Portrait and biographical record of western Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present.., Part 55

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 55

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Mr. Patterson married first, in Rochester, Minn., Miss Emma Leete, who was born in New York city. His second marriage occurred in St. Paul, Minn., and united him with Mrs. Fannie (Crosby) Packard, a native of Iowa, and they are the parents of four children, namely : Hazel A., Ruth M., Madge Isabelle and Rulloff Eu- gene. Politically Mr. Patterson is a Republi- can ; fraternally he is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees ; and religiously he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

GEORGE W. BODYFELT. A résumé of the men whose energies have materially aided in the development of Tillamook county would be incomplete without due mention of George W. Bodyfelt, owner of a farm of one hundred and ten acres in the vicinity of Tilla- mook, and one of the progressive and modern exponents of practical, scientific dairying. The improvements on the farm are entirely due to the present occupant, who has cleared seventy- five acres, and has built his house, barns, and outbuildings out of hand-split lumber, making them as substantial and weather-defying as any which house the agricultural population of the west. Mr. Bodyfelt is essentially a dairyman, although hay and other farm prod- nice swell his yearly income. He milks about twenty-two cows, and meets a ready sale for his really fine dairly products.

Mr. Bodyfelt was thirteen years old when he crossed the plains with his parents in 1862, having been born in Adams county. Ind., Feb- ruary 9. 1849. His father, Daniel, was born in Somerset county, Pa., March 19, 1813, and

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died at his home in Tillamook county, in 1882, from a cold contracted in the mines of Califor- nia and Idaho. He was of Pennsylvania-Dutch stock, while his wife, formerly Amy Jane Cat- terlin, was born in Butler county, Ohio, Oc- tober 30, 1825, and is of English extraction. Mrs. Bodyfelt afterward married Peter Brant, and is at present living in the town of Tilla- mook. She is the mother of four sons and two daughters, of whom George W. is the oldest. The parents were married in Adams county, Ind., about 1846, and in September, 1857, lo- cated in Marion county, Iowa, where the father engaged in carpentering and millwrighting. In the meantime, in 1852, Daniel Bodyfelt crossed the plains in a train of goldseekers, and after fair success in the mines returned to his former home in Indiana by way of the Isthmus. Though for ten years he filled his life with honorable industry and home-making achieve- ments, he was never again satisfied with the east, feeling always a yearning for the west. His course in 1862 was dictated by the in- cessant promptings of his heart, and after dis- posing of his saw and grist-mill he bought the necessary outfit for conveying across the plains the family and possessions for beginning life anew under newer and more favorable con- ditions. With two wagons and six yoke of oxen he made the start May 21, arriving at his destination in Yamhill county November 15, 1862. He was for a time captain of the train, which experienced scarcely any of the discomfort which rendered terrifying and dan- gerous the path of the earlier emigrants. The first winter was spent in Yamhill county, and thereafter Mr. Bodyfelt lived in and near the town of Lafayette until October, 1865, in the meantime working at his trade, and getting quite a start in the new country. From Yam- hill he came to Tillamook county over the Harris trail, shipping his goods by boat, and taking up one hundred and twenty acres of land five miles east of Tillamook, where the balance of his life was spent. He saw much of the west during his sojourn here, and in 1863 took a trip to Idaho, but his experience in the mines was hardly satisfactory.

Educated in the public schools of Iowa and Oregon and at the Lafayette Academy, George W. Bodyfelt remained on the home place un- til his twenty-third year, and in 1872 married Mary Butt, who was born near Greencastle, Ind., January 10, 1850. William Butt, who is now living with his daughter, was eighty-four years old May 16, 1903, and his wife was eighty-one on May 4, the same year. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Body- felt, five of whom are living: William D., employed by W. N. Vaughn ; Oscar, at home ;

James, living at Cloverdale; Clara, the wife of O. Kelso, of Hebo, Ore .; and Arthur, living on the home farm. In 1869 Mr. Bodyfelt went to the Smith river, Douglas county, and engaged in logging for eight months, and finally bought eighty acres of school land five miles northeast of town, where he lived for two years. He then took up his present homestead, which consisted at the time of one hundred and sixty acres, fifty acres of which have since been sold. Mr. Bodyfelt has taken an active interest in Republican politics, and has been a member of the school board for twenty years. He also served as constable of Tillamook, and in 1902 was elected county commissioner. He is a keen business man and practical farmer, and is regarded as one of the substantial, re- liable and honorable upbuilders of a prosperous community.

