Portrait and biographical record of western Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present.., Part 66

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 66

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A Democrat during his entire voting life, Judge Smith gained his official title in 1884, when he was elected judge of Klamath county, serving four years. Again he sat on the bench from 1890 until 1892, filling an unexpired term. In keeping with his substantiality and influence in the community is his association with the foremost fraternal organizations in the west. He is a member of the Blue Lodge No. 77, A. F. & A. M., of Klamath Falls, and has passed all of the chairs; of Mayfield Lodge No. 193, I. O. O. F., of Santa Clara county, Cal. ; and Mount View Lodge, A. O. U. W., of Santa Clara county, Cal. Mrs. Smith is the mother of eleven chil- dren, many of whom are established in homes of their own. The oldest son, Benjamin Frazier, is deceased; Mary Emily is the wife of W. C. Johnson of Santa Cruz, Cal .; John Delmar is deceased ; Martha Frances is the wife of Alex- ander Martin, Jr., of Klamath Falls; W. Walter is a merchant and rancher of Bly, Ore .; Ernest Lee is deceased; George Henry resides in Eu- gene ; Sarah Margaret is deceased : Horatio Elino is a merchant of Merrill, Ore .; Jennie is now Mrs. Frank Miner of Phoenix, Ariz. ; and Rich- ard Shore. a graduate of the University of Ore- gon, is now in his senior year at the Columbia Law School. Judge Smith is universally re- spected, and enjoys an enviable reputation as business man and promoter of worthy enterprises and is an all around enlightened and dignified citizen.

CAPT. LEONIDAS E. MILLS. This es- teemed member of the G. A. R. organization of Yaquina, Ore., has a military record which is

J. r. Jlook.

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a source of much personal pride to him. He located on the Pacific slope about 1882, taking up his abode in Albany at that time. He is now living a retired life at his beautiful home in Yaquina, and he takes a lively interest in the home of his adoption, being pronounced by all a "princely fellow." Although bowed down with the weight of seventy-four years, he is quick and agile, and has the appearance of a much younger man. A descendant of sturdy Scotch ancestors on the paternal side, and hav- ing on the maternal side a grandfather who at- tained to the almost unparalleled age of one hundred and ten years, Captain Mills has every claim to longevity.

He was born in Chittenden county, Vt., October 18, 1830, and is a son of Daniel C. and Dolly (Ferrien) Mills, the former a native of Vermont, and the latter of Connecticut. On the paternal side of the family the grandfather of Captain Mills was a Vermonter and died in that state. The great-grandfather was a native of Glasgow, Scotland, and came to the United States of America about 1700, locating in Ver- mont, where he married and where he also died. On the maternal side the grandfather was a native of Connecticut and took an active part in the Revolutionary war. About 1830 he journeyed into Ohio and settled on a farm, where his declining years were spent. He it was who attained the age of one hundred and ten years.

Daniel C. Mills, the father of Captain Mills, was a soldier in the war of 1812 and rose to the rank of captain. He went to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1836, and to Coldwater, Mich., in 1843. He was an expert carpenter, builder and joiner, and followed that line of work until his death, which took place in Michigan. He and his wife had a family of six sons and three daughters, Leonidas E. being the sixth child in the family. The latter was educated in the

nmon schools of Michigan, and when sixteen cars old he began to assist his father as a carpenter and builder. This occupied his at- tention until 1861, when he nobly responded to the country's call for men and enlisted in Com- pany H, Eleventh Michigan Regiment Volunteer Infantry, going in as second lieutenant of his company. His regiment became a part of the army of the Cumberland, and he participated in the battles of Stone River, Mission Ridge and Chickamauga. In the spring of 1864 he was pro- moted to first lieutenant, and sixteen days later was made captain of Company A, Eleventh Regiment, receiving honorable discharge from service September 16, 1865, at Nashville, Tenn. Returning to his home at Coldwater, Mich., he re-engaged as carpenter and builder and was so occupied until 1876, when he went to Butler,

DeKalb county, Ind., which was his home for seven years. In 1882 Captain Mills went west to Oregon and for some years lived in retirement in Albany. He subsequently removed to his present home at Yaquina, which is finely located. There he takes life easy and whenever inclined indulges in fishing, and his friends in various parts of the state bear testimony to the receipt of many fine specimens from his rod.

