Portrait and biographical record of western Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present.., Part 87

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 87

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

BENJAMIN W. HUSTON. Among the mining experts of southern Oregon prominent place must be given Benjamin W. Huston, whose keen insight into the mining output of Jackson county has proved both accurate and remunera- tive. He is a partner of John W. Ingram in the ownership and development of a forty-acre tract of mining land, the property being valued at between $10,000 and $12,000. Part of the land is improved for a garden, and both of the owners ( who are bachelors) have a pleasant lit- tle home of their own, where they plan and make money, their association being a particularly agreeable and congenial one.

At a very early day the paternal great-grand- father of Mr. Huston came from Ireland, and after settling in Burlington county, N. J., be- came foreman in the charcoal furnaces. His son, James, the next in line of descent, was born near the furnaces in Burlington county, and was educated in the public schools. Through his mar- riage with Nancy Evigin, a native daughter of New Jersey, two children were born, of whom Benjamin W., born in Burlington county, April 6, 1840, is the sole survivor. The mother dying when he was three years old. Benjamin W. was reared by his grandparents for six years, when he accompanied his father across the states in 1849, stopping in Lee county, Iowa, where the latter was variously employed until 1852. He then continued his journey to the coast, with ox-teams, reaching Jackson county, Ore., at the end of six months. He took up a claim of one

hundred and sixty acres three miles west of Central Point, at Willow Springs, improved the place and lived there until his death in 1858. He devoted his land to general produce and stock, making a fair living for himself and son, and be- coming known as a serious minded and practical farmer.

Benjamin W. Huston was twelve years old when he came to Jackson county, and as a little lad he assisted his father until the latter's death, when he assumed charge of the farm. He has since lived in the locality, where he is prominent in Democratic politics, and is fraternally known as a Redman. In his life he demonstrates the worth of industry and integrity and as a promoter of mining enterprise in Oregon, he has few su- periors.

CHARLES LINCOLN DIVEN. A promi- nent and invaluable citizen of Waldport is C. L. Diven, for many years identified with merchan- dising, and who has been postmaster of the town for eight years or more. In manner, training and natural aptitude, Mr. Diven is a typical western merchant, keen at driving a bargain, yet remark- ably fair and considerate of his patrons, and long ago the entire community learned to regard his business statements the same as his bond. He is of Irish descent. His forefather, Alexander Diven, came to the United States from County Tyrone, Ireland, in the year 1740, and his mother's grandfather, James Todd, came from the Emerald Isle at a later date. Charley was born at Seneca, Pa., April 7, 1867, and is the second son of Dr. Andrew H. and Sarah A. (Todd) Diven, natives of Indiana county, Pa., the doctor's birthday being September 1, 1836. Charles' paternal grandparents were Joseph and Nancy Diven, whose entire lives were spent in Pennsylvania. Dr. Andrew H. Diven, a stu- dent of Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pa., followed his profession in his native state for thirty years, the last twenty-five of which were in Sencca, where he built up for himself a lucra- tive practice and attained an enviable reputation as a painstaking, conscientious, skillful physician and surgeon, whose friends were numbered by thousands. The doctor's family consisted of four sons and two daughters, who are all living and happily situated, all of them on the Pacific coast excepting the oldest daughter, Louisa Maggie, who is the wife of William T. Turner, of Oil City, Pa. James Lafayette Diven is an expert machinist, who learned his trade with the Altman- Taylor Co., of Mansfield, Ohio, and who traveled all over their territory, setting up and adjusting their farming machinery. He is now in the em- ploy of Hammond & Company, of Portland, Ore. Miss Anna Mary Diven, the younger daughter, is

