Portrait and biographical record of western Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present.., Part 29

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 29

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In the spring of 1855 Mr. Chapman returned to his farm after spending the winter in the mines of Yreka, Cal. He engaged in stock- raising and grain-growing until 1873, and then went to Ashland, where he enaged in the meat- market and butchering business, also in the liv- ery business for about twenty years. While liv- ing on the ranch, in 1864, he went north with a drove of cattle to Boise City, where he sold his stock, and that fall returned to the ranch. In the meantime, in 1864, he married Sarah A. Neil, and eight children have been born of the union, the order of their birth being as follows: Alvin B., on the home farm; Lulu, married W. L. Townsend, but is now deceased; Edith, at home ; Thomas, a farmer of Lake county, Cal .; Cora, wife of Horace Mitchell, of Klamath Falls, Ore .; Elsie, at home; Homer R., also at home; and Virgil, in Portland.

From Ashland Mr. Chapman moved his fam- ily to his present farm, where he is engaged in general farming, stock-raising and dairying, and where he has made many fine improvements. He raises fine Hereford cattle, and during the course of a year manufactures many hundreds of

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pounds of high-grade butter. As a Democrat, he has taken a keen interest in party undertakings in the county, and his ability and trustworthiness have resulted in his elevation to numerous posi- tions of trust. In 1893 he served as deputy county assessor, and is at present holding the same office, to the satisfaction of all concerned. He successfully managed the affairs of the deputy sheriff's office for three years, and at a time when the unruly element prevailed, and the greatest tact and courage were required to hunt down law-breakers, and restore order. Here, as in the early days, his minute knowledge of the country served him in good stead, for his en- counters with the Indians sharpened his wits, and gave him the mental alertness and far-sight- edness so essential in dealing with the criminal classes. Mr. Chapman is a type of early settler who will always stand out boldly in the annals of the west, and who has furnished the backbone of the past, as well as the inspiration of the pres- ent. He has observed broadly and intelligently, and is one of the most interesting as well as most authentic chroniclers in Jackson county.

ANTHONY BINDER. Among the many prosperous and well-to-do farmers of Douglas county, Ore., who have not only been tillers of the soil but have devoted especial attention to raising horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, the above- named gentleman may easily be rated as an ideal farmer and stockman, as well as one of the most influential citizen in the vicinity of Elkton. Mr. Binder has during his long and eventful life followed diversified occupations, and has labored in some of the largest cities of the United States, principally as a stonemason, a trade which he learned in early life. In his later years, however, lie took up the more independent calling of farm- ing, and is spending his declining years sur- rounded by all that anyone could desire.

The birth of Anthony Binder dates back to June 13, 1828, and he was born of German parentage, in Alsace-Lorraine, near Strasburg, Germany. Bereft of both parents at an early age, he fell to the care of an aunt and was early thrown upon the world and compelled to make his own way. He had reached the age of sixteen years when he became apprenticed and learned the stonemason's trade. He served three years' apprenticeship and completely mastered that use- ful trade and worked as a journeyman in his native county until 1854. Mr. Binder then took passage on board a sailing vessel for "free" America, of which he had heard so much and, after a voyage of thirty-seven days, he landed in New York City. Then began a series of wander- ings from place to place in search of a permanent location that would suit him, and he drifted from

one place to another for many years. He worked for a time in Pittsburg and other places in the vicinity and in Ohio, where he entered the iron mines and worked for $5 per month. After one month's experience he went to Michigan and worked one winter in a hotel for $8 per month. The following summer he was employed at his trade in the same state, and continued to work there one year. In 1856 he went to Chicago and followed his chosen calling for two years. Going to Lee county, Iowa, he remained only a few months, and then proceeded to Montgomery county, locating for some time near Red Oak, where he followed contract work and also en- gaged in farming. In 1882 he came west and located permanently in Oregon. At that time he purchased a ranch of twelve hundred and forty acres from D. W. Stearns. This land is located along the Umpqua river about two miles from Elkton and about two hundred acres is rich bot- tom land. Mr. Binder has one of the finest stock farms in that section and raises sheep, cattle and hogs, in addition to carrying on general farming. He has been very successful and his prosperity is due entirely to his own efforts, as he began at the bottom of the ladder.