Captain Mills has been married three times. His first marriage took place in Coldwater, Mich., in 1850, and Ann Omans was the lady of his choice and a Canadian by birth. She died in 1853, leaving one son, William H. Captain Mills was again married in 1858, to Miss Jennie Sanford, in Coldwater, Mich., and to them were born two boys and one girl. Mrs. Mills died in Butler, Ind., in 1881. In 1900 Captain Mills married Mrs. Evelyn Goudie, who was born in Maine and who has proved to be a most amiable companion.

Captain Mills is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, having united with that faith in Indiana. He is much interested in politics, being a Republican, but has never been an of- fice-seeker. He has many warm personal friends and enjoys the good will of the entire com- munity.

HON. JOHN GURLEY FLOOK. The career of Hon J. G. Flook is deserving of conspicuous mention in a history devoted to prominent citi- zens of Western Oregon. It was in 1868 that he first came before the public eye as a candidate for the state legislature from Douglas county on the Republican ticket. Although he served but one term in that position, it was replete with much good accomplished. In 1848 congress had voted Oregon an appropriation of ninety thou- sand acres of land for an agricultural college, but this did not become a law, however, until 1862. Upon investigation Mr. Flook discovered that the time was drawing to a close for the state to avail herself of the opportunity, and ac- cordingly he introduced a bill establishing a state agricultural college, and as a result of his individ- ual effort the agricultural school at Corvallis was later organized, and the young state of Oregon took her stand among the progressive states of the Union. By his efforts a large tract of valu- able land was saved to the state, and one of the leading institutions of learning of the nineteenth century was established in her midst, placing at the very doors of her fast growing population the advantages and opportunity to learn scientific agriculture, in both theory and practice, horticul- ture, dairying in all its branches, and many other sciences taught in the public schools.

August 12, 1839, John G. Flook was born in Clermont county, Ohio, a son of John and Sarah

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(Durough) Flook. Mrs. Flook was descended from distinguished Virginian stock. Her father, who was a native of Virginia, early in life set- tled in Ohio, being one of the pioneers to that state, and it was in that state that his death oc- curred. The beloved mother attained the age of eighty-four years, and her death occurred in Douglas county. John Flook was a native of Baden, Germany, who upon coming to America, made settlement in Clermont county, Ohio, and engaged in the manufacture of clocks, having learned this useful trade in his native land. Later he turned his attention to farming, but inciden- tally worked at his trade by doing repairing. In 1842 he removed to Iowa, and for a number of years made his home in Farmington, VanBuren county, and there he also fol- lowed the dual occupation of farming and clock making. In 1857 Mr. Flook crossed overland to California with his wife and seven children, and for several years the family home was at Chico, Butte county. In 1860 he came to Doug- las county, Ore., and purchasing the Ten Mile farm, engaged in farming and stock-raising. He lived to a ripe old age, and was a well-to-do and highly esteemed citizen. The parental family comprised seven children, of whom we mention the following: William, who during the Civil war was a volunteer in the First Oregon Cavalry, died at Roseburg ; by occupation he was a farmer. John Gurley was the next child in order of birth. Orville is engaged in the lumber business in Olalla, Ore. Henry is a resident of Roseburg. Mary, Mrs. Ireland, died in Roseburg. Anna became the wife of T. W. Newland and they reside in Olalla. Dollie, Mrs. Levi Smith, is a resident of Marshfield.

Although but a few years old when his parents moved to Iowa, Mr. Flook distinctly remembers the incidents that transpired while the family lived in Ohio. His early education was obtained in the district schools of Iowa, which he attended diligently until his eighteenth year. It was at this point in his career that the removal of the family to California occurred, and it was upon this trip that he was allowed to act as driver of one of the wagons. There were three wagons in the train belonging to the father, these being drawn by four and six yoke of oxen. They left Iowa in April, going by way of St. Joseph, Mo., up the Platte river, over the old California trail known as South Pass, down the Humboldt river and through Honey Lake valley, the trip lasting six months. That was the year of the Mountain Meadow massacre, and they saw Mrs. Halloway, who had been scalped by the Indians. During the trip they had several skirmishes with the In-

dians, who molested them from time to time, and were especially troublesome on the Humboldt and in the Thousand Springs valley, and one man was wounded. By concentrating their forces and crowding into twelve wagons they were better enabled to resist the attacks of the Indians, and finally reached Chico, their destination.

