The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 110

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

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LUCIEN B. APPLEGATE is the owner of the Brookside Ranch, which lies in the vicinity of Klamath Falls. His extensive holdings are the visible proof of a life of well directed thrift and energy and also of keen discern- ment and sagacity for his was one of the first ranches taken up in southeastern Oregon. He was born in St. Clair county, Missouri, April 24, 1842, the fifth son of Lindsay and Elizabeth (Miller) Applegate, who crossed the plains to Oregon in 1843, joining the first regular emigrant train that came to the Pacific coast. They made the journey with their infant son and at length took up their abode in the Willamette valley near the pres- ent site of Dallas in Polk county. At one time the father owned a toll road across the mountains from California to Oregon, and was also a large owner of land upon which Ashland now stands.

Lucien Applegate removed to the Umpqua valley in 1852 and to the Rogue river in 1860. During the Civil war he was commissioned a major in the Enrolled and Volunteer Mili- tia of Oregon and in 1866 he went with his father to establish the Klamath agency. Sub- sequently he was superintendent of farming interests there and in 1869 took up land in Swan Lake valley. This was one of the first ranches taken up in southeastern Oregon.

Three years before Lucien B. Applegate had married Miss Margaret Ellen Grubb, a native of Iowa, who came to Oregon in 1852 with her parents, Samuel and Elizabeth Grubb. With his wife and two children Mr. Apple- gate removed to his ranch in the Swan Lake valley in 1870 and has since greatly increased his holdings until they now aggregate five thousand acres. He calls his place the Brook- side Ranch, and it has been his home for forty-two years, although he has spent many winters in southern California and in San Jose, California, in order to give his children the advantages of high-school and university educations and musical training as well. Mr. and Mrs. Applegate became the parents of six children : Elmer I., who married Miss Esther Ogden; Minnie A., the wife of Charles C. Chitwood; Fred L., who married Miss Myra Van Brimmer; and Evelyn R., Bessie B. and · Elsie T., yet at home.

Lucien B. Applegate holds membership in the Masonic fraternity and also with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. His long residence in southeastern Oregon has made

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him an authority on matters relating to its history and through the conduct of his busi- ness affairs he has contributed in large measure to the work of general progress and improvement, demonstrating what may be accomplished in this district.

ALVA H. AVERILL, president and treas- urer of the A. H. Averill Machinery Com- pany, has remained its chief executive since the incorporation of the business in 1902, and, bending his energies to administrative direction and executive control, has succeeded in building up one of the most extensive en- terprises of this character in the northwest. Previous to the time of the incorporation of the A. H. Averill Machinery Company he had been connected with Russell & Company in the same line of business, dating from his arrival in Portland in June, 1889, acting as its bookkeeper and cashier, while later he became manager. The enterprise is today largely a monument to his business ability, his keen foresight and unfaltering determina- tion.

A native of Michigan, Mr. Averill was born at Mendon, St. Joseph county, June 8, 1867, his parents being Henry S. and Martha (Hart) Averill. He was a young lad when bis father, who was a carpenter and con- tractor, removed to Angola, Steuben county, Indiana, and in that town the boyhood days of Alva H. Averill were passed. He at- tended the local schools and the Tri-State College, at Angola, Indiana, from which he was graduated. Turning his attention to the profession of school-teaching, he was for two years connected with the country . schools of northeastern Indiana and for three years was a teacher in the Tri-State Col- lege of Angola, on the expiration of which period he determined to make his home in the northwest. Accordingly he came to Port- land, Oregon, and has since been identified with the interests of this city.

Mr. Averill was married in 1891 to Miss Della A. Light, of Angola, Indiana, and they have one child, Harold L. A few years fol- lowing the arrival of Alva H. Averill in Port- land his parents decided to join him in the Rose City and make it their future home. But shortly after reaching here the father was killed in a street car accident, meeting death in 1901. His widow, however, still survives and resides in Portland.

