The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 116

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

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On the 10th of August, 1909, Mr. Walker was united in marriage to Miss Alberta A. Kester, who was born in Canada, on the 13th of April, 1883. She is a daughter of Nelson and Sarah Kester, likewise natives of Canada, whence they came to Oregon in 1902 and have ever since made their home in Springfield, where the father is living re- tired. Mr. and Mrs. Kester are the parents of eight children, Mrs. Walker being the seventh in order of birth. She was educated in a college in Canada and for several years prior to her marriage engaged in teaching.

Mr. Walker is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and fraternally he is affili- ated with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, and the encampment, in which he has held all of the chairs. He is likewise a member of the Woodmen of the World, United Artisans and Knights and Ladies of Security, and has passed through all of the chairs of the two former orders. For pro- fessional reasons he holds membership in the Oregon State Funeral Directors' Associ- ation, of which organization he was elected vice president in August, 1911, and is in line for election to the presidency in 1914. Mr. Walker gives his political support to the republican party and accords his indorse- ment and enthusiastic support to every movement that will tend to promote the development of public utilities. He is one of the popular and highly regarded young business men of Springfield and a most worthy representative of one of the estima- ble pioneer families.

HON. JOHN SHERMAN GRAY is num- bered among the men of central Oregon who have left their impress upon the history of the state in its legislative enactments as well as upon its business interests. He has re- sided in Gardiner continuously since 1887 and is identified with the lumber interests of this section as superintendent of the plan- ing department of the Gardiner Mill Com- pany and also of the retail trade of the mills. He was born in the town of Embden, Somer- set county, Maine, on the same place where his great-grandfather settled in the eight- eenth century. His natal day was Septem-

ber 15, 1849. He is a son of John Gray, which name was also borne by his grand- father and his great-grandfather, the latter a brother of Captain Robert Gray, who sailed the good ship Columbia across the bar and discovered the Columbia river, which was named for the ship. Both the father and grandfather were tillers of the soil but the old original homestead passed .out of possession of the family some forty years ago. John Gray, the father, was one of the influential men of his town and for several years served as postmaster and as one of the selectmen of the town, a position simi- lar to that of county commissioner and county judge in the west. He and his wife died at the old home in New England, the former at the age of sixty-six years and the latter at the age of eighty-four years.

John Sherman Gray acquired his education in the town schools and at North Anson Academy. On reaching manliood he engaged in farming in Somerset county, Maine, and was there identified with agricultural inter- ests until the fall of 1883, when he came west to Oregon, spending the following year in Gardiner. In the fall of 1884, however, he returned to the Pine Tree state, where he remained through the three succeeding years, coming in 1887 with his family to the north- west. Again he located in Gardiner, where he has remained to the present time. Soon after his arrival he was placed in charge of the planing department of the Gardiner Mill Company and has since occupied that posi- tion, also having charge of the retail trade of the mills. His long retention in this con- nection proves conclusively his capability and his fidelity and he is justly classed with the representative business men of the community whose worth and enterprise are regarded as valuable assets in the business circles of Douglas county.

Mr. Gray was married on the 12th of Jan- uary, 1876 to Miss Clara A. Jewett, a daugh- . ter of Walter G. and Flavilla (Wilson) Jewett. Both parents were natives of Maine, their ancestors being New England pioneers of colonial days. To Mr. and Mrs. Gray, was born a son, Walter Sherman Gray, who died January 7, 1908, aged twenty-one years. Mr. Gray is a valued member of various fraternal organizations. He belongs to Aurora Lodge, No. 59, F. & A. M., and that he is one of its most prominent and exemplary representa- tives is indicated by the fact that he has been its master for the past six years. He was made a Mason in May, 1883, and is now a member of Arago Chapter, No. 22, R. A. M., and both he and Mrs. Gray belong to Martha Chapter, O. E. S., of which he is worthy pa- tron. He is also a charter member of Gar- diner Lodge, No. 132, I. O. O. F., and both are charter members of Riverside Lodge, No. 100, of the Daughters of Rebekah.

