USA > Oregon > The Oregon native son, Vol. I > Part 16
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81
In 1886 he moved from Dallas to The Dalles in the hope of improving his daugli- ter's health. During his residence in the lat- ter place a large portion of his time was re- quired looking after interests in the vicinity of Portland.' In 18gt he bought a dry goods store in East Portland. and in 1802 removed to the East Side, where his family still resides. In 1803 he sold his mercantile possessions and was appointed deputy clerk of the municipal court. in which capacity he served until 1806.
In the fall of that year he canvassed the state for McKinley and Hobart. In the autumn of 1897 he received a proposition from the Chamber of Commerce of Portland to repre- sent that body in cities east of the Rockies, in. an effort to direct Alaska business via Port- land. This work kept him busy between Pittsburgh and Denver until the spring of 1898, and was very successful in many ways. Immediately after his return he engaged actively in the state campaign, and after the election he canvassed Western Oregon, secur- ing products for the industrial fair. At the special session of the legislature called in September, 1898, he was chosen reading clerk of the senate, and was re-elected at the regu- lar session in January last. On April 1, 1899, he became superintendent of the Oregon peni- tentiary, by appointment of Governor Geer. In addition to the usual duties of that respon- sible position, the last legislature made it the duty of the superintendent to build seven miles of road by convict labor, which work is already under way. He is one of the origi- nal incorporators of the Native Sons of Ore- gon. and now holds the office of first vice- president in the grand cabin. He also belongs to the Masons, Odd Fellows, Woodmen of the World and National Union. Mr. Lee's life has been a busy one, full of kind words and deeds. He is blessed with an accom- plished, faithful wife and a happy family, to whom he is deeply devoted.
FRANKLIN CALHOUN BAKER.
Frank C. Baker, 13th state printer of Ore- gon, was born in what was formerly Wash- ington county, now Multnomah, Oregon .. June 18, 1854. His father, W. W. Baker, emi- grated from Wapello county, Iowa, in 1850. and came directly to Oregon: his mother. Frances Isabel, accompanied by her brother. Theodore Hackney, coming three years later. Mr. Baker attended the common schools dur- ing his early youth. obtaining an ordinary education, and in 1867 gained his first knowl- edge of "printer's ink." as he designates it. while in the employ of E. S. McComas, at La Grande, Oregon, in the office of the Moun- tain Sentinel. After learning the printer's trade. he was employed on the Baker Chy Herald. Silver City (Idaho) Avalanche, and subsequently on the Boise City Statesman. He finally returned to Portland, where he worked at his trade, principally in the employ
S
117
BIOGRAPHICAL.
of II. L. Pittock. In 1886, while serving his third term as president of Multnomah Typo- graphical Union, one of the leading labor organizations of Oregon, and while engaged with his father in the publication of the North Pacific Rural Spirit, he was nominated for the office of state printer by the republican state convention. This nomination was made in response to an unanimous request by the union printers of the state. He was elected by an overwhelming majority, and in 1890 was renominated by acclamation and re-elected by · an increased majority over that accorded him on his first election. His administration was characterized by prompt attention to business and universal courtesy to his associates and the public in general., He enjoys the distinc- tion of being the first state printer to succeed himself in office.
Mr. Baker is a shining light in the Masonic fraternity, being a member of all its various degrees. He is a past sachem of the Im- proved Order of Red Men and a past exalted ruler of the Elks. He is at present interested in various enterprises, both in California and his native state.
JUDGE GEORGE BURNETT.
Judge Burnett was born in Yamhill county. Oregon, May 9. 1853, and was educated at McMinnville college until 1871. when he en- tered Christian college at Monmouth, and graduated in the classical course, with degree of A. B., in June, 1873, after which he studied law with Mallory & Shaw, in Salem, being admitted to the Oregon bar in December, 1875, and subsequently to the United States circuit and district courts. In June, 1876, he was elected district attorney of the third judi- cial district and served for two years. In 1800 he was elected grand master of Odd Fel- lows, and in 1891 grand representative to the sovereign grand lodge, at which time he se- cured the session of that body for Portland in 1892, during which year he was elected circuit judge of the third judicial district and was re-elected in 1898.