On coming to the northwest A. H. Averill entered into active connection with the busi- ness of which he is now the executive head. He served for some time as bookkeeper, then as cashier and later was promoted to the position of manager. The business was es- tablished on a small scale in 1884 under the firm style of Russell & Company. They be- gan dealing in farm implements and heavy machinery near the corner of Front and Mor- rison streets, occupying a small frame build- ing that formerly stood back of the Es- mond Hotel. Later they occupied the four story brick building on Front and Morrison and now occupied by The Fisher-Thorston Company. It was erected for the use of Russell & Company and the business was

there maintained until removed to its pres- ent location. This occurred in 1897. They now have a well equipped plant extending from 320 to 338 Belmont street. They were one of the first to build in that section of the city. In fact, the Studebaker Brothers were the only firm occupying a building in that vicinty at the time the Russell Com- pany erected their plant. In 1902 the busi- ness was reorganized under its present cor- porate title with A. H. Averill as presi- dent and treasurer; E. C. Merwin, vice president; and B. F. Ellis, secretary; with Mr. Averill and Mr. Ellis managing the business. They own their large warehouse, offices and machine shop and have about fifty employes. They are the Pacific coast agents for the Russell thresher, engines and sawmills. The Russell machinery is all

manufactured at Massillon, Ohio, where is maintained one of the largest machinery

houses in that state. The Portland company has branch houses in Spokane, Washington, Great Falls, Montana and in San Jose, Cali- fornia, the business at each point, however, being supervised by the Portland office.

'Aside from his executive interest in this connection Mr. Averill is the vice president and one of the directors of the J. J. Ross Mill Furnishing Company, doing business at No. 65 Front street, and is the vice pres- ident and one of the executive board of the Pacific States Fire Insurance Company. The Averill Company is one of the largest machinery houses in the west selling thresh- ers, engines, etc., and maintains a well equip- ped machine shop for repair work.

In his fraternal relations Mr. Averill is a high Mason and a Woodman of the World. He is also a member of the Commercial Club and of the Oregon Automobile Club. Ap- preciative of the social amenities of life, he enjoys the comradeship of those organi- zations and his strongly marked . character- istics have gained for him the friendship of many of his associates. His life history is written in the terms of success, for diligence and determination have done for him what inheritance has at times failed to accom- plish for others.

EUGENE L. HOPKINS, a well known and successful farmer and stockman of Klamath county, is the owner of Lakeside Ranch, com- prising six hundred and thirty-three acres of land on the north side of Little Klamath lake. His birth occurred in Warren county, Ohio. on the 12th of August, 1863, his par- ents being Jesse Richard and Anna Elizabeth Hopkins, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Germany. Jesse R. Hopkins 'was reared and married in Ohio and contin- ued to reside in that state until forty-five years of age. At that time he established his home in Daviess county, Missouri, where his demise occurred in 1881, when he had attained the age of sixty-three years. By trade he was a blacksmith. His widow now resides at Hynes, California. Mr. Hopkins was the father of the following children, the first named having been born by a former marriage: Allen B., an undertaker of Fresno,

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

California; Thomas W., who is a hardware merchant of Berkeley, California; Lottie, the wife of Allen Kelsey, of Hynes, California; Eugene L., of this review; and Edna, the wife of William Hayden, of Hynes, Cali- fornia.

Eugene L. Hopkins remained under the parental roof until twenty years of age. In 1882, soon after his father's demise, he jour- neyed to California with his widowed mother and his youngest sister, locating at Marys- ville, that state. For a period covering nearly four years he was employed in the Buckeye Flour Mills. In 1887 he came to Klamath county, Oregon, and during the first four years of his residence here was engaged in teaming in connection with ranching but has since devoted liis attention exclusively to the latter line of work. He owned and operated a ranch of six hundred and thirty-seven acres north of Midland, his homestead tract com- prising one hundred and thirty-three acres and being known as South Midland. This he sold for a town site. His present home place, known as the Lakeside Ranch, em- braces six hundred and thirty-three acres of land and covers four miles of lake front. On the property there is a hot sulphur spring which is almost at the boiling point. In Mr. Hopkins' dooryard there is an immense rock which was evidently used by the Indians for grinding purposes, for it has been worn away in many places by mortars. There are numerous other evidences of Indian oc- cupancy on the place. Over two sacks of beads and other relics have been discovered on the mountainside and more than a dozen skeletons have been dug up in our subject's dooryard. This is a good trapping country. There were many otter in the early days and mink, coon, etc., still abound. Mr. Hopkins has about one hundred head each of cattle and horses and in both his farming and live stock interests has won success.

