The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 101

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

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William Hillis Short received his early education in the public schools of Jackson- ville and at the age of thirteen entered the employ of the Southern Oregon Company at Empire city as a clerk and bookkeeper. He remained in this connection until he went to California. In San Francisco he entered the business college and was graduated in 1891. He then returned to Coos Bay and became bookkeeper for E. G. Flanagan in whose employ he remained for some time. Mr. Short followed the occupation of book- keeping until 1909 when he removed to Ten Mile lake, bought a piece of property in that district and erected a summer hotel, known as the Lake Side Summer Resort Hotel. He has been active in the operation of this enterprise and a dominating factor in its policy since that time and has met with a gratifying degree of success. He is a firm believer in the future of Oregon and never loses an opportunity to invest in real estate. He owns an interest in the Alder Park addition to Marshfield and expects to realize a large profit from his holdings.

In June, 1902, Mr. Short was united in marriage to Miss Clara M. DeNeven, who was born in 1882, in Madison, Wisconsin. She is a daughter of F. J. and Grace (King) DeNeven, the former a native of Wisconsin and the latter of Chicago, Illinois. Mrs. Short's parents were married in the latter state and moved to Oregon where he became a cashier in a bank and was later auditor for the Coos Bay & Roseburg Railroad. In 1902 he returned to Chicago where he is

now auditor for the Chicago branch of the II. J. Heinz Company of Pittsburg, Penn- sylvania. He is the father of four children: Clara M., the wife of our subject; Virginia, who married Dr. William K. Leake, a prac- ticing physician of New Orleans, Louisiana; Elmer, who resides in Chicago; and Harriett, the wife of George Debold of Chicago, Illi- nois. Mr. and Mrs. William H. Short are the parents of two children: Blanch Grace, who was born in 1904; and William Hillis, Jr., whose birth occurred in 1907. Mr. Short and his family are devout members of the Episcopal church and are regular at- tendants.

Politically Mr. Short is not affiliated with any party, preferring to follow his judgment independently and keep his opinions un- biased. He takes an intelligent interest in public affairs but has never been an office seeker. He is a member of the Myrtle Lodge, No. 3, Knights of Pythias, and he has filled several of the chairs in that organization. He also holds membership in Marshfield Lodge, No. 528, F. O. E., and is prominent in the affairs of that organization. His time is principally devoted to the manage- ment and direction of his summer hotel. He is doing much for his native state by bringing within its borders hundreds of tourists every summer and by providing for their needs and comforts in so intelligent a way that they anticipate their return with delight.

LOUIS KNAPP is one of the important and well known business men of Curry county where during the course of more than half a century's residence he has become identified with important and representative enter- prises. He is conducting a fine hotel in Port Orford which he erected in 1887 and is the owner of two thousand acres of land divided into two ranches and well stocked with high- grade cattle and sheep. This property he is bringing to an excellent state of develop- ment and is establishing his large modern dairy upon it. He is well known in business and agricultural circles of his section and is one of the foremost citizens of Curry county. He was born in Baltimore, Mary- land, July 4, 1843, a son of John and Rachel Knapp, natives of Germany. who came to America at different times. They married in Baltimore and in that city the father oper- ated a meat-packing plant until 1856 when he sold out his interests and went to Califor- nia, establishing himself in the butcher busi- ness in San Francisco. In this line of occu- pation he was active and successful until 1858 when he moved to Texas and after a short residence in that state returned to Maryland from which state he enlisted in the Confederate army in 1861. He served only a short time when he was seized with illness and died. In the meantime the mother of our subject had come to Oregon via the Isthmus of Panama and settled in 1859 on the Coquille river near Myrtle Point where she and her son proved up a claim upon which they lived for a short time. They later came to Port Orford and took up land and here the mother died May 13. 1888. Pre-

RACHEL KNAPP

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

vious to her union with the father of our subject she had married Mr. Bleeckler, and by him had one daughter, Mrs. Catherine Kronenberg, of Coquille.

