The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 100

Author: Gaston, Joseph, 1833-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 1072

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

The captain of the caravan was Job Powell. Their route led them by way of Fort Car- ney, Fort Laramic, Fort Hall and Fort Boise. They then proceeded by way of the Grande Ronde, Tygh valley and the Barlow Gates, crossing the Cascade mountains by the Bar- low road. In crossing the mountains they experienced severe hardships and their teams became so exhausted that they had to be left. Abandoning wagon and oxen, they crossed the mountains on foot, carrying of their supplies as much as could be packed on one or two old oxen. It being late in the season, they underwent severe trials on ac- count of the stormy weather which they en- dured most of the way. They were com- pelled to camp at the mountain house at Fort Foster, which they reached on the 5th of November, on which date they had been on the journey exactly six months since starting from Missouri. The family subse- quently settled in Spring Water, Clackamas county, where the father filed upon a dona- tion claim of three hundred and twenty acres.

William W. Tucker was reared at home and received his early education in the public schools of the district in which he lived. He remained under the parental roof until he had attained his majority and at the age of twenty-one years was employed for one year in the lumber district after which he crossed on the John Day river to the east side of the mountains and spent one year riding the range as a cowboy. He later took up a homestead in Lane county upon which he resided for twenty-five years after which he disposed of that property and settled in Josephine county where he purchased one hundred acres of land upon which he now resides and is engaged in agricultural pur- suits.

Mr. Tucker was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Bailey, who is a native of Canada. She emigrated with her parents to Oregon at a very early date. To Mr. and Mrs. William W. Tucker nine children have been born: John R .; Nancy J .; Eva R., who died in 1908; Sara F., who died in 1906; William M., who met death by accidental drowning in 1902; Martha E .; Myrtle A .; James E .; and Charles A.

Mr. Tucker is an adherent of the demo- cratic party but has never sought political preferment of any kind. He is one of the enterprising and highly esteemed citizens of Josephine county and is a man always ready to lend his assistance in the advance- ment of public measures which seek the improvement of the community in which he lives.

JONAS H. UPTON. Since 1863 Jonas H. Upton has been a resident of Oregon and is now living retired in Langlois. He has been identified with important occupations dur- ing the forty-nine years, engaging principally in journalism and general farming and after gaining prosperity in both fields is enjoying a well earned rest, giving his attention to the management of his property. He was born in Miami county, Ohio, March 18. 1832,

and moved to Indiana with his parents when he was still a child.

In the Hoosier state Jonas H. Upton re- ceived his education and there resided for eighteen years, finally going to Iowa in 1853. In that state he conducted a furniture busi- ness for some time and later studied law. Eventually, however, he engaged in journal- ism and followed that line of occupation until the breaking out of the Civil war, when he volunteered and entered the service with the Tenth Iowa Regiment in August, 1861. While the regiment was stationed in south- east Missouri he was prostrated with serious illness and was finally discharged on account of disability, in 1862, the surgeon's certificate stating, "chronic disentery and ulcerations of the bowels with spinal difficulties." The latter trouble he has never been able quite to overcome.

His residence in Oregon dates from 1863, when he arrived in Salem and worked for a time in Mr. Barker's cabinet shop on Com- mercial street, the Chemeketa Hotel finally occupying the site, where Barker's furniture store once stood. In 1864 he moved to Al- bany, in Linn county, and again established himself in the furniture business and in connection with this followed his trade of cabinet-maker. From Albany he moved to La Fayette, where he opened the office of the La Fayette Courier, which newspaper he published for two years. Moving to Salem, he established the Capital Chronicle, which later became merged with the Salem Mercury and was conducted under that name for several years. Mr. Upton's first purchase of land was made in Yamhill county, where he operated a farm for some time and only abandoned it in 1874 in order to accompany his wife to southern California, where she went for recuperation. Here he lived for five years, returning to Oregon at the end of that time and settling in Coos Bay, whence he came to Port Orford after a short time and established the Port Orford Post which he conducted for two years. He then proved up on one hundred and sixty acres of land in northern Curry county and purchased forty adjoining acres and definitely established himself as a general farmer. Upon this land he lived for twenty-nine years and brought the property to a highly improved and de- veloped state. Eventually, however, he was obliged to retire on account of ill health and has been a resident of Langlois since that time. He is erecting a pleasant modern home in the city and owns other property in Lang- lois, besides one hundred acres of land in the vicinity.