In March, 1906, Mr. Hopkins was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Dewar, who passed away on the 16th of August, 1911. The period of his residence in, Klamath county and Oregon covers a quarter of a century and during that time Mr. Hopkins has won a place among the representative citizens and leading ranchmen of the com- munity.

CHARLES WALKER YOUNG. One of the most widely known and highly successful agriculturists of Lane county is Charles Walker Young, who for sixty years has been engaged in the operation of his ranch, located two miles northeast of Eugene. He was born in Lafayette county, Missouri, on May 12, 1830, and is a son of James and. Sarah (Wade) Young. The grandparents in both lines were natives of Tennessee, of Irish extraction. James Young removed to Mis- souri with his family in 1818, and there he engaged in agricultural pursuits during the remainder of his life. St. Louis was their nearest trading post and they were compelled to haul all of their goods to a settlement on the present site of Kansas City. Their family numbered eight, three of whom are still liv- ing as follows: Elizabeth, the widow of a

Mr. Rose, who lives at Whitewood, South Dakota, and enjoys the best of health at the age of ninety years; Robert, a resident of Holt county, Missouri, who has attained the age of eighty-six years and is living re- tired, making his home with his children; and Charles Walker, our subject.

At the age of fifteen years, Charles Walker Young began earning his own living. He had been reared in the country, and while pur- suing his education in the district schools assisted with the work of the fields and care of the stock. Not having been trained for any other line of employment on starting out to make his own way in the world he worked as a farm hand. He received his board and twenty-five cents per day for his labor, continuing to work for that wage dur- ing the succeeding seven years with the ex- ception of eight months. Just after the close of the Mexican war, he was engaged to drive a team to Mexico for the government, the journey there and back occupying five months. When he was twenty-two he was married, and two months thereafter he and his bride started across the plains with an ox team for Oregon. Four months later, on the 7th of September, 1852, they reached Oregon City. They subsequently resumed their journey to Lane county, locating on a donation claim of three hundred and twenty acres, two miles northeast of Eugene, between the forks of the Willamette river. It was all prairie land and was most admirably adapted to grain farming. He immediately set about prepar- ing the soil for planting, and in October, 1852 sowed his first crop of wheat. This was raised from two and a half bushels of Hud- son Bay wheat which he had purchased for. seed from Mr. Ballinger on the Santiam river. The yield was abundant and of an excel- lent quality, and he has never changed the seed, but has used the wheat of one harvest for the sowing of the next crop during the intervening sixty years. After placing his land under cultivation, Mr. Young erected such buildings as were necessary for the com- fort of himself and wife and the protection of their stock, and on the 2d of February, 1853, they moved into their first log liouse. Young and hopeful, the hardships and priva- tions incident to pioneering had no terrors for them and they bravely struggled against the obstacles and difficulties which confronted them, having implicit confidence in ultimate victory. Success came as the result of years of self-denial and unceasing labor and twen- ty-two years later they erected the comfort- able two-story frame residence still occupied by Mr. Young. The shingles used on the roof of this dwelling were made by hand, and al- though thirty-eight years have elapsed since they were put on, it has never been necessary to repair them. Mr. Young has added two acres to his original tract, this having been necessary in order to get a private road, and he has other holdings in the county, his lands aggregating seven hundred acres, while he has several fine pieces of business and resi- dence property in Eugene. His achievements have not been easily attained, but are the re- sult of many years of close application and un-

MR. AND MRS. C. W. YOUNG

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remitting diligence, as well as intelligent and capable management, foresight and sagacity.

