Portrait and biographical record of western Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present.., Part 90

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 90

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Aside from the events above narrated, little is known of Charles Horton's ancestors and his close application to his business has left lit-

tle time for researches in this line. However, an authentic record of his birth shows that he began this life in Clackamas county, Ore., July 6, 1866, and when old enough he was sent to school in Klamath county and there obtained knowledge of the fundamental principles, making the most of his opportunities to obtain an education. His school days over, he began to assist his father in the stock business and when twenty-one years of age embarked in the same business on his own behalf, and his success has been almost phe- nomenal. In 1893 he took a homestead claini ad- joining his father's land and some time later this was augmented by the purchase of the old home place, which together with the addition of other adjoining lands from time to time, increased his ranch to its present size, fifteen hundred acres. He now has twelve hundred head of fine cattle and devotes some time and attention to general stock-raising.

The marriage of Mr. Horton took place De- cember 25, 1890, and united him with Miss Net- tie Colahan, born July 28, 1874, near Dairy, in Alkali valley, Klamath county, where her father, James H. Colahan, located in 1867. He was a native of Ireland, and his death occurred in Salem, in July, 1897, aged seventy-two years. Two children brighten the home of Mr. and Mrs. Horton, Louis and Lawrence. In his political views Mr. Horton will ever be found in the ranks of the Democratic party. In 1896 he was elected assessor of Klamath county, a position he filled with credit. Fraternally he affiliates with Lodge No. 143, I. O. O. F., of Bonanza, and is a member of the Klamath County Live- stock Association, serving as president of the association. His success is well merited and his many friends predict for him a brilliant future.

ISAAC N. SHOOK. The resident farmers of Ashland. Ore., include men of progressive ideas, who have realized fortunes by their early location here and taking up homestead claims when the land was new and undeveloped. After thus obtaining a firm footing by diligence and perseverance in the improvement of these farms and by embracing each favorable opportunity to add to the original claim, their chances of mak- ing wealth were far superior to those of the present day settler who seeks a home in the far west. As one who has improved his chances to the utmost, Isaac N. Shook, a pioneer settler in southern Oregon, is reaping the just reward of the honest toil and persevering endeavors at his beautiful home in Ashland, where it is one of the attractive places, a handsome, new, mod- ern residence on the boulevard.

A native of Ripley county, Ind., born on Christmas day, 1845, a son of Amon and Cath-

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erine (Yost ) Shook, Isaac N. Shook spent his boyhood days principally in Davis county, Iowa, whither the parents had removed. The father, a life long farmer by occupation, followed that independent calling in Indiana and later in Iowa and in 1864, accompanied by his wife and nine children, he left that state to seek a home in the far west. The trip to Oregon was made over- land by way of Salt Lake, the Humboldt and Shasta valleys, entering the state by the old South pass, after a long and tedious journey of six months. Locating on a farm near Phoenix he followed agricultural pursuits there for three years. In 1867 they left Phoenix and the father and several of his sons took up homestead claims in what is now Klamath county, but which was then a part of Jackson county, locating their re- spective claims near Klamath Falls and having in all about one thousand acres. Upon this vast tract of land they carried on ranching and for many years carried on stock-raising on a large scale. The beloved father passed to his final rest in 1902 but his widow is still living on the old home place, surrounded by many of her chil- dren. Nine children were born of these parents : Mary J., now Mrs. James Sutton; John S .; Isaac N .; Hattie, now Mrs. G. W. Parker; Fan- nic, now Mrs. Emil Shuman; David P .; Wil- liam; Ada, now Mrs. Rueck, and Peter. The latter died in 1888 in Klamath county. Three of the sons, John S., Isaac N. and William, fought against the Indians in the Modoc war. Mrs. Shuman resides in Guatemala. Central America, and Isaac N. in Ashland: the others are all influential citizens of Klamath county.