FRANK E. ALLEY. Actively identified with the industrial prosperity and advancement of Douglas county, Frank E. Alley occupies a position of prominence among the practical and enterprising business men of Roseburg. For a number of years he was intimately associated with the manufacturing interests of this locality, and is now carrying on a substantial business as an abstracter, paying especial attention to mat- ters in connection with the United States land office. A man of sterling integrity and honesty, he has won in an eminent degree the confidence of his fellow-men, and has secured an extensive and lucrative patronage. A son of N. B. Alley, he was born September 12, 1870, in Lancaster county, Neb., near the city of Lincoln. He is of Revolutionary stock, his paternal great-grand- father, who was of English descent, having served as a soldier in the Continental army, en- listing in Virginia, his native state. Mr. Alley's grandfather on the paternal side was born and reared in Kentucky, but became a pioneer of Mis- souri, going from there to Nebraska, and settling near Plattsmouth, where he was employed as a tiller of the soil until his death, in 1876.

Born in Harrison county, Mo., N. B. Alley re- moved with his parents to Nebraska when a boy, and was reared on the homestead in Plattsmouth. As a young man he was in the employ of the government, teaming from the Missouri river to Kearney and other western forts. He had nu- merous contests with the Indians, taking part in many fights with the savages, and having many narrow escapes from death. Subsequently tak -. ing up a homestead claim near Lincoln, he in- proved a farm, living there until 1873, when he removed to Saline county, becoming a merchant at Dorchester, and also serving as postmaster. Possessed with the true missionary spirit, he

Sol Jo in blookey

Mary A Me Blosky

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gave up his business interests in that community, and for a number of years thereafter was an evangelist of the Christian Church, preaching throughout the state. Going through the coun- try, he organized congregations in different places, raised funds, erected church buildings, and established societies. Continuing in the good work, he built forty-four churches in Nebraska, doing, perhaps, more labor of that kind than any other one man. Coming to Eugene, Ore., in 1889, he served as pastor of the Christian Church there for several years. He died at his home in Eugene October 13, 1903, aged fifty-eight years and ten months.

N. B. Alley married Sarah E. Smith, who was born in Iowa, and educated at the Oskaloosa (Iowa) College. She died at Eugene, Ore., in 1897. Her father, Rev. George Smith, a pioneer minister of the Christian Church in Nebraska, improved a homestead farm in that state. While living there he freely gave his time to organizing churches in various places, and in such commu- nities as could not afford to support a minister he preached without pecuniary reward, living among his chosen people until his death. Of the seven children born of the union of N. B. and Sarah E. (Smith) Alley, three grew to years of maturity, namely: Letta, wife of Rev. F. E. Jones, of Palouse, Wash .; Frank E., the subject of this sketch; and Mrs. Ella T. Fisher, of Eu- gene, Ore.

Removing with his parents to Saline county, Neb., when a child of three years, Frank E. Alley received his elementary education in the district school, afterwards attending the Lincoln high school, from which he was graduated in 1888. From 1882 until 1888 he spent about six months of each year working with his father, being employed as an architect and carpenter in church work. Going to Healdsburg, Cal., as secretary of the Magnolia Canning Company, he remained there a year, in 1889 coming to Ore- gon as foreman for the W. L. Dysinger sash and door factory, at Eugene. Going from there to Victoria, B. C., in 1891, he was employed as foreman in E. J. Gray's planing and sash mill for three years, at the same time serving as practical architect and superintendent. Buying an inter- est in the plant in 1894, Mr. Alley continued with the firm until 1897, when he sold out. Locating then in Roseburg, Ore., Mr. Alley accepted the position of foreman, architect and superintend- ent in the sash and door factory of J. G. Flook, remaining with him three years. Resigning the position in 1900, he began the preparation of a set of township plats for the United States land office for the Roseburg district, which comprises four hundred and thirty-nine townships. As soon as he began this work Mr. Alley perceived the necessity of taking up the abstract business

in connection with his labor, and since complet- ing the plats has continued the business thus established. He furnishes abstracts of titles and makes a specialty of matters in connection with the United States land office, practicing before the Department of the Interior. He has built up a large and profitable business, having his office in the Douglas County Bank building, and employing seven clerks to assist him.