Mr. Flook remained at home until 1864, and then enlisted in Company A, First Oregon Cav- alry, under command of Captain McCall. He was mustered into service at Roseburg, was sent to Camp Baker, Eugene, Fort Klamath, and was at Camp Alvord during the Indian trouble. He was mustered out of the service at Vancouver in July, 1866, having attained the rank of first cor- poral. Returning to Douglas county he con- ducted the home ranch for several years, and in 1873 began his career as a miller. He built a flour mill that was operated in the old way at first, but later he equipped it with the fine roller process and had a capacity of seventy-five bar- rels a day. Until 1864 he successfully conducted this mill, but in that year he sold out and later purchased the planing mills at Roseburg, remod- eled and enlarged the plant, and brought it up to its present fine condition. Moldings of all kinds are manufactured, and sash and doors are turned out in large quantities. The mills are operated under the name of the J. G. Flook Company, which was recently incorporated, with Mr. Flook as president. About fifteen hands are employed.

Mr. Flook has recently completed a fine mod- ern residence on Stevens street, and owns other valuable property besides. His first marriage united him with Ellen Smith, of Coos county. At her death she left two children, Jessie and Ellen. The present Mrs. Flook was formerly Mrs. Arizona McBride, a native of Linn county, Ore., and a daughter of A. J. and Elma ( Ruble) Rose. Mr. Rose was born in Bowling Green, Ky., later lived in Missouri, and in 1856 crossed the plains and located in Linn county, Ore., near Lebanon, where his death occurred. Mrs. Rose is a native of Morgantown, W. Va., and is a daughter of Thomas Ruble, who settled in Polk county, Ore., in 1856. Mrs. Rose makes her home in Roseburg and has now passed her eightieth milestone. She became the mother of seven children, of whom Mrs. Flook is the youngest.

Mr. Flook is a member of the First Christian Church at Roseburg and is one of its board of trustees. He has also served as Sunday school superintendent and is an untiring worker in the interest of the church. Mr. Flook is a man of sound judgment, probity, broad intellectual abil- ity, one whose sterling qualities are known

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and read of all men. It is conceded by all that no citizen of Roseburg has taken a more active interest in the cause of education than Mr. Flook. Largely through his personal efforts the new high school building was erected, he being ap- pointed by the directors chairman of a committee of five to secure plans, select the grounds and advertise the bids.

JAMES HOUSTON LAMB. In this age of broad and tolerant sympathies, of correct appre- ciation of sincerity, no matter upon what platform arraigned, the American soldier stands upon a throne erected by his own courage and loyalty, and as such is entitled to the honor due bravery in any cause whatsoever. The dark days be- tween 1861 and 1865 molded into symmetry and charged with noble strength many a character as yet unconscious of its possibilities, and from the carnage and strife of the battlefields of the Civil war both Union and Confederate soldiers re- turned to their homes larger of heart and more in tune with the actual responsibilities of life. Such a soldier is James H. Lamb, by nature cap- able and resourceful, who has spent his mature years in the development of one of the finest sec- tions of Oregon, and whose exceptionally worthy and useful life has brought him success and pop- ularity in Coos county. The personal character- istics most pronounced in Mr. Lamb are those essentially English ones derived from an ancestry established in America at a very early date. The paternal great-grandfather of James H. Lamb lo- cated in South Carolina, for it is supposed that his son, the paternal grandfather, was born there, and spent the whole of his life on a southern farm. More accurate account of the family may be found in the biography of J. J. Lamb, brother of James H., and a resident of Coquille. The parents of Mr. Lamb were born in Alabama, lo- cated on a farm in Lauderdale county, where he himself was born August 10, 1839. The family removed to Arkansas in 1850, and there the mother died at the age of sixty-three years, and the father at the age of seventy. James H. Lamb was one of four children, and he was eleven years of age when the overland journey to Arkansas took place. His early life was uneventful and relieved during the winter season by attendance at the district schools. When the Civil war broke out he was a strong and rugged youth of two and twenty, and he naturally espoused the Confeder- ate cause, in the justice of which he had been taught to thoroughly believe. July 19, 1861, he enlisted in Company F, Thirteenth Arkansas Vol- unteer Infantry, and was mustered in at Harris- burg, Ark. Elected second lieutenant of his

regiment, he accompanied it to Missouri, and after being assigned to the Clayborne Brigade participated in the battles of the first Corinth, Shiloh or Pittsburg Landing, the second Corinth, Richmond, Ky., Covington, and Perryville, re- ceiving a severe wound in the abdomen at the last named conflict. Notwithstanding that he still followed the fortunes of the regiment, he was unfit for duty for at least four months, and Au- gust 16, 1863, received his discharge for disabil- ity. That Mr. Lamb was an enthusiastic and more than ordinarily brave soldier was evidenced in 1864, when he again became an applicant for war honors, by enlisting in August in Colonel Kitchen's regiment. After being assigned to General Price's division he took part in the mem- orable battles of his chief in Missouri, among which was Pilot Knob, Blue Mills, Glasgow, Cal- ifornia, and Independence, besides many minor engagements. He remained with General Price until he was paroled May 25, 1865, and in the meantime he had been advanced to second lieu- tenant of cavalry, serving in all three years.