Louis Knapp was sixteen years of age when he came to Oregon with his mother. He aided in the operation of the farm near Myrtle Point and worked at various occupa- tions after they removed to Port Orford. He eventually took up land near this city and engaged in stock-raising until 1887 when he built a hotel which he has conducted since that time. He divides his attention between the conduct of this enterprise and the man- agement of his two thousand acres of land which forms one of the most important agri- cultural properties in the county. It is divided into two ranches, both of which are well stocked with cattle and sheep, to the breeding and raising of which Mr. Knapp pays special attention. He is now establish- ing a model dairy upon one of his farms and keeps a herd of high-grade cows for this purpose. It is modern and sanitary in every respect and forms a valuable addition to his income. Besides his hotel and ranch, Mr. Knapp also owns eighty acres of fine cedar timber on the Sixes river and a number of town lots in Port Orford.

On October 18, 1893, Mr. Knapp was united in marriage to Miss Ella Stagg, a native of Oregon, and a daughter of Nicholas and Adaline (Chaffee) Stagg, both of whom were born in Illinois. They crossed the plains with ox teams in 1849 and settled in Port- land where they remained for a number of years. The father died in eastern Oregon but the mother is still living and has reached the age of seventy. She makes her home near Peshastin, Washington. There were seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Stagg: Sylvester; Sterling; Simeon; Wallace; Ella, the wife of our subject; Ida, the wife of J. J. Lund, of San Diego, California; and Nich- olas, of Montana. Mr. and Mrs. Knapp be- came the parents of four children: Louis, who was born February 13, 1895, and who is attending the Columbia University, from which institution he will graduate in 1913; Orris, whose birth occurred September 8, 1896, who is also attending the university; Lloyd, who was born July 23, 1899, and who is a pupil in the public schools; and Marion, whose birth occurred January 7, 1905, and who passed away March 2, of the same year.

Mr. Knapp gives his allegiance to the re- publican party but has never been active as an office seeker. For fifty-three years he has been a resident of Oregon and is num- bered among the early settlers in the state. His activities have been constantly construc- tive and have resulted not only in making him prominent but have influenced the growth and development of this section.

FRANK BOWRON is the owner of the Lake Side Inn on Ten Mile lake and is con- tributing his share to the promotion of the rapidly developing business of taking care of the tourist population of Oregon during the summer season in an intelligent and progressive way. He is also identified with

the agricultural prosperity of Coos county where he owns a one hundred and sixty acre ranch and he is active in the management of his wife's business property in the city of Marshfield.

Mr. Bowron was born in Ohio on Septem- ber 27, 1863, and is a son of John and Mary (Forsythe) Bowron. Mr. Bowron's parents were born in Newcastle upon Tyne and married in that place where the father followed coal mining until he came to Amer- ica in 1843. He settled first in Maryland and followed his former occupation in that state until he came to Ohio in the spring of 1863. Shortly afterward he moved to California, making the journey by the Isthmus of Pan- ama and settled in Calaveras county where he mined for gold for several years. Even- tually his health failed and he was obliged to travel extensively for ten years. At the end of that period he came to Coos Bay, Coos county, Oregon, and retired from active business life. He took up his residence in Marshfield where he remained until his death in 1890. His wife's death had preceded his by nine years and occurred in 1882. Both are buried in the Marshfield cemetery. Ten children were born to this union, of whom six are living: Mrs. Annie Shaw of Oak- land, California; Mrs. Hannah Berry of Ab- erdeen, Washington; Mathew, who resides in Marshfield, Oregon; William, who makes his home on Benson creek, Coos county; Robert of Aberdeen, Washington; Frank, the subject of this sketch; Margaret, who passed away at the age of three years; Margaret, who died in the fifty-sixth year of her age; William, who died in infancy; and John, who passed away at the age of thirty-seven years.