While a resident of Victoria, British Columbia, Mr. Alley married Miss Corinne Churchill, who was born in Monmouth, Polk county, Ore., and was educated at the University of Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Alley have two children, Frances M. and Thelma E. Fraternally Mr. Alley is iden- tified with several of the leading organizations of this locality, being a member of Laurel Lodge No. 13, A. F. & A. M. ; a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, of which he served two terms as master workman; a member and past officer of the Foresters of America ; a char- ter member of the Royal Arcanum; and of the Degree of Honor. Politically he is an earnest advocate of the principles of the Republican party. Religiously he is a member of the Chris- tian Church, and for a number of years was superintendent of the Sunday-school. He be- longs to the Roseburg Board of Trade, being a charter member.

SOL J. McCLOSKEY. A neat and paying general merchandise business is that being con- ducted in the prosperous town of Norway by S. J. McCloskey, one of the prominent and popular men of Coos county. Mr. McCloskey has worked hard and faithfully to secure the competence which brightens his latter days, and has always adhered to sound and practical business princi- ples. He is possessed of the tact and knowledge without which the merchant makes a failure of his occupation, and his stability is the substantial kind begotten of slow and cautious growth. He keeps a large stock of general merchandise, and his store is the headquarters of the best trade in town and county, an important aid to success be- ing the genial and obliging nature of the influ- cntial proprietor.

Mr. McCloskey has had the average amount of difficulty in reaching his goal, but he has al- ways made it a point to persevere, no matter what the obstacle. He comes of southern ances- try, and was born in Philadelphia, Pa., November 14. 1836, but soon afterward moved with his parents to near Johnstown, Pa. His father was a civil engineer, and for many years was in the employ of the government in Alabama, from which state he removed to Pennsylvania. He died while in the government service in Alabama when his son was nine years of age. His widow

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continued to live near Johnstown until coming to Oregon in 1880. Her death occurred on the north fork of the Coquille river, at an advanced age.

Having completed his education in the public schools of Evansburg, Pa., Mr. McCloskey served an apprenticeship to a stone and brick mason, and followed the trade until coming to Oregon in 1876. In 1853 he had removed to the state of Minnesota, and for thirteen years plied his trade at Rochester, a town offering excellent facili- ties for an enterprising master worker. So well did he succeed that the establishment of a home followed as a natural consequence, and December IO, 1859, he was united in marriage with Mary Ann Stewart, a native of Canada.

Mr. McCloskey was doing a large business in Rochester when the Civil war broke out in 1861, and in 1862 he enlisted in Company K, First Minnesota Cavalry, and was mustered in near Rochester. The company was sent to Fort Snelling, Minn., and from there went out under General Sibley to restore order among the north- 'ern Indians. They participated in many minor battles and skirmishes, and served until dis- charged at the end of an eighteen months' ser- vice. In 1865, after the close of the war, Mr. Mc- Closkey removed to Cherokee, Kans., worked at his trade until 1876, and then came to Oregon and homesteaded a claim at Gravelford, on the north fork of the Coquille river, in Coos county. Six years enabled him to make great improvements on this property, and at the same time he conducted the first postoffice at Gravel- ford. In 1882 he came to Norway and bought a farm of forty-five acres half a mile from the town, where he lived until 1886, and then came to live in the town, renting his farm to reliable parties.

Mr. McCloskey's store was formerly owned by Oden Nelson, and he has conducted it uninter- ruptedly since 1886, with the exception of eighteen months. Upon coming here he was appointed postmaster, and with the exception of eighteen months he has held the office to the sat- isfaction of all concerned ever since. His home is surrounded by five acres of land, which he devotes to small farming, gardening and dairy- ing, and besides he owns town property in Ban- don and other towns in the vicinity. Mr. Mc- Closkey has always felt an interest in Democratic politics, and has filled the majority of the local offices in the county. He has been justice of the peace for several terms, and county commissioner for two terms. Mr. McCloskey's standing is fur- ther strengthened by association with Myrtle Lodge No. 78, A. F. & A. M., and Coquille Lodge No. 97, I. O. O. F. Nine children have been reared to useful and capable lives in his practical and refined home, and those living are comfort-