Judge Burnett is a typical representative of that noble species of manhood known as the self-made man. Throughout his entire life his success and popularity have been due to an indomitable will, and a broad mind filled with knowledge by unremitting toil, together with a heart full of kind impulses, and good will to all mankind. In youth and early man- hood, physical necessities united with thirst of knowledge, taxing his strength and time to
acquire both, until he considered himself a common laborer by occupation, but a lawyer by profession. Industry and constant applica- tion, however, have earned their own reward, until he is recognized as one of the ablest representatives of his profession in the state.
JOHN C. LEASURE.
Mr. Leasure was born June 9, 1854, in Marion county, Oregon. His education was obtained in the public schools of that county, and in those of Eugene, where his parents removed in 1868. In 1870 he was left to carve out a future by his own exertions, by reason of the death of his parents, but being endowed with energy and determination to make some- thing of himself that would be worthy of effort, he began life's battle. His first work was that of a farm hand, then an employe in a tannery. Feeling that he must be more than a manual laborer, he resolved on further edu- cation in order to fit himself for a more prom- inent station. He entered Philomath college. Benton county, paying his tuition by acting as janitor, and earned his board by doing work on a near-by farnı. In 1875 he started to Eastern Oregon, expecting to teach school there. On arrival at The Dalles, his means being limited, he could not spare funds for riding, and he bravely set out for Baker City,
. 250 miles away. on foot and walked the entire distance. He taught school in Baker county for ten months, and with his earnings resolved to further educate himself. With this view he returned to Philomath and resumed his studies, graduating in 1877 with high honors. From this time until 1880 he taught school in various places, the last engagement being president of the Blue Mountain university. lo- cated at La Grande. In his leisure hours he studied law, and in January. 1880, was ad- mitted to the bar. He located at Pendleton, and at once had a lucrative practice. When the Hunt system of railroads was inaugu- rated, the management, recognizing his abil- ity, engaged him as counsel of the corpora- tion and elected him vice-president thereof. This position he retained for two years. He was mayor of Pendleton for two terms, and a presidential elector in 1884. He was also prominently identified with the Young Men's Republican League of the state, and was for six years vice-president for Oregon of the National League. In . 1894 he removed to
118
OREGON NATIVE SON.
Portland, where he at present resides, and, as before, his legal attainments receive due rec- ognition.
Prior to July, 1898, the native sons of the state had made several attempts to get to- gether in permanent organization, but the efforts were futile on account of lack of lead- ership. At such date Mr. Leasure, with others, made another attempt. organizing a grand cabin, and he was selected as the first grand president thereof. He set about to en- thuse his associates, and under his direction, in the main, they soon had a large subordinate cabin in Portland, the organization of which was quickly followed by others in various sections of the state, until 15 cabins were in- stituted within seven months, with a member- ship of about 1,200, and many others at this writing are about ready for institution. What the Native Sons and also the Native Daugh- ters of Oregon are, and will no doubt become as societies, the credit will be largely due to the pluck, planning and push of John C. Leasure.
As a lawyer he has no superior as a ready speaker; as a man he is one whose character is without blemish. Personally he is con- genial, kind and charitable and holds the un- qualified esteem and respect of all.
He was married in 1881 to Miss Annie L. Blakley, a granddaughter of Captain James Blakley, an Indian War Veteran and Pioneer of 1847.
SAM L. SIMPSON.
When the bard is surrounded by environ- ments which serve to bring him into notice, the ladder of fame is not a difficult climb, but the plowboy, the mechanic and child of the pioneer are not so favored, and it is seldom that the world awakens to full appreciation of their rhymes, until long after they have paid nature's debt. Then slumbering acknowledg- ment comes to life and erects with bronze in memory of him whom it is their delight to honor. In the dim vista of coming time our prophetic vision sees memento grand on which is read-
From the Cascades frozen gorges,
Leaping like a child at play,
Winding. widening through the valley, Bright Willamette glides away;
Onward ever, lovely river.
Soitly calling to the sea:
Time that scars us. maims and mars us. Leaves no track or trace on thee.