Mr. Gray is deeply interested in all mat- ters relative to the welfare, progress and up- building of his district. For twenty years he has served as a member of the Gardiner school board and the cause of education finds in him indeed a stanchi champion. While

J. S. GRAY

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living at Bingham, Maine, he was for two terms chairman of the board of selectmen, re- signing that position upon his removal west- ward to Oregon. He has always voted with the republican party and has been prominent in its councils since coming to the northwest. He has twice represented his district in the state legislature of Oregon, having been first elected in 1904, while in 1906 a reelection gave indication of public commendation of his first term's service. His nomination was without solicitation on his part and in fact he was not at the convention at the time. His constituents insisted on his allowing his name to be used for a second term, and while he has never been an office seeker he does not believe any individual has a right to shirk public duty, and accordingly he obeyed the will of the people and gave to the state efficient service in office, seeking ever the welfare of the commonwealth and the prog- ress of the state along lines of practical bene- fit and improvement.

AMOS HARING, deceased, was for many years one of the most successful farmers in Lane county, this state. His highly devel- oped property, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres upon which he established his home, is located eight miles northeast of Florence, up the north fork of the Siuslaw river, where he was engaged in the success- ful conduct of a modern dairy farm at the time of his death, which occurred February 25, 1909. He was a native of New Jersey, having been born in that state, April 2, 1846, and was a son of David and Rachel (Bozeth) Haring, in whose family were ten children: Tillie, deceased; Eliza P., of Cam- bridge, Maryland; Benjamin, deceased; Annie, the wife of John Johnson, of Seaside, New Jersey; Ella, deceased; George, a resi- dent of Seaside, New Jersey; Julia, who is the widow of Joseph Reed and also resides in Seaside, New Jersey; Amanda, deceased; Tyler, who became a volunteer soldier in the Civil war and who in the midst of his duties met his death in one of the battles of that struggle, in 1864; and Amos, of this review, who died at his beautiful home on the Sius- law river, February 25, 1909.

Mr. Haring started in life for himself at the early age of nine years. His father was by trade and occupation a carpenter and was employed as a ship carpenter on a merchantman plying between the West In- dies, America and European seaports. The birth of Mr. Haring occurred on board the ship on which his father was employed dur- ing one of its trips from the West Indies to the states. At the age of nine years he went to sea as a sailor boy with his uncle, with whom he continued until he was nine- teen years of age. At that time he made the passage around Cape Horn and the ship upon which he sailed docked at San Fran- cisco. On reaching that city he decided to discontinue seafaring life and spent his first year on the Pacific coast in and about the vicinity of San Francisco and then removed to Coos bay, where he continued to reside for five years following, after which he

changed his residence to the north fork of the Siuslaw river, where he filed upon a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, upon which he established his home and en- gaged in farming, making a specialty of high-grade dairy products. In addition to farming and dairying he successfully en- gaged in fishing and while thus occupied with these diversified interests, in the very midst of a promising and successful career he passed away on February 25, 1909, leaving to mourn his loss a widow and eight chil- dren.

At Coos bay, this state, in 1874, Mr. Har- ing was united in marriage to Miss Clara Gamble, a daughter of William and Emma (Hanman) Gamble, both of whom were na- tives of England. The parents emigrated to America when their daughter Clara was a child of eight years. On reaching the new world they made their first location in the state of Iowa, where they continued to live for four years, during which time the father was engaged in general farming. He after- wards removed with his family to Missouri and in that state was engaged in farming for a period of seven years, settling in Coos bay in 1873. In the year 1893 he removed to the north fork of the Siuslaw river and there resided until his death, which occurred in 1896. Mrs. Haring has the distinction of being the first white woman to have lived on the north fork of the Siuslaw river and her daughter was the first white child born in that locality. To Mr. and Mrs. Gamble were born eight children: Clara, who married Amos Haring, of this review; Katie and Annie, both deceased; Francis Joseph, of As- toria, Oregon, who is married and has two children, George and Ella; William, who married and died leaving a family of three children, Sherman, Frank and Emma, all of San Francisco; and Sherman, Charlotte and George, all of whom are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Haring became the parents of the fol- lowing children: Walter, of Astoria, who is married and has five children, Nora, Alice, Evelyn, Diehless and Walter L .; Clara, who is the wife of Elmer Johnson, of Idaho, and the mother of one child, Ralph; Emma, who married Charles Russell, of Portland, Ore- gon, and died, leaving one child, Alberta; Iona and Bennie, both deceased; Albert, who resides with his mother and is engaged in operating the home farm; Josephine, who is the wife of Eugene McCornick, of Florence, and the mother of two children, Edna and Emily; and Loretta and Agnes, both at home.