ably established either in homes of their own or as independent members of the family circle. Ag- nes is the wife of William Smith, residing on the east fork of the Coquille river; Lucinda is the wife of E. Morgan of Bandon; T. W. is captain and owner of two boats on the Coquille river ; Clara and Minnie are at home ; Florida is the wife of P. Laird of Johnson's Mill; Hilde- bert is captain of a steamboat on the Coquille river ; and Roy and Anastasia are deceased. Mr. McCloskey has been a keen observer of people and events, and looks at the world through the eyes of a man rich in experience and kind in judgment. He is deserving of whatever success comes his way, and it is the wish of his many friends in the county that he may long continue to maintain its best business principles.

HAMMOND C. KINNEY. Few industries have been more important factors in promoting the growth of Grants Pass and Josephine county than the Sugar Pine Door & Lumber Company, with which Mr. Kinney has been identified since its organization, first as secretary and superin- tendent of the plant, and for some years past as president. Through his connection with many other movements he has also been intimately as- sociated with the progress of his home city. Par- ticularly have his services been valuable in the direction of building. Some of the finest resi- dences and the most substantial business blocks, as well as the opera house, the Odd Fellows Hall and Josephine hotel, have been erected from his plans. Nor has his interest in the moral develop- ment of the city been less conspicuous than his concern as to the material growth. Worthy char- ities, religious efforts, educational matters and all movements for the benefit of the people have had the benefit of his practical assistance and wise judgment. In every respect he ranks among the leading citizens of Grants Pass.

Although a native of the province of Quebec, Canada, Mr. Kinney is a descendant of an old American family that was for generations con- nected with the history of New England. His father, Hammond, was born in Plainfield, Vt., and engaged in farming there during all of his active life. with the exception of a few years spent at Potten, Quebec, Canada. On his return to Vermont he settled near Albany, where he re- sumed agricultural pursuits. He married Amanda Edson, who was born in Brookfield, Vt., being the daughter of Eli Edson, a farmer of that state. Like her husband, she spent al- most her entire life in the Green Mountain state. All of their ten children lived to mature years, and seven survive at this writing. Hammond C., who was one of the youngest, being the only member of the family on the Pacific coast. Born

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February 26, 1850, his earliest recollections are of the home farm in Orleans county, Vt., where he passed his time in the usual round of work and play, helping at home and attending the dis- trict school. On starting out for himself at seventeen years of age, he secured employment at carpentering with the Fairbanks Scale Com- pany at St. Johnsbury, Vt., where he remained for twelve years.

The first experience gained by Mr. Kinney con- cerning the west was during his residence at Rathdrum, Idaho, where he built a sawmill and sash and door mill, and superintended the same under the firm name of Dodge Bros. & Kinney. It was in March, 1885, that he settled in Grants Pass, Ore., where he has since made his home. Immediately after his arrival he investigated the lumber interests of the locality and found pros- pects so encouraging that he forthwith associated himself with H. B. Miller in the organization of the Sugar Pine Door & Lumber Company. In the fall of 1885 they began building the mills and the sash and door plant. The following year they erected a box factory. At the same time they started a general mercantile business on the corner of Sixth and Front streets. Disaster came to the company in the fall of 1889. when the sash factory burned to the ground, but it was rebuilt without the loss of any time. After having acted as secretary and superintendent of the company since its organization, in 1893 Mr. Kinney was made its president. Three years before this the company built the Sugar Pine store on the corner of Sixth and F streets, and moved their stock of goods to the new building. In 1901 the store was purchased by Kinney & Truax, who continued it at the old location.

In order to furnish an adequate supply of lum- ber for their sash mill, the company built three saw-mills in Josephine county, besides using the product of six or eight local mills. A second catastrophe befell their plant in May of 1902, when the box factory, planing mill and lumber vard were burned, with a loss of more than four million feet of lumber, which, with the buildings, represented a loss of $80,000, with $31,000 in- surance. As soon as the debris could be cleared, a new planing mill and box factory were erected, the latter having a capacity of forty thousand feet per day. These the company still operate, besides having large lumber yards, two saw-mills of their own and also handling the out- put of ten other mills. Their products are shipped all over the Pacific coast, through the mountain region and into the eastern states.