Isaac N. Shook was the recipient of but a lim- ited education, which was obtained by irregular attendance in the district school of Iowa. The trip to Oregon was made with horse teams and they entered by the old southern route, passing through Honey Lake valley. For several years thereafter he assisted his father on the farm near Phoenix and upon going into Klamath county in 1867 be located his claim twenty miles cast of Klamath Falls on Alkali lake. Build- ing a log house, he commenced to improve his land and as previously mentioned, engaged in cattle raising on a large scale with his father and hrothers. Although successful in this busi- ness venture for many years, in 1887 Mr. Shook sold his interest in the large ranch to his broth- ers and sought a more favorable location in Jack- son county, purchasing an improved farm of one hundred acres near Phoenix, which he has since rented. Subsequently he bought a home in Ash- land, planting about five and a half acres in peach and apple orchards of the finest varieties. lle now owns two acres of this tract. Since 1887 he has made his home in Ashland, retired from active business, and in 1903 he built his

fine large residence on the boulevard. His mar- riage, in Jacksonville, united him with Mrs. Martha Payne, a daughter of C. T. Payne, a pioneer of that section. Mrs. Shook has one son. Clyde Payne, by her first marriage, who is now a teacher in the Southern Oregon Normal School, and one daughter, Katie, by her second marriage. In politics Mr. Shook is a staunch Republican. During the Modoc Indian war he served under Capt. Oliver Applegate, who raised a company of Oregon troops. He participated in the battle of the Lava beds, and served until his regiment was mustered out of service.

DANIEL VAN BRIMMER, a resident of Merrill, Klamath county, Ore., is a well-known rancher who, although a Missourian by birth, has lived in the west almost half a century. Be- sides being a successful agriculturist, he has the distinction of having assisted in constructing the first irrigation ditch in Klamath county, known as the Van Brimmer irrigation ditch, and has al- ways evinced a progressive spirit and a desire to advance civilization to the best of his ability. Of American parentage, Daniel Van Brimmer is the son of George and Rebecca (Carter) Van Brim- mer, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the later of Delaware county, Ohio. George Van Brimmer was a tanner by trade and followed that occupation all his life, finally locating in Mis- souri, where his death occurred about 1848, in his fortieth year. His wife survived him but one year, passing to her final rest in the same state in 1849, aged thirty-five years ; she and her hus- band left five children, as follows : Clinton, living near Merrill; Ellen, now the wife of James Ryan, of Trinidad, Colo .; Daniel; B. F., of Klamath Falls; and Mary, who has since departed this life.

Left orphans in their early years, these children were cared for by relatives and friends, and thus were reared to manhood and womanhood. When grown, they all went to one farm to live, and to- gether engaged in agricultural pursuits with great success until the three brothers came west in 1861. Crossing the great plains in six months' time, they located in San Joaquin county, Cal., and for three years resided there, carrying on farm pursuits. Leaving there in 1864, they lo- cated in Siskiyou county, Cal., on a ranch twenty miles south of Merrill, Ore., where they engaged in stock-raising in connection with the general ranching. After three years' residence in Siski- you county their next location was in Klamath county, Orc., near Merrill, and there they lived until Daniel Van Brimmer removed to his own ranch, where he has lived ever since.

As before stated, Mr. Van Brimmer is by birth a Missourian and he was born in February,

Stephen Hallier

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1838, near Chillicothe, Livingston county. When he moved to his own farm he took with him his bride, formerly Mrs. Leatha Calmes, to whom he was married in 1895, in Klamath county. A na- tive of Illinois, and a daughter of Samuel Wil- son, she was before marriage with Mr. Van Brim- mer Mrs. Levi Calmes, and came across the plains with her father in 1864. Mr. Van Brimmer owns three hundred and ninety-five acres, three miles southeast of Merrill, has a finely improved place all under cultivation, and makes a success of his vocation. having planted the first alfalfa in the county. He and his brothers, B. F. and Clinton D., constructed and promoted the Van Brimmer irrigation ditch, which was six feet wide and four miles long at first, but they subsequently enlarged it until now it is sixteen feet wide and five miles long, this being the first ditch of the kind in Kla- math county. All these things show Mr. Van Brimmer's industry and progressiveness and point him out as a man of worth. Democratic in his ideas politically, he lives secure in the happiness of his home, which is brightened by the presence of his little daughter, Ruby.

STEPHEN GALLIER. Continuously since 1900 Stephen Gallier has been sheriff of Coos county, his re-election in June, 1902, being by a large majority. This former stock-raiser and hotel man is one of the stanch advocates of Re- publicanism in this part of the state, and his fit- ness for his present important responsibility has been demonstrated to the satisfaction of those who placed him in power. Mr. Gallier is force- ful and energetic, strong of will and body, and masterful in the handling of the complications which come to him for adjustment. As a main- tainer of law and order in the territory under his jurisdiction he is supreme, and evil doers have found it convenient to seek other and less carefully patroled territory in which to carry on their operations. He wields an influence born of fine character, excellent family connec- tions, and the standing growing out of associa- tion with the oldest and most exacting fraternal organizations in the world.