Mr. Haring was a loyal and devoted mem- ber of the republican party. He was a man universally esteemed for his integrity in all business transactions with the people among whom he associated and was characterized for his devotion to the interests of his home and family. His beautiful estate of one hun- dred and sixty acres, located eight miles from Florence up the north fork of the Sius- law river, is a monument to his industry and economy. He left for the support and protection of his family a highly developed farm upon which his widow resides. The

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farm is now cared for and operated by Al- bert, her youngest son, whose training un- der his father's supervision has equipped him for the responsibilities and successful con- duct of the beautiful property, to whose de- velopment he had given many years of de- voted service, so that his family might have a comfortable home and a competence.

JAMES W. HIGGINS. The name of no single individual is perhaps more closely as- sociated with the development, upbuilding and improvement of Montavilla than that of James W. Higgins, for he located here when the town contained only one hundred and fifty inhabitants. He has lived to wit- ness the growth of its population to eight thousand and in all the material improve- ment of the city he has taken active part. He was born in Brunswick, Missouri, No- vember 20, 1857, and is a son of Robert H. and Rebecca A. (Henderson) Higgins, in whose family were six children. Fannie, the eldest, is the wife of George Brannon, of St. Louis, Missouri, the oldest engineer on the Missouri river, having entered the steam- boat service a long time prior to the Civil war. He was engineer on the first boat that went up to Fort Benton and he has a very wide acquaintance along the Mississippi and the ports to which his work has taken him. Unto him and his wife have been born four children, Cora, Lee, Joe and Edna. Arbelia Higgins, the second of the family, became the wife of Major J. H. Townson, of Galla- tin, Missouri, and they have three children, Walter, Robert and Bessie. John, the next of the family, is living in Arleta, Oregon, and has one child, Mabel. Charles G. is a resident of Guthrie, Oklahoma. James W. is the next of the family. Minnie is the wife of W. E. Osborn, of Gallatin, Missouri, and they have three children, Robert, Mar- garet and Edwin.

The youthful days of James W. Higgins were passed in the manner of most boys of his locality and period and when sixteen years of age he began learning the carpen- ter's trade in Missouri, in which state he resided until the spring of 1879. At that date he went to Leadville, Colorado. where he worked for a short time, receiving fifteen dollars per day as his wage for carpentering. He next proceeded to Canon City, Colorado, · where he also spent but a brief period, and later was located for a time in Colorado Springs and afterward in Kansas. From the latter point he returned home, continuing in Missouri until the spring of 1880, when he went to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he worked for the government for four years. On the expiration of that period he removed to Harrisonville, Missouri, and while living there was married.

He wedded Miss Emma Abbott, a daughter of Silas and Mary J. (Webb) Abbott. Mrs. Higgins is a native of Illinois, but the fam- ily had removed to Harrisonville, Missouri, ere her marriage. Three children have been born to them: Blanche, who is engaged in dressmaking and makes her home with her parents; Lee R. S., who is engaged in

the plumbing business in Montavilla and is. married and has two children, Elnery and Dorothy; and Roy, who is at home.