Peace declared, Mr. Lamb returned to his home in Arkansas, and November 22, 1866, he was united in marriage with Ann M. Drummond, who was born in Bedford county, Tenn., August 6, 1840. The young people went to Arkansas to start in life, and remained there until settling in Coos county, Ore., in 1874. Mr. Lamb selected a farm of one hundred and sixty acres one and a half miles east of Coquille on Rink creek, and after improving this farm he sold it in 1878 and bought a ranch of fifty-five acres three-fourths of a mile southeast of Coquille on the river of that name. By industry he cleared about twenty-five acres of this farm, which he sold in 1881 and moved to the place where he has since made his home, and which is known as the Doyle farm on Fish Trap creek. Originally he owned one hun- dred and thirty-five acres, four and a half acres of which was cleared, and now he has eighty acres cleared, and sixty acres without a grub or stump in it. Mr. Lamb has reason to be proud of the wise disposal of his land, for good judg- ment has dictated its use to the best possible ad- vantage. His home is commodious and com- fortable, and four barns, each thirty-six by fifty feet, furnish ample facilities for storing hay and general produce. During the season of 1903 this splendid farm has yielded one hundred and twen- ty tons of hay, twelve hundred bushels of grain, the oats averaging one hundred and the wheat fifty bushels to the acre. Mr. Lamb's berry patch is a source of wonder and delight to all who are privileged to see it in its lavish productiveness, for under expert care the Lawton blackberry has been made to assume its largest size. The be- holder invariably regrets that so many of these fine berries must necessarily go to waste, owing

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to an insufficient market in the neighborhood, and the heavy loss entailed by shipment.

From a general standpoint Mr. Lamb has con- tributed as much toward the upbuilding of his neighborhood as any other of its enterprising res- idents. He has the push and energy and prac- tical common sense which readily recognize the worth or disadvantage of an innovation, and he is quick to adopt any suggestion which comes to him from a reliable and praiseworthy source. There are few latter-day improvements of which he has not availed himself, and his farm is one of the most valuable in a county of valuable and highly improved farms. Besides general farming he raises high-grade Durham and Jersey cattle, the former for market and the latter for dairy- ing. His superior management has unquestion- ably raised the standard of farming in Coos county, and he is unstintingly accorded the credit of being foremost among the influential and im- portant factors of its growth. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lamb, of whom Phebe A. is the wife of George Henninger, of Coquille ; and John B. and Mary N. are at home. Mr. Lamb subscribes to no political doctrine, but rather it is his policy to vote for the man whom he deems best fitted for the office in question. He is the friend and advocate of education and morality, also of peace, happiness and generosity.

ARCHIBALD McNAIR. From a long line of upright Scotch ancestors Mr. McNair inher- ited qualities which have enabled him to achieve a fair degree of financial success and at the same time retain the sincere regard of associates. The first of the name in America was his grand- father, Nathaniel McNair, who crossed the ocean from Scotland and settled in New Bruns- wick, where he carried on lumber and farm- ing interests until he died. At the time of cross- ing the ocean there was a young son in the family, David by name, who, upon starting out for himself, chose agriculture for his occupa- tion. Content to remain near the home his father had established, he sought no new fields of activity, but continued to reside in New Brunswick until his life came to an end at sev- enty-eight years of age. There also occurred the death of his wife, who, like himself, was of Scotch birth. In maidenhood she bore the name of Jennette Ferguson. To their marriage were born eight sons and one daughter. Of the sons Archibald forms the subject of this article. He was born in New Brunswick January 10, 1854, and received such advantages as the schools of his native locality afforded. As soon as large enough to begin work he began work at the

carpenter's trade, which he followed for some time. Another occupation in which he became interested in New Brunswick was farming.