Mr. Young was married in Missouri, in 1852, to Miss Mary Gillespie, a daughter of the Rev. Jacob and Mrs. Elmira (Hanner) Gillespie, both pioneers of Missouri. Mrs. Young, who passed away on the 7th of June, 1909, was one of seven children born to her parents, of whom two are now living, as follows: Mal- ankin, residing in Lane county in the vicinity of Eugene, who has five children; and Pamelia, the widow of Thomas Bratton of Lake county, Oregon, who has four children living, with whom she makes her home. To Mr. and Mrs. Young were born eleven children: Alcester, the wife of Thomas Van Dyne, of Coburg, Ore- gon, who has one daughter, Kate; Amelia, de- ceased; Baxter, who lives at Fall Creek, Ore- gon; Benson, deceased; Nellie, the wife of James Shields, of Bellingliam, Washington, who has two children, Nellie and Charles; Mary, who married Bird Rose of Harrisburg, Oregon, by whom she has had two daugh- ters, Mary and Ruth; Effie, the deceased wife of Thomas Corfield, and the mother of one son, Earl; Marcellus, a widower with one child, Lavelle, who is living in Portland, Ore- gon; Fannie, the wife of Frank McAlister, of Eugene, and the mother of one child, Mil- dred; Julia, who married Charles Hays of Oregon; and Flora, who is the wife of Claud Copple, of Hood River, Oregon, and the mother of one child, Helen Young. The fam- ily were given the advantage of a district- school education, which was the best afforded in this vicinity at that period. Effie and Marcellus also went to college, and for two years the latter taught in Bishop Scott Acad- emy at Portland.

The political support of Mr. Young has always been accorded the democratic party, but he has never sought public honors nor would he accept any official position save that of school director. He has never been remiss in the duties of citizenship, however, but has at all times contributed his quota toward the development and improvement of the community. He began his life in the west with practically no capital save an inex- haustible supply of energy and the deter- mination of purpose that never recognizes defeat, and is today numbered among the most substantial and prosperous citizens of the county. His residence here covers the great formative period in the state's develop- ment, its progress having far exceeded his greatest expectations. He has seen Eugene grow from a mere hamlet, having witnessed the erection of its first store building, to one of the thriving and enterprising cities of the northwest, while the prairies that stretched in miles on every side of his ranch during those early years, have been transformed into beautiful fields of grain and orchards that are second to none in the world.

A. R. DIXON, the proprietor of a well equipped garage at Amity, is likewise the president of the Electrical Light & Power Company of that town. His birth occurred in Lima, Ohio, on the 25th of December, 1887, his parents being Alva H. and Mary

Jane (Groe) Dixon. The paternal grand- father, Joseph Dixon, is a native of Penn- sylvania and still survives, making his home at Lima, Ohio. He participated in the Civil war as a member of the Union army, as did also Augustus Groe, the maternal grand- father of our subject. Alva H. Dixon, the father of A. R. Dixon, was likewise born in Lima, Ohio. In 1890 he removed to east- ern Colorado and after two years took up his abode in Denver, where he continued to reside until 1902. Subsequently he made bis home at Montavilla, Oregon, and at Cor- nelius, this state, and is now living at For- est Grove. Prior to his removal to Denver he was engaged in general agricultural pur- suits but in that city became a team con- tractor. Subsequently, however, he again turned his attention to the work of the fields. Unto him and his wife have been born five children, as follows: A. R., of this review; Kennard, who is a resident of Forest Grove, Oregon; Vivian, Norma L. and Melvin O., all at home.

A. R. Dixon acquired his education in the Boulevard school of Denver and remained under the parental roof until 1903. He spent a year and a half in Washington and after- ward took up electrical work in Portland, being employed in that field and also at machine work in various states. In 1909 he came to Amity and opened a machine shop of his own and also built a hand- some garage, which he has conducted con- tinuously since with excellent success. He has likewice done electrical contracting. He installed the system and is the president of the Electrical Light & Power Company of Amity. Though but a young man of twen- ty-four years, his interests are already of an extensive and important character and his business career promises to be one of continued success. In politics he is indepen- dent, supporting men and measures rather than party. His fraternal relations are with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Forest Grove.