In 1859, while in Lee county, Iowa, Mr. Bin- der was joined in matrimony with Hannah Geb- bers, a native of Hanover, Germany, and they have reared five children, as follows: John, who runs the flour-mill at Elkton ; Charles, who is his father's able assistant on the farm, as is also Frank, the next in order; Mary, who married William Hart, of Alaska, and Millie, living at the old home. Mr. Binder is a Republican and has never deviated from his allegiance to his favorite party. However, he is no office-seeker. On account of his advanced years he is now practically retired and attends chiefly to over- seeing the farm work, the greater part of the manual labor falling to the lot of his stalwart Sons.

CHARLES P. BARNARD. As proprietor of the Empire livery, feed and sale stable, and of the Roseburg-Marshfield Stage Line, Charles P. Barnard, until recently, carried on a very large and successful business in Roseburg. August 15, 1903, Mr. Barnard disposed of his interests in Roseburg and transferred his business opera- tions to Eugene, purchasing the livery business of Eli Bangs, and is now conducting a larger livery than he had at Roseburg, his being the largest and most complete livery establishment south of Portland. Energetic, enterprising and possessing great executive ability and much force of character, he has worked his own way through life, and in his various enterprises has been ex- ceedingly prosperous. A son of C. P. Barnard,

Hodin Cameron

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Sr., he was born in Prescott, Wis., October 27th, 1859, of substantial New England ancestry on both the paternal and maternal sides of the house.

Born and reared in Worcester, Mass., C. P. Barnard, Sr., became one of the earlier settlers of Wisconsin, and for many years was engaged in the hotel business at Prescott. Subsequently removing to St. Paul, Minn., he was for some time in the employ of the government as deputy revenue collector, being afterwards in the real estate business until his death, in 1893, at the age of sixty years. He married Emma Bixby, who was born in Connecticut, and is now a resident of St. Paul, Minn. Of the eight children born of their union, four are living.

The third child in order of birth of the pa- rental household, Charles P. Barnard was brought up and educated in St. Paul, Minn., and can well remember when the first railway was established in that city. On leaving school he went to Minneapolis, where he was in the employ of Clough Brothers, lumber manufacturers, for five years. For some time thereafter he re- mained in the lumber regions as teamster and contractor, carrying on a good business. In 1884 he made a trip to the Pacific coast, visiting Washington and Portland, Ore., but did not make a long stay. Returning to Minneapolis he embarked in the horse business, in which he con- tinued five or more years. Coming again to Oregon in 1890, Mr. Barnard located in Rose- burg as a farmer and stockman, his ranch being on Deer creek. Disposing of his farm in 1900, he purchased the livery business of Barker & O'Neill, and until selling out his interests in Roseburg, had the largest and best equipped stable in the city, keeping over seventy-five horses.

In 1887 Mr. Barnard married in Minneapolis, Minn., Effie Verrell, who was born in Farming- ton, Minn., and reared in Minneapolis. Mr. and Mrs. Barnard have one child, Eloise E. Barnard. Fraternally Mr. Barnard is a member of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows; of the Wood- men of the World; and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Politically he is a warm advo- cate of the principles of the Republican party. Mrs. Barnard is a member of the Christian Church.

HON. THEODRIC CAMERON. A repre- sentative business man of Jackson county, Hon. Theodric Cameron, of Jacksonville, has been act- ively associated with the development and ad- vancement of both the agricultural and mining interests of southern Oregon. Possessing excel- lent business capacity, sound judgment and quick perceptive faculties, he has been invariably suc-

cesssful in his undertakings, and as an honest, upright citizen has gained the good will and re- spect of his fellow-men, who have elected him to offices of trust and responsibility in the adminis- tration of city and state affairs. A native of New York, he was born June 21, 1829, in Madi- son county, which was also the birthplace of his father, James Cameron. As his name indicates, he is of pure Scotch ancestry, his paternal grand- father having emigrated from Scotland to the United States, becoming one of the early settlers of Madison county, N. Y.

Born and reared in New York state, James Cameron lived there until 1839, when he migrated westward with his family, located in Van Buren county, Iowa, where he cleared and improved a farm. Coming to Oregon in 1869, he located in Uniontown, Jackson county, where he lived re- tired until his death, in 1880, at the age of seven- ty-four years. He married Emeline Kendall, who was born in New York, near Rochester, and died in Uniontown, Ore. Of their family of five sons and three daughters, Theodric, the sub- ject of this sketch, was the oldest child.