William Gallier, the father of Stephen Gal- lier, at present engaged in the hardware business at Bandon, is a blacksmith who has all of the old time attributes associated with that hardy and time honored trade. He was born near Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, Febru- ary 11, 1827, and came to the United States in 1850, living for a short time in Philadelphia, and from there removing to Yorkville, Kendall county, Ill. His wife, Matilda M. Heustis, was born in New York City August 24. 1831, a daughter of Solomon Heustis, an early settler of Kendall county, and a large land owner. While

William Gallier was plying his trade in York- ville his two children, Stephen and Edmund M., were born, the former September 4, 1857. The family moved to Jackson county, Ore., in 1871, and three years later, in September, Mr. Gallier located on a farm near Myrtle Point. Shortly afterward he took up land on the Sixes river, in Curry county, tilling his one hundred and sixty acres and engaging in extensive stock- raising. In 1881 he abandoned farming for blacksmithing, and his little shop in Coquille, Coos county, was one of the busiest places in the town. In 1893 he started a shop in Ban- don, but in 1900 returned to Coquille and en- gaged in a hardware business until June 1, 1903. Since then he has conducted a similar business in Bandon, to which town he removed his stock because of the better outlook for busi- ness. He is seventy-six years old, enjoys the best of health, and is what might be termed a successful man. He has always been interested in Republican politics, but has ever been averse to accepting any kind of political honors at the hands of his fellow-townsmen.

Educated in the public schools of Illinois and Oregon, Stephen Gallier became independent at the age of twenty-one, when he took up three hundred and twenty acres of land in the north- ern part of Curry county and engaged in stock- raising on a large scale. In 1896 he came to Bandon and undertook the management of the Tupper House, one of the first-class hostelries in the county, but after being elected sheriff of Coos county in 1900 he was obliged to lease the hotel, which still maintains its excellent standing.

Mr. Gallier was married in Curry county, January 12, 1886, to Mary A. Langlois, who was born in Curry county, Ore., November 20, 1862, and whose father, William Langlois, came to America from England in 1849, and was identified for a time with the Hudson Bay Company. He afterward took up land near Portland, Ore., and in 1850 came to Curry county, near what is now Langlois, named in his honor, and died there in 1880, at the age of sev- enty-six years. He passed his years in the west in mining and farming, and left considerable property to his heirs. Mr. Langlois' son, Thomas, was the first white child born at Port Orford. The Gallier household has been bright- ened by the advent of three children, Irvin L., Edna and Gladys E. No more welcome or worthy member of fraternal societies is known in the county than Mr. Gallier, who is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Bandon, with the Ancient Order of United Workmen of Coquille, and the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 226. of Roseburg, Ore. To an unusual extent this fair-

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minded and impartial public servant is honored in his promising community, and his thoroughly conscientious devotion to the public welfare is conceded to be worthy of all emulation.

JOHN M. HICKS. To own the largest gar- dlen in southern Oregon, to raise such varied and tempting early vegetables that they are in clemand as far north as bleak Cape Nome, and as far south as Dunsmuir and Redding, Cal., is the privilege of J. M. Hicks, whose devotion to his interesting occupation has brought him a far-reaching and excellent reputation, as well as a comfortable competence. From time im- memorial just such natures have found their greatest satisfaction in gardening, and only such achieve marked success, for, notwithstanding the nature of flowers and fruits and shrubs, it is demonstrated that they attain their highest de- velopment under the care of those sincerely de- voted to their welfare. The absolute devotion to his plants has led this student into deep re- search, and he can tell one more about vegetables and fruits than almost any other man in Jack- son county.