638

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

a stenographer in the office of the California Fruit Exchange, Los Angeles, Cal., a firm con- trolling the greater part of the fruit ship- ments of the state. Joseph Edwin Diven lives in Portland, Ore., and is Pacific coast manager for Rose Brothers, of Lancaster, Pa. Fred Cur- wen Diven, the youngest son, is in the employ of Closset & Devers, tea, coffee and spice importers, of Portland, Ore., and has charge of their busi- ness in the state of Washington, and lives in Seat- tle. The doctor gave his children the best edu- cational advantages he could command, and many a sermon he preached to them from the text, "It always pays to do right: it never pays to do wrong." And now he is spending his declining years in sunshiny Los Angeles, enjoying, in addi- tion to the beauties of nature there, the happiness of a sunshiny soul. The family came to Oregon in 1889, and the following year they located at Waldport, largely on account of seeking better health, as the doctor was broken down physically from long continued professional work, and a son and daughter were invalids. He followed his profession there, which amounted to little, on ac. count of the remarkable healthfulness of the climate ; and later he was appointed by Governor Pennoyer, as health officer at the port of Yaquina, but, in order to have more to do, he bought the general merchandise store at Waldport, owned by J. D. Spencer, and Charley, who had supple- mented his general education hy a course at Duff's Commercial College, of Pittsburg, Pa., was put in charge of the store. Resourceful, am- bitious, determined to succeed, Charley soon had a working interest in the business, a little later a half interest, under the firm name of A. H. Diven & Son, and later he bought all his father's inter- est, and hecame sole proprietor. Though only a boy, he piloted the business through the terrible financial storms of the early 'gos, when so many shrewd business men were wrecked; and later, when more prosperous times came, he was ready to extend his business, which he has continued to do all along. His success demonstrates what brains, backbone and pluck can do, even under uninviting business conditions. Later, he erected a creamery, that the people might have another advantage, and to encourage milk production, which they soon learned was far better than each one making and marketing his own butter. Char- ley is a stanch Republican, and feels that he is thus in accord with the progressive element of the country. He always cheerfully bears a large share of the burden and care and time demanded in holding positions of trust in the community. He is a Master Mason : a Knight of the Macca- bees ; a United Artisan ; a trustee of the Presby- terian Church of Waldport. His wife, who was Miss Alice Howell, is a native daughter, and she joins him in every good word and work, and en-

joys with him the success they have so richly earned. Charley has set a pace which will doubt- less encourage others to follow, with similar re- sults. Though yet a young man, his ripe expe- rience has fitted him for a safe counsellor, and his big, warm heart never fails to respond with help for his fellow-men.

Dr. Andrew H. Diven and wife, the parents of Charles L. Diven, returned to their Pennsylvania home in 1903, not able to entirely reconcile them- selves to the conditions of the west, and are now making their home in the more conservative town of Wells City, Pa.

MRS. S. R. LANE. This cultured and es- teemed lady is one of the social leaders of Roseburg, Douglas county, Ore., and her pop- ularity is surpassed only by her many virtues and deeds of charity. She is a native of Des Moines, Iowa, and is a daughter of Charles and Nancy (Ensley) Drain, both natives of Johnson county, Ind. On the maternal side her ancestors came of a prominent New En- gland family, one branch of which settled in Indiana, and were pioneers in that section. Other members were particularly active in the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Lane's mother was a daughter of John Ensley, a native of New York, and her demise took place at Drain, Ore. On the paternal side, Mrs. Lane de- scended from a distinguished family of Ire- land, her grandfather, John Drain, being a na- tive of that country. With his wife he emi- grated to the United States and settled on a farm in Indiana. Both died when Mrs. Lane's father was but four years old. Charles Drain was born in Johnson county, Ind., and he grew to manhood in his native state and fol- lowed in the footsteps of his father as a tiller of the soil. His marriage also took place in that state ; in 1842 he went west and settled on a farm near Des Moines, Iowa. About 1850, during the gold excitement, he crossed overland to California, and spent some time in the mines of that state, subsequently return- ing home by way of the Isthmus of Panama. In 1852, accompanied by his wife and two chil- dren, he again made the trip across the broad plains, and, owing to his previous experience, he was captain of the train. Not unlike others, they failed to escape misfortune on the way. There were two deaths from cholera, which was unusually bad that year, one being Jo- sephine Drain, the two-year-old child of Cap- tain Drain. They were frequently attacked and molested by the Indians, who stole most of their stock, but they suffered no loss of life