The author whose name heads this sketch was born in the state of Missouri, October 10. 1845. When still a babe he came across the
plains with his parents, who were pioneers of 1845. His folks settled in Oregon City, and afterwards lived mainly in Marion and Polk counties. In early days the district school- houses were the log-cabin class. These he attended until he was about 15 years of age, when, in company with his older brother. Sylvester, he was sent to Willamette univer- sity, graduating there with the degree of A. B. in 1876. Studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1868. Practiced law in Corvallis until 1871, when he became editor and owner of the old Corvallis Gazette (lately deceased). and, unfortunately, left law. for journalism. Was married to Miss Julia Humphrey in 1868. two sons, Eugene and Claude, being the fruit of the marriage. Since 1871 has been most of the time engaged as a writer on various pa- pers in Oregon and Washington-writing poetry at odd times in a desultory way. His first verses were published in the P. C. Advo- cate (Portland) when he was attending school at Willamette university.
BIBLE STATISTICS-THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE.
(London Answers.) The Bible con- tains 3566480 letters, 810697 words, 31175 ver- ses, 1189 chapters and 66 books. The longest chapter is the. 119th Psalm; the shortest and middle chapter the 117th Psalm. The middle verse is the 8th of the 118th Psalm. The long- est name is in the 8th chapter of Isa- iah. The word and occurs 46627 times; the word Lord 1855 times. The 37th chap- ter of Isaiah and the 19th chapter of the 2d book of Kings are alike. The longest verse is the 9th of the 8th chapter of Es- ther; the shortest verse is the 35th of the IIth chapter of John. In the 2Ist verse of the 7th chapter of Ezra is the alphabet. The finest piece of reading is the 26th chapter of Acts. The name of God is not men- tioned in the book of Es- ther. It contains KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM, HOLINESS AND LOVE.
٠
JOSEPH, THE NEZ PERCE.
From the northern desolation
Comes a cry of exultation,
"It is ended. He has yielded, and the stubborn fight is won!" Let the nation in its glory
Bow with shame before the story Of the hero it has ruined and the evil it has done.
-
How he prayed while hope remained, Though the white man's hands were stained
With the blood that cried for vengeance of his murdered kin and clan.
For the home the good God gave him,
And the treaty sworn to save him, For the shelter of his children, and the right to be a man.
Then the troops began to hound him, And he wrapped the blanket 'round him, And he called his braves to follow, and he smote them hip and thigh.
But the hosts grew vast and vaster.
And the whirlwind of disaster Drove him out into the mountains and beneath an alien sky.
Through the continental ridges, Over tottering torrent bridges;
By the verge of black abysses, in the shade of mountains hoar:
Herds and wives and children bearing,
Months he journeyed, toiling. daring. With an army trailing behind him, and another crouched before.
Thrice the sudden blow descended. Roar and flash and clashing blended:
Twice his rear guard faced and checked them, till the hunted tribe was free. Once he reeled. but swiftly rallied.
Forth upon the spoilers sallied. Drove them headlong into shelter, captured all their cannonry.
But the mountains could not shield him. And the snowy heights revealed him, And the false friends would not aid him, and his goal was far away:
Burdened by his weak and wounded:
Stripped and harried and surrounded, Still the chieftain of the Northland, like a lion, stood at bay.
From the freedom that he sought for. From the deer land that he fought for. He is riven by a nation that has spurned its plighted word: By the Christians who have given To the heathen-gracious heaven !- With the one hand theft and falsehood. with the other ball and sword.
4
1:
北寶
PAC'LL SHOWAWAY. Titular Chief, I'matilla.
CHIEF PEO. layuse.
OREGON NATIVE SON.
VOL. I.
JULY, 1899.
No. 3.
EASTERN OREGON INDIANS.
The Cayuses, Umatillas and Walla Wallas. the confederated tribes on the l'matilla reservation, are merely tribes of a great people, that includes the Warm Springs and Klamaths on the west and south and the Nez Perces and Bannocks on the east. These are all closely related, of handsome feature, tall, strong and shapely. and speaking the same tongue.
In the course of nature to within 30 years or thereabouts they were increas- ing in numbers; but their decrease in numbers during the last 30 years has been constant and increasing with each succeeding year. They were by centuries of training fitted for a wild, free life on the plains and through the forests. De- prived of liberty-the necessity of com- pelling nature to supply their wants- they have become fat and stupid. Cooped up on their reservation-every want sup- plied. practically. without exertion-de- prived of the great shrine of nature at which formerly they worshiped. of their independence. their self-government, the exercise and man-building pleasures of the chase-they have to a certain degree become weak, intemperate and immoral.