Another enterprise to which Mr. Kinney has given attention and in which he is a partner, is the Hilt Sugar Pine Company, manufacturers of lumber at Hilt, Cal., and owners of a mill with a capacity of forty thousand feet. He was one of

the organizers of the First National Bank of Grants Pass, and is now a director in the same. His attractive residence on the hill is presided over by his wife (nee Kate Mathews), who was born in St. Johnsbury, Vt., and became his wife at Wyoming, Ill. They have two children, Mar- gery E. and Paul M. While not in active poli- tician, Mr. Kinney is stanch in his adherence to the Republican party, whose success he has pro- moted through his effective labors as a member of the state central committee. For three terms he was a member of the city council, for one term held the office of mayor of Grants Pass, and frequently has officiated in the capacity of school director, where he has done all within his power to elevate the standard of education and place the free-school system upon a practical and helpful basis. The board of trade, one of the agencies which has donc much for the commercial develop- ment of Grants Pass, numbers him among its members. After coming to this city he was in- itiated into Masonry in Grants Pass Lodge No. 84, A. F. & A. M., in which he has since been a leading member. For years he officiated as superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday- school, and is now a ruling elder in the church. Not only through his contributions to his denom- ination, but through the quiet giving of aid to those in need, he has filled his life with helpful charities and has exemplified the spirit of true philanthropy.

JOHN L. KRONENBERG is one of the promising young business men of Coos coun- ty, Ore., who occupies a position of trust, be- ing general manager of the Coquille Mills. He was born near Arago, Coos county, Decem- ber 9, 1861, and is a son of John and Catherine (Beekler) Kronenberg, both of whom are still enjoying life at Coquille, Ore. John Kronen- berg, his father, is a native of Hanover, Ger- many, where he was born in 1826. In 1835 he removed to the United States and settled in Baltimore, Md., where he followed the trade of a shoemaker for a few years. Leaving the east in 1849 he journeyed to California by way of Cape Horn, and remained in that state for a number of years, engaging in min- ing and prospecting. In 1855 he returned to Baltimore, Md., and while there was joined in matrimony with Catherine Beekler. a native of that city. Immediately after marriage the young couple returned to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and remained there until 1858. They then went to Coos county, Ore .. taking up a homestead claim on Hall's creek, one and a half miles from Arago. After living there until 1892 they next made their home in Coquille, Ore., Mr. Kronenberg em-

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barking in the hardware business. He car- ried this on with success for four years, when he retired from active labor. He and his wife were blessed with five children, namely : Emma, now Mrs. Blakely of Lodi, Cal .; John L., our subject; F. W., a traveling salesman, whose home is in San Francisco; Rachel, now Mrs. A. J. Marsh, of Port Orford, Ore .; and Ida K., wife of Dr. William Owens, of St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Kronenberg and his worthy wife live in peaceful retirement at Coquille.

John L. Kronenberg received his early edu- cation in the district schools, after which he remained at home until twenty-four. In 1887 he married Otillie Parker, a native of New York state, whose father settled in the west at an early date. (A sketch of his life may be found elsewhere in this history.) Mr. and Mrs. Kronenberg went to housekeeping in Parkersburg, where Mr. Kronenberg was en- gaged as foreman of the Coquille Mills, which employs thirty-five men and has a capacity of forty thousand feet. This company is one of the largest mill and land owners on Coos bay. Mr. Kronenberg acted as foreman till four years ago, when he was advanced to the position of general manager.

Mr. Kronenberg is the possessor of about one thousand acres of fine timber land. Po- litically he is a Democrat, but he takes little interest in politics. He is widely and favor- ably known in Coos county. The family home is made happy by the presence of two sons, Harry and Jack.

JOHN J. HENDERER. The rearing and fattening of cattle has grown to be one of the most important branches of agriculture in the United States ; a great deal depends upon the breeds selected to make the business a profit- able one. For general purposes, however, the Durham Shorthorn is largely preferred to other breeds, owing to their being easily fattened and on account of the fine quality of the beef, although for dairy purposes they are surpassed by some of the other breeds. One who is engaged in raising the Shorthorn exclusively, is the gentleman named above, who is the owner of a fine ranch three miles west of Elk- ton, in Douglas county, Ore.

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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 55

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