Obtaining a limited education in the common schools of New York and Iowa, Theodric Cam- eron remained at home until after attaining his majority. Energetic, and full of vim and energy, he then determined to see for himself what suc- cess might be attained by industry and perse- verance in the newer countries of the Pacific coast. Starting across the plains with ox-teams, he crossed the Missouri river May 7, 1852, journeyed by the Platte River route, and arrived at Foster, Clackamas county, Ore., August 14, 1852, after a trip remarkable for its quickness and comfort. Locating at once in Jackson county, Mr. Cameron was engaged in mining on Jackson creek for two years. Taking up a dona- tion claim of one hundred and sixty acres at Eagle Point, in the fall of 1853, he followed farming the ensuing two years, and from that time until 1858 was engaged in the bakery busi- ness at Sterlingville. The next two years he was engaged in agricultural pursuits in the vicin- ity of Applegate. Forming a partnership with U. S. Hayden in 1861, Mr. Cameron was engaged in mercantile pursuits on Applegate creek, in Uniontown, for nearly thirty years, having an extensive and lucrative trade in general mer- chandise. Selling out his interests in the firm in 1892, he has since resided in Jacksonville, devoting his attention to his private interests, which are many and valued.

During his residence in Oregon, Mr. Cameron has been more or less interested in placer mining. In 1872 he opened up the Sterling mine, which proved among the most productive in the coun- ty, and owned it until 1875, when he sold it to a Portland company, receiving $25,000 in caslı.

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Buying out the interests of an English mining company on Galice creek, Josephine county, in 1883, he developed and equipped a good mine, which was in his possession until he sold out in 1898. In 1880 Mr. Cameron, in company with George Simmons and Frank Ennis, purchased nine hundred acres of land in the Waldo mining district, and opened up and equipped the Sim- mons-Cameron mine, a placer mine, yielding a fine grade of gold. In mining as in mercantile pursuits, Mr. Cameron has always been success- ful, fortune always smiling upon his efforts. He still maintains an interest in agriculture, and owns a good farm of three hundred and ten acres on Butte creek, near Eagle Point, Jack- son county.

In March, 1871, in Jacksonville, Mr. Cameron married Mrs. Mary (Bilger) Krause, who was born in Ontario, Canada, and came to Oregon with her uncle. By her first marriage, Mrs. Cameron had three children, namely: Margaret E. A. Kranse, living at home with her mother and step-father; Frank Otis Krause, of Klamath Falls, Ore., and Ella L., wife of Walter C. Lang, of Oakland, Cal. Mr. and Mrs. Cameron have one child, Charles Donald Cameron, a bright, active lad, in the eleventh year of his age. In 1901 he was page of the Oregon State Senate at the age of eight years. Following in the political footsteps of his father, Mr. Cameron is an un- compromising Republican. In 1885 he was elect- ed representative to the state legislature, and served two years. In 1890 he was elected state senator, and in 1896 was honored with a re- election to the same high position. In both terms of the senate he served on the committees on mining and railways. He has taken an active part in the management of municipal affairs, and as a city councilman has served a number of terms. He was made a Mason at Jacksonville thirty years ago, and has since contributed his full share in advancing the interests of the order. He is now a member of Warren Lodge No. 10, A. F. & A. M .; of Jacksonville Chapter No. 4, R. A. M .; Oregon Consistory, No. 1, of Port- land, Scottish Rite, having taken thirty-two de- grees, and Al Kader Temple, N. M. S.

MOTIER HOWE. Among the worthy citi- zens of Roseburg, Douglas county, Ore., the name of Motier Howe must not be overlooked. He has devoted his life principally to stock-rais- ing and farming, but lias also had a taste of mer- cantile life. However, in 1900, he decided to return to the old ranch, where he has since re- sided. He is a native of Putnam county, Ill., and is a son of Leonard and Harriet ( Robinson) Howe.

Leonard Howe was a man of much promi- nence in western Oregon, and filled various of- fices of public trust in an admirable manner. He was a native of the Green Mountain state, and as his parents died when he was young, he was early thrown upon his own resources. He went to Illinois, while still a young man, and learned the bricklayer's trade. His marriage with Har- riet Robinson took place in that state in 1843, and the young people journeyed across the plains together in 1850. The trip consumed six months, and in the fall they arrived and spent the winter near Astoria, Ore. The following year (1851) they went to Lane county, and Mr. Howe pur- chased a claim near Eugene. During the same year he was appointed sheriff of Lane county, being the first to fill that office in that county. In 1853 he removed to Douglas county, and took up a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres, which he now occupies. This ranch is two miles east of Roseburg, on Deer creek, and upon it the elder Mr. Howe engaged in stock-raising and farming for a number of years with an un- usual degree of success.