In 1856 Mr. Upton was united in marriage to Miss Cloey Mitchell, a native of Indiana, and they became the parents of two children: James M., who is practicing law in Marsh- field; and Arthur W., who died in China. Mr. and Mrs. Upton have also adopted two orphan children-a son, who is now twenty- five years of age, and a daughter, the wife of James W. Upton, of Norfolk. Nebraska.

In his political views Mr. Upton is an ardent socialist and is intelligently and actively interested in local public affairs. He

JONAS H. UPTON

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served his fellow citizens as a member of the state legislature for one term in 1893. He is a member of the Masonic order and has been a delegate to the grand lodge. For almost half a century his individual activ- ities have been a factor in the development of various parts of Oregon and as a man of progressive tendencies and straightforward methods his labors have been effective for good, while his personal characteristics of kindness and good-will have endeared him to his many friends.

E. P. ANDERSON is one of the well known and respected citizens of North Bend where he has for some time filled the office of chief of police. He was born in Roseburg, Doug- las county, March 24, 1859, and is a son of Daniel and Marie (Fitzhugh) Anderson. His parents crossed the plains to Oregon with ox teams in 1852 and located in Doug- las county where the father took up a pre- emption claim and also a homestead. He established his home upon that property and there continued to live for many years. The mother died in 1891. The father now lives in the Soldiers' Home at Roseburg. He is a veteran of the Rogue River Indian wars of 1855-6 and is eighty-two years of age. To Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Anderson ten children were born, six of whom are living: George A., who resides in Chignik, Alaska; E. P., the subject of this review; John L., a resident of Denmark, Oregon; Phoebe L., the wife of J. D. Wilson, a resident of Co- quille, Coos county, Oregon; Eva L., the wife of Mr. Cox of Curry county, Oregon; and Nancy J., the wife of James Stinson, of Myrtle Point, Oregon.

E. P. Anderson was reared in his parents' home and received his early education in the public schools of Douglas county. At the age of sixteen years he started in life in- dependently as a laborer and continued in that occupation for four years. He then went to Bridgeville, California, and while there served as constable and later as dep- uty sheriff of Humboldt county for six years. During that time he celebrated his wedding and immediately thereafter engaged in farming in which occupation he continued for three years. In 1890 he came to Ore- gon and was engaged in the cattle-raising business in Curry county for eight years. He then went to Alaska with a schooner and there spent two years. In 1902 he re- moved to Coquille, Oregon, and was engaged in a sawmill for one year after which he fol- lowed the carpenter's trade until 1910. That year he was appointed to the office of chief of police of North Bend, Oregon, and has since continued in that position. He is the owner of fine residence property in North Bend where he resides.

Mr. Anderson was united in marriage in 1884, to Miss Maggie B. Martin of Hum- boldt county, California, who was a daugh- ter of Augustus and Mary (Frank) . Martin. Her father was a native of New York and her mother of Ohio, and both died many years ago in California. To Mr. and Mrs. Anderson two children have been born.

Henry L., who was born in Rohnerville, Humboldt county, California, in 1886, mar- ried Miss Lena McAdams of Coquille, Ore- gon. He received his education in the public schools of Curry county and in the academy at Coquille, Coos county. William P., the youngest of the family, who was born in Bridgeville, California, in 1888, resides in North Bend and received his education in the same institutions as his brother Henry. The mother of this family died November 15, 1897.

E. P. Anderson is independent in the ex- ercise of his suffrage and has held several minor offices in various places where he las lived. He is one of the reliable and highly respected men of his county and is numbered among the enterprising and useful citizens of his part of the state.

JAMES SYLVESTER CAPPS, postmaster of Denmark since 1896, well known in Curry county as a capable school teacher, and prominently identified with farming and busi- ness interests in this section, was born in Tennessee, in 1864, a son of William and Susan (Dunning) Capps. His father went to Tennessee in his early years and there became an extensive planter. His death oc- curred in 1873. He and his wife had six children, all of whom have passed away, with the exception of the subject of this review, and William, who lives in Tennessee.