Like all other alien races they have suffered and deteriorated by contact with our ever dominant Aryan race. All peo- ples approached by the Aryans have adopted the Aryan vices, and lost much and sometimes all the higher principles ur attributes of themselves. It is boot- less to ask why-the fact remains it is- and our Indians have been no exception
That schools have been provided for their children boots nothing; for the close confinement of our schoolroom is torture for them, and will be until gen- erations have removed their instinct and love for the wild schoolroom of nature- roofed by the brilliant sky, walled by the rolling bunchgrass hills and rugged mountains, and seated with the mossy banks of rippling. silvery streams by which the wild deer love to roam. When the instincts that love and long for the freedom and beauty of nature's schools are dead within them, our prosy, narrow schools may help them. But, in my judgment, when that day arrives, the pitiful remnant of the race that then sur- vives will be close, very close, to the setting of the race's sun, and the night of oblivion will then very soon follow- and our race will "know them no more forever."
I think no people has been so mis- judged as our Indians. Eastern writers. many who ought to have known better, have painted fancy pictures, in which they have been given characters some- times good, sometimes bad-almost al- ways fantastical and absurd. No one who has lived with them long and ac- quired sufficient of their confidence to know them well has yet given the world an analysis of their character. Many who have suffered in themselves. or through friends or relatives, have por- trayed them as cold, immoral, unsympa- thetic, cruel, dishonest, ungenerous and
122
OREGON NATIVE SON.
to be fair and honest, but in overlooking the ancient teachings, social system and traditions of these Indians they have un- wittingly been unjust.
JOSEPH. Noted Nez Perce War Chief.
Since the dawn of their race, their code of ethics and social laws have been different from ours. Within the limits of their ancient code I have always found them scrupulous and conscientious. Measured by our code of ethics, they fail entirely. In their arts they possessed an ingenuity and skill. apparently unreach- able by ourselves. In our arts they are clumsy and awkward, and miserably fail.
Many of their misfortunes before our law may be attributed to principles of moral right instilled in them by genera- tions of tradition. Judged by our stand- ard their two besetting sins are "dishon- esty" and intemperance.
On the first: It is quite usual and common to learn that an Indian has ap-
propriated to himself, without the real owner's leave, a blanket, a horse or sad- dle-or other piece of personal property. In the sense in which we use the term they borrow freely from each other, and when a loan of a few dollars is requested from a white man, that white has been paid a real compliment. It is a mark of friendship, confidence and good feeling. It means that if that white man should ask it, no matter what his station in life or his means of repaying it, the Indian would "loan" to him the last dollar or bit of property he possessed, or could bor- row or "appropriate." For generations these tribes treated all their possessions as community property. At varying in- tervals those-usually chiefs-who had accumulated a great deal would volun- tarily "divide up," distributing to the members of their tribe the accumulated property to the last piece. These peo- ple, primitive and for generations wor- shiping at nature's shrine, believed the land and all it possessed was provided for their comfort or pleasure to belong alike to all its children. They were therefore generous. When the cold of winter came, the robes and skins were divided, and if enough, all were warm, if not enough, the discomfort was shared alike.
Today they are generous to a fault. They succor each other in misfortune. If one has become entangled in the meshes of our law, the free members of his family-even unto distant genera- tions-will sacrifice their necessities to comfort and aid. Many times the friends of Indians "in the toils" have pledged everything they had or held to be dear for their fellow in misfortune. Not infre- quently attorneys have been hired by the Indian, whose horse had been "stol- en" or who had been "assaulted," to de- fend the victim of the law. I have known many of these "victims," both red and white, but I have never yet known a
1
123
EASTERN OREGON INDIANS.
full-blood Indian of these tribes who had willfully violated the precepts of his ancient code.
And here, to ward possible criticism, let me say that one precept of that code is "kill thine enemies," just as it is in the Mosaic law of our own loved Bible. Their word is good or bad under the precepts of that code. If their promise is to return to jail at a certain time. or to appear for trial to redeem a hostage, or even to be hanged by the neck until dead, it is sacred. and I do not believe, bad as some are, that there is a full-blood on this reservation that would by the turning cf a hair break such a promise.
