform- ly excellent harvests and high grade stock, he made money rapidly, and took his place among the financially secure farmers in the valley. This reputation has increased in recent years, and more especially his opportunities broadened after removal to his present farm, in the spring of 1899. He has three hundred and twenty acres of rich valley land ,and besides raising Jersey and Short-horn cattle and Cotswold sheep, he carries on general farming on a large scale.

The oldest in a family of five children, Mr. Tom was born in Marion county, Ind., March 20, 1848, and is a son of Bennett and Sarah Jane (Ruble) Tom, the former of whom was born in Ohio in 1818, and the latter in Virginia Decem- ber 1, 1826. David was named after his maternal uncle, David Ruble. His parents moved from Indiana to Missouri in 1848, but soon afterward crossed the line into Arkansas, where the father died in 1855, at the early age of thirty-seven. Besides David Ruble, there had been horn into the family Oscar, a farmer on Fall creek, in Alsea valley; Washington, also a farmer in the valley ; and Lovely, wife of Thomas Warfield, a farmer near Alsea. Tobias is deceased. The year after the death of Bennett Tom, when his son David was eight years of age, his family crossed the plains with the maternal grandparents, Thomas and Eliza- beth (Irons) Ruble, and during the seven months between their old and new home had many dire experiences. The pioneers of 1856 remember that year as exceptionally prolific of Indian troubles, and this band of homeseekers encountered a large share of it. For some reason their course lay direct towards California, from which state they came across the mountains to Oregon, and on to Polk county, where the first winter was spent a little west of Salem. In 1861 Mrs. Tom married Jeremiah G. Clark, who was born in Ohio in 1818, and with whom she located with her children on a claim just south of Alsea in 1862. Here the children were reared and edu- cated, and David grew into a capable and phys- ically robust boy, full of energy and determina- tion, and with the will power to succeed in any- thing upon which he set his mind. Mr. Clark died March 6, 1899.

Mr. Tom has been willing to assume his share of the political government of his county, and in all ways has given the greatest satisfaction to those who have placed him in power. He served as constable ahout four years, and has been a school director, clerk and road supervisor on and off for many terms. He cast his first presidential

vote for a Republican candidate, and has never seen his way clear to change from the party pre- ferred in his younger days. July 20, 1882, he married Emma S. Taylor, a native daughter of Benton county, born July 5, 1863. Mrs. Tom, whose death, Marclı 18, 1886, brought almost in- consolable grief to her devoted family, was the mother of two children, of whom Mabel Grace is the wife of Edward Herron of Harrisburg, Ore .; and William Franklin is deceased.

JAMES TAYLOR is the owner of a fine ranch three miles southeast of Bly, Ore., upon which he carries on general farming and stock- raising. Situated on Fish Hawk stream, in Sprague river valley, this ranch consists of seven hundred and sixty acres, four hundred acres under cultivation, and the rest used for grazing pastures. Making a specialty of stock-raising, Mr. Taylor has three hundred head of fine cattle, and as to farming, he cuts from four to five hun- dred tons of choice hay every season. Finely improved and well situated, his place speaks well for the enterprise of its owner.

A native of Belfast, Ireland, John B. Taylor, the father, was born in 1824, and was a weaver by trade. Coming to America when a young man, he first engaged in his trade in Philadel- phia, Pa., until 1859, crossing the plains at that date and locating at Jackson county, Ore., on what is now known as the old home place. Here he farmed until his death, March 8, 1898, being survived by his widow and children. Born at Belfast, Ireland, Mr. Taylor's wife was, before marriage, Miss Elizabeth Jane Taylor. At the advanced age of seventy-six years she still lives on the old home place with her youngest son, William, who manages the farm. Besides this son, Mr. and Mrs. John Taylor were blessed with seven other children, as follows: William John, deceased ; James, of Bly, Ore .; Mary, now Mrs. McAllister, residing near Ashland, Ore .; An- drew, residing at Merrill, Ore .; Elizabeth, wife of Jean Spencer, residing near Chase; John A. and Ellen, both of whom also reside near Ash- land.