639

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

through them, and considered themselves for- tunate to reach the outskirts of Oregon after a journey of five months. The remainder of the trip was made down the Columbia river, and Mr. Drain settled in the Willamette val- ley, near Albany, on a donation claim, which was their home for the ten years following. In 1862 he purchased six hundred and forty acres in Douglas county, which is the present site of the city of Drain. When the railroad was built through that section Mr. Drain gave forty acres of land and established a station, which bears his name. This was the begin- ning of the town of Drain, of which he was the founder. He subsequently made several additions to Drain, one of which is now occu- pied by the Central Oregon State Normal school. For many years Mr. Drain followed mercantile pursuits in that vicinity in connec- tion with farming and ranching, and in time accumulated a handsome competence. He ac- quired large possessions and was a most suc- cessful stockman. In all respects he was a strong, useful and influential member of so- ciety. In his political views he early cast his fortunes with the Democratic party, of which he was ever a stanch supporter. He was a mem- ber of the territorial legislature, and upon the admission of Oregon into the Union he was elected a member of the first state legislature from Linn county. His demise took place in 1894, but many monuments of his usefulness still exist to perpetuate his name. Four chil- dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Drain, and two are still living. John, the eldest of these, followed mercantile life and passed to his final rest at Drain in 1891. Catherine is the subject of this personal history and Charles D. is a retired merchant of Drain. One child, Jo- sephine, died on the plains.

Catherine Drain was the recipient of an ex- ceptional education. Her public school train- ing in Linn county was supplemented by a complete scientific course at Wilbur Acade- my. On November 22, 1865, she was united in marriage with Simon R. Lane, a son of the late General Lane, whose biography appears elsewhere in this publication. Six children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Lane, and more extended mention is made concerning them in the sketch of their father, S. R. Lane. The family was reared in the Catholic faith, the life-long religion of the father. Mrs. Lane's influence for good is felt in many ways throughout Roseburg and vicinity. Her pleas- ant social ways have won for her the friend- ship of all who know her, and in addition to the position of prominence acquired by her marriage, she inherited a fine estate and has large land interests in various localities.

JOHN E. JOHNSON. Among the class of American citizens denominated as self-made, the subject of this review deserves a place of prominence. Not only was he forced to begin his own career at a very early age, but the duty of assisting his mother in the support of the other children devolved upon him, and it may be said that he never shirked his part. Entirely without capital, by his industry and thrift he has risen to the topmost round in his profession, and today has the reputation of being one of the oldest and best contractors and builders in the city of Roseburg, Ore.

Mr. Johnson was born December 29, 1849, in Andrew county, Mo., but twelve miles from St. Joseph. He was one of two children born to Zacharias and Elizabeth (Howard) John- son, the former a native of Indiana and the lat- ter of Howard county, Mo. The father went west and settled for a time in Andrew county, Mo., and during his life he was a music teach- er, having special talent in that direction. He taught both instrumental and vocal music, and, in the spring of 1852, with his family, started to cross the plains to Oregon. He fell a victim to cholera and died, as did several other members of their party, among others Mr. Johnson's Grandmother Howard and two of her daughters. They were buried in Grand Prairie, where they had died. Mrs. Johnson was a daughter of William Howard, and he crossed the plains with the family. He located on a farm near Oakland for many years, but finally moved to Roseburg, where his demise took place in 1881. Although bereft of hus- band and with two small children, the mother proceeded on her journey to Douglas county, and took up a donation claim. Some time later she married George Snyder, a stock dealer in Roseburg. Again she lost her companion by death, as Mr. Snyder passed to his final rest in 1865. Four children blessed this union, all daughters. They are still living and now have homes of their own. Mr. Johnson had one own sister, Mary, who died on the farm, aged nine years. With a limited education, at the early age of ten years he was obliged to assist in supporting the family. After the death of his stepfather the administrators of the estate de- frauded the family and they were left almost pen- niless. Again he put his shoulder to the wheel to support not only his widowed mother, but his step-sisters. He secured work as a clerk in Roseburg and was the mainstay of the family until his sisters were grown and married. He followed diversified occupations. He started out sawing wood as a boy, then worked on a ranch, made rails, then followed clerical work and finally learned the carpenter's trade. After working at the latter as a journeyman, he com-

640

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

menced contracting and building, and it is claimed that he has followed that vocation longer than anyone else in Douglas county. Mr. Johnson has been successful and has ac- cumulated a great deal of valuable real estate in and about Roseburg. He has a fine new residence on the corner of Burke and Stevens streets and owns also several tenement houses and business buildings. He was united in marriage with Mary Elizabeth Needham, formerly of Illinois, but who crossed the plains to Oregon in 1875. The family unite in worshiping at the Christian Church, of which Mrs. Johnson is a- member.