In 1868 Mr. Howe was elected sheriff of Douglas county, and after a successful term of two years was re-elected to the same office and served another term. He was serving as sheriff at the time that two political factions caused a big fight at a dance in the French settlement, when two persons were killed and several others wounded. Sheriff Howe arrested the parties in- volved in the fray and some of them were sen- tenced to a term in the penitentiary. Mr. Howe continued to reside in Douglas county until 1885, and then went to Colfax, Wash., where he died in 1893, having passed his eighty-first year. In his political belief he adhered to the principles of the Republican party. His widow is still living and resides in Colfax, being now in her eighty- first year. Their family consists of the following five children : Orrin; Motier ; Viola, wife of O. H. Cornelius, of Turner; Arthur, of Colfax, Wash .; and John R., of the same place.

Motier Howe grew to manhood on his father's farm and was educated in the Roseburg schools. In 1871 he located in the vicinity of Canyon City and was engaged in stock-raising for a number of years. In 1889 he discontinued that business, and, having considerable capital, he went to Turner, Ore., engaging in mercantile pursuits until 1900, when he returned to the home ranch.

November 29, 1876, Mr. Howe was united in marriage with Mattie E. Cook at Camp Watson, Ore., formerly of Marion county, Ore. They have five children, viz: Harriet V., wife of George Schaum, of Salem; Emery M., of Tur- ner; Isaac N .; and Chester L. and Lester M., who are twins. The three youngest are still at home, assisting on the farm. Mr. Howe is an

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intelligent, well-read man and takes a keen in- terest in everything of benefit to his section. In fraternal circles he is identified with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows.

A. M. SIMPSON. The life and work of A. M. Simpson, who is now residing in retirement in San Francisco, have left an indelible impress upon the history of Oregon. Probably none of the pioneer inhabitants of Oregon are more widely known than he, and none contributed in a greater degree toward the development of the most important interests of the Pacific north- west during the half century of his operations throughout a territory that was limited only to the confines of the great timber belt of this re- gion. Through the vista of long years of ardu- ous toil, rendered still more difficult and dis- couraging at various periods by reason of nu- merous set-backs and well-nigh insurmountable obstacles, this dauntless creator of a new country is able to review with feelings of highly justi- able pride the record of a well-spent and suc- cessful life, whose climax has been the enroll- ment of his name among those of the compara- tively few men who will always live in history as the chief builders of the great northwest.

A. M. Simpson was born in Brunswick, Me., February 21, 1826, a son of Thomas and Mary (Wyer) Simpson. After attending the common schools and academy he learned the trade of ship builder, and for some time was engaged in that calling in his native state. When the news of the discovery of gold in California reached the cast he could not resist the impulse to join the army of fortune hunters which almost immedi- ately inaugurated the rush for the new Eldorado. Having become the owner of a one thirty-second share in the ship Birmingham and cargo he ar- ranged to sail in her in the capacity of super- cargo, in her journey around Cape Horn. After touching at Valparaiso, the Birmingham con- tinued her journey to the northward, passing through the Golden Gate April 7, 1850. Soon after his arrival in San Francisco Mr. Simpson took a party of three to Stockton by boat of his own construction, thence to the mines on the Tuolumne river and mined there with success for about three weeks. Returning to San Fran- cisco he began the disposal of the ship's cargo, and with the $1,500 which he had accumulated in the gold mines, purchased an interest in a steamer called the H. T. Clay, then in course of construction, which claimed the proud distinc- tion of being the first steamer built in San Fran- cisco. The dream of the owners of this craft was soon dissipated, however, for instead of. the ounce of gold dust which they expected to re- ceive for each passenger traveling to or from

Stockton or Sacramento, they were compelled to reduce the fare to $5, with freight rates in pro- portion, on account of the arrival of other steam- ers from New York, via the Straits of Magellan. This meant the total failure of the venture and the loss of the money Mr. Simpson had so hope- fully invested.