Born near Cincinnati, Ohio, September II, 1836, Mr. Hicks is the youngest of seven chil- dren in the family of Benjamin and Hannah (Linscott ) Hicks, natives respectively of Salem, Mass., and Indiana. Benjamin Hicks came from one of the old Colonial families of the east, his grandfather, Jabez, having settled in Massachu- setts upon removing from his ancestral home in Wales. The latter carried a musket in the Revo- lutionary war, and eventually removed to Cat- taraugus county, N. Y., where he died at an ad- vanced age. Benjamin, no less patriotic than his father, enlisted from Cattaraugus county in the war of 1812, and afterward removed to Cincin- nati, Ohio, where he married, and near where he bought a large farm. In time he took his family to Spencer county, Ind., and there both himself and wife spent their last days. Five of the seven children born to this couple attained maturity : Flavius Josephus, living with his brother in Ashland. and now eighty-three years of age; Horatio, who died in Ashland in 1899: Clinton, who died in Minneapolis, Minn., in 1901 ; Rebecca, who lives in Ashland : and John M.

John M. Hicks was a year old when the fam- ily removed to Spencer county. Ind., and he was reared in the same vicinity as Abraham Lincoln. llis first book knowledge was acquired in true pioneer fashion in a little log schoolhouse, to which he was obliged to walk several miles, and where the furnishings consisted of slab benches, puncheon floors, quill pens, and dip candles for the dark winter days. In time he returned to Cincinnati to school, and at the age of twenty-

two was united in marriage with Lucinda C. Tremper, born in New Richmond, Ohio, of Hol- land descent. Of this union there have been born three children, of whom Ernest is a machinist of Ashland; Horatio is superintendent of the gardens of Ashland; and Blanch lives in Ash- land. Owing to the precarious state of his wife's health Mr. Hicks went to Florida in 1869, and there engaged in gardening and fruit growing until 1872. He then removed north to Minne- sota, and between Minneapolis and St. Paul pur- chased land and had a fine garden. After com- ing to Ashland in 1883 he purchased his pres- ent home of sixteen acres, upon which he has crected a residence and two hot houses, each 36x72 feet in dimensions. He raises all kinds of vegetables, but makes a specialty of the ear- lier kinds which are in such demand by epicures. Considering that his place was all wild land when he took possession, this genial vegetable grower has made remarkable strides in improvement. Everything about his place indicated the thought- ful and painstaking worker and one thoroughly in harmony with his surroundings. Without loubt this is the finest garden in the southern part of the state, and a visit to its hot houses can but result in great gain and interest to those thus favored. About twenty years ago Mrs. Hicks died leaving him with the care and edu- cation of their children. In his home life, as well as in his association with the purchasing public, he is upright and honest, gracious and considerate, an example of a man grown old gracefully, and of one who retains the heart, and illusions and confidence of youth. Living near to the heart of nature, he has little time for the things that fret and worry, and are out of tune. He is a Republican in politics, and fraternally connected with the Odd Fellows.

SAMUEL T. SONGER, M. D. Distin- guished alike for his honorable record as a sol- dier in the Civil war, and as a skilful and able physician and surgeon, Samuel T. Songer, M. D., is numbered among the most esteemed and valued citizens of Ashland. A man of sterling qualities, interested in advancing the interests of town and county, he is recognized as an influential member of the community in which he resides, and in his professional work he invariably inspires confidence in his ability, winning the faith and esteem of his numerous patrons. A son of Fred- erick Songer, he was born January 21, 1837, in Xenia, Clay county, Ill. His grandfather, Abra- ham Songer. was born in Virginia, while his grandmother came to the United States from Ger- many, and settled in Pennsylvania. In early manhood Abraham Songer became a pioneer farmer of Indiana, going from Virginia down the

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Ohio river on a flat-boat with his family as far as Louisville, thence to Orange county, Ind.

A native of Rockingham county, Va., Frederick Songer spent his boyhood in that state, afterwards going with his parents to Orange county, Ind., living near Livonia until after his marriage, and the birth of his five oldest children. Removing then with his family to the neighboring state of Illinois, he drove across the country to Clay county, where he took up land and improved a good homestead. He also followed his trade- that of carpenter and millwright, erecting a saw- mill and a grist-mill in Marion county, where he had excellent water power. He died at Kin- mundy. Marion county, Ill., at the advanced age of seventy-eight years. His wife, whose maiden name was Jane Helm, was born in Rocking- ham county, Va., and died on the home farm, in Illinois. Her father, George Helm, was born in Virginia, of German ancestry. He was the own- er of a Virginia plantation in his earlier days, but afterwards settled in Louisville, Ky., where he became a prominent stockman and millman, be- ing interested in raising thoroughbred horses, and owning a mill near Bardstown. After the death of his wife, he removed to Florence, Ala., remaining there until his death, at the age of eighty years. Of the union of Frederick and Jane (Helm) Songer, eleven children were born. Giles died in Illinois, at the age of sixty-six years ; William F. served in the Mexican war, and is now a resident of Ashland, Ore .; Mrs. Sarah Young resides in Illinois ; Charles is a resident of. Clay county, Ill. : Abraham, of Kinmundy, I.l., served in the Civil war as lieutenant in Company G, Twenty-first Illinois Infantry, was captured at Chickamauga and confined in Libby prison for eighteen months; Amanda died in childhood ; Samuel T. is the special subject of this sketch; Mollie lives in Illinois; Isaac died at the age of ten years ; Mrs. Amelia Smith died at the age of forty-seven years ; and Harriet died in infancy.