Upon coming to the United States in 1883 Mr. McNair proceeded direct to Oregon and settled near Myrtle Point, Coos county, where he bought one hundred and sixty-eight acres of ranch land. Besides caring care of the property he followed his trade for a time. Another industry in which he has become interested is the Bandon Oil Company, in which he is a director. In 1899 he left the ranch and came to Bandon, where he now makes his home and business headquarters, con- ducting a hardware store in the town. Besides giving his personal attention to the care of his property and the oversight of his business he takes a warm interest in religious matters and is a trustee in the Bandon Presbyterian church, to whose various charities he is a regular con- tributor. Since becoming a citizen of our country he has been a supporter of the Republican party, but not a partisan nor an office-seeker. In mat- ters fraternal he is an active worker in the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Woodmen of the World, and is further allied with the Fraternal Aid. Before leaving New Brunswick, August 28, 1878, he married Miss Martha Archibald, a native of that country. Born of their union were the following-named children : Jeannette Bernice Ferguson, wife of Ralph Rackleff, a resident of Myrtle Point, this state; Catherine Alice; Winnie Elgina; George Ray; Rittie May; Harry Harold; and Errol Archibald.

ROBERT MCKENZIE. The appreciator of the moods of the sea and the beauties of the shore-land would find the ocean-skirted farm of Robert Mckenzie an ideal place in which to live. To inland dwellers the view from one of the finest country homes in Curry county, down and out upon the ocean, is surpassingly beauti- ful and inspiring. Six miles to the south is the little town of Port Orford, and four miles north gleams the beacon light of Cape Blanco light- house. One thousand acres in one body is the rich possession of Mr. Mckenzie, who came to his shore home in the middle 'zos, and at first bought four hundred and eighty acres of the George Dyer donation claim, which served as the nucleus of his present farm. Splendid im- provements are the result of years of patient labor at ciearing and apportioning his land, and he now conducts one of the largest dairy enter- prises in the county. Mr. Mckenzie has a large mind and correspondingly large resourcesand not a department of his farm but has been elevated to the highest possible agricultural and dairying standards. He has a creamery on his place, and

William. Green-

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the butter manufactured there finds a ready mar- ket in the city of San Francisco. Eighty of the one hundred cows owned by him are milked for the dairy, and no better brand of cattle graze in the meadows of Curry county. General produce farming is conducted in addition to dairying and stock-raising. Mr. Mckenzie is a vigorous, pushing and thorough man, and his character, home and business, reflect credit upon the great state of which he is a citizen.

As the most casual acquaintance would readily believe, Mr. Mckenzie is a Scotchman, and was born in County Ross, September 5, 1835. He was reared on the very land which his father had occu- pied for three hundred years, and in the near- by school he gained a fair practical education. When twenty-two years old, in 1857, he went to Australia on a sailing vessel, spending six- teen weeks and three days on the ocean, a dis- tance now accomplished in forty days from Lon- don. In the colony of Victoria, Australia, he became overseer on a large grain farm for a year, and then in Queensland colony he super- intended a stock ranch for two years. In New South Wales he held a similar position on a cat- tle ranch for two years, and while there married, in 1863, Georgiana Tulloch, soon afterward em- barking in a mercantile business. In 1874 he came to San Francisco on a sailer, and after a few weeks in San Francisco came to Port Or- ford and selected his present home. Ten chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mckenzie, all of whom are living: John; Catherine; Eliza ; Annie, the wife of E. Schuyler, of Santa Bar- bara, Cal .; Margaret; Belle; Kenneth; David; Robert; and Flora. Mr. Mckenzie is a stanch Republican, and he worships in the Presby- terian church.

WILLIAM GREEN CHANCE. The story of the founding of the Chance family in Oregon in 1852 possesses innumerable elements of inter- est and pathos, and its western way was proba- bly started under more unfavorable circumstances than those of any who have since become promi- nent in the affairs of the state. William Green Chance, representing the second generation to identify itself with Tillamook county, was born in the town of Shelbyville, Shelby county, Ky., January 18, 1849, and was therefore four years old when he came to Oregon. His father, Samuel Chance, was born in Ohio, and his mother, for- merly Cecelia Elnoria (Comiskee) Chance, was born in Allegheny county. Pa., March 17, 1825. The paternal ancestry is English and Scotch, and the maternal German. The parents were probably married in Kentucky, and nine children were born to them, William Green being the youngest. Sam- 11el Chance was a merchant during his entire act-

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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 66

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