Though Mr. Simpson was unfamiliar with the lumber business at this time, the failure of the transportation enterprise induced him to ship the cargo of lumber on the Birmingham to Stockton and Sacramento. The venture proved success- ful, and the entering wedge of his career as a lumberman was securely driven. In 1851 a ves- sel partly owned by him, called the Potomac, was partially wrecked on the Columbia river bar and was towed to Portland by the historic steamer Lot Whitcomb, commanded by Capt. Joseph Kel- logg. A brother of Mr. Simpson, L. P. Simp- son, supervised the work of heaving her out at the city front of Portland, where she was re- paired and loaded with lumber and pilings. What is now the water front of Portland was at that time a bank covered with alders and various other shrubs. Front street was full of stumps, and the thoroughfare was lined with small wooden buildings and numerous tents. The lower part of the street, near the Couch claim, was for the most part unimproved, but back of Third street the country was all primitive forest and of a very heavy growth. After seeing the Potomac loaded Mr. Simpson again secured the services of Captain Kellogg and the steamer Lot Whitcomb and had her towed to Astoria, whence he sailed her to San Francisco, his first voyage as captain on the ocean.

In 1852 Mr. Simpson became interested in the construction of a lumber mill at Astoria (near the spot where the Occident Hotel now stands), the site having been selected by him during his voy- age the year before. Not having had any expe- rience in this line of work, the mill was poorly constructed and not a success, chiefly on account of the great and sudden fall in the price of lum- ber. In addition to this, ill luck beset the owner in other ways, and he finally determined to try a new field. Early in April, 1852, he made the pioneer trading voyage to the Umpqua river, entering that water with a schooner called the Harriet. At that time there was a thriving set- tlement at Scottsburg, about twenty-two miles above Gardiner, with a few stores engaged prin- cipally in forwarding by pack animals to the mines of southern Oregon. There was also a government station below Gardiner, with a block house about completed for the protection of the inhabitants from Indians who were quite nut- merons at that time. Gen. Joseph Hooker, who was in charge of the post, afterwards built a wagon road from Scottsburg to Roseburg. A.

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C. Gibbs, afterwards governor of Oregon, was at Gardiner at the time, having taken up a claim under the Oregon donation of Congress where the city of Gardiner now stands. Gen. Joe Lane, afterwards United States senator, was there on a visit as the guest of General Hooker. Mr. Lane devoted much of his time to the amusement of the party by relating anecdotes and stories and political reminiscences.

While waiting on the Umpqua for a load of piling to be cut for a return cargo to San Fran- cisco, Mr. Simpson and two friends started down the beach for the purpose of discovering what is now known as Coos bay, having learned of its existence through the Indians, who reported that it was "one sun" down the beach. They pro- ceeded as far as Ten Mile creek, a wide, but very shallow swift stream. Discovering on the oppo- site bank of the stream a party of Indians with painted and tattooed faces and further adorned with plumes and feathers, and believing that they were on the war-path, the three explorers parleyed for half an hour. At the end of that time, concluding that the soles of their shoes were too thin to enable them to cross the stream, they voted to give up the remainder of the trip. Upon their return to Umpqua they informed General Hooker that "the water in the Ten Mile creek was too high for them to cross." All along the shore opposite old Umpqua where the block- house stood, a thick forest of spruce trees of the right size for piling was growing, but these trees have since grown to good sized timber, two and three feet in diameter.

In 1855 Mr. Simpson made a trip to Coos bay, via Port Orford, walking along the beach and through the forests, to Empire City, a distance of forty miles. A party from the valley had come in the year before and located there. Cap- tain Harris had taken the Empire City claim, and among others who had settled there were Perry B. Marple, who headed the party of exploration ; Mr. Foley, who had an adjoining claim ; Gabriel Cooper, James Flanagan, James Aiken, Glen Aiken, and Northrop and Simonds, who had come from Portland with a stock of merchan- dise to start a store. Messrs. Flanagan and Rog- ers had begun the development of a coal mine. and Messrs. Northrop and Simonds also had started a coal mining enterprise, and Mr. Simp- son furnished vessels to carry the coal to San Francisco, where it was in great demand. Freight rates were attractive, but as steam tugs were then almost unknown on the coast, trans- portation of this character was attended by great risk, Mr. Simpson losing three vessels on the bar before obtaining a tug. The first accident of this kind not only resulted in heavy pecuniary loss to Mr. Simpson (at that time almost irre- parable), hut was attended by a sad feature, the

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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 29

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