James S. Capps was nine years of age when his father died. He afterward made his home with an uncle in Tennessee until he was in his sixteenth year, then resided with his sister until he was twenty-one. In the meantime he attended school and en- gaged in teaching in Tennessee for three years. He was then married and after one year he came to Curry county with his wife, settling in this district in 1888. In the fol- lowing year, 1889, he homesteaded a place in Curry county. After proving up on this he traded the property for his present place, comprising four hundred and eighty-four acres. Here . he operates a dairy. In the meantime he resumed teaching in this coun- ty, following the profession until 1904. In December, 1910, he built a store on his farm, in which he placed a stock of merchandise. In 1896 he was appointed postmaster of Denmark and has filled the position to the present time, the postoffice being located in his store building.

In 1887 Mr. Capps was united in marriage to Miss Mary O. Porterfield, a native of Carroll county, Tennessee, and a daughter of James and Nancy (Roland) Porterfield. Mr. and Mrs. Capps became the parents of six children: Floyd, who died at the age of two years; Raymond, who, after graduating from the high school, attended the State Agri- cultural College, and who is associated with his father in the conduct of the home ranch; Edna, who also after graduating from the high school attended the State Agricultural College, and lives with her parents; Edgar, who is a pupil in the high school; and John and Eva, both of whom are attending school.

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Mr. Capps is a member of the Woodmen of the World and active in local republican politics. He is a man of varied interests, all of which are representative and useful and he has done effective work along many lines, his industry and forceful determination being factors in his prosperity.

ROBERT BANKS is one of the well known business men of North Bend, where he is en- gaged in shipbuilding in company with K. V. Kruse under the firm name of the Kruse & Banks Shipbuilding Company. He was born on Prince Edward Island, Canada, on January 14, 1871, and is a son of Peter and Mary (Morrison) Banks, both of whom were of Scotch and English descent. They re- mnoved from their native country and settled in Massachusetts in 1892, where the father was engaged in business as a teamster and was also a professional horse trainer. The mother died in Massachusetts in 1903. To Mr. and Mrs. Peter Banks six children were born, as follows: John, who is deceased; Angus, who is a resident of Medfield, Massa- chusetts; Margaret, who is the wife of John Whitty and resides on Prince Edward Is- land; Neal. who has charge of the cabinet- finishing department of the shipbuilding plant of our subject and is living in North Bend, Oregon; Cecelia, the wife of J. A. Mc- Donald, of Roxbury, Massachusetts; and Robert, of this review.

Robert Banks was reared in his parents' home and received his early education in Canada and in the United States. At the age of seventeen he came to this country and spent his first year in the state of Maine, after which he removed to Connecti- cut, where he worked at shipbuilding for a period of five years and later was engaged in that class of work in Rhode Island and Massachusetts until 1897. In that year he removed to Seattle, Washington, and one year later settled at San Francisco. From 1900 until 1904 he was at Eureka, California. In 1905 he came to Coos county, Oregon, purchased an interest in a shipyard with K. V. Kruse at North Bend and has since continued in the shipbuilding business as senior member of the firm of Kruse & Banks. 'T'he firm is the largest of its kind in the county, and builds both small and large ocean-going vessels of all kinds. In addi- tion to his property holdings in Oregon Mr. Banks owns a residence at Eureka, Califor- nia.

Robert Banks belongs to the republican party and is a member of the Roman Catlı- olie church of North Bend. He is one of the enterprising and successful men of the Coos Bay country and a man highly esteemed for his integrity and uprightness of char- acter.

DONALD FUREY, a well known property owner and business man of Multnomah county, Oregon, was born in this county on February 12, 1868, his parents being Hugh and Kate (McVicker) Furey, both natives of Ireland. They came to America in early life. The father first settled in Philadel-

phia, Pennsylvania, later removed to Olio and still later to Illinois. During his early business career he sold merchandise in the castern states. In 1855, however, he decided io try his fortune on the Pacific coast and, crossing the plains, settled at old Hangtown, California, where he was engaged in mining for several years. In 1866 he was married to Miss Kate McVicker, of San Francisco, and in February, 1867, removed to the vici- nity of Portland, where he rented a farm in Multnomah county for one year. He then bought twenty acres of land and also took up a government claim of one hundred and fifty acres, seven miles east of Portland, which at the present time is within a short distance of the east boundary of the city. This farm Mr. Furey occupied and cultivated until his death, which occurred May 24, 1886. His widow was called to her final rest on the 23d of March, 1890. At the time of Mr. Furey's death he owned one hun- dred and forty acres, part of which was in a high state of cultivation. To Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Furey were born two children: Donald, of this review; and Mrs. Mary Gil- bert, who lives on a part of the old family homestead.