Born and reared in Marion county, Ill., Sam- utel T. Songer obtained the rudiments of his edu- cation in the typical pioneer log schoolhouse, with its rude furnishings, learning to write with a quill pen, attending first a subscription school, and then a free school. At the age of thirteen he ran his father's grist-mill, working eighteen hours a day for a year, when the mill was sold. Returning then to the home farm, which was lo- cated on the line between Clay and Marion coun- ties, he was engaged in tilling the soil until the breaking out of the Civil war, when he promptly responded to his country's call for volunteers. Enlisting in 1861 in Company G, Twenty-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry, he was mustered in, as a private, at Springfield, Ill., and marched from there to Naples, Ill., going thence by train to Mexico, Mo., then to Ironton. He subse-

quently participated in the battle of Frederick- town, Mo., and then returned to Ironton, where his regiment was stationed until January, 1862. He was afterwards in Greenville and Blackmer, Mo., then in Williamsport, Ark., going from the latter place to Cape Girardeau, Mo., where the regiment embarked on the steam- er Adriatic, and followed the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers to Hamburg, Tenn., where the regiment was stationed until July, 1862. With his comrades, Mr. Songer subsequently partici- pated in numerous engagements, being at Flor- ence, Ala., Winchester, Columbia, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Tenn., and Bowling Green, Ky. After the battle of Perryville he went with his regi- ment to Lebanon, thence to Nashville, Tenn., where he was detailed in the engineer's depart- ment. He subsequently took part in the battle of Stone River, and then proceeded by way of Stevenson, Ala., Lookont valley and mountain to Chickamauga, where he participated in the fa- mous battle of that place. Returning thence to Chattanooga, Tenn., he was employed in laying out and erecting breastworks and saw-mills and also assisted in laying out, below the city, the pontoons on which Hooker's and Slocum's corps crossed from the east, and laying out, above the eity, the pontoons on which Sherman's army crossed to take part in the battle of Missionary Ridge. Going thence to Resaca, Ga., Mr. Songer was on the skirmishing line, being relieved just an hour prior to the battle at Kenesaw Moun- tain. July 30, 1864, at Chattanooga, Tenn., he was mustered out of service, his only injuries re- ceived in battle being three slight wounds at the engagement at Stone River.

Returning to Xenia, Ill., Mr. Songer began the study of medicine, and subsequently entered the Ohio Medical College, at Cincinnati, where he was graduated with the degree of M. D. in 1871. Beginning the practice of his profession in Xenia, 111., Dr. Songer remained there ten years, during which time he served as pension examiner, and was president of the city council for several years. The ensuing three years he was located in Fair- field, Ill., where he was likewise pension exam- iner. Coming to Oregon in 1884, Dr. Songer lo- cated in Ashland May 8th, and has since remained here. The population of the town, which was then about six hundred, has increased greatly, and his practice has grown in proportion, being extensive and lucrative, his medical and surgical skill being recognized throughout the county. For ten years Dr. Songer was pension examiner, and since 1891 has been local and emergency sur- geon for the Southern Pacific Railway Company. He is an able financier, and has acquired consid- erable property of value, being interested in tim- ber lands in Jackson county, and owning a one- seventh interest in the Oregon and California

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Marble Company, with quarry twelve miles south of Grants Pass. On the three hundred and twenty acres of land owned by this company is a four-hundred-foot vein of the finest quality of marble, which is valuable for monumental and structural purposes, and a very fine grade of lime.

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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 90

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