Mr. Johnson is a stanch and loyal supporter of the Democratic party. In the early days of his residence in Roseburg he served as city marshal several different times, which goes to prove his popularity among his fellow- citizens. The foregoing record is a striking illustration of what may be accomplished by persistent and well directed effort, and Mr. Johnson's worth is apparent to the most disin- terested reader.

MELANCTHON McCOY, who is the pro- moter and prime mover in the oil develop- ment in Douglas county, Ore., has been a resi- dent of Roseburg since 1891, and at the pres- ent writing is president and manager of the Umpqua Valley Oil Company, which was in- corporated in April, 1901, and is boring for oil on Myrtle creek. This company has an op- tion of seven thousand acres, and every indi- cation points toward the success of their enter- prise.

Mr. McCoy was born in Clayton, Adams county, 111., June 26, 1849, and grew to man- hood in his native place. His education was obtained in the public schools of that city. llis father, Rev. R. K. McCoy, was a Presby- terian minister and was a Kentuckian by birth, but was of Scotch descent. Rev. R. K. Mc- Coy served as chaplain of the Third Missouri Cavalry under Col. John M. Glover. He served until he became ill at Little Rock camp and was forced to resign and return home. Hle continued in the ministry in Ad- ams county, but made no charges for minis- terial work. He supported his family by the products of his farm, and in addition to preach- ing gratis he did most of the bricklaying on the church at Clayton. Ile died at the age of sixty-seven years, and in his memory the Grand Army of the Republic Post at Clayton was named the R. K. McCoy Post. Rev. McCoy married Octavia P. Hawkins, who was born in Kentucky, near Versailles, and she died in South Dakota in 1891. Their family consisted

of seven children. Two are living-Susan S., now Mrs. Rabb, of Oakland, Cal., and Me- lancthon. One son, Albert, enlisted in the Union army from Illinois, and died in the serv- ice in 1863. After his death the father en- listed, saying that the family must be repre- sented, and Melancthon was only fourteen and was too young. After the father's forced retire- ment from active servicethe mother clung tothe idea that the family should still be represented and the son enlisted. In February, 1865, he became a member of Company K, One Hun- dred and Forty-eighth Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, and was mustered into service at Springfield. His company participated in the campaign in middle Tennessee and northern Alabama, and he was mustered out of service in September of the same year at Nashville, Tenn. Returning home, he attended high school for two years and then began farming on his father's place near Clayton, Ill. He finally came into possession of this place and continued to live there until 1883, when he sold out and moved to South Dakota. He took a homestead claim near Clark, and followed ag- ricultural pursuits there until 1891. Selling out to advantage, he went overland to Roseburg, Ore., with teams to see the country. After stop- ping two months in Yellowstone Park, he pro- ceeded on to Douglas county and engaged in farming. In 1895 he moved into Roseburg, and has been a resident of that city ever since, and in the summer of 1903 built a beautiful home on Douglas street.

While a resident of Illinois Mr. McCoy mar- ried Anna Pond, of German descent, and they have two children, Albert B., an electrician aboard the battleship "Wisconsin," in the United States Navy, and Clara A., general de- livery clerk in the postoffice at Roseburg. Mr. McCoy is a Republican in politics, and at the present time he is commander of Reno Post No. 29, G. A. R. His fighting proclivities were probably inherited from his paternal grandfather, Daniel McCoy, who fought in the Revolutionary war.

MRS. NANCY A. (STEVENSON) PAR- TY. A pioneer herself, the daughter of Sam- tel L. Stevenson, one of the original settlers of Douglas county, and the widow of Hon. John Party, a pioneer of Roseburg, and for many years one of its leading citzens, Mrs. Party is especially worthy of honorable repre- sentation in this biographical work. A wo- man of culture and refinement, broad-minded and liberal, she keeps in touch with the lead- ing movements of the day, and is one of the foremost in supporting beneficial reforms and