But a promise to repay a borrowed dollar or two is different, and I do not believe there are many on this reserve good enough to keep such a promise. Why the difference? The first touches his honor. The latter is an exchange of friendly confidences, and the Indian can- net learn that his friend could expect the repayment of the dollar-the little piece of metal, common property-any more than the Indian would require or expect the return of the venison supplied for his friend's dinner.
Their intemperance can be attributed to natural causes. Imagine a wild, free and happy people. living largely in the · pen air. eating the Hesh of the wild deer, the stately elk and other game, and no vegetables except the wild, unculti- vated camas or couse abundant in some parts of their empire; moving up and down their land for hundreds of miles; pitching their tepees when and where the prospect pleased, and moving when the fancy came to fresh pastures or new streams-suddenly deprived of their lib- erty-penned upon a reservation a few miles in extent, a tiny fraction of their fermer empire: full of distrust for the
and occupying their land, approached only by a few whites, and those generally not of the best, and ofttimes of the worst -and you will understand something of the situation of the Indians on the reserve today.
Then, know that the exhilerant intoxi- cation produced by strong liquors is the nearest approach they can obtain to the wild exhileration of their ancient busi- ness and pastimes, and you may guess something of the strength of their incli- nation to drink, not for the pleasure of drinking, but for the mental effects pro- duced by strong drink.
The frequent fatal accidents that drink produces among them, their own re- solves-or punishments inflicted, are all unavailing. The wild desire for the pleasures of the chase, where the mind
JOSHUA, Noted Walla Walla Chief.
russ riot and the body runs after the mind, has been ground into them, and for generation after generation has been
124
OREGON NATIVE SON.
Photo by Browning. SAMUEL D. SMITH, .A Pioneer of 1849.
MRS. MARGARET E. SMITH, (Nee Watkins.)
Photo by Bell & Co., Astoria. J. H. D. GRAY. A Native Son. Born 1839.
-
Photo by Crawford & Hutchins, Lebanon. CYRUS H. WALKER. Oregon's Oldest Living Native Son-1838.
125
EASTERN OREGON INDIANS.
spirit moves them, the dangers, their own resolves, the fear of punishment are swept aside and the wild, hilarious drunk follows.
That .so many of them have seriously attempted to adopt the ways and customs of the whites: have tried to wear what are to them or when worn by them, the white man's clumsy clothes and shoes; have tried in earnest to cultivate the soil. and toil and sweat through the hot Au- gust harvest, proves their earnestness.
If you can, in imagination, put your- self in their place -- imagine that through the mysterious laws of inheritance and transmission-through generations un- numbered-your head becomes imbued with the spirit of their ancient life and traditions, customs, manners and habits of thought-full of that spirit live for awhile in the wild freedom of nature, and then, as they are obliged to do, for- get the pleasure of the past and gone freedom of your race, if you can, and toil, perspiring, through the hot, dusty harvest field in the middle of August, and with a hard face shut out the mind pictures, shady dales and deep, still pools along the river, where the purling waters on the riffles above and below sing sweet and deep the rythmic song of peace and quiet rest, and shut out deep, green, cool vistas of some mountain glen. where the bright, cold spring rushes from be- neath the stones and moss and the air is pure and sweet and heavy with the perfumes of the fir and pine. With these pictures ever in your mind continue your
painful toil-and you will know a little, a very little of our Indian's pains. Born to be free and roam the hills unfettered- why should he not be free?
In my opinion he has done the best he could, and vastly better than we our- selves would have done, had our places been reversed, and they the lords and we the slaves.
Thirty years ago they had scarcely commeneed their descent from the tem- perate, bold and self-reliant people they were when lords of the land. and when. except their own duties, they knew no power or authority greater than them- selves; when they compelled the wild animals of the region and the unculti- vated land to supply all their necessities, and a few luxuries; when they were sur- rounded by hostile and savage tribes, and knew nor wanted any protection other than the courage within themselves and their natural prowess.
A sense of regret must possess every man of generous impulses who has a knowledge of the many but curious vir- tues possessed by the Indians, and who with that knowledge knows that their doom has been declared, and that in a very few years they will succumb to that inexorable law of nature-the survival of the strongest-and that then the rolling hills, the silvery streams and towering mountains, around and over which their rich romances linger, will know them no. more: when the bones of the last of their race will have mingled with the dust.
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.