The youth of Donald Furey was spent in Multnomah county, where he received a common-school education. At an early age. owing to his father's ill health, he took charge of the farm, which he cultivated until his father's death, when he took his place as the head of the family and continued in the cultivation of the farm until his mother's death, when the property was di- vided between the two heirs. Mr. Furey has since continued to operate his share of the old homestead and at the present time owns thirty-five acres of improved land, with twenty-seven acres in a highly productive state within a short distance of the city limits of Portland, the present valuation of which is about seven hundred dollars per acre.

On the 30tli of October, 1902, Mr. Furey was married to Miss Grace E. Clark, whose birth occurred in Idaho in 1873, her parents being Isaac and Emma (Sanders) Clark, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of England. They were married in Rochester, Minnesota, on February 24, 1869. and after living there for several years re- moved to Idaho, where Mr. Clark was ap- pointed by President Grant as garden and farm instructor of the Indians on the Nez Perce Indian reservation at Lapwai, Idaho. In 1874 he moved to Centerville, Washing- ton, where he took up a government quarter section of prairie land. This land he occu- pied until 1884, when he moved to the east- ern part of Klickitat county, Washington, where he acquired large property interests which he held until his death on January 20, 1910. His wife passed away on the 27th of August, 1903. Their children were seven in number, namely: A. E .. who is a resident of Portland. Oregon; Grace E., of Lents. Oregon, the wife of our subject; M. J. and June, both of whom are deceased; and Francis H., James I. and George W .. all of

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whom reside in Roosevelt, Washington. Mrs. Grace E. Furey is a well educated woman and taught school for. thirteen years prior to her marriage. She is the mother of two children: Norman A., who was born March 27, 1906; and Lucile K., whose birth oc- curred on the 17th of July, 1911.

Politically Mr. Furey is a republican but often reserves independence of judgment in regard to public issues. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Rebekahs and is also a member of the Grange at Lents. He is among the many stable business men who have by their efforts made Portland and vicinity what it is. He is well known and respected by a large circle of friends and is highly esteemed in frater- nal circles.

JACOB 0. STEMMLER, practicing law at Myrtle Point and well known as a represen- tative citizen of Coos county, was born in Sebastian county, Arkansas, March 28, 1874, a son of J. P. and Sarah E. (Howeth) Stemmler. The paternal grandmother of Jacob O. Stemmler was one of the oldest settlers at Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the old home of the family is still standing there. In 1853 J. P. Stemmler first made his way to the coast, going to California, where he lived for fifteen years. He had married and his first two children were born there. In 1867 the family went to Arkansas by way of the Isthmus of Panama and New York city. When they were on shipboard the two chil- dren contracted measles and died in the eastern metropolis but the family continued their journey to Arkansas and the children were laid to rest in a cemetery at Little Rock. J. P. Stemmler purchased land in that state and remained there for about fifteen years. He was born on the river Rhine, Germany, March 15, 1834, and his wife's birth occurred in southern Texas, August 28, 1846. In November, 1881, J. P. Stemmler left Arkansas and with his fam- ily went to Vancouver, Washington, where he lived until the following spring. He then removed to a farm which he purchased near Dallas, Polk county, Oregon, but after a year sold that property and came to Coos county. Subsequently he purchased a ranch known as the John Shook ranch, near Dora, on the east fork of the Coquille river, about fifteen miles from Myrtle Point. For eight years he engaged in carrying mail over the only route then leading into Coos county, this being known as the old Coos Bay wagon road. At the end of that time he began to cultivate his land. for his sons, who had previously operated the land, began to leave him in order to make homes of their own. The original homestead in Coos county still belongs to the family and manifests by its condition the hard labors, the sacrifices and the efforts of the father. who continued actively in farming until 1908, when he re- tired. His wife had passed away May 22, 1907. Since that time he has lived in Port- land and in Coos county. In his family were nine children: Nelson, deceased; Anna, deceased; Herbert, who is with the L. C.