Following his marriage Mr. Higgins con- tinued to reside in Harrisonville for a year, after which he located in Oberlin, Kansas, where he lived for two years. He then re- turned to Colorado Springs, where the suc- ceeding four years were passed, after which he came to Oregon, making his way at once to Portland. He chose Montavilla as the place of his residence, arriving here in 1891. He found a small town of about one lun- dred and fifty inhabitants. There was a little grocery store owned by a Mr. John- son, now deceased, a small meat market owned by Murray & Sloan and a little water plant, which was the property of Warren Burrden. School was held in a hall and the only car service was a motor car running to Mount Tabor every thirty minutes. A year later a car line was built out Glison street to Eighty-fourth. The town has en- joyed substantial and rapid growth, hav- ing now a population of eight thousand. There are six handsome churches, a fine school, built in an attractive style of archi- tecture, and the improvements of the town include electric lights, cement sidewalks, water works and a thirty-minute car serv- ice to Mount Hood and seven-minute service to Portland. After living in Montavilla for a few months Mr. Higgins purchased prop- erty and built a home, erecting the first house on Eightieth street. He has continu- ously engaged in contracting and building, erecting the first house in Hawthorne's first addition and carrying on his building opera- tions throughout the town. He has been an active participant in the growth and prog- ress of the city and he owns business as well as residence property in Montavilla, which has increased largely in value since he made his first investment.

In his political views Mr. Higgins has al- ways been a stalwart democrat and has taken an active interest in politics · but not as an office seeker. He has been offered political positions in the city of Portland. but would not accept, preferring to concen- trate his energies upon his business affairs. He and his family are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church and fraternally he is connected with the Woodmen of the World and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In the latter organization he has filled all of the chairs in the subordinate lodge and he is ever loyal to the teachings of the order and faithful to the high principles for which it stands. His upright and honorable life has gained for him the high respect and good-will of those with whom he has come in contact during the twenty years of his res- idence in Montavilla.

WILLIAM W. WILSON. In his active, useful and upright life as one of the leading agriculturists of the Yoncalla valley Wil- liam W. Wilson is carrying on the honorable traditions of his father who founded the family in Oregon in the early days of pio- neer settlement. He is engaged in the oper-

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ation of one hundred and one acres of land, which was a part of his father's holdings, and he is devoting his entire attention to agricultural pursuits. William W. Wilson is a native of Oregon and was born July 5, 1869, on the farm on which his brother, John D. Wilson, now resides.

William W. Wilson was reared upon his father's farm and received his education in the common schools of Douglas county. His advantages in this respect were limited as the school term at that time lasted only three months of the year. On attaining majority he began farming for himself and followed this occupation until 1900, when he entered the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad. He worked for that company for twelve years. He made a success of railroad work and gained a local reputation for care- fulness and accuracy. On September 30, 1912, he retired permanently from railroad affairs and located on his present home farm two miles south of Yoncalla, where he is giving his entire attention to agriculture. His holdings comprise one hundred and one acres and are a part of the original Wilson donation claim. Mr. Wilson is a progressive farmer and has improved and developed his land to a great extent during the short pe- riod of his occupancy. He is intelligently in- terested in scientific farming. His farm equipment is modern in every respect as he uses the latest labor-saving devices and farm machinery.

On January 26, 1896, Mr. Wilson was united in marriage to Miss Bernice McDole, of Cottage Grove, Oregon, a daughter of J. M. McDole, one of the prominent farmers of Lane county. To Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have been born six children, Wanda Verle, Ada May, Leota, Velma, Alberta and Joseph D., all of whom are living with their parents on the home farm.

Politically William W. Wilson is independ- ent, preferring to keep his opinions and judgment unbiased by party ties. In 1898 he was a candidate on the people's party ticket for the office of state representative and was elected by a large majority. He served in the eighteenth general assembly of the state of Oregon with honor and credit and made a record for broad-minded and intelli- gent service. Fraternally he holds member- ship in Elkton Lodge, No. 68, F. & A. M., and in Yoncalla Camp, No. 284, W. O. W. He and his wife are members of the Chris- tian church and are active workers in re- ligious circles. Agriculture is one of the flourishing industries of Douglas county and as a successful farmer Mr. Wilson is a rep- resentative and useful citizen. His father was a pioneer and frontiersman and his son in the next generation is making the land, which he cleared and wrested from . the wilderness, fertile and productive.

ERICK ERICKSON. At the age of nine years a little Finnish boy, just beyond baby- hood, was left entirely alone in the world by the death of his parents. Since that time Erick Erickson has pursued his career with an unfaltering trust and a firm determina-

tion and has attained in the sixtieth year of his age a prominent and enviable place among his fellow countrymen in Coos county. He is the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of improved land and is numbered among the substantial and enterprising citizens of his district. Erick Erickson · was born in Finland in 1842 and is a son of Erick and Narki Erickson. He is one of four children born to his parents, the others being Henry, Jeremiah and Gustus, all of whom are living in Finland.