641

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

enterprises, among other causes in which she takes a deep interest being that of equal suf- frage for men and women. A native of Hop- kins county, Ky., she was born December 25, 1840. Her paternal grandfather, Edwin Stevenson, a well-to-do Indiana farmer, was a brother of Adlai Stevenson. Born and bred in Indiana, Samuel L. Stevenson was left fatherless when a boy. In early manhood he removed to Hopkins county, Ky., where he carried on general farming until 1852. In the fall of that year he went to Plattsburg, Mo., to make preparations for starting towards the Pacific coast in the following spring. On April 10, 1853, he left Missouri with his wife and eight children, Mrs. Party, then a girl of twelve years, being the fourth child in order of birth. Three prairie wagons, each drawn by three yoke of oxen, conveyed the company. Taking the old California and southern Ore- gon route, the party came by way of Jackson- ville to Douglas county, arriving in Wilbur September 8. Mr. Stevenson purchased land lying between Wilbur and Winchester, and lived there about five years. Selling his ranch, he bought a farm near Myrtle creek, and to the original purchase added other land from time to time, becoming the owner of one of the finest estates in what was then called Oak Grove, but is now known as Ruckles, the farm being now in the possession of his son, George Stevenson. The father met his death in 1864, being accidentally killed by a horse. He was an influential member of the Democratic party. a prominent Free Mason, and an active men- ber of the Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Stevenson married Elizabeth Herren, who was born in Kentucky, of Virginian an- cestry, her paternal grandfather having been a Virginian by birth, and afterward a pioneer settler of Kentucky. Mrs. Stevenson survived her husband nearly a quarter of a century, dying in July, 1889. Of the ten children born of their union, eight came across the plains with them, namely: Eleanor, wife of Joseph Lane, of Myrtle Creek : George, of Ruckles, Ore .; Richard, a prominent stockman in Idaho: Nancy A., the special subject of this sketch; Mrs. Mary Ruckles, of Roseburg; Mrs. Martha E. Whittlesey, who died in Washington : Mrs. Sarah Van Buren, who died in Roseburg: and Mrs. Macy Corbin, of Roseburg. The two younger children were born in Douglas county, namely : Mrs. Fannie Price, of Washington ; and Mrs. Lydia Das- comb, who occupies a portion of the old home farm.

Coming to Douglas county when in her twelfth year, Nancy A. Stevenson continued her studies in the very first school established

in the county, its sessions being held in a rude log cabin. She was afterward one of the first pupils to enter Wilbur Academy, for which her father built the foundation, and she also attended school in the first frame school building erected in the county. On May 26, 1858, when a girl of seventeen years, she mar- ried Hon. John Party, who was born in France, in 1831, and came to America with his parents as a child, locating in St. Louis, Mo. At the age of nineteen years, Mr. Party came across the plains to Oregon, arriving in the southern part of the state in the fall of 1850. The first few months thereafter he tried his fortunes at mining, and then located in Roseburg as a pioneer settler. He took an active part in the Rogue River Indian war, serving in 1855 and 1856. A man of intelli- gence and superior business ability, he dealt successfully in stock and land, making a great deal of money in his speculations. He owned two valuable ranches, and kept these well stocked with cattle, sheep and horses. Dur- ing all of the time, however, he resided in Roseburg, living there until his death, in 1873. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and was one of the leading Democrats of the county. Taking an active part in public affairs, he served one term in the state legislature. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Party three children were born, two of whom have passed to the higher life, Mary dying at the age of fourteen years, and John when three years old. Mrs. Della Whitney, of Portland, the only child living, was edu- cated in private schools in Portland, and in San Jose, Cal. Mrs. Party has a fine resi- dence in the city, and owns other property of considerable value, among her possessions being two large brick buildings on Jackson street. She belongs to the Presbyterian Church, and to the Ladies' Aid Society con- nected with it, and is an active member of the Women's Relief Corps. In France the family surname was always spelled "Partie," but when Mr. Party came to this country the peo- ple made so many mistakes in spelling it that he finally adopted the method more commonly used, spelling it "Party."

REV. FERDINAND G. STRANGE, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Jacksonville, Jack- son county, Ore., was born in Chattanooga coun- ty, Ga., September 28, 1848, the son of John Anderson and Fidella Jane (Grisham) Strange. He is able to trace liis ancestry in the United States back to the middle of the eighteenth cen- tury. There is a tradition in his family that his great-great-grandfather came from England and

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Portrait and biographical record of western Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present.., Part 87

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