James Taylor was born in Philadelphia, Pa., April 9, 1851, and when quite young he accompa- nied his parents to Oregon, where he was reared on the old home place. Obtaining his mental training from the common schools of Jackson county, he remained at home with his parents until 1870, removing at that date to what is now Klamath county. During the first year of his residence there he was employed by Lucien Ap- plegate in Swan Lake valley, spending the next winter in Ashland, and the following year work- ing in Langells valley. After two years in Kla- math county, in 1872, he obtained employment on

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the J. D. Carr ranch, soon afterward becoming manager, and remaining on that ranch until the fall of 1874. Having purchased his fine ranch in 1872, upon leaving the Carr ranch, he moved to his place, and has made his home there ever since, improving and cultivating his ranch and engag- ing in the stock business.

Miss Nancy Gearhart, a native of Missouri, born in February, 1857, became the wife of Mr. Taylor in 1875. Her death occurred in 1877. Five years afterward, December 24, 1882, Mr. Taylor was united in marriage with Miss Clarissa Conrtwright, who was born January 9, 1867, in Des Moines, Iowa. Her father, Robert Court- wright, on coming west first located in Modoc county, Cal., but now resides at Bly, Ore. Three children, Clara P., Clarence and Elizabeth J., were born of this second union. The eldest is a resident of Bly, and the two younger ones are at home with their parents. Being independent as to party, Mr. Taylor is quite an active poli- tician, and has served the people in the capacity of school director ever since first locating in Klamath county.

CLINTON D. VAN BRIMMER, an influ- ential resident of Klamath county, Ore., is en- gaged in ranch pursuits in the vicinity of Mer- rill, where he has lived for a number of years. He owns in this locality no less than five hun- dred acres of land, and carries on farming and stock-raising, the latter in particular, having sixty-four head of cattle and twenty of horses. Born in 1835 at Delaware, Ohio, he is a son of George Van Brimmer, a native of Pennsylvania, and a tanner by trade. The family records being destroyed, but little can be told of George Van Brimmer, save that he was reared in Ohio, his parents having come to that state when he was young. Removing to Missouri later in life, he was united in marriage with Miss Rebecca Car- ter, a native of Ohio, of about his own age and both of these worthy people died in Missouri, when Clinton D. was about fifteen years of age.

Besides Clinton D., Mr. and Mrs. George Van Brimmer had four younger children, and after the death of their parents, all were left to the care of sympathizing neighbors and relatives. Some years later these children lived together on a farm, the boys providing and the girls keep- ing house, doing splendidly until the departure of the brothers west, in 1861. Crossing the vast intervening plains to California, they proceeded to settle in San Joaquin county, but later re- moved to Siskiyou county, where they sojourned for several years. However, Oregon was to be their permanent location, and together they went to Klamath county in 1887, and upon moving to this county, the brothers undertook the construc-

tion of the first irrigation ditch in the county and in spite of the discouragement they were forced to overcome, it was put through and has been a source of advancement to the community at large.

Although the recipient of no scholastic train- ing, as there was no school near the place where his youth was spent, Mr. Van Brimmer is a man who has made a record for himself as a good business man of much ability and industry. One year after coming to Klamath county, in 1888, he was united in marriage with Miss Martha Allen, who was born in Logan county, Ill., in 1843. In his political views Mr. Van Brimmer sides with the Democratic party, and supports that body to the best of his ability.

WILLIAM ALBERT WALKER. The suc- cess of Mr. Walker, who is one of the most ex- tensive stockmen and hay-raisers in Klamath county, Ore., is phenomenal, and his splendid eighteen-hundred-acre ranch in Sprague river valley is considered one of the most productive in this locality, all being utilized with the ex- ception of about two hundred acres. The large, new residence, of modern design, six commodious barns, and many other improvements have all been made by Mr. Walker, who has three hun- dred head of cattle, two hundred and fifty head of horses and mules, and some idea of the magni- tude of his hay crop may be gleaned from the fact that during 1903 he cut eleven hundred and seventy-four tons, seven hundred tons being stored in his large barns.