Smith Typewriter Company at Portland, Oregon; Milton O., a practicing physician at Myrtle Point; Mary Alice, the wife of John B. Luttrell, of Myrtle Point, by whom shé has three children; Jacob O .; Garland E. and Laurel A., both deceased; and Susie I., the wife of Benjamin C. Knight, of Arago, Oregon.

When very young Jacob O. Stemmler took charge of the home farm. He acquired his early education in the district schools of Coos county but the necessity of carrying on the farm work made it impossible for him to spend much time in the schoolroom. In 1893 he went to California, where he took up the study of law under Judge C. H. Marks in the San Joaquin valley, there reading for about three years. He after- ward returned to the farm, which he oper- ated until 1907, when he went to Myrtle Point and opened a real-estate and insur- ance office. Here he resumed law reading and in 1910 was admitted to the bar of the state, while on the 22d of May, 1911, he was admitted to practice in the United States courts. He is devoting his attention to the work of the profession and to his real-estate interests and has become the owner of sev- eral pieces of good property in addition to his share in a large farm.

Mr. Stemmler was united in marriage to Miss Katherine Argo, a native of Illinois and a daughter of E. G. and Sarah (Parker) Argo, whose family numbered seven chil- dren: Florence, who is the wife of Perry Hughes, living retired in Clinton, Illinois, and is the mother of one child; George, a banker of Clinton, Illinois; Charles, also of Clinton, who is married and has three chil- dren; John, living in Clinton; Eliza, the wife of John Graham, of Lexington, Okla- homa, by whom she has three children; Mrs. Stemmler; and Minnie, the wife of Horace Flack, of Chicago.

Jacob O. Stemmler votes with the demo- cratic party. He belongs to various fra- ternal organizations, including the Benevo- lent Protective Order of Elks, the Woodmen of the World and the Masonic lodge. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge, has passed through all the chairs in the local organization and was its deputy grand chan- cellor for two years. He enjoys the high regard of his brethren of these fraternities because of his loyalty to their principles, and in the county where he makes his home he has a wide and favorable acquaintance by reason of his lifelong residence in this part of the state and the fact that his life has been well spent.

WILLIAM HILLIS SHORT. The beauti- ful summer climate brings many tourists to this state during the season and the busi- ness of providing for their needs and com- forts is becoming more important each year. William Hillis Short. the proprietor of the Lake Side Summer Resort Hotel located on Ten Mile lake, Coos county, Oregon. has. re- duced this business to a system. He owns and successfully conducts his large hotel and the boathouse in connection with it and his

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progressive ideas of what constitutes modern inn keeping in its many aspects and his modern and improved methods are rapidly putting the institution with which he is connected in a prosperous and flourishing condition.

William Hillis Short was born in Jackson- ville, Jackson county, Oregon, December 14, 1869, and is a son of Draper and Annie E. (Owen) Short. His parents were both natives of Missouri where they married and resided until 1867. In that year they crossed the plains to Oregon with horses and mule teams. They settled first in Jacksonville, Jackson county, where the father operated gold mines for some time. He also estab- lished the first paper in that city which is still in existence under the name of the Jacksonville Times. He has spent some years traveling in the west, principally in California, in search of health and died in Jacksonville in 1874. His family remained in that city until 1879 when they removed to Coos county, Oregon, where his widow lives with her children at the age of seventy- six years. Mr. and Mrs. Draper Short were the parents of seven children, four of whom are living: E. H., a resident of Coos county ; Mrs. E. G. Flanagan of Marshfield, Oregon; William Hillis, the subject of this review; Draper W., Jr., also a resident of Marsh- field; J. O., deceased, who made his home in Marshfield; Grundy M., who died at Myrtle Point, Oregon, leaving a wife and daugh- ter; and Blanch E., who has also passed away and is buried in Marshfield.

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 100

Author: Gaston, Joseph, 1833- Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke publishing company Number of Pages: 1072

Author: Gaston, Joseph, 1833-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 1072