JEROME SMITH, a native son of Oregon, is one of the substantial and leading agricul- turists of the Yoncalla valley, where he owns seven hundred and fifteen acres of valuable land. His birth occurred in the Yoncalla valley, in Douglas county, on the 24th of August, 1859, his parents being Robert and Susan (Applegate) Smith, the former a native of Alleghany county, Virginia, and the latter of Missouri. Their marriage was celebrated in Douglas county, this state. The mother was a daughter of Charles Apple- gate, who came to Oregon with the Apple- gate Company in 1843, Robert Smith also being a member of that party. They spent four years in Polk county and in 1847 came to Douglas county. After his marriage Mr. Smith took up a donation claim of six hun- dred and forty acres four miles south of Yoncalla, in the Yoncalla valley. He went to California during the gold excitement of 1849 but returned to this state within two years and spent the remainder of his life on his donation claim. With the passing

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years he entered and also purchased other lands until at one time lie owned about eleven hundred acres. He was identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for many years and enjoyed an enviable reputa- tion as one of the influential and esteemed citizens of Douglas county. In politics he was a stanch republican but did not care for the lionors and emoluments of office.

Jerome Smith was reared at home and ob- tained his education in the public schools. When twenty-one years of age he went to eastern Oregon and in the summer of 1881 drove a herd of cattle across the plains to Nebraska, spending the following winter, spring and summer in that state. In the fall of 1882 lie returned to Oregon and farmed his father's place for two years. On the expiration of that period he removed to Oakland, where he resided for about eight years, being employed a part of the time by stockmen and a part of the time at rail- roading. Subsequently he cultivated land in Coles Valley for a time. In 1894 he re- turned to the Yoncalla valley and purchased seven hundred and fifteen acres of the home farm from the heirs of his father's estate. On this place he has resided continuously since, carrying on his agricultural interests in a manner that has insured him a grati- fying annual income.

In 1883 Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Almira Goff, of Douglas county, her father being Johnson B. Goff, one of the pioneers of that county. The two children of this marriage are as follows: Gertrude, the wife of G. F. Jones, of Hood River, Ore- gon; and Clarence, who assists his father in the operation of the home farm. The son is a member of the local lodge of the Wood- men of the World. Mr. Smith is a republi- can in politics but has never sought nor de- sired office as a reward for his party fealty. During the past half century he has seen the work of progress and development carried steadily forward in Oregon and has not only rejoiced in the splendid results which have been attained but has also done his own share in promoting its upbuilding.

LOUIS WILCOX, who follows the pursuits of farming and dairying near Gaston, is widely recognized as one of the substantial agriculturists of Washington county. His birth occurred in that county on the 22d of May, 1859, his parents being Sanford Elias and Mary Ann (Butts) Wilcox, who were natives of New York and Iowa respectively. The father came from Iowa to Oregon by ox team in 1845 and took up a donation claim which is now occupied by our subject, who owns one hundred acres thereof. His demise occurred about 1885, while his wife passed away in this state in 1899. Their children were six in number, namely: John F., who died leaving a wife and five children; Olive Annette, the wife of Rodell Matteson, of Washington county; Louis, of this review; Melva Angeline, the widow of James Page, of Yamhill county; Mary Belle, who is de- ceased; and Sanford Dudley, who resides with our subject.

Louis Wilcox obtained his education in the common schools of his native county and was reared on the home farm, thus early becom- ing familiar with the duties and labors that fall to tlie lot of the agriculturist. The pursuits of farming and dairying have claimed his attention throughout his entire business career and have brought him a gratifying measure of prosperity. He now owns twenty-three head of dairy cows and his well tilled fields annually yield golden harvests as a reward for the care and labor which he bestows upon them.

Mr. Wilcox has been married twice. In 1897 he wedded Miss Josephine Davis, who passed away leaving one son, Sanford. In February, 1904, he was again married, his second union being with Alice Porter, a daughter of Ambrose and Mary Porter. The father is now living retired at Forest Grove, Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox have lost a baby. For a number of years prior to her marriage Mrs. Wilcox followed the profes- sion of teaching in Washington county and eastern Oregon.

Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Wilcox has supported the men and measures of the republican party, believing that its principles are most con- ductive to good government. He has acted as road supervisor and has three times been elected school director, while at the present time he is serving his fifth consecutive term as school clerk. His religious faith is in- dicated by his membership in the Presby- terian church, while fraternally he is iden- tified with the Woodmen of the World. In the community where his entire life has been spent he is well known and highly esteemed as an enterprising. agriculturist and pub- lic-spirited citizen.

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 110

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