Frank Bowron received his early education in Indiana but laid aside his books when he was eighteen years of age. After his inother's death he worked in the coal mines of Coos county for six years and then in association with his father operated a log- ging camp for twelve years. At the end of that time he removed to Marshfield and en- gaged in the saloon business for some time. Subsequently he bought a ranch on Ten Mile lake and was active in its operation and very successful during the eight years of his occupancy. He later retired from his ranch and lived in Marshfield, Oregon, until 1912 when he bought the Lake Side Inn on Ten Mile lake, which he is at present conducting with much success. His property is one of the largest summer hotels in Coos county and its patronage is rapidly increasing each year. It is run along modern and progres- sive lines of scientific hotel keeping and its appointments and furnishings are noted for their comfort and convenience. Besides his activities in this line Mr. Bowron is also the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of ranch land in Coos county and in asso- ciation with his wife owns a large amount of property in Bandon. Mr. and Mrs. Bow- ron also own a one-seventh interest in an eight hundred acre estate and a large amount of stock in the Chandler Hotel of Marsh- field. They are also part owners of a mod-

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ern business block in the same city and are prominently connected with its commercial development.

In 1888 Mr. Bowron was united in mar- riage in Coos county, to Miss Nellie E. Noble, a native of that district. She is a daughter of W. H. and Mary E. (Rhodes) Noble, of whom more extended mention is made on another page of this work. Mrs. Bowron received her early education in the public schools of Coos county and has always been a resident of this district. She and her husband became the parents of six children: Arthur, who died when he was one year old; Cora, born in 1890, who was educated in Marshfield and is the wife of James Cowen of this place; Maud, born in 1894, who is attending the Marshfield public schools; Jack, whose birth occurred in 1896 and who is attending school; Mary, who passed away at the age of one year; and Ruth, whose birth occurred November 29, 1903.

Mr. Bowron belongs to the Episcopal church and his family are all devoted mem- bers of that organization. Politically he is a stanch republican and intelligently inter- ested in public affairs. He is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters and is active in the affairs of the Improved Red Men. He also holds membership in the Fra- ternal Order of Eagles. He is an intelligent, shrewd and discriminating business man. thoroughly acquainted with the details of inn keeping and he is conducting his sum- mer hotel along progressive and modern lines which have as their chief end the comfort and happiness of the guests of the house.

JAMES WESLEY RIGGS. The record of Marshfield's leading business enterprises would be incomplete were there failure to make reference to the photographic studio of James Wesley Riggs, who for twenty- three years has been a representative of the art in this city, remaining at his present location for two decades. The spirit of ad- vancement has actuated him in all that he does, keeping him in touch with the most progressive and modern methods developed through experimentation, experience and science. He was born in Wheeling, West Virginia. September 5, 1842, a son of Wil- liam and Lydia Riggs, who were natives of Pennsylvania and of Ohio respectively. The father came across the plains in 1852, the year memorable as the one which brought the greatest number of settlers to the Pacific coast and the year in which their hardships and trials were greatest. Mr. Riggs, how- ever, reached his destination in safety and for seven years was a resident of Douglas county, after which he returned to Ohio and brought his family to Oregon by way of the Isthmus of Panama. He then took up an old donation claim in Douglas county of one hundred and sixty acres and made his home in southeastern Oregon to the time of his death in 1900. His wife still survives at the age of eighty-five years and is a res- ident of Coquille, Coos county.

James W. Riggs was educated in Ohio and Douglas county, Oregon, having come with

Lis parents to this state in his boyhood days. He assisted his father in the arduous task of developing a new farm, remaining at home until a short time after his mar- riage. He wedded Miss Josie Margaret Bonebrake, a daughter of Jacob and Levinia Bonebrake. Mrs. Riggs was born in Iowa and in 1862 crossed the plains with her par- ents, who settled in Jackson county but afterward removed to Douglas county and eventually became residents of Coos county, where both passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Riggs have become the parents of four chil- dren but their first born, Armede, died in infancy. The others are: Elfie Elmer, a resident of North Bend, Oregon; H. B., a practicing dentist of Grangeville, Idaho; and Pearl Bonta, who is at home with her par- ents. Mr. Riggs took up the study of pho- tography about forty years ago and first en- gaged in business on his own account at Oakland, Douglas county. At various periods he has been located in Jackson county, Ore- gon, in Walla Walla, Washington, Dayton, Washington, and Lewiston, Idaho, and in 1889 he came to Coos county, opening a studio in Marshfield, where he has since been located. He has a well appointed establislı- ment which he has occupied for twenty years, and the walls are adorned with many fine specimens of the art which are his handi- work. He has made a close study of the ef- fect of light and shade, ever endeavors to secure a natural pose and lifelike character- istics, and his work expresses the latest improvements in photographic processes.