In tracing the ancestry of Mr. Walker, we find his father, Daniel Walker, to have been born in February, 1834, near Indianapolis, Ind., and his mother, whose maiden name was Fanny Mc- Gahey, to have been a native of the same state. In 1864 the parents crossed the plains to Ore- gon, reaching Portland in October, after a six months' trip behind horse and mule teams. A little later the same fall they proceeded to Benton county, and to King's valley and the father soon secured employment, assisting in the construc- tion of the Chamber's saw-mill on the bank of the Luckiamute river. Removing in the spring of 1866 to the vicinity of Ritner's, in Polk coun- ty, he remained there but a short time, and in 1867 located permanently in Jackson county. Purchasing a place in the fall of the same year, about five miles southeast of Ashland, he turned his attention to farming pursuits and still resides upon this place, having met with success. A few years after settling in Jackson county, March 20, 1873, he wife died, leaving the following five chil- dren : William Albert; John, now deceased ; Mary H., wife of J. A. Parker, of Bly, Ore .; Butler, of Ashland, and Daniel of the same city. Some

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time after the death of his first wife, Mr. Walker married Miss Sarah Grubb.

Born in Keokuk county, Iowa, near Sigourney, May II, 1858, William A. Walker distinctly re- members many incidents of this long and tedious journey. The rudiments of an education were obtained by faithful attendance of the district school of Jackson county, in the vicinity of Ash- land, and this was supplemented by a more ad- vanced course in the academy at Ashland, sev- eral years afterwards. At the early age of six- teen he began his career by leaving home in the spring of 1874, and engaging in stock-raising in the Sprague river valley in Klamath county. In 1878 he purchased three hundred and twenty acres, one and a half miles northeast of Bly, and spent the following winter attending the academy in Ashland. Returning from school in 1879, and proceeding again to the Sprague river dis- trict, he made his home for the three years fol- lowing with James Taylor, who lived about three miles from Bly, but in 1880 he took up his resi- dence on his own place, where he has lived ever since, increasing its size by additional purchases from time to time until he has acquired the mag- nificent ranch previously mentioned.

The marriage of Mr. Walker, June 18, 1882, in Lake county, Ore., united him with Miss Ad- die Witt, a daughter of William Witt, a pioneer settler of Oregon. Mrs. Walker was born in Douglas county, Ore., July 5, 1858. She and her husband have three sons, Ray, the eldest, is at- tending normal school in Ashland, but the two younger boys, Earl and Luke, are still at home. A Democrat in politics, Mr. Walker has done his part in furthering the interests of the neigh- borhood of Bly, and has served for years on the school board, as road supervisor and as con- stable. Socially he is allied with Camp 7610, W. of W., of Klamath Falls ; and Lodge No. 143, I. O. O. F., of Bonanza.

JOSEPH FERRY, a successful mine oper- ator of broad experience, is acceptably filling the position of postmaster of Riverton, Ore., where he also conducts a general merchandise business. He is a Republican in politics and in his re- ligious views he is a prominent member of the Dunkard Church. Mr. Ferry was born Sep- tember 3, 1831, in Luzerne county, Pa. His father, a native of England, was a miner, and attained the age of seventy-five years. The mother lived to reach her eightieth milestone. This worthy couple reared thirteen children, and six of them are yet living. Educated in the schools of Pennsylvania, Mr. Ferry remained at home until he was twenty years old, and in ac- cordance with the custom which then prevailed, started out to make his own fortune. He found

occupation in the mines of his native state for several years, and in 1855 went to California, via the Nicaragua route, taking passage on the steamer Star of the West. Arriving at his des- tination, he followed mining one year on the Yuba river and then spent an equal length of time similarly engaged at Oroville, Cal.

In 1857 Mr. Ferry went to Coos county, Ore., and pre-empted a claim about two miles from Myrtle Point, on the Coquille river. He proved up on his claim and made his home there until 1898. During this time he followed mining and prospecting in various parts of Montana, Ore- gon and California, and at one time operated a quicksilver mine in the latter state. In 1898 he went to Riverton, where he drove a shaft about six hundred feet into the mountains, but on ac- count of its poor roof, the mine had to be aban- doned. He afterwards opened another mine in the same vicinity, which he still owns, but leases out to California parties.

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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 149

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