Erick Erickson was obliged to earn his own livelihood when only nine years of age. He worked in the employ of others in his native country until. he was twenty-eight years of age, and then sailed as ordinary seaman. He later became able seaman and followed the sea on practically all the waters of the world for a number of years. He finally landed at San Francisco, California, and worked on a coast schooner for two years. At the end of that time he came to North Bend, Oregon, and worked in the woods. He later took up a homestead claim of one hundred and sixty acres and in 1882 proved up another homestead claim on North lake which he has been operating since that time. He has added to his holdings and is now the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of Coos county land. He has made all necessary improvements upon his farm, has built barns and outbuildings, cleared the portions of land which were covered with timber and has made of his property a model Oregon ranch.

In 1878 Mr. Erickson was married in Fin- land to Miss Annie Tapio, who is a native of that country, and to their union five children were born: Martin, deceased; Simon. who is engaged in farming in Coos county ; . August, who is active in the operation of his father's property in Coos county; Emil, who lives with his parents; and Oscar, who also resides at home. Politically Mr. Erickson is a stanch republican and he has served as school director for two years. That, how- ever, was his only public office as he prefers to give his attention to the affairs of his farm. He attends the Lutheran church and to that faith his family also adhere. Mr. Erickson has truly been the architect of his own fortunes and the same unfaltering trust in himself which distinguished him at the age of nine, makes him successful and worthy now and greatly endears him to his many friends.

MATT HERMAN REIHER is one of the successful farmers of Coos bay, located on Haynes inlet, ten miles from Marshfield, where he is owner of a farm of one hundred and ninety-five acres, to the cultivation of which he gives his entire attention. He was born in Finland, in 1867, and is a son of Matt Raiha and Sophia (Sund) Reiher, in whose family were eight children: Matt Her- man, of this review; Victor, who is a tele- graph operator in Finland; Julius, Alexan- der and Otto, deceased; Selma Sophia, of Finland; Oscar A., deceased; and Hilma Marie, a telegraph operator. The father of

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this family was a government pilot. He passed away many years ago, at the age of seventy-three, but the mother is still living in her native land.

Matt H. Reiher was reared at home and received his early education in the schools of Finland. At the age of twenty-one he emi- grated to the United States and settled in California, where he was engaged as em- ploye in lumber mills for some time. He then removed to Coos bay, where he invested in the rafting business, to which he gave his attention for a short period and was then employed in a shipyard for some time, after which he purchased a piece of land in Marsh- field, for which he paid one thousand dollars and sold the same afterward for seven thou- sand dollars. He then bought a farm of one hundred and ninety-five acres located on Haynes inlet, where he established his home and has since continued to devote his at- tention to the development of that property. He is very successful in his agricultural op- erations and is at present making a spe- cialty of dairy farming.

Mr. Reiher was united in marriage on De- cember 28, 1896, to Miss Ida Kotka, a native of Finland and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Kotka, who were the parents of a large family, seven of whom survive: Her- man, of Marshfield; Ida, now Mrs. Matt H. Reiher; Ina, the wife of Matt Johnson, of Finland; Hannah, who is the wife of Alfred Lundstrom, of Coos county, and the mother of one child; Hugo, of Marshfield; and Mary and Victor, both of whom reside in Fin- land. Mr. and Mrs. Reiher are the parents of nine children, Ida, Hugo, Esther, Rudolph, Albert and Ina, all attending public school; and Gunard, Ellen and Leonard.

Mr. Reiher is affiliated with the republi- can party and for the past six years has served as one of the directors of the school board of his district. He is also one of the charter members of Soumi lodge and was for some time a member of the Ancient Or- der of United Workmen. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran church of Marsh- field. Mr. Reiher is one of the well known and successful farmers of Coos county and is a man to be relied upon to give his assist- ance to the advancement of any public meas- ure, seeking the improvement of the people of his county and state.

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 116

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