Mr. Riggs' political allegiance is given to the republican party but he has never been an office seeker, supporting, however, meas- ures and movements which he deems essen- tial in good government or which will serve as factors in promoting public progress and improvement. For thirty years he has been a valued member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity and enjoys the high regard of his brethren and of the entire community be- cause of a well spent life.

RUFUS S. MOORE, retired lumberman, active in political circles and prominent by reason of the extent and importance of his real-estate holdings and business affairs is numbered among the valued residents of Klamath Falls and southern Oregon. He is one of the native sons of the state. his birth having occurred near Mount Angel in Marion county, March 7, 1855. his parents being William S. and Margaret Octavia (Meldrum) Moore, natives of Illinois. in whose family were seven children, of whom six are living. Rufus S. Moore, the eldest. was but seven years of age when in 1862 the family be- came residents of Oregon City and in 1864 they went to Salem. there remaining until their removal to Klamath county in 1874. He supplemented his public-school education by study in Willamette University. and came to Linkville. now Klamath Falls. in December. 1877. His father and brother Charles built a sawmill up the river in 1878 and in 1887 Rufus S. Moore purchased his father's interest. For a long period he was

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

closely identified with lumber and milling interests and in 1906 he and his brother Charles erected a mill at Klamath Falls, which they owned and operated until 1910, when they sold that property. While en- gaged in the milling business, from 1887 un- til 1910, the Moore brothers supplied the whole country over a radius of fifty miles with lumber, this being the only mill of the locality for a number of years. They had over half a township of timber land but eventually sold most of the land to the Weyerhaeuser Land & Timber Company. He was also interested in a light and power company, with his brother as partner, which on the 1st of June, 1910, took over the prop- erty and business of the Klamath Falls Light & Water Company and the Klamath River Power Company but in 1911 sold out to the California & Oregon Light and Power Company. Mr. Moore still has large prop- erty holdings and other investments which rank him among the capitalists of southern Oregon.

In 1900 occurred the marriage of Mr. Moore and Miss Clara A. Shaw, a resident of Portland and a native of England. His lodge relations are with the Elks and the Workmen and his political allegiance has al- ways been given to the republican party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He was chairman of the county central committee and a member of the state central committee for several years and was a delegate to the republican national conven- tion which met in Philadelphia in 1900. About the only political office that Mr. Moore has ever held was that of county sur- veyor. He followed surveying for a number of years under the contract system and was United States deputy surveyor, in which con- lection his duties have taken him to all parts of Oregon. He learned surveying as a boy under an uncle and the skill then ac- quired proved of value to him in his later years. As he has traveled abroad over the state and seen opportunity for the purchase of property at a low figure he has made ex- tensive investments, and the rise in real- estate values has made him one of the sub- stantial residents of southern Oregon.

CAPTAIN HENRY WADE. The Umpqua and Coquille rivers around Gardiner, Oregon, and for many miles in its vicinity are as open books to Captain Henry Wade, who has been familiar with these streams in their various aspects for many years, as commander of different steamboats plying upon them. His career has been identified with inland navigation during the most of his active life and he has gained prominence and success in this line of activity. He has now retired from river traffic and is giving his time to the management of the comfortable fortune which he acquired through judicious invest- ments during his active work.

Captain Wade was born in Lexington, Indi- ana, May 6, 1843, and is a son of John and Mary (Stears) Wade, both natives of Hull, England. They came to the United States at an early date and in this country the

father followed the sea for many years. He subsequently located in Indiana, settling his family on a farm adjoining the city of Lex- ington and was successful and prosperous as an agriculturist for many years. He joined the famous band of the Forty-Niners to the California gold fields and prospected in that state for several years. His life was eventful and varied in its aspects. His career included a period of residence in Australia where he mined with indifferent success. Upon his return to this country he brought his family by way of the Isthmus of Panama to Oregon, locating in 1855 in Scottsburg. He remained in this city for three years but in 1858 took up a homestead claim on the Smith river twenty miles above his original place of resi- dence and upon this farm he settled his family and resided until 1869. In that year he removed to the mouth of the Smith river where he farmed successfully until his death in 1871 at the age of sixty-six years. He passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. H. Butler, of Gardiner, Oregon, and thus closed a career which had been varied and eventful in different parts of the world.

Captain Wade was reared at home and ac- quired his education in the common schools of Indiana and Oregon. In the spring of 1862 when he was eighteen years of age he ran away from home and went to the Salmon river mining district where he spent one summer working in the mines. He subse- quently journeyed to the Columbia river and worked in a sawmill for the Oregon Steam & Navigation Company. He met with an unfortunate accident while employed in this capacity, losing the first finger of his right hand. While he was recovering from his in- juries he went to Salem and enrolled as a student in the Willamette Institute, feeling the lack of a thorough education. He pursued his studies for six months and then returned to Gardiner where he worked for a time on the river, thus becoming first identified with inland navigation. He abandoned this field of activity in order to spend three years at ranching and he subsequently resumed it as a sailor aboard the river boat, The Enterprise. This vessel was a product of the local boat yard at Gardiner and some years later while crossing the Umpqua bar burst her steampipes and was completely disabled. In the stock company which was at once formed to rebuild the boat Captain Wade was an influential and prominent factor. His · knowledge of navigation had increased by this time to an expert science and it was rewarded by the captaincy of the new vessel which was also named The Enterprise. He commanded the boat for a few months but later resigned his position and purchased the small steamer Argo which he operated on the Umpqua and Smith rivers for four years. He interrupted his career in navigation when he sold his boat and for ten years occupied himself on land. In 1886 he returned to the river traffic as master of The Restless, which vessel he com- manded with much success for some time. He subsequently was captain of the Despatch on the Coquille river and later of the Juno plying on the Umpqua which latter vessel he

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commanded continuously for eleven years. He has now definitely retired from active life and is living in Gardiner. In managing his shipping interests he was always guided by a progressive policy and discriminating busi- ness ability. He won success by hard labor and thorough efficiency and attained a fore- most place among his fellow citizens. Cap- tain Wade is now giving his entire atten- tion to the management of the estate left by his brother Robert and to the adminis- tration of his own affairs.

In 1870 Captain Wade was united in mar- riage to Miss Lizzie Burchard of Long Prairie, Douglas county, a daughter of Ephraim and Mary J. (Sawyers) Burchard, one of the pioneers in the early settlement of Oregon, who crossed the plains with ox teams from Steubenville, Ohio, to this state in 1853. To Captain and Mrs. Wade have been born four children, three of whom are living: Mary Belle, who resides at home; Myrtle, the wife of A. F. Smith of Gardiner, Oregon; and Marjorie, now Mrs. W. P. Reed of Gardiner, Oregon.

In his political views Captain Wade is a stanchi republican and served as justice of the peace and notary public for many years. He did constructively successful work as a mem- ber of the school board and to his activities as road supervisor Douglas county owes many of its most efficient public highways. He is a member of Aurora Lodge, No. 59, F. & A. M .. and with his wife and daughter Mary Belle, belongs to Martha Chapter, No. 48, Order of the Eastern Star. In this organiza- tion Mrs. Wade has served as worthy matron and her daughter as secretary of the chapter. Captain Wade is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church while his wife affiliates with the Episcopalian religion. He is one of the foremost men in Gardiner today, actively and substantially interested in movements look- ing to the municipal progress, a loyal citizen of Oregon and a firm believer in the future of that state. With him retirement has not meant quiescence but merely a little slack- ening of a true labor, a rest which was earned sincerely and well, a leisure to devote to the interests of his many friends.

JOHN F. MUNFORD has been for many years one of the most prominent and enter- prising agriculturists of Coos county. He has lived in this section for over forty years and his record in business and personal rela- tions has reflected honor and credit on the county where he has so ably assisted in the work of development. He was born in Ken- tucky October 13, 1844, and is a son of Rob- ert and Sarah (Martin) Munford, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Ten- nessee. The parents were married in Ken- tucky and removed some time later to Mis- souri where the father followed farming until his death. They were the parents of eleven children, seven of whom are still living, Richard, Roland, Joseph, Caleb, John F., Mrs. Robert Seal and Mrs. Louis Brandenberg.

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 101

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